Interviews With Equestrians

by Jmaster49

Rating: teen
Tags: Princess Luna, Drama, Original Character, Mystery, Cozy Glow, Slice of Life, Cheerilee, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Flurry Heart
Length: 545782

A look inside the hidden perspectives of the average pony by your average joe. Starting with the imprisonment of Cozy Glow, this pony sets out to expose the hidden problems of Equestria that its residents have a right to know.

Pale Vestige is an ordinary detective, out to find the truth. To him, there's lots of hidden secrets among the ways of Equestria that deserve to be uncovered. No, nothing magical or ancient. Secrets regarding the actions of those who ran the place. That's right, the princesses themselves. Whether ponykind realizes it or not, they aren't perfect and the public has the right to know that. Whether it be uncovering the secrets of the Crystal Empire, Celestia's hidden desires, or the origins of the Bat Ponies, Pale Vestige is out to find the truth. His main goal however, is correcting the injustice dealt to a child: Cozy Glow.

Cover art by: https://www.fimfiction.net/user/343139/ZettaiDullahan

This story now has a sequel!

https://www.fimfiction.net/story/501105/cozy-glow-psychology-phd

Published 2020-08-14 05:50:01 UTC
Last updated 2021-08-06 21:05:10 UTC

Subject 3: Citywide Administrator

The Mayor’s office. This will indeed lead to some progress, I thought. Yet again, the hat and coat was on, but before I headed out, I was stopped.

“Sir! I ran the files. Turns out she did have parents but they went missing years ago!” Another one of my deputies. A young Pegasus stallion by the name of Cathartic Corkscrew. Around here, we call him CC or Cork because that’s much easier. Still a nice name, though. He’s a rookie, but his heart is in the right place, that’s for sure. Burnt orange coat, blue mane, and a pair of glasses over his gray eyes to assist his blindness.

“Any names?”

“None. No idea of their identities or where she was even born. I think something must be locked up somewhere.”

I rubbed the youngster on the head with a hoof, “Now now, young man. Nothing’s ever truly locked. It’s simply misplaced. The key to the truth lies within your capability.”

He pushed me away with both of his hooves, “Yeah I know. You always say that, sir.”

“Because it’s true!”

“Not.” Quick Draw had rounded the corner of the office towards her station. A sarcastic comment made in jest against my efforts as usual. “There’s no way you’re gonna convince the public that Cozy Glow deserves another chance,” she commented while she poured her usual cup of jet black coffee.

“While it may be unlikely,” Cork would speak next, flying over to her, “several other individuals have already been forgiven in the past. If logic stands to reason, then we do have grounds for bringing her back.”

Quick Draw simply scoffed and sat at her desk. No longer even giving us eye contact. “I don’t see why you’re so fixated on this. Nopony ever questions the guidance of the Alicorns. It’s an uphill battle that you can’t win.”

“From one perspective, yes. But I already have a handful of key witness accounts that think negatively of the decision,” I held up some documents, “and they’re gonna be the match that lights this powder keg.”

“...Don’t start a fight that you can’t win, boss,” she had already looked over her notes and rose from her seat again. Guess she already found the assignment. “I’ll see you guys later. And try not to blow the place up.”

Corkscrew made a face behind her back, so I nudged him. “You heard her. Don’t do anything foolish.”

“Right, sir. So you’re off to the Mayor’s office then?”

“That’s right, my friend. I’m going to see if there’s any further details regarding Cozy Glow’s parents that I can find.”

Then he presented an interesting proposition, “What about questioning her?”

“The Mayor? I suppose it wouldn’t be an issue, but given how busy she is, I might be lucky to get three minutes of her time, let alone a whole interview. But who knows?”

The young stallion flashed a smile while holding a set of cards. Magic tricks were always a little pastime of his that I...endured for the sake of his happiness. “You know what they say: Never play your hoof unless you can win? Pick a card, any card! Just one before you go? C’moooon!”

I could feel my eyeballs roll in their sockets. But I refused to disappoint the youngster. So I drew a card with my hoof. “Okay, I got it.”

“Alright…” he was in his ‘concentration’ mode, aiming to guess what card I was holding with his eyes closed and wings fluttering heavily. “Three of Hearts.”

I took a peek at my card, the Ace of Spades. “Nnnnnope.”

“King of Spades!”

“Incorrect,” I headed towards the door, yet he continued to rattle off guess after guess. I had to admit, it was quite amusing.

“Uhh, uhh...Seven of Clubs!”

“Negative.”

“Three of Hearts!”

“Wrong.”

“Three of--”

“No.”

“Two--”

“No.”

“Joker!”

I put my hoof to my forehead, and showed him my card. He reeled back in disappointment but quickly played it off.

“....that was gonna be my next guess I swear!”

“Hahaha, don’t quit your main job, Cork,” I flung the card back to his desk as I exited the door. The bell behind me almost drowned out his final words.

“The expression is DAY job!”

Well, I officially had my laugh for the day. But it was time to get back to work. My next objective was the Mayor’s office. Twas a quiet day in the town. Sure, few ponies were out and about, but nothing too crazy. On my way, I spotted a pair of ponies playing with their child, and I started to think about the possibility of who Cozy Glow’s were, and why they weren’t around for her. I had also wondered what it’d be like to settle down and have a child one day. My workload would increase tenfold, the amount of stress would increase, I would need a wife…

Yeah it wasn’t looking like something for me.

At any rate, the Town Hall was straight ahead. Hopefully the Mayor wouldn’t be too busy to assist me.

I stepped in, “Hello?” and laid eyes on the secretary mare at the front desk who was busy filing papers. “Ah, would the Mayor be free right about now?”

The look of uncertainty on her face said it all, “I’m not sure. But nobody’s with her right now. You can check for yourself,” she gave a swift answer and resumed her work. Admirable to not let anything cause distractions, I say.

“Thank you,” I replied, and trotted down the hall to the Mayor’s office. There was a deafening silence behind those doors, so I decided to knock carefully. “Ahem--Ms. Mayor?”

No response.

But upon the third tap of my hoof, the door would come ajar. It wasn’t locked, but it was left halfway open? Curious. I took a peek into the office and extended my hoof to open the door with a long creak noise. “Oh.” There she was. At her desk, fast asleep. The Mayor was overworked with a load of papers just recently signed. Yet again, I could relate. I didn’t want to disturb her, so I would attempt to close the door again...only for that squeak of the hinges to result in her waking up.

“Hm..huh?” The Mayor stretched from her seat with a yawn. “...Is someone there?”

“Yes, it’s--ahem. Terribly sorry to trouble you, Ms. Mayor. But would you be so kind as to assist me?”

It took her a moment to fully recover from her rest. A stumble out of her back corner of the room followed by a minute or two of her searching for her glasses. “Now where are those troublesome...ah!” Once she had them on, she returned to her jovial self. “There we are. Hello, are you Mr. Vestige?”

I was surprised. I didn’t expect her to say my name so readily, “Yes I am. But how did you?”

“One of your companions let me know ahead of time that you would be visiting. Something about someone’s parents?”

It had to have been Quick Draw. Always thinking two steps ahead. “Yes. I’m looking for information regarding Cozy Glow. I wanted to see if there was any documentation of her parents living here at one point?”

“Ah...her. Unfortunately, I do not. There’s nopony related to her in any of the records. See for yourself,” she pointed me in the direction of the filing cabinets.

I took a crack at it, sifting through each file to no avail. No records of anyone related to Cozy Glow or having a child named Cozy Glow. Just who was she? Why did any of this happen? My head started to ache once more. It had been a full hour of searching only to turn up nothing. Dammit all.

“Seems it’s true. Nothing in here regarding her past, nor any relations. Looks like my trail has run cold…”

I slumped against the cabinet in defeat before I felt a tap on my shoulder. “If you don’t mind me asking, just why are you invested in such a topic? Wasn’t that child evil beyond comprehension?”

“There’s something more than that. Something...deeper. Everyone deserves a second chance. But if they aren’t given that opportunity, then we are no better than they are. I know how it feels...personally.”

While the Mayor seemed to understand my perspective, she kept her inquisitive gaze of doubt, “Forgive me for saying so, but you do realize that the ideals behind such a decision are...unbreakable? The rule of Twilight Sparkle is a fair, but stubborn one. I don’t think she would give up on that so easily. What Cozy did was so...damning that I can’t see her going back on it. You’d have better luck suggesting that to literally every other major official before she would accept that.”

Then it came to me. ‘Everyone else important.’ There it was. My ticket to shut this case down. But first, I had to get something clear. “...I see. Sounds complicated, but doable. Though, my next question, Ms. Mayor is a more direct one: What is your opinion of her imprisonment?”

“Mine? Oh I don’t think she deserved it at all,” the Mayor answered in a rather candid manner. I appreciated that compared to the slower responses I had gotten previously. “It confuses me how Discord gets a second chance and not her. It really is rather confusing if you ask me. But I’m not the princess, so maybe my feelings are invalid.”

My eyes narrowed. I utterly despised the idea of someone doubting themselves over their opinion--especially a rather valid one such as that. I had gotten up from my spot on the floor near the cabinets. “Hey now, don’t say things like that. You have the right to feel however you want about a certain topic. The only way we can make progress is if we’re all open with each other. Even if it is risky.”

“If you say so…” she didn’t seem convinced by what I had said. I didn’t blame her, though. Staying silent on one’s outlook was a fairly common thing. “Regardless, there are some things that I would rather keep to myself for the sake of my sanity. I’ve got too much going through my mind to fret over things like this.” She sat down at her desk, looking over another document, “My apologies if I wasn’t able to help, sir. What shall you do next?”

“I think...I’m going to take a little trip.”

“Oh? Where to?”

I had already started to make my exit. “Someplace crystal clear,” and I left with that vague little anecdote. It was somewhat obvious where I intended to go next, but I liked the idea of sounding ominous.

But in all seriousness, I would need to catch the next train soon. I had something important to take care of.

Subject 4: Jeweled Empress

The train ride was fast, yet bothersome. Loud and obnoxious with dozens of other passengers crowding the cars. Thankfully, I was able to get off without any trouble. This wasn’t my first time in the Crystal Empire. I had been here long ago with my father, but that was far beyond my frame of mind. All I really hoped for was an audience with Cadence. I’ll admit, it was nerve-wracking. Not because she was a princess, though that did play a small part. No, rather, I was wondering whether or not she would take the time to listen to me. My idea was absurd. Convince the Princess of Love to convince the Princess of Friendship to give a filly a second chance.

Was I in my right mind? Maybe Quick Draw was right. But I’m not the type to give up due to one small problem. Not to mention the sights of the Empire itself was something to behold. Beautiful crystalline structures everywhere, true to its name. My memories of this place were cloudier than a rainy day, so I never imagined it would look this grand. The castle itself was far off in the distance. It looked like no more than a 20-minute walk. Suppose it was just long enough to take in some more visuals.

That’s just what I did. On the way, I noticed how differently the culture of the Empire was from Ponyville. The latter was more rugged with a yesteryear aesthetic, but this place had a more modern flair to it that I could get behind. Beautiful colors that lit the Empire up like a rave, even in broad daylight. The road beneath my hooves paved with a shiny texture. The gemstone-like buildings made for perfect structures to adhere to sturdy designs. There was no way that a place like this would be invaded.

At least, that’s what I hoped.

Regardless, my objective was certain. Speak with the Princess of Love, and get her viewpoint. Once that was done, I was certain I could convince her and her fellow Princess to grant Cozy Glow passage of some sort. After all, a child like that was certainly missing some kind of familial love.

“Well I’ll be damned,” the sight of the Crystal Castle left me confused. The guards looked rather bored, and there was absolutely no noise being made from within. Strange. She had been a princess for much longer than Twilight, so I figured her palace would be just as lively--if not more so due to her seniority. “This just makes my job easier, doesn’t it?”

I trotted up the steps. The crystal guards didn’t move or blink, nor did they ask me whether or not I had business with their ruler. I suppose it could have to do with the fact that I had my uniform on, so they didn’t feel the need to ask. Either that or their boredom had kept them from being bothered enough to ask.

“Gentlemen,” I said with a tip of my hat. Their eyes barely moved to acknowledge me. That was odd. But now wasn’t the time for distractions. I made my way through the palace doors. The creaking caused an eerie echo that made my ears twitch. “Gah...is it really that quiet around here?”

No one was there to give me any sort of direction either. So I had to use what knowledge I had of castle layouts and my tracking skills. “Hm…” I tapped the ground with my hoof, once, twice. Based on the flow of the air as well as the echoing sound, the throne room had to be… “This way.”

I travelled up several flights of shining steps, and down a long hallway until I reached a set of enchanting gemstone doors that reached the ceiling. Highly impractical, but this wasn’t the first time I had seen such architecture before. I decided to play it safer this time and knocked, which elicited a shocked sort of shouting from behind the doors.

“Who’s there--?! I mean, ahem--Enter.”

So she was alive. Thank goodness. Given how silent it had been on my way up here, she didn’t respond within three seconds. I would’ve had to alert my contacts under the assumption she had been harmed.

I entered the throne room, the doors making another creaking sound just as the ones did at the entrance. Had no one heard of oiling their hinges? “Greetings, Princess Cadence,” I removed my hat and prepared to take a bow.

“Please don’t do all of that. I’m just glad to see--I mean, you may rise, sir. To whom do I have the pleasure of speaking with?”

Surprising. A princess who didn’t enjoy needless formality? Maybe this would go more simply than I thought. I moved forward along the carpet that led to the throne. The room itself was the largest of all with an abundance of crystalline formations against the walls. Truly a beautiful sight. “Pale Vestige at your service, Princess Cadence. I’ve come to ask a few questions about--”

“Oh? Great! Or rather, that would be nice.”

She put a smile. A fake one. One that hid how much she enjoyed to have the company of someone that wasn’t a fellow noble or businesspony. I could tell from the way her cheeks spread in an unnatural fashion, along with the strain in her eyes to put on this facial expression. It was quite disheartening.

“Listen, I’m nopony special. I’m just a regular guy looking for an opinion. Don’t put on the false act.”

“Oh good. I was about to say the exact same thing,” she looked relieved, choose to relax into the back of her throne.

“Excuse me?”

“Hardly anypony comes to just...talk. I know it sounds strange, but everyone’s out there happily living their daily lives while I’m here either doing some paperwork or signing some new treaty or meeting with some self-important busybody who just wants to put on a mask to make themselves look better in front of thousands of others for the sake of their ego!”

She threw her hooves into the air. That was quite the unexpected rant. Though it didn’t surprise me. “I...can’t say I relate to that. But you have my sympathy.”

“Oh drop the sympathy. I don’t need it. I just needed to vent a little,” she rose from her throne and flew down to properly meet me. “When your husband is the leader of the Empire right with you, he insists on doing everything himself. Including watching our child, and dealing with all sorts of security inspections to make sure his precious wifey and kiddo aren’t in danger. I love that stallion, but he works too hard…”

Now that I could relate to. Minus the child part, of course. “Sounds like you both have a lot on your plate. But if I may be so bold, you didn’t look very busy just a moment ago.”

“That’s because I’m currently on a ten minute break. Mandated by Shining also. He says if I don’t stop for at least a little bit, I could develop loads of different health problems as I get older.”

“But aren’t you an Alicorn--”

That’s when she changed the subject. Now redirecting the proverbial buckball to my side of the field, “Anyway! What did you want to ask me, Mr. Vestige, was it?”

“Yes. A few things, actually. For one, do you think the Crystal Ponies are being given as many opportunities as the other species? What with schooling and learning how to handle their abilities?” My notes were out, my trusty pencil in my teeth as always.

“Well, admittedly, I’ve been working on that. Crystal Ponies have similar attributes to Earth Ponies. In fact, a vast majority of them lack horns or wings,” she started pacing the floor as she explained it to me. She was overjoyed to deal with a subject she had experience with given how her eyes lit up with a spark, “but the main difference is that their powers aren’t tied solely to the earth itself. Rather, they are closely related to the Frozen North portion of the land. Because of that, their abilities range mostly from controlling the foundation of the highly constructed molecules that form them. Which gives them a greater amount of finesse when handling it compared to traditional magic. Do you follow?”

I stopped writing for a moment. “Yes. So the stronger ones have the ability to concentrate their own sort of magic and create objects out of crystals?”

“It’s...possible. We’re still looking into it, but as soon as we have answers, we’ll make it public.”

“Excellent--alright, my next question is a bit more detailed, so I hope you’re prepared.”

The Mare of Love scoffed, looking rather confident in her ability to respond. “I know my home’s history better than the back of my hoof, sir. Try me.”

“This isn’t so much about your home. Rather, the world at large. I’m sure you’re aware of the situation involving Chrysalis, Tirek, Cozy Glow, and--”

“Sombra,” she interrupted me. Referencing the one who devastated her family and home, “he was no king. He was a fool. Too reckless in his desire to overthrow me and ended up banished for it. Rightfully so.”

“I agree--but my question isn’t about him. It’s about Cozy Glow. The filly.”

“Oh? What about her?”

I’d be lying if I told myself I wasn’t afraid of bringing this up to her. I braced myself for the worst as I spoke, “Do you think she deserved to be put to stone like the other two? She was only a child after all.”

Her answer, while understandable, was somewhat trite. “Well, I’m sure Twilight made the right decision. If she was truly evil and working with the others who were trying to harm my family, I can’t say I disagree.”

I decided to prod a bit more, my pounding heart ready to leap from my chest, “Allow me to ask the question in a different way. If that was your daughter--Flurry Heart. If she had been the one to cause trouble, would you put her to stone?”

The question caused her to stop, and take a step back. I knew very well that something of this caliber hadn’t been questioned of her before. She shut her eyes, deep in thought about it for what seemed like ages as I stood there patiently. I waited in complete silence until she finally responded.

“I don’t know what I’d do. I know I would do my best to stop her, and bring her back to reality. And I would take the time to have her understand what she did was wrong so she could improve herself. But Flurry Heart would never do something like that.”

I raised a brow, “But how do you know, Cadence?”

“Because I’m here for her, that’s why!” she snapped back, stomping her hoof, “and not just me, either. Shining Armor, as well. She’s got a whole family that will make sure she walks the right path.”

That’s when I played my card, “Really? Funny thing is, nopony asked that about Cozy Glow?”

Her anger turned to sorrow and confusion, “What?”

“Nopony asked about Cozy Glow’s family. Nopony ever tried to track her parents down and see how she grew up. She was lumped right in with Chrysalis and Tirek--two absolute tyrants who were fully grown and knew the consequences of their actions. Cozy on the other hand was a child. A disturbed one at that. A child who was never properly given a chance, nor understood. Do you think that is just? For someone so young to suffer for actions they likely didn’t understand?”

“...No, I suppose not,” she sighed, “but what does Flurry Heart have to do with it?”

“Nothing at all, really. I simply brought her up because I wanted to have an edge in the conversation. We’re all biased towards our own. That much is certain. But when it comes to another, that changes completely, does it not?”

I could see the look of sympathy on her face. I may have taken it a bit far by bringing up her own child, but it was a necessary card to toss on the table. It was the only way I could get through to her in a reasonable way.

Her eyes turned cold. Full of judgement, and staring through my soul, “Just what made you bring this up to me? Are you brave or foolish?”

“Call it how you will,” I responded with a nonchalant shrug to suppress my fear, “My aim was to get your opinion on the incident regarding the imprisonment of a filly. Nothing more.”

“Ha!” she laughed rather sarcastically, “That can’t possibly be it. I deal with all sorts of ponies on a daily basis who say the wildest things. But that? You can’t have just come here to simply say some words and disappear.”

Perceptive. The Princess of Love was very keen in sensing the true feelings of another. I can’t believe that slipped my mind. Since I was caught in this play, I decided that I may as well go all in, “You got me, Cadence. In truth, the reason I came to you is because I wanted to not only get your opinion, but see if you could convince Twilight to allow the filly passage.”

“Why didn’t you just speak to her yourself?”

“I considered that. But I knew for certain that I would be turned down immediately. I’m a nobody, to be frank. No status, no special magic or skills, no authority. Nothing. I’m just a regular old guy with a regular old job. But you? If you were willing to hear my case, then it’s possible that she could be convinced. Not to mention your relation.”

“Not bad,” she said with the judgemental look in her eyes, “But this all hinges on the assumption that I’ll actually tell Twilight anything. What if I refuse?”

I had prepared for everything. Even if it wouldn’t go as smoothly as planned. “Then I’ll take matters into my own hooves. If you of all ponies won’t help seek redemption for a filly who had no support, then I’ll get the public behind the notion instead.”

“Is that a threat?”

I quickly shook my head. “Oh no, no threats here. The last thing I want as a stallion of law is to damage the credibility of my fellow officers by inciting a national ruler’s wrath. All I intend to do is make the public aware of what...incorrect acts have been done without their knowledge. So many ponies are out there, afraid to speak up for themselves out of fear of persecution.”

Cadence had the slightest frown on her face. I couldn’t tell if she was truly angry or disappointed with me. I was on eggshells waiting for her to grant me a response. “Okay, now let me ask you a question, sir. Is this a hill you’re prepared to fall upon?”

Enough was enough. If there was any moment to expose how I truly felt, now was the time. “Absolutely. I was in her position at one point during my youth. Granted, nothing as serious as threatening the world, but similar even so.”

As of now, she seemed more interested in hearing my own tale, rather than my objective. She took a step towards me, her head tilted to the left out of curiosity. “Please, go on.”

Well it was out now. No point in holding back. “I wasn’t a normal colt. I grew up without my mother. My father was strict. Overbearingly so. They fought all the time and it got so bad that she left one day and never came back. With no one else to turn his rage to, I was the target. He made me get up early every morning to run mile after mile and enforced heavy rules on what I could and couldn’t have. It was the same bland protein mix for dinner day after day. I grew to hate him. I wanted to leave and never return just as my mother did, and--” I stopped myself. Was this really going to change anything? I was probably boring her with my sob story, and my personal matters were getting in the way of my job.

“And…?” Much to my surprise, she didn’t seem bored at all. In fact, she was rather invested in my little tale. I had no idea how to feel now. My work was being disrupted by emotion. Yet, it would be rude to stop now. I had no choice but to finish what I started.

Or it was probably Cadence’s aura. Emotion was a strong thing, and I felt utterly compelled to continue. I gave a sigh of defeat, “I’ll spare you the extreme details. I got into the wrong things. With the wrong group of ponies. It felt good at first, to do what I wanted without giving a damn. But then, things took a turn for the worst. We launched bottle rockets and caused hundreds of bits in property damage to the nearby retirement home. Ponies were hurt. Nearly killed. And I had to accept the reality of the damage I caused.”

Cadence gave me a sympathetic frown. “I did not know that...but how did you change from a troublemaker to a lawpony?”

“The therapist who I saw to treat my crazed actions was also an officer. She kept me with her for a while until I was prepared to go back into the real world. I got a few odd jobs, studied law, and here I am now. All because of intervention. Something that Cozy Glow never got.”

“Ah. So that’s why you’re so passionate about this. I can’t blame you, but not every case is the same. There’s no guarantee that Cozy Glow will have truly changed.”

“I’m aware of that. And that’s why I intend to follow through on it myself. But I can’t do that without support from the public.”

“Passing on what you were taught…” I heard her laugh. Not a sarcastic one. It was more like a, ‘how cute’ sort of giggle. “I respect that. Even if your methods are extreme.”

I shrugged, having put my notes away the moment I went on about my personal life. “I do what’s necessary to keep things balanced in this world. Even if others don’t agree,” with that said, I walked towards her throne room doors, ready to make my exit.

“Wait, you’re leaving already?”

“My apologies. I realize that I’ve said too much. I need...to head home.”

“Oh...alright,” I could hear the sadness in her voice. It was apparent that she wanted me to stay and explain more to her. But anything else could cause irreparable damage. “Have a nice trip home, sir.”

“Thank you. I will, please think about what I said.” I don’t think so. That was a horrible display I just put on. Completely unprofessional. Just how was I going to save the child if I let emotion take over in such ways?

Sadly, once I returned home, things were no better. Quick Draw had already heard about what happened by the time I got there, thanks to my contacts who were stationed in the Empire.

She was not happy.

“Flash Drive and Guttersnipe have already told me everything,” my deputy walked up to my desk, and slammed her hooves down. “ARE YOU INSANE?!” Everything on my desk jumped into the air, and thankfully landed in their exact spots. “You go all the way out to the Crystal Empire and break down in front of the Princess?! Are you just a boulder that rolls down whatever hill it's on?! No! Even a boulder has more sense!”

“Listen I--”

“No look. You need to drop this case. Cozy Glow is locked away for good. There’s nothing you can do about it.”

I hated arguing, but I wasn’t going to stand idle. “How do you know that? Nobody else has even tried to deal with the filly before now. This is a case of injustice against someone who wasn’t completely sane. What child would do such a thing without reason?”

“Grrr…” she was mere inches from my face before she backed off. “I know about your situation, sir. About how some ponies can get another chance. But this is really beyond you. We’re not just talking about a few blow up houses and old folks. We’re talking about a threat to everyone on the planet.”

“Who’s to say I couldn’t have become that very same threat to all things?” I retorted, sharply, “Did you ever think about that? You don’t fix a problem by hiding it. That only breeds deception.”

She grabbed me by my shoulders. “Listen to me! You’re too far rooted in your own issues. You don’t comprehend the level of destruction someone could cause.”

I put my hooves in between hers and pushed them off, “It’s why I have this job in the first place. Otherwise I could be dead right now.”

That’s when the ever valiant Corkscrew came in, flying above both of us. “Uh...hey guys, why don’t we chill out for a bit? I’m making poutine, and then we can relax in the theater room before we head home. I got a great movie to watch. Yak Wars 2!”

“Hmph…” Quick Draw couldn’t resist the smell of fried potatoes with gravy and cheese coming from the kitchen down the hall. “I guess I can stay for a bit. Then after that, I’m headed home.” She left my office to go check on how it was cooking, I bet.

“Whew...that’s good. The last time you two argued, we had to rebuild this place! Hahaha!” His laughter made me smile. I wouldn’t dream of letting him turn out like me. Cold, bitter, alone.

“Heh! Good one, bud.”

He hovered in the air horizontally, “Captain. Don’t get upset with her. She’s just concerned for you.”

“I know, I know,” I got up from my chair and handed him a folder. “Take this.”

“Hm?”

“Insurance. If things aren’t going properly, then I’d like you to submit this to the newspaper. Then the public can form their own opinions.”

He stopped flying. The boy stood on the floor as he skimmed through the documents. “Sir...is this the best idea? If this goes wrong, then…”

I waved my hoof with a smile, “You said it yourself, right? Don’t play your cards unless you know there’s a chance of winning? Well, I’m going for it. If there’s even the slightest chance I can convince Twilight to allow Cozy a take at redemption, then I’m going for it.”

“...You’re going to offer yourself as a potential caretaker?”

“More like a watchpony. To keep her on the right path as she grows up, since we know she has no one else.”

“And if they refuse?”

I chuckled, “Then I’m prepared to expose their entire deck to the public to prove my point until they can’t.”

“I can’t say I completely agree, Captain. But you’re smart. If you know what you’re doing, then I believe in you.”

“Appreciated, CC. Now what’s this poutine stuff you’re making? I’ve never heard of it.”

I followed him out of my office. Tomorrow, things will start to change heavily. Whether or not this would earn me a commendation or lifetime banishment to the stars would be my gamble. A flip of the coin, per se. But I always picked heads. Why? Because I never looked back.

Not then. Not now.

Subject 5: Headmare and Magician

It had been about a week since I visited the Empire. Things were rather silent these past few days. No case requests. No real news or anything. Odd for certain. With Corkscrew having sent my documentation to the Ponyville Press, I expected lots of blowback, but none came. Yet.

Oh well. I was still prepared for the worst as I sipped my morning tea. Yup, tea. That Cheerilee woman had gotten me hooked on the stuff ever since I met her. She said something about coffee staining your teeth, so she quit drinking it also. If that was the case, then I wasn’t about to let my precious pearly whites be affected by it. The Agency’s photos would be ruined!

“Mmm…” You know? Maybe this wasn’t so bad. I had my notes, a warm cup of tea, and my morning donut. Common stereotype among officers, yes. But they were delicious! Regardless, everything was going--

KABLAM!

An explosion went off in my office. Annoying given that the front door was right there. But beyond that, it was startling. I yelled out, “AHH!” and fell out of my chair onto the floor, “Oof!” In a flash, I rose from my position with a freshly sharpened pencil between my teeth. The intent was to make use of it as a self-defense weapon if necessary. “Give up, fool!”

“Ahahaha!” To my utter horror, it wasn’t an attacker after all. Rather, a magician. A blue one. Oh no. I knew where this was going and I did not like it. “Behold the Great and Powerful--also the Guidance Counselor at the School of Friendship--TRRRRIXIE!”

No, no, no. Not this. I was all for fancy tricks, but not from someone like her. Please tell me this was a joke.

“Wha...oh my back,” I relaxed from my position of combat, and readjusted my misplaced spinal cord with a few lateral stretches. Afterwards, I approached the mare, “Ahem--Trixie, is it? Glad to meet you.”

“Thank you! I know it is. I’m here today on behalf of fellow School of Friendship Headmaster Starlight Glimmer with a message!”

“A message?” Curious. I wondered what it could be. I hoped that I didn’t cause any collateral damage to anyone. But if necessary, I would face whatever the problem was. “What is it?”

“...” There was an awkward pause that lingered in the air. It would appear that she focused so much time on her entrance, that she completely forgot the reason she came here. “...One second, if you please.”

“Take your time.”

Her horn lit up, and she started to sift through the confines of her cape for this message. “C’mon you stupid thing where...no…” her light blue magical aura retrieved several objects from within her cape. This included a trick hoof buzzer, a hat with a few sleeping birds inside, a wand, some more of her smoke bombs, and another cape? I had to resist the urge to laugh due to how nonsensical it was.

“Is everything alright?” I asked to avoid an even longer awkward silence.

“No, no! I can handle this!” Normally, that meant the opposite. It would be another five minutes of digging before she retrieved a note. “Aha! Here it is. And now, I shall give you the message--ahem: ‘I want the leader of this Detective Group to come to the School immediately. There’s something urgent we need to discuss.’” And after she read it, she took a bow. Clearly she wasn’t past her showbiz days.

“I see...thank you, Ms. Lulamoon,” I responded while clapping my front hooves together. Being a one-stallion audience wasn’t very easy. “I will attend as soon as I’m able.”

She gave me a questioning gaze with a raised eyebrow. “Oh really? To Trixie, it looks like you’re not busy at all.”

Damn. She had a point. I was found out. No way of escaping this one. Why was it always the mares that caught me in conversation? “Ah...well you’re probably right. I suppose I could head over there now.”

“Excellent! You shall follow Professor Trixie to your meeting!” And she left--thankfully through the door and not with a messy smoke grenade. After taking two steps, she looked back at me over her shoulder with an expectant expression. It was like she was telling me to hurry up.

“Yeah yeah, hang on…” It was too early for this crap. But I didn’t have much of a choice, did I? I put on my coat as always, and left the building to follow the former magician.

“Finally! Starlight Glimmer has a busy schedule you know. It’d do you well to take her more seriously.”

Well that came out of nowhere. I suppose her show-off ponysona is truly just an act. When it came to business, she wasn’t messing around. I respected that. “Apologies. I didn’t have my breakfast yet. I’m not fully cognitive without it.”

“Oh really? If that’s the case, then I’m sorry. I’m sure she can make you something once we get there.”

Yet again, I was being murdered with kindness. All I wanted to do was take care of business, and yet it seemed like hospitality was limitless around here. “That’s quite alright. She doesn’t need to waste her time with that. Really, if her schedule is as busy as it is, then the last thing I’d want is--”

“Are you sure? I mean, there’s an entire snack table for the students if they get hungry. I’m sure she won’t mind.”

Pain. That’s all I felt as I walked with her. My stomach in shambles, I didn’t want to come off as rude for not accepting an offer. “Well, if you’re positive. I’m more concerned about why the message was so urgent.”

“I think I have a hunch as to why that is the case,” Trixie explained, while her horn lit up again. This time, she fetched an item from her cape, and it was the correct one. Thankfully. “The recent newspaper published an article about anonymous opinions from those who think Cozy Glow’s banishment was wrong. Would you happen to know anything about this?” It was a rolled up newspaper that she unfolded with her magic, exposing the front page to me.

“That’s certainly an article, yup.” I would’ve been afraid, had it not been for the fact that I had multiple cover stories. “I read the newspaper same as everyone else.”

“Riiight,” she was not convinced. Rightfully so. I had the plausible deniability card in my hoof. “And I’m sure you also wouldn’t know anything about somepony that visited Princess Cadence last week?”

Shit.

“Oh?”

“Listen, mister. If you’re going to play dumb, then do so at your own risk. But know that we’re not going to stand idly by while you start up a possible city-wide conflict.”

I scoffed, then laughed at the idea. First good laugh I had in awhile, actually. “Pffhahahaha! There’s zero chance of something like that happening. Everyone tends to avoid displaying their opinions in public, especially the unpopular ones. Why? Because of fear. Fear of being ridiculed and judged.”

“Fear, hm? Is that why you went out of your way to conceal the identities of those being questioned?”

“I want no harm to come to them for what they think. Of course I didn’t disclose who they were.”

Her face grew into quite the arrogant smirk. “And yet you still didn’t answer my question regarding Cadence. So are you saying you didn’t go there?”

I mentally groaned. Lying would only make my case look flimsy. “Listen, I had a good reason for it, and--”

“Aha!” she cut me off with a triumphant cackle, “Checkmate! So you did go there!”

I shrugged my shoulders. “Yeah, so?”

Silence. Turns out she didn’t quite comprehend the significance behind my visit to the Empire. The magician mare was just happy to have been proven correct. “So...it means I know more than you as of this instance!” she proudly stomped her hoof on the grass, her eyes shut.

I sighed. How could anyone put up with this for more than an hour? Let alone an entire school day. No way. I continued my relaxed gait towards the School of Friendship. Trixie didn’t notice I had left her behind until she opened one eye, then the other.

“Wha? Hey! You’re under my jurisdiction!” she started running after me.

“Heh,” a younger me would’ve proposed the idea of a race to the destination. But I knew damn well that that would be trouble. I simply allowed her to catch up, only to offer a minor tease instead. “Looks like The Great Counselor Trixie isn’t so perceptive.”

“Silence! Get moving before I put you in detention.”

“With you? Now that sounds like heaven,” I chuckled which only prompted an exasperated groan from the magician/professor. As much as I tried to repress my emotions during my work, it was good to know my sense of humor hadn’t been plucked from my person like a Zap Apple from a tree.

We arrived. Just as I suspected, a race would’ve been foolish. It was a decently-sized castle-like building with a pond out front, and stepping stones on one path that intersected with the main walkway up to the front door. Racing towards something like this would have surely caused a crash into the pond, and possibly the rocks. Not fun.

“Wow,” I said with wide, slightly impressed eyes, “nice architecture. But do you think they could’ve laid off the purple a little?”

“Twilight was the one that opened the place in case you didn’t know,” Trixie clarified the choice of color scheme as she trotted ahead of me, “she’s back in Canterlot now, but this place remains her Modus Operandi.”

“Uh, I think you mean Magnum Opus--but I do think it’s got a nice charm to it.” “Even if the color scheme is off-putting.”

“Well, are you gonna stand there staring all day or are you gonna come?” she looked at me from over her shoulder, her hoof tapped the ground while the door flung open with her magical aura.

“Yes, yes, I’m coming,” I responded and followed her up the path, into the building. The structure was as huge as it was on the inside as it was on the outside. Light blue floors, pale blue walls, long halls, loads of rooms that probably led to different classes. I was in awe over the sheer amount of depth added to make the place look welcoming to any visionary pupil. “...wow. It looks much better in here than it does from out there.”

“Quit it with the sarcastic comments. In here, I am the Counselor!” she boldly stated once more. Much to my lack of paying attention. I was more focused on the area around us. There were no students. Must’ve all been in classes right about now. “Are you listening? I said it’s time for you to get going.”

Her voice snapped me out of my naturally investigative stupor, “Hm? Oh. Which way is the office?”

“Follow me,” and once again, I took off after the blue mare. The office was just at the end of the hall. She pushed the door open for me, and I found the light pink Unicorn sorting through files. “Found him for you!”

“Oh, thank you. Please, have a seat, sir. Pale Vestige, right? I’m Starlight Glimmer.”

I sat at the chair in front of Starlight’s desk. “I’m honored to have been summoned, really. But just--”

However, she wasn’t in the mood for formalities. “I’m just going to cut right to it. We know you visited Cadence in the Empire. She contacted us through a letter, recently. She said she had no idea how to respond to what you told her, and that altering Twilight should be up to us.”

“That being, she and I,” Trixie added, her body leaned against the wall to spectate this little discussion.

“In other words, I’m here to question your intentions,” Starlight leaned forward onto her desk to glare at me, “What are they?”

Well now. I didn’t think such a reaction could be brought out from the Princess of Love. But I suppose I did cause her some mental strain by mentioning her daughter in place of Cozy Glow. Guess that would be something I needed to apologize for later. “Right then, the basis of the interview with the Princess of Love, as well as the articles in the paper is to suss out some things.”

The glare turned more captious, seems the headmaster mare wanted to further question my intent. “Suss out what exactly?”

“Many things. But primarily, the public opinion of Cozy Glow’s imprisonment in stone. I don’t think it was something she deserved.”

Silence filled the air until the mare took a deep breath. “Is that so? You believe that Cozy Glow--someone who betrayed the entire institute, threw away several friendships, allied with the world’s most dangerous enemies, and stole eons worth of powerful magic deserves a second chance?”

“Now wait just a minute,” I wasn’t going down unless it was in a battle of wits, “if I recall correctly, you yourself were the subject of wrongdoing before Twilight extended her hoof to you,” I shot a glance over to Trixie as well, “you were in the same boat too.”

“Uch! I beg your pardon! I didn’t do anything nearly as dangerous as Cozy Glow.”

“Your arrogance brought an Ursa Minor to the town--albeit accidentally--when you first arrived all those years ago, causing loads of property damage. Then you came back and tried to fight Twilight in a duel only to cause more chaos with the Alicorn Amulet. Needless to say, you have skeletons in your closet as well.”

She stammered. Likely aiming to come up with an excuse. “Hey! That Ursa wasn’t entirely my fault--”

Against my better nature, I interrupted her and resumed my rant against Starlight Glimmer. My blood boiled as I rattled off my explanation. “And you. You essentially brought about mind control to a civilization of ponies, forcing them to live how you wanted. You were no better than Tirek or Chrysalis was--even if it was on a smaller scale. You were the worst kind of tyrant. A moral one. One who was so hellbent on fighting an injustice that you forced your ways upon everyone under the guise of freedom. But it wasn’t. So forgive me if I seem judgmental--but Cozy Glow deserves just as much of a chance as the rest of you. Not to mention Discord.”

She sighed in defeat, and leaned back in her chair to put her rear hooves on the table. Yet again, I flew off the handle. The memories of her past definitely weren’t pleasant. I felt a bit errant in my desire to correct things, but to me, it seemed like the only way to get something done. By throwing one’s own sins back in their face. “Listen, I get what you’re saying. But this is very risky. If she were released from her stony prison tomorrow, there would be a host of ponies out there ready to riot over the freedom of one of Equestria’s most diabolical enemies.”

“I know that. That’s why I’m not expecting her to be released tomorrow. Or next week. Or anytime soon for that matter,” I answered confidently to try and repair this mess of a conversation, “It’s going to take time for everyone to warm up to the idea, and I’m prepared to take responsibility for that.”

Starlight sat upright, both surprised and intrigued by my proposition. “Are you sure? Most ponies I’ve come across tend to ramble on and on about what’s wrong with something without bothering to offer a solution. Are you saying you have a way to resolve this?”

“Absolutely. I intend to gather more public opinions--anonymously of course--see what everyone has to say regarding the choice to lock up a child. From there, I’ll go see Twilight in Canterlot myself and see what she has to say.”

Trixie suddenly darted in front of Starlight, which nearly made me jump. “And what if she says no? Are you prepared for that?”

“Woah--ahem. Of course. If she denies me, then it’ll be between her and the public at that point. My job will have been finished.”

Starlight put a hoof over Trixie’s face to push her out of the way, “What do you mean between her and the public?”

“Hey!”

“Well, once I’ve gathered the public consensus regarding her banishment, I’ll go to her. If I’m denied, then the public is going to be aware of the fact that their voices weren’t heard,” I put my hooves up in a half-shrug motion, and laughed to myself, “Heh...at that point, it’ll be out of my hooves. The masses will have their way until things are addressed.”

“Damn. This guy has a complete plan laid out. Is he really who he says he is? How can we believe him at all?” Starlight had her hooves together on the table, she had to be deep in thought right about now. “Gonna have to keep a close eye on him until we know he’s trustworthy.”

“I hope we can hurry this up,” I looked at Trixie. She was leaning against the door once more, likely thinking about what I said as well. “I need to be there for my first class. They have to witness my new ultimate lesson plan!”

“Well then,” Starlight finally broke the silence that filled the room for a good long minute or so. “If you think you can get the honest truth of what ponies think, then I suppose you’re not much of an issue.”

I nodded. “I see. And in case you’re wondering, I don’t intend to cause a ruckus. I’m just an average Earth Pony doing my job. No magic, no crazy tricks. Just searching for clarity. Speaking of which, what do you both think of Cozy being put to stone?”

Another awkward silence with both mares exchanging looks. I didn’t want this to go on for much longer. “Well?”
“If it were up to me, I’d have tried to see what was wrong and why she felt that way,” Starlight admitted. I knew she had to feel something for the child given how close her situation was.

Trixie would speak right after, clearly nervous to be put on the spot for a sensitive subject matter, “Well, foals do crazy things all the time. But nothing as crazy as threatening the whole world. I’m honestly not sure what I would do if it were up to me. The decision of how a pony should be treated for their crimes is a...dubious one.”

“It is. Mainly because this is the first instance of a child getting so far. It’s not easy for any of us to swallow,” I commented on the blue mare’s hesitation, “don’t fret. No one comes to a conclusion overnight. Heck, I didn’t. And I know it’s gonna take a while for everyone to come out about how they feel regarding this incident. Like I said, though, I’m ready to deal with this. This isn’t my first showdown.” I got up from my seat, prepared to take my leave, “Are there any other inquiries from you two?”

“None,” Starlight replied as she went back to sorting through files with her magic. “Thank you for your time Mr--”

“Just Pale is fine, really.”

She smiled at me for the first time since I arrived, “Pale it is. Trixie, would you mind showing him out before heading to your class?”

The blue mare flipped her hair with a dramatic turn of her neck, “Not a problem. This way, Pale!” The overly gallant ponysona returned, as Trixie strutted out of the office.

I looked at Starlight, “Is she...always like this?”

“Yes, but you get used to it. One time I called her down here and she exploded so hard that her messy glitter was all over my room and I. It was sticky as heck and I had to wash my mane for days,” she giggled a bit as she recounted the way her friend acted, “but I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

“Sir, are you coming or what?!” Trixie shouted from down the hall.

“I’d better get going. It was nice speaking to you, Starlight.”

“Yeah, I appreciate you taking the time. Just be mindful, alright?”

I laughed, “Haha. Of course,” with that, I trotted on out, and left the building.

“Listen here, we’re going to know if you do something crazy,” Trixie commented to me as I left, “Don’t be reckless. But have a nice day!”

She waved with her hoof as I left. It’s crazy how she went from stoic to cheerful in a manner of seconds. It was...unnerving to say the least. In any case, I had more notes taken down. Now things were about to get that much more difficult. Who knows how many articles would need to appear in the paper before it got recognized?

“Heh...no matter what it takes.” I said to myself on the way back to my office. But something was amiss as I approached. Someone was trying to knock, apparently looking for services? Or maybe an old brooch. Given that the office was meant to be hidden as an antique store to the average pony, I wondered just what they could want?

I got closer, and it turned out to be a gray mare. An Earth Pony with a musical note cutie mark. A well-known musician, perhaps?

Joyous. Music was not my area of expertise.

Subject 6: Musicians and Studying

“Excuse me?” I walked up to the gray mare.

She looked in my direction, and paused. Then she greeted me in a proper, graceful tone, “Oh, hello there. Are you the owner of this antique establishment? I saw a wonderful looking viola in the window that I would like to add to my collection.”

“Oh right,” I nodded, “yeah, I own this place. Let me just unlock the door.” The way it was set up was simple. My front desk was stationed near the entryway, and to the left would be a door that led to the antique store that we used as a cover to avoid our base being sussed out by our enemies. Similarly, our aforementioned folks in the Crystal Empire--Flash Drive and Guttersnipe--ran their location as a crystal pop-rock candy store. Just how the Agency worked.

After a minute or so, I led the mare into the shop to the left. All kinds of old things here. Some may have had historical value, or not. I don’t know. Corkscrew manages it with things he finds at yard sales and in hidden locations. No idea how that boy managed considering we have a few tribal masks, a jewelry set, and what appears to be an ancient predecessor to the yo-yo up for sale.

“Ah, thank you. My name is Octavia Melody. You may know me from my numerous performances around Equestria,” the lady introduced herself with a smile.

Admittedly, I already knew her. Her music was amazing. I had purchased almost every one of her albums when they released. “Yes, I know you well. I’ve...listened to your music on occasion.”

“Have you now? Which was your favorite?”

“La Cinquette’s Accompaniment.”

“Ah, the ‘The Unplayable Piece’. Took me a while to keep my cello in tune with that pianist. But I managed. My hooves were right blistered afterwards, though.”

While it wasn’t on the same level, I could relate due to how often I was sorting files. Paper cuts were nasty. Octavia started to survey the other pieces of history that were there, but soon, her gaze returned to the viola. I never really knew it had a different name. The only string instruments I really knew were the cello, violin, and fiddle. But this?

“Would you mind telling me the difference between a viola and violin?” I asked and approached it with her.

“Certainly. In laymare's terms--the viola is essentially a larger violin with a deeper sound. Do you mind if I test it?”

“Not at all. Though it doesn’t have a bow.”

“That’s quite alright.” In a bizarre twist, the mare plucked a viola bow directly from her tail with her mouth! I didn’t even want to question how she got it to fit there, let alone stay.

She picked it up and held the instrument with her hoof, and the bow in the other. She started playing a soft, gentle melody of notes that filled the little shop with proud sounds. I could almost feel myself slow-dancing to it, until I heard the loud, raspy voice of another individual from outside.

“TAVEY! YOU IN HERE?!”

“Oh dear,” she stopped playing, and put the viola down. “Terribly sorry, but I must leave immediate--”

“I knew you were here the second I heard that dope music playing! Woah...talk about cool.” A white mare with a blue mane and tail and a peculiar set of shades had bolted into the shop. One good look at her and I instantly recognized her as VInyl Scratch--though apparently she prefers DJ-Pon-3.

“Ahem. Cool? Beg your pardon, but I never pegged you for someone interested in bygones of previous centuries.”

The Unicorn started to closely inspect the shells for each item that was on it. “Whaddya talkin’ about? I’ve always been into these old doo-hickeys. Snow globes too? Yoooo...”

“Could’ve fooled me. Oh, and my dearest apologies good sir,” Octavia said to me, “I didn’t expect my friend to show up.”

I went behind the register, “No harm done. Take as much time as you need before you make a decision.”

“Oh yeah, that reminds me!” I observed as Vinyl retrieved a newspaper from outside with her magic before closing the door, “Taves, look at this. Apparently some ponies are in disagreement with Cozy Glow being put away in stone for so long.”

“Oh?” The gray earth pony read the article with her, “Does it say who exactly says this?”

“Nah-uh. But check it, says they’re looking into defying Twilight over it. Do ya think they’ll win?”

They were right before me so I couldn’t help but eavesdrop, even if it was accidental. Still, to avoid being rude I held a book in front of my face.

“No idea. But sadly I don’t think there’s a chance. If that child really did those awful things, then I’m afraid she’ll be stuck there.”

“Whaaaat? But that’s wack Tavey! We don’t know how bad she had it before she decided to go all bonkers n such. Like, don’t gemme wrong--Chrysalis and Tirek deserved it. They’ve been around a long-flanked time and shoulda stopped way before now. But the kid? Man that’s dubious as heck.”

“I never said I disagreed with you. I just don’t think it’s possible to set her free. At least, not without a massive set of reasons and a fair trial.”

“Come to think of it, how does the judicial system work in this world, anyhow?”

I heard Octavia chortle, “Ohohoho. So you have been studying those old books I gave you. I didn’t think you had it in you.”

“Shh-shh--shuddup!”

“Oh dear, it appears we’ve spent too much time idle. I need to purchase this, and I’ll be right back,” she shoved the newspaper into her friend’s face and grabbed the old string instrument. “How much for this viola, sir?”

Free. Is what I would’ve said. The perspective they had just given me was invaluable. These were two of the top musicians in the world. Even anonymously, they could prove to be an asset. Come to think…

“Yo, bud! You gonna answer my friend or what?” The rowdy one reared her head, and used her magic to forcibly lower the book from my face.

“Oh, forgive me,” I replied, and the mare released the book from her magic aura. “Actually, I overheard what you had to say about that filly. I...may actually know a friend that works with the paper. How would you both like to have your opinions put in the paper--anonymously of course--in exchange, you can have that for no charge.”

“Hm…” She seemed to consider it, until her friend butted in. The force almost knocked her aside. “Hey!”

She was suspicious of me. Rightfully so, I might add, so good on her. “Hold on, bub--what’s your deal? You tryin’a buy her words or somethin’?”

“No, no. I was merely offering her the opportunity to have her voice heard without the fear of ridicule. If she refuses, that’s completely fine.”

“Vinyl you don’t have to be so--” Octavia tried to speak, but was cut off.

“Haaang on a sec,” with her hoof against her chin, she started to look around the room for something she liked. I suppose she figured if her friend was getting something out of this, then she should too. I didn’t blame her. “Ah! Got it!” With her magic, she levitated an item off one of the shelves behind me. A dome ball made out of multiple layers and colors of stained glass. Ah, that one was brought in by Guttersnipe last week from the Empire. “Now let’s say we do decide to help ya out, bub. If she gets the violin--”

“Viola,” Octavia corrected, much to the chagrin of her friend who rolled her eyes.

“Fine. If she can get that viola, then I want this. Then we’ll give ya permission to use our quotes in your buddy’s next article.”

No harm in a simple equivalent exchange. “You ladies have a deal.”

“Haha! Awesome!”

“What do you even plan on using that old thing for, Vy?”

“It’s gonna be a wicked retro disco ball, that’s what! Just needs some TLC. Thanks bro! Now I’m gonna go hook this up for a test run!”

The unicorn mare left the store, followed by an exasperated sigh from the earth pony mare. Her hoof pressed against the top of her forehead in disbelief. “I have to go make sure she washes it before she infects the both of us with a 100-year-old plague from its dust. And please, take this.” She offered me some bits regardless, “And feel free to use our quotations anyways. I’m interested in seeing how the situation plays out.”

“Are you sure?”

“Absolutely. Someone has to help those who can’t help themselves.”

“TAVEY HURRY UP!” that raspy screaming boombe

“I must go. Thank you once more for the items we found today. Oh, and I never got your name.”

That’s right, she didn’t. May as well give her that much, “Pale Vestige. Have a nice day, my lady.”

They both left, and it was a quiet day from then onwards. Nothing else really happened for that day, so I left the shop/base, and headed home. Maybe I could use the break. Things have been crazy this past month or so.

That’s when I happened upon another familiar face. Cheerilee was walking yet again, but this time she was carrying a large load of bags. Why must it be like this? I felt no other option than to help her out.

“Cheerilee, is everything alright?”

“Huh? Oh, yeah, yeah! Just some rough times with these bags here. Don’t worry, I can do it--” I could tell one of them was about to fall off her flank, so I swooped in and grabbed it. “Woah! That was fast...I didn’t even realize that was about to fall.”

It was a bag of fruits. Exotic ones like dragonfruit and coconuts. “Call it an intuition. You’re okay, aren’t you?”

“Of course! Though, sometimes I am a bit jealous of the other ponies. Unicorns can levitate things, pegasi can hold things across their wings, but it’s a bit harder for us earth ponies.”

“I wouldn’t say that,” I started to walk with her, holding the bag with one hoof, “everyone’s got untapped potential, I’d say. We just don’t realize it yet. But I suppose I can let you in on a secret. There was a reason I was able to catch that bag before it fell.”

With her load lightened, the schoolteacher had an easier time balancing three bags on her back instead of four. “Really? Just why is that?”

“Call it an ability I’ve honed over the years. As an investigator your wits need to be quick lest you die due to someone getting the jump on you. That includes hearing, and your reflexes. It’s got a lot more to it, but I don’t wanna bore you with my--”

“Oh no no!” She cut me off to explain how invested she was, her eyes bright as day, “As a fellow earth pony, I’d like to know how to be able to predict the future too!”

We arrived at her home and I followed her inside. I placed one of the bags on her table, “It’s not so much precognition. Rather, it’s got more to do with our connection to the Earth.”

“I see. Please tell me more,” she had already begun to stir the tea kettle. Damn. I would be locked in for another round of hospitality. Oh well.

I took a seat on her couch like last time, “In short, the Earth is where our power comes from. Anything connected to it travels back to us in a manner that allows us to keep track of the aura within living things. Because everything has magic in it, you see.”

Cheerilee sat with me, one cup of hot tea ready for the both of us. “Ah, so it’s more of a sensory thing?”

I took a sip, “Essentially. If you focus hard enough, you can alter your perception until you become almost able to predict what could happen based on the way something is moving. Like that fourth bag of groceries that you tried to balance on your flank. It was tilting too far to one side before you realized, and your fruits would’ve been puree on the grass.”

“Ooh...if I did that, I could predict which direction a paper airplane came from and who threw it in class.”

An idea suddenly came into my head, “Hey, Cheerilee. Have you considered taking a position in the School of Friendship?”

She snorted which devolved into laughter, “Hahaha! Heavens no. I don’t know the first thing about friendship and cultural dependency. I think I’m fine where I am.”

“Are you? I mean, I’m not one to pry, but don’t you think you have potential to...advance?”

Her ears drooped. My heart sank. Did I come across as saying that she wasn’t good enough? “...How so?”

“Well, I mean...your school could become much more. Maybe just as prestigious as the Friendship Academy.”

Then her ears sprang up again, out of shock this time. “What?” Her eyes dilated as if she had seen a spectre, “There’s no way in Tartarus that’s going to happen.”

“Well...maybe not. But what if...you honed your natural earth pony talents and became a specialist teacher? Rebrand as a school for Earth Ponies.”

“Specialist...that sounds...interesting. But I would have to learn more about myself and our race before I decided to do something like that. Beyond extra stamina and durability, I...don’t think we have much special going for us,” she said with a somber expression. There had to be something else bothering her.

“Well, I could help. There are plenty of resources available on earth pony culture. And...there’s more, isn't there?”

Cheerilee sighed, “Ever since the School of Friendship opened, the Ponyville Schoolhouse has lost most of its students. I’m not mad, of course! I’m actually rather happy that so many kids are looking for ways to improve themselves. But I’d be lying if I said I didn’t miss it..most of my old students are fully grown now. The ones I currently teach are for personal tutoring, and not much else…”

Damn. So that was it. The former schoolteacher that gave lessons to the proud Cutie Mark Crusaders had been reduced to a mere background pony. Now I felt especially bad, given that the three had become teachers themselves at the School of Friendship. I knew what it was like to live in the shadows. So that made it all the more reason to compel me to assist her.

“You can get that back,” I said triumphantly as I placed my tea glass down, “Spoiled Rich was discussing something similar with me. Maybe there is a way you can turn your schoolhouse around into something more relevant again.”

“...You spoke with her? I hope that went well. I know how snippy she can get.”

That wasn’t my focus. Right now, I was honed in on making Cheerilee feel like the proud teacher she had always been. “That’s besides the point. I’m sure if you study up and learn the ins and outs of Earth Pony ways, you can open the first EP-centric institute and spread that unknown knowledge to the world.”

“Oh you. That doesn’t sound very likely. But...I suppose it beats being a mere tutor nowadays.” she lazily picked up her teacup again. I could see it in her disappointed eyes, and droopy muzzle. This mare wanted more out of her life than to be forgotten in the background. I would’ve said something else, had it not been for the fact that she changed the subject. “But enough about me. Have you made any progress on your little investigation?” she asked with her cheery expression returned after disappearing for so long.

“Hm? Oh, Cozy Glow. I feel like I’m getting somewhere. But I don’t know if it’s into the light or the pits of Tartarus itself,” I laughed it off, but I knew damn well that things weren’t going to be easy from this point onward.

“Oh-ho, don’t worry. If you’re as smart as you’ve been so far, you won’t have any problems,” Cheerilee comforted me. That felt nice, hearing encouraging words for a change instead of the constant lambasting of Quick Draw. “I’ve seen the paper. So far, you seem to have quite a few ponies who think it was unfair to seal away a child.”

I gave a sigh of relief. “Good. But I have a feeling--a bad one. That feeling is in regards to what the higher powers will think.”

“Tsk, as far as I’m aware, you’ve incited no rebellion,” she put down the notion with a scoff, “what the public chooses to do with information that has been hidden from them is not your fault. However, I do hope it can be resolved peacefully if possible. The last thing we want is a whole ‘nother set of civil disagreements over the treatment of a child. The whole ‘magic first, ask questions later’ mentality is just as bad.”

“I quite agree, miss.”

Magic first, ask questions later. Mentality. That was the main draw of the way the world worked. Everyone was so obsessed with magic and the power used to combat said magic that no one ever stopped to realize if it was a good solution in the first place. They were so focused on whether or not they could, that they didn’t stop to think about whether or not they should.

Where have I heard that before?

In any case, I spent a bit more time with the mare. She even offered me to stay and have dinner with her, but I declined. I didn’t want things to progress in an uncertain direction. Especially with a mare. No offense to her, of course.

“Have a nice evening!” she shouted with a wave as I left for home.

“Indeed. The same for you,” I responded with a tip of my hat. Now back down the road, I traveled towards my house.

Things were starting to indeed look up. Was it possible that Earth Ponies had their own special magic that could rival the other races? Certainly, but they have been untapped by time. Instead, the Unicorns have been given their own special treatment with an entire school of magic dedicated to teaching arts. The Wonderbolts were there to teach Pegasus ponies to become esteemed fliers and combatants with unrivaled skill. Yet no such thing existed for the Earth Ponies.

Maybe if Cheerilee had time to understand herself better, she could give those foals a better understanding of how special they could be, even without wings or horns. It was a daunting task, but nobody else was interested in doing so. So it fell to me.

And of course, I wondered just who would be next on my list of individuals to communicate my ideas with. It would be risky, yes. But it was the only way to seek out justice for the imprisoned filly. Canterlot was the next most obvious choice. Everypony I’ve spoken to so far has had experience being a commoner of sorts. Even Cadence was born a normal Pegasus. Nobility on the other hand? That was a completely different deck.

“Heh…”

Looked like I already knew the set of cards I would play for this next game to turn out in my favor. Yes indeed, it was time for another move. Tomorrow, I would head out to--

“Excuse me.”

I stopped dead in my tracks and turned around.

“Did you happen to speak to my mother a few weeks ago?”

Subject 7: Diamonds and Lilies

“I...did. You must be Diamond Tiara,” I ventured a guess. The mare was nearly fully grown, and had a light shade of pink with a tiara on her head. Was this Spoiled Rich’s child? That begged the question: Just how old was the mother? I had kept this to myself, but Mrs. Rich looked rather fetching for someone her age. But enough about that. “I did speak to her, yes.”

“...What...did you say exactly? She doesn’t get visitors too often.” she asked out of concern, probably worried over what sort of things her mother had to say about her.

“Oh, we were just discussing the state of affairs in Ponyville, specifically the sort of schooling that’s going on.”

And yet, she didn’t seem satisfied with that answer. Persistent in getting more out of me, the young mare took a step closer, “Listen sir, I need to know every last detail. My mother has the tendency to say things she will eventually regret later in her life. I have to make sure she doesn’t do it again.”

“Well now, when you put it like that…” I had to come clean about everything we discussed. Honestly was the name of my game after all. “We also discussed someone named Cozy Gl--”

“Stop,” she interjected, “that’s...what I was looking for. Listen, Mr…?”

She was looking for my name, “Oh, Pale Vestige. But what made you come all the way out here?”

“In a nutshell, I want you to drop what you’re doing. This...case of yours.”

That was not what I had expected. But I wasn’t a stranger to resistance. “I...beg your pardon, Ms. Tiara? Why do you want me to cease? You were in her horseshoes at once point as well--maybe not on the same scale, but...”

“It’s...not that I disagree. But, well look around you sir. Everypony has their own sort of...what’s the word I’m looking for--stagnance. Everyone is stuck in their own little worlds and living happy as can be, but something like this? The moral complexities of this situation is just not something that the masses are ready for.”

It wasn’t good to discuss this outside, lest somepony hear. I decided to invite her inside my humble abode, “Hang on for a moment, this would be a conversation best held indoors. Would you mind coming in?”

“I don’t.”

I led her inside. My house was admittedly quite the mess. Files of papers all over the place. Some related to my work, some not. A recently purchased teapot--thanks to the influence of Cheerilee--was on my stove with several cups with experimental teabags placed in each one. My dinner table was the only relatively spotless area with one seat dedicated to little items such as my writing supplies and a clock I needed to fix.

Damn I’m a procrastinator.

“...You have an interesting home, sir.”

“HA!” I let out a hearty cackle as I closed the door behind us. There was no way that comment was sincere. Given that she lived in a mansion, I was prepared for all sorts of snide comments. “Don’t be afraid of calling me out. I need to get my things in order, I know. But so much of it is in my way. Anyhow, what were you saying?” I removed my vest and hat to place them on one of the chairs at the dinner table.

I took a seat in that same chair, and she sat opposite of me. “Alright, so essentially, I’d prefer it if you quit what you’re doing. Not everypony is going to agree. And the ones that don’t are gonna come after you...with everything they have.”

“I’ve been knocked down before, missy. When your line of work consists of attempting to defend even the most seemingly wretched individuals, you get used to the scrutiny. Don’t worry about me.”

“There’s more than that,” she blurted out, “I heard rumors that the ponies of Canterlot are starting to form their own group to counter what you’re trying to start.”

Ah, there it was. There was going to be some sort of backlash. I’m just glad it’s happened sooner than later. “...really?”

She nodded, “Mm-hmm. My mom said she heard it from some other fancy-schmancy folk who had visited Ponyville last week. If things keep going the way they are, it’s gonna be trouble. If you’re a friend of my mom’s, then I don’t want you to get hurt. She’d be crushed.”

Shocker. Spoiled Rich concerned about someone other than herself? I thought it was all a front. A ponysona if you will. Turns out those feelings were real. “...I am surprised to hear that. I thought she was--”

“Snobby? Obnoxious? Stubborn?” Diamond listed off multiple adjectives that could’ve been used to describe her mother. “Yeah, when I was little, for sure. Nowadays, she’s better. Takes more time to talk with me and lets me live my life the way I want now instead of the way she wants. But enough about that. I just want you to be aware of your actions, and the possible ramifications for them.”

“Don’t worry. My folks and I are ready to deal with anything that comes our way.”

She got up, and headed towards the door. “Well, I hope so. Like I said, I don’t disagree. I can’t imagine how Cozy Glow must’ve felt. What compelled her to do all of that. Maybe she suffered from a not-so-good mother like I did. I don’t know. But I’d like to…”

Not only was there opposition brewing, but she felt almost empathetic for that filly--well, given how many years have passed, Cozy Glow would actually be a mare now. Hot damn. That was not pleasant to imagine.

“One more thing, Ms. Tiara. Before you go: What’s your take on the world? What do you think of it?”

She was caught off-guard by the question. I could see it in the way her ears flicked. “I beg your pardon? The world? You mean, in general?”

“Yes. I want your stance on the world at large. It could be anything.”

After a moment or two, she sighed. “I guess since you were kind enough to explain what I wanted to hear, I can do that for you. Here goes: I think the whole idea that anypony can do anything is somewhat...annoying.”

“Would you mind elaborating?”

“Everyone talks about how we’re not put into a box when we’re born, but as I’ve gotten older, I’ve realized that’s sorta true. Everypony is born as either a unicorn, pegasus, or earth pony. That in itself is a box. What you’re born as dictates what abilities you’ll be able to learn and how useful you’ll be to those around you. Look at me, for example. I can’t fly or use magic spells because I'm an earth pony. That’s not to say I hate it. Not at all, it’s just...the way everyone talks about the Cutie Marks in particular has...well, I’m starting to see reality now.”

I had scribbled down a few of her key opinions, and looked up once she finished her explanation. “And that reality is?”

“Our Cutie Marks do put us in a box of sorts. Once we get them, there’s nothing we can do about them. They’re on our flanks forever. That’s not to say it’s a bad thing, though. That box has loads of different things we can do inside of it. Once again, take me for example: I figured that my tiara mark signified my superiority over others. But as I made friends and stood up to my mother, I realized it’s about how well I can lead others and keep things organized.”

“Exceptional…” I mumbled, my mouth agape which caused my pencil to drop to the floor. “And you came to this conclusion on your own?’

“Well...with the help of Silver Spoon, but yes. We realized that while we can’t truly be anything. we’re more than just one thing. But at the same time, I hope all the other young foals of today are being taught to be moderate in their passions. Because if you go too far in one direction, you’ll...well, you’ll end up like Cozy.”

Heavy hearted, but I couldn’t help but agree. Certain things weren’t entirely taught correctly, and maybe it was time for a bit of restructuring. In any case, I urged the young mare to stay calm, “Don’t worry. One day, I’m sure we’ll find out just what caused her to tick,” I opened the door for her so she could exit, “until then, you won’t hear a thing from me. The folks in Canterlot won’t cause any problems.”

“I’m glad to hear that. Well, I’m off, then. Oh, and if you need me for anything, come by Diamond’s Tiaras. It’s a jewelry store near the town square. We sell watches too.”

Cute pun, but I had no need for all of--wait, did she say watches? “I’ll consider it. Have a good evening.” Once she left, I closed the door and instantly bolted to the back of my house to my bedroom to dig for something from under my bed. “Where is it, where is it?” After some snooping, I grasped it with my teeth. A communication device meant to cover long distances through radio transmission.

Kids these days called them walkie-talkies, but that was pretty infantile for my tastes.

I turned it on with a press of a button, and spoke into it, “Alright, Corkscrew? You there, over?”

It would be a moment before I got a response. The young stallion’s familiar yawn hit my eardrums, “Ahhh...yeah, what’s going on, boss? We’re done for today aren’t we?”

“Of course. But listen, I need you to get me a ticket to Canterlot via train for tomorrow.”

“Why can’t you like...do it yourself, boss?”

“Because, CC. I’m going to be busy gathering up several items I need for my next investigative report tomorrow. The last thing I need is to forget to buy a train ticket. You know how I get with small details!”

I huffed. I lost a bit of my temper there due to anxiety. Corkscrew made a note of this, and started to laugh at my misfortune. “Ha-ha! Sure, boss. Just don’t do anything crazy. Quick Draw will tear you a new one if you do something crazy.”

I could feel my eyes rolling, “Just get it done. I have to prepare.”

“Whaddya goin’ to Canterlot for anyways?”

“An investigation, Cork! Didn’t I mention that?!”

“Yeah, but well--who are you investigating?”

“That’s...I’ll find out once I get there. Now just get it finished!”

“But I--”

I turned off the radio-based communication device and tossed it across the room. Next, I would start packing a suitcase full of essential items. A video camera, a tape recorder, extra notepads, extra pens, and another hat just in case.

“This...will work.”

The next morning, I met Corkscrew at the train station, without my usual vest and hat combination. The young pegasus waited patiently for me--bless his holy wings. “Yo, boss. I got it, right here.”

“Thanks, dear friend,” we did that newfangled sign of respect called a hoof-bump, and I took the ticket, “alright. To give a better explanation, I’m off to see what I can sniff out in Canterlot. Seems like I may encounter some hostile individuals there who don’t share the same opinion regarding this case.”

“Boss...is that a good idea?” He seemed to doubt me. I didn’t blame him for it. “Isn’t everyone kinda off-put by whether or not Cozy Glow should be set free?”

I put my hoof around his neck. “That’s the power of perspectives, dear son. Of course I’m not going to let them realize who I am. I’m going undercover as a spry reporter for the Canterlot newspaper,” I let him go, and stepped onto the loading platform to listen for the train’s arrival, “then, once I get a better understanding of their concerns, I’ll be able to move forward and address them with you both.”

“Alrighty, boss. I’m keeping the walkie-talkies on-hoof just in case you need us.”

“Thanks, old friend. I can count on you for anything.” Did he really prefer the street name of the device? Seriously? No matter. His efforts were appreciated all the same. The train arrived not long after, and I trotted on with my luggage. We waved at each other as it left the station.

This train ride was much more relaxing compared to the one to the Empire. Most of the ponies on board for Canterlot were civilized. Relaxed. Seemed simple enough. I would wait quietly, putting on the guise of an excited young stallion who had never been there before, overly enthused at the idea of meeting ponies who were far more wealthy and prestigious than I.

Now I realized how the average reporter felt.

After a long, bumpy ride up the side of its mountain, the train arrived in Canterlot. I exited carefully to avoid any accidental contact with these high-class ponies who were returning to their homes. So this is the home of the Alicorn princesses? Impressive. Building after building. The city was like a time capsule of sorts that preserved the essence of the old medieval age. Quite the sheer amount of white as well. The paths, while still grassy like Ponyville, were better trimmed and felt like velvet against the hooves to walk upon.

No wonder they loved it so much here. It was like a city for retirees.

My first objective was to find someone worth talking to. Or interviewing, rather. That’s when I noticed a large group of high-class ponies start to gather near the square. Was something going on? I just had to find out. So I did my best to peek over the crowd, but despite my efforts, I got nowhere.

Maybe someone could fill me in on just what was happening. I approached a gray unicorn stallion for answers, “Excuse me sir, would you mind explaining what’s going on?”

“Don’t you know? Fleur-de-Lis is about to make her first appearance of the month!”

Had to sell the act. I was a reporter who was on his first assignment. “Appearance? I mean, of course I know who she is. I just thought she fell out of style, years ago.”

“Nope, her beauty is eternal. You’d better get your camera ready for some good shots. She won’t be around for long. And I don’t think she’ll be taking questions.”

I took a look at the camera around my neck. I had no idea who this Fleur was. But it would be an interesting experience. Yes, it did seem rather superficial. But getting the opinion of a famous model would help paint a picture of what most were led to believe in this city.

“There she is!” A mare with a distinctive blue and white, toothpaste-like mane shouted.

I put a hoof over my eyelids. Camera flashes went off like violent strobe lights from all directions. My eyes were blinded just as much as my ears with the constant yelling.

“Fleur-de-Lis! Over here!”

“Madam Fleur! This way!”

“FDL! FDL! FDL!”

At last, I would lay eyes on just who they were shouting about. A rather thin, beautiful mare with a coat whiter than milk and a mane more sleek than silk strutted down the road to adoration of her numerous fans. I say ‘beautiful’ with massive air-quotes, though. Such a malnourished-looking, stick-like figure didn’t appeal to me. But to each pony their own. She was invaluable to my research, however. She likely knew the way this city operated better than its founders. Having her thoughts were one thing, but her knowledge was a stallion of a different color.

The mare simply walked along the path. Every once in a while, she would acknowledge a fan or two with a wave of her hoof, but kept silent the whole way through.

I decided to follow. Having stayed on this side of the path, it allowed me to watch her from afar. Gained a few tactical photos as well. Things looked like they were going my way until I smacked face-first into the side of a building.

“HAW--” I made an...odd noise of sorts when I slammed into it. Felt like a brick wall. Or a massive rock. Neither. As I rubbed my head, I looked up to see the massive penthouse building. This had to be where the model mare stayed. Newly erected for sure, having taken inspiration from Manehattan’s suites, but still had Canterlot’s medieval flair on the outside. Perfection. Turned out I was right on target.

When the model mare entered the building, I heard something along the lines of only allowing a certain amount of interviews today. Or maybe she said she was inviting everpony? I don’t know. My head still spun from that fall I took just moments ago. I shook my head and magically regained consciousness.

“Yoo-hoo, over here!”

I heard the mare call out to me. I looked around, and pointed a hoof at myself. “Me?”

“Of course, silly. Don’t you want to ask me some questions?” she said with a flip of her mane.

How trivial. I wasn’t at all impressed by the flimsy aesthetics of simple grooming. But of course, my own thoughts were irrelevant. I was a rookie looking for an opportunity to speak with the legendary Fleur. This was it. Even if it was likely out of pity for my small injury.

“Oh, yes ma’am!” I said with rather convincing enthusiasm while I ran up to her, “I have loads of different questions to ask.”

“Patience. You’ll get your turn once I’m done with the others. 25th floor, dear,” she winked at me and turned around. With a flick of her tail, the few other reporters she had allowed to come in with her rode the first elevator up. As they left, I noticed they were all unicorns. Hm.

In any case, I would take the next elevator of the penthouse. It was rather quiet here. I liked it that way. Fancy red carpeting followed by gold trim on the walls with lots of exotic plants around every corner. Not bad. I wish I had time to take a good look at them.

DING!

The elevator opened. Out came a pair of high-class unicorns who turned their nose up at the sight of me. Not very sporting, but I knew just how these types were. Judgy was far too light of a term to describe it.

I went in, and pressed the button for the floor that Fleur was on. 25? Pretty high, but it wasn’t exactly ridiculous. This place was new after all, so it couldn’t take that long, right?

Wrong.

Five whole minutes. Doesn’t sound that long on paper, but wow. You really get a sense of time when you’re standing idle in one spot with nothing to do but stare at lavish gold doors. I took a moment to review my notes, and with another DING!, the doors opened.

I exited. I took a look to the left and found a ‘Do Not Disturb’ sign on a door at the end of the hall. This had to be where Fleur stayed. I rushed over, and raised my hoof to knock, but I held back. I chose to show restraint, and wait as she said.

Another 20 minutes passed before a unicorn stallion left the room to head back to the elevators. Finally. I wasn’t sure what could keep him so long. Unless...no. I wasn’t going to think about that.

“Have a nice day!” She waved to the stallion that departed with an excited giggle, then she laid eyes on me. “Oh, you’re next,” Fleur looked at me with a rather unimpressed expression, “come on in, sir.”

“Thank you, madam,” her room was...new to say the least. Posters of herself all over, a massive vanity with dozens of different types of makeup to try, a silk bed that looked like it cost more than my house. What didn’t she have? “Wow...I’ve never seen this kind of stuff before!”

“I’m sure you haven’t,” she responded with a snappy pace, “So where do you want to begin?” She sat in her vanity chair and looked at me with patient eyes.

“Well, uh, what’s your opinion on the state of Canterlot and its relationship with the other cities? Do you have fans all over?”

“Mm, mostly in Canterlot, but I do have some fans in other places. It’s nice knowing how much everypony adores me.”

I started writing. As nonsense it may have sounded, this stuff could very well aid me in the future. “Even if it’s just for your looks?”

“Tch. It’s a matter of substance, dear boy,” she scoffed and turned around to face her mirror. “Unicorns have to exemplify grace and poise. We are the ones who founded the most illustrious city in Equestria after all.”

Hang on, unicorns in particular? Was there some sort of bias in this mare’s horn that I wasn’t aware of? Time to press the subject. “Oh, really? It’s kinda strange that you’d mention unicorns specifically. Any reason why?”

She ceased her application of painted chemicals to her muzzle, and got up. She took a few steps towards me, and stared me down with a cold set of eyes. “Promise you’ll keep this bit anonymous?”

“Absolutely, Ms. Fleur!” I took a step back. I always hated the way ponies would occasionally forget their sense of personal space.

“Good,” her expression softened, “anyhow. I believe that unicorns represent the highest beauty standards. The horns, the magic. It’s something that the other members of ponykind simply won’t get, dear.”

Now I was confused. Just how and why did she think that Earth ponies and pegasus ponies weren’t as beautiful? “Would you mind explaining in more detail?”

“Think about it. How many beauty magazines do you see for earth ponies and pegasi dear, hm?”

I actually did think about it for a moment. “Not much, I suppose. Compared to the unicorns anyway.”

“There you go. Now you understand. And just to be clear, I have nothing against the other races, dear. But they just simply don’t have the same...poise as we unicorns do. The pegasi control the weather, yes. But all that flying messes up your mane and uch! I don’t want to think about it.”

My thoughts dreaded her opinion on my own kind. Just how would she speak of earth ponies in the presence of one? “And the earth ponies?”

No hesitation. “They’re glorified farmers, dear. Always getting their hooves dirty with the jobs I would never dream of doing. But they’re far from graceful. Always covered in mud and dirty. Completely uncivilized.”

While I would’ve felt insulted, I respected her willingness to be honest right to my face. “Huh. Well if that’s how you--”

“I’m not finished.” But she didn’t stop there. She started to pace her room with several items caught in her pale pink magical aura through levitation. Now brushing her mane, tail, and doing her eyelash all at once. Organized. Not bad. “Without any sort of active magic, they can’t even perform basic tasks needed for maximum beauty.”

“Oh?”

“Well? Look at me.” She struck a pose while the levitated items continued to groom her, “I can take care of myself in dozens of ways without even trying. An earth pony simply can’t do that without magic. It’s unfortunate, but it’s how life is.”

Fascinating. Not in a good way. There were better things for everyone to worry about aside from their appearance. Still, I kept my personal thoughts out of the interview. The last thing I wanted to do was fly off the proverbial handle again. Not this time. “I see...so you think that earth ponies don’t matter as much as unicorns?”

By now, she had turned away from me. Her back facing towards me as I kept writing. “Now, now, I didn’t say that. Everypony’s lives are equal. But there are just...certain things that some ponies are born to do better than others. On average anyways. Tis also why the School for Gifted Unicorns exists. We simply have a better range of abilities to make use of to defend Equestria.”

Another detail I overlooked. How those in Canterlot thought of that school. “Oh?”

She stretched her legs and applied shiny horseshoes to each hoof, “Precisely. Teleportation, fire magic, explosion magic, transmutation spells. Earth ponies unfortunately can’t do what we have the potential to accomplish. For the safety of Equestria, we’re simply more valuable as--”

“SHATTER APART!”

Just then, we heard a wild screaming from outside. Both of us rushed to the nearby window to find something completely unexpected.

A blue stallion rode a spiral of ice into the sky around a massive Timberwolf. It was just far away enough in the forest at the bottom of the mountain to where it wasn’t a threat to Canterlot. But also just close enough to where we could spectate. The Timberwolf had been frozen solid and once the stallion reached the top of the wooden beast, and punched the top of its head. With a single strike of his hoof, the beast turned to nothing but frozen ash.

But the real kicker? He was an earth pony. No horn to cast the magic from what we could see.

“Well now...that was unexpected, wasn’t it?” I almost laughed.

Fleur-de-Lis simply shut her window in annoyance. “I said on average did I not? Not a true 100% generalization.”

I rolled my eyes and made a mental note of getting in touch with that earth pony cryomancer. He was an exceptionally rare case that I had to suss out later. But alas, now I would arrive at my big question.

Fleur went to her closet and started to try on different outfits. “Is there anything else? I have a lot of ponies to see, so if you could kindly hurry it up…”

“Alright, for my final question: What’s your opinion on the banishment of Cozy Glow?”

“She deserved it.”

I rubbed my hoof across my chin, “I see...and why is that?”

“She completely humiliated Chancellor Neighsay and defied his direction. Anypony who makes a fool out of him deserves imprisonment regardless of their age. That’s why she was put in Tartarus.”

Wait...Tartarus? I knew about the stone part, but that detail had not yet been revealed to me. How could I have missed it?! No. Now wasn’t the time to lose it. I had a ponysona to maintain. “But it’s been years since she was put away. Don’t you think she deserves a second chance?”

“No,” she replied with an even more annoyed tone. Guess she wasn’t into questions that had nothing to do with her. “Alright...you have five minutes left. Anything else you want to ask? Anything...related to me?”

She sashayed towards me, but I shook my head. I had exactly what I came here for. “Nope. Have a good day, madam. You look great!” And I hightailed it out of that room. On my way to the elevator, I noticed a line of unicorns outside of her door ready to interview her. Mostly stallions. Odd. But not my concern.

I left that stuffy penthouse and ran back to my suitcase that I had left in an alley behind Restaurant Row. Even these back streets were well kept with nicely cut grass and even some flowers blooming among them. Crazy how hard they worked to maintain their image here. Something neither Ponyville nor the Empire focused on.

In any case, I donned my standard vest and hat yet again. Now that I had a better idea where to go, my next target was the Chancellor of the Equestrian Education Administration. As he apparently had the closest contact to the filly before her banishment all those years ago.

“Heh.”

This’ll certainly be a lesson to remember.

Subject 8: Authority and Hermit

Whew. Back to the old grind. Now the true test begins. The Chancellor was the key to all of this. Up until now, the detail regarding Cozy Glow’s first offense that caused her a sentence to Tartarus completely evaded me. No one had told me that, nor did any of the records in Ponyville explain such a thing. Why? Well I was about to find out.

The exact location of the Equestrian Education Association wasn’t really known to anypony either. Respectable, but suspicious. Why go to such great lengths to hide something that everyone probably openly knows about?

My wheel was spinning again. Alright. The plan was simple. I would need to head to the School for Gifted Unicorns. They were probably located somewhere around there, right? So that’s where I went.

I trotted up the steps and entered the magical academy. It was late in the afternoon, so most of the students were likely off on a lunch break. Which meant the teachers were probably on a break.

Stellar.

I approached the front desk where a secretary stallion was busy filing some papers. “Howdy my good man. I wish to know if Chancellor Neighsay is available.”

“Sorry, he’s on break, and doesn’t wish to be disturbed.”

“This is in regards to Cozy Glow. If he’s available, I think he needs to hear what I have to say.”

That certainly got his attention. Nervous as can be with a sweat drop down the side of his face, he rose from his seat, “I’ll...see what I can do,” and took off.

Just my luck. Seemed like he was here today. Maybe I would get lucky and find out more of the EEA’s juicy secrets regarding their...secrecy. Didn’t sound very epic when spelled out like that, though. Hm.

“Alright, uh...he’ll see you now. But a word of advice...try not to set him off. He’s very tense as of late due to his ahem--age.”

Heh. I’ve seen and dealt with worse. I pat the secretary on the back as I went through the door, “Relax, I’m a professional.” And I was now in the hallway, heading towards the end of it for the office. I could easily see where the inspiration for the School of Friendship came from. Although, the Unicorns school was more rustic in its style with more drab colors in the gray carpeting and cream walls. I appreciated a taste for the older times.

I noticed an office marked for Twilight Sparkle. But obviously, she wasn’t here. I’d be able to sense her enormous...magical presence by now. So I trotted past it until I found the Administrator office. “Aha,” I pushed it open, and found myself in a rather dimly lit room. The windows were shut, and all that provided light was a single candle on a desk.

At that desk was the Unicorn in question that I was looking for. “Are you going to stand there all day? Or are you going to enter?”

“My apologies,” I stepped inside and took a seat across from him at the desk.

“So...you’re here in reference to Cozy Glow, are you?” His nose was buried deep in a book. Every moment or so, his eye would come back to me for a side glance. It was like he expected me to do something, anything wrong. Why the suspicion?

“That’s right. Moreover, I want to ask another question: what was she sent to Tartarus for and why?”

His book shut with the heavy force of his magic. The sound caused an echo across the room. This topic wasn’t something he was fond of discussing. But that wouldn’t deter me. “Cozy Glow was sentenced to imprisonment in Tartarus for the heinous act of stealing and absorbing the magic of Princesses Celestia and Luna.”

Sounded simple enough, but there had to be more. So I pressed on, “Oh, really? Any idea what happened once she got there?”

He leaned forward and put both of his hooves together, “It was later found that Cozy Glow had allied herself with Tirek, Queen Chrysalis and Grogar. Soon after, it was revealed that Grogar was Discord and thus, was not tried.”

Discord? The god of chaos himself was involved?! Just what is going on here?! I was about to lose it. I had to mentally relax. Calm. Okay. First thing’s first. “So...you sent her to Tartarus without questioning her parents?”

“There were no records of her having any relatives at all. She simply showed up one day to the School of Friendship, and was accepted.”

Absolute pony dung. There was no way someone’s parents are that hard to find. Not unless they were killed beforehoof. “I see...so instead of stripping her of her power and attempting to reform her, she was cast to the absolute depths of the underworld?”

“Fool. She expressed no desire to recuperate her losses, nor display any remorse for her actions. The entire Association agreed that she deserved the maximum punishment for someone of her age. A threat that great to Equestria has no right to exist!” The headstallion glared at me, his eyebrows were like heated daggers that threatened to leap from his forehead and skewer me, “Are you questioning the actions of our princesses? Something like that would paint you as an enemy of society. Tell me, what is your name?”

“Sapphire Shores.”

“Hmph,” his response was a half hearted growl mixed with a chuckle, “You had best not toy with me, young man. Should you stick your nose in where it does not belong, your life could be forfeit.”

This gentleman was irritating me. Best to stack things in my favor before I get too deep. “Pale Vestige.”

“Ah yes...now I remember you. You were that vagabond from the streets of Manehattan. Tell me, how do you think the public would react to know their current Detective nearly killed a bunch of innocent elderly ponies in his youth?” He said with a smug, snake-like expression.

Wow. They really knew everything. They wouldn’t be the EEA if they didn’t, I suppose. But Cadence-damn it all. I felt my blood boil just listening to this guy. “Just how much do you know?”

He gave a proper chuckle this time, and used his magic to procure a file from underneath his desk, “The EEA knows everything about every foal enrolled into the education system. No matter where in the world you are. You routinely got into delinquent activities such as property damage, bloody battles, and nearly harming the defenseless elderly. Such a swine you were. And before you ask, the School District Manager of Manehattan reports every incident to me. I don’t recall every detail, but I have not forgotten you. What would your father think?”

“...” It was all laid out by now. So they really did know everything. If that was truly the case, then there truly was no record of Cozy Glow’s parents. My trail was officially cold. I had no hooves to stand on here. “...is that so?”

“Word of advice, child. Don’t try to outsmart the smartest pony in a village. It leads you in circles,” he reopened his book, “and beyond that, if you continue questioning the natural order of the way our ruler has done things, I’ll have no choice but to detain you. Perhaps banish you Tartarus myself, hmhmhm.”

I grimaced. My teeth ground into each other like nails on a chalkboard. The threats made against me in particular were of no power. But the arrogance. The arrogance on this stallion was a foul stench of controlled chaos that knew no bounds. And yet, I had no case. However, there was still one final question up my proverbial sleeve.

“So you’re okay with this? You’re fine with letting Discord roam free after manipulating a filly in Tartarus? A place that she probably shouldn’t have been in in the first place? You’re fine with knowing that there could have been something done to prevent this? And doing nothing about it?”

His book lowered just enough to expose his turquoise eyes, “Child. I know you may often witness ponies randomly break into song and dance to wistfully cast away their problems. But that’s not how it goes all of the time. Only a fool would be delusional enough to think it would be so easy.”

My head hung in defeat. There was nothing left to say. But yet, I felt that there was still hope to be had in my case. “That young ruffian is long gone, sir. You’d do well to acknowledge that,” I got up and turned to leave. Just before I stepped out of the office, the Chancellor would speak one last time.

“Take care and watch your back, Blood Viper. Nopony else is going to watch it for you.”

That was a name I had hoped to never hear again so long as I drew breath. Was that a threat? A declaration of war? Just what was this old stallion planning? I shut the door and ran out of the school, much to the confusion of students returning to class as well as the secretary stallion.

All the sudden, I felt my hooves dragged beneath me by force. “Wh--?!” I was pulled into the bushes by a magic aura that kept itself hidden the entire time. And it seemed that I too, was caught in this suppressive aura. An unfamiliar dull pink one.

“Shh.”

I couldn’t see who had captured me, but I remained quiet. If this was to be where I laid down to rest permanently, it would be too soon. Fortunately, it seems that my captor removed all suspicion of her presence.

“Good. I caught you at the perfect time.”

In a flash, we were both teleported. To a house. One that was far messier than my own. Books all over the place, a mess of quills and ink in one corner near the front door, and a disorganized shelf full of rare items.

“Don’t get used to this,” it was a mare. That was for certain. Her magical aura dropped me like a sack of potatoes. “I’m only doing this to ensure a good result on my research. Don’t get the wrong idea.”

“Ow.” A minor sting upon landing, but I would be fine. I rose to my hooves to see a dull yellow unicorn with a messy mane and tail that had red and two shades of purple. She also wore a pair of glasses that were held together by tape. “I...thank you? But why did you--?”

“Moondancer,” she stated rather abruptly. That must’ve been her name, “And I already know who you are, Vest. Your name’s been churning around the rumor mill lately.”

Rumors? In Canterlot? Typical.

She was at a blackboard and used her magic to write something with chalk as she spoke. “Neighsay thinks what he’s doing is for the good of Equestria. Been that way for the last few years. With the entire EEA on his side, he acts like he has nothing to fear. The geezer.”

I knew it. He likely hid behind the protection of those stronger than he was while he remained in power. Reminded me of those black and white Manehattan gangster movies. “I see, so--”

“Shh,” she interrupted me, “so you...you want to try and find out whether or not you can bring back Cozy Glow, huh?”

“That’s right.”

“You’re an idiot.”

I gave a proud grin, “Thank you--whaaaa?” and my jaw hung out. I didn’t expect that response, that was for certain. “How come?”

“Because, no sane pony is gonna support such a ridiculous idea. If I were you, I’d have given up a long time ago.”

“I see…” She was an odd one for sure. Didn’t like to make eye contact, nor speak more than necessary. I almost liked it. “How come?”

After she finished writing whatever it was on her chalkboard, she lazily flopped down on her living room couch, “I’d have given up because that’s an uphill battle I couldn’t be bothered dealing with. But you? I dunno if you’re brave or just plain foolish for it. But hey, it’ll be cool to see if your name goes down in history or in Tartarus flames, I guess.”

“Listen, there’s a whole lot of things wrong with Equestria that many a pony don’t realize,” I pleaded, and took a seat on the floor. I felt like I would destroy hundreds of hours of work if I took one wrong step.

Moondancer was keen on simply levitating popcorn into her mouth as she read through a book. Both held aloft with her magic. “Uh-huh.”

“If I can somehow just...tap into what’s caused this, I can maybe expose a fatal flaw in the justice system of the world! Don’t you think something like that is worth looking into?”

She stopped. “Tap, huh? Alright...I’ll help you on one condition,” she sat up, and put the book down. Her facial expressions had been rather unamused for the last few moments. But now? Now she had a deranged, twisted grin on her face while looking at me. Like I was food for a hungry griffon.

“A condition…?” I dreaded the thought. “What sort of condition are we talking about?”

“Just a bit of poking and prodding...so I can run some tests on you. Then and only then will I consider helping your sorry flank.”

I was out of options. This mare was my only ticket to escaping this high class city without suspicion. “...fine. How do we begin?”

“Take off that case and that vest for one thing, then follow me.”

That sounded way odder than it needed to be. But I removed my uniform and slipped into the case before I followed her into a deep, dark area of her home. “...You do lots of experiments, huh?”

“You could say that. I’m busy working day after day. When your best friend becomes the Princess of the world, you start to slump back into old habits,” she pushed a door open and it led to a small, round room with many devices, notes on whiteboards, and scattered papers. “Now look. I can sense strange magic within you. In your case, it’s Earth Magic.”

Magic? Me? Despite being an Earth Pony, there was indeed hidden potential we had. I knew it. But hopefully this little experiment didn’t take too long. I had to prioritize Cozy Glow after all. “I see...will this take much time?”

My face turned to a look of subdued horror when I witnessed Moondancer grab a set of what looked like electrical clamps! One red, one black. I could feel my pupils shrink into the back of my head. Maybe it wasn’t too late to try my hoof at running away.

“Oh, don’t look at me like that,” she scoffed and levitated them towards me, “this won’t hurt. Just a minor tickle at most.”

The researcher in me couldn’t resist the idea of finding hidden potential. So I went along with it. “Okay. Go ahead,” I flinched when I heard each clamp grasp my mane and tail. The red for the former, and the black for the latter This felt so foolish. All this time, I didn’t think to see what she had them connected to! My eyes traveled along the wires until they stopped at a device that looked like an analyzer of sorts. It had the appearance of an old printer with a layer of dust, which indicated it hadn’t been used in a while. “Um, what is--”

“Shh. Don’t talk. Just focus on your magic,” she went over to the device. It would appear that she was expecting some results rather quickly. Maybe this wouldn’t be so--

“GEH!” I felt some sort of controlled stimulant enter my body. It didn’t hurt much. Rather, just a minor tickle like she said.

After a moment or so, she had a printout ready for her from the device. The paper had details of just what I had been capable of, and so the clamps were removed from my body with her magic. “Uh-huh. I see…”

I wiped a bit of sweat from my forehead and leaned over her shoulder, “So...what did you find?”

“In a nutshell, your Earth Pony abilities aren’t geared towards plants like someone like Applejack. But rather, towards sensory magic. According to the notes, it says you’re able to sense magic from within the Earth itself and that allows you to not only sense magical buildup, but predict when it’s going to be expelled, and avoid it. This ability even works through walls and can potentially go for miles if you focus hard enough. Fascinating. Unicorns and Pegasi can sense magic as well, but not to this extent.”

Surprising. I always knew I had some sort of skill as a tracker. It was how I landed this job, after all. But as she herself said--not to this extent. I wanted to know more, but now wasn’t the time. “Okay, good. So do you think you can help me now?”

Her muzzle contorted away from a stoic frown to more of a disappointed one. “I was hoping you’d be willing to offer me some samples of your DNA so I could study it more. But a promise is a promise.”

Before I could get another word in, she teleported us both in a flash.

We were now in a remote location. Sprawling open fields with lots of trees all around. We couldn’t be that far from Canterlot, actually. “What are we…” I turned my head left, then right. And finally, I gazed upon something extraordinary with a gasp, “What?!”

The statue itself. Of Cozy Glow with a shocked expression while Chrysalis defiantly reached out and Tirek slumped over the bug Queen in defeat.

“But how...who?”

“Shush,” Moondancer stood in front of me, “If your magic is as strong as I think it is, then you should be able to tap into the petrification spell.”

I shook my head. Her explanation fell on deaf ears. “Wait…’tap into’ the spell? I can’t do anything about that.”

“No. You can’t undo it, nor can you activate it. However, you have a stronger connection to their auras than I. Can you feel them from where you stand?”

I closed my eyes. Yes I could. Their auras were still active and...wait a second. “I can, but...are they still alive? And fully cognitive?!”

“Yes, unfortunately. They can see us, but they can’t hear us. Only their own thoughts and each other. Think of it as an advanced form of solitary confinement or something,” she explained in a rather disgusted tone. It was hard to tell if she was annoyed with the spell, me specifically, or everything in general. Some ponies are just hard to read. “Anyway, if you want to hear Cozy Glow’s thoughts, try using your magic and feeling her aura. Focus on it like it’s the only thing left in the universe.

I nodded, and kept my eyes shut. My hooves firmly planted into the ground, I could sense a rather somber aura of magic. Regretful even. Being stuck in place for so long with nothing to look at but the endless horizon was a level of torture I simply could not fathom.

I vaguely felt the auras of the two tyrants beside her, but I did my best to push those away. My brain was entirely focused on homing in on Cozy Glow’s magic through the ground. Despite my eyes being shut, I could begin to see something. A faded image of the filly, sitting alone in an empty abyss of nothingness.

The harder I focused, the clearer her image became. Was this an illusion? A part of the spell placed on them? I wasn’t entirely sure, but pressed onward.

Then I heard her voice.

“Who...? Go away…”

“...!”

“If...there, don’t...me. No matter...you won’t...trust me. What am I saying...I’m going crazy...nopony there. Forever. With...that. But....too late for me…”

“AGH!” I had gotten a headache from the amount of time I had focused into the spell’s aura. It was powerful alicorn magic, and nearly sent me for a tumble onto the ground. “Whew...hah...how long...did I last?”

Moondancer had been watching me the whole time with a stopwatch, clipboard, and pencil all being levitated. “Five minutes. That was actually pretty long. Longer than I expected from someone like you. Maybe if we worked your muscles a bit more, we could get you to last longer before you’d have to pull out.”

I nodded again, too tired to give a proper response.

“Don’t worry, bud. Your stamina should return pretty quickly. Earth ponies have faster recovery times after vigorous activity than we do.”

Also correct. I started to slowly feel my breath--and my sanity--return to me. I pieced together what I could regarding the filly’s thoughts. “Ah, that’s good. Well, once I focused, I was able to see and hear her for a bit. She seems like she’s regretful but knows she can’t be trusted so easily.”

“Yup, that sounds like an accurate thought process to have after being restrained for so long. Whatcha gonna do about that?”

“Well...I still have to rally support for her case. Now that I know her perspective a little, I think I have an idea of what I should do next. What do you think?”

She raised her eyebrow and looked back at her notes, “I still think you’re out of your mind for trying since she’s a complete nutcase and doesn’t deserve to be brought back. I mean, Discord is still quite the ass if you ask me, so I don’t think she’d be any different.”

“So you think she should stay put?”

“Yup, no hope for her.”

I nodded, “I respect that. Even so, I’ll do my best to prove she does have hope.”

“Great. Mind giving me some of your DNA?”

This mare was really fixated, wasn’t she? Oh well, it couldn’t hurt, could it?

It wasn’t that painful, but there was a decent amount of being poked and stimulated that I did not want to go into detail about.

I took the train back to Ponyville. Between the stressful talk with the Chancellor, magical experimentation, and the focus I had to apply on Cozy’s statue? I was ready to drop to the dirt and never rise. By the time I got off the train, I was ready to simply drop.

“Agh...ow....for Cadence’s sake, my flank feels like it’s gonna explode!” I took a rest at a spot near a river and some scattered trees next to a hill. My stamina would return soon, but I couldn’t bear the thought of what I had just experienced. I needed time to recover.

That’s when I heard a rather strange sound. One that sounded like traditional braying. The language of our ancestors. Was I really about to travel to the afterlife? Not here! Not now!

“Ohmmm...neee-eee-eee…”

No, it was someone else. I was alive, thankfully. I inched my way over and found a secluded area concealed by bushes. A green mare, Earth Pony, was doing some sort of...meditation? I had no clue.

“Yoooo, man,” she addressed me with her eyes closed. Guess she had similar sensory abilities to me? “Your vibes are all over the place. Come and like, chill with me, bro.”

I was in no position to refuse. I needed a moment to loosen up and...think about certain things. So I joined her in those bushes. “...thank you?”

“Peace, man. Just relax and let it aallll out…”

Subject 9: Troubled Investigator and Chillaxed Mare

I sat with the green mare as she made more of her strange meditation noises. They were odd, but I found comfort in them. The wind that blew against the trees made it that much more relaxing. Huh. Come to think of it, when was the last time I had taken a proper break away from everything and just...went somewhere? Yikes. Now I realized just what Quick Draw had told me time and time again.

“Ouch…maybe I do spend a lot of time at the office…”

Out of the corner of my eyes, I saw the green mare perform an odd pose. I turned my head completely. She was doing an inverse tree pose. That is, a pose like a normal tree based on yoga, except she was upside down, standing on her forelegs. “Wow...how do you manage that?”

“You just have to...let go, man. Your struggles are holdin’ ya back. Sometimes it’s best to feeeeeeel…”

Feel. At the moment I felt lots of different things. Pain, confusion, my heart ready to jump out of its chest. Blech. Maybe she had a point. I did need to stop. Think about things. Though I wasn’t sure how great of a conversation partner she’d be.

“Maybe. I’ve just been under so much stress lately what I--woaaahwhatareyoudoing?” I saw the mare make another strange pose. She was bent upside down and crawling like a crab...or a spider. A crab-spider? Anyway, it was just weird.

“My usual stretches,” she answered as mellow as ever. Not the slightest bit bothered by my horrified expression, “it helps get your blood flowin’. Like a river on a calm day…”

I was...interested in just how she managed to pull that off. “How did you…?”

She sat upright, eyes only halfway open. Was she sleepy? “Talk to me. You seem like you need a meditation partner, bro,” she pat the spot on the grass next to her. “If you want, I got snacks.”

No, she seemed fully aware. Just...easygoing. My ears flicked the moment I heard her mention snacks. I hadn’t eaten in...damn how many hours at this point? I was starving. I could eat a--not going there.

“Yeah man, just talk to me. Vent out your bad vibes and let the good ones flow riiight on in,” she nudged a picnic basket towards me. An invitation to peek inside.

I did just that and found...brownies? Interesting. Wasn’t often I met a fellow sweet tooth. “Oh wow, did you make these yourself?”

“Yeah dude, I even put hay in ‘em,” she explained as she leaned back to expose herself to more of the sunlight that appeared through the trees in scattered amounts. “So what’s your deal?”

I had already eaten two by the time she asked me that question. I was a bit embarrassed to say the least, crumbs across my muzzle. How rude. “Um, well. Lots of things,” I wiped my face, “but I wouldn’t want to bore you. You may not be able to comprehend all of it.”

Yet again, she wasn’t bothered nor insulted by my words. Instead she continued to lean back into the sun’s warm rays. “Maybe, maybe not, my man. I won’t know until you tell me, will I?”

True enough. What did I have to lose? Oh well. “Alright. In essence...I’m at a loss. I’m trying to help everyone break free of the shackles that come with social ostracizing of those who share different opinions from each other. And potentially expose ways that earth pony magic could easily rival pegasus and unicorn magic. Among other things…”

“Well that sounds rad, bro. What could be the problem, then?” she asked, eyes still half shut and calm as ever. “Oh and don’t worry. Eat as many of those deals as you want, man. I’ve got plenty more at home.”

I paused and rubbed the back of my head. By now, I had eaten four of those gooey brown cakes. They were delicious. “It’s...not easy. The problem I’m running into has to do with the fact that my enemy knows everything about my past. Something I’ve made the effort of pushing away with all the strength I can muster.”

“Well you can’t run from your own shadow, dude,” she gave me a response that was ever so slightly more serious than before, but it was still hard to tell, “we gotta like, face ourselves at one point. Ya know?”

“Face myself, huh…I’ll face myself...” I nibbled on another brownie. That wasn’t something I had considered until now. I was about to ask her what she meant by that, except...she did just that with no required input from me.

“To be more specific, you gotta come to terms with who you were before, and accept that it was a part of you. Only then can you like, make your way forward in life.”

I swallowed, my eyes fixated upon her with confusion.

“What’s the matter? Do I got something on my face, bro?”

“No, it’s...I didn’t expect you to answer my question before I asked it.”

She gave a hearty laugh, “Hahaaaa, well I guess you could say that’s my special thing, bro. Earth junk and whatnot.”

Oh yes. She also recalled my other little issue regarding us Earth Ponies. “Oh? You have a special ability too?”

“Something like that. I can feel the vibes of all the living things around me,” she pointed up at the trees, “those leaves are happy for the fresh sunlight,” next she would point at birds, “the birds are happy for their new home,” and finally, myself, “and you’re concerned over what ponies will think once you expose controversial junk. Am I right, bro?”

Hot damn. What a lady. She could instantly react to how I felt and put it into words before I could. “That is...exactly correct. You have more skill than you let on, Ms…?”

“Tree Hugger,” she answered and waved her hoof in a dismissive manner, “Pshaw. You’ll make me blush. I just like to feel the vibes of the ponies and other creatures around me. You could say it’s a power, but it’s not for like, fighting or anything. I’m strictly against violence.”

I see. So her ability essentially allowed her to see the feelings of living beings through the earth. A bit different than my target finder ability, but still very similar. “Well now, that’s rather interesting. Do you think that we earth ponies could unlock more potential powers?”

“For sure, man. You just gotta look into yourself and feel the vibes of everything around you. But before you do that, you gotta understand yourself,” she tapped her hoof against my upper chest, “Once you understand yourself, the world around you becomes like...totally clear, ya know? C’mon, try it, man.”

“Worth a shot…” I shut my eyes and sat in silence...

She had a point. Maybe I was a bit fixated too harshly on what others were thinking of myself and my case. I hadn’t taken enough time to remember just what the point of it was. Yes. I wanted justice for Cozy Glow. Or rather, to hear her side of the story. The only perspective I have is the one I’ve been led to believe my whole life: That someone like her was beyond repair. Yet I refused to accept that. At least until I could see it with my own eyes. I never was too fond of taking the word of others as gospel.

Did that mean I had trust issues? Probably. As I grew up in the rugged streets of Manehattan, things weren’t easy for me. My father pushed me to be a ‘real stallion’...

“You’ll never amount to anything if you don’t do better! This is why your mother left. She didn’t want to raise a wimp of a son like you. Now are you gonna let those ingrates take your money again?!”

“N-no…”

“What?!”

“No!”

“What?!”

“NO!”

“Now drop and give me fifty! After that I want this entire house cleaned up from top to bottom. Then you’re gonna run down to the store and get our drinks. Understand? And if you’re not back in time...you know what happens.”

“No! Please! Not that again! I’ll do it!”

I rubbed the sides of my head. The memories were rather vivid. Almost like I rewatched a home movie. This wasn’t normal. But there had to be more to it…

“Yo! It’s the Viper. Got any lunch money for us, punk?”

“Lunch money? HA. Where you’re going, you won’t need money…”

“Wait, I remember now. His dad is a complete deadbeat and can’t even afford it! I hear he eats from the trash!”

The moment I was pushed, I fought back like no other kid there. I back alleys, basketball courts, school after dark. It didn’t matter. Fillies and colts alike would engage in the craziness. Soon, it spread across various schools over the city. With me leading my school in battle against the others...

“This is our turf! If the fools over in Saddle Island wanna give us a fight, we’ll give em one!”

They all cheered like I was their savior. Other kids that I routinely fought with were now going to the childhood version of war with me.

That is, until they came in.

The officers drew us off. Nopony was too badly hurt, and we were all taken into custody. But I managed to sneak off. I wasn’t going down so easily. And a few years later...it happened. A few of my gang members and I were about to fill a retirement home with hundreds of pounds of glitter.

“This’ll be the best prank yet! The old folks are gonna be scared stiff!”

“Huh? KID! STOP!”

Just before I could press the button, the officer ran inside the retirement home and kicked the glitter-filled explosive out of the way. Then I pushed it, not realizing just how powerful it was.

PZZZZT!

In the end, she was covered in painfully hot glitter, and the shockwave sent the old folks for a tumble. Nopony lost their lives, thank goodness, but a few of them were stressed to the point of not waking up for a while. Yeah, it wasn’t pretty. But that mare was a hero.

Ah yes, I remember her now. Miranda Rights. She was the one who prevented me from being locked away, and instead demanded that I be given better treatment.

“If you think I’m gonna stand by and let you toss a child into a holding cell then you’re off your damn rocker! C’mon, kid. I’m taking you to my place…”

And that was it. That is when I realized that I was more than what I forced myself to be on the surface. Blood Viper wasn’t who I was. It was a coping mechanism developed out of hatred for my parents. And once I found out my problem, I owned up to it, and began to work on it. I trained with Ms. Rights for years and focused my ability to track down targets by sensing their magic through the earth itself.

“You’re doing great kid. Someday, you’ll be better than me. And keep a lookout for a special present on your birthday when you finally get old enough to start your career. I think you’ll love it…”

Now I have a well-paying job, wonderful friends, and ponies who care about me for me, rather than how strong I made myself look. And that gift? Well, it’s something I promised I would never use unless I had no other possible option in a given situation. A weapon of...not-so-great power.

So now, here I am, all those years later. And what did I find myself fighting for? Why was I doing all of this? And why did I care? To put it simply, I despised deceit. That was the root of all of my troubles as a colt. My mother tricked me into thinking she would return someday, my father making me believe I was at fault for driving her off, my so-called friends constantly at odds with each other to make each other look bad for the sake of their own egos.

It really put things into perspective. I couldn’t stand...not knowing things. That’s why I’ve devoted myself to exposing as many secrets as I can. Harmful secrets that threaten the well-being of everyone if they aren’t made aware of just how bad things truly are. My actions as a turf leader went under the radar for Cadence knows how long. I was not going to let anypony else suffer in silence.

“...Boop.”

My eyes flickered open. My entire concentration had been broken.The green mare had snuck right beneath me, and tapped my nose with a cup held in her hoof. I sniffed it. There was a red liquid inside with lots of black seeds. Watermelon? “Um, what is this?”

“Oh, just a special drink I was inspired to make. It’s iced tea mixed with fresh melons and squash. It goes great with my special brownies, man. Wanna try some?”

All that thinking had thoroughly dehydrated me. So I accepted. “Thanks Tree Hugger. I think you’ve helped me a lot without even realizing it.”

“Me? Hehe...I didn’t do anything special, brah. I just offered a friend to sit and zoooone out with me, ya feel?” She let out the tiniest of giggles. It was unexpected from someone so laid-back. “That said, some ponies may say I’m weird or give me negative vibes but it doesn’t faze me, dude. You shouldn’t feel that way either. You’re special. We all are. In our own weird ways…”

That’s right. While we couldn’t do absolutely everything we wanted, we could still be the best versions of ourselves.

“Oh yeah, there’s this other thing,” she leaned against me while I finished the drink, “I heard you were like, asking the teacher at the nearby school about making it geared towards Earth Pony stuff. That’s soooo dope, man.”

“You think so?”

“For reals. Earth pony magic is like, totes underrated. There’s all sorts of stuff we can do. I brought it up because I’d be interested in teaching earth foals about their hidden power and junk.”

Of course! Tree Hugger seemed like an expert in nut just nature, but about Earth-related magic as well. She would be the perfect assistant to Cheerilee. But now I was getting involved in something I wasn’t very experienced in. I’m an investigator, not a businessstallion.

“That sounds quite grand. But to be quite honest, I don’t have the greatest sense of familiarity when it comes to rebranding an Academy. I merely offered it as a suggestion for Cheerilee to consider.”

Rather expectedly, she wasn’t deterred by my lack of experience. “That’s alright, brah. So long as we work together, we can figure it out as we go along,” her hooves were suddenly planted on my shoulders, “now chiiiill...you’re tense as rope, man. I could feel your pain, and I feel bad that you had to go through that...”

It was a rather interesting massage. Her hooves were like weighted medicinal pillows that you put around your-- “Ah! So you saw everything, huh? I appreciate the time you took to watch. And...hhnnn…” her hooves traveled up my neck which caused my skin to fold and ripple like layers of cake icing, “what are you doing?”

She pushed down, which flattened my skin out again. “Just helping you get allll your stress out, man. Is there something wrong?”

To be quite frank, it felt rather good. Given that she so graciously offered her food as well as a proper outlet for me to vent, I wasn’t going to deny her this moment if she enjoyed it. “No...not at all. Please, continue.”

“I’m feelin’ your vibe grow. Excellent. And before ya ask, yeah I think that filly could use a second run. A tree doesn’t become a tree overnight, ya feel?”

Very true, but I knew that not everyone would agree with that notion. There had to be a way to get everyone to see past the whims of those who chose to lead us. To be able to think for ourselves and be equal as a community. Yes...maybe, just maybe. Ugh, did those brownies make me extra whimsical today?

All this internal thinking made it extra difficult. I needed to relax.

“Now lie back, my guy,” she gently lowered my head.

“Hm…” Resting on the grass...it was nice. Even if I did feel a bit of a strange twitch due to the nature of those brownies, but eh. I was sure it would pass.

The green mare sat next to me. “How are you feeling, brah?”

I put my hooves behind my head as I gave a hearty exhale. I hadn’t felt this relaxed in forever. “A bit...off, but I’m starting to realize what I should be doing. Maybe things don’t have to be a certain way.”

She slid next to me, and also lied in the grass. “Righteous, man. Since I helped you out, think you could help me?”

“Oh? What is it?”

“Just a physical art project. Body painting,” she explained with a slight smirk, “if you can handle it, that is. It’ll be fun for you too.”

I refused to back down from a challenge. “Alright then, I’ll take you up on that.”

I regretted it immediately.

That art ‘project’ left me sweaty and tired. Sure, I enjoyed it, but didn’t realize somepony so laid-back could have such wild and crazy ideas. Ah well, she said she would offer me more brownies whenever I asked which was a nice way to return the favor I suppose.

“See ya, brah. That was fun. Let’s do that again soon,” she waved at me as we went out separate ways. It was now nightfall. Just how long were we at it?

“Yeah...for sure, sis,” I said back in an awkward fashion. It fit, didn’t it?

It was fun, sure. But now? I just wanted to head home, and drop in my bed to fall asleep. Which is exactly what I did.

And yet I had this nagging feeling as I nodded off. As if something, or someone, was trying to get into my head. Just what could it be this time?

Then I realized...I was in a dream already.

“Rise, young one.”

“Aw shit, dammit not again.”

Subject 10: Alicorn Cakes

“Wait a second...I thought you stepped down years ago!” I looked around at the abyss that surrounded my hooves, and freaked out, “Wah! Oh nonono, god damn I shouldn’t have had those brownies.”

I heard a voice. Disembodied, but familiar. “Calm yourself, young one. You are not inebriated.”

“...If I’m sober then this is hella worse--and wait, who’s there?!”

That’s when she flew in. From...somewhere. A dark blue alicorn. Though she was missing her trademark crown and horseshoes. Instead she had on a casual polo shirt with moons patterned across it.

“Prin--”

“Just Luna,” she stopped me from even uttering that title, “I am no longer the Princess of this vast land. That falls to Princess Twilight Sparkle. Just call me by my name, please?”

I nodded. “Okay...Luna. So you still roam dreams huh?”

“More or less. While I am no longer PRINCESS OF THE NIGHT…” she suddenly shouted with an added echo effect, “ahem--I still watch over the dreams of ponykind. Occasionally turning nightmares into sweet dreams. And--” her cutie mark started flashing. “Excuse me for one second.”

She teleported away. I rubbed my head again. Now Luna was in my dream? Just what the heck was happening anymore? Thankfully, I didn’t have to wait long for an answer since she returned within a minute of leaving.

“Aha. There we go. My apologies--nightmare emergency. Anyhow. I know you well, Mr. Vestige. Top of your game with an investigative team of ponies. But you first got your start as a reserve member of the anti-monster agency that Bon-Bon was a part of. Now you and your own team work to solve dangerous cases,” with a glow of her horn, a list appeared in front of her followed by a pair of reading glasses. “Including but not limited to: Foiling 23 bank robberies, thwarting the smuggling of forbidden potions into Equestria, stopping a rigged explosive on a carriage, and defeating three criminals with a...pencil? A pencil? Just how in Sister’s name did you manage that?”

Hmph. This felt wrong. To hear my most perilous exploits being read off to me as if I were some sort of celebrity. Disgusting. There was nothing worth celebrating about my job. I’m not some child’s fantasy character who can do no wrong and gets the adoration of everyone around them with no effort.

I think there was a term for that, but it currently slipped my mind.

Annoyed, I folded my hooves as I sat in that abyss. “Is there anything else you want to speak of? No offense but I hate it when ponies glorify the harsh reality of such deadly occupations.”

“...I understand. I did many harmful things when I became Nightmare Moon,” she shuddered at the thought of her demonic doppelganger, “I certainly would not want that aspect of my character to be paraded about as if there was nothing wrong with it. So I completely understand your perspective.”

While Nightmare Night sort of did that, it was mainly to scare little foals into giving up their candy, so I would let that detail slide. “Indeed. So what did you want anyway? And more importantly, why am I here?”

The list and glasses disappeared. A series of doors would appear in front of the former princess, “Your name has been thrown about quite vigorously lately, Pale Vestige. You seek to defy the order set in place by my sister and I?”

“In short, yes. Surely you remember. While she didn’t initially regret her actions, I believe that Cozy Glow has been imprisoned long enough to understand the weight of what she pulled off. I think it’s time we extend her a hoof.”

“And you believe this is the best course of action?” Each door would open, and Luna poked her head inside. This must have been how she checked in on the dreams of others. I had to admit, it was impressive for her to balance a workload as she spoke with me, “Alongside the way you’ve gathered support from the public, it would appear you have quite the plan going.”

“Do you disapprove of it?” I asked and trotted over to her, “Not just that, but the entire case itself.”

She closed the 50th door. “While your actions may be admirable, they’re largely folly.”

“Why?”

“I know Twilight well. My sister taught her everything she knows. With a very complicated task such as this, she would often ask herself, ‘what would Celestia do?’”

Is that so? How could she be a ruler if she couldn’t make her own decisions? But I was curious. “Well? What would your sister do when presented with a question like this?”

“Oh, you’d be banished to the moon for suggesting such a thing.”

My face contorted into a guise of fear. My mouth was agape and I felt my eyes blink too many times to count. How could she make light of such horrific trauma?!

“Ahaha!” She laughed. “...Oh come now! It was a jest--joke! A joke! You shouldn’t take everything too literally, as they say.”

I took a sigh of relief. “Thank goodness...but for real this time, what would Celestia do?”

“Let’s simply say she is not fond of the idea. At the time, we both believed that those three were beyond repair. Currently, while I don’t think it is impossible that Cozy Glow may have learned something during her imprisonment, my sister will not budge on the subject.”

Let’s put two and two together. Yup. That means Twilight is likely not to budge on the subject either. Damn. But there had to be more to it than that.

I shrugged, “I see. Well I’ll just try harder.”

That’s when she leaned towards me, just a few inches from my face, “You are playing the game of a fool. Are you willing to drag your reputation to the depths of Tartarus for the actions of a filly from yesteryear?”

“If I wasn’t, then you wouldn’t have appeared in my dreams, now would you?”

She rose, and began to walk down her hall of doors, “Come.”

With no other options, I followed her. “What is it?”

“I wish to show you the current state of affairs regarding your actions.”

A door flung open and we peeked through it. As soon as we did, Luna had a shocked expression on her face, and attempted to conceal it with one of her wings in front of mine. “Wrong door.”

“Wait no, lemme see--” the door was violently shut. And another opened, and Luna granted me my vision again. “Well now…”

When I looked through, I saw Cheerilee’s dream. She was...doing her job. But there was something different. Most of her students were earth ponies she had started to train personally in specific magical arts related to their abilities. One was learning how to grow plants with the power of her voice, a colt was learning to hone his perception and navigate the room with his eyes shut, and a group of them were learning how to concentrate and figure out what an animal needed based on the sound they made. She was considered the best teacher in the world, and had the admiration of all of her students, including former ones such as the grown Cutie Mark Crusaders.

“She looks...happy. Happy that earth ponies like herself can unlock their potential as well as understand her. She just wants to be loved like the old days. I don’t see the problem, Luna--” I turned and she wasn’t there. “Luna?” The dream door was shut, and I looked around. I was somewhat concerned given the fact that I was in the middle of nowhere in a dream that I’m sure I didn’t conjure up on my own.

“Boo!”

“AIE!” I screamed and fell to the...ground? It was an endless nothingness, but I was flat on my back. I gazed up to see the demonic Nightmare Moon in all her viscous glory. “You…”

“AHAHAHA!” She let out a dramatic cackle until she began to cough. “Ack! Oh dear, I have not donned this form in a while. But did I scare thee? Tis practice for Nightmare Night!”

It was just an act? Really? Humorous, but not the time for it. I responded with a mere eyeroll. “What? Pssh. Nope. Not at all.”

“Mm-hmm,” the Nightmare Luna shot me a suggestive smirk. Her smugness rubbed me the wrong way. “Anyhow, I did this to help set the mood. For while there are ponies who are in favor of your ideals. Others...are terrified,” she set another door in front of me to view, and it flung open.

Behind this one was a gruesome sight to behold. Both Diamond Tiara and her best friend Silver Spoon were fighting! Why? Because war had broken out. Ponies on Diamond Tiara’s side felt that Cozy Glow was treated unfairly, while the ponies on Silver Spoon’s side felt the punishment was just. Both sides continued to fight until the Wendigos froze everyone and everything with the pink and gray mares taking their last breaths next to each other in the freezing cold.

“I…” It was only a nightmare, but wow. Was this the true extent of the damage I could cause by trying to see this case through?

“Do you see what you’ve done?” The nightmare princess gazed at me, “while you have instilled hope within some ponies, you have also instilled fear in others.” She turned back into her normal self and zapped the nightmare away with her horn. It turned into a pleasant dream for the mare with having earned the favor of both of her parents. Along with the fact that they spent more time with each other.

“...Thank goodness,” I shut the door myself, and slumped against it. “And look, I get it. My job has its ups and downs. Nothing is going to be perfect,” I mumbled as I sat down completely.

Luna took a seat next to me. “No. They will not. All we can do is strive for our best despite the risks. If that is what you intend to do, I respect it.”

“So...you don’t condemn my actions?”

“Hm...I wouldn’t say you’ve done anything terribly out of line, yet.” She glared at me, her gaze as empty and cold as the night itself, “Be warned, should you raise your hoof in siege against Twilight, there will be no mercy from her or her friends.”

I shook my head. “I won’t. I’m not going to incite a rebellion. I merely want to hear what the public thinks, and make a case for Cozy. Once I do that, I hope to get her released and watch over her until she can be trusted.”

“Hm,” she rose from her spot next to me, and flew into the air, “I can respect a pony with a well-thought out objective. But both sides of time are now revealed to you, young stallion. What will you do?”

I shut my mouth. My eyes darted towards the emptiness of my dreamscape. I couldn’t answer. There were too many variables at play here. All I could do was swallow my pride and say two simple words. “...My best.”

Luna smiled, and turned away as she flew upwards. “Dawn approaches. If you are ever near Silver Shoals, feel free to drop by. We could play games! If Tia doesn’t cheat that is...” I tried to get a good look at where she was headed, but I couldn’t see anything. A blinding light was obstructing my vision.

“AH! Woaahh--agh!” I sat up from my bed, and fell onto the cold wooden floor. Was that a dream? Nightmare? Both? I had no clue. But one thing was for certain: I needed the day off. I opened the window, and took in the sun’s rays.

After breakfast, I grabbed that radio transmitter, and turned it on. “Cork. You with me, over?”

It took a moment, but the tired pegasus stallion answered with yet another yawn, “Ahhh...what’s up, sir? Don’t tell me you need another ticket…”

“Not at all, friend. I would like to request that you and Quick Draw cover for me.”

“Ah, finally! We’ve been trying to get you to take a break for months boss! No cases, no work. Just relax and enjoy yourself. I’ll let QD know, and we’ll open the office ourselves.”

I breathed a sigh of relief. “Appreciated, bud. Have a good one,” I said before I turned the device off.

Just what I needed. A calm, quiet day with a walk. No uniform, no hat. Just a simple day. Maybe I should go back to my old routine. What was it again? “Ah.”

First, I would stop by the local retirement home in Ponyville to drop off some bits as donation again. I was a consistent donor, often bringing in 100 bits per week. The older ponies were so sweet, some even trying to get me to stay and listen to story after story of their grandkids or various wars they took part in. I stayed for a while, and left with far too many memories of harsh times they dealt with.

Next, I stopped at Sugarcube Corner. It’s where we ordered all of our donuts from, but I hadn’t been here in person in...ages. The atmosphere was sweet, calming, yet playful all the same time. A nice break from the constant metallic aroma that filled my office.

Though I did feel the strange sensation that I was being followed. Hm...

As I munched the donut, I continued on my way. Things were starting to look up. My usual mornings were filled with chaos and debates with my colleagues. I had forgotten what it was like to enjoy myself.

I walked in a directionless way for a moment, until I came across. Wait a minute, what? Was that Spoiled Rich and her daughter? They were both laughing and enjoying each other’s company as they went to the nearby horseshoe store. How nice.

But there was more. I saw the Mayor and Cheerilee talking at the town hall. They were both doing some sort of hoof-bump and shake dance. Probably as a ritual of sorts? Whatever the case, I was glad to see them happy together.

And then I saw Octavia and her DJ friend performing a duet in their window. A mix of classical and dubstep to make a sort of odd, yet flavorful mix that I felt my hooves automatically tap to.

I even saw Tree Hugger. She had set up a ‘save the trees’ stand with T shirts for ponies to wear. I locked eyes with her and waved. She returned it with a lazy wave of her own.

Nothing could ruin this day.

Or at least, that’s what I thought.

All the sudden, the laughter and chatter of my fellow townsponies stopped on a dime. In fact, everything did. Time itself seemed to come to a halt around me, with everyone frozen in place.

“Wh-what?! What the hell…” I was about to panic before I realized something. Why was I the only one not frozen? Something was being done on purpose! “Alright, whoever you are, you need to stop this!” I stomped my hoof, and started to sense a great bundle of magic in the air.

It couldn’t be…

“Hey-hey! It’s me!”

Flurry Heart! This was crazy. I knew I was doing a lot, but to see another Alicorn was officially freaking me out. The young mare landed, and started to approach me.

“Oh man...what do you want? And why did you stop everyone?”

“Ugh, you wouldn’t believe the shit I had to pull just to get out here!” She spoke in a rather...aggressive tone that was unbecoming for a princess. “Finally. I’ve been trying to track your flank down for weeks! But my daddy wants me to stay in the Castle for this, watch my mom do that, learn how to become a ruler. Blah blah BLECH!”

While her rant did catch my attention, I was more concerned for the frozen state of everypony around me. “Uhh…”

“Don’t worry. They can’t see or hear us, don’t worry. Everything will resume like it never stopped. We’re actually moving faster than they are. Like way faster.” she cleared her throat, “ahem. Alright. Look, I heard you spoke to my mom a while back, yeah?”

“I...hang on, just what are you doing here without her or your father?!”

She tossed her head back out of annoyance with a huff. “Dughh! You older ponies are so overbearing! I can’t even walk down the steps without mom and dad watching me anymore. Not to mention the entire pony population wooing and applauding at every buckin’ move I make! And then next thing you know there’s 100 articles about a princess having eaten a hayburger and--” she stopped herself, and rubbed her hoof against her forehead. “I’m sorry. Just...I wanna talk to you, that’s all. I activated a hyperspeed spell on the both of us, so it’d allow me to come down here without causing mayhem over my presence. Don’t worry, I told my parents that I was going to see the Cake Twins. So they know where I am.”

Well the explanation sated my concern. For now at least, “Alright. That’s fair. Now what did you want to speak with me about?”

“Cozy Glow, duh,” she snarked at me and trotted towards the frozen Sugarcube Corner. “I wanna tell you that you need to keep fighting for her. Mom was too afraid to speak up, but I’m not.”

I followed her back into the bakery, and realized just how humorous a speed spell could be. One purple pony nearby had slipped on some fallen icing, and I watched as she drunkenly flipped upwards in extremely slow motion. Another was arguing with his date over which dessert they should buy; their faces contorted and warped into grimaces and veiny frowns right before my eyes. How strange.

“So wait...you think she does deserve a chance?”

“For sure. I think it’ll be a hard sell, but you’ve got my vote.” She flew around to observe various slow-motion antics not unlike myself, “If that were me, my mom would’ve fought to save my flank for sure. She’s caring like that. But Cozy? She had nopony! Who’s to say that’s what the problem is?”

She snuck a muffin from the hand of a stallion and replaced it with a sour lemon tart. I’d hate to be on the receiving end of such deeds, but I hoped he liked lemon.

Then I heard a powerful, peppy greeting. “Hi Flurry Heart! Welcome to Sugarcube Corner! Pound Cake finished his chores, and he’s waiting upstairs for you. Lil’ Cheese is with his dad for the weekend, though.”

“Thanks, Pinkie. Can’t wait to see him.”

A certain pink party pony was still moving normally, baking cakes and stirring the batter for cookies. How could this be? Did Flurry Cast a hyperspeed spell on her too? “Wait a second, how is--”

“It’s Pinkie. Don’t question it,” she turned her attention back to the extremely pink mare, “Hey Pinkie. This is...one of my bodyguards. He’s accompanying me today. And I let him come without his armor so he could be casual.”

“Hmm…” she shot me an inquisitive stare before she violently rushed up to me and grabbed my hoof. She gave me a rather extreme hoofshake that shook my entire body! “Okie-dokie-lokI! Any friend of Flurry Heart’s is a friend of mine!”

“Please stop.” I was dazed. My eyes rolled around in their sockets for a moment or two. Once I could see again, I noticed the young princess snicker as she floated there. Such a rapscallion of a child. “Uh...thanks?”

“Okay, that’s enough Pinkie,” she came between us and mercifully stopped the assault on my leg, “we’re here on official...Empire business, ya feel? Make sure nopony bothers us, alri”

She bought it, and gave a salute with her right hoof. “Ooh, business! I’ll make sure nopony disturbs you!”

And just like that, we were allowed right on through and went up the stairs towards the residence of the Cake’s that was connected to the shop. The pink mare smiled at us with an improbably fast wave of her hoof as we left. The speed spell wore off, but I took another peek to be sure.

Yup. The drunk mare fell, the couple finally decided to cinnamon rolls, and the stallion’s mouth swelled as he wasn’t expecting a lemon treat in place of his bitter morning muffin.

“SNRK! Classic!” The young alicorn giggled with a snort as we went up the stairs, out of sight of the other ponies.

“Hey now, don’t do that,” I scolded her, “war isn’t a game, you know.”

“Are you sure life isn’t a game, Mr. Detective?” she teased with a flick of her tail.

I sighed. This was my day off, and I had been roped into some crazy nonsense yet again. “Why did you bring me up here anyways?”

“Well, I figured that you’d want some valuable takes. Surely the Heart Princess--that’s me--and her friends will aid you in your quest to free Cozy Glow with their influential opinions, won’t they?”

I rolled my eyes. I supposed I did have enough of a break and could maybe ask her friends some questions. No way was I going to toss out my most valuable lead. “Bleh. If I must. But I don’t want to bore them.”

She stopped right in front of a door, “Don’t worry! If you were boring, I’d have left you behind a while ago,” and she knocked the door right in, the hinges nearly destroyed. “Oh, Pooounder!”

That’s when I saw a light-gold pegasus stallion, about the same age as Corkscrew, slumped in a beanbag chair. He was playing a...game of some kind with a controller hooked up to what looked like a miniature home movie theater. But there was no film reel? Strange.

“Aw man! I was just about to fire off my ultimate ability but those enemies had to throw in the most broken, overpowered--” he stopped when he noticed the princess and raced over to put a wing around her neck. “Flurry! It’s so good to see ya again. It’s been like...months.”

“I know I know, I was lucky enough to get mom and dad to let me go since I was finished with my princess duties for the day.”

Another mare’s voice came from down the hall, “Hey Bro. I didn’t find your silly comic or whatever and--Flurry! Oh thank Twilight you’re back! Now we can all hang out together!” This mare was a unicorn--a golden one, reminiscent of her father. She levitated herself to Flurry Heart’s other side and gave her a hug.

“And...who’s this guy?” The stallion, Pound, looked at me curiously followed by his sister who did the same.

I took a bow since I had to sell the whole guard ponysona. “I’m one of Flurry Heart’s guards. Nice to meet you both. Don’t mind me.”

“He actually has a few questions for you both,” Flurry pushed the stallion back into his room. “Why don’t you ask Pumpkin here a few questions while my...close friend Pound and I catch up?”

I could already tell what she was trying to do. “Understood,” and the door was promptly shut.

I looked at the unicorn with utter confusion to which she sighed, “Don’t be bothered. They’re just like that because they’re each other’s special somepon-- blech. Can’t even say it without throwing up in my mouth.”

“How funny. Well the question I want to ask is pretty difficult, so prepare yourself.”

“Meh, how hard could it be?” the golden mare gave a confident shrug.

“What’s your opinion of Cozy Glow?”

Her pupils shrank for a second. That was absolutely not a question she was prepared to hear. “Um...you know well uh…”

“Wait a second!” The door to the boy’s room flew open, and Pound came out. Guess he overheard us. “Are you guys talking about that filly that nearly destroyed Equestria when we were little?”

“Ahem...yes, that is the one,” I answered, “I’m trying to gauge whether or not the general population feels her punishment was deserved and if it’s possible she can be redeemed.”

“No. Way. Have you lost your mind, pops?”

‘Pops’? Was I that old compared to these youngling--...dammit.

“Excuse me?”

There was a look of fear and terror in the stallion’s eyes. “Listen to me, okay? Someone like that should never be let out for any reason. If anything happened to my sis or Flurry I’d be...I’d be…”

Pumpkin gave him a friendly nudge with her hoof, “Hearthbroken? Downtrotten?” Seemed like somepony picked up on the pink one’s love of jokes and giggles.

“Hey...shut up! This is serious!” The pegasus blushed, and knocked his sister away with a wing.

“Wah!” She landed in what I could only assume to be her room, given the books of magic mixed with cookbooks strewn about the floor. “Really?”

“Sorry!” He turned his attention back to me, “But for real, if she was capable of doing something crazy like that when she was little, who knows what she could do if she were allowed to grow up like the rest of us? We’d all be six hooves under! Or worse! We could’ve been her slaves!”

All this time, Flurry Heart had made herself busy by playing the stallion’s electronic entertainment system, and we heard her shout, “Oh but you’d be mine wouldn’t ya?”

“Ghhhf!” His wings perked up, and his cheeks became rosy. I did my best to conceal my laughter, but it was rather hilarious. “Quiet you!”

I made a mental note of the fact that he didn’t deny it. But more importantly, I brought the conversation back to its roots, “Ahah...so I see you don’t wish for Cozy Glow to return in any capacity.”

“Buck no, are you stupid?! She’s arguably more dangerous than Chrysalis and Tirek!”

I heard a record scratch followed by an apology from Pinkie from downstairs. “Sorry! My record player broke!”

“Wait...more dangerous?” I folded my hooves. I didn’t expect a youngster to have such an...intricate thought process. “Humor me, son.”

“Well for one thing, Tirek and Chrysalis are old, right? I mean way old. As old as Celestia and Luna themselves probably. At some point, their moves and their plans will become predictable, ya feel? It’s like...playing the same final level 1000 boss in a game over and over. You’re gonna know how to beat it the more you play. You know what I mean, right?”

I was a tad unfamiliar with that last bit, given that I had almost no experience with those devices. At most I could remember a game involving a maze with colored ghosts, another that involved ninjas brutalizing each other with blood everywhere, and one more that involved a massive bear who had taken a princess hostage that you had to jump over barrels to save.

The newer ones were lost on me.

“Erm...somewhat?”

He nodded and continued his explanation, “Okay, meanwhile Cozy Glow is like a brand new boss that suddenly enters the game. They’re not very strong. Only at about level 10, but if you don’t take them out now, they have the potential to become the new strongest level 2000 boss that you have no chance of beating,” he smirked and started to hover in the air. “That’s what I’m talking about. Cozy Glow could’ve been that level 2000 boss that nopony was prepared for.”

“Awww, you’re so smart, Pounder~” Flurry teased from the room which caused the stallion to puff out his chest in a proud manner.

“Huh, guess I am.”

I nodded. I had to respect the kid’s logic, even if I didn’t agree. “Okay, now level with me for a second. What if I told you I had the cheat code to beat that boss before she became so powerful in the first place?”

He landed, his wings folded back, “I’d say I don’t believe you. No offense. I’m sure you’re a cool guy and all, but if the Princesses themselves couldn’t figure out that cheat code, what makes you think you could?” he pointed a judgemental hoof at me.

“Simple, kid. I’ve studied the filly and her case for months. Your princesses tossed her aside within a few days.”

“With good reason, I’d reckon!” He said with an added stomp of that same hoof, “She was too deadly to keep around, and I think she deserves what she got. How about you, Pumper?” he turned to his sister’s doorway, “...Pumper?”

The gold unicorn looked up from what she was reading, a copy of the newspaper. “Hm? Oh sorry, I just found it odd. Apparently the local bookstore’s missing some copies of their animal books. Hehe! Better hope Princess Twilight doesn’t find out, or she’d be down here in a heartbeat.”

“That’s wack. Who robs a bookstore? Probably some eggheads looking to make a quick bit through scalping.”

The look on her face oozed horror. “They...scalp ponies?!”

“No sis, scalping. It’s when you falsify the scarcity of something by buying up loads of an item, thereby increasing the demand of that item while shortening the supply. If you do that, then--”

She threw her hooves in the air, “Get to the point, bro!”

“Oh, well they probably stole them to sell them at a higher price. It’s how they get rich. And how the oldest arcade systems were nearly stolen.”

Missing books from a bookstore? Odd. But the day has been rather slow so I figured why not at least check it out later? Gah. The analytical bone within me had started to stir. I trotted over to Flurry and watched her play that game for a few moments. It was some sort of adventure where the main character had a whip.

“Flurry, I...what the devil is this?”

“Oh? Castlemaneia. Gotta defeat the vampire pony at the top of the castle but his horde of bat ponies stand in my way.”

“Sick!” Pound Cake barreled into the room, “Are you at the part where you get the axe yet?”

There were quite a few things happening on the screen at once. It was enough to make my head spin. “Great, uh...graphics? Anyway, Flurry. I noticed your friend was reading something about a bookstore being possibly robbed? I’m gonna go check it out.”

“Huh? Dammit, I died. Oh and no problem. Go right ahead.”

“But isn’t he your gua--” before the Cake brother could finish that sentence, the Heart princess shoved the controller in his face.

“Pooound. This level is too haaard. Care to help me?”

“Huh? Pfff...gimme that. Let a real stallion show you how the game works.

Perfect distraction, he was back to playing when Flurry nodded at me.

I swiftly left the bakery, and went to the bookstore. Something about it just felt off. Who would rob a bookstore of all things?

Meanwhile…

The Unicorn mare sighed at the two, “Sooo...we’re not gonna follow him or anything? I’m bored up here.”

“Oh yeah, just lemme finish and save this level…”

Subject 11: Hard To Bear

“No, I don’t know why. Those weren’t even our most valuable books. Kinda strange if you ask me. The books come loaded up to the back of the store every night. I have security camera footage if you wanna see. Maybe there’s info there?”

“Very much so, thank you.”

The salespony mare handed me one of the cameras and hit playback. We could both see the books being loaded in on a cart yesterday afternoon. Nothing out of the ordinary so far. But then a dark shadow whizzed past the lens.

My eyes keenly followed the image. “Slow-mo it.”

“Are you sure? I didn’t see anything.”

“Please?”

She shrugged and pushed a button that slowed the footage down. My eyes were metaphorically glued to the image, as it slowed I could visualize the black shadow as it dashed across the camera’s line of sight. I couldn’t make out just what it was, but I could sense something was there.

“Hrm...when’s the next shipment of books set to arrive?”

She put the camera away, and looked at a nearby clock. “In about...20 minutes actually. You gonna try and catch the perp in the act this time?”

“Something like that.”

Meanwhile…

“Sis...why are we doing this again?”

The gold unicorn led her brother through the town, “Because you spend too much time inside all day playing those games and reading comics. Where’s your sense of adventure, bro?”

“For you, that’s more like a sense of death.”

“Don’t make me slug you.”

“Okay, okay, fine! But I don’t understand why we had to bring Flu--I mean Whirlwind?”

Indeed, Flurry Heart had disguised herself as a Pegasus with an illusion spell. To anyone else, she’d appear to lack a horn, and while her color scheme remained the same, she let her hair down so it was a full mane that went down her neck in a messy fashion, and her Cutie Mark changed to a tornado. And for good measure, she had on a pair of glasses. “I can only activate that hyperspeed spell once per day so I figured I’d just change into something a bit more casual. Besides, I know you love it, Pound.”

“W-what makes you say that? And in any case, I don’t see the point in following this guy.”

Pumpkin shot him a deadpan gaze that questioned his sanity. “You’re kidding? He’s obviously not an Empire Guard. I’ve read extensively on their battle tactics, and they wouldn’t simply start talking to other ponies, nor would they run off on their own. I’m just curious as to who he really is since ‘Whirlwind’ here won’t tell me.”

The pink pegasus giggled, “Trust me, this is gonna be fun.”

“Tch...how troublesome. If this lands us in trouble, I am so gonna--”

With Pale...

And so I waited. I napped beneath a tree--mainly for myself. Tree Hugger showed me just how much fun it could be to relax alongside nature. And from within my sleep state, I restricted my magical aura to reduce my presence in the shade. That way, no one would be able to spot me.

I waited…

And waited…

And waited…

It happened. I blinked awake and put my ear to the earth. Not only did I feel an abnormal magic presence, but I heard it as well. Something...strange was headed in this direction. Something I hadn’t encountered before.

“...” I opened one eye and noticed a stallion wheel in a cart of books behind the store. Nothing out of the ordinary there. He was just doing his job. But the abnormal magical signature was still present. Strange.

I opened both eyes and let out a yawn. The next moment that I blinked, I sensed a change in the stallion’s aura. As if his signature had swapped to a different being entirely. Eh, wot? This didn’t make sense. Not unless he had been possessed. And that sort of magic is extremely rare and borderline illegal.

Just what happened to him?

This wouldn’t do. I had to approach him. “Ex…” But before I could say anything, he had already dropped off the books and took off. The magic aura would promptly disappear, but I could still sense traces of it through the ground itself.

Those traces led it directly to the Everfree Forest...where a much bigger magical signature lied in wait. No...this was too powerful. I dreaded the thought. But...I had no choice. I had to make sure whatever it was didn’t get into town.

I rushed back home. And from within the deepest confines of my closet, I grabbed the weapon that Miranda Rights had entrusted to me many years ago alongside a note.

“Kid...one day, I hope you make use of this for the benefit of those who never got a chance. Always remember what I taught ya. No matter what happens to me, keep this. I’ll always be with ya.”

“Looks like it’s time. Or rather, I would hope I don’t need to make use of this. But still…” I grabbed my vest and tucked the item within it. From there, I ran back out and towards the forest. “Everyone! Go back to your homes, stay inside!” That’s when I heard giggling from a nearby bush. I turned to it and snapped, “What the buck are you doing way out here?!”

Those darn twins and Flurry Heart--with a new look? Hm. Guess it was a good way to keep the attention away. The unicorn mare approached me first, “Sorry, sir. We just couldn’t resist! We knew it had to be more than just some boring book theft. C’mon, let’s go--”

“Absolutely not.” I pushed her back with a hoof, much to the delight of her brother.

“Thank you, man!”

“Listen. You kids need to go right on back. I’m sensing something dangerous out there in the forest, and I’m not about to let you three get hurt.”

The disguised Flurry Heart had gotten rid of her horn and donned glasses. I suppose that was all it really took. If it worked for Supermare, then. “Oh please. I’m all-powerful! Sure, mom and dad may have implemented caps on the magic I can perform, but that doesn’t mean I’m useless!”

Pound Cake put his hooves together in a plea. “Please guys, stop. The guy said he doesn’t want any help. So why don’t we just go back…?”

Pumpkin’s eyes shifted to her side, and shot Flurry a wink. “Okaaaay. I guess we can head back home. C’mon, everyone. Looks like there’s nothing to see here!”

I glared at the mare and took a few steps back. “...Don’t sass me. I know all of ya’lls parents, don’t forget,” I turned and made a beeline for the forest.

The unicorn snickered. “We’re still totally following him, aren’t we? I mean, he can’t do this alone, can he?”

“Yup. We’re going.”

“Nope!” Pound would attempt to run away, only to be restrained by the magical aura of his sister. “Hey! Put me down!”

“You’re getting some outdoor activity in, even if it kills you. You don’t wanna end up fat.”

Flurry-Whirlwind giggled as she flew after the two.

Alright. That magical presence was heavy. That was certain. It wasn’t on the level of an alicorn, so that was good. But it was...chaotic. Like a wild beast that was aching to get loose. Concerning. I ran through the forest, but the closer I got to the aura, the farther away it felt. This was not normal. Something was moving beyond my ability to track it.

Which was unreasonable. My sensory skills were highly tuned. This had to be something I hadn’t dealt with before. “Hmmm…” I stopped, and hid with my back against a tree. I looked at the weapon tucked into my vest. Its power meter dropped the more I remained idle. This would aid me if I ever needed it, but I prayed that I would not.

I felt it. Once I ceased movement, the aura became clearer. It wasn’t getting away from me, because it wasn’t really here in the first place. What? What could this mean? This is too much. I was so used to chasing normal pony suspects--maybe the occasional griffon and minotaur--but this? This was hard to comprehend.

“It’s almost time.” Even so, I wouldn’t let that stop me. I noticed there was a lack of smaller creatures in the forest. No hedgehogs, porcupines, squirrels, or even Timberwolves. Something out there had scared off everything. “Okay…” I pressed onward. Moving between each tree with precision to mask my presence.

With the young ponies...

“Sandbar, Rumble, Button Mash and I were gonna practice for the air hockey tournament next week. But nooo,” Pound complained as he walked along the path of the forest, “I have to be stuck with you guys because sis claims I’m not moving enough.”

“Quit your complaining,” his sister urged him as she led their little trio, “I need to see what this guy is planning and you need to move more. Mom and dad wouldn’t want you being a couch potato.”

“Tch. Just be honest, you’re doing all of this for the sake of that silly fanfiction you wanna write.”

“Hey! It’s not silly! And it’s not fiction! My biography is gonna be the single most well-awarded book in Equestria by the time I’m done. So why not live out some exciting moments?”

“Blech. Do you hear this, Fl--Whirlwind?”

The disguised princess looked around the forest in awe. “Ooh...we don’t have lots of trees around the Empire back home. This was actually a pretty good trip!”

Pound Cake slapped his forehead with his hoof.

I arrived at a clearing in the middle of the forest. I felt the magic aura directly beneath my hooves by this point. It was here. Wait a minute. There was something very wrong here. I couldn’t put my hoof on it. But it was like something, or someone was nearby. But my senses were being thrown off. This wasn’t right.

“Ah, over there!” Pumpkin spotted the open area in the middle of the forest surrounded by trees. “This has to be where it’s gonna go down. All the best stories have a showdown in a large field!”

“Ughhh why am I here?” Pound groaned and leaned against one of the trees, filled with disgust.

The pink pegasus smiled at him. “Don’t worry, Pounder. I got this. Like I said, I’m strong enough to handle anything.”

“Wait...don’t tell me you’re about to go out there!”

No. They didn’t. They couldn’t have.

I ran around the edge of the field in the direction of those youngsters. Maybe I could stop before they would do anything--

And I saw Pound chase after his marefriend directly into it. “C’mon! Show yourself, monster!”

“No! Get back you idiots!” I ran to try and jump in front of them, and we all crashed into each other. “...Ow. What the hell are you doing out here?! Didn’t I say stay behind!”

“Listen, sir. I tried to tell Flurry it was a bad idea and then my sis made me follow--”

I sighed. “At least you’re all fine…”

Flurry on the other hand was rather annoyed. “Aw man! There wasn’t even any monster! Some stakeout this was. All that’s here is this silly piece of paper with scribbles on it,” she held the object in her wing.

“Wait...let me see that,” I took it from her and sniffed it. Then I read the contents of the page. It was an animal book. One of the books that had been stolen! Okay, that was good. I got somewhere. But now what. “These strange markings…”

“Eee! Ohmigosh, tell me everything that’s happened so far!” The sister of the Cake Twins had followed us out with a notepad and pencil to write everything down.

Pound Cake flicked her horn, which temporarily disabled her magic, and caused her to drop the items. “Hey! That hurt, bro!”

“That’s for making me come out here!”

The two started to squabble while the princess loomed over my shoulder. “See anything interesting?”

“These aren’t normal scratches,” I flipped the torn page around and was able to ready it more clearly. “They’re...runes of some sort. Hmmm…”

‘...the Bugbear chases its prey for as long as it can until it fires projectile venom from its stinger.”

“...shit.”

“Woah, what’s going on?”

The runes on the paper started to glow and it grew hot to the touch. “Youch!” I let go of it and shook my hoof around to ease the pain. “Aw shit! Get back, ya’ll!”

The twins ceased their physical combat with each other and looked up when I called their attention. They immediately took shelter in the nearby bushes and Flurry Heart joined soon after.

A pillar of light erupted from the paper which pierced the sky. This had to be the work of magic. A summoning spell. Rather advanced. No average pony could make words fly off a page into reality so easily. This had to be the work of a veteran mage.

From that light, an animal came into existence. A multi-armed, black and white bear with a stinger and a vicious hunger for pony meat.

I stood on my hind legs and tried to reason with it. “H-heeey there big guy...I’m just gonna grab this and…” I tried to slink over to the piece of paper to swipe it but the insect monster wasn’t having it. It jumped into my face and let out a mighty roar that swept me off my hooves!

“RAAAAGH!”

“Ah!” I stood firm for a moment, the breath of the monster was nearly enough to make a pony cry on its own. “Woah!” The force of the roar pushed me back and sent me flying. I was tossed into one of the nearby trees with a violent thud. “Oof!” The crash was hard enough to make the pears fall and hit me on the head. “Grrr…”

The youngsters had taken shelter in the bushes next to my impact. Pumpkin Cake in particular was busy scribbling in her notepad again. “‘And she bravely stared down the bugbear…’”

“Meh. I’ve seen scarier,” Pound Cake commented, not at all intimidated by the creature, “Shin Megami Tartarus has loads of creepier monsters.”

“Shin Ma--what?”

“SMT. It’s a monster collecting RPG--you know what, forget it. It'd take way too long to explain right now.”

The only one that was really scared was the princess. “Y-you okay, sir?” Flurry asked, and tried not to look at the beast with her wings over her eyes.

“I...nghh...I’m fine…” I rose to my hooves in a shaky manner. The bear was on all fours now. It prowled with rabid saliva leaking from its mouth. It waited, nay, dared us all to make sudden movements. “Okay...when I count to three. You all run like heck back home. Don’t come back for me.”

“What?! Ha!” The gold unicorn scoffed, “If you think I’m gonna turn down this chance to enhance my next chapter, you’re dead wrong.”

“Sis, maybe he’s right. I mean, I’m not scared but what if you or Flurry got hurt? Mom, dad, and the whole Empire would throw a fit.”

Flurry clapped her hooves. “No wait...I have a plan. We can send this thing back to where it came from and figure out who summoned it if we just--”

“Absolutely not,” I cut her off and reached into my vest. “You three need to get out of here. Now.” Admittedly, I was somewhat afraid, given that I had never been up against such a beast before. Changelings were the extent of my foreign creature combat capability. But even still, I wasn’t going to let these kids get hurt. Over my dead body. “I really really hate to pull this card, but listen to your elder. Get out. Now.”

“Are...you sure? Nopony’s defeated a bugbear on their own before.”

“I am.” With a flick, I brought the weapon out. A custom-made lever-action sound blaster with a wooden stock, and a wide, megaphone like brass barrel. I took a few shots at the bear monster, and ran towards it. “C’mon you honey-loving bastard!”

Pound must’ve been frothy at the mouth from the way I heard him speak. “Yooo...I need to get me one of those.”

The weapon gained more power from motion along the earth. I had to engage in hit-and-run tactics with it or else I’d shoot nothing but air. If I could just distract it long enough to grab that piece of paper and tear it to shreds, that should be enough to dispel it.

Or at least, I hoped.

But the bear monster wasn’t so easily fooled. The very second I attempted to get around it, it hit me with a slash of its four sets of claws.

“Ghh!” I was sent for a tumble, but got right back up. I fired off another blast of sound energy from my weapon, which distracted it for a second. I dove in. My body slid across the dirt to snatch that paper, but it was no use.

“OW!” A slash of the beast’s stinger flung me across the field and back towards the youngsters who still hadn’t left yet despite my direction. I was furious. “I said get out! Why are you still here?!”

“Listen sir,” Flurry Heart started to explain, “it seems like you need some help defeating this thing. You’re alright on your own, but together...we can do this. I know it. I already told these two how it can be done. Right Cakes?”

Pound Cake shrugged, “Meh. Your idea sounded simple enough.”

“Ooh, heheh! I get to be in the middle of the action! It’s gonna be perfect.”

I sighed. I was beaten, and felt a slight swelling from the monster’s stinger. If the princess had an idea, I had no choice but to at least hear it out. “Fine...explain yourself.”

“Okay so here’s the thing. A spell like this has to be maintained within close proximity to the object they’re controlling. The perp is still somewhere around here. So I’m gonna fly up and see if I can’t find them. Pound Cake is gonna help you fight it, and while you both have it distracted, Pumpkin Cake will use her magic to decipher the rune code and reverse it in order to shut it down. Sound good?”

Wow. I didn’t peg her for a tactical strategist. She must’ve gotten that from her father. I stood, and looked at the Twins who nodded in agreement with this plan. I felt like a complete fool. But I really couldn’t accomplish this alone. “Gah...do what you wish.”

“Alright guys, get into our combat formation!” Flurry flew straight into the air.

Pumpkin started working her magic, “If you guys get hurt, I’ll heal your injuries. Just try and distract it so I can steal that paper.”

“One sec,” Pound also flew into the air, but he returned moments later with some clouds in his hooves and caught in the feathers of his wings, “Alright. This’ll work.”

“Clouds? You serious?”

The young stallion suddenly reshaped a cloud into the shape of a hammer. “You’re forgetting we pegasi can control the density of the--”

“Just get on with it!” His sister shouted, to which he rolled his eyes.

“I’ll explain in more detail later. For now...the beast will taste the wrath of Pound Kahn!”

I sighed again. This would either be the death of me or something worse. “Alright, kid. Let’s get this over with…”

We both stared the monster down, ready to attack once more.

Subject 13: Vacation With The Sun

A few days later, I surprised my crew with the ticket.

Corkscrew flew into the air. “A vacation? Woo!”

“Waity a Luna-damn minute,” Quick Draw stared me right in the face, “this isn’t a place where we work another one of your damn cases is it? Because if it is, not only am I not going, but I’m gonna stomp your--”

“Relax. This is a chance for us all to get away for awhile. I know you’ve been working hard, so I figured we could head to a resort.”

Quick tilted her head as she read the ticket a bit closer. “Uh...this place is for older ponies.”

I chuckled, “That’s what they want you to think. Turns out it’s a special resort affiliated with the same companies that run Las Pegasus. It’s advertised as a retirement community so foals won’t be interested.”

“What? Yoyoyoyo...no kids?!” Corkscrew started to dance in midair. “That’s the main reason why I don’t go out anymore. I can’t stand kids ruining everything.”

“Pff, you go out?” Quick Draw teased him with a raise of her hoof, “I thought you’d driven off every mare that you’d come in contact with.”

“Like you don’t do the same to every stallion.”

A low grumble came from Quick, but surprisingly, she gave a shrug instead, “Touche.”

“Now now, you two. This is our chance to relax and meet new ponies. Gain new experiences,” I went over to my filing cabinet, “We head out tomorrow. Is that okay with you both?”

Both my partners nodded.

“Sure, why not? Beats patrolling and getting nothing done around this place.”

“Yeah, I’m in!” Corkscrew swooped down, “But who’s gonna watch the place while we’re gone?”

I stood on my hind legs with my forelegs behind my back in a strategic sort of pose, “One step ahead of you, dear lad. You know our friend Flash Drive, stationed in the Empire?”

Quick tilted her head, “Yeah, but isn’t he busy? Like, he never drops his post for anything.”

“Exactly. That’s why I’ve invited his brother--come on out!” I turned around and pointed a hoof at the door with a grandiose expression.
That’s when he came in. A bat pony. Furry ears, fangs, slitted eyes. The works. He was a dull shade of navy blue, a burnt crimson mane, black eyes, and a magnifying glass for a cutie mark. His name?

“Neon Isotope at your service ladies and gents,” he stepped into our office. That Trottingham accent of his was rather smooth on the ears. Though I was surprised to see his front-right hoof had been replaced with a steam-powered prosthetic. A set of brass tubes that bent with hinges at a joint followed by a gold plated horseshoe to keep him balanced. “Old Vestige here said you were in need of my help to keep watch over your little abode.”

“Aw, thanks, sir! I see the Trottingham folks have really worked on their steam-enhanced weapons,” Cork said with admiration as he tapped the bat pony’s fake leg.

And he waved it around for us, “Yes, yes indeed. I can even feel things with it. It’s rather comforting, lads. Even though I lost me leg in the great war, I can still fight with the best of em!”

All the while, Quick Draw stood there with a rather pervasive stare. I suppose she had never seen a bat pony with a prosthetic before.

“Oh my gosh, he’s manly!”

Neon would extend his good off to her, “Good day, miss. We hear you’re one of the top members of the Agency with so many arrests made!”

“Uh...ah...haha, yeah!” She gave his hoof a shake...a rather awkward one, “It’s just...I’ve never seen one of your kind before.”

He retracted his leg, “Yes yes, I know. We fruit-lovers aren’t very common. But we get the job done. Ah, speaking of which--”

I nodded, “Don’t worry. There’s plenty of mangos, melons, and pears in our employee fridge.”

“Ah, wonderful, yes! Now go. All of you. Take some time off and let your superior handle the fort for a while.”

Cork had giggled at Quick’s flustered state for the past few minutes. “Oh, thank you sir. C’mon, QD!”

I gave a tip of my hat to the old-timer. He was fairly old-school in his way of thinking, but I respected it. “We’ll be gone for a few days. Don’t cause any trouble.”

“I wouldn’t dream of it!” he shouted as he waved us off.

And we all left. Out on the train to Silver Shoals. Or Seaward Shoals. The name was interchangeable. It was a simple train ride towards the coast.

We arrived at the small town, and took in the fresh air. Corkscrew flew high into the sky and Quick Draw drew in a big inhalation.

“Huh, not bad,” she said as she carried her bags off, “Maybe we can go for a swim?”

From up high, the pegasus stallion took a look over the horizon. “Ahh...yup. A perfect place to stretch the ol’ wings without having to worry about bumping into somepony.”

As trotted down to the lakeside plaza, I took note of just how quiet things were here compared to Ponyville. It made that little village seem like Manehattan by comparison.

Over near the main building…

“Sister! I have procured our turn to play checkers. Won’t you be so kind and--” Luna nearly dropped the clipboard she carried. “Well...it looks like he’s arrived.”

“Hm?” Celestia had her hair tied down in a bun for a more casual look. No fancy horseshoes or crown either. “Did you say something, Luna? I’m busy admiring myself.”

“The one I spoke of to you not long ago. He and his friends have arrived.”

The sun alicorn buried her face in the magazine she had been reading. “...Horse feathers. Please don’t tell me you want me to speak to him. You know how I get around regular ponies.”

“Tia, relax. It’s just a simple chat between two conflicting parties. If it helps, I will keep his friends distra--er, give them a tour so they can be more familiar. With their little vacation getaway.”

Celestia grumbled, “Hmph. Just how did they land this package anyways?”

“Yes, how indeed,” Luna said with a sassy, wry wink from behind her sister, “Anyhow. No point in dwelling on it. Today is hayburger night!” But her sister wasn’t persuaded. Not yet anyway. “I’ll put extra jalapenos on yours…” The moon princess added with a sing-song sort of tone.

“Hmmm…that does sound delicious. Fine. But only if you promise that we aren’t watching that stupid horror movie, Lunes.”

Luna scoffed and stomped her hoof, “Uh--b--stupid? I beg thy pardon! Mare of The Night on Elk Street is a top tier franchise!”

“How can you even say that? Its sole purpose is to make fun of your profession!” Celestia argued, “Going into ponies dreams to kill them? That’s ridiculous! Not to mention completely impossible.”

Luna simply giggled in response, “That, dear sister is what makes them so entertaining to watch. The acting is hilariously awful and the Mare of The Night herself is such a charismatic villain!”

Celestia rolled her eyes and flicked down a pair of shades. “To each their own, Luna. Now go intercept those Agent ponies.”

With a tiny smile, Luna levitated her sister’s shades away, “You’ll get these back once you speak to the youngling. Don’t get rough with him, now, alright~?” And before the sun pony could respond, she flickered and teleported across the resort.

“And we’re here,” I set our bags down in front of the building. “I suppose not much else to do except wait for--”

And we got a surprise visit from a former princess!

“Ah!”

“Greetings my little ponies! What be the hap? How’s that grind...?” Luna tried to speak like the ponies of today. She should stop. Now.

“Woah, Luna herself?” Cork landed before her and started to gaze around her form, “I’ve always wanted to meet you--outside of a dream that is.”

Quick gave an impressed whistle, “Well now that’s unexpected. I didn’t think Moonbutt would be here. Is Sunbutt here too?”

I shot the mare a look of disgust, and nearly opened my mouth to correct her, and yet, Luna didn’t mind at all. In fact, she laughed?

“Ohoho! Now that is an uncommon one,” her next sentence was spoken in a secretive whisper, “between you and I, her rear is rather large compared to mine. So the terminology is not inaccurate in the slightest. Given how large the sun is compared to the moon, hehehe.”

Well now. Once she had that crown off, Luna was an entirely different pony. And yet, still familiar. I liked that. Her casual demeanor allowed both Cork and Quick to laugh with her for a moment.

“I have taken it upon myself to show you two around this lovely little village.”

“Wait for real?” Cork asked, and looked at me, “But what about our homie Pale?”

“Oh don’t fret. My sister will tend to him, personally,” she looked at me with her nightmarish smirk from the other night. I shuddered at the thought of seeing her do it again. “That won’t be a problem will it, sir?”

I shook my head, “None. You two follow Luna, and we’ll catch up later alright?”

Cork nodded, completely smitten with the idea. That scamp. “Okay! I’ve always wanted to hang with a princess.”

As they followed the mare of the night, Quick would correct him. “She’s not a princess anymore, you nut. But you’re right, it’s so cool.”

I trotted in after them, and took our bags to our respective rooms. Once that was done, I took my time to locate the big white-coated mare with a sun cutie mark. Hopefully it wouldn’t take long--and there she was. Relaxing near the shore of one of the lakes.

Alright, let’s begin. I casually slipped outside and into the seat next to her. “Soo...nice weather we’re having?”

“Hello there,” she said lightly, her nose buried in a magazine, “and yes. The calm breeze and chirping birds are a rather nice combination to listen to.”

I put my hooves behind my head, “Indeed.” I allowed silence to linger between us for a while before I spoke up. “Alright, listen. Celestia. I know you don’t govern the land anymore. But even so, your stance on the matter is invaluable.”

She sighed and put the magazine down. “Why don’t we go for a walk, hm?” she rose from her seat and stretched her legs. Jeez, up close, they were super long. Probably easy to cramp up too.

“Sure, why not?” I shrugged and got up with her. She started to trot along the little dirt trail that surrounded the resort, and I followed after her.

“Pale Vestige...I’m sure you’re aware that Equestria is a place of long history rampant with conflict, right?”

“Yes...from Grogar to the pony races, to Discord to Nightmare Moon--” I stopped myself so that she could continue.

“Only very recently has Equestria known true peace,” she continued to explain, “as a result, many ponies have...fallen back into less than desirable habits. But even so, things are at there best right now.”

I turned my head and looked up at her as we kept moving, “So you want nothing to change? Is that the reason why you don’t want to see Cozy Glow brought back?”

It took her a moment to respond. “...Not quite. A common argument that gets brought up is the fact that individuals such as Trixie, Discord, and Starlight were all reformed. And Sunset as well, given the letters she sends me from her world.”

So she was aware of that? Good. I nodded, “I am. But why is it that you’re willing to extend all of them a helping hoof but not Cozy Glow? A child. Moreover, why was she immediately sent to Tartarus?”

“Somepony who could steal both mine and my sister’s magic is deemed too dangerous to be kept alive on the surface. That may sound harsh to you, but she clearly had no remorse for her actions. Therefore, we had no choice but to send her there.”

“Okay...fine.” I swallowed that pill for the sake of the next card I threw. “But I’m sure you’re aware that Discord was the whole reason she was able to escape, what with the false Grogar persona. It’s due to him and the way he manipulated those villains that they escaped, and how Cozy was able to subsequently work with Tirek and Chrysalis, and become the most powerful being in existence.” I stopped in place, my eyes shot daggers down the alicorn’s face, “How can you live knowing that you accidentally created your worst enemy due to your draconian style?”

She had also stopped. I could tell my words had pierced her skin in some way. Whether it was positive or negative, I had no clue. She shut her eyes. “...I...admit, that was somewhat callous of us. We neglected to consider that someone like Discord could enter Tartarus at will. That, I have no excuse for.”

“And yet you allow him to roam free. He caused all of that nonsense, and he’s still free?”

The alicorn opened her eyes and looked off to the side. There had to be a reason for her actions. I knew it. I waited patiently for her answer. “He is...his actions had reason that not many are aware of.”

WE INTERRUPT THIS TENDER MOMENT TO BRING YOU A SPECIAL MESSAGE!

The entire scene paused like a video playback.

“Cut!” Discord shouted from a director’s chair. “Ahem--yes, that’s me. You’re probably wondering how I ended up in this situation. Turns out Celestia is half-right. There’s actually a bit more that none of you were able to witness,” with a snap of his finger-claws, a memory began to play over the present.

Many years ago…

“Discord...I’m not mad...but what in the fresh flying Tartarus were you thinking?!” Celestia angrily berated the draconequus, her entire body nearly caught her throne ablaze in her rage.

“Calm yourself, Tia...you don’t want to put yourself in the hot seat do you?” Discord’s paw-hand pointed to the throne which began to smoke.

The alicorn’s rage blinded her as she screamed out. “Quiet! What sort of reasoning or excuse could you possibly give for setting loose some of the most dangerous individuals in Equestria?! You should be ashamed of yourself. I should’ve left you in that stone statue when I had the chance...”

It seemed like he was genuinely hurt byu the idea that he hadn’t changed. A dark rain cloud floated above his head. Discord suddenly donned a raincoat to fend off the barrage of droplets. “Hmph, well that’s rather harsh, isn’t it? I was only trying to show them the power of friendship through a lesson.”

Celestia wanted to hear this. Maybe all hope wasn’t lost for him. Yet. “You? Wanted to teach them the power of friendship? By letting them go?”

The chimera monster had an umbrella to compliment the coat to protect him from the rain. “Of course. I figured Twilight and her little friends would be able to get through to those three villains and show them the right path. I’m still rather inexperienced when it comes to this ‘friendship’ stuff. So I figured if I took a risk, it would pay off…” he slumped over with a sigh, “But I suppose it didn’t.”

The sun princess also sighed, and weighed the validity of what Discord said to her. Such a risky move could have benefitted them all if it was played out more tactfully. But it was Discord. Tact wasn’t in his vocabulary.

She zapped the rain cloud away with her magic. “Rise, Discord. Now that I know what your intentions were, I can carry out the next course of action.”

With the rain gone, Discord’s face lit up with sparkles as he gasped. “Ah! It’s true! You understood my plight and are willing to let me go?”

There was a demonic smirk on Celestia’s face. “Ohohoho. When did I ever say that?”

“There you are! You’re in big trouble, mister!”

With a horse-like bray, Discord turned around to see his one and only best, friend at the entrance to the throne room. “F-fluttershy?” She was not happy. In fact, one could say that she was rather annoyed.

“I heard every word,” she stomped over and stared the chaos being in the eyes, “You made a huge mistake enacting such a dangerous plan. What if my friends got hurt? Or worse?!”

His one true weakness. Discord started to stutter through his explanation. “I-I, no, no, no. Listen. I was only doing it for the good of--”

“Enough!” Fluttershy whistled and one of her bear friends came in to grab and restrain Discord. “You and I are going to spend a long time together discussing the nature of your powers, Discord. Just because you can use them in unimaginable ways to help your friends, doesn’t mean you always should.”

Celestia jumped in, “You are hereby under house arrest with Fluttershy for the next year. If you attempt to leave, we’ll know….with this.” With a flicker, a magical beeper device would appear on Discord’s horn.

He huffed, and allowed himself to be held hostage by the bear. There was no point in trying to escape. Fluttershy would just find him later anyway. “What? Just what did I do to deserve--oh, right. And if I refuse?”

“Oh I think Fluttershy will know just how to deal with you…”

The yellow mare was less aggressive now, and spoke with her usual caring tone of voice again. “That’s right. Now come on. We’re going to have a nice long chat over some tea, relax, and play games, then read stories to Angel!”

“Oh...phooey.”

Back to the present…

“And that’s how I learned that maybe some ponies, changelings, and centaurs just can’t change no matter how much friendship you offer them.”

A certain yellow pegasus cleared her throat.

“Ugh...and that my powers aren’t to be abused. Luckily she doesn’t know that I’ve essentially hit pause on the world--”

“I HEARD THAT.”

Discord frantically reached for a remote to engage playback once more. Once he did, he feverishly pressed play. “Eeek! Uh, back to the show, everypony!”

“DISCORRRRRD!”

TRANSMISSION END.

I looked left, then right. What a strange sensation I just felt. No matter. The explanation the princess provided was so...vivid. It was like I was actually there. It caused conflicted feelings within me. “I...so that misguided creature claimed he did it for the sake of friendship...and you believed him?”

“I had no reason to doubt Fluttershy’s knowledge of Discord will aid him in his control of his abilities.”

Something about this didn’t sit right with me. I had to tell it like it was. “And you gave him another chance, even trusted him with one of Twilight’s closest friends. But Cozy? What did she get? I’m sorry, but this smells of bias. Complete, emotion-fueled bias. What kind of leader makes these kinds of decisions?”

She paused. I could tell my words struck a chord with her. I couldn’t tell if she was surprised to hear someone say something like that to her face, or if she was ready to toss me to the moon. “You really think the reason I allow Discord to draw breath is due to emotions?” her voice grew cold, and slowly grew in strength with each word that passed from her lips, “You dare assume that I wouldn’t put the safety of my little ponies above my own desires? Sister and I were the ones who imprisoned him in the first place! And then, when she grew bitter and lost herself to the darkness, I had to send her to the moon for the safety of herself and everyone alive! Followed by Tirek, and all those who continued to threaten the lives of my kin.”

I blinked. Never did I imagine the alicorn princess could get so...aggressive. I pegged her for a passive figurehead that did whatever she pleased on a whim. I suppose I was wrong in this regard. But I stayed silent. I wanted to hear her perspective.

“For those one-thousand years Luna was gone, I had to manage the Sun and Moon all by myself. And continue to orchestrate harmony through Equestria with twice the workload and half the hooves. It was torture,” she sat down in the grass as she further recounted her past, “everypony always assumes living the life of a princess is easy. But it isn’t. Do you have any idea what it’s like to have to put on a false image to maintain the appearance of someone who always knows what they’re doing so everyone’s faith is put at ease?”

What a shocker. I decided to take a seat next to her in the grass, “...Yes. I do, actually.”

“What?”

Damn. What was I doing? I was comparing myself to a being who probably existed for thousands of years longer than I could ever hope. But it was too late to turn back at this point. I couldn’t bear to look at her, though. My face was hidden beneath my hat. “...As a colt, I was rowdy, rambunctious. Regularly acted out to hide myself behind a fake name and fake ponysona of a boar. One who enjoyed violence. I was born into it, molded by it. In the end, I led a small army of kids my age into a street war that nearly destroyed us all. Nobody taught me the ABCs, or how to read, or the powers of friendship. I played on the hard concrete. My entire life was rummaging through trash on the streets for my next meal.”

Aw, shit. Dammit. Not again. My emotions are getting away from me. But I couldn’t stop. I didn’t want to quit not.

“So I think I know very well what it’s like to grow up living with no one to care for my feelings. That’s why I had to harden them over the years. But now...in my line of work, I feel a personal duty to ensure what happened to me doesn’t happen to anyone else. That is why I want to save Cozy Glow.”

A long, awkward silence lingered between the both of us. I had kept my face hidden due to the fact that I shed tears. Something that was both rare and embarrassing for someone like me. I refused to display my vulnerability out of...fear. Dammit. It’s a vicious cycle!

“?” I felt something. Something soft and feathery. Turns out the alicorn used one of her wings to wipe away my tears.

“Pale...I had no idea. I’m actually rather grateful that you would take your time to explain your stance. Now I have a better understanding.”

I didn’t know how to respond to this. She didn’t explicitly state she agreed, however I was happy that she was a compassionate soul. “Uh...thank you?”

“In fact…now that you’ve taken the time to explain your pain,” she rose from her spot on the grass, “Do you wish to understand my true pain?”

I moved my hat out of the way so I could properly look at her. That was a generous offer. Maybe if I did take time to understand Celestia better, she would do the same for me. I imagine that it was hard for someone in her position to be taken seriously by someone who wasn’t her former student.

“Your...pain?”

She nodded, “It’s...a side of myself that I have closed off from everypony out of fear for their safety. But...I think it would present a nice challenge for you.”

A challenge? If that’s what she decided to present me with, so be it. This was a vacation for my two crew members after all. Me? I worked non-stop. “Alright...I accept.”

With a flicker of her horn, she teleported us both to her room in their new home. It was just a short hop away from the main resort. Inside, it was rather massive. Bright red velvet carpeting, sun patterned wallpapers, and curtains of stars. Perfect for somepony as large as she was. The entire room was the half size of a house on its own with a massive bed/throne on one side, a massive TV on the other. Just...massive everything. Her room also had loads of decorations dedicated to musical sensations including Vinyl Scratch and the Ponytones. A messy bookshelf, and a dirty pile of saddles in the laundry.

“Wow I’m impressed…?”

She giggled, “Don’t deny it. I’m a bit of a slob like everypony else can be. It’s fine if you think that way.”

I laughed and scratched the back of my head, “Heh...right. So...what is it that you wanted to show me?”

Her smile turned into a distant frown fairly quickly, “I...in addition to all the weights I have shouldered over the thousands of years I’ve been around. There’s been...something else within me. Something that stirs, and is powered by my unbridled frustration and rage…” she turned around.

“And that would be…?”

The doors suddenly locked, and the room suddenly had a magical barrier around it. “Brace yourself.”

I felt the room start to heat up. Her tail and mane began to smoke. I was concerned, but was ready to brave this challenge.

Outside, at the resort…

“Wow, that Cherry Jubilee lady was super cool!” Corkscrew munched on a few cherry tarts.

“Tch,” Quick Draw gave an annoyed scowl, “I wonder why she gave you so many more.”

“What can I say? Ladies love me. Because I have a winning personality, unlike someone,” he teased as he swallowed another bundle of the treats. The earth pony mare simply growled.

Luna nudged her with a hoof, “Don’t worry. She’s always a bit more sweet on the stallions than the mares. It’s no big deal, really. Now, next stop on our tour will be the small villa that sister and I have--”

A sudden shout from Luna and Celestia’s home, disturbed the former night princess.

“OH YEAH! I’M BACK. And hotter than ever! Come hither, young stallion. Let’s see if you can handle me…”

Luna froze. Her mouth was agape and her cheeks turned a shade of red. Neither Quick Draw nor Corkscrew dared to disturb her.

“....”

After a long and worrisome silence, Luna snapped out of her stupor. “...You two, get back inside. You didn’t hear a thing, under--”

She didn’t have to say anything more. The two ponies raced inside as soon as they were given the order.

“Looks like our buddy Pale’s got himself stuck in a hot pocket, huh?” the pegasus said with a cackle as they ran back inside.

Quick sighed. “I’d slug you...but that was kinda funny. I can’t hate.”

“...Let’s snoop after her. It’s our job, after all.”

“...Gah, I hate it when you make good points and ideas. C’mon…”

Subject 14: Stellar Heatwave

“Well, well, well...my foolish other half finally decided to take a break for a change, didn’t she?” The motherly Celestia was replaced with a razor-toothed, demonic-looking, fiery alicorn. She was hot. No seriously. Her mane and tail were actual fire. “And just who are you?”

Thankfully, Celestia put up a barrier to confine herself to this room. Nothing was going to get in or out.

I sat down and observed the blazing queen. “You...you’re Celestia’s hidden aggression ponified. Daybreaker.”

“Ohoho! More like her hidden potential, young stallion,” she cackled as she sauntered over to me with a flip of her mane, “I’m the stronger, smarter, and more attractive version of that weak-minded simpleton! Haven’t you ever wondered why she let Twilight and her wittle friends handle all the big bad dangers of the world?” she asked in a mocking tone with her hooves pressed against my cheeks.

I swatted them away, and gave an equally mocking answer. “Because it was a valuable lesson in friendship?”

“No you dummy! It was because Tia is afraid. Afraid of suffering, afraid of disappointing her ‘little ponies’, and afraid of losing Twilight and her precious friends because of how much of an asset they are to my rule! Losing Luna for a thousand years made her weak heart even weaker...her stress grew. She knew she’d be too weak to constantly raise and lower both the sun and moon without her help…I offered her a way out, but she refused, ultimately leading in her sister’s safe return.” She turned to the side and flicked her flame tail, her eyes half-lidded, clearly an attempt to charm me, “But I’ll always be there...nagging her head and asking: What if? What if she gave into me sooner? What if she embraced her full potential? What if she never held back?”

It took me a moment to process what she was saying. Was this the true state of being of our former ruler? Someone so broken and haunted by what could be, that she was never able to embrace what should be? Is this the reason for...no way.

“So is that why she trained Twilight so readily?” I tilted my head, “Just in case her weak mind gave in to the flames of rage.”

As I spoke, Daybreaker would attempt to cast spells on the walls, only for them to have no effect. “Heh. Classic Tia. Always closing off the perimeter before she brings me out,” she turned to me again. “And you’re smarter than you look for a hunk of stallion meat. Ahahah! In case Celestia ever truly gave in to me and couldn’t control me, she made Twilight and her friends ready to use the same Elements of Harmony she so readily made use of but couldn’t control. In doing that, she ensured that Equestria would always be safe, even if she mentally wasn’t.”

I started to put my brain on it some more, but my train of thought was interrupted when the overheated alicorn slunk over to me with one of her hooves around my neck, “Um...hey now--”

“Have I ever mentioned that she’s always wanted a special somepony she can talk to as an equal? Someone that doesn’t have a shitty sleep schedule like her sister or a platonic student like Twilight?”

It was awkward to be in such close proximity to the mare while she brought up her relationship problems. “I...see. So she’s also very lonesome?”

“Oh you wouldn’t believe! But between you and me, she’s got a soft spot for Discord, but he’s never returned the sentiment, hmhmhm. Oh how much of a wreck she is!”

That didn’t surprise me at all. I knew the alicorn had some sort of feelings toward the being of chaos, hence why she was willing to give him extra chances. Even still, Daybreaker herself would provide an interesting perspective that would likely be more honest than Celestia.

“Okay then, what’s your--”

She cut me off with even more uncomfortable contact. Now she was nuzzling the side of my cheek with her own, “Can’t you feel it? That burning passion that she’s held back for so long? You of all ponies should be able to sense my troubles, since you’re such a great detective,” she drew a hoof right across my neck as her hot breath hit the side of my face.

Being quite honest, it was a rush, but I hated it. Why did she have to go to such great lengths to prove herself? Regardless, through the contact, I was able to sense her magic. Her aura was rather negative. So negative in fact, that I could feel her frustration. “I...see…”

“Yes, don’t you? But you have an opportunity, Mr. Vestige. You have the chance to become my king--”

“Ahah...no,” I laughed and pushed her away. Such a cliche method of temptation, honestly. “I’m married to my work. I don’t have time for any sort of commitment. More importantly, I’m busy in my pursuit of--”

“Cozy Glow. Yes. I’m aware. But you can’t just solve a problem without breaking a few eggs if you catch my drift.”

“Coming from you, that’s a laugh. Given that all you do is shoot magic and a problem and hope it goes away.”

Her flame grew. Seemed like the idea of her power being challenged was accepted as a more personal attack. She stepped toward me again, “Ooh...a feisty one, I like that about you. Because I am all-powerful, I need not worry about such things like that. Twilight and her little group of friends were always there when I needed them to handle the more intricate work.”

I sighed. Now it seemed like she considered herself and Celestia one and the same for that. “So you bottled up your insecurities due to the fact that you had nopony to turn to to properly discuss your problems.”

“Hmph,” she walked a bit closer and started to circle around me, “once again you prove that the youth of today isn’t lacking intelligence. That is exactly where I came from. Her rage, her passion, everything Tia has expressed but pushed down to avoid hurting others. I am her. She is I.”

The more I thought about it, the more this felt like the opening to one of those poorly done adult movies for mares and stallions. Her tail, while made of fire, was only slightly warm as it trailed beneath my chin. The queen’s gait had a more sensual sort of style now, with emphasis on her swaying...rear. “Uh-huh...and you wish to help her?”

“Naturally. Only by embracing her true power can she even come close to atoning for all of the problems she’s caused with her insecurities. Until then, I’ll be there...constantly in her mind...unless…” she stopped, and her tail flicked at my nose, “a certain somepony can help her?”

“Hmph.”

Meanwhile…

“Ugh! Why did sister insist on owning a place so large?!” Luna groaned as she searched every room in the house. That dominating sort of cackle could have come from anywhere. “I’ve checked the basement, the home theatre, the dining room, living room, kitchen, balconies, game room. All that’s left is the attic and our bedrooms. Oh dear Pale what is sister doing to you…?” She sighed and hurried up the stairs.

In their bedroom…

“Come now, dear boy. You’re wasting the opportunity of a lifetime! A literal goddess is offering herself to you and you ignore her?”

“You know I can relate to you in some ways?”

She scoffed and lied down next to me, “This will be good. Go on, my little detective. Indulge me.”

“The power. Feeling insecure about yourself...wanting to bury those feelings down. But it’s not healthy. You can’t just shy away from them forever.”

“Tch! Easy for you to say, Mr. Everypony. Sit on your ass in a throne for dozens of centuries and then try to have a legitimate companion that doesn’t like you for your status. Not to mention a portion of those centuries without your only sister to properly rely on. You get jaded as shit, kid.”

My head hung down. I couldn’t imagine what it was like to go on living for so long without someone to properly communicate with. To my left, Corkscrew was always there to support me. Even with my craziest ideas, he was always there. As soon as we were freshmen of the Officer’s Academy, he stuck with me, and I by him. He was never bullied while I was around, and I never failed an assignment due to his guidance. To my right, Quick Draw served as my rival in the Academy. She rarely showed her emotions, but she did care for us, even when she constantly scolded me and my plans. It was nice to have someone to keep close by in case things went horns/wings up. She had my flank, and we gave her reasonable outlets to rage at.

And me? I was their leader. A visionary for their lives. I assumed the rank of Squad Leader and became their guide as we opened our investigative studio. Fond memories of us, there were. Heh. I vividly remember the first time Corkscrew busted a set of robbers disguised as old mares. And Quick Draw using her wits to end some not-so-legal gem smuggling.

I looked up. Daybreaker was on her back, stretching. This again? Really? Even so...I started to understand her feelings. “...I think I get it now. Well, not entirely. I haven’t lived as long as you have, so I could never fully understand you. But...I think I want to help.”

One of her ears flicked, then that demonic smile stretched across her face, “Oh? You’re finally willing to help this beautiful goddess? Given that you settled for those regular mares down in Ponyville, you must have rather low standards.” She stood up, “Come with me, then. I’m done playing the subtlety game. I promise I won’t get too rough with you--”

“Excuse me? I’ve settled with nopony.” Standards? Just who was she referring to? I had no relations with anyone so far. “What? No. I’m going to give you something you likely haven’t gotten before: A chance.”

She started to lean against me once more. I began to sweat, but couldn’t really move due to her strong, overbearing...magic. “Mm-hmm...your eyes say no, but I know who you’ve dealt with. The schoolteacher, that rich old mare, that nature-loving yoga case…you settle for them and don’t bother giving me a look?” Her tail flicked, and she glared at me, “A chance for what?”

“I have not interfaced with any of those individuals. What I offer is a chance to work off your stress,” I tilted my head left and right to crick my neck and loosen my joints. “Come at me. We’re the same aren’t we, Daybreak? We should have an equal understanding of each other through combat?”

“Hah! I could squash you like a changeling egg in no time. What makes you think you stand a chance against someone as striking as myself?” she closed her eyes and boasted arrogantly.

I used this as an opportunity to play my most tactical and devastating card yet.

“Your flank is fat.”

“INSOLENT FOOL!”

A blast of heat...fire? Plasma? I had no idea. But a blast of it erupted from her horn. But I managed to dodge it fairly easily. In fact, the timing of her shooting was completely off. Was she losing control? It increased the temperature of the room as well, which made my eyes water. The amount of breathable air was slowly being snuffed out around me.

“HOW DARE YOU? MY FLANK IS NOT FAT IT’S….ROUND!”

“That’s what I mean,” I explained as the blast evaporated harmlessly against the barrier Celestia had put up, “You’re surrounded by those who no longer see you as subjects or you can see as slaves. You’re not the princess anymore. You’re a regular pony like the rest of us.”

“Bah! As if I were to listen to someone who grew up soaked in the blood of the enemies he defeated!”

Ick. That was one part of my past I hoped no one would ever recall, as true as it was. Another heat blast was sent my way, and I ducked beneath it. “Think about Cozy Glow. Think about how you threw a child’s life away simply because her thoughts didn’t align with yours!”

“Idiot! She threw her own life away! Nothing will ever change that!”

“Had it not been for Discord’s manipulation, she could be a fully grown, free mare after serving her time. But instead you want to be blind to your mistakes?!”

“I am perfect! I make no mistakes!”

Hot damn--literally. This was the key. This was the voice in Celestia’s head that kept her going but in the worst possible way. Always assuring that her decisions were correct and serve a greater purpose in the end, even if they seemed crazy and out of left field at first glance.

My eyes were red, my breaths had become labored and I started to cough. I felt like I was being cooked alive, but I had to get through to her somehow.

Blasts in rapid fire succession shot out. One came dangerously close to singing my legs. But again, I knew she wasn’t attacking with intent to kill. This was nothing more than an exercise of stress for her. Something to release her pent up rage upon.

Outside the door…

“Aha! I found--” Luna paused as she heard voices from behind the door.

“Yes! Squirm harder! Faster! Dance for me you fool!”

“Alright then, let’s dance!”

A blush tinged the moon pony’s cheeks. Yelps and grunts were heard and she felt uncomfortable. “Was sister actually...no! Impossible!” She had to take a peek...just one. But as soon as her hoof tapped the doorknob, she retracted it due to a painful shock.

“Ow! A barrier spell?” Her horn lit up, and she attempted to teleport in, but was bounced out rather swiftly. She landed right on her tail. “Gah! Did she know that I would come…?”

More grunting occurred from the other side of the door followed by the sound of furniture that rocked and creaked. Possibly being thrown about.

“Okay...I just need to take a moment and undo the spell…” Her horn lit up once more…

“Come on, you’re almost there!”

“You lowlife mortal! Put more effort in!”

“I should just walk away, right now.”

Inside the room…

“I think I’ve done quite enough,” I stopped moving and blew some ash off my snout, “you know you have loads of ponies here that are willing to treat you as an equal. It’s time to start acting like one.”

“Gah...but how will I face her…” I couldn’t believe it. There was remorse in those fiery, demonic eyes. “Tia...she hates me, wants me gone. Pushes me away...even though I am just as much part of her as Nightmare Moon is to Luna.”

I sat down on the bed. I was slowly coming down from the effects of the smoke and my eyes were returning to their normal color. “I’m no therapist or expert on your situation, but to me...you need to...accept that your past is a part of you and acknowledge your mistakes. That’s the only way I’ve managed to keep this job without going insane for so long.”

The fiery queen plopped next to me. The bed dropped down in her direction. “Just how much have you endured?”

“You don’t wanna know,” I shuddered at the thought of bringing up my darkest exploits, “you may have lived longer than I, but I’ve witnessed just as much bloodshed. At my own hooves and the hooves of others. But it’s not too late for you. You can turn your life around and make real friends...just as I did. Now do you understand my fight for Cozy Glow?”

Silence from the mare as she lied down on her bed. Her fiery mane and tail dissipated along with the barrier. That’s when her younger sister fell through the doorway.

“Ah! Ouch…” she looked up at us both, “Sister...is everything...are you doing...things to this stallion?”

“No, Luna.” She sat up, and dusted herself off, “I was just showing him what my true feelings were, and...I think I learned something.”

“Oh?” This shocked the former princess of the night. I suppose it was rather shocking to hear that she had learned something from someone like me. I was only doing my job. “This ought to be entertaining. Tell me, what did you gain from your chat, sister?”

“For one, that I probably should’ve put Discord under higher security a long time ago.”

Luna rolled her eyes, “Yes. That is very much certain.”

“What? You mean you thought so too?!”

“Pfft. Of course I did. Discord may be nicer now than he was thousands of years ago, but I never thought he was truly on the right path yet. That is why I rejoiced when you announced his house arrest to Fluttershy’s home all those years ago. He’s too much of a--how do the foals say--loose cannon.”

“I see...as for the main topic at hoof, Cozy Glow...I apologize, but I do not have any authority on the matter. We no longer govern this land. That decision will be up to Princess Twilight.”

I nodded. That much was obvious. Aside from that, I still required her opinion on the matter itself. “Understood. But my question to you is: Do you think she deserves forgiveness? Do you think she’s learned something in her banishment? Can she be saved?”

Celestia gave a heavy sigh, unable to even look at me for a moment.

“Please sister, be honest. The stallion is merely doing his job,” Luna persuaded her, “Regardless of your stance on the matter, know that I will not abandon you.”

The princess looked like she was two steps away from sobbing. “I...I don’t know. On one hoof, I genuinely don’t think Cozy Glow will have learned anything if she was so easily influenced by Discord’s trick and plotted with Chrysalis and Tirek to destroy us all. She seemed content to throw away everything she had for the sake of power, and I’m afraid she’ll simply do it once more when she’s released. Something I still don’t understand…it’s very possible she’s been plotting revenge this entire time.”

Okay. That was perfectly reasonable. “And on the other hoof?”

“...I feel like the child could possibly turn over a new leaf if given the opportunity. Luna herself was that troubled child once before…”

“Boo!”

“AH!” I leapt and fell off the bed. She donned that Nightmare appearance for the briefest of seconds. “Really funny…”

Celestia giggled a bit at the joke. A bit of levity never hurt anyone I suppose. But she continued her explanation. “Luna was once in her position as well. So I can understand. There also may have been...hidden demons behind her face. A mask she wore to cover her true intentions and desires...just as I with Daybreaker.”

I got up and shrugged. “Well, it’s obvious Chrysalis was trying to run the hive in her own sick, twisted way that she felt was best for the changelings--even though it wasn’t very good. Tirek wanted to prove that he could be better than his younger brother, Scorpan. Sombra...was just hellbent on taking back the empire out of his burning desire to prove himself and his worth. I dunno...maybe it’s possible that Cozy Glow’s motivations ran deeper than simple power?”

“What makes you say that?” Luna asked.

I turned my back and looked out the window with a somber feeling in my throat. I thought I heard a tapping noise outside, but it must’ve been my imagination. “In my line of work...I’ve found those who claim they have no reason for being the way they are, are lying. There’s always something somewhere that causes an individual to turn into who they are. In my opinion, no one is simply born evil or good. It’s how they’re raised and treated as an individual that determines everything. For example,” I turned back around and pointed at Celestia, “You weren’t born the caring, kind figure you always are. You took care of your sister and that kindness that brewed between the two of you is what led you to lead Equestria and defend it from those such as Discord when he first appeared.”

“That is...one way you could look at it, I suppose.”

I pointed to Luna. “And you...you weren’t born as Nightmare Moon. The darkness inside you brewed as a result of your jealousy. But once you overcame it, you became yourself and returned to who you truly were, right?”

“...Indeed.”

I tapped my hoof on my neck. “And I...well, I’ve already explained my background. But I wasn’t born an investigator, nor a bloodlusted colt. It’s who I decided to become that ultimately mattered. With that in mind, I’m willing to put my cards on the fact that Cozy Glow was not born this way, and she only acted the way she did due to the way her environment treated her. Is that a fair assessment?”

“But by that logic...why not free Chrysalis and Tirek also?” Celestia questioned me.

“Precisely, good guess. They’re fully grown immortal beings who have sunk so far into who they are, that there is no hope left for them. But Cozy? She’s a child. One who has the capacity to come face-to-face with her wrongdoings, and potentially correct them. Is that not also a fair assessment?”

While Celestia hesitated, Luna nodded. Seemed she understood more than her older sister. “Given that the occurrence of Nightmare Moon occurred during my adolescence as an alicorn...I quite agree.”

The sun princess closed her eyes and nodded once. If her sister was in agreement, then it only followed that she would be also. “If...I were to agree, what would be your next course of action, Pale?”

“Bring my case to Twilight. Only she can give the final say in the matter. From there...well, it’s on her.”

Silence between the three of us. It was a rather long and tiresome experience we had dealt with today. That’s when Luna suggested something. “Alright, everypony. Let’s head back to the resort and get some food. You need not make a decision right away, Tia. Pale and his friends will be here for the weekend.”

“That’s right. And for the record, my apologies for the comment about your rear end…”

Celestia laughed, “That’s quite alright. It was funny to see Daybreaker rage at the comment. And it’s partially true…” she blushed.

Luna trotted out of the room in a huff, “You need to make use of the resort’s gym, Tia! It’s there for a reason!”

“Hey hey...I will. Soon,” the sun goddess followed her out, “I’m too caught up in tasting all the food here.”

“That is the exact problem, sister!”

THUNK!

“Huh?” I heard a noise outside of the window, and ran over. There was nothing there at first glance. So I opened it. That’s when I found a gold trim emblem made of satin not unlike the one that Flurry Heart found. It had the letter ‘E’ on it. “...Hmm…” I put the piece in a bag and tucked it into my jacket before I left the room. “Very similar to the other one…”

But before I could get all the way out, I flopped down on the floor like a sack of rocks. As it turned out, the excess heat I endured from being trapped in a sealed room with an individual that was literally on fire caused me to pass out from smoke inhalation. I couldn’t move, it was hard to breathe, and the entire world went black. All I could do was pray that someone noticed.

And that there’d be some food left by the time I came to.

Subject 15: The Setting Sun

I woke up the next day with a rather disturbed gasp in a hospital bed. “AH!” I looked around. Everything seemed to be normal. I was in the Silver Shoals hospital. Okay, that was for certain. I had a breathing device placed over my muzzle to introduce oxygen into my body.

“Calm down, sir,” a voice called out as someone entered the room. A mare, most likely. Indeed, it was Nurse Redheart. But what was she doing here?

“Hm? But you’re…”

“I decided to volunteer and help you out. You’ve endured some rather nasty burns, sir. Something about a fire accident? Try and take it easy. You’ve been here since yesterday.”

Nice way to hide the fact that I nearly suffocated to death due to hidden demonic powers of a being that was thousands of years old. But I accepted it. “I see...how long before I get out of here?”

She handed me a mirror, and explained, “Not long. Once you’re able to breathe properly again, you should be fine. No lasting damage occurred. Well, except…”

My coat had been singed in various places which left me a few burn patches. “Ouch…”

“That should also heal soon. Just be more careful next time, alright?”

“Yeah...thanks, Nurse.”

I put the mirror aside and lied down. Thankfully, my vest and hat would hide the extent of the damage, but I would certainly be walking awkwardly for a while.

After a few hours of rest, Quick Draw and Corkscrew were outside of the small hospital. Guess they waited for me. How kind of them.

“Boss!” The pegasus stallion flew over and gave me a hug, “You’re alright. I nearly freaked out…”

Quick was a bit more sympathetic than usual. It scared me. “...I’m sorry about what happened. Wanna go relax together?” she said with an intense blush.

Corkscrew was just as shocked as I was. Our mouths both agape in shock as we looked at each other.

“What? What the hell are the faces for? I care for my friends when it counts ya know!” she snarled, and avoided eye contact with us.

“Sorry, it’s just...rather unexpected. But you’re right, you’re our friend...and I appreciate it,” I went up and gave her a hug. I heard her gasp. I suppose she wasn’t expecting a close embrace from me given how much we butted heads with each other. But I genuinely cared for the mare. She was someone I could always rely on. “Thank you.”

“...” She was hesitant, but eventually she warmed up to it. I felt her hooves wrap around me as well.

“Bring it in, you guys!” Corkscrew joined us, and we all huddled up. “Now that that’s out of the way, we’ve got some...news.”

The group hug broke apart, and I made a mental note of Quick’s disappointment over the fact that the embrace didn’t last longer. How cute. But I needed to listen to what the stallion would say, “What’s the matter, kid?”

“Well, after your conversation with the former princesses, you kinda dropped due to the smoke. Celestia feels pretty bad about it and wants to talk to ya when she gets a chance.”

“Alright...you two take the rest of the time off. No more work-related stuff for either of you. Go have fun.”

“You sure, boss?

“Of course, Cork. Now go, that’s an order.”

“Alrighty, boss. I’ll go and try out the golf course. Tia should be waiting in the bowling alley for ya.”

Quick Draw didn’t say a word. She simply flicked her tail and trotted down the path towards the outdoor arts and crafts table.

They were both so...unflappable in their own unique ways. I loved it.

I made my way down the path near the river, and entered the bowling alley. The sound of crashing pins and balls were murder on my ears. Admittedly, I had never been to one of these places in...how long? I know there was one in Manehattan but...ah, whatever. I trotted up to the lanes. There I found the sun alicorn utilizing her magic to toss the ball with a worried look on her face.

“Surprise. I’m fine.”

“Ah!” She let out a yelp--I didn’t think it was possible to surprise her. In her scare, she flung the ball down with her magic, and it landed as a gutter. “Oh...pardon me. I should’ve been more aware.”

I took minor satisfaction in that bit of revenge through the pins I caused her to miss. “Everything’s fine. I was told to come see you, yes?”

“That’s correct,” she spoke as she levitated the 20-pound ball. Wait, they had 20 pound balls? “Firstly, I wanted to apologize for the damage Daybreaker caused you.”

I laughed it off. “Hahaha. No issues. I’ve been through worse, if you can believe it.”

“Given what your friends told me, I’m perfectly aware,” she flung the ball and eagerly watched it. I couldn’t help but do the same, and the ball crashed into all the pins with a perfect strike. “Yes!”

Hold on, just what did those two say to her while I was incapacitated? Oooh, they would be paying for this later. I was horrified at the thought, but kicked that away for now. “I see...was there anything else you wanted to speak of?”

Her game had finished up with a total of 230 points. “Yes. It’s about your stance on Cozy Glow. Will you sit with me?” She took a seat at one of the nearby waiting chairs.

I did the same. “Listen...there’s no pressure. If you don’t wish to set Cozy Glow free, then I respect your opinion.”

“I spoke with my sister for a while on the subject and the nature of how...new something like this is,” she sighed and tilted her head down, “I have to be honest: I still do not wish for her to be free...yet.”

I couldn’t decide if this was a shock or completely expected, given what we had both endured together a few hours ago. Naturally, I wanted to press her. “I understand, but why?”

“You may call me a coward if you want, but somepony like that strikes fear into my heart. I’m...worried that she’s still upset after being imprisoned for so long and still plots against us to this day. Which is why we immediately cast her to stone just as fast as the others.”

I nearly fell out of my chair. I felt foolish. Of course she was afraid. Who wouldn’t be? The filly nearly stole all magic, then stole alicorn magic and chaos magic to become the most powerful being in existence. That would make anyone shit themselves no matter how strong you were. Even so, there were other avenues to pursue. “One of my teachers at the Officer’s Academy used to preach about how being at peace is the cornerstone of a good agent. And that we should always search for a way to resolve conflicts amicably. But I’ll never forget what a certain student said in response to his teachings.”

“Oh? And what did they say?”

“They said, ‘Sir. If we don’t fight, how will we grow?’”

“I see...and just what happened?”

I leaned back in my seat, “That student would go on to become a squad leader of one of the best groups of investigators that the world never knew about. The point behind what he said is that we can’t grow unless we endure challenges and face hardships. Otherwise we’ll just...deteriorate and fester.”

She closed her eyes, “Wise words indeed. I’m perfectly aware of the truth in that statement. Trust me, I’ve been through a whole lot and still have loads more to deal with on an internal level…”

“That’s right...we all have demons to face. But more importantly, there will be times in which we’re presented challenges that are unfamiliar to us. And we can’t...blast them away and pretend they don’t exist. You not only have to face the world, you have to face yourself as well.”

There was a long silence between us both. I dreaded to think of what she could possibly say next.

At last, she opened her eyes and looked at me. “All of my oldest enemies have proven themselves to be untrustworthy--even Discord has broken that trust on occasion. But...I am aware that times do change, as well as what opinions the public has regarding who deserves friendship or not.” She giggled, “Ponies were extremely hostile towards each other--even now, some individuals think lowly of the other kinds. And Neighsay was quite the ingrate. I wonder if Twilight has allowed him to remain in power...”

I simply rolled my eyes, “Tell me about it.”

“But nowadays? Almost everypony is more accepting of each other. Individuals such as Trixie, Sunset Shimmer, and Starlight Glimmer would’ve been put to stone in an instant thousands of years ago. But now? They were offered another chance at life…”

I nodded, “So do you see where I’m going regarding Cozy Glow? Yes, she nearly ended the world. Yes she seemed disturbed. But I know that if we at least try once more, and give her the opportunity to live among us, she can learn from her mistakes.”

Another giggle. Guess the granny of an alicorn saw amusement in my efforts? “Oho...that’s what I love about the current generation. So willing to defy the old, outdated ways. I even hear you’re looking into starting something for Earth Ponies?”

I slapped my forehead. How could I almost forget? “Yeah! Cheerilee wanted your opinion on--”

“Great idea, get it done.”

“Just...like that?”

“It’s a grand idea, and I’m ashamed I never thought of it myself. Unicorns and Pegasi have their own locations to learn more, so the Earth Ponies should be able to as well,” she said with a smile, “tell Twilight about it. There’s no way she’ll refuse. And tell Cheerilee that she’s a genius for coming up with it. She must be so busy working all alone…”

I thought about it some more, and nodded. “Absolutely. She’s a smart cookie, that mare. As for Cozy...you’re still against me, aren’t you?”

“Pale...I’m not against you. I think you do a good job for the ponies even if they don’t realize it. I’m simply against the idea of setting one of our most dangerous enemies free due to how afraid I am of what further damage she’ll cause. However…”

One of my ears flicked. This ought to be good. “Eh?”

In a surprising display of a carefree nature, the old alicorn leaned back and propped her legs up against the chair next to her. “I will not object to your actions as an individual. Just know that certain ponies and creatures despise going against the status quo, and won’t respect you. Some may even try to hurt you.”

Pfft. That’s already happened. “Yeah, I got that.”

“And if I’m proven wrong, and that young lady is released and able to improve herself...then I will humbly accept that the decision I made all those years ago was foolish and insensitive.”

Was that a challenge? I could never tell with this immortal granny of a mare. Well now I had something else to prove. Obviously I didn’t agree with her, just as she didn’t agree with me. But that didn’t make her a bad pony...just a very questionable ruler. One that I certainly wouldn’t follow. Not without heavy debate. She makes a better conversationalist than a princess. “Alright...if that’s how you feel, I understand.”

“Wait!” She sat upright, almost disappointed to see me leave. Why did everyone act this way? Oh right, the ponies I tended to interview seemed to lack any companions of their own. “...Would you care to bowl with me? Sister prefers more...electronic games…”

In the nearby arcade…

A certain moon horse was dancing to an arcade game that required dance moves to register as button inputs to match what was on the screen as she sang with it. “...dame da ne! Dame yo, dame na no yo...I”

Back to me…

“I suppose I could stay for a round or two…”

Another regret. Why did I subject myself to these sorts of things? At any rate, it wasn’t a bad time. But I lost horribly with a score of 150 to her 200. I hated these types of games that required dexterity. The lane was always oiled with randomized fluids.

Why didn’t more ponies enjoy chess?

Anyhow, I left the bowling alley once we had finished. Tia was content to stay there due to the fact that her sister would quote, ‘royally rage’ against the machines if she were to lose too many times. I could respect that. I knew just what it was like to get mad at something to the point of tossing it out a window.

That’s why I never decided to own a pet.

“So what now?” I wondered. This retirement community/resort was a peaceful one, and I was already at a loss for what to do. Maybe I could join Corkscrew for miniature golf, or see what Quick Draw had decided on making at the art table.

That’s when I was tackled into the grass.

“HA! Gotcha!”

I groaned and grabbed my hat. Just who would do such a rude thing. “Um...I beg your pardon? I do believe you probably have me mixed up for someone else.”

“Nah, fam I don’t. What’s wrong witcha? Don’tcha recognize one’a ya old battle buddies? I was two grades below ya.”

That voice. That accent. That tone. There were two possibilities:

I was being mugged.

This was someone from my city, and they knew me.

The sad part is that I had no clue which would actually be worse at this moment.

After I dusted myself off, I turned and stood up. Yup. It was true. One of my old schoolmates had come back to haunt me about my younger days.

She shot me a wide, familiar smirk. “If it isn’t the Blood Vipa--”

I cut her off. “That’s not my name, and you know it. Please refrain from using it while I’m here…if somepony were to recognize it, it’d be awful.”

“Gotcha, gotcha...so, wanna go rough each otha up like old times?”

“I really would rather not--woah!” But it was too late, she had already pulled me on by force. There was no escaping this mare with how strong she was...why was it always the rough ones?

Subject 16: Seedy Encounter

Author's Note

Babs' speech is due to her accent. They aren't typos. :trollestia:

Subject 16: Seedy Encounter

Babs Seed. I remember her now. She and I attended the same school in our youth. I was about 3 years older than she was, and I could expressly recall how aggressive she would be towards the fights that routinely broke out among the foals. Back then, she often lashed out. And last I heard of her, she still did.

She was no different even as an adult.

She ran with me until we arrived at an indoor buckball court. This was new to me. I figured they would only have these outside, but one that was located inside? Color me shocked.

“C’mon, Blood Vipa! Let’s play!” the brown mare had already grabbed buckballs in her hooves.

“Wait, wait, wait...Babs hold one one second,” I removed my vest and hat. I set them down on a nearby bench so they wouldn’t get messy. “What are we doing here?”

“The old timas don’t come down here ‘til lata. We got time to practice like the old days, yo.”

“Woah!” I dodged one of the rubber balls. This was not how one played b-ball. But I suppose I could have a bit of fun with myself. So I retaliated, and tossed one back at her. “That still doesn’t explain why you suddenly tackled me!”

She dodged it flawlessly, and gave an arrogant cackle. “Ha! You think I’mma tell ya everythin’?”

“Uh, yes? I believe I have a right to know! Yikes!”

“C’mon, you can do betta than that!”

This was troublesome. After getting my flank handed to me in bowling, I was now being assaulted in a game of dodgeball by somepony I sort of knew from my childhood. By the time it was over, I was lying on the wooden court floor. My breath labored and annoyed.

“Haha, yeh! That was awesome, wasnit?”

I groaned and looked up at the redhead. “Alright...I think you owe me an explanation,” I said as I sat up. I had endured too much strife as it is, and wasn’t in the mood for any extra.

“Alrighty, alrighty, bro, chillax.” She sat down next to me, “I’mma keep it a bit-fifty--I need ya help.”

“My help? Why?”

“I dunno if ya know dis, but I’mma barba now--ya know, mane stylin’ n’ such,” she said with a flick of her own flat, cherry red mane, “but lately I’ve been havin’ some pretty sus folk near muh place. Been hearin’ things about substances n’ junk.”

Sounded awful. And worth investigating. But hang on. I knew full well Manehattan had its own active investigation force. Why would she come out here for me? “Wait wait wait, hold up, friend. Why didn’t you report this to the Manehattan PD?”

She huffed with frustration, “Uh, yeah ya dummy. I did that? Guess what happened? EHHH. Time’s up. Nuttin’. Nuttin’ happened. I hate to think o’dis, but it’s entirely possible that they’s in on it.”

Okay. That made a bit more sense. But there was still something that was missing from her explanation. “...And you came to me because?”

“Okay look...I was actually gonna wait ‘til my vacay with Aunt and Uncle Orange was ova, and come find ya in Ponyville. But since I caught ya here, it’s much easia to explain. I think yous would know ya way ‘round the place betta than anypony else since ya grew up there. And...it’s all I got,” she explained while collecting the balls we used just now, “I can’t trust nopony else.”

Was that all? This would be nothing. “Ha! Don’t you worry yourself, BS.”

“Dope,” she clapped her hooves, “I knew ya’d listen to reason, homie.”

I rolled my eyes. I didn’t have much of a choice in the matter lest I allow my reputation to sink voer refusing a request. Plus...I did intend on visiting home again at some point. I just never thought it would be due to something like this. “Alright...once our respite is over, I shall head down there immediately.”

“Gotcha. We gots just enough time until I head back home.” That’s when I felt her hoof around my neck. It was a surprisingly tight grip, “So whatcha been up to, ya big bloodsucka? I ain’t heard about ya since ya started that turf war--oooh…”

I pushed her off, and hid my face beneath my hat. That was not something I wanted to recount. “I’ve been fine. Just...fine,” I exited the indoor court, and walked outside on the open lakeside trail once more.

“Hol’ up, hol’ up!” Babs raced out after me, “Sorry, I didn’t realize it was a touchy bit for ya. I know what it’s like to be made fun of, trust me.”

I lifted my head with a cheeky sort of smile, “Heh. Is that why you were always the first to rush into fights?”

“W--yeah, ain’t it obvious? When I was a filly, I couldn’t help but prove muhself for the sake of makin’ me look stronger than I was. Then I met muh cousin and her friends. They showed me how I can make friends without havin’ to resort to buckin’.”

“I see...and now?”

She stretched out one of her front legs--her left, “I only buck somepony up when it’s necessary, bro. When ya hit the gym hard like me, ain’t nopony gonna mess witcha.”

Her leg looked just like any other pony appendage at first glance. But I took a closer look. I even felt it through the earth. Babs was jacked. Like, insanely so. Her muscles were overclocked to limits that only an Earth Pony like herself could reach. Blood pumped through her veins at a faster rate than even my own.

It was freaky, yet amazing to witness.

“...Hot damn, BS. No one is ever going to mess with you.”

She put her hoof down and continued to walk, “Yeah, not unless they gots a death wish.”

Quite intriguing. This could help with the research I would conduct for other Earth Ponies like myself. “Inspirational. But with that much exercise, I can’t imagine the sort of diet you need to maintain that form…”

“Pfft. Easy, fam. I gotta eat lots. Protein especially. Love me some protein. Starches too. But I gotta eat constantly to keep muh energy up. Ya neva know when ya gonna need it.”

I could respect someone so dedicated to their craft. “I see. And just what else do you tend to eat?”

“Hayburgas, salads, sweet potaytas, rice, beans, all that good stuff. But I stay the hell away from things like cakes and sweets.”

“Oh? Why is that?”

“Things like chocolate turns to suga and suga turns to bubblin’ fat. Can’t stand it. Yeah gives ya energy at first, but you have to work ya ass off twice as hard just so it won’t go to ya ass. Ya feel me?”

I made a few mental notes. The lunch menu at the school would have to be altered somewhat. But I could manage. “Wow, you have rather keen insight. Do you think--”

I was interrupted by a cartoonish rumbling in the mare’s stomach. “Whoops. Sorry. Looks like I need to get somethin’. Why don’tcha come join me?”

“Oh no I don’t think I…”

“C’mon...ya need to loosen up old man,” she nudged my side with her hoof.

I wasn’t amused. “I’m like, not even four years older than--” but I sighed, and relented. Now wasn’t the time for stress. It was a time to relax. “Sure.”

“Awesome, yo. Come with me, they got this special buffet with all the fixins’--”

Thankfully, she didn’t pull my hoof again. She likely would’ve tore it out of its socket this time.

So we arrived at this special buffet restaurant. I didn’t think Silver Shoals would be experts in more refined tastes, and yet here they were. It was also nice to see lots of older ponies able to relax and eat without the annoying sounds of children.

I sat at a table. The feeling of being in such a lavish diner was nostalgic to me for some reason. I almost felt like I could slip into a monochrome universe of--

PLOP!

“What the devil?”

Babs had returned with two plates piled high with chimichangas. Of course. These delicacies contained most of the foods she mentioned earlier. Rice, beans, and...did I smell jalapenos?

“Eat up, brutha. You gon’ need it to keep ya stamina up,” she munched on one, and licked the sauce off her muzzle. “Now I’ve been thinkin’. Is it true ya tryin’a open up an Earth Pony school in Ponyville?”

I nibbled one of those fried rolls of food, “...No. It’s not my idea. It’s Cheerilee’s. I merely suggested to her. She’s the one following through on it in order to make it a reality.”

“Feh. Betta be careful, yo,” she took a sip from her glass of water.

“Pardon?”

“You know damn well that there’s ponies out there that wanna uphold the natural orda,” she explained with a worried look in her eyes, “lots of ‘em out there live as if the rulas can do no wrong and don’t think for ‘emselves. There be so much about Equestria we can explore that nopony bothas to deal with...shame.”

“That’s right...fear is what keeps us back. Sometimes for the better,” I put my hoof on the table, and rested my cheek on it. I looked outside, up at the clouds in the sky. “And yet, there’s so much potential we have that...if we could just...unlock our power. The future would become clearer…”

“How noble of ya...just be prepped for conflict. Some ponies can’t stand those of us who wanna be diffrent.”

I turned my attention to her again. “‘Us’ you say?”

“Yeah, I mean, lookit me. You think it’s common for a filly to be wrapped up in turf wars? I was always bein’ judged...ain’t had no friends ‘til I met cuz.”

“Your old Crusader friends...do you still chat?”

She had eaten about three more chimichangas in the meantime. Manners seemed to be a word that didn’t exist in her vocabulary. “Oh yeh. I visit way more often now. But I often wonda if I could eva change ponies minds...get them to appreciate me more. Auntie and Uncle O seem like they wanna, but I...eh, forget it.”

“Oh no no, I completely understand. My own parents were...well, let’s just say they didn’t respect who I was.”

“Yo, for real? But ya so respectable lookin’ witcha hat ‘n vest and well-payin’ job. How could anypony’s parents hate that?”

I didn’t respond right away. I wasn’t going to burden a nice mare like her with my troubles. “I...it’s not worth talking about.”

“Uh-huh...well I ain’t gonna force ya to tell me or nuttin’. But what I am gonna say is that Aunt and Uncle O are ridicyalous. They wanted me to become a prissy candy-ass noble pony of class like they. If ya don’t know, they own the largest orange juice factory in Equestria.”

I clapped my hooves. “Ah! The Succulent Orange brand of juices. Those are my favorite. Your aunt and uncle own the whole thing?”

“Meh,” she sipped her water again, “more like a family thing that’s been around fer years. Don’t gemme wrong, I love the stuff. But I ain’t aboutta walk around in some dress in orda to hide how fat muh flank is!”

Yeesh. She was clearly irritated by the idea of inheriting anything to do with her fellow family members. I looked at her cutie mark--the pair of scissors. “Is that why you prefer to be a mane styler?”

“Heck yeah, I mean...I ain't' one for frettin’ about my appearance. But havin’ the right ‘do will keep ya spirits up. Make ya feel prouda, stronga. It’s about bein’ ya best no matta what time’a day it is. When a pony entas my shope, they gonna be welcomed by me and my crew as we take care of ‘em. But Auntie and Unc don’t think so,” she leaned back in her seat and folded her hooves. “Somethin’ about bein’ a stylist bein’ beneath our status as a fam.”

I leaned forward. “Okay. Pray tell, what sort of future do you wish for yourself?”

“Futcha? I...I wanna be famous. I want ponies to be able to walk around and go, ‘yeah lookit dat guy! He had his mane done by Babs!’ ya know? Heck, maybe if I’m fortunate enough, I could open a whole damn gym of my own along with it.”

A gym? Combined with a salon? Wonders never cease. But it was good to hear that this mare was doing her best to better herself. In Manehattan, things were rougher than other cities, but it was also more profitable. Easier to earn a living and thrive there. One must take risks to earn the greatest spoils as they say.

“What about ya?” Babs asked me out of the blue, “I dunno about all the deets of ya past, but maybe you could enlighten me on ya futcha instead?”

Future? Future… “I...want to change the world.”

She flashed me her usual smirk, “Damn, where’dja get that? Out of a fortune cookie?”

I shook my head. “I’m serious. I wish...to bring about a unification of all the lands. One where everyone can be truly aware of each other’s differences and be able to form their own opinions. Equestria has a lot of secrets...secrets that harm its population more than it helps. I intend to uncover those secrets, so that we all can finally understand the truth about who we are…starting with Cozy Glow.”

“I ‘member her...can’t say I feel anythin’ for her, though. But you smart. You can set her free if ya make a good enough case to the princess of friendship or whateva,” Babs finished her water as well as her plate of fried food rolls. I couldn’t tell if she really understood everything I said or not. But it occurred to me that she wished for something similar. “But...I can’t wait to see ya reaction to how things are back in da city,” she was about to get up and go get more food, but she paused in her seat, “In fact...maybe I could use ya.”

“Um...what?”

“Maybe I could get Aunt and Uncle O off muh back if I showed ‘em I had a coltfiend, eh?” she said with a playful nudge from under the table.

My heart skipped a beat. I felt like I passed out for a nanosecond. “...what?!”

“Hahaha! I’m jokin’! I’m jokin’! Now ya betta eat up or else ya won’t unlock ya hidden strength. Next is fruits and veggies!” she got up to get more food.

I watched her closely as she muscled her way to the buffet again. Something about Babs was...deceptive to say the least. As if there were a set of dragon claws she was hiding and waiting to unleash at the right moment. Huh. That sounded rather familiar. Still, I couldn’t wait to see just what she was able to pull off.

We ate and spoke more with each other until it got a bit late in the afternoon. After that, we left the restaurant, and waved at each other as we left. I smiled, “See you next week, yes?”

“Betta not be late, Blood Vipa!”

Gah, that name would never escape me. But it was rather poetic, wasn’t it? The viper is a classification of venomous snakes that stalk their prey and wait for the right time to strike due to the fact that their venom doesn’t take effect right away. It needs time to take effect. The Russell’s Viper in particular caused excess bleeding within the skin of the afflicted area.

“Heh…”

Nah. I wasn’t a philosopher. It was just a silly title with no bearing on how I lived my life.

None…

Meanwhile, from a nearby table with two observers...

“I heard them talking about Manehattan and Cozy Glow...is that the guy we’re looking for?”

“Most likely. We better talk to him before he causes any extra damage.”

“For trying to manipulate my wife? I’ll make sure he doesn’t even if it kills him.”

Subject 17: Protective Gentlecolts

As the night came forth, I decided to hit up one of the nearby golf course to practice my putting. I played a few rounds with Corkscrew before he decided to turn in.

“That was fun, boss. Well, I’m off to bed! Can’t wait to hit that water slide tomorrow morning. This place not having foals allowed in this place is like heaven!”

I made use of the special magnetic horseshoes they provided so non-magical ponies could swing the clubs with their hooves. I putted the ball through a windmill and landed it. “Not bad. And go on, Cork. You’ve done enough. This has been rather...relaxing.”

“Alrrighty! See ya boss!”

And he flew off, back to the hotel room.

I stayed behind at the well-lit course for a while longer. I didn’t feel tired at all. My head was finally clear and as a result, I had loads of energy. Or was it due to what I ate earlier? No matter. I would continue my little game until I felt something through the earth.

“Huh?”

Two signatures. Both unicorns. Strange. But I suppose ponies were out and about at this time. I wouldn’t judge. Except they were both honing in on my position. Not with malicious intent to attack, though. Still, I kept my guard up.

“Ahem…is someone out there?”

A white unicorn with a blue mane emerged from the path that led to the golf course. Followed by an orange one with a reddish mane. The first was a bit more familiar than the second...ah! Cadence’s husband Shining Armor. Both looked rather upset to see me. Or rather, the orange unicorn gave the white unicorn a concerned look while Shining glared at me.

“Is your name Pale Vestige,” the Empire prince asked, “and would you happen to be from Manehattan?”

“Maybe.” I simply went back to playing my round of golf, and trotted to the next hole. This one had a tiny train that circled around a moat to block the ball. “Who’s asking?”

“Uh, Shining...maybe we should--”

“Stand back Sunburst, I’ll handle this,” he followed me. Though I knew it wasn’t with the intent of spectating my amazing golf skills. “You wouldn’t have happened to speak with the ruler of the Crystal Empire and her daughter would you?”

I placed the ball down, and prepared to line up my shot. I kept the guise of being disinterested up to get a feel for the way he spoke. “Maybe. Why? Are you related to them somehow?”

“Enough games,” he turned aggressive. I could sense it. He used his magic to grab my club and toss it aside. How rude. I was this close to beating the train on the course. “That was my wife and kid you spoke to. Something about letting that insane nutcase Cozy Glow go. But I’m onto you. You’re the Fifth Horseman of the Apocalypse.”

“Are you taking the piss?” I raised an eyebrow. I wanted to smack the teeth out of whoever said such a thing. “I’m doing my job.”

“And I’m doing my job as the leader of the Empire and a father. I don’t want someone like you speaking to and manipulating my family.”

I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. I did a double take and tilted my head out of confusion. “What...why would you think that?”

“Sunburst, show it to him.”

The orange unicorn summoned a newspaper with his magic and levitated it over to me, “Do you recognize anything from the front page?”

I grabbed it, and started to read.

The Dreaded Blood Viper At It Again’

“The term used to describe something sinister among the local gangs has picked up steam recently. Everyone should hurry home by 8PM to avoid whatever dangers may arise at night.”

Impossible! How could they even put my old alias in the paper? I haven’t lived there in years! “Listen...you have to believe me. I have nothing to do with what’s going on over there. Not anymore. Someone is likely using my name in an effort to slander me.”

“And you wanting to set Cozy Glow free is no less chaotic?” the Empire prince questioned me with a stern glare. It was like he was ready to fight me, “She was a plague on this world and has no right to exist. Just like that idiot Sombra. I don’t want my kid growing up in a world where crazy tyrants like them are given a free pass. Or worse--a world where my sister can’t relax because some crazy busybody thought it would be a good idea to let loose some crazed psycho!” he suddenly leaned in close to me, “You may have covered wars, but I’ve fought them. Don’t test me, understand? Your position is easily replaceable.”

Sunburst would jump in. “Easy there, buddy. Let me handle this. Ahem…” he pushed the angry stallion behind him, and addressed me next, “Starlight contacted me about your situation. While I don’t think you’re insane, I’m sorry to say that I just don’t trust you or your judgement to present a case such as this.”

“I see,” I leaned against one of the nearby trees, “and just what makes you say that?”

“Isn’t it obvious? You may be competent, but the mere fact that you’ve experienced a situation comparable to Cozy compromises your judgement,” he adjusted his glasses, “I don’t mean to offend but...just who are you? Why are you doing this? We don’t know anything about you or your motives, and because of that, we don’t think you should present a case to Twilight yet.”

I mentally groaned. These two were so grounded in their overprotective ways that they couldn’t see the forest through the trees. One was a more conservative father while the other seemed like an intellectual. Not bad. “I see...and you believe this little old sheet of gossip print instead of taking it right from the horse’s mouth?” I tossed the newspaper back to his hooves.

“We did more than that. We actually took it upon ourselves to go interview ponies living in Manehattan personally,” he levitated a tape recorder, “You’ll do well to listen to what they have to say.”

He pushed play and multiple voice tracks started to play from the device.

‘Blood Viper? Doesn’t that have to do with some deadly poison substance?’

‘That name? Yeh, I grew up in school with someone using that name. Heard he’s stalking around places to punch people’s lights out.’

‘He’s a shameless flirt who tried to hit on me after I said no several times. Someone so reckless has no right to hang around.’

Those situations sounded familiar, but I wasn’t involved directly. I wonder…

That’s when Shining chose to join back in with an explanation, “We also surveyed the files of the schools in the area. As it turns out, only one had a colt with that nickname. And it turned out to be you,” he pointed at me, “and yet, it seems that--according to our witness accounts, you’ve resumed your habits of stirring up trouble.”

“While what you’re doing isn’t deemed illegal,” Sunburst added, “It presents a major conflict of interest that complicates your intentions whether you like it or not. Unless you can prove that you truly aren’t involved, then I’m going to have to warn you not to go against Twilight with this case.”

I chuckled, “And if I refuse?”

“Then we’re going to expose you for who you really are, Mr. Defective,” Shining commented in a slightly arrogant tone to mock my profession. “So I suggest you leave my sister alone with your ideas of bringing back some crazed lady who nearly destroyed the world.”

“She wasn’t ‘some crazed lady’,” I shot back, “she was a child who lacked guidance, and suffered for it. If that was Flurry Heart, what would you have done, sir?”

Once again, he saw fit to lean into my face with intent to intimidate me, “Don’t you dare utter the name of my child, you fool. She would never turn out that way. And if she somehow did, we’d have stopped her before it got to that,” he backed away. “And I know you asked my wife the same thing. But the truth is, she doesn’t trust you. So you’d do well to stay away from her from now on, got it?”

Sunburst rolled his eyes. I could see that he was slightly annoyed at the way the Empire prince handled the situation. “Listen...what he’s saying is that it’d be highly risky to try and present a case like this without a clean background. And it seems yours is...just too full of holes for us to reasonably let you. Starlight wanted me to let you know whenever I came across you since she’s always busy nowadays. But whether you like it or not, the Blood Viper name is extremely suspicious, and you are connected to it.”

Typical. Always mindful of those who didn’t share the same beliefs. But I suppose it couldn’t be helped. If my background was as dirty as they claimed, then it would be suicide to attempt for me to approach the princess now. I’d look downright suspicious and be thrown into a dungeon, thus ruining the chances of Cozy Glow ever getting a chance at life. I would need to be tactical, and avoid further contact with those individuals.

Not to mention the Empire prince himself here. This could result in an international incident if I played the wrong card. “Alright. I promise I won’t speak to your wife or daughter, sir.”

“Good. As long as you respect that barrier, then you won’t be hearing from me, and you’ll get to keep your job. Let’s go, Sunburst,” he started on his way.

With a nod, the orange stallion would take his leave. “Don’t be crazy, sir...have a nice evening.” I heard the two mumble a bit as they left, “Was that sufficient?”

“Nope. I’m not letting him leave my sight.”

Luna-dammit. This is not what I wanted. However, given Babs and her plea for me to return to my home city, this would be a nice twofold objective that I could accomplish. I simply must avoid Flurry from this point onward. Oh well. Last thing I wanted was a major conflict I couldn’t take hold of to shake down yet. Did he really have the authority to take away my badge? If so, what the buck.

But I had the ace up my sleeve. For now, I’d simply return to my game of golf and attempt to enjoy the rest of my vacation. Tomorrow was our last day here, I wouldn’t waste it on another annoyance.

And so we had fun. Corkscrew and I would spend the first part of the day enjoying the pools and slides. It was a thrill let me tell ya. We spent hours with feeble attempts to race each other. It was like we were the two foolish colts we grew up together as.

Quick would take me out to the archery range. The skill she had to draw a bow with her teeth was astounding. Beyond that, she scored nearly perfect on every shot? Me? I missed the center entirely. I did land a few though. Now, had it been a pencil throwing contest, I would’ve blown her out so hard.

We even took a nature hike with the former alicorn lords. Came into contact with some friendly woodland creatures, too. Although Cork had a harder time due to the fact that he was scared of porcupines. ‘Needled demons,’ he called them. Yet Quick and I didn’t have a problem with them. Probably had to do with our special abilities as earth ponies that let us interact with animals more easily.

Lastly, we shared a meal at the lakeside cafe where they served haycakes fried in fish oil. It was awkward at first, but I came to love the taste over time. The coconut to drink out of was a nice touch also.

It was a lovely time. I could nearly forgo all of my feelings toward work and truly relax for once. We all had fun. Even though I did have to endure some burns at first. But that night, for the first time in forever, I actually felt content. Like I could simply be myself and enjoy who I was. As a result, I slept soundly for the first time in ages.

But unfortunately, it had to be interrupted by something. Or rather, someone.

I was in a dream, but it wasn’t a standard one. It got hijacked fairly quickly.

“Aw come on!”

I found myself standing on a bunch of warm clouds this time. I looked around. They were endless. A literal sea of clouds as far as the eye could gather. Strange.

All the sudden, a certain alicorn of fire would be thrown into the dream. “Ah!”

“Apologize for your overly aggressive actions!”

That must’ve been Luna. Apparently she wanted the alicorn to repent for what she did to my lungs. But I wondered something. “Is this you Celestia?”

She stood, “No. Tia is asleep right now. But I was plucked from her subconscious and thrown in here to apologize for nearly suffocating you to death.” She cricked her neck, and grit her teeth. Was this really that difficult? “I...am...s-sorry...I made a...mistake…” she coughed.

“Are you okay?”

“Shush! I’m apologizing,” she cleared her throat and continued, “...I was wrong to force myself onto you in such a way, and...I was wrong. You clearly have a good understanding of my situation...for a mortal.”

I shrugged, and disregarded the sentiment. “It’s fine. But only you can understand yourself better than anypony. I just hope you can move on and reconcile with Tia--er, yourself. You know what I mean.” As I said before, I wasn’t a therapist or anything. I couldn’t solve everypony’s problems. All I could do was uncover hidden details and make use of them as evidence for my cases. Help others to help themselves, basically.

She looked embarrassed. As if she wanted to ask something else. “...Yeah, sure...no problem.”

I was fed up with this. So I chose to get it over with. I walked up and gave the fiery alicorn a hug.

“...What are you…?” she mumbled in disbelief as if she had never been embraced before.

“When you wake up, try and do this with your sister. Then any other friends you make. Just do it, you’ll feel a whole lot better.” I did this in a vain hope that she would be able to find somepony else to vent her frustrations out on.

“...I will try. But if it doesn’t work, I’m blaming you.”

I laughed and held onto her a bit longer. “Feel free. I don’t know everything. I’m not perfect, and I can admit it.”

I could feel her magic tense up when I said that. All I could do was hope that she’d work on improving herself. Beyond that, it was something I couldn’t control.

The next morning, it would be time to head home. I felt a slight burning sensation within my body, but I ignored it as I limped out of bed. It went away rather quickly, and my sleep was very sound. We went back home, all properly rested and relaxed, and ready to work yet again.

As soon as we entered our office, I saw a stack of the Manehattan newspapers on my desk. The very same ones with the fake alias I used long ago. “Hm…”

“What’s all this, boss?” Corkscrew asked.

“A set of papers, heh, obviously,” Quick Draw answered.

I took a look myself, and knew that someone had been aware of my situation. But who would leave these here? Hm. I felt the presence of my two comrades next to me, their eyes scanned the paper in unison.

Cork looked at me, “...Boss?”

For a moment, I felt a hint of Quick’s sympathetic aura as well. “...Well now. Looks like I’m going to head back home for a bit. But I’m going to need some help. Say, where’s Neon?”

THUD!

The blue bat stallion fell from the ceiling in the nearby employee lounge. Us three raced there to find the dull blue pony snoozing with a mango tucked between his sharp teeth.

“Neon, wake up!” Cork made a mistake when he ran over and tapped him with his hoof.

His mane stood up on end as he let out a terrifying screech. “EEEEE!” He leapt out of his chair, and fell on his back. “Oh...it’s you lot. Are ya’ll finished with your recreation already? Sorta wished I coulda stayed here a bit longa,” he got up and stretched his wings.

Quick rolled her eyes and went back to her desk without a word.

“Sorry, bud...I’ll start cleaning up the place,” Cork grabbed a broom nearby.

“You and me, Neon. I need you for a second,” I beckoned him over and led him out of the employee lounge. We stood in the hallway where it was easier to have a more relaxed conversation. “First off, I need to thank you for watching the place while we were gone.”

“Oh no problem at all old chap, I dare say it was nice working back with you again...even if it wasn’t in the field,” his mechanical hoof shook mine.

I flashed a smile, “Well saddle up. Looks like I need your help.”

He stopped. “You need my help? Well...I’d have to check my schedule.” He pulled out a notepad from beneath his wing. I leaned upwards to be able to see what it said.

‘Rain, rain, rain, rain…’

“...”

I saw the irritation in his eyes. He wanted more from his lame job. He tossed the notes behind his head, “Balderdash! The HQ back home has gotten so boring, I can hear the ants in the walls! Count me in, Captain. I’ll be with you the whole way.”

I let out a chuckle, “Heheh. You accept when you don’t even know what I’m asking? That’s the legendary Isotope family for you. Even made my favorite little weapon.”

“Heh. Too right, mate. Now, what can I help ya with?”

“It has to do with Manehattan. I’m sure you’ve seen the paper,” I pointed to my desk, “but I know for a fact I wasn’t involved. Someone’s using my name. Moreover, there’s a gang that one of my old schoolmates is saying that’s causing trouble...during nightfall.”

When I turned my head to face him again, he had been blowing into a fruit-scented bubble pipe. “Indeed...is it possible these incidents are related?”

“No idea. But if things are going down at night, I’m going to need your help. We’ll leave this evening, and begin our work tomorrow. What do you say?”

The dull blue bat pony chittered with a devious, fanged grin, “Hehehe...why are we waitin’ for? You can’t have a light show without some Neon, baby.”

I rolled my eyes. That joke was terrible. But at least I knew he was ready.

Subject 18: Taking Manehattan

A week had passed, it was time to go.

The train ride to Manehattan was a bit longer than the others. But I knew that going in. Neon and I were already up to date on the differences of the city. Of course, research and physical experience were two different things. But that keen bat-like nose of his and those eyes would assist me greatly.

“We’ll meet up with Babs at her place. That’s where we’ll be stationed.”

He finished his bottle of tomato juice, “Mm. And what will be our first move?”

“Wait until nightfall,” I explained as I read through my notes, “once then, we’ll start scouting for any suspicious individuals.”

“And by we, you mean me,” Neon corrected me with a nudge, “If someone’s foolish enough to dig up your old schoolyard name, then they’re no better than the children down there at the school.”

That dark blue stallion was right. If somepony was trying to use a name I made up for laughs, then what did that make them? Scum. Or something lower than that. Who knows?

My bat friend stuck his head out of the window. “There it is, mate. Your home city,” he pointed to the vast metropolitan zone of skyscrapers and harbors. “Can’t wait to see how much has changed. If anythin’.”

“Pshaw, it’s just another city. Big, loud, obnoxious. Probably no different than Trottingham.”

“Well you’re half right,” he leaned back in his seat, “Queen’s land is rather congested these days. But with lots of rain, it’s hard to get out and have any fun. Still, my family’s factory is still up and runnin’. Our technology revolves around sound and airwaves so it lets us fight our enemies in the dark.”

I clapped my hooves, “So that’s why the Thundergun exists.”

“Essentially. Though the schematics for the Thundergun were originally meant for Pegasi to move clouds around faster. Heh! Turns out it’s much better at blasting away ponies ya dislike, lad.”

I looked into my coat at the lever-action air blaster. “And my weapon...it’s a smaller version, yeah?”

“Now ya gettin’ it, lad. There’s a whole sea of things we can accomplish if ya take time to look,” he yawned, “thing we’re arriving soon? I’m completely knackered.”

I checked my watch. It would be about another ten minutes before we finally arrived. Once there, we exited the station. The dirt roads beneath our hooves were exchanged for rough and tumble pavement and asphalt roads. Metallic and manufactured scents rose through the air and filled my snout. This...this was home.

Neon was just as into it. He turned around multiple times in order to get a good look at everything. “Ahh...what a place to be. A city with no rain and actual space to move around in. I’m positively floored. How could you leave such a place, chap?”

I sighed with a tip of my hat as we walked, “When you grow up here...you start to notice the bad side of things. It’s not docile like Ponyville, Canterlot, or even Trottingham. Kids that grow up here have to harden themselves and become stronger lest they fall through the cracks.”

“Ah, well that doesn’t sound very dandy. But even so, you gotta admit the shoppes ‘ere are much cooler. Like over there!” He put one hoof around my neck and pointed ahead with his mechanical one, “a fruit stand? A clothing store? A comic store? Absolutely maddening!”

I raised an eyebrow. I thought Trottingham had advanced at least a little bit since I had last been there. “You mean you don’t have these sorts of shops back home?”

“Not at all, mate. It’s a very...retro sort of place. Nothing but historic items and the occasional pie stand,” he said with an annoyed scoff. “Freaking bellends won’t budge. I love me home, but they can be so purist at times.”

“Well then, here’s hoping you’re not affected by culture shock. Where we’re going, you can even get your mane done.”

The dark blue stallion screeched at a frequency nopony else could hear due to his excitement. “That sounds completely radical, friend. You must take me there.”

By the magic of luck or supreme editing skills, it turned out we had already arrived. A small, modern-looking barber shop with a bright red and yellow sign.

‘Babs Do’s’

“Pretty simple for a name, eh?” he commented.

“I like it,” I replied as I stepped inside. My hooves met the simplistic black and white tile with a harsh chill compared to the rugged sidewalk. “Rolls off the tongue pretty well.”

Neon was distracted by the swirling cylinder of red, white, and blue for a moment before he followed me in. “Oh right...me nanny used to take care of that for me...didn’t like it one bit.”

“Heheh.” I could only imagine the horrors that befell his foal mane. Now I could see why he kept his red locks in a short cut that only went halfway down his neck.

Now that we were in the shop, we could see ponies working with a few customers on their hair. But I noticed Babs wasn’t around.

Not until she walked out a few moments later from a different section that focused on washing manes. “Alrighty, now take a look at dis,” she gave the mare a mirror and removed the towel. Her mane was now a neatly curled bed of pink and yellow, “how ya like it?”

“Yes!” she shouted, “This is the exact look I wanted for jury duty. My dad’s gonna lose it when he sees how good I look.”

“Business casual, ya know? I’m an expert,” she stated proudly as the mare handed her a bag of bits. “Woah, dis is a lot.”

“Keep it! When my dad loses that case, I’m gonna inherit everything from my grandma anyways.”

Neon and I blinked in unison as we looked at each other. The customer left with a giddy smile. That’s when the brown mare noticed us. “Yooo, ya made it!” she washed her hooves and trotted over to us. “How ya doin’, bud? And who’s ya friend?”

“Quite fine, and yourself? This is…”

He took a bow, “Neon Isotope, at your service, my lady. Allow me to say what a fine establishment you have here.”

“Woah…” Babs was intrigued. Her eyes drifted towards his bat-like wings a few times, not to mention his mechanical limb. I could tell she wanted to know more about him, but she saved it for the time being. “Nice to meetcha too. I’m still workin’ so if ya’ll could come back at like 6-ish? That’d be great.”

“That’s quite fine, we intended on taking a tour so I could see what it was like for ol’ Paley here as he grew up, anyhow.”

Babs giggled, but I shuddered at the thought of revealing all of what made me who I am today. Or maybe it could be a nice learning experience. Yeah, I don’t know.

“Heh. Come back here at six and then I’ll take ya to my place. I live near Aunt and Uncle O in Hooflyn. Pretty nice place.”

Ah, Hooflyn. One of the multiple districts of this fine city. I wonder if Saddle Island had gotten any better since I left. But Neon simply had to say something unexpected.

“Your aunt and uncle? Pray tell, where are your pa--”

I shoved him into a nearby plant. “Whoops! Sorry, bud. My entire side slipped.”

Luckily, Babs didn’t hear him properly. She instead laughed once more, “Hah! Ya’ll are funny. I gotta get back to work. So don’t mess up muh shop.”

I ushered the bat pony out of the salon. “Listen, I know you’re trying to be friendly and all, but try to avoid bringing up her parents. It’s not pleasant for her.”

Neon nodded, “Ah, sorry about that mate. I thought she’d be willing to speak of it. So. Shall we take a tour around your home, then?”

Dammit. The last thing I wanted was to recount every inch of where I grew up. Hopefully it wouldn’t come to that, though.

Sadly, it was a rather mundane tour to be quite honest. I showed him the various parks, buildings, and piers where boats were docked. Compared to Trottingham, Manehattan was a technical marvel ahead in almost every way. Neon was pleased by this, his fanged grin was thrown at just about everything I showed off. Madison Mare Garden in particular had him beside himself with excitement.

It was...nostalgic, but not very entertaining to me. I wasn’t much of a tour guide, and only felt a minimal shred of desire to return to this place. Though...I did have to admit, the movie theater had me invested.

“Hold on, mate. You mean to tell me that ya’ll are able to watch full films in giant rooms?”

“That’s right,” I said as we stopped in front of the theater. “Normally, I would say we should catch a flick, but we’re short on time. Babs is going to meet us within the hour,” I looked up at Neon.

“Hm…” As it would appear, he was looking at the sun. Oh yeah. I remember that bat ponies become more aggressive at night depending on what their sleep schedule was. For the sake of his job, Neon conformed to a normal one--in other words, he was diurnal. Even still, I wondered just how the night would affect him. “Sun’s setting soon. Think we have enough time to visit your old place?”

Another detail I noticed is that Neon rarely took flight during the day. Probably to avoid scaring others with his bat wings? “Um...now isn’t a good time.”

“C’mon, bruv. If it’s close by, we may as well have a gander, yeah?”

He was persistent. I hated that. It might have been a good idea, but we weren’t here to waste time. We were on a mission to expose the hidden problems of this city. “If we happen to pass by it...then sure.”

Neon put his good hoof on my shoulder. “Bruv...if there’s something wrong, don’t be afraid to tell me. I’ve got a lotta problems too, ya know. And when the time’s right...I’ll tell ya all about ‘em.”

I gave a nod of respect. He wasn’t trying to annoy me, and I knew that. I was starting to warm up to the guy, even if I wasn’t familiar with his methods. It was nice.

So we both kept wandering around the city until 6 o’clock came. Like gentlecolts, we made sure to arrive on time for Babs as soon as she got off of work.

“Whew. Tough day, but pretty fun,” she came out with a fur coat on, “ya both ready?”

We nodded, and Babs led us through her city, this time for a slightly more direct route towards the residential area. She actually showed us where she used to live, in a secluded apartment complex near a shady set of alleys.

“This is where you used to live?” Neon asked.

Babs replied as she continued down the sidewalk, “Yeah, muh parents didn’t have much. So I kinda forced my way through the crowds in school.”

I decided to speak next, “And...what did that do for you?”

“Landed me in some trouble a few times, but ain’t nopony messin’ with me now.”

While I didn’t entirely agree with that notion, I was in no position to criticize since I too, grew up with strife and had to also break through the mold in order to get anywhere. Babs was lucky to have other family members to watch out for her, though--her aunt and uncle.

It would be awhile before we arrived at a more suburban area near the edge of the city. Babs had quite the house located on a hill. A simplistic two-story abode with a nice garden separated from the sidewalk. Interesting.

The sun had begun to set. It would be nighttime very soon. I looked at Neon who seemed more content to perch upside-down from a nearby lamppost. “I’ll remain out here. Keep watch over things.”

“Alright, well if ya wanna come inside, I’m right here,” Babs offered before she led me into her home. The inside wasn’t much different from other homes I had been in. Though, Babs’ home was a tad more on the luxurious side due to the culture of Manehattan. Her living room was filled with a shelf of video games, a large TV, a wide angle U-shaped red couch, and multiple lamps. Her kitchen was twice the size of mine. She had a table in the middle of it to sit and eat, a separate fridge and freezer, various appliances including an electric can opener. What?! They had those?! “Here we are. Mi casa is...whateva they say.”

“...What a wonderful abode you have here. Did your Aunt and Uncle assist in--”

“Nah,” she removed her coat and tossed it on a rack near the door. “Worked hard and paid for dis place muhself, bro. But I got a rule.”

“Oh?”

“If ya come in my place afta a long day of work, ya showa,” she pushed me towards the guest bathroom, “just like to keep the place clean. Plus, ya mane could be covered in stuff ya didn’t know existed.”

That was rather forward. I didn’t expect to be offered a chance to bathe in her home. But I wouldn’t deny her. As a guest, it would be rude to not accept her rules. “Alright. I’ll go. What about you?”

“I’mma head upstays and get clean muhself. Gotta keep dis mane conditioned and set a good example for my customas,” she made her way up the stairs to the second floor, “when we done, we’ll discuss our next move. Right?”

“Right.”

The bathroom was exceptional as well. Beautiful black and blue tiles all over the place and the tub was separate from the shower. Lord above, this bathroom was massive. If this was for guests, I couldn’t imagine what it was like in her own master bath.

In any case, I got cleaned up. My vest and hat waited for me outside. Once I was done, I felt like a new stallion. The sheer amount of quality conditioner she had available left me shocked. I didn’t think it was possible for the roughest filly around to grow up and care for her appearance so much.

Once I got out, I saw Babs relaxed on her couch in a bathrobe. “Ah...das betta. Now, once nightfall really hits, you gon’ start to see more activity.”

“Right, our targets...do you know where they’ll attack first?”

“I got myself a hunch. I’ve actually heard some rumas about suspicious activity near my old place. If we can bust ‘em fast, then that’ll be best for my business.”

I gave it some thought. Is it possible that we could find who has taken it upon themselves to make use of my old alias for the sake of dragging me through the mud? “Listen, Babs. There’s something else I’m here for…”

“Oh? What’s dat about?” she responded, still looking at her TV.

“...Someone out there is throwing the Blood Viper name around. I have to find out who it is and put a stop to it.”

She stopped and looked at me, “...wha? That’s...crazy, yo. Heh, they’d gotta be stupid to use such a cheesy name like dat.”

I had to agree. The moniker was rather annoying to listen to. But for now, what mattered was catching these fools. “Yeah...so when do we head out?”

“At about nine,” she explained and pointed at the clock, “things heat up lots by then.”

Made sense to me. So we waited, and talked some more. It was nice to get a better learning experience from someone who had never left this city. She told me about the conditions of Kings and The Flanx. Both were doing relatively well. Hooflyn was the only problem here.

By the time the clock struck nine exactly, we heard a knock at the door. Babs went to answer it, and it turned out to be my friend Neon. But something was different about him.

“Alright, mates. We betta get a move on. I heard some suspicious activity just northwest of ‘ere. About 20 clicks. I’ll take off and start scouting ahead. Quit foolin’ ‘round and let’s go.” And he launched himself into the sky, wings aloft and flapped faster than the eye could follow. It was fully dark outside. Yup, Neon had changed somewhat. I could still tell it was him, but he acted a bit more...strict.

“Wow, dat friend of yours really knows what to do, eh?” Babs commented while she changed out of her bathrobe, and into a leather jacket. “But I wonda how he got that fake leg.”

“Let’s just say, he’s been through a lot…heh,” I put my vest back on, and retrieved my hat. It was time to go hunting.

We worked our way down the streets. Things were quiet. Too quiet. At Babs’ direction, we headed towards the slums by her old apartment building. We got a closer look at the area. It was unkempt and the alleys were full of trash. Graffiti stained the walls of various buildings, and we heard various noises including loud music, arguing, and crying foals. I thought the neighborhood of Harness was bad, but this? This was not very good. I knew ponies were tired after working so hard, but wow. Did nopony care enough to clean up?

“Picking up various frequencies,” Neon said from above us, “If there’s any mention of that name, I’ll know who we’re aimin’ for. Stay quiet,” and he flew even higher to perch atop one of the buildings.

“Was he always dis serious?” Babs said from behind as she followed me.

“Only at night. His bat-ish instincts take over and he becomes a different guy. During the day, he’s more prone to let loose.”

“Sweet. This’ll be easy, then…”

Subject 19: Griffonslaught

We worked our way down the back alley. Around and behind various buildings. Something rubbed me the wrong way about all this. I felt...cold, and distant towards the darkness of these concrete streets. Like a rat back in his old hole that he had left behind years ago.

Compared to Babs who--well, she seemed rather confident as she strutted down the alleyways in her leather jacket. “Man, you’d think the trash ponies woulda done they’s jobs by now.”

“I think they might be afraid to come down here…” I noted as we passed through more buildings. As we did, we heard more couples argue and more loud noises. It was amazing how crass these ponies could be. “I know I would.”

“Feh, no ya ain’t. But I guess das fair. Seein’ as trash duty don’t getcha paid very well. Don’t wanna be a witness to some sorta crime and get ya nuts busted. But I just don’t want folks afraid to come visit my shop is all.”

I sighed and wondered about all of my options for my next move. Hopefully Neon would relay us some information soon, so we could--

“Listen up, chaps.”

Babs and I nearly freaked out at his sudden reappearance. He hung upside-down from a nearby balcony. “Can you please be a little less abrupt?”

“No time for that. I’m picking something up in the middle of the city near Madison Mare Garden. They mentioned Blood Viper.”

Babs perked up, “That’s right where muh hair salon is! We betta get ova there!”

“Halt, Babs,” I suggested, “we need to be tactical about this. This isn’t like our schoolyard brawls from long ago.”

“Hey, ya don’t think I can handle myself or somethin’?”

The mare had a deadly frown on her face. One that hid just how dangerous she could be. “...No. Not at all.”

Neon cleared his throat to get our attention, “If you lot are done bucking around, you can follow me. Let’s move,” and he swooped back into the night sky in the direction of where he heard the voices.

Babs and I ran after him. The cover of all the noise in the surrounding area kept us protected from being spotted. We had to cross a street, and came upon the block that contained Babs’ hair salon. From on high, I caught a glimpse of Neon’s wings.as they flapped seamlessly against the night sky.

At last, he perched on a building at the far end of the block. His ears flicked to and fro, with the occasional use of his sonar. That’s when he found it.

“I think that’s where it is. Babs, get behind me. This could get dangerous…” I commanded her as I slipped into the alley behind this building. It was much quieter over here than it was near her old home.

She followed, and slipped behind me. Once she got a good feel for the building, she tilted her head. “Dinah?”

“You can tell ponies are eating in there?”

“I’ve been to this place before. Horseapplebee’s I think.”

That’s when Neon dropped down to meet us. “What’s the plan, Captain?”

Before I could say anything, Babs gave her suggestion, “I’mma head in dere and see what’s what?”

“...What? Are you mad? That is--”

“Not a bad idea,” the bat stallion interrupted, “Think on it, Captain. If she’s familiar with the place, then they’d accept her more easily.”

“Yeah,” Babs agreed with a flip of her mane, “and I’mma pretty mare. Ain’t nopony gonna resist muh charmin’ style, yo.”

I felt concerned, but given what I knew that she was capable of, I put those concerns to rest. The mare could take care of herself, and she had us nearby in case anything went wrong. So I nodded. “Alright then...get in there and see what you know. But if you hit trouble...we’ll be there.”

“Pfft. Trouble my flank, why don’tcha? I’ll be fine,” she said with a confident strut out of the alley and onto the sidewalk. She turned and left from our line of sight as she rounded the corner to enter the establishment.

Inside...

It was a quiet, and nearly empty place. Only a small handful of stallions were inside. Mostly at the bar to have drinks.

Babs felt no shred of fear as she stepped in. Of course, a well-groomed mare that entered the place at this hour naturally turned some heads, but they all swiftly went back to minding their own business.

She took a seat at the far end of the bar, a hefty smirk across her face as she shot a look to some of the stallions on the other end. Another stallion, the barkeep, approached her.

“What’ll it be, miss?”

“Sparklin’ wata,” she knew it was silly, but Babs refused to consume alcohol. It was bad for her muscles and her appearance.

The unicorn bartender raised an eyebrow, but didn’t question it. With his magic, he poured her a glass and set it before her.

“Thanks, bub,” she responded with payment of a few bits. She sipped the glass and sat casually with her legs crossed.

The other patrons felt a bit awkward all of the sudden. As if Babs’ presence had altered the scene in a way they didn’t like.

“Heh,” she thought to herself, “musta been discussin’ somethin’ that they didn’t want anypony to hear. Let’s see how long it takes before I get kicked out.”

True enough, after a few minutes, one of the stallions--a pegasus came up to her. “Hey, miss. What brings you here so late?”

“Eh, just wanted a drink, yo. Been workin’ like a horse non-stop. Just wanted some relief, ya feel me?”

He chuckled, “Heh, if it’s relief you want, then I think you’re in luck, lady.”

“I hope this is the right way to be flirtin’.” “Aw for real, bro? You think you can help me?” Babs stretched her legs, with her usual cocky expression. “Sorry, but I don’t think ya could handle me.”

Her efforts seemed to work so far. The stallion was certainly entertained. “Hey, we won’t know until I try, right?”

“I just got one teensy, fava,” Babs would put on her best attempt at an eye-flutter.

“Oh? And just what might that be, hun?”

“I needs ya to tell me if ya heard of the Blood Vipa,” she answered with a hint of a plea in her voice, “All the toughest dudes in da city know about him.”

He hesitated, but seemingly went for it, and sat closer to her. “Oh? You know about it, eh? I can do more than just tell you, hun. I can show you….for the right price.”

“Blech,” she threw up mentally at the idea of dating someone so easily fooled, “But hey, if it works, it works…” “What kinda price we talkin’? I’m willin’a pay anything for this hot info.”

Success. Her intimidation capabilities worked perfectly. The pegasus stallion was already willing to listen. His friends nearby took note of the situation, and made eye contact with each other to relay silent messages.

“Why don’t I take you downstairs…” he offered, and walked to a door that led to some steps.

Babs accepted the offer and followed with a bit of an exaggerated sway in her step. She wanted to show she meant business. “Thanks, suga. I’ll be payin’ ya nicely for dis.”

They traveled down the steps to another door. The previous one had been locked behind them now. The stallion shot Babs a smirk as he pushed the door open. Behind it was a room. In that room were various tables in which Griffons were playing card games.

Babs looked around with awe. Griffons? Here? Crazy… “Woah mama...whadda we have here?”

The yellow pegasus trotted ahead, “I’ll go ahead and explain to the boss what you’re here for. Then we can discuss your payment later.”

She nodded and decided to play it cool. The brown earth pony leaned against the wall, and winked at a few of the patrons that did notice her. But they ultimately paid her no mind.

The pegasus would return moments later. Behind him was a rather large griffon with a set of jet black feathers. He had on a white suit with a red tie and a matching white fedora. “And just who might you be?”

“Nopony special,” Babs answered as she studied the appearance of who was likely the boss, “I just wanted to see about joinin’ ya. I can do anythin’ ya ask, big pops.”

“Anything?” The griffon raised an eyebrow, “and just what makes you think we’ll trust you so readily?”

She flicked her mane, “Would an untrustworthy gal come up in here with a poorly done mane? ‘Sides, I got access to lotsa products ya could sell.”

“Oh really? And just what do you have to offer?”

“An empiya,” she walked up to him, and bumped his side with her flank, “an empiya of technical mahvels that ya can’t even comprehend, pops. And maybe somethin’ more...personal if ya catch muh drift.”

“Hm…perhaps we could make use of someone like you. But just what are you after, miss?”

That’s when Babs chose to play her card, “I want in on ya business. Specifically, the Blood Vipa stuff.”

The various conversations happening around the room came to a halt for a few seconds. The secret codeword had been uttered. Idle chatter would resume, and the griffon beckoned her to follow him to another room.

Babs did just that, and observed just how fast everyone’s heads had turned. She was taken to a more secluded office where the griffon had various items on shelves nearby. “What do you know about the griffons, my dear?”

“Admittedly...not much.”

“I see...at any rate, you should know that we’re in dire straits as of late. We heed no ruler or king. And we are at constant odds with each other. Lord Gruff hasn’t done much to keep us together either.”

“Uh..huh. And what’s this gotta do with the bat dudes?”

He sighed, “They offered a way to help us...in exchange for a relic that could bring about the return of our true King, we intend to give the batponies in Hollow Shades a relic that could assist in recovering theirs,” he pulled out a red gemstone that was attached to a necklace he wore beneath the suit.

She nodded, and made mental notes for later, “So what can I do for ya?”

“You? It’s simple...act as a waitress during the day, and hang around for the guys at night. We could really use the extra hooves.”

The mare blushed and started to stutter. “Woah...hold on, pops…I don’t think...” “Oh hell naw...no way am I doin’ that.”

But the griffon insisted. “Oh no, no. Anyone who knows the code word must be in service of the group. It’s how we operate.”

“Yeah...I don’t think this operation is for me,” Babs chuckled nervously. Now was a good time to make her exist and get the help of the guys.

The griffon boss’ eye twitched. The thought of someone leaving him so fast was damning. “...No. No one who has this much knowledge can be allowed to roam freely on the streets. If you don’t wish to comply, then I’ll have no choice but to keep you here by force.”

His words fell on deaf ears. The mare had already exited, and went back to the room with the card tables.

“STOP HER!”

Outside…

I sighed. The wait was brutal. Just what could Babs be going through right now?

“Relax, mate,” Neon comforted me with a nudge as we sat on a bench nearby, “she’s a tough cookie. I could see it in her eyes.”

CRASH!

Neon and I both jumped. The entire wall to the establishment had a hole blown through it by force. Bricks and pieces of the wall flew into the street. Once the dust cleared, I was horrified at what I saw.

Babs had been tossed clear across the street and into a neighboring alley wall. The earth pony mare shook it off rather quickly, I admit. “Heh! Is that all ya got? Boys, get ova here!”

We both rushed to Babs’ side. I’d have checked for injuries, but she seemed as cocky as ever. So more than likely she was fine. From the hole in the wall came more pressing matters, though.

A huge griffon dude, followed by a pair of his griffon bodyguards had appeared. “Get her! She can’t be allowed to escape!”

“Who’s this?” I asked the mare, “A friend of yours?”

“Somethin’ like that. Turns out dis place is full of a buncha pervs!”

The griffon noticed the batpony among them, “What are you doing here? We’re trying to help your kind!”

“Are ya takin’ the piss, mate?” Neon stretched his mechanical limb. Wait a second, was there more to it than just a mere prosthetic? “I’m not sure what you’re talkin’ about.”

The griffon held up a glowing red crystal in his claw, “Your family has promised us a relic that could potentially bring back our king in exchange for this which could bring back theirs. Don’t interfere with our plans,” he put it back in his shirt, and snapped his claw-fingers and the other two griffons pulled out crossbows.

“King...no...that’s too dangerous!”

I looked at Neon, “Just who is he talking about?”

“I’ll explain later, friend. For now, just focus on stealing that crystal.”

Babs cricked her neck, “I’mma head in first. Ya’ll back me up,” she said before she ran towards one of them. With a flying kick, she knocked the crossbow out of the left griffon’s claws, and delivered a devastating punch to his cheek. Guess they weren’t expecting us to actually fight back, and dropped their guard.

I followed her. Before the one on the right could properly shoot her, I charged him. With nothing but the sheer strength of my head, I sent him barreling back into the bar with a painful screech. I turned with a swift pivot and tried to sling a hoof at the boss griffon, but he caught me dead in my tracks with a claw.

“Not bad. Guess you’re not as inexperienced as you look.”

Babs meanwhile, had wrestled the other griffon to the ground, but she wasn’t attacking or beating the guy. Was she trying to reason with him, maybe?

I growled, and would’ve tried to bounce off of him with a kick, but it seemed he already thought of that. He moved back. I came up short in my attempt to land my legs on his chest, and he flung me into the nearby wall.

That’s when Neon would finally show his true colors. His fake leg pointed at the back of the lion-bird’s head, “Take a step, and your internals will hit the pavement.”

As I hit the floor, I took a closer look. Each of the pneumatic tubes that made up his fake appendage started to spin. Wait...was that the design developed by Richer Batling?

The griffon held up his claws, “What are you doing? I’m trying to help you and your kind!”

“Just hand it over, mate. I’ll see for myself if my ‘family’ wants to comply.”

With no other option, the griffon handed over the necklace with the crystal attached. “Gah. Fine. Show them yourself. But if we do not hear any compliance from them in one week, we will show no mercy.” He snapped his claw-fingers once more, and the griffon that I had tackled moments ago threw something at us that clattered to the floor of the diner.

“Flashbang!” Neon shouted as he swiped the gem, “Get down!”

We all covered our eyes as the flash went off. It took a while, but once it finally wore off, we took a look around. The griffons and the other pony patrons had left the place.

I rose to my hooves. First priority was to check and make sure the team was safe. “Is everyone alright?”

“Yeh,” Babs answered, “But I neva expected any griffons to appear here. Let alone runnin’ some kinda operation. And what’s with da crystal, anyways?”

“I’m not sure…but it feels...strangely familiar,” Neon said and gave it a gentle tap with his hoof. “GAh!” He recoiled and dropped it, to which I grabbed before it hit the ground.

“Neon! You okay?”

“I am, bruv. But when I touched that thing, it gave me a weird...sensation.”

Sensation? Strange. I was holding it right then and there, yet I felt nothing. Maybe this could come in handy for later. “Alright, hang on…maybe I can figure this out if I have Cork run some tests on it.” I slipped it into an evidence bag.

“Well, at least they gone for now,” Babs commented, “Looks like muh shop is gonna be safe. And oh yeah, turns out Blood Vipa is they code words for entry into their crew or somethin’. Was pretty weird, but I got through it with muh intimidation skills.”

So that was it. But just what was their angle here? I needed more time to think about this...bah, there’s never any damn time. “Alright...let’s all head back and regroup.”

We all exited the destroyed little diner until two stallions blocked our path. Crystal ones.One red, one green. That’s right...because the Empire was in the North, they managed all of Equestria’s northern cities while the Southern ones were managed by Canterlot. Not many people knew, but it did make sense for Crystal Guards to be stationed here. Though, just why were they following me?

“Ey, can we help ya?” Babs stood in front of us.

The red one spoke first, “Yes. By decree of the highest order from Shining Armor. Pale Vestige is hereby summoned to meet with him tomorrow. If you are not in attendance, he will come retrieve you himself, and you will be placed under arrest. That is all.”

Then the green one, “And bring that red crystal thing with you.”

Babs blinked as they left right after delivering the message. “Wha…?”

I put a hoof on the mare’s shoulder, “Don’t worry. I’m sure it’ll be fine.”

Neon rolled his eyes. I could see it in his face. If it were up to him, he would’ve told them off in an instant. But now wasn’t the time. “Hmph. Let’s just get on home. Me joints are right tuckered.”

The mare stopped us, “Hold up, ya’ll can crash with me for tonight if ya want. This was actually pretty fun, so it’s the least I could do for ya. I got some guest rooms and plenty of food,” she offered with a grin.

I smiled, and tugged on the stoic bat friend of mine. “We appreciate that, BS. C’mon, Isotope.”

“Hm…”

We went back to her place and relaxed for the rest of the night. I couldn’t shake the feeling that it was entirely possible that those Crystal Ponies had been tracking us the entire time for the Prince. No matter. I’m sure he had his reasons as both a leader and a father. But the need for an arrest if I didn’t comply? That was suspicious…

I looked at the crystal I had placed in the evidence bag.

“What are you hiding?”

“Loads of secrets you are not ready to handle.”

Subject 20: Crystal Family

I got up early the next morning and bid Babs goodbye with a promise of a future visit. Now that the area near her salon was safe, things would go more smoothly for her. Neon begged to accompany me on this little trip, but I declined. I wanted him to give the report to both Quick and Cork. Not to mention the shininess of the Empire would distract him from focusing properly.

After the long train ride, I arrived in the crystalline station only to be met with five guards who awaited my arrival.

“Halt!” The Crystal guards pointed their spears at me. I rolled my eyes. Royal Guards were glorified greeters, but I didn’t want to cause a scene. I simply followed without question. No time to take in the sights this time.

“Talk about an audience. Am I that important?” I joked as I was led straight to the castle. The guards had a goalpost formation going so I wouldn’t attempt an escape, but they weren’t amused at the crack I made. Smart. But I didn’t plan on anything. Yet.

In the back of my mind, I wondered if Cadance had been there. Maybe she would be willing to hear me out. Or not. To them, I was still largely a stranger, so who knows? I entered the throne room and to my surprise, only the Prince was there. Huh.

“Greetings, my good man.”

“Save it,” he interjected and rose from his throne, “did you bring what the guards said you had?”

I showed him the crystal that I had contained within an evidence bag, and he levitated it with his magic. “I found this from a griffon in Manehattan. Some kind of gift to the batpony race in Hollow Shades.”

As I expected, he believed none of it. I didn’t blame him though. It sounded as crazy as it was. “...Right. And you expect me to think that you’re telling the truth?” He took the red gem out of the bag, “Do you have any idea what this is?!”

So it would appear that those Crystal Guards appeared at the very tail end of the conflict when the griffons had already made their exit. As a result, the situation painted me in a more negative light, one that I couldn’t easily explain my way out of. Dammit. If only they had gotten there sooner. Such are the complications of my work. “...I do not.”

He shot me a rather annoyed look. “This is an Umbral Shard. This is what created King Sombra! Something like this could bring his spirit back, and you mean to tell me that you somehow have it after stating you want to also bring Cozy Glow back?”

I nearly fell over. The King Sombra? That was news to me. But now, my other work was being tarnished by mere association. “Listen, I have no intention of resurrecting the King.”

“And yet you want to free Cozy Glow, right?”

I couldn’t lie. “Well...yes.”

“And that’s the problem,” He stomped on his way over to me, “The fact remains that you’re in possession of an item that could have devastating effects on my home--and possibly the world while spouting some sort of twisted rhetoric about giving another chance to one of our most dangerous enemies.”

Damn. I couldn’t exactly do much to prove my innocence there. There were no other witnesses outside of Babs and Neon, but to drag the mare into this would possibly get the rest of her family involved. And for my bat friend, well, he had been through enough as it was.

For now, I would have to lose the stronger cards in my hoof to gain an advantage next turn.

“...I don’t have much else to say. If you don’t believe me, there’s nothing I can do to make you understand.”

“I understand alright. You’ve manipulated my wife and kid into thinking Cozy Glow deserves passages, and now you’re carrying around dangerous artifacts that could kill us all,” the unicorn leaned in close to intimidate me, “And then you have the stones to try and think you’re going to convince my sister of anything? You have a lot to learn.”

I wasn’t moved. From what I had heard through the pipeline, Shining was a rather kind and gentle ruler. I guess now that his child has gotten older along with having more responsibilities as a monarch, stress took its toll, and the stallion was more curt as a result. I despised that mentality, but I didn’t blame him. He was only doing his job based on the evidence that had been provided.

Though, I cursed to myself. There had to be a way for me to make this better without causing a scene. “...Nothing. I’ve done nothing wrong, so I have no words for you, sir.”

“In that case, you can stay quiet in one of the holding cells until I decide what’s necessary for you,” he commanded with a stomp of his hoof. Crystal guards rushed in and stood at my sides.

That’s when we heard the entrance swing open.

“We’re home!” the Princess of Love called out.

“I got mom a cookbook so she won’t nuke the kitchen again,” Flurry Heart said with a cackle. Then they both laid eyes on me.

The pink mare spoke first, “...Shining--honey, what’s going on? Did something happen for you to call the Agency?”

So it would appear he summoned me without his wife’s input. Rather interesting.

“I’ll deal with you later,” he grumbled to me under his breath before he approached his family, “We’ve sort of run into a problem. This investigator who wants to set Cozy free came in with this,” with his magic, he showed them the demonic red gemstone I had found.

“Ah!” Both mares gasped.

“I-Is that the stuff that nearly caused the destruction of our home?” the daughter hid behind her mother.

Cadance was not afraid, though. In fact, she even took a closer look at it. “An Umbral Shard. Just where did this come from?”

“He brought it in,” Shining pointed at me, “he made up some story about getting it from some griffon or something. But because of the fact that he’s got nothing to prove his innocence, I don’t believe him. I feel it’s best to keep him here for a while until we really know what he’s doing.”

The Princess of Love shot her husband a look of confusion, and disappointment. “I...don’t understand. I thought you were just trying to get opinions on whether or not Cozy should be set free. Not start a whole war.”

“I have no intention of doing that,” I responded quickly in order to play the situation to my advantage.

“And yet we don’t know you,” Shining countered, “this could all be a plot to topple our home. I can’t take any chances for the sake of my Empire and my family.”

That’s when Flurry cut in, and flew between us, “Stuff it, dad. He protected me.”

“What?”

Wait, what? Did she not tell her parents about the incident with the bugbear?! What in the Luna-damn? I shook my head, “Flurry wait. There’s no need to--”

She turned to look at me, “Shhh, I’m making a heroic sacrifice here. Let me have this,” and she continued, now looking at her parents again, “Mom, dad. On my visit to Ponyville a while ago, I ran into this guy.”

“Yeah...you explained that before,” Shining said with confusion, which quickly faded to concern, “what happened? Did something happen?”

“...Is there something you’re not telling us, kiddo?” Cadance asked.

“Okay…” Flurry would go on to explain how she and her friends followed me into the forest and helped me defeat the bugbear. While it was noble, I feared for the child and how her parents would react once the story was finished. “...but he kept us safe until we beat it. It was our fault for following him.”

“I see…” Cadance let out a sigh as she closed her eyes to give it some thought.

Shining, however, was not so relaxed. “Flurry? What the hoof is wrong with you? Why would you do such a crazy thing?”

“Hey, I wanted to fight something like you and mom used to. It’s the only way I’m gonna get stronger.”

“But following somepony without their permission is ridiculous. What if he was leading you to your death?!”

Flurry took a step back, offended by such a thought, “Um...what?! Mr. Vest would never do that!”

“And how do you know? Alright, look...I don’t have time for this. Just go to your room, Flurry.”

“But--”

To my surprise, Cadance would agree, “Flurry Heart, do as your father says. You aren’t grounded. We just need to take care of business.”

“Fine…” she floated off the ground with a flap of her wings before she teleported out with a shine of her horn.

“And you…” the prince unicorn addressed me, “you had better be lucky I don’t throw you in a dungeon.”

My eyes narrowed to peeved slits, “It was their decision, not mine.”

“I don’t believe a word you say at this point,” he shot back, “how do I know you didn’t purposefully lure her there?”

Damn. Once again, I had nothing to prove my innocence in that respect. It was a massive misunderstanding, but I didn’t hate the Prince for suspecting me. I would’ve done the same if I were in his position.

“Ahem.” Cadance cleared her throat and finally opened her eyes. I could feel her blood rushing. She was...mad, annoyed, frustrated? I couldn’t tell. Her emotions were too conflicting to get a proper read. “So you felt it was necessary to summon him without telling, did you?”

Another surprise. The prince looked a bit nervous now. I suppose the wrath of one’s other half was nothing one should toy with. “Well...I had a good reason for it!”

The pink mare didn’t know what to think by this point. She probably wanted to get this over with fast, so she simply asked me a question. “Pale Vestige?”

“Yes?”

“Do you still wish to set Cozy Glow free?”

“...Yes,” I responded with a droop of my head.

“And did you know just what sort of crystal this was?”

“No.”

I could almost feel her mentally weigh her options. Silence filled the throne room for what felt like forever. “Ugh...you leave me no choice. For now, you will stay in one of our guest rooms until we can make a decision.”

I sighed. There was nothing I could do here other than accept and make it smoother for all of us. “Understood.” The crystal guards escorted me out of the throne room and and to one of the guest rooms upstairs. I was at least grateful to not be sent to a dungeon for now.

One of the guards opened the door and I peeked in. It was a rather...nice looking room to say the least. A carpet, a bed, a desk, and a toilet. It was actually the size of a small bedroom. Looked a bit like one too. Hm. Wonder who had anything to do with that.

In any case, I went in and lied down. This wasn’t the first time I was imprisoned someplace, and I knew it likely wouldn’t be the last. Nothing to do now but wait for them to come to a decision.

How annoying.

Meanwhile…

“Shining, are you sure he’s really trying to hurt us?”

“I’m just doing this until we can figure out just what he’s talking about. I’m tired of risking potential threats to our safety by not taking action first. This will ensure nothing will happen.”

Cadance sighed, “If you think so...but even still, what should we do about Flurry?”

“...Maybe post a guard in Ponyville just in case she ever goes back.”

“Shining…”

“It’s just for safety reasons!” He explained with a nervous smile, “You don’t want anything to happen to her, do you?”

“No...but we need to talk to her. She should at least know what she did wrong so she won’t make the same mistake again.”

They got to her room…

“No way, guys,” Flurry responded indignantly, “You always taught me to look out for my friends. And if one is in trouble, I help. I’m an alicorn with loads of magic, I can handle these things.”

“Listen, kiddo...the rough part about life is understanding that not everypony is your friend.” The unicorn sat on her bed and put a hoof around her, “You’re going to encounter certain...individuals that want to trick you and--”

“Listen, dad. I know what kind of pony that guy is. I could feel it in his heart. He’s not going to hurt anyone.”

Cadance used her magic to levitate her husband away for a moment and took his place next to Flurry. “What your father was trying to say was...you did a good job defending yourself and looking out for somepony else. So we’re not going to punish you...this time.”

“What?!” Shining shouted.

The pink alicorn shot him a mean look.

“I mean...of course. Your mother’s right. We’ll let this one slide today,” he said with a forced smile which hid his defeated huff. “Still not letting him go free just yet.”

“Okay...thanks, I guess,” Flurry said back while she looked through a comic book.

The two rulers of the Empire let their child be and shut the door. Once they did, Flurry began to work her magic…

Meanwhile, in Ponyville…

Cheerilee had finished up her tutoring duties for the day and had some news she wanted to share with Pale. “Well that’s strange…” However, he wasn’t home. So she went to the antique shop/investigation agency to find out more.

“Um...hello?” she tapped on the door, and a batpony answered.

“Top of the mornin’, madam,” It was Neon, “What can I do for you?”

The schoolteacher tilted her head to get a better look. The bat ponies were very rare, and it surprised her to see one out here in the town. But that was beside the point. “Yes, um, is mr. Vestige here? I’d like to speak to him if I can.”

“He’s flat out, mate. Gone to the Empire for some summons or whatever. Don’t know when he’ll be back.”

“I see...well, thank you!” Cheerilee flashed a smile and it quickly faded. She couldn’t help but worry for her new friend.

Then a day passed…

And another…

And another…

Cheerilee was now rightfully concerned. However, she was unable to go all the way to the Empire herself, given that she had to make time for the students. “Oh...come on, Cheery, think. Who has so much time on their hooves that they could go anywhere anytime they wanted?”

That’s when it hit her. She made a beeline for a house at the edge of Ponyville.

“...so I’d like you to go to the Empire. I asked his friends if they could, but they said something along the lines of ‘we have allies stationed there, so they’d contact us if there was something wrong’ since they have another agency in the Empire. Even so, I still want to make sure nothing’s wrong. Can you do that for me?”

The green earth pony mare nodded slowly. “Totally, Teach. I can use it as a chance to expand my home business anyways. I’ll totally head out when I’m done with this next set of brownies. In fact, I might take him some.”

“Oh thank you...I’d appreciate that, Tree Hugger. I’ve been so caught up with teaching, and then I met up with this stallion recently. You might know him actually...” she blushed.

“Oh wow...I hope things work out between you two, sis.”

Cheerilee rolled her eyes. This wouldn’t be the first time. “Yup, so do I, heh…”

In the Empire…

My third day here. I knew things wouldn’t get much worse. Guttersnipe and Flash Drive were both stationed here. If I was truly in danger, they’d have come after me by now. To be quite honest, it wasn’t so bad. I was able to relax here and gather my thoughts for a potential trial hearing if it came to that.

I heard the clopping of hooves outside the door, and found myself face-to-face with the young alicorn princess when she teleported inside the room.

“Fl--”

“Shh.” With a flick of her horn, she teleported a full course meal in front of me on a tray. Vegetable spaghetti with mushrooms, a freshly tossed hay salad, and a mug filled with freshly brewed iced honey tea. “I need a second opinion. Mom and I cooked dinner and I felt like you were being left out.”

“Are you sure this is…” I tilted my head. Just what was her aim here? Did I--oh wow. The food smelled rather delicious. A far cry from the simple three apples I was given. Without hesitation, I stuffed my face. Part of my mind cringed out of embarrassment in front of the young princess, but I didn’t care. I needed some real food. “...Thank you.”

She clapped her hooves, “Yes! I knew you’d like it! But please forgive me for my dad. He’s got this...part of him that feels like he needs to be more in control than before.”

“Before?” I asked, as I finished sipping the mug. Out of nowhere, it refilled itself. Did she sense what I wanted?

She sat down on the floor, “Before I was born...dad used to be at the top of his game. He helped thwart the Changelings and Sombra. Sure, he had help from mom, but he played an important role. But then...I was born. And he slowly faded into the background so to speak. On occasion he’d have a moment of saving me or mom but he was never given the chance to be in the spotlight anymore,” she looked down, “so now that I’m a bit older, and he rules the Empire alongside mom, he feels the need to be more...serious. I understand why, but I wish he wouldn’t...blech. What am I saying?”

“Hm?”

The alicorn giggled, rolled her eyes, and stood up, “Sorry. I’m just talking your ear off with problems that you simply can’t solve. I know I need to talk to him a bit more, so you don’t have to say anything. For now, just...lie low. I’m sure he’ll release you soon.”

I smiled and flopped on the bed after finishing the meal. It was amazing to the point where I felt like I could simply fall asleep and never wake up. “I’m in no rush...your father’s a good stallion and has every right not to trust me. From his perspective, I could easily be a corrupt officer.”

She stood and stomped her hoof, “Bullshit! Don’t say things like that, sir. I can see in your heart that you’re a pure individual.”

“...Well-intentioned? Yes. Pure...I dunno about all that.”

“You know what I mean,” she shot me a smirk and teleported the tray and dirty dishes away, “If I have time, I’ll see ya tomorrow. I have lots of preparations to make for my gala dress.”

“Don’t trip,” I replied with a tired smile.

“Heh, yeah right. Like I’d ever let Pound see that!” And with a flash of her horn, she was gone just as quickly as she had appeared.

I lied down to rest for a while, and soon, the night crept up once more. Darkness consumed the earth, and it was another quiet, uneventful evening.

That is, until I heard a knock outside. I turned on the light in the room.

I looked up and found a box that had been placed there. I opened it to find brownies. Huh. No prizes for guessing who sent these. It was a nice snack so I decided to have about three before bed.

That was a mistake.

I tossed and turned, unable to shake the feeling that something was trying to get inside of my head. But it wasn’t Luna. Not this time. It was something else. I could tell, because the voice in my head was male.

“Face me.”

Subject 21: Advent of A Former King

I felt my subconscious taken over. Something had gotten into my head that I couldn’t control. But just what was it? Those brownies did something to me. Tree Hugger what did you put in here? Was I dreaming? What was going on?!

I felt myself suddenly tossed into the Frozen North. A series of snowstorms blew all around the mounds and mounds of white crystals. Endless as far as the eye could see. Okay. This had to be a dream of some sort. So I chose to walk. That would lead me to something, right?

Well, it did, thankfully. I eventually came across an orphanage with a similar crystalline structure and color scheme of the Empire itself. Everything seemed to be normal inside of it. Foals getting along and playing. Except one…

A gray unicorn sat alone in a corner. Nopony would approach him unless it was to make fun of him or say mean things behind his back. Just what was happening? Was he abnormal in some way? Did the others feel the need to poke fun at him due to where he came from? I had to know more.

I ran around to the back of the orphanage and the dark, snowy night would be replaced with a bright, chilly day. The gray unicorn colt would attempt to make friends, only to be shot down by the other foals.

“...Sombra play?”

“Go away, weirdo.”

“Who even talks like that?”

He was naturally depressed over his rejection. With no one to care for him or to build any bonds with, it’d become harder for him to go on. That is, until a purple unicorn filly would offer her hoof to him. She didn’t care that he spoke differently or that he had a strange name. She just wanted to be his friend.

“What’s your name?”

“S-Sombra…”

“I’m Hope. Wanna be friends?”

“Hope...doesn’t hate Sombra?”

“No, silly! I like you just the way you are.”

I saw that colt smile. But there was something off about it. It wasn’t a genuine smile. It was a broken one that hid away his true feelings. As if he was trying to forcefully reject a part of who he was.

With nowhere left to go, I started to run. This dream was getting too strange for my tastes, and I wanted to hightail it out of here. Luna, if this was your idea of a joke, please cease. But no. I didn’t sense her aura at all…

The snow crunched and crackled beneath my hooves with each step. Until I forced myself to stop. I happened upon another scene with the unicorn colt. He had found a red crystal not unlike the one I had found and touched a while ago. Could this be…

“I am your true mother, Sombra...embrace your destiny.”

No way. Was this how the fearsome and deplorable King Sombra was created? Why was no one allowed to know about this? I had to find out more...but where could I go? I couldn’t move, I couldn’t wake up.

I took a step back and fell off the side of a mountain. I screamed, but could barely hear myself over the sounds of demonic winds. Then I suddenly felt my flank hit the floor. I wasn’t outside anymore. I was in some kind of...library. Bookshelves aplenty, but they looked untouched for centuries.

I was given no direction. I had to find out what the truth was for myself. So I pressed on. I spent what felt like hours looking through the books to try and find something worthwhile. Then I came across something of note.

‘Dangers of the Dark Arts’

I picked up the book and skimmed through it. It contained details of why Dark Magic was considered evil and frowned upon in this world.

‘The spells were often so dangerous that they would cause problems for everyone around them. From something as small as creating a poison to something as large as generating a black hole, Dark Magic has been considered taboo since the early days of Equestria.’

Interesting. Sombra was a practitioner of Dark Magic. Is this why he was shunned constantly with no hope of returning to the world? I needed more information. This wasn’t enough. I kept the book with me, and started to search once more.

This place was rather interesting to be in, as each book contained anecdotes of the history of the Empire. And yet they were all hidden away. Was this possibly a hidden storeroom of old books that had been sealed away from the public? If so...why? I rubbed my head. This was getting cumbersome.

After awhile, I came upon another book.

‘Shadow Creatures and Their Damnation.’

Oh? This could be relevant to just where his powers came from? I flipped through it until I got to the chapter on Umbrums…

‘Umbrums are a species of creature bred to seek and destroy. With no alternate objectives or desires, they only want the suffering of others, primarily the Empire with an army of them hidden beneath it. As such, no Umbrums should be trusted, lest they cause destruction of the world.’

That’s when it hit me. Sombra was an Umbrum. That’s been his objective the entire time, so raise his army, and wreak havoc upon the Empire. But why? Whatever happened to the filly he met so long ago? My head was spinning, and I needed to lie down.

Next to me was a simple, torn page. I tiled my head and picked it up.

‘...transmogrification spell to transform ponies into half-bats requires lots of focus and painful cellular modification. It is advised to execute anyone who tries this.’

I quietly recoiled and let go of the page, but that’s when I finally heard his voice.

“I simply wanted to be accepted...”

“Holy sh--!” I jumped up, ready to fight something, but all I found was a gray unicorn stallion with a red scarf around his neck. Was this who Sombra would’ve been if he had a normal life. “Are you? But I thought you were killed.”

“I was. And yet, my spirit lingers…” he said with a shaky breath of air, “No matter what happens, my spirit can’t fully pass on. I am not like the rest of you. There is no afterlife for me…”

I rubbed my head once more. Was my dream being hijacked by some crazy dark magic or something? How was he here? I had so many questions. “I see…”

The unicorn looked up at the darkness that was the ceiling of the underground storage room. “In case you are wondering, this came about due to the fact that you touched the Umbral Shard. It contained a bit of my spirit that was lost, and as a result, you could say that my ghost came to find you,” he explained in a solemn, defeated manner. “Not nearly enough to bring me back to life, so don’t worry.”

“Okay...so tell me, what was I just experiencing moments ago?”

“My...foalhood, if you will. Things were so peaceful between Radiant Hope and I…” That must’ve been the filly I saw. Okay. Good start. “But a part of me still wanted to embrace who I was. I was not normal. I was an Umbrum. Created by the other shadows as a means to an end to restore our lost family.”

That’s another thing I had never considered. Just why were there so many Umbral Shadow Ponies buried and restrained beneath the Empire? There had to be more to it than simple enslavement. “...and why was your family lost to begin with?”

He sighed, “The...Shadows were banished long ago for being associated with Dark Magic. With nowhere else to turn to, they were sealed beneath the Empire by Princess Amore--the former ruler of the Empire. So in order to come back, I had to enslave the Crystal Ponies…” his eyes watered somewhat. Was it possible that he regretted his actions? “I was so arrogant to think that death could mean so little. And now...she is gone.”

“Who’s gone?”

“...”

His heartbroken face said it all. Radiant Hope was no longer of this earth. It was a touchy subject, but I needed to find out more. “But…how...”

His eyes flared with a bit of dark magic. “Killed in the battle that ensued when I first rose to power. The one that I caused. I should’ve told her to stay away, but she...she told me to stay true to myself. And that’s exactly what I did until the end...”

I nearly passed out. Could that be why she never showed up again and why the King never mentioned her in his final confrontation with the good guys?

“Enraged by my own foolishness, I blamed the rest of the world for her death, and sought...revenge. Which is why I have been so hellbent on taking back the Empire. I felt that if I could...we would be reunited once more.”

Fascinating. This stallion was...was he even truly evil? Or misguided by delusion? “Is that why you refused to ally yourself with the other three Horsemen of the Apocalypse?” It was the street name given to Cozy Glow, Tirek, and Chrysalis as a group. With Sombra being the fourth.

“Indeed. They could not comprehend the internal struggle that I faced. I wanted everypony to witness me for who I truly was instead of hiding away from it. But that...was my greatest mistake. In my pursuit of being true to myself, I caused suffering for countless others, and lost Hope…” he rose and started to walk away. “Don’t feel sympathy for me. I am aware of the deplorable nature of my actions.”

I wouldn’t stand for that. Or well, I did. But I had to follow him. We both slowly stepped away from the underground book room and stepped into a pitch black abyss of nothingness. Except if we looked up, we could see stars above our heads. “If you truly knew what you were doing, I’m sure you would’ve stopped yourself.”

“That...is the lie I told myself all the time. ‘If only I knew,’ as a way to justify my disgusting actions. But now...I will suffer eternally.”

“How so?”

He pointed in the distance and we could both see an amalgamation of shadows with deadly green eyes that was trapped beneath a layer of darkness, unable to move or think for itself. Forever in a vegetative state. “This is a mere representation of what has become of my soul. King Sombra has been destroyed, but the soul lives on. As does my own. We are two parts of the same shattered stallion. Yet we cannot pass on. I will never be able to see Hope in the afterlife…”

I nearly started to sob. The story was too much for a regular pony like me to handle. But I did my best to offer my words. “I see...and what did you learn from your experience?”

“...That the children of this world are the most dangerous of all when they have no one to guide them.” He turned to look at me, “I know why you are here, Pale. I respected Cozy Glow’s resolve, but the child had no one to set her on the right path. And now, her life is over before it could truly begin. Just as mine was. Only...my situation was worse, because I was created to destroy others.” Sombra lied down on the dark, empty ground and hid his face with his hooves. “So while I feel sympathy for her, it will not be so simple to make a case for her.”

“Why do you think that?”

“She was dangerous beyond what you can comprehend. A skillful influencer not unlike myself as a King. But at such a young age...it was scary to behold. Beyond that, the damage she caused with the extreme measures of removal of all magic was far greater than anything King Sombra had accomplished.” There was a hint of disdain in his voice. As if there was no hope for what I had intended to do.

“Really now?” I asked.

“For your own safety...cease while you still have the opportunity to do so,” he pleaded, “In your efforts to do something different, you could very well end up like myself. Ruining everything for everyone around you and not realizing until it’s too late.”

I looked down at the darkness. Was it possible for me to end up like Sombra? Someone so rooted in their ideals that they caused destruction for everyone around them? “Do you think so?”

“Look at me!” He held his hooves up with a defeated cry, “I am a disgrace! In my vain efforts to stay true to what I thought was right, I caused a war, froze an entire civilization and its populace...and caused the death of the one I loved.” He put his hooves on my shoulders with an even more defeated frown, “For your own sake, and those you love. Do not pursue your ideals into a pit of despair.”

“And yet...I think it is possible that she could be properly fixed. It will take a lot of work, but I am prepared for it.”

“Young one...don’t take your life for granted. If she is set free and tricks you all into believing that she has truly changed, she could very well stab you in the back and through the heart. Your life would be forfeit, her life would be forfeit, and and your ideals would be forfeit. Foals would be under heavier scrutiny and suspicion would always be placed upon them.” He let me go and gave me a more cautious look, “Are you prepared to take these risks?”

Was I? I didn’t know for sure. I couldn’t respond, at least, not right away. The implications of causing lasting damage not just to myself, but to Cozy as well as impact the lives of foals everywhere. I didn’t want that. Everything I had built up in my life was in service of those who needed help the most. Ever since that fateful day I cracked my first successful case. But I wouldn’t falter either. It was a rough mountain to climb, and I was willing to do so. Even if it meant risking it all.

I looked straight at the former King’s face.

I didn’t know what to make of it. This was a shattered individual who wanted to stay true to himself, but as a result, he only hurt the people he cared about until he was driven by rage until it consumed him. I felt awful for the stallion. “I…”

“Listen,” he sat up, “it’s too late for me. That much is certain. My spirit will forever be in limbo due to my physical and shadow forms being eradicated. Even now...my curse still lingers. But for you, you have the chance to live a full life of happiness with the individuals that you love. Don’t throw it away for the sake of your ideals.”

He had a point. I didn’t want to go so far into what I thought I wanted to where I bypassed what was truly right. However, a curse? Wait a second, I needed more information. “...What is this curse you speak of?”

His horn shone, and displayed another memory to me. It was of a teenage Sombra studying at a school of magic. “Before I rose to power, I...was interested in the Dark Arts. As an Umbrum, it was my nature to be attached to such things.” In that memory, I witnessed the young unicorn continuously lambasted and ridiculed by his peers and his teachers for daring to study such things.

“Dark Magic is evil!”

“You’ll never amount to anything!”

“Touch the book again, and you’ll be sent to the headmaster’s office so fast your horn will fall off.”

“When I returned to the safety of home, the Umbral Shard would continue to speak to me. It kept saying horrid things such as ‘Do not listen to them’ and ‘show them your real power.’ I felt...determined to prove them wrong. That the Dark Arts can be used for the good of everypony. So...I ran experiments with vampire bats.”

My jaw hit the nonexistent floor. “What in Luna’s name would you do that?!”

He looked away with regret in his eyes, “My aim was to prove that if a pony had the abilities of bats, we could all improve our strength, speed, vision, and dexterity with no issues. I suffered constant pain and agony and watched as other foals endured unspeakable horrors and sicknesses that the orphanage couldn’t afford to handle. So...I used the serum on adult pony volunteers under the guise of it being a prescription to cure any illness. The idea was that...maybe, just maybe, transmogrification could help us break free of the shackles we were born with.”

The memory flickered, and it would show the young stallion pleading with many sick townsponies of a small village not too far from the Empire. They had agreed, and were already lining up for treatment.

I looked down. That was extremely questionable despite having good intentions. “I see…”

“In the end, they became batponies. Feared, and hated by everyone else who had no idea who they were, they were run out of their village with pitchforks and torches. They retreated to Hollow Shades...never to be heard from again.”

The experiments looked painful, though some of the ponies were grateful to not be in a sickly condition anymore. Even still, they were seen as freaks when they tried to go back home, and were indeed, scared off into Hollow Shades.

Holy horseapples. King Sombra was responsible for the creation of the batpony race? Imagine that! But now wasn’t the time for excitement. “Crazy...these days, the batponies aren’t under nearly as much scrutiny. I know. One of my friends is one.”

He shook his head, “This was a very long time ago, young one. During the reign of Princess Amore. The Empire’s first ruler. Back then, individuals were much more...phobic, so to speak.”

“I get it...and you deem the remaining batponies as part of your curse...because you created them?”

“It was...my greatest failure. Even now, they live in Hollow Shades. Isolated because they don’t feel as if they truly belong among the rest of society…”

I remembered the details regarding the artifact that the griffon gave to my friend Neon. “...I have a hunch that some of them still idolize you as their king, and desire your return.”

“What?” His pupils shrank, and he started to shiver. “No...that simply won’t do. I am unfit to be called King…you can’t let them try anything as crazy as bringing me back. Please. I don’t want to cause anymore harm.”

“Understood…” Hold on. That brought up another detail that didn’t occur to me until just now. “Wait a second...just how did you come into power?”

“Once I hit the cusp of becoming a stallion...I forced my way into the throne through sheer power and intimidation. I turned Princess Amore into a crystal statue whose remains are still scattered across Equestria to this very day,” he explained with his voice slowly cracking apart from sadness, “I...forced the Crystal Ponies to follow me as their true ruler with an iron hoof. This was long before Nightmare Moon was even a thing, Mr. Vestige. So please do listen well.”

I nodded, my ears poised to have his full attention. “Ready.”

“Just before the Princess of the Sun and Moon could cast me away, I inflicted one last move of desperation. I struck the Empire with a spell that caused it to disappear for one thousand years.” He gave a broken, empty sort of chuckle. A self-deprecating one. “Heh...I was never the type to give up on anything. Even down to my last breath, I was a spiteful little ingrate. Only after that spell was lifted could the Crystal Ponies break free and Cadance and Shining Armor could rule over their rightful land...which is where we are now.”

“Yikes...but wait...why were there no records of the creation of the bat race in any of the history books?”

“Think with your head, child.” He tapped his horn, “Do you really think anypony wants to know their race came into existence due to the arrogance of a tyrant?” He sighed, “...if that happened, batponies would never be accepted for who they are, and would forever be unfairly judged for being one of my accidental creations. Why do you think Luna only has two of them as guards?” He stood up, and started to trot in a random direction. “Just as well, the reasons for my actions...the bullying, the lack of proper guidance...none of it is detailed in the history books. It’s easier for the average pony to remove certain bits of history for the sake of making it easier to digest. So I cannot blame them.”

I got up and followed. “Wait, hold on...why are you telling me all of this?”

“Isn’t it obvious? You desire to know the truth, so I explained it. What you do with this information going forward, is entirely of your own volition.” Another empty sort of laugh, “Hah. But I suppose the opinion of a several-thousand year old tyrant is meaningless in the present day.”

I put my hoof around him, “You’re not meaningless. At least, not to me. Now that I know the truth behind the way the Empire was run and how you came into power...I have a better understanding of what I should do next. Regarding both this and Cozy.”

“I envy your discipline. Just remember what I said about what she is capable of, and that you shouldn’t pursue your ideals into a pit of darkness.” The unicorn flashed the smallest of smiles before he pushed my hoof away. “And no matter what you do...I have one final request for you.”

“Yes?”

“When you wake up, look beneath the bed on the floor of the cell you are held in. There will be a box filled with bits. Take that box to the orphanage. That will be my final act as Sombra before I return to The Void. Not a King. Just Sombra.” He looked up to the heavens, tears welled up in his eyes, “...this is for you, Hope.”

I nodded. I knew just what it was like to feel indebted to a facility that took care of folks who couldn’t care for themselves. “...Understood. I’ll take care of it.”

“Thank you…”

The next time I blinked, he disappeared from sight, and existence. In fact, it was like he was never there to begin with. I couldn’t even sense his aura anymore. Was it all really a dream? Did Sombra’s ghost get inside my head?

I woke up the next morning with a surprised thud on the floor. I remembered what he said about the boards, so I decided to move the bed over and true indeed, there was a hidden panel that I could flip open.

And as he said, a small chest filled with what I can only assume to be ancient bits that were worth thousands of normal bits for each one. I slipped it into my vest, which somehow magically stayed in place and put both the panel and bed back into their proper spots. “Holy shit he was real…”

Good thing too. Because just as I finished up, I heard someone enter the room. It was Cadance, and she was lacking her usual crown and elegant horseshoes. Instead, she wore a simple sweater for a casual look. “Pale...listen, we deeply apologize for doing this to you. We’ve recently found evidence that proves your innocence. The Crystal Guards took forever to uncover it.”

“Oh?”

She nodded, “That’s right, now get out of there. First things first. I’m going to treat you to a proper meal to make up for holding you captive. Second--”

“Wait, wait...you don’t have to do that.”

“But I want to, sir. If...you’ll let me,” she pleaded with a regretful smile.

Horseapples. I couldn’t dare refuse a soft expression like that. “...Very well.”

“Okay then. Secondly, Shining Armor wants to speak to you. And lastly, we could use your help…”

“With what?”

“Something to do with...griffons.”

Subject 22: Convincing Aegis

I followed the Princess of Love to a different part of the Crystal Castle that contained the areas where her and her family resided. When we went upstairs, it was more akin to a normal house with sleek hardwood floors, a beautiful living room, a wide kitchen, and bedrooms towards the back.

“First thing’s first,” she said to me, “You’re going to relax as our houseguest. But I have something to show you.”

“Hm?” She levitated a piece of gold-trimmed fabric with the letter ‘E’ on it into my hoof.

“One of our crystal guards found it near the place where the griffons were located. I figured you would have an inkling as to what it could mean. I sure don’t.”

I inspected it, and blinked. I knew just what this was and placed it into an evidence bag immediately. The conspiracy was getting thicker. “I...thank you. I think I know just what needs to be done with this.”

“Alrighty. I’ll get started on dinner. Shining is in his personal little garage.”

I raised a brow, “Oh?”

She giggled, “It’s a stallion thing. You’ll understand when you get there.” And she went into the kitchen.

I shrugged and went through the living room. I saw Flurry Heart on the couch playing another one of those strange video games but apparently she was able to talk to people through it?

“Motherbucker! I told you to capture B!”

“Language, Flurry,” her mother warned from the kitchen.

I chuckled and went through a nearby door. It led me to a massive room that was soundproof and filled with a myriad of block-based models and creations. To my left, I could see the Crystal Castle in a replica made entirely out of extremely small toy bricks. Insanity. I couldn’t imagine spending that much time on a project.

Over in the corner at the end of the room, the white unicorn prince was busy. He used his magic to carefully put another block in place. Looked like it was the city of Manehattan he was building. “Wow...you even have Madison Mare Garden done accurately.”

“Ah!” He nearly fell off his seat, “Did Cadance let you in here?”

I nodded. “Yes...is that a problem?”

He sighed. I suppose this room was meant to be a private space that he normally didn’t allow others into. But at the request of his wife, he had no choice. “Not at all. Listen...I want to formally apologize. I’ve been extremely strict with the defensive stance of my home and have been trying to find and stop threats before they can come up,” he turned and resumed work on his miniature brick city. “I initially assumed you were a threat and went too far.”

I couldn’t help but feel a bit of respect for his efforts, even though I disagreed with his methods entirely. “I see...well, you’re certainly not a father who neglects his family, I can say that much.”

“Spare me the compliments, I know that I went overboard,” he said with a roll of his eyes, “to be quite honest I’ve felt...utterly compelled to get something right. To make myself more significant in the eyes of my wife and kid.” He turned to face me again, “Imagine being related to not one, not two, but five extremely powerful alicorns. All of whom have saved the world.”

It took me a moment, but I nearly forgot that Cadance was adopted as Celestia’s niece. Which in turn, did make Shining Armor related to every alicorn that currently existed. On one hoof, I figured that this would be the dream of anypony, but on the other...yeah I could see how that would cause a case of inadequacy within oneself. “Oh...let me guess. You feel rather insignificant by comparison.”

He snorted. “Blunt, but true. I don’t want to simply be seen as ‘the husband of princess Cadance’ or ‘the brother of Twilight Sparkle’. I want to be seen as a stallion that does everything he can to keep his family safe. One that doesn’t simply lie back and rely on the overwhelming power of the alicorns in his family.”

Ouch. I felt that. I couldn’t really relate since I obviously didn’t have alicorns in my family, but it wasn’t that hard to imagine being outclassed in every way by those around you. That’s why I fought like a bloody mess back in the days of my youth--to prove that I was the best. “I get it...so you take the time to defend Equestria whenever you can. Crazy, but I understand the perspective. Although, you really should be more tactical in your approach.”

“Yeah...subtlety is not my strong suit as you can probably tell. But I’m working on improving it. At least with Flurry Heart being a bit older, I can relax and focus on my little projects for a change. Cadance was always saying I needed a hobby…”

I looked around. There were a few more miniature brick models on the nearby shelves. One of himself and his wife, one of his daughter, one of Canterlot Castle, and another of the Everfree Forest. His patience was certainly improving just from what I could see. I wouldn’t last ten minutes in an effort to put together something on that level. “Well you’ve certainly made yourself busy. If there’s nothing else you needed of me, then I’ll leave you be.”

“Wait a second. Before you go, there’s one more thing I need to know...just why do you want to give Cozy Glow another chance?”

I didn’t expect him to bring the topic back up. But given that he was no longer driven by emotion, it would be a much easier conversation to hold. “In short: I feel as though there wasn’t a proper amount of intervention to stop her descent into madness. If someone had been there to show her why her actions were wrong, instead of throwing her aside...she may have learned something.”

His ears dropped, “I see...do you think it’s possible that she could’ve been reformed before she was sent to Tartarus?”

“That, I don’t know. I wasn’t personally there to witness the events so I only have a basic look into her psychology. In short, she exhibited the traits of a sociopath before she was sent away. So easily able to toss away her bonds for the sake of power and not care. However, I believe it’s because she was abandoned.”

“I see...take a seat if you want, sir,” he offered, so I did. I sat on a nearby stool with my notes ready. “And I understand your idea here. But a counterpoint would be that someone like that is unfixable. It’d be a waste of time to try because the capacity for her to do it all over again is too great. Do you get what I’m saying?”

I nodded. “Yes...I’m fully aware.”

He focused hard with his magic as he snapped another brick into place, “It would be extremely difficult to convince Twilight that it’d be a good idea for multiple reasons. For one, a threat to all magic like that caused extreme amounts of damage that took a long time to recover from.”

I had a hunch in regards to what he meant, but I wanted to hear his full thoughts. “Mind elaborating?”

“Well, by getting rid of everyone’s magic, it caused the weather factory where clouds are made to shut down. The weather was extremely hot for days on end without the Pegasus ponies able to regulate the weather. Beyond that, it was harder for Earth Pony farmers to grow food, which resulted in damage to our food supply,” he levitated a bottle of glue, “Then combine that with the inability to defend ourselves from other threats like the Wendigos due to each pony race hating each other, it wouldn’t have been long before a complete war broke out.”

I scribbled my notes down. Shining was a very cordial and well-spoken stallion when it came to military affairs. Made sense as a former Royal Guard Captain, after all. That is, when he wasn’t driven by his protective nature as a family man. “I see…”

“I’m just saying, whether you like it or not, we had reason to put her away. I know it hurts because she was a filly--and trust me, it hurt me too. Had it been my daughter in that position, I…” He closed his eyes momentarily, and was unable to answer his own thought, “Listen...as current standing ruler Empire territory, which was directly affected by Cozy Glow’s actions, I want you to know that you need to present a good case to my sister to even have a chance of listening.”

I stopped writing. “Is that so? Is she not the type to listen to such complicated requests.”

“Oh no. In fact, I think her opinion is going to matter far more than my own. But as Sunburst mentioned, you need to prove that this is something worth pursuing. Because as it is, everypony has put the situation behind them. Moved on with their lives. We’re all living in a time where peace is common instead of the exception. And when you suggest something like this...it’s going to incite the wrath of those who disagree.”

“I’m aware. That’s why I’ve spent lots of time. Researching and studying in order to make a proper case for her.”

“I hope you’re right,” the prince placed his Manehattan model on a nearby shelf, and levitated another box onto the desk in front of him, “Because I’m sure you’re also aware of just how tricky she can be.”

I nodded. “Yes...I’ve read up on what she has done.”

“Enemy or no, her tactics were nothing short of genius for someone so young,” he stopped and put his hoof to his chin as he recounted the details of what the filly accomplished. “She infiltrated the school and gained loads of friends that she quickly turned her back on in order to make Neighsay look worse, then she managed to defeat an entire unit of the Royal Guard, outsmarted the princesses and managed to steal their magic, successfully got Chrysalis and Tirek to work together in order to divide the pony races, tricked them into stealing Discord’s Chaos Code Magic, and became the strongest being in existence…” he turned to face me again, “I’m sure you understand just why we not only sent her to Tartarus initially, but cast her to stone as well later. Someone that dangerous and able to cause a whole war on their own...it’s just impossible.”

I hid my face beneath my hat for a second. The unicorn was correct. She was a warhead just waiting to go off. At this point, I had to accept that her initial punishment was probably justified, as much as I disagreed with it. “Yeah, I see your point.”

“And don’t get me wrong, it’s not like that’s something we wanted to do. It’s something we had to do. In order to protect everyone.”

“Indeed...but is it possible--just humor me for a second,” I looked up, “possible that she may have learned something during her time imprisoned in stone?”

“That, I can’t answer. But if she had the capacity to be just as devious as Tirek and Chrysalis, then I’m afraid I can’t agree with that. It’s possible that, even now, she plots her revenge in order to somehow escape her prison. Or worse--it’s also entirely possible that she’s reliant on the fact that someone will break her out so she can fake her way through a redemption process in order to start up something all over again. Have you ever considered that, Pale?”

“I have,” I answered slowly. There wasn’t much I could offer besides my words as there was no definitive way to prove Cozy had changed. At least, not now. “But I’m afraid, it’s all I have for the moment. I get that the punishment may have been warranted, but...I don’t know. I still feel that there is a chance she’s changed.”

Now he had gotten out the tools to put together a birdhouse. “I respect your opinion, but I don’t think it’s likely. I won’t stop you from thinking that way, but like Sunburst said, just be careful. You don’t want to start a massive conflict over a controversial opinion. That’s happened enough already.”

“Okay...then what would you recommend that I do next?”

“Well, if I were you, I would’ve dropped this a while ago,” he said while he put on some goggles and got a hammer out, “but since you seem so keen on presenting a case, here’s what I would do if I were in your horseshoes: #1. Prove that you can be trusted.”

“Go on?”

“As I said before, I apologize for lashing out at you. The only reason why I did that is because I didn’t know who you were. For all I knew, you could’ve been trying to destroy my family. Though, I can see that’s no longer the case.” He started to work on the nails and hammer in the sides of the birdhouse, “But you need to prove that you’re somepony that can be relied on for his word. Someone who can be trusted to watch over Cozy Glow if she is given a second chance.”

I nodded. That was a good point. Given the...awkward nature of my past. It would be an uphill battle to prove that who I was back then did not define who I was now, and that Cozy Glow could be looked at in the same way. “Understood. Next?”

“#2. Call for a trial. A public gathering would need to take place in order to weigh the consequences of those actions. This goes for both the Empire and the Kingdom. Though, for obvious reasons I recommend letting Twilight watch over the trial since she would be unbiased.”

“Right...anything else?”

“#3. The most important one: Take responsibility. Whatever happens from that moment on will be a result of what you brought forth for the public to hear. You will need to shoulder the weight of those actions to show that you aren’t willing to shy away when things get difficult.”

That was obvious. But very shrewd as well. If the public saw an individual as honest, it would soften the blow should a mistake be made. After all, we were only living beings. None of us were perfect. “Alright...I think I know what I need to do.”

“I’m not done,” he stopped building the birdhouse halfway through. “With all of that aside, I’m going to need your assistance.”

“Oh?”

He pointed to the map of Equestria he had placed on the wall behind him. “You’re aware of how the Crystal Guards came to see you in Manehattan, right? Well, the Empire manages affairs that take place in the Northern regions of Equestria while Canterlot manages the Southern,” he levitated a pointer to tap a specific location on the map, “From what we’ve gathered in Manehattan, something is going to occur in Hollow Shades within three days. Something to do with the griffons and that shard you brought us.”

That was indeed how things went, though not many folks realized due to political classes being the ones that are most often slept through. True story. I gave a nod, “Right. That’s how the management of the territories are split. Hollow Shades is one of those territories...and this map isn’t to scale.”

“Right. Given that you were involved and that my wife has called me out for my actions.”

We heard her voice through the walls, “Ahem.”

He sighed, and added some details. “My foolish and bone-headed actions which include getting mad at you without proper evidence. I’m going to set you free with an objective: Find out what’s going on with the griffons at Hollow Shades. Can you do that for us?”

I shook my head. “Don’t get mad at yourself. If I were you, my reactions would’ve been similar if I were a father.”

Hollow Shades. It was my intention to head to that place at some point. For the sake of Neon especially. What with my position on this proverbial card table, I had to make a play that resulted in the best possible outcome. Not just for myself, but for everyone. “I’m in. With backup ready to roll, I’ll be able to head out soon.”

“Alright, perfect. And one last thing.”

“Hm?”

He put his hooves together and pleaded, “Please for the love of Twilight, do not insult Cadance’s cooking. It’s an acquired taste that you’ll get used to, I swear.”

Right. There was no possible way that the alicorn or anyone else could create a dish that was inedible given that I used to dig through garbage cans on the streets of Manehattan. “...sure, no problem,” I responded with a shrug much to his relief.

I had no clue what his deal was. What his wife made was delicious. Granted, like I mentioned, my standards for what was a quality meal were very skewed, but even so. I couldn’t fathom why he was so afraid of Cadance stepping hoof in the kitchen. It was clear she knew what she was doing and their daughter picked up on it well enough.

“This veggie pasta is amazing!” I proclaimed after the first bite, much to the shock of the prince, “The way the seasonings mix with the white sauce is perfection. The use of penne is a good choice too. Ravioli and fettuccine are so overly commonplace in pasta dishes.”

“Oh?” The pink alicorn tilted her head, “Are you an expert on pastas from Bitaly?”

Ah the land of pasta, amazing art, and that wonderful leaning tower. “Somewhat. Many of the ponies in Manehattan came from there and it was common to come across pasta dishes. I think...isn’t your full name--Amore Cadenza--that’s Bitalian too? Is that why you’ve taken an interest in these dishes lately?”

“Precisely, good guess!” she said with a clap of her hooves. “Would you like some more?”

I nodded, “Yes, please.”

As the alicorn left for the kitchen, her husband whispered to me. “...are your taste buds functional?”

I turned my head towards him. “No offense, but growing up in Canterlot and becoming captain of the guard would naturally net you better food than someone born in the messy slums of Manehattan like myself. Imagine having to dig out of the trash for your next meal…”

Oops. Guess I let a personal detail slip. And it was a bit awkward since he didn’t really know how to respond to what I said for a moment. “I...sorry. I didn’t realize it was that bad over there. We should do something about that.”

Flurry suddenly spoke from her end of the table. “Ooh! What if we put some money towards making better homes near the Haylem area. I hear it’s pretty messy down there.”

“That’s...not a bad idea, Flurry. But it’s not so simple. I’d have to speak with your mother, then get the Mayor of Manehattan’s approval, sign the contracts--oh. Sorry, sir. Didn’t mean to ignore you.”

I shook my head, “It’s fine. In fact, I grew up near Haylem. It could certainly use a fix or two. But that aside, yes. Your wife’s cooking is delicious.”

“Maybe your taste buds are going soft, dad,” Flurry poked fun at her father.

“They are not,” he replied, only to feel his tongue with his hoof, “Thee? I can taste just fine!”

Cadance walked back into the room, levitating the pot of pasta. “...Okay what did I just walk into?” she giggled at the sight of Shining as he dumped salt onto his tongue.

He retracted it, and coughed, “Ah! Ahem...nothing, honey. We’re just talking about the state of Manehattan.”

“Oh? Go on?”

It was a nice experience, to understand the Royal Family a bit more. Even if they acted nothing like royals. No servants, no chefs, no ponies that did everything for them. They were just your average family, and I couldn’t help but feel joy at experiencing who they truly were as individuals.

After the meal, I bid them goodbye, but Flurry Heart decided to walk me out. In truth, it was so she could have a chance to speak with me away from her parents.

“Hey, before you go…”

“Hm?”

“I just wanna tell you that if you choose to start a formal trial over Cozy, don’t be concerned.”

I raised an eyebrow. Just what could this youngster have in mind? “Why is that?”

She simply giggled as she opened the door for me, “You’ll see. I don’t care if I get grounded. I know I can help save that girl.”

“Don’t do anything stupid, now.” I replied with a steely gaze, “Your father has good points regarding her imprisonment. They had a valid reason to put her away, as much as I don’t like it. This won’t be an easy battle.”

“I know...but I’m ready to start tackling more complex issues,” she stated in a rather serious tone, “as a princess--nay, as a pony, it’s my duty to find the good in others. Even if they are beyond saving, I know that everyone has a shred of sensitivity in their hearts. We all care about something, no matter who we are. And it’s up to me to pinpoint that aspect of one’s character, and help them help themselves.”

I was surprised. A youngling such as her with such keen insight on the function of the brain and emotions? Yet in a more tactical sense. Clearly these were aspects of her father and mother that were combined. They raised this child well. “Heh...I respect that. You’ll make a fine ruler one day.”

“Thank you, sir. Oh and...was mom’s food okay?”

I laughed, “Haha! It was great. Don’t worry. I wouldn’t tell a lie about that.”

“Oh good...that means her nose still works. One time she put cinnamon instead of pepper in a casserole.”

“Oh no…” I dreaded the thought of such a dish with a shudder.

She gave a similar reaction as well, “Eguuuggh, yeah. But I know that she’s getting better from an outside source now.”

“Glad I could be of help,” I tipped my hat, “I’m going to see my fellow Agent friends that are stationed here in the Empire. Whatever’s going on in Hollow Shades, we’ll handle it.”

“Alrighty. I need to go make sure my dad isn’t throwing up again. Hope he wasn’t mean to you.”

I shook my head, “Nope. He’s a respectable stallion who does his job. Don’t be so hard on him, yeah?” And I took my leave with a wave at the young alicorn.

First, I would deliver that money to the local orphanage. The faces of the young crystal foals were unforgettable as the orphanage’s manager mare opened the chest. It earned me lots of grateful praise that was embarrassing to say the least. It wasn’t my donation at all. However, given that Sombra wasn’t around, I would dutifully shoulder this burden for him. Heh...what an odd feeling.

“Thank you so much, sir!” a colt chirped.

“Someday, I wanna grow up and pay back this act of kindness,” shouted a filly.

“This is the most we’ve ever gotten! We won’t have to worry about food for the next few years!” another filly yelled.

The crystal foals were overjoyed. I simply gave the most awkward smile I could muster. The idea of dealing with children was not something I found pleasant. But for those few moments...I did feel at ease. Even the mare behind the desk was in tears. “Nopony has ever donated this much! Bless you, kind sir!”

I tipped my hat, “It was nothing…really.”

“Oh no, it means everything to us!” the yellow crystal mare with a brown mane said to me, “My family has run this place for generations! But nopony has ever donated this much before!”

“Heh...well, don’t mention it, please--” I said before getting interrupted. The mare behind the counter foisted her hospitality onto me with a gift.

“Here, take this!” she offered me a black T-shirt with the phrase ‘I Heart Crystals’ on it. The heart and crystals were represented by images of the respective items. “What’s your name?”

“...Pale Vestige.” Normally, I’d refuse. But with the foals watching, I knew I couldn’t. It was important to set an example in gratefulness. So I accepted it with a gracious smile. “Uhhh...thank you, miss. Now, I have to get going. I hope you all have a wonderful day, and find homes soon.”

With cheerful smiles, they all bid goodbye as I left. I noticed the mare scribble something down behind her desk, but it wasn’t important. I exhaled as soon as I closed the door. “Whew...they’re so hospitable. It’s almost painful.”

I folded the shirt and tucked it into my vest. I blinked, and saw a familiar gray unicorn stallion out of the corner of my eye. “...Huh?”

“Thank you…”

I knew just who it was, and smiled. “No matter what’s happened these last few thousand years, in these last moments, you were a true King to me.”

