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    Sins of an Equestrian Empire: An Unexpected Journey    
                     -by DrunkenOxide-                     
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                1.An offer she can't refuse                
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1.An offer she can't refuse
Chapter One – An offer she cannot refuse.
There are things that I wish I have never done and there are some that refuse to let me rest I only pray dear princess that these nights will be the last of our self-inflicted torment and that the price of harmony is one worth paying.
Star Swirled to Princess Celestia
date – unknown
A regular summer’s day glistened over the citizens of Ponyville as well as the rest of the peaceful citizens of Equestria, no one would suspect that this day was one of the last peaceful days for one particular pony.
Twilight Sparkle a student within the elements s well as the learning of magic was following her usual routine of sitting down to breakfast followed by waking Spike her number one assistant and finally journeying to the market to shop for the usual essentials of scrolls, quills and a daisy and daffodil sandwich to ease herself for the extra activities given to her by her teacher and ruler Princess Celestia.
The Princess has made it a usual activity recently to send weekly reports to a now more constant back and fourth responses usually about the history and arcane activities of one Star Swirled the Bearded an old unicorn long forgotten, but not by the most respected scholars in the Canterlot Archives.
This task itself thrown upon her one day seemed quite strange to her since the last talk with Celestia seemed to show that reports where only to be sent when needed and not on a frequent daily basis which somewhat worried the purple pony.
The thought of this one particular pony being forgotten by citizens of Ponyville has always left Twilight flabbergasted and usual pushing the mayor and the town’s council to incorporate more early historic lessons to the fillies of the town, a request that was always responded with the phrase “We’ll discuss this proposition later”.
However none of this mattered to Twilight at the current moment as she was heading back to her one and true home, the own library given to her by the Princess during the last summer sun celebration and marks her first true journey into friendship along with her being the bearer of the element of magic. She arrived at her home from her shopping and entered only to be tackled by a quick pink flash through the doorway.
“You are it!!” the pink and party balloon pony said to Twilight as she suddenly regained her bearings to be able to delegate a suitable response to this new discovery.
“Pinkie, what in Celestia are you doing in my library and where is Spike of all ponies?” her response being quick and direct in a harsh tone.
“Silly Twilight, Spike is not a pony, he is a dragon and a conniving one at that” she said this as her head swished back and forth looking for the little purple and green assistant.
Her moves where somewhat swift and almost ninja like as she was turning tables, chairs and somehow the kitchen sink upside down looking for the small purple and green dragon but to no success. The thing that astonished Twilight more was that she put the kitchen sink back without breaking it or rupturing the pipes.
“Well I’m sorry Pinkie” as Twilight regained her composure and gathered her groceries and quills all together.
“But Spike should be here, he has no plans at the moment unless he has ran off to the Crusaders or at least Rarity, still trying his own personal tricks to win her over, I believe he is onto number 42 already” she mumbled to herself.
“Well regardless”, Pinkie said.
“He is still out there” as her tone turned to one of a slightly dark tone along with the lights in the room immersing to an evil presence for some fourth wall breaking reason.
“I do not know where Spike is Twilight but I do have a particular set of hide and seek skills , skills that make me a nightmare for my pursuer , but if Spike does not reveal himself now , I will find him , I will get him and I will…..”.
“Kill him?” Twilight said as she rolled her eyes giving a somewhat hidden chuckle.
“Kill him, Twilight you do come up with the most random outcomes to the simplest situations” Pinkie said as she laughed it away and the room returned to its regular light tone.
“Now if you excuse me Twilight” as she assumed a heroic pose “The hunter has become the hunted” as she hoped, skipped and jumped away into the imaginary sunset out the door.
“That pony should have been the element of random” as Twilight said to her in a perplexed attitude. She then proceeded over to the kitchen table to set down her morning shopping only to see the a hidden cellar door suddenly glow green with a loud belch echoing all the way down the stairs.
“Aha , found you”, Twilight said as she used her magic to instantly open the hidden flap showing all the way down in the darkness a small purple dragon with two big illuminating eyes staring back at her.
“I-I-Is Pinkie finally gone?” Spike said in a cautious tone.
“YES she is and might I ask what in Celestia are you doing down in this cellar and more of how long have you known and not planning on telling me” her response being an angry and somewhat frustrated.
“Well…I have only known about it for at least a week, I only found it after moving the carpet to clean and decided to have a look inside, I was planning to tell you soon but these special research assignments have had you constantly occupied.” his response being cautious about his words with a lowered head towards Twilight.
“Oh well then , at least get up here and show me what mail you have received at least , unless it is not mail and your just eating more of those unmatured sapphires Rarity keeps finding recently?” Twilight said while walking over to the desk to open one of the many books borrowed from the Canterlot Archives.
Spike then decided to hit back with a straightforward response of “Well first I ate all of those sapphires last night and second, have you ever eaten an unmatured sapphires?”.
“Yuck and a bucket is what only comes to mind plus i think she keeps feeding me those things to keep me away” as he closed the cellar door and walked over to Twilight.
“And Yes to answer your question , Celestia does have a letter for you and it seems sealed in yet another one of those special ribbons ,still black rather than red ” as always he seemed confused over this reason for the sudden change from the other couple of hundred notes that where sent back and forth to the Princess.
“I know what you mean Spike” grabbing the letter from him to unravel its new secrets.
”But this black ribbon on the scroll is only used in times of dire need or at least war is coming which I predict is not in the slightest possible reason” she then proceeded to open the later and read the contents it contained.
Inside the letter was the usual questioning about Star Swirled and yet another book to read on the old and forgotten pony. The list went on and on throughout listing books and reports centred on that timeline. To Twilight it was almost like a riddle of sorts that needed to be cracked, she knew all of this was connected somehow and to what happened in recent events.
"Nightmare, Discord and Changellings , what could bring all these together along with Star Swirled?" she asked herself.
Needless to say studying was on the table and with that a mission for the Princess was also coming around the corner.
A week had passed and the library was scattered with books all around half of which were borrowed from the Canterlot Archives. Spike came to deliver the usual mail this time with no book in this other hand.
"That is weird" Twilight thought "But this letter might explain" unfolding it as she began to read.
My Dearest Twilight
Let me once again thank you for taking up this monumental task over your studies of magic and friendship for the time being. What I require from you is of the up most urgency and needs to be directly consulted by me and you alone in Canterlot.
Let me assure you that this extra work is related to this task and should shed some light on this random out of the blue request that has been thrown upon you. I look forward to your request and arrival to the palace as usual.
You are faithful Teacher
Princess Celestia of Equestria.
PS: An escort is currently on the way and should arrive within the hour.
She then lowered the scroll and her eyes widened as if Discord itself had suddenly appeared before her, but the only thing she saw was Spike just looking confused and befuddled.
“Well….Is it anything important?” he said seeming slightly anxious and excited at the same time.
“”Celes-Celestia wants me to go to Canterlot to discuss private matters it seems?, also she will be sending an escort to bring me there and that I must go alone” her voice turning slightly worried and pondering the Princess’s slight elusive attitude.
“Does this mean you will not be able to make it to the Applefest Rodeo down at Sweet Apple Acres then huh”, Spike said as he lowered his head.
His plans being to enter the apple pie eating contest to beat last year’s winners Applejack and Apple Bloom with Rarity along with Sweetie Belle competing alongside this year seem to crumble before his eyes.
“I’m sorry Spike but this is urgent business and the last thing I need is to be force fed apple baked goods all over again” her reply only ending with her tongue sticking out at the thought again of being force fed apple pastry when she first arrived in Ponyville.
“That is okay, I will be able to get Pinkie Pie to replace you in the meantime she can be competitive I can guarantee you that” his voice going from a slight disappoint to a somewhat relieved tone at the thought of this saving grace.
“But anyway Twilight, royal duties wait. I will get the preparations going right away”.
Spike then made his way to the kitchen to prepare Twilight for her journey as her chariot would arrive at any moment to collect her and whisk her away back to her old teacher. She prepared the usual for a trip like this, her latest book a few scrolls to keep notes and a quill or two for writing. She would have to rely on the teleportation spell to keep in contact with Spike but she overlooked this as it appeared secrecy was to be kept by the looks of Celestia’s letter.
As she finished saying this she began to notify Spike about his tasks in keeping the library tidy and that to feed Owlowiscious when he gets hungry and to not be bogged down by his constant questioning of “Whom?” She finally prepared herself and proceeded to wait for the chariot to arrive with the usual personal guard of the Princess to escort her on her way.
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After a wait of thirty to thirty-five minutes the carriage had arrived and Twilight prepared to leave Ponyville once again. She presented herself before the guards only to be presented by the usual cold look and then preceded to step onto the chariot as it prepared to ascend and depart from the library. The last she saw of Spike was him leaving the library to wave goodbye only to see the pink ninja of Pinkie descend in a body slam upon the baby dragon. The last words she heard where “OWW” followed by a pause only to be broken by the response of “YOUR IT!!”, coming from the pink four hooved party animal. Twilight could only help but chuckle at this late night shenanigans.
The flight itself took the usual amount of time to journey to and from Canterlot , Twilight herself was constantly looking over the letter that Celestia sent her and thinking of those extra activities on ancient Equestrian events and how this would be anyhow need to be discussed on today of all days. Events that occurred in the past have always come back to haunt Equestria, she remembered the likes of Nightmare Moon shrouding the land in darkness and how Discord was close to corrupting the elements along with dooming the land to chocolate rain.
Twilight after giving up on deciphering the message finally decided to put away the letter and just wait out the trip until the castle was in sight to await meeting the Princess to answer all her queries which where continuously spawning one theory after another within her mind.
The chariot lowered itself to reveal the castle and the city of Canterlot as it finally revealed itself like a city coming out of the mist of the dark and concealing clouds of the night, most likely the work of Princess Luna. The chariot descended more showing the entire city lit up as the city celebrated another night under the rules of the two Princesses. As the chariot made its way over the castle towers and skipped the towers, Twilight could only respond with a sudden shock with an alarming response.
“HEY, you just flew over the castle”, only to be ignored by the guards as they continued along their destination over the mountain and descended deep down into a dark and unknown gorge with finally flying though a waterfall to be met with darkness.
Twilights only response was to be confused and used her horn to illuminate the dark tunnel as the two Pegasus guards continued their destination deeper and deeper into the caverns only to suddenly stop and a round circular platform began to suddenly rise from the water with the chariot stopping right on top of it.
Twilight slowly stepped off the chariot to examine this new and recently discovered relic of the past to examine its engravings showing numerous marks , some of which seemed familiar others new and yet some to be there for ages on end sealed within stone.
The chariot lifted off and left Twilight in the darkness of this unknown cavern , her instant reaction was to shout “WAIT, DO NOT GO!” as the two escorts disappeared into the darkness never to be seen again. Twilight then begun to slightly panic but needed to maintain her calm and work out this new situation , she reignited her horn to surround the area in a purple gaze to further examine the symbols on this giant round glyph  , she could almost make out one of the symbols before being interrupted by a familiar voice.
“Notice something familiar do we Twilight ?” as the voice came more and more louder as a familiar silhouette walked up to her.
“Princess is that you?” Twilight asked in a worried tone as the Princess became more and more clear.
“Yes it is Twilight, sorry for the secrecy you know you cannot be too careful these days concerning these recent turn of events” her voice being one of showing a stern and yet approachable attitude at the same time.
Silence took the entire cavern as the sound of the waterfall took over the eerie silence of the entire conversation as the purple unicorn observed more of this new dark scenery.
“Twilight” Celestia asked being the first to break the silence.
“Do you believe in predictions?, you seem to be at first if I do recall.” the Princesses voice being one inquisitive and yet bold enough to question her student.
“Well”, she said as she gulped to construct an appropriate response “I only believe what I see and hear but during the past with ….. The last summer sun celebration I do not know what to believe in half the time especially with Pinkie Pie’s extra sense”.
“That is true, I do remember reading about that” Celestia said as she proceeded forward to fully expose herself to the light surrounding Twilights purple glow.
“But what if I told you that this very cavern is right above where Princess Cadence herself was imprisoned on her wedding day only to be freed by you her favourite filly” her voice presenting a lecturing tone to Twilight as her memories began to reconstruct that very image within her head.
“I would call it coincidence Princess” as Twilight was trying to construct what all this meant with her extra activities into past events possibly being linked to all of this.