The next time I blinked, he would disappear. As if he was never there...but I knew.

Shadows don’t fade away.

With a confident smile, I was on the move. My next stop would be the pop-rock candy store. At least, that’s what the average Crystal Pony knew it as. This is where Flash Drive and Guttersnipe were both located. Surely, they would be able to aid me on my mission. If I succeed here, I will have hopefully ended a conflict and get that much closer to presenting a case to the Princess. But that last patch with the letter ‘E’ on it that Cadance gave me. Could it very well be...

Hmph. No turning back now.

Subject 23: Bats...

The plan was laid out, simple enough. Flash Drive would watch my back from the ground while Guttersnipe would do so from the air. Everything was already in place. However, two days before the griffons were meant to be at Hollow Shades, I ran into Neon once more.

“There you are, mate. Been lookin’ all over for ya,” he said with a huff.

I was seated outside at a Crystal Cafe sipping a latte of sorts. It was quite the explosion of flavors. Much different from the regular stuff we had in Ponyville. “Oh, what’s up Neon?”

“I was sent ‘ere by your two pals back home. They wanted me to join ya. If that’s okay.”

I nodded. “I’d be great to have you. Did Flash and Gutter fill you in on the details?”

“Yeah…I felt it’d be best if I attended with you personally. If we can meet with the other batponies before the griffons do, we can find out just why they wanna bring Sombra back.”

“I have a theory. But from...certain research that may be outdated. Not all of them seek to bring him back. Only certain ones.”

Neon took a seat with me, “Even still, I wonder why? I figured they’d want to establish a better relationship with the other races instead of burning it. I know cuz I certainly don’t want him back.”

I took a deep breath. “Listen, Neon. There’s something I need to explain to you…” In a hushed whisper, I explained to him the true origin of the Bat Pony race and how they came to be.

“No...are you serious?”

“I’ve seen the hidden archives beneath the Empire...there’s no doubt in my mind that that is the reason why certain bat types want to bring him back.”

Neon looked like he didn’t believe me at first. I couldn’t blame him. I just dropped quite the bombshell on him. “...I dunno, mate. I’d like to get it straight from a horse’s mouth if ya don’t mind.”

I nodded. It was always encouraging to see someone desire to find out information for themselves rather than simply believing what others told them. “I respect that. There’s a lot of hidden things about Equestria that you can’t learn from the books. Moreover, there could be a host of topics that the scholars simply won’t allow to be taught. Such as dark magic…”

“I see...the pursuit of knowledge limited only by what the leaders want you to ‘ear. Crazy…”

I was curious about what he had dealt with in his youth. Maybe now was the time to ask. “Is...Trottingham similar perchance?”

Neon rubbed his fake leg, and shut his eyes. “If anyone had acceptance problems, it was those folks. Remember when I told ya I’d explain my problems to ya one day? Well, I wasn’t allowed to hear anything.”

I looked down. “That’s right…”

Years ago…

In a Trottingham schoolhouse.

“What are ya? Some kinda ugly bat creatcha?”

“Ya right, munter! Go suck on a lemon!”

“Me mum caught ill from folks like you! Don’t touch me, ya git!”

“I dare ya to bite me ya gobshite!”

“This was back when I had all of my legs. They could never accept me...thought I was some sort of scary bat monster. Just because I enjoyed partaking in the consumption of insects and had strange eyes,” Neon explained as he recounted the events. “Things looked like they would never turn up, until…”

The blue bat-colt hid away from the other students to avoid upsetting them. His mere existence scored him hatred among the other schoolmates. But he didn’t let that hold him back. Through his best efforts, he became one of the top players of cricket at his school, and even won the heart of one of his fellow schoolmates. A relatively poor filly who had been equally mocked for her lack of wealth.

“I felt like I was on top of the world. I finally earned the respect of the other foals. But then things turned for the worse when the school dance arrived. I’ll never forget that day…”

Neon and his date both attended the dance and managed to score the title of Dance King and Queen. But when they both arrived on stage, a bucket of blue insect blood was dumped on the bat colt. Everyone including his ‘date’ began to laugh at his expense.

“Ahahaha! You honestly thought I was poor? You must be off ya nut!”

The colt began to cry, and amidst his sadness, he gave in to rage. His bat instincts took over, and he flew around the room, hissing at, and scaring everyone with his fangs on full display. “I’ll suck your blood until I feel bone!” His first victim was his so-called date--Holly Waterwheel. He swooped in as she cackled, and his fangs sank deep into her leg, which caused her to cry out.

“AHHHHHH! HE’S GONE RABID! GET THIS WANKER AWAY FROM ME!”

“Turns out it was all a prat. A jest. A hoax. I was conned into believing someone like her could be interested in a hideous being like me. So I showed them how hideous I could be...I still remember the fear on Holly’s face as I showed her her own blood on my teeth.”

I leaned forward as he told the story. “Ouch, man...but that still doesn’t explain how you lost your right foreleg.”

He nodded. “I’m getting to that. In order to spare you the nastier details, I’ll skip right to the cut of the jib.”

The young Neon fled and was chased by his former students as they had decided to fight back. To the ends of the streets and down an alley by the river, they all attacked. One after another, they punched, bucked, and tackled him.

“This is for Holly, you knob!”

“Go back to a cave and stay there!”

He finally opened his slitted, yellow eyes again, “I was...outmatched and outnumbered. Nobody came to save me or see what had led up to this. I was deemed a monster from then on. And in the ensuing battle...I lost me leg.”

I was shellshocked. My jaw quivered as I reached out to him, “...Neon. They really broke your entire leg?”

“Clean off. Luckily, I was given swift medical treatment once the bobbies arrived. But it was too late...they had to get rid of it…”

“I understand...now how did you get the replacement?”

As he was stationed in the hospital, a bat mare would come to see him, and offer him a procedure. An abnormal one.

“Her name was Olive Batling. Heir to the Batling family,” he explained with a smile that returned to his face, “it hurt like the dickens. But I gained a friend, and the ability to walk properly again.”

“Amazing...and that arm serves multiple purposes doesn’t it? Including shooting projectiles?”

I could tell that the topic change made him happy due to the fact that his smile turned into a more proud grin. “Too right. They were the ones who developed the Batling weapons as a means of defense. But in the end, that’s how I got this arm. It’s a part of me now.”

I reached over and gave him a hug. “I never knew...I’m sorry about that, Neon.”

“S’alright, mate. But know that this is why I have a personal investment in this conflict. And I’ll do everything I can to figure out why my kind is trying to bring back that demon…”

“So your idea is that we should try and meet with the batponies early. Before things begin to shake down, yes?”

He nodded, “That’s right. If we find out just what they’re planning, we potentially stop them from making a horrible mistake. And maybe...maybe even…”

“Even what?”

It was something sensitive he tried to hide. “Nothing. A folly of an idea that nopony sane would get behind,” he played it off with a false laugh.

I thought about it a bit longer. Was it possible that his past trauma that occurred to him during that night is what caused the slight shift in his demeanor as a result of the events he suffered so long ago? And just what did he have in mind that he didn’t wish to share? That Neon was troublesome. But I liked that about him.

So just as planned, we would set off for Hollow Shades a day in advance. Or rather, a night in advance. Flash Drive and Guttersnipe would back us up from a distance. Oh? I suppose I haven’t thought about them very much.

Well Flash Drive was a mechanical genius. Mostly on the fixing side, but every now and again, he would develop something actually decent that we could use. For one, the earpieces we used to communicate with were all connected by a closed line through his magic. Sadly, this pony only had one trick up his sleeve, but it was a damn good one. He was a jet black unicorn with a messy gray mane and tail and his cutie mark was a simple electrical cord. Much more laid-back than his strict brother Neon.

Guttersnipe was crazy. Our resident assassin with a fixation for loud and obnoxious ways to destroy the enemy. Though she was a pegasus, her wings were damaged in an accident. Probably one that she herself caused. So she had them enhanced with mechanical augments to allow her to fly properly. This gave her the ability to store things within the metal tubes along the wings such as little bombs to use for later. Her coat was a fiery red color and her mane had streaks of orange and black with a skull for a cutie mark.

Those two were more reliable than they looked at first glance, which is why I was happy to have their assistance.

“Anythin’ for my brotha,” Flash Drive responded to my query about backup. He too sported that smooth Trottingham accent. But I wondered if Drive’s family adopted Neon or if they were somehow biologically related. Curious, but no time for that.

“Thanks, Drive,” Neon put his good hoof around his brother’s neck, “I can always depend on ya.”

Guttersnipe was more than enthused, her wings already loaded. “Let’s get a move on, boogers and gents!”

“Right you are!” Neon replied.

And so we headed out. It wasn’t that long of a train ride to Hollow Shades, but it was rather uncommon since nopony ever actually went there very often. Regardless, we set off and took in the sight of the massive forest. As in, much wider, larger, and thicker than Everfree Forest. The perfect setup to surround and protect a steep valley.

We exited the train. Neon and I took front point while Flash Drive hung back. Our speakers were ready. Guttersnipe had taken shelter upon one of the clouds in the sky as overwatch.

The sun had begun to set, and the evening started to fade into the night. Neon’s personality would change as usual.

“Alright, mate. You ready?” he asked.

I nodded as we crept through the wilderness, “As I’ll ever be. This way, we can begin to understand just what’s going on out here.”

“You sure this isn’t distracting you from your main objective?” he questioned what I was dealing with, “Cozy Glow’s freedom slips further out of reach with each passing glance, you know.”

I chuckled, “Heh. Relax. If I--nay--we all solve a peaceful movement between two quarreling races, they’ll have no reason not to trust me and allow me to have a fair trial to discuss Cozy Glow’s case...”

“I hope so, friend. As long as you know what you’re doin’.”

It was about twenty or so more steps before we stopped. Neon’s batty ears twitched like satellite dishes in order to pick up sounds that only he could hear. “...Hm. They’re here. I know it. About fifty yards out. Loads of families.”

My eyes narrowed so I could get a better look. The ground beneath our hooves would shift to a steady path that hit a downward incline into the very valley we knew of. This was it Hollow Shades was upon us.

Now the question was: How do we approach?

“Alright, what do you recommend?”

“I’ll head in first,” he suggested, “They’ll trust a fellow member of their kin much sooner.”

“Very well,” I said with a nod. It did make sense for Neon to make first contact given that he was one of them. Hopefully they wouldn’t denounce him for being friends with non-bats, though.

And so, he was off. And I waited patiently on the outskirts of the bat-folk’s village. Their architecture wasn’t all that different from ours in Ponyville. From what I could tell, the overarching alleys allowed them to hide away from excess light and live as if they were in caves like their ancestors did. How quaint. It was a very interesting style they had going on.

It didn’t take five minutes for him to make progress.

“Pale.”

“Ah!” I yelped and fell backwards. Neon had returned already, and dropped down from a tree branch to greet me. It gave me quite the scare, I’ll admit. “Ahem...you’re back already?”

He nodded, “Righto. The leader of the group who wants to bring Sombra back has agreed to speak to us.”

“Alright then, let’s--”

But before we could enter, he stopped me, “Hold on.” Neon grabbed a few mangos and tossed them at me, “Eat these. You won’t be as suspicious with fruit on your breath.”

Made sense, I suppose. I gladly consumed the fruits as we trotted down into Hollow Shades itself. And let me be frank, it was quite different than simply observing it. The monolith of the valleys blocked out all moonlight which bathed the bat pony colony in crisp darkness. Thankfully, I was able to see just enough to navigate alongside Neon.

We both kept going until we entered a small wooden building on the very edge of the community. This must have been where the leader of the pro-King faction was stationed.

“Madam Sonar. We are here.”

The room was painted in complete pitch-black, save for the dimly lit table and the bat mare that sat on one end. “Enter.” She was a dark shade of purple with blue eyes and a flowing, green mane and tail.

We both sat down, and the door closed behind us. I spoke up first, “Hello, miss. I came to inquire just why you wish to bring about King Sombra’s return.”

“Isn’t it obvious?” she replied, “The race of bats have been driven out all because the Equestrians don’t accept us. The only one who did was Sombra--the pony that brought about our entire existence.”

Neon would follow up next, “Madam. I understand your plight, but listen. Sombra was a no-good cobble of a stallion who fell into darkness.”

She didn’t accept that answer, “Nonsense! He was driven away for being different too. Because of the fact that he was an Umbrum, nopony could trust him, and that’s why he turned to the darkness. Don’t you know your history?”

My bat friend looked at me. “Did you know this, mate?”

I looked down with a sigh. “...Yes, she’s right. Sombra wasn’t given a fair chance due to the prejudices he faced, and because of that, he tried harder and harder to embrace who he was, only to kill the mare he loved.”

The bat mare blinked in surprise, “...yes. I didn’t expect a non-bat to know that.”

Neon was also just as surprised. “Yeah, how do you know this, mate?”

Would it be easier to just tell them that Sombra’s ghost came into my head a few nights ago? Probably not. Yeah, no. It would be simpler to make something else up, actually. “Call it...my investigative intuition. Hard to explain, but yeah. I’m sure you know that well, Neon…”

He didn’t say anything in response. All he could do was idly rub his fake leg.

I turned to face the bat leader, “And listen...I believe that the batponies can be accepted among the rest of ponykind. Just look at my buddy Neon.” I put a hoof around him and huddled the guy, “We’re like partners.”

“Uh-huh. Can you prove it? Can you prove to them that we are not some bloodsucking race of animals?”

Well now, that was a shock to hear. Then again, these rumors were almost always perpetuated. “You don’t suck blood, eh?”

She shook her head. “No way! That’s utterly gross. We eat fruit and insects...maybe the occasional bird. But pony blood? Nah. That’s an utter myth based on vampire bat behavior.”

Wow. Guess some things were just not true. Made me sad knowing that everypony had such awful preconceived notions. “I see...well in that case, allow me to make a case for your kind. I can convince the other ponies that you are not to be feared despite your origin.”

Sonar had no confidence, and simply shrugged. “Pff. I suppose we have no choice. We’d do it ourselves, but if you think you can somehow convince those ponies up there that we mean no harm, then by all means. We’ll even call off the deal with the griffons.”

Ah yes, the griffons. They wanted to bring their own King back and restore peace to their barren, destroyed landscape. That in itself was another problem entirely.

The bat mare leaned back to put her hooves on the table. “So fine. If you do that, then I suppose everything will be just fine. But I’m not counting on it.”

“Oh don’t worry,” I said with a smirk, “We know just how to handle these types of things.” Then it hit me. I remembered what Flurry Heart said about the upcoming Gala. That event was going to be held tomorrow night in Canterlot. This would be the perfect opportunity to speak with Twilight in a more casual manner. “Neon...I have a plan.”

My bat friend turned to look at me, as stoic as ever, “What’s the sitrep, boss?”

I got up and got ready to leave, “Thank you for being reasonable, Ms. Sonar. We will take our leave now.” I beckoned for Neon to follow. He did, but not before he spoke to his fellow bat mare with a few squeaks I couldn’t quite understand.

In a brisk gallop, we both left the entrance of the valley. “What are you thinking, old chap?”

“Okay, hear me out. The Gala is tomorrow evening, yes?”

His ears dropped immediately at the mention of a public dance. “...I had no idea. What are you getting at?”

“If I met with Twilight there, I could kill multiple birds with one stone.”

I could see it in his eyes. He loathed the idea of heading to another dance. Once again, he rubbed his metal leg. “...You’re not going to make me come along to some silly occasion, are ya?”

I shook my head, and gave him a quick hug. “No way, friend. I can do this on my own. Besides, you’ve done more than enough for me as it is.”

But something about my response unnerved him. I could tell with the uncertain look in his eyes that he did indeed want to help me out. But given his past traumas, there was no way I was about to force him to follow me to such an event. “...Alright, mate. Let’s just get on home so we can regroup and make our next decision.”

“Indeed,” I smiled as we walked out of the forest and back to the train station. Flash Drive and Guttersnipe weren’t too far behind us. It was a crazy idea that I had, but maybe, just maybe it would work.

Hopefully I didn’t have to dance, though.

Subject 24: Extravagant Preparations

At last, I was home in Ponyville. My objective was simple: Head to that event and inquire to Twilight Sparkle. The Grand Galloping Gala had undergone numerous changes since my youth. No longer was it required of you to have an invitation to attend. The entire public was welcome. It was also shifted away from a more strict and formal style to a casual affair. Quite interesting. Twilight herself was sure to be in attendance, given that it took place in her own castle.

“Finally, a plan that doesn’t sound like complete ass,” Quick Draw cracked at my expense, much to my annoyance.

I took a seat at my desk, and Corkscrew flew over. “Hey, it sounds like a fun time. We might even be able to get our groove on for a change. Just need a plus-one. How about it, Quickie?”

The ever-vexed mare rolled her eyes. I could tell she was actually interested, as much as she tried to hide it. “Sure, why not? At least I’ll look good next to someone like you. And what about you, boss? You considered bringing a plus-one?”

“What?”

I paused at the thought. Unfortunately, I wished Neon could be in attendance due to how skillful he was in the art of detection. Especially at night when this event would take place. Alas, I didn’t want him to face his traumas if he wasn’t ready.

No matter. The mission would go just as planned. Although, it would indeed be a shame if I went alone. But who would be up for such a potentially dangerous reason to attend? To not only visit the princess, but to also crack a massive case open regarding a hidden race of bats? It was crazy talk to the average individual. I hadn’t considered the concept of bringing somepony with me. Was it really that big of a deal?

Quick Draw continued her barrage of jests. “Heh. If you ain’t got a plus-one, you’re gonna look weird as heck.”

I raised a brow, “And just why is that?”

“Duh. If you’re there on your own, your enemy is gonna suspect that you’re there to investigate. But if you were there with somepony...well, you’d just be attending the party like anyone else and they would still carry out whatever they had planned.”

I gave it some thought, and rubbed my hoof across my chin. Quick Draw made good points. I would stick out like a sore tail if I were in attendance on my lonesome. Especially to a grandiose event such as this. However, if I were there with somepony, it would make my presence far less damning for those who wish to cause trouble. They would never suspect a thing. “Huh...you may have a point, Quick.”

“Yeah I--wow, you actually agreed,” she replied with a hint of shock which turned into a smug sort of tease. “But I betcha can’t get anyone to go with you.”

I was not so easily challenged to back away. “Oh really? I bet I can!”

“HA! Sure.”

Now just who would I bring with me? Quick and Cork were already going together. Guttersnipe was...no. She was too crazy. Gah, looks like I would have to make use of other sources.

“Where ya goin’, boss?” Cork asked me as I got up to leave.

“Well, I need a plus-one to blend in, yeah? Well, I’m going to see who’d be willing to join me.”

Quick laughed from her seat, “HA! Good luck, Captain Vestige. You could never score a date back at the Officer’s Academy.”

“This isn’t an intent to look for a date. I simply want to see who would be willing to...join in the art of paired dance.”

“Uh-huh…” she shot me an unconvinced smirk, to which I simply rolled my eyes at.

I left through the door. “I won’t be long.”

“I give him five minutes.”

Cork would chastise the mare as I left. “Don’t say that about the Captain! He can handle anyone!”

Alright, so who would be willing to attend the Gala? And for such a ridiculous reason too? Well, first off the top of my head was Cheerilee. Was it possible that she would agree with my reasons to attend? Beyond that, I hoped she would enjoy the idea of having a dance again just like in her youth. So I walked up to her door, and knocked.

“Cheerilee? It’s me, Pale.”

“Oh? Do come in!” she called out from within, so I obliged and entered. Her happy visage greeted me as soon as I stepped hoof inside. “How are you today? Is everything alright? I heard you were stuck in the Empire for a while.”

I closed the door behind myself, and trotted in further. “Oh no, don’t worry. That was simply formal business. Nothing unusual to be stationed near the scene of an incident, you know?”

“Oh, that makes sense,” she nodded, and pointed to her dining room, “I have tea and cookies freshly made...if you’d like to join me.”

“I’d love to.”

We sat down and had our usual sort of chats as always. So nice to be able to speak to someone so casually. A few minutes had passed before I decided to ask my question.

“...so hopefully Limestone Pie will make a good secondary teacher for Earth Pony lessons. Their bodies are super durable from farming rocks.”

“Indeed. I couldn’t imagine anypony better to teach about hoof and head durability,” I said with a grin. “So, if you don’t mind. I actually wanted to ask if you wouldn’t mind being my plus-one for the Gala tomorrow.”

Her eyes shot open wide, and she would’ve spit out her tea if it wasn’t so warm. “Oh? That Gala? I’m so sorry, Mr. Vestige. But I already have plans to go with somepony else. But if I didn’t, I certainly would’ve accepted.”

A shame, but what can you do? Though, I was curious as to who she intended on taking with her, I didn’t want to pry or sound rude. “That’s alright. It was still great to see you.”

“Oh, you too, for sure!”

We chatted for a while longer before I finally took my leave. It was nice to speak with her again, even if she didn’t intend on attending the party with me. No matter. I still had a few options. And I would not grant Quick Draw the satisfaction of her seeing me lose.

I would continue down the main road before I passed by a familiar mansion. I mused at the thought of taking Spoiled Rich, but I knew damn well that that would cause loads of turmoil. Sill a funny concept, though. However, much to my surprise, the mother of a mare was in her garden with tools. Strange. I thought she had servants for everything. Well, I wouldn’t simply stand idle. I approached the gate. “Hello?”

“Hm?” she rose, her mane and tail dripped with sweat from the work she had accomplished. It certainly wasn’t a bad look for the aged mare. “Oh it’s my favorite boy. How are you today?”

“I’m doing fine, ma’am. Actually rather busy searching for somepony to head to the Gala with me tomorrow.”

She came out of the gate and leaned against me, “Ah. Galas...such a wonderful time I had in my youth. Stallions would line up just to have a chance of taking me out,” she eyed me up as if I were some sort of toy in a store window. “Hehehe...if only I were ten years younger…”

Oh Luna no. That was a...strange thought. I was flustered, and gently moved away from her. “Ahem...well, yeah. I can definitely see why, heh. I’m sure you were just as fetching back then as you are now,” I gave her a compliment. She really was visually attractive despite her age, even though I harbored no romantic feelings for the married mare, I still wanted to be truthful.

That honesty earned me another close embrace. Spoiled traced her hoof upwards along my neck. “Oh you...you know, if you ever wanted to be my plus-one in private, I wouldn’t say no. My husband and I have a new system in place for each other to keep things spicy.”

I shivered in place. To outright refuse would be detrimental to her middle-aged self-esteem. I had to play this situation in a subtle manner. “Heh...well if I ever have time, I might take you up on that offer.”

She was happy to hear this, and gave a tiny squeal. “Ooh! Naughty boy. I love that. Since you were so generous to accept my offer, allow me to return the favor.”

“Hm?”

She leaned in and whispered in my ear. “I’ve heard that a certain princess of the night is in search of a companion for such an event…”

Was that possible? Could Luna really be interested in taking somepony to the Gala? And wait a second. “Hold on...just how do you know this?”

The rich mare bumped me as she turned around, “Let’s just say gossip is one of my strong suits, dear. My name is Spoiled for a reason.”

Because she spoils things that others don’t want told? Damn, the naming convention must’ve been on its A-game when her parents were around. But now, I had invaluable information. “Ah...I see. Thanks, Spoiled.”

“Mm-hmm. Have a nice day, investigator boy,” she said with a wink before she returned to her garden.

Sounded convincing enough to me. I certainly wasn’t going to allow Quick Draw to have the last laugh on the matter.

So after work, that evening, I went straight home. Then, after a nice shower, I went to bed as always.

It didn’t take long for the mare of the night to appear before me. She had on a black hoodie and her mane was done up in a ponytail. “Ah! Mr. Vestige! Are you alright?!”

I picked myself up off the boundless floor of the dream world. “Ah...so here I am. Is everything alright, Luna? You seem quite troubled.”

For sure. The blue alicorn was completely out of breath as she ran up to me. “Oh thank Sister’s name you are well. I have been attempting to enter your dreams for the last few days, but instead, I encountered some sort of...blockade.”

“Ah, that must’ve been Sombra--or his ghost, rather.”

Her eyes shot open. “You met Sombra?!” her pupils shrank and they darted around her eyelids in a nervous manner, “Um...h-how was he? Was everything well on his end?”

Oh yes, that’s right. She expressly remembered his banishment. But it sounded like there were other feelings she wanted to hide behind her nervous voice. “...yes. He deeply regrets what he did, and even instructed me to give his last hidden treasure to the orphanage in the Empire,” I chuckled, “Hehe...I got quite the undeserved praise from the kids and the ponies who ran the place.”

Luna had calmed down once I finished my explanation. She closed her eyes, and gave a sigh of relief, “Whew...that is very good to hear. Can you keep a secret? I have to be honest. If Sombra weren’t evil, I would’ve tried to court him back in my time.”

I snickered at the thought, and made a ‘sealing’ motion across my lips with my hoof. “Heh. Don’t worry. That’s safe with me. But more importantly...Spoiled Rich was speaking to me about the fact that you apparently wanted to attend the Gala with somepony tomorrow.”

She stomped her hoof. “Ooh…” “That busybody of a mare. Always in other ponies’ business…” “Yes, tis true. She must have heard me mumbling to myself as I checked in on her dream the other night. And before you ask what her dream was--you especially do not want to know, Pale.”

Oh dear. I had already wagered a few guesses. But that was beside the point. “Anyhow. Would you wanna go? As friends, of course.”

“Given that I have not attended such an event in a long time...not to mention sister’s teasing about my lack of--ahem--’dating’ skills lately,” she made air quotes with her hooves, “I would be delighted to attend with you.”

“Pfft. She’s not one to talk. I don’t think she’s ever been in bed with anypony before.”

Luna almost laughed, but held it behind a hoof, “Ppfbft! Shh, shh! Do not say such savage things, good sir!”

“And I’m sure you’re already aware of why I’m going.”

She nodded. “You wish to speak with Princess Twilight--still not used to saying that--about both the bat ponies and Cozy Glow?”

“Correct, and hey. Didn’t you have two bat pony guards? Whatever happened to them?”

Silence. There was something wrong for sure. “They...they are no longer of this realm. Natural causes. I no longer have any bat-likes in service. Those two were thought to have been in costume. Nopony realized who they truly were,” she trotted over to a nearby dream door, “If they did...panic would have followed.”

“Understandable…” I took a pause out of respect. Then, I thought about something else. “Didn’t Fluttershy become a batpony for a while?”

“That was a result of a failed attempt at casting a spell from Twilight which turned her into a bat-like on accident. Their race has been confined to Hollow Shades for eons due to--”

“The fact that Sombra helped create them on accident,” I finished the explanation for her, “I know. But if they can be properly integrated into society instead of cast out, they could live among us and be a part of our group. Just imagine how cool it would be to have the bat folk in your guard again.”

She trotted across the dreamscape floor. “I do admit, normal ponies can’t see very well at night. The bat-likes would be very nice to have around...but can you really convince Twilight that they’re friendly? In addition to offering Cozy Glow a second chance?”

“It’s a tall order, I admit. But I intend to see these missions through. After all, Shining Armor has put faith in me to help dissolve any further conflict with the griffons as well.”

“Ah yes...do be careful, and please watch out for him.”

“Hm?”

With no doors left, Luna sat down and a small device of sorts. Another video game thing? “He’s...not the stallion he used to be. Underneath all of his fatherly charm lies a bitter stallion who wishes he could be more than he is. Do not allow his methods to get to you.”

I trotted over and leaned over her shoulder to watch. She was playing some sort of game that had a grid like chess with medieval characters on battlefields. “Don’t worry. I’m not concerned about that. All I’m concerned about is how I should dress.”

She looked up from her system, and smirked, “I’ll come by tomorrow morning, and show you how you should dress. I need to finish this level and cure any possible nightmares that may arise.”

“Oh...okay!”

I was both excited and terrified at the thought.

After a nice sleep, I woke up the next morning to a knock at my door. “Agh!” It disturbed me from my sleep, which caused me to hit the floor yet again. “Hang on…”

I approached, and found the moon alicorn on the other side. “Greetings! Loyal sub--friend!”

“Morning, Luna.” I yawned and stepped aside. It was a bit odd that she was so perky this early in the morning, but I didn’t question it. I was more interested in what sort of style we would need for such an event. “Thanks for agreeing to my quest. Didn’t think you’d actually be willing to go back to an event like this.”

She started to style her mane in a full body mirror nearby. Wait, since when did I have one of those? “Are you kidding? Twilight’s Galas are far more enjoyable than the ones that Sister used to throw. Sure, less Canterlot ponies show up, but it’s far more inviting to ponies from all over now!”

Ever the valiant one. All in an effort to unify the world. I could respect that. “I see...in that case, would it make sense to show up wearing--”

Out of the blue, she had on a short, casual dress with a moon and star pattern. “Well? What do you think?”

“Huh...not bad. But if I’m going to go, I should at least--” Before I could finish, Luna activated her horn. I suddenly had on a basic white polo and casual dress shorts that went down my flank. “Hm...okay, I think I can work with this. And you’re cool with taking this regular workhorse as your plus-one?” I said jokingly.

“It suits you very well, Pale.” Luna giggled as she continued to fiddle with her mane in the mirror. “In truth, it has been ages since Sister and I actually had somepony go with us to such an event. Well--a stallion to be more precise.”

I didn’t understand why that was such a big deal. I gave a shrug. “Eh? But there’s dozens upon dozens of devout followers.”

“Not just followers, Mr. Vestige,” she turned to face me with her mane in tattered, wavy dreads, “Actual companions, friends, even dates. These are things that we were not permitted to have as rulers.”

I nodded. It made sense that these sort of things would be inaccessible for those of their level. I even thought about the other, newly minted alicorns. “Ah, that’s right. Cadance snagged Shining, Flurry Heart managed to get Pound Cake pretty easily, and Twilight…”

Luna waved her hoof, “We do not speak of Twilight’s relationship attempts.”

“But--”’ Yikes, was Sentry considered that unspeakable?

“Anyway, there’s also another problem you may not be aware of. The fact that stallions are...rather lesser in number compared to mares.”

Huh. Finally someone else noticed. It wasn’t a huge issue, by any means. The population was still growing. However, I wanted to hear her perspective. “I see. And why is that a problem?”

She faced towards the mirror again. Now she did something to her eyelashes with some sort of styling tool. I could never comprehend mare fashion. “It’s...not necessarily a problem per se. Rather, a nuisance. All of the good stallions were taken by the time Sister and I went searching. Tis quite unfair.”

Ouch. Guess I could understand that. Given the census report of last year, I estimated that there was--at the very least--a three-to-one ratio of mares/fillies to stallions/colts in the major Equestrian cities. As a result, I could very well see where..skirmishes could take place among mares over who could take who out.

That didn’t mean it was all bad, though. “I see. However, I have noticed plenty of couples made up of the same sex. So I don’t think ponies are exactly hurting for relationships.”

“Not on a grand scale, thankfully,” she said as she began to work on her tail. “But when Sister and I were younger...during the...early days of Equestria, anypony we showed interest in had already been taken. The race to find good stallions was a rather annoying one between my she and I.”

I snickered at the thought. Something about the thought of two teenage alicorns in a scuffle on their way into a stallion’s face only to get turned down because he already had somepony else was hilarious. A bit sad, but hilarious. “I see...I wonder if that will have any negative effects on the world at large as we go.”

“I shall fill you in on one secret,” she leaned in close and whispered, “Stallions are highly valued because of this.”

“Is that so? I suppose when there are less of them, they are considered a bit more important, but I wonder why…”

The mare of the moon would laugh once more as she resumed styling her tail. “For someone so keen in the art of investigation, I am surprised you can’t guess why.”

I thought about it for a bit longer, and suddenly realized the exact reason stallions were valued so much to keep society going. “Oh...oh. That’s why. You can’t very well continue the population without--yeah,” my cheeks were red.

“Hehehe! The taboo-ness of such topics is always such an amusing thing to witness among the mortals.”

I stuttered. “H-hey, these are sensitive subjects you’re bringing up!”

“Done! How do I look?”

Her mane was styled to be static in a curl, and the same went for her tail. “Quite amazing.”

Then she put on a pair of glasses in order to cap off her outfit. “Huzzah! We shall be the Investigative Duo!” she proclaimed and put a hoof around my neck.

“Wait what?”

“Nopony is going to recognize me with glasses on. Haven’t you read the Wondermare comics?”

I had to admit, they looked nice on her. Even if she wasn’t correct regarding the exact comic hero who had glasses for a disguise. “That’s Superstallion. Kenthoof?”

"...I prefer Wondermare and Catmare. My apologies," she replied with a sheepish grin.

Argh. This event had better not kill me.

Subject 25: Strategic Celebration Infiltration

And so the mission was simple. The griffons would be looking to arrive tomorrow. But if I could convince Twilight to accept the batponies, then they would have no need to start up any sort of deal between themselves and the griffons. As far as the griffons themselves go, I would do my best to reason with them on their own. If they turned violent, I would deal with them myself. Perhaps even find out just why they lacked stability and had to turn to such a method of destruction.

Crazy, but logical. There was only one thing I could do for now.

Pray I didn’t have to dance.

I looked up at the tall castle that was alight thanks to the moon’s reflective rays. “Wow...Canterlot is way different at night than the day.”

“Isn’t it? The moon looming over everything makes it that much better,” Luna commented as she went ahead of me, “Well? Come now, you don’t want to keep your date waiting do you?”

Why was she like this? I mean, I didn’t dislike it. But did everything have to be a tease? No matter. This was my first and only chance to get closer to my goals. “Coming,” I trotted up with her. “I am curious as to just what Twilight Sparkle has done to alter the Gala system.”

“You are in for a surprise, dear Pale,” Luna continued her brisk walk. She looked like an overly excited schoolfilly ready to show her class the fancy new backpack she purchased.

Wait a second. Was she? Nah, I don’t think she would be the type to do that. “If you say so. You’re going to have to guide me since I’m not too familiar with how the castle is set up.” I knew the basic layout, of course. But being inside the massive castle itself was another thing entirely. “And this event is to celebrate the anniversary of the completion of Canterlot, correct?”

She nodded and led me through the massive main hall. A set of double-doors not unlike the Empire’s was at the end of it. Could this be where the festivities were located? “Indeed. It’s a very important event in Equestrian history and culture. The Royal Garden is also open to the public as well which is a spectacle in itself. There are many rare types of plants outside that you cannot find anywhere else.”

“Quite intriguing,” I responded with confidence. Though, I had to be honest. I was somewhat concerned. I was about to enter a pretty damn prestigious party with a former princess. Would everyone stare at me or would they just go about their business? Time to find out.

“And here we are. First, I think we should do a bit of dancing, then maybe check out the food that is being served, followed by a personal tour of the garden from yours truly, and then--”

“Woah woah.” I cut her off. She was really excited for this, but I had no clue how to approach such an event. I needed to be taken through this slowly before I blew my stack. “Um...sorry. I know you’re hyped up, but one thing at a time, if you don’t mind?”

“Ah, yes. That makes more sense. After all, you need to keep an eye open for Princess Twilight,” Luna said as she triumphantly pushed the doors open with her magic. “Then let our mission commence!”

I sighed. She was absolutely not agent material. That wasn’t a surprise to me, though. What was a surprise, was the sheer nature of the Gala itself. “What the…”

I couldn’t believe my eyes. This was not the same affair I had done research on in my books. Instead of high class ponies waltzing about, the room was filled with ponies from all over Equestria. Not only that, but other races were in attendance also. Griffons, dragons, hippogrifs. Amazing. The lack of batponies would be something I would work to correct, though.

There was also an array of food for the guests. Carrot-dogs, fried corn dogs (made of actual corn cobs), and even special things like gemstones for the dragons. Wait, did I also smell hayburgers? And Applejack’s famous apple pies?!

The music had also undergone some changes. Octavia was still here, but she was accompanied by her boisterous roommate Vinyl Scratch who had electronic music playing to go along with her classical group. It worked and meshed together beautifully. And everyone danced without a care in the world with no regard for form or proper movements.

Was this a Gala or a highschool reunion? “Well now…ah!”

Luna grabbed me up with her magic to pull me to the dance floor, and I immediately regretted every decision I had made in life. “Come on, Mr. Vest! Don’t tell me you forgot how to dance!”

Why? Of all times, why now? Thankfully, no one seemed any wiser at Luna’s disguise. Were the glasses really that effective? Guess the comics were right. “Um…” I stepped left, right. My best efforts were made to follow the music. It was pretty bumpin’ I won’t lie. But I was not a good dancer. I found myself tripping over my own hooves a few times. But Luna was having fun, and that’s what mattered.

“There you go! You are slicing the carpet!”

“It’s...cutting a rug, but thanks?”

To be quite frank, my dancing was horrible. But from within the crowd, we sashayed and wiggled through the crowd to the best of our ability. My real focus was on finding the Princess. She shouldn’t be hard to spot. Last I checked, she had her appearance changed to match that of Celestia’s tall stature to reflect her nature as ruler. Somewhat intimidating to imagine. Celestia was the only pony out there with such huge proportions, so it was intimidating to imagine someone else with similar features.

Strangely enough, I didn’t see her. Not yet anyway. Which was odd on its own. Shouldn’t the princess be present at the Grand Gala? She should stick out fairly easily with a body of that shape. What gives?

We danced until we were tired. Well, more like I was tired, and Luna wanted to give me a break. “That was fun, wasn’t it? Oh, did you spot Twilight yet?”

I shook my head to erase the sense of dizziness I had picked up. “Brrr. No, not yet. Kinda weird isn’t it?”

“I must admit, that is somewhat concerning. Perhaps we should go looking for her?”

“No no...we don’t want to stand out,” I replied, and took a gander around the room to survey the perimeter. “You never know who could be watching.”

Luna mimicked the movements of my eyes, much to her own confusion. “Oh come now, Pale. I think you are too ingrained in your occupation to suspect trouble at an event like this.”

“Didn’t Discord nearly nuke the place with a slime monster a few years ago?”

She held back some laughter. “Pfft--okay, maybe there could be--ooh! Does this make us like the other comic book ponies?”

“No….no--”

“Yes! Batstallion and his sidekick Canary! Ooh, Bruce Mane would attend parties just like these in the movies.”

I nodded with a bit of shame since I knew just what movies she spoke of. “Yes...that is--wait…” I thought about it for a second. She could very well be onto something. Events like this always had somepony dirty that you never expected to appear later on. Mr. Mane met Catmare at such a party in the second--wait, why was I using movie logic too?

“Mmm-hmm…” Luna gazed at me with a smug expression, “Come now, there is no shame in admitting that I have the right mentality here.”

“Gah, you are troublesome. But I have to agree. If someone were to start up something, now is the time. With Twilight missing, things are looking a bit strange right about now. And for the record, I preferred the Power Ponies comics when I was younger. Mistress Mare-velous and High Heel were among my favorites.”

Her eyes were starry. “Ooh! Mine too! I suppose that means you prefer dominant mares, hm? And I’m sure Twilight will turn up soon. Until then, why don’t we dine a little bit?”

Yet again, I had no choice in the matter. The moon mare would forcefully pull me around like I truly was her little sidekick brother or something. I didn’t hate it. I just wish she gave me a warning first. Though the comment in reference to my preference of mare irked me ever so slightly.

“Ah! I’ve always wanted to try fried corn, how about you, Pale?”

She was already stacking her plate high with food, but I couldn’t help but think about the possibility of something happening under our noses. “Huh? Oh right, well--actually I haven’t tried that before,” I replied as we sat at a table. It was pretty far away from the dance floor, so at least I didn’t have to listen to music.

Luna would eat, but I would merely nibble at the items she had gathered for me. “Is something wrong?”

“Nothing! I’m just a bit concerned…”

Our conversation was interrupted by a familiar green mare. “Yooo, it’s the Pale bro.”

“Oh? Do you know her?”

I nodded at Tree Hugger, “Er, somewhat. Are you having a nice evening, T.H.?”

“For sure. By the by, who’s your new friend?” she asked and eyed up what was clearly Princess Luna in a short dress and glasses. “She looks kinda familiar, but I don’t recognize her.”

Wow. Either she was delirious, or played it off for our sake. Luna responded with a giggle. I didn’t know what to believe. “Er...you could say she’s from another plane of reality entirely. But more importantly, have you seen any weird activity happen here so far?”

“Nothing, man. Though I have been getting some weird vibrations from the plants outside. It’s like they’re afraid, yo…”

Luna adjusted her glasses, “Afraid? Of something outside? I wonder…”

“Thanks for the tip, Tree,” I said with a smile.

She laughed, and returned the smile with her usual mellow gaze. “Doooope. Don’t forget, if you ever wanna join me for some more body painting, my house is open,” she waved and left us alone. I didn’t even see if she had a plus-one.

And Luna was just as confused as I. “What an...interesting mare.”

“That’s one way to put it. But what she said, has my attention. The plants outside are afraid...could there be something going on?”

“Ohoho...are you sure your friend isn’t off her rocker?”

“Nope. In fact, she’s completely on it.” I laughed and finished up the food on my plate. I had to admit, it was nice to have a different array of things to eat for a change. I got up from the table. “Now weren’t you going to give me a tour of the outside anyways?”

Luna followed me with a grin on her face, “Oh? Finally taken an interest in the culture I see.”

“Ugh, just teleport us out there.”

She giggled, and with a flick of her horn, we flashed and were suddenly in the back gardens of Canterlot. Several of the more high class ponies had taken shelter out here to avoid the noise of the inside dance floor.

“Oh my, what’s their problem?” Luna asked with a concerned frown as she looked at the ponies who relaxed in the garden.

“Ah they just want some quiet. Let ‘em be, I say. C’mon. I wanna see what special plants you have out here.” And maybe catch a glimpse of Princess Sparkle.

Luna meanwhile seemed much too eager to engage in the subject. She started to dance in place on her hooves, “Eee! I thought you would never ask. Come on! I’ll show you the new spitter plants we’ve acquired!”

I followed the ecstatic alicorn with a steely gaze. Twilight had to be around here somewhere…

For the time being, I was led to a small patch of bulbous flowering plants in the garden. They were green in color with pink stems. “Are these the--”

“Shh! Not so close. These are extremely dangerous...one wrong move…” she picked up a stick with her hoof and tossed it at the plant. It spat up a corrosive magical pollen that burned the stick to ash. “Aha! See? Aren’t they amazing?”

I stopped in my tracks to watch the strange plant at work. Very interesting indeed. “Well now...you have my attention.” These could certainly be utilized for other types of potions and weapons. Oh the possibilities.

Luna would continue to show me around. I thought it would be pointless to roam about out here, but as it turns out, there was a lot to enjoy in the garden. After a while, we sat in a bed of dandelions under the moonlight. Though, I couldn’t help but wonder about what Tree Hugger mentioned to me. Why would the plants be scared? Hmm…

“...so Vestige, do you have a special somepony?”

Wow. Such a casual way to ask the question. But I suppose it was only fair to answer, given that she had explained some of her past relationship troubles to me. I wouldn’t refuse her question. “Well, no. You could say that I’m married to my occupation. I’ve never had the time to court a mare.”

“Ah. I see.” It seemed like she understood what I had meant, but that teasing dream demon had other ideas. “So instead, you wish to meet as many mares as you can so you have a buffet table’s worth of options at your disposal.”

I reacted with a stammer, and a blush. “I w--hey! I’m just doing my job!”

“I kid, I kid!” she replied while she tried to hold back her laughter. “Hehe. I respect that, though. Not all of us are built for such levels of bonding. So we simply make do with what we have...you know what I mean?”

I nodded. While I did sometimes entertain the idea of settling down one day, I simply never...found the perfect match. It was hard to explain. “Yes...my team, my friends. We’re like a family that can’t be broken. I don’t really need a mare for satisfaction in life.”

“Well, as long as you’re sure of yourself. I can respect an individual with drive. However, if you ever come across somepony you do acquire feelings for, don’t push those feelings down deep.” She looked off to the side. Did she speak from experience, perhaps? “If you do, then you will live an eternity of regret once the opportunity passes. I spent many a Hearts & Hooves day in regret.”

As gloomy as her point was, she was right. Letting anything pass me by would be absolutely detrimental to my progress. Not to mention my mental stability as well. The last thing I wanted would be to go through life wishing for ‘what could have been.’ I couldn’t stand...not knowing things.

“Luna, there might be someone that--”

Before I could finish my sentence, our time was cut short. The purple alicorn herself teleported in front of us. I was so absolutely floored by how massive she was that I could feel my pupils shrink as I stared at her.

“Princess Luna--er, Luna. I need your help.”

She removed her glasses, “What is the matter, Princess Twilight?”

Twilight pointed a wing towards the main building. “There’s something going on inside. I could use your help.” I guess she noticed that I was staring by now, “Uh...is your friend okay?”

“Oh that? Uh, hehe--he’s just...surprised to see the current Princess of Equestria in her full glory.”

“Ahem...hello, Princess,” I felt my focus return. That was rather scary.

Twilight gave an exasperated eye roll. “This is why I prefer to stay in my regular-sized form.” With a flash of magic, her body reverted to a much more comfortable-looking, normally sized mare for someone her age. “Alright. Now if there are no more interruptions or scares, Luna I need your help.”

She rose from her spot, “Whatever it is, I’ll do my best to help. Would you mind excusing me for a while, Mr. Vestige?”

“No problem,” I responded with a nod. If there was a conflict that brewed without our knowledge, it would be best to handle it right away. “I wanna stay out here for a while longer anyways.”

“Okay. I’ll see you soon. Now what’s the matter, Twilight?”

The alicorns both left to head back inside.

Now that Luna was gone, I could think more critically about the information I received from Tree Hugger. Just what could she mean by the fact that the plants were...wait.

I felt something. Beneath the earth.

There was something going on. A strange signature of magic that flowed through the ground. The scary part was that it didn’t even feel alive. Though someone like Sombra left behind a limbo signature, this was completely different. “Hmm…”

I stood up, and started to trot through the garden. Everything seemed normal for a moment, until I felt it again. It was powerful, something that I had never dealt with before. There was something wrong here.

“Hugger, if you’re simply off your knob again…” I muttered to myself about what the green mare told me. But to my surprise, she was completely accurate. I stepped into the small hedge maze just behind the castle itself. It took me a while, but I navigated my way to the middle.

Once there, I couldn’t believe my eyes at what I saw in the open area of the maze. “...” I hid behind a hedge and tried to make use of the earpiece that Flash Drive gave me, “Come in. Terminator to Quartermaster...Terminator to--shit!” The magical frequency used to power the device had been disrupted along with everything else in the area!

That’s what I heard someone speak from directly behind me. “Of course a rat like you would stick its nose where it doesn’t belong.”

Subject 26: Light Cuts Through Darkness

The alicorns entered the room, only for things to change drastically.

“Hold...what just happened?” Luna asked.

As it turned out, the magical disruption spell had affected the power of everything inside the ballroom. It was pitch black darkness for a moment.

Twilight scoffed. “Pshaw. It’s just a minor power disruption spell. Nothing I can’t handle. One second…” Her horn flashed, and the effects of the disruption were undone. Once the power was back on, they were aghast at what they saw. “Wait...what?! How could this happen?!”

Everyone in the room had fallen asleep. Luna would inspect their bodies, and found no damages, thankfully. However, their state of sleep was an odd one. “Strange. I cannot enter their dreams,” she explained as she tapped a pony with her hoof, “It’s as if they were placed into a limbic state of being which prevents me from entering their dreams.”

“There’s only one explanation for this: The Sandmare spell,” Twilight explained as she grabbed a book from...somewhere to explain her point. Luna didn’t bother to question it. “A high level magic spell that enforces a deep comatose-like state upon its victims. Huh. I almost feel proud of whoever managed to pull this off.”

Luna was not surprised that the purple alicorn had her nose buried in a book. But she was more concerned about how to reverse it. “Okay...that explains what we are dealing with. Now how do we undo it?”

“Can’t,” she closed the book, “Only the castor can break this spell. It’s a very strong one that requires a lot of preparation and focus. There’s a lot of technical aspects involved, but it needs to be cast long before it needs to go off. Somepony planned this. And they can’t have gone far.”

The mare of the moon stood at the ready. “Understood. What would you have me do, princess?”

Twilight paused for a second. That’s right, she was the ruler now and could give orders to Luna. She hadn’t gotten used to that yet. Though it was exciting. “Oh my gosh, yes! Here’s my chance to prove my leadership skills! Just hold it together...hold it together!”

After some thought, she would give Luna a command. “You can search the area. Find out just who caused this.”

“Got it. And what shall you do?”

“I’m going to attempt to break the spell myself,” she proclaimed with a proud smirk.

This confused the blue alicorn, “...but I thought you said only the castor can undo this particular spell.”

All the sudden, Twilight had jumped into Luna’s face with a hoof wrapped around her neck. “Obviously! But if I can be the first pony in history to undo this spell myself, it’ll be a historic moment in the history of magical...history,” she responded with a sheepish sort of smile.

“Tia, just what did you teach this one while I was away? Oh right, you’re asleep.” Luna gave an awkward sort of laugh, and flew upwards, “Hah...if you say so. But your wish is my command, Princess. I will find out who cast such a spell.” And with that, she flew out of a nearby window while Twilight got out her notes to study the state of each unconscious pony and non-pony.

Outside…

There was a flash of magic in the clearing, but it was a distraction to get my attention.

I turned around and found myself face to face with someone dressed in all black with a hood and no way to discern who they were. All I knew was that they were a unicorn. “What are you talking about?”

“Just walk to the middle of the maze…” I watched as their horn lit up. I had no choice but to comply...for now. “To think, a mere cornered rat would try and fight back against a system you have no chance of winning against.”

I stepped into the empty area of the maze, and watched as the hooded individual walked to the front of me. “Just what are you getting at?”

“Think critically for a moment. Assume you do get Cozy Glow to change, she will need lots of time spent in the educational system to make up for what she’s lost in those many years. Do you honestly think anypony is going to trust her to listen to instruction? Or how about the fact that she may use her gained knowledge and stab someone in the back with it?”

From the way they moved and the sound of their voice, I could tell it was a stallion. But not a stallion I had met previously. This one was young--about my age in fact. Hmm… “I’m aware of how risky it is to teach someone like her. But if the possibility is there for her to break free of her past actions, I’m sure she would take it.”

“And how do you know? How do you know that she won’t use you to get back at her enemies? Manipulate and control you only to toss away everything like she did all those years ago! Chrysalis was offered a hoof of friendship by Starlight and refused, only to return to cause more damage. Is that what you want? Do you want to put all of those other innocent ponies and foals out there to suffer her wrath again?”

I knew it wasn’t going to be easy. Not to trust her or to get others to trust her. And yet, I knew within the confines of my soul that she should be given proper time to adjust. “She won’t...there’s nothing for her to gain by doing something so foolish. She’s smart, so she’ll know not to make the same mistake again.”

This individual was annoying. He crouched down, which meant he was preparing to start something. “Pity, though not unexpected. If you are this constrained by your ideals...then I have no choice but to dispose of you for the sake of everypony else.” They shot a blast of bright white magic at me that I just barely managed to avoid.

“Woah!” It burned several holes through multiple layers of thick hedge before dissipating. “...Insane.”

Meanwhile…

“Shit...no answer after fifteen minutes? Bugger this, I’m headed out,” Neon prepared to leave the confines of the security room in Canterlot Castle. Cameras set up by Flash Drive would show every inch of the dance floor.

His brother Flash Drive stopped him. “...Hold on, Neon. Are you sure this is the right idea? Aren’t you afraid of dealing with another…accident out there?”

“Bruv, Pale is my friend...I need to see if he’s okay.”

“Let me come with ya,” the black unicorn pleaded, “You’ll have a betta time if I’m with ya.”

Neon refused the offer with a shake of his head. “Negative, bruv. I’m countin’ on you and Gutter to keep everything safe on this end. I need your wits to keep the communication line stable. As well as watch over the Princess while she works out what that sleep spell was.”

Guttersnipe had fallen asleep in the security room chair, to which Flash Drive reacted with a hoof against his forehead out of shame.

“...Alright, mate.” Flash Drive gave a reluctant nod and pushed his brother out of the door. “Well? Get on then, ya knob. He isn’t gonna save himself.”

Outside…

“Listen...I’m willing to hear you out, sir. If there’s a way we can compromise, I would gladly take it,” I tried to reason with this individual. The last thing I wanted to do was fight someone I didn’t know. “Let’s be rational, alright?”

But my words only seemed to enrage the guy. I could sense his blood boiling. “Rational...rational?! Let me ask you a question, good sir. Is it rational to sit back knowing that your family is gone thanks to the actions of that child?!”

If I had some water in my mouth, I would’ve spat it out. Holy bull. “Wait...what?!”

“Oh-ho! Now you wanna listen! Because of those three Horsemen of the Apocalypse, my wife left me when the pony races were split.”

“I...I don’t understand...didn’t everyone make up by the end of it?”

The unicorn scoffed. “Oh sure. That’s what everyone usually thinks. But she had already flown off to Cloudsdale to get back with her ex and she married his sorry flank. And took the child we raised back to him. You tell me, does that sound rational to you? But now, everyone thinks everypony is happy. But they don’t ever bother asking about those of us who were affected by this the most.”

Wait, ‘those of us’? Were there other folks out there who were affected by Cozy Glow on an extremely personal level in a similar manner? “I...I’m sorry...but I thought Chrysalis was responsible for that?”

“She was the one who orchestrated the entire plan! Don’t you get it? Because of her, my entire life went down the toilet,” he stomped his hoof and his horn lit up once more, “And you have the gall to attempt to bring her back?! I could never let you do such a thing!”

To think, they would be responsible for not only causing distrust among the ponies, but also destroying relationships and families. I had to know more. Just what else could have happened due to Cozy Glow’s intellectual manipulation on a ground level. “Alright, listen. I would like to speak to you, and the other individuals in your...group? Those who have suffered from Cozy Glow’s tactics in unfixable ways. Let me speak with them.”

“Heh...you really want to look in the darkness huh? Even if it kills ya?”

I nodded, “Absolutely.”

“Then beat me. Prove that I should take you seriously. Otherwise you won’t get jackrabbit shit from me.”

Was violence the only way to reason with someone like this? Why couldn’t things be simple? But no matter. I would do what I can to find out the truth. Even if it meant getting my hooves dirty. “Are you sure you want to do this?”

“Absolutely,” he said with no hesitation.

“Hmph. Fine. Just a scuffle between two angry stallions. Nothing more.” I reached into my vest.

As soon as I did, he fired off another blast of magic at me. I was prepared this time, and started to dodge and roll around to avoid them. And to charge my weapon. If his words were true, then I really did feel sympathy towards the guy. But if I were to undertake the risk of bringing the former filly back to the realm, I had to hear all sides of the argument.

And I guess it didn’t hurt to stretch my legs.

Magic users were fairly common. All with varying degrees of skill and finesse. This guy was a user of more light-based spells. So they were fast, but wouldn’t harm as much. Obviously it was hard to react to every single one. I took a few hits here and there. But once my blaster was charged, I was able to properly react.

I pulled it out and flicked the lever on the weapon. At just the right angle, I activated it and used the pressurized air to reflect one of the light blasts back at his horn.

“Tch!”

Perfect. His magic was disabled for a few seconds, and I was able to move in close. Ranged magic users had a hard time keeping up at short range, so this gave me the opportunity I needed. I ran up behind him, and grabbed his tail between my teeth. With all my might, I swung and let go which flung his body into the thick hedge wall nearby. “Ha!”

“Grr…” he got up, that hood still didn’t move to let me see his face, but that wasn’t the main concern. “Let’s see you dodge this…” His horn lit up, and I braced myself. But instead of a straightforward blast, his magic struck the ground directly. The superheated electrical magic spread across the dirt, and with no escape, I felt an electrical shock against my hooves.

“Ow! Shit! Really?!” I danced around like a fool. It hurt with each step I took. And I wouldn’t last very long unless I could reverse the spell.

The stallion used self-levitation to avoid the harmful effects himself. “If only you could fly or had magic of your own to cancel this out, eh? Then this wouldn’t be a problem for you.” He said with a cackle from above.

As much as I hated it, he was right. I was at a disadvantage due to the inability to close the distance from down here. I couldn’t properly recharge my Blaster since I wasn’t able to run. My only option would be to leap into the air, and strike his horn again.

With his arrogant laughter, he failed to notice when I leapt into the air and kicked his horn, which ended both his levitation and shockwave spells. He fell to the ground like a bag of rocks while I landed on all fours no problem. “Give it up. I don’t want to continue an unnecessary battle. There’s no reason to fight.”

“You ain’t got one…?” he rose to his hooves, “Well I do!” But before he could fire off his next spell, a barrage of what looked like watermelon seeds struck the unicorn from his side like bullets. “Agh! What the--?!” It threw him off balance and prevented him from casting another spell.

“Your lack of skill is obvious.” My bat friend had returned! His fake leg was loaded with fruit seeds that he fired from the rotating barrels. “‘Sup, Pale? Need some help?”

“I’d appreciate it. This guy has lots of high-level magic that I haven’t seen before.”

A pillar of light from the sky was about to come down onto me. “Look out!” Neon flew over and pushed me out of the way just in time. Both of us hit the hedge, relatively unscathed. “You alright, mate?”

“Yeah..but what the shit was that?” We both stood up to face the hooded unicorn.

“Divine arrows...and I have more where that came from,” his horn lit up.

Neon and I looked at each other and nodded. I got up and ran to a hard left. Neon had switched his Batling leg to fire exploding orchid seeds pods. Real thing. It was how some plants produced more offspring faster. But enough about that.

The violent explosions of seeds in his ears caused the unicorn to drop the spell before it could be completed. “Ngh!” This gave me the opening I needed. I leapt up, and sent the guy across the maze’s clearing with a dropkick.

“Hya!” He flew right into the solid hedge wall. “Enough is enough...Neon. Prepare yourself.”

But he simply would not stay down, and activated the electrical floor spell once more. “I don’t think so!”

“REAAAGGH!” Neon screamed. The electricity must have flowed through his metal limb and started to short-circuit his entire body!

I was shocked as well, but I forced myself to endure the pain. “Neon!” I needed to strike the horn again. I charged the unicorn, but was caught by his levitation aura. Someone like this had to have top tier magic control. “Gah...cease this nonsense and let him go!”

“Are you sure? Because I don’t think you’ve been fighting for real. Let me do something to fix that…” he said with a visible, demonic smirk against the moonlight. The intensity of the spell would increase, and Neon’s screams went from yelling to bat-like squeals that we couldn’t hear due to how high-pitched they were.

“....” His eyes were bloodshot, his skin started to ripple, his veins bulged. The electricity was destroying him. He wasn’t even able to cry out for help due to the frequency he put out that wasn’t discernable to non-bats.

I stared at him, and felt my blood boil. Even though I was trapped within this levitation field, I could feel my own magic brewing. Maybe...just maybe…

I shut my eyes.

“What’s the matter? Not going to help your--”

I broke out of the magic field and charged at the assailant like a raging bull, much to his confusion.

“But how?!”

“Simple.” With another kick, I hit his horn, and Neon was released from the electrical shackles. “I timed your magical aura with my internal one, and muscled through it. Earth ponies are known for their resistance, you know.”

Desperate, the unicorn started to cast defensive shock spells and dodged my strikes. “You…”

After a few more missed hits, I pulled out my Blaster and shoved the wide barrel against the tip of his horn. Though I still couldn’t see his face, I could feel his intentions. “Listen...I have had it with you. I have you beat fair and square. So at this point, you had better give up...and I would like to hear your friends’ personal reasons for wanting to keep Cozy Glow put away.” From the corner of my eye, I watched as Neon picked himself up. He had a few frizzles, but was mostly okay.

“Tch...if you want to know...then come find me.”

“What do you mean by that?” I strained my weapon against his horn. He was still charging up some sort of attack. I needed to know what he was about to say, but couldn’t afford to have Neon caught up in this any further. I turned my head, and nodded once.

Reluctant, my bat-like friend flew off. To get help from the princesses or anyone that could quell this crazy guy so we could question him.

But it was too late. “You’ll have a sign once you wake up tomorrow!” He tried to fire off another spell, but I clicked my miniature Thundergun to blast the pressure right back at him.

That was not a good plan on my part.

“SHIT!” Instead of a pillar of light, an entire massive sphere of it would consume the area as well as the rest of the maze. The dastard had to have teleported at the last moment, because I heard rapid hoofsteps clopping off in another direction entirely. I couldn’t escape the ball of light and was overtaken by massive amounts of electric energy that entered my body. It wasn’t enough to kill me, thank the gods. But I would be unable to move for a while.

When it was all over, the maze was no more. Gone. Reduced to atoms. Through all of the fighting and battling, I had gotten tired. But to my left, I saw some gold satin fabric on the ground that was covered in soot. So my suspicions were correct.

“Ova ‘ere!” I heard my bat friend shout. The last thing I remember seeing was the face of the purple and blue alicorns before my eyes shut from passing out.

The next morning, I woke up in a hospital bed. Dammit, again? No matter. I just wanted to make sure that Neon was safe. “Hey...what’s going on?” At least they were kind enough to put my vest and hat on the table beside me. And there...I noticed the gold fabric in an evidence bag in the pocket on my vest. So it was true. The stallion I fought yesterday was part of something bigger.

“Relax, Mr. Vestige,” the doctor unicorn said as he stepped in. “You simply endured some shocks or two. You’ll be out of here by tomorrow.”

“That’s great. And do you know where Neon is?”

He tilted his head, “Who? No one’s been here with a name like that.”

Damn. The guy didn’t even want to get his injuries checked at the regular hospital because he wasn’t comfortable being around regular ponies yet. I respected that. “Nevermind.”

“Ah, one more thing. Princess Twilight left me a message. She wants you to see her as soon as you get out. If I were you, I’d rest as much as possible to be in peak condition for her. Earning a moment with her is rare.”

I nodded. “Understood, doc. Thank you.”

The unicorn stallion left the room.

Well then, I felt like there was a sudden weight that had been pulled right out of me.

So at long last, my big chance was about to arrive. An audience with Twilight herself. Now I would have to prepare myself for everything I set out to do. This would be the moment that would make or break my entire life’s work. I will not--

“Who’s there?”

I felt something beneath my hospital bedsheets, and lo and behold. Tree Hugger had found a way to sneak into someplace with me in it. She had rested against my lower legs and woke up when I removed the covers. “Oh...hey man.”

“...How long have you been here?”

She sat up next to me, ever so casual like it was nothing. “Since I heard you had been taken to the hospital, I couldn’t leave a friend hanging.”

I blinked. Was this mare crazy or just that caring? “And you’ve...been here the whole time with me while I was unconscious...since last night?”

“Yeah, obvs. Am I making you feel uncomfortable?” For the first time since I met her, she dropped the laid-back smile she always carried as her face contorted into a concerned frown. “Because if I am, I’ll leave. Some ponies tend to not feel comfy around me, so I’ve gotten used to it. And Fluttershy hasn’t had time to spend with me lately--so I can only assume that’s why too.”

Damn, that hit me hard. I didn’t want to make her feel like I didn’t appreciate having someone to comfort me through the pain I faced. Not to mention the idea of her lacking any real friends somewhat pained me since I knew what that was like. So I shook my head with a smile.. “Nah. You’re making me feel better already.”

With a squeak-toy sound, she smiled wide, and her more natural facial expressions of mellow returned along with her regular smile. “Righteous…” she responded as she reached a hoof below her bed, and pulled out a basket. “I’ve got brownies, my special drinks, and sandwiches this time so you can feel stronger. And if you need to nap, I’ll meditate over you to give you my relaxing vibes, brah.”

“Heh...I’d like that, thank you, Huggs.”

I couldn’t complain. Someone like this was nice to be around. Plus, I was a bit hungry. So at least I could refuel and have full stamina. After talking to her for a bit longer, and went back to napping, and felt a sudden weight pressed against me. I didn’t mind, though. I figured Tree Hugger knew what she was doing when it came to calming others down.

I knew I’d be prepared when I wanted to talk to Twilight.

I just hoped she was willing to listen to what I had to say.

Subject 27: The Ruler and The Sheltered

And at long last, my opportunity came. Once I got out of the hospital in Canterlot, I would go see Princess Twilight the next day. I had to admit, I felt a bit proud knowing that I had gotten her attention enough to warrant the desire to see me. Could this be my chance to change the world? Or at least the life of one kid?

I entered the throne room, and took a bow.

“Rise,” she said to me. When I did, she was in her normally-proportioned pony form. Thank goodness. I was used to the way Celestia looked, but those longer legs looked absolutely strange on the purple alicorn. “Pale Vestige, right?” she asked my name she was levitating some files in front of her face. I prayed she wouldn’t start talking about my exploits and praise them like they were some noble act. “Agent of Ponyville...stopped an attack on Neighkatomi Towers in Manehattan...busted an illegal Casino in the Manetenegro region near Bitaly...and most recently offered a generous donation to the Crystal Empire Orphanage.”

Holy buckballs, did she really have everything?

“Correct. I’ve actually wanted to see you for multiple reasons.”

She moved the files down so that I could see her face. “The same goes for you as well, sir. You can explain your position first.”

I told her everything. About Cozy Glow, the batponies, the griffons, and the Earth Pony lessons that Cheerilee wanted to teach for good measure. “...and so, that’s where I currently stand. I’d like there to be a trial.”

“Hm…” she thought it over for a second. Her eyes darted between myself and the file with my information on it. Then she put it down, and flew down to meet me. “Alright. First things first. I didn’t even realize that the batponies had an entire colony in Hollow Shades. I always thought they were a race that lived among us.”

I shook my head. “Nope. They’re there. All holed up due to feeling afraid of being outcasts. Is it possible that they could be accepted and Hollow Shades can be fully integrated into society?”

“The area around Hollow Shades is clouded with mystery and hidden secrets,” she explained as she showed me a holographic version of the hidden valley with her magic. “Nopony really knows what the batponies do, or eat, or if they’re even friendly. For all we know, they could suck blood!”

“I spoke to their leader--or at least a high-ranking member of them. She said they don’t suck blood. But if you want to be cautious, I understand. It is a rather...unfamiliar territory.”

“Hmm…” The hologram disappeared. “And the griffons are working with them?”

“Only a small portion of them. Ones who are unsatisfied with the way their lands are ravaged beyond repair. Grifftonstone isn’t the only place where they reside. But beyond that, they still face heavy losses and Lord Gruff is growing weak in his old age. They need a new successor. And fast.”

The purple alicorn gave it some more thought. “He has a grandson named Gallus, but he’s currently a member of the Royal Guard. I wouldn’t want to hurt him by asking him to return home after he finally achieved his dream.”

“Then maybe another griffon can become the leader?”

Her face lit up with a wide grin. I didn’t know whether to be scared or invested. “Aha! I have an idea! We should put them through a set of trials!”

“A...what?”

A notebook appeared along with a pen she started to scribble in, all levitated and done by her magic. “Griffons are naturally greedy and territorial. Not to the same extent as dragons, though. Before Ember came along, dragons forced everyone to follow their leader out of fear since he was the strongest. With griffons, however, it’s a bit more complicated.” She tapped the pen against her chin before continuing to write.

“Makes sense. I know a bit about griffon culture since Manehattan is one of the closer cities to Griffonstone geographically. They’re solitary, and tend to avoid conflict, right?”

“Right. Griffons on average prefer to stay away from each other, rather than collaborate. This is what’s led to the downfall of the territory in recent years. But I never would’ve thought they would decide to consult batponies for help.”

“Well, when you’re down on your luck, you do crazy things to get back what you lost. I know from experience…”

The notebook disappeared, and Twilight would address me directly. “Alright. So, if it’s possible, I’d like you to meet with the griffons that intend to meet the batponies and circumvent their tactics. Try to get them to listen to my idea. If they’re willing to compromise and we help them find the best ruler, then there won’t be anymore biased bickering.”

I nodded. “Alright, I’ll--”

“Well, there’s one other thing. Make sure they know that Gallus is here.” She smirked to herself as if she came up with the greatest plan since...her last one. “Just in case they don’t listen to you, they’ll have the grandson of the current ruler to answer to. Who also just so happens to be a member of my Royal Guard. Great idea, isn’t it?”

I couldn’t deny that it was a very shrewd move on her part. If the grandson of their current leader was in play, then the rebellious gang of griffons would have no choice but to listen. “Indeed.”

“As far as the Earth Pony school lessons go, tell Cheerilee to go right ahead. Celestia’s already told me about it. But now, I would like to discuss the main thing you came here for.”

“That’s right…”

She walked off towards another room. “Follow me.”

I trotted after the mare as we left the main throne room. Were we headed to a more secretive place within the castle? No, we were going up some stairs now. A left, and we entered a small room with a tea table and bookshelves on either side. This must have been one of the rooms where she held meetings. I took a seat.

“Sorry, I just wanted to discuss this little tidbit in private,” she said as she closed the door behind me and took a seat with me. “Never know who could be listening. Now...you want to give Cozy Glow another chance?”

Made sense. Would be rather catastrophic if someone predicted my next move without my awareness. I had to think critically. “Yes. I was in her shoes at one point, and I feel as though she was dealt with...too swiftly. I would like to formally call for a trial.”

“...” Twilight looked as though she was going to say something. But when I mentioned the trial, she closed her mouth and started to think. “I see…” Was it possible that she was going to provide her personal feelings on the matter, only to retract the notion in a swift second? “Shining Armor already informed me of what you want to do. But I wanted to hear it straight from the horse’s mouth.”

“So will you do it? At least offer me the opportunity to hold a trial in her defense.”

She closed her eyes for a moment, and another notebook appeared. Her eyes opened. She looked into it, and started to mumble to herself. Must have been a schedule planner. “Hm...carry the one...okay. I can send out the Royal Summons, and have a trial ready for you by next week. Is that favorable to you?”

I still wanted to know Twilight’s own opinions on the matter. But I showed restraint for now. The time would come for her to state her stance eventually. So no big deal. “Okay then...it gives me an opportunity to take care of the other bits of business first.”

“Yup. Isn’t it great when things fall into place? So you will head to Hollow Shades tomorrow to hopefully stop the griffons from causing trouble. Once you both explain my idea, I will have Gallus meet up with them. Then we can get started on helping them find a ruler among them.”

I nodded. “And for the batponies?”

“Fluttershy used to be one--sort of. And she would be the most accepting of their bat-like features due to her love of animals. So I’ll send her out there along with….hm….” Yet again, the notebook would appear, pages flipped through as she studied it. “Starlight.”

“Oh?”

“I’m sure you’re aware, but Starlight used to have a...tiny village of her own that was separated from society. But now it’s a wonderful little place. If anypony knows how to turn an isolated area around, it’s her.”

Once again, fairly sound logic. I wouldn’t refuse such a notion. Not to mention, this was my chance to prove that I could be trusted to the ruler of the land herself. Once I did that, my case for Cozy Glow would go over much more smoothly. “Understood. I’ll get everything set up.”

“Alrighty, then. And one more thing...I am personally assigning you to find out who caused the destruction of the Garden at the recent Gala. You have my express permission to bring them in on sight. Any questions?”

“None,” I responded with a bow, “Now I know what I need to do. Thank you, Princess Twilight.”

“You’re very welcome. Please. Feel free to come back whenever you like.”

Well. That was rather...unexpected. But still, I knew what must be done. My first move would be to alert Madam Sonar that her race could be accepted and that they would be having visitors. Second, would be to intercept the Griffons and tell them about Twilight’s idea so that they may find a true ruler among them.

But before that, I had to find Neon. Flash Drive and Guttersnipe should have taken him to our Canterlot base near the side of the mountain by now. I left the castle, and headed out of the main city of Canterlot. And surely enough, I saw a campsite set up on the nearby trail at the side of the mountain. I entered one of the llarge command central tents. It was big enough for a dozen people to sleep in at least. There, I found Flash Drive.

“Wassup, friend?” the black unicorn asked.

“Where’s your brother?”

With a hoof, he pointed at a nearby bed where the batpony rested. “The electric aura messed with his head a bit, but he’ll be fine. What didja learn from the Princess?”

“A host of things. But first, I need to go to the batponies and let them know that they will receive visitors in the next few days. Then, intercept the griffons who planned to attack and find a way to convince them to listen to Twilight and Gallus.”

Drive nodded, and levitated some sort of cord with his magic, and went to a workbench. “In that case, I’m goin’ with ya. My bruv is out of commission, and somepony needs to be there on his behalf.”

He started to reshape the wires into something. I couldn’t tell what, though. “...If you’re sure. I could really use the help,” I responded reluctantly.

“Glad you answered so quickly,” he put on some welding goggles, “If ya said no, I would’ve followed ya. And that just would’ve made things awkward later.”

I snickered. “Oh please. When there’s something related to Neon on the line, I know you’re not going to back down.”

“Damn straight.” Sparks started to fly as he worked his magic with the cables. Just what did this guy have in mind? Was he gearing up for a fight. “Gotta stay sharp, lest you wanna get bit. Gutter can take care of Neon the rest of the way.”

“Alright...then we head back there tonight. Don’t be late.”

At last, he showed me what he worked on. A set of chains that were controlled by a magnetic field. “Hah. I’m never late…not unless I’m dead.”

And so, I returned to the Hollow Shades entrance via train. I watched the sunset as I sat beneath a tree. The horizon was consumed by night once more, and the time of the reckoning for the griffons was sure to arrive.

I had a bit of time before I needed to go, so I rested beneath a tree. Though, it was sadly interrupted.

“Excuse me?”

I looked up, and found another hooded pony not unlike the one I faced at the Gala the other night. A pegasus. “...Hello?”

From the voice, I could tell it was a mare. “...you must know one of my friends that spoke to you about what Cozy Glow did to his life, right?”

“Yes?”

“Well, I’m here to explain what her actions caused for me, as well. Are you willing to listen?”

I had to be fair, of course. “Absolutely. Please explain as much as you can.”

“When Cozy Glow stole all the magic of the world, I lost the ability to control the weather. I lost my job at the weather factory, and couldn’t work.”

“I see...but couldn’t you return once magic had been restored?”

The hooded mare shook her head. “It also messed with my ability to fly properly, and I broke my wings that day. Thankfully, it was only a few of us who had this problem, but I suffered hard. I couldn’t go back to work, and had to stay at some awful desk job for Celestia knows how long making minimum wage in some cubicle. All because that brat had to go and ruin my life!” she stomped her hoof.

“I...I understand. I realize now that her actions affected everyone on different levels. Trust me, the last thing I want is for her to do the same thing again.”

The mare snorted. “Hmph. If you say so. I’m aware that other villains were given second chances, but that filly damaged lives on a completely different level. You had better be ready to present a damn good case at that trial.”

“Fair enough…but I recall how Starlight caused similar damage by trying to force the world into different timelines. Consider that, at the trial.” I didn’t have much else to say except--wait. ‘That’ trial? Hold on, how was she aware of the private conversation I had with Twilight. “Wait...hold on a second--” but before I could properly address her, she had flown off into the darkness. “Gah...dammit all. She’s gone.”

“Are you feeling alright, chum?” Flash Drive called out to me as he got off the train. “You were shouting at someone. Did you make contact already?”

Even with context, it wouldn’t make much sense. I decided to spare him the details for now. “It was…nothing. Are you ready?”

“Anythin’ to help my bro. He’s always been there for me. Now it’s Drive-time.”

I snickered and started walking. “Did you get that catchphrase from one of those new-fangled adventure games the foals play?”

“Hey now, they’re damn good, man!” he followed. “But for real. If these guys are willin’ to be friendly, then it spells an easier time for Neon.”

Oh yeah, that reminded me. “I’ve always wanted to ask--just how are you two related?”

“He didn’t tell you?” We both kept to the path that led into the dark valley. “His parents are dead, mate. Gone not long after they were found in Trottingham. My folks and I took him in, raised him like he was our own. Now he’s well off.”

I tipped my hat to hide my sadness. “I...I see...I’ll make extra effort to take care of him.”

“Nah, don’t get like that,” he forced my hat back up with his magic. “He doesn’t need to be coddled like a pansy. He needs his companions. That’s where all of us come in,” he pointed at me, then himself. “Get it?”

Smart guy. I wouldn’t waste this chance. Not with Neon’s name on the line. “Indeed, my friend.”

“Right then. Let’s get on down there…”

I stopped him. “Hold on, we need to eat some of the fruit first.”

He groaned and hung his head, “Aw man...I hate sweet things.”

“Come now, don’t be shy. Fruit breath makes you less hostile. It’s either that or crickets.” I climbed up one of the trees.

“I’ll take the pears.”

Once I had gotten some pears from a nearby tree, we munched them as we trotted down to the dark, sheltered city of bat-kind.

“Well now...I wonder what sort of tech they got ‘ere. How’s anything powered down in a manky place?”

“Come to think of it, I didn’t venture any sort of guess towards it. But I’m sure Madam Sonar will be willing to explain.”

“Right, right…”

I led him to the small abode where I had met the batmare not long ago, and knocked on the door. “Ms. Sonar? Are you available?”

The door was answered in a hurry, the batmare had curlers in her mane, and she looked like she had only recently woken up. “Huh? Wha? Oh it’s you, sir…”

“Yes. We’re here to let you know that two ponies from the princesses’ close circle are going to arrive soon. With them, you can discuss how you can integrate back into pony society along with the others.”

“Oh...that sounds nice…” she yawned, “And what about the griffons?”

Flash Drive spoke up. “We’re gonna handle ‘em ourselves, madam. You just rest and let us deal with that, right Pale?”

“Indeed. We’ll take care of them. Just watch out for your kin.”

“Oh...okay…” The batmare was still not fully cognitive, but she gave her best response with a nod. “I’m gonna go back to bed and...stuff.” She closed the door.

“Well that was rather easy.”

“It ain’t over yet,” I started walking away from the door, and back to the entrance of the valley. “Those bird-cat-folk could show up at any second. We have to be ready to intercept.”

Instead of following close, Drive chose a brisk gallop instead. “You’re too stingy, Captain. Take in the sights while ya can.”

There was no time for that. Now that we’ve given the bats the warning, it was time to act. The griffons would be here any minute now. We returned to the edge of the valley where the fruit orchards were located.

“Alright...keep your wits about you, now,” I said with a steely gaze. “They could be anywhere.”

Flash Drive pointed, “Found ‘em.”

“What?”

Apparently, he thought to bring along his binoculars, and used them to spot the griffons who were about 20 yards away as they flew in. “What should we do, boss?”

“Intercept, obviously,” I stepped out and started waving my hooves around. “Hoi! Over here!”

They landed. A familiar boss griffon stood before us alongside four others. Two on his left and two on his right. “What are you doing here? We’ve come for what we were promised.”

“The deal’s off, buddy,” I said with a tip of my hat. “But you’ll be happy to know that Princess Twilight herself offers a message.”

“Oh really? And what, pray tell, did she want you to say?”

I cleared my throat. “She wants you to meet with Gallus. They will both oversee a sort of...competition to determine who the best griffon ruler is.”

“Lord Gruff’s grandson, eh?” he raised an eyebrow, “And do you honestly think a griffon that lives among ponies will have the best understanding of griffon culture?”

Was he dense? Honestly. “Tch. He’s leading a more successful life than you are right about now, so I’d say so.”

Flash Drive jumped out in front of me and uttered what I can only describe as the single most confusing statement in history. “Ohhhh! Damn man you lot just got shagged harder than a scrubber mare in a public cottage on a red light evening!” he stood on his hind legs with his forelegs crossed in a pose that wouldn’t look out of place on the cover of a Rap CD.

I...I just...whaaa…?

I stared at him in confusion. Complete silence filled the air for at least thirty grueling seconds.

One of the griffons let out an awkward cough.

The boss griffon looked just as confused as I was. “Um...is your friend alright?”

“I have no idea,” I grabbed his tail with my teeth, and forcefully pulled him back next to me. I desperately wanted to smack him, but I would save that for later. “What in the absolute devil did you just--you know what, don’t tell me.”

“Sorry, boss. Just felt appropriate,” he replied with a rightfully embarrassed smile.

I sighed with a hoof over my nose. Then I looked at the griffons once more. “Once you speak with Gallus, the princess will make the details clearer. Is that agreeable?”

“Hm…” The boss griffon rubbed his claw against his chin as he thought about it.

His thoughts along with everyone else’s were interrupted when we heard threatening chitter noises from the trees nearby. In the darkness of the forest, we saw various sets of bat eyes which gazed threateningly at the griffons.

“Wait...what’s going on? Did you set us up?! If you aren’t willing to compromise, we’ll take the relic by force.”

I shook my head. “No! I didn’t...everyone go back to your homes!” I stood between the swarm of bat-ponies that just barely poked their heads out of the dark forest and the griffons, who looked ready to fight.

Just then, Flash Drive would slip next to me with a whisper. “Listen. I have a plan. The perfect plan. Possibly the greatest plan ever.”

I returned the whisper. “What could you possibly be planning?”

“...Dance-off.”

Luna end me now.

Subject 28: Musical Disturbance

All the sudden, Flash Drive tossed the chains from earlier into the air. His horn lit up, and sparks would fly into the sky which bounced off those chains. Those sparks would explode and create an impromptu spotlight above us all. The light shone directly onto the black unicorn who suddenly had a rose clenched between his teeth. Wh-what?!

He stood on his hind legs and clapped his hooves. Music would start to play off the magical chain sparks. He began to do an elegant solo flamenco style dance that originated from the Smane region in the far West. Okay. I knew what he was doing. But the question was why? What was the point of such a stupid--oh.

Distraction. Everyone around us had been caught completely off-guard by Drive’s wonderful hoofwork. Of course.

I turned to the bats that had come to defend their home. “Return. I will deal with--” They weren’t listening. Drive’s distraction dance was too powerful. Now he had started to do elegant spins along with the claps. How does anypony manage to move like that and not fall flat on their face?

No matter, I ran over to one of the mango trees and bucked it. I wasn’t an experienced tree kicker, but I managed to get them down in about two kicks or so. After that, I gathered up the dozen or so mangos and whistled. “Hoi!” The scent had caught the defending bats’ attention, and I chucked the mangos as hard as I could in the direction of their home.

They screeched and all flew after them. I knew they couldn’t let good fruit go to waste by splattering on the ground. So now they were successfully out of the equation. Just in time too.

Flash Drive completed his dance by dropping to his knees and tossing the rose into the dead of night, across the horizon. To my surprise, some of the griffons not only clapped, but cried. What was going on anymore?

“I...can’t believe it,” the boss said with a tissue at his nose. “That dance spoke to me on an emotional level.”

I needed answers. “Flash USB Drive...just what was that?”

He stood, and took a few deep breaths, “Oh, dance is one of my hobbies when I’m not workin’. I figured it’d be a perfect diversion. Now talk to ‘em.”

Hopefully his crazed movements will have made this easier. “Ahem...now that we have your attention. We would like you to speak with Princess Twilight and her loyal Griffon Guard Gallus. They will have the methods you need to find a King without any bloodshed.” I stepped forward, “And I want to apologize for attacking you all on that night. When I saw my old friend Babs sent through the wall, I couldn’t help but defend her.”

The boss griffon had finally stopped crying and put one of his claws around my neck in a tight sort of hug. “No...do not apologize, sir. Between that battle, and your friend’s touching dance. We have newfound respect for you ponies.”

Flash Drive gave a dramatic bow in response.

I was choking due to the sheer muscle mass of the bird-like arm. “That’s...great...choking!”

“Oh. My bad.” He let go, which allowed me to take a deep breath.

This felt...much simpler than I had expected. Too simple. But I wasn’t about to question it. “Now explain to me. Just why do you griffons feel so stressed out?”

“In truth...we don’t like the fact that Lord Gruff is nearing his death while the rest of us are scattered with no sign of peace. We are also annoyed that the dragons and changelings have been more closely allied with the rest of Equestria while we remain...isolated.”

I nodded. “I get you. Since Gruff’s only living relative has chosen a different path, it would be wise to select a new ruler based on different forms of merit. That is what we would like to suggest.”

The boss griffon looked at his fellow crew members. They all nodded in agreement. Good thing too. “Suppose we agree to this...are you absolutely sure that Gallus is impartial?”

“He wouldn’t be a Royal Guard if he was biased, now would he? So with that being said, you need to meet with them at Canterlot Castle tomorrow morning. Savvy?”

“...I suppose. Even if our problems don’t get solved right away, we can at least make progress.”

I sighed with relief. They were way more reasonable than I had initially thought. At least now, they were willing to compromise with us so we could move forward and begin establishing better relations between each other.

“Didn’t I tell ya? Dance speaks to everyone on a soul level, bruv.”

Flash Drive boasted about his talents, to which I only rolled my eyes. “Right...sure it does.” I couldn’t comment since I had no clue how to dance.

Once we discussed the nature of our intention, the gang of griffons were more willing to listen. They agreed to meet Twilight and Gallus the next morning. Good. They flew off without anymore trouble. Hopefully they would understand the princess’ idea and get them to stop fighting among themselves for the betterment of each other.

Drive and I both took the next train out of Hollow Shades that evening. It was a quiet, relaxing ride that only had the occasional rumble of the train itself that disturbed me. Flash Drive slept soundly on the seat in the aisle across from me. But I? I don’t know. Something just didn’t feel right. Yes I was able to send the messages to both the batponies and griffons and the rest was out of my hooves now. Fluttershy and Starlight were to take care of the bat-kin while Gallus would speak to his fellow bird-cat folk.

Everything was being sorted out, right? Then why did I feel so...uneasy?

It was hard to explain. But I felt that it was rather simple to accomplish. Something about it made me uncomfortable. Could it have something to do with the relatively empty train? I mean, it made sense, right? At this hour, hardly anypony was on the express. But it was...eerie to say the least. Absolutely nopony besides myself and Drive were on the train ride back to Ponyville. We told Guttersnipe to meet with us back at the Agency with Neon once he woke up.

However, despite the fact that no one else was seemingly here, I felt...watched. As if someone within the train had been keeping tabs on my every move. The art of tailing was something I was very familiar with. You had to mask your presence in order to send the target into a crazed stupor of whether or not they were being followed. As they say, the fear of death is worse than death itself.

So I countered it. I kept my composure, even through the silent train ride home. By the time we got back, I bid the Trottish brother goodbye. “Alright, FD. I’ll see you in the morning. Say hi to your brother for me.”

“Righto, boss. And hey, don’t stress out. Things are gonna be fine.” He pat me on the neck before he headed on his way, “See ya.”

“Indeed, goodnight.” I watched as he made his way all the way back to our little building. I kept my eyes on him to ensure he wasn’t attacked on his way home. The disturbance I felt on the train was still there, even as it left the station. Something just...wasn’t right. Maybe I was being irrational and needed sleep.

So that’s what I did. I went straight home with no stops. As soon as I got there, I showered and went to bed as always. But...for whatever reason, I couldn’t sleep. I tossed and turned in my bed, but there was some sort of lingering feeling of something uncanny within my midst. Just what was--

CLANK!

I heard a pot fall within my kitchen. But I sensed no magical signature of any kind. No one was in my house. So was it the wind? I trotted slowly through the dark hallway, and snuck into my kitchen. Indeed, a pot was on the floor. But no sign of anypony anywhere. “Hm…” Could it have just been the wind? Or some stupid kids pulling a prank?

I checked the window. It wasn’t open. Okay. That must mean--

WHACK!

I heard a noise from outside. It sounded like something heavy had just hit the ground. I went to my door, and opened it. At my doorstep, I took a look around. Nothing. Just what in the heck was going on here? I closed the door and locked it behind myself. I had to find out just who was causing this.

I heard hoofsteps round the corner, and crouched down. If someone was going to attack me, I’d be ready. “Come on out!”

“Ah!” To my surprise, it was Cheerilee dressed in workout gear. “Oh dear...I was just out for a nighttime run and ran into you by accident. I hope I didn’t scare you, Pale.”

I was relieved to see her familiar purple face. “Oh it’s you...how are you this evening, Cheery?”

“Oh, I’m doing just fine. Well, better than I was a few nights ago.”

That was odd. It wasn’t like her to be so down. I tilted my head, “Oh? What’s wrong?”

She shrugged, “Eh, remember when I said I had a plus-one for the gala? Well, it didn’t go as planned. Party Favor is a nice guy and all, but we just didn’t have much in common so it was hard to hold a conversation with him.”

Hm...oh! I remember him. One of the ponies from Starlight’s old village. “The dude that likes to create crazy balloons?”

“That’s right. I tried my best to get along with him, but it didn’t go anywhere. Though like I said, he’s still a nice friend.” She sighed and hung her head, “I suppose I should be used to this. It’s not the first time I thought a stallion might’ve been a good pick, only for it to fail.”

I felt the need to ask this time. “Oh? What do you mean?”

She rose and looked at me with a forlorn expression. “Ah, just--a long time ago, Big Mac and I were put under a love potion thanks to the Crusaders and it made us go bazonkers over each other.” She giggled as she thought about it, “He said things he would never say. But once it wore off, we decided to actually try and date each other. Buuut that didn’t work out. Though I’m super happy that he found somepony else. Sugar Belle is a great pick for him.”

Her eyes had that pained sort of twitch to go along with her nervous smile. I could see that part of her wished that things did work out between herself and Mac, or anyone else. I felt bad. But I knew there was someone out there. “Hey...don’t give up. Not everything happens right away. You’ll find someone that cares about you on that level.”

“You think so?” she asked, her face looked more relieved. “Well, hearing that from a stallion instead of a mare for once is comforting. Means that I’m not quite over the hill yet, haha!”

I laughed also. “Heh! Yeah, don’t worry. You’ve got the looks and a winning personality to match. Just don’t feel so down on yourself.”

“You’re right, Pale. Although, you shouldn’t overwork yourself.”

“Hm?”

She giggled, “I can see it in your eyes sometimes as you walk home. Wrinkles and a few stress marks. Take more time to yourself and your friends. Life isn’t going anywhere for us anytime soon. We’re young, we’re full of energy! Let’s make the most of it, okay?” To emphasize her point, Cheerilee stretched and flexed her right leg.

I nodded. “That’s right. I hope you do the same.”

“Indeed! Have a nice night, Pale!” And Cheerilee ran off to continue her little exercise routine.

Out of nowhere, I felt something in my neck. I looked down to see a dart...shit. I stumbled down the steps in a delirious state. “H...h…” I reached out with a hoof as I saw Cheerilee run. I couldn’t say anything. Whatever had been in the dart had cut off my ability to speak, and I was left giving a pitiful, hoarse groan. I felt my eyelids shutdown by force. The last thing I saw that night was Cheerilee round the corner, completely out of sight. At least I knew she would be safe. But just what happened to me?

Luckily, I didn’t have to wait long to find out. By the time I woke up, it was the very next morning. So that was comforting to know that I hadn’t been killed. But...I couldn’t move. My back was on something hard...hard as a rock. I leaned my neck up and saw that I was...on a farm? But not just any farm. A rock farm. Okay, but where was I and why?

“I’m sure you’re wondering why you’re here,” a voice said from below. They also wore a hood not unlike the last two individuals I spoke with. Except they weren’t a pony. I could tell by the scaly tail that they were a dragon. “You need to be educated, man.”

“Okay...but why tie me up on a rock?” My hooves were all bound together by ropes.

“So you can understand real pain,” he explained, “Thanks to Cozy Glow, the dragons had to rally together to fight back against her. We had to leave our home defenseless, and in doing so, sacrificed everything in that battle.”

I tilted my head. I knew about the final battle that brought all the races together, but I didn’t know about that little chestnut of information. “Wait...when you left your home to fight in that battle...what exactly happened?”

“Everything we had...stolen by the other monsters that lived just outside of our land. It took years for us to finally get back everything we had collected with Ember’s leadership. But if you bring back Cozy, and if she goes crazy again, we’ll be called to fight her. And we can’t dare risk leaving our home again.”

So it was true. The young mare’s actions had affected more than just the ponies. “I...I see…so the dragons aren’t in a perfect state of affairs either, I take it?”

“No way. We’re still dealing with monsters over in the Dragon Lands to this day. We simply can’t afford to jump up and save you ponies from your own problems at the drop of a hat.” He leaned in, and booped my nose with his claw-finger, “So don’t bring back another one. I just barely managed to get all my jewels back.”

I shook him off. That’s when I realized I was tied down to a massive boulder in the middle of the rock farm. “Okay...I understand your reasoning. But if I can prove that she won’t make the same mistake again, would you be willing to compromise?”

“Fat chance of that happening. I’ll believe it when I see it. For now, you’re gonna see what it feels like to be helpless with impending danger looming over you.” With that, the dragon flew off.

It would be about another half an hour or so before I heard the voice of a gruff, annoyed mare. “HEY! WHAT THE BUCK ARE YOU DOING?!”

I flinched. The sound of her voice was much more powerful than that of my friend Quick Draw.

A bluish-gray mare with a gray mane and tail stormed up to the massive rock I was hogtied upon. “Why in the buck are you on Holder’s Boulder?! Get down right now or I’m gonna turn your stones into sand!” she huffed, steam exited her snout.

“Uh...I can’t. I’m a bit tied up, as you can see,” I explained, given that the ropes tied all of my hooves together.

Sadly, she didn’t believe me. “Get. Off. Now. Jump down or something. I don’t give a damn. Just get off Holder’s Boulder!”

I didn’t want to cause anymore trouble, so I sighed and did my best to wiggle off the side of the rock. It was much bigger than I realized with the distance downward being much greater than I initially anticipated. But I had dealt with worse...hopefully it wouldn’t be so bad.

“I’m gonna count to three,” the mare commented as she tapped her hoof in an impatient manner, “and if you’re not down here by then, I’m gonna make you come. One….two…”

CRASH!

“Oh...mother of shit...my back…” I had fallen and landed directly on my back. Luckily it wasn’t that painful, just a very harsh sting. Like stubbing one’s hoof or stepping on a toy brick block.

The annoyed mare walked right past me, and checked the condition of her massive rock. “Hmph.” She turned to look at me next. “Hm...yup. You’re gonna come with me.”

“Wait...what?” To my surprise, she didn’t free me of my bindings at all. Instead, she leaned down and used her head to lift me up, and put me on her back to carry me like I was some sort of saddlebag. The mare had zero difficulty with me on her back, either. The power of Earth Ponies strikes again. “...Come with...you to where exactly?”

She trotted towards her house that was located right at the heart of the rock farm. “Anypony that touches Holder’s Boulder for any reason is gonna get punished hard.”

“Hold on, you don’t think that I really climbed on top of your rock to tie myself up?”

“Well if that wasn’t it, then what reason could you possibly have for messing with the Boulder?” she questioned me with an annoyed expression as we entered her home. It was rather old-fashioned compared to the modern styles found in Ponyville. But I didn’t get enough time to inspect everything because she dropped me off and right onto the hard wooden floor. “Limestone Pie deals out justice to those who mess with it.”

So that was her name. One of Pinkie’s relatives. Made sense. It was also safe to assume that she was the one who managed the rock farm. “Listen...you have to believe me. I didn’t go there on my own. I was abducted and planted there. Can you at least untie me?”

“Oh really? Fine…” With a pull from her teeth, the rope would be undone, and my hooves were free.

“Oh...thank--” Sadly, this did not make things easier.

Limestone stood over me which prevented me from escaping due to how strong her legs were. I could sense it. Just as durable as Babs Seed despite being far older. It was scary to be up against somepony so experienced. “I’m not done! You still touched Holder’s Boulder. And that’s gonna cost you.”

I sighed. I suppose there truly was no way out of this. “I...apologize. What do you want me to do?”

“Heh…” Her gaze had a threatening aura. I felt as if I could lose my entire soul just from her slasher sort of grin alone. Her cheeks contorted into a threatening sort of smile with her shiny white teeth on full display. “I’ve got just the thing planned for a guy like you. And you better not lose steam halfway through.”

“...Please let this be something gentle.”

Subject 30: Rock On

“NOW!”

I had no time to react. Ghost picked me up and flung me across the town square. “WHAAAAAA?!” I landed in a stack of hay nearby. But I wasn’t about to leave him behind like that. “What the buck are you doing?!” I shouted, and started to run back towards the middle of the road where the eight Chimeras surrounded him.

But what followed next would be one of the most staggering things I had ever witnessed.

Every door and window to every building in the square would open up. Each one had a cannon or some other barreled weapon pointed towards the square.

“FIRE!” The earth pony shouted, and the cannons would blast off. As it turned out, each one was controlled by an Appleloosan civilian! I was floored. Never would I have expected to see regular ponies actually standing up for themselves. But they did! They fired off dynamite, explosive bombs, flaming pies...everything.

“YEE-HAW! GIT ‘EM YA’LL!” a mare shouted.

“Who wants the first explosion in their face?!” a stallion yelled.

BOOM!

BANG!

CRASH!

Explosion after explosion erupted in the town square. It was so loud that I had to cover my ears. But even with earplugs, I couldn’t get a proper visual of what was happening due to how much dust and dirt each blast kicked up. All I could hear were the ecstatic cries of the Southern ponies while the Chimeras roared in agony.

“Pressure’s on ‘em, ya’ll!”

“Let’s finish ‘em!”

“Hogtie ‘em!”

I heard more voices shout, some were even as young as fillies and colts! Once the dust settled, I was flabbergasted to find that the hybrid monsters had been vaporized by their counterattack. But wait…were my eyes playing tricks on me? In the distance, I saw a two-ledgged figure wearing a hood. Not unlike the dragon that tied me up on Limestone’s rock this morning. But the next time I blinked, they were gone. Was it just an illusion?
Nevermind that. I had to check on Agent Ambush.

“Ghost….Ghost?!” I ran out to the ashes, and looked around. Within a few seconds, the blue earth pony popped out of the mound.

“Yee-haw, ya’ll! We got ‘em good!”

The Appleloosans all ran out of their homes to celebrate their victory with cheers and shouts of joy. However, it seems that we missed one…

“Hold on, ya’ll!” A citizen shouted, and pointed at the very edge of the town where one of Chimeras limped away slowly.

Just then, we saw a massive rock fly across the horizon and land on the unsuspecting beast. It was smashed underneath the Earth, with only its limbs visibly twitching.

“Wha?”

With confused murmurs among the crowd, we all looked in the direction of where the rock had come from. To my shock, somepony who I never would’ve guessed had showed up at the last second.

“I told you that I wasn’t just some rock farmer, dummy.” Limestone proclaimed, now wearing a green and brown military camo jacket with fur trim around the neck. She had a cannon of her own, but it wasn’t like the one her sister had for throwing parties. No. This was a Rock Cannon. “How could you leave me behind like that? Did you think I wasn’t capable of defending myself? Idiot!”

The rest of the Appleloosans started to celebrate once more in lieu of the last chimera’s defeat. Everypony started to dance and holler, as was tradition after a successful battle in this town.

I could hear Ghost’s casual sort of snicker as he came up to meet us both. “Well now, little lady. I didn’t expect ya to git all the way out here to help us. Butcha did! You impressed me fer sure. Why don’tcha join us for a celebratory drink?”

Limestone rolled her eyes, though I could tell she was interested. “Whatever.”

We entered the nearby tavern, and Ghost pulled me aside for a moment. “Listen, Pale. There’s somethin’ goin’ on.”

“Before you speak, I have to say--the tactics you’ve all deployed to fight off monsters are amazing,” I said as I took a seat at one of the stools, Ghost sat next to me. “I never would’ve expected the Appleloosans to be so...trigger happy. Especially Braeburn.”

“Well, ya can’t rely on them princesses fer yer safety all the time,” he explained with a disgusted expression. “Hate how that’s all ponies seem to rely on nowadays. Ya gotta stand up fer yerself, ya know? Them Elements of Harmony ain’t gon do nothin’ fer ya. That’s why we ‘Loosans have started to develop weapons n’ tactics fer fightin’. Explosives, traps, explosive traps. The works.”

I was in agreement. Relying solely on the power of the alicorns and the elements would make us weaker as a populace. If everypony had a weapon, or could stand up for themselves, then monsters simply wouldn’t attack as often. That would be something I needed to mention to Twilight later. “Absolutely. The more capable you are at keeping yourselves safe, the better. Though, I never would’ve thought Chimera would be all the way out here. This is far from the swamp territory where they normally reside.”

“That’s just what I wanted to speak with ya about.”

I nodded. “I’m listening.”

He looked left, then right, then started to whisper. “There’s a snake in our horseshoes. Somepony’s tryin’a destroy the agency from the inside.”

“Really now? What makes you say so?”

He took a massive gulp from his frothy mug of root beer before continuing. “Ah. Listen. The attack that happened just now? It was premeditated, partner. Chimeras ain’t from ‘round these parts by nature. Someone set us up.”

He was right. Those beasts preferred the swamps in the deeper parts of the forests near the Badlands. There was no logical reason for them to have attacked here. Unless… “But how...who?”

“I ain’t got any idea who, but lately some rumors have been churnin’ like cow milk butter.”

I leaned in, desperate to know what he meant. If there was something happening that could potentially jeopardize the safety of all of our crew members, then there was going to be a problem for all of us. “Tell me…”

He downed his second mug. “I’m hearin’ spicions. ‘Spicions that whoever did this was wearin’ a hood.”

Very suspicious indeed. I had already dealt with three individuals who fit that very description. Was it possible that they had not only inserted themselves among our ranks, but also sought to dismantle the very base of the Agency to throw away all credence I had? Scary. “I see...do you have a potential location mapped out of where they’re located?”

“Ya know Starlight Glimmer, yeah?”

I nodded. “Yes?”

“Mah sources been tellin’ me that they run off due north every time they’re questioned. Towards some small village behinds some mountains.”

Village? Mountains? Where Glimmer used to operate many years ago? There was only one location that fit that description.

“Oh yeah, I know that place,” Limestone suddenly injected herself into the discussion. She sipped from a mug of rootbeer. “That’s the place that Marble’s boyfriend is from.”

I nearly spat out my own drink. Limestone had been listening to us the whole time? “Um--huh. Is that so?”

“Yeah, though it’s not really a village anymore. It’s almost like a city now.”

Ghost rolled his eyes. I suppose he was used to being interrupted, and didn’t mind. “Regardless, I can’t leave Appleloosa. Mah Ma’s sick, and I gotta take care of her. Wanna do the honors of findin’ out what’s goin’ on?”

“Of course. This organization is like family to me. If someone’s threatening the safety of all of you, then I’m gonna handle it.”

Limestone cleared her throat. “Ahem. If some wacko’s trying to harm my sister and her stallion, then I’m obligated to go too. And don’t give me any smack talk about how dangerous it is.”

I tilted my head in confusion. “But what about your rock farm? And Holder’s Boulder?”

“I already knew I’d be gone for a while, so I got Maud to stay back and watch it,” she folded her hooves. This mare was not going to budge on the subject, that much was apparent. “Sounds like you’re trying to make up excuses for why I shouldn’t go. Well too bad. I’m going. With or without you.”

I rested my forehead in one of my hooves. “Ah, fine. I wasn’t going to try and convince you to stay behind anyways.”

Ghost laughed. “Bickerin’ like a couple already--”

I suddenly leaned up in his face with a death glare. “Don’t say that. Don’t you say that bull, Hex.”

He laughed, and pushed me down into my seat in a casual manner. “Haha! I’m jokin’ partner. Thanks for takin’ up such an assignment. I know ya can handle it.” With a tip of his hat, he rose from his seat, “see ya, little lady.”

Limestone replied with a tad less irritation than before. “Bye.”

We finished our root beers, and headed to the Appleloosa train station. The walk there was rather quiet, given that Limestone had grabbed a comic book to read from within her coat. Another Power Ponies one. Nice.

We both got on the train, and I took a seat. To my surprise, she sat next to me. Though, still silent.

As the train got moving, I couldn’t help but feel the need to break the silence between us. “So...rock cannon, huh? Pretty cool.”

“Thanks, I guess. Also inspired by Pinkie. Though Maud almost suggested using crystal shards instead. Figured that’d be fluctuating on the draw during midair flight due to wind speed. Boulders are more consistent projectiles.”

“And you just...have it at the ready whenever you want?”

“Yep.”

“Huh.”

I leaned back in my seat, in silence. But out of nowhere, Limestone lowered her comic book. “Look. Don’t get the wrong idea or anything, dummy. I’m only going up to this town to check on my sister Marble. I don’t care about you or your stupid agency. At all.”

Somehow, those words felt empty. I might have been looking too much into them, but it seemed like she was trying to say something else. I was used to aggressive mares like her, but they were hard to read. “Well, hey, that’s fair. We have our separate reasons.”

And yet, she wasn’t satisfied with that response. Her eyes went up to the top-right. “Yeah well...if you happen to run into her before I do, let me know. I don’t want some creepy, corrupt officer damaging her relationship.”

So she didn’t hate me and she did want my help? I couldn’t understand this mare. I sighed. “Look, if I’ve done something to offend you in any way, I’m sorry. But to be honest, I need to focus on my mission. So if you’re going to go with me, I need you to be helpful, got it?”

“...Yeah, sure. Sorry. It’s...it’s not you.”

I could feel the skeptic bone in my body rise. I raised an eyebrow. “Well what is it, then?” Was it really that difficult for her to express herself?

She rolled her eyes, and finally looked at me directly. “You ever know what it’s like to have a big family that’s better than you in every way?”

“No, but go on.”

She put the comic book down. “One of my sisters frequently saves the world on a regular basis, another one is a successful geologist who got a boyfriend, and then married, and now Marble’s got a whole marble company a boyfriend now. Grrh! It’s like I’m always in last place!” she groaned as she threw her hooves into the air, and brought them down, one over each eye.

I blinked, and simply allowed her to talk. I was no therapist, so I couldn’t act as if I had all the answers. Even so, it was an interesting perspective to gain. “I see…”

“When we were little, it always fell on me to clean up after them. I’m the oldest. So the attention I got got smaller and smaller while the responsibilities and chores got bigger and bigger. Mom and dad didn’t have enough time for just me and...gah, I’m shouting into the wind,” she said with an annoyed frown and picked her comic back up. “It’s not gonna solve anything.”

“Well...I can do my best to sympathize. I was an only child, but I did insane things to get the attention of others.”

She brought her comic back up, and didn’t take her eyes off the page. “Hmph. I don’t want your sympathy.”

“Then what do you want? Out of life? In general?”

There was another awkward silence between us both. I suppose she never thought critically about what she truly wanted from her life. Beyond that, I mused that her opinion would aid me in not only understanding her, but the world at large as well. Shining Armor felt insignificant in relation to his family, and so did Limestone. If there was a way to find a commonality among such sentiment, there would be an easier way to break it.

At last, the sour mare would respond. “...comfort, I guess. Somepony who could appreciate me for being me. I’m not your average pony. I’m not all nicey-wicey and crap, nor do I sing at the drop of a hat or spout nonsense about love and tolerance. I’m Limestone Pie. And if nopony can accept me for who I am, that’s their loss.”

Once more, I didn’t know how to respond to that. All my life, I was taught to be nice and show respect to others, even if I didn’t like them. And while Limestone wasn’t exactly mean, she wasn’t exactly a sweetheart either. Would it truly be okay to force somepony to change just to make it easier for yourself? Or was it better to simply let them stay who they were, and never bothered? Maybe there was a common, middle ground one could reach?

Wow, this mare was a complex rock.

“Well...I respect that. For the record, I do enjoy your tough-as-nails, no-nonsense personality. It makes it easy to hold conversations with you.”

She paused. Her eyes went wide. Her face had a blank expression of confusion mixed with embarrassment. It didn’t last very long, though. “Oh...thanks, I guess?” she replied while she rubbed the back of her head. Her expression quickly changed, though not to her default, sour demeanor. Rather, she simply looked at me with a more...neutral face. “But don’t get your hopes up thinking that complimenting me is suddenly gonna make me your friend or anything.”

Maybe I was wrong. I guess I didn’t get through to her. Oh well. While it would make things easier, it wasn’t the priority. “Nah, I’m above that. I don’t waste time with words. Saddle Rager--also known as Spruce Spanner--has the right idea in regards to that.”

“I...yeah, you’re right. She’s pretty cool the way she takes out villains with nothing but raw power. But at the same time, she's an intelligent scientist who doesn't mess around.”

“Right? Though, Mare-velous is great too, as I said before. That lasso is amazing given that she can control it at will. Doesn’t it also force ponies to tell the truth?”

Limestone responded with a smile, though it came off as more of a cocky grin. “Heck yeah. That’s why I love it so much. If you’re gonna mess up, at least own up to it so I can decide you punish--I mean, bring you to justice, or whatever.”

I chuckled. “Hehe. That’s basically my job in a nutshell.”

“You lasso ponies?”

“Ahah. No. I seek out the truth to find the reality that everyone else wants to desperately cover up. It’s the only way we can grow as a society. If we understand how things truly operate, then we can develop more and more. Whether we’re rock farmers, detectives, or alicorns. Knowledge is power, as they say.”

She rolled her eyes. “Normally, I’d be annoyed by a bunch of talk, but you have a point. Uncovering secrets and exposing the mistakes of those who think they’re always right sounds like wicked fun.”

Oh buck no. I was not about to let such an occupation get idolized. I shook my head. “Not for fun. For justice.”

The train finally came to a stop near the entrance to the mountainous region where Starlight’s old village was located. Limestone and I both got off, and started walking. It was about a good ten minutes of hoofing it until we came upon a--

“Cobblestone…” Limestone sniffed the path beneath us. “From at least a few months ago. Guess they’ve done some paving recently? The Town Square also looks pretty nice. A fountain made of casting stone and ceramic…” she pointed ahead. The town was flourishing greatly now with loads of different shops, and even a school as well as a hospital. Gone were the dirt roads, as they were replaced with beautiful stone ones.

“Lots of...color, too. So many beautiful places…” I mused as I walked along. I counted a flower shop, clothing store, grocery store among other things. But now wasn’t the time to sightsee. “Alright, let’s stay focused. Where would a marble store be…”

“Shh.” Limestone sniffed again, and pointed due West. “End of this block here.”

We kept going, and true to her word, Limestone had found her sister’s store. Marble’s Marvelous Marbels. Huh. Cute name with alliteration on the arched sign. In the display window were marbles made of rare rocks and crystals that were hard to find. “Such a quaint little store, eh?”

“Well, don’t just stand there. Let’s go see if she’s there.”

I was surprised to hear that. “Oh? But I thought you didn’t care about my objective?”

She stumbled over her words and avoided eye contact with me. “I uh...don’t get the wrong idea, dummy. I’m just looking out for Marble in case she knows anything so you can go handle it!” she huffed, and walked up to the shop’s door.

At this point, I couldn’t tell if ‘dummy’ carried its weight as an insult, or an alternative way to address me by name. I was no stranger to that sort of thing. There was a term for ponies who had issues expressing their emotions. They came off cold and annoyed on the surface, but secretly cared for those whom they were around.

Sadly, that term escaped me at the moment.

But it wasn’t hard to imagine Limestone was a very protective and reliant sister among the Pie family.

I followed her up to the door, and out of nowhere, I gray shape dashed out and hugged her. “Limestone! You’re here! You’re here!”

The aggressive Pie was hugged by her youngest sister with a look of confusion on her face. She was surprised to see Marble so...excited. “....what?”

Subject 31: Dragon Balls

“It’s so good to see you! Ooh, I’ve missed you so much!”

“Hang on,” Limestone pushed her sister away, “are you...you? You’re a bit more cheery than usual.”

Marble giggled. “That’s because I’ve finally come out of my geode shell. Er, so to speak. Thanks to Diamond...hehe,” she said with a blush. “What brings you here? Oh...hello, Mr. Detective Stallion!” she waved at me, to which I responded with a wave also. “Are you on a date with my sister or is she in trouble? Hehe!”

“No.” Limestone flipped her hair to hide her envy. “Hmph. Since mom’s not here, I guess I’ll be the judge of his character. Where is he?”

“Liiiime, don’t start that, ya kidder!” she nudged her sister in a playful manner with a hoof. “He’s busy at work right now. I just recently opened up shop here so we can live closer to each other.”

She wasn’t having it. “Where. Is. He?”

Marble rolled her eyes, and pointed to a mountain with snow on it at the end of the town. We had to squint, but we could just barely make out the image of a white earth pony stallion training other adult ponies in the art of skiing and snowboarding. Must have been a bootcamp of sorts. Spectacular. “Take a left up the ridge. But if he throws you down the mountain, that’s your fault, not mine.”

The aggressive Pie sister dashed off. I finally stepped forward. “...Is she always this way?”

Marble sighed, “Yup. Though, I think I can venture a guess or two. Mom was always hardest on her, and telling her to ‘go find yourself a nice colt, set an example for your sisters’ and whatnot.” she shrugged with a pained expression of doubt. “It’d make anyone sour. No pun intended.”

“Makes sense.” No surprises there. But I couldn’t get distracted. I had to follow Ghost’s directions. If somepony within the Agency had gone rogue, then there needed to be some consequences laid out for those who crossed us. “By the way, have you come across any...suspicious activity here, lately?”

“Hm?”

“Have you seen anyone possibly in a hoodie sneaking around in a weird fashion?”

“Well, hoods are really in right now,” Marble said as she grabbed something from her saddlebag with her teeth, “It gets very cold up here during winter, so we need to stay comfortable, you know?” It was a slanted sort of hood that covered her ears but allowed her long mane to flow freely. “Sorry if I can’t help, though. It might be better if you ask around.”

“Hold on. Before you go, can I ask your opinion on Cozy Glow?”

“Oh...I’m not sure if I’m the best pony to ask. But I think there’s a chance that every pony can learn a lesson. No matter how evil they seem. Now if you’ll excuse me...I have to go make sure my sister doesn’t kill my future husband--or the reverse.”

As Marble trotted away, I was only able to think to myself about what was going on here. The town as a whole was quite the spectacle to behold. But now, I needed to take a break, and think about what I had dealt with in the past 72 hours.

I was knocked out, kidnapped, and taken to Limestone’s Rock Farm. One of my fellow Agents in Appleloosa needed my help with a mission, and he gave me some info regarding not only who my newest enemies are, but the fact that they may be among us. Impostors. Also the fact that a hooded pegasus apparently somehow knew that she and I had spoken about the idea of holding a trial for Cozy Glow’s case in Twilight’s private book room. I wrote all of this information down, and put it in a letter to mail off to Twilight Sparkle at the castle. I slipped the letter into a nearby mailbox, and returned to my objective.

I followed Ghost’s tip, and started to carefully observe the citizens. None of them were acting out of the ordinary. In fact, all of them were acting fairly normal. I walked along the rocky pathway. Wait a second. Another hooded figure? They were walking on two legs like the figures from before. Could there be a connection to the others?

But I noticed a blue tail. Hm. That looked familiar. They walked right across the street and headed towards Marble’s marble store. There were other ponies that worked there aside from the mare of the same name. Even so, I was skeptical. Time for some good ol’ tailing.

I waited. The upright figure--what I assume to be a dragon due to the scales--exited the marble store, and headed down one of the alleys. With a dutiful glare I tailed them down the path which went behind a few buildings. I hid to make sure they didn’t see me, but then, the figure sprouted their wings and flew up. Directly onto the roof. Sadly for me, there were no ladders or anything to grab onto.

How vexing. But then, an idea hit me.

I ran over, and pulled out my Blaster. After it was charged, I pointed it downwards, and used the blast of compressed air to propel myself upwards. I gracefully landed on that roof, if I did say so myself. “Heh...guess that could come in handy later. Now…” I looked up, and saw...huh. A rather mature, curvaceous female dragon playing with the marbles. A blue one. Wait, I knew who this was. “Ember, correct?”

“Ah!” My voice must have shocked her because she let out some pink fire with that yelp. “Oh it’s you...a pony. Without wings...did you follow me up here?” she clutched the bag of marbles in a protective fashion.

“Ease yourself, Princess. I mean you no harm…”

“Princess? Oh no, not anymore. Smolder was recently crowned Dragon Lord--er, Lady?” She tapped one of her finger-claws against her chin, “Did they ever specify? In any case, I’m kind of free to do what I want now. I only pop back in every now and again as an advisor. And...I’m finally able to pursue my passions.” She reached into the back and picked out a glowing marble. “I mean, look at how cool this is!”

They weren’t my thing, but I had to admit, they looked very nice. “Indeed…” I tipped my hat, Pale Vestige. At your service.”

She snapped her fingers when she heard my name. “Oh yeah...you’re the guy that’s going around talking to ponies about...a certain someone that I won’t say out loud. Never know who could be listening. But…” she leaned over towards me, her claws on her thighs and a very convincing smile to boot, “you wouldn’t mind interviewing a dragon, would you?”

Made sense. Even so, the former Dragon Lord’s opinion will be invaluable. “Well, of course. I’ll try anything at least once. But not skydiving.”

“Ooh! I love diving through the air! It’s how we dragons test our skills,” she chirped with a flex of her wings, eyes shut enthusiastically. She opened them with an embarrassed smile. “Oh, sorry. I’m listening.”

“Thanks. Well, do you think it’s possible that she’s learned something through her punishment? I’m sure that the dragons have constantly fought among themselves and caused suffering?”

“True, though, obviously not on the same level as that filly from those years ago. Still...you know what I think?”

I dreaded the thought, but politely responded. “No, what?”

“If she gets released, she’s going to be put under a heavy amount of judgement. If I were you, I’d ensure she has a nice pony to talk to about her problems as well,” she bent over and started to gather the marbles she had been playing with.

That was my intention. Though, I wanted the perspective of the dragon woman. “Oh? Have the dragons had similar problems?”

“Sort of,” she rose up as she placed the final glass ball in her bag, “before I came along, dragons used to hate sharing their feelings. Instead they just sort of lashed out and fought each other. I couldn’t stand it. So when I rose to power, I made sure everyone understood the importance of communication.”

I wrote down what I heard in my notes. “Makes sense to me. If you do things without thinking...you’re not making the choice, the choice makes you.”

“Exactly. That’s why I thought long and hard about making Smolder the new Lord. But she’s doing a great job. All the dragons love her! And as I said, it gives me more free time to find hobbies.”

“Sounds like a good time. I hope you find what you’re looking for.” The chat with her gave me an idea. If we could all show Cozy Glow some understanding instead of immediately writing her off, it will be easier to communicate with her, and thus, give her the proper treatment she needs.

“I’m actually a bit more free. Do you have any other questions?”

“Yes actually. During the final battle against...you know who three--did you mobilize the dragons?”

Ember nodded. “Mm-hmm. They were considered a threat to the entire world, and the safety of all dragons. We had no choice but to all go and fight back.”

“Alright...and when the battle was over, were your treasures still there when you got back?”

She looked away from me with a load of regret behind those red eyes. “...No. Plenty of them had been stolen by Manticores that lived nearby. I’ll admit, I should’ve told some of them to stay behind, but it was too risky. We needed everyone’s help in that battle, so our home in the Dragon Lands was left unattended. A big mistake that I’ll make sure I never repeat.”

Huh. I thought Dragons were brutish and prideful. But Ember had humility. I respected that. But this unfortunately does confirm that the claim from the hooded dragon that I was abducted by was real. Looks like I would have to overcome that little issue at the trial as well.

I opened my mouth to ask something, but was interrupted by a familiar Lime’s voice. “Hey Detective guy! What’re you doing up there?”

“...Excuse me.” I jumped off the building, and landed in front of the mare. “Hello there. I assume you had a fun time catching up with your sister?”

“Yeah. Real fun,” she said with an eye roll, “But who was that you were talking to?”

That’s when Ember landed. She had more grace than I due to her wings allowing for a soft landing as she flew down. “Me. Is there a problem between you two? I learned a lot about friendship problems from Thorax and Twilight,” she stated with a grin.

“No. I--wait are you Ember?”

“That’s right. In the flesh,” she spread her wings to show off. “You must be one of Pinkie Pie’s sisters.”

Limestone huffed, “Maybe.”

I used this opportunity to ask the question I had intended to state moments ago. “Actually, now that you’re both here, I want to know. Is the legend by Holder’s Boulder real?”

“Holder’s...what now?” Ember had to think about it for a moment.

“He’s asking about my ancestor--Holder Cobblestone,” Limestone answered, “He found a massive boulder in a dragon’s nest.”

Ember snapped her claw-fingers when it came to her. “Oh that one. It’s an old story that gets passed down through the dragons. The fact that a pony was able to strike a deal and take a huge rock from mean dragon was super impressive. We tell that story all the time to prove that ponies aren’t just cuddly little marshmallow creatures.”

Limestone raised an eyebrow, then smirked arrogantly. “Damn right we aren’t. We can take you dragons on any day of the week. Right, Pale?”

“Eh, what?” The fact that she used my name was nice, but in this context? Not so much. “Ahem. I appreciate the lore you provided on the subject, Ember.”

The female dragon didn’t respond. Instead, she simply giggled and looked at us both. Limestone was the first to break the awkward silence. “Um...what the buck are you looking at?”

“Sorry, I just--Twilight’s sister-in-law, Cadance told me all about how pony couples interact with each other. One of the things on my pitcher list,” the dragon showed us a list of things she wanted to do. On it were things such as ‘Eat pony food,’ and ‘find hobbies.’ “Studying pony culture is one of my new favorite things.”

I snickered. “No way. The idea of us,” I pointed at Limestone, then myself, “a couple? That’s hilarious. We barely know each other.”

“Hmph. I agree. He’s not my type whatsoever. Can’t even handle my rocks,” Limestone stated in a cold manner while she avoided eye contact with me.

Ember tilted her head like she was a confused child learning a difficult math problem. “Oh? That’s strange. Whenever I see a mare and a stallion talking together, I usually assume they’re either in a relationship or siblings. But you guys aren’t?”

I shook my head. “Uh-huh.”

“Not a chance in Tartarus,” Limestone replied. “You think seeing a mare and a stallion together automatically means they’re romantically involved? Who thinks like that? That’s some ridiculous logic if I’ve ever seen it.”

I also had to agree. “Yeah it’s kind of annoying. With so many mares around, just talking to others is a challenge if you’re looking to avoid attention.”

To my amazement, Ember wasn’t disappointed or dissatisfied with our answer at all. Nay, she was overjoyed, and clapped her claw-hands. “Oooh! So you are just friends then, eh? I was always curious about pony relationships. Think you could...help me with that? Your entire job is talking to loads of different ponies, so maybe...I could learn a thing or two?”

While the offer was tempting, I had to stay focused. There were still many details to uncover and Cozy Glow’s life was officially in my hooves with the upcoming trial. “I’m...not sure. I’m somewhat busy dealing with my case. Not to mention I have to attend a trial that is going to start within a few days. Not to mention, I’m currently on the hunt for some suspicious, hooded individuals.”

“Oh? I think I might be able to help with that,” Ember replied with a smile as she leaned against me, “I think I may have seen some...weirdos looking like that around the town nearby.”

My eyes shot wide open. “Really? I would appreciate the help. In exchange, I’ll teach you all I know about pony culture.” I made the offer because I couldn’t afford to lose out on any leads. Not this late into the game.

Ember giggled as she gave me a tight, scaly hug. “Oh you don’t need to do that. But if you really want to, I won’t refuse.”

I struggled to breathe against her leathery, yet soft skin. “Ngh...great...can you let me go?” During this moment, I heard Limestone grumble to herself.

“Oh, sorry!” She released me, which caused me to flop to the ground. She leaned over to check on me. “Are you okay? I didn’t hurt you did I?”

I stood up, and fixed my hat. “No harm done. Limestone, is there something you wanted to say?”

“Nah. I’m good,” she started to walk away.

I looked at the former Dragon ruler, “Excuse me for one second,” and I ran up to catch Limestone before she could leave. “Hey, is there anything wrong?”

“No. I’m gonna go out with Marble for a while. If you ain’t got anything else important to say to me, then get back to your case,” she attempted to walk around me, but I stopped her. “What the--?”

I pulled her in for a hug. All I really knew what to do in a scenario such as this. “Listen...I don’t have all the answers. But I’m sure your sisters love you very much for all the things you’ve done for them. You just need to let yourself be more loose. And don’t give up just because they’ve found somepony and you haven’t. You will. I know it. You’re a nice pony to be around.” I pulled back to look at her face, “Alright?”

The lower eyelid of her left eye twitched as she stared at me. “Dummy...you are so lucky that I’m in a good mood or I’d...gah. Whatever. Next time I see you, you better have read the newest Power Ponies comic so we can talk about it. You understand that, don’t you, Pale? Oh and let Cheerilee know I’m gonna be helping with the Earth Pony stuff during the afternoon.”

I had no idea if I played the best or worst move possible. “Heh...of course, Lime. See ya later. Have fun with your sister!” I waved as she walked off with what appeared to be a smile. But it was hard to tell with that mare. I turned back to Ember who was giggling away. I glared at the dragon. “Not a word--don’t even think it.”

“Hehe! I’m not saying anything, I just...found it funny.”

I rolled my eyes. Funny wasn’t the word for mediation. As an investigator, it was only natural for me to be a cunning linguist. Nothing more to it than that, really. “It’s just my job. I talk to folks, and extract information. That’s it.”

She folded her arms, and looked at me with a smug expression. “I see. If that’s the case, you can start working on extracting info out of me next. Then I’ll do the same to you, and we can be extraction buddies.”

I continued walking. “When you put it like that, you make it sound weird. Cease or I’ll cuff you.”

“Now that sounds interesting,” she flew after me, “So where are we going?”

“Nowhere in particular. Just taking a walk so I can absorb the sights of this developed town. I’ll exchange information with you when we’re closer to the outskirts. Sound good?”

The dragon’s wings fluttered in her excitement. “Yes! Finally some pony knowledge! And right from a pony’s mouth too!”

On a nearby cloud…

“There he is. I hope I’m not too late…”

Subject 32: Lesson Planning

“And that’s...basically all I know regarding hooded figures near here. I saw one yesterday, and another this morning.”

I wrote it down in my notes. The appearances of these hooded individuals around these parts lined up properly with Ghost’s suspicions. But the problem that I needed to know just who among my team was capable of such a thing. “Right...I would devote more time to studying what’s going on here, but I need to prepare myself for the trial. Let’s see…”

That’s when a familiar face swooped in with her mechanical wings. “Yo, sir! I bring news and I can serve, sir!” Guttersnipe and her naturally gravelly voice came down to greet us with a salute.

“Snipe? What’s going on?”

Her left wing produced a pocket that she pulled a letter out of, and she offered it to me. “This is from the Mayor of Ponyville, sir! Said it was an important document and both Quick Draw and Corkscrew were busy with other business, so I decided to bring it to you myself, sir!”

One thing I had forgotten was the fact that this explosive mare was that she was an extreme fan of military movies. Every night, she and Flash Drive would watch at least one. Whether it be Saving Private Reins, Full Metal Jockey, or some other thing. That was the reason for the constant use of ‘sir.’ “Thank you, Snipe. You’re more than at ease right now, though,” I took the letter, and opened it up to read it.

‘Pale Vestige. This is the Mayor of Ponyville. We would like you to return as soon as possible. There is something we need to discuss between I, Cheerilee, and Spoiled Rich. Thank you.’

“Huh. Something to do with the Earth Pony school I’d bet. Though I’m not sure why they’d feel the need to ask for me…”

Guttersnipe stood ready to move, hooves pattered the ground beneath. “Gimme an order, sir! C’mon, c’mon! I’ve got your back!”

I tapped my hoof as I thought about it. “Ah. I know the perfect thing you can do. Watch over this town. Report any suspicious activity to Flash Drive and have him come down here. Alright?”

“Ooh, ooh! Perfect! I know Mayor Night Glider, personally. This’ll be easy-peasy-fo’-sheezy.”

“Night Glider? Oh her! Wait, she runs this place now?”

Snipe scoffed, and pointed up to a nearby billboard, “Pff. Didn’tcha see?”

I looked up and saw the blue pegasus mare’s face being advertised as, ‘The Best Leader Our Town Has.’ I chuckled, “Wow. Guess things really have changed these past few years. I suppose I’ll get a move on. You know your objectives, Sniper?”

“Yes sir!” she said with another salute with her hoof. “To the Mayor’s Office!” And she flew off towards a large building at the end of the Town. Must have been Town Hall.

I hadn’t realized that Ember was standing there the whole time and took notes of my interaction with Guttersnipe. “Mm-hmm...show respect...and respond with enthusiasm.”

I blinked once, twice. “Were you...standing there this whole time listening to us?”

“Of course I was,” she said in between scribbling another line down, “I told you I wanted to learn as much as I could about pony culture, didn’t I?”

“Yes...you did. Though now, I have to head back home thanks to this summon from the Mayor. Looks like I’ll need to catch the next train.”

But Ember wasn’t about to have that. “Pff. Is that all? C’mon, let me help you.”

“I don’t think I--”

Before I could say anything else, she grabbed me and flung me onto her back like a schoolkid’s bookbag. “Here ya go. I’ll take you there myself.”

“Um...is this safe?”

With her claws, she grabbed my hooves and placed them upon her pectorals. “Of course! Just hold on tight, and let me do all the work, okay?”

“But wait--yee!” Yet again, I was unable to finish. The dragon had taken off into the air. I held onto her as tight as I could for dear life with my front hooves upon her upper abdomen, and my hind hooves wrapped around her waist. “I was not expecting this at all!”

And yet, she flew without a care in the world. “Hey relax, buddy. I told you, I’d handle everything, didn’t I? Though, I’ve always heard legends about the bigger dragons being ridden by tamers and legendary fighters. And I’ve always wondered what that felt like. So today’s your lucky day!”

“Lucky my ass!” My pupils shrank as I looked at the ground below us and the way it shifted around. Being so high up was...not something I usually did. However, over time, I came to enjoy it. The dragon’s scales were actually much softer along her backside. Maybe this wasn’t so bad… “Hm...I guess.”

“Admittedly I’ve never been ridden before,” Ember explained with a laugh, “So this is actually pretty fun. Maybe I should do this more often. That could be one of my new hobbies; letting pony friends ride me! Hmm…”

I wanted to explain why that wasn’t a very good idea, but it seemed like the former Lord was happy. So I didn’t dare object. Especially not now when we were about dozens of meters into the air.

The flight was terrifying at first, but became more relaxing over time. In fact, it was only about fifteen minutes before we would begin to see Ponyville. I had to admit, it was a bit quicker than the train. But that does not mean I would be willing to do it again.

“Hey Mr. Vest. Is this your home?” she pointed to the town.

I nodded. My hooves still locked onto her upper body as we neared the ground. There was no way I was going to risk taking another fall now. “Yeah.”

“Here we are!” And she finally landed. I let go, and felt the sweet, sweet earth beneath my hooves once more. While the little flight wasn’t a bad thing by any means, I was just glad to not have to be afraid of falling anymore. The dragon looked at me, eyes full of wonder, “So, where are we going first?”

“Well…” I rubbed my head to relax. I felt a bit disoriented from the flight, so I needed a moment to gather myself. “Okay, I need to head to the Mayor’s office. I suppose you can observe more pony interaction there. But please don’t interrupt. We’ll be discussing important things.”

She nodded, and gave a salute. “Don’t worry, sir. You won’t even know I’m there.”

“Uh-huh...watch outside by one of the windows.”

Was she a dragon-shaped sponge? Whatever. I didn’t have time to question her actions. I made my way to the Town Hall, and subsequently into the Mayor’s office. The Mayor herself along with Cheerilee, and Spoiled Rich were all discussing something at a table.

“You called?”

“Ah, there he is now,” the Mayor pointed at me upon entry. “We were just discussing the final details regarding the Earth Pony lessons that Cheerilee plans to teach.”

“Yes! It’s gonna be so much fun!” the teacher exclaimed.

Spoiled had a chocolate candy stick in her mouth as she looked through some files. Was that meant to be an alternative to smoking? “I’m sure everything will be covered by the budget once we start to add the new lessons to the curriculum. Tree Hugger will assist in the lessons for the morning, and Limestone Pie will help with the afternoon ones. If possible, we may have guests appear who are skilled in a particular subject. Such as Applejack for bucking trees.”

Huh. Everything seemed to be going rather well. If that was the case, I wondered just exactly what they needed me for. “Oh wow. Sounds like everything’s falling into place. But if you don’t mind me asking, what did you three need me to show up for?”

The Mayor spoke next. “Well, before anything related to education gets approved, we must first pass it through the Equestrian Education Association. Or EEA.”

“That’s right,” Cheerilee added, “And we wanted the head of the EEA to meet the pony that inspired us with this idea. You!”

Shit.

I smiled and put on a face of excitement. “That’s great!” But in reality, there were two very big problems with this. The first, and least damning was the fact that this wasn’t really my idea. I don’t know. Something about taking credit for something this large when I had the smallest impact...it felt wrong. I didn’t deserve such praise. These three mares made it happen, not me.

The second, and most obvious problem; holy shit the EEA. I had completely forgotten about them in all this time. That could only mean one thing, and one thing alone. The pony that was going to be here was…

“Alright, let us make this quick.” Neighsay. He entered the room, aloof as ever, and took a seat at the meeting table. “What’s this about Earth Pony lessons? Magic? The letter was rather insufficient regarding the subject. Please tell me more.”

I couldn’t tell if he noticed me or not. But that old stallion didn’t drop his stern gaze for a second. He wanted to legitimately listen to their pitch regarding Earth Pony-related lessons and magic.

It was a straightforward process. Cheerilee began with an opening regarding the fact that EP magic was extremely passive. “Only those with keen levels of perception can pick up on it,” she said as she used a pointer to tap a skeletal diagram of an Earth Pony that sat upon an easel. “But what if there was a way to help them unlock these powers and channel them? Earth Ponies make up a great chunk of the population, yet not even a quarter of them realize how much magic they truly have. As a result, many have felt inferior to their Pegasus and Unicorn friends whose magic is much more apparent. However, if we assist them in understanding what kind of magic they have, we’ll have a generation of strong Earth Ponies that can rise up and fight the toughest of monsters like Star Swirl The Bearded used to. Even without horns!”

Spoiled Rich removed the candy stick from her mouth and spoke next. “We’ve already procured the necessary funds to begin the lessons. As well as expert Earth Ponies who understand their own special sort of magic already,” she flipped the diagram over and showed a graph that had bars that increased from left to right. “You can see here that Ponyville isn’t exactly hurting for money. This will barely make a dent in our financial budget.” Well, that was a shock. For as much as she fooled around and flirted with me, Spoiled really knew how to get down to business. I should’ve expected this. But when I witnessed her speak so curtly, I found myself colored rather impressed. That’s what I liked to see.

The Mayor was last. “Chancellor? Is this agreeable to you?”

He tapped his hooves together and weighed what he had just heard. “Hm. Get it done. Either I or other EEA members will be in attendance on random days to ensure the lessons are being taught well.”

“Eee!” the teacher mare cheered for a moment, then quickly quieted herself. “Ahem. Sorry. But one more thing.” She looked at me with a smile. “I just want you to know the name of the pony who helped me achieve this.”

With a mental sigh, I rose from my seat and stood next to her. “Yes, I sorta helped Cheerilee with the idea of establishing Earth Pony lessons in her school. But she deserves most of the credit, not me.”

Neighsay glared at me. His eyes like cold daggers. I knew that look. The look of someone who wanted their target to break under the pressure of intimidation like a submersible that had sunk to the bottom of the ocean. “Oh? Well that’s a fabulous little talent you have there, sir. Able to inspire others with little effort. Almost fantastical...how quaint.”

Savvy. The geezer played it off with a backhoofed sort of compliment. But I ignored it in favor of helping the situation go along more smoothly. “It was nothing, really. Just doing my job.”

The unicorn stallion got up. “Well, if there is nothing else, I shall be on my way. Good day to you all.” And he exited the mare’s office without another word.

Both Cheerilee and the Mayor let out exhales of relief.

“Whew...dear me, that shouldn’t have been so nerve-wracking,” the schoolteacher commented.

The Mayor replied with a grin, “Oh don’t worry. I’ve dealt with these types of ponies for a long time.”

“You both are too stiff all the time,” Spoiled commented, and started to chew on her candy again. “If ya learn how to live loose, you won’t be so nervous.”

Cheerilee looked at me. “And how about you, Pale?”

“Hm?”

“Were you nervous when dealing with Neighsay just now?”

More than she could ever realize. But now was hardly the time to delve into more personal matters. “Nah, not at all.Like I told him, this is just my job. I’m used to dealing with hardflanks like that.”

“Oh good. Hey wait, if you don’t mind...wanna go grab a Hayburger or something?”

I realized I hadn’t eaten in a while so I shrugged. “Sure. It’ll be nice to relax with someone like you. I’ll meet you there in ten minutes, okay?”

Cheerilee nodded. “For sure, Mr. Vestige! Ten minutes it is.”

With a tip of my hat, I walked to the door to leave. “See you, Ms. Mayor. Spoiled.”

“Goodbye!” the Mayor said with a wave.

“See ya, hun,” Spoiled replied with a more casual sort of wave as she read her notes.

I left the Mayor’s office. As soon as the door closed behind me, I was greeted with Neighsay’s familiar, dark aura. “Slick as a snake, aren’t you, Vestige?”

“What do you want?” I asked, quite done with his nonsense. “Can’t you see I’m working here?”

“I can. And you are doing...a rather interesting job. But know that you can’t escape the authority of those who have seen much more damage than you. Come the trial in a few days...we will see just how far your ideals go.”

I raised an eyebrow. “And just how do you know about it?”

He levitated a scroll from his robes. “I was summoned, good sir. As a member of the EEA, it is my sworn duty to appear before the Princess when called,” he explained before he put it away. “You may have all of your friends fooled. But not me or my subordinates. If you are afraid, perhaps it is best you do not show up at all. Someone so young couldn’t possibly pose convincing arguments to those a whole lot wise than himself.”

I wanted to fling this bookbound cur out of the window. Perhaps it was a gross thought, even for someone like me. But I exercised restraint, and gazed at the unicorn with a fleeting smirk. “Heh...you’re not ready for what I intend to bring to the table. A quote from one of my favorite movies is ‘Age doesn’t correlate to efficiency.’ Just because you’re older, and more experienced, doesn’t mean you’re right all the time.”

He scoffed and turned his nose up and away from me. “Hmph. We’ll see if the so-called ‘respect’ you have for your elders will remain true when you try and convince the world that Cozy Glow was innocent.”

“I never said she was innocent,” I countered, “I’m fighting for her to have a second chance. And for the record, I do have respect for my elders. But you’re forgetting one minor detail regarding it.”

“Ha! And what might that be?”

“Respect is not for those who demand it. It’s for those who deserve it. And you are far from respectable in any capacity. I don’t even know how you still have a job,” I replied with a stomp of my hoof.

Neighsay scoffed once more. “Tch. Skill and prowess are what determines one’s worth in a profession. If you can’t comprehend that, then you should hang up your badge and go home with your tail between your legs.” After that little chestnut of a rant, the unicorn started walking towards the exit of the Town Hall. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I have more important things to do than lecture a child. Good day to you, sir. And take care to watch your back. Nopony else will do it for you.”

“Good day yourself,” I responded as he left. Such a pathetic old man. Gah. What am I doing? Now wasn’t the time for negativity. I had to prepare myself for that trial that was going to occur in a few days.

I took a few more moments, and left Town Hall. Upon exit, I was greeted with the happy trill of the former dragon lord once more. “Wow, that was amazing!”

“Huh--oof!”

She grabbed me up in another one of her crushing hugs. “The way you held that meeting with the Mayor was so professional. You have to show me more, please?”

So she missed the bit where Neighsay and I had a chat. Good. With that established, I tried to push off of her, but the power of her hug was too strong. “Ngh...can you...look, I have to go meet with Cheerilee at the Hay Burger place soon and--”

“Aha! I’ve always had an interest in pony food. It’ll be perfect!” Her beady eyes looked at me with a pleading gaze as she hugged me closer. “Pleeease? I won’t be in your way. I simply want to...observe.”

I sighed. There was no getting this dragon off my tail. “Fine, fine. Just please try to stay covert.”

At last, she let me go. “Oh, I’ve got the perfect thing.” She suddenly put on a vest and hat that were similar in style to my own, and a pair of glasses for good measure. “Now I’m gonna be super hidden and you won’t even notice me.”

Huh. It wasn’t a bad look. As much as I wanted to deny it. “Okay, okay, you can observe us. Just do it quietly.”

“Yes, sir!” she saluted again before correcting herself with a quieter tone. “I mean...yes sir. Eeee, this is fun!”

I really made a mistake when I decided to wake up this morning.

Subject 33: Detective's Turmoil

“Ah, isn’t this nice?” Cheerilee met up with me at last. I had waited outside of the Hay Burger restaurant for about five minutes before she arrived. “It’s so good to be able to kick back and relax after a hard day at work.”

I held the door open, “Indeed,” and we both went inside. “Do you want anything in particular.”

“Nah...I’m hungry as a--well, you know. Surprise me, okay?”

I nodded, and went to order. Cheerilee took a seat at a table nearby. It was pretty nice to be able to relax and eat casual food. Though, I wondered. What exactly did Cheerilee call me here for? Whatever the case, I sure did enjoy my chats with the teacher.

I received two drink cups, one for each of us, and went to the soda fountain. Though, I looked at one of them. There were words written on the cup. Huh? I peered closely at it. It read:

‘Do not attend the trial.’

Okay...what? This had to be a joke. And in rather poor taste too. Who seriously stoops to writing on a cup for something as goofy as that? Whatever. I wiped the marker off the plastic cup and kept going.

After that, I grabbed our tray of food. Three burgers for each of us and a massive order of fries. I knew the schoolteacher would initially be aghast at such an order, but I knew she was plenty hungry.

“Oh my...did you really pay for all of that?” she asked with a very famished look on her face, “I would’ve gone half if I had known-”

I stopped her as I sat the tray down. “It’s alright, Cheerilee. I’m just happy to spend more time with you. But I’m curious--is there anything in particular you wanted to talk to me about?” I started to unwrap one of the burgers for myself.

“Well, for a few reasons. Partially because I wanted to celebrate the approval of Earth Pony lessons at school,” she said as she tried to hold her composure as she ate. I could tell that she desperately wanted to pig out, but did her best to keep her manners in check. It was adorable, and a bit humorous. “And to...talk to you. The truth is, I’ve been worried about you, Pale.”

“Oh?” I took a bite.

“That’s right. You’re always working so hard, fighting monsters, trying to uncover hidden secrets, and not to mention the efforts to save Cozy Glow...I hear there’s gonna be a trial soon?”

I nodded, and swallowed. “That’s right. I realize it could make or break her life. But as Ms. Rights used to say, ‘the only shot you miss is the one you don’t take.’ So I’m more than ready to face whatever I need to.”

The next time I looked up, Cheerilee had already finished one burger, and started on the next. A portion of the fries were also gone. Her cheeks were covered in a bit of ketchup as well. “Ah, I respect that. A good work ethic is what everypony needs. It’s why the Mayor and I are such good friends.”

“You both seem to get along very well so I’m not surprised.” I smiled, and looked down at the wrapper that my burger came in. It too, contained a message similarly to that of my cup from before.

‘Attend, and her life is forfeit.’

‘Her’ life? Now this was a bit concerning. Just who did that refer to? I had spoken to numerous females thus far, so that was not apt enough of a description to go on by itself.

“...Pale? Pale!”

I ventured a guess that she realized I had been staring off into space. “Uh--wha?”

She giggled, “You’d better finish that thing off before it loses its heat. Something on your mind?”

“I...it’s nothing. You are right, though. It is important to have other things to do on the side away from your work. I’ve considered taking up ziplining as well as camping for one.”

“Ooh! I’ve always wanted to go out in the wilderness. Fending off monsters and roasting marshmallows,” she replied in between sips of her drink, “Hey, I have an idea.”

“Oh?”

She nodded. “No matter what happens after that trial...whether you win or lose, let’s go on a camping trip. Let’s bring the Mayor, Tree Hugger, Mrs. Rich, and Limestone! It’ll be a nice little getaway for all of us. You can even bring your detective buddies.”

That sounded...destructive. But I couldn’t refuse a generous offer like that. “Thanks, though you don’t need to trouble yourself with going. I’m sure you’re plenty busy.”

But Cheerilee was adamant. “Even so, you have lots of good friends who want to look out for you. Myself included. We’re all here for you, okay?”

Yet again, she had me in a tight spot. Unable to refute her kindness. She did have a point though. All of what I had endured so far had begun to wear upon me, as much as I tried to ignore it. Maybe it would be nice to take some time off with my buddies and just be our old selves again. I mean, we couldn’t go back to our academy days, but we always had each other. Quick Draw and Corkscrew always had my back no matter what. And I loved them both like dear siblings for it.

“Huh, what a weird message…” Cheerilee commented.

I looked down. By the time we had finished off the fries, there would be some words inscribed on the bottom of the tray beneath the tubers. She read it aloud.

“‘You will suffer dearly if you don’t listen…’? What an odd thing to say.” Fortunately, the teacher didn’t panic. In fact, she saw it as something akin to text found in a fortune cookie. “I guess I’ll be doing my best to listen to other ponies to avoid that, huh Pale?” she nudged me with a giggle.

“Hehe, for sure!” I said with a forced smile.

Okay, I had to take these more seriously now. Clearly, someone was out there--or maybe in here--doing what they could to cancel out my attempts. If I failed to show up at that trial, it would be nulled and my entire case progress would be for nothing. This couldn’t stand. But I obviously couldn’t let Cheerilee know the true meaning behind this. That would send her into a panic. Damn. I should probably back off. If any enemies of mine out there knew who I was close to, it could result in disaster.

We talked a bit more, discussed our hobbies, plans for the future. Both of us agreed that the idea of having children would be ridiculous, given that we both had endured more than enough of such over the course of our lives. Marriage was also a tricky mistress, and Cheerilee stated that she would only get married if it was absolutely perfect. Divorce was extremely common among couples that married after dating for less than a year after all.

Exercise was also important, as Cheerilee stated she would do at least ten pushups each day to counter the fat from the food she ate. She also despised cosmetics, and stated that health was a cornerstone of diet and a good workout routine.

“When you get to be my age, it’s mandatory.”

I chuckled in response. “Heh. Well, you don’t look any older than those Cake Twins.”

“Oh you charmer, quit spoiling me with compliments,” she laughed it off ever so casually.

“I’m serious. Keep at it. You’ll stay looking pretty forever. Even when you’re retired.”

“Thank you, Pale. But I’m not retiring anytime soon. Somepony has to give these kiddos a proper education around here.”

We both laughed some more. Eventually, we finished our food, cleaned ourselves up, and left the diner together. That sauce was a fickle mistress indeed.

“Ah, that was nice. Well, I’m headed home to start planning more tutoring times for tomorrow. How about you?”

I thought about those threatening messages, but played it off. “Hm...gonna head back to my agency. Speak to my friends for a while before heading home. You have a nice day, Cheerilee. And stay safe, hm?”

“Oho, of course! Don’t worry about me. I’m more than capable of defending myself should the need arise,” she shot me a rare, deadly grin that did not suit her face. Akin to an expression Limestone would make. “That’s why nopony has attacked Ponyville in months!” she stated, her face went back to her usual, cheery smile.

I believed her. No, seriously. An army of angry Earth Ponies that could shrug off magic would be an amazing asset to Equestria. And it would ensure that Ponyville would be safe and recognized as more than just ‘the town where Twilight Sparkle’s friends live.’ “That’s right indeed. Alright, I’ll see you soon, okay Cheerilee? Let’s try this out again, sometime.”

“For sure! Bye now!”

And we went our separate ways. Such a nice mare that deserved far more than she received in life. Even so, I couldn’t really be there to provide it all. Mainly due to the fact that I was spread thin as it is, plus there were other options such as--

“Amazing!”

Oh Luna-damn--

Ember followed me out as she scribbled more notes down. “That was adorable! A textbook example of a pony date in action. I’m getting so much of your culture through these interactions!”

“Heh...yeah. Well, I’m glad I could be of help. How did you like the food we ponies eat.”

“Oh? The hay burgers aren’t my thing. Now a gem burger...that would be interesting. Though, I had to admit, the fries were amazing. Almost addictive even. You ponies must have to work hard to avoid getting fat.”

I couldn’t help but laugh aloud at such a revelation. “Ahah! You could say that. Though, we don’t swim in volcanoes and fight each other like you dragons tend to do. Is there anything else you needed?” Deep within myself, I sincerely hoped the former dragon empress would not take to following me around all day. I had work to do. And being distracted by a voluptuous dragon female was not part of the plan.

“Nope. I think I’m good for now. But if I have any more questions about pony stuff, you’ll help me, won’t you?”

“Um…” I thought about it for a second, but she hit me with those downcast eyes. Not unlike that of a dog that begged for its favorite toy. I sighed, and relented. “Fine...but if I tell you I’m busy, then please don’t bother me.”

“Eee! Yes! And I promise. I don’t wanna overspent any boundaries.”

I let out an exhale of relief. That was one less burden for me to worry about. “Good. I’ll be on my way, then.”

“Okay, see you later!”

Finally, I was able to lose her. To tell one the truth, I didn’t hate the idea that Ember felt the need to shadow me. But I was tired. Not to mention, those words. The cup, the wrapper, the tray. Something...strange was going on. Somepony that worked there saw me and decided to place those not-so-subtle messages. I had to figure out what was going on, and fast. Lest I lose my head over it.

So then, my next objective. I headed back to our antique storefront/detective agency to check up on things one last time. Corkscrew was there, and he sprang up with his usual excited expression.

“Boss! You’re back! Nothing to report!”

“Heh, yes I am, buddy. Where’s Quick Draw?” I took a look around.

He shrugged, “She was just here. Went to get something from downstairs. Anyway, I heard you were getting ready for that trial soon. You feeling confident?”

“Absolutely, son,” I replied and gave him a nudge, “If all goes well, Cozy Glow will be released at last, and we can finally expose Equestria’s misguided methods.”

“Pale. Get your flank in the break room,” Quick suddenly shouted from the doorway that led to the hall. “I need to talk to you.”

I tiled my head. Just what could be the problem that she couldn’t explain in front of Cork? No matter. I’m sure it was something important. Or maybe a plan for his surprise birthday party? No, that was months away. “Coming. Be back in a bit, Cork.”

“Aye-aye!” The pegasus saluted and went back to his desk, as dutiful as ever.

I trotted silently after Quick Draw, and joined her in the break room. “So what’s this about?”

As soon as I did, she locked the door. “Listen, boss...I don’t think you should go through with the trial.”

Odd. But not unexpected given what her opinions on the subject had been in the past. Still, I wanted to know exactly why she thought that way. “Uh-huh. And what makes you say that?”

“It’s...gah, do you need me to spell it out? It’s too risky,” she grumbled, and avoided eye contact with me as she looked off to her left. “I can’t bear the thought of losing you in some case that damages your good name, and your credibility.”

Ah, so that was it. I knew that, deep down, Quick Draw cared dearly for my safety. As well as all of us. She just didn’t want me to do anything crazy, but I had to respectfully decline her words. “That’s quite alright. If anything happens to me, I’m prepared for it. You don’t need to worry.”

Then, something completely unexpected happened. Something I never thought would happen in millions of years.

...She hugged me. Quick Draw hugged me. Her voice devoid of any aggression or sarcasm. She spoke in a candid, earnest manner.

“Okay...I can’t hold it back any longer. Pale...I seriously think you should drop this. You have a long, healthy life ahead of you. Trying to undo the wrongdoings of one pony isn’t worth it if you go down in flames.”

I was choked up. Unable to think of what I wanted to say to the yellow-ish mare. “...you really think that? Why haven’t you told me sooner?”

“I was afraid that...you’d leave me,” she muttered with her voice breaking, “I...I need you, Pale. I can’t bear the idea of you throwing your life away.” A faint blush formed on her cheeks.

“...” I had no idea what to say. This was not like her at all. It must have been very serious for her to have broken her normal routine, and speak to me in a whole new way. Was she right? Was I about to throw away everything and risk hurting those whom I cared for with my actions? This was a lot to take in. “...I see…”

All the sudden, I felt her lips press against my own. My heart nearly burst out of my chest. The embrace lasted for mere seconds, but felt like an eternity. “Please, Pale...don’t do anything crazy…you can stay here with me, and we’ll be happy. No matter what happens.”

My head spun. I suddenly felt like gravity within the room had increased twofold. “...Have you...have you felt this way the whole time?”

She nodded with fervor. “Yes! Ever since we met at the Officer’s Academy, I’ve always taken a shine to you. I made a rival out of you because I had no clue how to talk to you. I bottled up my feelings, became bitter, and for years...watched you from afar, cursing myself for never working up the courage to speak to you.”

My mind imploded. That was the reason why she was so cold to me all the time? I had no idea. I always thought it was her way of horsing around. But to know that her emotions were constrained so harshly...it stung. “I...wow.” I had to sit down. Everything had crashed down upon me at that moment. I needed time to collect my thoughts.

Sadly, I was not offered any time to think. Quick Draw had pushed me down onto the couch, and lied atop me. “Listen...I’m not going to force you to think any particular way. I’m just going to show you my true, and honest feelings that I have withheld from you for so long. Then you can make up your mind.”

I felt her nuzzle my neck, and gently nibble me as well. Followed by her tail swaying back and forth in a peculiar manner.

Wait...was she? No. This was wrong. I was not in the mood for such an activity, and Quick was not being herself. Or was she? I didn’t know. But the aura generated by her actions clouded my judgement. Even so, I refused this. “Waaaait a second.”

“What’s wrong? You don’t feel the same way…?” she replied as her voice continued to break. Tears welled up within her eyes.

I shook my head. “No...I’m sorry I…”

And yet, she didn’t stop. Quick was always stubborn. “But...that’s not possible,” she continued as she wiped tears away. “I could always sense it in your heart whenever you looked at me...I know you’ve been hiding your feelings, too. Please be honest with me, Pale…”

I...I didn’t know. Yes, at one point, I may have had interest in her. But that was a very long time ago. At this point, I saw Quick Draw as a work friend, and nothing more. Now, she started to scare me, and I was unsure of what to say next. “To be honest...I don’t feel comfortable, and you’re starting to intimidate me.”

“Pale, please,” she pleaded with desperation, “just give me this one moment. And if you feel nothing afterwards, we can both walk away and forget that this ever happened…”

I felt my ear flick out of pure anxiety. “What do you mean?”

“Just...let me handle everything…” she begged and started to slide down to my lower body.

I felt my skin tingle. For a split second, I felt unable to move or speak. It was...a nice sort of massage, but one that I did not want. Not here. “Okay, stop.” I gently kicked her off of me. “That’s enough. Stop before I toss you out of the window.”

With a thud, she hit the floor. Her eye twitched, and I swore that I witnessed her teeth grind into each other. Only for her to suddenly play it off with a laugh? What?! “Haha...ha! I...I got you, good. That was...a test, yeah, a test, heh.”

What sort of unholy? You know what, whatever. I was getting too old for this shit. “Oh...haha. Good one.”

“Hehe…” The awkward laughter would only continue. She nudged me with a hoof. “C’mon, boss. I gotta make sure you’re on your game or else you’re gonna lose. And it turns out you still got it, so there’s nothing to worry about!” she said with a wide smile.

My head was still spinning. The amount of hormones in the air combined with the frustration I had built up in tandem with the fact that I wanted none of her advances skewed my perceptions. In short, I wanted to die at that moment. “Right...good. Anyway...we should get back to work.”

She walked towards the door while looking back at me. “Right, boss. Let’s finish the day, strong yeah? Haha! Oof!” In doing so, she ran into the door directly since she didn’t pay attention. “Whoops, hehe…” she opened it, and swiftly left the break room.

What the actual buck just happened?

Subject 34: Trial Preparations

I couldn’t get a wink of sleep that night. The messages I received at the fast food restaurant combined with Quick Draw’s odd behavior threw me for a loop. I needed to make proper preparations for the trial so I could make a case for Cozy Glow. Enough with the distractions.

So for the next two days, all went to plan. No craziness, no insanity. I took both days off to ensure that my mental state would be in proper shape come trial day.

And it finally did.

I was excited, but concerned. As always, I fell out of bed and showered yet again. I put on a decent suit and tie, and got ready to attend the summons. I skipped breakfast with the intent of grabbing a donut from Joe in Canterlot.

But then, there was a knock at my door. “Coming.” I answered it to find a friendly, blue alicorn.

“Huzzah, dear Pale! Today is the day. Are you excited, scared, both?” she beamed at me. Today she had on a blue suit of her own.

“Yes.”

Luna came in, and put a hoof around my neck. “Princess Twilight herself has asked me to accompany you on this trip. She would also like to inform you that she got your letter.”

“Oh? What did she say?”

“That’s just it, my friend. We have to leave earlier. She expressly wants to meet with you in private about the contents of the letter as well as the state of other affairs before the trial begins.”

Damn. Guess that means I had no time for breakfast. “I see...do you think she’ll--”

“She’s preparing a nice breakfast for you as we speak, young one. Do not be afraid. Her cooking is better than it seems.”

Once I had my suit on, I shut my door and locked it tight. “Well shit, let’s get on over there!”

“Oh my…” Luna was surprised to hear my enthusiasm. Why? I had no idea. I just knew that I was hungry.

We got on the train, and thankfully I was able to have an easy time. I didn’t feel any strange sensations or oddities. Well, I was nervous but that much was to be expected, given how much weight this situation carried.

I sat on the train next to the blue alicorn as she read the newspaper. She giggled at the comics section. “Hehehe! I love the ones with the cat that likes lasagna, don’t you?”

I didn’t reply. My mental circuitry was off the wall. I suddenly felt her hoof tap on my shoulder. “Ah! Oh...sorry. I didn’t get much sleep the night before last. But I’m ready.”

“I can tell. Sometimes I may have trouble sleeping as well,” Luna explained as she recounted her moments in life, “Now that I’m retired, the adjustment to a diurnal schedule has been...difficult. But I manage. But beyond that, you are a wise stallion, Pale. Do not be afraid.”

I exhaled. “You’re right. Even so, I can’t help it. If I fail, then it’ll all have been for…”

“Shhh...no matter what happens, know that you did your best. Even I have moments where I wished I could have done more. But in the end, it was something that I had to deal with. My corruption as Nightmare Moon, watching as my subjects feared me for it, fighting alongside Tia, arguing with Tia, the list goes on.”

That put a smile on my face. The image of two alicorn goddesses fighting was still ever so humorous to me. Luna noticed this and snapped back at me.

“Hey now! I am serious. What you must do is believe in yourself. Because no matter what happens...you have dear friends behind you every step of the way.”

“And enemies,” I added with a chuckle, “Don’t forget the enemies. At this point, I must be on several hit lists.”

Luna raised an eyebrow at me. “Oh I am more than knowledgeable in that department. I have had dozens of enemies over the centuries. Even still, I focus on who I have with me to support me. Do not take it so lightly, understand?”

She was right. Life was too important to just throw away. Focus on those who matter most were my top priority. Even if it was hard. That’s how family worked. “Of course, Luna. I wouldn’t dream of wasting all that I have.”

“Excellent!” She raised a hoof with a shout, “We will arrive in Canterlot momentarily. Stay calm, and focused.”

More like, ‘stay focused, stay alive.’

But that was beside the point. We arrived in Canterlot, and Luna escorted me through the castle. It was much...calmer than the night of the Gala. How relaxing. It was much easier to deal with. Even if it was a bit awkward hearing our hooves echo as they clopped.

“Wow...it’s almost alien to be in such a quiet castle.”

“Indeed,” Luna snickered, “Heh. I must admit, I have gotten used to the excitement in Silver Shoals. I will go check to make sure Twilight is ready to see you. Would you mind waiting patiently in the garden outside?”

I was already feeling myself become more jittery. So I gratefully accepted the idea of going outside to wait in the calming garden. “No problem. Take your time, Luna.” So I trotted down and out of the steps of the main hall to the garden.

It was extremely serene. Almost too much. There was a...nice sort of calming sensation as I sat down among the flowers. They almost looked good enough to eat. One of the garden tables was open, so I sat in one of the chairs to gather my thoughts.

“Ahem.”

My thoughts were interrupted by a somewhat aged mare. She was a distinctive burnt orange color. About the same age as Spoiled Rich from what I could tell. But if that number in my head was accurate, then she had aged like the finest wine around. “Yes?”

“Ah, so you’re the stallion who is about to go to the trial that begins in a few hours?” she asked and took a seat with me at the table--right across from me. “I remember now...he was telling me about somepony that wanted to set Cozy Glow free. Is that you?”

So this was Stellar Flare. Sunburst’s mother. The leader of Sire’s Hollow’s Research and Development. In the past few years, the small town had grown to the size of what Ponyville currently is thanks to her actions. She was charismatic, daring, and always up for solving problems with a plan. Planning was key. “Correct. Though there’s a lot more to it than that. The name’s Pale Vestige, but I assume you already know that.”

“Certainly.” She replied with a nod, and shot me a sort of teasing smirk. “I’m Stellar Flare, dear. But I’m sure you already knew that as well, didn’t you?”

What was she getting at? Yeah, there was some time before the hearing would take place, but a distraction was not something that I needed at present. “Yes, I did. Forgive me for speaking so bluntly, but what exactly have you approached me for today, madam?”

“Oh don’t say all of that.” She waved her hoof in a snide fashion. Guess she wanted to be seen as ‘cool.’ “Just call me Stellar. And as for why I came to you today, I wanted to get your opinion on a thing or two. You wouldn’t mind giving this old mare who has political experience her time, would you?” she said with a wink to get my attention.

I had to admit, it worked. I was ready to listen. A nice, calm chat in the middle of the garden is exactly what I needed to ease my nerves. “Alright. Fire away, Stellar.”

“Oh, good.” With her magic, she levitated a piece of rolled-up parchment out, and unfurled it. She read silently, then closed it again. “Ah. Here we go.” The mare leaned forward on the table. Her chin rested on her hooves. “So, first thing’s first. Do you happen to know what your plan is?”

That was a fairly general question. Something that I couldn’t answer out of the blue. “Plan?”

“Oh, come now dear. Everypony needs a plan when they start taking on big and hard jobs. For you, this must be one of your biggest and hardest, I’m sure.” The way she spoke in tandem with her casual, half-lidded expression made me wonder if this was how she spoke to all of the folks she interviewed. It felt strange, but I wasn’t going to question it. “Now just what do you have in mind for Cozy if she is to be released, hm?”

“That? Easy. I intend to watch over her for a while and make sure she adapts to the culture of society once again. It’s going to be rough on her initially, given how many years have passed since her banishment. But I think it’s going to work.” There was much more to my answer, but I didn’t want to display all of my cards to the mare. I had already known that if she was here in attendance for the case, then she would be prepared to listen to everything that I had to say.

Shockingly enough, this savvy mare already knew. “Ah, I see now. You’re holding back on me.”

“Huh?”

“That can’t be the sole point you intend to present to the Court,” she commented, and shot me a domineering sort of smirk with a raised eyebrow. “I can already see it in your eyes and how long it took you to respond. You have far more you intend to say. I like that.”

I wasn’t nervous, but her gaze made me hesitate on my next set of words. “...Huh. Well, thank you, I suppose?”

“I only wanted to ask because I found out that my son, Sunburst had actually spoken to you a while ago regarding the issue. He’s going to be in attendance of the trial today, so I figured that I would observe. After all, something like this affects all of Sire’s Hollow, you know.” Her face changed to more of a snarky sort of grin. As if she challenged me. Was it possible that she was against my stance? Of course, I didn’t expect her to reveal that right away. “And to tell you the truth, I somewhat needed to get away from home.”

How candid. I tilted my head as I listened. “Oh?”

Rather surprisingly, she leaned back in her seat with her hooves behind her head. “My job is so darn boring nowadays, that I needed to not only come see my baby boy, but also involve myself in something. So I figured why not see what this little case is about? Hmhmhm…” she chuckled, a wide smile formed with her shiny teeth on display. “Do you know what that feels like, sir?”

“Hm?”

“To be so bored of your job that you just want to seek out some adventure, some fun,” she listed things off and leaned forward once more. Yet again with that sultry sort of smirk. “Some spice. You know?”

I nodded. Though I wasn’t entirely sure if she had another point to her words compared to the face value of what she stated. A different motive, perhaps? “I can understand that, yeah. Though, probably not to the extent of someone your age--er, experience level.” Never mention how a woman was older than you. It would only cause problems.

Thankfully, Ms. Flare wasn’t so easily disturbed. “Pff. Quit being such a coward, young man. I know I’m a bit over the hill. Ever since Sunburst upped and moved away, I’ve been desperately searching for some sort of...validation, if you can call it that.” Her face turned somber as she spoke about this. “I only want the best for Sunburst...but he insists he’s doing just fine on his own, for instance.”

I remembered back to when he and I spoke. It was brief, but I could gather that he was a calm, collected sort of intellectual. Someone who you would always want close in case things went awry. “Well, for what it’s worth, I believe you raised a wonderful child. You and your husband should be proud.”

The mare let out a tired exhale. The kind you give in response to hearing something you have heard dozens of times. Oh dear. Just what could be the issue?

I had to ask. “Did I say...something wrong?”

She shook her head, and laughed it off. “Ahaha. Don’t fret, dear. My husband and I broke off quite a long time ago. In fact, the last time he visited home, Sunburst wasn’t even concerned over the whereabouts of his father.”

Oh...it all made sense now. Stellar was hung up over the fact that both her son and husband left. Granted, the latter was permanent, but it was very telling. This mare was in a situation that was somewhat similar to Spoiled, except of course, she was not happy. As a result, she seemed to have taken a shine to being overbearing towards her son despite the fact that he has proven himself capable. Heck, he was even the Vice Principal of the School of Friendship in Ponyville alongside Starlight. With Trixie’s assistance, there was no way that stallion hurt for a good life.

“I see...even so, you shouldn’t let that get you down. Your son is living a great life now. As for your husband, well...” I shrugged. That bit of the conversation was something I had walked into without being prepared for it. “I’m sure you’ll recover from that loss someday. You’re a resilient mare. I can sense it.”

The sadness faded, and her sensual sort of smirk returned. “Hm...maybe…”

“Er, maybe what?”

She levitated a pocket watch to get a glance at the time, and put it away. “Would you perhaps like to assist me? It won’t take very long.”

There was about three hours before the trial began. I suppose it couldn’t hurt to assist Stellar with her problems. Though, her overly smug demeanor rubbed me a certain way. “Sure, I’m here until Luna comes to take me to Twilight. So I think I can help. What do you need me to do?”

“Oh just keep talking to me, that’s all. You’ve done a great job already…if this works, then I’ll know I’m still doing well with my magic. Won’t hurt a bit.” I saw her horn light up. Just what was she planning? “Let’s see if this little spell I’ve been dabbling in works out for me.”

I suddenly felt a twitch. Not a painful one, but a spell was cast upon me. Was she using me for some sort of test? I couldn’t sense any malicious intent within her or the spell itself, so I didn’t comment on it for the moment. “Okay then...well, in short. I know what I need to do as well as the case I need to present to the court. Whether you’re in support of me, or against me, I respect your opinions all the same, Stellar.”

She gazed at me with her casual smile. Her horn no longer flashed. “Ah, well it’s not every day you come across somepony who has a different opinion than you but still accepts it. Back in my day, we teenage fillies used to sabotage each other for that. Even our closest friends,” she giggled.

Sabotage? What an odd thing to mention. But given that anyone was capable of obstructing the work of those whom they were close to, it was a very scary thought to have. Especially in my line of work where anyone within could turn on you. “That’s...true, heh. But hopefully...you have friends you can...trust now, right?” Her magic cast a strange feeling upon me. I started to feel loads of hard pressure build up in my muscles. Just what was the purpose behind such a spell? Even so, I’d meet her challenge.

As we talked, the magic she cast would only pick up intensity. I felt the muscles in my legs flex, and relax at will. She worked something upon me that caused me to feel an insane amount of pressure. But I managed to keep a straight face through it all, even as we continued to speak.

At last, once the spell wore off, I felt sweet relief. A massive weight had been removed from my body. It was like heaven. Even if it was a bit messy, I managed to overcome Stellar’s magic, much to her smug enjoyment.

“Oh yes...that’s perfect.”

I cricked my neck. “Ah...okay...mind telling me what the purpose of that was?”

Stellar started to scribble down some notes with her magic. “Let’s just say that a little birdie told me about your special earth pony magic. And I just had to...get a feel for it myself, if you know what I mean, hmhmhm!” The aged mare laughed to herself.

I blinked with a stare. “Oh...that was all?” I scoffed, “All you had to do was ask and I would’ve been more than happy to endure your little experiments. To be honest, it actually felt good. No pain whatsoever.”

“Hm...if you’d like, once this trial is over, I’d be happy to run more tests on you,” she offered with her easygoing smile, “It’s one of my hobbies. I run these sorts of magical theories a lot in my spare time. It’s one of the things I’ve taken to do when I’m not working.”

Good. She had something else to focus on that wasn’t work. If that was the case, then it would be an honor to work with her. Although, I had to remain focused on my goal. “I see. It’s always nice to have hobbies. I tend to enjoy puzzles myself.”

We talked for a few more minutes, and she bid me goodbye. As Stellar walked away, Luna finally re-appeared via teleportation with a bit of a charred mane. “My apologies for taking so long, Pale. Twilight insisted on making pancakes ‘by the book,’” she said with air quotes, “so it took longer than I expected. Oh, I see you have met Sunburst’s mother. Stellar Flare.”

“Yes. She said she’ll be attending the court case, right?”

“Indeed. In fact, many important individuals are going to be present today. I do hope you are prepared.”

I got up from the garden table. “Heh...I’m always prepared.”

Luna escorted me back into the castle, and I went up to the same private reading room that Twilight and I met in before. The purple alicorn waited for me with a plate of pancakes at the tea table and a forced smile. Thankfully, she was in her regular-sized mare form once again.

“Hi! I mean--ahem. Greetings, Pale Vestige. Have a seat,” she greeted me with her forced smile that went away and became all business.

I sat with her. “Salutations. The trial begins in two hours. But you wanted to speak with me, yeah?”

She nodded. “That’s right. Just to go over some things I would like to discuss with you.” That very same notebook from before was levitated into the air with her magic. Pages flipped and turned until she landed on the correct one. “Here we go. Alright. First thing’s first. You’ll be happy to know that both Starlight and Fluttershy talked to the batponies.”

I looked up at her as I bit into the pancakes. I somewhat envied magic users, but stuffing one’s face was still nice. “Oh? What are the results?”

“Long story short, they’ve gotten the batponies to agree to be more sociable and share their fruits. In exchange, we’re all encouraged to see what their culture is like in Hollow Shades. And bats will be treated no different than anypony else.”

Alright, good progress so far. But onto the other matter. “And the griffons?”

More pages flipped. “After a series of tests and tribulations, Gallus and I concluded just who the prime candidate for the griffon’s new leader should be.”

“And that is?”

The purple alicorn smiled in a secretive manner. “You’ll find out soon enough. Lastly. In regards to your letter.” The smile went away. She lowered the notebook and took out the letter I had mailed off a few days ago. “Are you certain this is all true?”

“For sure. If someone is trying to cause destruction for me by eavesdropping, I wanted you to be aware of it.”

“Don’t you worry, Pale. As Princess of Equestria, it’s my job to be fair and impartial with all cases,” she proclaimed with a confident grin, “If somepony is utilizing underhooved tactics in order to gain an advantage, I’ll know, and bring them to justice. You have every right to call for a trial and make a case. If they dare try to attack me or any of my friends over the final decision, it won’t end well for them.” That grin of hers became a stern frown. “Nothing gets past us.”

I appreciated this more active role she took compared to the previous two alicorns. Maybe there was a bright future ahead for all of us yet. “Thank you for listening, and thanks for the pancakes. They were delicious.”

“Oh, you’re welcome. I knew I could do it if I followed the book,” she replied with a smile. “Now, is there anything else you wanted to speak to me about? The trial is set to begin soon. So I hope you’re ready to make your case for Cozy Glow and present it to the jury, Pale. It’s almost time.”

I nodded. That hearing was set to start soon. This was it. My final stand. Everything I had worked for built up to this. It would either make or break the chances of that child having another chance at life. But I was prepared with everything I needed. Nothing would stop me from an attempt to reach for my goals.

“Ready as I’ll ever be, Princess.”

Subject 35: The Trial Begins

I straightened the collar of my suit, and checked the time. Those massive doors beckoned me to enter with as much bravery that I was prepared to muster. No more games, no more dawdling. Time to present my case.

I entered the courtroom. Or rather, it was really just Twilight’s throne room modified into a court, complete with rows of seats for an audience as well as a jury, and a stand for those who wanted to present evidence. The purple alicorn was in her seat at the end of the room. Surprisingly, she chose to remain her regular-sized self. Thank goodness for that. As well as the fact that I was the first to arrive. I took my seat in the front row of the bleachers, and she looked at me with a small smile and a nod.

I nodded in return. It was showtime.

Corkscrew showed up second, and sat beside me. When I asked him where Quick Draw was, he said that she decided to stay home to hold the fort. Made sense. At least I had one of my crew members with me on this case.

When the clock struck twelve, the room filled with ponies, some changelings, a dragon or two, and a few griffons. Wait, there were even some batponies in attendance as well? Nice. A small selection of them were reporters. I could tell from the hats, notebooks, and other items they wore. Others were regular civilians on duty.

One of them in particular, Agent Sweetie Drops--aka Bon Bon--shot me a look, and hid her face beneath her hat. I remembered from my time within her monster hunting team, that that gesture was a code. To signal, ‘if anything goes wrong, I’m here.’ Nice to see she didn’t forget me, even if I didn’t remain there very long. Other familiar faces such as Tree Hugger, Moondancer, Celestia, and Luna were also there. Though, the alicorns were seated far in the rear seats to keep everypony from being distracted by their presence.

Once the congregation seats were filled, the jury would enter their seats in their respective stands. Among them would be relatively important, and noteworthy figures. These included Starlight Glimmer, Sunburst, Chancellor Neighsay, Shining Armor, the former Dragon Lord Ember, Mayor Mare, and a tall, muscular female Griffon. Wait, was that Gilda?

It seems the jury was evenly divided. Three who supported my case, three who were against my case, and a wild card in Gilda who was unbiased. Made sense to me.

Everything was in order, and Twilight spoke. “Thank you all for coming. I know this might be a tad awkward since this is the first trial I’ve held as a princess. Even so, I will do my best to ensure all sides are properly heard and analyzed before a conclusion is reached.” She addressed the audience with a sense of order in her voice. I liked that. The purple alicorn wasn’t as passive as her sunlit predecessor. “We are gathered here today on behalf of an individual who wants to extend a hoof of friendship as well as a second chance to one individual: Cozy Glow.”

Soft murmurs and opinions washed over the crowd once everyone heard the name. They were silenced when Twilight cleared her throat.

“Ahem. In accordance with my new laws, the pony--or creature of another species--who called for the trial shall make his--or her--case first,” she raised her hoof, and pointed directly at me. “Pale Vestige. Please stand up, and make your opening statement to the congregation. After which, counterpoints will be issued by members of the jury, then a short recess. Next, opinions will be given by the court, followed by closing statements from all sides. You may begin.”

I exhaled, and stood up. It was now or never. I opened my vest, and reached into it to grab a little device that Flash Drive made for me. A pop-up easel to present evidence upon. “Fillies and gentlecolts of the world. I ask you. What is the magic of friendship?” I placed a large, ringed binder on the easel for visual aid.

No response, but given that it was rhetorical, I didn’t expect one.

I opened the binder to an image of a certain being of chaos. “Time and time again, there have been countless enemies that have been redeemed into the side of good. Such as Discord, Sunset Shimmer, and even Starlight Glimmer,” I said each name and flipped through the binder to images of each individual that I mentioned. “Not to mention, they have caused nearly as much damage as Cozy Glow did. ‘But Pale,’ I hear many of you ask, ‘didn’t Cozy Glow nearly destroy the entire planet?’ True. Yes. However, she had assistance. On her own, she wasn’t even that much of a threat. But it was thanks to Discord setting her free along with Tirek and Chrysalis, that she was able to take control of Grogar’s Bell, and take away the magic of the alicorns, and Discord himself!”

The ponies in the crowd started to mumble amongst themselves.

“One time!” I heard the draconequus shout from the back.

Fluttershy immediately scolded him with her trademark stare. “Quiet.”

“Ahem,” I cleared my throat to get everyone’s attention once more. “With that being said, it can be argued that if she weren’t banished to Tartarus in the first place, she wouldn’t have been able to ally herself with the other villains, and thus, she wouldn’t have tried to destroy the world.” I pointed to the former alicorns who sat in the back, then Twilight herself. “Except all of you decided to put her there immediately. That is the exact problem with the way things were run in this land. You all shot magic at a problem and just hoped it would go away. Guess what? It didn’t. Instead, you essentially created your own monster by doing so.”

The crowd started to mumble amongst themselves more loudly this time. It was hard to make out just what they were saying, but I could tell I stirred something up. Even Luna and Celestia looked on at me with unfazed expressions. As if to encourage me to continue. To my right, in the jury stands, I noticed Starlight blush at the mention of her past.

“Order!” Twilight used her magic to slam a small wooden hammer against a wooden disk that she placed upon her throne. “Always wanted to do that.” “Continue, Pale.”

I tipped my hat. “Thank you. Now with that being said, I do not condemn everyone for doing what they did. It’s within your nature to react rashly to such powerful enemies. But I am here to explain how we can improve,” I flipped the page to an artistic drawing of a young Sombra. “Sombra was once an individual who lived among the ponies like everyone else. But he was shunned for being different. With nopony else to turn to or to take care of, he lashed out and started an entire war that damned the Crystal Empire for a thousand years. But it all started because nopony gave him a chance. Similarly to Cozy, Sombra had no sign of any parents or any family to be there for him. Radiant Hope was the only one to bother, and in doing so, she lost her life alongside him. We need to be more understanding and take care of each other or else we’ll have yet another self-made apocalypse bringer in the next thousand years. And that starts by showing that everyone has the ability to make amends for their actions. No matter how horrible they may seem on the surface.”

With my statement finished, I returned to my seat in the front row next to Corkscrew. I exhaled, and he gave me a reassuring pat on the back. Twilight would address the congregation next.

“Thank you for your statement, Pale. Now for the counterarguments. Who would like to go first?”

I watched as Starlight got up from her seat. “Alright then...first off. Pale Vestige. Can you please step into the witness stand?”

She wanted to question me. Alright, then. I would do my best to respond to whatever she had to say. I got up, and took my seat in the stand beside Twilight’s throne.

“Okay. Firstly, I would like to express how thoughtful it is for you to do something like this. Nopony else would’ve taken the time to risk debating in favor of one of Equestria’s most dangerous enemies…” she totted towards me with a binder of her own to showcase her own set of evidence. “And I also respect your perspective regarding how Cozy Glow was treated.”

Gah. I hated this approach. Butter the witness/suspect up with a compliment, only to destroy their argument. Effective, but a painful sort of roundabout way of dealing with someone.

“However…”

And there it was. Just get to the point.

“I want to talk about what led up to it,” she opened her binder to show off several images of Cozy at the School of Friendship, “Cozy Glow came to the School as a lonesome student. She earned the trust and friendship of everypony in the class. Chief of which being Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle, and Applebloom,” she pointed at the young mares who sat in the congregation together, “And we gave her that trust. But the very moment she tried to take over the School, she burned that trust.” She showed another image of the filly as she attempted to take over the school with the power of the magic of the alicorns she had stolen.

I knew this very well. And already had a counterpoint ready. But I didn’t say a word.

“I get that you take pity on her. But somepony so powerful...she couldn’t be allowed to remain here. Tartarus was the only place that we could reasonably put her at that moment in time.” She sighed, and looked down. “I was in her shoes too once...in a way. Everypony knows about the village that I enslaved for my own selfish actions. And to this day, I regret it. The power of cutie marks was not something to trifle with.”

That was an understatement. But once again, I looked on and watched silently as she made her points.

“But what Cozy Glow did was different. The power of the alicorns was something that nopony had ever come close to damaging. Let alone absorbing. So when she did that, not only did she commit an atrocity of the highest power, but she also threw away all of the friendships she had built up to that point,” she turned to face the congregation. “Not just the Crusaders, but all of the students who had truly desired to be her friend. She readily tossed away everything she had all for nothing but power just like Chrysalis did. I offered her a hoof in friendship, and she denied it outright. So I ask you all, does that sound like somepony that can be trusted? Does this look like somepony that wants to make amends?” On the next page of her binder, Starlight showed off the...admittedly dreadful looking alicorn form that Cozy Glow took when she absorbed power. I couldn’t stand the sight of it myself either.

The audience went mad with mumbles and chatter. To the point where Twilight had to slam her little hammer again. “Order!” After which, she addressed Starlight. “Do you have more to add?”

“Yes, Princess Twilight. I do, in fact,” she answered boldly. “Or rather, Sunburst does. Would you be so kind?” She went and returned to her spot in the jury.

“Not a problem,” the yellow unicorn said with a nod. He rose from his seat, and stepped out in front of the crowd. “Greetings, everypony. As you know, I am the Vice Principal of the School of Friendship alongside Starlight, and--”

A voice rose out of the crowd. “That’s my boy!” Stellar flare waved from her seat.

“Blech.” Sunburst sighed, and continued. “Anyway, in reference to you specifically.” He turned to me, “Pale Vestige. What is your reasoning for this? Just why do you want to give Cozy Glow another chance when nopony else will?”

“Well, it’s simple. I too was nearly a victim of the ‘shoot first, ask questions later’ mentality that plagues this society. Much like Sombra, and Cozy...I felt the need to attack and provoke others to prove myself. I didn’t have anypony significant in my life.” I hated to do this, but now was the time to lay it all out on the table. “My parents separated when I was young. My mother was a deceitful, horrid lady who abused the money my father made. In turn, my father became aggressive, bitter, and they fought frequently to the point of them both leaving. Mother claimed it was because Father was always this way, and Father refused to explain anything. I knew they were both lying to make the other look worse, so there was nothing I could do.”

There was some more mumbling within the crowd, but I didn’t address it. I simply continued to explain how I came to be where I was.

I took a deep breath, and went on. “And so, I grew up in Manehattan with no one to watch out for me. Bullied constantly. Until one day...I snapped. I simply acted out of pure rage, and fought whoever I could. Constantly got into trouble, and did nothing but bring about chaos out of fear.” I laughed to myself a little. “Wasn’t until somepony intervened and saved my life that I was able to turn it around. I want to do the same for Cozy. Pure and simple.”

A few members of the congregation shed tears at my story. This is why I despised bringing it up. It didn’t feel right to make everyone listen to my problems. Sunburst, meanwhile, kept his professionalism.

“Ahem,” he cleared his throat and adjusted his glasses. “That’s...quite the interesting background you have there, sir. Now I see why you’re so passionate about this. However, there’s still another problem.”

I raised an eyebrow. “And that is?”

He looked up to me, speaking with a more focused tone than before. “Do you truly see yourself as qualified enough to watch over somepony such as her? Someone so willing to cast aside everything she had worked up for just to have a chance at watching the world burn? I ask this because--and forgive me for saying so--but just how do you expect to reform somepony like that if Twilight and her friends--who are the Elements of Harmony--couldn’t?”

The crowd started to speak amongst themselves yet again. I suppose that was one strain of context I had not considered. I wasn’t some lucky being blessed with demi-god abilities and able to handle anything that the world throws at me. “...You’re right. I’m not as powerful as they are. But I have complete control over my own skills, and know what I can do.”

“That’s all well and good. And I’m sure you’re very competent at your job. But something like this is simply beyond your...everything. And I don’t mean any personal offense, but I’m trying to get you to understand. You’re biting off far more than you can chew with this, sir.”

Maybe I was. I wouldn’t know until I actually tried, didn’t I? “Possible. But sharks are born swimming, you know.”

“Hmph.” With nothing left to say for the moment, Sunburst backed away. “That is the end of my statement, Princess,” he announced before he went back to his seat.

Twilight sighed from above. I could see that this topic weighed heavily upon her shoulders. It wouldn’t be a problem that could be logically computed like many others. This would take some time before she could give a final word.

She wiped away a bit of sweat from her forehead. “Alright, in accordance with the rules that I have set in place, everypony is now allowed to take five minutes to think about the statements before the trial resumes. Feel free to speak among yourselves.”

And like a classroom without its teacher, the congregation began to lightly chatter among itself.

I seized this opportunity to get some air. I left the courtroom, and exhaled. The quiet of the hallway was calming and helped bring down my nerves. This was stressful. We just started and I was already losing it? No...I can’t. Not here.

“Hey man.”

I physically jumped up, and relaxed when I saw who it was. “Oh...Tree Hugger. Was there something you needed?”

“Nah, I’m good. But I can tell you’re super jazzed out right about now.”

Understatement. I rolled my eyes in response. “Yeah...well, I’m starting to freak out a little. Don’t mind me--” I was cut off.

The green mare cupped my cheeks within both of her hooves. “You just gotta chill, bro. Every little thing is gonna be alright. No matter what happens, I’m here for ya.”

I had to admit, her half-lidded, mellow gaze was very comforting. Even without her brownies, Tree Hugger was a very supportive pony, and I couldn’t thank her enough for it. “Heh...thanks, Tree,” I said as I breathed in and out in a slow fashion. But when I did, I could swear for a fleeting moment that I felt something sneak past us both. Or was my mind playing tricks on me? Hmmm...

“Thaaaat’s it,” she let my cheeks go, and pulled me in for a hug. “We got two minutes until things start up again. Do your best out there, and don’t let anypony jack up your groove. You dig?”

“Yup...I dig, Tree. I most certainly dig.”

With a smile, she left, and re-entered the courtroom. I soon followed, and took my seat next to Corkscrew.

“You okay, boss?”

“More than you know, kiddo. Let’s get this done.”

Twilight slammed her tiny hammer once more to quiet the chatter. “Order! We will now hear the thoughts of the members of the assembly, and move onto the closing statements from all sides before a ruling is made. Who would like to speak first?”

Hang on, was that...I knew it. My instincts were right. Before anyone in the room could say anything...time froze. Everyone around me stopped and was frozen in some sort of magic spell that prevented them from being able to move, speak, or understand anything going on around them.

Everyone except me.

I waved my hoof in front of Corkscrew’s eyes to no reaction. “Huh?” I got up, and looked around. Everyone including the alicorns were stuck in a time-stopping spell.

“I told you that you should have dropped this, Pale.”

My heart sank, and I shut my eyes when I heard that familiar voice. “I wanted to deny this being the truth. I never wanted it to be true. And yet…”

Subject 36: Trial Betrayal

“Quick Draw...why? Why go to such lengths? What good does freezing everyone accomplish?”

The yellow-ish earth pony trotted over to me, pain and sorrow behind those eyes of hers. “You don’t get it do you? If you release her, then you’ll cause an assortment of problems. Even now, plenty of ponies still ache over the damage that Cozy Glow caused. Not to mention other species like the Dragons and Griffons who are deathly afraid of her. Do you think that her being able to walk freely is going to just be sunshine and rainbows?!”

“Of course I don’t!” I snapped back. This had officially gone too far. “Suspicions and judgements don’t just disappear overnight. It takes time to earn trust of others. That’s why I did all of this. So that, upon her return, it will be that much easier for her to have a proper life here.”

She huffed, and shook her head. “You absolute jackass…even now, you have individuals out there that want you imprisoned for life because of what you’re doing. But I won’t let them take you away from me--us! We’ve been through too much together to lose you to something you’re not equipped to handle.”

“Enough.” I scowled. I decided a long time ago that I would follow my ideals. But something I knew I would never do was let someone else control my ideals for me. “Whatever it is you’ve done, undo it right now.”

As expected, Quick remained firm on her stance as well. “I can’t do that. Even now, you run the risk of endangering your life because of this crazy case. Do you honestly think just setting Cozy free will go off without a hitch?” She leaned her head back, and cackled. “Ohohoho! Please! Even if you get approval from Princess Smarty-Pants herself,” she pointed her hoof at the frozen purple alicorn, “you’ll still have enemies. And with that, comes conflict. And with conflict, comes war.”

I took a step back and glared at her. “Just what are you saying?”

“Don’t you get it?! You’d be throwing her back into a system that’s already against her. Her life is at risk. Your life would be at risk. Everypony that you’ve talked to up until this point? All of their lives are at risk!” she pointed at each member of the court as well as the congregation. “Is that what you want? Do you want to risk bringing back someone with such a dangerous reputation who would cause those that think ill of you to attack you? Or Cheerilee? Or Tree Hugger? Or our buddies Corkscrew and Flash Drive? This whole time you’ve thought of no one except yourself and your own selfish philosophies. Did you ever consider the effects it would have on everyone around you?”

My eyes darted back and forth. I shut them as I looked down. “Hm…” I exhaled and shook my head. “Of course I do. That’s why I have so many precautions in place just in case anything were to go wrong. In the end, my life is trivial compared to those around me. I wouldn’t dare let anything befall them. Once I have enough support from the court as well as the public, the ire towards Cozy will recede, and we can start making progress towards giving our children a better tomorrow. Somepony has to end this cycle of the strong trampling the weak!” I stomped my hoof as I looked up at her.

Quick was unamused at my statement. She simply rolled her eyes and looked off to the side. “So that’s it, huh? You think we’re all weak?”

“Yes!” I shouted, “We are all weak creatures. If Twilight and her friends suddenly became evil tomorrow, who would be there to stop them? In addition, there are probably hundreds, if not thousands of fillies and colts out there who are missing parents and are just as troubled as Cozy Glow is. Do you think that the fear through negative reinforcement of being trapped in stone for all of eternity with no way to die or be at peace is acceptable? Do you want your home to become a dictatorship?!”

“It’s not a dictatorship if it’s how things always have been. If the next foal who plans on lashing out thinks about where Cozy Glow has ended up, they’ll stop. They’ll learn how to behave and listen so they won’t be where she is.”

I slapped my forehead with my hoof. That was such a ridiculous ideology to follow due to how destructive it could be. “And how do you know that, huh? How do you know that a truly twisted, and deranged child wouldn’t simply carry out those actions regardless of the punishment. Foals like Cozy Glow had no regard for their own life. Why? Because they were never taught how precious life actually is in the first place!” I walked closer to her. I wanted Quick to listen to everything I had to say and pay close attention. “Don’t you get it? Individuals like Sombra and Cozy were never given proper guidance by any sort of parental figures as children. Because of that, they grew up with the idea that their actions had no consequences since no one was there to guide them. You tell me. Does that sound like a just world to live in? A world where you can be born into an unlucky situation and watch as everypony passes you by because they don’t care? How else would you act?!”

She leaned forward, now more interested in the point I tried to make. Is it possible that my words had finally gotten through to her? “Just what do you mean by that?”

“You were born in a home with the comfortable upbringing of your parents. Corkscrew had the safety of his parents. I was lucky to be rescued by a kind soul after dealing with horrible parents.”

Quick would try to refute my claim. “Oh? Then what about Scootaloo? Her parents are hardly ever around, and her aunts barely watch over her. Yet she turned out just fine. Babs Seed is the same way.”

But I already had a statement ready to pierce through such a point. “That’s because, like me, Scootaloo also got lucky. Far luckier than I was, even. One of the Elements of Harmony herself--Rainbow Dash--took to being what is essentially her older sister. Babs Seed is also related to an Element of Harmony, and has her Aunt and Uncle in Manehattan. Once again, they both lucked out. But even now, as we speak. There are loads of foals out there who don’t have anypony to watch out for them. Taking the time to give Cozy that attention she needs is going to show them that there is hope out there for them, and that they shouldn’t give up. That is what I want to show the world. But you…”

And then it hit me. Ghost’s warning regarding someone inside the agency, the fact that that hooded pegasus somehow knew of this trial before it would even occur…

“What?” she asked. “I never wanted this, but they offered me a chance to bring you down to your senses, so I took it. You’ve gone too far this time. Now you have to stop before I make you.”

I shut my eyes. “Quick Draw...please tell me you haven’t been feeding suspicious individuals information.”

She flashed an arrogant grin as she started to walk around me in a circle. “Well. You finally figured it out. Those folks you talked to with the hoods? I was the one who tipped them off.”

With a pained gaze, I looked at her again. What reason could there have been to sell out everything we worked for in such a way? “But why? Why would you do something like that?!”

“I figured that, if you were smart enough, you would’ve caught the hint and stopped. But I guess it’s too late for that.”

I rubbed the sides of my head with my hooves. This was too much to bear, and I wanted to resolve this case as soon as possible. “Quick Draw...undo whatever time freeze...thing you just cast. Do that for me, and we can discuss all of this later.”

“No!” she responded rashly, “Not until you agree to drop this case. I am not about to let you ruin your life over something like this like some sort of fool!”

I turned away, and looked over my shoulder. “If I’m a fool, then I don’t wish to be as smart as you think you are.”

Desperation filled her eyes. Her pupils darted around for an answer until she had one. With a crazed smile, she grabbed Corkscrew from his seat. The pegasus was still frozen in time like everyone else in the room, so he was unable to react. “If you agree to forfeit the trial, I’ll unfreeze time, and let Cork go. If not...then, you’re going to finally understand what I mean.”

I instantly turned back around, ready to fight. There was no way she could realistically harm another member of our group. It just wasn’t possible. “Quick...this is your final warning. Let the stallion go or else.”

“No! You just don’t get it do you?! Fine then! I’ll show you just exactly what can happen if you continue down this path!” Quick jumped out of one of the nearby open windows and ran with Corkscrew on her back.

As soon as she did, I was already close behind. “Quick Draw! Get back here!” I too, jumped out of the window. She ran through the streets of Canterlot, which were also all frozen in time. Just how powerful was this spell that she cast? No matter. I had to keep going.

I chased her down and out of the city. She stopped right at the edge of a cliff on the side of a mountain with the frozen orange pegasus held tightly in her grip as she stood on her hind legs. There was uncertainty, and pain within her eyes. Pain that I could almost taste.

“Quick...you don’t want to do this…”

Her knees quivered as she neared the edge. She spoke in a broken, heartfelt voice that felt genuine compared to the last time we talked. “I...I don’t...but I don’t want to lose you.”

I sighed. “You just have to accept the fact that, sometimes, we’ll all take risks in life for and around each other. But I am not going to hold back on my word for the feelings of someone else. You constantly act like you’re more mature, but Corkscrew respects my actions. Even if he disagrees, he isn’t going to activate a damn time shutdown spell just because he disagrees with me. No matter how valid his arguments may be.” I pointed at our young team member, “And that is why he has displayed far more excellence than you,” and I pointed at Quick next. “I was going to consider putting in a request to promote you. But this...if this is how you act, then you’ve truly disappointed me. Not as an agent, but as an individual as well.”

At last, my words cut through. She tossed Corkscrew aside. Despite what it looked like, she wasn’t crying. It was more like a quivering frown that a child would wear when they realized they had disappointed their parents. “...Pale...I…”

I walked over to her, and extended my hoof. “Come on. You’re better than this, you know.” She took my hoof.

“I...I’m sorry…” She put a hoof around me as she closed in for a hug.

Maybe I was right. Communicating and proper care towards another can get through to anyone.

Or so I thought.

“He bought it.”

I just barely managed to react to what followed. Her other hoof swung with a knife that cut into my chest a little. Thankfully, I managed to avoid a deadly stab when I flipped her over me. A classic wrestling sort of move. Suplex, I think it was called. The earth pony mare cried out in pain as her back hit the solid ground.

“Gah!”

With a grunt, I put a hoof against her neck. She said nothing, but I heard her sob quietly. I didn’t care about the wound itself, even though it hurt like heck. I was more concerned over why she did this. “And yet you forget that the hoof is quicker than the eye.”

From below me, she coughed due to the pressure I applied to her body. “Ack! Ugh! Hmm...there’s only one way to see this through to the end. Kill me. If you want to go this far for your ideals, then kill me!”

I thought about it, but what good would that do? Show that needless violence and last resort options were always key? No. I would not stoop to her level. “If you truly care for me as you so claim...then you’re going to tell me everything you know. Come on, Quick. You know that I am always here for you. Ever since we were kids. When we first met at the Academy, you shunned me but kept others from picking on me.”

No response. She looked away.

I applied more pressure on her neck. “In our first field operation, we took down a flock of Cockatrices together!”

I heard her mumble, but she still refused to speak. At this point I nearly had her choking.

“At Rank 7 we saved Corkscrew and the rest of our class from a school of Bite-acuda fish in the river!”

I heard her bones buckle under the pressure. But I refused to give up my assault of nostalgia.

“And when we graduated. What promise did we make?”

No response, so I yelled at her to get it.

“What promise did we make?!”

At last, she spoke. “That none of us would die before each other in the field!”

I let her go. “That’s right...so with that being said, you know I will never kill you. So you have no choice but to tell me everything.”

She sat up, and sighed. With no other options, she finally relented. “...Fine. There’s a book near Twilight’s throne that contains the words that lets you undo any enchantment.”

From behind, I hugged her. “Thank you Quick...and you know what else?”

“W..what?”

CLINK!

I slapped some cuffs on her hooves. “You’re under arrest for...well, lots of things. But you’re not going to jail. I have something different in mind…”

She looked at me for a moment, then gave an honest chuckle. “...As expected. If you let me off easy, I would’ve had a problem.”

“Shut it, and get moving.”

We made our way back to the castle where everypony was still frozen in place.

Well, except for one.

“There you are!” Twilight ran up to us both. “It took me a while, but I realized I was in a time-freeze spell. Luckily, I was able to break out. But I can’t seem to find a way to break everypony else out.”

Quick Draw spoke up. “Did you check the book under your throne?”

Twilight slapped her own forehead with her hoof. “Duh! Of course that’s where I left it. How could I forget. But wait, how did you…”

“It’s a long story,” I said, and pointed to the cuffs I had her locked in. “When you unfreeze your guards, take her to one of the therapy cells you have.”

Quick raised an eyebrow. “Therapy...cell?”

Twilight giggled, “Hehehe. Just a little thing I’ve been working on. Instead of banishing ponies, we offer them a chance to correct their mistakes. Fiddling with a little time spell won’t net you that much time.”

“...Hm. I suppose that’s fair. I...do have some unresolved issues.”

“Eee!” The alicorn squealed, and quickly corrected herself. “Ahem--I mean. That is very good. The first step into solving a problem is identifying that you have a problem.” The notebook appeared, and she flipped through it with her magic. “I think I can get you a slot with...Trixie.”

“Sounds...great.”

“And powerful,” I added with a snicker.

Twilight went back to the throne room, and undid the spell. First on her guards so that they were able to escort Quick Draw upstairs. Next, I brought Corkscrew back inside, and placed the frozen pegasus back in his seat among the front row.

On her way back, Twilight took a look at me. “Uh, Pale. You’re bleeding a little.”

I looked down at the scrape that Quick had given me. “Oh...yeah. I had a bit of a fight with her when I confronted her about the magic spell she cast.”

“Don’t worry. I’ve been practicing healing magic too,” Twilight looked at my wound with a predatory expression. She licked her lips, and grit her teeth. Her horn shone a shade of white before I felt a blast of magic hit me.

I flinched and shut my eyes. But when I opened them, I found no harm done. Wow! It worked. “That’s...awesome. Thank you, Twilight.”

“Not a problem. Now, are you ready to resume the trial? Just have to undo this spell…”

I had nearly forgotten. “Oh, and one last thing.”

“Hm?”

“Please question Quick Draw. She knows something about the hooded unicorn that attacked the recent gala.”

She nodded. “Understood. Anything else?”

“That is all, for now. Thank you for listening.” I took my seat next to my pegasus companion. “Ready.”

With an explosion of magic, the time stopping spell was undone, and everypony continued to move like nothing happened. Where were we? Oh yeah. The audience was going to give their opinions on the issue next.

That is, until a new member of the crowd slammed through the doorway.

“Hey-yo! It’s Princess FH in the hizz-ouse!” A wild Flurry appeared. She had a saddlebag on her that was full of files. I knew because I could smell the file paper. “Before you keep going, I have a few things I wanna say.”

I looked over and saw Shining Armor sigh. I don’t know if he was embarrassed, proud, or annoyed. Probably a mix of all three.

Twilight, however, was interested in what the young alicorn had to say. “So be it. Flurry Heart, please make your stance.”

She walked up to the front of the crowd, and winked at me. I didn’t know whether to feel confident or afraid.

Probably a mix of both.

Subject 37: Trial Continuation

“First off. I’ve heard everything that’s been said thus far. And it’s true. Equestria does have a problem regarding how things are handled. I for one, know firsthoof despite being so young.” Flurry Heart stood before the crowd, and levitated a paper in front of her. “Okay...first item on the list: Complacence.”

Oh? This would be interesting to listen to.

“Just why do we princesses act so rashly and fire off magic spells at the first sign of a problem? Because the average citizen is extremely complacent and ignorant of the problems they face. It’s so bad, that the entire Kingdom and Empire are both extremely vulnerable to high level threats.”

From the back of the room, I heard Luna whisper something to her sister. To which, the mare of the sun groaned in response while Luna giggled.

Flurry continued. “Because of that, society is overly-dependent on us alicorns and the Elements of Harmony. This is why nopony is willing to think logically when faced with threats. It’s always impulse.” In a mock sort of fashion, she mushed her hooves against her cheeks as she mimicked a helpless innocent. “‘Oh quick! Let Celestia handle it! Let Luna take care of it! Twilight! Cadance!’ Bleh, bleh, blah!” she put her hooves down when she finished the little charade. I had to admit it was a bit humorous. “Doesn’t everypony realize that despite having immortal god-like powers, they’re still ponies like us. And like us, they can make mistakes. Nopony in this world is perfect. Whether you’re a pony, alicorn, dragon, draconequus, or some other creature. We all have problems.”

I couldn’t believe what I heard. Despite her age, and her tendency to fool around, Flurry was a very well-spoken individual when it came to widespread problems. I was impressed. And so was her father. In the jury stand, Shining now had a look of disbelief on his face, rather than fear. Heh. Guess he never pegged his daughter for the intellectual type.

The young alicorn pointed to the back of the room. “Aunt Celestia. Isn’t it true you felt pain and hate for yourself after you sent Luna away?”

Everyone in the crowd turned their heads to look at her. “Yes. To this day, I still regret that choice.”

Flurry pointed to Luna next. “And Aunt Luna. Isn’t it true you wish you could’ve been there for your subjects instead of hating your sister through the Nightmare facade for a thousand years?”

Luna nodded. “Indeed. I only hope that, in time, everypony can forgive me.”

Celestia nudged her. “They already have.”

“Eh?”

“Oh don’t act like you don’t know. I’ve seen the newspaper and movie ads. Ponies like you way more than me.”

The blue alicorn blushed. Being put on the spot in such a way had to be embarrassing. “I--you--Flurry Heart, continue! Everypony turn around!”

Cork and I had to keep ourselves from laughing. The congregation returned their attention to Flurry Heart.

“Thanks. Now I propose a solution: More schools dedicated to combat. Both offensive and defensive. That way, our foals can grow up learning how to better protect themselves rather than relying on alicorns and Elements that may not always be there.”

The crowd started to mumble amongst themselves for a moment. The reactions were mostly positive as they seemed to like the idea of everypony being able to defend themselves. Twilight especially loved the idea. I saw purple stars in her eyes for a moment. Until she thought of something.

“Oooh...wait a second. Princess Flurry Heart,” she addressed her directly, “I beg your pardon. But this trial has to do with Pale Vestige and his desire to give Cozy Glow another chance. What does that have to do with it?”

“Peh,” Flurry Heart waved her hoof in a dismissive manner, “Relax, relax. I’m getting there.” She turned her attention to the crowd again. “Anyhow. If Equestrians were more capable of defending themselves, we wouldn’t have to worry about more individuals like Cozy Glow rising to power. And if we gave Cozy Glow another chance, it would show the world that we are above those villains, and show unrelenting kindness and understanding. That way, nopony else would consider becoming like her in the first place.”

Suddenly, a familiar, older stallion cried out from within the jury. “Objection!”

“On what grounds, Neighsay?” Twilight questioned his plea.

“On the grounds that Flurry Heart has it easy. Of course she can simply fling out words such as that.”

Twilight nodded. “Go on.”

Neighsay spoke louder so that everyone in the room could hear. “As an alicorn, Princess Flurry is granted many privileges that the average pony does not have. The attendance rate of the most prestigious schools are only a small fraction of the population. Opening more would not only be expensive to maintain, but unrealistic as well. Given how much strain it would put on the Education Association. In the future, please refrain from making claims that you yourself cannot sustain.”

Flurry rolled her eyes, but stood firm on her stance. “Sure, sir. But I’ve already thought about all of that. But I’ll save those details for another time. But if we at least start with giving Cozy another chance, we can prove that Equestrians take care of each other. And not just the almighty.”

“Please,” Neighsay commented from the stand, “Someone as young and inexperienced as yourself could never understand the ways of the world.”

“Shut it.” Shining Armor glared at the older unicorn.

Twilight gave a similar response. “Objection overruled. Ad hominem is not allowed in my court.”

Neighsay sat back in his seat with a quiet scowl.

“As much as I hate to say it, Twilight. He does have a point,” Flurry responded with an unexpected level of maturity. “It’s true. As an alicorn, I am blessed with things the average pony doesn’t get. In truth, I hate it--a little. It’s hard to make friends since I don’t know who’s being true and who isn't. I have all of this OP magical power that I was born with. But I didn’t earn any of it.”

Wow. I absolutely did not expect her to go into a side tangent about that. This had my full attention.

Flurry pointed a hoof at Twilight. “Princess Twilight earned her right to become an alicorn like my mom did. Through test after test. Trial after trial. She achieved the ability to master all forms of pony magic because she worked for it.” She looked at the floor in shame with a hoof against her chest. “But me? I didn’t. I was lucky. Just like Pale said he was. I know it’s totally like, a different ballpark. But even so. We were both lucky to be born into the lives that we have. Cozy Glow...wasn’t. She didn’t win the magical lottery of the game of life and probably suffered constantly. But did anypony ask? Did anypony ever wonder how she ended up that way? No...we didn’t. We cast magic at a problem, hoping it would go away.”

The look on Shining Armor’s face caught my attention above all else. Tears of joy mixed with sorrow as he witnessed his daughter lay down the reality of her life. It was...painful to watch as he sobbed silently.

“In fact...you wanna know how lucky I am?” Flurry Heart gazed at the crowd with a determined, forceful gaze. “My boyfriend is a baker that lives in a regular old town. He loves me for who I am, and I love him back.”

Pound Cake. Flurry had plenty of tact to not make use of his name in such a crowded setting for his safety. Smart mare she was.

She paced the floor as she rattled off her rant. “But here’s the thing. He’s a pegasus while both of his parents are earth ponies. So he’s extremely lucky also, given that he has such a loving household. You may ask why I would bring that up. It’s simple: With how lucky our genetics are, our child is essentially guaranteed to be an alicorn also!” she said with a stomp of her hoof.

“AH!” Everyone in the courtroom gasped. Luna and Celestia didn’t show much of a reaction. Wait, were they completely aware of this? Holy shit!

Shining Armor simply called out, “Ahem.”

Flurry rolled her eyes. “Ugh, if we ever have a child. But you get the point. I am literally the luckiest mare in all of Equestrian history. So when I learned of how Cozy Glow’s life went, I was determined to find out everything for myself so that I may extend a hoof out to her. She was a child. She bucked up hard. But it’s been years since that happened. She’s actually older than I am, and much wiser.” That’s when she looked at me, “So if this regular old guy can have the balls to raise a case like this, then dammit I say we listen to him.”

“Language, Flurry!” her father called out again.

Twilight’s eyes were shot wide open. The speech from the young alicorn left quite the impression upon her it seemed. “I see...thank you for that...detailed analysis, Flurry Heart.”

She gave a salute, and flew back to her seat. “No problem.”

“Okay, does anypony else have a few words they would like to add?”

“I would…” A rather lanky, purple dragon female rose from her seat. She took a deep breath, and flew to the front of the room. “I’ve known Ember for a long time. But her decision to rally every dragon to fight off Cozy Glow was a controversial one to say the least.”

From her spot in the jury, I saw the former dragon lord take the words in stride. She knew that decision would have to come to light at some point.

“I will say, it wasn’t her fault. Tirek, Cozy, and Chrysalis were all very dangerous, so we had no choice but to fight. But in doing so, our home was left unprotected and we lost a fair share of our gemstones.”

Several members of the audience murmured words of sympathy towards the dragons.

“It’s alright now,” she assured us, “we managed to get everything back from those stupid manticores. But we’re just afraid. If someone as crazy and powerful as Cozy Glow gets released again, and starts attacking everything, we don’t want to have to leave our home just to help the ponies with a problem of their own. I’m sorry…” she spoke bravely. But I could tell that those words pained the dragon to say. She didn’t want to come off as mean or rude, but she wanted to act out of the best interest for her home. I respected that.

Another individual, a griffon female rose from her seat. Gray feathers. Was that Gabby? “I have something I want to say also!”

I watched as Gilda sighed from the jury stands, but Twilight was more forgiving. “Alright, Gabby. You may go next.”

The purple dragon took her seat, and the small griffon went before the crowd. “The griffons dealt with a similar problem. Though we kiiinda were worse off afterwards. After that battle, it took us years to get Griffonstone up and running again. Mainly due to the fact that we lacked any real leadership. But all of that changed recently,” she pointed to Gilda. “We elected Gilda as our new leader. We found that she was the strongest, and most capable of returning Griffonstone to its former glory. But it was only thanks to Princess Twilight and her loyal griffon guard Gallus giving us such a great idea from the get-go!”

Gilda blushed at the compliment, but refused to comment on it.

“Yes, it’s hard. But we all share this world,” Gabby continued, “It’s the only world we have. And if we all band together and take care of each other, I’m sure we can all help each other with our problems. Whether dragon, griffon, changeling, or batpony.”

Short but sweet. Gabby knew how to make a statement without overstaying its welcome. Very good indeed. A few more individuals made some statements, and at last, we would be nearing the conclusion.

“Members of the jury, given all that has been stated, do you have any further comments?”

Shining Armor spoke first. “On behalf of Cadance and my daughter Flurry Heart, I want to say that we should give Mr. Vestige and his word a chance. He has proven himself to be trustworthy in assisting with the batpony and griffon debacles.”

Yeesh. I always disliked hearing my name thrown around in such context. But it didn’t stop there.

Gilda spoke next. “I heard that he helped find out about those rogue griffons and helped stop ‘em before they caused trouble. He’s cool with me.”

Even Ember had something to say. “I’ve heard the batponies and dragons have been getting along well from Smolder also.”

Ugh. At least my name would be considered more worthy of trust now with the word of those individuals. With the knowledge that I played a part in such affairs, maybe things would be a bit easier for me.

“Even so, I don’t know if he’s qualified for something like this,” Sunburst added.

Starlight was next. “I’m still concerned over whether or not she would deceive us into thinking she’s changed when she really hasn’t.”

Neighsay scoffed. I could tell that he wanted to say a million different things against my name in that moment. After a minute or two, he selected one. “He’s reckless to try such a thing, given the nature of his past.”

I tipped my hat downwards. That was the Achilles’ Hoof that I faced in this mission.

Once she had taken note of all sides, Twilight took a deep breath, and came to a decision. “Okay...I will need until the end of the day to discuss the nature of the measures needed. After which, we will all meet back here and I will give a verdict. Court dismissed.”

And that was that. Time to take a break, I suppose. I left with Corkscrew, and we both took a walk to the far side of Canterlot near the end of the mountain. We sat on the ground and began to discuss what we could.

“Ugh…” I sighed. “I have no idea what could happen from this point.”

“Hey, don’t worry, boss.” The pegasus nudged me. “Everything will be fine.”

Bless him for being so supportive. But even so, I couldn’t shake Quick Draw and her reasoning.

And even he could tell I was troubled. “There’s something else...isn’t there?”

I nodded. “Yes…”

“Well, talk to me, boss. You know I’m here for ya.”

No point in shying away, I thought. Oh well. I told Cork everything. About how time was stopped, and Quick Draw caused it all. As well as her attempts to grab my attention with strange confessions yet attempted to harm me.

“Ah...I think I get it now.”

I tilted my head. “Do you?”

Corkscrew sighed. “Quick’s always...been jealous of you. She’s grown to dislike the fact that she could never be as capable or competent of a leader as you were. So she told me she would start to fake her feelings for you just to get her attention,” he explained and looked away from me.

I was floored once again. This entire time...it wasn’t real? Any of it? What other lies has she told me? “I...I can’t say I completely understand, but I think that paints a better picture.”

“I’m sorry, boss...I should’ve told ya sooner so something like this wouldn’t happen. But I guess now was better than never…”

I put a hoof around his neck. “Don’t fret, son. It’s not your responsibility to manage the feelings of another grown pony. They should be able to sort themselves. Especially in the line of work that she’s in.”

“Yeah, maybe you’re right. For now, I guess we should just relax as we think about our next move.”

I shook my head. “Nah. Put the case out of your mind for now. In fact, why don’t you go get us some crepes from that bakery I saw down the road.”

“Oh okay!” he flew into the air, “Will you be alright all alone, boss?”

“Yes, yes. Now go. You’ll be able to slip through much faster on your own.”

With a grin, he flew off. Just as I suspected, the entire time we had been watched. Cork was safely off on his own, and I could confront that certain someone. “Alright, come on out,” I challenged them.

Neighsay and two other ponies wearing familiar EEA robes--a unicorn mare, and an earth pony stallion--stepped forward. “So, do you think you have a chance at winning?” the old geezer questioned me.

“I reckon I do. But it’s not about ‘winning,’ it’s about principles,” I responded with an eye roll, “What are you doing way out here anyway?”

“Your friend and I had a lovely chat a moment ago…” he said with a snide gaze, “Didn’t have the spine to keep you out of the court, though.”

My eyes shot open. “Wait...you knew about the time freeze? What are you talking about?” Did he play a part in this? He had to. There was no other reason for him to come out and talk to me like this.

The smug dastard played it off casually. “Hmph. As if I would personally stoop to such a level. I simply spoke to your friend about what she did. Very peculiar. I wonder why somepony would go to activating a time spell?” he rubbed his hoof against his arrogant chin, “Don’t you think it means that you should give up? Clearly by keeping this going you are only inviting yourself, and those close to you into more danger.”

“Aheh!” I coughed, and turned it into a laugh. “Yeah, yeah--no. Believe me, I get the whole suspicious thing you’re laying down. But I’m more than capable of dealing with whatever comes my way.” Plausible deniability. A classic pedestal to stand upon when you knowingly caused something. If Neighsay was a part of this in any way, he could simply be dodging the subject right to my face.

“If you say so. I would hope that you would take measures to avoid being ganged up on,” he said with a demonic sort of chuckle. The kind of laugh you made when you were essentially spilling the beans to someone’s face.

So it was true. But how? “You...why don’t we settle this like real stallions used to? If you wanna fight, let’s fight.” I could feel smoke leave my nostrils as I huffed.

The old unicorn simply laughed again. “HA! As if. I haven’t done a thing to you? Whatever reason could you have to fight me for?” His assistants joined in, also laughing with him. “And even if I was involved with such an incident, you have no evidence to support your claim. Such an accusation would discredit your entire stance would it not? You may be prepared to fight a battle. But we are ready to go to war.”

Gah. How annoying. He was correct, though. If I didn’t stack this deck properly, I could find myself having destroyed all of my credibility up to this point. I had to play it smart. “Heh...alright. You got me. I won’t try anything else,” I said with a laid-back smile and lazy eyes.

The laughter stopped, and Neighsay raised an eyebrow at me. A suspicious stare that turned into disinterest. “Hmph. Come. We’re done here.” He and his two cohorts turned and left. I heard distant mumblings, but decided not to bother pursuing. I had enough on my mind at the moment, and needed to focus.

“Boss!” Cork returned with a plate of the folded, fruit-filled pastries. “You gotta try these. These are great!”

“Oh?” I leaned down and bit into one. “Mm! These are good.”

He laughed, and offered me some bottled water which I began to drink swiftly. “Haha! Right? Oh, and I ran into this good-looking dark orange unicorn lady with white hooves on the way out. She said something about hoping to meet you in Ponyville when this is all over.”

“PBBBBBHHT!” I spat out the water in a massive frontal cone off to my right. “What?!”

Subject 38: Trial Conclusion

Once the evening was upon us, we all returned to the courtroom--er, throne room that was modified into a courtroom. Twilight was there on her throne. A steely gaze imprinted upon her eyes. It looked like she was ready to give her new stance on the subject matter at hoof.

“Thank you once again for returning, everypony. After careful deliberation among myself, my friends, and the members of the jury, I am prepared to give my verdict on the matter.”

Everyone looked on with bated breath.

“But first, so that you may hear their thoughts straight from the horse’s mouth,” Twilight pointed down at the front row to my right, “my fellow Elements of Harmony will give their opinion on the situation. Please stand up and give your take, ladies.”

The five would stand before the crowd. Pinkie in particular was excited to go first. “Okay, okay. I know everypony is a teensy bit afraid of what Cozy Glow could do if she was evil again. But come on! Look at Starlight!” the pink mare pointed to the unicorn over in the jury, “she’s learned her lesson and hasn’t tried anything ever since she stole all those cutie marks and created alternate dimensions where we lose to our most dangerous villains!”

The explanation made Starlight blush, and caused the white unicorn who had on a very fashionable coat to interrupt her by pushing her aside with her magical aura. “Ahem. Hehe…” she flashed a sheepish smile to the crowd. “What Pinkie Pie is referring to of course, is the fact that Starlight Glimmer was given lots of care and support. Because of that, she learned the error of her ways. And look at her now! We’re the best of friends.”

Applejack nodded and added her own piece. “That’s right, Rarity. Not to mention the dragons, the changelings, Tempest Shadow, and Discord--sorta. They all earned their rights to friendship once they realized where they made a mistake. Ain’t none of us perfect, that’s for sure. Ain’t that right, Dash?” she nudged the multi-colored pegasus beside her.

“Now yeah, maaaaybe Cozy Glow did try and destroy the world,” Rainbow Dash said with a nervous smile, “but but! If there’s a chance she’s learned something through her time being put in stone, I say we take it. Look at Gilda! She used to be a bully!”

The griffon nodded. “It’s true.”

Rainbow continued, “But now she’s one of my closest friends and the leader of the Griffons. And Lightning Dust...to this day, she’s still trying to work off the damage of what she did to Scootaloo. And while we aren’t the best of friends, I can at least respect the effort she’s putting in. She has an honest job now, and has earned the trust of others in Appleloosa. But if we never gave her that chance, then she wouldn’t have tried. Isn’t that right, Fluttershy?” she turned to her fellow pegasus. “Since Discord lives with you, you of all ponies should know what a good reformation process is like. Right?”

Fluttershy spoke up in quite the confident tone. “That’s right. Discord tried to do whatever he wanted, but he had to learn that good friends don’t mess up the world for everypony else. Though, the most important thing to note is that it took time. Back then, he was still quite the...erm, pain in the flank--”

“Hey! I object to that!” the draconequus cried out from his seat, only to earn the piercing glare of everyone in the room. He fell silent which allowed Fluttershy to continue.

“Ahem. Over the years I’ve learned that kindness is a fickle mistress to maintain. You can’t be kind all of the time and expect somepony to understand what they’ve done wrong. Sometimes you have to put your hoof down and tell it like it is. True kindness is the willingness to be there for someone no matter how hard it gets. With that being said, I believe that Cozy Glow was never shown true kindness, thus she could never learn kindness and spread kindness to others around her.”

Neighsay spoke up. “And yet she claimed she was acting for the good of everypony when she tried to overthrow the school! She clearly had some understanding of emotional value due to how she manipulated them all!”

Much to the surprise of her friends, and my own, Fluttershy stood firm on her stance. “That was falsified kindness. The sort of facade somepony puts on when they truly don’t care for another in order to manipulate them. But the reason why she wasn’t able to truly make friends or hold any emotional attachment to them, is because she was never given any.”

From my seat, I noticed two of her friends whisper.

“Oh my. Fluttershy has come a long way from being...shy, hasn’t she?” Rarity whispered to Rainbow.

“Shhh! This is getting good!” Pinkie loudly ‘whispered’ in return while munching on some popcorn that she had plucked from her mane.

Somehow, she didn’t hear her friend’s comments and kept going.

“So I believe that if this pony,” Fluttershy pointed at me, “Can have the gumption to present such a controversial opinion to the public, we can give him that chance. For the sake of providing a good example for the fillies and colts of tomorrow, I say we give Cozy Glow that opportunity. And even if it doesn’t work, we’ll keep trying. No matter what!” she cleared her throat, and lowered her voice, “If everypony agrees to it, that is.”

Even Twilight Sparkle was stunned to see her ‘shy’ friend speak so candidly. I saw her mouth hang agape for a moment before she closed it and took a deep breath. “Thank you, my friends. You may take your seats.”

The other five Elementals sat back down. I noticed Fluttershy pet the disgruntled Discord on the head as he slumped over in defeat. How nice of her.

“Now, with that all being said. I have come to a decision. We will be giving Cozy Glow a trial period to redeem herself. And if she passes, she will be accepted among us. If she falls back into her old habits, she will be banished for good.”

Everyone in the crowd muttered their opinions on the subject. But Neighsay in particular had an...odd sort of expression. Was he nervous? I saw him sweat a bit followed by him biting his lip. Just what could scare him so much over this?

Twilight slammed the hammer. “Order! Now...in accordance to the laws I have set in place,” Twilight pointed at me, “You, Mr. Vestige will watch over her and make sure she gets the assistance she needs. You’ve made many convincing arguments, and have rightfully earned our trust with your work. Don’t disappoint us.”

I nodded. “I won’t.”

“Good. While you may have gotten what you wanted, don’t get the idea that you’ve won just yet,” she explained in a lecturing tone, “It’s going to be difficult. We have plenty of resources available for her. But ultimately, as the one who started this case, it’s your responsibility. Are you ready for that?”

“Absolutely. I wouldn’t have gone this far to chicken out halfway through. I’m going to do all I can to prove that she deserved better treatment.”

“Alright then. First thing tomorrow morning, I will de-petrify her. You’ll accompany me of course. From there, we will ask her a few questions and proceed to take the next best course of action. Does that sound good to you?”

Another nod. That was the perfect way to begin settling down on how to fix this case. “Absolutely.”

“Good. Court dismissed!”

When that final hammer struck the wood, everyone in the room casually got up and left. It was then followed by loads of excitement and hollering once they were all outside. Man, did I just get time warped back to grade school?

Neighsay was the final one to leave. His anxiety now hidden, but I could tell it was there. All he had to say were a few fleeting words. “You may have won the battle, but the war is all but just begun, rat.” He snorted, and walked on out.

I shrugged. His words meant nothing to me. After all, I had more important things to worry about such as how Cozy Glow would react to being freed, how to best approach somepony like her, and the exact questions that I intended to ask.

With all of that being established, I needed to stay vigilant.

Instead of heading home, I decided to stay in Canterlot. No point in travelling all the way back and forth, right? Luna actually offered me the opportunity to stay in Canterlot Castle for the night given how well she knew Twilight. But I denied the offer. Generous, but I couldn’t accept. Any rumors of favoritism towards me would jeopardize my case.

So I chose to stay in the hotel in Canterlot. The same one that I met Fleur-de-Lis in a while back. Luna was insistent on doing me a favor, so she managed to score me a free night. Bleh. I hated these constant freebies, but I didn’t dare refuse.

“Ugh, must you do this?”

The blue alicorn giggled, “Think of it as a favor. From one normal friend to another.”

“Normal?” I raised an eyebrow.

“Oh come now, Pale. Please allow me to consider you my friend, won’t you? I love the idea of getting to know fun mortals like you,” she said with her eyes alight with stars.

I rolled my eyes. I wasn’t fun. I had a dangerous life with a dangerous job that took a lot of time to handle. Even so, I accepted her offer with a slight smile. “Fair enough. You’re more fun than your sister anyways.”

“I heard that!” Celestia shouted from the nearby pastry table in the hotel lobby, “Don’t act like you didn’t enjoy Daybreaker!” she angrily munched on a cupcake.

Those words confused the few ponies that were nearby since they lacked context. Luna simply giggled. “Oh you are hilarious, sister. In any case, Pale. I sincerely hope you know what you are doing with Cozy. There are still many ponies who do not trust you, I’d imagine.”

I thought back to Neighsay. I didn’t mention him because I didn’t have any evidence to prove his suspicious actions. Regardless, I kept a positive attitude. “Don’t worry about me. If anypony’s out there who want a piece of my flank, they’ll have to die for it.”

That was meant to be serious, but the moon pony simply snickered at my retort. “Heh! Y-yes...too true. Now go! Rest. It’s been quite the long day, and I can hear Twilight raising the moon already.”

Oh yeah, that’s right. We were nearing nightfall now. Luna was right. Between all of that debating and liberation, I had exhausted my mental stamina. It was time for this workhorse to hit the hay. “Goodnight, Luna. Tia.”

“Goodnight to you, Mr. Vestige! Sweet dreams, yes?”

Celestia leaned over Luna’s shoulder. “They better not be of my sister, haha!”

“Tia I swear--!”

They both waved as I left for the elevator. For immortal alicorns who made loads of mistakes under their rule, they were nice individuals. Even if they did bicker.

DING!

I got off the elevator, and went to the room Luna had picked out for me. It had a nice, scenic view of the moon as well as the surrounding forest below Canterlot. Not bad at all. After a while, I went to sleep. Or at least, I tried to. Yet again, I had a hard time sleeping. Why? I was making progress. Everything was going right. What was wrong with me?

Hours passed. I felt my head spin. I walked to the window and lifted it open to get some fresh, crisp night air. “Ah…” I sighed, and looked out the window in a lonesome manner. Part of me still felt afraid. Could I truly change the world? Their perceptions? Could Cozy Glow really change?

“Gah…Pull yourself together, man.” This was ridiculous. I needed to get some rest, but something kept nagging at me in my head. As if I was being...called.

“Help!”

“Somepony help!”

“They’re hurting me!”

Either lack of sleep or lack of food dulled my perceptions. But I could have sworn I heard someone or something yell and cry for help. Something about it was throwing me off. And yet, I couldn’t just ignore it.

“This may be the death of me…but I have to find out.”

Under the cover of night, I ran out of the hotel and into the direction of that cry for help. Down and out of the Canterlot Castle, and into the forest floor below. I ran, and ran. So far and wide across the horizon that I must have done so for hours.

As a resilient earth pony, I didn’t really get tired. But once I worked up a sweat, I stopped to catch my breath.

“Huff...huff...what am I doing?! Every Luna-damn time I run out after something, I always get attacked or trapped or worse! Ugh...I just need sleep…”

My eyes almost shut, but then I realized where I was. I looked up and saw a massive open field in the middle of the valley. A very familiar one. Could it be?

“Oh man…”

The statue of the three horsemen of the apocalypse. How did I get way out here? But more importantly, what was that--

“I’m over here! Help me!”

So I wasn’t crazy. There was someone who was in trouble for real. I couldn’t hold back any longer. It was time for some action. I ran out into the field next to the statue of the stoned villains to find out just what was going on. Nothing. What the hell?

“Bravo, dear Vestige. Bravo.”

Neighsay stepped out of the darkness of the forest nearby along with three familiar hooded figures. The light magic wielding unicorn, the pegasus who had lost her job, and the dragon that tied me to Limestone’s rock. So they were all a part of his little group/gang. Were they mercenaries? Had to be. Twilight never mentioned private contractors for the EEA to make use of.

I stood firm, hooves planted into the earth. “So...you finally show your true colors? You’re one crusty old bastard, you know that?”

“Tch. You’re one to talk. Trying to set free a dangerous criminal! Thankfully my little group of hired hooves have shown you just what awaits.”

“She used to be! But I believe that anyone can change! Why don’t you understand that?! And you three...what the buck did you all do to my friend Quick Draw? What are you planning?!” I huffed, and snorted angrily with my hooves that dug hard into the earth. I was sick and tired of dealing with this geezer already, and wanted him to eat his words. “Twilight is going to nuke you from orbit when she finds out about this!”

The smug bucker cackled. “Ha! Do you really believe she would listen to you about such a thing? I am one of her most loyal advisors. I am working in servitude of her utmost safety. And keeping those three chained up for all of eternity is my goal. I won’t be bossed around by trash like you!” his horn lit up. He was going to fire a spell, but I was more than ready to deal with whatever he had.

But that’s not how things went at all.

The magical blast fired off right in the direction of Cozy Glow’s statue! I had no choice. “What?!” I leapt in front of it to block it with all I could. “NEVER!” I hit the ground with a thud. Instead of being shocked or blown up, I seemed to have absorbed the spell. “Wha...what’s happening…?”

Neighsay trotted up to me. “That, my boy is just what I was counting on. You see, there are far too many ponies out there who disrupt the natural order of how things are. Yes, maybe I was too harsh on other creatures. That aside, I aim to uphold the old ways of our ancestors. That alicorn filly was right. Equestria has become soft. Due to ponies like you!”

I started to feel a sharp pain course through my body. It was like the magic destroyed me from the inside out. “Ponies like me, huh? And just...ngh...what do you mean by that?”

“Those who wish to disrupt the status quo and natural order. Only with the strongest magic and warriors can this land stay safe! Not with thoughts and feelings towards genocidal freaks.” With another flash of his horn, a portal opened up behind me.

That’s when I knew what the purpose of the spell was. It was always intended for me, but he knew I would block it. At that moment, I wish I could’ve kicked myself for it. The portal sucked me toward it. “Wha...what the hell?! Hey!”

“This is for your own good as well as the good of Equestria. Take time to think about your actions.”

As I got sucked in, I grimaced and grit my teeth. I wanted nothing more than to cause unrelenting suffering to that old excuse for a stallion. “You...I will destroy everything you have and make you watch! I will make sure you never set hoof in that EEA office ever again! You hear me you piece of shit?!?”

“Ahaha! Without you, there is no future for this brat! Good riddance, Blood Viper! Ahahaha!”

I screamed as loud as I could against his cackling. That was the last thing I heard before I got sucked into the portal. I lost all sense of myself. I couldn’t feel, see, or hear anything. It was like...I was killed.

Or was I? I still felt my soul intact. So what was going on?

After what felt like forever, I finally felt myself hit solid ground. But my body...it felt different. My hooves...were weirdly misshapen. My forelegs were shorter, and my hind legs were longer. I no longer had a tail. And...OH MY GOD.

“AHHHHHHH!” My hoof! My hoof was divided into five digits! Could this be...yup. I passed out due to shock.

When my eyes opened, I was face to face with a purple...being with glasses. “Are you alright? There’s better places to take a nap than on the ground, you know.”

Subject 39: New World, New Problems

“...so you’re from Equestria, then? So that means someone there must have access to magic that lets them open up to other dimensions.” Twilight Sparkle’s human counterpart explained to me the science behind it all. She had taken me into her house. More specifically up to her bedroom where she had many diagrams and equations on a board.

So this was the Human World. I knew about it a little thanks to Sunset Shimmer’s files back home, but I had never been here. In essence, the culture seemed mostly similar to Manehattan, albeit more focused on adolescent interaction and fun rather than everyone doing their own thing. Interesting.

“I see...listen, I need to get back as soon as possible,” I wobbled a bit on these two legs of mine, and looked in a nearby mirror. “Wow...I look...young.” My vest had turned into a long trenchcoat, I had on jeans, brown tennis shoes, and white tee beneath said coat. My skin, hair, and eye color remained the same. “Huh…”

Except you, know. I was a human now. A rather scrawny-looking one at that.

“You caught me at a good time, Pale,” Twilight had already tapped on a device with a screen. “I’ve already texted Sunset on my phone--oh, it’s a device that lets you communicate with someone far away even if they’re not here--but with text! Pretty revolutionary I know,” she said with a giggle.

Huh. This Twilight was much more...sociable. Made sense given that she wasn’t a princess. It was a nice refreshing take on the same personality. “Fascinating…”

“She said she’s on her way. Until then, do you mind if I ask some more questions,” she took out a pencil and a notepad with a starry gaze in her eyes. She was really excited to get my thoughts.

I figured I may as well indulge the girl. “Fire away.”

“Do you have any idea so to why you might’ve been sent here?”

Oh dear. “Well…” It was a long explanation. But I started from the beginning and worked all the way up to the present. Everything from my case regarding Cozy Glow, to now in which Neighsay had transported me here.

“Hmm…” she tapped the eraser tip of the pencil against her chin, then against her head. “Can’t say I know of a Cozy Glow. But Neighsay...that name does sound familiar.”

“Oh?” I wondered what his human counterpart would be doing in a world like this.

Twilight snapped her fingers, and adjusted her glasses. “Oh yeah! I remember. He’s the head of the State Education Association or SEA. Lame abbreviation if ya ask me. But I’m not gonna judge the government. Anyway, since Sunset is from there and gets journal entries from Princess Me--er Twilight in Equestria, she may be able to help you in both ways.”

I nodded. “Alright, makes sense to me.”

The bedroom door was kicked open. “Twilight!” A human with a distinctive red and yellow hairstyle had arrived. “I came as soon as I could. Is this the guy you texted me about?”

“Mm-hm. Apparently he came here from Equestria. But doesn’t know how he got here,” Twilight explained with a squeal of excitement, “Eee! That means the phenomena of magical portals are only increasing with time. This could aid my research in so many ways!” The purple girl ran to her board and started to scribble upon it with chalk.

I looked at Sunset. “Is she always this way?”

“You’ll get used to it. So...tell me about yourself. What’s your name?”

“The name is Pale Vestige,” I said with a tip of my hat, “My goal is--”

When I said my name, the orange girl blinked once and took off her backpack. “So that’s who you are,” she mumbled to herself as she took out a journal of sorts, “Princess Twilight has told me about you. She said you were trying to set Cozy Glow free.”

That was odd. How could she know if she lived in an entirely separate realm? “Does your knowledge of that fact have anything to do with that book in your hoof--er. Hands?”

Sunset nodded and opened it up. “Precisely, good guess. But that’s to be expected from a detective like yourself.” She flipped through to a specific page. “Here. ‘A pony is trying to make a case for Cozy Glow in order to set her free and give her another chance. As I’m sure you recall, Cozy Glow was one of the three members of a group who tried to destroy my world along with Queen Chrysalis and Lord Tirek. We put them all to stone, despite the fact that she was a filly. It never occurred to us that she may have had other problems that could be solved so I’ll keep you posted.’” She stopped reading, “She keeps me up to date on everything that happens there so you don’t need to provide context.”

Well that was good. I was a fish out of water, but at least I was among other familiar fish. Now what was my next move? “Okay...but I have to get back. The Neighsay in my world sent me here because he doesn’t want me to give Cozy another chance even though I managed to finally convince Twilight to allow me.” Then it hit me. “Speaking of which, what’s your take on the subject?”

“Me?” she asked, pointing to herself, “Well...I was the same way at once point.” With a sigh, she folded her arms, “I nearly tried to destroy this world for the sake of acquiring all of its magic because I was spiteful and wanted to get back at Celestia for not giving me what I thought I wanted…”

Over by the blackboard, Twilight’s scribbling slowly came to a stop. “...I can relate. Though, I didn’t cause it on purpose, I was just as guilty when it came to trying to take magic for selfish reasons.” She turned to face us, “I was just trying to study it. I love studying weird and wacky things, but...I got a bit carried away.”

Sunset giggled. “Heheh. Don’t worry, I was the same way. And we can totally help you get back home, Pale. We just need to find a portal to Equestria that--”

“Already have,” Twilight called out with a smug, confident expression.

Sunset was utterly perplexed. “Whaaaaa? But I thought they were hard to find?”

“Don’t you remember that cruise we took a while back?” Twilight pointed to her board which had a cruise ship drawn on it.

“Yeah, we found a portal to Equestria on an island in international waters,” she audibly shuddered and wiggled her arms, “we found Rainbow Dash on a deserted island and nearly got choked to death by creep tentacle plants!”

Twilight also responded with an equally disgusted groan. “Eeeyech! Don’t remind me! But more importantly, I mapped out a correspondence.” On the next part of the board, she had a drawing of the quicksand portal to Equestria. “Based on my calculations and the angle of which the magic was distributed to cause those plants to get all touchy-feely like something out of one of your video games--”

“Hey!” Sunset protested her purple friend’s jest. Guess it wasn’t a good idea to poke fun at a girl’s games. “Focus on the magic!”

“Hehehe! Sorry. Anyhow. I’ve deduced the next most logical location for another portal to Equestria to appear: About five miles west--at the beach! And if we can find this portal, we can not only send our new friend back home, we can close it so nothing will cause harm to the nearby town!” After she was finished talking, she took a bow, and straightened her glasses once more. “Any questions?”

“Sound good to you, Pale?”

I nodded. If there was a way to not only get back home to my world, but to also help this one, then I’d take it. “Absolutely. But we need to be fast. If I’m not home by the next day, I’ll miss the opportunity to meet with Cozy and the princess.”

“Hmmm…maybe, or maybe not.” Twilight rubbed her chin with her hand, and came close to inspect me. “Mind if I...run a few quick tests?”

“Um--ow!”

The girl had plucked one of my hairs from my head. “Heh, sorry. All for the name of research!” She clutched the hair strand with a wide, crazed sort of giggle as she ran over to her magical testing devices.

Once again, I looked at Sunset. “Is she…”

“Heh, don’t worry about it. There was this one time where she plucked both a strand of my yellow and red hair to see if she could create synthetic bacon.”

I recoiled out of disgust. “WhhhAT?”

Yet again, she laughed it off like it was no big deal. “Don’t worry. It was a pretty neat idea. Though it didn’t exactly work out because--”

“Aha!” Twilight ripped a sheet of scanner paper off her device. “You were hit with a spell that has essentially taken your consciousness and tossed it into another world entirely. Thus causing a time shatter effect that will reduce your…”

I looked on in confusion, and rubbed the back of my head. “In layman’s terms, please?”

Twilight rolled her eyes. “Basically you have about a day to spend here before you miss your deadline. We better hurry and get to the beach fast.”

“Luckily,” Sunset added, “We’re on Summer Break. So we don’t have to worry about school. In fact, why don’t I just invite all our friends? It’ll be a nice getaway from the hustle and bustle of the city,” she pulled out her screen device. A phone. Much different from our version of the telephone back home.

I smirked. Since I grew up in a city not unlike this one, I knew what that was like. “Yeah, I feel you. Manehattan was always full of rowdy and crazy things.”

“Tell me about it,” Sunset said as she tapped the device, “I guess that’s why I wasn’t really allowed to go there. Everyone always said it was full of crazy and rowdy people. Guess that was a biiiit inaccurate. You seem pretty chill.”

“You have to be, in this line of work. Can’t let your emotions take you over lest you lose focus.”

Twilight nodded. “Hm! That’s right. We scientists have to prioritize results over how we feel.”

“Yyyyyeah, so long as you turn into an evil shady scientist lady like the one from Groverwatch.”

Twilight had a crazed expression on her face. “Don’t mention that game! Do not mention that game!”

Sunset snickered at her friend and nudged me. “She’s mad since she keeps losing with her favorite characters.”

“Oh dear, I know what that’s like.”

“I am a lady of science!” Twilight retorted, “I have no time for games! Anyway, we should head out to that beach as soon as possible. Get ready Pale. You’re about to go on an adventure like you’ve never been before!”

The process was rather smooth and painless. Sunset invited her friends via...text. I put my vest and hat in a suitcase Twilight gave me to disguise myself properly as a recent exchange student that would get started once break was over. They all packed their swimming items and placed them in the rear compartment known as the trunk. Sunset, Twilight and I all pooled within her...motorized carriage? No wait, this had to be an automobile not unlike the one High Heel made use of in the Power Ponies comics.

It had a nice purple color and twinkling stars all over. I was intrigued but Sunset had a worried glare on her face. “Uhh...Twilight. You have your driver’s license, right?”

“Mm-hm! And it only took me thirty-seven--”

Sunset corrected her, “Thirty-eight.”

“Thirty-eight attempts on the driving test! Come on, you can trust little ol’ me,” Twilight ran around to the side of her car and opened the door. “Whoo! Carpool time! Beach here we come!” she hopped in.

“Please, please take shotgun,” Sunset pleaded with me. That was a term used for the front seat if I recalled correctly.

I shrugged. “You worry too much, Ms. Shim.” I opened the door, and sat down next to Twilight in the passenger seat. She would nervously enter the rear passenger seat and hooked herself up to both of the seatbelts. “How bad can her driving be?”

With a panicked expression, the orange girl simply said, “Buckle. Up.”

“Yahoo!” Twilight reversed the vehicle out of the driveway with excitement. In no time, we were on the road. To my surprise, she had very good control of it, and kept it steady. I suppose Sunset’s concern was for naught?

I looked behind to see the orange girl huddled up within the seatbelts. “...Are you okay?”

“Yeah! I’m fine...just being careful, hehe…”

“I see…”

“Relax, Sunset,” Twilight assured us as she adjusted the rearview mirror, “On my thirty-ninth attempt, I made sure to utilize flash cards, mental drawings, and brought my least-chewed pencil to take the test. It was simple logic, really. We can literally fire missiles and laser beams that defy the laws of physics. What makes you think I can’t drive?”

Sunset looked down at herself. She must have realized how silly she had been and removed the unnecessary seatbelts. “Hehe...you’re right, you’re right.”

“So, I just had a thought,” I spoke up, “Is it possible that I have a human counterpart here? Since I’m from Equestria and all. Do you know him?”

Twilight answered first. “Hm...I think I heard of a Vestige that acts as an editor for the school newspaper.”

“Oh that’s right! He has his name on loads of different articles and even helps with the blog. The one about the fact that Suri Polomare’s fabric was faulty was genius!” Sunset added.

“Don’t forget about the one that talked about Lightning Dust cheating on her assignments. Her logic on that paper mache volcano was all wrong. I knew she took it from Snips and Snails,” Twilight added.

Oh dear. Just how bad was that? More importantly, it was good to know that I had a counterpart that did work in this world. The more it was kept safe, the better. But for now, we had more pressing matters.

“Okay so these portals...or Gates to Equestria,” I mused aloud as I wrote down some notes, “Is left unchecked is it possible that they could--”

“Destroy the whole entire world as we know it? Essentially.” Twilight explained, “These…’Gates’--hm, yeah rolls off the tongue. These Gates between our worlds are going to cause mayhem and destruction if we don’t close them off. Could you imagine the sheer insanity that would ensue if a Gate opened up near something more destructive than a plant? Like killer dolls? Mechanical mascot bears? Killer mechanical mascot bear dolls?!” her eyes darted to the left, then right, then back to the road.

From behind, I could see that Sunset felt uncomfortable about this topic. She sighed. “The last thing I want is something like that.”

“Whatever do you mean?”

“I was the one who brought the magic here when I first crossed over. So it’s ultimately my responsibility to take care of this world to make sure it’s safe for everyone,” she described her situation in a somber tone. Her guilt was palpable, and I completely understood why she felt that way.

“Hey...don’t get like that. If it wasn’t you, then it sure as hell would’ve been someone else. Plus, if you hadn’t, then who would’ve stopped the Sirens?”

She blinked, and raised her brow. “Wait...you know about them?”

I nodded. “Indeed. Three of the most deadly and seductive creatures in Equestria who used their singing voices to charm sailors and ponies...for power. Am I close?”

“Wow, you really do know. But I guess that’s expected from a detective, heh. But nowadays, they’re more...well, you’ll see.”

I was confused, but I supposed that would indeed find out eventually as she said. We all talked a bit more through the drive. I told Sunset about how Equestria had gotten along in its past few years. In return, she would tell me more about the culture of the Human World. School, shopping, phones, memes? It was all a rush that sounded fairly interesting.

Twilight would also chime in with information regarding their pasts and how they both used to take advantage of magic. But once they learned how to treat it properly, and gain discipline, they were able to use their magic for the force of justice and all that is right in the world. Mighty respectable indeed.

After a while, we finally arrived at the beach. It was a hot, sandy zone with not many other people nearby. The girls had already changed into more appropriate gear for swimming called...swimsuits? They gave me a basic tank and swim trunks to wear to be undercover--I put my other clothes in the suitcase.

“We’re here,” Twilight got out and grabbed her bag from the trunk. “If my estimates are correct, the magic should be coming from the South.”

Sunset grabbed her items and followed. “All of our friends should have arrived before us. So if anything goes wrong, they’ll be here for backup.”

Made sense to me. Though, now wasn’t the time for me to get distracted with overly long introductions to another group of poni--er, people. “Alright, I’ll scout ahead. You both meet up with your friends and explain what’s going on.”

“Here, catch,” Twilight tossed me something.

“Woah!” I barely managed to catch it in my hands. It was some sort of radar device. “Hm?”

“It’ll guide you right to the Gate. I made it myself out of an old calculator and a GPS. A-ya-welcome,” she said with a sassy sort of smirk which made Sunset laugh.

I smiled also. “Thank you, Scientist Twilight.”

“Ooh, I like the sound of that. Hrm...maybe shorten it to Sci-Twi or--ah!”

Sunset had grabbed her arm and pulled her towards the other end of the beach. “C’mon my Science buddy. Let’s meet up with everyone. Good luck, Pale!”

“You can count on me.” I watched as they went down the sandy path to meet up with their friends. I went on alone in the directions that Twilight told me about.

I slid down a sandy hill, tripped over a few rocks, and angered a few kids due to messing up their castle. No problem. This was normal for someone like me. Though, I had to admit that it was fun being out in the field again. Even if it was unfamiliar territory, I still enjoyed sneaking and snooping around like the old days. Felt like my old training sessions with my team.

But beyond that, the safety of my home and everyone in it was critical to this mission. I wouldn’t be able to handle Cozy Glow and all of these loose portals to this strange human world at once. There had to be some sort of…

Wait.

“...magic crap I swear…”

Just around another sand hill, I heard something. Someone was muttering about magic? This could be dangerous. I had to get closer.

So I did, and came upon a more private area of the beach where there were no other people. While there was no visual sign of anyone, I continued to hear mumbling. I kept going until the voice grew loud enough to confirm the fact that I was near someone.

“...can we even do here anymore without magic?”

Aha! I knew it. Someone close by was talking about magic. Now I just needed to find…

“HIYA!”

Someone jumped down from the coconut tree above me. Their thighs wrapped around my neck in an asphyxiation technique. I slowly lost air as I looked to both sides and noticed that the legs were a shade of light purple. “Ack…”

“You pervert. I saw you trying to catch a look at me.” I heard her--whoever she was--speak from above me. With her weight bearing down on my body in combination with her legs around my neck, I couldn’t move. “You have sixty seconds to explain just what the hell you’re doing here or I’m gonna beat your ass.”

Subject 40: Beach Brawl

“Sorry...I didn’t mean to attack you like that. I was just being cautious.”

Aria Blaze. One of the three Sirens from Equestria that were currently living in this world as humans. Here, they were a music group known as The Dazzlings. The sisters seemed to have a rough life here, given the fact that they had to work despite being a relatively young age. I felt for them. Like the other girls, she also wore an outfit called a swimsuit--though her variation only covered her chest and lower body.

“I understand. You were just looking out for yourself. Impressive self-defense you have there. Now what were you saying regarding magic?”

I sat with her beneath a coconut tree. Aria sat with her legs crossed...how strange. “Basically. We’ve been here forever and well, it’s not easy to work without magic. Still it’s...not terrible. We have fans now, and hobbies. So it’s mostly okay. I assume you attend Canterlot High too, right?”

This was probably not the smartest move to make, but I had a reason for it. “I’m...actually from Equestria myself. I’m working with Twilight on a way to get back.”

To my surprise, Aria didn’t look interested in that at all. In fact, she responded with a sigh. “I see...well, hopefully you can make it home.”

“You have no interest in going back?”

“Hell no! That place is the reason we’re stuck here. I’d never wanna go back there, not on my life…” Aria hunched over with regret in her eyes. I could tell that part of her wanted to return to having power, but she wanted to move past that now. “Anyway...what are you here for?”

Ah yes. Maybe she could provide me with insight on what to do, given that her and her sisters essentially became powerless. So, I explained my goal to her and Cozy Glow. Her response was quite the surprising one.

“...Oh man. I remember that name. I heard it being used as a rumor but...anyway. Sounds like what you’re doing is...pretty brave, and pretty dumb. Even if you do save her, the amount of trust she’ll have to regain is monumental.”

I knew that. However… “Are you speaking from experience?”

Aria rolled her eyes. “Ugh, don’t remind me. But yes, I am. Even now, when we’re powerless, it’s hard for the other kids at school to trust us.”

“Do you want to make more friends?”

“Ugh! I do! For the sake of not getting weird looks all the time, sure. It’s a bit hard for me since I have...aggression issues.”

I sensed a theme here. But now wasn’t the time. “Well, you’re not aggressive with me, are you?”

“Pff. That’s because it’s been a while since I’ve chatted with a boy, so I figured why not? Heh. That aside, knowing you’re from Equestria also makes it a little easier I guess. I just wish it was easier...but no one at that school trusts us very well. If you’re trying to do the same for Cozy, it’s going to be a hard battle, even once she’s freed.”

“I’m aware of that, trust me. But before I have to go, is there a chance I can talk with your other sisters?”

Aria stood up. “I guess. Hopefully they aren’t on edge like I was. Our campsite is this way,” she directed me towards the path and we walked. It was only about 20 paces away before we happened upon their little campsite with a fire pit and logs for them to sit around the fire on. A nice place to rest in the sand. “A-dawg. Sonata! Got a dude from Eques who wants to speak to you! Hmph. They should be around...wait here while I look.”

I took a seat on one of the logs. “No problem.” Aria went off in another direction to look for her sisters. When she was gone, I felt a rustling from beneath me within the log. “Hm?” I leaned over and found a blue-skinned girl who hid inside. “Oh. Are you Sonata Dusk?”

“Shhh! Yes I am. But I’m hiding right now. It’s my favorite game to play!” she crawled out of the log and sat on top of it next to me. Sonata’s swimsuit was more modest, being a sort of dress-like variation with tacos patterned all over “I totes heard everything you were saying to Aria. In short, yes. Cozy deserves another chance! And hey, I know Aria said it might be hard, but it’s gonna be fun too.”

I tilted my head. “Really? What makes you think so?”

“Well you’re gonna watch over her to make sure she stays in line, right?”

“Of course.”

“Well, duh. There it is, big guy. See, you gotta just go with the flow and stuff. I mean, look at me. Yeah sometimes I may forget to brush my hair or remember a basic math problem, or maybe sometimes I just don’t understand a joke…” Sonata frowned and I saw her eyes water for a moment. “But that’s okay! Because I’m me! I’m special, I’m wild! Tacos are my thing!”

I giggled. The girl was pretty knowledgeable despite her ditzy demeanor. “And what do you mean by that?”

“Isn’t it obvious? Just be you! Do what you wanna do and don’t let anyone keep you from accomplishing your goals!” She said with a bright smile. “No matter how many times you’re called stupid, air-headed or if they look at you funny. Just keep going.”

Yup. She had the right idea. I couldn’t stop here when I was down. I needed to push forward for a better tomorrow no matter who stands in my way. “Thanks, Sonata. You made some good points.”

She let out a pleased sort of giggle. “Heheh! No problem, fellow Equestrian!”

“Ugh, found her, at last. A-dawg was fishing over by the tide pool in the ocean.”

Adagio Dazzle herself...in fishing gear? That was an unexpected look. “Fishing is an art, Aria. It can’t be rushed. Besides, I caught these three beauties for our campout dinner,” she boasted while she showed off a dozen massive sea bass that were attached to her fishing reel. Come to think, it made sense. Sirens are from the ocean after all. To them, fishing was a mere hobby. “And you are?” the eldest Dazzling looked at me.

I introduced myself and explained how and why I was here. When I mentioned a certain name, it caught Adagio’s attention. “...Neighsay, you say? Hm, that name sounds familiar.”

Sonata loomed over her sister’s shoulder with a rabid drool. “Ohhhh yes...come to mama little fishes.”

“Cool it, Sonata,” Aria pulled her away, “You know how you get when you haven’t had a good fish in a while. Let me cook, A-dawg. Then you’ll be free to talk to this dude or whatever.” She took the bundle of fish off the line, and set them in the icebox nearby. Both she and Sonata went to stoke the fire.

“Hmph. Less work for me,” Adagio said with a shrug, “Aria’s been getting better with cooking lately, so why not?” She started to remove her fishing vest and boots. Once the gear was off, she was down to a simple white tank top and shorts, and then removed that to finally get down to her swimsuit which looked similar to Aria's, but orange instead of purple. “Ughhh!” she groaned as she flopped next to me on the log. “You would not believe how murderous the sun was while I was out in the ocean. So you want my opinion on the whole Cozy Glow thing, I take it?”

I nodded. “Please. Give me your honest opinion.”

The former siren lied down with her body across my lap with a magazine in her hands. The human version of Rarity was on the cover. “Personally, I think you should follow your heart and do what you think is right. Don’t focus so much on the words of others. If you want something, take it.”

I didn’t mind of course. Her hair was soft so it didn’t provide any discomfort for me as she relaxed there. “Oh? You think I should do my own thing?”

“Obviously. It’s your life. Why would you let others dictate how you should live it? If you want to break the status quo, then break it. If you want to take back something that you feel was stolen unjustly--in this case being Cozy’s life--then take it.”

She looked up from her magazine and smiled at her two sisters. Sonata was busy making fish noises and Aria rolled her eyes. The purple siren would then imitate a piranha with hissing noises. Sonata giggled and tackled her, claiming to be a suckerfish now. It escalated into a tickle fight.

“If I was too busy worrying about everything, then I wouldn’t be able to keep those fools smiling. Sometimes it’s better to stay focused on one thing than try to do everything. Or...something like that. Either way, we’re all we have. To this day, we still get odd looks at Canterlot High due to lack of trust. So...if you want to give Cozy a better life, take care of her, help people trust her. No one else is gonna do it for her.”

Of course. That was the part I was missing the entire time. Maybe if...wait...I felt something. Twilight’s radar. I quickly reached into my pocket.

Adagio got off of me and sat up with a concerned look on her face. “Something wrong, hun?”

“Ah. No, I...I have to...sorry, I need to go.” Much to their confusion, I left their campsite. The radar buzzed due to the fact that the magical signature had gotten stronger. And very close too...this was something strong enough to affect the surrounding area for sure.

It was an admittedly rude way to leave them be, but I was lucky. About ten minutes had actually passed, so I didn’t waste too much time. And it was interesting to see a group of former villains actually go through a sort of self-reformation process. From what I could tell, it didn’t seem as if they had that much outside help. To me, it sounded as if they came to the conclusion about how evil they were on their own. It lined up perfectly with what I had imagined. But now wasn’t the time for that.

I came closer and closer to the source of the magic when Sunset appeared next to me. “You felt it too?” she started to jog with me in the direction that the radar pointed us. The hot sand only made us run faster.

“Yeah. Though, beyond that. I actually met the Dazzlings. They have their own campsite just over that hill.”

“Oh? I...hope they didn’t give you any trouble, did they?”

I shook my head. “None at all. They were pretty reasonable and accepting of their fate. I was...actually surprised to find that they all cared for each other so much. But can you recall any of your friends actually helping them?”

“...No, I can’t, actually. When we beat them, they kinda just went off on their own. We didn’t see them again until the night of the PostCrush concert where they were also performing. Aside from that, I don’t remember--Ah!”

We were interrupted by the Scientist Twilight who jumped down from a tree in front of us. “It’s a simple factor. Because of the fact that they no longer have the ability to suck on souls through the magic of their singing for attention, it allows them to be themselves.” She tapped a notepad with her pencil, “This bit is conjecture based on the evidence at hand, but it’s entirely possible that their overwhelming guilt has made them realize just how wrong their actions were. And so, through self-isolation, they have tried to slowly redeem themselves by actually learning how to sing and becoming real artists.” She cleared her throat, adjusted her glasses, and smirked at us, “No need to thank me.”

Sunset couldn’t help but smile. “So that’s what it is. They’ve managed to essentially improve themselves...I’m almost jealous.”

“Hey, Sunny, don’t be,” Twilight put an arm around her friend, “You showed me how to rectify my approach to science and how dangerous magic can be. Just like how your friends did the same for you. Minus the science part, I think.”

“Hehehe! You’re right. But come on. We need to find this Gate, and shut it down before it causes trouble.”

Dammit! Me and my mouth sidetracked us! No matter. We were closer to it now more than ever. It didn’t take us long until the radar Twilight gave me led us to a tide pool near the rocks. Was this the one that Adagio had fished in a bit earlier?

I got down on my knee and inspected the water--wow this felt weird, but I also felt cool doing it. There was nothing too crazy that I could immediately make out--aside from the saltiness of the water. “Hmm…my sensory abilities are a bit dull here…”

Sunset also did the same, and took a knee next to me. “Sensory? What kind of magic do you have?”

“Well, it’s more of an innate thing I’ve trained myself to do over the years. Back home, I’m an earth pony, you see. And with that, came the ability for me to sense things through the earth itself. It’s how I became a detective.”

Behind us, Twilight climbed another coconut tree and looked out at the ocean with her binoculars. Sunset rubbed her chin as she looked at the water. “Hm...there’s definitely magic here. I can feel it. We better get the others in case things get crazy. Come on,” she stood up, and started to walk the other way.

Just then, we felt a violent rumbling beneath the sand. It threw us off-balance, and caused Twilight to fall to the sand from her tree branch. “Wah! Uh, guys! You might wanna get back!”

“Wha?” I held onto my hat, and watched as a giant crab emerged from the water! “Ahhh!” I leapt out of the way just before one of its claws could snap at me. “What kind of crab is this?!”

“This is a European Shore crab!” Twilight helped me up and started to run, “More specifically a red-clawed crab or Carcinus Maenas. They’re native to--”

Sunset cut her off, “Less talking! More running!” But the very second she tried to run down the sandy path, she hit a magic barrier wall and fell to the ground. “Oof! What the--”

The crab continued to follow us with its giant pincers that snapped. It looked ready to cut a tree in two! “Twilight, what’s going on?!”

The purple girl sporadically flipped through her notes. “I don’t know! This is just like what happened with the tentacle plants in the jungle except on a crab?!”

“Yo, FYI!” Sunset rubbed her head as she stood up, “We’re trapped in here! The crab is projecting some sort of magical shell-like barrier that’s keeping us locked in.”

“Eek! Try your phone!”

She took out her device with a screen on it, “Ugh! No reception! The magic is interfering with the signal. Looks like we’re on our own. We have to defeat this crab monster and close that Gate to Equestria before anything else gets magically enhanced.”

“Alright then,” Twilight interlocked her fingers and stretched, “Let’s make fresh gejang out of this creepy crawler.”

Sunset and I both looked at her with silent confusion.

Twilight straightened her glasses, “It’s a crab dish. Soy sauce? From the far east? You guys would like it, trust me.”

“Well, we have no choice,” I proclaimed while I reached into my coat for my trusty weapon, “We’re going to have to fight it ourselves.” When I pulled it out, its appearance had been modified slightly to adapt to the different world it was in. The lever was slimmer, which allowed fingers to slip through, the barrel was longer, and it had blinking lights on top now. Really? Looked like something out of a video game. Hm.

“Cool-looking gun,” Sunset commented, “I feel like I’ve seen that design somewhere before, but I can’t put my finger on it. For now, I have a plan. Twilight--use your telekinesis to forcefully stop the crab’s claws. Pale and I will flank it from both sides and take it down.”

Twilight narrowed her eyes, “That plan sounds preeeetty simple,” and she suddenly grinned, “I love it! Let’s go!” With her hands outstretched, she caught the giant crab’s claws in her purple magical aura which kept them from swiping at us.

We dashed. Sunset and I took to the offensive. She went right, and I went left. For her first move, she conjured a ball of fire in her hands. She charged it until it became as large as a car! “Get steamed, fool!” she proclaimed, and flung it at the crab.

At the same time, I flicked out my gun, and fired a few shots. Instead of compressed air, actual bullets flew out. Made sense since I lost my magical properties--so would the weapon. Now it was a normal rifle.

Unfortunately, the bullets bounced off the crab’s shell like harmless pebbles, and Sunset’s fireball simply dissipated as soon as it came into contact with the beast. “What?! That should’ve fried it!” she complained.

I was also annoyed since I had to actually reload my weapon. “Our attacks have no effect? Then what can we do…?”

Twilight struggled from where she stood. “Ngh! I can’t hold its claws much longer! It’s overpowering me!” Her stance was shaky, arms quaky. It wouldn’t be much longer until she lost her hold entirely.

“New plan! We get up close and personal!” Sunset balled her fist with a crazed smile on her face. The hand lit ablaze, and she ran towards the giant crustacean. “HAAAA!” She leapt into the air, and would strike down at an angle, “VIGOR DUNK!” but the moment her fist came into contact with the struggling crab, the fire went out. The result was nothing more than a harmless tap. “What?! That’s bull! That attack always pierces armor!” she fell to the ground and landed on her rear.

I put my weapon away, and charged in. Maybe I still had my extreme strength? Only one way to find out! “HRHGH!” I attempted to seize control of the massive crab by getting a hold of its legs. Sadly, that didn’t work either. “Grrr! Come on!” I planted my feet in the sand, but nothing happened. Either I lost my strength when I came over, or the crab was too heavy.

“No! Nononono! Gah!” Twilight panicked as she lost her hold on the crab. Its claws were free now, and they took a swipe at Sunset. “Look out!” The purple girl dashed over and tackled her friend out of the way. They were safe, thankfully.

They both needed time to recover and think up a new plan. So I acted quickly. “Hey! Heeeey!” I shouted and waved my hands around to get its attention. The giant crab noticed me, and started to follow. Since it had projected a dome-like shield around the nearby area, I could only run in a circular path to avoid it. “I’ll distract it. You two think up a plan!”

“Ouch, thanks Twi,” Sunset dusted herself off and stood up. “Man, if only Rarity was here. She knows all about fighting giant crabs…”

“No time for that, Sun-buns. We need to come up with another plan,” Twilight pulled out another pencil from her hair as she scribbled in her notes. “Now...what did you feel when you punched it just now?”

Sunset flexed her hand, “Its shell...it was reinforced by magic. That’s why I couldn’t punch through it!”

“Hm...maybe if we ponied up, we could take it down. But without our friends, we can’t really do that…”

“Wait! I got it! Remember what happened when Rainbow overused her super speed?”

“Yeah it...caused all of our powers to--” A lightbulb went off over Twilight’s head, “Oh! I get it! We need to utilize our powers in constant repetition to cause a massive overload in our geodes. Then our friends will feel it too, and come find us!”

Sunset cheered. “That’s right!”

Twilight thought about it a bit more. “But...you know we do run the risk of tiring ourselves out before they get here, right?”

“Beats losing to what should be soup,” Sunsets fists lit up with fire once more, “Come on, let’s roast this thing!”

“Right behind ya!”

I was getting tired. Maybe I did lose my magical properties after all. Back home I could run for miles without even coming close to getting tired. Now? I was already winded after a few minutes of running from the crab. “Whew...damn...this can’t...end here…” But before the beast could snatch me with its pincers, Twilight held it back with her magic. “Oh?”

“C’mon Pale, let’s fight this thing for as long as we can,” she ordered, now breaking a bit of a sweat.

Sunset ran around it, and shot a volley of fireballs at it. Me? All I could do was make use of my gun and the seemingly infinite ammo I found in my vest pockets. None of it did any good anyways. It was all fodder for the red crustacean and barely caused it to flinch.

We fought and fought for about an hour straight until fatigue started to set in. We all stopped attacking, and could only manage to hide behind one of the nearby trees. “Whew...okay...new plan…” I said in between huffs of air.

“There has...to be...some way...we can stop this thing…” Sunset sputtered, just as out of breath as I was.

“We used...our powers...a lot, Sunset. Our friends...should be here...soon…”

With our luck. Someone actually did show up. But it wasn’t the rest of Twilight and Sunset’s friends like I initially imagined. It was...singing?

“Woah-oh-woah-oh...listen to us now…”

“Woah-oh-woah-oh...you are goin’ down....”

“Woah-oh-woah-oh...just leave them alone…”

“Woah-oh-woah-oh...go back to your home…”

Subject 41: Return Home To The Truth

The Dazzlings? Here? Now? Those three sister singers had come to our aid? But why? I thought they only cared about each other. But I guess there was no time for that. I was just glad to not be squashed by giant crab legs. And their voices weren’t half bad either.

“The Dazzlings?” Sunset looked on in confusion as the three teenage sirens sung from outside of the magical dome the crba made. “What are they--”

“Wait! It’s working!” Twilight pointed up at the crab. It had been serenaded by their singing. It even started to dance and shake. “If they distract it long enough, it may give us enough time to--”

I held up my hand to interrupt her. “Nah. I think we should let them have this one…”

Those three continued to sing their sweet song. It was so powerful, that the crab was completely under their control. But what would come next would be just as surprising. I saw Aria nod to Sonata, and the blue siren made an excited squeal of joy.

“MI-MI-MIIIIIIIII~!”

“AGH!” The three of us on the inside of the dome did our best to cover our ears. Sonata sang such a high note so loudly that it caused excruciating pain. Even the crab was staggered. Wait. The crab was staggered!

And no only that, but its magical armor plating had been disrupted by the high note! But we still had to deal with the barrier problem. Or so I thought. Turns out they already thought of what to do next.

Aria grabbed a microphone and spoke into it. “You’re nothing but second-rate crustacean scum. I wouldn’t even wanna eat you for dinner. Lobsters are way more intimidating!” she folded her arms with a snarky smile.

The crab was enraged at the insults. It charged right at the three, and according to plan, it busted right through its own magical dome. With it shut down, the three sirens stepped out of the way. The beast stampeded and ran itself into a nearby rock which dazed it even more.

“Set me up, girls,” Adagio commanded. Sonata gave her sister a baseball, and Aria followed it up with a bat. Adagio threw the ball straight up into the air, and got into a stance to bat it. “Eat THIS!” With a heavy swing, the ball was struck. So hard in fact, that it caught fire and bore a hole straight through the massive crab.

Her sisters watched on in excitement. In fact, so did Twilight, Sunset, and I. We all waited patiently to see what would happen.

Adagio looked at her nails, and smugly counted down the time. “And in three...two….now.”

Right on time with her words, the crab shattered apart like glass before it disappeared in a fiery magic explosion.

“Woohoo!” Sonata cheered, “You both did amazing sisters!”

Aria chuckled, “Yeah, you were pretty good too, Sonata.”

“And now the beast is beaten! Can’t stand up to our power, can it? Hmhmhm!”

I was utterly shocked. I wanted to go up and say something, but Sunset and Twilight beat me to it.

“That was amazing, you guys!” Sunset praised, “I didn’t think you were capable of working together like that.”

Twilight chimed in, “You have to show me the capabilities of the sonic frequency of your voices. How can they control people? How can they disrupt magic?”

“And Adagio...I never would’ve pegged that you were into baseball of all things.”

The yellowish-orange siren blushed and cleared her throat in an attempt to play it off. “Yes, well, ahem. You know...we tend to...yeah.”

Meanwhile, I was near the water. There it was, the Gate to Equestria that allowed magic to leak through. Luckily, no other sea creatures were nearby, so it would be a while before any other messes could occur. “Whew…”

Aria squatted down next to me, “Wow...there it is. A portal to our home…”

I looked at her. “Wanna go back? Genuine question…”

She shook her head. “No...there’s...that world rejected us and we can never show our faces again. Here, we get a completely fresh start.”

“Totally!” Sonata shouted from behind us out of nowhere, “Equestria was fine and all but their laws were way too strict. Here, we can have fun with whoever we want and not be judged! And not to mention tacos are served all the time!”

Adagio stepped forward. She rubbed her chin as she stared at the glowing light beneath the water. She giggled and shook her head, “Nah. All the magic and power in the world is nothing compared to watching over these two anvils,” she put one arm around each of her sisters. Aria rolled her eyes and Sonata giggled. “Besides...I think we have a chance to make more real friends right in front of us…”

Sunset walked over next, “That’s great to head, Adagio. But we need to close this thing up before it gets explosive. Ready to head home, Pale?”

I nodded, and tipped my hat. “Yup. It was fun working with you ladies. But I have a job to take care of back home.”

Twilight handed me the suitcase that contained all of my clothes as well as another device shaped like an arm gauntlet. “When you get back home, slide this onto your hoof. It’ll allow you to shut down any portals back to our world so no more magic will get through.”

“Oh wow, I’ll be sure to make use of this. Okay…hm?” I raised an eyebrow at Sunset who had walked out to one of the rocks. She got ready to dive off into the portal. “Um, what are you…?”

“Rrgh...going with you, silly,” she grunted while she did some stretches. “You’re a pretty hard-working investigator and I think Cozy Glow deserves another shot. Not to mention, I’ll be your evidence against Neighsay to prove he’s abused his power.”

“Oh, um, if you’re sure.”

She nodded, “For sure. I know of a safe portal to use in order to get back home, so don’t worry. Consider it a favor from one friend to another, eh?”

Ah, that was good. Sunset would be a nice asset to have in such a situation. Plus, since I helped her out, I felt less guilt since she simply wanted to help me out in return. “Alrighty then. Guess we’re both off.” I turned to the other four girls, “I’ll be on my way. And if you ever come into contact with the Pale Vestige from this world, don’t be afraid to ask him for help on any sticky situations you need investigated.”

“Ooh, for sure! If his human counterpart is as capable as you are, it could be a great benefit to have!” Twilight scribbled in her notes.

Aria shrugged. “Sure, sure, whatevs. I can think of a few sticky situations A-dawg would want him to look into,” she pointed to her eldest sister.

“Shush you!” Adagio nudged her sister into the sand, “And sure, no problem. If your counterpart in this world is just as understanding as you, then we might have another friend to--ah!”

Sonata giggled and tackled her eldest into the sand. “Ooh, if I see the human Pale, I’ll invite him to my job where we can all eat tacos and be buddies!”

I also couldn’t help but laugh as I watched the three play in the sand together. Twilight used her magic to levitate them. “Okay, that’s enough you guys,” she set them upright, “He has to get going. But if you want, I’m curious as to how you plan to cook this fish.” she pointed to their beach campfire.

Aria was first to go. “Alright, I guess I’ll show you. See ya, Pale.”

Next was Sonata, “Bye-bye! Wait, sis! Lemme help!”

Adagio waved as she walked off. “Do your best, and remember what I said…”

I nodded and waved as they left. Sunset cleared her throat to get my attention.

“Ahem--if you’re done gawking, we should get back and make your case, hm?” she said with a teasing smile. “Don’t worry. When I get back here, I’ll tell your actual human self what’s up so he can pick up the slack for you.”

“Appreciated.” I clutched the suitcase that held my items, “Now let’s get moving.”

With a nod, Sunset jumped into the water. “Woooo!” She dove into the water, and swam into the portal.

With one final wave to the others, I jumped in after her…

Twilight looked to a set of nearby bushes. “Didja get all that on camera, Microchips?”

The bespectacled boy rose from the bushes with a digital camera, phone camera, and two drones at his side. “Absolutely. This is going to be the best article that the Canterlot High Newspaper and Web Blog has ever posted!”

“Nice! Hey, come join us!” Twilight waved her hand to beckon him over.

“Oh, uh...sure!”

We landed back in. I was a pony again! Oh the sweet feeling of four legs never felt better. And the girl had become a unicorn mare. “Alright...now where...ah! Look!” she pointed at the portal we exited. “We’re right in the middle of Canterlot’s flower garden. You got the device Sci-Twi gave you?”

I looked at her and grinned, “Really?”

“Hey...it helps to differentiate, right?”

I put the silver-colored gauntlet on my left hoof. Once it was activated, it fired off a blast of magic that consumed and sealed up the portal. “Woah! It’s like…”

“Magic?” Sunset started to trot towards the castle.

“I mean sort of...hey, wait one more thing,” I caught her attention before she started to walk, “To be able to exist in two worlds with that much skill. I have to give you props in particular. I’m sure your parents are very proud.”

She blushed, “Thanks but...my parents aren’t...nevermind, heh. I appreciate that.”

As we walked around, Sunset ooh’d and ahh’d at the various changes made to the castle. Ah yes, that’s right. She hadn’t been here in a while so of course she would react differently to things. “Wow...all the guards have stronger weapons, the tapestries are purple and…” she sniffed, “Is that lavender? Things really have changed, huh?”

A familiar purple and green dragon came to greet us. “Hey Sunset! And...oh, you’re the guy that Twilight wants to speak to, yeah?”

“Spike?! Holy--you’re huge!”

“Heheh, thanks I know. I’ve been growing a lot since you last saw me.” He looked at me, “But uh, Pale...right?”

“That’s right,” I nodded.

Spike pointed to the throne room. “Twilight’s waiting for you. It’s almost three o’ clock. Better get a move on.”

I sighed with relief. Turns out I wasn’t too late. That was good. It meant we could speak with the princess before things got crazy. “Thank you, Spike,” I said, and started running down the hall. “Sunset, let’s go!”

The unicorn mare was still astonished at Spike’s size for a moment until she shook her head. “Oh, right…coming!”

We dashed through the castle, and arrived at the throne room to see the purple alicorn. “Pale, welcome--and oh, hey Sunset! I mean, ahem--welcome, Sunset.”

“Twilight! There isn’t much time, so I’ll make this quick.”

“Actually, I have a better idea,” I spoke up.

Once my idea was heard, the princess teleported the three of us to Chancellor Neighsay’s office. Once there, both myself and Sunset explained what happened to Twilight. Everything from Neighsay sending me to the human world to the Dazzlings being more friendly now.

“Woah woah woah, okay...first off, I’m happy the sirens have a place they’re comfortable to live in. Secondly….WHAT THE ACTUAL BUCK?!”

“It’s true, Twilight. He put Pale there in an attempt to get rid of him and miss your meeting to un-stone Cozy Glow. There’s probably a host of other things that geezer has done behind your back without your knowledge.”

I nodded. “Please believe me, Twilight.”

“How can I not?!” she shouted to the ceiling, “If Sunset literally had to bring you back here, then something’s very wrong. Now I understand why you requested to be brought here, Pale. Maybe there’s some evidence we can find to further prove what you’re saying. Check everything. Don’t leave a single inch of this room uninspected,” she ordered us.

Sunset and I nodded. We all worked to look through the room for whatever we could find. It was a long, painful search. But something in the back of my mind was nagging at me. The idea that I was not prepared for what I was going to find in this room. My heart pounded, my blood vessels rushed with extreme power. Was there a chance that Neighsay was more powerful than any of us realized?

“Hey, what’s this?” Sunset pulled a book from a shelf.

Twilight tilted her head, “Hm...doesn’t look like anything special to me. Everypony knows that the whole hidden passageway behind a bookshelf thing is a load of--”

A low rumbling noise was heard once the book was removed. Sunset had a smug expression.

“There’s...a hidden passageway behind the bookshelf, isn’t there?” Twilight asked with a hoof to her forehead.

The smug unicorn giggled, and walked on through with a slightly annoyed Twilight that followed. She poked her head out, “Uh, Pale. You coming?”

The whole time, I had been distracted by my fear. I played it off with a nervous laugh. “Oh, hehe...of course.” I followed the mares down the passageway. It led to a staircase. Down the steps we went until we came upon a basement-like room that was pitch black.

“Hang on.” Twilight’s horn lit up, and she tossed a ball of light into the air which illuminated the room around us.

Files. Loads and loads of them. Files all over the place. It wasn’t out of the ordinary for the head of the EEA to have a separate room to keep track of certain things. But why so down deep?

“Odd...this reminds me of the crawlspaces under the castle from when I was little,” Sunset commented as she took a look around.

Twilight inspected the dark room. “Hrm...something’s off here…”

I made use of my sensory abilities. I felt negativity. Powerful black magic was used on something in this room. But what? “I think there’s dark magic here...we better be careful.”

“Dark magic, huh? Hm…” Sunset seemed to lose herself in thought for a moment. Did she have familiarity with the subject?

“Don’t worry, Sunset. If there is dark magic here, I can take care of it no problem,” the princess assured her friend. “Now Pale, can you pinpoint the exact direction it’s coming from?”

I pointed to the corner of the room. “There.”

Twilight trotted over, and used her magic to suss out what the problem was. Her prize was a small chest of sorts that was locked off with dark magic. “Eh? Why would Neighsay lock something off with such dangerous magic?”

“Probably to keep something very secretive hidden away,” Sunset commented with a long scowl, “Let’s open it up.”

I watched carefully as Twilight countered the dark magic with her own. I felt it again. My adrenaline rushed. My blood bumped. My heart raced. Why was I feeling this way? Just what was inside of that damn box?!

POP!

At last, Twilight popped it open. “Ah!” Both of the mares gasped at what they found. Inside were documents detailing information that Twilight read aloud.

“Day 5: Specimen 98 has accepted to be used for the spell. We told her it would give her more energy, but in reality, we are looking to assess the potential of implanting magical abilities into another. It has caused a heated amount of tension between her and her husband, due to the side effects making her more aggressive.”

“Subjects…?” Sunset loomed over and picked out another page for Twilight to read. “What could he be doing?”

“Day 17: Specimen 98 has shown signs of aggression not only to her husband, but her child as well now. She is now delusional due to the effects of the spell provided.”

I tilted my head. This sounded familiar, but I wanted Twilight to read more.

“Day 35: Specimen 98 has left her family about a few weeks ago. The effects of the spell have now taken root. She is now capable of levitating and firing magic blasts despite being an earth pony. However, its effects have taken an abnormal toll on her body.”

“Day 72: Specimen 98 is now a mercenary for hire and takes odd jobs. We shall consider adding her to the group should she remain alive.”

“Day 105: Specimen 98 KIA by rival mercs.”

“Killed in Action...how? So wait, hold up,” Sunset held up a hoof, “You mean to tell me Neighsay has had experiments running this entire time?!”

I felt a cuddling sensation in my throat. As if I could throw up my entire digestive system with a single cough. I spoke weakly, and could barely stand to raise my voice. “What was..that specimen’s name?”

Twilight took another look at the paper. The name was blacked out, but thanks to her skills at writing--and magic--she was able to reverse engineer the text in order to see the letters. “‘Specimen Name: Bright Memento.’”

As soon as I heard that name, I fell to the floor. I felt like a fish with no water. Unable to breathe or think properly. “...That was...my mother.” She had been under the effects of a spell the entire time which caused her to become extra aggressive towards my father. And then, she left me in his abusive care to become a wandering mercenary only to die?! That...no...

“WHAT?!” Both mares shouted aloud.

Sunset took a deep breath, and trotted over to console me. She used her magic to set me upright. “Hey...I got your back. Don’t worry.”

“Um...S-Sunset?”

“What’s wrong, Twilight?”

“...You might...you need to see...this…”

Sunset went back over, and began to read aloud.

“Specimens 24 and 25: The black magic boosters have increased their aptitude. They have both risen highly through the combat tourney that I have placed them in with the other Specimens. They are now set to face off against each other.”

She read the next file.

“Specimens 24 and 25 managed to break free of the spell and have killed each other. One could not live without the other.”

“Check the names…” Twilight mumbled.

When she found the names, Sunset nearly burst into tears. “My...my parents...they were...no...no! Is that why Celestia took me in as her student? Because my parents...Neighsay...did she know about this?!”

Twilight put a hoof around her unicorn friend. “Don’t worry...I’m going to get to the bottom of this as soon as possible. For now, I will be taking this as evidence to use against--”

“Against whom?” the old bastard himself appeared at the top of the steps, “P-princess?” His usual, uptight demeanor was broken as soon as he saw Princess Twilight.

“You…” Sunset ran up the steps and tackled him to the floor. “You sick piece of shit! You were the reason my parents disappeared?! You took everything from me!”

“What the devil are you talking about?” he tried to deflect, “I don’t even know who you are.” He used his magic to levitate Sunset off of him, “Now if you’ll excuse me I--”

Twilight shut all of the doors with her magic. “Neighsay. Explain. Everything. Now.”

At last, I rose from my fetal position, and trotted up the steps back to the office where Sunset and Twilight had cornered the old stallion. “Heh...I’m gonna love watching you see your own blood as you die.”

Subject 42: Hidden Suffering

“Okay okay, listen! A small group of mine has been conducting...trials to make our citizens stronger!” the blowhard of a unicorn sweated bullets, “Is that so wrong?”

“It’s wrong when you drag innocent ponies into it,” Twilight stepped forward, “I have to be honest--I’ve done a poor job as a princess if I can’t maintain those who work beneath me. But that all changes today. Neighsay, you are hereby removed from your position in the EEA and will be sent to the dungeon as you await your public trial.”

“But I--” the old geezer tried to interject, but Twilight had none of it.

Her horn lit up. “My decision is final.” Her magic aura consumed the stallion, which took away his magic, and thus rendered him defenseless. “You are lucky. A thousand years ago, you would’ve been put up for execution immediately. Guards!”

A set of Royal Guards which included Gallus and Flash Sentry entered the room. The griffon spoke first. “Ma’am. What’s the problem?”

“Take Neighsay to his cell. He’s been de-powered, and won’t give you any troubles.”

“On it. Move it, old timer, let’s go,” the light orange pegasus lifted him up to which the griffon assisted. Neighsay was too weakened to move or speak, and gave no protest when dragged off.

Sunset meanwhile, had been lightly sobbing into her hooves the entire time. Me? I cried along with her. I wasn’t above displaying my emotions. “It’s...alright. You have friends in both worlds here to support you,” I tried to put a hoof around her, but she didn’t take. Understandable. This was earth-shattering information that would make anyone uneasy.

She pushed me away, gently. “Sorry, I’m just...I need time to think about this. And I need to see Celestia. Where is she, again?”

Twilight answered. “She and Luna are both retired and living in Silver Shoals. It’s not that far from Canterlot. You can take the train there right now if you want.”

Sunset nodded. “Please...I’d like that,” she looked at me, “And don’t worry Pale. When the trial for Neighsay is held, I’ll be back to testify against him right with you.”

“No trouble at all, miss,” I tipped my hat, “Go. Go on and see your old teacher--she does have quite a bit to explain to you, I’d imagine.”

“She does...yeah. Thanks for showing me the truth, Twilight. It hurts, but now I think I know what I need to do,” she stood up, and gave her alicorn friend a hug.

“Don’t worry Sunset. I’m always here for you, you know that.”

The unicorn mare let go, and to my surprise, she hugged me next. “Good luck with Cozy, okay? I’d like to speak to her too whenever you’re both free.”

I returned the gesture with a hoof around her neck also. “Absolutely. I’ll reserve you a spot in line, Sunset.”

She forced out a laugh, “Heh, thanks. Wait...one more thing.” Her eyes turned a solid white when she embraced me. Was this related to one of her powers? “Your childhood...I can see…”

“It’s...yeah, it’s heavy. But don’t worry. We’ll get through our troubles together.”

“Good, good…” she let go, and started to walk out, “Well, I’m off. See you guys later.”

“Thanks for your help, Sunset,” Twilight replied.

I tipped my hat. “Be seeing ya.”

As soon as the unicorn left, Twilight sighed. “Ugh...I’m sorry about all of that, Pale. I never figured Neighsay would do something like this. He may have had good intentions, but his methods…” That’s when something hit her. She blinked once, twice, and came to a realization. “His methods were flawed...just like…oh no.”

It didn’t take much to understand what she meant. She had compared herself to the former Chancellor. And in a way, she understood just the exact problem she and those before her propagated. “Listen...it’s only a matter of time before we come face to face with our own flaws. The fact that you can do that on your own is what makes you better than scum like Neighsay.”

“I suppose you’re right. Even so, maybe I can make this right. Come on, let’s go to that statue,” she said with newfound vigor. With a flash of her horn, Twilight and I were transported back to the infamous villains’ stone prison. “You ready?”

I had put away the device the other Twilight gave me for use on the portals for later and nodded. “Of course I am.”

Another flash of her horn, and Twilight hit the filly’s statue with a spell to undo her petrification. Except...something happened when she fell to the ground. Cozy Glow wasn’t a small foal anymore.

She was now a young mare--about the same age as the Crusaders were. But something was off. Cozy didn’t move, nor speak. Was she even conscious? “Princess--what’s going on?”

“I...I’m not sure. But I can tell something’s wrong with her.” She trotted over to, and inspected the young mare with her magic. “It...It’s possible that she’s lost her sense of self due to being imprisoned for so many years and stuck in the same body as a filly. Except now, she’s suddenly been thrust into a young adult body and is more or less fully grown...I should’ve known this was a bad idea…”

I walked up to her. “Huh? I don’t quite follow…”

“She’s stuck in a time-lag induced comatose state. It may be awhile before she wakes up...if she does wake up.”

Wait what?! It’s possible that she could die?! No. I won’t let that happen. I had already thought of a plan to see this through. “Twilight. We need to take her to the hospital immediately. And get a message out to Luna right away.”

“Well, that was my intention to take her to the hospital anyways. But why Luna?”

“Because. If she and I can enter her dreams and undo whatever she’s suffering from, it’ll make things a whole lot easier. Then we can finally understand her perspective and why she acted the way she did.”

Twilight nodded without hesitation. I’m glad she saw fit to trust me now. “Okay then, Pale. I gave you full authority on what to do regarding Cozy Glow from this point.”

With another flash of her horn, we were all teleported to the hospital. The light pink pegasus mare was given an immediate room to sleep in so her health could be monitored. After about ten minutes, the doctor came out to us.

“Well..she’s alive, that much is certain. However, she seems to be unable to wake up. Likely due to head trauma. Don’t worry, she shouldn’t be out for long.”

“Thanks, doc,” I responded, “do you mind if we go in there?”

“Go right ahead. She can’t hear anything. Just try not to disturb her body.”

Twilight and I both entered the room. Cozy Glow was still out cold, but hooked up to a heart rate monitor so we could keep tabs on how she was feeling.

“Whew...thank goodness she isn’t in much danger,” Twilight expressed her relief at the mare’s condition. “Okay, Pale. I leave her in your hooves. For now, I’m going to head back to the castle, and send out an express message to Luna via Spike. Then, I’m going to set up Neighsay’s time in court, and what he’ll face for his actions against you, Sunset Shimmer, and anypony else’s lives he’s damaged.”

I nodded. That’s all I could ask of the alicorn, and I was more than grateful for it. “Thank you, Twilight. Do your best, please.”

On her way out, she shot me a smirk. “Heh, I always do my best. Don’t you worry about me. I’ll see you later, Pale.”

“Bye, Twilight. And thanks again for your help.” I waved as she left. With that established, I took a seat in a nearby chair next to Cozy Glow’s hospital bed. My mental wheel began to turn once more. Just what did Neighsay do to affect mine and Sunset’s lives? What was he and his little group out to obtain? I needed answers soon. Hopefully the alicorns would look into whom they had hired in the last few years or so. And Sunset...that mare/girl deserved to know the truth about her life and how things ended up the way they were. And maybe, just maybe...we could find out the truth about Cozy’s origin as well.

Night fell. I had my first good sleep in the last week. At the very least, I could rest easy knowing that the kid was still breathing. Hopefully Luna would arrive soon.

Fortunately, it didn’t take long for me to get my wish. In the outside world, I could barely make out the alicorn’s voice as she called my name. She must have arrived. Soon after, I found myself face to face with her in my dream.

“Pale? Are you alright?”

My dream was sleeping in a comfortable bed. Nice. I got out of it, and approached her. “Luna. You’re here! How’s everything going in the real world?”

“Very...complicated. Sunset Shimmer visited us and inquired to my sister about her past--the time before she became her student.”

Out of respect for her privacy, I didn’t pry. At least, not yet. I’m sure the evidence would be used in the trial against Neighsay very soon. “Makes sense to me. She has the right to know. Now, as for me. Twilight finally--”

Luna interrupted me, and trotted around the dreamscape. “I am aware. Cozy Glow’s state of mind is very fragile from being imprisoned for so many years. It is going to take a minute before she is even capable of dreaming again.”

Damn. Oh well. Guess it was back to the waiting game, then. “Fair enough.”

“Sunset has also spoken to me about the Sirens and what they’re currently dealing with. It sounds to me as if they are making an honest life for themselves in this ‘Human’ world with the Faculty Lot.”

I snickered. That was the lot where teachers would place their motorized vehicles known as cars. Luna thought it was a place of power, so she technically wasn’t wrong. But the Sirens were the main topic of this conversation. “Yeah, they are. They’re actually working jobs and stuff, too. They even saved Sunset and I from this giant crab monster.”

Luna blinked. I guess she wasn’t prepared to hear that. “Wow a...crab monster--ahem. It sounds like you all had fun. If the Sirens can make a better life for themselves, then I don’t see why we can’t give Cozy a proper chance to change this time.”

“Agreed,” I nodded, “It’s unrealistic to expect everyone everywhere to be able to express kindness and be nice. I deal with rowdy customers on a near-daily basis. That’s why I want to support as many different individuals as possible. So when the stronger enemies come, we’ll have a chance to fight back.”

“Sound logic indeed. More allies means more strength. If only it were so simple, then Equestria would know true peace…” she hung her head.

That’s when I had to bring some reality into the scenario. “I’ve been in this job for god knows how long, ma’am. And the fact is: True peace...is not possible to achieve. Even hundreds of years from now when I’m long gone, conflict will still exist.”

Luna raised a brow, eager to hear what I had to say next as she countered. “Oh? Then is striving for peace not a pointless endeavor?”

“I didn’t say that, did I?” I put a hoof around her neck, and pointed to the dream doors, “You of all ponies should know that everyone has a dream. And with those dreams come obstacles. And with those obstacles come conflict. And with conflict, comes development.”

She thought about it for a moment. “Only through conflict do we evolve? Is that what you are saying?”

I let her go, and started trotting around the empty vastness of the scape, “In a nutshell, yeah. The only way we can get better as people--gah--ponies-slash-creatures, is if we face trials and tribulations that contribute to our growth. That is why true peace is impossible. Everyone is always going to disagree with someone on something. And it's within those disagreements that we choose to either live or die. Hence my...efforts towards Cozy Glow.”

Out of nowhere, a new dream door appeared. It matched the color scheme of Cozy’s pink coat and light blue mane. Could this be a dream she was having? Was she still with us? Only one way to find out.

“Hm…” Luna walked up to the door. With a flash of her horn, it flew open. “Strange...this is unlike any other dream I have ever witnessed.”

I followed her. It was a pitch black void of nothingness for as far as the eye could see. Was this even right? Were we truly in Cozy Glow’s head or was this the wrong door?

“No...you’re in the right place,” the pegasus mare appeared between us from within the darkness. “I...there’s a lot to unpack and show you both, so I hope you don’t mind listening…”

Luna shook her head. “My child, you are in a place of absolute solitude. Your true intentions, whether hidden or not, will be on full display for us to witness. I admit, I apologize for not allowing you the chance to speak and tell us why you committed such atrocities,” she said with a bow. “That is why Pale Vestige has fought so hard to set you free.”

The young mare blushed since she didn’t feel comfortable in the presence of a former princess that bowed in front of her. “Uh...you can rise, Luna. Don’t worry. I’ve had...a lot of time to reflect on my life in the last decade or two. And...well, first off, I wanna thank you Pale for trying your best to help me out.”

I nodded. “Not a problem, kid. It’s my job.”

“But...I don’t know if I can be fixed. So many ponies have always pushed me around, or wanted me to never be around them, it’s…” she sighed.

Luna put one of her hooves underneath Cozy’s chin. “Do not be afraid, Cozy. You are not judged within the confines of your own mind. Regardless of whatever you have dealt with in the past, we are going to listen. Isn’t that right, Pale?”

“That’s right, Luna. We’re not here to judge you, kid. In fact, Luna and I were both little bundles of trouble in our youth. So if anything, we’ll understand you best. Won’t we, Luna?”

She blushed, and nodded. “Heh...heh…”

Cozy pushed Luna’s hoof away, and stepped ahead of us. “You both really want to know? The darkness that lies within my heart? Are you prepared to witness my childhood horrors?”

Luna and I looked at each other, nodded, and turned our heads back to the adult Cozy.

“Absolutely,” I said.

“Yes, of course,” Luna added.

With a sigh, Cozy activated her dream. “Alright then...here is the truth.”

Subject 43: Inner Machinations

When the dream turned on, we were able to see into Cozy’s subconscious. The first thing we saw was a newborn pegasus foal born to a pair of ponies whose faces were darkened. As a result, it was impossible to identify who they were. This was likely due to the fact that she had no memory of who they were. Which was understandable. You never were able to remember someone’s face if so many years had passed.

“We can’t let anypony find out.”

“We need to put her up for adoption right away.”

“Don’t you love her?”

“I care about you and your safety more. The child will have to go.”

The details weren’t exactly clear, but we had a better understanding with those words she could recall. Cozy’s parents clearly weren’t ready to handle a child, so they attempted to get rid of her via an orphanage. No records, no paperwork, nothing. They simply left her there one day, and never came back.

Needless to say, I was conflicted.

On the one hoof, I could understand the troubles of dealing with a child that one wasn’t prepared for. It wasn’t a good idea to keep a child in a household that wasn’t fit for them. On the other, I felt annoyed. Was it not possible for them to get any assistance from family? And if they weren’t ready to handle a child, then why would they engage in copulation unsafely? As much as I had sympathy, I had to put blame on the parents for not taking proper care to ensure they would be ready for a child.

From there, things only got worse for the filly. Or better depending on how one would spin the situation. She was bullied constantly and pushed around throughout her early years at the orphanage. The filly wanted nothing more than to escape the place.

“Your parents don’t love you? Nopony will if you don’t take charge!”

“In this place, it’s beat flank or get your flank beat.”

“So what’s it gonna be? Gonna join us or keep crying like a wimp? Nopony’s gonna love ya if you act like that.”

The petty comments of the other foals weren’t enough to sway Cozy on their own. She simply wanted to leave and find her real parents. And that’s just what she did. She snuck out of the orphanage one night at the young and never looked back. All at an extremely young age--not even five or six years old, by my estimate. Cozy Glow roamed the world in search of her real parents, desperate to find out just why they left her there.

I had to admit, the idea of seeing a child be left to fend for themselves in such a way was frightening. I turned and looked at Luna. She did her best to maintain an outward appearance of maturity and understanding. But I could tell that, deep down, she wanted to cry. She felt pain as she saw the events of Cozy’s life unfold before her eyes, and I couldn’t blame her. Luna and Cozy weren’t so different in that respect.

Both the alicorn sisters and Cozy Glow were abandoned by their parents and left to fend for themselves in the world of the unknown. The similarities lied more with Luna in particular. As both of them were troubled souls who lost their ways, and grew bitter.

Or at least, I hoped that my prediction was correct.

Turns out, I wasn’t wrong. We watched the dream unfold ever further. Indeed. In the five years that passed between Cozy’s time at the orphanage, and ending up in Ponyville to join the school of friendship, she had been through a lot. Begging for money on the streets of Las Pegasus, sneaking food away from the Wonderbolt’s Academy in order to survive, and stealing from other ponies in Cloudsdale.

But one day, all of that guilt came to a head. She had stolen a toy glider from a pegasus that couldn’t fly very well. The colt cried and cried because it was all he had to remind him of his grandfather who had passed away. So she made an attempt to return it--even went ahead and admitted to stealing it. Despite this, the parents of the colt were furious, and yelled at her for taking such an item. Instead of showing forgiveness and asking why, they shot first. None of the other pegasus ponies wanted to associate with her from that moment onwards.

She couldn’t believe it. She did the right thing, she owned up to her mistake, but still received vitriol and hatred for her actions despite trying to make amends.

“Go away! Your parents would be ashamed if they found out about what you did!”

“Why would you try and take this from me? No one would ever love you for what you did!”

That was when her world came crashing down upon her. Something snapped within Cozy Glow on that day. If nopony could ever truly love her, then why should she bother? If it was much easier to get ponies to hate her, then that would be way more fun, right?

It started off small. A few small favors here, a few lies there. Her talent for manipulation grew and grew. Soon she was able to pit other ponies against each other in arguments that distracted them long enough for her to take what she wanted. It was all so simple, so slick, so easy.

“I heard your mom said she hates that gift you got for her.”

“Don’t waste your time on that silly dress. Your boyfriend hates it.”

“She’s cheating on you with your sister!”

The rush. The power. It felt so surreal to her to feel this way. Everypony she came across was wrapped around her hoof the minute she opened her mouth. In no time, she earned her cutie mark as well. That chess piece. The stalwart rook.

“And that’s how I ended up at the school of friendship,” she finally spoke once she finished relaying her old thoughts to us, “I felt that if I could be known through being feared, everyone would love me, and I’d be the best pony in the world. But now I’ve gone and made things worse. Nopony would even think about caring about me if they valued their own lives.” She sighed and sat down, “I really messed up. I know that now. But it’s my own fault. There’s nothing I can do to get that trust back. Even now...I could be manipulating you.”

Luna shook her head. “If that were the case, I would have executed you long ago--er, I mean. I know you are a smart pony, Cozy. Too smart to do such a thing a second time. We believe you. Don’t we, Pale?”

I nodded. “That’s right, kid. I was just like you. Sunset was just like you, Sombra, even Cheese Sandwich. There are loads of us who grew up without the guidance of those who were meant to be there. And yet, we all managed to survive one way or another.”

“But I thought King Sombra was dead?”

Oh right. No one else knew about the old King’s resting place aside from me. Well, time to explain that, I suppose. “...and he currently lives in eternal limbo. Wandering the planet out of regret. At least, when I last saw him. And even Cadance grew up with nopony to guide her. In fact, she grew up around Earth Ponies!”

“She...did?” Cozy’s eyes grew wide at this revelation.

Meanwhile Luna raised a brow at me. “And just how do you know that, Pale?”

“Well, the members of my crew have her file--just like everyone else’s. Beyond that, she actually told me about it over the dinner I shared with her family. But yes, she grew up around Earth Ponies in a small village, and was able to reverse a spell that stole love that was created by a mare called Prismia. After that, a magical warp occurred, and she was transported to Celestia where she was adopted as her niece.”

Cozy tilted her head down. “Wow...I wish I could’ve gotten that lucky…”

“Hey, kid. Don’t get like that. As I said, we’re here for you. Even her daughter Flurry Heart wants you to have another chance.”

The young mare’s tail flicked. “Flurry? She always seemed so cool...I wonder how she’s--I mean...it’s whatever.”

“No it’s not,” I protested, “Trust me, kid. As soon as you wake up, you’re going to understand just what I’m talking about in regard to those who are willing to support you.”

“Su...pport?”

Luna smiled at her. “You will see soon, child,” she replied and flew upwards into the sky of the dream, which caused that blinding light to consume everything.

Morning came. Luna and I were the first to awaken. We both slept on the floor, lying down on our stomachs. I suppose somepony at the hospital saw fit to throw a blanket over us. We woke up next to each other.

“Ah...morning. Well this is awkward,” I chuckled, and stood up which tossed the blanket off. “Ah...haven’t slept that well in forever.”

Luna rose from her position also, and stretched. “I must admit, it was very comforting to sleep beside another for a change.”

We both looked at the young mare. She was still asleep. Luckily, the EKG monitor told us that she was breathing steadily. Way more than before. In fact, we were even able to see her chest rise and fall due to the fact that her breaths were more controlled.

“Okay...she’s doing better now,” I said with a sigh of relief.

“Indeed,” Luna responded as she used her magic to fold up the blanket and put it away. “What did you think of our little chat with her?”

I sat down in the nearby chair to think. “Very...interesting to say the least. I never realized someone could go through all of that. I’m personally amazed that she’s still alive given what she had to deal with as she grew up.”

“Agreed. But do you think everypony will be capable of understanding that fact?” she asked, “What if they don’t take the time to understand and still choose to ridicule her? Are you ready for that?”

I shrugged. “I’ve already dealt with plenty of that. At this point, I know everyone more or less stands with me on the subject--just as they stood with you all those years ago.”

She looked outside of the window as she lamented her past. “Yes...I think you have a point.”

“Now we just have to wait for her to--”

Cozy Glow’s eyes slowly opened up. She looked around and when she spotted us, she freaked out a little with a violent shiver, and hid beneath her blankets.

Luna approached her, face as gentle as ever. “It is alright. Nopony is here to hurt you. In fact, nopony will hurt you ever again. Right, Pale?” she smiled at me.

I rose from my seat. “That’s right. I gotcha, kid. You’re gonna be okay. As soon as the doctor lets you leave, we’re going to give you your life back.”

She smiled, and turned over in her bed. I could see that tears formed within her eyes, and that she wanted to hide how she felt in that moment. “...Thank you. But for now, I wanna rest.”

“Um…” Yes, there were a few other things on my mind at that moment, but I didn’t know what to do first. Deal with Quick Draw, deal with Neighsay, go find Sunset and see what she’s found out from Celestia? My wheel spun even as I thought about it.

Luna looked at me. “Pale, listen well. I have a suggestion on what your next move should be.”

“Oh?”

“Both Sister and Twilight have informed me of what has taken place--”

“Wait how do you--”

“Dream communication, son.”

Oh right. Duh. “Sorry. Continue.”

She cleared her throat. “Ahem. Anyway, you should go see the Princess. I shall watch over Cozy until she is allowed to be let go from the hospital.”

Sounded simple enough. “Alright. Thank you, Luna.”

I left the room, and subsequently the hospital. I traveled back to Canterlot Castle. There, I met Spike at the front entrance who told me just where to go. Twilight’s bedroom? And Sunset was already there? Oh no. This was serious.

So I traveled all the way up to the Princess’ room. There, I found the alicorn as she consoled her orange unicorn friend. “You wanted to see me?”

“Yes. We have verified loads of information regarding Sunset’s parents as well as Neighsay’s involvement. Needless to say, there’s something much bigger at play here,” Twilight explained as she pat Sunset on the back. “Apparently her parents joined Neighsay’s cause of their own free will. They weren’t forced into it.”

“I...whatever you guys need to do is fine with me,” Sunset said with a frown. The kind of frown that hid away a secret desire.

“You want to help me fight off the root of the problem, hm?” Even if those long gone ponies joined that crass old man in his efforts, there was still no evidence to suggest that they hadn’t been manipulated. Regardless, I wondered just what sort of cause would get them to join a secret group and abandon their child. There had to be more to this.

To my surprise, Sunset had a stalwart glare. “No. I...well, yes. But to be honest, I don’t want to, for a few reasons. First of which being that I’m...not in the best mental state right now. This still has me kinda...messed up in the head. Second, I can’t afford to stay away from home for too long. My friends at Canterlot High need me. Not to mention the Gates to Equestria that need to be closed.” She pointed at me. “Thanks to Twilight’s persuasion, I’m putting my trust in you.”

I blinked once, then twice. “Me?”

“That’s right,” Sunset walked up to me, “I want you to find out everything you can. Find out who did this to my--no--to our sets of parents so none of it will ever happen to anypony else. We might even find a connection to Cozy Glow--her parents are mysteriously missing also.”

It was a nice feeling to be trusted by someone so powerful. Though, while I wasn’t entirely sure if Cozy was connected or not, I gave a proud smile. “No problem, Sunset. On one condition.”

“What’s that?”

“When you get back home, tell my Human version everything you’ve told me. Get him just as invested in defending your--his home as I am about mine. If he’s anything like me, he should still be just as diligent and capable as I.”

Sunset smiled, and gave a nod. “Heh...after spending this much time with you, I’m actually excited to get back and see what your other self is like. Hopefully he’ll show me his gun collection or whatever,” she said casually with a giggle which prompted a confused look from the princess.

“...I don’t get it.”

I couldn’t help but snicker also. “It’s...a human thing, don’t worry. But thanks, Sunny. I appreciate that.”

“No problem,” she gave me a friendly nudge in the shoulder with her hoof, “we all have things we need to work on in both worlds. The more we can do, the better. Oh and I haven’t forgotten the Dazzlings. I’ll be sure to tell the human Pale to hang around them more. Maybe he can get them to start making more friends? If they don’t spend their time hogging him, heh!”

I choked up, and coughed at the sentiment. Then I gave a silent prayer for my human counterpart in that he would not suffer the same fate of being surrounded by numerous attractive females as I.

I mean, uh, the more the merrier, yeah?

“Heh. Please do. Let the other Twilight know too, okay?”

“I will. Well, I’m off to the portal. Bye, guys. Thanks for helping me find out everything!” Sunset called out to us as she left for the portal to head back to her world.

Twilight and I waved.

“Bye, Sunset!” The princess replied, “Now, Pale. I’m sure you’re aware of what Sunset was talking about. We believe that Neighsay and his group have been preying on ponies in dysfunctional relationships in order to build himself a small army.”

Oh? Wait a minute. “So he’s not solely responsible for the destruction of my parents' lives or Sunset’s? He just takes advantage of what’s already damaged. Still bucked up either way.”

“Oh no, I agree. I feel ashamed as a ruler for not being able to find this out sooner. But I’m going to make this right. Who knows how many ponies within the EEA are just as corrupted as he! With that established. A new trial is going to take place. Ponies v. Neighsay. Next week.”

Made sense. One would have to prepare a massive hearing for what he caused. “Okay. Got it. What would you like me to do until then?”

With her magic, she put a housing deed in my hoof. “This is Cozy Glow’s new address. It’s a home that is near your agency. It will be carefully monitored with security cameras for the sake of both keeping an eye on her actions, and her safety from those who wish to bring her harm. I had it set up a few days ago. I’d recommend you start having her meet with, and apologize to those whom she has wronged in order to help her forge a better relationship with the rest of the populace. Otherwise, she runs the risk of being attacked continuously.”

Oh wow. Another proactive move instead of a reactive move. My respect for the alicorn just went up. “That was always my intent from day one. I know that the opinions of others aren’t gonna simply disappear overnight. But if I can help the kid by any means, then I know I’ll have done one thing right in this world. It’s important to show an individual where they went wrong, rather than simply tell them.”

“Good plan, but there’s more. Agents Lyra Heartstrings and Sweetie Drops will be standing by ready to assist when needed.”

Always good to have more hooves at the ready. I accepted. “Of course. I actually know Sweetie Drops from my old days at the monster agency.”

Twilight giggled. “I know. That’s why I assigned those two to the case. Maybe you can rekindle that friendship at the same time,” she flashed a proud smirk, “a-ya-welcome.”

Dammit, she didn’t have to put it like that. But of course, I accepted. “Heh, of course, Princess.”

“And one last thing.”

“Hm?”

“Get some rest, Pale. You’ve been through a lot these past several months. I know just what it’s like to get super stressed out over stuff and forget sleep,” she flexed her wings as a reminder of her position. “Trust me. Get some sleep. Maybe take a day off or two, and monitor Cozy Glow from nearby. Alright?”

She had a point. I had lost all sense of self in the last...however long its been. From being attacked, transported to a different dimension, fighting a massive ass crab, and learning about a shocking revelation regarding my parents? Yeah, I wanted to sleep for an entire week straight.

“Understood, Princess,” I responded with a tip of my hat, and trotted out of the door, “You take care now.”

“That goes double for you, mister,” she responded with a teasy sort of tone. “Rest well, Pale. See ya!”

Indeed I would. First thing’s first. I met up with Luna once more. She told me that Cozy would be released from the hospital by the evening, and that she would personally escort her to her new home. I wanted to stay there myself, but Luna knew just what Twilight had told me, and she was right. I needed rest to take my mind off things for a while so that I could return to the situation with a clear head.

So I did. I took the first train back to Ponyville. Once I got there, I alerted Corkscrew of what the situation was and who to watch out for. The pegasus accepted my terms, and assured me that he would be on the lookout for Luna late into the evening if need be. Gotta respect that tenacity from someone his age.

With that, I could finally head home. I was ready to drop dead.

Meanwhile, across the road from Pale’s home…

“Ladies, are you sure this is a good idea? I don’t even know if he’d accept me in,” Cheerilee protested.

Both the Mayor and Spoiled Rich hid in a set of bushes. “Don’t worry, my dear,” the Mayor replied, “You need to at least give it a try before you doubt yourself.”

“That’s right,” Spoiled added, “At least take the ride before you decide it’s not worth getting on.”

“And yet, you got Tree Hugger as my wingmare?”

The green earth pony in question was meditating in the middle of the road. “Ohm….neee-eee-eee…”

“It’ll be perfect! You both can handle him at the same time!” the Mayor said with a smile.

Spoiled was just as invested, giving a wide smirk as she filed her hoof. “Heh. It’ll get messy so you two are gonna be perfect. But ya better act now before I take him for myself.”

The purple schoolteacher scoffed. “Uch! Pfft! What? Haha! That won’t happen. Not on your life. Come on, Tree Hugger. We have a friend to pay a visit to.”

“Sweet,” Tree Hugger got up and followed.

Both mares snickered as Cheerilee left. The Mayor commented first. “Heh. Nice play, Spoils.”

They gave each other a hoofbump to signify that they were in agreement. “No worries. I’m interested to see how this will play out as well. Convincing Tree to tag along was a nice touch.”

“Oh please. It was your idea to help her out in the first place.” The Mayor’s ear flicked. “Shh! Here he comes, stay hidden!”

Visitors? Oh wait it’s just Cheerilee. And Tree Hugger? Okay, I could deal with that. I walked up to them as I neared my house. “Oh, hey guys. You looking for me?”

“Pale? Oh, yes! Hah. I just wanted to pay you a visit this time. You’ve always been visiting me so I figured I’d return the favor this time,” she said with a slightly nervous smile.

Tree Hugger seemed content to follow along without a care. I shrugged and unlocked the door to my home. “Why not?” I opened it up, and beckoned them to follow me in, “Come on in. Though I admit, I am a little tired--and stressed out.”

“Oh, we can totally help with that, brah. Right, teach?” Tree Hugger asked as she closed the door behind her.

Cheerilee nodded. “Oh? Sure. I’m always up for helping out a friend.”

Suddenly, Tree had a rare toothy grin on her face, “We can use the same technique I used on him that one time in the hospital, teach.”

“Oh? Are you okay with that, Pale?”

I didn’t recall all of the details. But Cheerilee gave a nod of agreement, so I figured why not. “Sure. If you think it’ll help. Let’s give it a try.”

Subject 44: Opening Move

That was easily the most relaxed I had ever been in a while. Several hours later, I woke up in my bed next to a snoring Cheerilee and Tree Hugger. Wait a minute...did we? Guess we did. I had to admit, it was rather enjoyable. And to see Cheerilee smile like that was worth more than solving any case I could ever hope to crack.

Tree woke up first, and smiled at me. “Hey man. Didja...relax well?”

I blushed, and nodded. “Um...you could say that. So that’s how Cheerilee really felt, huh?”

“She’s just been nervous, brah. I was here to help her feel more comfy before we...ya know.”

“But is she okay with you being…”

She laughed casually. “Hah-hah. I’m all about that free-love style, dude. I’m not quite into you like Teach is, but you’re pretty fun to roll in the weeds with, if ya catch my drift.”

I started to sweat, and I could feel my mouth contort into sort of a smile mixed with an embarrassed frown. “Heh...hah. Well, um--ahem. Glad you were able to...have fun, heh.”

The green mare smiled, and lied back down. “We’re gonna sleep a bit longer if that’s okay. It’s been a while since either of us engaged in such an activity.”

“Okay. Well, if you need anything let me know. When Cheerilee wakes up, I’m going to tell her a few things.”

I looked out of the window at the side of my bedroom. “Hm?” Cozy Glow was there, and getting herself set up in her new home not too far from both where I lived, and the agency where I worked. Perfect. But things weren’t completely hunky-dory just yet. I still had to deal with Neighsay as well. Just what secrets was that stallion hiding?

Everypony had the right to know the truth. No matter how painful.

First thing was first. I took a shower and cleaned myself up after that...um...nap. When I got out, I heard a knock at my door. This time I was cautious. Now more than ever especially. I dried off, and gazed through the peep window, and relaxed when I found out who was standing there. “Okay…” I opened the door to find Lyra Heartstrings--one of the two agents assigned to help me out. “Afternoon, L.”

“P. Great to see you’re still alive after nearly getting stabbed in the back. I know what that feels like, trust me,” she walked in, and sat on the couch. “I bring some news that you may wanna hear.”

I closed the door, and sat with her. “Oh? What’s up?”

She removed her shades, and looked straight at me. “We’ve recently come into some knowledge about Neighsay and his exploits. Turns out Twilight was right. This is bigger than she anticipated.”

Wow, these ladies were impressive. It was about 9AM when I spoke to Twilight, and now it was just 2PM. In that short time, they had already found out more information? Amazing. “Oh? Just what have you found?”

“Essentially, we’ve deduced that Neighsay has been putting ponies under experiments to try and create an army of his own. But that’s not all. He plans to use this army to assert his own power and control Equestria behind Twilight’s back!”

I thought about it for a second, and shook my head. “That’s not exactly an army. That’s a merc group. He’s trying to be a puppet master. Pulling strings from behind the scenes without our knowledge. This would explain the chimera attack on Appleloosa and the Bugbear attack in Ponyville. Someone is trying to fake us out, Lyra.”

“You think he’s not the real one behind this?”

“What do Sunset and I have in common?”

“You lost both of your parents before you could recall?” she answered.

I nodded. “That’s right. Now think about Cozy Glow. Are her parents in any local records? Birth certificates? Citizenship? Burial records?”

“No, no, and no. What are you getting at?” she used her magic to levitate one of the brownies off the coffee table and nibbled it.

Wait, I didn’t make those.

“Cozy may have probably endured something similar. Given just how vengeful her behavior was toward Neighsay. It’s entirely probable.”

“Hm...good point,” she said in between her consumption of another brownie. I sincerely hoped that Tree didn’t put anything strange in this batch. “And you also think that this all is being done for some other greater kind of purpose? Beyond simply forming his own faction?”

I nodded. “Yup. It’s kind of twisted, but I am aiming for something similar. Everypony around the world deserves to have power strong enough to counter their enemies. But through non-consensual experimentation? Doesn’t feel right…”

Lyra put her hooves together and started to think hard. For a seasoned agent, I expected the best tactics one could imagine. “Okay. Here’s what we’re gonna do,” she explained, “You intend to help Cozy get settled and make friends again, right?”

“That’s right.”

“Sweetie Drops and I will watch your back,” Lyra proclaimed with a grin, “Protecting an HVT--that stands for High Value Target--is what we tend to do.”

That was a solid strategy. However, something was still on my mind. “But what about Neighsay?” I asked with a hint of caution, “This particular case is...something that I need to be involved in.”

Lyra gave a deep breath. “I don’t normally do this. But you’re one of the best agents we have. So I’ll see what Commander Sweetie says.”

“Um...what exactly?” I raised a brow. Just what was she referring to? Also, Bon Bon was the leader now? Sick.

“Agents Whooves and Muffins will tail the scene for you. Don’t worry, they’ve been in this position for a long time. They’re capable,” she flashed me a convincing smirk, “I know because they were trained by yours truly.”

As much as I didn’t like the idea of other folks fighting my battles, it would be nice to have some assistance. And I would be damned if I got Corkscrew, Flash Drive, Neon Isotope, or Guttersnipe involved in any of this. Not now, not yet anyways. And Quick Draw...I needed to consult with her. “I see...and what will you have them do?”