“You just might be right Twilight, but then again how do you explain all this” as Celestia’s horn lit up the entire cavern did as well displaying all the secrets the cave had to offer with engraved symbols on the very platform they were standing on where both ponies where revealing before Twilights very eyes. Her only response was jaw dropping.
Hundreds of symbols surrounded the very room some eroded as others seemed indeed very familiar to her. She walked over to one particular wall to inspect it some more to clean it of the dirt that surrounded it to notice the impossible revelation before her.
“This symbol” she replied, “It… It...looks like my cutie mark and this looks like Applejack, Rarities, Fluttershy, Pinkie’s and Dash’s ones as well” her voice becoming more and more interested yet concerned in this new discovery.
“Indeed it is Twilight” Celestia’s response was cold and confirming “I believe if you look some more it will also show current events that have unfolded as well”.
Twilight’s looked upon the wall some more to witness Celestia’s suspicions becoming truth. With each turn she saw more events unfold. The turning of Nightmare Moon edged in stone exactly as it was performed, the fall of Discord and recently the foiled attempts of the Changelling Queen.
“Of course you remember Queen Chrysalis , Twilight the changelling who single handled infiltrated Canterlot Castle and almost brought ruin to the entire kingdom , sadly her motives have never been found ” Celestia now remembering a bitter memory suddenly returning to her mind.
“Why yes I do Princess, there have been wild rumours concerning the safety of the kingdom after that entire ordeal, Shinning himself told me to overlook the foolish political gossip”.
“Indeed you should Twilight , but some parts are more true than others that day also sought ruin for me as well , many of the Canterlot Elite have begun to see me no longer as a ruler of this kingdom and protector of the realms , truly my status was stained that day as Chrysalis bested me in that magic duel. I however may not be able to fix this right now but I can still run this kingdom with the care and attention that a mother would love her child” finishing her mild rant projecting a cold response.
Twilight confirmed the Princesses response with a frightened but yet affirmative smile, never before has she seen the Celestia so concerned over the simple matter such as Canterlot politics.
Fascination took the best of her as Twilight continued to tilt her head towards the ceiling. She began to notice more and more of these engravings, one of which were other markings of different ponies and their success of using the elements. One of which showed the taming of an Ursa Major, the casting out of the changelling invasion in another time, countless others where shown and each had a story to tell.
She continued across to where it suddenly stopped to reveal nothing but a blank smooth wall a common trait all the other events seemed to have as if the elements themselves have discarded the ponies entirely or have moved on to another that would inherit the title. She then turned back to respond to the Princess.
“What is this place?” she asked as questions in her head became more and more complex.
“I believe this is the archive of the elements if I am not mistaken, great stories told and immortalized in eternity is it not surprising that others have come before you to answer the call in Equestria’s darkest hour?. You could say I was lucky to find this. Cadence told me about her time in captivity , but constantly reminded me of a slight aura or guidance that told her to come here , I too found it weird and with security still recovering from the changelling epidemic I found it necessary to investigate ” Celestia said.
Twilight then walked over to where Celestia was standing and gazed behind her to only be shown the Princess’s story on the wall engraved just like hers as it happened a thousand years ago.
“Amazing is not it” her voice sounded light and full of hope “The battle between my own sister’s evil alter ego and some would call my nemesis but to others I would call sister.” Twilight could only look back at her and respond.
“How exactly could you no longer use the elements after that event” she asked with a curious tone.
Celestia’s face quickly turned to one of disgust and mourning as she remembered the battle between her sister, one of which she will never forget and the price that was paid to preserve peace. The response she gave was one of shock and pain.
“I discarded them Twilight, the pain I brought upon my sister and the jealously that those things created was one of the main reasons that monster was brought into this world”, her look slowly returning back to normal after saying those last words.
Twilight could only approach and comfort the Princess for this necessary evil that was inflicted on the land itself and the loss of one of its rulers. After a minute of silence the only words Twilight could ask was a quite curious question itself.
“But what exactly made the elements of harmony?” a thought she always wanted to ask the Princess herself but never had the time to properly query the Princess on this matter.
“The elements themselves long ago forged by the king and queen of Equestria, my parents or creators if you so put it. In a time long ago before the mountains and rivers even existed you could say they are even older than me and Luna” as Celestia said while observing Twilights delayed response before continuing to lecture her student more.
“However the elements themselves do not embody a physical entity they are only focused through a pony or an object such as your crown thingy as you once put it” the only response Twilight could give was an awkward blush absorbing all this new information. "As the mantle was passed onto me and my sister, the well-being of the elements was passed onto me secretly a fact that Luna somewhat did not entirely abide by once she learned of this. I also chose to appoint an overseer while running the kingdom along with seeing the teaching and learning of myself and my younger sister.” as she finished a huge weight seemed to suddenly lifted off the Princesses shoulders.
“An overseer, what pony could be skilled enough to handle such a task of managing all six elements and acting as your advisor” Twilight said as she finally broke her silence over her teacher.
“Why yes of course I’m glad you asked” the Princess’s replied. “And I believe you know the pony Twilight a certain researcher you have read up on” her voice becoming more and more of a tease as the final piece clicked into place.
“Star Swirled the Bearded!” Twilight suddenly being nearly unable to control her over this new found discovery a sudden clash of historical evidence hit her. “But..But why Star Swirled …..And when and which?” her speech becoming faster and faster nearly tripping over her own words sometimes, eyebrows raised in utter disbelieve.
“The Star Swirled family has served the royal family loyally for many centuries, always acting from the shadows as advisors to both me and Luna, Funny enough they preferred it that way since their research into magic always raised concerns to the magic ministry and the office of royal spell casting.” Celestia said being unsure of discussing this dark secret of friends of the royal family would affect Twilights attitude towards her friend and mentor. “Star Swirled was always as I remember him a true inspiration, unfortunately his expertise fell into the category in spells mainly of the offensive nature during his time in his role as an librarian. The bearded pony himself in truth hated being a librarian, it never suited him and he knew it. He helped me fashion the elements though encasing them in pure elemental stone a rare substance I do say so myself” Celestia took another breather allowing Twilight to answer more about this new trivia.
“Then how where you able to fashion the elements to be used to free Luna from her dark alter ego, I always thought six where always needed to empower and direct the magic itself”. Twilight said trying to make sense of all this unexplored knowledge flowing to her from the Princess.
The only response Celestia could respond back was one of worry and concern “Truth be told Twilight even some of the concept confuses even me at times, Star Swirled said himself that only I alone could use the magic of the elements to free my sister from her own captivity an ability I myself did not believe at the time and by you standing here glad I am proven wrong.”
“Then what of Discord should not he be freed in some manner from his chaos state and return to a more normal form”, Twilight just guessing the manners of this random effects of the elements power.
“Apparently from what Star Swirled described in his own research said that the elements will restore the pony’s state from a persona of chaos or evil back to one of pure harmony and peace. However Discord only embodied one of those elements and was imprisoned in stone as an only resort” as Celestia shed a tear before continuing her conversation.
“But Star Swirled disappeared during an accident during Nightmares Moon assault on the Canterlot Archives before her imprisonment; it is more likely that he is dead and long gone from this world.”
“Then what does all this have to matter right now with all the new learning I have received Princess?.” Twilight now skipping to the chase and finally focused on the present.
“Right , excuse me Twilight , you are correct , well as have been already told of the engravings it appears it follows a timeline constantly revolving down towards the centre of the very room which we are standing on , which coincidentally contains the next heir to the elements.” as Celestia said while illuminating the floor itself in its full splendor glory.
What Twilight saw was an image she would never forget a showing of a final stand-off between the new elements of harmony engaged in an overall fight for all of Equestria against a great darkness encasing all of the land, the only problem was what was shown, it did not seem the elements succeeding as all the previous have shown. It kind of showed them failing.
“Wait, all the others only show the past of what happened then that means that this one is showing?.” Twilight was suddenly interrupted by a quick response.
“The future Twilight, indeed but the real question is when and why of all is the most important question and even has me confounded.” theories themselves rushed to Celestia’s mind.
“It appears this evil matches the elements in strength as well as size but does not embody a form, it is indeed a possibility that the power of this evil stems from the sins of one particular pony Star Swirled.” Celestia being confident of the main culprit.
“But Star Swirled is dead, Princess and the elements rest safely with us, through us and no pony will stop that from happening.” Twilight standing confident in her believes.
The room once again fell silent as it had earlier but this time again Celestia broke the strange eerie silence a little too soon.
“No, there is another or rather a forgotten piece of the puzzle.” the Princess now revealing all her cards on the table and finally revealing a secret not even Luna knows.
“WHAT!!?” was the only response Twilight could give to the Princess upon this sudden bomb drop of information.
“But how the elements are only six pieces and we have all six , this seems impossible that more elements are undiscovered.” once again tackling this slight betrayal of the Princesses secrets along with the overall sudden diminishing trust in her mentor.
“Believe me Twilight, this guilt has lived with me along since I sentenced my own flesh and blood, if its anypony that should be banished for her sins its me,  but still this must be told.” Celestia’s attitude suddenly turning from one of self-destructive anger down to self-pity.
Celestia now begun to fully explain the task that was to be trusted upon Twilight.
“Star Swirled created the elements that enough is true, but he never created them overnight. It months and months of planning went into this creation while my sister’s hatred ran free upon the land.” Celestia continued to explain her situation even further.
“Many failed and many others were created but none were not of the desired output to even have the right effect to fix my sister from herself, in the end a solution was created with the slight chance of killing my sister and replacing her fully with that demonic monstrosity. In the end I used the elements but never to their full extend out of fear, I chose banishment in the end and Star Swirled agreed”.
Celestia now rested as Twilight now looked sad and yet astonished of the task that was set forth by the Princess and also pondered what she would have done in her situation.
“P-P-Princess I never would have known.” her eyes slightly watered at the idea of inflicting harm upon her family and living with the eternal guilt as to a goddess it seemed soul crushing to the small purple unicorn.
”Whatever you want me to do I will do it for you and Equestria.” her voice becoming reassuring to the Princess and yet rekindled hope in a small way to the ancient alicorn.
“Thank you Twilight” wiping a tear forgetting about her past sins “But we must focus on the present, it is my belief that this ancient evil is the direct cause of the rejected copies of the elements created by Star Swirled and will come back to haunt us in the future, in truth the sins of our past will come back to punish us or in more direct term me and all of Equestria.”.
“That is why I am sending you too the very places Star Swirled made the elements and assure that the failed experiments are kept safe and no evil has befallen them, if not then doom could already be cast upon us Twilight”.
Twilight now felt a sudden weight of the kingdom fall upon her shoulders and wondered if this is the weight and stress that the Princess feels on a daily basis.
“How are you sure there still there?, they could have being destroyed or at most moved, im pretty sure Star Swirled thought about this in advance” Twilight now trying to see reason and hopefully reassure her mentor.
“Still we cannot take that risk Twilight, you know that, also the hidden library is surround by hexes and ancient magic devices that would detect intruders. I'm afraid recently enough one of the hexes has diminished and I can no longer sense it and I fear the worst” as Celestia shot down Twilights logical reasoning even further.
“The ruins themselves Twilight are locked away underneath a secret spot within the Everfree Forest underneath the old castle about five clicks south of the location you fought Nightmare Moon, she believed herself that the old library was underneath the old throne but thankfully Star Swirled was too smart for that.”.
Twilight herself was making mental notes of this for future use.
The only response she gave the Princess was “Gotcha Princess you can count on me” displaying once again her overconfident attitude.
“Excellent news Twilight and be safely assured you will not be alone in this, my librarian and expert in ancient pony lore and architecture Lighting Guise will join you on this royal business. I can assure you he does not disappoint and finally the two Pegasus that brought you here will also deliver you to the old libraries last know location. I hope for you and me Twilight that this is all just a simple misunderstanding” the Princesses voice now returning to worry.
As the Princess said her last goodbyes to Twilight she lifted up her wings and flew off back into the darkness leaving Twilight alone, on a perfect timing the escort arrived back to pick up Twilight carrying another passenger more than likely Lighting Guise for this trip to the Everfree Forest. In Twilights heart she knew this night was not over yet.

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           2.Idols , secrets and broken things.            
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2.Idols , secrets and broken things.
Chapter Two – Idols, secrets and broken things.