“While you’re busy dealing with Cozy, those two will aid Princess Twilight in uncovering more information about Neighsay and what he’s planning. And as soon as you’re free, we’ll call on you for further assistance. Sound good?”

So essentially, they were low-key removing me from the case so that I could watch over the kid. But, I’d be on standby in case anything juicy were to pop up or occur. Fair enough. The last thing I needed to do was have an emotional outburst or something. “Alright...I trust you, Lyra.”

“No problem,” she levitated the plate of brownies, “Mind if I take these? I think Bon Bon would love them.”

I could only imagine what unholiness would take place once they both ate those. But I wasn’t going to deny a fellow agent some hospitality now was I? “Sure, go ahead. Thanks for the tip, Lyra. I’ll be available when you need me.”

She nodded, and got up to leave. I opened the door for her. “Gotcha, Pale. See ya later.” She left, and I closed it.

That’s when Cheerilee must have finally woken up. I heard the shower turn off, and a few minutes later, she joined me downstairs on the couch. “Another meeting with someone from work?”

I felt my cheeks turn rosy when I saw her. “Um...yeah, eheh. Listen. Um...do you…like...”

Cheerilee cut me off with a kiss. One that ignited my very soul. It felt like it lasted forever, even after she pulled back. “Yes, I do. Let’s not make this awkward. But I’d recommend we keep it hidden from the general public.”

At last, the blush went away and I could think more critically. “Good point. My enemies could use you against me if they found out.”

Cheerilee gave an awkward chuckle. “Aha...well, that’s one reason. I just don’t want anypony to start throwing rumors around--for the sake of your work that is. The Crusaders are young adults now, but they’d be all over me as soon as they found out that I found somepony.”

Good old lovely teacher. Always looking out for others. Even so, I would ensure that nothing would ever happen to her. “Thanks, Cheery. Say, you don’t wanna get--”

“Married?” she cut me off and let out a laugh, “Ha! I don’t cotton to the idea of being tied down to somepony forever--not unless I’m absolutely sure. Though ‘Cherilee Vestige’ does sound…” she blushed, and cut herself off with a nervous laugh. “I mean...haha! F-forget I said that. Being...dates? That’s perfect enough for me. If that’s fine for you.”

I couldn’t help but smile. Yeah, she was a few small years above me, but that didn’t bother me. She was a kind, lovely soul that deserved the best. So I...figured I would attempt to be that in any way that I could. “...Absolutely, Cheerilee. I...adore you.”

Another laugh from the purple mare. “Heh! What’s wrong? Can’t say ‘love’ even though we just--?” she shot me a teasing sort of grin.

I couldn’t stand it. Her face made my heart explode. I brought her in for a close hug, and nuzzled the side of her face with my own. I didn’t say anything. No words could convey the emotions I felt in that moment.

She looked at me, and also fell silent. Cheerilee must have known what I felt, and chose not to spoil the embrace with words. We knew exactly what each other wanted without having to say it. That is how we knew we were meant for each other.

At least, I hoped.

Naturally, we were interrupted. By Tree Hugger. “Yooo...you guys finally caught each other’s vibes, didn’tcha? Stellar. Cheery’s friends are happy too.”

Outside through a window, I saw both the Mayor and Spoiled Rich squeal excitedly at each other. They must have noticed me, because they fled immediately after.

Cheerilee giggled. “Oh don’t mind them. They’re just happy that I’ve found somepony. But I’m sure you’re still busy, so I’ll go on ahead and scoot for now,” she said as she got up, and beckoned Tree to follow.

Admittedly, I wanted her to stay. But she was right. We couldn’t let moments like these interfere with our work. “Oh well...would you mind coming back later tonight?”

Tree Hugger gave her usual mellow grin. “Sure man. I’m always free for some fun.”

“Oh, for sure. I’ll definitely be free by then,” Cheerilee replied as she went to the door. “And Pale...thank you. For accepting how I feel.”

I grinned like a giddy little colt that had just found his soulmate. “It’s...no trouble, Cheerilee. Thank you for opening my eyes. You too, Tree. See you both later tonight.”

They waved as they left. It felt...nice to get that tension out of my system. Twilight was right. I did need to relax some more. Maybe I needed to do more. Take my mind off things as I got ready for Cheerilee to return this evening. I got up, and left the house. I started on a casual stroll through Ponyville.

It was nice to be among my usual crowd once again. As usual, I made my rounds to my most common places. The retirement home, the bakery, the bridge near the river at the edge of town. Very calming to be in a place where I could just...exist for a moment.

However, things wouldn’t stay so casual for very long. My walk was interrupted by a familiar pink alicorn that landed before me. “Cadance?”

“Shhh. Yes,” she wore a sunhat and glasses to conceal her identity along with a sweater. She also lacked her crown and special horseshoes so she could blend in. “Aunt Tia told me what happened regarding Sunset Shimmer. And...I think you deserve to know what I dealt with growing up.”

I gave a more serious nod, ready to listen. “Go ahead. Talk to me.”

She sighed, and started her explanation. “I’m sure you know that I was raised by earth ponies when I was a filly, right? No records of my parents whatsoever?”

I nodded, and waited for her to continue.

“Well...I think it’s entirely possible that they too, were involved in whatever Sunset’s parents were involved in.”

I raised an eyebrow. Quite the leap of logic to make. But I wanted to hear her out. “And just what makes you think that, Cadance?”

“Think about it, Pale. Your parents have no records, Sunset’s parents have none. Mine don’t, and neither does Cozy Glow’s. See a pattern here? If they went missing, there would’ve been an investigation conducted as soon as I met Celestia. But...it never happened.”

Well now. This just made the rabbit hole even deeper. Was it possible that Cadance’s biological parents were also taken from her and used for unethical experiments? Given the trend of lack of documentation among those who were affected, it would appear logical.

“I see...thank you for your input, Cadance.”

“No problem. I want to contribute as much evidence that I can against Neighsay. I can’t believe that smug son of a cow was able to sneak past us, past Aunt Tia! It’s insane.”

I nodded with a cold stare at the water that flowed beneath the bridge. “I know...your sister-in-law admits to not being good enough to catch him in his act. But that is in the past now. What we need to focus on, is righting the wrongs that he has caused so no one else can endure whatever he’s done.”

“Agreed. You have my full support, Pale. Also, we’re going to be funding your Earth Pony lessons so that the ponies of Ponyville can start learning how to defend themselves right away. If that’s cool with you…”

Yes. Things were coming along nicely. With that established, I knew it was time to head back and see how the kid was doing. “Absolutely. Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to go check on my case.”

She spread her wings. “Understandable. My daughter is here in Ponyville with her coltfriend, so I can’t afford to let her out of my sight for too long anyways,” she said as she flew into the air. “See you later!”

“Bye!” I waved my hoof, and ran back towards the home where Cozy had stayed. As soon as I got there, I knocked on the door. “Kid?”

The young mare opened it up, and flashed me a nervous smile. “Oh...hi, Mr. Vestige. Is something wrong?”

I shook my head. “Not at all. Everything’s great, actually. Are you ready for your first lesson of learning how to hang around others?”

“Oh...um...if you’re sure?”

“Yes. There’s somepony I’d like for you to meet and speak with.”

“Oh really?” she asked with a face that was hopeful, but confused. “Who?”

Subject 45: Ye Old Captain

“Where are we going?” the young mare asked as we trotted along a path towards a hot air balloon.

I tipped my face beneath my hat. “Well, kid….this ain’t gonna be easy so I may as well tell you now so that it stings less later.”

“...What?”

I pointed up to the clouds. “First order of business is gonna be to apologize to the ponies at the weather factory. When you got rid of all magic, you caused a lot of ponies to get hurt as a result of gross negligence.” I explained it to her how it was. Of course I didn’t like being harsh on the kid, but in my line of work, it was important to remain impartial as much as possible. “Are you ready for it?”

I could see the doubts that plagued her mind as she looked at the ground with uncertainty. There were definitely conflicting thoughts that she had, but she knew as well as I that the first step towards redemption is not only identifying your problems, but coming to terms with them as well. “I’ll do it...if you answer a few questions.”

“Sure, kid. I’m all ears.” Nobody else was looking to use the hot air balloon so there was no rush. I sat down on a bench so I could listen to her. “What’s up?”

“First off...why did you do any of this? So many years have passed since then, that I didn’t think anypony cared about me. I thought I was just scum of the earth that got what it deserved.”

That level of self-deprecation was dangerous. I knew exactly what that felt like. “Listen...Cozy, you may have caused lots of problems, but back then, you were a child. A foolish, brazen child who thought their actions had no consequence, right?”

“Well...yeah,” the young mare rubbed her left hoof against her right in a sheepish fashion, “I just wanted to feel...powerful.”

“Why?”

“I...I felt weak my entire life,” she explained with a sigh, “You’ve seen what I’ve been through as a child. That’s why I devoted myself to manipulation and snide tactics. I wasn’t the strongest, or fastest. No, I wasn’t even the smartest. Even so, I made use of my childish charms and wits to overcome whoever stood in my way. And now here we are...so many years later.”

So she did learn a thing or two from being imprisoned for so long. Can’t say I’m surprised. That much time in solitude would likely yield some sort of amount of self-reflection. So my next inquiry was obvious. “Okay, and how do you want to move forward? What sort of goal do you wish to strive for now that you know what you did wrong in the past?”

She looked down with a worried expression. “I...I’m not sure. To start, I would like to fully comprehend the extent of the damage I caused. I’m older now, so my conscience is fully formed and I can think clearly. What I did was...complete shit.”

That was unexpected. I nearly choked up, and coughed once. “Ack! Ahem...language, young lady. And...it’s good that you’ve started to understand what you’ve done wrong on your own. But full comprehension won’t arrive until you witness the results for yourself,” I explained and got off the bench. I went over to the hot air balloon. “Come now. We haven’t a moment to spare.”

With a sharp exhale, Cozy agreed to the terms I had set. “Alright,” she said, and joined me in the balloon basket.

I drank one of the cloud-walk potions that were stationed near the balloon itself, since I wasn’t a pegasus. After that, we were off. Up in the air we went. Cozy stayed silent as we rose into the sky. The kid was nervous, I could tell that much. But I could also tell that she was willing to face the conflict she herself had created. I had nothing but the utmost respect for the mare.

We landed on the docking cloud above us. Cloudsdale wasn’t too far from Ponyville, after all. We got out, and trotted around on the cloudy roads. The place was actually very spacious and wide open with loads of buildings made of clouds. I always wondered how things functioned up here.

But no. No time for that. What I had in mind was something entirely different. “Cozy, you know about the Weather Factory, yeah?”

She nodded as we made a turn towards the facility. “Yeah. Everypony knows that’s where the clouds are made for the different types of weather we get for the seasons.”

“Well, you remember when you stole all of the world’s magic? Well, that caused the weather factory to shut down. As a result, no clouds could be made, and it was...rather unpleasantly hot for several days on end.”

“Oh…” she mumbled under her breath. When I saw her face break from the sheer amount of guilt that weighed her down, my heart sank. This was only the first of many problems she had caused for the world at large. But she needed to acknowledge her flaws of the past so that she could improve herself for the future. “Take me inside.”

“Are you sure about that?” I asked cautiously.

The young pegasus mare took a deep breath, and held her head high. “You said it yourself, sir. If I want to change, I need to come face to face with myself. Let’s go.”

I wouldn’t stop her. If she was willing to reconcile, I would give her that opportunity. So, we both went into the factory. All around on various conveyor belts were various clouds and weather types sealed within jars and prepared to be shipped out.

The worker Pegasi stopped to take a look at us before their boss ordered them to continue. Who was their boss? Well, the answer surprised me just as much in that moment as it did for anything else.

“Get back to work, ponies! I want new clouds generated hours ago!” Spitfire. Aged somewhat due to her time in the Wonderbolts. I could only assume she was retired since Rainbow Dash was now leading the Pegasus organization. Dropping down to managing the weather like Dash herself used to was a very...amusing thought. Just as amusing as seeing her in a regular Weather Factory uniform and construction helmet. “Hey there. What’s going on?” she walked up to us, and took a step back as soon as she saw the mare next to me. “Oh…”

I spoke up first. “Afternoon, Spitfire. I’m here with Cozy Glow--as her...handler more or less. She wants to say a few things.” I nudged her, “Go on, kid. I’m right here.”

She nodded once, and took a step forward. “I...would like to know the extent of the damages that I caused on the day I got rid of all magic.”

The former Wonderbolt looked at us with a curious expression, and trotted past us towards her office. “Follow me.”

I looked at Cozy, and shrugged. Guess this was our ticket to finding out just what happened. We both followed the older mare into her office. We sat down, and noticed some of her old Wonderbolt memorabilia. A medal or two here, a trophy there, a picture of her and her mother? How sweet.

Spitfire grabbed a book from a shelf between her teeth, and flopped it down in front of us on her desk. She took a seat behind the desk, and opened it up. “Let’s see...how many years ago was that, ah.” After she flipped through a bunch of pages, she came upon the page in question. “Here we are...damages that racked up bits in the hundred-thousands. The weather was forced to a screeching halt, and several ponies were injured due to the cloudwalk spell malfunctioning.”

Cozy Glow looked down at the floor. I suppose now, the reality of what damage she caused had just begun to sink in. “Oh...I...I really helped cause all of that, huh?”

Spitfire shrugged. “Don’t start cryin’ on me, kid. This wasn’t our first showdown with somepony that wanted to destroy the world.”

She looked up with a fearful frown. “It...wasn’t?”

The old Wonderbolt sighed, and leaned back in her seat. “Truth is...it’s kind of our own fault. Looking back, we’ve been attacked time and time again, and haven’t set up any sort of safety precautions. Even the Wonderbolts...nowadays they just put on shows. They’re far from the elite military squad they used to be.”

Ouch. I knew that for a while now. The Wonderbolts weren’t actually very...imposing, let’s say. They had gotten soft over the years, and yet nobody really complained about it or cared. It was a shame. For all their work as showponies, they could’ve put more time into being capable fighters.

Though, it was nice to know that Spitfire was aware of that.

“I see...even still, I’m really sorry for how I acted. If I can do anything to help pay off my--”

The yellow pegasus held up a hoof. “I’m gonna stop you right there. If I’m being honest, I can’t say I hold much of a grudge against you. I barely know you,” she said as she leaned back again. “If you want everypony to accept you for what you really are now, then I recommend you show it through your actions. Don’t just go around and grovel at everypony’s hooves.”

I was impressed to hear something like that from the former Captain. My curiosity was piqued when I heard such sentiment. “What makes you offer that suggestion, ma’am?”

“Ugh, don’t say ma’am. I’ve heard that so many times throughout my career. Makes me feel old. I’m Spitfire to you. And everyone else.” She turned her head to something she had on a shelf, a ‘Participation’ Award she received when she was little. “When you spend time begging for forgiveness instead of working on fixing your mistakes, you get nothing. The only way anypony is gonna trust you is if you start making a better life for yourself, understand?”

Cozy had also looked at the award, and nodded. “Oh um, yes m--I mean...yes Spitfire. I think I know what I should do now.”

“Alright, then kid. Go for it. Show me that you’re more than a Participant.”

Before we would leave, I got up and spoke with the mare. “Spitfire, are you aware of Princess Flurry Heart’s intentions to increase our combat prowess?”

“I say she should have at it. The next generation of Wonderbolts needs to be strong. Hopefully Rainbow Dash agrees. The last thing we need is more Pegasus ponies turning out weak and useless like myself, hehe,” she said with a deprecating giggle.

Normally this is the part where I’d disagree for the sake of making the other individual feel better. But… “Um...well, I agree with you on that.”

She leaned in close to me with a mean glare. “Which part, brother?”

I leaned back. “Uh…”

Spitfire laughed it off. “Ha! I’m joking. I know I’m pretty bad. But Dash has the power to teach those new kids.”

I gave a nervous chuckle, and relaxed. “Heh…” and exhaled with relief. “Glad to hear that.” That’s when I suddenly heard a voice from outside the room.

“Hey get outta here, you!!”

My eyes shot open and I made a horse-like bray. I quickly left the room to find a group of pegasus ponies talking to Cozy.

“You were the one that caused my daughter to fall and hurt herself!” one cried.

“As a fellow pegasus, how could you?!” another shouted.

“She better not stay here too long or else we’ll have to call you-know-who.”

I opened my mouth to say something, but the kid stopped me. She put a hoof in front of me, and shook her head. “I earned this. Let’s go.”

“...Are you sure?”

We both left the place with our heads held high despite the interruption. Behind us, I heard Spitfire urging everyone to get back to work. Cozy took another breath. “You heard what she said. Spending time begging for forgiveness won’t get me anywhere. I need to move forward and let my actions speak for me.”

I respect that notion. Turns out she wasn’t simple-minded despite having lived in stone for so long. To be honest, a small part of me feared that she was falsifying her feelings to skate by. Though, I knew she was smarter than that. She wouldn’t be so gullible to try the same thing twice. “Alrighty. Where to next, kid?”

“Hm…” she put a hoof to her chin, and a small electrical cloud buzzed above her head. “Ah. I know. The hospital down in Ponyville.”

I raised an eyebrow. “Oh?”

“They keep track of all the injuries that take place within various cities. I need to know the further extent of the damage I caused, so that’s where I’m going next.”

I nodded. “I’m with ya, kid. Let’s roll.” Cozy flew ahead of me with an uncertain expression. The doubt in her heart was thick enough to cut through. But if she wanted to face her conflicts head-on, I would oblige.

But before I left, I was interrupted by a mailpony mare. She had a...rather iconic pair of eyes. “Letter for Mr. Pale!”

“Derpy?” I looked left, then right, then whispered. “What’s going on?”

The mare also took a look around herself, and leaned in closer to me. “I have an update regarding the Neighsay situation. It turns out he never forced any of the ponies he used in his experiments to join in.”

“None? Whatsoever? That’s...better, I suppose? But that brings up a new question. Why would they join and for what purpose?”

The mailmare shrugged. “You got me, mister. But Doc and I will do our best to figure out whatever we can!”

I couldn’t help but smile at the cross-eyed mare. The way she acted boldly was so...refreshing to be around. “Thank you. Keep your eyes open, and don’t do anything reckless.”

“Aye-ayr, sir!” she said with a salute, and flew off to deliver more mail...and other messages.

I followed Cozy back to the hot air balloon. I noticed she had been sobbing to herself, but didn’t want to make noise out of fear of causing a scene.

I sighed. The kid was brave, that much was certain. I don’t know if I could ever return home and face the ponies I used to beat up as a foal. Who knew if they were even alive?

Maybe I should consider that for my bucket list once this is all over.

Anyway, next stop: Ponyville Hospital.

Subject 47: The Redemption Crusade

“Cozy...Glow?” They all spoke in unison.

The pink mare rubbed her left hoof against her right. “Um…”

The earth pony mare--Applebloom spoke up first. “So yer back after your trial, huh?”

Cozy nodded in silence.

“And you’re trying to just live life now?” the white unicorn mare asked.

Another nod.

“And you’re worried that it’s going to take forever for anypony to trust you?” the orange pegasus mare asked.

Cozy let out a sigh. “Listen...please. No amount of words will ever make what I did okay or disappear. I know that. And it’s fine if you don’t trust me. I know I wouldn’t.”

“Pfft,” Applebloom scoffed and waved her hoof, “That’s exactly what we used to say about Diamond Tiara. But she’s cool with us now, cuz she earned it. Don’tcha wanna earn it too?”

“Well…”

Sweetie Belle was next. “Besides. When you’re a kid, you make idiotic decisions. I still remember when I nearly went crazy thinking my sister was trying to be better than me at everything so I sabotaged one of her outfits for Sapphire Shores.”

“Hah!” Scootaloo laughed. “Oh man. I still remember the time I nearly let Lightning Dust trick me into doing a stunt that nearly killed me. If I could go back and time and throttle my stupid filly self…”

Cozy tilted her head. “What about you, AB?”

“Two words, sista: Chimera attack,” she said with a shudder, “brrr...I still be gettin’ goosebumps from that delivery and Applejack was mighty ticked.”

“The point is,” Sweetie explained, “when you’re a child, you make dumb decisions. Yeah, some of them aren’t excusable, sure. But as Rarity used to say, ‘hindsight is twenty-twenty, darling,’” she said with a mock of her sister’s accent.

“Exactly. Rainbow Dash usually scolded me when I did something stupid, but it helped me realize what I did wrong so I didn’t repeat the same mistake.” Scootaloo looked down. “I...don’t suppose you had anypony to guide you?”

Cozy shook her head. “No…”

“I can relate,” the orange pegasus mare walked up and put a hoof around her neck. “My parents are so darn busy all the time, and my aunts...ugh. I love them, but they barely watched out for me either. I was super lucky to get Dash watching out for me. So I know what it’s like to have nopony there. If anything...I could’ve easily turned out the same way.”

A scary, but true thought. One could only imagine what the children of this world were capable of doing if left unattended for too long. And Cozy Glow was one of them.

“So come on, then,” Applebloom offered, “If you wanna make up fer whatcha did, I say we letcha.”

“I…” Cozy pushed Scootaloo’s hoof away, and backed off. “Thank you, but no. If you started hanging around me, there could be rumors. I don’t want that for you.”

Sweetie Belle dismissed this immediately. “Pfft. Who gives a hoof? If anything, it’ll make you look better since three of the best young mares in Equestria are willing to hang out with you. Doesn’t that make sense, Mr. Detective sir?” she addressed me.

I wasn’t entirely sure how to answer that. Yes, the logic was sound, but I couldn’t help but wonder if that would solve things any faster. “I...suppose. But right now, Ms. Glow wants to get settled in and work on her efforts to regain public trust naturally. She appreciates the offer, but doesn’t want your reputations impacted.”

Scootaloo, however, wasn’t satisfied with my response. “You serious? We’re teachers at the School of Friendship. We’re more than qualified to teach her in the ways of treating others properly.”

“Oh? You’re offering her a teaching session now?” I looked at Cozy. “Does this make sense to you? Would you like to learn from the best? After all, they were taught by Ms. Cheerilee herself.”

“Hm…” Cozy tapped the ground with her hoof. A worried expression on her face. “I...I’ll consider it. Right now, I’m a bit busy thinking about the Running of the Leaves and--”

The yellow earth pony’s eyes brightened. “Oh yeah! I remember that! It’s been a while since we participated, wasn’t it?”

“But I heard a rumor that Canterlot just wants us to use magic to make it more efficient,” Scootaloo said, “I think that’d be pretty cool, right?”

“To watch, maybe,” Sweetie Belle refuted, “magic can’t solve all your problems, Scoots. Tradition is important too, ya know.”

Cozy wanted to say something, but didn’t want to be rude. “I...may have a few ideas…” she said in a barely audible tone.

“You do?!” All three shouted at once, which caused the pink pegasus to flinch.

“Whew, then that means I don’t have to try any silly stunts to catch attention for the event,” Scootaloo commented which made her friends laugh.

“HA! When’s that ever worked out fer ya, Scoots?”

“Twice, Bloom! Twice!”

Sweetie Belle giggled, and spoke up. “Alright. I think we should give Cozy some space. But think about what we said, okay?”

“Mm-hmm…”

“Granny Smith used to love that ol’ leaf race,” Applebloom said with a sigh as she referenced her deceased grandmother. “She’d be tickled pink if she heard yer idea--whatever it may be.”

“...You think so?”

“Yeah!” Scootaloo chirped, “Yeah! I’m sure you could come up with something that’ll show the folks in Ponyville that the old days still matter!”

Cozy blushed. I suppose that the sheer amount of support she had gotten overwhelmed her. “Well...thanks.”

I spoke up on her behalf. “As she said, she has some ideas. So it would be beneficial if you all gave her some room to breathe. And please, keep your eyes open for anypony that wants to cause her harm.”

All three nodded firmly.

“No problem, sir. C’mon guys. Let’s go get our lesson plans ready for tomorrow,” Sweetie said as they took off.

“Alrighty--we’ll see ya around, Cozy!” Applebloom yelled out.

“We’re here for you if you need us!” Scootaloo cried.

How nice of them. Though, given they were related to half of the current Elements of Harmony, I expected them to be more understanding than the average pony. Even so, it was nice to see somepony that was reasonable.

“What’s your plan, kid?”

Cozy looked up at me, and trotted to her house. “I...have an idea or two to help advertise the Running of the Leaves. But I need to be able to brainstorm it alone...if that’s okay.”

Fair enough. The last thing I wanted was to be overbearing on the kid. Plus, if she worked on it in solitude, there was very little chance she could be interrupted or sabotaged by...unsavory individuals. “Very well. Do your thing, Cozy. I’ll be on my way,” I said with a tip of my hat.

“Okay...and thank you for showing me around today. I have a better idea of what I need to do. Goodbye for now, sir,” she replied before she went into her house.

Well then, now I was on my own. Maybe I could put that out of my mind for a while, and focus more on the suspicious actions of those in charge.

I walked back towards my own house. All the sudden, my thoughts were interrupted by a gray earth pony mare who rounded the corner. “Um...hello. Are you Pale Vestige?”

“Yes,” I turned to face her. She wore glasses, and had a pearl necklace. That cutie mark was familiar...ah, Silver Spoon. “Can I help you?”

“Yeah I...sort of overheard you talking with the Crusaders and Cozy Glow. If possible, can I...meet with her? There’s some things I’d like to explain. Diamond Tiara’s a bit busy so she can’t really do much right now.”

I had to think about it for a moment. It would make sense given how she treated everypony else at that school when they were little. But beyond that, I actually didn’t know much about this one. “I see...well, if you want to speak with her, it’s going to have to wait. She’s somewhat busy with a plan she has to rebuild a proper reputation.”

Her eyes were downcast, and disappointed by my denial. “Oh...okay. Well, whenever she’s not busy, I’d like to talk to her. As for you, I’ve heard some...rumors. About missing parents.”

I took a look around to make sure no one else was listening. “Just what have you heard?”

Silver Spoon went on to explain. “Well...this is just based on rumor mills. But I’ve heard that some ponies have been lured into the idea that they could become stronger if they abandoned their families and underwent certain...procedures. They were fed up with the idea that all they could do was sit back and rely on the Elements Some of them survived, and some didn’t. But...they all thought it was for a just cause,” she looked down at the ground.

Curious indeed. This was a lot of heavy information that I was quite surprised that a young mare such as herself could simply stumble upon. “I see...and just how do you know about this, Ms. Spoon?”

“My dad was one of them.”

Subject 48: Silver and Gold

“You father? Wait a second...what?”

Silver Spoon nodded once. “It’s true. I remember it like it was yesterday. But...if you want this info, I’d like to at least request that you try and get me an audience with Cozy.”

“Hold on, now,” I held up a hoof. “There’s no need for this exchange nonsense. I’ll do my best to see if she’ll speak with you regardless. But I ask that you please divulge whatever you can.”

She sighed, and nodded. “Alright. I’ll tell you what I can. Would it be better if we went inside?”

Obviously. We didn’t want anyone to overhear confidential information. “Sure, come on in.” I invited her inside, and shut the door tightly once she was in. We both sat on the couch, and I let her have the floor to speak. “Okay, what do you know, Ms. Spoon?”

“Well, I don’t remember many details. All I know is that my dad left the family when I was still a filly. It was just my mother and I who were around the house. She always told me that he was off doing work--which I suppose technically wasn’t wrong but…”

To think, Diamond Tiara’s closest friend had issues of her own. It never occurred to me until now. But it made sense. I also never recalled witnessing her parents around her. So this would be an interesting tale to listen to. “I see...please continue?”

She leaned forward, and put her hooves together. “I distinctly remember him saying that he wants to become stronger to protect mom and I. So he decided to join an offshoot branch of the Canterlot Military. Beyond that...I don’t know much else.”

I see. So Neighsay disguised the purpose of his cause as a military faction of sorts? Of course that would draw in loads of young ponies that wanted to prove themselves in the art of combat as well as being able to defend their home. A noble sentiment, yes. But I needed more information beyond conjecture.

“Do you happen to have any...proof? Any sort of documentation that states what your father signed up for?”

With a sigh, she shook her head. “None. Though if I do come across anything at all, I’ll be sure to let you know.”

“Alright, because you can’t have a proper case without evidence. I hope you’re aware of that. A trial against Neighsay is being held soon, so I appreciate whatever you’re able to tell me.”

She nodded. “It’s no problem, sir. The last thing we need is somepony who thinks complete and total control of the world is how things should be handled.”

“Yup, I agree. Is there anything else you wanted to say?”

“No, that’s all. Thanks for listening.”

An unexpected but not unwelcome development in the process. Just what sort of operation has Neighsay and his crew been running this whole time? It was too curious to simply leave it idle. But today was fairly stressful. Once Silver Spoon left, I made sure to take time for myself. Some time away from work.

I rested, cleaned up around my house, and made sure everything was in order. I hadn’t forgotten that Cheerilee did express the desire to return to me this evening. So I couldn’t afford to leave anything just lying around. “Huh.”

When your house was clean, it was a refreshing feeling. This old dump of mine had always been littered with the occasional piece of paper or note that I took. But with that gone, it was easier for me to think. Now I actually felt embarrassed that Cheerilee had visited me earlier with my place in this state. Dammit, Pale.

Oh well, that was neither here nor there. When the purple earth pony returned that evening, she was actually surprised to see the house in a much better state.

“Oh wow,” she said upon entry, “I never expected a stallion to know how to clean!”

I couldn’t help but smile. “Yeah...me neither, heh.”

A very pinpointed joke. In truth, yes. Many stallions were rather messy and didn’t take time to clean up after themselves. Admittedly? Myself included. Many stallions worked hard for the good of this world. It left us tired, ragged. As a result, we often forget the little things--namely how to relax.

Thankfully, Cheerilee was no stranger to relaxation. She stayed with me the entire night in order to help me with it. She joined me on the couch once more for a close hug.

“All you have to do is empty your mind...and you’ll feel fine. After dealing with bratty demons--I mean children for so many years, you sort of develop skills that keep your sanity in check.”

“Tell me about it,” I responded, “Working through all of these cases gave me a new perspective on life. And with you...well, I think things are gonna be even better.”

She giggled. “Hehe! Oh, that reminds me. Are you aware of the upcoming Running of the Leaves?”

How could I not? “Yeah, I know. What’s up?”

“Well...I might be participating this year. I was hoping you would come watch. If...you’re not too busy.”

Was there some sort of otherworldly force in play here? Or was this just a coincidence? Regardless, I happily obliged, “Of course. I wouldn’t miss it for the world.”

“Are you sure?” Cheerilee tilted her head with uncertainty. Did she really expect me to deny her outright? “What about watching over Cozy Glow?”

“I think...she’ll be just fine. She’s...going to be involved in the event one way or another.”

“Oh my…” I couldn’t tell if she was afraid or excited by what I had said. “Well, I sincerely hope you both know what you’re doing. I know that any child can turn themselves around and become a respectable adult, no matter how demonic they may seem. Just look at Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon!”

“Haha! Yeah…”

We both laughed it off. Such a funny thought. I knew that there were loads of children out there who were misbehaved by nature--after all I was one of them. But maybe...just maybe Cozy Glow can set a proper example for the rest of them.

It was a relaxing night Cheerilee and I shared. We even slept together upstairs. Though, somehow by all defiance of logic, Tree Hugger had snuck back in to make brownies yet again. You know what? I wasn’t going to complain. I loved spending time with them both.

Days past, and I let the kid have some space. The Running of the Leaves was set to begin today. I got up early, and checked in with Corkscrew on the way towards the path through Ponyville where the marathon was set to begin.

“Sit-rep.”

“Sir! We have reports that a number of surprise guest entries have decided to attend the Running this year.”

I tilted my head. “Who?”

Cork flipped through a list. “Countess Coloratura, Luna, Cadance, and Gabby.”

I raised an eyebrow. Just how did a griffon intend to keep up with the ponies in a running competition when they normally flew? Beyond that, just how did this catch the attention of royalty and a famous musician? What did Cozy do? “I see...any sign of Cozy today?”

“None. Last I checked, she was still at home. She should be here soon, boss. I wouldn’t worry.”

I brushed a hoof against his mane. “Gotcha, bud. Gimme a bird’s eye view from above, alright? Flash Drive’s communication devices should keep us connected even while you’re in the air.”

He pushed my hoof away, and straightened his mane back. Hehe. Always loved messing with him that way. “Yeah, yeah, boss. I’m not gonna go and die on ya,” he flashed me a smirk, and flew into the air.

With that established, now I had other things to worry about. Just where was Cozy? Did she get cold hooves or something?”

Nope, she appeared naught but a few moments after Cork left. “Okay...everything’s ready. I hope it worked,” she said with a loss of breath. Her mane was all tattered and lost its curls, and she had wrinkles under her eyes that represented a lack of sleep. “How are you today, sir?”

“...Kid, you alright? You look half-beaten.”

She gasped, and panted. “I’ve been...up all night...for the past three days...getting the word out. But it’ll all...be worth it...once that race stars, ughhh…”

She was about to fall over, but I caught her. “Kid...you’re not well. Let’s take a seat. The race isn’t set to begin for another two hours.”

“I haven’t eaten in those three days either,” she said with a hoarse groan.

“WHAT?!”

Subject 49: Race To Make The Case

“Okay kid, listen. First thing’s first. We’re gonna get you something to eat, and then--”

But she wasn’t done. She was ready to go further. “Okay fine...but after that, I’m gonna participate. I’m gonna show everypony that I’m not...who I was.”

I fell silent. I liked her idea. Maybe if she did run, she would be seen as somepony who followed through on her plans. But first, I needed her to relax. “Hang on, kid. Let’s take a break.” I took her to a nearby sandwich shop. Corkscrew's family owned it. They had the best pastas and hot sandwiches around. But I decided to get her something a bit...different. We both sat outside at a table with the warm sun that welcomed us.

I set a fresh, steaming bowl of lentil soup in front of her and a glass of lemonade. “Oh...thank you, sir…” she thanked me and started to sip from the bowl.

I was happy to see her eat something, though I wasn’t hungry. When you need to focus on something so important, eating a lot becomes secondary. “No problem. But now...let’s back the scene up a little. Just what all did you do to catch the attention of a famous singer and former alicorns?”

When I looked up, she had finished half of the bowl of soup already. Damn, just how hard had she been working? “Oh um...I put out posters and fliers. Made use of the local newspapers, billboards, and...Twilight.”

I nearly spat out my tea. “All of this in three days?”

Cozy’s response was a silent nod while she avoided eye contact.

Most impressive. Her talent for ‘manipulation’ was rather deceptive. Cozy’s cutie mark was the Rook. A stalwart, strong piece on the board that can only travel vertically or horizontally in a straight path to kill unknowing foes. Stronger than the exclusively-diagonal Bishop and awkward-to-control Knight, this piece is often considered strongest next to the Queen itself.

It originated from the siege tower. A weaponized vehicle that could only roll in a straight line, but tall enough for the individuals hidden within to scale the ramparts of the enemy castle. A trojan of sorts. Military experts reported that the initial designs were laughed off and considered insignificant until they were used to win wars.

Or so they said. I wasn’t a historian.

Regardless, Cozy Glow’s mind was filled with untapped potential. Potential that could either save the world or destroy it. Unfortunately, the latter was attempted and failed. But maybe the former…

“Amazing job, kid,” I put a hoof on her head and ruffled her mane to see how she’d react. A gesture one would make to a younger sibling.

For a split second, I noticed her glare at me, but the expression went away just as fast as it had appeared on her face. She casually swatted my hoof with her own. “No need for any of that, sir. I’m just doing what anypony else would do.” Once she finished eating, and the contents of the glass were empty, Cozy got up from her seat. “Alright, I think I’m ready. The race starts soon so I need to go stretch. Wish me luck.”

“No problem, kid…” I waved at the young mare as she left.

But I wasn’t having it. There was no way I was going to simply let her out of my sight so easily. I officially needed all hooves on deck to watch out for her. If she was going to run this race, then things needed to be kept safe. Especially given the fact that the trial against Neighsay was set to begin the day after tomorrow.

Once everything was set into place, I paced along the trail for the Running of the Leaves. All the way from the finish line to the starting line. Nothing suspicious or out of the ordinary yet. But I refused to lose my cool.

Eventually, on my way back there, I ran into the Mayor.

“Ah, Mr. Vestige,” she greeted me with a smile. She was getting ready to kick off the marathon that was set to begin in just a few minutes. “Here to watch Cozy run with the Leaves?”

I nodded. “Indeed. I’d participate myself, but...well I’m rather past the state of frivolity with my occupation.”

“There’s nothing frivolous about a good run,” she replied, “But most importantly, I sincerely hope whatever little idea she had works out. Ponyville’s Traditions are still dear to us all. But some ponies think they’re not worth keeping around. Can you believe that?”

Of course I could. Someone somewhere always wanted to ruin the fun of someone else. But I wasn’t going to stand for it. “Naturally. But the important thing is doing what makes you happy--assuming it doesn’t harm yourself or others around you of course.” Though I was surprised to hear the Mayor knew of Cozy’s plans, I guess it made sense. One would have to get permission from the political leader to enact anything. “Um...just what did she tell you she would do?”

The Mayor gazed at me with a secretive sort of smile. “Oh...you’ll find out soon. Things are looking up. If you catch my drift, heheh…”

“Up?” I tilted my head towards the sky. What I saw was not something I had expected. Several Pegasus ponies flew in the air with a massive banner that read: ‘RUNNING OF THE LEAVES. THE MOST EPIC HOOFRACE.’

The Mayor grabbed a megaphone and shouted. “All contestants please report to the starting line!”

Crowds started to form. All of the folks that wanted to race started to gather up. Just as Cork reported, Ms. Coloratura was one of the contestants. Though she lacked all of her usual makeup and sported a simple look with her hair tied back and a number on her flank: 70.

Former Princess Luna and Princess Cadance also arrived in casual sports attire--which simply amounted to hoofbands. Luna was number 21 and Cadance was number 69.

“Seriously?” I heard her comment as she looked at the number placed on her flank. “Somepony on the race management team is super immature.”

Luna simply laughed at her expense, which made the slightly annoyed Princess of Love to giggle with her.

To keep things fair, Celestia enchanted the track which disabled all of their special alicorn abilities. Wait, Celestia was here too?

“Celes--”

“Shhh!” she shushed me while she hid behind a tree to mask her presence. Guess she didn’t want to be found out today. Heh.

The last special guest was Gabby, one of the Griffon ambassadors between the two races. I still wondered how well she would do in a race that she wasn’t allowed to fly in. She was numbered 40.

Cozy Glow took her spot in the starting line at the edge away from everyone else. Her eyes were shut. She must have been focusing hard on something. That was what I thought since I saw her exhale, and open her eyes just a few moments later. She was numbered 18.

Once everyone got to their positions, the crowd grew larger and larger. More ponies--and various other creatures--than ever before had arrived for this occasion.

“Well I’ll be…” To say that I was impressed would be an understatement. The kid actually managed to pull this off and bring in more attention to an event that was nearly canceled. However, whether or not we would have any donors was yet to be seen. For now, all we could do was hope that the race would go on without any hitches.

The Mayor’s voice rang out over the crowd through the megaphone once more. “We are gathered here today to kick off the beginning of the Fall and Harvest Season with the Annual Running of the Leaves!”

The crowd let out whoops and cheers of joy. The racers steeled themselves.

“Such an amazing turnout today!” the head of Ponyville continued, “Let’s all have fun out there, and don’t forget: Everypony is a winner no matter where you place! Runners! Are you ready?”

“YEAH!” cried all of those at the start line in unison.

“On your marks...get set…”

HONK!

The Mayor pressed down on an air horn which gave the signal for everyone to begin, They all took off at a brisk, but moderate gallop. After all, it was a marathon, not a sprint. But more importantly, I had eyes above and below to keep tabs on this little race. Yes, Cozy getting the support of donors was the priority, but I had a sneaking...suspicion. A feeling, so to speak.

No, no. Something was up. I knew it. Things were going too smoothly. Call it paranoia, but part of me just couldn’t shake the feeling of...something wrong. Call a detective’s intuition.

“Where are you going?” I heard the Mayor ask from behind me.

“To keep an eye out.” I started a brisk walk on the side of the path in which the Running took place. Beautiful bronze leaves were felled from the trees. A sight that relaxed me somewhat. But even so, something was wrong here. I feared for the kid’s safety.

Turns out my suspicions would be unfortunately rewarded.

I didn’t even pass through one-quarter of the marathon’s pathway before I came across something odd. I could smell something inorganic that came from one of the leaf piles. “Hm?” I stepped onto the empty track, and dug into the pile. From within, I found...an old piece of apple-shaped jewelry? A golden necklace with an apple pendant to be exact. This had to belong to a member of the Apple family. And next to it…

“No…”

Pink pegasus feathers. An exact match to Cozy’s coloration. No. No way. I refused to believe that the kid would do something like this. Someone had to be setting her up. Why? It was simple. Once the marathon was over, pegasus ponies would bring in strong winds to blow the fallen leaves around. When that came to pass, these piles would be uncovered and reveal the stolen items!

“Shit!” That would incriminate Cozy and undo all of the progress she made up to this point! With dread in my stomach, I looked ahead at the rest of the track. Dozens and dozens of leaf piles all laid about from the work of the racers. This was bad. I’d have to go through each one in order to be absolutely certain of what was happening here.

Fortunately, I had an ace up my nonexistent sleeves.

I made use of Flash Drive’s magical communicator that I had placed in my ear. “Cork, Neon, Flash, Gutter. Come in.”

“Sir!” They all sounded off together.

I explained the situation to them, and gave them each an objective. “Cork and Gutter, fly ahead of the racers and see if you can spot anypony suspicious.”

“On it boss!” he said.

“Let’s bring ‘em down! ORA-ORA!” she replied.

“Neon. Stay hidden in the crowd and question anyone you deem suspicious.”

“Right-o, boss. Let’s give ‘em a proper welcome.”

“Flash Drive, I need you here with me to go through these leaf piles and gather evidence.”

“Right then, bruv. I’m with ye.”

“Alright...let’s bust this case up. Eyes wide open, crew. Eyes wide open.”

Subject 50: Grand Theft Awful

“I’m here, mate,” Flash Drive ran up to me with a salute. “Let’s clean up this dreck.” With his magic, he started lifting up the sets of leaves.

“Hey wait!” I stopped him. That wasn’t part of the plan. “The leaves need to stay where they are once they fall before the pegasi blow them around. It’s part of the tradition, you know.”

He paused, and set them down. “I see. Guess I’ll take a more subtle approach.” Instead, he used his magic in a more precise manner to pick out whatever he could from within the leaf piles. “Nothing in this one, I’ll move onto the next.”

I did so also. Drive had the right side of the path while I took the left. For a while, nothing came up. That is, until…

“Boss, over here!”

I ran over. Just what could be buried in these leaves I wondered? I didn’t have to wonder for long. Flash Drive levitated more pink feathers with his magic--same as before. But this time, he also levitated a valuable-looking brooch shaped like a mountain of bits. “Hm…”

“What have you got on your mind?” he asked.

“I remember seeing something like this in Spoiled Rich’s home. This belonged to her.” With that established, I knew exactly what went on in this situation. “Someone is trying to set Cozy up for failure in order to frame her for grand theft.”

The Trottish brother scoffed. “Tch. Absolute wankers, whoever they are. Now what’s the plan, boss?”

I had to think critically. Whoever this was wanted to play this in a tactical sort of way. They wanted to wait until the absolute very end of the race until they could expose Cozy and everyone could see what she ‘did.’ Granted, granted. I was aware that I had no evidence to prove that she didn’t do this. I sincerely hoped to every higher power that she didn’t.

So for the moment, what to do? Well, it was simple. “Continue as we were. Gather up all the stolen items so that whoever caused this will be enraged at the fact that their plan failed. Once we figure out just who caused all of this, find out where they are, take them down, and bring them in for questioning.”

“Makes sense to me, boss. I’m ready when you are.”

As I mentioned, it was simple. All we had to do was gather the items up, and put them into evidence bags. Once we did, we made notes of each item. They included things such as a solid gold lyre that was likely Lyra’s, a heavily damaged scooter that was covered in first-place ribbons--likely Scootaloo’s, and lastly, a heart-shaped gemstone that was blood red. A fire ruby. Rarity’s.

All of the items were carefully bagged and sealed. Okay, that was done. By the time we were finished, we had made our way halfway up the path in which the marathon was held. It would only be a matter of minutes before the race was over.

“What’s our next move, boss? Quite the hoofful of bags we got here,” Flash Drive said as he held everything with his magic.

“Now? We wait. Whoever this was will likely be extremely upset that their handiwork was altered.”

Drive nodded. “Right-o, then. Let’s pick a spot and stake the track out.”

I had to think about it a bit more. “It’s going to be near the end. That’s when they would’ve wanted to expose their deeds and blame Cozy. I’m just curious as to how they managed to pluck her feathers…”

We decided to hide within the confines of bushes near the end of the track.

“Hrm…” Drive looked at the evidence baggie filled with the feathers that we had gathered. Something caught his attention. I could tell because of how sharply he gasped. “...ah!”

“What’s the deal?”

“These feathers were struck with a duplication spell,” he explained as we continued to walk the path, “I doubt she’d be able to do this on her lonesome. It’s someone else for sure.”

Well that was somewhat of a relief? I mean, I knew it wasn’t Cozy that was behind all of this. Then just what was the cause? At any rate, I knew we would find out eventually. Drive and I had taken a long walk all the way down the path. We were close to the finish line so the race had to be over by now.

If anyone was going to strike, it would be now. Then they would see how all of their hard work had been wasted on such a futile attempt to shame somepony who had been doing their damndest to redeem themselves.

Now all we had to do was wait. Any moment now, the race would end, and whoever was trying to cause this trouble would strike. That’s when we heard something.

Bingo.

Drive and I looked out over the hoof-beaten path. Another hooded figure like the ones from before. This one scurried along the path to check over their work. But oh boy would they be in for a surprise.

“Gh! Ugh!” I heard them grunt and yell out in frustration. They were upset at what they had failed to accomplish. Perfect. Now we knew just who the culprit was.

I nudged Flash Drive, and he nodded in response. With his magic, he removed one of the stolen items from its bag with his magic and placed it in the middle of the road.

Within seconds, we heard hoofsteps violently run towards our direction. Like the old fishing line trick, he pulled it with his magic into the bushes we hid in. Hook, line, and sinker. The pony fell for it and tried to run through the bushes.

“Who’s there? AH-!”

I cut them off when I tackled them to the ground. This time, I wasn’t going to let anything slip through the cracks. This pony was going to answer for their actions, whoever they were. I stood above them with my hooves planted firmly in the ground. The culprit lied on their back. I sort of mimicked Limestone’s intimidation stance. “You are hereby held under arrest for grand theft. You will be in contempt of court and given the right to a fair trial when the time comes.”

“Let’s see who this is,” Drive said as he used his magic to forcefully lift up the hood of the pony. It was a mare, one with a shade of light pink and a purple mane--huh, pretty common colors I guess. “Well now...this is a shock. Suri Polomare.”

The ex-professional fashion designer outed for plagiarism against Rarity. Since then, her name essentially disappeared from the fashion world and nopony had even heard of her in the years that followed.

I refused to let her go. I wasn’t going to risk another escape attempt, not this late into the game. “Just what are you doing here? Why have you scattered stolen valuables across the marathon road?”

“V-valuables?” she asked, her eyes darted around her head. “I was just told to put some feathers on the track! Something about keeping track of the wind?”

Okay, not a bad story to start with. But Flash Drive would showcase the evidence that we had gathered in sealed bags. “Oh ya sure about that, mate? Then just what do we have here?”

“What?!” Her eyes grew wide when she saw the precious items. “I...I swear I didn’t know anything about that!”

I raised an eyebrow. “And yet you were wearing a hood. Why? So no one could identify you?”

“Uh--wh--this is a one of a kind!” she sputtered and tapped the fabric, “It’s cold here due to Autumn having started so excuse me for not wanting to get sick!”

“Listen here, madam,” Flash Drive continued, “we believe in innocent until proven guilty, but just be aware that you’re potentially an accessory to a heinous crime that could land you in the depths of Canterlot’s dungeons. I hope that, for your sake, you’re being honest with us.”

Suri put her hooves together and pleaded. “Listen! All I was told to do was scatter some molted pegasus feathers for the Running of the Leaves!” she cried out as her voice broke, “Ever since I tried to steal Rarity’s designs all those years ago, I haven’t been able to find work in the fashion industry and...well, I regret what I did. So I started taking odd jobs here and there to make money. Now I’m just...a washed up fool.”

Dammit. What do I believe? Did she really regret her actions, or not? Had she been manipulated or did she act of her own free will? I had loads of questions but a severe lack of answers.

“Hm…” I would test her intentions by giving her some space. I took a step back but was prepared to chase after her if necessary.

To my surprise, she didn’t try to escape at all. She simply stood up, and dusted herself off. “Thank you for hearing me out…”

“Now hang on,” Flash Drive added, “you aren’t off the bloody hook just yet. We still have to take you in for questioning.”

She sighed and hung her head in shame. Whether she was being reasonable due to really being innocent or to play off her role in the game was anyone’s guess. “Alright, I’ll come with you,” she replied in a dejected tone, “not like I have much else I can do anyways.”

Flash Drive looked at me with a raised eyebrow in such a way that he silently asked, ‘You buying this?’ to which I replied with a shrug of both my hooves. There was no way to truly tell if Polomare was actually telling the truth. Not yet anyway.

All we could do was our job. Standard procedure was to take suspects back to the agency’s holding cell until we could find enough evidence to either incriminate or set them free.

In front of us, we heard ponies laugh and cheer. The Running of the Leaves had concluded. I could see that Cheerilee had actually placed somewhat high among the finishers. Cozy was very tired by the time she was done, but...huh. That purple schoolteacher was talking to her and comforting her? Very nice...that mare was always somepony I could see being a good mother-figure.

In a figurative sense. Completely figurative sense.

Anyway, back to the situation at hoof. “FD. Take point and hold this area down to make sure nopony else causes trouble. I’m going to take Suri back to the agency so Cork and I can question her. Oh, and teleport the evidence bags to the examination room.”

With a flick of his horn, Flash Drive had captured all of our evidence in a magic aura and sent it away. The ebony Trottish unicorn gave a quick glare towards Suri and saluted. “On it, bruv. I’ll question everypony in the race if I have to,” he said before he walked off towards the crowd.

Meanwhile, I began to walk with Ms. Polomare back towards my building. It was a silent trek for the most part. Especially since most of the Ponyvillagers were at the Leaves Marathon to cheer on those who participated.

All of the sudden, I heard her spoke up. “I’m innocent, sir. I have nothing left to live for. My career is over and nopony gives a damn about me. So please...I’ll do anything to prove it.”

I nodded. “Well, we’ll see--”

“I mean it…” She cut me off and grabbed my neck with her hooves. I was caught in an uncomfortably tight hug with Suri’s desperate face inches away from my own. “Anything.”

"Please stop."

Subject 51: Self-Shamed Creator

“Calm down, miss. Once all of the evidence has been gathered, I’ll consider what to do with you next. Just follow me, please.” This process was usually fairly smooth if the individual was innocent. But was she just trying to fake it? That was the question.

Suri nodded and followed me into the agency building. “Alright, alright...but can I at least explain myself to you?”

I closed the door behind her once we were both inside. I ushered her into one of the holding cells and locked her in. “It’s only fair, so feel free to state your piece.”

Once again, she surprised me. She didn’t fight nor make a fuss about it when I put her in the cell for the moment. Instead, she simply took a deep breath, and explained herself. “Well--you’re a detective, officer, etcetera...I’m sure you know who I am.”

I took a seat at my desk across the room and crossed my legs as I listened. “I do,” I replied as I looked into my filing cabinet. “We all do. Suri Polomare of Manehattan--Saddle Island to be exact. You grew up in a pretty well-off area and became a fashion designer at an early age. But you were controlling, and overbearing towards your assistants. You fired...at least 12 of them before you stuck with Coco Pommel.”

Her face contorted to that of shame and embarrassment as she sat on the bed of the cell. But she didn’t stop me from continuing.

“...whom you also drove off with your overbearing ways. She became a success while you...quite literally fell off the face of the planet.” I finished speaking and put the file away. Quite the tale, though of course, it didn’t document absolutely everything. I leaned forward in my seat, and put my hooves together in a contemplative sort of position. “Mind telling me what happened after that?”

Another heavy sigh. “Well you should know what happens to your name when you try and take somepony else’s work. Plagiarism is...no joke. I found out the hard way.”

Indeed. That is something all foals are taught as soon as they get midway through elementary school and begin to write papers for assignments. Taking someone else’s work outed you as a thief, and somepony that couldn’t be trusted. In Suri’s case, it was magnified. Not only was she a fully grown mare that had stolen from another individual, but she worked in the fashion industry. An art-related occupation that one could never recover from if trust was burned in such a way. “Yeah?”

“Nopony trusted me, I couldn’t find work, lost my job, lost my home, and was on the streets for a while. That’s when I realized that I hit rock bottom, kay?”

I nodded, and allowed her to continue.

“Worked a few odd jobs here and there, managed to find a place...sort of. Became a waitress, mailpony, and community service worker for a while. Made a bit of money here and there, spent long, restless nights crying myself to sleep over what I could’ve done differently…”

Yikes, I felt that a little bit. I wasn’t a designer but I knew just what it was like to lose the trust of those who had put faith in you. But moreover, this mare seemed to both acknowledge and understand what she did wrong. Interesting. “If you could go back in time, and change something, what would it be?”

Her answer was quick. “I would’ve never stolen from Rarity to begin with. She was so good that she managed to make new outfits out of hotel items and beat me with the stuff I stole from her. She has true talent...and I don’t. It was a complete waste of time to try and do such a thing because...well…” she leaned forward and rested her cheeks in her hooves, “look at me. I’m a washed-up nobody.”

Hm. Okay, interesting. However, I still wanted clarity on something else. “Do you feel remorse for the way you treated Coco Pommel, or any of the other ponies you hired before her?”

“I...yeah, a lot actually,” she replied slowly, “Seeing her be so successful on her own without me has made me realize I was holding her back. I was being...mean and hateful towards her. I’m happy that she’s doing well on her own now, don’t get me wrong. But part of me wishes that...I could’ve had somepony like her to share that experience with. A friend...or something.”

So it was true. She did feel something as a result of what she did towards Coco, Rarity, and several other ponies she mistreated in the past. Now, if this was a facade, then it was a deceptively good one. But I do think it was possible that she was being honest. Why?

It was a matter of principles. No one with a shred of self-respect would stoop to working on something as...odd and insignificant and laying down feathers. That was never part of the traditional Leaf Run. This next question would make or break whatever trust I intended to place upon the mare.

“Okay. So you were told to put feathers down. By who?”

“Some grayish earth pony with a two-tone pink mane,” Suri replied in an instant, “Can’t remember his name...but he said he would pay me for doing that with the feathers. And before you ask: No. I had no idea about stolen jewelry and those other items. All I did was put the feathers down. Those must have been put there after I left.”

Hm.

Well, the evidence room would be the judge of that. Flash Drive had (hopefully) teleported all of the evidence bags with a flawless snap of his magic from earlier. Long distance-related magic was his specialty after all. It’s how he managed to create devices that allow us to communicate over the wavelengths of his magic. Much stronger than radio waves and not easy to disable.

“Excuse me for one second,” I said to the mare and turned around towards my desk. It would only be a matter of time before Corkscrew would return with the results of whose hoofprints were on these items that Flash and I had gathered.

“Boss!”

Speak of the kiddo and he shall appear. Corkscrew came to me with his lab coat on. Something he always wore when he focused on extracting DNA. “What’s going on, bud?”

He handed me some files that I read over, and announced exactly what I had started to look at. “So the feathers had trace amounts of hair left on them from Suri, but they aren’t Cozy’s at all. In fact, they don’t match any pegasus pony in the entire set of citizenship files.” The youngster could never withhold his enthusiasm because he went on like an untamed rabbit. “And then, and then--hear me out. This is gold. Turns out none of the stolen goods contain anything related to Cozy Glow.”

So it was true then. I could rest easy since I knew the kid had truly moved on from her phase. But would that mean...were the statements of the former fashion mare true? There was only one way to find out. “Alrighty, son, good job. But now, did you come across any evidence that would explain who did steal those valuables and place them there?”

The pegasus stallion used his wings as fingers to show me a baggie he had. “There was one of these tiny little pink hairs left behind at the scene.”

I rubbed my hoof against my chin, and shifted my gaze toward Suri. “Didn’t you say that the pony who hired you also had a pink mane?”

The earth pony mare gazed at the hair from within the confines of her cell. What shocked me was the sheer level of detail she provided in her description. “That’s a pale shade of light-grayish vermillion. Clear as day. A one-to-one comparison of the pony that told me to scatter those feathers around.”

I was impressed. Clearly her talent for picking out different shades of colors hadn’t dulled from her days as a clothing designer. “Well now...with a description like that, it’s too specific to simply leave alone. Just where did you two meet when you accepted that little ‘job’?”

“Just yesterday at the resort hotel in Las Pegasus at around...6 or 7PM? If memory serves, he should be in the same spot as he was, in the food court near the slot machines.”

Well then, I just needed to look at the time. At that very moment, it was only 3PM. If I caught a train, I could very well have a chance to meet with this pony. This would serve several purposes. To not only prove Suri Polomare’s innocence, but find out just who was behind all of this and why they would go to such convoluted lengths to incriminate Cozy Glow. And maybe...just maybe. Could there be a connection between this situation and Quick Draw? She too was also manipulated into thinking she could sabotage something for the sake of what she thought was right. Hm…

“Boss? What are you planning?” Cork asked.

The whole time, I had my hooves folded crossed against my chest. I sat in silence as I thought over the situation, and plotted the best course of action. Neighsay’s trial was set to begin the very next day. If I could find more evidence that exposed his misdeeds, then I knew things would be set straight once and for all.

Why did I think he had something to do with this? It certainly wasn’t out of the question.

I got up from my seat. “Heading out to Las Pegasus. Wanna come with?”

Corkscrew shook his head and backed away immediately. “No way, sir. The last time I went there, I partied so hard that I woke up next to some mare that I didn’t know. Thankfully, all we did was kiss, but still. Not risking that again,” he said with quite the sincere glare in his eyes.

Wow. I couldn’t recall the last time I saw him get so...worked up. But I decided to leave that on the table for now. I shot him a grin. “Heh, no problem, kid. Do me a favor and keep watch over Ms. Polomare until I get back.”

Suri lied down on the cell’s bed and stretched her legs outward. “Eh, I don’t intend to try and escape anyways. This...is actually more comfortable than the things I’ve slept on in the last few years...ahh…” she let out a yawn and turned over to fall sound asleep.

Cork and I looked at each other with expressions of both confusion and pity. We were floored at the idea of somepony being able to rest on a cell bed and immediately fall asleep. Just how rough had this mare’s life been up until this point?

I sighed. Now wasn’t the time for sympathy. It was time for action. With a tip of my hat, I nodded at Cork who saluted in response. We didn’t wish to wake the sleeping earth pony, so we stayed quiet.

I left the agency building and headed for the train station. Las Pegasus was a fancy place filled with all kinds of folks, so I had to be ready for anything.

It was showtime.

Subject 52: Hotel Bros.

The plan was simple. I took the train out of Ponyville and towards Las Pegasus in the West. I’d find out just who had a...mane that was a shade of faded light vermillion. Perhaps it was a bit callous of me to leave so readily on the mare’s account. But someone had to verify that her claims were true. And as I said, I didn’t intend to leave anymore loose ends open. I knew both Corkscrew and Flash Drive were more than capable of keeping that area secured. Both Neon and Guttersnipe were also nearby if they needed help with anything.

So I knew everything would be smooth if I kept a cool head and moved carefully. Hm.

I slipped the pencil back into the metal loops of my notepad. Writing with your mouth was a first-world problem, but it’s a good thing Cheerilee recommended me the flavored eraserhead brand that I currently made use of. It was an invention created by Pinkie Pie when she realized that Unicorns could make use of magic and Pegasi could manipulate objects with their wings like fingers that were similar to griffon claws. Earth Ponies had it the hardest when it came to tool manipulation, so we made use of things like magnetic horseshoes, our tails, and mouths.

Though, if your tail was short and scruffy like mine, then it’d be much harder. Long tails were less common among stallions than mares, so tail-based manipulation was...not very easy for someone like me. I suppose that’s when Pinkie decided to create the flavored eraserheads on pencils. Writing with such a thing in your mouth was disgusting, not to mention could potentially pass on germs if you weren’t careful. But at least this made it more bearable.

Why was I thinking about this? Oh right. Because the suspect that I was looking for was an Earth Pony himself. According to Cork’s notes, the feathers that were used were indeed Pegasus feathers. But they matched nopony in the citizenship records. How was this possible? Well, I had a few theories. First off, the shape and style of the feathers was altered in some way. Secondly, because of the way Earth Ponies interacted with living beings, it’s entirely possible that these feathers were plucked in such a way they left them unidentifiable.

It was like forging one’s signature. Imagine an autograph that doesn’t exist, and being able to fool enough people into thinking that you were someone who had always been in the system of life. Yeesh, what a scary thought. In this particular scenario, I wondered if this earth individual had a talent for craft and deformation of body parts. Not an unusual talent, per se. Chiropractors, physical therapists, biochemists, and even personal trainers all needed to have an extensive knowledge of the pony--or any other creature’s--body. And surprise, a majority of the professional ones were earth ponies according to the records. But just who was this particular one? Was this a case of malpractice or something much deeper?

“Hm…” I looked at the strand of hair in the evidence bag once more. Soon, the train would arrive at the station. Non-unicorns would receive the cloud-walk potion and passage via hot air balloon. This was my chance to find out the truth at last.

Time to begin.

One potion and balloon ride later, I found myself in the massive cloud-based city. Buildings aplenty and...wow. Things certainly have...advanced since I was last here as a youngster. There were electronic screens on some of the buildings, and they showed a bit of a replay of the Running of the Leaves event that had concluded down in Ponyville not long ago.

Damn...just how much advertising did the kid do? I couldn’t help but feel impressed once more. I’d have to let know about that once I got back. For now, I had to head to the resort hotel. The largest one the city had to offer.

A thought came to my head. Just how strong were these clouds if they could hold an entire bricky, metallic, and luxurious city? These had to be one of the highest forms of pegasus magic there is. Probably the highest--or at least the strongest.

Anyhow, it was time to act. I entered the resort and...wow. While not as spacious as Silver Shoals, this place sure made up for it in pure...luxury. Game rooms, an indoor ferris wheel, a massive food court, a roller coaster that was partially inside and outside? What?! “Wild Blue Yonder’? This place was utterly ridiculous. I couldn’t tell if I loved it or hated it. Wait a second, did I spot Lighting Dust as one of the cashiers?! I thought she was on a mandatory arrest within Appleloosa. Did she manage to ascend to a more lenient level of probation? I’d need to look into that a bit later. She even waved at me from where she stood, and I returned it with a wave as well.

The Suite was nearby. So with that in mind, I could find out just who had put Ms. Polomare through something like this. First, I needed to figure out just who matched the color of this bit of hair that we found near the scene. Next, I would tail them and figure out their intentions. Simple.

Thanks to that super long train ride, it was already nearing 5PM. Maybe I could get lucky and find my target early. Heh. If only. Well, I wasn’t simply going to wait around forever. If I could get some answers from those who spent time here, I could get--

“Welcome good sir! Could I interest you in a stay at our lovely resort?”

“Ah!” I yelped and nearly fell on my back. Oh right, I nearly forgot who owned this place. “Oh...it’s you. Wait. Where’s your--”

A mustachioed version of the same yellow unicorn appeared on my opposite side. “We have a two-for-one deal on our passes! Buy one for yourself and get the other at half-price! All you can eat at the food court, skip the lines on rides, and get a stay in our relaxing steam room!”

Flim and Flam. Unicorn twins that weren’t exactly the most trustworthy. They were known for their shady dealings around Equestria. But recently, it seemed as if they did legitimately try to run a proper business in the form of the Las Pegasus resort. If this was true, then I had to respect what they did. The agency didn’t have any problems with them in the last few years, so it was certainly possible that they put that behind them.

“Brother…” I put a hoof against my head out of exasperation. I was not in the mood for foolishness. Not from these two. “Ugh. Listen, I’m actually looking for someone. Grayish earth pony with a vermillion mane that matches this hair,” I took out the small baggie that contained the strand.

Flim--the one with no mustache, took a close look at the evidence. “Hm...doesn’t ring a bell. What do you think, brother?”

Flam took a look as well. “Hmm...you got me, brother. Pray tell, just who are you looking for, good sir?” he asked. Were they genuinely interested in what my mission was? Unexpected.

But of course, I couldn’t reveal everything. I shook my head. “Just following a lead. Don’t mind me.”

I turned in an attempt to walk off in another direction. But Flim stopped me in my tracks. “Wait, wait, wait! Are you sure we can’t interest you in a…” he paused and looked off to the upper left. After a moment, his face lit up with a wide grin, “the world famous poutine being sold in the court?”

“Indeed,” Flam added, “Made with the most pervasive and intricate spices from as far as the Empire to Manehattan! I’m sure you know about that, given that you’re from the big city out East!” he said with quite the knowing grin.

Wait a minute...poutine. The dish that had become a recent favorite within the agency back home. Hang on a damn second. How did they know where I was from? Did these fools really have that much information on me? This was extremely suspicious. Coupled with the fact that Lightning Dust was here, yeah, it made me skeptical.

So I played it cool. I pretended to accept their offer. “Hm...you know what, gents? I think I could find my target more easily if I had a room here.”

I saw the briefest glint of relief in that unicorn’s eyes. “Aha! We knew it! Another satisfied customer, eh, Flam?”

“That’s right Flim!” Flam used his magic to levitate a room key off the wall near the registration desk. “Kind sir, please follow us. We will give you a personal tour and let you find the most luxurious room you’d like!” They both walked ahead of me, into the velvet carpeted hallway.

Gah. Just what were they up to? Meh. I had some time before my suspected target would appear so I decided to play along for now. Even so, if these crazy brothers wanted to play some kind of game, they would have to dance with the best.

We took a few turns and an elevator floor up. On the way there, I saw Babs Seed as well. Was she on another vacation or did she have a job here?

The brothers led the way once the door opened. It looked like a regular hallway and doors that were part of the hotel’s architecture.

“Right this way, sir!” Flim escorted me towards the end of the hall. His brother Flam meanwhile, was looking off to the left and right. As if he made sure that we weren’t followed.

I just couldn’t shake how wrong this was. But if they were in on this, they would have a lot to answer to.

Flim opened the door to the hotel room, and walked in. Somewhat standard with a large bed and a TV on the dresser nearby. “Take a look, sir! Isn’t it amazing?”

I stepped inside. “Hm, quite so.” But I could immediately sense that something was abnormal when Flam entered as well. I heard the door shut behind us.

Time to fight.

But before I did, a magic spell was activated. The entire hotel room changed into an office of sorts. The carpet was replaced with metallic flooring. The bed and amenities were changed out for a desk and file cabinets.

“We apologize for the theatrics, Pale,” Flam said. His usual attire now swapped out for a black suit. Wait what? “We figured Sweetie Drops explained it to you.”

His twin had on one of these suits also. “We would’ve told you who we were,” Flim paused and peered out of the window for a moment before he turned to face me once more, “But well, things would’ve been a tad awkward if everypony in the lobby could see.”

“Hold on, hold on.” I rubbed the sides of my head, “You mean to tell me that you two are…”

They struck an action pose that wouldn’t look out of place on a movie poster as they spoke in unison. “Flim and Flam! Agents of S.M.I.L.E.!”

Well shit. Holy mother of Celestia. Either this was the weirdest fever dream I had ever experienced, or this was real. I heard rumors among the various agency stations, but no one could ever verify it for sure. It was like they had been blacklisted, but they were cool now?!

“I...wha...how?! Word had it that you were both thrown out for misuse of the Reflection Deflections!”

Film chuckled. “Oh that little mishap? Misdirection my dear friend! We’re still very much active.”

“Well, somewhat,” the mustached unicorn twin explained in a more somber tone. “We aren’t allowed to fight monsters like the others. We simply report any suspicious activity to Sweetie Drops--the current head of SMILE.”

“Well...there’s a bit more to it than that alone,” Flim added, “In reality it’s so that she can watch over us and make sure we don’t ‘go rogue’ with schemes again. We hate the constant surveillance, but we’ve earned it.”

“Wait--is that why I saw Lightning Dust working here?” I interjected.

Flim had to think about it for a moment. “Who--oh! The turquoise pegasus mare! Yes. Due to her good behavior in Appleloosa, she was moved up to this job here in Las Pegasus.”

Flam nudged his brother. “But at least we have the authority to stop the truly dreadful ponies. Remember Gladmane?”

“Uch. Don’t remind me. His ideas were utterly idiotic and served no good purpose. We used to be con men, sure, but we have standards to uphold.”

“Indeed. Now Pale, I understand that you’re looking for somepony, yes?”

Their words...all it did was create more questions than answers. But for the moment, I had to focus. If I could get any help, then I would most certainly accept it. “Yeah…”

“We’ll be on the lookout! Right Flam?”

“That’s right, Flim! If somepony is looking to hurt our busin--customers, we’ll put them on ice! What do you say, Pale? Will you let us work with you on this operation?”

These brothers were agents, got kicked out, and somehow managed to remain. I couldn’t tell if it was amazing or completely stupid. Regardless, I didn’t have many options here at the moment. So for now, I would accept their offer.

“Alright...this is your place, so you’d know it better than anypony. Don’t let me down.”

Life was officially too damn crazy.

Subject 53: The Remorseful and The Reject

So, to recap: Flim and Flam were former agents that somehow managed to not only redeem themselves, but are still active within their Las Pegasus resort front in order to watch out for corrupt businessponies who tried to swindle people in the city. I never would’ve expected that. Not in a million years. But you know what? I’ve seen far crazier things happen around this place.

We discussed our plans for a bit longer before we left the room. It was a simple scenario. Flim would watch over the surrounding area from the front desk like usual while Flam observed everything he could through the cameras in the security room.

“This is insane,” I mumbled to myself as I trotted through the massive indoor resort. “I’m actually working with two of the world’s biggest former con artists...what is this life coming to?” No matter. I needed to stay focused.

“If it isn’t the world’s most dangerous detective.” The familiar blue-green pegasus with the fiery orange mane. “What’ll it be, dawg?”

I tilted my head. “...Ms. Dust. So it’s true? You were doing well and they decided to upgrade you?”

The pegasus shrugged and flexed her wings. “More like a transfer,” she invited me to look closer. I could see there were still tracking devices on her wings as well as one on her hoof. “But I like it here. Appleloosa’s too damn loud for me.”

Seriously? This place was just as bad, if not worse! “Um...are you sure?”

“Absolutely. At least here, I can start thinking about what I wanna do next with my life. Being a famous flier...is beyond me now.”

I tilted my head. “Are you sure you want to give that up so readily?”

She raised her hoof and scoffed at the idea. “Peh. You honestly think anypony’s gonna trust me with anymore stunts? My parents are completely ashamed of me as an individual, so I can’t face them. Can’t blame them, honestly…” With her head hung low, she trotted behind the bar where she worked, and sat down on the floor.

I didn’t know how to react. Such a complex topic was beyond my understanding. In truth, she was a lot like Suri, and other people that I came across in my life. When a criminal finally comes to understand and regret their actions--whether it’s something as low as plagiarism, or something and deadly as endangering the life of a foal--when the recognition finally comes to a head...it hurts. Guilt sets in. And once you walk down that divergent path, you will walk it for the rest of your life with no way to return or to figure out how the other path would have turned out.

Heh. Mutual exclusivity was a bitch.

“Well....as long as you understand where you went wrong, you can change the path you currently walk on.”

Lightning burned some scented sticks with a nearby torch that she mainly used for the drinks. Wait, was that legal? I think it was. “Yeah, yeah…” she mumbled while she put the torch away. She took a massive sniff of the scented sticks and the smell slowly filled the air. Pinecones? “Ahhh...that’s better. Anyway, don’t worry about me. I paid the price for what I did. I just hope my parents...gah. What’s the point? They don’t give a damn about me.” She placed her hooves upon the bar counter and rested her head sideways on them.

Oh hell no. I wasn’t going to stand idle and allow another relationship between parents and children go down the drain. “Listen. You may be at rock bottom, but the only place you can go from here is up--or something like that. I don’t know. The point is--if your parents truly care about you, they’d welcome you happily.”

“Ugh, really? I wouldn’t bet on it, but thanks.”

Yeah, that didn’t work. Gah, what was I doing? I had a job to do and I was frolicking with the villagers up in the clouds. Back to the investigation. “No problem. Hey. Have you seen a gray earth pony stallion with a vermillion mane?”

“Verm-what-now?” she asked and lifted her head up.

“Oh, it’s a shade of pink,” I replied, and showed her the hair within the evidence bag. “Recognize it?”

She tapped her chin with her hoof. “Hm...I think I recall....yeah he’s probably one of the regulars. Can’t tell you if he stays in the suite or what, but he’s here.”

Alright. Now I was getting somewhere. The time was just about to line up with the exact moment Suri had described she met the guy. If her words were true, then I would finally find out just who set her up to unknowingly assist in framing Cozy Glow. Part of me felt that I was walking into a sticky situation, but there was still more to it. “I see. Thank you, LD.”

“Yeah yeah, sure. Just be careful…”

With that in mind, I went back to work. I surveyed the area, and even asked around for information from the other patrons. No luck, though a few have managed to catch a glimpse of him, so it wasn’t an entirely lost cause just yet.

Hm...half an hour had passed. Things weren’t exactly looking up for me right about now. If only I could. Wait...aha!

Hook, line, and sinker. The pony that matched the description I was given had shown up. He had on a pair of glasses and a floral polo. But instead of sitting down to eat, he walked right on through the food court and towards the hotel rooms. But somepony had followed him. A Kirin--one of those special pony types with a singular horn and flamboyant tails. A blue one. Huh. I never expected to find one way up here in Las Pegasus. The race had an affinity for silence and this was one of the loudest places in Equestria.

I suppose that’s why this kirin had on a cloth facemask of sorts that kept their mouth from being visible as a way to stay silent. Well now. Turns out that I had two targets to get after at this point.

I decided to wait it out, and focused on the kirin’s magical signature first. Hers was much different from a pony’s due to the kirin’s hidden alter ego--the nirik. I wondered if this one still had the capacity to become one despite not being within her home of Kirin Grove. But that was less important. It was time to act.

So I slipped into the hallways and tracked the trace amounts of aura that the kirin’s hooves left within the carpet. They were pale and a bit hard to read, but I just about was able to make it out. I followed the tracks which led through the hotel hallway and up the stairs. I made a mental note and took the trail upwards to the second floor.

I was led all the way to a door. One of the various spa rooms of the resort. “Hm…” I couldn’t sense much beyond it, so I slowly pushed the door open. A hot tub and pool that overlooked the beautiful mountains below the cloud city. Not a bad look. But just where did that kirin go? No one was in the room.

Once again, my abilities went to work. I closed the door behind me. The room had a somewhat thick sense of confusion within. I could almost taste it. It led me towards a more secluded area around a corner near the window. At the end of that corridor, I found a door that likely led to a steam room. This is where she went. I was sure of it.

I knocked.

No response.

I called out. “Hello?”

No answer.

I pushed the door inwards which caused it to creak ever so slightly.

No reaction.

Well then. That settled it. Either my trail ran cold, or the kirin had masked her presence. I stepped inside and closed that door behind me as well. I guessed correctly. At the far end of the room, the blue kirin mare was on her own in the solitude of the quiet room. No need for the steam since I suppose she had her own fire. But wait, where did the gray stallion with the vermillion mane go?

Well, I was looking for answers wasn’t I? Though, how would I obtain them from a mare whose race preferred silence? Only one way to find out.

I walked up to her. “Excuse me...would you happen to know where a gray earth pony stallion with a pink mane is?”

No answer. In fact, the kirin pony turned away from me. She seemed completely uninterested. With that mask over her face, I couldn’t tell what expression she made, so she was especially hard to read. Still, I wasn’t about to give up so easily.

“Ma’am, this is an important matter of security.” I took another step closer, and continued with a more stern tone than before. “Someone that matches the description I just gave is currently involved with a dangerous incident involving grand theft and defamation of character. If you know anything about him, anything at all--it would be in your best interest to provide any information that you can.”

Still nothing. The kirin’s tail flicked as a warning. I could feel the temperature in the air around the room increase slightly. This subspecies of pony had control over the fiery elements that came along with the emotions of rage and vengeance.

My eyes scanned the room. Okay. I planned multiple escape routes within a manner of seconds. With that established, I continued my interrogation. “Ma’am. Please. Even if you’re not a part of it directly and you’re aware, that makes you an accessory. You don’t want to be involved with something like this if you’re not ready to have your life damaged.”

At last, she turned to face me. The mask now removed, she finally decided to speak. “Leave. Now.” Her lips barely moved, and her voice did not sound like she spoke aloud. It was more along the lines of a hushed whisper from the deepest end of a cave. Her tail lit up with a blue and red flame, which made the air around me even hotter.

Alright. Maybe it was time to get out of here. I didn’t want a fight, and hopefully those unicorn brothers had actually managed to catch as much footage as they could in order for me to use evidence. Yes, I still needed to find my target, but I wasn’t going to do something foolish. Not here.

“My apologies. It seems I’ve made a mistake. I suppose framing someone like Cozy Glow would be beneath you after all,” I said with a tip of my hat, and turned to leave.

But I was stopped dead in my tracks with a flaming blue and red wall--it didn’t burn through the building, but it kept me from crossing the door to leave. The kirin would speak once more with an ethereal voice that sounded like several voices at once with a low echo. “So you do know.” Or rather, she was no longer a kirin, but a Nirik. The antithesis to the race that came out whenever they were upset. “I should have known. You’ll never escape once he gets here.”

I turned around to face the jet-black pony creature. “‘He’?” I asked, “And just who might that be?”

From outside of the steam room, I heard a voice. “Now what in the hay is going on in there?! Open up right now before I call security!”

The flames went away, and the nirik turned back into her kirin form. She ran to the door and flung it open with her magic. “Hun! We got trouble! He’s a narc and he knows our plans!”

As soon as the door opened, I finally saw who I had been looking for. “Ahahahaha! What?! You?! Is this real?” I couldn’t help but laugh aloud. Never in life would I have pegged this individual for a threat. He was a joke to many, and feared by none. One of the most overbearing and unlikable individuals to ever grace Equestria with his controlling, manipulative ways.

Svengallop.

He lacked his suit and simply had a towel around his neck. “Is that so? And just who are you?”

“I’m sorry...ahem,” I cleared my throat, “Pale Vestige. Nice to meet you and what I can only assume to your brother’s girlfriend--not yours.”

She looked at me with utter contempt as she held onto his neck with her hooves around him tightly.

He stepped in front of the kirin mare. “Funny. Really funny. Explain yourself.”

“Well, you see…”

Then again, I certainly did not see this coming. It was always the least threatening ones you had to watch out for. A cornered cat lashes out in its final moments.

Subject 54: Clear Skies and A Battle

“...and that’s what led me to you. You were the one who tried to set Cozy Glow up, didn’t you? And what about Suri Polomare?”

He scoffed with a snarky little grin. “Heh. Guess I’m found out. But you have to admit, it was a pretty damn genius plan. Get the public to hate Cozy Glow, discredit the officer that set her free and get his entire agency disbanded!”

Solid plan, I had to admit. Cozy’s interactions with the general populace was still mostly rocky so it would be super easy to turn her against them. But I had one question. “Why? Once Ms. Coloratura--no. Once Rara tossed you out on your ass, you went into hiding like the disgusting swine you were. Trying to get her to skip out on a charity event for your own warty egotistical dickery. Clearly you’re just jealous that she has a successful life when you’re nothing.”

That struck a chord with him. The veins in his neck bulged, his left eyelid bulged, and his voice turned cold. “Do not mention that complete horse of a name to me. She’s old news. And for the record, I’ve been conducting business of my own without the need for some silly celebrity.” He looked at the kirin mare that held onto him, “Isn’t that right my dear?”

She nuzzled his cheek with her own. I had to admit, I didn’t expect somepony like him could even manage to get into a relationship. “That’s right, Sven baby,” she said in the quiet. Echo-y tone from before, “and for the record, he’s an absolute dream in the sheets--”

“I’m going to stop you right there. No one gives a damn. I thought the kirin were a kind that valued peace. Just what has he done to you, miss?”

“Hah!” The fiery mare scoffed at my words. Her echoing voice became louder as it assaulted my eardrums. “O-ho! So you just assume that we’re all the same, do you? That sounds quite inconsiderate from someone who set free an individual who nearly destroyed the world! My sexy businesspony of a stallion can’t conduct business with shit like that happening!”

So this one wasn’t being manipulated it seemed. She was legitimately attached to the guy.

But wait a second. ‘Business’? So there was more to this that we didn’t quite know about yet. Time to crack this case nut wide open. “Really?” I raised a doubtful eyebrow, “You mean to tell me the washed up and pitiful Svengallop has managed to not only--not only--find himself a mare who puts up with his shit, but found a successful business as well?”

“Oh yes,” he responded with that self-centered grin of his, “I think you’ll come to find that it’s quite the little...riot. Hmhmhm!” Both he and the kirin laughed to themselves. Disgusting. And the fact that they were out to ruin the life of someone else so readily was even more gross. All to protect some business of theirs? Just what even did they have?

Just when I was about to draw my weapon, I heard what could only be the most unexpected voices that hit my ears.

“Oh? What sort of business? We’d love to hear about it. All about it. Isn’t that right, Flam?”

“Mm-hm. Indeed, Flim. Now why don’t both of you exit the room quietly so we can avoid further conflict, yes?”

Those brothers had come to my rescue? I was in disbelief. I was entirely certain that their agency restoration was an elaborate ruse to get me on their good side. But no...it was true. They had come to help, and looked absolutely furious with the essence of daggers that bore right through them.

The kirin mare stuck out her tongue, and a part of her hoof lit ablaze.

Svengallop nudged her, and looked at the twin resort owners. “Ahem, what I meant to say was--”

“Cut the small talk,” Flam interrupted him, “We’ve seen and heard everything you’ve said.”

“You’re about to take a long walk into a short dungeon by the time we’re through with you,” Flim added, his horn lit up.

And yet the stallion with the pink mane didn’t seem to care. “Ha! And just what jurisdiction do you two have? You’re a pair of failed con artists running a hotel!”

“Not anymore…” Flam replied.

Svengallop responded with an inquisitive glare. “Oh?”

The brothers smirked at each other, and ripped off their normal attire and changed into their suits with pairs of shades. Their magic was poised to fire off a spell as they spoke in unison. “We’re ISA Agents of SMILE. And we will not tolerate such vile acts on our property. Cease your actions or be subject to punishment under the justice system of Equestria!”

ISA. Internal Service Affairs. I said it before and I said it again: I found it amazing that these two were actual agents.

But the arrogant stallion didn’t seem afraid. In fact, he was amused. “Heh. Oh la-dee-da. You two aren’t real agents. You’re nothing more than fools that nopony takes seriously! Time and time again the Apple family always bests you at everything. How shameful.”

“Oh really?” Flim raised an eyebrow, “Why don’t you put your money where your mouth is, ingrate!”

“Excellent idea,” Svengallop responded with a clap of his hooves.

The kirin mare giggled. “Ooooh...you’re all in trouuuble….”

This initially confused us all. Just what could a clap accomplish?

CRASH!

From behind the brothers, the door to the hot tub room was kicked open. And a dozen ponies burst through. Most of them stallions, but there were a few mares as well. All of them held some sort of weapon. Crossbows, grenade launchers, knives, magic, their bare hooves--all ready to battle.

“What the hell?!” I shouted, “You’re the leader of the elusive Mogul Mob?! Are you fucking insane?!”

From the corner of my eye, I noticed the yellow unicorn brothers. A small flash went off, and they nodded at each other.

Svengallop simple cackled. “Insane? Ha! True insanity is attempting the same thing over and over and expecting different results. So I stopped trying. I worked my way up through the black market, doing things nopony would ever expect from someone such as myself. Theft, gaslighting, fear mongering, destroying relationships. I did it all!” He said with a stomp of his hoof.

The kirin mare giggled. “Isn’t he just the greatest? I met him when he offered positions to join in his little gang. Turns out his organizational skills are unparalleled!”

“But with you setting that little horse of a mare free, it’s put quite the...damper on my business, we’ll say,” he said with a devilish grin, “But all of that’s going to change once she’s dead!”

“WHAT?!”

From the other room, I could see the brothers were trying their best to figure out how to approach the situation.

“Well? Are we going to stand around all day? Or are we going to fight?” Flam asked while he used his magic to twirl his mustache in a taunting manner.

The nervous Flim swallowed a lump in his throat. “Brother...are you sure this is a good idea? We don’t want to risk the lives of the patrons. Why don’t we take this outside?”

“Inside, outside, doesn’t matter to me,” Svengallop trotted over to his mob of mercenary ponies. “Oh and Freeze Flame, you know what to do.”

The kirin’s face lit up with pure ecstasy. “Ah! You mean…?!”

“Yes. The detective is all yours. Use him however you like.”

On command, she changed into the jet-black, fiery nirik once more. “Oh you better believe I’m going to do exactly what I want with him.”

Flam looked at me. “Pale? Distract that mare. We’ll deal with these lowly thugs. Come, brother! Activate the window trap!”

“Windo--” Before I could ask, something crazy happened.

Flim had pushed a button which forcefully ejected all of them out of the window and into the Las Pegasus square down below!

Everyone screamed. “AAAAAH!” Sven’s mob would all scatter across various areas of the square while the civilians had safely fled to the inside of whatever building they were closest to when the unicorn shouted.

The brothers landed near a fountain with their backs together to cover each other. Flam used his magic to grab a megaphone and shout into it. “Everypony! This is a citywide emergency! Run to the nearest building and stay inside until further--”

He was cut off by one of the mobster ponies that fired a crossbow bolt and knocked the megaphone away from him. “Ha!”

“Son of a--”

“Relax brother,” Flim assured him while he produced a small barrier with his own magic, “You got the message out, now let’s drive these crazy mercs out of here! Stay focused, stay alive.”

Flam used his magic to uncover a secret panel beneath the fountain, and pulled out some sort of shoulder-carried firecracker launcher. “I’m with you! Now who wants some?! The Flim-Flam Brothers stand for fair and honest business!”

I observed the chaos that ensued down below, and then I was tackled by the rage-filled nirik. We were sent tumbling down and out of the other side of the building from the steam room and onto the soft, yet firm cloud ground below us.

“Grrr!” I kicked her off of me.

The nirik mare spun around and landed upright. Now she trotted around in a wide circle like a predator ready to stalk prey.

We were on the southern side of the city away from major buildings. This must have been one of the parks. Interesting. But I had an important question on my mind. “Why Svengallop?” I asked. “What could he possibly have to offer you?!”

“You inconsiderate dingbat! Everything! Let me start from the beginning. You know about us Kirin, yeah? And how we live in Kirin Grove? That place is surrounded by the Peaks of Peril.’

I nodded, “Yeah. I know that much. But that still doesn’t explain--”

Her flame grew stronger. “SILENCE! Now...you must also be aware of the fact that our numbers are somewhat small. The previous generation of kirin only had three males while there were over a dozen females.”

Yikes! That was terrible--or heaven depending on who you asked--but it did explain why I didn’t see too many new kirin around nowadays. “I see...but why ally yourself with someone like Svengallop?”

“I’m getting there. Because of our low numbers, our leader, Rain Shine, has started that polyamorous relationships are encouraged to keep us around. That way, we’ll hopefully give birth to more male kirin and balance things out.”

Ouch. That was just the situation of Equestria but made far worse to the point of threatening their way of life. Even though Svengallop is abhorred by all, I could respect that. “Okay...but why Cozy? Why does Svengallop want Cozy put away so badly? To the point of manipulating others to commit crimes even. Did Suri even know what she was doing?”

“Hah! Of course not!” Freeze Flame threw her head back as she talked down to me, “The population of this world is so damn gullible that they’ll believe anything you tell them. Suri Polomare especially. Such a desperate little horse that’ll do anything for money.” She had a smug little grin and waved her hoof at me, “I’m surprised she didn’t try and beg you, the poor thing.”

So it was true. Suri had no real idea of what happened. But still, there was more I needed to know. “And about Cozy?”

“Hm.” Once more, the flaming pony began to trot in a wide circle while inspecting me to watch for my every move. “He never cared about that pegasus that much. In reality, it was I who wanted Cozy Glow framed for crimes and put back into stone. So I had him pull a few strings and his mob buddies set that whole thing up with that idiot of a pony Suri.” She snorted and giggled like a complete witch. “Heh heh heh! Genius, isn’t it?”

Well now. That was a shock. But it gave me more context. “But why did you want this?”

Her fire grew even more. The mare’s body shook and shivered from her emotions as they overtook her. “All those years ago in the final battle against Cozy, Tirek, and Chrysalis? My parents, my sister and my whole family were killed!”

I took a step back. I knew many injuries were sustained, but never imagined that ponies actually lost their lives. “Wh...how?!”

“I was a filly at the time. And when I heard that my mom, aunt, and sister all died in that battle...I cried. I cried and cried and cried. There was nothing I could do…” her fire went dim as she spoke of this, but her nirik form didn’t change. “So from then on, I vowed that I would never let anyone like them rise to power again. And you are just letting that murderer walk free?!”

Shit...she had every right to be upset. The death of one’s family--a family that cared about you--is not something one can shrug off so easily. “I...I understand. But I assure you, she’s not the same pony she was back th--”

A burst of blue and red fire whizzed passed my head. “LIES! ALL LIES! But no more...I won’t let someone like you cause another set of families to lose their lives to such a crazy pegasus like Cozy. So this is how it’s going down. You can either walk away from this and allow Svengallop to frame her so she gets put back into the stone prison. Or...we fight. And if we fight, one of us leaves this place a dead pony.”

Absolutely insane. That was not how to solve a problem. I shook my head. “There’s no need for that. We can be civil and--”

“If you want to be civil...then let Cozy go back to stone. Otherwise, you’ll be the one that has to die. Are you ready for that? Are you ready to die to ensure the safety of a mare who nearly destroyed the world in her youth?” She stood on her hind legs, flames lit up in both of her hooves.

I also stood on my hind legs, and reached into my vest. I glared at her with eyes of hatred. “I am.”

Meanwhile…

Corkscrew had just arrived to Las Pegasus station on the train. All he had to do now was fly up.

“Thank goodness Flash Drive was able to watch over the agency and Suri,” he thought to himself, “I knew I should’ve went with Pale to begin with. I could just feel that there was something off. But don’t worry buddy. I’m here.”

“This is gonna be the greatest plan.”

Subject 55: The Best Flier's Best Plan

I was at a crossroads. Should I really fault the mare if she lost those close to her in the battle that ensued? Alongside that, the Kirin population has been facing issues when it came to sustaining healthy numbers. The death of her family was utterly detrimental to their development. It was a difficult thing to think about, surely. I completely understood why she would want to keep Cozy Glow imprisoned--dead even.

While she wasn’t the sole reason, she was one of the three individuals that nearly destroyed the world when she was younger, and the cause of the death of her family in the ensuing battle. But the kirin was so buried in her ideals and her rage, that she didn’t want to bother with any sort of compromise. My attempts to convince her that the demonic filly from long ago was now a mare trying to make things right were totally in vain.

“Come on! If you’re ready to die for her, then so be it! Consider it revenge for her killing my family!” the nirik, Freeze Flame, snarled at me from her side of the cloudy park. “No more talking! Fight me!”

Remember when I said I was completely prepared? I wasn’t entirely speaking the truth. Part of me sorely wished that she’d be willing to listen, but I knew she wouldn’t. Not within that level of rage. I supposed that the only polite thing to do would be to at least offer her a chance to relieve some of her aggression.

But despite my words, I had no intention of killing her. The plan was simple. Fight the nirik until she ran out of stamina and had to change back into a kirin. Then and only then could she listen to reason. And if she didn’t listen in her kirin form...then that would be my final stand.

“Fine then. Come at me with everything you have.”

“NO MORE TALKING!”

The nirik charged at me and leapt into the air. Her first attack was initiated poorly--a downward punch that I easily rolled out of the way to avoid. Her hoof hit the cloud-ground and it held solidly. No signs of cracking or damage whatsoever. I guess these pegasi really knew how to make hard structures out of clouds.

But the battle went on. In truth, I was mostly on the defensive. I didn’t want to hurt the mare. I had no reason to.

“RRRRAGH!”

She slammed her hooves into the ground and sent flames my way along the ground. They were impossible to extinguish by normal means so I could do nothing but avoid them.

But that wasn’t all.

Her large horn lit up with a pink aura. From it, she sent flaming spheres at me that flew through the air at me.

“Woah!” I had to both jump and flick my neck to the left and right to avoid the ground flame as well as the projectile ones. They were so hot that I felt the air around my skin boil from the evaporation of the air. Yeesh. This would be a pain in the flank to deal with.

After I dodged those, she sent another set of fireballs my way that I barely managed to dodge. “Gah!” None of them even made contact with my face, but it still hurt. I could hear miniature explosions go off within the ball of fire as it whizzed past my ear. The air around them was simply that hot. “That was a nut hair away from taking my whole damn face off,” I mumbled and straightened the hat on my head.

The nirik stood on her hind legs and put both of her front hooves together. Her horn lit up as well.

“Oh shit.”

Just like something out of Corkscrew’s Japonese comic books, a ball would be superheated in both of her hooves and then her next attack would fire off in a massive laser beam! Fire was a form of plasma, but I never knew that a kirin could transmutate their abilities in such a way.

“Yow!” She flung the beam horizontally which made me duck. She flung it towards my hooves which made me jump. It would be about thirty seconds before she had to stop using it to avoid overexertion. Thank goodness. I had to perform a zig-zag sort of evasion roll just to get close to her. I knew well that unicorn magic could be disrupted if the horn was struck or damaged. Maybe kirins worked the same way?

There was only one way to know for sure.

The next time she sent out fireballs, I was ready. I brought out my trusty blaster gun and fired it, which redirected the heated, condensed explosions away from me and into the air where it went off harmlessly. This Freeze Flame mare was a long-range combatant, so getting in close was my top priority.

I faked going in. I pretended to perform a sliding tackle along the ground only to rise up at the last second in order to strike her horn with a spinning kick. “HA!”

“Ghhh!” Her magic was temporarily disabled so now I could fight her on closer terms. But she wasn’t about to drop so easily. She flung a few punches at me that I just managed to block. Though they hurt like hell due to being lit with her hot rage.

Eventually, we were locked in a struggle, both of our hooves clashed against each other like something out of a swordfighting film. We both tried to overpower each other desperately. And I knew exactly what would give me the edge here. “Not bad, but you’re far too young to waste your talents working with a piece of shit like Svengallop. Why don’t you spend your time doing something productive?” I said with a smirk that hid how nervous I was. Sweat ran down the side of my face. When I spoke, it irked the nirik mare and she increased the intensity of her flames. I couldn’t tell whether or not it was because I insulted her stallion or if it was because of the fact that I continued to speak after she demanded silence.

Either way, it worked. While she angrily increased the power of the flames on her body, she was distracted.

Just long enough.

In a swift motion, I threw one of my hindlegs forward. A straight kick delivered right to her midsection that sent her for a tumble into the nearest wall of a building. “Gah! Grrrr…”

“Ow...shit…” I felt severe burns on my left hoof, but at least I managed to land a hit. But I didn’t allow her time to recover. I ran over and cornered her to that wall. “Listen...I have no reason to kill you. We can end this peacefully, and I can prove to you that Cozy has outgrown herself. She will never do anything like that again?”

From on the ground, she scoffed and spat with a scathing reply. “Feh. Why should I believe you? All you’ve done is bring back the same pony that took my parents magic. Without their magic, they died in that battle. How do you know she won’t do it again?! How do you know anything?!”

I closed my eyes and sighed. It took me a moment, but I had to be honest. “...if she tries it again, I’ll stop her myself. She’s my responsibility.”

The nirik was unsatisfied with my words. With her back against the wall, she lit her horn up and prepared another spell. I could feel it through the clouds beneath me. “And what if she does it again?! And again! And again! Just stopping someone isn’t enough. Sometimes permanent stoning is needed...or even death.”

“There’s another way!” I thought about my options for a moment. Bringing the kirin's parents back, while noble would be deadly. No one should ever mess with those who are no longer with us. However, maybe I could help her with that other problem she and her race faced. “Okay...what if...alright. In order to prove to you that Cozy has changed, I’ll task her with helping the kirin race integrate into society so they can meet other ponies. That way, your race won’t die out.”

I had no idea whether or not she listened. She remained in her nirik form, so it was difficult to tell if she cared. After a moment or two, she finally spoke.

“You...you think you can help us? You think she can help us?”

I nodded. “If it will act as enough recompense for the actions she...somewhat assisted in doing to your family and race, then she will be more than willing to oblige to make things right. I implore you to heed me. She was not the sole reason behind the death of your family. Moreover, she was a child. A lonely, crazed child. She has now aged enough to where she comprehends the damage she caused.” I took off my hat, and leaned down, “Please...allow her that chance to correct her mistakes.” I reached out a hoof to her.

The nirik had solid white eyes, but I could sense the hesitation within them. Did she really understand what I had to say? All I could do was wait in silence for her answer. At last, she took hold of my hoof. No fiery contact this time. Maybe she did truly want to be reasonable?

But that’s not what she gave me.

Instead, I was met with a shockingly painful blaze of fire that nearly consumed my entire hoof!

“AGHHH! Hhh...fff...ow!!” I tried to pull away, but her grip was too strong. Before I knew it, I was flipped over onto the white ground lying on my stomach. I could feel the weight of the kirin on top of me as she forced me into the cloudy surface, my entire body felt like it was being boiled alive. “Why?! I thought you were willing to hear me out?! GAH!!”

“Aw, does it hurt?” she responded in a rather immature, mocking tone as she twisted my hoof more and more, “I bet it hurts reaaaal bad, doesn’t it? It’s just how I felt when I lost everything that mattered to me! You think I’ll let the pony that played a part in my family’s death walk the earth freely?! Never! She’ll pay! And so will you, you disgusting, selfish vermin! Burn! Squeal! Cry! Take the delicious pain!””

“Ngh...dammit...the heat...I’m...roasting alive…” I tried to break free, but the overwhelming pain was too much. I felt my breath leave my body. I felt my skin flake from the sheer amount of pressurized heat applied to me. I could do nothing at this point. I couldn’t move, and I didn’t even know if anyone else had been watching. “...help…”

The haughty nirik cackled at my expense. At this moment, I was sure I was going to die.

That is, until I heard a powerful, rage-induced scream.

“YYYYYAAAAAH!”

BLAM!

Out of nowhere, Corkscrew flew in and struck the nirik with a powerful kick that was enhanced with a gust of spiraling wind that forced her off of me and into another wall nearby. “That’s for Pale and the innocent hotelgoers ya cow!” the pegasus shouted, and turned to offer me a hoof. “Boss! I knew I should’ve come with you. Don’t worry. Flash Drive is back at the agency watching over Suri. But you always protected me back at the Officer’s Academy. So now it’s my turn.”

I weakly stood up, and coughed. “Ugh...well, no need for that. She’s innocent. This mare on the other hoof...it’s a long story…” I felt my sense of breath return slowly. But from the corner of my eye, I saw her prepare another attack. “...Cork...move!”

He blinked, and noticed the mare fire off the blast of flames. I was too weak to dodge it. “Never!” The pegasus stood on his hind legs, hooves and wings outstretched in a defensive stance. “I won’t let you get--!”

In the next moment, he was cut off. The nirik had sent a massive flame ball towards us both, but Corkscrew took the hit for me. The fire lit him ablaze like a burning tree! No!

“AAGH AAAHHH GAAAAAH! IS THAT ALL YOU GOT...AAAAAGAGHHHH!!!” His screams...they were bloody and full of pure terror. I couldn’t imagine what those flames were doing to his body in that moment. He tried to walk towards her, "COME ON! I'M...NOT DEAD YET! YOU CALL THIS HOT?! MMF...ARGH...COME AT ME! QUIT RUNNING AWAY!" but he collapsed to the ground with his body unable to bear the pressure of the flames.

I went into overdrive. “CORK!” I had to think fast. The cloudwalk spell allowed me to use a but of them, so I ripped off a bit of a nearby rain cloud and started to smother Corkscrew’s body with it to consume and get rid of those flames. “Don’t worry! I-I got you...just stay calm...keep it together! You’re gonna be okay!” I couldn’t remember the last time I felt this much anxiety. My best friend was close to being burned to death!

“Aw, how sad,” the bothersome nirik trotted near us, “He got to experience that amazing pain of being set on fire and having your intestines boiled alive. But maybe now you’ll understand the pain I went through, you coward!”

Her words did not register with me. I felt tears well up within my eyes. My voice broke. My heart sank. I just wanted the pegasus to be okay. “C-Cork...speak to me…”

He was covered in burns and ash. I put an ear to his body. His heart was still beating. But just barely. I wasn’t even sure if he would survive. All I could hear him say were five simple words. “It was...worth it...buddy….”

“No...no...no! Listen here, young man! You won’t die on me here! Not now! Your mother would be furious! Come on!” I held him in my hooves. He needed medical attention and he needed it fast. “I NEED A DOCTOR!” I screamed as loud as I could.

“I got him!” Lightning Dust swooped in, and put him on her back. “This time….I’m gonna help save a life. The Las Pegasus hospital is top tier, Pale. He’ll live. I swear on my flank.”

Concerned sobs had leaked out of my eyes for the entire time. I rubbed them, and smiled at the turquoise mare. “...Thank you…”

She glared at the nirik, “You’re gonna pay for what you’ve done…”

“Hah!” Freeze Flame laughed it off, “As if I’m gonna be lectured by some horse who nearly killed a disabled child! How’s it feel to be a laughing stock among fliers, huh Lightning Crust? You're no better than me.”

“Oh I’m gonna…” she shook her head. “No...there’s no time for this.”

I stood up, and walked in front of her. “Go. Get that stallion safe. I’ll handle this mare for all of us.”

Lightning wasted no time, and flew into the air with the charred Corkscrew on her back. I could only hope that he would be safe.

Meanwhile, the nirik trotted around me in a circle. Much closer than before. “Aww...now do you see how it feels? To lose something you care about? How does it feel, huh? HUH?! HOW DOES IT FEEL?! NOW DO YOU GET IT?!”

I hid my face beneath my hat once I got it back. My emotions were immeasurable in that moment. What was this feeling? Anger, desire to kill, the yearn for...revenge. At that point, I felt my body quake. My legs were like gelatin. My blood pumped through my veins at an untraceable rate. But I felt weak, as if I could pass out yet again. Was it due to the smoke and sparks that I inhaled?

“You…”

“Oh? Wanna kill me now?” the nirik mare taunted me with her disgusting smile. A thick cloud of smoke filled the air and cut off my vision. She was trying to snuff me out.

My eyelids grew heavy. I couldn’t even tell if I was fully conscious anymore. But I heard a voice in the back of my head. A familiar broken stallion’s voice…

“Be the king of your own throne.”

Subject 56: Can't Suffocate My Spirit

I lost all forms of consciousness for a moment. I felt like I was back in someplace familiar. Wait, that voice. I knew just who it was.

“Sombra? Hey! What’s going on?! Are you in my head again? What’s with the cryptic message?!” I looked around. I saw nothing, felt nothing, heard nothing. Just what happened to me?

“...You were lucky…” the voice said again. From faded darkness, the gray unicorn with the red scarf appeared once more. “From the limbo realm, this is the only method I have to speak.”

Wait a second, he had somehow invaded my mind again? I thought the effects of the Umbral Shard wore off a long time ago! “Just what’s happening, Sombra? Why are you here?”

The stallion looked at me. “...This is...all I have left before I finally pass on. I foresaw complications just such as these. Are you capable of reigning in your personal feelings in order to be honest?”

I looked down, unable to face him properly. “I...I don’t know. Corkscrew could be dead. I know her family died in the battle but...that doesn’t give her the right to force her will upon someone completely innocent...it makes her no better than those she wants to rally against.”

“And what about you? Can you truly bring yourself to kill her if necessary?”

My eyes drifted left, then right. “I’d like to avoid it if possible but…”

Sombra sat down, and exhaled. “There are times when a king must make difficult decisions for the better of his subjects. I failed to do any of the sort, because I thought only of myself. In the end...I was no king. I was a piece of filth who brought pain and suffering to all…”

I understood what he was saying. In life, there were no absolutes. Morals, desires, conflict, ideologies. It was all based on those who opposed each other. Not a law written in some book or on a scroll. But in this instance...I was unsure. “I...I’m not a king. How can I be so sure?”

“It is not merely our actions that define who we are,” the former king replied, “if you are certain within yourself, then that is all that matters. It is as I said: Be the king of your own throne. I just wanted you to be aware of what I told you regarding your ideals.”

I felt distraught. I knew damn well that my persistence had pushed me this far, and Sombra was telling me just how destructive the situation had become. Now I had enemies all over the place and my best friend was burned half to death. If he died trying to save me, I would never forgive myself. “I know...you told me not to go too far...you’re right. I should’ve back down when I had the chance...now everything is…”

But what he said next quite frankly surprised me. “I said to be moderate in your passions. Not to abandon your ideas. Hold your head high, young stallion. Look at me.”

With no response, I raised my head up, and focused directly on Sombra with unease in my heart. His eyes were cold, unwavering, yet the neutral facial expression on his lips was determined to motivate me.

“Whether or not I, your friends, or the country approve of your actions is only a small part of a larger whole,” he pointed a hoof at me, “that whole, dear Pale, is you. Only you can make things right. Live for what you believe in, above all else. Unlock your hidden potential, and use it for what you desire.”

He was right. I couldn’t stand idle worrying about what others thought. Just like Adagio said. But at the same time, I knew the decisions I would have to make wouldn’t be easy. Chiefly among of them was the nirik mare who fought me to a standstill and charred Corkscrew. Someone who abuses their power in such ways cannot be allowed to roam freely. Cozy was a child when she committed her atrocities, and was completely unaware of what she was capable of alongside the other villains.

But this? This mare knew exactly what she was doing. Her family would be absolutely ashamed of her actions as a kirin. Above all else, I couldn’t let her do whatever she wanted. This world was a place filled with peaceful, loving creatures. But also corruption and unjust suffering. One could not live without the other.

And so, I would come to terms with my doubts. Whether they were right or wrong were no longer relevant. All that mattered was following my brain and my heart in this moment. The laws don’t dictate what should and shouldn’t be done. The ponies that make those laws dictate what should and shouldn’t be done.

That’s the whole reason I founded this agency in the first place. It didn’t have a name, though. I knew what it was for. It didn’t need a label. Also, our enemies would likely find out who we were much easily if we had a proper moniker. But that was besides the point.

With newfound resolve, I looked at Sombra. “Alright...I’m ready to go back. Wait, how long has it been?” I questioned with a raise of my hoof.

“Not long. You will wake up in a few moments…this entire vision I conjured up only lasts for about two minutes in real life time.” He shut his eyes, “Farewell, Mr. Vestige. I do hope that if we meet again...it will be on much better terms.”

Huh. That was awfully convenient. But magic had strange ways of operating in this world. Just like that, Sombra had disappeared from my mind. Was he actually there? Was it an illusion? Was I just crazy? I didn’t know. All I could do was put faith in the fact that he could pass on to be with Radiant Hope in the afterlife.

My consciousness returned within a few moments. I blinked, and felt my eyes open. Everything was as it had been. As it turned out, she had created a thick cloud of smoke that caused me to nearly suffocate.

But not anymore. I was ready to do whatever necessary to put an end to this foolish mare and her antics.

“What? You mean that didn’t knock you out?” she asked with a frustrated scowl, “Gah! What am I going to do with you? Why can’t you just stay down like a good boy and let me have my fun?!”

I rubbed my eyes and stood up. I felt my blood boil with newfound determination. I wasn’t going to fall so easily. Not here, not now. “Fun? You shame yourself and your entire family. You’re a disgrace to the kirin race. Your parents and sisters died in that battle with honor because they chose to. Nopony forced them to do so. But you…” I stepped towards her. My eyes were like daggers as they attempted to cut through her with frozen contempt. “You’re so arrogant and self-absorbed that you wish to put words in the mouths of the dead and claim to do something on their behalf. I am almost certain that they would be happy knowing their lives went towards peace for the entire world. And you refuse to accept that while forcing yourself onto others and abusing your power to cause bodily harm towards other ponies. What do you have to say for yourself?”

The reason why I didn’t immediately come out swinging is because I wanted to talk some sense into her. This would be my final attempt to resolve this conflict in a diplomatic fashion. If not, then all bets would be off. She would have to go.

The nirik snarled at me. “How dare you?! Praising their deaths as if it is something good?! Something necessary?!” She grew furious, her flames burned at what I could only assume to be maximum capacity with flares that reached the sky. “No more words. One of us lives, one of us dies.”

While I didn’t desire it, that is exactly what I was prepared to hear. Someone like this simply can’t be allowed to roam freely if she is going to misuse her abilities for the sake of doing harm to others. So this was the final stand I would make.

I knew how good she was at fighting from afar, so I made expressly sure to close that gap between us. I charged at the nirik mare, but before I could make a move, I was stopped in my tracks.

With a savage growl, she erected a dome of fire in front of her that expanded and tried to push me away. I knew it. This was an attempt to create distance between us once more. But I had to be stalwart.

This would be difficult. But I was ready. My hooves stretched out in front of me so that I could hold the dome off. It burned like hell, but I felt nothing. My sense of pain had taken a backseat in that moment. Why? So that I could focus. I still took damage from the attacks, but I redirected my natural earth pony durability towards my brain so that I could remain focused from this point on. Unflinching even when faced with the most painful burns. Though I did notice my skin flay and peel somewhat.

Heh. I suppose you could say that this is one of those bits of hidden potential Sombra mentioned. But I used it for what I believed in.

She was shocked that her spell didn’t work immediately like she thought it would have. I could tell because of the slight amount of desperation in those solid white nirik eyes. She ground her teeth together, and focused harder. Her horn lit up even more and the dome was slowly transformed into a flaming wall that would try and force me backwards.

Well, I had an ace up my sleeve.

My hooves were already burned to a crisp, but by routing most of my durability to my brain, my process of thought became much clearer. I could not only sense the nirik’s magical aura, but I could see it clear as day, even through the barrier she created. I took a deep breath, and put all my strength into my hooves. “REEAGH!”

I broke through the wall of flames and punched the nirik with a viscous uppercut to her chin which sent her flying upwards.

“GAH!” she yelped and fired off several fireballs from the air. They moved fast, and I wasn't able to dodge them all. But luckily none of them struck my face. My tail and flank were struck but I could deal with the aftermath of that later.

An important thing to note was that nirik abilities, like any active magic, don’t last forever. One does get tired eventually. I knew that Freeze Flame had to be conservative with the rest of the usage of her abilities from this point.

Too bad I wouldn’t let her have the chance of using any more

She glared at me with her hooves pointed downwards. The mare fell towards me with intent to perform a dive bomb attack, but I didn’t move.

From behind my back, I readied my gun. As soon as she got close, I swerved and fired off a blast of air from it which knocked her away from me and towards the edge of the cloud city we stood on.

WHOOSH!

In hindsight, that wasn’t the smartest idea. The gale force created by the compressed air blast from my gun, combined with her flames resulted in a backdraft that blew up in my face. “SHIT!” Thankfully, the flames didn’t consume my entire body like they did with Corkscrew. As a pegasus, he was naturally more frail, but since I was an earth pony, I could at least somewhat walk away from the fiery explosion with injuries that weren’t fatal.

“Ack! Ugh…” I coughed as I emerged from the smoke. Burns all over my body and parts of my flesh consumed by the flames. I’d be in loads of pain later, but for the moment, I needed to focus. I dashed over to the nirik who had transformed back into a kirin.

She was at the very edge of the cloud city. Due to being hundreds of feet in the air, a drop from Las Pegasus was guaranteed to be fatal. Thankfully, most ponies were smart enough to stay near each other where they could be seen by pegasus rescue teams if they did fall.

But this kirin isn’t going to get that luxury.

I grabbed her neck with my hoof and held her near the edge. “This...is the final straw. Cease your actions...and you can still have a chance to live…”

The kirin chuckled breathlessly. She too was tired from exertion of her abilities. “Heh...no way...I can’t go back at this point. You’ll turn me in, and I’ll have to expose everything about Svengallop. And that’s...not gonna happen.”

Her horn lit up once more, and I prepared myself. Unfortunately, I didn’t expect what came next.

“HRK!” A jagged piece of wood impaled my torso. It must have been from the buildings that our battle caused unintentional damage to. “GHH!” I grit my teeth. Her sharp, dragon-like fangs had sunk into my hoof in a final attempt to spite me.

My patience had run out. I would no longer withstand someone so insufferable and allow them to live. Her parents and clan would be ashamed of her actions and would disown her for allying herself with such a sick-minded stallion. If she had the capacity to burn my best friend alive, then who knows what else she had done in the past?

Call it excuses, call it justification. I don’t care. She would leave this world here and now.

“DIE!” I screamed at the top of my lungs as I delivered one final punch to the kirin’s face, which knocked some of her teeth out. I watched with cold eyes as she fell off the cloud city.

She stayed completely silent. Because of that, the rescue crews didn’t even notice her drop from this side of the city. It was a long, fast drop that I watched her take the whole way down until...

SPLAT!

I winced at what I saw. That mare was loyal to the very end, even in her death.

“Shit...shit…piece of shit...” To make matters worse, the pain from all the attacks I had endured began to set in. I felt delirious. My heart rate slowed down. My body was uneasy. I was going to take a fall next unless--

I was saved. “I gotcha buddy…” A familiar brown earth pony mare came to my rescue, and pulled me away from the edge. “You ain’t dyin’ here.” She loaded me onto her back and walked back towards the city.

I could barely mutter her name. “B...ba...babs…?” My eyelids felt heavy. As soon as I was turned around, I could have sworn I saw almost all of the hotelgoers that had formed a crowd. As they tried to watch the aftermath.

Flim and Flam did their best to make a path for us and usher everyone out of the way.

Babs carried me through, and I knew for sure that I heard and saw cameras flashing as well as members of the crowd yelling about what they had just witnessed the kirin do.

After that...I blacked out. Hopefully things would make sense once I woke up.

Subject 57: What's Hidden Can Hurt

I don’t know how long I was out of it, but I knew it must have been severe. One of the perks of being an earth pony allowed me to quite literally muscle through pain and suffering. The only problem is that it came back to bite me in the ass later. But everything came back to me. Svengallop, a mob that he apparently had control over, and a kirin that would rather end her own life than give up any information about him.

And to top it all off, the Flim-Flam brothers were actually doing honest work now. You couldn’t make this crap up, people.

I had a lot to think about. But luckily, I was able to recover thanks to the hospital within Las Pegasus. God, another one? My medical bills would be through the roof. Luckily, this job has the added perk of paying well enough.

My eyes slowly flickered and fluttered open. They felt heavy. As if I had consumed an entire bottle of Applejack Daniels or something. I found myself in quite the soft hospital bed surrounded by loads of medical equipment. As usual, my vest and hat were placed on a coat rack next to me. Barely any burns on them. Hm.

“Ugh...ow…” I had bandages wrapped around my midsection where I was stabbed. I also felt loads of oils and compresses that seeped into my skins to treat the burns. Thank goodness they took time to treat me properly. “Wait…”

Then I came to realize something. Where was Corkscrew?!

“Cork?!” I looked around and saw the privacy screen next to me get pushed aside to reveal a patient in a bed next to me.

He let out a groan of pain. “Right here...boss...aggghhh…” I was utterly relieved to see he had survived. But his condition was worse for wear. The young stallion was covered from head to hoof in bandages. Only his mouth and eyes were exposed. “Heh...told you it was the greatest plan.”

My heart nearly jumped out of my chest. I would’ve reached over and hugged the guy, but my injuries prevented me from doing so. “Holy shit...you’re alive. But what you did was careless, foolish, and most of all...downright amazing. I respect your bravery. But please don’t ever do that again. And...thank you.”

“Understood boss,” he replied with a slow nod. That youngster had guts, but I didn’t want him to start spilling them needlessly. The look in his eyes hid the fact that he was disappointed in himself. He put on a brave face and responded with that innocent, yet broken smile of his. “No matter what, I’ll always be able to depend on you, Pale. Don’t forget that. Or me.”

I nearly teared up. Cork may have been foolish, but his heart and mind were both in the right place. I couldn’t fault him for being himself. “Heh...with how much you shout and care for me, I couldn’t forget you if I tried. Hehehe...oooh…” I tried to laugh, but felt strain in my lower body, so I lied back down.

I heard the same from Corkscrew. Laughter followed by a small groan.

A nurse pony entered the room to reprimand us. “Try not to do so much movement, sirs. You’re both in loads of pain, but you’ll be able to leave by tomorrow.”

Wait. Tomorrow. Was this still the same day? I didn’t intend to miss the trial that was being held against Neighsay. “Wait. How long have we been here, ma’am?”

She looked at me, and responded, “Only a few hours, dear. It’s about 9PM. And you have some visitors. Try and get some rest after you speak to them, okay?” she said before she took her leave.

Okay, so I hadn’t missed the trial against Neighsay. Good. I intended to be there tomorrow afternoon. But I wondered just who could have come to visit us at this hour of all times?

To my surprise, Lightning Dust appeared through the door first. “Hi, um...I just wanted to see if you guys were okay.”

I chuckled, “I’ve been through far worse.”

“Yeah,” Cork replied, “Nothing I can’t handle.”

She trotted over to the orange pegasus. “That’s good. But uh, I’d like it if you could show me that move you did?”

He tilted his head. “What move?”

“The thing you did where you swooped in and dropkicked the nirik off of your friend. It’d be sick if you could teach me that.”

“Oh that? I don’t have a name for it but--wait a sec,” he paused for a moment, and pointed weakly at her wing and hoof that had tracking devices placed on them. “Aren’t you still under arrest?”

Lightning shied away, and rubbed her hoof against the floor with a frown. “Yeah...but aren’t you an officer? Can’t you just say you’re watching over me or something?”

I chimed in. “Well now. I see you haven’t given up your desire to fly greatly, have you?”

She shook her head. “Of course not. I still wanna be a great flier despite what I did all those years ago to Dash and Scoots. And I know I’m getting older, but I’m still more than capable of flying,” she said with a proud flex of her wings. “Besides, I think I can offer Equestria something that Dash can’t.”

Cork spoke up. “And what’s that?”

Her wings retracted. “Well...she’s an Element of Harmony and such. She was always going to be faster, stronger, and better than me in every way. I realize now that that’s why I tried so hard to outdo her and show off for Scoots. I was jealous that she was some lucky chosen one and I was a nobody…”

“And yet…?” I asked with a bit of curiosity in my voice.

“Despite that, I wanna be the best version of myself. So I’m looking into flying again once my sentencing is over. Though I’ll be honest, it hasn’t been that bad.” She looked at Cork once more. “So I’d appreciate it if you could show me that move you did along with any others you might have--oh, once you heal from your injuries of course.”

I shrugged. I suppose it wasn’t a bad idea. But it was largely up to him if he wanted to go through with such a thing.

After a moment of thinking, Cork nodded. “Alright. I’ll let you know when we can begin. So long as you don’t quit halfway through.”

“Wouldn’t dream of it,” she responded with a proud, relieved sort of smile, “thanks--Mister uhh…?”

“Cathartic Corkscrew,” he answered, “But just Corkscrew is fine. That’s what everyone calls me.”

“Corkscrew...alright then. Thanks again. I hope you guys get better soon.” The pegasus mare trotted towards the door, “See ya.”

We both waved as she left.

“Not bad,” I shot a rare smirk at the stallion.

“Huh?”

I couldn’t help but giggle a bit. “Once again, you came to Las Pegasus only to wake up and speak with a mare you barely know.”

He scowled, which only made me laugh harder. “Real funny, old-timer! Real funny!”

“Yes, yes it is. And I’m only 10 years your senior, far from old, dear friend.”

I cherished moments such as these. But not having Quick Draw retort with a snappy comment felt off. I sincerely hoped that her therapy sessions went well these past few days so that she could find herself again. She was a great friend before the fangs of manipulation dug their way into her neck.

But before I could finish that thought, the door to the room we rested in flew open again. This time, the yellow unicorn twins would be our visitors.

I looked up at them both. “Brothers? What’s going on?”

Corkscrew fell silent so he could listen in.

“Well, suffice to say,” Flam explained, “We have good news and bad news.”

Flim nodded. “Let’s start with the bad first. Unfortunately, Svengallop got away. There was no evidence of his retreat either. And...we confirmed that the body of that kirin mare was found dead on the ground below the city.” He closed his eyes and shuddered out of fear and disgust. “Brrr...gives me goosebumps just thinking about it. Sorry...this never gets any easier for me.”

I noted the tension in his eyes as he looked at the floor. Could it be possible that the two brothers had been through a sheer plethora of scenarios that I simply was not privy to? I couldn’t imagine…

Flam comforted his twin by putting a hoof around his shoulder. “It’s alright, brother. Anyhow. That’s all of the bad news. Onto the good news. The good news is that we’ve successfully captured a few of the members of Svengallop’s little group. And...one other thing. We reported to Sweetie Drops about the situation, and she looked into it.”

That certainly caught my attention. “What did you find out?”

“Well…” Flam let go of his brother, and opened up a file with his magic. “These are...the death certificates as well as official wills signed by her parents. They did indeed lose their lives in the final battle against...you know.”

“Excuse me,” Flim choked up, and stepped out of the room. “I...I just need a moment.”

Flam let out a sigh. “This always happens when we look through old files. I can’t blame him. But now isn’t the time for emotional slippage.”

“I see…so there’s proof that her immediate family Is dead then, huh?” I felt my mind drop. I didn’t know whether to feel guilty or relieved in that moment. “Damn…”

“The cause of death is rather unfortunate as well. Apparently, they were leading the kirin’s charge against those villains,” Flam explained as I read the document. His words lined up exactly with what I could see for myself. He continued. “Rain Shine and all of the kirin were surrounded by Tartarus monsters summoned by Tirek. They became niriks in order to fight them off, but they could only hold out for so long. Autumn Blaze wanted to stay and fight, but Freeze Flame’s mother, Winter Flame, held them off just long enough for the rest of the kirin to escape. Freeze Flame’s older sisters were also there.”

I felt an extreme weight on my body when I got to the last line of the certificate. I froze. I didn’t know what to say, so I allowed the yellow unicorn to speak it.

But even he was saddened by it, given the nervous way he rubbed his hoof behind his head. “They...weren’t killed. They fought the monsters off for as long as possible within their nirik forms until they died out. Both figuratively, and literally.”

“I...I didn’t…” My lip quivered, so I bit down to keep myself from losing my emotions. “I didn’t...know that that was possible.”

“Nopony else did either,” Flam said with a sigh, “My brother and I took part in that battle. We were actually the ones to find their bodies. From then on, we decided to be a part of the solution and fight for what was right--so others wouldn’t have to die for us.”

Wow. I couldn’t believe what I heard. These brothers really wanted to keep each other a live, so getting back into SMILE was the best option. I respected the heck out of it. “I see…” But there was something that still confused me. “But she said that they were killed in the battle, didn’t she?”

“...The autopsy report was changed,” he broke eye contact and looked out of the window, “If everypony knew that kirins/niriks could fight forever until they died, that would make the average citizen scared of their power.”

“...and you let this happen?”

Flam turned to face me with a strained expression in his eyes. “I didn’t agree with it. But Celestia didn’t want them to be seen as forceful. Stating that they gave their lives in battle is more noble than revealing the true extent of their power. I didn’t think it was right, but there was nothing I could do to stop it.”

I looked down. As much as it hurt, it made sense to alter the report. Ponies were nowhere near as accepting back then as they were now. But maybe… “Understood.”

Flam nodded. “After we explained the situation, Madam Drops offered us a job. To go down to the Peaks of Peril and assess just how Freeze Flame grew up without her parents as well as the issue regarding their dwindling numbers.”

I could already see where this was headed. “You guys are too busy trying to clean things up here, and you’d rather me go down there instead?”

“Heh, saw right through me did you?” Flam replied with a nervous grin, “Yes, it’s true. Flim and I are going to be rather backed up as we interrogate the members of Svengallop’s gang. If you would be so kind as to investigate the state of affairs with the kirin, we’d appreciate it.”

Hm. I didn’t have a choice. As much as I didn’t like it, I somewhat felt obligated to find out more after what Freeze Flame had told me. I couldn’t simply leave it on the table and not find out more. Plus, maybe I could help them come out to the public so they wouldn’t be demonized for being so strong. Whether they would be accepted was something else, though. “Alright. But not tomorrow. I need to attend the trial against Neighsay and find out more about what his little schemes entail.”

The mustached unicorn nodded with full understanding. “No rush, sir. I’m sure you’re in pain after that battle. Get to it whenever you can. I’ll inform Drops of your….assistance in the matter at hoof.”

“Anything else?”

“That is all,” Flam said as he walked towards the door, and opened it with his magic. “I’ll keep in contact with you in case anything develops. See you later, Pale.”

From outside, I heard Flim sniffle. “Ahem...goodbye, good sir. We have work to do,” he looked back at me one last time before he left with his brother.

Unbelievable.

“Wow...that was a lot to take in,” Cork commented, “Are you gonna be alright, boss?”

I flopped back into the hospital bed. “I will be. We’ve got a long day ahead of us tomorrow...now get some rest. We’ll need it.”

Understatement of the year. Given all those cameras, I had no idea what sort of twist the press would put on this story.

Hopefully they caught my good side in those shots, though.

Subject 58: Slow Redemption

And so the next morning came. I was able to walk out of the hospital with some bandaging around my midsection and some on my left ear as well. Corkscrew left with some of his natural orange coat in a mess, but his burns were still healing. For better or worse, we didn’t stop. No matter how difficult the job became, we stayed on our path until the end.

Though, before I left the city, I was approached by my childhood schoolmate yet again.

“Yo, Pales. Don’tcha start thinkin’ I’mma letcha walk outta here without some backup,” Babs retorted as she walked up next to us. “Ya gots too much to live for.”

Wow. She didn’t call me by my insipid childhood nickname for once. I appreciated that. Oh and the fact that she looked out for me. That was good too. “Thanks. But I’m a professional. This line of work is not to play with, Ms. Seed,” I responded while I trotted into the hot air balloon with Cork.

“Pff.” Babs followed us, and gave me a gentle nudge. “Wanna know somethin’?”

I tilted my head. “What?”

“Grass grows, birds fly, sun shines. And brudda? I’ll hurt somepony if I have to. I’mma force’a nature!” she proclaimed with her hoof raised, “Don’t count me outta nuttin’!”

The balloon was taken down slowly when Cork reduced the amount of hot air that went into it. “Yeah, we wouldn’t want to leave you out, now would we?” he said with a roll of his eyes and a soft chuckle.

I shrugged. “Guess it can’t hurt to have an escort. But aren’t you here with family?”

Babs shook her head. “Nah. I was here with ‘Bloom and we’s gonna have a sleepova at her place. I’m just headin’ back first.”

Applebloom. That’s right. I spoke to the young mare a few days ago along with her other Crusader friends. I recalled that they wanted to speak to Cozy Glow. But she was so focused on making sure the Running of the Leaves went well yesterday, that I couldn’t stand idle. “Ah, makes sense. As long as you’re sure,” I replied with a smile.

It was a nice trip down. Once we got off the hot air balloon, we were able to load onto the train down below. I took one final look up at the cloud city. I had faith that those Brothers knew what they were doing. After all, it had been two decades and they seemed very experienced. That aside, I hoped that they had good methods for when it came to dealing with mobster interrogation. And Svengallop...just what was that bastard doing?

The train ride back was a rather calm one. Cork and I tried to relax and rest our injuries off. Babs meanwhile, kept a lookout for our safety. She went a little overboard, though. She shushed and told other passengers to stay quiet so we could rest. It worked, but I couldn’t help but feel somewhat guilty. I wasn’t used to this.

After the train ride, we were finally back in Ponyville. Babs was the first to initiate conversation.

“Alrighty, ya’ll. I’mma head to the farm and see muh cousin. Will yous be okay from here?”

I looked at Corkscrew, and nodded once. “Yeah...we’ll be fine. Thanks for coming this far with us, Babs.”

“No problem,” she said with a wave as she left, “See ya!”

Corkscrew nearly keeled over. “Agh...I need to lie down.”

“Absolutely. You go on ahead. I need to get ready.”

“Ach...for what, boss?”

“The trial against Neighsay. Or have you forgotten?”

He reeled his head back from disgust. “Gah! For real? Haven’t we been through enough?”

I chuckled and rubbed a hoof against his mane. “No need to worry about me. I’m simply going to attend the event. No monsters, no fighting. And hopefully no complications or anything major happening.”

He flicked his hoof to swat mine away. “Alright, Pale. I hope you’re right. I just need to...keep myself steady.”

“And no more senseless sacrifices. You’ve done more than enough already and you’re far too young to lose your life.”

“Yeah, yeah. Probably coulda planned that better. But I’ll work on it. Thanks, boss.”

I waved as I watched him leave. Once he was gone towards his house, I felt a frown creep up onto my face. My ears drooped, and I let out a depressed exhale. “Huh…” I slowly trotted back to my home. In truth, I was horrified with how disgusting this world could truly be. Nopony tended to look past the books that they were instructed to read. Never did they veer off and try to read the books that they weren’t told to read. Why? They simply never considered it necessary.

Now, I was no stranger to this. I had witnessed exploitation, execution, gaslighting, organized crime, and pillaging for years.

But this? This was something on a completely different level.

I had been knocked down before, but I couldn’t shake this feeling I had in my heart. I wasn’t sure if it was extreme guilt or sympathy, but I knew that the emotion wasn’t positive. Freeze Flame’s parents really did die in that battle, but of their own free will. And yet, the Brothers knew that the truth behind their deaths had been covered up to prevent any uproar or misunderstandings due to how strong the kirins were.

I closed the door behind myself, and went to the kitchen. There was still a few hours before the trial for Neighsay was set to begin this afternoon, so I had to prepare myself. I made myself some tea, and sat down on the couch. I stared at the warm fumes that left the cup as I continued to think.

As Flam said himself, he didn’t agree with Celestia’s decision to hide the truth behind the deaths of those kirin. I didn’t entirely agree with it either, but I understood why. Just like with Sombra, it would’ve resulted in misunderstandings among the masses, so they kept it hidden. It still didn’t sit right with me, though. The idea that someone had enough power to rewrite and alter history the way they saw fit in order to control the thoughts of those beneath them. It was a noble act on paper, but when you really stopped to consider the implications behind it, it became upsetting.

Beyond that, I was upset with myself as well. The kirin had died. And for what? All for some vain attempt at avenging her family? Then why did I feel bad? Well, simply put--I felt like I didn’t do enough. I felt as if I could have saved her. Maybe I didn’t need to kill her. I thought this way due to the fact that I sensed that there was a part of her that may have listened, but ultimately, she was so trapped within her own mind that she refused to listen to anything I said.

And yet, I knew there was no point dwelling on it for long. Why would I? I still needed to focus on the upcoming trial for Neighsay later on today.

And maybe, just maybe I can ensure that Freeze Flame’s death wasn’t a total waste. Visiting the kirins would be my next objective. I may also bring Cozy with me, so she could understand what they were going through. At the same time, I could possibly uncover hidden secrets about them just like I did with the batponies. Though this would be inherently more risky since kirin could become niriks and turn hostile extremely quickly not unlike Freeze Flame did. The batponies were much more docile on the other hoof, so it was easier to deal with them. But I was ready to take that risk for the sake of uncovering the truth.

Thump-thump-thump.

In between sips of my tea, I heard a knock at my door. I guess I could spare a moment or two. The trial wasn’t until 4PM anyways.

I opened the door to find a familiar orange earth pony with a hat and a scarf around her neck that used to belong to her granny. “Oh? Applejack? To what do I owe the pleasure?”

“Well, Ah was just overhearin’ Babs and Applebloom talkin’ ‘bout the Flim-Flam Brothers,” she explained with a raise of her eyebrow, “Know anything ‘bout that?”

I cleared my throat. “Oh? Well, wait a moment? What made you come to me?”

From behind her, she pulled out a newspaper. “I figured ya’ll’d know somethin’ ‘bout this,” she said as she offered it to me.

I accepted the newspaper, and looked at the headline.

‘Heroic Agents Thwart Destructive Kirin! Friends Or Foes???’

The main headline picture was a photo of me being carried by Babs Seed as she took me away from the scene. Flim and Flam could be seen holding back the crowd in the background.

Applejack spoke to me as I read the paper, “So not only are them Flim-Flam Brothers actually stallions in black or whatever--but muh cousin Babs was involved too?” She leaned forward with her eyes narrowed, “Explain yerself, mister.”

I read some of the article. How annoying. It was another glorification piece that inaccurately represented the events in order to prop us up on a pedestal. I hated it. Talk of how amazing and glamorous our actions were and how all ponies should seek to emulate it. Yes, everypony should seek to be strong and capable, I wasn’t going to deny that. I'd honestly rather be shamed so the public could look into my exploits for themselves.

Because at the end of the day, being an officer was nothing more than being an organized hitman.

“I’ll tell you what I can,” I looked up at the farmer pony. I went over everything that I could tell her within reason. The fact that Flim and Flam were actually undercover and assisted me in a case I was working on, and that Babs only came in afterwards to help me out. Nothing more. “...that’s all I can speak of. Everything else is confidential.”

Her expression of suspicion slowly melted away and became one of concern. “Oh...Ah think Ah see now. Thanks. Ah was just curious about what went on yesterday. But Ah can’t believe Flim and Flam are actually bein’ legitimate officer ponies and such.”

“Well, it’s been about hmm...twenty years since the battle Twilight’s coronation. Ponies change. They get older. Some get wiser, some get more hateful. To me, they’ve genuinely turned over a new leaf it seems.”

“Riiiiight…” Understandably, Applejack didn’t quite believe me. Which was fair. She didn’t know me so my word wasn’t very trustworthy to her on its own. Even if I did do lots of work to make the world better, it wasn’t good to put faith in someone so quickly, so I respected her for that. “Guess Ah’ll check on ‘em mahself. Sorry to bother ya, officer. Oh but one more thang. I saw Cozy on mah way here. Ya might wanna go see her before ya head out fer Neighsay’s trial.”

Oh yes. I guess she was also made aware of it too. Makes sense, given that she was one of the Elements. I tipped my hat. “Got it. Thank you very much, Ms. Jack.”

“Just Applejack’s fine, thanks,” she responded with a hat tip of her own before she left my porch.

With a bit of time to spare, I left my house once I finished my tea.

I decided to go see Cozy Glow, and inquire just what she needed help with. I knocked on the door of her home, and as soon as she opened it, I was met with a tight hug.

“...Oh thank Luna you’re okay!” It was a rather swift embrace, as she quickly let go. “I read the paper and everything. Are you alright?”

I looked down at the bandages that my vest concealed. “Heh...perks of the job, kid. Did everyone enjoy the Running of the Leaves.”

“Oh...yeah they did. Everypony was so excited for it and the hospital received a bunch of donations. I never thought I could...make a difference that way. Even Nurse Redheart was impressed.”

I smiled with a content grin. At least I knew something was going right in this world. “Nice job. You’re on your way towards making this better for yourself. Now, I have some business to take care of today. After that, I’ll need your help with something.”

She shuffled her hooves and nervously flapped her wings. “You...need my help?”

“Indeed. In short, I need you to go with me to the Peaks of Peril to see the kirins. I’ll fill you in on the rest later, alright?”

I could almost feel and hear the gears in her head turn. She was putting it together once she thought about the contents of that newspaper article. “...Understood,” she responded with a determined gaze, “Let me know when you’re ready, sir.”

“Good, kid. Maintain that positive attitude. I’ll see you later.” I stepped away from the porch, and waved as I left. Flash Drive would hopefully keep an eye on her.

That reminded me. I needed to let him know that Suri Polomare could be released with light surveillance. She wouldn’t be allowed to leave Ponyville, but we would give her the ability to earn a job and make money. I know. It wasn’t a perfect system. But for somepony who was willing to actually put effort into bettering themselves, I wasn’t going to ignore it.

“Oh...thanks!” she replied with a bit of surprise in her voice. “What’ll I be doing?”

Flash Drive handed her a file via his magic. “Well, we know your talents include sewing and organization. So you’ve earned the right to work with Sandbar and Yona as an intern at Carousel Boutique.” Before she grabbed it, he held it back at the last second, “This is a rare opportunity, mate. Don’t let us down, you hear?”

She grabbed the file in her hoof and sighed. “...Alrighty, kay. I think I can handle it. Thank you both for giving me this chance.”

I shook my head. “Don’t bother. This was all you. You complied well, and are showing that you are capable of remorse. So you have earned this for yourself.”

“Oh...I guess so,” she blushed with a nervous frown. I suppose she didn’t like the idea of bring praised in such a way. “Oh...come to think, where will I be staying?”

Flash spoke up. “Given that Sven’s mob could very well be after you for your involvement, we’re going to be placing you in Witness Protection. You’ll be given a home with constant overwatch and occasional visits from us. It’ll be near Cork’s home here in Ponyville, so you’ll have officers ready at any time.”

“That’s right. Any questions, Ms. Polomare?” I added.

“No. None. I’ll get started right away. Thank you both once again,” she trotted out of the building towards her new home.

“And what about you, bruv?” the black unicorn asked me, “What’ll you be doing?”

“Heading off to Canterlot for the trial. You?”

He looked outside of the window. “I’ll stay here and keep an eye on Polomare until Corkscrew recovers. Once he does, I’m heading off back to the Empire.”

“Alright,” I held out my hoof, and he grabbed it with his own in a sort of twisted hoofshake that we stallions often did. “Take care of yourself, my man.”

“You too, bruv. You too…”

Subject 59: Anarchist's Judgement

Alright. It was time. Neighsay’s trial was set to begin today. I had already gotten on the train to Canterlot. A simple, quiet train ride led me all the way up the mountain city once more. On the way there, I hoped that Celestia would appear. I had a few questions for her, mainly regarding Sunset’s family.

Thankfully, my prayers were answered.

When I got off the train, the first pony I saw was Luna as she greeted everyone that stepped off. I noticed her, and she must have been able to tell exactly who I wanted to see, because I felt her use telepathy on me.

“Sister is inside. Go.”

Well, there was my solution. I raced to the entrance of the castle where I could sense Celestia was standing. She also served as a greeter, but I could tell that she secretly wanted to get this over with as fast as possible what with the unamused expression in her eyes.

“Tia,” I said casually, “I need to speak with you.”

She looked up at a nearby clock. “I’ve got a few minutes to spare. What did you wish to discuss, Pale?”

I started walking, and she followed me off to another corner away from the small crowd that started to pour into the castle to attend the trial. “It’s about Sunset’s parents. Have you been able to find out what happened to them?”

The alicorn sighed, and sat down. “Well, how do I put this? In a nutshell, her parents left her alone at an early age to join the Canterlot military. Neighsay himself was also a part of it, in case you were wondering. They didn’t exactly abandon her, per se. They simply wanted to fight for the safety of Equestria.”

Well that made a bit of sense. Before Twilight came along, the world was rampant with monster attacks. Even after she arrived in Ponvyille, things were still a bit dangerous. It was only after she became a princess, did things sort of appear to calm down--on the surface anyways.

“I see. So they were all part of the same group...did they kick the bucket?”

Another sigh, and the tall alicorn slumped over with her hooves against her cheeks. “I…”

I put a hoof on her shoulder. My blue eyes focused with a gaze that had a mix of adamant, and fear plastered all over them. “Celestia. I am a stallion of the law. I will keep confidentiality. But please. I need to know all that I can. Come on. The time for secrecy has long passed.”

“Alright, alright,” she responded with her eyes shut. “To make a long story short, Neighsay thought of a way he could make them stronger despite the monster attacks. And it worked...somewhat. Ultimately, they went missing and their bodies were never recovered. Until...years later. They were both found dead together in the dragon lands.” Her eyes opened, strained with anger, “That file we looked at...it detailed everything. Had I known about this, I would’ve...gh...rrrgh!”

I flinched. The simple auditory frustration that came from the mare of the sun unnerved me. It was so...unlike her to get this way. But I stayed quiet. The last thing I’d want to do is set her off and burn the entire city down.

After a minute or two, she finally calmed down. She rubbed her horn, and shook her head to relieve what I could only assume to be aching pain. “...Apologies for my outburst. The...compulsive side of me was nagging again.”

I gave a dismissive eyebrow raise. “More like Daybreaker. You really need to come to terms with who you are,” I commented, “Your sister Luna did so a long time ago. You just need to start forgiving yourself before you move on.”

No response for a while. I could tell that my words registered on some level, but now wasn’t the time. Celestia rose from her spot on the floor next to me, and trotted towards the throne room. “It’s almost time to begin, detective. Let’s hope you’re more prepared to comprehend this than I.”

Hmph. I wasn’t out to prove anything to anyone. I just wanted to know the truth above all else. That’s all that mattered to me.

Let’s begin.

I took my seat, and waited silently for Twilight to begin her opening words. The trial for this session had a smaller audience than the last. Mostly pony residents compared to other races. Neighsay himself was seated in a stand that was next to Twilight’s throne with not a shred of remorse on his face. Just what was his intention?

“I’d like to apologize for how abrupt this was,” Twilight stated with a stoic expression towards the audience, “but this had to be done once I found out about it. Our own former Chancellor Neighsay has been exposed for performing experiments on ponies and hiding it away without getting approval from Celestia, Luna, or myself. Neighsay,” she turned her head to look down at the unicorn, “What do you have to say for yourself in front of the public?’

From where I was seated, I could see the unicorn sigh and shut his eyes. It took him a moment, but he finally opened his mouth to give the princess a response. “I did what I did for the sake of Equestria. Too often we have faced threats that only the Elements of Harmony or the alicorn princesses could handle. But I thought: What if everypony could be capable of fighting back against monsters and beings like Tirek and whatnot? So...I looked for volunteers. I sought out anyone who was willing to help, and they joined me of their own free will. I did not manipulate any of them.”

The crowd mumbled and murmured as usual. I myself had to think about this critically. Sombra was also panned for misunderstanding regarding the experiments he tried to conduct. After all, he tried to cure a disease and it worked, only for it to accidentally help create the batpony race. In a way, I could somewhat understand his reasoning. But the key difference between him and Sombra was that Sombra clearly acted out of the desire of his heart to do something good for all while Neighsay’s actions were selfish, and only served to fuel his own ego.

What Twilight said next only supported this thought of mine.

“Is that so?” she asked with quite the air of authority. Daggers glared right at the old unicorn. “If that truly is the case, and you were doing what you’ve been doing to help Equestria, then why did you go out of your way to conceal these acts? The fact that you’ve kept this hidden from the rulers of this land only serves to make you more suspect. So please, Neighsay, explain yourself.”

His explanation was slow and deliberate. As if he was trying to come up with the best way he can get himself out of trouble, rather than provide good reasoning. “You see...I knew none of you would approve of what I had in store, so I specifically made sure to hide my intent. That way, when I showed you the results, they would be irrefutable, and I could start mass production.”

“Production of what?” she questioned. “Just what do your experiments do to these ponies?”

“...In short, the point of it was to overclock their capabilities so that they may become stronger and be able to fight for a longer amount of time. Is that so wrong?”

Twilight levitated some files from behind her throne. “Maybe no by itself, no. But what makes it wrong is when you prey upon parents of small foals who are desperate to protect their children by any means. So while they may have joined of their own free will, you actually lured them in under the guise of being able to keep their kids safer if they listen to you.” Her horn lit up, and she magnified the documents so the members of the court could see. In a huge screen displayed in front of us, it would show the names of many different ponies. These included:

Sunset Shimmer’s parents.

Silver Spoon’s father.

Trixie Lulamoon’s mother.

A pegasus that may have had possible relation to Cadance.

And loads of other ponies who had went missing several decades ago.

This shocked the crowd. Neighsay was silent. I suppose it was hard for him to deny the validity of these claims when the evidence was made public for all to see. Twilight carried on. “Neighsay. Did you or did you not specifically target parents with the intent to exploit the concern they had for their children in order to carry out these experiments?”

“Well...I…”

Twilight teleported off of her throne, and leaned in close to the unicorn’s face with an angry snort. “Answer. The. Question.”

The old bastard shivered in his seat and leaned back. “I...may have...tried to make it a bit more approachable?”

Twilight looked down. From where I sat, I could see quite the creepy, unhinged grin make its way across her face. “Hehe...oh really?” She levitated another document with her magic, and magnified it. “Is that why...you asked my parents to join you at some point?”

The document read:

Night Light and Twilight Velvet: Declined.

Everyone in the crowd around me let out sharp gasps. Rightfully so. This was something not even I was aware of. He had even begged for Twilight’s parents? That was on a completely different level.

Neighsay choked up, and could barely get any words out for a moment. It took a lot of hard stares for him to finally come up with something. “Well...you see...how was I to know that they would eventually give birth to the eventual Princess of Friendship that would be promoted to Princess of Equestria? You...can’t fault me for that.”

“No...but I canfault you for being selfish,” Twilight said in return. “You have undermined everything that Equestria stands for with these actions of yours.” She turned to face us all. “Ponies of the jury and congregation, take a moment to consider the weight of this pony’s actions amongst yourselves. We will continue in a few minutes when we bring in a guest that has suffered directly as a result of his actions.”

I noticed Twilight look at someone. Her eyes lined up with Trixie’s as she shot her a wink. The blue unicorn also winked in return, and teleported out of the courtroom.

Just what were these two planning?

Subject 60: Anarchist's Judgement 2

I waited patiently while the crowd talked amongst themselves. I couldn’t help but wonder just who this guest was that they wanted to bring in for further evidence against him. Part of me was surprised. Not to be self-righteous, but I thought that I would have made a prime candidate to speak some words against the unicorn with the history I had.

Or maybe the individual they had planned was a better choice because of their lack of connections to him? I had no idea. However, when I considered that Trixie was alerted to make her move, I put the numbers together.

“Oh...I know who she’s going for.”

Once those few minutes had passed, Twilight called for silence. “Order!” she slammed a gavel down to catch the attention of everyone in the room. “Our guest speaker has arrived to say a few words about Neighsay and his actions.”

It was true.

Trixie herded Quick Draw into the room and down the aisle between the congregation seats. The yellow earth pony mare took a seat next to her.

“Quick Draw,” Twilight addressed her, “Please stand up and make your case to the ponies of the jury. Don’t worry, you are completely free to speak your mind here. Nothing bad will happen.”

I couldn’t believe it. Quick had quite the fearful expression on her face. Just what was done to her to get her to do all of this? Why was she afraid? I patiently waited to see what she had to say.

Her red eyes glared at the unicorn for a moment before she took a deep breath. Now relaxed, she could finally make her piece. “Alright...to be perfectly honest...my family was barely around when I was younger, so I had it hard. When I got older, they sort of stopped caring about me. So I focused on myself until I became an officer.”

This was somewhat true. Though I never knew that her parents weren’t as supportive as she claimed. That detail was news to me. But the rest was entirely accurate, so I said nothing. I needed to hear her out.

“But before Pale even took this case...N-Neighsay...made me tip him off about everything Pale Vestige and his crew were doing!” she screamed out with a pained, saddened breakage in her voice. “I’m sorry, Pale...you’re my best friend...and I never should’ve betrayed you that way.”

I looked up at her teary, emotionally destroyed face. I had never seen her in such a state before. It made me both equally sad but also furious. I wanted to do unholy, unimaginable things to that geezer of a unicorn, but I reigned in my emotions for the time being.

Twilight spoke up. “And just why did you turn on one of your detective friends?” she asked while she focused her gaze on the rightfully embarrassed Neighsay, “What--or who--made you do such a thing and why?”

Quick Draw sniffled, and dried her tears with a hoof. Her usual, stoic disposition had returned. That’s one thing I could always count on her for: The ability to remain focused. “...I did it because he made me believe that Pale was going to die if he kept down this road. I didn’t want to believe it. But his arguments were too convincing...he said that ponies such as my own parents and everyone I knew could be at risk if what he did went wrong!”

“Neighsay, is this true?” Twilight asked with a curt tone.

The unicorn cleared his throat once he gathered his thoughts. “Ahem--well...I was not lying when I said that. Pale Vestige’s actions could very well have disrupted the natural Equestrian order by opposing the law.”

Twilight continued her barrage of counterpoints. “Awfully hypocritical coming from somepony who chose to conduct experiments on citizens without express permission. Whether they were safe or not isn’t even a factor. The fact that you’re a major figurehead doing these sorts of things behind all of our backs is deplorable!” she shouted as she pointed her hooves to the congregation.

Unfortunately, Neighsay would double down. “As I said before. I had a good reason to keep it hidden. Whether or not you agree with that reason is none of my concern.”

The purple alicorn tilted her head. “Then what is your concern?”

“The results,” the geezer responded, “the methods at which we go about knowledge are secondary to the knowledge itself. You of all ponies must understand that, Princess.”

The crowd silently stared at her as they waited for her rebuttal. From my limited understanding, it was true that Twilight did go about utilizing reckless spells at one point. The Want It-Need It, which caused everypony to go nuts for an old doll, a time travel spell that was entirely unnecessary, attempts to make the Winter Wrap-Up go by faster with magic, not to mention various other spells that she had attempted but were banned from using in the pursuit of knowledge.

After a moment of silence, the purple alicorn would respond. “Yes. It’s true. I did often forgo the safety of those around me in the pursuit of knowledge. I’m not perfect, and I can admit that. Heck, to this day I still diddle around with spells and artifacts of mysterious origin in my spare time.”

The crowd responded with low mumbles of agreement. They were fully aware of Twilight’s antics from her youth.

“But the key difference is that I wised up over the years. I learned from my mistakes. Something you clearly haven’t done despite being far older than me,” she retorted with a deathly glare at the unicorn. “And after I made mistakes, I promised to always let Celestia know of what I intended to do. On the other hoof, you have refused to even get any approval for what you’ve been doing. Yes, your actions had good ideas behind them, but as the old saying goes: The road to Tartarus is paved with ‘good intentions.’ You weren’t thinking of keeping Equestria safe as a whole, you were thinking of your ego and keeping your own name in the history books.”

He scoffed, and rolled his eyes. “You don’t understand. You were privileged enough to grow up with everypony loving you. You had the Princess Celestia by your side and became an Element of Harmony!” he rose from his seat as he shouted at her, “I meanwhile, was never taken seriously by those who hated her as a colt. I meanwhile, thought of ways to improve the lives of our citizens by any means necessary. I meanwhile, fought tooth and nail just to get into the Royal Guard while your brother barely worked for it because of his natural gifted talent for magic. This world is biased towards those who have naturally gifted abilities,” he folded his hooves against his chest and raised his nose upwards with indignance. “All I’m doing is simply levelling the playing field.”

No chatter from the crowd this time. The room was dead silent. The tension in the air was so palpable, that one could very well cut it with a knife.

Finally, after a minute of eerie quiet, Twilight snarled under her breath, “Your words mean nothing.”

Neighsay tilted his head. “Excuse me?”

FLASH!

With a quick spark, Twilight teleported from her throne, and reappeared directly in front of Neighsay with a slam of her hooves on the stand he was in. “Enough. You’re full of pony dung.”

Everyone in the crowd leaned back with wide eyes. Myself included. None of us could believe that Twilight would take such an initiative against somepony. Even Neighsay himself was aghast as he leaned back in his seat with fearful eyes.

“I don’t give a damn as to what your past was like. I mean, I sympathize, don’t get me wrong. But that does not excuse abuse of your position and sending a pony to another dimension via a forbidden banishment spell from Starswirl!” I could hear her whinny in a deep tone to threaten the unicorn, steam exited her nostrils. “You should be ashamed of yourself. To not only try and hold a high position in Equestria, but to abuse it in such a way as well? You have no right to represent the EEA any longer.”

And with that, she teleported back up to her throne. I was impressed. Twilight had truly grown into her position over the years. A far cry from the passive pony she used to be.

“Ponies of the jury,” she spoke out, “the evidence is abundant, and overwhelming. What is your opinion regarding Neighsay’s actions? Should he be given another chance, or is he too far gone?”

From the jury stands, I saw Sunburst and Starlight nod at each other, followed by other members of the court that included Gallus, Flash Sentry, and Spike. They all conversed amongst each other for a moment or two. I almost didn’t even notice Shining Armor sitting there with a total death glare of contempt aimed right at Neighsay. I suppose the idea of one of his experiments being somehow related to his wife did not make him too happy.

What am I saying? He was pissed.

The crowd started to talk within themselves also. I took notes of the situation as I heard everypony’s opinions on it.

All the sudden, Trixie rose from her seat to say a few words, her coat-cape flapped in the non-existent wind. “I would like to offer my two bits on the matter. Trixie herself has endured loads of turmoil and hardship as a filly. She did grow up and cause some trouble, but she understood the error of her ways and learned friendship from Starlight.” She pointed her hoof at the pink-ish unicorn. “Starlight also found the error of her ways and improved herself. Lightning Dust, Diamond Tiara, Gilda, even the pony you utterly despise and banished to the alternate world with your magic--Pale Vestige--!”

When she pointed at me, I hid my face beneath my hat. I didn’t know whether to feel annoyed or embarrassed. Being called out in such a way was a nuisance when everyone with everyone’s stares locked onto me. But I couldn’t fault the counselor-magician for her use of myself as an example.

Trixie continued. “And so, I conclude that you have no excuse for acting the way you do as a fully grown stallion! Even the recently-released Cozy Glow is attempting to better herself as we speak!”

“But how can you be so sure?” Neighsay shot back, “She could be plotting our downfall right now!”

The blue unicorn mare scoffed. “Hmph. Given how much you’ve lied to others over the years. I’d hesitate to believe anything you say at this point,” she commented and looked up at Twilight, “Princess, I think the jury is ready to close this case.”

Twilight looked over at the jury members who nodded their heads. Neighsay himself looked nervous with drops of sweat that ran down his body.

She prepared to give her verdict. “With all the evidence that has been presented. I find Neighsay…”

Subject 61: Case Closed...For now

“...Guilty of treason, underhooved tactics, and insubordination. He will immediately be sentenced to a permanent stay in one of our dungeons. If you show good behaviour, you may be entitled to rehabilitation.”

Much to my surprise, he seemed rather content with this arrangement. Too content if you ask me. “Hmph. Fine. If that’s what you wish to do, then I have no right to object,” he responded ever so casually, “but know that your decision will come to affect you in ways that--”

Twilight was just about done with him as the rest of us in the room. “Silence!” she shouted, “Flash Sentry. Gallus. Take him to his cell.”

“On it,” the pegasus replied.

“Yes ma’am,” said the griffon.

Both of them flew into the air and grabbed a hoof of the unicorn. He was promptly carried out of the courtroom. But before he left, he turned and shot me a threatening glare.

This wasn’t over.

“Dismissed,” Twilight gave the final word, and left her throne.

Everyone started to get up, and leave the room, but before I could do so, my name was called.

“Pale, could you join me for a second?” Twilight said my name as she trotted towards a door that led out of the throne room.

I followed her, curious as to what she could want from me. “What’s going on?”

She didn’t answer right away. Once we entered the door and left the throne room, she silently escorted me through the halls and up a familiar staircase. I remember this one. It would take us to the room where she and I had spoken privately a few times by now.

Once there, she locked the door, and checked the windows. “This is a diversion,” she said as she used her magic to close the blinds.

“Wait, what?”

“Come on, you don’t think I’m a fool, do you?” Twilight said with a smug sort of smile, “I know that once those boys put him away, Neighsay will already be plotting a way to escape.”

I blinked once, twice. “You really think he would defy you so readily.”

The princess merely scoffed it off with a wave of her hoof. “Ya-right. Like he totally hasn’t defied us all as it is.”

“...fair point,” I replied. Couldn’t argue with that logic. “So what did you call me here for?”

“Well, first thing’s first,” she responded and grabbed her notebook with her magic, “Sweetie Drops has informed me that you’ve accepted the task to investigate the Kirin and find out why you were attacked by one.”

Hm? Oh yes. The princess had jurisdiction over the agencies. Although, she rarely got involved with them herself due to the fact that she was busy with princess duties, and she knew that we were more than capable of handling whatever underground conflict occurs.

“That’s correct. Are Flim and Flam really part of SMILE again?”

She nodded. “Absolutely. They’ve given up their lives as swindlers and now own the hotel. After observing their actions for a few years, Sweetie Drops saw fit to let them back in on the condition that they give weekly reports.” The pages of the notebook fluttered as she controlled them with her levitation. “They’re actually extremely well-versed in field skills despite the hokey ponysonas they put on for their customers.”

Heh. Times were officially strange. “I see...thank you for the clarification, Twilight. So...what about Neighsay?”

“Aha!” When she finally found the page she was looking for, she stopped, and tapped it with a pencil. “Yes. I’ve already predicted the fact that Neighsay is going to break out, based on numerous factors. If that happens, you have my full authorization to take him down by any means necessary.”

Hold on a second. Was Princess Twilight actually for real? Not only did she know that Neighsay would already make another move, but she gave me complete authority on the matter as well? This had to be a joke.

“...wait a moment. Does that mean--”

Twilight cut me off, and leaned in close to my face with a stoic expression. “Any. Means. Necessary.” And she leaned back to look in her book once more. “Understand?”

Words could not describe how surprised I was. But what she said made sense. Twilight Sparkle was done being passive, and was now ready to adapt to any given situation with a proactive approach. I both respected, and encouraged it. “Absolutely, Princess. You have my full support. Is there anything else you need from me?”

“Nope,” she replied with a shake of her head, “go on to the Kirin’s Grove whenever you’re ready.”

“Got it. Oh wait--I nearly forgot--have the yellow brothers mentioned any details about Svengallop to you? They apparently have been interrogating some of his gang members.”

She sighed. “Nothing yet. That’s a whole ‘nother can of anchovies that we have to deal with. But you’ll be the first to know about it--alongside SMILE of course. Just make sure Coloratura doesn’t find out about this.”

I felt like I somewhat already knew the answer to the question I was about to ask. But I wanted to hear it straight from the pony’s mouth. “Understandable, but may I ask why?”

“If Rara finds out that her former manager is leading a bunch of gangponies, then she would have a breakdown.” Twilight sat down in one of the nearby bean bag chairs. Her cheeks rested on her hooves. “Dealing with that stallion for so many years was one of the most uncomfortable experiences of her life. If she’s made aware about it, she would start to feel guilty, and blame herself for it. Then Applejack would find out since they talk to each other all the time, and she’d try to go bust them up on her own.”

A very dangerous position to be in. Of course, I thought Twilight would put a bit more faith in one of her best friends. “Would it really be so bad?”

One of her ears flicked, and she sat upright. “Bad! Of course it’d be bad!” she cried out with her hooves pointed upwards while they wiggled like noodles, “Applejack would tear that gang a new one with no regard for herself! We’d have loads of injured, and possibly dead ponies that we couldn’t get any evidence out of. That’s not even mentioning whatever injuries she herself might sustain.which could cause Rara to feel even more guilty and--” she stopped herself mid-ramble, and cleared her throat. Twilight put her hooves down, and sighed once more. “...You kinda get the idea, yeah?”

When it was put like that, it was hard not to. “Absolutely. I will make sure neither of them are made aware of the finer details regarding that investigation. All Applejack knows is that Flim and Flam are officers, and that a Kirin was involved. Nothing more.”

“Good. Let’s keep it that way. I’ll be in contact with you if anything gets any worse. Anything else, Pale?”

I tipped my hat. “Nothing at all. Thank you, Twilight.”

Well that was far more constructive that I initially thought. But now, it was time for me to head back home, and get some rest. I suppose that I could plan ahead and set out for that kirin village in a few days. Of course Cozy would be there with me, but I needed someone to help me keep her safe in the relatively unknown area.

A few ideas already popped into my head, but it was time to relax and head home for the day. I took the train out of Canterlot, and went back to my house in Ponyville.

I stepped through the door, and removed my vest and hat to set them on the rack. I closed the door behind me with a heavy exhale. It was a long ass day.

But it wasn’t over yet.

To my surprise, I had a rather unannounced visitor that was already in my home. I could tell because I could smell something from the kitchen. Hm. Curious. With light hooves, I snuck up to the kitchen and poked my head in to find out just who came here.

“Oh, it’s you.”

That elusive green earth pony mare with dreads had appeared in my house again. Not that I was upset or anything, but it was still odd. “Wassup, man?” she greeted me, “I’m working on dinner for ya.”

“...Huh. There’s no need for that. Please.”

That mellow look in her purple eyes unwavered. “Oh no, I wanna. It’s spaghetti with a red wheatgrass pasta sauce. I made it myself,” she frowned, “But I’m not bothering you am I?”

I shook my head. I guess it couldn’t hurt to simply not worry about a meal for a change. “Not at all. I appreciate it, Tree.”

Her dopey smile returned. “Cooolio. Now sit at the table, brah.”

I left the kitchen, and washed my hooves. I had to admit, I was very interested in what she had made. Though, part of me wondered if Cheerilee had actually put her up to this. Hm.

I took a seat at my dinner table. A massive plate of the pasta covered in red sauce had waited for me. “Huh. This looks good!”

Tree Hugger took a seat next to me with a plate of her own. “Go on. Try it. Be honest about how it tastes.”

Side note--not being able to manipulate forks was annoying. I leaned into the plate, and slurped up a bit of the pasta. The flavors were otherworldly to say the least. “Mmm…” I had never tasted anything like it before. And I was from Manehattan where pasta was a common dish. “This is spectacular. The use of wheatgrass really compliments the mushrooms for an ‘earthy’ sort of bite. And is that...pimentos I taste?”

The whole time, she stared at me to ensure I had an honest bite. The smile on her face grew marginally wider with her eyes lighting up ever so slightly. “Yoooo...ya caught it. I’m glad,” she said before she started to eat from her own plate.

I continued to eat also, but stopped halfway through. “What gives, Tree? What made you wanna surprise me in such a way?”

The mare sighed. “Okay...you like Cheerilee, yeah?”

That was an odd question. I tilted my head. “Romantically? More or less, yes. You were the first one privy to the details, in fact. Why do you ask?”

“Well, I’m like, completely convinced that nopony’s gonna like me like you guys like each other. So I decided to see how well I can at least catch your attention. Cheerilee suggested I make you something other than brownies. So here we are.”

My heart sank at her explanation. Did she really have no self-esteem? I had no idea how to respond at first. “I...see. Well...don’t beat yourself up. I like you for who you are, Tree.”

Her smile didn’t go away. “That’s radical to hear. I don’t have many friends since almost everypony considers me weird or strange. But not you and Cheerilee or Fluttershy. So thanks for that.”

Well that gave me a slight amount of comfort. The knowledge that Tree Hugger had individuals to support her made me happy. Hm, I wondered if she’d do the same in return? “Hey Tree?”

“Yeah? Wassup?”

“Do you think there’s a way we can achieve peace as a society? I ask this because your entire motto is focusing on tranquility and whatnot. But have you ever wondered if it’s possible for everypony to put down their weapons and hear each other out?”

After a moment of thought, she shook her head. “Nah, brah. Tranquility is about finding your own idea of peace. It’s like, impossible for everypony to think like me. Then we’d all be weirdos with no friends, haha.”

That self-deprecation was not going to fly in my house. “Stop that. You have plenty of friends who like you. Don’t you dare change, Tree. Okay?”

“I was pulling your stump, man,” she replied with a smile, “Thanks, though. I’m hoping you and Cheerilee have a good life together. You deserve each other.”

“Thank you.” I couldn’t help but feel flattered. This meal was just what I needed, and Tree Hugger had unknowingly given me some good advice on what I should do next regarding my case.

When I finished eating, I took both of our plates and washed them in the sink. Then I went and laid down on the couch in the living room to relax my mind. It was too early to fall asleep, so I didn’t go to my bed.

And in yet another example of her apparent strangeness, Tree Hugger decided to lie right atop me. But I couldn’t sense any malicious intent within her. No, instead she simply asked, “Mind if I rest with ya, brah? Your energy is all tense and stuff.” The mare rested her ear against my neck.

I was surprised by this, but I didn’t see any harm in it. “Um...no problem?” As weird as it was at first, I could feel my stresses as they slipped away thanks to the humming of Tree Hugger. It was a nice feeling, being able to engage in a sort of dual-meditation.

“Ohhhmmm--neeeee….”

Heh. Very nice indeed.

“Think Cheerilee would mind if we--”

I already knew what she wanted to ask, so I cut her off. “Hey, that’s up to her, not me.”

Subject 63: Pain In Flames

The kirin charged her way through the group. She looked like she was the strongest one there due to her increased muscular and physical definition compared to the rest of her kind. Wait a minute, was that?

“Autumn Blaze?” I asked while I put away the knife I was going to use to cut myself loose. “Where’s Rain Shine?”

“Oh...she’s no longer with us.” There was a pause that lingered in the air for a moment before she sporadically waved her hoof around, “Oh no, no, wait. She’s just retired and living in Silver Shoals. She’s not like, dead or anything, hehe.”

I gave a sigh of relief, but that didn’t exactly help me out of my situation. “Whew...alright. Anyway I can be brought down?”

“Oh, yeah--right! Sorry. We just like to have the security,” Autumn clarified as she used her magic to undo the confines of the net and set me free. “Never know who could be trying to crash our parties and such. I see you came with some friends, yeah?”

“Oof.” I hit the dirt, and picked myself up. I used my hat to dust myself off, and put it back on my head. “That’s right. This way, ladies.” I turned to the edge of the forest we came from and called out to them while I waved them over.

Both Guttersnipe and Cozy Glow appeared before the crowd. Or rather, Guttersnipe appeared while Cozy hid directly behind her.

The kirin surrounded her with awe as they gazed at her mechanical wings.

“Where did you get those?!”

“Those are so cool!”

“What happened to your original wings?”

Her answer was hesitant at first. “Um...I’d rather...ahem. We’re here on important business, guys. No time for horsing around.” This surprised me. Normally, she was more than happy to show off. Was there something that troubled her?

Cozy didn’t fare much better since she wanted to stay as quiet as possible until she was addressed.

I decided to break everything up myself. “Anyway. We’re here on business. I’m the leader of a group of ponies affiliated with investigations in and around Equestria. Pale Vestige is the name,” I said with a tip of my hat.

“Ooh!” Autumn’s eyes lit up, “What’s your team called?”

“We don’t particularly have a moniker,” I explained, “It helps prevent us from being tracked down by our enemies.”

She let out a shrill whistle as a sign of being impressed. “Well now. That’s a pretty smart idea,” she tapped a hoof against her left cheek, “I should probably think of something like that for our next play. We could even make use of it for our defensive tactics. Nameless Attacks. Yeah that has a nice ring to it, hehe!” she put her hoof down with a giggle. “Oh, sorry. Went off on a little tangent.

I almost wanted to point out the fact that naming something ‘Nameless’ is a bit of an oxymoron when one considered the fact that you still applied some sort of intangible label to the group or item in question. But that wasn’t important.

“So, since Shine has retired, you are the current leader?”

She nodded. “Have been for the last decade or so!”

Good. This could aid me in my pursuit. I looked over my shoulder, and shot Cozy a glance. I tilted my head towards the kirin leader; A silent way to tell her to follow me. She got the message and slowly flew around to my side.

Guttersnipe meanwhile, had kept the other kirins distracted with her flying augments. Even if she was reluctant to do so. I felt a bit bad for it, but we needed absolute attention from Autumn.

“In a nutshell, we’re here to find out information on a...certain kirin that has caused some trouble recently. Can you help us?”

“Oh, sure! One second,” she paused and looked at her fellow kirin. “Everypony, back it up! This is important business I’m dealing with, okay?”

They caught the hint from their leader. The kirins immediately went back to their usual tasks around the Grove and left us alone. Guttersnipe let out a sigh of relief since she didn’t have to speak about her wings anymore.

Autumn looked at Cozy for a half-second and focused back onto me. “Follow me. We should speak somewhere more...privately.”

We all followed the kirin mare through her village. It was a beautiful, luscious landscape with lots of green plants, fresh water, and their homes were made out of the trees and natural landscape. It was a rather refreshing experience to witness such...naturalistic styles compared to the overly manufactured setting of Manehattan.

Autumn led us to her home, and invited us inside. However, Guttersnipe was content with being a lookout.

“I’ll stay out here and keep watch. You guys go on ahead,” she said with a nod.

“Alright, if you’re sure. C’mon, kid.” I took Cozy inside with me. It was a nice, wooden abode with a log cabin sort of aesthetic. It felt rather, well, cozy. Soft wood floors to walk on, a fireplace, a nice view of the entire village through a window. “Wow…nice isn’t it, kid?”

Cozy nodded with a nervous smile on her face. “...you could say that, yeah.” She pointed a hoof to something above the fireplace, “Check those out.”

I squinted, and saw individual portraits of three kirins, then Rain Shine, then Autumn Blaze. “Oh. These must be the pictures of each leader. Curious. I’d like to know more about the ones that came before Shine.”

“Me too,” the pink pegasus replied.

“Uh, guys. I’m like, waaaaay over here.” Autumn called out to us from what sounded like our right. She was on some stairs that led up to the second floor of her home. “But thanks for admiring what I got. It’s nice knowing that non-kirins appreciate what we kirins do.” Her eyes sparkled, “Oh! You wanna stay by for a show later? We kirins love stand-up!”

I trotted over to the staircase. “...Maybe. But for now, we need to get talking.”

“Oh right, right. Pssh. Silly me. Come right up,” she beckoned us with a hoof.

After we took the steps up, we stopped at her office of sorts. Autumn took us inside and invited us to sit down. Instead of a desk, she had a set of files spread out over various, small tables in the room. Otherwise, it was rather empty, save for a few wooden chairs that she invited us to sit in.

“So, what did you both wanna talk to me about?”

I looked at Cozy, and nodded. I began my explanation. “It has to do with someone known as Freeze Flame. Do you know her?”

“Hm...do I…” Autumn looked up to the ceiling as she tapped one of her lower hooves on the floor. “Oh! Right! She was the kid of one of my friends. Winter Flame.” Her face dropped as she recounted the events that I had been described before. “We...lost her and her oldest daughter in the battle...but she did her best to keep everypony safe. Their sacrifice was not in vain, though. The rest of us have made a pact to live no matter what.”

Heavy topics, but I’m glad she was aware. That would make things go smoothly. “...Do you know of the fact that Freeze Flame had been working for a disgusting stallion and recently...died in her attempts to harm several ponies?”

A pause was held in the air for a moment. Autumn frowned, and got up from her seat. She used her magic to levitate a newspaper off of one of her tables, and brought it over to us. “Yeah...we read the paper. We cast her out a long time ago for being reckless and wanting to do terrible things to other ponies. But we never knew exactly where she went after that.” She unfurled it with her magic and started to read over it again, “Would you mind elaborating?”

“Not at all.” It was only just, after all. This was ultimately her business given that one of her subjects ended up dead at my hooves. So I told her every last detail.

“...so you had to kill her, huh?”

I hid my face beneath my hat. “I...I wish I didn’t have to, but she would have continued to be a danger to the lives of everypony there if I didn’t do something.”

All the sudden, her magic pushed my hat up which exposed my face. “Hey, hey. Chin up. It’s not your fault that she was a complete birch. If it wasn’t you, it would’ve been somepony else. I’m just...ugh. Anyway, we need to stop the stallion who manipulated her and prevent him from doing the same to anypony else.”

“Well, yes. That’s a problem I am going to take care of. But what I mainly wanted to speak with you about was something else that Freeze mentioned.”

Autumn put the paper down and tilted her head at me. “Oh? What is it?”

“Something about...your population problems? Gender imbalance? I noticed a lot of female kirin, but not too many male ones…”

Autumn blinked, and looked outside of her window. I suppose she wanted to check for herself. And it was certain. “Huh...I never noticed. Now that you mention it, we do seem to have a bit of tipped scales among the kirin genders.”

“Doesn’t that concern you at all?” I asked with a raise of my eyebrow, “Without a proper balance, the population could dwindle and eventually, there would be no more kirins left. Especially if you all are monogamous.”

She tilted her head at the last word I said. “Mono…?”

“It means a couple that stays one couple. If the kirin stallions pair up with one kirin mare, then that’s a whole lot of kirin mares who will be rendered unable to have children. No children means no more kirins...you get what I mean, yeah?”

The gears spun in her head, and Autumn’s pupil’s shrank. In a panic, she grabbed ahold of me and started to violently shake me around. “WHAT?! Why didn’t anypony tell me about this?! We need to do something! Okay, stay calm...stay calm…” she started to hyperventilate. Her chest rose and fell in rapid succession. “I mean...I didn’t think that it was possible. I thought it was normal for there to be an abundance of mares in any tribe.”

“Ahem…” After being properly rattled around, I cleared my throat. I gently pushed the kirin leader off of me, and started to speak my piece. “That is the whole reason I’m here--with Cozy Glow.” I pointed at the pink pegasus beside me. “She’s here to explain an idea to help your race.”

In truth, I was afraid. I didn’t know if Autumn would recognize and cast her out for the turmoil she had caused for everypony in that battle. But curiously, she didn’t comment on it yet. Did she forget who Cozy was? Or did she play it tactical and stay quiet just to hear what she had to say?

“Well...the basic idea would be,” Cozy took out a clipboard, “Maybe familiarize the kirins with pony culture so that they can find more mates. Then your race won’t have any issues going forward.”

Autumn grit her teeth and one of her ears flicked. “Yyyyeah. That’s gonna be a small problem.”

“Why?” Cozy asked.

“The kirins as a whole don’t tend to associate with other ponies most of the time. Sure, we’re on good terms with then, but for the most part, we stay separated. And...well,” she rubbed the back of her head, “It’s...not going to be easy to convince them to try.”

“Don’t worry. I have some ideas,” Cozy said with a grin, “We can start by helping the kirin get to know the other ponies. You said you’re into stand-up, right?”

Autumn nodded. “Duh! We all are!”

“Well...how about if they attended the comedy club in Ponyville? It’s not usually very crowded, so it’d be a nice first step where they could meet other ponies without it being all...awkward. You know?”

“Hm...not a bad idea! What do you think, mister?” the kirin leader addressed me next.

It wasn’t the most callous of ideas, but I was hesitant. Mainly due to the fact that I was uncertain whether kirin humor and pony humor would resonate with the members of the opposite race. But there was a first time for everything, as they say. “Huh. I think that could work, Cozy. The exchange of cultural humor might work if done right.”

“Oh good!” she held up her clipboard which showed the schedule for the comedy club tomorrow night. “Because there’s a free slot open and it’s not too busy over there on Sunday’s. It’s perfect!”

Autumn took hold of the clipboard and read it over. She suddenly grinned from ear to ear. “Heehee! Oooh! That sounds great! We’ll be there!”

Good start for sure. The end goal was to help the kirins out in whatever way we could. Though Autumn was very keen on the idea, she didn’t allow me to fully explain the finer details regarding the rebellious kirin mare. However, it was just as plausible that she already very well knew of what transpired between Freeze Flame and the other kirin of this generation, and she simply refused to allow herself to be dragged down by the past. If that’s the case, I had nothing but respect for her.

I just hoped they didn’t turn into niriks upon hearing bad pony jokes.

“Boss! Boss!” Guttersnipe suddenly burst into the room. “We got trouble outside!”

The three of us looked out of the window and saw thick, dark clouds fill the sky.

Autumn tilted her head in confusion. “Well that’s weird. It’s not supposed to rain until tomorrow.”

I squinted my eyes and could just barely make out a sort of symbol within those clouds. “...!” I let out a silent gasp, and scrambled for the door, “Everyone. That’s no normal cloud. We need everypony to get inside of their homes. Now!”

Subject 64: Cast In A Storm Of Strife (Against The Odds)

We ran outside, and witnessed the darkness form overhead. As I suspected. These were not normal clouds whatsoever. They were something more, something sinister.

“Everypony, go back to your homes!” Autumn Blaze cried out, “We’ll handle...whatever the heck this is!”

The kirins did as their leader commanded, and fled to the safety of their abodes.

Guttersnipe flapped her metal wings with that steeled gaze in her eyes. “I’m gonna take off and see what’s going on from the air.” As confident as she looked on the outside, there was something off in the way her eye twitched. “If only Flash Drive were here. He’d know what to do.”

But if she knew what she was doing, I couldn’t fault her. For now, we needed to focus. “Cozy, stay alert. Do you recognize these clouds at all?” I asked her because, as a pegasus, she’d most likely have some expertise on the conflict before us.

“...None. These are completely abnormal. None of the weather factories make use of clouds like these. What should we do?” she looked to me with a face full of fear and confusion.

Ah yes, that’s right. Cozy was an excellent strategist, but when it came to quick thinking on her hooves, she was extremely lacking. That was alright. I could pick up the slack for her as best I could. “No problem. What we need to do is--”

“Boss! We got monsters!” Guttersnipe shouted from above, and pointed to the entrance to the kirin village.

We looked on, and found a monster. But not just any monster. This was...a creature with no definite shape other than billowing smoke and ash. It emerged from the forest just outside of the kirin village. Its body looked to be made of fog? No. There were constant gusts of air that flowed around within it with some sort of weather-based aura.

“A stormy beast…” I mumbled under my breath.

Autumn Blaze yelped. “A stormbeast?! I’ve never seen these before. But…” she paused. On command, she activated her nirik form, and spoke to me in a very casual state. “I think we can totally handle this.”

I took note of it, and realized that there were kirin who could control their powers. Good. Autumn had to easily be the strongest one in her village as leader, so this was perfect. Even still, the kid was in danger. “Cozy. Get back inside Autumn’s home and let us handle this. You’ve done your part already, now it’s my turn.”

I could see it in her pale pink eyes. She desperately wanted to help, but knew this was beyond her--or at least I hoped she did. The last thing I wanted was for her to get hurt. “Okay…” she said before she flew back.

The monster approached us. It generated arms and legs that were close to that of a primate. Except, you know, extremely massive. I took a look at Autumn. “This thing looks powerful, but slow. I’ll distract it, and you can come in for the final strike. Savvy?”

“Sure, sure!” she replied with a wide, fanged grin as she stretched her hooves. “Let’s murderate ‘em! This’ll make a great setup for our next play when we’re done, heheh!”

With the plan laid out, I met the beast in the empty clearing in the middle of the village. It charged at me with what seemed like killer intent and yellow, slitted eyes that were alight amidst the body of darkness. To say this thing was creepy was putting it very lightly.

“Woah!” I managed to dodge one of its smoky fists with a swift roll as it slammed the ground next to me.

Luckily, Autumn Blaze was already on the prowl. She leapt onto the beast’s back, and tried to set it ablaze. “Eat this, buddy!” A roar of blue and red flame rose upon the back of the stormy creature, but sadly, this had no effect whatsoever. “What?!”

Instead, the being casually brushed it off, and blew out the flames. Then, it grabbed ahold of Autumn in its massive hand-like appendage.

“Hrrk! Hey! Let me go!” She wriggled and lashed around in the grasp of the monster. Even as she poured all of her magic into her flaming aura, it caused absolutely no damage to the beast.

Concerning. But first, I had to get Autumn out of this tight spot.

“I gotcha!” I shouted. With a quick action, I pointed my air blaster at the ground, and used it to launch myself upwards. I landed on the beast’s arm, and threw a hoofstrike at its face. “Hya!”

PLAP!

No effect. Yet again. Just what in the devil could be done to this beast?! “...Shit.” There was no time to worry about that for the moment. Those yellow eyes bore through the very essence of my soul, and I could tell it was ready to strike back.

“RRRRRAGH!”

With a mighty roar, the stormbeast flung its free fist--the right--towards me.

“Aie!” I barely managed to avoid the attack, and fell off the gigantic arm. “Oof!” I hit the ground with a brisk thud. But when that happened, I heard the beast cry out from pain.

“AAAARGH!”

As it turned out, when I managed to move out of the way, the beast had struck itself by accident! It stumbled, and its grip on Autumn Blaze was loosened as a result.

“Woah!” She fell, but managed to catch herself just in time via self-levitation.

Sometimes I wished I could do that, but then again, raw durability.

“You alright?” I got up and ran over to check on her condition.

The nirik rose to her hooves in a flash. “Yeah, I’m fine. But what just happened?”

“Let’s see...none of our attacks worked on it so far. But when I inadvertently caused it to strike itself, it seemed to have taken some damage.”

We both looked at it. Even now, the beast was still recovering from the devastating blow it had dealt to itself. Maybe we could use that to our advantage.

“Maybe we can use this to our advantage!” Autumn shouted at the same moment I thought about it. Great minds think similarly I suppose. “We just need to get it to hit itself until it goes down!”

Great plan, but how would we do that, I wondered. “Hmmm--look out!” My thoughts were interrupted when the beast came in for another attack. Both its fists slammed into the earth which caused Autumn and I to dodge in opposite directions. “Dammit. I don’t think it’s gonna fall for the same trick again!”

“Ghh!” Autumn grumbled as she landed in a bush nearby. “What makes you so sure?”

“It’s separated us!” I called out from the other end of the open village field. “We can’t do the same thing again! We need to think carefully!”

Autumn rolled out of the way of an attack once more. “Ah! Hey! Watch it! We don’t want our homes destroyed you big meanie!”

Damn. That was another factor I hadn’t considered. Just how were we going to beat this thing while also avoiding any excess damage to the surrounding area. The kirin’s home was all built into the natural area of the hills and trees itself. Who knows how long it would take to rebuild if a monster destroyed their home?

Come on, Pale. Think.

Meanwhile…

Cozy Glow watched from the inside of Autumn’s home. All the events that had transpired had gotten her to think. “Ooh...I can’t just sit here. They need my help. But just how am I gonna...wait…” With a pencil and a notepad in hoof, she began to draw on it while she came up with a strategy.

“It’s made of storm clouds...pegasi like me can control clouds….maybe…”

Outside…

There was one thing I had just realized.

“Guts! Where are you?!” I shouted as I looked up to the sky.

I realized that Guttersnipe must have fled to a more advantageous position, but that didn’t excuse the lack of communication. I had no idea where that crimson mare went.

POW-POW-POW-POW!

Well, now I did.

“Eat this, ya ugly mug!” I heard her scream from above. The battle cry was followed by dozens of miniature missiles fired off from above which barreled down and exploded in fiery bursts upon the stormy monster.

It didn’t cause major damage, but the beast was forced to use a hand to block most of them, likely due to how much the attack blinded it.

“Mr. Pale, look!” I heard Autumn shout as she pointed a hoof at the beast.

I squinted, and could just barely make out the image of a pony within the smoky creature. Could it be that somepony had been controlling this thing from the inside this whole time? Okay, that was certainly another factor to consider. But it seemed that Guttersnipe’s barrage of explosions had weakened the outer shell of the monster. Maybe...just maybe…

“I can do this. I won’t let you down, sir. Ghh...this hurts like Tartarus, though.” Just out of sight, Cozy Glow had grabbed up a bundle of the clouds, and formed a long spear. When the time was right, she gave a shout. “EVERYPONY BACK UP!”

My ear flicked, and I turned my head. Autumn and I witnessed that pink pegasus grab up an entire mass of the storm clouds that had circled overhead. My mind immediately went into a protective mode. “Kid? What the hell are you doing?!”

The nirik put a gentle, non-flaming hoof on my shoulder. “...I think she has a plan. You know how smart she can get when she has time to think about something. Trust her, sir,” she pleaded with a soft smile.

I shot her the most bewildered look I could muster. “Wh…” My eyes immediately went down, and darted left, then right. With no other alternatives, I closed them with a sigh. “...argh. Fine.”

Part of me wondered just how much Autumn could remember of what Cozy accomplished and whether or not she still held it against the pegasus mare. Even so, this was no time to debate.

“GRRR! RUNNING OUT OF AMMO HERE GUYS!” Guttersnipe yelled out from the sky, “HURRY UP AND DO SOMETHING!”

Dammit. No choice. Whatever Cozy wanted to do, now was the time.

Autumn and I both dove for cover behind some of the bushes nearby. The foggy mass of a monster was still pinned down from the onslaught of miniature rockets. But naturally, Guttersnipe’s ammunition was not infinite. Her attacks had just barely managed to keep the monster at bay long enough for Cozy to enact...whatever the heck she wanted to enact.

“YAAAAA!”

I dragged my hooves down the sides of my face and watched with utter horror as the kid screamed to the top of her lungs as she flew down from the sky. She had crafted some sort of lance made from the same cloudy material that the creature was made of. Wait, did she somehow manage to figure out the creature’s weakness without even having been among us? Exemplary!

Once Guttersnipe’s rocket barrage had ceased, Cozy Glow charged right into the beast and impaled it with the spear of clouds.

“RRRRAUGH!”

It let out a guttural roar as it reeled back. The beast had ultimately been slain by the same material it was made of in one clean, fell swoop!

It disappeared, and the sky became clear once more, which allowed nature’s sunny day to resume as scheduled. All that was left was an unconscious pony from the aftermath.

“Cozy!” I shouted as I leapt from the bushes. I ran up and rubbed a hoof on her mane to check if she was in good condition. “You alright? You’re not hurt are you?”

Her mane was a little frizzy, and she was covered in a bit of soot, but she seemed like she was okay. However, to my surprise, the young mare giggled when it was over. Like usual, she pushed my hoof away with her own, and smiled at me with that bright expression of hers. “Aw, lighten up. It’s like you’re trying to be my dad or something.”

“Oh, uh...right. My apologies.” I immediately retreated, and gave her some space. The last thing I wanted to do was smother her. Dammit, Pale, you’re better than this.

Once the beast was vanquished, Autumn came out of hiding. Her nirik form now gone, and replaced with her usual kirin appearance. “Whew...that was a super sweaty battle,” she wiped some perspiration from her forehead with a hoof, “Everypony alright?”

“Mm-hmm,” Cozy replied with a nod.

“Indeed,” I said.

Guttersnipe landed with an ecstatic grin. “Yeah-yeah, baby! I knew we could do it! But CG--how did ya manage to figure out what its weakness was so fast?”

“I...watched you guys and when I saw it hit itself, I realized I needed to fabricate something made of the same material. So I gathered some of those storm clouds and made a spear out of it. They...kinda hurt a little from how much condensed magic was contained within, but I managed, hehe.”

Autumn Blaze put a hoof on Cozy’s shoulder. “Well I think you did a great job. It took you some time, but you were willing to fight for the safety of a group of kirin that you don’t even know. For that, I’m...super totally grateful, dude!” she squealed and started to violently shake the pink mare’s hoof with two of her own.

Heh. I suppose she couldn’t stand the idea of being so formal for very long.

“Blblblbl!” Cozy tried to speak, but being shaken slurred her words.

“Oh, sorry!” Autumn let go, “I tend to sorta do that sometimes.”

Cozy shook her head around to regain her stability. “Brrr. It’s fine. I’m glad you appreciate my efforts.”

“Hehe!” The kirin leader laughed and pointed at the field, “I’m not the only one…”

We looked out and saw that the other kirins had emerged from the safety of their homes to see what had transpired. After a moment of silence, they all came in and swarmed Cozy Glow with praise.

“You’re awesome!”

“You’re amazing!”

“You’re so cool!”

“Teach me how to do that!”

“Thank you so much for saving us!”

“Oh, hehe…” she blushed and shied away from the words of kindness. “Thank you?”

It was a nice feeling, to watch her be praised for something she did right for a change.

While that occurred, I felt something tap my shoulder. “Hm?”

Guttersnipe beckoned me to follow her. “Take a look at this boss.”

Oh yes. That’s right. The pony body. The one that was left behind after the body of the mysterious beast disappeared. I knelt down to inspect it. It was a grayish pegasus mare with a manestyle that was similar to Twilight’s. The mane itself was two-toned--pink and green. Her cutie mark was that of two flowers.

“Wait a minute...I think I’ve seen this mare before in Ponyville. Blossomforth. A member of the Ponyville weather team. Consistent for the past 20 years or so. But why is…” I had to stop and think. It made sense that a pegasus would be able to control something so volatile, given that they had control over the elements of the sky and the weather. “Hrm…”

All the sudden, a hooded figure emerged from the forest and stepped out to greet us. “I would like to apologize for what has transpired here. I was hunting down that creature myself and it...got away from me.” Their voice sounded feminine and cold, like someone that tended to distance themselves from others as much as possible.

“Hm?” I looked up with complete suspicion aimed at this new character. “And just who are you?”

She pushed the hood down. I was greeted with a dark purple unicorn mare whose horn was missing.

Wait...no way!

“Whoo-doggie!” Guttersnipe chirped aloud, “We never would’ve expected to see somepony like you way out here!”

I noticed Autumn Blaze was also taken aback with a shocked look on her face. But she didn’t speak for the moment. My best guess was that she wanted to let us handle the situation, maybe?

The mare with the damaged horn approached us. “There is...little time. First off, who among you led the fight against this beast?”

The red pegasus pushed me forward without warning. “This guy, right here!”

I shot Guttersnipe an annoyed huff, and rolled my eyes. I looked up at the dark violet mare, and tipped my hat. “Pale Vestige, madam. Nice to meet you.”

She tilted her head to the left, and then to the right as she looked me over. It was like being inspected by a curious foal.

“Ahem...is everything alright?” I asked.

“Hm?” She snapped out of her investigative stupor to answer. “Oh, yes. Of course. It’s just--well, I’m surprised. I’ve been away from Equestria for so long that I wouldn’t expect a stallion to be in charge of something like this,” she explained as she pointed her hoof to the unconscious Blossomforth. “I figured most of them stayed home to simply fix things or pulled heavy weights while the mares did everything else, given that’s what I mostly saw in my time here.”

I couldn’t come up with much of a response other than two words. “...excuse me?”

Subject 65: Past Insecurities (We Choose To Fight)

“Oh no! I didn’t mean any offense by the comment!” “Dammit! You idiot Fizzlepop! You’ve insulted his status as a hard worker! What has isolation done to you?!” A few beads of sweat ran down the side of her face, and she shook her head. “I meant that it was...a nice surprise to see a competent stallion lead a group for a change. I haven’t seen that in...forever.”

I didn’t know how to accept the comment. But I did know that mares tended to have the spotlight most of the time in this world. Thousands of years ago, stallions such as Starswirl, Rockhoof, Clover the Clever, Flash Magnus and many others were important figures. But nowadays? Well, she had a point. Most stallions were content with being construction workers with the odd Royal Guard member here and there with the occasional outlier such as Thorax and Shining Amor.

Meanwhile, mares like the Elements of Harmony, the Mayor, Cheerilee, Spoiled Rich, Starlight Glimmer, Trixie, Ember, and Autumn Blaze and of course the former Princesses--I suppose that mares did fill a majority of the important positions in the world of ponies. I couldn’t blame Ms. Shadow for her surprise, especially since stallions on the whole were way less common than mares these days.

But that was neither here nor there. Who we are mattered more than what we are.

“How...quaint. Thank you, I suppose? I’m just doing my job. No need for that.” I played it off with a casual shrug. “So, here I am. What exactly did you want to speak about?”

Tempest used her magic to levitate the unconscious Blossomforth, and put her onto her back. “I...will explain everything if you follow me. Please excuse the intrusion, Ms. Blaze. I will take things from here.”

The kirin mare took a bow. “Oh no, don’t worry! Go on! Oh but...we’re still good for that comedy club in Ponyville, right?”

I nodded. “Absolutely. Right Cozy?”

The pink pegasus mare had finally gotten free of the kirin crowd that showered her with praise. She nodded and fixed her mane with a nervous smile when she saw Tempest. “...Mm-hmm. I hope the kirins can make it and laugh with the rest of us ponies.”

“Absolutely!” Autumn replied with a smile, “Now go. I’m sure you have business to take care of with Mr. Vestige and Ms. Shadow. But please come back and visit, okay?”

“Of course I will, Autumn. See you all later!”

We bid the kirins goodbye, and followed Tempest out of the forest. Overall, I’d say the meeting with the kirins was mostly a success. We managed to secure a time and day for them to meet with regular ponies. Given that they appreciated the comedic arts, it would be perfect if they could witness and experience what we ponies have to offer in the same field. Granted, there was no guarantee that they would even enjoy the show, but it was very well worth the attempt. And after Cozy took her time to help them out, it was nice of them to return the favor.

For now though, we had to deal with whatever Tempest Shadow wanted to discuss with us. In truth, I was a bit skeptical. I knew she had taken the time to make herself a better pony, but I wondered just how experienced she was with Equestria’s culture if she still thought stallions merely did manual labor and not much else.

Cozy, Guttersnipe, and I all followed her to another part of the forest near the Peaks of Peril. I noticed her gait and hoofsteps were strained. She didn’t look geriatric, but she certainly had an atmosphere of being worn out from constant bouts of combat over the last few years. I felt bad for the mare.

After a bit of walking, we arrived at a secluded location. A cave of sorts that was at the very edge of the Kirin’s Grove.

“Follow me,” she said before she went into the darkness.

Guttersnipe and I exchanged a look of confusion. Cozy was still a bit concerned, but I knew that I would keep her safe no matter what happened.

“It’s alright, Cozy. I’ve got you,” I assured her with a hoof atop her mane. It was like second nature at this point.

For once, she didn’t swat me away, either. Instead, she offered a smile. “...Thanks, Pale. I trust you.” And she walked on, and out of my grip.

Guttersnipe had a weird sort of smirk on her face. “You’re becoming more like a dad with each passing day with her.”

“Faff off. We’re on a mission.” I rolled my eyes and stepped into the cave, Guttersnipe close behind.

ZAP!

In a flash of magic, we were teleported to a room that I saw as familiar. Small, a few boards, magical devices-- wait a minute...

“Is this Moondancer’s place?” I asked as I looked around. Yup, that was the device she used to test on me and extract my DNA. Huh--come to think--I wonder what she did with that stuff I gave her.

“...Correct,” Tempest replied, “She is...easy to work with, given that she tends to avoid conversation.” She turned her head towards the hallway at the end of the lab. “Hey, Moondancer! I have returned with what I was looking for.”

“What?” The unicorn mare responded in a flat tone as she entered the room. Her mane was done up in a bun now, and she had on a vertical tiger-striped sweater instead of her usual one. When she saw who else was in the room, she rolled her eyes. “Hot damn. Bulletproof Detective. Back from the grave. I don’t know how you survived this long.”

Tempest cut her off. “I found her. This was who we’ve been looking for this whole time.” She used her magic to levitate the gray pegasus mare, and the aura changed to Moodancer’s pink when she took hold. I also took note of the fact that Tempest seemed...very strained when she made use of simple spells like levitation. Her knees wobbled ever so slightly, and her heart rate increased by about 50%.

How did I know this? It was due to my perception of her aura and how it interacted with her body as well as her damaged horn. Let me be the one to say it didn’t come across as a pretty thing to witness.

“I see. And you brought them here, why?” Moondancer pointed her left hoof at my group and I.

“...They were the ones that stopped her,” Tempest explained as she broke eye contact from the spectacled mare and looked down. “Believe me. They did their best, and stopped the stormbeast from causing anymore trouble. I think they deserve the right to know the details.” Was she really afraid of disappointing somepony like her? Curious.

The light yellow unicorn paused. “Oh…I guess they do deserve to know, if that’s the case. Come out to the dining room for some tea or whatever. Tempest. Mind getting the tea?”

“Oh...sure! I’d love to.” The purple mare trotted past Moondancer.

“You guys can wait at the table where we can discuss things,” she said as she adjusted her glasses and carried Blossomforth out of the room with her magic. “I’ll be there in a minute, so hang on.” With that, she left and made a right turn down another hallway.

I stepped forward. “Well then, let’s not waste time and keep our host waiting.”

“I’m with you,” Guttersnipe replied as she followed me. “To be honest, I never would’ve expected these two to be working together. How about you, Cozy?”

The pink mare must’ve been distracted. It took her a moment to answer back. “Hm? Oh? I...guess so? I’m not sure. But..I think I’ll go help Tempest with the tea.”

We trotted past the messy living room which had Moondancer’s research strewn about. Huh. Everything was in its exact same place as it was when I was here last time. How daunting. I could respect that level of organization.

Cozy went off to the kitchen. I deduced that she probably desired to speak with the mare, given their similar positions as former threats to Equestria who rejected their past in pursuit of new lives. Hopefully something good could come out of that interaction.

Guttersnipe and I took seats at the table. It had a nice, dark brown finish. Was this oak? Or maple? The lady had class, that was for sure.

“Alright, I’m done with that, for now,” Moondancer announced as she trotted into the room. “So essentially, that was a stormbeast. Or at least, that’s what we call ‘em.” She sat down with us at the table, her cheek rested on her left hoof. “Apparently the Storm King’s magic is still active in small fragments around Equestria, and it possesses whatever it can in order to cause destruction.”

Aha! I knew something was off when those clouds appeared out of nowhere. “So that’s what’s behind all of this. I wonder why they chose to attack us in Kirin Grove…”

Moondancer shrugged. “Beats me. Those things don’t strike me as super intelligent. Then again, I need to do more research on them to have concrete information. The idea that you were attacked on purpose is not impossible.”

“Hrm…” I sat back in my seat as I thought about it. There were always lots of variables in a situation like this. It was at times like these where one should take a minute before they toss their cards on the playing table.

Guttersnipe meanwhile, asked a more forward question. “So...whadda we do if we come in contact with another? Beat it up again, and bring the body back to you?”

“That, or any evidence you find, yes,” the unicorn replied in a simple manner.

“Uh-huuhhh...and you’ve really teamed up with Tempest, huh? How’s that going for ya?” the red pegasus asked.

Moondancer sat upright. “To put it bluntly, she and I are mutual beneficiaries. She works in the shadows and I help her find whatever she wants to take care of. Not much else to it than that.”

“Oh...okay then. Well consider our group on the job as well!” Guttersnipe offered.

“Sure.”

“Hmph.” My friend was put off by the unicorn’s short responses, and gave up on trying to get more out of her. The crimson mare slumped back in her seat as she waited for the tea to arrive.

I knew of her based on some files, and it seemed that Moondancer had a case of self-isolation due to her friend, Twilight Sparkle, abandoning her. Even though she lives in Canterlot now, Twilight is still extremely busy, and is probably unable to meet with her as much as she’d like.

As a result, you get a cold, bitter pony who wanted to speak as little as possible to avoid forming new relationships. Why? Because of their past experiences. Moondancer probably wanted to avoid somepony walking out on her again, so she shut down all attempts at friendship. From that, I could pretty much infer that her companionship with Tempest Shadow was strictly business related. I just hoped that she didn’t have any issues with her mental state.

“Here we go,” Tempest called out as she gingerly levitated the teapot and cups onto the table.

Cozy brought out the tiny dishes that the teacups would sit upon as well as a plate of muffins from the kitchen. “These look great. Dibs on the apricot one!”

We all started to enjoy our little tea party. Cozy and Moondancer had started up a chat at the other end of the table, while Tempest and Guttersnipe conversed near me on my side.

Though, it didn’t remain so casual for long.

I noticed Tempest’s eyes, and the way they took a peek down at the side of Guttersnipe’s body. Unfortunately, I knew exactly what she had been staring at, and knew it wouldn’t have a pretty outcome.

“Your wings…” the purple mare spoke in a low voice, “whatever happened to them?”

As I suspected, Guts didn’t like that. She stopped drinking her tea mid-sip, and tension filled the air. The red pegasus looked away, and seemingly refused to answer. After a moment or two, both Cozy and Moondancer stopped speaking with each other to observe my friend.

All she responded with was four simple words. “Wh...what did you say?”

Subject 66: Winged Wonders

“It’s...alright,” Guts finally responded, thankfully. It had gotten somewhat awkward in here with the palpable level of silence. “Since you were nice enough to help us out, I guess I can provide that in return.”

My eyes grew wide, and I leaned forward in my seat. “Guts…you don’t have to--”

But she cut me off. “Relax, bud. It’s cool. I need to get more comfortable with it anyways. Plus, maybe Tempest could benefit from it as well, since…”

I knew exactly what she meant. Since the old fighter of a mare had lost her horn, and Guttersnipe lost her wings, the red pegasus felt as if she could relate to her. I didn’t try and stop her from continuing.

“Since…?” Tempest tilted her head.

“Well, I guess I should start from the beginning…” she sighed and dipped her muzzle into the cup to drink the rest of her tea. “Ahem…”

The red pegasus filly was always the adventurous one. Never was there a dull moment when she was around her friends. In her youth, most other pegasi foals desired to be amazing fliers like the Wonderbolts or Flash Magnus. Guttersnipe on the other hoof…

“Woo! Come on, guys! The mud is super fresh near the cave!”

“Everypony else wanted to learn all these loops and swoops to impress the Bolts. But me? I just wanted to play around and find bugs. Oh, the scorpions were my favorite! I still remember the day I nearly caught one.”

“Uh...Gutsy, is that a good idea?”

“Aw, lighten up, Tsunami. It’s just a little...darn! It got away!”

“But one day, I...made a really bad decision that changed me forever. One that I’ll never forget.”

The red pegasus filly and her friends all laughed and played near the Everfree Forest as they routinely skilled out on their supposed flying lessons that they told their parents they had taken. But all the sudden, they ventured too far into it, and came upon a lake where they dared each other to take a dive. They all went in, and started to splash around without a care.

“Wow, you were right, Gutters! This place IS way better than that stupid flying training they put us through. Right, UV-Ray?”

“You said it, Tsunami. I already know how to fly! What’s the point of learning it again? Oh look out behind you, Vapor!”

“Yeah right, I’m not falling for--ahh!” Dangit Guttersnipe, that wasn’t funny!”

“Come on, a little water splash never hurt anypony!”

“We thought it was all fun and games until…”

They continued to play around in the lake until one of them was bitten by something beneath the water.

“Ouch! What the--”

“What’s wrong, UV?”

“I felt a…--ow! Something’s biting me!”

“I took a look at my friend UV, and found…”

“BITE-ACUDAS!”

The demonic, winged fish with fangs as long as pencils were in this lake. Nopony knew of course, which is why the fillies and colts were able to play down there with no issue. But today was much different!

Guttersnipe plucked them off of her friend, and they soon latched into her instead. But she refused to let them get hurt.

“OWOWOW! Guys get outta here! Tsunami! Take the girls back to safety and get help, bro!”

“What?! No way! I’m not leaving--”

“Just do it!”

They watched as their friend’s body was preyed upon helplessly by the deadly, razor-toothed fish. Tsunami, the sole colt of the group, took both UV and Vapor and got them out of the lake.

“Come on, come on! Let’s get my dad! He can help!”

“...by the time they found me, I was still alive, but I had bite marks all over my body. Blood seeping through various parts. I think I even had bone exposed. It was crazy. But by the time they got back...my wings were ripped clean off.” Guttersnipe was nearly in tears when she recounted the events. Her lip quivered as she used a hoof to wipe away a bit of eye moisture.

Tempest looked down. “I see...you lost part of your body in an effort to protect your friends...I…”

“Yeah, but it’s cool now,” Guttersnipe shrugged it off as she bit into a muffin. “I actually still keep in touch with them outside of work. We laugh about it now, and they actually like my mechanical wings. I still remember the day I came out of the hospital...”

“Wow, Gutsy! Those are so cool!” cried Tsunami--a sky blue pegasus colt with a red mane.

“Yeah! Super fresh!” UV cheered--a fuschia-colored pegasus filly with a yellow mane.

“Don’t pay attention to anypony at flight school. You’re still our best friend,” Vapor assured her--a white pegasus filly with a brown mane.

“Thanks guys...come here, you!”

They all huddled together for a tight hug.

I watched as the red pegasus chuckled to hide her sniffles of sadness from days long past. “Hehe...so great…”

“I see…” Tempest’s eyes darted a bit nervously. There was a burning question in her heart that she needed to ask. “Um...where did…”

Now more comfortable, Guts decided to show off by flexing her metallic flappers. “These babies? Well, I can’t tell ya everything. But what I will say is that certain ponies dabble in mechanical augmentation around certain parts of the world. My parents nearly forked their life savings into these...so now I work to pay them back.”

“...Inspirational. If possible, could you…?” Tempest raised her hoof as she asked a question. But something made her cease halfway through.

Guttersnipe tilted her head as she finished off the muffin. “...could I what?”

The ragged mare shook her head and rose from the table. “N-never mind. I need a moment. Excuse me, everypony.” With no further words, she left the room.

This left my red friend confused. “What was that about?” she asked with her hooves outstretched as she looked around at the rest of us.

Moondancer sighed. “She saw your mechanical wings and she was curious. When she heard your story, she wanted to know more and see if there was a way she could get her horn fixed up the same way.”

Yup. I knew it. Such a touchy subject, though. But I was glad that Guttersnipe was able to engage in a more grounded sort of conversation for a change.

“I see,” I spoke up after being silent for a while, “I know a little bit of information about her, but tell me, Moons. Does she still feel guilty after losing her horn and causing trouble?”

When I said a shortened version of her name aloud, the yellow unicorn raised an eyebrow for a half-second. “Moons? The heck?” Her expression returned to its default, neutral disposition just as quickly. “Beats me. She doesn’t like to speak about it. If you wanna know more, I recommend not trying.”

Cozy Glow, meanwhile, seemed rather optimistic. The young mare rubbed her hoof against her chin. “Hm...not trying…”

I looked at her. “What’s the matter, Cozy?”

“Nothing, sir. I just...have an idea or two.”

I grew more interested. “Did you both exchange any particular words while you were in the kitchen together?”

Sadly, the pink pegasus had to decline. “I’m...super sorry, but she begged me to not tell anyone about it. Still...I think there’s a way we could help her.”

Moondancer cut us off with a raise of her hoof and a clipboard that was caught in her magical aura. “Hey now. Don’t get distracted. I’m sure you all have a lot of work to do. And if you intend on helping us deal with these stormbeasts, then you’re gonna be even busier. Don’t start trying to pursue a bunch of friendship stuff just because you think it’s convenient or anything. Got it?”

Her tone. It was much more...strident. Even more so than usual. Moondancer clearly abhorred the idea of devoting too much time into building relationships, and I couldn’t blame her, given what she had been through.

But maybe, just maybe. If it was possible to show her that it wasn’t pointless, she could get somewhere again. I knew it was strange when Twilight neglected to mention her.

Nevertheless, I complied for the time being, and made a mental note to figure out how to assist Moondancer later. This mare was extremely hard to read. “Understood. Is there anything else that we should know before we leave?”

Moondancer put the clipboard down, and put both of her hooves together upon the table. A classic ‘scheming’ sort of pose. “Two things. The first, and most important: I’ve deduced that the next magical anomaly will take place at or around Nightmare Night. So be on your guard.”

“N-nightmare...Night?” Cozy responded with a nervous flick of her tail. “But...that’ll make it impossible to tell if it’s some super dangerous magic or some elaborate prank happening!”

“I know,” the unicorn rolled her eyes and straightened her glasses, “But you all are smart. I know you’re capable of weeding out what’s real and what isn’t.”

“Alright, alright. Seems legit,” Guttersnipe answered swiftly to get to the next point, “What’s the other thing?”

“Oh yeah. The other thing,” she grit her teeth and looked off to the side. “Listen. Keep this between us. But I’d like it if you could introduce the rest of your crew to Tempest. It’ll be easier to work with everypony if she knows who they are. But try not to bog her down with a bunch of companionship, got it?”

Yeesh. Her disdain for such endeavors was thick enough to bite through. Even so, I would remain unfurled by the request. “Also understood. We’ll be on our way soon.”

“Good, she’ll follow you out,” Moondancer stated, “If there’s anything else, let me know.”

And that was that, I suppose. The four of us left Canterlot, and went to the train station. It would be an interesting experience to deal with another pony who was seeking forgiveness. But also the meaning behind those storms. Just who or what could’ve caused it. And is it possible that we were attacked on purpose? If so, how does that factor into the other ongoing conflicts?

For one thing, a pegasus pony was being utilized for this attack in order to create a powerful beast of destruction. This could very well be the work of a certain set of ponies who had been conducting experiments. But Neighsay was locked up at the moment. Gah. So many variables, and so little time to factor them into the equation.

“Boss...boss?”

“Hm? Wha?” My deep thought focus was broken by Guttersnipe as she tapped my head with her hoof. “Oh, my apologies. I was just thinking.”

“Okay? Anyways, we need to go see my buddy Flash Drive.”

Tempest leaned forward with vague interest. “Oh? Who’s that?”

Guts replied with a snicker. “Heh heh heh. He’s only the smartest guy on our whole squad! He makes all of our gadgets and devices that we use. And if we’re lucky, we’ll run into his brother Neon--a batpony!”

“Oh wow...that sounds exciting. I haven’t seen one before.”

Those two went on a bit ahead, and Cozy stuck by me. Her face was scrunched up in deep thought somewhat like how I’d be at times.

I leaned over and suddenly spoke near her ear. “Something on your mind, kid?”

“Wah! Hey!” the pegasus whinnied, and huffed at me. I couldn’t help but giggle at her expense. “Save the scares for Nightmare Night.”

“Heheh. Sorry. But you looked pretty flustered just now. What’s wrong?”

Cozy looked at Tempest from behind. “I...see a lot of myself in her. If that makes any sense. I know she’s way olde--er--more experienced than I am. But I feel like...I can relate to her a little.”

“Ah. You think it’s possible for you to find out a way to help her while also helping yourself?”

“...something like that. We’re not so different. We both tried to steal alicorn magic in pursuit of something we thought we wanted. But the whole time, we never realized what we actually had until it was too late.”

I tipped my hat. “Indeed. One doesn’t truly appreciate what they have until it’s stripped away from them. When we take things for granted, it makes us unable to see the forest through the trees.” I teasingly ruffled her mane with my hoof and walked ahead to the loading platform. “But you already knew that, didn’tcha, kid?”

“...shush. Let’s just go see your friend already,” she reacted with a level of maturity and poise. Or at least, she did, until she used her tail to swat me. But I couldn’t help but mess with the kid. She was adorable.

The train ride was rather quick since Canterlot wasn’t that far from the Crystal Empire to the North. Not much of note occurred on the train, though once we arrived, Tempest took some time to gawk at the Empire’s crystalline architecture. It took us a moment, but we finally managed to get her into the crystal pop-rock candy shop.

After some time spent ogling the different candies, we ushered both Tempest and Cozy to a secure back room at the end of the store. Once there, we took an elevator down to a workshop where the jet black unicorn was busy working on something at his desk with goggles on

“Here we are,” I said as I stepped forward, “This is the pinnacle of design when it comes to our special weapons and tactics. But our chief mechanical officer, Flash Drive here, is one of the best.”

His teal magical aura removed his goggles, and Flash Drive rose from his seat. “Dammit, Vestige. I was this close to uncoverin’ somethin’. You’d better have good reason to bring her here before I get cheesed off, mate.”

“Calm yourself, bud. Hey, Guts. Mind heading back topside and running the store while we chat?”

The pegasus shrugged. “Suit yourselves. If you need anything, just holler,” she saluted, and left back up the same elevator we came down.

Cozy decided to quietly observe the dark purple mare.

“We have a new case,” I explained, and took a step back to allow Tempest to have the floor, “She’ll be working with us. This is--”

Drive cut me off, and took a bow. “Tempest Shadow, is it? Charmed. Flash Drive at your service. My brother, Neon Isotope, is lunched out at the moment. But I’d be happy to accommodate you.”

Before she said anything, the mare with the missing horn inspected Flash Drive’s body not unlike how she observed Guttersnipe’s earlier. But what could she glean from this? He had no missing or abnormal body parts, so what was her aim…

“You’re...stockier and a bit taller than most pony stallions,” she commented rather matter-of-factly, “Are you perhaps a half-breed?”

My pupils shrank. How could she ask such a personal question so casually?!

“Heh.” Flash Drive dipped his head down, and nodded once. “Precisely, good guess. I’m actually half-zebra.”

That’s when I heard Cozy Glow add her own two bits to the situation. “Whaaaaaaaaaaaaat?”

Subject 67: Zebrasive

“Half...zebra? That is most curious. Has that affected your life in any major way?”

“Well...for one thing, me mum had to venture out pretty far. She was from Trottingham, just like meself. Loved explorin’. The USB Drive family was one of the first sets of pony explorers to venture outside of Equestria--stands for United Searchers of Betterment. Others included the vikings and such, but that’s not important.”

I noticed Cozy Glow start to take notes. Just what was she after, scribbling away like that? Between every line of dialogue, she looked up to make sure Flash Drive was still talking.

I already knew of my buddy’s life story, so I decided to inspect the table that Flash Drive had been working on. Though my ear was still open.

Tempest had chosen to sit down on the floor as she listened. I was surprised to see that. Nopony tended to hear his long, drawn-out explanations. “Oh? I’ve lived most of my life outside of Equestria. But I never knew that other ponies ventured out in such ways. Tell me more.”

“Alright, then. Listen up, and I’ll tell ya,” the dark-colored unicorn also sat down, and used his magic. The cyan aura reached for and picked up a special book from nearby. His journal. Or rather, his mother’s journal that now belonged to him. He opened up the first page. “So, as I was sayin’, Trottinites were super deep into explorin’. For hundreds of years, the Trottish made their way across various lands in pursuit of knowledge, new foods, new lands, and meeting new ponies--or any other races they could come across. You know of Farasi, yes?”

Tempest nodded. “Yes! That’s one of the Zebra countries, correct? I believe a local Zebra is actually from there.”

“Zecora, yes,” Drive answered, “However, my father was from a different, adjacent Zebra nation: South Zebrica.”

“Oh? I haven’t heard of that one,” Tempest replied with admittance of guilt. For a traveler, I suppose she felt inadequate for not knowing as much as possible. That didn’t stop her from perking up about it, though. “What’s the culture like? How does it differ from Farasi?”

“In a few ways. For one thing, it’s a Zebra land that lacks many of the traditional elements of Zebra culture and goes for a more...melting pot approach. The Trottish and other settlers were accepted by the Southern Zebra tribes. Though...it wasn’t all pretty.”

The purple unicorn tilted her head. “Why not?”

Flash Drive sighed, and turned to another page in his mother’s journal. “...crime. Crime is overly abundant in the lands of the Southern Zebs. The exchange of many valuable resources were a key part in understanding each other. The Zebs offered up potions, hexes, and voodoo inspired texts while the ponies offered knowledge of fishing, industrialization, and landscaping. Soon, both cultures thrived as a result of cooperation.”

“That sounds amazing, but...I don’t quite understand,” Tempest replied with concern in her voice, “From what you’re saying, it sounds as if everypony is getting along well.”

Flash Drive shook his head. “Not entirely. Do you know what happens when two cultures mix together? Its people/creatures/ponies mix together. Resulting in half-breeds like myself.”

“Whatever could be the problem? I think crossbreeding between races shouldn’t matter so long as both parties love each other. You are a living example of it, are you not?”

“I am...but to this day...there are problems among the races. I’ll read you a direct excerpt from my mum’s journal. It follows:...”

“The South Zebrican council is still very pushy to this day. The half-breeds of pony-zebra mixes are still often considered ‘less-than’ by the actual zebras that live here. In response, the half-breeds have started a revolution to fight for equality within the nation. Myself? I don’t know. I love the culture here, and so does my husband, but the constant fighting has made it difficult to raise our child. We’re going to move back to Trottingham in a few days. I hope Zeke likes it there.”

A painful tale to listen to. It never got any easier for me to bear, personally. Conflicts within the Zebra lands, while tame, were still very volatile to the overall culture of the varying nations. I chose to remain silent, and let Flash Drive explain the rest.

“Oh dear…” Tempest was saddened by the explanation that the jet black unicorn gave her. “So...the crimes that are committed…?”

“Organized, madam. Every so often, kidnappings take place in which a half-breed is stolen from their home, only to be sold off to Farasi or other lands. Takes ages to find them--rarely in good condition. Not to mention rioting, theft, slander.” Flash Drive paused for a moment to catch his breath. Honestly, I was proud of him. This was a story that he didn’t share with just anypony. “But it’s gotten better recently...though I fear the idea of going back and meeting the folks on me dad’s side.”

True indeed. Every so often, we had a case in which a pony was taken from their home with hopes of a high price being fetched for them. Time and time again, we come close to these demonic bastions of hatred, but to no avail. We did tend to recover the prisoners...most of the time. Some of which were even children. Sad.

“So...because of where you came from, you tend to shy away from these details with most ponies, I assume.”

Drive levitated the journal back onto its nearby shelf. “Indeed. S’not something I care to share often. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not ashamed of being a half-breed, myself. I’m ashamed of the way my ancestors have chosen to take it upon themselves to stir up conflict, rather than solve it.” He sighed, “Conflict among the races is more quiet, nowadays. Southern Zeb lands are much more open to other kinds. Just have to be careful about who you come across when night falls. Potion makers and voodoo experts are either very helpful or very dangerous.”

“Do you ever wish to return?” Tempest asked.

“No,” he shook his head, “At least, not yet. My mum and dad are living in Trottingham now, and have escaped those little conflicts for whole new ones. But I’d never abandon them.”

She reached out and put a hoof around his neck. “Well I’m sure they’d be very proud of you. I honestly wish I could still see my own parents. But that aside, what’s it like?”

“Erm…” Flash Drive gently removed himself from her grip, and tilted his head. “What’s what like, madam?”

“Being a half-breed!” Tempest suddenly cried out. Now that was unexpected. I never would have pegged her for the researcher type. “Moondancer is helping me catch up on Equestrian culture after having been away for so long. So not only would I be able to learn about half-breeds, but this could be very useful for her studies, and such.”

The unicorn stallion chuckled. “Hah! How inspirational. Sure, I could. But there’s not much to state. Outside of being able to speak and read the Zebra language, I don’t have any other abilities. Though, I guess I do have extra muscle. My father was rather...hefty, if you catch my drift.”

“Really? Are Zebras bigger than ponies?”

“Well…heh…” he had that nervous sort of grin on his face, “It’s...yes. Well, Zebras can grow to be much larger than ponies. Stallions especially. My father easily comes up to Celestia’s chin from stature alone. Even now, the old man isn’t losing his prowess.”

Tempest started to think about it for a moment. Suddenly, a bit of blush appeared on her cheeks. “...Just...just how did your mother manage with…”

Both Cozy and I stopped dead in our tracks to look at Flash Drive. The unicorn stallion had now been put on the spotlight in a rather amusing way. I had been meaning to ask him about that for a while but never actually found a way to do so. He couldn’t refuse somepony like her, right?”

He slapped his hoof against his forehead. “Gah...this is why I don’t tend to tell anypony about this. So, ahem. Right then. I’ll just say like this. My mum had...trained herself to deal with...okay bugger this. Any other questions?”

Both Cozy and I did our best to hide our laughter. Despite being on opposite ends of the room, we both found Flash Drive’s embarrassment a tad funny.

Even Tempest was choked up for a moment. “Oh--ah--right. Makes sense to me. I actually appreciate the time you’ve taken to speak with me, Mr. Drive.”

“Really? What for?”

“Well...your story has given me some hope. Your friend Guttersnipe also told me about her past and...I feel like I can learn from you both. But you shouldn’t hide away from what’s a part of you,” she approached him once more, only for him to decline.

Drive went back to his desk and pushed me out of the way with his magic. “Thank you, but it’d be a bit difficult to express that without puttin’ myself at risk and whatnot,” he replied while he snapped his goggles back into place on his face. “I will say, though. Somepony like you would benefit from a visit to Lady Cadence.”

“The princess of this very Empire?” she asked with a nervous bite of her lip. “Would that be a good idea?”

“For sure,” Drive replied and grabbed a wrench with his magic, as well as a bunch of fake, toy pins. He was...mashing and welding things together with a torch. Was that his Nightmare Night costume? “The first step to being able to love others, is to love yourself. I know a lot about Lady Cadance, given that it’s my station. But I think you could learn a lot from her in particular.”

“Wow...I never thought of that, myself. You might be right.” Tempest replied with a smile, “Oh, and do you mind if I make a recommendation of my own?”

“Sure?”

“I’d recommend you speak with Moondancer,” she suggested, “you both have some things in common with how you approach your research. And I believe you could help her...er...approach others more easily while she helps you with your research in return.”

Now that was an odd thing to mention. I could have sworn that Moondancer was the type to avoid all socialization possible. What made Tempest feel as though that Flash Drive could accomplish anything with her, I wondered? There had to be a reason for her to bring it up.

“I see...in that case, I’ll definitely consider it. If we could all work more closely with each other, it’d be more beneficial.”

They continued to chat in the background and I slunk back to where Cozy had been standing at the end of the workshop. She had gathered an entire page’s worth of notes by now. Even I was impressed by it.

“What’s the deal, kid?”

She slipped the pencil from between her teeth, and into the rings on the notepad. “Simple. I think I’ve calculated just what Tempest is dealing with, and I think I know how we can help her.”

“Oh?” Well, this certainly got more interesting. I peered over to view her notes. “What’s the idea, kid?”

“Basically...she’s suffering from abandonment. Somewhat like Moondancer, but on a much greater scale. No one knows where her parents are, and her friends got into the School for Gifted Unicorns without her...”

Hold on a second. There was no possible way Cozy could know that information. Unless… “Kid...just how do you know that?”

The pink mare looked away from me, and didn’t answer. That pretty much confirmed it. Cozy and Tempest both likely discussed their pasts with each other when they were in the kitchen at Moondancer’s home together. So luckily, I could skip over some of the details.

“I see...well in that case, you two do share some things in common. And it might be possible for you to learn from--” I stopped mid-sentence as I recalled something. Flash Drive had recommended that Tempest go see Cadance. Meanwhile, I had come to realize that Cozy should go see somepony herself. “...Flurry Heart.”

“Huh?”

“She was one of the main ponies that supported your release. If there’s anypony you could all benefit from in terms of a chat, it’s those two.”

Cozy tapped her hooves together in a nervous fashion as she hovered off the ground. “G-golly...that sounds super intimidating, sir.”

I chuckled. “Relax, Coaster. Flurry despises being treated like royalty. It’ll be perfect.”

“Alright...if you’re sure, sir.”

I shot her a confident smile, but then I heard the elevator ding.

DING!

Somepony had come down to the base. However, it wasn’t Guttersnipe.

“Brother. I got the parts ye needed,” a familiar batpony with an artificial right hoof exited the elevator doors, and placed them neatly in a pile nearby. As soon as he spotted us, he addressed the new visitors we had brought down. “Oi. You lot. Guttersnipe said you were conducting business so I came to see for myself.”

Yet again, Tempest felt the need to go up close and personal. This time, she inspected the mechanical hoof that Neon had. Though, by inspect I meant ‘completely awkward and unrelenting stares.’

“Um...madam. Is everything alright?” he tilted his head with a worried expression on his face.

At last, she stopped, and raised her head to face him directly. “...You too, huh?”

Subject 68: The Big Boss

“I, too? What are you on about, bird?” Neon asked the damaged unicorn.

Cozy leaned in close to me and whispered, “She’s a pony, not a bird.”

I gave her an explanation. “Oh no, it’s a Trottingham expression. Bird is the same thing as a young girl, right Drive?”

“Huh?” he responded half-heartedly due to being distracted with whatever he head on his desk, “Yeah yeah, bird means lady. Now shush.”

Cozy looked over at the unicorn, and back at me. “What’s he doing?”

“If I had to venture a guess, I’d say he’s working on his Nightmare Night costume.”

Anyway, Tempest responded with a somber tone. “...I, well. As you can see, I lost a part of myself also. But you...managed to come back from it just like your pegasus friend.”

“Ah…” the blue bat pony rubbed his fake leg with the coiled tubes. “I understand. It wasn’t an easy thing to deal with. But I managed. And hey, maybe you can also.”

Tempest rubbed her broken horn nub. “...You think so?”

The bat pony took a closer look at it.

Wait a second, could it be possible that he was considering a prosthetic attachment for her body? But that wouldn’t exactly be feasible...would it? I mean, the Batling family was known for more basic things such as simple limb replacement. Only just recently did they venture out into wings for both pegasi and their own bat-kin. But a unicorn horn? I wasn’t sure. I’m no doctor, but my knowledge of the pony biology was pretty extensive. A horn was made up of several different magical fibers of DNA that allowed magic to be cast from it.

Every single one was different from each other, as well. Because no two were alike, creating a prosthetic horn to channel magic through would be a daunting challenge in and of itself.

But Neon? That batty brother was off his rocker!

“I’ll see what I can do for ya, birdie,” he responded in a slow, careful sort of way, “But I can’t make no promises. A hoof and a pair of wings are easy. But a horn? Not so much.”

Tempest shut her eyes and took a deep breath as if she had been prepared for the uncertain answer. “I understand. Thank you.”

“Yes, well then. You all should get a move on. I hear Madam Cadance is free around this time.”

“Perfect. Thank you for your time, gents,” I said with a tip of my hat.

We bade my comrades goodbye, and set out for the Crystal Castle in the middle of the Empire. Though, as we trotted along those shiny, gem-like roads, I couldn’t help but feel uneasy. That feeling. As if we were being followed. Maybe I was overthinking it, what with how lively and active the crystal ponies were, but I knew something was up.

I stopped in my tracks, which caught the attention of both mares.

Cozy was first to notice. “Is there something wrong, sir?”

Tempest also turned to face me. “Do you feel a disturbance?”

Now wasn’t the time for distractions. Those two needed to keep going and meet with the princess and her daughter. Any and all threats to their safety--Cozy’s especially--needed to be dealt with.

I shook my head. “...No. I’m alright. I just remembered something I need to check up on,” I chuckled and rubbed the back of my head to make it sound convincing, “hehe. Uh, I’ll meet you girls there, alright?”

Cozy raised a brow. I could almost hear her dubious thoughts as she looked at me with a concerned, yet non-believing expression. But sheh must have gotten the hint since she didn’t argue nor debate with me on the subject. “I...see. Well, if you’re sure. Come on, Temp,” she said as she walked onward.

“...will he be alright?” Tempest asked as she followed.

“Oh yeah, he does this all the time. You know how overprotective legal guardians can be.”

That was the last I heard of them before they were out of earshot. But I kept my eye on them as they made their way to the Crystal Castle. I watched the two trot all the way there as they talked. They were greeted by the Crystal Guards, and were subsequently let inside. Whew. Okay. No longer had to worry about that.

But now, I had to focus my attention elsewhere. This new presence was...odd. Not hostile, but potentially dangerous all the same. I felt its aura, and wanted it to get no closer. If we were truly being followed, then it was time to act.

I thought about it for a second, and chose not to isolate myself this time. I passed by a few shops within the Empire Square. Yup. It was still there. Okay then, time to keep going. I stopped at the local cafe. I was a bit parched, so I figured it would be a nice way to kill two birds.

So I took a seat, and ordered some tea. Guess the crystal theme was heavily ingrained. All of the seats, the paint on the walls, even the flooring. All crystal. Even the menu had geode, and gemstone, items. It was no surprise that dragons would frequent this place. I even saw an orange one at a table with her friends. Smolder, was it?

“...!”

My eyes narrowed down. That deadly presence hadn’t left. Alright then. If they wanted a fight, then a fight they would get.

Shockingly enough, that’s not even close to what happened.

“Hey.”

“Aie!” I nearly fell out of my chair. Dammit all. All of that buildup for somepony to nearly give me a heart attack. Great.

When I looked up, they were gone, but a note was left on the table next to my teacup.

‘Meet me outside behind the cafe.’

Huh. Well, whoever this was, they certainly didn’t have good taste in scenery. But of course, I chose to honor the request...for now.

I finished up my tea, and exited the crystal cafe. When no one was looking, I slunk into the alleyway behind the place. Behind the little eatery was a dumpster and a few crates, but nothing out of the ordinary. Until…

Something was flung towards me from behind.

“...!”

I sensed it and reacted.

“Hmph!”

I spun, and kicked the deadly weapon away. It clattered to the ground next to me. Now it was the time to speak out. “Alright, enough games. Show yourself.”

“Sorry about that,” a familiar, commanding voice of a mare spoke out to me as she dropped down from the next door building. “I had to make sure you were you. It’s been a while, ain’t it PV?”

I scowled, and huffed a bit. “Are you mad? You could’ve killed me!”

She pointed a hoof to the ground nearby. “Aw, lighten up. It was just a wooden dagger, bud. Not even close enough to cause damage.”

I looked over at the weapon, and sighed. Of course she would do something like that, what with being the leader of SMILE and all. “Luna-dammit. What can I do for you, Major Drops?”

At last, she lifted her head. Despite the wrinkles under her eyes, she looked just as she used to all those years ago. It was uncanny, but I suppose most mares aged like a fine wine. Cheerilee certainly did, that was for sure.

“We’ve been reviewing your situation regarding Cozy. First off: Good job on watching the young lady. She can learn a thing or two from you, I’d wager,” she said with a teasing sort of smirk. “Even a former SMILE agent like yourself has some of the skills that were taught to us. I mean, you joined us when you were fifteen, completed your first solo mission at sixteen, and slaughtered your first monster at seventeen. And then at eighteen you went ahead and ventured out on your own to start your own agency. Lyra and I were in our twenties at the time, so you can imagine how surprised we were.”

Yes, it was true. Right after Miranda Rights pushed me on the right path, I decided to join SMILE. However, going after just monsters and big creatures got boring to me after a while. A bugbear here, a hydra there, cerberus every so often. It wasn’t fun anymore. That’s when I decided to devote my life to dealing with the truest, and scariest monsters of all.

Us.

“Yeah, yeah. We all just love a good trip down memory lane, don’t we” I scoffed, and rolled my eyes at this. Drops knew how much I hated being praised for my work, and she took full advantage of it. “Hmph. Get to the point, madam.”

She let out a quick giggle, and cleared her throat before she started to explain what the situation was. “Ahem. Of course. I spoke to Agents Flim and Flam about what went down with the Kirn and Svengallop’s goons the other day. Remember?”

How could I forget? The image of that kirin’s dead body splattered all over the dirt from thousands of feet in the air still haunted me. “...Yes. I know,” I replied with a slow nod, “have any developments occurred?”

“Quite a few, actually. After rigorous interrogation of the remaining members of Svengallop’s captured group, we’ve deduced that something big is happening today.”

“Oh?”

She nodded, and took out a document for what looked like a plastic clay explosive. “Very much so. According to what they’ve gotten out of the mob ponies, a bomb has been planted somewhere in the Empire.”

Okay. Concerning. But we had squads designated to handle that, didn’t we? “Alright. I’ll be on the lookout and let you know if anything happens.”

“About that…” she continued. That clearly wasn’t all she had to say. Sweetie Drops looked down at the ground for a moment. Then she fixed her eyes on me with a strained sort of glare. “The bomb isn’t planted just anywhere. It’s planted in the Crystal Pony Retirement Home.”

I froze. Visions of my past started to flood back to me.

“Wh...what?!”

Drops sighed, and broke eye contact with me. “I feel bad for telling you like this. But you’ve got experience with these types of things. Don’t worry. I’ve got other ponies in the Empire also on the case, so don’t feel like the weight is entirely on your shoulders. I just want you to figure out who planted it so we can interrogate them further, and find out where Svengallop’s gang is located. Alright?”

My head. It hurt. The pain and the sounds of screams from elderly ponies, helpless as something dangerous goes off from inside where they can’t escape. Just like...what I...no. Not here. I won’t allow it.

“I’ll see to it,” I responded with a painful creak in my voice. I coughed. “Ack! Sorry. That tea went down strangely. I’ll keep you posted if anything occurs.”

“Good.” Sweetie Drops handed me the document, and tilted her head back down to conceal her face. “And if you’re ever in the neighborhood, PV, don’t be afraid to help us out when you can. Bye for now,” she trotted off into the alley, and seemingly disappeared as soon as she rounded the corner.

That mare and her cryptic ways. I couldn’t stand it. That’s one of the main reasons why I left SMILE in the first place. It was all too pedantic for my taste. But that was beside the point for the time being. For now, I had to place my concern on the local retirement home in the Empire.

But first, I needed to check back in with Cozy and Tempest. They were likely concerned about my whereabouts by this point.

So I went to the Crystal Castle. I checked in with the guards, and was allowed inside. I memorized the layout of the place from the last time I was here, so I took the staircase to the right that led to the residence of the royal family.

Sure enough, I was greeted by the youngest living alicorn.

“Aw damn, it’s Pales in the house!” Flurry Heart cried out as soon as I walked through the door to their home. She and Cozy were working on a model train set in the living room together. “What’s up P-to-the-V?”

That speech pattern. Just what was she on about nowadays? “Oh, well, a...few friends of mine are here and I wanted to check up on them,” I watched as the pink pegasus mare used her wings as finger-like appendages to connect the train track pieces. Absolutely brilliant. “What’s going on with you, Flurry?”

“I’m on top of the world!” she shouted and flew up to me with a flyer in her hooves. “Tonight, I’m gonna do a pre-Nightmare Night charity show for the Crystal Ponies in the Old Folks’ Home!”

I stared at the flyer, and felt my heart drop to my gut. ‘Flurry Heart’s Charity Show! Tonight at 6PM! It’ll be spooooky!’ And it had an image of a jack-o-lantern directly in the middle.

“Isn’t that cool?!” Flurry asked while she hovered in front of me with sparkles in her eyes. “You’ll be there, won’t you?”

I froze once again. I could’ve sworn I had a heart attack in that moment. I suddenly fell over, and onto my back with my hooves pointed straight up to the air.

Flurry landed, and poked me with her hoof. “...sir? You okay? Um” she paused, and looked around with a nervous, fearful expression, “...dad! I need your help!”

Subject 69: Crystal Family Emergency

Argh. My head. The last thing I could remember was something about a retirement home being potentially blown up. Wait what?! Oh my god, it was true. Bon Bon--or Sweetie Drops--informed me of the situation a while ago! Okay, okay, no need to start panicking. But hold on. Didn’t Flurry state that she had business there this evening?

Okay now might be a good time to panic.

I was knocked out for a while from having passed out moments ago. I was sure that I was going to get another visit from my favorite old king, considering where I was. But luckily, I wasn’t completely out of it yet.

“...alright? You...okay?”

I heard a faint voice call out to me, and my eyes fluttered open. I came to find out that I had been resting on a bed...no. A couch? Damn, it felt good enough to pass as a bed. Just what sort of materials was this made of?

Anyhow, when I opened my eyes, I was face-to-face with four faces. Two alicorns, one pink, one white, a white unicorn stallion, a unicorn with a damaged horn, and a pink pegasus mare. They all stared at me as if I was some rare, strange creature that they had found and had no idea how to react to meeting for the first time.

Or one of those viral jokes about a squad laughing.

Needless to say, I was startled. “Aie!” I shouted and gripped the sofa with my hooves.

They all let out sighs of relief, and gave me some space.

“Oh, good. He’s awake,” Cadance moved back, and took a deep breath. “Let me go prep some tea. I’ll be right back. Wanna help me out, Tempest?” she said with a relaxed tone as she left for the kitchen with a quiet Tempest close by.

Cozy was second to lean back, and also exhaled. “Whew...I’m glad you’re okay, sir. You had me worried for a sec. How are you feeling?”

“I’m...okay, thanks.”

Flurry Heart was next. “That was a wicked tumble. Dad says that can happen sometimes. Did you have a prostate attack or something?”

“...!” I heard Shining make a gruff whinny, and pushed his daughter to the side with magic. “Ahem. What she means is that it’d be a bit bothersome if you upped and croaked on us. After all, someone needs to keep Cozy in line,” he had a nervous smile while he sweat bullets.

I’ll admit, the prostate comment hurt me just as much as it hurt him. I sincerely hoped that he would question his daughter about where she learned the term and taught her how to use it properly for the future.

The young alicorn protested. “Wha? She’s a grown mare, dad! We’re even working on this 20 million piece train set that you said your grandpa gave you.”

“It’s a tradition!” he pleaded with a wide grin as he pointed at the massive box. The train set had its very own tunnel, hill, ramps, and simulated steam. “This old set has been passed down to all of the first-borns in our family. Now it’s your turn, Flurrs!” the unicorn gave his daughter a playful ruffle of her mane with his hoof, much to her chagrin.

“Hrrrrmph,” her face scrunched up with annoyance, “can you at least give us some space? I can’t work on this if you’re beating a dead horse about it.” She pushed her father’s hoof away with her magic. “Let us breathe.”

“Fine, fine. But if you need anything, just holler,” Shining offered with a smile before he went out to one of the balconies to water some plants.

Flurry sighed. “Whew...thank goodness. Dad’s usually not like that, but anyway, how are you feeling, sir?”

I sat upright upon the couch with my hind legs dangling off. “I’m alright. Sorry. I don’t know what just happened. I think...you might’ve scared me, heh.” I played it off the best I could. I absolutely could not let the child know that there was something as dangerous as a bomb threat. But I need to alert at least one of her parents. “With Nightmare Night coming up, and all. You’ve already done wonders. Just try not to scare the elderly ponies, hm?”

She waved her hoof, “Pshaw! No way. I’d never try that. Old ponies are impossible to scare. They’ve seen everything by this point!”

What an interesting, yet reasonable perspective. It was only legitimate, after all. The older you got, the more horrors you saw. The more you saw, the less it frightened you. Heh. How disturbing. Most children would wet themselves at the idea of killing somepony else. But now? It was part of my job.

Of course, I was used to the idea of murderous destruction since I was little, but let us not speak of that.

“Heh. Righty-o. Hey, where’d your dad go?”

Flurry pointed to the balcony garden. Wait, a garden on a balcony? What? “Outside. Can’t miss it.”

I tipped my hat, and got up from my seat. “Thank you, little lady." I decided to tell Shining Armor first, given that he probably had experience with hostile takeovers before. What with being a former Guard of Canterlot and all. Level with me on this one.

Just as Flurry described, her father was outside on one of the many castle balconies. It was large enough to function as a small garden with at least a dozen potted plants all around. Very pretty, I must admit.

“There we go, and that’s done,” Shining muttered to himself as he fixed a flower pot with a sunflower inside of it.

“Prince Armor,” I trotted out, and shut the balcony doors behind me, so that no one else inside could hear what I had to say. “First off, lovely upper garden you have going.”

“Thank you,” he replied, “It’s another hobby of mine. But more importantly, I’m glad you helped get that scum Neighsay off the streets. I had no idea that our own parents were asked to participate in such a thing. Dad never mentioned that to me.”

I winced and ground my teeth together. “Yeah...but it was a good thing we stopped it when we did. Who knows just how many more ponies he would’ve manipulated if it got worse.”

He sighed. “I know there’s no way to make conflict disappear forever. But at the very least, I know we can try our best to fight back.”

What a perfect segue. “That’s part of the reason why I came out to you today, sir.”

“Hm? What’s the problem.”

It was simple. I explained the details of what my higher-ups had explained to me moments prior. The situation was dire, but I believed the situation could be solved if we acted carefully. To my surprise, the Prince’s reaction was rather calm.

“I see...well, I’m certainly not allowing Flurry Heart to go there,” he said as he gave a concerned look towards his daughter as she helped Cozy with the train. “But what about the Old Folks’ Home itself? Should we evacuate?”

I shook my head. “No way. If we do that, then the bomber will know that we know their plans. They’re likely to remotely detonate it as soon as they see a few ponies walk out.”

“Are there any demands? A ransom?” Shining asked, “Bomb threats don’t just occur for no reason.”

In the back of my mind, I knew. Damn well, too. A retirement home with a bomb threat? Heh. Asshats knew me far too well for this to work. “I’ll be honest,” I said with a light chuckle, “Heh...they’re probably after me.”

“What makes you say that?”

“Years ago...well, when I was a colt…”

Another harsh explanation. I dreaded every single word as I recounted the events that led up to where I was now in my life. The main topic of discussion was the retirement home in Manehattan that I nearly destroyed in my youth.

Shining looked away, “Ah...now I get it. They’re trying to stir up trauma in you by bringing up your past misdeeds.” He turned around, and started to water a lily via magic. “I can relate somewhat. When I was younger, I made lots of idiotic mistakes as well. The bullies in my class always tried to make use of them against me.”

They said that curiosity killed the cat, but I just had to know. “Oh? What was your biggest screw-up, Prince?”

“Well…” Shining rubbed his chin as he gave it some thought, “ever set off bottle rockets?”

My answer was swift. “Dozens. Nearly wrecked an entire hillside with them.”

“...Oh. Well then I guess this’ll be easy to explain. To make a long story short, I tried pulling a prank on one of the deans at Canterlot Academy. Needless to say, they never let me live it down. And what it sounds like whoever is pulling this stunt is trying to do the same to you,” he pointed at me.

I rolled my eyes. “Great…” Interesting little story from the unicorn, but what I needed to do now was focus on what was ahead. “But I won’t allow that to deter me. I’ll find, and put a stop to whatever nefarious plot is being planned. And I already have a sneaking suspicion as to who’s involved.”

“You do?”

Possibly. Though, I wasn’t about to expose my cards just yet. “Call it a hunch, but I think I already know what to do. I’ll need all of the Crystal Guards on standby and ready to act at a moment’s notice, if you place.”

Once again, the Prince surprised me with his snappy level of response. “On it. I’ll inform Cadance in private, and send a messenger out right away. Any threat like this will need to be dealt with seriously, and quickly,” he replied with a stern gaze. I guess now I knew just where Twilight’s tenacity came from.

I raised an eyebrow. “You trust my word? Even after all that you said to me before? Even regarding Cozy in there?”

“I asked Twilight about information on you. She told me to ask Sweetie Drops, so I did. As it turns out...you’re quite the agent. With a history like yours, I probably should’ve listened to you from the beginning.” He rubbed the back of his head, “...Twilight also told me more information about that kid’s life and how she essentially had it stolen from her. If Flurry was in her position...I’d let her work her way back into trust as well.”

Well, I could respect that line of thinking. Even if he didn’t fully trust Cozy Glow right away, that was fine. So long as he offered her the fair chance he would offer his daughter. I suppose that’s why those two young mares got along so well.

“I appreciate that, but,” I waved my hoof in denial, “You were doing your job as a father, and a Prince. Don’t ever be ashamed of that. But I do appreciate the fact that you went back and did research of your own. Now that you trust me, we can work together to stop whatever sick-minded menace is out there that wants to harm the elderly.”

That’s when Cadance popped her head through the balcony doors. “Is everything alright out here? You two have been chatting for quite a--Oh!”

“Perfect timing.” Shining pulled her in close to him with his magic, and closed the door. “Hun, we have a problem.”

“Oh?” The pink alicorn looked at me with concern, “What’s the matter, Pale?”

One explanation later…

“Hm…” Cadance trotted to the edge of the balcony, and looked out over the Empire. “I see. But isn’t it possible for me to do something like a teleportation spell to evacuate everyone instantly?”

I hadn’t considered that, but even so, we had to be careful. “While that may be plausible, it’s possible that our enemy is keeping a close watch over the scene,” I walked up next to her as I stated my piece, “plus, teleporting that many ponies at once requires a high concentration of magic that can be easily detected by a skilled earth pony or a magic device.”

She turned her head to look at me. “Then what do you suggest we do, detective?”

“What else? I’ll sneak in there myself, defuse it, and find the culprit myself.”

Shining stepped forward next. “What? Are you kidding? That’s far too risky! You could end up captured or worse!”

“Relax, old man,” I let out a snide scoff, “I have my allies all around, and the Guards can erect defensive magic in an instant, can’t they?”

“...They can, yes,” he replied with an uncertain look in his eyes, “But are you sure you know what you’re doing?”

I looked into my coat, and checked to make sure all of my weapons were ready. “Hey, I owe you for that time your daughter followed me, don’t I? As far as I’m concerned, this is just another day at the office. All I ask is that you keep both Flurry and Cozy away from this while I work.”

Cadance gave me a playful nudge with her hoof. “Aw, are you dumping your daughter onto us? Well, I was known as the top foalsitter when I was younger, so I guess I can honor that request,” she said with a smug, evil sort of smirk that was meant to directly get a rise out of me.

Unfortunately, it did. Though only minorly. I stuttered with a hint of rose on my cheeks. “I--gh! I’m her handler. Not her father.”

She giggled into her hoof. “I’m only joking. Of course we’d be happy to look after her while you’re busy. Right, hubby?”

I looked up, and watched as Shining Armor read from a book. It had a red cover and the title was ‘How To Counter Worldwide Threats’. “Hm? Oh, sure! No problem. Heh…”

“Shiny--we talked about this. Cozy Glow has no more threatening powers or abilities. If anything, I’m more concerned for her when you consider our child is basically a walking, talking nuke.”

“Yeah, I was reading it for Flurry,” he responded quickly.

Cadance threw her head back. “Gah! You are impossible. But that’s what I love about you. Oh!” she suddenly turned to address me, “Sorry, Pale. Everything will be in its proper place for this evening. Until then, you’re more than welcome to join us all for some--”

I shook my head. “Thank you, but I’ll be fine,” I said as I trotted past the two of them, “I need to take a walk, and gather my thoughts on my own for a but. But I’ll certainly return before the mission begins.”

“Oh, that’s understandable,” Cadance replied and waved, “See you later then, sir! Shiny, put the damn book away.”

Subject 70: Demolition Seniors

The plan was simple, as much as any other. Flurry Heart was disappointed when she found out they had ‘cancelled’ her little charity performance due to ‘unforeseen’ circumstances. Truthfully, I understood why her parents kept it from her. It was something very dangerous, and the emotionally driven alicorn wouldn’t exactly be subtle in her approach.

When the evening drew near, I arrived at the retirement home at the quieter side of the Empire. Ity was a nice little place filled with adorable, elderly crystal ponies. I could only imagine the sheer amount of wonderful stories they had to tell from their time being alive.

But no time for that. The first thing was simple: change of plans. I’d enter the retirement home, and arrive at the front desk to speak with the secretary.

“Excuse me?” I leaned onto the desk with my hooves.

“Hm? What’s up?” the green crystal stallion behind the counter responded to me.

“Flurry Heart can’t make it,” I explained, “Something to do with an incident up North involving the Yaks. I have someone who’ll be taking over her little charity show at the request of the Princess herself.”

Thankfully, he bought it. The guy behind the desk had the ‘I don’t get paid enough for this’ look in his eyes. I even felt bad. “Sure. So long as you can make it entertaining for the old-timers, doesn’t matter who it is.”

Okay, that was surprisingly simple. Now I just needed the next part of my plan to work. I trotted into the nearby stallion’s restroom, and tapped a device I had in my ear. “You’re on.” Then I poked my head out.

As expected, Tempest made her way inside. Though now, she was in a more casual outfit. A green polo with leaves on it to be exact. This was my ace in the hole. Somepony that no one really knew around these parts.

“Hi there,” she said as she walked up to the secretary stallion, “I’m here for the--”

The crystal pony pointed a hoof to the right. “The stage is in the back room. You got ten minutes before it starts.”

She shot me a wink as she trotted past the front desk, and left for the room that was further within the facility.

“Yes,” I muttered to myself. Now all we need to do was get everything ready, and continue as planned. The first step was already in motion. Now I just needed to locate, and disarm the explosive before anything could occur.

“Excuse me, sonny,” I heard a hoarse voice call out to me.

Turns out, I had blocked the way to the bathroom by accident. “Hm? Oh, sorry.” I held the door open for the old stallion, and continued on my way.

Next, I had to search for optimal places to store an explosive. To kill an optimal amount of ponies, the individual must have known in advance about Flurry Heart’s arrangement for her little show that she intended to put on.

Luckily, she would be avoiding that.

So that left me with the fact that the explosive was likely located in the showroom where the elderly folks would be gathered. So I headed there first.

I pushed the door open, and I could see attendant ponies set up chairs for the crowd to sit in. Tempest was in the corner to my right. Her eyes as cold as freshly cut metal as they scanned the room.

“Find anything yet?” I asked as I walked up to her.

“Nothing. How about you?”

I tipped my hat. “It’s only a matter of time. I suspect our subject will have already set up what they wanted by now.”

She sighed, “Are you sure evacuation is off the table.”

“Not entirely. If it comes to that, we’ll just have to be quick about it. Sweetie Drops wouldn’t drop this on me if she knew I couldn’t handle it, though. Plus, the last thing we need to do is jolt a bunch of...aged ponies who have weak hearts and can’t withstand the shock of a teleportation spell.”

“Well...this situation is dire, so I hope you know what you’re doing, Mr. Vestige.”

I put on a smile to hide the fact that I wasn’t one-hundred percent confident. “Relax, Ms. Shadow. Everything will fall into place. Right now, I just need you to get ready to start up your show. Speaking of which,” I tilted my head, “what exactly do you have planned?’

For the first time since I met her, the mare with the broken horn laughed. “Haha! You shouldn’t worry about all of that,” she used her magic to levitate a flashlight, and turned it on beneath her chin to illuminate her face for dramatic effect. “I have loads of ways to keep them occupied. Ahahaha!”

Part of me wanted to tell her that scary stories alone wouldn’t work, but I was interested in seeing what she had planned for her approach. So I chose to leave it be. “Heh. If you’re sure. I’m gonna go out and do some investigating. Good luck with the show.”

“Oh I won’t be needing any luck, ehehehe…”

I left Tempest be. This room was wide, but to place a bomb in plain sight would be obviously dumb. No. It had to be more discreet, more hidden. I looked up. The vents? No. It would be out of reach and wouldn’t cause any major damage. The walls? Not likely. I would be able to see a disturbance in the paint plastered over them. So that left one option. I looked down at the floor.

“Hm…”

It hit me. I knew exactly where to go next. First, I had to get ahold of one of the crystal caretaker ponies. “Excuse me,” I approached one of the mares who had been getting chairs set up, “Do you perhaps know where the cellar of the facility is located?”

She pointed outside, “Head out the back door, and make a right. You can’t miss it,” she replied as she looked me over. “Is there something wrong, sir?”

“Hm? Oh no. I’m just checking on something. Carry on,” I replied, and pranced towards the door. I stepped outside, and walked along a cobblestone path. There was a nice little pond, several benches, a tennis court, a gazebo, and a garden. Very helpful to keep the older folks relaxed, I’d say.

I turned to my left and saw the cellar doors connected to the side of the building itself. I went over, and opened them. Yup. This is exactly where I needed to go. Why? It was a matter of time.

I walked down the stone steps, and shut the doors behind me. It was dark as heck, but thankfully, a light switch wasn’t too hard to find. Sadly, the light was a bit dim, and only gave me enough vision to see past a small area. Fortunately, my eyes soon adjusted to the darkness and I could see vague outlines of stacked boxes all around the cellar.

“I’ll have to remind them to replace the light source down here,” I mumbled as I wrote that tidbit down in my notes. I kept going along a set path of boxes and other items that lined the cellar. I guess the workers had a certain way that they chose to go about storing their items. I couldn’t hate them for it. After all, I--and many others--did the same thing.

It was an uneventful little walk I had. I saw chairs, tables, holiday decorations, and various little items that could be used to entertain or cheer up an elderly pony.

My ear flicked.

From above, I could hear ponies moving into a room, and being seated. Tempest’s show was about to begin. But wait, the noise was coming from a specific part of the cellar. Could it be? I needed to get a visual, so I climbed atop one of the towers of boxed supplies.

“Ngh…”

It was probably foolish, to do a thing like this. But it was my best bet. I did my best to scramble up there, and walked across the boxes in a precarious sort of way. My ear was right next to the ceiling which connected to the floor of the building.

Okay then. I was almost there. I just had to keep listening.

Beep. Beep. Beep.

And there it was.

I crossed a few more sets of boxes. My legs flailed, and I had to knock over a few just to get there. Was I out of shape or was this stuff just heavy? Anyway, I finally arrived, and found it.

“Hot damn…”

There it was. A little black box with a beeping red light on the side. With my back lying on a tower of boxes, I was able to slide right underneath it in order to get a better look at the device. I was no slouch when it came to bomb defusal, so this wasn’t exactly going to be hard. But then, I noticed the time it had left.

5:00….4:59….4:58….4:57…

Five minutes?! Okay. That was a problem, but I knew I could more or less deal with such a constraint so long as I was able to focus. Just needed to t pop the rear casing off, and...yup. Wires everywhere. Whew. I had my work cut out for me today, that was certain.

So I got to work. It was actually surprisingly simple. Such an elementary C4 design. It couldn’t be set off with magic or anything. Only a remote detonation. That being said, rendering it harmless was fairly simple once you knew what to cut apart.

It was almost too simple, in fact. I didn’t snip that wire just yet.

I removed the bomb from its place on the cellar ceiling, and got off the boxes. “Alright, come on out, whoever you are,” I called out while I looked into the darkness at the end of the underground room. “This was far too easy to come in to deactivate and leave it at that.”

POING!

A dagger whizzed past my head that I just barely managed to dodge in time. It lodged itself in the stone wall behind me.

“You catch on fast, Blood Viper,” a mare’s voice called out to me. She appeared before me in a completely black bodysuit and mask. Only a set of orange eyes were visible, and nothing else. “I’ll make this quick, and simple for you to understand: Defuse that bomb, and Svengallop’s entire gang will know where you are the second it's put out. You’ll be surrounded with no escape. Or…” she started to walk around me in a circle. A classic scare tactic, “You can cover the blast with your own body, sacrifice your own, meaningless life, and save everypony above you. No confrontation.”

I weighed what she told me, and almost laughed it off. So this was the level that the bastard and his little entourage intended to stoop to just to accomplish their goals. How sickening. But if I were to die now, it would be the worst possible time to do so. Cozy Glow would lose the first pony that actually took time to care for her. And I would not dare choose to selfishly abandon her and Cheerilee.

“Heh…” I took a look at the timer on the bomb.

10...09...08…

“Just how many ponies would arrive if I were to defuse it?”

The masked mare replied, “At least thirty. Choose wisely, Viper boy.”

I chuckled, and clenched my teeth around the wire. I ripped it out, and tossed the defused, harmless explosive on the floor directly in front of her. I refused to tolerate such harassment any longer. If they wanted a fight, I would give them one they would never forget.

“Those odds sound extremely unfair...for you.”

Subject 71: I Take Care Of My Own

“It’s your funeral…” the mare fled from the scene, and bolted out of the cellar doors.

Oh no. I wasn’t going to let a suspect get away in death again. Not this time. I immediately took off after her, and as soon as I got back to the surface, I snorted and huffed. She was gone. Hm. Thankfully, every single one of the senior ponies had been busy inside watching Tempest’s little performance. Because of that, the massive backyard of the retirement estate was free of anypony that could receive any collateral damage.

What I wasn’t prepared for, however, was the mare’s bluff that I thought I had called.

As soon as I took two steps, a (non-crystal) pony rose from behind every bush, every tree, every bench, the gazebo, and every other object in the yard. Each one held a different weapon. Swords, bows, axes, gauntlets, magical tomes, wyverns?! Mares and stallions alike, all wearing similar cloaks and masks that covered their faces but left their eyes exposed. Lord almighty what did anyone do to deserve this?

I turned around, only to come to realize that I was indeed surrounded on all angles. This...was absolutely not good in any sense of the word. Not only was I literally outnumbered and outponied, the retirement home was just a few feet away from us. A massive battle like this would almost surely cause damage to the building itself as well as everypony inside.

“Ohohoho,” the mare I had met in the cellar re-appeared in a flash of green smoke. “Did you think I was actually bluffing? I told you that you’d be on the receiving end of something that you couldn’t prepare for. This is what happens when you set free a pony who has made loads of enemies.”

Enemies? Wait a second, just who were they? What even was their objective? There was something going on here that I clearly wasn’t privy to just yet. But in order to find out more, I had no choice but to comply.

I scoffed, and rolled my eyes. “Great. Well, congrats. You’ve won. I can’t reasonably fight my way out of this lest I cause unintentional damage to loads of elderly ponies. What do you want from me?”

“Simple. We want Cozy Glow to understand true despair. The same despair she put the entire world through all of those years ago. So we’ll be taking the one thing that matters most to her,” she trotted up to me, and tapped my nose with her hoof, “you.”

I smacked her hoof away. “Are you serious? Just what kind of twisted operating are you pulling here? What are you really after?”

“Heh, if it were up to me, I’d explain as much as I want, but I can’t,” she shut her eyes with no sense of remorse, “now what’s it gonna be? You gonna come quietly? Or risk the lives of some precious seniors like you almost did twenty years ago?”

I grit my teeth, and hid my face beneath my hat. Such psychological warfare annoyed me to my very core. I felt my veins boil, and my neck twitch. There was nothing I could do. I was powerless in this situation. Stuck between a rock and a hard...well, you know. But the thing that upset me the most is that Cozy was going to lose the individual that cared about her more than anyone else.

But I swore to myself, that I would come back, even if I was in pieces and couldn’t walk.

“Grrr...fine,” I responded after a moment of deliberation. “But this isn’t over....”

“Maybe, maybe not. Now do me a favor and bring out that weapon of yours. Make it snappy, because I’m getting impatient. Plus, I’ve been dying to see it in its full glory,” she said with a condescending giggle.

Hmph. A mere weapon was easily replaced. Even though it was from the now-gone Miranda Rights, I could always make another. But I’d be lying if I said it didn’t hurt to give it up. “Fine…” I took the blaster out of my coat, and tossed it over.

It clinked in the grass, and she picked it up with her hoof. “Ooh, it’s just as large and dense as I thought it would be. I’ll be taking that. And now do me a favor. Hold your hooves up, and don’t dare resist.”

I stood on my hind legs, and shut my eyes. That’s when I felt something injected into my neck, and I blacked out. The last thing I could feel was being carried off…

This is where it would’ve ended for me.

Later that evening…

As it turns out, Flurry Heart was really fun to be around. Even if she did tend to mouth off a bit. I couldn’t imagine saying half the words she said. Princess Cadance was actually more than willing to hear my whole story. I even cried to her a few times as she listened to me. And Prince Shining Armor was more than understanding of who I was now. I played a few rounds of chess with him in his workshop, and won every time. He even mentioned that I could probably be smarter than his younger sister, Twilight--given that he always managed to beat her.

They were all so...nice. It was uncanny, yet pleasant. I still felt extremely guilty for all the trouble I caused back then. But the very minute I was set free from that stone prison, I knew I had somepony that cared about me in this world. After being considered worthless for so long, it finally felt like I actually mattered. I didn’t need to shack up with the most powerful beings in the universe just to be noticed. I was...just like everyone else.

The Royal Empire Family even invited me to have dinner. They were so generous I thought I could cry. But Flurry Heart didn’t let me refuse. She knew that I needed to eat, and allowed me to all the same. It was very calming to know that they were so accommodating. It almost made me feel as if I could reverse time to fix everything that I did wrong. But...it’s as Sunset Shimmer once said:

My past does not define me. My past is not today.

I kept that mantra going to motivate myself to not only better myself, but make the world a better place for those around me. It was a nice feeling to know that I could make a difference if I tried.

So. We had dinner, but then something terrible happened.

Tempest burst through the doors with a note in her hoof. “Princess! Prince! We have a serious problem!”

The unicorn and alicorn looked at Tempest with confusion. They put their books down and got up from the dinner table. Flurry Heart and I were busy constructing an airplane model now.

“What’s going on?” Cadance asked, “Where’s Pale?”

Tempest ushered them out of the door, and into the hallway where they thought they could speak without us hearing. But Flurry had other plans.

“C’mon, get up,” she looked at me and rose to her hooves. Flurry teleported over to the door, and put her ear to it.

I flew over with an uncertain sort of frown. “Um...isn’t it wrong to eavesdr--”

“Shhh! Listen….”

Whether or not it was wrong completely escaped me by this point I suppose. Both of Flurry’s parents did look pretty concerned when Tempest came in. So I guess it had to be pretty important if it warranted their leave.

It was muffled due to the door, but we could both just barely managed to make out some words that Tempest said.

“...captured....ransom...who knows where he is?!”

I bit back a gasp when I deduced what had happened. “Pale’s been taken!”

Flurry’s face scrunched up into anger. I don’t think I’ve ever seen her get that way. “...By Svengallop’s bastards. Looks like we have a problem.”

I felt my heart swell, my body trembled, and I felt a twitch in my neck. “No...we have to--no. I have to do something!”

My new alicorn friend tilted her head at me. Her face conveyed a look as if I just said I intended to jump in a volcano with that raised eyebrow of hers. “Are you sure? You don’t even know where they’re located. Besides, I supremely doubt that my dad would even let you go out like that, knowing your connection to him and how you…” she trailed off. Her face grew overly concerned as she tapped her hooves together in a nervous fashion.

I leaned forward with a fearful gaze. “How I...what?”

“How...crazy you can get. N-no offense. But...dad says you’re not stable enough to be on your own. Mom agrees. Hence why Pale has been assigned to watch you.”

I slumped against the door, and put my hooves over my eyes. “And it’s because of me that he’s been taken to Twilight-knows-where! Ghh! I can’t just sit here and stand idle! I have to do something!”

It took a moment, but I could hear Flurry sigh. “Okay. I think I have an idea.”

I moved my hooves down, and looked at her with newfound hope. “Wha…?”

“I heard everything mom, dad, and Tempest were discussing. They said he’s been taken to somewhere at the edge of Equestria where they run...some kind of underground operations. I can only guess that it’s some pretty nasty stuff. Oh and in case you’re wondering, all of the senior ponies are safe. He defused the bomb.”

“Oh...whew.” Well that was good. He managed to save all those cute old ponies, but what about him? Just what were they going to do to him and why? Golly, just look at me. I ruined everything and everypony I came into contact with. But now wasn’t the time for pity. I needed to suck it up, and save him. “So what’s your plan, Flurry?”

“First, I’m gonna escort you home. My parents aren’t gonna want me to stick around while they’re mobilizing a search party,” she got up from her spot at the door, and walked back over to the couch. “From there, I’m gonna...have a few friends of mine help us out.”

I followed her back over, and sat down with her. The idea was sound, but I felt uneasy for some reason. Would somepony really be interested in working with someone like me? No...it couldn’t be. “Friends? Um...are you sure they’ll--”

She put her hoof up, and cut me off. “Help us out? Yes. In fact, you probably already know them. Now shh. Three...two…”

And just like clockwork, Flurry’s parents entered the room once more. The Princess was the first to speak. “Flurry...there’s...a bit of an incident that happened. Can you do us a favor and take Cozy Glow home?”

That plucky alicorn mare shot me a wink and replied to her mother. “Aw, okay. I wish we could’ve done some cool things here, but I guess not.”

I could see her father’s optic nerves twitch with relief. As if he expected his daughter to debate him for a half-second. “Listen to your m--oh...you did. Good. Head out tomorrow morning, okay, guys?”

“Yes, dad,” she responded in a tone that feigned disappointment.

That’s when I noticed Tempest was no longer here. I peeked around the Royal Ruler’s bodies. “Um...where’s Ms. Shadow?” I asked.

“Gone home to deal with the incident,” Shining Armor answered, “You just need to go on home for now while we...sort a few things out. Mr. Vestige’s mission just got a whole lot harder and he needs our help. But don’t worry, he’ll be back soon.” Before I could say anything else, the unicorn prince dashed off to another room.

Cadance cleared her throat. “Ahem. Well, off to bed you two. You leave early tomorrow morning to head back to Ponyville,” she turned, but before she left the room, she shot her daughter a wink.

Flurry Heart snickered in response. Wait, was it possible that her mom knew what her daughter was planning? Golly, how insane. “Let’s get some sleep, Coaster. I’ll fill you in on my plan tomorrow morning.”

“Oh...okay.” Admittedly, it had gotten pretty late by now, and it was pitch black outside due to the beautiful night sky. I needed some rest.

So Flurry teleported us both to her bedroom where we would rest for the night. She had a super mega huge bed with lots of expensive-looking magazines, posters, and even a TV! Wow. It was like living in a Hearth’s Warming Eve catalogue!

The next day, well...the next day was gonna be a doozy. Just who were these friends that Flurry had to help us? And did I really know them? Did they like me? When I narrowed it down, that only left a few options…then it hit me.

Oh boy, this was either gonna be fun or worse than Tartarus.

Subject 72: My Internal Crusade

The next morning...

“...Are you absolutely sure this is a good idea? Will they even accept me?”

“You said you’ve already spoken to them before, haven’t you?” Flurry asked, “Come on. It’ll be fine.”

I suppose. I was just worried that they wouldn’t want to help me out. It was a strange feeling, turning to help towards those whose lives I nearly destroyed. How could I even face them?

We got off the train, and set hoof in Ponyville. My house was just up the road, but that didn’t make it any easier knowing that I could be condemned by them at any moment. Oh boy, well, may as well get it over with.

Flurry took me down a familiar, yet estranged path that I didn’t want to travel down anytime soon. No, literally. She led me to Sweet Apple Acres where an old...former friend of mine used to live.

“Mom always says that the first step towards healing your heart, is facing your mind,” she tilted her head up, “or did dad say that? Regardless, I know it’s true. Applebloom is gonna accept you. I just know it. She’s one of the nicest, and most chill ponies around.”

As we trotted along the path that led up to the barn, I could see a very tired Applejack snoring against a tree in the distance. Age was really kind to her, because her face still looked mostly the same from when I was little. Her mane was a bit messy, but that’s what happens when you stress over work, I suppose.

“Okay…” I replied with a quiet exhale to psych myself up. Come on, this was important. Now wasn’t the time to have doubts.

Flurry knocked on the door, and we were greeted by a yellow mare with a red mane. She also had some reading glasses on. “Flurry Heart? Cozy?! Howdy! What brings ya’ll down to these parts? Ah was just in the middle of plannin’ mah next lesson for the school once the weekend is over.”

“A lot. Mind if we come in, and explain?”

We went inside, and sat at the dinner table with Applebloom. She went ahead and warmed us some apple cider on the stove for us to drink. They were so hospitable. I almost felt bad.

Once Flurry Heart explained the situation, everything became clearer.

“Hold up, hold up, hold up,” Applebloom sat down and put her hooves together on the table, “Ya’ll wanna head to the Badlands to try and stop some criminal?! The same guy who was manipulatin’ and harassin’ mah big sis’s old friend, Rara?!”

I shied away from speaking. Was that really where Mr. Vestige was taken to? If so...wow. I don’t think many ponies traveled that far south in Equestria. But if Flurry was right, then…

The alicorn nodded. “...think of it as a friendship mission. They’ve captured one of Equestria’s most successful investigators and he holds evidence that could potentially bust them wide open, as well as keep Cozy safe from harm. Don’t you wanna help somepony like that?”

She took off her reading glasses. “Heh. Ya’ll are cray-cray, that’s for sure. But Ah will admit. Muh sister’s...gettin’ a bit sluggish with age, and she wouldn’t be able to handle it. Me on the other hoof? Ah’ve been thinkin’ ‘bout that fool for quite a while now.”

I tilted my head. The legendary Applejack? Slowing down? Impossible! But I guess she was still a regular pony, after all. “...Sluggish?”

Applebloom nodded, and leaned back in her seat. “Mm-hmm. She’s even startin’ to forget things. Big Mac ain’t farin’ much better. Granny Smith would knock the daylights outta ‘em both if she was still around,” she paused mid-sentence to giggle, and her hairbow drooped down with her ears as she sighed. “Ah, still feels like yesterday when she was around. Yappin’ at us.”

“You miss her a lot, huh?” Flurry put a hoof on the earth pony’s shoulder. “I really wish I could’ve met her. The fact that she single-hoofedly founded Ponyville is epic. And your sister followed in her hoofsteps and became just as important as an Element of Harmony. And now you’re a teacher at the school of friendship.”

She smiled, and looked at the alicorn. “Thanks, Flurry. Hm…” she tilted her head down. If I had to venture a guess, I’d say she was deep in thought about something. “She’s right. Granny helped build this world, and Applejack helped save it. Is it possible that Ah could do both at the same time? We are the next generation after all…”

I couldn’t stand it. I had to speak up. “...Is everything okay, AB?”

“Huh? Yeah, yeah,” she looked up at the both of us, “Ya’ll said these are criminals, right? What kinda backup we gon’ have?”

“Mom and dad have already formed a search party along with Tempest Shadow,” Flurry explained, “And I’m sure Pale’s teammates are gonna be notified of the situation as well. He’s their friend after all. Not only that, but this is a hot lead on a case that can potentially expose one of Equestria’s deepest secrets! If we blow it open, we’ll be seen as legends! What I have in mind for us, is to stake the place out, find the right location, and...make it a bit easier for the others, if ya catch my drift.”

“...huh,” Applebloom was rather indifferent to the last bit. I suppose she didn’t like to be praised at random for acts of goodwill. Sounded a lot like somepony else I knew. “Alrighty, then. Ah gots loads of different little thangs Ah’ve been wanton’ to test out anyways,” she said as she got up from the table.

I felt my pupils shrink. “Wait...what?” I could feel my heart pound. Just what kind of stuff did she have planned?

Flurry looked at me with a smug, knowledgeable smile. “Relax...she’s stronger than she looks, you know. And this is her time to shine along with her friends. Trust me, she’s ready for this.”

“Oh...okay…” Golly, what a rush. I couldn’t even begin to imagine what that mare had planned. “So now what?”

Flurry winked at me, and turned her head. “AB! Can ya meet us at the train station later? We’re gonna go hit up your other friends!”

“No problem, ya’ll,” her response was muffled from within a closet nearby. “Head on out, and I’ll meetcha there!”

“Thanks! C’mon, Coze. Let’s roll.”

We finished our cider, and left the Apple Farm. On our way out, we could still see Applejack lying in the fields...tired. Golly, the years were not kind to her stamina level at all.

But now I started to comprehend Flurry’s little strategy. She was the type who refused to stay idle, and wanted to accomplish something so she could make the situation much easier on everypony else around her. I honestly envied her ability to think of something like that. It would at least take me a day or two to come up with something just as impactful. But could the Crusaders really be as...powerful as their sisters? I wondered…

Next up, Flurry Heart led me to Carousel Boutique. Isn’t that where Sandbar and Yona worked? Oh, and it’s also where Sweetie Belle lived. Huh. I wondered how that worked. Wait a minute, this was where Sweetie Belle lived?! How could we drag her into this?!

But yet again, that alicorn mare knocked on the door with such casualness. “Yoooo!”

The door swung open with a pale green magical aura. “Hm? Oh, hey. What’s up, Flurry?” the white unicorn mare laid eyes on me, and squealed. “Cozy! I knew you’d come back! C’mon, get in here before somepony tries to hound Flurry for her autograph.”

We were all struck with a flash of magic, and teleported inside. The door simultaneously closed also. Wow, she must have really improved on her magical skills since I last saw her when we were foals.

I gave a shy wave. “Hi…”

“So what brings you guys over here today? The Boutique is closed. But I’m sure you don’t wanna buy anything, right?”

Flurry giggled, and waved her hoof. “Heck naw. Dad loves to buy all my clothes himself. And mom gives me her old ones. It’s a combination of cool and embarrassing, really. But no, we’re here for something else. We need your help.”

Once more, I let Flurry disclose the information on what the deal was…

“Wait a minute,” Sweetie Belle replied once the explanation was finished, “You mean to say that the stallion who used to be Coloratura’s manager became a crime boss? That’s seriously insane. What did Applebloom have to say?”

“Oh she was rightfully annoyed, and decided to join us as soon as she found out who we’re dealing with. Wanna help us out?”

The white unicorn looked to her left, then her right to make sure no one was watching. “Absolutely. If it means we can put an end to the reign of terror that Rara’s annoying manager caused, then I’m pretty much obligated to join in.”

At this point, I couldn’t help but speak up. “But...Sweetie, this is like, super dangerous. We’ll be fighting ponies with crossbows, deadly magic, and other methods of lethal force. Just how are you gonna be able to fight ponies like that?”

And yet, she didn’t seem intimidated at all. In fact, just like Applebloom did earlier, Sweetie Belle went to a nearby closet in one of the hallways near the staircase that led to her room. “Do you know who you’re talking to? I’ve been watching Rarity save the world countless times over the course of my entire life. But now? She’s super busy managing all of her storefronts that she’s opened across Equestria. So she’s not exactly in a position to continue fighting all the time. That gray in her mane really concerns me…”

Yikes! The illustrious Rarity’s mane was already graying?! That sounded impossible. Even so, I hope she still remained just as pretty as I remembered. But with that in mind, I don’t think it’s plausible for her to keep bearing the elements while managing her fashion empire. We simply can’t expect the saviors of the previous generation to always be around, after all…

“Oh, no...I hope it’s not serious,” was all I could say in response.

But Sweetie scoffed and waved her hoof. “Pfft. Nah, don’t worry. She just needs to relax as she settles down into her next stage of life.” She stopped in the middle of her actions, and tapped her hoof against her chin as she looked up at the ceiling. “I think she also has a Special Somepony, but I’m not entirely sure. Rarity doesn’t like to speak much about her personal life too much,” she said as she went back to digging through the closet. “But that aside, I’ve been honing my magical abilities over the past few years, so nothing can stop me, really. I’m a force of musical fury!”

“Oh...well I guess that’s a bit comforting.” Just what could musical fury mean, though?

Flurry giggled, and began to trot towards the door. “Hehehe! Perfect. Meet us at the train station later, okay SB?”

“I’ll be there. Just make sure you get the others!” she cried out as Flurry and I left the Boutique/home.

Well I suppose that went a bit smoother. I was also feeling a bit more confident in Flurry’s ideas. After all, these were the sisters of the Elements of Harmony. Sure, they might not have been on the same level, but their potential was boundless. Especially when you consider just how strong the Student Six were. Speaking of which, I wondered how they were doing…

Anyhow, that wasn’t the hot issue at the moment. Flurry led me to a house at the edge of Ponyville next. What stood out about this one, was the two massive white pillars that held up both sides of the home. This had to be Scootaloo’s place, right?

Well, the alicorn had inspired confidence in me after these past two meetings. And on the way here, she made me feel even better about this one. Scootaloo was always up for anything...right?

“Hey, Scootsy!” Flurry called out as she knocked on the door.

Just like the previous interactions, the door was opened up in a rather swift manner. The orange pegasus mare showed up to greet us. “Hey! What’s up, Fl--Cozy?! You’re here! Yes! Now we can teach you all about being cool!”

“...cool?” I tilted my head with nervous uncertainty. There was no way on this green planet that I would ever become as cool as she was. “Um…”

“Don’t worry. I already have some ideas to help you. We just need a few thousand pounds of--”

Flurry cut her off. “Ahem! Sorry, Scootsy. We need to talk. Mind if we come in?”

“Oh? Sure! I rarely get any visitors so this is awesome! Make yourselves at home, ladies!” Scootaloo stood aside to let us in.

We went inside, and took seats on the couch. Scootaloo sat between us both. Apparently she had a movie playing on some kind of screen box. Strange. The house itself wasn’t very large, but it was very...snug. It almost had a log cabin sort of feel to it what with the hardwood floors, and sports equipment that lines the walls. Hockey sticks, tennis rackets, roller skates...golly.

“So what’s the deal?” she asked as he put her hooves around our necks for an uncomfortably tight hug. “What brings you guys to my humble little shack? Heh!”

Just as before, Flurry gave her the run-down.

“...I see,” Scootaloo let us go, and leaned forward on the couch. “...This stallion. He’s like a father to you, isn’t he, Cozy?”

As much as I wanted to deny it, I had to admit. She was right. Pale had treated me like I was a pony, and not an unstoppable force of nature. As a result, I felt a sort of parental attachment to him for better or worse. “...Sort of. Why?”

She sighed, and hesitated before she responded. “...I kind of know how it feels. To not have anypony to really watch out for me, that is.”

I leaned back against the couch with my mouth slightly open and eyes full of concern. To say that I was confused was a massive understatement. I thought Rainbow Dash was always there for her, right? Weren’t they essentially sisters despite not being blood related?

“...Huh? Didn’t Dash look out for you when you were little?” I asked.

“On occasion,” Scoots replied with half-narrowed eyes while she looked down at the carpet. Then her eyes trailed up to a picture on the wall. It was of both Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo when she was a filly together when they camped out together. “For the most part, I was home alone and my Aunts would check up on me every now and again. My parents are adventurers/biologists/botanists who travel the world and do all sorts of crazy shenanigans in order to advance fields of science and medicine. ‘Cuz of that, they’ve rarely spent any time with me. I’m not mad at ‘em for it, though. It’s super dangerous. But sadly, we don’t have a lot in common. My Aunts and I don’t either. Granted, I’m an adult now, so they don’t really have to check up on me at this point.”

“Oh...I’m so sorry to hear that,” I replied with a frown, and an uneasy gaze. But that’s when I realized; Scootaloo related to me on some level. “...But you do know what it’s like to be without parents and be alone most of the time, huh?”

“For sure. Though I guess the difference between you and I is that I had friends who cared for me. While you...went...crazy…” she said the last few words slowly and carefully with a nervous look on her face. As if she figured I would snap at her.

But at this point in time, I no longer harbored the capacity to do so. I just wanted to be accepted for who I was, and not what I used to be. “...Yes. You’re right. But in the end, I understand your perspective, Scoots.”

“Thanks…” It looked like a massive weight had been lifted off her shoulders when she wiped sweat from her forehead, and exhaled. “So...anyway, yeah. You finally found somepony that cared about you, only for him to be taken away from you. I…” her fearful face became an angry, and fearsome grimace. “I won’t stand for it. You deserve to have someone who is willing to give you a chance in life. And even beyond that, this Svengallop guy sounds even more disgusting than when he was with Rara back then. Who knows how many other brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers, sons, or daughters his little group of dunderheads have captured.”

I was nearly in tears from the pegasus’ words. Not only did she support me, but she was in full hatred against somepony who would do such a thing. It was...empowering to hear. “You...think I...?”

I felt Flurry pat me on the back.

Scootaloo got up from her seat on the couch, and trotted to her walk-in hallway closet. “I do, Cozy. You’ve shown that you give a feather about what you’ve done, and wanna improve. But somepony like Svengallop doesn’t care about others. He only cares about how he can plague the world with his stupid, gross mind games and other nonsense. Well not anymore. I’m gonna help you girls put a stop to it. Just let me get ready, and point me in the right direction.”

Amazing. I...couldn’t believe what she had told me. I had to wipe away a tear or two and I sniffled. “...Th-thank you.”

“Thanks, Scoots,” Flurry said as she took hold of my hoof, “Come on, Coze. Let’s head to the train station and wait for each of them to show up.”

I nodded, and followed Flurry Heart out of the house. We went to the train station and sat on a bench as we waited for the Crusaders to arrive.

“See? I told you they’d support us,” she said with a smile.

I giggled, and nodded. “Hehe...you were right. Now we just gotta wait…”

That’s when we’d have a visitor. A gray pegasus mare with crossed, blonde eyes approached us with a sad set of drooped ears. “Flurry Heart? Cozy Glow? I’ve got some bad news...”

“Speak,” Flurry said with urgency.

“Well...I’ll just say it. Doc and Vinyl have been captured as well.”

We both shouted in unison. “WHAT?!”

Subject 73: Insufferable Ingrate

Meanwhile…

“Rraagh! Haaaagh! You...bastard you. You won’t get shit from me!”

I had been taken to what felt like an insane asylum in the middle of plotheck nowhere. As of this moment, I was bound by ropes in a brightly lit, all white room. I had several lacerations and gashes from being flogged repeatedly by these masked unicorns who made use of dark magic to erode at my skin. They tried to beat information out of me about whom I worked with and where I lived, but I refused to speak. My hat and coat with all of my supplies had been removed, and placed on a table nearby.

“Ghhh...why...why are you doing this?!” I screamed out with barely any breath left. I guess they didn’t want to grant me any answers either. How rude.

“This is what happens when you release ponies who nearly destroy the world and our lives. You get punished,” one of the ponies said as they activated their magic, which damaged me even more, and caused my entire body to jerk and squirm against its will from the dark magic poisoning my body. “It’s our duty to uphold values of justice!”

“GAH! Hnngh...blech…” I felt myself cough up a bit of...oh boy, that was not ketchup. “Justice...is that what you call it? Do you even know who you’re fighting for?!”

That’s when I heard a familiar voice. “Enough! You all can head back to the base upstairs for now. I want a few words with him myself.”

I scrunched my face into an annoyed grimace. “Svengallop...cut the shit, and give it to me straight: Just what are you trying to do here?”

“Hmph. Isn’t it obvious?” the sleazy earth pony responded as he adjusted his suit’s collar, “I’m gonna make an example out of you, detective. When the world sees what happens to a pony that tries to release somepony so dangerous, no one will try it again.”

“Ngh...what the hell...that doesn’t explain shit,” I snapped back with shortness of breath, “Just how does Cozy being free affect you?!”

“Idiot. It’s not about keeping that horse locked up. It’s about teaching her a lesson too.”

“Wh...what?!”

“It’s simple,” he walked around behind me to inspect the damage I had been dealt. The slimeball of a stallion chuckled to himself. “Heh heh heh...if I wanted to kill you, I would’ve done so a long time ago. But the dead don’t suffer, you know. Only when she’s put through constant suffering will she truly comprehend what she’s done to everypony else! And that starts with taking away the thing she cares about most. That being yourself.” And he walked around to the front of me again with a sadistic grin on his face, “you want her to learn a lesson don’t you? So she can know not to make the same mistake again? I’m just speeding the process up…”

I tilted my head down. The thing that I hated most was that I’d be lying if I said I didn’t understand their intentions. I did, actually. What Sven wanted to do was crystal clear, and made sense in a pretty screwed up sort of way. By actively putting Cozy Glow through something just as traumatic as what everypony else felt when she nearly took over the world, he figured it would be the optimal way to teach the kid a lesson.

But what he didn’t understand was that she already had begun to comprehend her past actions on her own, and had matured as a result. The Cozy Glow from two decades ago was gone. She was an entirely different pony so to speak. Albeit, still herself--she...ah, it was pointless to think on and on about it. The point being, was that Svengallop had eccentric methods, but the ends do not justify the means. This guy was even more ridiculous than Neighsay at this point, and that was saying something.

“...I get it. At least, to a degree,” I responded quietly.

He raised an eyebrow. “Oh really? Now you decide to finally understand someone else’s point of view besides your own? When you’re at your weakest point?” he cackled, and leaned his head back, “Heh! It’s far too late for that now.”

I continued my subdued, gentle reply. “...You want Cozy to go through what she’s put everypony else through. And what you’ve been through as well.”

My words cut at some level. Svengallop paused his incessant taunts, and looked at me. “Just what the heck are you saying?”

The plan was working. I struggled weakly against the ropes as I looked up at him. “I’m no psychologist...but I know a good amount about the brain. After you ditched Coloratura, you became bitter, hostile. Your talent for manipulation led you astray as you scrambled to figure out what else to do with your life. Am I close?”

The stallion didn’t respond. He simply rolled his eyes, but he didn’t exactly stop me from speaking. So I went on.

“...anyhow. You were likely in a state of complete self-loathing until you realized you could easily sway the feelings of others. Once you realized that, you had other ponies follow you until you amassed a large gang of sorts, and now you feel as if you’re on top of the world. Am I right?”

At last, Svengallop would retort. “Hmph. Not bad. Yes it’s true that I came to hate the world after I left that overly-selfless horse of a mare. For years, I became bitter to the slander and hatred that came my way. I tried looking for honest work, but nopony would accept me,” he turned around, and looked at the floor.

I had to admit, I felt the slightest amount of pity for the stallion. Don’t get me wrong. His actions and formation of an entire gang of hitmen to cause chaos were objectively flawed. His mental state, however, was something else entirely. Svengallop clearly felt as if the world revolved around him and what he wanted. Rather than trying to change himself for the better of those around him, he took to changing the world around him for the betterment of himself.

“Everypony hated me, pushed me away, refused to even bother with or talk to me,” he said as he lifted his head up, “So I figured--if everyone didn’t care about me, I’d make them care. I’d formulate my own little group of folks who could change the world in the way I wanted. Constant conflict, never a dull moment, and ultimately living the life of luxury as ponies--and other creatures--who listened to what I wanted would follow me.” He turned around. “And that sort of hatred is something I want Cozy Glow to experience. She never had the chance to truly feel what it’s like to have something taken away from her. Well now, here’s the opportunity.”

“Gr...you…” I was losing my will to speak, as well as my sense of self by the second.

He scoffed. “Heh. It’s nothing personal, detective. Quite frankly, I don’t give a damn about you or your past. This is something I’ve wanted to do ever since she was released. Then and only then will she understand the weight of her past actions.” He trotted up to me with a smug little grin across his muzzle, “After all, what is innocent blood if not for shedding?”

“And...you’ve been...doing this...how long?”

“Heh. A few years at least,” he said as he backed away. “Anypony that tries to skate by me without understanding true terror is living a life of blissful ignorance. Ignorance that has shaped this society into the backwater softie country that it is nowadays. By doing this, I’ll harden everypony up, and make it so that we’re never considered jokes ever again.”

Tch. Completely bothersome. This was the type of pony that simply could not be fixed no matter how hard you tried. Whereas Cozy was a child, and is now an adult who grieves over her past, Svengallop was a complete joke of a being that wanted nothing more than to cause utter mayhem for whoever he pleased. I highly doubted that his sense of ‘justice’ was truly just. It was infinitely more likely that he lynched whomever he deemed offensive based on his own twisted, morals and ego.

I utterly despised this type of individual. There was no place for someone like them in the world. I knew conflict was inevitable and endless, but with someone like this? There was no convincing them of anything. Part of me wanted to bring this stallion out of his eternal darkness, and into the light where he could potentially have a new life...but it was all for naught. No matter what I said or did, he’d simply counter with another excuse to justify his actions. Hmph.

The only thing I could do for him now, was exterminate this poor soul.

“...You...will pay…”

“Hah. Very cute, very cute. But without your weapons, you’re nothing. And soon, I’ll have your magic as well,” he said with a demonic grin.

One of my ears flicked. “...What?”

“You’ve got some of the best earth pony magic around,” he commented as he put a hoof to my chin, “If I can extract it from you, and make it my own...then I’ll be unstoppable with the powers of my supreme exploitation and your untamed intelligence.”

I would’ve tried to bite him, but I felt weak. The pain from the lashes along with my blood loss had made it a challenge to say or do anything at this point. “You...will not survive…”

He backed away with his sadistic smile on full display. “Oh yes. Become angrier. I’d love to see this whole Blood Viper rumor I’ve heard about. In fact…” he paused, and trotted out into the hallway to shout at someone. “Bring me one of the prisoners!”

I felt a crick in my neck. Just what was he about to do?

“Hey! Grrragh! Lemme go!”

I heard a familiar, gruff female voice approach the room I was held in. I felt the lump in my throat sink to the bottom of my stomach. Sure enough, Vinyl Scratch was being held here as well. Just who else did this pony capture?! She was pulled forcefully by one of his masked mercenaries. But unlike the ones that were sent to capture me, this pony had full body armor and militaristic padding with loads of pouches to hold weapons. These must have been his elite members A leash that canceled out her magic was wrapped around Vinyl’s neck.

“It ain’t my fault that my music is way better!”

“Oh please!” Svengallop cackled, “Dubstep is nothing but loud electronic noise. But that aside, I know about you, ‘DJ-PON-3’ or Vinyl as you’re so called.”

“Wh-wha?! What could you possibly know about me?!” she protested with a snarl.

The stallion merely chuckled. “Heh...I know about what you’ve done. What you’ve sworn to never tell anypony. Something you’ve kept hidden for so long that it could damage your career if it was exposed to the public.”

“...Heh...just try me, bastard.”

“Some of the equipment you own was stolen.”

Vinyl screamed at the top of her lungs, then cut herself off. “HOW DID YOU--I mean, ahem. You don’t know that…”

“Oh cut the crap, little lady. I work in the entertainment industry. I know all about your past and how you stole some of those speakers that you used for your very first outing!” he snapped back.

“Well...okay, look. I was a reckless dumbflank of a teenager. But that’s in the past isn’t it?” Vinyl pleaded.

But Svengallop wasn’t amused. “Did you pay back the pony you took the speakers from? Did you ever say you were sorry?”

“Hey I didn’t steal them! Those were some perfectly good speakers that were in the dumpster behind that music shop,” the DJ of a mare explained in full, “I swear!”

“Hmph. If you couldn’t be trusted to remember on your own, then you obviously can’t be trusted. You must be punished,” Svengallop looked over at his underling and nodded, “Let’s see just what I can do to bring out the hatred in this detective here. Ooh, will he uphold the law or will he try and execute me? Decisions, decisions…”

The underling of a mercenary lit a match, and used their magic to slowly levitate the flame towards Vinyl’s horn.

She panicked, and tried to shift away, but the leash prevented her from applying any real force. “H-hey! C’mon man! This ain’t worth it! Don’t you got any cooler torture methods like gas or earworm music?!”

I shut my eyes.

Svengallop commented in my ear. “Clock is ticking...what will it be?”

I felt my body tremble with a cold sweat. Hearing the mare panic for her life as her horn was about to be permanently damaged was just enough to send me over the edge. I lost all sense of self. I felt nothing, desired nothing, feared nothing. My mental state had been damaged enough to bring out the worst in me at that moment. I heard a small voice edge me closer and closer...until I felt it. That rush. That untamed, wild craziness that I stepped away from long ago. Rage-filled earth pony blood pumped through my veins and gave me the extra push I needed to enact upon my instincts. The instinct to lash out and strike at my prey before I swallowed them whole. Just like a...yes.

My eyes shot open.

“I will kill every last one of them.”

Subject 74: Entering The Badlands

Meanwhile…

“Golly, Flurry...are you sure this is gonna be enough?”

We all rode the train down towards Dodge Junction. There was no station that led directly to the Badlands itself, so we had to walk the rest of the way there. Unfortunately, now that we were on hoof, I started to feel a bit nervous as we trotted towards the reddish-orange landscape that reminded me all too much of Tartarus.

In tow, we had the Crusaders by our side. Each of them already prepared with some different method of combat. Sweetie Belle used her magic to levitate a book in front of her face. The pale green aura flipped through each page as she inspected it closely. Applebloom had a pair of saddlebags that looked as if they were only half-full. Odd. I had no idea what to expect from her, but she seemed to be busy inspecting, and taking note of the area. Was she looking out for certain animals or plants? Scootaloo was the most interesting of all. All she had with her was her skateboard and her helmet that she casually rolled upon just ahead of us. I couldn’t imagine what it must have been like for the fellow pegasus to be unable to fly, but she seemed more than content with her scooter, roller skates, and other equipment that I saw in her house. Guess the skateboard was one of them.

“Heh. We’ll be fine,” the alicorn said with a confident, smug grin, “If anything, I’m more worried for our enemies. I have limits on the amount of alicorn-spells I can cast, but I know a whole bunch of other types of magic, both offensive, and defensive. So if any of you get hurt, I can heal you instantly.”

Scootaloo scoffed at her words as she rolled upon her board. “Pfft. We won’t even need that. It’s like Rainbow Dash always said, ‘Pain is an excellent teacher.’ It’s bold of you to assume that we’ll even get hit.”

“Ah hate to say it,” Applebloom spoke up as we entered the fiery landscape, “But she’s right. Ah’ve been thinkin’ about how we should approach this situation, and it pretty much all comes down to who we come across. If we take down a few, the rest of ‘em will give up faster than a kirin with bad jokes.”

I heard some light, clinking noises from those saddlebags of hers. It made me extremely curious as to what could be inside.

Lastly, I looked at the white unicorn mare. “Um...so, SB…”

“Hm?” she looked up from her book.

“What do you think of our odds?”

“Hm...well, when you think about it, it’s pretty simple. You’re the strategist. Flurry has the sheer power, Scootaloo has the willpower, Applebloom has the frontline capabilities, and I’ll take up the rear with support,” she shut her book via magic, and smiled at me, “There’s no way we can lose. Plus, I’m pretty sure Flurry’s parents are already on their way, and prepping to nuke the place from above. All we’re gonna do is...find it, first if you catch my drift.”

Well now, that was striking. I had no idea whether or not I should’ve felt happy or concerned by what Sweetie said. Was it really possible that Cadance knew what Flurry had been planning and intended to capitalize on that fact? Just what kind of crazy combo of a family were they?

I was getting off-track. Anyway, we all walked up to a massive hill that overlooked the valley of the Badlands. Endless, scorching desert as far as the eye could see. Tumbleweeds, cacti, and the occasional rock formation all topped off with a gross, sickly red-orange hue that made everything look like some sort of alien planet. The Badlands was the least-explored area in the whole land of Equestria, and for good reason too. Nopony would realistically come down here for any reason. It was the perfect setup for a base of operations hidden by natural flames.

Flurry took out some binoculars, and looked out over the horizon. “Hm…”

Despite the heat, I was actually shivering from fear as I hovered in mid-air. Something about this land was making me feel unwell. “Eghaagh...this place gives me the creeps. Just how did a random splotch of Equestria end up like this?”

“You mean you don’t know?” Scootaloo kicked up her board, and held it underneath one of her hooves as she stood next to me. Her Crusader friends stopped to listen as well. “As legend has it, the Badlands were created over time whenever Celestia fought a powerful being. Nightmare Moon, Discord, Queen Chrysalis--when she fought them all, she had built up so much stress and anger, that she needed a safe, quiet place to vent. And so, what used to be a nice, calm, vast grassland...became the Badlands. Scorched by her frustrations over time, the Badlands have earned the nickname, ‘The Valley of Torment’ after the rumors of how she treated herself.”

“Wait a minute, wait a minute--” Sweetie Belle interrupted her orange friend’s words, “Is it possible that this has something to do with Daybreaker?”

Scootaloo rubbed the back of her head as she thought about it. “Hmm...it’s possible? I mean, Daybreaker is rumored to have been created through Celestia’s frustrations...but they’re mostly rumors. It’s not like Nightmare Moon who has factual confirmation of her existence. But it’s possible…”

“Landsakes…” Applebloom wiped some sweat from her forehead, “So that’s why it’s hotter than a summer’s day in a cornfield out here. Yeesh. I wouldn’t even wanna build a barn out here, let alone an entire base.”

I had to agree. “Yeah...it’s super weird. But something about it feels...deadly. As if the air is calling us out in a challenge. It’s like it’s...daring us to go out there.”

At last, Flurry lowered her binoculars. “Found it. Took me a minute. But this thick ass heat is making everything hard to keep track of. Despite that, I think I’ve found the base where Pale and the others are.”

“You think Vinyl and The Doc will be okay? I think Pale might have planned this, but them…” I trailed off with an anxious rub of my hoof.

Sweetie Belle was the first to console me. “Hey, don’t worry. We got your back, no matter what. Right, guys?” she trotted ahead.

“Darn tootin’, ya’ll. C’mon, let’s git ‘er done. Ah’ve got some...experiments Ah wanna try,” Applebloom followed with a bit of pep in her prance.

Scootaloo chose to roll her skateboard down the side of the hill. “We’re all in this together, Cozy. Like I said before, if somepony I cared about was taken from me, I’d do anything to get them back,” she strapped her helmet back on, and patted me on the back of my head, “Don’t sweat it, alright?” With that said, she let go, and rolled down the hill on her board.

I took a deep breath, and marched forward. “Okay then. Come on, Flurry. Weak can do this.”

The alicorn followed after me, “That’s the spirit. Remember, we just need to find the base, and shoot off a flare so my parents can come find us and back us up. We don’t really need to fight unless it’s a last resort, okay?”

That put me a little bit at ease. Since I knew that fighting would be an absolute final stand, I laid my concern to rest.

Now it was time to get going.

Meanwhile…

There was no way in hell that I was going to let this mare get hurt. I felt my body go numb as I diverted the last of my magic away from the rest of my body, and internalized it, condensing it. The mana I had left gave me the edge I needed to shake off the dark torture methods that I had endured non-stop for the past 24 hours.

CRASH!

In a flash, I had tackled the merc that was about to burn Vinyl’s horn, and heard their bones crackle and strain against the force I applied between myself, and the thick, concrete wall.

“AGH! Ow! What the--boss! Run!” cried the sadist of a pony.

Just like damn clockwork, Svengallop fled the room. Fortunately, Vinyl had taken it upon herself to tear off the collar that had restrained her magic. Good, she was still able to fight.

But now, I had more important things to worry about.

I forced that merc pony against the wall even harder, and asked a question in a low, quiet tone that conveyed the essence of a starving predator about to consume its prey. “Where did he go?”

His response was nervous, and fearful with a sense of pure dread as he mumbled. “I-I...I’m not talking! OWWW!”

I forced that pony’s head against the wall, which likely applied loads of undue pressure to the skull. Then I asked again. “Where did he go?”

“Ngrrrh! I’ve dealt with worse!” he screamed back, “try me--AAAAHHHAAAAGGH!”

He didn’t want to reply? Okay then. I pulled one of his hooves behind his back by force, which definitely tore at his muscle alignment. He wouldn’t be able to walk on this leg for weeks, at least.

I asked once again. “Where. Did. He. Go?”

A voice called out to me. “Bud. It ain’t worth it,” Vinyl said as she dusted herself off. There were a few scrapes on her body from being pushed around, as well as her mane being full of charred dust. But that didn’t stop her. “We’re wasting time with this buffoon. Come on, let’s go.”

She was right. I had lost all sense of duty in this moment. Even so, my rage persisted. I let the pony go, and showed no remorse as he let out an agonizing cry of pain.

“Aggh...ow…”

“Yeesh...that’s brutal,” Vinyl commented as she levitated my hat and coat back to me, “I need to learn how to do that.”

To be quite honest, I didn’t expect that. But I responded with a grateful nod, and took my usual attire to equip it once more. That was much better. I felt a bit cold without my coat. Anyway, we didn’t have any more time to waste. I looked at the white unicorn mare. “Can you fight?”

“Heh, ‘course I can. That’s why they brought me here. You may not know this, but I’m actually a FROWN inductee. It’s an offshoot of SMILE that stands for ‘Friendship Ranger Organization of Worldwide Neighgotiations.’ I’m basically an ambassador of sick beats, and sicker beatdowns! Just gotta grab my bass gun, and I’ll be ready to break it down,” she said as she put her shades back on her face. “What’s the plan, dude? I’m following you.”

That’s right. My weapon was stolen also. Okay, so that would be our first objective as we made our way through. Svengallop definitely notified every single guard within the facility/prison? I still had no idea what this place was, to be frank. At any rate, we needed to get moving, but be careful about it so we don’t get ambushed. “Follow me,” I said as I snuck out of the room, and into the hall with Vinyl close behind. All the while, I hoped that we didn’t run into any more of Sven’s crew. Why?

For their sake. I was starting to lose it.

Subject 75: Fight Through The Hate

Alright, so it was simple. All Vinyl and I had to do was sneak around a heavily-guarded facility with loads of hostile forces on the lookout for us both while we looked for our weapons. Simple, I suppose. Though part of me was indeed curious as to what kind of weapon a ‘bass gun’ could be. But that was besides the point. As of that moment, I was entirely riding off my adrenaline, and could only think of how much I desired to punish those who committed such vile acts.

They will pay. They will…

“Let’s see...” Vinyl quietly judged the scene before us. We had snuck past the other interrogation rooms, and found ourselves coming up to an office at the end of a hallway to our left--just around a corner. There were two pony guards stationed there, their eyes steeled for a fight. “Okay...I’ll distract ‘em with a bit of musical flair. Think ya can take ‘em both?” she asked me as she peeked out.

I didn’t give a verbal response. All I did was give a scathing look in the direction of the hallway, and grimace with a cold stare. “Hmph.”

“...I’ll take that as a yes?” the white unicorn responded with a nervous whisper, “You okay bud? You seem...way more intense than when I met you at that antique shop.”

“Just go,” I replied sternly.

The look of concern changed to that of a confident smirk. “Heh, alrighty then. Just watch me.” From her horn, she cast a simple, soundwave spell that played a few electronic notes out in the middle of the hallway.

Right after that, we could hear both guards move. Hoofsteps clopped against the frigid, stone floor as they got closer and closer. Then…

“Begone.”

I tackled the first one and slammed her head into the wall, which knocked her out instantly. The next one, another mare, tried to tackle me to the floor, but I stopped her with a punch to the gut followed by a roundhouse kick that probably knocked some of her teeth out, and sent her flying into the wall near the door.

Vinyl gave a sharp, impressed sort of whistle. “Pheew…wouldn’t wanna be on your bad side…” she walked up to the door, and groaned. “Aw, dammit! We need a card or something.” Apparently there was a slitted redear device that required a labeled card to access it.

I looked at the guard that I had kicked into the wall, and grabbed her uniform. She had the card around her neck, so I ripped it off by force, and slid it on through before I tossed the unconscious pony aside like the trash she was.

BEEP! ACCESS GRANTED!

Vinyl slowly pushed the door open with her magic, and took a look around. There were swords, bows, axes, and a few ballistic weapons here and there all lining the walls. Even a few magical tomes with symbols that I could barely recognize. This was their weapon cache. But for the moment, I was concerned only with my lever-based blaster, and Vinyl’s…

“There it is!” she cried out. With her magic, she levitated what appeared to be a shoulder-mounted rocket launcher. Although, the main difference was that it was white to match her coat color with loads of beeping lights and even a few piano keys. The barrel was a long piece of metal that was surrounded by a bowl-shaped piece that controlled which way the sound went. “Alright, now we’re armored up. Now we can fight back. You ready?”

I smashed open a glass panel, and retrieved the wooden/brass air launcher that I cherished deeply. “Time to kill.”

“Ooh...that looks pretty cool. Similar to my own baby here. What’s its source?” she peered over at it, but I had no time for that.

“You’ll find out,” was all I said as I stepped out of the room. I made a mental note of all of these weapons, and would have the rest of my crew come and confiscate them as soon as we busted this case open. For now, our focus was escaping.

As we walked, Vinyl even brought up something that I had been thinking about. “Hey, Pale Vestige, right?”

“Yeah?”

“You think anypony’s gonna come looking for us?” she asked with her weapon how holstered across her back, “I mean, we’re pretty far out here, and I’m not sure if anypony’s even realized that we’ve gone.”

I chuckled as we made our way through the asylum. “Heh. Don’t worry. Even if we have to kill our way through, I’m getting us out of here,” I replied with quite the sinister snicker. At that moment, I had no qualms about killing anyone who was involved with this situation. Svengallop especially. I did not intend to let him survive this encounter. The world would suffer from his existence no longer.

“I see...strangely comforting despite being mega-ominous. But I’m with ya,” Vinyl insisted. I guess she wasn’t exactly opposed to the idea either. I could respect it, I suppose, but I was surprised to say the least.

We worked our way through the halls, and could hear chatter from a room up ahead.

“Shh,” I whispered. We both knelt down to the floor, and listened in on the conversation that happened from around the next corner.

“...find them immediately! They’re too valuable to let loose at this point!” a voice said.

“This time, we’ll tie them down, and take their magic by force!” another called out.

So that was their aim, huh? Given the situation, it made sense. But that begged the question: Just how many other ponies were being held here? How vexing. This would need some strategy. Once the individuals were finished speaking, we heard thunderous hooves stampede across the halls. Thankfully, they didn’t notice us hide in the dark shadow of the corner.

“Hot damn,” Vinyl muttered under her breath once they disappeared from earshot, “So they’re running a magical thievery operation? Freaking wack, yo. I dunno about you, but I’m not about to let that happen to anypony. What should we do?”

I took a deep breath. “Free any hostages we find, and then…”

All the sudden, we heard a loud, screechy noise followed by an explosion that came from outside.

PHEEEEEEW…

CRACK-CRACK-CRACK!

Was that fireworks? No. An emergency flare. But who in the devil could have done that?

RIIIIIING!

Right afterwards, an extremely loud alarm bell went off.

Vinyl panicked, and nearly lost her balance when the floor started to rumble. “What the freaking--woah!”

As soon as the flare went off, dozens upon dozens of voices and rumbling steps came from above us. It was as if a riot had broken out and the flare was the signal. The DJ unicorn and I had no clue what was going on, so we had to investigate.

“...Let’s get up there,” I said to her, and ran towards the nearest staircase down the hall.

“Heh...I knew it. I bet Tavi’s already found us--hey wait up!”

A Few Minutes Earlier…

So here it was. A giant, bleak gray, stony building with an eerie black gate that surrounded it on all sides. It was awfully creepy to see such a place in the midst of an empty reddish-orange landscape that was essentially uninhabitable. And yet..ponies actually had a base here? Just what was it for? Gah, stay focused, Cozy. This was not the time to get overrun by emotion and lose your cool.

Now that we found the place, we had to enact...whatever the heck Flurry Heart was planning.

“First, we need to take out those guards that are stationed at the entrance,” the alicorn said. “Anypony wanna try their hoof at it?”

“Ah gots an idea,” Applebloom stepped forward, “Step aside, ya’ll.” She trotted down the hill we were on, and took shelter behind a rocky formation. Once there, she crept alongside it until she got close to the right corner of the outer wall--just a few yards away from the main gate itself.

What came next would haunt me forever.

Applebloom reached into her saddlebag, and retrieved what looked like a sickly green potion bottle. She removed the cork with her teeth, and spat it aside. “Ptew!” Then she reeled back, and gave a hefty chuck! The potion bottle flew through the air, and shattered near the hooves of the guards.

They stopped to inspect the liquid, only to find themselves fast asleep. Out like a light in an instant! After that, she beckoned us to come over as she trotted over to check out the results of her little liquid. “Heh, easy.”

“Wow, AB!” Scootaloo looked down, the residue had disappeared completely so we wouldn’t be on the receiving end of its effects. “I completely forgot that you were into potions! Where’d you come up with that one.”

“Ya’ll know Mage Meadowbrook, right? Well, it’s a simple ol’ sleepin’ potion to help ya relax when yer sick. They’re gonna be havin’ sweet dreams for hours. No matter how much we scream or holler,” she replied with a smug expression as she reveled in how much of success it was. I for one, was so in awe that I couldn’t think of anything to say.

Sweetie Belle used her magic to move the pair of guards out of our way. “That’s pretty cool, Applebloom. You’ll have to show me that later. Now...how do we get past the gate?” she said, which caused all of us to look up at it.

Flurry Heart tried to use magic on it but she got repelled. “Yikes. No good. It’s electrified with a supercharged lightning bolt from a pegasus that likely enchanted it with a cloud. This is gonna take me a minute to break through…”

Scootaloo scoffed. “We don’t have time for that!” Then she looked at me, “Cozy. Can ya fly up, and grab me some thunder clouds real quick? Preferably some negative-charged ones?”

“Oh...sure!” I flapped my wings, and headed into the sky. As a fellow pegasus, I knew exactly what Scoots was trying to pull off. Whether or not it would work out...was another matter entirely.

But I grabbed some gray, crackling thunder clouds, and swooped back down. I handed the puffs off to Scoots, and she...affixed them to the bottom of her skateboard?

“Thanks,” she replied, and walked back up the hill we just came from, “Stand back, everypony!”

We all stood out of the way, and Scootaloo rolled down the hill on her board. At full speed, she performed a kick-flip, and jumped.

BZZZ!

Electrical zaps went off, but Scootaloo wasn’t affected! She kicked her board against the gate, and used the clouds I had gathered to short out the electrical magic that had enchanted the gate!

“Ahhh!” the orange pegasus yelped as she was flung backwards.

“I got you!” I flew up, and caught her in my hooves. “Whew…”

“Thanks, Cozy...somepony check the gate!” she called out as I set her down.

Flurry touched the bars with her bare hoof, and pushed it open. “...We’re in, guys.”

“Nice one, Scootsy!” Applebloom cheered as she walked in.

“Heh. Never thought your obsession with extreme sports would help us out with bad guys,” Sweetie commented, “and yet here we are.”

Scootaloo snickered as she grabbed her board. “Kyeh heh heh...that better be a compliment, ya know!”

The five of us all walked into the gate, and were met with a pair of gross, old wooden doors that led to the inside of this...asylum-base, thingy. Now that we were in, I wondered what we should do next.

After we all discussed it for a moment, Sweetie Belle spoke up. “Alright, guys. Listen. Sneaking in is pointless since we’re trying to save Doc and Vinyl Scratch.”

“Then what should we do?” Scoots asked.

The white unicorn’s horn lit up with her powerful green aura. “Heh...let’s cause some chaos...that way, we’ll be able to let everypony know where this place is...and make them scared. Who’s with me?” she said with an evil grin. This mare had grown to be a very crafty one compared to the cute little filly I knew from years back.

“Okay, I’m in,” Applebloom replied, “But just how ya’ll gonna do that?”

Sweetie chuckled, and put on a fake Trottingham accent. “Ohoho. Elementary, darlings--” she paused, and cleared her throat. After that, she spoke normally. “Ahem, sorry. I used to love seeing Rarity play detective, and I’ve been reading her mystery novels, so I’ve always wanted to say that. Anyway! Watch this, everypony…” She smirked at us, and stood with her hooves firmly planted in the cracked, scorched earth. Her horn lit up even greater than before.

We all took a step back.

After a few seconds of charging, the unicorn’s horn activated a flare-like magic spell from her horn, and it flew into the sky with a shrill whistle. It was so loud that we all had to cover our ears.

PHEEEEEEW…

CRACK-CRACK-CRACK!

Moments after that, we heard an alarm bell go off, followed by lots of screaming and shouting from inside the building.

“And now...we wait for Flurry’s side of the plan,” said Sweetie. The rest of us still had our ears covered as we waited for...wait, what?!

Meanwhile…

“...Hun! Look! There’s a weird green light over there!”

“...Just what we’ve been waiting on. Let’s head down immediately!”

Subject 77: Golly What A Rush

“What the heck’s going on here?” Shining Armor stepped forward. Even though I had gone crazy, I could still properly understand everypony, thankfully.

Cadance spoke up next. She had a special-looking kind of sword held aloft via “We came as soon as we saw the explosion. Svengallop will now be taken into custody by order of the Empire Princess for Twilight Sparkle.”

But Svengallop wasn’t prepared to go down so easily. Somehow, he just barely managed to pick himself up off the ground, and backed away. “Oh no you don’t! Everypony! Take them out!” the coward cried out as he hid behind the rest of his standing gang members. To my surprise, they were more than willing to fight for him!

“Heh...they don’t look so tough,” one of them said.

“Just an old hag and his wife,” another commented.

“Can’t do anything without their little sister, can they? This’ll be easy,” said another. They all had their weapons raised, ready to fight back.

Then I heard Shining shout. “Zweihoofer!”

CLANG!

“AHHHH!”

I heard the sound of a heavy attack land, followed by a scream that trailed off into the sky. I gazed at what caused the pony to fly away. And it turns out, Shining Armor had used his magic to teleport over, and decked one of them in the face with a hammer?! A two-sided, steel one with a carbon-infused handle for extra grip. The head was massive, and it looked like you needed to be really strong to be able to hold it. Amazing. I felt utter joy as I watched the look of horror on the other mercenary’s faces.

“You’re weak,” the unicorn stallion berated the foolish pony, and turned to the rest of them. “Don’t forget who you’re dealing with. Who wants some?”

After a few moments of silence, the ponies charged at him all at once. In an amazing display of skill, Shining Armor used both his defensive magic and hammer at the same time. Each time, somepony tried to attack him, he’d put up a barrier, then smack them away with a violent crash of his weapon.

Cadance handled the stragglers. She used her sword and slashed at the air which created pink waves of energy that bound those who tried to run away. “Crusaders! Flurry! Cozy! Get back and get the refugee ponies to safety! We’ll handle the rest, and find Svengallop!” she commanded them.

The four of them had still been fighting also. Well, the Crusaders fought while Flurry Heart used her magic to keep them safe and healed. But as soon as she heard her mother, the young alicorn relented. “Gah...fine. C’mon girls, let’s go. They can handle this.”

“Are ya’ll sure?” Applebloom asked aloud, “They’re aren’t slowin’ up are they?”

“No way! Are you seeing this?” Scootlaoo called out as she pointed to another pony that had been thrown into the sky due to another of Shining’s hammer strikes. “They got this! C’mon, everyone!”

“Tactical retreat to help the prisoners? I’m in,” Sweetie Belle stepped back, “Let’s go, guys!”

“Vinyl, and the Doc?!” Flurry called out.

“They’ve probably already ran back with the others,” Applebloom said, “Now let’s git goin’! Cozy! Pick up Pale, and let’s ride outta here!”

After that, they all retreated.

I looked down at Pale’s body, and felt even more rage build up within me. I didn’t want to retreat just yet. I wanted to go and give that disgusting mistake of a pony Svengallop a piece of my own mind. I wanted to leave...but…

“Go on, kiddo,” said a voice from behind me.

“Eh?” I turned around.

There she was. The legendary Vinyl Scratch with her trademark should-mounted bass cannon. “I got him. I know you wanna prevent Svengallop’s escape. So go after him. Do what you need to do. But keep your emotions in check, alright?”

I shut my eyes, and took a deep breath. She was right. I had to relax. I couldn’t rush in and beat him down right away. As much as I hated him right about now, Svengallop did deserve total humiliation in front of an entire crowd--Princess Twilight included.

So I knew what I had to do, and I appreciated the aged DJ’s words. “Alright...thank you, Vinyl. I’ll make sure he’s dealt with properly.” I replied with confidence, but I knew that deep down in my heart, I wanted Svengallop to suffer for what he did to Pale. I couldn’t deny it any longer. I valued that stallion like a father. He was more caring towards me than my actual, biological parents ever were. Because of that, I wanted any and all who hurt him to experience the same torture, but on a much greater scale.

Vinyl levitated Pale onto her back, and shot me a smile as I took off.

I flew into the air, and saw Svengallop escape out of the rear side of the building. Now was my chance. Before he could run any further away from the badlands, I stopped that earth pony dead in his tracks when I landed in front of him.

“Gah!” he shrieked like a whiny, scared colt as he skidded to a stop.

My face was half-dark with my eyes twitching crazily. “You...I didn’t think it was possible to find somepony more mean and despicable than me. But ohohoho, golly! Guess it’s happened!” I cried out with a crazed tone. Don’t get me wrong, I was still plenty upset with him, but at the moment, this was mostly a show that I put on just to make sure that I scared him as much as possible. I put my hooves together, and tilted my head to mimic a creepy doll. “We can’t have you outdoing my insanity, now can we?!”

The foolish stallion tried to back away. “Y-you...you’re crazy! This is exactly why they locked you up! That stupid detective lashed out the same way! He doesn’t deserve that job! How can we trust somepony mentally unstable to be impartial and treat criminals within the law if he flies off the handle like he did! You’re no better!” he screamed in a panic. “And if you kill me...well guess what, it’ll make you look worse! Is that what you want?! Go ahead! Kill me! I’m right here!”

Oh I knew darn well just what he was getting at. Luckily for me, I had no intention of ending his pathetic excuse of a life. That would simply take too much effort.