The carriage itself arrived without a moment’s notice to escort its precious cargo to its destination but this time the cargo was two ponies and very important ones at that. Twilight quietly eyed the pony on-board as she remembered what the Princess had to tell her about the special guest a somewhat expert in ancient lore and hexes, a trait Twilight thought that the princesses knew had already showed skill in the past, but none of this mattered as she fixed herself up and begun to get down to the task at hand.
“Lighting Guise?” is it Twilight quietly asked the pony covered in a hood and apparently dressed as one of the Canterlot royal researchers into ancient arcane hexes a particular section that mostly consisted of only four to five ponies at a present time.
“Why yes of course and you must be the infamous Twilight Sparkle of Ponyville, may I say your deeds have not gone unheard within Canterlot and beyond” he said giving a bow to the purple pony.
“I do believe our carriage awaits my dear and royal business does not wait especially on a night such as this”.
Twilight did not take heed to this and stepped up to the carriage but still remained quite cautious at first of this new character who seemed to be of Canterlot origin by depicting his mannerisms and slight posh accent upon his possible slight age difference of about four to five years older to this hooded pony.
As she stepped on the carriage it suddenly lifted off the ground and away from the circular platform dashing through the darkened tunnels, slicing past the waterfall into the midnight sky.
Lighting then proceeded to cast his horn without any warning and suddenly a bright light surrounded the entire carriage itself and Twilight as the drivers themselves then begun a dash towards the Everfree Forest.
“Mind explaining the unexpected light show Lighting” Twilight said “And what exactly you are supposed to do to assist with this royal duty” she said in an annoyed but assertive voice towards the librarian.
In Twilight's mind this was not off to a great start a snooty librarian and a young one at that skilled in this level of magic was only going to hinder her approach and maybe get both her and this hooded pony caught by Timberwolfs or something worse that lurks in the Everfree.
Lighting responded with a chuckle and waved the entire situation around “I would say I’m surprised Twilight a student of magic does not understand a simple conceal spell".
"It is only in the best interest of the mission that concealment is kept to an upmost concern after all as Celestia has said Luna must not find out as this is her domain or the night I mean.” his response being snooty and downright rude in Twilights presence.
This response caught Twilight totally by surprise; she could not believe that the Princess herself picked this one pony to help herself on this secret mission. A mission herself she thought was quite capable of accomplishing alone if it were not in the dark forest remembering her last encounter. Strangely enough this pony only reminded her of the other ponies from her time in Magic Kindergarten a bunch of snooty ponies each bought through cause of their parents wealth, a trait Twilight lacked in front of the others.
“Well Lighting, if you do not mind we have a mission and not a lecture to do at the moment and quite frankly I do not know why a snooty librarian would help on this sort of mission. I myself could easily do this myself if it were not for the princesses’ recommendation for you to attend.” her tone became more and more annoyed towards this random ponies attitude in the last few minutes and she quite frankly had enough of it.
Lighting begun to lower his head and begun to seem quite embarrassed and yet saddened by this outburst.
“I-I-I must apologise.” his voice returning back to a normal stance.
“It is just that this is my first royal duty outside the city.....I just assumed that a librarian and a student such as yourself more accepting as the others say.”
“The others?” Twilight’s response was quick to confusion at this notion.
“Why yes , since your defeating of Nightmare Moon and Discord you have become sort of a hero around  Magic Kindergarten and above in Canterlot  did you not know that?. Many young mares and Stallions want to become you and since then the numbers in the academy has at least doubled hearing of your feats.” Lighting then returned his head up to face the judgement of his supposed idol.
Twilights response was one of sudden realization “I never knew I was that popular back in academy did you accept this mission just to be paired up with me?”.
“Why yes!, yes I did” his behaviour becoming more positive and receptive “Since Nightmare Moon I have studied extensively into ancient pony lore and learned lots just like you did”.
“Celestia herself not last week decided to single me out on a royal quest. One of which was rumoured to be with one Twilight Sparkle the others said” his voice seemed to be astounded by these series of fortunate events.
Twilight attitude suddenly changed “I never knew Lighting, I-I must apologise, I know that first impressions is always hard. Please believe me my friends in Ponyville know all about that” her thoughts running back to her first arrival in the small town.
“Just take it with a pinch of salt and just relax you do not need to impress me in the slightest after all I’m just a regular pony like you.” her voice becoming more calm and motherly to the young pony.
Twilight began to see a bit of herself in the young stallion more and more as she began to remember what it was like being that age in Celestia's School, always ignoring friends over furthering her studies. She saw right away after moving to Ponyville that for friends there was always time and to reflect the same treatment on Lighting with the exact same she went through caused all over butterflies in her stomach.
Lighting then gave a slight breather and begun to formulate a response.
“Sorry Twilight, I will drop this silly charade." his voice now returning back to normal.
"It is just that this situation has being running in my head again and again about me talking to the one person who literally spear headed my passion for magic and I have never heard really of any pony with this much interest in this topic …… well since Star Swirled”.
“Well Well , not so snooty I see” as she gave a chuckle back to the little hooded pony “Also there’s no need to hide yourself under that hood ” after all you have concealed the carriage and since were working together might as well see your face.
“Ohh yeah right sure.” responding with a slight smirk.
Lighting then took off his hood to reveal a younger pony then Twilight a chestnut coloured pony with a silver hair striped with white lines straight down the mane, it became apparent to Twilight that this Lighting belonged to a long line of librarians.
“There’s something special about that hair tones if I do say so myself Lighting, anything you are not telling me.” Twilight playing on not knowing as to test the response of how the silver haired pony would respond.
“Should not you know Twilight the Guise family has always been one to handle the changes of the Canterlot Archives during the last four hundred years , our family has not been well known but we are proud to catalogue the history of Equestria.” Lighting said with a confident attitude.
Twilight could not doubt his knowledge of the matter and just confirmed it since her frequent trips to the library, books where more of her schedule then just socializing while studying under the Princess, she heard there was a family with silver hair and chestnut coats that managed the library but never before thought of the Guise Family would be the name.
The carriage begun to reach full swing as it bolted leaving Canterlot a city of lanterns now to be engulfed by the clouds themselves once again. The moon was now in full view orbiting the night sky and the constellations glistened as their sparkles danced making this night more beautiful than any of the other nights, a sign that the Princess Luna was happy with her overall duties and unaware of this mission by Celestia.
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It would be some time till the carriage reached the Everfree Forest and from there towards the Old Kingdom for Twilight and Lighting to rediscover the lost archives of Star Swirled the Bearded. The journey itself flew her over Ponyville as Twilight gazed down at the cities all shining with glowing lanterns Lighting the town hall as well as the bakery and finally the roads leading to and from the library. The only thoughts that came to her was how Spike was handling the library as well as the festival going on in Sweet Apple Acres.
The chariot itself flew over the Apple Jacks farm and it seemed alight in celebration as orange and red flags where decorated all across the farm with lanterns in between each flag, Twilights response at this site was one of sorrow and disappointment that she could not tell all her friends of her sudden lack of attendance but was slightly reassured by whatever excuse Spike could come up with on the spot would be acceptable. The chariot proceeded to fly over and into the dark void that no pony would dare not thread except for a brave few into uncharted territory.
The carriage lowered itself skimmering over the lush green trees towards its destination not pausing for any reason until it ran its course. Twilight saw the old castle come into sight and watched as Lighting himself became amazed by the sudden sight that beheld him. She could only guess at what he was imaging, either the battle between Nightmare Moon and the elements or the castle fully redone in its fabled and lost glory. Finally after the long journey had come to a stop as an open patch of land was found the chariot begun to slowly descend to allow the two ponies to leave and continue on their mission for Princess Celestia. Lighting made sure to remove the cloak spell as they left the chariot as the forest now concealed their actions away from prying eyes.
Lighting himself was the first of the two to descend off the chariot with a slight excited and eager response” All right where here Twilight best hurry up.”
“Woah slow down now Lighting, let’s just find our bearings first and find this hidden library or whatever it is” Twilight trying to keep some sort of a leash on the now hyperactive pony.
Lighting began to look more confident as he pulled from his cloak pocket an old scroll and a magic compass that was encased in the same symbol that was present on the scroll.
“Do not worry Twilight I got this covered thanks to the Princess if I do not mind asking.” his response returning back to a slight snooty charade.
“Princess Celestia was kind enough to give me an old blueprint of the castle as well as a magic marker to direct us to where we need to go in this old ruin when we encounter it.”
“I managed to convince her that they might come in useful are you impressed.” his eyes looking at Twilight like two big saucers waiting for a positive response.
Twilight for once was actually taken by this level of careful planning by Lighting ”Actually yes this would make the journey proceed much more faster, nice catch on that.” her response being exactly what the young stallion would have wanted. In Lightings heart a warm feeling he never felt before happened, he felt like he made a friend.
Lighting then begun to unfold the map completely with his magic and hold the magic marker compass with one hoove and quickly check the bearings of the whereabouts of their destination. Twilight then gave the two Pegasus Guards permission to leave as they flew off and told them to return again within a few hours and that they would not be long. As they left Lighting begun to implement the cloaking spell and then proceeded to start their journey through the Everfree with Twilight following in close pursuit of the young librarian.
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The journey through the dark Everfree Forest was nothing unusual to Twilight as she had frequently journeyed back and forth from Zecoras Hut for the usual herbal medicine or to decipher foreign scripts found within her library, she had however began to detest travelling alone inside the forest since her encounter with the Cockatrice the last time she ventured alone, the thought of being frozen again into stone was not one thing she wanted to partake in again. However this time she had Lighting with her and she slowly begun to form a more causal bond with the slight overconfident pony.
The road to the hidden library brought both of the ponies through twists and turns within the dark forest, the moon was shadowed by the black clouds in the sky with the forest now resembling cold and yet an constricting atmosphere to Twilight. Lighting led on with the magic marker as an opening appeared through the forest revealing a stone cobbled path and an oversized archway leading to an old garden section of the castle. Fascination was to be withhold to both ponies, a sight of crumbling dry fountains and half built walls with the marble benches being slowly taken back by nature was becoming apparent.  The garden itself became fully lit up as the clouds passed by the moonlight letting it finally gaze upon the landscape. Twilight was slightly saddened by this with such history within this place slowly sinking into the eternal void of the earth below them and no time to restore this lost Equestrian monument.
Lighting however was much more fixed on finding their way through the old garden and through the back entrance through the crumbling archway into a secluded part of the garden straight to a gazebo both showing a symbol of Celestia and Luna together demonstrating an eternal rotation of sun and night falling back and forth into one another. Twilight had only seen this place in its eternal glory in old pictures and drawings but that was for another time.
“We are here Twilight.” lighting finally broke silence to the purple pony standing right in the centre of the crumbled gazebo.
“Are you sure?, this just seems like a gazebo in one of the off sections of the garden. I’m pretty sure Star Swirled would hide it a little bit better.” her voice being a bit disappointed in her discovery.
“Do not worry Twilight as Celestia said when she gave me this as he pointed to the magic marker, I remember she winked and said
"I always remembered that Star Swirled took long walks in the castle garden grounds and never be seen till Sun Down, I wonder why?, do not you Lighting and then Celestia would just giggle as if it is a riddle”.
His eyes closed as he recited the Princess word for word.
“That sounds like Celestia but it does not help that we cannot find the door sadly Lighting.” Twilight stroked her hoof under her chin thinking of where the door could possibly be.
Both ponies began to ponder while Lighting raised an old book from his saddle bag and began reading it. Twilight began to walk slowly and tilted her head to examine the title of the book.
Ancient Architecture and Devices of the Royal Equestria Lighting flicked through some of the pages quickly and then closed the book and returned it to his saddle bag before starting to speak.
“Well by the looks of it, we have an first or second grade tier magic door we are dealing with , the question is where is the door but also where is the key hole?” his stare at Twilight hinting at the need for help in this riddle.
Twilight then asked a question “What exactly is those magic tiers you described. I heard a small amount on them but not much on their formula or casting protections if any.”
“It is quite easy to understand thankfully though, basically the door and key are nearby or at least a door of this age does not erode easily and just requires the right input or a similar variant to trick the door into thinking it is the right answer.”
“Interesting Lighting” Twilight began to ponder “Does not erode? But that means the only thing that has not eroded as of yet is the symbol on the floor so this must be the key Lighting.” both their eyes opened wide in thought of this new theory.