“Heh...why would I do that? If you’re alive, then you won’t get to suffer,” I leaned in close to his face with the most intimidating glare that I could muster with my teeth on full display like I was ready to feast upon his face, “I want you to feel everything that you’ve been doing to all of the ponies in that building. All of your misdeeds, and foolish actions. All of it! You are going to live the rest of your life in eternal torment!”

After my rant, his eyes rolled to the back of his head, and he passed out. I suppose he simply couldn’t handle my scare tactic. But I suppose it worked. Now there was no chance of Svengallop running away from me. At last, he would repent for his actions.

What ensued was...a lot, actually. I showed Svengallop to the Empire Prince and Princess. They took him off my hooves, and thanked me for the risk I took. After that, Shining Armor used a nigh-impenetrable magic spell to erect a dome over the empty building. Everyone had escaped, and Sven’s accomplice guards had been fought off and taken care of. Prince Armor put the spell over the building so that Twilight could decide what to do with it next.

Flurry and the Crusaders were all as excited as I was. They more or less helped complete a major ‘friendship’ mission if you could call it that. All the way home, the three of them were all bouncing words of praise off of each other. On the other hoof, Flurry stayed close to me, and talked with me as we walked back to Dodge Junction.

“Everything alright?”

I nodded with a nervous smile on my face. “Yeah...I just...I just wanna make sure that Pale’s okay.”

Flurry scoffed. “Pssh. Call me crazy, but I don’t think that guy is gonna go down so easily. I mean, he’s not as strong as my dad, but don’t sell him short okay?”

“Hm…” Part of me wanted to bite back and say that Pale could totally take on Shining. Oh dear, guess I was starting to think of him as a parent. I almost stepped into a ‘my dad can beat your dad’ sort of argument. Heh. But I shied away from that, and simply accepted Flurry Heart’s words. “Yeah...you’re right. Thank you. Still, I need to go see him at the hospital once we’re done reporting the situation.”

Luckily for us, it seems that Princess Cadance was already on point with her planning. Apparently, she had notified her sister-in-law beforehoof. That way, the purple alicorn was able to meet up with us when we arrived at Ponyville Hospital.

Though, for whatever reason, she chose to stay in a normally-proportioned pony form, rather than the slender look similar to Celestia. She had some bags under her eyes, and I couldn’t tell if they were from aging or lack of sleep entirely.

We checked in some of the ponies that Svengallop had captured to the hospital. After which, both Cadance and Shining Armor explained the situation to their fellow nation leader.

The Crusaders, Flurry, and I all sat in the hospital lobby chairs as we awaited whatever scolding or praise that would befall us. I had only just now noticed that they were all covered in scrapes and minor damage from the melee that ensued. Thankfully it was nothing fatal, though.

At long last, she stepped towards us. We all couldn’t help but look at each other, then up at her.

“...Okay, first off. Crusaders. Excellent job out there. Your sisters and Rainbow Dash might be a bit concerned, but you all did very well. In fact, according to what my brother and Cadance said,” she pointed a hoof behind herself, “it sounded like you all embodied what your sisters used to be like when they were younger. Except more...rough. If that’s the right word.”

“Aw shucks, Twilight, it’s just what we wanna do as Crusaders. Right ya’ll?” Applebloom looked at both of her friends.

“For sure! I can’t wait to see the look on Dash’s face when she realizes that I helped catch an evil gang!” Scootaloo agreed with a flutter of her wings.

Sweetie Belle leaned back in her seat, and chuckled. “Hehe. It was nothing, really. I’m just glad we could do our part as a team. I’m just glad my new sleep-song spell actually worked!”

Twilight giggled, and looked at Flurry Heart next. “And you, Flurry. You did a swell job at planning the operation. As usual it would appear my brother’s sense of strategy rubbed off on you.”

Flurry scoffed, and waved her hoof. “Aw, thanks Aunt-Twi. But it wasn’t all me. You should also thank Cozy for supporting my decisions. Without her, I don’t think I would’ve gotten that far with my plans.” She turned to me and smiled. Then she put a hoof against her chest, “But now I can at least remind dad of this incident anytime he’s worried about me going out.”

Once again, the purple alicorn couldn’t help but laugh. She even snorted a bit as well. “Hehehe! Ahem--right. Now...Cozy Glow,” she faced me next.

I swallowed the lump of anxiety in my throat. “...Y-yes?”

“You did a stellar job in support of your friends and helped protect the ponies that needed to escape. Not to mention, you went all the way out there just to save the one pony who risked his life to set you free. As far as I’m concerned, you’ve more than earned my trust,” she said with earnest confidence in me.

What? I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. Did Princess Twilight actually say she trusted me? This had to be a dream...but it wasn’t. This was real, and I had no idea how to feel. “I...t-thank you so much.” I nearly started to cry, but there was no time for that. I had something--or somepony--more important on my mind. “And how’s Pale doing? Can I go see him?”

“Oh? Yes, you can, actually. Nurse Redheart said he would need time to recover.”

Okay, good. Now what else...oh right! “What about Svengallop?”

“He will be taken into custody, and we’ll figure out his sentencing.”

That’s all I needed to hear. I got up from my seat, and hugged Twilight. “Thank you...for listening to me.”

She paused, and put a hoof around me after a moment or two. “Aw, don’t worry about it, Cozy. I know you had a troubled past, and you’re doing your best to atone for your actions now. Continue doing what you do best, okay?”

I let go, and nodded. “Yes, Princess. I promise.” And with that, I left the room, and flew into the hallway of the hospital. Twilight had told me where Pale was resting, so I followed her directions. After a turn or two, I finally came upon his room. I slowly opened it up, and found the gray earth pony lying there. He was barely awake, and he groaned ever so slightly from the pain he had endured. Bandaging and stitches all across his neck and back...ouch.

“...K-kid…?” he sat up a little to get a better look at me. “Ow...ah...are you okay?”

I flew to his bedside. “Yes...of course I am. But what about you?”

He coughed a few times. “I’ll be fine...whatever happened to that bastard Svengallop?”

“Oh...Twilight has him in a dungeon as we speak,” I answered with a smile.

But sadly, Pale was not happy with that answer. I could see it in his yellow eyes before he shut them, and lied back down. “Good. You should go get some rest too, Cozy.”

My wings flapped nervously. I knew exactly what was on his mind, and yet I decided not to press the issue. Instead, I pat him on the head, and flew out of the room. “Yes, dad. I will,” I said jokingly, which got a bit of a smile out of him as I left.

As Cozy left the room, all I could think of was one thing, and one thing alone.

“By tomorrow, Svengallop will not be breathing.”

Subject 78: One Life Ends Another Begins

That Night In Canterlot Dungeon…

“So you really brought out the worst in him, did you?” Neighsay asked the pony in the cell across from him. “How...motivational.”

That pony was Svengallop. The two had taken to conversation between each other while they were sentenced down there. “Exactly. I recommend torturing somepony else in front of him. That way, he’ll go berserk, and try to explode on you. That’s when you can prove to the public that his mental state is not worthy of the position of an officer. Then he’ll lose his job and be utterly shamed by the public until he has to abandon them all.”

“...How interesting…”

Unfortunately for them, their discussion would be cut short by a small magical spell that seeped in through the walls of the dungeons. A waft of purple magic essence. As it passed their faces, the music would put them in a state of hypnosis in which their eyes were filled with a rainbow of revolving colors. They could no longer see, move or think for themselves.

A unicorn guard entered the room. As it turned out, they were the one who activated the spell to begin with. Everyone in the dungeon cell block was caught in the effects of the spell. Neighsay and Svengallop included. The guard checked their surroundings to make sure they weren’t followed. Then, they opened Svengallop’s cell door, and used their magic to teleport them out.

Right on time. She had accomplished the exact favor I asked of her.

Vinyl removed the Royal Guard helmet, and shook her head to release the sweat from her mane. “Brrrr! I have no idea how anypony manages to do this. Especially not as a job. But here he is, bud. Whatcha gonna do with him?”

I looked at the earth pony whose eyes were alight with hypnotic colors. He was still under the affects of her spell it seemed. “Undo it.”

With a flash of her horn, Vinyl allowed Svengallop to return to normal. “What the--?! You!”

CRACK!

The last thing he would see was my hoof as it reached for his neck and face as I dislocated every bone in his head. This stallion’s life was officially over.

“...Take him back to his cell. That way everyone can see just how much of a fool he is and he can have a proper sendoff. I’m thinking cremation. His body doesn’t even deserve to occupy a grave that someone more willing could take. And his soul can wander endlessly until...well, the rest is out of my hooves. Unless some reality breaker decides to steal his soul, that is. But not even Discord would touch that.”

Vinyl looked at the stallion’s limp body with a painful wince. “Yeeeouch. But I ain’t got no sympathy for his sorry flank. You’re the boss.”

“You hated him too?” I asked.

She hoisted the body with her magic. “Damn right. If there’s one thing I hate in this world, it’s managers who manipulate and treat others like shit for their own benefit. That’s why DJ-PON-3 never had a manager. But his bullshit ends today,” she flashed me a smile. “Gonna take him back and head home. You should do the same bud. You look tired as heck.”

I couldn’t help but chuckle at the fact that I could see eye bags from underneath those shades of hers. “Hey, you too, alright? Don’t make your musical friend scared for your safety.”

“Yeah, yeah. Got it…” she let out a laugh as well just before she disappeared with a flash of teleportation magic. I hoped that Neighsay could see the body when he was left behind in that cell, too. He was surely next.

It was finally over. I went back home to Ponyville that night and rested soundly.

The next morning was a peaceful one for a change. Things were...calm in Ponyville. I looked outside of my bedroom window towards Cozy Glow’s house. There, I saw Cozy Glow speak with Diamond Tiara right outside on her front lawn. It filled my heart with joy to know that she could speak with somepony her age and enjoy herself.

I sighed and got out of bed for a cup of morning tea. Everything was business as usual until I heard a knock at my front door.

“Hm? Who could that be?” I trotted over to open it, only to find my sweetheart of a teacher mare on the other side.

“Pale!” she cried out and threw her hooves around me in a tight hug. “I heard about what happened. I’m so glad you’re okay…” she even upped the ante with a bunch of kisses peppered against my cheek.

A blush tinged my cheeks. I almost had to lift her off of me to get her to stop. It was a very adorable display of affection that I nearly reciprocated. But I wasn’t in the mood for a lot of...hot and heavy movement given my injuries. “Come on, come on. You know I’m far more durable than I look, Cheery.”

“Oh, well. Yes, of course. I was just trying to make sure that you were still...you, you know. Eheheh…” she rubbed the back of her head as she let out a nervous giggle. It made my heart sing to hear her angelic voice once more. “And you did an amazing job from what I heard. I’m super proud of you, you know.”

That...made my heart sink a bit. As I said before, being applauded for my work was something I never really enjoyed. I wasn’t some storybook hero. “...Thanks,” I replied with a saddened exhale as I closed the door. “Do you want some tea? I just finished brewing some…”

Cheerilee instantly knew there was something wrong with me, and took a seat on my couch. “Come now. Talk to me, Pale,” she patted the seat next to her, “You can tell me anything.”

I suppose it couldn’t hurt to explain my issue. But part of me felt that it wouldn’t help very much. Oh well. I sat down next to her, and started to explain myself. “...I...I don’t feel good about what I did. In fact, my job as a whole often brings me down in certain ways. To fight, to kill. It’s...not something that I enjoy. But I do it because it must be done,” I went on as I put my hooves against my cheeks while I slumped over.

“...I see. And why do you feel that way, Pale? Why do you feel as if you have to do it?” she asked.

“Because…” I was hesitant, but I sat upright to give her a proper answer. “Because I believe that everypony in this world needs an example to follow. Someone who can give them a ray of hope, to show them that they should not be afraid to stand up for whatever they feel is just in the world. As things are, everyone is too afraid, fearful of backlash should they voice their opinions. But I...intend to change that through my actions.”

Cheerilee nodded. “Alright. That’s good. But you have to understand that ponies who look up to you will give you those compliments because they genuinely appreciate what you do,” she looked aside. “I don’t think there’s a single creature on this planet who wants there to be constant fighting and the occasional death. But...sadly, sometimes things aren’t as simple as what you make them out to be. There will be times where you come upon those situations that require you to end the life of another. And in ending that life, you’ll save the lives of hundreds of others. Your work is something to be cherished, as a result.”

Her words had validity. But I still wasn’t fully convinced. A part of me still resented having to resort to such a level of...primeval tactics. “Cheerilee...my hooves are stained red with blood. All my life, I’ve known nothing but violence. That to kill and walk all over the bodies of others was the only way to survive…” I leaned back on the couch, and looked up at the ceiling. “Can I...do I truly deserve to be celebrated when I acted the same way I did back then?”

She shut her eyes. “I’m afraid that’s a question you’re going to have to ask yourself, dear. Are you going to be busy worrying about what others think of your actions? Or are you going to do what you said you intend to do: Provide the example that others should follow?”

Leave it to the teacher to provide words of wisdom. She was right. As much as I disliked being put on a pedestal for my actions, I had to accept the fact that it was inevitable in some cases. Just as well, I did kill when necessary. But only as a last resort. I refused to allow myself to be consumed by the idea of taking a life. That is a matter of discipline, and knowing how to control oneself.

Okay. I felt a little bit better, to be quite honest. I realized that I shouldn’t get into a slump now, and start moping about. After all, today was something good, something positive happened. Cozy was making another friend and I had my wife--er...marefriend? Lover? Forget all of that. Cheerilee was next to me, and supporting me. Something I never had throughout my entire life until now. It was a refreshing feeling to be quite honest.

Oh yeah, that reminded me. “Uh, Cheerilee?”

“Hm?”

“When it comes to Tree Hugger...do you mind that she seems to be interested in me? I mean, it’s not romantic or anything, but she seems somewhat close to me. Is that a problem?”

She giggled. “Ohohoho. Not at all. To be quite honest, Tree Hugger isn’t very interested in marriage or finding a special somepony. But she feels...awkward around others. I figured that, maybe if you were able to...show her a good time, it could help her avoid feeling lonely. Would you be up for that?” she asked with a tilt of her head with a concerned expression.

Was Cheerilee really asking me to get involved in a non-romantic trio between herself and Tree Hugger? Given the green mare’s mental state, I was in no position to refuse. After all, I saw her as a good friend, and only had deep feelings for Cheerilee. Having a friend with...advantages in Tree Hugger wouldn’t be a problem for me.

“Sure,” I replied with a smile, “she can help me relax when you’re busy, heh.”

The purple mare playfully pushed me down onto the couch. “Oh stop it you. You know I’m the only one who makes your heart cry out with glee!”

I chuckled. “Eheheh. Do I sense a bit of a rivalry between you and Tree Hugger?”

“Competition is healthy, isn’t it?” she retorted with a smirk as she put her hooves on my abdomen, “with her at my side, I’ll be working twice as hard to make sure you smile every night before you sleep!”

That was an adorable, yet scary sentiment. Just how far was she willing to go to prove just how much she loved me? Cheerilee was certainly a tough one to deal with. “I suppose I will hold you that challenge, hun.”

“Ohohoho, you…” she was about to lean forward to huddle up to me, but then I heard a knock at my door. “Hm?”

“Well who could that be?” I wondered aloud. I got off the couch, and opened the door to see who it was. “Hello?”

To my surprise, it was the former princess Luna of all ponies. “Ah. Good. Thou are here. I’d like to request your...services, Sir Pale. There’s...something going on that I would like investigated.”

That was a shock. But I guess it made sense since my crew and I all more or less handled situations that required a bit of secrecy to maintain. You couldn’t exactly get anywhere by blasting friendship lasers all over the place if you wanted to be covert.

Regardless, I was ready and able. “What’s the situation?”

“Well, as you know: Nightmare Night is approaching. Yet there seems to be reports of odd spooky encounters among the populace that have occurred during the day as well. Which is very odd if you ask me. To be exact, everyone seems to be reporting a weird foggy substance that appears before something strange happens. It might just be me losing my mind over a Nightmare Night prank. But I would appreciate it if you helped me with this.”

I nodded. If there was any chance that this situation related to the ones that I was already investigating with Moondancer, then I would seize the opportunity at a moment’s notice. “Absolutely. I’ll start bright and early tomorrow on that deal.”

“Thank you,” Luna put her hooves together, “I apologize for putting this onto you after you already solved one incident, though…” she frowned.

There was no harm. It was my job, after all. “Don’t worry about it. Nightmare Night is one of my favorite holidays. If something is going on, I’ll be the first to let you know.”

The blue alicorn let out a sigh of relief. “Thank you. If you have anything to report, simply meet up with me at my home in Silver Shoals, yes? Good day to you, dear Pale.”

I waved as she walked away. “Good day, Luna!” I closed the door, and turned around to face Cheerilee, who had now stepped into the kitchen. “Cheer--hm?”

Pots and pans started to clink around. I pranced over to the kitchen to see what that mare was doing, “Cheery?”

“Oh. I heard your conversation with Luna,” her head rose from the lower cabinet with a pan clenched between her teeth by the handle, “and if you’re starting a new case, then I’m going to make you the best breakfast you’ve ever eaten. And dinner later as well, if you’ll let me.”

I blushed. Being...taken care of in such a way was so alien to me that I had no idea how to react. I was a decent cook myself, so I never considered the idea of letting someone else cook for me. Even if it was something small like that calzone Limestone made for me awhile back.

Whatever the case, I wouldn’t be rude and deny her desire to take care of me. “Oh...well, I suppose it’s fine with me. Have at it, Cheery,” I said with a smile.

She clapped her hooves. “Yes! Now you go and sit down while I work my kitchen magic that my mother taught me.”

Mother...yeah that was a nice thought to have. I sat down at the dining room table, and looked outside of the window. Cozy Glow now spoke with, and walked alongside both Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon outside. Where were they going? What were they doing? Who knows? So long as the kid had friends. “...she’s doing so well.”

“Isn’t she?” Cheerilee spoke up from the kitchen, “I’ve already been confiding in her well while you were out at the hospital. It’s like she sees me as her mom or something. And you’re like the intrepid father that goes out and saves the world for us both!”

My ear flicked, and I stumbled over my words. “Uh-wh--for real? That’s...quite the state of mind she has.” I looked over at the newspaper on the table, and picked it up.

Criminal Boss Found Dead In Cell For Unknown Reasons! (Thank Goodness…)

I didn’t know what was funnier. The fact that they didn’t know what caused his death, or the fact that the publication agreed with it.

Subject 79: Stalwart Wizard

I took that day off to spend time with Cheerilee. We ate together, laughed together, discussed our problems, and even went to see Tree Hugger. We all relaxed, and had a fun time discussing our feelings toward Nightmare Night and whatnot. After all, it was getting closer.

The next day, I was back on the beat.

Okay so the situation was no cause for immediate danger, but there was still something off about it. Why would Luna come to me about something like this? Wouldn’t Twilight or even Starlight be better at detecting magical abnormalities? Hm…well, I suppose I did have my own way of finding out about certain hidden details faster than anypony else. And Nightmare Night was approaching fast, so I needed to start searching for leads.

First, I went back to our base. Corkscrew was there as usual. Though, not seeing Quick Draw there still made me somewhat unhappy. I hoped that she could recuperate and be herself again...someday. But that wasn’t the priority at the moment.

“Morning boss,” the pegasus waved at me from his desk. “Didja sleep well?”

“More or less,” I replied and took my seat, “Anyway, we have a new case. Sort of. Luna’s been talking about some sorta…” I waved my hoof around as I tried to come up with the words, “magical oddities? I don’t get it. But it’s probably related to Nightmare Night.”

His wings flapped with joy. “Ooh yeah! My costume is gonna be sick this year, sir!” He must’ve realized that he got off-topic, because he let out a sheepish giggle. “Hehe...I mean--right. Of course. We’ll start studying the situations right away. Though...we probably should act covert, right? Maybe...still hunt for candy while we’re investigating?” he stretched his neck to lean over to me.

My response was an exasperated sigh. “Uggh. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy it. But if we need to be focused on a case, then I recommend you don’t lose your entire mind to the allure of sweets.”

Cork leaned back in his seat and scoffed. “Pff. Don’t worry about it, boss. We can handle anything life throws at us.”

“Yeah, so long as you don’t run into flaming torrents again. What did your mother say when she found out you did that?”

That certainly caught his attention. His wings fluttered once more, and he scrambled to change the subject with a sputter. “Uh-...well, y--anyway! I actually recently got a call from someone.”

For his sake, I dropped the previous little banter to focus on what he said. “Oh? Do tell.”

Corkscrew spoke in a rare, solemn tone as he looked down at his desk. “...Apparently Sunburst is now handling Quick Draw’s case, and he’s looking for our help with something unrelated to her.”

Now that was a surprise for sure. I had thought Trixie was taking care of her. But I suppose it made sense, given how inadequate he would feel in comparison to someone like Starlight. But beyond that, I wondered just what he wanted to speak to me about.

Well, no use hanging around the office. Though I did have to wonder if it had any relation to what Luna asked me about the day before. Hmmm…

“Alright,” I said with a nod, “I need to go see him right away, then. Where is he?”

“At the School of Friendship as always. He said anytime would be great since it’s a rather light day today.”

On top of things as always. I ruffled the young stallion’s mane, and smiled. “Alright, then. I guess I’ll be off to see what he wants. Don’t go doing anything crazy, alright?”

He swatted my hoof away. “Quit babying me, pops. I know what I’m doing.”

It was still adorable, regardless.

Anyhow, I left our base, and marched towards the School of Friendship. Well now. I wondered just how welcome I would be here after what I did for Cozy. Beyond that, the fact that Sunburst of all ponies needed to speak with me is something that I didn’t expect.

Whatever the case, I was going to find out soon enough. I made my way down the path, and knocked on the Friendship School’s front door. The first pony to answer was, thankfully, the pony that had requested my audience. The vice principal himself.

“You’re here. Great. Er, come on in, sir,” he beckoned me inside.

“Alright.” I went in, and shut the door behind myself. Then, we walked through the school, all the way back to an office where the orange unicorn stallion worked.

He shut the office door, and peered outside to make sure that we weren’t followed. What? Was he paranoid? “Sorry. Just wanted to ensure privacy between us.”

I tilted my head with a worried frown as I took a seat in front of his desk. “...Is everything alright?”

“Yes, well. Two things. First off, I’ve taken over for Trixie when dealing with your friend,” he explained as he sat in the chair behind his desk. He used his magic to levitate some papers in front of his face. “As it turns out, it appears that she only accepted to work with Neighsay out of fear of losing you due to feeling inferior.”

Ouch. I knew part of it was true, but it was damning to have it flung back into my face. So I suppose that my estimation was correct. “I see...so if I were to venture a guess, you took over her therapy sessions when you found out that little detail from Trixie, right?”

“Precisely, good guess. Yes I did,” he responded while he put the papers down. “Do you mind if I speak candidly for a moment, officer--no. Pale?”

I had no qualms with someone who wanted to explain themselves. Not only was it my job to listen, but it was simply polite to do so. “Go right ahead.”

“Well...here it is. To be frank, I’ve been quite envious of Starlight…” he mumbled in a low tone, as if he was ashamed of his own words.

“...Excuse me?”

There was a picture stand on his desk. In the portrait was a photograph of a young Sunburst and a young Starlight, happily studying together. He grabbed it with his magic. “When she was younger, she was just as smart as me, if not smarter. While I did earn my cutie mark first, she always had big ambitions. That’s why I was utterly devastated when I found out that she enslaved an entire village and nearly trapped Twilight in an alternate dimension.”

Of course. There was always going to be another, hidden perspective that one wouldn’t get unless they found both sides of the story. Personally, I did sometimes wonder what his take on her old actions were, given that she nearly destroyed the world through the dimensional flickering effect she caused. Not to mention, being the sole reason somepony turned evil must have done things to one’s psyche.

“I see...and when did you find out about her actions? And when you learned that you were the one that inadvertently caused her to feel such a way, what did you do? Did you approach her about it?” I asked in an equally candid manner.

Sunburst hesitated, and leaned back in his seat before he would answer. “...I...was afraid. Afraid of digging up those old wounds. So terrified of my own darn shadow that I decided to stay quiet and pretend like nothing happened.” He turned and looked away from me, a frown of discomfort plastered across his muzzle. “I...it was easier for me to ignore the problem than to actually care or do anything about it, you know?”

Ohoho. More than he could realize--and I was younger than he was! “For sure, VP. For sure. In fact, my entire job is dedicated to facing, and exposing those harmful truths that nopony else wants to deal with. It...gets to be a bit much after a while. But I manage. Though, if you have more to say, please continue.”

He nodded, and went on. “Anyways,” he said with an adjustment of his glasses, “I shied away from thinking about her problems because, well...she seemed happy. Granted, she spent far more time with Trixie than me, but she didn’t forget that I was her friend. In the end though...I felt like I failed as a friend when it came to dealing with our problems. And that maybe if I did something...said something.” He shut his eyes. “Maybe if I was more supportive, she wouldn’t have turned out the way she did. That’s what I wanted to say. Now--”

Oh no you don’t. Er, he wasn’t. I wasn’t going to let such a hot topic get dropped off so quickly. Besides, maybe I could learn more about him that would aid me in understanding the perspective of Quick Draw a bit better.

“Wait a moment, now. In those...two decades since you’ve been reunited with her, have you ever tried...talking to her about this?”

He shrugged with a pessimistic eye roll. “That’s the exact issue. Starlight’s seemed so...content with having been shown the light of friendship by Twilight Sparkle herself that I felt as if I was...unnecessary, to put it lightly. She didn’t need me in order to pull through her problems since Twilight and Trixie understood her far better than I ever could.”

Well now that just seemed rather...odd. Did he really mean to tell me that Starlight never once came to him about her problems? Her first friend? Sounded quite ridiculous. “Wait a minute, wait a minute, I--hold on,” I held up my hoof, “You’re saying that Starlight never bothered to explain to you how she felt about the fact that you earning your cutie mark first caused her to spiral into hatred towards them?”

His turquoise eyes quivered which silently displayed his sense of doubt. I could see right through him. But I allowed him to state his own feelings on the matter. “In a nutshell, while I am pretty decent at magic and have helped her with things like the Crystal Heart and the Pony of Shadows I still feel...insignificant towards her by comparison. The best way I can describe it is by saying that it’s as if Starlight became the leading mare in a play. While I’ve just been a nameless stagehoof that occasionally does things whenever I’m allowed to. Like I’m a mere accessory that accidentally kickstarted one of the most infamous moments in Equestria’s recent history.”

Dear Luna above. I couldn’t fathom being in such a position. Well, that wasn’t exactly true. Throughout my own childhood, I always felt the need to prove that I was better than those around me through sheer force and the capacity to cause harm to others. It was a dangerous road to travel upon; the path of lack of self-esteem was nothing but a road encased in lies that you told yourself.

‘I don’t matter since somepony else has already handled it.’

‘No one needs my help since I’ll just get in the way.’

‘Don’t worry about me. I’m fine. I mean it.’

It was making me pained inside just to think about such horrible deprecative thoughts. And it’s those very same thoughts that drove Quick Draw into a state of such weakness, that she was willing to accept help from Neighsay--a pony who worked behind the backs of those who trusted him just to obtain his own selfish desires.

But no. I wasn’t going to stand for it.

“Okay so,” I responded with newfound bravado, “In that case, you need to communicate with Starlight on how you feel. Don’t simply let yourself be some accessory. We’re all responsible for our own actions. Now maybe you messed up by not noticing sooner in the past. But the past is just that: the past. What are you going to do now?”

He sat upright, and cleared his throat. “Hm...you’re saying I don’t need to bottle up my feelings and keep a straight face to avoid being seen as weak?”

Wait what? Not that played-out stereotype. “Excuse me?” I asked as I leaned forward with a concerned, quizzical tilt of my head, “Who in the hay said that’s what you needed to do?”

His answer made everything crystal clear in an instant. “My mother. She always brought me up with the idea that colts need to grow into strong stallions that don’t show any weakness so that they can defend their marefriends and homes at all times. Why does tha--...” his pupils shrank as he began to realize the folly of his own parent, “Ohhhh…” His hoof slapped his forehead in a dramatic manner as he covered his eyes. “That’s why I’m like this. Could it also be why dad left...hm...”

My hoof met my forehead as well. I think this is what Corkscrew called a certified facehoof moment. Either way, now I understood just why Sunburst had kept his true thoughts hidden for so long. “That’s...absolutely not healthy in any sense of the word. Yes, stallions and mares alike need to be able to put emotion aside when dealing with their enemies or serious topics. But to push them down and never communicate them to anyone else? That’s only going to destroy yourself. It’s like...a poison. It can take you over. My own idiot of a father said the same tired thing.” I folded my hooves and rolled my eyes.

“Uh-huh...yup. Now I think I’m getting it. In fact, just getting this off my chest with you has helped me think a bit more clearly about what I should do next. So thanks for that, I suppose.”

I chuckled sarcastically. “Heh. Don’t thank me. It was you who bothered to talk about it. Now what else did you need my help with?”

“That’s right, yes…” He picked up some documents from a nearby drawer with his magic. “Okay, down to business. According to what Moondancer reported, Blossomforth was infected with some sort of magical curse that was set to go off at a specific time.”

That was new. I had never heard of a delayed magical setoff timer. Something like that could literally sway the tides of a war if employed properly. “I see. And what have you found since then?”

Sunburst pulled out some more documents, and set them in front of me. “We’ve deduced that the next anomaly will occur in Ponyville on Nightmare Night--which is just two days from now.”

So that was it. Luna’s fears were correct. If that was the case, then I had to prepare myself. I needed to get my costume ready twice as fast now. “Okay then...I’ll be on the lookout for any suspicious signs. If something like this were to happen, it could simply be passed off as a Nightmare Night Trick that nopony will realize is actually dangerous until it is too late.”

“Exactly,” Sunburst said with a nod as he levitated the newspaper over to me. The same one that I looked at not long ago. “Since you’ve proven yourself to be capable of taking care of Cozy Glow, I would like to request your assistance on this. Just act natural on that Night, and enjoy the festivities. But as soon as you come across anything weird, try to subdue it or let us know so we can all take care of it.”

Was that all? I hated to say it, but it sounded way easier than it seemed. Still...you never knew who could be involved with these things.

I got up from my seat, and trotted to the door. “Not a problem. But I do things my way, comprende?”

“If you’re sure. Just...don’t do anything crazy. And one more thing Pale,” he rubbed the back of his head, “...do me a favor and keep everything stated here between us. Stallion to stallion? I want to approach Starlight when I’m ready without her panicking.”

“Heh. No problem, Sunny Potter,” I poked a bit of fun at him as I left the room. I couldn’t see it, but I could feel his eyes roll as he tried to avoid laughing at the completely valid joke I made.

But if this incident was to occur on Nightmare Night, then I had to be ready. I had to be fast. I had to be strong.

Most importantly, though? I had to be spooky.

Subject 80: Prepare For Scares

And so, after much patience, Nightmare Night was finally here. I couldn’t wait to show off my costume to everypony. Especially the members of my crew. Yes it did seem a bit odd for such a stiff stallion such as myself to be enthralled by such frivolities. But I couldn’t help it. I absolutely adored getting scared, scaring others, and the candy! The chocolate-caramel bars were always my favorite, even as a colt. And my costume...it fit me both on a personal, and an existential level. Complete with a well-meaning brown suit on my right side along with a monocle, but on the left, it was a dreary, demonic black suit and the left side of my face was done up in a dark gray, homemade mask to appear evil with flayed skin.

The legendary figure from the novel most known around Trottingham and Trotland.

“Dr. Hayman Jockey and Mr. Leather Hide--as in pony skin--at your service,” I said to myself in the mirror as I looked myself over. Quite the dashing display indeed. Dr. Jockey was a kind-hearted soul, and Hide was the evil, demonic version of him, which contained his repressed hatred. It was a favorite book of mine and it even helped me learn how to become my own stallion, rather than allow myself to succumb to the hatred. But for Nightmare Night, it would be funny to scare others with this style of half-n-half.

DING-DONG!

Right on time.

I answered the door to find two fillies and two colts all dressed up in costume. Though, I only showed them the right side of my face. “Good-eve, children! I hope you’re all having a good time…hehehe…”

“Yes we are!” a filly in a scorpion costume chirped.

“Happy Nightmare Night!” a colt in wizard robes called out.

“Trick-or-treat!” a filly dressed as a cat yelled.

The last one, a colt in a cyborg costume rolled his eyes. “Finally. They got the order right.”

I snickered. This was so exciting. I only allowed them to see my right side as I reached for the candy behind me. “Now then...who wants…” I turned to my left, and exposed the deadly, ghastly side of my character, “some candy?!”

“Eee!” They all squealed as I placed candy in their pumpkin-shaped carrying bags. The squeals turned into laughter as they ran off. “Thank you!” they all yelled in unison.

It was satisfying to know that my costume was fully functional. Both as a representation of myself and with the capacity to scare to boot. Even my friend Corkscrew thought it was good as he flew down.

“Well this is an unexpected one,” said the pegasus as he flew in. All he had on was a simple black mechanic’s jumpsuit and a leathery mask that was reminiscent of a famous movie star. William Trotner, was it? Oh! That was the mask from the Nightmare Night series of movies! “Oh! You’re Michael Flyers! I didn’t peg you to dress yourself as a killer, though.”

He scoffed, and removed the mask for a second. “Heh. There’s a lot you don’t know about me, boss. My family and I dress up as our favorite horror film characters every year for our family photos.”

Even I had to admit that I was unnerved by the mask’s empty, soulless expression when it had no face to fill its contents. “Eeegh...I forgot how...odd your family was.”

“Meh, of course they are. But that’s besides the point,” he put the mask back on, and fluttered his wings. One of his feathers was used as a substitute for the masked pony’s trademark kitchen knife as a weapon. “So! What’s the plan boss?”

I shut the door behind me, and released the fireflies that acted as my porch’s light. I didn’t want anypony to come up to my house while I was gone. “Continue as planned. We lurk around and observe what’s going on. If we come across anything weird, we do as Sunburst instructed and attempt to subdue the culprit behind whatever...weirdness occurs.”

“And if we can’t?”

“Then we hope to every alicorn that we can find out what it is before it’s too late,” I said as a rather ominous crash of lightning occurred behind me against the dead of the night sky. “But let’s not lose our heads though, yeah?” I walked onward, towards the middle of Ponyville where the festivities were set to begin.

Corkscrew rolled his eyes, and hovered along the path that I walked across. “Oh stop. You know you love being in the rushing heat of battle, boss?”

“I mean, partially. Yes. I mean, look at my costume, heh,” I motioned my hoof up and down to show off my outfit, “But it’s not all that I enjoy. I also prefer to be analytical. Tactical. Take time to learn and understand things before making a move,” I put my hoof down and continued to walk. “Because see, when you do things without thinking...then you’re not making the choice, son. The choice makes you.”

Another roll of his eyes. “Oh come on. You ripped that right from one of the Marevel comic movies!”

“But is it any less valid?” I said as I adjusted the fake monocle, “After all, we all represent two halves of a coin. It’s a matter of knowing when to express both sides and--are you listening?”

The pegasus had already flown ahead and had his head shoved in a bucket to dive for apples, much to the delight of the foals around him.

Now it was my turn to roll my eyes. “Ugh…” I gave an exasperated groan, then a chuckle. “Heh...that kid is crazy.”

“I know, right? Luna gets the exact same way!” a familiar, motherly voice spoke out from next to me all the sudden. It was Celestia! Dressed as...Daybreaker? Complete with a fake helmet and everything. “There she goes right now.”

I looked over, and watched as Luna jumped out of the apple-bobbing crate with a fake Nightmare Moon costume to scare everyone. The foals--and Corkscrew--squealed aloud before they all laughed as a result of the little prank.

“Ah!” I gasped when I looked at the former princess, but then I realized her costume was fake, and calmed down. “Oh, whew. It’s you, Celestia. Having fun with your sister on this Night?”

“Of course! We figured we should go for an ironic set of costumes this year,” she said and removed the fake, vampire-like teeth that made the Daybreaker costume work. “See? It’s all fake, my little pony.”

I rolled my eyes at that candy-cornish joke. “Yes, well. Good. I’m glad you’re enjoying yourselves.” Hm. Yes, I could have told Celestia about the incident, but all it would do was cause her and her sister undue stress on what is essentially supposed to be a night that celebrates Luna. Besides, they were strong enough to handle anything, so it didn’t concern me whether or not they knew beforehoof. So long as I could find out the situation, and deal with it. “Anyway, I’m gonna...go to the caramel apple stand over by Applebloom. See ya!”

“Oh…?” she leaned her head to the left with a bit of concern as I walked away. “Well, as long as you’re sure everything is alright! Don’t be afraid to meet up with Luna and I at some point!”

I wasn’t. In fact, there were only a few things in this world that I was truly afraid of. But anyhow, I think it would be best if we covered more ground by splitting up. Now yes, that didn’t sound smart on paper. To be fair though, this wasn’t some horror movie with a haunted mansion or spooky forest. We were in the middle of a crowded town of ponies who were enjoying a festival. To act rashly in such a large slew of individuals would be suicidal. Hm…

Corkscrew had fished himself an apple from the bucket, and munched upon it. “Heh! That was fun, wasn’t it, boss? I didn’t expect Luna to appear so...soon.”

“I mean, it’s her sister’s celebration and all, isn’t it? But for the moment, I suggest we take different ends of the town, and meet up back here after say, an hour?”

He spat the seeds out, and tossed the core into a nearby waste bin. “Sounds good to me. Just don’t go too far, alright? We need to be able to keep tabs on each other.”

I chuckled. “Heh. Don’t worry yourself. Things will be just fine. I’ll take the North end. You take the South--preferably from the air, okay?”

“On it, boss!” he said with a salute as he flew into the air.

Okay, perfect. Time to head out, and see what strange things I could find near the edge of the town.

So I set out on my own. Nothing too crazy happened near the Northern side of town. Just a few rivers and some trees. The Everfree Forest was near the Southern side, but that was less likely to be attacked given the festivities, led by Zecora, would take them through there. Hm...just what could be happening at a time like this?

I surveyed the area a bit more, but found nothing. Was it possible that both Luna and Sunburst’s assumption was a bit off? But how can that be? Both were very reliable sources, especially when it came to active magic. Something wasn’t right here…

Well. I spent about twenty minutes here. Nothing. Maybe I should’ve just headed back by then, hm? Well, that’s what I would’ve done. Except…

“BOO!”

Two voices cried out to me from the shadows.

“AIE!” I screamed and got ready to fight off whatever it was. That is, until I heard a familiar pair of laughs.

“Haha! We got him, didn’t we mate?” Flash Drive snickered as he emerged from the bushes. His costume was a trenchcoat loaded up with rows of chains on the back. But his face was another story entirely. He wore a mask filled with a bunch of cheap, harmless toy pins that were jammed into styrofoam.

“Too right, friend,” Neon flew down from a nearby tree, and struck a kung-fu pose. He had one a green and yellow jumpsuit with a mask that hid his face. Wait, that was a comic book hero, wasn’t it? What was his name again? “I didn’t even need to break out the true strength of my hoof.”

“Argh. Lemme guess. Iron Hoof, and…” I looked at Flash Drive and grit my teeth. It was on the tip of my tongue.

The jet black unicorn tilted his head. “C’mon, mate. We’ve seen the move hundreds of times.”

I stomped my hoof when it came to me. “Ah! Pincrest, yes? Tartaraiser? As soon as I saw the chains, it hit me right away.” As ponies, our crest was the back of our necks from which our manes grew. Although, Flash Drive’s costume was rather incomplete since his fake mask lacked pins that went all the way down the back of his neck. But that could get very demanding on one’s mane after a while of wearing it, so I wasn’t going to sweat the small stuff. “Well it’s good to see you both in high spirits. But have you seen anything suspicious or odd around?”

Neon flew over, and landed next to his brother. “Nah, friend. I’ve been out flyin’ for what feels like a shite long time and come up with muck all.”

“Same here,” Flash Drive added, “It’s a bit borin’ so far. But we’ll let you know if anythin’ changes. Guttersnipe is here too...somewhere.”

That was a nice thought to have. My entire crew was here, and ready to fight against whatever odd circumstances may occur. Though, part of me wondered just what her costume was. And speaking of which…

“Understood, gents. Oh! And how do you like my costume?”

“Dr. Jockey and Mr. Hide,” both brothers said at once.

I was delighted that they recognized it. “Hah! I knew it was a perfect choice. Plus, it’s an amazing novel.”

“Still haven’t finished it to be fair,” Flash Drive replied as he put his mask back on, “Too damn busy. But I’ll get around to it. You both stay on your guard now, yeah?” he said as he trotted off.

Neon struck another pose, and performed a flip into one of the trees. “Absolutely, bruv. Back into the shadows we go…”

I shook my head and smiled. Those two were still acting like colts well into their adulthood. It was an adorable thing to see. And admittedly, I was a bit of the same way. I just hope that whoever decides to cause trouble doesn’t steal all of the candy or something...that would be disgusting.

That’s when I heard the leaves rustle around me. Could this finally be what I had been searching for? Yeesh. When I thought of it like that, it came out as if I desired something bad to occur. But trust me, that wasn’t it. I was simply eager to find out what was going on here.

ZAP! CRASH!

The strike of lightning in the sky, followed by the roar of thunder in the distance. The wind kicked up. The trees rustled, the bushes writhed, and the area around me generally felt colder and more lifeless as time went on. I could swear that, for a moment, I could see a familiar symbol up in the sky as well. Could it have been…

Someone was here. Someone who wasn’t friendly.

“Show yourself. Just what do you think you’re even doing way out here?!”

To my horror, the individual in question was all too familiar.

“...Kid? Is that you?”

Subject 81: Costume Calamity

Corkscrew approached me. He didn’t say a word, nor make a sound. It was as if his entire demeanor had been mangled and transformed into that of a helpless shape.

“...Cork? Son? Brother? Hello? What are you doing this far out here? I’ve got this area covered.”

Yet again, he said nothing, did nothing. Odd, and it was starting to creep me out. Was this a prank? Why was he acting so much like Flyers all the sudden?

Wait.

He was acting like Michael Flyers! Was it possible that he had become his costume? Oh dear...and I had begun to realize. By process of elimination, the magical anomaly in question could be what I just described! But how could I know for sure if I didn’t test it for myself? Gah. This would be very risky, but I needed to know just what was going on. The messed up part is that it was going to be extremely difficult to tell whether or not any strange magical situations were really emergencies or pranks. Just like this one…

Okay. So I had to deal with him somehow to make sure this wasn’t a prank while also simultaneously avoiding the possibility of being cut with a sharp feather. Hrm…

Still in complete silence, the pegasus’ hooves left the ground as he flew towards me. Now that he had gained speed, my options started to become limited. Out of nowhere, he charged me, and tackled me to the ground.

“Oof!” I struggled against his force. Since when was he this strong? Cork was always a skilled flyer, but he never was able to match me in raw strength. “...Cork? What’s happened to you? This isn’t a prank is it?”

No response. As expected.

This was not Corkscrew. Er, it was, but he was surely not himself. All of the sudden, he adopted the characteristics of the character he dressed up as, it was unnerving. From what I knew of the Michael Flyers movie, he could not be easily subdued. All I could do was shake him off my tail for now.

“Your sister is that way, Mike!” I kicked him off of me, and ran back towards the town as fast as I could. Though, I didn’t run in a perfectly straight line. I zigged, and zagged to throw him off of my trail so I wouldn’t be followed.

I stopped, and leaned against a tree. This was bad. Was this really an elaborate prank? Was Cork currently laughing his flank off since he knew that he had gotten me well, or was he still deranged, and acting as if he was the character he dressed up as?

Gah. This was ridiculous. I needed more evidence in order to back up any and all possible claims. But just how would I go about finding any? Did this anomaly have a blanketing effect and harmed absolutely everyone? Or was it selective in its approach? Questions upon questions but no damn answers.

I exhaled.

Alright. Focus. My next move would have to be…

Shift...shift…

The ‘tree’ that I had been resting against started to move. Could that mean somepony was turned into a tree?!

No, thankfully. They were not.

Instead, I heard the rapid thumps of soft, furry feet as they jumped from branch to branch. Moments later, I heard a small bundle of fluff land, and I could see the result of the noise right in front of me. A rabbit. But this was no normal rabbit. This one had yellow fur, pink ears, and a pink tail with soft blue eyes. No way!

The rabbit turned to face me as it munched upon some lettuce. “Oh...hello.”

“Fluttershy?! You’re a bunny!”

She swallowed the lettuce, and giggled. The mare was strangely calm about having been turned into another animal. “Oh yes. Well, I was dressed up as a cute little bunny-rabbit, but then I found myself turned into one!” she squealed with a wiggle of her nose, “It must be one of Nightmare Moon’s spooky cuuurses! Hee-hee! I’m sure it’ll wear off soon.”

Okay, so she was still sane. Good. I guess it would be difficult for a rabbit to go bonkers so long as they were fed. So this somewhat confirmed my suspicions, but I still needed to head into town to be absolutely sure about everything.

“I see,” I responded with an awkward laugh. “Hah...you almost scared me.”

“Oh, I’m sorry, Mr. Detective!” she replied while her left foot thumped against the ground rapidly, “But I can make it up to you with a little fun fact. The main diet of a rabbit actually consists of lettuce and grass. Carrots--and other root vegetables--are full of sugar and hard for their soft little throats to digest. So they shouldn’t eat it often.” The little rabbit made a small chittering noise and smiled with glee to display how proud she was of her knowledge.

I got up from where I sat, and started to look around. Ponyville was only about a minute’s prance away. “Really? Interesting. What popularized the stereotype of them constantly eating carrots then?”

Fluttershy rolled her little rabbit eyes and folded her paws out of disgust. “Ugh, some old, overly violent cartoon about a rabbit bullying a poor, innocent black duck. Whenever he was on the screen, he always ate carrots. So inaccurate.”

Well now, that was something you didn’t hear every day. I didn’t grow up with those sorts of entertainment, so I’d have to research it later. Fluttershy really was from a completely different era. “I see. Well, enjoy Nightmare Night. I need to regroup with my...friends,” I bid her goodbye, and walked back towards the town.

She waved as I left. “Oh, okay. Good luck!”

I didn’t want to alarm her about what may really be happening since it would’ve thrown her into a panic. Fluttershy seemed very content with being a rabbit for the time being, so I chose to avoid telling her for the moment. That aside, I needed to figure out just who else was changed into their costumes, and fast.

So I raced into Ponyville, and to my surprise, nopony was there. I checked around every little stand and apple-bobbing bucket, nothing. Okay, okay. Calm down. It was entirely possible that Zecora had taken everypony out to offer up goodies to the Nightmare Moon statue in a part of the forest. Even so, I still wanted to make sure that nopony was left behind in a sad state.

“Hmm…” I stopped to think for a second. I slowed down, and tried to focus my aura so that I could hone in on living things through the earth. Hm….just a moment...ah! Eureka! Somepony was nearby! An actual pony from the size of that aura. I looked around, and spotted the source of the magical signature: Sugarcube Corner. Let’s go.

Against the silent dead of night, I pranced towards the sweet shop. Even I had to admit, it was pretty eerie, being alone in the seemingly silent town with no one else around. I just hoped to Luna that whoever this was had been unaffected by the situation.

The sweet shop was still open, so that was good. I pushed the door open, and walked into the dimly lit store which fit the atmosphere of Nightmare Night very well. That’s when I saw a pony. A pegasus mare to be exact with a familiar shade of gray and a blonde mane and tail. Derpy! Her costume was that of a Wonderbolt--a very old one, though judging by the brown aviator’s jacket and goggles. She was facing away from me, so I had to get her attention.

“Derpy. Is everything alright? You don’t feel...strange, do you?” I stopped, and raised my hoof out of concern, but still ready to escape if need be.

When she turned around, I witnessed what was possibly one of the most horrific things in my life.

“What’s up, soldier?” Derpy faced me...with perfectly straight eyes! And an oddly gruff, confident voice that did not fit her character whatsoever, “You need somethin’?”

“...oh my absolute Luna,” I felt all feeling escape my body, and I fell over onto my back. Once I recovered, I got up, and shook my head. “Brrr...Derpy?”

“Yeah that’s my name, but right now, I’m Captain Amelia Marehart! First pegasus mare to fly across Equestria and into Zebra territory!” she stood on her hind legs, and flexed her wings.

Amelia Marehart. What a lively costume. The legendary Wonderbolt that disappeared without a trace when she and her wing-pony, Flank Noonmane, disappeared over the Luna Bay in their attempt to fly around the entire world together. Ah, such a sad, yet foreboding tale of bravery. But wait--that wasn’t the focus!

The fact that Derpy’s eyes were perfectly straight felt...weird to me. We were all so used to seeing her with cross-eyes that it just came across as disturbing to see her eyes in the correct position. Call it the uncanny valley. Anyhow, my suspicion was on the ball once more. Derpy had also been changed into her costume.

“Um...sorry. I didn’t mean to disturb you. How are you enjoying Nightmare Night?” I passed off my panic for nervous curiosity as I shot her the question.

She scoffed, and shook her head with an annoyed glare. “I’ve been waiting for a spooky pumpkin muffin for ten minutes, but the baker stallion back there isn’t moving!”

Oh? Somepony else was--oh yes! Of course! Whoever was running Sugarcube Corner! “Oh? Let me have a look…” I went around behind the counter, and stepped into the bakery’s kitchen.

That’s when I came across another relatively horrific sight.

Pound Cake was standing on his hind legs, leaned against the wall. His costume was a simplistic uniform with a steel shoulder pad, and strapped to his back was a comically large sword with one sharp edge made of clouds. But that’s not all, his mane was not in its usual curly form. It was spiky, and pointed with lots of triangular tips as if he had used too much hair spray.

“...Pound, aren’t you supposed to be doing your job?” I asked as I tilted my head to inspect him. The costume was familiar--on the tip of my tongue even…

“Not interested,” was the young stallion’s only response.

I stomped my hoof when it came to me. “Ah! Storm Conflict. The character from that video game, Pony Fantasy VII.”

“That’s my name,” he responded with a yawn, “don’t bother me unless there’s a monster to fight.”

Okay, this really only made things worse as my hunch grew more and more likely. But I was very curious about something else now. “Hey, where’s your sister? Pumpkin Cake?” I asked.

He lazily pointed a hoof to the other end of the kitchen.

I had to squint, but I could see a bat--a literal fruit bat--hang from the ceiling. “Hisssss….hiya, Pale! Sorry...can’t make anything with these flimsy bat wings, hehe. But I love how it feels to be my costume! Whoever’s pulling this prank has figured out the best one yet!” she chittered with joy.

Okay, this was bad. But maybe not everypony had been affected, right? I needed to find someone who was themselves so we could work to undo this spell or hex or whatever the heck this was.

Without another word, I left the bakery/sweet shop, and ran back outside to the empty town where the festivities were held. My ear flicked. I heard a small crowd approach the town from the forest. Could that be Zecora’s group? I raced over to see what the possibility could be.

And it turned out that it was her group. But not in the state that I expected.

Zecora was a floating ghost, and all of the various fillies and colts were different objects and animals! One had become a steam train with eyes and another was a walking mass of bone. I also saw a shadowbolt foal that was overly arrgoant, a cowboy foal that spoke in an exaggerated Appleloosan accent, a foal that had turned into a miniature tornado, and a foal-sized spider?! WHAT?!

Granted, they were all laughing and played it off as a joke. But a joke, this was not.

I was officially torn. Should I have even bothered to attempt to locate Sunburst or Starlight when they could be Luna-knows-what objects or ponies? It was my only option at that point. I needed to figure out just what caused this and how to put a stop to it.

Until….I heard screams in the distance.

WOOSH!

ZAP!

“MWAHAHAHA! Dear sister! You should know that you’re no match for me! The sun will consume all!”

“No...no...I will not...THIS IS MY NIGHTMARE! AGHHHHHH!”

I saw a pillar of flames erupt from the sky, followed by the agonized, echoing screams of a mare. This...this couldn’t be…no. I didn’t care whether or not this was a prank anymore. This had officially changed from a very spooky scenario, to a Class-5 Epsilon Emergency.

I would not allow history to repeat itself.

Subject 82: Sunny Nights of Terror

No, no, no, no, no--BUCK!

I looked up into the sky, only to have my suspicions and fears confirmed. Celestia had become Daybreaker, and Luna had become Nightmare Moon. Except the former had completely overpowered the latter, and trapped her within a cage of flames in the sky.

“Ahahaha! I’m back, baby!” the fiery alicorn shouted from above. Her voice boomed with the force of a thousand screams. “Now it’s my turn, sister! My turn to incite fear in our adoring little subjects! Ahahaha-heee!”

As expected, everyone else--who was also transformed into their costumes--looked above and started to ‘ooh’ and ‘ahh’ at the sight of the alicorns. Indeed. They thought of it as nothing more than a show. I would have also, if it wasn’t for the fact that my best friend didn’t try to kill me with a feather earlier! Now what to do, what to do...grr...this was troublesome on so many levels.

“A-yo! Wus goin’ on ‘eyyer?” a gruff, yet familiar Manehattan accent shouted from behind me.

I turned, and found Babs Seed. Except the brown mare was no longer brown, and her mane was no longer red. Instead, she had become a monochrome version of her former self, decked out in a casual suit and a fedora. Fitting the look of a mobster from the old movies. “...Babs? Is that you?”

“Yeah, yeh. But muh voice is loike, supa thick, brudda. Can’t prunounce nunna muh words right!” she walked up next to me, and smelled of used cigars. “Also, why do I gots the urge to whack somebody?”

I shook my head. “No, no. There is to be no whacking here. Not the time. It’s true. Everypony’s become their costumes. Grrr…”

Babs looked at me with her oddly discolored eyes fairly close as if to inspect me. “Waitta minute. Everypony’s else’s been changed, but yous is still pretty normal. I wunda why…”

“...!” I let out a whinny-wheeze combination of a noise. She was right. I had never considered it until now, but why hadn't I changed into my costume? I was Dr. Jockey and Mr. Hide. The mad doctor from the book of the same name who was one part gentlecolt on the surface, and another part crazed, unsympathetic murderer who--oh dear. It hit me.

I already was the two-faced stallion from that novel.

In a manner of speaking of course. For whatever reason, Babs’ accent seemed to have gotten thicker as a result of the magic spell, but I gained no such trace of a Trottingham accent. It was odd since Jockey and Hide was a novel written by a Trottish stallion named RL Hayvenson. Also the author of Treasure Island. I adored his work.

Right, back to the topic at hoof.

So I didn’t change because my traits already perfectly matched the character that I had chosen to dress up as--more or less. Was that the power of convenience or stupidly created spells by short-sighted individuals? Then again, I’m sure they weren’t counting on the astronomically small possibility that somepony would dress as something that they themselves already are. Who does that?

Gah! Where was Cozy?! I hadn’t seen her around here anywhere! Well, if she was out of harm’s way, then maybe she would be safe. But still, I was worried for the kid.

Unless she...no...she wouldn’t.

Anyway, now wasn’t the time for distractions. Costume spell or no, Daybreaker must have been extremely powerful if she was capable of overthrowing her sister so easily. Nightmare Moon was so strong that she had to be put away with the powers of the Elements of Harmony, and was sent to the moon in order for her to cool off. But now, the tables have completely turned. Daybreaker had ended, and captured her sister in swift succession.

And now, she was approaching us.

“Babs, get back,” I warned her, “and if you happen to see Cozy, tell her to head home immediately. This is probably a prank.” I said that only to comfort her. I was most certain that this was real. “But still.”

“Okay, okay--gotcha. I soiure as heck wuldn’t wanna fight dem anyways,” the grayscale earth pony mare responded as she retreated behind me to check on Zecora’s group.

With a powerful, flaming aura, her white hooves landed upon the ground and set everything ablaze in a small area around her. “Ponies! Nightmare Night is no more! From now on, you will all worship me, me, and--oh yes, me! I am truly the most terrifying thing around, am I not?” she put a hoof to her chest, and smirked at the surrounding ponies in the distance behind me. “Oh, and anypony who disagrees will be fried. ‘Kay?”

While she gave her boastful monologue, I snuck around. I stuck to the shadows of the night mixed with the nearby bushes and creeped up behind the mage of flames that Lu--Nightmare Moon was entrapped within. “Psst.”

Her ear flicked, and she turned to face me. Her face black as night, mouth full of razor sharp teeth that hissed at me with hatred. “What do you want, peasant? Don’t speak to me. I have no intention of communicating with common ponies.”

“Give it to me straight, Luna. Is this a prank?” I asked rather sharply with my own teeth gritted, “I need to know now.”

Sadly, my suspicions would essentially be confirmed with her response.

“Go away you common earth pony. Return to your farmlands or whatever it is you do,” she responded with an annoyed eye roll. “My sister has gone mad with power, and I am trapped here. At best, I will become a mere servant for her and whatever stallions she wants me to marry. Blech.”

Okay. That was it. There was definitely something going on that forced absolutely everyone to become their costumes. But how...who could have caused this? Gah. This was ridiculous. But I had no time to worry about that. I had to--

“YOU!”

Shit.

I was caught in Daybreaker’s fire red magical aura grip, and brought around from behind the cage. “Yes...I remember you. You’re that detective that I spoke with a while back. You attempted to help solve my problems. Well guess what?” she paused, and brought me close to her. Enough to where both of our foreheads were in contact. “I am the problem now. An unsolvable one! Do you think it would be as simple as that? The weak-minded fat-flanked alicorn facing her fears, oooh, how stunning and brave!” she mocked herself. Well, her good self, anyways.

“Rrgh...did she really not get rid of you? Well...I suppose we all have our own inner demons to battle,” I responded with an annoyed, yet sympathetic sigh. “Hmph. So just what do you intend to do, Daybreaker?”

“Do? Ohohoho. As expected from the commonfolk. Always thinking with the wrong heads.”

“The wrong wh--ahh!” I was confused for a moment, but my thoughts were interrupted when the flaming alicorn flung me backwards by a meter or two and I landed on my rear.

With an elegant, prideful stride, she stepped forward. The heat from her body was unpleasant, and I felt all sense of mobility slip away. I was being roasted slowly from the outside in. “You fool...I’m not going to just do anything. I’m going to make everything. Again! Ahahahaaaaa!” she said with a sadistic cackle.

While I couldn’t move, I could still press her for answers. So I did what I could. “Geh...hm. Elaborate, you fiend of a queen.”

“It’s simple. Equestria has become soft and squishy, my dear stallion. Peace has ruined us. We’re weak, and could easily be taken over at any moment!” she leaned her head down to me, and spoke with a quieter, more sultry tone, “That is why, we’re going to declare war on the entire world. And you will be my king. Right at my side, dear Pale.” she tried to put her hoof up to my cheek.

I nearly gagged, and smacked her hoof away with as much force as I could apply. “First of all, no way in Tartarus’ 9th circle would I ever support somepony disgusting like you. And second. What’s even the point of that? Taking over not just all of Equestria, but the entire planet?!” I raised a very skeptical eyebrow. “Assume you do finally manage to conquer everything, trample over every single non-pony race, and even manage the entire thing to stop potential uprisings and rebellions. What then? You’ll have your regime and nothing will ever oppose you anymore! So where’s the fun in that?”

Daybreaker’s head rose. For a while, she said nothing. She simply allowed her unbearable heat to consume me, and smirked with a hint of demonic satisfaction that exposed just a few of her sharp fangs. “Tsk, tsk, tsk. Oh sweet little innocent Pale Vestige. But that’s what I like about you. It will make you a very...agreeable partner once it is all said and done, hmhmhm,” she replied with a tiny chuckle.

“I refuse--”

She interrupted me with a stomp of her hoof that increased the flaming aura. “Once we take over this world. We’ll move onto the next. Such as the one Sunset Shimmer lives in! I wonder how the look of delicious terror on her human face will be when she sees her old mentor take over her new home, her new friends, and enslave them all to my will as my Fire Mares. I will erect several cathedrals dedicated to my name, and they will all work there!” she stood on her hind legs and put her hooves up like an excited filly. “And you get to be with me to watch it all, detective. No more hatred, no more corruption, no need for hunting anypony down. They’ll all listen or be cast into the fiery pits! Ahahaha!” she cackled, and put her hooves down with a violent stomp. “Tis a win-win, really. And why stop there? We can find even more dimensions and universes to take control of while we’re at it!”

How sickening. Words could not describe how much contempt I felt for her in this moment. Whether this was a prank or not didn’t matter anymore. Celestia still had loads of inner turmoil that she didn’t face. That she couldn’t face. Not alone, anyway.

Unfortunately for me, no one in the crowd seemed to do anything. They all stood in awe as they watched the struggle with no sign of urgency or fear. Once again, it proved just how gullible the overall population was since they likely thought this was an elaborate show put on for Nightmare Night. In their defense, though--I’d be stuck watching as well if I was in the crowd. No one would realistically fight such a powerful, godly being right?

“You…” was all I could manage to utter.

The demonic mare of the sun bit her lip as she chuckled. “Heh-heh...you don’t have many options left, Pale. You’re just a weak, generic, pathetic earth pony. How can you stand against somepony as beautiful and strong as myself,” she looked down at me with eyes that were filled with bestial fury that bore holes into my very soul. “So what’ll it be?” she put her hooves against her chin to feign innocence with a cunning pose, “Here’s a hint, honey. Give in, and let your desires run free.”

I hid my face beneath my hat. There was no way in hell that I would allow her to see my fragility in that moment. Appear strong when you are weak, as they say. “I…”

“Hm…”

“I...will...never in a million years--!” I snarled with a viscous cry, but my response was interrupted.

SHING!

A pair of chains flung out from behind me, and wrapped around my hooves. “Wh--” I couldn’t manage to say anything since a shot of fear had struck into me at that moment. But then, I was pulled in, and away from Daybreaker.

She was just as confused as I, and looked up to see who had managed to snag me away. “What the devil?! Who dares to interrupt my monologue!”

Once I was pulled in, I was face-to-face with a unicorn that had pins lodged in all parts of his head and neck. “I dare. Ya nonce.”

The chains retracted, and I stood up. It was Flash Drive! Except his face was covered in actual silver pins! What?! How was he moving and not bleeding?! “F-Flash?! How are you?!”

“We can discuss that later, mortal,” he responded with a menacing, yet otherworldly tone of voice that matched Pincrest from Tartaraiser perfectly, “I cannot rule this land with such a garbage numpty of a pony in my way.”

“You...you insolent fool!” Daybreaker shouted with a stomp of her hoof as she readied her horn to fire off a blast of magic. “I will not be denied! You will all serve me!

FWOOSH!

A beam of fire barreled towards us with speed that we were not ready to counter. That was, until…

“SADDLE-LAO! GIVE ME STRENGTH!”

With the roar of a dragon, we watched as Neon came in and punched the beam of fire directly with his hoof while empowered by a golden dragon. It was just enough to cancel out the attack from Daybreaker, but not enough to repel it against her.

After a moment, she deactivated the spell, and allowed the batpony to make his entrance. “And just who are you?” she questioned.

“Would you gents like an extra hoof?” The dragon returned to his fake hoof, and Neon landed on his hind legs with a firm stance. “Iron Hoof at the ready. I will repel all evil and fight with honor to my last breath!”

Naturally, Daybreaker didn’t look intimidated at all. “Oh how cute! More servants just keep walking right into my trap! And to make sure you don’t get away…” Her horn flashed.

In an instant, a massive ring of fire was erected around all of us. It was at least as tall as she was with no reasonable way to escape. The being of Tartarus and the noble martial artist next to me both cursed under their breath.

“Damn…” Flash swore.

“I like challenges, but this...” Neon mumbled.

Even I had to admit that this was pretty crazy at this point. But I had to think fast for the sake of my team. “No worries. What we need to do next is--”

Neon interrupted me as he sniffed the air. “Why do I smell flesh burning?”

Flash and I both sniffed as well. I could sense it. Somepony was burning in the flames!

“Behind us!” Flash cried out.

We all turned to look.

Somepony had taken it upon themselves to walk through the wall of flames. It was unbelievable. From what we could tell, it was a pegasus. But they didn’t react to it. They didn’t even flinch! Just who was this?!

I didn’t notice, but Daybreaker was just as awestruck as the rest of us, and chose to watch the events play out with this pony who had stepped through the flames completely unharmed.

The pony walked closer, and closer until they stood in line right next to Neon. Once there, they stopped on a dime. They didn’t move any further, nor did they utter a single sound. The pegasus simply stood there as the flames ate away at their mechanic’s jumpsuit costume. Wait…

Mechanic jumpsuit costume?!

I trotted directly in front of the pony. There were those familiar gray eyes! “CORK! Is that you?!”

“...” No response. At least, not for a while. But after what felt like forever, he slowly nodded his head once. Corkscrew had returned. How could I forget? Michael Flyers was nigh-invulnerable, and has managed to survive being burned alive, shot, stabbed, the works. Now he had returned to aid us, despite being confined to the character’s eerie vow of silence.

“Is he gonna be alright?” Neon asked with a concerned tilt of his head.

“I believe so?” I responded as I stared at the flaming pegasus stallion.

Flash Drive was a bit more impatient, however. “Okay, gents. Let’s get a move on and handle this hag of a mare.”

“HAG?! How dare you!” Daybreaker screamed as she got her horn ready again, “That’s it! No more interruptions. I’m going to make you all into my slaves right here and--”

NEEEEEIGH!

“OH COME ON!”

I had to admit, it was hilarious to see someone so high and mighty get frustrated. But just where did that majestic whinny come from?

Above us.

“Wheeee-heeee!”

Guttersnipe flew in from above. Though, she didn’t look like herself. The lower half of her red body was scaly, her tail had become a long fish fin, and there were now gills on the sides of her face. She also had quite the crown of seashells and starfish that rested upon her head.

But most interestingly of all, was that her wings were no longer her mechanical augments. They were now fleshy and feathery as if she always had them.

“I am the legendary Capricorn! Here to liberate all of the seas and rule with the creatures of the deep!” she stood on her hind legs, and clapped her hooves twice.

A rain cloud released water upon Corkscrew, and put out the flames on his body. Now we could properly see the--perfectly unharmed--skin of the dark orange pegasus. Yup, that was him alright. Much to my surprise, he turned his head to her in a slow, almost artificial manner before he uttered two words. “Thank you.”

“Aw, no problem!” Guttersnipe replied as she reclined on a floating body of water in a casual manner, “Couldn’t let ya burn like that, buddy!”

“Ahem,” Daybreaker cleared her throat to catch our attention. We all turned our heads to her. “I’m so happy that your little friends are all here. Just like my annoying student and her friends used to do. Blech. Anyways. Can we get back to the part where I enslave you and take over the world or do you have another sudden helper to pull out of your flank?!” she growled as she stomped her hoof. Steam came out of her nostrils as she huffed. This alicorn really did despise being interrupted, huh?

My crew and I all looked around for signs of anypony else that wanted to join in at the last minute. Nope. No one came.

We all shrugged.

“Good!” the fiery mare shouted, “Now come at me with everything you have. And make it a nice, hard struggle!”

Meanwhile within the massive crowd of spectators that had formed two of them started to speak to each other…

A spectator mumbled to themselves . “...They need my help. I know they do. But will they really accsssssept me?”

A second spectator reassured the first. “Of course they will. If I was in the same position, I know I’d jump in to help my friends. Even though I feel like I wouldn’t contribute much, I know that they’d be ecstatic to see me there by their side. All together in this world of strife to make a final stand against the odds That’s how we’d choose to fight.”

“We’d choossssse to fight...I sssssee. Thank you. I think I’m ready to go,” the first spectator responded.

“Do it. I’d help too, but because of this stupid costume-morph anomaly, I can only cast stupefy. Tch. How lame,” the second said with a sigh.

Now the first would try to comfort the second. “Hey...don’t ssssay that. I’m sure you’d know what to do in this sssssituation more than I.”

“Know...know...that’s it!” the second spectator chirped, “I need to find Starlight immediately. I just hope she hasn’t turned into something small. Go do what you can, and we’ll figure out how to stop this!” The second spectator ran off to find their friend.

The first spectator took a deep breath, and exhaled. “You’re not dying today, old friend.” And they charged in.

Subject 84: The Chaos Of Truth

Once the details of Luna’s plan were explained to the group, each of them recoiled.

“Yeech,” Quick Draw hissed with her mouth scrunched up in pure disgust, “That’s what her weakness is? Just how do we even uncover that?”

Luna hung her head with a small, vexed exhale. “Tis true. But it is something Tia needs in order better herself.”

Starlight took a look at the fiery wall, and did some quick, mental calculations. Her eyes darted all over the place. “Hrm...it’s too much. Even if we undid the effects of the Costume Curse now, Daybreaker would still be Daybreaker.”

“What?!” Quick Draw exclaimed, “Then we just have to place complete faith and put all our eggs in the basket of being able to exploit this weakness?”

“Now hang on,” Sunburst interjected, swift to diffuse any panic amongst them. “All we have to do is focus on undoing this curse as well as finding its source. That way, we can work on getting everypony else undone from the effects of this curse.”

“Agreed,” Starlight replied, “As Little Red Riding Hoof, I don’t exactly have access to all my best magic, but I’m still pretty smart. We can do this, Sunburst.”

There was a hidden sense of satisfaction behind the unicorn stallion’s focused eyes. Being relied on by Starlight was very comforting to hear. “Absolutely. Will you join us, Luna?”

The blue alicorn shook her head. “I am afraid not. I need to be there to support the others as they try to calm down my sister. Quick Draw, please assist myself and your friends in this endeavor.”

“Me…?” She was hesitant at first, but she knew very well that her friends needed her help now more than ever. It wasn’t the time to worry about what they’d think. It was time to act. “Alright. I’m with you.”

“Do you really want to know why I am this way?” Daybreaker snarled as she looked at each of my tired team members and I that failed to land any successful strikes upon her. “Hmph. Fine. I suppose it would only be fair to indulge you before I enslave you all.”

“Ugh, get on with it,” Flash Drive quipped as he lied flat on his back. He was tired from casting all of those magical chains, and his horn could barely spark at this point. Or was it also the heat?

“SILENCE!” Daybreaker screamed, which only increased the intensity of the heat. After she calmed down, she cleared her throat, and began to discuss just what made her tick. “It is very simple, my little fleshlings. I want to conquer to satisfy my--no--Celestia’s insecure fat flank!”

“First off. The insults, very gratuitous, madam,” Neon commented from the right side as he struggled to stand. “Focus on the important points, please. Second off, insecure? Just how insecure is she if she can create someone like yourself?”

Her response was, ironically, cold and bitter. “Like you wouldn’t believe.” For the first time since she made her appearance on this Night, the demonic sun alicorn had calmed down in order to speak with us in a (relatively) calm tone. “Being immortal has its drawbacks you know. You foolish mortals cannot even begin to comprehend the vile acts that I have seen over the centuries, but were unable to stop. It was disgusting!”

“Oh yeah?” Guttersnipe challenged the alicorn while she fanned herself with a folding fan made of water. Wait what? “What part of any of that gives you the damned right to wanna take over all worlds, lady?!”

Daybreaker stomped her hoof, which caused a flame to rise. “You fool! Listen! Before we came into power, my precious little sister and I both took control of this land away from Discord. Everypony hated the way he had things going, so we ended him, and put him to stone. But even then, conflict never ceased. I had to banish my own sister to the moon for centuries because of how much she threatened everypony else. Me! I had to do it! And you know what happened after that? What do you think was the reaction of my citizens once they witnessed me banish Nightmare Moon?” she hovered in the air, and folded her hooves. “Go on, try to answer. I’ll wait.”

My colleagues and I all looked at each other, perplexed. A quiet moment lingered in the air, save for the sound of raging flames in the background.

Finally, I decided to break the silence with an answer. “...Your subjects praised you for your work?”

She scoffed, and rolled her eyes. “Tch. It would appear that you’re not as unintelligent as you look. Yes. Exactly. My subjects all praised and shouted my name from atop their homes as their savior. Those who offered words of sympathy, only did so out of pity. None of them knew us personally,” she said with a sneering sense of annoyance, “so how could they truly care about what I went through? It was all lies! All of it! But you know what I had to do in response? Don’t answer that. I had to simply smile and wave in response. Every. Single. Time.” She mushed her hooves against her cheeks and spoke in a childish tone to mock her other self, “‘I’m fine my little ponies! Oh don’t worry about me! Nothing ever goes wrong with me because I’m the leader of this whole country and I have to keep moving on as if nothing happened!’ ‘Yaaaaay!’”

I said nothing. All I could do was exhale a puff of sympathetic smoke against the heat. The mental state of an immortal was...an interesting case study to say the least. Somepony who could live forever. See countless ponies be born, live out their lives, and die, all within the span of a single generation. It was...beyond painful. As a ‘mortal’--as she put it--I simply could never begin to comprehend just how she felt. Even still, I continued to listen to what she had to say.

“Blah, blah, blech,” she went on, and returned to her normal speaking voice, “Then came the arrival of King Sombra, whom Luna sympathized for. But we had no choice but to banish him as well. Unfortunately, he decided to be a petty little colt of a unicorn, and curse the place. But Luna felt so bad that we had to cast him out. And so did I. And time, and time, and time again. We came across villains who wanted to cause an upset or imbalance in the world. We saw ponies fight for what they wanted, lived for what they believed in, and died...over and over...again and again…”

Much to my surprise, the alicorn’s voice actually began to break as she recounted the events that led up to her creation. It was honestly terrifying to watch as the mare landed with her hooves firmly planted in the ground. I watched as her knees quivered, and she lowered her head to hide her face.

She went on, in a slow, disturbed tone. “Celestia was too weak...too soft. She kept her true feelings...hidden from everypony else...and as a result….she created me in the back of her psyche. Just as how Nightmare Moon was born from Luna’s jealousy towards Celestia, I was born from Celestia’s insecurity towards herself!” Her head rose, and I could see droplets of tears leak from the sides of her eyes that instantly evaporated into steam. Very hard to spot, but visible all the same. “She sat and did nothing! Sleepless nights constantly throughout those thousand years that Luna was away! She blamed herself, cursed herself, and kept her feelings hidden away!”

My crew and I had no idea how to react. It was a painful thing, to watch someone break down and succumb to their feelings in such a way. I looked over, and even witnessed Corkscrew shed tears of sympathy for her. Despite being trapped in the mind of a horror movie slasher, he was still himself, and it comforted me.

What didn’t comfort me, however, was Daybreaker’s words. Her melancholic ramblings turned into rage-filled ranting as she went on.

“Again and again, she felt powerless against her enemies. Chrysalis, Sombra’s return, Discord’s return, the Pony of Shadows, Cozy Glow, all of them! She still loathes herself for what she’s done.” The intensity of the flames kicked up as the ground began to shake, her rage had mixed with her powerful emotions, and had started to erode the earth where we stood. “But not anymore...from this point forth, I will be strong! I will never succumb to my weakness! I will establish absolute order to keep everypony from causing anymore conflict! That way, I can finally lay to rest and spend the rest of eternity with my sister in true peace. No more pain, no more suffering, no more corruption. No more ponies or griffons or other creatures would have to be harmed! Isn’t that what you’ve been fighting for this whole time?! Isn’t that why you killed that bastard Svengallop?!” she snarled at me with her eyes lit ablaze, and her fanged teeth on display. “Well? Answer me, cretin!”

I grit my teeth, and hid my own tears beneath my hat. It was...a difficult thing to answer. Why was I shedding salty droplets from my eyes? I didn’t know. Was I sympathetic towards this mare who had essentially damned herself because of the way she treated her own psychological inefficiencies? Of course I was. But it was more than that. I wanted to walk with her towards a path of sanity, and a better tomorrow. None of us were perfect, and Celestia had proven time and time again she was not fit to rule--not by herself anyway. Her deteriorating mental state was just another piece of evidence that proved it.

But me? Well, I couldn’t judge. I was the same way. The small difference I suppose, is that I came to accept who I was. The Blood Viper--while it was a hilarious and fake moniker that sounded like something a foal would use to come across as edgy towards their friends--was a part of me. The capacity to stain my hooves with blood when necessary, the will to fight, and the desire to take risks in order to come out on top. But beyond that, what she said about peace also stuck with me.

True peace...was not possible. I was the first to know that. Only relative peace can occur in which we all were in agreement for a temporary period of time with each other. But despite this, conflicts, wars, and disputes would only happen again and again and again until the end of time. So then, why fight? Why do anything? Would it not be easier to just give up and let the land fall to ruin so that we never had to worry about it anymore?

No. That would be far too easy.

It’s much easier to build something up compared to breaking something down. That challenge, and the desire to keep the lives of the innocent civilians happy and free is what drove me above all else. No matter how difficult it got, no matter the decisions I had to make. It would strive for my beliefs until the day that I died.

“No...I don’t want your...foolish ideals,” I angrily retorted, “Some godly being of ultimate power does not get to decide what I do with my life.” I began to slowly stand up, partially winded from all of the fighting myself. “Steamrolling all life, purging the concept of free will...that is not peace. That is a hive mindset that appeals to no one but the leader.” It may have been foolish, but I chose to take steps towards her, and glared at her with my own eyes that were slowly approaching levels of demonic. My Blood Vi--er, Mr. Hide side was starting to show. “You have no right to call yourself a leader, much less a queen. You are a foolish, downright unworthy ruler and an insignificant speck of feculent scum living on a rock floating in the midst of an infinite abyss of nothingness!”

She glared back at me, her face turned from that of an annoyed one, and became haughty once more. She likely attempted to hide her feelings behind her ego. “...Oh? A weak little common stallion has the absolute testes to approach me? Fine, I’ll give you a moment to speak before I enslave you.”

I could feel the concerned gaze of my colleagues behind me. But this was something I had to--no. This was something I chose to do.

“You’re weak,” I spat, “You’re foolish, immature, and have no right to stand as a ruler. If I had the capability, I would cut you down here and now. But I can’t. All I am is a weak little commoner, am I not? And you are the perfect princess who everypony loves! Including your sister that you condemned to the moon!”

“…” she grimaced, and gazed at me with contempt. “Don’t you dare speak of that. You have no right to--”

But I interrupted her. “And there’s Sombra who was cast out for being different, and you ultimately banished him for the trouble he caused! I’m sure he loves you too!”

“...He deserved it.”

I scoffed and continued my ranting. “Maybe. But Discord certainly hates your fat, sun-laced flank for being so passive that he felt the need to teach Twilight a lesson himself! And what does he do? Bring back your three greatest enemies who you also failed to defeat, I might add!”

She leaned in close. Her face just inches away from my own. Despite her intensity being stronger, I could no longer feel the heat. I was starting to lose my sense of self once more. I was...becoming just as unhinged as she. “...I do not tolerate such insolence. You have three seconds to kneel before me in surrender before I execute you. Then I shall revive your corpse with my magic and force you to follow my commands, and kill your friends. So what shall it be, you incessant meat sack of a mortal?”

My eye twitched, and a sadistic smile grew on my face. I was ready to answer until… “I…” I was interrupted by a familiar mare’s voice.

“PALE! STOOOOOOOP!”

Subject 85: She Will Never Seize The Throne

It was the voice of Quick Draw! Her mane had become snakes due to her Gorgon costume. Some of her S’s were also heavily emphasized due to it as well. Even still, I kept my focus on Daybreaker, because I refused to allow her to escape my sight.

From afar, I heard Luna speak to her. Did she manage to break free of the costume curse somehow? I wonder if the same could be done for Celestia. “No, wait,” she said cautiously, “Allow him to continue.”

“What?!” she shouted, “But that’ssss ridiculousss! Pale can’t do thisss on his own! He needssss us!”

Luna continued to persuade her. “Heed me, child. Your friend has tapped into that weakness of hers.”

“What? But how is that posssssible?!”

“Shh,” the blue alicorn replied, “Do not distract him. We will jump in if necessary…”

Wait, a weakness? Was it possible that this godly pony did indeed have some flaws? If so? What were they? I needed to find out, and fast, lest I allow her to do as she pleased and take over the world.

Daybreaker must not have heard them, but she instead chose to snidely chortle in my face. “Hmhmhm. Oh you common ponies thinking you have what it takes to stop someone such as myself. In reality, you and I are not so different. That is why I want you as my king.”

I raised an eyebrow. This witch was completely off of her rocker. “Are you serious?”

“Even now, you’re tossing away what makes you a pony in favor of complete, unbridled fury,” she persisted with her smug little mouth full of fangs on full display. “I can hear it. I can feel it. Oh it’s so thick and palpable that it’s getting me riled up even as we speak! You’re a monster, Pale. Embrace that side of you. Stop being a fool fighting an eternal battle of hate!”

“That’s where you're wrong.”

It was her turn to raise an eyebrow. “Am I?”

“You are a fool. A coward even. You have taken the easy way out by doing just that,” I sneered right back, “Rejecting your sense of ponymanity, and refusing to take responsibility for your own feelings...you have damned yourself. Anypony can simply toss away what made them who they are, and claim to be something else. But it takes true discipline and pride in oneself to actually care enough about yourself first, then everypony else around you. Do you understand that?”

Silence. Daybreaker took a moment to shut her eyes. Did my words have any affect on her? It must have. She had taken a minute to reflect over what I said, and was going to respond with something different, right?

As much as I hated to admit it, she didn’t. And I knew she wouldn’t.

She put both of her silky, scorching hooves on my shoulders. “Is that how you truly feel?”

“I do,” I responded, “But how does it make you feel?”

At last, she opened her eyes with newfound hatred. “...I feel as if you are too callous with your words. You deserve to be replaced!” I felt a sudden weight press down on me that came from her hooves, and I was locked in place. The demonic alicorn’s horn lit up, and the last thing I saw was a flash of light bare down at me.

And the last thing I heard was Luna’s voice. “SISTER! NO!”

Two beams were fired at me. One, a solar beam of pure, molten plasma directly from Daybreaker’s horn. Another from Luna, a blue beam of...well, I had no idea what it was. I felt so much pain that I couldn’t even scream. My particles were being displaced and rearranged on the subatomic level--or at least, that’s what it felt like. The truth is...I was being broken apart.

Just like the stallion whose story my costume was based on, I felt my body become displaced. My “good” half, so to speak was my kindness, ambition, and protectiveness that aided me in doing what was right. My “negative” or “bad” half was my untamed hatred, malice, and bloodlust. The two had been perfectly balanced within me, for the most part, but now...they had been gutted for her sick, sadistic kicks.

Just as Sombra had been split in half as well.

I came to, and watched as my other half, the Blood Viper had been ripped out of me. He--it? It was a black mass of hatred with red eyes, almost the same as Sombra’s demented half, except for the eye color. I, meanwhile, was bare with my costume having disappeared entirely. Though now, my coat was a shade of milk white instead of pale gray.

And all it was able to say was one word. “Bleed.”

“Ahahaha!” Daybreaker let out a satisfied, maniacal cackle. “Just like me, your repressed, primal urges are far more attractive than the limp, sad little piece of you tainted by emotion! He will be my new king while you get to watch all of your friends become slaves! And then maybe I can put you in a torture dungeon...say, ran by the mare of your dreams?!”

“No!” I squealed, “You leave Cheerilee alone you bitch!”

I heard Quick Draw shout at Luna. “What the crap just happened, Luna?!”

“I...I zapped him with Nightmare energy,” she explained, “A bit of alicorn magic was the only way that he could survive an alicorn’s attack. But now...no. No more of this!” I watched as Luna flew between myself and Daybreaker, “Sister! Celestia! I know you’re in there! Fight back against this madness! This isn’t who you--”

With a flash of the fiery alicorn’s horn, Luna was cut off by an explosive blast of magic that sent her flying into a nearby tree!

“AAAGH! OOF!” Luna slammed against the tree hard enough to cause it to fall over. “Ow…ack!” she let out a cough as she lied there in a pile of splinters and smoke.

“Take a hike, foolish sister. I have business to attend to. Now…”

Corkscrew stood in front of me next, not a single word uttered. His mechanic’s jumpsuit was in tatters from the burns as it flapped in the wind. “...”

Daybreaker scoffed. “Begone! I have no need of you!”

In that moment, he dashed forward, and dragged his sharp, killer’s feather diagonally across her neck. It barely caused a scratch, but it was actually enough to harm her!

She let out a small yelp, and her horn flashed. “Gah! You! Begone!” In an instant, Corkscrew flew through the air, and landed next to Luna.

But it didn’t stop there.

Directly after, Flash Drive made one powerful charge with his Tartaraiser chains out and flying. One wrapped around her horn, and a few wrapped around her body. “HAAAAA!”

“What the--?!”

“FEEL THE POWER OF SADDLE LAO!” Neon joined his brother with the force of a golden dragon as he delivered a punch directly to the side of her abdomen.

Daybreaker grunted. Still wasn’t enough to cause lasting damage, but it was more than enough to irritate her. “You’re really pissing me off, you lowlife maggots!”

BLAM!

With a shield-like explosion from her body, the alicorn melted away the chains, and repelled the both of them. They were sent flying as well, and took a tumble as they rolled across the ground.

“MISSION FAILED! WE’LL GET ‘EM NEXT TIME!” Flash Drive screamed as his back slammed into a massive boulder.

“THE WAY OF THE HOOF WILL NOT BE DETERRED!” Neon yelled and was flung through one of Town Hall’s glass windows with a crash.

Daybreaker scoffed, and dusted herself off like it was nothing. “Hmph. Not bad for--”

ZAP-BANG!

She looked up, and so did I. Guttersnipe was on top of a cloud. “Whoops! Sorry about that!” It started to literally rain on the alicorn’s parade, which...didn’t do as much damage as we expected. As soon as the droplets came into contact with her body, they instantly evaporated into steam. “...What?!”

“Are you finished?” she asked arrogantly, her horn lit up once more, “Now die!”

“...!”

Daybreaker’s plasma beam was met with a massive, beam-like blast of water from Guttersnipe’s hooves. “Nghh! I won’t...stop here...I won’t...lose...not again!”

“Struggle...feel the pain! DIE! Ahahahahaeee!” The alicorn continued to laugh as she watched her orange and red pillar of flame consume, and destroy Guttersnipe’s blue blast.

“No...no…” For the first time since I’ve known her, there was genuine panic on Guttersnipe’s face. Her eyes became fearful pools with her pupils shrinking down to the middle. The struggle was harsh, and she looked like her body would give out at any moment now.

But then she bailed.

Guttersnipe fled, and flew off to check on the others that had received damage as a result of the alicorn’s attacks. This made Daybreaker even more haughty, and arrogant than before.

“Oh? She chose to give up? Smart little filly. Now she won’t die as fast…” her gazed returned to me. “Now you...I offer you one more chance to live with me as we take over and spread true Harmony through the known universes. Are you in, or are you dead?”

I rubbed one of my hooves against the ground as I stared at the miasma that made up my own dark side. “...It is you who is already dead.”

“WRONG ANSWER!”

It charged at me. I knew myself well. It wouldn’t act without a plan. Though without it, I was without my capacity to fight back. All I could do was dodge and defend against every attack the miasma of myself. I also knew that it needed me to survive since I was the only one that could control...me.

“You…” I muttered as I evaded a punch, “It’s me! I mean, you’re me. Gah, you know what I mean...wake up, dammit!”

It continued to assault me without relent as it repeated the same words over and over. “Kill...kill...kill…”

This was not going to work. The bout I had with myself was moved to another side of the makeshift arena from how much I backed up, and avoided each attack thrown at me. Behind it, I could see Luna and my friends all trying their best to attack the fiery alicorn. But even with power boosts from Luna, they could only just barely match up to her and not get tired. Though, I could’ve sworn that I saw the slightest hint of enjoyment on Luna’s face as she squared off with her much stronger sister. Firing off spells infused with the power of the moon and gravity to redirect her sister’s beams of rage and control how much the environment weighed must have really been fun to her. Even Quick Draw got in on the action with an endless supply of cobras at her disposal.

Eugh...how gross.

But this little skirmish against my inner feelings had become more and more of a waste of time as the minutes passed. I had no will to return any blows, and the black, vapor-like substance continued to attack me. But that’s when I realized.

I had been running from myself.

The entire time just then, it was an allegory for part of my own life as well as Daybreaker’s. In this battle, I chose to avoid and run away from myself because I felt as if I wasn’t strong enough to face myself. But that wasn’t true. I could face myself. I just had to accept it as a part of me, and acknowledge that it isn’t a bad thing to have a side of yourself that you’re not proud of. Did I like that I had the capacity to kill? No. I didn’t. Killing in general wasn’t something I enjoyed doing, and I only saved it as a last resort. Svengallop for instance, was a special case in which I had been ordered to carry out such a task. But at the same time, I also had to be honest with myself and take note of the fact that ending the life of one may save the lives of hundreds of others. Was it ideal? Of course not.

But the world was not black and white.

“...Just like us,” I stopped moving, and looked down at my body that had turned white as snow from the extraction of my personality.

I looked up at the jet black mass of myself with red eyes. Its hoof was just about to make contact with my face before it stopped on a dime. Instead, now it reached its hoof out. As if it was looking for me to shake it? The word it said made things clear.

“...Live.”

That’s right. Living through the ups and downs, smiles and frowns, love and hate. It was something that we all had to do. Whether or not we allowed it to drive us mad was entirely dependent on us, and us alone. And I would not succumb to the safe fate as Celestia. Nor would I allow it to continue. My friends, they loved me. Corkscrew, Guttersnipe, Neon, Flash Drive, Quick Draw. They had all been there for me since day one, and accepted me for who I was. Not who I pretended to be. Just as well, Cheerilee and Cozy Glow both loved me for how much I impacted their lives and changed them for the better. Others included Tree Hugger, Limestone Pie, Ember, Twilight, Shining Armor, Cadance, and Flurry. I was valued in some form or another. Whether it be a familial connection, workplace connection, or some other connection, I mattered.

Man, this...representation of me knew me well, huh?

I grabbed its hoof, and absorbed the black mass back into my own body. We mixed, and my coat color returned back to its natural, debonair pale gray color that I adored so very much. My costume had even returned as well. Funny, I remember the ending of Dr. Jockey and Mr. Hide’s story followed a similar, albeit darker path. Because his two sides could not coexist, he would either be executed or commit suicide. Yeah, a very sad ending, indeed. But this was no novella. I had only managed to tame my darker self through acceptance, and assurance that it was loved, and cared for.

That’s when it hit me. I had approached this entire situation from a completely wrong angle from the start.

“I will bring the life of that unhappy Daybreaker to an end.”

With a new plan, I started galloping with full speed towards the alicorn. I shouted, “FALL BACK! MOVE IT!” at everypony else.

“...?!” They all gasped and looked at me, but Quick Draw was first to heed the order.

“You heard the man, move!” she yelled. Everyone, even Luna ducked out of the way.

This caused the red hot alicorn to look around in confusion. “Uh--wh--what’s going on here--?!”

Before she could say another word, I tackled her with enough force to stagger her for a moment. I was unable to tip her over to the ground, but that was fine. I put a hoof around her neck, and refused to allow her to speak again.

I pressed my lips against hers...and time felt like it stopped all around us.

Subject 86: The Setting Sun

Why did I do that? I don’t know. I needed to figure out some way to help that side of her feel nurtured and cared for in a drastic manner considering just how far off the deep end Daybreaker was by now. My options were very limited, but a kiss--that was a display of affection that I’m not sure she had experienced in...forever. Though, keep in mind, it was entirely for the sake of everypony else. A platonic gesture.

With that established, the surroundings had changed. Time had stopped all around us, and I felt the heat of her magic stop. After a moment or two, she opened her eyes, and realized who her lips had been in contact with for the last...I’d say about five minutes or so.

“...Wh…!” She pushed me away from her, and shuddered with panic. “Wh-wh-what did you do that for you...you ingrate?!”

I looked around at the scene, and understood just what happened. The sudden shock from being embraced in such a way caused Daybreaker to cease all of her magical acts to focus on me and only me. Good. That meant that I had her attention now.

“Cele--Daybreaker. I know you feel as if you’re alone in the world, but that’s simply not the case anymore.” I took a step towards her, and sighed, “Yes, maybe back then, you could only know your subjects as devout followers. But nowadays...ponies don’t care for your status. They only want to be your friend like anyone else. As cheesy as it sounds, your nobility means nothing to them.”

There was hesitation in those demonic eyes. Daybreaker’s magic had been overtaken, and thus, she was probably too startled, and unable to react with violence as she normally would. After a moment of silence, she used her magic to float up into the sky, and took me with her. She looked down at the massive crowd of Ponyvillagers that had watched the events play out, but now all frozen in time.

“But how can you be so sure?” she asked with regret in her pained voice, “How can you be so sure of anything?”

I sighed. Her lack of self-esteem was obvious, and palpable. But there were ways to deal with it. “Well, you won’t know until you try, can you?” I looked up at her, “Especially since Twilight is now presiding, you’re free of this burden. Everypony will love you for who you are. Flaws and all. Even I have to admit, I have taken a liking to your more...heated personality. The problem is that you’re too far buried in your own mind to understand. You’re blind to what’s right in front of you.”

Now my words started to have an effect of some sort. The alicorn sat down on a floor made of fire as it floated in the air via magic. “...So that’s it, huh?”

I tilted my head. “What?”

She rolled her eyes. “You catch my attention with a kiss, give me some explanation about how I’m missing the point of life, and now, I’ll automatically give up because you’re the hero who’s supposed to win.”

When she put it like that, it sort of cut into me. I had no intention of fulfilling some grandiose philosophy. I said it before, and I would take it to my grave: I am not some children’s fairytale hero.

I raised an eyebrow, and scoffed. “...You really think I’m doing this for myself? You think I spent all this time and effort just to make myself look good and make you look bad?” I didn’t realize it, but I felt genuinely hurt by what she said. The implications that I only desired to fuel my own ego, rather than do the right thing was completely asinine. “Everyday I work my flank off. Everyday I scour the streets in search of criminal activity. Everyday I hunt tirelessly for secrets,” I started to circle her as I spoke, “Secrets that the public deserves to know so that they may all work towards a better tomorrow together. Not separately as a jumbled, chaotic mess. The fact that earth ponies need more training to hone their abilities--exposed. The fact that Neighsay was never fit to be working in his position--exposed.” I pointed a hoof at her face, “And that you, are a foolish ruler that would rather shy away and run from her problems instead of face them like a grown mare--” I glared daggers down her soul, “ex-posed.”

Her eyes darted around. Once again, Daybreaker didn’t quite know how to respond at first. But once she gathered her thoughts, she gave me a cold reply. “Then what about you?” she asked, “What about your secrets that could be exposed? Are you willing to follow what you yourself preach to the public, or are you just as corrupted and taciturn as those whom you claim to be against?”

Good one. No really, it was. How could someone who talks highly of being open to the public simultaneously not be willing to be open about themselves? It was a very valid point indeed.

One that I was prepared for.

My expression softened, and I removed the monocle piece of my costume to show her my real face. “I am more than willing to let everypony know what is necessary to understand my own point of view. If they don’t at least know my intent and motives, then crass assumptions will be made that cast those around me in a negative light.” I looked down at the frozen population below us, still stuck in their cursed costumes. “Admittedly, on the whole they seem very gullible, malleable, and almost sheep-like. But really, they just require guidance. Ponies who set an example to show them what they should want to strive for in life. And for me, it’s three things.” I put a hoof to my chest, “Sincerity, capability, and most of all, discipline.”

She let out a sigh. “That little number again, hm? The whole ‘being able to act when necessary, but not out of emotion’ bit.”

I shrugged my shoulders. “Sounds to me like you already understand just what I mean. All that I can do for you at this point, is pray that you’ll listen to reason, and understand that you no longer have to walk this world alone. No, none of us are perfect. Not me, and not you.” A thought came to me that made me chuckle. I was going to prove to her that I did indeed practice what I preached. “Hm. And if it makes you feel any better, I already intended to let the public know about Svengallop’s private execution. In fact, if you stick around, you’ll be pleasantly surprised to find out just who ordered it in the first place.”

“Will I now?” she asked with her hooves folded, “Then I suppose you’ve proven something to me, mortal.”

“And what might that be, immortal?” I sassed at her for the fun of it.

She chose not to respond to that bit, thankfully. “You’ve proven that ponykind is...actually plenty strong as it is. Maybe...but even still, the problem lies within myself. I am a tyrant that desires nothing but destruction and hatred. I don’t deserve compassion,” she hung her head, “I’m...evil. I want absolute order. Who am I to even ask somepony the time of day? Do you hear me?”

It was at this moment that her voice became more demonic as she spiraled back into her old habits.

“I cannot afford to falter! I must...I must take back what is mine! For the sake of Celestia, I will never--”

SMACK!

My hoof met the side of her face. I really hated the fact that I had to slap her to get her to come to her senses. But sometimes, a bit of tough love was required. With her speech interrupted, she looked down at me with pained eyes that were filled with sorrow. “...You…”

“Stop this,” I retorted bluntly, “That’s the exact sort of attitude that has fed this disgusting side of you. Just like Nightmare Moon. Luna bottled up her envy, sadness, and hate until her magic went wild enough to create an entirely new ponysona within her. One that you yourself had to banish.”

Her response was barely audible. “Well...I…”

“And you, Daybreaker. You were born from Celestia’s bottled rage, fear, and lack of self-esteem. The key difference is that Luna spent one thousand years on the moon in order to learn from her actions. Was it the best solution? Maybe, maybe not. But hindsight is, in fact, 2020.” I sat down next to her in order to comfort her. “But you...you were never able to have any time to yourself. You never allowed yourself time to truly think about your own hidden feelings and how they may affect others around you. As a result, it festered like a plague of mites until it took you over.” I pointed down at the frozen populace, “And that is why you have taken to harming others around you to get what you want. You don’t truly wish to rule for the sake of bettering everypony else. You wish to rule for the sake of your own feelings, and self-satisfaction. When in reality, you have to accept the fact that it simply isn’t possible for you to both take control and be satisfied.”

She shut her eyes, and let out a long, drawn out sigh. “But how do I...how do I find that satisfaction? How can I learn to enjoy life when I am...nothing but pure hate?”

While I could relate, no two situations were alike. I wouldn’t dare to try and pretend as if I had all the answers. If I did, then my job wouldn’t be necessary. “I can’t answer that for you. You have to do the same thing that your younger sister did: Accept that you have flaws, and work to balance them with what makes you a good individual. Lest you be taken over by it.”

“I...I see…” Daybreaker responded solemnly, “...Wow. You almost remind me of Sombra when he was in his youth. He was always so stubborn and straightforward, just like you. But...like me, he succumbed to his hatred, and we had to…get rid of him.” Steam exited from the side of her eyes which apparently substituted for tears? Even her soft sob was an attempt to shy away from expressing her true feelings.

It broke me up inside to watch. Somepony who finally came face to face with their own complications and troubles that caused them so much pain and strife. That’s when I understood just how Miranda Rights felt when she held me close on that day.

So I did the same.

I put a hoof around the alicorn’s neck. I prayed, and hoped that Celestia would finally be able to come through and realize what she had become.

And the next moment I looked up, it happened.

Celestia had returned, though the Daybreaker costume had been long incinerated by now. The white alicorn with her technicolor mane opened her eyes and looked at me with a rather broken ghost of a smile. Her skin was in tatters and scratches from the damage that my crew, Luna, and I had dealt to her during our fight. I never thought I would see the day in which an alicorn would possibly need medical attention, but here we were.

“...thank you,” I heard her say.

Flattering, but I refused her words with a shake of my head. “Nope. None of it was me. You yourself started to come through, and comprehend your own problems.” I let her go, and folded my hooves, “All I did was stop you from burning down a bunch of innocents. Nothing more.”

“Even still...thank you,” she replied weakly. Everything she had been through must have taken a lot out of her, so I couldn’t blame her for being tired. Yet despite this, she saw fit to activate one last spell. “...Allow me to...repent for the damage, I’ve done.”

Her horn lit up, and in a flash, the Costume Curse was broken. Celestia levitated me back to the ground, and the Ponyvillagers had all returned to themselves. My crewmates’ costumes would all be reverted, and they became normal again as well. And so did I.

At the end of it, the public would only visualize it as a massive Nightmare Night performance. Celestia’s spell also undid the freezing of time, and we stood there, stark in front of the crowd.

A slow round of applause would kick up, mostly from the foals. My crewmates all stood up, and I ran over to check on each one of them. Likewise, Luna would immediately latch onto her older sibling to make sure that she was alright.

“Sister!” she cried out as her hooves wrapped around her sister’s neck, “Thank heavens you’re alright! You are...you right now, are you not?”

She nodded, and replied in the same, strained tone as before. “Yes...thanks to...Pale and his…friends...agh…” Surprisingly, she chuckled through the pain. “...It’s been a while since I’ve fought like that...hehe…I’ll be alright.”

Once I checked on each of my crew members to make sure they were okay, I told them all to meet with me back at our little antique shop/base tomorrow morning to debrief over everything we had just dealt with. I heard Celestia’s words, and denied them outright once more. “Nope. It was all her. I simply did my job.”

Luna smiled at me, and mouthed the words ‘thank you’ as she took hold of her elder sibling to keep her from collapsing.

Just then, Starlight and Sunburst ran up to us all. “

“We weren’t able to find the exact source,” Sunburst called out as he came to a stop in front of me, “but we found some pretty damning evidence. Didn’t we, Starlight.”

The purple unicorn nodded. “That’s right, Sunburst.” In her magic, she showed me a badge made of a familiar gold fabric. “We think this will be very useful. Check the symbol engraved on it.”

I tilted my head, and looked a bit closer.

That’s when I saw it.

This badge had the same symbol from the storms in the sky from several weeks ago! The ones that caused Blossomforth to transform and become a stormbeast. So was it possible that the Storm King had allied with…

What a riot.

I took hold of that fabric, and placed it in an evidence bag which I tucked into my vest. “Thank you. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m tired as all hell, and my crew and I need sleep.” I turned around, and tipped my hat. “I recommend you all get some sleep yourselves. This year’s Nightmare Night went on far longer than expected.” And with that, I trotted on towards my house.

From behind, I could hear the two unicorns clear away the crowd and tell everyone that the festivities were over. Luna and Celestia had disappeared, likely to have a long chat with each other about what had transpired. My teammates had all gone home for the evening to their respective cities. I just hoped that the train wouldn’t take forever to take them back.

And me? I went back to my house and showered before I dropped into my bed after I locked everything up tight. As I said, I would have a fun time explaining what had happened to the public come the next day.

I just hoped that Cheerilee wouldn't kill me for the kiss I planted on Daybreaker.

Subject 87: New Day New Thoughts

Well, that worked out. Somewhat. It had been a few days since Nightmare Night had passed. In that time, I had met up with my team to discuss the nature of the badge that Starlight and Sunburst found. It was fairly simple to narrow down who could have caused it once I remembered who wore that gold fabric. So naturally, I put in a request to have an audience with Princess Twilight Sparkle. Unfortunately, she was somewhat busy due to the aftermath of the situation itself and likely having to clear up a lot of misconceptions. Including, but not limited to: why I put Svengallop down, the truth behind all of Celestia’s feelings, and just how to track down who caused all of this.

In the meantime, I had to be honest with myself; I had fallen into a bit of a mental slump. Part of me was terrified of what the public’s reaction would be towards Celestia’s freakout. I knew that the ponies, griffons, changelings, and dragons were all very understanding nowadays, but it still somewhat unnerved me. These were feelings that had been bottled up over the course of centuries. Would it be possible that the public could comprehend them despite not being able to live for a tenth of the amount of time as she has?

Just as well, I also thought about my own actions. Not just what I did to Svengallop, but also how I performed on that Night. I led my team into a seemingly unwinnable battle, and nearly got them burned to death. Yes, I know they were all willing to fight alongside me, but even so. It wasn’t something I took lightly. But I guess that’s the sacrifice one has to make as a leader. We have to be willing to put down everything we have in order to come away with a victory. Even if it means making difficult decisions in the heat of battle. No pun intended.

That aside, I felt...oddly guilty for planting one on Daybreaker’s lips. It was the only way I could get her to calm down and realize that she was actually valued in this world. Otherwise, she would have continued her rampage. Regardless, transparency was something that I kept as a priority when it came to my job. I wouldn’t dare hide something like that from Cheerilee. But I just hoped that she would understand the intent behind the act, and not look at the act itself. After all, it wasn’t like I wanted to sleep with her or anything. While she was physically attractive by textbook definition, Celestia was simply not my type. Which wasn’t a bad thing or an insult to her, mind you.

And apparently, there were also other groups of officers such as Bon-Bon, and Vinyl Scratch present at the situation. Whatever they did, I was optimistic towards the fact that they managed to get out without being harmed. But I wondered what their costumes were…

Meh, I’m sure I would find out eventually.

“Blerg.” I mumbled groans of annoyance as I got up out of bed that morning. Given how many days had passed since the incident, I had no idea what the day could bring for me. Would I deal with the scorn of my lover or the criticism of more opposing forces? Who knows?

I got up, showered, and headed out for breakfast today. I figured that I may as well deal with whatever wanted to show its face to me in a head-on fashion this time. Though, who exactly I came into contact with was the surprise of that day.

On my way to Sugarcube Corner, a yellow unicorn with a red and yellow mane approached me from around a corner.

“Pale? Thank goodness I ran into you…”

I tilted my head. “Sunset? What’s the matter? Don’t you have to attend school in your world?”

“Oh, I got up at like...5:30 my time so I could pop in,” she explained while she levitated a familiar journal in front of her, “I got a message from Twilight, and decided to return for a bit so I could talk to her. But I don’t have much time left since the portal I made is going to close soon.”

Curious. I did wonder how the passage of time worked in her world compared to ours. But that little anecdote wasn’t exactly important at the moment. What really caught my attention, was the fact that she was able to have a chat with Twilight in Canterlot and came all the way down here to Ponyville to see me in the same amount of time.

“I see,” I replied with an understanding nod, “So what exactly brought you to me?”

She put the journal away. “Twilight says that she wants to see you. She figured it would be easier if I came and told you since it would help sell how urgent this is…because it is, hehe…” she awkwardly rubbed her hoof into the ground, “Sorry. I’m just...really freaked out over what happened to Celestia, and had to come see for myself.”

I could respect that. Celestia was the only real mother-figure that Sunset had in either world. Should something drastic happen to those we care about, it should be paramount to ensure their safety above all else.

“Very good that you did. And I appreciate you coming all the way down here. As soon as I get something to eat, I’ll head up there.”

Sunset giggled into her hoof. “Hehe. I don’t think that’s a good idea. Twilight’s chefs tend to make way too much food for her nowadays because she spends a flankload of time reading and working, so she often misses meals.” She nudged me with the side of her leg. “Might be a good idea if you help clear some of it out, ya feel?”

Well, I couldn’t argue with that. Alright, new objective acquired. Finally have my meeting with Twilight, and eat a lot of good food that should not go to waste. “Understood. I’ll head over right away. But you should head on home now, kid. Before your portal shuts, I mean.”

Another giggle, and Sunset playfully rolled her eyes. “Okay dad. Thanks for worrying about me. I’ll head to my portal right away. Good luck with your case.” Her happy little smile went away in exchange for a more somber expression. “...And if it’s found out that Neighsay had something to do with this…”

Not another sad face. All I could do was employ my usual, best tactic: Hoof-pats upon the head. “Don’t worry about it,” I said as I ruffled her mane, “You just focus on yourself and Celestia. I’ll handle the difficult parts.”

Unlike Cozy, Sunset seemed to not mind as much. I could’ve sworn that I saw her blush from embarrassment with a newfound look of elation. Smiles like that were always the best because you knew they came from earnest effort.

“Okay, okay, stoooop,” she said with a bit of a snorting laugh. “You’re starting to remind me of the way Bulk Biceps gets when we lose a game of soccer.”

I gave her some space, and removed my hoof. It felt adorable to be compared to someone so...caring. “Ah, thank you, I suppose. But I have a job to do now. Take care of yourself, Sunset.” I started walking towards the train station.

“Of course,” she replied with a wave of her hoof as she went in the opposite direction, “Do what you can, Mr. Vestige!”

And with that, I was off to Canterlot.

A train ride later, followed by a formal escort from Flash Sentry and Gallus would take me there. Though, the pegasus guard had something to say before we entered the castle.

“Hey, uh--not sure how to say this. But can ya do me a favor?”

That was new. Why would one of the Guard’s finest need me for help? Seemed kind of strange, but I was more than willing to listen. “That depends. What are you asking?”

I noticed the young griffon shoot his friend a look of uncertainty. But Sentry only replied with a nod of reassurance. “Basically, I want you to see if you can find out what’s been bothering Twilight,” he requested, “I’m getting worried because she usually comes to me in private if there’s something she wants to discuss. But lately, she hasn’t said anything.”

That’s when Gallus jumped in. “And I’ve told him that the Princess of Equestria is super busy dealing with everything. I mena, it’s entirely plausible to imagine that she;s been so swamped with work, that she can’t spend time with you, Sentry.” He spoke of his fellow guard with a hint of snark in his voice. Unexpected, since I thought they were close friends. But maybe this is how they bonded, so I wouldn’t judge.

Sentry held his hoof up, and waved it back and forth. “Nah, nope. I’m not hearing that noise, brother. Twilight’s been busier than this and has managed to communicate her problems to either myself, Spike, Sunset, or her brother. But I feel like...I just have this gut feeling that she’s hiding something.” He put his hoof down, and looked at me. “Listen, Pale. You don’t have to go out of your way. And if it completely hinders your job, then I won’t bother you about it. But please at least consider seeing if she’s really okay. After hearing about what happened to Celestia, you can’t blame me for being a bit on edge.”

Gallus sighed. “...I guess not. But don’t make him do anything crazy, alright?”

I rubbed the back of my head. It was rather short notice to be asked something so...suddenly in the middle of a job, but I wasn’t going to be rude and refuse the request outright. “...I’ll see what I can do,” I said after a bit of hesitation, “But no promises. At the moment, I need to confide in the Princess and discuss the possibilities of what/who caused the costume curse a few days ago. If you’ll excuse me, gents.” I tipped my hat, and entered the castle.

As usual, Twilight would request that I meet with her in her private...meeting room. Hm. Anyway, I went up, and she was kind enough to offer me some tasty-looking crepes that were piled high on a platter at the tea table.

“Good morning, Officer Vestige,” she waved as I walked into the room, and shut the door behind me via magic. “Please, help yourself. The chefs made way too much for me to reasonably eat. Plus...between you and I, I think I’m starting to gain weight.” She poked the side of her flank.

I had already shoved one of those filled pastries into my mouth, but nearly choked. When a mare comments about her weight, it is a literal minefield of a conversation. I do not fear a fight with a sun god, but I do fear the idea of a mare mentioning her weight to me.

“...Yes, well. To be quite honest, so long as it doesn’t hinder you on a physical level, then you should be fine.” I swallowed the pastry, and chuckled. “Hehe...and to be fair, I don’t mind a bit of...wideness on a mare. If that makes sense.”

Twilight relaxed with a sigh. “Good. Because I’ve been exercising regularly, and been trying to get in shape for a certain somepony--” she stopped herself mid-sentence, and coughed. “Ack! Ahem! What am I doing? This is a business meeting, heehe…” Some sweat rolled down her forehead as she took a seat at the tea table.

I took a seat also, and put my hooves together. “Alright, give it to me straight, princess. You called me here because you want to discuss Svengallop and Celestia, right?”

When it was time for business, the awkwardness of the purple alicorn disappeared in favor of a more strict tone. “Exactly. And you’re here to talk about a piece of fabric that links somepony to the incident, right?”

I nodded. “Correct. You may go first, Twilight.”

“Alrighty, then.” She levitated that trusty notebook of hers, and flipped through the pages via magic. “Okay, first up: Celestia. I’m going to assign her some friendship activities, and I’d like a member of your crew to keep an eye on her to make sure she accomplishes them. She needs to start living among her former subjects as friends so that she can lose that pre-conceived notion of having to hate herself for what she failed to do in the past. Make sense to you?” she asked as she looked up from the book.

“Savvy, indeed.” Huh. That sounded fairly simple, and effective. But who would be best to assist the alicorn? I’ll have to think about that later. “Alright. Understood. And Svengallop?”

“We’re going to make an announcement of his death to the public,” she explained as she put the book away. “Vinyl Scratch will join you for this, so don’t worry.”

Alright, that made me feel a little better. But now, I had something else to worry about. “Did you catch my letter? In it, I wrote to you about the fact that--”

She interrupted me. “Neighsay is trying to bring back the Storm King. Or he’s working for him in some capacity, at least.”

Wow, she caught on quick. But yes, that was exactly what I was referring to. Sadly, while we knew the ‘what,’ what we didn’t know was… “Why?”

The purple princess rose from her seat. “That is what we’re going to find out. C’mon, Pale. Time for us to pay our old friend a visit.”

In that time, we had finished off the crepes together. I had to admit, they were very good with an apple and cinnamon filling and hints of strawberry. But now, we had to focus. Neighsay was playing a key part in a bigger picture, so it was indeed time for us to find out just what it was.

And so, we went down to the dungeon to find the old unicorn stallion sitting on the bed behind the bars.

He made eye contact with us, and smiled. “Hello there, Princess. And I see you’ve brought me a visitor…”

Subject 88: Princess Problems

“Don’t give me that smugness,” Twilight retorted, “We know what you’ve been up to this whole time. And quite frankly, we’re past the concept of hatred for somepony like you.”

Whoo. I always liked watching Twilight take control of a situation. Something about it was so satisfying to watch.

Neighsay rolled his eyes before he responded. “I suppose I don’t have much choice now, do I?”

Oh? Was he actually trying to be cooperative? Even so, something about his words put me off. “What are you talking about?” I asked.

“I’m in no real position to hide anything any longer, am I? Staying silent will only make things worse,” he commented under his breath.

“Then spill,” Twilight commanded, “No more secrets. No more lies. Tell me everything about what you’ve been doing. And what about the curse that transformed everypony in Ponyville into their costumes?”

With a sigh, he began. “Essentially, it all stemmed from my youth. As a colt, I desired to achieve absolute understanding by learning every magic spell possible. Why? So that I may stand out among all of the other unicorns who tried to master magic. That is why I joined the EEA. Not only to oversee the education system, but to achieve greater magical understanding. As for the costumes...that was an unforeseen side effect of something that I had been working on. Some of the Storm King’s magic must have gone awry and caused its own mischief. But, had I not been arrested, I would’ve been able to quell the problem for myself.”

While I understood his reasoning, it was a very flimsy one. It did not justify his actions well enough. My eyes narrowed as I glared at the stallion. “...So to do that, you not only tried to create your own militia force? But you also want to try and revive a king that nearly destroyed the world?”

He scoffed. “As if you are much better. As the one who killed Svengallop before any sort of trial took place, you should be questioning yourself, mister--”

The purple princess interrupted. “Stop right there. First off, you could have easily told us about this long before now. That right there is direct proof that you’re not working for the better interest of all creatures, but rather, only for yourself.” Twilight scoffed. “Hmph. And you might be surprised to learn that I was the one who ordered that in the first place.”

Neighsay had to pause, and for the first time, he actually looked uneasy. I guess he wasn’t expecting the idea that the princess could have ordered something so...dark. “...what?! That is completely--how can you call yourself a ruler when you make decisions without any evidence of the court! You let him hold a trial for Cozy Glow, and you do this?!”

“I did,” she replied coldly, “because we imprisoned her before she had any chance to prove herself in the past. She was a child, and deserved a second chance if she took it. And she did.” Her face grew a shade darker as she hung her head, “But when we found out what Svengallop had done, I concluded that a trial would be a waste of time. The public did not need to spend any time looking at his annoying, egotistical face. Nor did the families of those affected by his actions need to see him again to relive those traumatic experiences. His body has been cremated into ash, and is locked away in a location that I will never disclose under any circumstance. So if you want to try and play innocent whilst claiming that this officer who actually followed my orders is in the wrong, you have another thing coming.”

“I see...then you’re more of a fool than your old teacher was,” Neighsay snapped back.

Twilight huffed, and I could sense her magic shift. She was inches away from firing off some kind of spell that would...oh no, I can’t even begin to describe what I felt from her aura. But she managed to hold herself back. I was impressed, honestly. Insulting one’s mentor was just as bad as insulting their mother--or father.

“I...ooh...no,” she said with a sharp exhale, “I’m not going to dwell on that. Instead, I want you to explain just why you want to bring back the Storm King.”

“It’s...a bit more complicated than that. I don’t intend to bring back the King himself. But rather, before I was arrested, I was running tests on willing ponies who could potentially gain new abilities outside of what their bodies allowed.” He explained in a rather somber tone. “Don’t you understand? The way this world operates is limited on a biological scale. Cutie marks, the division of abilities among the pony races, and non-pony races. But if we could unlock power that those above us have claimed is forbidden, then we can truly advance as a population.”

Again, very logical. However, there was a part that I took issue with. “You may not realize this,” I spoke up, “but limits exist for a reason. Not everypony out there can wield such crazy powers without the possibility of going insane. You saw how Chrysalis and Tirek became. Even Celestia fell into it, and it’s clear that her mental state isn’t the best even after holding such power for thousands of years.”

“But just how do you know that? Not everypony is incapable of pushing past their limits!” This old unicorn was insistent, though. He got off the bed, and looked up at the sky through the one window that was also barred with anti-magic metal. He sighed. “We exist in such a limbic state in which we can be threatened at any possible moment. If we don’t learn as much as we can, then we’re wasting our time. That’s why I devoted my life to the EEA. Good luck finding someone as skilled as I who can manage it, by the way, hmph,” he said with an added, sarcastic chuckle.

Twilight’s head rose after being silent for a while. It would appear that she had finally gathered her thoughts on what to reply with. “...You make valid points. You can talk all you want about wanting to break past limits, but Pale here has proven that he can do so in an ethical fashion.”

Both of us were confused.

“He has?”

“I have?”

The purple princess nodded with a satisfied look on her muzzle. “You heard me. Pale. Weren’t you the one who gave Cheerilee the idea to start teaching more Earth Pony-focused lessons along with the help of Tree Hugger, Limestone Pie, and other local Earth Pony magic experts? That is an ethical, and sane way to teach the population new things without resorting to extreme methods. Not to mention the School of Friendship--the same one you tried to shut down all those years ago.”

I wasn’t exactly in a position to refute the claim. So I didn’t. “Yes, I did. Though it was mostly thanks to her effort that the ideas took off and really got anywhere.”

“Tch. So you were behind it,” Neighsay turned to face us, and retorted out of annoyance from behind the bars. “What even drove you to such a decision? To set an example for the youth on how to kill anyone you wish without any involvement with the court?”

“Not like you’ve done any better. You sent Cozy Glow to Tartarus without a fair trial did you not? A child. I’d argue that’s far worse than ending the life of a criminal that selfishly sought to bring chaos to the land,” I raised a brow, “Or do you think that Svengallop deserved to live despite what he did? Grand theft, dozens of murder charges via his gang, and smuggling loads of unknown substances? Not to mention gaslighting and general manipulation--especially on young mares. Does that sound like a pony that deserves to walk free?”

He groaned, and rolled his eyes. Looked like I started to irritate the old bat, but I didn’t care. For every attempt he would try to throw something in my face, I could throw something right back. “Grr...of course not. But the fact is that...you are unfit for your job if you think it’s okay to act in such a way. Whether Twilight allowed it or not, what you did was wrong.”

I shrugged. “You’re no fit for your job either if that’s the case. But as I said before, I do only what’s necessary for the sake of everyone else. Not myself. But you can’t seem to get that understood. All you care about is yourself.”

“That’s not true!” he protested, “Of course I care about everypony else. My ideas are going to save this world from the things that plague it! The hidden lies, the secrets, the hatred that nopony understands! It’s a matter of taking risks that nopony else will! Just as you did when you kissed Daybreaker on Nightmare Night. I’d hate to see the reaction of your marefriend when she finds out.”

Seems like we were two halves of the same coin. On the one side, we both shared similar ideals regarding the way the world should be run. The idea that deception was the root of many evils, and the only, true way to combat this was with...truth. Above all else, we could only break through the conflicts and tear down the walls of society if we’re open, and honest with each other. That was the only way to truly make a stand towards peace.

Also, I hadn’t spoken to her about it yet, but Cheerilee would know better than to follow crass assumptions.

In any case, I felt like I was wasting my time with this stallion now. All that mattered to me at this point, was the safety of everypony else involved. “Look, just...tell us something. Has anypony else been experimented on?”

Twilight had also had quite enough of this, and fell silent for the last few moments. I couldn’t imagine what it was like to be in her position at that moment. Now she had to weigh the newly exposed actions of Neighsay as well as factor in just how much that will affect his sentencing. “Ugh...I need some time. But first, yes. Were there any others involved? Be honest.”

He sighed, and went on. “Just a few. But they’re not active. The runes I placed upon them expire after one month. After which...certain incidents may occur that the castor has to control. But since I wasn’t out there to stop it, that’s what caused them to malfunction and activate a spell that turned everyone into their costumes on Nightmare Night.”

A decent, albeit flimsy explanation for what had happened. Still, it was a whole lot more information than what we knew before. Which was none. I leaned up against the bars. “Who are they?”

Neighsay went on and named off about five different individuals and Twilight wrote their names down. I read the list, and recognized some of the names. But the important thing was to find out where they were and stop them before their magical runes malfunctioned within the next thirty days.

“...I see,” Twilight tapped the pen against her head, and walked towards the steps of the dungeon. “Come on, Pale. We’re done here.”

I took one last look at Neighsay, and shook my head as I followed Twilight back up to the main part of the castle and the opening to the dungeon was locked behind us via her magic. Her gait became a bit more stunted as she started to scribble down in that notebook of hers. Yeesh, she looked battered from all of the work she had to deal with. I knew exactly what that felt like. Not knowing where to turn to next, unable to think of what to do or feel. It...it was maddening.

“Ugh!” she groaned and flopped onto a purple velvet living room couch. I guess I didn’t realize, but in the entire time that we walked through the castle, we had returned to her private, residential area. “Gah!” she yelled out once more.

Admittedly, I had no clue how to approach her. But it felt more awkward to simply stand there than to say something. “Hey...Twilight? Hello? Twizzlers?” I waved my hoof in front of her face.

“Yah! Wha! Ba-kawk!” she made various...noises upon being startled. “Oh, sorry,” she responded as she rubbed both of her hooves against her head, “I’m just...super stressed out now. Between dealing with the griffons, the batponies, Svengallop’s gang members and now Neighsay’s...whatever the heck, I’m swamped and can’t exactly think right.”

“I know how that feels, honestly. As if you have no idea what to do in a situation until it’s too late…” I sighed, "But just do your best. You have loads of support from your friends and your ponies."

"Thanks, I guess. I'm sorry, Pale. I just need to take a chill pill, and relax with my favorite book while I think about what needs to be done next."

I chuckled, and offered her my best smile of confidence. "Hehe, don't sweat the small stuff. You've already proven yourself to be a far more active ruler than Celestia ever was."

Her eyes blinked once, then twice. “Oh no...I nearly forgot.” She started to nervously sift through the pages of her notebook. “Haybales! Haybales! Haybales! Waah!” she threw her hooves upwards, and waved them around like wet noodles.

“Um…” Yup. Back to the 'no clue how to react' phase.

“...I wanted to invite--”

Just then, we heard the door to the residence of Twilight shut. There, I saw Celestia in a familiar casual red polo with a floral pattern. Her mane was held back in a ponytail via a yellow scrunchie. “Twilight? I’m here. Oh...it’s Mr. Vestige. How are you, sir?”

“I’m doing well, thank you. But how are you?”

She trotted over. Even though I had known her for a while now, it was still interesting to see her walking around without her glamorous horseshoes and crown. “I’m...alright. I know you don’t like being praised for your work, but I appreciate the fact that you managed to keep the civilians safe when I...freaked out.”

I nodded. “Well, I’m glad you’re better above all else. I couldn’t imagine what’d happen if Cozy went through something similar.” I checked up on her a day ago. The kid was fine after what had happened, but I spent some time away from her recently to let her get used to being around others.

“That reminds me,” Celestia replied off of what I brought up, “There’s something you need to tell her. But first--what’s going on with Twilight?”

I looked down. Twilight had been passed out from stress the entire time! Just how were we going to wake her?

“She looks a bit…” I tapped my hoof against my chin, “...out.”

The white alicorn chuckled deviously. “Hehehe...wait right there. I’ll get something that’ll surely wake her up,” she said with a sneer as she left out of the residential door, and went back into the main wing of the castle.

All I could do was take a seat on the couch next to Twilight while confused. What just happened in the last ten minutes?

Subject 89: Mandated Reporter's Honor

It was a bit of a wait, but the former princess of an alicorn finally returned with a dusty...book of some sort. There were no words on the cover, so I could only assume that the book was ancient or important. Regardless, I watched as Celestia dangled the book over Twilight’s nose via her yellow magical aura.

Twilight sniffed at it before she clutched the book between her hooves. “Mine!” she squealed as her eyes shot open. Her face became a shade of crimson when she laid eyes on her former mentor. “Oh...hehe….sorry.”

Celestia couldn’t help but giggle at this. “Hmhmhm. No trouble at all. Now, was there something you wanted to see me for, Twilight?”

“Oh...yes, actually.”

We all gathered around in the living room to hear her explanation. First and foremost, was the fact that Celestia would need to undergo a sort of friendship training? I didn’t quite understand the details since “friendship” as a concept wasn’t in my skillset. But I did make sure to take notes on the subject for future reference. The plan was fairly simple. My crew, Cozy, Moondancer, Tempest--we’d all try to make some time to spend with Celestia at some point so she can have friends to hang around. Not very complex, I’d say.

“...If you’re sure, Twilight. I can’t believe that I’m the one who needs to learn the magic of friendship. But I guess the student has surpassed the mentor, hm?”

Twilight reacted with what I can only call a sporadic series of laughs while she blushed. “He-heh...ah-haha--ahhh...r-really? Aw, you don’t have to say all that…” her wings fluttered with pride. “But you can if you want-”

She rubbed her hoof against Twilight’s mane. “Though, I am surprised that you’ve decided to use magic to alter your appearance to reflect that of the average pony. You didn’t like being as tall as me?”

The purple alicorn’s response was swift. “Nah.” But then she quickly retracted it under the pretense that she may have offended her former teacher. “I-I mean, n-not that being tall like you is a bad thing! But it really messed with my coordination and flying capability. Not to mention the longer horn kinda messed up my magic casting. Hehe...heh…” she said with a nervous smile as she tapped her hooves together.

“Well then I suppose bigger isn’t always better,” Celestia looked up at me, “Wouldn’t you agree, Pale?”

I looked up from the notes I wrote, pencil’s eraserhead clenched between my teeth. “Hm?” I slipped it between the rings of the notepad, and answered. “Um...well, it depends. If some parts of your body are too large, they can cause pain and--” That’s when I realized what she was playing at. I slapped my hoof against my forehead. “Seriously?”

The sunny alicorn giggled. “Oh lighten up, officer. I’m simply trying to make things more casual among us.”

Almost too casual if you asked me. But anyhow. Next on the agenda was facing the press. It was a good thing that we had both arrived there, because Twilight would want us to explain to the public what happened on that Night. As well as the reasoning behind Svengallop’s sudden death with no need for a trial. It would be...a difficult thing for me to explain. As much as I despised Neighsay, he was right in some capacity. I did indeed go along with what Twilight’s order was. Should I have? I can’t answer that. The past was in the past. And beyond that, this list of individuals who he had runes planted on...hrm…

“Does that sound reasonable?” Twilight asked once she finished her explanation.

“Of course,” Celestia replied, “I was in your position once, Twilight. So I know how stressful this job can be. I recommend getting to bed a bit earlier so that you can tackle the problems of tomorrow with more energy. Leave dealing with the newsponies to us.”

Twilight used her left hoof, and tapped the wrinkles beneath her eyes. “Yeesh...they’re getting heavier. Yeah, you’re right, Pr--er, Celestia. I can’t just keep going forever. I may be a god-like alicorn like you now, but I still have mental limits.”

Celestia put a hoof around Twilight to bring her in closer. “We all do. Especially me. You know good and well about what happened that night…”

“And that’s why my plan is to help you through it all. But first, you two need to get ready to face the news...are you ready?”

I got up from the couch, and stretched my legs. “Ready as always. The public has the right to know about what happened. No more deception. Celestia. Whenever you’re ready.”

I heard her get up, and follow me from behind.

And just outside of the castle itself, newsworkers from all over Equestria had gathered outside with cameras and ready to take notes for their papers and other news media outlets. I stepped outside first, and was immediately hit with a barrage of questions as I trotted down the castle’s outer steps.

“Pale Vestige!” a pegasus mare reporter cried out, “Is it true that you were the one who killed Svengallop?”

“Do you know who was responsible for making everypony become their costumes on the recent Nightmare Night?” a unicorn stallion asked.

“Did you really have to kiss Daybreaker?” an earth pony mare questioned, “What are Celestia’s thoughts on that?”

I looked around at all the reporters and sighed with my hoof against my head. Alright, how to begin? Well...okay then. I put my hoof down, and addressed the crowd. “One at a time, please. Now first. In reference to Svengallop. Princess Twilight ordered me to execute him in private. Why? She considered a trial unnecessary.”

That pegasus asked another question. “Why is that? Didn’t you want Cozy to get a fair trial?” she asked.

“The difference is that Cozy was a child at the time in which she committed her atrocities, and has learned from them,” I explained to her. “Svengallop meanwhile, has been dealing in unethical substances, using his mob to kill others, laundering bits, and manipulating mares for his own personal gain for the last two decades after he left Coloratura.”

“He’s right.” Another mare spoke up from the middle of the crowd. A light blue one wearing shades and a straw hat to cover up who she was. “I thought Svengallop was just an annoying stallion, but if that’s what he did...not just to me, but to loads of other mares, then I won’t be afraid to come forward.”

The pegasus mare that had asked me about Svengallop tilted her head when the newcomer arrived. “‘Me’? And just who are you?”

The shades and straw hat came off. Coloratura revealed herself to the public, right then and there. She didn’t have anything else on either. As casual can be.

The reporters nearly lost their marbles when she exposed herself. “COLORA--”

She interrupted their excitement with a plea. “Ahem...please not now. Anyway...I fully support Svengallop’s execution. I couldn’t stand to hear about what he’s been doing in the past 20 years. And honestly…” she looked down at the ground, “I feel like part of it is my fault.”

“AH!” The crowd of reporters gasped.

Coloratura rose her head up, and waved her hoof in denial. “Well, hold on. Don’t get me wrong. I don’t feel a shred of sympathy for what he’s been doing. But part of me feels like that this could’ve been avoided if I let him down a bit more easily…”

The crowd mumbled amongst themselves for a moment. Even Celestia was surprised, unable to say anything as she stood behind me.

I was first to break the awkward mutterings. “Don’t feel that way, ‘Tura. That guy deserved to be straight up fired after what he did to you and Pinkie back then. It’s his own fault that he chose to become even more despicable instead of trying to become better. Don’t ever feel like you were somehow responsible in any way, is that clear?”

“I…” Her eyes slowly evolved from a look of shame, to pure tenacity as she looked up at me. “You’re right. Like I said before, he got what was coming to him.”

I gave a satisfied nod, and looked at the unicorn stallion next. “You sir, yes? You asked about who caused the costume calamity on Nightmare Night. Well, it’s a bit difficult to explain. But what we know for the moment is that Neighsay was using some sort of...runic engine to advance pony magic. But it has unforeseen side effects which caused everypony in Ponyville to become their costumes. His current sentencing is being judged by Twilight, and my team and I are currently looking into who else was affected.”

“Will you kill him as well?” the stallion questioned me in a concerned one.

“No. Not unless I am given the order,” I replied, “Svengallop was considered a waste to us all. But Neighsay holds valuable information that we may need for the future. Therefore, he is to be imprisoned until further notice.”

Last was the earth pony mare. She spoke up again about her previous statement. “Okay, but was kissing Daybreaker really necessary, or did you just wanna sneak a bit of romance on an evil goddess? Are you currently in a relationship? Wouldn’t your partner find that scandalous?” she asked with a determined, curious smirk.

I nearly choked on my own spit. “A-ahem. Um. First off, who I’m in a relationship with, if at all, doesn’t factor into my work. As for that kiss, it was non-romantic. Daybreaker is far from my type, and I only did it to help her come to her senses.”

That’s when Celestia spoke up. “It’s true, honestly. I wouldn’t date him if I had the option. His job is too dangerous. Any mare that hooks up with him has to have nerves of steel. Literally and figuratively if you catch my drift, hmhm,” she added a satisfied chuckle.

While I appreciated her words, why did it feel somewhat embarrassing?

Anyhow, we continued to answer the questions to the best of our ability. The rest of them weren’t very difficult from then on. Stuff such as ‘how do you like your job?’ and ‘do you think Tirek and Chrysalis could be redeemed?’ Basic things. I wasn’t too concerned about these questions. No. Instead, I was focused on the list of names that Neighsay had given us in reference to those he had experimented on. Hopefully Moondancer was capable, and had already cured Blossomforth…

Anyhow, once my interview with the press was over, I bid Twilight goodbye. Not because I wanted to get away as fast as possible (though that was indeed part of it), but mainly due to the fact that Celestia had come to visit her, and their relationship had evolved from mere teacher and student. Now they were just friends. Friends with a lot of catching up to do. Far be it from me to be the type of pony that interrupts things like that, especially since I knew that they didn’t get to see each other often. But I promised her that I will complete my mission to the best of my ability. Thankfully, she did say that Moondancer would come visit me if anything else arose.

So I took the train back home to Ponyville. Things seemed normal as always as I trotted through the small town. Though, I came across something interesting as I neared my house.

“...Kid? Decorating already?” I walked over to Cozy’s place, and saw her already begin to hang lights from off the side of her home. “Um...isn’t it a bit early for that?”

“Pops!” she chirped, and flew down to greet me. “So glad to see you! Whatcha think of my decor so far?” she pointed a hoof at her home.

I raised an eyebrow. Something about this was off. “Seriously, kid? Nightmare Night was just a few days ago, but you’re already prepping for Hearth’s Warming? Not you too…”

She nudged me with her hoof, “Ah, lighten up, pops. It’s a matter of getting ready before they raise the prices on the lights. Rumble and his brother Thunderlane gave me some ideas when they passed by the other day.”

“Oh, nice--wait.” I blinked. Did she just say who I think she just said?

“Hm? What’s wrong? Everything alright, Pale?” she asked with worried eyes.

“...Thunderlane came by, huh? I...see…” I turned around, and started to mumble to myself.

She trotted over, and put one of her wings around my neck. “...If there’s something wrong, you can tell me. Does it have to do with the storm beasts?”

How nice of her. Well, I suppose it wouldn’t do any good to hide it from her, would it? “Well…”

Subject 90: Famous Flyers

I explained everything. Including how Thunderlane was one of the ponies that had been affected by Neighsay’s experimentation. There were also a few others that had undergone the procedures, but we were unsure of just what they’d do as a result.

“I see…” Cozy muttered to herself as she thought about it. “So just like Blossomforth with that Storm Beast thing. I wonder who else might be involved…”

“Well, we have about a month before things get bad, but let’s not take forever with it. First, we need to go see Thunderlane, alright?”

She nodded. “Understood, pops. I know where he lives, too. Scootaloo and Rumble are a couple now, so I learned of where they live from her. Buuut…” she rubbed her hoof into the ground, “I obviously can’t go anywhere on my own…”

I rubbed my hoof across her curly mane. “No sweat, kid. Consider me your escort once again. Though before we go, there’s something...or someone, I need to handle.”

“...Cheerilee, huh?” Cozy asked with a knowing smile, “I honestly don’t think you have much to worry about. She knows that your job is gonna be hard at times, and you’ll have to make difficult decisions.”

While that was true, transparency was the name of the game when it came to how I operated. Hiding things only made them worse. “Even so, I want our relationship to have a foundation of honesty, and integrity.” I pointed at her home, “Head back inside, and prepare anything you think you’ll need for this trip. I’ll be back shortly.”

She shut her eyes and nodded. “Got it, Pale. See you soon.” With that, she opened her eyes and turned around to fly back inside.

Alright, here goes.

I went to Cheerilee’s place, and knocked on the door. I had to admit, I was sweating a little since I didn’t know how she would react. Would she punish me? Blast me out for it? Break up?! No...no...that’s not realistic at all.

The door opened up, and there she was. The most beautiful mare in existence. “Oh, good afternoon, Pale,” she said sweetly, “what brings you by? Need any questions answered, or did you just come to see me?” she asked with a teasing sort of giggle.

“Well...it’s more about the fact that…” I rubbed the back of my head. “You’re aware of what I did to fight off Daybreaker, right? When I...kissed her? You’re not upset at me over that, are you?” I bit my lip, and my heart started to race. I prayed that she would have mercy on me.

“Oh, that? Ohohoho, Pale…” she laughed, and approached me. “What makes you think that could make me stop loving you? I know you only have romantic feelings for me, and would never try to spite me by kissing somepony else on purpose. You’re too good for that.”

“I...uhh…” Admittedly, I didn’t have an answer for that. All I could do is smile with a stupid blush on my face. “Hehe…”

When she got close, Cheerilee placed a kiss on my cheek. “Mm! That’s for being honest with me about something you were concerned about.” And before I could say anything else, she pressed her lips against my own for a much longer, and intimate embrace that lasted for about a minute. “...Mm.” She pulled back, and looked into my eyes, “And that’s for working hard to keep everypony in this little town safe. You really work too hard, you know that?”

My entire muzzle turned a shade of red--mostly from embarrassment over the fact that I could ever think Cheerilee would be angry at me for something so small. “Yeah...I guess you’re right. But...aren’t you worried somepony might’ve seen us?”

“Oh let them look.” She put a hoof on my shoulder. “Plus, now I can tell all of my friends about how my stallion is so strong, he kissed a literal goddess and talked her down. Then rejected her because he’s loyal to his mortal wife, hehe!” she explained with an excited little shimmy of her tail.

That’s when my heart melted. This mare was too good to me, and I felt like I didn’t deserve somepony so precious. The world was a cruel, unkind place that the young me despised and wanted to stain red with the blood of those he came across on an indiscriminate level. But now more than ever...I felt like I really mattered. And Cheerilee’s understanding and caring attitude was just what I needed to get through this life.

“Haha...I suppose that I am...as bold as you claim.”

“Oh, by the way, you’re working today, right?”

I nodded. “Yes. But it shouldn’t be anything heavy or major. Why?”

Cheerilee backed up with a bit of a sly smirk on her face. “Just wondering if you’d like to join me for some...exercise when you’re finished for the day. I’ve been trying to lose weight, and they say that it’s beneficial to have a partner when you’re working up a sweat,” she offered with a wink. If there was one thing that my wife was not good at, it was being subtle.

But I decided to play along. “Really? If that’s the case, I can give you a few pointers when I get back. How does...later this evening sound?”’

“Perfect!” she replied happily, “I’m going back to the schoolhouse to check on a few things for now. So don’t get yourself into any trouble. Mama needs help getting her flank in shape and you’re the only one that can help.” She snickered, and tapped my nose with her hoof as she left her house. “See you later, okay?”

I waved as she left. Now that my head was clear, and I had plans with her for tonight, it gave me newfound motivation to continue doing my job as best I could.

And so, I returned to Cozy’s home. Though when I got there, I heard a pair of giggles from above me. “Eh?”

“Hehehehe…”

I looked up, and saw both Cozy and Scootaloo on the roof with a pair of binoculars. Had they been watching Cheerilee and I the whole time?!

“Yoooo,” I heard Scootaloo comment, “Does this sorta make Cheerilee like your mom now? That’s awesome!”

Cozy continued to giggle until she made eye contact with me. “Oh shoot, he’s spotted us.” They both flew down to greet me. “Um...hey, pops. Scoots just so happened to pass by since she was on her way to Rumble and Thunderlane’s place. So I figured we could all go together.”

“I never would’ve expected that Ms. Cheerilee would’ve found a special somepony after Big Mac got married to Sugar Belle.”

I scoffed, and shot her a smug smile with my eyes narrowed. “You say that as if she had no hope. What? Not confident in your old teacher to score a stallion?”

The orange pegasus mare shook her head. “Oh nononono! I didn’t mean it like that. It’s just…” she looked off to the side, “I figured she would’ve wanted to stay out of the romance game after it didn’t work out back then. But I’m glad to see that she’s found somepony. Though…” she glared at me with a raised eyebrow. “You’d better not do anything to break her heart, understand?”

My eyes shot open. I wasn’t expecting Scootaloo to be so...protective. Then again, she probably picked that up from Rainbow Dash--who had essentially become her older sister. “Wow. That’s a surprise to hear from you. But don’t worry. I’ll take good care of her. Just as she’s done for me.”

Her expression softened, and she hit me with a smile. “Well that’s good to hear. So what are we waiting for? Let’s head up to Rumble’s place!”

Yes, it was time to act. Wait a second. I hoped that Cozy didn’t speak too much of why exactly we needed to go there…

And so we were off. I had to take the hot air balloon and cloudwalk potion in order to get there. But it wasn’t long since I had become used to the method. Cloudsdale also wasn’t seeing a lot of traffic on a day like this, so it was easy for me.

I met up with the pegasus mares at the entrance to the cloudy city. I stepped out of the balloon, and followed them out. Since Scootaloo knew where the stallion’s home was, Cozy and I would follow her.

“You’ve already met him right, Cozy?” Scootaloo asked.

Cozy nodded. “Well, once. I don’t know him that well. Plus, I don’t wanna get too close since you both are already a thing…”

She scoffed. “Pfft. Don’t worry about that. Rumble and I are inseparable! He wouldn’t dare fall for somepony else.”

“Oh?” Cozy asked with a bit of that girlish curiosity. “How long have you two been together?”

“A few years, actually.”

To be quite honest, this didn’t feel like a conversation I should overhear. Though, I had no choice since I was headed in the same direction. Nevertheless, it could aid me with some background information regarding contacts between the two pegasus stallion brothers.

We trotted through the cloudy town. While the ladies spoke with each other, I looked around. As we walked, the local pegasus population had started to shoot some looks towards Cozy. Except, they weren’t judgemental like I had initially thought. Some pegasi looked concerned, others looked surprised. A few even scoffed out of what I can only guess to be envy. It seemed like her overall reception had changed from “unlikable” to “mixed.” I could deal with that, honestly. No matter how many good deeds she did, negative perceptions wouldn’t disappear overnight.

Anyway, Scootaloo led us to one of the many cloud-shaped homes in the middle of the town. A two-story one with pillars that flanked both sides that reminded me of ancient architecture. This was likely their home.

Scootaloo knocked on the door first, and was met with a young, silver pegasus stallion that was about her age. “Aw man, you’re not the pizza guy!” he cried out with a teasing grin. This was Rumble. One of her childhood friends. He used to believe that obtaining a cutie mark would limity what he would be able to accomplish in life. While he learned that ponies were more than just their marks, part of me still believed that they did slightly constrain our culture in a few ways.

“Aw, shut up and let me in you nut,” Scootaloo returned the tease with one of her own as she stepped inside. “Oh, and I brought my friend Cozy Glow. And her handler-slash-father figure Officer Pale Vestige. He wants to ask your brother some questions. Is he here?”

The young stallion blinked once before he answered. “Wait wait wait--my bro’s not in trouble for anything is he?”

“Nah,” I spoke up from behind the group, “I just want to talk to him about a possible...performance enhancer that he might’ve taken.”

Rumble hovered and folded his hooves. “Ah. I’ve been telling him that half those damn things are scams...I just hope he didn’t take any illegal ones,” he said with a shameful shake of his head. “This way, guys.”

We entered the house. To my surprise, everything on the inside was just like any old average house. Normal carpeting, normal curtains, normal staircase that led to the second floor, everything. Why was this a significant detail? Well, I figured most Cloudsdale homes would have opted for a fully cloud style. But I suppose a fridge and stove made of cumulonimbus would not function properly, would it?

“Hey, bro!” Rumble shouted up the staircase, “Scoots is here! I’m gonna take her out back! And there’s a...secret agent dude that wants to see ya!” He looked at Scootaloo, “C’mon. Let’s go.” Then he looked at Cozy and I. “I’ll leave my brother with you guys.”

We watched as the pair of pegasi flew out of the back door and into the yard.

“Huh,” Cozy commented, “Guess that’s one way to make an exit.”

“Why don’t you go join them?” I offered, “I’ll handle business with Thunderlane, and you can spend more time with your friends.”

“...Are you sure?” she asked with hopeful eyes.

I nodded. “Yeah, go ahead. I’ll fill you in on the details once we’re done. Alright, kid? Now go,” I pointed outside where Scootaloo and Rumble were practicing stunt flight tricks.

Cozy flapped her wings, and hovered. “Oh...thanks!” She flew out to the backyard to join them.

Good kid. The more positive reinforcement the better.

After a few moments, the black-ish pegasus trotted down the steps. “Argh...really shouldn’t have hit the hay so late last night.” Like the other Wonderbolts of the previous gen, he aged...decently. There were a few wrinkles under his eyelids, but he didn’t look as stressed as say--Bon Bon. “So...what’s up? You wanted to see me, officer?”

“Thunderlane, yes? We have...a problem…”

I explained the situation in as much detail as possible. Everything about Neighsay’s procedures, and how Thunderlane was one of the names that the old unicorn gave me.

“...and that’s where I am now,” I finished, “So, do you have an idea why your name was brought up?”

The stallion looked away. “Oh that, huh...well...don’t tell anypony, but lately, I’ve been feeling kinda...weak, so to speak.” He popped his wings out, “I’ve been flying and flying for...years. It’s worn down on my body, and I can’t, er...last as long...when I’m flying.” He rubbed the back of his head, “...and other stuff too.”

I immediately caught on. That was a pretty damning thing to deal with. One’s body does indeed tend to break down faster if they’re put through more stress over time. Pegasus bodies in particular were prone to this due to how much more agile and flexible they were compared to Earth Pony and Unicorn bodies. If a pegasus didn’t treat their wings well, they’d be unable to fly as they got older. But I wondered just what Thunderlane accepted from Neighsay for his problem.

“I understand. So what did Neighsay do for you exactly?”

“Well, he created this weird magical seal that’d help keep my stamina up,” he explained, and turned around, “I still have it on me, actually. Right there on my neck.” He pointed to the back of his neck, and I took a closer look.

There was a barely visible branding placed upon his skin. A circular symbol with multiple triangles laced within. This was exactly what I had been looking for. But now, I had to explain it to him without throwing him into a panic. “Okay...I don’t want to alarm you...but it’s entirely possible that a spell is contained in this brand.”

“Uh, yeah. A magic spell to increase my stamina like I asked, right?” he turned to face me again.

I shook my head. “...Yes, while it may be doing that, there could be...unforeseen side effects that you might not be aware of.”

He took a step back, and started to shiver. “...S-side effects? L-Like what??”

“Possibly becoming a demonic beast at worst. But don’t worry. What you need to do is go see Moondancer in Canterlot immediately.”

Crap. That didn’t help. Thunderlane immediately flew out to the backyard in a panicky state, and shouted to his brother. “Rumble! Watch the house! I gotta go!”

His brother stopped flying and tried to ask a question. “Wait wh--”

WOOSH!

But it was too late. Thunderlane had already flown off and away from his home and down towards Ponyville. Likely towards the train station.

It all happened so fast, that I was unprepared. But I had to keep moving. “Come on, Cozy. We need to go see the next pony on the list.”

Her eyes flashed with disappointment for a half-second before they became filled with determination. “Alright, pops. I’m with you. See you later Scoots. Rumb.”

“Aw...see ya…” Rumble replied.

Scootaloo shot him an unimpressed look, and spoke up. “Hey! If you need my or my friend’s help, you know where to find me!”

“Got it!” Cozy replied with a salute before she joined me. She and I both left out of the front door of the pegasus’ brother’s home, and closed the door on our way out.

Then, I started to run. We had no time to waste, and simply could not allow any of the other individuals on the list end up out of our sight before something bad happens. “Come on, Cozy. The next pony we need to see is--”

“HOLD IT RIGHT THERE!” A raspy female voice called out to us. A whoosh of rainbow zipped past us, and a familiar pegasus pony stopped in front of us in our path, which forced us to stop.

Dammit, there was no time for this.

Subject 91: Dash Breaks

“Rainbow Dash?” I responded with an annoyed groan, “What could you possibly want? There’s no time for this!”

Cozy shimmied in place with her hooves pattering against the cloudy ground. “W-we need to keep moving! We don’t know what’s gonna happen if the next pony on our list is hurt.”

“Woah, woah...hang on, guys. Just calm down and relax,” the rainbow pegasus assured us. “I’m not here to cause you any problems. But I’m just curious since I saw Thunderlane rush out of his house just now. What’s going on?”

I suppose there was no getting out of this. Dash could follow us to the ends of the earth if she desired. So getting away from her was completely out of the question. I looked over at Cozy, and nodded once. There was nothing we could do for the moment other than explain what our intentions were to Rainbow.

Cozy got the hint, and calmed down. She stood still next to me as I spoke.

“Okay then. To make a long story short…”

One explanation that I was not in the mood to recount later…

“...and that’s why Thunderlane zoomed off. Currently, he is on his way to see Moondancer right now about the symbol that had been placed on him.”

“Symbol?” Rainbow repeated, “What did it look like?”

I described it from memory. “A circle with three triangles in the midst of it. Why? What’s wrong?”

She tapped her hoof against her chin as she looked down at the ground with a worried stare. “Nothing. It’s just--I think I heard something about Caballeron having the same thing done.”

What a riot. Caballeron was indeed the next name on my list. But of course, I had to hear things out before I made a move. Caballeron was an interesting case. As both he and Daring Do had been known for pillaging artifacts all across Equestria to which the pegasus mare would write about in her novel series of the same name. Yes, it shocked me when I found out that it was all real when I was younger. But anyhow, they both had agreed to stop fighting over things, and published a decent amount of fictional books in the last few decades or so. They were both probably extremely wealthy business partners by this point. And Ahuizotl agreed to stop fighting them since they no longer wanted his treasures. Everyone wins.

But this was interesting to hear. The fact that Rainbow would know about it made me curious. Though, I suppose it made sense. She and Daring were close friends, so anything out of the ordinary or strange would definitely be shared between the two pegasus mares immediately.

I looked over, and saw Cozy already thinking hard with her eyes focused on an empty space in between some clouds in the distance. Smart kid; always with her mental gears turning.

“Okay, then in that case, we should go see him next,” I responded, “That seems the most logical, yes?”

Dash rolled her eyes with an uncertain look. “Welll...I dunno. He’s not the most...sociable type. It took him awhile just to open up to other ponies and his gang members are now charity workers. Go easy on him when you first meet him, okay?”

Oh dear. That didn’t sound too good. But I was well-versed in dealing with delicate situations. I myself was rather delicate in some ways after all.

At last, Cozy broke her own personal silence. “I got an idea,” she explained as she looked up. “Maybe we should meet with Daring Do first. If she can help us speak with Caballeron, we can show up without scaring him.”

“Pfft. When ya put it like that, ya make him sound cowardly,” Rainbow replied with a small laugh, “Haha. But I guess that’s how some of the books went. Anyway, that’s a great idea, Cozy. Your odds of meeting him are better if you’re already friends with AK Yearling. I know where she lives, too. Just tell her RD sent ya,” she pulled out a Daring Do keychain that had her address marked on the back, and offered it to me.

“You’re not coming with us?” I asked as I took it with my hoof.

She shook her head. “I wish. But I got lots of work to do. Flurry’s little speech at that trial sort of inspired me. The Wonderbolts were kind of...boring at one point,” she admitted with a disappointed frown. “I have to be honest. Their potential has been really squandered over the past few decades, and Flash Magnus would be disappointed.”

“Ya got that right,” Cozy said with an unamused expression, eyes narrowed.

“Oi--” I nudged her with one of my hind hooves, and shook my head with a dismissive glare.

“Whaaat? I’m right!” she tried to reply back, which caused Rainbow to laugh even louder.

“Hah! No, she’s right. They suck. But anyway, I’ve gone back and restructured the Wonderbolt’s Academy and reoriented the studies more towards aerial combat, and strategy rather than simply flying around and looking pretty.”

Well I’ll be damned. Rainbow Dash of all ponies had just stated how she wanted to focus on more than just showing off. Next thing you know, pigs will be growing wings and flying right with them!

“That’s hella mature of you,” I praised her with respect, seeing as she was a bit older than me, “As expected from a seasoned Wonderbolt, ma’am.”

“Pshaw!” she scoffed again, and swatted her hoof against the air in a dismissive style, “quit it with the ‘ma’am’ stuff. You’re not one of my recruits. But thank you. The next time Equestria gets attacked, we’ll have a whole back of esteemed fliers ready to fight that are just as strong--and awesome--as me.”

Cozy’s eyes lit up at Rainbow’s words. I suppose she must have been really excited to hear about the Wonderbolts becoming actual fighter pilots again rather than simple stunt ponies. But that glint in her eye quickly faded away as she shook her head. My best guess was the fact that she was concerned over whether or not she would be accepted into such an Academy after what she did in the past.

“That sounds nice,” the pink pegasus said as she shifted the topic, “And we’ll do our best to see what’s going on with Caballeron. I don’t know if you trust me, yet. But you can trust Pale,” she pointed at me. “He’s the best caretaker that a pony could ask for.”

Eek. More compliments. But in this moment, I had to accept them for the sake of inspiring confidence within Rainbow Dash. After all, a former Element of Harmony would know how to trust others better than anypony else. Especially the element of loyalty.

“Yeah, you got that right. I’ll handle the situation promptly,” I said while I puffed my head and neck up higher. I don’t know why I did that, though. Probably to go along with the whole thing about inspiration.

Rainbow didn’t comment on it, thankfully. “Heh. Well, as long as you know what you’re doing,” she replied with a nod. “Anyway, I need to get back to the Academy soon. I was just here on my lunch break. Good luck to you both.” With a salute, Rainbow flew back into the air the same way she had left us.

I took another look at the keychain in the shape of the dull gold pegasus adventure mare who had been famously known for all of her novels. The address was right on the back, and it was a remote location far within Equestria’s outer limits.

Cozy looked at me. “Do you know which way we should go, Pale?”

“Mmm...just about. And I think we can get some help from an old friend of mine. Yearling’s home is located in an area that is in proximity to all sorts of monsters. It’s best if we travel carefully. And if we hit trouble, you get up, and hightail it back here to let Rainbow Dash know, got it?”

She hesitated for a moment, but the kid was smart. I knew she wasn’t going to refuse an order that was logical as well as practical. “Okay, sir,” she responded candidly, “but I’m ready for anything. No matter what happens.

“Good. Then let’s go.”

And so, we were off once more. Cozy and I left the city in the clouds, and headed down to Ponyville to catch ourselves that train. I wasn’t at liberty to disclose exactly how and where we went in order to find Daring Do’s home, but once we got off, we had to do a bit of walking.

Did I say a bit? I meant a lot. At least two hours’ worth.

Thankfully, the fall season made it a nice, chilly day in the Uncharted Region of The Forest. We weren’t even close to being dehydrated.

Though, the kid was getting a bit impatient. “Ugggh,” she groaned as she walked beside me through the forest, “are we there yet? And who’s this friend you’ve asked help from anyway?”

“Ah, he’ll show up fairly soon. He’s got a very tactical way of approaching things. Something that you share in common which could help with our efficiency level,” I said with a bit of a smirk. I looked at the forest through the trees, and suddenly pulled a hard right to prance in another direction. “This way. Yearling’s home is just a few yards down this path and we should see a cottage…”

Cozy followed with what I can only assume was silent excitement.

It was about another five minutes before we finally arrived at the small, wooden house in the middle of the grassy field. “There we go,” I said as I approached the place, “Stay behind me while I knock. You never know what kind of traps that Daring Do might rig her home with…”

“Oooh…” Cozy responded with an eerie sense of wonder.

THUMP-THUMP-THUMP

I tapped the door with my hoof three times. It took yet another five minutes or so before I finally got a response from inside. Though, it was rather muffled.

“Who’s there?! Go away!” cried the voice from inside.

“Um, Rainbow Dash sent us here. We’re actually looking to see you for something important, Ms. Yearling,” I raised my voice so she could hear me better. “This is Officer Vestige of Ponyville.”

As soon as I stated my title, I heard the sound of several locks, chains, and bolts become undone. The door was swiftly opened, and we were met with the dark yellow pegasus with a mane style that appeared to be a grayscale version of Rainbow Dash’s. Huh. There were quite the set of bags under her eyes--likely from aging. Though, she didn’t look bad at all if you asked me. Though it was a surprise to see her without her usual explorer’s hat and vest on.

“Ahem, hello,” she answered swiftly as if she was nervous, “I swear to Twilight that I don’t have any stolen artifacts, substances, or paraphernalia anywhere. I’ve stopped doing that for years. Search the whole house if you want!”

I heard Cozy snicker from behind me.

She must have been really antsy about the complications of her little ‘adventures’ from her past life. But I wasn’t here for that, obviously. “I believe you. But that’s not what I wanted to speak with you about. Do you mind if I come in?”

“Oh...whew…” she exhaled, and stood aside to allow me entry. “Sure. No problem.”

I beckoned Cozy to follow, and we both went inside. AK quickly shut the door behind us. The place was rather...rustic to say the least. Filled with old books on shelves, boxes in a few corners, and sets of chairs that looked as if they could easily cost a fortune on their own!

Yearling ushered us to the dining room table where we all sat. Once there, I explained to her why I had come down here, and the fact that Cozy would be able to help somepony like Caballeron speak with others if possible.

“Ah...I see,” the esteemed author shook her head, “Sorry...I’d love to help, but I’m busy with something rather delicate right now. Some unknown tribe of monsters in the forest has been causing problems and I wanna stop them before it becomes anymore dangerous and they start harming ponies.”

Tribe? Monsters? Not exactly my forte, but I’d be willing to lend a helping hoof if possible. “I see...well, mind if we tag along? If we help you, then maybe you can help us.”

She raised a brow. “Are you sure you wanna bring the kid along?”

“Hey!” Cozy protested, “I’m the same age as Princess Flurry Heart! And I’m plenty capable, too.” She stuck out her tongue with a pouty face.

I nudged her from under the table. “What she meant to say, was that she’s a lot tougher than she looks. Don’t count her out.”

Yearling sighed, and put on her trademark hat. “Alright then. Let’s get going. I’ll fill you both in on the way there. Things are about to get sloppy.”

Yech. Why ‘sloppy’ of all adjectives?

Subject 92: This Is Bugging Me

As promised, Ms. Yearling did explain the details of the enemy she was after as we made our way through the forest. The little bits and pieces of what I heard somehow managed to shock me, even after all I had been through thus far.

“...hold on a second,” I said as we walked along another path, “You mean to tell me that the portals to the human world have caused problems here too?”

Yearling--er, Ms. Do replied coldly, “Essentially. What it basically amounts to, is the fact that strange monsters have started to appear in the forests thanks to the weird combination of human magic mixed with our own. Twilight has assigned me to take on whatever I find. It’s a win-win since I can still write more books out of it for folks like Dash.”

Ah yes. Her fanbase was still rather large. While I wasn’t as big a fan as Rainbow, I did have the occasional Daring Do book. Though, I preferred the titles in which she approached situations tactically, meticulously. The action-based ones were alright, but nothing gets me more excited than a pony who has to put everything on the line based on just how stealthy they can be, lest they mess everything up.

Anyhow, the fact that she was able to still work while also writing about her experiences was a nice little way for things to keep going as they always have. Who knows? Maybe Cozy and I would be featured in the next issue should things go well?

“Hehe…”

Nah, I wouldn’t make for an interesting storybook character.

Cozy noticed that I was giggling, and gave me a nudge with her tail. “What are you laughing at, old man?”

“Hm?” I cleared my throat, and made something up on the spot. “Oh. I was just laughing at how...weak our enemies have to be to resort to using interdimensional magic to cause a threat. Does anyone else know about this, Ms. Do?”

“Nope. I know keeping secrets from the public isn’t exactly ideal, but it helps keep everyone safe...and also doesn’t spoil the end of my books.”

My hoof met my forehead. Seriously? Monetary gain? Meh, it wasn’t the worst thing in the world, but I did not endorse that mindset. But I’d give her the benefit of the doubt. It sounded as if Ms. Do truly cared about the safety of her fellow ponies and creatures.

Cozy spoke up. “Oooh...if that’s the case, then I wonder where the next magical portal is,” she said as her wings flapped in excitement.

“Shh.” Daring Do stopped in the middle of the path, and silently flew up into the sky. I watched her, and she appeared to have gazed at something in the distance. After a moment or two, she came back down to see us. “Alright. I’ve got something you both cover my six, and stand by.”

I nodded. “A friend of mine is going to show up fairly soon for backup in case things get bad. Cozy,” I turned my head to the pink pegasus, “you fly up, and watch over me.”

“Roger,” she replied with a nod before she took off.

Things must have been very dicey if they started off like this. But with Cozy having the ability to fly off at the first sign of danger, it put me a bit more at ease. Though, I still wondered just what exactly could cause things to pop off in such a way.

“Psst. Up here,” Ms. Do called out to me, “I can hear movement up ahead. So be careful.”

Exciting! I gave an assured nod, and started to follow. Through the earth, I could feel a sense of uncertainty and dread. A feeling that reminded me of something that I often experienced in my youth. But that was strange. Just what sort of magic could instill this type of fear within me? I needed to stay alert above all else.

Ms. Do was certainly confident. She moved, and slid around the area as if she knew it like the back of her hoof. Most impressive indeed. She came to a stop behind a set of bushes. “Listen…”

My ear flicked, and I took a moment to listen. I heard what sounded like the flapping of insect wings followed by the sloshing around of some wet, sticky material. The extremely dense level of magic that I felt through the ground had it narrowed down to a few possible things in my head.

And I liked none of them.

“...It sounds eerily familiar,” I said, “Is it possible that it’s that...pond?”

The adventurer pegasus looked at me with an inquisitive stare. “You know about it too?”

I paused for a moment, and looked down at the ground. “...Unfortunately, yes I do. It’s another one of those hidden terrors of Equestria that you can’t find in a book. And what’s scary is that it’s a fairly recent one too.”

Ms. Do sighed. “Alright. The fact that you know what we’re dealing with here makes this a bit easier. But at the same time, I don’t want that young mare’s heart broken. If this crap gets rough, you get your flank out of here,” she put a hoof on my chest while she stared me down, “Understand?”

I was in no position to refuse the order. After all, she was the more experienced one. “Of course,” I replied, “I won’t make any foolish choices that’d result in Cozy losing the one pony that cares about her the most.”

“Alright then...follow my lead.”

It was exciting to say the least. Ms. Do flew on ahead and scouted the area like the daring mare she was. But my concerns were more aimed at the magical sensation I could feel. I honestly didn’t hope that I was correct, because it meant that something--or someone--very dangerous was nearby, and we were walking into something that we weren’t prepared for.

And yet, at the same time, this wasn’t a situation that we could simply stand idle about, and sweep under the rug. Something was about to happen, something bad. And part of me wished that Twilight had informed me about this much sooner so that I could look into it. But gah. No time for that. Daring had already made her way through some trees and into another clearing.

She stopped dead in her tracks, and I saw her jaw drop. “...It’s worse than I thought.”

I stopped next to her and laid my eyes on it.

The magical, acidic pond that gave birth to Queen Chrysalis and the Changeling race.

“No way,” I mumbled as I stared at the pit of green, bubbling liquid in the middle of the open field. “Just how...why hasn’t this been...grr! We need to destroy this thing immediately!”

Daring offered a suggestion. “Well, I don’t know if there’s much that we can do on our own. It’d be best if we leave it be and report it to Twilight so that she can purge it with magic.”

Hmph. I absolutely abhorred the idea of leaving something halfway completed, especially to resort to magic. But Daring had a point. As is, there wasn’t much us, or Cozy could do. At best, we could try and plug it up, but even then, we’d have no clue as to what could happen if anything were to drop in.

“Gah...fine. I understand since we have a very limited number of options in this scenario. Now where’s the kid…”

That’s when Cozy flew back down to us. “Guys!” she squealed with a nervous flap of her wings, “Caballeron is here!”

Daring tilted her head. “What? Since when? Where is he?!”

Cozy pointed over to the pit of acid. “While I was in the air, I saw his body limp, and on the ground unconscious not too far from here. I think it has something to do with this lake…”

Limp? Unconscious? But that would me...no, no. How is that possible?! She was currently still a statue! Okay, calm down. Think this through, detective. “This is just a hunch, but it’s entirely possible that the magic that Daring Do had been talking about has somehow created a portal near this lake. We need to find it, and shut it down immediately. Then we can worry about the lake later.” I looked at the pink pegasus, “Cozy, go with Daring Do and collect Caballeron’s body. I’ll stay here, and watch over this pond so nothing crazy happens.”

“Are you gonna be fine doing that?” asked Ms. Do, “You’re gonna be all alone--where’s that friend of yours that you claimed was gonna show up?”

I answered quickly. “Somepony has to watch our backs to make sure nothing crazy occurs from this stuff. Go on. It won’t take much effort to close a portal and recover a body. And he will. He has a habit of...making an entrance when he wants.”

Cozy nodded, and flew up. “Alright. If we hurry, we can be back in time to get you, and we can be out of here as soon as possible.”

Daring Do sighed, and took off with her. “We’ll be back soon.”

And so they were off. Of course, I knew full well what I did when I sent them away. I was doing it to spare them for what I knew was about to rise out of that lake. The entire time, I could feel it through the earth. A massive amount of magic stirring, ready to burst with power and unleash itself upon the land in a fit of rage to take back what they thought was rightfully theirs.

I took a deep breath, and called out to it.

“You’ve got a lot of balls to appear out of the blue. The Changelings are all good with us now. You have no chance of thriving.”

A guttural, feminine voice growled from beneath the surface of the pond. Her voice came up with a demonic sort of echo. “...You have good skills to have sensed me. Too bad it will do you no good since I intend to take Equestria back for myself, and revive my ‘other half.’” The being rose from the lake, a dark blue (evil) changeling that was about the size of a regular pony. Not as big as Chrysalis, but her magic aura was still threatening all the same with rows and rows of shark-like teeth, and soulless, jet black eyes. The long, flowing mane of dull green made her look attractive in the creepiest way possible. “That idiot Starswirl made it too easy by leaving this place open and not telling anypony...hehehe.”

Disgusting.

Subject 93: Insignificant Insect

“So you’re the one behind Caballeron’s sudden disappearance that Cozy just told me about? What are you planning?”

The ebony-blue changeling approached me with a lick of her lips. Saliva dripped down her razor-like, shark teeth. “It’s simple. As I said, I’m going to steal the love of all the ponies I come in contact with, and then undo the seal on Queen Chrysalis’ bindings, fuse with her, and become the most powerful being in existence,” she said it all so casually as if she was listing items on her Sunday to-do list and giggled, “Hehehe! You have no idea how absolutely braindead Starswirl is. He put up a sign and didn’t tell anypony about this. Some hero of the ponies he is, isn’t he?” Her jet black eyes blinked with an eerie, wet flap sort of noise.

I shuddered. Her entire appearance unnerved me. Coupled with the way she spoke, it really painted a new perspective on the ‘psychotic’ type that I often came across.

“Yeesh...and you think you’ll be able to do all of that? Pfff.” I asked with a scoff, “Everypony has already gotten far stronger since Chrysalis’ last attack two decades ago. And don’t even think about using magic from the portal. It’s being shut down as we speak.”

But this ‘changeling’ brushed it off with a scoff of her own. “Pshaw! I know that! In fact, that’s what I’m counting on.” Her horn lit up, and a sickly green aura was formed. I watched as she absorbed all of the liquid from the lake into her own body. The end result was a harmless pit that was left behind which did inadvertently take care of the problem of sealing it.

Unfortunately, we had a new problem in its place.

When she absorbed the fluid, her eyes changed from an empty black, to a nauseating bright green. “Oooooh yeah! That is the stuff right there! See, I don’t actually give a crap about this little sinkhole. The world at large is going to bow to me...and you get to watch it all go down. Ooh, isn’t it exciting?!” she squealed with a drunken sort of smile.

Yeah, no. There was no way to talk her down from this. This new breed of ‘changeling’ or what have you had totally given herself in to the essence of what created them. I would have no choice but to put her down if I wanted to have a chance of quelling this.

I cricked my neck in both directions to loosen my joints. “So is that why no one has mentioned this wretched pond until now? I see. I’ll have to have a talk with Twilight about that later. For now, you’re coming with me.”

“Hm...nah! I really wish I could come with you, but I’ve got other plans. Let me just…” With a flash of her horn, she cast a spell around the area. Though it didn’t hurt me, it seemed as if she was trying to sense something within me. “Ooooh-hooo...I can see everything right through you. Yup. Okay, so this is how it’s gonna go down.” She leaned forward, and tapped my nose with one of her hole-y hooves, “Boop. The only way to stop me is to kill me.”

I wiggled my nose, and brushed it off just in case she was trying to pull something funny. Also, was she serious? I wasn’t about to jump down that rabbit hole yet again if I didn’t have to. Plus, she...whoever this is had valuable information that couldn’t be taken if she were dead.

That’s when I felt it. My buddy’s aura had made itself known through the earth. Just a few more seconds…

I scoffed, and prepped myself to look as if I was going to fight, “Tch. Not today you’re not.”

But the witch managed to turn it against me pretty fast.

Ghost Ambush leapt at her from the bushes. The cyan earth pony already had potions out, and ready to curse her with everything he had. Unfortunately, she must have seen it coming, because he was quickly subdued by her magic, and caught in a mid-air forcefield of that same sickly green color.

“...! What the--?!” he shouted.

No time to debate it anymore. I had to act. I was about to tackle her, but she had erected a soppy, green substance around my hooves that prevented me from moving. “Wh--! Seriously?!” All four of my limbs were stuck in the forest floor so I pulled, and struggled to free myself. “Grrr! You absolute witch!”

“Nah,” she shook her head casually, as if she was telling a friend what not to eat, “That name doesn’t suit me. How about Abdomenatrix...nah, too much. Maybe Antennabelle? Ooh, that one sounds great. Oh! I remember now! Elytra~”

I grit my teeth, and was about to say something. Until...

SLOSH!

“Pale! Let’s--” I heard another wet, soppy noise from my right! Cozy Glow had returned, but stepped into the changeling’s new trap which caught all of her limbs in the green, sticky substance. “Yeech! What is this stuff? And...w-wait...why is there another dark-looking changeling here?! I thought they were all good now!”

“Pfff,” the new changeling scoffed, “Oh you ponies are such sheep. The fact that Starswirl the Bonehead never bothered to tell anypony about the lake that bred the changeling’s in the first place it’s--” she took a moment to pause, and snort as she laughed. “Heehee-haw! Sorry, it’s just--it’s way too damn funny!”

SWISH!

Daring Do made an attempt to pull off a sneak attack from behind, but wound up in a green, net-like trap instead. “Grr! Are you kidding?” she yelled from inside the trap as she tried to break out, “This is not how it’s supposed to go! It’s like she has eyes in the back of her head or something!”

“Oh I totes do,” the changeling mare replied, and started to lift up her dark green mane, “Wanna see?”

We all nearly threw up.

“NO!” Cozy shouted.

“No one wants to see that!” I cried out.

“We believe you! For real!” Daring Do yelled.

“Hellll naaaaw….” Ghost mumbled with a shudder.

Thankfully, she heard our plea, and didn’t move her mane anymore. “Hmph. Your loss, guys. Anyway. Now that you’re all here, I suppose I’ll tell you what I intend to do in order to take this land over and bring the true, good changelings back into the spotlight.” She cleared her throat, and continued. “Ahem...take all the love and win.”

We waited in silence for a few minutes.

Cozy raised an eyebrow. “Um...is that it?”

“Ahahah!” the changeling laughed while she stomped her hoof in the ground, “You really thought I was gonna explain all the details like I’m some comedic supervillain from some cheesy author’s novels? HAH! Yeah right,” she came down from her laughter, and wiped a tear away from her solid green eyes.

Daring Do coughed.

Okay, I was in the easiest position to escape. My hooves were caught in this disgusting substance, but it was alright. I just had to divert my earth pony magic into my lower body to enhance my physical capability just enough to break free. I just had to…

“But first, I think I’ll make an example of your...big friend here,” she turned to face Ghost, “He looks like he has lots of tasty love to give, hmhmhm.”

His pupils shrank. “Disgustin’. I already got a woman in my life, first off--AGGGHH!”

But the changeling didn’t care. She funneled more of her magic into his trap. “Mmm...shut up. You’re food. Food doesn’t talk.” Through her magic, she was absorbing his vitality like the succubus she was. Ghost’s body became limp in the force field, and we all watched helplessly due to being stuck in traps of our own. “Oh yes! This is delicious! Earth pony love is much stronger and tastier than the others. But it’s a bit harder to digest as a result; though I think I’ll manage. Hehe!” she explained with a satisfied cackle.

“You monster!” Daring Do yelled, “You’ll never get away with this!”

“Oh no. Of course not.” She responded ever so casually once more, “I’m going to leave him within an inch of his life so you all have an example to look forward too. Isn’t that exciting?”

GLCH!

I had freed myself, and lunged forward. I tackled the changeling to the ground, and put my left hoof on her neck with my right hoof reeled back and ready to knock all of her teeth out.

“Ooh, kinky,” she said with an annoying little satisfied chitter, “so, you gonna kill me, then? Go on, daddy! Kill me!”

Part of me wanted to, but I knew that she was too valuable an individual to kill immediately. Plus, I was not going to form a habit of killing again. Not anymore. “I don’t think so. You’re coming with us, and that’s final, understand?”

She laughed with a snidely snort. “Haha! But how do you know I won’t just transform into somepony else? Or escape? I intend to quite literally drain Equestria of all of its life for the sake of my own in order to make a new hive. I think that’s enough of a threat to warrant my death, hm? Hmmm? If you let me go, I’ll just cause more trouble~” she spoke in a teasing tone while she fluttered her eyes at me.

Dammit all. I...I didn’t know what to do. She was making threats against the lives of many, but if I ended her life here, we wouldn’t have any evidence towards her actions, nor could we properly dispense of the magical changeling-creation fluid that she absorbed into herself. But what she also said about capturing her would prove most difficult. Without the use of an anti-change spell, we would have no way to keep track of her, and none of us could cast such a thing. Damn, damn, damn…

My hesitation in that moment was my downfall.

With a flash of her horn, she changed into Cheerilee with a perfect copy of her voice to boot. “I’m sorry, baby.”

SMACK!

With quite the hefty punch, I was thrown backwards, and into a nearby tree. “Oof! Ow...dammit…”

“DAD!” I heard Cozy cry out as she desperately tried to free herself.

The changeling transformed back into her normal form, and looked back at us all. “Sorry to kiss and run, but I have plans to make, and a hive to rebuild. See ya later, guys!” With that, she waved, and flew off into the darkness of the forest.

After a moment, her traps deactivated. Ghost hit the ground with a thud, Cozy was free, and Ms. Do could fly now that the net had been dissolved.

“Dad, dad, look at me!” I watched as Cozy flew over to me. It was a rather nice feeling to know that I was being looked after. “You okay?”

“Yeah...I’m fine,” I replied with a groan, “Ngh...where’s Caballeron?”

Daring Do pointed to some nearby bushes. “I hid him there before I attempted to sneak up on that...whatever the heck she was. Was she really a changeling?”

I sighed, and looked down. I wished that I could have stopped her, but now she was long gone. Likely already making preparations for an invasion of some sort. Dammit. How could I let that happen? What was I thinking? Now everyone was at risk.

Blech. I’d grill myself about it later.

“Okay...get his body, and I’ll get Ghost’s. We need to report to Twilight immediately. This is a Class 7 Emergency,” I explained as I got up. Cozy held onto me to make sure I didn’t hurt myself. I was grateful, but I was nowhere near that old yet.

“Relax, Pale,” she assured me and put one of my hooves around her neck to support my gait, “I’ve got you...no matter what.”

I flashed her a smile, she was a good kid.

What a rough one. But now wasn’t the time to lose my head. After a rough trip back to the Equestrian mainland, followed by a train ride, we arrived in Canterlot that evening.

We took Caballeron and Ghost to the hospital, and notified Moondancer to check up on the former. Both were knocked out completely, but the nature of whatever magical seal that was placed on Caballeron was still an objective that needed to be cleared. Yearling decided to stay there so she could keep an eye on her friend, which was understandable since they had grown closer over the years.

After that, we headed for Canterlot Castle to request an immediate audience with Twilight. So we waited right outside of the throne room doors.

Inside the throne room…

“All I’m saying is...logistically...you made a decision too quickly, Twi. That’s all,” Flash Sentry consoled the Princess.

Twilight sighed into her hoof. “Maybe...but still. No one cared about Svengallop. He was irredeemable, and deserved to face the price for his crimes. He was a murderer, drug dealer, and generally disgusting towards mares. Don’t you think he deserved it?”

“Oh no, absolutely,” Sentry replied, and flew up to stand next to Twilight’s throne, “I wouldn’t want some bastard like that living around either. But at the same time...ordering a detective to make a move like that--even with Vinyl’s help--wasn’t smart. Because now, you’ve only made the situation surrounding his death more suspicious than necessary, you get what I mean? There was no need for that. And now you’ve gone and made him look like he’s the bad guy--the detective, that is.”

“...You really think so, huh?”

The pegasus shrugged. “I can’t answer that for you. I’m just the Captain of the Royal Guard. But right now, I’m not speaking as a guard.” He walked around to the front of her throne so that she could no longer avoid eye contact with him. “I’m speaking as your friend. I know you wanna be more proactive than Celestia was. But there’s such a thing as going too far, you get me?”

Twilight looked down, and recounted her actions. “Is it possible that I’m going too far? I don’t want to end up worse than Daybreaker or someone like Queen Chrysalis. Pony feathers--what should I…” After a moment, she looked up at her Guard Captain. “Flash, I think I--”

He held his hoof up to silence her. “Don’t give me an answer yet. I want you to sleep on this, and really take some time to think about your methods. You’re already doing great as princess, but don’t act as if you have no one to depend upon, okay?”

She was going to say something, but closed her mouth. Instead, she nodded once, and went with a different response. “Alright, Flash. Thanks for the talk. I do have a lot to think about, and maybe it’s...time for some restructuring.”

The pegasus planted a kiss on the alicorn’s cheek. “Good. The first step towards correcting your mistakes is admitting what you did wrong.” He removed his helmet, and let his wild, fuzzy blue mane free. “And with that, I take my leave for the evening. If you need anything, just call. Alright?”

The kiss made her blush, but she didn’t focus upon it for too long. “Got it. Goodnight, Sentry,” Twilight waved as he flew out of the throne room. Just then, she saw a group of ponies at the door who were looking to speak with her. “Enter.”

As soon I heard her say so, we did. Cozy and I walked up to the Princess of Equestria, and explained what had just transpired between us and the newfound changeling-ish pony that claimed she was going to take over.

But when I mentioned the fact that the bug pony brought up Starswirl, Twilight’s eyes shot open.

“What?! He never told us anything about coming across a green oozy lake with bugs and bones! That’s where Chrysalis and her changeling hive came from!” she squealed with frustration, “Augh! But we never knew where it was until now!”

I looked down with shameful sadness in my eyes. “I’m sorry...I wish that I could have stopped her before she got away. She was threatening to end all pony life, and saying that I should’ve killed her. But if I did that then we wouldn’t have been able to gather evidence regarding where she came from.”

Twilight nodded, and stared at me with a stoic expression. “...So you failed to even capture her, then?”

“I’m sorry,” I replied with disappointment in myself, “I shouldn’t have hesitated…”

Cozy tapped my shoulder for comfort. She didn’t say anything, but I knew she wanted to help me feel better.

The purple alicorn leaned back in her throne with a deep sigh. “Whew...okay. It sounds as if to me we’re dealing with Lady Elytra who was a rumored Hive Ruler that supposedly had her own horde of changelings that were dispersed when they all became good under Thorax’s rule. Now she’s trying to get revenge for what she thought was hers.” She pulled out a book from under her throne, and began to flip through the pages. “Yup...that’s about right. Well, the fact that you didn’t kill her was good since we need her alive to find out just how she managed to return. But the fact that she’s escaped and is currently roaming without any surveillance is...troublesome.”

I puffed out my chest with newfound bravery. “Whatever it is, we’ll handle it. I won’t make the same mistake again.”

But what came next was unexpected.

“I’m sorry, Pale,” Twilight said with cold, firm eyes, “but I’m not going to allow you to participate in this case.”

“WHAT?!”

Subject 94: Benched

“You heard me right,” Twilight went on, “I don’t want you involved with the situation of this new changeling queen for various reasons.”

That was unexpected on numerous levels. I thought for certain that Twilight had placed enough trust in me by now to handle any situation. Something else had to be going on for her to say that. “I...will respect your decision, but I have to ask: Just what are the reasons behind not wanting my involvement?”

I could hear her sigh from the other end of the room. Whatever it was must have been rather painful if she wanted to temporize for a moment or two. “I’ve been speaking with my advisors about the decisions I’ve made. And the decisions I’ve had you make. Firstly, the fact that you failed to capture her lets me know that her ability to manipulate ponies is extreme. If faced with her again, you would end up a victim of psychological torment, and wouldn’t be able to complete your task.”

I remained silent. There was no reasonable way for me to refute her point. Lady Elytra, was it? Her. She already seemed much stronger than Chrysalis but in a completely different way. The ability to set up various traps as well as taunt me based on my past and trying to goad me into killing her. It was...yeah.

Twilight continued. “Secondly, I have come to realize just what you’re capable of. You’re a very talented detective with the capacity to follow any given order, and execute someone if necessary.” She got up from her throne, and trotted down the steps as she explained herself further. “But...that’s not what we need for this mission. If you snap and do end up killing her...that could jeopardize everything. And...we need her alive for prosecution.”

Another good point. Now was not the time to fall into my old habits. I suppose this meant that she had second thoughts about what I had done towards Svengallop. If that was indeed the case, then my entire reputation was on the line now. Normally, I didn’t pride myself on what others thought of me. But the last thing I wanted to do was sully my own name and discredit all of the work that I had done for Cozy so far. Even still…

At last, Twilight stopped in front of me. “And lastly, this is a delicate situation that needs to be handled by changelings--the good ones. King Thorax and his kind are going to be more than willing to help us in locating, and putting a stop to Elytra before she gains any ground.”

“And you don’t want me to assist them, because I lack…” I already knew the answer. However, I wanted to hear it straight from the pony’s mouth herself on why I shouldn’t be involved.

“...You lack the skills required to deal with them, unfortunately,” she said as she put a hoof on my shoulder, “Thorax and his kin are easily able to tell apart a real pony from a changeling. That’s something that we regular ponies just can’t do. So I need his help in order to track her down for the good of everypony. But your time is better spent elsewhere. We still need to find out who else has been involved with Neighsay, and how it factors into what’s happened behind the scenes all this time.” She tilted her head with a concerned expression. “You understand, don’t you?”

I had no choice but to. Part of me still felt responsible for the fact that she got away in the first place, and still wanted to set things right. But I also had to reel it in, and comprehend the fact that I just wasn’t cut out for this particular scenario--even if I was still somewhat upset about it.

“...I understand,” I replied, “But in the event you need my help--”

She cut me off. “No. We don’t want to risk the situation getting any messier than it already is. I hereby ban you from being involved with it. I’m sorry, but...it’s for your own good. As well as Cozy. You’ve been on too many outsourced missions as of late, and watching over her should be your top priority.”

Cozy finally spoke up. “...She’s right. We don’t want to cause anypony any trouble, so from here on, we’ll stay behind at home.”

I hung my head with dread as I mused over the possibilities of the worst outcomes in a situation such as this. I was boxed in. My keenness to follow orders had subjected my sense of reason, and now I was being benched. At times, I wished that I wasn’t as willing to fight as I often was. But at any rate, this was how things would have to be for right now. It was getting late, I was tired, and most of all, Twilight was right. Keeping the kid safe was my main focus above all else.

“You don’t need to stay cooped up in your houses like me--er, like chickens--” Twilight stumbled over her words and cleared her throat, “Ahem. Just take time and interview those who have been affected by Neighsay’s craft. After that, let Moondancer do the rest. Understood?”

My head rose, and I faced the alicorn with a stern expression. “On one condition: If we get trouble--that being Cozy and I--if she’s attacked by any rogue changelings, we won’t hesitate to fight back.”

“I never said be totally helpless.” Twilight raised a brow and shot me a suspicious look. “So long as you don’t go picking fights with those stronger than you, then feel free to defend yourselves when necessary. I’m only trying to be cautious because this particular state of affairs requires...caution. By tomorrow, Elytra could have a small army ready to infiltrate certain cities or she could be sending out spies. We won’t know for sure until I consult King Thorax. He is the highest authority on the matter as of now.”

“Understood,” I responded swiftly, “We will take our leave, and head home for the night. Tomorrow, I’ll continue my interviews and send anypony with odd conditions to Moondancer.”

“Good,” the princess replied with a smile, “And one last thing. If you’re approached by the media, tell them what I told you. You have no involvement in the situation, and thus, are unable to comment.”

That was a surprise. Leave it to the purple bookworm of an alicorn to predict the next move of the newscasters. “You think they’ll catch wind of it by tomorrow?”

“Information like this passes through thin walls. Especially since I have to contact Starswirl now in order to verify what he knows about that lake. That alone is going to cause a media outbreak.”

I suppose that was true. The old unicorn was one of the most famous in the known world for having saved Equestria in the past. His mere name being mentioned could draw the attention of anywhere from dozens to hundreds of ponies. On the whole, we were very...drawn towards anything popular. It was our nature. So the precaution about the media from Twilight was a surprising one to be sure, but a welcome one all the same.

“Got it. Goodbye for now, princess.” I turned to take my leave with Cozy.

“See you both soon,” she waved as we walked off, “Do your best out there.”

As we left, I walked towards Moondancer’s home with my head drooped down, lost in thought.

Cozy--ever the valiant one--chose to motivate me. “Let’s check in with Moonsy, pops. Then you have to head home to work out with Cheerilee. You promised.”

Hehe. Sweet kid. There was no way I could be a model example to her by breaking a promise. Plus, Cheerilee would be upset at the fact that I couldn’t apparently take time out of my schedule for her, and that wasn’t going to fly either.

“Yeah you’re right,” I said back as I held my head up, “Don’t worry. I’m not gonna start falling behind now. But first, we need to check up on what Moondancer has found regarding Caballeron…”

I trotted up to the reclusive unicorn’s home, and tapped on the door.

After a moment or two, the yellow unicorn finally answered the door in her pink pajamas that had mathematical symbols patterned all over. Her mane was down and in a messy set of tatters and split ends. Despite this, she appeared to be slightly less annoyed than usual, which was always good. “What’s going on?” she asked, “Oh, you’re here about what I’ve found on Caballeron and Blossomforth, yeah?”

I nodded. “That’s right. We would like to inquire on the situation regarding the rune on his body. What have you found?”

“Alrighty, I’ll keep it simple. The rune that Neighsay applied feeds off of one’s natural magic pool, and enhances is. More strength and durability for earth ponies, more speed and flexibility for pegasi, and more room to cast heavy magic for unicorns.” She explained while she used her magic to lift up a messy, ringed binder that contained all of her notes, as well as her glasses onto her face so he could read.

That didn’t sound so bad on paper. But if there was something I always knew that played a factor in enhancements such as these, it was the side effects. That is what I was most interested in.

“And what are the long-term effects of such a rune?” I questioned.

Moondancer flipped to a certain page. “Hrm...still doing tests. But it reminds me of the old runes that ponies would use to delay curses and other hexes so their victim wouldn’t suspect it until it was too late. This seems to operate under a different principle,” she flipped the binder around to me with her magic. In it, I saw a diagram of the rune, some math symbols, a clock, and what looked like a Ponezilla monster.

“Um…” I raised a hoof to point at the diagram, but to be quite honest...I had absolutely no idea what I was looking at. Was this a mentally advanced thing that I wasn’t able to understand? “In Ponish, please?”

“After a certain amount of time, the subject enduring the procedure will either be enhanced beyond their normal physical means, or be transformed into demonic beasts,” she explained as she closed the binder, “Don’t worry. I’ve already taken care of both Caballeron and Blossomforth. The former still needs rest, but the latter has been cleared.”

Well that was good to hear. But all I could do at this point was focus on finding the rest of the individuals who had undergone the same procedure, and bring them back to Moondancer so she could work on them. After that...I suppose all I could really do would be to focus on keeping Cozy Glow safe during the rise of Elytra or whatever her name was.

This job pained me sometimes.

“Thank you, Moondancer,” I replied, “I’ll be on my way. Have a good night.”

“Alrighty. Night or whatever,” she shut the door.

I checked my watch, and it was about 6PM. As expected with the change in season, the sun was setting a bit sooner than usual. But I had about two hours before I had that scheduled meetup with Cheerilee. That’s when I heard the kid speak up.

“Um...Pale-Pops?”

Pale-Pops? What the--

“Oh, uh,” I turned to face her, “What’s up Cozy?”

She rubbed one of her hind hooves against the other. “Well...it’s not exactly super late yet, so I was wondering if you’d wanna get some food?”

Food? Here in Canterlot?! Shit, first my sanity was starting to break, and now my wallet. Just how could I afford anything here without spending hundreds of bits for a tiny speck of food. “Um...is that a good idea?”

“Oh don’t worry. There’s a place in Canterlot’s Restaurant Row that offers amazing food without cutting too deep into your money,” she suggested with a peppy little grin on her face. “And don’t even worry about it, because I’m buying.”

Now there was something you didn’t hear everyday. Even if it wasn’t expensive, just how was she already working on making money? “Wait, really now? Just how have you come into money?”

“I’ve been doing a few odd jobs here and there,” she explained, “kind of like what Lightning Dust has been doing. It’s stressful, but it’s worth it. Because I’ve finally saved up enough to pay you back for what you’ve done for me.”

Oh goodness. Didn’t she know that I didn’t like being praised for my work? But regardless, it was a sweet gesture. And I had some time free to spend, so I wasn’t going to say no. After all, some bonding with her would do some good for the both of us. “Oh you…” I rolled my eyes to feign annoyance, “Since you’ve made such a generous offer, I guess I can’t refuse.” I beamed at her with a smile. “So where exactly are you taking me?”

Cozy pointed ahead, and fluttered her wings with excitement. “Follow me!” she squealed, and zipped ahead of me towards the commercial district of Canterlot. Her enthusiasm caused many of the nearby nobles to scoff and turn their noses up at her actions. I could hear them think, ‘how uncouth!’ and whatnot.

“Hey, slow down!” I called out as I followed her. It was a weird feeling. I was only in my mid-thirties, and Cozy had just entered her twenties. But I already felt like a father chasing down his unruly kid through a crowded area.

When I finally caught up to her, she had led me to a rather colorful eating establishment that was tucked away between some others. I read the sign up above. “‘The Tasty Treat’? Sounds pretty...tasty.”

“Pops! Over here!” Cozy called out to me as she waved, and trotted inside.

I followed her, and my nose was punched with a variety of exotic spices that I had never smelled nor tasted before. Wow. This suddenly became more exciting than it should have been. The establishment wasn’t very crowded either, which allowed us to be greeted fairly quickly.

An orange unicorn walked up to us, and spoke with a rather interesting accent. “Hello there! I am Saffron Masala, and welcome to The Tasty Treat. Today is your lucky day, my friends. In honor of my father’s business running for a strong 30 years, he and I have decided to hold a Father-Daughter special for all stallions--or other adult males--who bring their daughters and get 20% off!” she proclaimed with a wide grin, and looked at the both of us.

Cozy shot me a smirk, and giggled into her hoof. “Yup! This is my dad alright.”

“Oh my,” she was taken aback for a moment, and looked me over. “You look so young, good sir. You must tell me your secret for keeping your skin looking that beautiful.”

I coughed, and forced a laugh out of it. “Ah-heh! Hehe! Um, no...I’m actually in my mid-thirties. She’s...my adopted daughter, heh...” I responded nervously, and tried to take a step back.

As soon as I said that, I regretted it. Not because I denied being her caretaker, but because of Ms. Masala’s reaction.

“Ah!” she squealed with sparkles in her eyes, and put a hoof around my neck, “Adorable! We need more stallions who are willing to be good fathers! Please have a seat at the finest table we have!”

I shot Cozy a somewhat amused, yet knowing glare. All she did was snicker once more.

This life was never uneventful.

Subject 95: A Relaxing Time Out

Cozy and I both sat down at the table closest to the kitchen. There weren't really any other orders going on, so we were able to sit peacefully as we looked at the menus.

“...Paneer Tikka Masala?” I blinked, and took a closer look at what I had read, “That sounds...interesting.”

“Nepony Style Chow Mein with Fried Grass?” Cozy’s eyes went wide, “I’ll have that please, with a side of the Grilled Cheese Momo.”

I tilted my head. “Momo? Isn’t that some scary bird-like mare that the foals keep talking about?”

Cozy giggled, and turned the menu around to show me some sort of fried dough ball that looked similar to a dumpling but with far neater crinkles. “It’s a dough filled with anything you want! I’m picking the grilled-cheese variation.”

“An excellent choice, dear,” Ms. Masala replied as she took down the order with a pencil and pad held by her magic. “And your side sir?” she addressed me.

I looked over the menu once more, and found something I liked. But the pronunciation slew me mentally. “‘Dhi...kari and Aloo Tina’? That. It looks amazing.”

“Ooh!” Saffron leaned over my shoulder, and almost mushed her face against mine due to excitement, “Dhikari is a steamed dough, and Aloo Tina is a spiced potato curry. You will love it!”

All I could do was give an awkward chuckle. “Heh...um...thank you. I can’t wait to try it.”

Once she had our orders down, she put the pencil in her hair. “Alrightyyyy! I’ll see you both soon!” and she pranced into the kitchen.

Cozy laughed once more. I would never tire of hearing that young mare be happy. “Haha! She’s a riot, isn’t she?”

I folded my hooves, and chuckled. “Yeah, I suppose so.”

All the sudden, Ms. Masala poked her head out of the kitchen door, and levitated a basket filled with ring-shaped rice bread that had been finished off with what smelled like garlic butter. “Just our complimentary sel roti! Enjoy while we prep your main courses!”

“...Damn,” I mumbled, “Is this what being a dad gets you?”

Cozy had already started to nibble on one. “If so, then I don’t want it to stop!”

I shrugged, and bit down on one of the ring-breads as well. It was...rather good, though like everything else here, it had exotic spices and a taste that was both unfamiliar and amazing.

“Mmm…” I took a moment to enjoy it. This was no ordinary garlic. This garlic had been steamed over the course of what tasted like several weeks. This was black garlic. A rare form of garlic that could be used in potions as well as food. As a result, it was also very expensive. And yet, this was just an appetizer? Wow. “...delicious,” I said as I finished it off.

“See?” Cozy leaned forward, “I told you it was worth it! But not only that, coming to a place like this really helps you...relax, you know? I’m not sure if you’re aware, but Saffron and her father are from a place where meditation is key to enlightenment and whatnot. Being able to understand each other through food is...paramount when it comes to their culture. That’s why I wanted to bring you here.”

Smart kid. She knew exactly what I needed at a time like this, it seemed. But beyond that, I couldn’t very well shake off the feeling of not making use of my full potential when it came to something as important as the safety of others.

“Thank, Cozy,” I replied as I flashed her a smile, but my yellow eyes drifted away with uncertainty.

The pink pegasus was quick to notice. “You still feel like you wanna be involved with hunting down the breeder bug, huh?”

I sighed. “A little. It’s my job to protect the lives of those who want to live peacefully. No different than the knights of the previous centuries who have defended this land.”

Cozy’s eyes looked heavy. Almost as if she knew the next thing she was about to say would be harsh. I could feel it. “Well...I have to be honest with you: You’re simply not going to get anything done thinking like that.”

Oh? That was interesting. I appreciated her honesty, and wanted to hear more. “Hm? What do you mean by that?”

She rubbed the back of her neck with a nervous hoof. “You’re...so absorbed in what you think you need to do, that you haven’t stopped to consider what you probably should do. I mean this in the nicest way possible, but you’re being too self-conscious about what others think.” Her uncertain expression became a much more relaxed one as she continued. “You’re a great pony, but you need to work on prioritizing what’s important or else you’ll lose focus...or something like that.”

Well now. I thought she was merely a strategist. Turns out that she was a therapist as well, eh? But she made some good points. How could I go about improving the world when I couldn’t stop to improve myself? It was almost embarrassing, even. The fact that she, a young mare, had to sit me down in a restaurant for me to understand that was...well, it was a testament to just how bone-headed I could be at times. But that's alright. Everyone had to make mistakes before they could improve themselves. The severity of the mistakes, however, is what separates those who can learn from those who cannot.

“Yeah, you’re right, kid,” I responded with a small smile, “I was always buried nose-deep in my work and could never figure out when it might be time to take a clearer look at myself.”

Her wings fluttered with confidence. “Well now’s your chance, Pale-Pops. I’m aware that you pretty much grew up without a family, so it wasn’t easy for you to find guidance. And Ms. Rights is…” she paused, and changed the subject, “Sorry. Anyway. You have a lot of support now. Not just from your work buddies. But from me, Ms. Cheerilee, Tree Hugger, Celestia, Luna, the list goes on. So don’t feel like you need to just do everything. Other ponies are here. So...relax once in a while, okay?”

Also a good point. I was fully confident in King Thorax being able to handle the situation regarding this new crazed bug. But I’d be lying if I said I didn’t care at all. Some small part of me still wished to conduct even a tiny bit of investigation into the issue. But Twilight had banned me from doing so with this particular case. Yeesh. In all my 35 years of existence, I have never exactly been told that I could not take part in something so important. So I guess that had something to do with it as well. Having to get used to staying out of certain scenarios and whatnot.

“Yeah, you have a point, Cozy,” I replied, “Maybe I do need to...think about some things.”

“And hey, Ms. Cheerilee or--Mrs. Vestige--” she said with a giggle, “hehe, is always there for you to do...whatever it is adult ponies do for each other when they’re sad.”

Oh my god. I had to laugh. “...Pfffssshahahaha!” I had realized that, due to the fact that she had been stoned for the past 20-or-so-years, so she had no clue whatsoever about the bump-n-grind, birds and bees, whatever you wanted to call it. She was still innocent on some level, and it just humored me somewhat.

She raised a brow. “What’s so funny?”

“Hahaheheh...heh. Ahem. Sorry about that,” I responded when I finally stopped. “I’ll...tell you about it, soon. But yes. That’s why I’m going back to her place to exercise with her once we eat. Can’t get fat now can we?” I pointed a hoof at her midsection.

She blushed, and glared at me with an intense look of frustration. “Ah--wh--daaaad--I mean, Pale! Why would you say that?”

I guffawed once more. “Pfff! I’m just joking, Cozy. But speaking of which, where is our order…?” I looked around her, and at the doors to the kitchen.

Just as I said that, they burst open, revealing the orange, ethnic unicorn mare trotted out to us while she levitated our dishes with her magic.

For Cozy, the Nepony-style chow mein. It was a lot different from Chineighse chow mein in that there was a lot more sauce on the noodles and veggies. It looked delicious. And of course, her side was the momo dumplings. These differed from Japonese dumplings with more fine curling and the fact that they were apparently filled with grilled cheese. Something clearly influenced by the Western side of the planet.

And levitated down to me was my order.

Paneer Tikka Masala. The dish that the unicorn herself was named after, it seemed. Rightfully deserved, because it smelled amazing. Paneer was a type of South Neighsian cottage cheese which was eaten often in Shire Lanka and Windia. The dish as a whole involved the cheese with a spiced curry/gravy, loads of mixed vegetables, and a bit of hay.

And the side dish...looked like another meal on its own. Thankfully I was famished. Dhikari and Aloo Tina. The dhikari were a half-dozen cylinders of steamed dough that looked really fresh, and rather tasty for something so normal-looking. It went right along with the aloo tina. A bowl of spiced potato curry with rice and what smelled to be a lot of different spices. Honestly, I was both scared, and excited to try it.

Lastly, to drink, we were both given tall mugs of iced tea. This wasn’t like regular tea, though. From what I could smell, it contained sugarcane juice and a splash of buttermilk. Very interesting indeed.

“There you go!” Ms. Masala said once she placed our dishes down. “I’ll be off taking care of other customers. So let me know if you need anything!” she flashed us a smile, and nervously trotted away with beads of sweat that ran down her face. I suppose that she was a bit flustered around new customers. Either that or she was really excited to have us.

“Thank you!” Cozy chirped in response.

“Yes, thank you,” I replied as I stared at my plate.

So we began eating. The food was all around delicious. The paneer cheese was rich, and paired very nicely with the curry. Just as well, the potatoes in the aloon tina made for a nice dipping sauce for the dhikari dough. Much to my dismay, I did my best to eat neatly from each plate and bowl directly. Ah, first-world earth pony problems. No magic and no wing-fingers.

Cozy for example, used her wings to handle the fork. It was perfect for her since her entree was actually far messier than mine. The noodles were covered in thick sauce, and those grilled cheese momo dumplings leaked liquid gold. Thankfully, she also ate as neatly as I. Which was surprising. I figured nopony had been around her long enough to teach her the concept of table manners. And yet she proved she was more than able to maintain proper etiquette.

I swallowed my most recent bite, and looked at her. “How is it?”

“Amazing! Wanna try some?” she offered and raised one of her wings that held some of the noodles on a fork, “I’ll trade you.”

Damn. They looked good, but I wasn’t going to eat off of her plate like that. “Oh, sure. But let me just--”

Before I could say anything, she had grabbed another fork with her other wing, and stuffed my mouth with some of the noodles. “Heehee! There you go. It’s really good, pops,” she watched me chew with bated excitement.

Well that was...new. I had to admit that it felt a little embarrassing to be ‘fed’ by what was apparently my daughter. Though no one else in the room paid any mind. But the noodles...they were amazing.

“Wow...it really is good,” I replied, “Here, try some of mine.”

We laughed, and enjoyed the food overall. We even traded some of what we had on our own plates with each other so we could have an opportunity to taste everything. And boy let me say: the food was beyond exceptional. Easily some of the best I had ever eaten, and the best part is that it did indeed help me feel relaxed as Cozy mentioned before. I felt all of my troubles and anxieties slip away once we had finished.

For the first time in a while, I saw Cozy Glow appear to be...content. No fear, no worries. Just simply content with herself and with me. It was a heartwarming feeling really. But it also reminded me of something else.

“...Cozy? What do you want to do in life? For your future?”

She held back a belch, and cleared her throat. “Uh--ahem. That’s...a tough question, honestly. I can’t really answer it though, since I don’t think anypony would trust me with important jobs involving...anything.” She frowned, but it quickly gave way to a wide, toothy smile. “But seeing you happy, and knowing that I’ve made you proud is all I can ask for, Pale. At this point, you’re the pony I live for, and I want you to have a fulfilling life because I...er,” she paused, and tapped her hoof against her chin as she looked up and to the left, “Jeez, how can I say it without sounding weird…?”

My heart had melted from what she had said so far, but I was curious to hear what else she wanted to tell me. “Hm?”

Cozy sighed, and looked directly at me. “I love you, dad.”

“Oh? Um…” I froze, but only for a moment. I felt tears slowly leak from the sides of my eyes, and I wiped them away with my hoof. “I…”

The pegasus pushed my hoof down. “No need to hide how you feel, pops. I’m right here with you.”

I sniffled, and played it off with a chuckle. But I didn’t want to stop there. I replied as best I could despite my voice having broke a little. “...Love you too, kiddo.” I put my hooves around her in a tight hug, to which she returned the gesture.

I heard some of the other patrons go ‘Awwwww…’ from nearby. I didn’t know whether to feel embarrassed, proud, or both.

After all of that, we were ready to pay up, and head home. Cozy approached the register, and I followed close behind.

“We loved it,” the pegasus said to Saffron Masala, “We’ll be coming back for sure!”

“Excellent!” Saffron replied, “That’ll be 70 bits, oh and…” she stopped, and levitated a small bag onto the counter. “Some free jalebi for you both. It’s similar to what you call cinnamon rolls,” she explained with a smile.

I looked in the bag, and took it between my teeth. “Thank you very much,” I praised her skill, “The food was excellent, and I will be returning with my wife very soon.”

Cozy shot me a knowing smirk as she paid for the meal we ate.

“We would love to have you all,” Saffron replied, “Please do come again, sir. And let me just say, you have a wonderful, generous daughter. Willing to take her father out for a break from his busy work schedule? You must be so proud.”

“Yes…” I looked at Cozy, and ruffled her mane with my hoof. Then I turned to leave,“Yes I am. Have a nice night, Ms. Masala.”

“Oooh…” Cozy pouted, and followed me out. “Thank you for everything!”

“Bye! Come again!” I heard Saffron say as we left. “Ah...we need more good father-daughter pairings in this world. Don’t you agree, father?”

From the kitchen, Coriander Cumin called her. “Most certainly, Saffron. Can you help me with this next order?”

“Coming!”

Cozy and I walked out into the city of Canterlot as nighttime took over. Now that we had left, I explained something that I wanted to get off my chest since we entered the place.

“I never would’ve expected Saffron Masala and her father to still be working here. When I was younger, the place had just opened and Rarity and Pinkie helped advertise it. But even now, two decades later, they’re still working together…” my eyes went wide. “It’s crazy.”

Cozy nudged me. “I guess that’s the power of father-daughter bonding, isn’t it? It’s unbreakable.”

Heh. This kid was something else.

“You got that right. But now, I’m ready to head home,” I said as I checked my watch. “Ah, perfect. If we catch the train now, I can meet Cheerilee on time for our workout session.”

“Mind if I watch?” Cozy asked with innocent eyes, “I could use the help for a good workout routine.”

No way in Tartarus was I going to let her see that.

“Um...maybe tomorrow,” I explained it to her carefully, “For now, she’s helping me with my balance and whatnot. Can’t be observed by others.”

Luckily for me, she bought it. “Okay, pops,” she responded with a grin, “I’m kinda sleepy anyways. So let’s catch the train and get home.”

Whew. Dodged a bullet there. An adorable, pink bullet.

Subject 96: My Lovely Teacher

So we both went home. Cozy had actually fallen asleep next to me part way through the train ride, so I kept watch over her so she didn’t get jostled around when the train shook from its motion.

Right on time at 8PM is when I arrived at Cheerilee’s place. Cozy’s home was nearby, so she was able to head there within a reasonable amount of time. Of course, I kept an eye on her the whole way to ensure that she got there safely. As soon as she did, I breathed a sigh of relief, and knocked on the teacher’s door. She had also given me the rest of the cinnamon pastries from the Tasty Treat and told me to give them to Cheerilee. Something about sharing the passion or something?

Anyway, the door opened, and I was met with her adorable, cheery expression as always. “Ah! You’re here! And just in time, too,” she said as she grabbed my hoof, and pulled me inside. Then she immediately shut the door. “I’ve been waiting for a moment where we could spend some alone time together without you having to worry about your job or anything interrupting you.”

I set the bag of sweets on her kitchen counter, and took off my coat and hat to get more comfortable. “Yeah...I apologize for that,” I replied with a frown as I put my coat on the nearby rack, “My job knows no boundaries when it comes to my own personal life. But fortunately, I won’t have to worry about that too much for the time being.”

“Hm?” Cheerilee tilted her head with a concerned expression, hoof raised. “What do you mean by that, Pale?”

I waved my hoof downwards to dismiss any negativity. “Ah, it’s nothing. Twilight just wants me to take some time away from working on this new case involving some evil changeling that’s returned.” Of course, I didn’t wanna give her all of the details, because I didn’t want to alarm her. But it was just enough for her to form a rather intelligent response befitting that of a teacher.

“I see...far be it from me to judge a situation without enough info on the situation, but...maybe it’s best if you do relax for a while. You do so much, and never stop to think of yourself,” she approached me, and nuzzled her head against the bottom of my chin, “You need to stop and smell the flowers sometimes, you know?”

Flowers. I looked at her cutie mark. Three flowers with smiles in the middle. Then I looked at my own. A lone puzzle piece. The more I thought about it, that statement Daybreaker made on Nightmare Night was correct. I was indeed an ‘Unknown Actor’ and so were the rest of my friends. Actors in a play of the unknown calamity and hatred-filled script we called life. Shakesponian description, yes. But valid all the same.

Anyhow, I placed a kiss upon her forehead, and smiled down at the purple mare. “Yes...I should. The last thing I want to do is do something too crazy and end up half-dead because I made a decision that I wasn’t proud of. Even now, part of me still wishes that I didn’t follow through on killing Svengallop so readily…”

Cheerilee stopped, and pulled me over to the couch. “We all have to make difficult decisions, Pale. But just because a choice is better than another, doesn’t make that choice good.” She sat down, and I sat down with her. “Do you get what I’m saying?”

“Yeah…” I knew very well the intent behind her words. Both to lecture, and to comfort me when I needed her most. I couldn’t fault her for that. The problem laid within me. I was stubborn, and would go to the ends of the earth for what the truth behind something really was. But maybe...maybe I didn’t need to go so far. “You’re right, Cheery. There are no definite answers to these types of problems. All I can really do is focus on making more conscious decisions going forward.”

“Great!” she clapped her hooves, “And what do you mean by that? What exactly will you do to learn from what you’ve experienced so far?” she asked in that motherly tone of hers. Leave it to the schoolteacher to dig deep and pull exactly what you need to improve upon.

“...I need to be able to take a step back, and weigh the options of what a better choice to make would be. I can’t just...accept an order without processing the implications of it first.” I looked down at the carpet with a sigh. “Instead, I acted upon my emotions like a complete fool out of a sick, selfish desire to see Svengallop dead by my own hooves.” I looked at the rack that I had placed my coat and hat upon with a remorseful stare. “Do I truly deserve to wear that coat, that badge, and that hat? Am I...truly a stallion of honor? Or honor before reason?”

Cheerilee got closer, and huddled up next to me. She planted a kiss on my cheek. “You’re smart. You’re intelligent, funny, strong, kind, and above all else--brave. I couldn’t ask for a better stallion to enter my life than you, Pale. You know that. You not only convinced the public to let Cozy have another chance to earn an honest living, but you fought off a crime syndicate, and talked down a rabid goddess of hatred and hellfire. Many ponies would consider you crazy for the things you do,” she paused and giggled. “Hehehe! While they may be a little bit correct, the fact of the matter is that you take risks nopony else is willing to take and you’re willing to correct what others don’t notice. I’d say you’re more than worthy of the position, badge or no.”

My heart felt like it had been ground into fresh mulch. Her sweetness and sensitivity overwhelmed me as I did my best to hold back my tears. “I...you think so?”

“Of course I do,” she replied with a loving smile, “Granted, I don’t want you going out and dying because of a foolish decision you’ve made. Which is why I wanted to take the time to talk to you. You’re better than that, Pale. Don’t let yourself fall behind and into the same trap that others have?”

I shuddered from the inside. Just what could she mean? “What sort of trap is that?”

“The trap of self-doubt, lack of self-esteem, self-deprecation. Whatever you want to call it. Twilight isn’t denying you access to this case because you’re a bad agent--far from it. You’re the best there ever was.” She put a hoof on my back, and rubbed in gentle circles. “But the reason why she is, is because she doesn’t want to put you in a position where you’re vulnerable and at risk for making a decision that you’ll regret for the rest of your life. Do you get it?”

Her soothing words and actions helped me relax. Twas true. I had gotten lost in my own swirling torrent of uncertainty that I genuinely didn’t know what to do next. But that had to change. I was not going to remain in a slump forever, and sit idle in my own head. That wasn’t healthy, and I knew that.

“...You’re right, Cheery. I can’t believe I stooped that low. But no more. I refuse to let myself end up unable to act because I refused to think for myself. I just need to…” I shut my eyes, put my hooves against the sides of my head, and rubbed my temples to relax myself. “Empty my mind, and focus on what matters most.”

It was her turn to ask the important question. “Oh? What’s that, dear?”

I opened my eyes, and looked directly into those beautiful, green eyes of hers. “...You, Cozy, my crewmates, and myself.”

She gasped. “Ah! Finally!”

I tiled my head. “Um...what’s the matter?”

She giggled, and put her hooves around me. “You’ve finally mentioned the fact that you’re going to take care of not only us, but yourself as well. That’s the most important thing that can be done!”

Well, she did have a point, heh. I could exactly refuse what she said since she knew that I couldn’t exactly take care of anyone else if I didn’t take care of myself. “Heheh...right again, Cheerilee.”

She nuzzled the side of her cheek against my own. “Good. Now then...why don’t we start with our--”

DING-DONG!

Cheerilee’s doorbell rang, and we both looked up.

“Who could that be? It’s going to be late soon.” she wondered aloud. The mare got up, and went to the door to see who it was. “Starlight? Now what could she want?”

I shrugged, and waited for her to open it.

Cheerilee opened the door to see the pink unicorn. “Hello?”

“Ahem! Hi, yes,” she replied from outside, “Is Pale here? I was just at Cozy’s house, and she told me that Pale was probably here if he wasn’t at his own place.”

“Oh, yes he is,” the earth pony answered, “Did something happen?”

Her response was swift. “Oh no! No! I just...have a message for him from Twilight.”

Wait a minute, already? We had only left Twilight’s castle a few hours ago. How could she have already gotten a message to her? I bet it was that darn dragon of hers. Well, there was no point in making it last longer than necessary, I suppose.

I got up, and walked over to the front door next to Cheerilee. “Ms. Glimmer? Is something wrong?”

“Ah! No-no!” she repeated, “Nothing’s going on. I just have to tell you something that Twilight wanted you to hear.”

Cheerilee had left from the front door, and retreated to the living room which allowed me to stand in the doorway to hear the message for myself. “Oh?” I asked, “Okay then. What is it?”

Starlight cleared her throat, and spoke more candidly. “Alright. In a nutshell, Twilight just wants you to be aware that she appointed me to keep an eye on you to make sure you don’t get involved with the new changeling situation.”

“She what?” I rolled my eyes, and sighed with my hoof against my forehead.

“I know, I know,” Starlight replied with a shrug, and an annoyed frown on her face. “I was confused also, but she told me to let you know since she wanted to have full transparency with you and whatnot. Spying on you would’ve only made it more complicated, you know?” she explained, and tried to pass it off with a nervous, cheeky smile.

There was nothing I could do there. My hooves were tied, in a sense. Now I knew for sure that I would be unable to take part in this case if Glimmer was notified of what had transpired. Nothing escapes that mare’s sight with how many friends she has. Not that I was going to break her rule or anything. But still...it was somewhat troublesome to deal with.

Anyhow, I replied amicably. “I understand completely. You won’t catch me getting involved with anything regarding that situation. I can assure you. I have no interest in it, anyways.” Probably shouldn’t have worded it like that, but I had to ensure her of my stance.

Naturally, Starlight looked at me with eyes of suspicion for a moment. “Riiight...anyway.” She turned around to leave, “Have a nice night, sir. Sorry to interrupt.”

I waved as the unicorn trotted off. “No problem at all. Have a good evening!” And I shut the door.

Outside…

“...Can you do me a favor and make sure nothing goes wrong? I know Twilight trusts him, but I just want to be sure he won’t try and plan a counterattack on the bug behind our backs. Just keep an eye on them from a window or something.”

“Heh! No problem at all, Starlight. I will keep tabs on him with my great and powerful--!”

Starlight stuffed a hoof in her friend’s mouth. “Just make sure he doesn’t do anything funny, okay? You can go to bed after an hour or so.”

“Mmph! Ptew!” She spat the hoof out. “Hmph. Of course, my friend. Leave it to me!”

Yeesh. How annoying. Did Twilight really not trust me enough to be able to control myself on my own? I won’t lie, it felt a bit painful to know that she didn’t take my word. Then again, I knew she trusted one of her closest friends far more than she could ever trust me. So I had to accept that, and move forward.

I sighed, and went back to the living room where Cheerilee had started to prepare for her exercise routine with stretches.

“What was that about?” she asked.

“Ah just making sure I’m not involved or whatever.” I shrugged, and watched her stretch, “But that’s not important right now. What is important, is helping you with your...exercises, was it?”

Cheerilee giggled with a sly smile. “Ah yes, finally we can get started. Now, lie down on the floor.”

“Yes, ma’am,” I did as she asked with a smile of my own.

Maybe this could help take my mind off things.

Subject 97: Hidden Desires

I had to say that our workout was a really good one. There were some strange yoga poses and positions that Tree Hugger had apparently taught to Cheerilee, but it was worth it to see what she could do. For the first one, she was on top of me, and applied a lot of pressure to my body to help grind out my stress and tensions. It also assisted her in feeling relaxed as well, because I heard her give a satisfied sigh.

It was difficult to keep up with a mare that was a bit older, and far more experienced than I was. But I guess that was half the fun of it, wasn’t it? Though, after the first set of exercise, I was already panting a little.

“Are you tired?” she asked with a teasing flutter of her eyes.

I blushed, and chuckled. “Hehe...nah, I’m good. You’re amazing at this, though.”

She giggled as she stood up. “Well, when your parents stay on your flank about staying in shape and finding the right guy, you learn how to do a thing or two. I could feel your hooves the whole time. The muscular tension was thick enough to cut through.” She turned around, and prepared to start the next one.

“Wait...your parents?” I asked, “What’s the matter with them?”

Cheerilee turned her head to look at me as she bent downwards to engage the next position. “Ah...well, I suppose now’s a good time to tell you. To make a long story short, they were always trying to push me around to getting with a guy and it got to a point where I felt like having a romantic partner was the only way I could feel...validated within myself if that makes any sense,” she explained with a frown.

“And how do you feel now?”

That frown became a smile. “That I needed to find happiness within myself first before I could realize that there was somepony out there that could love me. That being...you.”

Oof. That hit me right in the best spot: My heart. It felt like I had fallen in love with her all over again. “Wow...I...I never would have expected.”

She giggled, and wiggled her tail at me. “Yes. You deserve all the love in the world. Now...are you going to help this old mare with the next stretch, or do I have to do it myself?”

I smiled, and approached her. “No, ma’am. I’m always willing to try new things.”

Outside…

“Now let’s see if you really are going to stay out of business where you don’t belong, Pale Vest--” Trixie stopped dead in her tracks as she stared through the window. A shade of crimson across her muzzle. “...”

At Cozy’s Home…

Since dad was doing stuff with Cheerilee, I knew he’d be in good hooves for the time being. All I was worried about was my next move regarding how I’d make money and move up through life. As for my future...I had no idea. Pale had given me a second chance, but who's to say that I really had an opportunity to redeem myself? It was all very...confusing for me to think about.

I sighed, and sat down on my couch to watch TV for a while. It was a strange thing to witness, technology had advanced since I had been turned to stone for twenty years. Businesses flourished, ponies had mechanical augments, new types of weapons and magic had been developed. By golly, the world was a whole new place!

Not to mention the advent and creation of loads of new agencies to seek out and uncover secrets like the one that Pale was a part of. Part of me really wanted to be more involved somehow. But I knew that not everypony would trust me. It was on me, myself, and I to earn back the trust that I had burned all those years ago. With Hearth’s Warming Eve next month, I’d need all the support I could get.

And I already had some ideas.

Knock-knock!

My ear flicked when I heard a light tap upon my front door.

“Coming!” I responded. I flew over to the door, and opened it to find the yellow earth pony mare from the Apple Family Farm. “...Applebloom? What are you doing here so late?”

She had a saddle on her back. Tied down to that saddle with three straps was a steel case that held two apple pies inside. “Mind if Ah come in?” she asked.

I sniffed, and got a waft of delicious cinnamon apple that hit my nose. “Sure, no problem! What’s the pie for?” I let her in, and closed the door behind her.

Applebloom trotted into the dining room, and placed the case on my table. “These are yer bonuses for helpin’ me out at the farm the other day. If ya wanna become a full-time helper, just say the word.”

“F-for me?” I couldn’t believe it. That was so awesome of her to do. But taking a job at the Farm full time? No way. Applejack would throw a fit both at me and her sister. And that was the last thing I wanted. “Thank you so much. But I-I don’t think AJ would want…”

“Shuck, sugarcube,” the youngest Apple sibling consoled me with her older sister’s favorite term of endearment, “Ya’ll ain’t got nothin’ to worry about. Starlight became friends with mah sister and Ah in no time. What makes ya think ya can’t do the same?”

I tapped my hooves together nervously. I wasn’t exactly sure how to put it into words, but I did my best. “Because...well, I’m just concerned for whether or not I...can show that I’m worth being her friend.”

The yellow earth pony put her hoof on my shoulders, and gazed into my eyes with her own honest ones. “Cozy. Ya’ll wanna know somethin’ Granny Smith told me before she passed?”

That’s something I never would’ve expected. Bringing up her deceased grandmother for a conversation like this...it must have been really important to her. So I made an effort to hear her out. “What did she tell you?”

“She said, ‘If somepony wants to make a change for the better, no matter who they are. Give them that chance. Only if they deny it should ya take ‘em down.’ And looks like to me that yer takin’ the chance, ain’tcha?”

I nodded. “Well, yes. Pale fought so hard to bring me back. So it’s only fair that I listen to what he says and try to make friends with others. I can’t undo what I did in the past, but I can still be a better pony today.” That was unexpected. Applebloom was surprisingly motivational, and it gave me the ammunition I needed to go forward. However, I didn’t want to be locked into being a farmer. I wanted...something. I just didn’t know what it was yet. “For now...I think I’ll help out on your farm when I can, if that’s okay.”

“Ain’t nothin’ to it. Ya know, Applejack and Ah just started harvestin’ pumpkins fer the Ponyville Days Festival this comin’ Fall.” She nudged me with her hoof, “We could sure use a helpin’ hoof. And then, ya’ll may even find somepony that’s willin’ to give ya a job! What is is that yer good at?”

I tapped my hoof on the ground. “Um...planning? Organization? Scheming? Tactics?”

Applebloom rubbed her hoof against her chin as she gave it some thought. “Hmm...sounds like you’d be the perfect manager fer...somethin’! Heh. Er, sorry. It’ll come to ya, don’t worry.”

“Yeah, you have a point. And thanks for the pie. Wanna stay and eat some together?”

She shook her head. “Would love to, but Ah gotta get back home, and start workin’ on mah alchemy studies. Ya know, muh potions n’ junk. Ya never know when somepony’s gonna need a brew.” She grabbed her saddle, and giggled. “Hehe. Plus, Ah got like half a dozens pies in the fridge at home.”

Oh duh! Why didn’t I think of that? I laughed along with her as I escorted her to the door. “Well, thanks for that Bloom. I’ll be sure to think about what you said.”

Applebloom trotted through the door as I opened it. She was about to say goodbye when I saw her ear flick. “Hm? Now what’s she doin’ over there?”

“Eh?” I poked my head out of the front door. Applebloom pointed towards Pale’s house that was just across the road. I looked a bit closer, and saw Trixie hiding in the bushes. Wait what?! Was she spying on him? Unless...oh…I knew why.

“That’s a bit strange ain’t it, Cozy?” she looked at me with a glare of confusion.

“Well...I think it’s because she’s probably been ordered by Princess Twilight to make sure Pale doesn’t do anything crazy.”

She continued to stare at me, now even more confused than before. “Wait, wait, what? Ya’ll gon’ have to back it up, partner. Ah thought Twilight liked makin’ use of his skills. What happened?!”

Well, it was going to be interesting to see how she’d react, that was for certain.

“No way!” Applebloom shouted, her bow stood up on end along with her ears, even, “So there’s this new Changelin’ that’s out and about and he can’t help find her? Landsakes, that’s a heavy load.”

“Well..she’s not exactly active yet since she doesn’t have an army. But King Thorax is going to assist in tracking her down,” I explained, “But yeah. Pale’s not allowed to get involved, so I’m guessing Trixie’s just watching out for what he might do.”

The earth pony mare scoffed. “Tch. Yeah, that’ll totally work. And Ah think Ocellus might be able to help if she catches wind’a this, ya feel?”

“Most definitely,” I replied with an earnest nod. Then I looked up, and saw Trixie quickly get up, and flee the scene with a bit of a spooked look on her face. What could she have seen in Pale’s house that made her get so...scared? “Well that was weird, what could be going on that made her leave?”

“I dunno,” Applebloom replied as she watched the blue unicorn dart off into the night. “But we probably should see what’s goin’ on fer ourselves. Make sure nothin’ bad is happenin’.”

“Agreed.” I said as I stepped outside of my house, and closed the door behind me, “Let’s go.”

And so, Applebloom and I walked across the road on the quiet night to see just what been happening in Pale’s house that warranted Trixie to spy on him, and simultaneously made her run away.

The answer was something I wasn’t prepared for. Literally.

As we got closer, we could hear faint grunts, and groans that came from inside. It sounded like Cheerilee and Pale were really working out hard in there. But for whatever reason, Applebloom looked put off as well. Her ears--and bow--drooped downwards.

“Uhhh...maybe we should head back home,” she commented and started to back away.

I tilted my head. “Eh? What are you talking about? It just sounds like they’re working out. Probably wrestling, or whatever.”

“Oh my Twilight Sparkle above. She’s been in stone fer so long that ain’t nopony’s taught her about the bees and the birds! Ah knew from experience when Ah heard Big Mac and Sugar Belle ‘wrasslin’. That ain’t wrasslin’! But Ah gotta make sure she don’t find out. At least not yet.”

Applebloom looked like she was lost in thought for a moment. I was about to say something, but she spoke out of the blue. “Um….why don’t we have a sleepover, heh! That way we can keep talkin’ and learn more about what ya wanna do?”

“Hm…” I tapped my hoof against the ground. I guess Pale and Cheerilee working out wasn’t very interesting to look at. “A sleepover sounds pretty cool. I got loads of snacks and stuff that aren’t apple-related. And some new craft projects I’ve been working on. Wanna see?”” I trotted back across the road to my house, satisfied knowing that Pale was happy.

“Phew. Thank heavens. Dodged a mighty explosive bullet, there.” Applebloom thought to herself as she followed. “Sure! Ah’d love to!”

Subject 98: What She Wants

Our workout lasted for a long while. Both of us being earth ponies, we had enough stamina to last us half the night. It was quite the fun experience. She and I both rested together on the floor. I was on my back and Cheerilee lied on top of me with her ear on my chest. I couldn’t feel any happier…

“It’s been four hours…” Cheerilee looked up at her clock with a grin, “That’s a new record.”

“Mm...yes it is…” I replied with a bit of a blush on my face.

She leaned up, and placed a kiss on my nose. “Oh don’t get cold hooves now. Not after what we’ve done, hmhm!” she said with a giggle.

That’s when my thoughts started to wander. I wondered how Cheerilee would think about our future together. “...Cheery? Do you want kids?”

The purple mare held onto me a bit tighter. “Oh...I’ve thought about it. But it’s far too late, I’m afraid. At my age, I’m essentially infertile and can’t really have children on my own. Though...from what I can tell, you already have a kid, don’t you?” she shot me a knowing smile.

Yeah, there it was. It was time to face facts. I had essentially become like a father to Cozy Glow. And it was...an interesting experience to say the least. Throughout my life I had focused entirely on my job and the safety of others around me. Of course nowadays, not much has changed. That’s what I still focus on in a primary sense. But I suppose taking a break every now and again never hurt anypony.

“I do, actually. I hadn’t given it much thought until now, but Cozy pretty much is like my daughter now. And...well, she deserves it. Her parents cast her out and never bothered to give her that chance...but look at her now. She’s mostly adapted to this new world despite having been trapped in stone for so long.” I put a hoof around her back to bring Cheerilee in that much closer. “I’d say it’s been worth it.”

“Even if your job is difficult? Even if Twilight may want you to avoid being involved in certain situations?” she asked.

I responded with the best answer I could think of. “Nothing is absolute in this world. I can’t one-hundred percent promise that I’ll stay out of everything she asks me to. If something threatens you or Cozy, then I won’t choose to stand idle.” My gaze became a bit more stoic as I went on. “No matter what dangers come our way. I will fight as hard as I can.”

Cheerilee giggled, and nuzzled my neck. “Ohohoho, there you go...always thinking about others and how you can improve their lives. It’s noble, but you need to remember to look after yourself as well.”

I nodded. “Absolutely. I won’t ever falter in that regard. You’ve shown me that I matter to other ponies a lot more than I’ve realized. Still...I wish I could help Cozy with whatever inner traumas she faces.”

“Oh...I think I can help with that.”

That sounded both exciting and ominous, coming from her. “Wait what? You can?”

“Mm-hmm. Not only am I a well-renowned teacher, but I have lots of connections to other...lesson specialists in the field. I can figure out what’s eating her no problem, dear.”

Well now that was nice to hear. The fact that she was more than willing to assist Cozy where I could not was very heartwarming. “...Wow, you’re already adjusting to being her mother. You’re like the perfect wife.”

She blushed, and brushed it off with a giggle. “Heheh! Not even close. You’re the better husband by far!”

Husband, hm? That was a nice thing to hear. I wondered…

“Say, Cheery...do you want to get married?”

“Well…” she took a moment before she replied, “...I know I said I loathed the idea of marriage and being shackled to another pony for the rest of my life. But...now, I’m reconsidering it.”

I decided to take her words and spin them around as a joke. As any good husband would. “Ooh, shackles? We’re getting a bit kinky quickly, aren’t we?” I said with a grin.

At first, she scoffed, but burst out into laughter. “Ahahaha! Good one, dear. But in all seriousness, I’m considering it because...I don’t know, I want to be...as close to you as possible. I genuinely love you.”

Now that the joke had passed, I too brought it down with a rather important question. “I love you too, but...is it really worth the legally binding contract of marriage? One that could complicate every aspect of our lives should the spark of our love fizzle out?”

Silence for a moment. Cheerilee hesitated to answer, but didn’t move. Part of me was afraid that I had asked the worst possible question, and that her reply would be so harsh that it would send me though an emotional breakdown.

But that’s not what happened.

“I...am aware of that possibility. Love is a very fickle thing that can’t be predicted or understood by our own minds. All we can do is...our best.”

Wise words indeed. But my concern over what exactly she thought had not yet been eased. “So...do you wish to be married? There is no obligation to do so.” I ran my hoof through her mane in a gentle, protective fashion. “You are already my wife. Without all that fancy paperwork, dresses, suits, ceremonies, cake, gifts, and whatnot. I love you too, Cheerilee, and want to see you grow and prosper through your life as much as possible.”

“I love you too, Pale...with or without some stupid dress that I’ll only wear once,” she remarked with a cute little laugh. “Haha! I mean, seriously, who thought up that concept, anyways?”

“Or how about the fact that you toss a bouquet and the mare that catches it is next to get married,” I commented with a scoff, “Heh. If Cozy ended up catching it, I would burn it. She does not need to be entrapped within something like this at her age.”:

Cheerilee continued with the roasts towards the concept of marriage. “And the gifts! Ugh! Every single damn wedding I’ve been to, the friends and family of the bride and groom never get them something they’ll actually want. They just offer up basic things like a toaster, mixers, cookie sheets. Oh boy, if I ever invited anypony to my wedding and got a darn pair of horseshoes, I’d throw them out!”

I laughed next, and rattled off more complications involved with the affair. “And the in-laws. Oh god the in-laws. Nopony wants to deal with their in-laws!”

The purple mare feigned a gag motion with her mouth. “Yeck! If we ever get married, I know for damn sure that I won’t be inviting my parents.”

Well now. That was unexpected. I knew Cheerilee held contempt for her parents in some ways. But enough to warrant not even giving them invitations to the wedding? Wow. “...Do you mind if I ask why?”

“Oh. Well, I’ve already told you about the fact that they pushed me to get married constantly, right?”

I nodded. “That’s right.”

“Well, it got to a point where I decided to leave home early, and pursue my career as a teacher. All they said was the fact that I should just marry a rich stallion with a doctor or lawyer job, and be a good wife.”

It was my turn to almost gag. I couldn’t believe that. “Disgusting...individuals that choose to value their lives based entirely upon what their children choose to do with their own. It makes me sick just thinking about it.”

She put her hoof to her forehead. “I know...it’s quite the annoyance especially when you live in a place like little old Ponyville where there aren’t a whole lot of doctors and lawyers. Male ones, anyway.”

Of course. Geographical, and population-based beliefs on marriage would vary from city to city. Being from Manehattan myself, things were much different. “Heh. That’s all you found on Manehattan. Somepony trying to be the next Steve Trots or Bill Gaits no matter what. But there was always pride in your own work--not being a follower to your parents just because.”

“Exactly. That’s why I refused to speak with them once I left home, and pursued my dream as a teacher. Honestly, being able to laugh and smile with the youths that would grow up to be the next doctors, lawyers, and firefighters was always my passion.” She let out a longing sigh with a satisfied smile on her face. “Ah...and look at them now. The Crusaders are all well-functioning adults. Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon have opened their own businesses. Twist has invented a new form of candy. Snips is now a surgeon. Snails is a biology professor….” she started to tear up a little. The nostalgia hit her like a train as she came to realize how well off her students had become. “They were all...like my babies...and now...now they’re...doing so...great I…” she sniffled, and wiped her eyes. “Ahem. Sorry. I...got a bit emotional.”

I myself had to hold back some drops. I couldn’t imagine how she must have felt knowing that her students had all essentially grown up and moved on before she had even realized. If only there was a way for her to be able to meet everypony in one place and see how they had progressed in life...

That’s when I had an idea.

“Hey...why don’t you hold a Class Reunion?” I suggested, “Send out invitations to everypony that graduated from Ponyville Schoolhouse twenty years ago so they can all return and you can meet them again to see how their lives have turned out. What do you think?”

She looked up to the ceiling as if such an idea was otherworldly. “I...don’t know. The reason why I haven’t tried that yet is because I’m not sure if they even remember me or would have time to make it…”

I put a hoof to her chin, and turned her face to meet my own. “Are you kidding? Those colts and fillies have grown up to be fine ponies because of you! They’d love to meet you and each other again!” was my candid, yet overjoyed response. Just the idea of seeing all those youths get together had me excited since it was always fun to see how ponies changed over the years.

“But who would plan it? How would we coordinate? It doesn’t sound very possible…” Cheerilee replied with uncertainty.

But I didn’t let it get her down. I wanted to motivate her to keep this idea going. “We can ask the Cake Twins to help--Pinkie too if she’s available. Then you can ask the Mayor to organize the event, and Cozy can ensure that everything is done on time by everyone involved.”

Cheerilee stared at me for a second. I couldn’t tell if she was confused or excited since she shut her eyes. A long silence was erected between us as a result. I bit my lip as I awaited her response.

At last, she opened her eyes. “Well well well...it looks like my husband has convinced me of something else important that I need to do.” She gazed at me with a happy, loving expression, “That’s going to be my next priority. And we’ll make it happen together.”

As cute as it sounded, I didn’t want to take all the credit. “Ah, well...if you’re sure, heh.”

“Of course I’m sure!” she chirped, and tackled me, her whole body pressed against mine, “I’m going to absolutely love seeing all my students as adults!”

Wait a minute...love….oh damn.

If such an event were to take place, then it’s entirely possible that Elytra may try to abuse the love Cheerilee had for her old students and use it to become stronger. Was I paranoid? A bit, maybe. But the simple fact was that the possibility was there. A possibility that I absolutely did not want to come to pass. Despite this, I had to be careful. I didn’t want to fall off the deep end and go crazy over some bug terrorizing my wife’s students.

“...Pale? Pale!” I heard her shout.

My thoughts must have made me drift off completely! I looked up at her with a stunned expression. “Oh? Yes?”

She nuzzled my face with her cheek again. “Why don’t we...celebrate this idea with a bit more exercise? I think I can go for another hour.”

As much as I hated to admit, that got my attention and took my mind off my worries so damn fast. “Yes!”

But for her, it was worth it.

Subject 99: Wakeup Call

So the idea of holding a reunion for Cheerilee’s class was rather adorable. I was interested, of course. I very much wanted to see all the wonderful young adults that had become successful individuals thanks to her skilled teachings. Beyond that, I hated to admit, but it would also be something I could make use of in multiple ways.

First and foremost. It could be a great way for Cozy to meet new friends that she failed to make in the past. Somepony such as herself could benefit from meeting new faces in order to reconcile with her past. If she has the capacity to do that, then things would start to play out more smoothly for her.

Next was the fact I could potentially learn of the ways Equestria has changed for these youths in the last two decades or so. It was something small, yes. But gaining knowledge on how the landscape has changed would aid me in better understanding how everypony felt about the way Equestria was currently managed.

Lastly, whether or not that new Changeling brood would attempt to feast off the heightened concentration of love at the reunion was a problem in and of itself. Everyone was most certainly going to be overjoyed and enthused at meeting each other again after so long that I could almost predict that something bad would happen.

Well ‘almost’ was never good enough for this gray stallion.

Oh right. Let’s see...it had been quite the wonderful night I spent with Cheerilee. Despite the fact that we both slept on the living room carpet, it was rather nice to cuddle up to her to keep her warm. Brr. With Hearth’s Warming approaching, the weather change was sure to ruffle many feathers for sure.

I woke up first, and gently ran my hoof through her mane. It wasn’t long before her beautiful green eyes fluttered open to greet my own blonde ones.

“Ahhh…” she yawned, “Good morning, Pale. Did you sleep well?”

“Good morning. And yes,” I responded with a grin, “More than you know, Cheery. But...we definitely need a shower before we tackle the day.”

She rose to her hooves, and stood up to stretch. “Mmm! Ahh...oh, I have an idea. Why don’t we shower together?”

I got up after she did, and stretched also. Upon hearing her little ‘idea’ I let out a bray-like noise. “Heeh! I mean, ahem. Are you--is that really a good idea?”

As if to return the gesture I showed her, Cheerilee ran her hooves through my mane to iron out the frizziness I had acquired from sleeping on the carpet. “Oh, but it’ll save water, will it not?”

Her hooves were like a soothing silk massage that eased all of my tensions away. Even though my manecut was short, I still felt rather...joyful to feel her next to me like that. “Well...if you’re sure,” I replied with a shiver. I couldn’t exactly refuse such a nice offer.

Cheerilee giggled, and let me go. “Hmhm! I’ll go get the water started. Don’t keep me waaaaiting~” she teased with a bit of a sing-songy tone and a wink as she trotted upstairs to her bathroom.

Ah...I really couldn’t refuse that lovely mare.

So, we took a nice...detailed shower together, and enjoyed a nice breakfast with each other. We talked a bit more about Cozy and how great she had turned out. As well as the possibilities for her students. I also decided to ask about the nearest major holiday…

“Oh, by the way. What’s your opinion on Hearth’s Warming?”

Her ears drooped for a split second as she swallowed the bit of waffle she had made. “Oh dear...well, it’s...it’s been alright I suppose.” She put a hoof to her cheek.

Holy Luna! Just how much inner turmoil did Cheerilee carry? I knew something was wrong the instant I saw her ears fall, followed by that reply of hers that came with a forced smile. I had been so caught up in my job that I never considered simply having more casual words with her. I felt foolish. But I was certainly going to do my best to spend more time with her from now on.

Anyhow, I asked her a question. “Wait, huh? You’re not that into it? But it’s a fun time to spend with family and--” I paused, and grit my teeth. It hit me midway through. “Ohh…”

She nodded. “There it is. Essentially, I’ve been...alone. Every time,” she tapped her hoof on the table for added emphasis, “for the holidays. My students all went home to their own families, and I...went home to nothing. I was more than certain that I was just destined to be by myself on every holiday.” She rolled her eyes and scoffed. “Blech. Don’t even ask me about my parents. I refused every holiday party invitation because I knew I’d be met with nothing but ‘where’s your husband?’ this and ‘where’s our grandfoals?’ that. Ugh!”

That sounded painful. But wait, didn’t she have friends that could spend those moments with her? “I see...but what about The Mayor?”

“Oh. I’ve spent the holiday with her a few times, yeah. But I didn’t wanna take away the time she spends with her family.” She took a sip from her teacup, and stared into it with a longing expression and a sigh. “Hmm...holidays like Hearts and Hooves Day, Hearth’s Warming, even the Grand Galloping Gala--they’re all so...saddening to experience if you’re alone all the time like myself. I just preferred to stay away from others and act like it didn’t really happen since it was much easier than trying to force myself to find somepony to spend it with.”

Now things were a bit more clear. Cheerilee...suffered from a bit of depression when it came to her love life and the way others perceived her and her accomplishments. I felt bad, I really did. Having nopony to spend time with on such special days could drive you mad. But I would stand for it no longer.

I put a hoof on one of hers. “Cheery...don’t worry. From now on, you’ll never be alone. I promise to always come to spend the holidays with you no matter what.”

With soft, heartfelt eyes, she smiled at me. Then she giggled, and gave a hearty response. “Oh noooo you don’t. Don’t start making promises that you can’t keep. Just do your best okay, Paley? If you’re busy, I wouldn’t want to rush your work.”

Completely understandable. I wouldn’t want her to start worrying about me at all times for a promise that was beyond my control. “Right, right, heh. Of course, Cheery. I’ll still do my best to be here with you no matter what.”

“How sweet of you...I appreciate that a lot.” She got up from the table, and placed a kiss on my forehead. Then she grabbed both of our empty plates, and took them to the sink to wash them.

I smiled at her, then leaned back in the chair. “Hrm…” What was my next move going to be...ah! Right. I needed to get back on track and speak to the other ponies that had been affected by Neighsay’s corrupt little...power-up. So far, it has been Blossomforth, Thunderlane, Caballeron and...let me just get my list out.

I got up, and trotted over to my coat that was on the rack. I dug around and found the notes with the other names on them.

Inky Rose.

Huh. I remember her from being one of Rarity’s fashion buddies. But where did she currently live now, all these years later? Guess that was my next priority.

From the kitchen, I heard the angelic voice of the teacher mare call out to me. “So, Pale,” she spoke aloud, “What’s on the agenda for today? More skirmishes with gods and monsters? Immortals and rising phoenixes?” she teased me with another adorable giggle.

I put the notes away, and walked back over. “Haaaah. If it were up to me, I’d spend my day with you.” I put an extra bit of flirting into my actions, and put my hooves around her from behind in a doting sort of style.

“Ohohoho my...if you stayed around all day, my hips would be destroyed from how much you outpace me,” she replied with a knowing smile, “But don’t let me keep you. So long as you know what you’re doing, hun. You have my support all the way.”

I placed a quick smooch on her lips, and let go. “Thanks, Cheerilee. I love you.”

“I love you too, Pale,” she replied. “Hehe! Almost sounded like a marriage proposal right then, didn’t it?”

I chuckled as I stepped out of the kitchen. “For you? ‘I do’ would be my only answer to that question.”

Her cheeks turned red, “Aww...stoppit you!” she said with a snorting laugh as she resumed work on the dishes. “See you later, then?”

“Absolutely. Though...I was thinking you, Cozy, and I could all spend time together,” was my tentative response. I wasn’t sure how Cheerilee would react to hearing this. But lucky, the earth pony mare was in agreement.

“Oh yes! Family movie night!” she called out, “Now get going! You don’t want to be late for your next interview do you?”

By then, I already had my coat and hat on. Back on the beat as usual. “No need to tell me twice, hun. Goodbye for now.”

“Byyyye!” she waved as I left.

Ahh...what a lovely experience. A night spent with her was like heaven on this wasteland we called a planet. But now, I had to focus on my next objective. Inky Rose...Inky Rose...well since she used to work with Rarity, the Carousel Boutique was the place I needed to go to first. But her schedule was so finicky that I had no real idea whether or not I would get lucky enough to speak to her. I was going to need some assistance for a case scenario like this.

And I already knew who to go to.

I headed back to my office/antique shop. Though, the entire time I had the feeling of being followed. Not by a hostile force or anything. But somepony whose aura was rather average yet showy. One that belonged to a unicorn I had met previously in this small town. Hm, could it be? Gah, never mind that for now. I needed to focus.

“Cork my boy!” I shouted as I stepped into the office, “What’s the sitrep?”

“Boss!” With a flap of his wings, he flew over, and tackled me with a hug. “I got great news! Quick Draw has nearly finished her rehabilitation!”

That was a beautiful thing to hear. Maybe we could all become a team again soon...very soon. But I didn’t let that distract me. “Awesome, son. But first, I need to know something: Do you have Rarity’s schedule for when she makes appearances at Carousel?”

He let me go, and flew back over to his desk. “Uhh...yeah, lemme pull that up. What’s the situation, boss?”

I walked over to his desk to meet him there. “Well, I’m looking for a mare by the name of Inky Rose. Rarity knows her well, so I figured she’d know where she lives or works. Reason being is that she’s the third pony on Neighsay’s list of test subjects.” I leaned one hoof on the youngster’s desk in a casual fashion. “So, can ya help me out, bud?”

What came next almost startled me.

“Oh her? Pff. I know her myself, actually. I think one of my older brothers actually dated her…”

“...Oh god no…”

Subject 101: Dark Flower

So Cork and I made our way down to the Commercial area of Ponyville where the shops were located. One such shop was a clothing store named ‘Hot Trottic.’ How interesting. From the outside, it looked like any other clothing store. But when we looked at the windows, we saw shirts, coats, hats, and other items all with pentagrams, horns, and other demon-like imagery plastered upon them. We also saw fishnet bodysuits, chokers, bracelets, and generally anything one would associate with the ‘counterchic’ culture. Interesting, but not what we were here for.

“Wow...things are a lot different now then when I first came here,” Corkscrew said with his wings that flapped with a bit of excitement. “I don’t even know where to start.”

I walked onward. “We start by doing what we came here to do. Nothing more, nothing less. Don’t get distracted.”

“Right, right. I understand boss…”

And so we walked inside. Once in there, we heard light rock music in the background as we waded through the shelves of dark, creepy clothes on the shelves. There was nopony at the counter, so we were lucky enough to meet the pony at the register. A unicorn mare that was busy filing her hoof with magic, dressed in equally dark clothes and eye shadow.

“Um, hello. Is Inky Rose available?”

She didn’t look up from her hoof when she replied. “She’s like...on break or whatever. Just wait like, five minutes or whatever.”

I looked at Cork, and shrugged. Guess we would have to wait this one out.

And so we waited…

And waited…

And waited…

Yeah it was pretty awkward overall since all we could do was stand there in a shop that clearly didn’t feel like we belonged there. It was strange. This sort of underground style of culture was not something I was familiar with. So hopefully--

“Are you guys like, narcs or something?” the mare behind the counter asked us.

“Wha?” I tilted my head and looked at her with a confused expression.

Corkscrew had to clear that one up. “Narc, boss. It’s short for narcotics officer.”

My ear flicked. Now I was even more confused. How did that make any sense? “Wait, what? How does that work? You just shorten one word and it represents two?” I pushed my hooves together to emphasize, “This must be a new gen sort of thing.”

He shrugged. “Ehh, it’s an easier way of labelling things. Anyway,” he turned to the mare at the counter, “Nah, we’re not here for any substances. Most ponies know what they can and can’t use so that’s never really been a problem for us.”

I went on. “He’s right. We’re here because we believe Inky Rose could potentially be in danger based on some evidence we gathered from a pony that is currently under arrest.”

The clerk of a mare stopped her magic, and put the file away. “Woah. Why didn’t you say so? Head in the back to her office and when she arrives, I’ll send her your way, kay?” Her facial expression didn’t change, but her tone became more concerned once she realized what business we had here.

I was grateful for it, and replied with a nod. “Alright, then. We’ll head back there, and wait for her. Thank you, miss.” I tilted my head in the direction of the hallway, a silent method to let Cork know to follow me once more.

And he did, but he had his left wing hold a pencil while the other held a notepad that he scribbled in. That kid really knew how to take after me when it came to notation for sure.

Thankfully, the latter side of the building was normal-looking. I was going to surely be creeped out if the entire place, all the way to the offices, had weird diagrams and demon-like decor. It had started to frizzle my tail a bit.

“You alright boss?” Corkscrew asked. He must have noticed my discomfort. “You’re looking kinda...pale, hehe.”

I rolled my eyes. “Very funny. Naw, I’m fine. I just...this stuff kinda gives me a strange vibe, you know? As if it’s a type of style that isn’t even of this earth.”

“I know, it’s not for everypony, that’s for sure,” he replied, “But try and relax. I’m sure Ms. Rose isn’t as creepy as the stuff she sells, right?”

A few moments later, the tall, slender pegasus mare in question trotted in from the other end of the hallway. She looked like she hadn’t aged much, but that could have been because of the extra mascara applied below her eyes. Anyhow, she had on a jet black hoodie with red summon markings all over.

“Inky Rose...has arrived,” she greeted us dryly, “what do you both like, want?”

I wanted to shake her hoof, but I wasn’t sure how she’d react, so I didn’t approach her just yet. “Um, right then. Would you mind letting us into your office so we could explain the situation to you? Privately.”

Her dull, violet eyes hid any and all sorts of emotion. This one was hard to read, that was for certain. “In private, huh? Fine,” she replied in a curt manner. She opened the door to her office, and left it wide for us to enter.

So we did.

Corkscrew and I both sat down in the chairs in front of her desk. We began to explain the situation to her, including why we were here. After which, I leaned forward to fish for an honest answer.

“...and that’s the last of it, ma’m. So my question for you is: Did you really approach Neighsay for assistance, or did he get you involved.”

Her eyes blinked like a slow pair of shutters before she gave a response. “...I wanted to get in touch with my inner demons. He said he could help. So I took the offer. Nothing bad has happened,” she explained just as bored and dry now as she did before. Guess she was rather annoyed that we would press her about such a thing.

Corkscrew did his best to explain the situation. “No, no, we’re serious about this. According to Neighsay, that rune he’s embedded in you will cause major damage if it isn’t controlled properly.”

“I can control it,” Rose replied, neutral as ever.

“How do you know?” I asked, “There’s no way to tell for sure if you can actually handle it until something bad happens. You could turn into an uncontrollable beast of destruction. Is that what you want?”

But unfortunately for us, Madam Rose wasn’t going to listen so easily. “Then I’ll deal with it myself. If I become some crazy demonic monster, then I’ll be the only one inconvenienced.”

What? Was she insane? Did she have no regard for her own life? And for the record, it most certainly would affect those around her. An untamed beast would most definitely hurt everypony around them without even trying. Luckily, Cork condensed my long-winded rebuttal before I could get it out.

“Uh...no, actually. It will, ma’am. If you became a monster, you could end up hurting other ponies around here. I don’t think you want that,” he protested, and leaned forward to put his hooves on her desk. “We’re dealing with a stallion who has endangered the lives of so many others with his ego. Do you want to be a part of that? Do ya?!”

The two pegasus ponies stared each other down. Inky Rose’s eyes and lips remained completely flat throughout the silent interaction. Corkscrew’s eyes twitched as he did his best to keep up the gaze.

“Hmph. I guess not.” She finally replied, “So what do you want me to do?”

I grabbed Cork, and sat him down in the chair. I looked at him for a second before I addressed Madam Rose again. “We want you to go see Moondancer. That’s all, really. Once there, she can figure out what exactly is contained within the rune that was placed on your neck. Alright?”

She got up from her seat. “This better not take me long. I got a ton of super important business to conduct with other mortal beings that desire my summoning skills.”

Cork and I exchanged a glance. That was surprisingly simple, but something felt off. As if I still had to deal with somepony that was following me. Were they really that brazen to tail my every move? Gah. Guess it couldn’t be helped, honestly.

So we escorted Inky Rose out of her shop through the front door. But as soon as we were back outside, I felt that eerie presence creep up again. Once more, like before: It wasn’t a particularly strong or threatening one, but it was still a thorn in my magical-sensing side all the same.

“Boss, you alright?” Cork asked me again, “C’mon. If something’s on your mind, you need to talk to me about it.”

“Alright. But it’s nothing major. I just have this gut feeling that somepony is following me.”

One of his ears flicked. “Somepony like who?”

Just before I could explain, I was interrupted.

“HAHA!” In a flash of smoke, the Guidance Counselor from the School of Friendship appeared in front of us. Also known as Trixie. “So, Mr. Vestige. You’re not getting involved in anything where you shouldn’t are you?” she stepped forward with an eyebrow raised.

I put my hoof to my forehead. Was the universe simply out to waste my time as always? But admittedly, I could respect it. She was just doing what she had been instructed to do by Starlight and Twilight, after all. So I couldn’t be that upset with Trixie.

“I’m simply doing what I was assigned, Trixie,” I replied with an eye roll, “I’m not getting involved with you-know-who or whatever.”

She leaned back, and nodded. “Good. But don’t think I’m going to let up so easily. I’ve been keeping an eye on you since last night, and will continue to do so whether you like it or not,” she said with a sly smile.

My face immediately turned red. I had no idea what to say. In fact, I was unsure if I even wanted to say anything in that moment.

From behind me, I could hear Cork speak to Rose. “Um...we should get a move on. We don’t need to see this.”

Sadly, she wouldn’t budge. “Nope. Awkward moments like this are food for the soul. I’m staying to see how this turns out.”

That’s when I heard Cork’s hoof make contact with his forehead.

Somepony end me.

Subject 102: Dropped Beats

“Trixie...what are you--don’t mention--” All I could do was sputter in response. Now was not the time or place to discuss what I did privately with a partner in her home. I needed to handle this with as much discretion as possible. “...Cork. Do me a favor and escort Madam Rose to the train station, yeah?”

“On it, boss.” He looked at Rose, and cleared his throat. “Ahem.”

She silently followed him without protest. Thank goodness. We needed her to cooperate with us as much as possible. Now all that was left was dealing with Trixie. Once I was alone with the unicorn mare, I spoke with her about what had transpired the night before.

“Alright...when you say you’ve been keeping an eye on me, what exactly have you witnessed so far?” I asked with a slightly nervous chatter of my teeth.

The blue unicorn scoffed. “Hmph. Nothing you need to worry about, sir. I’m simply doing my duty as the Great and Powerful friend of Starlight Glimmer who wants to ensure that you,” she pointed a hoof at me, “don’t mess up and go crazy again.”

Was she serious? Wow. The lack of trust was so thick you could cut it with a knife. Again, though. I understood why I was being tailed since they didn’t want me to fly off the handle. But prying into every bit and piece of my life was another thing entirely. The fact that she had dodged the question also didn’t sit well with me either.

“I get that, I understand that,” I replied with a small huff, “You don’t need to tell me again. What I want to know is: Since you’ve been tailing me, what all have you seen so far?”

“I...er…” Trixie’s face turned a slight shade of red. That told me all I needed to know.

Honestly, I should’ve been more embarrassed, annoyed, pissed off. Whatever you call it. But I had to remind myself that getting upset would only make the situation worse. All I could do was take a deep breath, and explain how I felt to her in a calm fashion.

“Listen...please. If you ever see that again, please leave. Staring makes you come across as a creepy weirdo,” I said with a shudder, “And secondly, I find what you’re doing to be admirable, but I am more than capable of handling myself when it comes to doing my job. You don’t need to babysit me, alright?”

She took a step back, and coughed. “Ack! Uh, yes. My apologies. I still have a job to do, but I’ll try not to be that invasive,” she said with her best attempt at an innocent smile which only served to make her look more guilty.

All I did was roll my eyes and sigh. “I’m serious. If I catch you trying to snoop in on me during...private matters, I will report you to Twilight.”

“Woah, wait, hold on! Trixie values privacy more than anything!” She pleaded. “I solemnly swear that I will exercise more caution when it comes to watching over you.”

I raised an eyebrow. No I was not convinced of anything she really said, but I had no choice except to take her word at face value for the time being. It annoyed me since I really didn’t know whether or not she believed me. After all, she was more likely to trust friends she had spent several decades with over somepony like me--who at best was a complete stranger to her.

But I couldn’t worry about that for now. “I’ll take your word for it, Ms. Lulamoon. But for the moment, I must get back to work. If you’ll excuse me…” I tipped my hat, and left her alone. I made a mental note to not let her get to me too much since I needed to focus on these next few interviews.

I eventually arrived at the train station where Inky Rose and Corkscrew were waiting for the train to arrive. I must have caught them in the middle of a conversation because I heard them finish up an exchange as I stepped onto the loading platform.

“...I have a kid. Her name is Thursday Rose. You’d get along well with her,” Inky Rose commented in her usual dry tone.

Cork’s wings flapped excitedly. “Really? Well--I mean, if that’s possible when I’m not working that is.”

“Uh-huh. Well, if meeting this ‘Moondancer’ doesn’t utterly destroy my insides, I’ll gladly introduce you to her.”

I had to pause for a moment. What she said made almost no sense since there was more danger to be had from leaving the mark engraved into her body. But anyway, the train had come to a screeching halt with its steam hissing a powerful gust upon the platform.

“Right, uh...well, for now--you need to get going, ma’am. Moondancer will assist you once you arrive in Canterlot, alright?”

Rose nodded once, and boarded the train. Once its doors closed, the train slowly chugged and made its way up the tracks.

After it was long out of sight, I trotted up to the young pegasus. “Oh? Now you’re scoring a date with her child? You sly stallion, eh?”

“Shush, boss. I’m just...expanding my horizons a bit. You know how it is.”

I chuckled. “Aheh. Right. Anyhow, Trixie is starting to keep tabs on my movements now. Which is extremely concerning for obvious reasons.”

“Oh…that doesn’t sound too good. I know what it’s like to have your back constantly watched,” he said with a disgusted shudder. “It’s so creepy. Especially when my mom does it.”

I tilted my head. “Your mother?”

“Yeah I think I’ve told you about it before,” he trotted off the platform, and I followed. “Mom has always babied me since I was little. Taking care of us with dad was a lot of work, so I learned how to do things on my own pretty quickly. Which is the whole reason I signed up for the Officer’s Academy in the first place, remember?”

I nodded. “Yes. That’s right, CC…”

Well I guess it would explain his tendency to stick around work most of the time. In fact, I never really stopped to consider just how much Corkscrew did for me and the others. It was almost embarrassing to think about. After all, he was my best friend. But how could I call him that if I was so busy with work and treated him like nothing more than an assistant all the time?

“Anyway, don’t trip about it, boss,” he said with a grin, “Come on. Let’s go see who’s next on the--”

His words were interrupted by a pony above us.

“Yo, is that--Pale!” Vinyl Scratch shouted from her second story window above us, “I got somethin’ to tell ya!”

From the background, I heard a soft mare’s voice speak. “Vinyl, could you please be a bit less happy to see the neighbors? I’m trying to work!” It was most certainly Octavia.

The white unicorn turned her head. “Sorry, Tavi. I’m goin’ downstairs for a bit. Check ya later.” With a flash of her horn, she teleported, and appeared below--and in front of us. “Alright, Pale. I got some news.”

Cork and I were both primed to listen.

“What’s the sitrep?” I asked.

Vinyl held up an evidence bag that contained bits of what looked like a green cocoon. “We found this at the edge of Equestria yesterday. We think the bug queen Elly or whatever her name is is starting to build an army with slaves from the outskirts of Equestria.”

“Slav--?!”

I covered Cork’s mouth with my hoof to keep him from saying it aloud. “Shhh. Not so loud. Ms. Scratch, do you mind if we head inside to speak about this? Away from public ears?” I said as I let him go.

“...Yeah, probably should’ve started with that, hehe,” she said with an awkward chuckle. She then used her magic to open the front door. “Come on in. Mi casa es...ya know. Follow me.”

We gratefully accepted her offer. But instead of taking a seat on the couch, Vinyl led us to her and Octavia’s basement where a home theater, billiards table, and aged cider kegs were located. It was more like an entire second home than a basement, complete with nice, tile flooring in a white and gray pattern. Likely to match the mare’s coat colors.

“Woaaah…” Corkscrew looked around, then shook his head. “Sorry. I won’t get distracted, boss.”

How cute. I always did respect his resolve to stay focused. Though I wondered how much of it stuck with him when I wasn’t around…

Regardless, Cork and I took a seat on the red velvet couch that was placed in the middle of the room, and listened to the DJ of a mare speak about what she had found. She sat on a brown, leather armchair across from us.

“Alrighty, so. Essentially, what it boils down to is the fact that Queen Elly is trying to buy slave ponies and use them for her hive. That way, she can create more changelings and take over the entire known world, yada-yada. You get the deal. She’s just as strong as Chrissy was. If not more so!” she waved her hooves in the air.

Chrysalis is who I believed she referred to. And yes, I had to agree. “From the aura I picked up from her when I came into contact with her, that’s most definitely the case.”

Cork decided to state his piece on the matter. “Okay. Now that that’s established, how can we help? C’mon, we gotta be able to do something.”

Predictably, Vinyl shook her head as she leaned into her chair. Her response was rather...snappy, and unexpected. “You wanna help? Stay out of the way.”

“What? Aw come on, man!” Cork complained, “Why are you even telling us this if we can’t get involved, then?!”

“Hey, hey, calm down, kid,” Vinyl removed her glasses, and glared at him with her bloodshot red eyes. A rare expression from the usually perky DJ. “Listen…” The glare softened, and became a somewhat saddened expression--another rare sight from the unicorn as she hung her head. “I feel bad, alright. I was involved and helped Pale carry out that execution on Svengallop. I wasn’t entirely responsible, but I played a part in what caused you to essentially get temporarily benched from high-profile cases.” She looked up at me. “So I’m taking it upon myself to let you know what’s going on. Even if you can’t lend a hoof directly, you have the right to stay informed so you can protect Cozy at all costs. She is your responsibility after all. And the more you can protect her...the better.”

“Wh--boss--Pale,” Corkscrew turned his head to me with an uncertain frown, “Are you sure this is alright with you?”

The whole time, I stayed silent to get a better comprehension of what Vinyl wanted to do. And in the end, I had no choice but to follow along. “Alright. I understand. Thank you for being willing to update me on the situation as it unfolds. For now, I need to find the next pony that Neighsay implanted a rune upon, and send them to Moondancer.”

Vinyl raised a brow. “Mind if I take a look at that list?”

I didn’t see why not. If she could help, it would be more than welcome. I took the paper out of my jacket. Thunderlane, Caballeron, and Inky Rose’s names were all crossed out which left two. Vinyl took the paper in her magical grip, and read over it.

“...Dude. The next pony on this list is already dead.”

Both Cork and I were physically taken aback by this news, and unable to speak. Our jaws simply hit the floor.

“...”

Subject 103: Screwed Up

“...Screwy is an actual name?” I was appalled to hear this. I thought that was some sort of nickname or alias. But no. According to Vinyl, ‘Screwy’ was a real moniker used by a light blue earth pony mare with a white mane.

“Yeah...she’s been suffering from mental trauma for years now. As far back as when both of you were still colts,” she explained with a pained twitch in her eyes, “The hospitals tried everything they could, but in the end she was unable to control herself.”

Corkscrew decided to jump in. “Well hold on...just how did she die?”

“...According to the report, it was some sort of overdose that took place in her system. We’re not sure if it’s related to what Neighsay put on her or not.”

Of course. Leave it to those in charge to cover up whatever doesn’t fit their narrative. Naturally, I was now more inclined than ever to figure it out. Random, unspecified deaths didn’t occur very often around here. So it was more than suspicious as to why and how it happened. Especially with someone like Screwy. An individual that was beyond repair--no pun intended--and was likely taken advantage of in order to be an asset. Whatever the case, I needed to see her corpse for myself before I would make any sort of action.

Vinyl was a good friend, for sure. The fact that she was even telling me what went on behind the scenes with Elytra was more than enough. I had a lot of respect for the matured DJ of a mare. She could have easily left me in the dark about everything and said nothing about Screwy. Later on, I would repay that kindness.

For now, though, I had my next objective.

“I see...in that case, Cork and I are going to head to the morgue at the hospital. Is there anything else I should know, Vinyl?”

She shook her head. “Nah. Think that’s it. Hope you guys can find enough evidence to keep Neighsay locked up. Luna knows I would if I could,” she slumped into her seat.

The orange pegasus got up, and shook her hoof. “Thanks for everything, Madam Scratch. We won’t waste this chance.”

There was a bit of hesitation on her face before she pushed his hoof off with a grin. “Heh. Don’t start with all that, kid. Just call me Vinyl. Do your best out there, alright? I think you can learn a lot from Pale.”

He scoffed, and raised his neck higher. “Of course. He’s taught me everything I know. So you better keep your eyes peeled, Vinyl,” he proclaimed, “My name’s gonna go down in history just as fast as anypony else’s.”

Ah, that kid. He was a handful to watch out for, but his perspective started to become a bit clearer. Coming from a rather large family, he was essentially lost in his own crowd. Because of that, he felt as if he always needed to prove himself. Even if he did lack extreme magic or weather control capabilities. I think there was something that he had yet to unlock within himself to truly show off what he could do. But sadly, I couldn’t help him find it. It was on him to carve his own path. Though I guess that was the beauty of life, wasn’t it?

“Ahehe. Okay, kiddo. If you think so,” Vinyl replied, and gave Cork an encouraging pat on the head with her hoof. “Do your best no matter what. You might be as badass as me someday. Maybe.”

He flexed his wings, and showed off his pearlescent smile. “Heck yeah, I will!” At last, he flew up next to, and ahead of me to exit the basement, “C’mon, boss! Let’s head to the morgue.”

I put my hoof between the bridge of my nose, but I couldn’t help but giggle at his antics. “Ah...please forgive him, VInyl. He’s rather happy to be working with me again.”

“Hey, hey, no problem. It’s the same way with me and my other band buddies,” she replied, “Now get going! You don’t wanna lose time.”

I tipped my hat. “Of course. I’ll be seeing you.”

“See ya, dawg.”

With that, I left the unicorn’s home, and followed Corkscrew up to the surface level of the home. On our way out of the front door, we came across a familiar gray earth pony.

“What were you both doing down there?” Octavia asked.

I was about to say something, but Cork jumped in faster than I could think. “Standard business, ma’am. Civilians are on a need-to-know basis. I’m gonna have to ask you to not...need to know. Hm,” he tapped his hoof upon his forehead, “That sounded way more intense in my head.”

Octavia stammered. “Wha--’civilian’? This is my home!”

“Woah, chill, Tavi!” Then we heard Vinyl’s voice from the bottom of the stairs that led to the basement. A few seconds passed, and she trotted up to meet the rest of us. “They’re uh...work buddies of mine.”

The earth pony mare glared at her friend with a nonplussed set of eyes. “‘Work friends’? Really Vinyl? Bunch of tosh is what it sounds like.”

Vinyl rubbed her hooves together with a nervous smile. “Er...hehe. Go on ahead, guys. I’ll handle this. Ya see, Tavi…” she walked her roommate towards the kitchen which enabled Cork and I to get going.

We left the house, and headed off to the hospital. Vinyl’s knowledge of Ms. Screwy’s apparent death was great because it saved us the trouble of going to her home and asking her family members a difficult question...if she had any, that is.

“What do you think boss,” the pegasus partner of mine asked, “Do you think she really died due to an overdose or something?”

As much as I didn’t want to admit, I knew very little about the subject mare herself. That’s exactly why we needed some, any information regarding her past so that I could put together the pieces on my own.

“Honestly? I’m not sure. Could be anything, really,” was all I could say. I just wasn’t certain of...anything regarding that pony. But we were about to find out.

It wasn’t a long walk to the hospital in Ponyville. I approached the front desk with Cork right by my side. “Yes, hello. Is Nurse Redheart available? We need to speak with her about a patient she had in the past.”

The mare behind the desk adjusted her glasses, and looked down at some files. “Who exactly are you looking to speak with her about?”

“Screwy,” I responded.

The mare behind the desk fell completely silent. She looked down, as if she had no idea how to respond.

Corkscrew leaned in, and applied some pressure to the situation. “Miss. Please. This is important. The safety of Equestria is at risk due to some old pony’s experiments. We have evidence to suggest that Screwy may have been a victim. But we won’t know until we see her body. So if Redheart is available, we need to speak with her immediately,” he stated candidly.

Honestly? I was impressed. I never would have expected him to take control of a scenario so quickly when business needed to be taken care of. But I suppose he had every right to be. After all, he did want to push himself for the sake of making a difference in the world…

“Alright, go ahead,” the mare responded, “But it’s a very difficult subject for everypony in the hospital so I encourage you to have some tact when you ask her about it.”

“Thank you,” Cork nodded, and attempted to fly off. But before he did, I bit down on his tail with my teeth. “Yie! Hey, what gives, boss?”

I pulled him back towards me, and looked at the yellow mare once more. There was something about what she said that tipped me off. “Hang on. Why exactly is it a sensitive subject?”

“Well…” she hesitated for a moment, and finally spoke up. But in a low, quiet tone as if she wanted no one else to hear. “...she’s one of the only patients that we’ve failed to cure. We did everything we could. Heck, for a while, she seemed perfectly normal. But...she just kept falling back into her old habits. We believe her death was a result of...overdose on her medication.”

“You ‘believe’?” I threw that term back at her. There was something else going on here. I was certain of it now. “Do you know what really put her down? Or is that what you’ve been told?”

She tapped her hooves together, and bit her lip. “Er...I...that’s all I know, honest! Please don’t take me to jail!” she cried out, her voice echoed around the empty waiting room.

I took a silent glance at Cork. I wasn’t sure if she was telling the truth or not, but I had no time to waste on her any longer. “We’ll be going to see Redheart now. Come on, CC.” I stepped into the door that led to the hallway and the rest of the clinic.

“Yeesh, boss…” Cork flew up next to me. “I don’t know who was more intense--you or her.”

We walked through the hall, and finally reached Redheart’s office. Though, before I could knock, I heard the earth pony herself call out from behind me.

“Oh, um--hello, officers,” she said as she rounded the corner, “Is there anything I can do for you two?”

I turned to face her. “Yes there is, ma’am.”

I went on to explain the situation. Screwy’s involvement in Neighsay’s experiments as well as her apparent loss of life. Just as well, I also brought up what the mare at the front desk had told me. About the fact that Screwy had seemingly caused the doctors and nurses of the hospital to feel pessimistic about what they had failed to do for the mare. I needed to know if it was all factual.

“Ah...so I suppose I have no choice but to explain everything then, hm?” Redheart asked with a sigh. “Well, if you’re looking for a file on who she is--don’t bother. There isn’t one.”

Cork raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean by that?”

“She just...appeared one day,” the white earth pony explained, “No records of friends or family, nothing. Her condition was unlike anything we had ever seen in Ponyville--nay, all of Equestria. We did all we could, and she started to recover even. But one day...she just went kaput. No warning whatsoever,” she said as she shut her eyes.

I refused to take that at face value. There had to be a reason for all of this. “Do you mind if we see the body? And the autopsy reports?”

The Nurse opened her eyes. “I was afraid of that. But I understand. I haven’t taken anypony to the morgue in ages. I just hope you’re prepared for meeting a bunch of corpses.”

Cork, yet again, scoffed with a proud smirk and a wave of his hoof. “Pshaw! We can handle anything, right boss?”

I nodded. “I believe so, yes.”

“Good,” the nurse reached into a nearby medicine cabinet in the hallway, and tossed us a pair of gas masks. “Then you’ll need these.”

My partner and I stared at the masks. His face went from brave to afraid in no time flat. “Whaaaaa?”

I almost laughed, but I couldn’t blame him.

What the hell kind of morgue was this going to be?

Subject 104: Really Screwed

Nurse Redheart led us down to a lower level within the hospital. It was dark, creepy, and enough to send chills down the spine of any hardened investigator. This area clearly wasn’t visited very often. Once we got down the steps, we were met with a few cobwebs and a few scattered bits of dust. I suppose this is why she gave us these masks.

“Yikes,” Cork mumbled through the suppressed shield of his gas mask, “How long has it been since anypony was down here?”

“A while,” Redheart responded as she flipped the light switch on, “Most deaths in the past twenty years have occurred by natural causes to those with family. As a result, most of the dead bodies have been buried within graves at the Cemetery.”

Once she turned the lights on, we had a clear visual of the morgue’s interior. Wide, elongated cabinets in rows along the walls that likely held bodies of ponies. So very eerie to witness, but it excited me, honestly. The wonders of experiencing what the dead could offer us in terms of understanding biology and possible neurological makeup. I wasn’t a scientist or anything, but it was still fun to speculate about.

“I see...quite the interesting situation,” I mumbled behind the mask, “And just why are most of the bodies buried in the cemetery, Red?” I already knew the answer. But I wanted her to explain for the sake of Corkscrew who admittedly looked somewhat lost.

“The purpose of the morgue is for unmarked and unclaimed bodies with no family or friends that can properly send them off,” she explained as she pointed a hoof around the room, “These cabinets are extra long on the inside where the bodies are stored with a special bit of magic we earth ponies cooked up. That way, they can rest comfortably without rotting in case a member of their family shows up.”

Cork would then ask a question that everyone had on their mind when in a place such as this. “Um...so what happens to the bodies that are never claimed?”

“...If the body isn’t claimed after a certain amount of time, it can be used for biology experiments and other things such as teaching medical students how to perform surgery,” she said with a sigh, “Yeah it’s not the most….comforting thing in the world. But we don’t want to make waste of the lives of those who had no one to care for them.”

“Huh…” It took him a minute to form a response. “I...guess that’s cool.”

I couldn’t blame him for being skeptical. From an outsider’s perspective, it did seem somewhat strange to make use of the dead in such a way. Though I couldn’t exactly condemn them for it. The loss of one life could be used to help prevent dozens of others. Whether it be through research or teaching them to not repeat the same mistakes.

Still, it was a completely different experience to even be down here.

“So,” I spoke up as I took a look around the room, “Where is Screwy’s body located?”

“In the ‘S’ section,” Redheart led us down the hall, towards another room that was connected to this one. “I hope you’re both prepared…”

We followed her closely until we arrived at the cabinet in question. Redheart put some gloves on her hooves, and pulled it open. Sure enough, we saw the body of the light blue mare with white hair lying lifeless with no shred of existence left within her.

“...Oogh…” I shivered a bit. No matter how many times I came across a dead body, it never became easier for me. “So here she is, then…”

From the corner of my eye, I could see Cork almost recoil as he took a step behind me. “...Woah. Give us some warning next time, eh?”

“...Uh-huh,” Redheart replied, “So what is it that you two are looking for exactly?”

I put on a pair of gloves for myself, and took a closer look at the body. “We’re looking for a sign of evidence that her body had been tampered with in some way by Neighsay’s experimentation.”

Redheart leaned forward. From behind her gas mask, I could see her eyes light up, and pupils shrink due to excitement. “Wait, wait, wait...so you mean to say…?”

I nodded as I took a peek at Screwy’s neck. “It’s entirely possible that it’s not you or any of the medical team’s fault. If she had her mental stability tinkered with in an unlawful way, then we’ll have more than enough evidence to further incriminate him.”

“Oh...oh wow,” she replied with a shortness of breath, “I...I genuinely thought that we failed her. But if that’s truly the case, then I wanna go give Neighsay a piece of my mind myself.”

Admirable, but not what we needed right now. “Patience,” I said, “He’s already behind bars, and has been de-powered. There’s nothing else we can do except follow our orders.” I opened the dead mare’s mouth, and took a glance down her throat. Nothing. Gah. It had to be here somewhere.

From behind me, I heard Cork ask another question. “So Nurse Red. Um...what’s the most common reason for ponies having to come here.”

“Well like I said before, we don’t usually get many ponies that have to be taken to the morgue. But of the ones that did in the past…err...” She trailed off for a moment. Something about the way she had to give time to her answer didn’t sit right with me. And as I expected, her response was rather profound. “...Changeling love drainage.”

I stopped on a bit. Absolutely nopony had told me this until now. Which was damning when considered just how much of a threat the Changelings were. “Wait...it’s possible to die from having your loved sucked out of you? How come no one has ever explained that?!”

“...We never thought it was necessary since there were so few casualties,” the nurse mare replied with a shaky tone, “And we also didn’t want anypony to strike up any prejudices against the changelings once they had reformed. We had no choice but to keep silent on the matter.”

Okay, maybe that made sense. But it threw me into a mental panic since I knew there was a crazed, new breed of Changeling on the loose. Just what was I going to do against that? And more importantly...Redheart needed to know. However, I wasn’t going to give her all of the details for two reasons: One. I didn’t want to throw her into a panic. And two: I didn’t want my words used against me if the walls had ears.

“As of right now, there is possibly a pony out there with similar abilities,” I replied in a low tone, “I don’t know if it’s certain--but start preparing treatments for love-drain related injuries if need be.”

The nurse’s eyes grew worrisome. “Wh-what? How are you so sure??”

“Just do what you can,” I responded coldly, “There’s absolutely zero time to stand idle and debate with me over small details. You need to be prepared for anything. It’s your job, isn’t it?”

She got the hint, and let it go for now. With a sigh, she nodded once. “Understood, officer. I’ll start doing what I can. Have you found anything on Screwy’s body yet? And are you…?”

I could tell by the concerned tone at the end of her sentence that she wanted to know if I was capable of handling such a thing with a cadaver. “Don’t worry--I minored in forensics for a little while, so I can safely say that I know what I’m doing. And it looks…” At last, I found it. The same symbol I had found on the other subjects, but it was hidden deeply within her mane. “I see…”

Cork leaned over my shoulder. “What do you think, boss? Not like we can ask her why she was a part of it or anything.”

He was right. There was no way to know for sure why she got this rune from Neighsay given that she was dead. All I could do was speculate based on the evidence at hoof. “Well...this is just a hunch--after which, we’ll need to return to Neighsay and question him ourselves. But for now, here’s my theory…” I took a deep breath, and went on. “It’s entirely plausible that she went to him for assistance with her mental...conflicts and he provided her with the rune which allowed her to remain sane for a while.”

“I see,” my pegasus partner replied, “Makes sense, boss. But that doesn’t really explain how she died.” He looked at Redheart, “You said it was due to substance misuse, yeah?”

She nodded. “That’s what we chalked it up to once we brought her in that day, yes. There wasn’t really any other likely reason for her to have suddenly passed away like that.”

Curious. But I wasn’t going to allow that to be the end of it. I refused to let something like this escape me. “That’s not good enough,” I chided as I backed away from the body, “Can you get me her autopsy report, Red?”

“Of course, sir. Give me a moment,” she replied and walked into another room nearby that contained filing cabinets--likely filled with files related to each corpse.

“You really think Neighsay’s actions could’ve killed her, boss?” Cork asked with a nervous flap of his wings, “I don’t wanna know what’ll happen if word gets out that the EEA was led by a straight up murderer.”

Yes. The diplomatic process was unkind whenever it wanted to be. Something like that was sure to cause unrest within the EEA itself. I wouldn’t be surprised if Twilight considered the disbanding of the organization entirely. For the moment, though, all we could do was make use of conjecture to align proper clues into place for the sake of finding the truth.

I pushed the mare’s body back into its place, and removed my gloves. “Hmph. Jury’s out on that one, kid. Not much we can do except focus on what we should do.”

“Yeah you’re right,” he said, a bit calmer now that I eased his pains. “And yet I feel like…”

We were interrupted when Redheart came back into the room. “Well that’s...crazy. It wasn’t like this when we drew it up,” she mumbled while she looked over the file she held in her hoof.

“What’s the matter?” I asked as I walked over, “Something wrong with the file?”

“Yes actually...look,” she flipped it around to show me.

The entirety of Screwy’s file had been blacked out. Every single line of text had been censored with what looked like jet black permanent marker.

“Wha...what is...how? Who??” I was so confused that I couldn’t even form a proper phrase. Who would have done this? Why? There was something going on here for certain.

Things got even more suspicious when Cork walked up and sniffed the documents. “...Hm. That marker...smells like it’s been applied there for at least a few weeks to a month. This was relatively recent. Somepony more than likely knew we would end up at this point, and preemptively cut us off by blacking out the document.”

Redheart looked up at us and shook her head. “I swear...I have no idea who could’ve done this. Nopony even comes down here! You saw all the dust and spider webs that had gathered up. Who could’ve done it? A ghost?”

She did raise a good point. This place was essentially abandoned with bits of soot and old webs that looked as if they had been here for more than six months. There was no logical way that anyone could have come in here to fudge the documents. Not unless they used magic from the outside to manipulate everything within. But how would that be possible…

“...We believe you, Red. But we’ll need those documents.”

She offered them to me. “Here, take them. You’ll need them far more than I ever will.”

“Thank you very much.”

Once I took the documents on Screwy, we all left the confines of the morgue, and took the steps back up to the hospital. We removed our masks and washed our hands for the sake of being clean afterwards.

“We appreciate your assistance, ma’am,” Cork said as we took our leave.

“If you two need anything else, don’t hesitate,” Redheart replied, “The last thing I want is for the ponies around me to have their jobs at risk due to the actions of some crook.”

I tipped my hat. “We’ll do our best, don’t you worry.”

Oh but I was worrying alright. With so many more elements at play now, I wasn’t even sure where to go next.

But it seemed that Cork was.

“Boss...we need to go see you-know-who.”

Subject 105: Uncomfortably Dim

“You really think she’d know about what’s going on, here?”

Cork continued to walk with me as we headed back towards the center of town. “Think about it, boss. Do you really think Neighsay is gonna be one-hundred percent honest with us? I mean, he could still skirt around certain details to make it seem like he’s telling the truth as a loophole in order to work behind our backs.” He put a hoof around my neck, “And...let’s be honest. She probably knows him better than we realize.”

I rubbed my hoof against my chin. He had a point about that. Though I still planned to question the old unicorn directly, there was a matter of what Cork said. Could she really help us? There was only one real way to find out.

“Alright, son. If you think she’ll be able to help us, then I’m with you. Let’s head to her place immediately.”

It was simple once we gave it enough thought. Cozy Glow had managed to successfully manipulate, and defeat the unicorn in her youth despite being far weaker and lacking any real magic to counter him. Her mental fortitude was beyond compare so if anypony could know about all he had planned, it was her. My only real concern was digging up old wounds from her...rather troublesome past. But I had no choice.

After a short walk, Cork and I arrived at the young mare’s home.

“Let me ask her first,” I said, “She trusts me and will listen more closely.”

He got the hint, and nodded. “Alright, Pale. I’ll take a minute before I jump in. You ask her as much as you can.”

I knocked on the door, and it didn’t take long for the cotton-candy-colored pegasus to open it up.

“Pale-pops?” she asked with an excited, yet concerned tone in her voice and look in her eyes, “This is a surprise. What brings you here?”

“There’s...something important I need to ask you about,” I said with a sigh, “Mind if I come in?”

As soon as I spoke, she became even more concerned, but stood aside to allow me entry. Cork remained outside for the time being to allow me some time alone with her so I can discuss the topic. Thankfully, things were able to go smoother since I was able to speak to her more personally.

We sat on the living room couch, and I gave her the rundown.

“...and that’s what we just found out. As of now, we want to know if you know anything regarding Neighsay’s procedures.”

Her eyes became disheartened as she looked away. “Procedures, huh…” Just as I expected, she did not want to be reminded of the point in time where she was truly lost to the darkness of insanity.

I reached forward and hesitated. But I decided to follow through on the action, and put my hoof on her shoulder. “I know that it’s not easy for you to harken back to. But it’s important. You outsmarted and took over the reigns of the entire school from him. Is it possible that you may have found out how he operates or if his work has killed others?”

She didn’t respond. Was she thinking about a possibility or two? Did she really know what happened in the past? The silence was deafening, but it essentially let me know that she did know something.

“Please, Cozy,” I pleaded with my hooves together, “We can’t afford to lose anything. If you know something, anything at all. Please tell me.”

After a few more moments of silence, she let out a small sigh and glanced at me. “I’ll tell you what I can. My memory is a bit foggy since it was so long ago, so hear me out. When I was little, and took over the school, I found something on him. A blackbook of some kind. It contained loads of names and other info, but that’s all I really remember seeing. Some marked ‘Canterlot’ others marked ‘Cloudsdale’ and ‘Ponyville.’ A few had the words mia marked off nearby also.”

As I expected. Her memory was sharp. Even if she didn’t have all the details, it was just enough for me to go off of so that I could keep going. But wait a second. ‘Mia’? What could that possibly mean? Unless...no, not, mia. MIA. Or Missing In Action. That’s what that meant. So he worked on some individuals that went missing. Sadly, this didn’t exactly tell me whether or not his experiments killed ponies, but it was certainly something.

For now, I decided to calm her down with a gentle hug.

“I see...thanks for helping me with that, Cozy. How have things been?”

Her expression softened, and became more relaxed when I pulled her in. Thank goodness. I didn’t want to see her stressed out any longer. “They’ve been swell, pops. I’m actually gonna head out today and speak with Silver Spoon.”

“Oh? About what?”

Now this was interesting. I knew her relationships with others had started to be rekindled in a slow fashion, but I was more than invested in what she was going to do. Cozy’s future was such a touchy subject that I wasn’t entirely sure how to approach it. But this...maybe this was going to help.

“About...possibly helping me get a job. I’ve started to love crafting and creating my own pieces of art for others to enjoy.”

That’s right. If memory served, Silver Spoon had inherited her family’s utensil development business. Not only that, but they also apparently blew glass and created figurines for things such as windows, vases, and other household items. There was a lot of creativity to be had from something like that.

“Ah. Know that you have my full support in your endeavors, kid.” I rubbed her mane with my hoof. “It sounds like you have some great potential under your wings. I gotta get back to work, though. But tonight, let’s watch a movie at Cheerilee’s home, okay?”

She nodded, and pushed my hoof away. “Yeah yeah, no problem. I’m actually excited to show her how I’ve been doing. So that sounds amazing.”

I got up off the couch. “Alrighty, then. I won’t keep you any longer. Tell Silver Spoon I said hello, alright?”

“Of course,” she replied, “I just have to go get ready. See you soon, pops!”

“See ya, kiddo.” I waved as I left the home, and walked outside to meet Cork. “Alright, I got some ideas.”

“You know what we’re doing next, boss?”

“Not we,” I shook my head, “I need you to stay behind and make sure Cozy is okay. I’m headed to Canterlot.”

I could’ve almost predicted his reaction. He sighed, and looked away from me. “Boss, are you sure about this? Some of the times you’ve left alone you end up injured. If I’m there with you, I can help you out.”

I put a hoof on the pegasus’ shoulder. “I know that, son. But don’t worry. Quick Draw is still up there, as well as Twilight Sparkle and her court. I’ll be fine.”

The young stallion worried about me so much that I couldn’t help but feel at ease knowing he cared enough to speak his opinion. He turned to face me with a determined glare. “Alright, but you’d better come back by tonight or I’m coming after you. Understand?”

Well, there was no way I could argue with that. He had every right to worry about me, given the circumstances of all that I had endured in the last six months to a year. “No argument from me, bud. I’ll be back before sundown.”

“What are you going to Canterlot for, anyways?” he asked.

My answer was obvious. “The last name on the list…”

Dad really had done a lot for me. Wow, calling him that still warmed my heart each time I said it. I was so happy with the knowledge that somepony else out there cared about me and what I wanted. I no longer had to fish for attention or affection. I was loved unconditionally, and it still felt strange. Hehe. How strange was that?

Anyway, I gathered up my things in my chess-patterned saddlebags, and headed out once I locked the door. Silver Spoon’s place wasn’t very far. Just a short walk. It was a nice little townhouse surrounded by beautiful hedges that rested on a hill near the Northern edge of Ponyville. It wasn’t as big as Diamond Tiara’s home, but noble and prideful all the same.

I knocked on the front door, and the gray mare would answer with a smile and a hug.

“Oh, Cozy!” she said as she embraced me, “What’s going on?”

I held on tight, and smiled at her once she let go. “Hey! Um, I was wondering if you’d help me fund my newest project idea. It’s…”

She interrupted me with a rather unexpected question. “Yeah sure, but first. I wanna ask you something. What’s your relation to that detective stallion?”

“Oh, Pale?” Guess I never gave it much thought until now. Now how exactly was I going to answer this? “...I guess he’s like a father figure to me. He’s courageous, smart, kind, and though he can be a bit of a stubborn mule sometimes, I like him the way he is.” I tilted my head, “Why do you ask?”

She shrugged her shoulders. “I was curious. My dad was never really around much, so I wanted to know what it’s been like for you these past few months. You two really seem to have a cool father-daughter thing going on,” she paused and turned to trot inside, “that I was just wondering how it felt for you.”

I took it as an invitation, and followed her in. “Well, yeah it’s...new, for one. Having somepony actually care about what I do with my life--it’s a strange feeling,” I replied as I closed the door.

“Heh. If only my mom was anywhere near as capable,” Silver Spoon said with a roll of her eyes. She adjusted her glasses with her hoof, and scoffed. “Hm, always too preoccupied with her smoothies and paperwork to help me with my homework. Now I’m running the family business mostly by myself. How hoofed up is that? You’re lucky, Cozy…”

Yikes. I had never considered how her life had been. As a power-hungry filly, I didn’t care about anypony except myself. But now...things were starting to become clearer as I experienced other perspectives on life. It made me feel even more stupid for the decisions I made when I was little. But I had to put that behind me. My past does not define me. My past is not today.

I took a deep breath, and walked up to her. I put a hoof around her neck to comfort her. “Hey...I’m here for you, Silver. And so is Diamond, right?”

Her annoyed scowl melted into a smile. “Yeah...you’re right. So what is it that you wanted help with?”

“Oh yeah!” I reached into my saddlebag for some documents, “I have some ideas on some glass sculptures I wanna create.”

Silver took one look at my plans and squealed, her hooves excitedly danced against the floor. “Ohmigosh! Yes! This is exactly what we need!”

Now that...that felt good.

Subject 106: Floral Freakshow

Well well well. How the turntables as they say. I had been all over Equestria in the last week to interview individuals who had been affected by Neighsay’s experiments. With four down, and one to go, I was more than prepared to engage the final one. Though I left Cork behind so he could keep watch over Cozy as well as Ponyville for me. You could never really predict the movements of your enemy unless you remained one step ahead of them at all times.

Oh, and the last name on the list? Fleur-De-Lis.

Looks like things had come full circle. I was just as astounded the first time I read the name as I was now. No wonder she sounded so supportive of the old unicorn’s ways. She had been one of his loyal test subjects the entire time. Very sneaky and clever indeed. But what was I going to do?

Well first, I was on the train. I swear, it felt like this thing was my second home at this point with how much I traveled. In fact, I had actually memorized the name of the conductor, the ticket pony, and the attendants that worked on the train. There were even a few familiar faces from ponies, griffons, and dragons whose schedules I had (accidentally) memorized due to seeing them so much. It was a small, yet careful observation that I made for the sake of everyone’s safety should the need arise.

Even as I exited the train car, the conductor stallion asked me a question. “On business as usual, sir? Try not to lose your head out there,” he warned.

I chuckled, and tipped my hat. “If everything goes well, I should be back before the sundown. Just keep the train steamed for me, alright?” I shot him a grin as I stepped off and onto the loading platform.

Canterlot was bustling as usual. Everypony had their noses turned up and were busy minding their own business as they shopped, strolled, and strided like models through the Kingdom’s city. But I had to focus. My target wouldn’t remain in a static position for very long.

The ticket pony at the station waved at me, so I waved in return. Actually, that maya have been more helpful than I realized.

I trotted over to the stand, and addressed him. “Hey, good afternoon. Do you happen to know if Fleur-De-Lis will be doing another...er, show today?” I asked with a mental smirk at my own idea.

He shook his head. “Apologies, sir. But you’re not gonna have much luck talking to her today,” he replied as he sorted some paperwork behind his desk.

“Oh? Why not?”

“Something about being too sick to see anypony. I’m not close to her--nor do I wish to be--so I wouldn’t really know what’s going on.”

Hm...curious. Could it have something to do with the rune? There was only one way to find out.

“Thank you, good sir,” I replied as I stepped away from the station. Now I was on the move towards the hotel. The very same one I had been to all those months ago to get her initial opinion on Cozy. Something about the words of the ticket taker didn’t resonate with me. Why now of all times did she suddenly fall ill? Yeah, I wasn’t buying it. As usual, there was a deeper meaning here that I was ready to find out.

I trotted into the hotel, and approached the front desk. “Hello. I’m looking for Fleur-De-Lis,” I said as I opened a bit of my coat to show my badge. Honestly? Never really enjoyed doing it because it felt like I was asserting my authority. But this situation called for a forceful hoof. “It’s an emergency. Is she available?”

“Sorry, but we can’t--” The pony behind the desk looked up at me, and noticed my jacket. “Oh...well, I wouldn’t recommend approaching her right now since she’s...sick.”

I see. That lined up with what the ticket pony at the train station told me. But something about the way she phrased it made me suspicious. “Oh, really?” I asked casually as I put my coat back into place, “What’s ailing her exactly?”

“Um...I’m not sure,” she replied with a bit of hesitation, “S-she wouldn’t say, ya know? I didn’t wanna bother her since it’s likely that she’s really tired from all of her modelling, heh! You know how it is.” She finished her sentence with a shivering smile.

It was more than apparent that she was lying. But why? What reason could she have to possibly cover up what Fleur is dealing with? Was she bribed? Blackmailed? A ransom? Hm...guess I would have to find out for myself later on. For now, I simply tipped my hat, and went on. “Thank you. I’ll see how she’s doing for myself.”

I went to the hallway, and took one of the elevators up. As I rode through the metallic shaft, my ear flicked. “Hm?” I could’ve sworn I heard some strained noises, but it was probably somepony having a hard time lifting something. I had to focus. This could make or break my entire investigation. The final pony to interview that had been damned by Neighsay’s rituals. But with the knowledge I had of FDL’s feelings toward him, what could she possibly gain from it--if that truly was the case.

“Gah...my head’s spinning. I just need to speak with her as soon as possible, and get this over with. Then I can finally lay this case to rest.”

DING!

The elevator stopped, and its doors opened. I was now on the floor in which Fleur resided. Though unlike the last time I was here, there was no line of adoring fans that waited patiently outside of her door. Hm…

“Let’s see what we got,” I said to myself as I stepped out of the elevator, and into the quiet hallway. It was almost eerie to not see anyone else.in such a public place. But I had my orders. Now which room was she located in...ah. The one at the end of the hall.

I cleared my throat, and got ready to knock. But before I did, my ear flicked again. I was picking up something through the wall. A sense of malice, unbridled rage, and confusion. The same sort of aura that I received from before when I entered the elevator, except it was amplified! I had no choice. It was time to act. I flicked the lever on my kinetic blaster, and readied it.

BLAM!

“CEASE YOUR ACTIONS!” I shouted when I burst into the room, the door nearly broken off its hinges from the force I applied.

And there she was.

Fleur-De-Lis had a devilish sort of magical aura about her. Complete with crisp, purple eyes as she stood in the mirror. Huh. The usual evil color was red, but I guess not this time.

“And here you are,” she said casually as she stood in front of her reflection, “Just like clockwork.”

While this may have answered one or two of the questions I had, it raised loads of others. What was her reason for doing this? How was she doing this? Why was she being hostile towards me? There were so many elements at play here that I needed to relax and think about what she could do.

“You were expecting me then?” I asked, my weapon still pointed at her, “And just why were you working with Neighsay in the first place? Don’t you know who he is? What he’s done to other ponies?”

She scoffed, and rolled her eyes. “Ugh, you commoners. Always overthinking things and trying to find answers where there are none.” She faced me with a posh flick of her hair, “I quite frankly don’t care about him or whatever he’s doing now that he’s imprisoned. All I want is the maintain a monopoly on Canterlot’s beauty standards. So I...made a bit of a deal with him.”

Uh-huh. That didn’t exactly inspire confidence given that her magical capabilities were currently off the charts--whether she realized it or not. “And that deal was?”

“Eternal beauty,” she commented as she levitated a few brushes with her magic to brush her mane and tail, “I’ll never visibly age so long as I wear this magical augmentation.”

Okay then, this probably didn’t have to be as violent as I initially thought it would be. “Listen,” I did my best to explain it carefully, “This power is unstable and it could take you over if you don’t know how to control it. Moondancer is right here in Canterlot, and she can help you retain your beauty without this…” I pointed my hoof at her horn, “funky volatile nonsense.”

“Hmph. As if I would ever listen to you,” she said with a scoff, and turned her head up with her eyes shut, “You’re just jealous that you don’t have a marefriend as beautiful as moi--so you wish to tear me down just like everypony else did when I was little.”

“Wait...what happened when you were little?” I asked out of curiosity. Maybe I could figure out why she accepted this runic seal from the old unicorn in the first place.

But sadly, Fleur was uncooperative. She opened her eyes, and glared at me with a powerful flash of purple. “Wh--forget that! You have ten seconds to leave my room before I call security, and have you arrested for breaking and entering!”

While that last bit about her personal life was interesting, and could probably explain why she was doing all of this, I didn’t have any more time to waste. If she refused to level with me, then I would have to take matters into my own hooves, and bring her in by force if necessary.

“This is your final chance to cooperate,” I snapped back, “But if you fail to keep a handle on that rune, you will become a hideous demonic beast!”

“...!” That must’ve got her attention. She revolted, dropped the brushes, and nearly backed into her dresser. “Y...you lie! There is no way somepony as beautiful as me! Could ever become a disgusting beast!” Despite her words, her rage riled up the power behind the symbol, and started to transform her body in subtle ways. Her ears became fuzzier, teeth became sharper, and her horn grew a bit longer. It wasn’t much, but it was enough to let me know that this experiment really did affect her.

“Look at yourself,” I commanded as I pointed at the mirror behind her, “You’re already succumbing to your inevitable fate. Let us help you.” I spoke more softly now because I didn’t want to aggravate her or this newfound power that she had building up inside of her. So I approached her slowly, gingerly with my hoof outstretched to offer her that chance. “Come on, it’ll be alright…”

For a moment, it seemed as if she was willing to listen. She put one of her hooves out, and slowly reached it towards me. But it was too late. The rune had already overtaken her body, and she lashed out instead. “NO!”

Before I could blink, she levitated me into the air, and shoved me into one of her closets! “Yahhh!”

“I have no time for this!” she growled, “I have a photoshoot in Ponyville to attend! I will not be denied by some filthy lowlife that can’t understand beauty!” And with that, I heard galloping hooves race away from the room.

It took me a moment to wade through the loads and loads of articles of clothing that were in there. But after a while--and pushing a dress off my head--I managed to get out of that closet. “Yeech. Thing is so big you could almost use it as a parachute.” My ear flicked again.

FDL’s aura was on the move. But where? I got up, and ran to the hotel’s balcony.

“Oh shit…”

She had already made her way onto the train down below. There was still time as it loaded up with passengers. Though, by the time I took the elevator and ran down, there was no way I would be able to catch up. Not unless I just jumped or something. But if I did that, I’d have no method of controlling my descent.

Unless…

“Ugh, this better not kill me.”

Subject 107: Wilting Flower

On paper, it was ludicrous. Who would actually do something like that? Was I already crazy? Had I already lost my mind? I had no idea. But I absolutely could not allow her to reach Ponyville in such a crazed, demented state. So I had to do the unthinkable to counteract the unthinkable. The train’s whistle had already sounded off, so I only had a few seconds to enact what I planned to do.

“One...two...and...go.”

I jumped from the balcony while I held onto the parachute dress to float down. I used it as a makeshift hang glider in order to drop quickly and reach the very back of the train just before it left the station. I noticed a few ponies and other individuals shot me weird looks as I floated down, but I paid it no mind.

“Oof.”

The landing was harsh, but solid. I stumbled a bit, and got tangled within the confines of the dress for a moment. “Stupid green fabric...who even wears these types of things?!” I found myself rolled up in it like a cocoon before I realized I could just crawl out--the struggle wasn’t necessary. “Yeesh. Okay, now where am I?” I looked around. I was on the back of the train’s caboose, and the door to the inside was right in front of me. We were leaving Canterlot, and heading towards the Ponyville. No time to waste.

I folded the dress up, and stepped inside the door. The caboose was simply a supply car filled with coal, brooms, and other items that the attendants would use. Okay, nothing crazy here. “Hm...well, she’s obviously in a passenger car,” I said as I put the dress on a nearby shelf, “I just have to engage and get her away from as many civilians as possible. Simple.”

With a plan in motion, I headed deeper into the train. The next car was another supply car. But it was filled with paperwork and other office stationeries. Okay, next. I pranced on, and entered the first passenger car. But after a careful scan of the room, I concluded that Fleur wasn’t in here. Alright, next.

Yet again, another car that didn’t feature her, and another. Hmph. This was getting tedious. The next passenger car was the last one before I would arrive at the train’s engine room where it got its power from coal and steam. If she wasn’t there, then that would mean she had taken shelter within the front car and would likely cause damage to the train itself should she be left alone in her manic state. But as I passed through, I felt a familiar aura. Was it somepony I knew? No, I didn’t have time to fret about such things.

“Come on...don’t be foolish…”

I stepped into the next passenger car. At last, luck was on my side for a change. I saw the white unicorn with the pink mane way at the front of the car. She looked as if she had calmed down somewhat, so this made her a bit more approachable. But I had to think. There were too many civilians on this train to risk a situation in which she could lash out due to the abundance of magic that had overtaken her body. Would it be better to engage now or wait until the train stopped and take her on in a more secluded location? Think, Pale. Think.

Okay, I made my choice.

I decided to handle things once the train came to a stop and she would be able to exit. As of that moment, she had no idea that I was here, so I could use it to my advantage and cut her off before she went wherever she claimed she was going. Simple. I took a seat, and waited for the train to arrive at her stop.

The train came to a screeching halt at the Ponyville station. Those who were getting off--Fleur included--rose from their seats, trotted off the car, and onto the loading platform. Everypony went their separate ways, but Fleur in particular started to walk towards Carousel Boutique. Okay, that made sense. But I wasn’t going to allow her to get there. Not in her current state. But now I had another conflict.

Just how would I isolate her without it appearing suspicious? Hrm…

First thing’s first, I had to start tailing her. By doing that, I could observe her movement patterns and make sure that she didn’t cause trouble.

I exited the train, and kept a keen sense of observation on Fleur from a distance. So far, all she did was stumble a bit in her step due to how much magic was overloading her system. It was likely weighing down heavily upon her and she was extremely close to giving in to its full potential. Which could spell bad news for all of us should she lose herself. I could feel it through the ground, and see it in her bones. This wouldn’t last very long.

At the same time, however, I respected the mare’s drive. The diligence to finish any project she started was a quality that was missing on many ponies both from my, and the new generation. However, she was taking it to such an extreme that her life was now at risk. And despite my personal disdain for a pony with biases such as herself, it was my job to approach things from a fair, lawful perspective. Even if it meant rescuing those I disliked.

Anyhow, her fans started to crowd her, and were none the wiser about her current internal state. All she did was smile and wave at the congregation that formed. I simply walked along a nearby path to keep an eye on her while also avoiding suspicion myself. The Boutique was about a few dozen yards away so I had to act swiftly if I wanted to remove her from the public eye.

After a while, she managed to shake everypony off. Something about desiring personal space for the time being. Her loyal fans accepted the request, and started to back away. This was about to be my chance. I just needed to persuade her to drop what she was doing in order to help her. But how was I going to do that? Gah, this was hurting my head.

Then I felt it again. That familiar aura. One of a close friend. But they had apparently also boarded the train earlier. Could it be… “Did she really...wow.” I stopped in my tracks. If things were about to shake down like I could sense they were, then we were in for a crazy time.

Still, I kept my pace. From a range, I stalked the model of a unicorn until she reached the Boutique. Once she entered the building, and shut the door behind her, I could already tell what was about to happen.

I even started a countdown.

“And in three...two...one…”

CRASH! BANG! BOOM!

Just as I expected.

I raced to the window and saw nopony there. The noises sounded as if they came from the rear end of the building, so that’s where I went next. Surely enough, I found my familiar face that I had been sensing the whole way here.

Quick Draw had taken a tumble with Fleur until they were both outside, and stood across from each other in a standoff sort of way in the middle of the open grassland.

“Well now,” I spoke as I happened upon the scene, “Talk about a way of coming back to us, huh Quickie?”

“Gah…” The yellow mare groaned, and shook her head. “I came all the way down here after finishing my final therapy sesh and that’s how you greet me?” she said with a teasing smirk on her face, “How rude.”

Fleur interrupted our small moment of reunion with a stomp of her hoof. “You!” She pointed at Quick. “Why are you doing this?! Are you jealous?! Can’t stand how beautiful I am, can you?!”

The earth pony mare scoffed, and chuckled. “Pssh. Jeez, who fraggled your floozy this morning? Can’t you see--er, feel it?” she pointed a hoof at FDL’s swollen horn, “Your entire body’s being overtaken by some wacko’s nutcase magic experiment. Do you really wanna go through this? If you do, you’ll probably end up actually ugly and never have any fans again. Not sure if you wanna take that risk, just saying.”

“Ngh! Gah!” But the white unicorn refused to listen. Her horn grew sharp, and her teeth became serrated as a purple flame started to flare out of both of her eyes. “You...you whorse! You lie! You just want me to give everything up and see me fall! Just as everypony in my childhood did! Eeheheee! Well tough caltrops, missy!” Her horn lit up. She was about to launch a powerful magical attack! “I’m going to remain the prettiest mare in Equestria if it’s the last thing I--”

SHING!

A split-second before Fleur fired off her spell, I barely managed to see a dagger fly through the air, and nick the mare’s horn. The cut wasn’t large, but it was enough to throw her off-balance and fire the spell harmlessly into the sky.

“Grr! What the--how?!” Fleur stammered.

“There’s an old saying…” Quick Draw smirked once more as the dagger returned to her body. She casually spun it around on her hoof before she gripped it once more. “The hoof is quicker than the eye.”

Quick really did live up to her name when it came to combat. She was a more defensive type that chose to primarily react to her opponent’s missteps in order to pinpoint their weakness and take advantage of it. Just how did she do this? You could say it was her Earth Pony Magic. Like myself, we both had greater connections to living things through the earth. I tended to use my abilities for the purpose of tailing and tracing. Quick, on the other hoof, used her aura-sensing abilities to predict, and react to the movements of others before they even made them. Stellar, really.

Her hooves were also fitted with magnetically enhanced horseshoes that allowed her to fling out, and call back her knives faster than a pony could blink. Truly a mare that lived up to her name. Of course, the pair of hoofcuffs on her flank as a cutie mark represented her talent for stopping bad guys--or something. I don’t remember exactly.

Anyhow, it was fun to watch her finally fight again. And have the chance to fight alongside her. If only Cork was here, then it’d really be like the old days…

“Grr...rraggh…” Fleur snarled with her mascara running down her face in gross trails of black, “You will pay!”

And yet, Quick was not intimidated. In fact, she shot me a casual glance. “Hey, brother. Wanna help me out?”

Well now, that warmed my heart to even hear. It had been ages since she referred to me as her sibling from another parent. Who was I to refuse her?

I cricked my neck both ways, and grinned. “Thought you’d never ask, sister.”

Subject 108: Her Dying Light

The unicorn was surrounded on both sides by two ponies. There was no reasonable way for her to escape this situation without suffering major damage. Of course, the intent was not to kill her. Another loss of life would be far too great if it occurred so readily, plus we needed her for evidence regarding this scenario involving Neighsay and his experiments. So there was quite a bit at stake here and it was all determined on how well Quick and I fought together after being away from each other for so long. So that was just great, you know?

“Enough of this!” Fleur shouted with an annoyed growl, “You will not stop me from achieving ultimate beauty!”

Quick Draw snapped back with a deft response. “Yeah, uh, no offense--but you’re acting hella ugly right about now. I sure as shit wouldn’t want my daughter to see you as a role model--if I had one.”

“Yeah that’s a pretty disgusting way to act,” I added, “You’d do well to allow us to help you. You’re prettier than this when you’re being yourself for your fans.”

Sadly this wasn’t enough for her. Fleur shot back with a snide comment. “Oh please! A stallion like you would never appreciate true beauty if it hit you right in the face!” Her horn started to swell again. She was getting ready to fire something off! “Well, I’ll make you learn here and now!”

A hot pink beam of magic was fired from her horn. With my sensory capabilities, I was just able to dodge roll out of the way in time, but I couldn’t exactly counter the attack since I was too far away. Okay, it was time to get moving.

“Pale!” Quick shouted from her end of the field, “You okay?”

“That was a nut hair away from taking my whole goddamn face off!” I replied with a disgruntled groan. Our ability to communicate was made extremely difficult since Fleur would be able to hear everything we said to each other. Unless...oh! Please put those hooves to work, Quick. For the love of all things Luna.

All I could do for the moment was dash and dodge in a zig-zag pattern to throw off Fleur’s spellcasting. From there, the planning was all on Quick.

While I couldn’t read her mind, somehow, it felt as if she managed to catch on.

One of her daggers were flung tip-first into the ground near Fleur. “Hey bitch!” she shouted, “C’mon, pick your poison. You don’t wanna waste your time with him. Take me on. He’s not worth it.”

The bluff worked, and it caused the corrupted unicorn to turn around. “Oh? You think you have a chance of matching my beauty?”

Once again, Quick twiddled a knife upon her hoof. “Heh. I know I can. I don’t need a fancy horn to make myself look good,” she said as she stretched out each of her hind legs--one by one. “I’m already the hottest thing around. You couldn’t handle me if you tried.”

With comebacks like that, there was very little room for error. As expected of Quick to always bait her enemy. Lesson One: Always strike first.

“Ohohoho!” Fleur cackled, and rubbed her hoof against the dirt like a bull ready to charge. “You’ve made a really bad mistake!”

Enraged, the unicorn fired off horn blast after horn blast with no sense of finesse or direction. With Quick’s skills, she was able to easily avoid each attack with swift, elegant dodges that enabled her to escape each attack unscated.

“Jeez,” she mumbled while she bent over backwards to avoid a pink blast that hit a tree and turned it to ash, “Can you even magic? My grandma could hit better shots than you!”

The comments only fueled the monstrous aspects of Fleur even more. A dark, black and purple aura started to surround her body like a flame. “Grrr! Your insolence as an insipid, insignificant ingrate! I’ll do anything to ensure that nopony will make fun of me ever again! I’ll be the most beautiful! Stallions will only want me! Ahahahaha!”

I was about to jump in, but I halted myself. Something about what she said had resonated with me. If I could somehow exploit that weakness, and draw the darkness out of her. Yes, that would allow us to isolate the problem without having to damage, and potentially harm her. Fleur was the victim in this situation--a victim of a power she clearly underestimated and could not control. She didn’t deserve to be on the receiving end of full force attacks. So we had to be smart.

And just as I expected, Quick Draw knew this as well. She was closing in on Fleur now as she continued to bob, weave, roll, and evade each magical shot that emitted from the unicorn’s horn. But her movements were not with intent to kill. It was something else.

“Oh that’s just rich,” she snarked back, “The model industry doesn’t give a damn about you as an individual. Just your looks, you dumbass.”

“I...no...never!” Fleur shouted back with a stomp of her hooves, “You are just--”

But she was cut off. Quick Draw had performed enough evasive maneuvers to run up, and approach the unicorn. With her dagger held tightly in her hoof and poised to strike the back of her neck, Quick had manufactured a stalemate between the two of them for the moment. Neither could move or act lest they risk attacking each other.

“Once you shrivel up and age, they’ll move onto the next hot young mare that they can exploit for money and views,” Quick explained with her hoof on the mare’s shoulder, “You’re nothing at the end of the day. Nothing but money for greedy managers and executives to mooch off of. If you wanna set an example of real beauty, start doing charity work, raise awareness of social issues, become a public speaker. Do something worth a damn to more than just yourself.”

For the first time since our interaction, Fleur had no real response. No witty banter, no sharp words. Nothing. All she did was freeze in place--likely to contemplate what she was just told.

Huzzah. It worked.

“You...think I’m wasting my life?” she asked--she spoke with her normal voice instead of the monstrous tone she had acquired from the rune that was placed upon her.

Quick simply rolled her eyes, and stood on her hind legs. In a flash, she spun the mare around in a hostage-esque chokehold with her dagger primed to cleave the white unicorn’s neck. “Hmph. It’s not up to me to determine how somepony else lives their life. I’m well within my right to comment on it, though. And I think models are a cancer upon society. They propose unrealistic beauty standards on little fillies and cause them to grow up focusing on nothing but their looks. Granted--not all models are bad. You do have a few here and there who use their looks to push a message of positivity, but the modelling industry is a piece of shit that--as I said before--seeks out the prettiest young mare they can reap upon, and steal her life from her to make money. And then? When she gets older and her looks start to fade, they toss her aside like trash, and move right onto the next one. They don’t care about you--Fleur-De-Lis. All they want is your body. Do you feel comfortable with that? Do you??”

“I...I...I don’t…” The unicorn couldn’t form a proper sentence.

I could feel it. The power of the rune was being pushed back. Quick’s words had finally managed to get through to her! Now it was my turn to step in. We had to draw out that demonic presence within her body so she could return to normal.

I trotted forward. Fluer’s eyes returned to their normal shade of soft purple. But now they were filled with unbridled terror as she shivered softly and refused to look at me directly. “Hey now,” I said as I neared her, “We’re not going to hurt you. You just need to understand where your life is headed. Yes--I understand that you want to retain your good looks forever. Unfortunately, that’s simply not possible. Looks come and go, but who we are is eternal.” I looked at Quick, and held up a hoof to get her to ease up with the dagger.

She didn’t drop her guard, but Quick did loosen her grip somewhat.

“But I…” Fleur finally responded on a barely audible level, “I don’t want everypony to make fun of me...not again.”

I tilted my head. “Make fun of you? Just why would they do that?”

“I...when I was little…I wasn’t very smart. I wore glasses and was made fun of for always failing the most basic of questions all the way through middle school,” she explained with a teary set of eyes. I could feel her aura. It was earnest and sincere. This was critical information that she clearly never shared with anypony else. “Math and advanced magic were my worst subjects, and I never knew how to answer the problems as well as the other ponies. It was simply too hard for me.”

“You don’t know how to do basic levitation? Lame!”

“The homework was so easy too!”

“I….I’m sorry, I…” she backed away as the other students laughed at her.

“Then one day, in junior high, I tripped, and my glasses fell off my face…”

“Woah, are you okay?” a young stallion helped her up.

“Yeah...I’m alright, hehe.”

He levitated her glasses to her, but stopped midway through. “Woah...you’re…”

“I’m...what?”

He blushed, and simply offered them to her. “I wh-nothing! I didn’t say anything!”

She put her glasses back on, and some other young stallion students rounded the corner.

“Hey, Fancy! Are you talkin’ to the dummy girl?”

“That’s so crazy. She has glasses but has the lowest grades in the class!”

‘Fancy’ sided with his friends for the moment. “Yeah uh...naw, I was just waiting on you guys! Hang on!” He left with his friends but shot Fleur a wink as he left.

“So I figured...if I ditched my glasses and embraced how pretty I was, I could get other students to do my work for me. And from then on...I embraced it, became a model--shunned everypony else, and used my appearance to acquire my fame.” She looked down at the ground. “But the way this mare...Ms. Draw was it? The way she has described the industry to me is...quite the eye-opener.”

We weren’t therapists, but we did what we could. For now though, I was more interested in cleansing her body of that disgusting magic that had been applied. But wait, how was I going to go about that, exactly?

Quick proposed a solution. “...FDL, do you finally start to understand your own flaws and how destructive they can be? In pursuit of your own selfish desires, you nearly hurt all of your fans and other innocent ponies.”

The unicorn nodded slowly. “I do...I’ll...I’ll do my best to break out of this. I promise.”

“...Sorry for what I’m about to do,” Quick commented. In a swift motion, she used her dagger to cut a tiny slit in the mare’s skin on the side of her neck where the run was located. Nowhere near enough to cause lasting pain or bleeding.

“Owwww…what...what is...wh…” The dark essence of the rune started to seep out of her body. Once it had all exited, the symbol disappeared, and Fleur passed out. But her aura was still active--she was alive.

However...once the black and purple miasma had finished leaving her body, it floated in the air for a moment. I reached a hoof out to it, but it suddenly became violent.

“GET DOWN!” I shouted!

We--with Quick holding onto Fleur’s limp body--dove behind a nearby boulder to shield ourselves from the explosion of miasma. After a moment, we both left the safety of our defense to find...

A dragon-like monster with stony gray skin, purple eyes, and bat wings. All in all? It was the size of a damn house!

“Holy shit,” I mumbled, “A gargoyle...just like...no, it can't be!”

“The buck?” Quick growled as she stepped up next to me, “Thought these things went extinct hundreds of years ago!”

I scoffed, and readied my blaster once more. “Tch. We can figure out how the hell Neighsay managed to summon one later. Right now, we need to focus on bringing it down.”

But before I could add another thought, I heard a familiar voice. “WIND SLASH!” This was followed by an orange pegasus that flew in with an excessive amount of gale force to stagger the beast before it could even attack us.

“GRRRRRAH!”

“Heh...what’s up, guys?” he addressed us both.

“Cork?!” Quick Draw yelped, “How are you--” She shook her head, and took out two of her knives. “Gah, nevermind that. Help us beat this thing.”

“That’s what I’m here for,” he smirked at the both of us, “Now it’s really like old times, huh, pops?”

I couldn’t help but chuckle. “Yes...hehe. It is. Let’s go, you two.”

Officer Academy’s Team 10 had returned.

Subject 109: Team 10 Returns

Indeed. It had been ages since we were all able to fight alongside each other. Now that we were back together, it was going to be more than enough to take down this foul beast. While we were excellent combatants in our own rights, fighting alongside each other was a pony of a different color entirely. We each brought something different to the table, and now was the time to actually show off what we could do.

The gargoyle reeled back, and leaned downwards with a mighty roar as it breathed a hefty gust of purple fire at us.

Cork was the first to notice, and flapped his wings to create a gale force to counter the flame. “On me!” he shouted, and both Quick and I grouped up next to him. He flew around in a small, rapid circle to create a miniature cyclone that pushed through, and destroyed the fire.

Quick was next to spout a command. “Okay, stay close to me. I think I can possibly do the same thing as what I did to Fleur a minute ago.”

Cut it open? That was going to demand a serious opening. But I was more than happy to oblige.

Quick galloped forward with her dagger clenched between her teeth. The beast swiped at her with its claws, but she barely managed to avoid it. In a crazy display of movement, she climbed up the monster’s arm, and attempted to scale its body to get to its neck!

To compound her attack, I charged forward towards its left leg. It was a massive foot, but I knew that I could at least stagger the beast to make it lose its balance. As they said, ‘the bigger they are…’

Corkscrew started to fly around the upper body of the gargoyle to catch its attention. I could tell because I watched his shadow from the ground as it danced around to match his erratic, crazy flying pattern. A perfect distraction that enabled Quick Draw to get up on its shoulders, and allowed me to move in.

“HYAH!”

With all I had, I rushed in, and headbutted the beast right in his left shin. I knew I was strong enough to at least force it to slow down. Which I just eked by to accomplish.

“AAGH!” It let out a sharp roar, and took one thunderous step backwards from my attack. This was going well.

To further disrupt its balance, I went behind its leg, and grabbed ahold of it with both hooves. I started pulling backwards in a typical ‘suplex’ fashion. Naturally, I was nowhere near strong enough to actually flip it over, but I had applied just enough strain to keep it from moving off the ground. If it started to fly, it was game over for all of us.

Cork knew that as well, which is why he started to fling wind-based projectiles at the beast’s wings in order to keep it from trying to use them.

Almost there. Quick Draw was almost there. She just needed to get up to its neck, and stab it one good time with one of her special knives…

But there was one flaw in this plan that the beast quickly exploited: We didn’t account for the potential damage to the surrounding area.

“RRRRRRAGH!” The beast howled a mighty roar that echoed with the force of a hundred wind machines. Quick Draw was thrown a bit off-balance due to the sheer amount of pressure applied by how much its inner body vibrated. Why did it vibrate? Because it was charging something. An attack! From its mouth, I could see a purple ball form from its mouth. It wasn’t fire. No...it was a ball of pure dark magic!

“Shittin’ me…”

The gargoyle flung the magic ball towards Carousel Boutique. There was no way our current attack pattern could remain active while that sphere of destruction was in play. We had to change it up--immediately.

“Cork!” I shouted, “Block it!”

The pegasus turned his head, and saw the magical attack fly towards the home of Rarity and her sister. “...!” His initial shock wore off almost immediately. Cork flapped his wings and flew in a downward meteor-esque position to allow gravity to increase his speed for him. It was a rare, and dangerous movie that only professional pegasi were capable of pulling off due to their flexible bodies. “I...got this!”

KABLAM!

Quick and I had ceased our actions to check on the extent of the damage. Luckily for us, Cork had proven himself yet again. Once the dust settled, we saw that Carousel Boutique was still standing tall and proud. No damage had been caused. How? Cork had made use of one of his best tricks.

“Haha! Nice try!” An entire wall of thick, dense clouds had been erected between him and the explosion. The ball harmlessly went off against it, much to our relief.

From above, we heard a familiar voice. “What in Equestria is happening out there?!” Rarity shouted from her second story window. As soon as she laid eyes on the gargoyle, she didn’t look very intimidated. “Seriously? Is that one of Scorpan’s friends you’re dealing with? How rude of her…”

‘Her’? Well I couldn’t exactly tell if itg was female, but I had to take the mare’s word for it. However, for the time being, we needed her to evacuate the area.

Cork was already on top of it. “Ma’am. We could use your help. Get you and your sister to safety and warn all the denizens of Ponyville about what’s going on,” he explained, “My crew and I will handle it.”

“...I understand. We’re in no mood to debate the situation,” she replied amicably, “but if you all need help, I’ll be back as quick as I can.” She then turned to retreat further into her home. From there, I couldn’t hear her clearly, but I could just barely discern the unicorn call for her sister, followed by their thundering hoofsteps as they fled the scene. Rarity certainly could’ve assisted us in the battle, but warning the townsfolk of the current problem at hoof was imperative above all else.

To my left, I heard Quick shout. “Move!”

“Wha--oof!” I was promptly tackled out of the way of the gargoyle’s claws in the nick of time before it struck me down. We both landed a few yards away, and had to rise to our hooves immediately afterwards. “Yikes...you alright?”

“Me?” she asked in a sarcastic manner, “You’re who I’m more worried about.”

I dusted myself off. “I’m fine. But now? We need a new plan of attack.”

“What’s the plan, Pale?” Cork flew down, and landed between us both, “How about you, QD? An idea from either of you would be great right now, because I’m like, uh, oh yeah--shit outta luck here!” he said with a spastic flap of his wings.

The gargoyle glared at us with silent fury. It was as if it dared us to make another move. This creature...was it more intelligent than the average monster? It had to be. It wasn’t just going to fire off attacks willy-nilly like most others would. But I couldn’t exactly read its aura. This demonic creature didn’t exactly have a fully sapient mind, so my sensory abilities were limited against it. On top of that, I wanted to do my best to avoid collateral damage to the surrounding town and civilians. In short? This was not going to be simple.

“I’m thinking...this is going to take some strategy…” I mused over the potential ideas that we could attempt against such a creature. But that’s when I heard yet another familiar voice.

“Pops!”

I looked up, and saw Cozy fly down to greet us. My heart nearly jumped out of my chest when I saw her. This was no place for her to be! “Cozy! What the buck are you doing here?! Get far away from here!”

“No I...I lied…” she said while she avoided eye contact with me.

My frustration turned to confusion. “...You what?”

“I was too scared to admit it before, but now that I’ve seen what’s going on with my own eyes, I need to tell you: I saw drawings of gargoyle’s in Neighsay’s book. This must have been one of the experiments he was working on.”

Quick interjected. “Okay, that’s all well and good--but do you remember any specific weakness that this thing could possibly have?”

My ear flicked. From the corner of my eye, I noticed that the stony, winged beast continued to observe us. She didn’t make any sudden movements, but it was like she allowed us to communicate for a second. Was this thing that confident in herself to where she felt like she could engage us whenever she pleased and still win? Could it understand us? It was conjecture, but it was fascinating all the same.

“It doesn’t have any ‘weaknesses’ per se,” Cozy explained, “Although, if you can somehow restrain it from using its wings, then it’s pretty much down for the count.” She looked down. “I’m sorry for not being clearer…”

I sighed. While I wished that Cozy had been more transparent much sooner, I still appreciated her words. Still, whether or not she knew more was something I needed to speak with her about at some point in the future. “...Alright, kid,” I said with a nod, “Thank you. But you need to head on home now. Once I’m done here, we’ll both work on dealing with it together.”

Her eyes went from concerned to relieved. She put both hooves around me in a quick hug. “Got it, pops. Thanks.” She let go, and took off once more. “Neighsay is gonna get it...I swear it.”

With that established, I turned back to my teammates. Corkscrew’s agility was incomparable, and Quick’s reflexes were unstoppable. Combining that with my sheer power would be more than enough to take this beast down. Though in the back of my mind, I couldn’t help but wonder: Was this gargoyle truly related to Scorpan in some way?

“Okay, I know what we need to do. Same thing as before but with more...area control,” I concepted to my crewmates, “Savvy?”

Predictably, Quick Draw put her hoof against her forehead in disbelief. “Ugh...whatever works. I’m in no mood to argue.”

“I’m ready to roll,” Corkscrew flapped his wings, “C’mon! Put me in there!”

The plan was simple.

Corkscrew flew into the air to distract the beast once more, and lead it away from Ponyville. That way, we could minimize damage done to any civilians who (hopefully) had all hidden somewhere safely by that point. I sincerely hoped that Rarity and Sweetie Belle were able to rally everypony so a widespread panic wouldn’t ensue.

“Catch me if ya can!” Cork shouted to rile the gargoyle up. It worked perfectly, as it started to walk, and eventually fly after him. Granted, its large wings prevented it from flying too terribly fast, so we were more than able to keep up with it.

“AAAAARRRGH!” The gargoyle focused its rage on Corkscrew with more flames and dark magic balls from its mouth that fired off towards him.

“Woah!” He panicked, but kept his guard up. With the wind on his side, he was able to create air blasts and slashes that put the flames out before they could reach him. To accomplish this, he flew with lots of twisty turns, zig-zags, and spins to create a vortex that left behind windshields to put it plainly.

I nodded at my yellow earth pony partner. “Quick. You’re up.”

“On it.”

Quick Draw scaled the nearest house, and leapt from rooftop to rooftop like a skilled warrior. With the extra height off the ground, she was able to get a more accurate sense of scale to which she could fling her daggers from. Whatever she had up her sleeve, I knew it would be good.

“A few knives dipped in paralysis potion should clip those wings of yours…”

“EEEAAH!” the beast howled as Quick’s knives lodged themselves in its wings.

Perfection. After a moment or two, its flight began to slow and it couldn’t keep its wings going for much longer. How did I know this? Because I had been following the beast from the ground, galloping off towards the edge of Ponyville the entire time to follow it, Cork, and Quick from below.

The slowness of flight became a sudden lockup. Quick’s knives had taken full effect, and forced it to land on its feet. It stopped to check its wings, only to realize that it couldn’t move them anymore.

And that was my chance. I heard both of my comrades shout for me.

“GET ‘EM BOSS!”

“END THAT THING!”

I ran full speed. I gathered as much of my internal magic that I could muster, and prepared myself to make a jump like I had never performed before in my life. I needed to leap at least half the height of a house to accomplish this. Well...here goes nothing.

“BEGONE!”

With enough force to create a small crater in the ground beneath me, I practically sprang off of the earth to launch myself into the air. With the force of a speeding cannonball, I forcefully tackled the gargoyle headfirst which caused it to let out a piercing scream that could shatter glass.

“EEEEEE!”

THUD!

With a heavy tumble, it fell to the ground. When the dust settled, I stood atop the winged creature’s belly with a triumphant glare. Thanks to Cozy’s planning and my team’s execution, we had taken this beast down. “...You’re finished.” I stepped off of its body, and walked around to its head.

Quick Draw landed next to me, followed by Corkscrew who landed a few seconds later.

“Did we do it, boss?” he asked.

“Hang on,” Quick commented as she leaned down, “Let me just…” She stabbed the beast one good time in its neck. After which, it began to disappear into a thin, faint miasma.

But before it faded away completely, the gargoyle actually spoke to us.

“I’m sorry...Scorpan…”

“Wait wha--?!” Cork yelped, but it was too late. The monster had already faded away.

Quick stared blankly at the ground. “...I didn’t even know it could speak.”

Part of me had a feeling that it--she could. But I didn’t want to dwell on that for now. “...For the moment, let’s head back into town and make sure nopony was hurt. Okay?”

Cork gave a defeated sigh, but nodded. “...Understood, boss.”

Quick looked up at the both of us. “...Well hey...at least we got to fight again as a team. Like old times, right?”

Cork perked right up when he heard that. “Heh...yeah. OA’s Team 10 is back, baby!”

“Heh,” Quick scoffed, “I’m surprised you even remember the Officer’s Academy.”

“Wh--shut it you!”

Ah, it was wonderful to watch them bicker like siblings again. Yes. We were indeed back.

But before we got into town, we were stopped by a crowd of Ponyvillagers who had watched us, and gave us silent, blank stares. The three of us were confused. None of us knew what to say in front of the crowd after we had accomplished.

Let’s hope it was no angry mob.

At Canterlot Dungeon…

“...It is defeated, Neighsay. You promised me that you would have enough individuals for me. And yet they were defeated by a bunch of individuals with no magic.”

“I...there must be some mistake, I--”

“Enough! You blubbering fool. You clearly can’t accomplish the most simple of tasks. I no longer have need of you.”

The old unicorn pleaded as he lied on the floor of his cell. “No...no, please! Don’t...AAAAAAAGH! GAAAAAH! PLEEEEEASE!”

“...Your soul is mine.”

Subject 110: Conflict of Interest

We couldn’t even get a word in before the crowd started cheering for us. It was a very weird sensation to be praised by others in such a large quantity. But since I was next to my two best friends, I couldn’t exactly say it was a bad thing. Although, credit did need to go to another pony as well.

“...Cozy Glow was the one who gave us the idea on how to defeat it,” I spoke up over the crowd, “Because of her, we were able to win.”

The crowd fell silent, and a sea of turning heads looked towards the far end of the masses. They moved out of the way, and exposed a bashful Cozy.

“Um...hi, hehe…” she said with a wave of her hoof and a nervous chuckle. “AIE!” She yelped as she was grabbed up, and hoisted into the air alongside my crew and I.

“Well this is hella new,” Cork commented, and reclined against the horde of ponies that held him up with cheers. “I think I like it.”

Quick gave an exasperated sigh. Like me, she didn’t enjoy praise for her work, and it showed with her level of disgust. Rather than take it in, she started to think heavily on the situation that had just played out. “Hm…”

Me? I couldn’t think at all with all of this cheering and shouting of praise. It was difficult to hear my own thoughts when everypony was saying how amazing we were as a team. Though I had to admit, it felt damn good to know that we were more than capable of coming together even after so long. In the distance, I even saw Rarity and Sweetie Belle. They were okay and...hugging a blue stallion? Was that...?

Even after the crowd let us go, the Mayor came up to congratulate us! This was getting out of hoof now.

“On behalf of Ponyville, we thank you for your work to defeat that...what was that, actually?” she asked.

I tipped my hat. “...You don’t wanna know.”

A few days had passed since then. Everything had returned to normal for the time being, until…

I heard at a knock at my front door. Naturally, I went to answer it.

“Hello?”

Starlight was there. Her face was neutral as could be with those moderate blue eyes of hers deadpanning into my soul. “Meet me at the School of Friendship in five minutes.” was all she said before she turned away and left my doorstep.

I was rendered confused, but I suppose there was nothing that could be done. I had no choice but to go see her. Part of me had some small hope that she would be able to give me an update on the situation regarding Elytra and her hive, but...from the way Glimmer trotted off in a slightly moody gait, I knew this was something she had a problem with.

So I wasted no time. I arrived at the school within minutes, and headed straight to the office. There, Starlight, Trixie, and...Twilight Sparkle herself had all waited for me. Oh dear.

“...What’s going on?” I asked.

“Have a seat,” Starlight ordered from her desk. Trixie and Twilight stood on opposite sides of her.

I sat down, and patiently waited for them to address me.

Twilight stepped forward. “Pale...a few days ago, we found Neighsay dead in his cell. Do you know anything about it?”

“What?!” Since when did that happen?! This was a new monkey wrench that was flung into my case. But then, I realized that I was a prime suspect. Luckily, I had an alibi. “I do not. I was fighting a gargoyle on that day with my friends. The entire town can act as my witness in that regard.”

Trixie cut in. “Yes, we’re aware of what...you did.” She walked over to me with her head held high, “However, it’s entirely plausible that you hired somepony else to do the deed while you were busy to cover your tracks!” she leaned down towards me, and got far too close to my face for comfort. I could even smell her peanut butter breath.

“Um…” I didn’t quite know how to respond until Twilight forcibly moved her off to the side via magic.

“Hey!”

The princess stepped forward, and cleared her throat. “Ahem. Apologies. Trixie has been on quite the disciplinary kick lately when interacting with the students,” she paused to glare at the blue unicorn, “Isn’t that right?”

Trixie rolled her eyes with no verbal response.

Twilight sighed, and looked at me with a pained set of eyes. “Pale...I take full responsibility for having you execute Svengallop before a public trial could take place. And I know you’re smarter than to go off and order a hit against somepony like Neighsay...but this is serious now. We have no evidence as to who ended his life, and logically speaking, you are the most likely to have done something.”

I huffed. I understood the investigative process very well. Innocent until proven guilty. But given just how much had transpired over the last year, I was indeed in a bad position. I almost knew what I was about to have to endure, but even still…

“I see. So what do you want me to do?”

“Well…” Twilight rubbed one hoof against the other, and broke eye contact. Her response was extremely delayed, so Starlight felt the need to interrupt.

She pushed Twilight aside next, and stepped up to me. “We need you to remain completely off-duty for a while so we can properly ascertain what’s going on here. I know you won’t like that, but it’s for your own good so we can ensure that you’re innocent. If somepony else is out there, right now with Neighsay’s abilities, then that could spell bad news for the rest of us.”

Well that was perfectly reasonable, I suppose. But...wait. No! There was still the matter of the Changeling! With Cheerilee holding her Class Reunion very soon, the amount of love shared between her and her students was bound to skyrocket and attract them to us. There was no way that I was going to just let this pass without any input.

“I understand that, but with Elytra about, there’s--”

Starlight held up her hoof to cut me off. “Don’t worry. Thorax has already assigned an elite set of his own Changelings to the situation. We’ve already found out where they’re located. Your input is not necessary.” She put that hoof on my shoulder. “Please. Don’t be foolish. I’m on your side here. You just need to stay home for a time while we sort this out, alright?”

Was she really? Gah. This was such a sore to deal with. I wasn’t going to allow them to dictate what I could and could not do on my own time. The situation at hoof was too dire. Like hell I was going to be placed on some house arrest either.

“If I may,” I replied sternly, “I really don’t have time for sitting idly at home. I have a feeling that these new changelings will attack when Cheerilee holds her Class Reunion for her now-adult students. A lot of love will be shared between them and it could serve as a prime target.”

Twilight tapped her hoof against her chin. “Hm...that is a valid reason to be concerned.”

And yet, Trixie decided to jump in against me next. “Are you kidding? Ponyville is filled with love all the time. If they wanted to attack by now, they certainly would have,” she scoffed, and rolled her eyes, “And besides. I doubt they’re even aware of that celebration. You’re being a bit paranoid--”

“Ahem!” Starlight cut her off when she cleared her throat. “What Trixie means is...there’s no evidence to suggest that such an event will be attacked by any changelings. Thorax has reported that the Elytra Hive is being developed outside of Equestria. Nowhere near Ponyville.” She shot me quite the incredulous raise of her eyebrow, “That aside, do you have any evidence of the fact that they plan to launch an attack? Or is this all based on what you feel?”

“...Rrrgh...” I grit my teeth. Due to her smooth sense of conversational navigation, I was boxed in, so to speak. Unfortunately, no. I had no evidence to present. Yes. This was based around what I felt at the moment. There wasn’t much else I could really say to prove the point I was trying to make either. Buck me sideways.

Starlight sighed. “...Listen, all we want to do is find out who exactly offed Neighsay. Once we find out, we’ll allow you to return to your work. For the moment, you need to cooperate with us, Pale. Things won’t get any better if you don’t. So please, put your pride aside and listen to me--to us.”

After a moment, I relented. “Fine. But if something bad happens, I’m not just gonna sit on my flank and allow it.”

“You don’t need to worry about that either,” Starlight added with a downward wave of her hoof, “Trixie, Sunburst, and I will manage Ponyville--along with Twilight’s friends. Twilight herself is going to keep Canterlot safe, and she’s also going to have her brother keep watch over the Empire. Everypony will be on high alert so your services won’t really be necessary.”

I glanced over at Twilight. The purple alicorn didn’t say a word. All she did was look down with a silent nod of agreement. This was apparently how it had to be.

Not on my watch.

“So that’s it, then?” I asked with an annoyed glare, “You just want me to sit out and do nothing at all while you all supposedly take care of things on your own?”

Starlight scoffed, and returned with an equally annoyed glare. “Ach! ‘Supposedly’? What are you talking about? Twilight and her friends have saved the world numerous times from massive magical threats. Sure, I was one of them, but I’ve learned from my mistakes and am more than capable of fighting alongside her should the need arise. You on the other hand are just an officer. A competent officer, but still an officer. A few small skirmishes here and there are nothing compared to a full-blown war--which is essentially what we’re about to deal with if things get worse.”

“There doesn’t have to be a war!” I retorted with a stomp of my hoof, “If we can clip their wings before things get any worse, we can avoid major damage occurring to the civilians.”

“Then start being reasonable!” The dull pink unicorn paused, and took a deep breath to lower her voice. “Whoo. That aside, your main priority should be protecting Cozy Glow and keeping watch over her. What would she think if she found out that you had the gall to question the rational advice of those above you? Or are you just gonna fly off the rails again and kill whoever you want?”

I took a step towards her, brows furrowed and teeth clenched hard enough to snap steel. “Oh? Oh! Okay, then. So you’re just going to automatically assert your own authority as correct and not even bother to give me a chance to prove myself? Or are you so arrogant in your own head that you don’t see me as worth the effort?”

“Do you have a problem with me, Pale?” She took a step towards me as well--as ponies were inclined to do when challenged. Her nose was mere centimeters away from my own. Both of our magical auras became palpable the more we addressed each other. “Because if you do, then say it. Get it out loud and clear so we can all move on with our lives and do more important things than listen to you drone on like a--”

ZAP!

“ENOUGH!” Twilight shouted as she teleported between us. She took a deep breath of her own, and provided some distance between us. “Okay. Clearly there is a lot of high tension going on among everypony right now. So here’s what we’re going to do.” The princess looked at me, “Pale. Head home for the time being. Unless otherwise instructed, you have no need to worry about this case.”

I still wasn’t satisfied with the outcome of the situation. “Hmm…” I huffed lightly under my breath.

“Go,” she said with a commanding, yet soft tone. “You’re fine, Pale. I’m sorry this didn’t go as I had planned.”

I nodded, and tipped my hat. “Understood. Good day to you all.” And I left the building to head home. I suppose I was indeed on my own for this.

But who could have killed Neighsay?

“Tch, what a busybody,” Starlight commented as she flopped down at her desk, “Why did you hire him again?”

“Starlight...you’re not going to get along with everypony in life,” Twilight trotted over to console her, “You’re just entering a...different phase of life now that you’re a bit older. A more...debative phase in which your patience for getting along with others is way lower than what it used to be twenty years ago. As to why I hired him--it’s the same reason why I’ve recruited every other agent and officer pony in the last two decades: They’re skilled at what they do. We can’t reasonably protect Equestria on our own all the time--so it’s nice to have some help.”

Starlight rolled her eyes as she propped up her hind legs onto the desk in front of her. “I suppose you’re right. I can’t expect to make friends with everypony I come across. Still, I wish he would just be a bit more understanding, and accept where he is on the totem pole regarding this situation.”

“I agree with Starlight,” Trixie commented after staying silent for most of the time, “Whether he’s skilled or not, it doesn’t excuse him to be rude. Trust me, I of all ponies know what it’s like to be amazing and powerful but still a bit snobby.”

Starlight sighed again, and glanced at the purple alicorn. “Far be it from me to tell you how to do your job. But if this continues, and he can’t at least respect what others have to say, I’d recommend benching him for a bit longer. Because it sounds to me as if he’s so hung up on uncovering the flaws of others, that he hasn’t stopped to consider his own. Somepony like that is a liability in the field, Twilight.”

It was Twilight’s turn to sigh. She stood on her hind hooves for a moment as she rubbed her temples with both of her forehooves. Wrinkles from stress crackled along her skin with each rub. “My head...I need to get to the spa soon,” she mumbled before she gave a proper answer, “Don’t worry, Starlight. Pale is smarter than that. You’ll see…”

“I hope so, Twilight. I hope so…”

Subject 111: A Welcome Respite

Well then. For the sake of not drawing ire from the School of Friendship’s Principal (Starlight), I didn’t do any major case-related activities for a few days. I lied low so that I could both relax and keep a close watch over the town. No major incidents. Hm. Maybe I was being a bit skittish. But even so, Cheerilee’s reunion was something that I couldn’t just leave unprotected.

Oh, and Fleur had been taken to Ponyville’s local Hospital. Moondancer was notified, and would be arriving soon to come check on her.

The day of the Reunion arrived, and I got ready to attend the casual event. Instead of my usual coat, I put on a green polo with white leaves--a bit of an off-duty look. Yeah, it did suit me. I stretched each hoof out, and buttoned it up. Okay, now I just needed to…

Knock-knock

A rather calm tap was at my door. I went to answer it, and found Cozy. “Oh. Hey kid. What’s up?”

“Pops, it’s...mind if I come in?”

I stood aside. “Not a problem. What’s going on?”

We both sat down at the couch with some hot tea. Cozy began to explain her piece with a worried pair of eyes.

“Okay...Cheerilee told me about the Class Reunion today, and invited me. I immediately realized that the concentration of love may be at risk. But I’m sure you already knew that, yes?” she asked. Ever the strategic one. Nothing got past Cozy when it came to formulating plans of attack and defense.

“I did know already, but...something about it doesn’t feel right,” I replied with a quick sip of my teacup. “I don’t know. I can’t explain it, but…”

The young pegasus looked down, and spoke some truth to me. “You think that it’s not the true target, is that it? But you’re too afraid to leave the situation unattended, so you know you’re gonna wanna guard it.”

I said nothing. That young mare read me like an open book.

She went on. “And you know that, deep down, you desperately wanna defend Cheerilee and her class. But at the same time, you can’t be biased and leave the rest of the town at risk of being attacked so you’re mentally split since you know you can’t be in more than one place at any given time.”

I sighed. She was right once more. Yet again, I couldn’t form a proper response since I knew that she knew me well. Down to a perfect T even.

“And yet you feel annoyed by Starlight. You don’t want to show her your hoofful of playing cards because the very moment you get involved, your reputation is at risk.” She put her teacup down, and put her hooves together. “Okay then. From this point on, allow me to help you make a plan.”

“...A plan?” I finally responded after my long silence. “Kid...what are you talking about?” I shifted my eyes over to her without really turning my head, “It’s like you just said. The very minute I get involved, I’m at risk for tanking myself and your public perception. That’s not something I’m going to put on the line. Things are too dire to act recklessly.”

Cozy paused. She must have been thinking about something very tense since she remained silent for a long while. “Okay. Clearly this entire situation has gotten out of hoof. Pale is so concerned about his public perception that he feels as if he’s on eggshells while he’s working. I can’t blame him since he’s been through a lot, and is guided by his own sense of justice instead of his emotions. But what if we could somehow harness his inner justice and...yes, that’s it!”

I couldn’t tell what she was thinking precisely, but I could sense the mental gears turn within her head. That young mare was planning something. And I wasn’t sure if I should have been scared or excited.

“What’s your current objective, pops?” she asked with a focused gaze.

I turned my head to fully face her. “As of right now? I need to wait on the results of what Moondancer has accomplished with the individuals that were affected by Neighsay’s work. But with him dead, we can’t exactly find out as much as we could have. But anyway, she’s supposed to be sending me a letter.”

“I see,” Cozy went on, “And today is the School Reunion for the local Schoolhouse, right? You’re going to be there for Cheerilee?”

I nodded. “Absolutely. I intend to be there to see how much her job has changed her and her students over the years. As her...stallion--it’s something that I simply want to do.”

Cozy looked at me with a smile. “Then go on! Be there for her.”

“But...what about everyone else? What about the safety of the town at large?”

Cozy replied with quite the alarming derision. “Don’t worry about it. My friends and I will be on the lookout for anything crazy. And Thorax’s local changelings will report anything suspicious to us.”

Now that just sounded ludicrous. How was such an idea going to be executed? “To you? How?”

“Well...don’t get mad but,” she tapped her hooves together and her eyes shifted upwards and to the left. This was not good. “I may have convinced Flurry Heart and her dad to let her help me out.” Her eyes focused upon me once more along with a toothy smile and a plush toy squeak sound.

“...You what?!” I didn’t know whether to flip my lid or congratulate her. For the moment, I chose to hear her out. “Since when?”

She giggled. “Well...a few days ago, actually. I knew you would know that our enemy would probably have their own plan of attack, so I sent an express letter to Flurry to ask for her help. Shining Armor--with a bit of convincing from his wife--agreed to send Flurry down to assist by making use of her emotion-based magic.”

While the idea was sound, there were two problems. First off: Flurry’s power being a detrimental flame for these disgusting moths to gather to. The second: If Shining and Cadance knew, then Twilight probably knew. And if Twilight knew, then Starlight and Trixie…

“Um...won’t that compromise--”

But Cozy interrupted me with a confident smirk. “Don’t even worry about what Starlight thinks. That’s what’s causing you half your problems. You just need to take a deep breath, and relax.” She leaned back against the couch, and looked up at the ceiling. “Besides, she’s way more concerned with the possibility of pony slave trade going on outside the country. I highly doubt she’s immature enough to throw a fit over Flurry visiting Ponyville.”

That was a good point. Starlight was far more intelligent than she appeared at first glance. Because of that, I knew she would be more focused on other, more pressing matters at hoof when it came down to it. Cozy really knew how to put me at ease, didn’t she?

I cracked a smile. “Alright, then. If you and Flurry know what you’re doing alongside Thorax, then I’m not worried. In fact, I feel safer knowing that loads of good changelings live here so that they can possibly sniff out any bad ones.”

In a weird twist, she put her hoof upon my head. “There ya go, big guy! All you need to focus on is Cheerilee and meeting her students. You’ve already met the Crusaders, so the rest may shock you.”

Wait what? From the way she said that, it sounded as if she already knew a bit about those old students. Did she already get to know some of them? “Oh? Have you met a few? Aside from the Crusaders, Diamond, and Silver that is.”

She nodded with a little wave of her hoof for the ‘so-so’ gesture. “Ehhh...kinda. You’ll see when you get there.” With a flap of her wings, the young mare hopped off the couch. “Now come on, pops! You got a reunion to attend! Oh and don’t worry, you look great in that Leaf Polo.”

I rose from the couch, and looked down at myself. “Oh? Guess that’s good to know, heh. So you’ll be with Flurry the whole time, yeah?”

“That’s right. I’m not gonna do anything crazy or out of order while you’re out,” she trotted over to the door, and I followed to make sure she was safe on her way out. “Got that? Anything else?”

I shook my head, and watched her leave off the porch. “Nah. That’s all. Have a good day, Cozy.”

“Heehee! You know I will when Flurry’s around. See ya!” she waved, and flew off back to her home.

Well that was much simpler than I expected. Now that that was established, I could get back to--

“Sir!” a voice called out from around the corner.

I turned to see who it was, and found two unicorn mares. Fleur, and an annoyed Moondancer.

The sweater-clad unicorn rolled her eyes. “Make it quick. We need to get you back to Canterlot as soon as possible.”

“Yes, yes of course. Ahem,” Fleur responded to Moondancer before she looked at me. “Mr. Vestige. I just want to extend a hoof of gratitude towards you--and your friends. Through my actions, I came to realize that beauty isn’t allowing somepony else to profit off of you while you sit idle. It’s about making a difference for yourself.”

I was confused for a moment, but responded with a soft smile and a nod. “That’s right. Above all else, you should strive to do your best regardless of how difficult things will get. So what will you do now that you’ve understood your faults?”

“I still want to show off my art to the world,” she said shyly, “Through...flowers. I’ve always loved the way they look, feel and smell in my hair. But making art out of them is something I’ve always wanted to pursue. Though, I couldn’t due to being stuck in my career as a model and having to pose for cameras day and night…” she trailed off and grit her teeth. “...I suppose that, looking back, it wasn’t much of a job. It was more like...glorified prison.”

Well, I wouldn’t have jumped that far to make a comparison, but it wasn’t exactly invalid. Models were not able to do what they wanted and were shackled by social, beauty, and management standards. It was a fickle thing to deal with. And if Fleur no longer desired to be a part of it, she had every right to search for a new career path.

“That’s wonderful,” I replied, “I’m glad my crew and I could help you realize that. But please, don’t go telling everypony that we were the ones that changed your life. It was all on you at the end of the day.”

Surprisingly, she accepted my words with no hesitation. “Understood. I will not needlessly praise your actions with empty words, then. Instead, I shall give you this,” she reached into her saddlebag via magic, and levitated a small black box over to me.

“Hm?” I tilted my head, and looked inside. It was filled to the brim with small bars of platinum! There were at least 50 bars in there too! Platinum was almost always worth twice as much as gold was. And gold bars alone were worth hundreds of bits. Needless to say, I nearly passed out where I stood. “Um….”

Fleur bit her lip, and figeted her hooves by rubbing one over the other. “I...I apologize. It’s a very tacky way to say ‘thank you’ but it’s the only way I know how…” she explained as she looked down. “I even did the same for both of your friends. You all deserve time to yourselves and your families.”

Oh no, I was more than grateful. I put on a wide smile, and a hoof on her shoulder. “...The fact that you realize your mistake and desire to apologize is more than enough. But please, I can’t take--”

She cut me off, and shook her head. “You must take them, please! Don’t worry about me, I have thousands more at home. Give some to a charity that you like and use some on yourself, hm?”

Since when was she--you know what? I wasn’t going to question it. The mare was already improving on her social skills, so I wasn’t about to critique her now. “...Understandable. Thank you so much, Fleur. I hope you have a prosperous time as you pursue your new life path.”

“I will. Thank you very much, Mr. Vestige. And have a prosperous life yourself,” she took a bow, and turned away, “I’m ready to go, Moondancer.”

She rolled her eyes. “Finally. Let’s go. Oh, and Pale--once I finish my tests, I’ll mail you my results.”

“Got it,” I said with a wave of my hoof, “Have a safe ride home, you two.”

“Byyyye!” FDL replied in the distance, much to the chagrin of Moondancer.

I shut the door, and stared down at the box of platinum bars. Such a generous, wonderful gift that showed that there was still hope left in this heinous world. I made sure to put them away in a safe place for whenever I may have needed them. They were certainly going to come in handy when I started to prepare for things like birthdays, anniversaries, weddings...heh. Weddings. Yeah right.

But for now? I had a class reunion to attend.

Subject 112: Family And Friends

And so, to Ponyville Schoolhouse I went. I had to be honest: I had never been there before. I had done all of my schooling at the Officer’s Academy in Manehattan. At the age of fifteen, I had actually joined SMILE first--which is the reason why Chief Sweetie Drops knew who I was. When I was sixteen, I completed my first solo mission, and when I was seventeen, I had defeated my first monster. Nothing really insane to write home about, honestly. From there, I decided to leave and took my credentials to the Officer’s Academy. I had gotten tired of fighting just monsters and wanted to deal with the real monsters--us. So at eighteen, I joined the Academy, met Quick Draw and Corkscrew, and in just two years, graduated with degrees in Criminal Justice, Forensic Science, Police Science, and Corrections.

Oh buck. Here I was, going off about stuff that no one wanted to hear.

I had to admit, it was kind of exciting despite having hundreds of things on my mind at once. Just who was that gargoyle? Was she really related to Scorpan? And if so, how? A lot of it could only be answered by individuals who were around long enough from that time period--in fact, just what were their lifespans? Gah. It was so much to think about. Not to mention this Elytra Changeling or whoever she was. Seriously, who in the hay thought it was a good idea to just leave a highly destructive pool of acid alone? I wasn’t upset at Starswirl because in all fairness, he had no idea what it was at the time. Still, the fact that he didn’t at least tell anypony about it was enough to reduce my faith in him.

But that was neither here nor there. Anyway, I was interested to see how Cheerilee’s old students had turned out along with what sort of curriculum that she had for them when they were younger. It would give me a lot of things to go off of when thinking about the future of this generation and those living within it.

“Heh, this’ll be nice, I suppose. It’ll take my mind off things…”

“Mr. Pale!” a young mare’s voice cried out to me.

I turned, and found Sweetie Belle. She hurriedly pranced up to me and walked alongside me towards the Schoolhouse. “There you are. So you’re heading to the Reunion too?”

I nodded. “Yes. Well, I’m mostly going to see how Cheerilee’s job has treated her these past few decades and how you and your friends have turned out.”

“Oh, then you’re in for a treat,” she said with a gleaming smile with her head turned to her saddlebags, “I’ve got loads of cool things that I wanna show off to my old classmates. You’re gonna love it too.”

That sounded promising. “Ooh, cool. By the way, are you and your sister okay after the whole...situation that occurred a few days ago?”

“Hm? Oh yeah, we’re fine. I heard Rarity mumbling something about a name, though. Scor...Scor-something.”

“Scorpan?” I asked.

Sweetie looked at me with a concerned set of eyes. “Yeah, that’s the one. Know anything about it?”

I hesitated for a moment before I answered. “Well...there’s a lot involved, let’s say. If that really was one of Scorpan’s relatives, then it means their magic has been harnessed somehow. Gargoyles are strange creatures from far beyond Equestria. So we don’t know as much as we could.” I sighed, and looked straight ahead--the Schoolhouse wasn’t that far now. “Still...I have lives to protect above all else. Lives that I can’t afford to witness leave the mortal plane.”

The unicorn rolled her eyes. “Sheesh. Dramatic, much? It’s not like we’re all gonna get turned into dust at the stomp of somepony’s hoof. You’re starting to sound like Rarity’s husband.”

Hm. Was I now? Moreover, I was curious as to just who that was. I didn’t recall whether or not Rarity had a wedding like Pinkie Pie and Big Mac had. So for Belle to throw out the term ‘husband’ had intrigued me to be quite honest.

“Heh. Do I, really? What’s he like anyways?”

“He’s a bit older than you,” she explained, “Been through loads of battles in and out of Equestria, fought in gladiator arenas, I think he even trained under Celestia and Luna with their guards back when they were still ruling. He’s like--super duper strong, and could easily wreck anypony he comes across. Though he likes to hide it, he’s actually a really swell pony. And a nice brother-in-law too. He’s always bringing back gifts from the places he goes to. And Rarity?” she giggled, “Ah, Rarity’s just smitten for the guy. Whenever he comes back home, her face lights up in ways that I’ve never seen before. Our parents love him too--through it was a bit of a hard sell at first since he’s an earth pony with a bunch of weird and strange magic that earth ponies don’t normally have. But they warmed up to him. Anyway yeah, you remind me of him--just a bit less...cold, if that makes any sense.”

Cold? Trained with alicorns? Traveled across Equestria? Controls unnatural magic for someone of his kind? Just what kind of pony did Rarity marry? So many questions that I had little time to answer.

All I did was chuckle in response. “Haha. If only he was here the other day when that gargoyle attacked. He would’ve been livid if he saw what that thing almost did to his woman’s home.”

“Oh no, he was,” Sweetie replied rather matter-of-factly, “In fact, she bolted to his house and told him about what happened. After that, he got up and started leading groups of ponies to safety. It was super epic--like he was a Commander of an army or something!”

I wonder...did that explain the chilly feeling in the air once we beat the monster? No...couldn’t have been.

“That sounds amazing. I wish I could meet him someday. For now though, I’m gonna focus on being just as loyal to Cheerilee--starting with meeting her old students.” Anyhow, it was time to focus on more important things. We arrived at the Schoolhouse, and trotted up the steps.

“That’s the spirit,” Sweetie replied with a playful nudge. “She said she would be arriving last like old times so if you want, you can come in and meet a few of my old classmates.”

I suppose there were worse things. Plus, it’ll be beneficial to me. “Sure, I’d love to.”

And so, we stepped inside. The classroom had been transformed into a massive party room with tables filled with food and drink. No desks. But there was an open dance floor with music playing in the background courtesy of Vin--er, DJ-PON-3 herself.

I saw Scootaloo in one corner, talking to some of her fellow young adults on how her life as a stunt performer was going.

“Yeah. I might not be Wonderbolt material, but I’ve started to do loads of shows. And I’m a professional buckball player on the side,” she said with a proud flutter of her wings.

“Oooh…” the crowd around her replied in awe.

Applebloom was in another corner discussing how Mage Meadowbrook and Zecora have helped her learn alchemy and how to turn objects into gold.

“Ah’ve been learnin’ from the best. Workin’ on the farm is a side hobby for me--I really wanna pursue other forms of magic that ain’t been discussed enough.” She revealed a small potion, and poured a drop onto one of the cookies that she got from the refreshments table. It turned into solid gold! “Ba-bam!”

“WOAH!” the crowd around her shouted.

Diamond Tiara was talking to some of her friends about her current career. Surprisingly enough, Pipsqueak was right along with her and...wow, he defied his namesake completely. That colt had become huge! Well, the size of Big Mac at least. Still, I wasn’t expecting that.

“It’s been pretty difficult. But with the help of Pip here, our business has skyrocketed.”

He nodded. “Indeed. It’s fun working with Ms. Tiara. Even if she is a bit pushy at times.”

“Uch! No I’m not!”

The Trottish stallion snickered. “Heh! Gotcha!”

“Ugh

How adorable. Silver Spoon was at the other end of the room discussing her family’s glass blowing and sculpting business.

“...that’s right,” I heard her behind the crowd, “We’ve just started working on wedding gifts. So if you need something for your special somepony, we’re the perfect business to call. Our recent hire’s been working twice as fast to fill orders, too!”

She must have been referring to Cozy. I could only imagine how well she was adapting to her new job. And I could also only hope that it was what she truly desired from life.

When I stepped into the middle of the room, I froze. I suddenly felt a negative aura that came from outside. No...it couldn’t be, not now. I pranced over one of the windows, and took a long, hard look out to the empty schoolyard. Was it just my imagination?

That’s when I heard Sweetie Belle throw me under the carriage.

“Everypony!” she grabbed ahold of my hoof, “This is Cheerilee’s coltfriend!”

Everyone in the room stopped to stare at us--well, me in particular.

“Um...hehe….hi there?”

Subject 113: Keeping Everypony Close

Everyone in the room crowded around me upon Sweetie Belle’s announcement. I had to admit that it embarrassed me a little. Why did she feel the need to suddenly out me for who I was? Gaaaah.

“Wait…” Diamond Tiara spoke up first, “You’re actually in a relationship with her?” Her face lit up, “That’s so cool!”

I tilted my head, and looked at some of the other students. “Wait, it is? I won’t lie, I’m rather abashed…”

“Psst, SB,” Scootaloo whispered to her unicorn friend, “What’s ‘abashed’ mean?”

“The same thing as embarrassed,” she quickly responded before she addressed me. “But you shouldn’t be, sir. In fact, all of us have been wanting Cheerilee to find a special somepony since...forever. Isn’t that right, guys?”

The collective crowd of former students nodded in unison. “Mm-hmm.”

Pipsqueak spoke next. “You wouldn’t believe how many times we’ve felt bad for her on Hearts and Hooves Day. Especially after her initial prance with Macintosh didn’t fare out, she was right knackered when it came to the subject of love.”

Featherweight--a pegasus that had grown to becoming a slender stallion--chimed in. “...But now, you’re in her life, and I think she appreciates you more than you realize. We’re kind of glad you showed up for her.”

‘More than I realized’? Really? This I had to find out more information on. “Is that so?” I asked, “Has she spoken to any of you about her problems?”

“Well, not directly,” the young mare known as Twist added. Curiously, she didn’t have her lisp anymore. Did she manage to break free of it? “But we’ve been able to pick up on it. Not even a few months ago when she appeared in my candy shop, she was really saddened when she saw all of the other couples there. She didn’t comment on it, though. And when I asked her what was wrong, she shook her head and didn’t even reply. She just paid for her candy and left in a silent stupor of sadness.”

“I agree,” I looked over and saw Snails. The yellow unicorn stallion had on a sweater and a pair of reading glasses. His speech was much more articulate and clear now as well. “Her conflicts in life clearly stemmed from some deep-rooted turmoil that had to do with her parents. As a result, she never wanted to speak of it because it made her sound...what’s the word--’aggressive’? If that makes any sense.”

“I see,” I replied, “It sounds as if you’ve all really cared for her even after you weren’t her students anymore.” I cracked a bright smile. “I’m proud of all of you for that. Honestly, I haven’t even kept contact with some of my combat instructors so I feel a bit outdone, heh. You all are leading such productive lives that I’m sure Cheerilee is gonna be hella proud when she sees how all of you have made it in life.”

“Speakin’ of which,” Applebloom called out, “Where in the hay is she? Ah know she wanted to do the whole showin’ up fashionably late thang but she ain’t shown up none!”

That’s when we heard someone stumble from outside. Cheerilee opened the door to the classroom, and greeted us all. “Hello...class. Wow…” she took a few steps, and stopped dead in her tracks. Her mouth was agape, and her eyes quivered with pure loving happiness. If I had to venture a guess, it would be that she was so overjoyed at seeing all of her old students in one place that she couldn’t control her emotions. “I’m sorry…” she wiped her eyes, and sniffled, “It’s just so amazing to see everypony that I spent so much time with as foals all grown up and doing their own things. Every single one of you has to tell me your life stories and current careers. I can’t wait to hear how everypony has done in the last twenty years!”

Now this was beautiful to witness. I glanced around the room, and watched as everypony beamed with excitement. They too were ecstatic to meet with their teacher after having been away from her for so long, and couldn’t wait to speak with her. So I chose to fade into the background for the moment to allow her to have as much time as she wanted.

Okay to be quite honest, I was still uneasy. That...emotion that I detected. It wasn’t normal. Something bad was about to go down. But what? Where? I know, I know. I was supposed to be relaxing and enjoying her party, but still. I could just feel it. Hmmm…

“Hey Pale,” Silver Spoon commented as she walked up to me, “I’m curious. Just how has it been with you and Cheerilee so far? Are you enjoying each other’s company? She doesn’t seem too overworked to spend time with you, does she?”

My concentration was broken, and I turned to face her. “Oh, well it’s been fun, actually. She’s very caring, kind--almost motherly. In fact, the few times I spoke to Celestia, her voice reminded me of Cheerilee’s for some reason.” I shrugged. “Anyhow, she’s wonderful, and I wouldn’t trade her for the world.”

Spoon adjusted her glasses, and smiled at me. “Good. Then there’s hope for me too.”

I raised an eyebrow. “Eh? What do you mean?”

She let out a sigh. “Oh well...I guess I may as well get it out. It’s been hard for me to get into a relationship since everypony I meet focuses on the money I have and how much I make rather than myself and my personality.” She went on with an eye roll. “I mean, I get it. Ponies and other folks are gonna be attracted to your assets when it comes to how much of a suitable mate you are. You don’t wanna marry somepony broke but still…” She paused and blinked twice. “Oh, sorry. Here I am going on and on and not letting you respond. I’m probably boring you…”

I shook my head. “Not at all. In fact, I somewhat understand. You’re only considered worthwhile for what you have and not who you are. To that I say, don’t give up. Even Princess Flurry Heart has found herself a stallion despite being the first alicorn princess born in Equestria naturally. Pound Cake loves her dearly.”

“Haha. I guess if she can find somepony, then so can I.” Spoon played it off with an awkward smile. “Sorry for talking about such a personal topic. This is...a bit more awkward than I realized.”

Oof. I got the hint. She felt embarrassed for having poured her heart out to someone a bit older than her. I wasn’t going to judge her for it, though. “No problem at all, Silver. I’m just glad you consider me a suitable individual for your old teacher.”

“Oh well...yeah! Of course you are.”

I replied with a gleeful smile, and walked through the room towards one of the refreshment tables. Before I could get some punch, I was interrupted by a familiar stallion with a Trottish accent.

“Ey, mate! So, you work with a batpony, yeah?” he asked with a curious grin.

I nodded and took a sip from my cup. “That’s right. Neon Isotope. Do you know who he is?”

“Pff! Of course!” He scoffed, and responded with a pleasant shout. “Like, he’s famous all up there, bruv. Always helpin’ out other ponies whether it be day or night. Though at night he’s out doin’ godspeed level work.”

Ah, now this was compelling. I had always wanted to hear how Neon inspired other ponies in Trottingham with his efforts. That moment was my time to know more about his exploits.

“Oh really? You like him a lot? I’m glad. Neon and his brother Flash Drive love their home and will do anything they can to protect it.”

Pip nodded with a happy grin. “Too right!” The smile suddenly went away and became a more somber expression just then. “Though, I know it’s hard for them both. Neon is half-batter and Flash is half-zed. They both have a bit of prejudice against ‘em but they still fight on anyway. I love that kind of muck-in ethic.” He looked left, then right, and came a bit closer to whisper to just me. “And ey, between you and me, I know how they feel.”

“You do?”

“Right, bruv. When I first came to Ponyville, I felt right outta place I did. Trottingham ponies are always associated with the stereotype of lovin’ tea, scones, and actin’ posh.” He let out an annoyed whinny.”Heemph! Don’t even like tea. I prefer hot cocoa. Anyhow, twasn’t until I met Luna that Nightmare Night when I was little that I felt a bit different.”

Well now. That was another hidden perspective. Ponies in different places often would feel out of place in new environments due to stereotypes and preconceived notions about who they were. But it was a topic that was often glossed over because Ponykind tended to put up a thin veil of love and tolerance when it was convenient for them. Made me sick. Of course, it was really only a few bad apples that caused this, but still.

“I see,” I replied in a low tone, “And how do you feel now?”

“After that night, I talked with Luna. She felt the same way, havin’ been nicked up in the moon for a millennium made it difficult for her to adjust livin’ among us again. Just like how I felt out of place livin’ in Ponyville. So we ended up bein’ friends! In fact, I still talk to her whenever she’s in town.”

That was absolutely adorable. If Luna wasn’t immortal, I could almost see the two being paired up together. It sounded like they were kindred spirits even if on a small level. For the moment, all I did was congratulate the young stallion on his journey.

“Well hey. I’m proud of you. You’ve made it through and you’re even working with Diamond Tiara?”

He chuckled. “Hehe...ah, well it’s more like a small partnership, see. In reality,” he puffed his neck out, “You’re gazin’ at a knighted stallion in various Trottingham territories. I work as a watchstallion, and Noble Guardsstallion for the Houses. Ms. Tiara’s asked me to help spread her business out there via word-of-mouth, so it’s a win-win. Savvy?”

Well I’ll be damned. This kid really went and made a name for himself in both his homeland and Ponyville. I couldn’t imagine how hard he worked to have gotten to his position. Easily a tale worthy of notation.

“Amazing, Pip. You should write a book about what inspired you to get this far.”

He put his hoof to his chin. “Well now that don’t sound like a bad idea! I could even ask Luna for help! Thanks, bruv.”

I tipped my hat, and started to walk off. “Not a problem, friend. Do your best out there, okay?”

“You got it, mate!” he said with a wave.

What a nice young stallion. If only the rest of my generation was like him…

“…!” My ear flicked, and my heart skipped a beat.

There it was. I felt it again. Much closer, and palpable. That was it. No more dawdling. I had to head outside and find whatever caused these demonic energy spikes to go off on my mental radar. I knew I wasn’t crazy...I knew it…

I pranced outside, much to the confusion of some others, and made my way to the schoolyard behind the building.

Wait for it.

There it was.

“Show yourself, cretin.”

Subject 114: Unexpected Assistance

I waited for what seemed like forever. Nothing. Confound it all. Was I really going crazy? No...no way. I could have sworn that I was able to sense something. Something...sinister and sickly. I couldn’t see it but I knew it was there. Okay, but there was no way in Tartarus’ name that I would simply stand idle while something went down. I had to go investigate some more. So I took a few steps out across the field surrounding the school to see what I could find.

“Nothing...yet this damned sensation won’t go away.” I tapped the side of my head as I began to think. “What to do, what to do...oh, I got it.”

This called for a more taciturn approach.

Inside the Schoolhouse…

Being a teacher was more enlightening than I could have ever imagined. So many wonderful young ponies off to lead successful, meaningful lives--partly due to my positive influence? It was enough to make this older lady cry.

Snips for instance. He had managed to become a surgeon! Just how he managed to do that I will never know. But I was elated to know that he found his calling in life--something that helps other ponies.

Snails had followed in my hoofsteps and become a professor for animal biology. Zoology I think it was called. I was overjoyed due to the fact that he was inspired by what I did with my life, and decided to make his own path with it.

Cotton Cloudy had grown up to be a professional cloud sculptor. Something that I didn’t even know existed. How does one manage to sculpt and shape clouds? She showed me pictures of her artwork and they were all stunning. Art of the Pony Lisa and the Mare With Earring to be precise.

Truffle Shuffle had become a professional chef. Apparently, he worked in so many different restaurants over the years that he finally decided to start up his own. The first fine dining establishment in Ponyville to be precise. He even gave me a special coupon that took 50% off a meal for two. Now who would I bring with me?

Button Mash was now a graphics designer. To be honest, I had never fully understood the appeal of video games until very recently. And now? Mash was helping craft imagery for films, documentaries, games, and other mediums. I couldn’t wait to see what he had come up with in the last few years. Though one of his greatest achievements was helping work on the upcoming Power Ponies movie as an artist. Now I was certainly going to go see it.

Overall? I was just so happy it was indescribable. Though I did notice that Pale had gone absent. Was he off snooping around for evidence? Or did he eat too much of the pizza that was ordered for the party? Either way, I hoped he returned soon--he was easily the greatest achievement I had made in the last decade if that made any sense. The fact that I had come into contact with somepony that cared about me so much and managed to keep ahold of him for this long...well it was an achievement unto itself.

But where was he?

I heard Applebloom call out to me which halted my thoughts. “Cheerilee!”

“Hm? Oh. Yes, Applebloom?”

She beckoned me to come on over for a few pictures. “C’mon! Let’s get some photos of our class together!”

I clapped my hooves, and trotted over to meet them. “Ooh, that sounds like fun!”

Outside…

It wasn’t long now. I knew that someone was out here because their aura felt closer and closer. But the more I took time to search, the less I found. In fact, I only managed to acquire more questions than answers due to my search.

“I don’t get it,” I muttered to myself, “It feels as if the magical ambience is practically right on top of me. They have to be nearby. Unless…” I took a look directly upwards. The clouds in the sky had suspiciously lingered above the schoolyard the entire time. Could it be?

Only one way to find out.

I picked up a nearby rock in my hoof, and launched it into the air with all of the might I had.

FWOOSH!

I stared with a keen set of eyes. The rock went straight into the air, and struck something--or rather, someone.

“OW!”

Moments later, someone hit the ground. It looked like a pegasus pony at first, but wait--they could simply fly! This had to be the work of…

The pegasus pony reverted back to their bluish-black form with green hair and solid green eyes.

“A changeling,” I growled, and stepped forward, “Just who are you, and what are you doing here?”

For a moment or two, they stayed silent. It wasn’t until I got close enough to prod them that they finally replied. “...Not one more movement. Lest your wife’s entire class becomes food for the hive.” The voice sounded feminine and raspy in tandem with a multi-layered voice that was similar to Chrysalis and Elytra’s.

“Ghh…” I let out a small gasp, and scowled. “What do you want, you insect?”

The new breed of changeling stood up, and fluttered her tattered wings. “You. Just come quietly, and nothing bad will happen. I can promise you that.”

I shook my head. No way in hell was I going to adhere to some nonsensical prattle. “Your words are meaningless. I’ll be placing you under arrest immediately and taken in for questioning.”

She let out a sigh. “Pity, though not unexpected. If you want to die like the macho-stallion you claim to be, then you can do just that. But first, you will be food for Elytra--whether you submit or not.” She licked her lips--a disgusting, almost alien substance of saliva stained her teeth, “And I can already tell that your body contains thick, juicy, decadent love that can satisfy the entire hive!”

I almost laughed as I stared down the beast of a bug. “I’d rather sell my soul than feed any of you. What you’re doing is going to hurt the entire planet in the long run. If you take away everypony’s love and suck the planet dry, you’ll all die out from malnourishment. It’s the exact reason why Chrysalis’ hive went bad. Haven’t you ever heard the phrase, ‘Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it’?” I stomped my hoof. “Because that is exactly what you’re about to do if you keep this up.”

“Oh look at you,” she mocked me as she put her hooves up to her cheeks and squished them to make herself look ‘cuter’, “You think you’re just so smart by rattling off quotes from somepony that was probably better than you.” She placed her hooves back down, dropped the facade, and stared at me with an unimpressed frown. “Look. At the end of the day, I don’t give a flying femur about you or those kids in that school. I’m just doing my job because it’s the only way to survive or else I die. We aren’t like those other changelings you know that are led by that punk of a ruler Thorax--more like Snorax, am I right? So either you accept this is how it has to be, or kill us. Kill us all like the bloodthirsty monster you are!” she hissed at me.

Damn. The last thing I wanted to do was fall back into old habits. I genuinely figured that, if Thorax and the other changelings could be rehabilitated, then so can these. But she spoke as if there was really no hope for the ‘Elytra’ hive, and all they could do was eat the souls of others, conquer, and nothing else.

But there had to be another way...right?

“Time’s ticking, bud,” she hissed once more, “make a decision before I raid that entire building of its love.”

Buck me. This was especially annoying because Trixie had been spying on me, Starlight had expressly told me not to get involved, and Twilight wanted me to relax. Unfortunately for me, my existence seemed to attract danger wherever I went. Was I just that unlucky and unable to do anything right for the sake of those around me? Was I eternally cursed to bring about destruction no matter what happened?

Gah, get your mind out of the coffin, Pale. I’m better than that, I know I am.

I took a look at my flank for a split second. I eyed my puzzle-piece outline cutie mark, and tilted my neck both ways to loosen my joints. I stood on my hind legs, and got into a combat stance. “You’ll go no further. For her sake…” I planted my hooves firmly into the ground, which made the earth crack beneath where I stood. “I will not fail!”

“Hmph.” The changeling clapped her hooves twice--as a signal for an attack, “Suit yourself.”

A swarm of the new ‘Elytra’ hive changelings flew down from the clouds above, and surrounded me in the Schoolyard. There were at least one hundred of them. I had no idea if I could realistically take them on my own.

“Heh. Not bad--but as soon as one pony in that building glances out the window, they’ll be out of here before you can blink,” I responded in a casual fashion.

“Oh no, they won’t be able to tell,” the female bug-pony that I had been speaking to snapped back, “Our disguise magic can transcend the entire environment. Not just our bodies. When they look out here, all they’ll see is what appears to be you resting beneath a tree.” She cracked a wide smirk, and took a mocking sort of bow. “Genius, I know. No need to thank me.”

“Tch…” Well I had to admit, I was as good as bucked in this situation. It was extremely hard to pinpoint the magical aura of each changeling that surrounded me on all sides with hungry looks in their solid green eyes. It was pretty bad, and I knew I couldn’t exactly do this alone. “Rrgh...I need help here…”

SHIIIING!

My ear flicked. The sound of crystalline, frozen ice caught my attention. I looked up, and saw a blue stallion ride an entire path of ice through the air. He jumped, performed a backflip, and landed right next to me with his back against my own. He had a hood on, a distinct cold blue coat color, a mane that was slicked back with one half blue and the other yellow, and a pair of amber eyes with the left having a scar that went down it--but it seemed like he could see just fine through it. I could tell he was a bit older than I was, and more experienced as well.

Wait a second, he was an earth pony! The same one that I had seen a few times before! How could he control the element of ice?!

After his entrance, all he said were a few simple words.

“Just follow my lead. Stay focused, stay alive.”

Subject 115: Fighting Back

“What’s your plan, my friend?” I returned the whisper since I honestly had no clue what he had planned up there in that chilly head of his.

He only flashed me a smile in return. “Follow me.” He stood on his hind legs with much more confidence than I could ever muster. It was as if he had experience fighting on two limbs as opposed to four like most ponies.

SSSSSS-CRACK!

About a dozen changelings were frozen all at once, and sent flying when he charged into them. The blue stallion moved so swiftly that he left afterimages of himself in his wake with every movement. I was flabbergasted to say the least, but I had to focus.

I did my best to stick with the earth pony stallion. Though as I had mentioned before, I was largely confused. Just how could he take control of active, ice-based magic? Active spells could only be used by unicorns while pegasus ponies and earth ponies had passive magic that allowed the former to take control of the weather, and the latter to deal with living things.

And yet here he was. He didn’t even need to see where his enemy was coming from in order to counter their attack! One changeling attempted to leap onto his hoof from behind, but at the last possible moment, his hoof was encased in a prickly ice gauntlet which released dozens of miniature dagger-like icicles into the changeling’s mouth which flung it off of him. From there, he spun to perform a sweep kick which created a small wave of frozen shards. “Pierce.” They stuck, and launched even more of the bug ponies backwards. But he wasn’t done! Then he punched the frozen construct with his hoof which created a small, chilly fog in the area which caused the group around him to slow down…

Of course! They were unable to cope with the extreme cold due to being insect-like!

BAM! FWOOSH! POW!

With swift precision, the blue earth pony took advantage of the fact that his opponent was slowed via the cold. I hear heavy, crunchy, and destructive blows land. Strike after strike, he was like an assassin that was heavily trained in the art of subduing his enemies. Once the dust settled, I saw limp, lifeless bug bodies that lied around him on what seemed like their last breath. Needless to say, I was impressed by his skill.

Oh and I wasn’t just spectating him. I had fought off my own group of the lovesuckers on my end. I mostly used my wits to keep them off of me, and dodged most of their attacks. My offensive prowess was nowhere near on the level of this icy stallion, but I still held my own rather well.

I just had to ask. “Just who are you? Another agent? Undercover? Assassin?” I said as I casually dropkicked another bug out of my sight.

“Pff. Me?” The stallion scoffed as he spun a frozen lance around in his hooves which generated what looked like a miniature tornado mixed with a hailstorm. “I’m just a frozen piece of history drifting through time.” He flung the hailstorm into a crowd of the changelings, and it swept them up within it. With the spear of ice, he directed it towards a nearby tree which they were flung into and incapacitated by. “Or to put it more plainly, I was in the neighborhood, and wanted to help you out. Hey, watch your back.”

His words rang true. Someone as skilled as he? Someone who popped out of nowhere to assist in the most dire of moments? Sounded like a comic book hero or being of legend. Granted, I could sense his aura. It was untrackable. I dare say, it felt as if he was just as strong as...no...I couldn’t say that for certain.

I took his warning, and could sense the presence of another bug that would attack from behind me. I struck them down with the back of my hoof and a quick spin. “YA!” Overall, I’d say that this situation was...rather easy. Almost too easy. We had mowed down the dozens upon dozens of the bug pony swarm like it was nothing. For a hive whose aim was to be greater than Chrysalis’ own, it did not seem as if they had put enough effort in to make it so.

Or at least, that is what I initially figured.

We looked around us and watched as the bodies started to morph into each other. It was a strange thing to witness. The new changeling breeds and their bodies faded into a strange dark miasma that formed up into one, much stronger one of the same size--no bigger than your average pony. Except now it was twice as creepy because it had no mouth, and its aura was thick. Almost enough to cut through. Approaching this new being directly would be a death sentence for sure.

“Come at me, boys,” the voice of the female that I spoke to earlier echoed out of the body despite the lack of a mouth, “quit this senseless violence and accept your fate. We need to eat too. It’s no different than the rest of you!”

The blue pony turned and looked at me. “What’s your name, my dude?”

“Pale--Pale Vestige,” I replied, “And you?”

“Icesius Blizzard. But just Ice is fine,” he stood on his hind legs, and folded his forelegs with contempt, “Now...I have a plan. You just need to follow what I do.”

I was in no position to refuse his assistance. As I mentioned before, he exuded a lot more combat experience when fighting tougher adversaries on his own. Therefore, I had no choice but to hear him out.

“Okay...Ice was it? What’s your plan?”

The blue stallion stared at the newly minted super-changeling for a moment. Was he forming a plan? What possible strategies could he be forming with skill such as his? No, unfortunately. His ‘plan’ was one that I didn’t entirely agree with.

“We have no choice,” he said, “this creature must die.”

I looked at him with a perplexed, hung jaw. “Wh-what? Are you certain?”

He went on in a solemn tone. “I understand that as an officer, you want to be able to bring this being in for questioning and find out their true motives.” He shut his eyes, and shook his head. “But sadly, this enemy of ours is too powerful. The only possible method we have to keep the innocents safe is by forcibly removing them from the battlefield. Taking this fight somewhere else is the safer option.”

Unfortunately, as much as I wanted to deny it, he was correct. This being...it had absorbed the power of every changeling in the mob that we had just incapacitated. To attempt to capture it would be ludicrous at best. How troublesome. But again, there really was no other option here. There was an extremely high likelihood of the beast defeating us both and absorbing the love of everyone in the town. Even if we managed to capture it, there was no guarantee of it cooperating or being fully restricted. We had to be diligent, but cautious all the same.

“...Alright,” I replied, “If there really is no other alternative...we must fight it off for the sake of everypony else.”

Ice trotted forward as slowly as one could. “Cover me...if this goes well, we should be able to take care of it before it makes any crazy movements.”

I was right behind him with a myriad of stratagems already laid out in my head.

All the sudden, a thick, dark green aura formed around the changeling. The grassy ground quickly turned into a lime green mush not unlike the fluid I had seen in that lake. Though it wasn’t acidic, it kept us from moving.

“Ngh...what the hell?” Ice mumbled. Though he was more confused than concerned.

Unable to raise my legs, I swore under my breath. We both looked up and watched the bug pony laugh at us.

“Ahahaha! You foolish stallions fell right into my trap. And so easily too. Now if you just come quietly, we can work this out very easily and nopony else in that building will be harmed…”

“Pshaha.” Ice laughed her words off. “I don’t think so.” The entire ‘lake’ of squishy liquid was frozen over into a blue sheet of ice. The cold namesake stallion rose out of the ground, and started to skate around the new ‘rink’ he created.

“What the--you--oof!” The changeling slipped and fell on its face. “You...you ingrate! We will take back what is rightfully ours!”

Admittedly, I couldn’t exactly stand up either. I had to be careful, lest I tripped and broke my neck.

But what did that mean? ‘Take back what is rightfully ours’...

Meanwhile…

“Sunburst was right. The magical anomalies are off the charts from the direction of the Ponyville Schoolhouse. I just hope to Twilight that Mr. Haymes Bond isn’t there. For his sake, mainly...”

Subject 116: The Downfall

From there, it was surprisingly simple. Almost laughable. Ice’s plan to essentially remove her--it, whatever it was--from the battlefield didn’t take much effort. The bug pony wasn’t able to walk properly upon the frozen lake that the cold stallion had created, which allowed him to gain the upper hoof quite easily.

With a hefty grunt, he bit upon the changeling’s tail with his teeth. With a single spin, he flung it so hard that it flew out of, and broke the illusion that kept anypony from seeing what was going on out here.

Then, he charged. “Let’s go, let’s go,” he commanded as he galloped after the insect-like beast he had tossed away from the Schoolhouse.

The ice around my hooves disappeared, and I was able to walk again. It took me a moment to realize where the stallion had ran off to, but once I figured it out, it was simple logic. A nearby hill whose elevation could provide a safe place for interrogating the individual.

I quickly rose up. I didn’t have my coat with all of my weapons with me, given my casual shirt with leaves, but I still had to find out what was going on here in order to progress. I wasn’t going to do anything crazy, though. This was just a small little...side case.

By the time I had arrived on top of the grassy hill, Ice was already there. He had frozen the changeling’s body part way to render it immobile so that it couldn’t even think about escaping.

“That was a difficult battle,” he remarked as I arrived on the scene, “But it’s over for now. Are you alright?”

I looked myself over. No bites, or any major damage to my body. “I’m fine, thank you.”

“In that case, I’ll leave the rest to you,” he turned and started to walk off, “You’re an officer who can officially oversee the situation. I’m nothing more than a civilian that seeks to make life better from the shadows. You do your work in the light--so we’ll more than likely meet again soon.”

Wait what? He was already going to leave? Just like that? I suppose I had no room to stop him. But it was a shame that I didn’t get to know more about who he was. “Alright, thank you for your assistance, Mr--” I paused mid-sentence. The next time I blinked, he was already gone. Just who was he? And was he really married to...

But I had no time to focus on that. For the moment, all I had to do was question this individual as I waited for backup. “It’s over,” I said to the amalgamation of changelings, “You’ll be questioned and dealt with accordingly. May Luna have mercy on your soul, blah-blah-blah, you get the point.”

However, what came out of its mouth next was something I could not prepare for. “...I know what happened to your parents. If you let me go, I promise I’ll tell you everything.”

I felt a cold sweat run down the back of my neck. Was this for real? No. I refused to believe that some being that I had never met could know so much about me.

“I don’t think so,” I replied with a roll of my eyes, “Nothing you say can possibly intimidate me. It’s only a matter of time before you--”

“Your father despised you,” they cut me off, “he wanted nothing more than to get rid of you just as his wife had already left. He considered you a burden, a waste of time and effort. You meant absolutely nothing to him and your mother was just as bad. She left one day and never looked back. She didn’t even bother to take you with her because she knew she couldn’t take care of you. Your entire existence drove a happy couple to madness. How does that make you feel?”

How did it make me feel? Emotions that I never wanted to access. Feelings that I cast away long ago. But just as well, desires that often creeped up that tried to take me over. But what surprised me the most was the fact that this changeling had any inkling of an idea as to what I felt.

“Well then…” I tilted my head down, “I’d like to know just how you managed to comprehend such things. What makes you think they’re true?”

“Lady Elytra has granted us the power to peek into the minds of others and figure out what they hate most,” it explained. “Even though I am imprisoned in this frozen construct, I still have power of you and your hatred. You are an animal driven by bloodlust. A lust that you cannot reasonably deal with on your own, so you use your job to mask the fact that you wish to have sway in the lives of others. Which in turn, stems from your hatred towards your parents and your peers as a colt. Because you were never mentally stable to begin with.”

My body twitched. My hoof almost had a mind of its own as I ripped off one of the icicles that its prison was made of, and held it threateningly at one of their eyes. Its face was the only thing not covered by the frozen shell of sorts. “Where is Elytra and her hive?”

“...Hmph. You are not qualified to look into the darkness,” it replied with no sense of urgency or remorse.

I started at it for a long while, and cursed under my breath. I tossed the ice shard away, and turned around to gather my senses.

As soon as I did though, I was met with a magical beam.

ZZZZZZ!

“AAAAAGH! Geh...hfff…” It electrocuted me down to my soul. I felt my muscles lock up. The blast had essentially rendered me disabled, and unable to move or think straight. Through the paralysis, I could just barely lift my eyes to find…

Starlight had hunted me down.

“You’ve made your final mistake, Pale. I’m sorry about this...but you’re coming with me.”

Things only got worse from there. I was taken to the Mayor’s Office, and all I could do was wait outside of the main room in which Starlight was likely discussing something with others beyond the doors of the Mayor’s room.

But the feeling in my heart. It was a painful sense of nostalgia. It reminded me of my youth when I was a troubled dingbat of a colt that did as he pleased, and constantly had to wait outside of the office of the guidance counselor as the higher-ups determined my punishment. Shame and self-loathing could not begin to describe what I had felt in that moment.

Inside of the Mayor’s Office…

“This is the last straw, Twilight. You had him kill Svengallop and now he’s on a slippery slope of destruction,” Starlight chided me, “This isn’t a joke anymore. Now Neighsay is dead--somehow, and he helped capture the new changeling--something he was supposed to not get involved in--and he almost killed them too!” She pointed a hoof at me,“As your friend, I’m simply trying to help you understand the conflicting issues here. His mental stability is warped."

I sat right across the table from her. The Mayor was here as well to oversee our discussion. At this point, Pale Vestige had become a high-profile individual whose involvement in numerous cases had stunted his own growth. It was painful to watch. As far as Neighsay goes, however, there was still no evidence to suggest that he was involved. Unfortunately, logic does not care about how one feels. He still was the most likely to have a reason to end Neighsay’s life. As much as I wanted to believe he wasn’t capable of doing such a thing...the evidence was too painful.

And it all came back to me. I was the one who ordered him to essentially assassinate Svengallop before any sort of public execution could take place. But look at him now. He was...broken, emotionally damaged, driven too heavily by his past. Ultimately, I was most accountable, and as such, it was my responsibility to make sure that my citizens were all happy and healthy. From the biggest dragon to the smallest filly, it didn’t matter who they were. As long as their life was secure.

“I understand, Starlight. Really.” I put a hoof against my chest, “I’m the one who unintentionally brought this out of him, so I’m going to be the one to assist in carrying him through his underlying traumas.”

The Mayor opted for a middle ground on the situation. “If I may speak candidly, Twilight. You are not responsible for how he acts. Pale is a fully grown stallion--about in the same age range as the rest of us. How he chooses to perform in the field is his matter and his alone.”

Completely fair. I obviously could not control what another pony does or doesn’t do. Especially when it came to their occupation. Even so, the Princess of Equestria is the leader of all agencies and counter-crime organizations. To an extent, it was something I had to prioritize.

“Be that as it may,” I replied, “As Princess, I am commander-in-chief of all law enforcement and military operations. If something goes wrong within those operations, then I am obliged to step in.”

As dutiful as ever, Starlight folded her hooves and shot me a confused look. “I get that, I really do. But just what are you going to do? The fact that we allowed somepony like this to set Cozy Glow free is something else we need to consider. Yes, she seems to be adapting to, and living in the current world well enough. But if this keeps up, everypony is going to start questioning her integrity as well. Is that something you want?”

I shook my head with a stern exhale. “...no. Not at all. I’ve weighed the possible outcomes of the situation. He needs some serious rehabilitation before he returns to work.”

The Mayor looked at us both with a sly grin in her eye as if she had just hatched the greatest evil scheme known to ponykind. It was almost kind of scary to watch and it made me hesitate about whether or not I should ask.

“I think...I may have a way to help,” she said.

I really didn’t want to know, but I had no choice. “Oh? What is your idea, Ms. Mayor?”

She turned to her right, and shouted for her assistant. “Raven! Raven Inkwell! Can you come in here for a minute?” The Mayor turned and looked at us for a second, “She’s licensed in all forms of therapy and psychoanalysis. It’s her side hobby that she makes use of her earth pony magic with.”

Moments later, her secretary/assistant stumbled into the room. A white earth pony with a brunette mane and a pair of glasses over her brown eyes. She dropped the clipboard she held in her hooves, and picked it up as she adjusted those specs of hers. “Y-yes, Mayor?”

The Mayor recounted the entire situation to Raven. After a moment of deliberation, the mare’s face turned dark as she looked down at the ground. Her glasses weirdly hid her eyes in a dark shadow which I was pretty sure wasn’t scientifically possible given the room’s lighting.

“So that’s what’s going on, eh?” she asked, her tone much more somber and stoic compared to her awkward entrance. “...What are my orders, Mayor?”

“Do whatever you need,” the Mayor replied simply.

After a long silence, Starlight re-entered the conversation. “Um...excuse me, but what exactly is she going to do?”

Raven pushed up her glasses which caused a solid white sheen to reflect off of them. Creepy. And once again, not scientifically accurate. Which made it more creepy. “I can help Pale, however,” she looked up at me, “she must take part as well.”

My wings popped out as an automatic response to anxiety. Me? Really? Well, she had every right to call me out. After all, I was indeed responsible for it all, having been the one to give Pale the order which sent him down this path. But if there was a way to rescue him from it before it was too late, then I would do anything. We weren’t really close, but it was something that any ruler should do for their subjects. And friends.

I pulled my wings in, and nodded once. “Okay. I’ll take part in...er,” I looked down at the table. I had just realized that I had no clue what sort of thing Raven was planning. Was it some sort of reading exercise? Magic tuning? A long, deep discussion about our feelings? No. It was something that I had actually never heard of.

“Electroshock therapy. Tomorrow,” Raven stated, her neutral, apathetic expression unchanged, “We will find out the truth about your and Pale’s decisions through ponderous means if necessary.”

“Oh...that’s...perfect, ehe...heh…” I felt rivers of sweat pour down my mane as I gave the most forced smile I could ever manage.

Holy adamant appleseeds, I was not prepared for that.

Outside of the window…

“They have to go through shock therapy do they? That’ll make for a juicy, front-page story. The princess and the so-called detective need to undergo procedures for having problems that make them unfit for their positions. How scandalous. The world has the right to know, after all.”

Subject 117: Therapy

Talk about embarrassing. How could I, the pony that had worked so hard to clear Cozy’s name fail to live up to my own standards? Okay, so I just had to endure some sort of psycho-stability test? That was reasonable. To be quite honest, I knew my mental state had been slowly chipped away from the amount of tough...complications that I had been through so far. Whatever kind of therapy this was, I needed to accept it since it would assist me in keeping my head held high throughout my troubles.

I got out of bed early the next morning, and glanced at the newspaper.

Pale Vestige: Trustworthy or Troublesome?

“What? What is this…” I flipped it open, and began to read the headlining article.

Pale Vestige, the pony known most famously for his work to free Cozy Glow and give her another chance at life, has now been submitted to a form of strict rehabilitation after it has been reported that his violent ways have nearly jeopardized several cases, and possibly linked him to others. After killing Svengallop before he was assigned a trial, apparently this stallion nearly killed another criminal linked to the rumored new breed of changeling that was rising outside of Equestria. Not to mention he is one of only a few individuals that could have reason behind Neighsay’s mysterious death in prison. Is there any hard evidence on the subject? No. Innocent until proven guilty. However, he is not doing himself any favors by acting so rashly. One has to ponder whether or not allowing somepony such as him to have this job was a good decision in the first place. Sure Cozy Glow is fine now, but what if she decides to emulate his behavior and fall back into old habits? This is all conjecture, but it would do the public well to keep a close eye on this officer and his sense of ‘justice.’ Did he really uphold the law?

Or did he uphold convenience for the sake of his own desires to frame as law?

That was...rather damning. As I read over the page once more, I had to face the facts: I had brought this on myself. Yes, Twilight Sparkle gave me the order to kill Svengallop (something that the paper left out), but it was my decision to follow through on such an order. Now, I was being carefully watched, and judged by individuals such as Starlight and Trixie on one side. And on the other? I had to live with the decision that I made and consider how it would affect Cozy above all else. It wasn’t something I enjoyed to think about, but it was a problem I had to face whether I liked it or not.

I left my home that day, and to my surprise, ponies were rather wary of me. It wasn’t hard to notice a few blank stares, but things got really odd when others started to hurry out of my presence. Yeesh, was a newspaper article enough to sway the public opinion so quickly?

Things got worse when I attempted to visit the local retirement home as I always did every morning. One of the workers hurried to the front door to greet me before I could get inside.

I had seen his face several times since I visited frequently, so I tried to make small talk. “Oh, hello, Mr--”

“Shh! Hey, listen...I’d recommend you stay away. At least for now,” he said with a concerned frown as he bashfully rubbed his hoof into the ground. “I’m sorry…”

“...” I sighed, “The local news article, huh?”

He nodded. “Yeah. Granted, I know you’re a decent pony, but we can’t risk any...problems arising from you being here.”

I tilted my head. “Problems?”

“Well...if you start coming here, then we could see donations drop if investors knew you supported us. Like I said...best to lie low for a while. Not much else you can do.”

Pity, though not unexpected. I would rather exile myself than cause undue stress for the elderly if they couldn’t get funding. Damn it all. But as he said, there was nothing I could do. I had walked this path, and I had to see it through.

“Understandable, have a nice day,” I tipped my hat, and pranced away at a fairly quick pace. I eventually slowed down to a regular walk, and took a moment to think about what had happened in the last few months as well as my actions. Had I really done the right thing? Was my sense of justice borked? I didn’t know...maybe, maybe not. I just sincerely hoped that Ms. Inkwell’s idea for therapeutic treatment was enough to help me through what I couldn’t understand about myself.

On my way to the Mayor’s office I was stopped by Cozy who had joined up with me on the stroll. “...Pops. I read the paper. Are you gonna be okay?”

I looked around, and noticed that the surrounding area had become suspiciously quiet. Were other ponies avoiding us? Were we being watched? I had no idea. It was hard to pin down. For the moment, I simply tried my best to reassure her.

“I’ll be fine. I just...there are secrets that we all have. Secrets that threaten our lives that we desperately want to run from,” I put a hoof on her shoulder, “Sometimes it may be better to face those problems head-on rather than flee constantly.”

She had an uncertain, doubtful sort of frown on her face as she looked at the ground. “But what if you’re too afraid? What if you don’t know how because all you know how to do is run away. It’s like an unfathomably giant boulder is rushing down behind you and following you no matter how many twists and turns you make. You have no choice but to keep running, and if you stop--you get crushed. I...I’m not ready for that, Pale,” she looked up at me. “I’m afraid.”

“So am I, Cozy...but what if…” I looked up to the empty sky, “What if we could stop, turn around, and catch that boulder of anxiety, then destroy it into tiny, harmless pebbles. If you could do that...would you?”

“...I don’t know it’s just...just too uncertain.”

I could understand that. Though they seemed limited, we all had plenty of options when it came to the subject of how we chose to live our lives and deal with our own hubris. In the end, it was up to me to not only come to terms with my own, but cut a path and catch that boulder alongside her. If that made any sense.

I gave her a quick hug. “Nothing is certain. Except our goals and trust we put in each other.” I let her go, “You’ll see. Things will get better as time passes. Now do yourself a favor, and go relax with Flurry Heart, okay?”

Her concerned face became slightly hopeful; her wings fluttered a bit with newfound bravery. “I understand, pops. You be safe now, okay?”

“Mm. Of course, I will,” I nodded, and continued onto the Mayor’s office. “Bye for now.”

She left, and arrived safely back home. Good. That was one less thing I had to worry about. Next, it was time to face my own problems.

I arrived at the Town Hall, and was directed towards one of the back rooms. I trotted through the building, and stopped in front of the door. I gave a light tap, and heard Ms. Inkwell’s voice.

“Enter,” she ordered.

And I did. I pushed the wooden door open, and came upon a small waiting room that had been refitted for what she intended to carry out. The tables and chairs had been moved across the bluish-green carpet and off to both ends of the room. Save for three.

In one, sat Raven herself. “Close the door behind you, and take the open seat.”

Said open seat--about one meter across from the other, faced a seated Twilight Sparkle. “Hi,” she said, “I’m just about ready to begin, though I’m curious as to what sort of psychoanalytic methods you’ll be employing Ms. Inkwell.”

The white earth pony scoffed, and pushed up her glasses. “You’ll find out. But this won’t be a pleasant experiment if you don’t cooperate, so listen well.” She clapped her hooves together twice.

Two more of the Mayor’s secretaries came in. Both covered in all black suits that looked like something out of an ancient era with beak-like masks. Theatrics, perhaps? Rather out of style, wasn’t it? Anyhow, they each dangled a watch that both Twilight and I had no choice but to stare at.

“Ooh...I’ve heard of this method,” Twilight commented, “In fact, it was used fairly often when Equestria’s magic was still in its infancy and couldn’t identify what exactly ailed a pony.”

Raven nodded. “Correct, Princess. In this case however, it’s going to help us discern what you both don’t want to come to terms with.”

Really? That...didn’t sound so bad. But I had to be honest, I was a bit concerned for what was about to take place. “Excuse me. But how does this...” I trailed off. I was fully encapsulated as the watch began to sway back and forth. Twilight was in the same position.

After a minute or two, the watches stopped moving, and the hypnotist ponies disappeared from the room. “It’s simple. I will ask you a question. And if you fail to speak the truth, you will hallucinate a dark cloud of lies form above your head. The guilt from those lies will aid you both in understanding what your problems are. The more lies told, the bigger the cloud gets.”

I suppose that’s where the shock factor came in from. Not as dangerous as I initially thought, but still concerning.

“A lie detector?” Twilight had to stifle her laughter, “Pfft--ahem. Er, those have never really been confirmed to be scientifically accurate. But I’m still curious as to how it works and if it’s legitimate.”

“Oh you will,” Raven replied coldly, “You will indeed. Now first, we’re going to start off with a few generalized questions to help ease us both into the matters at hoof without causing any damage. Ready?”

“...Ready,” came my slow response.

“Ready,” Twilight said with confidence.

Inkwell took out a clipboard, and started to read off the first page. “Okay...the Princess shall go first. Twilight,” she turned to the purple alicorn. “After having spent two decades as Equestria’s reigning leader, how do you see yourself? Do you see yourself as having done a good job? Or do you think you could improve?”

“Well, to be honest, even though it’s been twenty years, that’s not very long compared to Celestia and Luna. Do I see myself as a good ruler? Yes, but I could still improve. Though, take my own opinion with a grain of salt since we’re all inherently biased towards ourselves.”

With a pen between her teeth, Inkwell scribbled something down on the clipboard. “I see. Next question: Do you think your subjects prefer the way you rule compared to Celestia’s rule?”

Even I could see that was a more difficult question. Twilight had to pause, and fidgeted a bit in her seat as she thought of an answer. The mere concept of outdoing her former mentor must have eaten her up inside. “Well....that is to say, I’m not entirely sure how to answer.”
Raven continued to sport her neutral expression as she pressed the subject further. “Allow me to rephrase. Do you think you’re doing a better job than Celestia?”

Beads of sweat ran down the alicorn’s face as she applied more thought to it. After a long, gut-wrenched silence, she replied. “...No.”

More silence.

Then we heard a rumbling above Twilight’s head as a small cloud-like shape formed above her head. Was it a hallucination? Or was it really there? Either way, it cast a shadow of judgement over the alicorn.

“...” Twilight didn’t say a word. She must’ve been confused on how that was considered false. To which our therapist explained.

“A lie,” Inkwell commented through her unimpressed stare, “You clearly think you’re doing better than Celestia, but you constantly put yourself down out of some inane desire to not ‘one-up’ her as they say. Get her out of your head. Celestia no longer rules this land and you have too many problems to deal with to be focused on comparing yourself to your predecessor,” was her curt explanation while she scribbled onto the clipboard once more.

Twilight stared at the floor. “I see…”

The Secretary pony turned to me next. “Now...Pale Vestige. What do you think of yourself? Do you like your job?” she asked as she flipped the page on the clipboard over.

That was rather simple. “Yes. Of course I do,” I said with a nod, “I wouldn’t have kept this position for this long if I didn’t.”

Nothing happened. So far so good.

“Mm-hmm. Alright. Do you consider yourself a good officer?”

Another easy question to answer. “Yes again. I do my best to carry out what needs to be done no matter the risk.”

Yet again, nothing. But I could hear the EKG behind me start to ramp up due to my heart rate increasing from nerves.

“Very well,” Raven said in return. “Now. Do you think your sense of impartiality is what this world needs? Do you think that you play a necessary part in the development of society so that justice can be upheld and deception can be erased?”

It took me a moment, but I provided the best answer that I could. “...Yes. If I didn’t, then I wouldn’t have fought so hard for Cozy and the rest of my ideals.”

I waited…

Then it was my turn. I watched as the dark cloud formed above my head.

I felt a sudden surge of guilt in my heart. As if I knew I had lied, and was caught in the act of doing so.

“That was a lie,” Inkwell stated in a chilled tone, “You don’t think you’re up to snuff at all. You know this because you rely on the support of those around you for guidance. But when you act on your own? You’re a beast. An untamed animal who’s just waiting to be let loose on those you deem unsalvageable. That way, you can continue to act as if you’re being just, when you really want to squash all those whose ideals don’t align with yours.” She pointed at Twilight, “And you took full advantage of that side of yourself when Twilight allowed you to kill Svengallop.”

I froze. There was some truth in those words. I knew I wasn’t good enough to handle everything alone and my thought process was not healthy enough to continue this job if there wasn’t any sort of intervention...of course. That was the purpose of the procedure after all. This was the intervention.

“...I see,” was all I could say. Things could only get more trying from there.

Subject 119: Squad Intervention

“Who let you into my home?” I asked them all as I closed the door behind me. I put my coat and hat on the rack next to the front door, and went to the living room.

Flash Drive got up from the couch, and retrieved a chair from the kitchen to take a seat in. “Have a seat on the couch, friend. We all read the newspaper and wanted to come see if you were alright. Then we heard about the fact that you apparently needed therapy, so we waited here until you got back home.”

I took a seat, and looked around at my friends. “I see...you were all so worried that you decided to come see how I was doing.”

Corkscrew spoke up next. “We didn’t realize what was going on at first, but then it hit us--you’d essentially been put through the wringer for what you’ve done, and we...wanted to come offer our support.”

As she lied across one of the nearby chairs, Guttersnipe would offer her words next. “I won’t beat around the bush, bud. You’ve done a lot of crazy crap that I never would’ve done myself. And I’m all about that crazy lifestyle. Granted, you can take that either way. Regardless, we all think you need a break.”

From the other side, Neon would reply as he nibbled on a peach. “She’s right. Mate, you and I have been through loads of trenches together. But ya gotta know when to stop and think about what ya doin’. We don’t want ya to waste your life over something...so trivial.”

“My brother’s right,” Flash Drive added, “Svengallop honestly wasn’t worth dedicatin’ no time to. He was already a dead stallion walking. And I have absolutely no clue why in Tartarus’ name why Twilight would give you that order.”

Next to me, Quick Draw nodded. “Agreed. Part of the blame is on her for giving out such a crass order in the first place. But ultimately, you’re responsible for yourself, bud. And...I know what it’s like to make mistakes thinking you’re doing the right thing.” She sighed, “By the time you realize that you’re the one being controlled like a puppet, it’s already too late. You’re neck-deep in hatred that doesn’t even belong to you. And...we don’t want that for you. I mean, I’m an idiot, but not you.”

Ah...I understood now. Honestly, it was rather comforting to hear them criticize my approach to things. It showed that they cared and wanted me to improve above all else despite coming down on me. And it was also nice to know that they weren’t afraid to throw criticism at the princess herself. Yes, Twilight was in the wrong for ordering me to do such a thing. But ultimately, I was responsible for how I acted--and reacted--to those types of orders. To be guided by emotion...that wasn’t something a good officer needed to be.

“Absolutely,” I replied, “I agree with you all. Mainly because I already intended to stop and take a break from my job. I need...to reevaluate some things about myself and how I carry out my actions as an officer. If I can’t do that much, then I don’t deserve this position.”

Guttersnipe leaned forward on the chair. “By the way, what sorta therapy did they have you go through? Did they actually shock you or were you just...shocked by what you had to say?”

“Definitely the latter,” I said with a sigh, “In the end, most of my anxiety comes from my fear and confusion regarding not knowing what to do. As a result, I made a pretty callous choice when it came to killing Svengallop.”

Corkscrew put a hoof around my neck. “But boss...you’re not gonna give up, are you? Like...we’ve spent too long together for you to just walk away from this forever. After all, what did you, Quick, and I even go to the Officer’s Academy for?”

Quick Draw would answer that first. “We went to the Academy so we could become better ponies with sound concepts of justice and fight for those who could not fight for themselves.” She folded her hooves, and leaned back into the couch, “It’s not an easy thing to do, and yet we manage regardless.”

Being my childhood friends, both Quick and Cork knew me best out of our group. And they were both correct. We went to the OA for training and other arts that would aid us in becoming officers who could uphold the essence of the law while doing our best to punish those who deserved it. Was it a simple job? Absolutely not. There were so many gray areas and logical fallacies that prevented us from getting the answer right one-hundred percent of the time. Then again, who could? Mistakes were always going to be made. No matter how old you were, professional you were, or how many other folks followed your word or loved you--you, I, and everyone else could, and will, make mistakes.

To learn from those mistakes, however, was another pony of a different color.

“That’s right. Despite our troubled backgrounds, we all work to grow, don’t we?” I looked over at Neon in particular.

The bat pony nodded once as he rubbed his real left hoof against his fake, right one. “Aye, mate. Gettin’ to where I am now was hard as utter bunk. And yet, whenever I recede back into my violent ways, my brother is always there for me.”

“Hehe.” Drive chuckled. “Come now, bruv. Don’t put me on the spot like that. You know you’re always welcome in my home where there’s plenty of fruit.” He looked up to the ceiling, “And Pale, we’re always here for ya. Whether ya need a shoulder to cry on or just a mate to see ya through.”

Guttersnipe looked down at her mechanical wings. “But don’t go off to do anything stupid,” she commanded in a grave tone. An oddity for her, that was certain. “You don’t need to play the solo hero that tries to save everypony. If you continue and do what you did with Svengallop, you may lose more than a part of your body as a result.”

“Of course,” I replied solemnly, “Never again will I accept an order that seems too chaotic or unreasonable. My life is my own. And I will choose to live it as I see fit.”

Quick sighed. “Even so...the way you live shouldn’t cause harm to others. Again, I know that very well due to the mistakes I’ve made. Above all, you need to consider how you approach every situation from now on. How you act is going to reflect how others view Cozy as well as Cheerilee given that you two are together now. You can’t act carelessly--even if you think you know what you’re doing.”

“Too right,” Drive jumped in, “One time, I thought I did the right thing by ignoring what I thought was an innocuous individual that moved into the Empire. Turns out, it was a griffon assassin from outside of Equestria who wanted to steal Flurry Heart’s horn and wings.” He let out a shameful sigh. “Gah...if I could’ve turned back time…”

But Guts, like clockwork, wouldn’t allow the black unicorn to speak lowly of himself. “Hey now. You did what you could, and in the end, we sent that criminal to prison where he still rots to this day.”

“I know that, yeah. But if I could just go back in time and throttle my buggerin’ self for forgettin’...” He shook his head. “Gah, but it’s under the bridge now. From then on, I knew to keep a closer eye on who enters and exits the Empire. Right, Gutsy?”

She giggled. “Hehehe! That’s right. You and I have never had a problem with anyone in the Empire since!”

Neon smiled as well. “Indeed, chaps. So for Pale--we need to do all we can for him so he doesn’t bungle off something else. Savvy?”

I scoffed, and rolled my eyes. “Wow. You must think very highly of me, Neon,” I retorted with sarcasm and chuckled. “But seriously, thank you.”

Drive was the first to offer help. “I’ll work with Moondancer so she can make sure you get the results of her findings. She should be almost done.”

Neon was next. “During the night, I’ll be keeping watch over the town when I’m up. My mates in Trotland Yard can keep tabs on Trottingham while I help ya.”

Cork let go of me, and took out a stack of files. “I’ll be working on witness interviews and protection. I’ve got tons of dates lined up so I’ll be working ‘round-the-clock to gather info on Neighsay’s death and other suspicious activity.”

“Dates?” Guttersnipe asked with a teasing smirk, “Ooh, lookit you! Already got yourself a harem like in those Japonese comics you read?”

“I--wh--NO!” The young pegasus blushed, and stumbled over his words. “Calendar dates, you silly filly! To interview individuals throughout the month for questioning about what they’ve seen! Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday--already got--”

Guts put her hooves up to get him to stop. “Woah, woah, pard. It was just a joke! I’m actually impressed that you’re getting so much work done.”

“Oh,” he relaxed with a proud flap of his wings. “Thank you.”

This caused Neon to laugh a little, and his brother Flash nudged him via using magic to levitate, and prod him with a nearby book. “Stuff it, bruv. Now ain’t the time.”

“But it was funny as all heck!” Neon complained.

“Anyway,” Guts drew attention back to herself after the distraction she had caused, “I’m gonna look more into this changeling and Elytra situation myself. King Thorax has been a bit mysterious about how he’s going about this, so I need to hear it straight from the pony’s mouth.”

Lastly, Quick offered her help. “And I...will make sure no harm comes to those you’re close to. I can’t afford to lose you to insanity, Pale. None of us can.”

The other four ponies in my group nodded in unison. “Mm-hmm!”

I sniffled. I felt so...proud to have a group of friends that stood with me through the good and bad. I made a promise to myself that I would make them proud. “Thanks guys...I’ll be taking some time off, so do your best out there.”

For that was all I could ask.

Subject 120: Break Time

And so, I took time away from the situation, away from everything. With my crew assisting me where they could, I was able to rest easily since I knew that they could handle things while I was away. Away where? That was indeed the question. But if I was absent--at least for a little while, I could no longer be linked to anymore possible conflicts that would arise in the immediate future. That way, my integrity and Cozy’s reputation could both be kept intact. It was more or less a tactical retreat to avoid further unnecessary damage.

Oh, and of course, I was bringing Cozy along with me. It was going to be a family-oriented vacation so that we could all spend some time together away from the craziness of the world.

Though, when I approached Cheerilee about it, she was more concerned than excited.

“...Pale! There you are!” she cried out and greeted me with a hug as soon as she opened her front door. “You startled me when you disappeared from the party. I heard about everything that happened. Are you okay? How is therapy treating you?”

“Just fine,” I said as we broke off the hug, “I have to attend once a week after my vacation is over. I just wanted to let you know what I intend to do.”

Cheerilee waved her hoof. “Wait, wait! If I clear my schedule...and get Limestone and Treehugger to handle the earth pony lessons...do you mind if I go with you and Cozy? It might be a better experience if we’re all together. Plus...we can take time to discuss our future, maybe?”

A novel idea. Cheerilee was very supportive of me and what I wanted to do. But of course, she knew that I couldn’t accomplish these sorts of things on my own. So if she was with me, then maybe things would get much better.

“...Absolutely. I’d love to have you along. To be honest, I’m feeling kind of...weak mentally. So to have you there with me as we help Cozy with her problems would be stellar.”

She giggled. “Hehe! Oh, and speaking of which. Where exactly is this ‘there’ you’re referring to? Do you even know where you want to take your vacation?”

Admittedly, no. All that I knew was that I just needed to take one. The exact destination wasn’t exactly important. But maybe...ah. That was a good idea.

“Well, why don’t you pick?” I offered, “I’ve honestly been around Equestria so many times that I don’t exactly have a ‘dream’ vacation location. But if you picked, it’ll be nice because you get to have your dream getaway while I just...get away, so to speak.”

Her eyes lit up. “Ooh! I’ve been waiting forever for somepony to ask me what I want to do for a change. Wait right there, and let me go get my bucket list!” She chirped, and raced back inside.

Wait a minute, bucket list? Just what did she intend to accomplish before she died? And why did she already make one? Whatever the case, I hoped that we could accomplish those things together if she was willing.

Moments later, Cheerilee returned with a sunhat on her head and a pair of shades. “There we go. I’ve always wanted to go to Sire’s Hollow. I’ve heard that it’s super relaxing there because of the new spas, the food, oh, and their Winter Festival is going to be held there soon.” She handed me a brochure that contained the information.

Sire’s Hollow...oh, yeah, I remember. The place where Sunburst was born and Stellar Flare had become the mayor. According to what I saw in the pamphlet, the Winter Festival--held before Hearth’s Warming--looking to be a nice, excitable affair with snowball fights, snowpony contests, lots of warm treats to eat, and songs to sing. It sounded like the perfect place to take Cozy as well. Oh the fun we could have there all together…

I read it over, and nodded. “Well now, that sounds pretty nice. When do you think you’d be ready to go?”

“Tomorrow, of course,” she replied as she looked herself over in the nearby standing mirror in her hallway, “It’s almost like our first honeymoon of sorts, if you catch my drift,” she shot me a teasing glance from within the mirror.

I blushed, and cleared my throat. “Right well--ahem. That’s good to know. I’ll go do some more research and let Cozy know we’ve decided on where we’re going, alright?”

“Got it. Oh, would you be a dear and shut the door for me? I have to get ready.”

“Oh, no problem,” I waved as I closed her front door. “See you then, Cheery!”

And so, I went back to Cozy’s house. Once there, I explained the situation which involved where Cheerilee and I had decided to take the vacation. Oh, and the fact that Cheerilee was going to attend as well, of course.

“What? Mom--er, Cheerilee’s coming too?!” she asked with a gasp as she flapped her wings. “Ah! This is perfect! Flurry and I were talking about where her family went on vacation. She said they went to Sire’s Hollow once and had a super fun time!”

What an adorable thought. I chuckled in response. “Heh. Did they now? That sounds good. At least we have a reputable source regarding how good it is. This will be a perfect getaway for all of us. No fighting, no conflicts, no scary monsters, and no worries.” I sighed, and looked down at the floor. “We’ve all been through a lot in the past...year or so?”

“Hey, don’t start worrying about the past,” Cozy suggested as she put a hoof to my cheek, “Let’s focus on the future and the path we make for ourselves. Together.”

I held back some tears, and smiled at her as I looked into those soft ruby eyes of hers. “...Oh you...certainly. I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

It was time to take a break.

Subject 121: Off We Go

Meanwhile…

“Twilight, are you sure this is a good idea?” Sentry asked me as he watched me pack a suitcase. “Going away, on your own for who knows how long? What’ll we do without you?”

With both hooves pressed down hard, I closed the suitcase down. “You’ll be fine. But according to Inkwell, I need to rest away from my job for a while so I can come back with a clearer state of mind.” I looked up at the portrait of Celestia, Luna, and myself that I kept above my bed near the window. “The last thing I want to do is become like Daybreaker or Nightmare Moon. So overloaded with anxiety in my heart that I can’t think straight. And by then, it’ll have been too late. My mental troubles will coagulate and form into a dark, evil side that I can’t control.”

I looked over at the pegasus. His wings stood on end, and I could practically see the goosebumps along his body. “...Brrrgh...yeah, you’re right, I suppose. We’ll do what we can to hold down the fort while you’re gone. But we’re still not entirely sure who could’ve taken Neighsay’s soul out of his body. Only someone like Tirek could do that, and even then…”

Obviously. It was a scary thought with a multitude of possible answers. And with that, those answers had loads of differing variables involved. None of which were exact sciences. Regardless, I could not afford to dedicate too much time towards it. No, not because I was uninterested. It was due to my own mental health, and the fact that I needed to back away from the throne for a while so that I could gather myself. As Raven Inkwell said: if Pale could do it, so could I.

I levitated the case next to me as I walked past Flash Sentry. “Don’t worry, Flashy. I’m sure you, Spike, Starlight, and everypony else can work to find a solution to this mystery. Heck, you might even solve it before I get back, hehe!” I said with a giggle to help ease the tension.

That seemed to work since his wings retracted and I could see his chest slowly lower as he took an exhale of relief. “Well if you’re confident in us, we’ll be sure to not let you down. Speaking of which--I never asked, but where exactly are you going for this little vacay of yours?”

“Good question,” I replied with a smug look on my face. I used my horn to generate an image of a map of the world beyond Equestria. “I’m actually going to the gargoyle and centaur Kingdom. It’ll be a great way to improve international relations while getting away from home.”

He gave me a judgemental stink eye. “Don’t start working, you hear? You’re supposed to be resting.” He waved his hoof into my purple holographic projection to disable it. “Just have fun, alright?”

Of course. Sentry always needed a moment or two to comprehend an order that I gave him. But once he did, he was on my flank about sticking to what made sense. And he was right. This wasn’t a trip to do anything related to Equestria. It was R&R.

“Of course, of course. You worry as much as me sometimes--”

But he cut me off. Sentry was not going to have it. “I’m serious, Twilight,” he said with an aura of authority as he grabbed ahold of my hoof, “Don’t go off and do anything stupid. I don’t want to have to fly down there and bring you back home myself.” He let go, and looked down at the floor. “And I know you wouldn’t like that…”

He was being sincere. I respected, and appreciated it, which I displayed with a soft smile. “...Thanks, Flash. I promise I’ll keep myself out of trouble while I’m away. Just make sure you and everypony else does the same, okay?”

The charming pegasus looked up at me with a grin on his face. “Naturally. And on the first order of business. I’d like to request being the one in charge while you’re--”

“Actually…” Oh no. He was not going to like what I had to say. But I had to be honest ahead of time. “Spike is going to be in charge. B-but you’ll be second-in-command!”

I expected him to flip his feathers and unleash onto me with an annoyed rant that comprised of what he felt more deserving of such a position than Spike. But to my surprise, he was very mature about it.

“Hm…” He inhaled, then exhaled sharply. After which he nodded once. “Understood, Twilight. Have fun, and come back safe, okay?” He trotted out of my room.

“...Thank you.” I always appreciated how willing he was to speak his mind. But in that instance, I suppose he found no room for debate on the issue. Anyhow, it was time to get ready to go.

The next day…

And we were off. Cheerilee, Cozy, and I all met at the train station. We all greeted each other with glee as we bonded over the excitement that awaited us in Sire’s Hollow. Apparently, it had already begun to snow there, so Cozy was extra excited.

“Oooh! I can’t wait!” she chirped as she pulled her suitcase onto the loading platform with her. “I’ve never actually seen snow before to be honest.”

That was unexpected, but given how little time she spent living beforehoof, I could understand. Even so, I tilted my head. “Wait, you haven’t seen snow before?”

She shook her head. “Nuh-uh…”

Cheerilee looked over the contents of Cozy’s suitcase. “Did you pack a warm jacket? You don’t want to catch a cold.”

“Oh no, I packed it. And some backup ones,” she pointed to the other parts of her bag, “I wanna be extra prepared in case the conditions get pretty bad, you know?”

I pat the young mare on the head. “Good on you. I wouldn’t expect anything less from somepony such as yourself.”

She swatted my hoof away, and rolled her eyes. “Yeah, yeah, don’t hog me up, pops.”

“Yup, looks like you’re ready to me,” Cheerilee shut the suitcase, and offered it back to Cozy. “I’m rather excited for you. Since you haven’t seen snow before, it’ll be an interesting experience for sure.”

“Hehe--yeah, I’m actually looking forward to making snowponies and engaging in snowball fights...however you do those.”

I shuddered. It was always very cold in Manehattan around this time of year. They kept the roads clear of slippery ice via magic so that taxi-carriages could still function. I saluted the ponies that continued to escort people around in the freezing conditions--I really did. “Brr...where I’m from, you can’t walk two meters before you end up in snow around this time.”

Cheerilee giggled. “Oh yes, I can’t even begin to imagine the horrid conditions that plague Manehattan around this time of year. Must have been murder on you.”

Cozy looked up with a curious expression directed at me. “Hey yeah, come to think of it--the climate is fairly cold there for mainland Equestria. How did you manage during the winter, Pale?”

Good question indeed. I suppose the answer could lie in numerous things. What with being forced to trek through the snow for whatever my father asked for. There was also those street fights me and the other foals used to have in which we nearly froze each other’s faces off when dunking each other in the Central Park Pond. Or maybe the time we all raced across the frozen water to the Mare Statue (or Statue of Filliberty as it was sometimes known as), and crashed into it the base of it since none of us knew how to stop.

...My word, those were not your average wintertime memories.

It gave me a start. Initially, I didn’t know how to respond. “Erm…” I tapped my hoof for a second, and then it came to me. “Well, when you’re out in the cold very often, it can help you get used to it. I’m actually really sensitive to warm temperatures because of it.”

“Really?” Cozy raised a brow, then shrugged at my response. “I suppose one’s home biome can affect how they adapt to others. You certainly wouldn’t see penguins trying to live where antelope do, for example.”

“Oooh, I remember when I gave a lecture on that subject,” Cheerile mused back to her younger years, “Everypony in my class managed to pass the climate test. It was fun watching them learn about stuff like that….”

I gave her a nudge. “Well hey, you’re not done yet. Maybe you can still teach a certain someone a few things…”

She paused, and looked at me with a sly grin. “Oh you...keep that up and you’re going to pass my classes for sure,” she whispered to my ear.

Flattered, I was. But that was not what I meant at all. “Er, I meant you can teach Cozy a few new things.”

The purple mare blushed, and laughed it off. “Oh right! Ha...ha...yeah, that’s what I--I knew that.”

“What did you think I was referring to?”

“Uhhh...oh look, the train is here!”

Saved by the steam engine. The train came to a screech of a halt when it arrived.

As soon as the doors opened, Cozy pranced on past us. “C’mon, guys--you don’t wanna be late, do you?”

Cheerilee and I stopped and looked at each other for a moment. We snickered, then headed onto the train.

Once we got there, we took our seats, and Cozy started to talk with Cheerilee some more. I looked around--as I was wont to do--and noticed a familiar face...or three.

A pink mare with a sunhat, a white younger mare with another sunhat, and a white unicorn with a sunhat and shades. Those were all disguises but they all carried very familiar auras. And then, I noticed the unicorn pull up a brochure to read.

It was the one for Sire’s Hollow.

Subject 122: To Sire's Hollow

And so, without much delay, we arrived in Sire’s Hollow. It was already covered in a blanket of white, frozen particles. It was a beautiful sight mainly because it snowed much earlier here than in Ponyville. We would be able to enjoy ourselves in relative peace as a result.

I trotted off the train with a green and black fluffy coat that I had purchased a while back. Black with green, v-shaped stripes to be exact. “Come on, everyone. You don’t wanna get left behind in mounds of snow.”

Cheerilee followed. She wore a white parka that really brought out her eye color. “Ooh, this is wonderful. The snowfall occurring a bit sooner lets us enjoy it much longer. I can’t wait to see the ice skating shows. How about you, Cozy?”

“Hang on…” At last, Cozy exited the train with a pullover sweater that had a hood with an adorable pair of antlers. “This isn’t one of the coats I packed. Where did it come from?”

I had the answer to that question. “Well...we both decided to make it for you. To show that we care about you.” I chuckled at myself, “Hehe...well, it was more like Cheerilee sewing after I managed to prick my hoof a few times. Not pleasant, but I designed it.”

Her face contorted into an expression of teary-eyed glee with a quivering set of lips. “I…” She walked up to us, and put her hooves around the both of us to bring us all in for a hug. “It’s the best gift ever. I honestly couldn’t be any happier knowing that two great ponies made something for me. Plus--it’s super warm too. I feel so...cozy in here, haha.”

We all took a moment to laugh at the cute pun. Then we gathered our luggage and walked down the paved road where snow had been cleared so individuals wouldn’t have to trudge through snow to get to the town.

“By the way,” Cheerilee commented as we took our stroll into the town, “Did any of you notice that there was a group of ponies who looked a bit…”

“A bit…?” Cozy repeated with a tone of a question.

“I don’t know. It was as if they felt different from the other passengers.”

My ear flicked, and I shifted my eyes to gaze around the area. “Different how? Do you think they’re hostile?”

Cheerilee scoffed in a playful fashion. “Pshaw. Nothing like that. I just feel like I knew some of them.”

Cozy wasn’t affected by it, apparently. She continued to walk with an air of maturity about herself. “Well, whoever they are, it doesn’t matter. They’re still going to get absolutely pulverized when we beat them down in the snowball fight that’s set to take place.”

“Yeesh, intense much?” I asked with a teasy sort of grin, “We’re not going to participate in a war or anything. It’s just snow.”

“Hmph. You know what I mean. C’mon, let’s get to the hotel and get checked in,” she started to fly ahead of us, “I don’t wanna miss out on that hot chocolate ice cream!”

I stopped dead in my tracks. “Hot chocolate...ice cream? That sounds utterly oxymoronic.”

Cheerilee grabbed my hoof, and pulled me along. “Oh nonsense. There’s been far worse food-based creations from ponykind, you know.”

“Yes...that’s true.” In Manehattan, pizza was often eaten under monstrous conditions. Whoever invented grilled cheese stuffed crust, cheese-hayburger toppings, and anchovy-pineapple needed a serious chat to question their sanity. But hot chocolate ice cream? That sounded a bit...curious.

Anyhow, no time to waste. Had to get checked in.

After we did that, and got settled, we were given our hotel room keys. Cozy was given her own room right across from ours. That being Cheerilee and my own. We all were going to stay together, of course. But there was no way we’d all function in the same room.

I placed my suitcase on the bed when Cheerilee called me over to the window. “Ooh. Pale, look at this!”

“Hm? What’s up?” I trotted over, and looked out the window. The sight lit up my eyes with sparkles not unlike the snowflakes that were outside. “Wow…” Down below, in Sire’s Hollow’s Square, we saw ponies engaging in snowball fights, ice skating, and building things out of the squishy white material. There was even a group of sledders and skiers on the nearby mountain. Hey, I think I also saw Double Diamond and Marble Pie too. Glad they still worked out. But Limestone…

My thoughts were interrupted when my marefriend nudged me. “Cozy is going to love this, don’t you think? Shouldn’t we participate too?”

Now that was a cute idea, but it made me hesitate. Given the sorts of activities I engaged in during my youth, the more...mundane ones never caught my eye. “Erm...I’m not sure if I’m really ready for...stuff like this.” I rubbed the back of my head, “Honestly, I don’t even know how to throw snowballs all that well.”

“Is that all?” she asked with a tilt of her head, then a smile that comforted me, “Oh don’t you worry about that. I can teach you everything you need to know about having fun in winter.” She looked off to the side, “If you’ll let me that is.”

I nodded with haste to reassure her. “Oh no, yes--I mean, please teach me. I’d love to know what to do so I don’t get buried in white as soon as I get out there.”

From the hallway behind us, we heard Cozy all for us. “Hey! I’m heading out, guys! Let’s go!”

“Coming!” I shouted in return.

As soon as we went outside, we watched as the pink pegasus lied down in the snow, and moved her hooves around. What was she...oh, a snow angel!

“Yes, it’s perfect!” she said with a triumphant flap of her wings as she stood up to admire her work. “Give it a try, Pale!”

“Oh, um...I’m not--”

But Cheerilee interrupted me with a gentle push towards the snow. “Go on. I’d like to see you do it too!”

Well I suppose it couldn’t hurt. Could it?

I lied down in the snow. I expanded and contracted my limbs in order to move the frozen white mass out of the way so that I could carve a shape into the ground.

I heard Cozy call out. “That looks perfect! Get up and see!”

My ear flicked, and I rose from the earth. I turned around to take a look at my creation. A rather wide ‘angel’ of sorts, etched within the snow. Though it looked more like an overgrown star than an angel. “Yeesh,” I revolted at my creation. But Cozy didn’t share that reaction.

“What? You’re just far more muscular than I am, so that was kinda inevitable,” she put a hoof around my neck, “Besides, it looks great!”

I couldn’t help but crack a smile at her words. But then I realized that Cheerilee had more or less disappeared from sight. “Hm? Hey, where’d Cheery go?”

We both looked around until we spotted her at the nearby gift shop. Even from where I stood, I could see an abundance of toys and trinkets on sale. Near that was the food court in another building where the hot chocolate ice cream stand was still in preparations.

“There she is,” Cozy pointed out as she laid eyes on the deep purple mare. Then she looked over at the ice cream stand. “Hm...we have a bit of time before things get started. Why don’t we have some fun in the meantime?” she let me go, and started to trot towards the Square.

“Oh, okay,” I replied with a bit of hesitation, “Doing what exactly?”

She pointed a hoof to the Square where ponies had already started to engage in battles with projectile snow. “What else? Let’s show them a thing or two! You’ve got a good throwing shoulder, yeah?”

I flexed both of my hooves. “I suppose so. But I wouldn’t know the first thing about this sort of...combat. Is there a point system or is it...to the death?” I asked with overly dramatic intent.

That got a laugh out of the young mare. “Wh--no, haha! You just keep flinging them until the enemy gets tired. Simple!”

“Well, I suppose I could give it a try,” I said with a bit of withheld joy. I had to admit, it sounded like a lot of fun to let loose and fling bits of cold mush at others. It was harmless...mostly.

“Nice! Wait here while I get us a defensive position set up,” Cozy offered and went on ahead. She started to gather up the snow in bunches so that she could create a fort for us both.

That’s when I noticed something. Among those who already played in the snow, I saw that familiar white unicorn stallion and that lightly colored mare. The pink mare that was with them on the train was nowhere to be found. But again, no hostile aura came from them. Had we been followed? Or were they someone I had already met?

Guess this battle of snow would help me find out.

That’s when I heard a familiar, older mare’s voice approach me. “Oh, it’s you! So glad you could make it here to Sire’s Hollow!”

Subject 123: Snowbrawl

I let out a horse-like wheeze with my tail standing up on end. I took a frantic glance around, and calmed down once I realized who it was. “Oh, it’s you. Stellar Flare, yeah?”

“That’s right!” she strutted up to me with quite the smug look on her muzzle, “I’m surprised somepony that is as esteemed as you would bother coming down here. What exactly are you after, if you don’t mind me asking?”

What an odd compliment. Anyhow, I hoped that she was prepared for the answer that I would give. “Time away from the stresses of work that have caused a deterioration in my mental stability. Stuff like that,” I said.

“Oh my,” she replied with a blank set of eyes. Guess she wasn’t prepared. “I’m...sorry to hear that.”

I shook my head in denial. While her words were appreciated, I ultimately didn’t want her sympathy. “It’s alright. I’m working to--no, I’m going to grow over these next two weeks as I take time off and spend it with my family...of sorts.”

At that, she perked up as her face formed a bright grin. “Ah! Of course. Your family--I never realized that you were engaged with anypony. Who’s the lucky mare?” she leaned forward with lots of bated excitement in her eyes.

That was not a question I wanted to answer so readily. So I dodged it for the moment. “I’m sure you’ll find her around here when you see me with her. But I appreciate how hospitable you are. I expected nothing less from the Mayor of this small town herself.”

She put a hoof to her chest, and shot me a grateful smile. “Oh, why thank you. And I hope you and your family have a good time here as well. But if you need anything, don’t be afraid to ask, okay?”

I nodded. “Of course. Thank you, once more.” I took my leave, and watched as she walked off towards the Town Hall. She was nicer than I had expected, honestly. But anyway, now wasn’t the time to worry about that. Cozy had gotten prepared for a...woah.

In the amount of time I had spoken to Stellar Flare, the young mare had created an entire small fortress with four pillars! She wasn’t just ready for a snowball fight, she had prepared for a snowball war!

“Cozy...just what is this?” I asked as I trotted up a small set of stairs made of snow to reach her.

“Oh good. You’re here,” she said with a focused set of eyes that glared across the open field. “I don’t know why, but something about that mare across the line of Nopony’s Land strikes me as familiar. We have to take her out along with her general.”

I tilted my head, and squinted my eyes to get a better look at the enemy snowfort. “...General?”

“The older-looking Pony next to her,” she explained, “I’m gonna give her what for. Back me up, alright pops?”

Oh dear. We started off like this, did we? I suppose it couldn’t hurt.

“Alrighty then, kid. What’s our plan?”

“Simple, we just take down the enemy base,” she shot me a dangerous grin, “The West side of their fort is weak, so you should totally flank around while I provide covering fire. It’s a foolproof plan, hehehe...”

Yikes. That look on her face was reminiscent of her scheming ways. I knew that it was just a snowball fight, but whoever thought that she would take the time to come up with such stratagems for something that was meant to be fun.

Then again, this probably was her way of having fun.

So I obliged. First, I gathered some balls of snow and made a break for it. I galloped around the left side of the field and avoided other frozen projectiles on my way there. It was a difficult task since loads of other small snowball skirmishes had taken place around me.

I grabbed a few spheres from the load that I carried, and chucked them at the side of the fort with as much might that I could muster.

Then I heard a familiar voice call out. “Ah! Dad, they’re attacking from the West!”

“Huh? I got it, Flurry!”

Flurry? Could it be? Well speak of the devil itself.

I dodged a few snowballs that were flung my way, and looked up to catch a better glimpse of just who manned this enemy fort. Turns out it was Shining Armor and Flurry Heart! They likely used the chaos of the snowball war to their advantage in order to have some fun without being harassed by regular ponies that wanted to meet royalty. I couldn’t blame them. I wanted to do the same.

“Well, look at who we have here,” I commented with a grin as I gazed upon them both from the lower elevation at which I stood. “I hope you didn’t intend to keep hold of this little castle for very long!”

Shining Armor was about to say something, but his daughter interrupted him. “Ooh! It’s you! Does that mean--wait. Is Cozy here? This is so epic! Maybe we could all team up! After we beat you guys of course.”

“She is, but--she’s currently plotting to destroy your entire fortress,” I warned, “I recommend you take cover immediately.”

“Oh?” Shining Armor asked with a curious look on his face, “Why’s that?”

BLAM!

A violent eruption of snowflakes occurred at their fort which blew it to kingdom come! Once the icy dust settled, I looked at the wreckage to find that both Shining Armor and his daughter were buried within the chilly blanket.

“...That’s why. My apologies. She’s just a bit...enthusiastic, more or less,” I explained as I watched them climb out of the snow.

“GOTTEM!” I heard Cozy shout from afar. She then flew over to check out the damage she had caused. The look on her face as Shining helped his daughter out of the snow was priceless due to how mortified and faded her face turned. “...Ohmygosh! I’m so sorry! Please don’t be upset! I was just configuring a cloud into a snowball cannon and I--”

The white unicorn brushed himself off once he recovered his alicorn daughter. He wore a fluffy jacket with a green military camo pattern. “No harm done. I’m actually surprised to see you all here.”

“This is awesome!” Flurry chirped. Her jacket was just as puffy and was colored hot pink, though her horn was hidden by the hood so she wouldn’t be recognized. “You gotta come sit and eat with us. We could talk about all sorts of things we’ve been planning for Hearth’s Warming.”

Cozy, in a sheepish fashion, took a step behind me. “Um...I dunno. I’m not sure how your mom would take it if I showed up.”

To my surprise, Armor wasn’t exactly opposed to the idea. “Well we won’t know until we try. What do you think, bud?” he addressed me.

Also unexpected, but I wouldn’t exactly turn it down. “Sure, I don’t see why not. We just need to pick up Cheerilee and we’ll meet you there.”

Meanwhile…

Wow. Whoever thought I’d end up talking to Princess Cadance of all ponies. I was a bit surprised to learn that she was actually a very casual mare that spoke openly about her problems. We sat in the food court where our respective families could easily see us once they were done steamrolling each other in the snow. I would’ve joined in, but I feared that I would’ve gotten too...violent.

Anyhoozle. Cadance was really fun to speak with as we sipped our hot chocolate. She spoke of numerous things that ground her gears as a princess while I returned with some things that irked me as a teacher. It was a nice little girl chat that I had with somepony new--how fun!

“...and don’t even get me started on bedroom performance,” she finished off her rant.

I replied with a giggle. “Hehe! Oh, want a secret on how to make sure everything lasts longer? There’s a trade secret among those of us down in little ol’ Ponyville.”

“Please!” she cried out in a low tone to avoid attention being drawn to us, “Is there some sort of earth pony trick I can use with my magic that I’m not getting?”

“Well, it all has to do with…”

Once we had ended our playtime in the snow, we spotted the mares who spoke to each other at a table. But what Shining and I overhead caused us to quickly cover both Cozy and Flurry’s ears.

We both called out to them to catch their attention. “AHEM!”

Subject 124: Family Ties

We all sat and talked together for a bit. I could overhear Cozy and Flurry speak at a the table next to us.

“Ah, I see,” Flurry said, “You’re all looking to get away from the hustle and bustle of life and have some fun? Then we need to hit up the best place in Sire’s Hollow!” she proclaimed as she finished a sip of her hot chocolate.

Cozy blinked and gave a hesitant response. “...Oh? And what might that be?

“The snowflake museum! It’s going to open pretty soon, and we’ll get to see some of the most beautiful snowflakes that have ever fallen! Preserved by magic until the end of time.” The young alicorn leaned forward across the table, “Don’t that sound amazing??”

“I...guess?” she replied as her eyes darted upwards and to the left, “I’ve...certainly never been to a place like that before.”

Yeah, I could tell she wasn’t very interested. It sounded fairly mundane, and something that would take a bit of convincing for her to find excitement in. But of course, she refused to be rude to one of her current best friends, so she accepted the offer. I could only hope that she could find a way to enjoy herself.

Anyhow, my conversation with Shining Armor went rather well. He and I had discussed our reasons for our arrival here. I was rather amused at his answer.

“To be frank, the wife made me do it,” he muttered under his breath. Risky choice of words given that she was right next to us. “She was saying stuff about how we spend too much time in the castle and need to get out. I suppose she had a point because when I looked at our schedule, I realized that we hadn’t had time to ourselves away from the Empire in about...five years.”

I nearly spat out my drink. I could not fathom the concept of five consecutive years of work without the ability to take even a brief respite. That sounded ludicrous even for me.

“Five years?” I said with a doubtful, concerned set of eyes. “I can’t imagine…”

“Eh...yeah, it’s not easy. But working to strengthen the security of the region from any threats--small or big--demanded my full attention. Especially as Flurry Heart got older.”

Now that was something I didn’t consider. Just how difficult was it to raise an alicorn baby into foalhood then adulthood? “Oh? Was it particularly challenging.”

“Look, don’t tell her,” he said in a low tone as he glanced at his daughter, “But I’ve been a bit...smothering towards her.”

“How do you mean?” I asked.

“Well...let’s just say if there was a stallion that she came into contact with on the way home, I’d demand to speak with him later. And grilled him on dozens of questions.” he put his hoof against his cheek as he recounted his past actions. “So embarrassing…”

“I see. Do you have any idea what prompted this behavior from you.”

His answer was swift. “Flash Sentry.”

I didn’t know whether or not I expected that answer. “Really now? He seems like a model stallion to me?”

“...he wasn’t always that way. When I first met him, he wasn’t exactly...the guard type. Certainly not somepony I’d trust in keeping watch over my little sister. When he started to show interest in Twilight, I came down on him without mercy.”

I wasn’t sure how to react. Should I support or condemn his actions? “And how did that turn out?”

He sighed, and leaned back in his chair. “Bad for us all. Sentry became afraid of me and Twilight got annoyed with me. But with me and my stubborn ways, it didn’t get any better once I had a daughter.”

“Fell back into old habits, huh?” I asked with a friendly chuckle.

“Yeah, you could say that. It hasn’t been easy keeping watch over her. But I know she can take care of herself. Still, it’s an instinct that I’m not able to just remove from my body. You get me?”

While I had only known Cozy for a small amount of time, yes I could very well understand what he meant. Though it was a bit different since she was already an adult mare, and I didn’t exactly raise her.

“I can sympathize a little. I’m doing all that I can to keep Cozy Glow happy. So far, things have been...alright. More or less. I still have to stay focused and make sure she stays happy while also giving her enough space so that she can grow into what she wants to. It’s...not easy.”

He leaned forward and asked, “Want some advice from a father of 20 years?”

Anything to gain knowledge from experience. “Absolutely,” I replied.

“Give her enough space, and she’ll know when to come back to you to check in when she’s ready. It’s something Cadance and I have realized over time. She needs to experience the world on her own--we can’t hold her hoof forever, after all.” He levitated his cup of hot chocolate and swirled it around a little. “But that doesn’t mean we can’t guide them.”

Just about the best thing I could do at this point.

We watched as the young mares got up to leave for the snowflake museum that was located near the center of town. They were to return before nightfall because apparently something special was supposed to happen. What was it? I had no clue. Even the townsfolk of Hollow had no idea what to expect on that evening.

After our chat, Shining Armor and Cadance headed off on their own as well. Apparently they wanted to go see the various stands and purveyors of souvenirs. They were both fairly passionate about finishing up a collection that they had going on back home. Something about a super rare snowglobe that featured a crystal alicorn that was possibly on sale that day. I had no idea, but they were both rather giddy about it.

“See you both later!” Cadance called out as she left with her husband. Her gait was quick, but restrained as if she desperately wanted to run, but could not. “Shining, come on, we need to find this thing.”

“I’m already on it,” he too had a fast-paced trot going. “We just need to hit up each and every stand they have and…” he levitated the brochure for Sire’s Hollow up to his face to read it. “...There’s going to be at least twenty.”

“What?? Then we need to get going! Come on!” Cadance used her magic to drag him along as she galloped down the road, “That crystal snowglobe shall be mine!”

“Cadey! Slow down!” the whitie unicorn cried out as he was forcibly pulled off into the distance with a pink aura around his body.

Cheerilee chuckled as she watched them leave. “Aw...how adorable they are. Though, I never realized that snowglobe collecting could be so lucrative.”

I almost laughed. Neither did I. Part of me felt like it was an old fashioned manufacturer’s scam in which they only make a limited quantity of ‘X’ amount of items to persuade rabid fans to go out and splurge on it immediately. How foolish.

“Yeup,” I said as I finished off my hot chocolate. “So we apparently need to meet in the town square at nightfall for some kind of important thing. What should we do until then?”

Cheerilee looked at the brochure. “Well, to be quite honest, there’s so much going on. But seeing as we’re going to stay here for two weeks, I’d rather get settled in our hotel room and unpack so we can be ready for what’s going on tomorrow.”

“The skiing expedition, yeah?” I tapped my hoof on the itinerary, “Yeah that’s going to take a lot out of us. We need to be properly rested and relaxed before we get involved in something like that.”

She folded the pamphlet back up. “Okay then, let’s head back to our room for the moment.”

And so we did. The hotel was amazing. And the room service was beautiful. The food choices were off the charts. Even though we decided to relax, we could still experience this new location’s offerings.

On our way back to our hotel room, though, we came across something that made us stop dead in our hoofsteps and cause our ears to twitch.

“Uch! Are you serious?!” the powerful voice of Stellar Flare echoed from the end of the hallway. “What do you mean they can’t make it? Gah! Fine, fine, just...move the events around and we’ll come up with something else.”

“Mayor Flare!” a blue earth pony mare came up to her with a stack of papers, “You need to sign these waivers or else we can’t open the ride!”

“Mayor Flare!” a white unicorn mare with a pair of distinct purple glasses called out, “We need a decision made for the snowpony contest judges!”

“Mayor Flare!” a brown earth pony mare with a standout green mane shouted from the other end of the hall, “We need more desserts for the--”

The older mare nearly threw out her voice as she screamed. “CEASE!” Everything fell dead silent afterwards. “Everypony do your best to figure it out on your own. I need a drink…”

“Yeesh,” I carefully worded under my breath, “She seems like she’s in a lot of trouble.”

Cheerilee sighed with a pained twitch in her eyes. “I can relate. I know what it’s like to be surrounded by ponies that just won’t stop shouting your name. She needs a good break before she snaps.”

“Definitely.”

Then she looked up at me. “Do you think you can help her out?”

My ear flicked again, and I turned my head to the earth pony mare, “What? Me?”

“Of course. You’ve already been a great help to me, Cozy, Treehugger--why not give her some advice as well? Please?” she pleaded, “I’d hate to hog your negotiation talents all to myself.”

Not my forte. But I suppose if my wife thought I was capable, I could at least do her this favor. “Alright, alright. I’ll see what I can do.”

I was patronized by the mare petting me on the head with her hoof. “There you go! I knew you’d be up for it. And hey...I’ll be waiting for you until you get back, okay?” she said with a wink before she went into our hotel room.

Well now, I was essentially destined to help Ms. Flare. So be it, I suppose.

The unicorn mare walked past me with an annoyed, tired look on her face. I stopped her when I called her name. “Stellar?”

“Hm?”

“Wanna have a chat?”

“A...chat?” she asked with hesitation as she turned to face me.

“...Yeah?” I answered with an equal amount of hesitation.

She rubbed the back of her head. “I’m sorry for that awkward response. Nopony has ever offered to just talk to me about something unless it’s related to work.”

...I pitied her existence.

Subject 125: Stellar Faults

“I have time to kill,” I stated as I slowly removed my jacket. “I was planning to get settled in, but Cheerilee recommended that I see what’s ailing you.” I removed my jacket, and stretched out each of my limbs. I had nothing else on underneath, but I had become a little constricted so I needed to stretch. “So what’s going on?”

Her response was delayed. Stellar stared at me for a moment as I removed the overcoat, but I didn’t quite understand why. Did I have something on my face? And why was she sweating? She eyed me up like she had seen a ghost or something.

“Ahem,” I cleared my throat to catch her attention. “Is everything alright, Stellar?”

After a moment or two, she blinked, and snapped out of her stupor. “Hm? Oh, sorry. Though I saw a bug. Anyhow, I would appreciate that very much. But not here. Let’s head to one of the rooms.”

Fair enough, I suppose. Her problems probably stemmed from something she did not want to discuss out in the open. It only made sense that she’d desire to communicate in private. I had to wonder just what it was that made her so...stressed--aside from her job that is. There had to be more underneath the surface level.

So we went to one of the rooms that were reserved for employee breaks only. Hm, nice touch I suppose. A place for employees to relax if the employee lounge was too full, I presumed. We both walked in, and I took a seat on the bedside next to her.

“...In a nutshell, I’m tired,” she explained as she leaned forward with her cheeks resting on her hooves. “Ever since Sire’s Hollow has expanded, there’s been more and more work for me to deal with. Of course, on its own, that isn’t a bad thing, but…”

If I had to venture a guess, it would have to have something to do with a problem that went on in her personal life behind closed doors. Something that she didn’t want to reveal to just anypony. Then why did she speak with me about it? I honestly had no idea. All I could do was listen.

“...But?” I repeated in the form of a question as if to say, ‘please go on.’

“Ever since my husband left, I’ve been a nervous wreck. It’s hard for someone as old and dried up like myself to make friends,” she let out an annoyed sigh as she flopped backwards onto the bed. “The divorce between Sunburst’s father and I was inevitable, and it was ultimately the best thing we could’ve done for the sake of his sanity, but look at me now. I’m a pathetic smothering mother who can’t stop obsessing over her son. How I wish I could find somepony that appreciated me for who I am and not simply for the work I do. But as I said, when you’re a hag like me, that’s almost impossible…”

Yuck. I loathed that sort of self-deprecating attitude. It was unhealthy, and led to a host of problems that would be extremely difficult to diagnose even to the most skilled therapist. I wasn’t perfect either, but I would do my best to return the conversation in order to hold it.

“Don’t say that about yourself,” I replied with a stern tone, “You’re actually quite beautiful for a mare of your age. And while I can’t say I’ve experienced the exact same things you have, I can at least offer a bit of advice: You need to start loving yourself before anyone else can love you back. No one desires to hang around someone who has a dark cloud over their heads all of the time.”

“...Are you sure about that? I don’t know if I look it, but I’m actually twenty years older than you are. How can you even say that I look attractive?”

I wasn’t entirely sure on what sort of response I should’ve used, so I shrugged. “I’m just being honest. I wouldn’t lie directly to someone’s face--or behind their back. But this defeatism thought process about yourself is simply not healthy. Not to mention having to work hard to keep your flank off for the sake of a rapidly expanding town. I’m sure it isn’t easy. But it sounds as if you need some serious help with your personal problems before they bleed over into your work environment.” I let out an exhale as I looked at the carpet. “The last thing you want to do is end up lashing out and saying the wrong thing to the wrong individual. I’ve been there. And I certainly wouldn’t want you to be there either.”

She looked up at me with disappointment in her eyes. “Then what do you suppose I should do?”

This was always a difficult part to deal with in any conversation. To be quite honest, I wasn’t entirely certain of what the best move could be. “Listen...I don’t have all the answers. What you need to do is seek out a professional that could help you identify the source of your conflicts so you can continue to lead this town with as much professionalism as Mayor Mare.”

Unfortunately, she didn’t take too kindly to the comparison with the Mayor of Ponyville. She sat up, and glared at me as she shouted. “What? Oh no you don’t. I’m going to outdo her. Just you watch!”

I decided to turn that phrase into something positive. “...Good. You should always seek to improve yourself.”

When I turned it around on her as a compliment, she couldn’t do or say much in return. She let out a sigh and lowered her head. “Hm...alright, I think I know what I should do next.”

“Good,” I got up off the bed, “I’m glad I could be of help. I’ll see you around, Ms. Flare. And don’t be afraid to take a break every now and then, okay?”

She got up and followed me out of the room. “Yes, yes of course. Trust me. I don’t want to lose my mind over my job.”

Yeah, I knew exactly what that felt like. “No...no you don’t,” I muttered under my breath as I walked down the hall to my hotel room.

Once I got there, I saw Cheerilee gear up to get in the shower. She must have heard me come in since she called out to me. “Oh, Pale. Is that you? How did it go with Stellar?”

“...About as well as it could have,” I responded emptily, “She’s got a lot of stress on her from a divorce and trying to maintain her job. I didn’t wanna say it directly, but she clearly suffers from self-deprecation and is desperate for some kind of relationship to fall back on.”

“Hm…that is a predicament isn’t it,” she replied from the bathroom. “Especially since there isn’t much we can do. I hate that feeling of helplessness.”

I looked outside. There was still plenty of daylight to be had until the evening began. That’s when it came to me. “...I don’t know if I should be scared or excited, but I think I have an idea?”

“Really? Why don’t you explain it to me?” She stopped and looked outside right along with me. “No wait! Let me guess. It has to do with Cozy Glow, doesn’t it?”

Dammit. She knew me too well. “...Something like that.”

Subject 126: I'll Do My Best

“So how’s life treating you, Flurry?” I asked as we walked through another exhibit of frozen sky crystals.

“Good for the most part. We’re working on securing the Northern region of Equestria from unknown threats.”

Now that sounded pretty exciting. I just had to know more. “Really?” I stopped my walk so I could speak with her at length about the topic. “What sort of threats.”

“Uh, they’re unknown,” Flurry responded rather flatly, “A-duh! That’s what makes it an unknown threat. We don’t know who they are yet.”

Oh. Right. To be honest, I felt a bit silly now that I thought about it. It made sense. “Oh right...hehe.”

“And what about you?” she asked, “Just how’s your time living among other ponies as an equal been?”

“It’s been...nice, honestly. They say you never really know what you have until you lose something. You ever heard of that?”

Flurry looked at her horn, then her wings. She sighed, and looked at the ground. “More than you know. Mom and dad had to remind me of it constantly as I was growing up. It wasn’t until I reached a certain age that I came to understand just what they meant by not taking things for granted when I’m very fortunate.”

Very steadfast of her. Being a natural-born alicorn princess came with many advantages at first glance. But nopony could quite comprehend the drawbacks unless they were in the horseshoes of such an individual. For a moment, I was reminded of the time I became one. Brrgh...those were the darkest of times.

Anyhow, I had to recollect the point I attempted to make. “For me...I didn’t know what I had until I found something. That being Pale, his friends, and my new friends like you.”

Her face lit up, and she put a hoof around my shoulder. “Aw, shucks. I’m not the best, but I try my hardest. Thanks, Cozy. Oh. That’s the other thing--what’s it like having Pale around?”

“Hm?

She let me go. “What’s he like? Is he treating you well? It’s not stressful to hang around him is it?”

I shook my head. “Oh no, not at all! In fact, I love hanging around him. He’s kind, courageous, and smart. Though he can be a bit of a nutcase at times...I think all fathers are in some way.”

Flurry chuckled. “Hehe. I’ll drink to that. My dad is so protective. But I love him all the same.”

“Mm-mm,” I denied with another shake of my head, “Pale is on a different level. He’s so devoted to his job and keeping everypony safe that he’s willing to throw his sanity out of the window for it. It’s something we’ve had to talk him down from.”

The alicorn’s face dropped with a long face of sadness. “Oh...I’m sorry. I didn’t know…”

“Nah, don’t worry about it. He’s going to start taking therapy so things are gonna get better over time.”

“Oh...that’s good. I wouldn’t want anyone’s parents--or parental figures--to go insane…”

“Thanks Flurry,” I replied with a smile and started to trot onwards once more. “Now come on, let’s go see what else they have. I think I’ve warmed up to this place.”

The alicorn snickered. “Heheh. You’d think this place would make you feel cool.”

I simply rolled my eyes at the joke, but I held my laughter back.

She flew up to me, and have me a nudge with her hoof. “C’mon, you know it was funny!”

“Ahh...no.” I responded as deadpan as possible to avoid letting her get a rise out of me.

Although, that made me feel warm inside. I know it was already a thing for me, but to hear somepony concerned about my well-being was awesome. It made me wanna do the same thing in return. So I made a promise to keep watch over Flurry in case anything bad ever happened to her.

I took a look around at the old, blue building that we were inside of. I had to admit, it was a lot more fun to learn about how snowflakes were made, formed, and fell to the ground during the winter season. As a pegasus myself, it was important to know the history behind the traditions involved with what my ancestors used to do for the land.

We had roamed the place for a while, and it seemed like we were the only ones there. Only on occasion would we come across another pony that had also shown up to the exhibits. One was a unicorn mare scholar who probably sought research here, another was a pegasus stallion who looked fairly well-built--probably desired to become a Wonderbolt, and a female dragon who probably wanted to understand how ponies generated ice.

Of course, this was all conjecture. I had no real way to get inside of their heads.

After a while, I heard a familiar voice call out to me. “Cozy! I need your help.”

I turned, and saw Pale walk up to me with a strangely excited pair of eyes. It almost...unnerved me to see him so ecstatic. He was usually so serious and stalwart, so I had no clue what to expect there. “Um...what’s up?”

“Stellar Flare has some issues with her schedule, and I know you’re an excellent strategist. So I think you could help.”

“Wait, wait, what?” I put a hoof to my forehead. Even for somepony as mentally proficient as myself had to take a minute to process it.

After one quick explanation, I was caught up.

“...And that’s basically the gist of it,” Pale finished up, “Do you think you can manage?”

“Is that all?” I asked with a bit of skepticism. “Seems to me like she’s really off her rocker if she can’t figure that out.”

The gray earth pony raised an eyebrow at me. “Now, Cozy. There’s no need to be rude. Stellar has...quite a lot on her mind. She isn’t in the best place right now and could use some support.” His expression softened, and he gave me those proud eyes of his. The ones he made at me when I knew he would express some sort of praise. “I only asked you because I knew you’d be the one most capable of assisting since you’re so good with tactics and numerical organization.”

“He’s got ya there,” Flurry added.

I held back the desire to roll my eyes out of embarrassment. I knew he meant well by what he said. Yes, it was true that my penchant for structure and schemes was top-notch. In ways that I honestly wanted to forget. But maybe it was time that I could use such a gift for something other than myself?

“Alright, alright. Based on what you’ve told me--the machines, the performers, and the fireworks--those all need to be prioritized in a specific order so that the schedule can accommodate them. Since it’s…” I paused to look at a clock on the nearby wall, “already 4PM and the show is meant to start at 6PM once it gets dark, we need to start planning right away. Pale, I’m gonna need to speak with Stellar Flare so I can get all the information I need. Flurry, I’m sorry but I gotta go.”

My alicorn friend shrugged it off. “Eh, I’m good. I’m honestly excited to see you in action and what you can do for the ponies of this little town. Go for it!”

Guess I couldn’t exactly refute it. Her faith in me was pretty much incomparable and I couldn’t be happier for it. If Cozy wanted to see how much I had progressed, and Pale wanted me to do something for a leader of a town, then I was motivated to prove to them that I had been worth their time in the end.

“Alrighty, then,” I said with a smile as I headed out of the museum, “See you guys later!”

As I watched Cozy leave, I couldn’t help but shed a tear. I felt like a father who had watched their child grow up to do great things. “...Good luck, kid.”

To my surprise, even Flurry Heart took note of it. “You’re an alright pops, pops. Keep it up, and you’ll make this world a better place. But don’t go crazy on us now,” she said as she trotted out of the building as well.

What an odd, yet meticulous compliment. But she was right. I won’t stop there.

Maybe now I could finally head back to the hotel and relax with Cheerilee.

Subject 127: Winter Festivities 1

I arrived back at my hotel room to meet up with Cheerilee once more. There, she started to question me about the progress I had made.

“Ah, you’re back. What was Cozy’s response to your offer?”

I rubbed the back of my head as I replied. “Well...she seemed pretty invested in helping Stellar Flare out. As we speak, she’s already at her office to communicate her ideas to her.”

Cheerilee clapped her hooves. “Excellent! She’s a perfect little strategist so I would expect nothing less from her.”

While I did appreciate her confidence, I had to be honest. I was still a bit concerned over whether or not she could actually manage. Given how much had to be set up in a matter of two hours...I would be lying if I said I wasn’t worried. So I went ahead and explained the situation to Cheerilee so that she could give me her perspective on it.

“...and that all needs to be done by 6PM. Think it’s doable?”

Her eyes went wide. “Oh my...that does sound like a lot to deal with. The fireworks especially. But if there’s anypony that can figure out a good game plan, it’s her.”

I looked down at the floor with a concerned frown. “Yeah...I suppose.”

She put a hoof around my neck, and pressed her cheek against my own. “Shhh. Relax, dear. Cozy is smart and can maneuver through anything she puts her explosive mind to.”

Her words did relieve some of the tension in my heart. Yes, I suppose there was indeed no point to stress over something like that yet. I needed to have more faith in her. She could do this, I knew she could.

So for the moment, I decided to simply enjoy some time with Cheerilee.

“You’re right...ah.” I let out a brisk exhale as I flopped onto the bed while on my back. “When you’ve done nothing but work hard, it gets to be a bit difficult to take a break.”

She joined me with one of her lower hooves draped across my own lower legs. I was essentially trapped beneath her. “Indeed. When I spoke to Cadance about it, she and Shining have apparently not had a break in years.” She put one of her upper hooves on my chest. “We absolutely have to swear that--for the sake of ourselves, our friends, and Cozy--that we won’t end up like that. Understand me?”

I nodded. “Of course. The last thing I want is to end up ready to haul off and kill criminals because of…” I turned my head away from her when I realized what I had said. “Gah…”

She sighed, and used her hoof to cup my chin. She turned my head so I had to face, and make eye contact with her. “Listen...that is in the past now. You need to start looking to the future. Of course, I’m not saying that you should forget about the past completely. Learn from it, and use the past to carve out a better future.”

That was right. I couldn’t let the past define who I was today. I smiled, gave her a more assertive nod. “Of course. I won’t forget that.”

Now the question was: Just how were things going to work under Cozy’s direction? Only one way to find out.

Two hours had passed, and it was time for the festivities to begin. Cheerilee and I headed downstairs and out of the hotel with our coats on so we could experience the show under the cool evening as the sun set over the horizon.

In the middle of the town square, a crowd had started to gather. Flurry Heart and her family were there also. From what I could see, some kind of stage had been erected and a curtain was about to be opened.

“Well now,” I outwardly pondered as we walked towards the center of town. “I wonder just what this could be.”

“Ooh, I bet it’s one of those new sensational pop stars that the foals are into nowadays,” Cheerilee responded with an excited stomp of her hooves.

I rolled my eyes with a bit of pessimism as I grit my teeth. My taste in music was a bit more...eccentric than that of the average pony my age. Dance and electronic themes kind of grated on my ears. I preferred softer, more elegant styles of music like classical and jazz. I could get down to a good saxophone faster than a bunch of bass in my ear.

Don’t tell Vinyl I said that.

“Hrm…” I mumbled in a skeptical fashion, “I just hope it isn’t something...unorthodox.”

Cheerilee flicked her tail. “Hm? Unorthodox, how?”

I shook my head. It would’ve taken too long to explain. “Nah, nevermind. I’m just curious as to what Cozy had planned and how she intends to integrate what she accomplished in just two short hours.”

“Well, we’re about to find out, aren’t we?” Cheerilee continued to walk until we had both joined the crowd.

Once there, we took a good look at the stage. The crowd whooped and hollered as they waited for their promised show. All I could think about was just who was behind that curtain and what sort of music would play. My ears twitched out of concern within the confines of my warm jacket.

No time to turn back, I suppose.

The curtains fell and Coloratura was on stage with her piano and some other bandmates that included Octavia! Without warning, they started to play a sweet melody of holiday music accompanied by a bit of singing from the mare. It was actually a joy to behold, and I honestly couldn’t believe that Cozy had managed to accomplish such a feat in such a short amount of time.

Come to think of it, where was she? In that moment, the crowd had gone nuts for the beautiful display of talent on the stage that she helped provide.

I took a look around until I spotted her at one of the nearby food stands. I decided to run over and see how she fared after all of that.

“Thank you,” I heard her say as she paid the pony for a sugary pretzel. “Oh, hey pops.” She greeted me as she bit into it, “I got a few minutes before I need to check on something else, so make it quick.”

“Okay well first off--just how did you--”

She cut me off. “Get Countess Coloratura to arrive with Octavia in tow? It was simple. Telephones are currently being developed with magical circuits that allow you to talk to another pony that’s super far away. It requires a heavy amount of magic to maintain, so it’s not exactly cheap. Only officials and rich ponies tend to have them at the moment.”

Ah, that made sense. At the office, we made use of much older tech, so this was a bit of news to me. Anyhow, I asked a question, and allowed her to continue. “Stellar Flare has one in her office I assume? And you used it to call Coloratura?”

Cozy nodded, and bit off a bit of her pretzel. “Yup.” She offered some of it to me, and I took a bite from the other end. Wow, that was a lot of sugar. “It cost me about fifty bits to use, but it was worth it. I asked for her help with your name, and she said she’d be more than happy to oblige.”

I took a step back. As flattered as I was from the gesture, I knew that the only reason she accepted was because of what I did to Svengallop. However, I didn’t quite accept this, as my treatment of Svengallop was rushed and out of order. Frankly? My name didn’t deserve to be used in such ways to gain advantages.

“I...see…” was all I could reply with at first.

Cozy tilted her head with a concerned frown. “What’s the matter? Aren’t you happy that I did something good with my strategic thinking skills?”

Oh no. I would not allow her to be disappointed in herself either. The cycle of self-deprecation had to stop. I shook it off, and responded. “What? No, no, no. It’s just...I’m glad you thought carefully about how to approach the situation. But in the future, please don’t...use my name to gain things.”

She got the hint, and bit her lower lip. “Ahh...I’m sorry, pops. I won’t do that ever again. You have my word, okay?” she put a hoof on my shoulder.

I nodded, and accepted her word. I knew I could trust her to be honest with me after all we had been through together. “No problem. Now get going. I wanna see what you’ll do next with that smart little brain of yours.”

Her eyes started to well up with tears before she swiftly rubbed them with her hoof. “Hehe, of course, Pale. Just make sure you look up at the sky when it’s time…” With that, she finished her pretzel and threw the wrapper in a nearby bin. Then she went off towards another building at the end of town.

Gotta love that kid.

Subject 128: Winter Festivities 2

I joined up with Cheerilee once more. After a while, Rara’s performance had concluded, and everyone in the audience gave her praise for her wonderful piano skills.

“Seems as if Cozy is doing okay,” I said to Cheerilee once the hype had died down, “I wonder what exactly else she has planned, personally.”

She would respond with bated excitement. “Ooh! If she managed to get ahold of Coloratura, then I’m super excited to see what she has planned next. Could you imagine if she had some sort of acrobatic show? Ooh, or maybe elephants, tigers, and pandas!”

Pandas? What? I didn’t know how to dignify that with a response so I simply put my hoof over the bridge of my nose. “...Cheery, that is no longer a winter festival. That is a circus.”

But she laughed off my deadpanned response. “Oh, you. There’s nothing wrong with a bit of craziness is there? Having a boring holiday season is the exact reason why I left my parents. Every year it was the same exact thing.”

My eyes shot open from their half-lidded state. “Wait, really?” I had some details from before, but I’d definitely like some elaboration. “What do you mean by that?”

She sighed, and went on. “Ah, just--every year they’d always bother me about my personal life and why I hadn’t done as well as ‘X’ or ‘Y’ individual regarding my love life. I could see if I was a lazy bum, but I worked my flank off for those kids and they’re model adults now. I couldn’t be prouder.” She gazed up at the dark, star-lit evening sky. “But I refused to allow my life to be dictated by them when they’ve done no better.”

Ah. That made a lot of sense. Who wanted to deal with the same, constant drama every single year? If you asked me, there was a lot of annoyance to be had when one thought of the holidays. But it was usually offset by the generous acts and true kindness of others that could be found by those who always upheld those values.

“Oh, I get it. Sorry for digging that up,” I apologized with a nervous kick of my hoof against the snow, “I just wanted to make sure I knew what was wrong, and why you preferred to have a more...whimsical holiday.” I shot her a wide grin as something came to me. “If that’s the case, then I’ll make sure this is your most wacky, spontaneous holiday yet.”

She looked at me with those adorable, yet worried eyes of hers. “That’s...so sweet. But you don’t need to do so much…”

I waved my hoof downwards to deny her claim “I won’t hear it. You’ve done so much for me that it’d be inconsiderate if I didn’t return the favor in some way. You’re easily one of the most important ponies in my life. And I want you to be happy…”

There was a slight blush on her cheeks. I could tell that she secretly desired to be waited on. And it was a desire that I was going to fulfill one way or another. “If you’re absolutely sure,” she replied, “I don’t want you to overwork yourself. This whole getaway is meant to help you not feel stressed out, don’t forget,” she added with a teasing wink.

I shook my head with an equally coy smirk. “You know me. I’ll find different ways to accomplish what I’m after. For now, let’s--”

“GOOD EVENING SIRE’S HOLLOW!”

I was violently interrupted by a loud, yet somewhat familiar voice that boomed over the horizon via a megaphone. Everyone’s heads turned their attention to the main gates of the town where a certain unicorn mare entered with lots of support from behind.

On a sleigh that was being pulled by Troubleshoes, Vinyl Scratch had appeared! The strong stallion pulled her into the town. The interior contained Vinyl herself who sat upon a loaded sack of what appeared to be gifts? I wasn’t entirely sure, but something was about to happen.

Also, I didn’t expect Vinyl to even make an appearance at such an event. I thought she had retired.

The white unicorn mare went on. “This is the time of year in which we should all consider what we have to be thankful for.” The crowd started to surround her and formed a fully fledged audience--same as before with Rara. She continued. “A super long time ago, everypony was at each other’s throats about what they should and shouldn’t do for each other. Earth ponies and growing food, pegasi and controlling the weather, and unicorns that raised the sun and moon. But over time, they realized that their survival depended on cooperation instead of annoying the heck out of each other. So to celebrate that bond we’ve formed among ourselves and all creatures, we’re gonna make this the most bumpin’ Winter Festival ever made! And with that, comes a very special guest...”

The crowd cheered as Vinyl made her speech. Though the cries slowly died down once they started to wonder just who this special individual was.

“Please welcome the one and only super dope dragon, Ember!” Vinyl pointed to the sky.

Indeed, Ember would swoop down in an epic fashion. Her claws were full as she carried something along with her. “Hey every...pony? Is that right? Right! I wanted to bring a special gift to show how much I appreciate all of you and your adorable little pastel faces!” She tilted the items she had forward. In a bunch of bags, she had mistletoe-shaped gemstones that were carved to perfection. “Line up! Everypony is free to take one!”

The crowd followed their directions excitedly. And I had to admit, it was extremely unexpected to see Ember return in such a way.

As she stood next to me, Cheerilee even commented on how astounded she was. “Wow...what a spectacle. Just how did Cozy manage this, I wonder.” She added with even more cautious excitement in her breath.

“Quite the spectacle indeed,” Stellar Flare stated as she approached us, “That child of yours has saved me so much trouble. I wanted to thank you both personally for her help.”

Cheerilee shot her a smile. “Oh don’t thank us. It was Cozy’s tactical thinking that allowed these events to come to pass. Right, Pale?”

I nodded in agreement. I wanted no part of that praise. “Indeed. We simply assisted her in the ways of which she should make use of her technical know-how. In the end, it was all her.”

The aged mare giggled, and approached me a bit closer. “Well even so. If there’s anything that I can do to thank you, just say the word.”

From behind me, I could almost hear Cheerilee scoff.

But I gave it some thought, and decided to make use of this offer. “Oh? Well in that case…”

Once I made my special request to her, Stellar happily obliged. “Ooh that sounds adorable! I’ll make sure it gets done right away. Until then, you two can stay for as long as you need until you have to return to work.”

Now that was something I could appreciate. “Thank you very much, ma’am.”

“You have our dearest thanks,” Cheerilee added, “We’ll make use of our time wisely.”

“As you should. Don’t be afraid to express your love for each other. You’re both young, healthy ponies compared to little old me. And by the way...the walls are very thick,” she shot us both a wink and turned to head back to her office. “Goodbye for now!”

We both waved, and Cheerilee shot me a confused stare. “Thick walls? What does that have to do with anything?”

To be quite honest? I wasn’t sure either. Unless...no, that couldn’t be it. “I’m not sure. Anyhow, I needed to see just what--”

Yet again I was cut off, but by a similar voice from a pony that trotted past me and spoke loudly enough for me to hear.. “...Viper. I need to speak with you. Meet me inside the hotel lobby in about five minutes.”

Again? Gah. Just what could it be now? I looked at Cheerilee. “Did you hear that?”

“Yes...are you going to follow them?” she asked with hesitation.

“...The lobby is fairly packed, so an attempt on my life would be foolish,” I replied as I thought it over. “Plus, I think I already know who it is.”

She tilted her head. “Oh? Who?”

“Candymare.”

Subject 129: Winter Festivities 3

I went into the hotel lobby, and sat with the pony that had called me out by name. I knew exactly who it was, so I didn’t waste any time with pleasantries. “Bon-Bon. You know I’m off-duty,” I snidely sniped at her as I sat down at the waiting room table near the cafe that was part of the lobby. “What do you want?”

She took her hat off, and relaxed a bit. “Guess there’s no need for this. And no. I’m not here to present a case to you.”

I folded my hooves. Seemed like I had no choice but to bite. “Alrighty then. What gives? What are you here for?”

“I’m simply here to offer you some information,” she explained as she leaned forward, “But ultimately, it’s up to you on how you receive, and what you do with this information. Are you prepared to hear it?”

At this point, part of me wanted to step away from it entirely. But I knew I couldn’t turn a blind eye to everything. So I took that self-imposed risk of finding out the truth. “Alright. What’s going on?”

“Okay then. We actually have some good news for once: Elytra has been captured and completely subdued. As of this moment, she’s been held in a dungeon that siphons her magic away in a slow fashion so that she can’t do anything to escape.”

Huh. That was good news. Though it felt a bit anticlimactic from my perspective since I had almost next to no input on the situation. Still, it was nice to know that progress had been made so the safety of everypony was ensured. “What about her hive? And the ponies she captured to use as food?” I asked.

The candymare replied with a swift answer. “All rescued and cleansed of the magic that they had endured. I only came to tell you about it since I knew you’d be fretting over it and wanted to relax. Well now you can.”

Again, it felt nice to know that everyone else had managed to solve the case. But it’d be lie if I said I felt nothing. I felt the tiniest bit of emptiness towards the scenario since I contributed nothing. But in the end, it didn’t matter. So long as everypony involved was safe and no longer threatened by any crazy bug. But that led to another question…

“So what are they gonna do with her? Turn her to stone? Banish her to another dimension?”

“Considering all the slave trafficking she had been performing on adult ponies and foals alike, they’re considering a permanent stay in the dungeon. Someone like that can’t be allowed to see the light of day ever again.”

Given that she was apparently just as strong--if not stronger than Chrysalis, that was the most logical decision that they could make for the moment I suppose. Now I could rest easy and know that my stay in Sire’s Hollow would be a stress-free one.

“I see. Thanks, Bon. Is there anything else you wanted to tell me?”

She tilted her head left, then right to check to make sure that no one was around to listen in. Then she spoke in a low whisper. “As far as Neighsay’s death is concerned, we are still unsure of what caused it. But don’t worry. We’ll figure things out soon. And...we looked into Screwy’s file. While we have little evidence, we think the situations are related.”

I put a hoof to my chin as I thought about it some more. If I had to venture a guess, it would have to have something to do with the fact that both cases involved a situation where a highly guarded, secure area was invaded and no traces of evidence were left behind. Curious because Redheart claimed that nopony had been down to that morgue in months while the dungeon in Canterlot was always heavily watched to make sure no one got in or out without proper authorization.

It killed me the more I thought about it, but there wasn’t much I could do for the moment. At the very least, I knew that things were being handled by...huh. I honestly didn’t know who all had been involved.

“Understood. I hope you all can accomplish what you can,” I replied, “But if you don’t mind me asking--who all was involved in bringing the bug down?”

Bon Bon flashed me a bit of the inside of her coat to show me a document. From where I sat, I could just make out the fine print. “Thorax, a few of his kin, and a few individuals that you may know.” She shut her coat back up. “But that’s all I’m allowed to say on the matter. You just need to stay out of trouble as we conduct investigation into this. Alright?”

That was my intention. I didn’t exactly need to be reminded as if I was some child who couldn’t remember where the dishes went. But I suppose I had no choice but to take it in stride. After all, Cozy and her livelihood were most important.

“Understood. You won’t hear a thing from me.”

“Thanks.” She got up, and walked towards the exit to the hotel. “Be seeing you...Vestige.” The next time I blinked, she had seemingly disappeared until I watched her blend in with the crowd outside.

I had a lot to think about regarding my future and how things would play out with these two very volatile cases. Not to mention Hearth’s Warming. The perfect opportunity for conflict to strike when you least expected. Even as I relaxed, I needed to be on my guard. That was the life I lived now.

So, I went back outside. And now, everypony had gathered up in the town square to watch...something? Their heads were all turned up to the sky so I wondered what could possibly...unless. Ooooh.

I met with Cheerilee outside, and we all watched as a beautiful display of fireworks went off. It was a simple spectacle at first that became more elaborate over time. From basic shapes like snowflakes and sleigh bells to more complex ones like full-body ponies and even dragons! It was quite the sight to behold as every new, colorful explosive would result in another crazy shape. After all the things that had been done so far--what with Coloratura’s performance and Ember’s surprise appearance, I could only help but wonder just how she made it all possible.

“Neat huh?” I heard Cozy speak to me as she approached from the crowd, “I’m super thankful that Scootaloo found those homemade weather-altering fireworks she made.”

“Weather-altering?” I asked with a bit of confusion. Just how could fireworks alter the weather? Was that even safe? I had several questions. But before I could even ask one, the young mare had cut me off.

“Don’t worry,” she replied with a knowing smile, “They’re completely safe. They work by altering the remnants of cloud particles in the air to form shapes that the eye can see. It’s all pretty amazing.”

It had to be. The next time I looked up, I saw an explosion that resulted in a technicolor shape of some pretty detailed tree ornaments.

“Wow. And you managed to get ahold of Scootaloo as well? That’s amazing.”

She blushed and scraped a hoof at the snowy ground. “Well, when you learn from the mistakes and successes of yourself and others, you start to come around to being a better, more approachable pony.” She sighed as she stared at the ground. “I just hope that my efforts won’t be in vain.”

I put a hoof to her chin to comfort her. “Hey now, relax. Isn’t that what we’re here for? I promise that--as your caretaker, I’ll do all that I can to ensure you have the life you want.”

“The life that…” she paused, and slowly looked up at me, “I want?”

“Of course!” I let her go. “You don’t need to force yourself to try and appear different to everypony else. Just be yourself and things will fall into place naturally. No matter what problems we face.”

She had a hopeful, determined look in her eyes. “You’re right. So long as we continue down a path together, there’s nothing we can’t accomplish. And if possible...I’d like to be able to make things.”

What a novel idea. Craftsmanship was such a neat, diverse field to enter, so I was naturally curious as to what she meant by that. “Oh really? What would you like to make?”

“Well...you seek to change the world, don’tya Pale?”

Now that was a brisk turn in the conversation. But I obliged with an answer. “Of course. I want to prove to the world that magic of all kinds can be used to solve problems. Not just the power of alicorns and the elements of harmony. I want to make Equestria--nay, the world a place where everyone and everything is free to make their own decisions. And just as well--everyone is free to react to, and fight back against the decisions that are deemed irresponsible and unreliable. Twilight and her friends won’t be around forever and they can’t micromanage every conflict possible. So to make this world a better place, I’m going to set an example.”

Cozy pressed me for another answer. “Define example. What are you going to do?”

“Well, I saved you, didn’t I? And I’m going to work on proving to the world that the logic of one average joe like myself is enough to inspire others to find their own train of logic to make their own choices instead of being synonymous sheep that cower in fear at the first sign of a threat. I want...a revolution of sorts.”

Her eyes grew wide. “...That’s a tall order, Pale. But I think you’ll get there. Similarly, I want to inspire others with my art for crafting, and making things. Silver Spoon has given me a job at her glass blowing factory and I want to start working on pieces that will inspire others like me to seek out another chance in life before they resort to a self-destructive state of mind like I had when I was little…”

I walked up and hugged her. Hooves clutched tightly around her neck to keep her safe. “...A valiant idea to have, Cozy. I’ll support you every step of the way.”

From below me, I heard her grunt a bit from how much force I applied, but she let out a relaxed sigh after a moment. “...Thank you, dad.”

Behind us, I could hear Cheerilee sob tears of joy… “You both are so adorable,” she said.

CLICK!

A flash went off. That’s when we saw a newspony had taken our picture and ran off. I wonder what sort of article would be printed this time...

Subject 131: Frigid Pain

“STICK TOGETHER!’ Diamond shouted at the rest of us. We heeded his orders as the leader.

The avalanche was rather forceful as the ground continued to wobble beneath us. This was uncanny. Just what could’ve caused this? Even I could feel that the earth was in a stable, relaxed state with no sign of danger. This rapid snowfall was artificial. Someone did this on purpose.

But there was no time to worry about that. We had to keep our wits about us as we navigated away from the snow. It had already traveled halfway down the nearby mountain and was set to travel over and barrel down our hill next! We had no time to waste!

Unfortunately, I heard someone trip. “Ahh!”

I looked behind me, and saw a stallion and his colt both trapped within some of the snow. They must have set hoof on a weak part of it which made them sink in! I rushed back up as fast as I could, but the rest of the snow was on its way at a rapid pace.

“I’ve got you, hang on!” I called out as I rushed to their aid.

“Take him and go!” the pegasus stallion said as he extended his colt to me, “There’s not enough time!”

The colt naturally shrieked out of distress. “Dad! No! I can’t just--”

I did my best to pull him out, but there was no chance of getting him to budge. I looked up, and the snow had coagulated with heavy bits of rock and ice. It was now a class five emergency that would cause deadly damage to anyone who was caught in the sweep. In the end, I had to make a choice.

I put the colt on my back. “I’ll make sure he’s safe and sound, sir. But then I’m coming back for you immediately afterward.”

“But--!” The colt tried to interject, but there was no room for it at that moment. We had to go.

And so, I raced back down that hill without looking back. It wrenched my gut to leave him behind, but I had no choice. It was a swift endeavor as I rushed down that hill where everyone else had been waiting safely. The mother of the colt, a pegasus mare approached us.

“Bolt! You’re okay! But...where’s my husband?!” she cried.

I placed the colt down, and he scrambled to embrace his mother. I looked back up at that mountain that had been snowed over. The avalanche had come to a stop, but I knew that father was still trapped up there. “...He’ll be fine. Because I’m going back,”

Cozy tried to call out to me. “Pale, stop--!”

But I didn’t listen. I ran back up that hill with intent to find that stallion--a father, a husband. I refused to allow his life to be lost on this day. As I left the group, I could hear Double Diamond lead the group away from the hiking site so that they could return to safety. “Get back, everypony. We need to get you all to safety.”

With a deft, shaky gait, I galloped up that hill. That stallion would not fall so long as I drew breath. I swore that to myself.

It was all quiet now with no sign of any further impending snowfall which was good. But at the same time, I was in a state of panic. Where was he? All of this frozen white mush looked the same. Coupled with the fact that rocks were among the pileup, there was almost no chance of locating the poor soul. But I had to at least try.

And so I did. For what felt like forever.

I dug my hooves through that snow and hit the occasional rock, but no sign of the male pony. It pained me to my core the more I searched, only to turn up with nothing. Even against the cold, I felt like my internal organs boiled within the confines of my jacket. My heart rate increased, my breath was taxed with laboriously choppy huffs, and I could feel a dark sense of despair overtake me the more I searched. I could not imagine the state of mind that the mare and her child would be in if the pony they loved dearly was lost by something so happenstance.

“No...no...no…!”

Unfortunately, over time, I started to lose faith. Mostly in myself and the fact that I could not find this stallion. Was I so incompetent that I couldn’t find a missing pony? No. Come on, Pale. Just keep it together. Keep it together…

At last, I found a feather. He had to be nearby. I kept searching, and even cut my hoof against some of the jagged pieces of debris that had been carried along in the now-still pile of snow. It took a while, but I finally found something else. A bit of a limb buried beneath the snow. I dug as fast and hard as I could. The snow became a bit pink as it mixed with the blood from the cuts I recieved.

There he was. Frozen over with his wings frostbitten, but alive. I could hear the pony’s heart beat every so slightly. But I needed to act fast. Just as I did with his son from earlier, I put him on my back, and raced back down the hill.

Meanwhile…

“And now you’ll see...not everyone will appreciate what you do.”

After a quick dash to the hospital in Sire’s Hollow, the stallion was defrosted and put under a sort of magical thermal stasis to regulate his body temperature. I wasn’t entirely sure on how all of the details worked, but I knew that he was in good hooves.

I was also treated and got my forelegs bandaged up as well as a quick checkup to make sure that I hadn’t suffered from the extreme conditions either.

Then, the stallion’s wife and child showed up to check on the status of their loved-one. I was actually on my way out of the building by then. However, before I could leave, I was called upon.

“You...sir!” the mare addressed me, her tone had a hint of unexpected malice.

I wasn’t sure how to approach her, so I responded cautiously. “Yes, madam?” I asked as I turned around.

“The doctors said that he may not fully recover. Half of his brain was frozen.” She walked up to me, her eyes filled with broken rivers of tears. “...Why...why couldn’t you have saved them both?”

I felt nothing but sympathy for her. I answered in the only way that I could. “...There wasn’t enough time,” I said as I looked away, “I prioritized the life of your child first. Please, don’t hold it against me.”

A long silence that deafened the sense filled the air. The tension was thick enough to cut through. I wasn’t sure if the mare was going to flip her lid or not. But I would not shy away. I had to at least hear what she had to say about it.

In the end, her response was brief. “...While I wish you could have rescued them both, I’m grateful that my boy is safe. I just hope my husband won’t suffer permanent damage. But despite that...thank you.”

I felt...damaged, by her words. Not a personal level, but in a way that made me rethink myself. Could I really have saved both? Could I have done more? Did I chicken out of the risk involved? Was it ultimately my fault if her husband never recovered?

“You’re welcome,” I replied and left the hospital. I was immediately greeted by a relieved Cozy and Cheerilee who caught me in a tight hug. “Aah!”

“Oh thank goodness you’re okay, pops!” Cozy said.

“We were so worried! Is everything alright?” Cheerilee asked.

This feeling of comfort and love...was it entirely possible that the stallion I failed to save would never feel the same embrace of his family again?

All of it made my head hurt.

Subject 132: A Pep Talk

Throughout the rest of that day, I was stuck in a mental block more or less. I was too busy annoyed at myself as I contemplated whether or not I could have saved that stallion. The disappointment in that mare’s heart was palpable. I knew full well that things would be much different if I had managed to rescue both of the ponies important to her. Was she ungrateful? Absolutely not. The pony she loved was almost lost in an accident that was really no one’s fault. She had every right to be disturbed over what happened.

For the moment, though, I still had to wonder just what--or who caused such a thing. There were absolutely no signs of any avalanche, earthquakes, or storms that were set to occur on that day. The disaster that barreled down that mountain was manufactured. I knew it for sure. But again, the how and who/what is what evaded me.

Later that evening, I decided to take a walk to clear my head. Cozy and Cheerilee knew where I was going, so I wasn't worried and neither would they be. Where was I headed wasn't an exact priority. I just needed some time away from the craziness of the world.

The silence of the surrounding fields as my hooves crunched through the snow sent a chill up my spine. I had no idea what to think at that moment. All I could do was contemplate my actions and the fact that I was unable to save somepony. Granted, this was not the first time this had happened. And it surely wasn't going to be the last. I knew it was inevitable. Not everyone could be rescued from their predicaments no matter what I did.

And yet, I still felt bad. As if I didn’t set a very good example. I thought with emotion to save the child, rather than logic to save them both. Was I really in the wrong?

Gah, it was too much to think about. Here I was as I wasted my times with questions that couldn’t realistically be answered.

Anyhow, I stopped near one of the frozen lakes at the edge of the snowy landscape. I tried to clear my head of the doubts that swirled in my mind, but it wasn’t easy. The nagging sensation of “you could have done better” continued to erode at my psyche. It was almost painful.

That’s when I heard a familiar voice as hoofsteps trudged through the snow. “Hey, man. I heard about what happened.” I looked up to see Tree Hugger. She had on a white scarf and a pair of earmuffs to match. She took a seat next to me, and tilted her head. “Are you alright?”

My answer was both slow and uncertain. “I...don’t know,” I said with a defeated sigh. “Part of me wishes that I could have done more, but in the end, it’ll all have been for naught if that stallion doesn’t make it.”

As mellow as ever, her reply was relaxed with no sense of anxiety to speak of. “I’m sure he’ll be happy knowing his kid is safe. You did what you could, ya know. It’s not like you wanted that to happen.”

“Yeah...you have a point,” I mumbled, and skipped a stone across the frozen lake. “I just...feel as if my actions are going to be scrutinized no matter what I do. As much as I want to change the world through those actions, I don’t know if they’ll truly inspire others as I’d like.”

Just like before, Tree would take out a picnic basket, and nudge it towards me. “My man, you can’t reasonably expect everypony to take what you do at face value. There’s always gonna be someone out there whose vibe doesn’t vibe with yours.”

Which did indeed make sense. No matter what I did, or didn’t do, someone was always going to interpret my actions in some sort of way. Whether those interpretations aligned with the impressions that I attempted to give off or not was something I simply couldn’t control. Perception was a fickle mistress indeed.

“I’m aware of that,” I took a look inside of the basket and found freshly baked fudge cookies. They were still warm too. I took a few, and continued. “The annoying part is wondering what you should do regardless. Whether I like it or not, my actions will dictate the public visualization of not only myself, but Cozy Glow as well. Whether I do my job properly or not, it’s not something I can simply ignore.”

“Hmm…” Tree took a second to respond. She munched on a cookie, and got back to me once she was finished. “If you ask me, I think you should just be yourself, man. Even if you can’t completely ignore what others say, you still have the right to exist. Nopony can take that away from you, brah.”

Another sound argument. She was right. My life was my own, after all. I just wish certain decisions didn’t have to be so difficult. Then again, if life was easy, then it’d be quite boring, wouldn’t it?

Despite this, I was still a bit concerned in reference to the media.

“I get that. I do. But what if...I’m slandered. What if the public turns their collective tails against me, and refuses to support me? Can I truly call myself just when no one else considers my stance valid?”

For the first time since I met her, she scoffed and gave the slightest roll of her eyes. “The public isn’t unintelligent, Pale. You’re a bit too concerned over what others are thinking and you can’t stop and smell the roses.” Her speech picked up ever so slightly, as if she had become motivated in an attempt to motivate me. “Yeah, so what if they wanna slander you? Prove that you’re not worth the slander and it’ll make those who tried it look twice as silly. Actions speak louder than words, man.”

My heart skipped a beat. For whatever reason, I felt a pang of...intimidation when Tree Hugger rose her voice by just a few decibels and started to speak with a quicker pace. Nay, it was outright scary. I did not want to envision what it would be like if she were genuinely vexed. Ghg…

“...You have a point,” I responded after a moment of silence.

She must have realized how much different she had sounded. Tree Hugger leaned back and returned to her more mellow state. “I mean...do what’s right, ya feel? Nopony else can dictate what you should or shouldn’t do. Even if you can’t save everypony...do what you can for those of us who are still alive. Ya feel?”

Yet again, a good point. The ghosts of those who were behind us would continue to haunt us if we allowed them to. It was important to cherish those moments with the ones we had while we lived. Conversely, if we don’t care about someone while they were alive, then why should that change once they die? Such a curious concept indeed.

I wasn’t going to let that ruin my vacation, though. While it was quite the learning experience, it was ultimately something I had to live with. “I understand now, Tree. Thank you.”

“Yeah, no problem brah,” she said as she gazed at me with that lazy smile of hers.

I figured now would be a good time to make small talk. “So what brought you here, anyhow?”

“I was just here relaxing in the cool weather. It’s so nice when you can feel the aura of all the animals and plants--even beneath the cold. I could even sense you,” she pointed a hoof at me, “And how negative your emotions were.”

Wow. Her abilities must have improved if she could sense me from afar like that. “Wow. I...never realized I gave off such a foul aura.”

She shook her head. “Don’t worry about it, bro. In fact, it’s helped me a lot since I’ve been teaching the earth pony foals out to feel their surroundings through their own senses.”

Oh yes! The earth pony lessons! Wait. Wasn’t she supposed to be teaching them while Cheerilee and I were away? “Hold on a second, what are--”

“Guess you’ve noticed, eh? Limestone was getting worried about how you were both doing so I decided to sneak away for a bit and check on you. Don’t worry, I’m headed right back to Ponyville as soon as we’re done talking,” she explained with a slow blink of her eyes.

Well I suppose that answered my question. For now, I just wanted to take a break away from things. Cheerilee and Cozy needed a day to themselves, and I felt like I simply hogged the entire spotlight. “Alrighty then.” I finished up the cookies, and stood up, “Thanks, Tree. But make sure you get back to the train station as soon as possible so you can catch it.”

She waved as I left. “Don’t worry about me. I got my ways, hahahaha…” she laughed a casual sort of laugh, “See ya, Pale.”

“Goodbye for now.”

With that out of the way, it was time to put my plan into action. I was going to spend the entire day near the hotel and its facilities while Cheerilee and Cozy enjoyed themselves. We all agreed to more or less do our own thing and have fun from here on. Because of that, I could be at peace with myself for a while.

Well, I was. Until I got back to the hotel.

On my way through the lobby, Shining Armor approached me with a newspaper held aloft by his magic. “Oh, you’re here. You need to take a look at this.”

Subject 133: Guy Talk

“What’s going on?” I asked the unicorn stallion as I walked up.

He showed me the newspaper, and I took a moment to read it over.

‘Cozy Glow: What Is Her Goal?’

‘Recently, Cozy Glow has been spotted in Sire’s Hollow assisting with the Winter Festival. Her caretaker, Pale Vestige is nearby, but seems to have little involvement in the matter. Odd when one considers his status as a loose cannon officer, you’d assume that it would have a bad influence on the young mare. But apparently, she’s actually functioning as a normal member of society...for now. At the moment, we like the effort she’s putting in to improve and she should continue to be monitored as she makes her way. Is she after a regular life with a career? Or something more? Stay tuned.’

Well that was quite the interesting article. But it seemed as if the public had actually warmed up to Cozy while they still looked at me with judgement. Honestly, that was a pretty fair assessment. After all, she had taken great lengths to ensure that she would be treated fairly among the population while I was still seen as a questionable figure. Regardless, I chose to maintain a positive attitude.

“I see. Well hey, so long as they’re seeing her efforts to become a better pony, and separating the two of us, I could care less what the media thinks.”

Shining turned the article back to himself, and read it over. “I suppose...but even I have to admit, I had the wrong idea about you at first.” He put the paper down, and looked at me. “When I first met you, you...unnerved me.”

Now that was something I had never been told before. Just how could I, a regular pony, instill fear within someone else? “I did?” I asked as I raised an inquisitive brow, “Just how did I accomplish that, pray tell?”

“It’s kinda hard to explain,” he went on as he scratched the back of his head. “When I came across you, and heard about the fact that you wanted to set Cozy Glow free, I was...afraid, honestly. Afraid that you were trying to incite some sort of rebellion that could put us all at risk. And so casually. You came off as creepy to an extent.”

Well now, it was hard to deny that my first impression was very rocky. Even I have bad days where things just don’t work out. “I see. What about now? Has your perception of me changed since we’ve met?”

He took a moment before he answered. “Now I can see that you’re...just doing what you feel is right. I don’t agree with all of the decisions you’ve made, but I can give credit where credit is due. You don’t back down from your own ideals and yet, you’re open to criticism of those ideals.” He cracked a smile. “You’re alright, sir.”

What an interesting complement. Could that even be called a compliment? I didn’t think too hard on it. “Thank you, I suppose. But I’m not too heavily invested in how others perceive my actions. So long as I know what I’m doing, and Cozy can get to where she wants in life, it’s all fine to me.”

“Are you sure? You’re not worried that your reputation will sink Cozy’s?” he asked.

“I’m not, because it won’t,” I stated boldly, “Anyone with a decent amount of common sense will realize that the media is filled to the brim with bias against those whose beliefs and values differ from their own. It’s not worth wasting any time worrying about. If you hate all whose opinions vary from your own, you’ll hate everyone eventually.”

It took a moment for him to respond. “...That’s a...cryptic way of putting it.”

I rolled my eyes. “In addition, I have the support of everypony else around me that I’ve come to know after so long. I’m sure you know what that’s like, Sir Armor.”

He chuckled at that. Use of his official title must have caught him off guard. “Haha...that’s not necessary. But I understand what you mean. Ponies like us have to work extra hard since more eyes of judgement are upon us as heads of families. It can be a difficult position to maintain.”

As much as I didn’t enjoy to speak of it, he had a point. To manage home life alongside work life was a bit of a rough time. It left almost no room for rest. And even when there was room, it was extremely brief. I couldn’t imagine how stressed out a pony like Pinkie Pie must have been, for example. Dealing with a bakery and a family with Cheese Sandwich and her child was probably murder on her stamina. Or maybe not. But I’m sure some parts of her mindset had to change in order to accommodate her new challenges in life.

“Somewhat, yes,” I replied with a casual glance out of the nearby window, “But in the end, I bet it’s more than worth it once you watch your family grow and prosper alongside you.” I turned my head back to the unicorn. “I won’t really know what that’s like since I didn’t really raise Cozy from birth, but I bet it’s a satisfying thing to watch Flurry Heart grow older, isn’t it?”

“Oh, for sure,” he said with a nod, “She’s become quite the model leader--taking after Cadance and I fairly well. The Crystal Ponies of the Empire already see her as a valid individual to follow even after we step down. Though I am curious about…” He paused, and shook his head. “Meh, nevermind.”

Well damn. You couldn’t exactly do me like that. Especially not a detective such as myself. When you tell someone not to worry about something, chances are, they would still worry regardless. “What’s the matter?” I asked as I took a step closer, “You can tell me. I have an expressly important philosophy behind confidentiality.”

“I’m just concerned about who she intends to marry is all,” he went on, “Pound Cake--the pegasus stallion from Ponyville seems like a good guy and all. But like it or not, he’ll have to leave his life behind and stay beside Flurry one day if he intends to marry her.”

Ah. The old princess and pauper situation. It would indeed be a test of their character to see if they could manage living with, and around each other despite one who came from a rather conventional life as a common pony, and the other an alicorn princess. But from what I gathered so far, they seemed like a nice pair.

“I wouldn’t worry too much,” I replied with a confident grin, “Both of them seem like they’re more than capable of solving conflicts with each other.”

Another chuckle, and Armor would shake his head again. “Hah. Ever the valiant one, aren’t you? Since Hearth’s Warming is almost here, I may as well take more time to get to know you better. Let me buy you a drink.”

That was certainly a surprise. But I was in no position to refuse. This entire vacation was for the sake of my mental health after all. “Sure, why not? I’m free.”

Good thing, too. Now we wouldn’t be bothered by our mares.

Subject 134: Hilarity Ensues

We sort of took it a bit far that evening. To put it simply, Shining drank so much that he started to ramble about his past life before he met Cadance in detail that I wouldn’t like to recall. All I’d say is that it had to do with his buddies and their antics in Canterlot Academy. In fact, there was quite a bit to unpack that told me quite a bit about himself and the culture that surrounded Canterlot and its elite ponies.

Amidst his slurred ramblings, he would occasionally spit a coherent, thought-provoking bit. “...and that’s when I learned that the news in Canterlot is absolute...dragon dung. They only remember the things you...urp...did wrong. Not the things you...did right.”

That is why I stuck to regular apple cider, but he had a point. Sapient individuals from ponies to griffons to diamond dogs, dragons, hippogriffs, and so on. It is within their intrinsic nature to have stronger reactions to negative emotions than positive ones. More often than not, the “mob mentality” is enough to twist and contort a once-innocent message and create a plague out of it.

“Yeah that’s right,” I replied as I pushed the bottle away from him. He was none the wiser. “I can start to see why holidays like Hearth’s Warming were created. To celebrate those uncommon instances of shared positivity between us all. Moments like those are where we are meant to take a step back so that we can enjoy and respect each other’s company. Get what I mean?”

Once again, the unicorn’s response was slurred, but still somewhat intelligible. “...Yeah, something like that. If you wanna change the world then you gotta...make everypony accept you or else...they’ll never support you. How do you think we became the accepted rulers of the Empire?”

Curious. To my knowledge, there was no sort of electoral system in place. Not to mention it was their rightful place to rule. One would assume that they would be taken in quite easily. “Humor me,” I said as I leaned one of my forelegs onto the bar with my cheek upon my hoof, “How did you manage?”

“Her love magic more or less saved them from eternal despair and other...urp...junk.” He replied with a drunken smile on his face. “Hehehe...there was a whole lot of love-making on that night!” he let out a cackle with no regard for the confused patrons around him.

I put a hoof to my face out of shame which hid my laughter. “Yeah, I can definitely see that. You might wanna consider keeping it down, though. You never know who could be listening in.”

His sense of tact went out the proverbial window. Shining went on with an annoyed scowl. “Ah...shaddap. Urp! That is a natural biological thing that all couples experience. And that aside, it’s gonna be Hearth’s Warming soon, so everyone should--” But before he could finish that sentence, his head hit the counter of the bar with a thud.

Thankfully, he stopped right before it could get any worse, but now I probably had to take him back to his hotel room. I had to admit, it was nice to finally talk with Armor at length. Even if it was cut short by a drinking craze.

“Shining? Shining!” Cadance suddenly entered the tavern with her usual purple sweater. It must have been an instinct of some sort that drew her in to finding her husband. “There you are,” she trotted over to us with a roll of her eyes, and addressed me. “I apologize for his antics. If he disturbed you, I’m gonna give him a throttling he won’t--”

I interjected. “No, no. Don’t worry. He was just fine. Actually, since you’re here, Cadance there’s actually something I’d like to ask you.”

“Hm...can it wait ‘til I take Shining back to the hotel?” she asked as she levitated the unicorn onto her back. “I’ll be right back, and then we can talk, okay?”

Understandable. Family came first, after all. Plus, my query wasn’t very major either. It mostly had to do with Hearth’s Warming. “Sure thing. Take your time.”

And so, I waited. I actually decided to get up and wait for her outside of the tavern itself so that it’d be more convenient for her. After a few minutes or so, she returned to walk with me. “Sorry for the wait. I was busy trying to get Shining to sleep. So, what did you want to ask?”

“Well, it’s nothing crazy. I just want to know what you want for Hearth’s Warming this year. For a princess that has almost everything, it must be difficult to figure out what you truly desire, is it not?”

She let out a soft chuckle, then sighed. “Ah...tell me about it. Every year, I more or less tell everyone to not bother. It’s such a pain when you see them fret over what they want to get you when you really just wanna spend time with them.” She paused, and looked directly at me. “And if you don’t mind me asking, what made you inquire about such a thing.”

That answer was about what I expected from somepony like her. Though my response was deft. “Oh. Hearth’s Warming is a holiday about time spent with each other but also exchanging gifts. Wanting something isn’t inherently a sin, is it?”

Another sigh as she looked at the snow below her hooves. “Well, to be honest. There is something that I want. Something...special, but practically unobtainable. Which is why I never bother worrying about it since I know it won’t happen.”

Well that certainly piqued my interest. I wasn’t going to let such a hung thread elude me so easily. “Do you mind telling me what it is?”

There was a cold silence in the air as we felt the breezy winter wind soar through our manes. As if she had deliberated heavily on the explanation, but ultimately chose not to oblige. Cadance shook her head, and continued to walk. “Don’t worry about it,” she said with an annoyed roll of the eyes, “It’s not like you could do anything about it.” She caught herself, and shot me a quick, apologetic glance, “Oh, but don’t take that the wrong way. I genuinely mean that there’s not much that can be done to help me.”

As much as I wanted to deny it, there was ultimately nothing that could be gained from this topic. So I chose to drop it. “I understand. Sorry about that.”

“No problem.” That’s when she changed the conversation on a whim, “Oh, hey. What about you? Is there anything in particular you want for this holiday?”

Huh. The thought had honestly never crossed my mind. Material wants were never something that motivated me. So my answer came out to be a bit more...relaxed than usual. “Me? All I want is for my friends and family to have a safe, and happy holiday. I could care less about gifts if I’m being honest.”

There was a rather awkward bit of hesitation from Cadance before she giggled into her hoof. “Oh? I think that can be arranged…”

I didn’t quite hear her. “Excuse me?”

But then, she took off via her wings before she could give a proper answer. “See you later, Pale. I just remembered something that I need to do.”

As I watched her fly away, I couldn’t help but feel a pang of fear in my heart.

Just what was she going to do?

Subject 135: A Hearth's Warming To Remember

And lo and behold, Hearth’s Warming was now upon us. I kind of wished I didn’t have to spend it away from my friends, but there was nothing that could be done.

Or was there?

On that day, I got up out of my hotel bed, and noticed it was rather quiet within the building itself. Did something happen? No...it couldn’t be. To be safe, I slunk around towards the door of the hotel room in order to listen in for any sudden noises.

Nothing happened. Strange. Just what was going on today?

After I got off the elevator to the bottom floor, I heard voices from a nearby recreation room. Curious. I went over to it, and found that the door was ajar. Well now...that was rather telling. I pushed it open as slowly as possible, to find…

“He’s here!” I heard a familiar batpony shout. “Pale, mate! Welcome!”

I entered the room. An entire party with every member of my crew was already underway. There was even a decorated tree, and presents all around.

“What’s going on here?” I asked as I entered the room.

Guttersnipe had just flown to the top of the large pine tree to place a star on top. “Well, to make a long story short, Cadance let Cozy know about the fact that you wanted to be around your friends on this holiday. So...she kinda pulled some strings.”

Flash Drive read from a book as he sat in a nearby lounge chair. “Somewhat. She pretty much sent us all messages via mail to come by on this day. They both knew how much you wanted to see us, so we happily obliged.”

Even Quick Draw was here. She casually sipped from her mug of cider that was near the tables of food. Wait, we even had a barrel of cider? They really went all-out for this, didn’t they? I loved it. “That’s right,” the mare added, “We all wanted to come here and support you. Hearth’s Warming is a time where we should all be able to take some time away from our ridiculously busy jobs and be there for each other.”

Corkscrew got up from his seat, and gave me a hug. “She’s right. It’s because of you that we’ve been able to make it this far?”

I held onto my best buddy for a moment before I let go with a chuckle. “Hehe. Is that so?”

Neon casually hung from the ceiling as he replied. “She’s right, bruv. While we ultimately all have our own jobs and objectives, working with you has been some of the...craziest moments of my life.”

I wiped away a tear or two from my eyes. “Hah...thank you all. Believe it or not, I actually do have gifts for you. They were a bit short-notice, but I managed to get them done.”

Meanwhile…

“Perfect.” I watched as Pale and his friends enjoyed the party I set up for them in the hotel’s lounge room. There was plenty of food, and the gifts they had set up for each other were all surrounding a nice big tree that they could decorate.

Why did I do that? Well, I knew that pops wanted to relax, so that was my gift to him this year. I know, I know. It was a horrible gift that wasn’t thought out very well. But to be quite honest, I didn’t exactly...know what he liked. I’ve been so focused on my attempts to redeem myself and have a good life that I didn’t...really get to know him all that well.

But after this holiday, that was about to change. I was going to restructure my life so that I could balance my own priorities alongside the well-being of Pale. He had done so much for me so far, and gave me all of these opportunities to improve myself and have a better life, that I felt it was more than necessary to give back. After all, that’s what Hearth’s Warming was about, right? Giving back to those you loved and held dear?

And so, a day of merriment with his best friends was the focus. I closed that door, and trotted away. I was honestly a bit tired. I had organized an entire Winter Festival a few days ago, and turned around to create an entire Hearth’s Warming party for Pale and his friends. It was stressful to say the least, and cut into the bits I would’ve used for myself. But it was more than worth it at the end of the day.

“Cozy!” I heard a familiar mare call for my name around the hotel’s hallway corner. It was Flurry Heart who appeared with a spastic set of bulging eyes. “I hate to drop this on you, considering what day it is, but you know about that avalanche that happened last week?”

I tilted my head. “Yeah? What about it?”

“We figured out that it was caused by magic! Not nature!” She put her hooves up to my cheeks, and mushed them together, “Whatever happened, it was planned out from the start! Can you believe that?!”

I took a step back, and pried her limbs off of my face. After a deep exhale, I gave a response. “I see...well for now, all we can do is hope the guards near Sire’s Hollow can figure out the cause of it. For now, we should enjoy this day, shouldn’t we? Hearth’s Warming is only once a year after all…” I said with a nervous smile. It was a bit of a controversial choice to make. But at the moment, there wasn’t enough evidence to act upon anything. As a result, I merely suggested that we take our time and enjoy this day until more information was found. It wasn’t something I was going to let Flurry stress over.

“...Okay, you’re right,” she hung her head in shame, “Sorry. I know how tired you must be after all that planning you’ve done. It was careless of me to bring that up.”

I shook my head, and put a hoof around her. “No harm done. I appreciate the fact that you’re becoming more and more attentive of what’s going on around you. That’s the sign of a model leader I’d follow.”

Her head lifted with a bit of newfound hope. “Really?” she asked with sparkles in her eyes.

“Indeed. In fact, allow me to express my appreciation further.” I offered her a wrapped white present box with a red ribbon. “Happy Hearth’s Warming.”

“For me? Oh wow! Thanks!” She accepted it, and tore it open. Her eyes lit up even more once she saw the contents: a crystalline-pink necklace with a heart-shaped pendant that contained a picture of herself and Pound Cake on the inside. “...Oh my goodness...this is...amazing, Cozy. Thank you,” she responded in a heartfelt, quiet tone as she embraced me once more. “I’ll wear it forever.”

I giggled, and hugged her back. “You’re welcome, Flurry. It was short notice, but I did my best to get you something I knew you would like. I even made it myself out of crystals from the empire.”

All the sudden, she stopped, and pulled back. Did I do something wrong? No. She had a...guilty look on her face for some reason. “You did all that for me? Wow…” The look of guilt became a look of heavy thought as she tapped her hoof on the ground. Then her face contorted into a wide grin as something came to her. “Oh! I got it!”

“Got what?” I asked with a bit of confusion.

“Wait right here!” Flurry used her magic to teleport out of the hallway--and presumably the building.

What just happened?

Subject 136: With A Loving Family

All in all? That was an amazing party. My crew and I all exchanged gifts and tales of our troubles over the past few months. In fact, each one of them had something interesting to say about their own exploits, so naturally I gave them each time to speak. We were all excited, to say the least.

First, was Flash Drive.

“I’m sure you’re all aware of the issues in South Zebrica regarding the tension between Zebs and half-Zebs, yeah?”

We all nodded silently.

“You’ll be happy to know that I’ve secured a bit of a treaty between the Trottingham and Casabronco. They’re looking into talks between Maretania and South Zebrica.”

Neon, the most concerned out of all of us, spoke up first. “What’s going on in Maretania?”

Drive sighed. “Some possible corruption and coercion with some not-so-lovely individuals.” He perked up with a bright smile. “But fret not. Progress is being made. It won’t be easy, but we’re on our way to getting half-Zebs the treatment they deserve. Until then, other halfers like myself have taken refuge in many locales within Equestria.”

All of us were relieved to hear that. In the end, nothing mattered more than seeing everypony being treated fairly. Ponies like Flash Drive were lucky enough to escape the problems that came with his homeland since his parents lived nearby in Equestria. But many others weren’t so lucky. That was a noble effort from him, and one that I could ultimately respect. Once I was back to work, I would help out wherever I could.

Next up was Corkscrew.

“Yeah, I’ve been doing a whole lotta work in and out of the field. But most importantly,” he said with a small, yet cocky smirk, “I’ve been handling witness programs for those that want to start a better life. It’s been hard but...I’ve managed.”

Quick Draw stopped drinking from her cider to ask something. “Really? Even without Pale or my help? That sounds crazy, even for you.”

He folded his hooves as he hovered in the air. “Oh no, but it is. In fact, I’ve started to help out various individuals from Suri Polomare to Lightning Dust--with Pale’s permission of course,” he pointed at me.

I chuckled. “Hehe. And how’s it going for them? Anything to report?”

“Lightning Dust in particular has gone through some rough times, but she’s doing okay,” he explained, “And Suri Polomare is actually working well at her odd jobs to make money. I was surprised, but it really does feel like she wants to turn her life around. Though she does have a bit of a…” he put his hoof to his chin, “...’internal’ conflict that prevents her from realizing her full potential.”

Part of me wanted to desperately ask, so I took that gamble. “...And that conflict is?”

I was hit with a rather expected answer. “Classified. But what I can tell you is that she needs to work on self-deprecation.”

Ah...that fickle thing that nagged everyone in existence at some point. Understandable. I was honestly floored at how well he had done his job so far. Cork was always the quiet, precocious type at the Academy. To see him here, now--able to hold his own as he held his position. To say that I was proud was an understatement.

Next was Quick Draw.

What would be particularly interesting about this would be to learn just how much she had grown without me over the last few months. Given her own...complications, that is.

“There’s not much to say, honestly,” she admitted, “I’m really just glad to be here with all of you since I’ve made my own share of mistakes. It’s nice to know that there are ponies in my life who accept me for who I am.”

“Indeed,” I replied, “We all care about you, Quick. And we don’t want you to lag behind or feel as if you’re forced to do anything you dislike. That’s what holidays like these are for--to help us understand what we should do with ourselves as we break free of the problems that hold us down.”

Guttersnipe was next--as she interjected.

“Yeah, he’s right. Lately, I’ve been working with Neon on funding the work behind prosthetic research.” She flapped her metallic wings, “Eventually, we’re gonna make it to where everypony with a fake limb can still feel and sense things as if it were their own original body!”

Neon was next as he branched off of that point.

“Indeed,” he said as he flexed his right, fake hoof, “The whole goal is to restore a fair life to the lads and ladies who were dealt a bad hoof such as myself. The Batling Family is focusing mostly on the research--which I’m helping to fund. While Gutsy is…”

The red pegasus smirked proudly. “Advertising, word-of-horse’s-mouth. That kinda stuff. The business has been doing so well for the ponies that have lost their limbs. And the occasional griffon too! Though the claw-like tech still needs work…”

All in all, it was a nice little experience to have. To be able to shoot the breeze with my friends was something I hadn’t done in a long time. This Hearth’s Warming had shaped up to be the best one yet. I was also extremely grateful to receive gifts from them.

From Neon and Drive, I was given a hoof-knitted coat that resembled the detectives from the previous centuries. I loved it simply for how delicate, yet sleek it was. In exchange, my present to Drive was a new saxophone. I knew he tended to practice in his spare time and was looking for a new one. The look on his face of sheer joy was a rare, yet lovely sight to behold. And for Neon, his present was simple: a basket filled with the elusive dragonfruits. Hoofpicked straight from Neigh Mexicolt by my own...hoof. His eyes went beady as he chittered with grateful glee.

Next, I received a telescope from Guttersnipe. A fitting thing to get since I did enjoy observing the stars every now and then, but never considered getting one. In return, I gave her a set of weights because I knew how much she loved to train herself to compensate for her artificial wings. Needless to say, she was floored, and did her best to hide her heartfelt reaction as she thanked me.

Quick Draw was next, and she offered me a simple wrapped box. Inside was a mug that read, ‘World’s Best Detective.’ Wow. To be frank, I did not feel I deserved such a title, but I happily accepted it. And in return, I gave her a full subscription to the Depserate Housemares book series. It was a secret interest of hers that only I knew about, so I decided to take advantage of it. She was flustered at first, but accepted without hesitation.

Last but not least, I gave Corkscrew something that I found very important to both him and myself. My old pair of Night Vision goggles that I no longer used. Since he constantly flew around, he would certainly gain more use out of them than I. He nearly cried tears of joy at such a personalized present, and in return, he gave me...his grandfather’s dog tags?

“...Cork, are you serious?”

He nodded. “He was a key part in the force that trained Miranda Rights. It’s only fitting that I give this to you now. I felt it was the right time to tell you since...he made sure that we both were able to grow up strong. Even if he wasn’t around to see us.”

...Of course. It all made sense now. Her keen sense of justice. Her unwavering desire to right wrongs and keep everypony safe. It all came from Corkscrew’s grandfather--Pneumatic Bolt.

Upon learning this, I was floored. I started to sob as I clutched the tags to my chest. I put my hooves around him in a tight hug. “...You’re the best you know that?”

“Heh...don’t get all mushy on me. But you’re just as cool too. Happy Hearth’s Warming, Pale.”

“...Happy Hearth’s Warming...everyone.”

Subject 137: Back To Work

And before I could blink, my vacation time was over. It was a good run, being honest. We went through so much strife that I almost forgot how to relax. Thankfully, it was easy enough where I could spend time with Cozy in the snow, enjoy a rather uneventful hike with the entire family, and spend lots of quality alone time with Cheerilee. The party with my crewmates was the icing on the proverbial cake in the matter. Overall, it was something I needed. By the time I got back home, I even took some time to stop by Raven Inkwell to let her know how I had been doing. She noted the progress I had made, and said I could return to work. Though, she also mentioned that I should return to her if I experienced any problems.

Which was completely fair.

I left the Mayor’s office and said goodbye to the Mayor on the way out. Then, I returned to my station at my own investigation office.

“Ahh…” I took in a deep breath of that air of office supplies and hard work as I stepped inside. Corkscrew and Quick Draw hadn’t arrived yet, but it would give me time to get things set up for them--including a round of poutine.

But before I could get started, I was paid a visit. “Vestige? Are you well?” a mare’s voice called out.

I looked up from my desk and saw that it was Luna herself who had come to greet me. She had on a blue and black fur coat to stave off the cold winter air. The snow was still rampant even in Ponyville, so the need to stay warm was imperative.

“Yes,” I responded as I got up from my desk, “Happy Hearth’s Warming, Luna. What brings you by? I hope there’s nothing troublesome ahoof.”

She shook her head. “Oh not at all. Well, not exactly,” she tapped her hooves together in a nervous fashion, “I have arrived to let you know of something that has taken place since your mandated absence.”

Oh? This had to be good. “What is it?”

“You are aware of the fact that Elytra has been detained, yes?”

I nodded. Bon Bon had already dropped that hint to me a week ago. “Yes. How come? Has something else happened since then?”

“Well...to be frank, it’s quite difficult to explain. Allow me to show you instead.” She reached into her coat, and levitated a photograph to me with her magic. “Take a look.”

In that photo, I saw the body of what appeared to be Elytra, the changeling from before. She had been killed within her cell just like Neighsay had been! Though there were absolutely zero signs of grievous harm to the corpse and no evidence of who had entered. Just like with Neighsay…

“Again?” I asked with a low, annoyed growl, “Is someone trying to spread confusion?”

Luna sighed. “If I knew the answer, then we would have solved this ourselves by now.”

I took the photo, and made it a point to examine it later. “Don’t worry, Luna. My heart and mind are clear as day. I’ll be able to take care of this without any trouble.”

“Don’t overdo it now,” she warned, “You don’t want to overwork your heart until it bursts.”

How trite. But I wasn’t worried. “No need to worry about that. I’ve hardened my heart long ago. Nothing will get past me.”

“I hope you’re sure…” she looked down, then back up at me. “There are those that wish to see the world burn. Even throughout a time of merriment and cheer. Don’t allow yourself to stoop to their level, my friend.”

That touched me, in a way. To be called her friend--even after all of what we had endured--was something I never would have expected. I appreciated it, of course. Given the trials we had gone through, we both realized that we had some similarities to each other. Dark sides that we wished to suppress in order to project those around us, to be specific.

I was flattered, really. “Well then, if you consider me a friend, then I’ll have to be extra careful to ensure that I don’t kick the bucket. You’d be lonely if I disappeared, wouldn’t you?” I asked with the intent to tease.

As a result, Luna was flustered for a moment. Not out of embarrassment, but simply because she didn’t know how to respond to the words I said. “...I beg your pardon?”

I chose to laugh it off. “Haha. Ah, nevermind. I’ll do my best to analyze this photo, and get back to you when I gain more information.”

She nodded, and turned to head to the door. “Of course. Do have a good winter season, Pale.”

“Same to you, Luna,” I waved as she left.

Now, it was time to take a closer look at this photograph. So I took it to one of our development rooms where I had a microscope at the ready. As I got it out, and set it on the table, I started to think hard about the details that surrounded the scenario. Yet another unforeseen death within one’s cell with seemingly no evidence left behind. At this point, there was no way I could be associated with it despite my own...foolishness from before--so that wasn’t going to concern me.

What did concern me, however, was just what I could uncover from the photo of the lifeless changeling’s body.

So I sat down, and slid the image beneath the microscope’s lens. It was time to get down and work my station again.

To make a long story painfully short, I scoured the photograph for what felt like forever to find any trace of evidence anywhere. Unfortunately, it took me a while, and I had to get up every so often to stretch and avoid cramping up. That, and the fact that I had to constantly adjust both the microscope and the photo beneath the lens made it difficult.

The clock struck 11AM--two hours after I had arrived earlier that morning. Corkscrew arrived and greeted me before he went to his desk as usual. Followed by Quick Draw who appeared not long after. She stopped by the examination room to talk to me for a moment.

“Everything alright?” she asked.

I had just finished another round of stretches when I turned to look at her. “Yeah. I’m just examining some evidence that was gathered at that scene involving Elytra.”

She gave me a concerned set of eyes. “Um, aren’t you--you know--banned from taking part in that case?”

Ah yes. That was something I had considered, but there was a bit of a loophole involved. “I was banned from the case involving hunting her down. Nopony told me anything about the situation involving her apparent death. And Luna trusts me enough with this, so I have no reason to doubt her.”

Quick nodded. “True, true. So long as you’re sure, I won’t split hairs over it.”

Hairs? Hairs…

“Wait a minute…” I mumbled under my breath as I went back to the photograph. I stared into the microscope once more and inspected the changeling’s mane...

Then I heard the mare call out to me. “Are you sure you’re--?”

But I cut her off when I came to a conclusion. “Aha! How could I have missed it? It’s all so clear now…”

“...What is?”

I showed her the image, and started to explain the theory I had in reference to the corpse. “Look there. See one of the hairs? That one hair is not her natural mane color. Her mane, like Chrysalis, is a shade of dark cerulean. Meanwhile this one particular hair next to her head on the ground is clearly malachite green--which is a completely different shade. I must have missed it and thought it was some of her acid at first. But no...it’s a hair.”

Quick leaned against the wall behind her as she looked the picture over. She had to squint very hard. But after a moment or two, her eyes shot open as it came to her. “Oh! I see now. But wait...who could that hair belong to? Is there anypony in the database that has a shade of...er, what was it called again?”

I rolled in my swivel chair away from my desk, and over to a file cabinet. “Malachite green. Malachite is a naturally occurring crystal used to create copper. And it has this particular shade of green that’s rare among ponies.”

She trotted over to me, and started to help look through the files. “Well then. All we need to do is find a pony with that particular shade of hair.”

We searched every file we had.

It took us three hours.

We got nothing.

“Damn,” Quick swore as she lied on the floor, defeated and on her back. “Not a single pony has ‘malachite’ green hair. Are you sure that’s the right shade?”

“Positive,” I replied as I tapped my hoof against the side of my head, “There must be something that we’re missing….”

That’s when I saw Corkscrew walk up to the doors of the examination room as he read from a comic book. “Everything alright in here, guys?”

“Yeah,” Quick answered, “We’re just tied down with this stupid photograph…”

I looked up, and saw his comic book. A pony on the cover had the exact same mane color as the one that was in the photo! But how was that possible? Wasn’t that a fictional character? Unless...oh no.

Was this a repeat of the Bugbear-book situation?

Subject 138: Case Of The Comic

“Boss, are you serious?” Cork looked at me as if I was crazy. (I probably was, but that wasn’t the point.) “That’s a fictional character!”

I pointed to the cover of his comic book. “Yes, but don’t you see? The hair color is an exact match. I know it’s not a lot to go off of, but do you remember the incident with the bugbear?”

Quick got up from her spot on the floor, and looked at the nearby corkboard which contained lots of pinned bits of evidence that we had discussed so far. One of which was the situation involving the bugbear. “Wait a minute--I remember now. It was a few months ago, but somepony managed to reverse-summon a bugbear from a book of some kind, right?”

“Precisely, good guess,” I replied with a nod, “It could mean that this particular character has been summoned from a comic book in order to wreak havoc.”

Cork looked through his comic and flipped through the pages. “Huh...but why this one? Last I checked, this series didn’t have powers that could provide much use in the real world.”

“To the untrained eye? No,” I said as I tapped my eyelid, “But if one is attentive enough to realize the sheer potential that something like this has...then we’re all possibly in danger.”

Ever the voice of reason, Quick interjected us. “Hang on, hang on. First off--let’s assume that this is real, alright. How does it explain the lack of any traceable hoofsteps at the scenes?”

And I would bounce off her assessment with one of my own. “Isn’t it obvious? This individual doesn’t walk around on their hooves at all. It would’ve been impossible to track them down. But the hair in the photograph of Elytra’s cell is pretty damning evidence of what occurred.”

Despite this, Quick was a bit skeptical. “Okay, okay. I’ll buy that, and the fact that this is even plausible. But what I’m most concerned about is the fact that--whoever this is has managed to siphon off the magic of both Neighsay and this new changeling.” She rubbed her hoof against the side of her head as she thought about it. “To be able to control such power is...well it demands a lotta fortitude and determination to not overtax oneself.”

That’s when Cork jumped back into the conversation with a rather cryptic phrase. “‘Anypony can stand adversity. But if you want to test somepony’s character, give them power…’ You know who said that?”

I was only able to take a stab at it. “An important political figure of the past, I’m sure.”

“Eh, sorta.” The pegasus shrugged, and went on. “Anyway, this kind of power is immense. A freak of nature. Daybreaker, while damn near omnipotent, was unable to control her abilities with any sort of skill because she was so violent and lacked any sense of composure in order to properly make tactical decisions in the heat of a moment. Whoever this is...is definitely out to try me, you, us--hard.”

A scary thought for sure. But we wouldn’t know until we gathered enough evidence. And just as well...what could have caused that avalanche at the Sire’s Hollow resort? Just like the two prisoner-related deaths, that situation also originated from an unexplained phenomenon that was completely manufactured. There were zero signs of any earthquake or snow-related activity and the pegasus weather team of that region had nothing to report on any heavy storms. Was it possible that the same culprit was involved? Hm...

That’s when we heard a knock at the front door to our office.

“Hm?” My ear flicked. I decided to go ahead and check it out for myself. “Hello?” As I walked to the front of the building, I could see Starlight Glimmer outside in her winter clothes. The snow had kicked up fairly hard, so I was surprised to see that she had shown up. “Miss Glimmer? What’s the matter?” I asked as I opened the door.

She entered, and scraped her hooves against the welcome mat. “Thank you. And nothing’s wrong. I’m just here to check up on you. How was your vacation? Did you have a happy Hearth’s Warming?”

Well that was a surprise. To be quite honest, I had gotten the impression that she didn’t care about me as an individual and was only concerned about whatever potential damage I could cause. So it was nice to see that she desired to check on my well-being. I closed the door, and responded. “Yes I did, thank you. Since I was able to take some time away from work and reflect upon myself, I have a clear head, and I’m ready to return with a more sound state of mind.”

“That’s great,” she said with a smile, “If that’s the case, I assume you’ve already heard about the situation with Elytra and the fact that she has appeared to be dead as well?”

I nodded. “Correct. I wished that I could have found out more about her before that happened, but alas…”

Starlight went on. “I see. In that case, I want you to know that I have your support one-hundred percent from this moment onwards.”

What? Where’d that sentiment come from? From the corner of my eye, I could also see Quick and Cork with equally confused gazes on their faces as they looked at each other.

“Excuse me?” I asked with a hesitant gaze.

The unicorn put a hoof to her chest. “Well, obviously you’re a far more capable officer than I gave you credit for. Able to realize your own flaws and act upon them with logic instead of emotion like a mature pony. You’re quite the cut above the rest, even if your own issues were mostly self-inflicted--somepony such as yourself is surely not going to repeat the same mistakes. Am I right?” she tilted her head with a raised brow.

Why did that compliment feel so...backhoofed? As if it was a warning to not mess up ever again lest I be scrutinized and outcast? Or did I read too far into her words? Maybe what she said at face value was true as is and there was no need for my petty emotional concern. Gah, some ponies can be so difficult to read.

All I said in response was, “Understood. You won’t have anything to worry about.” To be quite honest, I was still suspicious. What did she think of me at this point? Did she even trust me? Was I still somepony that needed to be watched over? No...don’t fall back into it, Pale. Not worth it. “Anything else?”

“That’s all. I just came to make sure you were up and running as usual,” she said as she turned to leave, “Do your best to keep our world safe, Pale. But don’t endanger yourself in the process.” And she left without another word.

I didn’t say anything. I simply waved as she left to make sure I avoided being rude. Once she was gone, I heard Cork comment from behind me.

“Yeesh. What was her problem?” he scoffed, “Tch. It’s like she’s got nothing better to do than spy on you.”

Quick was a bit more understanding, however. “Well to be honest, Pale has been a bit of a loose cannon--trust me, I’ve been there. She’s probably just concerned and wants to make sure nothing else bad happens.”

Cork rolled his eyes and folded his hooves as he hovered in mid-air. I could see it. The orange pegasus didn’t buy it at all, but chose to drop it. Likely to avoid an unnecessary conflict on our first day back together. “Yeah, yeah...so what were we doing again?”

Yes. That was a valid question. Now wasn’t the time to get worked up over critique. This case was about to be cracked wide open, and we needed more evidence to support our--well, my claim. It was a claim so outrageous that even Twilight wouldn’t believe it unless I had hard proof to back it up.

So the question--as Cork asked--what was our next move?

The answer was simple. I looked at the pegasus with newfound will. “Cork. You head to Canterlot and investigate the scene. Report back with any details you uncover regarding that hair. If my estimation is correct, and the fiend really is from one of your books...then you’d logically be the first to figure it out.”

He saluted with a stalwart gaze. “On it, boss.”

Then I looked at the earth pony mare. “Quick. I need you to stay here within Ponyville and prod folks for answers about anything out of the ordinary they’ve seen or heard.”

“Normally, I don’t question orders,” she replied in a hesitant tone, “...but how will this relate to the case?”

“Remember the magic used to summon the gargoyle we fought off?” I asked, “I’m convinced that that incident is also a part of this as well. Call it intuition, but I just have this feeling that if we’re lucky, we’ll be able to find somepony that has witnessed similar forms of magic.”

The gears slowly turned in her head until she came to a conclusion. “Alright. And what about you?”

“Me? I’m gonna go see Cozy. Not only does she need to be aware of this, but part of me feels as if she knows something related to untapped, hidden power. Given what she did with the Bewitching Bell…”

“Heh. Guess we’re off once more, eh?” Cork asked as he put on his red coat to get ready to fly through the snow. “Team 10 is back on the beat.”

Quick put her coat on and rolled her eyes. “Just don’t stress out the princess while you’re over there…”

“I won’t!” Cork protested as he left the building, “You just focus on your social skills--or lack thereof,” he teased and stuck out his tongue as he flew away.

One of her eyes twitched, and Quick sighed. “Gah. Whatever. I’ll be on my way then, Pale.” She gave a half-hearted salute as she left.

“Be seeing you,” I said as I got my coat on, locked the door, and left.

It may have been the middle of winter, but this case was about to get hot.

Subject 139: Cozy's Knowledge

Why did I go back to Cozy? Simple. She had the greatest understanding of hidden, and deceptive practices over anyone else. Yes, it was a risk to bring all of it back up to her, but I wanted to at least let her know what I had been involved in so the investigation could go much smoother without her worrying over my well-being.

Also, because I essentially considered her my daughter at this point. In fact...well, let’s just say she was in for a surprise.

I knocked on her door, and was greeted with her smiling face. “Pale-pops? What’s going on?”

“Well...a few things,” I said with an uneasy smile, “Mind if I come in?”

“No problem.” She let me in, and I followed her to take a seat on the couch. “So what’s going on?”

I took a quick exhale, and went on. I knew she wouldn’t like this topic, but at that time, I had no choice to but to question her for what she knew. “...When you obtained the Bewitching Bell...did it occur to you that there could be other forms of power that are sealed off in the world?”

To my surprise, she didn’t seem choked up or nervous about the inquiry at all. In fact, she was more than willing to divulge what she knew. “Well...yes. Chrysalis, Tirek, and I all worked together to try and find that thing for ‘Grogar’ who was eventually revealed to be Discord.” She sat down with me and poured some tea. “The idea that other relics of power existing did interest me, but I was too...locked within my tunnel vision to think about it.”

That made sense. She was young and extremely impressionable at the time. I’d imagine that it’d be nearly impossible to sway somepony like her away from her path once she had her sights set on it. I just hoped that determination carried over into the present now that she was older and had a better grip of herself.

“I see...then that very well could be applicable here too.”

“Um…’here’?” she tilted her head after she sipped her tea, “I’m not sure I follow.”

There was no need to hold back at this point. It was time to explain my stance. “To make a long story short, I believe a similar pattern is in play here. Individuals such as Neighsay and Elytra being killed off as soon as they complete a certain objective? Somepony else has to be behind it all, don’t you agree?”

She paused, and nodded a second later. “I see...but what made you come to me about this? What can I offer you?”

“That’s just it. Do you know of anypony out there so evil and vile that could do such a thing?” I asked with a concerned frown.

She shook her head. “I have no idea. For the most part, Twilight and her friends have purged most of the evil from the world. It has to be someone--or something new in play here…”

And there it was. Now that she was aware of the situation, I could count on her to be ready if things got any worse. “Exactly,” I said with a nod, “You need to be ready. If something ever happens to me, then...I want you to stick with Cheerilee no matter what.”

Cozy tapped her hoof against my chest. “Hey now, don’t say things like that. I know you’re gonna make it through no matter what. Because you’re easily the strongest pony I know.” She shot a sly grin at me. “Heck, I bet you could find a way to trounce this criminal six ways to Sunday if you needed to. You beat a freaking demonic alicorn princess for pony’s sake! Isn’t that like...the ultimate power level?”

Her enthusiasm made me chuckle. I could always count on the kid to be positive and keep my spirits up. Nothing got past her, no sir. “Hehe. I suppose you have a point. But I’m only being realistic. If I could thwart every threat that came my way, I honestly wouldn’t have a job. Life would be too easy.”

“Yeah...too easy…” she looked down in her teacup at her reflection. If I had to take a stab at what she thought, she likely recollected the situation she herself was in. And honestly, I couldn’t blame her. If it wasn’t for the Elements of Harmony, then this world would have succumbed endless to hatred and sorrow long ago.

But that was something that I refused to allow. Not now, not ever. Maybe I should hold off on the surprise until her birthday, though.

“Anyway, that’s pretty much all I came to say. Just to let you know about the situation as it's developing, and to gain some knowledge from you regarding hidden power.”

“Oh, gotcha. So whatcha gonna do now?”

Indeed, there were multiple ways I could go. But ultimately? I decided to make things simple. “I’m gonna go question Celestia. See if she can shed some light on all this. By the time I’m done, I should have an answer and the individual behind all of this will be dealt with accordingly.”

“...you’re not gonna flip out when faced with this cretin, are you?” she asked with a worried gaze.

“No way. This particular case is too important to lose myself over. It could very well determine the outcome of the very livelihood of everypony that we know and love. If I were to waste this chance...then I could never call myself an officer.”

Her concern faded in exchange for a hopeful smile. “Alright, Pale. I believe you. After all, I’m working just as hard as you are to prove that I’m worth keeping around. If I can’t do that, then all your hard work would’ve been for nothing.”

While I didn’t entirely agree with that statement, I chose to go along with it in favor of her happiness. I pat her on the head with my hoof. “You’re the best, Cozy. And someday, I think everypony else will know it too.”

Her eyes lit up. “Really? You think so?”

I nodded. “Oh, for sure. You’re not the type to hesitate when your fellow guy or gal is down and out. You’re willing to take charge, and turn things around for the sake of everyone around you. That is something that no one else can match.”

She blushed, and swatted my hoof away. Cozy would attempt to play it off with a scoff, but I knew she enjoyed the sentiment. “Yeah well...whatever.”

Adorable. I chuckled, and got up. “Well, I appreciate you taking the time to listen to me. I’m off to go see Celestia,” I said as I headed for the front door to leave.

“Okay then,” she said as I exited, “Bye, Pale!”

If Cozy knew there were other artifacts and spells lying about, then Celestia had to as well. If this was going to be my biggest challenge, then I would need all the help I could get from any and all sources.

It was time to get dirty.

Subject 140: Confrontation

And so, I returned to Silver Shoals later that day. Though, it was more like Snowy Shoals from just how much snow there was. Hm. My main objective was to find Celestia. Why? I needed to know if it was possible to pull a fictional being out of a book and give them enough power to rival the strongest creatures in existence. If I could hear it straight from the mare’s mouth, then it would confirm all of the suspicions that I had, and I could move forward with the investigation.

All I had to do was find her.

Somehow, the universe was on my side for once. It didn’t take long for me to find the tall mare at the local skating rink. Nopony else was there so she was able to practice in secret. To be honest, she wasn’t half-bad. Though I wasn’t much of a skater myself so I couldn’t exactly comment.

I went inside, and trotted up to the gate that separated the ice rink from the spectators. Celestia had just completed a lap, and stopped on a bit with a spin. She must have noticed me arrive.

“Pale? Now that’s an unexpected sight. What brings you down here today?” she asked, which confirmed my notion.

“Well, it’s a long story. And it starts with a photograph that Luna gave me…”

The alicorn slid up to the side of the rink, and leaned upon the support wall to speak to me. “Ah, so that’s why she left so early this morning…”

Oh? Well I guess that made sense. But I wonder why she didn’t tell her sister where she went so early. “Has she made it back yet?”

“No. But I’m sure she’ll return soon,” she answered, and returned the conversation to its start point, “So--what did you want to speak with me about?”

“Oh yes…”

I gave her the explanation of what happened after I had made the discovery of what was in the photographic evidence that Luna gave me. Then I asked the million-bit question.

“...so what I want to know is whether or not it’s possible to take something out of a fictional work, make it real, and make it just as strong if not stronger than its original counterpart.”

The alicorn’s pupils shrank, then she closed her eyes with a sigh. “...So it’s come to this, hasn’t it?”

I tilted my head. “Come to what? Celestia, now isn’t the time for cryptic blather. I need a straightforward answer: Is it possible?”

“Yes,” she opened her eyes once more, “But most ponies simply aren’t able to rip whatever they want out of a book. If they could, all of Equestria--nay, the world would be overrun with demonic Tartarusian creatures.”

Very valid. This couldn’t just be an ability that anypony could access. It would present a series of conflicts far too large for even the Elements of Harmony to handle. That is why this situation unnerved me so. This sort of magic was simply too rare to be taken lightly.

“Exactly,” I replied, “So in essence, this pretty much confirms what I knew from before.”

In return, Celestia would press me next. “If you don’t mind--what exactly are you theorizing here, Pale?”

“...We’re about to deal with an infamous comic book supervillain that nopony is ready to face. One that has the powers and abilities of some of the strongest enemies in recent memory combined. And since this individual is working on their own, there’s no chance to turn them against somepony else.” I gazed up at her with cold fury, “So allow me to bring this creature down.”

Celestia looked down at the icy floor beneath her hooves, and then up at the ceiling. “...Do whatever necessary to protect those close to you. I have a feeling that the world is going to change drastically after this...”

Really now? What could she mean by that, I wonder? Blech. No time to focus on that. I had an objective. But for the moment, I needed to gather all of my apples in the figurative basket before I made my next move. One wrong step could spell the end of my life and countless others as we know it.

I was about to say something, but we were interrupted.

A brown earth pony mare stepped into the ice skating facility, “Found you!” She removed the hood of her thick coat, and looked at us. It was Babs! “Yo, Pale. Look, uh--we got a problem.”

I turned around to get a better look at her. “What kinda problem?”

“All the hair gel from the local stores got stolen!” she shouted and pointed outside, “Nopony can style their manes with a lack of gel!”

I rubbed my hoof against my chin. “Hair gel...hm…” This essentially confirmed my suspicion. I didn’t want this to be the case, but it looked like it was unavoidable. For now, all I could do was keep things secure. “Celestia. Go get Luna and make sure you both can keep watch over this town. We have no idea where our...case subject will strike next, so ponies of your caliber need to be on standby.”

She nodded, and removed her skates as she stepped off the rink. “Sounds reasonable enough to me. Luna has been absent for quite a while now, so with what’s going on, now’s not the time for her to be slacking off.”

Seriously? Did she think so lowly of her sister to imagine that she lazed about? Then again, it was a much better theory than Luna being in the hooves of the enemy. For her sake, I hoped that Celestia was correct.

“Alright, then. Now Babs,” I looked at the earth pony mare, “Take me to the scene of the crimes that were committed. Hair gel is a strange, yet dubious item to steal en masse. Let’s go.”

And so, I left with Babs and Celestia went off on her own. But something was wrong and I could feel it the moment Babs and I took off together. The way she spoke a minute ago….wait a second…

From her perspective, she must have sensed my gaze as it bore through her body. “What’s wrong? Are you feeling okay?”

Hell no I wasn’t. But I wasn’t going to let her know that so readily. “Nothing’s wrong. Take me to the first store that was robbed.”

“If you’re sure, friend. Come on,” she ran ahead of me, and took a back turn behind one of the stores near the plaza. A secluded area that nopony could see us at.

That’s when I knew.

Her form changed to that of a changeling. But not just any changeling. It was Elytra herself. She attempted to lunge at me with her fangs out. “HISSSS--!”

But I quickly subdued her when I shoved an icicle between her jaw which prevented her from being able to close it. Then, I delivered a swift punch to her jaw which knocked her into the wall nearby. Lastly, I followed up and tackled her against the hard brick to lock her in place. One thing I noticed was that Elytra had lost all significant signs of her power. She was weakened, drained by some...outside source.

The dull green bug pony turned her head and coughed. “Ack! Gah...so you realized who I was, hm?”

“Babs doesn’t speak like the rest of us,” I snarled as I held her against the wall, “So you faked your death then? And for what? So you can pretend to kill us all? Or is there somepony else behind all of this?”

Her solid navy-blue eyes darted left, then right. With no other option, she finally relented. “Okay...I’ll tell you. In truth, yes. There is somepony else. I thought I was on top of the world--ready to make all of you ponies my slaves. But then he comes along and messes everything up.”

I would’ve asked who ‘he’ was, but this location would be reckless to let loose such important information. I kept the next question vague for that reason. “I see...so someone else was behind it all. Hmph. It’s your own fault for desiring such things and it’s why you’re in the state you’re currently in. I have no sympathy for someone like you.”

In a pitiful display, the bug mare saw fit to beg. “Wait, wait, wait! Please don’t kill me! I-I...I’ll show you where Babs is! I can take you right to her.”

With a flat, unimpressed stare, I raised a brow. “Seriously?”

She nodded feverishly. “Yes! I swear! I’ll do anything you want! Anything! I just don’t wanna end up like Chrysalis!”

Yeesh. What a pain. Though this does mean that Babs had been captured by her, and that the news of her death was in fact fake. But just who was behind all of this? Regardless, I knew better than to go at it alone. Backup was mandatory for something like this.

And I knew just who to call.

Subject 141: The Truth Behind The Bug

The plan was simple. The now-powerless Elytra would lead me to where her boss was located. However, I made the tactical decision to not alert everyone about her faked death. Why? Because if everyone knew about it right away, then it would be very likely that our enemies could find out about what our plans were before they were executed.

However, I did notify Flash Drive and Guttersnipe would watch over the proceeding situation. As I noted before, it would be foolish to go at it alone and unprepared.

As we trekked on hoof towards the secluded location--and with Drive and Guts in tow not far behind us--I decided to ask another question of massive importance.

“Before we get there, I need you to divulge every detail of what your plans were, how they came to be, what ponies you enslaved, and how you were defeated.”

“You’re lucky I have no power. Hmph…” The changeling sighed with a grotesque reverb. “...I suppose I have no choice. Allow me to explain...”

About a month ago…

Things went rather swimmingly for Elytra after she took control of pony slaves that had been sold for mere food outside of Equestria. It was simple. Almost too simple. The ponies she managed to acquire were all within relatively good health and had little to no injuries or outstanding conditions. They were all ripe for the picking.

“Excellent…”

At a remote location far from any traceable area of Equestria, Elytra made her base underground so the warm bodies could acclimate to the sickly green chrysalises they were placed in.

“I thought I had everything in the palm of my hoof,” Elytra explained as she recounted the events of how she created her dream, “To become stronger than Chrysalis and usurp the lovey-dovey ponies so that I could become the supreme ruler and make a new race of changelings that aren’t bogged down by petty emotions like kindness and generosity. But by using pony DNA with changeling DNA...it would’ve made the strongest creatures in existence. With magic that is unparalleled.”

I stared at her with another unimpressed expression. If my face were any flatter, it would’ve become two-dimensional. “Is that so? So you tried to force-breed your kind into the bodies of ponies? Disgusting.”

She scoffed and rolled her eyes. “Maybe to a regular pony like you.”

There was no way I was going to waste my time with a pointless debate. We needed to get back on track. “Anyway, just how were you defeated if you claim to be so strong?”

Elytra hissed, and turned her head to the side. Must’ve touched a nerve with that one. “Ssss...I wasn’t defeated. I was...decieved.”

Yeah right. I didn’t believe her for a second. But I wasn’t about to make a big deal out of it. There were far more important things to focus on. “Well? Go on, then,” I said to urge her to continue.

With an exasperated groan, she went on.

Ten Days Ago…

Elytra was approached. Despite her base being located underground, she wasn’t completely invulnerable. This individual slunk over to her. A regular earth pony mare by the looks of it.

“...Are you Elytra, perhaps?” the mare asked as she adjusted her reading glasses.

The bug of a pony turned around. “You’ve got a lot of nerve coming down to my new home. If you were able to figure out my location, then you can’t just be some ordinary pony. Despite what your outward appearance tells me.”

The mare simply stared at her, and scoffed lowly. “Hm. Maybe, maybe not. That is of little concern to me at the moment.” She trotted around the underground passage, and gazed at all of the ponies she had wrapped up in cocoons along the walls and ceiling. “I came here to make an offer.”

“An offer?” Elytra repeated with a hint of doubt, “Just what are you trying to pull?”

“Nothing,” said the mare, “I simply wish to team up with you.”

The new breed of changeling cackled. “HAHAHA! That’s hilarious. There’s no way in Tartarus’ seventh circle that I would work with somepony else. That’s the exact mistake that Chrysalis made and it’s what resulted in her imprisonment. Working with an idiot of a centaur and a child that can’t control herself. Biggest mistake she could’ve ever made.” Her eyes flashed a shade of bright, solid green. “And now, you’ve made your biggest mistake by coming down here. You will rue the day you decided to mess with Equestria’s next ruler!”

Despite the intimidation tactic, the mare wasn’t amused nor impressed. Her face remained neutral. “I see. So much for that plan. Do your worst.”

“YAAAA!” Elytra charged at the mare…

Interesting recollection of events. But part of it felt incomplete. “Wait a second, what happened next?” I asked.

The changeling refused to say anything further on the matter. “I’m going to face my death soon. You’re going to see just what happened to me. Even if I won’t rule over this world, at least somepony like her can wrestle it away from those softie princesses who pretend to know what they’re doing only to provide security theater to their foolish population of sheep.”

Everything she said irked me.

Because of how valid it was.

But I refused that reality. This was not going to be a world that fostered stagnation. No longer. Even if I had to incite that change myself. But a massive explanation would be lost on somepony like Elytra. All I chose to say was, “Just you watch. Things are going to change very soon.”

Eventually, she led us to a run-down stone structure in the middle of an open field. Flash Drive and Guttersnipe kept close by. The pegasus mare flew above us to ensure we weren’t followed while the unicorn stallion used his magic to generate a force field.

“Well, there it is,” she weakly pointed to the structure, “That’s where she’s stationed.”

“‘She’? Do you know who we’re dealing with?”

The changeling sighed. “I suppose you’re about to find out soon enough. Follow me. I’ll go first.” And she trudged onwards, then into the open face of the stone.

I followed. Slowly, carefully. Then Drive and Guts both slunk in after us to watch my back. We trotted down some steps and entered what felt like an old, abandoned cellar? In the middle of nowhere? Curious.

Elytra led us to a wooden door at the end of a narrow concrete hallway. “Okay...she’s behind this door.”

Drive looked at me and nodded.

Then I looked at the bug pony. “Knock. Get her attention.”

Another small sigh from her before she walked up, and tapped her hoof on the wood. After a moment or two, it violently swung open and we were greeted with the face of a crazy mare.

“WHO DARES DISTURB ME?!”

I couldn’t believe it. A comic book villain came to life and was right in front of us. And behind her...was that Luna in a cage?!

Subject 143: Classified Info

That absolutely did not go as planned. I completely underestimated just how strong she was. Despite being a fictional character, Mane-iac had overpowered us all, and now we were at her mercy. Forced to follow whatever strange whim she decided to thrust upon us. And what was it that she made us do?

Allow her to escape. It wasn’t a joke either. Apparently, now wasn’t the right time to confront us directly according to her higher-up.

“I’m going to...give you helpless maggots another chance since you utterly disappointed me the first time around. It’d be too easy to stomp you out here and now. So come to Hollow Shades in the next three days…consider this a declaration of war.”

My eyes shot open. After I finally managed to recover, all I could say was, “Wait, what?!”

Before we could say anything else, Mane-iac used her hair-limbs to crawl along the walls and the ceiling akin to a spider. “See you around, little ponies!” she said with a cackle before she took off through a hole that was above us.

Absolutely embarrassing. But things could have gone much worse than they did. For now, all I could do was recover Luna and--wait a second. Where did Elytra go?

“Oi, boss!” Flash Drive called out, “We got an injury!”

Guts and I walked over. At the corner of the room, we saw the former changeling queen lay half-dead on the ground as she bled out. She had become so frail that one strike had caused her to suffer severe damage.

Guttersnipe looked at me. “What should we do, boss? She is our enemy, and there’s no guarantee that she’ll be cooperative. Even if we do save her.”

Indeed, she had a point. There was absolutely nothing that would ensure her cooperation with us, given that she claimed to be our sworn enemies and how we treated Chrysalis in the past...yeah. It seemed absolutely pointless to try and reason with someone like this. On paper, one should cut their losses, and move onto a more reliable source as soon as possible.

Unfortunately, we had no other source.

As a result, I made a conscious decision to keep her alive. “Let’s get her out of here. We can’t afford to lose her.”

The red pegasus tilted her head. “... Are ya sure? There’s absolutely nothing stopping her from just bailing out on us the second we get her some help.”

Flash Drive sighed as he lifted the changeling up, and cleaned the blood off her via magic. “As much as I disagree with the decision, I agree. We have absolutely no choice right now, and losing her would throw a wrench into this case. She’s currently our only source of info regarding Mane-iac and her employer.”

Don’t get me wrong. It absolutely hurt my soul, but now wasn’t the time to lose my head again. Did I want to leave her for dead? If it was just me, then absolutely. But there was far more at stake here, and I couldn’t afford to leave something be.

Not anymore.

“C’mon, we need to hurry before she bleeds out. Drive, keep her vitals in check. Guts, clear a path for us.”

The pegasus mare saluted, “On it. Gimme five minutes and I’ll find us a way out. What are you gonna do, boss?”

“I’m gonna look for Babs.” I looked at the jet-black unicorn, “ Drive. Secure Luna. I’m gonna go make sure Babs is okay.”

Once he made sure that Elytra was stable, he pointed to the cage that Luna had been held in. “Mate, I don’t think you’ll need to search very far.”

I looked over and saw both Babs and Luna entrapped within the same cage. Both equally unconscious. While that did make things a bit easier, it still concerned me. So I went over and used all of the strength that I could muster to bend the bars apart and get inside.

I placed a hoof on the sides of their necks to check for vital signs.

“They’re alive,” I called out as I picked them both up, and slid them onto my back to carry them, “But barely. They’re going to need a complete evaluation once we get back.” I sighed as I stepped out of the cage and approached Drive. “Argh...just what could she be after, doing something like this?”

He shrugged. “Beats me, bruv. Trust me. The last thing I wanna deal with is a multi-national act of modern warfare.” He looked off to the side with an annoyed glare, “Seen enough of that destroy my father’s birth home. If anything happens to the foals here, I swear on my honor--”

I put a hoof on his shoulder. “Hey, there’s no need for that. We’ll take the precautions to make sure that everypony is safe and is never involved in any sort of armed conflict. If possible, I’d like to resolve this peacefully if I can.”

There was fire in Flash Drive’s eyes. One that wasn’t so easily put out unless action was taken. But my words must have come through to him in this instance. “Alright mate,” he looked me in the eyes, “I trust ye.”

“Hey guys!” I heard Guts shouted for us from the end of the room, “I was able to nuke a hole to the surface! Come on!”

I couldn’t exactly disclose where we were, but the nearest major city was Canterlot. We hurried back there as fast as we could, and dropped both Babs and Luna off at the hospital in the Kingdom’s Capital.

From there, we immediately went to Twilight’s castle. Celestia had been there as well since she had been on a hectic search for her sister. As soon as we let her know that Luna was in the care of the hospital, she raced off to go see her.

That left Twilight with myself, Guttersnipe, and Flash Drive. We all stood in a row as we explained the situation.

“...so she’s claiming that somepony else is behind all of this?” Twilight asked as she paced her throne room back and forth. “Everything from Neighsay’s experiments, the Nightmare Night curse that turned everypony into their costumes, Svengallop and his entire mob, the gargoyle that sprouted from Fleur-De-Lis, and the recent avalanche at Sire’s Hollow. You’re saying that all of this is the work of a higher power. Somepony even more devilish than Mane-iac?”

“Indeed,” I replied first, “Ultimately, an act of war has been declared. Though just how official it is is dubious at best.”

To my left, Flash Drive was next. “Even so, a threat is a threat. We can’t simply stand idle twiddlin’ our damn hooves until something bad happens. By then, it’ll be too late--and the defenseless foals will be the ones most affected.”

On my right, Guttersnipe spoke up. “Listen, Twi. What they mean is that we need to take immediate action. She claims that she’s going to be waiting in Hollow Shades and after three days, she’ll attack.”

Twilight put a hoof to her forehead. I couldn’t imagine what sort of thought process she had in that moment. It was a lot to ponder, I knew that much. But after a moment or two, she finally thought of something to say.

“Alright, everypony. Listen close,” she turned to face us as she explained, “My friends and I have dealt with Mane-iac in the past, and it sounds as if she’s far stronger than what she used to be.”

The three of us nodded in agreement.

“For sure,” Guttersnipe groaned, “It was like we had no chance against her no matter what we did!”

“Exactly,” said Twilight, “That is why, I’m going to give you all the ability to--”

But just then, she was interrupted with a violent slam of her throne room door.

WHACK!

“Flash Sentry?” Twilight paused mid-sentence to look at the tired pegasus guard, “What’s the matter? Is everything alright?”

After a few winded huffs, the pegasus stallion spoke up. “I’ve just received a report that Cozy Glow’s home has been broken into!”

That’s when I flipped my lid. “WHAT?!”

Subject 144: Investigate The Scene

No, no, no. This couldn’t be happening. Wait, no...I knew how and why. The entire time we had been focused on dealing with Mane-iac, the real threat went ahead and made their move. There was no time for this. I had to focus on her first.

“Is she alright?” I asked Sentry, “Where is she right now?!”

“According to the report, she was at her home when it happened,” he explained, “But I don’t know much beyond that. You’ll have to go see for yourself.”

I groaned, and stomped my hoof into the floor. “Gah...but...hmph.”

Twilight would speak up next, “Pale. Go home, and check on her. I’ll start to work on gathering intel towards whatever Mane-iac and her superior is planning. If we can finally find out who the cause is behind all of this, then Equestria’s modern threats will be put to rest.”

Well, there was no way I could reasonably refuse that. After all, the pony that I considered my daughter was in some sort of unknown danger. And to think, I wanted to offer her something important, but there was no time. There was never any damn time.

“Understood,” I said, “I’ll head there immediately. Drive, Guts--care to join me?”

The unicorn stallion trotted up next to me. “Never in a million years would I leave you out to dry, mate. I’ll be right with you.”

The red pegasus flew into the air. “What he said. Now let’s get going before anything else happens.”

“Agreed,” I said, then turned to Twilight, “If anything happens, then please let me or someone in my squad know.”

“Absolutely,” she replied, and pointed to the door, “Now get going. We have no idea what just happened with Cozy. Time is of the essence here.”

With that, we were off. Drive, Guts, and I took the next available train ride out of Canterlot, and went back to Ponyville without hesitation.

As soon as the train came to a stop, we took off, and sprinted into the town.

“Alright, mate,” Flash Drive said as we ran through town (though Guttersnipe flew), “Which way is her home?”

“This way!” I made a hard right turn, and skid along the ground which kicked up some dust. After which, we bolted down the road and came upon the address that Cozy stayed at. Everything looked normal from the outside. No signs of forced entry--which made it all the more confusing.

Guttersnipe shared, and lamented this thought. “The heck? It was broken into, but everything looks fine?”

“Looks can be deceiving,” Flash Drive said as we slowed down to a stop near the front door. “Get in position, everyone.”

We all took up a breach formation near the front door. Drive and Guts were both near the frosted, icy windows, ready to breach as expected. I gave a silent nod to the both of them, and we commenced our assault.

I slowly opened the front door to find a messy living room. Okay, this was more in line with what I expected. Vases broken, the dining room chairs flipped over, the carpet ripped to shreds. Everything was a mess.

Flash Drive used his magic to open both windows which he and Guttersnipe slowly crawled through. We shut the door, and locked the windows back immediately after. As expected, Flash created precautionary barriers with his magic around the scene all in a cyan hue. These barriers would be deactivated later so that we could gather evidence. Even the floor was coated in a light blue shield that allowed us to walk through, and survey the home without interfering with any potential evidence.

Once that was done, we kept quiet, and kept going. It wasn’t until we reached the stairs that things started to pick up.

“...”

My pupils shrank as I stared at the staircase. Patches of blood all along the steps that led up to the top. To say that this terrified me would be the understatement of the century.

But I felt a hoof on my shoulder. Flash Drive comforted me with that honest face of his.

I said nothing in response. All I did was look down at the floor as he created the magical barrier to keep the evidence from being tarnished. Once that was done, we all carefully walked up the steps, and Drive continued to make the magic shields beneath our hooves.

That’s when I noticed the blood trail lead to one of the particular doors. It had to have been Cozy’s bedroom. Just like we did with the front door, we took our breach positions. If this was a trap, we absolutely did not want to fall victim to it.

I slowly, and carefully opened the door. And that’s where we found Cozy--the sight of which made my heart drop. She was scuffed, and scraped up with a lot of cuts all over her body. It wasn’t anything fatal, but it was enough to spook me for sure.

“...wh...C-Cozy…?” I mumbled through a pair of restless lips that quivered as though the cold air of the wintry weather had invaded my body. “Who...who could have…?”

This time, it was Guttersnipe’s turn to comfort me. While she didn’t communicate verbally, I could tell by the strained, sorrowful look in her eyes that she wanted me to remain focused on the matter at hoof so that we didn’t lose our minds.

Of course I was upset. But in this instance, now more than ever, I needed to reign in my personal feelings, and keep a professional aura. With newfound resolve, I shook it off and gave them orders.

“Guttersnipe, get her to the hospital immediately. Carry her as gently as possible, got it?”

She saluted, and picked up the pink mare to put her onto her back. “Understood, boss. I won’t waste time.” With that, she carried Cozy downstairs, and into the snowy weather towards Ponyville Hospital.

I looked at Drive next. “You know what to do.”

“Gather evidence, and notify the rest of your crew?” he asked with a confident smile, “On top of it, mate. You get down there to that hospital and make sure Cozy’s okay. Cork and Quick will be down here soon.”

I nudged his shoulder. “That’s why I can count on you. I’ll see you later.”

Nurse Redheart greeted me at the hospital. Guttersnipe had already taken her there, and she was placed in intensive care.

“She’ll be fine after some rest,” the white doctor mare explained to me, “Try not to lose your head, okay? It’s times like this where you need to be strong, and stay calm.”

I nodded, and went back to the waiting room to sit next to the red pegasus. “Hey, buddy. Everything okay?”

I sat with my hooves against my cheeks. “Yeah, for the most part. I just...gah.”

“...You think that she was attacked on purpose. Because she knows more than we realize and our enemy wants to send us a warning,” she said as she leaned over to me, “Am I close, Pale?”

Another nod. She pretty much hit the nail on the head. “Yeah...but there’s nothing to do now except wait until she’s better to ask about what happened.”

The red pegasus leaned back into her seat. “Good point. Until then, let’s relax, okay?”

“Alright…”

Easier said than done.

Subject 145: Monster Of Truth

After a while, Nurse Redheart came to let me know that Cozy was awake and able to talk with us. Good thing, too. I had gotten a bit restless since this entire scenario started. So being able to actually see her would ease my concerns and my pain.

Guttersnipe chose to stay behind in the waiting room for the time being as to not cause any issues, which I respected.

So I went off on my own to the hospital room that Cozy was stationed in. Redheart opened the door, and there she was. The pink pegasus mare lied there with a few bandages on her head, but her EKG read a steady, but slow heartbeat.

Her eyes were opened ever so slightly as she greeted me. “Hey uh...Pale. Sorry for getting roughed up. I should’ve fought harder.”

I shook my head. “No. Those evil dastards shouldn’t have been there in the first place. As much as I hate to admit, I should’ve known something like this would happen when my back was turned. If only I could’ve…”

Cozy denied my point with one of her own. “No...I’m a grown mare. I should be able to take care of myself. In any case, I’m fine...so don’t worry yourself too much, okay?”

Easier said than done. I wasn’t simply going to stop caring about her state of being. But for her sake, and my own, I kept my internal emotions to a minimum. We--I needed to focus on the topic at hoof. That being just who attacked her and why…

“Okay, I can do that. But tell me, Cozy--just who...did this?”

“...Don’t hate me for this,” she replied slowly with a shaky voice, “but I don’t exactly remember. A-All I can recall is being knocked out and dragged up the stairs. Who exactly did it is something I’m not sure about. I’m sorry....”

Alright, while that did suck a little, it was understandable. Flash Drive was still at the scene to dissect any possible evidence along with the rest of my crew, so I wasn’t worried about her not knowing who attacked her. However, what I was curious about was the reason behind it.

“Okay then, can you think of a plausible explanation for why you might’ve been attacked?”

She sighed, and leaned back in the hospital bed. “...If I had to venture a guess, I think it’d have to do with the copious amounts of information I know regarding old types of magic and artifacts. That and, it could just as easily be somepony that dislikes the fact that I was released, so they decided to send you a warning by hurting me…”

Strange. If it was the latter, why would they attack her now of all times? She had more than proven herself to be a well-adjusted member of society that could easily live among everyone else. To attack her now would just make others look foolish. Unless...this move was calculated on the off-chance that I’d lose my marbles in pursuit of revenge. Hm…

“If that is indeed the case, then I’ll need to re-evaluate what my plans are.”

She tilted her head. “What do you mean by that?”

“Well, if it gets any worse than this, I may move you to a location where--”

Cozy interrupted me with a shaky tone of voice. “...N-no! Please. I...I don’t wanna leave all of my friends behind and live in solitude in some remote area!” she glared at me with her eyes ready to bulge out of their sockets. “Please, Pale. Aren’t we safer in the company of our capable friends and family?”

Yes, that was a valid point. Honestly, I had no idea what I was thinking. The sheer idea of forcing her to move away was ludicrous. Would it have helped? Maybe. Would it help her? That was debatable. For the moment, I shelved that idea in favor of something else.

“Alright then. I’m going to keep watch over you and make sure nothing else happens,” I proclaimed, “And once we figure out who was behind all of this, we’ll take them down to make sure you’re never hurt again. But is there anything else you have knowledge of that could have caused you to be attacked? Something dangerous that could jeopardize the plans of someone else?”

She stopped to think for a moment. “...Well, there is one thing.”

I leaned forward, eager to finally know the truth. “Yes?”

“Well, you know about Grogar, right? And the fact that twenty years ago, Discord pretended to be him the entire time?”

“...Yeah?”

“Well...I think he’s still alive.”

A shock to be sure, but not unexpected. Someone as devious as him would realistically think up an extremely convoluted way to gain all of his power back. “I see. Knowledge of the real Grogar is extremely scarce since Discord was impersonating him back then. Nopony has any real dirt on the guy.”

Cozy clutched the blankets of her bed as she looked away from me. “Well...I do. I know more about him than anypony else alive at this moment.”

I had to hold back a horse-like wheeze. The fact that she apparently knew more about Grogar than anypony else in existence was extremely hard to believe, but also perilous. As I had mentioned, hard evidence and knowledge of that ram was almost non-existent. How could Cozy Glow--a filly that grew into a mare that had been imprisoned for twenty years--know more than Twilight, Sunburst, and Celestia on the subject?!

Before I asked anything else, I made sure to shut the door to her room as well as check to make sure all of the windows and vents were sealed. None of what she was about to say could leave this room, as it was dangerous info that could threaten our lives, as well as everyone around us.

“Okay, Cozy,” I sat down next to her hospital bed once more and got ready to listen, “Just how do you claim to know so much about Grogar?”

She sighed, and went on. “Well, I was imprisoned alongside Chrysalis and Tirek, as you know. But through the stone punishment, we were still fully cognitive, and could think and act for ourselves. I could also overhear the thoughts that they had.”

Part of me wondered just how aware she could’ve been while trapped in a rocky prison. However, I elected not to dwell on it further to avoid forcing more trauma onto her. “I see...and what did you manage to hear?”

“I heard Tirek talk about lots of things including how Scorpan used to know Grogar and fought back against him. Grogar was considered the ‘Father of Monsters’ and created all of the creatures we know of that roam Equestria. Chimeras, bite-acudas, hydras, bugbears, fruit bats, all of them and more--were his doing.”

Scorpan used to fight Grogar? Just how was that possible? Just how long did centaurs and rams live?! Questions for another time, unfortunately. “Okay, that makes sense. But what else do you know of Grogar specifically?” I asked.

“Tirek mentioned something about Grogar likely desiring to regain all of his lost magic. The Bewitching Bell allowed him to steal the magic of others, but when Gusty The Great stole it from him, he lost all of his power, and faded into obscurity as a complete myth. A legend.”

“Curious…” I mumbled, “Then just how is he alive now?”

She sighed again as she looked down at her sheets. “That is something I don’t know…”

Then we heard a knock at the door. “Cozy?” It was Nurse Redheart who called out, “It’s time for you to take a dosage of medicine for your head pain.”

There was no way we’d be able to continue this conversation with anyone else listening to us. At that moment, I chose to hold the topic until later. “...We’ll speak more on this soon, alright, Cozy?”

She nodded, and lied down once more. “...Okay, Pale. And I’m sorry.”

I shook my head. “Don’t be, kid. It’s not your fault…” From there, I opened the door to allow Redheart to enter the room. I left, and went back down the hall towards the main lobby.

Things just got a bit more crazy.

Subject 146: Buggy Witness

I officially had too much on my damn mind to be able to think straight. Between Cozy and her deep knowledge of the world at large, Elytra’s plans, and Mane-iac? I was a mane-hair away from blowing my stack. I needed to relax, and keep my mental state in order before I kept going on this case. Flash Drive and the others could manage the details of the evidence that they found.

So I went home to meditate. Tree Hugger had been quite the influence on tactics to contain my sanity, and mental exercises were perfect in that regard. This job was a hard one, but it had to be done. Sadly, not many could do this job, so I had to make sure that I held onto my position with as much confidence as I held my own in battle. It was difficult for me to fall asleep that night, but I managed.

The next morning, I woke up with a newfound sense of motivation as I got out of bed, and made breakfast for myself. After which, I showered to clear my head, and got my thoughts in order. Okay. My objective for that day was to simply set all of my ducks in a row and look over the evidence that Flash Drive would no doubt have to present to me from yesterday.

DING-DONG!

Speak of the devil. That was my doorbell. It was Drive, more than likely.

“Coming!” I called out as I walked up to the door. But once I got there, I hesitated. I could hear two voices that snapped back and forth at each other. One was Drive’s and the other was stern but feminine. Who could that be?

Ten Minutes Ago…

Flash Drive made his way to Pale’s home with some new information. On his way there, he accidentally bumped into another unicorn--a mare. “Oof!” he fell to the ground, and quickly stood up. “Apologies, mate. Are you injured?”

“No, not at all,” Moondancer replied as she stood, “thanks.”

Drive desired to sate his curiosity by asking her a question. “Pardon the inquiry, madam, but where are ya headed in such a rush, eh?”

“I’m off to a certain pony’s home to report some important classified information,” the unicorn mare replied as she fixed her glasses on her face via magic, “Nothing I can really explain to a civilian.”

The jet-black unicorn chuckled. “Civvie? Heh...do I look so unimportant?” he shot back, and trotted onwards, “I’m off to do the same thing, actually.”

“Really?” she replied, “Interesting. Good luck with that.” “He must be an officer or an official as well,” she thought to herself.

“Same to you, madam.”

And they continued on their separate ways...or so they thought. As it turned out, they were both on their way to visit Pale Vestige at the same time on that very morning. But neither of them wanted to point it out due the fear of how awkward the situation had become.

“...Oh damn, is she off to see Pale as well?” Drive mused in his head, “Well that’s gonna be a way to start the day, innit?”

Moondancer glanced at him for a split-second before she turned her head. “Seriously? Things are gonna be twice as hard with this guy in my way. I can’t afford any distractions.”

There was a long, drawn-out silence between the two. Palpable and awkward, it caused the unicorns to feel even more uncomfortable as time went on. Unfortunately for Drive, Moondancer was absolutely not the type to break the ice in any capacity whatsoever.

So he decided to finally say something. “Well then...looks like we're off to the same direction, yeah?”

She rolled her eyes. “Yes...it would appear so.” After a minute or two, she finally saw fit to address him properly. “Look, sir. I don’t need anypony getting in the way of the important business I need to discuss. I have a lot on my plate as it is. So if you could be so kind as to wait until we’re finished talking before you try to speak with him, I’d appreciate it.”

“Yikes. Talk about starting off on the wrong hoof,” he thought to himself. “Listen, madam. I believe we don’t have the proper first impressions of each--”

“I don’t desire to have a first impression of you at all,” she replied bluntly, “All I want is to complete the task that was assigned to me. No offense to you, alright? Working in Canterlot is just a giant ball of stress.”

“Ah. Does that explain why she’s so antsy? Best avoid messing with her too much, then,” Drive thought as he fell silent. Though, he couldn’t help but take a look at the mare’s saddlebags, and the contents that rustled around within. One of which was a book on voodoo? “No way...is she into the ways of the Zebs as well?”

She must have heard him, because her tail flicked. With her pinkish-purple magic aura, she shut her bag tighter to avoid prying eyes. “Mind your own business,” she grumbled.

Sadly, Flash Drive wasn’t about to drop the topic so easily. “Wait, wait--I just want to know what types of magic you have interest in!”

“I said quit bothering me, sir,” she spat back, “I want absolutely nothing to do with you. You couldn’t possibly begin to comprehend the things I’ve seen and done.”

The unicorn stallion took that a bit personally as he raised a brow. “What’s that supposed to mean, madam? Are you just making the assumption that I won’t have any knowledge of dark arts from far off lands? I probably know more about it than you.”

“...Is that so?” She asked with a curious, yet sarcastic tone that belied her interest, “I’d like to see just how smart you are, then…”

“Oh, don’t sell me short. I can show you what I know firsthoof.”

And that’s when they arrived at Pale’s doorstep…

I opened my front door, and found both Moondancer and Flash Drive talk back and forth about their knowledge of different types of magic. Zebra magic to be specific. It seemed interesting, but there were bigger things on my mind for the moment. I decided to break them up.

“Ahem,” I commented to catch their attention, “Is there something you both need?

Flash Drive spoke up first. “Bruv. We found evidence that links a few sources to the crime scene. Some of which include ponies that have been dead for a long time.”

“I see…” Well now, that just sounded impossible by nature. Just how could that be if...unless...okay I needed more details. But first, I needed to hear out Moondancer as well. “And what’s going on on your end, ma’am?”

“I brought along somepony that wants to speak with you,” she said rather simply.

Both Drive and I were taken aback by this, given that she had shown up by herself.

“Erm…” I took a look above, around, and behind her, “...Just who are you referring to?”

From within her saddlebag, Moondancer levitated out what appeared to be a cube-shaped puzzle block. “Elytra. I shrunk her and transported her into this so she wouldn’t try to escape by turning into someone else. If she did that, I’d lose her and I don’t have time for nonsensical failures.” She put it away. “Do you mind if I come inside so that she may speak with you?”

Impressive to say the least. But what could Elytra have to discuss with me? There was only one way to find out for sure. “No problem. Come on in.” I stepped aside to allow her entry.

“Thank you,” Moondancer replied as she trotted in.

Meanwhile, Flash Drive chuckled to himself as she stepped into my home. “Heh. Ooh, she’s good. Never would’ve considered such a tactic myself, honestly.”

“Pfft. So that’s what’s been going on. You’ve been trying to communicate with her for the last few minutes?” I gave a pitiful sigh, “Ah, while she might prove to be a good research partner, I’m not sure how well she’d work with others, friend. She has been a helpful asset to my cases, and it would be beneficial if we could talk more amicably, but I’m not holding my breath.”

This didn’t deter him, though. Drive was more than ready to tackle such a challenge. “Sounds like a load of tosh to me. If there’s a way I can get through to her, then I’ll try.”

So we all went inside, and Moondancer had broken the spell that allowed the powerless changeling to be free.

ZAP!

In an instant, the weak bug pony stood before us, in the living room. She didn’t speak. All she did was glare at us with those judgemental, solid blue eyes of hers. Without her power, I suppose she felt embarrassed to be forced to speak with regular ponies.

“Hmph,” she grumbled and looked away from us, “There’s no way under any circumstance that I’ll tell you imbeciles anything.”

“It’d be in your best interest to cooperate,” Moondancer commented from the couch with equally annoyed eyes of her own, “You have no chance of winning at this point, so you’d better spill everything you know.”

“No,” the changeling said, and childishly stuck out her tongue, “Nyeh!”

This angered the unicorn mare even more. She rubbed her temples with her hooves. “Gah...this isn’t how this is supposed to--”

“Hang on,” Flash Drive got up from the couch, and went to my kitchen, “I’ve got an idea.”

I looked up. “Hey, uh, now’s not the time to think with your stomach, bud.”

“Don’t worry, boss,” he replied as he levitated some objects from the fridge. “I’ve got this.”

One of Moondancer’s ears flicked as she heard more rustling from the kitchen. “What is he up to…?” “This’ll be interesting. Let’s see if he actually knows what he’s doing.”

Subject 147: Evidence From The Insect

After a moment of patience, Flash Drive finally re-appeared to negotiate with the changeling. His method of choice? A mug filled with some kind of pink liquid.

“Here, miss,” he offered it to her via levitation, “you must be tired, so here. Have a drink, and we’ll talk afterwards, yeah?”

The changeling swiped the mug, and sniffed. “Hm. I can tell that you’re not trying to drug me at least.” She started to sip from the cup, then paused. “Hey, this is pretty good. What’s in it?”

“Nothing special. Now, are you willing to tell us whatever...erm, what was it that you wanted to come talk about?”

Once Elytra finished the contents of the mug, she continued to speak in a much more...chipper tone. It was odd, to say the least. “Okay, okay. So what I wanted to come explain was some more details regarding my situation.”

“Situation?” I asked, “What are you getting at?”

The bug pony went on. “Well it’s complicated, but the gist of it is that I have nowhere else to go, but don’t intend on working with those super soft and annoying goody-goody changelings. I’d rather talk to literally anypony else.”

While I didn’t enjoy the fact that she disliked an entire group based on the way they looked and acted, now wasn’t the time for that. We needed to pry a bit further for info. “So you’re going to assist us against whoever is controlling these events and giving Mane-iac power?” I questioned again.

Her answer was a bit strange. “I wouldn’t say that I’m going to help you or anything. But we do have a common enemy as of this moment. So I may as well assist in taking them down.”

A bit risky, no? “What about once this is all over? What are you going to do then? Go back to being our enemy with almost no power? Forgive me for saying so, but that’s a bit suicidal isn’t it?”

Elytra looked at the floor. Her response was bitter and unforgiving. “I don’t need a regular pony talking to me about how I should live my life. My ultimate goal is to succeed where Chrysalis failed. And if I have to die on my way to that goal, then so be it. It’s what I choose to live for.”

Wow. Such ambition…

Honestly, I didn’t expect this at all. Hell, to an extent I kind of respected her ideals to a degree. To be so laser-focused on one’s path that you’d be willing to die for it. Well it was certainly an interesting sentiment. Did I agree with it? Not really. Maybe a younger me would’ve died for the sake of what he believed in, but now? No...I wasn’t going to throw my life away so readily. I was going to live for what I believed in.

Flash Drive brought up a good point. “So you’re going to help us even though you know it’ll only result in your downfall eventually?”

“As I said, it’s my fate,” she repeated, “That’s what I’m destined to do, so I’m going to do it. No matter who gets in my way.”

I didn’t mention it before, but Moondancer had gone silent and simply jotted down notes as we talked. Ever the observationist, it seemed.

“Is there anything else you’re aware of?” I pleaded, “Even if you don’t care about us, you should at least consider the lives of those who can’t protect themselves.”

“I can tell you what I know. The fact is that Mane-iac is just a small part of an even bigger game that this guy is trying to play. I don’t know his name. But all I know is that he wants to plunge all of Equestria into a war with the outer regions. If I were you guys, I’d either try and stop him before all of this happens, or leave the entire realm.”

And there it was. The entire motivation was based around the desire to create conflict to weed out the strong from the weak. Or rather, so that the strong may trample over the weak with little to no repercussions. A vicious cycle that the world absolutely did not need to be put through once more.

“I see…” I mulled over her words, “And just how do you know all of this?”

Elytra continued. “If you really wanna know, then your friend here will have to give me some more of that drink he made.”

Drive looked at the kitchen. “Give me about ten minutes or so. For the moment, I need to speak with Pale about the evidence that I found.”

Of course. I had nearly forgotten. Flash Drive was here to show off and explain the evidence from the crime scene he had found. This needed to be absolutely confidential, so I needed Moondancer to keep a leash on her little suspect/witness.

“Can you do me a favor and summon her back to that cube you had?” I asked the unicorn mare, “We need to discuss something privately, so I need you to wait a moment while we have our talk.”

With a flash of her horn, Moondancer zapped the changeling back into her puzzle box. “Sure, no problem. Take your time.”

“Thank you.”

We both went upstairs, and Flash Drive handed me a file.

“Alright, mate. We’ve reviewed the camera footage from the devices that were installed in Cozy’s home. You might be surprised at what we found…”

I looked over the files. Pictures were taken from the cameras, but they all had a corrupted, grainy filter that prevented proper visuals. “Damn...no playback either?”

He shook his head. “None, bruv. But what I did find was some green hairs that line up exactly with the ones we found at the scene where Elytra was supposedly killed. And that’s not all,” he reached into his other saddlebag to procure another file.

Wait, there was more? I didn’t expect that.

“I stopped by the hospitable earlier to check on Cozy’s status for ye,” he levitated another file over to me, “Turns out, Nurse Redheart found something she didn’t notice before in the morgue.”

I opened this new file, and my heart nearly jumped out of my chest. It was the same green hair! Which meant that the individual that blacked out Screwy’s file was… “Dammit all. I knew it. She’s behind all of this. But the one behind her is who I’m after at this point.”

“Indeed...we need more info from Cozy herself. If she can help us, then maybe...just maybe…”

From downstairs, Moondancer called out to us. “Hey, are you two finished? I don’t wanna wait down here all day.”

Flash Drive rolled his eyes. “Ugh, if only she was more agreeable, she’d make for a right good research partner.”

In order to lighten the mood, I tried to tease him. “Right, heh. ‘Research partner.’”

“What the--” he stammered, and glared at me, “Don’t make bloody foolish jokes. Ain’t funny, mate!”

“Yeah yeah…” I chuckled as we walked back downstairs. He was usually so focused that seeing him choke up a bit was a show in and of itself.

If only we could all communicate better...

Subject 148: Forming A Plan

After we finished explaining the whole situation to Moondancer, we would ask her a very important question next.

“So...what do you intend to do with her?” I asked, “Keep her locked away in that box forever?”

She adjusted her glasses with a hoof. “More than likely. If she’s on the outside, she runs the risk of causing trouble to others or escaping again, and we can’t have that. If she still has any valuable information to divulge, then we need to hold her captive as tightly as possible.”

As much as I somewhat disagreed, there was a good point behind such a notion. We absolutely could not trust her to stay put, nor could we reliably assume that other individuals won’t come after her for the information she knew. As of this moment, Elytra was placed within an advanced form of witness protection.

It was a bit odd when I phrased it in such a way, but you have to do what you have to do.

“Alright then, ma’am,” Flash Drive responded first, “The sooner we can work together, the better the outcome of the situation will be.”

Moondancer gave an unimpressed roll of her eyes. “Uh...huh. Right. At any rate, I suppose there are worse things in the world than working with you all. Oh, and in case you’re wondering, from what little I know about Grogar, he does have a weakness.”

Well now, this could very well change the game! I had to choke on my enthusiasm to avoid putting her off. “Erm, really? And just what might that be, pray tell?”

“Pfft,” she scoffed in a nonchalant fashion, “If I knew it, I’d have gone out and beaten him myself. Unfortunately, all I know is that he has a weakness. What that weakness is, is a mystery as of this moment.”

Pity, though not unexpected. We couldn’t honestly stand by and have all the answers handed to us on a silver platter, now could we? At any rate, I did appreciate her assistance. Flash Drive and I were able to take it from there.

“Well regardless, your support won’t go unnoticed,” I said, “What are friends for, after all?”

I must have misstepped. She took a step back and tried to hide the disgust that she desperately wanted to show. “Uch--I mean, I wouldn’t go that far just yet. We barely know each other. That hardly qualifies as friends.”

From behind me, I heard Flash Drive do his best to stifle his laughter.

I simply nodded, and walked her to the door. “Understandable. Have a nice day, Moondancer.”

“Yeah...you too, I suppose,” she replied as she stepped out of the door. But she stopped before she left the porch, "Oh and by the way, what was that drink you gave Elytra to make her more cooperative?"

"Oh that?" Drive replied and looked at the kitchen, "That was just a potion I cooked up."

"...Potion?" she asked with a bit of hesitant surprise, "What are you part Zebra or something?"

"Yes, actually," he said in a rather snappy manner.

Moondancer took a moment to ponder that little detail. "...Huh. Impressive. Anyway, see ya." And with that, she left.

I turned around and looked at Flash Drive. “She’s a piece of work isn’t she?”

“Oi, you can say that again, mate,” he commented with a chuckle, “But now ain’t the time to worry about the small peckin’s. I’ll get back to that later.”

I went in for another tease. “And by that, you mean you’ll ask her out later. Right?”

I was about to laugh, but he pulled me towards him with his magic. “Bruv. This ain’t the time for jokes! We need to focus!”

It was funny to see him react in such a way, but he was right. Ultimately, we needed to look carefully at all of the evidence we’ve gathered up to this point before we made a decision on what to do next. With that in mind, I explained to him my plan.

“In essence, we need more info from Cozy,” I started off, “She apparently knows quite a bit about Grogar from Tirek. And honestly...I don’t know if we’re prepared.”

He tilted his head with a concerned frown. “Eh? What are ya on about, Pale?”

“I mean that I believe there’s more to Grogar than what any of us realize. I mean, he’s known as the Father of Monsters and took the form of a Ram. But what is he exactly?”

My unicorn companion looked even more confused. He even took a moment to sit down on the couch as he processed what I said. “Wait a sec, wait a sec. Run that by me again?”

I sat down with him, and went on. “What I’m saying is that Grogar himself may not be what the legends say. Yes, we know he’s apparently the one behind the creation of the monsters that roam the land. And he also apparently had the ability to gain power from fear itself. So much so that he freed himself from banishment with a magic blast so powerful, it had the force of--and I quote, ‘more than a thousand armies.’ According to Gusty’s own book.”

The mental gears began to turn in Flash Drive’s head as he nodded slowly. “Ah...I feel ya now. You’re thinkin’ that Grogar might be a complete freak of nature, eh? One that we, as mortals, simply can’t fathom.”

“Pretty much,” I said with a slight shudder in my voice, “He’s a being of fear, powered by fear, and channels fear into the minds of his enemies. Unlike King Sombra who was an innocent soul corrupted by a power that he couldn’t comprehend, Grogar is quite simply a beast of terror. One that can’t simply be ‘beaten’ on his own. He’s something that needs to be purged from existence entirely.”

“...Now that sounds like straight bollocks, mate,” Drive retorted with a scowl, “Don’t tell me you’ve already given into the fear of it. That’s exactly what the crummy old bugger wants.”

I paused, and slowly shook my head. “...No. You’re right. I can’t give into despair now.”

He patted me on the back. “That’s right, lad. Now, what’s our next move?”

“Honestly? I think we need to confront Mane-iac ourselves and take back that power that she didn’t rightfully earn so we can use it against Grogar.”

Drive’s eyes nearly bulged out of his face. “Wait--wait a sec now bruv. Are ya sure that that’s a good idea?” He levitated a notepad and started to scribble some equations down onto it. “First off, you’re assumin’ that we have the chops to take her down. Then, you’re assumin’ you can take control of the power she has without goin’ barkin’ mad. And then you’re assumin’ you can take down Grogar who may not even exist to us on the same mortal level because he may be an eldritch abomination.” He flipped the notepad around to me, with his various numbers and symbols written down and a big fat ‘NO’ written at the bottom right of the yellow paper. “Forgive me, but there’s reckless and then there’s plump idiotic.”

Yes, I had to admit. It was an insane concept. To take back the magical abilities that were stolen to begin with and use them to forge a path towards erasing such a beast from the world. But if I was going to ensure a safe place, free of corruption and hatred for myself, Cozy, and everypony that lived, I had to do my job as an officer and work towards the path I believed in: the law.

“Don’t worry, buddy. Ultimately, I have a plan to set everything into motion. And I’m gonna need your help.”

Drive couldn’t help but sigh. “Uch...this better not end up like the time we got sent to Puerto Caballo.”

“Now hang on a minute, I didn’t start that fight! Besides, we managed to capture the leader of the uprising, didn’t we?”

“Yeah, but mate. Did you really have to start singin’ ‘Macarena’ on the beach as a distraction?”

“Oh come on!” I folded my hooves, “It’s the top song that the locals of Caballo enjoy! It was the perfect number to sing while you and Neon handled business on your end!”

Drive chuckled, and sighed. “Hehe...whatever you say, Pale.”

He wasn’t going to let that go, was he?

Subject 149: Progress Report

Alright. The plan was simple. From this point forward, Cozy’s home was to be heavily monitored with anti-magic cameras filled to the brim. With that established, I felt more comfortable speaking with her than before. It was from her that I could learn more information about what she knew as Grogar. In short, she was my wild card in a deck filled with confusion and insanity.

It had been about a week since she was admitted. Now, she was going to be released from the hospital. So first thing that morning, I got up, and headed out.

To my surprise, the first individual I came across on my way there was Flurry Heart. She flew down to me with a disguise on, though she let me see it was her via deactivating the illusion exclusively for me.

“Psst. Hey Pale. You on your way to see Cozy?”

As I walked down the grassy road, I looked over at the mare. “Oh? Yes, I am. She’s going to be let out today so I decided to go check on her myself since I don’t want anymore risks.”

“I can respect that,” she replied, “But whoever did this...I won’t ever forgive them. They’re gonna pay for what they did to her. Mark my words, Pale.”

Well now. That was a bit surprising to hear from the Heart Alicorn herself. I never would have suspected that revenge could ever be on her radar. “...Huh.”

She looked at me with a confused stare. “Hm? What’s wrong?”

“Nothing it’s just...I never would’ve pegged you for the vengeful type.”

The alicorn looked down at her hooves as she stopped dead in her tracks. “I...yeah, me neither.”

I stopped as well, and chose to question her. “Then why do you feel this way? If you don’t mind me asking.”

“...I...I don’t want to lose her. Cozy has been such a good friend to me that if something bad happened to her, I...I don’t know what I’d do.”

Wow. She really did make a lot of progress, didn’t she? And while I normally didn’t like to pry into things, I was a bit curious. “I see...and just how well have you both been getting along?”

She looked up at me with a slightly happier face. “Well, just a few weeks ago, we went shopping together. Right here in Ponyville at a thrift store…”

A few weeks ago…

So after Hearth’s Warming, Cozy and I decided to do some shopping. Right, okay, so it wasn’t that crazy. Usually the post-holiday store rush is nonexistent so we could both take time to enjoy ourselves.

And first, we went to one of the clothing stores in Ponyville to check out what they had. Nothing too crazy.

I went straight for the section on hats while Cozy went to see the coats. She had the time of her life as she picked something out. Who could blame her? She actually had the ability to buy things now instead of the constant need to look over her shoulder.

“Wow…” she said, “This jacket looks so cute. I love the little bow on the top.”

“It’s not bad,” I replied with a flash of my horn to teleport over to her, “But you know what’d be really cute? Ribbons!”

So we tried on a few outfits. Little of this, little of that. I even took our pictures with a camera and we looked super adorable. I knew Pound Cake would love what I had on! Oh right, Cozy. Well, after all of that, we stopped to pose in the mirror and got to talking…

“Hey Cozy?” I asked as we both looked at ourselves with the cute berets we picked out.

“Hm? What’s up, Flurry?”

I was a bit hesitant on this question, honestly. But it was something I had been dying to know for a while. “Do you happen to like anypony?”

“As friends or…?” she took a moment, and giggled to herself when she understood what I meant. “Oh you mean like that. No. Not right now. To be frank, I don’t think I’m really...desirable from a relationship standpoint. Who’d wanna be involved with somepony that nearly destroyed the world when they were younger?”

‘Destroyed the world when they were younger.’ See, it’s funny because I was totally in her horseshoes at one point. Yes, I was lucky enough to be raised in a good family with a positive influence on my life. But as I’m sure many are aware, I was quite the dangerous little filly when I was younger. I fired off spells that my parents and their friends had no idea how to deal with. And yet, they stuck by me through it all.

Had it not been for that, I would’ve probably turned out like Cozy Glow. If not worse.

“...Um, Cozy?” I replied with a half-hearted grin, “You’re looking at somepony that could’ve easily hazed the entire planet if they didn’t have anypony to watch their backs. And yet Pound Cake loves me.”

“Oh, well that’s true.” Though, that wasn’t enough to sway her from her deprecation. “Still...I wasn’t so lucky. So I don’t think there’s a chance that I could find anyone that loves me for who I am.”

There was no way I’d allow her to put herself down like that. I pulled her over to me with my magic, and put a hoof around her. “Hey, chin up. If somepony can’t love you for who you are, then they aren’t worth having around, ya feel? You’ll find someone eventually. I know you will.”

I could tell that she held back some tears from the way she wiped her face. But I didn’t comment on it. “You...really think so?” she asked.

I replied with a snicker. “Hehe! I know so. You already have a family that cares about you so who’s to say that won’t extend to romantic love? Besides, you’re a great friend to have and a joy to be around. I can always count on you when it comes to, well--everything that involves rational thought.” I rubbed the back of my head with an awkward smile. “I’m uh...not very good at thinking things through sometimes. But the way you break things down is amazing. You always know how to prioritize and organize things. Strategies for Pale to use, that celebration in Sire’s Hollow...you’re awesome.”

She blushed--it was so adorable. “Oh, I uh...I guess.”

All I could do was giggle as we went up to the register to buy our clothes. The stallion behind the counter rang us up, and we paid for what we purchased.

“Thanks you two,” he said, “It’s been a while since I’ve had a sale around here. My products don’t exactly compete with the bigger stores and pop-up shops in town.”

Hold up, was he for real? “Wait, seriously?”

“Yeah, for whatever reason ponies just aren’t buying my wares,” he explained as he pointed to the other clothing racks. Come to think, the store was rather empty. “I dunno. If this keeps up, I may have to sell the place. I’d hope that I could avoid doing that since my dad and I used to run this place together before he...left, let’s say. Half the profits we make are donated to the senior center, so I’m trying my best to keep things afloat.”

But I could sense it with my magic. This store was important to him and his late father. I could relate. My dad and I did lots of things together. If I were to lose something that I held dear to me, then I’d feel just as bad. But to be honest, I didn’t know what to say. It was something that I didn't feel comfortable enough to tackle yet.

But then, Cozy came up with something.

“Uh, sir. Not to be rude but how much are you selling this saddlebag for?” she asked as she pointed at the rack of bags behind the counter.

The salespony looked up at the rack that held the saddlebags behind him. “Those? Twenty bits. Why?”

“Well, again, not to be rude, but…” Cozy flew up and took a look at them, “All of these appear to be genuine tatzlwurm leather soaked in various colors.”

Color me shocked. I had no clue such things even existed. “Wait for real, Cozy? Are ya sure?”

The salespony shared my skepticism. “...Yeah, are you sure? I just sorta found those at a garage sale last week.”

“Uh-huh. The pattern on the leather used to make these saddlebags are the exact ones you’d find on tatzlwurm skin,” she gave us the details while she inspected each bag, “Whoever made these had to spend a fortune to weave them into the appropriate shape for a saddlebag. In essence, these can be sold for two-hundred bits each at the minimum!”

He chuckled, and leaned on the counter. “Well I’ll be. Still. That doesn’t exactly solve my problem. Most ponies don’t tend to come here because they feel like my items aren’t of good quality.” Then he gazed at the various racks of clothing and accessories within the store, “Hrm. Guess I should find somepony to gimme an appraisal on this stuff. If I knew I had items of a higher quality, then I could start advertising that more.”

My pink pegasus friend had a scheming, plucky grin on her face as she flew down and leaned over the counter. “Look no further! I’ve been doing lots of research on foreign and ancient materials in my spare time, so I could help!”

Now this was news to me. I had to get some details. “Wait what?” I raised a brow, “Since when have you studied enough to know the value of random articles of clothing on thrift items?”

“Well...let’s just say research is a hobby of mine,” she replied with a smirk, “I can’t stand not knowing things so I make an effort to learn all that I can. For example, that old rug you have hanging in the window? That’s a replica rug owned by an old monarch from Trottingham,” she stated while she pointed her hoof at the item in question, “And...hold on, I think you have a hat here that was made of Bugbear silk!”

“Woah, really?” the salespony gasped, “If you know so much, then please tell me more!”

“...She really did all of that?” I asked, “Just out of the goodness of her heart for somepony else?”

Flurry nodded. “Yup.”

“And how is that thrift store doing now?”

The alicorn pointed to the shop that was at the end of the road. It had a swarm of customers who desired to donate and purchase new items! “Wow…”

“All thanks to Cozy’s help,” Flurry commented as she walked on towards the hospital, “You really should be proud of her.”

I followed after a minute once I got through with having stared at the crowd. “...That I am, Flurry. That I am.”

Subject 150: Witness Protection

After the riveting tale I heard, the walk to the hospital had essentially been completed. As soon as we got there, the first thing we saw was the pink pegasus herself who trotted into the waiting room. To say that she was delighted to see us would’ve been an understatement since she nearly bowled me over when she flew up to hug me!

“Pops! You’re okay…” she mumbled as she nuzzled my neck.

It was a bit awkward at first, but I accepted, and returned the embrace. “Me? I’m more worried about you, kid. Are you feeling alright?”

“Mm-hmm. Thank you,” she let go of me and looked up to see her best friend Flurry Heart beside me. “Ah! Flurry! I didn’t see ya there. Thanks for coming to see me!”

Flurry had a bashful grin on her face as Cozy came up to hug her. “Aw, shucks. Why wouldn’t I wanna come see a friend who just got out of the hospital? You mean a lot to me, you know.”

“Hehe. Yeah, I know. But what made you both come to me so soon? I could’ve just walked, you know.”

Oh yeah. About that. “...The thing is. Your safety is paramount to us. I want to at least walk you home so we can keep a close eye on you. You don’t deserve to live in fear just because some other individuals don’t like you.”

Surprisingly, she took this a lot better than I expected which unnerved me a bit. “Honestly? I’m surprised it didn’t happen sooner. I’m always gonna have some enemies in the world...enemies that don’t forget the past so easily.”

My heart sank when she said that. But I had to be true to myself and acknowledge that she had a point. Enemies would always lurk in the shadows as they awaited the opportune moments to strike. But no more. I wasn’t going to stand idle and just allow these things to happen before it was too late.

Though that did beg the question: Why didn’t they kill her if they had the chance? They must have wanted her to stay alive for some unspecified reason that would most likely come up later.

Regardless, I did my best to console her. “Even so, you have a wonderful family behind your back. You won’t have to worry about anything else with us around.”

“Yeah!” Flurry added with a flap of her wings, “And great friends too!” Then her face went from excited, to inquisitive, and back to excited in less than two seconds. “Ooh, I just had an idea!”

Cozy took a nervous step backwards. “Er...what is it?”

“Let’s have a sleepover!” she put her hooves on her fellow mare’s shoulders, “Nopony’s gonna wanna mess with you if they know you’re besties with the strongest alicorn around!”

Cozy had a happy glint in her eye, but glanced at me for guidance. “...would that be okay, Pale?”

A rather tactical move. The young alicorn was smarter than I gave her credit for. But there was a small issue with this idea. “Erm, would your parents be okay with that? In fact, do they even know that you’re here right now?”

Flurry scoffed at me and brushed my concern aside. “Pfft. I got this no problem.” With a flash of her horn, she conjured up a magical screen of sorts. What? Apparently it was connected to the television that she played video games on back home. It activated, and we could see into her home where Shining Armor was busy getting ready to make dinner. “Hey dad! Uh...where’s mom?”

The unicorn stallion poked his head out of the kitchen, and walked into view of the screen. “Oh. Hey, Flurry. Your mother is busy dealing with a meeting. Something about the Yaks, I think. What’s up?”

“Oh, that sounds cool. But I called to ask if it’s okay that I have a sleepover with Cozy Glow tonight.”

He shrugged with a rather comforting grin on his face. “Well, if Mr. Vestige is okay with it, then it’s fine with me.”

That caught me off-guard. I nudged my way into view of the screen to get some clarity. “Wait, for real? You’re alright with this.”

His response was nonchalant. “I don’t see why not--oops,” he stopped, and turned to keep a pot stirred via his magic. “You’ve honestly proven yourself to be more than trustworthy. Even if I don’t agree with everything you do, you’re an alright guy. With that being said, Flurry’s free to sleepover if she wants.”

“Thanks, daddy!” Flurry chirped as she shoved me out of the way via magic--

--To which I yelped, “Yie!” and took a tumble into the lobby’s carpet.

“Bye!” Flurry said before she deactivated the magical screen. “And that’s all she wrote!”

Cozy flapped her wings with excitement. “We could invite Pumpkin Cake, Diamond Tiara, and Silver Spoon as well! We can have a mare’s night!”

“Yooo, that’s totes a great idea!” Flurry replied.

Even though we hadn’t even left the hospital yet, Cozy was already her cheery self again. It was honestly an adorable thing to witness.

Wait a minute, I didn’t authorize such a large event!

I got up, and dusted myself off after I stumbled. “Hey now. Wait a sec. I didn’t sign off on something so massive. You ladies better keep yourselves in control this evening, okay?”

“Oh of course, dad,” Cozy replied. Not with sarcasm, though. That was a genuine response to my status as her parental figure. “We’ll be extra good. Right, Flurry?”

“Oh yeah, for sure! You won’t even know we’re all together!” she said with a little snicker into her hoof.

Yeah, that wasn’t going to last.

Anyhow, while they went off to do whatever it was that young mares did, I had to get back to work. Was I worried about another attack? Yes--but actually no. It would honestly be foolish for an enemy to strike once more due to the fact that our security was heightened much more heavily now. Of course, I still monitored the place. I wasn’t going to let anything slip through the cracks this time.

Once the two mares arrived at Cozy’s home, I waved as they left to head inside. But before they did, the pegasus stopped to tell me something.

“...Pale. One more thing.”

I lent her an ear. “Hm?”

“This is just conjecture, but I think the reason that Grogar may still be alive is that he’s somehow found the secret to immortality via his Bell. It would explain why he never bothered to come back for it. It’s like he knew that somepony else would…”

“...I see.” A very valid, yet curious point. I’d have to consider that for my notes when I went back to my books later. For the moment, I simply nodded, and sent her on her way. “If you happen to remember anything else from your imprisonment, then please speak up about it. For now, go on and have fun, okay?”

She nodded, and trotted into her house. “Thanks, Pale. I appreciate that…” She shut the door once she and Flurry were inside. They were bound to start inviting the other mares they had mentioned earlier.

I was on my way home, but then I noticed Cheerilee come down the road. She was carrying a basket of goodies and had bags beneath her eyes. “Woah, Cheery. Everything alright?”

“Hm? Oh yes. I’ve just...ahh,” she paused to yawn, “...been up all night worry about Cozy. But when I heard she was being released from the hospital today, I decided to come and bring her a few things. I didn’t visit sooner because I’d be a nervous wreck in front of her in the hospital.”

“Oh. Well I suppose that makes sense. But if you need help with anything, don’t be afraid to ask.”

She shook her head, and placed a kiss on my cheek. “Don’t worry about me. Get yourself some rest, okay? I need some too, honestly.”

I chuckled with her for a moment, and turned to head home at last. “Okay then. Well, try not to stay long. Cozy and some friends are going to have a sleepover.”

“Ooh, that sounds fun. Oh, and one more thing, Pale. I think I saw Babs at your house when I turned the corner. I think she’s looking for you, so you might want to go see her.”

Hm? Strange. I wondered what she could want. But there was only one way to find out. “Thanks Cheery. I’ll see you later, yes?”

“Absolutely, my dear,” she said with a wink.

I won’t lie, that kind of ruffled my mane a little--in a good way.

And so, I made it back to my house. Sure enough, the light hazel earth pony mare was outside, and waited for me.

“Ey, Babs,” I greeted her, “Everything okay? You weren’t hurt from being captured by that changeling were you?”

She turned her head towards me, and smirked. “Heh. Not at all, bud. Gonna take more than suckin’ muh love out to bring me down. But naw, I wanna talk to ya about somethin’.” The smirk went away as she led into the next bit of what she wanted to say. “...It’s about Sven’s gang membahs.”

Wait what? I thought they had been arrested!

Subject 151: Seedy Information

We went inside my house to discuss what Babs came to report. It was...quite the doozy of an explanation to say the least. To make an overly long story painfully short, Babs let me know that the ponies that worked for Svengallop were banished to Tartarus after they were given a trial. They were still attempting to engage in criminal activity and organize a prison escape after they had been formally arrested. So Tartarus was the next step for them. Since they had a trial and tried to cause more trouble with more attempted murder via the prison break, I couldn’t exactly fault this decision. It seemed logical.

Except...what happened in Tartarus wasn’t.

“...dey bodies was found empty and lifeless durin’ the latest patrol down there,” she explained, “Some kinda corruption is def goin’ on.”

Given that corruption within Tartarus is what led Cozy down her initial path of hatred in the first place, it wasn’t that hard to believe. Being around those other villains and Grogar (who was Discord in disguise), really didn’t help her case. I was honestly very lucky to be able to set her free to give her another chance. But that was beside the point.

“So you’re saying we have even more cases of criminal deaths within their sentencing?” I put it into simplistic terms, “Diabolical. Tartarus is a breeding ground for that sort of stuff, so I’m not surprised. What I am surprised about is how you know about this.”

Babs flicked the hair out of her face with a quick whip of her neck. “Hmph. Let’s just say I got muhself a few...contacts to the undaworld, yeah?”

That was rather ominous. “...Don’t get into trouble for crazy things, BS.”

She let out a small chuckle. “Hehehe. Relax, dawg. My crew and I be takin’ old stuff from the rich folk dat take things fo’ granted and repurpose ‘em for the poor kids that ain’t got nothin’.”

I raised a brow, and performed air quotes with my hooves. “And by ‘taking,’ you surely mean asking politely and obtaining these items legally, correct? And if so, what types of items?”

“Wh--of course, we is!” Babs glared at me with quite the offended frown, “We don’t nevah rob nobody, Pale. Das hypocritical. Anyway, we look fo’ things like clothes and toys that ponies would be fixin’a throw out, and make ‘em into new stuff for da orphans.”

Well now, how unexpected. I thought Babs only wanted to pursue a career in the art of mane-styling. But it appeared that she desired something more. Given that we grew up in the same run-down part of Manehattan, I could relate to her on a heavy level. Though, she was very lucky to have a family in her Aunt and Uncle Orange that took care of her when things got bad. I wasn’t so lucky.

“How adorable,” I replied, “I hope things turn out better for the foals over there. Lord knows the types of things that their families have to go through when things get rough.”

She sighed, and shook her head. “Tell me about it.” She then looked up at me. “But enough about dat. I gots reason to believe that whateva criminal yous is afta has somethin’ to do with them deaths.”

I sighed. Part of me felt as if they deserved it for following a crazed, maniacal pony and continuing to perform illegal, heinous acts upon the innocent. At the same time, however, I was sick of this. All of this needless bloodshed, even against criminals needed to stop. Everyone should have the right to live out their punishment and potentially learn from their mistakes. If they didn’t, and continued to repeat those mistakes without a care in the world. Well...the diplomatic process of execution was in place for a reason.

Yes. I was hypocritical. Killing Svengallop without a proper trial would never leave my mind as one of the most idiotic mistakes that I could have ever made. But the main difference is that I learned from them and would seek to never repeat them for as long as I drew breath.

“Curious,” I muttered, and leaned back against the couch, “I wonder why this hasn’t been reported on yet.”

Babs shrugged with her hooves in the air. “Ey, don’ look at me, boss. I’m just a messengah. Fa now, whatcha gonna do next?”

“Considering that Mane-iac is going to make her move soon, I’m going to head to Hollow Shades and see what I can dig up. If I get lucky, my crew and I can take her down before things get bad.”

She put a hoof on my shoulder. “Bud, I’ve known ya since we was foals on the streets. Yous a tough nut to bust. So for the sake of those around ya...please try not to do nothin’ crazy, alright?”

That was nice. To see her express concern for me despite her rocky outer shell. She was like the slightly older sister I wish I had. “Heh. Don’t worry. I’d never disappoint my friends. After all, somepony has to keep the streets of Manehattan clean while I’m away,” I said with a cheeky smile.

This got a rare laugh out of her. “Ahaha. Good’un. But for real, stay true to yaself. If I could help ya, I would but I got, uh…” she looked down and away from me. “Otha things I’m dealin’ with.”

There was no way I’d even allow her to be involved. “Absolutely not. You deserve to be able to live comfortably--as well as all of those other city kids living in the slums that have nopony to care for them. Keep doing what you do best, and I’ll keep doing what I do best. Deal?” I raised my hoof to offer a hoofbump.

She looked back up at me with her trademark smug expression, and bumped my hoof with her own. “Deal. Keep yaself safe, brudda. Got a lotta folks rootin’ for ya back home.”

Huh? Since when did I have a fan club? “Excuse me?” I asked, “Are there really ponies back home who--” A realization came to me, and I narrowed my eyes at her with a subtle glare. “...Don’t tell me you’ve been glorifying my job.”

Babs had snickered to herself for the last few seconds which carried over into her reply. “Heheno! Well, not really. I was just tellin’ some of the ponies down at the old folks’ home about ya and how ya fightin’ for a peaceful life for dem and dey grandkids.” She rubbed her hooves together in a nervous fashion. “And I may have also kinda sorta told the orphan kids also.”

I fell silent for a moment.

She tried to console me. “H-Hey now! Aren’tcha tryin’a set a betta example for the youngstas and show ‘em that they have the right to fight for what dey wanna fight for instead’a lazin’ around and followin’ what the majority says?”

Well, it worked. She was right. I did want to provide that example for others to follow so we wouldn’t have such complacency in our society anymore. That is exactly what breeds so many destructive forces that we constantly have to rely on the alicorns to bail us out of in the first place. If we can’t protect ourselves, then who will?

“I suppose you have a point,” I said with a shrug, “Just don’t go around talking like I’m the next alicorn prince or something.”

“Ya shittin’ me?” She laughed that off completely. “Ain’t no way I’m sayin’ nuttin’ like dat.”

“Good. As long as we understand each other.”

So now, I essentially had two different directions that I could take this investigation in. The one, and most obvious was towards Hollow Shades where Mane-iac claimed that she would be waiting for us. The other was a bit more subtle. Tartarus was a place that not many had dared to go. With this newfound information from Babs, it seemed like a logical place to travel next. One also had to consider that the threat about Hollow Shades could very well easily be yet another diversion to throw me off course and commit some heinous atrocity behind my back.

Decisions, decisions, decisions...

Subject 152: Progress Report 2

You know what? I had time. And I didn’t want to run the risk of repeating the same mistake as before. So I sent Flash Drive and Guttersnipe to Hollow Shades in my place. Why? Well, it was entirely likely that Mane-iac’s threat was a bluff like before. But in case she was reliant on my keen senses, I ordered my companions to stake the area out to ensure no funny business went on behind my back.

Now why did I want to go to Tartarus at a time like this? A few reasons, actually. I wanted to follow Babs’ warning about what had gone down over there. Beyond that, there was also the fact that Cozy had been imprisoned there for a while, and I wanted to visualize as well as experience the conditions myself from the perspective of a small child. That way, I’d have a better understanding of her perspective through all of this turmoil.

Of course, I also wasn’t foolish enough to leave her home entirely unattended, so I made another request to a close friend of mine. I stepped outside that morning, and came into contact with him.

“I’m here, mate.” Neon Isotope, my ever-reliable batpony friend flew down to greet me. “I’d be more than honored to watch over Ms. Glow’s house for ye. But if I may ask, what is it you’re off to do exactly?”

“I’m heading to Tartarus,” I said rather calmly all things considered, “With backup, of course. Quick Draw and Corkscrew are gonna be there to keep everything in order should we get ganged up on by any wandering beasts.”

He tilted his head with what sounded like a concerned chitter. “Erm...boss, are ya sure that that’s a good idea? You don’t know about the unspeakable horrors that lie in wait down there.”

This may have come as a shock to him, but I was actually more than aware of what the underworld had to offer. “Oh no, trust me. I know full well, my friend.” I looked down at the ground, “Demonic beasts, forbidden magic, artifacts, and devices that can be used in unfathomable ways. Including peering into one’s mind and forcing them to live out their worst nightmares.”

Neon looked down at his prosthetic hoof, and rubbed it with his real one. “...Worst...nightmares, eh? I…”

I raised my head, and gave him a quick hug. “My apologies, bud. I didn’t mean to bring you back down to such a dark place.”

He shook his head, and let go of me. “It’s alright, Pale. I don’t need none of the sympathetics. Tis far in the past now.”

“...But you still feel it, don’t you? The traumas of what you experienced once before?”

There was nothing but silence from him for a moment as he looked away from me.

I went on. “So you know exactly why I need to do this. Not just for myself, but for Cozy as well as everyone else.”

The bluish-green batpony nodded once. “Natch, my friend. I...I won’t stop you. Just be careful, alright?”

“Of course I will. I trust you with this, Neon.”

Before I left, he asked another question. “Wait a second. Just how are you going to get there?”

“With some help, of course,” I said as I trotted off.

And with no time wasted, I got ahold of both Quick and Cork. We all got on the train, and as we were on our way to Canterlot, the mare finally decided to ask.

“...Okay, Pale. Are you sure this is a good idea?” she questioned, “We have no idea what will happen once we get down there. What if Twilight says no?”

“She won’t,” I replied snappily, “There’s no logical reason for her to deny my suspicions at this point. We’re flying by the skins of our flanks at this point--on the cusp of a major breakthrough in our case. Now isn’t the time to argue.”

Corkscrew leaned over the seat he sat in behind us. “But are ya sure that Mane-iac is gonna be there, boss? Like, how do you know she’s bluffing?”

I leaned back in the seat, and glanced up to him. “I never said I expected Mane-iac to be there, did I? More than likely, she simply isn’t going to appear at Hollow Shades at all. Instead, it’s a massive distraction so that something from Tartarus can be brought into the surface world.” I shut my eyes. “It’s simple logic.”

Quick thought it over with a dubious look on her face. “I mean, I guess you have a point. So you want to essentially take whatever power they’re using and turn it against them somehow?”

“Essentially,” I replied as I opened one eye, “If we do that, we can take Mane-iac down and put her back where she belongs. And if we put her back where she belongs, Grogar will lose his best asset at the moment. Then, he’ll be an easy target.”

The mare’s eyes looked a tad more hopeful than they were five seconds beforehoof. But she still didn’t want to put all of her eggs in one basket. “Even if that is true, are you sure he won’t have something else up his sleeve should you defeat her?”

“Oh no, that’s what I’m counting on,” I opened my other eye, “If we can take the power away from Mane-iac, and banish her back to her book, we can take one whatever else he has to throw at us, and then banish him for good. That won’t solve all of our problems instantly, but it’ll surely work towards less suffering for everypony. Sound good, guys?”

Quick and Cork glanced at each other for a moment. They were uncertain. I could feel it. But I could also feel the way they put their faith in me as their friend. And I would do my best to honor that trust.

Now, the reason why we needed to go to Canterlot first, is because we needed the permission of the reigning princess to gain access to the underworld. Plus, she was one of few who knew how to actually access it. So we had to follow her in order to pass into it.

What did I hope to find there? Destruction. And that’s if I was lucky with the hunch I had.

We got off the train, and the three of us pranced through the capital city. Some ponies shied away from us as we passed, which I sort of expected at this point. However, when we were about to travel through restaurant row towards the castle, we were actually approached.

“Oh, Mr. Vestige!” a feminine voice with a familiar foreign accent called out to me.

My ear flicked, and I turned my head in the direction of the voice. It was Saffron Masala? What was she doing here? “Ms. Masala? Hello there. But aren’t you working today?”

“Oh no, I’m on my lunch break,” the orange unicorn clarified as she walked up to me, “I just wanted to say thank you.”

I took a look at Quick and Cork who were just as confused as I was. Then I turned my head back to Saffron. “Erm...what for, exactly?”

“For bringing your daughter to our restaurant! She gave me an idea, and thanks to that, our profits have skyrocketed thanks to our new father/daughter promotion!” She excitedly put her hooves on my shoulders, “You and Cozy are welcome back at any time!”

While I was flattered by the gesture, I couldn’t help but wonder. “Oh? Wait a minute. Just what sort of idea did she offer you?”

“Well…”

About two months ago, when Cozy and Pale went to the Tasty Treat…

Pops had gone to the bathroom, so this was my chance. I had to play my cards now so this investment could grow in the future. Plus, I also wanted to pay my respects to the amazing chefs.

“Did you enjoy everything?” Ms. Masala asked as she came up to the table.

With my stupidly keen sense of observation on autopilot, I kinda made a goof. “Yeah. The food was great! Though I’ve noticed you don’t tend to get many families as customers. Which is a shame since it’d probably accrue more business.” What a stupid thing I said. Talking about somepony’s business right to their face! My cheeks turned bright red as I stopped to correct myself. “Oh no! I meant...er, sorry…”

Luckily for me, Ms. Masala wasn’t at all offended by my observation. “Oh no, I respect a pony that can say what is on their mind. And yes, you’re right. While we have many repeat customers, we rarely get large groups. I suppose it could be Canterlot’s culture getting in the way of families dining together.”

Woah, what? That didn’t sound logical to me at all. “Culture?” I asked, eyebrow raised, “What sort of culture?”

“That dining should be done in small groups to avoid being...riffraff. Whatever that means.” She rolled her eyes and placed her hoof against her forehead, “If only there was a way to get them to understand that family is one of the important elements of enjoying a meal…”

Normally this wouldn’t be a good thing, but I actually had an idea. “Well, why don’t you start off small?”

“Hm?” she glanced at me, “What do you mean by that, Ms. Glow?”

I put two of my hooves together with just a bit of empty space between to represent a miniscule amount. “Start small, and work your way up to avoid being lambasted by the upper echelons of Canterlotian society. What I recommend is starting a promotion. Say...father/daughter?”

She rubbed her hoof against her chin as she thought about it. “Father/daughter...promotion?”

“Yeah, I mean. You run this place with your dad, so why not? It’d fit the entire theme of this place,” I pointed my hooves upward, “Plus it’s a smart move because there aren’t as many stallions compared to mares. So it’ll result in more business but you won’t be crowded to where you can’t function.”

“Hm...I’ll have to ask my father about it,” she replied with a nod, “But I appreciate the idea, Ms. Glow. Let me know if you need anything else.”

“Absolutely,” I thanked her as she walked off, “Thanks for listening!”

“...and that’s what happened! It’s so adorable seeing all the fathers come in with their daughters just as you did on that day!” Saffron offered me a compliment, followed by a tight hug. “Please come by later to sample a new dish we’re working on!”

I could barely breathe. I often forgot how much we ponies loved to invade each other’s personal space. After a moment, she let me go, and I was able to speak. “Ahem...yes, well. I’m on a job right now. But I will certainly stop by before I head home.’

“Ah! Of course!” she bowed her head, and took a few nervous steps backwards, “I apologize for interrupting! Please don’t let me get in the way!”

I smiled and waved. “You’re fine, Saffron. Thank you.”

Once that exchange concluded, my companions and I were on our way again. I had to admit, a distraction before an important job was annoying. But at least I knew Cozy continued to make things better for others in this world.

All I could do was hope that her efforts would be acknowledged.

Subject 153: Into Tartarus

At last, we were granted an audience with Twilight. Though it took a while since she had to speak to a lot of individuals from all over Equestria. Some griffons, batponies, even her friend Rainbow Dash stopped by. How adorable.

When it was our turn, we went inside the throne room without delay. We explained the situation to the purple alicorn, and she responded accordingly.

“...Ah. So you think that her entire threat is a bluff?” she asked, “And that Tartarus is the main key to all of this?”

“Er, somewhat. I got a tip from a friend that some individuals imprisoned there have met an untimely end. I want to see for myself.”

Twilight paused, then blinked in order to process what I said as she looked at me. “...Untimely end? You have reason to believe more prisoners have been murdered?”

I nodded. “Indeed. Although Tartarus is far more unpredictable. While absolutely anything could be the source of this issue, I have reason to believe a pattern has formed in order to bait me.”

“Wait a second!” her wings poofed outwards from a slight amount of panic, “You know there’s a chance of you being drawn into a nasty situation, yet you’re taking the risk anyway?”

Obviously. I wouldn’t be doing this for absolutely no reason or for the chance of potentially dying. I wasn’t foolish. There were higher powers in play here that needed to be dealt with according to the law.

And if all went well, one of those laws could be facing a change very soon.

I pointed a hoof at Quick and Cork. “My companions are here to help me. They’re arguably smarter than I am when it comes to certain things when it comes to operating in the field, so you have nothing to fear.”

From behind me, I heard Quick whisper, “‘Arguably’?”

Corkscrew snickered at her expense.

I nudged him with one of my hind legs to silence his laughter, and flashed Twilight with a giant smile to ward off any doubts she may have had.

She raised a brow, then sighed. I had no idea if it was due to the fact that she was annoyed at her duties and tired, or had little faith in us. Probably both. “Alright. I’ll grant you access to Tartarus. Under one condition?”

I put away the fake grin for a more natural, inquisitive stare. “And what will that be?”

“You are not allowed to disclose the methods to get there, or the location itself. Understood?”

“Absolutely. No issue from me on the subject,” I replied with the support of my crewmates.

Twilight nodded, and prepared to cast a powerful magic spell. After a moment or two, her horn lit up with a brilliant purple flash which consumed us all.

ZAP!

It was so bright that we had to shut our eyes. Borderline dangerous even. Once the effect wore off, we opened our eyes to find a dull stone floor beneath our hooves and a massive wooden gate before us.

The opening to the underworld was here.

“Here we are,” Twilight pointed a hoof up at the gates, “When you’re ready to return, just come back to this spot and I’ll be ready to bring you back--”

Corkscrew interrupted her with a squeal as he flew into the air. “Hot damn! This place is cooler than I thought it’d be!”

“...out,” the princess finished her sentence with an annoyed huff. “Any questions?”

“Don’t mind him,” Quick Draw commented and stepped forward, “He hasn’t been here before, so he’s taking in the scenery.”

I suppose I never mentioned it. But I had actually been in this place before. Once. A long time ago. For an assignment, to be precise. Quick Draw was also with me on that assignment but Corkscrew’s rank simply wasn’t high enough to join us at the time. In all fairness, it wasn’t anything major. It was a simple mission to watch over a specific creature, but I couldn’t exactly remember what it was called. All I knew was that this was a bit familiar.

“It’s no trouble at all,” Twilight shook her head, “But do your best and try and come back within two hours. If nothing turns up, then it’s absolutely important that you return since we don’t want any of you to become corrupted from the dark magic that’s sealed away down here.”

I put a hoof on my chest, and bowed my head once. “Not a problem. As the leader of this little group, I’ll make sure that we all come back in one piece.”

“Good. I leave the rest in your hooves, Pale. We’re all putting a lot of faith in you,” she returned with a smile before she used her magic to teleport away.

“Alright, then. Quick Draw,” I turned to her, “Set a timer for two hours. That’s our maximum.”

She set the device on her watch for one-hundred and twenty minutes. “On it, Pale.”

“Cork!” I called out to the young pegasus, “Stay by us no matter what. Don’t you dare fly off on your own. Got it?”

After his fit of excitement, he landed back down next to me. “Understood, boss. But before we get in there, any idea what we’re looking for exactly?”

That was a question I simply couldn’t answer. The warning I gained from Babs wasn’t simply something I could ignore. After all, I knew her since we were both little, and she was absolutely not the type of pony to lie or fabricate information. If she had a contact that knew about shady business in Tartarus, then there was shady business in Tartarus. Pure and simple.

“I’ll know when I find it,” was all I said before I stepped forward, and pushed those gates open. The sheer power and mass of dark magic already began to weigh down upon me as soon as I stepped hoof in there. But now wasn’t the time for weakness. The creatures of the underworld thrived upon such fear. “Now let’s go.”

“Right,” said Cork.

“I’m with you,” said Quick.

Our descent into madness begins.

Subject 154: Depths Of Despair

As soon as we stepped into those decrepit caves, we felt the anguish of the doomed souls that were stationed here wash over us like a wave of sorrow and hatred. Tartarus was just as bleak and empty compared to the last time that I was here. Rocky plains that consumed the underworld with jagged edges that appeared sharp enough to impale a ghost, howling souls in the distance that wailed for destruction and unbridled fury, and cages upon cages of demonic beasts and other deadly creatures as he trotted down a path. Needless to say, this was absolutely not your average underworld.

“Yikes,” Cork said under his breath, “This place gives me the creeps the further we go.”

“Yeah, this place’ll do that to you,” Quick explained and recounted her time here previously, “Not much we can do except press on. Just don’t let your fear overtake you. Some of the strongest beasts thrive off of fear down here.”

She was correct. Cerberus in particular didn’t allow just anypony to waltz up into the underworld lest they were capable of accomplishing it. It was a scare tactic to ward off accidental entry by those who couldn’t defend themselves. As for us? We were more than ready to handle whatever this place had to throw at us.

“Indeed,” I added, “Just make sure we don’t get separated.”

As we continued walking, I noticed Corkscrew's level of concern rise over the course of our voyage. His face turned a shade duller than usual, and his wings started to molt a few feathers unconsciously. I had to stop and check on him.

“Hey, is everything alright, son?” I asked as we all stopped atop a wide, rock bridge that carried us over a chasm.

“Brrr…” He let out a shuddering sigh, and flapped his wings a few times. “Yeah, yeah I just...there’s something I don’t quite understand.”

“And what’s that?” I asked.

Cork pointed to the depths of the underworld below us that contained a small amount of shackled prisoners for high-tier offenses. Yeesh. I even recognized some of them. Luckily they weren’t able to hear us thanks to the magic barrier beneath the bridge. “Down there--those are some of the individuals that have been put away for serious offenses. Don’t get me wrong--they probably deserved it, but…” he looked up at me, “How could an actual child like Cozy survive here? It must have been hell.”

Literally. But yes. I often wondered just how her mental state held up when it came to the fact that she had been imprisoned down here among deadly creatures and even deadlier beings like Chrysalis and Tirek. In doing so, I aimed to get a better understanding of the mental processes of Cozy Glow so that I could further help her help herself. To be quite frank, it was another reason I came down here. But it was a rather personal one.

For now, I simply offered the best answer that I could manage. “...I don’t know how she dealt with it, Corkscrew. And I won’t pretend to know, either. The best we can do is figure out just who or what is causing trouble down here. So stay focused, yeah?”

“Of course, boss.” “There’s more to it. I know there is. He’s hiding something away in his mind, but I won’t pry too heavily into it for now.”

Quick Draw had taken point, and led us to the other side of the bridge where we could see wayward souls flying around. “Hrm. The screams of the damned…”

I walked up next to her. “You can hear them?”

“Not exactly,” she shook her head, “It’s more like...I can feel their eternal suffering--as well as the suffering they’ve caused for others. The sensation seems to be getting stronger the deeper we go.”

There it was. If we followed that ever-growing sense of hatred, we could find the source of what aimed to start an uprising in the underworld.

“Okay then, Quick. Lead the way.”

All was quiet...mostly. Aside from the occasional strange noise off in the distance, the trek through the underworld was filled with enough white noise to send chills up your spine. The cold, rocky floor beneath our hooves clopped with each step we took which reminded us of just how empty and isolated this place was.

There was nothing we could audibly make out, no. All we could do was rely on Quick Draw’s sense of direction towards this...feeling she had described. But it concerned me. The more we traveled, the more staggered her gait became, and the more difficult it was for her to keep her eyes open.

“...Quick,” I spoke up to address her condition, “Is everything alright?”

It took her a moment to respond. She rubbed a hoof upon her forehead, and groaned. “Blegh...ah, my whole body aches.”

“Uh, maybe you need to ‘sever’ the connection between yourself and the sorrow,” Corkscrew pointed out, “Pale and I can take it from here.”

Quick Draw had a rather untimely grin on her face. It was almost disturbing even. “...Nah. You think I’m just gonna let you guys handle everything? Besides...we’re almost there.”

We traveled a bit further until we reached a pillar of stone stairs that led up to a monolith in the middle of darkness. This had to be where the ‘singularity’ of emotions stemmed from. At this point, Quick no longer needed to track the thing since we had already arrived.

“Yeesh…” she took a few deep breaths, and leaned her head downwards, “I’m okay. I’m alright. Just...wow. That was a lot of strain.”

I’d say so. The mare had broken a sweat from using her earth pony magic to track it down. Because of this, I suggested that we took a moment to relax to avoid excess pressure.

“Let’s take a few moments,” I suggested, “It’ll allow us to come up with a plan.”

Quick didn’t object, but Cork surprised me when he interjected. “Boss...are you sure about this? I mean, is it even possible to have a plan against something like this? Do you even know what we’ll be up against?”

“...Yes, and no,” I admitted. I appreciated his keen sense to call me out on my choices. “See, of course I have no clue what we’re up against. However, I know that everything has a weakness. And once we understand what that is, things will be much easier. Then we can put a stop to whatever is causing trouble down here. Are you with me?”

Quick cleared her throat. It seemed as if she recovered from her brief respite. “Normally, I’d call you crazy. But if there’s the possibility of something trying to escape to the surface with unknown power connected to Mane-iac, then we at least need some info.” She looked up at the rocky tower, “We don’t need to beat it on the first try. We just need to figure out this thing’s motive and drive. If it’s too strong, we’ll bail out of this situation as fast as possible. Sound good?”

Corkscrew took a deep breath, and hovered off the ground. “...If it’s with you guys, then I’ve got nothing to fear. I wouldn’t dare back down now that we’ve come this far. But we won’t waste our lives here either.”

“Alright then.” I turned around and looked up at the large, mountainous tower that loomed over the underworld. “We press on.”

Surprisingly (and a bit disappointingly), the walk to the top did not present much of a challenge...on its own. It wasn’t until we reached the top and found ourselves faced with nothing at the tower’s platform that we felt anything.

And let me just say...we felt something, alright.

How could I describe it? My coat started to consume me, and it felt as if all sense of my being had been swallowed by the inner sanctuary of what housed all of my tools and notes. My own, reliable piece of fashion had started to turn on me.

Or at least, that’s what I thought.

“Huhh? Whaaa?”

I waded around in horror through the darkness. I tried to call out for the names of my companions, but I got no answer. Everything felt like it was a swirling tempest of torment that tried to end my existence. Until...I found a light.

So I went to it.

Blinded by it, I exited the light to find that I felt...shorter, smaller. As if I had been shrunken.

“...What just happened?” I froze. My voice was at a higher pitch than before. I looked at my hooves--they were the size of a colt’s. “Wh--wh--wh--wh...WHAT?!” I could barely speak with how much horror had traveled through my body. “QU-QUICK! C-CORK! HELP!!”

This was not a time for child’s play.

Subject 155: Foal's Play

I was now a foal. But not only that…

“What the hell just happened? Pale, why are you screaming like a kid?” I heard Quick’s familiar voice, albeit at a much higher pitch. “...And why do I sound like one??” The mare was now a filly.