“Seems like the best lead Twilight.” as Lighting looked closer at the two symbols of the Princesses intertwined, maybe we have to adjust the symbol some way or move some sort of object.
Lighting began to tap all the sections of the round shaped platform to find it solid and unmoveable.
“Maybe if adjusting it means change it someway without moving it?” Twilight thought.
“Lighting flash some sunlight from your horn on the light pony symbol quickly , there might be more to this.”
As Lighting summoned magic from his horn the eyes of the light engraved pony lit up to acknowledge a correct input but did not open the door or even budge. Lighting could only respond.
“Well it seems where on the right track Twilight but only half way it seems.”
“Indeed.” she thought of what the other part was when Lighting began to interrupt her quite thinking.
“”Wait, sunlight is right but probably half right? I got it Twilight come over her and shine moonlight on the dark pony quick this must work” louder his voice became as assuring himself his theory was solid proof.
“Good Idea Lighting, let’s do it.” Twilight quickly galloped over next to Lighting and both shone their lights on the two ponies and without any delay both their eyes lit up pure white and a dark purple eyes as well.
Both ponies jumped off the door in perfect timing only responding with “We did it!” as both congratulated each other.
The gears behind the door began to twist and turn and began rumbling as if they have not being used in more than a thousand years. The doors began to slowly open as the two engraved ponies began to separate as the doors slowly tore them apart, the two doors now fully separated as the only visible scenery inside was the first two steps of the stone stairs. Both ponies walked over together to carefully examine this new discovery as they were sure they found the right place to the library, they now stopped and looked at each other and Lighting responded first.
“Ladies first as they say.” chuckling trying to lighten the atmosphere while containing his inner excitement.
Lighting and Twilight could now see why Celestia chose both of them to partner up on this assignment. They both found that there is teamwork even with complete strangers and that even this slight spark can cause friendship. Lighting found something he never knew existed while Twilight found he reminded him as her young brother almost playing adventure outside in the Summer time.
Twilight responded with a similar tone as well “Do not mind if I do gentle sir.” also containing herself over what mysteries might await both and what secrets that should be better left forgotten.
As Twilight took the first step down into the dank old entrance she felt a sense of history and age glistening all over shrouded in darkness , she wondered how long it has been since any other pony had stepped on these very steps and if so where they Star Swirled or another dark sinister force. She reached out with her horn for a lone torch on the ground and then proceeded to light it with magic, the sight that was revealed to her was a single small corridor leading into more of the eerie darkness that still surrounds her. She lifted her hoove and looked down at the tattered banner that was once flew against the wall by the look it was an old symbol of the royal Equestrian banner with a white and an dark pony in between an star shaped object  , she called out to the silver haired pony that was waiting above.
“It is clear Lighting, come on down, but mind your step.”
The hooded pony quickly went down from the old gardens straight behind Twilight and witnessed the new discovery that she saw.
“My goodness that looks like an old Equestrian Royal Banner Seal only used in times of war to display a civilian position into a military usage. Surely Star Swirled would be insulted by this display of a militaristic view on a library.” he said while stomping on the banner in insult.
“I believe you would be surprised Lighting.” her only response in knowing of the secret of the Star Swirled family traditions “Lets continue we are nearly at our destination.”
Twilight then tossed the torch in front of her pointing into the dark abyss and then proceeded carefully towards the hidden library and what it contains. Lighting himself followed in pursuit admiring the stone walls and cobbled floors, cobwebs filled the entire corridors showing the lack of recent attendance, every ten to fifteen feet the stones changed to a shield of the old Equestrian order and strangely enough another of a star encasing a sun probably the secret order of sorts Lighting thought to himself never seeing this anywhere in the Canterlot Library.
The path continued straight for some time before both ponies came before another door this time a missing stone or two from the ceiling was letting moonlight shine on the massive double doors that where present to the ponies only this time the door was slightly open ajar showing what Celestia had feared most. Twilight knew that an unlocked door means two things either the somepony opened it or something did instead as both stopped right before this discovery.
Lighting looked up at the door all encased in the same design as the hidden entrance upstairs “So this is it the hidden library of Star Swirled , well lets not waste any time and see what is inside.” he was quickly blocked by the hoove of a concerned pony.
“Let me go in first, if I could guess by this open door is the reason for the alert the Princess had received. I imagine somepony or something had opened this.”
She then proceeded to slightly opening it more ajar creeking every inch as she pushed it further from each other , the purple pony poked her head in to and saw only darkness with the outlines of tall empty bookcases and a hearth in the centre for lightening the room probably.
Twilight walked in slowly and whispered to Lighting “Watch my back and make sure you stay alert for any suspicious noises, we do not know what could be in here.”
Lighting nodded in response and followed in behind Twilight. Both ponies walked together only seeing a small distance in front of them, Twilight walked over to the hearth and threw her torch in the fire illuminating the room, what took them both was pure fascination and total bewilderment.
The library itself took to life right before them as light began to push back the darkness and reveal long forgotten secrets. Both ponies where in the centre of the library with the round flaming hearth showing all the bookcases surrounding them, each bookcase was different many empty but for some the odd left over book laid face down on the bookshelf , some bookcases toppled over on one another showing either decay or a possible struggle that took place. Statues lined the end of each bookcase showing a member of the Star Swirled family that have inherited the library , one seemed to have fallen off but thankfully not broken and its stand all but removed from the library , each statue seemed lifelike even down to the actual size.
“That is an eye opener and no mistake.” lighting said while gazing at the statues and the bookcases that now surrounded them. Twilight took a brief pause and looked down at the floor and examined the stone pavement before her.
“Look! “Twilight said while showering light upon her new discovery.
“Footprints not ours but something else has been here, by the looks possible Timber Wolf and these over here Lighting too small maybe a Cockatrice.” the only response she could give was a slight shiver at the mention of encountering one of them again.
Lightings response was one of dread and general concern “Then I see it is best we hurry and find what we came for then Twilight , look over there” he said as he galloped to the other end of the library to see a desk overturned and its book stand all but destroyed.
Lighting quickly fixed up the desk again and began to examine the underneath and above of the table.
Twilight walked over quietly observing before breaking silence “What are you doing?” looking puzzled right before she was interrupted.
“Aha !!, I found … ehhh…something.”  he said looking in triumph  clutching the scroll “As those Daring Do books I read as a child thought me desks nearly always contain secrets Twilight.”
Twilight could only roll her eyes as Lighting opened the scroll and looked somewhat confused at the contents it contains “There’s nothing here just a blank page.” happiness turned to disappointment as Twilight now gently took the scroll off the young Unicorn.
“There must be something to this it was in a royal seal and all saying it was approved and written on.” walking back to the hearth to get a more clear view of the letter.
Just as she walked the fire began to shine through the paper revealing words on the page itself to the purple Unicorn.
“That crafty Star Swirled.” she said out loud as Lighting raised his head and responded.
“You found something?” he said rushing over to Twilight.
“Yes I have indeed, Star Swirled wrote in invisible ink that can only be shown through light. He must have known that Nightmare Moon would want this and knew her dislike of pure light was the best way to hide this.”
“More than likely Celestia told him clever old pony.” lighting said as both walked back to the desk where the scroll was found and examined it again.
“Now it looks like a reveal spell but a spell of what we do not know.” Twilight thought thinking out loud.
“Well Twilight  looks like there’s more to this place after all and from the looks of this room we have not found it yet.” as Lighting began running theories around in his head.
“On that we can agree on and I think the only way to proceed is to use this spell” the moment Twilight said she begun casting the spell from the page.
Twilights eyes begun to shine pure white and purple sparks began to come from her horn as she focused on the page and its contents. Once the spell was finished the room returned from a purple glow back to a calm flickering orange from the hearth in the centre. At a given moment the wall opened in front of the desk revealing the libraries true purposes.
A sudden gust of wind blew out of the door blinding both ponies as the wind continued to sweep through the library blowing out all the fires including the hearth and scattering any lose pages that lied on the floor to the other end of the room.
The new room was much smaller and cloths covered all the tables protecting its contents from the terrible tests of time. Twilight and Lighting proceeded into the new room and observed all the wooden tables with now both looking at each other for a confirmation.
“This looks like the place.” lighting said looking now at Twilight.
“I guess we can thank Daring Do for helping us this time huh.” the silver pony revealing a slight grin to lighten the mood.
“I guess you are right.” as she pulled off one of the covers to reveal its long forgotten contents.
The table was filled with blueprints showing the contents that where covered over, the weapons that were being made where of a small brooch and by the looks a tiara shaped object laid on the table as well, a bowl of pure elemental stone laid next to the jewellery shaped objects. A slight glow still remained in the elemental stone. Twilight did not have much time and ushered Lighting to act quickly.
“Lighting quickly check the other tables.” Twilight said while moving over to check the other table’s contents.
The covers off all the tables was now removed all revealing the same as before each one being more advanced from before with a scroll on each describing the outcome and its failures in the eyes of Star Swirled the last time he saw them. These early elements where by today’s standards nearly non-usable and out of fashion possibly by Rarities standards Twilight thought to herself. All nine tables still contained its original contents and nothing seemed to be missing. Twilight could now assure the Princess that her worries where nothing and that the libraries contents are still kept safe.
As Twilight waked away back into the now darkened library a noise of a falling book slamming the ground was heard in the distance.
Lighting quickly ran over to Twilight who was standing next to the desk.
“What was that?” Lighting asked.
“I do not know but I’m gonna check it out.” Twilight said as she took one of the torches against the wall.
“I’m going to go out and relight the pyre and you cover me right Lighting” saying as she was looking at him directly into his eyes.
“R-R-Right sure thing do not you worry” his voice getting concerning about a Timber Wolf or Cockatrice each dreading what it could possibly be.
Twilight slowly began to move out with while Lighting the torch with her horn, she slowly and quietly walked towards the darkened hearth to relight it. She slowly begun to dip the torch in when suddenly the ground around the hearth gave in with Twilight collapsing underneath hitting the cold hard ground as her torch now landed right next to her.
Lightings only response was to let out a cry to the injured pony “TWILIGHT!! ARE YOU ALRIGHT!!” his voice worried about the purple pony.
“I’M OKAY LIGHTING.” Twilight responded, not too soon as she heard a click, “OR NOT!!” as the walls began to retract threatening to crush the poor pony.
Twilight tried in vain to teleport out but noticed the walls each had engraved were elemental sapphires, an uncommon gem that can disrupt unicorns from teleporting any such distance. Twilight knew this was a safety measure of the Star Swirled library a simple trap since only unicorns could solve these puzzles and it was unicorns that could only teleport.
“LIGHTING HELP!!” her scream now echoing across the library as Lighting heard and begun to rush around looking for anything of use.
The walls begun to slowly close around her as she could only watch in sheer terror at her impending doom was slowly approaching her. Lighting quickly searched the desk for anything and ran back into the hidden room to look for any shed of hope to save the purple Unicorn. He finally gave up on the secret room and ran towards the bookcase that was labelled “Do Not Use Not Tested Safety Not Guaranteed”.
“Well now’s a good time as any.” he said to himself as he began digging through the scrolls till he reached one that said “teleportation in a scroll.”, the first word fully faded and unreadable but to Lighting at this point it did not matter only the well-being of Twilight was at stake.
He grabbed the scroll in his mouth and ran over and looked down the pit at the doomed Unicorn and threw the scroll down to her.
“Here use this Twilight it is a teleportation spell, it should get you out of the pit.” he said only seeing the Unicorn by her torch on the ground.
Twilight quickly ran over and unfolded the scroll and quickly examined its contents “Lighting this is quite old and seems rather different than any transportation I have used”.
“I do not think we can argue at a time like this.” he said.
“Plus it is the only thing in this library I found that might help you”.
Twilight quickly read through it one more time as the walls where now nearly closing in on the pony. She began to hear other noises up in the library as she heard Lighting screaming “NO!!” and galloping away back towards the secret room. Twilight did not know what was happening upstairs but she had one choice looking at the scroll and that was using it to escape.
“Well.” as she took a deep breath “Nothing ventured nothing gained.” as she began to cast the spell and suddenly saw purple wisps surround her as she was encased in a purple sphere. Thoughts then flooded her memory and the main one was being home back in the library, next thing she knew she heard a loud bang and was whisked away from the library.
The question she thought as darkness took her was where did she end up?.