And just as well, Corkscrew had become a colt like myself. “You guys alright? And why do I have a sudden craving for cookies and milk?” That’s when he looked down at himself, and exploded with panic. “AH! What’s happened to me?! My super cool looks! Gone! Reduced to a fraction of what they used to be!”

Quick Draw was, fittingly enough, the quickest to calm down and diffuse the shared terror between us all. “Guys, guys! Calm down. Clearly, this was the thing that we were after. Somepony’s started a curse that’s turned us into kids.”

“W-what?” Cork clung to me, and shivered in place. “Why would they do that?! Who would think of...uh...subje...forc...making us feel this?!” he muttered as he tried to find the right words to say.

I gently pushed him off of me, and took a deep breath. We needed to approach this as calmly as possible, so I took a few keen observations regarding the transformation we endured.

Firstly, we still had our cutie marks which was good. Quick had her hoofcuffs, Corkscrew had his green spiral, and I still had my puzzle piece outline. Our flanks were safe. Which means we weren’t reverted to the period of time in which we lacked our special skills. Okay, that wasn’t so bad.

Unfortunately, it seemed as if our overall intellect had been forced back down to the same level of foals. Sure, as I recounted the events I was able to think clearly. But in those very moments, it was extremely difficult for me to come up with anything too complicated or strategic.

Overall? We were in a situation that we needed to deal with by force.

“Okay, guys,” I said, “If this is what we’re dealing with, then we need to figure out the source. Once we do that, we can stop it.”

That’s when Quick brought up a rather frightening detail. “Wait a sec. Cork, didn’t you just say something about how scary it must’ve been for Cozy to stay in this place as a foal?”

“I did I…” His small wings flapped rapidly as fear ran up his spine. “Oh no...does this mean that somepony wants us to experience the same thing?!”

“It seems likely,” Quick replied, and glanced at me, “Pale. What do you think about this?”

I had been silent the entire time. Honestly? I had no clue what to think. “Erm...I think we should...uh…” The sense of dread that came from being within the underworld started to seep into my childlike mind. I couldn’t escape it. It started to weigh down upon me with the force of one-thousand houses. I started to hallucinate. Monsters and other forms of hatred began to fly into my peripheral vision.

Quick Draw’s vocal concern for me was drowned out by all of it. “...you okay? Pale?”

“...” I was unable to think or do anything. The horrific fog started to swarm around me, and I was faced with disgusting visions of all of the things I did wrong.

Every face, every voice, every drop of blood that the Blood Viper spilled. It all came back to me. I was being force-fed all of my sins and had had no control over my emotions. I wanted nothing more than to sink further and further into this pit of despair. But in order to escape from it...I would have to dole out just as much trauma to the ones who ridiculed me in order to find fulfillment. Yes. That was the only way.

SMACK!

I was hit square across the face with a wing.

“Dude, come back to me, man!” Corkscrew’s voice called out to me, barely able to cut through the darkness. “We need you! We can’t do this alone!”

“...Alone…?” I repeated under my breath.

“C-C’mon, Quick! Say something! Anything!”

Then I heard Quick Draw cry out in a rare sense of disturbed urgency and panic. “Er...um...Pale, we need you to be strong! You can’t let yourself succumb to the hate! We may be neck-deep in Tartarus, but we still need--oh no!”

“What’s going on?” Cork asked, “What’s happened?!”

“I...ah...I see...dead bodies...everywhere...they’re all haunting me! I can’t...get away!” she screamed in a struggle against her own mind.

Cork started to freak out along with us. “No...no, Quick, please! You can’t fall to that now! We have to fight it off!”

It wasn’t enough. The filly screamed into the abyss. “I...I...I wanna go home!!”

“Guys, c’mon!” Cork shouted. “None of this is real! We can handle anything!”

I couldn’t see the perspective of either of my companions. If I had to wager a guess, I could only venture that Quick Draw had started to fall victim to the dark magic of the underworld. Her child-like mind was unable to resist the perils of despair despite the fact that her older self had a far more hardened mind.

Cork, however...was different.

“No...no, I...I refuse! None of this is real!” I heard him shout as the black grossness slowly shut my senses off. “I know it! I’m not afraid of any of this! I’ve dealt with loads of bullies and their cheap tricks! It won’t work! You hear me! It won’t!”

Once again, I couldn’t view things from his lens. But I think I knew exactly why he wasn’t afraid of the demons in this situation.

From Corkscrew’s perspective…

All my life I have fallen behind Pale and Quick because I was too weak to defend myself. I was unable to think about how to go about dealing with bullies at the academy without her, and couldn’t solve a single test on my own without him studying with me. Even now, I’ve always followed behind Pale’s hoofsteps as his backup. But never have I had the chance to take action for myself.

But that ends today. This time, I’ll protect them myself.

My vision returned, and I watched as Corkscrew flung off all of the hallucinogenic monsters that plagued not only himself, but the others that plagued us as well.

ZIP! BAM!

He flew around the open rocky platform to gather up each foggy beast and forcefully push it off the tower into the pit of endless black down below us. “RRAGH! Come on! I don’t fear any of you! And my friends don’t either!”

His courage refueled us both. The weight had been lifted off of my shoulders, and I was able to move again. Quick was able to do so as well. We glanced at each other, and started to fight off the rest of the demons that tried to infect our minds with negativity until they were all tossed off the monolith.

After which, we showered him with praise.

“Cork! You did it!” I said with a playful nudge to his side, “You inspired us to keep going!”

“Yeah I have to admit, it was pretty cool,” Quick added. “But we’re still foals. Let’s not drop our guard.”

He nodded. “Thanks Pale. And you’re right, Quick. That could very well have been the first part of something much more dangerous.”

That’s when we heard a voice boom from above us with a demonic reverb.

“Precisely...you are much more formidable than you appear...even as children…”

Bingo. We found our source.

Subject 156: Fear

Just as I had suspected. I knew from the beginning that some mere illusory distractions wouldn’t be enough to stop us. And our enemy knew that as well. Which is more than likely why they decided to show their face now of all times. But just who were they? And did they have any relation to Grogar? We were about to find out.

The voice had no body. No size. No shape. No sort of definite mass that we could fathom. But we could hear and feel its presence.

“So you managed to get past the first challenge? I’m impressed. Despite being reduced to having the mental capabilities of a small child, you’re still stronger than I gave you all credit for.”

It was difficult to describe just how...disturbed this made us. Our manes and tails stood up on end, and all we could do was back into each other in a triangular formation. This way, we could cover each other’s flanks while stowing our fear so that this...whatever it was couldn’t get any stronger. Beings of Tartarus did feed off of fear, after all.

“Who...who are you?!” I shouted with as much effort as I could manage through the voice of a fourteen-year-old. “Quit being a scaredy-cat and show yourself!”

“What’s the point behind all of this?!” Cork added, “We know you’re plotting something!”

At last, Quick spoke up. “...Mane-iac’s plan to attack Hollow Shades isn’t even real! I bet you just wanna cause trouble by taking control of Tartarus...or something!”

The voice of the being loomed over us once more.

“Not bad. Those are good attempts at guessing what I’m after. And you were smart enough to venture into a place that contains unspeakable horrors and unknown evils too. I have to admit that this will make things all that much more...challenging.”

Despite the cryptic message of the voice, Corkscrew continued to fire off questions to retaliate. “Hey! Give us an answer! Are you the real Grogar or some petty dollar-store knock-off like the one before us? Huh?!”

There was a moment of silence before we would get a response.

“Since you are all so adorable, I’ll grant you a fighting chance. Grogar is...but a label placed upon a being that seeks to balance the world. He is not simply one thing, but a construct of many things that no pony, griffon, dragon, changeling, or draconequus has ever come close to figuring out. That is why he is so feared. That is why everyone can’t stand the unknown. For he is the unknown.”

Just as expected in a cruel and unsatisfying way. Ultimately, Grogar was something that we couldn’t ‘fight’ per se. It was something that we needed to purge from existence if we wanted life to be fair for all and keep everyone safe. Of course, it was impossible to get rid of the concept of fear. I knew that much. However, if someone dares to claim themselves to be the father of a that which cannot be stopped--it was our job to prove them wrong.

However, I had to wonder. Was this really Grogar or was it a mere representation of his will?

“...Okay, Mr. ‘Unknown,” I snapped back to mock the voice with a stomp of my hoof, “Then if you’re just so confident in yourself, then why don’t you just kill us all right now? Seems like you’re wasting a bunch of time talking down to us while we figure out ways to defeat you.”

“An astute observation. Though, you make error in the assumption that I would want to end your lives. I would do no such thing. Rather, what I will say is that strength cannot come from magic alone. In order for a being to become strong enough to incite wrath among the masses, it needs all of the chaos and confusion it can acquire. Say from...the manipulation of others, perhaps?”

Quick Draw rolled her eyes. “Uch. For real? That sounds just like Discord. Can you seriously not come up with anything more original?”

“You fool. You misunderstand. Discord causes chaos for the simple joy of chaos. I take no pride in action without cause.”

“And that cause of yours iiiiis?” Corkscrew asked as he flew around, albeit with a bit more difficulty due to his body being much smaller. Was he trying to locate the source of the voice?

“There is a balance of power within the universe. The alicorns seek to provide peace and harmony. Discord seeks to propagate disorder and chaos. What do I seek? Historic moments that can be documented for all to remember. Everything from Discord’s uprising, Luna’s betrayal against her sister, Sombra’s destruction of the Empire, Chrysalis and the changeling’s inception, Tirek’s rampages, and of course, Cozy Glow herself. All of it has made for some rather...entertaining history to document. The way everything unfolds for the future generations to decipher is most fascinating to say the least. And I am currently wishing to see all of what you and your friends are capable of.”

That just made things more confusing. If this being wasn’t ‘good’ nor ‘evil’, then just who were they? And why did they desire to document such important historical events? My little foal head spun with crazed, scattered perceptions and outcomes. So ultimately, I had to put it out of my mind so that I wouldn’t overwork myself.

Quick Draw was first to respond. “Okay...but why in the heck did you turn us into foals? What sorta purpose does that even serve?!”

“Don’t you all wish to understand the pain that Cozy Glow went through? The fact that a child had to endure unthinkable horrors down here in the underworld? You all experienced but a minor, minor fraction of what she did in the span of a few minutes. Meanwhile, she spent quite a long time down here. Even though she is currently freed from her imprisonment, do you think you could even begin to comprehend the state that her mind is in right now? How does that make you feel? To know that a corrupt system has doomed others who make similar mistakes to the same fate. Do children deserve to be imprisoned within the depths of the underworld and forgotten?”

My friends and I fell silent. I had no immediate comeback or retort. The state of being a child rendered my analytical mindset null. All I could do was helplessly imagine more children brought down here and tortured endlessly by the demons that roamed freely.

“Well?”

In the end, I threw the question out of the window.

“Your words don’t mean nothing!”

Subject 158: Pyrrhic Victory

“Boss...what are you doing?” Corkscrew mumbled to me in a voice that was barely audible, “This wasn’t in the plan!”

I shot him a breathless smile. Even though it felt like my eyes would drift upwards and into my head, I had to remain calm. The crystal that was used to empower my weapon was charged via motion. It fused with my constantly beating heart which allowed me to gain the extra strength needed to defeat this crazed, empowered version of Mane-iac that we previously had no chance against.

I shut my eyes as weightlessness overtook me…

The last thing I heard was Quick Draw’s vocal concern for me. “...Pale?”

As much as I loved that thing and how much it meant to me, I knew that Miranda Rights would have chastised me from beyond her grave if I knew I had the ability to overcome a problem yet refused to do so. Sacrificing the last thing she offered me before her departure pained me to my soul. But I knew it would be worth it in the end.

With a violent surge of magic, I felt life return to all the areas of my body. The shard disappeared into my body, though the wound would need to be addressed at a later time.

“What is the point of this?” I heard Mane-iac question as I regained consciousness, “Do you think you’ll actually be able to compete with--”

ZIP!

In a flash, I felt my body act on its own. I raced forward, and grabbed one of her hair-like appendages. With precision unlike anything I had accomplished before, I tied her hair into a knot.

“What--? Grrr...so you’ve realized my weakness haven’t you?” she asked in a rather calm tone for someone that had her abilities disabled. “I guess you’ve beaten me…”

I knew this wasn’t the case.

“LOOK OUT!” I yelled, and ran to my crewmates. As soon as I got over there, I tackled them both out of the way of two hair tendrils that had burrowed through the rocky ground beneath us.

“Woah! That was a close one boss,” Corkscrew commented as he recovered from the fall, “But just how did…”

Quick got up, and groaned. “Blech...I know how. Earth pony magic.”

“Haha! That’s right!” Mane-iac called out to us with her hair now untied, “As an earth pony myself, I could already predict what your friend was going to do. So I sent my hair beneath the ground to buy myself some time. Though I suppose he predicted my prediction, given that he saved you both…” she glared at us. She must have come to the realization that this battle would not be an easy victory like last time.

And it wouldn’t be. Jamming the crystal into my heart--and my veins by proxy--enhanced all of my natural earth pony abilities from my flexibility to my sensory capabilities. It wasn’t going to guarantee us an easy win either since she too, could make similar predictions.

So we just had to be smarter.

“Alright, here’s the deal,” I commanded as my crew and I grouped up in a circle with our hooves around each other’s necks--like a buckball team’s huddle. “I can’t maintain this state of enhanced power forever. And there’s a fifty-fifty chance that I’ll either collapse or enter a state of cardiac arrest.”

Initially, I could feel Corkscrew’s panic from the way he flapped his wings. “Wh-what? How….okay...no, we gotta focus.” But he was able to stow his fear in order to remain vigilant. I respected that. “What’s the plan boss?”

“Yeah, here’s the thing...I don’t actually have one,” I admitted, and shot a glance to Quick Draw. “Think you can help me out there, sis?”

The yellow mare playfully rolled her eyes. “Ah, so it’s up to me, huh? But sure. I think I know what to do. Follow my lead…”

Mane-iac shouted to catch our attention. “If this takes too long, I might be forced to escape. Unless you’re willing to let me go, that is…”

We broke our huddle. The plan was set.

First off, we knew full well that she could sense our movements with her hair through the ground. That’s why she was able to counter my advance so reliably not only in my last attack, but our previous encounter altogether. One has to ask themselves: Just how can you fight off an enemy who can predict most, if not all of your strategies? There were two answers:

Simply do nothing, and force a stalemate.

Predict their predictions until a paradox occurs--or until their brain is overloaded from processing too much information at once.

Neither were particularly ideal, but we had to do whatever we could to put an end to the actions of this comic book hairlot.

So we attacked together. With every movement, she could foresee us. But we could foresee her. Every lunge of her hairy appendages resulted in a dodge from one of us. Every attempt to attack her was evaded, and nullified. Overall, it really did seem rather pointless, right? Wrong.

The more we pressed the attack, the less confident she became. While she didn’t exactly lose staying power for this battle, I could see the frustration grow in her eyes with every time we avoided her attacks. In tandem with the fact that we came closer and closer to shortening the gap between her mistakes so that we could strike her, needless to say, she was about to snap.

“How….how?! HOW?! How are you dodging everything I throw at you?!” she roared with a heavy sense of hatred in her voice.

Essentially, we were now at an impasse. I stood on one side of Mane-iac and faced her to the front. Meanwhile while Corkscrew had another side--my right, and Quick Draw had the other--my left. It was a triangular formation that we tended to set up for group maneuvers. Something that she couldn’t possibly be able to predict. I just had to buy some time, though I only had so much. I could feel the weight of the magic crystal that had infused with my heart as it bore down on me. It took everything I had to avoid vomiting violently on the spot. Just a little longer...

So I humored Mane-iac with a reply. “You’re not the only one who has mastered the art of earth pony magic,” I shot back with a low tone to hide the feeling of sickness I had. “Everything you can do, we can do better.”

“I...no….there is no way!” she snapped back. Her hair tentacles were primed to attack yet again.

I allowed her no reprieve. I charged forward with enough force to crack the rocky tower floor with each thunderous stomp of my hooves. At the last possible moment, I pulled a complete fake out and slid beneath her body--something she tried to counter when she forced her hair behind her--and in between her legs.

That was our moment. Or rather, Corkscrew’s moment. With a blur of orange, he flew at her, hooves outstretched. With a swift tackle, he put his hooves around her neck, flew straight up into the air, and crashed back down into the ground to essentially incapacitate her. Then, he flew backwards to allow Quick Draw to accomplish her piece of the task.

She did try to resist--her hair wiggled as it threatened to rise again. However, she was far too damaged from Cork’s attack to fully rise off of the floor. “GAH! You…”

This enabled Quick to finish the job.

“HYAH!” With a devilishly forceful buck, she kicked a massive boulder into the air. She then leapt after it, and spiked it with her hoof like a volleyball downwards, “HA!” The result was a quake after the giant rock landed on the sea of tangly hair.

“AAAYE!” the hairy mare let out a shrill cry of pain. She was now rendered completely helpless.

I trotted up to her, and glared down. “...You’re finished. You don’t belong in this world, foul beast. Now, we’re going to take back the power that you don’t deserve, and send you back where you belong. Do you have anything to say for yourself?”

“Dammit...I...so he betrayed me…” she mumbled under her breath.

But when I reached out to her to siphon off that magic, I heard a voice in my head.

“Kill her...kill her now before it’s too late! She has to die! There’s no other way!”

I didn’t understand. Was it from the corrupted magic? Whatever it was, it caused me to stop dead in my tracks, much to the concern of my crewmates.

“Pale, you alright?” Quick asked.

“Boss?” Cork tapped my shoulder.

Meanwhile...

“It’s as that stallion himself said a while back. If you want to test somepony’s character, give them power…”

Subject 159: Situational Report

I placed a hoof on Mane-iac’s chest. I could feel it. All of her suffering bottled up from holding so much magical excess that she was not meant to wield. She was a fictional character whose existence held weight against idolized versions of heroes. There was no place for her in the real world where no such beings existed.

But there was something else.

What was this feeling? I could almost sense that someone...malicious was headed this way. But with the extra mental taxing that was placed upon me by merging with that crystal, I couldn’t reasonably react in time.

I let out the quietest of gasps. “...Ah!”

Quick Draw could feel it as well. I could feel her stance shift towards the steps that led up to the tower. “NO!”

BANG!

I heard a loud snap that echoed around the room. And in the next moment, I saw Quick collapse to the floor of the tower in front of me.

Corkscrew was the first to react. “What the--?!” He ran over to check her body, but there didn’t seem to be any sign of an entry or exit wound. “What the hell?! She was hit before we heard the attack!

I stopped, and looked down at Quick’s body. Then I looked ahead and found a note on the ground, so I picked it up. It read: “How far will you go to save a life? Can you end another? If so, accept my declaration of war.”

I balled up the note, tossed it down on the ground, and stomped on it.

From behind me, I heard Cork give an analysis. “Okay, boss. She’s breathing. But we need to finish up here before we head back. Don’t lose your head, alright?”

He was absolutely right. I couldn’t lose my head. Not now. But to say that I wasn’t fazed by this was a complete lie. For someone to attack us here, now of all times. It wasn’t by coincidence. And the note? Classic method of misdirection.

“I’m with you,” I replied swiftly, “Our time limit for Tartarus is almost up, my whole body aches, and we need to extract the rest of the magic out of Mane-iac so we can put her back where she belongs. After that, we need to make sure Quick Draw gets proper medical treatment for...whatever the heck she just endured. Are you with me?”

Corkscrew had already put the mare on his back, ready to carry her out of this hellish pit. “I’m already on it, boss.”

And so, we traveled back to the surface. We returned to Canterlot castle to report the situation to Twilight. She used her magic to both assess the damage that Quick Draw had sustained, as well as both retrieve the excess magic from Mane-iac’s body, and use another spell to return her to her comic with no knowledge of what happened.

Oh, and I was alright too. My body was still in a lot of pain after destroying my weapon and fusing with its power source, but I would get better so long as I didn’t exert myself too much for a while. The wound had closed up as well.

After that was all taken care of, she came to Corkscrew and I to discuss what happened in her throne room.

“Your friend is currently resting in one of the Castle’s internal hospital beds. You were lucky that you brought her here when you did.”

Corkscrew stepped forward with a nervous flap of his wings. “I-Is she gonna be alright? She’s not dead is she?!”

Twilight shook her head. “Not quite. She’s...alive. But she’s sustained quite the curse.”

I tilted my head. Could a mere curse cause someone to collapse in such a way? I had to know more. “A curse?” I asked, “Just what are we dealing with here, exactly?”

Twilight used her horn, and a book appeared in front of her in a flash of purple light. “Let’s see…” The pages flipped until she found the exact one she was looking for. “Ah, got it. A Zebra curse known as Ewedoo (yoo-doo). It’s a delayed poisonous attack that consumes the pony afflicted with it from the inside out. There is a timeframe that can be taken advantage of to save someone who suffers from it, but they’ll have to act fast.” She shut the book. “Luckily, I’ve studied up on various Zebra potions and hexes when I trained under her in my youth--” “Wow saying that out loud makes me feel old.” “so I have her in a stasis of sorts that delays the effects of the poison. She’ll be fine for about two weeks or so.”

Two weeks?! That wasn’t nearly enough time given the act of war declared by the individual that cursed Quick had given off via the note--which I also brought in for evidence. “There’s more. The individual behind this act left a written document that indicates that they wish to incite violence.”

“I know,” she replied with a sigh, “That’s going to take a lot of preparation on our behalf. I’ll fill you in on the details when we have them. If Grogar really has returned, then we’re going to need all of the strength that we can get.”

Cork jumped back in with another good point. “Wait a minute. What about the magic that Mane-iac was infused with? What didja do with it?”

With another flash of her horn, Twilight showed us a screen that contained several deadly artifacts which included the Alicorn Amulet, the Want It-Need It spell, and various others. “I have it stored in a remote location in the castle that I can’t exactly disclose.” At last, she panned over to a jar that contained a gray and black mass of energy. “Here it is.”

I stared at it for a moment, and thought hard about Quick’s condition. My mind was made up. I knew what I had to do. Even if it would cost me my life, I had to at least take the risk for her sake.

“Twilight. Let me use that power against Grogar.”

The princess teleported directly in front of me, her eyes nearly bulged out of her head with panicky, small pupils. “You want to do WHAT?!”

Subject 160: Making My Case

“You heard me,” I repeated with no hesitation, “I want to make use of that magic so that we can take care of Grogar. It’s obvious that the extra magic was pumped into Mane-iac so that she’d be unstoppable. But the exact type of magic is the main concern.”

Twilight shut the magical screen off, and glanced away from me--off towards the stained glass image of herself in the throne room. “...You could tell what it was, huh?”

“Absolutely,” I went on, “I know you could probably make use of it, but please. I can do this. This is something I have--no. Something I want to do for the sake of my friends and myself.”

“I want to trust you,” Twilight replied as she looked up at me, “I really do. But how do I know you’ll use that power responsibly? How do I know it won’t bring you back down into your old habits?”

A very fair point that I couldn’t reasonably counter. All I had to go off of was my word and my word alone. “You don’t. And I respect your concern. But you know how hard I’ve worked for this position, for Cozy, and for all of my friends. I wouldn’t waste this chance. No matter how hard it gets.”

I could feel Twilight mentally debate with herself if it was a good idea. Of course, there was no way for me to get inside of her head and comprehend what decision she was about to make. But the aggravated rubs she applied to her forehead indicated a lot of thoughts that conflicted within her mind.

Before she could give a proper response, Corkscrew came in once more. “Twilight. I’ll have his back no matter what. Pale would never step out of line with me at his side. If a war is about to happen, we need all of the strength that we can get--even if it is risky. You can’t do this on your own. You know you can’t.”

“Whether or not you allow me to make use of it changes nothing,” I commented with a cold sense of contempt, “I will be taking the fight to him regardless. We’ve all made mistakes--including you. And you haven’t let it stop you before, have you? Even after you became an alicorn, you never abandoned your ideals.”

“...You make a fair point,” she replied with a more understanding tone, “Even I had bad days and messed up a spell or two--caused some mayhem. And...you said you were turned into foals and were able to experience the horrors of Tartarus with your mental stability reverted as well?”

I nodded. “Yes. While it scared us for a while, we were able to recover from it. That being said, I don’t think Cozy Glow was able to do so when you consider just how disturbed her mental state was when she allied with Tirek and Chrysalis. Sending a child to Tartarus should never be a first resort. But even after making that decision, and admitting it wasn’t the best choice when I made my case--did that stop you from your role as princess?”

“No,” she replied, “It didn’t.”

“Exactly. Yet despite your missteps, all throughout your life you were not only granted the privilege of training with Celestia, but she made you an alicorn princess, and then, you became princess of the entire land!” I pointed up to that stained glass image of her. “So forgive me for being rather pessimistic about this. But we’ve all been there. I just want you to allow me to break this cycle.”

The princess looked at me as if I had spoken some of some strange artifact that she had never heard of. “...Cycle? What do you mean by that?”

“The cycle of the common pony not being able to stand up for themselves. The cycle of everyone relying on almighty beings to get anything done. We all have the capacity to make use of magic to suit any situation whether we bear an Element of Harmony, have wings, horns, or neither.” I put a hoof on my chest, which caused the spot where I had jammed the crystal to ache. “Grh...this is the opportunity to prove that the world doesn’t need to be reliant on outdated ways of keeping it safe. Everyone should desire to be able to stand up for themselves. And now is the chance to set that example. Don’t you understand?”

She sighed, and went on. “I...do. In a way, I can relate. I was just a regular old pony at one point. And so were all of my friends. We were honestly very lucky to have such power bestowed upon us. So I do comprehend what you’re getting at. However, are you aware that this also runs the risk of inciting others to do as they please and could potentially create more adversaries for us to overcome? What if somepony else out there wanted to take over the world, so they followed the example you set and gained power for themselves to misuse? How would you feel about that?”

That was inevitable. No matter the individual that comes up with an idea or concept, someone else will always take that very same thing that you created and change it to suit their own desires. Whether it be for better or for worse. A perfect example is the Elements of Harmony themselves. Originally used by the alicorn sisters to banish Discord, then used by Celestia to banish her own sister--a decision she would later come to regret, followed by the current bearers being Twilight and her friends. Despite that, they were all imperfect beings and occasionally defied their own elements. No one was absolute. I was aware of that.

Which is exactly why I chose to stand on my point. “I would feel disappointed knowing that someone would stoop so low. However, I also would be confident with the knowledge that everypony/griffon/dragon/other assorted creatures could rise up and fight back against such injustice. And that is exactly what I intend to do right now. So Twilight, will you grant me this chance?”

More hesitation from her. She leaned her head back with some deep thought clearly on her brain. “He’s a loose cannon...but I can’t deny that he’s done quite a few things right. Still, I’m not exactly sure if he’s prepared for this. Then again, Starswirl did say that if you want to test somepony’s character, give them power.”

An eerie silence filled the room. It looked like Twilight was finally about to say something when the doors to the throne room opened.

“HOL’ UP, YA’LL!” Babs called out. But she wasn’t alone. She was accompanied by Lightning Dust, Tempest Shadow, and Moondancer?! What?! What were they all doing here?!

The guards immediately apologized. “Sorry, princess. We couldn’t hold them back any longer.”

Twilight pretty much said what I had thought also. “Uh...what are you all doing here? And why did you interrupt an important discussion I was having with Pale Vestige?”

“Alrighty, look,” Babs decided to explain herself for the group, “I may have spilt the beans to Lightnin’ about what Pale was up to. And she kinda...insisted that--uh, what was it again?”

The bluegreen pegasus rolled her eyes. “We’re here to express the fact that we’re in support of Pale. Right, everyone?”

Tempest spoke up next. “If he wants to take the fight to Grogar, then I say we should. No more standing idle for the sake of standing idle. Everypony should be able to follow their own path. I made that choice when I decided to defect from the Storm King. So we should show that anyone can rise up for what they believe in.”

Everyone glanced at Moondancer. There was a brief, almost comedic pause as she adjusted her glasses. Almost as if she was confused as to why everyone focused on her. “...Oh,” she coughed, and made her case, “I’m just here to document, and study whatever happens. I’m not exactly confident in Pale’s idea, but I agree that we can’t just allow Gorgar to take over if he’s really returned.”

After all of that, all Twilight could respond with was a shout. “YOU WERE EAVESDROPPING?!”

Subject 161: Our Power

“Aw lighten up, wouldja?” Babs retorted with an annoyed roll of her eyes, “All of us wanted to know what was happenin’ down here and now we wanna fight too.”

Lightning Dust was taken aback by this statement. “Wait what? For real? I didn’t think we’d actually be thrown into a war.”

Babs opted to tease her. “What’s the matta? Got cold wings granny?”

“Wh--I’m only like, forty-something years old!” the pegasus snapped back, “Not even close to being somepony’s grandma.”

“Then you’ll help us, won’tcha?”

“Absolutely,” Dust said, “I’m not gonna waste this chance if it means that I can fight for a cause.”

Tempest spoke up in agreement. “That’s precisely why we’re here, Twilight. Whether or not you allow Pale to make use of that power, we’re all going to stand and fight for the sake of our home. What do you have to say about this?”

Moondancer didn’t say a word. She simply made casual observations as usual.

The princess sighed, and used a flash of her magic and conjured the jar of miniature gray magical torrent in front of herself. “After some careful observations, I have deduced that this magic was created to buff others so that they could have greater strength, greater speed, and greater endurance. It’s not a form of magic that is known to ponies. So I don’t feel comfortable with--”

But just then, she was interrupted once more by another voice. “Let him make use of it, Twilight. If we don’t make use of what we got, then we’ll be dead as disco before this even begins.”

We all looked around, and Twilight called out. “Uh, who said that?”

Vinyl ‘de-cloaked’ after having been invisible against the nearby wall of the throne room for what seemed like the entire time. “It’s me, Twiggles. And before you freak out, I slipped in here when the guards had the door open.”

At least Moondancer seemed interested for once. “Wow. You gotta teach me how to do that.”

“Vinyl?” Twilight looked at her with a judgemental set of eyes. “Might I ask why you’ve decided to show up? Unannounced.”

“Look, Sparkle--all I’m saying is that I intend to watch Pale’s back during this operation. If he steps out of line, then you can count on me to put him down if need be.”

...How ominous. I didn’t know whether I should’ve felt comforted for her desire to help, or concerned that she’d go all in on that. But to see someone so distinguished have my flank in a time like this, well it was something alright.

I could see the anguish on Twilight’s face. To say that she was conflicted was an understatement. But I could tell that deep, down within herself, she knew that I was more than ready to accept the risks that came along with it.

“...Let’s assume that I allow you to make use of this,” she gestured towards the sealed jar, “If you were to make use of it, could you look me in the eye and promise me that you would only do so for the benefit of those around you?”

There was no time for this. But as much as I disliked it, I suppose there was no other option for the moment. I had to follow her orders if I wanted to get somewhere. So I looked her in the eyes with a cold stare. “Absolutely, Twilight. Not for myself, but for the safety of everyone. Especially Cozy. I have reason to believe that he is after her in particular.”

Twilight raised a brow. “Really? What makes you come to that conclusion?”

“As I explained already, while we were in Tartarus, we were temporarily transformed into foals to experience a sliver of what Cozy did while she was down there. And it was…” I looked down at the floor, “Not pretty to say the least. By process of elimination, I’ve deduced that something about her in particular is what they want. But I’ll never give her up so long as I draw breath.” I looked up at her once more. “With that in mind, I cannot, in good faith, allow Grogar to make his advance. And in order to do so, I need to make use of that magic so that I can not only keep her safe, but prove to the world that we’re all capable of doing anything because we all have our own magic that we can channel for the sake of others around us. No matter if we’re an earth pony, unicorn, pegasus, griffon, dragon, you name it. This is something I am choosing to do whether you allow me to make use of it or not.”

Twilight fell silent for a moment, but finally relented. “Alright, Pale.” I don’t know if it was because of the fact that I convinced her, or if it was due to the fact that she felt bombarded with everyone around her. “You have my permission to make use of this magic to fend off Grogar. On one condition.”

“And that is?”

“Once he’s defeated, I will be stripping this away from you until I decide if you deserve to make use of it permanently or not.” She levitated the jar towards me. “Do we have an understanding?”

I clasped the container with my left hoof. “Of course, Twilight. And I appreciate being given this opportunity.” The thing is, Twilight probably already knew what specific type of magic that was. It was a type of magic developed specifically by earth ponies to enhance the mind, body, and soul. It wasn’t easily tamed nor acquired--which is why Mane-iac received such a significant enhancement from it.

And it’s also why Twilight more than likely allowed me to make use of it.

But me? I knew how to properly manage this miasma.

“Now then…” I opened the jar, and the aura consumed my very being. The gray mass of magic swirled until it was absorbed into my body directly. Nothing on the level of an alicorn transformation or anything, but I still felt it. My heart began to beat once more, the aching from my self-inflicted wound began to heal. But above all else, I knew what had to be done next. “...Perfect.”

BLAM!

With a stomp of my hoof, it produced a shockwave that washed over everyone in the room. They were all granted the enhancements that I had received, and could feel it in their bones.

“Hey…” Lightning Dust commented as she looked over herself--her wings specifically, “I feel like I could fly forever!”

Tempest Shadow was next. She rubbed a hoof at her stump of a horn. “Strange. I have an...odd sensation within me. As if I could make use of other spells.”

Even Moondancer had something to say. “...Yikes. Suddenly I feel like I could come up with twenty arcane recipes at once. Did my memory get better?”

They all glared at me.

“Yeah...about that. I essentially granted you all the same abilities,” I explained with a rather teasing grin.

Corkscrew was first to respond. “Wicked cool! Now we can take down whatever that bozo throws at us!”

“Really?” Twilight gazed at me with a neutral, annoyed expression. “...You couldn’t have just said that was your plan from the start?”

“I would have,” I said with a tip of my hat, “But you wouldn’t have believed me.”

“Of course I wouldn’t have! It’s not every day that you come across an earth pony that can actually pass magic through the Earth!” she rushed at me, and almost tackled me to the floor, “I’m going to need to study this further!”

Vinyl Scratch cleared her throat.

Twilight backed off. “...Once the situation with Grogar has been dealt with, that is. Now let’s get to prepping, everyone. We have to be ready for the worst if we’re going to deal with the Father of Monsters.” “I bet he knows exactly what that magical power really is. He’s smarter than that.”

All part of the plan.

Subject 162: Preparing For The Worst

After the strategy meeting was over, we were all instructed to return to our homes to prep, and get ready for whatever was thrown at us. On the train ride back to Ponyville, Corkscrew asked me a rather poignant question.

“So boss...how long do you think it’ll be before they realize that that magic isn’t really--”

I cut him off. “Shh. I know.”

“...Wait,” the mental gears turned within his head. By now, Corkscrew must have finally figured out the truth behind that “magic” that I had absorbed and gave to everyone else. “Yo…” His face went from confused to gritted teeth with bated excitement. “YO! You played everyone like a damn fiddle, boss!”

I rolled my eyes and put my hoof against my forehead. “Listen...don’t glorify my plan. If all goes well, this should allow everyone to fight with what they’ve always had. Sometimes a little persuasion goes a long way.”

“And by persuasion you mean subtle deception to get everyone to realize that they shouldn’t follow what they think, and go with what they know?”

Grrgh. There was no comeback for that. In a way, I did somewhat deceive the others so that they could mentally fortify themselves for the upcoming battle. I didn’t feel good about it, but it was a necessary evil to make things go more smoothly.

“You could say that,” I replied as I looked down at the floor of the speedy train car.

Then I had to think about it some more. Twilight’s stratagem for the invasion. Thing was, we had no clue when the enemy would strike. We were currently at the mercy of a random, surprise attack if we weren’t careful. So we were all advised to stand by and report anything suspicious. If anyone were to arise, we had the authority to fight back for the safety of those around us.

I guess my sense of guilt was obvious. Corkscrew was able to tell exactly what I had thought about in that moment. “Boss...you think we’ll be able to save Quick?”

My response was delayed. But I eventually spoke up about it once I had my thoughts gathered. “I...I don’t know, friend. Twilight said it was a Zebra-esque curse that could be cured if we figured out who cast it and had them undo it.”

“Ah...that’s the part you’re worried about. Won’t be easy, huh boss?” He sighed. “I’m worried about her too. But do you think you’ll be able to do it without the weapon Miranda gave you?”

I shook my head. There was no time to fret over something like that. “I can rebuild that gun if I so choose. An heirloom is nothing compared to the memories you have of somepony. Besides, I know that I’m more than capable of bringing down whatever stands in my way.”

Cork shot me a grin. “...And I’m more than capable of standing by ya, boss.”

His words comforted me. I adored it. But to be quite honest, I had no real idea if I could save Quick. Granted, I also knew that she’d lose her mind if I focused entirely on her life rather than the lives of everypony else at stake. I could already hear her in my head with quips such as:

“Don’t you dare let your emotions get to you.”

“You know I’m tougher than this.”

“I couldn’t be killed if I tried.”

It was both comforting and saddening. But alas, there was no time to let that stir in my head. I had to go over the battle plans with Corkscrew before we made any moves.

We got off the train once it reached Ponyville, and headed back to our office. There, we sat across from each other at my desk to discuss what was to occur next.

“Okay so what do we know?” he asked as we looked over some documents.

I reiterated what Twilight said to everyone in that room before we left. “Essentially, everyone has been ordered to let everyone in their homes know about the impending threat. Babs went home to Manehattan to inform the mayor of that city, Lightning Dust returned to Las Pegasus to inform Flim and Flam, Moondancer will take care of Canterlot, you will fly up to Cloudsdale, and I will inform the Mayor of Ponyville.”

“Alright--wait,” he held up a hoof, “What about the Empire?”

“Knowing Twilight, she’s probably already contacted her extended family in that region as we speak. I also wouldn’t be surprised if she’s also contacted Celestia and Luna by now as well.”

The pegasus hesitated for a second before he nodded once. It was if he was pained mentally from the mere thought of engaging in a full blown armed conflict. “...Understood, boss. I’ll get right up to Cloudsdale right away. You get over to the Mayor.”

Before he left, I gave him some parting words. “Cork. Don’t worry yourself. We’ll get through this, and your family will see just what a great stallion you’ve grown into after all this time.”

Cork was just about to spread his wings and take off before he paused. “...pfft. Don’t worry about that, boss. If they didn’t care about me before, I don’t give a crap if they care now. You and Quick matter more to me than any of their approval.” He didn’t even allow me to get another word in before he took off. Had to respect that kid.

Next, it was my turn. I left to head for the Mayor’s office. It was a rather uneventful walk, and I was lucky enough to get there during her downtime. She was able to see me rather quickly. Ms. Inkwell directed me to her office in the back of the Town Hall.

Once there, I gave her the gist of the situation.

“...and that’s what’s happening. Needless to say, we need everypony who can fight to be ready at any moment. Those who can’t fight need to stay within the safety of their homes and barricade themselves in their cellars until the coast is clear.”

The Mayor was rather deft to understand the position we were in. “I see. Okay, what I’ll do is formulate an alarm signal to let everypony know to flee or fight as soon as we see a monster. Anything else, sir?”

Huh. That was rather...quick? I didn’t know how to describe it, but for whatever reason, I genuinely expected some pushback from her. “Er...that’s all? You’re not going to question me or anything?”

“Why would I?” she asked with a confused, concerned gaze, “You’ve more than proven yourself to be a trustworthy pony. And you’ve stuck to your therapy according to Inkwell’s recorded analysis. Overall, you’ve shown that you can be taken for your word. And if it’s Twilight giving this order, we’d be foolish to ignore it.”

That was good to hear. Despite all of my shortcomings and missteps, I was happy to know that I could still get a message across and be taken seriously without concern for being taken for granted when lives were at stake. The last thing we needed was more unnecessary bloodshed.

“Thank you, Mayor. If anything else comes up, I will be sure to report to you.” I was about to get up from the seat across her desk, but she stopped me with her words.

“Wait, one more thing, Pale. Cozy stopped by earlier and asked if she had seen you. She wants to speak with you about something. About Tartarus, I believe.”

I felt a cold sensation travel up my spine. “...Thank you. I’ll go see her right away.”

What could this be about?

Subject 163: Inner Demons

Naturally, I went to Cozy as soon as I could. If she had something important to talk to me about something, then I had to go see her right away. But if it was in reference to Tartarus, then I had no choice but to hurry down there as soon as possible. Did she somehow know that I went down there? And if so, how? Something did not add up there.

I was on my way. But before I got there, I was interrupted by Diamond Tiara who had come from the opposite direction. She looked fairly saddened by something with such a long look on her face.

Though, as soon as she laid eyes on me, it dissipated in exchange for a more hopeful face. “...Oh good, you’re here.” The earth pony mare said as she pranced towards me.

I raised a rightfully confused brow. “Just what’s the matter, Tiara? Is someone hurt? Did you come across anything out of the ordinary?”

“Well, sort of?” she pointed a hoof towards Cozy’s home. “I passed by Cozy Glow’s house and could’ve sworn that I heard her crying. Which is super weird since we had a lot of fun together for the last few days. She even helped me learn about Maretanite--it’s a special mineral only found in Maretania.”

Curious, but it was something that I needed to take care of as soon as I had the chance.

“Thank you, Tiara,” I tipped my hat, and continued on my way, “But I’ll take it from here.”

“No problem. Please do your best,” she replied as I went on.

When I got to Cozy’s home, I heard a quiet set of sobs from beyond the door. Was it her? Why was she so sad?

“...Cozy?” I called out to her, “Are you alright?”

There wasn’t an immediate response. But the sniffles soon came to a stop. It took a grand total of about five minutes for me to get a verbal reply.

“It’s open,” she said, “Come in.”

I accepted her invitation, and trotted inside her home. I shut the door behind me, and took a look around. She wasn’t in the kitchen, dining room, living room...wait, there she was. On the floor in a fetal position, she lied on her side. I walked towards her, but kept a slow pace so that I wouldn’t startle or cause any adverse reactions.

“...Erm. Is everything--no. What’s wrong, Cozy? Why are you so...upset?”

“Pale, I...I’m sorry,” she mumbled.

“Excuse me?” I tilted my head and took another step closer. “What are you looking to apologize for?”

Her response was delayed in between her jittery breaths. “I...I didn’t know that I was...still..”

“Still what?” I asked again, and took another step.

“I’m still...connected to the Bewitching Bell somehow.”

Okay, that was very concerning to say the least. It presented a whole new slew of questions that I needed to answer. But first, a round of sensitivity was in order.

“Come on...I’m here for you.” I took a seat on the couch nearby, and invited her with my hooves outstretched for a hug.

I watched as one of her eyes peered over to me, and she soon relented. The mare got up from her spot on the floor, and took a seat beside me. She didn’t respond to the hug, and merely slumped against the side of the couch.

I put my hooves down, and leaned forward. “Alright. So...here’s the thing. When exactly did you find out that you still had a connection to the Bewitching Bell? I wasn’t made aware that it could establish a connection with the user at all.”

Cozy sat up, and finally started to explain herself. “...when you went to Tartarus--the same place that I had been banished to when I was younger, you came into contact with Grogar--or at least some form of him. Since he was the one that created it, it resulted in the magic...fusing with me, I suppose? I don’t know how else to describe it but…”

Very interesting. So this pretty much told me that she had some sort of connection to the Father of Monsters himself? Strange indeed. But what I wanted to know was just what made her so...troubled.

“Okay,” I responded, “I get that, yeah. Though that doesn’t exactly answer my query. Why exactly were you in such a...pitiful state just now? Diamond Tiara approached me out of fear that something happened to you.”

No reply for a moment. The pegasus blew her nose, and threw the tissue in a nearby bin.

Silence was deadly, and now wasn’t the time to hold back one’s emotions. I had to be honest with her with the hope that she could be honest with me in return. “Cozy, please. I want to help you. But I can’t do that if you don’t open up for me. At least a little. C’mon. I wouldn’t dare hurt you no matter what. I promise.”

At last, she took a deep breath, and gave me the time of day. “...Alright. So essentially...Grogar can’t fully return on his own. That’s why he has monsters doing the dirty work for him. To destroy everything so he can get to me.”

I knew I was getting somewhere. Somewhere that I feared travelling to. “...And what is that reason, Cozy?”

“Because of the fact that I was one of the three who originally found his Bell in the first place, Chrysalis, Tirek, and I were marked with magical...runes of sorts that could be led back to the real Grogar.” She turned her head to me. Her ruby red, bloodshot eyes curdled with veins of pain and uncertainty. “Since I was brought back to life, he could potentially use my body as a vessel to return in full form since I still have traces of his magic within me.”

My heart sank.

I could barely form a rational thought at that moment. There was no way. It had to be a joke. “I...you mean...that I…”

She shook her head, and put a hoof on my shoulder. “It wasn’t your fault, Pale. You didn’t know that I could’ve been used to bring back one of the greatest evils that Equestria has ever known. Don’t beat yourself up. If anything, it’s my fault for getting that stupid thing in the first place.”

Even so, it pained me to know that the main reason why such an evil was going to return was because of something I did. However, that was neither here nor there. I couldn’t afford to waste precious time dawdling about what I felt when a war was right on our doorstep.

I brought her in for a tight hug. “Leave it to me, Cozy. You will never be brought down to a life of evil again. I swear it on my life.”

“I...Pale…” she hesitated, but eventually returned the hug. “..thank you.”

Then I heard a knock at the door. With all of my suspicions, I decided to go answer it myself. “Hello?”

Starlight Glimmer was at the door with a rather worried look on her face. “Oh good. You’re here. Look, there’s no time to explain. But I need you to come with me. Right now.”

Oh dear.

Subject 164: An Explanation

What could she have wanted at that time? Gah, there was no time worrying about that right now. If there was something that Starlight needed my attention over, it must have been important. So I bid Cozy a quick goodbye and left with the unicorn. I wasn’t worried about leaving her alone though. The surveillance we applied to the outside of her home would hopefully be enough.

With that in mind, I followed Starlight to her home, and she started to show me a few things. I took a seat at her dining room table, and she levitated a few documents over to me.

“I want you to take a look at this,” she said as she sat down, “Please don’t be upset with me...but I took the liberty of doing some research into magical artifacts and what I found was...shocking, to say the least.”

I peered over the words of the paper. To sum up what it said, it was essentially:

“The Bewitching Bell has a rather unfortunate side effect. Those who attempt to use it run the risk of their magic being drained, and as a result, their mana ‘data’ is stored within it so that their magic can be stored. This is exactly why the Bell is indestructible. It has absorbed too many forms/types/sources of magic over the course of its existence, and because of that, it can activate any sort of magical field to counter other forms of magic on a dime. Think of it as a shield that can reshape itself to defend against whatever it comes in contact with. That is why Gusty the Great was unable to properly dispose of it. So he hid it within a magically sealed cave atop Mt. Everhoof to prevent it from being tampered with any further.”

“I see…” I mumbled as I read over the rest of the words.

Starlight went on. “If it’s possible...this could mean that Cozy Glow presents a greater risk than we ever could have anticipated. Coupled with the fact that Grogar has been rumored to be resurfacing...well, you see where this could go.”

There were numerous things I wanted to say to her in that moment, but I elected to control my temper, and take a deep breath. “...hrm…” Instead, I focused on the more imperative aspect of the conversation. “I’m...already aware. My question to you is...why are you bringing this to my attention?”

Her lips contorted into a rather low frown, and she gazed at me with a concerned look in her eyes. “...Isn’t it obvious? I know better than anypony about being close to causing unrelenting destruction for the world. But for something like this...I won’t allow her to come into any harm. I can promise you that. I’m going to help you defend her and this town no matter what.”

I...wow. To be quite honest, a part of me knew that Twilight had likely already informed her about this situation before I had arrived back in Ponyville. But beyond that, I had to wonder. Did Starlight truly wish to help out of the goodness of her heart or did she only desire to assist to make herself look better?

Wait, what? What was I thinking? There was absolutely no place for thoughts such as that. If anything, I should at least give her the opportunity to explain herself.

“Wait...you really want to help her?” I asked with a bit of hesitation.

“Of course I do,” she gave a solemn reply, “I’d never wish fate like that upon anypony. And I can see now that you’re…” she looked up and to the right.

That was odd. Just what caused her to hesitate? “I’m…?” I asked a lingering question.

“How can I say this--” she looked down at me once more, “While I don’t necessarily agree with you on everything. I still want safety and prosperity for everyone that wants to live in peace here. So I’m willing to put my personal opinions aside for the sake of a dangerous situation.”

Okay, there we go. That was a much better explanation that made me feel more comfortable with the decisions I made. It was impossible for us to agree with everyone on everything. But if we could come together when it mattered, well--that’s all that counted.

“Alright...I trust you, Starlight. I’m glad that you and I can come together on something despite our rocky...terms that we stand on. But what do you recommend for Cozy?”

She let out a heavy sigh. “...I’m sure you already know. She needs to stay home and keep herself safe. I don’t really know how she feels about it all, but it’s what’s best for her right about now.”

Now that was a curious thought that part of me considered, but I wanted to know exactly what she meant by this. “How she feels? Would you mind elaborating on that?”

“Well, think about it,” she went on, “You’re essentially her caretaker. For the most part, she tends to stay behind and allow you and your friends to take care of things. While I can’t speak for her, I know that I would start to feel extremely guilty about this. I would never want somepony else fighting for me when I know I can fight for myself. Do you think it’s possible that she’s...mentally hurt over all of this? And bottling it up when it really needs to be expressed?”

That was...a very concise point. So far, I had never received the vibe of Cozy Glow being annoyed or displeased with herself. Quite the opposite actually. Ever since she started to make other folk’s lives better, she’s been all smiles. Is it possible that she’s simply buried any personal grudges she bore against herself so down deep that it would be impossible for anyone to figure it out?

“I...I see…” was all I could really say. It wasn’t something that I felt ready to give a definite yes or no answer to just yet. After all, such emotions were a proverbial minefield that needed much discretion in order to cross properly. For now, I simply nodded, and accepted her words to make use of later. “Thank you for the advice, Starlight.”

“It’s no problem,” she put a hoof against her neck in a sheepish fashion, “Trust me. If anyone is an expert on pent up emotional turmoil, it’s me. But I could only get over it when I finally faced my problems. Don’t be afraid to help Cozy with that….when she’s ready, of course.”

“Absolutely,” I said as I got up, “I appreciate you taking the time, and would love to have your assistance on the field if possible.”

She gave a short nod with a small smile. “Yeah...you just might.”

After I bid her goodbye, I left Starlight’s house with a bit of a new perspective on some things. A perspective that I needed to consider with how dangerous things were about to get around here. But there was one other question that I had on my mind throughout all of this:

Would it really be possible to destroy that Bell?

Subject 165: Night Mission

That night, I actually slept pretty soundly. Nothing too out of the ordinary from what I could tell. I suppose this is what they referred to as the calm before the storm. Honestly, I didn’t expect an attack to be all at once. That was the exact reason that Tirek, Chrysalis, and Cozy lost their original battle. The same could be said for Sombra, the evil changelings, and Nightmare Moon. To strike with your most powerful force first was foolish at best and dangerous at worst.

And soon, my theory would be proven correct.

I heard a gentle tap outside of my bedroom window. It woke me up out of my sleep because it was three in the morning, and I had a rather pleasant dream going. But that was neither here nor there. Whatever it was, I hoped it was important.

So I got out of bed, wiped the drool from my mouth, and went to the window. There, I saw a familiar face with his fangs out and ready to roll. “Neon?” I asked as I pushed my window up, “What’s going on.”

“Alright mate. Glad you’ve been having a good nod-off. But it’s time to get moving,” he leaned towards my window and reached a hoof inside to beckon me. “Got a patrol. It might end up being nothing, but still…”

A patrol? That implied there would be at least a small group of demonic beasts. Everypony else was asleep right now, so it’d be the perfect time to launch an attack, I reckon. So what do we do? We go out and keep the world safe. But at the same time…

“I got you. But Neon, if we hit trouble...survival is what matters most.” I gave him a bit of a stern glare. “We are under no obligation to throw our lives away. So if things get rough, we need to high-tail it back here, and gather as much support as possible to fend off whatever threat this is. Understand?”

He nodded, and let out a few chitters. “Yes, yes, mate. Now come on. We have to get to it before they gain the advantage.”

I took off my solid black pajamas, and put my other trenchcoat on. Yes, I had lots of them. But this one had empty pockets so I could move around more easily. “Now just who is this ‘they’?” I questioned since I had realized that Neon didn’t exactly specify what sort of threat this would be.

“Admittedly...I have no idea, bruv,” he admitted as he flew ahead of me--I followed behind on hoof. “I just had a...very bad feelin’ in my bones. I didn’t wish to fight it off alone, given that I’d run the risk of getting lost without any support. That’s where you come in, eh?”

Naturally. I wouldn’t waste this chance. If it was an unknown threat, then we could at least figure out what it was, and come back when we were ready. “Fair enough. Show me what you found. Just how far is it?”

“Not very far. This way, Pale.”

It wasn’t very long before we had reached the exact location that Neon had mentioned. We ended up near the Everfree Forest. The Southern side near Ghastly Gorge. The cliffs were rather rugged and it would be difficult to keep balance if we had to go near the edge. So I prayed that we didn’t have to fight something that liked to be near ledges.

We were near the exit of the forest, and found ourselves at a ravine that had quite the gap to say the least. It would be impossible to cross unless you could fly--or had a lot of dexterity.

Anyhow, I looked to Neon for the scoop. “What’s the sitrep, Neon?”

The bat-stallion sniffed the air. Nothing came to him immediately. But from the way his wings flapped, I could already tell he sniffed out some danger. After all, weren’t bats able to taste a hostile presence via the air or something? Or no, I meant echolocation--that was it.

“So far...nothin’,” he replied from above in a low tone, “But if my instincts are correct, then we could be facin’ something we have never come across before. Something that’ll knock us right up if we aren’t careful.”

Now just what could that mean? There were loads upon loads of creatures that have existed throughout history. With Grogar being the Father of All Monsters, just what could he have ready to throw at us for an appetizer of sorts?

“If it’s anything large, we can just toss over the cliff and hope it can’t climb back up, I suppose,” I threw out a rather sketchy idea for the sake of levity. “The bigger they are and whatnot, right?”

Neon scoffed at my idea, as I expected. “Pfft. Mate, that only ever works in the movies. Lordzilla was only defeated because--” his ears suddenly twitched which interrupted his train of thought. “Now hang on there. I hear something. Something...strange.”

I took a step closer to him. His hearing was far greater than my own, so I pretty much had to rely on his guidance. Plus, it was the dead of night and he had better vision too. “What is it, Neon?”

With one more flick of his ear, he pointed towards a direction--even further South at the edge of the woods near Ghastly Gorge. “Over there. I hear...begging for help.”

Okay. One: That was odd. Two: Automatically suspicious. Yet we couldn’t just ignore it. On the off chance that it truly was a cry for help…

I made up my mind, and gave him the order. “We have to go. But let’s not rush into this, alright?”

“Absolutely, boss. On me.”

And so we went. He flew, and I ran towards the edge of the woods that overlooked the other end of the Gorge. So far, there was nothing we could see. According to Neon, however…

“We’re getting close. I can hear it much greater from here,” he said as we made our way into the bunches of trees.

After a minute or two of searching, we finally came across the source of the noise: Two mares that cowered in fear. Likely due to being lost…

“Hrm…” The blue-green batpony weighed his options. “I’m going in. You wait here, and back me up, boss.”

Something still felt off about this. But for the moment, all I could do was watch. Their auras didn’t come off as threatening, so maybe this was just a case of lost individuals? “Affirmative,” I said, and took cover behind one of the trees.

Neon flew forward, and called out to them. “Ahem. Hello, madams. We heard you both call out for help. Are you both lost, perhaps?”

There was silence for a moment, until one of the mares turned around to face him. She immediately called out in fear. “W-wait...a batpony?! Ew! Get away from us!”

The other mare joined in. “Y-yeah...we don’t wanna be rescued by you! You might suck our blood or take us home and force us to be your wives!”

“What?!” he took a step back, “I would never in my entire life do something so damning. You’ve got it all wrong, mates!”

Wait a second. Their aura. I felt it shift in an unnatural way. This was bad. Beyond bad. We needed to get away from them as quickly as possible. “...Neon!” I jumped out to him, “Get back!”

The mares continued to crouch in fear as their bodies overtook them. Their skin began to almost tear apart, yet they weren’t being mangled. No...it was as if they were morphing into something else!

“We said...leave...us...alone! Bats...are...UGLY!” they shouted in unison as a layer of brown fur grew out of their bodies. They were forced to stand upright, and their hooves became claws. Their eyes had become a solid red color and they grew into completely different creatures that towered over us by five times at least. And just what were these creatures?

Creatures that were lost to time, thought to be extinct over many eons ago. Ones that were only mentioned in fiction and folklore for the sake of scaring each other around a warm campfire. But this was no fairytale. These beasts were real.

Berserkers. Or werebears to be exact.

Subject 166: Night Mission Part II

I couldn’t believe it. Monsters from an age where such creatures were considered to be so threatening that ponies and other creatures were ordered to flee on sight. Absolutely no one could figure out how to beat these things back in their time. To the point where they only went extinct due to constantly fighting with each other. But now, here they were in their full glory. Werebears that had a taste of blood and flesh.

Part of me wondered about those mares that had been used for this. Were they really ponies with lives who had been stripped away from them or were they created for the sole intent of causing this...hellish nightmare. And just why were they so scathing towards Neon?

One thing was for sure, he wasn’t torn up about it….or was he?

“I…why did this...feckin’ ‘ell. There’s no time for any of this,” he turned to look at me, “We’ve gotta do all we can to save them.”

I took a step forward. “Remember what I said. We are under no obligation to throw our lives away, friend.”

He glared at me, and tapped a hoof against my chest. “Be that as it may--I want to do all I can to rescue ‘em. I...I have to. I’m not some heartless bloodsucking creature, mate. You know that.”

That was a given. And I suppose I was wrong. It turned out that their words did have some sort of effect on him. Their hatred towards bats and refusal to his aid...did it mean that they were more comfortable with their fate instead of receiving help from someone like him? If so, that was very sad. But he was right. Now wasn’t the time to be concerned over such pesky details. We needed to help them if we could.

“Alright. But just what can we do?” I asked while I stared at the demonic bear creatures.

They must not have spotted us immediately. Both of the bears sniffed around, and circled the area as if they knew their prey was nearby. It prevented us from any sudden actions, as it would alert them of our location.

Neon and I were both in the middle of a small patch of grass at the edge of the woods. The bears were on the prowl with pools of drool that dripped out of their mouths and foamed like the rabid beasts they were. Their misshapen, uneven teeth were sharper than any knife I had come across before. In order to get through this in one piece, we would need to play it smart.

“Follow my lead,” Neon whispered to me, “I will create a sound so high-pitched that only they could hear it. Then, we split up and take one down each.”

A solid plan indeed. But I wasn’t exactly one-hundred percent confident in our abilities to take down a creature that we had absolutely zero knowledge of. But there was no harm in at least doing our best to figure out what it could and couldn’t do.

“Okay...but don’t be careless,” I replied.

So the plan was simple. One thing that many didn’t realize was that batponies were capable of was a sonic screech loud enough to pierce through even the thickest of materials. But not only was it loud, it was extremely high pitched as well. So much so, that regular ponies such as myself wouldn’t even be able to hear it!

“Ahem…” Neon cleared his throat, took a deep breath, reeled back and--! “....!!!!”

I didn’t hear a thing, but he screamed a high-pitched screech with enough potency to cause the pair of Bearserkers to stop dead in their tracks. Not only that, but it completely disoriented them as well! They ran around in a panic. Their paws thundered across the ground with enough force to make the earth shake. The rocks near Ghastly Gorge started to crackle apart from such force! Until…

BONK!

The demonic bears crashed into nearby trees--followed by a fear pears that rained down upon them afterwards. But even after that, the residual force from their impact against the trees caused them to fall over in the opposite direction.

That was my cue.

With a hefty tackle, I charged one of the beasts towards the edge of the Gorge’s cliff. Because I was much smaller, I had the advantage in the way of being able to out-maneuver it through sheer agility. I figured Neon would have that part understood as well, and would make use of it in this battle.

“Yikes!” I yelped as I dodged a swipe of the bear’s claws, then a heavy clasp of its jaws as it roared at me.

“RREEAAAGH!”

I had to shield my face from the force of its breath. Not to mention it was completely unsanitary. But that was beside the point. I needed to know if there was a way that I could revert this mare back to her original state. But at the same time, I couldn’t kill her. Come on, Pale. You had to think.

Each time it charged at me, I would.continue to avoid its attacks. But with each movement, I could sense the aura of the pony under the effects of this...strange magical curse. She was still there. I just needed to knock the influence of the berserker out of her body. But how...wait.

Knock it out. That was it.

I looked over at one of the nearby fallen trees that they had knocked over just moments ago. That could work. I just needed to--

CHOMP!

“AH!” I yelped, but thankfully, only a bit of my tail had been bitten by the monster. Good thing too. That was too damn close and was near to the rest of my flank. I performed a backflip, and waved as I ran towards the massive, tipped oak. “This way!”

The bear monstrosity ran after me with everything it had. I was lucky that my agility gave me the advantage I needed to get a few paces ahead. That way, I could grab a hold of that tree.

With the enhancements from that crystal, combined with my own innate earth pony abilities, I could manage just enough strength to lift it. “Okay. Here we go.” The bearmare closed in. It was now or never for this plan to work.

I stood on my hind legs, and grabbed ahold of that tree with my hooves as if it were a bat for baseball. I used all of my might to spin it around one good time, and just before the bear could lunge at me for an attack--!

WHACK!

I struck it with enough force to send the bear into more trees. But next came the most important question.

Was that enough to rid her body of the curse that was placed upon her?

Subject 167: Night Mission Part III

I ran over to check on the status of that individual. If my plan had worked, then the curse of being transformed into a horribly mangled bear monstrosity should have been reversed with how much force I put behind the attack with the tree. To be quite frank, I didn’t expect myself to have that much strength. But I suppose it was a side effect of...no, that wasn’t real. Was it?

Anyhow, leaned over to make sure she was okay. As it turned out, yes. The Berserker outer shell was just that. An outer shell that stripped all free will away from her. But it began to dissipate as soon as I struck her with that oak. I suppose this was the only time in which brute force was more applicable than tactics.

Then again, this was but the first of what I could only assume to be many assaults with monsters from an age long past. For the moment, all I could do was pick up the mare--a pegasus--and put her on my back. This was not unlike the Stormbeast experiments that were used to attack the Kirin homeland a while ago.

I couldn’t help but wonder how Neon had done…

Meanwhile…

Blimey. To say that it was a hard battle was the least of my problems. Pale was a tad--er rather, a good bit beefier than I was. ‘Cuz of that, I couldn’t exactly fight with might alone. No. Instead, I had to focus on what I could do as a bat-like pony. But how could I fight off a giant, rage-filled bear?

“Eee!” I let out a brisk, sharp squeal as I broke off a piece of a nearby tree branch and kicked it into the horrid creature’s mouth. Its jaws snapped it right in twain, but it gave me enough time to fall back a bit further into the forest.

Naturally, it chased after me. But where I had the advantage lied purely in my sonic abilities. Since I knew that they could be disoriented by it, I would make use of it to throw them off. Sounded easy enough right? Well, I couldn’t exactly use it however I wished. Overuse would cause tension in my vocal chords, and that was the last thing I needed in such a dangerous situation.

I flew into the air, and took shelter in one of the trees. I perched upside-down as I usually did. My eyes shut so that my body would blend in with the dead of night. I could hear it. The bear was on its way towards the area I had travelled to.

Honestly, I felt bad. Part of me was a touch afraid because I wasn’t sure how well they would recognize my efforts once it was all said and done. Did they even truly hate me? Or was that a part of the curse that had been inflicted upon them? Either way, I couldn’t back down now. Even if I was scared of what they’d think of me, I wouldn’t let it affect me.

Just had to wait for it...then bam. She was in range.

But then I felt something. Something that tried to desperately get inside my head. It was as if I was being...haunted from the beyond.

“You can’t save her! She’ll just cast you aside for being a disgusting batpony!”

“Just leave! No one wants your help!”

“Pale should just do everything himself. He’s not an ugly bloodsucker!”

...Voices. They barked and shouted in my ear. Not unlike the ones that I heard in my youth. Needless to say, it nearly drove me off my nut because they made me feel more outcast than I already was. Even if I could save her, would she pass judgement against me simply for what I looked like? There was honestly no way to tell what would happen from here.

Yes. I was afraid. Was I going to let that hold me back? No.

I did my best to relax myself. Then I let out another sonic screech that could pierce the heavens with how much I put into it. Imperceptible to regular ears, but to my own, and other animals? It was deadly. Imagine the highest-pitched sound in existence. Exactly. You can’t.

SCREEEEEEE!

My scream performed admirably. Due to our abilities that involved echolocation, the soundwaves of my voice would bounce off the trees akin to an invisible game of pinball. I had to admit, it was rather fun to witness.

The berserker growled from confusion. Its senses had been nulled by the overexposure to the higher pressure of the sound waves generated from my screech. Perfection. Now I just needed to force the corruption away from the mare’s body so that she could be free of it.

I glared at my fake hoof, and realized what my only surefire option was. “It’s either that, or waste time doing a whole lot of nothing,” I thought to myself.

Guess I had no choice.

I input a specific code via the buttons on the side of my prosthetic which caused it to start beeping. Then, I charged right in. I did not want to waste a single valuable second between myself and the safety of those around me. This was going to be one of the riskiest things I had ever done. But with my line of work, you sort of get used to it.

“Eat this, ya bastard!” I shouted as I swooped down from the tree like a bat that was about to munch on a tasty mosquito. I shoved my prosthetic arm down the bear’s throat, and it started to gag.

CHOMP!

I felt its razor sharp jaws collapse down upon my fake appendage with enough force to flatten bone. Luckily, I barely felt a thing, since I had no nerves attached to the limb. After which, the speed of the beeps increased. I smirked at the bear with a wild abandon.

“Go back to your own time.”

BOOM!

As soon as I herded the mare onto my back, I witnessed an explosion from the middle of the forest. Was that Neon?! And if so...how?!

“Gah...what the hell did he do?!” I ran towards the epicenter.

Subject 168: Night Mission Complete

I ran over as fast as I could, and came to a point in the forest that was completely disintegrated by some sort of explosion. There was a crater left behind from the destruction, and I could see Neon with his prosthetic appendage missing! Just what could have happened here?!

Nearby, also facedown in the crater was the other mare from earlier who had also been affected by this curse. I trotted down the side of the crater with the first mare on my back so that I could check on them both.

“Neon. You okay?” I asked, then checked on the other pony.

She remained unconscious. But I put an ear to her neck to find that she still drew breath. Thank goodness. Then I looked over at my bat friend.

“Ack...bleh…” he let out a few coughs. He managed to stand on his three legs just fine, and shot me a satisfied look. “Well...twas a rough one. But it’s done.” He was covered in scrapes and soot--likely from the concussive force of the blast.

I couldn’t help but notice the metallic stump where his right foreleg used to be. Then I put two and two together. “Neon. Did you actually detonate your own leg to nuke the curse out of her? Can you walk?” The more I glanced him over, the more concerned I became.

He waved his left wing in a nonchalant fashion. “Don’t worry about me, mate. Let’s focus on getting these two to safety.”

There was crazy...and then there was Neon Isotope.

“You’re absolutely mental, you know that?” I said with a roll of my eyes as I grabbed up the other mare.

“I prefer the term ‘marbled,’” Neon corrected me and went to inspect the body of the first one.

Upon closer inspection, I noticed that the pegasus mare who had been afflicted by the other curse had strikingly similar appearances. Wait a minute. Flitter and Cloudchaser?! Okay, so this was the umpteenth instance of ponies who had been struck by some sort of curse to enact some sort of evil.

“Hey, Neon,” I called out as I picked up the one with the frizzy mane--Cloudchaser, “Isn’t this familiar?”

He somehow managed to herd the unconscious Flitter onto his back despite the fact that his other limb was gone. “Indeed. This is not unlike the other reports that have been made. Is it possible that he has used the bodies of living ponies and other beings to revive creatures from the olden age?”

“That would explain Neighsay’s involvement in everything and why his experiments were so valuable!” I exclaimed with a stomp of my hoof, “It all makes sense now! We have to get back and report this as soon as possible. Who knows just how many other creatures are on a conveyor belt ready to be shipped out to fight in a war.”

“But that means we can’t kill any of ‘em, mate,” he pointed out, “Are you going to be capable of holding back?”

“I’ll have to...I won’t kill another one of my own,” I responded lowly, “Not if I don’t have to.”

Neon nodded, and started to trot off towards Ponyville. “Good. Now I just need to have my brother make me a new leg. Hopefully it can be done quickly enough.”

I shook my head as I followed. “No. Take all the time you need. I don’t want you to be tired on the job now. And speaking of which...did you feel any strain from painful memories brought on by the words they said?”

My bat friend hissed under his breath. “Hmph. I don’t think they meant what they said. All I can hope is that they accept me for who I am once they awaken. Now come on. We need to get them to the hospital.”

Had to respect him. He was stalwart, that was certain.

The Next Day…

We took those pegasus mares to the hospital and slept soundly for the rest of the evening. I woke up to a knock at my door. So naturally, I answered it.

“Hello?”

Sunburst was there, and he had a report to give. “Ah, good. You’re awake. This will make things a whole lot easier…”

He went on to explain the fact that a report to Princess Twilight had already been made about the first attack that Neon and I managed to put a stop to. First off, wow--word travels fast, doesn’t it?

“...and that’s the gist of it,” he finished. “She’s told Starlight and I to keep tabs on, and report things as they come.”

“I see,” I replied, “And just how are things in Canterlot?”

“Nothing major or crazy over there yet, thankfully.” He adjusted his glasses with a sigh of relief, “I still have a few friends that I’ve made over there that I can’t afford to lose. Then there’s Sire’s Hollow where mother lives which is a can of worms unto itself.”

Yeesh. It sounded as if there was a lot on his plate. Maybe it would be best to not cause him any stress. “I see...if that is all, then--”

“Oh no, that isn’t quite all,” he commented, “Twilight apparently wants you to return to Las Pegasus to check out the state of affairs. Flim and Flam should be doing their best to keep everything secure, but let’s keep it real--they could do with professional help.”

“Professional”? Well that both comforted and confused me to hear. But I guess I had no other option. My work left no time to rest aside from my normal sleep schedule, anyway. So, it was time to go. “Alright then. I’ll have Corkscrew join me. Thanks for the tip, Sunburst.”

“You’re welcome,” he said as he walked off, “I’ll keep you posted on anything new as it comes up.”

And so, I went to the office, and let the pegasus stallion know about what our plans for the day were. Needless to say, he was pumped.

“Yes! This time, it’s gonna be different!” he said as he put a hoof around my shoulder, “I’m not gonna let you go somewhere so dangerous without my help, boss. You remember what happened last time with that--”

“Kirin, yes,” I interrupted, and cleared my throat. “Ahem. But yes, let’s get going before we burn anymore daylight.”

But before we could leave, I heard someone enter the office and trot into the room.

“...Pops. Let me help. Please.”

Subject 169: Sky Mission

“No way,” I snapped back on a dime, “This situation is too dangerous and I can’t afford to have you in harm’s way, Cozy.”

“...Pale, I’m not a kid anymore. Or rather...” she folded her wings around the front of herself, and tapped the tips of her feathers together in a nervous fashion, “I’m nowhere near as destructive as I used to be.”

I loved her, and respected her desire to fight alongside me. I really did. Which is exactly why I didn’t want her to attend any of these missions. It was a major risk unto itself. If she fell into the enemy’s clutches for any reason…

I stood firm on my stance. “...Kid, I’m sorry. But you need to understand that this is extremely risky. You’re aware of what could happen if you get hurt and they make use of your body...you described it to me, after all.”

She stomped her hoof with indignation. There was a fire behind those eyes of hers that would not be put out so easily. “I won’t stand for it. I can’t just sit back like some…” her eyes darted from left to right as she tried to gather her words, “...some overly pampered princess that refuses to do anything! Even Twilight fights for everyone, doesn’t she? C’mon, Mister Corkscrew, you get what I’m saying, don’t you?”

I looked at Corkscrew, and he shared my sentiment with a sigh. His thoughts were worn on his visage like a hat. Being the youngest of my group, he knew what it was like to be shunned until he was properly prepared for something. Just as well, I could tell he also understood my perspective also.

“See, here’s the thing…” he rubbed the back of his head, “There’s...no sorta way to tell what we’re gonna come across when we get to Las Pegasus. Heck, last time we were there, I nearly got burned alive. But that’s because I was prepared to endure the worst. Can you honestly say you’re ready to get hurt beyond what you’ve experienced before? And if you do get hurt, how do you think that will make us--and Pale feel?”

“...I’ve been imprisoned in Tartarus and have witnessed horrors that not many can come close to comprehending,” she explained as she lowered her head, “But...you have a point. If I were to get attacked because I was so foolish and callous...then you’re right. It would make Pale feel terrible.”

I stepped forward, and gave her a hug. “You’ve done more than enough, kid. Trust me. Everything from your planning to the info that you’ve given us has helped us more than you realize.”

When I let go, she looked up at me with a hopeful expression. “...Really? You...don’t think I’m dead weight?”

“...Kid, you broke me out of an abandoned asylum in the middle of the hottest region in Equestria, helped destroy a beast made of storms, and have repeatedly given us timely info.” I ruffled her mane with my hoof as a sign of affection with a smile on my face. “I think you’ve done more than enough.”

There was no time to waste. Part of me hoped that that would be enough to console her for the time being. And it worked...mostly. She was still a bit annoyed at the fact that she wasn’t allowed to play an active role in the current incident. I could tell by the way her eyes shifted away for a moment. But despite that, she accepted my stance.

“...Okay, Pale. I trust you. Just please don’t get hurt or anything…”

“I can’t promise that I won’t get hurt,” I said with a grin, “But I can at least assure you that I’ll always return in one piece. No matter what.”

Her smile was a bit more relaxed now. “Okay...good. I’ll leave you both be, for now.”

“Oh, and Neon will return to watch over you once he’s out of the hospital.”

“Thank you,” she replied as she left the office, “See you later, guys.”

Once she left, I was able to focus again. “Alright. You ready, Cork?”

“I’ve already taken the necessary precautions, boss. Let’s go.”

And so, we left to head out for Las Pegasus. We had to take the train once more since it was so far away. However, I felt a bit more confident since Corkscrew was actually by my side this time. I knew nothing would go wrong so long as we were together and could form a plan on the fly.

Get it? Fly? Pegasus?

Anyhow, the train ride itself was rather uneventful. However, once we arrived at the city itself, that was another story entirely. Though first, I had to take one of the various hot air balloons up to the entrance to the city since I didn’t have wings. My partner meanwhile, was able to fly up on his own. Lucky.

I met up with Corkscrew at the entrance to the city, and what we found gave us a start. It was twice as crowded compared to the last time we were here. If the reports were accurate, then this would be more than troubling.

“Wow,” Cork mumbled with a nervous expansion of his wings, “There are way more ponies here than last time. And a few dragons, griffons, and changelings to boot. But the point is, there’s a lot more potential damage that can be caused. A monster in a place like this would be pretty easy to spot, though.”

Easy to spot? Yes. However, the caveat was that a monster would adapt to its environment. If there was a lot of eyes here, then something threatening would likely be able to deceive those eyes.

“I actually think spotting it will be the most difficult part, Cork,” I spoke as I walked towards the resort.

“Wait...you think so?”

“You’ll see. If my hunch is correct…”

We kept going and sort of slipped through the crowd. Once we got inside, the pony at the front desk spotted us, and pointed us in the direction of Flim and Flam’s office.

Thank goodness because the bustle of the crowd had already started to grate upon me.

We took the elevator up, and when we finally got there, my suspicions were pretty much confirmed. Cork and I took seats at the brother’s office desk where they filled us in on the situation at hoof.

“Thank you so much for coming. We need the extra help,” Flim explained.

“You see, apparently we have a...shapeshifter in our midst,” Flam stated.

Corkscrew raised a brow. “But I thought changelings could--”

He was interrupted by Flim. “No no no, good sir. A traditional shapeshifting creature that wants to cause destruction from the inside. It could be anyone or anything at anytime.”

I leaned back a bit in my seat as I folded my hooves. “...I knew it.”

Subject 170: Sky Mission Part II

This presented a load of new difficulty. There were many different types of shapeshifters that existed throughout history. Many of which predated changelings. Granted, there was a reason why such beasts were no longer around nowadays. Mostly due to the fact that they were focused on killing each other, and the fact that there wasn’t really a “magic of friendship” around during that time period to set them straight.

While I was (and in some ways still am) critical of the way Twilight operated, I couldn’t deny that her efforts were mostly positive. Mostly.

Anyhow, Cork and I both had to put our heads together for this. I trusted Flim and Flam...for the most part. So if they knew that everyone there was at risk, then we couldn’t just ignore the imminent danger here.

But this was going to be quite different from our other battles. In fact, this was going to be more of an espionage situation than a battle at all.

We left the brother’s office after we discussed what our intentions were. As we trotted out to the lobby, Cork and I started to muse over our plans.

“So what’s the plan, boss?” Corkscrew looked to me for guidance. “We can’t exactly just roll up in there and ask ‘who’s the impostor’ or something like that.”

I glanced over one of the flyers that was on an advertisement board in the main lobby of the resort. “Hrm...I think I may have an idea.”

“Eh?” he leaned over my shoulder to get a glance.

A stage performance done by some of the Yakes from Yakyakistan.

“That’s our situation,” I replied with a low, yet admittedly excited tone to betray my desire to bust open a case in the middle of a crowded building.

Cork raised a brow. “Really now? You think someone is gonna sabotage the Yak performance and cause civil unrest between the races? Because that would be amazingly bad.”

“Why not?” I retorted, “There could be a whole slew of reasons to attack this place. With the higher number of folks here compared to last time, then we could be in deeper danger than we thought. So can I count on your help?”

He flapped his wings with a bit of excitement. “Of course boss! But…” he tapped his chin as he started to think, “How exactly are we going to find such an enemy? I mean, we don’t even know what kinda shapeshifter it is. And there could be loads!”

“We’ll just have to rely on our own senses…” I looked around the resort until my eyes caught onto a familiar face. “And a bit of help…”

“Uh…” he tilted his head left, then right, “Just who or what are you looking at?”

I placed a hoof on his head, and turned him in the direction of the barista near the theater. “Right there, three o’ clock,” I said in reference to the positioning to our right.

“Ohhhh...her. Well why didn’tcha say so?”

For our first move, we went over to the bar to find Lightning Dust hard at work as usual. When we explained the situation to her, she responded amicably.

“...A threat to the dinner-theater performance?” she replied with a wide set of eyes, “I mean, I suppose it isn’t entirely off of the table. But what makes you think that would happen?”

I hunched over as I sat at the bar so I could discuss the situation a bit more...cryptically. “This is just a hunch based on the little evidence we have. But we have reason to believe that a monster capable of shapeshifting beyond that of a changeling has invaded this place to cause mass unrest and confusion.”

Corkscrew had chosen to partake in the complimentary sparkling water. Once he finished a sip, he spoke his mind. “And if that happens, we’ll have a war on our hooves before we’re anywhere close to ready. A public spiel like this is gonna help us gain even more support against the enemy we’re dealing with.”

Dust leaned up towards the counter. “I see...so this is about that thing we discussed. In that case, I can tell you what I know.”

Well that was simple. Hopefully she would have some decent information for us. “And what do you know?” I asked.

She finished polishing a glass, and poured me some soft cider in a different one. “I haven’t seen anything out of the ordinary lately. However, you might have some luck if you do some more digging backstage.”

“Backstage?” Cork asked as he downed his third drink, “What’s going on backstage?”

Lightning Dust pointed over the crowd of ponies in the theater towards the closed stage curtains. “Jackpot has been having some difficulties with his next performance. Of course, it might just be a case of performer’s block, but I figured that I may as well mention it.”

I nearly spat out my cider. “Wait a second, he’s still performing?” Jackpot was probably one of my favorite performers. When I was a rowdy youth, the occasional show I caught in Manehattan always hit the spot for how corny yet amusing they were. But at that time, he was most certainly in his late thirties. The fact that he was still in the stage game even now was awesome to say the least.

“Mm-hmm,” Dust replied with a nod, “Crazy right? I thought he’d have stopped by now, but apparently he’s still kicking. Doesn’t look like he’s aged much either. His partner, Big Bucks still comes around as well on occasion.”

However, Corkscrew was a bit confused. As shown by the utter confoundment on his face, he wasn’t entirely sure who the unicorn was. And I couldn’t blame him. “Who? Wait...isn’t that the stallion that looks a bit like Trixie?”

“Yeah that’s him alright. Hm,” Lightning gazed up at the ceiling for a moment, “Come to think of it, they are extremely similar-looking. I wonder if they’re related…”

While that certainly was a possibility, there was no time to wonder about such things. For the moment, we needed to focus. If there was anything, anything at all that would help us ascertain any suspicious activity, we needed to interview and question as many individuals as we could.

“Thanks for the tip, Dust,” I said with a tip of my hat, “If we need your help, we’ll be sure to ask.” Then I left her a literal tip--a few bits. Then I got up from the stool with Corkscrew close behind. “So...do you think this could lead us to some new discovery?”

“No idea,” said the orange pegasus, “But as long as I don’t have to leave you alone on another mission, I don’t really care where we go. I mean, I care but--ack. You know what I mean.”

I chuckled. “Hm. Of course I do.”

Now hopefully we could meet this renowned magician...

Subject 171: Sky Mission Part III

“What do you think, boss?” Cork asked as we headed backstage, “Do you think Jackpot will actually talk to us?”

“He practically runs this place,” I responded with confidence, “If anything is going on, anything at all, he’d be the first to notice. The stallion is a magician who tricks everypony's senses for a living. You can’t out-trick the trickster.”

The young pegasus didn’t exactly take my word. By his snickers, I ventured that he found it preposterous. “Psshaw. Just how skilled do you think he is? There’s no way that anypony can realistically outdo everything.”

“Well, true. Be that as it may, it’s important that we at least get his perspective. He’s probably been here for a long time so who knows what he’s seen.”

We showed our badges to the staff, and asked where the stallion was. They directed us towards the dressing rooms. It was down another path behind the stage towards a hallway. We passed by a few doors that were reserved for important names labeled with star-shaped emblems. Coloratura, Photo Finish, Sapphire Shoes, the Ponytones...ah. There it was.

Jackpot’s room.

“Alright, here we go.” I cleared my throat, and tapped my hoof on the door to knock. “Hello? Mr. Pot? Are you there?”

There was no immediate answer. Though I flicked my ear, and could hear some bumpy noises as if someone had worked out. I couldn’t pick up any voices, though. But I decided to give it a minute. People were often busy when they either worked hard or rested harder. Not to mention the life of a magician had to be stressful if one had to constantly come up with new illusions to entertain their audience.

Cork and I stood in silence for a bit longer until finally, the door opened. We were greeted with the face of a blue stallion that had quite the spitting similarities to Trixie. Was it more than coincidence? I wondered…

Anyhow, he answered with an annoyed tone at first. “What do ya want? I’m not supposed to go on until later.” However, once he realized that we were not his managers, he warmed up to us. “Oh, you’re not--never mind. Who are you two?”

We introduced ourselves to him. “Pale Vestige--investigator from Ponyville. And this is my partner Cathartic Corkscrew.”

The pegasus tilted his head upwards. “Sup.”

“We’re here to ask you a few questions. Don’t worry you’re not being prosecuted for anything. We just need some...eyewitness accounts. Do you mind if we come inside?”

His eyes shot open. “Er...give me a moment, alright?” With a slam of the door, he retreated into his room. From there, we heard some more rumbles. It sounded as if his room was an entire hazard waiting to happen with how much clutter that Cork and I could hear.

“Yikes,” Cork commented with a scoff, “His room sounds messier than mine when I was little.”

I shot him a glare for such a rude thing to say behind someone’s back. “Hey, show some respect. He’s probably been busy.”

He replied with a rather curt giggle. “Hehehe. I’m joking. Relax, boss!”

Him and his jokes were enough for the time being. I simply rolled my eyes, and waited for the stallion to come back out to us.

Soon enough, he returned with a much more relaxed expression. “Come on in, boys. It’s been a while since I’ve had fans come to see me.”

We strolled inside. It was a fairly standard celebrity room complete with a vanity, a massive trunk filled with props (likely for his tricks), a manestyling machine, and a couch to relax on. Cork and I took a seat on this couch and Jackpot sat in his vanity’s chair--facing towards us of course. Jackpot wasn’t wearing his usual uniform, which I had to admit was a bit odd at first since I had always seen him in his suit. Without his uniform, he looked scarily like Trixie. Seriously, the resemblance was uncanny. Could it be…? No. Need to stay focused.

“Okay, so first and foremost,” I began as I took out my notepad to write down on, “Have you seen or heard any suspicious activity around the resort recently?”

“...Define, strange,” he asked while he levitated a pipe up to his mouth, “This is Las Pegasus, son. Crazy things happen here all the time. You’re gonna have to be more specific if you want any details from me.”

Corkscrew spoke up next. “To be frank, we’re looking for info regarding any...newly unexpected entries into the casting schedule for the theater and its shows?”

“Hrm…” He shut his eyes to think about it for a second. “I’d need to check the schedule. Hold on.” His eyes opened once more, and he used his magic to levitate a book from his vanity’s desk, and opened it. “Let’s see…”

“Anything at all, sir,” I did my best to persuade him since any information would be good information. “We can’t afford to run the risk of losing anyone to the chaos of an infiltration. Las Pegasus was already attacked once a few months ago by a--”

“Kirin, yes,” he cut me off. “I’m aware of the things that go on around here. Arguably more than the security posted here. Ah, here it is,” he tapped his hoof on a specific page. “Yeah, come to think of it, we had a new hire about a week ago. ‘Spectacle’ was their name. A bit generic, but otherwise nothing really notable about it.”

Okay, so maybe my thoughts about the Yak performance were inaccurate. If this was someone on the inside, then clearly they would aim to strike when it was time for them to perform. It was worth a shot.

Corkscrew asked pretty much what I had thought of. “I see. Have they gone on stage yet?”

Jackpot shook his head. “Nope. I honestly almost forgot about the name because of it. But they’re apparently going on stage this afternoon at...three. Might be worth catching the show if you two wanna find out who they are.”

I exchanged a knowing, determined glance with Cork. We both knew what to do. This was our situation.

“Thank you very much, sir,” I said as I got up, “Don’t worry about anything else. We’ll handle things from here.”

“Oh, that was it?” he spoke in a rather surprised tone, then chuckled, “Heh. And here I thought you’d want my autograph or something.”

“Well, if--” Part of me did want to ask, but I stopped myself. I could do that later. Plus, I could feel Cork’s judgemental gaze bore holes into the back of my head. “Maybe once we’re done, sir. We have a job to do.”

“No problem,” he said, and turned around towards his vanity mirror, “Take your time. Good luck, gents. Hrm...why does that name sound familiar?””

He mumbled the last bit, so I couldn’t quite make it out. Cork and I walked out of the dressing room, and shut the door.

“Wow, Pale,” he said with a somewhat snarky tone, “I’m surprised you were able to resist asking for his signature.”

I rolled my eyes. “Quiet, you. We need to focus on this situation. Whoever this ‘Spectacle’ is could possibly be linked to the report that Twilight gave us. So let’s approach this as calmly as possible, yeah? No fighting unless absolutely necessary.”

He flapped his wings with a bit of hidden excitement that I could sense. “No problem, boss. We’ll be able to handle this no problem. It’ll be hella memorable too.”

Memorable indeed. What happens in Las Pegasus stays in Las Pegasus.

Subject 173: Sky Mission Part V

Some fast-paced techno music began to play, and Corkscrew started to sing--though it was more like very loud talking in tune with the music. Rap, maybe? Whatever the case, it gave me the opening I needed to sneak backstage.

This was my chance to not only prove to Pale that I still had the skills needed when it came to keeping everyone occupied, but that I could also use this as my chance to hit the big time in Las Pegasus and prove to my family that I wasn’t just some empty desk suit.

“Check it! Uh--! Listen to your heart!”
“Make it count ya’ll! Get a head start!”
“Don’t slow down! Be yourself, stand tall!”
“Give it all you got! Rise above it all!”

Unfortunately, for a bit it seemed like I didn’t really impress the crowd. I’ll be honest, it kinda rattled my nerves a bit. All through the crowd I could see...admittedly uncertain faces. They glared at me as if they had no idea what I had said. As if I spoke some other language. Yeesh. Tough crowd.

“Uh, what is he saying?”
“Is he serious?”
“This is super corny.”

It felt like time started to slow down. Why? Well, more often than not, when Pale and I executed this strategy, the crowd would fall head over hooves for my poetic musical brilliance. Okay that was a lie--I just threw out whatever came to mind. But most crowds loved it! I just needed a verse that spoke to the folks of Las Pegasus a bit better. Hrm…

I got it.

“Go for broke, roll it high!”
“Don’t get lazy, aim for the sky!”
“Show your moves on the dance floor!”
“And if you’re lucky, they’ll be coming back for more!”

I took another second and noticed that the crowd started to get a bit more into my verses. A few even bobbed their heads. Good, good. I needed to keep this up until...whenever the heck Pale found out whatever he could find backstage. Yeech. Easier said than done. I even threw in a face dance moves for good measure. The song started to pick up in bass as well.

“I will win! Why? Nothing’s gonna stop me, yo!”
“You wanna try me? Come at me bro!”
“Let’s dance! I got the time--I can feel it!”
“No stoppin’ me when I get into a rhythm!”

I spun around, and pointed at the crowd. Some of the ponies started to smile and bop along. The changelings, and even the griffons got into it. Somehow, based off of things I pulled out of my cutie mark. Just how much longer could I keep this up? No idea. But I had faith in my boss.

“Patience is a virtue ya’ll!”
“Don’t hit me with that worthless squall!”
“Pick up a weapon, get ready to fight!”
“I’ll power through it like dynamite!”

Backstage…

Well, based on what I could hear from the front side of the theater, Corkscrew had kept the audience in check so they wouldn’t get suspicious. That allowed me to get back to work.

But what I found was horrific.

The entire area behind the closed curtain was a wreck. Stagelights destroyed, props in shambles, and loads of damage to even the floorboards. But to my surprise, I couldn’t find any of the stage workers anywhere. Which was both odd and concerning. They were supposed to always be on duty in case anything went wrong onstage. Which meant that something happened to them.

“Horrible...but where could it be…”

Ruuagh…

One of my ears flicked. I heard a gurgling sound in the distance towards the back of the building. Near the dressing rooms! That’s where it was...no...Mr. Jackpot and any of the other civilians in that direction could be in trouble.

I ran down the hallway to figure out what the problem was. But then I slowed down. The guttural roars and grumbles continued down the passage. I stopped at one of the corners with my back against the wall so that I could peer around it without being noticed. “Hmm…”

Nothing just yet.

Cork’s musical numbers were muffled now, but they continued strong. I had no idea how much longer he could hold out, so I needed to be fast. From there, I traveled down further into the studio towards the dressing rooms. Surely enough, the noise led me to Jackpot’s room. But that was odd. Its intent was less...destructive. I could sense it. Just what was up with this being? Who or what were they?

No time to get finicky about it. I needed to know for sure in order to keep those innocents safe. What struck me as even stranger was the fact that I could detect no remains or remnants from the stage workers. No hair, blood, or any signs of struggle to be found. Yet they were removed and all I had to go off of was this gross, yet odd noise. It was plain to see where my concern lied.

“Come on, Pale. Buck it up, now…”

At last, after a bit of sneaky movement, I arrived at Jackpot’s room. Everything looked normal from the outside, but the inside was certainly going to tell a different story. How could I be so sure?

“...”

I took a step towards the door, and tried to push it open. But before I could do so, I felt this...strong, pungent, almost overwhelming magical aura. It wasn’t necessarily ‘powerful’ per se, but it was fearful. It was something...I couldn’t exactly put my hoof on it. But there was no more time to waste.

After a deep breath, I pushed the door open. Scarily enough, instead of being a normal dressing room like before, it was pitch. Black. Seriously, it was like a portal to space or something. I kept my wits about me as I entered, but the door was shut behind me with a violent slam that rattled my eardrums.

“Ow…” I said as I rubbed my left ear, “What in the world…” I shook my head, and took a look around. I could still feel the carpet, and the same couch from before. So this wasn’t a spell that caused me to be transported to another world or anything. I was still very much in the same room.

The sense of magic was a bit lost on me at this point. But I could feel something else. A regular aura signature. That of a unicorn. Could it be Jack? Whoever it was, it was ultimately my duty to find and secure them if they were unable to protect themselves.

I took another step.

The lights came on.

“Wha--?” I looked around. Everything in the room seemed normal at first. But then...when I turned my head to opposite wall...I found him. “Holy shi--sir!!”

Jackpot was bound, gaged, and held against the wall by metal restraints around his limbs! He panicked, his words muffled by the force of the rope in his mouth. “Mmph! Mmm!”

I ran towards the wall, and stopped in front of him. “Hang on, I’ll get you d--”

BLAM!

But before I could do anything, I was knocked out cold from behind.

Subject 174: Sky Mission Part VI

I woke up and found myself tied up as well. Though I wasn’t gagged. I sat in the middle of the room on a table. Now that heinous presence from before was most definitely here with us. And there it was. Or rather, there she was.

A unicorn mare with an orange-brown coat, a two-tone gold mane, and sunflower cutie mark appeared out of the darkness. She looked just as aged as Jackpot. But her eyes were not a normal color. She had an odd shade of demonic yellow with an abnormal aura. This mare was under some sort of control.

“...At last, I can finally have my revenge…” she said as she stepped up to me.

“Revenge?” I asked as I subtly tried to break free of the chains. It wasn’t much use unfortunately, so I had to at least hear her out. “What are you talking about?”

She turned to face me with an annoyed glare. “Isn’t it obvious? Oh that’s right. You don’t comprehend who I am just yet. But since I’m about to finally take back what I want, I suppose I can indulge you.” She tilted her head with the slightest amused grin, “Do you know much about old monsters from the Grogar era?”

Let’s see, there were loads. So many that I couldn’t exactly think of a specific one in the heat of that moment. For one thing, she looked like a regular mare with just a bit of an evil magical aura. So I simply ventured a guess. “A bit. But I have a feeling that you are one. Care to give me the time of day, ma’am?” I said with the best smirk I could muster, though it was more like a nervous smile.

“Well in truth, I’m not actually the being you see before you. I’m actually in control of this body--using it as a vessel for now. Ever heard of a Mimic?” she leaned against the table I was strapped to.

A red flag went off in my head. I knew what those were. The demonic treasure chests that could take the shape of objects. But that was the keyword: Objects. Mimics were never known to be able to take the forms of other ponies and living beings. How was this possible?!

“I have,” I replied with a careful scowl, “I know that they can copy the shape of any object that they come in contact with. But just how were you able to do the same thing with the body of a mare? Is it akin to changelings? Is the real mare hidden away somewhere?”

She giggled to herself and continued. “Well...not exactly. See, I’ve actually taken control of her real body. There is no ‘copy’ in this instance. It’s something far more sinister than what the changelings were ever capable of.” Then she looked up at the restrained unicorn stallion on the wall. “So for my first move, I’ll be helping her take revenge on that old bastard you see up there. Living the life of luxury while his lover and child live on their own with no real memory of him. It makes me sick.”

From above, Jackpot gave an anxious, muffled scream into the ropes that kept him from speaking.

I was equally confused. There were no records of Jackpot ever having a family. So to say “Wait a minute. Just who are you? Or rather, who are you taking the appearance of at the moment?”

“His one-and-done shotgun lover, Spectacle. He has a daughter named Trixie Lulamoon.”

My eyes nearly popped out of my head and my heart nearly jumped out of my chest. I didn’t think it was true, but he really was part of a dysfunctional family. But how? Why? I couldn’t just accept one side of it. I needed answers.

“Okay...at least allow him the chance to speak,” I requested, “I don’t have much to go off of with just one side of the story. The least you could do would be to offer him that opportunity.”

The mare known as ‘Spectacle’ scoffed and stepped away from me for a second. “Fine. I suppose it won’t hurt to hear what pitiful excuse he could have.” With a flash of her horn, the ropes were parted which allowed Jackpot to speak.

“Agh! Whew…” the older stallion caught his breath, and made his case, “Alright, alright look. How can you be so sure? I don’t even know a…’Spectacle’ or a ‘Trixie.’ Trust me, I’ve been around quite a long time and have met tons and tons of fans! Surely, logically, I’d remember if I--”

CRASH!

The mare used her horn to magically levitate, and throw a nearby vase into the wall next to Jackpot. It missed him by a few inches. “You lie!” she cried out, “Either that or you’ve gone senile!” She then used her magic to grasp a set of pictures. One of the pictures was of her sending Trixie off to the magic academy in Canterlot. “Do you see! That’s your daughter! Same coat color, mane color, eye color! But no...you couldn’t resist sleeping around with whoever you wanted and now look what happened. You disgust me, Jackles.”

One of his ears twitched at the last thing she said.His confusion melted and became soft, genuine heartbreak as he spoke. “Wait a minute...only one mare called me that. Could it really be you? I never thought I would have had a kid...is she still--ack!”

But before he could say anything else, the ropes were applied once more. Spectacle scoffed again, and turned away. “It’s too late to suddenly feel concerned. You should have kept a better lid on your overactive nature. But now, I’m going to finally take back what you stole from me: The relationship with our daughter.”

Part of me felt a tad sympathetic, but I was still largely confused as to why I had to be tied up as well. Also, just how much influence did the Mimic have over her? Because if there was a way to sever the connection...I could save her and destroy that beast.

For the moment, all I could do was play along. “Ahem. Excuse me. What I’d like to know is exactly why I’m restrained?”

“Oh that’s simple,” she waved her hoof at me with a small laugh, “You see, I’m going to torture him. How?” She flashed a warm, yet creepily inviting smile at me, “I’m going to show him all of what he’s been missing ever since he left me!”

This was not good. I could only pray that Corkscrew would finish his song and come to my aid soon.

I did not want to know what she meant by that. “Um...I’ll have to decline.”

“I’m sorry, but did I give you a choice?” she tilted her head with a smug expression on her face, “Unless of course, you’re willing to reveal the location of Cozy Glow. Then I’ll let you both go free.”

I grimaced hard--almost hard enough to send quakes through my jawline. “...Never. Do whatever you please to me. I won’t ever tell you where she is.”

“Oh well,” she looked down at the ground with a disappointed frown at first, but then immediately swapped it out for a more excited, dare I say, lustful smile, “Guess we’ll have to do this the hard way!”

Some sacrifices were necessary.

Subject 175: Sky Mission Part VII

Meanwhile, onstage…

I finished my performance with what little energy I had left.

“And when the chips are down, we’re gonna come around--”
“To fight the hate and make each other proud!”

Not bad for a bunch of things I pulled out of nowhere. The crowd went nuts for it, and thankfully, there were no more performances scheduled to come after me. So I would be able to make use of the free time to investigate behind the closed curtain. And hightail it after Pale so that I could assist him. I wasn’t going to allow the same thing to happen like last time.

That’s when the weirdness started to really kick in.

Two pegasus ponies appeared to me from the dimly lit area behind the stage. One was a shade of burnt gold, and the other orange. Wait a minute...how did they know I was here?!

“Mom? Dad?” I asked with a nervous flutter of my wings, “What are you doing here?” I couldn’t believe it. No, it was impossible. Just how and why would they come all the way here? There was just no way.

My dad spoke first. “Well, we heard you were in the neighborhood and we wanted to drop by and check up on you. Isn’t that right, dear?” he looked at my mom.

“Mm-hmm,” she nodded, “Your sisters are all off living their own successful lives so we wanted to see if you were finally doing the same. And seeing you onstage like that is just what we hoped for you!” she put her hooves around me in a hug.

I was initially confused. Didn’t they already know that I worked as an officer of the law? “Erm...I thought you guys hated the fact that I chose what I wanted to do for myself.”

My dad pried me off of mom. “Oh no. We hated the idea of you playing second fiddle to somepony else. Even if you are good friends with this Mr. Vestige or what have you, you were ultimately still in his shadow. That’s why your sisters are all so successful as doctors, lawyers, and archeologists. They have taken what they wanted for themselves and we’re happy that you’ve finally done the same, Cork.”

“Um…” I didn’t know exactly how to say what I wanted to say in that moment. I was afraid of utterly disappointing them, so I ended up rubbing one hoof against the other. “Well…”

Mom looked at me with a judgemental glare. “Cathartic Corkscrew, don’t tell me that you are still working under somepony else.” She took a step closer to me, her aura was powerful enough to make me sink into the wooden boards beneath me. “Well? Are you? Don’t lie to me.”

“I…” I swallowed my fear as sweat ran down the side of my head, “...I...no. He’s my partner. I don’t work under him. I work with him. I thought you guys would support me through my life like my sisters. But you’re just...being so judgemental!” I stomped my hoof to add emphasis.

And instead of bothering to support my decision, they actually chastised me for it. That’s when I could tell that they absolutely were not normal.

“Hmph,” my dad rolled his eyes at me--something he never did, and turned away, “Guess we wasted our time coming up here, then. Go back to doing your job or whatever. See if you end up the favorite at the next family gathering.”

And my mom didn’t say a word. Which was also extremely out of character. Hold on. Hold the entire phonebook. I may not exactly be the sharpest knife in the drawer, but I was perceptive enough to make the distinction between who my parents were and who they weren’t. So I made the choice to test it out to see if my theory was correct.

“What occupation does my little brother want to get into when he gets older?” I questioned them to see if they could back up their crap.

And then came a pause in the air. I could almost overhear them attempt to make up an excuse. “He’s going to--”

I didn’t have a brother. I was the only boy in the family. This was a crock of heapy nonsense from some complete fakers.

Or more specifically, Mimics.

I didn’t want to attack my parents. It was a mental roadblock that just felt weird to me. But I knew what I had to do. I couldn’t let my emotions get in the way of my job. My parents and Pale would chew the heck out of me for it. I charged at them both, and tackled them to the wall. “Give it up. I know that you aren’t who you say you are.”

As expected, their disguises wore off when under a lot of pressure. They reverted to the disgusting treasure chest monsters that they were, and started to hiss at me with rows of gnarly teeth and saliva that was thick enough to look like elastic.

They pushed me away with the combined force of their tongues, and I had to shake myself off. “Yeech. So what’s your plan with all of this, then? Taking the forms of other ponies? Changelings can already do that you know. Not very creative,” I chided them for being so lame.

The chest-like monsters didn’t speak anymore. I guess they couldn’t imitate speech patterns in their true forms. But I had to wonder, was that all they were really capable of? Grogar’s monsters always had more to them than what you made out at first. So this didn’t exactly add up.

“Hmph…” There was no time to think about semantics. I needed to get through them as fast as possible and reunite with Pale. If I had to get through some gross--though cool-looking--monsters to do so, so be it. “I’ll take you on...let’s go!”

It wasn’t that hard of a battle, though I had to admit that I did suffer one, two, okay ten injuries. Those teeth were sharp, like beyond dragon levels of sharp. Fortunately for me, it didn’t take too much effort to bring them down. When one tried to chew on my hoof, I punched it into a nearby glass stagelight. When the other tried to chew on my wings, I flew up, backwards, and slammed my back into the floor to shake it off. Then they both tried to assault me at once. Luckily, I was totally prepared for that.

I flew up, down, left right--all around the room in the shape of a star until they were mixed up in a miniature hurricane that swept them both into the air and cut them up with deadly blades of wind. What did I call this move?

“ASTRA!”

Badass. I know. And it worked. The treasure chest freaks were blown to bits, and practically disintegrated. Though I didn’t walk away unscathed. I had a few cuts and scrapes on my wings and limbs, but otherwise I was fine. Now that that was over, I needed to find my boss.

I flew down the hallways and heard lots of noise from Jackpot’s room. I knew something had to be up! Well it was then or never.

“FREEZE!” I shouted as I flew in which knocked the door off its hinges. When I got there, I saw Pale lying down on the floor, borderline unconscious with what looked like a leash around his neck. “My man!” I came to his aid, took that disgusting thing made for dogs off his neck, and checked his pulse. His breath was steady, but there was something else wrong. “...What happened here?”

The gray stallion pointed to the end of the room. There, I could see a mare laugh and berate a restrained Jackpot. “Wh--did she? What did she do to you?”

For the first time in a long time, Pale hesitated. His yellow eyes were full of sorrow and shame. The worst part is that he didn’t have to explain what happened for me to understand the full story. He was out of breath, covered in sweat, could barely move, and looked to be in a load of pain. Clearly he had been subjected to torture this entire time.

And I wasn’t about to let that fly.

“You rest up, bud...I’m gonna smoke her ass.” I let him down gently, and rose into the air. I called out to the mare to get her attention away from Jackpot. “Hey you filthy cow! Over here!”

“...and that is why you’re going to suffer for leaving your family behind you worthless, deadbeat, son of a--!” she cut herself short. Then the mare turned to me with a fiery grimace of hate. “Hm? What do you want? Trying to play hero or something, boy?”

My mind was made up. I pointed at her head and shouted, “I’m not here to ‘play’ anything! But you? You’re about to be six feet under arrest. If you keep on trying to resist, I'll rip that horn clean off your head, you bitch!”

Subject 176: Sky Mission Part VIII

“So you think it’s funny to coerce others into doing things just to make someone else feel bad for what they’ve done in the past, huh?” I flew closer to her with the intent of having her locked in here.

“Oh shut it! This mare has gone through a lot of suffering without her family,” she screamed at me while she spoke in the third person. “You don’t know anything about what it’s like to have no support with a child!”

Did she talk about herself? Why would she--of course! It had to be another Mimic that was in control of her body. How could I tell? I knew a lot about such monsters from tabletop board games. Not to mention the fact that I literally just fought some. But I never thought that they could be capable of straight up possessing other bodies...creepy.

Okay okay, but for the moment I had to keep the suspect in check. A wounded enemy, whether hurt physically or mentally, was unpredictable. So I allowed her to talk to keep the situation calm so that I could get answers out of her. While I did wanna get payback on her for torturing Pale, I had to be vigilant and unbiased in my approach. Stay focused, dude--come on.

“Really?” I asked with a dubious glare, “Mind telling me what exactly this mare suffered through? I’d like to determine whether or not it was worth having some creature take control of her body to accomplish it.”

She took a step back with her mouth agape. I guess she thought I wasn’t smart enough to tell the difference or something. Joke’s on her. She shook her head, and went on with a bit of a rant. “Grrr...I--er, she was the one who put Trixie through Magic School all by mys--herself! Handling a pregnancy with her job and taking time off took such a toll on her body to where she couldn’t afford it on her own. So Spectacle had to do some...unsavory things for money. Things that she would never explain to just anyone. Which is why I decided to take over for a bit to help her out.”

Ouch. Don’t get me wrong, I didn’t want anypony to feel as if they had to resort to bad things just to survive. But at the same time, I couldn’t condone her actions either. Though, I gotta wonder. Just how much influence did the mare have here if her body was being controlled? Maybe, just maybe I could separate the two and get a better idea of what was going on. Ergo, there didn’t need to be any bloodshed or unnecessary pain today.

“I see,” I replied with a careful look in my eyes to make sure she didn’t try anything funny, “Look, you’re right. I don’t know what you’ve been through. But causing all of this...hate isn’t the answer. I know you might have some loyalty to a higher power--Grogar--but that doesn’t mean you have to force yourself.”

I could see the hesitation in her eyes, and the way her horn flashed with a bit of fear. The soul of that mare was still alive and strong within her. Did she possibly have second thoughts? If so, that’d be really helpful right about now, because I wasn’t entirely sure if I could take her on.

I flew a bit closer to her. “...Ma’am?” Against my better nature, I tried to reach out to her, “Come on. Let’s drop this senseless act and--”

But she interrupted me before I could finish. “Alright fine! If you want to interrupt my efforts at revenge for her little girl so badly, then you’ll have to go through me and for me out of her!”

Okay, this would be a stupid risky move. If this was going to work, then I had to be as careful as possible to avoid more trouble for all of us. The boss was practically incapacitated so I couldn’t rely on him for anything. It was my time to step up.

I landed on the floor, and took a step back from her with my nose turned up. “No.”

“No? NO?!” she screamed rather predictably, “What do you mean ‘no’?! I’m the one in control here! You need to do what I say!”

It worked--so far, anyway. I had to continue that train of apathy if I wanted the reaction I fished for. “No I don’t,” I said in return as I turned my back on her, “I don’t owe you anything. I’m not the one who refused to do the right thing and get back in touch with her husband. I’m leading a responsible life. You need to reject that thing inside of you and realize that none of this is worth it, Ms. Spectacle. Trixie wouldn’t want to see you like this. How do you think she’d--hrrk!”

She cut me off when she grabbed ahold of my body with her magic. A lot of pressure was placed upon my neck which she tried to crush with loads of force. And I started to choke from it. “Shut up! You’re in no position to talk to me in such a way! You’re far too young to understand anything! Ignorant like you deserve to be punished!”

I couldn’t say or do anything. She tossed and flung me around the room. I was slammed and rattled into every nearby object like a ragdoll in a pinball machine. I endured many bruises from it, and she finally stopped with one of the nearby shards of glass from the broken vanity mirror pointed at my throat.

“I’ll end you here and--! No, stop this! I never wanted this!” her voice changed mid-sentence. Did the real soul of the mare finally take over? If so, I could really benefit from it right about now. Oh and she’d be safe too. “Leave my body right now or else!” She turned the shard of glass on herself. She threatened to cut her own throat! “You fool! If you do that then I’ll...gah...it’s not worth it. I’ll get back to you later--don’t forget who you’re dealing with.”

The presence of the Mimic left her body, and the unicorn fell to the floor unconscious. The magical aura released me and I could finally catch my breath.

“AGH! Shit...where’d it go?” I looked around to see nothing. "Grr...no time for that." Guess there was nothing that could be done for the moment. I needed to get these guys to safety.

Subject 177: Debrief

Okay so in the end, the mission was kind of...mixed--and that was putting it nicely. While we didn’t manage to capture that monster, we at least managed to save an innocent pony from the clutches of the wrong side. Now I understood exactly why the boss wanted Cozy to stay back for as long as possible. I couldn’t even begin to imagine the absolute destructive prowess that she could manage with all of that power at her disposal. It wasn’t something I wanted to think about either.

Oh, right. As to the status of the individuals in question--no one was badly hurt in a physical sense. I’m pretty sure Jackpot and Spectacle were probably going to feel extremely awkward about all of this--especially once Trixie caught wind of it. Yup. It was only a matter of time.

Meanwhile, the boss and I had finished our normal procedure as always. We gathered evidence, interviewed witnesses, and discussed with each other about what we found. Once it was all said and done, we exited to the hotel lobby, and sat in silence for a moment. We still needed to speak with Ms. Spectacle--who had been given a room to rest in while she recovered from the strain placed on her body.

So I used the opportunity to speak with Pale about what he was forced to endure.

My head still spun after all of that. I could barely walk properly, and the pain throughout my midsection all the way down to my pelvis rattled me to my core. To be quite frank, it was the first time I had experienced such an...assault on my senses. I felt weak--powerless even. I was essentially blackmailed by keeping the location of the kid hidden.

But Corkscrew really came through for us all. To be honest, I didn’t expect him to employ such a...strange tactic. This mission went on for a bit longer than the last one, but it was still a success. Mostly.

I for one, was disappointed in myself. I couldn’t believe that I allowed myself to fall for such a...disgustingly simplistic trap. I was better than that. I knew that I was. But I allowed myself to fall victim to something that basic. Not only that, I was used by some gross entity that took control of another pony’s body for the sake of making another feel bad.

While I did enjoy magic shows and adored Jackpot’s work, I couldn’t deny that it was very foolish of him to be so careless. To have a child with somepony and not even realize it? How was that even possible? He should have been more careful. However, it wasn’t entirely his fault--he was unaware of Spectacle’s intentions.

At the same time, I couldn’t ignore Spectacle’s missteps either. To go on for so long without so much as mere contact with the stallion she had a child with. Not only was it confusing, but it made her out to be equally careless when it came to taking care of her child. And of course, allying with some weird entity for the sake of revenge was despicable. Though once again, I could not blame her entirely as she had been controlled by a being that caused most of the conflict here.

Lastly, the fact that the census records had zero information in reference to Trixie’s background caused many a theory to pop into my head. Did either of her parents falsify documents in order to distance themselves from their child? Did Trixie go back and fudge records so that she wouldn’t have to bear the weight of those that came before her? Or was there an outside party involved? I believed in innocent until proven guilty, but this was very damning. No matter who was involved, tampering with federal documentation was a serious offense that couldn’t be ignored. The only legal method that would be deemed acceptable would be if they divorced, but that still didn’t explain why Trixie was recorded as having “no family” in the Ponyville records. Hrm…

“...Pale?” Cork spoke up which broke my train of thought, “Is everything alright? You’ve been oddly quiet for a while.”

I didn’t say anything at first--mainly because I wasn’t sure how to put it into words. “Well…”

“Boss, what did she do to you?” he leaned forward with a hurt expression behind his eyes, “Did she really…?”

I suppose that there was no way to hide it any longer. I opened my coat, and exposed my underbelly which had various welts from a whip. In addition, my neck had severe strained marks from the leash, and my lower body was...just a painful mess.

“...Pale...bro….” Corkscrew stared at me, “...How did you manage...what do you think she deserves for this?”

I closed my coat, and felt a nervous twitch in the back of my head as I recalled the events.

“...I CAN’T TAKE IT ANYMORE! PLEASE! LET US GO!”

“Aw, getting tired already? I don’t think I gave you permission to conk out on me. After all, the show is only getting started!”

“NO...STOP….GRRRAAAGH!”

I felt a cold shiver, and did my best to explain how I felt. “She was being brainwashed by an unknown force--possibly connected to Grogar. I didn’t have a choice but to allow her to do as she wished until I knew you’d come to my aid. It wasn’t her fault. This was a special case…” I explained with my head hung down.

Corkscrew fell silent. I could tell he was worried about how I reacted to such a thing, but in the end, he realized that there was no one to really point blame to in this situation. “Even so...when we finally get ahold of Grogar, I’ll make sure he suffers for what he’s done to you--even if it was inadvertently, he’s still at the root of it all.”

While I denounced such tactics, I had no comment against him in that moment. There was no point in going back and forth about it anymore.

Jackpot and Spectacle walked out to us. I suppose they finally explained everything they wanted to discuss with each other.

“...Please just let me say that I deeply apologize for my behavior,” the mare spoke, unable to maintain eye contact with us--likely due to embarrassment which I couldn’t blame her for. “I just wanted to see my daughter again, but I let myself get manipulated by some monster…”

At first I felt the compulsive need to take a step back and hide, but then I remembered that she was not the one who did those things to me. I rubbed my hoof against the side of my head to ease the pain I had. “It’s not your fault. Well--at least the rampage part. There’s no need to force out any excuses for something you couldn’t control.”

She rubbed one of her forelegs against the other as she went on. “...Even after what I did to you? Please allow me to make it up somehow...”

“Not your fault,” I replied quickly, “We’ll deal with those who are responsible for this. Mark my words.” I didn’t want to dwell on that any longer, so I looked to Jackpot for some answers. “Anyhow, if you both want to accomplish something, then I suggest visiting your daughter. I mean, it’s absolutely none of my business as to the status of your relationship and whether or not you all will function as a family. But at least do that much for her, yeah?”

Corkscrew joined in. “Absolutely. We live in a world where the majority of ponies have their parents to back them up. But sometimes, we end up in those rare situations where a child isn’t supported by the ones that brought them into this damn world. So the least you could do is show some respect!” He snapped at them.

Normally I would have chastised him for saying such things. Especially to ponies who were probably three times his age. But in this instance, I didn’t bother. I could feel the frustration in his heart in regards to what happened to me. To put it bluntly: He was pissed.

Fortunately, they responded rather amicably.

“...I honestly had no clue I had a daughter,” Jackpot admitted with a bashful glance off to the side, “But if that’s what this is about, then it’s on me to fix it. Even if she hates me for never being around, I want to at least try to reconnect with her.” He turned his head to the mare, “And what about you?”

“Of course,” she said with a nod, “I’m just as bad for thinking you never cared, so I have to take responsibility for what I’ve done--and didn’t do, in this case.”

I got up from my seat, and trotted towards the exit--with a slow gait to avoid stress on my weakened body. “Just be ready to answer some questions regarding some documents that may or may not be missing. Come on, Cork. We’ll leave the rest to the evidence team.”

My pegasus companion got up and followed me out. “They’re already on their way, boss. I got your back." He grabbed one of my hooves and put it around his neck to assist my steps.

I almost wept. "...Thanks, Corkscrew."

The Next Day…

I decided to sit out of the next mission. After something as rough as that, I needed some time to myself, and explain a few things to Cheerilee. So in my stead, I allowed Quick Draw to handle the next one. Shocker, I know--even she was surprised, but I ordered her to take it upon herself so she could prove herself out in the field. Guttersnipe was going with her, so it wasn’t going to be that bad.

“...Are you sure, Pale?” Quick asked.

I was at her doorstep in person with this request. “Absolutely. I need...to get some things off of my mind before I return to the field. I’m putting my faith in you to represent us well out there.”

There was a hint of tearing in the mare’s eyes, but she hid it well as usual. “...Let me go get ready, then I’ll get Gutsy.”

Since he put my faith in me, I had to honor it or else I’d squander my relationship to him as a friend. I wasn’t going to make the same mistake as before, not now, not ever.

Once I alerted Guttersnipe, she and I headed to the School of Friendship to get more information from Starlight.

And we were headed down under.

Subject 178: Underwater Mission

Oh yeah. Guess I didn’t explain exactly how I was up and at ‘em after having tanked a deadly attack for Pale in Tartarus.

Thanks to Twilight’s magic and some powerful healing, I was actually able to go out and fight again. But the curse still lingered. I was on borrowed time, and I was told that the voodoo-esque hex would possibly erode my soul if we didn’t find the castor and force it to be undone.

Easier said than done, but I refused to die. I had too much to live for. Pale, Cork, my father, their families...which is why I was glad to have Guttersnipe Poinsettia with me on this mission.

We were on a train ride. South. Towards the edge of Equestria beyond the Badlands. There lied several deadly areas such as Klugetown. Luckily for us, we weren’t headed that far. No. Where we were headed was a much more peaceful place.

Mt. Aris and Seaquestria. The land of the Hippogriffs and Seaponies. To be more specific, it was entirely possible that our next target could live in either area. So Guttersnipe and I were assigned this task while Pale took time to recover. Our edge came in regards to the fact that I had done plenty of research on the subjects.

And Gutsy? Well, she was certainly going to provide a destructive angle to this mission if it was necessary.

“So we have our objective. Seaquestria, right?” Guttersnipe asked with an excited smile on her face. “Heh. I actually dressed up as a Seapony for this past Nightmare Night and now I’m heading down there to meet up with them for real. Pretty damn amusing if I do say so myself.” She checked her mechanical wings to make sure they were loaded, and on safety mode. “What do you think, Quick? Quick?”

I had been too focused on looking out the train’s window. I didn’t hear her call me until the third or fourth time.

“Quick!”

“Huh? Wha?” I tilted my head upwards, and looked to my side. “Oh...sorry, Guts. I’m just having a bit of a hard time…”

She sighed and hit me with that knowledgeable look. “...You feel bad for what Pale had to go through, yeah?” She put a hoof around my neck to bring me in for a close hug. “I feel ya, trust me. I would’ve ripped that lady to shreds if it weren’t for the fact that we found out she was being controlled.”

I guess that comforted me a little. Gutters was always willing to take drastic measures to protect the ones she cared about. Even if those measures were a little...explosive? But we still loved her for it.

“Thanks. But what we really need to focus on is getting him some help. Do you think Inkwell will actually be able to deal with...that?”

Guttersnipe leaned back against her seat. “I’m...not entirely sure. It’s extremely rare for a mare to attack a stallion like that, so I’m not sure if she has much experience with cases like that. But even so, I know he’ll be supported by everyone around him until he can recover. We put too much emphasis on stallions being tough and just accepting whatever happens to them. That’s why they rarely tell us their problems.”

“...Huh. I never thought about it that way.” Flabber my ghast, she had a point. Mares were always way more emotional--at least from what I’ve seen--whereas stallions are just taught to roll with the punches. That wasn’t always a good thing since bottling up your emotions can lead to...lots of unsavory things like mental issues and suicidal tendencies. Yeesh. It was not a pleasant thought.

Of course, no one should just be an overly emotional wreck either. But everyone should be allowed to cry once in a while when they needed to.

Then she hit me with a question I wasn’t ready for. “Quick. Do you have romantic feelings for Pale?”

“Eh?” I tilted my head, “Not...no? I’ve always seen him as more of a brother figure. What makes you ask?”

She responded with a shrug. “I dunno--was just curious. I know you guys have been together for a while and he’s found someone now, so I just wanted to...ya know.”

I shook my head this time. “Nah. It’s good. I’m not really into anyone if I’m being honest. I’ve always been laser focused on my job to the point where I’ve never considered it. What about you, Gutsy?”

The red pegasus let out a small snicker. “Hehe...well let’s just say I’m not exactly a successful bachelorette or anything. Not once have I been asked out on a second date, but I got my friends so I’m not exactly hurting over it.”

“Well that’s good--the fact that you aren’t in any heartache, I mean,” I said with a wry smile. All of a sudden, we heard the train come to a stop. It was time to exit, and head out to Seaquestria.

Why? Well there was apparently a sighting of an unidentified being near the water. It honestly could have been anything and we weren’t about to risk anything for fear of Grogar getting a good foothold in our home. Not to mention the fact that this place was regionally close to Klugetown and was a risk unto itself.

We arrived at the shoreline that connected the realms of Seaquestria and Hippogriffia--the two separate, yet thematically united lands that contained Seaponies and Hippogriffs respectively.

“Alright, so how do we get under there?” Guttersnipe pointed a hoof at the water, “Isn’t there some kinda transformation thingy we can use?”

“Something like that.” I reached into one of my saddlebags, and pulled out a potion, “Starlight gave me this. It’ll allow us to become Seaponies and traverse the depths without issue.” Then I took a look at her with a concerned frown. “Are your wings gonna be okay? Since they’re metal and all?”

“Oh? These babies?” she said, and gave them a flap, “It’ll be fine. They’re made to be waterproof so I’ll be fine even if I’m transformed. Now let’s get moving.”

Heh. I couldn’t ignore how eager she could be. With that out of the way, we both drank the potion, turned into aquatic ponies, and took a dip into the water. I had to admit, the tailfin looked pretty good on me.

“Watch out!” Guts yelled as she put a hoof in front of me. “Take a look.”

We weren’t able to swim two yards through the water before we ran into some kind of danger. What sort of danger exactly?

Naval mines. A swarm of spikey, explosive balls littered everywhere.

This was beyond suspicious.

Subject 179: Disaster Report

“...and...that’s what happened. I’m so sorry, Cheerilee…”

I sniffled. My face was redder than a beet, and filled with rivers of dried tears. I was a pitiful mess. Oh...suppose I should specify. After reporting the incident to Starlight--who would report the intel to Twilight, I went to Cheerilee’s house to get everything off my chest. I told her everything because I didn’t want any deception between us.

She reacted...in a way I didn’t expect: With empathy.

“Pale...honey...what in the world are you sorry for?” she brought me into a hug, and held me against her neck. One of her hooves stroked my mane which slowly calmed me down. “None of that was your fault. You did everything within your power to keep Cozy Glow safe. I actually adore you for it.”

“I...I don’t understand...you mean you’re...not upset with me?”

“Absolutely not,” she said with a stern, dignified air of confidence, “Who I’m upset with is that disgusting little monster that tricked a poor, innocent mare into taking advantage of you in front of her old lover. That beast is going to suffer a hundredfold for what they’ve done. And you...you need as much time as possible to recover from what you’ve experienced.”

Wow. I couldn’t believe it. I had honestly thought that...she wouldn’t have accepted what happened to me. Why? I don’t know. Call it an irrational fear. I guess it had to do with the fact that I as a stallion never really expected to be hurt in such a way. To put it simply, in the past I had dealt with a lot of cases in which mares who had been abused or taken advantage of by their partners--usually stallions. But it wasn’t very common for a stallion to be on the end of such abuse. According to my various findings, stallions were more commonly victims of aggravated assault compared to mares who usually suffered from abusive partners.

That being said, I experienced something that wasn’t...really in the norm. So I didn’t expect to be granted such sympathy.

“...Thank you, Cheerilee. I don’t know what to say…” I muttered while locked within her embrace.

I felt her place a kiss on my forehead. “Don’t say anything, Pale. You know how I am when it comes to problems with the ones I care about. Whether it’s one of my students or somepony special like you, I’m going to be there to do what I can.”

I fell silent, and sobbed for a little while longer. Part of me felt as if I didn’t deserve such a wonderful mare who took care of me in such a way. It melted my heart. “...Even so, I’m going to take some time off so I can get my head on straight. This has...really given me a new perspective on the dangers that are out there.”

“Regardless of what happens, I know you’ll bounce back,” Cheerilee leaned backwards so she could gaze at me in the eyes. “Why? Because you have lots of loving friends and family who want to see you succeed and be healthy. So no matter what, do as you wish. Cry, speak your mind--anything to aid in your emotional healing. We’ll all handle this together.”

I couldn’t even make eye contact with her. While her words comforted me, I still felt...unworthy of her presence. “I promise...it won’t ever happen again.”

She placed her hoof beneath my chin, and turned my head upwards. “Promise me something else: That you’ll always come to me whenever you have something on your mind. I will be the one to make sure that something like that never happens again. To you, or any other stallion.”

Huh? How? Just what did she plan to do? My tail flicked out of curiosity mixed with a bit of fear. “...What do you mean by that?”

“The Mayor is going to help us. She has her ways of keeping this town safe. And Ms. Inkwell can offer you therapy if you start to feel any worse. And me? I’m going to have a chat with Spectacle.”

Well now, that was a surprise. I was both comforted and intrigued by the idea of the Mayor assisting everyone. I wondered what sort of executive order she could implement to lower the rate of monster attacks--especially given the fact that the Everfree Forest wasn’t that far away.

But wait, why did Cheerilee want to speak with her?! That was a cyclone of horror waiting to happen!

I feverishly shook my head. “...Cheery, no. She was innocent. Her body was being controlled by that disgusting creature...who is unfortunately still at large.”

“Oh no...my dear. I know that. However, she’s still very much responsible for joining up with it in the first place.” She looked away from me for a moment. “I just want to know why. What drove her to do such a thing? Once I get a better understanding of the whole situation, I’ll make up my mind on what to do next.”

That was completely fair. After all, being unbiased was the name of the game when it came to criminal activity. I wasn’t about to persuade nor dissuade her from doing what she knew was necessary. I would respect the decision of my wife. “...Understood, Cheery.”

“Where is she right now?”

“If I recall, she and Jackpot are actually going to the Mayor’s office to check their medical records.” I lied down on the couch--on my back, “Since Trixie has taken up permanent residence here, they’re going to see if they can figure out what happened and why they aren’t listed on her family documents. I’m...a bit curious myself.”
“Then don’t you worry about a thing,” the beautiful pinkish-purple pony lied next to me to hold me close, and refused to let go. “I’ll see what I can find out later. For now, rest with me. Please?”

I was in absolutely no position to refuse. I left my coat at the door for a reason. There was no intention of me going back out there until I was ready.

“...Yes. I will. Thank you…” I slowly shut my eyes and started to feel my stresses drift away…

Meanwhile, I could only hope that Quick Draw and Guttersnipe would be okay on the mission they accepted.

Subject 180: Underwater Mission Part II

“Why in the fresh fish frick are there landmines down here?!” I nearly flipped my lid. These black, spiky balls of explosive death had no business down here. Something was up, and it was on us to figure it out.

Guttersnipe swam down towards the floor of the ocean, and beckoned me to come after her. “These are limpet mines. Powered by magnetism and set off either remotely or by a fuse. We should avoid them due to the fact that our blood contains very small traces of iron. We won’t be drawn in, but they’ll be set off if we get too close.”

Good points. I could always count on Guts to know what sorts of deadly weaponry that the enemy had at their disposal. But if I recalled correctly, these types of mines had been outlawed for a long time due to trade route issues and ships getting nuked out of the water. Why were they even here??

“Makes sense,” I replied as I swiveled my way through the water to meet her, “But who could have placed them here? These things are no longer being produced….right?” I looked at Gutsy for verification. She was the expert on these explosive things--not me.

Thankfully, she came through with an explanation. “That’s right. Ever since the wars of the previous centuries, explosives such as bombs and mines have become prohibited after they caused way too much destruction to surrounding areas like ports where pirates used to attack. That’s why everyone mostly focuses on magic instead of the grisly nature of history. It’s...easier to forget about things if we pretend they don’t exist.” She finished that sentence with air air of loss akin to missing a close friend.

Well damn. That wasn’t very good. But I could understand why to an extent. Ponies on the whole were very docile. (Almost too docile). And development of things such as that could lead to the creation of nuclear weapons. Something that none of us needed.

“Yeah, I understand. So do you think Grogar could have possibly started to develop these things with his magic?”

“It’s possible, yeah,” she replied and took a deep breath. We were finally out of that floating minefield and close to Seaquestria. “Whew. There we go. Hm…”

Her confusion piqued my interest, so I waded towards her. “What’s the matter, Guts?”

“I think it’s possible that this entire field has Seaquestria surrounded…”

I looked out into the distance, but the seawater didn’t allow me to see that far. It was all a blur with some rocky formations of coral. “But I don’t see anything.”

“Think about it, Quick. Seaponies are among some of the friendliest races in the world. They would have detected, and come out to see us by now.” She pointed a hoof at the black spikeballs, “But instead, these things have them all locked in here. Prisoners in their own home.”

I scowled, and grit my teeth. “Diabolical...but what advantage could he gain by locking this territory down. Gah...there must be something here that we’re missing.”

“Think Cozy might know?” she raised a brow at me. “Or could it have something to do with the curse you’ve been inflicted with?”

“...Completely plausible,” I mumbled and placed a hoof against my chest. I could feel my heart beat at an erratic pace. “Ngh...ack…” I coughed, which let out some air bubbles that floated to the surface.

Guts put a hoof on my shoulder. “Hey. You alright? If you’re not feeling well, we can head back.”

I stowed my pain, and shook my head. “Absolutely not. If there’s a way we can kill a flock of birds with a single stone, then we should take it. Besides, if there’s a way we can help the Seaponies/Hippogriffs, then we can get help in return.”

Guttersnipe’s eyes darted back and forth in a subtle, concerned way as she mulled over what I said. She knew as well as I that certain things had to be done for the good of others. She shut her eyes, nodded, and opened them with newfound gusto. “Alright, I’m with ya. But if things get hairy, then my contact on the surface will be ready to bail us out.”

I tilted my head. My tailfin wriggled with curiosity. “Eh? You had someone tail us and watch our backs? Dammit Guts...but that’s clever, girl.”

“I know it is.” She ‘reclined’ on her back while floating in the water, and folded her hooves with a snide grin on her face. “And you already know her, and she knows us pretty well so things are gonna go smoothly if we need her help.”

On the beach at the surface of the water, a certain somepony kept watch from a beach chair, a drink, and an umbrella to compliment her shades.

“Take a chill pill, Tavi. I promised that I’d be home before it gets dark,” the white unicorn DJ said over her earpiece. She had on a tropical blue and purple shirt with neon pink hibiscus flowers patterned all over. “I’m on a job for a work buddy! You know how it is...yes, I’ll bring you back some coconuts from the beach...aw, don’t make me say it...gah, fine. I love you. Now don’t call again! This line has to stay open for emergencies.” With the push of a button, she shut it off. “Jeebus, why does she gotta be so concerned? Then again, I can’t hate. I’d be all over her the same way. Anyhow, back to work…”

Back underwater…

I had no issue. Vinyl was a trustworthy companion to have on such an operation. “Sounds good to me. Now let’s get going.”

And so we swam deeper into the territory of the Seaponies until we were finally greeted by a pair of deep blue Seapony guardsmares who wielded tridents as weapons.

“State your business,” the first one called out to us.

I spoke up first. “We’re here to see your leader. Is he available?”

“Maybe,” the other Seapony mare replied with a hint of annoyance.

The doors to the underwater palace opened up, and we saw a large, muscular Seapony stallion who had a pearlescent white coat, and a mane that shone a hefty shade of cyan exit to greet us. “Stand down, you two. These are guests, and we shall treat them with respect, understood?”

The guards backed off, and replied in unison. “Yes, Lord Terramar.”

“Now then,” he took a bow, and flashed a rather inviting smile, “Welcome to the realm of Seaquestria. I’m Lord Terramar. Pleasure to make your acquaintance. And you both are?”

I couldn’t help but stare. The guy was a hunk, I had to be honest. Guttersnipe was equally awestruck. We both stood--er, floated there with forced smiles on our faces.

“...Why is he so hot?” Guts muttered to me without any lip movement.

“Shush-shush-shush!” I chastised her under my breath, also no lip movement, “We’re here on business here. Don’t screw it up.” I cleared my throat, and shook off my nerves to speak more clearly. “Thank you, Lord Terramar. We’re here to help, and we’re hoping that you can help us in return. Are you aware of the swarm of naval mines that surround your homeland’s borders?”

The large Seastallion sighed. “Ugh...we’ve been trying to deal with those for the past month. But they have been an endless thorn in our side. We can’t even leave our home for risk of causing damage to the surrounding area. It’s a miracle that you mares even made it down here.”

What?! They knew about this and haven’t been able to do anything?! Dammit...Grogar just gets more and more crafty with his nonsense.

But I had a plan.

Subject 181: A Helping Hoof

I woke up to the wonderful sensation of one of my favorite dishes: beet and hay stew with apricot juice. Cheerilee had gone out of her way to get some fresh vegetables from the farm just to make it for me. I was beyond flattered. But then I remembered something she said to me before we fell asleep together.

“...Cheery, don’t tell me you’re still thinking of confronting them yourself. I’m flattered that you’re willing to go out of your way for me, but this is far too dangerous and I would rather you not put yourself in--hrk!”

She put a spoonful of the beets in my mouth, and giggled. “I knew you would say something like that, which is why I thought it over and decided to ask a certain someone for help.”

I munched on the red disks of juicy goodness, and glanced at her with an uncertain set of eyes. “Er...you didn’t put Cozy up to it, did you?”

“Absolutely not,” she said with a shake of her head, “However, I did run into her on the way home. She’ll be here soon with...something. She said she had to go shopping.”

I let out a sigh of relief, and took another bite of the stew. “Okay then…” I swallowed in between sentences, “I really hope she isn’t stressed out. But who did you request help from, if that’s the case.”

“Well…” she tapped her hooves together in a nervous fashion, “It wasn’t so much that I requested aid. It was more along the lines of being offered assistance. Flurry Heart was in town today visiting Cozy, Pound Cake, and her other friends. I saw her walking towards Cozy’s home, and she stopped me.” She leaned against the table, her cheek rested in the palm of her hoof, “She was able to tell what sort of stress I was in, so she offered to go seek out some answers for me.”

Oh Luna above. Now I just felt embarrassed. It’s not that I didn’t want the help of an alicorn or anything. Far from it. A part of me simply thought it was a waste of time on their end. Why would Flurry want to take time out of her busy, stressful princesshood to assist a regular-ass pony like myself? It just didn’t feel right. As if I didn’t deserve any of it. I wasn’t anyone special or important.

“Cheery...gah...why does she wanna help?” I stopped eating, and stared down at the bowl in front of me. “Doesn’t she have more important things to do? Isn’t she a princess with a job?”

Cheerilee took a more stern tone with me. Her face tightened up ever so slightly with a frown that pierced my soul. “There is absolutely no reason for you to speak that way of yourself. You matter to me, to Cozy, to all of us. But beyond that, what you have experienced is something so...completely bonkers that Flurry Heart desired to help us both. Why? Because you do deserve these things. After all that you have been through, the sacrifices that you’ve made--you are easily one of the most important ponies to have ever lived. So don’t forget your goal in life, okay?”

Really? I couldn’t imagine. As I said before, I was just a regular old guy who did his job. I wasn’t any different or special compared to anypony else. But maybe...I suppose it wouldn’t hurt to acknowledge my accomplishments sometimes. After all, my goal was to make life better for others. So maybe I did do something right.

My goal in life…

In the end, I had to respect the wife’s decision. “...I understand. Thank you, Cheery. It’ll...take some time before I’m ready to head back out there, but…”

“Take as much time as necessary. I’ll be here to take care of you. And Cozy will--”

Knock-knock-knock!

Cheerilee turned to look at the front door. “That must be her now. She’s probably dying to see you.”

I took a deep breath, and nodded my head. “As am I.”

With my approval, she got up, and pranced over to the door. She opened it to find a nervous, yet excited pink pegasus on the other side. “Hello, Cozy.”

“Hey mom--hi, erm, uh--i-is Pale here?”

“He’s right over--”

“Thanks!” she shouted, and flew right over to me. “Dad...I...I heard about what happened. Are you okay?”

The disturbed frown on her face told me everything. She was afraid of the possibilities that involved me with the potential loss of sanity from trauma. But I...I wouldn’t lose myself. Not again. I was going to be strong for her, and myself.

“...No, I’m not,” I admitted with my head tilted downwards. But then, I rose up to glance at her, “However, having you here has made things better already.”

She flashed me a smile, and sat down next to me at the table. It was good to see her relieved for a change. “Okay...I’m glad you’re better. But I want you to know that I’m proud of you. You’ve...set an amazing example for me to follow. Even if I still desperately wanna be out there with you.” She let out a sigh. “Part of me feels a bit guilty knowing you’re going through so much trouble to protect me…”

If this was a little ploy to get me motivated, then it was working. Because I refused to allow her to feel that way about herself. “Kid...you shouldn’t get like that. I do what I do for the good of everypony out there. Not just you--though you do play a major role.”

“...what do you mean by that?”

I leaned back in my seat. “I’ve come to realize that my calling was something greater than simply saving you. It has more to do with how you relate to the world at large, and what we can do to keep each other safe without the need of divine intervention.”

Cheerilee had shut the door, and came back to the table to join us. “There you go, hun. That’s the spirit. You’re a shining example in achievement. You were a regular pony that managed to convince most of the population that one of Equestria’s greatest villains was never meant to be that way. You didn’t need wings and a horn or some ancient relic to tell you that, did you?” she said with a sly raise of her brow.

I couldn’t help but grin at her for that. “No...you’re right. Speaking of which…” I turned to Cozy, “Do you know about what Flurry Heart intends to ask Jackpot and Spectacle?”

Cozy’s eyes drifted upwards and to the left. Oh no. “Well…she’s currently at the Mayor’s office right now, waiting for them to be finished with their meeting with the Mayor. And...”

“Time to drill ‘em for answers until they break...with the power of love.”

Subject 182: Plugging In

While my mate Pale was focused on his healing, Corkscrew was likely busy at the office, and Quick Draw had been given another mission, I knew it was my scout’s honor to come back in and assist wherever I could. Even if I did run the risk of catching weird looks here and there, I needed to be steady. My brother Neon was back home still getting his leg replaced. Because of that, it was on me to handle whatever came up in his stead.

I had to wait patiently outside of the Mayor’s office. The mare known as Spectacle was here. The one who had been possessed by some disgusting creature known as a Mimic. If I could just have a good look at her, and ask her a few things, I could ascertain where the beast originated, and destroy the source. That way, we wouldn’t have any more of them running around.

“Hi, are you Flash Drive?” said the voice of a young lass near me.

I turned and faced her. “That I am. Is there something you need?”

“Oh, no--well, sorta. You work with Pale, right? That’s going to make this a whole lot easier.”

Easier? Hm. Just what could this little bird be up to? I took a stab at it. “Oh? Are you perhaps here to speak with Trixie’s parents also?”

“Indeed! Good guess. You’re pretty smart, you know that?” she threw out a rather deft compliment at me with the biggest smile that she could muster. “And you’re, uh, so tall too! And muscular!”

I rolled my eyes, and shut the book I had patiently flipped through for the last five minutes or so. “Get to the point, little lady. You want something, don’t ya?”

“Okay, you caught me,” she let out a dramatic gasp of air, “I just wanna help you out. Cozy is a good friend of mine, and I’ve offered to throw my hat into the ring if you catch my drift.”

Part of me wanted to tell her off immediately. The battlefield being no place for a child and such. It was rather foolish, but I saw no point in a debate. At least for the time being. “You are aware that my mate Pale is one of my friends, yeah?” I asked with a tone of dissent, “This isn’t a game. It’s going to be hard with some challenges that you may not yet be ready for.”

The alicorn spread her wings with a proud grin. “Sir, don’t count me out. I know that I’m more than ready to face anything. Like I said, Cozy is one of my closest friends. One of the few ponies that have treated me like a regular...pony instead of some uptight princess.” She hit me with a sympathetic set of eyes, “...I’m sure you know what that feels like, don’t you? To desire being treated regularly?”

While our circumstances were...vastly different, I couldn’t deny that the young mare had a point. Despite being half-zebra, half-unicorn, I did indeed wish to be treated with the same amount of common decency as anypony else. Where my father was from...it didn’t exactly go that way. So in essence, I had enough respect for Flurry to allow her to tag along. For now.

“That’s right. You and I both have a common dream. You may do as you will for the moment." The last thing I needed was an upset alicorn...yeech. That was not a memory I needed to relive.

Right then. Where was I? There we were. We waited in the Town Hall’s lobby. Nice and quiet on the inside, it was. The only thing to listen to was Madam Inkwell hole-punch and staple a document or two. It took about another half an hour or so before the pair exited the room, and trotted out.

I saw the opportunity and took it.

“Sir, madam,” I addressed them both as I approached, “If possible, would you care to answer a few questions?” I showed them my officer’s badge--hated doing that, but it was for the sake of formality.

The mare--Spectacle--nodded once. “...If I can, sure.”

Jackpot agreed as well. “Sure, kid. What do you wanna know?”

Good. I tucked away the badge, and went on. “Alright then. First off, what I’d like to know is some information regarding your relation to Trixie. There are no records of her parents in any of the Ponyville databases. Any idea why?”

“Well…” the older stallion stood aside, “It might be better if she explained it.”

When he moved out of the way, Trixie took a few steps forward. A spitting image of her father right down to eye color. It was insane. “Hello,” she looked at me with an awkward expression of shame on her face, “...and yes, I fudged the documents regarding my parents. I didn’t want anypony to know that I came from a set of parents who barely knew each other out of a fling. It was too embarrassing…”

Spectacle put a hoof on her daughter’s shoulder. “We’re so sorry, Trix. I should never have lied to you about your father being missing. I was also too afraid to admit that I...had a rather promiscuous evening in Las Pegasus.”

Jackpot spoke up next. “Had I known that I had a daughter, I would have done my best to find her. Honestly. I know this may sound like empty words….but it’s all I have. There’s nothing we can do to really change the past.”

I decided to offer a bit of wisdom to mend the situation. “Maybe not, sir. But if you work towards a better future…”

“Uhm…I’m not so sure…” Jackpot took a step back, “I have to be honest. I don’t really...love this mare like I thought I did all those years ago.”

Spectacle also chimed in. “As much as I hate to admit it, it’s true. I don’t have any real feelings for him that are mutual either.”

“It’s fine, you guys, really,” Trixie took a stance on the matter, “You don’t have to force yourselves to get back together or anything. I’ve been perfectly happy with my friends for the past twenty years or so,” she said with a hopeful smile in an attempt to ease their tensions.

Before they could mull over the topic for much longer, Flurry Heart finally entered the conversation. “Ahem...if you don’t mind, I’d like to ask a question. That Mimic...when it took over your body--did it, by any chance talk about where it came from?”

Spectacle rubbed her head with her hoof as she tried to remember. “Hrm...I don’t exactly have all of the details. But I remember hearing something about it being enchanted with some sort of Zebra power?”

Well slob on my knob and bend me sideways...were some of my kin allied with this bugger?

Subject 183: Charging Up

“The zebs, you say?” I tilted my head, “Mind elaboratin’?”

The mare looked down. “I’m sorry...but that’s all I know. Honest. Where they’re from has completely slipped my mind.”

Well that was enough to ruffle my truffle, innit? But something about it sounded so familiar to me that I had to give it some thought. “Hm…”

Flurry Heart gave me a gentle nudge with a wing. “Uh, sir? Are you alright?”

“I’m just thinking…”

“If you’re having any doubts, you can stow them,” she ordered, “She’s telling the truth. I can feel it. After what she’s done to your friend, she feels beyond guilty and wants to make amends.” She looked over to Spectacle, “Isn’t that right, ma’am?”

The mare shyly nodded her head. “You...erm...yes. Please. I want to do whatever I can to start improving and work towards a better life…”

Flurry took some more initiative. “Well, you can start by apologizing to Pale’s wife as well. She’ll feel a lot better once you talk to her. After that, you and Jackpot should sort out your differences and figure out how to go about your relationship with Trixie from here on.”

“I suppose that’s reasonable,” Trixie replied with a shrug. I could tell she wasn’t that jazzed about the idea. I couldn’t blame her. After all, these were two ponies who, while her biological parents, were ultimately complete strangers to her.

So I threw my two bits in. “There’s no need to force it out, mate. If it doesn’t work, it doesn’t work. However, it can’t hurt to at least try. I know what it’s like to be shunned by those around me, Trix. So I’ve taken solace in those who care about me.”

“It’s not like I was going to straight up ignore your suggestions or anything,” the blue mare replied, “And I’ll be honest...I am interested in learning new things from a fellow magician.”

Jackpot tipped his hat. “Well...I wouldn’t mind teaching a fellow stagepony a thing or two. It’s up to the older generation to teach the youngsters, right?”

Trixie turned her head to the left--towards her mother. “And I’d like to know what you’ve been up to ever since I moved to Ponyville. It’s been forever since we last talked...mom.”

That caused her to tear right up. “Oh...Trixie, I’d--I’d love to. Once I get a few apologies out of the way, of course…” she trailed off with a nervous inflection of her voice.

“Sounds like you all have a plan,” Flurry stated to put a proverbial bow on the situation, “While you handle that, we’ll be off taking care of business. Have a good day, everypony.”

With not much left to add, I nodded, and turned to leave. “Indeed. Have a good one.” Flurry followed me out. Much to my chagrin, I couldn’t help but acknowledge the fact that she did indeed provide assistance to the situation. “Alright, ladybird. You were helpful--thank you.”

She smiled rather humbly. “Heh. Nothing to it, sir. Remember. I’m in it for Cozy’s sake. Oh, Pale’s too of course. But Cozy and I have become so close now, that--”

I put my hoof up to interrupt her. “Relax, princess. I hear ye. No need to elaborate. You’ve done enough as it is. Now allow me to work, alright? Don’t think we’ve forgotten about that little stunt you and your friends pulled way back.”

“Uch--pffty--wh--! Come on, I was helping Pale! And we all accomplished defeating a huge monster together!” she exclaimed with her wings spread wide as she floated before me. “Please! I know I can help out…”

I didn’t know exactly how to go about this, honestly. I knew where I needed to go and how to get there. For Flurry, it would be nothing but danger. “Listen...go talk to Cozy for a while. I’m sure she’s in a lot of stress over what Pale has experienced. Given that she considers him her dad and all.”

“I well--yeah…” she touched down to the ground with a guilty frown. “I suppose you’re right.”

“Go on then, lass. I’ll handle things,” I pranced towards the train station. It was time for an investigation.

Back in Seaquestria…

We were taken inside and given some rather unexpected hospitality by Terramar. He offered us food and let us sit in his dining hall as we mulled over what to do. I had to admit, being under here was strange at first, but I loved being able to swim without having to breathe.

What I found most curious was that Terramar had taken over Seaquestria while Silverstream had taken hold of Mt. Aris/Hippogriffia. Really cool in all honesty. The royal siblings now governed their own lands that connected their species. But I wonder if they had found mates yet…

Oh right. Back to work.

“Quick Draw, yes?” the large Seapony addressed me, “And Guttersnipe Poinsettia? Adorable names indeed. So what did you have in mind?”

I cleared my throat, and went on. “Well, basically these mines are all generated by magic, right? All we need to do is track down the source and eliminate it.”

Terramar sighed and leaned against the table with his chin upon his hooves. “Easier spoken than executed. If we knew where the source was located, we could have disposed of it by now. But none of us can figure out what those things are or what they’re made of. It’s absurd.”

Guttersnipe suddenly blurted out from next to me. “Already have. See if I were able to get in there and tinker with the device, then maybe--just maybe, I could find a way in.”

“Are you an expert on magical technology?” Terramar asked.

“You could kinda say that,” Guts flexed her mechanical wings, “I’ve studied all sorts of magitech. But the problem is that I need some kinda barrier to keep my blood from being sensed by it so it won’t go off. Got anypony around who can cast something like that?”

“Hm...I may,” he replied with a somewhat concerned gaze, “Are you sure you’ll be able to handle it, Madam Poinsettia?”

She was as fierce as the red-hot color of her body. “Absolutely. We can handle this no problem, right Quick?”

I nodded. “Yup. Just point us in the right direction.”

Terramar got up from his seat. “If that is indeed the case...then my sword is at your service.”

A sword? For real? I had to see that in action.

Subject 184: Family Talk

Cozy, Cheerilee and I continued to have a chat as a family. Everything was alright for the most part. However, Cozy brought up something that made me a bit concerned.

“...Pale? I’ve been having these weird dreams lately.”

My level of anxiety went through the roof. “What kind of dreams, kid? I hope it’s nothing dangerous…”

She rubbed the back of her head. “Well...it’s hard to explain. But I feel like I saw myself watching things come crashing down around me. It’s somewhat of a blur, but I remember being all alone and...gah. It’s not coming back to me.”

“I see...well when you have more details, you can always come to Cheerilee or myself about it. Right, Cheery?”

“Absolutely,” she replied with a smile, “I expect either of you to come to me if there’s ever a problem. And I intend to do the same. That’s exactly why I’ve come to love you, Pale.”

A blush tinged my cheeks because I didn’t really know how to respond to that. “Um...for real?”

She nodded and continued. “I’m serious. You’re courageous, strong, yet a caring and kind stallion when it matters. You may be a bit er...brutish at times, but that’s what I like about you. Flaws and all.”

Cozy took a moment to process what Cheerilee had stated. “Wait a minute...you still love him despite some of the things he’s done? Oh--n-no offense, pops!” she looked at me with a nervous, pained visage.

“Don’t be sorry, kid. It’s true. We all have flaws and that’s kind of what makes us special. Some aspects of ourselves that can’t just be changed to altered overnight. Some things take time to work through. Look at me,” I pointed at myself, “I’m a bit callous and can make poor decisions if I don’t think things through. But even so, I still do my best to put my personal desires aside when on the job. That’s not to say it’s been completely perfect though...far from it.” I hung my head down. “I’ve done things that are often questionable even by my own standards, kid.”

“...so what do you do?” she asked, “What do you do when you realize that you’ve made a mistake that you would normally condemn somepony else for?”

I raised my head up. “I accept whatever comes my way, and make sure I never repeat the same mistake. Only by learning from the missteps we make can we actually improve. It’s as they say: Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it.”

“Wow…” Cozy flapped her wings and sighed, “I wish I had known that before I got mixed up with a bunch of supervillains.”

Cheerilee came back in. “We have already deduced that that wasn’t your fault, dear. You were a child. Unable to form complex, nuanced thoughts and opinions beyond what you were spoonfed about the outside world. Ultimately, Pale, myself, his friends, and everyone eventually came to the conclusion that your life was--dare I say it--completely unfair and that you deserved a second chance once we knew you were mentally ready.”

The pink pegasus sniffled, and wiped away a tear from her eye. “...Thank you both. So much.”

Knock-knock-knock.

My ear flicked. Now who could that be? Did Cheerilee expect someone else?

I looked at the door, then at her. “Um, Cheery? Are you--?”

She got up with a shrug of her shoulders. “Not at all. I wasn’t expecting anyone else today. I wonder who it could be…” She opened the door, and gave a greeting. “Hello?”

To my utter shock, it was Spectacle. The brownish unicorn mare had returned with eyes filled with tears. “Are you...Ms. Cheerilee? The one who is currently engaged to Pale Vestige?”

Cheerilee hesitated, and replied with a slow nod. “I...am. Why?”

The mare dropped to her knees with an earnest sob. “Please...please forgive me. I never wanted to bring harm to your husband or your relationship! I foolishly made the mistake of joining up with a monster that I thought would grant me what I want. But in the end, I just made everything worse not only for myself, but for everypony else…”

Cheerilee’s eye twitched. It was almost as if she had the urge to haul off on this mare, but she withheld it. The amount of restraint she displayed was powerful enough to leave several cracks within the floorboards.

“I...I understand. You were doing what you thought was best for your family. But in the future, please keep in mind that nopony in this world is going to look out for them other than yourself,” she explained in a calm tone.

Spectacle’s whimpers slowed to a stop as she stood up. “I won’t ever make that mistake again. I promise. I-I’ll do anything to make it up to you all. He didn’t deserve what happened to him, and I want to atone for what I have done.”

An eerie silence filled the air.

Cozy leaned over and whispered to me. “Um...pops. Is mom okay?”

From the dining room table, we could witness an almost...dark and demonic sort of glint in Cheerilee’s eyes. This was absolutely not good. Tranquil fury was among some of the scariest types of anger due to how much we feared the unknown. Part of me wanted to interject and pull Cheerilee back down to earth, but I sure as shit wasn’t about to--at least not yet.

“...Hang on, kiddo. Let’s allow this to play out for now. You never know what someone like Cheery is planning.”

At last, she replied to the unicorn’s inquiry. “Anything, you say?”

Subject 185: Couple's Sorrow

“Anything! Yes! I swear!” Spectacle yelled.

Cheerilee raised a brow and sighed with a roll of her eyes. “You can start by apologizing to my husband. From there, you can start working on the relationship you have with your own family. The Mayor and Ms. Inkwell can decide what you should endure next. That isn’t up to me.”

Spectacle seemed overly nervous at the show of mercy. As if she expected something much worse to happen. But she didn’t hesitate. She ran over to me, and practically threw herself down at the floor.

“I’m sorry..I know you probably won’t accept my apology, and you have every right not to...but I want you to know that I fully intend to repent for what I’ve done to you, sir. I’m just so…”

I rubbed my temples to try and formulate a good response. “It’s...as long as you’re aware of the mistakes you made, and improve in the future, I won’t pass any judgement onto you. The real criminal was the monster you chose to ally with under false pretenses. You were nothing more than an ignorant accomplice--and I mean that in the nicest way possible. Don’t beat yourself up over it, please.”

“Okay…” she stood up once more, “But if there’s anything I can do for you, just name it.”

It was always awkward to deal with individuals who did horrid things that showed genuine remorse immediately afterwards. Mainly because of how uncommon they were. But I did my best to accommodate the situation.

“Don’t ever accept the ‘assistance’ of another creature. Time and time again, we’ve come across scenarios that have resulted in damage to innocent lives when ponies try to mess with dangerous forms of magic. Why, your own daughter fell victim to this at one point.”

The unicorn stared at me with a fearful gaze. “...she did?”

I nodded. “Absolutely. Granted, I was much younger at the time. It was about twenty years ago when Trixie got ahold of the Alicorn Amulet. An artifact so powerful that it nearly caused her to destroy this entire town.” I pointed at the mare, “And now look at yourself. Repeating the same mistake. It’s as they say. Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it. Are you going to allow yourself to become part of the problem or the solution?”

Spectacle took a step back to think about what I had told her. “...Gosh. I never knew that she would even be capable of such things. She never told me about the things she got up to in her spare time. I suppose that’s why she’s been so...distant towards me.”

Blech. I utterly despised that word when used to describe the relationship between two or more individuals. “Distant.” Not only was it a vague term, but whenever I heard it, it usually meant things were unhealthy but no one wanted to talk about them. As a result, many a conflict usually went unresolved due to how often folks tended to shy away from addressing the issues in question. Silence was deadly, after all.

“Forgive me for saying this--given that I haven’t raised any children of my own,” I prefaced to avoid a counterargument, “But you need to start doing a better job of looking out for her. Nay--you both should start looking out for each other. Do you understand? If you do that for yourself, then I could start to forgive you.”

There was some hesitation from the mare, but at last she saw reason and complied. “...Yes, sir.”

“And one more thing.”

“Yes?”

“...Do yourself a favor and law low for a while,” I warned her, “There’s no telling if that monster or some similar creature will come back because they see you as an easy target. You and your family need to stay out of harm’s way whether you intend to mend your relationship or not.”

“Oh...is that all?” Her eyes fell at such a notion. It was as if she didn’t want to make an attempt to reconnect with Jackpot to make up for what was lost. “I suppose I can do that. I’m not sure if it’ll help, but…”

That’s when Cozy interjected to offer her own take. “Now hold on just one second. I may not be an expert in parenting...but I know exactly what it’s like to be abandoned. In fact, I lashed out just like your daughter did, but in a far worse way because of that abandonment.” She let out a soft sigh. “Sadly, I wasn’t as lucky as she was. Trixie managed to get her crap together and live out a successful life without you. I’d have done anything to still have my parents look out for me…” she looked up at Spectacle with a powerful, authoritative glare, “So you and Jackpot should at least make an effort before you give up like a lousy pair of--”

Cheerilee came over and put a hoof over Cozy’s mouth before she could finish that sentence. Thank goodness too. I was just about to do the same. Great minds think alike as they say.

“What she’s saying is...do your best for Trixie by trying to do your best for yourselves. Is that doable for you, ma’am?” my wife questioned her.

“...I think I can.”

Cheerilee nodded. “Good. And by the way, where is--”

From the front door, I heard a familiar voice. “And so can I. I feel utterly terrible for what I’ve done--or haven’t done in this case. So…”

I looked up to see Jackpot. “Sir? What do you mean?”

“I’m going to make that effort. I’ve been so...blinded by my life as a bigshot in Las Pegasus that I never stopped to consider the weight of my actions. So to show my gratitude...here.” With a flash of his horn, a set of tickets appeared in my, Cozy, and Cheerilee’s hooves. “Free, front-row seats to my next show. And for you in particular, officer…”

My wife and surrogate daughter both glanced at the tickets with awe. But I was a bit curious as to what he had for me specifically. “Er...what?”

He used his horn to make a specific little item appear. An old magician’s top hat that was jet black and out of style. Signed by Jackpot himself and it even contained a magic wand?! “This was the very hat and wand that I performed my first onstage trick with. A massive explosion of ostriches that flew right out!”

“I remember that one!” I blurted out, much to the surprise of Cheerilee and Cozy. I regained my composure, and cleared my throat. “Ahem...I mean, I appreciate the gift, sir. I’m honestly impressed that you’re still performing even into your sixties...ish?”

He shot me a snicker. “A magician never reveals his secrets.” He then glanced at Spectacle, “Come on, hun. We have...a lot to catch up on.”

She nodded, and turned back to us one last time. “I’ll be right there, Jackles. And thank you all for giving me this chance to redeem myself…” she said as she trotted over to Jackpot.

I shook my head. “It was all you. Just remember what we said, and do your best. Goodbye for now.”

With a puff of smoke...they disappeared. Wait a minute, did they actually perform a trick together? Maybe there was hope yet…

I looked at Cozy and Cheerilee. “I suppose that went well, yeah?”

“...I’ve never been to a magic show before,” Cozy stated as she looked back and forth between us, “Is it fun?”

Cheerilee giggled and pet Cozy on the head with a hoof. “It’s...as fun as you make it out to be, dear.”

“It surely is!” I said with a confident smile, “One time, he pulled an entire minotaur out of thin air!”

“What?!” Cozy shouted, and flew into the air with newfound interest, “That sounds amazing!”

“Right?!”

Cheerilee simply rolled her eyes with a playful smile. “Oh you two...I’m going to go get dinner started.”

As she pranced off to the kitchen, I exchanged a knowing gaze with Cozy. We were going to make her a fan of stage magic yet.

For now, all I could do was pray that Quick Draw and Guttersnipe weren’t lost without me...

Subject 187: Phantom Strains

The plan was simple. Guttersnipe would go out there and mechanically alter one of the mines. Thanks to the protection offered by Silverstream, her blood wouldn’t cause them to go off, and she’d be safe to pass through in order to both defuse and locate the source of its power.

“Alright, I’m ready,” my red pegasus-seapony friend proclaimed. She was on the balcony of the Western wing of the underwater palace, raring to swim off.

“Remember, this won’t last forever, alright?” Silverstream warned her after she traced a little symbol on Guts’ back with her hoof, “Do all that you can out there, but don’t endanger yourself.”

Terramar also gave her words of encouragement. “If you hit trouble, turn back immediately. There is absolutely no point in throwing your life away so readily.”

Guts turned her head to look at the strange rune, and tilted her eyes up to the royal siblings. “Relax, you two. I’ve been all over the world and have dealt with all sorts of deadly explodey things. Just watch me work.” The rune started to take effect, and she was surrounded by a protective pink aura that matched Silverstream’s colors. From there, she swam off towards the field of explosives…

All the sudden, I heard the royal princess address me. “Hey. Quick. If you don’t mind me asking...what’s up with those metal wings of hers?”

Terramar nudged his sister, and shot her an annoyed glare. “Ahem. Silver--that’s a bit rude. It’s not right to ask about something so personal. Especially behind her back.”

“Oh come on,” Silverstream rolled her eyes, “Don’t act like you weren’t curious Terry.”

“Of course I am,” he replied with his eyes narrowed to judgemental slits, “But I’ve learned to not intrude on the privacy of others, Silvy.”

She scoffed, and retorted with a little giggle. “Hehe. That’s because you’ve spent too much time down here to where you--”

I decided to break things up at that moment because it was ultimately a waste of time. “Excuse me!” I shouted to catch their attention. “Anyway...don’t worry about it so much. She actually encourages asking about it to avoid things being awkward.”

“Oh…” Terramar relaxed, “I suppose that’s alright, then. I won’t pry, but I am interested as to how those metal wings function.”

“So am I!” Silverstream shouted, “Really hoping we can get to see her fly at some point.”

They were in for a treat. Still, I wasn’t going to give them all the answers right away. They had to work up the gumption to ask Gutsy themselves. “Yeah...you just might get to see that if we’re lucky...or unlucky. Depending on which way this goes.”

Out near the aquatic minefield...

I knew I could do this. Easy as pie, yo. Quick was counting on me, so I knew that I had to do whatever I could to see this through. I swam as fast and hard as I could. What a rush it was, let me tell ya. The aura barrier that Silverstream gave me was the perfect defensive tool against the magnetic fuses of these mines.

I just had to be careful, and take my time to defuse at least one to discern the source. Okay, it was time.

I crept up to one of the gross, large black spikeballs, and eventually found the wiring interface. So far so good, am I right? Well it was only going to get crazier from there. Why?

“Okay, let’s see what you’re hiding…” I mumbled under my breath. I unscrewed the faceplate with a screwdriver, and picked out a pair of wire cutters. Both came from the super-handy compartment within my left wing. Cool ain’t it?

So I took a look inside and came across dozens of wires. All of them looked to be magically enhanced by the way the ions moved. How could I tell? Trust me. I just had an eye for these kinda things. And also because I could visualize the directions in which each hint of magic travelled from within those wires. As an explosive specialist it was my job to be on top of these things that nopony else could pick up on.

But the very second I reached out to get a feel for the wires, I felt something in my head. A magical spark that traveled up my spine. “Agh…”

I started to feel...strained.

It was as if the water around me had started to solidify and increased in density. Imagine being crushed from all sides with no way to escape. Not even trying to hold your breath would work because you would only blow out your eardrums. Yeah, it was crazy. But just why was this happening?

That’s when it hit me. There was some sort of nerve-gas in this thing that was set to go off. What’s more, is that I felt extra afraid because this is exactly how I felt when I had my wings torn to shreds by bite-acudas.

“Ghh...hrrk…”

My body started to feel numb. I lost the sensation in my wings and it felt like I started to relive that horrid memory all over again. If I were to die here, I would never see my friends again and they’d miss me dearly and I...no…

No. I refused. This was clearly done on purpose...someone wanted me to feel this way. And I had to fight it. Come on, Guts...you can do this.

I focused twice as hard in order to inspect each wire. All the while, I ignored the underlying tension that built up in my body. Soon, I felt like I weighed a ton of bricks from the amount of pressure. But I didn’t die. Was it because of my determined nature, or was it a secondary torture method used to keep someone like me suffering forever?

Well...I could tell that I was about to find out. The source was close. Very close. But my anxiety had reached its limit. I couldn’t stand this anymore. I had to get some air!

“AGGGGH! GAH! MAKE IT STOP!!” I let out a shrill, bloodcurdling scream as soon as I reached the surface of the water and could breath air again.

From the way I shouted...Quick and the royal siblings were sure to follow soon...

Subject 188: Underwater Mission Part IV

Just as I expected. It wasn’t very long before they caught up to me. Quick Draw swam up to the surface and approached me. All I could recall was that I hyperventilated at a rapid pace before I heard her voice.

“...Guts! Gutters!” the voice was muffled until I turned my head and saw her. My yellow friend put her hoof on my shoulder, “Are you alright? What happened down there?”

It took me a while to reply because of how completely frazzled I was. But I slowly worked up the courage to tell her what had happened. “It was...weird. I felt like...I had been poisoned with fears from my past. Thankfully, I’m alright now. I made it out okay.”

“So long as you’re sure...did you happen to get an idea of where the source of the magic powering them is located?” she asked. Quick was always laser-focused on the job, so I was glad that I could convince her that I was alright for the time being.

Oh yeah! That was what I was down there for in the first place. To figure out the origin. Okay...now where was it? “According to what I found, the magic that powered those mines is coming from a location that I was able to triangulate.” I pointed my hoof towards the east, “A few hundred yards that way. If we head out now, we can--”

All the sudden, I saw the royal pair fly up and out of the water in their Hippogriff forms. Terramar specifically was just as cool-looking with wings and feathers. But the dude interrupted me before I could finish my sentence.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea, Lady Gutters. If you’re not feeling well, then I won’t blame you at all for sitting out of a skirmish. Things could only get rougher from here.”

Silverstream jumped in. “Listen to him. Trust me. There’s no way in Tartarus’ name that he’s just gonna let somepony who can’t fight force themselves to.” She gave her brother a playful nudge with her claw, “He’s too stubborn and would be guilt-ridden if he let it happen on his watch.”

Terramar rolled his eyes. “That isn’t the most accurate representation of my ideals, but you’re close.” He looked at me, “Now isn’t the time to be foolish. Take a break, and allow us to handle this situation. Alright?”

I suddenly felt a surge of pain in my chest. It wasn’t guilt or anything like that. But for some reason, the way Terramar spoke reminded me of someone. Someone pretty close to me. Someone I lost my wings to protect.

Needless to say, I was physically unable to refuse the guy. He was too nice, and had done a lot for us in the past few hours. “...Understood, Terramar. I need to chill for a bit.”

Quick Draw was swift to point out that Vinyl was still on the beach. “Go hang with Vinyl for a bit. We’ll handle...whatever the heck this is.”

“Okay,” I replied as I got out of the water as a regular pegasus again, “I’ll be here if you need me.”

“You’ve done more than enough, Gutsy,” Silverstream praised me, “None of us could’ve done what you did. Now go get some rest.” She looked at her brother, “Come on, Terry. Let’s handle this.”

The white Hippogriff nodded, and sniffed the air. “I can smell it...an abnormal presence among the water. Not too far from here. Come along, now.”

The Hippogriff pair flew off, and Quick took one last look at me. “You gonna be alright?”

“Yeah. Go ahead,” I flicked my tail to get rid of the excess seawater, “I’ll be here. But how are you gonna keep up with them?” I was curious since Quick couldn’t fly.

She shot me a small grin. “Oh...I think I’ll be fine.”

Out of nowhere, she jumped out of the water and reverted to her usual earth pony self. But what happened next nearly made me jump out of my skin.

Quick started to run across the surface of the water! Without sinking!

“I--wh--how?!”

There were no words for it, but for the moment, I needed to relax. After what I had endured...that was enough action for me for a bit.

“Yo!” I heard a familiar mare’s rowdy voice call out from the shoreline. It was Vinyl who offered me a seat on the beach chair next to her.

I trotted over. I guess I had no choice but to relax.

So I dashed across the ocean, and--oh. I suppose it was a good idea to explain how it worked. My name was Quick Draw for a reason. I wasn’t exactly the fastest pony in the world. Far from it. But I was agile enough to make use of my earth pony magic in order to manipulate the water so that it’d be solid enough to support my weight for very small instances of contact.

In other words, I had mastered it and become the pony-equivalent of a basilisk lizard.

But anyhow, I followed the royal siblings until we were a significant distance away from the shoreline. That’s when I heard Terramar shout.

“I can smell it. It’s here!” he turned his head to his sister, “Silverstream, go for it!”

The pink Hippogriff smirked, and dove under the water…

There was a calm silence for a few moments...until…

“AH!” Silverstream cried out as she flew back out of the water, “Get back, you guys!”

“What? What’s going on under there?!” Terramar came to a dead stop in mid-air.

The ocean roared. Howled even. A rumble took place that was so powerful, so forceful that the waves became more and more restless and explosive by the second.

I immediately turned tail and fled. “Move it!”

And we were lucky beyond belief. Why? Because as soon as we got out of the way, we were face-to-face with one of the largest, deadliest creatures of the Grogar Era. Thousands of dark blue scales encased its tubular body, rows and rows of demonic teeth filled its mouth, and it was complete with a pair of dragon-like horns that capped off its appearance.

“OHMIGOSH!” Silverstream screamed, “It’s--”

Terramar pulled her out of the way of its dagger-like tail strike. “A Leviathan! Impossible! Those are beyond extinct!”

It let out a roar that made the ocean cry out in agony.

“EEEEEEEEAAAHH!”

This was officially not my day at all.

Subject 189: Underwater Mission Part V

I took a seat next to Vinyl, and sighed. The unicorn mare levitated a soda, and started to mom at me. “Hey, hotshot. What’s wrong? Come on, you can talk to me.”

I used my wing to open the can of cola, and lied back in the seat. “Well...let’s just say I’ve been through a lot and I was reminded of something that I didn’t...want to suffer through again.”

Vinyl paused, and sat up to speak with me a little more. I’ll be honest, I didn’t expect her to be so sympathetic and listen to me. Thought she’d be too cool for that stuff. “What’s your name, kid?” she asked.

“Guttersnipe,” I said in return, “And I know who you are already. Why do you ask?”

“Just wanted to confirm a thing or two. So you’re the one whose wings got bitten off by little demonic fish in a lake, huh?”

H-how did she know that? I instinctively retreated my metal limbs and did my best to hide them out of sheer embarrassment. “You uh...you could tell, huh?” Dammit. Why did she know that? I felt like my cheeks were going to fall off from how much I cringed.

But Vinyl didn’t make fun of me or anything. She simply stated what she knew. “I see...it’s been a rumor for a while, but I didn’t think it was possible. I wonder if Tempest Shadow could possibly get a new horn…” She thought about it for a moment, then shook her head. “Sorry, I’m getting too far ahead here. Listen, I’ve been through quite a bit of my own trauma.”

Woah, for real? Thing is, I thought Vinyl Scratch was a squeaky clean DJ who had a regular old life...right? Then again, ain’t never good to judge based on looks alone. There’s a lot we don’t know when it comes to looking at others. Myself included…

“...I understand,” I replied in a way to where I could avoid the awkwardness. It was hard for me to wrap my head around the fact that Vinyl was at least twice my age. There were probably loads of things she dealt with. “I just...I just don’t want to feel like dead weight. Terramar reminded me of a close friend I have--personality-wise that is.”

“Who is this friend, if you don’t mind me asking?” Vinyl pushed up her glasses to let me get a view of her red eyes, “They’re still alive, right?”

“Tsunami is his name, yeah...I still remember that day vividly where he, and my other friends--UV Ray, and Vapor Trail all skipped out on flying lessons to go play in a lake. But…”

Somehow, that was enough for the older unicorn to catch on. She cut me off, and shook her head. “It’s alright, kid. No need to explain anymore than what you deem necessary. I can already tell what’s wrong.”

I almost scoffed and chuckled in disbelief. However, that would’ve been rude. So I kept my composure out of respect for the mare. “...Really?”

“Clearly whatever you experienced down there has triggered some tragic memories for you. Needless to say, you don’t have to force yourself to endure it again.”

I looked down at the sand. Even if that was the case, I couldn’t rest easy with the knowledge that my friends were out there without me. I had to do something. “But if I just sit here knowing that I could’ve done something while they risk their necks…”

Vinyl raised a brow, then glared at me. “Do you think they’d want to see you traumatize yourself as they fight some huge beast? Is that what you want?”

“Well no...absolutely not. I’d never want them to see me suffer…”

I felt her hoof gently slap me on the back. “Then kid. You have two options. Either stay back and clear your head or break through those fears. The rest is up to you. I can’t--and won’t--force ya to do anything. But I’m not gonna sit here and listen to you complain about something you got the capacity to change. Ya feel?”

Wow...once again, I completely underestimated her. I didn’t expect her to spit such helpful, yet brusque facts. Maybe she was right…

In the distance we could see a faint outline of what looked like a giant serpent. “...Holy moly,” I mumbled, “That thing is huge…”

Vinyl put her shades back down, and reclined. “Hey, my job is to just supervise. The rest is on you kiddos.”

What to do…

“YA!”

With a mighty screech, Terramar swung his sword to cleave through a blast of water that looked forceful enough to rend steel! The weapon was a broadsword colored pure blue with a narrow hilt. Looked a bit awkward to swing, but he managed somehow…

“Right here!”

Silverstream had on a pair of what looked to be gold-plated gauntlets that accentuated the sharpness of her claws. This allowed her to make minor tears into the skin of the massive sea monster. She was even able to scratch it a bit.

And me? Well, I had to constantly stay on the move lest I sink into the ocean like a rock. Something about this thing rang familiar to me, though. As if I had felt a similar sensation somewhere else before…

“Look out!” Silverstream called out before she dragged me out of the way of a laser that was fired from the eyes of the beast. “Whew...you okay?”

There was a pang in my chest. I could feel it. Those lasers were just like the ones that I had been shot with. This beast...those mines...it had all come together for me. For the moment, though, I put on a brave face to ease her concern. “...I’m alright. Thanks, Silverstream. You got my back on that one.”

From above us, Terramar shouted. “Ahem! Do either of you have an idea on how we can--YIE!--” A swipe of the beast’s tail which kicked up a massive wave interrupted him. Luckily, he was able to dodge just in time. “--how we can take this thing down?!”

There was only one way to deal with a being this huge on an uneven playing field such as the water.

Cut it down to size.

“...Silverstream, gimme a lift on your back.”

She replied with a confused stare. “...Wha?”

Subject 190: Underwater Mission Part VI

I hatched a plan rather quickly. This serpent was huge, okay? Like, we’re talking as big as several buildings. Terramar had a sword that lent itself well to spacing abilities while Silverstream’s gauntlets would allow her to strike the enemy fast and hard before it could realize what we had in store. The bigger they were, the harder they fell.

However, it would be difficult as all heck to coordinate since I had to either constantly run on water. Or…

“Trust me on this,” I pleaded, “Gimme a lift and things will go smoothly.”

“That’s not a problem at all, but…” Silverstream raised me up, and put me onto her back. “What’s your idea, Draw--AH!”

She flew out of the way of another jet-like water blast from the monster just in the nick of time. I had to hold on for dear life to avoid being thrown off. There wasn’t any time to debate things, so I needed both of them to trust me on this.

Terramar swooped in front of us, and blocked another attack with his sword. “Ghh...this is getting difficult. If either of you have an idea on how we can pierce this thing’s armor, now would be a good time!”

“Distract it for us!” I shouted, “I have an idea. Just hold on!”

“What?!” his eyes grew wide--wide as dinner plates. He glared at me as if I just told him that pigs could fly.

Silverstream soared upwards while I held on tight. “Trust her, bro! This is gonna be good!”

“Ah man this can’t end well…” I heard the Hippogriff prince mumble under his breath.

The serpent let out another mighty roar and swung its tail downwards.

WHAM!

With a thunder-like crack of its tail, the waves in the ocean were parted with enough force to generate forceful, tidal expanses of water that raged and flew outwards on either side of the beast.

...Except, they started to slowly converge on us. This thing had complete control over the water it used against us!

“Dammit! Silver, drop me on its back!” I yelled as I watched the waves chase after us, “There’s no way we can get a good position like this!” I put my trusty butterfly knife between my teeth, and got ready to make my entry.

“But won’t that hurt you?!” she cried out in return, but the wave had started to cast a shadow over us by that point. It was that massive.

“There’s no time! Go keep your brother safe!” I let go of her, and tucked my limbs inwards so that I could get into a more accurate diving position. There was absolutely no way I’d drag this out for too long and keep her apart from her brother. If it was Pale and I, I would’ve rushed to his aid in no time flat. So I expected Silverstream to do the same.

And as soon as I stuck my landing, she did.

But then I had another problem. I had to do my best to stay on such an enormous creature without falling off and into the ocean. Easier said than done. It was like dealing with a bucking buffalo...except, you know--a hundred times bigger and more slippery due to the scales!

“Grr! I can do this...come on Quick...get up there…” I practically forced myself upwards. My hooves gripped onto the scales of the beast as if nothing else mattered in that moment. I needed to do this. Failure was not an option.

From the other side of the serpent, I could see Terramar and Silverstream fly and swoop back and forth to evade its attacks. The tidal waves continued to chase them down, but they refused to give up. Terramar cut one of the waves completely in half with his sword which allowed his sister to dive bomb upwards and fly around the sea monster’s head.

“Over here, fool! Come get me!” she shouted.

This gave me the opening I needed.

I soon managed to climb up to the top of the serpent’s head with enough time to spare. All I needed to do now was shut its lights out. Permanently.

But then...things took a turn for the worse.

SMACK!

Without warning or any noise whatsoever, The serpent’s tail came around from behind, and smacked me off of its head. It hit me so hard that the last thing I remember was hearing the royal siblings cry out.

“QUICK!”

Then I felt my body splash into the water. I was out cold, and couldn’t feel a thing. I suppose that, in the end, it might have been a necessary sacrifice to keep my friends safe, right? Well…

At the shoreline…

“...Do you see that in the distance?” I mumbled to Vinyl, “My friends are in trouble...they need me. I can feel it.”

The white unicorn stretched out in her chair. “Ergh...are ya sure, kid? You’re not gonna feel stressed out or in pain or anything? A sea monster threatening your friends lives…”

My metal wings flapped as anxiety pulsed through my veins. I swallowed my fear, and got ready to get back into gear. “...I don’t care. My friends need my help. And I’m going to be strong for them. Now isn’t the time to lose hope and start wasting time.”

“Then get going, girl,” Vinyl replied casually, “I’ll be here.”

With a swift updraft, I took to the skies with my trusty wings at my side.

I just hoped that I wasn’t too late.

Subject 191: Underwater Mission Part VII

I had to get over there as fast as possible. I flew with reckless abandon over the ocean with the silhouette of the serpent growing ever-larger toward me. Was I afraid? Most definitely. My past had come back to haunt me full force over something I did to save my friends long ago.

But I...I wasn’t going to let that hold me back. No one was going to suffer any fatal injuries today. I swore it on...well, you know.

It took a while, but I was finally on the scene. The royal siblings were flying around and attacking the giant water snake. But Quick...wait, where was she?!

“Guttersnipe? What are you doing here?!” Silverstream called out to me, “I thought you were busy resting up!”

CLANG!

That was the sound of Terramar blocking the serpent’s jaws with his sword. I was amazed at the fact that he was able to struggle against a monster that was easily one-hundred times his size!

“Quick Draw has fallen into the ocean, rggh…” he muttered in between his grunts of force, “Are you alright? You’re not unfit for the battlefield, are you?”

“Well...I was but...then I realized--” I was about to go on about how I felt at that moment, but all of the sudden, the Serpent’s tail snapped at me! “ACK!” I zipped to the left to avoid it just in time. There was absolutely no time left to worry about that. I needed to go save her. “Gah! Forget it! Just keep that thing distracted while I save Quick!”

Before Silverstream could respond, I dove into the water. The Seapony spell from before was no longer active, so I had to make haste as I swam through the water with my breath held.

But I had to be honest, I was terrified. Terrified of the potential worst-case scenario involving Quick’s body. She could drown, be eaten by a--no...don’t go there, Gutsy. It’s just some underwater depths. Nothing bad will happen, right?

Well, I was in luck. I didn’t have to search that far or for that long before I came across air bubbles that floated up to the surface. That meant that Quick hadn’t fallen very deep yet and that there was still a good chance for me to save her.

Unfortunately for me...things got worse. Why? Well, the closer and closer I got...the more I heard rapid biting noises.

“!”

I started to panic. I was instantly reminded of those demonic bite-acudas that tore my wings off when I was younger. It was an eerily similar scenario as well, what with the fact that I was trying to save a friend.

...Needless to say. I was hesitant. Do I risk it? Did I want to risk it? Was it something I--gah! Stop that! You idiot you...your friend is drowning!

I stowed my fears and dove in. There was a bunch of wreckage with wooden slabs all over the place. It was like a ship had been wrecked here in the past or something. But I was able to move the wood out of the way fairly easily. And there I found her.

Quick Draw lied on the floor of the ocean. Unconscious and still breathing, but very slowly. But there was something wrong. Those noises...those damn biting sounds. My tail flicked, and I could feel my internal anxiety brew faster than I could keep track of. I just wanted to let out a scream and run away as fast as possible, but I knew I couldn’t.

My hooves shook as I neared Quick’s body. Is this what they called having a panic attack? If so...I certainly felt it. My eardrums rang with soft white noise that muddled my sense of hearing. It was like constantly radio static that filled my head as I got closer. My heart raced, ready to jump through my chest…

But I got her.

I...I did it. Somehow. I managed to grab ahold of Quick’s body and pulled her with me up to the surface. Wow it...it looked like I would be okay, right? Everything seemed just fine, and I was on my way up.

“Gah!” I shouted as I reached the surface, and flew into the air. “WOAH--!” I just barely managed to dodge a swipe of the leviathan’s tail, and Silverstream nearly lost her mind when she saw us again.

“Guts! Are you alright?” she shouted as she flew over to me, “Is Quick alright?!”

“Yeah…” I looked at the unconscious mare upon my back, “But she needs immediate medical attention! And I feel like there’s more at stake here than we realize…” I looked back down at the ocean water. There was nothing there that was after me. Was it all just a hallucination that was specifically crafted to make me freak out? If so...that’s utterly sick of someone to do. But at the same time, I couldn’t deny how effective it was. I nearly lost my mind down there.

That’s when Terramar popped up, having dodged another attack from the giant sea snake. “I’ve dabbled in medicinal magic before. I could take care of her. But will you two be able to handle this thing?” His sword had disappeared into a flash of light.

“...I know we can,” I said in response.

There wasn’t much of a choice to be had here. Quick would go nuts on all of us if she knew that she caused an impediment towards an operation via incapacitation. So we made the hand-off as quickly as possible. I offered Quick’s body to him, and he took hold of her with his claws.

“Do what you can, bro,” Silverstream assured, “We’ll take care of this…”

Without hesitation, Terramar fled the battlefield with my friend in his care.

Now it was personal.

Subject 192: Underwater Mission VIII

Oddly enough, the leviathan had stopped its barrage of attacks. I had no idea what it was going to do next. But I guess that was something we were all afraid of to some extent, right? The unknown and how things will unfold.

Then it hit me. Now that there were less targets for the beast--two compared to four--it no longer needed to throw out a flurry of attacks to defend itself. From this point, it was more than likely going to be more subtle in its approach.

So I decided to take advantage of it.

“...Silverstream. Can you get me an opening?” I asked quietly. Why? I wasn’t entirely sure if it could understand us or not. These large creatures tended to have little consistency when it came to understanding our speech, and it annoyed the hell out of me.

The pink Hippogriff looked at me. “What’s your plan? Do you think we can actually beat this thing?”

“Honestly, I have no idea,” I replied with a sigh, “But we have to do what we can. We need to penetrate those scales somehow…” I looked up at the sky to find a decent array of clouds above us. That could be the perfect ammunition. “Okay, I got it.”

I put a hoof around the back of her neck, and turned away from the leviathan to discuss my idea in a quick huddle of sorts.

SHING!

Before we could blink, the leviathan’s tail rose up from the water beneath us!

“Look out!” I pushed Silverstream out of the way, but...it took one of my wings in the process. “GAH! Ow!” I had been flying the whole time, but the loss of one of my prosthetics forced me to flap twice as hard.

“Guts--your--”

Before Silverstream could say anything else, I started to take off towards the clouds in the sky. “Keep it busy...I’m gonna...argh...break this thing down!”

As I flew off, I heard Silverstream fall into a complete rage-induced fit from below me. I was laser-focused on getting into the air towards the clouds, so I couldn’t see what she had done. However, I heard lots of angry screeching followed by the sounds of hard pieces of flesh and bone which scraped against each other like sandpaper.

I was curious, but I absolutely couldn’t imagine what she was doing to it or what it was doing to her. That aside, I forced myself up, kept going. My heartbeat was racing again from the extra amount of effort I needed to apply thanks to only my right wing remaining.

But at long last. I made it up to the clouds. I struggled and managed to climb on top of one of them which allowed me to take a breather for a second. “Whew...okay...gotta get started.” What then? Well, I still had one of my wings left.

So I would have to make use of it.

I clasped my jaws around my remaining prosthetic wing, and yanked it out by force. “Hrrk...ngh...bah!” I let out a shrill shriek from the sheer magnitude of pain that came from ripping my limb out. I guess I never mentioned it but...these things were manufactured to where I could feel almost everything. When the Leviathan struck me a bit ago and took my left wing, it was so sudden that I could barely feel it. Here though? It was painful.

Anyhow, what I did next could be described as crazy or hyper-intelligent depending on your perspective of what was considered strategy. I pressed a specific little button on that wing--a switch that could only be activated in emergency situations like these. I held it up, and all of the magic from the clouds in the area were absorbed into it. It became extremely volatile as a result, and primed for a clean detonation.

“Okay Guts...you’ve got one shot at this. Don’t mess it up…”

From below, I could see the leviathan charge up an overwhelming surge of power that caused the waves to rise and crash violently against each other. The sun was blocked out, and a storm was formed. From what I could tell, its next attack would likely wipe out everything nearby--including the underwater civilization of the seaponies if it went off. Silverstream could barely fly properly anymore, and looked beyond tired at this point with a few scrapes and scuffs all over her body from the battle--likely from high-pressure blasts of water. There was no more time to waste, it was now or never!

I jumped off of that cloud, and yelled at the top of my lungs. “DON’T EVEN TRY IT!”

The jaws of the leviathan were wide open, ready to take me in. With both of my wings gone, I couldn’t exactly fly to maneuver out of the way. Like I said before, I had only one shot at this.

Before it could even think to attack, I forcefully chucked my severed metal wing down and into the mouth of the beast. I was about to hit the ocean face-first except...I came in contact with rocks and sand. Then I looked up from where I had landed.

The leviathan had parted the entire ocean! With massive waves that were as high as the serpent itself...it felt hopeless. From down below, Silverstream and I could do nothing except look up and stare at the gray skies behind the leviathan and the gigantic waves of water that were prepared to swallow us whole.

I felt her claw suddenly grasp onto one of my hooves. “...If this is how things end...then it was an honor to fight alongside somepony as cool as you.”

“...You too…Silver…” was all I could really say in response. Truth be told, I still had a faint hope--just a sliver of hope that what I had thought up in--pssh--a minute or two would come to fruition?

Well...there was a faint, yet rapid beeping noise coming from the belly of that thing…

“...But we aren’t dying here,” I mumbled to her.

Subject 193: Mission Completed...For Now

FWOOSH!

Something...extraordinary happened. A sort of explosion--implosion? Something happened, I knew that was certain. But exactly what? Well…

The leviathan disappeared into a mass of dust and particles. It completely disintegrated and turned to nothing but ash! Wha...I couldn’t believe it. My plan had actually worked! Sure, it cost me use of both of my wings for a bit...but it was worth it.

“WHAT THE--?!” Silverstream screamed, “HOW?!”

I would’ve provided an answer. I really would have. But there was no time. Why? Well, once the Leviathan was nuked to smithereens, everything went back to normal in an instant. The skies became clear and the ocean water was no longer under its control.

...Unfortunately, what that meant was that all of the nearby ocean’s blue fluid would slowly start to rain down upon us because the sea had been parted not too long ago, and we were right in it. It was like a pair of planet-sized waves of water that threatened to crush us both.

I couldn’t get up. I could barely move. After doing all of that, I was nothing more than dead weight that would almost certainly slow Silverstream down if she tried to save me with her. So in the heat of the moment, I mumbled breathlessly.

“...Go...get outta here...you won’t make it in time if you try and save me…”

“N-No!” Silverstream replied as she struggled to pick me up, “I’m not leaving you!”

WHAM!

Out of nowhere, a giant magical blue barrier was erected out of the ocean floor. It was so huge...it appeared to stretch infinitely to block all of the water that should have swept us away by now. But who could have…

“Get moving! Hffgh...eeegh!” Vinyl shouted from behind us both with a hefty amount of strain on her body from casting a spell of that caliber. She sweat bullets, and it looked like the veins on her head and around her horn were about to burst! “Do you wanna live?! Come on!”

“Allow me, Lady Scratch.” Terramar had also returned, and grabbed ahold of us both. I should have suspected he would be strong enough to hold onto two bodies. But now that I experienced his might first-hoof...I could see why he was the ruler of the Seaponies. “Your friend Quick Draw is in a safe location. We need to get you both out of here.”

Silverstream smiled a pained, yet grateful smile. “...That’s my bro right there…”

“HURRY THE HELL UP!” Vinyl screeched at the top of her lungs. The barrier had begun to crack with water that leaked through all over the place! She was skilled, but even she couldn’t hold something like this forever…

With both of us held under his girthy arms, Terramar grabbed both Silverstream and I and flew into the air. “On my back, Lady Scratch. There’s no time to waste.”

Vinyl had lost all of her stamina when the magical dam she created finally gave way. “Ow!” she had to have popped a blood vessel or two, because she fell lip onto Terramar’s backside.

But he swooped into the air, and saved us all from a watery grave just in the nick of time.

SPLASH!

Behind us, we watched as the ocean water fell back down to the earth and fell into its rightful place once more. Seeing the beautiful blue sea had never felt so...calming before.

“HAHA!” I heard Terramar shout for the first time since we met. It was a bit odd to hear him yell because of how mellow he normally spoke. “That was rather enjoyable. I haven’t experienced this much action since the day we fended off those kraken! But most importantly, I’m glad all of you are okay…”

All I could do was mumble some words to show my gratitude. “...Appreciate it, bud.”

“I told you guys,” Silverstream spoke up, “That’s how my brother rolls. But uh, you don’t really need to carry me anymore. I can just fly back.”

But the large hippogriff was insistent. “Nope. There’s no way I’m going to allow you to move on your own until you’ve been given proper medical treatment. I may be the younger sibling, but you know darn well that mother and father would throw a fit if I allowed you to suffer.”

Silverstream fell silent which gave way for Vinyl to make a comment. “Wow...he’s gotcha there, heh. Don’t worry, Tavi and I get like this all the time. I know what that’s like--whether it’s a sibling or a significant other. Sometimes you can’t stop somepony else from worrying about ya.”

The pink hippogriff sighed. “Ugh...please don’t encourage him, guys.”

I couldn’t help but crack a grin at this.

Once it was all said and done, we were taken to a hospital atop Mt. Aris in Hippogriffia. Quick Draw was already there. Her stomach had to get pumped from the immense intake of saltwater she had absorbed. Silverstream was treated for her wounds, Vinyl was also treated for her headache from the burnout she suffered from magic use.

And me? Well...I felt a bit embarrassed but at the same time, kinda proud. We essentially saved not one, but two civilizations from certain destruction!

What happened after that? Oh, I didn’t exactly remember. See, I was hella tired and practically went out like a wet match in an Ursa Major’s cave. The mission was completed, yes. But there was still loads more out there that we had to tackle in order to stave off Grogar’s advance. And just how were we going to get rid of that curse from Quick’s body? And of course, I was still a bit concerned about Pale and how he was doing back home.

Guess we’ll just have to find out next time.

Subject 194: The Worth Of Friendship

“Ow…” The next time I woke up, I felt...odd. As if my sense of balance had returned to my body. Wait, did I have my wings again? No way...I could feel something. Something that I was able to flap. “...Huh? What’s going on?”

Terramar was at the side of my hospital bed to check up on me. “You’re awake. That’s good to see. Everypony else was worried about you.”

I tried to get a better look at myself, and came to find that I now had wings that were made of beautiful pearlescent chrome. Almost like silver. “...What? Who--how? Okay, I have so many questions right now.”

He chuckled, and started to explain himself with a relaxed smile on his face. It was actually pretty comforting to witness. “Heh...well now, let’s calm down and start from the beginning, shall we?”

Okay, so from there, Terramar would go on to explain what happened since I lost consciousness. In a nutshell, we were all given hospital treatment once we got through with that battle. Quick Draw had recovered and was currently in the lobby. His older sister Silverstream didn’t suffer any major injuries. But me? Well, I had lost both of my mechanical augments. So what was the explanation for these new ones that I had been given in my sleep?

Well…

“...those are new prototypes that were donated,” he spelled it out with a bit of hesitation, “The world of prosthetic enhancements have been a tricky one. My fellow Hippogriff kin have been working on it alongside the ponies....” he turned his head away. As if he didn’t wanna explain the rest.

I leaned over a bit closer with a pleading glare in my eyes. I was utterly desperate to know more info about this. I’d tug on him if I wasn’t so bed-ridden. “Wait what? Which ponies have you been working with exactly? Who...who provided these wings, Terramar?”

He let out a sigh. “Listen...at the request of the provider, I am obligated to keep silent on the subject. All I can say is that those new wings were provided by someone that knows and loves you dearly.” The look on his face was pained to say the least. The way his eyes darted ever so slightly was indicative of his nerves getting the better of him. Terramar was locked in a ‘don’t shoot the messenger’ situation. Of which he felt genuinely horrified to be a part of.

...At least, that’s something along the lines of what Pale would normally think like. Gah, being around him had done things to me.

At any rate, I didn’t want to see him stumble and stutter over something that ultimately had nothing to do with him. This wasn’t Terramar’s condition, it was mine. I was the one who had to shoulder the weight of the experience. Because of such, I shook my head, and responded.

“...Bud, don’t trip. I understand completely.”

He looked up at me with a slightly more hopeful, yet worried expression. “...You do?”

I gave him a pat on the shoulder. “Of course. This isn’t something meant for you to discuss with me. I understand. I’m just grateful that I’m not buried six yards underwater or something.”

The white hippogriff took a sigh of relief, and smiled at me. “Alright then. If that is indeed the case, and you are satisfied with this outcome, then I am as well.” He stood up, and walked towards the door. “With that being said, the doctor suggested some rest before you get back up and out once more. Does that make sense to you?”

As much as I didn’t like it, there was no choice. I had to cool off for a while. “Understood. Thanks.” I lied back down, and started to reflect on all that had happened. Between that nasty serpent and now having these new wings that were apparently from someone that knew me well but desired not to be identified...could it be?

Once everyone had been properly rested and treated…

I walked out of my hospital room, and hoo-boy. Things were already looking up. Quick Draw waited for me in the lobby and she looked as healthy as ever.

“What’s up?” she said with a nod. There were a few bandages wrapped around her head, but she looked to be mostly okay. “That was a pretty messy operation...but it’s completed.”

Understatement of the century, Quick. “Haha...yeah. Really, though--we couldn’t have done it without Silverstream and Terramar. Speaking of which, where is she?”

“She had to return to her palace so she could start on her report of the situation,” Quick gave me the rundown with a roll of her eyes, “Really wish I could’ve talked with her a bit more, but a leader has to do her job.”

“Ah, makes sense. And Terramar?” I asked.

“Also gone back to Seaquestria to make a note of what happened--and to check on his folks of course.” Quick let out a rare shudder of fear. “Brrgh...I sincerely hope that their home hasn’t been damage from the battle with that thing.”

Sucks that I wasn’t able to thank him again, but to be fair, we also needed to head back home and give our own reports. This war was still far from over. “Alrighty then. I’m glad we could get some sorta finality here.” Then I realized something else. “Hey wait a sec--where’s Vinyl?”

The white unicorn mare had waited for us outside. “Over here, gals. I got somethin’ important.”

Quick and I both stepped outside. We were in the middle of the Hippogriff’s largest city, so there was a bit of a crowd that stopped to stare at us for a little bit. Guess we were so darn cool that we earned a bit of fame, eh?

“What’s the sitrep?” Quick asked.

With her magic, Vinyl levitated one of the leviathan’s scales out to us. It was the size of a dinner plate at least! “...This thing--this ancient monster from another era. It was fabricated from some kinda unnatural magic that isn’t native to Equestria.”

Quick rubbed her hoof against her chin. “Hrm...that doesn’t exactly narrow it down.”

But then I put two and two together. The friend that I worked with for Luna knows how long. The only logical place that could conjure up evil spirits from the beyond to haunt us and cause more trouble.

I stepped forward. “...Hey. I think I know just where that came from. And I have a friend that can find out for us.”

Vinyl raised her glasses with a wide-eyed gaze. “Oh? Who are you talking about, kid?”

Quick looked at me, and fell silent. She knew just as well as I did.

“...a certain zebracorn.”

Subject 195: New Mission

A few days later at the base located in the Crystal Empire…

Right then. So I pretty much knew exactly what I had gotten myself into from the get go. But then the news of what had taken place near the edge of Equestria was rather coarse, and hard to swallow. Why? Twas simple.

Guttersnipe had arrived to inform me of something dangerous that was about to happen. And how my fellow kin could be involved. It all lined up, it did. Everything from Quick’s injury to Pale’s suffering at the hooves at a possessed mare.

“...Drive. I don’t want you to feel like you need to beat yourself up over this. This isn’t exactly something that you could have predicted.”

I spun around in my desk chair to face her. She was always on point when it came to difficult tasks. But I knew that this situation did involve me...as much as I wished it didn’t.

“Thanks, Guts,” I replied, “But you know I can’t stand idle when my family’s styles of magic are being misused. My father would disown me if I allowed it to come to pass with the ability to put a stop to it. You know as well as I that you’d do what you could, when you could.”

The fiery red pegasus had a new set of wings. Apparently from the fact that the last mission she went on went so tits-up that she had to sacrifice both of her appendages for the sake of everyone else involved.

She looked down at those new wings of hers with a longing stare. “...Yeah, I suppose you’re right. There’s something...someone out there who’s looking out for me. Somepony important that I need to take more time to understand.” Guts turned her head back to me. “So...yeah. Do what you need to.”

I brought her in for a quick hug. Guttersnipe and I had known each other for a while, and we were good friends. It was nice to know that I had her support when it came to things like this. “That’s the spirit, mate. And don’t worry--once I get back here from South Zebrica, I’ll have some cool trinkets to give ya.”

“Uch--hey--” she wrestled herself free of my grip, “That’s nice and all. But please don’t let it be one of those creepy masks! I don’t need that haunting me!”

Oh bugger it. That was a far-reaching stereotype that the zebras worked hard to put off. But with the way she responded, I couldn’t help but chuckle a tad. “Hehe...no. I wouldn’t do that. Trust me. I’ll have something far more worthwhile for ya. But that aside, how’s our mate doing?”

“Pale, right? He’s...recovering slowly. Still taking some time off to spend with Cozy and the others. And honestly? That’s probably for the best.”

“Whatcha mean, by that?” she asked while she went over to her desk.

“Think on it, Guts. Who else could keep her safe?” I spun back around in my desk chair, and sorted through some files, “The only stallion in the world that can keep a proper lid on her while simultaneously protecting her. I mean...he did stand up to the Mad Tyrant Daybreaker after all. Doesn’t get much more capable than that, does it?”

She let out a fond laugh as we recalled the events of Nightmare Night. “Hahaha...yeah, you got a point there. But I honestly would rather he not get into another situation like that anytime soon.”

I cocked a brow upwards. Was Guts dismissive of Pale or was that a plea for his safety? “Hrm? What could you mean by that, friend?” I asked.

“I’m saying that if he manages to thwart another god-like threat, he’ll be labeled as a threat too. Some ponies are so overly...regressive that they’ll think that anything that opposes higher power is dangerous. Look at Neighsay.”

While she did have a valid point, Gutters failed to recall just what happened to the Chancellor. “Yes. And now he’s been offed by one of those powers. All because he made a foolish decision to ally with it. The phrase, ‘if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em’ is a load of barmy dung, I tell ya what.”

“Then how would you approach the situation, Drive?” she looked up at the corkboard on the wall in front of her. On it were labels of all of the beasts that we had encountered thus far, and they were connected by push-pins and strings. “If you couldn’t beat them, what would you do?”

I got up from my desk. Now that I had finished with gathering everything I needed off my desk, it was time for me to head out. These crystalline walls and beautiful cyan floors were only going to be a fleeting memory once I headed to where I needed to be.

“If I can’t beat ‘em?” I turned over my shoulder to look at her one last time, “Then I can rely on my friends for help.” And I continued to trot onwards. “See you soon, yeah?”

“Alrighty. But if you don’t return in the next three days, I’m coming after you,” she stated from behind me. “The last thing I need is for you to go crazy trying to finish something on your own and lose something...important to you.”

Stubborn as an ox that mare was. However, I knew exactly what she meant by that. Having lost her original wings, and then needing another set of replacements for the sake of her friends, she would never abandon us--even if it meant her life was at stake. I could always count on her to follow like the mockingbird she was. Quite adorable in a way.

“Yeah, yeah, sure…” I rolled my eyes in a playful fashion as I took my leave. No way was I going to shed tears before I left. “See ya.”

“Bye for now, bud.”

And so I was off. Now that I had reason to travel to such a place, I was going to finally set things right by my family. However, there was a bit of a snag on my way there. I levitated my train ticket into my saddlebag, and boarded it. But as soon as I got there, I was met with a familiar face that sat alone in one of the passenger cars. Who was it?

Moondancer.

But she didn’t address me directly, but I couldn’t help but wonder why she was here.

Subject 196: Discerning Eye

Once I got on the train, it was a relatively smooth ride. But I couldn’t help but wonder just why Moondancer had also been there. Was I being a bit overly concerned? Probably. She was probably on some small errand for Princess Sparkle.

But rather unexpectedly, she approached me instead. Who would’ve thought. Hoofsteps gained more audibility as they came nearer and nearer towards my seat, until her dull yellow mug popped into view.

“Flash Drive, correct?” she questioned me right out of the gate. “Half unicorn, half zebra?”

Well now that was certainly unexpected. You’d have to be off your nut to kick off an introduction with such words. However, as she was a tad older than I, it would have been rude to ignore or deny the claims when they were painfully obvious. Admittedly, I did stick out like a sore hoof. I was a jet-black pony. Such a dark color scheme was natively impossible among regular Equestrian ponies. Combine that with my silver mane, it was impossible to hide in plain sight.

Second, my build was a tad more muscular than the average unicorn. Sure from the outside, I looked normal. But I was a tad taller than most. The only relatively normal thing about me was my horn size and shape. However, even then, I wasn’t exactly adept in casting. Zebra magic was more focused on the external and how their bodies interacted with the ether--okay it was better to show off in practice rather than explain.

For the moment, I simply responded. “Yes. That’s me. What would you like to know, madam?”

“I was simply curious, that’s all. I remember Tempest Shadow telling me a bit about you.”

Oh dear. Here came the assumptions. “Oh really?” I asked as I leaned forward in my seat to give her my full attention, “And just what has she said exactly.”

“That you might make for a decent research partner, but I’ll have to see about that for myself,” she responded and took a look at the seat next to me. “Do you mind?”

Joy. I wasn’t much for conversation when it came to...intrapersonal things. But if I had no other option, then I could at least indulge her until it came time for my stop. As I stated before, it was important to show respect to those older than yourself. “Not at all, go ahead.”

And so, she sat in the aisle seat next to me. “Appreciated. Now I have a few more questions.”

“Fire away,” I said.

“Your research...what does it normally encompass?”

“Various things,” I replied as I looked out of the window, “For starters, my partner and I have an inherent knack for finding all sorts of information on strange creatures. In particular, we’ve been studying the Umbrums.”

Something must have clicked in Moondancer’s mind. Because she started to recall something we discussed previously. “...Oh that stuff. Listen...no offense to you or anything, but you should leave that sort of dangerous stuff to the professionals. You know. The ones who have studied magic their whole lives? Equestrian magic?”

Eh, wot? Was she insinuating that I wasn’t qualified enough to handle magical affairs due to how I was raised? If so, it wasn’t the first time. Not really much to say in response other than a general deflection.

“I was hired for this position for a reason. I’m not sure exactly what you might have learned from Ms. Shadow, but you’ll see what I can do in the near future.” I didn’t want to allude to my true intentions too much. Moondancer was certain to fly off the proverbial handle if I made a poor judgement of her or anypony closely affiliated with her.

“Well, I’ve been keenly observing your entire little team,” she went on, and levitated some notes out of her saddlebag which she began to sort through. “You and your friends are quite...resilient, to say the least. But you in particular--I’ve yet to see you accomplish anything of note in relation to the current case.” She tilted her head to look at me from around her notepad, “Is that what you’re on your way to do right now?”

Damn. She had me by the knackers on this one. No point in hiding it I suppose. “Maybe. I’ve been around loads of places for quite a while, madam. Trust me, I’m more experienced than I appear.” The mare may have been older than I was, but it was only a few years above. Not nearly enough time for her to pass judgement upon me. “I’m unable to disclose the entirety of my operation parameters. You’ll find out once things are done.”

She let out a backhoofed sort of chuckle. “Ah...haha. Playing hard, I see. Meh, doesn’t matter. I’ll have the information I need for my own research soon enough.” She put away the notes, and leaned back into her seat.

I didn’t know whether I should have felt annoyed or suspicious.

Anyhow, the train finally stopped near the Badlands. From there, I was off to take a ship towards the other side of the world. The journey was going to take me at least a day to arrive at the Zebra continent, and another day to take their train to South Zebrica specifically. It was going to be a long journey to my father’s homeland, but I was prepared for whatever came my way.

However, before I got off that train, Moondancer hit me with some interesting parting words. “Flash Drive.”

I stopped mid-trot, and turned back to glance at her. “Hm?”

“Don’t disappoint out there.”

Subject 197: Zebra Lands

The boat ride was a bit uneventful. I was a tad seasick from the excessive motion of being on the water, but I slowly became used to it over time. The captain told me that it wouldn’t take too long. Most ponies traveled to Casabronco in order to get to Farasi, or Trotswana. Those were the more amicable and cooperative Zebra lands. I even knew a few folks from there.

But no...where we were headed was rife with more malice and contempt than you could shake a charm at. We were headed to Colt Town. The capital of South Zebrica. A land where Zebs were at the top, and half-breeds were not allowed to rise above. Everypony on mainland Equestria figured that the Zebras were funny and quirky creatures that were not too different from ponies.

While that was indeed the case, it wasn’t always so certain.

Just as there were always a select few distasteful ponies, there were unfortunately a select few distasteful zebras. Ones who take pride in themselves and their homeland so much to the point where they reject the ideals and values of others. It was sick, and if it were up to me, I would’ve started a revolution long ago.

But that’s not what I was headed there for. I simply needed to find the source of the zebra-based curses and/or hexes that were cast in order to recreate monsters of the before times. If I could do that much for Pale, we’d be one step closer to nabbing and putting an end to Grogar once and for all.

Would it be easy? Hell no. But that’s what life was like sometimes. A box of--ah, you get the idea.

“We’re here, sir,” the captain of the small ship came to let me know that we had arrived, “Now you be careful out there, alright? You wouldn’t want to be caught up with the wrong crowd, eh.”

I got up from the temporary bed I had lied in, and grabbed all of my belongings with magic. “Don’t worry about me. You should be more careful yourself,” I said to the young stallion who didn’t look any older than twenty--I was about a decade and a half above him, so I was concerned by nature. “Intercontinental transport isn’t something that can be done so casually without certain...unsavory individuals trying to latch on.”

The stallion shook his head with a dismissive grin. “Oh don’t worry aboot that, eh. I’ve got plenty of contacts that can help me whenever I need it. The various ports that I travel to are all protected under a universal trade clause. If any of us are ever hurt, the coastal squads will be there to help us out of a jam.” The earth pony grabbed a scroll with his teeth to show me, “It’s a...little long, so I won’t waste yer time with it, but you get the gist, eh?”

Indeed. It sounded as if they knew what they were talking about in regards to safety for their crew. That put me at ease just a bit. The last thing I needed was someone getting into hot water over something that they weren’t involved in. “Alright then, mate. I’m off. I appreciate your assistance thus far.”

“No problem, eh. Have a nice time!” he replied and waved as I stepped off the boat.

I trotted down that loading platform, and onto the pier. Zebrica was a bit more...modern than what I had last heard of. In the distance, I could see rows and rows of housing that were surrounded by the essence of nature. A far cry from the simple ‘village’ aesthetic my father used to speak of.

“Here we are, then. Time to see how things have evolved,” I mumbled, and took a deep breath. To be honest, I wasn’t exactly too thrilled considering I was a half-breed that actively walked into a trap. But it was indeed now or never.

With the boat having safely left the docks, I trotted onwards. The dirt path that led towards the large town was paved rather nicely with beautiful plants along each side and various branching paths that led into the controlled jungle environments that the zebs cultivated. They did try to put on a rather friendly face, but I knew deep down it was all buggered smoke and mirrors.

But I also had to admit, the sights and smells of Zebrica...they were a tad nostalgic. Many indingenous fruits and hot foods were being sold at stands near the market. Lots of books, trinkets and charms were available at many a store as well.

The residential areas were also somewhat modern. Not too different from the homes of Ponyville to be exact. But of course, unlike Ponyville, zebras were all one could see. Which wasn’t a problem of course. I had no issue with my kin on paper--not at all. But the way they shunned others...well, it was well-hidden, but eventually…

I overheard a zebra colt nearby. “Mama...is that a unicorn?”

“Looks like he’s...no...stay away from him,” the zebra mother said as she hastily dragged her child away.

Joyous. Things only started to escalate from there as other zebs that had been trotting around started to take note of my appearance. I started to get a few wayward glances, and heard a few unsavory comments under their breath.

“What is he doing here?” a zebra stallion muttered.

“Is he trying to start trouble?” a zebra mare replied.

“We should inform the guards,” another stallion mentioned, “This can’t be a coincidence.”

Oh? Now just what could that be related to? Regardless, it was my intent to speak with an official anyways. Then and only then could I make progress in regards to uncovering the source of all of this negative Zebra magic that has been used on Equestrian soil.

Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to take a single step further. I was suddenly approached by a zebra mare in a black suit with a red tie. Her coat was milk white with navy blue stripes all over, and a cutie mark that resembled a shield. She was also a few inches taller than me, and dare I say...it was a bit intimidating. “Halt. State your business,” she said to me with that deep Zebrican accent of hers, and leaned in close as if she wanted to sniff me for falsehood.

I did my best to remain composed. “Ahem...I’m here to investigate some suspicious spells that have been linked to dangerous acts on Equestrian land.” I even levitated my badge to show her that I was legitimate.

The zebra mare eyed me up, as if scanning veggies at one of the stands that I had passed earlier. “...Yeah, I’m gonna need you to come with me. Privately.”

Damn it all.

Subject 198: Zebra Lands II

The zebra mare took me to her office in the middle of the town, and swiftly locked the door once we were both inside. Before I could get a word in, I was held in place by some sort of invisible force. Was this…? Yes, it had to be one of their voodoo --or vodun--tricks they used to restrain individuals. I wasn’t to be harmed just yet, but I’d be lying if I said I was unafraid.

“...is this necessary, madam? I am simply here to investigate a few things. I even showed you my badge already,” I spoke in a low tone as to not offend her.

With a pair of gloves on her hooves, the mare removed my saddlebags, and set them aside. “No talking. Answer when spoken to.” was all she said in response to my question. After which she began to preen through my mane, coat, and underbelly in an extensive search. Again, not painful in any sense of the word. Just somewhat awkward given how much silence she demanded.

It took a while, but once it was all said and done, she released me and took a seat at her desk. “State your name and business.”

Oh. Well if that was all there was, then I guess I could oblige. But I still had to be cautious. Anything I said had the potential to be used against me. “Flash Drive, madam. As I previously stated, I’m here to find out about possible use of Zebra hexes and curses on the soil of Equestria. It isn’t very common there, so it’s extremely obvious when something along those lines is being used for evil.”

She cocked a brow upwards, her stony face unwavered. “Explain.”

Alright then, she got one. I pretty much gave her the rundown of all the Zebra-based magic-related incidents that had transpired. The Mimic that assaulted Pale, the Leviathan, and the voice in Tartarus that inflicted Quick Draw with some sort of curse--one that we still had no information on.

“...If possible, I would like to find out the origins of such things as well as find a possible cure for my friend,” I explained with a shaky tone of voice. I had to be honest, I was starting to go raving mad from the sheer amount of palpable tension that was in the air.

At the moment, it seemed as if the zebra mare was willing to help me out. Based on the office, the various books on the shelves, and the medals, she had to be a sheriff or some sort of law official here.

“I will give you opportunity to investigate. You have badge, so I will not pass judgement upon another law pony,” she said as she got up from her desk, “You will address me as Kwaade. Understood?”

Kwaade, eh? Sounded familiar. If she trusted me enough to tell me her name, then I could put my trust in her for the time being. Especially since she was willing to hear me out. “Heard and understood, madam. So with that in mind, where could I theoretically begin my search for evidence? Is there anyone in this city that could possibly make use of the power that I have described?”

“There may be some…” Kwaade responded with a dubious frown on her face, “But have you stopped to consider why? You may not understand since your family removed you from this place when you were little.”

That was true, yes. I wasn’t exactly the authority when it came to zebra culture given that it wasn’t what I had been raised around. But that was all the more reason to find out for myself. Social taboos regarding outsiders were my specialty.

“Precisely,” I nodded in agreement, “Which is exactly why I took the risk of coming all the way out here myself. Even though I am a half-breed, I still have a job to do with questions that need to be answered.”

The zebra officer chuckled, and gazed at me with a condescending expression. “Oh you sweet, innocent halfer...fine then. I will take you to the Town Hall.” She stated before she pranced off towards one of her filing drawers.

My ear flicked. This felt far too simple. “Wait, really? No nonsense, madam?” I leaned forward with a hoof raised out of confusion.

Kwaade turned around and placed a sort of collar around my neck. “I will take you there...under guise of prisoner,” she explained with a tense glare in her eyes. As if to warn me of something. “Cooperate with me, and you shall make it out of here intact. If you do not, then you shall meet the fate of other half-breeds who thought it was a good idea to rebel.”

Was she serious? So a rebellion did take place here at some point? Gods above. My entire crew would have a field day with the evidence alone if that were the case. But I had to take things slow. I couldn’t exactly jump out with my horn ablaze, ready to fire off spells. I had to essentially infiltrate an entire secretive organization that use their authority to uphold the values of one group while downplaying another.

Easier said than--well you get it, don’t you?

“Understood,” I said with a nod, more than ready to make my insertion. “Lead the way, madam.”

The sooner we could find the source of abused Zebra magic, the better. Could Kwaade be trusted?

Subject 199: Fake Stripes

In the back of my mind, I took some mental notes of everything that had happened so far. To my surprise, I had been treated rather...decently. Was it possible that their stance on other species had changed in recent years? Still, having to be transported as if I was a prisoner didn’t bode well. I just hoped that no other half-breeds like myself weren’t here to suffer…

“Follow close,” the officer zebra commanded as we walked through the town, “If we are separated, you will not like what happens next.”

Blimey. Such a threat was uncalled for, yeah? But no...I couldn’t say much in response. This was not my home, and I had to abide by the rules that were set in stone. “Understood,” I replied, and continued to walk along in silence.

As we made our way through the town, I noticed that more than a few of the Zebras stared at me with judgemental eyes. Guess I played the role of a captive well enough to skate by, eh? Wonder what Neon would think.

Anyway, we kept going. Eventually, we pressed on and found ourselves near the Town Hall--or Stagsaal as it was known here. It was an all-white building in a carousel-esque shape not unlike the Town Hall of Ponyville. From what I could detect, there weren’t many individuals inside, so we should have been able to request an audience with the leaders of the region without much issue.

Kwaade stepped forward, and up the steps that led to the massive brown doors. “Follow.”

I did as instructed, and rose up the steps with her. “Will we be able to meet with the leaders, madam?”

She turned to glare at me. Likely because I spoke out of turn when she hadn’t expected it. “Hm...maybe. Once you hear why those acts of vodun have been committed, maybe you will begin to understand why they have been done.”

Now that was just odd. She didn’t have the full details and yet she already sided with those above her? This was right mental, it was. Not a good sign if an officer had no true autonomous train of thought.

But I had gotten ahead of myself in my thinking. Maybe it was just the one incident, yeah? There was no way she could agree with them on everything. “I see...and do you think their actions may be justified in some way?”

“Why wouldn’t they?” she shot back, eyes narrowed, “My leaders have no reason to engage in action without a cause. You will find that the zebras know more about their own magic than you ever could as a halfer.”

Harsh. But I wouldn’t allow that to bog me down. Words alone could only get you so far in this world. What mattered more was how you acted, and lived up to the standards of your own words. Or something like that. I wasn’t a bloody philosopher.

But I was going to ask her a relatively simple question.

I took a deep breath, and looked her in the eye. “Madam Kwaade. If your superiors ordered you to burn down a neighboring village with no regard for who was there--children, mares, stallions, animals--and so on...would you carry out that order?”

Just before she reached out a hoof to open the door, she stopped and spoke without so much as a glance. “...Without hesitation.”

Dear gods above, things were actually worse than what I had initially thought. If every zebra in a position of power had the same mindset as she, then there would be absolutely no convincing them to change their ways. It would be a losing, uphill battle.

Fortunately for me, uphill battles were my specialty.

We entered, and it was this sort of...eerie hall that was a creepy shade of milk white from all angles. It was so shiny that I could see my own reflection in the floor and ceiling clear as day. But someone was available to see us, thankfully.

A zebra who wore a black hood with white stripes that concealed their face sat at a stand that was elevated off the ground. Kwaade went ahead and introduced me. “My Lord. I have brought a visitor here. He is a...half-breed.”

Silence from the stand.

Kwaade continued. “He is curious about something going on with magic used in mainland Equestria. I am sure your reasons are sound, and--”

The ‘Lord’ zebra cut her off, and spoke lowly--their voice deeper than Kwaade’s. “Speak, half-breed.”

I swallowed the lump of anxiety in my throat, and made my case. I went on to explain just how many problems had been caused by Zebra magic in Equestria as of late and how various ponies' lives were at risk--especially that of Cozy Glow…

“If they put a hex upon her, and make her even more powerful, she could end up more dangerous than any enemy this world has ever faced,” I stared them down to show them just how serious I was. I was afraid, yes, but I hoped to the gods above that my sheer will to put myself at risk as a half-breed would at least catch their attention. “I beg of you...if you’re aware of anyone that is misusing their abilities, then I would like to help put a stop to them as soon as possible. It’s right dodgy, it is.”

Silence once again. I could feel the weight of everything that had built up to this point. Was I about to be shown mercy? Or was I going to be shamed for my efforts?

All of the sudden, the Lord zebra’s voice boomed out once more. “Kwaade. Take him to the holding cell until we figure out his intent. Based on his accent, and the way he carries himself, he could easily be up to something.”

The officer mare looked at me, and grabbed ahold of my hoof. “Let’s go.”

I said nothing. All I did was comply as I was taken to the cell, and locked in. Kwaade left me there to return to her Lord to have a discussion, I would venture.

And to be quite honest? I expected this.

Subject 200: Night Terrors

Meanwhile, in Ponyville…

Mom and dad...it was so awkward, and yet it felt so nice to have parents that cared for me. So much so, that I was more than willing to do the same for them. In fact, just this past Hearts and Hooves day, I made Pale and Cheerilee a nice dinner that they could share together. It wasn’t exactly perfect, but it was still good!

Anyhow...it was actually kinda hard for me to sleep that night. I felt something nag away at my mind. I could hear a voice...was it a vision or just a bad dream?

“You know who you are, Cozy Glow...it’s only a matter of time until Pale and the rest of his friends find out.”

I tossed and turned to try and get the voice out of my head, but it persisted.

“Once everything falls into place, our power will return in full force to the likes of which no one in this world is prepared for. It is your destiny to follow the path that has been laid out for you since birth.”

I shimmied and squirmed. I couldn’t tell where the voice came from, but it sounded eerily familiar. No...it couldn’t be!

“No...stop!” I yelled in my sleep, “I rejected you once...I can do it again…!”

“Oh? Can you now? I must admit, your new friends and family certainly are strong. But they still march to the same beat of the lower drummer. All this time, they have only proven themselves to be no different than those before them. Do you really think that they will actually be able to convince the common pony to be able to stand up for themselves? Or is it wishful thinking? Will there be more who grow to become like Trixie and Starlight upon their first impression? Or even worse? You?”

“GET OUT OF MY HEAD!”

I woke up with a cold sweat and a feverish shiver that ran down my spine. “Ah...hah...hah…” I panted, and took a look around. My room was still the same as ever. Nothing changed. But just what was that? Was it…

“Oh no…” I mumbled to myself, “This...this has to be...how did he manage to…” I took a moment and stopped. The answer came to me as I sat up. “The bell...he and I are still connected. That’s what his goal is. If he gets his hooves on me…”

I couldn’t really sleep for the rest of the night. I was too afraid of seeing that...thing in my head again. I couldn’t even bring myself to speak his name. That’s how afraid I was. All I could do was hope that Pale and his friends continued to do their best with…

What was I saying? I wasn’t some princess in a storybook! I needed to be able to stand up for myself! But how was I going to do that without deliberately putting myself in harm’s way? Gah...I needed to sleep on this a bit more.

So I lied back down...and bam. That’s when it hit me. If we were still connected, maybe I could make use of that link for the sake of Pale and the others. But I couldn’t let him know that I knew that I had the potential to understand how to control it...or something like that. Basically, I needed to be careful with how I approached this issue from within my own soul. If I could do that much, then maybe--just maybe I could prove to myself that I wasn’t just dead weight that needed to be protected in an utterly helpless fashion.

I just hoped that Pale’s friend that had recently gone out on a mission to a foreign land...what was his name--Flash Drive right? I hoped he wasn’t doing as bad as I was when it came to sleeping.

Meanwhile, in South Zebrica…

Well this was right fecked up, innit? I was put in a holding cell with absolutely zero explanation as to why. Granted, I had an inkling of an idea. It was due to who I was. A Trottingham unicorn that was also half-zeb was arguably one of--if not the most suspicious thing they could have come across. Needless to say, there was nothing I could do but wait it out.

Unfortunately, it was about...4-5 in the morning? I wasn’t able to get some proper rest. I felt a tad helpless, honestly. But again, I didn’t want to do anything crazy or something that would be deemed improper. That would only make the situation worse and get me treated as an international crim...yeesh, couldn’t even think of it. Not to mention what my parents would think if I wasted my life in an attempt to correct something about dad’s home.

“Bugger it,” I said as I lied down on the admittedly soft, and well-kept bed. Reminded me more of a hotel room than a cell actually. Was it possible that these cells were just an amicable precursor to the more sinister dungeons that were hidden away? There was truly no way to tell for the time being.

That’s when I heard a faint tap upon the bars of the cell. I looked up to find another hooded Zebra, but this one wore nothing else but some saddlebags. However, as soon as that hood was pushed down, I immediately recognized her.

“Flash Drive from Trottingham? It seems that you are in quite a jam,” she spoke in rhyme.

I nearly leapt out of my bloody skin. “Zecora?! What are you doing ‘ere??”

“I could sense a fellow zebra being put through some trouble, so I came here on the double,” she explained as she inspected the integrity of the bars, “Southern Zebras are biased and quite unfair. If you are not purely zebra, then they just don’t care,” she lamented with an annoyed scowl on her face. It amazed me to witness another zeb admonish the acts of these.

“I agree,” I replied as I walked up to the bars, “But my options are limited. I want--nay, I need to find the source of the zebra abilities that are being misused on my home turf.”

Zecora nodded, and pulled something from out of her saddlebag. It was a small pouched filled with what looked like some sort of blue powder. “I will set you free with this, but are you sure you’re ready to take the risk? Fighting those from the same land as you can’t be a simple thing to do.”

She was right. Part of me hated the idea of crossing paths against individuals whom I might have been friends with in another life. But ultimately, I had more important things on my plate. And writing the injustices of this land was one of them.

“I’m ready, Lady Z. It won’t be easy, but I know we can do this,” was my confident reply.

“Well then..” The older zebra mare set the pouch on the floor, and took a step back, “Let us begin.”

Subject 201: Great Escape

With a quick puff of that blue powder, the bars surrounding my cell disappeared. I was able to bypass through them freely. Remarkable! But there was still a concern to be had.

“Thank you, Lady Z. But uh...won’t I be labeled as some sort of international criminal now that I’ve escaped?” I asked with a nervous chatter of my teeth. I could also feel my knees wobble a little. That is, until Zecora eased my tensions with a small tour of the rest of the cells.

“Flash Drive...do me a favor, and focus hard,” she said as she shut her eyes, “the truth you seek lies beyond these bars.”

What was she referring to? Was this another zebra thing? I...did I have abilities that I wasn’t exactly privy to just yet? I had so many questions. “...Wot? I don’t quite under--mmph!”

The older zebra put a hoof over my lips to silence me. “Shh,” she whispered, “Empty your mind, and you will be surprised by what you find.”

She let go of me, and I did as she requested. I shut my eyes, and put myself into a somewhat meditative state of sorts. I almost broke a damn sweat in my attempts to follow her example. But then...it became clear.

“...Ach!” I gasped. I had none on my body, but I could have sworn that my stripes would have started glowing? Why? Because I felt as if I had...unlocked some sort of new power.

I could...see everything beneath us. Through the thick layers of tile below our hooves lied another area entirely. More bars...cells...chains...restraints...and piles upon piles of skeletons.

It was just as I suspected. A more sinister, decrepit prison was right below me the entire time. And those bones...they looked to be...the bones of ponies. Could those be...more half-breeds?

“Wha...no...this can’t be. Do they just...leave them there to die?!”

“It is as you fear,” Zecora chimed in with our thoughts entwined, “Anyone who disagrees with them are left to rot here. If their track record is true indeed, then these are more than likely to be half-breeds. Part zebras and part ponies of who this tribe has deemed as slaves. But it sickens me to the core to witness this...horrid mess of a place be their graves.”

Her speech was slow, almost hesitant. As if there was a steaming sense of hatred behind her voice. Something that I had never heard before. Admittedly, it kind of shook me to hear. Beyond that, I just had to know why this was the case. What were the zebras of this land trying to accomplish? And were they really in league with Grogar to alter the world? My head spun like a rundown water wheel…

“...but why?” I asked, “Why is this being done? Why do they take joy in forcing half-breeds to be beneath them? And what about regular ponies? Do they hate them as well? Gah…”

Zecora went on. “Now is not the time to be consumed by emotion. We need to set our plan in motion. There are many others who are currently alive, but forced into the system. Do you have what it takes to assist them?”

“Of course!” I snapped back, “I just...I just need to know this connects to what my friends have dealt with. If my kin have involved themselves with Grogar, then...I won’t forgive them.”

In an instant, we were brought back to reality. The upper level of the prison with the holding cells to be precise. I was in disarray from what I had seen. Such...disgusting methods of torture were inflicted upon anypony that didn’t follow along with what they put forth. Did that mean I was to suffer the same fate if I stood idle for too long?

“...I’ve seen the truth now,” I muttered as I looked at Zecora, “What’s our next move?”

The older zeb shook her head. “While I am here to help you out, you are the leader, young sprout. I am putting my entire faith on your shoulders. So tell me, Flash Drive, can you take the risk and prove that you are bolder?”

It took me a second, but I understood quite well. This was ultimately my operation. And as such, it was my right to take control and prove that my father’s homeland had good to be found in it.

Even it meant tearing it down and rebuilding it myself.

I nodded. “You’re right, Zecora. I can’t let them treat anymore half-zebs like this. If this mess continues, they may try to invade other lands with their own powers and enforce the rules there.” That’s when something dawned on me. “...How are the state of affairs in Farasi?”

“My homeland? It’s...mostly fine,” she replied hesitantly, “But there are rumors that could hurt old friends of mine.”

Now that caught my attention. Could it have anything to do with what I had just mentioned? “Would you mind ‘elaboratin’?”

“A certain individual has been rumored to be speaking with my town’s elders as they invade. What is their name you ask? It’s--”

But before she could answer that question, we heard rows and rows of hoofsteps clatter down the halls with haste!

“Dammit, there’s no time,” I turned and looked at the entrance to the room, “If we don’t get out of here now, we’ll be caught and have to start from scratch here!”

“Don’t you worry, my friend. We’ll be out of here in a hurry,” Zecora replied as she dug into her pouch for another item--this time, a potion.

BLAM!

When it hit the floor, we were suddenly teleported outside of the prison, and the town hall. We landed in some bushes that were near the outer area of the city. Under the dead of night, it was unlikely that we’d be found anytime soon.

“...Amazing. You’ll have to teach me that later,” I complimented her quick thinking.

“A bonus effect of that little potion, is that they will not realize you have left thanks to the commotion. A mirage of yourself will be in place just long enough for us to make haste.” She brushed off some of the leaves with a flick of her tail. “So tell me, young man. From here, what is our plan?”

I looked around, and laid eyes on a nearby bell tower that stood high above the rest of the town. That would be the perfect place to launch a frequency from.

That’s when I let off a cocksure grin. “I got one. Follow me.”

Subject 202: Zebra Lands III

“Okay, Zecora. I’m gonna need you to back me up on this. My idea is simple,” I pointed up at the large belltower. The monolith that overlooked the rest of the town. “I’m going to use my magic to broadcast a single from up there. A signal that can only register to those who are the same as myself--with both pony and zebra blood in their veins.”

“Now that isn’t a bad idea. Your intelligence is showing,” she pointed to the middle of the plaza where many guards had been stationed. “But if we want to make that dream a reality, we have to get going.”

Ah yes. That would indeed be an issue. What kind of city needed guards to constantly defend its edges? Were they always expecting an attack of some sort? Or was there a deeper meaning to it? Regardless, Zecora had an advantage. She could take a stroll through the area, and nopony would bat an eye.

Wait a sec...that was it, right there!

“Alright, Lady Z,” I turned to face her, “I need you to scout ahead. Act natural.”

“Ah, I see,” she replied with a smile, “You know they won’t see any threat from me.”

I nodded. “Too right, madam. Ladies’ first?” I gestured my hoof towards the centre of town with a casual smirk on my face.

This earned a playful roll of the eyes from the older zeb as she trotted out there. This would give me the opportunity I needed.

So I stuck to the shadows. The dark shade of my black coat would allow me to hide more easily. At the same time, I kept a close eye on my surroundings--including Zecora. Just as I predicted. Since she was a regular old zeb, she had no issue with her ability to walk out there for a casual stroll on the town. Good, good.

Nothing out of the ordinary yet. I managed to get closer and closer to that bell tower through my ability to stay hidden in the darkness. The night was tranquil, yet the tension was palpable. I could feel it. A sensation traveled up my spine. As if someone--or something had made an attempt to stalk me through the edge of the town.

“...Show yourself,” I said, “I have no time to waste on someone like--”

But as quickly as I turned to face the threat, it had disappeared. I sensed no more tension in the air. It was as if it had magically disappeared from behind me. Was I off my nut? Were there other forms of magic in play here that I simply didn’t understand? Gah, there was no time for this.

I burned some time just from sneaking around. Enough was enough. I had finally reached the building upon which the belltower was located. I just needed to get up there and send out my magical signal...but that was easier said than done.

I took a peek around the building. Zecora had been chatting up one of the zebra guards. With their attention stolen, now was the perfect time to rise up and strike back. Was it going to be a big risk? Hell yes it was. But I would be damned if I was going to allow my fellow kin to live subservient to arseholes who did nothing of importance. Whether you were a full zebra, a pony, or a mix of the two--no one deserved to be treated as second fiddle.

“Alright then…” I climbed up the side of the building. And by that I meant that I used small bits of my unicorn magic to levitate myself up the side of it while I made use of my zebra magic to mask the signature that I gave off. It was a rather clever I had to admit, even if I didn’t exactly ascend in the most elegant way possible.

“Perfect.”

I landed atop the belltower. There was just enough room for me to stand upon the edifice’s flat top. The bell itself was just beneath me. Now how was this going to work? Twas simple. I would make use of the bell’s ability to force sound to radiate off of itself, combine that with a magic spell, and send out a signal that all the enslaved...blech...half-breeds would hear. And it would be specific to them as well. No one else would be able to hear it.

My horn shone its shade of cyan, but then...that eerie presence returned. The same one from before that had tailed me. Somehow, they managed to get up here without their presence being detected either.

Which meant they weren’t normal.

“Are you going to finally expose yourself, mate?” I questioned the individual that I knew had shown up behind me.

It was the same zebra from before--Kwaade. She appeared before me to likely put a stop to my plan before I could enact it. “You know not of what you do, halfer. If you awaken what is not meant to be, an entire civil unrest can occur. The lives of many will be endangered.”

Fat talk which came from somepony that openly admitted to the fact that she would be more than willing to destroy the lives of others if her superiors deemed it appropriate. But she wasn’t too far gone yet. Part of me sensed some form of sanity within her.

“Can’t you see what your superiors have done?” I turned around and asked, “What they feel is best for one group may not truly--”

She interrupted me with a stomp of her hoof. “Enough. I am going to bring you back into custody for such insurrection. This is your last chance. Stand down, and things will be far less painful than they could potentially become…”

“No way in hell,” was all I said in response. With a flash of my horn, I activated a signal that transcended the entire town. Imperceptible to certain sets of ears--the ones that didn’t have both types of blood running through their veins.

Silence. For what felt like forever. But in reality it was more like five minutes.

And from the corner of my eye, what do I see? A couple, then a few, then a dozen, then many, many ponies who were part zebra came rushing down the hills in the dead of night towards the town square! The stampede was fierce enough to be felt from all the way on top of the tower where we were.

I was ready to scoff at Kwaade until she had me by my tail, clenched hard between her teeth, and hung over the side of the building. I could hear her mutter something despite this.

“Jy sal ly.”

Subject 204: Zebra Lands V

Meanwhile, on the other side of the town…

The zebra officer had raced towards the town hall, but something stopped her dead in her tracks before she could make it there…

BLLLLLLP!

“Gah!” A swarm of bullets that struck the ground next to the mare forced her to stop, and look around. “Who dares?!”

As expected...I knew my brother would be in some trouble. Twas a good thing I came to help out when I did.

“Your time is up, woman,” with a small hiss, I landed before her. Outfitted with a fresh, new right hoof that could fire seeds at an even faster rate. “My brother is going to make sure your plans fail.”

“What?! But that’s foolish!” she screamed at me, “Not only are there two of you, but you both seek to disrupt the natural order of our kind?! How dare you?!”

I spat on the ground nearby, and went on. “Twas all fun and games until your superiors decided to invade us. In doing so, you’ve nullified your own rights and have opened yourself up to criticism.” I spun the barrel of my hoof’s weapon, and spat some more seeds into it. “So now you’re about to pay the price. On my honor as Neon Isotope.”

Back in the town square…

Everyone still seemed rather iffy on my offer. I couldn’t blame them. I had essentially asked them to risk everything they knew for the sake of potential freedom. Freedom that was not guaranteed, and ultimately could land them in further trouble should my plan fail.

There was still time before any of the Zebrican nobility would awaken to find their servants missing, so I wasn’t too concerned.

However, when I noticed Zecora’s ear flick, I couldn’t ignore the fact that she clearly sensed something off in the distance. “...Lady Z. What’s the matter?”

“It would appear that we are in the company of another. Could it perhaps be your brother?” she tilted her head.

Oh dammit all. If he was here, that could only make things worse...or better? I had no idea how to properly label it. But wait a minute, how could she tell that Neon was here? “Pause right there, madam...just how do you know it’s him?”

She scraped her hoof against the dirt below us. “I can sense his aura through this land. He wants to help you take a stand. But beyond that, I do not know his intent. For now, we must focus on those that have been forced into a harsh life without consent.”

Indeed. I could only venture that my brother had done something to buy us some time. Oh. Was it possible that he had managed to intercept Kwaade? A pipe dream, but I’d like to think it was plausible.

Anyhow, I focused back on the zebra-ponies. It seemed as if they had finished their chatter amongst themselves. One of them, another stallion, trotted up to me and asked me a question.

“...Okay. Suppose we agree to h-have your h-help…” he stuttered, his knees quaked as he spoke, “...w-what will you want in return?”

I raised a brow. Why would I ever want anything in exchange for simply doing my job? Twas selfish it was--wait. Hold on. There was more at play here. If I could at least get some information from them…

“Nothing--except, well...do any of you have any idea as to the possibility of the zebs sending creepy types of magic towards the mainland of Equestria?”

A hybrid mare stepped forward. “Um...this may not be exactly what you’re referring to. But I have heard something from the zebras...something about trying to summon...somepony important.”

I rubbed my hoof against my chin as I thought about it. Then I took a look at Zecora. “...Ma’am. Is it possible for zebras to summon an entire being with the types of magic that are practiced here?”

Zecora looked down with a shameful frown on her muzzle.. “As much as I want to deny, there are loads of crazy things one can try. Bringing back those long-dead while risky, can cause chaos to spread.” She raised her head to glance at me. “Tell me, Flash Drive--who do you think that these corrupt zebras would want to bring back to life?”

That’s when it hit me. All of this was a giant effort to bring back the one enemy we had been fearing for a long time. But how...what exactly were they going to do to accomplish this? “Gah...doesn’t make sense. Not unless they made use of somepony for a vessel…”

Oh no. That’s who the vessel was going to be.

I snapped back into gear. It was time to kickstart my plan. I focused on the crowd of hybrid ponies as a whole. “...Alright, thank you very much. But now, I’m going to need help from the rest of you. Do all of you wish to stay here and live in peace, or would you rather leave this place in search of a new life? I won’t force you into either decision.”

“...dad, I trust him,” a hybrid colt muttered, “He’s like us. He wouldn’t have come all this way from Trottingham if he didn’t care.”

“The boy’s right,” a mare spoke up, “I think we should listen, and give him the benefit of the doubt. If he can really help us get free and collapse the structure of this place…”

A stallion chimed in. “Then we’ll all be able to live happily while simultaneously destroying the environment that once held us hostage.”

Correct. All very correct indeed. But that left one issue. What would be the future of this land once its society fell apart? Could I truly rebuild it? No…

I turned my head to Zecora once more, this time with an eyebrow raised. “...You came here for more than just save me didn’t you?”

She playfully shunted me with her side. “Ah. Now you finally realize. Indeed, I am here for something which I have always prioritized. I managed to save you as well. So consider this your lucky day. I hope you’re willing to assist me in return. What do you say?” she said with a rather convincing smile.

Dammit all. She played me. And I enjoyed it.

Subject 205: Zebra Lands VI

On the other side of the city…

The zebra mare was tough, that was for certain. She wasn’t going to be brought down so easily, but I had to do all that I could for the sake of stalling her. Flash Drive had a plan to carry out, and we didn’t need someone like her to ruin it.

With a swift kick, I tackled her to the ground with my weight forced atop her. It was a hefty struggle, but I needed her to stop and listen to me. “Rrgh! Mate, don’t you see what’s going on?! You’ve been brainwashed! Fooled into thinking that you have to enslave and put those who are not the same beneath you! Is that really the way of the zebras?!”

I was unable to hold her there for much longer. Kwaade used her lower body strength to forcefully flip herself--and me--upwards. In turn, I found myself launched into a nearby tree.

WHACK!

“You want to know the real reason?” she took a step forward, “We are afraid of them. Hybrid ponies have combined strengths of zebras and regular ponies that can be easily abused. Only by suppressing those strengths can we live in peace!”

I groaned as I slid to the ground. One of my wings had been bruised by the impact, but I didn’t let that stop me. “And how do you know that, eh?” I spat and slowly rose to my hooves, “How do you know anything about a species that you’ve tried to constantly put down? You’re no better than Grogar himself…”

“You fool...he will liberate this world!” she shouted back at me, “Once he finally takes control of that mare known as Cozy Glow, he will properly resurrect and give us what we have always desired!”

How barmy. This was a literal deal with the devil if I ever saw one. I had numerous questions that couldn’t possibly be answered in the short amount of time that I had on hoof. As much as I wanted to deny it, this mare had lost her marbles at this point. There was no saving someone who was so deeply entrenched in an ideal that they would willingly harm others. Part of me knew that Pale and Drive wouldn’t be happy with what I was about to do.

But for the safety of the innocent folks here, she had to be restrained, and this entire establishment

“...If you can’t see the errors of your own ways…” I cricked my neck back, then forward, “Then perhaps it’s better to show you.”

Kwaade laughed at me in response. “Haha! How foolish! There is nothing you can show me that will ever make me give up my home to some worthless fools that can’t understand how the consolidation of power works!”

That was it. I had gotten her riled up enough to start throwing more and more words of hatred towards me. It was the perfect sort of bait attached to my proverbial fishing line.

I chuckled, and flew into the air. A demonic, fanged grin grew wide on my batty face. “Alright then ya bastard. If you’re so keen on proving me wrong, then come at me!” I started to fly towards the main area of the town square, away from Kwaade’s original goal of town hall.

And it worked. The zebra couldn’t resist her own emotions, and sped after me. “GET BACK HERE, COWARD!”

Perfection. I thought I had this in the bag.

That was...until…

SHING!

“HALT!”

About two dozen South Zebrican Zebra guards appeared from the bushes, and surrounded me. “On the ground!” one of them shouted, “Now!”

Damn...this wasn’t what I had planned. But I had to make the most of it. So long as they didn’t know that Flash was here, then I could take this in stride.

“Hmph. Not so tough now, are you little bat?” Kwaade teased.

I didn’t say anything in response. All I did was lie down on the dirt.

Hang on, bruv. It’s gonna take me a bit longer.

In the square…

After I listened to Zecora’s little idea, I had to admit, it was very risky. The mere concept of a complete takeover seemed plausible. But to actually go through with it? Dear lord…

“...So we’re not going to have them flee the place?” I asked as I watched Zecora prepare a fire pit.

She spat out the flint, and glared at me. “Like it or not. This is their home. A place that they should be free to roam. If we must fight for their sake, then it’s only a fair decision to make.” Then she turned her head to the crowd of hybrid ponies that gathered here. They were all resting soundly for what seemed like the first time in forever. “As helpless as they are, fighting alone will only get them so far,” she glanced up at me, “Flash Drive. I know that you are strong. Fight with me and win back this land so they may live safe and long.”

When she put it like that, it made a lot of sense. I watched as the fellow hybrid ponies slept soundly. Families, friends, loved-ones. All had lost so much over the way this land had been governed. So you know what? I would do it. For the sake of my own family, friends, and mates back home. This land was going to turn its ways around.

“Count me in, Zecora,” I said with a nod, “Set off that smoke signal. Tomorrow morning, we’ll rally your troops and bust down the walls of this deplorable state.”

It was time for war.

Subject 206: Confrontation

The next morning, in Ponyville…

Okay, Flash Drive had been gone for more than a few days. I was starting to get worried, so I hightailed it over to Pale and Cork’s place. Y-y'know. In case there was a possibility of him having already returned and reported back. Right?

I practically burst into that office, and shouted. “Guys! Hello?! Is Flash Drive back yet?!”

I saw Corkscrew at his desk. For a split-second, he was asleep with a comic book on his face. But as soon as I slammed through the doors, he fell out of his seat.

“Waah!” he yelped as he hit the floor, then let out a groan of pain. “Agh...dammit.”

Whoops. I shut the door behind me, and flew over to see if he was okay. “...Sorry about that, Cork. Uh...I’m just a bit nervous for Drive.” I extended a hoof to pick him up.

Thankfully, my fellow pegasus friend was okay. He obliged, and let me bring him off the floor. “Eh? Oh yeah! Drive went out to Zebrica a day or two ago. Then Neon also went down there. Huh.” He played it off with a shrug. “Meh, I’m sure they’ll be fine. Relax, Gutsy.”

But I didn’t think so. I needed to make sure for myself. After all, I had worked with Flash Drive for many years up to that point. If anypony knew about him and how he operated, it was me.

“...I appreciate the input Cork, but--”

He stopped and rolled his eyes at me. “Let me guess. You’re going to completely ignore any warning I offer you, and head off on your own anyways. Am I right? I have a feeling I’m probably on the nose here.”

Even if he was right, I wasn’t gonna let him have the satisfaction. So I seamlessly avoided that comment. “Anyway. How has Cozy been? You haven’t noticed anything weird with her, I hope?”

Luckily for me, he bought right into my little question, and dropped the previous topic. “Oh, Cozy? Last I checked, she said she had the occasional night terror here and there. Pale and the others are doing what they can to help her.”

“Hrm…” It all sounded very suspicious. It had to have something to do with the Zebra issue that had gone on in their territory. I could feel it. Something about all of this just struck me as...too coincidental. If that made any sense. Between all of the monster attacks and the Leviathan that Quick and I dealt with, this was certainly being coordinated.

Wait. Wait. Wait.

Could those evil Zebras be the ones behind all of this nonsense and the main source behind the desire to bring Grogar back? If so, it’s nothing short of genius. Equestria can’t legally engage in foreign affairs without a reason to do so. By the time Twilight and the other higher-ups found out, we’d be up to our knees in this.

Did it make complete sense? Maybe, maybe not. But I wasn’t gonna sit idle and let these things happen before we’d have a chance to react.

“...Cork. I gotta go--YOW!”

But before I could leave, I felt his teeth sink into my tail. “Oh no ya don’t--ptoo!” he spat it out, “You’ve already endured enough after dealing with that sea monster. Let the Trottingham brothers handle this, yeah?”

I rubbed my tail to ensure it wasn’t damaged, and replied with a huff--smoke exited my nostrils. “Hrmph. Fine.”

Guess I would just have to put my faith in them…

Meanwhile, in Zebrica…

Dawn had just hit us. Zecora’s smoke signal had went off and filled the air with a colorless waft that was only perceptible to her own. It was made from an interesting brew that I had to find out the recipe on at some point.

But curiously, my brother Neon was nowhere to be found. I’d hate to think of what might’ve happened if he ended up in the hooves of these awful Zebs that ran this place. However, at the same time, I felt confident. Neon could handle himself and that he would be free in no time.

The plan was already set into motion. Among the hybrid ponies, we focused our efforts on the ones who were too injured to fight. Those with children were also assisted. We snuck them out of the town, and back to the port where I had initially arrived from.

“Will your folks be able to catch that smoke signal?” I asked Zecora as we walked.

She nodded, and pointed out towards the port. “They are already on their way by boat. These innocents will be taken care of from tail to coat. The Zebras of Farasi are magical experts with medicinal and combat. After that, Flash Drive, we will find your brother bat.”

So she could tell that he had gone missing too, eh? Nothing gets past her. Despite this, part of me wanted to make sure things went as smoothly as possible before we jumped on the idea of all-out war.

We stopped at the port where a boat had indeed been stationed. And several other boats next to it! Zecora absolutely did not skimp out when it came to her cavalry.

“Hot damn,” I muttered under my breath.

The hybrids were given sanctuary, and their wounds were treated by the Farasi Zebras upon their entry. We received many a thank-you from the hybrid ponies who were now free...for the time being. All of it...it wounded me to watch. Yes they were safe now, but no amount of healing could repair broken bonds and families that they may have lost.

And...that wasn’t something I wished on my enemies. If it could be avoided, I’d like to avoid putting more through the same sort of suffering.

That’s when I thought about it some more, and turned to face her. “Lady Z. I have a prompt before the operation begins. Will you hear me out?”

“Oh? You have a question for me? Well, go on. I encourage those around me to speak freely,” she replied.

“...Alright. Essentially, I want to head back and speak with their leader,” I explained firmly, “I don’t want this to get anymore bloody than required--if necessary. So I will speak to them and offer a warning of how much overwhelming force we have at the ready.” I took a deep breath, and finished my piece. “...If they refuse, then we attack.”

Zecora paused. Her face...unreadable. “...Do what you must. In you, I have put my trust.”

It was worrisome to be sure, but I had to do this. At least for the sake of giving it a shot. “...Thanks, Zecora.”

With that, I was off.

Subject 208: Zebra War Begins

Every day our choices and actions shaped us into a better pony--or other individual creature--than we were tomorrow. This was my--no, our chance to finally put an end to a long-standing regime that sought to stomp out everything that remotely stood against it. Combine that with the fact that they were the ones behind numerous instances of abuse of power on mainland soil, this was my calling.

I stood atop a nearby hill that overlooked the main town. Alongside me was not only Zecora, but the rest of her troops from Farasi who also wanted to make things right and set a better example for the zebras of tomorrow. Couldn’t agree more with them really.

But before we got started, I felt a hoof on my shoulder. It was Lady Z herself who looked to console me one last time before we began. “Are you prepared, Flash Drive? There is a chance that we may not make it out alive.”

I scoffed, and shook my head. I was no stranger to the risks involved. But dying? That was not in the cards. “Lady Z. If I intended to die, then I wouldn’t have come all the way out here to stop this. There is absolutely no chance of that happening. I swear it on my life. My brother, these halfbreeds, Cozy’s safety...all of it is something I will live to witness.” I shot her a confident grin. “Now with that being said, are you prepared to work with me?”

There was the briefest bit of hesitation in Zecora’s eyes before she worked up a smile. “Absolutely, my dear. I will keep you safe as long as we’re here. If you can fight as well as your tongue can talk, then you will have more than earned the respect of myself and my flock.”

“Thanks but…” I shook my head. “That ain’t what I’m concerned about. Anyway, it’s time.” I turned to face the Farasi soldiers. They were all geared up with various weapons and armor. Helmets, pads, potions, brews, strange powders--the works. I felt really good about this. “Everypony...well, I’m not one for dramatic speeches. Let’s just take these buggers down and rid the world of their horrid, backwards ways. Who’s with me?!”

Zecora’s mates all shouted at the top of their lungs. “YAAAH!”

It was so loud that I had to cover my ears for a second. “Youch...well--guess that answers my query. In which case...LET’S GO!”

...And we were off.

There was about a hundred of us in total. All of us raced down the hills that overlooked the town with Zecora and I at the front of the charge. Just as I expected. The South Zebrican Militia had already taken point near the flank from which we assaulted.

And right before both factions clashed, I heard Zecora shout, “Moto kwa mapenzi!”

I knew a bit of the Farasi language. It meant “fire!” What exactly?

I saw dozens of glass bottles fly through the sky and shatter in midair. The result was a tan-colored cloud of dust that formed above the enemy’s head. What effect did it have?

It sent the Southern Zebs into a trance. Their eyes flooded with the same tan color which caused them to burn. It was like a...gas of sorts? No. I could sense it. It was more along the lines of a nightmare powder that revealed their deepest fears for a split-second.

This gave everyone on our side a proper opening for an advantage. Visceral blows landed and were exchanged between both sides as the battle officially began.

But here’s the thing. While they may have been trying to fight with the intent to kill. We weren’t. Why? Well...if there was a chance to subdue and rehabilitate these zebs away from such a destructive ideology, then we’d take it. If things didn’t work out, then...then we’d have to do what we’d have to do.

I came into contact with a soldier and made swift work of him. A headbutt followed by a flash of my horn to create chains around his hooves. Bam. One down. But that was far from all of it.

With my zebra abilities, I was able to keep track of the natural order of living and non-living things. Somewhat akin to an earth pony, but only for specific situations such as this: An enemy tried to strike me from behind, so I used my magic to generate a small barrier to block their kick. The bloke was too slow. I flung them into the nearest pile of hay with another set of chains applied to his limbs. He wouldn’t be going anywhere anytime soon.

From the corner of my eye, I noticed Zecora. She had taken on multiple enemy zebras at once. Three to be exact! How? None of them were able to hit her. Every punch, every swipe of a weapon--all avoided flawlessly by her. Then, with a quick chop to the neck, she sent one out cold to the floor. For the second, she blew a white powder in his face that put him in a temporary trance-like state until he tripped over a rock and fell flat on his face.

But the third zebra soldier managed to come from behind, and put her in a chokehold. But unbeknownst to that fool, Lady Z was much stronger than that. She flipped that soldier off her body, and into a nearby tree.

“Hmph. That takes care of that. Flash Drive--watch your back!”

“!” I gasped, and narrowly caught wind of her warning. A horde of arrows were about to rain down on my position, so I used what bit of levitation magic I had to redirect them completely. “Artillery?! This is more ridiculous than I imagined…”

“Find the source and take it out!” Zecora shouted as she dodged out of the way of another attack from an enemy zebra, “You’ll be fine. I have no doubt!”

At the Town Hall…

“...that halfbreed is fairly skilled. Are we in trouble if others like him show up?”

“Relax. There’s only one of him. He is not special.”

Subject 209: Zebra War Part II

The battle raged on for what felt like forever. Over the course of it, I found myself backed into a proverbial corner several times thanks to the fact that I needed to hold back. None of us wanted to cause any lasting or traumatic injuries to our enemies, but if our hooves were forced, we’d have no choice.

For me, it was a sense of pride that I wanted to keep about myself. I didn’t wish to stoop to their level. These weren’t just faceless, generic soldiers. These zebs were people with their own lives, families, friends. If we did the same to them, then we’d be no better. Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely was not going to allow this regime to continue as it currently stood. But if there was a way to get them to see the error of their methods...then we could get somewhere.

“BEHIND YOU!” one of my allies shouted.

My ear flicked in response to the warning. I performed a sweep kick to trip my attacker and followed up with a bit of magic to force them away. “Too close…” I muttered.

Being in the field...twas a neat feeling. Most of my time was spent behind the desk or investigating a scene or two. Here? I was most certainly out of my element. I could have sworn that I already pulled a muscle or two and had used more than my daily average of magic from my horn.

That’s when Zecora quickly pulled me to the side, and away from the battle behind some bushes.

“Wh--ma’am! We just started!” I chided her for such a decision, “What are you thinking by--hrrk!”

All the sudden, she forced the tip of a glass bottle into my mouth. “Shhh. There is very little time to think. I can sense that you are tired, so hurry up and drink,” she commanded and peeked out of the bushes to observe the chaos that ensued.

I trusted her, so I didn’t see any problem with a brew she had for me. I quickly downed the bottle, and felt my stamina return. The aches of battle slowly dissipated along with the strain that I felt from using my magic in such strenuous ways.

“...Blimey, ma’am. I didn’t expect that you would pick up on something like that so soon,” I replied with a smile as I stood up, “I appreciate it, but now we have to get back out there.”

Zecora turned to face me with a rather authoritative tone. “No. Your brother is in captivity. Leave the rest to my friends and me.”

Was she thick? How was I supposed to do something like that? Leave them...preposterous!

“What are you talking about?” I questioned, “I can’t just leave you all here. This is our fight!”

“You must!” Zecora had finally snapped, and pushed me against a nearby tree, “This is something you have to do for your brother! And I will not allow you to ruin the chance to save him from the clutches of these disgusting zebras!” She huffed, with a few puffs of steam that exited her nostrils. But the biggest takeaway?

None of that rhymed at all.

“...I...Zecora?” I gently pushed her off of me, and looked her in the eyes. “Is there something you want to get off your chest?” I needed to know. I wasn’t going to allow a friend--a fellow squadmate no less--trip themselves up over emotion in the heat of battle.

The zebra lady sighed, and rubbed a hoof against her forehead. “...I apologize, Flash Drive. I have a lot on my mind. I too, lost those close to me when I was a foal. It was due to my insatiable desire for research that I couldn’t control.” She looked away from me for a second, and soon locked eyes with me once more. “I don’t want you to end up the same way. So I want you to focus on your brother today.”

Started to make sense, it did. Zecora really knew how to spin a situation around to where it could benefit everypony. Not just herself. And for that, she had my utmost respect.

The more I thought about it, she also had a point. If I could bust Neon out of captivity, then he and I could lay waste to the remaining forces and take this home with Farasi governing this new land. It’d be perfect.

So, out of respect for her and her advice, I heeded Zecora’s words. “...I just might do that.” However, I wasn’t going to let her off so easily. This was still a battle for the safety of all halfbreeds. “On one condition.”

“Oh really? What could it be?” she asked.

I used a bit of my own magic to push her towards the battlefield. “Get out there, and stow your fears. Be there for the rest of your comrades, and don’t you dare allow yourself to lose hope.”

“Well that’s more than reasonable,” she replied with one last look behind herself to me, “I’ll do my best if you will.”

By the time she finished that sentence, I had already started on my way. I used the bushes and the other nearby vegetation to my advantage to sneak around towards the town hall.

Unfortunately...my plan was cut short by a certain zebra mare.

“There you are,” Kwaade dropped out of a nearby tree to greet me. “I should have known you would go back on your word and try to save your brother by using the battle as a distraction. But no more...now it’s time. You will properly pay for the storm that you have brought upon my homeland with your life.”

Despite her threats, I did my best to be reasonable. “Listen...ma’am. There’s no need for that. If we must fight, let it be to determine who is stronger. Not who deserves to live.”

Unfortunately, she didn’t accept my words. An oddly blue aura started to swirl around her body. “...Enough. ENOUGH! No more words...just fight.”

To say that this made me feel uneasy would be the understatement of the century.

Subject 210: Zebra War Part III

Inside the town hall…

One thing I hadn’t considered was just what sort of potential my brother had. I mean, he was a half-unicorn/zebra hybrid--something I knew very little of so I was more than curious. Gah, what I’d give to figure it out myself. But no. Instead, I was chained up here on a balcony which overlooked the rest of the village.

It had become a rather rowdy battleground. From what I could tell, the troops from Farasi weren’t actually trying to kill their enemy. I was initially confused by this. Why wouldn’t they put forth their greatest amount of effort? Wouldn’t it be better if they just attacked with all they had?

“What is your plan, Flashy? Don’t do anything foolish in a vain attempt to save me or anything. We both know that it’s not the optimal strategy. And Guts would never allow us to hear the end of it if she finds out that’s what you chose to do.”

Adjacent to the battlefield...

I already made my choice. If Kwaade refused to listen to reason, then there was no other option. My hooves were tied, in a sense. Now wasn’t the time to fall into despair or slow down. So I’d make this an extra special scenario so that she could witness the power of a halfbreed such as myself.

Without hesitation, she charged at me. Reckless abandon fueled her rage with no regard for anything or anyone around her. Her teeth had mangled into rows and rows of demonic, serrated edges, and her skin looked as if it had started to peel with another layer underneath entirely.

Just what did she do to herself? Was this the extent at which she and her kin were going to die on their bloody hill for an ideal? If that was the case, then I simply had no sympathy to offer them.

“...Pathetic thing,” I swore to myself. I took advantage of the skills that I made use of earlier in this battle. I...I could see it. Her movements. They were sloppy and had little effort put into them. All force and no finesse.

As soon as she lunged at me, I rolled out of the way and left behind a little surprise. A little explosive potion bottle.

BLAM!

“YAAGH!” With a forceful roar, the corrupted zebra was flung towards me thanks to the little bomb I left behind. This gave me the opening for which I’d make my next move.

I leapt into the air, and tackled her to the dirt. It was a rough struggle between us both as I forced both hooves down upon her chest. “Stop this! Can’t you see what has been ingrained into your mind? You’re a monster! You’re no better than the very things you have tried to fight against!”

But my words fell on deaf ears, sadly. Kwaade threw me off of her with enough force to send me into the nearest building!

“Agh!” I let out a harsh grumble upon impact, but there was no time to allow that to bog me down. Rage had consumed this zebra, and I wasn’t going to allow her to suffer. I just needed to get the right opening, then I could strike. But how would I accomplish that? She was much faster, and stronger than I was. Yes, I could predict some of her moves, but that didn’t help me land a significant blow.

...Land a significant blow. Of course!

This was going to be risky, but for the sake of her sanity as well as my own, it was something that needed to be done.

So, against my better nature...I stayed on the ground and refused to stand up. Cowardly lion move, I know. But what I also knew was that all zebras followed a code of honor.

“...What are you doing?!” she came to a stop, and snarled, “Get up, and fight!”

I continued to lie on the ground. “...No. You are not worth my time,” I spat back at her, “You are a sick, twisted product of an equally twisted regime. The lands of the zebras prioritize freedom over all else and yet you all wish to get rid of it? You shame not only yourself, but our ancestors as well! I refuse to fight you!”

The zebra stuttered, and stomped her hoof with a growl that echoed around us both. I could see the rage in her eyes. Kwaade wanted to desperately fight back, but she knew she couldn’t engage an individual that was in a non-combative state. It went against the Zebra’s honor of battle. For a moment, it seemed as if she had actually given up. Until…

“No! Screw the code!” the mare screamed, and picked me up to hoist me against the wall she had previously flung me into. Her hoof primed to strike my face. “You are mine! I won’t let you ruin what we have--!”

ZAP!

“AAAAAUGH!” Her entire body was hit with what looked like an electroshock pulse that fried her from the inside out. After a guttural squeal, she fell to the ground. The zebra’s limbs occasionally twitched which indicated that she was still alive.

At the same time, I hit the ground as well, and took a look to my left to find the source of the attack. And to my surprise… “You?! But I thought she was on your side!”

One of the hooded zebras had appeared from the bushes. He must have cast a hex upon Kwaade. “She was. Until she broke our code and attempted to fight with an individual that had already surrendered. Such foolishness is not welcome among our ranks.”

...Weird. But that didn’t change the fact that I was still in the presence of an enemy. “I see...even so, that doesn’t mean I’m going to let you--”

He raised a hoof to interrupt me. “Save it, child. This battle is already lost for us. Do you want the truth behind our actions or not?”

I was still suspicious, and ready to fight back if necessary. Had I actually earned the right to find out the truth? Guess there was only one way to find out.

“Fine then. Show me.”

Subject 211: Zebra War Ends

The hooded zebra led me down a hidden path away from the middle of the town. More towards the outskirts where many a field was located. It was quiet, and almost isolated from the chaos among the flowers and other plants here.

“...Are you ready to see the truth?” he asked.

I nodded my head. It was now or never. “I didn’t go through all of this just to give up and quit now. Show me what you want me to see.”

With a wave of his hoof, the zebra scattered a powdery substance into the air. From that, I was able to see a holographic recording of...wait. Was that…?

It was a monochrome memory. Sets of them to be exact. The first one displayed the history of the landscape. Pony explorers traveled from all over to visit this land and exchange their knowledge for goods and services.

“Do you know of this, young Drive?” the zebra asked.

“I do, in fact. The transcontinental exploration had taken place over the course of the last one-hundred years. It was how me mum and dad met. She’s a unicorn from Trottingham--an explorer herself.”

Naturally, as ponies and zebras started to come into greater contact with one another, crossbreeding was inevitable. Soon, there was an entire flourishing generation of halfbreeds. Pony-zebra hybrids that had the magical abilities of both races. It seemed like a beautiful thing, right?

Well…

“That’s when things got bad,” the leader added as the memories changed.

It displayed many purebred zebras that had become envious of the halfbreeds. Those who had the abilities of both species combined into one? It was downright mental! To them, it was a threat to their own safety.

So they formed a council about fifty years ago. A roundtable of sorts. South Zebricans agreed that halfbreeds or “halfers” were too powerful and would eventually conspire against them at some point in the future. To avoid taking any semblance of risk, they struck by night. They rounded up each and every single pony-zebra hybrid, and put them in captivity.

Before any of the regular zebras became aware of what had happened, they were all fed lies and misinformation about how they had abused their magic for personal gain. In ways such as committing theft, arson, and foalnapping. The South Zebricans were--understandably--put off by this and they all rallied against the halfbreeds.

In the end, they were all subjugated and forced into slavery under the Zebras of this region. Forced to work long, unrelenting hours. They toiled away in fields: Essentially forced to work on farms for what seemed like forever. No matter the conditions. Scorched heat, frozen temps--they didn’t care. Why? Because they knew that pony-zebra hybrids could withstand the elements better than they could. Sadly, it didn’t stop them from catching the occasional cold. To which they simply used another in their place until they were healed.

Next, those who spoke out against the leaders of South Zebrica were put into dungeons. The very same ones that I had seen before. Some were even left to die and made out to be an example for others to follow. No sympathy whatsoever.

But lastly, and probably most importantly, the true reason behind all of this: To extract halfbreed DNA to bring back the Father of All Monsters Grogar himself.

Their children, children’s children, and all relatives were born directly into this system that kept them down with no way of escape.

And there I was, able to witness it all.

“...I see. So this explains it all,” I turned to look at the zebra cult leader, “The attack on me friends. The various monsters like Leviathans and Mimics poppin’ up. All so you could bring back some arsehole bastard that’s supposed to be dead?!”

The zebra finally revealed his face. A burned, scarred mug with both of his eyes permanently shut. “...It’s too late for us. The ritual is almost complete. Zecora and her folks from Farasi have taken this land back fair and square. By now, I can already foresee most of our own troops falling.”

My body tensed up, and I almost gagged. It took me a moment to spit out exactly what I wanted to say because of the sheer disgust that welled up within me. “W….wait...wait a minute what?!” I stomped my hoof and took a step towards him. “You mean to tell me that you knew we’d be here to take you all down?! Is that why you’re so...uncaring right now?!”

No response whatsoever. Instead, the zebra started to trot backwards through the field. “...You catch on fairly quickly. But as I said, my time is up. You must follow the path you have set for yourself, Flash Drive. This land...and all of Equestria will bend to the will of the victor…”

SWOOSH!

“WAIT--” I shouted, but it was too late. With a violent gust of wind and a flash of light, the zebra completely disappeared. As if he had called upon souls from Tartarus itself to take him away.

No...that couldn’t possibly be the case...could it?

Moments later, I heard violent, thunderous hoofsteps approach from behind me. Followed by an exasperated amount of breath.

“There you are. We need to talk, now.”

Damn. How did she manage to get all the way out here?

Subject 212: Regrouping

For whatever reason, Moondancer had decided to show up here once the battle had reached its conclusion. She bombarded me with loaded questions on our way back to the main zebra town. Many of which I ignored for the sake of my sanity.

“...Just how did you manage to fight through all of this as a desk agent? Don’t you feel out of your element? What about your combined unicorn and zebra mana? Does it take a toll on you?” she rattled off. All in a very strange, overly enthusiastic manner. Which wasn’t like her at all.

I slapped my hoof against my forehead. There were too many things for me to try and process at that moment--including how she managed to get here. “Listen, miss. I’m in a bit of a mental pickle right now. I need to--” When I put my hoof down, I noticed Zecora and her troops had overtaken the town hall and raised the Farasi flag high above it. This little skirmish was officially over. “Well I’ll be damned…” I let out an excited whinny once I saw the results, and galloped towards the capitol building. “Lady Z! Looks like you managed without me, eh?”

Zecora turned her head towards me, and jumped off the roof. She landed before me with the grace of a swan. “That is right. We have put an end to this fight. However, things aren’t exactly one-hundred percent complete. From what the enemy told us, your friends’ lives are still...in danger, you see.”

“...What? How is…” Then I put my mind on it. Could it have something to do with the fact that the ritual to bring back Grogar had still been carried out? If so then...then what did we really accomplish? “This...so you’re saying we didn’t really succeed, then.” I dropped down to the ground with my body in a frenzy from anxiety. I couldn’t bear to fathom the idea of what would happen knowing that I failed to keep my friends safe. What would Pale say? What would Cozy Glow say? This was too much to bear.

That’s when I felt a hoof cup the bottom of my face. Zecora tilted my head upwards so that I could look at her. “...Young man. Do not feel despair. We did what we could and now our hybrid friends can live here. Freely.”

“...I...you mean it wasn’t a waste?” The sound of her voice alone started to lift my spirits. “But how...according to what I heard, the ritual to bring Grogar back is still being worked on.”

Zecora went ahead and pulled me up off the ground. “It is true. However, we won’t need to suffer because our situation is now much less bleaker,” she paused, and motioned for me to follow her into the town hall building.

So I did, and once we entered, we found her fellow Farasi soldiers. They had torn down a secret passage that led to a back room. In there was a pentagram and piles of deadly substances scattered about the summoning star.

Except...an ingredient was missing from one side.

Zecora pointed down to it and finished her sentence from before. “If Grogar comes back, he will be much weaker.”

My heart thumped with hope. So our efforts weren’t for naught! That was good to hear, but in that moment, I had something else on me mind. “Say, anypony seen Neon?”

“Right here, mate,” my batpony of a brother commented as he dropped down from the ceiling, “Actually managed to break myself out. These folks really weren’t puttin’ up much of a fuss now were they?”

I quickly put my hooves around him to give him a tight hug. “Indeed. And now we know why. They knew that their plan would come to fruition regardless, so they essentially allowed themselves to get steamrolled.”

“Tch,” he rolled his eyes, “What a bunch of bull. But at least we have an idea as to what their plans are. Now we can properly anticipate his return and fight back as a collective whole if he’s weakened.”

“Too right, bud,” I nodded and finally released him from my embrace, “If that bastard’s going to do anything crazy, then he only has one asset left available.”

Neon raised a brow from confusion. But then he slowly put it together. “Ah...Cozy, right?”

“Exactly,” I replied, “Once we get back, we need to warn Pale and everypony else. This is almost over. I can feel it.”

Zecora giggled, and finally addressed us. “Well now, you bother together appear quite odd. But when I hear you speak it’s like two peas in a pod.”

There was an awkward pause until Neon finally broke it with a question. “Eh wot?”

I almost laughed as well. “Yeah it’s a zebra thing. Zecora loves to rhyme. She’s saying that she’s surprised to see how alike we are despite appearing so different. Isn’t that right, Lady Z?”

Her response was hesitant. As if she was nervous about something. “...Indeed. You both seem very close. It makes me feel happy to see you treasure what you value most.” She broke eye contact, and started to slowly trot away. “...Anyway, I’ll leave you two alone. There’s work that needs to be done.”

Once she left the room, Neon nudged me. “Mate. Go after her.”

I tilted my head. “What are you on about?”

“Look at her,” he pointed at the sad zebra mare as she walked off, “She clearly has some issues regarding loneliness. Why not help her out on the way back? We gotta all head to Twilight and give a report anyway.”

“Hmm…” I was about to reject his idea, but spending more time with Zecora was...an attractive offer to put it lightly. Wait a sec. “Hold on. What are you thinking?”

Neon had a smug little grin with his serrated bat-like teeth. “Nothing, bruv. Just lookin’ out for ya. I saw how you’ve been eyein’ her up.”

I said nothing. All I did was huff, and stomp off before I caught up with Zecora. If what Neon said was accurate, then giving her support where she had none was important.

...And yes, she was a rather handsome mare.

Subject 213: Friendly Banter

Thank goodness my brother came to my aid. I was certain he and Zecora would figure out how to handle the enemy without unnecessary bloodshed. And he was right. I didn’t even need to resort to sucking any blood, thankfully.

Once everything had been settled, the Farasi troops would take care of the region and appoint a new leader soon. Then, they’d also work on giving the halfbreed ponies their lives back as well as figure out how to deal with the South Zebrican soldiers who fought us. It was entirely possible that those soldiers had been roped into this by those disgusting cult leaders and they were innocent. We wouldn’t know for sure until a verdict was cast.

For the time being, the four of us--my brother, Zecora, Moondancer, and myself--would take a boat back to the mainland in order to give our report.

Speaking of which…

“Moons, yeah?” I entered her cabin of the ship, and addressed her. “Just why did you follow us?”

The unicorn mare turned to me with her test bottles all spread across a desk. “I was ordered by Twilight to take after your brother. Nothing more. Nothing less,” she stated, and turned her head back around.

Part of me wanted to take that at face value. But I knew there had to be something else behind it. “You wanted to see if he’d succeed or fail and determine his worth off of that. Am I right, madam?”

Even though she no longer faced me, I could feel the sensation of a sarcastic eye roll. “Maybe. Maybe not. What’s important is that we get back to Twilight and let her know about what’s transpired here. Now that we have zebras on our side that have overridden an entire hostile nation, that’ll make preparations for Grogar’s attack go much smoother,” she replied as she used her magic to levitate a pencil and scribble down some notes.

Honestly? I wasn’t sure what to make of it. She seemed...strangely annoyed by something. I couldn’t exactly put my hoof on it, though. As if she had become irritated with the state of my bruv’s affairs with the country. Was she upset at how the South Zebricans operated? If that was it, then I could concur. Those horrid beasts didn’t deserve to lead a horse to water, let alone run a nation.

“Right, right,” I replied in a casual, off-hoof sort of way, “Sorry for bothering you then.”

I trotted out of that cabin and closed the door. In the meantime, all I could do was wonder just how much of a mental toll this had taken on both Flash Drive and Zecora. Fighting an entire war--even if it was short--must have been bloody busted on their mental state. And just why did Zecora hurry off in a huff earlier? If anypony could figure it out, it was ol’ Drive. Hm. Might even score something greater if he tried hard enough.

Once we got back on the ship to the mainland, I immediately went to a cabin room with Zecora to discuss a few things with her. Her involvement in this, her Farasi friends, and her own matters if she was open to discussion about it.

“...Zecora. Is everything alright?” I asked as I stepped inside of her cabin, “You looked rather tense back there. And before when you warned me about saving my brother…”

The zebra mare let out a sigh as she closed a small journal of hers. “Ah. I suppose you have caught me. In truth, I was horrified by all of the things I could see. When I was but a foal, I pursued knowledge until I drove me away from all those I held close to home.” She looked off to the side, ashamed of herself from what I could gather. “But then I saw you...and how much fight you had in you in the field. And I knew that I would hate myself for eternity if I allowed you to lose your family and end up in a similar situation that I did.”

So that explained it. I knew something had been off due to how she stormed away. I knew her rather well, and that’s not usually her type of behavior. At any rate, I figured it would be a good opportunity to deepen the bond we had.

“I see…In that case, why don’t I stick around with you for a bit longer?”

Zecora tilted her head. “Excuse me? What do you mean?”

I pointed at the saddlebags that contained her belongings. “Well, clearly you have a lot of different things under your belt, and I can tell that you’re always looking for more knowledge about magic.” Then I put my hoof to my chest. “And I’m always prepped to work on new ideas for the sake of the future of my mates and I. But...I’m not the best when it comes to things that require more hooves-on experience,” I said with a nervous chuckle. “So...if we combined our efforts, we can cover each other’s flanks if you catch my drift.”

“Oh? Now that’s unexpected…” I could see the mental cogs turn in her head. Zecora considered my offer, but she also likely weighed the amount of time she’d invest into a partnership with me. “You’re a wonderful young man, so I won’t reject it. So long as you don’t quit halfway through. When things get hard, I’ll be counting on you.” She put a hoof on my head. “Are you satisfied? Does that make sense, Flash Drive?”

“Um…” Dammit. I didn’t realize it, but she was rather beautiful up close. I felt my cheeks turn red when she embraced me like that. Can’t believe I’d let myself display such a thing. “Y-yeah--yes ma’am.”

She giggled, and stepped away from me. “We will be back home soon. Make sure you’re ready to report what we have to Princess Twilight so we can put an end to this Grogar goon.”

“Absolutely. When we get back, that’s the first thing I’ll do,” I replied before I rushed off to my cabin of the ship.

Two Days Later...In Canterlot…

We gave our report to Twilight about what had happened in South Zebrica and how Grogar, while weakened, would still return shortly. All she could say in response was a loud:

“WHAT?!”

Subject 214: Zebra Report

“Okay, okay, okay, run that by me again?” Twilight asked us as she paced the floor, “I know that the Mayor of Ponyville sent you out to follow them, Zecora. I also sent Moondancer to make sure everything went well. But it turns out that he’s still on his way but he’s weakened because the zebra cult has been thwarted...and if he gets to Cozy Glow, he’ll become super powerful and unstoppable.” She took a deep breath once she finished her rant. “...Phew. Does that about cover it?”

I glanced at Zecora and we exchanged a nod. “That’s right,” I responded to the princess, “We have reason to believe that this will be very soon. Old Grog’s gonna be right miffed once he realizes his potential was squandered. It’s only a matter of time before things get deadlier.”

“As if they weren’t deadly enough,” Zecora weighed in, “I believe that Flash Drive and his friends are most qualified to handle this bluff.”

Twilight denied this with a shake of her head. “This is no bluff, Zecora. Even if he’s been weakened somehow, the real Grogar isn’t something we should take lightly. I need to get in contact with Pale Vestige and let him know what he should do.”

Now normally, I didn’t enjoy to pry on someone else’s business. But this concerned one of my mates and his adoptive kid. No way was I gonna allow it to slip. “And just what might that be, Princess? If you don’t mind me askin’.”

She let out a sigh. “Agh. I wished it wouldn’t come to this. But it would appear that we’re out of options.” After a moment of hesitation, she finally replied, “...He and Cozy Glow need to relocate. Preferably to a remote area. If what we’re predicting is certain, then they’ll be in constant danger here.”

Yeah nah. That wasn’t gonna happen, mate. I could already hear Pale deny every aspect of this plan. But it wasn’t my place to speak on his behalf. I’d let the princess find out for herself. In the meantime, I’d make a proposal of my own.

“While you do that, I’d like it if Zecora could continue to work with us,” I requested, “She and I--us--we all worked well together and I’d hope she’d be allowed to do so. If she has no other work ahead of her that is.”

Twilight had organized some notes in front of her face with magic the entire time. But somehow she must have heard me because her response was rather detailed. “Huh? Oh yeah, if Zecora agrees, then sure.”

Zecora turned to look at me with a concerned set of eyes. “You really think it will turn out well? Will your brother and friends be able to help me out of my shell?”

“Of course,” I replied with a friendly nudge of my hoof, “I know the doubts that plague ya, ma’am. And if I can help you through ‘em, then we may just get somewhere yet. You feel me?”

“Well...if you are sure,” her worried face soon contorted into a smile, “Then I’d be delighted to erm...hang out, with that team of yours.”

Glad that was settled. Even Neon shot me a friendly glance from across the room. Though I couldn’t help but wonder what exact role Moondancer had there. But that wasn’t exactly in my cards. Twilight had been busy with her notes even still, so the situation was a tad awkward.

“...Yeah, let’s head out, brotha,” Neon called out from the doorway, “Our job is done and we need to wait for further orders.”

“Too right,” I replied while I walked out, Zecora followed close behind. “Though the idea of Pale and Cozy bein’ forced to move out of the way...that just don’t sit well with me, lads.”

My brother, the charmer he was, put a hoof around my shoulder. “Don’t sweat yourself, bruv. Do you honestly believe our old friend will back down so easily? You know damn well he’s going to stay and fight. He’s been through too much to throw in the towel now. Feel me?”

His confidence always did put me at ease. “Yeah, yeah...I suppose. What do you think, Lady Z? Should Pale and Cozy be forced to just pack it all up and leave?”

“Tis a tough question--one that we can’t answer ourselves,” she replied, “After all that we have dealt with in that horrid zebra country, I believe everypony has the right to choose what they want to do food themselves. If not, then we would be no better than those leaders that forced halfbreeds into slavery. It is up to us all to show our own level of bravery.”

Yet again, she made a profound point even through her rhymes. Gotta love that wonderful zebra.

Then I felt a tap on my shoulder from my bat brother. “Bruv, what did she mean by that?” Neon asked.

I let out a small sigh. “Gah...I’ll explain it on the way back to the Empire. Gutsy is gonna be right thrilled when we get back.”

A Few Days Later…

Alright. Alright. Everything had fallen into place. I had taken more time off to spend time with Cheerilee and Cozy. Things went well, and I even received a report that Flash Drive’s operation in South Zebrica went swimmingly.

But then I heard a knock at my door.

Knock-knock-knock!

“Argh!” I fell out of my bed and hit the floor like a sack of rocks. “Dammit all. Stupid daylight saving hour…coming!” I shouted.

I made sure I was presentable when I got to the door, and found the princess there.

“Pale Vestige...we need to talk.”

Subject 216: Cursed Beginnings

After I had that discussion with Twilight, she gave me a piece of magical parchment that was infused with some of Spike’s magic. It would automatically teleport back to her once signed. I took it and kept it in my coat as I went to visit Cozy for the day. A lot had happened in the last week that I needed time to think about. The fact that Grogar was still on his way here to reclaim her body was something that...scared me, to say the least.

Flash Drive and his brother had also taken down a reckless Zebra group with the help of Zecora--who I believe that Drive has started to feel a bit emotionally drawn towards. Couldn’t blame him. Hard workers like us were somewhat pulled in by good-looking mares who also worked hard. Cheerilee is a perfect example, so I hoped that it worked out between them.

Although, before I could get to Cozy’s home, something caught my attention. An ominous signature from one of the nearby homes in Ponyville. A very familiar one at that. So much so that my ear flicked.

“...?” There was no time to waste. I had to hurry. The rumblings of negativity grew through the earth beneath my hooves as I ran across the town towards the Eastern side. Surely enough, it was the home that we had given to Suri Polomare.

And then, I felt it. This was no regular magic. This was straight up dark magic. Unnatural, and exclusive to only a small handful of beings throughout history. I stopped dead in my tracks, and nearly kicked up a pile of dirt beneath the grass. Just what could it be? I had to find out.

I trotted up ever so slowly to the door of the home, and tapped my hoof against it. “...Hello? Anypony home?”

“Huh? Yeah, I’m here,” I heard a mare’s voice from the other side, “C-come in. I-It’s open…”

Once I had permission to step inside, I gingerly opened the door and stuck my head in first to see if there was anything dangerous around.

Nothing.

So then, I made my way in completely only to find Suri Polomare curled up on her couch. Eyes bloodshot as if she witnessed her worst nightmare come to life before her. I knew this all too well, and individuals could often get violent if easily startled. With that in mind, I approached her with a clam grace as I put one hoof in front of the other towards the living room carpet.

“Erm...Ms. Polomare...is everything...alright?”

The mare didn’t make eye contact with me as she spoke. Her body shivered with cold sweat that ran down the side of her head and back. “H-he’s here...he tried to take everything from me…but I didn’t give in…”

“Wait what?” I stepped a bit closer, “Who came here? What happened to you?”

All of a sudden, Suri jumped up to me, and clung to my body. Her hooves pressed on my shoulders as if she sought shelter from an invisible force. “I saw...a ram. A demonic beast of some kind. It came right through my house and it...forced me to see things...things I would rather not explain.”

I resisted the urge to violently push her away. It wasn’t her fault, but somepony being this close to me rustled my feathers a bit too much. “Erm...right.” I pushed my hooves forward, and broke free of her grip. Then I placed her back down on the couch, and immediately took a step back so that I could listen to her. “Alright. I’ll do my best to find out what happened. But first, I’m going to need you to come with me to the agency so we can gather evidence--if any--from you. Is that agreeable?”

“A-alright,” Suri replied, “I’m willing to do that…”

With that established, I escorted Suri Polomare out of her home, and towards the agency. I already knew that I would head straight to Cozy’s place as soon as I was done there.

“Okay then,” I said to her as we trotted on our way through the marketplace, “Follow me, and we’ll be right--”

I stopped dead in my tracks once again.

I felt another negative force beneath the earth. Equal to the one that had affected Suri not too long ago. I clenched my teeth. I had to be swift in order to seek out the source. First, I turned my attention to the pink earth pony next to me.

“You head right to the office and ask for Corkscrew. He’ll help you get settled in and ask you some questions. Don’t dare deviate from the path--go straight there,” I commanded with a bitter tone, “You got that?”

“Y-yes sir,” Suri replied with a nod, and quickly pranced off in the direction I told her to go. I kept my eye on her until she made it there just to make sure nothing funny happened.

Once that was settled, I raced off in the direction that I sensed the new sensation from. It was Sugarcube Corner! First Suri now this? I dreaded to imagine what could possibly lie in wait for me there.

BLAM!

I burst through the doors with a dramatic entrance, much to the surprise of the patrons there who all gazed at me like deer in headlights. “Does anyone sense anything weird going on in here?!” I shouted, to which everyone in the room replied with slow, silent, and awkward shakes of their heads.

Well that was a bad way to make an entrance. But regardless, I needed to move. I hurried up to the front counter where Pinkie Pie had worked as always. Her eyes were like lasers, hard focused upon the sets of pastries she had to send out to the hungry ponies in her store.

I quickly flashed her my badge. “Pinkie do you mind if I--”

In fact, she was so focused, that she didn’t say a word nor break eye contact with the customer’s orders she was busy with. The pink party pony opened the gate that granted access behind the counter and the stairs which led to the residency of the building.

“Oh, uh--thanks?” I said before I hurried up the steps.

“You’re welcome!” she chirped, giddy as ever as she stacked sets of boxes on the counter. Likely filled with cakes.

Guess she knew I had business here already. But...how?

In any case, I needed to find out where that signature came from. It wasn’t long before my keen aura for danger went off like an alarm bell inside my head. The source was from one of the nearby rooms. I stuck low to the floor, and slunk up to the door it came from--last I checked, this was Pumpkin Cake’s room…

With an eerie creak of the hinges, I pushed the door open. What I found nearly made me jump out of my skin.

The unicorn mare lied down on her bed. Eyes wide open--also bloodshot. Just like Suri’s.

Subject 217: Curse Outbreak

More victims in the span of a few moments. Diabolical. There was no way to tell just how severe this was or if anyone else had been affected yet. That reminded me--if Pumpkin Cake was here, then where was her brother? Pound Cake had to be nearby, right?

I trotted in reverse, and exited the room with my eyes focused upon her. I didn’t want to be surprised by another crazed and confused mare. Not again. I kept going until I was in the hallway, and slowly shut the door. That’s when I heard a whisper from my left--at the end of the hall.

“Psst! Ey!”

I turned my head to find Pound Cake. He poked his head out of what appeared to be the laundry room, and beckoned me to come over. “You see what’s going on with sis?”

“I do...what’s happened to her? Do know when this all started?” I quickly pranced over as I questioned him for answers.

“No idea, dude. But it’s creeping me out,” Pound mumbled with his wings spread wide from anxiety, “Our parents wouldn’t have let something like this happen and I’m starting to lose it!” He leaned against the nearby wall of the laundry room with his hooves on his head.

I took a step forward. “Does Pinkie Pie know?”

“Yeah, I told her about it. She said something along the lines of ‘she’s reading too many books at night’,” he said with air quotes to mock the older mare, “And I just knew it had to be more than that. But I’m...too afraid. I don’t know what to do about this, sir.” Pound Cake finished his explanation with a nervous shiver. I could see it in his soul. If anything happened to his sister, he’d be at a loss. A painful loss.

And Pinkie didn’t know? Really? Was she dense or did she play a game of four-dimensional chess because she knew I’d arrive? Either way, I needed to conduct an even more thorough investigation.

“Pick her up, and bring her to the agency right away,” I grabbed one of his hooves, and lifted him off the wall. “You can do this. You can be strong for your sister in this circumstance even if it’s troublesome.”

With a quick flutter, his wings retracted, and folded back. Pound took a deep exhale, and shut his eyes for a moment. “...O-okay. A-alright,” he replied as he opened them, “...I-I’m still a bit worried, but I want her to be safe. If I can’t keep her out of trouble, then what good am I?”

“You’re already much more sane than I was at your age,” I said with a chuckle, and put a hoof around his neck, “Just stick with me, and things will be alright. Got it?”

“Y-Yes sir!” the pegasus stallion replied with a slightly more confident tone, and flew out of the laundry room.

Once it was all said and done, we left out of the backdoor to Sugarcube Corner. With Pumpkin Cake limp, and carried on her brother’s back, I pointed him in the direction of the agency building.

“It’s what appears to be an antique shop,” I noted, “Go on. I’ll be right behind you.”

“Okay. I’ll take her there with no delay, sir,” he trotted onwards at a slow pace to avoid more stress upon his sister.

Unfortunately, while I would have escorted him there, I was stopped prematurely by a familiar face. A unicorn--white with shades above her head.

“Hey, Pale! Dawg! Something’s going on here!” Vinyl Scratch stampeded up to me, and tilted her head downwards as she caught her breath with rapid exhales.

“Eh? What’s the matter?” I asked as I leaned down to get a better look at her, “Did something happen? I’ve been dealing with a lot of weird things today so if it’s something strange is ahoof, I can--”

Once she had finished her fit of sharp breaths, her head rose, and Vinyl started to give me the details. “It’s Tavi,” she explained, “I woke up and found her with a strange case of bloodshot eyes and her mane was in a mess! She looked like she hadn’t slept in days when she was perfectly fine the night before!”

Okay, that lent credence to the other cases that I had witnessed thus far. But I needed to know more. “Alright--first thing--did she seem sick at all? No signs of any fever or cold?”

“None,” she shook her head, “She felt perfectly normal, but she looked absolutely ragged. I honestly don’t know what the problem could be. This is driving me nuts!” Vinyl screamed at the top of her lungs and hunched over upon the ground--a rare sight indeed. Just the idea of Vinyl losing her ‘cool’ shook me down to my core.

But this...this was downright disturbing.

We needed to keep it together. I took a deep breath, and focused on my next plan of organization. “Vinyl. Get Octavia and bring her to the station. We have several other cases that fall in line with what you described. We need to gather the witnesses in one place so we can find evidence. Understand?”

Vinyl sniffled to herself, and stood upright once more. “Y-yeah...sorry I just…” She used her magic to levitate her shades off her face, and wiped them off with a purple handkerchief that had musical notes on it. “I get worked up when Tavi’s put in danger. But if you know what you’re doing, then I’ll follow.” Once cleaned, she put her shades back on her face, and her more confident demeanor returned. “I’ll bring her there right away. Alright?”

“Savvy,” I replied, and turned around. I then made a straight beeline towards the agency building. All of this wasn’t random. It was planned. The bastard had already began his assault on the local population’s mental state.

Which meant that Cozy Glow’s wasn’t so far behind...

Subject 218: Curse Study

Alright. Once everyone had been brought to the agency building, I quickly locked the doors to make sure nothing unwanted could get in or out. After that, I followed Corkscrew into the hallway where the interrogation rooms were located. We had each of our three subjects in one room so we could quietly observe them until we saw fit to go ahead and question them. Pound Cake and Vinyl Scratch waited at the end of the hall on one of the benches. I’d call on them if it was deemed necessary.

First, Corkscrew and I would observe them.

“Alright, bud. What can you determine so far?” I asked as we stood in front of the room that contained Suri Polomare. We watched her through a one-way mirror in the wall. We could see her, but she couldn’t see us.

“...Completely abnormal, sir. Her mental state is off the charts, and...I’m not sure how to approach her,” he replied with a nervous flap of his wings. “Argh...where’s Quick Draw when you need her? She’d be way better at dealing with folks like this.”

Come to think of it, where was she? Last I checked, she needed to be treated by the other zebras for that curse she was afflicted with a while back. I hoped she would be able to make it through…

BAM!

That’s when the doors burst open. Speak of the devil herself...

“Gah! I’m here, I’m here!” Quick Draw called out to us from the entryway, “Sorry, I got caught up and needed some time to heal.” The yellow earth pony trotted up to us with a bandage atop her head.

“Quick! You’re alive!” Corkscrew took flight, and threw his hooves around her. He would have bowled her over if it wasn’t for the fact that she expected such a reaction from the stallion. “Are you okay? You’re not still hurting are you?”

“Pfft,” she scoffed and put a hoof around his neck to assure him, “If I’m hurt, then you knuckleheads wouldn’t get anything done. We promised each other ever since we were little--we’re not dying until we all get old and have grandkids. Now what’s the deal here, brother?” she addressed me with that last bit.

Yup. That was all the evidence I needed--at least for the time being. We had a lot of important things to worry about including the possibility of things getting worse. So…

“This way,” I beckoned her into the hallway where the interrogation rooms were located. “We’re about to conduct some interviews here. We could use your help.”

“What do we got?” she asked.

I pointed out the three subjects to her. “We have a rattled musician, a roughed-up seamstress, and a wrecked baker’s daughter. Which one should we tackle first?”

“Hrm…” Quick Draw paced the floor, and gazed at each individual through the one-sided mirrors. The observations we could gather were rather plain to the eye.

Suri Polomare was still in a state of distress. She constantly rubbed one hoof over the other in a perpetual state of fear Her eyes darted from left to right as if she knew something was out to get her.

Pumpkin Cake was still frozen in her seat. The young unicorn stared off into space without so much as a blink. I could feel my tail shiver from just how off-putting it looked.

Lastly, Octavia Melody who had been recently brought here. Her head rested down upon the table in front of her, but she looked away. We couldn’t tell what or how she felt at that moment due to the fact that we couldn’t get a good look at her face.

After all of that, we came to a conclusion.

“Alright,” Quick started off, “Clearly, Polomare is the only one in a proper state of sanity right now. It’s probably best if we speak to her first.”

“Makes sense to me,” Cork added, “And uh...I think I’ll go first.”

I turned my head to the pegasus. “Cork...are you sure?”

He nodded with a steeled gaze behind his eyes. “Of course. You’ve already dealt with a rather...disgusting experience thanks to a monster. At this point, I’m willing to put myself out there instead so you can be safe, bud.”

“...Are you--”

But before I could finish that sentence, I felt a hoof on my shoulder. I turned my head the other way and found Quick Draw--she glared at me for a second before she nodded her head once.

This was something I needed to allow Corkscrew to do.

I focused my attention on the stallion once more. “Okay...we’ll be right here if you need us,” I said to him as I opened the door to the interrogation room.

“On it, boss. Don’t worry. I got this. Didn’t you say you had to be somewhere?”

I slapped my hoof against my forehead. “That’s right! I need to go speak with Cozy. I’ll be right back, alright?”

“We got this, boss. Don’t worry,” Cork said.

“Yeah. We’ll interview them and give you our results when you get back,” Quick added, “Now hurry up and get going. She probably needs to hear that.”

Without anymore delay, I left the building. I could only hope that their interviews would work out...

Since the boss was on his way, I got ready to handle this.

“Watch my back, alright, Quick?”

“Got it.”

I stepped inside the room, and made sure the door was locked tight so that nothing could escape. I kept light on my hooves, and slowly approached the mare who sat on one side of the table.

“...Hey there, er...Suri. How has everything been?” I asked.

Her response was...strange. “Who? Me? Fine! Everything’s fine! I didn’t do anything, I swear!” she blurted out and let out a series of deep breaths. One of her eyelids and ears began to twitch uncontrollably.

Yeah this was now hella strange.

Subject 219: Cozy Discussion

I got to Cozy’s house, and knocked on the door. “Cozy? Are you home? There’s something I must speak with you about.” There was quite a delay--about five minutes or so--before I got an answer.

“Hm? Oh, pops, it’s you!” the young mare cheered when she saw me. She had on a set of overalls and a sunhat which indicated some sort of outdoor activity. Gardening perhaps? “Come on, there’s something I wanna show you!”

“Wait wha--? Ah--!”

I was pulled into her home by force, and she shut the door behind me. From there, she dragged me through her house until we arrived at the backyard where she had loads of flowers and other shrubs planted. There was even a small lake she created near a gazebo to rest at.

“Wow…” I took in the beauty of her garden, “Did you manage to do all of this yourself, kid? And are those real sunflowers?”

Cozy let out a small giggle. “Hehe! Yup! And to be fair, I had a bit of help from Auntie Treehugger to get started. But from there it was pretty much all me. What do you think?”

I had to hold back tears from amazement. “I think it’s...amazing, really. You have so many talents that it’s honestly a joy to watch you go through life, kid.”

“Thanks...but it’s not all perfect. I still need to make sure I don’t lose my mind again…” she trotted towards her little pavilion, and took a moment to stop by a bush that contained roses which she took a second to sniff, “But it’s thanks to you and the others that I’m even able to stand here now and stop to smell the flowers…”

I had almost gotten distracted from what I initially traveled there to accomplish. It was so adorable to watch her explore the wonders of life that she lost as a child due to losing her mind to evil. It was akin to a parent that watched their child take their first few steps...or something like that.

So much so, that I didn’t even realize she had continued talking. “...And the fact that I’ve been able to make so many new friends. Flurry Heart and I have been working off each other’s weaknesses pretty well. I help her with organizing her responsibilities, and she helps me control my...emotions.”

“Huh? Oh wow,” I replied with a rather impressed snort, “Well I suppose it makes enough sense. The Princess of...Hearts, I suppose? Regardless, she’d seem like the type to aid in the handling of one’s emotional state. It’s worked out well, I hope?”

She nodded. “Mm-hmm. It’s been great. Not to mention hanging with Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon, making apple pies with Apple Bloom, flying with Scootaloo, trying on new outfits with Sweetie Belle…” Cozy let out a content sigh as she gazed up at the sky. “Ah...I’ve more or less overcome the things that traumatized me in the past, except…” she turned her head away with a pause.

I took a step closer to her with a concerned tilt of my head. “...Except what?”

To my surprise, Cozy shrugged it off and exchanged the frown for a quick smile. “Oh...nothing. So what was it you wanted to come tell me?”

Right! Right. Well...that was awkward.

After such a wondrous tale of her accomplishments--how far she had come from her initial turmoils...it ate me up inside. The mere concept utterly disturbed me. To remove Cozy from everything that she had built up for herself thus far would not only be a waste, but who knows what sort of mental state she would be in if she were forced to give it all up? Was this really the right decision? What to do…

“Uhm…” I rubbed a hoof behind my head, unsure of how to approach the scenario at all.

Cozy stepped up to me, and put a hoof on my shoulder. “...Pale. You can tell me anything. We’ve known each other for quite a while and at this point--you’re one of the only individuals on this planet that I have my full trust placed in.”

Her words put me at ease. With them in mind, I took a deep breath, and explained what I wanted to say. After all, she was an adult and had every right to be able to make her own decisions.

“...Cozy. I spoke with Twilight at my home earlier, and...essentially what she wants is for us--you and I--to essentially relocate so we can get you away from all of this.”

And just like that, her face fell. Her ears drooped, and a frown grew to both sides of her face. “Ah…” she let out a sigh as she dipped her head down, “I knew that this was bound to happen at some point.”

Did I hear that right? Just how did she come to that conclusion? “What do you mean?”

“Well, remember what I said just a second ago?” she asked, and raised her head to look at me once more. “Yeah...things aren’t totally peachy yet…” She rubbed one of her hind legs against the other, and went on. “I’ve been...seeing things in my sleep. As if Grogar knows that I still have some of his power. So long as I walk the earth, he can potentially revive himself through me.”

I took a step back, and nearly trampled one of her sunflowers on accident. To say that I was floored was an understatement. If that was indeed the case, then our options were few and far between here.

“I see...so what do you want to do?” I asked with both of my hooves raised to metaphorically weigh the options. “On the one hoof...staying here would mean you can keep all of the friends you’ve made, but we’d be putting them all at risk. On the other, leaving them all behind would ensure their safety and yours as well.” I put my hooves down. “What do you want to do, Cozy?”

The pink pegasus shut her eyes for a moment. A visible vein started to bulge upon her head, and one of her eyelids began to twitch from how much hefty thought she had likely put into this situation. I couldn’t blame her. It wasn’t going to be an easy choice.

After about five minutes, she opened her eyes and gave me her answer.

“...I’m staying here. No matter what.”

I felt my heart skip a beat, and my tail stood on end. “...”

Subject 220: Cozy's Decision

Her answer quite honestly took me by surprise. I fully expected her to desire the idea of freedom and to escape the hellish situation that she was now in...partially thanks to me. “...What? Are you sure? Like I said, all of your new friends are potentially at risk if you stay here…”

“...Pale...dad--I--”

Against my better nature, I cut her off. My sense of urgency, and yearn to protect her got the better of me. “No kid, listen...you need to really think about this. We’re on the cusp of what could possibly be the biggest and most dangerous creature known to us all. And if it gets to you...it’ll become so strong that none of us will be able to fight back against it.” I did my best to plea with her, “Just...take some time to think it over, alright?”

“No.” But Cozy was firm on her stance. She stomped her hoof on the ground to add emphasis as she repeated herself. “No...I won’t run. I’m tired of running away from my problems. It doesn’t solve anything, Pale.” She looked over at her garden, and then started to trot up to the gazebo in the middle of it. “All I’ve managed to accomplish by fleeing is causing more and more trouble for everypony else. I nearly ended the world because I couldn’t bear the thought of actually dealing with my own problems…”

I followed her there, and watched as she picked up what appeared to be a picture frame with one of her wings. “...Kid…” I took another step closer, and looked over her shoulder. In the picture was not only herself, but all of the new friends she had made so far. Flurry Heart who stood right next to Cozy, Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon who gave each other a hoofbump, and the Crusaders who tried to outdo each other to get the center of attention for the photo via shoves. All of them wore Winter Wrap-Up vests. The photograph was taken after the Wrap-Up had been completed, and Ponyville was cleared of all of its snow. This meant that it was very recent--not even a week ago, even.

“This isn’t something I want to just give up...no matter how hard it gets,” she went on, and continued to stare at the photo as she talked, “This may be somewhat callous of me to say--but don’t you understand what it’s like to have something--better yet--someponies that you know and love, only for it to be told that the bond needs to be taken away from you for ‘your own good’?” She turned to face me. A stoic gaze behind those eyes of hers. Likely to hold back excess emotion. “...You know how that feels...don’t you?”

Like it or not...I did. All too well, in fact. There were many things that I had both gained and lost over the course of my nearly 36-year existence. But chief of which--the one thing that I could never truly regain, was support from my parents who had both essentially abandoned me in this world. The young, naive me used to think that everything was okay. But once they split apart...it all went downhill, and that’s where my...violent tendencies originated.

Regardless, there was no need for another trip down memory hell. I just wanted to make sure that Cozy was absolutely certain. No, I didn’t want her to end up in the same situation that I did--again. Nor would I allow her to lose her mental state and fall back into what she had grown out of.

Ultimately, it was her choice to make. Whether I agreed or not.

“...Alright, kid,” I said while I bit back some of my disappointment. I honestly didn’t know what I expected. I supposed that I likely would have felt upset either way since there was no particularly “safe” option here.

“...Is something wrong, Pale?” she tilted her head down to get a good look at my face, “You don’t seem satisfied with my answer. Is it because...you’re not happy with this at all? As if...as if you know that there’s no right answer.”

I said nothing in response. I simply looked away. Couldn’t believe it, really. Me? The pony who didn’t know what to do in a situation? Hideous.

Cozy continued, her voice grew less apologetic over time. “Okay, look...I don’t wanna stand here all day and debate this, pops. You and I both know that we have loads of good, capable friends that can watch out for us no matter what happens. Don’t turn your back on them now. Okay?”

“Agh...gah...you’re right. You’re right,” I replied with a shake of my head, “I’m sorry. I’m just not thinking straight. My head gets fogged up with conflicted thoughts when I know your life is on the line.”

The pegasus let out the smallest, exasperated groan with a roll of her eyes. “Ugh...I’m grateful for it. I really am. But you ultimately need to let me go so that I can make my own choices. If you don’t, well, I’ll never figure out anything on my own now will I?”

I paused before I could give a response. She had every right to call me out there. If I couldn’t keep my mind together under a basic scenario such as this, then how could I even manage Grogar or whatever the heck he intended to do. I knew I could be better than this. I had to be.

“Fair point, kid. I don’t even know what got into me to start thinking like that,” I admitted with a shameful flick of my tail.

“Thanks for the kinds words, Pale.” By then, Cozy had already walked into her house via the back door. “But if you don’t mind...I need to mentally prepare for the worst. Think you could come back later?”

Just what could she have planned? That kid eluded me every time. As the rook on her flank was wont to do.

Oh yeah, I had an ongoing case! I had to leave anyway.

“Oh yeah...for sure! I gotta go!”

Subject 221: Suri's Problems

At the agency. Corkscrew continued to interview Suri Polomare…

Alright, so the general gist of it was easy to understand, right? Grogar had started to attack and now ponies all over town slowly started to get inflicted with some sort of negativity bug that caused them to more or less shut down. I got that much. But Suri had been oddly...uncooperative in regards to what happened to her specifically. What did I mean? Well…

With a pencil clenched between my wintips, and a notepad at the ready, I started with the questionnaire process. “Okay--when did you feel the sensation overcome you?”

“Um...well…” The earth pony mare’s eyes darted around the room. It was like she could see something that I couldn’t, and it completely distracted her from me. “I-I...I can’t say.”

“Huh?” I cocked my head to one side and tried to reason with her. “What do you mean by that?”

The next time I blinked, Suri had lowered herself beneath the table. All I could see was the top of her mane poke up from over the edge with a violent state of constant vibration. She was scared out of her skin it seemed. “...It’s coming. I know it is.”

“...No one’s going to hurt you, miss,” I did my best to calm her down, “But I can’t help you if you don’t level with me, ya feel?”

“D-do you promise to not tell anyone?” she responded with a shiver, “If it finds out, then I’m as good as dead. I won’t ever be able to show my face in public again. Even more than I already am!”

Yeesh. Was this how hard it was to deal with witnesses on a daily basis for Pale and Quick? I was usually behind the desk most of the time, so it felt awkward to be in this position. But there was no time for jokes. I had to pick this up for the sake of everyone involved.

So I tried to reason with her with a subtle avoidance of the main issue. “What do you mean by that exactly? You’re not giving me a lot to go off of here. Who or what is going to hurt you?” I asked, “What do you think they’re going to do to you?”

“They’re gonna...I can see it now…humiliation. Everything I’ve worked hard for...destroyed. Put on a show for all the world to see…”

I started to write down the major details, and encouraged her to continue. “Okay, I hear that. What else?”

“...No one cares…” Her eyes started to drift in random directions, as if she couldn’t focus on anything. She essentially started to space out. “With my family gone and the fact that I know I’ll die alone, it’s not worth it. I should just end it all now…”

I froze. The pencil slipped out of my feathers and hit the floor. I could have sworn that my wings were fully expanded and had become stiff as boards.

Did she just admit to the fact that she wanted to take her own life?

There had to be more to it. I needed to listen some more before I made any reckless choices. So I took a deep breath, and felt my wings fold back into place.

“Okay...I’m gonna ask you a few more questions, alright?” I spoke slowly so that I wouldn’t set her off.

Suri sat back in her seat--upright. Her response to my question was a slow, quiet nod which essentially gave me the grounds to carry on.

“Alright. First thing’s first...why exactly do you feel this way? I mean, I can somewhat venture a guess, given your history--but I wanna hear it straight from the pony’s mouth. Can you do that for me?”

Suri tapped her hooves together akin to a nervous foal that had to fess up about a broken vase. “W-well, you know about what happened once I lost my career thanks to my...less than admirable actions. I had to start doing lots of odd job around Manehattan and other places just to make ends meet.” She rested her head on the table. “Some of which that I’m especially not proud of.”

I couldn’t imagine. But I certainly got somewhere with this. Come on, there had to be more. “And now this thing--you refer to as ‘it’ for the time being--it’s causing you to witness your potential worst future?”

The mare said nothing for a moment. It wasn’t until I heard a few sniffles that she finally spoke up. “Oh what’s the point? We’re all gonna die at some point anyway. Better to just accept it now than try and avoid it.”

“NO!” I stood up, and slammed my hooves down on the table, which elicited a shriek from the mare.

“AH! PLEASE DON’T HURT ME!” she screamed, and raised her hooves in front of her face to defend herself.

Dammit, Cork. Me and my knee-jerk reactions. Calm down.

“Ahem,” I cleared my throat and sat back down in my seat. “My apologies. I meant to say that that is a very unhealthy way to think. The future is absolutely not written. It’s ours to decide. No matter what some corrupt bastard tries to tell you.”

“B-but...how can you be so sure?” she asked with tearful eyes, “Everything in my life has gone to crap at this point. I have nothing and nopony left to live for. What is even the point?”

“Like my grandpa used to say, ‘you only miss the clouds you don’t try to fly to.’”

Her sniffles softened, and she scooted a bit closer to the table. “...What does that mean?”

I rubbed a hoof behind my head. “Honestly? Not sure. I’m sure he was probably half-asleep when he said it. But it doesn’t make it any less valid: If you don’t try, then you always fail. Maybe instead of sulking, you should try to go out and rekindle what you lost. You never know who’s out there that may find you interesting. You just have to try. No matter what. And you’ll always have the support of those of us who are still with you.”

“Really? Well, when you put it that way…” Suri let out a sigh, and finally explained herself. “I guess I feel as if I’m trapped because of my mistakes. And this thing--this beast in my head wants me to give in to that despair so it can spread and cause more mayhem.”

I sat back in my seat, and folded my arms--er, hooves. “Does that sound like something you wanna let happen?”

“Well, no...of course not,” she replied, “But I don’t know how to stop it.”

And there was my answer. I got up from my seat, and headed towards the door to leave the interrogation room. “Maybe not. But now that you’ve explained to me what the problem is, I think I do.”

“Hey wait, um...is there any way you can get rid of this nightmare in my head?” she pointed to herself.

“Oh yeah. We’ll need to call in the experts for that. Sit tight.” I left the room, and locked it behind me. Before Quick Draw could say anything, I popped off with a request. “Quick, I need you to--”

“Relax,” Quick interrupted me, “Already done. They’ll be here soon.”

Subject 222: Cake Sibling Secrets

While we waited on the Exorcism Team to arrive--yes it was a real thing--I had to move onto the next patient, er, victim. Jeez, it did feel like I was in a position of a doctor though, huh? Only way more...deadly? Bleegh. Not something I wanted to think about too much.

Anyway, next up was Pumpkin Cake from the Cake’s residence. Now at first I thought that this case would be a bit easier, right? I mean, think about it. Pumpkin came from a well-off home with little conflict in her life. She was the daughter of a wealthy pair of retired bakers and worked with the most skilled pastry chef in the world: Pinkie Pie. What could possibly warp her perception of the world? Surely there wasn’t anything that this disgusting swine of a being could do to get inside of her head, right?

Oh how ignorant I was.

First thing’s first, I called upon her twin brother: Pound Cake from the end of the hall. “My dude. Can you come here for a sec?”

The pale-gold pegasus flew over, and landed next to me. Unable to make eye contact, Pound’s face was full of uncertainty and fear. He nibbled upon his hoof while he stared at the floor next to me. “Y-yes sir?”

Once again, I’d have to take this a bit slower. I didn’t want to traumatize him with any of these questions, though things were about to get ugly regardless. Still, patience was key, Cork. Come on.

“Alright. Pound Cake, right?”

“Yeah...that’s me…”

I turned towards him. “Has there been anything going on with your sister that we should know about? Anything at all?”

“Nothing! I swear! There’s nothing that could be plaguing her at all!” the stallion vehemently denied it, all while his knees wobbled like xylophones. His eyes darted upwards and to the left.

Yeah, I didn’t buy it. Not one bit.

I took a step closer. “...My man. I know you’re hiding something. Please. For the benefit of your only sister--think hard. If you know anything--and I mean anything that could help, please explain to me what you can.” I faced him with a concerned, understanding look in my eyes. “Don’t worry. I promise you won’t be hurt for providing evidence.”

His eyes darted to the right, then to the left once more before he shut them and sighed. “Argh...fine.” At last, Pound Cake relented, and started to clarify the details that I needed. “I...read her diary a few days ago and...well…”
Oh dear. That’s why he was so concerned. Well, I couldn’t condone the act of snooping into one’s privacy. However, on the flip side it was nice to know that he was such a caring sibling. Regardless, I needed to put my biases aside and remain neutral as I listened.

“Aaaaand?” I asked with a rotation of my hoof to gesture for him to keep going.

I guess once he realized that I wasn’t gonna chew him out, his body ceased its movements, and he let out the stressful inhale he had taken moments ago. “...whew, um,” he rubbed the back of his head, and started to tell me what he knew. “Basically, I read a little and saw that she was a bit unsatisfied with her life.”

This was good. Now I had finally gotten somewhere. But I needed to know more. “Wait really? Why?” I asked.

“I don’t know all the details, but i-it has something to do with the fact that she doesn’t wanna run the business anymore.” Pound Cake turned his head away from me. “...I think it has to do with the fact that she knows I’m gonna be involved with Flurry Heart soon. And once we get older, I’ll likely live with her in the Crystal Castle, which will leave Pumps…”

I finished the train of thought for him. “It’ll leave her with the family bakery business...something that she doesn’t exactly want to do now does she?”

“She wants to be enrolled in the School for Gifted Unicorns but has constantly denied it, saying she’d rather stay at Sugarcube Corner since mom and dad have left. But deep down...I know she wants to follow what makes her happy. Sadly, if she does that, it’ll mean leaving the family business alone…” He leaned against the wall, and let out an annoyed groan. “Ugh. I really wish that I could manage being a prince and the bakery at the same time. Unfortunately…”

Okay, this issue was way bigger than what I had initially prepared for. All I could do was use the evidence I had presented to me and do whatever Pale would do. That usually worked, right? And if not, well, I could always wing it. No pun intended.

“Alright, kid,” I pat him once on the shoulder, “Go have a seat, and I’ll make sure your sister comes back to you with a clear mind, alright?”

Pound Cake wasn’t fully eased by my words, but he was able to take a chill pill since he knew his sister would be cared for. “...Alright. I trust you guys.” With that, he flew back over to the bench he had initially came from.

I took a look behind me, and shouted down the hall. “Yo, Quick. Have those folks arrived yet?”

“Almost here! Give it another ten minutes.”

I shook my head, and looked at the interrogation room that the yellow unicorn was in. “Bleh. Can’t wait that long.”

And so, I entered. Likely to the chagrin of Quick. I took a seat across from Pumpkin Cake at the table, and took a look at her. Her eyes were still bloodshot as she stared off into space like a sleep-deprived gremlin. I let out an audible shudder as soon as I made eye contact. “Brrrhgh…”

Just how disturbing could this thing get?

Subject 223: Outside Help

While I ultimately didn’t agree with Cozy’s decision, I had to respect it. After all, she was a fully grown mare by this point and had a much better grasp of the world at large. Even if I did feel a sense of regret that overwhelmed me. Should I really allow her to stay here? Then again, our friends were stronger than what we gave them credit for. As long as we stuck together, we could do anything.

Blech. Now I sounded like Twilight.