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           3.Distant Lands, Disturbing Problems            
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3.Distant Lands, Disturbing Problems
Chapter 3 – Distant Lands, Disturbing Problem
Magic in general is neither good nor evil it is just a ploy for ponies like me and you to play gods among the common folk. Raising the sun is one thing but to imprison a god, well let’s just pray time is on our side and that this Nightmare Moon plays her hand. For when she comes knocking at the door I hope there is lock to keep the darkness out, till we finish what we came here to do.
Star Swirled to Celestia – Date Unknown.
Twilight felt groggy disorientated and most of all a splitting headache rang through her head. She awoke in darkness as is the tradition of night time being sent on her royal errand.
She then began to walk back through the long corridors back into the hidden library for unknown reasons. She stumbled to reach the entrance which with a slight touch the doors opened themselves and dissolved before her very eyes.
She continued to proceed into the library now fully alight thanks to the hearth illuminating the room in a pleasant orange glow. In the distance she saw Lighting Guise with his back turned reading one of the many scripts with the faint hearing of him mumbling the very text he would be reading. Twilight approached only to be stopped by a commanding voice.
“Stop right there…traitor” Lighting said with his back still turned to her.
Twilight’s response was one of confusion and worry “Traitor? C’mon Lighting it is me Twilight your friend and we still got a job to do” her response being cheerful with a backing of worry of her companions perplexed state.
“Is that what we are then I do remember a slight hint of you abandoning me at the last moment with your slight thought being to go home. Tell me then am I that easy to get rid of Twilight?” still his face remained obscured to the purple pony.
“What is going on Lighting” as she proceeded to move forward to the silver haired pony.
“Now if we can just talk this though”.
As she rose her hoove to turn the pony around the sight that beheld her was one of the silver haired ponies face turning to her and suddenly aging before her with the skin slowly dissolving quickly before her eyes as she screamed for help before her.
Lightings only response was one to grab the frightened pony with an angered jester with yelling the following words as what remained of the silver head of hair where a skull of a demonic being that would haunt Twilight.
“You left me to die, Twilight Sparkle” his last words echoed throughout the library as Twilight screamed only to be awoken from her nightmare.
Twilight awoke screaming as her eyes opened wide to observe her surroundings total blackness around her. Her first thoughts where to use her horn to illuminate the surrounding area and with a quick purple flash revealed a dank and decrepit cellar before her very eyes.
She quickly tried to piece together the newly discovered area and suddenly it clicked into place that this was the very cellar that Spike had found recently and hid from Pinkie Pie during their hide and seek games. Twilight breathe a sigh of relief but not before replaying the last moments of her time with the dream version of Lighting and his message.
Twilight then began to take the slow walk upstairs to the ground floor while rethinking of her last memories.
“Let’s see there was the hearth in the centre. I went to investigate then I fell into a pit that coincidentally was going to pancake me to bits, I’m sure Pinkie Pie would find that mildly entertaining and finally Lighting giving me a scroll and him screaming no followed by running. He must have run for help, not that it would be possible”.
“I guess his no was something of him thinking I was doomed” as she chuckled shaking off whatever fear still beheld her.
“Now to lift up this cellar door and tell Spike about this crazy adventure and report my safety to the Princess I cannot wait to see Lightings face” Twilight lifted the cellar but it was unfortunately budged tight.
She began to groan and sigh replying with a sudden push of magic to force the hatch open. Sunlight hit her the second the door was removed causing her to shield her eyes.
Twilight breathed a sigh of relief after walking remembering that it was not day time when she last remembered. She continued to leave the cellar to discover something else shocking.
The sight that beheld Twilight was one of confusion and upmost horror. The library was burnt down reduced to nothing but ashes and splinters around her. Utter shock of how this would have happened. Her first thought being Spike and suddenly anger took her as she began to march out of the charcoal remains of the library and into the streets of the town.
“Grr!! ,that clumsy dragon, he always burns my scrolls and books when he gets a slight jump scare but to burn down the library just seems so unlike him, lets just be thankful Twilight he did not send the entire library in fire to Princess Celestia.”
She proceeded past all the black wooden remains only to be blocked by a fence surrounding the remains of the library. She lowered her head to read the description on the sign.
“Warning. Dangerous Obstruction. Proceed at your own risk” the sign said.
Twilight groaned in response followed by “Thank you for stating the obvious” and moved on over the fence to read yet another sign in the middle of the road. She ignored this one passing it off as another warning sign and continued over the fence walking into town. By the looks it was early morning and the stores where starting to open.
“Think! Twilight think! I know lets head over to Sugar Cube Corner, Pinkie will sure know what is going on” her pace quickened towards the bakery.
As she galloped through the street her pace dropped to a mild walk as she begun to observe the town. It was different, strange almost not the Ponyille she remembered from yesterday morning when she went shopping for the usual purchases .The stalls where gone now replace by actual buildings selling more or less the main groceries that any pony would need.
Guards were patrolling frequently all wearing armour of unknown origin, the breastplate was a darkened design and bore a Pegasus and an earth pony bearing a shield and sword standing back to back. They marched through down the road towards as Twilight walked right past them her head lowered as she did not trust these strange ponies.
“What was that? And who were they? No pony in the Royal Guard are dressed in this fashion and so far away from Canterlot” theories where being formulated but no answers where being made.
“Gotta get to the bakery and get some answers” Twilight continued waking.
Upon arrival at the bakery the building was different then it was yesterday the same with all the other buildings around it. Many of the structures where taller as well as more of an industrious nature the same as the architecture she once saw in Manehattan or Stalliongrad. She continued inside to realise that it was not a bakery anymore it was a collection office of some sort.
Twilight walked inside to see two guards standing next to the door and a line of ponies coming and going past the stalls each had their heads down as they walked out the door as if they lost something or received bad news. She continued to wait in line until it was her turn.
“Next!! C’mon you the purple pony we do not have all day now.” the green pony with a money sign cutie mark urged Twilight to step forward to the counter.
“Umm” was the only noise that came out of Twilights mouth.
“Name” the green pony said.
“Ugg…Twilight Sparkle.” her voice being cautious and high pitched.
“Missy this is a tax office, not a joke shop, if that is your response get lost, now again what is your NAME!” tensions began to flare in the green ponies eyes.
“Okay, Purple Prancer.” the only name that came to her mind on the spot.
“Okay let’s see, Purple…Purple…nope not on the list” a sigh was the response as he looked back up at Twilight.
“Town of Origin then.” as the green pony walked back to get a stack of books to rest on the counter.
Twilight decided to state her actual town of origin and replied with “Canterlot I suppose” the response she got was not one of good fortune.
“For the love of the Empire. Guards remove this jokester before I really lose my temper, phff Canterlot I have had enough of these farm ponies” he walked back to reset the books as the guards walked up to remove Twilight from the building.
She voluntarily left just as confused as she had entered the building and realised that the bakery was no more.
“Okay think Twilight this might not be Ponyville after all, for all we know we could be up in Derbyshire, if so that damn scroll teleported me half way through Equestria” she shuddered at the notion and the journey back home.
She quietly reassured herself of this after all Ponyville and Derbyshire where literally a brother and sister town to one another but this change was a little off putting to her. Twilight needed more proof, the Sweet Apple Acres farm was convincing enough to her.
The journey through the supposed town of Derbyshire was still off putting it looked like Ponyville exactly just more modern and advanced. Fountains were placed where they should be in the town of Ponyville this time changed with statues of ponies that she did not recognise and others dressed in knight and officer clothing similar to her brothers Shinning Armours wedding outfit.
Signs where plastered on walls showing simple but shocking slogans of “OBEY” and “WORK HARD” the worst one she saw was a sign of “Watch over your neighbours, dissent will only slow us” this was not the Ponyville. Most disturbing it was not her Ponyville, her only thought now was getting to that farm.
Twilight started galloping again in full motion to Sweet Apple Acres all the passers-by ignored her as she continued down the long road and over the hill to view the farm. It still remained but this time it was different and more modern as the rest of the town. Fences and walls now surrounded the ranch. Ponies worked in the fields and guards overlooked the work being done. The earth ponies worked while the unicorn guards watched closely.
The walk down the hill towards the main gate was slow and slightly frightening. The gate was covered in metal fencing with a wooden frame as well as the rest of the wall, as she approached the gate the two unicorn guards in black armour called out to her.
“This is a restricted order on behalf of the Empirical Rule, state your business or else” their horns charged waiting Twilights response.
“I was sent here from the office in town to here and I think I got lost by the looks of it” her utter shock of an excuse like that was not her smartest choice it seemed.
“Oh really” one of the guards replied, “Well look what we have her Lancer. Another pony who thinks she can bullshit us with directions, I swear these farm ponies think they can sweet talk anypony”.
“Oh do not you worry you came to the right place” the other armoured pony said menacingly.
Twilight began to cower and shudder until a siren could be heard all over the estate.
“The earth ponies are escaping security get over to the eastern block and quell the uprising”.
Both guards just stared at Twilight and looked at her careful attention as the sirens noise still flaring in the distance.
“I do not know about you Pike.” Lancer said “But I do not think that nopony is going to miss this one little unicorn”.
Pike then smiled at Twilight.
“Yeah, after all we did see her escaping the estate did not we Lancer.” he nodded in approving this notion of meaningless violence.
Twilight responding by running back the way she came towards the town being chased by the two guard ponies. She began to try twists and turns through the dark alleys covered by the sun eventually reaching a dead end through with a fifteen foot high wall. She could now overhear the galloping of the two ponies with them shouting.
“We gotta find her Pike.” Lance said while galloping.
“Yeah Lance I do believe I’m kind of down on my usual beating quota.” an evil smirk covered his face.
Twilight looked around in fear she then tried to teleport over the wall but was unable to without being seen by Pike and Lance. She quickly thought of what to do and where to hide. The only place was beside the huge bale of hay next to her. She jumped in and remained hidden.
Pike and Lance stopped galloping and came between the other ends of the alleyway. They slowly walked down looking for any clues of Twilights whereabouts.
“When I’m gonna find her” Lance said staring into the dark alley way, “I’m gonna beat a new shade of purple into her” he said while gritting his teeth.
“Oh we will” Pike said agreeing on this notion.
Twilight began to shake and slowly sob at the idea of this. The idea of being caught by these two ponies was one thought she did not want as they begun to slowly approach her current location. She closed her eyes only to have her mouth covered by some random hoove that came behind her and took her by surprise.
“Shh, quiet.” the voice behind her in the bale of hay said to her.
Twilights only response was to agree or be the victim to these two deranged unicorns. They continued up to next of the bale of hay and turned around. Lance then said to Pike.
“Well that is just bucking great Pike, first proper riot in months and the opportunity for some fresh meat just runs by.” Lance now walking back out of the alley towards the farm walking by Pike in the process.
“Do not worry Lance, we’ll get back to the estate and sort all this out. I saw this one earth pony back there just begging to be put in this place.”. Both laughed at the notion that cooked up in their twisted heads as they disappeared back towards the farm.
Twilight could now breathe a sigh of relief but not before she knew whose hoove was wrapped around her mouth.
“I’m gonna let you go now under that you stay quite agreed.” said the voice behind Twilight.
She nodded in response as she was now free to breathe and moved out of the hay slowly to now turn around and see the concealed pony step out of the hay as well.
It was an earth pony of similar height to Twilight his coat was a dark chestnut brown similar to Lightings if she did recall his mane was a light brown with this ponies cutie mark being a hammer and an anvil.
“Ehh-hem…I must apologise. Steel Steedly is the name and I do believe those two twisted gentlemen where looking for me if I do say so.”
“You triggered the breakout from the farm?” Twilight responded.
Steel chuckled at the response from Twilight “Farm, that is a farm.” Steel laughed at the notion.
“If that is what you unicorns call it now, more like a detention camp for those who cannot pay taxes and might I say so little missy that is a quarter of the bleadin town is holed up in there”.
“So those guards they were actually?” Twilight began asking Steel as he walked back to the hay to get his belongings from the back.
“There the supposed police force of this mighty fine town. Them more like prison wardens if I do say so myself missy. Pike and Lance the two worst of the bunch of sadists I have seen this side of Ponyville.” his response spitting on the ground right where both of them where standing a minute ago.
“Now if I do not be so rude darling we gotta high tail it outta Ponyville, never did like this place in the summer.” Just as Steel began to put on his pack and a bag of apples he began to walk past Twilight who was strangely not moving.
“Somethin wrong darling, do not tell me you have never been to Ponyville.” each time Steel said those two words together Twilight shuddered a little.
Twilight then turned around and begun talking back to the country earth pony.
“P-Ponyville, this IS Ponyville right?” Twilight began to piece it all together.
“Well shucks it is not bleedin Manehattan now let’s quickly get off this alley before those two degenerates come right here and snatch us.”
Twilight’s response was to quickly dash past Steel only to hear him shout at her to come back and explain. She dashed back the way she came and felt something familiar about that other sign she took a slight glance at earlier. After a minute or two she stopped for breath in front of the smouldering burnt out tree. She slowly used her magic to lift the sign and rub off the charcoal to read what she confirmed to be true.
“Here once lied the famous library of Ponyville , believed to be owned by the famous Twilight Sparkle , the library was destroyed in the great rebel revolt of Ponyville dated about the Summer Sun Celebration of 1292 of our Empire”.
Twilight dropped the sign and fell to the ground in utter disbelieve confirming all her suspicions about the towns sudden change and the way Sweet Apple Acres had become. This was not her timeline and by the description at least three hundred years since she and the others beat Nightmare Moon. Steel finally caught up to her and quizzingly began to question the distraught pony.
“Now missy” Steel began to catch his breath before continue speaking “You mind explaining about your sudden dash straight to this burnt out barn shack.”
The only response he received was the sounds of crying and teardrops rolling down Twilights cheeks.
“Aww shucks little missy I did not mean that, look let’s just get you up on your hooves and lets sort this out over here and remain hidden. Plus I do not think that makin this sorta scene is a good look for the patrols that come through here”.
Twilight nodded and began rose on all four hooves and began walking with Steel to sit over to an off road beside two of the houses, the shade would keep them safe from prying eyes she then began speak back to the dark chestnut pony.
“Phew I think that little incident at the camp would have them up to their eyes in sorting out the riots till the cows come home, I guess we needn’t worry” Steel said confidentially.
“T-T-Thank you… Steel was it?. I’m sorry I can explain what happened.”
“Damn straight you can explain, runnin off like a wild bull at a rodeo. What had you so spooked up with that burnt building anyway?” Steel asked.
“It was…my home so to speak… a long time ago when things weren’t as complicated as it is now” Twilight tried to hold back the tears.
“Hmm well that is a mighty long time ago, Ponyville has been like this since that little kickstart uprising some eight years ago and has never been the same since” Steel still looking out for any guards looking for them.
“What was it like before then Steel?” Twilight now slowly forgetting what happened a few minutes ago with the guards.
“Truth be told I kinda remember, me and Pa used to up and down the countryside selling our goods to any customers. Ponyville itself was one of the major towns to visit during the harvest season. It was quite and out of the way from the cities of Stalliongrad or Hoofington and was never was drawn into any of these political ho-down.” A slight smile ran across Steels face.
“And then what happened” Twilight again asking.
Steel looked away and straight to the ground “That was when the rebels came to the town, those who wished that all earth ponies be free from the taxing and laws imposed by the cities over the mountain. The fires and riots were not kind to see I tell ya.”
“After all that, I decided enough was enough and left the business and went as far away from here as I could, sadly labour farms have a thing of bringing you back the places you did not want to” Steel chuckled sadly.
“After the end of it all, the Empire stepped in and quickly rallied up all rebel leaders and had burnt alive within some building, more than likely your home from what I see. Since then this town and its neighbours have had no choice but to step in line.”
Twilight was shocked to hear such ruthless attitude. Where was the Princess in this matter and why would she let such murderous acts go unpunished within her own kingdom.
“But what of Princess Celestia? What happened to her say in all this?” Twilight now fighting back all of the supposed truths now standing all around her.
“Lady there are no Princesses anymore, just me you and the Empire. They run the show and if they say pay up. You have no choice but to say how much?” Steel now slapping some sense back into Twilight about her new situation.
“What happened to the Princess Luna and Princess Celestia then?” Twilight could not believe that the two goddesses could possibly be gone and leave the land like this.
“What am I a history book lady?” Steel becoming all agitated about this discussion.
“I do not know whatever happened there gone and no moping around in an alley is gonna fix this” Steel now finishing to take a breather.
“Then we must get to Canterlot, I can still fix all of this” Twilight now remembering the library containing the time scroll from the Star Swirled Wing. If she could not fully go back in time she could tell herself never to accept the mission from the Princess. Saving both her and possibly Lighting from all this trouble.
“Well shucks missy Canterlot is just a few days journey we can make it there and sort all this out. Although I do not know how the heck you could fix your homelessness and my tax problem together” Steel now getting slightly excited.
“A few days, what about the train can we not take it there and solve this by nightfall” Twilight confused over the few days notion.
“No can do, no trains head to Canterlot anymore and the only way is by walking or hitchin a ride on a wagon to the place. Really I do not see why you even want to go to a place like that.” Steel trying to piece together any reason why she would think of such a crazy notion.
“I do not care Steel, where going and that is final. Nothing you say is gonna change my mind you can stay her in Ponyville if you want but I’m going.”
“Hold it if so I’m coming with’cha some jobs I heard are over at Canterlot and from what I heard they pay well” Steel now helping Twilight on her four hooves again and suddenly starts to ask “By the way I told you my name might I have the honour of knowing yours?”.
“Twilight Sparkle…why do you ask?” Twilight now slightly beginning to trust Steel more slightly, she felt a familiar attitude similar to Applejack as when she first arrived in her Ponyville.
“Oh really, THE Twilight Sparkle. If I had a bit for every time some mare told me she was related to you I would be rich. Everyone knows she is dead and gone for nearly two hundred and ninety years.”
“Phhff… Fine Steel believe what you want but it does not change who I really am.” Twilight now understanding her unfortunate situation with her name back at the tax office.
Both ponies now readied themselves and began to depart from Ponyville and head for the capital of Canterlot. The wagon to the city was on the outskirts of town accepting anypony suitable for the job at hand.
Many of the ponies that where volunteering seemed to all be equipped with pick axes and shovels for the journey, some even had hardhats. Steel and Twilight walked up to the leader of the group most likely being the foreman and asked if there was any room for the trip.
“We want to sign up.” Twilight asked the gruff looking pony.
“Oh yeah and how is you gonna help, I find that hard to believe.” his tone being not interested in what Twilight had to say.
“Hey I can work just as hard as any pony.” Twilight now trying to convince the foreman to accept her or at least to try hitch a ride.
“I do not know you look like a real egghead, if I need you to read a book or scroll I will let ya know but your friend on the other hand seems more then capable to handle a shovel.” his attention now steering towards Steel.
“I can guarantee you sonny as my mother always said an honest day’s living is worth the dirt beneath your hooves.” Steel trying to impress the foreman.
“It is true.” said Steel “She might not look like a worker but she is a historian of sorts a real egghead if you can so put it right. I’m pretty sure she will find you a ton of rare sapphires and gems beneath those caves of Canterlot”.
“Hmm..well we have been short of unicorns on the job for a while and finding gems to trade has become more uncommon in the past few years, ever since elemental stones hit the market no one wants anything to do with bleedin sapphires.” the foreman spiting on the ground at the disgrace of this sudden decline.
“Then it is a deal then, anything my partner finds we be sure to tell ya.” Steel said sealing the deal.
“Yeah sure just make sure she do not get in the way and such.” The foreman gave a shrug and then walked off to further look over the final preparations.
“So I’m hunting for gems and rubies now.” Twilight sounded annoyed at Steel “You do know that I do not know the slightest thing about gems right”.
“Well I always thought you unicorns love that kind of thing; anyways he do not gotta know it is either the wagon or we walking Twi”.
“Guh fine but I’m not promising anything until we Canterlot agreed” Twilight said diligently.
“Agreed and do not you worry Twi.” as Steel hoped on the wagon.
Oddly enough Twilight could not say no to this proposition as she begun to hop on the wagon as it began to depart being pulled by two ponies from Ponyville. She then decided to take one last looked back at the town and tried to picture the way it was the last time she saw it covered in simple straw roofs and stone roads. Steel paid no attention to her but breathing a sigh of relief as he no longer had to worry about returning back to the “farm” as Twilight had put it. The chestnut pony knew there was nothing to be found in Canterlot but to the purple unicorn there was only to be sorrow found among the capital.
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It was during this time far away in the luscious city of Hoofington that other forces were at work. An academy for gifted unicorns headed by the grandmaster himself Grandeur Lavaliere who both thought and trained his students about the important of magic as well as its sizable contributions to the Empire. The academy was less than three hundred years old since the tear down of Celestia’s Academy for gifted unicorns. It was all decorated with empirical banners decorating the halls, masonry that both appealed an ancient yet vibrant look to the academy and bookcases displaying all works of magic that the Empire deemed suitable to study and others that where considered a corrupting nature but only to be trained to any pony deemed suitable to learn its contents. Many students voluntarily went to the academy to learn as well as to honour their families who waited for them at home, others however where sent there against their will either by being observed by the watchful eyes of the Empire or sent there by their parents with no money to pay off tax debts.
It was here that the final tests for the academies two brightest students who both studied from an early age into the many dark natural arts of magic. The two were Wreath a blue coloured unicorn and Coronet coated in a dark grey coat both ponies from two different backgrounds and both sent to the academy at just being young fillies. Many people have said that Coronet volunteered in honour of her family and that Wreath was ‘volunteered’ by scouts of the Empire, both shared a distasteful bond of one another but knew that this attitude was encouraged in the academy as to promote competition, a trait that Lavaliere loved.

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            4.Home is where the disheartened is            
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4.Home is where the disheartened is
Chapter 4 – Home is where the disheartened is.
Coronet and Wreath both now stood within the confines of the grandmasters office, a usual occurrence that happened to any ponies that broke academy rules. Both stood there in silence not acknowledging the others presence each clearly telling the other that they would have preferred the duel rather than being in the office waiting for their judgement.
The grandmasters room was decorated with bookcases which stretched from one end of the oak decorated room to the other side, each row contained books containing information on spells, potions, hexes and finally the grand history of Equestria which detailed untold centuries of knowledge to those wishing to unlock its secrets. The grand desk which they both stood before them was entirely lined with golden flowers from top to bottom with the symbol of the Empire in the center. Wreath admired the design since the standard desks which she had studied the likes of magic were just simple wooden design that still showed age but also a sense of history to it. The grandmasters desk housed stacks of papers which dealt with the well-being of the academy as well as reports on any hopefuls that would be able for enhanced training or academy recruitment for the Empire. It appeared to Wreath that these were not sorted yet and would be looked after shortly by the Lavaliere himself.
Wreath took a brief look at the top of the reports to notice both Coronet and herself both pictured on top of the stacks of paper before being interrupted by a sudden slam of a door. It was Lavaliere the Grandmaster himself slowly walking from the door over to his desk, the awkward silence that encased the room was constantly disrupted by the never ending ticking of the grand farther clock with its continuous noise making allowing both the concerned ponies to know that time itself was not standing still upon their ultimate judgement. The Grandmaster pony himself now made his way to the desk and begun sorting out the paperwork which now beheld him upon his desk while not acknowledging both ponies that stood before him. After what seemed like an eternity the grand farther clock now let out a large ‘dong’ telling everyone in the room that it was now lunch time and with that the Grandmaster began stroking his beard as he begun to talk to the two ponies.
“Hmm, Coronet and Wreath is it?” seeming eager to request a response from both ponies but both did not dare to reply.
“From what I see from these reports, you both joined this academy from an early age, both of you were accepted into the academy and till this day have succeeded in every test, trial and endurance set out before you. May I say congratulations is an order for finally passing your last trials then hmm.” the bearded pony then finished with both looking somewhat happy about their past accomplishments being read out before them, Lavaliere himself began pondering.
He then continued to speak again “These papers say one thing from what I see, but from what I look at when I see both of you is that your final test has not fully being given yet.”. Both ponies then looked shocked at what Lavaliere had to say about all this utterly shattering their dreams of a graduation this year and being released back into society for civil defence or further recruited into Imperial Surveillance and Civil Protection.
“What do you mean, we passed the same tests just as everyone else, you cannot do this” Coronet standing in defiant against this new outcome “My family will not accept this unfair treatment.”.