Anyhow, I made my way back to the agency, but Corkscrew was nowhere to be seen. “Huh?” I turned my head to find Quick Draw trot down the hall towards one of the interrogation rooms. “Oh hey, QD. Have you seen--”

“He’s currently in there, dealing with one of our witnesses,” she pointed out, “I’m letting him handle Pumpkin Cake because he apparently can relate to her situation.”

Distinctive. I’d have to make a note of that for later. “Alright, and what about Suri?”

“The information she was able to give out was somewhat limited. Don’t think she’ll be of much more help here, unfortunately.”

Of course. Not all witness accounts would be a hundred percent accurate. But we still needed to search for answers wherever we could. “Alright, alright. She can go once she’s been cleared. We’ll have to heighten the security of our protection program in the meantime. Oh! Have you notified-”

“Yes,” she answered before I could finish my sentence, “Lyra is on her way now with her crew so we can detox these folks.”

My ear flicked as I processed what she had just told me. “Wait, Lyra’s involved in that group now? Since when did she become an expert in the anti-curse arts?”

Quick shrugged her shoulders. “Beats me. Anyway, while Cork handles that first subject, do you wanna handle the last one...or should I?”

Another sense of dread washed over me in that moment which caused my mane to fritz up just a little bit. After what I had experienced, it would be a while before I was prepared to do a direct confrontation--at least on my own.

“Erm…” I shuffled a hoof against the floor to avoid the question.

“Oh…” Quick must have caught on rather quickly because she approached me with a rare, tender visage in her eyes. “Look, man. Don’t worry about it. I’ll handle her. You can keep watch from out here, alright?”

To be quite honest, there were a few more things that I felt disturbed by at that moment. But on the job, there was no time to worry about emotions. I stowed it, and allowed her to make her move.

“Alright. Thank you, Quick,” I replied with a smile, “I caught a glimpse of Octavia and she’s...not doing too hot. So keep your wits up, alright?”

“Hmph.” The yellow mare rolled her eyes and flicked her tail with a scoff. “I have nothing to worry about, boss. You and I both know what we’re capable of.” Right before she entered the interrogation room, she stopped, and turned to look at me. “Oh and if you could do me a favor and let Lyra in when she arrives?”

“What am I, a bellhop?” I tried to throw in a joke to lighten up my own mood, and laughed at myself as a result. “Haha...but sure. I can do that. Once we’re done for the day, let’s all go get some poutine. Sound good?”

“We never really get enough of that stuff, do we?” she let out a very small, barely audible giggle, and went inside the room. I guess she had a sense of humor after all, huh?

And so...I waited. With not much else to do, I made sure that everything else was alright nearby. Vinyl and Pound Cake were still at the end of the hall on the bench. They spoke to each other which likely eased the tensions and calmed them both down so they wouldn’t stress out as much. All very well and good.

About ten more minutes or so had passed before I heard a knock at the door to the agency. I went to answer it, and found a familiar green unicorn there along with some of her friends. Curiously enough, Sweetie Drops wasn’t in sight.

“We heard your signal and came as soon as we could,” Heartstrings laid it out to me, “So we are dealing with a Class 6 situation. Do you have the ponies that are being afflicted with the demonic plague under containment?”

I pointed them in the direction of the interrogation rooms. “Oh of course. But uh, do you think that we’ll end up with more cases of this? These three happened out of nowhere.”

“Yeah, I can’t say for sure,” Lyra replied as she stepped inside, “But only time will tell once we get ahold of them. You just do your side of the work, alright Pale? We’re gonna need all the help we can get if we wanna make it out of this alive.” She levitated some sort of sonar device in front of her, “By our calculations, he should be attacking between tonight and tomorrow.”

Amen on that. Like her, I too had someone I had to live for.

Wait a second, what did she just say?!

Subject 224: More Trouble

“...How soon?” I asked, and took a step closer to her.

“No idea,” Lyra said, “But there’s steps we can do to prepare for it. We just need you to remain calm and keep Cozy Glow as isolated as possible.”

Oh yeah. About that. That wasn’t going to be an easy one to explain.

“Well…”

Lyra put the device away and glared me square in the face. “Don’t tell me she decided to stay here…”

I didn’t really have much of anything to respond with. That was, in fact, the truth. “...Mm-hm.”

“Dammit,” the green unicorn stomped her hoof and looked off to the side, “That makes this twice as complicated now.”

Behind her, her crewmates arrived at the first interrogation room to deal with Suri Polomare’s mental injuries from the visions she saw.

“I know,” I said with a sigh, “I honestly didn’t know how to feel about it either, but--”

Lyra interrupted me, and tapped one of her hooves against my chest. Those yellow eyes of hers cut deep into my soul. “Listen, Pale. Are you sure you know what you’re doing here? Allowing her to remain amidst the rest of us? Because if all hell breaks loose…”

Yeah. I already knew what would happen if worse came to worst. But I had confidence. I wasn’t going to allow myself to be deterred so easily.

I pushed her hoof away, and shot her a somewhat relaxed smirk. “Relax. We have this in the bag. There’s nothing I haven’t seen before--especially at this point.”

“I can imagine. I just hope you’re making the right decision,” she rubbed one of her forelegs against the other, “If it were Bon Bon in the same position, I don’t know what I’d do…”

Now that was a terrifying thought.

Back in the interrogation room with Pumpkin Cake, Corkscrew carried on with his interview…

“...Ms. Cake?” I spoke up again to try and get her to notice me, “C’mon. You have all of your family members worried sick. Just try and tell me what’s wrong.”

After what felt like forever, the mare finally started to talk. “N...No...not worth it…”

Okay, we got somewhere. But I needed more than that. “What? What’s not worth it? Come on, I got your back. Just tell me what’s wrong…”

Her odd mumblings continued. “...There’s...no escape...I’m...stuck here forever.”

“Stuck where? Are you trapped someplace or is someone keeping you down?” I leaned forward a bit with my wings spread wide from bated excitement.

“I want to...be myself and do my own things,” Pumpkin Cake explained, “But I’m...afraid. If I don’t fall in line with the rest of my family, then the business will cease to exist. Everything we’ve had built up over the years would be for nothing if I don’t keep it going. I should just accept that I’ll never be able to do what I want in life…I should probably just give up.”

Jeez. While this was a bit less intense than Suri’s situation, I couldn’t deny that it was still a difficult one. After all, Pinkie couldn’t run Sugarcube Corner forever. But honestly? I didn’t exactly know what to say here. Don’t get me wrong, I knew how she felt too. I was honestly pretty lucky since my parents weren’t all that supportive of the fact that I wanted to be an officer. Yet my grandpa allowed me to do so. I had a lot to thank him for in that regard.

So I’d have to use the relatability in order to talk her down.

“Look, I know how you feel. I’m only in the career path I chose because I managed to get lucky. For you, it sounds like something far more complex than what I endured. The best I can tell you is: Maybe consider somepony close to your family that’s willing to run the place?” I sat back in my seat to give off a more comfortable vibe. “I’m sure that, since everyone in your family knows and loves you, they’d be willing to help.”

“Hmph...I guess I never thought about that. I’m just…” She rubbed her hooves against the sides of her head. “I just feel so annoyed that my twin brother is going to marry a princess and leave me behind. Whatever I do won’t come close to the fact that he’s going to end up governing an entire nation when he gets older.”

Oh no. I knew it ran deeper than what I initially thought of at first. This wasn’t just concern for herself, this was straight up withheld jealousy. That’s when it hit me. I finally started to get what Grogar’s initial attack was meant to represent. The underlying negativity we all had inside of us that was impossible to ignore. Not a bad way to throw us off-base, I’d say. Didn’t mean we were gonna let it stop us.

But how exactly would I address this particular case? Gah. I could only hope that Quick had a smoother time with Octavia.

Subject 225: Octavia's Obstacles

In the third interrogation room with Octavia and Quick Draw…

Subject was a bit of a daze when she was first brought in. Nothing a little careful speaking can’t fix. Octavia was a pretty seasoned musician with a well-respected background. I couldn’t really imagine what Grogar could go after her for. After all, wouldn't you want to go for more, er, unstable individuals? Suri Polomare was the only logical choice here which made the mere idea of Octavia being under some sort of demonic possession even scarier.

But for the sake of her partner, Vinyl, I wouldn’t skimp out on my efforts to bring her back.

“Ahem. Ms. Melody,” I began, “Everything okay up there?” I pointed to her head. “You’re looking a bit worse for wear today. Did a concert performance keep you up for too long? Maybe some preparations that you didn’t get done in time?”

“Shut it, cretin,” the elegant mare snapped at me.

I paused, and took a second to blink. To say that her response caught me off-guard was a massive understatement. What exactly happened to her? “Erm...excuse me?”

“You heard me,” the gray mare turned her head away from me with a scathing glare, “It’s thanks to organizations like these that Vinyl is always putting her life in danger. I don’t understand why she feels the need to participate in something so dangerous.”

Ah...so that was it. Jeez, why did that sound so familiar? At any rate, I’d handle this with some good old-fashioned empathy.

“Ma’am, do you know why I have this job?” I asked, while I did my best to remain respectful.

“Why?” she asked.

I leaned forward with my hooves on the table. “Because I wanted to devote my own life to protecting others who couldn’t defend themselves. It’s because of agencies such as this one and SMILE that ponies don’t have to live in fear of being attacked in their sleep by unknown threats.”

For whatever reason, Octavia didn’t seem moved by this. Instead she doubled-down on her stance. “We live in a world where immortal ponies with near-infinite magic exist. Just how do we continuously run into enough situations that justify such tactics?”

That was something I couldn’t quite answer. Mainly because of how broad the question was. “I...look. There’s a lot that goes on in this world that we don’t understand. But just because you don’t doesn’t mean we all need to drop what we’re doing.” I sat back down, and thought over how to approach the rest of the subject with a bit more tact. “And besides, have you ever considered why Vinyl fights?”

“No...but why hasn’t she considered me?” the musician of a mare looked down at the floor, “I’ve constantly told her how dangerous it was and yet she still wants to risk her neck for ponies she doesn’t even know! You have to be honest and admit how ridiculous that sounds on paper. How can a regular pony with no sort of immortal safeguards really do such a thing? Isn’t that why the Elements have always been around?”

To a fault, she had a point. However…

“Listen. Sometimes, there are things that the power of friendship alone just can’t solve,” I replied, “There’s more to it than that. And if we don’t all band together to face this evil, then nothing would get done. Don’t you see?”

“...I want to hear it from her myself.”

I let out an exasperated sigh at that response. I could’ve sworn that I saw steam leave out of my nostrils but I took a deep breath. I knew that Octavia was under some sort of corruption and that it had to have amplified her deepest regrets into absurdity. There was no way she really thought these things...right?

“Fine,” I got up from the table, and went to the door. I looked down the hall to see the mare on the bench. “Hey VInyl. She’s ready to speak with ya.”

“...!” In a purple flash of teleportation, the white unicorn disappeared from her spot at the end of the hall and reappeared in the room behind me. “Thank goodness!” she cheered as she went over to hug her roommate, “I was gonna go crazy if they didn’t let me see you soon.”

“Or just...teleport right in, yeah,” I muttered under my breath and closed the door once more.

“Vinyl...why do you do all of this?” the gray mare asked with a stoic glare. “What do you hope to gain by laying your life on the line with every waking moment that you draw breath? Have you never considered how I’d feel if you were to die out there?”

Vinyl let her go and took a step back. “Haha...good one, Tavi,” she tried to play it off with an awkward laugh. But that didn’t fool me. I could see the beads of sweat roll down the sides of her face. “You know I do all this fighting for you. If I can’t come home to see your cute face then life isn’t worth--”

WOOSH!

“WOAH!”

The folding chair that Octavia sat in was suddenly flung across the room and directly at Vinyl! Luckily she was able to evade it in time with a quick duck of her head, but yeesh!

“Enough excuses!” she screamed, “If you won’t listen. Then perhaps a bit of persuasion will work…” Her eyes quickly changed to a shade of cherry red, and a pentagram appeared in front of her.

“NO!” I tried to charge at her, but it was too late.

With a clap of her hooves, it disappeared as quickly as it appeared.

I stopped dead in my tracks, and looked around. Nothing seemed to have changed. “Hrm...just what did she do…?”

“TAVI!” Vinyl raced over to her friend, and found her body limp and on the floor. “Stay with me. The exorcists are gonna be here soon! I swear!”

Joy. Now I was bombarded with issues from all angles. Think, Quick. Think.

Subject 226: Corruption Interruption

In the second room with Pumpkin Cake and Corkscrew…

“Come on, there has to be some way that you can get more support if you need it. The world isn’t going to kick you to the curb just because you have a difficult situation on your hooves.”

“They won’t accept it,” she replied with a pessimistic groan, “I should never have led myself to believe that I could grow up to do what I want…I’m useless...nothing will ever go the way I want...leave me alone...”

This caused my blood to boil. Not because of her defeatism--though that did annoy me--it was more due to the fact that Grogar would stoop low enough to take advantage of somepony’s deepest secrets and amplify them for the world to see. What a freakin’ coward. The second he showed his face, I’d beat him down so hard.

Wait a second, that was it.

“Get out of her head!” I shouted in vain towards the ceiling, “Come on, you bastard! You wanna hide behind a thin veil of mind control when you know you’re afraid of my crew and I! Show your ass! I might just be a bit more merciful when kicking it!”

Naturally, Pumpkin Cake looked at me like I had gone insane with her eyes wide as she backed into one of the corners of the room. “W-who are you yelling at??”

I felt the air shift beneath my wingtips. Did it work or had I actually lost my mind? Who knows.

So far, all it did was cause her to become even more afraid. Pumpkin crouched into the corner even further, and started to mumble...strange words. “Chanuballi. See-dee-bellai…”

“Wait a second…” I turned my head down to take a better look at her. “You’re speaking--that’s--!” There was no time for semantics. I immediately kicked the table over so that I could take cover behind it. I’d do so until she finished her crazed chants.

“...devius--marcellus--CHRONUS!” she screamed at the top of her lungs before she suddenly came to a stop.

Then the room became quiet. So quiet that I couldn’t hear a thing from outside. Had I just been transported to hell? No, my eyes were closed. But still. It was beyond creepy.

At least, I opened my eyes, and looked in front of me. The interrogation room floor was still there, and so was the table behind me. Alright. Everything was still in its place. But what about Pumpkin Cake?

“...Ms. Cake?” I called out in a quiet sorta way as I poked my head out over the makeshift table shield. And what I saw was...rather mundane, actually.

Her body was limp and lifeless upon the floor. The only logical conclusion is that she likely chanted some sort of mantra so something could escape her body. But what...what could there be? Gah, this was too complicated--I needed the help of an expert.

I set the table upright, and opened the door to the interrogation room. Just my luck. Things were just as kosher on the other end of the hall. That was to say--not at all.

Once Cork and Quick finished their interviews, I’d allow Lyra to go ahead and investigate exactly how their bodies were taken over. Unfortunately, when I got back over there, both of them burst out of their respective interrogation rooms where I could see lifeless bodies of both Pumpkin Cake and Octavia Melody behind them.

“Boss!” Corkscrew shouted, “We got a problem!”

“Same here,” Quick Draw said from her end of the hall. Vinyl Scratch was behind her with the dazed Octavia on the unicorn’s back. “Vinyl and I tried to reason with her before she started to blurt out weird things and set off some sort of pentagram.”

Cork flew up to us with cautious anxiety. “T-that’s what happened here too! It’s like she had lost her mind or something!”

Pound Cake poked his head into the room, and bit down on his hoof. “Oh man, oh man...sis. Please be okay.”

Yeesh. This situation had started to veer a bit out of my league. I turned to Lyra for a recommendation. “Heartstrings? What’s our next move?”

“I think--” she was about to answer, but was interrupted when one of the ponies that worked with her tapped her shoulder. “Hm?” I watched as she levitated some notes in front of her face, and took note of how sporadic her eyes traveled across the page. Her expression slowly turned from tense to concerned, to afraid in about three seconds. “...Aw damn.”

My crewmates and I all turned to her with bated breath.

“...What’s the matter, Lyra?” Quick asked.

The green unicorn put the notes off to the side, and took a deep breath before she gave us the rundown. “Haaaa. Alright, listen up. This is going to be very hard for me to explain, so I’ll give you the gist of it. Essentially, what we’ve found within Suri Polomare is a curse with a timer of sorts.”

“A timer?” Cork commented with a tilt of his head, “So it’s like, delayed for when they--OH! I get it. He knew what move we’d make…bringing them here.”

Lyra nodded. “You got it. And uh, as a result--you know that little old attack I warned you about earlier, Pale?” she pointed outside with a nervous twitch in her eyes.

I swallowed my fear, and responded with a bit of hesitation. “...Yeah? Why?”

“...It’s coming early. Like, within the hour.”

Both Cork and Quick cried out in disbelief. “WHAT?!”

I froze. We had no time to prepare for this. But it was indeed now or never.

After some mental gymnastics, I saw it as an opportunity. An opportunity for change.

“Let’s go, everyone,” I said calmly.

Corkscrew flew over to me with terror upon his visage. “Boss! Are you sure?! How are we gonna beat an unknown threat?!”

“...You have a crazy ass plan to fight back, don’t you?” Quick trotted up to me with a sarcastic quip.

I pushed Cork off of me, and cleared my throat. “No actually. I expect everypony else to.”

Lyra raised a brow. “Seriously? What makes you think civvies are gonna jump in out of nowhere?”

“I don’t think,” I replied with a cocksure grin, “I know.”

Subject 227: Demonic Entry

We assembled. Everypony nearby grabbed their weapons and/or assorted magical possessions. There was absolutely no time to truly prepare for whatever we had headed our way, so all we could do is get our wits together and hope for the best.

We ventured. Lyra and her team would meet up with Sweetie Drops near the Northern end of Ponyville towards Canterlot. My team? We’d focus on the Southern side near the Everfree forest. Though, on the way there, I stopped by the Mayor’s office to drop off a message.

And lastly, we waited. I knew that something fierce would rear its ugly head soon enough. And when that happened, I knew our friends would have our back. I just knew it.

“Boss?” Cork piped up to get my attention from a tree he was perched in, “Do you really think we’re gonna be able to handle this? I mean, we don’t even know where the damn thing is coming from.”

Quick would add onto his sentiment with a roll of her eyes. “Pfft. I don’t even think he knows what he’s doing.” She put her hoof against her forehead. “And yet, we still followed him out here…”

“Have some faith in me, eh?” I replied with a smile, “My sensory skills have never steered me wrong before, and they won’t do so now.” I shut my eyes, and started to feel the earth beneath my body. It shifted, and weeped with sorrow of an impending event that was sure to bring chaos to the land. What could it be? I had a few hunches to go off of. “Alright. There isn’t much time.”

Thump…

“Hey uh…” Corkscrew’s wings perked up, “Did anypony else feel that? Or was it just me?”

“Feel what?” Quick asked right before it happened again.

Thump…

At the second one, she let out the tiniest of yelps, and quickly cleared her throat to hide her fear. “Eep! Ahem--let me see…” She knelt down and put an ear to the earth. Then her pupils shrank as a result of what she could hear. “...Shit. Something’s coming. And it’s big. But I can’t pinpoint the direction it's traveling from.” Quick got off the ground, and looked to me for assistance. “Pale, do you think you can give us a better idea?”

“Hrm…I can try…” I put my senses to work, and there it was. An extremely negative signature filled with demonic energy off in the distance that came from the Southeast. The problem was that I had no sort of grasp on the size of the target. That’s where Cork would come in. “Alright, they’re coming in from the Southeast--but I don’t have an exact read.” I turned my head up to the tree where my pegasus friend sat, “Think you could help us out, bud?”

“On it, boss!” he replied with a salute, and flew into the air.

Next to me, Quick Draw rattled off one final comment. “Are you absolutely sure this is going to work, Pale? What if they manage to get to Cozy?”

I put one hoof above my eyes so that I could look up into the sky where Cork was without the glare from the sun. “They won’t. We have an entire city’s worth of individuals to back us up. Trust me. Everything that I’ve worked towards is gonna be proven on this day. Just watch.”

“Everything, huh?” Quick let out a small sigh. “Whew...you and your grandiose plans. I just hope they don’t bite us in the flank today. Or the citizens we’re supposed to protect.”

After a moment or two, Corkscrew finally returned to us. He flew back down, and landed with a hefty thud. “Boss! I got movement! From the Southeast like you predicted. But it’s strange--it’s not a giant beast like all the other times.”

“Really?” I asked. I had to admit, it was rather crafty to go with something different this late into the game so to speak. Now our entire plan of defense had to change once more. “What could you make out exactly?”

“It’s like a small army boss!” he proclaimed, “But they didn’t have a set path they’ve been travelling down. They were summoned and made to travel this way!”

“Oh, that’s it!” Quick stomped one of her hooves when she came to a revelation, “They were summoned by the magic that infected Pumpkin Cake and Octavia! That’s why they acted so strange.” She scoffed, and looked down at the ground, “Yeech. If only the exorcists could’ve taken care of them in time…”

I stretched my legs to get ready for a good run. “Well, that doesn’t matter at the moment. At any rate, we’re lucky that Suri was taken care of, so we’re only dealing with two-thirds of the potential problem here. Now let’s get going!” I stood on my hind legs, and stampeded back towards the direction of the town.

“Wait!” Quick yelled out as she followed me, “Why are we headed back?!”

Corkscrew flew alongside us, and offered his own take on the situation. “I think the boss wants to cut them off before they can surround us!”

A smirk grew on my face. He had paid attention to my tactics even after all this time. Loved it.

And so we traveled all the way to the edge of the town once more where it and the forest met. As I predicted, the magical signature had only grown stronger due to the fact that they were all piled up into one place. At that point, there was only one thing left to do…

“Alright, everyone,” I got ready to make my stance, “Hold the line, and don’t let any of them get away. This is going to be the most important battle we’ve ever been in.”

“I’m with ya to the end, boss,” Cork said.

“After all we’ve been through, I’d shame myself by running now,” Quick added.

From out of the darkness of the forest on this fine day, emerged something that I never would have predicted in a thousand years.

“...Boss, do you see this?”

“...yes.”

I did. I did see it.

Criminals. Dozens, no--at least a good one-hundred of them. Some of which we had put away, and others that were meant to be long dead. The main difference however, was the fact that their bodies were all smoky and reeked of brimstone from the lower depths of Tartarus. Beyond that, many of them sported demonic tails, wings, and other assorted appendages that suited denizens of the underworld. Some ponies, some griffons, and even a few changelings. Even though their bodies had undergone such drastic changes, one aspect of them still stood out to us all.

Their eyes. Those haunting eyes.

And among those, I saw Svengallop as well as the Kirin who had allied herself with him. And if they were here, then a certain somepony else had to have been…

“Geh...hrrgh…” I could have sworn my heart stopped. I bit down, and grit my teeth hard enough to bend steel. Grogar was indeed the Father of All Monsters. Regardless of size or shape. “They…”

I felt Quick’s hoof give me a gentle kick in the side. “Hey, boss. You know we have your back. Come on, let’s do this.”

“Hm!” Cork supplemented the support with a confident nod. “We got you. No matter what! Let’s put an end to this!”

Thanks to them, I could relax a bit, and focus better on my objective. None of these hideous beasts would be allowed to pass. “You’re right. On my mark, we strike…”

I could only hope that the Mayor could do her part as well.

Subject 228: Divide And Conquer

Our plan was--well at this point no amount of planning in the world would serve as an absolute solution in a situation such as this. We immediately had to spread out to cover as much ground as possible.

Corkscrew took off towards the left. He swept up a few of those demons in a whirlwind to separate them from the larger group. Exemplary tactic. Now they won’t be able to coordinate as easily! "Let's go, let's go!" he shouted.

Quick Draw meanwhile, decided to make use of her agility and sheer strength to overwhelm the right side. Like a skilled acrobat, she leapt over and landed several flawless kicks upon each demon which sent them flying into various nearby trees and rivers. "I got your back!" she cried out.

And me? Well, I focused on the middle. There were so many of them that it had been difficult to keep track of them all. In order to stand a chance, I’d need to alter the terrain of the field just a little bit to even the odds.

“Alright...hope this works.”

I stood on my hind legs, and raised my hooves into the air. I came down, and slammed into the earth with enough force to rattle and reshape the earth itself. “HEEYAH!”

BLAM!

The ground became distorted, and reshaped into a mile-long divot that was easily a few yards deep. Deep enough for the row of demons in front of me to lose their balance and tumble into each other for a few seconds. This gave me the opening I needed.

“HA!” I charged forward, and tackled a few of them to the walls of dirt that I had created. Among those that I had engaged in combat with, they were mostly nameless criminals from the past. The ones that I knew personally were not among this group. They had to be around here somewhere. “Where are you…”

One of them tried to lunge at me from behind, but I countered just in time with a spin, and a punch from my hoof which sent them flying. But that wasn’t all. Another demon pony tried to sink its teeth into my neck right afterwards! Luckily for me, I had also anticipated this, and flung a backhooved punch squarely in their jaw to knock all of their teeth clean out.

But that was simply a distraction.

“Wha--hey!”

Out of nowhere, I felt my hindlegs swept out from beneath me. A griffon demon had grabbed ahold of me with their claws, and flung me clear across the field and into a nearby rock!

THUD!

“ARGH!”

When my body made contact with it, I flattened out like a pancake for a split-second before I fell down. I suddenly felt myself re-inflate with a pop!, and I was able to recover. Though for a second, I was a bit dazed. I could’ve sworn I saw stars swirl around my head. “Ow...agh...damn. They aren’t messing around…”

By the time I regained full consciousness, I was already surrounded by more demons that started to close in on my position. This wasn’t good. Not because I felt intimidated, no. But the fact that I knew that I would be distracted here the longer I fought this swarm. Meanwhile, those certain other demons could get to Cozy and things would be tits up from there.

“Come on, kid. Don’t be foolish. If things don’t go like you plan out, then just get outta here. I won’t blame you.”

All I could do was pray in silence for her safety. For the time being, all I could do was fight.

Concurrently, at Cozy’s house…

Dad worried for me. And I appreciated it. This was the first time since forever that I could tell that somepony really had my best interests at heart. He saved my life. So I wouldn’t dare waste it.

Which meant that I would fight. But if things did get crazy, then…

Blech. Don’t think about the worst, Cozy. The battle had only just started. With that in mind, I had gathered up my closest friends. The friends that I had made along this journey. I asked them all if they would be interested in helping me out, and you know what they said?

“A’course we are! How ‘bout the rest of ya’ll?”

“That’s right! We’re not gonna let some creep take your body!”

“Blech. Rainbow Dash would kill me if I let a friend go at it alone. You can count me in for sure.”

“You’re our friend, Cozy. We’d never leave you hanging--especially not when you need us most. Right, Spoon?”

“Darn straight, Tiara.”

I almost cried. To have friends like these who cared about me so much. Well, it was a nice feeling. Even if I could sense the danger that loomed over us all.

And so with that in mind, we all headed out. And surely enough, things had already popped off. But I was more than ready to fight back. And so were my friends. So I did my part, and gave out orders to make best use of everypony’s talents.

“Applebloom, if anyone’s hurt--you find them and heal them so they can keep fighting,” I pointed off in the direction of the demon swarm.

“Got it, sister!” the yellow mare sounded off.

I turned to Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo. “Get ahold of the weather team by levitating Scoots and getting her in the sky. If we can alter the weather in our favor, it’ll make us stronger.”

“Got it,” Sweetie replied, “Let’s get going, Sc--ah!”

The orange pegasus mare had already ran off to grab her scooter, and pulled her unicorn friend onto it as they sped off into the distance. She was also courteous enough to provide her a helmet too. “Already on it. Let’s go!”

“A warning would be nice next time!”

Lastly, I saved the most important task for Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon. “Alright. And you guys need to scatter around the town and start warning everyone and I mean everyone. Let them know if they can fight, they get ready to assist. If not, stay inside until everything has blown over.”

“Okay we go that,” Diamond said with a worried tilt of her head, “But what are you gonna do in the meantime?”

“I gotta go help my dad,” I took off into the air, “Now get going, you guys.”

“...But--”

Silver cut her off. “We have to let her do this. And we have our own objective, Di. Let’s go.”

The pink pony sighed, and turned her head. “...Yeah. You’re right. Sorry.”

Good. They were off as well. Now it was time for me to…

I gasped as soon as I laid my eyes on the situation below. “PALE!” I shouted, and flew towards the South side of Ponyville. The wind in my mane washed over me like an elegant, smooth wave as I flapped my wings to fly as fast as I could.

Then, as soon as I got over there…

BAM!

I flew in with enough gale force behind a kick so powerful that it created a small vacuum that forcefully pushed all the demons that had crowded upon Pale. As soon as they were gone, I turned to him, and flew over to give him a hug. He had already suffered a few scrapes and bruises on my behalf. “Pale! Are you okay?!”

After a moment, I heard the most satisfying thing that anyone had ever said to me up that point.

“...Yes. Now that you’re here, I feel far better, kid,” he replied with a smile as he put a hoof on my head.

Subject 229: Extra Assistance

“Wait, you’re actually happy to see me here?”

“Of course,” I said as I gave her a hug, “I wouldn’t have expected you to come all the way out here and protect me. Makes me wonder what the rest of your friends are doing.”

Cozy let go, and hovered in the air next to me. “Well, no need to worry about that. I have a feeling that things are only going to get better once my plans are set into motion. For now, we need to keep moving so we don’t get caught up.”

“There’s more to it than what we see here. Our enemies are going to try and get to you, kid.”

She tapped the side of her head with her hoof. “Exactly. The last place they’d expect me to be is out here on the front lines with you. Don’t you get it? I’ve already thought three steps ahead.”

Huh. Well then. Even I had to admit that that was an impressive stratagem. Risky? Yes. But she was the one who chose to stand and fight.with us. I wouldn’t let her waste this opportunity to make history.

“Okay...wait a second--where’s Flurry Heart? Wasn’t she with you?”

She waved her hoof downwards to dismiss my concerns. “Pff. Once again, you underestimate me, Pops. Flurry’s already long gone to uh...well, you’ll see. For right now, we need to focus.”

I took a look around. The demons had closed in on our position and we were pretty much surrounded. My crewmates and I were separated from each other, but at least the main force had its efforts split across multiple sides. That way, we could focus on individual parts rather than brute force and strength in numbers.

So, I’d give her that chance to take the lead.

“Alright, kid. I know you have some experience with magic, but do you think you’re ready to actually fight?”

Before I could blink, Cozy had already flew into the swarm of demons. She moved like a graceful swan against the wind as she spun around mid-fight. What was she doing exactly? I saw her feathers fly off in random directions, but I had to squint my eyes to get a better look.

That’s when I caught it. She flew around and stuck one of her feathers into the manes of every demon she came across, just barely avoiding being bit and tackled by them all.

Then, she flew up into the air, and pointed her hooves to the sky. “NOW!”

ZAP! ZAP! ZAP! ZAP!

All around us, every demon that had been struck with a feather was shocked by a violently charged bolt of lightning from one of the clouds in the sky. Oh! That was it! Her feathers acted as lightning rods that channeled the magic from the clouds! Genius...but who had been controlling them from on high?

Gah. That wasn’t important. What was important was supporting her, and keeping her safe until everyone else arrived.

So I raced forward, and into the crowd of demons that were left over from her initial attack. In an effort to find the specific ones that I had been on the hunt for, I took a moment to properly inspect the faces of each of them before I properly disposed of them.

I punched one into the distance--it wasn’t the one I was after. He was tried for smuggling of unknown magical substances into Equestria about ten years ago. Various mixtures of deadly potions that he experimented on other ponies with.

Another tried to sneak up on me to which I retaliated with a swift dropkick to knock her into next week. That one was a thief. As soon as her operation to take and abuse various treasures of the Crystal Empire was busted, she took her own life to avoid facing the jury.

I was on the ground for a moment, and I could feel the earth cry out in pain from another direction. Thanks to my senses, I was able to avoid the attack just in time when I rolled out of the way. Then I stood up to look at the assailant.

It was a changeling--at least I think it was. From what I could feel, this one tried to escape the clutches of Chrysalis’ rule before Thorax took over. Unfortunately, he resorted to stealing the life force of whoever he came across which is what landed him a permanent stay in Tartarus.

And to my left, I could sense the aura of another demon that Cozy had immobilized with her shocks. A griffon who abandoned her home of Griffonstone in search of a better life, only to lose her own at battle in a marketplace in the middle of Saddle Arabia for violating the laws they had set. As a result, she was unfit to pass on, and so...

“Grrgh…” I had to be honest. This was a torment on my soul. To essentially relive the acts of those who should have been dead a long time ago, it made me realize just how unfair the world was beneath all of its shiny luster. Yes, some of these individuals were beyond repair, but at the same time, no one--absolutely no one was born a criminal. If so, society would have collapsed long ago.

The ability to peer into the auras of others was both a blessing and a curse.

But I wouldn’t turn a blind eye to such things. To do so would be ignorant at best, and callous at worst. What I needed to do was grant these souls the ability to return to their rightful resting place where they should have remained from the start. Grogar and psychological warfare...talk about a pair.

“None of you deserve to be up here,” I mumbled to myself, “The least I can do is put you back where you belong.”

Unfortunately, it was too much for me to handle--even with Cozy’s help. I could almost swear that we were going to get overrun because each time I took out one demon, two more rose to the battle. And more, and more...it got out of hoof rather quickly.

“Come on, kid...your plans have been great so far. Don’t go soft on me now.”

SHING! POP!

My prayers were answered in quite possibly the most unexpected way. I watched as a few yellow beams of magic cut through, and hypnotized some of the demons into a harmless stupor.

That’s when I turned my head to find. “...Ms. Cake?!”

The young unicorn had taken the field of her own volition, and called out to me. “Your friends saved my life, sir. I won’t sit back and watch when I can help. Plus...I got some of my own friends to help out as well.”

“You what?!”

Subject 230: Anyone Can Fight

What I was utterly amazed by was the fact that the young mare had somehow managed to recover from a demonic possession! I needed to find out how that occurred later on for sure. Then, I focused a bit more so that I could peer over Pumpkin Cake’s shoulder, and lo and behold…

Loads of other citizens of Ponyville had shown up beside her. From what I could make out, among them were loads of important individuals which included: Derpy Hooves, Dr. Hooves, Nurse Redheart, Treehugger, Limestone Pie, and--wait...really??

“Cheery?!” I let out a nervous squeal, and caught myself as I cleared my throat. “Ahem...what are you doing here? You...specifically.”

My purplish-pink marefriend trotted up to me. “We’re all here because we knew that nopony else would keep our home safe if we didn’t. I hope you don’t mind the extra help.”

Of course I didn’t, but something about it kind of--how to put it--unnerved me. As if I knew something negative could come about from this. “Oh no, of course I don’t mind. It’s just…” aaaand I couldn’t complete that thought. I was too afraid of my own words to put them out into the air.

Cheerilee cupped my chin with a hoof, and turned my head so that we could make eye contact. “If you’re worried about everypony’s safety, then I understand. However, the Mayor convinced us that the only way we’re going to keep each other safe is by putting the effort in for ourselves. And of course, I’d imagine the efforts of a certain somepony swayed her into allowing us to fight? Isn’t that right?”

If that was indeed the case, then who was I to deny them the right to fight for what they believed in. The more the merrier, right?

From out of the corner of my eye, I notice a shift in the positioning of some of the demons. Drat. For the few small moments I had taken to speak with the folks that had arrived to offer me their help, some of the cretins used it as an opportunity to sneak into Ponyville itself!

“Shit...shit,” I mumbled as I took a look around, my body twisted and turned from sporadic anxiety, “Lost track of them...they could be anywhere. Okay we need to spread out and round up as many as we can to minimize the damage they can potentially cause.”

That’s when Cheerilee took control of the situation. “Alright, everypony. You heard him. We need to spread out to where we can contain these nasty things and put them back in hell where they belong!” she explained with a stomp of her hoof to which everyone immediately gave her their attention, “And I want us all to stay in groups of at least three so we don’t get overwhelmed. Understood?”

The crowd sounded off in agreement. “YES MA’AM!” And they all split up into small groups to head out and conquer this threat.

To say that I was impressed would be a massive understatement. “...How did you manage to--”

She cut me off to offer a swift explanation. “Working with children for over two decades grants you good leadership skills. Also the Mayor put me in charge of managing the defense forces. Now come on,” the mare charged towards the town in a sprint, “We need to keep track of everypony and take out any stragglers.”

I followed her, both worried and excited to see just how she intended to fight alongside us all. “Oh dear…wait, what about Cozy?”

“Look up, Pale,” she pointed a hoof to the sky where we could see Cozy Glow continue to perform her lightning rod trick. “Her supply of feathers will run out eventually. So she’ll meet up with us soon. For now, follow me, okay?”

There was no way I could refuse a direct order from her of all ponies. The Mayor made a good decision to put her in charge of the main effort. But where was she? I hoped that nothing bad happened to her in the midst of the crossfire.

First up, we charged past the far side of the town near the hospital. About a dozen or so demons had surrounded the building, to which Cheerilee and I exchanged a determined gaze before we split off.

I took the right side, and charged in confidently. Cheerilee took the left, and what happened next completely stole my attention.

“HIYA!”

CRACK!

I skid to a stop. Cheerilee performed a full suplex upon one of the demons, effectively breaking its neck, and it was knocked out cold. From there, she performed an elegant backflip that transitioned into an ‘elbow’ drop upon another.

“HAAA!”

CRUNCH!

My heart skipped a beat--I couldn’t take my eyes off of what I had seen her do. Just how...was she so--

SNAP!

Once she had landed on the ground, another demon tried to charge at her. But she stopped them with those muscular hind legs of hers which ensnared all four limbs of her opponent like an almighty pair of scissors. With one single flick of her body, she turned, and slammed that demon pony into the dirt hard enough to send piece of smoky matter all over the place.

“H-haaah...wha…?” My mouth was agape as I watched her fight. It was utterly beautiful. So much so, that I didn’t even notice the fact that another demon had charged at me from behind.

“LOOK OUT!” a mare’s voice cried out.

POP! POP! POP!

I was snapped out of my stupor, and looked behind me to see a demon with multiple syringes lodged in its head.

That’s when Nurse Redheart appeared with a drum-like blaster weapon slung over her shoulder that fired the needles as projectiles. “Don’t get sloppy now. We need to keep each other safe.”

I had to tip my hat to her for that. It was impressive. “I really appreciate that, Red. But um...wait…” I shut my eyes. The spirit of the demon wasn’t at rest yet. Not only that, but it--she was very familiar. “...Red, she’s not down yet.”

We both took a step back as she rose to her hooves. Her body was unrecognizable thanks to the demonic corruption, but her eyes remained the same. Deranged moderate cerise, yet with the smallest hint of pain hidden behind the way the pupils quivered. With no way to properly speak, her screams were silent, but palpable...

“Who is it, son?” Redheart asked with her weapon raised, “Somepony we know?”

I looked down, my hat tilted to conceal the fear on my face. “...It’s Screwy. W-we have to...put her out of her misery again.”

Subject 231: Doctor's Orders

“Son, are you serious?” Redheart asked me once more, “Are you absolutely sure that’s who it is?”

I nodded ever so slightly. “Yeah...I’m positive. Screwy’s been resurrected as a demonic entity against her will. We need to put an end to her.”

“What I’m concerned about is the fact that she somehow ended up in Tartarus to begin with,” the doctor mare replied with a shudder. “Yeech...I can’t imagine what she must have done to end up there. But…” she bit her lip, and turned her head away for a second.

To be honest, I couldn’t blame her for the hesitation. Screwy was one of her patients after all. Demon or no, it was--well--I could see it for myself. The way her hooves wobbled, her tail flicked, and how her eyes darted from side to side as if the answer to the problem would appear to her from the ground somewhere. This completely betrayed Red’s sense of calm, collected professionalism when in the office and ER. I had never seen her nervous before...ever.

The corrupted Screwy took a step closer to us, to which Redheart responded with a step backwards.

“No...I failed her. This is my fault,” the white mare swore to herself as she backed away with her tail between her legs, “If only I had taken better care of her, then none of this would have happened.”

There was no time for this. We needed to accept our fears in order to overcome them. “Ma’am, with all due respect--we have to be strong. No amount of tears will rewind the past.”

My words didn’t land. At least not right away. Screwy must have figured out that she had sway over the doctor, and continued to trot in a slow, threatening gait right past me and towards her instead. Her eyes throbbed with a sense of regret, as if she wanted to be put down...

“But I...if I’ve failed someone like this, then what good am I?” Redheart mumbled as she stepped further and further back. “Do I really deserve this title if somepony I tried to save landed in the worst plane of existence. This has never happened before. How would you feel, Pale?”

Touche. Touche indeed. So much so, that I could actually empathize with her there. The justice system wasn’t perfect. As a result, there were many, many individuals who were either convicted wrongly or too harshly for what they had committed.

So I knew exactly how she felt.

But I didn’t act. At least, not yet. I stood by because I wanted Redheart to comprehend the weight of what she had that came after her. “I’ve been there. Trust me. But you can’t let it overtake you. You have to accept that this world is cruel and unfair. But we do our best to press forward anyway. Don’t fall into that trap. You’re a professional!”

The resurrected Screwy never ceased her approach on Redheart. I could see the twitch of pain on the doctor’s visage. She could not lift a hoof against a patient no matter who they were.

“I…”

Or so I thought.

ZOOM!

In a flash, Screwy moved fast enough to leave a trail of reddish gray behind her and struck Redheart before either of us could react.

“AGH!”

ZIP! BAM! POW!

Again, and again. Blow after blow, Redheart stumbled with bruises that started to appear on her face from the severity of the attacks. But she didn’t do a single thing to retaliate! I had to snap her out of it somehow I...no. This was something she needed to do for herself. As much as I wanted to get involved, I knew deep down that conflicts such as these could only be permanently solved by the ones who ran away from them.

“Grrr…” I grit my teeth and waited in silence.

Screwy was about to charge and attack Redheart for a sixth time, until…

SMACK!

“...!” she stood on her hind legs--firmly planted into the ground, and had a hoof raised to grab ahold of Screwy’s, which stopped the demonic mare in her tracks. Both mares struggled against each other with their limbs in a tight deadlock. “...Hggh...I...I can feel her pain,” the doctor strained to spit out, “She--she doesn’t wanna live anymore. All she feels is pain and has the voice of Grogar telling her what to do. It...this is sickening…” I saw a tear fall from her face and hit the ground beneath her. “So...as a medical professional--no, as a fellow pony--I’m going to grant her the release she wants…”

The struggle between the two was palpable. I watched Redheart struggle against the force that Screwy applied to her hoof. As a fellow earth pony, I knew the doctor of a mare was durable enough to carry out what she needed to do.

That is...until I heard the sound of the bones in her leg slowly break.

“GAH! Huff...ow...she’s gotten strong…”

I took a step forward. “Ma’am?!”

With her free hoof, she waved at me to order me to stay back. “...I-I got th-this, kid,” she sputtered with an increased amount of strain compared to before, “This is m-my patient. I need to give her a p-proper sendoff...RRGH!” The blood vessels on her head started to become visible--threatening to pop from the amount of strength she had to apply just to keep up.

Screwy didn’t waver at all. She was nothing more than a mindless husk that had to follow the will of the being that brought her back. And yet, to Redheart, this was a living being that she had failed. A patient that she hesitated to fight back against, but ultimately had no choice to.

Enemy or not, Grogar was intelligent. This was not going to be an easy battle the rest of the way.

At last, after so much back-and-forth, Redheart mustered up the power to end it.

“YAAA!” With a visceral scream, Redheart pulled out a syringe with a needle so thick that it could be classified as a dagger. She reeled back, and stabbed it right into the neck of the corrupted mare just in time before her entire shoulder was dislocated. “Urgh…” She backed away…

The syringe was filled with some sort of blue liquid that slowly made its way into Screwy’s body. Bit by bit, her body started to shut down in various places until her eyes were no longer visible. With a thud, she hit the ground like a ragdoll.

I took a moment to see if I could feel anything, and… “...her aura is gone. She’s passed.”

Redheart was already hard at work making a splint for her left hoof. She pulled on the bandage wrap with her teeth until she heard her bones crack back into place. “SHIT! Dammit...that was unexpected. Ptoo...” She spat it out, and turned to look at me, “You okay, kid?”

“...Yeah but what about you?” I pointed to her limb.

“Don’t worry about me,” she commanded, “I’ve got a lot of things to deal with here. You and your wife need to go check around the rest of the town. I’ll be fine here. My friends will be here soon to help me out the rest of the way. We're all in this together, you hear?”

With that in mind, I couldn’t refuse her orders. “Yes ma’am,” I replied, and went back to the front of the hospital.

That’s where Cheerilee had already stacked up a dozen demon corpses in a pile. She was fairly bruised, but not even close to being tired. “Hmph...thought they’d be harder. Guess the elite ones come later,” she mumbled with a flick of her tail to get rid of the sweat on her body.

Yup. She was perfect.

Subject 232: Cake Combat

Her skills were so impressive that I just had to find out more about them as soon as I could. “Um, Cheery--where did you learn how to do all of...that?”

“Hm? Oh, my sister’s a professional wrestler,” she explained with a rather flat tone, “I subbed in for her once and after that, I decided to learn more about wrestling.” When the subject changed to the art of combat itself, her voice perked up, “It’s very fun! Once you get past all of the bumps and bruises that is…”

Fascinating was too small a word. I needed to know more of what she was capable of. “Oh, I’d love to see more. And do you think your sister could show--”

Cheerilee cut me off. “Don’t think so. She’s got a different life now.” She rolled her eyes as she trotted on ahead of me. “Our parents always preferred how she and her partner chose to live, anyways…”

Oh dear. That explained a lot of things about Cheery that I didn’t realize until now. But there would be time to address those concerns later. For the time being, we had to keep up our defenses. I could only hope that Redheart could manage where she was…

But next, we came across Sugarcube Corner. Just like the hospital before it, it was also being overrun by numerous demons. But the key difference was that we could see more than one pony who fought to keep their rightful place secure.

“EAT THIS!” a young voice shouted followed by the crash of a familiar hammer-shaped cloud into the earth which caused various demons to scatter. Pound Cake!

But this time, alongside that was a blue magical aura that cast force fields to drive them back. “Just a bit longer until Pinkie’s weapon is ready, bro!”

“Sis, don’t strain yourself--SHA!” he spoke in between a swing of his cloud hamer, “If you start to feel dizzy again, then feel free to take a--” But he was cut off when one of the demons tackled him to the ground. “Ow! Dammit!”

He would have been hit with a corrupted blast of magic from the demon’s horn had it not been for his sister. Pumpkin Cake fired a blast of magic at her brother’s attacker. But this was no ordinary spell.

The demon was stunned for a few seconds before their body started to mutate and wriggle against their will. They eventually dissipated into a violent mist of red and black that faded with the soft breeze of the town-turned-battlefield…

“Woah,” Pound Cake remarked, “Just what did you do to it?”

The yellow unicorn levitated her brother upright, and dusted him off. “I told you I was a master of healing magic. That goes both ways. I simply overloaded its regenerative capabilities until it caved in on itself.”

“...What?”

She let out a sigh. “I shook it up and made it go boom.”

“Oh! That makes more sense! Sorry, I could never really understand all of your weird magic stuff,” he replied with a grin.

“Well what you lack in magical skill, you make up for it with your bravery, bro.”

Pound Cake flexed his wings proudly. “Heh. Knew it. I’m a genius--hey look out!”

She heeded her brother’s warning, and performed an evasive roll to avoid the next demon that tried to attack her. But this was no ordinary one--just like Screwy before it, this one took on a different appearance.

Instead of red and smoky, this one was all black with solid white eyes. Shadowy even. Hrm…

Beside me, Cheerilee had already devised our next plan to set in motion. “Same deal as before, hun.”

“Hm?” I said with a raised brow.

“You help out the kids, and I’ll take care of the ones surrounding the bakery,” she pointed to a small group of demons that closed in from the West, “Apparently Pinkie Pie is charging up some sort of weapon, so we need to buy her some time.”

Good plan. After I saw what my woman could do earlier, I was the last one that needed to be concerned for her safety. If anything, those demon grunts were in for a bigger scare.

“Alright. Hurry back, though. We may need your help,” I said with the smallest hint of a plea.

Cheerilee brushed off my concern as she started to run. “You’ll be fine, sweetie!”

Dammit. She was too cute.

Oh yeah! What was I doing?! I needed to focus. Those kids needed my help.

I raced down the side of the hill towards Sugarcube Corner where the shadowy demon had appeared. “This one isn’t normal, you guys,” I warned them as I skidded to a stop, “I can feel its aura. It’s familiar…”

We all stared up at it, and then Pound Cake commented on what he figured this could be. “Wait a minute...this is the thing Flurry told me about. A shadow pony! They ran rampant all over the Empire when Sombra was around. If only she were here…she’d know how to handle it….” he mumbled as nervous bullets of sweat ran down the side of his head.

“Okay bro, we don’t have time to worry about that,” his sister urged him to stay alert, “I’m sure there’s a way we can beat this thing. Even without her help.”

I was less than confident. While I had spoken with Sombra a few times in my dreams, I was unsure of exactly how to defeat a shadow pony without high level magic. And just who was that soul anyway? How did a shadow pony end up in Tartarus? Unless…

No way. Could it really be him?

Subject 234: Sunblast

“Mediocre…” Pumpkin Cake repeated the words of the shadow pony to herself. “I’ll show you what I can do!”

I tried to warn her that she was headed straight for a trap. “Kid wait! You’re gonna--!” But I was cut off. The swords became a massive clawed hand that closed in upon me, and tried to squeeze all of my breath out. “Ngh! Ack...dammit…” My body trembled from the force applied from all sides. I wasn’t going to suffocate, but I couldn’t speak unless I wanted to lose more air.

Which left Pumpkin Cake to her own devices. Which is to say…

She did her damndest.

Her brother was still being pinned to the ground. Now wrapped completely in a blanket of shadows. Pumpkin charged forward with her magical aura allowing her to fly just as fast as the average pegasus pony.

With cold, dead eyes, she flung punch after punch in a vain effort to knock the pony’s lights out. But it was of no use. The shadowy figure blocked every strike she slung with a passive, automated shield that kept it safe from harm.

Its mouthless face didn’t so much as flinch either. Almost as if it had gotten a sick type of enjoyment out of watching her struggle.

“Why...can’t...you just...GO AWAY?!” she screamed in its face, only for it to repel her a second later with a magic-nullifying blast.

BLAM!

“AGH!” Her magic aura disappeared as she was forced backwards, and into the rubble of the bakery. Part of me hoped that she would stay down. It would be best if she kept herself out of it so others would arrive to help out. It would be wasteful to fully carry out one’s hatred solely upon one being, right?

Wrong.

Pumpkin Cake rose to her hooves once more, and pushed the rubble out of the way with levitation. “Argh...you. You’re not gonna get away with this. I swear that with every fiber of my being, I will put an end to you! Even if it kills me! I will show you that I’m not just some baker’s foal!”

Pound Cake still struggled beneath his jet-black prison of shadows, but even he knew that it was risky. “...Sis...no...get back…”

Once again, though, it was of no use. This mare seemed very intent on attacking the shadow pony constantly regardless of the risk. She had been effectively tricked into the very definition of insanity: performing the same action over and over whilst expecting different results.

“STOP!” A voice called out to us from on high. The body of a pony dropped down from the rubble of the destroyed bakery, and in front of Pumpkin Cake.

“...Sunburst? What are you doing here?” the unicorn mare questioned with a stern, cold tone, “Get out of my way. I have business to settle.”

The stallion turned to face her, and blocked her path. “You need to listen to me! What you’re doing is only going to make things worse! By repeatedly attacking it, you make it stronger and only make yourself more upset!” He levitated a book, and flipped through its pages with his magic, “But I know who this is. I’ve dealt with him before. If you just give me a chance, then…”

Pumpkin huffed. I could see the rage that had built up behind her eyes. But, she was thankfully willing to cooperate once she took a look at the book he had. “...fine,” she replied, “What do we do?”

“Simple...follow my lead,” Sunburst whispered as he shut his book. As soon as he turned around, he was assaulted by more insults from the shadow pony that we could all hear.

“You...I remember you. You were the one who helped put me away. But that was only because you had the aid of the alicorns. And of course, your old friend Starlight who has far outclassed you in every conceivable way. What reason do you have to be here? Why not get her instead? Then things will be interesting.”

Sunburst grit his teeth, but didn’t lose his mind over it. “Hmph...while that may be true, that was more than two decades ago. You have no idea what’s changed in that time,” he snapped back with a smug grin on his face. “Don’t underestimate what you can’t see. I’ve already got you figured out.”

The shadow pony demon remained silent. If I had to venture a guess, this was all part of its plan to rile up its enemies before it took them down. Pound Cake and I were still restrained by the limbs, but the pony itself moved forward. It grabbed one of its swords via magic, and made it a bit smaller for personal combat.

POOF!

In an instant, the pony took off with enough force to put pressure on the sound barrier. He moved so fast that none of us could actually see him anymore. But Sunburst?

“Code Reflect!” With an equal amount of magical force, Sunburst shoved his book forward which generated a specific type of barrier with runes on it.

With a hard ching!, the sword clashed against the barrier, unaffected by the shadow pony’s anti-magical corrosion!

Taken aback, Pumpkin Cake spoke up in a barely audible tone. “...How did you?”

“I said I knew what I was doing, didn’t I?” he said in return, “Now it’s your move, go for it while you have the chance!”

Just what had those two planned in the span of forty seconds?

Subject 235: Sun Fury

What I saw next threw me for an absolute loop.

Pumpkin Cake reached into one of Sunburst’s saddlebags, and pulled out a piece of parchment. In the meantime, the clash between him and the shadow pony was everlasting with no sign of stopping anytime soon.

Though, the stallion did break a sweat. The pressure from upholding such a powerful spell to block the ever-increasing force of his opponent started to drain him bit by bit. But since I was unable to move, all I could do was hope that they knew what they were doing.

“Sir…” I heard Pound Cake’s voice from nearby attempt to reach out to me, “Is my...sister okay?”

I couldn’t respond. Mainly because of how fearful I was. I didn’t want to give him any false hope. Was it the effects of the shadow pony? Or was it because part of me wasn’t confident enough in Sunburst? What was I supposed to feel in that moment?

But when I looked up at them, I could see that it was no ordinary parchment. Pumpkin bit down on her left hoof just hard enough to draw blood from it, and used her blood to smear something onto it. “It’s done,” she said, “Now it’s my turn…” She rolled it up, and with a flash of her horn, she made it disappear…

The result was a rune on the ground that reappeared just a few feet behind the shadow pony. Just what was it for?

In a flash, Sunburst disengaged the fierce state of struggle between himself and the pony of dark magic. Immediately after that, he followed up, and charged at the mass of shadows with a vicious headbutt attack. There was so much force applied that I heard bone crack as soon as his head made contact with the shadow pony’s neck.

And by jove, it actually worked?

The shadow pony let loose a small grunt once it was hit, and was even staggered backwards by a few paces, but it didn’t suffer much damage at all. In fact, Sunburst was the one who had endured more pain as the struggle from before had caused the blood vessels near his horn to swell, as well as blood that dripped from his mouth from how hard he had grit his teeth.

From what I could tell, the shadow pony was unfazed by his attack, and simply pushed him away with a small blast of magic. “Was that really your best?” it taunted him.

“Argh!” The stallion yelped once he made contact with the earth--facefirst with his glasses snapped in two. “Ow….hm...you’re forgetting something, though…” he mumbled as he rose from the ground, “I assisted in the act of banishing you once...and I can banish you again--on my own.”

“Really? Without your friends and their infinite magical wisdom? Give it your best shot, boy.”

“Oh I will,” his smug expression returned. Sunburst stood on his hind legs, and levitated his book into the air. “SANGUIS TRANSFUSIO!”

CLINK!

Perfectly primed. The shadow pony had been standing on the rune that was on the ground thanks to Sunburst’s attack from earlier that pushed him into it. From said rune, chains appeared that latched onto the shadow’s legs which kept it from moving.

“Oh?”

Then, Sunburst swing his hooves downward to control something else. “SHATTER APART!”

A ray of purifying light pierced the heavens, and struck down the shadow pony. With a high-pitched whizz, the beam cut deep into its soul in order to weaken it. It did its job so well that Pound Cake and I were set free of the clutches of the shadow’s grasp.

“AGH!” Pound took a deep breath of air once he was free, “That...that was not comfortable at all.”

“Bro!” Pumpkin teleported to her brother’s side to aid him, “Relax. Let me take care of you…”

I stood up, and had a better look at what had transpired. I put the pieces together and realized that Pumpkin Cake had activated some sort of special rune for Sunburst so that he could restrain, and destroy the resurrected shadow pony. But just what would he do from there, I wondered…

I watched as Sunburst’s pillar of magic had finished its job. However, the shadow pony wasn’t quite vanquished just yet. Sunburst had to complete the rest of this task by hoof.

But as soon as he got ready to deal the final blow to the now pitifully gray shadow pony, he was stopped by its voice--a voice that we all could still hear.

“...Ergh.Well done. However, before you end me, allow me to make a final request.”

“Oh yeah?” Sunburst asked, eyes narrowed with his horn ready to fire off Luna-knows what, “What is it?”

“...if you allow me to remain alive. I will tell you about your father, Sunburst. I’m sure you’d like to know why he left your mother so that you can finally get your life in order and figure out what’s most important to you. Wouldn’t you like that?”

Sunburst tilted his head downwards, likely to contemplate what he was just told. After a moment or two, he used his magic to grab the weakened shadow by force, and pull him towards his face. “...You really know what happened to him? And why my mother is in such a sorry state? Do you?”

“...I know your insecurities better than anypony here. Even more than that so-called best friend of yours, Starlight. I can help you prove that you don’t need anyone in this world and that you’re stronger than you always were perceived to be. Just allow me the chance to--”

But before the shadow demon could finish that sentence, Sunburst pressed his book against its body, which caused it to disperse into a swirl of light with a pop!

He chose not to stick around either. The stallion turned, and started to trot away as he muttered something under his breath. Something that sent an anxious chill up my spine.

“Burn until we meet again...Stygian.”

Subject 236: Death With A Vengeance

I couldn’t lie, his display of power was amazing. I would never have expected Sunburst to be able to take something down almost entirely on his own like that. But just how did he manage? Regardless, there would be time to think about that later. For the moment, I had to make sure the Twins were okay.

Pumpkin had used her magic to take care of our wounds, to which we were more than grateful.

“Sis, you were amazing!” Pound cheered as he gave her a hug, “Where did you learn how to control magic like that?”

“Well...hrrk--” she was a bit squished from her brother’s embrace, and levitated herself out of the grip to avoid suffocation. “Thanks, but there isn’t much time to explain all that. I’ll tell you more about it later, yeah? Now where did Pinkie go...”

That reminded me! Pinkie got launched clear across the horizon once her machine was destroyed. Okay, it was time for some deliberation.

“You two go track down Pinkie,” I said, “You showed top-notch skill out here in this battle, but it’s more important to never leave your friends behind. So get going. The sooner you can find her, the better.”

The twins looked at each other for a second, then back to me, and nodded together.

“Yes sir,” Pound replied, “We’ll take care of it no problem. Come on, sis.”

“See you later, sir,” Pumpkin added before the two left in tandem.

I took a moment to exhale. That was a rather rough encounter, but I knew it was far from over. That’s when Cheerilee finally regrouped with me after that situation had concluded. She looked a bit more bruised, but still kicking.

“Everything...whew...alright on this end?” she asked with a shortness of breath.

“Mostly,” I replied with a small smile in return, “But we need to keep going. There’s no telling what could be next from the likes of him.”

Cheerilee shut her eyes for a moment. “Wait a second...I can feel something. Something disturbing…”

I gave her my full attention. “Wait a second, what? Just what sort of disturbance can you sense exactly? And how far away do you think it is?”

“Not far at all, actually. On the path towards Sweet Apple Acres. There’s something familiar about it. As if...as if it’s calling out to you specifically.”

That pretty much told me all I needed to know. It must have been time for the true fight to begin.

“Alright then…”

I didn’t ask about it, but I could venture a guess that Cheerilee had learned a bit from the Earth Pony lessons she had taught at the schoolhouse. Had she honed her sensory abilities to be akin to mine? This was yet another aspect of her that I would have to investigate further once all of this was over.

At that moment, we headed out towards the farm. Up the hills towards the Western side of Ponyville where the smell of apples came across clear as day. The massive red barn started to appear nearer and nearer over time as we galloped towards it.

That’s when I felt it.

An overwhelmingly negative, yet familiar aura. This was bad because Cheerilee’s words rang true. This aura was a direct callout to me personally. Whoever was behind this one knew I was on the battlefield and wanted me to approach them. But you know what? Fine then. I was on the search for a particular set of individuals anyway. The sooner I could eliminate them, the better.

At last, we arrived at the farm. But something was off. Things were quiet….too quiet….

“Do you feel anything?” Cheerilee asked while on a lookout, and crept up to the front gate of the farm.

“...Yes--and no,” I replied as I swallowed a lump of anxiety in my throat. “You’re going to hear it in a few seconds.”

The fuschia mare crouched low to the ground. “Pale...what do you mean by that?”

I took shelter next to the fence. The magical aura had become more volatile in those last few seconds. “We’re about to find--”

BLAM!

The sound of an explosion occurred from the barn nearby. Thousands of red wood shavings trickled down and clattered all around us. We cowered to protect our heads, and once the rain of smoky wood stopped, we saw two ponies fly above us, and tumble to a stop behind us.

“AgH! Oof!” Applebloom was the first. She coughed up some dirt, and rubbed her mouth with her hoof before she stood upright. “That darn motherhubbard…how dare that thang hurt mah sister?!”

Next to her, her cousin landed--albeit with a bit more finesse as she hit the ground upright with her hooves firmly planted in the earth to stop on a dime. “Can’t lose focus, cuz. He may have gotten AJ, but he ain’t gonna get any fartha!”

Cheerilee and I didn’t even bother to ask who they had referred to. The individual in question showed themselves just moments later.

Another demon pony that had a smoky red and black hue swooped in to greet us. It hovered above us all as if it inspected us for a meal. The key difference from the others was that this one had bat wings. Curious. But then, I took a closer look at its eyes.

Lustful, power-hungry, uncaring, excitable. Yet extremely familiar. The aura was very recent for a demon of hell.

And then it hit me. The motivations of this one became clear.

“...Svengallop,” I muttered, “Modified and back for revenge.”

Subject 237: Apple Farm Raid

I quickly addressed the Apple mares. “Do either of you know where Applejack’s body is?”

“Yeah,” Applebloom replied, “As soon as Ah came home to see if any trouble started, Ah found this creep havin’ sucked her dry!” she pointed at the flying demon pony, and stomped her hoof.

Babs stepped forward, and shouted up at the pony. “What I wanna know is why in blue blazes wouldja attack AJ?! In her sleep no less! What did she evah do to you, ya basic bastahd!”

No words. The pony simply descended, and landed on the ground in front of us. With a small chuckle, he waved his hoof which activated some sort of magic spell.

POOF!

Around him, several pillars of dark magic erupted. Once the smoke cleared, we could see several other demons--and a kirin--that were bent to his will. Most of them were mares. And that’s when all of my suspicions were confirmed.

“Yup...that’s him,” I swore under my breath, “This is my fault…”

“Hold on,” Applebloom spoke up, “Sir, do you actually recognize this...thang?”

“I do,” I replied with a sigh, “Do you remember Coloratura’s old manager from twenty years ago?”

Both Babs and Applebloom took a look at each other for a moment.

“So Svengallop was sent to Tartarus, eh?” Babs commented, “Guess we’ll hafta send ‘em back there ourselves!”

There was no way I could allow them to do such a thing. This was my mistake, and I would rectify it here and now. “No...I was the one who killed him. It’s on me to face this for the sake of Applejack.”

The Apple mares fell silent. Even though it was a long time ago, they had remembered the choice I made that ended up all over the news. Many weren’t satisfied with it, but others didn’t care at the time. A few thought that someone like Svengallop deserved to die and deserved no trial at all.

Now? That decision had returned to bite me in the ass.

Cheerilee was the first to attempt to persuade me. “Hun. Don’t do this. We know that you made a horrible lapse in judgement when dealing with that creep the first time. But please, don’t make another. We’re all here. We can fight together.”

“...Applejack suffers now because of a choice I made,” I looked ahead at the small group of demons, “If I don’t act now, then I am not worthy of this--”

SMACK!

“YEEH!” I felt Cheerilee’s tail strike the side of my rear-end and I let out a wheeze in response. “...Um. Ow?”

“Enough of that,” she commanded, “You’re wasting time dawdling over the past. If you want to make up for your actions, then I suggest we get to fighting.”

I flicked my tail, and sighed. She was right. It wasn’t the time for contemplative meditation. It was time for action.

Even the bastard on the other end of the dirt path had gotten tired of us standing around.

“Ahem.” He cleared his throat--his voice reverberated around the air just like the shadow pony from before.

“Ain’t got time to worry about that, bruddah,” Babs scraped her hoof against the dirt in preparation for takeoff, “What’s the plan?”

Okay. This could not register on an emotional level. If they could keep their heads in a calm state, then so could I. To start off, we needed to make sure that none of his little group made it into the rest of the town.

“You all take the side-horses,” I spat, and glared into the eyes of that grotesque demon, “I’ll deal with him myself.”

Applebloom was the first to respond to this suggestion. “Yer the boss, mister. Now huddle up, ya’ll.” Then, from the corner of my eye, I watched as she spat away the cork from a potion bottle filled with a clear liquid, and threw it against the ground.

CLATTER!

I couldn’t see myself anymore….oh! That was it! An invisibility potion. A perfect way to start things off. We could still see each other’s auras which was perfect so that we wouldn’t get in each other’s way.

To my left, I could see Babs rush in, and make contact with multiple demons at once. Even when three of them swarmed her at once, her muscle definition was so strong that the demons actually chipped their teeth when they tried to feast on her flesh. This was followed up by a round of hefty punches and kicks that sent them flying clear across the sky.

Applebloom took a more subtle approach with various potions and curses. To be quite honest, I was not very well-versed in the arcane arts. But from what I could tell, each potion she threw had a unique effect. Some inflicted freeze, burn, poison, electrocution, and loads of other status effects on the enemies. Every time I heard a bottle crack open, it spelt doom for another demon.

Cheerilee, well--she needed no real explanation did she?

And I went right up the center to take on the newly enhanced Svengallop myself. If there was one thing I could do right for a change, then now was the time.

I made use of Applebloom’s invisibility potion for as long as possible in order to sneak up behind the demon. I had perfect timing too, because it had worn off as soon as I lunged at him from a blind spot.

Or at least, what I thought had been a blind spot.

SWOOSH!

Just before I landed a blow, he turned around and grabbed my neck with his hoof. I let out a breathless gasp, then grit my teeth as I stared into his eyes. Those feisty, incessantly arrogant eyes of his. Even though he was missing his glasses, his free hoof pantomimed pushing them up in that snobbish way.

“This time things are going to be different. I will have my proper tribute, detective.”

Subject 238: Battle of Hate

“So you can understand me, then?” I hoarsely responded, “And just what do you intend to do with yourself up here? Do you really think someone like Grogar is going to actually stay true to his...its word?”

“That thing can do whatever it wants to this forsaken world--hopefully not destroy it, though. There has to be something left for us. In any case…” He pushed me away which caused me to fly back a few meters. “I want a rematch. No--a proper match. As brave as you try to act on the surface, you’re a coward who hides behind his badge for the sake of what you think is right. Me? I know what I’m doing is wrong, but at least I’m not afraid of doing it.”

I skid to a stop on the dirt path, and gazed up at him once more. To be quite honest, I couldn’t refute all of what he said. Killing him ahead of time was absolutely a display of my own tactless mentality. However, what I wouldn’t apologize for, was my beliefs.

“It’s true. Doing the right thing isn’t always so clear-cut and easy to figure out,” I said, “But that doesn’t mean I’ll stop trying. Even after all of my mistakes, I’ve still got too much to live for just to throw everything away.” I tilted my neck left and right to properly stretch. “So come at me with everything you have, Svengallop. You want a proper battle? Then let’s cut the words. Come at me with all you got.”

And so it began.

The winged Svengallop flew straight at me, likely for a tackle to the ground. But put up enough resistance in order to counter it.

I used my forelegs to grab onto, and hold him there. I tried to go for his neck, but the amount of force he applied prevented me from being able to deal lethal damage. “Rrrgh!” The dirt beneath my hind legs slowly sunk into a crater as I was pushed back. I could already feel an excess amount of stress on my shoulders. Not only was his natural earth pony strength amplified, but the wings granted him even more agility. Just how would I deal with this?

“The strength you were born with will only get you so far,” he snidely cut at me.

My efforts would be cut short by a swift grab. With all his might, Svengallop flung me straight upwards--into the air like a rocket ready to leave the atmosphere.

“Wha--shit!” I panicked as I saw the ground grow further and further away from my perspective. This was absolutely horrible. I needed to get rid of those wings as fast as possible so that we would be on a level playing field.

That’s when I realized that I had been thrown high enough to reach the clouds in the sky. From the corner of my eye, I could see Cozy Glow still fighting for herself just a bit across town near the Boutique alongside a few other ponies.

That’s all the motivation I needed, really.

I focused. In a few seconds, I knew Svengallop would fly up at me and follow up with another attack. The key issue with his newfound abilities was that earth ponies simply weren’t built for flight--even if he managed to overcome the problem of lift, there was simply no way that his control over wings would match even the least average of pegasus.

So I decided to use it to my advantage in an all-or-nothing approach.

WOOSH!

The red and black demon of smoke flew up through the clouds with his jaws out, ready to sink them into my face.

I held up my hoof and blocked his attack. “EGH!” The pain of those jagged, sawtooth edges that drilled into my limb shot right up into my brain. I had to hold back a scream of pain as I led the next part of my counterattack into motion.

Since he bit down on me, we couldn’t be separated unless he ripped his teeth out by force. I used the momentum of his own flight against him, and swung around until I planted my hind legs into his back.

Then, in a bout of sick karma, I sunk my own jaws into one of his wings. “RRRRGH!” With all that I had, I pulled and pulled some more. I could hear the slow tear of flesh rip away from his body.

CRUNCH!

In response, I felt his teeth sink into my hoof even more. It hurt like hell. Literally. Like a dozen hot knives being shoved right into my skin with their saw-like edges that punctured my cells on an individual level. I could feel tears fly away from my face, but eventually, I could hear one of the wings rip clean off. I knew it. No matter how hard he tried, no alterations could truly make you ascend.

“YAAAGH!”

The demon pony released my limb from his grip as he screamed. His pain tolerance was a bit lower than mine, so I had the advantage in that regard. Yes. I knew that we would immediately start to plummet back down towards the earth as soon as he stopped flying, but it was a risk that I needed to take.

But before I could bite off that other artificial demon wing, I was elbow’d right in my gut.

“ACK!” I shouted, and could have sworn I saw a few drops of blood fly out of my mouth. In a last-ditch effort, I tried to wrap my undamaged hoof around the base of the wing to pull it out of its socket.

I had no idea if I was successful since Svengallop threw me back down to the ground.

The dirt path in front of the farm had come on too fast, and before I knew it, I was smack-dab in the ground.

SPLAT!

...I wasn’t dead. Because I could still hear faint voices.

“Ms. Cheerilee! Look out!”

“Thanks, Applebloom! Never thought I’d be fighting alongside one of my students and yet…”

“Are you kiddin’? Yer super cool the way you fight!”

I was down, but I had to get back up...until that is, I felt a shooting pain in my back.

Subject 239: Faith In Others

As it turned out, I was successful with the act of tearing off the other fake wing from Svengallop’s body. Now we no longer had to deal with impractical aerial combat. However, what I didn’t account for was the fact that he had landed on my back and had me pinned to the ground.

“Ugh...what the shit…” I raised my face up, and out of the ground to open my eyes. There, I found Applebloom and Cheerilee communicate as they fought alongside each other.

“You’re very skilled with those potions,” Cheerilee complimented the young mare whilst she blocked an attack from a demon. “How do you know so much about them?”

“Well it was thanks to yer teachin’ that Ah learned how to keep at somethin’ ‘till I figured out how it worked. You was the one that helped me have an open mind, ma’am,” Applebloom replied with a grin, and chucked another bottle at her enemies which shrunk them down to the size of rats. “Aw, ya’ll are so cute this way!”

I could see Cheerilee’s heart melt a little bit while she flung a demon over her head and into a nearby tree. “That’s amazing, Applebloom. I’m...I couldn’t be happier knowing that I’ve had such a positive influence on your life.”

The yellow mare popped a cork off of another bottle--this one was filled with a green liquid. “Oh yeah. Ah’m actually on mah way to findin’ a cure for pegasus moltin’. But fer now, watch this! Babs, gimme a lift!”

“You got it, cuz!” Babs replied and ran over to her cousin’s position. She slid underneath Applebloom, and bent her hind legs inwards. Then with a hard push, “Nyha!” she essentially sprung her cousin into the air with the power of her legs alone.

“YEE-HAW!” Once in the air, Applebloom performed what I could only describe as an elegant spin. The potion from her bottle was sent in all directions and rained down all around her. While it had no effect on her allies, the demons would be slowly corroded and reduced to atoms by the liquid.

“Ya got ‘em, cuz!” Babs shouted, “Nice one!”

Once she was done, she defied all known laws of physics, and landed on the ground perfectly upright.

Through all of that, I was still pinned beneath the weight of Svengallop who drove my neck into the dirt with his hoof.

“Well isn’t that cute. Your little girlfriends think they’ve already won, haven’t they? What they don’t realize is that my army has more or less followed me. I know, unexpected, isn’t it? But you know how it is.”

As he spoke to me, more of his demon underlings rose out of the ground. Cheerilee, Babs, and Applebloom were forced to continue fighting them before they could even come close to where I was.

Dammit. It was a good distraction. I had to pray that they would find out that such an effort was pointless since Svengallop was in control of them all and come directly at him instead. But I also knew that this couldn’t stand. I needed to find a way to get him off of me.

I tried to reach out one hoof forward to grasp at a small nearby rock, but his prehensile demon tail restrained my limb before I could touch it.

“You really think that’s gonna work? Oh nonono! See, here’s the thing. The fun is just about to start. Just lie here, and watch as your lady friend struggles along with her student. And then, well--let’s just hope she likes it rough.”

Oh hell no. There had to be something I could do. But...he was far too strong. I couldn’t move, and my allies would likely succumb to exhaustion very soon if what the bastard said was true.

There was only one thing left that I could do.

I put my head down into the dirt, and poured all of my aura into it. Yeah it looked ridiculous, but it was the only way. My only hope was that a fellow Earth Pony could pick up on the distress call that I had sent out. If not, then well--this was pretty much it for me.

Unfortunately for me, Svengallop could also detect what I had sent out, to which he openly mocked while I was down.

“Seriously? Yet again you call upon the hooves of someone else to do the dirty work for you. Didn’t you learn from last time? No matter what happens to me while I’m in this form, I’ll. Always. Come. Back. So go ahead, play your little trump card like the coward you are. It won’t change a thing.”

I said nothing. Actions spoke louder than words. And there was only one soul that I could think of that was brave enough, yet also pure enough to counteract the disgusting sense of pride that resided in this stallion’s heart. If she was able to sense my distress signal that I sent through the earth itself, then things would immediately begin to turn around. Did I expect her to really take the battlefield? Honestly, yes. Applejack was her best childhood friend. And if she was in danger, I knew that she would appear.

And lo and behold, not even a few minutes later…

“Svengallop!” a mare’s voice cried out from the path that led to the farm, “Let him go. I’m the one you want, right?”

The enhanced demon of a pony released me from his grip, and turned his head towards the South. As soon as he laid eyes on the individual that had appeared, he let out a rather arrogant snicker. “Hmhmhm...well well. Look at what the pussy wagon decided to bring me today. Finally crawling back to me after the mistake you made all those years ago? Narcissistic bitch?!” he said with a tiny bit of hysterics compared before.

I wanted to strangle him with every fiber of my being in that moment. I could only hope that she wouldn’t lose her mind against him.

Subject 240: Singer's Struggles

Coloratura had appeared. No fancy frills or outfits. Just there in her most natural self. She flat out ignored the crass, low-brow insults directed at her, and pressed the stallion for questions. “Where is Applejack? I know she’s alive.”

“Oh, I’ll get to that!” he slowly made his way towards her with a small amount of anxious pep in each step denoted by the way he held back furious giggles. “Hehehe--but first, what about you? You’re looking as wonderful as ever. Did you really come all the way out here just for me?” he put a hoof to his chest with his smug snake of a smile on full display.

Did he not realize that I was the one who summoned her in the first place? My god, how dense.

Rara feigned a gag motion to reflect how disgusted she was, but she stood her ground with her words. “Blech. If you’re not gonna tell me, then I’ll just have to find her myself. And if you get in my way, there will be serious consequences, mister,” she said with a glare that could bore holes into steel.

And yet, the fool refused to be swayed by her words. In fact, he actually decided to comply--what? “Hold on a second. I can show you where she is. She’s still alive! In perfect condition, even!”

“Oh really? Show me,” she challenged with a stomp of her hoof, “Bring me Applejack’s body right now. And she better still be breathing.”

Svengallop fell for it rather easily. Though to be honest, I wasn’t quite sure what ‘it’ was, per se. I’m glad she wanted to make sure that Applejack was okay, but what exactly was her goal here?

That’s when I looked up to see Applebloom at my side. She had skid to a stop, likely from having leapt away from the massive amount of melee from those other demons. She popped the corks off of two potions--one aquamarine, one pink. “Here, drink this.”

I simply opened my maw, and allowed her to pour the contents into me. I could only assume it was something medicinal because I slowly started to feel the pain and soreness of that battle lessen over time. I wasn’t being healed completely, but it’d be enough to continue the battle.

“Alright now hold still, partner…” As for the pink potion, Applebloom dumped the liquid directly onto my injured hoof that was bitten into from earlier. “Okay. Now lie low like ya ain’t moved--when he comes back, then ya spring a surprise attack on him.”

Before I could get a word in, Applebloom retreated to the battle on the other side of the path where Cheerilee and Babs were. If this was part of some grand plan, then I had no choice but to play my part properly.

Soon, Svengallop would return with the body of Applejack in his hooves--much to the chagrin of Coloratura, who likely wanted her out of his nasty clutches.

“Seeeeee?” he said in a rather forcefully adoring tone, “She’s not hurt.” He placed her on the ground, and actually tried to negotiate with her. “Now about you...why don’t you--”

“Give me a second, would you?” Rara ordered the demon that she seemingly had tamed with her words. She took a few steps forward, and knelt down next to Applejack to check on her.

From where I was, it sounded as if they whispered to each other. But I couldn’t exactly hear the words that had been exchanged between them.

Ever the impatient one, Svengallop interrupted them. “Ahem! So, now that I’ve shown you that she’s perfectly fine, what say you give all of this up and we can leave this place. Heck, I’ll even call off the entire army so we can go in peace!” he offered with a sadistic inflection in his voice.

In a rather eerie twist, Rara would seemingly try to appeal to his request. “Hmm...alright. First, call off the other...demon thingies and then we’ll talk.”

Ohhh. I started to see the baseline of her plan. This woman had quite the set of balls on her to do something like this.

And Svengallop was forced to weigh his options. I could see it with how hesitant he was. Deep down, I knew it was because he harbored some sort of sick sense of attraction towards Rara--one that he couldn’t just ignore. It was both gross and sad at the same time.

After careful consideration, and a bit of fidgeting, he relented. “...Ngh...mm...a-alright. Fine….”

With a flash of magic, the rest of the demons that Cheerilee and the others had been in combat with disappeared which left Svengallop alone--in the middle of us all. This was the perfect opportunity for me to get up and strike, however…

From across the dirt path, Coloratura shot me a look. Her eyes were cold as she gave me a stoic, yet subtle shake of her head. Did she want me to stay where I was? This was crazy, but I had to at least let it play out before I jumped the gun and messed everything up. Come on, ma’am...you can do this.

Coloratura took a step forward. “Okay. Now that all of that is out of the way, Svengallop. Talk to me. Why are you so hellbent on this destruction? This isn’t like you at all,” she said with confidence that boomed through the air. “You weren’t exactly the nicest manager, but you never seemed like a pony that would want to destroy the world. So explain yourself.”

The demon stallion took a step back. “W-wait...hold on. I didn’t think you’d actually--”

Rara didn’t back down. She repeated herself with a bit more authority in her voice. “Answer the question.”

Subject 241: Tumultuous Takedown

Now verbally cornered, Svengallop had no choice but to explain himself at long last. “Alright fine...you wanna know the truth? Here it is: I’ve always wanted you for myself, ‘Tura. Everything from the way you moved on stage to how you sang. It was what inspired me to take you in in the first place…because I knew you’d be the best and would become famous with all of your talents. However...” he said with the tiniest hint of regret, as if in an attempt to play the victim. “...now that you’re here, everything’s okay. I can make things better and--”

The blue mare let out a deep, exasperated exhale which forced the stallion into an awkward silence. It would be about two minutes before she finally responded.

“You...so that explains it, huh?” her head hung down with a bit of shame as she let out an ironic chuckle. “Wow I...this is just crazy.”

On the brink of disaster, Svengallop gingerly inquired, “W-what is?”

Rara raised her head, and stared down her oppressor. “You never really cared about me or my career at all. You just wanted to fulfill a sick fantasy with me as a financial safety net. I...I can’t believe you. I didn’t think anypony could be so vile and just....urrrgh!” she stomped her hooves, and shouted, “You’re the worst living being on this planet!”

“W-what? But I...you can’t be serious!” Svengallop reacted with a rather skittish laugh, “Haha...tell me this is a joke! You can’t forget that I was the one who helped you reach the apex of popularity! I was the one who made you a star in the first place! But then you threw me aside like trash--only for me to wind up dead at the hooves of a loose cannon officer pony!”

Yet again, Rara had to take a deep breath as she came up with her counterarguments. I could feel the tension rise as the earth beneath her hooves started to break apart from sheer frustration and raw hatred.

“You keep trying to play the victim time and time again.” She put a hoof over her face out of disbelief, “At this point, there may not be any hope left for you. The only reason why you ended up dead is because of the choices you made after you left me. Not the other way around. I didn’t fire you. And as of right now, part of me wishes that I did.”

To say that Svengallop didn’t like this response would be an understatement. He stuttered like a child that had been told no by their parents, and tried to spitefully snap back with a poorly-worded statement. “Yeah, well...I’m not going anywhere! If you won’t accept me for who I am, then I’ll just seek satisfaction elsewhere!”

“No you won’t,” Rara spoke coldly, “Because I’ll keep you here until you give in.”

“Oh yeah? And just how are you gonna do that, cow?!” he had reverted back to his more child-like insults as he started to approach her once more...with more malicious intent as he screamed at her. “You are mine and no one else’s! You owe me everything!”

From across the path, I saw her eyes glance over to me with a shred of regret. She knew there weren’t too many other options left. So she likely wanted me to step in with a surprise attack.

With the way he was about to attack her, there was no other option.

And so, I got up off of the ground, and rushed over. In a split second before Svengallop could reach her, I tackled him to the ground instead.

“Grrh! You’ve done more than enough!” I shouted as I held him down, “It’s time for you to go back where you belong!”

“W-wh--no! I…” he scrambled to try and figure out what to say next, “This doesn’t change the fact that you killed me unlawfully! No matter what you do, that’s going to haunt you until the day you die! Don’t you understand?! In spite of everything, you’re no better than I am!”

I put pressure with both of my hooves on his neck. “No. I am better than you. You know why?” I snarled in his face, close to biting his nose right off. “Because I am willing to admit the mistakes I make. I am not the one who hides behind a perverted, childish demeanor to gaslight others to get what he wants. But most of all? I’m not a piece of shit…” I looked up at Coloratura. “The choice is yours, ma’am. What do you want to do with him?”

She let out a small sigh. “If possible, I’d like him wiped from existence so he could never return from anywhere--not Tartarus or--”

Applebloom stepped forward. “Yeah I can handle that, ya’ll.”

“Wait, you can?” Rara asked.

“Mm-hmm. Long story short, there’s like multiple separate stages of limbo or ‘the beyond’ as its referred to. It’s where zebras and earth ponies get some of their magic from. What Ah’m gettin’ at is that Ah got somethin’ that Ah’ve been meanin’ to test out anyways…” she said with a small grin as she reached into her saddlebag to procure a jet black potion. “But now, are ya’ll sure you wanna--?”

“Yes,” the blue mare replied, “He’s done nothing but cause me trouble for my entire career. Not even the demons down in Tartarus deserve to be shacked up with the likes of him.”

Svengallop tried to come in with one last interjection. “You’ll still wish you never--!”

SMACK!

Faster than I could blink, Coloratura delivered a swift stomp to the stallion’s face. So hard that it was enough to knock him clean out. “...Shut it. Applebloom. Do your thing.”

I stood up to give her some room. Applebloom proceeded to step over and promptly, ‘do her thing’ by pouring that weird black liquid all over the demon pony’s body which slowly started to corrode him--skin-first. “Aaaaand there we go, ya’ll. He’ll be outta here in no time and get sent to a place where he’ll be...unreachable.”

After all of that, I decided to take a seat.

I felt tears run down the side of my face. Was Svengallop still right in some capacity?

Subject 242: The Battlefield Is Changing

To give a summary of what happened next: Coloratura decided to stay behind at the farm with Babs and Applebloom to make sure Applejack fully recovered. In the meantime, Cheerilee and I had to get going. That was only one of many skirmishes that were set to take place thanks to Grogar’s influence.

But before we left, I felt Babs nudge me at my side. “Hey, bruddah. You alright?”

I dried my tears, and wiped my face. “Huh? Yeah, just--just something in my eye is all.”

“Look man...if you gots a problem, don’t be tryin’a act tough about it. I’m ya friend--and from the looks of it, yous still feelin’ bad about what the asshole said, eh?” she tilted her head with a soft, sympathetic gaze behind her eyes.

Could never really escape her perceptive self, could I? “Augh...yeah. You’re right. I’m sorry--I need to stay focused.”

She reached out, and put a hoof around my neck. “Don’t be. Whatcha sorry for? We may be in the middle of a massive armed conflict, but that don’t mean we should just pretend our emotions don’t exist, should we?”

The embrace got me to think critically for a while. And she was right once again. Carrying a stone-faced, emotionless visage is what led me down the path to make choices such as killing Svengallop unwarranted in the first place. While it wasn’t good to let emotions drive one’s decisions, to toss them out entirely would also prove to be equally harmful. I needed to keep that in mind as we proceeded.

“You have a point,” I replied, “For the moment, Cheerilee and I will head off to the other side of town and keep helping there. You make sure your cousin recovers, yeah?”

She let go of me, and flashed me that dominant smile of hers. “O’course. But in exchange, you betta invite me to ya weddin’.”

“Wedding? What are you--”

Before she could finish that thought, her cousin had called her name. “Babs! I’mma need yer help carryin’ some appuls to the barn to make some cider!”

“No problem, cuz!” Babs turned to me, and gave me a playful nudge with her hoof. “See ya soon, eh? And don’t you go dyin’ out there.”

Once she left, I had to get up and prepared to get going again. Cheerilee approached me to see how I had held up. “How are you feeling, Pale?”

“My own name pretty much describes it,” I returned with some self-deprecation to try and make light of it, “Or something like that. But no really, I’m starting to feel a bit better knowing that he’s gone and forgotten.”

“There’s no shame in wanting to rest,” she said, “I’m getting a bit tired as well. Even though the war rages on, we still need to make sure that we’re in top condition.”

“Hm…” I shut my eyes for a second. To see if I could sense anything. There wasn’t anything immediate that stood out--until I caught wind of something in the air. Not too far off from the Town Hall with a few innocent bystanders nearby. If that place was threatened, then we could be in for a rough time.

“Is something wrong,” Cheerilee asked.

I had to be honest. “Yeah, I can feel it. A threat not too far from here. If we hurry, we can make it there before anything bad happens.”

“I see...does it come across as something familiar?”

“Yeah...a tad. If what I can feel is true, then someone I know is over there right now. We don’t have much time to mess around, Cheery.”

She looked at me, and nodded. “Alright. Then let’s get a move on.”

And so we did. We bid the farm a safe goodbye as we went on our way. We had managed to recover just enough to where we could keep moving towards the next sign of danger was located.

WOOSH!

SHOOM!

I looked above us both, and saw what appeared to be a familiar teal pegasus fly through the air as she fought with another familiar individual. One who was laced with a green and black aura with no definitie body shape.

That’s when it hit me.

“...Lightning Dust. She’s battling what’s left of Elytra!”

“What??” Cheerilee looked at me, then up at the sky. “Are you sure?”

“Positive,” I replied, “But she won’t last for much longer. We need to find a way to bring that battle down to the ground so we can help her.”

Cheerilee must have caught something rather worrisome. She started to back up with a nervous frown on her face. “Um, Pale...I don’t think that’ll be necessary…”

I was confused for a moment. “Wait a minute, what?” Then I looked up once more--closer. That’s when I saw a pony’s body fly downwards. It dropped out of the sky and plummeted towards the earth. “...Aw shit.”

From across the side of the Town Square we were on, we could hear Lightning Dust scream at the top of her lungs. “NO! LEAVE HER ALONE!”

CRASH!

The body hit the earth with a violent roar of thunderous dirt. Lightning Dust’s teal trail of coloration followed her when she shot downwards like a laser beam. She stopped, and hovered defensively in front of the crater that was made from the impact.

“I’ll never let you touch her! Get away!”

“...L-Lightning…? You’re….”

As the demon mare floated down to greet her, I managed to make out who had hit the ground. Then my heart dropped.

“Scootaloo?!”

Cheerilee shouted right alongside me. “WHAT?!”

Subject 243: Lightning Trust

Like a fool, I was close to rushing in before I knew the context of the situation. Cheerilee was equally livid to see one of her old students in danger, but I wasn’t about to let her hurt herself.

“If Scootaloo is so much as scratched, I am gonna--”

I grabbed ahold of her tail with my teeth. “Hang on. We need to approach this carefully. Elytra is a fickle mistress.”

From nearby, we heard the two sides speak to each other.

“What is the meaning of this? Why do you struggle so hard to keep somepony else safe? More so, why would you care about somepony that you hate?”

“What do you mean?” Lightning replied with a grimace, “How dare you say something like that! You don’t know me and where my heart lies!”

“Oh? But if I recall, weren’t you the one who coerced her into performing a dangerous stunt out of jealousy towards Rainbow Dash? How did it feel? Coming close to usurping your once-partner by following your heart and trying to eliminate her?”

“Th...that was two decades ago!” Lightning screamed in the face of the changeling with all she had. “I was a dumbass back then! I never really wanted to hurt her! I just...I don’t know!”

Next to me, Cheerilee snarled with her hooves scraping at the ground--ready to take off. “That’s it. I’m getting Scootaloo out of there. You? Tear that whorse a new asshole for me.”

Okay. There was officially zero--nay--negative chance to stop this mare when she had a plan ready. No time to mess about anyways.

“Alright. But if we hit trouble--and she’s already taken off ahead of me,” I said to myself as I watched her run on ahead. Yowzers that mare could run.

And so could I. With the utmost persistence, I rushed in to grant Lightning Dust some aid. “Hey! What’s going on here?!”

“Pale? Oh thank god--I have a witness now…” Lightning spoke in a rather relieved tone when she saw me. Why was she so desperate to have an audience for this situation.

Elytra snapped back. “You...hmph. I was hoping to see that old fart Starswirl. He would have a hoot upon the realization that his carelessness allowed me to come back not only once--but twice! Might even have a heart attack if he’s lucky.”

Yeech. How disturbing. “Save your petting comments for someone else. You aren’t going to get any further than you already have. Right, Ms. Dust?”

The teal pegasus gazed at me with hope in her eyes. Almost as if she didn’t expect such a response. “...Y..yeah! This’ll be easy!”

Behind us, from the corner of my eye, I could see Cheerilee pick up the injured Scootaloo and slowly back away to get her to safety. Okay, that was over and done with. Now we just had to address the threat that was in front of us.

“Easy? Hm. Are you forgetting how much stronger I am now? Than the both of you? Not even your alicorn retired princesses could stand up to me now. I’m perfect in every way that Chrysalis was not.” The newly minted changeling pondered for a moment. “Hm. Where are those old hags anyways? Shouldn’t they be out here helping their subjects? Or are they too afraid to raise a hoof against powers that they themselves are responsible for?”

Blech. As much as I hated to agree with an enemy, she was right. It was extremely curious as to why neither Celestia nor Luna had made themselves apparent yet. I could only imagine that Cadance and Twilight currently dealt with other threats that were launched on their home regions, and thus, couldn’t come to aid us. But as far as the Two Sisters...yeah, I had nothing.

Even so, that wouldn’t stop us from holding our own ground.

“That’s not a concern that we--or you--should have,” I replied swiftly, “What matters is taking you off the face of the earth before you can cause anymore destruction.”

“Yeah!” Lightning supported me with her own words, “You’re gonna rot in the pits below Tartarus for what you did to Scoots! Now get ready!”

The grotesque, mutated changeling flew into the air and lit up her horn with a sickly green aura of magic. “I’d love to see you try before I suck you dry.”

The start to this situation was much more deliberate. With Elytra’s horn activated, she caused the entire world around us to shift and contort into a blackish-green mist that disrupted our vision. It didn’t hurt, but it made it damn near impossible to see through.

“Tch! Hghghg…” I started to shudder. That’s when I began to feel its effects slowly seep its way into my body. This was no ordinary changeling magic. It didn’t attack our sense of love--no…

Around me, I started to see convincing clones of myself. Mirages that represented all of my cases up to this point. Except...I saw myself murder and destroy every criminal I came across without question. One by one, necks broken, bodies hidden...and congratulated for my deeds.

“No...no...I’m not...gah…” I froze in place. Watching myself commit these heinous acts as if they were real and etched into my actual memory caused me to shake down to my core. “I don’t...I’d never…”

“But you wish you could,” her voice cut through the darkness like a hot knife through butter, “And that very fact leads me to believe that you’re not who you say you are. You’re weak. No better than the ponies that run this terrible world. But that ends now. This world will be ruled by the strong rather than the weak…”

“I...can’t...you’re wrong…” I tried to lift my body up, but I felt too constrained to move. Was I really that weak?

And in that moment, I could have sworn I heard a faint song in the distance. Or was it my imagination going crazy from this mental torture?

“Woah-oh…”

“Woah-oh…”

Subject 244: Anti-Corruption

Their voices became louder. As if they were calling out to me in particular. Their voices pierced into my eardrums with a motivational sort of...chant? I couldn’t exactly piece it together at first.

“Unnus...Santcus...Fortis...Dolor…”

“Come back to Earth and settle the score…”

“Don’t let this hatred strike your heart…”

Wait a minute...what? Those voices. They sounded eerily familiar with their pitch, and vocal mixing. Three, unabashedly elegant voices that dragged me in. But I still couldn’t open my eyes. My memories had been tainted by the visual delusions of Elytra’s abilities. Fear had taken me over, and I could barely think straight.

“I can’t move...or think…” I muttered to myself, “I know what she’s trying to do to me, but I physically cannot...escape it. It’s too strong…”

It was like the whole world had come crashing down in a slow, methodical pace. All around me I could see everything that I ever worked for become a blur in my mind. And by the time I realized the intent...it was too late. As I lied there in the darkness, I felt a substance try and tug on my body. I was being suffocated with some form of magic that I had never come across in my entire life.

“What...what am I? Who am I? Why am I here…?” I started to lose my mind in the most literal way possible. I started to corrode and lose my consciousness to that higher power. With nothing left, all I could do was hope for a swift end. “...You’re...hurting me…”

Then I heard those voices again. This time in an effort to push me through this.

“You know who you are…”

“Your name is carried far…”

“You want the world to change…”

“Pale Vestige. You can do this. Look into your heart and break through the pain…”

That name. Wait. It started to come back to me. But what did it mean? Just who was ‘Pale Vestige’ exactly? An individual who wanted to bring about change to make the world better? Or someone that was in over his head and had no idea what he was doing?

Honestly? At times, it felt like a bit of both.

But in that moment, I had to follow those three melodious voices back to reality. If not, I was certain that I was going to lose everything.

I hung onto my existence by a thread. But then, another voice came about. Loud and clear--one that I had made recent contact with.

“LET! HIM! GO!”

The voice of the new changeling replied with a disgusted groan. “GAH! Why do you bother to fight against me?! You have nothing left! Absolutely nopony wants anything to do with you! You should just give up and drop dead to make things easier on yourself!”

“No...I refuse! Dash is the one who made me realize that life is more than just winning at everything! And the fact that you’ve hurt her sister has essentially marked you for death! When she gets here with the Wonderbolts, you’ll be sorry!”

I heard a few blows land. I couldn’t tell exactly who had been slugged, and who had blocked attacks. But what I did know was that the battle was a fierce exchange of words and sorrow. I could hear every heartbeat, every tear shed, every individual decibel of every word cried out…

“What a riot! Fine then!” the changeling replied with a mighty roar, “Then you can join him in being forgotten! Nothing you do or say here on this day will matter! Nothing!”

All I could hear was Lightning Dust’s cocksure response. “That’s what you think! Girls, get him outta there now!”

POOF!

A wave of newfound life washed over me as I was pulled out of the darkness by force. I was suddenly back in Ponyville’s Square in the middle of the battle where I had been beforehand. And my memories...they started to return. I remembered who I was, and what I had truly been after.

“I’m...alive?” I muttered to myself as I rubbed a hoof against my forehead, “Ow...what the hell was that?”

That’s when a purple unicorn popped into view. “Hey! There’s better places to sleep than on the ground ya know!” Twilight?! No wait...it was a unicorn that looked like Twilight. But she had glasses on?

And to my left, I saw that I had been pulled underneath a yellow magical barrier of sorts. And the one who powered the barrier?

“...Glad we got here in time huh, Pops?” Sunset Shimmer in the flesh--well unicorn flesh.

But I still had loads of unanswered questions. Firstly, just what had happened to me within the darkness? Secondly, what had been going on while I was out.

I opened my mouth to ask something, but the answer I looked for was clear as day right in front of me.

ZZZZZ!

Lightning Dust had fought with everything she had--going as far as electrically charging her own body in order to outspeed Elytra’s magical blasts. A lightning cloak of sorts!

BAM!

She charged right at Elytra who generated a green barrier in the nick of time to stop the angry pegasus. However, Dust refused to relent. Her momentum carried infinitely as she tried to brute force her way through. “Pale helped me realize that there’s more than one way to stand up for myself when others won’t do it for you. And I...won’t waste this chance!”

Elytra didn’t say a word, but she faltered ever so slightly from the force. Was she...afraid?

But that still left me with one more query. “...Girls, who was singing?”

“Oh you’re about to flip your lid, sir,” the purple unicorn affectionately known as Sci-Twi replied. She turned my body to face behind us, and there I saw…

The Dazzlings?! In a half-pony/siren form with scaly tails, still singing?!

HOW?!

Subject 245: Warning Sirens

Okay, okay. If you’re like me, then you’re probably thinking that that was a lot of information to try and process at once. And you’d be right. To be perfectly honest, I had no idea how or why the Equestria Girls decided to show up at this hour. Fortunately, Sci-Twi would get me up to speed with a rather concise explanation.

“Well…”

About 12 hours ago. In the ‘Human’ World…

I was asleep as always. After doing lots of...experimentation--I had a tendency to get tired and binge eat before I conked out. But that’s when tragedy struck.

“TWILIGHT!”

“AGH!” I fell out of my bed and right onto my face. I could have sworn it was like, six in the morning or so? “...Sunset, what’s going on?”

She opened her journal which contained a message from Princess Twilight--the one from this world. Her eyes were bloodshot with a shivery panic. “We have a serious problem. One that I kind of predicted but didn’t actually think would happen.”

I stood up and tried to calm her down with some kind words. “Slow down, Sunset. I’m right here. Take your time and explain yourself.”

Sunset took a deep breath, and started to show me the message. “Right here. ‘I regret to inform you that my world is going to be under attack soon by the infamous Grogar. I’m sorry, Sunset. But I’m going to need your help. If this threat grows large enough, it could seep into your world and hurt all of your friends as well.’” Once she read it out loud, she stopped, and closed her book. “We need to go back there. Equestria is where I grew up and...while I don’t have the most pleasant of memories there, it’s still something I…”

I put a hand on her shoulder to comfort her. “Don’t trouble yourself, Sunset. I’m with you every step of the way. We’re just going to need some backup.”

“I don’t think all of our friends should travel with us to Equestria,” she replied with a small sigh, “If something were to arise while we’re gone, then we’d be in deep trouble.”

“Hmmm…” I grabbed my fidgeting pen and twirled it between my fingers. It helped me think in moments like these. “Aha. I got it. I know just who we should ask for help.”

Sunset leaned forward. “You do? Who?”

About 6 hours later....

In short, I managed to convince Sunset that we needed to get help from the Sirens. They were old. Like, really old. Old enough to have fought against Starswirl. If anybody knew how to deal with ancient threats, it was them.

“Twilight, is this really a good idea? Do you think they’ll be willing to help us?” Sunset asked me as we walked down the street.

I had already sent a text to my world’s Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Fluttershy, Rarity, and Pinkie Pie to let them know that we were gonna head out and that they needed to keep their eyes open for any crazy inter-dimensional magic.

“Of course they will. They helped us out before, didn’t they? Plus, they’ll be more than willing since we know that Pale is involved.”

“Oh yeah! That’s right, I wonder how he’s been since we last saw him…”

We got to their place. An apartment complex at the edge of town. We got up to their floor, and made a few mistakes along the way before we finally found the correct one. I knocked on the door, and we were greeted with Adagio who was dressed in yoga pants and a sports bra. Huh. Guess there were folks who used their gym memberships.

She was just as surprised as we were when we told her that we essentially needed the assistance of her and her sisters to eliminate a threat to all of Equestria and possibly our world as well.

“Wait...you need our help with something that massive? Unabashedly?” the eldest siren asked, “Um…”

“A-Dawg, who’s at the door?” the annoyed voice of another girl called out--only for Aria to appear, and wedge her way in the doorway moments later. “You guys? What do you want?”

Lastly, Sonata appeared behind them for a brief moment before she jumped upon Adagio’s shoulders to set up an involuntary piggy-back ride. She was still in her taco-patterned pajamas to boot. “Hiiiii! What’s happening up here? I heard noises!”

Sunset cleared her throat, and got to the explanation.

“...and that’s why we need your help. Your ancient singing powers still work in Equestria and could possibly be the only thing we can use against a being this strong,” she finished it off with a plea. “So...do you think you’d be willing to help out?”

“Hm,” Adagio folded her arms, then shrugged her shoulders. “Eh. Why not? I suppose we have nothing better to do. And I’ll be honest--I’m mostly interested in visiting our detective friend again. What was his name again? Pale...something...”

“Pale Vestige,” Aria corrected her sister, “And yeah. I wanna see if he’s made progress in doing whatever the heck he said he was gonna do to ‘unify the common ponies’ or whatever. If he needs our help, then we can’t just ignore it.”

Sonata gave her thoughts last. “Yeah what they said. Abandoning your friends would be super lame. Especially since it’s a friend we just made about a year ago!”

And that was the end of Sci-Twi’s explanation of the events that led up to the sirens’ cooperation to return here.

“I see...well I appreciate your assistance, everyone. But I need to get back in there as soon as possible. Lightning Dust won’t last long…” I stood up, and dusted myself off.

Sunset kept her magical barrier going, and actually urged me to stay put. “...Hang on for a bit, Pale. Give her a chance. At least until Rainbow Dash shows up with the Wonderbolts.”

As much as I wanted to defy that offer...I had to accept it. Lightning Dust was still locked in a fierce battle against Elytra. If she could manage for this long, then why would I intervene against an enemy I was almost destroyed by?

It hurt me to think that, but I had to be realistic.

Subject 246: Plan In Motion

“Alright so here’s the plan,” Sunset took control of the situation rather swiftly, “Pale. You need to stay in this barrier until you fully recover. Twilight, you take the stragglers on the left side while I take the right. Once you fully recover, sir, take the middle. By then, Rainbow Dash should be here with her cavalry.”

“Ooh! Real combat!” Sci-Twi stood on her hind legs and raised her hooves out of excitement, “This is gonna be great for my field studies!”

Sunset shook her head. “Let’s just get going!”

And the two of them exited the barrier before I could say anything.

While I did need to stay back for a bit, I was still ready to jump in at a moment’s notice in order to help Lightning Dust. To be quite honest, it was a treat to watch those two fight in a real scenario. Thanks to the sweet song of the sirens, they--along with Lightning Dust--were able to resist the sense of emotional control that Elytra tried to establish.

On the left I watched as the purple unicorn fired off random, sporadic spells that caused various effects. It was clear that she wasn’t at all used to a combat situation on this scale because she stumbled a bit. A few demons managed to strike her here and there--but wait. She didn’t seem to be upset?

“Aaaand...now!” Her horn flashed, and all the demons who had struck her started to shiver violently before exploding!

POP! POP! POP!

What kind of spell was that?! Some sort of DNA-based counterattack?!

And to the right, Sunset Shimmer was--well, it was somewhat difficult to describe. But apparently she was rather proficient in martial arts. To the point where she could perform spinning kicks and flips that sent various demons flying. This was in spite of her pony biology. I guess her life in the Human world did things to her.

But that wasn’t even all of it. When she started to get swarmed, she activated her fire magic and started to sling molten flame balls all over the place! And would you believe it? There was even more. Her mane was lit ablaze. Why you ask?

A defense mechanism.

She wasn’t perfect. Like Twilight, she still suffered a few blows from blind spots due to the overwhelming numbers of the enemy. However, each one that struck her was inflicted with an inextinguishable black flame that engulfed their entire beings! I could see it in the smug expression on her face as she fought. Her power was on an entirely different level compared to the last time I had seen her.

But the more I thought about it, it hit me. The way the flames drift off her mane reminded me exactly of how Daybreaker’s flames operated. Was it plausible that one of Celestia’s old students had picked up a thing or two? I wondered…

Regardless, I had to stand back up. I knew Scootaloo was in a safe place thanks to Cheerilee, and the sirens’ song motivated me to resist the mind control of Elytra along with everyone else. I had to get back in there.

However, as soon as I tried to charge in, I heard Lightning Dust scream once more. I had a clearer look at what happened. She managed to break through the changeling’s shield and started to fly in whirlwind patterns around the corrupted beast of a mare to trap her within more electricity.

“My life is my own! And you can’t take it away from me!”

Unfortunately, as much as I would’ve liked to see it, Dust’s attacks simply could not damage Elytra. At least, not on their own. At most, she was only able to inflict a state of paralysis on the changeling.

“GAH! Why do you resist so much?! In the end, your past misdeeds won’t be erased! You’ll still have to carry the weight of the decisions you made on your shoulders! Look at Sunset! Even now as she fights, she still--!”

“SHUT UP! You don’t know anything about any of us!” Dust cried out in return. “You’re just cherry-picking and using overly-generalized statements to try and make us feel worse about ourselves! Well guess what? I’ve had it with that garbage! There’s nothing you can do or say to make me feel any worse than I already have! Talk about how I’m worthless, how I have no friends, or how I’m gonna die old and alone! Go ahead! I don’t care anymore! You have no power over me witch!”

“NGH! But how can...how can you resist…?!”

Dust would rattle off one last remark. “You can’t break down what’s already broken.”

That’s when I heard a horn. Not a traditional one for music. No...that was the piercing sound of a war bugle.

HOOOOOONK!

I looked up in the sky to see blue uniforms in a tight formation that barreled through the open air. My heart both dropped and skipped a beat all at once. Were they really ready to handle a deadly scenario like this?

Subject 247: Shock and Awesome

I saw Lightning Dust almost squeal with delight when she saw the who all had arrived on the scene. “Eee--! I mean, aha! Here they are now.” She turned her head to the paralyzed changeling queen, “You brought this on yourself the second you set hoof into this world. It’s over.” With a mock salute, she flew out of the way--back down to the ground where I was.

“Nice one, Dust!” Rainbow Dash shouted from on high, “We’ll take it from here!”

However, before it all went down, Elytra would attempt--well I had no idea what it could be. A scare tactic? A last resort? “On my name and all that is based on the power of love. I will not allow these cretins to take back what we lost!”

“Shit...are they gonna be okay?” I panicked a little, and looked at Dust for an answer.

To my surprise, the teal pegasus mare stood confidently. As if she knew everything was going to fall into place. “Don’t worry, Pale. We’ve already thought three steps ahead. You’ll see.”

The Wonderbolts flew around with an elegant amount of precision. There were at least a dozen of them which included Rainbow Dash, Soarin’, and even Spitfire?! That had to be a record of some kind. To get everyone back for a real mission was something that I never would have expected.

Their skills were unmatched. One half of them veered off to the right in order to fly in a straight line, then in circles. This generated a set of storm clouds so massive and unstable that the sun was almost completely blocked out!

The other half of the team performed a classic move. They also flew in circles but much more rapidly in order to generate a midair twister. It was so densely packed with their magical energy that any spell Elytra would attempt to fire off would be absorbed, and therefore nullified by it entirely.

“Woah, what?!” I stared up at the sky with a bemused set of eyes, “Since when could they do all of that?!”

Lightning Dust took off once more, and hovered in front of me. “It’s...a very old set of moves that had been removed from the Wonderbolt’s instruction books due to how dangerous they were. But now, they’ve been repurposed into things that can be used for actual combat. And now...you’re about to see me finish it off.”

“Wait--what are you--?!”

But before I could say anything, that pegasus mare flew off into the sky above all of the Wonderbolts. Once the magical ‘wind’ cage had been cast around Elytra, Rainbow Dash and the others started to scatter.

“It’s all yours, Dust!” Rainbow called out.

And what happened next pretty much blew my mind.

Those storm clouds from before? Yeah they actually started to power Lightning Dust up. The electrical charges were somewhat like what Cozy had done earlier, but on a much more massive, controlled scale that befitted the style of somepony who had experience flying for many years.

The sky went a bit darker until she was struck by her own lightning. With her body serving as a conductor of sorts, Dust would channel the electric current within herself in a way nopony else could: With her rage.

Feathers started to rapidly fly off her body along with patches of her coat. This move could very well kill her based on the sheer amount of energy that she poured into it. I had to do something and fast. Against my better nature, I started to panic a little, and sought out Sunset amidst the darkened town square thanks to the clouds which still kept the sun blocked.

“Sunset! Are you seeing this?!”

Unfortunately for me, my cries would go unanswered. Sunset probably couldn’t see nor hear me thanks to the density of the storm that was kicked up from all of this. Fortunately however, my concerns would be shattered in the next nanosecond.

SHHOOOOOO…..BOOM!

In what could only be best described as a variation of the Sonic Rainboom, Lightning Dust essentially blitzed Elytra to dispose of her entirely. She flew downwards so fast and with so much force that the resounding shockwave caused all of the nearby buildings to shake in place. My eardrums were rattled--almost pierced by the severity of the attack. And in the end, she landed on the ground--not even a few yards away from me. Bits of electricity tinged her body she lied there--lifeless with no sign of movement.

I looked up at the sky as the clouds cleared. Elytra was gone. Reduced to nothing but atoms at this point. And frankly, she deserved it. After all this time, she was nothing more than a failed attempt to rob Equestria of its love. She was never meant to exist in the first place, as the pool that created the changelings

But perhaps most importantly of all, I was proud of what Dust had managed to accomplish. However, I wasn’t sure the condition of her body so I hesitated to approach her.

Then, Rainbow Dash and a few of her fellow Wonderbolts hovered down, and landed next to the teal pegasus’ limp body. She simply nodded at a pair of her squadmates. One of which who put Dust on their back to carry her away. Likely for immediate medical attention.

“We’ll take the rest of this area from here,” Dash stated, “You guys can keep going. On our way over here, I think I saw some sort of corrupted, undead unicorn that Cozy was headed towards.”

Every alarm bell went off in my head, and I instantly jumped in front of her for more information. “Are you serious?? Are you absolutely positive? Which way did they go?!”

“North--towards her home. If you’re fast, you can still catch up to them.”

With that in mind, I addressed Sunset once more. By now, things had cleared up enough to where she could actually hear me. “Sunset. I need to keep going.”

“It’s alright, Pale,” she replied with a sense of compassion and understanding, “I know where your loyalty lies. And for me? That lies in the same place that I grew up.” Her horn lit up, and she took a look at Sci-Twi and the Sirens, “C’mon girls. We need to get going to Canterlot.”

Subject 248: Advancing Through

“Ooh! Gotta go, Pale.” Sci-Twi was the first to join Sunset in the spell’s radius. “Now this’ll be interesting. I can’t wait to see how my alternate self has managed her kingdom since we’ve been here. Let’s go everyone!”

The Sirens were next, and I had to admit that the half-pony-with-fish-tail looks suited them well. It was far less destructive than being actual, full-powered sea monsters.

“Comiiiiing!” Sonata ran over first while she mumbled to herself, “I wonder if they have tacos here--oh! Bye Pale!”

Aria was next. As usual, she had a smug expression on her face. “Well at least it’s far less boring than what I thought. Hey A-Dawg--how dope would it be if the old man Starswirl found out that we were the ones who helped rectify a mistake he caused,” she snickered, and waved at me. “See ya.”

“That would be...hilarious,” Adagio summed it up rather quickly, “But let’s not worry about that. For now, we have a world to save. I just hope Luster Dawn won’t flip out when she sees us.” She sighed, and looked at me. “Do me a solid and don’t let this place go to hell, alright?”

It felt nice to be depended on--even if the extra pressure was a bit daunting. Nevertheless, I refused to let others down. Especially not in a dangerous campaign like this. “Never intended on it. This is my home as much as it is your homeworlds. Don’t you go dying out there either, hm?”

Sunset giggled. “Of course not, pops. You worry too much. We’ll be fine. Alright everyone...let’s go.”

And with a flash, the five of them disappeared and left a circle of ash on the ground where they once stood. A long-distance teleportation spell like that was powerful and required lots of energy to pull off, so I hoped that they could make it there safely.

After all of that, I watched as Rainbow Dash and her crew left the scene as well. A few Wonderbolts stayed behind to secure the area, so I knew it would be in good hooves. It was hard to believe that a bunch of showponies could come together to assist in eliminating a grand threat, and yet here we were. Almost tickled me a bit.

From there, I went to find Cheerilee and just my luck--she was already on her way back to me, and waved to get my attention.

“Pale, over here!” she called out.

“Well there you are,” I said with a sigh of relief, “How was Scootaloo? Was she okay?”

“Yes, she is. One of the Nurse Ponies escorted her back to the hospital to check on her injuries.”

The hospital, huh? Lightning Dust herself was likely going to be taken there as well. Hopefully by the time they both came to, they would be able to talk things out with each other. It served as the perfect backdrop for reconciliation.

For the moment, though, we had other things to worry about. Namely, catching up with Cozy and whoever had been tailing her.

“Alright, so here’s the rundown…”

I explained the situation to Cheerilee, and she gave it some thought.

“Hmm...sounds like they’re headed for the School of Friendship. Which could mean…”

“Blech,” I nearly spat at the ground. I already knew who was up next at the plate if they had chosen that location as the stage for their act. “So he’s finally shown his face then, huh? This isn’t gonna to be fun at all.”

The mare put a hoof on my shoulder to comfort me. “You know as much as I do that a pony like that can only be brought down if we face him together. You, myself, and Cozy Glow. We need to be strong, but we can’t throw out our common sense, dear.”

As usual, she was right. If what I expected to happen was true, then we were in for a fierce situation that would require all of us to stand strong for each other. So what better way to deal with it than by tackling it directly? Whatever the case, I knew I needed to stop doubting myself.

“Alright then. Let’s get a move on.”

And so we were off once more towards another edge of Ponyville. Specifically the side of town where the School of Friendship was. And oddly enough, everything seemed normal. Too normal.

Cheerilee and I ceased our run, and skidded to a stop. Despite the rest of the town having been fully thrust into the throes of armed conflict, there was an eerie sense of peace near this building. I could hear the sounds of the birds chirp, water flow through the pond and various waterfalls that overlooked the school from behind, and even the sounds of frogs and some insects. It was like an average day here in Ponyville.

But today was not an average day.

“Shhh…” I whispered as I stepped forward. In this situation, it was a prime time to make use of my abilities to suss out potential dangers. But strangely, I couldn’t make out a thing. “Rats...do you sense anything on your end, Cheery?”

She followed close behind, and put her own abilities to work. But even she couldn’t pick anything up. “No...I...wait…”

Or did she? I turned my head around. “What? What’s wrong?”

“I can’t feel any magical signatures...but I just have this nagging feeling in the back of my head. Like one of my old students is in danger…”

Wasn’t that the same thing? Regardless, it was still important. After all, wasn’t her intuition what led us to the other Crusaders in the past two scenarios?

Subject 249: School of Hardship

So I gave Cheerilee my full attention so we could figure out what was wrong together. “Do you have a specific idea of who it is?” I asked, “From the situations we’ve dealt with so far, I’d be willing to wager the last possible individual we have yet to meet is Sweetie Belle--given who we’ve dealt with so far anyway.”

She rubbed her hoof against her chin as she gave it some thought. “I see...even so, we need to be cautious since we don’t know what the school has endured. For all we know, this could be a cleverly placed mirage to fool us.”

A mirage, huh? Just what could lie behind the veil of secrets that was juxtaposed over what seemed like a harmless establishment for learning?

“Let’s not waste time, then….” I picked up a small rock that was nearby, and flung it towards the water that surrounded the school.

Plip-plip-plip--plunk!

It hopped about three times before it sank, which indicated that gravity and the area around the school itself had been untouched by magic. Was it merely a scare tactic or was there a deeper meaning here?

Either way, we had to press on. If Cheerilee’s sense led us that way, then we’d go that way.

“Follow me,” I requested as I went onwards, “Things could change as soon as we get to that front door.”

Just like the last time I was here, I stepped across the rock path that led to the front door, and opened it up. Okay, first sign of suspicion: It was unlocked. Second: The handle was warm. Which indicated that someone had been here recently. Third: The wood in the door itself had splintered ever so slightly with bits of it flaked off. The glass panels weren’t damaged, but that was a telltale sign of a slammed door. Which could only mean one thing:

Someone was in a hurry to get in here.

Now, whether or not it was to get towards or away from something was up for debate, but I knew I was on the right track. I beckoned Cheerilee to follow and inquired more about what she could find with her own sensory abilities.

“This way. Do you feel anything?”

Cheerilee shut the door behind herself, and followed me in. “No. I...wait. Wait a second, I do feel something.”

“What is it?” I turned my attention to the various hallways next. “Do you have an idea of which direction it could be coming from?”

“Down the main hall,” she replied, and pointed towards the passageway right ahead of us, “I have a sneaking suspicion that Sweetie Belle is there.”

While it wasn’t much to go off of, it was all we had. So she and I took off down that hallway, but we came to a stop. The hall went in two different directions: left and right.

On the left side, I saw a few pink feathers. Cozy’s feathers!

But on the right, I could start to feel a magical disturbance of some sort. As if multiple signatures had morphed together into one horrid one. As if it was a distressed cry for help muddled under a sense of oncoming dread.

The answer was obvious.

“We need to go left,” I concluded, and started to trot down that path.

Cheerilee tried to stop me with her words. “Pale...are you sure about that? That could very well be a trap laid out for you in an attempt to hinge upon your desire to protect Cozy…”

I sighed, and stopped dead in my tracks. On the one hoof, I had a sneaking suspicion that she was right and that this was a massive ploy to get me to travel down a path that would lead to utter destruction. At the same time however, I couldn’t just ignore it. Rainbow Dash would never betray her fellow pony with false information--especially with how much Cozy meant to me. Amidst the quiet of the hallways, I gazed up at Cheerilee.

“What would you do, hun? If you knew one of your prized students was in imminent danger but it came across as a trap?” I turned around, and took a step towards her as I mentally put the pieces together. “Because that’s what this sounds like. They’re trying to lure us in with mental buggery to get us both.”

Her eyes went wide for a second before they drooped and stared at the floor. Realization of the rough patch that we were in must have hit her like a truck, because she too was unable to come to a decision at that moment either.

“I...can’t believe this,” she stomped her hoof on the floor out of frustration, “What kind of vile creature would force us to subject ourselves to this kind of...torture.”

“The fear of death is often worse than death itself,” I rubbed my left hind leg against my right, and took a deep breath, “To say that I’m not nervous would be a complete lie. I’m scared too, Cheerilee. Even if I don’t show it often...I’m no stranger to fear this raw. But we can’t stand here forever. We need to come to a decision, and take it on together.”

Cheerilee also relaxed with an exhale of her own. “You...you’re right. So what will it be then?”

Left or right?

Subject 251: Failed Experiments

This was a fine predicament wasn’t it? I could only hope that Cheerilee managed to avoid being detected and could figure out some sort of way to save those mares while I did my best to stall. Neighsay was an individual who marveled in his sense of theatrics.

So why not take advantage of it?

“So let me try to grasp an understanding of what’s going on here. You’re still trying to perform these unlawful experiments even after your involvement with such things is what got you killed in the first place?” I almost laughed, “Really? Are you that incompetent?”

“Funny, but you forget to comprehend that this was all premeditated,” he replied from behind the desk, “I am still fighting for the survival of our species. By any means necessary.”

Was he serious? I honestly couldn’t tell after all this time. His voice was always a mix of sarcastic and cryptic that was hard to read.

I raised a brow. “...You kidding? You really expect me to believe that after all the things you’ve done while you were alive? You deserve to stay dead. No one is going to remember you.”

“Whether or not they remember me is irrelevant,” he shot back as he rose from the desk, “I want to be known for my actions even after I’m gone. I never wanted it to get this far and yet I suppose that is what happens when the powers above you make all the decisions...”

I didn’t quite understand. What was he trying to accomplish here? He knew he was in the wrong, yet still claimed he did the right thing. I had to at least give Cheerilee some time to bail us out.

“What are you talking about?” I asked, “Explain yourself. What do you mean by ‘your actions’? What actions are you referring to?”

The undead unicorn levitated some documents from drawers behind the desk. On them were diagrams of pony anatomy. “You are aware of the experiments that I conducted, yes?”

Ah, yes. His ‘experiments’ that tried to brute-force beyond the limitations of what we could normally accomplish on our own. But done so without any approval of those over him, and on various sets of parents including Sunset Shimmer’s. Part of me was fascinated by it, but ultimately, his methods were entirely unethical.

“I do remember, yes…” I replied with a huff, “Why? Did Grogar make another deal with you or something?”

“Not quite. What I hope to achieve is to set everypony free from what holds them back. That way, we will never end up in a scenario such as this ever again…”

Yeech. For someone so intelligent, he was very gullible. “Do you truly believe that Grogar is going to let you do whatever you want? You’re under his control now.”

Neighsay stomped up to me and hastily defended himself. “Even if I am, I owe it to myself to finish my work!” he yelled hard enough to cause the veins in his neck to bulge, “Don’t you understand?! This is all I have left in the world!”

As much as I didn’t want to, yes. I did understand, actually. More than he realized. “...I can somewhat see your stance. Regardless, is that why these ponies are in captivity? So you can experiment on them like lab rats?”

He scoffed, and turned away from me. “You have a front row seat, Vestige. To watch my own creative process and witness how I could have single-hoofedly saved us all!”

“Like how you tried to ‘save’ my mother?”

He stopped dead in his tracks as soon as I said that. A complete silence washed over the room. So quiet that I could hear the constant, gentle ringing in my own ears as well as the blood pump through my veins. The tension in the room was so palpable that you could practically swim in it.

Neighsay didn’t respond, so I went on. “Specimen 98. Bright Memento, remember? Or do you truly not value the lives of others and only see them as mere pawns in a game of chess? Even now, you are merely a pawn in Grogar’s game. Not your own. You have no control, no power, no anything. So do yourself a favor, save yourself the time and give all of this up before you make things worse. Bear in mind, I have no reason to hold back, given that you’re already dead.”

Once again, no response. The eerie silence returned…

Meanwhile…

Dammit! I was confused at first, but as soon as Pale tossed me out of that room, I knew something was up. All I could do was hope that I wasn’t spotted. But more importantly, I finally understood why I felt so suspicious from earlier. Sweetie Belle had been here the whole time--along with a few other individuals that had been taken hostage.

The question remained: How would I fight my way back in while Pale kept our enemy busy?

I stuck to the wall that was just around the corner, and suppressed my breaths to keep a low profile. They wouldn’t be able to trace my magical signature if I kept myself hidden well enough.

“Now think, Cheerilee. What would your wrestler of a sister do in a situation like this?”

Subject 252: Detective Deception

I climbed in one of those air vents, and snuck right through. It was more spacious than I had initially figured--guess movies portrayed these types of maneuvers accurately.

I kept going until sounds of both Pale and Neighsay grew louder and closer. That’s when I knew I’d be above the room in which he had his hostages stationed. Including Sweetie Belle.

Yeech. I couldn’t believe the fact that my prized pupils who were once innocent little fillies had become swept up in this ugly, disgusting ‘war’ of sorts. It pained me to even think about it, and I knew their parents would be just as upset.

Of course I knew that they were (almost) fully grown ponies at this stage of life and should be free to fight for whatever they wanted, but the overly-protective side of me that yearned to keep my students safe regardless.

But this situation? How would I approach it without further putting Sweetie and the others in more danger? I hated to admit, but it honestly seemed like a good idea to wait and listen to the words that Pale exchanged with Neighsay. Maybe that could give me a clue as to what they’re all in this containment unit for.

I waited for what seemed like forever for an answer. At long last, Neighsay would respond. “Do you really want to know the truth behind your mother joining my experiment? Why you believe she became hostile afterwards?”

“From what I know, it’s because of your horrible tests which resulted in my family being chewed up, and spit out through the horrors of your system,” I stared into his soul with narrowed eyes of disdain, “But I assume you’re going to tell me otherwise.”

“The truth is that she never loved you in the first place,” he went on to explain, “You were the result of an unhappy pair that wanted to see if a child could repair what didn’t work. And even then, it only drove them further and further apart. To the point where Memento came to me with a plea of desperation…”

I grit my teeth, and almost started to foam at the mouth. What had I just listened to? How did any of it make sense? As much as part of me thought about the possibility, I still wanted to deny it.

“You cretin...you speak as if my life wasn’t my own!” I shouted hard enough to put force on the restraints that I had been in. “You don’t know anything about how I grew up or why?”

“Don’t I?” he asked rather casually, “It’s painfully obvious why you’ve wanted to stand by Cozy Glow since the beginning. You were just like her--but not in a way that you may realize.”

Between the remarks and the verbal assault on my senses, I had almost forgotten about the mares that were in captivity nearby. I needed more information--as much as I could get in order to understand why things happened the way they did.

So I asked a simple question. “What do you mean by that?”

Neighsay took a step back, and looked outside of the nearby window. “You were both pawns in a game that you never realized. We all are, to a fault really. Her fate was sealed the moment her parents abandoned her. She became smarter, faster, stronger than anypony could have predicted. To the point where she was a danger to all of society. That was her fate.” Then he turned around to face me again. “You? You were the same way. Your parents wanted a child to ease the pains of their miserable marriage. That didn’t work, and they resorted to other means of satisfaction. For your mother it was willingly volunteering to become part of my experiments. Your father? Well, I’m sure we know how that went…”

I couldn’t believe this. Did this man really try to preach to me about fate? Of all things? Who was he to speak about things such as that when he too was in a game of chance.

“Do you genuinely believe what you’re saying?” I retorted as calmly as I could, “That everyone is a victim of some grand, undisclosed scheme as soon as they’re born?”

“Not entirely,” he replied, “It’s more along the lines of the fact that we are all products of our environments. But I seek to defy that fact by changing the landscape at which we fight our battles. Just look at those mares over there for example: Trixie’s parents didn’t raise her well at all. Her mother barely took care of her and her father was never around. Starlight’s parents were in a similar situation except that her father was the one who took care of her, yet became so overbearing that she wanted nothing to do with him as she got older. Her mother is suspiciously absent also.”

I said nothing. I simply grumbled to myself. His points did have sound reasoning even if I disagreed with them. Nevertheless, I allowed him to continue.

“Tempest as well. There are no records that indicate her parents truly cared about her at all,” he raised a brow at me as if he wanted me to think harder about it, “Why else would she default to the idea of abandoning Equestria after her horn was broken and her friends left her behind? Because she too was abandoned.”

“And what about Sweetie Belle?” I questioned, “Why is she here among them?”

“Do you really not recognize the theme here?” Neighsay glared at me as if I had asked him what two plus two equaled. “Are you serious? Isn’t it obvious? Her parents were never around either. All of the things she wanted to learn about that had to do with magic and her singing--she either hand to learn it on her own or from her overworked sister.”

The more and more he talked, the better I started to understand just how warped his sense of reality was. The sad part is that--as I said before--I did comprehend his perspective. The parenting in Equestria wasn’t exactly the greatest. Even without his influence, I could still see numerous examples of folks who grew up with a severe lack of parenting to help guide them properly. Scootaloo, Sunset Shimmer, Gilda, Ember, Thorax--the list went on.

“...So what is your goal? What do you hope to gain from all of this?” I asked, hoping for a concrete answer this time.

“...To break this cycle of poorly handled fate. And allow everypony to become strong enough to make their own decisions. That way we won’t become our worst enemies--as certain individuals have already proven to be the case,” he subtly looked towards Trixie, Starlight, and Tempest with that statement. Then he walked over to a button that was placed on the floor nearby, and connected to the containment unit by a magical cord of sorts. “This is for the greater good. My last chance to finish what I started…”

“WAIT! WAIT!” I yelled out to get him to stop.

Subject 253: Heated Debate

“Isn’t this what you are also trying to accomplish, Vestige? Don’t you want everypony to become strong enough to decide their own fates? To not have to default to destroying the entire world just to prove a point? Isn’t that what you’re trying to do for Cozy Glow now?!”

So it was true. Even while resurrected by Grogar, Neighsay still fought against his influence as much as possible in order to further his own goals. I had to respect his drive. The ability to resist such a strong power that could corrupt an entire Changeling Queen was impressive.

But even so, his ideals and my own simply did not align.

“The way you’re going about it...it’s wrong,” I spat back, “True motivation comes from inspiration, not augmentation. Forcing everyone’s weaknesses out of their bodies does nothing to help them truly understand why they were weak in the first place!” I sighed, and went on. “We need to build each other up. It’s far more difficult than breaking each other down. But it’s doable. We just have to find ways to show it.”

My words must have registered on some level, because Neighsay was curious enough to pry further. “Is that why you’ve been fighting so hard all this time? Just to try and show others that they can rise up for themselves? What makes you think your efforts are going to last? Celestia couldn’t manage to rally her people, nor could the so-called Pillars of Equestria, and Princess Sparkle herself. Time and time and time again, some other new superpower rises from the mistakes of our own kind. Only by throttling these conflicts before they can gain power will we start to finally move forward. Think about it. You may have managed to get everypony on your side to fight for themselves today. But what about the next world-ending cataclysm. And the next one? And the next one? Can you guarantee that the public will be there, ready to go at a moment’s notice in the future?”

“Absolutely not,” I replied sternly, “I’m not stupid. I know that there’s no way to know for sure if what I’m doing here is gonna help or not.”

He approached me once more, his voice boomed from how irritated he had become. “Then why are you so hung up about taking that risk?! Why not put solace in a method that is guaranteed to work?!”

“...You can’t deal in absolutes. You either force everyone to conform one way, or allow complete and utter chaos to reign supreme. There is no ‘method that is guaranteed to work’. That’s how life operates. And if you truly believe that you can really quell every single possible problem before it comes into existence, then you’re--quite frankly--unwise to the nth degree.” I gave him a cold stare to signify how ashamed I was. If I hadn’t been restrained to the floor, I’d have tackled him by this point. “I have no pity for someone like you…”

Neighsay simply ignored me, and shook his head. “Hmph...I don’t want your pity. I want you to watch my greatness unfold. Just as your mother did when she was alive. Pity is for fools that don’t understand anything!”

My eyes shot wide open. Was there more that I hadn’t yet comprehended? “Wait, what all did she say to you?!”

CRASH!

Before I could get an answer, Cheerilee made her grand entrance. With an almost impossible amount of force, she dropped from the ceiling, and dive-bombed headfirst into that magical containment square that the mares had been kept in.

And wouldn’t you know it? She destroyed it. Instantly smashed to various shards of glass-like material with nothing but the force of her body. The mares were still unconscious, though, we were still on our own.

But before Neighsay could react, Cheerilee charged at him with a snarl. Akin to a beast that had not eaten for months. She was seeing red, utterly pissed that one of her old students had been put in captivity.

“You…!” she growled in his face as she kept him pinned to the floor, “You don’t know what true suffering is. Talking about how you’re going to change the world when you refuse to change yourself!”

From the corner of my eye, I could see one of those barrier shards levitated off the floor. My eyes shifted back across the room in a widespread state of horror. “Cheerilee! MOVE!”

But she didn’t listen. She was so consumed by her rage against Neighsay’s actions, that she merely continued to rattle off insults at his expense. It was like she had gone deaf with tunnel vision, unable to hear me scream her name. Neighsay had managed to dim his horn’s aura to the point where it was practically invisible.

“I’m going to make sure that you never set hoof back in this world or that shithole of Tartarus! You’re a stain to all existence and don’t deserve any mercy! Any last words before I erase your pathetic existence?!” she screamed so loudly that the windows started to crack from the force of her voice.

Along with my own. “CHEERILEE! GET OUT OF THE WAY!”

But there was nothing that I could do. My voice didn’t reach her ears. It was too late. The dagger-sized shard of magic zoomed through the air, straight towards the back of her head!

Subject 254: Saved By The Light

SKRRRT!

The magical glass shard had been forced to stop mid-flight in an instant. But how? Who?! I had to be another source of magic that pulled on it but from where?!

That’s when I looked back over to the area where those mares had been imprisoned. And one of them managed to rise to their hooves in the nick of time just to save us all.

“I….I no longer have doubts….blegh...” Starlight muttered with a dry heave. Her mane was in shambles, and her face was covered in bruises. Just what did she endure before she was put here?! “...H-hurry...I can’t…” In her weakened state, her horn’s aura started to flicker and fizzle out over time. She wouldn’t be able to maintain control of it for much longer.

But what could I do? My limbs were still chained to the floor, and I couldn’t even crouch down low enough to attempt to bite through them. How could I--

ZAP!

Once more, from that end of the room, I could make out a flash of green magic that was fired towards me. As soon as it made contact with the shackles that I had been placed in, they were turned to dust!

If my memory served right, only Sweetie Belle had that dull-green aura to her magic. Was she really the one to master such a spell that could--you know what, now wasn’t the time to worry about that.

I took off without a moment’s notice, and tackled Cheerilee out of the way. We both hit the floor nearby with a powerful THUD, which thankfully managed to snap her out of her rage-filled stupor.

“Ow! Pale--wh--what’s going on??”

I didn’t say anything. There was no need. Cheerilee was able to see for herself what was about to transpire.

Starlight, with the last of her stamina, approached Neighsay with a few limp steps. “You’re the exact kind of thing that I was in danger of becoming. The type of pony that I wanted to be. But I can see now more than ever that individuals such as yourself don’t deserve to walk on this earth. You should have stayed down in Tartarus but now...I have something more...interesting in mind…”

The demon stallion scoffed as he lied there, now cornered. “...You have nothing left to finish me with. I was going to make you and everyone else stronger! Strong enough to where we could defeat any new threat that comes our way! But I see now that I’ve wasted my efforts. So I may as well make one final grand exit…”

His horn flashed, and before I could react, he projected a magical force field that was powerful enough to send Starlight through the air, and into the wall at the end of the room. She hit the floor, and was knocked completely out cold.

I got up, and couldn’t even pierce it with my bare hooves. It was his last-ditch effort to make an escape. “Bastard!” I snarled, “Come out of there and face me directly. This is between us and no one else. Tell me what you know about my mother!”

A portal started to open up beneath him, “Sorry. But I have better things to do than reminisce about the past.”

“Oh really?” a voice said from the entrance to the office, “Not even any time for me?”

We all looked up to see who it was.

“Kid?!”

Cozy had appeared with a few bumps and bruises. Aside from that, the kid was as confident, and straightforward as ever.

“Back up, Pops. Let me handle this…”

I noticed that Neighsay had stopped his attempt at an exit. Somehow, Cozy’s presence made him hesitate for whatever reason. Honestly? I wasn’t about to question it since I knew I would have my answer momentarily.

Cozy stepped forward, and called the old man out. “You know I’m the one you want. You know what you’ve done to me, and to my family. So why don’t you cut the crap, and finally own up to what’s happened.”

Both Cheerilee and I were rightfully confused. Neither of us had any idea of what she was talking about.

“Kid…” I spoke quietly, “What do you mean? What has he done? And if so, why haven’t I known about it?”

“Because…” Cozy replied as Neighsay closed the portal beneath himself, “He also experimented on my parents as well.”

Cheerilee nearly screamed her head off as she stood up. “Is this true?! How could you--when did you--you better have a good explanation!” I don’t think I’ve ever seen her face get so scrunchy and red at the same time. It went from fuschia to beet-red from her pent-up aggression real quick.

And to be honest? I didn’t know whether I should have restrained her or Neighsay first...

Subject 255: Civil Discussion

“Wait a minute, wait a minute, hold on,” I said to them both. “Is this...for real? I’m going to need some evidence to prove this.” It’s not that I didn’t believe her--in fact, I had a sneaking suspicion that this may have been true, but I didn’t want to believe it. I never wanted to entertain the idea of Cozy truly being a product of such horrible parents that they would not only abandon their child, but also turn around and serve such a snake of a stallion.

The kid was adamant in her approach, and looked to Neighsay for an answer. “Well? You heard the man. Go on. Show him. Show us all what you’ve been hiding this entire time. Secrets that you intended to keep with you to the grave!”

We all stared at the demon pony until he finally relented. “...Fine. I’ll tell you...on one condition.”

This time, I approached him. “No. Enough of that. You are in absolutely no position to negotiate. None. Whatsoever. You had better cough up what we want to know or else--”

He sighed, and shook his head in disbelief. “Relax. I only wish that you promise me to wipe Grogar from the face of the earth. Once I divulge this information, he’ll no doubt end my existence anyways.”

Cozy got a bit--no, a lot closer to the stallion, nearly towering over him at that point. She spoke in a hefty tone that demanded authority. “Explain yourself.”

“Alright, well then--it is as you both previously stated. I ran experiments on Cozy Glow’s parents as well. But! To my own credit, I had no clue they had a child. They simply offered themselves up…”

It was Cheerilee’s turn to chime in next as she trotted up to stand next to Cozy and I. “Oh really? Why should we believe you? Do you have anything to prove what you’re saying at all?”

A portal appeared next to Neighsay, and he reached his hoof inside. “As a matter of fact, I do…”

I watched him with a keen set of eyes to ensure he didn’t try to pull anything funny on us at the last second. And to my surprise, he didn’t. He kept to his word, and pulled out some documents for us to look at--just as the portal closed.

Cozy took a look at the papers, and as a result, her wings and face simultaneously dropped.

“Yup,” she muttered as she backed away from the documents that showed a photo of two ponies--ponies that I could only presume to be her parents. She nearly stumbled, and fell to the floor as a result. The reveal of what her parents did to her after they abandoned her must have rattled her to her core… “That’s...that’s them, alright….”

I took a look at the documents for myself, and started to read them. But Neighsay simply handed them off to me. “Here. Take them. It’s not as if I’ll need them where I’m going. Consider it a reward for defeating me.”

As I held onto those papers, I thought about something for a moment. I knew it wouldn’t be very long before his existence was terminated by Grogar, so I decided to ask him one last question. “...Before you’re wiped from history, tell me one thing,” I took off my coat and hat, and set it on Starlight’s desk nearby. “Man-to-man--er, stallion to stallion. Talk to me.”

“Hm?” he raised a brow, “What are you on about?”

“I want to speak to you as an equal. Not an adversary,” I explained, much to the confused expression of Cheerilee who had been busy consoling Cozy behind me--I could see her look of bewilderment from the corner of my eye as I went on. “Tell me one simple thing: Why? Why did you do all of this? What led you to this point? What drove you to be so hellbent on changing the world?”

He almost scoffed once I finished my question, but chose to answer regardless. “I suppose that’s an easy enough thing to answer since I’ve already told you a part of it before. In short, I’ve never put my faith in the alicorns or the elements. I knew that their usefulness was finite, and chose to carve my own path. I wanted to further the extent at which we all can perform magic, and fight back against the threats that have plagued us for so long. Do you understand my perspective? I never wanted to see anyone else deal with the same problems that I saw many others go through. Homes lost...families split apart...all because some power-hungry fool wanted to destroy everything!” He yelled out with what little energy he had left. “...But we’re weak creatures. We can’t do everything in our current state. I intended to caste that aside for the greater good. To better us all--even if it meant betraying the trust of my princesses.”

I nodded. That’s exactly what I intended to do, which is why I brought up the question. “Exactly...as much as you may want to deny it, you and I aren’t so different.”

His response was delayed, as if he couldn’t believe what I had just said. “...Really now?”

“That’s right,” I replied with a stern glare, “Just like you, I also think that the public at large relies too heavily upon the powers that be. It’s to the point where none of us can make decisions for ourselves. But I...don’t think so lowly of mortals the same way you do. Yes...we are weak creatures. We depend on each other to survive. Alone we’re no better than a fly on a wall. But together--united under a common goal, ponies, changelinges, griffons, dragons--the works--we can all become stronger than any so-called godly being that gets in our way.”

Neighsay let out a sigh, as if he wanted to agree with me on some level. “I can see your stance. But how can you be so sure? How do you know things won’t fail next week, next month, next year? Will everyone still remember your actions? You’re hinging far too much on the unknown, Vestige.”

“And the difference between you and I, is that is the risk I’m willing to take.”

Cozy mumbled something from behind me. “Pale...are you sure about that?”

Subject 256: Tyrant's Last Moments

“Of course I am,” I responded immediately, “I would never lie about something this important to me--to us all. Yes I know that the risks are great, but that’s the point of life. We can’t grow or change as a people if we don’t cooperate with each other, learn from each other, and take the time to cover each other’s weaknesses…”

I glared at Neighsay once more. “You on the other hoof...you simply want to take the fast lane towards the solution. By granting everyone all of this power right away, you feed into their subconscious that makes them desire more and more of it--never allowing them the opportunity to understand it. As a result, this is why you have had an excess amount of test subjects that either die or quit with lasting PTSD. Is that not right?”

The unicorn didn’t address my concerns. All he asked was, “What is your point, then? How do you think your method will serve better in the long run?”

“It’s simple really--inspire everyone with my own actions, and showcase that anyone can accomplish anything.” I pointed at my coat and hat that I had placed on the desk. “That there is just a symbol of my status--for my job.” Then, I pointed back to, and gestured at myself, waving my hoof up and down. “Underneath all of that is just a regular-old pony with a regular-old sense of self. An Earth Pony no less. I don’t have the ability to learn new spells out of a book and fire them off to save the day, nor can I fly or swoop around at breakneck speeds and force the weather to change. I am me. Pale Honos Vestige. And at the end of the day, when they see what I’ve managed to carry out despite not being anything special, they’ll find it in themselves to do the same. I know they will.”

For a moment, a mere split-second, I could see a look of remorse on his face. As if he knew there was at least some truth to my words. Even if we didn’t see eye-to-eye, we could at least see equally on the stance of reason.

Or at least, that’s what I thought it was.

“Hmph,” he scoffed yet again, “How arrogant can you be? To think that the public will follow you and only you? If they haven’t followed the practices of those more powerful--and more interesting--than you, what makes you think you have even the slightest chance of turning heads?”

“...It doesn’t come from a sense of arrogance. It comes from a sense of justice. Something that…” I could have debated with him a bit more on the subject, but I felt as if I had gotten nowhere. Run aground in proverbial circles from that conversation, I resorted to a small sigh. “Gah...forget it. If you really don’t understand my plight, then there really is nothing left I can do. It seems we’re simply two polar opposites that can’t come to an agreement.”

“It would appear to be so,” he shrugged it off, and accepted his fate. At that moment his body started to disappear. “One last thing. It’s about your mother, she--”

I turned around, and refused to listen to him at that point. “I have no mother. Or father,” I replied, “I came into this world alone and troubled. And only one pony came to my aid. A pony that is now missing, but has done more for me than any of my supposed family has: Miranda Rights.”

Before his existence fully faded, Neighsay would chuckle one last time. “...You still believe that to be so, eh? You really are her prized little colt…”

My tail stood up on end. Just how did he speak with her? Did he really? Was that a jest of some kind or was Ms. Rights really…?

POOF!

The stallion exploded into a swarm of harmless magical dust that eventually fizzled out over time. As if he was never there to begin with.

“...Pops…” Cozy approached me with a worried frown. “Do you think what he meant was…?”

I pulled her in close, and nuzzled her cheek like a parent would their child. “It doesn’t matter, kid. I’ve got my family right here with me.” With my free hoof, I beckoned Cheerilee to come over.

To which she obliged, and snuck in on my right side as we all shared a moment of silence together.

But after a bit, I opened my eyes, and realized that we still had four unconscious unicorns to deal with.

“...Oh crap,” I muttered, “How are we gonna get them all to Redheart?”

That’s when a tired set of hooves barreled through the door, followed by panting.

“Agh...whew. Okay, sorry I got caught up, Cozy. I was busy…” Flurry Heart made her appearance, and took a look around the room. Her emotional readings must have been off the charts because her face contorted from tired to concerned in an instant. “...Did I show up at a bad time?”

Cozy shook her head as she let me go. “No. You appeared at the perfect time, Flurry. Can you help our friends? We’d appreciate it if you took them to see Redheart.”

“Got it,” she said as she trotted over to the limp bodies, and got ready to use her magic.

If I had to be honest, part of me felt a bit guilty. There I was, going on about how we shouldn’t rely so much on the alicorns, and yet Flurry Heart made friends with one. Was I hypocritical? Were my points flawed?

“Hmm…” I sighed as I gathered my coat and hat up, and put it back on. We needed to get ready to head to the next location and end this once and for all.

Naturally, Cheerilee picked up on my innermost thoughts, and approached me as I stepped into the hallway. “...Talk to me, dear.”

“It’s...it’s nothing…”

She pouted with a knowing glare. I was lying through my teeth and she could see it.

But before she could say anything else, we were interrupted by Cozy who appeared between us…

“Guys...I found this note on the desk. It’s from Neighsay…”

Subject 257: Last Notation

“A note?” I asked, “What does it say, kid?”

Cozy went ahead and started to read…

“I never expected to fail at this stage, but I knew that my moments were ultimately numbered. As a result, I decided it was best to be prepared in the moment that I did. If you’re reading this, then that means I have succumbed to my own foolishness, and thus, entrust the rest to you. Grogar is going to launch an attack that will utterly warp the way you and everyone alive on that planet lives for an eternity. I am unable to explain in great detail, but just know that you must stop him by any means necessary. He will be at the Castle of the Two Sisters to execute the final portion of his plan. I would have tried something myself, but unfortunately, I was unable to act on my own terms. Once more, if you are reading this then you have proven to be a worthy adversary. So carry out that legacy of yours and keep everyone safe, detective. If that is what you truly desire.”

After I read it, I stared blankly into space for a moment. Such words were...unexpected to say the least. Did he really leave that in advance just for us to find, knowing he would lose? That was some next-level planning…

At the end of the day, even though he was my enemy, he was still a living being just like the rest of us who wanted to keep the world safe. Did I agree with his methods? Absolutely not. However, it was still a pain to know that he had no control over his actions which begged the question:

Did he set all of this up just to get defeated on purpose?

It certainly gave me a lot to think about, but for the moment, I couldn’t focus on that. If what he said was true, then the final confrontation was nigh. This could very well make or break the state of the world around us.

“What do you think, dear?” Cheerilee asked with an inquisitive stare at the note, “Do you think this is real? What if it’s a trap?”

That was entirely plausible, but unlikely. The likelihood of Neighsay trying something that desperate when he knew his existence was on a timer seemed rather foolish. He no longer had anything to gain from deception, so why…

Blech. We needed to regroup before we made any old reckless decision. The strongest demons in the vicinity had been eliminated, and we needed to gather our resources before we launched an attack.

“Alright, listen up,” I turned to them both, “What we need to do is clear out the rest of the straggler demons. Once that’s done, we should meet up at the Town Hall to group up, and put our heads together before we make any other choices. Does that sound good to you both?”

Cheerilee nodded. “Alright. That sounds like a good idea. It’d give everypony a chance to come together before we go down that path. What do you think, Cozy?”

The kid shut her eyes for a second, and exhaled moments later. “...The sooner I know that everypony is okay, the better. We should go check out how Redheart and the various patients are doing. Flurry should be back there by now. Then we need to let the Mayor know what we intend to do next. After that, well--it’s on us to make a decision, pops…”

That was good enough for me, really. Cozy always had the most astute sense of judgement towards things like this. So, I gave her that trust, and followed her word. “Alright, Cozy. I’m with you.”

As per her direction, we would head back to the hospital grounds first. There, we could see that most of the demons had been routed with a few here and there. For the most part, it was business as usual at the hospital with various medical professionals tending to wounds all over the place.

Among them, I could see Lightning Dust and Scootaloo in the lobby. Both had some bandages wrapped around their bodies. Scootaloo had a few around her abdomen while Dust had a few in various places on her body.

The orange pegasus spouted some excitable words at the much older teal mare.

“You have to show me how you did that!” Scoots pleaded, “You were awesome, and I can’t thank you enough for jumping in when you did.”

Dumbfounded, the teal pegasus blushed from disbelief at what she just heard. “...You...me? Really?”

Scootaloo simply nodded her head. The young mare was truly enthralled.by what her elder had accomplished as evidenced by her wide eyes. “Yeah!”

I couldn’t help but smile.What an adorable thing to witness. After so much time spent in conviction, Dust had finally started to turn herself around.

A few moments later, we would see Flurry Heart and Redheart trot out to the lobby from within the main hospital doors.

“It’s a good thing you brought them here when you did,” Redheart explained, “Their magic had been nearly removed from their bodies, but we’ll be able to resuscitate them soon enough.”

“That’s good,” Flurry replied, “Thank you. Now I need to go back and find--” she turned her head and took a step forward, only to lay eyes on us all and nearly stumble. “Ah--! Oh, you’re...already here, huh? Awkwaaaaaaard.”

Subject 258: Plan Startup

Cozy stepped forward to ask her friend a few questions. “How is everyone? Are they okay?”

Flurry nodded. “Yeah, they will be, don’t worry. After this, I was gonna go head down to the Cake’s place to make sure Pound and his sister are alright.”

“After you do that, I’d like to ask a favor,” the kid requested, “If you could rally everypony that’s in the general vicinity of the bakery and have them arrive at the Town Hall, that would be great.”

“Hm? That’s not a problem, but what exactly are you planning?” Flurry asked.

Cozy didn’t divulge everything right away. Smart move. Never know who could be listening at any given time. “I’ll tell you everything once we’re there. I have a feeling that we’re getting close to the end of all of this at long last.”

“Alrighty…” Flurry reached out, and put a hoof around Cozy’s neck to pull her in for a quick hug. “I trust your judgement.”

“Thank you...hey, what’s up with your parents? They really let you go off on your own?”

Oh yes. That was something I hadn’t considered at all. Just how dire was the situation in the Empire?

Luckily, Flurry was able to provide an answer to that.

“Yeah about that, they uh...wanted me to come down here and keep the area safe. Apparently they’re more than capable of keeping control of the Empire with their soldiers, so they wanted me to hold down a different part of Equestria.” She paused, and took a look around the hospital. “...and so far, things seem a bit more dangerous than I thought. I don’t want to have to use my full power, but if things get messy…”

“There won’t be a need for that,” Cozy tried her best to comfort her friend, “So long as we have each other, we’ll be fine.”

The mention of her being sent to keep this area safe made me think of two certain other alicorns. “Hey--did your parents mention anything to you about Celestia and Luna? Such as where they may be and whether they’ll be able to fight or not?”

Flurry shook her head. “No...unfortunately not. If I had to venture a guess, I’d wager that Great-Auntie Celestia and Luna are busy with Silver Shoals, and possibly defending the rest of Southern Equestria.”

So they were still nearby, but we were ultimately on our own as a collective whole. Made enough sense I suppose. My--our strategy was going to work whether they were available to help or not.

“Alright,” I replied, “We need to get ready and gather everyone up so we can make our next move. If you wouldn’t mind letting everyone who can still fight know to meet us in the town square, that would be great.”

Flurry let Cozy go, and looked off to her side. “...No promises. It’ll depend entirely on whoever’s able to get up and move.”

“That’s all I can ask for,” I looked at Cheerilee, then Cozy, “Come on, we should get going. Now that we know this place is secure, that’s one less thing we need to worry about.”

Cheerilee chuckled to herself as we trotted out of the hospital. “Ah, this reminds me of the old days--dealing with foals and their worried parents…”

At the Town Hall…

The Mayor had focused entirely on watching over the middle of Ponyville, so my intentions were to use the town’s intercom/siren to call everyone in the area to our location. However, on our way there, I couldn’t help but notice a few things.

Oh rather, a few ponies.

First, there was Fluttershy. Off in the distance, I could see her shout orders at Discord as they tried to relocate as many animals as they could.

“This way!” she cried out, “We’re almost at the Vet’s office!”

Discord cradled what appeared to be various animals--bunnies, otters, beavers, ducks--in both of his arms as he floated along behind her. “Uch. Couldn’t we just poof them there? This seems rather...dramatic.”

From where I stood, I could see her glare daggers right at him as she flew ahead. “No shenanigans. We’re doing this properly without any of your crazy nonsense. Understand?”

The being of chaos didn’t reply. He simply followed her orders with a begrudging look on his face.

POW!

“What the--?!” I flinched, and looked off to the right.

That’s when we saw Limestone Pie. She had been firing off her homemade rock cannon at various demons that still lingered, and tried to attack others. “This is what you assholes get for hurting my sister!” she shouted as she fired off another rock that exploded as it made contact with a demon’s body, which in turn disintegrated them.

“Oh my,” Cheerilee muttered, “Were Pinkie’s sisters always so...rough?”

I had no clue whatsoever how to answer that. “Um…”

SHING! SLASH!

Once again, I was interrupted. Before I could finish my sentence, I heard the slinging and cutting power of various weapons nearby.

Turns out, both Silverstream and Terramar had arrived on the scene. Now actively fighting alongside us with various other Hippogriffs in tow.

Just how many folks had decided to turn up on this day?

Subject 259: Plan Organization

“...Pale,” Cheerilee tapped me on my shoulder, “There looks to be far more than what you might have thought to come help. Look up in the sky.”

In the air, I could see various flying demons hunted down, and attacked by Ember, Smolder, and various other dragons. It was a whole swarm of them that gave chase in order to finish off the remnants of Tartarus-based spawn that didn’t deserve to draw breath.

Cozy would offer her own comment. “Wow. It’s been a while since I’ve seen that many dragons. Especially not all in one place. And the fact that they’re fighting for the sake of others is also something I never expected. I always thought they were super greedy and only cared about themselves. What next?”

That’s when I also--oh my goodness. I was in disbelief at what I saw--

“Wassup, mate?! Let’s give these blokes a run for their bits, eh?!”

Neon?! And a swarm of batponies! Just how did he manage to rally them in such a short amount of time?!

And from the West, I could see another familiar face. A red pegasus--Guttersnipe?! But she had some other flying friends at the ready--Griffons?! Just what the heck was happening?! This all went on so fast that I couldn’t keep up.

“Wh-what?! But how…” I sputtered from disbelief, “Where did everyone come from? Why are they all here? What’s next? Is Flash Drive going to show up with Zecora and a bunch of zebras?”

Beside me, I could hear both Cheerilee and Cozy giggle. Turns out, he had...

“Pops…” the pegasus nudged me at my side, “Don’t you see? Everyone’s arriving to fight for the sake of our safety--because of you.”

“Me?” I raised a brow, “Seriously? You mean to tell me that all of these folks were inspired enough to actually come down here and fight alongside us all? The batponies, griffons, dragons--you’re saying all of this was thanks to me?”

Cheerilee rolled her eyes with a playful smile. “Silly colt. Who else started this entire campaign so that we could fight back against world-ending threats? Don’t you see? Everything you’ve ever worked towards is building up to this moment.”

“It is, huh…”

“Better accept it,” Cozy added, “You’re not gonna get away from Cheerilee until you acknowledge what you’ve done. That’s just how teachers are!” She paused to giggle. “But seriously….it’s because of you that I’m still standing here today, Pale. So I think you should be proud.”

While that was all well and good, I’d find time to think about my accomplishments later. For the moment, I needed to get everyone’s attention.

“Alright, you two wait here,” I said as I walked into the Town Hall, “I need to get ahold of the Mayor.”

So I stepped inside, and to my surprise, the Mayor was already there at her front desk alongside Raven Inkwell. It was as if they had been waiting on me or something.

“Ah, there you are, Pale,” the Mayor approached me, “Are you ready to make an announcement to rally everyone together for--what we hope--is the final battle?”

I tilted my head. “...Yes, that’s exactly what I was coming to approach you about. How did you know?”

The Mayor smirked at me, and adjusted her glasses with a sassy flick of her hoof. “My dear, Cheerilee and I are best friends. She tells me everything. Inkwell and I had already drawn up a plan, preparing for your return.”

“Huh...weird, but I’ll roll with it. Here’s the plan…”

And so, once I explained everything and talked it over with the mayor, we came to an agreement. That agreement would be transformed into what I could only describe as a mission that everyone in the town would have to adhere to. It was a bit daunting considering--well--I had to get the attention of absolutely everyone that was there at the time.

I took a look over the words on the notated paper that the Mayor and Inkwell recommended for me to say.

“Urm...do you think they’ll listen to all of this? From me no less?” I asked with a nervous gesture--rubbing my hoof against the back of my head. “I’m more of a doer, not a speaker.”

Inkwell narrowed her eyes, and rolled them at me. “Seriously? Now isn’t the time to fret about that. If you’re confident enough to go through all of this, then you can surely rouse an audience with a speech or two. Or do you think you’re just not capable?”

Dammit, she hit me home with that one. I wasn’t going to accept that as a reply. “What? Absolutely not! I can do this no problem. Just need a good pitch…”

After that was done, I took the notes and went outside to the Mayor’s podium. As soon as I did, there was a loud…

HRRRRRRRR!

The siren from the Town Hall’s tower was sounded off. This caused absolutely everyone in the vicinity to stop what they had been doing, and slowly congregate towards me. I cleared my throat...

“...”

But then my heart sank. This crowd was huge.

Subject 260: Plan Organization II

“Ahem...everyone, I need your attention!” I shouted, which somehow caused an echo effect that reverberated like a wave over the crowd. Absolutely everyone, the griffons, batponies, hippogriffs, ponies, zebras?!--they all turned their heads to me and I could do my best to start things off.

“You’ve all done really well so far, but we need to get ready for the final phase of this battle,” I continued. Once I got into a rhythm with my speech, I felt a bit less nervous. Even so, I still wondered just where the rest of my crew was at that moment. “With that in mind, I want everypony to focus their efforts on the final road ahead. We have information that Grogar intends to carry out the final stage of his plans at the Castle of The Two Sisters--which is deep within the Everfree Forest.”

One of the audience members, a tired Diamond Tiara, spoke up. “Um, sir! Before we start any of that, I have a question: Is the source from which you obtained that information reputable?”

“Erm, yes--well--that is the question isn’t it?” I responded, and continued, “Yes, we’re not entirely sure about that ourselves. We obtained these details from a note left behind by one of the demons involved. As a result, we have...it comes across as odd…” I looked down at my notes.

Wait what? No, that’s not what I meant. Dammit, I slurred my words while completely sober. How could I mess up this badly?

By some miracle, to my left, I heard hoofsteps approach me on that podium. I turned to see none other than Quick Draw smile and wave which slowly refueled my confidence.

“Quick? Wait what? Since when did you get here?”

“As soon as I heard that damn siren, I knew that the Mayor was calling for us,” she nudged me with her hoof, “Don’t worry.”

I was able to relax a little bit, but still felt a bit worried. “Well...that makes sense. But if you’re here, then where is--”

“I’m right here, boss,” Corkscrew called out to me as he hovered down to land next to us all, “Sorry, but we uh--got kinda backed up. But as soon as I heard that siren, I knew the Mayor wanted to see us. So we came here as fast as we could.”

“You two…glad you’re safe.” That did it. With my crew members next to me, I felt perfectly at home giving this sort of speech. I suppose my issue was that I couldn’t think properly without the knowledge that they were safe.

Couple that with Cozy and Cheerilee nearby, who waved at us and smiled as they waited alongside the rest of the crowd for us to continue, and I was back in control.

“Ahem...where was I--oh right. Yeah, so--we have no idea of whether or not this could be a trap. The Mayor and I agreed that our first motion should be to send a scout or two out to the Sisters’ Castle before we attack--and even then, we still need at least half of our forces to remain here to defend Ponyville.” With that in the air, I gazed over the crowd who had already started to communicate and mumble amongst themselves. “...Now who would like to go first? Remember, Grogar doesn’t know that we know. As of this instance, we’re ahead of him, and we need to keep it that way.”

That’s when--rather unexpectedly--a certain yellow pegasus offered herself up.

“I’ll help...if that’s okay with everyone else.”

The crowd was just as dumbfounded as I was. Fluttershy had decided to throw her proverbial hat into the ring.

I had to speak up just to make sure this was actually her talking, as well as ensure she knew what she was doing. “Uhm--ahem. Fluttershy? Are you positive that’s what you want to do?”

She flew into the air, above the crowd. “Absolutely. There’s dozens, if not hundreds of animals out there who are just as threatened as we are. Beyond that, I know a certain someone that can suss out any strange types of magic in the air.”

“Who?” I asked with a raised brow.

Fluttershy turned her attention to a certain draconequus that had been lounging on a lawn chair on a nearby rooftop. “Ahem!” she called out.

Discord raised a pair of shades off his eyes with a snarky mumble. “Yes, yes, I’m right here. No need to be rude.”

Before I could say anything else, Limestone raised her voice from within the crowd.

“I’ll stay here and help keep the town safe while everyone recovers,” she said, “The more hooves we have at the ready, the better.”

That made sense. As I had already predicted, leaving the town unattended would be just as bad if not worse, given how many defenseless individuals such as foals were around.

Which reminded me.

“That’s right--we need to make sure all those who are unable to fight are in a safe of a place as possible--” I tried to explain before I was cut off.

“I believe I can help with that,” Rarity spoke out, “If anypony is unable to fend for themselves, then you can take shelter in the boutique. I imagine many of your homes have been damaged in the chaotic...chaos? But that won’t stop me from taking care of my fellow ponies.”

How generous of her. The others in the crowd certainly appreciated this based on the comforting, and thankful murmurs I heard.

But what came next was rather disturbing.

“Sir!” Sunburst had called out to me next, having only recently joined the crowd, “I have a message from Twilight and Cadence.”

Subject 261: Plan Organization III

“What’s the situation?” I asked.

Sunburst levitated a scroll in front of himself, and started to read it.

“Starlight Glimmer, Sunburst, Luster Dawn, and everyone in Ponyville, I regret to inform you that we’re under attack by a mysterious force that none of us are prepared to deal with. Both Canterlot and the Crystal Empire have been swept up in chaotic warfare--blindsided by unknown types of magic. Cadance and I have agreed that the best course of action is to evacuate immediately. Once I get in contact with Celestia and Luna, we can all combine our powers to properly deal with this threat. Until then you need to keep everypony safe. Start transporting everypony North and don’t stop moving. That goes doubly so for Pale Vestige and the rest of his crew. We can’t afford to stand up to this threat, so they need to put their pride aside and make the right decision. Thank you.”

---Princess Twilight Sparkle

“What?!” Corkscrew was the first to react to the decree from the princess, “So we’re all just supposed to run and hide like a bunch of cockroaches while the bombs fall?!”

Quick expressed her annoyance with a small snort. “Hmph. Classic diversion. Reign in the subjects and let the strong handle everything.”

Moments later, Flash Drive appeared on the podium next to me via teleportation. “Mate. I don’t know about you, but I’m tired of running. It’s all we’ve known our entire lives. And if we continue to do so, we won’t accomplish anything.”

His brother Neon landed on the stage as well, and added to what the half-zebracorn said. “Righto. Shelling off with our snags between our legs won’t solve nay a thing, friends.”

Lastly, Guttersnipe joined us with a hefty drop that somewhat startled me. “I won’t abandon my friends. But...I also understand what Twilight is saying. It’s up to you, Pale. What would you have me do?”

Once my comrades finished their inputs, I glanced over to Cozy and Cheerilee. The both had anxious looks on their faces--the kid in particular was stuck looking at the ground. Unable to make eye contact with me.

Then it hit me. A sea of guilt was awash over Cozy Glow due to the fact that she knew Grogar was after her in particular. All of this stemmed back to her, and she had realized in those few moments once the note had been read off of.

I was about to say something until other members of the crowd started to voice their own concerns.

“Are ya’ll serious?!” Applebloom cried, “The Apple Family alone has over a century’s worth of history ‘round these parts. What would Ah look like turnin’ tail right now and lettin’ our who livelihood get trampled by some dumb demon curse?!”

Diamond Tiara was next. “I agree with Applebloom because I’m in a similar situation. My mom and dad have worked hard to keep the legacy of our family safe. But if we were to give up now, then everything would be tarnished--soiling the ground that my great-grandfather helped to create. I won’t let that happen!”

“She’s right!” Pound Cake hovered above the crowd to speak up, “Just like theirs, my family has done too much to leave this place in shambles. I’d rather die standing than live kneeling!”

Next to him, I could see Flurry Heart stare up at him with a blank sense of wonder and a faint blush on her cheeks. She must have been really impressed with what he said…

And while that was all well and good, I couldn’t just take their words and run with it. There were various other factions present who deserved to give their own input as well.

“...I...understand that. Thank you,” I replied, “However, let’s keep in mind that we have other races here that need to give off their own perspective as well. It’d be rude to force them to fight for what is ultimately our own--”

I was cut off when Ember flew above the crowd, followed by Smolder.

“Ahem,” the blue dragonness called out, “I speak on behalf of my friends when I say that we dragons are more than willing to fight alongside the ponies.”

“Are you absolutely sure?” I asked them both, “I wouldn’t want to go on record with having put you in an uncomfortable position.”

Smolder perked up, and threw in her point of view. “After everything we’ve been through together in this world, there’s nothing we can’t handle! Dragons don’t just give up when things get difficult. We fight twice as hard!”

Before I could properly address the griffons, a particular one had flown into the air next to speak on behalf of them.

A scruffy older female griffon to be exact. “Rainbow Dash and Gallus helped my folks stick together,” Gilda said, “If Grogar screws over Ponyville, then Griffonstone is surely next. Not on my watch.”

“Yeah!” A younger adult griffon with gray feathers flew up next to Gilda, “No matter who our enemy is, they won’t keep us from keeping our home safe!”

After that, various other individuals made their piece. The zebras, Terramar and Silverstream, changelings, the whole nine yards. They all reiterated the same sentiment regarding the fact that they truly wanted to stand and fight further despite the risks involved.

Part of me felt like there was something missing. Did they really mean what they said?

Subject 262: Chaotic Twist

Just to ensure I had everything understood, I needed to ask one more time.

“...Everyone. Are you absolutely certain?” I questioned the entire crowd, “We would be going against a formal decree from the Princess herself. Such acts are punishable by law--which I am very well-versed in. It’s a massive risk unto itself.”

The crowd started to mutter amongst themselves a bit more as they gave it some thought. I was just as conflicted as they were. This wasn’t going to be some easy snap decision to make since choosing fight or flight could result in a swathe of different outcomes. Ones that I could never predict.

All the sudden, a small Discord teleported onto the podium that I read my notes off of. “Ahem. Would you mind if I tossed in my two bits on the situation?”

My face went from a quick recoil from the startle I got when Discord appeared next to my notes, to a confused, and promptly suspicious glare of death as I stared down at the Draconequus. “Hm? What are you on about? What are you even doing here right now?”

“Oh relax yourself, Detective--I’ve already asked Fluttershy for permission to make a statement. Now I just need yours. Please?” he said with an ironic set of puppy eyes directed at me.

“Ugggrh.” I grit my teeth, and rolled my eyes. Now wasn’t the time to argue. And I supposed it wouldn’t have hurt to at least hear out what he had to say. “Fine. But make it quick. We don’t have any time for nonsense.”

Discord grew to full size next to me, and called out for Cozy. “Thank you very much, good sir. Would Ms. Glow please approach the stage?”

Everyone in the crowd started to mumble a bit more. Likely just as confused as I was at the fact that Discord of all folks had something to say here. What could he have to say at a time like this?

That aside, Cozy would oblige--albeit apprehensively. Given that Discord’s manipulation was half the problem in the first place, I couldn’t blame her shaky approach as she stepped up towards us.

“Y-yes? What’s the matter?”

The next thing I knew, Discord had a set of reading glasses on his face as he flipped through a set of flash cards between his hands/paw? “Okay let’s see...to make a genuine apology you have to...alright.” The glasses and cards disappeared, and Discord--in what I can only describe as uncanny--started to speak in a tone devoid of sarcasm, as if he forced himself to sound genuine. “There’s no easy way for me to say this. But I want to formally apologize to you. My little...experiment got out of hand, and resulted in your imprisonment.”

The thing is, I could feel that it was genuine--as genuine as could be from the being of Chaos. He had to actively make himself sound authentic in order to be taken seriously. It pained him, and I could also feel Fluttershy’s laser-focused glare bore into his soul from the crowd.

Needless to say, I did feel some sympathy for the guy. Chaotic sarcasm was all he really knew, and having to apologize to someone was completely unfamiliar territory. Regardless, it was still valiant that he tried--on his own terms no less.

Even Cozy was taken aback. She nearly stumbled backwards with a worried set of eyes. I couldn’t tell if she had been creeped out or also felt a bit of sympathy. Probably both.

“Um...r-really?” Cozy tilted her head as she asked the question, “Y-you don’t have to say that. I had it coming, really…”

Once again, Discord continued his apology--completely devoid of any snark. “No. I was wrong. It was a foolish way to ‘test’ Twilight. And now I have nopony to blame for it but myself. After living with Fluttershy for the past years, I’ve come to understand that the world isn’t just some playground for entertainment…”

The entire crowd fell silent. Expressions ranged from confusion to disbelief. Did the overlord of Chaos really just admit that he found messing with everything boring? What the hell was going on here?

“Wait, what?” Cozy, now less afraid and more concerned, took a step towards Discord. “What do you mean by that?”

“It’s...complicated,” the draconequus replied with his arms folded, “In short, it’s a matter of fact that I...simply have accepted that I won’t get the chaotic utopia that I’ve always wanted. Fluttershy and her friends will be there to put a stop to me, then their children, their children’s children, or younger siblings or whatever descendants they may have.” He grabbed the bridge of his snout. “It’s more work than what it’s worth to actually pursue Chaos anymore. And Grogar is about to find out the same bad news.”

I decided to speak up before this got any more awkward than it already was. “Okay, hold on. What is your point in all this? I mean, I’m grateful that you’re owning up to your missteps, but what exactly are you trying to say here?”

“I’m saying that if we run and hide,” Discord leaned down to look me in the eyes, “Then that’s exactly what Grogar would want. We’d be playing right into his hooves, and he’ll have already beaten us.”

Subject 263: Plan Organization IV

“And you know this how?” I asked, as I needed to get more information out of him at this point.

“Isn’t it obvious?” Discord stood upright, “I’ve heard many tales of Grogar’s antics throughout the ages. He isn’t merely some ram. He is an entity. Quite the crazy one at that--even for me. And I’m the being of Chaos, so what does that tell you?”

I had to think about it for a second. No, really. What did that tell me? Was Grogar even beatable? Could he truly be purged from existence or was his influence too great to destroy?

“I see...and you’re saying that by running, we’re essentially inviting him to more or less take everything over?”

“Something like that,” he replied with a regretful roll of his eyes, “Along the lines of weakness contributing to his power or some such. I’m not sure--Tia’s details are somewhat fuzzy nowadays.”

I stomped my hoof. “Dammit. So we’re damned either way, aren’t we?”

Surprisingly, Discord spoke to me with a sense of confusion. “Hm? Are you conflicted, good sir?”

I rubbed a hoof behind my head. “Somewhat. I don’t know if betraying the word of the Princess is the best course of action. The risks involved are pretty vast.”

“Correct me if I’m mistaken, but isn’t your entire goal to help everypony--and everyone else that isn’t a pony--follow their own paths.” He gestured his bear paw to the crowd, “Even if it is independent of the ones who rule this world?”

“Well…” I took a glance at Cozy, “Of course it is, but...are you saying that I should straight up defy her, risking and breaking various laws in the process?”

Discord held up his hands, as if backing away from the situation. “Hey now. I am merely stating the obvious. Keep in mind, the intent of your actions will almost never match up with the interpretations of a casual observer. I learned that the hard way, myself.”

I never thought I would take advice from the Being of Chaos of all things. But he had a point. No matter what I did, or how I did things, someone somewhere would always misconstrue the purpose behind what I’m after. Blech. Brought to mind the early days of this case where I had almost been considered a terrorist for the sheer thought of wanting to free Cozy Glow.

Those were not good memories.

“Anyway,” Discord went on, “The choice is yours to make, dear Pale. You have a lot of eyes and ears waiting to hear your response. So the rest is up to you. Me? I’m merely following whatever Fluttershy wants.”

With that established, he teleported away.

Cozy stared at me with a pair of worried eyes. “...Pops? You okay? You’re not scared, are you?”

“In my line of work, if you aren’t scared, then there’s a problem,” I replied. “Don’t worry, kid. I’ve--no, we’ve got this.”

Her concerned expression softened, and turned into a smile. Cozy stood beside me for the rest of the little presentation I gave. “Then let’s make history…”

I turned to face the crowd. “Slightest of change in plans. Rarity--I want you to escort everyone who can’t or is unable to fight up North to where Twilight mentioned in her letter.”

“...Are you sure?” the unicorn asked. “Do you think we could manage it?”

“Of course. Redheart is going to help you,” I came up with the plan on the spot, hoping that everyone would adapt to it, “Take everypony that can’t fight to the hospital, and go from there. Savvy?”

Rarity scoffed. “Pfft. Not a problem at all. Consider it done--I needed to get down to the hospital to check up on Sweetie Belle anyway.” And with a cyan flash of her horn, she teleported--hopefully right to the hospital without much issue.

Next, I would address Fluttershy. “Alright, next. You said that you’d be willing to search the area near the Sisters’ Castle, correct?”

“That’s right,” she replied with a confident smile on her face, “Discord and I will snuff out any forms of dark magic before they can get to us. That way, we’ll be going in prepared.”

Okay then. That put me a bit more at ease since we knew that the area would be secure by the time we got ready to mobilize. Until then, we needed to make sure that we were all in a tight formation and ready to strike at a moment’s notice. By this point, it was around 4PM and we were likely tired from the disorganized state of the battlefield from the surprise attack we dealt with.

“Alright. Everyone else, focus on taking down any stragglers, and get some rest. We’ll assault the Castle bright and early tomorrow morning. Is this agreeable to you all?”

The crowd mumbled amongst themselves before coming to a mostly unanimous agreement. They all shouted their response together with various cheers and assorted sounds of understanding.

…

Did I just become a military commander?

Subject 264: Miss Dawn

Once everything had been discussed, it was time to get things into gear and get ready to finish this out. Discord and Fluttershy had agreed to stake out the area near the castle in order to dispel any unfair advantages that Grogar may have set up for himself. It was perfect since he had no idea that we knew where his hideout was located. So this would make things much simpler once we got the drop on him.

I had asked my crewmates to spend the night here in Ponyville also. The knowledge that all of my closest allies, friends, and families were right nearby put me at ease for the time being. As I had mentioned before, the fighting that day was all over the place. Disjointed. Chaotic. Completely off the walls with no way to tell what was happening or how to counter the enemy properly.

In short, we all needed to take some time to rest up and prepare properly. Unfortunately for me, I couldn’t get to sleep at all that evening. I was stuck staying up late--it was around 10PM--and looked over a map of Equestria on my dining room table. More specifically, I focused on the areas around Ponyville. All the way from the Pie Family Rock Farm up to the Castle of the Two Sisters.

“Hmmmph…”

The main conflict stemmed from the fact that, on some level, I knew that I had betrayed Twilight’s orders. It wasn’t just an easy snap decision to make, but I knew that everyone wanted to stay and fight off this threat until the very end. But just how was our advance going to proceed? I was no strategist. I preferred to largely be in heated situations and think up plans on the fly. Trying to come up with something in the eerie silence of the night was, well--annoying in a word.

Knock-knock-knock.

My ear flicked as soon as I heard that--someone was at my door. But who could it be at this time? Did someone have second thoughts? Or was it something more dangerous?

Knock-knock-knock.

I suppose there was no point in wasting time. I went ahead and got up from my seat at the table to take a look outside. The individual in question wasn’t a familiar face by any means, but it was still somepony rather important.

I opened the door, and greeted the pony. “...Luster Dawn? Just what are you doing here at this time?”

“Pale. Pale Vestige, right?” the pink unicorn tilted her head as if she tried to get a better look at me.

“That’s...who I am, yes,” I said with a nod. “Now that I’ve answered your question, would you care to answer mine?”

She sighed, and looked over my shoulder. “...do you mind if I enter? I feel like it would be easier, and much less risky to speak with you inside.”

This wasn’t the place to debate, so I stood aside to grant her entry. “Not a problem, miss. What would you like to speak with me about?” I shut the door once the mare trotted inside.

Then, she promptly turned to me, and started to explain herself. “Listen...I know you’re just doing your job, but I just want to say that I strongly oppose the idea of trying to fight Grogar.”

Understandable. I suspect that she came to me personally to avoid causing a scene at the massive gathering earlier that day. Since we spoke privately, we could both relay our perspectives without pressure.

“I see...and why do you not want us to?” I asked.

“Well...we don’t know what we’re dealing with,” she muttered with a fearful tremble in her voice, “If we risk going against him, we could potentially lose everything and everpony that we’ve come to know. I don’t think you want that. The last thing we need is another Wendigo situation on our hooves.”

I already knew this. But my decision had been made. “...Ms. Dawn. Please understand why I’m doing what I’m doing. This is to change the very landscape which we live upon. To finely shred the walls between the common pony and the alicorn--so that we all can be seen as heroes. Our own elements of harmony.” I tilted my head, “Wouldn’t that be nice? To know that you could always count on somepony nearby?”

She looked down and sighed to herself. “I suppose...but even so. What if it fails?” She took a step towards me, and started to raise her voice with more passion poured in with each passing word. “What if it results in being all for naught? You’ll have wasted your life trying to prove somepony like Cozy can be trusted and endanger hundreds--possibly thousands of others in the process. Is that something you want taken to your grave, sir? ‘Here lies the naive visionary’?!”

I stared at the floor in silence for a moment, and shut my eyes. I was rather busy with coming up with a response to such a statement.

“...My apologies,” Luster mumbled as I heard her take a step towards me. “I didn’t mean for it to come out like that. I’m only--”

“What do you want to do?” I cut her off with a question.

“...Excuse me?”

I turned to face her, and looked her in the eyes. “My words may be meaningless, but they’re genuinely all I have. And whether Twilight Sparkle approves of it or not, I’m not going to stand idly and allow the universe to control me. Nay--I’m going to start putting my hoof through the wringer to control the universe.”

There was a moment of silence before Luster Dawn responded. Out of desperation, she pulled a trump card of a statement out of her proverbial pockets. “...You know that I can contact Twilight and inform her of what you’re doing, right?”

Subject 266: Chaotic Wakeup

The next morning….

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK!

I was severely startled and hit the floor of my bedroom. Someone pounding at my door nearly caused my heart to jump out of my chest.

“God...dammit, I need a doorbell,” I muttered to myself as I stood up, “Hang on! Don’t break my door off!”

Once I became fully cognitive, I shook off the dull pain that came from hitting the floor, and went to answer the door.

“Hello?” I grumbled as I opened it, “Who--”

Discord was at my front door, with a rather disturbed grimace on his face. “...Vestige. This may come across as cliche, but there is absolutely no time. We need to hurry.”

I desperately wanted to question him, but if what he said was true, then there was truly no time to mess about. However, I didn’t want to leave at random without the kid.

“What? Okay, sure--but hang on. We can’t go and just leave Cozy--”

From behind him, I heard her voice. “...I’m right here, Pale. Discord has already told me everything.”

“Wait, really?” I peered my head around the goat-like creature, “Are you absolutely sure you comprehend what he’s told you? He didn’t say anything suspicious, did he?”

Cozy shook her head, and trotted up between us. “What? Not at all! Discord just told me about what he and Fluttershy found.”

Surprisingly, Discord chose not to reply to my question of his character. “It’s rather important, so we need to leave immediately--”

I stepped outside of my home, and shut the door. Me and my infinite concern couldn’t help but ask another question. “But what about--”

Cozy grabbed ahold of my hoof, and started to pull me. “Come on!” she insisted, “I’ll explain everything else on the way there!”

Well with that in mind, it looked like I didn’t have much of a choice. So I simply followed them both out to where they had wanted to take me.

True to her word, Cozy Glow did in fact explain what I had been missing. To put it simply:

Apparently Fluttershy disappeared somewhere near the Castle of The Two Sisters. And Discord had decided to come to us first. From what else he said, apparently Cheerilee, Mayor Mare, and Spoiled Rich were hard at work discussing funding plans to repair the damages to the town. Since 6AM no less. At the very least, I knew they were safe.

Which left us with Cozy being the one to accompany us. And if we found any signs of trouble, we would signal for our force of--well, army. It was an army at this point. One that I hoped that I could maintain proper control of.

Once I got the gist of it, I replied. “...alright. So everything back home is fine. Good. So what did you manage to uncover before Fluttershy vanished?”

We had walked up a hill that overlooked the Castle. About 100 yards away....

Discord pointed to the castle. “...Nothing. That’s the strange part. And before you ask, no. I can’t just poof in there, turn the castle inside-out, or shrink it to the size of a classroom diorama.”

I looked at him with bewilderment plastered on my face for a second before I responded. “Wh--I actually wasn’t going to ask that. Mainly because I can already tell what the problem is from here.”

“You can?” he asked.

“Indeed. The Castle has been reinforced with magic-reversing runes. If you tried to cast any of your spells on it, they will most certainly fire back at you, and deal even more damage.”

Cozy stepped forward, and sniffed the air. After a moment, she recoiled out of disgust. “Yeesh...with magic like that, it’s no wonder he was so feared. What do you think we should do, Pale?”

There were various approaches that we could take in a situation like this. The best one was always something along the lines of a slow, and carefully planned infiltration to gauge what exactly we’d be up against. However, we were in no position to fully storm the castle just yet, so we had to be cautious…

That’s when I had an idea. “Alright, Discord. Can you do me a favor and make us all invisible--except to each other of course.”

“Hm? That’s simple enough, I suppose.” With a snap of his fingers, we were all hit with a blast of magic.

I checked a nearby puddle, and couldn’t see my own reflection. Nor theirs. It worked!

“Perfect,” I turned towards the old castle. “What we’re going to do is sneak up, and see if we can find anything from the outside. Any clues, any odd bits of evidence--anything that can lead us to where Fluttershy currently is. But you all have to follow me, and stay quiet. Understood?”

Both Cozy and Discord looked at each other before nodding. The latter pantomimed the act of zipping his lips shut to boot.

I tried not to roll my eyes at such a gesture, and led them down the hill towards the castle. It was a fairly uneventful walk that led us through the open field and up to the ruins. The sound of cold winds brushed against, and echoed upon the broken rock that it was composed of. It was almost beautiful, in a way. Like elegant flute music.

With Cozy and Discord behind me, I led them to one of the castle’s ramparts. We knew that the new Tree of Harmony existed in the epicenter of the wreckage, but dared not approach just yet.

As we turned the corner, I felt something. “Hm?” It was something fuzzy beneath my hoof. I took a look down, and realized that it was a pink strand from a mane--or tail? It was difficult to tell. But what wasn’t difficult to tell, was who it belonged to.

“...I’d recognize this color anywhere,” Discord whispered with bated anxiety, “Fluttershy’s close. I can tell. If that dastard has done anything to her...”

I could have sworn I heard him growl under his breath. Wait, was Discord actually angry?

No. No matter which way one sliced it, that was something I wasn’t prepared for. I tried to calm him down so he wouldn’t do anything foolish. “Hey, psst. Let’s not--wait!”

But before I could say anything...he rushed into the ruins.

“Enough with the theatrics, Grogar!” he shouted to the heavens, “I know Fluttershy is--!”

Cozy and I gazed into the castle where we heard a loud TICK followed by a set of beeps…

I didn’t know what was about to happen next, but the expression of utter horror as Discord stared at his hands said it all. They started to crack, and those cracks spread to every other part of his body. He started to mumble something to himself--something along the lines of...

“...Why now? I didn’t even get to say goodbye…”

Subject 267: A Sacrifice

We both stared in a stunned silence. What followed next was equally horrifying. Discord’s body continued to crack, and break apart into pieces until finally, his body shattered completely. The pieces of Discord silently clattered onto the ground before being absorbed into the soil beneath.

In those few final moments he had, I could feel his Chaos Aura drift away from us before being absorbed into the New Tree Of Harmony.

So that was Grogar’s aim...

Cozy was the first to react. She instinctively tried to reach out to where he last stood, and nearly took off on her wings towards the area in a panic. “Di...Discor--mmph! MMM!”

I swiftly put a hoof over her mouth, and pulled her away from the castle. “...Shh. Kid, stop. There’s nothing we can do at this point. He’s gone. As far as we know, at least…”

“HM? UGH!” she wrestled free from my grip, “Pale, how can you say that? There...there’s no way. This is impossible. He’s too strong and--”

I tried to calm her down with some logic of the current situation. “Shh--stay quiet. He doesn’t know that you’re here yet, and if we keep it that way, we’ll still have the advantage. We just need to--”

“Pale...it’s entirely possible that Fluttershy was swept away also. If that’s the case, who’s to say he won’t do the same to you or I?”

I had to consider that as well. There were a whole host of things that were wrong with the current scenario. “I...yeah…”

She continued. “Not only that, the knowledge that Discord of all people had been vanquished would certainly lower morale amongst those that had agreed to help us. How could they be motivated when one of the most powerful beings in existence has already been taken out?” She looked down at the ground and sighed, “...I guess we really are in a deeper mess than we thought…”

Even if that was the case, I refused to give up so easily. We didn’t come this far just to give up where we were.

I pulled Cozy in for another close embrace. “...Cozy. We’ll get through this. I promise. I will never allow anything or anyone to bring you harm.”

“...I appreciate that, but…” she trailed off, and refused to make eye contact with me.

I let her go, and gave her some space. “What’s wrong? You don’t think you’ve made the right choice?”

“...I need to make sure nopony else suffers what I did,” she turned around to look at the castle. “And the only way I can do that is by forcing him out of existence.”

I bit back my urge to whinny. My tail flicked out of a sense of sheer panic from what she said. “W-wait...kid, what do you mean by that? Don’t tell me you’re actually going to try and…”

Cozy glared at me with a painful look in her eyes. “You saw what happened to Discord, pops...if that happened to all the other friends I’ve made--or the innocent spread of ponies, griffons, zebras--and other folk who want to protect the world that they too live in…” Her eyes drifted down to the ground, “If I allowed that to happen, I would never forgive myself.”

My heart was adrift in a sea of confusion and fear. If what I had assumed in my mind was going to play out like I thought it would, then a proverbial knife to the gut was headed my way.

“...Cozy...I...look. I just want you to know that I will always support you. That’s what I’m here for. Even if I don’t entirely agree with your decisions. I just…” I held back my tears, and sniffled a bit. “...I’m sorry. The idea of losing you truly does haunt me. I can’t bear to think about it.”

I felt her hoof on my shoulder. She pulled me in for a hug, and tried to comfort me. “Pale. I want you to promise me something.”

“Y-yes?” I shakily asked.

She pulled away from me, and looked me dead in the eyes. “Never stop fighting. No matter what happens. Even if the odds are stacked against you in every conceivable way, you need to keep going.” She tried to cheer me up with a smile, and even wiped away my forthcoming tears with her hoof, “That’s what you taught me, right?”

I slowly realized that Cozy always had a plan for something. Never would she allow herself to be in a situation where she couldn’t retaliate or find a method of success somehow. That’s how she always had been, right? Why should I start to lose my faith in her now?

After all, Miranda had to let go of me too at some point...

Subject 268: Storm The Castle

Beneath the earth, I could hear and feel the rumblings of a stampede. It was our family and various friends that we had made along the way. If I had to put a distance on it, they were about fifty yards away from our current position, and they closed in fast.

“...Here they come,” I mumbled to myself, and glanced at Cozy, “Are you sure you’re ready for this, kid?”

She flashed me a confident grin as she flew into the air. “He won’t treat me the same was as the others. I know that for a fact. After all, he wants me alive. And my body to be in perfect condition. Why not surprise him with it? You know what they say: Be careful what you wish for…”

That was a very reasonable way to look at it. No matter how much I wanted to hold onto her, I knew deep within my heart that I would have to allow Cozy to make her own decisions eventually.

But I wasn’t going to let her go without an insurance.

“...Alright, kid. Go for it. No matter what happens, know that I’ll be right behind you.” I placed a quick kiss on her forehead--akin to what a parent would do for their child who was about to leave for college the first time.

“...” For a moment, there was silence. I could sense Cozy holding back tears as she flew into the air. “Thanks, pops…”

Then, I watched her fly directly into the Castle of the Two Sisters. Behind me, I could hear the sounds of dozens to hundreds of footsteps that approached my position.

From behind me, I heard a familiar voice call out.

“Boss!” I looked up to see Corkscrew fly down to my position, “Where’s Cozy? What happened?!

After him, Quick Draw, Guttersnipe, Flash Drive, and Neon Isotope all approached me with pretty much half of those who had been in Ponyville yesterday in tow behind them. I assumed the other portion was still an active safeguard in Ponyville and the general area, which was good.

“Well?” Quick asked me next, “Don’t just stand there. Tell us what’s been going on here.”

“You look right carked, mate,” Flash Drive said, “Something on your mind?”

I snapped out of my train of thought, and focused on those in front of me.

“Oh right. Well, it goes like this…”

I pretty much told them everything that had happened. What with both Fluttershy and Discord’s disappearances. And the fact that Cozy had decided to race ahead of me in order to weaken Grogar herself. However, that last detail was something that I requested them not to share with everyone else. It would have most certainly caused a panic.

So we huddled up, and started to come to an agreement.

“...Alright,” Guttersnipe was the first to speak up, “So you’re saying we’re gonna go in there, and tear that guy a new one? Sign me up.”

“Whatever gets this over with faster, lads,” Neon mumbled, “All this fighting’...needs to stop sooner or later if we want everyone to live peacefully.”

“So what’s the game plan regarding everyone else?” Quick asked.

And as soon as she asked that question, we heard the sound of a hundred wails fill the air.

EEEEEEEE!

We all turned to look at the Castle, and the source was the various demons that had erupted from the ground. Guess Grogar wanted this to be his last resort, hm?

“Shit,” I swore under my breath, “Guess we’ll need to wade through these fools first before we can get in there…”

Out of the group that had come to our aid, Babs was the first to speak to us.

“Yo, Pale--you should take ya crew up dere and handle the bastahd himself. We’ll watch over ya from behind,” she turned to face the mixed group of ponies, griffons, zebras, and other creatures behind her, “Ain’t dat right, ya’ll?!”

Everyone else shouted in agreement with the new plan that we had just conjured up.

I looked at my crewmates. While we all felt dubious and even a bit afraid, it was only natural given that this was gearing up to be the final confrontation...I hoped.

With that in mind, I looked at the main gates for the castle. “Alright, then. Follow me, guys. Allow everyone else to deal with the stragglers on all sides.”

And so, the six of us galloped like bulls. We charged our way through as the rest of our army cleared the way to the castle by attacking the demons for us. It was quite the struggle, watching streaks of black blood fly all over the place. But I knew all of my friends had our best interests at heart--and wouldn’t allow us to lose sight of our goal.

My crew and I had completed our beeline...and we made it. With a loud, creaky thud, the castle doors shut behind us and muffled the sounds of combat that ensued from behind us outside.

It was time...

Subject 269: Area 1

“Alright, my friends--here we are,” I said to them all, “It’s now or never with this castle serving as our final--ah, you get the point.”

Corkscrew was the first to point out something odd with the ruins that we stood in. “...Boss? Nothing’s happening. Didn’t you say Discord and Fluttershy disappeared around here?”

Acute observation indeed. I shuffled my hooves around, and even prodded the dirt. The magical effect that had caused Discord to shatter apart was nowhere to be found. Even with my keen sensory capabilities--nothing. I refused to let my guard down, however. The stakes were simply too damn high…

“Hrm…” I rubbed my hoof against my chin as I tried to come up with a plausible explanation.

Guttersnipe would disrupt said train of thought with an interjection. “Hey, there’s no point in trying to figure things out. We need to keep moving. Anyone know which way the new Tree of Harmony is?”

“Should be deep in the castle,” Neon flew into the air to get a better view of the area. “...Shite. We got a problem.”

“What do you see, bruv?” Flash Drive asked, “What’s wrong?”

Neon landed, and started to give us the details. “In short: The Tree has been corrupted somehow. By some kind of weird force. It’s also been moved to the far side of the ruins.”

Quick Draw’s eyes grew wide upon that revelation. “The far side? Wait a minute, I read about it. That side of the castle--the East side--is poorly structured with a lot of broken rocks.”

Corkscrew’s wings expanded with a fearful grimace plastered on his face. “We better move as fast as we can, guys! Look!”

We all gazed up at the horizon. There was a flash of blinding light that shone from the far Eastern wing of the castle. In that moment, I could only process so much. My sensory capabilities kicked into overdrive, and I performed a classic dodge-roll maneuver to dive out of the way.

ZZZ!

Surely enough, some kind of magic laser made of pure white light struck the position where I had stood merely second before.

“Get moving!” I shouted.

With no hesitation, everyone moved as fast as they could. Guttersnipe, Neon, and Corkscrew flew through the air while Quick Draw, Flash Drive, and I galloped along the ground. Every few seconds, we had to sidestep and jump over every laser that approached us. It was like hellfire that rained down upon us from all directions. Clearly in an attempt to throw us off our game. But I was ready. I was faster. I was more capable than whatever this careless fool thought of me--and so were my friends.

“To your left!”

“Right!”

“Jump!”

I shouted commands to my allies who followed my advice without question. They were able to avoid life-threatening blasts of magic thanks to my warnings. Guess my magical sensory skill really did pay off...

But that was far from all.

PEW-PEW-PEW!

More lasers. This time from multiple angles that tried to home in on the grounded trio that included myself.

To my left, I could see Flash Drive activate the newly-formed zebra stripes on his body. Cyan ones that matched his magical aura and eye color. Unlike before, he was prepared for this moment. He shouted with all of his might…

“ABSORBIEYAE”

It happened far too quickly for me to put it into words, but he had shouted something in Zebrican that I couldn’t decipher. But in that moment, he absorbed the effects of those lasers, cursed them, and sent them harmlessly into the ground beneath his hooves.

“Hm…” Without so much as a broken sweat, he continued to run along with Quick and I--his pace didn’t even break. “Worked like a charm.”

Quick and I so desperately wanted to comment on his newfound abilities, but now absolutely was not the time. We had to keep going as fast as possible.

However, above us, things weren’t looking so hot either. I glanced towards the sky, and watched as the clouds formed a grim shade of dark blue that pulsated. As if a thunderstorm was on its way. But no. This was something much worse.

SCREEEEEEE!

Like the cries of one thousand banshee, the sky opened up to reveal what appeared to be Wendigos. At least one dozen of them. Unlike the one from the tales of the pony tribes, these ones didn’t bring any frigid weather. No.

Instead, they bum-rushed us. An attempt to knock us out cold before we could make it to the Tree.

Luckily for us, we had an ace up our sleeves.

Guttersnipe had already noticed the threat as soon as the sky opened up. In the amount of time that it took for the banshee-creatures to swoop down at us, the red pegasus had already primed her mechanical wings to fire off rockets. What I didn’t realize, though, was that she had outfitted herself for anti-magical combat.

“EAT MESH MISSILES, BASTARDS!”

SHOOOOOM!

The sky was alight with the rocket propellant from the dozens of projectiles she fired off. The smoke trails created a new set of clouds all their own from how dense they were. And then…

BLAM! BLAM! BLAM!

All around, the creatures of the sky would be terminated one by one with Guts’ rocket attack. It was like a war against heaven and earth that played out right before me as my ground team continued to run.

And to think...this was only the beginning of the end.

Subject 270: Area 2

The Tree of Harmony was now in sight. Just as we had predicted, its position had changed to the farther side of the castle where the structural integrity had lost its luster the fastest over the centuries.

And before we even had a chance of reaching it, we were assaulted with more magic on our position.

“Guys look out!” Corkscrew shouted from above us.

What followed next was a desperate attempt to throw us out of existence. A massive twister filled with an unstable amount of wind-based magic was flung towards our position. It was bigger than any hurricane that I had ever seen before, and I could already feel myself being lifted off the ground.

“Wh--huh?!” I tried my best to keep my hooves planted firmly in the ground to avoid being swept away, but it would only serve to delay the inevitable. Quick and Drive were both in the same position as myself, and I had to hold onto them both out of desperation to keep them tethered.

That is, until my friend decided to do the unthinkable.

“YAAAAAGH!”

With a war cry that could scare even the biggest of monsters, Corkscrew flew directly into the eye of that twister. I was so focused on staying locked on the ground that I could barely comprehend what happened above us. As a result, everything was left to conjecture.

“I’m slipping!” Drive shouted with his body halfway hoisted into the air thanks to the extreme gale force.

“We’re not gonna die like this!” Quick yelled with her hoof tightened around mine to keep herself weighted down.

Meanwhile, I did my best to hold onto Drive directly. We wouldn’t last much longer like this. The twister had started to take entire trees from the outside of the castle along with boulders and various pieces of debris. I could only pray that Cork knew what he was doing in order to get rid of this.

From what I could manage to make out, his orange body started to fly against the force of the twister. Opposite of the way it moved. All the way down until he reached the cone-shaped bottom of it. A dull blur that swooped against everything….was he insane?

There was a high probability. And yet...

FWOOOOOOOSH! BANG!
With a loud, set of winds that spiraled in reverse, an explosion occurred that resulted in the twister disappearing almost instantly in a flash of light.

“Oof!” Drive hit the ground with a hefty thud. “What the bloody hell was that?”

“No idea,” I replied as I gazed into the sky. Up there, I could see that Corkscrew had flown himself ragged. “...That crazy man. He must have reversed the twister out of existence.”

“What?!” Quick cried out in disbelief, “You can actually do that?!”

After what I could only imagine to be a monstrous undertaking, Corkscrew hovered back down to us with the color almost sapped from his normally-orange face. “Whew...did it, guys…”

We rushed to his side to check up on him. Oddly enough, aside from the shortness of breath, he didn’t seem to be ailed too heavily.

“You alright, Cork?” I asked as I looked him over.

He waved his hoof in a dismissive fashion to ease our concerns. “Yeah. I’m good. We need to keep going, though.” Surprisingly enough, his wings were still in good enough condition to continue flight. Albeit at a much slower pace.

Quick Draw gazed at the horizon ahead of us. There was still quite a ways to go before we reached the final area of the castle, but it wasn’t going to be much longer now. “Okay, we’re almost there. We just need to stick together and hold out until the end.”

From behind, Guttersnipe had finally caught up with us. Her wings emitted oodles of smoke from how much they had been overheated in the amount of time she battled those demons of the sky. “Yeesh...what a mess. We still have the advantage guys, so don’t muck around.”

From above us, Neon would sound off. “Anypony else notice that the Tree of Harmony isn’t in the middle of these here ruins, lads? It’s like it was a trick...”

“Wait are you serious?” Corkscrew asked, “That’s quite the damn puzzler…”

“Was it a mirage?” I ventured my own guess, “If so, then that could only mean it was moved further…”

Quick Draw stood up, and offered her two bits. “We’re wasting time theorizing. We’ll figure it out when we get there,” she trotted on ahead which turned into a prance and a brisk gallop, “Let’s go everyone!”

Perfect. With that out of the way, we were able to press on. Both the ground crew and air crew of my respective squad would travel in a beeline towards the very end of this castle even if it meant we would be eradicated, we would do our best to make our mark on history and put Grogar out of his misery once and for all.

Well, that was the idea behind it at least.

As we drew closer, we could see the ruined ramparts that made up the castle’s Eastern wing. We were finally there. It was about to be over at long last, right? Well…

It was as if we didn’t have enough interruptions. Near the very final leg of the castle where the throne room, and Tree of Harmony were supposedly located, something happened to the ground...

And it was a massive quake.

“Wh-whoa!”

“Aie!”

“Agh!”

Quick, Drive, and I all fell on our backs. The ground started to shake so violently that the entire earth felt like it would erupt and explode at any moment. And to be quite frank...that’s sort of what happened.

From out of the ground sprouted a massive creature made of nothing but hellfire and brimstone. It looked like something out of a P.H. Hoofcraft novel. And upon closer inspection, I was finally able to decipher that--based on the nose-ring, bull-like features, and the fact that it stood on four hooves…

It was a centaur. But not just any centaur.

“...That’s Tirek and Scorpan’s grandfather…” Neon mumbled as he walked in front of us. “Mates...back me up. This is about to get ugly.”

Subject 271: Area 3

Before we had a chance to even think about what we wanted to do next, the centaur attacked us.

BZZZZZ!

A laser beam fired straight from the centaur’s horns traveled along the ground, and swooped up towards us.

“AH!”

With a brisk shriek, we all quickly dove out of the way into the safety of some nearby bushes. Grogar really did want to pull out all the stops, huh? I honestly had never battled a centaur like this before, so this was entirely new territory for me.

Unfortunately for us, Guts and Cork were both a bit winded from what they had both done moments prior. Which meant the last member of the aerial team, Neon, had to kickstart the last leg of what would become the final battle.

And he already knew it, which is why he let out an inaudible scream.

His jaws nearly unhinged themselves from his face from how wide he opened his mouth. Fangs at the ready, and dripping hungrily with salivation. I could only imagine the pitch of the cry he let out. So powerful that normal pony ears couldn’t hear it. Just what could he be doing?

Wait a second. So powerful that normal pony ears couldn’t hear it...of course!

The next thing I knew, I saw a swarm of batponies fly up and over the castle walls. There was easily at least anywhere from fifty to a hundred of them! But what was most impressive was the fact that these batponies would respond to Neon’s call during the day. No normal bat becomes that aggressive with the sun out. Only the moonlight would allow them to tap into their instincts.

At least, that’s what I thought until Neon showed me what he could do.

“Alright lads and mares!” Neon screeched as loud as he possibly could, “Swoop in and take it out!”

I looked up at the centaur. From what I could tell, he looked absolutely unfazed by what he had seen. I guess from his perspective, they were nothing more than harmless fruit bats. Especially since they’re normally not very active during the day, right?

Well, he was in for a shock.

With a cacophony of squeals and squeaks, the swarm of batponies flew around, and started to assault the giant in various ways.

The vampire batponies started off with a combined, corrosive spitball that struck the centaur right in the eyes!

“AUUUUUGH!”

It roared from the pain. Now blinded, the rest of them would only make things worse for the summoned beast. So much so, that what came next caused me to visibly wince.

The fruit batponies would charge forward and sink their razor-sharp fangs into the flesh of the centaur, and shredded it up in the process.

“Woah...that’s sick!” Cork called out.

“...Literally,” Quick Draw stood with awe plastered over her face, almost ready to heave, “How can they even stomach doing such a thing?”

“Bats consume everything,” I chimed in, “Even mosquitoes. That’s why Flash Drive always packs candied ones just in case his brother ever gets hungry on certain missions.” I looked over at the black unicorn for an answer, “Isn’t that right?”

Drive rolled his eyes. “Don’t sass me, mate. They’re delicious.”

“Holy shit, look guys!” Guttersnipe pointed up to the sky.

We all gazed upwards and watched as Neon flew into the sky to meet the centaur face to face. Its eyes were still bloodshot and unable to properly see anything in front of him which gave the batpony friend of ours the advantage.

Just as creepily as before, his jaw unhinged as much as possible, and his fangs...those fangs turned into endless rows of shark-like teeth! Without so much as a warning, Neon’s jaw clamped down upon the centaur’s snout, which caused it to roar out once again!

“RRRRAGGGGH!”

It shook itself back and forth to desperately rid himself of the pests that had clung to his body. And it worked somewhat. Most of the batponies were swatted away either by the centaur’s tail or arms, and landed in nearby trees.

But Neon? That bluish-green bat of a stallion held on like a bee in honey. No matter how much the centaur moved and tried to force him off, he wouldn’t yield.

Not until he let go willingly that is.

“Alright, time to end it! EVERYONE OVER ‘ERE!”

With a mighty roar of his own, Neon swooped in to bite at the throat of the massive beast. This was followed by all of the other batponies that he had summoned to help him out. The monster didn’t bleed, but it was no longer able to fight due to its magical reservoir being tapped out.

And then in one fell swoop…

CRUNCH!

All of the batponies, Neon included, tore the beast’s throat out with their jaws. Thankfully, it was a bloodless affair given that it was made of magic. However, it was no less impressive.

Now incapacitated, the centaur fell to the ground, and disappeared in a flash of black ash.

Neon hovered down to us whilst he forced his jaw back into place. “Alright...that settles that.”

All we could do was stare in amazement.

Subject 272: Meeting The Ram

My bat friend gave a signal to the others of his kind. They flew off, presumably to help with the ongoing conflict outside of the castle walls. “...Is everyone alright?” Neon asked us. His confused expression made it out like we were the strange ones at that moment.

I was the first to approach him on the subject. “Er...how did you...when did you learn how to accomplish that?”

“If you’re asking about how I managed to summon my fellow bats, then that’s an innate thing. As far as the jaw goes...you learn a lot when you have to deal with folks who want to try and capture you for your teeth over the years,” he turned to face the last room of the castle that we had yet to enter. “Ready to end this?”

Corkscrew stood up, and tilted his neck to pop some of his bones. “Absolutely. I won’t allow him to do whatever he wants.”

Flash Drive put a hoof around his brother’s neck. “Bruv, you know I’m always prepared to keep you alive. It’s what mum and dad would want.”

Quick Draw stretched her hooves as she stood up. “No point in wasting a bunch of words. Let’s get this over with. Love you guys.”

Guttersnipe giggled at this, and nudged Quick with her tail--much to the chagrin of the yellow earth pony. “Aw, I knew you cared about us, Quickie! But she’s right. It’s time to finally finish this off. Whatever happens, I’m glad you guys stuck by me throughout the years.”

It was mutual in that regard for me.

“Indeed...in the end, no matter what happens, I’m simply grateful that you were all here to witness Cozy’s progress.”

As we ventured towards the final room of the castle ruins, Quick Draw spoke up.

“Hey, speaking of which...any idea what she’s doing now, Pale?”

I smirked at Quick. “If anything, I’d be more worried for Grogar. He may be the being of fear, but her overwhelming intellect offsets any advantages he may think he has right about now.”

With a swift kick to the door, the final room would predictably be the throne room of the run-down castle. A massive hall filled with broken pillars, a misshapen roof, and oodles of piles of rubble scattered across the floor. What threw me for a loop was just how much bigger the room was on the inside. Easily the length of a buckball field, or 100 yards long, I couldn’t help but feel the sickening, overwhelming sense of illusory magic that warped the perspective of this place.

...And wouldn’t you know it? In the very middle of the throne’s hall...the fully restored Tree of Harmony. Just a sprint’s distance away.

And alongside it was the man/beast/thing himself.

“So you’ve finally arrived…” he muttered as he dragged his hoof down the base of the tree which emitted loud, squeaky noises that pierced through and reverberated off the hollow walls of the castle ruins. “And to think, after all this time, I came across individuals who could truly measure up to my challenges. Not the alicorns, not the elements, not the pillars, not even the infamous so-called ‘villains’ who wanted to spread their own form of disharmony.” He turned to face our direction. “Instead, it was you. Six workers. Gears in the system. It’s poetic, in a way…”

We didn’t want to jump at the chance just yet. If we leapt over the shark now, there would be absolutely no way to tell what he would do.

Instead, I simply held my hoof out in front of my crew. A signal of sorts to let me gather evidence, and interview the subject in question.

“Is that so?” I asked as I took a step forward, “What do you mean by that, ‘Father of All Monsters?’”

Grogar actually decided to take a seat. As if this was nothing more than a casual conversation between friends. “Nothing worth fretting over, really. Just found that it was inevitable for someone to take the matters of their lives into their own hooves at some point. A mortal cannot be led around by gods like a lamb to slaughter. Tis how the world has always ended up in shambles. The Changelings, Sombra, Discord, Cozy Glow…all are products of the stifling way of this world: Empowerment to those in power.”

“So what’s the point, then?” I asked, “What’s the point of anything? There’s always going to be an imbalance of power among the masses. What do you want to do? Remove magic entirely?”

“Magic itself isn’t the problem,” he replied, as he looked up at the tree, “It’s those who wield it…”

Subject 274: Comprehending The Ram

As much as I wanted to, I couldn’t just outright ignore something so significant. The fact that Grogar would desire the idea of chasing the perfect world seemed rather out of place at first, but the more I thought about it, the more it stood to reason.

However, I still refused to let up in my efforts towards keeping the kid safe.

“Alright, I’ll hear you out,” I said, “But first, answer me this: Where is Cozy right now?”

“Your child is just ahead, listening to the same words that I am relaying to you right now,” the ram went on as he looked up at us. “May I continue?”

I glanced at my friends beside me. They were all equally as suspicious of him as I was. But given how strong he was, we didn’t want to set him off and run the risk of losing everything we had fought for up until this point.

So we decided to humor him.

“Proceed,” Neon said.

Once he was given permission, Grogar went on. “I’m sure that you all know of my story. And how I was considered to be one of the most deadly beings in existence, yes?”

“...Yeah,” Guts spoke up, “That’s generally the most agreeable stance. But it’s our job to hear all sides of any given argument. I’d assume that’s what you wanna give us, yeah? Your side?”

Grogar nodded, and spoke with a tense tone--as if he was afraid to recount the events. “...I was just a normal ram when I was younger….”

...All of the sudden, time itself froze around us. Only my crew, myself, and (hopefully) Cozy were spared from this as we were teleported to an ancient landscape.

We were about to experience the uprising of Grogar first-hoof.

During the genesis of what would later become Equestria, nothing but farmland stretched across the entire continent. Ponies were the only ones that lived in the region at the time, and spent most of their days tending to their crops and gathering resources. Everything was peaceful. No monsters. No princesses. No crazy magic of any kind. Simply ponies living their lives...with no one to rule them.

Grogar recounted his experiences and explained to us his perspective. “One day...I simply came into existence. With no knowledge of who my parents or family were. Almost like I was created for a purpose of some sort…”

The young ram ventured forth. From one end of the continent to the other, he would spend his days among the ponies. However, he noticed something wrong with them…

“This is my land! Vacate yourself before I force you!”

“Are you challenging my honor?!”

“Dost thou have a problem?!”

“Come hither, and I’ll show you!”

...Violence. While the ponies did their best to live their lives in peace, conflict was almost inevitable. A day wouldn’t go by in which at least two or more of them would get into a scuffle with each other before going off about their own business as if nothing mattered.

“Watching them fight so much...disturbed me,” he said, “I knew this race wouldn’t last very long without some sort of intervention. So I decided to take it upon myself to take charge...but that fell through completely.”

And the very next time he found some ponies fighting, Grogar would try to intervene only to be met with hostile responses.

“Hey...why don’t we try and get along?” the blue ram tried to reason with some of the pony farmers.

Unfortunately for him, they didn’t have any of it.

“Get out of here! Who asked you, cretin?!”

“Thy heart is impure and not of this land!”

“Return, and we shall burn thee at the stake!”

“They didn’t listen. Figures, since they had been so content with squabbling amongst each other that they decided to go ahead and throw me under the proverbial cart also...and this went on for months…”

My crew and I watched as time moved forward a little.

Fast-forward about nine months. Grogar continued to roam the lands and tried to desperately figure out how to get the ponies to stop fighting each other. Their negativity imposed such a stark impact on his mental state, that at one point, it was all he could think about. No matter how much he tried or whatever he said, the ponies refused to speak with him or allow him ot help with their problems.

Slowly but surely, this caused Grogar to isolate himself. But out of desperation for someone to share his thoughts with…

“...Monsters--or rather, I didn’t know what they were at the time, but various creatures started to come into existence around me.” Grogar explained further as we watched his younger self become surrounded by amorphous shadows of various colors and sizes. “I don’t exactly remember what they looked, or sounded like. It was that long ago. All I remember was their voices...their voices telling me that they thought I was right. And if the ponies refused to listen...then I should make them listen. They needed authority to guide them in the right direction. And I took it upon myself to serve that purpose…”

From behind the young ram, a massive set of shadows appeared. Now fully under his control, the ram would set out to prove everypony else wrong. That they can take advice from someone different. Whether they wanted to or not…

The Father of All Monsters had been born.

Subject 275: Pain Of The Ram

“So wait a minute,” I spoke up, “Because of your manic state of depression, and because you had no one else to communicate with, you started to develop your own magic which created monsters…”

The ram replied with a gruff sigh. “In a word, yes. Looking back, I hate to admit that I allowed my own emotions to take over what I really wanted. But in that time period, everypony was so stubborn that I refused to be walked over…no. Instead, I chose to become the leader instead of a follower.”

The next time Grogar approached the ponies, he did so with overwhelming force. None were spared from his wrath. All those who didn’t listen to him before were now forced to do so thanks to the amount of monsters he had at his disposal. Over time, the blobby shadows would reveal themselves to be various monsters that Pale and his friends had seen even to the current era.

Hydras, chimeras, vampire fruit bats, tatzlwurms, giant spiders, the ursa minors/majors, manticores...

In an instant, and out of fear, the ponies fell to their knees and begged for forgiveness. They had no idea an outsider could have such power. For those that tried to escape by sea, they were quickly thwarted by sea serpents. And for those that tried to escape by flight, the newly created Wendigoes prevented them from ever leaving due to their gale force which kept them grounded.

“It felt great, being listened to for once,” Grogar went on, “At long last I could drive the ponies towards a more stable community and keep them safe under my rule. Even if it was through fear.”

“And just how did that end up for ya, mate?” Drive asked while he grit his teeth.

From the corner of my eye, I could see Neon nudge his brother with a wing as a way to reign in his anger. The black unicorn sighed and relaxed himself.

We fell silent to allow Grogar to keep going. We watched as the scene before us would change to a particular unicorn mare who rose up to defeat him.

“Well, I’m sure you know the rest…”

In the time that passed, Grogar had taken complete control over the various farmlands, and had already started to force everyone to get along under his rule. There was to be no conflict, no squabbling, and no hatred. Failure to abide by the rules would result in a fate worse than death at the hands of his various monsters who frequently roamed the lands under his control.

Gusty The Great did her best. But Grogar was simply too strong. The bell around his neck had become corrupted, mad with power as was he. No matter what she did, she simply could not land a definitive blow upon the ram.

With a cackle, Grogar boasted about how strong he was. About how foolish somepony like Gusty could be to even fathom trying to take him on. By this point, he had taken over multiple farmlands, and usurped himself as their ruler. His arrogance served to be his downfall, however…

With the intent to deceive, Gusty fell to the ground, seemingly ready to accept her fate as his slave. As Grogar approached, she activated a spell so powerful that it paralyzed his entire body. In those few moments, she took advantage of Grogar’s ego and quickly enhanced the spell.

"...You're pathetic," Gusty said, "I'll make sure you never set hoof on this land again you utter miscreant."

The end result came with Gusty taking the Bewitching Bell--the primary source of the ram’s power, and banishing him. To where? No one knew.

But she was regarded as a hero on that day. Henceforth known as Gusty the Great.

“After that, I’m sure you know the rest. The Earth ponies, Unicorns, and Pegasi fought until they could get along lest they be frozen over by the Wendigoes--which I also created. And that’s when I realized something…” Grogar let out a disgruntled sigh. “Something that would affect the rest of Equestria’s history even to this very day.”

“...And what’s that?” Corkscrew asked as he stared at the events that unfolded before us.

“During my banishment, I realized...that I was created,” Grogar replied, “I had no life of my own. There was never anyone called ‘Grogar’ to begin with. It was as if some form of divine intervention forced me into existence…”

Honestly? Not the craziest thing I ever heard. Nopony really knows too much about how the world was created after all. So this was just about the closest my crew and I would get to an actual genesis story.

Even Quick Draw, of all ponies, was amazed by it, going by the shocked set of eyes she sported for a moment or two. “...So wait a second, you’re saying it’s entirely plausible that the universe itself just sorta thrusted you into existence? Wh--what? I ju--I can’t imagine just sort of poofing into reality one day like that.”

The ram snorted with an annoyed roll of his eyes. “It’s all I have to go off of. I don’t know who or where I came from. All I know is that I just did. But you want to know something else? No one knows where Gusty came from either.” He held his hoof up and waved it around dramatically for emphasis, “She just shows up one day to stop me. And that was it. Poof. Gone. Never to be seen again.”

My usual analytical mind kicked in as I proceeded with my next inquiry. “Did she have any relatives?” I asked, “Anyone who properly knew her at all?”

“No and no,” Grogar responded, “Not to my knowledge. Even if she did have parents, they didn’t appear anywhere across the various regions that I traveled.”

“So like--hold on,” Guttersnipe piped up, “Are you saying that Gusty was probably just sorta willed into existence right alongside you?”

“Hmph,” the ram scoffed, “You’re more perceptive than you let on. In a way, yes. Either she was born to be the hero that would eventually stop me, or she was created by an unknown power for the sole purpose of taking me down as a way to restore balance of power to this universe. This is merely conjecture, but I suspect that my corruption had caused too much dark magic to flourish, so there needed to be somepony to balance out that darkness...a force of light if you will.”

That’s when I put two and two together. About what he just said, and what he mentioned in reference to the fact that it apparently affected Equestria even to this day.

“...Are you saying that all throughout history, forces of Harmony and Chaos have constantly tussled with each other in order to keep this universe balanced?”

After a delayed bit of silence, Grogar finally replied. “...Too much of either would result in complete destruction of the entire multiverse.”

Subject 276: History With The Ram

As fantastical as it sounded, some of my crewmates were rather skeptical of such a thing.

Neon in particular raised his voice. “Are you serious? Just what makes you think that the entire universe would depend on such a balance?”

“Think about it,” Grogar replied with a huff, “If there’s too much Chaos--well that’s obvious. Utter destruction would reign supreme, no one would be able to live properly…”

“Okay, but what about the Harmony?” Guts asked, “I mean, don’t get me wrong, but wouldn’t total harmony be...perfect? No more conflict and just peace, right?”

Grogar raised his head to glare at us. “...Yes. You would think that. But no. Absolute Harmony is just as bad if not worse than absolute Chaos. No ruler is perfect, and it’s those flaws that keep them in check and require them to be aided by close allies. If they are led to believe they are perfect…”

Once again, I swiftly put two and two together. My mind drifted back over the various individuals I had faced over the years, and one in particular stuck out in my mind. “...Daybreaker. That’s how we end up with totalitarian dictators.”

“Exactly,” the ram replied, “Why do you think the Elements of Harmony are bestowed upon imperfect, flawed mortals? It ensures that they won’t fall into the hands/hooves/claws of a being who will take advantage of that power for their own gain.”

With a sigh, Flash Drive gave him an admittedly curious glare. “...Alright, mate. You’ve got me invested. But now what exactly did you mean from earlier? Who are the elements of Harmony and Chaos throughout history that have succeeded you and Gusty?”

“...The universe was unsatisfied. With the balance tipped in the favor of Harmony with her victory, Chaos had to return in some form.” Grogar’s memories started to shift around. “Throughout my banishment to limbo, I was able to witness everything unfold throughout. All the way from the original pony tribes coming together to your exploits to save Cozy. And what I’ve learned…”

The first memory was that of Celestia and Luna. They themselves were raised to be the Elements of Harmony by Starswirl the Bearded. Simultaneously, Queen Chrysalis and the Changelings were bred into existence thanks to the negligence of Starswirl...or was it the fate of the universe that willed the existence of new Elements of Chaos?

Next came what are now known as the Pillars of Equestria. Rockhoof, Flash Magnus, Mistmane, Somnombula, Mage Meadowbrook, and Starswirl accomplished their various historic feats. They were considered Elements of Harmony as well. However, new Elements of Chaos appeared in the form of the Sirens. Lady serpents of the sea who would serve as their adversaries. Stygian himself led them all to victory and banished the Sirens to the human world…

However, Stygian lost all sense of himself thanks to jealousy. His emotions overcame him and turned him into the Pony of Shadows--inheriting some of Grogar’s dark magic. As a result, fate willed him to be the new Element of Chaos to counteract the very Elements of Harmony he once fought alongside. The Pillars had no choice but to banish him, and sealed themselves away in the process…

From there, Celestia and Luna would finally ascend the throne as the first Alicorn Princesses of Equestria. Asserting themselves as the new rulers and guiding everypony towards a future of happiness and harmony. That was, until Discord attacked. His origins are shrouded in their own mystery, but he did indeed serve as an Element of Chaos to counteract the alicorn sisters. That was, until he was turned to stone.

Things were all well and good until Princess Amore was overthrown by Sombra in the Crystal Empire. Asserting himself as King, the umbrum would fill the void that Discord left behind, threatening to take all of Equestria with him should he not be stopped. Once again, it was up to the sisters who were able to thwart him--albeit barely. Sombra was still able to cast a last-ditch spell that would curse the Empire until it would be brought back into existence many a millennia later…

And perhaps most famously in Equestrian history, Nightmare Moon arose out of jealousy and hatred towards Celestia that overtook Luna. In turn, she became the very thing she once fought against: An Element of Chaos. Out of fear of her own power getting out of hand, Celestia refused to try and brute-force her sister into submission. Instead, she used those very same Elements of Harmony that they once used in tandem against her own sister, banishing her to the Moon for one thousand years…

What made me think hard was the fact that Grogar was able to witness all of this occur throughout history. I couldn’t imagine that. Never truly dying or being able to rest peacefully. Instead, he was forced to watch history play our in ways he never could have imagined.

“...Now I’m starting to understand,” I said at last, “There’s always been some sort of Harmony and Chaos power that have counteracted each other throughout history. And you...you want to make a world where that’s no longer necessary, I take it?”

Grogar nodded. “...more or less. If Chaos and Harmony are put in a state of limbo, then there will no longer be any need for suffering on either side. No more magical destruction or abuses of power.”

“...So wait,” Quick Draw spoke up, “This doesn’t answer our main concern right about now: Why do you need Cozy’s body so badly to accomplish this?”

Corkscrew also chimed in. “Yeah...it’s pretty suspicious of you to suddenly drop that out of nowhere. After all, you sent hundreds on hundreds of demons out here just to find her!”

After a pause, Grogar finally gave us an answer in between a haggard cough. “Ack! Bleh... Ahem...The child is unharmed…”

Subject 278: The Ram's Future

“Hmhmhm…” Grogar chuckled to himself, but it was strange. It wasn’t really a sarcastic one--more like a chuckle of reverence that your father would let out after a hard workday. “I fully expected you to offer one last bout to me, but on your own? Listen to your friends. Even I know that’s a bit unfair.”

“Yeah mate,” Neon said, “You don’t need to do this. We’re all here right with ye.”

Corkscrew also chimed in. “Come on, Pale. Please…”

I shook my head. I was adamant about this for a reason. “I appreciate it, guys...however, I want to make a point: That even the most lowly of individuals can counteract, and change their fates outside of what some god wants,” then I smirked, “Besides...I’m gonna need you guys’ help regardless…”

Through the ground, I could feel something headed their direction. Quick Draw must have been able to sense it as well, because she was the first to react.

“Move, people!” she shouted, and dove out of the way of something that came up through the ground, and sent old sediment from the castle in all directions.

BLAM!

Various roots from the Tree of Harmony had taken up a mind of its own and started to scramble towards them all. Quick started to punch, kick, and cut them with her trusty knifle.

Flash Drive would cast various curses to drive the roots back, and nullify their magical signature. “Don’t let ‘em hold you down!” he cried out, “They’re trying to suck us in!”

“Wait what?!” Corkscrew yelled as he flew into the air, “It can do that?! Since when?!”

“Old Grog’s chaotic will…” Guts stated as she fought off the roots with micromissiles, “Guess he really can’t help it, huh?”

Curiously though, the roots of the Tree didn’t attack me or Cozy. I had to wonder why exactly that was…

Cozy was first to point this out. “...They’re not going for us?” I wonder why…”

Grogar looked at her. “...Your blood. It resonates with my magic since you were the one to retrieve my bell originally. Still can’t believe you managed to find it…where is it now, by the way?”

“Discord had it,” Cozy replied, “Once he impersonated you, he, Celestia, and Luna took it away and held onto it. I guess that’s why you needed me, huh? To get your full power back?”

The ram scoffed, and rolled his eyes. “If this was another generic ‘take over the world’ plan, then maybe…but no...I want you to see just what I intend to accomplish. After all, actions speak louder than words, do they not?”

Before long, the roots would overwhelm my friends despite their best efforts to keep the limbs of the tree at bay. Each of them surrounded by, and captured by the limbs of the tree until they were all turned into stone…

“What?! GUYS, NO!” I screamed, and tried to leap into action to save them, but…

PLINK!

“Ow! What the hell…” I was knocked down by an invisible wall and hit the floor. When I looked up, all five of my comrades had been turned into helpless statues of themselves. “...I’ll kill you…” I rose to my hooves, and turned to face Grogar. I could have sworn that I was about to pop a blood vessel.. “What did you do?! Answer me!”

Grogar simply sighed and shook his head. “...I can show you better than I can tell you.”

With a flash of magic, Grogar would create an astral projection that would showcase what really happened to my allies. The good news was that they were alive--sort of?

The bad news was that I had no way of getting through to them in this state.

Cozy had to hold me back. “...Pops. Calm down. Let’s at least hear what he has to say before we try to attack him.”

With a grumble, I reluctantly looked up at the projections. “...Fine.”

Neon’s was first. From what I could see, he had been placed into a new version of the same world he had always grown up in. Except something was vastly different....he was treated as an equal. None of the ponies at his school bullied him, and as a result, he never needed to get that artificial limb of his. Because of that, he would be able to live out a stable life with the mare of his dreams in Trottingham.

Flash Drive was next. The unicorn-zebra hybrid would be born in South Zebrica with zero prejudice or malice directed towards him or his family. In fact, his birth would be so influential that it caused South Zebrica to accept all ponies and other races into their lands so that they could all live peacefully.

“...Wait a minute...how does any of this work?” I asked with a tremble in my voice--a mix of both amazement and horror.

Grogar would explain to me the fine details. “...This is my ultimate goal. Your friends would live out new lives in their ideal, peaceful worlds in 100% real time. I am merely showing what lies ahead in their dream worlds.”

“...That’s the craziest thing I’ve ever seen,” Cozy mumbled, “But I think I get it now. You want to lock everypony in a state of dream-like consciousness where they can live their own personal happily-ever-after without fear of the issues that plague the real world.”

“...precisely,” Grogar said.

I had to force myself to watch the next ones.

For Guttersnipe, her ideal world was a world in which she never lost her wings. One where she was able to live normally among her friends. As a result, she would adapt to life as a regular pegasus and become a member of Ponyville’s buckball team alongside her friends.

Corkscrew’s was next. His ideal life was a world in which he was accepted by his family. Treated with just as much adoration as the rest of his siblings to the point where he never left home. He was so closely-knit with his family that he never bothered to venture outside of Cloudsdale and settled as a member of the weather team.

And perhaps most strange of all was Quick Draw’s. From her projection, I watched as she grew up and lived a normal life by herself as a delivery mare. Other than that, it was fairly uneventful. Which was the strange part. Quick was never a stagnant mare…

In fact, none of my friends were this stagnant.

“...What is your response to what I have shown you, Pale?” Grogar asked.

My response was simple. “...This is fake.”

Subject 279: Fate Of The Ram

“Hm? What do you mean, detective?” Grogar asked again, “Surely you of all ponies shouldn’t want to argue evidence that’s presented to you right in front of your face.”

I felt tears roll down the side of my face as I turned to meet the gaze of the stoic ram. “You lie!” I shouted, “All this is...is a projection of what their ideal life may be according to your magic! It speaks nothing of what my allies truly want!”

Grogar sighed, his tone unchanged even as I glared at his soul. “Hm...think beyond just them, young man. If I can harness the power of every Tree of Harmony, and bind everyone to it, there would be no more of this. No more fighting, no more Chaos vs. Harmony, and no more hatred to spread around. Wouldn’t you rather a world of endless peace instead of one with endless conflict? Wouldn’t you rather have a world where your job wasn’t necessary?”

“Of course I would!” I shouted back with a break in my voice, “Part of me hates this job! I wake up every day and pray that I don’t die in some horrible accident against some magical being I can’t properly fight against!”

Cozy tried to console me as she whispered my name. “...Pale…”

“But you know what?! I-I deal with that shit regardless!” I pulled Cozy in closer to me for a tight hug, “Everything from my friends to my new family--I fight this battle daily for their safety!”

Unimpressed, Grogar would ask me another question. “...And just how do you think everyone else feels? Do you truly know your friends well enough to justify your reasoning?”

“I don’t have to,” I replied, having calmed down a bit and released Cozy from my grip, “I know for a fact that each and every one of my allies fight their fight because it’s something they choose to do. Don’t you get it? That’s what separates us mortals from godly beings like you that were put on this planet to serve some higher power.”

The ram looked down, and started to cough again. “Augh! Ahem...no. Admittedly, I wish I could know what that feels like. To be able to think for myself beyond what I’ve always been spoonfed. Unfortunately for me, no matter how hard you try, or whatever you say…” he looked up at me once more, “I will always desire to overturn this world and make it my own. Is that something you want to allow to come to pass, Pale?”

“...No. Absolutely not!” I said as I grit my teeth, “While I do feel a bit of sympathy for your situation, I won’t let that cloud my judgement. You are not going to take control of this world. Nor will any of those higher powers you speak of. Because our lives are our own. And nothing will change that.” I turned my head to Cozy, “Right, kid?”

Cozy nodded, and spoke up for herself. “That’s right...Pale chose to defy fate by bringing me back into existence. If he can manage to do that for me, then I’m going to do the same,” she proclaimed with a confident grin. “No one can take my life away from me. Not you, not Tirek, not Chrysalis--nobody. The problem you have, Grogar, is something that you can’t fix. You can’t just bulldoze over everyone else’s lives just because someone bulldozed over yours!”

...I felt utterly inept because I didn’t think of that earlier in the conversation. It was a rather piercing point because as soon as she said that, Grogar stood up and approached us.

“What...what did you say?” he asked with an unstable glare in his eyes.

Cozy took another step towards him, her stance unwavered as she continued. “Think. Think hard about what you’re doing. Taking away everybody’s free will and sense of self, trapping them in what you claim to be the ideal world--that’s more or less what happened to you, isn’t it?”

Grogar huffed so hard that steam was released from his nostrils. As if he was insulted by the very idea that he had become just like those who he desperately wanted to lash out against. “Rrgh...no...you’re wrong. You couldn’t possibly understand what it’s like to be dealt a horrible set of cards by the wheel of fate.”

The kid refused to back down. She stomped her hoof, and raised her voice. “That was literally what I went through!” she shouted, “My parents never loved me and left me to die out in the unforgiving world! I had to figure out how to survive on my own, and thought I could control the world in whatever way I pleased! But you know the worst part? I was a child. A child that didn’t know any better. Yes, looking back I wish I could’ve stopped myself, but that’s how things ended up. Now I’m grateful that I was able to grow out of it thanks to Pale, Flurry Heart, and the others. But it was ultimately me who decided to change me. Not anyone else. Do you understand now?”

Silence. The ram continued to stare at Cozy intently. The two of them were locked in, and actively bored into each other’s souls with their eyes.

Until finally…

“...Then prove me wrong and stake your claim to the future...” Grogar snarled, “by killing me.”

Subject 280: Round 1

“Wait a second!” Cozy called out, “There might be a way we can make this work so that we can allow you to live alongside us.”

“As wonderful as that sounds…” Grogar glanced downwards once more, “That is impossible. And you know it.”

“No it’s not! If I managed to break free of my curse thanks to the love of others, then I can do the same for you!”

THUD!

The ram stomped his hoof. It was hard enough to make the castle walls disappear and allow us to view what had happened outside. Since our battle began, everyone else that had been fighting outside of the castle had turned to stone and fallen victim to the same curse that affected my friends.

“Think about what you’re saying,” Grogar snarled, “Even if you could break me free, my crimes are too great to be ignored. That alone is wishful thinking, since I don’t intend to submit!”

“But...but--!”

I put a hoof on Cozy’s shoulder, and looked at her with a pained set of eyes. “...The least we can do for him now is give him an honorable exit.”

The kid let out an annoyed sigh, and continued. “Alright...fine. But how do we do that? Isn’t he nigh-unkillable?”

“Not quite…” I took a look at the Tree of Harmony, “Maybe we can make this right, and correct the exact thing that Gusty failed to do.”

“What do you…?” Cozy started to question what I meant, then looked up at the tree also. “Oh...I see now. Do you think it’ll be safe?”

I had to hold myself back from chuckling. “...Well, I can say for certain that we’ll survive. Painless, though? That’s unlikely.”

At last, Grogar had had enough of our chatter, and interrupted us. “What are you both muttering about? Face me if you want to change your world so dearly.”

I took one final look at Cozy, and we both exchanged a nod. For the sake of the entire world, we wouldn’t fall here. There was too much for us to live for and return to. After all, when the chips are down, you can’t rely on beings of higher powers to save you. I could already venture a guess that if Discord had been defeated earlier, then Celestia, Luna, Cadance, and even Twilight Sparkle were probably all incapacitated thanks to Grogar’s manipulation of time.

So in the end, it was all up to us. Against the Apex of the world.

I leapt into action, and charged forward. Grogar, while still powerful, had lost most of his strength over the course of the millennia. As a result, the playing field was mostly evened out.

Mostly.

My first strike was evaded. The ram leaned backwards and shoved his horns towards my abdominal region to headbutt me. With a loud crack! I could have sworn that I heard a fractured rib or two. This guy was no joke.

With the wind knocked out of me, I flew backwards, and skidded to a stop. After that, I felt the air around me condense and slowly collapse in on my body. Grogar had started to pour all of his magic into an attempt to suffocate or squish me out. I couldn’t tell which was worse, but I wasn’t about to find out.

“NGH! DAGH!”

I grit my teeth, and did my best to ignore the pain. My adrenaline kept me high on my sense of power so that I could focus on the battle. In return, I forced all of my own magic into resisting the control of the air around me. As an earth pony, I was still in control of nature itself, so I wasn’t going down so easily.

POW!

After a while, I was able to break free of the magical grip, but was given no time to react. In those few seconds of relief, Grogar had rushed me, and swiftly pinned me to the ground with his hooves firmly planted on my own limbs.

There was nothing to say as I stared into those demonic pools of yellow acid that were his eyes. The pressure was immense. My own hooves felt like they were about to split themselves apart right down the middle from how hard he pressed down. While I did my best to push back, it was far from enough to outmatch his sheer power.

I had to think fast. My eyes darted around for an answer, and that’s when I found it.

With a quick shift, I reeled one of my legs back, and piledrived my hoof directly into his kneecap.

CRUNCH!

From the sound alone, I knew it would have been more than enough to completely destroy a normal pony’s leg for life. As it turned out, it was just enough to force a reactive grunt from the ram.

“Tch!”

In that split-second he lost focus away from trying to break my arms--upper hooves, I took advantage of it, and delivered another powerful kick to his solar plexus which wsas just enough to throw him off of me.

From there, I got up from where I was on the floor, and jumped to send an uppercut right to his chin which was enough to send him backwards a few steps.

“GAH!”

That got a proper reaction out of him. Now I could tell that I actually was able to deal some damage.

So much in fact, that Grogar had to stop and rub his hoof against his chin. He gave a light scoff, “...hm,” which I guess could be interpreted as the fact that he was surprised that he could even be damaged. His face said it all. He glared at me with a neutral expression--one that I could only read as ‘not bad.’

Meanwhile, I simply had an internal riot since I knew Cozy was actively at work to disable the tree. Grogar was none the wiser...

Subject 281: Round 2

“You’re stronger than you appear…” Grogar commented with a small chuckle, “It seems that earth pony strength hasn’t faltered over the course of the centuries.”

I flexed both of my forelegs to shake off the tension that had built up from being almost crushed. “Yeah...you could say that. I’ve trained extensively to handle even the most dangerous criminals. You’re no different…”

“Your resolve is strong...but you can’t last forever,” he warned me with an ominous glint in his eyes.

BLAM!

With a stomp of his hooves, the earth itself would warp and reshape itself in an unnatural way. The ground itself along with the rocks that made up the ruins would charge at me with reckless abandon as if they were alive. That’s when I realized…

The entire ground tried to swallow me whole!

In those nanosceonds, I jumped up, and started to leap across the various rocks that were sent my way. It was a dangerous game of parkour that I had been forced to play thanks to the ram’s almighty abilities.

From where he stood, I could tell he was unsatisfied with himself and couldn’t stand the fact that I hadn’t submitted yet. So he ramped up the danger.

SPARK!

With a flash of magic, gravity itself had become lop-sided. “Woah--holy shit!” I shouted as I watched myself float away from the floor, and faceplant against the wall. Or rather, the wall was my new floor, and I was able to witness the ‘floor’ curl up towards me in a tsunami-esque shape that still tried to swallow me whole!

Fortunately, I was just quick enough to evade it. With my own magical perception abilities on lock, I was able to deduce the fact that Grogar had a weak spot. One that I could exploit freely. A main draw that all immortals carried was their arrogance. The sense of being overconfident in their abilities to the point of thinking they were unstoppable. It was a weakness that individuals such as Celestia and even Discord routinely suffered from. So I kept running until I had traveled behind the ram...

And with that in mind, I made my move.

CRACK!

With a hefty slam of my hooves against the wall, I was able to break off the stone of the ruins and generate a platform beneath my body. Once that happened, I started to defy the gravitational pull of his spell from before. I shifted my body weight around until I stood atop the rock platform akin to a surfboard as I rocketed towards the ram from behind…

CRASH!

“ARGH!”

With a hefty, weighted slam, I dive-kicked that rock into Grogar’s body. The sediment disintegrated upon impact with his skin, but it was just enough to force him down to the floor.

To which, I swiftly sprinted, and tackled him with enough force to send him into the nearest wall.

Through the struggle, I just managed to mutter something between my teeth.

“Don’t you see...and understand?” I asked with a strain on my voice, “Why the fight...for free will is important?”

Grogar would reverse this on me in a matter of seconds. A corrupt, abyss of magic would open up beneath me, and catch me in it with the limbs of various monsters holding me in place.

“...Mortals only destroy themselves. Doing this will ensure the safety of the world at large!”

With all of my might, I ripped, and tore away from the various claws and talons that tried to drag me down into...whatever sort of purple darkness that had appeared below me. Once my hooves were free, I immediately jumped off, and punched Grogar directly into the wall once more with enough force to cause spider-web cracks across the rock.

“Geh! Why won’t you give up…” he mumbled as he landed on the floor.

“...you’re a crusty old bastard, you know that? You have no jurisdiction here anymore. You’re from a completely different era and have no right to try and impose your will on us. You’re no better than those who you’ve claimed created you!”

Meanwhile...beneath the Tree of Harmony….

I couldn’t believe it. Pale was actually fighting Grogar! It was crazy because I thought he was a goner, but it turned out that the old ram had been a bit weakened from his deterioration. Lucky for me, that gave me the edge I needed. There was no way a ram could resist a fight against another buck--er, stallion because it was in their nature to stand their ground against other males. Genius.

Now...I just needed to figure out how to completely disable, and sever the Tree’s connection to Grogar so he’ll be even weaker.

PWOOSH!

“...Wha?!” I turned around, and to my utter horror, I saw Pale’s body flung straight upwards and into the sky, followed by a really angry ram who jumped into the air after him.

What the heck had just happened?!

Subject 282: Round 3

“D-dad?! PALE!”

I panicked with my hooves against my cheeks, and pulled my face downwards. It was like something out of a superhero movie! But in the worst way possible since I had no way of understanding what happened.

“Ohgodohgodohgod! What do I do, what can I--”

That’s when I heard a familiar voice call out to me.

“Ahem. Over here, child.”

In my panicked state, I turned around frantically, and whipped my head back and forth to find the source. “Wha, who--what?! Where?!”

At least, my eyes locked onto the Tree of Harmony.

“...I’m up here. It’s me, Discord!”

“Discord?!” I shouted, and flew up to the leaves of the crystalline tree, “You’re alive?!”

I couldn’t see him. His voice was disembodied. But yes, it truly was Discord talking to me.

“Er, sort of,” he went on, “It’s complicated, but I have essentially been removed from the universe. Old sheep-face apparently doesn’t want any competition out there. Hm. Spoilsport, I say.”

That actually scared me to be honest. If Discord could use the Tree’s power to delete anyone he pleased, then that could mean the entire universe was at his mercy.

I started to bite my hoofnails and fly back and forth in an erratic style--akin to pacing across the floor. “Darn it! If Discord was taken down by this thing, then there’s no way I’ll…”

I could hear Discord let out an annoyed groan. I couldn’t tell if he was more irritated by my panicking or by the situation he was currently in. Probably both.

“Ugh...quiet, child. If you want to lose your mind again, then do it elsewhere. Otherwise, I could really use your help.”

I stopped mid-flight, and turned to face the tree. “Wait...you need my help?”

“Isn’t it obvious?” Discord replied, “I can’t exactly poof my way out of here since my entire body has been removed. So what you’re going to have to do is--”

As soon as he said that, I already knew what he meant. And I visibly recoiled--almost enough to hit the nearest wall behind me. “W-what?! No! I can’t do that! We know what happened last time…”

“...blech…” I could only assume that Discord was put in an uncomfortable situation by the way he sounded. “Listen, Cozy. This is extremely difficult for me to express, so allow me to say it directly: I...want you to know that you’re an important pony.”

Those words drew me towards the tree. Part of me couldn’t even believe that Discord would say such a thing.

“...Wait...what? What do you mean?” I asked with a nervous tilt of my head.

“You know very well what I mean,” he replied with a sigh, “Fine. I’ll put it to you like this. The bond you share with Pale reminds me quite a bit of mine with Fluttershy. Albeit--yours is more like a father/daughter sort of thing. Whatever the case, you clearly mean a lot not only to him, but to various others who would be upset if you lost your life. It’s...allowed me to think a bit more on what I did to you in the past.”

I fell silent for a moment because I wasn’t sure how to respond. Even now, to hear genuine sorrow from him was beyond strange.

“...I see,” I muttered in response, “I guess you have a point. There’s loads of folks who would be really sad if I croaked. But what does that have to do with what you’re suggesting?”

“Ultimately, it’s up to you,” he explained, “I can’t force you to take my power or anything of the sort. But if you want to have a chance at undoing the damage that Grogar has done, then you would have to listen to me…”

“Hrm…” I weighed my options. Then I came to realize that my options were few and far between in a scenario such as this. If I wanted to keep Pale safe and prevent Grogar from destroying everything, then I had to be strong--no, stronger than him.

I gazed up at the tree with newfound confidence. “Alright...let’s begin.”

Subject 283: Round 4

Outside...above the castle…

The last thing I could remember was being flung into the sky high above the castle and the ground below. Was that it? Was I about to lose my life entirely? Did I ascend to heaven?

Pfft. What was I saying? I deserved no place in the afterlife.

But no, that’s not what happened at all. In reality, I had actually been thrown straight up into the sky. Which sucked massively since I knew I’d start to fall eventually and had no way to brace myself for the impact.

“...Shit,” I mumbled as soon as my eyes locked with the ground. I swiftly shut them, and clenched tightly, fearfully.

That is, until I felt myself fully suspended in mid-air. I didn’t fall, and I didn’t move unless I wanted to.

“...Huh?” I took a look around, “...What gives? Wait...”

This had to be a trick by Grogar. Any moment now, he was going to pop up out of nowhere and surprise me with some new form akin to an eldritch abomination just as every major threat to Equestria had done in the past. Well whatever the case, I readied myself for it. There was nothing of this earth that could scare me out of my skin by this point.

“...If you’re expecting some kind of spectacle, then I’m sorry to disappoint,” Grogar commented as he floated up to my level in the sky. “I’m not so frail as to hide my true self behind some forced, nonsensical transformation.”

Well then. I had nothing but respect for such a choice--as weird as it sounded. The best (and worst) part of my job was the fact that I often dealt with real criminals who needed real punishment. Not super-powered deities who could skate by on power alone. As a result, it was oddly refreshing to see someone so malevolent be so...honest? Not sure how to describe it.

“...I see,” I replied after a moment, “Well you know that only one of us can survive from this point on. For the good of everything I and all of my friends stand for, I will do my best to erase you from existence.”

To my surprise, the ram’s reply was rather amicable. “Good,” he said, “It would be a shame for you to fall back on your beliefs by this point. You’re far more interesting than you let on. It’s almost sad in a nostalgic sort of way.” He gave a hoarse chuckle, “Hm...if only I could have been stopped back then by someone other than that witch…”

My ear flicked. Just what did he mean by that? “Excuse me?”

Grogar quickly brushed it aside, however. “Never mind that. It’s time for us to end this. Show me your conviction, Pale.”

Since he was so poised to end the monologue, I decided to grant his request. That’s when I realized that we both stood on some sort of invisible platform high above the ground below. I could still see everything…

With a mighty stampede of his hooves that sounded like a thousand drums that punctured the earth, Grogar charged at me with the might of an entire freight train. He leapt into the air towards me, hooves outstretched, likely ready to grind my face into a pulp.

CLACK!

But I blocked his charge with a clash of limbs. Both of our forelegs locked around each other’s necks in a deadly struggle. It took everything I had just to match his strength, and I could already feel my bones sprain in individual parts.

However, he wasn’t perfect either. I could see it in his eyes. Those doubtful yellow eyes that were a bit like my own. Pained. Uncertain. Filled with conviction. I could even see a bead of sweat roll down the side of his face. This had gotten more intense than he would have imagined too…

I couldn’t keep this up forever, though. I needed to break that clinch we were in so I could deal proper damage to his body.

With a shove, I broke our grapple, and delivered a swift roundhouse to his ribs which was enough to send him backwards a few paces.

“Grgh!” Once he recovered from the stumble, he activated another gravity spell. One that pulled me towards him by force.

“...!”

Before I could react, I was struck with a brutal clothesline that almost dislocated my entire jawline, and I hit the invisible floor like a sack of rocks.

“Agh!” I yelped as I fell onto my back. I funneled as much magic I could--directly into my head in order to stave off losing consciousness.

That’s when I could sense that something bad was about to happen.

“...”

SLAM!

I barely rolled out of the way in time before Grogar slammed a hoof right where my face was. That was a mane hair away from taking my whole damn face off!

But I thought quickly. As soon as the ram was left open, I rose to my hooves, and lunged straight at him. This time, my target was his tail. I rushed in, and clenched my teeth around his tail hard enough to form a tight grip. Then, I threw my head backwards which lifted Grogar up and over my body in order to body slam him onto the floor in the sky.

And before he could do anything else, I put him in a submission hold. I held onto one of his legs, threatening to break it as I put a hoof directly on his abdomen.

“...You still have a chance to give up,” I said, “Don’t make this anymore difficult than it needs to be.”

Grogar sputtered with another weak cough. “Bleck! Ahem...I think you know what you have to do.”

Subject 284: Round 5

I suppose it truly was hopeless at this point. Grogar was a creature so deeply rooted in the idea of his own reality, that he was unable to even consider the fact that others may want to live their own lives and choose their own fates. He did not look like it, but he had gone mad with power. Not in the traditional chaotic way, no...mad in a far worse sense.

He refused to look at any other perspectives, and was dead set on the fact that he was in the right and all those who disagreed. It was like he was brainwashed by his own mind. And he wanted to be the one to lead some kind of new era? This would be worse than living under someone like Tirek! At least in that scenario, I could fight back.

But no, I won’t allow that to come to pass here. Not today.

“Fine then. I’ll--”

BLAM!

Something...I had no idea what, but something suddenly struck me from the side and sent me for a tumble across the non-existent skyfloor.

“Urgh...what the hell was that?” I mumbled to myself as I tried to look up.

But before I could get an answer, I was picked up by yet another force that I couldn’t see, and thrown against an invisible wall with my back firmly planted against it. And then…

“AGHAAAAGHHH!”

I had no idea where it came from. But something had started to impale my body through my thigh, and snaked its way upwards until I could feel my liver being probed into. It felt like a hot chainsaw that was already revved up had manifested within my body.

“Sleep...it’ll all be over soon,” I could hear Grogar mumble to me.

Yet again, he tried to put me out of my consciousness. By forcing so much pain into my body that my systems would become overloaded and shut down. Diabolical. I’d rather he just try and kill me outright. At least then, he wouldn’t waste his time.

With a thud I dropped onto the invisible floor next to Grogar and clutched my chest. That’s when I realized that the sensation I had felt moments prior wasn’t real! It was an illusion just as I had predicted. But what Grogar was unaware of was my pesky tendency to not stay down.

I heard his hoofsteps approach me in a tentative fashion, followed by his voice.

“...Are you awake, Pale?”

I didn’t respond immediately. I knew Grogar would want to make sure that I was completely conked out before he moved onto Cozy next, but little did he know: I wasn’t out of it just yet. Thus, I was able to use that to my advantage.

As Grogar trotted up to me, I controlled my magical signature. I repressed my own aura hard enough to give off the impression that I had been completely knocked out cold, but not on the brink of death. Which is exactly what he had been hoping for…

“Hm...it worked,” he said with a rather convincing tone of acceptance, “...Shame. But that’s one less thing I need to worry about. Now to handle the child…”

Even with my magical signature suppressed, I was absolutely not prepared for what was about to happen next…

POOF!

In a flash of what looked like blue fire, Cozy appeared on the airborne battlefield. But something was different--dare I say, wrong about her.

“Golly gee willikers!” the mare exclaimed as she stepped forward, “You really had your work cut out for you, old man!”

“Oh?” With a reaction like that, he was either unamused or unimpressed. “You decided to save me the trouble and chose to end this all yourself, hm? I can respect that. But tell me one thing. One thing before this is all over: Why?”

“What do you mean, sir?” she asked with an overtly sweet tone to feign innocence.

Once again, Grogar didn’t acknowledge the face or voice she put on. Instead, he went on with his questions as if this was any other casual conversation.

“Why do you fight so hard for this stallion--and all the others who once shamed you and put you away? Don’t you wish you could fix this world so nopony else has to endure what you or I did?”

“The problem with that is that it’d be super hypocritical, silly!” her tone grew even more childish. As if she had developed backwards. Just what was going on?! “Besides, I don’t think you’d like to live in a fake world forever like you’re trying to make everyone else…”

Grogar snorted, and looked at the ground--hundreds of yards below us, “Unfortunately...I would consider it a necessary evil.”

Cozy’s wings, voice, and eyes turned demonic in an instant. She blitzed, and overpowered Grogar with a chokehold in a flash. “...Why don’t I show you how necessary it is?”

Subject 285: Round 6

“Ack...wait...what?! How did you…?” the ram mumbled through his struggle. “....acquire this power? Just what did you do?”

Hold on--wait a minute. I started to feel it more strongly this time around. Was that raw Chaos Magic? Did she really absorb Discord’s power? But how...and beyond that, just how was she in such control over it?! Last I remembered, when Pinkie Pie tried to control Discord’s power, she lost her mind within a few seconds. But Cozy? It’s like she had tamed the ultimate beast…

But curiously enough, she didn’t actively use the power of Chaos. At least not yet. From what I gathered, it was like she wanted to scare him…

The fear of death is indeed worse than death itself.

Cozy giggled with a rather demented smile. “When you know your way around all forms of magic, you start to become smarter and smarter until everypony else takes you for granted. Then you strike back out of nowhere! Know what that’s like? Huh?”

“Tch...you...you don’t deserve this power,” Grogar sputtered helplessly, “You’re still a child with no comprehension of what you’re doing to this world.”

“It sounds like you don’t fully understand this world either, mister!” she replied amicably, “Thinking that you can just waltz up and do whatever you want without anyone to say or do anything in return. It’s so cute how arrogant you are!”

The ram huffed with as much gusto that he could muster. “What--?! Arrogant? Me? How dare you make such a claim when you know nothing of what I have experienced! My entire existence has been complete torture thanks to the whims of some prissy unicorn! That is true egocentric behavior. What I am doing is nothing of the sort!”

By this point, Cozy decided to drop him to let him free, but did not allow Grogar to make any sudden moves. Her foreboding presence alone was enough to make him cringe in fear.

“Aw, really? Because it sounds like that’s what you’re doing here by stripping away the free will of all these innocent creatures. Is someone like that really meant to be in a position of power? Sounds super hypocritical, sir!”

The ram was at a loss for words. Since the first time we had met him, he had finally gotten quiet and was unable to reply with any sort of snappy or witty remarks.

And that was the exact opening that I needed.

In a flash, I got off the ground and charged forward. Before Grogar even realized I was there, I already had him pinned to the transparent floor, and held onto his hooves in order to restrain him.

“What’s the matter?” I asked, “Suddenly can’t think of anything to say when you’re cornered, hm?”

“Argh...can’t you see what you’re doing?” he grumbled.

I tilted my head with a glare of mock-confusion. “Really? What could you possibly mean this time?”

“I want to change the world for the better,” he went on, “In order to do that, I have to stop everyone from potentially continuing the cycle. Even if you kill me, then you still have to endure the endless torment of other beings of Chaos and Harmony trying to counteract each other for the sake of their own survival and entertainment. Is that what you want? A world that can never know true peace?”

I resisted the urge to spit on him after that statement. The concept of ‘true peace’ was a false narrative conducted by those who wanted to control absolutely everything for themselves. There was no such thing.

“Enough with that. You know as well as I do that such a thing can only exist under a singular controlling power. There can be no justice so long as laws are absolute. The sooner you recognize that we all have the right to choose, then the better off we’ll all be.”

He let out another hoarse chuckle and continued. “...Hmph...seriously? You don’t mind that your entire livelihood is based around the suffering of others? Wouldn’t you rather live in a world where crime didn’t exist?”

I narrowed my eyes and held him down with a bit more force to keep him from trying anything funny. “...You really think it’s possible, huh? Okay then…” I looked up at the kid. “Cozy. Let’s show him exactly the kind of world he wants to create.”

His eyes shot open with a mild sense of panic. “...What? What do you mean??”

Cozy clapped her hooves with that unstable ear-to-ear smile of hers on full display with jagged teeth. “...With pleasure, pops!”

Subject 286: True Insanity

“You really don’t get it do you?” I said, “Typical of an immortal being. You only begin to care about an issue when it affects you directly. You think you’re so high and mighty as to cast judgement upon everyone else. Well let’s see how you enjoy it.”

“...No...wait a moment, this isn’t--!”

Cozy cupped a hoof beneath Grogar’s chin. It was like a twisted version of a goddess that sought to comfort her subject. But instead, it was a tormented soul who wanted to show another being just what he had inflicted upon others.

“Oh no,” she interrupted the ram, “I insist. It’s only fair that you get to experience it as well, right? After all, the position of new ruler of Equestria shouldn’t go to someone who enforces hypocrisy. Don’t you agree?”

She glanced at me, to which I nodded. This was the only way we were going to get through that ram’s thick skull. Killing him immediately may have solved the problem, but it wasn’t a solution. Was this an attempt at redemption? Not really. I had no intention of trying to sway Grogar to our side. This was all in the name of justice.

“...Do your worst,” Grogar spat back, “I have nothing to hide, so you cannot fool nor manipulate me.”

Cozy tilted her head. “Manipulate? Oh no...that’s not my intent at all. Instead, you’re going to experience something much more...cynical.”

In a flash of magic, we were transported to what looked like that very same scene from Grogar’s memory well over a thousand years ago. Back when Equestria had just gotten its start.

I turned my head, and realized that the ram was no longer beside us. So I looked up at Cozy for an answer. “Uh, kiddo? Where did he go?”

The pegasus mare flew into the air, and took off ahead of me with an excited grin on her face. “Oh, you’ll see, pops...this is about to be riveting!”

This was beyond unsettling, but I had no choice but to follow. I wonder why and how she thought it was a good idea to bring us back here.

Well, once we arrived on the scene, I quickly understood why.

Cozy led me to an illusion that she had trapped Grogar within. In the illusion, Grogar had actually managed to defeat Gusty. Not only that, but he also took control of the entire region that would eventually become Equestria. I started to understand what had happened: Cozy essentially reversed the situation onto him. Smart. But what I wondered was just how this was going to play out.

“Uh, kiddo? What’s about to--”

“Shhh…” Cozy urged me to keep quiet as we watched the events play out.

And so we did.

Grogar initially adored being able to do as he pleased with his newfound leadership. With no one to stand in his way, he was able to do everything he wanted. It seemed like he was able to enjoy himself, right?

Well, as time went on, things only got more and more difficult. With nothing left to conquer or stand in his way, Grogar slowly drove himself mad. Even as he spread his influence to the other dimensions, nothing would excite him anymore. If I had to venture a guess, it would have to do with the fact that his entire existence revolved so heavily around the idea of rebellion and taking back what he thought belonged to him, that he was unable to see anything past that.

As a result, Grogar would decide to make his own entertainment. Entertainment for the sake of spectacle.

He would erect an arena. An arena where he would watch creatures of all kinds compete against each other in battles to near-death and whoever could rise to the top would face him next. In an environment such as this, he had ultimate control over who fought each other and none would dare to oppose his rule.

Contestants included the princesses, the pillars, ponies (including Twilight and her friends), changelings, griffons, Discord, Tirek, Scorpan--the works. With this established, he had an ultimate sense of satisfaction because not only was he above everyone else, but they had no choice but to bend to his whims. Even through his manic state as he brutally fought off the champions. His smile slowly became unstable and faker as time went on, clearly unsatisfied with this also.

“So this would be Grogar’s ultimate fantasy, huh?” I mumbled to the kid, “...Crazy. But just how is this going to show him what his problem is?”

Cozy pet me on the head with her hoof. She was still fully aware of what was going to happen next. “Don’t worry pops. Realization is going to set in about--3, 2, 1…”

Subject 287: Lies In Belief

And just like clockwork, it did.

Within his own fantasy, Grogar would eventually realize that he was still a victim of his own selfish desire. None of it properly satisfied him, and he lost his mind to the lie that he had come to understand that he was trapped within. No matter what he did, he couldn’t escape it. No attempts to stop time, break free of the illusion, or destroy the world he created could release him from it.

And soon, even within the confines of his own mind, he lost. Those he had trampled over would now be the ones who had their way with him. He was beaten, throttled, and utterly wrecked. Subsequently, he would fight back with all he could.

Once again, a victim of his own cycle.

“No...NO! I CAN’T SUFFER THIS ANY LONGER!”

Did I feel any sympathy for him? Honestly, I couldn’t say that I did. This was a sense of eternal torment that he inflicted upon others. The only way for him to finally comprehend what he had done, was to force him to experience it himself.

“Damn...I almost feel bad,” I commented on the events that I witnessed, “But there really is no other way is there?”

Even Cozy had to let out a sigh--a pitiful one. “Yeah...it’s really sad when you think about it. But it’s a difficult decision. We simply can’t allow him to live, Pale. No matter what happens or how hard we’ll think we’ve redeemed him, he will almost certainly fall back into his own habits.”

As much as I didn’t want to agree, it was true. Grogar wasn’t a normal person like the rest of us. He was a device. A device used to generate amusement for the sake of some higher power. For his own sake as well as ours, we couldn’t allow him to live.

“...You’re right,” I replied, “Even in his richest fantasies, it would appear that he can’t escape his fate. It’s like having to put down a dog that has no clue why it's actively dying. Like Old Screamer.”

“It’s your call, pops,” Cozy looked at me, “What should we do?”

Thousands of years had come to pass within that infinite loop. By this point, it was time to end it once and for all. If he didn’t comprehend it by this point, then there was nothing more that we could do.

“Bring us back to reality, kiddo,” I answered.

And in a flash, we were all flung back into the present. In the throne room of the Castle of the Two sisters right next to the Tree of Harmony.

To my surprise, Cozy was still in perfect control of Discord’s chaos magic through all of this. In addition, Grogar would slowly come to his senses and return to reality once he had finished the final stages of the illusion.

“What...where? Is this reality?”

I took a step towards him, just to see how he had reacted to such an event. “...Do you now see why this is a bad idea? To force everyone into your own method of control isn’t peace. It’s madness.”

The ram grit his teeth, and avoided eye contact with me. I couldn’t tell if he was about to curse me with some form of magic, or something much more sinister.

“You…”

Subject 288: Denial

“...This is exactly why…”

I took a step back. Even then, I could feel his magical potency build--as if he was preparing some kind of deadly attack.

Grogar continued to speak. “...why I want the world to conform to MY WAY! NO ONE SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO CONTROL IT!” his head rose and we could see a demonic red aura that had taken over his body. It was too much. Grogar had officially given into insanity. “...But if you won’t allow me to carry out my plan as I intended, then I have no choice. I must eradicate the entire world and start over!”

“You what?!” I shouted, “What could you mean by that?! There’s no way you could destroy an entire civilization and rebuild it from the ground up! You’re not some almighty being who can transcend both time and space. You’re flawed like the rest of us! Doing something like that can cause loads of potential problems that not even you can solve!”

It was too late to convince someone like this. The ram was already rooted within his own psyche. “Enough! I’ll just make my own world! One where neither chaos nor harmony can exist! And if you dare to try and stop me, you’ll be erased from history!”

Cozy stepped forward. “I dare. You wanna mess with the fabric of the universe, then you’ll have to go through me.” Her wings spread, and she took flight to the skies. She plucked one of the feathers off of her body, and the quill became as sharp as a sword. “I won’t let you mess with our lives because I will never back down. No matter how long it takes.”

“Fine then…” Grogar mumbled, “Come at me. And end me if you can!”

Without hesitation, I watched as the two beasts of unbridled potency charged at each other.

Grogar’s mental state had completely deteriorated. With no sense of self left, he resorted to complete destruction of everything around himself. It genuinely frightened me. A creature this bold and this powerful yet also unstable with the ability to do whatever he pleased? I shuddered at the thought of what could happen should he succeed.

On the other end of the spectrum was Cozy Glow. A pony that staved off stagnation, and did everything she could to improve her own mental state. To the point where she not only could function as a stable citizen, but could also fully control chaos magic on her own? Honestly, it worried me just how fast she progressed. Soon, she wouldn’t even need me anymore…

But to worry about that would be foolish. For the moment, all I could do was focus on what was in front of me.

With her sharpened feather clenched tightly between her teeth, all I could do was watch as my daughter flew forward at breakneck speeds towards the future she wanted to carve out for herself.

Grogar charged at her with a sadistic smile. Though his eyes...they were not genuine. On the surface, they carried the sense of hatred that the rest of his body carried. But beneath those pupils, I could feel a sense of regret--or was it second-guessing? Either way, there was no way to turn back time. He resigned himself to his fate.

And when they clashed...

BWOOOOOOM!

A blinding white light overtook me. Was this it? Was I dead…?

Subject 289: The Ending Of The Ram

No. I was not dead. In fact, I was very much alive. But what happened? Just how did the final stage of this conflict take place? Well, it was somewhat difficult to explain since everything happened so fast, so I did my best to recount what had occurred in those few little moments.

As soon as the two of them came into contact with each other, Cozy used the chaos magic to displace space and time itself in order to slow Grogar down. Grogar himself had just as much power to accomplish the same thing, so I initially figured that their abilities would cancel each other out.

The flash of light? That was a black hole! A place where every concept of reality could be warped to the creator’s will!

That’s when I realized: Cozy trapped the old ram in a mental, infinite loop! Right before he could even touch her, she enacted a spell that caused him to repeat the same events over and over within his own mind. As a result, Cozy was able to replay the same situation until she got the outcome that she wanted.

With everything reshaped to function how she wanted, there was little, if anything Grogar could do to break himself out of it. The only failsafe that existed would be if he could find a gap in the time loop and escape it.

But Cozy thought of that also.

Every gap in the time loop she generated was offset with some of the chaos energy that was rigged to implode upon, and disintegrate any magic signature that it came in contact with. In other words, trying to escape would kill Grogar.

And to my horror, that’s exactly what he tried to do.

Before Cozy could properly finish him off herself, the ram attempted every manner of spell-casting in the book to force himself out. Teleportation, shapeshifting, displacement, refraction--you name it.

“I...will...never...submit!”

He trudged forward, his body overpowering the effects of Cozy’s magical minefield. Awash in a sea of his own chaotic red and Cozy’s orange magical auras, he was a being fueled by raw determination.

“What the--?!” Cozy yelped with her wings expanded from sheer terror, “Just how strong is he?”

“Too strong,” I grumbled to myself, and huffed hard enough to release steam from my nostrils. “Seems like I have no choice...this is gonna require all my power, kid.”

She turned to me with a fearful glare. “...Dad? Dad, what are you gonna do?!”

“Just keep it going as you intended, Cozy,” I replied as I stepped forward, “He just signed his death warrant…”

“How do you know?!” she asked.

I tilted my neck to the left, then right to loosen my joints with a crick of my bones. “Trust me…”

Cozy’s magic had weakened him just enough. Grogar, despite the fact that he clung to his last strand of almighty power, was no different than the rest of us. But ultimately, the fact that he was essentially a figment of someone else’s ambition with no drive of his own--left unchecked could destroy the very fabric of our reality.

And I could sense it. His final act of desperation as he limped towards us was clear. I wondered if he was really that rooted in his mental state or if there was a small part of himself that secretly wished to die, and the only way to do so would be to make the move he was about to make. Either way, all I could think to myself was one simple phrase:

“Does the puppet finally see its strings?”

“Die...Die...DIE!” Grogar roared in a fit of unkempt rage as he charged at Cozy with fangs out, intent to kill clear as day.

In a flash, I intercepted this.

My body took on a bipedal stance akin to that of an upright bear as I practically teleported in front of Cozy to defend her. And as soon as I got there…

TCK--BLOOM!

I punched him one time. One good and hard time. Hard enough to both break the sound barrier, and rend his entire soul all in one blow. The blowback was so massive, that it felt like the entire continent beneath my hooves had experienced a class 7.0 earthquake. A frontal set of rings in a conal formation appeared with a trail of smoke were also after-effects of my attack. Essentially? It was akin to a Sonic Rainboom performed horizontally, minus the abundance of color.

After all of it, I was left in a fully drained state as I huffed heavily over and over. “...No one...messes with...my daughter…”

“PALE!” Cozy screamed as she knelt down next to me, “Are you alright? Speak to me?”

I could feel myself cough up a bit of blood as I offered my best smile. Resting in the care of the kiddo was...heartwarming to say the least. “Hm...never better…look…”

And almost immediately, the Tree of Harmony was already slowly reversing itself.

The question remained: was everything going to return to the way it was before?

Subject 290: An Unexpected Royal Assist

When the dust finally settled, I could tell that it was--at long last--over. A new dawn was approaching us, and I could feel the warm sunrise grace my face with its honey-yellow aura. This meant that both of the sisters were alright in the end, but I could worry about them later.

I watched as the Tree of Harmony’s roots retracted and it lost all of its power that it had over my allies. Each of them had not only the color return, but their sense of self and autonomy as well.

“Gah! What the--?!” Corkscrew was the first to realize that he regained his freedom. “...Woah...that was trippy as shit, guys!”

Quick Draw was next in line. “Wh...huh?! We aren’t dead?!”

Guttersnipe, who had been mid-flight when she was shut down by the tree, had to quickly regain herself after she hit the floor. “Oof! Hey! Who...wait a minute, did you guys win?!”

“...Well I’ll be utterly damned,” Flash Drive muttered as he came back to life, “Things are comin’ up aces…”

Neon woke up last with a relieved glint in his eye once he found us all. “...It’s really you all. You’re all real? Thank goodness. I was in an eternal loop of false ideals that I couldn’t get out of.”

“Hey, me too,” Corkscrew supplemented, “We were all mentally shut down by the Tree weren’t we? What kind of magic was that?!”

“The Lotus Eater Spell, mates,” Flash Drive explained, “A power spell said to only be known by a small group of individuals that could potentially plunge the world into an untrue sense of self. Almighty, it can only be stopped by a sheer force of anti-magic. So...how did you guys manage?”

Cozy decided to cut the conversation short. “We’ll explain later. Right now, we have another problem…”

I looked up and saw that the kid’s body started to show cracks and scrapes in various places. Using Discord’s power took quite the toll on her despite the fact that she managed to comprehend using it.

I broke free of Cozy’s grip, and managed to stand up--albeit barely. “Ngh...we need to...gah…” I clutched my abdomen with one of my hooves, “We need to rescue Flutetrshy, Discord, and all of the others who were absorbed into the tree as soon as possible. If we wait too long, Cozy’s body will deteriorate and the Chaos magic will roam free. Then we’ll be right back at square one.”

My friends looked at each other to try and come up with an answer.

“Okay,” Flash Drive started to speak, “We need to get the Draconequus’ body out of there.”

“Easier said than done,” Quick commented, “There’s a whole lot that could go wrong if we don’t do this right.”

Corkscrew looked at Cozy. “...Can’tcha just teleport him outta there or something?”

“...I’m afraid to,” the pegasus said shakily, “I feel like I risk severely hurting myself if I use anymore of his power.”

“Dammit!” Guttersnipe lamented, “How are we gonna get this done?!”

Neon’s ear flicked. “Somebody’s approaching.”

We turned to the entrance to the throne room of the ruins. Sure enough, someone did actually end up entering the room. But it was honestly the last individual I would have expected.

A black, unreformed changeling poked his head through the door. “...Is this where--ah, Pale! And everypony else. Good. There’s not much time…”

“Wait a second, who are you?” Quick questioned the changeling, suspicious of its appearance.

“It’s me...Thorax,” he replied, “If you’re wondering why I’m here, it’s a long story involving Flurry Heart.”

Cozy flew up to him with a worried frown on her face. “Oh? Is she okay? And why have you reverted back to a non-reformed changeling?”

Thorax sighed, and submitted to the fact that he had to grant us more details. “Okaaay...guess I’ll have to make this explanation as brief as possible. You see, Flurry Heart used me as a failsafe…”

About 24 Hours Ago…

Flurry Heart had called for King Thorax to meet with her in Ponyville before the impending battle was set to take place. They met up within the confines of Sugarcube Corner thanks to Pound Cake having invited her over beforehand.

“I have a feeling that something bad is about to happen,” Flurry explained to the Changeling King, “Because of that, I need your help. Cozy’s emotional state is all over the place, and you’re the only other being on this planet who can contain the power of love...”

Thorax listened carefully, and offered his own perspective. “...It’s true. As the leader of this race for the past decades, I can confidently say that I’m ready to bear anything you send my way, Lady Heart. But even I can sense that we’re about to possibly walk into a death trap against Grogar.”

“I know, I know. Just hear me out...please?” she pleaded with beady eyes.

The king nodded his head with an incredulous glance. “Proceed.”

Flurry sighed with relief, and went on to explain the rest of her plan. “Basically, I want you to take this…” The young alicorn levitated what looked like a miniature version of the crystal heart into the air with her magic. “Store as much of your power in it as you can, and as soon as the fighting starts, tap into it. Once you do, you’ll be able to overcome anything--no matter the severity.”

Upon seeing the object, Thorax was taken aback with visible confusion as he recoiled. “...Are you serious? Isn’t this the Crystal Heart? What are you doing with it?”

“Relax, relax,” Flurry dissuaded his suspicions with a casual wave of her hoof, “It’s a smaller version of it that I created for situations just such as these. I thought I’d use it for my own power, but here, I figured it’d be more worthwhile if you took hold of it.”

Thorax raised a non-existent brow over his solid purple eye, and countered her stance. “...You want me to be your guinea pig.”

“Uh, well...that is to say…” the princess had no way of arguing this. That is essentially what she desired here.

With a sigh, Thorax rolled his eyes and shook his head before relenting. “...Fine. I’m fully aware of the power of the Crystal Heart. Even a small one such as this can house an untold amount of power. For the sake of our future, I’ll use it.”

Elated, Flurry Heart threw her hooves around Thorax in a hug. “Oh thank-you-thank-you-thank-you! But...do me a favor and keep this on the DL. At least until after the conflict is over...kay?”

Unamused by the hug, the king stared at the heart-shaped gemstone for a moment before he put it away. “Sure. I’ll be ready when the time comes.”

“...and that’s what happened,” Thorax finished his explanation. “A side-effect of this is that I’ve lost my more recent, colorful body--but that’s neither here nor there. Listen up. I’m about to tell you all what we need to do next.”

My friends and I all fell silent, and listened to the king’s words closely...

Subject 291: It's Finally Over

Thorax reached beneath his wings to pull out the miniature crystal heart that he had told us about from his time speaking with Flurry Heart. “Use this,” he said, “If done just right, it’ll shatter the Tree of Harmony and set Discord free along with everyone else who was corrupted by its magic. Who’s going to use it?”

Cozy’s body started to show more and more cracks by the minute. She wouldn’t last much longer at this rate.

But I, as well as the rest of my crew were also too tired to make use of it either. It would be a while before they were properly rested enough to make use of any kind of magic. And me? I was on the verge of passing out, but continuously fought it off.

I spoke up. “...Thorax. Can you activate it for us? We’re in no condition to use something of that potency. And you’re more familiar with the Magic of Love than we are…” I glanced at the rest of my crew, and they all agreed with silent nods. Cozy Glow simply hung her head, ashamed of the fact that she could do anything else on her own.

The changeling king hesitated for a moment, as if he was unsure of himself. But once he realized just how damaged we all were, he replied with a nod as well. “Understood. Give me a second. Just hold still, and try not to use any more magic until I’m finished.”

I watched as the changeling flew above and over us towards the Tree. It felt nice knowing that I could count on lots of other individuals at this stage in my life. Even if I didn’t know them all, the many faces of Equestria were all capable in their own right.

Once Thorax was at the Tree, he used his horn to fire a small, fine laser through the tiny heart-shaped crystal, which in turn, fanned out and became a much thicker laser made of pure white light.

As soon as it hit the floor, nothing happened. It was harmless to most materials it seemed. But then, he aimed it at the base of the Tree of Harmony. As soon as he did, we heard it sizzle…

ZZZZZ!

“It’s working,” he said, “Just have to position it a bit further…”

Thorax aimed the laser directly upwards, and bisected the tree vertically. Now split clean in half, the tree was forced to regurgitate all those it had swallowed thanks to Grogar’s influence.

“AAAH--OOF!”

A large group of voices were heard followed by a loud thud upon the floor. As fate would have it, it wasn’t just Discord and Fluttershy that were captured by the tree. There was also the former princesses: Celestia and Luna!

“Damn it all,” Luna swore to herself as she rose from off the ground, “Never again will I allow myself to fall for the deception of a distress signal.”

“Don’t look at me,” Celestia replied, “I was just as concerned as you were. I had no clue that Grogar could create astral projections.”

So that’s what happened to them. Well, I’m sure there was far more to it than just that, but there would be time for questions later.

I looked around for Discord, and didn’t stop him. Not right away, anyway. Until…

“Ah! Finally, we’re out of that wretched beast’s trap…” a certain voice proclaimed. “Thank you for holding onto my power, kiddo. I’ll take it off your hooves now.”

All of a sudden, the damage to Cozy’s body had been removed. With a hefty gasp for air, she returned to normal and almost fell against me. “AGH! Ow...whew…I am so glad that that’s over. And...you’re welcome.”

Fluttershy meanwhile, was knocked out cold. Discord had herded her onto her back in order to keep her safe. “There is...quite a lot to unpack here. So I suggest we regroup with our little army outside, yes?”

That’s right! I had completely forgotten about the fact that we had the entire Middle-Equestrian population on our side for this battle. All I could do was hope that everyone involved who had decided to join us in this conflict was alright.

We wasted no time, and rushed outside of the castle to the grounds where everyone else had been busy with their fight against the other demons that Grogar had summoned. Sure enough, everyone had slowly but surely turned back into their normal selves and had escaped the influence that Grogar placed upon them. Even Thorax was able to return to his more colorful form now that everything had been properly restored.

“Thank goodness,” I said quietly, “Everyone seems to be okay.”

“Of course they are, Pale,” Discord said, “It’s thanks to your leadership that they’re all still able to stand here with the rest of us.”

As soon as the crowd laid eyes upon us, they realized we were victorious once we emerged with Discord and the alicorns in tow, because they immediately started to cheer. And I mean cheer. Loud screams and whoops of passion for us because of how we saved them as well as because of how brave we were. Babs and Cheerilee were right up in front in particular. Alongside them were Vinyl Scratch, Trixie, Sunburst, and even Terramar and Slipstream.

And to be honest? I naturally felt awkward about it.

“EVERYONE PLEASE!” I shouted to get the attention of the crowd, to which they fell silent. “Ahem...sorry about that. I appreciate your gratitude, but we need to focus up. The damage that this has caused has permeated throughout the entire state of our land. Homes destroyed, ponies injured, and hospitalized. We need to put our priorities towards fixing everything that was hurt by this conflict before we even dare celebrate.”

The crowd numbered amongst themselves out of confusion, but it slowly turned into mumbles of understanding and cooperation. Everyone knew that we had suffered a lot of damage here, and that’s what needed to be handled first.

However, Luna stepped forward as soon as I stated my piece. “...While that is noble of you, may I kindly ask you to sit out for a while?”

I turned my head to the blue alicorn. “Hm?”

Celestia chimed in next. “You look absolutely ragged. As does Cozy Glow and the rest of your friends…”

Twas true. My friends and I were all absolutely drained by such a scenario. Each of them could barely stand, and Cozy couldn’t even unfurl her wings by this point. And me? Well, I think I overworked every muscle in my body to the point of internal bleeding. It just hadn’t set in yet.

“But...there’s no way I could put that on you two. I’m sure you’re rather concerned about Conterlot…”

“While we are,” Celestia replied, “That doesn’t mean we’re just going to--”

Discord decided to chime back in. “Actually...allow me to assist with that. Pale and his friends can have some time off, and I’ll make sure the restoration of Ponyville goes swimmingly. You have nothing to fear.”

The alicorn sisters were incredulous. But there was absolutely no time to argue.

“...Very well,” Celestia agreed, “Everypony, return to your homes, and--”

That’s when I hit the ground with a smack like a cow that had been forcefully flipped over on command. Yup. The pain finally caught up to me.

Subject 292: Recovery Period

The last thing I could remember before passing out was feeling the pain of my body and overworked muscles finally catch up to me. That was one advantage of my superior Earth Pony biology--the ability to stave off the sense of pain for a bit longer than the average pony. Unfortunately, it came at the cost of enduring a sort of ‘pain crash’ down the line when I wasn’t prepared for it.

But fortunately, I wasn’t dead. No, instead, I found myself awake in my bed at home--bandaged up as if I had been to the hospital.

“Huh...wha…?” As soon as I felt the sun’s rays hit my face, I felt my eyes pop open. “Lord above...how long have I been asleep?”

To my left, I could see Tree Hugger was the one behind my blinds opening up unexpectedly. “Ah, you’re finally awake, man. Good to see those yellow eyes of yours.”

“Tree?” I sat up, and looked at her more directly once I rubbed my eyes. “You’re here? Is everything okay?”

“Hm? Oh yeah, for sure, brah,” she replied with her usual sense of mellowness, “Cheerilee wanted me to take care of you while she worked on stuff with the Mayor and Mrs. Rich. Ponyville was super damaged in that conflict from a week ago.”

A week? Hot damn, was I out of it for that long?

I rubbed the sides of my head with my hooves as I gathered my thoughts. “Wait a minute--wait--a week?”

“Mmm-hmmm,” she replied with a nod, “Don’t worry, your friends are all here too. Redheart took them in at the hospital, and they’ve been resting there as well. You’ll be able to see them soon.”

Well that put me at ease a bit. With the knowledge that my crew was okay, I was able to properly think about what was going to happen next. “Okay then. Am I good to get up?”

“You tell me, dawg,” Tree replied as a way to invite me to stand up.

I turned to my right, and got out of bed. Once all four of my limbs were on the ground, I felt...better? The sensation of soreness was still there, but it wasn’t as severe as it was a week ago. So that was a plus.

“Alright, looks pretty good to me,” I said as I flexed each of my limbs.

Tree giggled as she saw me get up. “Hehe...awesome, man. You and your crew should be in perfect condition to attend the award ceremony later today.”

“Alright…” I did a double-take, and watched as Tree Hugger trotted into the kitchen. “Wait, award ceremony?”

The green mare started to make breakfast. “Well. Yeah, brah. You and your friends practically saved the whole world--and some others if I recall correctly.”

...We did, didn’t we? Guess that was the objective, but I hope everyone didn’t see it as an act of heroism. Rather, as an act of doing what needed to be done to protect what you believed in. Something that everyone should be willing to do.

Meh. Guess I couldn’t worry too much about that at the moment, huh? After all, I knew better than anyone that my actions wouldn’t always be interpreted in certain ways.

“Yeah, something like that,” I replied, and noted how she pretended to forget that she participated in that very event. Hugger was somewhat scary that way. “I’m just wondering about all the damage that was caused to the homes and various buildings across the various landscapes. The money to repair them is going to be staggering…”

Tree Hugger placed a steaming plate in front of me. Upon it was a plate of hay pancakes alongside hash browns and some fried carrot links. Next to that was a glass of freshly made gree, iced tea with honey. “Yeah it might. But don’t worry, man. Every little thing is gonna be alright....”

I stared at the plate for a moment, and looked up at her with a smile. “I’m sorry...I appreciate what you’ve done for me, Tree. Cheerilee must have been hella busy, so she trusted you to take care of me. I...hope I can pay you back for what you’ve done for me.”

The next time I looked up, I could see Tree Hugger doing some sort of odd yoga pose in the middle of my living room. Standing on her head with perfect balance and her hooves together. “Don’t fret over it, man,” she replied while she maintained her position, “Things are all gonna fall into place.”

“I hope you’re right…”

I savored the meal she prepared. And the tea somewhat helped stabilize my digestive system. Being in a sleep-filled state for so long was an odd sensation. All I could say was that it was good to be back in the real world.

Once I finished, I put my plate in the sink. However, just before I could begin to wash it…

Knock-knock-knock.

There was a knock at my front door. Odd, as I wasn’t expecting anyone. But who knows who it might be after all that happened in the past week...or month...or year…

Anyhow. I trotted up to the door, and opened it. “Hello?”

It was quite the unexpected surprise. Spoiled Rich of all ponies was there at my doorstep. What??

“Pale Vestige? You remember me, don’t you? From the few times we’ve spoken to each other?” she raised her eyebrow as if testing me on a basic math problem.

“Uh...yeah?” I tilted my head slightly, “And what brings you here today, ma’am?”

The older mare scoffed with a roll of her eyes. “Yeech. Enough with the ma’am. It makes me feel much older than I'd like to acknowledge that I am.”

“Okay,” I replied with a nod, “So what brings you by, Spoiled?”

She turned her head to her left, and retrieved something from one of her pearlescent saddlebags. In her hoof, she showed me a few documents that were recently signed by multiple parties. “I want to thank you. By suggesting that we focus on the direct damage that has hit our homes, we were able to come to an agreement and establish better trade relations between the Griffons and Batponies. All of our citizens were in support of this decision--especially the dragon. What’s her name...Amber…?”

“Ember?” I said.

“Ember, yes. Her. She apparently has been looking to trade the mining skills of dragons in exchange for the glass-blowing skills of the ponies. Not entirely sure how that equates, but nevertheless…” She folded those documents up, and put them away in her saddlebag. “Just wanted to come by and explain to you what has occurred. Along with that, lots of the funds are going towards the retirement homes and schools--so don’t fret about the elders and foals.”

Well that put me at ease. Children and the elderly were often the most vulnerable when it came to large-scale conflicts like this. So it was nice to know that everyone focused on taking care of each other at a time like this.

I let out a relieved sigh. “...Alright. That’s good. Thanks for the information.”

Spoiled Rich nodded, and turned to leave. “Oh, and make sure you dress up. The award ceremony is set for later today. Don’t be late, son.”

That was about five hours away, huh? Guess I woke up at the right time. How convenient.

I just needed to find one of my better suits...

Subject 293: Casual Meetup

And so, I got myself ready. It might not be much of a shock, but I was no stranger to ceremonies. They were often held within the agency, and given to various agents and officers to acknowledge when they did a good job on an assignment. I actually hadn’t received any medals or awards yet--a few badges but that was about it. So I was curious to see just what would happen on this day.

I put on the best suit that I had for such an occasion. A brown suit jacket that was given to me by Miranda Rights when I was younger. It held a special sort of sentimental value to me for obvious reasons.

“...My father used to wear this every day to all of my school plays and talent shows when I was little. One day, I hope you can pass that same familial kindness onto somepony else, kiddo…”

It was a small gesture at the time that would have a rather large impact later. More than she could ever realize thanks to the fact that I had also become a sort of father to someone under me. Stallions played an important role in our culture that often gets ignored due to the imbalance of the sexes within the population. Fatherhood was something I never thought I would be involved in, but now I see it as one of the most important things in this world since the protective, and stalwart sense of accomplishment from the well-to-do fathers was something that usually went unnoticed. But I didn’t fail to see it.

Saffron Masala and her father Coriander Cumin, Trixie and her father Jackpot, Flurry Heart and Shining Armor, and even mixed families like Quibble Pants with his wife’s daughter Wind Sprint. Even if they weren’t perfect, they were shining examples of what should be celebrated in today’s culture for fathers since most stallions are so overworked that they can’t spend time with their families due to being tired. Yet good men like these still made as much time for their home lives as they could. It’s something that I would do my best to embody for Cozy--even if I wasn’t her biological father, she was still my daughter.

Pfft. What am I saying? It’s not like I could have that much of an effect on the world at large, right?

Regardless, I made sure that I had everything that I needed. Including a document and a tiny box that I intended to save for later on.

And that’s when I arrived at Ponyville Town Hall.

“...Holy shit.”

Everyone was there. Well, not the whole population of the world, but pretty much the entirety of the peoples/creatures that made up the army that drove out Grogar last week. Seems that everyone had recovered nicely because they were all dressed up in some sort of suit or dress to look snazzy for such an event.

And before I could even get over there, I was flanked by my crewmates behind the Town Hall.

“He’s made it, lads!” Flash Drive appeared with a white tuxedo that clashed nicely against his jet black body color, “We knew you weren’t dead, right bruv?”

Neon had on a bright red suit that somewhat contrasted with his blue-green body. “Indeed. Today’s a good day, my friends. Now where are those other two fools?”

“Dammit--my tie is killing me!” That voice was known to me from a mile away. Corkscrew had been hovering in the air as he used one of the windows like a mirror to get a good look at himself. His suit was a normal black one. “Why did we have to dress up for this? We don’t even wear clothes normally anyway!”

“This is a high profile event organized by the Mayor herself to congratulate us. That’s why. Now come on, hurry up,” Quick Draw lectured from the ground below him, “You’re taking forever.” Her purple suit clashed nicely against her yellow body color. Complimentary colors after all.

“Ah, there they are. Hey you two,” I waved at them, to which they reciprocated with waves of their own. “But where’s Guts?”

As if on cue, we heard her voice from above us. “Sorry I’m late, guys. Had to make sure I could get this thing on right.” Guttersnipe landed in the midst of our group wearing a short skirt-like dress with red and black which alternated and matched with her color. “I hope to god there’s gonna be booze here. Award ceremonies always make me fall asleep.”

“Oh sure,” Flash Drive interjected with a wry grin, “More like you pass out entirely once you get drunk off your arse, eh?” He hoofbumped his brother Neon who snickered in response to the joke.

Guts scrunched her face up before she replied with a huff. “Oh come on! It was one time! Besides, you know that I don’t drink that often.”

Quick Draw suddenly entered the conversation from where she stood. “Don’t start laughing, Neon. You know you can’t resist the fruit bars that are often at parties. Especially the fermented grapes.”

“Hey now, it’s better than wanting pony blood, innit?” the batpony protested, “You know I could always revert to my more primal instincts at any time yeah?”

Quick rolled her eyes as she leaned against the side of the building while standing on her hind legs. “Jeez. It was just a joke, Dracula. Calm down.” But even she wasn’t completely infallible because she giggled at her own joke.

I decided to throw my own two cents into the ring. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you’ve been hitting the bakery more often, Quick. You seem to be jiggling more than usual with each step.”

“Say what?!” The yellow mare’s eyes shot open, and she turned to look at herself in the reflection of one of the Town Hall’s rear windows. “I know I’m not that pudgy--oh god dammit!”

I nearly snorted, and burst out laughing before Corkscrew spoke up. “While that may be true, at least she won’t sink like a rock boss. You know that muscle weighs more than fat? Isn’t that why you couldn’t last swimming in the ocean near Casabronco on that one mission?”

“H-hey! There were sharks in that water and you knew it!” I hastily defended myself as I rubbed a hoof behind my head. “We all get the jitters in different ways you know.”

Guttersnipe giggled to herself. “I still remember how he completely lost sight of the mission we were on at PonyCon.”

Corkscrew was next to defend himself with a huff. “In my defense--getting an autograph by one of my favorite cosplayers was a problem in an of itself! Don’t even get me started on the genuine creeps who stalk ponies!”

We all had a good laugh at each other--and ourselves. Flash Drive summed up our relationship as a team fairly well once the conversation was finished.

“Nothing like being able to take the piss out of each other and laugh to keep us motivated, eh?”

“AHEM!”

All of our heads turned in unison. The Mayor had come out the back door of the Town Hall to greet us.

“If you kids are done with your schoolyard antics, everypony is waiting for you onstage.”

The six of us exchanged looks with each other, then nodded.

It was time to put ourselves out there.

Subject 294: Ceremony Part 1

The six of us all trotted out to the stage that had been erected where Town Hall was. As soon as we did, everyone in the crowd started to cheer for us. It was...uncanny to be before a crowd this massive. After all, I just did my job, really. I was used to maybe a ‘thank you’ or something as simple as a passing smile. But this? This was on another level entirely. Ponies, griffons, dragons, changelings, batponies, yaks, minotaurs--minotaurs?! Just how many individuals showed their faces on that day? Even Sunset, Sci-Twi, and the Sirens were present!

“Feel proud of yourself yet?” Quick asked as she nudged my side.

“What do you mean? Of course I am. I wouldn’t be where I am today if it wasn’t for you guys.”

Corkscrew sniffled, and wiped away some of the tears that ran down his face. “...That’s super sweet, man…”

“Everybody shh--she’s here,” Flash Drive warned us.

We, along with the rest of the crowd, fell silent as Twilight Sparkle floated down to us from the heavens to greet us. She stepped up to the center of the stage, and started to speak to the crowd.

“Thank you everypony for attending this event,” she said with a wave, “We’ve all gathered here today to honor the great work of some of the most hard-working, and inspirational ponies in all of Equestria. Ponies who laid down their lives for the sake of the safety of others, led by the pony who started all of this...”

I turned and glanced at Neon. “Hey. Look at yourself now. On a stage and being praised. Doesn’t it feel great?”

The batpony let out a small sigh, but soon exchanged the look I gave him. “...Yeah. Yeah it does, mate.”

“...Pale Vestige!” Twilight shouted.

I felt my cheeks turn a shade of crimson when my name was called. Then I stepped forward to look at the crowd. “Um…”

Twilight invited me to speak. “Do you mind explaining your capability? How did you manage to rally everypony together against the threats posed by Grogar?”

“Well…” It was a slow process, but I was eventually able to come to my senses and give my speech of sorts. “It obviously wasn’t just me. But everyone. I watched and fought hard alongside many amazing individuals in that battle. All of whom were no different than the average pony like myself. That was my goal the entire time.”

“What exactly?” Twilight asked as she took notes. Even during an event like this, she couldn’t help but document things it seemed. “This will be important for the future generations to learn.”

From the crowd, I could see Celestia roll her eyes with a playful smile on her face. Next to her, Luna flicked her tail at her sister’s nose in order to get her to pay attention.

My words started to come to me more naturally as I addressed the crowd at large with a focused gaze. “My goal was to showcase the fact that you don’t need some special magic or elements of whatever-the-heck to make a difference for others around you. You can still fight back against whatever is causing you trouble as well as potentially change the entire world.”

“And do you think you’ve accomplished that?” Twilight asked.

“I’d say so, yeah,” I said to her, and focused on the audience. “All I can do at this point is hope that others can see what I’ve done and learn from it. After all, my friends and I are no different. Case in point…”

I turned my head and looked at my crew members. One by one, they each stepped forward to give their take on the situations they’ve endured.

Flash Drive was first. “Tis true. I’m no better than the average unicorn bloke out there. But I still fought hard for the sake of my folks and fam. Those who granted me the life I have now--especially my parents--deserve to live in a world where they don’t have to feel judged every two seconds. So I went and stopped South Zebrica’s insurrection--with the help of the lovely Lady Zecora and her friends of course.” He pointed to the zebra mare in question from where he stood--to which she replied with a blush. The other zebras in the crowd near her nodded in agreement.

Next was Neon. “Indeed, mate. Not only that, but I made sure I could sway my fellow bats onto our side. We’re not out for pony blood because we’re no different than anyone else. We just prefer to muck about during the twilight hours of the day. So when I rallied by fellow batlikes against Grogar’s demons, I felt like we were able to make a proper difference in our reality. Isn’t that right, friends?”

The batponies in the crowd also nodded in agreement with what Neon said. Though I could tell that a few of the female ones had made eyes at him.

I snickered to myself. Neon’s future was going to be a massive turn-around compared to his horrid past...

Subject 295: Ceremony Part 2

Corkscrew was next as he flew to the front of the stage. “That’s right,” he said, “Now granted, I didn’t unite an entire population like my friendly set of Kingsmen over here--”

Both Flash Drive and Neon glanced at each other, then up at Cork. “Eh wot?”

“--but nevertheless!” the pegasus continued, “I still stuck through it all alongside Pale because I knew he needed me. Even when I was set on fire and nearly burned to death--TWICE. Though the second time was in an event where I could resist flames because of becoming my Nightmare Night costume, but--”

I cleared my throat to help him get back on topic. “Ahem…”

“Oh yeah, yeah! Right. Anyways, so like I was saying--I’d do anything for my friends. Yeah I’m not some super-powered being of ultimate power, but dammit I’m still gonna fight for what I believe in. Because you miss one hundred percent of the shots you don’t take.”

Guttersnipe decided to jump in at that moment. “He’s right. To add onto what he said, I know just as much as anyone what it’s like to suffer. I lost my wings protecting my friends--hey guys!” she waved into the crowd to which her childhood friends--Tsunami, UV Ray, and Vapor Trail--all waved back. “When I lost my wings to keep them safe, I realized that the most important thing to me would always be keeping my friends and family safe. I mean, I’ve fought off giant sea monsters and sky ghosts! It doesn’t get any better than that!”

Lastly, Quick Draw would step forward.

“For me...it’s a rather long story. Ultimately I feel stupid in some respects. I nearly lost sight of what was important to me, and betrayed my own friend…”

The audience glared at Quick with curious stares.

I looked at Quick, and whispered. “Hey...you don’t have to…”

“It’s alright, Pale...I am choosing to do this because it’s something that’s very important to me.” The mare rubbed a hoof behind her head as she forced herself to continue. “Alright...the main issue that I had to overcome was my own cowardice. I was deceived into thinking that Pale’s ideas were going to bring about destruction. And while he is by no means perfect, I see now that I made a fatal mistake.”

“And why is that?” Twilight asked.

“Because...when I lost faith in those who trusted me most, it was almost too late. I pretty much became the very thing I set out to stop: A conniving, deceptive liar…”

Twilight would ask another question. “But...you’ve learned from that experience, right?”

Quick nodded. “For sure. I learned that I needed to take better care of myself and all of my friends. Not only are Pale and Corkscrew my childhood schoolmates, we’re all like one cohesive family unit that keeps each other working well together. Because of that, I...feel like I’ve grown. Like I can trust them as well as myself even more now. The fact that they forgave me for what happened is what caused the curse I was put under to be removed from my body.” She flashed a rare, wide smile--a smile that truly looked genuine as her ears pricked upwards. “...And now, I can finally say that I’m happy.”

In response, various members of the audience started to applaud softly.

That’s when Cozy Glow flew up to the stage to interject. “I don’t mean to interrupt, but...can I say something?”

“Absolutely,” Twilight replied, “Go right ahead.”

Cozy took center stage, and started to open up to the congregation. “I would also like to state just how important the impact that someone like Pale Vestige has had on my life. Thanks to him, he was able to bring me out of my state of suffering so that I could properly live out my life. And well...I consider him to be like my father of sorts because of it.”

That’s when I took a step forward. “Yeah, about that, kiddo…”

She looked at me with a concerned set of eyes. “...Huh? What’s wrong?”

“Nothing, I just have a surprise for you…” I reached into my suit, and pulled out a document, then handed it to Cozy.

The young mare read it over, and promptly squealed with a smile on her face, much to the confusion of everyone in the vicinity. “EEEEEE!”

Subject 296: Ceremony Part 3

I could tell that everyone was confused, but it was too awkward for them to ask. So I decided to explain it myself.

“...I have officially adopted Cozy Glow,” I explained to everyone, “These are documents which state that Cheerilee and I are now her legal parents.”

From near the front row, a curious Starlight Glimmer would speak up. “That’s...adorable. But what prompted that decision, if you don’t mind me asking?”

“That’s a very good question. And it’s part of the reason why I decided to announce it publicly,” I went on, “because this is the ultimate turnaround, in a sense. Back when you all first met Cozy, she was--well, I don’t think I need to explain much. You all know how that went down. Instead, I want to focus on how everything improved and the bright future ahead of her. She’s a very smart, plucky mare who has her whole life to look forward to now. Not to mention with loads of friends who support her.”

From the crowd, Flurry Heart suddenly flew up into the air. She was previously seated next to her parents before she essentially made herself known. “And I’m one of them. Proud of it, too.”

I could see Cadance try to grab onto her daughter’s tail, but Shining stopped her and shook his head. From what I could tell, he must have wanted Flurry to make her case.

And that she did. “With that aside, I’m super happy knowing she has a family now, because I could’ve been in her horseshoes and gone through...some very bad things had it not been for my parents being there for me. Which is why I’m super grateful for them. So Cozy, from the bottom of my heart, I hope you enjoy life with your family. You deserve that much.”

“Thanks, Flurry,” Cozy replied as she wiped a tear or two from her face, “I know that I will.”

Twilight looked to the audience for more words. “Don’t be shy, everypony. If you have any questions, feel free to ask--calmly!”

The entire crowd nearly jumped into a frenzy before Discord suddenly appeared on the stage between Cozy and myself.

“Ah, yes. The power of not only friendship, but family does rule over all, does it not?”

Annoyed, the princess glared at the being of Chaos with a dissatisfied frown. “Discord...don’t you dare--”

A zipper suddenly appeared over Twilight’s mouth due to Discord’s magic. “Yeesh. Would you allow me to get a word in? I haven’t even spoken yet. Ahem.” A pair of reading glasses appeared over his eyes along with a piece of parchment that unfurled upwards, into the sky, and out of the atmosphere with how long it was--defying gravity in the process. “Here it is!” In a split-second, the glasses and paper disappeared, and Discord shook Cozy’s hoof with his bear paw. “On behalf of all the reformed villains. I would like to thank you for doing the impossible.”

Cozy tilted her head, and nervously replied. “Uhm...what?”

“Proving to everyone here and around the world that you were capable of empathy, and thus--redeemable. Old Ram-face was a prime example of someone so caught up in their own ideals that he endured a swirling torment of pain and misery until there was nothing left of him…” Discord’s voice trailed off with a rather depressed undertone before he quickly whiplashed back into being excited. “But nevertheless--you have proven me wrong. And stand as a bastion for others like Lightning Dust, the Flim-Flam Brothers, Starlight…”

The unicorn mare whose name was called out last, spoke up to defend herself. “Hey!”

Discord giggled in response. “Oh boo-hoo. You know very well what I mean. Just let Cozy have this for a moment, hm?”

Starlight rolled her eyes and slumped back in her seat, to which Sunburst consoled her with a smooch to the head.

Twilight finally removed the zipper from her mouth, and spoke out. “Ergh...thank you, Discord for that...interesting set of words. Now shoo before you cause any trouble.”

“Alright, alright,” Discord mumbled while he donned a performer’s cane and top hat as he exited the stage towards the left, “Tough crowd, honestly.”

Twilight faced the audience once more with a sigh of relief. “Does anypony else have anything they would like to add--and no, questions from the press are to be saved until the end.”

From the very end of the aisle, a voice called out.

“I do. I have a few words to say to them. Especially, little ol’ Pale…”

That voice...could it be??

Subject 297: Ceremony Part 4

It wasn’t just one pony. It was a massive group!

Flash Drive and Neon’s mother and father, Corkscrew’s grandfather, Quick Draw’s father, Guttersnipe’s mother and father, and...no...it wasn’t possible.

“M-Ms. Rights?!”

My comrades embraced their respective family members with loving laughter and smiles, but I simply stood there in a state of shock at the sight of the well-aged, cyan earth pony mare.

“No way...this isn’t real,” I protested to myself, unable to process what was in front of me, “You went missing years ago. There’s no way you’re in front of me right now.”

The mare tapped the side of her head. “Hm? Nope. I think I am very much alive and real.”

I took a step towards her, and put a hoof against her cheek. That’s when I felt it...that scar. The exact same scar below her left eye from the day she saved me from blowing up both myself and the retirement home in Manehattan when I was little…

“Oh my goodness…” Tears began to well up in my eyes, and my voice started to break. “It...it’s really you. I can’t believe it. But how are you here? This doesn’t make any damn sense…I have to be dreaming.”

A few metres away, Luna spoke up. “Um, no you are not. I can confirm that you--and everyone else here--are very much awake. This is happening, Pale.”

I nearly passed out again, but my body refused to let me go back into a state of unconsciousness. I was fully awake, and had to comprehend just what went down in front of me.

“You...Miranda...you’re here. But how?”

She replied with a small chuckle. “...Honey, you should know I’d always come back for ya. That, and a certain friend of yours decided to breach the system against orders. Come on out, young lady.”

“Aw, dammit…” a familiar, gruff female voice mumbled from within the crowd right before she teleported herself to us. It was none other than Vinyl Scratch. “I specifically said that I did not want to be credited.”

Rights tilted her head, and scoffed as she playfully stomped her hoof on the ground. “Oho--dear. Your hacking skills are subpar. As soon as you found my file, I knew something went down. That wasn’t for anypony to access just yet. But...I guess I can’t be too upset since you did reunite me with my favorite little troublemaker,” she snickered into her hoof.

I had to take a step back. At that point, I had way more questions than answers. Firstly, for Vinyl.

“Wait, wait, wait a single screwed-up minute,” I turned to glare at the unicorn, “You hacked her file?! I thought that didn’t exist! I checked it myself!”

VInyl rubbed a hoof behind her head. “Well...long story short: Bon Bon knew that that would be the first thing you’d look for when you got hired. So she made sure to keep the file out of all the records and declared Miranda Rights permanently MIA.”

Okay. That explained one half of my confusion. But there was still one glaring problem with that.

“I see...but how did you not only manage to find her file, but then...find her?” I pointed at the older mare next to us.

Vinyl let out a small, nervous whinny as she fidgeted in place. “About that...this is where things get really crazy so I hope you’re strapped in. So I was fiddling around with the file, right? When...as soon as I managed to open it, my computer completely fragged itself. Just--boom!” She clapped her hooves together and spread them apart to emulate an explosion, “Completely just--kaput. But then, what I didn’t realize is that must’ve triggered...something or other? I’ll let her explain.”

Miranda stepped forward, and tapped me on my neck. “...You remember that weapon I gave you? Well, it contained a tracking device to make sure I always knew where it was. But once you destroyed it, it kinda got fused with you. But then...my old pager went off. The pager that I had set to only be notified in case of being needed on the force again.” She put her hoof down, and shot a glance to Vinyl. “Little Miss Wubstep over there caused it to go off when she messed with my files.”

The unicorn blushed, and replied with a nervous giggle. “Heh...um...I’m sorry, ma’am. Please don’t report this--”

“...Hmmm…” Rights decided to tease her a bit. “Let’s say this doesn’t leak to the rest of your department so long as you get me one of those signed copies of your new CDs?”

“Oh? Pssh--yeah, I can do that. Just...let me go get it for you. Be right back!” With a flash of magic, VInyl teleported away…

Rights glanced at me. “...She’s funny. Anyway...I’m glad I finally got to see you again, kiddo. Is everything alright?”

I reached out and hugged her. “Yes...everything is just peachy in my world. But there’s way too much to catch up on…”

All I could do was settle into her person. Rights held onto me like a parent would their child after not seeing them for an entire college term. “...Still as plucky as ever, kiddo. Never change.”

My real mother had returned.

Subject 298: Ceremony Part 5

The audience around us started to both cheer and even weep for us a little bit. The reunion of several high profile operatives and their families was practically a spectacle in and of itself. Why? I suppose it had everything to do with the fact that we often took certain things for granted.

The population often saw officers and agents as just one conglomerate figure that was ‘supposed’ to keep everyone safe. And yes, while that was true to a degree, it was far more than that. Because at the end of the day, we were all still regular people with our own lives and struggles that we have to deal with every day alongside our chaotic jobs. So…

I felt it. When the audience started to cheer for us. It didn’t feel like they were merely happy that they had been kept safe. Every individual cry and smile--it honest to god exuded the sense that everyone was happy because my crew and I were able to be happy for ourselves and our close family for once. I’d like to think that it was due to everyone joining us in that final battle and understanding our pain that they were able to comprehend just how important this moment was for us all.

Or maybe it was wishful thinking on my part. Who knows? Regardless, I was over the moon at that moment. Never before had I felt any happier.

“Alright, kiddo. We’ll have time to catch up later,” Miranda finally let me go, “For now, I think that Twilight wants to finish off this little ceremony with you and your friends.”

Oh right. In all of my tearful excitement, I managed to completely forget about that ceremony. It was honestly secondary to me at this point. However, I didn’t want to be rude. It was still a formal event, after all.

I nodded, and approached the stage once more. “...I’ll see you later, ma’am.”

Everyone else’s families separated to give their respective children--my crewmates--their space as we returned to the stage.

Even Twilight Sparkle herself wasn’t immune to the emotional throes of how our families treated us. To my left, I could clearly hear her sniffle and wipe her face with a handkerchief.

“...I need to make sure I hug my parents before the day is over,” she noted to herself as she made the cloth that was held aloft by her magic disappear into the aether. “That was beautiful, and it really shows just how important you all are. Not just to each other, but to your families, friends, and everypony in the world. You’re not just faceless miracle workers--you’re real ponies who have real lives. Both in and out of your offices.”

I was able to observe my crewmates and their reactions to Twilight’s final speech. Quick Draw’s cheeks turned rosy, Guttersnipe had a daring grin on her face, Corkscrew had the widest smile I could ever witness, Flash Drive did his best to play it cool with a wry smile as if he was fully aware of how great he was, and Neon stood boldly--proudly in front of a crowd for the first time in his entire life. It was a beautiful sight to behold.

And me? I was trying not to cry as I stood there.

Twilight trotted over to us, and stood in front of us as a group. One by one, she would address us and our deeds.

First was my bat friend.

“Neon Isotope,” the princess began, “You are a shining example that all batponies should follow. They’re not something that we need to fear or take for granted. And the idea that they’re all blood-sucking vampires has been disproven. It’s thanks to your efforts that relations with the species are now going much smoother than they ever have been, and we applaud you for rallying them during the final battle against Grogar. For overcoming all the prejudice and obstacles that have been in your way, your bravery is unparalleled.”

At her side, Spike was holding what appeared to be a set of medals on a purple pillow. Oh dear. This is where it really started.

Twilight levitated one of the medals onto Neon’s body, and hung it around his neck. It was solid gold with what looked like a shield emblem and a pair of bat wings in the middle engraved into it. “For that, I would like to present you with this Medal of Bravery.”

Neon did his best to hold back his tears as he accepted it, much to the praise of the audience. “...Thank you. I am honored, Princess.”

Next, she walked up to Flash Drive.

“Flash Drive--your story is a tad similar to your brother’s, isn’t it? And despite that, you fought just as hard. Like many zebras, you were a victim of many awkward looks, but it was even more unfortunate for you because you’re also half-unicorn. Yet, that didn’t stop you.” Twilight explained herself with a sense of passion that was unrivaled. The way her voice almost broke told me that she was genuinely proud of us. “Your mere existence is hard evidence of the fact that zebras and ponies can get along. But not only that, you took it a step further. You risked your own life to rebuild your home and make sure all zebras and ponies that live there would be treated equally...which is something all creatures--mixed race or not--should get behind. Diligence.”

Just as with Neon before, Twilight levitated a medal onto Flash Drive’s head until it hung around his neck. This medal was also gold and contained a unicorn horn that had stripes of alternating brass that represented his mixed heritage.

“That is why I offer you this Medal of Diligence.”

The stalwart unicorn-zebra sniffled and wiped a tear away from his eye. “...This is a dream come true, it is. Cheers very much, Princess.”

Next came Guttersnipe.

“You’re an interesting case aren’t you?” Twilight asked rhetorically, “Another user of our up-and-coming prosthetics, you--Guttersnipe Poinsettia--have proven that you are more than the sum of your parts. Even through your disability, you’ve found pride and managed to push through in many ways that others couldn’t. But thanks to you, they just might be able to. Always the first to stand up for her friends even in the toughest situations. Regardless if it was the Storm King, a giant sea monster, or a corrupted version of my old teacher--”

That last comment elicited a few chuckles from the crowd--everyone minus Celestia who simply scoffed it off, much to the delight of her younger sister.

“You were always there for your friends and never allowed the fact that you had something different about you hold you back, Guttersnipe. Your sense of honor is truly remarkable.”

Twilight presented a medal around her neck. This one had engraved shapes that looked like tiny missiles--not unlike the ones she would often shoot out of her wings.

“That is why you deserve this Medal of Integrity.”

“...Thank you so much,” the red pegasus replied with her metal wings fully expanded, “This is the best day of my life.”

From the crowd, I could see her old friends--UV Ray, Tsunami, and Vapor Trail--cheer alongside her parents.

Twilight looked at me and my closest childhood friends--Cork and Quick--next. “And then there were three. The heroes from Ponyville…”

Subject 299: Ceremony Part 6

“Cathartic Corkscrew,” Twilight started up her next speech, “You are Pale’s best friend, aren’t you? Ever since you both attended the Officer’s Academy, he’s always been the one who looked out for you and kept you safe. You’ve always felt like you needed to return the favor haven’t you?”

Cork didn’t need to say much. His awkward stare at the floor beneath him, and the way he shuffled his hoof pretty much gave it away.

Twilight continued, as casually as ever. “I know exactly what that feels like. I’ve had loads of friends over the years who have still stuck by me no matter how hard it gets. And the things I’ve heard that you’ve done for your friends are off the charts. Slaying monsters like mimics and surviving being set on fire--twice?! I can’t imagine how you managed, but you’ve proven that the bond you make with a friend is stronger than any supernatural disaster or enemy. No matter what happens, you’ve pushed through everything that’s stood in your way all in the name of keeping your friends safe and doing the same they did for you when you first met. That’s why I would like to present you with this Medal of Boldness…”

She levitated a medal around his neck. This one had what appeared to be an engraved tornado or hurricane in the middle. Which represented his unrelenting power.

Next was Quick--and boy this would be a doozy.

“Quick Draw...just like Corkscrew you were a childhood friend of Pale Vestige. But unlike Corkscrew, who never faltered in his loyalty to his friend, you lost your way a bit. Didn’t you?” she asked with an authoritative glare.

Quick Draw didn’t say a word. She simply took a step back with an uneasy frown on her face as she bit her lip.

Twilight would try and comfort her. “...Don’t beat yourself up. That’s not what today is for. I--as well as many others--are proud of the fact that you were willing to think for yourself and stand up for what was right. In the end, even once your views on your friend were challenged, you didn’t allow yourself to succumb to those feelings. You didn’t allow yourself to be controlled by your emotions. You focused on logic, and kept everything together. Ultimately standing by him as you all braved through the most difficult challenges you’ve ever faced. As a family.”

The yellow mare’s face slowly transformed from a state of hopelessness to a blank stare of confusion at the platform beneath her hooves.

“I…” Quick muttered a response as she wiped tears away from her face, “...I think I get it now.”

Twilight adorned Quick Draw with a medal that had a peace symbol engraved into its face. “That’s why I am presenting you with this Medal of Dignity. Wear it proudly.”

“...I will,” Quick replied, “I will…”

And at last, Twilight trotted over to me with an oddly satisfied expression on her face.

“Well, well, well,” she said in a rather sing-song-y tone, “At long last we come to the ringleader. The stallion behind it all. The head honcho. Where do I even begin with you?”

I decided to retort with a comment that I thought had some wit to it. “Well, my birth was a rather messy affair, so let’s not go that far back, eh?”

It must have been funny because a few audience members did chuckle--so there was that, right?

Even Twilight snorted--but she quickly cleared her throat to play off her reaction. “Ahem--right. Anyhow...your work is nothing short of legendary. I’d recount everything, but we’d honestly be here all day and I know you don’t want that.”

I shook my head, but was promptly cut off. “I don’t, really--”

“Nevertheless,” she went on, “I’d like to touch on something else that I haven’t spoken about very much: Your leadership skills.”

“My what-now?” I asked with a confused tilt of my head.

“The way you take control of any situation you come across. Everything from the way you convinced the public to give Cozy Glow another chance, the way you took care of her, and the way you defended yourself and your family against various enemies...and yet…” she trailed off.

Now heavily invested, I took a step forward. “What do you mean by that?”