“You have no say in this matter you little welp!, this is MY academy and what I say goes, your family has no say in any of this I can guarantee.” Lavaliere staring above Coronet eroding whatever was left of her confidence in her dark grey body
.
Coronet could now only stand there and accept this outcome; Wreath herself began to talk back to the Grandmaster trying to fully understand this fail especially with their marks being so high in last test.
“Grandmaster, you say our final test has not being fully given yet? .If that was not our final test then what is our final test then?”Wreath confidentially asked trying to shed some truth on this discussion and its reason.
“Ahh a pony who displays a calm head when facing certain situations, I like it, unlike your brash companion over here. Always trying to push and shove things her way an unruly Minotaur since a young age even in the simplest situations.” Lavaliere finished talking and begun to step away from the desk and walk around in front of the two ponies.
Wreath displayed a slight pride in her observation; Coronet only showed a dislike towards all of this, secrecy was never one of her favourite games to play. The Grandmaster finished walking and begun to speak to both ponies.
“As I have said, that was not your final test there is another one to be given and only given to students who show excellent progress in the art of magic along with combat. This test is considered by many to be, shall we say unsafe and any magic safeguards will be removed both on you and anything you might encounter.”
Coronet began to speak up again “A test like this has not been heard of, where is it and when, can get started on this?” showing no concern at all towards any safety as a slight smirk went across her face.
Wreath spoke as well “A test like this seems crazy, we could be killed from what it sounds like, also what is to be gained from doing all of this? ”.
“What is wrong Wreath scared of a little competition or are you afraid of our agreed wager over that one percent.” Coronet finished looking at Wreath answering competitively as always.
“Do not worry Coronet; I will gladly get whatever opportunity to shut that mouth of yours” Wreath refusing to back down to her supposed rival.
Lavaliere could only watch as he enjoyed these quarrels. He begun to speak again answering these concerning theories being tossed back and forth by bought of his students “Silence, I can assure you this test is only for those who are deemed possibly suitable to accomplish this. The tasks that will be set will test you physically and mentally as well, it is located in a cavern which stretches all underneath this academy. Within is a hidden labyrinth filled with magic hexes that will test you as well. Finally in the center is an artefact that will let you leave the testing grounds. Whoever leaves first will be declared the winner and the loser well, let’s not talks about what would happen to them.” Lavaliere gave a slight chuckle at this thought.
Coronet and Wreath knew that to survive one would have to beat the other. Both looked at each other as silence took the room again with the grandfather clock ticking away in the background.
Lavaliere broke the silence adamant he got what he wanted out of both these two ponies and that was competition “I can see that both of you now want to do this excellent, the weapons you get will be actual ones this time and not testing, both of you will proceed to the training grounds from there the test will begin.” The grand master then dismissed both ponies as they both walked out from the office and back down the hallway towards the training grounds.
Both students where given the time to prepare for the trial that was set before them. Wreath thought that this was madness accepting a life threatening exam just to not give Coronet the satisfaction of victory over her longest rival, she always knew that her competitive nature would get her killed but not in this way. Coronet was in it for the glory and most of all the satisfaction of putting people below her back in their places.
For Coronet she came from a wealthy background belonging to a long line of family ties that were loyal to the Empire. For Coronet failure was a weakness she always tasted when trying to one up Wreath and this was one failure she was going to correct.
They were now ready to face their new final exam as they entered the training arena where they would usually train and hone their magic in both a destructive and careful practice under the supervision of Lavaliere and his overseers. They made their way over to the duelling ring where their new weapons where displayed to them. Weapons that seemed all too much like the usually training weapons but with slightly different designs, swords now had a fancier hilt and sharpened to the tip, a magic gauntlet that help them channel their power as well as increasing their mobility and finally a ring encased with elemental stones that helped them channel their power when needed. They picked up their respective weapons and begun arming themselves for the trials ahead.
“Nervous Wreath, you should be” Coronet said confidentially always trying to break Wreaths confidence.
Wreath ignored her taunting as was her usual behaviour before an exam. She is always focused on the now rather than worrying on what the future would hold, the blue pony finished by sheeting her sword and getting prepared to do her exam. Both ponies now stood side by side within the center of the duelling ring while the examiners left the room not a moment too soon as Lavaliere entered to start this exam with both ponies looking on nervously at the grand masters presence seemed to instantly drain all warmth from the room.
“Let the games begin” Lavaliere said both front hooves in the air seeming to to address an imaginary crowd laid out before him.
The bearded pony walked over to the two students and presented himself again to them seeming to enjoy all this commotion, it seemed to everyone that Lavaliere enjoyed these sorts of events and these sorts of tests did not come regularly.
“Ahh it is been a while since a student has actually been considered worthy of this trial” Lavaliere confirming Wreath’s suspicion about all of this.
“The trial shall know commence, are both students ready?” Lavaliere prepared to ready the test as his horn began to glow.
“Ready, Grandmaster” both ponies replied at the same time slightly eyeing each other not wanting the other one the satisfaction of winning.
Lavaliere began to fully cast the spell on the circular arena as blue energy began shooting forth from the ground. Both ponies looked as they reached out to touch the energy that shot up to the ceiling, it felt cold yet resonated an ancient feel to Wreath, Coronet however was just admired by the slight spectacle. The blue wisps that shot up into the ceiling began descending back down quickly hitting both ponies as they both let out a loud scream before a bright light took both of them and next they knew they were both no longer inside the training room, but somewhere else. Lavalieres students where now in some place old, cold and definitely a place they have never visited within their time in the academy the exam has now begun.
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Wreath woke up and finally came to her senses and began looking at the current situation she found herself in, utter darkness surrounded her. Her first instinct was to use her horn to light the area and fully take in the first area this exam was based in. The view was one of dark caves stretching as far as the eyes could possibly see with Coronet nowhere to be seen, more than likely she was too sent somewhere different as well. A thick fog covered the ground hiding the floor of the cavern, if Wreath did not know it seemed she was walking on clouds inside a dark cave a strange mixture to encounter if possible. The problem that presented Wreath at the moment other than light was direction she remembered Lavalieres advice and that was both her and Coronet where both stuck in the maze of sorts with escape being the prize.
Wreath remembered one of her spells that would help her escape this cold dark maze, a spell which let her spiritually escape her body and move throughout the maze for only a short distance allowing her to choose the best laid out path to the center where the relic was contained. She began to lay down nearly looking to be swallowed by the misty fog as she began to close her eyes and concentrate on reaching out and observing the area as it lit up in a misty haze. Wreath used this technique all the time to observe Coronet when she used to practice duelling alone as to adapt to her technique and best it, she also used it a couple of times to look over examiners as they prepared exams or discussed what questions or surprise exams where around the corner. She was not proud of her slight edge but she did not have much of a choice to survive in an academy where only the strong or treacherous survive, her cutie mark was an ace and a joker card side by side, she knew her strength was trickery as well as deceit to defeat her enemies.
She reached out more around the cavern as she saw an opening with torches surrounding the entire area; she knew this was her destination. Wreath also concentrated more and she could hear Coronet as well slightly in the distance but to her it sounded like she was arguing with somepony or something and it finished with a flash and a bang. Coronet could be in trouble but to Wreath this was none of her concern she must continue to at least hopefully see sunlight again. She then proceeded to open her eyes and stand back up again; at last she took her first step into the darkness forward towards the direction of the room with torches.
The path was longer then she had once imagined when she did her reach out spell, she remembered the pathways to take in this maze of a prison. She called out to herself in her mind as she thought of the directions to take.
“Two Lefts, A Right then forward ignoring both the next left and right and just proceed forward.” She said to herself as she progressed through the cave.
She began to make her way through the second left as she heard a rumble being made from behind her where she had originally started this trial, knowing a rumble noise like this meant that only bad things were going to happen. A loud howl could be heard back the way she came, it was Timberwolves a whole pack of them of at least seven to ten. A shiver then ran down her spine, she needed to hurry out of here before the wolves gather her scent.
Wreath began to pick up the pace and began galloping towards the room with torches; if she was to fight these wolves light would be her best bet since Timberwolves despised any type of fire and torches where closest to the best weapon in this labyrinth. Timber Wolf skin as she remembered it was pure wood and not easily pierced with a sword when there is at least five to six lashing at you also. Wreath tore off some of her sleeve and tore the entire thing in two. She then casted an attraction spell on both and threw them both of them down the wrong tunnel as far as they would go, she knew this would only would mildly trick the wolves but not stop them for long at most she bought herself time to reach the exit. She heard again a loud howl back in the distance; the Timber wolves have the scent now it was time to move. She galloped again making her way deeper and deeper into the maze reaching the room with torches.
Wreath finally made it to the wide open section of the cavern that was decorated with all along the walls, within each one was a shield that bore the symbol of two ponies of light and dark encasing a star within the center of the room. This place she knew was probably much older than the Empire itself since designs like these where never seen in any book or scroll. Within the center of the room was a wooden table which on it sat a chalice of golden design encrusted with jewels decorating the cup itself. Wreath approached slowly within the room as the soft wisper of torches kept drowning out the silence and noise each time she took a step. The howl of the wolves was getting closer as she soon realized that they probably have learned of her little ploy to buy her some time.
There was no other exit except the way she came from. She ran over to the table to examine its contents and dreaded that she would have to prepare for a fight for her very life. As she approached the table and settled herself looking for an exit and preparing for a fight the pathway behind her was slowly closing. She ran over to avoid being trapped and was suddenly stopped as the illuminating eyes of the Timber wolves could be seen running out of the darkness towards her. She immediately used her magic to grab one of the torches and flung it towards them, stopping the pack all in their tracks. The last Wreath saw of them was their golden eyes and sharpened fangs as they snapped at Wreath and with that the cavern closed shut. She could now breathe a sigh of relief with the guarantee of not being torn to shreds but she was now trapped in the cavern in a room with a desk and a chalice.
“Whew, that takes care of that, now to find a way out” she thought to herself. The blue pony observed the room again, torches, shield, table, chalice and no way out it seemed. She began to tap on all edges of the room for a way out, perhaps an escape or to expose more of this labyrinth. Finally she used her magic to pull all the torches lined across the wall but to no avail as no secret switch was being activated.
“The shields” she thought to herself out loud. She began to tap and pull at each but to no success again. Wreath was starting to run out of options and any minute now Coronet was dead or going to win. She slowly walked back again to observe the table more closely; she knew somehow that it must have something to do with her escape from this room.
“The table and the chalice are the only two things that are not part of this room, thinks Wreath, think” she kept saying to herself.
“Grr, it makes no bloody sense” as she slammed both her front hooves on the desk as well as picking up the chalice and looking at it.
The chalice began to glow brightly as a white light enveloped the entire room blinding her as a loud whirling noise began to become louder and louder ringing in her ear. When she came too she heard raining with little droplets slowly landing on her mane along with her coat. She rubbed her eyes to look around the room but to her surprise she was no longer there, it appeared she was on the streets of Manehatten her home town. She could not believe it herself the town had not changed since she was a filly and the buildings she began to notice more clearly as black clouds where covering the entire city all across the horizon.
She walked down the road slowly observing everything around her. Wreath saw the old library where she went to read all about the old books mostly consisting of adventure, good versus evil and her favourite plots that contained trickery and treachery. She began to see the old bakery with its still rusted sign saying “Come one, come all to Cupcake Marlene” she could nearly remember the smell of the freshly baked cupcakes in the oven. Finally over to the left was the city fountain where she spent all the time with her parents. She walked over to see the fountain one more time but she could not remember them all she could see off in the distance was a small blue filly crying next to the fountain tears clearly running down her cheek. Wreath began to walk over to see what the problem was.
“What seems to be the matter, are you lost? “ Wreath said to the little blue unicorn.
The moment she talked the small filly looked up and began to talk back.
“I miss my mommy and daddy is sick.” her response being one filled with sorrow as more tears rushed forth down her cheeks.
“Oh dear, what is wrong with your daddy?, where did your mommy go?” Wreath asked looking now fully concerned over this ponies misfortune.
“She…*sniff*…went out to help daddy but has not come back yet, would you help my daddy lady? ” the little unicorn now standing on all fours looking back at Wreath showing the same sapphire coloured eyes she had.
“I do not know I’m pretty busy and all.” Wreath feeling a sense of guilt over all of this abandoning a pony on the middle of the street.