“Well look at you,” Twilight glanced at me up and down, “You’re are, by and large--a regular earth pony. In fact, the only thing that really sets you apart from the average one is that your intellect and physical strength are off the charts. But even then, that’s something just about anypony can improve just by working their body to break past their limits. Both mentally and physically. Just...how did you do it?” From behind the princess’s wings, I could see a familiar pen and notebook ready to document whatever I’d say next.

I rolled my eyes with a sarcastic grin. “...Twilight. Everyone. There is no secret.” I started to address the audience at large. “What I set out to do was prove that literally anyone on this earth can put themselves out there and make a difference. That’s all. Do with that as you will. Because I feel like I’d just be repeating myself like a broken record. You don’t need crazy magic or heirlooms to be able to keep the ones you love safe.”

“And that’s why everyone followed you, isn’t it?” Twilight asked, “Because you proved that you could make Cozy Glow into a better pony. And from that, everyone else realized that they were able to make a difference also.”

Did she really just--? No. I need to explain myself properly. I paused, shut my eyes, and huffed hard enough to release steam from my nostrils.

Then I opened my eyes as I started to clear the air on what my goal was. “I didn’t make Cozy into a better pony. I did my job and fought for her justice. She made herself into a better pony. As for everything else you said...that’s a mere byproduct of what I did. I can’t peer into the minds of others and calculate what they will interpret.”

“Well whatever the case, I still want you to have this as a token of our--including my--appreciation.”

I watched as the medal came down over my head. I cupped my hoof against it, and took a look.

It was a five-pointed star with detailed, sideways facial profiles of all of my squadmates with myself in the middle. The center of it.

“The Medal of Wisdom,” Twilight proclaimed, “Awarded only to the highest and most esteemed individuals who serve for Equestria. Thank you, Pale Vestige. And you as well, Flash Drive, Neon Isotope, Cathartic Corkscrew, Quick Draw, and Guttersnipe Poinsettia.”

The six of us stood in line, and boldy puffed out our chests as the crowd applauded for us. We all secretly wanted to get this over with. The sense of merriment had started to wear on us, and I could tell by their uneasy smiles.

Twilight would close the ceremony with one last thing. “I now dub the six of you: Ponies Of the New Era! Or PONE for short!”

Yada-yada-yada--Twilight knighted us and everything took way too damn long from that point. So I’m just gonna skip over the rest.

Once the ceremony was finally over with, I was able to meet up with Cheerilee who had just come out of a meeting with the Mayor and Spoiled Rich within the Town Hall. This was my chance to finally hit her with the question.

I entered the building right as she got out of her meeting, and stopped her.

“...Cheery? Got a minute?”

“Oh--Pale? Why of course--and I see you’ve earned yourself a medal. How amazing! I wish I could have been there, but I was so busy with--”

I cut her off. “No...that’s not what I’m worried about. In fact--there’s something much bigger in the works…” I reached into the suit I had on, and pulled out that same small box from earlier. Within it was a simple, gold ring.

I opened the box, and presented it to her.

“...Will you marry me?”

“...”

Subject 300: My Proposal

Silence from her. Cheerilee had frozen in place--staring at the ring. It felt as if the entire universe had frozen itself also. Not a single soul made a noise or stirred as my question lingered in the air.

Behind Cheerilee, I could see the Mayor who had just exited her office step out to witness the scene unfold in front of her. She was sweating bullets, and shook in place. If I had to venture a guess, she was scared stiff from anxiety over whether or not her best friend would accept the proposal.

And behind myself, I could hear the door to the Town Hall open up. I was able to sense that my crew, Cozy Glow, and Ms. Rights had all decided to chase after me out of curiosity. Likely due to the fact that I slipped away without telling anyone where I went. I blame it mostly on the social tension that was created by such an uptight event that was attended by so many high profile individuals.

Regardless, that was behind me now. Everything that I had worked towards had built up to this moment. But due to the overly awkward silence that ensued, I decided to break it.

“...Cheery? Do you...do you want to get--I mean...it’s fine if you don’t. I just wanted to see if you had warmed up to the--”

I was cut off when her hoof was placed over my lips. Cheerilee had finally snapped out of her frozen stupor.

Her voice was shaky. Combined with how quiet it was, her low voice was able to echo around the room at an eerie level. “...Pale?” she asked.

“Yes?” I answered after a moment’s hesitation.

“Before I answer that question, I want you to know how I feel…”

That made sense. As much as it ate me up inside as I waited for a ‘yes’ or ‘no’, I respected the fact that she wanted to give a more detailed answer than I initially expected. “Of course, hon. You can tell me anything,” I said with a nervous smile.

“The idea of marriage has always scared me. I thought I would never find love, and that I wouldn’t be as successful as my sister because my parents put so much pressure upon me,” she explained as she looked down at the floor. “But now, I can most certainly say without hesitation…”

I swallowed a lump of fear in my throat. “...Yes?”

The next thing I knew, I felt myself tackled to the floor and pelted by what felt like a barrage of kisses. After a moment of excessive loving, I felt Cheerilee stop to take a breath. “Yes! Yes I absolutely will marry you! I can’t think of anypony else that I’d rather spend the rest of my life with. You are absolutely everything that I could ever want from a stallion. But more importantly, I know that you’ve always desired somepony that you could talk to and understand on a personal level. But you’ve never had that privilege...until now…”

I glanced up at her--my cheeks beet red as I tried to go into greater detail. “Well...yes. That, and the fact that I don’t want to lose you. By getting married, I’ll have a higher sense of motivation to always return home. Not just to the family I love, but my new wife as well.”

“Oh...oh you charmer--I could just--”

I had to cut her off again and started to whisper with an exaggerated tone. “...Shhhh! Cheery, we’re still in public! The Mayor and my friends can see us!”

She raised her head, and took a look around. “Psshaw. As if I care what someone else thinks…”

Before I could protest, I felt her lips completely lock with my own with a passionate amount of tongue--

Wait--TMI. I can’t describe much else.

I mean, aside from the fact that I heard all of my friends--family members, as well as the Mayor cheer for us. That day felt good...

Subject 301: Relaxation

Unfortunately for me, I had no clue how to plan a wedding. I was so focused on my own work most of the time that the idea of getting married never once crossed my mind. However, I did know that I wanted something relatively small--hence why I proposed to Cheerilee in private. (Or tried to, anyway).

I didn’t want a massive reception or for our faces to make the news. It would invite a lot of unsavory participants that neither I nor she had the emotional time to invest in. Of course, all of my friends were invited, as was Cheerilee’s sister and her closest friends. I also reluctantly allowed her to invite the Crusaders--those three had been heavily involved in their old teacher’s desire for love in the past. So I imagine that they would be over the moon to finally see her get married.

That aside, business had to resume as usual.

Flash Drive, Guttersnipe, and Neon had to return to their posts in the Crystal Empire and Trottingham respectively. But they assured me they would be there with their best duds which put me at ease in terms of having my closest friends there.

Corkscrew and Quick Draw would return to their homes in Ponyville nearby, so I could most certainly count on them to attend.

Thankfully, the Mayor herself was also a wedding official, so she could help us get set up rather easily. What also helped was the fact that she was able to take time out of her busy schedule to discuss it with us.

In fact, the very next day, I made sure to take the day off so that I could spend some time with Cheerilee so we could think about our future together. She and I had been through a lot, and we were more than happy to enjoy each other’s company. We spent the entire day at my house together--just the two of us.

We sat in my backyard at a table where we sat and drank tea together as we laughed the hours away. Eventually, she would hit me with a rather important statement.

“To be honest, Pale,” she said, “I was a bit unsure. I kind of wanted to ask you that question first.”

How interesting. More often than not, the stallion was expected to be the one to propose. The fact that Cheerilee had actually considered doing so first kind of threw me for a loop. “Really? How come?”

“Well...I’ll just be frank--I was afraid that I was going to lose you somehow. And I figured that if I asked you first, you’d be more motivated to fight onward and come back to me--er, us all.”

It was a bit awkward to convey, but I got the gist of what she meant. “I see...don’t worry. That was my thought process also. I knew that if we were to get married, our love would only grow stronger for each other. To the point where we’d always make sure to come back to each other--no matter how tough things get.”

“Ah…” Cheerilee rested her cheek against her hoof that she placed upon the table. “Well. To be honest. I think it’s safe to say that isn’t a concern. I mean, you quite literally punched the embodiment of destruction out of existence! Nopony’s going to mess with you at this point, dear.”

I took a long slurp from my teacup as I gave it some thought. “...Yeah. There’s no guarantee for that. There’s probably going to be new enemies that crop up at any given moment to try and harass us.”

She leaned over the table, and placed a smooch on my forehead. “I’d be more worried about them than you. Now, did you have anything in particular you wanted for our wedding?”

I sat back in my chair. “...Flamenco dancing. I adore that style of hoofwork and movement that goes along with the clothing…”

Cheerilee’s ears twitched from excitement. “Oh my...a beautiful red dress that flows along with my every move. That sounds absolutely beautiful. And much better than the stereotypical, bland white.”

Then I started to rattle off other things that could come into play. “Vinyl could play the music for us, the Cakes’ could supply the food and the guest list…”

“My sister is certainly going to show up,” she added, “But my parents...I don’t think so.”

I tilted my head. “Wait what? Why not?”

Subject 303: Cake And Stuff

“Dammit, why does she have to--”

Cheerilee cut me off as she nuzzled her head underneath my chin. “Oh don’t mind her. She’s just super happy to see me finally get married. You know she’s going to want to be the one in control of it to make sure nothing goes wrong.”

Well I couldn’t exactly refuse that perspective. After all, the Mayor had experience in this, right?

So I invited her inside--out to our backyard where she and Cheerilee already started to rattle off plans to each other.

“Ooh, I’m so happy for you!” the Mayor threw her hooves around her best friend, “My own husband and I threw the biggest, most lavish wedding you can imagine. So I’ll make sure that yours is…”

Cheerilee cleared her throat. “Ahem--Mary--you know we want something more relaxed. We’re not going to invite the whole world here.”

The Mayor quickly changed her tune once she realized what we were looking for. “Ah. Yes. I see now. Well, we need to go around and start chatting up everypony so we can get your exact preparations.”

Wait a minute. That’s when I thought of something. Just how did she manage to score this much free time to where she could help us?

“Um...is this okay?” I asked, “I wouldn’t want to be taking away from your work in the office.”

The Mayor scoffed and waved her hoof at me. “Oh pshaw. Inkwell and the other assistants are handling that. I haven’t had a day off in forever. So I’m choosing to spend it with my best friend and her new husband so they can have the best wedding possible. Is that okay with you, Pale?”

When she put it that way, I guess there wasn’t much room to argue. “You know what? That’s perfectly fine. Thank you, Mayor.”

“Then let’s go!” she proclaimed, “First stop: Sugarcube Corner!”

Guess that made sense. The cake was easily the most important part of any wedding next to the folks in attendance. Hopefully they’d be able to take our order without getting backed up…

So we all went to the bakery, and as usual it was rather crowded. What wasn’t usual though, was the fact that there were many workers aside from Pinkie who were there. Party Favor was among them even. But we were approached by the pink pony herself.

“There’s the newest savior of the world and Ms. Cheerilee!” she popped up and out of seemingly nowhere to greet us, “Let me guess--you two are looking for a cake to go along with your upcoming wedding!”

Damn. Even after twenty years or so, Pinkie’s senses were sharper than a sword.

“..Yeah that’s pretty much it,” I replied slowly out of disbelief, “One side with--”

Once again, Pinkie had already proven herself to be on top of everything to an almost eerie level. A notepad hung from her mane which she casually wrote upon with the pencil that was clenched between her teeth. “Peaches and sunflowers and the other with cherries and mascarpone? Hehe! No problem!”

Cheerilee simply rolled her eyes with a knowing smile. “Oh Pinkie...never change.”

“I never intend to!” the pink party pony replied, and put the notepad away, “Now shoo. Shoo!” Pinkie pushed the both of us out of the main entrance with her bare hooves. “I need to get everything ready and you two need to start planning everything else. Don’t you two lovebirds worry about a thang!”

I turned around and tried to say something. “But--”

And the door to the bakery was quickly shut, followed by the sound of Pinkie hopping away.

“...Huh.” I was honestly at a loss for words.

Cheerilee put a hoof around my neck. “Oh don’t worry, dear. She’s always been like this. Though, I did notice a lot of new employees at the bakery. I wonder if Mr. and Mrs. Cake have finally allowed her to hire some new hooves…”

Yes, that was interesting to note. I also didn’t see Pound or Pumpkin Cake anywhere. Was it possible that they were finally able to pursue their own passions away from the sweets shop? Whatever the case, it was out of my hooves. All I could do was hope that the twins were happy.

For the time being, we needed to focus elsewhere since the cake part was already established.

The Mayor looked at her clipboard. “Alright...music--guess that means we’re headed to--”

A hop, skip, and a jump later…

“Pale, my brother--so you’re actually doing it!” Vinyl practically leapt off the ground as soon as we offered her the position of DJ/security. “Don’t worry, I’ll make sure the beats are so bumpin’ that nopony will even think about crashing the party.”

Well that went rather smoothly also, didn’t it?

“Thanks, Vines,” I replied, :Guess we should--”

But before we could leave, the white unicorn brought up something else. “Oh yeah, by the way. Ms. Rights came by looking for you--she actually doesn’t know where you live yet so I told her to check Cozy’s place.”

Oh boy.

Subject 304: New Family

Due to my curiosity, I decided to stop the wedding preparations for a moment and shift my focus to Cozy and Ms. Rights. I wonder what they could have discussed with each other in the short amount of time? That kid of ours was so enigmatic that it was impossible to pin down what she’d say sometimes.

Much to my relief, Cheerilee was right there to console me and ease my concerns. “Don’t worry yourself so much, dear. I’m sure Cozy is having a wonderful conversation with your mother.”

“I’m sure she is--but I’m just concerned that either of them is going to tell something traumatic that the other isn’t prepared to hear,” I subtly quickened my pace to a prance as I made a beeline for Cozy’s home. “And I’m sure you want to meet Ms. Rights anyway, yeah?”

“Oh you...the ever-concerned daddy,” Cheerilee teased with a giggle as she followed me.

And so we kept going until we arrived at Cozy's place. Just as I predicted, the kid and Ms. Rights were already hitting it off at her dinner table as they drank tea together. Guess she got that one from me.

I knocked on the door, and a few moments passed until Cozy answered it. “Oh, pops! Good timing. Ms. Rights was kinda looking for you. We’re both super excited about your wedding! I was just talking to her about you, in fact.”

“Really?” I looked over her shoulder and into the house itself, “What were you two talking about?”

“Mainly my role in the wedding,” Cozy said, “I wanna be the ring bearer if that’s okay. And...well, there’s something else but it’s a surprise.”

I tilted my head out of curiosity. “A...surprise?”

Cheerilee popped up next to me. “Oh. Do you and Ms. Rights have a plan of sorts?”

Cozy would answer her question. “Er, something like that. She wants to make sure you and Pale have the best wedding ever. Down to the gifts and everything.”

Oh no. I specifically wanted things to be rather relaxed and down to earth. Was my mother going to cause an uproar? Probably not. I really should have confidence in her. But still, it made me worry that she was going to do something crazy. I was starting to get a bit old for surprises. Not that old but still.

“Oh that sounds fun!” Cheerilee replied as she clapped her hooves, “We’ll leave you both alone then. C’mon, dear. We need to make sure the guest list is properly notated.”

I was reluctant at first, but I relented. I could trust Cozy--and Ms. Rights especially. They were easily the most important folks on this planet to me.

“Alright, kiddo…” I pat her on the head with a smile, “Don’t summon any ursa majors or anything, okay?”

Cozy giggled as she brought me in closer for a hug. “...I won’t, dad. Now go on. I think mom wants you for something.”

I turned my head and I could see Cheerilee pulling at my right hind leg with her tail. Somehow she had wrapped it around my limb and had slowly pulled me towards her.

“We need to get my dress and your suit measured at the Boutique, Pale! Let’s go!”

Unable to resist, I went right along with her and left Cozy behind with Rights. “Okay, I’ll be right there. Just...stay safe, kiddo!”

I loved my mom and dad.

Wow. That felt so weird yet satisfying to say at the same time. But it was true. They were both amazing ponies who did everything they could to keep everyone around them happy. Myself included.

That’s why my conversation with Ms. Rights was so important. I needed to learn even more about him so that I could make everything perfect.

I closed the front door and went back to the dining room table where I sat with the older mare.

“...So you’re retired now?” I asked, “How did Vinyl Scratch even manage to locate you in the system?”

She put down her teacup, and replied. “Ah, well--you leave some things behind when you least expect, I suppose. Somepony would’ve found out that I was alive either way. I just never wanted my boy to lose sight of what he wanted in life and chase after me on some grand mission.”

Which is crazy since that’s pretty much what pops did for me. He dedicated a good portion of his life to make sure that I could come out and have a second chance. All I could do in response was laugh nervously. “Haha...yeah…”

Ms. Rights quickly caught on, and placed a hoof on my head. “Oh no no no. That wasn’t a jab at you, sweetie. I’m actually glad he focused so hard on you. You were...a beacon of potential, to put it lightly.”

“And...what do you think of me now?” I asked.

She looked me dead in the eyes and cracked a smile. “You remind me of me.”

Subject 305: Taking Care Of Each Other

“Wait, really? I do?”

Rights leaned back in her seat. Unexpectedly casual for such a seasoned officer mare. “For sure, kiddo. I can see the same fire in your eyes that my squad and I had. We used to have lots of fun whenever we were out on missions and couldn’t help but tease each other when one of them lagged behind. It’s good motivation.”

No way! I wouldn’t dare compare myself to someone so amazing. She was the one who trained Pale into becoming the super strong and smart flank-kicker of a dad that I knew and loved today. For Ms. Rights to even say something like that about me felt blasphemous in itself.

“...A-are--you sure...I mean...really?”

She chuckled, likely at my expense from how nervous I was. “Come on, don’t sell yourself short, Coze. You’re a lot better than you think you are. You got a family that loves you and so much more now that you’ve essentially helped save the world.”

Well I couldn’t exactly refute that. I did do quite a bit. But in the end, I was just glad to have mom and pops by my side. I could see where Pale got his sense of dignity from.

“That’s fair,” I said with a nervous smile, “I’m just in disbelief. After everything that’s happened, it’s almost like a fever dream. But it’s real...I can’t believe I endured all of that. I can’t believe Pale and Cheerilee endured all of that.”

“Pfft. That’s my boy. Gets it from me,” Ms. Rights said with a scoff, “Did I ever tell ya about the time I busted a crime lord and her entire crew on the train when I was younger? Oh wait, no I haven’t Sorry, heh-heh. Force of habit to ask the ‘did I ever tell you’ bit.”

Wait a second, she had stories to tell? Oh my goodness, that absolutely changed the game! I adored older folks and the tales they had to recollect. It was always so much fun to wonder what sort of things they had experienced because I could always learn something from them. Plus, it would form a nice segue into our plans for Pale and Cheerilee’s wedding gifts.

“I’d love to hear about it,” I chirped and flapped my wings, “You’re so amazing that I’m just dying to hear some of your tales of excellence!”

Ms. Rights rubbed a hoof behind her neck as if she was a bit embarrassed. “Well...okay, then. Seeing as you’re so polite about it. Pull up a chair and listen well, kiddo…”

Meanwhile, at the Boutique…

Sandbar and Yona were busy with a massive order that they had to fulfill, so that left Rarity’s sister Sweetie Belle to help us out with what Cheerilee and I were looking for.

It was easier said than done.

“Blech...why do most groom suits suffocate the body?” I asked as I watched Sweetie Belle take my measurements via measuring tape levitated with her green-ish magic aura. “Can you at least make sure it’s something loose so I won’t pass out?”

“Hm…” the young mare tapped her hoof against the floor as she glanced through the selection of suits. “You’re lucky. A bride’s dress is always much more restrictive when it comes to fitting.”

“That’s why we want something non-traditional,” I pointed out, “For Cheerilee, we’re looking for something along the lines of what flamenco dancers wear. A flowing dress with lots of red and a bit of black…”

Sweetie stopped in her tracks and turned around to face me. “...Say what now?”

“...We’re looking for a--”

She cut me off and teleported in front of me with an oddly wide grin on her face as she leaned forward. “Thank you so much!”

I took a step back since I felt my sense of personal space had been violated. “Erm...what do you mean?”

“This is going to be so much simpler to accomplish. When ponies get married they usually have such a massive kerfuffle over the bride’s dress. It’s like,” Sweetie started to mock her and her sister’s nitpicky customers, “‘No not that one, it makes her look fat.’ ‘No. That one makes her look too glossy.’ ‘Trim it down to three-quarters of an inch or I’ll take my business elsewhere.’ ‘Do not let my daughter walk out of here in that thing.’” When she was finished, she stomped her hoof on the floor. “So annoying! Oh--sorry. I lost my train of thought for a second there. Anyway, I’m just glad you’re making this easier for us.”

Wait a minute, since when was Sweetie Belle so invested in her sister’s profession?

Subject 306: Tales Of Love

“Hang on,” I stopped myself before we went any further, “I thought I heard you were always more interested in singing than running Rarity’s business. What happened?”

“Oh--oh! Don’t worry about that,” she waved her hoof downwards, “I’m still in the process of getting my music picked up by various radio companies. Not to toot my own horn, but I’m pretty darn good at it. So everyone wants a piece of my voice--metaphorically speaking that is. Not literally--that’d be weird.”

Well that was certainly nice to hear. In fact, that got me wondering about everyone else. How were other folks that I had met on my journey doing up to this point? Yes, while they were witnesses and did act as informants to assist me on my way, it’s not like that’s all they were good for. Hopefully I’d be able to follow up with them at some point, but…

For the moment I had to focus on my new suit. That’s when I realized I didn’t have much of a color preference and more so enjoyed simply talking to Sweetie Belle. I hate how sociable I can be sometimes.

“I see. So um…” I tried to bring the conversation back to the clothes.

“Oh right--getting off-track. Anyway--I think Ms. Cheerilee will like the selection of red and black dresses we have--though I guess it’ll be Mrs. now that she’s getting married…” Sweetie Belle sighed. “It feels like just yesterday when my friends and I were--” She stopped herself. “Wait, sorry. I shouldn’t talk about that. It’s in the past and my friends and I were dumb as rocks back then.”

That got a good chuckle out of me. At least self-awareness wasn’t lost on the ponies of the current year.

“I’m sure Cheery won’t hold it against you,” I explained, “After all, you three were just doing what you thought was best for your teacher. Even if it was kinda crazy.”

“Hehe. You’re telling me,” Sweetie Belle agreed, “But even so, I’m super happy that she’s finally found somepony special that’ll love and take care of her.”

As much as it pained me to ask, I felt like I had to. “...You and your friends were aware of how lonely she was, huh? I bet that’s why you’re all so excited.”

Sweetie bit her bottom lip and turned away from me. “Yeah, I guess you could say something like that. We were so worried that Cheerilee would spend the rest of her life by herself and become a crazy old cat lady.”

The thought of that made me snort. Was there even any truth to such a stereotype? You know what, I actually didn’t want to find out. Cats were a mess.

“...Well, you don’t have to worry about that anymore,” I assured her, “I’ll take good care of your old teacher. Promise you that.”

“So long as you make sure to take care of yourself,” Sweetie lectured me in return, “Rarity would always go out of her way to do things for others to the point where she’d burn herself out. Cheerilee was kinda the same too. So please don’t end up the same way.”

Yeah I could see that. For Sweetie Belle, her sister and her old teacher were probably two of the most important ponies in her life. I couldn’t peer directly into her mind, but it was entirely plausible that she had an aversion to overworking oneself and wanted everyone around her to be able to relax--and if they weren’t, it’d be hard for her to stay quiet about it.

Wait a minute, I was off the clock. Why was I still going on these mental analyses?

“Understood. By the way, has Cheerilee picked out the dress she wanted yet?” I asked.

Sweetie craned her neck towards the other dressing room. “That’s a very good question…”

And I also couldn’t help but wonder what Cozy and Miranda had been talking about with each other...

Back at Cozy’s home…

“...and that, my dear--is how you stop a train full of gangsters and her cronies from smuggling.”

The story had captivated me up until the very end! I had to applaud her a little with a clap of my hooves. “Wow, that’s amazing! But I wonder what you used the rubber chicken for…”

“You’ll find out when you’re older, kiddo.”

Of course. Classic response. Though there was still something else that ate away at me as I spoke with her. Something that I felt was really important to understand her all the way.

“...Ms. Rights? Just why did you leave? Were you called away on some big assignment or did something happen between you and Pale?”

Ms. Rights paused, and set her teacup down. After a moment, she let out a long sigh. “Ah...knew this would come up eventually. I need to explain this to my boy anyway, so I may as well be honest with you. The reason why I left is because...I had no choice. It was either that or lose the ability to ever see him again.”

“...What?!”

Subject 307: Rights And Wrongs

“...It’s true, kid. See, not everyone on the force was as amicable or sociable as I am. There were quite a few of them who did anything they could to make sure everything was done ‘by the book’ even if it meant sacrificing one’s integrity.”

I rubbed the side of my head. “I don’t understand...can you explain it a bit more?”

She nodded, and continued. “Basically...my bosses figured I was getting too close to Pale. Which, I have to admit--I kinda was to a fault. Treated him as if he were my own flesh and blood. But my superiors didn’t see it that way. They wanted me to keep away from him…”

About 15 years ago…

“Are you serious?!” I shouted back at my commanding officer, “There’s no way I’m leaving him behind! That boy needs someone in his life to set him on the right track as much as possible.”

“We’re aware,” my commander replied dryly, “Which is why we’re sending him to the officer’s academy. If you accept these terms, we will give him enough hospitality to sustain him as well as a training regimen so he can improve. If not, then we’ll have no choice but to put him up for adoption elsewhere.”

I walked right up to, and slammed my hooves on his desk. “So you want me to take some assignments on the other side of the world just so he can stay here?”

Naturally, he didn’t flinch at all. “I don’t want him overly-dependent on you for emotional support. The child is in a dire state of mind and needs to be able to fend for himself. If he can’t do that, then he may as well never bother walking again.”

Oh how desperately I wanted to flip that desk. But he did have a point. Because of how much I cared for Pale, I knew that he’d take after me like a duckling would its mother. Not that it was a bad thing, but I couldn’t shake the possibility of him growing so attached that he’d never be able to do anything on his own. If that were to happen, I’d flog myself.

So, I made a decision.

“Alright...I’ll take the assignment on one condition,” I said.

My commander was prepared to listen to what I had to say. “And that is?”

“Your daughter. Quick Draw--make sure she’s working with him.”

“...Are you sure that’s a good idea?” he asked, “She isn’t exactly the most sociable…”

And as I turned to leave that room, I shot him the most confident glare I could achieve through my teeth. “Yeah. That’s what I’m counting on, sir.”

It all started to make a bit more sense. That’s also why Quick Draw and Pale were so close. They had known each other for a long time. Almost like a family that wasn’t connected by blood. Amazing…

So that was the reason why she had been absent the entire time? Whoever the commander was, he seemed like he had a real stick up his butt if he essentially tried to gaslight one of his best officers. Kind of ridiculous if you ask me.

“Ouch…” was all I could say in response, “I never would’ve thought you just had to up and leave because of your job like that…”

Ms. Rights was a bit more relaxed on the subject. She rolled her eyes and spoke freely about her past life. “Nah...I probably should’ve stayed, honestly. I was a little bitch at the time. Afraid of my own system and going against what I thought was wrong when I knew what was right.”

Oh lord. There was no easy way to respond to that. Never before had I heard someone openly berate themselves for making a decision. This must have weighed on her much more than I realized. “Oh, I, uh…”

“Aw lighten up, kiddo,” she said as she tapped me on the shoulder, “The past is the past and I’m making up for my mistakes as best I can. That geezer’s long-since retired now anyways.”

“Well that’s good to hear,” I replied, “Egocentric individuals are often the most difficult to follow. I would know…”

After I listened to her for so long, it seemed that Rights decided to return the favor. “...Tell me about yourself, kid.”

Subject 308: Talking Things Out

Yikes. There would be way too much for me to go over. We’d be here all day and I don’t think she’d want to see me break down over my past in such a way. So I gave her a rather abridged version of what happened throughout my life and how I ended up where I was now…

Needless to say, Rights was upset at how I was treated as a child, but pleased at where I had ended up.

“Damn...that’s quite the crazy case. I honestly have no idea how to respond to that…”

I tried to sway her away from feeling sorry for me. “You...don’t have to worry. It’s all in the past now, right?”

But that didn’t work at all. After a moment or two, Rights got up and put her hooves around me to give me a tight hug. “Yes. While it is true that the past is...in the past--we can’t turn a blind eye to how we got tio where we are now. I’m proud of you--and Pale especially. He’s proven that he can break free of the cycle that his parents had fallen into. And went on to eventually break that cycle himself with you.”

“...Me?” I asked.

Rights let go, and pulled back. “Indeed. That’s why you’re so special to him. You’re...amazing, really. There’s not much else to say besides the fact that I want you to always strive to improve. No matter what happens, stay on your track and don’t let some bigwig at the top tell you what you can and can’t do.” She broke eye contact with me, and looked down at the floor. “...Because of my cowardice, I couldn’t be there for Pale like I wanted. So don’t end up like me, okay?”

Wait a minute. Was all of that build-up specifically for the sole purpose of lecturing me into making sure I don’t make the same mistakes?

Because if so, golly. She really played the conversation to her advantage. There was no way I’d ignore advice from someone so wise.

“Oh...I see now,” I replied with a smile and a nod, “Don’t worry. I’ll make sure to learn from the past in order to make a better future for everyone. Not just myself.”

“That’s good to hear,” Rights let out a sigh in response, “Now we need to focus on working out their wedding gifts…”

“Ooh! I have the perfect idea!”

Once Cheerilee and I had finally picked out what we intended to war for our wedding day, we left the Boutique together with our outfits neatly packed away in boxes that we carried on our respective backs--tied down with rope to keep them safe.

“Ah...I don’t know if I said this enough,” Cheerilee spoke to me as we walked, “But I genuinely feel that you are the best thing to enter my life, Pale.”

I almost choked up from embarrassment in response. Never had I thought that I’d be able to make such a difference in the life of someone on such a personal level. But yet, here I was.

“Aw, thanks, Cheerilee. I’m just glad that the most dangerous chapter in my life is over. Now we can spend most of the time we have for each other--”

Before I could say anything else, I noticed that Cheerilee had been looking into the sky.

“See someone, Cheery?”

“Is that Flurry Heart?” she questioned as she came to a stop.

I took a look upwards also. Sure enough, the alicorn in question was up there. Though now, she actually started to fly down to greet us.

“...Pale? Ms. Cheerilee--oops. It’s gonna be Mrs. soon. Anyway--how are you two?”

“Just fine,” I said, “Getting ready for our wedding.”

“Oh! Since you’re one of Cozy’s friends, you’re invited if you’d like to attend,” Cheerilee offered.

Not a bad idea, honestly. I just hoped that the guest list wouldn’t grow super large.

“Well, if you’re both sure...then I’d love to. It’ll actually be the first wedding I ever attend since I haven’t been to one before…”

The Princess of Love’s child had never experienced a wedding??

Subject 309: Heading Home

“Well then you’re in luck,” Cheerilee said, “Our wedding is going to be the best one ever. Mainly because it’s going to be much more organized than the average one.”

“Really?” Flurry asked with an innocent look on her face. “I guess that makes sense. I heard that my mom and dad’s wedding was really insane. And from the rumors I’ve heard around the empire, the average wedding seems to be pretty massive when both sides of the family show up. Luna forbid if anyone makes a scene or disapproves of the marriage…”

Yup. Just like myself and many others--Flurry only had a vague idea of what marriage was actually like thanks to the vocal minority and its gossip as well as popular culture. I guess it would be a good learning experience for her.

Still, I had to make things clear.

“...So long as it’s just you,” I stated, “We’re trying to keep a limit on the amount of guests in attendance.”

Flurry nodded. “Oh no, I completely get that. Pound Cake is probably gonna help Pinkie with the catering, so that’s pretty much my plus-one right there.”

“Well that’s just adorable!” Cheerilee squealed, “If you happen to catch the bouquet, you’ll be a very lucky couple indeed!”

“While that’s very nice of you to say, I already know who I’m gonna end up with,” Flurry replied, “I’ll more than likely allow Cozy to catch it if it’s headed our way.”

From behind her, I could see Ms. Rights exiting Cozy’s house at the end of the road. This was finally my chance to speak with her.

Without thinking, I essentially bailed on the conversation. “Oh right, um...see you there!” And with that, I dashed on ahead.

At the same time, I could hear Cheerilee’s voice call out to me. “Pale?! Ah...my apologies, Flurry. There’s something that just came up.”

“Oh, I understand. Don’t worry.”

As soon as she turned the corner, I managed to finally catch up to that cyan earth pony mare.

“...Miranda. I--”

She turned to me, and sighed. “Yeah...I know. You wanna talk to me before you get married in order to get fully clarified on some things.”

I stood there, a bit dumbfounded. “...How did you--”

“Kiddo, you know I can essentially tell what others are thinking based on their eye, tail, and thigh movement,” she placed a hoof on my head and pat me as if I were still a colt, “You can’t hide much from me when it’s that obvious.”

“I...yeah…” I didn’t know how to respond, honestly.

That’s when Cheerilee finally arrived, and upon seeing us, she decided to back out. “...Do you two need some time to yourselves?”

“If that’d be alright with you,” Rights said, “I just wanna catch up with my boy before he becomes your boy.” She shot me a rather patronizing, wide grin.

Naturally, I was embarrassed that she’d even say something like that so comfortably. “...Miranda, why--”

Cheerilee did her best to stifle her laughter, but I could tell that she was at least somewhat amused. “Oh--well, I’ll head on home for the moment. The Mayor is still helping us decide what we’ll do, so I’ll make sure everything goes well.”

“...Thanks, sweetums,” I placed a kiss on Cheerilee’s cheek right before she left.

As she walked away, Rights let out another sigh--a longer one at that. “Ah...you’ve finally found someone that cares for you more than I did, eh?”

“I have, ma’am. I have,” I turned to face her, “But let’s...not beat around the bush any longer. I just want to know the truth.”

There was a sense of emotionless passion that filled the air where Rights stood. It was if she knew that her answer wasn’t an easy one to give. “...Take me to your home first. There’s a lot to discuss, and I’d rather not say it in public.”

Subject 310: Rights' Tale Part 1

I invited Rights to my home, and just like any mother would to their child, she immediately started to comment on my standard of living.

“...Wow. Your home is way more organized than I expected, son,” she said with a teasing smile as I shut the door behind us.

I couldn’t hate her for it. After all, she hadn’t seen me in forever, and didn’t really know how I lived. “Very funny, Miranda,” I said with an eye roll, “You know I’ve always kept things in order. You were the one that taught me to do that.”

Her pale green eyes changed from amused to weak in a fraction of a second. “Yes...yes I did, didn’t I? Teaching you to keep things in order was the only way I could make sure you didn’t fall off the deep end again.”

While that was true, that wasn’t what I was looking to discuss. I trotted forward, and took a seat on my couch so we could finally have an equal chat with each other.

“...Have a seat, Miranda,” I offered, “I’m sure you know what I’m about to ask.”

“Mm…” she sat down next to me, “You want to know the nature of my assignment. Why I had to leave you despite wanting to take care of you?”

I glared at her--right in the eyes. “All I want is an honest answer, Miranda. You left so suddenly on that day and...I almost allowed myself to forget because of how painful it was. Why did you?”

“...This is gonna be a long story. But…” she leaned back against the couch, and looked up at the ceiling, “You know Quick Draw’s dad, right?”

I wasn’t entirely sure where she was going with that point, but I had to reply. “...Yes? Why?”

“To make a long story short, he was my commanding officer when I was still in the force,” she explained, “And he made me take time away from you, claiming that having me around would make you too emotionally dependent on me.”

Bold claims. Bold claims indeed. But that didn’t satisfy my desire for the truth. “Okay...I hear that. Trust me, I do. But I want to know more. Where exactly have you been for the last decade and a half?”

Rights still couldn’t make eye contact with me. She sat upright, and rubbed one of her hooves behind her neck. “I...the mission was a simple relocation effort. I was the top captain in all of Manehattan, and everything so I had the absolute best skill when it came to dealing with city conflict. So...they re-assigned me to Chicoltgo.”

“Wait a minute, what?” I raised a brow, “But Chicoltgo is one of the safest cities in the world! Why would you even need to go there?”

My words must have tickled her for some reason. Rights reacted with a rather distant chuckle. “...Hehe. And just why do you think that is, son? Chicoltgo is a beautiful place now, but when you were younger, it was filled with lots of crime. Not as bad as Manehattan or Las Pegasus, but still enough to cause concern since our numbers were rather low there.”

I had to take a moment to process what I had just heard. Something about it still didn’t sit right. “...That still doesn’t explain why you had to be gone for fifteen years…”

“Shit was...b-bad, son,” Rights said with a shaky tone of voice, “I saw so many hostage situations and armed robberies that it was hard to keep up with everything. Luckily for me, not too many of the criminals were inclined to murder--but it was still horrible.”

Horrible enough to demand her services for over a decade? But the amazing part was the knowledge that she played a part in quelling the excess crime in that city and helped it become the booming culture phenomenon known for its pizza, buckball teams, jazz bands, the Chicoltgo theater, various radio stations, and a bunch of other things.

But I ultimately wanted to ask. “...Just how bad did it get, Miranda?”

She shut her eyes for a moment. I could tell that she weighed on whether or not she should reveal the details to me.

After a moment or two, she finally relented.

“...Some days, it was dealing with a pony trafficking ring. Other days, it was dealing with foreign substances brought in by folks from other continents. Then there were loads of other cases such as false accusations levied against many individuals seated in power such as the Mayor of Chicoltgo’s son since he was involved with the Mayor of Vanhoover’s daughter…”

Wait what?!

Subject 311: Rights' Tale Part 2

“Wait, so Vanhoover was involved as well?!” I practically shouted.

I knew it. There was no way the issues of just one city could keep someone as skilled as Miranda-Freaking-Rights occupied for a decade and a half. I knew there had to be more to it, and as difficult as it was for her to explain, I was finally about to get the details that I sought after. I wasn’t angry with her, mind you. I just wanted her to be clear with me before I moved onto the next major stage of my life.

“Ah, shit…” Rights mumbled, and shrugged her shoulders, “Guess it’s out of the bag now, isn’t it? Yes. I eventually was involved in more than just Chicoltgo. See, the plan was for me to simply assist there for a few years and come back to Manehattan when you’ve matured to see how much you’ve grown. Unfortunately for me and my can-do, selfless ass--I chose to stay there because I knew you were being taken care of pretty well. That, and...the corruption only got worse.”

“...How much worse?” I asked slowly.

“Well...it got to a point where both Vanhoover and Chicoltgo had their own fair share of problems. Vanhoover on the whole was less violent, but there was a lot more political instability that led to...misplacement, to put it lightly.”

That must have been what she had referred to earlier. “Wait a minute--wait a minute. So you’re telling me that the son of the mayor of Chicoltgo got involved with the daughter of the mayor of Vanhoover and their parents...what did they do?”

“His name was Sky Scraper and her name was Maple Acer.” Rights folded her hooves as she relayed the rest of it. “Both of their parents hated this. One thing you gotta understand is that places like these: Vanhoover, Chicoltgo, Las Pegasus, Manehattan, New Horseleans--they’re constantly at a bitter, petty rivalry with each other despite being part of the same rulership--Equestria. I mean, you should know about the rivalry between Chicoltgo and Manehattan’s pizzas…”

Twas true indeed. For centuries, both of these cities had been locked in a bitter state over who had the better pizza. I still personally thought that Chicoltgo’s style was a bit messy. But it ultimately never bothered me. But to think it would get to the point where they were at each other’s throats over political business…

“Alright--so the parents--the mayors of the respective cities obviously hated what was going down between their children. So what did they do?”

Rights went on. “For the longest time, we suspected a gang from Vanhoover was after Sky Scraper--so I was also deployed there to make sure nothing was wrong in that city. Which is where I found lots of drugs and other things that were sold illegally. You’d throw up at the sight--alleyways littered with injection needles and other gross things.” She had to pause for a moment with her hoof over her mouth, and took a breath before she continued. “...Sorry. It’s just hard for me to think about all of this.”

I brought her in close for a hug. “...Take your time, mother. I’m sure you’ve seen a lot of things that would make even the most hardened officer retch.”

She accepted the hug, but moved away after a second. “Ahem. Thanks for the sympathy, kiddo. But I’m fine now. Anyway, yes. I’m sure you can imagine how hard it was to manage the crime in two cities while also actively working to keep a mayor’s son alive. But in a shocking twist--you’re not gonna believe what happened next…”

I had already ventured a guess. “...The mayor of Vanhoover was in cahoots with the gangs that were sent after Sky Scraper the entire time?”

“...Man, you’re on the ball, aren’tcha? Must’ve got it from me,” she tried to force a smile to lighten the mood, but it didn’t work. “Anyway, yeah. Exactly. It was a messy ass situation from all angles because we couldn’t just go public with the information. If we did, then each city and its residents would throw a fit and essentially go to war with each other over who was right and who was wrong. You know how overly tribal ponies can be…”

Didn’t have to say that twice. I knew what that was like...

Subject 312: Rights' Tale Part 3

“And as if that wasn’t bad enough,” she went on, “Both cities officials started to become so distracted by trying to take out the other, that it messed up their trade relations with other cities. Namely...Thrace.”

Oh my goodness. This story just got juicier by the second. Thrace was a lovely region that still held onto its history.with King Thrace and his Father, Zeus. Diomedes was the current king, and his daughter Swift Foot had nearly caused discourse among the Young Six many years ago. So I was curious as to how that region played a part as well.

“Thrace?” I asked, “Just how many places were involved in this conflict?”

Rights turned away from me, and sighed. “More than you would think, son.” She put her hooves behind her head. “Anyway, Twilight wanted metropolitan cities like Chicoltgo, Vanhoover, Manehattan, New Horseleans--she wanted them to start establishing trade with the more rural city of Thrace so everyone could learn from each other. But of course, since two of those cities were still in conflict…”

That being Chicoltgo and Vanhoover.

I finished her point. “...Things came to a screeching halt before it could get started. And let me guess--it started to make Equestria as a whole look bad if two of its cities couldn’t even get along.”

“Bingo,” she replied with a nod, “No one wants to do business with cities that can’t even cooperate with each other because they’re too busy worrying about the relationships of their mayor’s children. So this gave me a grand total of three places to manage while I was away from you…”

My god. The workload surrounding that sounded so intense that I couldn’t fathom it. Ms. Rights was a real trooper for doing whatever she could to keep everyone safe.

“...So is that why you left that weapon in my possession?” I asked, “And sent as many letters as you could?”

“Ah, you got ‘em.” Rights looked rather relieved to hear that. “That makes me happy. And yes, that’s essentially what I did to make sure I stayed in touch with you. Not sure if you kept the letters, though.”

I nodded. “I did. Though about your weapon…” I thought about it for a moment, and concluded that I would be better off explaining that later. After all, she was still in the middle of a rather juicy story of her own. To throw her off the topic now would derail the answers I had searched for. “Ah, I’ll tell you later. For now, tell me what happened with the cities. Did things get worse or better while you were there?”

“Worse…” she mumbled, “Much worse...the main root of why I stayed there for so long came about when Maple’s family accused Sky Scraper of sexual assault claims on their daughter.”

I froze. Those sorts of accusations were damning to the point where one’s entire reputation could be at stake if it went public. But at the same time, it was a serious situation that I imagine had to be looked at very carefully lest they miss an important detail.

The anxiety killed me. I started to nibble my hoof as a result. “Wait...f-for real? Was he innocent, or--?”

Rights pat me on the head to calm me down--which admittedly worked. “Don’t worry, kiddo. I’m getting there. Anyway, once we caught wind of these accusations, we had to separate and keep both families from going public about any of this info as we investigated it. Innocent until proven guilty, after all. We made sure to find as much evidence as we could--down to asking Maple herself and...surprise, surprise…”

“She admitted that there was nothing wrong?” I ventured.

“Exactly, Pale. Once we realized that our time had been wasted, we placed her parents under arrest for defamation and an abuse of power--sentencing them to what Sky Scraper would have suffered for nearly ruining his life. No one is above. Not even government officials.”

As awesome as that sounded, I’m sure it didn’t happen overnight.

“And about how long did it take for you to reach that conclusion?”

“...A good year at least,” she replied with a grumble, “Bastards were good at covering their tracks and maintaining what looked like a clean record in the process. Moreover, we still had to deal with the regular bouts of crime that went on in Chicoltgo and Vanhoover at the same time. Gang activity never stopped.”

I was too curious, so I had to ask. “...What about Maple and Scraper? Did they ever get back together?”

Subject 313: Rights' Tale Part 4

Rights let out another sigh, a rather painful one. “...That...that was difficult for me.”

12 Years Ago…

I had been assisting with Sky Scraper’s therapy after the accusations were proven false. Little thing you may not know about me, but I do actually have a minor degree in psychology. It’s one of the reasons why I was able to help you out so much, Pale. But this young stallion was in bad shape. Despite being fully grown and essentially able to think for himself, he couldn’t believe he was thrown under the cart by Maple’s family.

I sat down with him in my office one day. “How are you feeling, Mr. Scraper?”

His eyes were bloodshot and pained as if he was unable to sleep for a few days. So much so that he practically fell asleep as he sat in front of me, and quickly snapped out of it once his eyes were shut. “Huh--wha? Oh, sorry, ma’am. I’m just a bit out of it. Haven’t been able to sleep well.”

“I can see that from a mile away. Has your family helped you recover at all?” I asked.

He managed to look up at me with a smile. “...They knew I was clean. I was at my brother’s birthday party the entire time when it happened. There was no way I could even be linked to such a...disgusting act. I just can’t believe that her family would say something like that about me.”

I put my hoof around him to give him a hug. I was proud that he hadn’t succumbed to insanity or any negative emotions, but the state of his eyes still left me concerned. “Well that’s good, but I can tell that something else is on your mind. I won’t force you to tell me anything, but I’d appreciate it if you were honest about anything you were comfortable with so I could help you.”

Sky Scraper looked like he was about to burst into tears at the drop of a hat. All I could do was offer my best warm, encouraging smile to help him feel at ease enough to make his own decisions.

Somehow, he must have worked up the courage to tell me what was on his mind.

“Alright, well...it’s about Maple. She wants to break up…”

Now that to me, was a bit strange. I could venture a guess as to why, but I wanted to hear it from the stallion’s mouth. “What? Why? Did she give a reason?”

Sky replied with a sniffle. “It’s...I can’t blame her. All this drama between our two families has driven such a hard wedge between us that she feels it’s more trouble than it’s worth to even try to be together anymore.”

I bit my lip. I was no expert on relationship stuff. I’ve always been single. Had a few dates here and there, but absolutely could never land on the right match in any circumstance. It was difficult for me to say...anything to him, really.

“I...I’m sorry to hear that, son. I’m sure she only said that for the sake of your safety,” was all I could think of to say.

Luckily, it managed to calm him down as he wept quietly. “Yeah...you have a point. She probably doesn’t wanna see me lynched by her parents or anything. But it still hurts. Knowing that they’re the ones actively preventing us from living in peace. Especially since both of our cities are awash in crime...adults can be stupid sometimes.”

Normally, I would’ve clocked someone over the head for saying that. But in this instance, he made a great point. The phrase ‘respect your elders’ had been watered down to the point of ‘accept whatever someone older than you does/says no matter what simply because they’re older.’ And I was not about to let that fly. Everyone had the right to stand up for themselves.

“...You got that right, kid. For now--I want you to focus on helping your folks fix up Chicoltgo. It’s not gonna rid itself of all the gangs and I can only do so much.”

And from that moment, I could see the fire in his eyes--not unlike yours, Pale. After he let out his emotions, he realized that there were more important things on the horizon, and the safety of his cityfolk were more important than a failing relationship that he had been trapped within.

“You...you’re right, Ms. Rights,” he said once he wiped his face, “I have to be strong and tell my father straight up what needs to be done. I can worry about Maple later.”

“That’s amazing!” I proclaimed as she reached the climax of the story, “What happened next? Did he ever get back on his hooves?”

Rights looked at me, paused, shook her head, and laughed. “...Heheh. You’re adorable, Pale. I’m sure you’d know by now, given it was in the news from a while back. Do you remember seeing an article about how long it took for Chicoltgo’s crime problem to go down?”

….Five years total.

Subject 314: My Tale

“...Five years,” I said, “And that was just one of many conflicts you were wrapped up in, I’d imagine.”

Rights provided some clarity on that. “Actually it was more like six or seven, but you know how the papers are--always looking for a solution to be found as fast as possible. Kinda had to go along with it, ya know?”

“Even so, that’s incredible. No wonder things got better in Chicoltgo.” I was truly in awe and on the edge of my seat. At some point, I actually wanted to visit that place so I could get a feel for how things have improved. Her stories really intrigued me. “You know, ma’am….writing a book or two based on your exploits could be a very cool thing. Just think of how many lives your stories could change if others were able to read about them.”

The older mare coughed, and almost retched at the idea. Was it really that bad? “Ack! Ahem--well...I’ll certainly give it some thought. Not really sure about how I feel knowing I put myself out there for others to learn from. Yes, it could potentially change lives, but it’d make me feel a bit...self-important. As if I’m putting myself up on a pedestal, you know?”

I did know. And at that moment, I started to understand where my own mentality regarding praise came from. Even though we had been apart for quite a while, many of Rights’ tendencies still rubbed off on me somehow.

“I understand completely,” I replied, “And respect your decision. I’m just glad that everything managed to work itself out in the end.”

“Well, that was one of many stories,” she stated with a chuckle, “I’ve got loads more. But yeah, that was easily the biggest one that kept me away for so long. So I want to formally apologize to you for essentially abandoning you, Pale. I just hope that you didn’t endure any craziness at the Academy while I was gone…”

That was an understatement. Loads of things happened--many of which I’d have to save for a later date lest we be there the entire day.

“Oh no, actually…I really enjoyed my time there. Quick, Cork, and I all became friends and we generally stuck by each other.”

Rights then pressed me on something else. “...Okay. But I noticed that, according to the records of the Academy, you had left when you had turned 20 years old. Why is that?”

Ah yes. My own personal history with the Officer’s Academy was a rather short-lived one. In essence, I had arrived there when Ms. Rights took me in at fifteen years old. Over the five years I studied there, I learned various tactics and skills. Combat, weapons techniques, how to deal with the various monsters that plagued Equestria, and how to engage locally with civilians. However, throughout that time I slowly became less and less interested in fighting creatures akin to SMILE. So once I had graduated, instead of pursuing a career there, I decided to start up my own base of operations in a little town at the heart of Equestria...Ponyville.

And to my surprise, Quick Draw and Corkscrew both wanted to join me.

“...It was strange,” I went on, “I couldn’t fathom why they actually wanted to join me. That is, until I heard their reasoning…”

15 Years Ago…

On my graduation day, I had already had my stuff packed from my dorm and got ready to move out. But to my surprise, my roommate, Corkscrew, had done the same.

And Quick Draw had walked across the campus to let me know her intent also.

“Hold on, for real?” I asked, “You guys really wanna join me in Ponyville and leave the city behind?”

Corkscrew, even back then, had this hopeful look on his face. He always wore his favorite Manehattan buckball team jersey and cap with this determined look in his eye. It made me want to protect him as if he were my own brother. “Damn straight, buddy! I’m right with you on your idea. Monsters are one thing, but ponies are way different. Right, Quick?”

Quick Draw used to look vastly different also. Braces and a set of thick-rimmed glasses rested upon her face due to how much she liked to read. And a set of red bows in her hair that you wouldn’t catch the current Quick dead wearing. “I concur! Ponies and other various creatures can be worse than any mindless monster out there. I wanna help you out so folks like my dad won’t control everything.”

And me? Well, as I looked in the mirror I saw myself. A young earth pony stallion with nothing by a blue letterman jacket that befitted a college student’s look. The Academy had done a lot for me, but I was prepared to move on and start anew on my own four hooves.

With my friends at my side, of course.

“...Alright, then, guys,” I said to them both, “Today, we start up our new agency! With blackjack!”

Rights looked at me with a spaced-out facial expression. As if I had grown another head. “...Did you really say that?”

“...Maybe.”

Subject 316: She's Staying

“Whoops, guess I didn’t mention that. Surprise, kiddo!” She put a hoof around my neck, and pulled me in for a hug.

“You’re really….” I was instantly moved to tears. Unable to comprehend the fact that my mother had actually decided she wanted to permanently stay within my life. I was floored really. “...staying...I can’t believe it.”

I felt her place a quick kiss on my forehead. “Hey now. I already left once. There’s no way in hell I’m gonna do that again. These old bones need a place to finally settle down and relax. I figure what better place than right next to my son and his new family?”

“...” I paused, and slowly stopped my sniffles. My crying was substituted for laughter as I responded to her comment about herself. “You? Old? Ha! You still look like you could pass as my sister.”

Rights let go of me with a scoff and a laugh of her own. “That’s a funny joke, kiddo. Don’t mess around like that. I’m 51 freakin' years old. I could easily pass as a granny at this point.”

I had to stifle a snicker. There was no way I’d let her say such a thing about herself. Especially since I was what--36? “Yeah right! You still look awesome for your age.”

“Nah,” she shook her head, “Your wife? Now that’s a fine-looking mare for her age. She’s about, say, 40-ish? A bit older than you, I take it?”

When Rights put it like that, I had to stop and let out an awkward cough for a second. “Well, yes. But why does that matter?”

“Ah, I see now--you have a particular set of tastes, huh?”

“No--no! That’s not it at all.” I had to quickly shut her down--mainly because I had absolutely no idea what she meant.

After a moment or two, she chuckled, and patted me on the back. “I’m just messing with you, sonny-boy. I think Cheerilee is gonna be the perfect match for you. A mare who knows her way around conversation, is always willing to help those around her, but is still willing to kick some ass.” She flashed me a knowing sort of smile. “Sound familiar?”

Aw shit. Well I guess it made sense. Studies found that most individuals tended to find mates that shared similar traits to their parents. Obviously my biological parents were non-existent, so Miranda Rights was essentially my mother. And the more I thought about it, the more it made sense. She and Cheerilee did have a bit in common--even down to both having past relationships that didn’t work out--but don’t tell Miranda I said that.

Of course, there were also many key differences. Chief of which was the fact that Cheerilee and I were similar ages--which is where the source of attraction stemmed from. Also the fact that I knew that she and I would have a happy rest-of-our-lives to share with each other. Rights’ life is ultimately finished, and I’m glad she can finally retire comfortably.

“I suppose you make a good point,” I said, “And your methods kind of rubbed off upon me, because I was ultimately able to think about saving Cozy because of what you did for me, Miranda. And I couldn’t be more grateful for that.”

“...Make sure you treat her well, alright? Don’t smother her. Let her make the choices she wants to make and only intervene if it’s a bit too dangerous--but don’t be overbearing. If that makes sense…” she trailed off as if she was uncertain of her own words.

That was something else that I had already thought of. At this point, Cozy was indeed her own person and could do things her own way if so chose. I adopted her as my daughter to ensure that she would never be alone in this world again. How she would go about her life at this point was entirely up to her. No higher powers that sought to manipulate her, and no one to force her into something she didn’t want to do.

All that was left would be to watch the seed that I planted grow into a beautiful blossoming meadow. Or something like that.

“Relax, mother,” I said with a confident grin of my own, “Everything will turn out just fine…”

Subject 317: Things Work Out

“Alrighty, baby-boy,” she ruffled my hair with her hoof, “So long as you know where everything is gonna end up, I have full faith in ya.”

I was a tad annoyed by the gesture, but I couldn’t help but accept it. It was soothing in a way. Despite the state of my mane afterwards, which I had to fix. “...Thank you, Miranda. I couldn’t ask for anything more.”

After all that was said and done, Miranda was ready to go start searching for a home to move into within Ponyville. And of course, to do that, she’d need to talk with the Mayor. So we both got up from the couch, and I walked her to the front door.

“Alright. I’m off, son,” she said with a smile, “Don’t work yourself too hard, eh?”

I gave her one last hug before she stepped through the door. “Oh don’t worry about that. I’ve been doing quite a bit of therapy to help me through when it gets difficult. Nothing can possibly tear me down at this point, mother. I can promise you that.”

“Good. All my folks endured some kind of therapy to help keep their minds straight. Yoga, swimming, martial arts--stuff like that. Good on you for helping de-stigmatize and normalize what should be a positive thing…”

Indeed. The term ‘therapy’ on its own carried negative connotations. The truth is, it was often a helpful, broad series of minor tasks to help keep one’s mind on the right path. To be quite honest? I wish I got into it much sooner.

“No problem. I do my best in everything I can,” I replied, “Now go on--the sooner you get everything established, the sooner you can properly move in!” I said with a bit more excitement than I cared to admit at the time.

Rights noticed this and looked at me with an ‘oh you’ sort of expression as she rolled her eyes with a small grin on her face. “Ah...never change, son. Never change. I’ll see you around, huh?”

“For certain!” I waved as she left, “We’ll let you know when the wedding day is supposed to be scheduled!”

“Gotcha!” she replied as she walked away, “See ya later!”

I waved one more time for good measure, and finally shut the door. It’d be a lie if I said I wasn’t a bit emotional at that moment. I sobbed for a minute from sheer happiness. Everything had essentially come up aces from all angles. Cozy was happy, Cheerilee was happy, my friends were happy, and Miranda Rights had actually returned to me. Not to mention rallying the general public to assist with the takedown of many, many crazed individuals and villains over the course of what--two, three years? I had lost count by this point.

This officer really had closed one of the most important cases in Equestrian history.

But things weren’t exactly over yet. After all, I still had a wedding to plan alongside Cheerilee and a daughter to take care of. But for the moment, I needed a damn rest. That day was a stressful one, and all I could think about was how things would improve over time with Cozy and her new life. I wondered what sort of profession she would get into…

“Blech...I need to lie down…” I said as I trotted to my room. The stress and anxiety from the day came back to hit me all at once and I needed to relax.

The Next Day…

I got out of bed, had breakfast, got dressed, and left my house.

It was a rather beautiful, peaceful day in Ponyville. For once, I could hear and see everything around me to a T. Nothing bad was about to take place, and I was more than grateful for it. As I made my rounds, a few familiar faces stopped what they were doing to smile and wave at me. It felt a bit awkward, I’ll admit, but it was nice to know that I was supported by so many individuals.

Anyhow, I stopped by the local retirement home to make sure everything was alright there. Thankfully, things were okay. Nothing and nopony was severely injured in the destruction of that battle, so I was relieved to see it.

After that, I attempted to go check on the status of our cake at Sugarcube Corner (and get my usual donuts), however…

As soon as I set hoof on the steps that led up to the bakery, I was stopped by a sudden blur of pink.

“Pale?! Nononono! You can’t see the cake yet!” The pink mare with a rather frizzled mane shouted in my face as she appeared in the doors, “Don’t you know it’s bad luck to see the cake before it’s ready?!”

It took me a second to process what she had said. It made me laugh a little, being honest. “Pfff. What? Pinkie, I think you mean the bride. It comes from an old superstition back when arranged marriages were a thing so the groom would go along with it regardless of how she looked.” I let out a small sigh. “Ah...never know how strange certain things are until you dig deeper into the history behind them.”

“Well it’s still not ready, so you can’t come see it yet!” Pinkie wasn’t having it. She quickly shoved a box of donuts in my face, and pushed me away from the bakery. “Your mare-to-be came by this morning asking the same thing. Why don’t you go see her instead?”

Yeesh. Pinkie must have been quite stressed out from all the other various orders she had to fulfill in the meantime. The last thing I wanted to do was be rude and make things worse.

Subject 318: A Walk And A Talk

I guess it was a logical step anyways. To go see Cheerilee and check on how she liked her dress. The cake would turn out great because I knew Pinkie was more than capable of delivering something awesome. So I laid my concerns to rest. With that in mind, I guess we could start going ahead and planning the date of the event itself.

“I suppose next week isn’t too bad of an idea,” I said to myself, “Nothing going on then, and that’ll be perfect for--”

And then, out of nowhere, Vinyl Scratch appeared to me from my right. “Hey, dude,” she said as she casually started to trot with me, “Didja guys decide on a date yet, or…?”

I shook my head. “Not yet. That’s actually what I was on my way to do now. Pinkie won’t let me get a look at the cake yet, so I may as well.”

“Ah--yeah, don’t worry about that. I had the exact same problem with Pinkie before. She does this all the time--don’t trip.”

Oh yeah, that was right. Weren’t she and Octavia married? Maybe I could get some advice on how her wedding went.

“Oh--you’re married to Octavia, right?” I asked, “How did the wedding go for you both?”

“Well…” Vinyl rubbed the back of her head with her hoof, bit her lip, and hesitated to answer. It was about a minute or two before she finally replied. “...It’s complicated. Both of our families were there, and it was--well a mess.”

Well that was concerning. Nothing worse than having the newlywed’s families go at it on the big day.

“Er...what happened? If you don’t mind me asking. Did...your families not approve, or--?”

“Oh no, they didn’t mind that part,” Vinyl continued nervously, “It’s more like they just kinda couldn’t stand each other. If I were to explain it in detail, we’d be here all day. But I know yours is gonna turn out much better than mine.”

Ouch. I felt kind of bad for her, but going by the way she quickly glossed over the subject, it would appear that she didn’t want to discuss it very much. Which I respected. It also seemed like she wanted to veer the conversation in another direction anyways, which I happily obliged.

“Really?” I asked, “What makes you say that?”

“Duh,” she scoffed as if I was supposed to already know the answer, “I’m gonna be there with the sickest beats you can imagine. And I’m gonna make sure nothing goes wrong. Even if it kills me--you don’t deserve to have the same crap happen to you that happened to us.”

As much as I appreciated the efforts of a friend like her, I didn’t want her to go that far for me.

“Pfft,” I laughed it off, “Better not let Octavia hear you say that. She’d tear you a new one.”

“Yeah, that’s already happ--I mean, don’t you worry about that!” she quickly denied, “Just make sure you tell me when the big day is so I can get ready. I cleared my entire schedule for the rest of of the month in preparation, and--”

I stopped in my tracks, and cut her off by putting my hoof in front of her face. “...Thank you, but I wouldn’t want Octavia to start worrying about you. I’m sure you work hard enough as is, and she’d like to spend more time with you.”

“...Well...I guess you have a poin--bu--hey! How do you know what she’s thinking?” she deflected and tried to return my question with a question.

I simply put on a grin, and kept walking. “Take a break once in a while. It won’t hurt you.”

Yeesh--she had been at this for longer than I had and was just about the same level of stress. I couldn’t imagine what she and Octavia went through on a daily basis with the unicorn DJ being an agent and working hard. It wasn’t like Lyra and Bon Bon who were also married and did their job together.

All I could do was hope that my time with Cheerilee wouldn’t be strained because of my job.

Eventually, I made my way to her house, and knocked. On the door....

About Ten Minutes Earlier…

“How does it look, girls?”

I had called Scootaloo and Applebloom over to ask them about what they thought about my dress….and my new husband. Having already discussed it with Sweetie Belle, I was curious as to what they thought about it all.

Subject 319: Crusaders Of Honor

“Ms. Cheerilee, the fact that yer gettin’ married is easily the most excitin’ thing in the world!” Applebloom cheered.

“For reals!” Scootaloo agreed, “We’re so happy for you! Can you believe that, at one point during our foalhood, we thought you’d end up alone as a crazy cat mare?”

I snickered at the thought. Though, Applebloom didn’t find it quite as funny. I saw her subtly nudge her pegasus friend’s side and mutter something to her.

“Scoots! C’mon now, we agreed that we’d never mention that!”

“Hey it was when we were young and stupid!” Scootaloo protested, “Besides, that’s one of the pluses of getting older. You can laugh at the things you said or did in the past! Right, Cheerilee?”

Oh I knew just how bad it was to cringe at my own past. But they were right. Eventually, it did turn into something you were able to have fun with and laugh at once you got older. Or in my case, it was just “old.”

“You can sort of say that, yes,” I replied with a sigh, “It’s just...so unbelievable.” I stared at myself in the mirror, and recounted how my life had come to this point. To say that I was proud of myself was an understatement. I not only managed to become successful as a teacher, but I ended up with a stallion who loved and supported me. Take that, mom and dad.

Sweetie Belle, who had helped me into it, was the one who snapped me out of my thoughts. “I knew it’d work out. You’re a perfect fit--both for him and the dress. Speaking of which, is your family coming?”

As always, Scootaloo was the first to excitedly speak up. “Ooh! Your sister’s coming, right? Cherry Blossom a.k.a, Mystery Mare!” she squealed with her little wings buzzing.

Applebloom and Sweetie Belle exchanged a glance of confusion with each other.

“Erm…” the earth pony mare broke the silence, “Who’s that?”

Scootaloo’s jaw hit the floor. She must’ve been appalled at the fact that her friends didn’t know who she was. Though, I couldn’t blame them. “Don’t you guys know that Mystery Mare is Cheerilee’s twin sister?!” she went on with a slight groan, “Do you guys even watch wrestling?!”

“Nah,” Sweetie said, “It’s not my thing. I personally prefer reality shows.”

Applebloom scoffed. “Feh--Ah barely have enough time to mahself on a good day. But Ah won’t lie, she sounds pretty cool.”

“More like pretty awesome,” Scoots corrected her, and turned her head to me, “Come on, Cheerilee--tell them about her!”

“I could, but we’d be here all day,” I replied, “All you girls really need to know is that Cherry is the best sister anyone could ask for. Which is why she’s certainly being invited to my wedding. It’s because of her that I can defend myself as well as I can. She actually taught me a few of her--”

Scootaloo’s eyes shot open and her ears twitched. “What?! You have to show me--”

“Maybe, at some point in the future, Scoots,” I had to turn her down because I wasn’t exactly prepared to do all of that craziness on a whim. “At the moment, I still have to plan some things out…”

Applebloom asked a question next. “Whattabout the rest of yer family? Are they comin’?”

“Nope,” I answered simply, “My parents aren’t exactly the most supportive, so I decided to not invite them. Which is why I invited you girls over to ask you a question.”

“And what would that be, Cheerilee?” Sweetie asked.

I turned around to look at them all. “...How would all of you like to be my maids of honor?”

“...”

Silence filled the room. All three of the Crusaders stared at me with their mouths agape for what felt like forever.

After a minute or two, I spoke up with a concerned tilt of my head. “Uh...girls? Are you okay?”

That’s when I heard a knock at the door.

Subject 320: They Accept

Outside…

A few minutes passed between my knock and the door being answered. Cheerilee answered wearing nothing. Dammit--I wanted to see what she looked like with the dress on. But I guess I could wait.

“Oh, Pale! We were just discussing a few things and then…”

I took a look over her shoulders to see the Crusader mares in her home. Scootaloo was next to the mirror while Applebloom and Sweetie Belle were on the couch. All three of them looked like they had just witnessed a ghost leave their bodies. Frozen solid in place.

I glanced at Cheerilee with a concerned frown. “Er...you didn’t tell them something traumatic, did you? Such as our private time together?”

WHAP!

Her tail knocked me upside my flank, to which I responded with a giddy set of laughter.

“No, you silly boy,” she chastised me as we stepped inside, “I simply offered them the position of maids of honor and they just...got like this. I’m not sure how to break them out of it.”

Oh. Guess that would shock them into silence. The Crusaders have known Cheerilee for just about their lives and to be a part of something so special and important for their former teacher was just about the highest honor they could receive. Just the thought of it made me tear up a bit--internally anyway.

On the outside, I was mostly concerned about how to snap them out of it.

“Oh wait, I have an idea,” I explained as I walked into the kitchen, “I’ve seen this done in a few movies. You got any pepper?”

“Right there in the cupboard,” Cheerilee pointed to the cabinet, “Why? What are you planning on doing?”

I grabbed the pepper shaker, and walked back over to the three, still-frozen mares. Wow. They must have been really surprised to hear that Cheerilee wanted them at her wedding. Hopefully they weren’t straight up paralyzed…

Anyhow, I simply unscrewed the cap, and flashed the open pepper shaker in front of their noses for a brief moment. Then, I immediately backed away…

“Aaaaaand…”

“AH-CHOOO!”

“CH-CHOO!”

“HAW-CHOO!”

Yup. As expected, all three of them started to sneeze, and finally came to their senses. Who says that movies were an inaccurate source of information?

Luckily, they were able to speak clearly after having sneezed their state of shock off.

Cheerilee stepped forward. “...Are you girls okay? You blacked out with your eyes open when I asked if you’d be willing to join our--”

The three mares suddenly surrounded Cheerilee with their faces aglow, with smiles that stretched from ear-to-ear.

“YOUR WEDDING?!” they shouted, “YES, PLEASE!”

“Girls, girls!” Cheerilee giggled as she gently backed away, “Whew...thank you. I’m just glad you’re all not frozen or something.”

Applebloom was the first to give a detailed response. “It’s been mah dream to be at yer weddin’, Cheerilee! We’ve all wanted to see ya happy and settle down with a special somepony, haven’t we, girls?”

“Absolutely!” Scootaloo cheered, then rolled her eyes, “I mean, so long as I don’t have to wear some super long and stuffy dress that is.”

“I’m sure I can figure something out,” Sweetie Belle assured her friend, “More importantly, I’m just happy to see everything fall in place for you, Cheerilee.”

Applebloom then set her sights on me. “Oh, and Mr. Vestige--Ah’m willin’a babysit if ya’ll ever need me! Or house-sit! Or sit watch over anything for ya’ll. If ya need anythin’, just holler. Even if it’s somethin’ as simple as needin’ somethin’ moved around!”

Did she really think we were getting old already? Or was that a comment in preparation for the future.

“...There’s no need to worry about that,” I said, though I didn’t want to completely turn her down. “Thank you, Ms. Bloom.”

Applebloom never witnessed her own parents get married due to their early passing. Cheerilee was more or less a second mother to her throughout her childhood that she found comfort in. So if she wanted to be involved, then I was more than willing to accept her offer.

“We’ve always wanted Ms--well I guess it’s Mrs now--Cheerilee to get married to someone strong, smart, and kind,” Scootaloo complimented me, “I don’t think we need to ask if you fit the bill. We’ve more than seen it by this point, sir. You deserve her.”

Her comment pained me from how much genuine praise that was laced within those words. It was unprecedented, but I wasn’t about to deny it. “...I know she does. Thank you, Scootaloo.”

While her parents were still alive and well, they weren’t around very much during her childhood due to their jobs. Even now, they were retired, and the orange pegasus had to figure out the rest of her life on her own. Seeing Cheerilee happy would probably bring an extreme amount of joy to her.

“You already know how I feel about it,” Sweetie Belle commented, “Just make sure Cheerilee is never sad again. Please?”

“I’ll do my damndest,” I replied.

Sweetie Belle was a bit on the luckier end of things but in a weird way. Her parents were happily married and appeared every so often, and her sister was married also. I could only wager that she felt extra sad that Cheerilee had been unable to find someone until recently.

Well, that was about to change. She was going to have the best life ever--even if it k--well, you get the point.

Subject 321: Wedding Day

About Two Days Later...

“Do you think they’ll like this, Cozy?” Ms. Rights asked me, “I haven’t seen him in a while, so I admittedly don’t know what he likes very much.”

I was confident. I had gotten to know Pale and Cheerilee over the last year or so, and was proud to be their adoptive daughter. Needless to say, I knew this gift would be perfect for them both. Something that they would cherish forever. It wasn’t old, new, borrowed, or blue. Nor was it some random kitchen appliance that would break down within its first six months of use. Wedding gifts were supposed to be important and special, not commercialized to heck and back.

“For sure,” I said with a smile on my face as I dipped my hoof into a bucket of paint, “It’s going to be something I know they’ll love and want to keep forever. And I want you to have the opportunity to join in since I know you want to do something good for Pale, ma’am.”

“Enough of that ma’am crap,” she commanded with what sounded like a tired groan, “Please. Miranda is fine. ‘Ma’am’ makes me feel way older than I actually am for some reason.”

I bet I knew why, but that was cool. It made things way easier.

“Oh, okay, Miranda. Well it’s simple,” I pointed a wing down at a nearby paint bucket, “All you need to do is take your hoof, dip it in and draw whatever comes to mind. Or if you wanna use the brushes, that’ll work also.”

“Painting?” she asked with an uncertain tone, “I’m uh...not very good.”

But rest assured, how good she was wasn’t even a factor here. “Don’t worry!” I responded as I splattered some paint down, “Just make sure it comes from your heart!”

“...Alright. For my son and his wife. I’ll make sure this ends up being the best damn gift in history!”

And at last. One more day came to pass, and the day of my wedding arrived...

And here we are in the present more or less. I felt beyond ecstatic as I got my suit ready. The venue had already been selected to be right in my backyard. A nice, somewhat private location that couldn’t be invaded by anyone. And if anyone did try to pull anything, they’d be in for a rather rude awakening.

But I was so happy that I couldn’t help but start singing to myself as I looked myself over in the mirror.

“I’m getting ma-rried! I’m getting--!”

TAP-TAP-TAP!

“AH!”

I let out an embarrassed whinny of sorts when I heard a knock at my front door. I certainly wasn’t expecting anyone to arrive this early. It was only noon. But I went to the door to see who it was, and lo and behold--

“Corkscrew?” I muttered as I pulled the door open. “Hey, bud. You’re here a bit early, huh?”

The pegasus stallion had on a rather fashionable navy blue suit that complimented his orange color. “That’s right, bos--Pale. I wanted to come see ya before it all went down. Mainly to say that I’m proud of ya.”

“Proud of me? Oh?” I shut the door, and led him out to the backyard where all the chairs had been set up. The gazebo I had in place would serve as the altar. “What for?” I asked.

“For sticking through everything with me,” he went on, “Everyone else would’ve given up a long time ago if they were in your horseshoes. But you didn’t. I’m proud to call you my friend--nay, my brother!”

Well that certainly put me at ease. I knew I could trust him with my life if it came down to it. We were essentially family after all.

But before I could say anything, I was interrupted by--

DING-DONG!

“Someone else?” I murmured to myself, “Gah--who could it be? Oh.” I turned to Cork, “Excuse me for a second, bud.”

I went back inside my house, and opened the front door to find none other than Quick Draw standing there wearing a black and blue skirt-like dress. “Oh shit, what’s up?”

“You’re fashionably early, aren’t you?” I chuckled as I let her inside, “Great to see you here, Quick.”

When she trotted in, I could see she had some sort of wrapped box on her back that she carried. A gift? “Hey...you’re my brother. Cork and I wouldn’t dare miss this. That’s why we came together. Though, I sort of got sidetracked…”

“Well, whatever the case--you can explain it when we get out back. There’s plenty of table space for you to put the--”

DING-DONG!

“Ugh--again?!”

Quick giggled at my expense, and gave me a short hug. “Go on. I’m sure you’ll be answering that bell quite a bit today. I’ll go see if Cork is alright out there.”

With that, she walked away towards the backyard. And I found myself headed for the door again. But what tripped me out was the fact that my next guest was someone I hadn’t met until now.

“Hello? Wh--Cheery?!”

My eyes deceived me for a split-second. No, it wasn’t my wife-to-be.

It was her twin sister.

“Haha!” she laughed with a snort, “That never gets old! But, calm down. It’s me, Cherry Blossom. Your new sister-in-law.”

Subject 322: Wife's Twin

Oh yeah! Duh. How stupid was I to forget the fact that Cheerilee’s sister was going to be here? But they looked so much alike that I essentially confused them both for a second. Upon closer inspection, however, I did notice that her cutie mark was a cherry blossom branch and not the smiling flowers that adorned my wife’s rump. So that was a close call indeed.

And the more I sensed her aura, she just seemed more muscular. There was no way to tell just by looking, which was how deceptive earth pony biology really was.

“Oh yeah,” I said with a smile as I invited her inside, “Cheerilee told me loads about you. I’m actually glad to finally meet you, Cherry.”

“Pleasure’s all mine, dear,” she replied as she walked with me, “Tell me about yourself. I’d like to get to know Cheerilee’s new man meat before things go down.”

I almost laughed at the comment, but chose to ignore it. “Oh. Well, I’m sure she’s told you a decent amount about who I am. I’m a detective--I know--not the most exciting job in the world, but--”

She scoffed at what I said. “Pffft. You kidding? Being an investigator has to be one of the hardest jobs in the world. I know for a fact that I couldn’t do it. I don’t have the patience for that.”

Oof. At least she was honest with herself about it.

“Wow--don’t speak so lowly of yourself….but yes, to be honest it’s a stressful job. That’s why it’s good to have lots of things to do outside of work.”

“Oh?” she looked at me with eager eyes, “What do you do in your spare time, Pale?”

“Lots of things. I volunteer my time for the old folks’ home, read books, meditate where I can be in touch with nature, hang out with my friends--oh, and I’ve recently taken up the art of fishing. Helps calm me down--even if I don’t catch anything, you see?”

Cherry looked at me with a curious stare, then nodded. “Ah. I get it now. You’re one of those more internalized-perspective types. Someone who’d rather feel a person out before jumping the shark, so to speak.”

That was a rather...poetic way to put it. But I couldn’t exactly say she was wrong or anything.

“Well yeah. I like to be tactical with my approach so that I don’t overstep my boundaries.” I rubbed a hoof behind my head with a regretful stare into space--upwards and to the left. “I know first-hoof what it’s like to go off the rails and make a mistake that could potentially cost me my career. It’s not something I’d like to repeat.”

Cherry pulled my hoof down so that I had to make eye contact with her. “Wanna know something? Between you and me?”

I was naturally interested in my new sister-in-law, so I obliged. “Yes?”

“...I know exactly what that’s like,” she explained, “As a famous wrestler, there’s countless times where I’ve been offered performance enhancements to ensure wins. Took everything that I had and more to be able to refuse the folks who’d offer such things.”

“You went on to beat those opponents, right?” I asked with bated excitement.

“Pssssh! Nah,” she shook her head, “Can’t win ‘em all, brother. Life kind of gets boring when everything is handed to you on a silver platter. As a wise individual once said: You learn more from failure than success.”

While that was a good point, I couldn’t help but counter it with one of my own.

“With all due respect, sister,” I returned her comment, “But I would argue that success yields just as much of a learning experience--even more so than failure. Then again, it mainly has to do with the fact that our career choices are as different as can be. But in my line of work, failure is inevitable. You aren’t going to catch every criminal, crack every case, or even be able to understand every bit of evidence. But in the moments that we do see things through and find an answer...that’s where the learning experience lies. Do you get it?”

After a moment of silence, Cherry Blossom responded with a chuckle. “Hehe--yeah, I get it. My sister picked the absolute best stallion she could have ever found.”

Now just what could that mean? “Hm? What do you mean by that?”

“Eh, you’ll find out when I state my piece at the actual ceremony,” she pulled out a small set of notes from her saddlebag, “I have a few things I wanna say just for the both of you. I think sis will love it.”

Damn. The more time passed, the more I actually felt genuinely excited for my own wedding.

Subject 323: More Friends Arrive

Everything pretty much went perfectly as planned from there. It wasn’t long before the rest of my friends showed up.

Drive and Neon showed up together. Naturally.

“Hey, mate,” Drive greeted me as I opened the door. The white suit he had on perfectly complimented his jet black color scheme. “Today’s the big day, innit? You excited? Scared?”

“Scared shitless, yeah,” I retorted casually, “This is the first time I’ve ever done this. You expect me to not be scared?”

Neon flew past me, and offered his own take on how I felt. “Relax yourself, Pale. Everything is gonna turn out just dandy. I’ll personally rip out anyone’s throat if they try anything at all. Promise ye that.”

I tilted my head, and twitched my ears a few times just to make sure I could comprehend what he just said. He was as hardcore as ever. And I loved him for it.

His brother, on the other hoof, was much more aloof towards the situation. “Come now, bruv. No one is moony enough to pull that. Our mate here is easily one of the strongest stallions in existence at this point. Possibly the world, I’d wager.”

How embarrassing to be complimented in such a way. But there would be time to talk about that later. For the moment, I needed to go ahead and push the brothers outside towards the backyard.

“Alright, alright,” I nudged them towards the back door, “Go on and get ready for everything to start. There’s gonna be a buffet right afterwards--and yes, before you ask Neon, I made sure there were mangos and melons.”

As expected, he let out a small chitter-like noise of excitement before he quickly contained himself. “EEE--ahem. Well, I wasn’t going to ask--but I appreciate the fact that you thought about me.”

Flash Drive went on ahead. “On ya, mate. Let’s go. I’ve actually been interested in meeting a professional wrestler in real life…”

TAP-TAP!

My ear flicked upon hearing another knock at the door. I went to answer it, and found Guttersnipe there wearing a short skirt that was green-bluish along with some white, pearlescent earrings. Reminiscent of a certain costume she wore.

“Wow,” I commented on her style, “You really like that color scheme, huh?”

“Duh,” she replied as she stepped inside, “I sorta realized that it kinda suits me more than I realized. So I decided to keep it and wear it to your wedding, man.” She turned and looked at me as if I said I enjoyed pineapple on pizza. “What’s so funny?”

To be fair, I had snickered in those last few seconds as I shut the door. That was probably the source of the glare she shot my way.

“Huh? Oh, nothing--”

She cut me off. “What? Just because I’m a bit aggressive and seem a bit less girly than the average mare, doesn’t mean I don’t wanna look good for one of my friends!”

“That wasn’t it at all. What caught me by surprise is the fact that you decided to keep such a color scheme. The more I look at it, the more I realize that it actually kinda suits you.”

“Really? Well that’s good to hear,” she breathed a sigh of relief in between her words, and mumbled something that I couldn’t quite hear, “...Maybe the guy I’m trying to see will think so too…”

“Hm?” I took a step forward, “You say something?”

Guts shrugged it off as she made her way towards the backyard. “Eh? Ah, nothing, bud. I can’t wait to see you both at the altar.”

To be honest? I couldn’t wait either. But I still had to make sure all of the guests arrived on time. There was no way I was going to let anyone mess this up…

And then, the next time I heard a knock at the door, I opened it to find…

“Vinyl? You’re here a bit early too, ya know.”

The white unicorn had appeared wearing a black suit. “A bit--hey, why are you manning the door so tough?” she asked with a concerned look on her face.

“Oh that….well, everyone has started to show up kinda out of nowhere, so I figured--”

But before I could say anything else, she stepped inside, and pushed me towards my backyard with her magic. “Hey, hey--this is your wedding day. Go on out back and have fun with your friends. I have the guest list and everything so I can manage the door while you’re out there.”

“Are you s--?”

And the sliding glass door was shut before I could respond.

Subject 324: She's Almost Here...

Well that was unexpected. But I guess it made sense. I was being rather overzealous in regards to keeping everything safe. I needed to unwind and just enjoy myself. After all, when Cheerilee showed up, everything was going to get even more rowdy. Good thing I didn’t procure any alcohol for this event.

Much to the disappointment of another friend of mine.

“Aw, c’mon, brudda--where’s da booze?”

I looked over and saw Babs had appeared. Her outfit was fittingly minimal. A simple green camo dress jacket, and two simple hoop earrings. That was about right for someone like her.

“Oh, hey--you made it!”

Babs looked at me with a sly grin. “Of course I made it, dawg. Youse one’a my only friends from childhood who ain’t in jail or somethin’. In fact, there’sa bit-a irony in da fact that youse ended up becomin’ a cop. Ain’t dat crazy?”

Oh don’t even get me started. The other foals Babs and I used to hang around more than likely had terrible home lives with bad parents. Babs and I were extremely lucky to have each other’s backs in that brief amount of time we knew each other. I was eternally grateful.

“Indeed,” I said with a nod, “But thankfully, everyone here is on the up and up. One of the greatest threats to Equestrian safety has been vanquished. And me? Well...I couldn’t be happier to finally be with the mare I love.”

She nudged me with her hoof. “Dat’s the spirit, homeboy. Proud of ya. You deserve all-a dis.”

Yeah I guess she was right. Though, ‘deserve’ was a strong word. I wasn’t entitled to any of this, really. I simply worked my flank off, and things happened to work out for me in the end.

“I agree with you to a fault,” I said back, “I don’t think I can say I deserve much of anything. The universe doesn’t owe me some sort of cosmic debt. I just make my own way through life, and accept whatever comes. And if I don’t like what comes, I’ll change it.”

Babs was visibly stunned by what I had said for a second. As if she had to give it some hard thought. “...Change it for yaself, huh?”

“Of course, it helps when you have a supporting set of individuals who are there for you. For me, it was all of my crewmates. And for you, it was your cousin and her friends.”

“Dat makes sense,” she replied, and took a look around, “Speakin’-a which. Where are they? I’d expect Cuz and her friends to be here for their old teacha’s wedding.”

I had a hunch as to where the Crusaders were. “They’re likely serving as the bridal party at the moment. Probably escorting Cheerilee here as we speak.”

About one block away…

The Crusaders and I were getting Cheerilee ready. It was so exciting! The Mayor said she was going to stop by when it was time, which gave us enough wiggle room to make sure everything on her was perfect.

“Is everything ready, Cozy?” Cheerilee asked me with bated excitement. “Are you prepared for us to finally be together?”

I already knew where my heart lied on the subject. It was more than I could ever ask for. Something I never would have dreamed of having when I arrived into this world: A loving set of parents and a happy family.

“Absolutely,” I said, “You and Pale deserve each other. I mean that. This is going to be the best moment in history--because you’re always there for each other. It makes me feel as if I should follow your example and search for love the same way…”

Cheerilee put a hoof on my shoulder. “With all you’ve done, I don’t think you need to force yourself to find love like I tried to do. You’re beautiful, and thus, love will come your way if you desire it.”

I looked down with a bit of a concerned expression. It quickly turned into a more hopeful one. “...You think so?”

“I’m certain of it. You have my full confidence as your mother.”

I heard a knock at the door, and a voice from the other side.

“Cheerilee! It’s your best friend--the Mayor!” she called out, “The Crusaders and I are all waiting for you when you’re ready!”

Ooh, it was time!

Subject 325: She's Arrived

Back at Pale’s home…

I paced along the ground; my hooves and knees wobbled. All of a sudden, I started to feel like I had an upset stomach. “Hrrk...mmm…”

“Boss?” Corkscrew walked up to me to console me. “You okay? Sit down for a second, man…”

At his request, I took a seat on the bench within the gazebo-altar. I let out a sigh, and nodded. “Yeah, sorry about that, Cork. I think I just have a case of the jitters.”

“I’ll say--relax, dude. She loves you. Everything’s gonna be just fine.”

I shook my head. While he was close, that wasn’t my concern. “You’re right on that. However, my issue is the faint sense of dread I have that something bad may come to pass.”

Cork took a more direct approach with me. “Hey now. We’re all here for you. You know damn well that we’d make sure nothing will happen. We’ve all been through too much shit at this point to let each other down.”

It wasn’t very often that he spoke so candidly. Whenever he did, I was always primed to listen. And you know what? He had a valid point. Everyone here was still alive and happy thanks to the efforts of us all. To forget that now would be letting go of everything I fought for.

“You’re right,” I said with a nervous laugh, “Ha...I guess I’m just excited and it’s weaved a sort of a giant emotional ball of craziness in my heart. I can’t wait to see what Cheerilee is going to look like with her dress and hair done up and everything. And Cozy...I wonder if she’s just as nervous as I am.”

“I’d wager that she’s just as excited as you are, boss.”

I turned to him and scoffed. “I--wh--you don’t need to call me that. We’re not even on the clock right now.”

“Guess it just comes naturally for me,” he replied with a nonchalant expression, “Come on. Let loose and relax. The real fun starts after the ceremony from what I’ve seen.”

Now that was a humorous thought. “From what you’ve seen? Pffft--you’re too young to get married yet, Cork.”

“Yeah, yeah I know--don’t rush into something that I’m not prepared for. I’ve heard it a thousand times.”

I got up from my seat, and finally felt I was ready. I knew it wouldn’t be much longer…

About ten minutes later…

I watched as Vinyl flung my back door open with her magic. “She’s here! Time to get in position, everypony!”

Upon hearing this, everyone took their seats in the chairs that were set up in the yard. The pathway that went up the middle towards the gazebo would serve as the aisle for her to walk down and I stood at the altar, ready to see my wife…

Fittingly enough, Octavia started to play the wedding march on what appeared to be a portable pipe organ that she was able to pop up and use anywhere. Guess Vinyl must have convinced her to attend.

The back door of my house opened up, and the Crusaders exited first. Each of them held a basket filled with beautiful lavender petals that Cheerilee and I both picked out. A flowering plant that represented both devotion and purity with its iconic, yet elegant scent. The young mares all had on blue and black dresses--likely to work as a contrast to Cheerilee’s red and black that she had picked out.

The petals went everywhere when the trio scattered them. A beautiful display of purple went all over the yard, much to the delight of the congregation.

And then...she stepped out.

Subject 326: The Vows

And there she was. The red and black dress complimented her body perfectly. But that wasn’t all. Cheerilee had a set of cherry blossoms in her hair that made her look even more amazing. Fittingly enough, her sister was the one to walk her down the aisle. And you know what? That was a great little arrangement. Normally, the bride’s father would do so, but Cheerilee chose not to invite her parents which I fully respected.

So instead, her sister would make the proverbial handoff.

All eyes were on her as she made her way down the middle of the yard. A literal angel on earth. I could see her do her best to hold back tears as she approached the altar. It was enough to almost cause me to shed a few myself.

At last, the twins arrived at the altar, and the wrestling sister left her teacher sister to me.

Cheerilee stepped up to meet me there, and the Mayor made her presence known when she stepped up to the altar to begin the ceremony itself right as the music stopped.

“...Friends and family,” the Mayor began, “We are gathered here today to celebrate the matrimony of two highly-respected individuals that have changed the world in their own, productive ways. And let me just say that there is nopony more excited than me to be present here today. Cheerilee is a close friend of mine, and to see her get married, well--it puts quite the smile on my face...”

I took a look at the congregation. They were all smiles, and I could see a few scattered sets of tears shed for us both. And right in the front row, I could see Cozy Glow and Miranda Rights in fittingly matching pink dresses with gold accents.

Then, my eyes shifted to the gifts table behind Cheerilee where I noticed a rather large, fully wrapped, rectangular item the size of a door. I had a hunch just who that was from...

The Mayor would continue her traditional wedding speech with a rather snappy remark.

“...If there is anyone who objects to these two being wed, speak now...and I will personally kick you to the moon myself.”

A set of laughs escaped from the crowd. Lightening the mood with a bit of humor helped us all get through just how emotional this was.

I couldn’t resist snickering, and neither could Cheerilee. We both exchanged a look that silently told each other, ‘She sounds crazy, but she’s hilarious.’

“I’ve been practicing that one,” the Mayor said as the laughter quieted down, “Anyhow….do you, Cheerilee, take Pale Vestige to be your wedded husband?”

Without missing a beat, she stated it loud enough for the crowd to hear. “I do.”

The Mayor would turn to me next. “And do you, Pale Vestige, take Cheerilee to be your wedded wife? In sickness and in health, through good and bad, ‘till death and what have you?”

With no hesitation, I gave the same answer with just as much confidence. “I do.”

From the front row, Cozy would fly up to me, and present me with the gold ring I proposed to Cheerilee with on a pillow. At the same time, I could see the Mayor pass something to Cheerilee…

Cozy would fly back to her seat with her wings in a jittery state as she bit her bottom lip.

I passed the ring to Cheerilee, and slipped it onto her right hoof.

And she passed me what looked like a platinum ring engraved with diamonds that she slipped onto mine.

Next to us, I could feel the Mayor’s overzealous state. “T-then I now pronounce you...stallion and mare. You may now kiss!”

“...Is she always like this?” I muttered to Cheerilee under my breath.

“...Don’t mind her--she’s just a bit . Now kiss me, you fool.”

We leaned in towards each other...

Subject 327: The Kiss

...And our lips locked tightly around each other’s. I’ve kissed Cheerilee many times before, but this particular moment felt special. I suppose it was due to the fact that everyone was able to watch our matrimony become official and complete for the first time in both of our lives. It could also be due to just how much we genuinely loved each other, and wished to express it.

It was...hard to describe. But that one moment felt like it would last forever. It’s like our souls had become intertwined or something spiritual like that.

When it was over, we pulled back from each other--and stared into each other’s eyes. Endless pools of serene light green could describe what Cheerilee’s were like. I felt like I could stand next to her forever…

Unfortunately, the cheers of the crowd along with their thunderous hoof sounds snapped us out of it. Cheerilee and I both turned to the crowd, and waved.

“...I...this is amazing,” she said next to me, “There are no words I could use to describe how I feel right now.”

I started to walk down the aisle with her. “Ditto, Cheery. ‘Perfection’ is too small of a word to represent what you are.”

She planted a kiss on my cheek, and let out a small, shrill giggle. “Oh you…always charming me with that smooth voice of yours.”

Truly, it was a beautiful thing…

Once the ceremony itself was over, the reception-party took place right after. We moved the chairs out of the way, and set up the tables so that everyone could sit down to eat if they wished. Oh yes, the food! Everything had been perfectly catered to our liking. Sandwiches, fruit, a hot cheese fountain with chips and salsa right nearby. Everything one could ever look for from a wedding. Interestingly enough, the cake hadn’t arrived yet.

And I wasn’t exactly able to eat due to my concern over the cake.

“Ergh...where is Pinkie…” I mumbled to myself from beneath the gazebo.

Cheerilee took a seat right next to me. “I’m sure she’ll be here soon, dear. Come on, don’t stress yourself out. What did I tell you?”

I nodded. “Yes, yes, you’re right. Part of me just has this distant concern that something may not go right.”

“Well…” she traced a hoof up my midsection towards my neck, and stopped at my chin, “I’m more than capable of relieving your stress. You don’t have to worry about a thing so long as I’m around, honey-cakes.”

From my left, Cozy approached and sat next to us at our table with an excited grin on her face. She also had a bowl of...steaming food that looked like it had a lot of cheese on top? “Ooooh! I’m so happy to see you both officially together! You guys deserve all of the happiness in the world, you know?”

I glanced at Cheerilee, then at the kid. “Well...being honest, one of the reasons why I wanted to propose wasn’t just Cheerilee, but for you as well.”

“Wait, really?”

I nodded, and went on to confirm my stance. “I knew that you would want to have the perfect family to watch out for you. So I decided, ‘you know what? I’m going to become her father.’ And...that’s how it started…”

Cheerilee would follow this up with a comment of her own. “He’s right, you know. I couldn’t think of anything more important than taking care of both of you.”

“What?” I protested, “Hey, I can take care of myself!”

“Oh, you’re so cute that way,” Cheerilee teased me, “But I’m sure you know what I mean by that.”

With a sigh, I turned to look at what was in the bowl that Cozy had obtained. “What’s that you have there, kiddo?”

She was in between bites, and had just swallowed her last one. “Mm? Oh--sorry. I forgot to mention, but I ordered dozens of trays of poutine for you guys. It’s one of our favorite foods, so I made sure to--”

I didn’t even listen to the rest of what she had to say. I got up, and rushed past her...

Subject 328: The Party

I had to rush over to the buffet table where that delicious poutine was located. It was a hit with a majority of the guests, as they had gotten bowls of it also. Well-seasoned potato wedges with cheese curds, gravy, jalapenos, olives, peppers--the works.

After grabbing a full serving of it for Cheerilee and I to share, I rushed back to the table, and immediately asked Cozy how she managed to obtain so much of it.

And her answer surprised me.

“Well, before you ask--no this is not the only thing I got for you guys--your real gift comes later. Secondly, I ordered this special from Saffron Masala. As soon as she heard that you two were getting married, she wanted to do something for you and Cheerilee. So she asked me what your favorite foods were. I knew yours was poutine, pops. You eat it all the time at your station and I’ve smelled you guys making it...and it’s become a favorite of mine also.”

I took a bite off a fork, and was immediately thrust into heaven. The taste of all the ingredients was unparalleled, and the gravy had such an unconventional, spicy style that I was addicted in no time.

“Mmm...that is amazing!” I took another fork, and held it up to Cheerilee’s mouth. “Try some, hun.”

From the way she glanced at the mix of steamy carbs on the fork, I could tell she was nervous. “...Okay, maybe just a little,” she said as she wrapped her mouth around the fork, and with one flick of her tongue, licked it clean of its contents. “...Mm...wow…”

Cozy chimed in with a smile. “Amazing, isn’t it? And for Cheerilee, it was a bit more difficult, but I found out your favorite food from the Crusaders.”

“Oh?” she swallowed the bite that I fed her, and inquired further, “Okay. Try me, Cozy. What did they say that my favorite food was?”

“Yup,” the kid replied, and pointed to another one of the buffet tables, “Cherrychangas. The three of them said that you were hooked on them. Something about cherries being your favorite fruit since foalhood?”

Just like I had done for the poutine, Cheery got up, and practically bolted to the buffet table which caused a draft of wind that blew mine and Cozy’s manes around a little. We both watched as she loaded up a plate full of the cherry pastries.

“...That was so sweet of you, Cozy,” I complimented her efforts with a grateful smile, “I didn’t expect you to actually go out of your way to ask Saffron to help with the catering.”

“Oh no,” she said with a smug expression, “I didn’t just order the food from her, I got her to come here. As soon as she heard who this would be for, she was super excited to serve you both, so she decided to actually come down for the wedding.”

I looked over to the buffet tables, and sure enough, I saw Saffron Masala over there managing everything. I even made eye contact and waved, to which she waved back.

Then I shifted my gaze towards Cozy. “...Kiddo. I have no words. The amount of thought and effort you put into all of this warms my heart.”

She leaned backwards, and laughed nervously. “...Haha. Well, if you think that’s great, you haven’t seen anything, yet.”

I managed to catch onto what she meant, and realized that Ms. Rights was nowhere to be found. “Wait a second,” I said as I surveyed the yard, “Do you know where…?”

All Cozy did was tap her hooves together and whistle innocently...

Subject 329: The Cake

Cheerilee returned to the table with a plate of at least a dozen of those cherry pastries. “Ah!” she gasped with a bit of dribble leaking from her face, “These are the best! Thank you so much, Cozy.”

“Don’t just thank me, thank the Crusaders,” she replied, “They’re the ones who gave me the idea in the first place.”

From across the yard at one of the tables, the three Crusaders looked over at us and waved with big smiles on their faces.

“I have to make sure I thank them personally,” Cheerilee said, “They’ve always looked after me even when they were foals. I almost can’t believe it.”

“Well, believe it,” I chimed in, “You’re easily the sweetest pony in existence, and you deserve everything you see in front of you.”

She nuzzled against my neck. “Aw--that includes you too, I’d hope.”

There was no way I would toot my own horn like that. “Erm, you know what I mean. I try my best.”

Cozy simply giggled at the both of us. But then I noticed one of her ears flick. Something must have caught her attention.

“...Something wrong, Cozy?” I asked.

“Oh, it’s nothing. You guys keep enjoying yourselves.”

Mom and dad were so cute together that I wished that I could just sit and laugh with them for the entire day. But I had to make sure everything else was going just as I had planned. I got up from the table under the gazebo, and saw that Ms. Rights had returned from the side door that connected the backyard to the front yard. Not only that, but I could also hear Pinkie Pie’s faint voice as she pulled the cake towards the house. I was so excited that I almost felt myself explode!

I hurried up to Rights, and asked her a question.

“...Do you have it?”

She nodded, and patted me on the head. “Yup. It’s right here in my saddlebags. I think I hear Pinkie Pie in the front yard, though. You might wanna check that out first.”

“Okay. Thanks again, Rights!” I responded, and let her trot past me. Once I had room, I walked through the gate, and out to Pale’s front yard. And there she was. Pinkie had pulled this massive cart with a box that had a cooling system attached. The box alone was easily as tall as the door to the house! “...Woah. That’s...big.”

“That’s righty-Cozy!” Pinkie chirped, “And I took special care to deliver it here myself. It’s got both of their favorite flavors--which will be revealed as soon as they cut into it!”

“....Wow,” was all I could say. The sheer size of the wedding cake had me in awe. I couldn’t believe how much effort she had gone to for this. “You must have spent a long time on it, huh?”

“Well, it’s not every day you get to make wedding cakes,” she replied, “Weddings in general are nowhere near as common or explosive as they used to be. Everypony likes to ‘downsize’ or ‘keep things simple’,” she added with air quotes made via her hooves. “I don’t see it. Marriage is supposed to be a time to celebrate two ponies--or non-ponies--getting together and loving each other!”

Given that I had grown up and seen a lot of terrible things, I had a few ideas as to why that could be the case. Namely? Divorce.

Yeech. Even thinking about the word made me sick. But that could explain the decline in marriage rates. Fear of being...split up, could cause many a pony to not want to get married to begin with.

I was just super glad that my pops had found someone he always loved.

“Well, we sure do appreciate the time you took,” I said as I noted the cake’s appearance, “Come bring it to the backyard.”

Subject 331: Important Words

They were. In fact, quite a few individuals wanted to say something for us. First of which was Cheerilee’s twin sister Cherry.

“Ahem. I just want to congratulate both my wonderful sister and her new husband on a successful ceremony,” she began to address the crowd while glancing toward us both. “I honestly wish I could’ve found a man that quickly. Our overbearing parents made that super hard for us. It’s why I got away as quickly as I did and became a wrestler. Much easier to suplex ponies I don’t know-”

I snickered. The rest of the crowd would also respond with an assorted set of laughs and chuckles as well. Cheerilee in particular was already wiping her face from joy.

“Well she has a point,” I muttered, “No wonder she was so willing to join the pro circuit so soon.”

“There’s quite a bit more than that,” Cheerilee added, “I’m sure she’ll go into detail with what she has to say.”

Cherry Blossom continued. “...and I always thought to myself--’if either of you get married first, you need to make sure that the guy can handle getting his back broken.’ But I can see for myself that’s already happened--twice over. I mean, he’s been through hell and back just to keep everyone safe. If you ask me, that’s not something you find every day in husband material.”

Corkscrew nudged me. “Think she can hook me up with one of those cool-looking lady wrestlers that she works with? I’ve always been a fan of ‘em.”

I had to hold back my urge to snicker. “...Well...at least you’re not searching for romance within the same place you currently work. But you do know that those sorts of women can break you in half, right?”

“That’s what’s so exciting about ‘em!”

I simply shook my head, and rubbed the bridge of my nose. I didn’t even want to explain the fine details of why that wasn’t a very good idea.

“...but most importantly,” Cherry went on, “I’m happy to see that my sister is happy with herself. On her own terms. Her own way. Not at the desire or expense of someone else trying to force her into something. Congratulations, sis.”

Cheerilee replied, “Thank you. And I hope you find someone the same way I did someday.”

“Yeah, that’s not happening,” Blossom retorted in a casual fashion as she walked away from the mic.

Right after that, Quick Draw chose to step up to the mic to say a few words.

“...Yeah, this is--where do I even start? For the longest time, I always thought Pale was just idealistic and had no sense of awareness. Especially regarding romance. I mean, it’s fairly common among male adolescent ponies.”

All I could do was shrug and nod at the same time. She had a point there. But I wondered where exactly she was going with this.

“But the more I worked with him, the more I realized he was someone that had a brain twice as big as his heart. His heart had been damaged by what he had endured from...his upbringing that I won’t go into. However, the way he handled himself--the way he approached every mission and kept a cool head, it was something I was almost jealous of.”

Cheerilee looked at me with a worried expression. I simply returned it with a slow nod to indicate that I was alright now.

Quick Draw rolled her eyes. “And then when he was made the leader of our squad, I started to really feel annoyed. But the more time Corkscrew and I spent with him, the more we realized that he was a great friend who just needed...more friends.”

“BOO!” Corkscrew suddenly shouted from next to us, “That’s mega cheesy and you know it!”

The entire crowd erupted with a low set of giggles.

Subject 332: A Few More Words

Even I had to laugh. It was pretty corny, I’ll admit, but it wasn’t untrue either. Support from multiple angles was one of the only ways to stay mentally sane in this sort of work environment. That was how many cops and investigators flew off the handle and went insane. They lacked any sort of outside assistance to keep them on the right path. This is why I was still attending therapy even up to this point in my life.

“...so I just want to say,” Quick Draw finished up her speech, “Thanks for sticking by, well not just me, all of us. Your crewmates are more than just friends. We’re family. Real family. And I mean that. I’m sure everyone else agrees with me.”

Neon, Drive, Corkscrew, and Guts all voiced their agreement in unison. “YEAH!”

“...That’s all. Thank you, everyone.” Quick Draw left the mic, and everyone started to clap for her. Myself and Cheerilee included.

All the sudden, Cozy flew up to the mic with a nervous smile on her face. “Hey, uh! Sorry, I know you really wanna get into the cake. So I won’t make this any longer than it needs to be. I just wanna say that I love you both and wish you the best. Also, I have another surprise for you guys that I’ll reveal later on in private.”

Cheerilee and I exchanged a glance of confusion. Just what could it be? Something that she didn’t want everyone else to hear?

“Anyway, I’m excited to eat this cake,” Cozy pulled out a camera with her wingtips, “Go on and cut it, you guys. I wanna catch it in a photo and immortalize the moment forever!”

Since no one else had any words to say, we proceeded with the ceremony, and the cake as well.

“Please don’t shove my face in it,” I mumbled to myself as we approached it.

Cheerilee must have overheard me, because she replied almost instantly. “Perish the thought, hubby. I’ve seen too many angry brides and grooms try to play around with that stupid cake-smash thing.”

We stepped up to it, and I grabbed the slicer. Cheerilee placed her hoof upon mine, and we cut the first piece together.

And everyone around us started to clap and cheer while Cozy took a picture.

FLASH!

“...Wow, so that’s what that feels lik--” Before I could finish my thought, Cheerilee had already put a piece of the cake in my mouth. She had cut slice from both sides of the cake, and fed me a bit of my side first. The peaches combined with the taste of the delicate sunflowers made for an amazing, almost heavenly taste that was hard to describe. “Mmmm…”

“It’s good, isn’t it?” she gathered some of her side of the cake onto a fork, and fed that to me next. The one with cherries and mascarpone cream. “Now try this one. Tell me what you think.”

It was just as good as the side that I had requested. The tang of the cherries and mascarpone made for an interesting combination of flavors that was simple, and really relaxing. “...These are delicious. I need to make sure I thank Pinkie for how well she made this. Something like this only comes around once in a lifetime.”

After that, we pretty much allowed everyone else to come up and cut their own slices. There was so much cake that I wanted everyone to enjoy it at their leisure. Turns out it was a smart choice. Everyone in attendance absolutely adored the dessert--to the point of having their moods uplifted by it. Smiles all around, from all angles. Everyone was overjoyed to see Cheerilee and I together.

Overall, I had to say that our wedding was essentially perfect.

But then, Vinyl moved some of the tables out of the way with her magic, and started up some music with a heavy bassline.

“Yo, everypony! Who wants to get down?!”

Crap, I couldn’t dance.

Subject 333: Dancing And Gifts

Cheerilee must have been able to read my mind. She could tell that I was a bit concerned about dancing, but she put me at ease.

“Don’t worry, hun,” she said, “I can’t dance very well either.”

“You can’t?” I asked with a bit of confusion in my voice.

She laughed at herself and replied. “Baby--I haven’t been on the dance floor since highschool! No one in our class could dance. In fact, the prom night was literally everyone just sort of awkwardly standing around until the counselors forced us to dance.”

Her story made me feel a lot more comfortable. I stood up from the table, and invited her to join me whilst I continued the conversation. “Oh? And how did that go?”

“They literally promised us extra pizza in the mess hall if we danced together,” she explained as she followed, “Needless to say, everyone sort of awkwardly shook themselves around like wet noodles.”

“Well I’m less like a noodle and more like a piece of dried pasta that hasn’t been cooked yet,” I remarked with a smug sort of expression on my face, “But being with you just makes it more enjoyable.”

“Well then, let’s see if you can actually back up those words.” Cheerilee took off in front of me, and started to move herself to the beats that Vinyl provided.

I, along with many others, would try to do the same thing to mixed results. As I stated, I wasn’t the best dancer in the world and could only move my body around in certain ways. Fortunately for me, Cheery wasn’t at all put off by my lack of skill--even if I did trip a few times.

From off to the side, I could hear flashes from the camera Cozy had at the ready. I could only imagine how hilariously bad our photos would end up being. Especially the ones that involved me flat on my ass trying to ‘dance.’

After a minute or two, I noticed Ms. Rights was right there with us, dancing as if she had taken lessons from a professional. I wondered where she had been...

Eventually, it started to get late. I was both tired and over the moon from all of the dancing and eating that I could have sworn that I was going to pass out. This is exactly why I refused to procure alcohol for the reception because I knew it would make things more messy than they probably would have gotten.

Right before everything concluded, Cheerilee and I made sure to open the wedding gifts we were given and show our appreciation to everyone. Chiefly of which, the gift from Miranda and Cozy--the large, rectangular item that was wrapped up. Odd considering most wedding gifts weren’t wrapped.

Anyway, we opened it to find a hoof-painted landscape that contained Cheerilee, myself, Cozy Glow, and Miranda Rights all together.

“...A picture of my new family,” Cozy explained to us, “It’s not a professional painting, but--”

From both sides, Cheerilee and I surrounded her with a tight, loving hug.

“We adore it!” she said, “This is amazing, and something we’ll cherish forever.”

“In fact, I think I’m going to frame this,” I added, “Something this good should be immortalized for the rest of eternity. And you…” I looked towards Miranda’s direction.

The older mare rolled her eyes with a faint smile. “What about me? I didn’t do much of anything, son.”

I stepped up to her, and brought her in close for a hug. “Don’t play coy, mother...I know you wanted everything to be perfect so I’m super grateful that you’d take the time to make a special wedding gift with Cozy for Cheerilee and I.”

I swore that I could have felt a tear drop from her face. But she let out a sigh, likely to cover up how emotional she felt at that moment. “Hey, hey--! Sonny, it’s fine. You’ll have plenty of time to spend with me once I move in. But this is your wedding day. Enjoy it with your new wife, alright?”

“Oh--yes, of course.”

Cozy echoed this sentiment. “I agree. You two should go on ahead and open the rest of your gifts. I’ll tell you what I want to say a bit later on in private.”

Subject 334: Final Gifts

There were loads of other gifts, but there were too many to go over one by one. So I’ll just go over the major ones. The highlights included:

A set of custom weights from Babs. Each with my and Cheerilee’s names engraved upon them.

“Marriage is about strength, yeah? Yous gonna need all of it.”

Cheerilee wasn’t sure how to react, so I spoke up for the both of us. “Thanks, Babs. Pretty...unconventional.”

Quick and Cork had apparently gotten something for us together. And it was...a pressure cooker?

“So you guys won’t have to worry about dishes all the time,” Cork said.

“It was my idea,” Quick added, “Something that you’ll both get use out of.”

“Aw, how sweet,” Cheerilee replied, “When you put it like that, it makes sense. I’ve always wanted one of these but could never bring myself to purchase one.”

Admittedly, she was right. And I had to agree. “Me neither. These things are hard to come by, so I appreciate it, you guys.”

Next was the brothers from Trottingham. The gift from Flash Drive and Neon was something rather peculiar.

A spray bottle that contained some sort of substance.

“Okay, what is this?” I demanded, “Don’t tell me you guys went and killed some sort of hell creature to get their essence or something.”

“We did not,” Neon responded swiftly.

Drive would follow this up with more details. “Zecora found a washed-up dragon and helped her out of her critical condition. In exchange, she left some scales behind and this was the result. After careful testing, we found that the scales, combined with the scent of melons, could freshen up one’s home quite nicely.”

I guess there were no prizes for guessing where the melons came from. I could only deduce that Neon was behind that. “Ah, so that’s where you came in, friend?”

The batpony chittered with a smile. “Guilty as charged, mate. I hope you both come to love it.”

“Well it looks and smells absolutely fabulous!” Cheerilee squealed, “We’ll be sure to make use of it!”

Guttersnipe’s gift was even crazier. Mainly due to how unexpected it was.

A blown glass sculpture of both Cheerilee and myself.

“...Woah, did you make this yourself?” I asked.

“Well I had a bit of help. But yeah, this is something I decided to have made for you guys. You know how much I love to be flashy.”

I had to admit, it was rather amazing. Cheerilee must have thought so as well, because all she did was stare at it in awe, unable to say a word. “...Eeee!”

Lastly, and and probably most importantly, her sister Cherry Blossom had a rather eccentric gift for us.

“I knew sis would want me to keep things simple,” she pointed at the wrapped package on the table, “So I decided to have a little fun and make you guys something myself.”

We took a look and found two sweaters. One of them was black and gray with the words, ‘Teacher’s Pet’ embroidered in blue. For Cheerilee, she was given a red and magenta one with the words, ‘Detective’s Pet’ embroidered in yellow.

Cherry Blossom held back her laughter. “...I...I hope you both like it. I spent days working on them!”

I looked at mine, then Cheerilee’s. She did the same, and we both came to the same conclusion.

“...This is...hilarious,” she threw her arms around her sister. “Thank you so much, sis! I’m gonna wear this as much as I can. It’ll be perfect for when we’re travelling together. Don’t you think so, Pale?”

I had to take another look at it, and I realized that it would be perfect on those days we would spend with each other. So you know what? I didn’t mind it at all. “Yeah...I agree.”

“Glad you like it,” Cherry Blossom replied as she hugged her sister, “You two deserve it.”

And that was pretty much all the important details regarding the wedding. After that, we bid everyone goodbye as they left for home. I really didn’t want the celebration to last too long because I knew everyone had their own lives to get back to.

Once everyone had left, Cozy had sat us down inside my house to discuss her plans for the future.

“So...I wanted to talk to you guys about something. Something important,” she started her explanation in front of us.

Cheerilee and I sat down upon the couch, and eagerly waited for her explanation.

“Go on, kiddo,” I urged her to get out what she wanted to say, “I’m ready to hear it.”

“So am I,” Cheerilee added, “We’ve been wondering what it is you’ve wanted to do ever since your life was changed.”

Cozy nodded, and pulled out a clipboard. “Well, I did some thinking...and after careful consideration of all the various professions that I could get myself into…”

Subject 335: Cozy's Future

“...I plan to become a psychiatrist,” she said, “I never want anyone to endure the same troubles that I have had to go through. So I intend to work with other troubled youths so they don’t have to end up like I did. This will also help keep prison numbers low so we can rehabilitate those in need.”

While that sounded amazing, I was a bit concerned by this choice. “Are you sure, kiddo? I mean, that’s going to require a lot of work on your end. Do you really think you’re ready for it?”

Cheerilee would add her own perspective. “And is your mental fortitude intact? It took me forever to muster the capacity to become a teacher. Is working with disturbed children something you’re prepared to do?”

Cozy took a second to pause, and promptly sigh. “...Mom, dad--let me say right now: I am easily one of the most disturbed children on this planet. I would never claim to have suffered the most, but I know what it’s like to have everyone turn their backs on me when it’s convenient for them.” She looked down at the floor, and idly rubbed her hoof in circles. “However, I also know what it’s like to be granted the support that not many can say that they’ve been offered.”

I looked at Cheerilee, and wondered just how different things would have been if I didn’t make the decision I made about what--three years ago now? Crazy how time flies. If that was the path she wanted to take, I would be more than happy to support her through her endeavors. Though, I still had a question.

“Wait a second,” I said, “Do you perhaps wish to go into that field of work to be able to work alongside us somehow?”

“...You caught me,” Cozy replied with a giggle, “I uh...yeah. I figure that if dad puts away the hardened ones, I can salvage the ones that still have some shred of empathy left. And you mom…”

Cheerilee leaned forward. “Yes? What do you have in mind for me?”

“I’d appreciate it if you could also help those who have been wronged and have had little access to education...before you retire, that is.”

“Oh don’t you worry about me,” the wife shot back, “I’m not anywhere near close to ready to give up doing what I love.”

I turned to her with a concerned gaze. “Are you certain? How many years would you estimate that you’re willing to continue working? I wouldn’t want you to burn yourself out…”

“I’d say I have at least a dozen or so good ones left in me,” she replied with a confident tone, “With our child starting to explore her new career, I want to be there right with her to explore and understand as much as she can with what I have left. Not to mention teach her a few things along the way.”

Cozy stepped forward, and threw her hooves around us both. “Thank you so much. I’m so glad that you’re both in agreement over this.”

I wasn’t exactly finished. “Well not just that. The schooling for such a thing isn’t exactly cheap. I’m willing to pay for it if need be.”

“About that,” Cozy backed away for a second, “I don’t think you’ll need to worry about that because it seems Twilight has something in place to help out individuals just like me.”

“Oh?” Cheerilee asked, “This is the first I’ve heard of such a thing. What could that be?”

“Well...she recommended a school just for people such as myself who want to pursue higher passions. Apparently Ms. Rights also went there, and it’s not very far from here. It’s going to take a while, but I feel as though I can truly make something of myself. The only problem is…” She turned away from us with a nervous set of eyes. “I’ll have to attend long classes and won’t be able to spend as much time with you guys. But I’ll make sure to come see how you’re doing when I’m able.”

Was that so? Guess I could count on her for something that helped the public at large. I could only imagine the strides she would make at this academy where she could learn how to treat aches of the mind.

Cheerilee looked at me. “What do you think, hun? Do you think she can handle it?”

“...I think she can handle just about anything,” I proclaimed, “We’ve come this far, so why should she stop now?”

“You mean...you support the idea?” Cozy asked hopefully.

I exchanged a glance with Cheerilee, and we nodded in unison.

“Absolutely,” she said, “We can’t wait to see you grow and blossom into a wonderful pony.”

“That’s right,” I added, “There’s no telling what you’ll be able to accomplish. I can’t wait to see what you do when you get older.”

At that point, she was moved to tears. She didn’t say another word. Instead, she tackled us both with tight hugs.

This was the perfect life.

Subject 336: The True End Of The End

And after that day? Well, things started to turn more and more for the better. My crewmates and I all continued to work together--even closer than we had ever done before. Seeing Cozy Glow work towards a psychiatric major pushed me further to work just as hard so that her life would be as fulfilling as possible right alongside Cheerilee and myself.

But let’s go in order to make sure things were organized, yeah? About four years have passed.

So to start, Neon would make a lot more connections--batponies and regular ponies among others. To the point where he was able to heavily bolster the Batling business and start to offer prosthetics to more individuals all over the globe--not just ponies. It worked out so well that he apparently managed to find himself a partner to settle down with. Things had finally started to work out for him as he had overcome his past traumas. I was so proud.

Flash Drive focused more on keeping relations between the zebras and the rest of the world civil. It wasn’t completely over, as there were still many conflicts to deal with on the other side of the globe, especially with the Saddle Arabian region, but that was a story for another time. What was nice to hear though, was the fact that he and Zecora had become full-time partners. Whether or not this was romantic, I wasn’t sure. But I could bet that a smooth-talker such as himself could manage to weave through Zecora’s sharp tongue.

Guttersnipe had reconnected with her friends over the years, and spent more time with them. Of course, she never neglected her work, and continued to show off the fact that she, like Neon, could prove that ponies with augmented body parts could still be sources of inspiration for those who had endured something similar. I heard her name a whole lot more in the paper, though I was never certain if she settled down with one of those friends of hers.

Among my close friend group, we continued to stay in contact throughout the years also.

Quick Draw in particular would eventually rise to the position of district attorney to represent court cases for the region of central Equestria. Her aim was to be able to stand up for those who couldn’t stand up for themselves. It was a very bold endeavor that would require a lot of tenacity. Something I respected and hoped she could find joy in. That mare always seemed ready to help others even when it was difficult for her.

Incidentally, Corkscrew was promoted to be second-in-command of our post, right behind me. In the years that followed, I saw him mature into a more stalwart, and focused stallion that never lost sight of his objective. Of course, he was still Cork. Whenever we had time off of work, we would always spend time talking about his favorite comic books--however, what surprised me was the fact that he actually started to write some of his own in his spare time. I couldn’t wait to see the final products.

The rest of the agency was well-off also. Vinyl still continued to protect and serve from the shadows. Flim and Flam were actually on the up-and-up, much to my own surprise. Hex had mentioned the fact that he was retiring, which I was in favor of. Working this job for this long and having a wife you needed to be with would likely send anyone for a loop.

As for everyone else, I still kept close tabs on them.

Sunset Shimmer and the Sirens were still fine in their own world last I checked. Which was good--I still cared about them even if they were in another dimension. Apparently they must have cared about me too--I still have the ‘Best Dad Ever’ shirts they made for me shortly after my wedding a few years ago. Needless to say, they were certainly invited to visit whenever they had the chance.

Lightning Dust eventually found her way towards a better job, and after attending her own therapy sessions, found herself in a better mental state than before. She now had a support system that consisted of loving friends who treated her like family. Scootaloo was chief of such.

Babs routinely visited as she always did for the sake of her cousin. Though she would also use some of her spare time to visit me and see how I was doing. And through those visits, I found out that she expanded her hair salon to the point of owning an entire storefront dedicated to the shampoos and other products she sold. It was amazing to say the least. We both talked about each other’s progress and bonded over the time we spent together.

The Cake Twins finally got their lives together. Pinkie found time to hire more individuals to assist with the workload at Sugarcube Corner. I had no idea when she intended to retire, but it didn’t seem as if she intended to stop anytime soon. Anyhow, because of this, Pumpkin Cake was finally able to pursue the life she wanted and study magic at the magic school in Canterlot. It was a relief to hear that she was no longer bogged down by something she had no control over.

For Pound Cake, he and Flurry Heart got closer and closer over the years. He wasn’t ready to move to the Empire to live with her yet, though. Which was understandable given how young they both were. Despite this, she would visit often, and it wouldn’t be hard to spot the two walking around Ponyville together. That aside, he was generally a happier pegasus also, and was able to pursue his passion as a cloud sculptor.

Flurry Heart specifically had also stopped by more often for the sake of Cozy. When she came by, she would always spend time to see her after Pound Cake. I appreciated it to be honest. Someone as busy as herself normally wouldn’t be able to take time to spend with others, so it was something I was happy for.

Speaking of which, Cozy Glow. After four years of schooling on various matters of mental and physical well-being, she had graduated at the top of her class and gotten a degree in mental science. Last I checked, she had actually gotten a job working with Raven Inkwell as a full-time psychiatric professional. Specifically geared towards helping children and young teens, she’s already making a name for herself with a flawless record of cases that she’s assisted with so far. I absolutely cannot wait to see her get better over time.

Miranda Rights managed to find a place and moved in right next door to me. It was awesome to see her be able to retire in peace without much interference. She’s worked so hard to keep corruption from reaching the people on the streets of Equestria’s cities. But she knew that her time was up. There wasn’t much left that she could do without pulling a muscle--but don’t tell her I said that. She’s gotten older and does need someone by her side to keep her sane. Naturally, I decided to do just that for her so that we could make up for lost time and still be a family. She absolutely adored Cheerilee and Cozy, so it was easy to make things click into place.

And myself.

What is there to say, really? My life was essentially perfect. However, the world doesn’t stop turning. And with that, it also doesn’t stop having cases that need to be solved. I work hard to keep my home safe. Equestria, while in a much better place than it was a few years ago, was still in need of a few repairs. Repairs that only my team and I could fix. It would be a long, hard road, but we’d all would find some way to manage through all of it. For we have the chops needed to change this entire world. A world that is slowly becoming painted with the blood, sweat, and tears of our efforts. For we are--!

“...Hun? Are you home? Don’t tell me you’re busy talking into that tape recorder again!”

...Guess I need to cut this short.

“Uh, no I--” I try to hide the device, but to no avail. Cheerilee comes strolling into my bedroom while shaking her head.

“Tsk, tsk, tsk--someone needs to learn how to take a break,” she beckons me away from my desk, “Now come, Pale. I need your help with some heavy items in my house. And I do mean heavy.”

The eyes she makes at me. She’s as subtle as a ton of bricks on a stagecoach. “Yeah, yeah, I’m coming.”

This case was closed.

Subject 1: Schoolteacher

“I don’t understand it. So much right with the world and yet so much so wrong. Is it really the best way to handle things? I wonder…” I sat at my desk, thinking about the state of affairs in Equestria. Several documents laid out before me such as old files from the Mayor’s office and a few books from the library that detailed the creation of different types of magic artifacts. “Dammit. I’m getting nowhere. Maybe I should pack up and head home.”

Me? I was a typical worker in the system, trying to make life easier from the shadows. Earth Pony. Gray coat, black mane, and a killer sense of justice. The name? Pale Vestige.

“Sir! The precinct is all closed down for the day!” A cream-colored mare with a black mane appeared from behind the door to my office, one of my deputies. Quick Draw. “Oh...are you still thinking about that again? You know it’s rather pointless, right? You should get home soon. It’s gonna start raining.”

“I’m aware,” I grabbed a hat and coat from a nearby rack and put it on. It was my usual investigative attire. “But still. A society that’s blind to the actions of its ruler isn’t much of a society is it? I’m just pondering multiple points of view.”

And that set her off. She scoffed, seemingly unfazed by my attempts to persuade her. No matter, she was always stubborn. But that’s what made her so good at her job. “Suit yourself sir. I’ve done my job for the day so I’m gonna be heading home now.” With no further words, she exited the building with a gallant trot. It was a detective agency in the middle of Ponyville. Or rather, hidden under the guise of an antique shop.

I was the last to leave the building that night. Now on my own, I decided to head out on the grassy road. Quiet. Just how I liked it.

“It’s been a while since Cozy Glow was imprisoned along with the rest of the Legion of Doom. Strange name for a team up but whatever. Many of us still think that the filly should’ve been offered a second chance. Yes, she was dangerous and nearly caused mass destruction. And yet many of the princesses’s other enemies in the past did the same. They even extended a hoof to Queen Chrysalis. The tyrant who tried to destroy the entire Crystal Empire and the world on multiple occasions. It just doesn’t add up…”

My mental wheel was spinning. It was hard to think with so much, and yet, so little going on all at once. Maybe Quick Draw was right. Perhaps it was time for me to hang it up--

“Oof!”

I took a tumble. Turns out I had bumped into someone who rounded the corner. “My apologies,” I swiftly rose to my hooves and checked to see if the other pony was alright. A mare, purple with a pink mane. She seemed familiar...ah yes. The teacher at the local schoolhouse.

“Oh no it’s alright,” she got up as well. Thankfully, with not so much as a scratch on her. “A little bump never hurt anyone. We’ve all dealt with far worse, am I right?” She said with a giggle. An attempt to make the best of an awkward moment. Good move on her part.

I decided to indulge in it as well with a laugh of my own. “Haha! Yes...far worse. I’ve been under a lot of stress due to paperwork lately, so forgive me. I should generally be more careful.”

“Ugh, tell me about it. Scribbling down the same signatures and grades over and over and over will make anypony go mad,” she said with her eyes comically spinning around to match her delirious state of agony, “Luckily I already have ways to calm myself down if need be. Clears the mind and readies me for my next set of work.”

Impressive. I didn’t suspect someone like her to have such detailed abilities to manage. Then again, teaching children is one of the most daunting tasks in the world. Almost as hard as saving it. “Hm. Perhaps I could learn a thing or two from you. You seem to have it all figured out.”

She shook her head in a bashful manner, rubbing her left hoof against her right. Seems she wasn’t one to brag about herself. I respected that. “Oh no. I’m nothing special. We teachers have to keep everything in place unless we wanna lose our minds--oh dear. I didn’t introduce myself! My name is Cheerilee. It’s nice to meet you sir.”

Her hoof extended for a hoofshake, so I accepted. Would be rude not to, after all. “Pale Vestige, at your service. And I concur, it’s very nice to meet you too, Ms. Cheerilee.” After the friendly shake, I started on my way again. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to be going.”

“Will you be alright? Looks like quite the storm coming…”

At first, I ignored her concern. “I will be fine, thank you.”

And yet, to my horror, I felt a wet droplet hit the top of my head. Then two, then four, then a dozen. The accident led me to forget my deputy’s words regarding the weather. But no matter. I wouldn’t be deterred. Everything would be fine if I just--

ZAP!

Lightning struck, followed by an admittedly comical sequence of a complete downpour would occur around me. I was immediately drenched from head to hoof, and my home was too far away to deal with these conditions. “...Gah.”

For better or worse, the schoolteacher ran up to me. “I live right nearby! Come in and dry off until it clears!”

“Really I--woah!” Before I could get another word in, she had already grabbed my hoof and practically dragged me to her home. The fellow Earth Pony wouldn’t take no for an answer. Though, I had no room to refuse, given that these weather conditions were atrocious.

She tossed me a towel, so I used it to dry myself off. I flicked my tail to get rid of the rest, “Thank you. You’re too kind…” and I immediately felt guilty for accepting her offer.

“It’s no trouble for a fellow quill pusher. Since you were so kind to apologize after that little tumble, I figured I should return the favor,” she sat down in a rocking chair with a book. Such hospitality was lost on me since I never really took favors. It was made even more awkward when she allowed me to rest. “Well? Don’t just stand there. Take a seat. You must be awfully tired from your work. Would you like some tea?”

Once again, I was beaten by the logic of kindness. True indeed, my late work hours had proved difficult. So I accepted yet again, taking a seat on the couch. “...Thank you very much, ma’am. But I’m okay. You don’t need to go out of your way for me.” As if I needed more arrows of guilt fired into my chest.

“Well, if you’re sure. But don’t be afraid to ask, hm?”

I shut my eyes for a moment. My cases had been rather relaxing lately, and yet there was something on my mind: Cozy Glow. Did she really deserve to be locked away like Tirek and Chrysalis? Was there some other way that could’ve proven better for her? Did they try to reach out to her? Something was--

EEEEEE!

“AH!” I leapt from my seat and assumed a combat stance, prepared to turn any of the objects in the room around me into a weapon. Until I realized that I made a complete dunce of myself. The mare was simply removing the kettle from her stove. “Ugh…” I dropped my stance, completely embarrassed at myself.

Wait a second…

“She deals with kids all the time…” I muttered under my breath. I wonder what exactly her opinion would be on such matters. It’d be a good way to start off my report at the very least. But first, I needed to break the proverbial ice. “Ahem--Ms. Cheerilee? On second thought...maybe I will accept some tea.”

“Oh? Alrighty, then. Would you like extra sugar?”

“Please.”

We sat down for a moment as we sipped tea. I listened to her small rants about her troublesome students, and how she would often feel the desire to physically remove her mane with her own two hooves. I can relate, albeit somewhat.

“...and then don’t even get me started on Snips and Snails. But you know? I appreciate you taking the time to listen. My friend--the Mayor--she’s equally busy as I so we never have the chance to talk like this outside our lunch breaks.”

“I hear that, but now I have a question for you.”

“Oh?”

I took another sip from my warm cup, and placed it on the coffee table. “You are aware of the events regarding the saving of the world? And how multiple high-level fugitives were put to stone?”

“Mm-hmm. Why do you ask, Mr. Vestige?”

“Well…I want your opinion on something. Or rather, someone. Cozy Glow in particular.” As soon as her name left my lips, the teacher’s expression became uncertain. Her eyes slowly leaned towards the left as she sipped her tea.

“Cozy Glow…I remember. The filly…”

“I’m aware the subject matter is sensitive, but I need your honest thoughts: Do you think she deserved imprisonment? To my knowledge, she was never given the opportunity to redeem herself in the ways that Discord and Starlight Glimmer were. I’ve only heard whispers of the punishment being unfair, but never any outward speech.”

I readied my notepad, secretly eager to hear her response. The schoolteacher set her tea down and took a deep exhale. “...She could have easily been a child in my class. That’s what saddens me the most. She was a dangerous, and chaotic filly that deserved to learn a lesson. But to be in stone for eternity? I...do not feel that’s right. At the very least, she should’ve been given the chance to come down and learn to walk the right path. But now she never will…”

Once she finished speaking, she picked up her tea again. My heart felt like it had been removed all the sudden. No beat whatsoever. So it was true that certain people didn’t feel like she had been done justice. “I’m sorry to hear that. But...does this mean you think Twilight and the other princesses made a wrong decision?”

Another heavy exhale from the purple mare. The conversation had already taken a toll on her, and the amount of culpability brewing in my chest was thick enough to scoop like ice cream.

“I do. I don’t think they made the right choice. But as a mere teacher, it’s not my place to question their decisions. They’ve been ruling for as long as we can remember, so I’m sure their intentions are beyond our comprehension.”

“I...understand. And please forgive me for dumping such a heavy load on you at this hour. You don’t deserve such--”

She cut me off with a wave of her hoof, “Shh, shh. It’s fine. I deal with sad stories from time to time, so I don’t mind. I hope that I could help you in your investigation, Mr. Vestige.”

“You have. Very much so. And please, call me Pale. Mr. Vestige was my father.” A classic joke to hopefully lighten the mood.

That got a chuckle out of her, thankfully. “Hehehe. Pale it is.”

At last, the weather had cleared. The night sky was as beautiful as ever with the stars darting against the moonlight. With that in mind, I rose from the couch. “Thank you for your hospitality, Cheerilee. But now that the weather has given me mercy, I shall be taking my leave.”

“Oh, okay! Let’s have another chat sometime, whenever you’re free!”

After all that, I wouldn’t dare turn her down. “Of course. Goodnight ma’am.” I left the house, and headed towards my own. The quiet, fresh night air beaming into my muzzle. It felt good to be out again, knowing that I’d be home in my bed soon. But moreover, knowing that there are people out there who disagree with the teachings of the Princesses made me more inquisitive. Just what else could be improved upon in this vast place we call Equestria?

I smirked, knowing full well what my next move would be.

The game’s ahoof.

Subject 2: Schoolboard Socialite

With the knowledge I gained from the schoolteacher, there had to be other sentiments that ponies were either too afraid or too foolish to express openly. So the very next day, I decided to raise the stakes. Or hay. Whichever sounded cooler. In any case, since I had gotten the opinion of one of the school teachers, my next logical leap would be to pay a visit to the head of the school board herself: Spoiled Rich.

I approached the mansion in the middle of the town. Large hedges on all sides were guarding it with the most pristine front gate made of gold I ever witnessed. They sure weren’t shy about flaunting their wealth were they? But wealth alone didn’t define one’s character. I got closer to the gate, and it seemed to open on its own. Was I being expected?

“Hello?” I called out? No response. I figured I should at least head up to the front door to see if I was being welcomed. Huge risk, I know. But the pursuit of knowledge knew no bounds with me. “Guess they know I’m here,” I shrugged and started to walk up the path. It wasn’t too long, and the yard was well-kept. A fountain, several hedges within that were cut into the shapes of ponies, a massive bed of flowers over to my right. It was as if those living here did this to give something for the visitors to be impressed by on their way to the door.

Well they certainly got me.

By now, the front gate had closed behind me, and I was standing in front of the massive double doors of the estate. “Hmm…” I raised my hoof to knock ever so slightly before the door was promptly answered--much to my eyebrow-raised shock.

“A visitor? During the day from a common pony? This better be worth my time,” the surly mare with an up-turned nose ‘greeted’ me. Well, it was more like a mere acknowledgement than a greeting. “Are you attempting to sell me something?”

The slight wrinkles below her eyes indicated she was either overworked or constantly annoyed. No prizes for guessing which. Even so, I would attempt to be polite with a tip of my hat. “Hello, Madam. My name is Pale Vestige. I’m actually here to ask you a few questions regarding--”

“If it’s insurance, ask my fool of a husband. He’s the one who handles that nonsense.” She couldn’t look more uninterested if she tried, preferring to check the state of her mane. Did she really think I was a debt collector?

“No no, Madam. I’m here about questions regarding the state of affairs in Equestria. As a high profile official of Ponyville, I decided you would be the best choice to speak with next.”

She stared at me for a moment. First with a look of confusion, then a half-lidded gaze of intrigue. “Oh, so that’s what you’re here for, dear boy? Luckily for you, my husband isn’t home and my daughter is at school all day. I have the house to myself. Come with me.” She beckoned me inside with her hoof like a stray cat. I would’ve felt insulted but there was no time for that. I was in, and that’s what mattered. The massive foyer was certainly a sight to behold. “Please be careful and don’t touch anything. Each item in his home costs more than your house.”

As much as I hated to admit it, she looked to be correct. All around me I notice valuable items such as vases, antique teapots, paintings along the walls. Each one alone looked like it would be worth a fortune. Even the velvet carpet beneath our hooves was rather lavish.

“This way, boy,” she led me up a wide flight of stairs that took us out of the foyer and up to the next floor. While I did feel disdain towards the term ‘boy,’ I accepted it, given how old she probably was.

“Yes, Madam,” I answered swiftly as I continued to follow her up. Now the flooring would switch from warm carpeting to prestigious black tile flooring that had bits of infused pearls. I was impressed by the artistry on display. The contractors certainly had their hooves full.

At last, we arrived at a room with doors nearly as massive as the one’s for the front entrance. She pushed it open, and led me to yet another luxurious room. There were two comfortable looking white sofas, more art lining the walls, and a massive coffee table with placemats for an assortment of snacks. This had to be the room where she had private discussions with guests. Made sense. My office was essentially the same.

“Sit,” she commanded me while she took a seat opposite of me. “So you want to discuss important things about society with me?”

“Correct. And to get your opinion on a few things. Is that alright with you?”

The older mare had the smallest of grins. I could tell that, deep down, she really wanted to brandish her knowledge of the upper echelon to a ‘commoner’ such as myself. Her eyes displayed a sense of excitement that only the keenest of eyes could suss out. Yep. I knew it.

“Oh it’s no problem at all, my boy. Please, ask away. Would you like some cider? Oh don’t worry, the regular kind.”

I suppose it couldn’t hurt, “Sure. If it’s not too much trouble.”

To my surprise, she rose from her seat. She then proceeded to enter a nearby mini-fridge and grab the cider as well as a pair of mugs. Quite unexpected. I thought she would’ve had servants to do things like that for her. But I wouldn’t comment on it. At least, not yet. Now wasn’t the time.

“Here you are,” she nudged a fizzy mug towards me, and I would take it with a grateful smile.

“Thank you. Now first, I would like to ask your stance on the way the Princesses rule the land.”

She looked up from her glass and raised an eyebrow. Such a question was lost on her. “My stance? On how they rule? Heh, boy when you’re as busy as me, things like that aren’t on your mind.”

“How so?”

“I’m far too busy handling the funding of the school district to worry about what the eternal alicorns do in their spare time. There’s bills to run, files to manage, and that damn water boy still hasn’t arrived with the cases yet.”

So she truly did have a lot on her plate. I initially pegged her for the type to sit at home all day or go out spending her husband’s money, given that she married into the Rich family. Was I wrong already? Time to change my approach. “Okay that’s fair. However, let me ask you something else. If you could improve the way society is in some manner, what would it be?”

“Hmm…” she looked up for a moment, her hoof tapped the bottom of her chin before it came to her. “That’s quite easy. If it were up to me, I’d fund a special school for Earth Ponies.”

Hang on, Earth Ponies? Given that I was one myself, I was most definitely interested. My eyes beamed with interest, growing wider by the second. “Would you--ahem. Could you elaborate, Madam?”

She took another sip from her mug and began explaining. “Well there’s the School for Gifted Unicorns. You know of it, yes?”

“That I do. It’s the location that Twilight once attended.”

“And you know of the Wonderbolt Academy, yes?”

“Correct. That’s where Rainbow Dash went.”

“And yet nothing like that at all for the Earth Ponies. You catch my drift, boy?”

I blinked once, twice. Then it dawned on me. Yet again the prestigious mare was correct. While there were institutions dedicated to Unicorns and Pegasi, there was no such thing for Earth Ponies in particular. “...Huh. You do make a point. Earth Ponies don’t have any special location to hone their race-specific abilities.”

This was something that clearly annoyed the head of the board. With a roll of her eyes, she lied down on the small couch, resting on her side. “I am no expert on magic or the finer details, but if there were something like that for Earth Ponies, we’d be way more efficient.”

“I see,” my notes were out, that pencil scribbling away with the eraser clenched between my teeth. Then another thought came to me. “Wait a second, just why does this matter to you? I-I mean, from an outsider’s perspective, would this really help things.”

She started to stretch with her back against the cushion. “I quite frankly don’t see why not. Listen, boy. Between you and me, I think that the Earth Ponies and their talents are being wasted.”

“Wasted?”

“Absolutely. Think about all those Unicorns at the school of magic learning to further their variety of spellcasting. And imagine all of those Pegasi flying around and honing their skills to be the best fliers. What do Earth Ponies get? Nothing special. And just so we’re clear, I hold no animosity towards the other races. It’s not their fault that they were given extra special treatment. I just want things to be even, you know?”

I had to think about it for a moment. But the idea of a special Earth Pony institution didn’t sound like a bad idea. However, the main problem arose when I thought about it even more. Just what special abilities did Earth Ponies have compared to the other races? “I wonder...if that’s possible. I have heard that EPs such as ourselves have a closer connection to the earth and are able to grow food more efficiently. Which is exactly how Ponyville was founded.”

“How clever of you. Read up on your history, hm? But there’s more to it than that. My husband’s father started a business selling Zap Apple Jam provided by Granny Smith and her family. That’s pretty much what drew everyone in. And here we are.”

“I see...so is it possible that we have deeper ties to the earth that could allow use to control it?”

That’s where the mare’s knowledge ran thin, “Pegasus control the skies, and Unicorns control the arcane. So it’d stand to reason that we could control the earth. But beyond that, I’m afraid I’ve got nothing else, boy.”

I gave a nod. “Makes sense to me. I’ll pass this onto my fellow crew members.”

Unfortunately, she wasn’t done. She got up again, and went to a nearby bookshelf. “Now where is it...aha!” An old leather book was held in her teeth. Now she sat next to me, showing off the photos inside. The first one was a photo of the Zap Apple stand and its long line of customers on its grand opening. “Here, see? This was the first time it opened. And what led to the founding of this town. It’s annoying at times, but I come across rather entertaining individuals every now and again. Nowadays, I’m mostly making sure my daughter follows what she wants in life.”

“How...inspiring. There’s probably lots of hidden potential in our species that hasn’t yet been discovered. Whether small or large scale.”

“Tch, I can guaran-damn-tee that if the Empire Princess’ baby--what was her name again?”

“Flurry Heart.”

“Her, yeah. If she was an Earth Pony at birth, how much fanfare do you think there would’ve been, boy? Just as much? Little? None at all?.”

I was stumped. That question was literally impossible to answer. No one could know for sure if there was that much of a divide among the races that something like that could occur? “I...can’t answer that--”

Before I could finish my sentence, I felt her hoof around my neck. “Ah, I’m just messing with you, boy. Expecting you to answer something like that would be unrealistic.”

It was awkward, being so close to the mare who was old enough to easily be my own mother. She must’ve got the hint because she let go in a matter of seconds. “Ahem--I see now, heh…”

“So, is there anything else I can answer for you, boy?”

“Yes, one last question: What is your opinion on the imprisonment of one named Cozy Glow?”

A pause, and the mother pony would take a moment to recall the events of how the world was saved not long ago. “Oh her. To be honest when I think of her, I thought of my daughter. Not long ago, the little scamp called me out for being overbearing. She was right. I was getting way too involved in her personal life and taught her how to be nasty. Once I realized that she wasn’t having it anymore, I figured why bother? Maybe that’s what that child dealt with also.”

“You think overbearing parents is what may have caused her to become evil?”

The mare sighed in defeat. “If it made my daughter act that way, who’s to say it wouldn’t make that filly go even further? Now I’m glad I stopped bothering Diamond Tiara. I couldn’t bear it if she ended up like Cozy. And I mean that. I love her. But my teachings were only what my mother taught me, so it was the way I raised my child.”

I was no expert on her side of the family, so I couldn’t very well comment on that. “Well, as long as you learn from your mistakes, then you’ve improved as a pony, Madam.”

She laughed with a bit of a snort. “Ha! A compliment coming from a common boy that isn’t about my appearance? What is the world coming to?”

“Back on the main subject at hoof. So you disagree with the imprisonment of the filly?”

Another laugh. If this was a comedy routine, I’d be making millions right about now. “Haha! Boy, there’s dozens of things in this world that I disagree with. Maybe they should’ve tried to find her parents, if you ask me. They deserve the punishment since they didn’t take care of their child right. I would know. I’ve been there,” her daze turned somber, with feelings of regret brewing in her eyes.

I chose to end the discussion there. The last thing I wanted was a sad mare in my sight. So I gave her a hug, “As I said. As long as you’re improving yourself, there’s no need to fret, Madam.”

I couldn’t see her face, but her expression softened. Her muscles relaxed, and she started to feel comforted by it. The strangest part is that she didn’t really return it until after a few seconds. Almost as if she hadn’t experienced a genuine hug in a while. “...Thank you. Is there anything else you wish to ask?”

“No no, that’s all. I appreciate you taking the time to speak with me, Madam Rich,” I responded before letting go. I didn’t want to make her anymore uncomfortable than I already did.

She got up and put the book away. I could tell from her dropping eyes that she wished for me to stay longer. But alas, I didn’t want my visit to turn into something suspicious.

We went back downstairs and she led me to the door. Before I headed out, she stopped me. “Listen, boy. If you ever need to speak about anything again, don’t be afraid to come back. Like I said earlier, my husband is usually out all day and doesn’t come home until the late evening. And my daughter prefers to spend more time with her friends. It gets boring around here, so if you’re ever free again, don’t be afraid. If you need anything, and I do mean anything, be sure to return,” she said with a wink.

“Yeah, right.” That wasn’t going to happen. Given just how much power she held, the last thing I wanted was to be roped into something I wasn’t prepared for. Despite this, I responded amicably, “Oh. If it’s no trouble, then I suppose I wouldn’t mind.”

“And take this.”

A bag of bits was shoved in my face. She did it so quickly that you’d swear it was second nature. “Um...excuse me?”

“Take it. I’m buying your silence. Opinions such as the ones I shared could prove controversial.”

“Oh no. My reports are always anonymous,” and yet, regardless of my words, she insisted. Yet again, my weakness of guilt was exploited. “...but for you, I’ll accept.” I took the bits. There had to be at least 200 in there. On the bright side, this could allow me to purchase real food for a while instead of pigging out on junk.

I trotted down the steps of the estate, and the mare would snidely comment behind my back. “Good. Now begone, common boy,” and the door was promptly slammed shut. Was that a genuine distaste for who I was? Or was it a show to ensure her status as a snobby older mare was intact? Doesn’t matter. I got free money.

Or was it? Was I just bought? Would this come back to bite me in my flank and my puzzle-piece cutie mark?

“It’s times like this where I wonder just how the world would be different if everyone could be honest,” I mumbled to myself yet again. With the bits and notes all tucked away in my coat, I set off down the road yet again, planning my next course of action.

I need to buy some real food.

Subject 12: Mysterious Bearings and Idle Chatter

“Get behind it,” I readied my blaster to fire again, and the young stallion nodded. I fired a few highly compressed shots of soundwaves at the beast and successfully drew its attention. It started to charge at me.

This would allow Pumpkin to snag the paper via levitation. “Got it. Give me a minute…” Now she would be busy with her job to decipher the runes. I sincerely hoped she was as good as magic as she said she was.

And I also hoped her brother was as dependable. “Hey! Hurry up! This thing is about to have my flank!” I shouted, and ran as fast as I could. The bugbear’s roar like a giant oven that heated the rear side of my body in preparation for consumption.

“I got this. Like a video game…” The stallion swooped in, the hammer made of cloud clenched tightly within his hooves as he rounded for a powerful swing, “I’m playing it!”

CLANG!

Incredible! I didn’t think it was possible, but the hammer made of clouds actually struck as hard as a real one would have. Not only that, but it dazed the bugbear for a moment, its face as flat as the side of the hammer it was struck with.

“Ha! Gottem!”

“...So you can alter the density of clouds and shape them into weapons? How exemplary…”

“Ha! These kinds of clouds are made special from the factory. No need to thank me--wah!” The beast grabbed him with its four arms. I panicked and prepared to charge the animal, but once more, Pound Cake was unafraid, “Don’t hit it! I got this!”

He ‘reloaded’ with another bit of cloud tucked under his wings that he crafted into a baseball bat. “Here it is!”

WHACK!

A vicious smack from the cloud bat resulted in Pound being released from the monster’s grip as it took a tumble.

“Whoo, I’m battin’ a thousand!”

I had no idea what he just said. “Um...whoo?”

“Just gotta hit him like this two more times. It’s how all the bosses work.”

Yet again, I had no clue what he meant. “What?”

“Just lemme take the lead on this one, gramps.”

Meanwhile, Flurry was high in the sky. She observed the ground within a mile’s radius since that was the physical distance limit one would have to constraint themselves to in order to keep this spell active. “Where could you be…”

She cast a force dome around the perimeter. The culprit wouldn’t be able to escape even if they wanted to. However, she had to be careful now. “Okay...that’s two top-tier spells...I only have one more. Stupid magic cap…” She hung her head in disappointment. She blinked. Something moved along the forest floor. “Aha…”

Flurry, now having reverted to her normal form, would land and trot around the trees, using her magic to give them a light shake. “Peek-a-boooo…”

Unbeknownst to her, someone had managed to sneak behind her. They fired off a magic blast!

Luckily, she reflected with an automatic force field that went up to keep her safe. “Ha! Dad’s spell actually came in handy this time! Alright, perp. Show yours--”

They immediately turned tail and ran.

“Oh no you don’t! Get back here!” Her horn activated, and engaged an attraction spell. Gravity, that is. The culprit would be pulled back to her by force with no way of escaping.

Or so she thought.

Until they activated a gravity spell of their own which nullified Flurry’s! The result stunned her for a second. “Damn. That was my last one!” With no other options, she chased the individual down with raw flight.

“Woah!” I leapt out of the way at the last possible second and fired a controlled soundwave into its face, which forced it back a few yards. “Yes. A clean strike.”

Pound used his feathers to fling clouds that were shaped into ninja daggers. “Okay gramps you gotta tell me where you got that.”

“It’s a miniature version of the 115 Thundergun--beyond that, I’m not allowed to say, kid.”

“Pff, figures.” The flurry of cloud knives didn’t do as much damage as the blunt weaponry and only served to agitate the insectoid bear even further. It flew into the air, with its stinger at the ready. “Get down!”

As that one bit of dialogue from the book stated, the bugbear would begin to shoot its projectile venom at us. Globs of purple goo that looked a bit like jelly. But I knew how bad normal bee venom was. This would likely cause swelling, itching, and--that was it!

“Right here!”

“Old man, are you crazy?!”

I slipped my hoof through the lever and cocked it, “Watch this, son,” I assured him right before I fired it. The soundwave sent the bear’s own venom right back at it.

“GRAAAAAGH!” It started to itch and swell from its own venom as it soaked into its fur. Now it would be too busy scratching to properly attack us.

“Yes! How’s that for an old timer?”

Pound shrugged as he hovered in the air, “Not bad.”

That’s when his sister finally spoke up. “Okay! It’s done!” She waved the piece of paper around with her magic, “The runes are all undone. You just need to lead her back into the page!”

“Her?”

“Duh, only girl bees can sting. Didn’t you listen in Biology class, Pound?!”

“I was too busy in Graphic Design for that!”

I clapped my hooves, “Ahem! Let’s go with the plan! And pray to Cadence that your marefriend has found the creep that caused this…”

She was getting closer. “I have you now! You’re not getting away!” The edge of the dome she had erected was in sight. There was no way anypony could break through that. It was an alicorn dome!

“AW, COME ON!”

Except they did just that. Somehow, some way, her enemy had tore a hole through the dome and escaped. But not completely unscathed. Flurry noticed something along the jagged edge of the dome where it had been broken out of.

“A...cloth?” She picked it up with her hoof, and sniffed it. Then she turned it over to find a letter. “...Hmmm…”

“Alright, bro. You got it?” The gold unicorn held the paper aloft like a target, excited as she hopped in place.

“We’re ready...now...run!”

The pegasus and I both ran away from the beast, which made it chase after us directly. Blindly. It was almost a thrill I could enjoy, if it weren’t for the potentially venomous stinger that looked ready to fire at us again.

“Shiiiit!” I screamed as we both dove into the bushes behind Pumpkin.

The bugbear was promptly sucked into the page, right back where it belonged. “Yes! Eeee! I can’t wait to add this to my next chapter!”

“Yeah we’re fine,” Pound groaned as he spat out dirt, “Thanks for askin’.”

“I’m kidding, I’m kidding,” the sister comforted her brother with healing magic. “You know you’ll always be my top priority.”

Meanwhile, I was impressed with the sheer degree of magical prowess she displayed at such a young age. “Pumpkin, was it? Just how did you manage to undo summoning runes? Isn’t that a high-level spell?”

“Hm? Oh I’ve always been a prodigy at magic or whatevs. Mom and dad say they wanna enroll me in the School for Gifted Unicorns but I denied it.”

“How come?”

“There’s three problems with that.” She had conjured a duster to clean her brother off, “For one, it’d be too expensive. They’d have to work extra hard to shave off that debt. Two, mom and dad are getting...errr...aged. They need as much help as they can get around the bakery. Pinkie’s invincible but she works whenever she wants it seems.

I nodded. Twas a shame she couldn’t pursue what she wanted, but noble that she stuck by her family. “And the third?”

“The most important one: Somepony has to keep watch over this nutcase and make sure he does his chores,” she put a hoof around Pound’s neck.

To which he gave a rebuttal, “What she means is that she’d be too stressed out and needs me to help her relax.”

They both took a mean look at each other before it turned into laughter. It was always nice to see two siblings get along for a change.

That’s when Flurry flew back in, “I have good news and bad news.” The twins stopped so they could liste, “Bad news is that our burglar pony got away. Good news is that they left something behind.”

She levitated a piece of fabric into my hoof. It felt like satin and had a gold trim. I flipped it over and saw it had the letter ‘A’ on it. “Hm. Some kinda emblem, maybe?”

“No idea. But I think we scared the perp off. No more books will be taken from here on.”

“That’s good,” Pumpkin commented, “We sure wouldn’t want Princess Twilight to have to come down here.”

“But I wonder what it could mean,” Pound said as he took a look at the piece I held.

“Alright, alright,” I put it in a plastic bag and tucked it into my vest as evidence. “What’s important now is that you two get home before your parents do.”

Flurry agreed with a nod, “Yup. Don’t worry. I’ll shoulder the responsibility. It was my idea to bring them out here anyways. Cakes, you go on ahead. I’ll catch up.”

“Hey wait, I need to know more about that Thundergun!”

Pound’s protests fell on deaf ears when Pumpkin levitated him into the air, “Some other time, bro! Can’t you tell the princess is busy?”

“Aw come on!”

“Don’t you and the guys have a game or something to get to?”

He blinked as he remembered his plans. “Oh yeah! Hey, hurry up!”

I chuckled and waved as they departed, now it was just me and the Heart Princess. “What did you want to speak about.”

“That has to be some kind of insignia,” she explained with a worried look in her eye, “I’m not sure who it could belong to, but it’s entirely possible you were led out here with the intent to harm. I dunno who, but it could be someone against your ideas.”

“I see...well don’t worry. I’ve been knocked down before.”

She smiled, “That’s good. And as thanks for keeping Pound Cake safe, take this,” she pulled something out of her mane. A golden ticket.

An express pass to Silver Shoals Resort.

Surprising for sure. But the only way she could’ve found out about that was…

“Woah...hey wait a minute. Were you able to hijack my dream?!”

“Maaaaybe?” she responded with a half-hearted grin.

A generous offer I couldn’t refuse. This was my only method of getting to meet with the Princess of the Sun in a reasonable way. So I took it. “I...appreciate this, Flurry.”

“Don’t mention it. Seriously. I’ve got enough trouble at home.” She giggled and changed herself back to her disguised Pegasus form with glasses, “Well, I’m headed back. I’ll go tell the pony at the bookstore what happened. See ya!” She took off and waved as she left.

Maybe they weren’t so uptight after all, these alicorns. But I had yet to meet the oldest and biggest--the alicorn of the sun. So I had to reign in my expectations for now. Even so, that cloth with a letter ‘A’ on it was worrying. What could it stand for? What could it mean?

Horse apples. This was meant to be my day off. Why did it have to devolve into more tactical brain usage?

I went back. Once I returned home, I grabbed a lawn chair and placed it in my front yard. I was determined to relax and calm myself down off of the stress I had experienced through all the combat and watching the children. Yeesh, I would not make a good foalsitter.

I flopped, and put some headphones in to listen to music. Unfortunately, I could not get a moment’s rest, as my favorite teacher in the world trotted up to greet me.

“Mr. Pale! Hello!”

I removed the ear buds, “Ah, Ms. C. How are things going?”

“Great, actually. Spoiled Rich and the Mayor both agreed to fund the Earth Pony-centric lessons, and Tree Hugger has offered her services as a teacher! We’re making loads of progress!”

How nice. It was beautiful to witness these ponies try something new for a change. “Well isn’t that nice?”

“Yes! Well, except for one teensy little detail.”

“Hm?”

“We need approval from the Education Association to enact these lessons. As well as Princess Twilight. But well...we’re nervous,” her ears dropped.

“Nervous? Why?”

“Because, something like this has never been opened before. We’re not sure if they would agree.”

I felt that. It was always very scary when you presented new ideas to those above you. I decided to accommodate the schoolteacher like she had done for me many times before. I retrieved a second lawn chair from inside, and placed it next to my own. “Here, Cheerilee. Take a load off with me.”

“Oh, you’re too kind, thank you.” She accepted, and sat on the chair next to me, “So anyway, we’re not really sure how Twilight and the Board would react.”

“Makes sense to have that sort of fear. Ponies naturally fear the unknown or unfamiliar. A new idea like this would take some time,” I put my hooves behind my head. Then I suddenly had an idea. “But what if...we could run the idea by a different princess to get an idea of what Twilight would say?”

She shot me a confused look, “Huh?”

“Maybe if...I could potentially speak to Celestia and run it by her, then it could make things smoother.”

“What?” Her eyes shot open, “Would you do that? I wouldn’t want to trouble you…”

I shrugged. “Hey, I was the one that sorta suggested it to you, didn’t I? If anything, I should bear that responsibility of presenting the new ideas to them.”

“Oh no, no, no!” She waved her hooves back and forth, “There’s no need for that, sir!”

“Relax, Ms. C. She’s the next pony on my list that I intend to talk to anyways.” I thought about that golden ticket that was tucked into my vest. “It’s just another day for me, really.”

Her worried expression turned into a sad, then hopeful one as she heard my words. “I...well, if you’re sure. Thank you so much for your efforts. And I do hope your pleas for Cozy Glow are heard.”

“It ain’t nothing for a stallion of the law such as myself,” I turned to the side of the chair and rose to my hooves, “Would you like some tea? I’ve been brewing it more instead of coffee lately since you’ve got me hooked on the stuff.”

“I know, right?” her face lit up in agreement, “coffee is great and all, but as you get older, it stains and slowly rots your te--”

“..eeth!” I finished her sentence and we both laughed. “I know. I’m getting on in years also. But the last thing I want is my smile to be destroyed. Which kind would you like? I even have the rock tea straight from crystalized Empire leaves.”

“Ooh!” She clapped her hooves, “Let’s try it. And then we can start talking about our newer experiences that we’ve gained as we age!”

A topic like that? This teacher was certainly full of surprises. “What? Did you and the Mayor have that talk, and now you want to hear a stallion rant about his aging problems too?”

I snickered into my hoof as she stuttered out a response, “W--hey! It’s a completely valid topic! I don’t hear what stallions have to say very often.”

“I joke, I joke. I’ll be right back with the tea.”

As much as I wanted to deny it, she was right. The experiences of stallions and mares as they aged were a bit different. And given the sheer amount of mares that were around, I imagined it was hard to have a male friend explain his perspective of life as well as his woes.

So I did, I returned to Cheerilee with hot tea, and we sipped it as we discussed our problems. How much we didn’t understand current generation video games, the trouble understanding the language of younger ponies, and how young stallions felt pressured to find mares by their peers since there were just so many.

“...and don’t even get me started on the high school dance! There were so many of us girls that we had to constantly rotate partners! The Mayor and I felt so awkward.”

“I can feel that. At my school, we simply had a dance-off among the mares and stallions and the winners of both would be named king and queen of the floor.”

She gasped, “Didja win?”

I thought about it for a second, “Nope. I wasn’t much of a dancer. Got four left hooves. But it was fun to stumble around while I did what I thought was dancing.”

We both laughed again.

Huh. This felt good. I needed to do this more frequently.

Subject 29: Chimeric Wake-Up Call

“You mean you’re an Agent named Pale Vestige and you're the one helping work on that Earth Pony school? Why didn’t you say so to begin with, dummy?!” Limestone scolded me while I helped her push a decently-sized boulder from one end of the farm to another.

“Admittedly, I was still in pain from the fall. Though if you wanted some help with moving a few rocks, I would’ve obliged without the--ahem, pushy dialogue.” Something out of the corner of my eye caught my attention in the distance. Was that a hot air balloon?

She furrowed her brow. “Uh-huh. Sure.” I guess she didn’t want to accept the fact that I would’ve been willing to help. “Right...anyway, if what you’re saying is true, then I may believe you. Holder’s Boulder was found in a dragon’s nest by our great-great--ugh. By our ancestor, Holder Cobblestone. This farm was built around it to bring good luck to our family.”

Now that was something you didn’t hear everyday. Could it be possible that some dragons still held a grudge over the fact that such a legendary rock had been stolen from them by a mere pony? I needed to know more. “Well now...that’s quite the tale.”

Limestone stopped, and suddenly leaned right into my face. “Tale? Are you calling me a liar?” she questioned with her aura of intimidation on full display.

“No, not at all!” I explained quickly, “In fact, I’m...mesmerized.”

“Hmph.” Limestone returned to pulling the stone from the front via a harness. I was at the rear, pushing the large rock. “But anyway, yeah. The fact that a dragon captured you and put you there just to piss me off...not crazy to imagine. But tell me something. Just why would he do that to you? Did you steal something from him?”

I shook my head. “Nope. It’s a rather long story…”

“You may as well spill. Anypony that touches the Boulder has to work in exchange for messing with it. Otherwise, the luck it brings will vanish.”

Given that magic was as common as a blade of grass, I wasn’t about to deny superstition. Nor would I take the chance of messing with it. “I understand. Anyhow…” I explained to Limestone the state of what I had been dealing with lately regarding Cozy Glow and how the dragon, along with a few other hooded individuals were affected by her actions.

By the time I was done with the recap, we had reached the middle of the farm where the rocks were mined. “I see...you’re playing a dangerous ass game, buddy.”

“I know...nothing I haven’t been told before. But now you know my intentions.”

We stopped, and Limestone got out of the harness. Then she handed me a pickaxe. “Start cracking.”

I was surprised to see that she ignored my plight. “You...don’t have an opinion on my actions?” I took the tool between my teeth. I wasn’t too familiar with farming rocks, but I tapped on it to get a good idea of where to start.

The annoyed Pie sister rolled her eyes. “Tch. If I worried about every ounce of political nonsense that goes on in this stupid world, then no work would get done. No offense, but I have more important things to worry about,” she stated with a flick of her tail and started to mine a nearby rock on a stump.

“I see…” The rock farm was actually pretty important. It was where most of Equestria’s building materials for concrete and cement came from as well as pet rocks and rare geodes. I could understand why she was so fixated on it, however I do remember there being more of them here. “Is it just you?”

“Yup,” she responded fairly clearly despite having a pickaxe between her teeth. “Mom and dad are retired in Silver Shoals now. Maud’s started a family with Mudbriar, Pinkie’s got a family with Cheese Sandwich, and Marble’s running a marble factory and has a date now, Double...I forgot his name so I called him Double D.”

Ah, I knew who she meant. “Double Diamond, yeah? The guy that likes to ski?”

“Yeah, that’s him. They hit it off pretty well and...I’m so happy for them.”

And jealous. Very jealous. Or rather, envious and regretful that somepony didn’t treat her the same way. I didn’t normally like to do this, but… “Are you...unsatisfied with the way things are? Living here alone on the farm?”

Silence.

The mare kept pounding away at the rock until she cracked it open. A set of white crystals were hidden inside. After that, she spat out the pickaxe. “I’m not jealous, if that’s what you’re thinking. So don’t think that. I’m perfectly fine the way I am.”

I sighed as I smacked the large rock with the axe she gave me. “I have had...similar issues. Regarding explaining my feelings to others. I just want you to know that if there’s anything--”

But Limestone wasn’t having it. She invaded my personal space once more with her nose against my own. “I. Am. Not. Jealous. Got it? Or do I need to drill it in you again?”

I backed away. “Hey hey now...no need for that. I just wanted to get your opinion is all.” This was going to be one tough rock to break open. But if I had any hopes of returning home, I needed to play my cards right with this one. Hopefully my comrades would consider this as me taking another day off.

We worked around the farm until about noon or so. Things were looking up. I didn’t mind some good old manual labor.

“Alright. Stop.” Limestone commanded, “Get your flank in here,” she said as she opened the door.

I followed her back inside, and there was a plate with what looked like a freshly baked calzone along with some lemonade. “Oh...is that for me?”

“Don’t get the wrong idea or anything,” she tried to deflect any sort of thoughts I may have had, “It’d be unethical to make you work off Holder’s bad luck without giving you food. Now eat.” Without anymore words, she trotted over to the couch and sat down to pick up a comic book.

At this point, I learned to be more accepting of such gifts. So that cheesy bread roll was gone within minutes. “Mm...that was amazing, the addition of hay really complimented the cheese. Where did you learn to make that?”

“Picked up a recipe or two from Pinkie. Glad you like it, or whatever.” She buried her face deeper into the comic book. Clearly, she did not enjoy speaking with others.

But wait...that comic. Was that? No… “...Power Ponies? I used to love reading those as a kid.”

She glared at me with those judgmental, green eyes. “Are you calling me immature?”

“No, not at all. It’s just been a while since I’ve read them. Tell me, which issue is that?”

“Hmph.” She rolled her eyes, and positioned the comic to allow me to view it. “Issue #21. High Heel and Heavy Hoofsteps. It’s the one where she invades the shoe factory and replaces the soles of all the shoes with cement. That way, everypony will have to buy the brand she’s selling so she can make millions.”

“Oh yeah, I loved that one. Heel was always one of my favorites.”

Lime was confused. As if it was abnormal to state such a thing about the character. “Wait...what?”

I nodded, “Oh yeah. I always liked how...commanding she would be. Everypony under her command listened to her because she was just that much fun to follow--even if she was a criminal.”

An odd sort of grin appeared on Limestone’s face. In tandem with her aggressive eyes, she looked as if she had an arrogant smirk going. “Heh...damn right. She’s rough around the edges, but if you know how to deal with her, you can beat her. It’s a matter of knowing how someone like her works.”

“Yup. Even as a villain, it’s nice to see somepony portrayed realistically. I think she even got with Long-face is a later issue, but my memories are fuzzy.”

Her mouth was agape for the shortest of moments. “Shut up. That sounds cool. He’s the only other villain who tries to understand her. Granted, it’s cool to see the Power Ponies take them down, but it’s nice to get another perspective...or whatever.” She bailed from her final point.

I decided to cut right down to it. “...Lime, you feel inferior because your sisters all have courted or are courting somepony while you don’t have anyone, don’t you?”

She sighed. “Look. Don’t tell anypony. But...I might feel a bit annoyed.”

“And why is that?”

“Well, I just haven’t found the right guy who understands me yet. Everypony is so nice to each other all the time that I feel like I just don’t fit in.”

That was true. The average pony was rather friendly no matter where you went. Cranky and mean ones were less common, but they did exist. Granted, I had a decent amount of friends, but I imagined those with more bitter personalities had a harder time in this world. “...I won’t act like I understand. Because I don’t. But know that there’s always going to be something out there for you if you look for it.”

“Bah. Whatever. Keeping the family traditions alive is all I really care about anymore. Even if I don’t find anypony. Holder’s Boulder is more important.”

“That’s completely fair, and I respect that. Just don’t be afraid of trying to hang around others. You’ll be surprised at what you’ll find.”

She remained silent as she went back to reading her comment. It was hard to tell if she did so out of annoyance, or if it was due to the fact that my words had resonated with her in some way.

Regardless, I wouldn’t bother her anymore. I got up, and got ready to leave. But to my surprise, I saw someone out the window had paid a visit to the rock farm in a hot air balloon. They had a cowboy hat on along with a vest and holsters for weapons on each side. Aha! I knew who this was. They were

A sky blue earth pony stallion with a shovel for a cutie mark. About two apples taller than me, and his mane and tail were a slick brown color. One of my other crewmates that was stationed in Appleloosa. They watched over Southern Equestria and managed areas as far as the Badlands.

“Ghost ‘The Hex’ Ambush...what are the odds?” I approached him, but he looked...troubled.

The balloon landed, but he didn’t exit the basket. “Howdy, partner. Ain’t got much time to explain. Appleloosa is under attack. I was sailing on my way towards Ponyville, but I happened to see ya way over here, so I figured I’d drop in since you were closer.”

“Wait a second, what? Who are you?” Limestone had exited from her cottage to see what was going on. “And what are you doing on my farm.”

“So sorry, little lady. But there’s somethin’ bad happenin’ in Appleloosa. Gotta git down there fast.”

I hopped into the balloon’s basket. “Alright, take me back there.”

Ghost nodded, but this left Limestone annoyed. “Hey, wait up, I’m coming too! You can’t hype something up and expect me not to follow.”

The cyan stallion shook his head, “No dice. This is far too dangerous.”

“Don’t worry, Limestone. I’ll come back to visit if I can get another chance. C’mon Hex. Take us up.”

He activated the balloon, and it took us into the air. As we left, I could see the somewhat annoyed mare’s face slowly become saddened. I had to admit, I felt a bit guilty. But there was nothing that could be done.

“I’ll show him...I’ll prove that I’m more than just some rock farmer.”

“What’s going on, Ghost?” I tilted my head as we floated through the air towards the old Western town.

“Something...nopony coulda ever predicted. Chimeras.”

Holy hell. That was dangerous. It was a good thing I left Limestone behind. I would never be able to forgive myself if I let harm fall to an innocent civilian. Moreover, the fact that the town could even be invaded by such beasts seemed illogical. “Wait wait wait...just how did they get there? This doesn’t make sense…”

“Ah don’t get it either, pard. But we’d better git down there fast. Everypony’s holed up in their houses right about now.”

Ghost Ambush was a keen, shrewd sort of guy. Always ready with a strategy or some kind of plan. In particular, the weapons his pockets concealed always lended credence to his skill. There was a reason he earned the nickname ‘the Beast.’

It was about a fifteen-minute ride in the balloon. Once we got close, Ghost lowered the balloon’s pressure so that we would land just outside of the town. Appleloosa had developed lots since I last heard. What was once a small village of cowboys was now a bustling town of folks from all over, including some Bison.

However, the situation regarding the Chimeras had caused things to change. No Ponies or Bison were around at all. Everything was quiet. Too quiet. Your stereotypical tumbleweeds rolled on past us both as we entered the town. More silence…

“Are you sure that--”

“Shh…” He put his hoof out to halt my movements. His tail flicked. Ghost had picked up something. “This way.” With that, he started a brisk gallop towards the town square. I followed. This was very exciting to say the least. I felt like I was in an old cowboy flick.

“Are you sure you know where you’re going?”

That’s when we heard a sudden scream from behind a building. “HELP! SOMEPONY HELP!”

“Sounds like it came from the local tavern! This way, Pale!”

I thought he was insane for a second before we heard that yelp for help. We pulled a sharp corner and ran into the root beer/cider tavern and burst through the doors.

There it was.

The half-tiger, half-goat monster with a snake for a tail. This one was completely feral, and none of the heads said a word. Across the room, we spotted its target. A turquoise mare with a fiery orangish-yellow mane and tail. I had only dealt with these sorts of monsters once. Never did I think I would come across it again.

But before I could do anything proper, Ghost flicked his hoof. In that next moment, I witnessed a vial of liquid crack against the monster of three heads. It suddenly turned to stone, and the earth pony charged at it with all his might, and smashed it to pieces with nothing but his head. After a minute or two, the stone pieces would completely disintegrate. “RAGH! Pitiful creature…” he turned to the mare, “You alright, miss?”

“Yeah, I’m fine. I would’ve handled that thing myself if you hadn’t showed up, but...yeah. Name’s Lightning Dust.”

Oh man! That’s who that was. The mare who had endangered the life of Scootaloo--who was also fully grown now. Yeesh. I couldn’t have imagined what sort of punishment she had endured all these years for such an act. But more importantly…

“Ghost. Just what did you use on that foul creature just now?” I suppose that his moniker of ‘the Hex’ was all the more fitting now that I saw him in action.

“Can’t give ya all the deets, partner. But I will say, that it’s an experiment mah wife and I have been cookin’ up. She’s a skilled potion maker of a zebra. Now let’s git movin’. There’s more of these damn things out there.” He pointed to Lightning, “You.”

“Eh?”

“Lock this joint up and stay inside. Hide in the cellar until we give ya a signal to rise, understand?”

She gave a half-hearted salute with her wing. When she did that, I noticed that her wing had some sort of beeping device attached to it. “Yeah sure, Sheriff….”

“Good. C’mon, Pale. Let’s get moving.” He left through the doors of the tavern, and I would follow right behind him.

“I’m gonna prove that I can still be cool...just you wait.”

As we ran towards the inner part of the town, I had to ask. “Okay...just why is she there? Didn’t she try to endanger the life of a child many years ago?”

“She’s under constrained arrest and is currently a server at that tavern. She’s not allowed to fly more than 20 meters into the air either. If she attempts to, we’ll know.”

Ah, that was what the device was for. Well now that my concern was answered, I had to focus. “Okay...do you see anymore of those hideous beasts?”

“Up ahead,” he called out and started to pick up speed. “Let’s move!”

True indeed, there were two more of the disgusting tiger-goat-snake hybrids. I moved in for the one on our left. “Six o'clock is mine. You tackle three.” I lunged at the beast. It swiped at me with its claws, but I narrowly managed to avoid it. I slid beneath it and came out behind it. I jabbed the snake right in the eye with a pencil. It hissed, and sent a sharp pain through the rest of its body. The goat and tiger started to panic, and turned around.

They charged me in a blind state of fury. I countered with a swift evasion followed by a spinning roundhouse kick that knocked some of the tiger’s teeth out and sent it into a nearby wall. Of a building. “Ha!”

“YAAAH!” My eyes grew wide. Ghost had absolutely handled the chimera he was attacking. The snake tail was clenched between his teeth and he spun the beast around like it was a casual lasso! Then he let go, and flung it into the same wall where it landed on top of the one I had just dealt with. “Now to finish you disgusting beasts off.” From his pockets, he grabbed another vial. He tossed it directly at the wall above them where it broke and blue liquid soaked into both of them. They were suddenly turned into harmless, mouse-sized versions of themselves and they both ran away in a panic.

“Hot damn...that was stellar. What other sort of curses do you have?”

“I can only carry six at a time,” he explained and showed me the fact his pockets still cradled two more vials on each side. “But when they work, they work. Now we just gotta find the rest of ‘em and bring ‘em to the gallows.”

Unfortunately, as he stood and talked, we were stalked. And eventually surrounded. A grand total of eight. Yes eight chimeras surrounded us on all sides.

The biggest one would speak from its tiger head, “How sweet...fresh stallion meat,” it spoke in a deep, yet feminine tone. “Death by snack-snack to you to both!”

Ghost and I stood, side-to-side. Our options were extremely limited as the eight monsters circled us.

“What should we do, G?”

And yet, he didn’t look intimidated at all, and tapped his hoof as if he was counting to a number. “...Got it all figured out, partner. When I give the signal, ya run like heck.”

“What?”

“3...2…”

“Wait!”

Subject 46: Medical Expert

And so the kid and I made our way down from Cloudsdale back to Ponyville. Naturally, I was still suspicious of other individuals and what sort of feelings they could have been hiding towards Cozy. Yes, I know the public was on my side at face value. But the power of a card was always within its hidden face. Such is the way of the tarot.

She and I made our way to the Ponyville hospital. Things were actually fairly quiet in the place today. Very few patients and no serious injuries. Good. This meant we could probably get to see Nurse Redheart.

My prayers were answered. As soon as we entered the hospital, we found the bored white earth pony at her front desk. Her mane was in a bit of a mess, but we could probably attribute that towards stress. I decided to approach her first, as gently as possible.

“Ahem...Nurse Red?”

“YES! PRICK ME WITH THE NEEDLE HARDER BABY--!” The head medical pony woke up in a violent stupor. She looked around, noticed us both, and her cheeks turned red. “Oh...excuse me.”

“Of course.” I internalized my laughter. It was amusing to see such a professional mare lose her temper so quickly. I looked at Cozy, and she was...concerned for the Nurse to say the least.

Redheart had turned around to fix her mane, and faced us once more when she was ready. “Ahem. How may I help you today?”

“Hello, Nurse Red,” I said with a tip of my hat. “We would like to inquire the extent of the damage that was accrued on the day that magic was stripped from the land.”

The earth pony nurse took a look at Cozy Glow. I could see it in her eyes that she felt a mix of sympathy and dread. “Oh...you’d...I see.” She turned around and picked out some files from a nearby drawer. “Alright, here we go. Yeah, quite a few pegasus ponies came in with crippled wings, and a few earth ponies that fell to the ground due to the cloudwalk spell malfunctioning.”

Yikes. The mental image of such a thing made me flinch internally. Cozy’s face scrunched up out of fear and pain that she could taste, I’d imagine. “Ouch…” she muttered under her breath, “I remember being crazy with power and not caring who I hurt in the process when I was little, but now…”

I looked at her with a curious gaze. “Now?”

“Now I...do understand,” she said with a weak sigh. “Perhaps it’s too late, but I think I’m starting to get just what it meant to be a supervillain. Stomping over everypony, taking out my aggression on others, the strong trampling the weak…”

That deadly cycle. I despised it with every fiber of my being. As I said before, ponies--and everyone else who lived on this planet with us--were weak creatures. Of course some may carry more power than others, but we’re all just as flappable on the inside. Over the course of my line of work, I’ve come to learn one simple thing.

Those who appear strong were actually weak in some way, and those who appear weak may have been stronger than anyone ever realized.

That is what separated those who had power from those who earned it. Cozy was somepony that had loads of power...but did she really want that?

Nurse Redheart spoke up. “Well, I can’t say that you’ll be forgiven for what you caused. But know that it wasn’t entirely your fault.”

Cozy shook her head. “No. I want to take responsibility for what I did.”

“Well, you can start by doing charity work,” Redheart suggested and pointed up to a poster. “In fact, we have an event going on right now.”

I looked at the poster. It was for the annual Running of the Leaves in Ponyville. “Oh?” I asked, “What’s this about?”

“Well, we’re trying to raise money for those who have been affected by evil magic,” she tapped her hoof against her chin, “wish we could come up with an acronym for that. Anyway, the Running of the Leaves is starting within a few days, but we need a few more hooves to get everything set up. Generous donations will only be made with good advertising.”

Cozy seized the opportunity the moment it presented itself. “Hey, I think I can help with that. I...have an idea or two that might make donators...donate.”

The nurse was curious as I was. “Oh? What’s this now?” she leaned towards us.

Nervously, Cozy refused to divulge the contents of her idea just yet. “Um...I’ll let you know when I’m ready to set it up.”

“I see…” Redheart sat back in her desk chair. “Well, if either of you can come up with something to help draw in donators, then that would be nice.”

Wait a minute, didn’t one of the most wealthy ponies in the world live here? “Wait a minute, why not consult Filthy Rich about it?”

“We tried that,” the nurse replied with an eye roll and a hoof against her cheek, “He said he didn’t want to give anything if he couldn’t get a ‘return on investment’ or something,” she said with airquotes. “Truth is, it’s a time-honored tradition that some ponies consider obsolete. ‘Do it with magic’ they say.”

I was no businesspony, so I didn’t exactly have the greatest load of knowledge when it came to subjects such as investments. But erasure of a tradition held in high regard by the general population? Why, it was foolish. To my surprise, the kid next to me said something pretty clever.

“Hm...I can understand that.”

“You can?” Nurse Red asked with a raise of her brow.

“It’s simple. He doesn’t want to waste his bits on an event that won’t make his businesses look better,” she explained. “I know he seems pretty greedy for not wanting to donate, but it’s a pretty shrewd decision if you think about it from his perspective. What we need to do is showcase to Filthy Rich and the other potential donors that the Running of the Leaves is worth investing in.”

Huh. The kid had a point. But there was also something she didn’t consider. If she were to actually do this; aid in restoring Ponyville tradition as well as perform an act of recompense for the damage she did in the past, it could very well be her first step towards earning the trust of the public back. Legitimately.

“Wow, really? Did you learn how to file taxes while you were in stone or something, kid?” the nurse replied with a quip that was accidentally insensitive.

I was about to open my mouth, but yet again the kid surprised me. Cozy giggled? “Hehe! Nah...I just learned a thing or two from...watching other ponies do their jobs, let’s say.”

Huh. I suppose it wasn’t out of the question to assume that she had mentally prepared to face comments such as that, and internalized them as jokes rather than insults. Smart kid.

“Well, if you have an idea, I’d like to see it in action. The Mayor is at the end of her rope over it.” Nurse Red put the files away, and looked up at us once more. “Is there anything else I can do to assist you kind folks today?”

I looked at Cozy. It was largely up to her.

The young mare shook her head. Seems like she already knew what her plan was. “Nope. Nothing else, Ms. Red. But I do have an idea in regards to keeping the Running of the Leaves relevant and to make money for those who have suffered.”

The nurse smiled. “Well, if you know what you’re doing. Do your best, kid. But just know that not everypony is going to trust your actions because of…”

“My past? I know...but I refuse to wallow in it any longer. Mr. Vestige. I’m ready to leave and head back home.”

Oh? Where did this newfound confidence come from? I rather liked it. The kid was ready to tackle this problem head-on and I couldn’t be happier. But I wondered just what she would do at home. Hm…

“Alright, kid. Let’s go,” I tipped my hat at the nurse before the both of us left.

Cozy addressed the elephant in the air. “Huh--that’s an odd sight. But more importantly, my do ya keep calling me ‘kid’? You can clearly see I’m an adult now--sorta.”

I snickered. “Well, you’re still about a decade beneath me. But if you’d rather me not, that’s fine.”

She rolled her eyes and shrugged as she kept walking. “Eh. I’ve been called far worse. That’s alright, I guess.”

I felt a smile creep up on my face before it was quickly washed away. Just what other, bad things has she been called before? Not a nice thought to have. But at least she was happy, and had some ideas going. That much was certain. “Got it.”

We walked back towards her home. Cozy got a few odd looks here and there, but other ponies gave her a friendly smile in response. “I forgot how...relaxed everypony acts. It’s refreshing to see.”

“I hate to say it, but the general population...is extremely passive. So long as their ruler agrees with something, they’ll see fit to agree also. I don’t like it, but…”

Cozy shrugged once more. That didn’t seem so bad to her. “Hey, if the general population trusts their ruler enough to agree with most of his/her decisions, I say they’re a good ruler. Without trust, things will break down and society will crumble, resulting in...war.”

Right again. I couldn’t refute such sound logic. Though, no country was truly perfect. After all, the key to--

My thoughts were interrupted.

“Huh? Is that...the Crusaders in front of my house? They look so...mature.”

What? I regained my train of thought, and looked ahead. A yellow earth pony mare, orange pegasus mare, and white unicorn mare were all standing outside of Cozy Glow’s newly created home with some sort of...basket? “Hm...stay behind me. You don’t know what they--kid?”

She didn’t bother waiting for my explanation. Instead, Cozy trotted up to the three young mares herself. “Hello?”

They all turned to face her. Their pupils shrank, their jaws hung open, and they froze in place when they looked at Cozy.

She waved her hoof in front of their faces. “Um...are you three okay?”

Subject 62: Red Hot Burning Souls

Alright. The plan was all laid out. Neon was on watch to keep an eye on Neighsay within Canterlot while I had Corkscrew stay at the Ponyville building to make sure Suri did her job. Flash Drive had already gone back home, so I requested the aid of somepony else.

“Ready to go, boss!” the cherry red pegasus saluted with her mechanical wings that flapped elegantly, “But first, check out my skills!”

“Eh, wot?” I had just stepped out of my house, and the pegasus mare did a few flips and loops to show off her capabilities. I chuckled and shook my head. “You always were the one to show off.”

She landed, and her prosthetic wings folded in just like a pair of biological ones. “Uh, doy! Obviously! Of course I have. Everypony always gave me these weird looks when I grew up, so I figured I’d show them what I can do,” she scoffed and waved her hoof, “Peh. You of all ponies should know how I get. So what’s the plan today, boss? Where we headed?”

I took out my notepad. “Well, I’m sure I already made you aware. I came across a kirin that supported a rather….unsavory, pony.” I showed her my notes instead of making a spoken statement. Never knew who listened in, after all. “Our goal is to go meet with the rest of them at the Peaks of Peril and meet with them to see if they knew Freeze Flame and why she would do such a thing.”

The entire time, I had led her to Cozy Glow’s new home. Guttersnipe just now realized this, and pointed a hoof up to the window. “Uh...right. But why are we here again?”

“Simple. We’re going to help her find out the truth so she can face it. Then she can start working with the race to help them out.”

Before I could reach for the door, she stopped me. “Um, are you sure this is a good idea? Bringing her along, I mean. What exactly even are we dealing with?”

“Well, for one thing, the kirin race is in a bit of a problem. Their numbers are slowly on a decline due to the overwhelming number of females and the lack of males. The line of kirin is slowly dwindling, so they need help.”

She shrugged as she hovered in the air. “Why don’t they just start integrating into the rest of society?”

I rolled my eyes. “If it were that easy, the batponies would’ve done so on their own, the dragons would’ve done so on their own, and so would the griffons. But they didn’t. They couldn’t Out of fear. Fear is what drives us to follow our emotions and not our brains. Fear is what drove Celestia to toss her sister Luna onto a rock-like satellite for one thousand years--”

“I thought it was the moon,” Guttersnipe interrupted with a tilt of her head.

“A satellite is an object that orbits another in space,” I gave a quick explanation and got right back on topic, “Anyways! Fear is what drove Sunset Shimmer to leave this world and terrorize another. Fear is what drove Starlight Glimmer to a class-based system in which those who served no value were tossed out in favor of a sick definition of equality. Do you understand now?”

The realization must have hit the pegasus. She slowly reeled her head back as she thought about it. “Ohhhhh. So you’re saying the kirins are too afraid to engage with the rest of us.” She paused mid-sentence, and her eyes went wide. “Wait a sec...does that mean that Freeze Flame was also pushed by fear?”

I nodded. “Ding-ding-ding. You’re on the ball today, Guts. Yes. I believe that she was too ingrained within her own fear to think reasonably, and found herself down a path of hatred that would...burn anyone who stood in her way.” I thought back to it. Her final moments as she fell off the city. Her twitching body as it slowly fell limp and became a lifeless corpse. It was never a pretty thing to hark back to. But her fear...is what led her to this. Ultimately, I decided to at least find out what her kind was dealing with. “And now you know. So are you with me or not, Guts?”

The red mare landed next to me. “Heck yeah I am. Let’s see how the kid’s been doing.”

I knocked on the door.

After a few moments, the young mare answered. “Hello? Oh it’s you, sir. And...who are you?”

“This here is--”

“Guttersnipe Poinsettia! At yo service, sweetums!” she said with a dramatic bow.

Cozy had an awkward smile on her face in response. “Oh, um...hi...you’re ready to take me to see those kirins, huh? And I assume...she’s gonna escort us?”

I took a peek behind her. The house was still in neat condition. She had the occasional piece of paper here and there. Huh. Likely notes that she wanted to throw away, but couldn’t. “That’s right,” I replied, “Guts here, is gonna watch out for us while we have the meeting.”

The pink pegasus gingerly rubbed one hoof against the other. “I see...do you really think this will help them out? Me talking to them, I mean.”

“You have a knack for explanations and getting others to listen to what you have to say,” I explained, “Now it’s time for you to make use of that talent in a way that benefits others and not just yourself.”

She had a doubtful look on her face for a moment. But then she shut her eyes. Cozy finally looked at me with newfound determination. “Alright. Let’s go.”

I looked to my side. “Alright, Guts. Let’s--” I blinked. She was no longer there. “Guts!”

The crimson pegasus had taken it upon herself to inspect the interior of Cozy’s home. Normally we would at least request entry before we barged in. But the kid didn’t seem to mind. “It’s okay,” she assured me, “you have every right to search wherever and whenever you want. I have nothing to hide…”

I almost wanted to hug the young mare, but Guttersnipe stopped everything as she made her final flying lap through the home. “All clear boss. Nothing strange going on.”

“Thank you,” I replied flatly and beckoned her with my hoof to usher her out of the home. “Gah...you…”

“Sorry, hehe…” she said back with a nervous grin as she exited above Cozy through the front door.

The pink mare giggled. “Heehee! I mean…” she quickly abandoned it and cleared her throat. “Sure. I’m ready when you guys are.”

That settled it.

Soon, we were off to the train station. It would be an extremely long ride to the Peaks of Peril, so I had already taken the liberty to pack certain items. Card games, water bottles, a few sandwiches, and of course my notes.

Though, the mares didn’t seem interested. They preferred to pass the time by talking to each other. Something I could get behind. Guttersnipe was utterly demented when in the field, but outside of it, she was akin to a sister of sorts. I could overhear their chatter as I reclined on the sat that was on the opposite end of the aisle from them.

“So what do ya want outta life, kiddo?”

“Um...well...I don’t know,” Cozy replied. “For now...I just want to not be hated anymore as well as do some good for this world.”

Guttersnipe put a hoof around her neck. “Then you’re in luck! See, Equestria’s fallen to loads of corruption in the past few years due to the fact that the Elements of Harmony are...aging a bit. They can’t be expected to be everywhere at once. Ponies like Pale and I are what helps stop that corruption from spreading to the good folks, yo.”

I could just barely make out the stars in the pink mare’s eyes. “W-wow...that sounds nice. Maybe I could...nah. That’s not gonna happen.”

Guttersnipe let her go. “Hey, you never know, kiddo. If ya do well, then we might just let ya help us out from time to time. For now, we need to see what’s going on with these kirins.”

How nice that they were able to speak with each other. It more or less continued the whole way there. The mares played with the cards, I Spy, patty-cake, and even a few guessing games. Wait, was this a mission or a field trip? Meh, I couldn’t say a word, given that I had essentially packed lunches.

It was about another hour or so, and we were finally able to exit the train, dropped off in the desolate wasteland of the desert near the Peaks of Peril.

“Alright,” I said as I trotted off the train and onto the loading platform, “Is everypony ready?”

“Heck yeah!” Guttersnipe shouted, “What about you, Coze?”

The pink mare performed her usual hoof rub when she was nervous. “I...I am. Let’s get this done.”

And so, we were off. We all kept a low profile as we trotted across the desert lands and into the valley that housed Kirin Grove. It was a bit humid, but nothing too crazy since I had packed plenty of water which we all made use of.

We entered the grassy, green forested lands that essentially consumed us. Whew. Thank goodness it was much cooler here. But I could already hear voices in the distance. We must have been getting closer to the Grove.

“You two stay behind me,” I commanded them, “I’ve been here once before, so I’m more familiar with this territory. Kirins don’t like to be surprised or shocked. So I’ll go on ahead. When I give the signal, that’s when it’s okay for you two to follow, alright?”

Guttersnipe gave a silent salute, and Cozy nodded.

I took a few more steps forward. My hooves crackled against the fallen leaves of the forest floor and my body rustled against the leaves. I did my best to stay quiet, though. It didn’t seem like they noticed me just yet. Alright, good. Now if I could just--

“AH!”

SWOOSH!

I had accidentally stepped in a net trap. I was hoisted into the air and stuck in its confines along with a bunch of leaves. “Dammit, dammit--” I covered my mouth. They normally kept quiet so the fact that I spoke is just what could draw them to me. “...shit.”

“Over here!” I heard a female voice shout.

By the time I realized, it was too late. About a dozen kirins--all mares--surrounded me from below with confused looks on their faces.

“A stallion?” one of them asked. “Well now…”

“That’s rare. What should we do with him?” asked another. “Take him home and take turns?”

“Hehehe...I’ve got an idea for sure,” another said while she eyed me up. “He’s gonna be tired by the time we’re done, but I think he’ll manage.”

I was both scared and a bit curious as to what they planned to do. I was going to try and cut myself free with my combat knife, but instead…

“HALT!” I heard another female voice, this one much more powerful and commanding. Who could this be?

Whoever it was, I hoped they didn’t intend on keeping me captive for any weird things they had in mind.

Subject 76: Diagnosis From A Doctor

Inside…

After a few moments, the alarm bell ceased its ear-piercing ring. Vinyl and I ran upstairs to find the source of all of the commotion and rioting. We came to find out that the ponies that had been held here had all busted out of their cells and holding rooms and were fighting off all of the guards! In every direction we could see a tortured, battered pony tackle, punch, kick, and stomp on a guard pony. Needless to say, I was both relieved to see that the prisoners had all decided to fight back, but also confused.

“What the hell...just how did--”

“Sick!” the DJ unicorn cried out as she spectated the chaotic mob of combat, “beat her flank! Take him down! In the face! Whoo!”

Surprising, but still. Just who caused such an outbreak among the captives to occur?

That’s when I saw him.

“Hah! I knew it’d work!” a brown earth pony stallion with a familiar Trottingham accent appeared. He walked casually through the ruckus as if it didn’t even concern him. “Twas only a matter of time.”

Vinyl stepped forward. “Doctor? What the heck are you doing here?!”

“Ah, at last!” he noticed who had called his name, and trotted over to greet us, “A somewhat familiar face among the chaos. Ms. Scratch, is it? Are you alright?”

“Yeah, me and my new escape partner just barely managed to scrape by--” she stopped mid-sentence. “Duck!” She was interrupted by the body of a guard pony that had been flung in our direction. We all hunched over to avoid the body, and she continued her explanation. “Gah. Anyway, we’re cool. But I never would’ve pegged you’d be the type to organize a prison break.”

“Hm. When you’ve been around as long as I have...you tend to learn these sorts of things,” he replied in a solemn tone.

Normally, I would’ve flipped my lid. But the Doctor had....secrets. Such as the fact that he was a reincarnation--oops. Anyway. I was sure he had seen his fair share of prisons by now. “Well...thanks for your help, I suppose? But we’re looking on how to escape the place? Where exactly are we?”

“By my calculations...the Badlands. A lonesome land of unending heat and suffering brought about by the ancient fears of our dear former princess of the sun. Rumors said that Celestia came here every time she wanted to vent her hatred in an isolated location to avoid harming anypony. Alas, what was once a beautiful land of fields is now a wasteland...”

Wait, what?! Was there more to Celestia than she let on? What am I saying? Of course there was! She constantly hid things away from others to make herself seem stronger than she actually was. I definitely needed to find out what was going on with her now.

But that was beside the point. Our main priority was getting the absolute buck out of here. Not to mention the torture methods at which I had been dealt...I would need serious medical attention to deal with my skin being ripped up in certain areas.

“Sounds dope,” Vinyl replied to the Doc, “But we need to get movin’. Any idea on how to escape this place?”

Sadly, the Doctor’s goals did not align with ours. “If I knew that, I wouldn’t be standing here, would I?” he replied as he trotted on past us, “Terribly sorry to say this, but while we have the same objective, our methods are not the same. But maybe things will be easier what with the massive brawl that has broken out, yes? Until next time. DJ. Detective.”

With no further words, the Doctor was on his way. He disappeared down the very same flight of stairs that we had taken to come up here just moments ago.

The white unicorn lifted her shades, and shot me a confused look. “...the heck was that about?”

I tilted my head down. The fighting raged on, and I was about done with this place. “It’s out of our hooves now. I’m sure he’ll be fine. Let’s get a move on, and find out the cause of that explosion outside. The roof is our best bet, I said as I brought out my weapon, and flicked the lever, “We get there, we can figure just where we are, and how to get back home too. It’s also where Svengallop probably retreated to. You ready?”

She flicked her shades down, and readied her shoulder, mounted bass launcher. “Heh-hey! Now we’re talkin’! Let’s kick some flank!”

And that’s just what we did.

The both of us rushed through the asylum. Through halls, up staircases, and around piles and piles of melee that occurred around us. The ponies that had been held captive here had had enough, and began to fight back. I applauded them. They deserved their freedom from these disgusting interlopers who dared to try and encroach upon the lives of others.

Though, let me be the first to say, the journey through this hellish place was not an easy one.

“Eat this!” Vinyl shouted as she readied, then fired the launcher at a pair of guard ponies that ran after us. A shell casing was ejected as soon as she shot it, and the projectile was a purple projection of musical notes that sent the pair flying, and into a nearby wall. “Yeah!”

I grabbed one, twisted their hoof, and slammed them into the wooden floor. Then I found another, and delivered an uppercut to their chin that was hard enough to send them flying straight up, and into the ceiling where their head got stuck. A hostile magic spell came towards me, so I flicked the lever on my air blaster, and fired it. The spell was redirected due to the force of the blast, and stuck the pony that fired it which caused a massive explosion at the end of the hallway.

BLAM!

“AHHHH!”

“GET BACK! GET BACK!”

“Hmph,” I snorted gruffly, and kept going. I suppose that I had the look of a broken, disfigured beast of a creature or something. Every guard pony that I walked past either shivered, or passed out when they looked at my face. Good. I absolutely raved over the fact that I caused them all such suffering that they had carelessly dealt to others. Maybe now, they would finally understand the ramifications of their actions, and would cease work with someone like Svengallop.

“Ayo! Get down!” Vinyl shouted from behind as she tackled me.

SHING!

We had just narrowly avoided a saw blade that was shot across the room via a trap that I had set off.

As a result, Vinyl’s shades dropped off, and I could see her eyes had a bit of wrinkling as well as some bloodshot to them. “You alright?” she asked.

“I’m fine,” I replied swiftly, “Thank you. How about you? Get enough sleep?”

“Eh? Oh,” she levitated her shades back onto her face with her magic, “Don’t worry about it. When ya stare at bright dance floor lights for so long, and spend all night thinking up new material for your next music tracks, it drains on ya.” She lifted me up with her hoof, and grinned at me, “But don’t worry, bud. I may be a bit older than you. But it doesn’t mean I still can’t drop a sick beat--or beatdown.”

Such is the life of an artist whose work had to be churned out on a regular basis. I couldn’t exactly relate since I knew I would always catch my prey--er, perp. Plus, I had a whole slew of crewmates to watch my back, and I wasn’t exactly doing my job to impress a crowd. Vinyl didn’t exactly have that luxury since she had to worry about everything her fans wanted, as well as herself. Admittedly, I was never an avid follower of her music when I was younger. But now that a couple of decades had passed, who knew that I’d end up fighting alongside the very same DJ unicorn that was famous as far as back then? It was a bit crazy to think about.

I nodded, and remained on higher alert to watch out for any other possible traps that could’ve been placed. “That’s good. So long as you’re still capable. Then we have nothing to fear.”

“Aw, lighten up, bud! No need to be so stiff. Even though we’re in a state of extreme peril, it helps to be chill, right?” she asked ever so casually. It almost made me laugh.

“Heh.”

At last, we made our way upstairs, and onto the roof of the building. I pushed a door open that led to the top, and took a look around. Not only was it extremely warm, but the landscape was barren and cracked. Maybe the Doctor was right with his little legend. After all, it certainly felt like a goddess had scorched this land.

“Hm…” Vinyl took a look around in all directions. “Can’t really see anypony yet. Can you?”

I shook my head. “Nope. But...wait…” My ear flicked. I could hear...voices? All coming from down below. But not inside the building. No. They sounded like they were coming from...outside? “This way. I can hear something.” I ran over to the western edge of the roof, and the voices became clearer. More of Svengallop’s mercenary gang were down below as they fought with the ponies who did their best to escape.

But wait...I heard other voices too. Familiar ones. I looked down…

I could see Applebloom throwing out random colored bottles that either burned, froze, or dazed guard ponies.

I could see Scootaloo perform kick-flips and tricks with her skateboard as she made use of it as a weapon to piledrive it into their faces.

And Sweetie Belle used her singing voice to put some of her enemies to sleep before she blasted them away with magic.

Why in the buck were the Crusaders here?! And not only that...wait...no! Cozy?! She was ushering all of the asylum prisoners out of the gate so they could retreat to safety. But did they really all come here for me?

“Vinyl. Come look at this,” I called out, but got no response. “Vinyl? Ms. Scratch?” I turned around, but she wasn’t there. I sensed someone else entirely, and got ready to block whatever it was.

Svengallop met me with his hooves forcing against my own. I had to admit, the trash heap of a stallion was stronger than he looked. We were locked in a bit of struggle for a moment. “Surprised to see you’re still walking. I thought my little crew would’ve gotten to you by now.”

“Grrr…” I grit my teeth, “Where’s Vinyl?!”

“That old hag?! Hah! Threw her over the side of the building. Now it’s your turn. And look, the kid you fought so desperately to save is here. Why not go join her?” he said with a demonic smirk.

I wanted to desperately challenge him, but that’s when I noticed Vinyl had levitated herself back onto the roof. It was a bit of a struggle, but she managed. She had her launcher aimed directly at the back of Svengallop’s head.

I saw this opportunity, and took it. “Alright then…” I removed myself from the struggle, and jumped off the building. It...wasn’t the smartest move, since it was a longer drop than I had initially thought.

“OOF!”

From above, I could just barely make out Vinyl’s threat just before she fired her weapon. “Eat this, dirtbag…”

ZAP-BAM!

“Wh--ARGH!” Svengallop was launched off the building, and hit the ground below, just moments after I did.

As the Crusaders fought Svengallop’s gang members, I did my best to get the other ponies to safety. But that’s when I heard a familiar voice, and a body drop. Then the sound of another that thudded nearby also.

When I looked up to see who it was, I was horrified.

“P-Pale?!” I stopped what I was doing, and flew over. The gray earth pony had parts of his skin ripped apart from what looked like dark magic, several scrapes across his body, and...was that blood? All over? I trembled, and hung my head. The shadow cast by my mane shielded my eyes from view.

From behind, I heard Flurry Heart’s voice. “This way, mom and dad! He’s got his entire setup of gangster ponies out here!” She, Cadance, and Shining Armor arrived on the scene just moments later. Flurry also pointed out where Svengallop had landed. “Right there!”

“Argh...dammit...gotta find a way to get outta here,” I heard him mumble.

But everypony around me stopped moving when I began to laugh.

“Hehehe….Hahahahaha...AHAHAHA!” I rose my head up, and glared at the white earth pony. All of the guards, the Crusaders, Flurry Heart and her parents, even Vinyl Scratch ran to the edge of the roof to see what was wrong with me.

My mental state. It was...in ruin. I couldn’t bear the sight of seeing the pony who cared about me hurt in such a way. He was barely even breathing, and I would not allow Svengallop to get away with treating him like this. He was going to pay with everything he had. But I couldn’t stop laughing...it was like...the old me had come out to play. And I loved it.

“OH, GOLLY! IS THIS SOME KIND OF TWISTED JOKE?! AHAHAHAHA!”

Subject 83: An Impossible Battle

Well, well, well. So it begins. My friends and I were all lined up in tandem, ready to strike down the godlike alicorn of the sun. On paper, it was insurmountable. Warriors gathered together would attempt every trick they had in the book just to have a small chance of winning, while the godly being would bide his/her time and strike a decisive blow to end it all in grand fashion. It was a common trope in fantasy novels and radio shows that I listened to while I grew up. But this? This was on an entirely different level.

I will admit, this was the first time in...years that we were all together in a battle like this. But it still pained me to know that Quick Draw could not be a part of it. Regardless, it was time to act. Thankfully, whatever the nature of this spell was, it granted us the ability to fight against such a beast of a mare if Corkscrew’s newfound extreme durability was anything to go by.

But I wondered just what abilities I gained, since I already matched the crazed, two-faced Dr. Jockey and Hide. Hm…

“Time for you all to serve me!” Daybreaker cried out as she fired off a scorching beam from her horn that caused us all to separate.

“Ah!” we all yelped as we barely dodged the blast. The five of us now had her surrounded in a pentagon-style formation. I was South, Flash Drive was Southeast, Guttersnipe was Southwest, Corkscrew was Northeast, and Neon was Northwest. But even though we had her surrounded, that also prevented us from being able to get away. No matter. The way we worked well with each other, I’m sure a plan would form naturally since we knew how to think on our hooves. No problem, right?

Well…

There was no time. I had to do something. But what? Oogh. I knew he’d be super sad if I went and got myself hurt. Especially after what I did to save him. But I couldn’t just stand by and do nothing at all. It didn’t help that my costume didn’t give me any extra advantages like theirs did. But what could have caused this…

As I slumped against my windowsill with a forlorn gaze, I noticed a pony with a head of snakes for hair about to rush into the fiery dome to take part in the battle! What?! Just who were they? I couldn’t let them go out there. I got up and flew to the door, and swung it open as fast as I could. “Hey!” I shouted, “I wouldn’t do that if I were you!”

The pony’s gallop ceased to a skidding halt. It was a mare whose mane was transformed into loads of green, icky snakes. Was she a Gorgon?! Cool! “What the--Cozy Glow? What the hell are you doing here? Get your flank back inssside. It’s dangerousss.”

“Wait...you know my name?” I tilted my head, “Just who are you, then?”

“Quick Draw. One of Pale’sss friendsss,” the yellow earth pony replied with an annoyed glare. Each time she pronounced her s’s, it’d result in her holding the syllable to mimic the sounds of a snake. Her tongue even flicked out too and it had become snakey as well! Even her skin was now scaly. This was amazing. “Now go back inssside while I deal with thisss. Cute cossstume, by the way. You a ssscientissst?”

“Yeah,” I nodded. It was true. I had on a lab coat and a set of goggles. As a result of this magical situation in which everypony became their costumes, my intellect had skyrocketed, but that was all. I couldn’t exactly fight a battle or anything. “But...while I can’t help you fight, I’ve already got a strategy in motion. I just couldn’t enact it by myself.”

Luckily for me, the earth pony mare was willing to hear me out. Her eyes glanced up, then down, and to both sides. She winced, likely due to the frustration of accepting my help, and sighed. “Ugh. Fine. I’m lissstening.”

I adjusted the goggles I had on, and beckoned her inside. I would’ve broken out the whiteboards that I had ready, but nobody had time for that. I cleared my throat, and explained my stratagem as simply as I could. “Okay...basically we’re dealing with some sort of magical disturbance that has caused everypony in town to become their Nightmare Night costumes.”

Quick Draw nodded which caused the cute little snakes on her head to jiggle. “Yeah. I’m following ssso far. But what’s your plan exactly?”

“Well...you’re a gorgon, right?”

“Yeah?”

I clapped my hooves together. “Perfect. This means you can turn anypony you see into stone, right?”

“...Not exactly,” she admitted with an eye roll, “If they’re way sssstronger than me, then I can’t sssstone them. At best, maybe I can break their concentration.”

Hm...not bad. Not bad at all. Actually, that might be better than making someone become stone! Let me think...hm...yes. Okay, I think I got it. “Alright, change of plan then. What you need to do is sneak onto the scene, and confront the imprisoned Nightmare Moon. Then you need to use your gorgon abilities and maintain eye contact with her. This will allow her to regain control of her body and use alicorn magic to break out of the costume curse. Make sense?”

Quick rubbed the side of her head as if she had a bit of a headache. “Um...I guesssss? I literally have no other optionssss, so I may as well lissssten. Especially since you’re a ssssuper smart sssscientist now.”

“Hehe, thanks. Well, whenever you’re ready, you should head out and help them out,” I pointed to the fire dome outside, “Once Luna’s free, she can pretty much handle everything else because I’m 99.64% certain that she’s aware of a weakness that Daybreaker possesses. Right now, she seems nigh-invincible, but there has to be a way to take her down. And for that, we can only depend on Luna.”

She got up from her seat with newly created motivation. “Alrighty then. Do me a favor, and sssstay inside where it’s ssssafe. I think that may be our overall best shot since we don’t know anything about Daybreaker.”

I nodded, and opened the door for her. “Understood. Please do your best out there, Ms. Draw. And don’t get yourself hurt. Pale would be devastated if you did.”

The mare stopped in her tracks right before she left. She looked down to the ground as if she couldn’t believe what I just said. “...You think...I...heh. I promisssse. I won’t die on him. Or you, Cozy.”

And she was off. I closed the door to ensure that nopony--and nothing--else would get inside my house.

Nothing to do now, but play the waiting game.

Nope. Nope. Nope. With an extra helping of nope.

Our attacks were useless. No amount of strategy or tactics could outdo just how powerful she was. Granted, Daybreaker herself wasn’t fighting all that intelligently. Instead, she chose to show off her brute force in the most exuberant way possible just to cause us pain and suffering.

Flash Drive tried to wrangle her and counter her magic with his seemingly infinite supply of chains, yet none of it worked. She was simply too strong to be bound in any way.

Neon would attempt to punch through her attacks with his ancient chi abilities, but at best, he matched them and could only power through them. It simply wasn’t enough to fully counter, and repel her abilities.

Corkscrew didn’t fare much better. No matter how many times he got flung around or burned by her magic, he got back up. And yet, he couldn’t cause any lasting damage to the alicorn. At most, he managed to strike a few swipes with his razor sharp feather. But mere scratches weren’t enough to deter her.

Guttersnipe ironically did the most decent out of all of us, but only because her abilities as the legendary Capricorn allowed her to heal us, and soothe any lasting burns we endured. Doubly ironic since she’s usually the one out and about, fighting tooth and nail. But now she was reduced to more of a supportive role. Somehow, she didn’t mind the change of pace, though.

And me? I was at a loss. I didn’t sense any new abilities that came to me at all as a result of the magical flux. If I were to try to attack her, it would most certainly be suicide. All I could do was dodge and block her abilities with the rage-induced stupor that I carried with me everywhere I went.

We all grit our teeth, and planted our hooves in the scorched earth. My crew and I took a moment to pant in order to catch our breaths. This battle had raged on for what felt like an eternity. Despite the fact that I could hear the crowd’s cheers of joy, it did not inspire any hope within me. They were under the impression that it was a mere Nightmare Night show, and not a real attack on our livelihoods. But the last thing I wanted was a larger panic, so I refused to let the civilians come to know the truth. For now, at least.

“Ahahaha!” the alicorn mare cackled, “Aw, what’s wrong? Are the legendary Unknown Actors unable to keep up with a literal goddess? Oh how richly predictable!” Ever the arrogant one, Daybreaker would recline on a flaming throne that she created with a flash of her horn. “It’s so adorable how hard you’re trying. I think I just might reward you all with being my head Solar Generals instead of being my slaves~”

At this point, the heat combined with how much energy I put into dodging and blocking such powerful attacks had winded me. I inched as much as I could, and slowly took step after step towards her. “Why,” I asked with a groan of pain, “...why do you want to do any of this?!”

Meanwhile…

“Nightmare Moon.”

“Uch! Who dares--”

Quick Draw made eye contact with the alicorn of the moon, and used her gorgon eyes to put her in a trance. “Listen to me now. This isn’t you, Luna. Feel the heat around you. Your sister has gone off the complete deep end. She’s completely insane, and threatens to subdue all life in not just Equestria, but this entire world! And others as well! So you want to see her come to harm Sunset Shimmer?!”

“I…” It was about a few moments before Nightmare Moon started to rumble, and convulse violently. “Blech! Get back! Get back!”

Quick Draw retreated to the ground, and covered her head with her hooves.

In a flash of darkness, Princess Luna had escaped out of the body of her demented alter-ego, as well as the cage that her sister ensnared her within. “Argh...I’m back. Don’t worry, little one. I’ve seen everything that has come to pass despite that pesky witch of a mare having returned due to quite the odd magic spell. Pray tell, do you know where Sunburst or Starlight are? This spell appears to be rather new, so I’d like it if they could assist me with determining the issue.”

The yellow earth pony nodded. “Of course. But first, we need to get outta here ssso we can discussss the plan in peace,” she said as she waved her hoof around at the fiery walls that blocked their exit.

“I see. Follow me, dear Draw.” With a flash of Luna’s horn, they teleported out of the firewall, and popped back into existence near Sugarcube Corner, just a few dozen yards away from the flaming catastrophe. “Alright. We should be safe here while your friends distract her.”

“Won’t she notice the fact that you’re gone?”

Luna waved her hoof dismissively. “Phooey. My real sister chose to forget me for a thousand years. What makes you think she’d notice anything that doesn’t fuel her ego as that raging fire demon?”

At first, Quick didn’t know how to react. Her eyes darted left, then right as she took a step back in a sheepish fashion. “Uhhhm…”

“It was a jest!” Luna insisted with an awkward chuckle, “Haha! Oh, I am not good at this. Anyhow, we need to find Starlight and--”

“Sssssunburst!” Quick Draw pointed her hoof to a pair of ponies that ran up to meet them.

Sunburst had dressed up as a wizard from his favorite book series, Scary Trotter. And Starlight was dressed up as Little Red Riding Hoof.

“Ugh!” the unicorn mare cried out, “I picked the wrong year to dress as a little mare from a storybook with a picnic basket. But nevermind that. Are you two alright?”

“I’ve been worsssse,” Quick answered with a flick of her reptilian tongue.

“Had a bit of a breakdown,” Luna responded with a nervous patter of her hooves against the ground, “But I am fine now. I was able to break through the illusion once Nightmare Moon was properly distracted by this one’s snake-like features. But Daybreaker...she is on another level. Such a spell will not work on her. We will need to...to…” she put a hoof against her chin, and bit her lip.

An antsy Sunburst was desperate for an answer. “Do what? Luna, the world is at stake here! We need to figure something out fast!”

Luna sighed. “There is only a small number of things that can tame Tia’s more aggressive side. It is high time we squash her out of my sister’s system once and for all. Listen up, everypony. And listen well…”

Subject 100: Jewel Of Ponyville

“Yeah yeah, my big bro actually used to be with her. But they stopped seeing each other after a while,” Corkscrew tapped his hoof against his chin, “I heard she’s actually got a kid now. But it ain’t with my bro.”

I raised the absolute biggest eyebrow that I could manage to show how completely confounded I was. “Inky Rose? The Inky Rose? The morbid pegasus that likes dark arts and counterculture? You mean to tell me one of your two older brothers got with her?”

I suppose I never thought about it enough. Corkscrew’s family consisted of his parents and five siblings: Two older brothers, two older sisters, and one twin sister. Their house was always a fun riot to visit whenever I had the chance. But the reason I was so surprised is because one of his brothers had become a musical theory technician--whatever that is--and the other had become a martial artist way off in Japony. Just how could somepony like Ms. Rose fit with them.

“Well, that’s the thing,” Corkscrew replied as he organized some files, “It didn’t last very long. My older brother realized it wasn’t going anywhere so they broke it off. Shame too, because she seemed pretty cool.” He shrugged, and got up from his spot at his desk. “Anyway, I’ll accompany you to Ms. Rarity’s place so we can find out where she is. If Rarity isn’t there, then Sweetie Belle can help us.”

Well, I wasn’t going to pass on his word. If he knew the next subject that we needed to make contact with, then it would be in my best interest to at least follow him and hear what he had to say, right?

And so, we traveled to Carousel Boutique.

It was just a short walk away from the agency, and when we arrived, I knocked on the door.

“Hello?” I asked, “Is Rarity home?”

The door opened to the sight of a familiar white unicorn mare. “Oh, hello, Mr. Vestige, sir. Do you need something?”

“Yes, Ms. Belle,” I replied with a nod, “Is your sister home? We need to ask her a question about one of her past business partners.”

Sweetie Belle looked at us with an uncertain expression. “...Oh wow, um...which one? You know that she’s had dozens and dozens over the years, right? I sincerely hope you know which pony it is you’re looking for.”

Corkscrew spoke up next. “Oh don’t worry, we do. Inky Rose. Do you remember her.”

“Inky Rose...Inky…” she had to think about it for a moment before it came to her. “Ah! I know her. The tall, skinny pegasus mare with the gloomy, gothic style to her. She was so cool, now that I recall. I’m a big fan of the Queen Victrottia era, myself, hehe.”

“Do you know where she lives?” I asked.

Sweetie shook her head. “Nah. But Rarity will. Luckily for you, she’s here today. She just got back home after an important business meeting with her special somepony.”

Oh? Rarity found somepony to spend her life with? That was nice to hear. But of course, it wasn’t my priority. I needed to focus on getting in touch with her. “Alrighty then. Where is she?”

The white unicorn pointed a hoof towards the staircase. “She’s up in her room. But try not to burst in loudly. She’s under a lot of stress lately.”

Made sense to me. I knew just what that felt like. So I made a mental note to approach her calmly. “Understood.” I looked at Cork, “Follow me, bud.”

“Yes sir,” the pegasus nodded, and stayed close as we walked through the clothing store/house.

We both took the stairs up, and found the room at the end of the hall where Rarity stayed.

“Hey boss, this reminds me of the time we were appointed with watching over the Countess of Derby in Trottingham with Neon and Drive,” he reminisced as we walked down the empty hall, “Yeah, it’s coming back now. The brothers were busy off on a mission in Coatsile to help Lucy Hay with an insurrection of sorts. And we had to question Elizabeth Stabley in Derby. You remember, yeah?”

I rolled my eyes. Trottingham’s culture was vastly different from that of Ponyville's, Manehattan’s, and even the Empire’s. In Trottingham, the island was divided up into many miniature counties. Somewhat like Manehattan’s Hooflyn, Saddle Island, and so on. In Trottingham, though--the counties were all governed by nobles whose ancestry dates back to the start of Pony Civilization itself. Anyhow, most ponies weren’t aware of this because it would apparently cause confusion in regards to who held power. But honestly, it wasn’t that hard to grasp.

Derby, Coatsile, Wingchilsea, and Stableford, and other various counties were all home to Counts and Countesses that essentially managed and governed the area not unlike our Mayor Mare.

But when Corkscrew mentioned a previous operation we had been on in the region, I chuckled to laugh off just how ridiculous it was. “Hehe...naw, son. Don’t come at me with that. I remember all too well what happened down there. And I can assure you that watching over some noble busypony is nothing like this.”

Cork chuckled and nudged my side. “C’mon. You know it was fun. Even if we didn’t catch any monsters that day.”

I put a hoof to my forehead, and silently shook my head ‘no,’ before I cleared my throat. “Ahem...anyway, let’s approach this as delicately as we can, alright?”

“In that case, allow me,” the pegasus stallion offered, and stepped in front of me. He used his wings to tap on the bedroom door in a soft, quiet fashion. “Ms. Rarity? Are you there?”

No response. Not immediately anyway.

After a minute or two, I decided to speak out next. “We’re here to ask you a few questions. We’re from the agency near the Commercial District of Ponyville.” I hated to announce my status to incite a response, but it was a rather important situation that I couldn’t afford to waste time dealing with.

At last, I heard the mare’s voice from beyond the door.

“Oh, er, just a minute, darling!” she replied. I heard a button on what sounded like a machine power down.

Was she really working even now? Yikes...I couldn’t imagine being in her position. Fashion was always a fickle mistress. I couldn’t even decide on what to wear half of the time when I went out. That’s why I usually stuck with my trench coat as it fit me the best all of the time.

After a moment or two, she opened the door. A pair of reading glasses were on the white mare’s face with a few wrinkles under her eyes. She was clearly a bit worn from all of her work over the years, but she didn’t look terrible by any means.

“Hello!” she responded with her best effort to sound in high spirits, “What can I do for you, officers?”

I continued. “Yes, we’re looking for a pony named Inky Rose. You worked with her in the past, right?”

She blinked, and hesitated to reply as if she was concerned. “Uh...yes, well. I may have…”

Corkscrew cleared things up fairly quickly. “Oh no, no. Don’t worry! She’s not in trouble,” he said with a nervous smile, “We’re not after her or anything. In fact, we’re concerned for her well-being.”

“Oh my,” Rarity replied with an even more concerned set of eyes, “Whatever happened? Can you explain?”

There was only so much I was able to divulge to another citizen when it came to situations like this. If a bystander had too much information, it could very well endanger the life of that bystander because the enemy would usually tend to tie up loose ends whenever possible. This included things such as witness accounts.

With that in mind, I said what I could.

“It’s a matter of her safety, ma’am,” I spoke candidly, professionally, “Let’s just say that we think she may have been involved in something regarding a certain somepony’s lust for power.”

“Ah…” Rarity’s eyes dropped, and she rubbed one of her hooves into the floor. She didn’t look disappointed in my lack of clarity, though. If I had to guess, I’d wager she was eerily familiar with the scenario that I had described. As a result, she was now afraid for the security of her former business partner. “I know what that’s like. All the ghastly and tacky, eugh, villains that have tried to take over Equestria in the past have wanted nothing but ‘more power’ this and ‘ultimate magical encapsulation’ that.” She put a hoof to her forehead in dramatic fashion. “Uck! It’s quite annoying, wouldn’t you agree?”

Looked like the years certainly didn’t put a damper on her personality, that was for sure. It was nice to see, really. “Indeed. And right now, we’re currently dealing with somepony that makes use of underhooved tactics in order to deceive the masses and gain power through what they think is right.”

Corkscrew chimed in right after. “That’s why we need to know if you know where Inky Rose lives. This is important for not only her safety, but the safety of everyone in Ponyville. Possibly the world at large, even!”

“Hmmm…” the elder white unicorn sister, tapped her hoof on the ground as she thought about something. Was she going to help us? Was she on our side? Who knew, honestly. It was about two minutes before she suddenly gasped. “Ah! I remember now, wait one moment, please!” she held up her hooves and urged us to be patient before she dashed back into the room.

Cork and I exchanged a look of confusion, and took a peek into the mare’s bedroom. Fairly standard, honestly. Massive bed, books to read on a desk, a shelf filled with sewing supplies, a guitar, a pair of skis, and a buckball over in the corner. Huh. Guess she had a wide array of hobbies. My eyes drifted over to her desk once more, and I could just make out a framed photo that sat upon it. Probably her special somepony that Sweetie Belle mentioned earlier. But wait...

Was that...that was the earth pony stallion with the magical--!

My thoughts were interrupted when Rarity suddenly appeared before us in her bedroom doorway with a magazine. “Okay, I don’t exactly know where she lives, but I know where she works.” She used her magic to levitate the magazine over to me, and I grabbed it.

I took a moment to look at the cover. On it was Inky Rose lying down in a rather seductive pose while surrounded by dozens and dozens of black roses. She wore a black, fishnet bodysuit that left nothing to the imagination. But when I read the name of the store for which she worked, everything became clear.

“‘Hot Trotic’? Seriously? I thought the youths despised these places?”

“Oh, nonono!” Rarity waved her hoof, “It’s a rather...counterchic sort of place. It’s where I got inspiration for my amazing punkish design. Take a look!” She levitated another magazine over, this one from about two decades ago.

The cover had Rarity on it. But instead of her usually swirly manestyle, she had a leather jacket on with her mane all frizzed out and colored with green, purple, and yellow. She even wore a spiky hoof bracelet to make it all come together. I couldn’t lie, it was beautiful. I could certainly see Cheerilee pulling off the look.

Right, right. Had to focus.

Corkscrew took a closer look at the magazine I held onto. “Hot Trotic, huh? I know that place! It’s like...in the middle of town, somewhere near the other shops--dammit.” He huffed, and hovered in the air while he folded his hooves. “I’ve only been there once, so I’m not sure where it is exactly.”

Rarity giggled. “Hmhmhm! Don’t worry about that. The address is right there on the cover, darling.” She pointed to the set of numbers on the front page. “I do hope that this assists you gentlecolts in your investigation. Please, do let me know of what happens to her once you’re finished, yes?”

I nodded, and stuffed the magazine into my coat. “I’ll be able to tell you what I can, ma’am. Don’t worry. Get yourself some rest, and have a nice day, okay? Come on, Cork. Let’s move.”

“Bye-bye, now! Oh, and if you’re ever in the mood for a new trench coat, come back, and I can fix one up for you!” Rarity called out as she waved. “Good luck!”

Corkscrew landed, and trotted after me. “Thank you, very much.”

I heard her bedroom door shut as we walked down the stairs. Sweetie Belle asked us about what happened with her sister and whether or not we managed to find any information, but from this point, I exercised confidentiality. Once the case was cleared, then I would offer transparency to the public.

“...aw,” the younger unicorn sister said with a frown, then nodded, “But I get it. It’s probably not my place to know yet. Good luck, you guys!”

Once again, we appreciated, and accepted her words with a smile as we left. Now we were on our way to this Hot Trottic place. A store that I never even knew existed, and one that Corkscrew had apparently been to before. Oh just what wonders could await us at such a place...I wondered. Hm.

But as we walked, Corkscrew found time to reminisce yet again.

“Unknown territory, huh? Just like our time down in Val Verdneigh, eh boss?” he nudged me with a snicker. “We nearly raided the--”

I shook my head with a small grin and interrupted him. “Oh shush. Don’t bring that up…”

“But we were so cool!”

Nearby…

“I’ve got my eye on you, Vestige. Don’t try and do anything involving that bug or you’re gonna be pounded...into a timeout that is.”

Subject 118: Therapy 2

“To branch off of what I just asked Vestige,” Inkwell looked at Twilight once more, “For you, princess: Do you believe in justice?”

At that point, the princess must have realized that this wasn’t the fun, quirky scientific experiment that she thought it was. This was something much more consequential to us all. Her next answer was a much more relaxed, yet philosophic one. “...I do. The element of magic knows no bias. Everypony should be treated fairly and equally.”

In spite of her unchanged expression, Inkwell raised an inquisitive eyebrow. “Everypony? Even criminals?”

“...Yes,” Twilight replied, “Criminals deserve the right to a fair trial and the punishment that befits the crime committed.” She seemed rather confident in her response on the outside, but the line that bounced upon her EKG told otherwise. I believed that she knew exactly where Raven was going to take this.

“I see...even criminals convicted of the most heinous of offenses?” The white earth pony tilted her head with an unconvinced glare, “Are you absolutely positive that you think they all deserve a fair trial?”

More sweat ran down her muzzle, and Twilight took a shaky, deep breath before answering. “...Yes.”

The cloud above her head would only grow larger.

“...?” She stared at it with a confused expression. “What? But I…”

“Another weak fallacy. If you truly believed that all criminals deserve a fair trial, then why did you order this stallion to execute Svengallop behind the public’s back? As the princess, it is your job to uphold the law and keep everything balanced no matter what happens. But when you choose to defy your own laws, you set a bad precedent for what could come in the future. Is that clear?”

The purple mare responded with a slow, but silent nod.

“Now, why did you give him that order?” Inkwell asked in a tone akin to a stern mother that disciplined her child.

She was a bit anxious what with her shaky breaths and slow response. “I...I gave him the order because I felt Svengallop was undeserving...he had caused other ponies so much undue suffering that I could not wait to erase him from existence completely. I felt that...he didn’t deserve a trial.”

“Hm. Repeat that ‘F’ word again.”

“...’Felt’?”

"Again."

"'Felt.'"

“The law does not care about your feelings, princess. Trust me, I wished death upon him as well. But what you did created a problem that didn’t need to exist. Do you comprehend?”

Twilight looked down, and tried to counter with a point of her own. “But not every case is the same. What if somepony is fighting off an individual that is making an attempt on their life? Do they not have the right to kill in self-defense for the sake of their and their loved-one’s well-being?”

“Murder in self-defense of another murder is a slightly different story,” Inkwell replied, “Everypony has the right to defend themselves if they are being attacked. No matter where you are in the world. However, Svengallop was already detained, and imprisoned for his crimes. There was no act of self-defense or protection engaged in that scenario. That was an act of out-of-turn murder before the execution date. And you, princess, caused it with that order. How would you feel if Celestia, Cadance, your brother, or even your parents found out that you had called such a callous order? Your impatience got the better of you.”

Shamefully, Twilight continued to stare at the floor with no response. But I could sense the gears turning in her head. She realized the weight behind her actions and what they meant for me and the world at large.

“...I’m sorry...I didn’t think that through,” she replied in a somber tone, “They would call me a fool and a coward for pulling such a thing, and hiding behind an officer for it. But...it’s a mistake I won’t make again.”

Raven rolled her eyes. “Don’t apologize to me. In order to properly move on from a mistake, you need to not only learn from it, but you also need to forgive yourself. And for the record, your reign as a world leader is still in its infancy compared to those before you. Mistakes and pains like this are inevitable, but suffering from it is entirely optional. You can choose to suffer, or you can choose to learn and improve yourself in the coming years so that you may be the best ruler you can be.”

The alicorn opened her mouth to say something, but closed it. She let out a small sigh, and started to think to herself about what had transpired. Raven’s therapy style must have worked fairly well if it managed to stump Twilight Sparkle of all ponies.

“Allow yourself a moment to mull over what I have explained,” Inkwell looked at me next, “Now you...it’s your turn. Are you prepared?”

“Yes,” I replied. It was a no-brainer.

Raven wanted to emphasize how important it was. “Are you sure? You can get up and leave right now and it’ll all be over. But once you’re in, you’re in. By the time you come out, you’ll have a new state of mind to accompany what you had before and uncover wounds that you may not be ready to treat.” She pushed her glasses up. “So I will ask this one more time and one more time only: Are you prepared?”

If it meant that I could gain a new perspective on myself and the world at large? Absolutely. I would never leave any stone unturned when it came to something as imperative as this. Even if it meant that I had to face more pain than I was able. I would not let down my guard, but I also refused to act like a coward any longer.

“Yes,” I said, “Let’s begin.”

Raven flipped another page upon the clipboard, and continued to question me. “Then answer me this: Why did you accept that order? So readily in fact? It’s bad enough that Twilight commanded you to do such a thing, but did you not stop to question the implications of your actions? What was going on in your head when she asked that of you?”

A simple question that demanded a complex riposte. But I knew where I stood. “I...accepted because I wanted to get rid of him as fast as possible. I figured that, if Twilight herself requested that I eliminate him without any need for a public execution, then it must have been important. So...I followed the orders of my leader.”

The cloud above my own head grew even larger.

This was something I could blame no one but myself for. I knew that I wasn’t being entirely truthful. But to what extent? Raven was about to throw it in my face.

“Falsehood,” she uttered with a scant amount of sympathy, “Yes, you followed orders. But look where it led you. No soldier or officer can operate properly if they are unable to think for themselves in the field. A General or Commander will not be there with you every step of the way to give you advice and hold your hoof. You know that. You’re better than that.”

I held back the aching that I went through in my head. This form of therapy worked in an odd fashion. It left me in a state of mind where I could do nothing except listen to what was being told to me. I had no energy to argue or debate. This was something that I needed to endure for the sake of understanding where my faults were so that I may become a better pony. It was a roundabout method...but I couldn’t go against it.

“...I…”

Raven interrupted me, and continued with no hesitation. “You’re afraid. You were too scared of your own inability to defy the order when you knew it didn’t fall in line with the law. That fear you had within yourself caused unnecessary conflict and destruction. Now you have extra suspicion placed upon you and Cozy from the general public because of the fact that you decided to act before you thought.”

I couldn’t deny it. In the heat of the situation, I had made such an erroneous decision from fear and not logic. Such a decision, in the long run, would cause nothing but unneeded foolishness and confusion surrounding the situation. I had turned my back on my own ideals for the sake of ending a life at the wrong time. And for what? To fulfill an objective? Or to satisfy my own ego…?

“With that being established…” The earth pony mare didn’t cease her barrage of questions either. “Next: Do you think that you are truly the right pony for the job of taking after Cozy? One led by emotion and unable to think for himself? Is that the kind of pony that she needs to take after?”

That question made me shiver in my seat. I glanced at Twilight who still had her head hung helplessly low. There was nothing I could do to avoid it any further--I had to face my own fears.

“...No. I am not…” I muttered with a low tone as I quivered in my seat.

Raven didn’t hear me clearly enough. “Excuse me?”

“I’m not…” I said a bit louder, but still not enough to carry past a few inches.

“Your thoughts don’t communicate unless you do,” she said as she fixed her glasses, “I suggest you make yourself clear, officer.”

“I’M NOT!” I shouted out of the blue, and started to sob quietly. I covered my face with both hooves out of shame. The shadow of the cloud made me look twice as pitiful. “...I’m not the one Cozy should follow. I’m a desolate, broken stallion whose ideas of morality have brought unjust conflict to those around me. She deserves far better--someone who can teach her to think for herself and make good decisions. Otherwise, she’ll end up no better than she was when she was a child.”

I waited…

The dark clouds above my head got smaller.

“Finally, you admit the truth to yourself,” Raven commented, “You feel ashamed in yourself deep down because you know you’re not the shining star that you’ve been made out to be. Despite all of the praise you get from your allies and loved-ones, you know that you can improve and have made decisions that are questionable.” She took a pause, and exhaled. “...So I ask you: What do you think you could do to improve? After all, Cozy Glow is ultimately your responsibility. If your public perception worsens further, the public perception of Cozy could worsen as well, which will lead to many conflicts and the young mare being attacked. If you want to prevent that, then you need to start thinking smarter. So what will it be?”

I took a moment before I answered. “...I will...reconsider my own ideals. Maybe I don’t need to have the final say in a situation. Maybe my vision of what is a just Equestria doesn’t need to happen. I need to simply dial back and regroup my thoughts.”

“No.” Raven shook her head. “Be moderate in your passions, but do not abandon your ideals. Just about anypony can give up and throw away all that they’ve worked for. That is the effortless coward’s way out of a situation. But to uphold your ideals, have them challenged, and still work on ways to uphold them despite knowing your own imperfections. That is what separates spineless individuals from those who can make a difference.” She raised a brow. “Isn’t that what your mother did? By running out on you and your father, she took the coward’s way out of the situation. Do you want to end up like her?”

I froze. No one had ever utilized the subject of my parents in a conversation since it was a sensitive topic. But Raven pulled no punches. Rightfully so--it was her job as therapist after all. But it made me think hard. Did I have the potential to end up similar to her if I didn’t work on my flaws? I couldn’t even bear the thought of abandoning Cozy just because it became difficult.

She went on. “Or how about your father? Bitter and angry, he took out all of his rage upon you. Predictably, you took your own rage out on those at your school all throughout your foalhood. Miranda Rights did her best to rehabilitate you, and you’ve mostly recovered. But even I can see that you still harbor some of that bitterness. If you didn’t, then you wouldn’t have accepted that order so easily. Am I wrong?”

Another verbal punch to the gut. The last thing in the world that I wanted was to end up like that...disgusting stallion that I recalled as my ‘father.’ It made me sick to just think about it. “...No. You’re not wrong at all.”

“Then start acting like you care about the world at large instead of just yourself and what you feel is right,” Raven continued with a softer tone, “Until then, you’ll be a poor influence on the rest of ponykind. If it were up to me, I would’ve forced you into isolation a long time ago. But you’re not that far gone...yet.”

“Then I’ll prove it,” I replied, “With my actions.”

She glared at me with questionable daggers in her eyes. “You honestly think you’re ready to make a difference? That you can just go out there and make everything better by tomorrow?”

I paused, and looked down. She had a point--I had to be realistic. “...No.”

The clouds above my head grew again.

“What…?” I looked up, and at Raven with a helpless expression. How was that a lie?

“...Raven, is this really…?” Twilight was about to ask a question, but was cut off by the therapist/secretary mare.

“Oh don’t start, princess,” she replied in a snappy fashion, “You were lucky enough to not go through half of what he’s endured. These hypnosis spells are geared towards assisting those who cannot see their own problems. Pale is a victim--of his own mind. A mind that he needs to unlock to reach his fullest potential. It’s no different than the forms of magic you practice. Do you understand?”

The alicorn fell silent.

After I watched the clouds loom over me, I responded. “...No...she’s right,” I said as I wiped away the tears from my eyes. “...I genuinely do think that I can change. But it’s going to take time. It’s not something I can correct overnight. But if I can work towards being more logical and stop following my heart...then I could become an even better officer. One that doesn’t make such...harmful mistakes. And it’s going to start at home with Cozy and I.”

Raven looked at me with a scoff. “Really? And just how are you going to work on that?”

I looked off to the side, and out of the window of the office. “I’m going to take some time off. Away from my profession. It’s...clearly caused me a lot of unforeseen stress that I must work out on my own.” I exhaled, and looked at Raven. “This is something I must...no. This is something I’m choosing to do.”

“I see.” Raven turned her head to Twilight, “If I may, you should do the same. Both of you need to take a step back from your professions, reevaluate your methods, and come back with a clear head. Understand?”

Twilight’s wings popped open. “...But that’s impossible! Who’s going to run Equestria while…”

“Twilight--I believe there are several ponies, a griffon, and a dragon in your employ who know you well enough to assist in shouldering your workload,” the white mare responded, “Do you want your stress to build until you create a super-powered evil side akin to Nightmare Moon and Daybreaker? A side that would be so strong that nopony could fend you off and you would destroy the world?”

She shook her head. “...No. I don’t want that.”

“Then you’ll take some time off as well. If Vestige can come to that conclusion on his own, then there’s no reason why you shouldn’t be able to as well.”

“...Understood.”

Raven got up from her seat, and her assistants removed the electrical pads from our bodies. “There we go. You’re both cleared. But if you ever have any more problems, then don’t hesitate to return.”

I nodded, and stood up. “Absolutely. Thank you.”

Twilight and I left the room. On our way out, she glanced at me. “...Are you okay?”

I tipped my hat. “Of course. I just need to evaluate some things. Work on myself...the usual post-therapy reflective process.”

“Yeah...me too.”

With that, I kept going. “See you around, princess.” And I left the Town Hall to head home.

“Goodbye...I hope you feel better.” I heard a flash of magic, and she teleported away.

I started to walk home. And, just as it was on my way there, I noticed a few ponies look wary of me, and whisper to each other as I passed them by. Moments such as that normally didn’t affect me, but I knew exactly why they had those looks on their faces. All I could do was work to make things better for Cozy and improve my own way of life above all else.

When I arrived at my house, I nearly fell over onto my face when I opened the door.

Corkscrew, Quick Draw, Flash Drive, Neon, and Guttersnipe were all there in the living room. The former three sat on the couch, the latter two sat in chairs on either side of the couch. They had waited for me the whole time, it seemed.

“Great. You’re here, man,” Flash spoke up first, “We need to have a talk.”

Subject 130: A Nice Hike

After the amazing show that Cozy managed to cobble together and organize in the span of two hours, she was knockout tired. I couldn’t blame her. It must have been very taxing on somepony as strong-willed as herself to manage the stress involved with the demand to contact, and request assistance from so many individuals. Honestly, I did not expect Ember to show up at all. That was completely out of left field for me.

I made sure she got back to her hotel room safely that evening so she would be able to sleep soundly. After which, I returned to my shared room with Cheerilee who lied in bed with a pair of reading glasses as she read from a book on snowball fight tactics. How intriguing.

“Find anything good in there?” I asked as I removed my heavy jacket.

She tried to remove her glasses and hide them from me. “Oh, um...yes. Everything in here is fairly detailed.” That was strange. Why did she try to hide them?

I trotted around to her side of the bed. “Cheery, is something wrong? You can tell me.”

“Well…” she let out a sigh, and took out her reading glasses, “Sorry, I just--wearing these makes me feel old if you can believe it.”

Oh. I understood that quite well. But it was nothing to be embarrassed about. “Pff. The Mayor wears them all the time and she managed to find somepony, didn’t she?”

“I suppose that’s true,” she replied with a fond giggle, “We used to be fretting over the littlest things about each other. I guess it’s grown into a habit that I need to break.”

I went to the bathroom to shower, but I left the door open so that I could continue our conversation. “Well don’t concern yourself over it. It’s fine if you need to wear glasses when you read. In fact, I actually find them endearing.”

From outside the bathroom, I heard her mumble. “...endearing…”

By the time I was finished, it was late. I had a towel wrapped around my lower midsection as I exited the bathroom. I turned my head to find Cheerilee biting on one of the temple tips--the part where it’d rest on one’s ears. My best inference was that she attempted to make herself look more attractive with the gesture, but in the end I found it a bit humorous.

“There’s no need to go that far,” I said as I removed the towel once my flank was dry.

“Oh, um--nevermind that,” she stammered and quickly put them back on her face. Before I could say anything about it, she changed the subject. “Did you notice that a newspony took your picture when Cozy hugged you?”

Oh yes. That was a bit concerning, wasn’t it? A lot of newspaper articles had both supported, and detracted me in the past. “...Yes. I wonder what sort of article they’re going to print. As much as I dislike it, public perception is the key to realizing my dreams.”

“And those are?” she asked and moved some of the blankets. She then patted the side of the bed next to her to sort of beckon me.

I obliged, of course. “You’ll see. But I want this world to change. It won’t be easy, but you’ll be here to see it prosper alongside me.”

“No matter what it is, I’ll be there to support you. Somepony has to, don’t they?” she said with a smirk to tease me, which I admittedly found quite funny myself.

“Oh you...you never cease to amaze. But thank you. I’ll need it.” I put a hoof around her to bring her in closer to me.

“You’re welcome, dear.”

With that out of the way, I could focus on what was coming up next on the itinerary. I had to admit, I was somewhat worried. That newspony had taken a picture of us and it would probably result in another piece written about me. Whether it was good or bad it still unnerved me since my enemies could potentially use it against me.

Blech. Nothing I could do about it. Not for the moment, anyway. For now, I had to focus on the road ahead.

Over the course of those next few days, we spent more time in and around Sire’s Hollow itself. We took ski lessons, snowboarding lessons, and learned how to climb mountains. Albeit, that last one was done with a moderately sized hill, but still. It was quite the experience. Through all my years of work, I had never considered the prospect that an enemy could take shelter within the mountains. But now? I had a new perspective with this hike.

Cheerilee had a bit of a hard time. “I’m alright!” she cried out as she picked herself up and out of the snow for the fifth time. Being a teacher, she never really had much experience with climbing either, I’d imagine. Though I had to admit, it was adorable to watch. Why? Well, she was cute when she was clumsy. Of course, I wasted no time to make sure she was alright.

Cozy on the other hoof, had fared much better. Pegasi were naturally more in tune with obscene weather conditions, so this was nothing to her. Of course, having wings to fall back on in case she took a tumble would help out a lot. It kept me from having to worry too much.

Oh and of course, the leader of the hiking expedition was Double Diamond himself. Quite the skilled mountain scaler, to be honest. Apparently, he had been to the top of the world’s tallest peak--Mount Everhoof. So I guess one could say that we were in good hooves, no? “Stay close, everypony. You don’t wanna get caught in a snowfall.”

Accompanying him was his wife Marble Pie. Oh yes, I remember her. I didn’t get to speak much with her, but I knew she had to be just as good as Diamond if she led the troupe right with him. “Everypony alright?” she asked.

The small group, which consisted of myself, Cozy, Cheerilee, and a few others replied with nods and swift replies. Silence was deadly here in the frigid conditions of hills, so no one was able to go more than five minutes without speaking.

I had to say, it was really fun to scale hills as if they were the biggest mountains in the world.

Then I stopped. One of my ears flicked, and in the distance I could have sworn I heard something. I started to get a bit separated from the group, and Cozy would take note of this.

“Pops?” she called out as she walked down the hill to meet me. “Are you alright? You just kinda stopped.”

I shut my eyes with a quick blink, and reopened them as I faced her. “Oh, it’s nothing. I just thought I heard something.”

She laughed it off. “Haha! Well hurry up. You don’t wanna get left behind, do you?” she asked as she walked back up the hill. “Don’t forget. The tavern in town is making your favorite menu item this evening: deep dish Sire’s Hollow pizza!”

There was no need for materialistic motivation. That being said, I was a bit enticed by the prospect of a new kind of pizza. For whatever reason, it wasn’t that common of a food outside of Manehattan. Probably due to how unhealthy it was. Anyway, I started trotting up that hill once more. “Hey, I don’t need to be bribed or anything!”

Meanwhile…

“Time to put you to the test. Let’s see how to handle what I have in store…”

Soon, we all made it to the top of the hill. It served as a rather nice simulation of a mountain since the hill was large enough to allow us to see far over the horizon. The group ooh’d and aah’d once we had managed to get up there as well.

Cheerilee looked around, then behind us where our tracks had been left in the snow. “Oh my. I can’t believe we came from so far away and now we’re this high up…”

“Yeah, it’s crazy,” I replied, “Never been mountain--er, hill climbing before, but this feels great. The fresh, snowy air, the wind in our faces…”

“The snow!” Cozy chimed in, “I’ve never seen...such a beautiful landscape before.” She wiped her face as she looked out over the horizon. “It’s amazing...and I’m super grateful that you guys are here with me to experience it.”

We both flashed her a smile. Cheerilee would give her a tight hug. “Of course, Cozy. We wouldn’t dare leave you out to try when we care about you so much.”

I rubbed the pegasus’ head with my hoof as usual. “That’s right. Feel free to take in as much of the scenery as you want. It’s not going anywhere.”

For a moment, she accepted the treatment. “Thank you both so much…” She then stepped away from us and started to observe the chilly, mountainous range before us.

That’s when I felt something else. That same eerie presence from before. Except it was much stronger. I couldn’t exactly sense anypony behind it--which only made it that much more concerning. This was not good. A threat was one thing, but an unknown threat was something else. But what was it…

BRRRRRRR!

The ground started to violently rumble beneath our hooves. Everypony started to shake and fell over from the motions around them.

“Woah!”

“What’s going--aah!”

“Double! I thought you said today was safe!” Marble shouted, unable to stand from the shaking.

“I did!” Double replied, “This isn’t normal...something’s...oh no.”

He felt it, and so did I. A nearby mountain had started to lose bits of its snow and it started to coagulate into a large mass.

An avalanche was on its way!

Subject 142: A Hairy Battle

Mane-iac. Somehow, some way, she was summoned into the real world from her comic book incarnation. But this version of the crazed mare with prehensile hair was quite unique. I could feel her aura. She had been enhanced by unnatural means with the ability to acquire the magic of others through absorption via her hair.

In other words, she could steal souls. And that’s likely what happened to Elytra when they first met.

“You…” she addressed the lethargically drained bug pony first. Malice and contempt in her eyes, “I thought you were dead. Why would you bother showing your face back here, you fool?”

“I had no choice,” Elytra replied, “I have no power, and these ponies wanted to fight you. Not m--”

SMACK!

With a sharp, heavy whip-like crack, Mane-iac sent Elytra across the room with a strike from one of her hair-limbs. “That’s enough out of you. Now then…” Before we could react, more of her hairs reached out, and pulled Drive, Guts, and myself into the room. Immediately after, she forcibly barricaded the door with a massive stone slab moved into place with another hair. She was stupid strong if she could do all of that in quick succession. “What do you three want?” she asked, with her hairs wrapped tightly around our bodies so we couldn’t escape.

“Grrr…” I grumbled and squirmed in her grip. “To know just what...your purpose is. Why are you here? And more importantly, how are you here?”

The sadist of a mare leaned back into her hair like a seat as the three limbs that held onto us continued to strangle our bodies ever so slightly. “Hm. I suppose I could indulge you. You see, I was just as confused myself. I was in a new world with no sign of the Power Ponies whatsoever. And that is when I realized that my tales are entirely fictional. As for the one who cast a spell to bring me out of there, well. You’ll just have to find out for yourself…” she said with a low chuckle.

Okay, that answered one of my questions. But overall, it still perplexed me. I needed to know more.

“Okay then. And I assume that individual also gave you the power to essentially take the magic of others?” I put forth my guess.

She put her hooves together, and looked up. “Hm...close. It’d be more accurate to say that I have gained the ability to eat magic,” she gazed at us once more with hunger in those sickly green eyes of hers, “That way, I can gain as much power as I want, and become the strongest pony in the known universe! Fictional or not~”

Flash Drive jumped in. “Wait, eat magic? How’s that even possible?!”

Guttersnipe looked over at an unconscious Luna in that nearby cage. “And I’m gonna assume you’ve already taken Luna’s magic yeah?” she rolled her eyes, “Tch. How original. You villains can never come up with something other than stealing the magic of others?”

Mane-iac burst out in a fit of uncontrolled laughter. “AHAHAH! You fool. That isn’t even close to what I have in store for the likes of ponykind.”

Well now this was a shock. Not only was Elytra not the be-all end-all to the situation, but the newly found Mane-iac isn’t either. In essence, somepony else is causing a load of chaos and confusion. And for what? To throw us off the trail of what they truly intend to do while we’re saddled with this nonsense.

Admittedly, I had never really read the Power Ponies comics. I knew Cork was into them, but I never could find the time to check them out. As such, I was in a bit of a pickle here. My only guess was that we needed to cut her hair to wrestle her power from her. But with the capacity to take our magic, just how were we going to do that?

Given that Luna was currently incapacitated, I could only deduce that her power was increased massively beyond her normal aptitude within the realm of her comic. Okay, bad. I’d have to bank on the ability to talk her down for the moment.

“Now hold on a sec,” I spoke up, “Before you just end us like we’re scrap, why don’t you at least let us have a fair fight against you?” When I said that, I could almost feel Drive and Guts’ confused, judgemental gazes bore holes into the back of my head.

But I got lucky. The hairy mare decided to take us up on the offer. “Oho? You believe you have a chance against me? Alright then.” She let us go with a smug, devilish grin on her face, “It’ll be more fun for me this way, anyhow. I just adore watching my victims fight battles they know they can’t win. The feeling of watching them fearfully try so hard only to fail miserably gives me such a rush!”

Once we were on the stony ground, I checked over my unicorn and pegasus friend. They were both okay. But yeesh. I couldn’t stand these types. Unlike Daybreaker who was a complete nutjob, Mane-iac was built differently. Her mannerisms portrayed that of a cold, yet polite mare who just wanted to borrow a cup of sugar. Yet the moment you turned your back, she’d stab you, and wouldn’t stop stabbing until you bled out.

That was the vibe I got, and it wasn’t pleasant. She was unpredictable, puzzling. I had to play my cards effectively in order to resolve this situation as quickly as I possibly could. We couldn’t afford to spend a bunch of time here against this mare in some foolish bout that we had no chance of winning. The real culprit behind all of this was out there at that moment and did god knows what.

From the corner of my eye, I shot a look to Flash Drive.

He nodded.

I did the same to Guttersnipe.

She nodded.

While this wasn’t my usual team, the synergy I had with my friends wasn’t lost. As cheesy as that sounded. Anyhow, the main objective wasn’t to kill her. We needed to incapacitate her as fast as possible so we could capture her and return her to the comic book where she belonged. And before that, we’d question her for information so we could find out just who ‘employed’ her with the task of destroying the world.

And so, we engaged our best tactic.

ZAP!

With a spark from his horn, Flash Drive set off a blinding white light that disoriented the crazy hair mare.

FWOOSH!

Followed by Guttersnipe. Enhanced by the speed of the rocket-like boosters in her mechanical wings, she picked me up, and flung me directly towards Mane-iac with the force of a speeding cannonball.

“HAAAA!”

With one hoof outstretched, I intended to knock the living daylight out of this mare.

Unfortunately, it failed.

With a swift crack, not unlike the one she used to swat away Elytra earlier, she knocked me away. “GAH!” I was sent for a tumble, and skidded into the nearby wall.

Mane-iac simply scoffed as she reclined upon her hair as if it was a seat. “Hmph. Is that your best? I might actually get so bored that I just kill you all outright.”

“Ngh...agh…” I slowly stood up, and cricked my neck. Before either of my allies could ask if I was okay. They got the hint, and we’d proceed with our next set of techniques.

“AGH!”

Fail.

“NO!”

Fail.

“EEK!”

Fail.

Each time we attempted something new, we failed harder than the last. Drive, Guts, and I were constantly sent into walls, flung into the ceiling, smacked, slapped, and whacked by the mare’s hair. The magic she had absorbed from so many other individuals had made her nigh-invulnerable just as I feared. Was there really no way for us to beat her?

All three of us lied down on the cold, stony floor with labored, annoyed huffs of air that left our bodies at a slow pace.

“Wow,” she said as she ‘walked’ over to us with two of her hair strands that acted as legs, “And here I thought you were going to put up more of a fight. The pony who summoned me even warned me about you specifically, Pale Vestige.” She leaned down towards me in particular, her face just above mine with a tsk of disappointment. “But you’re not even putting up a fight. I honestly expected better from the pony that defied all natural order just to save one pony who nearly destroyed the world twenty years ago.”

I was unable to respond. I was too tired from the battle. The proverbial wind was knocked out of all of us, and we couldn’t fight back. Was this the end?

RING-RING!

That’s when I noticed Mane-iac stop in her tracks. She stood upright, and reached towards the corner of the room with one of her hairs to grab ahold of a telephone to answer it. “Hm? Oh? You do? They’re here….I should? Oh yes...very nice.”

She hung up.

“Change of plans, everypony!”

Subject 157: The Battle Continues

“The past does not define someone,” I said, “I will not condemn those who made the decision to put Cozy Glow down here. Was it horrific? Absolutely. But if she no longer holds any animosity, then neither will I. Anger and hatred has done nothing but drive me towards callous and poorly thought-out decisions. But not here...not anymore.” I looked around to try and find the source of the voice to no avail. Despite this, I was keen on my path to snap back, and keep this thing at bay so it could no longer fill my head with confusion. “I decide my own fate! Not you, not the alicorns, nor do any of the other powerful beings who attempt to make themselves out to be gods!”

Much to my surprise, Quick Draw stood beside me to provide her own words of encouragement. “That’s right. We’re not going to allow you to shape or control the events of time! We’re going to fight for the outcome that we want, and there’s nothing you can do to stop us!”

Corkscrew flew up to my other side, and shouted. “Damn straight. We’ve been through too much to even consider the idea of quitting now. So go on. Watch us as we make history that nopony else will ever be able to compare to!”

There was a palpable silence throughout the underworld. As if time itself had stopped. Fortunately, the eerie emptiness wouldn’t last for very long.

“Is that so? Well then...you all have made your choice. In a few moments, you will finally come face to face with the beast that you have so desperately hunted after. Are you all prepared for it?”

I looked at both of my crewmates. Each of them responded with a nod.

“Absolutely,” I replied.

Without warning, we felt a surge of magic overtake us. As a result, we returned to our normal, adult pony bodies. And best of all? My coat fit again. The legionic voice dissipated, and we came face to face with a familiar foe whose appearance had been concealed by it the entire time.

“...and once I take over, we shall--hm?” The mare whose hair functioned as limbs had appeared before us on that tower platform. Mane-iac hadn’t gone to Hollow Shades at all! She had been here the whole time to reap souls for extra power. “Ah, so you saw through my bluff did you? And you brought some new friends…”

Behind her, I noticed a spectral figure that took the appearance of a...it was hard to describe. But it looked like a spider-esque being with dozens of eyes! But instead of regular spider legs, it had hooves, and rows of shark-like teeth. Was that the form that Grogar currently took to hide his true appearance? “That I did, Mane-iac. But we know what your intention is now. Legion told us all about it.”

The hairy mare whispered something to the beast before it scampered off. “Ah, the voice of historical context, hm? Well, it’s going to be my turn to enter the ranks of the history books. And you won’t stop me. Don’t you remember how effortlessly I defeated you and your other friends?”

I readied my gun with a flick of the lever. “You won’t stop us either. We have an ace up our sleeve.”

She leaned forward, and used some of her hairs to recline upon her back. “Oh? And what might that be?”

I smirked at Corkscrew.

One hour ago. At Canterlot castle…

While we waited to speak with Twilight, I had an idea. I needed to find Spike. Why? Well I knew he was a fan of the Power Pony comic books. If he read them well enough, then he would likely know about Mane-iac’s weakness.

Now you may wonder why I was concerned about that. After all, Mane-iac was apparently threatening to attack Hollow Shades, right? Well, I just had this sneaking suspicion that we were being bluffed. Just in case she decided to show her face in Tartarus, I needed to know all I could.

So I got up from the lobby seat of the castle. “Hey, I’m gonna go...check the perimeter.”

Quick looked at me with a raised brow. “Really? Just got to the bathroom if you need to.”

The boss sat back in his seat with his hat over his eyes. Cool as ever. “Hurry back now. Don’t take forever.”

That wasn’t exactly my intention. But ya know what? I rolled with it. I needed to get ahold of Spike. I knew he had to be around because Twilight tended to have him manage other areas of the castle while she was in meetings. Luckily, I didn’t have to search for very long. Spike was busy sorting files in one of the offices at the other end of the castle. It was odd to see him with a pair of reading glasses on his face.

Anyway, the door was wide open, but I tapped it with my wing to be polite so that I didn’t scare him. “Spike? Got a minute?”

“Hm?” the young adult dragon looked up from the paperwork he had. “Oh it’s you. What do you need, my guy?”

Awesome. He was easy to cooperate with, so I gave him the gist of the situation. “...and I need to know if you know any of Mane-iac’s weaknesses.”

“Power Ponies?” he replied as his eyes shot open. “Now that takes me back. It’s been a while since I’ve read those.”

Wait what? Okay, I was on a job but I was still a bit curious. “Huh? You don’t read them anymore?”

“Nah. I haven’t had much time to read comics since I started working more. Twilight has pretty much made me the ambassador to the non-pony races. And with that comes a slew of problems,” he rolled his eyes, and put his arms behind his head to recline in his chair. “But anyway. In reference to what you need. Mane-iac’s weakness is…”

I got my answer.

“...really now?” After he told it to me, I expressed my thanks, and decided to offer him something in return. “Hey. Wanna read comics next time you’re off? I could help you catch up on Power Ponies. And show you some of the comics I got from Japony.”

“Really? Thanks. But only if you’re able to do so as well. I wouldn’t want to divert too much time away from your job.” He reached into a jar of gemstones, and plucked a few from it to eat. “I’ve been there, and it’s cost me valuable time I could’ve spent honing my skills. It’s made me a complete burden to Twilight and her friends in the past.”

I looked down. Yikes, man. That feel was realer than I anticipated. “...Yeah, I get you. Having been through an Academy where one best friend had to constantly protect me, and the other had to constantly help me prepare and study--I always felt like that.”

To my shock, Spike actually got up from his chair, and pat me on the head. “Hey now. Don’t feel like that. Your friends love you and want you around because they know you’re a valuable member of their group. Don’t fall into the same slump that I did.”

Man that felt good down to my soul. My heart almost melted, but I had to keep my emotions outta the job. “Yeah...you’re right. Thanks again for the help.” With the knowledge gained, I flew up and out of his office.

“No problem, buddy!”

As expected of my friend Corkscrew. Always there with the clutch to save my flank when I least expected. So what was the plan that I had devised in order to exploit Mane-iac’s weakness?

CLINK!

I threw my gun down on the floor, much to everyone’s initial confusion.

SMASH!

With a press of my hoof, I stomped upon, and broke it into pieces. I took out the crystal shard that powered the blaster, and stabbed myself in the chest with it...right on the heart. “Grhh! Ffff…”

“PALE WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!” Quick screamed.

Corkscrew was silent. I suppose that it was too horrific for him to put it into words.

Mane-iac remained perplexed as she gazed upon me with an intense stare to see what would happen next.

It was all or nothing.

Subject 172: Sky Mission Part IV

Cork and I sat in the crowd with patient glares on our faces. We sat through numerous performances all through the late morning and early afternoon. Among the highlights were the Yaks and their poetic soliloquies, changelings who could perform acrobatic feats, and some stand-up comedy from local pony pros. Though some of the humor was a bit lost on me.

“‘...do you want a pizza me?’ HA! Classic…” Corkscrew cheered as he repeated the most recent joke that was made onstage.

I didn’t find it very amusing, however. “Really? If you said that kind of stuff in Manehattan, you’d get beat up. Then again, you could get beat up for just about anything in Manehattan…”

“Aren’t there a lot of Bitalians in Manehattan? That’s probably why they don’t find it funny,” he replied. “So do you see anything that could give them away yet?”

Not even close. Everyone appeared normal for the most part. Gah. To find a shapeshifter in the middle of a crowded audience like this was going to be like looking for a needle in a haystack. Of course, the recent entry of the performer known only as ‘Spectacle’ forced my head to turn a little.

“None yet. But I have a feeling that we’re about to find out very soon.”

“What makes you say that, boss?”

I leaned over the table to whisper. “Think about it, Cork. A monster from an entirely different era would want to figure out how to adapt so it could live amongst us without issue. It’s a classic trick that even the changelings couldn’t figure out.”

“But what, if that’s the case, then how did they go extinct in the first place?” he asked with intrigue.

My answer was cryptic to avoid suspicion. “The history books won’t tell you this, but folks such as...you-know-who, were skilled in hunting down such beasts. It got to the point where no one was able to stand against him and his team.”

It took a second, but it looked like he figured it out. “Oh, Clover the--right. Anyway, do you think we should wait for Spectacle to take the stage?”

“It depends,” I replied as I scanned the room with my eyes, “It could very well be anypony in this crowd. We’ll just need to wait for any sudden or awkward movements. And be sure to keep track of everything you’ve seen. Write anything down so you don’t forget.”

The youngster had already used his wingtips to hold a pencil and write some things down. “I’m already on it, boss. If anything goes down, we’ll be ready. But first…” he put the pad down in front of me. “I need to use the bathroom real quick.”

I raised a brow. “Okay, but hurry back, alright? Don’t get distracted. The floor servers will often try to pelt you with drink offers so you make poor decisions.”

“Pfft,” he scoffed, and waved his hoof down at me, “Relax, bud. You act like somethin’ crazy’s gonna happen while I’m gone. Then again...you know what, I’ll just go.” And he flew off without another word.

All I could do was sigh, and pray that he’d return with no trouble.

Meanwhile…backstage...

“And if I do this...you promise you’ll reconnect me with my daughter, right?”

“Indubitably. Why would I try to deceive thee?”

“You shouldn’t. I could blow you to smithereens very easily if I wanted to.”

“Precisely. I need you more than you need me. Follow my orders and this will go smoothly.”

“The things I do…”

Eventually, Corkscrew returned with no signs of any damage. But I wanted to make sure that nothing was amiss.

“Was everything alright?” I asked as he sat down, “Nopony strange as you made your way there and back, yeah?”

He shook his head. “Nope. Nothing at all. Maybe the Bros. accidentally made an incorrect report. A false positive, ya feel?”

I folded my hooves, and sat back in my seat. “Don’t be careless.” While I didn’t want to lecture him, I wanted to make it clear on just how important our job was. “You know very well that we can’t just ignore a report. No matter how small it is.”

Cork let out quite the snide laugh. “Haha! Don’t sweat it, boss. I know that. Trust me. Besides, it’s been fun to watch these performances so far. And the complimentary nachos are dope.”

As much as I wanted to deny it...yes. Being here on a much more...relaxed mission was nice to say the least. For once, I was actually able to walk around a bustling casino without having to chase somepony down. Though I knew that that was likely going to change in the next twenty minutes.

“Maybe. But we need to focus. I believe we’re going to be on duty soon enough,” I mumbled.

Why? Because the new hire that Jackpot mentioned was scheduled to go onstage next: Spectacle.

The spotlights started to shift around in a triumphant, dramatic manner. Next, an announcer called out the individual’s name. “Fillies and gentlecolts...a professional that needs almost no introduction...SPECTACLE!”

Everyone in the crowd gazed in awe towards the stage, and cheered with anticipation. The red curtain opened up to reveal…

Nothing.

Absolutely nothing. Everyone in the audience including Cork and myself were stunned at this. The announcer did his best to try and diffuse the situation.

“Well that’s odd...er...can we get someone down there to help her?”

Meanwhile...in the studio’s hallways...

“What are you doing? Get out there now!”

“No, I refuse!”

“Then you leave me no choice. I’ll have to do this myself…”

“Boss,” Corkscrew shot me a look, “Should we go with Operation Maneuver 21A or 21B?”

Perfect. He was already on the same page as I. As they say, great minds do in fact think alike. “21B,” I said, “There’s no way I’d be able to pick up the slack. You can keep them entertained for far longer while I figure out what’s going on.”

I nodded. With our plan in motion, we got up from the table and went to our positions. I would head backstage to investigate why this ‘Spectacle’ character hadn’t gone on stage like they had been scheduled.

And Corkscrew? He was ready to take the stage.

“Yo, Las Pegasus!” he shouted once he got up there and took the microphone in one of his wings, “I’m not ‘Spectacle’ or whoever, but I’m here to give ya’ll a show you won’t ever forget!”

As I left to sneak onto the stage, I heard some of the audience members mutter amongst themselves.

“Who is he?”

“Isn’t that the guy that took severe burns to save us from an evil Kirin?”

“It is! That’s him!”

Well, he certainly had their attention. But things would only get crazier when he made a musical request.

“Yo, announcer/DJ!” he shouted up to the projector room at the other end of the theater, “Gimme a beat!”

This would either go amazingly or horribly.

Subject 186: Underwater Mission Part III

Okay, so Guttersnipe’s plan was set in stone. Thanks to one of Terramar’s relatives, Gutsy would be able to hack into the naval mines so that we could figure out the source. I guess they didn’t really have an expert on magical technology down here. Which made sense. Water and electricity usually tended to not mix very well unless fortified by high concentrations of magic. Like Guts’ wings.

So as a result, they needed our help. Who were we to turn a blind eye, right? I just hoped that Guts would be able to figure it out. And just who was going to help us, I wonder…

“Nghh...argh…” I felt a sudden pain rise in my chest again. This stupid curse slowly ruined me from the inside. But I was resilient. I wasn’t going to succumb to something so simplistic. Not yet. Pale would curse me out from the mortal plane if I did…

“Are you alright, Madam Draw?” Terramar asked me in that wonderfully compassionate tone of voice, and swam to where I was.

I had been floating near one of the windows near the edge of the palace that allowed me to get a good view of the swarm of spiky bombs in the distance. “Oh yeah, I just…” To be quite honest, I hesitated because I wasn’t entirely sure how to respond. Would he even understand?

“If there’s something on your mind, then please don’t dawdle about it. I can’t help with everything, but if I know something, then I can do my best,” he said to comfort me.

I guess there was no harm in it. After all, this was something important. So I gave him the basic rundown of my situation. Who I was, what had happened, and how I felt at that moment.

“...and it’s because of this curse that I feel this way. I think it has roots in Zebra voodoo. Twilight was able to rescue me from it, but I’m not exactly cured from it just yet. Something about the castor being the only one able to undo it…”

“Ah yes…” he put his hoof against his chin, “Twilight--it’s been a while since we’ve last met. I do recall the fact that she has quite the authority on magic as a concept.” He gave me a concerned, yet confident look, “But don’t assume that her word is absolute. No offense to her--but there could be loads of things developing right beneath her nose that she isn’t aware of. Think about it, lady Draw. Think about how...infinite and vast the spectrum of magic can be. And how many new forms and variants of magic are created with each passing second. Do you think she could realistically keep up with every new possible formation of magic?”

Huh. Well when he put it like that, I couldn’t exactly refute him. After all, there was no real way to keep track of every possible new piece of magic or tech that was formed without some sort of documentation. And without that documentation, not even Twilight could keep track of it all. So even though she knew most things about magic...there was no way she could know everything.

So maybe...was there a way I could rid myself of this curse on my own?

At any rate, I had to thank Terramar for his words. “I see...that makes sense, sir. Thank you.”

“Just Terramar is fine. Now come along. My special guest who’s going to help us with the explosives has arrived,” he turned to swim into the hallway of the palace and towards the main foyer.

With nothing left to do here, I took after him. By the time I got downstairs, I felt a bit silly for not having guessed it sooner.

“...Of course,” I mumbled under my breath, “I should’ve known it’d be Silverstream.”

The siblings greeted each other with a surprising amount of enthusiasm.

“Sis! It’s great to see you!” Terramar shouted as he put a hoof around the pink seapony’s neck.

“Oof!” she was caught a bit off-guard by the hug, but slowly accepted it. She was only a little bit shorter than he was, but it was easy to see she was a bit delicate by the way she recoiled from the hug. “Heh...I keep forgetting the fact that you’re bigger than me, bro. And it’s great to see you too. Though I have to be honest--I’m not really used to my Seapony form. It’s...been a while since I’ve swimmed for a long period of time.”

Terrmar’s voice returned to its usual commanding tone. “Well then get ready. Because we’re going to need your help.”

“Let me guess...the aquatic minefield near the edge of your territory?” she asked with a knowledgeable tone, “Yeah that sounds right. From what I gather, you want me to use my defensive magic in order to keep somepony safe as they go out there and disarm them, right? Thank heavens for that. I don’t know the first thing about nukes.”

Oh? Did they really have their own kinds of magic beyond the Hippogriff/Seapony transformation? I needed to know more. For research. And mainly because I know Pale would ask.

“Wait a second, what?” I interjected, “You have magic? If so, what kind?” Then I realized that my cut-in was rather callous so I took a step--er, floated back and properly introduced myself. “Ahem...apologies. My name is Quick Draw. And I’m one of the two ponies that have been assigned to this operation alongside my friend Guttersnipe Poinsettia.”

“Oh that’s you? Now isn’t that cool!” she floated toward me, and suddenly grabbed my hoof to shake it with her own, “Nice to meet you, Quick. I’m Silverstream, but you probably already figured that out. And to answer your question, yes. We do have magic. Albeit inherited from our parents, they’re still our powers all the same.”

“Indeed,” Terramar added, “For example. I took after mother and inherited her weapon--an ancestral sword that’s been passed down through the family for generations.”

Ooooh. As I previously stated, I was hyped to get to see it. Then I looked at Silverstream. “I see. And you, Stream?”

“I’ve inherited our dad’s...well, you’ll see if I need to use it,” she shot me a wink as if to tease the idea of unleashing her power.

Dammit, both of the siblings were cryptic and it annoyed me.

That’s when Guttersnipe popped into the room with a welding mask on her face. “Ready to roll.”

Mission is a go.

Subject 203: Zebra Lands IV

This mustn't register on an emotional level.

I had a really creative, well thought-out plan to subdue her, but ultimately? I chose to ignore her. Kwaade was a waste of my time in this instance, and the ponies who had started to gather down below needed my help more than anything.

With a swift kick to the jaw, I kicked her with one of my hind legs which knocked her away from me, and forced her to release the grip she had on my tail. I took a dive, and luckily, I was able to land on some hay bales that were down below.

“Oof…pbbt!” I spat out some of it--not very tasty honestly. Once I rose up, I found that Zecora had subdued the guards on her own! “What in the--”

A hefty thud, I watched as the body of the last guard fell at Zecora’s hooves. She turned to inform me of what had just happened. “Oh don’t worry, they are not dead,” she held up another small glass bottle--this time it was empty, “They are just sleeping thanks to a brew I created.”

“Just how many things do you own, Lady Z?” I trotted up and took a look at the bottle.

But she quickly put it away with a judgemental glare. “Now now, my son. I can show you that at a later date. For now, we have a lot of friends who need your assistance and leadership to put an end to the horrid affairs of this state.” She pushed me towards the congregation.

And what a massive crowd it was.

Various pony-zebra hybrids had gathered in the square. Mares, stallions, and many even had foals. Some were jet-black like myself, others were varying shades of brown, some gray, and some even had half of a set of stripes.

But one thing they all had in common? They were in pain.

I gazed at them all. Most of them were bruised, scuffed, scraped, and some had dried patches of blood. Others had black eyes. Among those without such obvious external injuries, there were a few hybrid ponies that looked sleep-deprived, malnourished, and jittery--as if they were paranoid of whatever may come up behind them in the dark.

It pained me to see it, but there was no time for emotional turmoil to hold me back. I needed to not only lead these folks to a better tomorrow, but also do my best to uncover the source of all of the hexes used in Equestria as of late. But to do that, I would need some support…

“My friends. Your so-called masters have done unspeakable things to you all,” I addressed them all at once. Their eyes focused on me. “In truth, they fear you. Why exactly? I have...no idea, admittedly. However, that won’t stop us. You all deserve to be treated fairly as any other pony or zebra would! Isn’t that right?”

There was a bit of idle chatter among the crowd. As if they were unsure of what to do and whether or not they should support my notions. So I decided to play it in their favor.

I pointed to a random hybrid pony--a stallion with a child by the looks of it.

“You sir,” I pointed to him, “Tell me your plight. What sort of injustices have you endured?”

The stallion shivered, his foal--his son most likely, clung to him for protection. “Papa...?”

“It’s alright,” the stallion reassured his child before he responded to my query. “...I work in a field constantly. Plowing endless hot days on a farm for the zebra family that I work for. But I’m not allowed to do or say anything. My son’s life is in jeopardy if I dare do anything against their wishes. So...I have no choice.”

Bastards. If that was how they treated him, then I couldn’t fathom how they treated the others. Next I looked at a lonesome mare. “And you, miss? What have you dealt with in your time here?”

The mare shuffled her hooves back and forth. “I...I…This is a bit difficult to say...but...I’ve been separated from my family. I was brought here one day for a purchase and now all I do is clean windows and do whatever my...o-owner tells me to. Even if she…” The mare paused for a second, and took a step back. “...makes me do things I don’t like.”

A pair of foals suddenly came up to me. Their manes rugged and knackered. Their coats were covered in blemishes and other spots. They clearly hadn’t bathed in weeks.

“I can’t even go out and play…” said the filly, “All I’m allowed to do is watch over some scary old basement…”

The colt spoke up with a more cynical take on the situation. “That’s my sister. She and I have no parents. We’ve been tasked with cleaning out dirty areas and getting rid of toads, rats, moths, maggots--generally anything that could be a nuisance to our masters.”

My knees shook. I nearly popped a damn blood vessel from the amount of rage that welled up within me. Not only were these hideous mistakes of zebras using hostile forms of magic in my friend’s home of Equestria, but they also treated their own home no better?! I felt steam hiss from out of my nostrils.

I asked for more information, and I recieved it. All of them had been forced into subservience in one way or another. Chefs that were forced to cook for hours on end, maids that had to do nothing but clean, miners who did nothing but gather precious minerals for the jewelry that the upper class wore, and the children were taught to never question anything about how this land was governed.

For if they did...the punishment was severe.

That filly and colt had several lashes across their backs. They weren’t deep enough to cause lasting injury, but just enough to sting. Then I looked at the rest of the hybrids in the crowd. Sure enough, their backs were covered in whip strikes. This was beyond criminal. I was not going to allow this wretched place to hold influence over the place that my friends and I called home.

We were going to fight back.

“Everypony...this may be a difficult thing to do, but together, we can take down what has kept you all in shackles for so long and get you all free of this place,” I proclaimed, “I was lucky enough to escape thanks to my parents. It’s not too late for the rest of you.”

Unfortunately, everyone seemed mixed on the idea. None of them spoke up in support of me, and they simply exchanged awkward looks with each other as they muttered. Likely to weigh the risks.

I looked at Zecora. “...What do you think, Lady Z?”

“Listen. Listen well,” she replied, “These ponies may have more to tell.”

Fair enough. However, in the back of my mind, I couldn’t shake something.

Where did Kwaade go?!

Subject 207: Battle Preparation

They knew it and so did I. It was time for action. I galloped with reckless abandon through the South Zebrican town until I reached the capitol building. With a swift flick of my horn, the doors were flung open via my magic.

“Lord of this land, show yourself!” I shouted as I ran inside, “We will tolerate this nonsense no longer! Give it up. Your slaves have all been removed!”

The same hooded zebra from before sat above me in a stand. But now, they were accompanied by three others--all in the same white hoods.

“...so we have noticed,” the first one replied, “Daring. This is exactly why we have taken to restricting them in the first place. In the event that any of those halfbreeds rose to a position of prominence, they’d attempt to tear everything down. It is...unfortunate.”

What surprised me was the fact that no one had appeared to attack me yet. Did they have something else planned?

“Why exactly do you hate halfbreeds? What have they done to you?!” I pointed up at them as I shouted.

“Isn’t it obvious?” their leader responded with a shake of the head, “It’s surprising that somepony such as yourself doesn’t realize it yet, given that you are a halfbreed.” They opened up a scroll which showed diagrams of both species--an Equestrian pony on the left, and a Zebra on the right.

Another one of the hooded zebs spoke up--a mare from the sound of it. “When a zebra and a pony mate, the traits of both species are equally passed onto their children. Earth pony durability, pegasus agility, or unicorn magic plus...zebra magic.”

Made sense to me. However, I was admittedly out of touch with the full details on zeb magic. I hadn’t actually unlocked all of my own traits yet. “...And with zebs, it...varies, doesn’t it?” I asked.

“Smart boy,” she went on, “Indeed. Zebra magic is an entirely different beast. One that has been kept sacred to this continent for generations. Different zebra tribes have different skills. And you...since your father was from this land, you will have inherited the traits that he was born with.”

The traits me dad was born with? That sounded...right mental. Pops never told me about what abilities he had. Whenever I asked, he always had this...empty look on his face. One that expressed shame and disinterest in the hope of moving on from the past.

“Father. I heard rumors that zebras can do magic like mum and other ponies. Is that right?”

And I still remember what he said to me. “...Son. Some forms of magic are beautiful and can be used to create wonderful things. Others...can be used to destroy or cause pain.” That’s right...he stopped, and put down the newspaper he read from to pick me up and put me on his lap. “When you get older, you’ll find out more about yourself and our family’s magic. Then, you’ll be able to make your own decisions.”

I tilted my head like the innocent little goblin I was. “...Decisions? You mean like...between good and bad?”

He smiled and pat me on the head. “That’s right my little mamba. Now let’s dinner ready for your mother, yes?”

“Oh! Righty-o, father!”

Well pops...while we can’t cling to the past, we had to comprehend it in order to pave the way towards the future. And I was about to do just that, with your blood as well as mum’s unicorn blood.

“...I get it now,” I replied with a sigh, “If that is indeed the case, then I’ll use my own abilities to make this land fair for everyone. Not just one group.”

A pause lingered in the air. I awaited a response from them, only to be hit with something I didn’t quite expect.

The first leader pointed towards a door that led into the room. “...There is one other thing.”

Out of that door came my brother--Neon. He was held captive with ropes that tied his wings down, and chains along each hoof. And just who escorted him in? Kwaade...

“Bruv!” I shouted.

My brother looked up at me with a defeated smile. “Hey....looks like I finally found ya.”

Immediately, my eyes shifted up to the zebra leaders. “If you’ve laid a hoof on him, you’re going to wish you were never--!”

But I was cut off by a female one. “Save yourself the trouble, boy. We are making a proposal.”

I cocked a brow upwards. “Oh really?”

“Indeed,” she continued, “While we appreciate the efforts you’ve made to end this in a civil manner, you are the one with more to lose. We can always hunt for more servants. But we are more than positive that your brother can’t be replaced.”

I took a step back, and huffed. Like it or not, she had a point. I had little to no sway over this conversation given that Neon was in their clutches. As a result, I had to play by their terms. Terms which...I could already predict.

“...too right,” I said with the tiniest of growls, “So what’ll it be, then?”

“Fight,” the leaders all said in unison.

“Fight for this land,” the first one spoke up by themselves once more, “If you win, we will submit everything. If you fail, we will not only retain control of this land, but we will also proceed with our plans to bring Grogar back from the plane of limbo.”

As much as I didn’t like it, there was nothing that could be done. However, I just had to know. “...why do you want to resurrect Grogar?”

“Fight and win,” the mare said, “Then you shall be offered what you seek. That is all.”

The group of hooded zebras disappeared behind the door from which they stood. Kwaade meanwhile, shot me a cocky smirk.

“If you’re lucky, I might allow you to be my servant once you lose,” she said.

I rolled my eyes, and paid her no mind. There were more important things to deal with. “Bruv. Don’t lose your head, eh? I’ll be back for ya.”

Naturally, Neon responded as amicably as ever. “Pshaw, mate. Don’t fret yourself. Remember, I’m their insurance policy. If anything happens to me, all bets are off. Don’t forget that.”

“I won’t, bruv...I won’t,” I made peace with my decision, and fled out of the town hall.

This would be over soon.

Subject 215: A Question Of Conduct

Twilight Sparkle came into my home and sat down with me on the couch. I offered her some tea, and we got straight down to business.

“...and that’s what I’m asking of you,” she finished her explanation with a sharp exhale. “I’m not going to force you two to leave, but it’s something you should at least consider for the safety of not only Cozy Glow, but yourself and the rest of your fellow citizens.”

So she wanted us to get the heck outta dodge, huh? To be honest, I could kind of understand where she came from. Cozy’s life was in danger but at the same time, something within me knew that I just couldn’t turn and run with my tail between my legs. I had too much to stand for at this point.

“...Argh...I’ll think about it, Princess. I need to discuss it with Cozy as well. She’s grown enough to make her own decisions you know.”

“I’m aware,” she replied, “It would be downright unethical of me to not allow her input to be considered. You’re not aware, but...I’ve had my own time to reflect upon my actions too.”

That was good to hear. I wanted to know more, but nah. Now wasn’t the time for it. “That’s great. Self-reflection is an important action that we should all take time to put ourselves through. It may lead to a road of sorrow, but there’s always a light at the end of it.”

Twilight scribbled something down on a parchment with a quill via magic. “End of the road--or the tunnel? How poetic. But yes, I agree. The reason I brought it up is because I went to the Gargoyle territories a while back. I’m not sure if you recall or not. It wasn’t long after we had our first therapy session with Ms. Inkwell.”

Oh that’s what she had referred to. In that case, I supposed that it would be alright if I asked her a bit more about it. “Oh yeah, now I remember. Speaking of which, how was it when you went there? Were Tirek and Scorpan’s parents still around?”

“Yeah...about that…” she scratched the side of her head with a hoof. “Things weren’t looking too good. When I got there, King Vorak had already passed away…”

What? But I and many others thought that he was in good health and could stick around for at least a dozen more years. The fact that he was gone unnerved me, because my keen analytical mind had already drawn up several mental alternative probabilities.

Basically, I thought that there was more to it than that.

“Wow…” I responded as I set my teacup down, unable to properly think of what to say next. “Um...ah. What about their mother? Queen Haydon? Is she still around?”

Twilight nodded. “She is. Which makes it all the stranger. No idea how Vorak could’ve just...croaked so easily while his wife is still in good health. But regardless, I took some time to speak with her.”

“A-and what did she say?” I asked with a hint of anxiety.

The princess continued with a remorse tone--as if she regretted to repeat what she had heard. “...She spoke quite a bit about the history of her home and how she grew to feel annoyed at herself in regards to what Tirek did. And that Grogar might have had something to do with it.”

A Few Weeks Ago…

When Twilight visited Queen Haydon, they sat down outside in the palace grounds which overlooked the edge of the known world they lived in.

“Queen Haydon,” Twilight asked, “When you ascended the throne, what was it like?”

The gargoyle queen pushed her clawtips together as she gathered her reply in her head. “It was a...difficult time for us all. There were many who agreed and disagreed with the decision. But Vorak and I pressed on regardless.”

“I see…” Twilight looked over at the trimmed hedge sculptures. One of which was a perfect recreation of the Queen and her late husband. “It...must have hit you very hard once he passed away. But I know he’s proud of you for still being active in your role as Queen of this land.”

“Thank you, dear. And yes...I’d imagine he would be. The only problem I have is that I don’t q-quite u-understand…” Her voice grew shaky with a sense of dread.

“Understand what exactly?” the alicorn pleaded, “It’s alright. You can tell me. And I promise I won’t tell a soul.”

The Queen swiftly blew her nose with a tissue, and went on. “I appreciate the fact that you’re willing to listen. The problem I have is that Vorak seemed so...healthy before he passed. He had no underlying health conditions or any ailments prior. And then one day…”

Twilight shook her head, and levitated another tissue to wipe away tears from Haydon’s eyes. “No need to take yourself through it. You’ve suffered enough.”

Haydon returned the gesture with a smile. “...Thank you.”

“...And that’s what she told me. What do you think, Pale?” she asked once she finished her explanation.

“...damn.”

That was all I could say for a moment. Admittedly, that was a lot of information to process all at once. Vorak suddenly carked it out of nowhere? Yeah no, that didn’t exactly register as a likelihood. Sounded to me like a certain someone wanted to eliminate any and all possible opposition.

And it was on me and my crew to rise up instead.

Subject 233: Cake Combat II

I knew exactly who this was. But there was something else in play. He had already started to charge up an attack without so much as a hair of movement!

“We got a problem. A big problem,” I mumbled to myself, and turned to the Cake siblings. “Guys, watch out!”

The twins looked at me for a split-second. “H--?!”

CRASH!

From out of the ground, several appendages that were akin to tentacles burst out which nearly grabbed ahold of the twins had it not been for their quick thinking.

“Woah!” Pound yelped as he flew into the air, “This guy means business!”

Pumpkin used her magic to self-levitate. She was encased in her dull-blue magical aura in order to float and ‘fly’ away from the limbs. “Too close! Darn thing almost got me! Sir, are you alright?”

Since I couldn’t exactly leave the ground, I was forced to deal with the limbs directly. “Rrgh!” I winced as I pulled back against the force of the shadowy arms that tried to pull me in. “Nothing I haven’t dealt with before! You two should fall back and regroup with the others as soon as possible!”

“No way!” Pound shouted and simultaneously dodged a swipe from a tendril, “This is our home! Our ancestors built this land, and our parents were the ones who made this bakery. I’ll keep fighting until it’s over!”

Pumpkin also managed to avoid the attacks of the shadowy demon. “Yeah, he’s right. This will be pretty easy to handle. It can’t even hit us!”

SHING!

And that’s when the demon immediately changed its tactics. Almost as if it could adapt to us on the fly, the tentacle arms became sharp swords!

“AH!” Pound squealed as he narrowly avoided the slice of a shadowy blade. He wasn’t horribly injured, but it clipped his wing just enough to cause a slight bleed. “Tch...so this is what real HP damage feels like?”

Pumpkin used her magic to generate blue crescent-shaped shields around herself. But the bladed edges of the shadowy demon’s attacks proved too much for those as well. “Ah! Nonono!” she panicked as the black sword pierced through her magic. She did a roll in midair to narrowly escape impalement from the weapon. “Ow!” Fortunately, she was able to escape with a mere cut above her flank, rather than a stab. Like her brother, she had good coordination, and managed to avoid fatal damage--at least for the moment. “How about this?!” From her horn, she fired off a spell that shot out like a discreet laser beam. It was a particle spell! Mainly used by surgeons, blast of magic like this was normally meant to make precise incisions to avoid damage to vital organs.

Well this mare had repurposed that spell into an offensive attack! It managed to cut through most of the black limbs that held the blades with unparalleled finesse. But once the beam reached the shadow pony itself...

TING!

POOF!

...her magical beam evaporated on contact with its body. Was this demon outfitted with magical repellent or absorption? It was hard to venture a guess…

“What?!” Pumpkin yelled out, “That’s stupid! That was my most powerful spell! How could it not--”

Pound cut her off, and created a new weapon from thin air. A lance with a pointed tip made entirely out of clouds. It was easily twice the length of his body, but his control over the elements of weather allowed him to handle it easily. “Guess we’ll have to do this the old-fashioned way!”

With a flap of his wings, he charged in. A dive bomb attack to strike headfirst with a stab from his weapon.

PLOP!

“WHAAAAA--?!”

...Until it disappeared as soon as it came into contact with the pony. Defenseless, Pound Cake was knocked to the ground beneath the being’s left hoof in order to put him through asphyxiation.

“LET HIM GO!” I screamed. Sadly, I wasn’t of much use at that moment. I had been in a nasty scuffle with a pair of the shadow blades myself the entire time. They covered such a wide angle with each slash that I was forced to resort to dodging and could only helplessly watch the twins fight from the corner of my peripheral vision. “Dammit, there’s just too many…”

At last, our prayers were finally answered. A giant mechanism opened up from within Sugarcube Corner’s rooftop. All three of us looked up to find Pinkie Pie seated behind what looked like a controllable pink gatling-cannon...thing?

“Say hello to my not-so-little friend!” cried the pink party pony from on high.

After a slight whirr of the machine, and a moment’s delay, it fired!

BAM!

A laser of what appeared to be frosting filled with what looked to be sparkly, unstable sprinkles was fired directly at the shadow pony….and bounced right off. Directly back at Pinkie!

SPLAT!

“Wha--nonono! That’s not supposed to--!” Before she could finish her sentence, both she and her machine were covered in a pink cloud!

“Pinkie!” Pumpkin Cake yelped with concern, “Are you okay?!”

“It’s fine! I’m fine...I just need to get the--”

BOOM!

Her sprinkles detonated, and sent parts of her machine into the air. A bit of the building was taken along with it. And Pinkie herself was launched clear across the sky and out of the town, but not before she shouted one last time, “I’LL BE BACK!”

Needless to say, this did not go over well with either of the twins. However, Pound Cake was still incapacitated, and I was still locked in a battle of avoidance.

Which left things to Pumpkin Cake. “You try to harm my family and ruin my place of business...now it’s personal.” I felt her aura shift, as if she had started to pour more aggression into herself and her magic.

The shadow pony meanwhile, was unfazed by her threats and the way her magic shifted. It was almost as if it wanted her to get this way in order to enrage her.

And for the first time since the battle began, we actually heard it speak.

“What can you do? You’re just some baker’s mediocre daughter.”

Grogar you diabolical piece of...

Subject 250: Demon Exam

It was a difficult situation to say the least. Whichever path we went down, it would utterly doom us to never find out what lied behind the other. I had also considered the idea of splitting up, but I knew that was a bad idea. Why? That was more than likely what Grogar wanted us to do. He wanted us to split up so that we would lose the stability that we gave each other mentally.

Through all of my time as an officer I swore to myself that I would never fall in love due to situations just like this one. I never wanted my significant other to fall victim to the nonsense that would normally be inflicted upon me. However...over time, I realized that Cheerilee was not only a great life partner, but a great pony in general. She’s smart, she’s funny, she’s strong, but knows when to properly criticize and get on my case about something so that I may improve. And of course, whenever she needed me through her own tough times or moments of self-reflection, I would always be there to support her through whatever she had trouble with.

I wonder what she had been thinking at that moment...

Here I am. Never thought I would fall in love, honestly. All the time that I had been alive with all the things that I’ve seen--even as a regular old schoolteacher, it was nothing compared to the insanity that I regularly found Equestria in. But somewhere in the back of my mind, I always knew that my students would have to carve their own path in order to make history. Not by relying on the accomplishments of others to get them by.

And Pale--he was something alright. Certainly proved me wrong when I thought I would never love somepony else again. But why? Well, he was prideful, strong, courteous, yet flawed and...hurt. I had this overwhelming desire to see him happy. Just like me, he had gone through so much heartbreak over the years. While I didn’t enjoy talking to my parents all that much anymore, I could--at the very least--say that they raised my sister and I well enough for us to forge our own paths.

But he...had no one to bring him up, or show him the right path to take. It’s honestly a miracle in itself the way he turned out, given that most foals lacking their parents’ guidance ended up...in bad places. Even so, I would do my best to grant him that kindness that he desperately needed--even if he didn’t show it often.

With that in mind, what would be the best way to approach this…?

About a minute had passed with Cheerilee and I having put our minds to this to decide which way to go.

In the end, I made a hard choice.

“...Cozy can take care of herself,” I said, “She’s smarter than anyone else alive today. We need to figure out what this unknown disturbance is.”

I could see Cheerilee’s conflicted eyes shift back and forth for a moment until she finally came to a conclusion. “I...I suppose you have a point. There’s no way she would lose when the stakes are this high. Meanwhile, it could be anything or anypony headed in this direction. We have to figure out what it is, and get to Cozy as fast as we can.”

So our decision was set in stone. We would head down the path of the unknown.

But I could almost guarantee that whoever lied in wait for us wasn’t going to expect the fact that we were about to show up together. That fork in the path back there in the hallway was meant to split us up, after all. Our enemy was in for a rather rude awakening.

Soon, we found our culprit for the source of the disturbance: Starlight Glimmer’s office. Of course. I had been here once before, and our adversary wanted us to return to face more trouble. Well, we’ll see how far that gets them.

“This is it,” I commented as I ran up to the office door, “There’s no time like the present!”

BLAM!

With our combined force, we knocked down the door in preparation for traps or anything set in anticipation for us to arrive. Except…

The room was dark. Pitch black. It felt like our senses were cut off from us for a second. But one things was for certain, I knew that something was about to--

“...? …!”

My ear flicked. I heard the sound of mechanical whirring beneath Cheerilee. In an instant, I sprung into action in order to keep her out of harm’s way.

“GAH!” I tackled, and pushed her out of the way.

“AH!” As a result, she was forcefully flung out of the room, and into the hallway. Hopefully where no one in this room could see her.

The lights in the room came on, and I found my hooves trapped in a set of magical chains that kept me rooted to the floor. And behind Starlight’s desk, there he was. I locked eyes with the unicorn that opposed me from the very beginning.

“...Neighsay,” I scowled with a huff, “Can’t believe he let you out.”

“Hmph,” was all he replied with. Neighsay gestured to the other side of the room, “Gaze.”

I turned my head to the left, and saw...oh my goodness.

Sweetie Belle, Tempest Shadow, Starlight Glimmer, and Trixie were all captured, and sleeping within a giant magical cube of sorts.

More magical experimentation?!

Subject 265: Luster's Plea

One thing I neglected to mention was just how little in the way I allowed emotions to overtake me at that point. At a time like this, inner feelings of fear and hatred against your enemy wasn’t the priority. My priority was the future. The future of all of our offspring, and enabling the forthcoming generations to stick up for themselves without feeling pressured.

“Yes,” I said, “I’m fully aware of how much power you hold in this situation. But that won’t stop me.” I shook my head. “I’m not going to cower in fear of the position that someone else holds. If you want to alert Twilight of my plans, then go right ahead. I’m not going to stop you. However, let me ask you something, Dawn.”

She looked at me, and replied, “...What is it?”

“If someone makes a mistake. A mistake that they had no way of comprehending the ramifications of at the time of committing it, do you honestly think they should spend every single moment of every single day suffering from it in order to repent?”

Luster Dawn looked up at the ceiling with a conflicted expression. I knew very well that she had been taught the ways of friendship by Twilight--as well as Sunburst and Starlight. However, to be blunt--the real world hadn’t hit her yet. There was no way one could deal in absolutes when it came to certain predicaments.

“I...well,” she looked at the floor, shuffled her hoof, then looked up at me, “I’m not exactly sure. I haven’t been in that sort of situation yet. So I honestly couldn’t tell you what I’d do if I came across somepony like that.”

I nodded. “That’s alright. I expected as much. You’re still young and learning how the world operates. As I said before, there isn’t really much my words can do to convey my intent. You’re just going to have to wait and watch what I do to truly understand what my goals are.” I took a step forward, “Can you do that for me, miss?”

Dawn sighed, and turned away from me. “...what they said was true. You really are an impossible case to crack.”

“They who?” I asked.

“Eh? Oh nothing.” Luster Dawn turned and headed for the door, “Do your best out there, sir. So long as you know what you’re doing, then I have nothing to worry about.”

I showed her to the door, and opened it. The pink unicorn exited my home, and trotted off into the night until she disappeared.

Once I knew she was gone, I groaned to myself.

“Gah...that’s the exact problem. I really don’t know what I’m doing half the time until I get right into the heat of a situation…”

If I was a drinker, then my home would have been overflowed with beer cans in the recycle bin that night. The stress was killing me, but I needed to get to sleep as soon as possible.

I had a shower, and flopped into bed. On the nightstand next to my bed, I took a look at a framed photograph. It was of Cheerilee, Cozy, and myself standing together in the snow from this past winter in Sire’s Hollow.

“...damn…”

I started to think about the kid in particular. Just what could happen if Grogar manages to fully take advantage of her body, and use her keen analytical mind to ascend past our understanding. At worst...I could visualize the entire universe being thrown into jeopardy because of it. But the main problem was:

Just what would Grogar do once he had everything he was after?

Fearing the unknown was a common sense aspect among all living things. In this case, Grogar was the ultimate unknown. So much so that Discord--yes Discord himself--was concerned with the possibilities that were afoot.

At the same time, I couldn’t help but wonder about what Neighsay had mentioned. The fact that he apparently knew my parents well enough to hold an extensive conversation with them was something I needed to consider if I ever ran into Miranda Rights again. She would be able to explain to me the finer details because I knew I could trust her no matter what happened.

“Hm…”

In the end, though. I guess there wasn’t much that could be done until the next day. I needed to wait for Discord to let us know what the situation would be like once he and Fluttershy completed their scouting job by the next morning.

Wow. Never thought that would be a phrase I would ever utter.

Subject 273: Listening To The Ram

Guttersnipe spoke up next. “Eh? What are you saying, bub?”

“What I mean to say is that the strife caused by what everypony thinks is magic itself is not the root cause of Equestria’s downfalls,” Grogar went on, “The source is the individuals who try and use it to their whims. Think about it, everyone...most of your live’s problems stem from an abuse of power in some way does it not?”

The room fell silent as we all decided to give it some thought. But I knew very well that our guards were still up, ready to react to any sudden attacks.

Grogar must have been able to feel how tense we were, because he actually attempted to calm us down. “Relax yourselves. I’m unable to cause you guys any damage. I’m merely a projection--a clone of sorts. I genuinely want you all to think about it. How badly has someone above you with magical abilities affected the way you live? Even down to the most minor inconveniences.”

In general, it hit us all in differing ways, but caused us to unite under a similar goal.

For both Cathartic Corkscrew and Guttersnipe Poinsettia, it was a somewhat similar scenario. Both of their respective families wanted to put them in general flight programs for pegasus ponies. Something safe that would adhere to their innate abilities rather nicely. But they each suffered through an event that resulted in an epiphany in their own ways.

Corkscrew had always felt estranged by his immediate family with how many siblings he had. He wanted to carve out his own path instead of falling into line with everyone else.

Guttersnipe on the other hoof, lost her wings in an accident when she tried to save her friends from deadly bite-acudas. Since then, she’s desired to make the world safer for others so no one would have to endure what she did.

But prior to that, both of them were a smidge away from being drafted into a system that played out similarly for most pegasus ponies: dealing with the weather and nothing more.

For Flash Drive and Neon Isotope, the affects of magic on their lives were much more direct.

Drive’s family was driven out of their home before he was born. Those in power in South Zebrica who held a monopoly over potions and other magic considered all other ponies to be inferior, and forced them out…

And Neon suffered a similar case of prejudice as a batpony. Because his features were considered odd and unnatural, he was treated so poorly that one of his limbs ended up lost during his foalhood…

Both of them suffered quite a lot thanks to those who either considered their forms of magic inferior or too odd to be normal.

Quick Draw meanwhile, had a relatively stable upbringing. Her father was a single stallion, and did his best to take care of her, but she was always a bit...off. I couldn’t put my hoof on it, but the fact that she was so willing to fall victim to the control of Neigshay…

Who coincidentally played a massive impact in my own life, what with his magical experimentation. It not only affected me, but my entire family. Or at least what I thought was my family. It prevented me from having the chance at a normal childhood--along with the fact that I almost lost myself to a mindless sense of bloodlust and hatred until she saved me…

So all in all, I could comprehend what he laid down, but that didn’t automatically sway me or anything. After all, I still needed a proper answer.

“Alright…” I muttered in response, “Even if there are cases where many unsavory folks wield magic for corrupt purposes, what does that say about you? What do you intend to do that’s any different from the masses before us?”

Grogar looked up at the tree once more. “It’s simple...if I absorb the strongest forms of magic in the world, I can make it so that you--and those growing up under you--will no longer have to suffer any forms of magical oppression. I will create a world in which nothing akin to Tirek, Chrysalis, or any demonic entity will arise as they did recently. Isn’t that the kind of world you want? A safe one?”

“Wait a goddamn minute,” Quick interrupted, “So the entire attack between yesterday and today was just a massive example of what you want to stop?” she tilted her head, eyes narrowed with a judgemental stare, “What kind of backwards-ass logic is that?!”

The ram stared at the floor, teeth clenched. As if he was on the verge of an unstable breakdown. “...I wanted to be taken seriously. As the Father of All Monsters, it was the only way I could go about enacting a change. In truth, I want...to create a utopia.”

Subject 277: Truth Of The Ram

Now I was upset. All this time he didn’t need Cozy at all? I didn’t believe it.

“Alright then, bring her out to us,” I demanded, “If she’s unharmed as you claim she is, then I’m sure you won’t have any problem showing us this.”

After a moment of silence, we were returned back to the Castle of the Two Sisters. Surely enough, Cozy Glow was at the end of the throne room. And as soon as she spotted us, she flew over immediately.

“...Pops and everypony else! You’re alive!” she swooped in and nearly tackled me to the floor upon impact, “I thought for sure that I’d have to sacrifice myself or something, but it turns out that Grogar is trying something entirely different…”

I put a hoof around her to make sure she hadn’t been afflicted with any magical curses. Wouldn’t you know it? Nothing was wrong.

“Yeah we know,” I replied, “It’s...unbelievable, really. All this time we thought was after you in particular to terrorize you.”

Cozy looked down at the ground. “Well..despite that, I still don’t necessarily agree with his end goal.”

That’s right. We still hadn’t found out exactly what Grogar wanted to accomplish here. All we knew at this point was his perspective and why he did all of this. Well now we were about to find the truth.

With another cough, Grogar went on with his explanation. “...As I was saying, even now there are examples of Chaos and Harmony constantly at war with each other in the current era. Cadenza took up Amore’s role against Sombra upon his return, Twilight Sparkle fought off Tirek upon his return, Chrysalis was foiled by Thorax, the griffons against Arimaspi, Sunset Shimmer against the Sirens, and so on….”

Corkscrew nudged me, and whispered. “...I’m noticing a trend where most of Equestria’s enemies from over a thousand years ago come back and somepony of the current era has to fight them off for good since their predecessors didn’t. Talk about lazy, right?”

“Shh! That’s not necessary,” I chastised him, “No one is perfect and able to get things right on the first try…”

“Argh! Ahem…” The ram hacked, and cleared his throat. “No, no. Your friend has a point. In short, I’ve been able to deduce just why this has happened--and why only the Elements of Chaos have reappeared in the modern era rather than those who represented Harmony.”

Taken aback, Corkscrew leaned forward to inquire. “Erm...why is that, mister?”

“...They were all too weak,” he said, “Too weak to embrace their full potential and truly exterminate the forces of darkness that constantly oppose them. I can’t blame them, though. As Elements of Harmony or Light, they weren’t able to follow through on exterminating the Darkness because they believed that would make them no better than their enemies.”

That’s when I got to thinking. Was it possible that Harmony and Light as well as Chaos and Darkness were, in fact, those very ‘powers that be’ that enforced certain individuals to always face each other?

And you know what? The kid came to the exact same conclusion.

Cozy stepped forward. “I wonder...is it possible that you were created for a purpose…” she muttered, “A purpose to serve some higher being that we may all be unaware of?”

Once again, Grogar coughed--though it was combined with a sarcastic snort. “...Hmph. Heck if I know for sure. If that is indeed the case, then I want to ensure that my plan works doubly so. If some being had the audacity to create me just for the sake of entertainment...as if I was nothing more than a plaything…” he looked at the ground and sighed, “All sense of remorse would be thrown out of the window.”

My friends and I fell silent at this. Was it truly possible that there were beings whose power went beyond that of the alicorns? The power to create and control life in order to force it to be at odds with another form of life? Devious indeed....

“Alright...so let’s cut to the chase,” I said, “What do you intend to do to solve this? Why have you come to us?”

Grogar pointed to the Tree of Harmony behind us. “Simple...by casting one of the most powerful magic spells off of the tree, I intend to put everyone--pony, griffon, dragon, changeling--doesn’t matter. I want to put every living, sapient creature in an eternal bliss inside of their own minds. One where no element of Chaos or Harmony will ever fight back--thus breaking the cycle that this universe has been damned to for centuries.”

...So that was it. To be quite honest, I wasn’t very shocked at all. My comerades on the other hoof…

“So wait, you want to take away all forms of free will?!” Quick shouted, “That’s ridiculous!”

“I agree!” Corkscrew exclaimed with a stomp of his hoof, “I know things aren’t really perfect, but to throw the world away just for an idealistic dream sounds fake.”

“Indeed,” Neon added, “Me life ain’t perfect, but it’s mine. Wouldn’t have it any other way, right bruv.”

Flash Drive scoffed. “Mate….we only evolve through conflict. To take it away would render everything we’ve done pointless.”

Guttersnipe meanwhile, was as brash as ever. “...That’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard.”

Grogar nodded with a defeated sigh of acceptance. “Yeah, yeah...I could have predicted that sort of reaction. The child here doesn’t agree with me either.”

Cozy shook her head. “I don’t...I’m sorry. While I understand your perspective, and what you want to do, I cannot submit to the idea of locking everypony out into some eternal dream sequence!”

Since my answer was the same as theirs, I decided to skip ahead. “...Grogar. You know we won’t budge on this. If you want to enact such a thing, we’ll have to throw down. One on one. You and I.”

In response, my friends gave a resounding, “WHAT?!”

Subject 302: Discussing Parameters

At first I was a bit confused. I figured that Cheerilee would want to finally show to her parents that she found somepony that could satisfy her needs and be a great life partner. So the fact that she actually didn’t want them to attend kind of threw me for a loop.

That is, until she explained herself to me.

“Oops--guess it slipped, didn’t it?” Cheerilee sighed as she sat up in her chair, “Well, I may as well explain myself: See, they were always heavily pressuring me into finding somepony. And when I hadn’t, it became difficult to communicate with them. Every topic of discussion eventually reverted back to it.”

“Yeah, I remember that part,” I replied, “But don’t you want them to see how far you’ve come? How you’ve proved them wrong? That you can find someone that will stick by you despite what they’ve said about your profession?”

As sweetly as ever, Cheerilee simply giggled in response. “Oh you...that’s what I love about you. Always looking to make a statement. But in this case, I find it unnecessary. Sending them an invitation now would be more out of...spite than earnest desire to see them here. I’d just be inviting them to show off what I’ve done and to rub it in their faces. As a sort of ‘ha! Take that mom and dad!’” she pointed her hoof at a random shrub in my backyard as a way to display how she’d go about it. “...But I’m above that. I simply refuse to engage with them any longer.”

You know what? I could respect that. I certainly wouldn't want my parents to show up out of nowhere as if they were owed something just to bask in my success when they barely cared before. Our lives are our own, and we have the right to invite or cut out those from our lives who deserve it. No one was entitled to our livelihoods.

I smiled at her and spoke. “Then I respect your decision, Cheery. You know I love you and won’t let anyone ruin your special day.”

She raised a brow and shot me a coy expression. “Our special day, big boy. Don’t go thinking that this is just some massive even to celebrate me and me only. This is for the both of us. Understand?”

Guess movies and other forms of popular culture such as literary texts had given me the wrong perception of what marriage was supposed to be most important for the bride. And the groom was to be subservient and allow her to make all of the decisions.

Turns out, this wasn’t the case at all.

Quite the opposite in fact, as I started to realize that she essentially allowed me to make decisions on everything. Everything from the music to the dress she would wear. Oh, and the cake! We didn’t even discuss the cake yet.

“Oh, that reminds me,” I said, “What kind of cake do you want?”

“Mm...cherry with mascarpone. It’s always been mine and Blossom’s favorite since we were little,” she replied with a sense of fondness in her voice, “And you?”

It took me a minute because I never thought about having a cake of my own. Hell, I never really worried about cake for my birthday. But since I was able to have input…

“I’ve always been fond of peaches,” I said, “and sunflowers. A nice juxtaposition of sweet and light flakiness of the petals is always delicious.”

Cheerilee nodded and went on to explain how she thought it would work best. “Then we should have a massive cake. One side peach and sunflower--the other cherry and mascarpone. That way, we’ll have our own favorite flavors and have a taste of each other’s!”

I did love myself some cherries. So that was just a win-win as far as I was concerned. “Sounds amazing. Guess we should inform Pinkie about that, hm?” Then my ear flicked as I heard a knock from the front door. “Someone’s here. I wonder who it is…” I got up and left the outdoor table and went back inside through the living room to find the Mayor at our doorstep.

“Hellooooo? Does my favorite newlywed couple have their setup ready~?”

Argh. She was too excited about this.

Subject 315: My Tale Part 2

“That’s adorable, though,” she said, “I’m proud that you were able to go ahead and start up your own thing. But how did it go? I’m sure it couldn’t have been easy.”

“Well it wasn’t at first--had to get my business permit from the Mayor and everything. And my friends and I pooled our money together so we could get started…”

It was about a month or two after we had left the Academy. My friends and I had just got through talking to the Mayor about the building we wanted to use in Ponyville. It was near the marketplace and was rather rundown. She initially wanted to have it demolished, but she found it much cheaper to essentially give it to us rather than pay for demolition. Thankfully, it worked out for us.

“The Mayor really said we could have this place?” Quick asked, “Are you sure it isn’t filled to the brim with spiders or something?”

The dust made me cough a few times as I stepped inside. “Hey--you know how the Mayor is. She looked at us and saw that we had potential. Three kids fresh out of college. What’s the worst that could happen?”

All the sudden, we heard the floor give way, followed by a loud yelp. “AGH!” Corkscrew must have stepped on something incorrectly, because we found him in a (thankfully clean) basement with nothing but more dust and a few cobwebs lurking about.

“You alright?!” Quick and I shouted together as we looked down the hole.

“Yeah, never better,” Cork said, “In fact...I think we just found our supply room. There’s a buncha cool stuff down here!”

We hopped down to find a bunch of antique items and paraphernalia. Turns out that there was more than just dust here and someone must have left their things here from a previous century...or two.

And that’s when I had an idea.

“...I got it.”

“Ahh…” Rights said with a wistful expression, “So that explains the whole antique storefront...front. Gives you a place to work from without being harassed or found out.”

“Essentially,” I replied, “To this day, nobody knows exactly what we do there.”

Then she asked a very logical question. “Wait a minute, so how does anypony know to actually go to your place for help?”

“That’s the thing, mom,” I said casually, not realizing I had referred to her as my mother, “We usually find out about any important or crazy events immediately as they happen or right after so that we can have a hefty lead on the case subject. Now, if it’s something severe, only certain individuals such as Twilight Sparkle know. As the Princess of Equestria, she’s essentially the commander-in-chief of all agencies.”

She scoffed, and it quickly turned into a laugh. “...Taking orders from her, eh? Well, not like you have a choice I guess.”

“What? Don’t like her?” I asked.

“Oh no, I don’t hate her,” she cleared her stance, “I just figured you’d wanna be more independent and not work for ‘the Alicorn’ or whatever.”

Pfft. As much as I occasionally wished that were the case, I couldn’t exactly say that I wished the Alicorns had no power. Someone somewhere had to have control over everything, lest we fall to chaos and ruin. At the same time, however, too much control was equally negative. The way Twilight allowed us to essentially do as we wished was the best system I could ask for.

And I promptly explained that to Rights. “Oh no, we’re not under her absolute order. We mostly do our own thing and report back to her on whatever we find. It’s a system that’s worked rather well for us just like it has for SMILE.”

“Ah, that makes sense. Glad to hear that you aren’t being forced into anything you don’t wanna do.”

I nodded. “It’s a really fun job that keeps food on my table. Is there anything else you’d like to ask?”

“Yeah…” she looked at me with a rather coy smile, “What’s the best area to move into around here?”

Wait a minute, was she serious? She was moving in?!

“Whaaaaaaa?!”

Subject 330: It Looks Amazing!

In the backyard…

“So hun,” Cheerilee looked up at me, “What would you like to do for our honeymoon? We don’t have to go anywhere special. We can enjoy ourselves right here at home if you’d like.”

Oh yeah. I had almost completely forgotten about that. I wasn’t exactly prepared to travel anywhere. Especially after just having finally settled down with Cheerilee and gotten the documents for Cozy’s adoption finalized. Too many sunk costs that would only lead to nowhere.

“...You read my mind, honestly,” I replied with a smooch to her forehead. “Being here with you is easily the most enjoyable thing I could experience. We don’t necessarily need to go anywhere to express our love for each other. You know?”

“Oh, I fully agree,” she said sweetly, “We have all the time in the world for each other. Not to mention our whole lives are going to be happier because of it. As you said, now we’re more motivated to come home alive.”

I chuckled at the thought of Cheerilee being threatened. “You’re a tutor--easily the best one around. Who’s going to try and harm you?”

“I’ve dealt with quite a few parents who’ve threatened me over the grades I give their kids,” she explained, “And you know what I did?”

“Set the record straight?” I took a guess.

“Well, yes. But for those who refused to properly listen to what I had to say, I kicked their child out. I have no time for parents who are unwilling to cooperate with me. It is my job to teach, not babysit and coddle someone who won’t do their work.” She paused, and looked at me with an apologetic frown. “...Sorry, baby. I got a bit off-track there, didn’t I?”

To be frank, I kind of enjoyed listening to her talk. Especially when it comes to our work. But for the moment, I wanted her to relax and enjoy herself away from the stresses that came with such things.

“It’s alright,” I replied, “We’ll have plenty of time to communicate about what makes us rage about our jobs once our wedding is over. Besides, we haven’t even cut into our cake yet.”

“...That’s right. Speaking of which, where is it? I remember Pinkie said she was working hard on baking it. So hard that she didn’t want anypony to see it before it was ready.”

I rolled my eyes. There was no way to comprehend the baking philosophy of such an...artistic pony. “Whatever she’s doing, I hope it’s nothing too outrageous. That’s what worries me the most here.”

And before long, my prayers were finally answered.

I watched as Cozy led Pinkie into the backyard. The latter pulled in the cake that was on a cart--yikes! It was practically as big as my back door! Just how was she going to unload it without any problems?

“...Oh my,” Cheerilee muttered under her breath, “That certainly is...big.”

I could only respond with, “...no kidding.”

It stole the attention of pretty much everyone in the room. And Pinkie would quickly unveil it, and set it up all in one go.

ZIP!

In an impossible blur of pink, the cake was propped up one one of the empty tables. A tall, five-tiered wedding cake complete with white buttercream, frilly piping decorations that looked like wonderfully flowing curtains, and an elegant topper that looked just like Cheerilee and myself! Pinkie really outdid herself with this one.

And I could tell from just how tired she looked.

“...Pinkie, this is amazing,” I complimented the sheer quality of the cake as I walked up to it, “Thank you so much.”

To my surprise, Pinkie’s first response was to hide a yawn. “...Ah, don’t worry. It was...worth it for such an important wedding. I just...I need to go lie down.”

“...You can rest here if you want,” I offered, “No need to force yourself to--”

In those few seconds, Pinkie had fallen asleep standing up.

I waved my hoof in front of her face, and tried to get her attention. “...Pinkie?”

Applebloom walked up next to her. “Ah got this. Ah’ll make sure she gets home safely.”

“Good. We wouldn’t want anything to happen to her.”

As she left with Pinkie, I could hear microphone feedback from the DJ stand where Vinyl had erected her stuff. Was someone already ready to say a few words for us?