“No, please just for one minute, what if mommy do not come back, who will look after daddy.” the unicorn now crying with her face looking down from the rain.
“Alright sure, but just for five minutes I need to really be somewhere.” Wreath trying to make sense over all of this.
“Thank you, thank you.” the little filly hoped giving Wreath a hug as she began to show her the way to her house.
The streets were still being poured on by the rain which did not seem to give way anytime soon. Water quickly fell from rooftops and windows were lit with an ominous orange glow telling that the house was occupied and busy. The blue filly stopped and pointed to the house from the front gate.
“We have made it lady, now you can help my pa.” she said while running to open the front door. Wreath slowly made her way past the small garden and into the house. A thick wooden brown door engraved with a floral design with a little window creaked open slightly as Wreath pushed opening the door and walked inside. The house seemed cold and slightly dark to her. The fire in the living room gave an eerie orange glow but no heat was being sent across the room. The kitchen seemed unused for quite some time as shown by a layer of dust covering the main table. Finally the pictures in the picture frame only showed the blue filly the rest of the photos were darkened out showing neither her mother nor father.
“Daddy’s upstairs lady, come quick.” she said excitedly.
Wreath could only agree as she grabbed hold of the banister and proceed upstairs to the master bedroom. The floor creaked with every step along with the hallway being darkened with the curtains never being pulled. She felt uneasy in this house but a slight memory of being here constantly played back in her mind. She followed the filly to the main room and walked in along with her.
The blue filly ran over to the double sized oak bed and began tugging at the bed sheets all excited about the good news.
“Daddy, daddy, someone’s here to help us, you’re going to be fine.” the joyous look upon her face slightly shinned hope in this bleak world Wreath thought to herself.
A noise could be heard downstairs, Wreath instantly grabbed the hilt of her sword suddenly in defence as the filly jumped and galloped towards the door.
“Mother, mothers home lady.” she proceeded to dash downstairs with Wreath slowly following ignoring the pony covered entirely by the bed sheets casted upon him.
Wreath made her way downstairs again and only saw the blue filly pouring what seemed to be the medicine into a common wooden chalice the look of excitement seemed to overwhelm her entirely as she grabbed the cup and proceeded back upstairs.
“We got, we finally got it lady.” she said as she went to go back upstairs.
“Wait where your mother is, you did say she got home right?” Wreath looked confused as well as concerned.
“Yeah she did, she is sitting there over at the fireplace, that rain outside could catch anybody a chill.” the blue filly now slowly making her way upstairs trying not to spill anything from the chalice.
Wreath ignored the filly and began walking over to the elderly unicorn.
“Ma’am, what where you doing leaving your kid out in the rain like that.” Wreath asked the motherly pony. The only response she got was a silent reply while the mothers back was turned towards the fireplace.
“You do know this is a big city, hell do you know what kind of ponies are there in this world ma’am.” Wreath finished talking again with the response being the same.
“HEY! I’m talking to you; at least have the consideration to…” Wreath made her way over to the mother pony to pull her around face to face all she got was a skull full of cobwebs, the skeleton itself now became fully noticeable as it fell before here to the dusty ground. Wreath could only look in horror as she galloped upstairs to get the little filly out of here.
Wreath made a mad dash straight to the bedroom and saw the small pony now resting the chalice on the bedside table beside her farther.
“We have got to leave, now!” Wreath said to the little pony.
“Aww but are not you gonna stay for dinner Wreath?” the pony responded.
  “Wreath? I never told you my name, what are you?” she said looking perplexed slowly backing away towards the door her hoof grasping her sword.
“Say you do not look so good, maybe you should have some medicine, it fixed my pa here right up maybe you should have some calms you right down” the small pony now slowly walking towards Wreath as suddenly the door right behind her slammed shut.
“Do not you touch me, I get it now your just an illusion conjured up by Lavaliere, you’re not rea.l” Wreath now fully understanding the situation around her.
The blue filly made a dash towards Wreath holding the wooden chalice now trying to force Wreath to drink its contents. The blue filly’s eyes now changed to a demonic red matching the same strength as the magical blue pony. Wreath trying to hold away the chalice with one hoove and push back the small filly with the other desperately looking for a way out of all of this madness.
“Let..me..go, your NOT REAL.” Wreath kept saying to herself.
“Im more then just real Wreath.” the blue filly said back to her.
Wreath could only scream more as she used her magic to push the pony away shouting “THIS..IS..A..DREAM!!”.
A sudden flash took the room and suddenly Wreath was back in the cave torches still lit and flickering, with now the desk flipped over and both her two front hooves holding both the golden chalice and her own sword pointing upwards to her throat. She suddenly dropped both of them as she slowly began to sob and looked around as the room had changed since she last saw it. Skeletons of previous ponies who came through here where scattered all across the room each holding the same gold chalice that Wreath tried to drink from each having black teeth showing the side effects of the noxious poison it contained the numbers ranged from seven to eleven, this must of happened many times she thought to herself. An exit was now in the clear by the looks of it.
Wreath began to gather up her belongings and again made her way through the labyrinth straight to the center where hopefully freedom was in sight. She ran into another cross section of the maze but this time the exit was clearly within reach. She closed her eyes and began take a deep breath thinking of her next move. She noticed that the air to the left was less fowl and covered in much less fog she smiled at once again knowing she picked the right turn towards her escape and began galloping towards the exit.
The narrow passage ways finally gave way as Wreath now came to the final opening in the labyrinth this time the opening stretched as far as the eye could see with a slim stone bridge being the only way across to the center room housing the desired artefact to escape. Across the great chasm was another stone bridge that led to the same destination. Wreath began galloping to the exit but suddenly stopped to look across at the other bridge as she saw Coronet running as well firing great bolts of magic as she blasted a pack of Timber wolves falling into the empty void. Coronet breathed a sigh of relief but not too soon she saw across both eyes of Wreath and Coronet looked at one another. They quickly turned looking at the center room which housed an ominous blue glow clearly showing the exit to this trial.
Both ponies dashed to the exit both knowing the price for failure. They where both in sync with their breathing as well as their galloping to the exit, magic was used to get them here and magic is what they would have to use to win. Wreath begun to cast a light foot spell to increase her mobility while Coronet begun firing straight at the walls carving a way through straight to the center. Rubble and dust began flying everywhere with Coronet at the center dashing through finally tearing down the last wall which housed the artefact on a pedestal with a blue orb emanating a blue light all around the room. Coronet made a final lunge towards the orb but not as soon as Wreath use her light foot as well as a featherweight spell to back kick herself off the wall shooting herself towards the orb. Both ponies where now only metres away from touching it and being declared the winner the second anyone of them touched it. As both lunged at the orb a loud noise was heard echoing throughout the chasm and both ponies opening their eyes only to be visible once again within the training arena with Lavaliere looking over both of them?.
“A Draw?!, interesting” Lavaliere said while stroking his beard “Looks like this is a first, both Wreath and Coronet pass congratulations to both of you.” the grand master gave a bow of recognition to both ponies as they got up each slowly letting go of the blue orb as it dropped and smashed all across the floor.
Coronet began dusting herself off from all the rubble that coated all of her mane. What was now revealed was a scar that scraped all down the left side of her face as well as a scratch which went straight though her cutie mark , a direct cause of a Timber Wolf encounter. Blood slowly trickled down her check as she slowly begun walking out away out of the training room. Lavaliere stopped her suddenly.
“Alive are we Ms.Coronet.” he said chuckling at her new facial features.
“Go buck yourself…..Grandmaster.” Coronet could only say while walking out to the medical section of the academy to stitch up her new wound.
Lavaliere always liked this sense of anger from his students. He excused the examiners from dismissing her and urged them just to ignore what happened and focus on setting everything in motion for his next set of ideas. Wreath wiped the sweat from her forehead and begun slowly walking out towards the exit as well.
“Looks like your alive Ms.Wreath, dare I say not many make it through what you have encountered and luring those Timber wolves, let’s just say when they could not find you they found Ms.Coronet quite easily.” Lavaliere now beginning to talk again to the passing blue pony.
“That may be true, first the Timber wolves then the chalice and the race to the finish against Coronet, may I say does the Empire know about all this.” Wreath asked truthfully not caring for a round of back and forth games with Lavaliere.
“The Empire wants the best, they do not mind what little sacrifice is made to get there and from what I see you and Coronet are two shining examples.” Lavaliere now savouring this moment clearly for all to see, Wreath knew the Empire had full control over all of this and that he was pulling all the strings to cover their eyes.
“And that chalice then is that standard too?” Wreath beginning to display a sign of anger towards her Grandmaster as no pony around wanted to interfere.
“A little gift that was made to test any ponies mental progress as well as possible control, and may I say miss Wreath, that her mommy and daddy are quite well without you there.” he gave an evil grin not caring for what would have happened to Wreath both mentally or her near death experience within her own mind.
She gave him no more satisfaction as she walked passed turning in her examination gear and slowly walked out not looking once at Lavaliere at all. The blue pony walked out and straight down the hallway towards the housing estate within the academy.
Lavaliere now rubbed both his two front hooves clearly showing the overall success of this exam and the fruits of his labour soon ripe to be picked. One of the examiners walked over to consult the bearded pony.
“What now, Grandmaster there’s one more then needed?” the examiner asked.
“Do not you worry about that, two is always better than one and from what I see we have two very different ponies to examine. A pony of intelligence, patience and deceit and the other well a fiery appetite for destruction, pass both of them and make sure there ready for tomorrow for the trip” Lavaliere instructed the examiner.
“The trip, Grandmaster?” the assistant asked.
“Yes, for Stalliongrad the capital of the Empire at once. We are going to meet the Triumphiere and consult the Emperors council, we must proceed with this”. Lavaliere said in a gracious tone eager to show off his new found results.
“At once grand master” the examiner responded now leaving to make preparations.
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The journey to Canterlot was longer than expected by wagon rather than by chariot, Twilight could not remember ever making the journey on hoove. It was also apparently no longer safe during nighttime with ponies being posted to guard the make shift camp as the others slept encase of an attack by any form of wildlife that ventured too far from the Everfree Forest, Twilight and Steel where always paired up together and Twilight had very little too talk about to the common earth pony, she knew that once she got to that library and used the time scroll all of this would be over. The countryside was similar in look from the ground as it was looking from the air as she was carried through the clouds back to and from Princess Celestia when a situation would arise. The roads leading to the capital where no longer just a common path as Twilight remembered them, they where now more modernized with bricks and stones separating them from the dirt underneath a grey dull sign of progress in a world full of green and vibrant colours. Steel looked onto in the countryside seeing the uncommon carriage going in the opposite direction back towards Ponyville a thought of which he dreaded ever returning again.
“First time to Canterlot Twi.” as Steel sniggered “That is if you are Twilight.” he kept picking at Twilight the entire trip to Canterlot playing it all off as a childish prank.
“Laugh it up Steel, unless you want me to help the foreman turn this carriage around, I do say I’m getting kinda homesick from not seeing Ponyville these last few days.” Twilight knew this was an empty threat but to Steel bringing up those two words just left a lump in his throat at the thought of ever going back to the "farm".
“Anyways Canterlot cannot be far now so let’s just get this job over and go our separate ways then okay.” Twilight now folding her two front hooves and turning away from Steel.
In truth this was no longer her world and she knew that. She felt quite alienated and saddened on how her Equestria would turn out like this, the bright colours where slowly being faded replaced by the metallic force of industry and progression. Steel felt slightly struck down by her last comment feeling that the childish joke went too far during the entire trip and by the look the other ponies on the carriage were having none of it as well. The trip reached its final turn over the hill as the high towers of Canterlot slowly began to come into full view with the sun glistened off them making them shine across the land. Twilight slowly began to stand on all fours and look over the top of the wagon at long last Canterlot was in finally in sight. Finally she let out a sigh of relief letting herself know her crazy journey was now and truly over. Soon enough her relief was overtaken by a sudden shock as if a knife pierced through her heart at the sudden realization that beheld her. She looked around to see the other ponies expressions but none shared the same feeling that befell her.
It was Canterlot, but Canterlot in ruins.

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               5.Ruins of Forgotten Royalty                
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5.Ruins of Forgotten Royalty
Chapter 5 – Ruins of Forgotten Royalty.
These elements have been a step in the wrong direction of our family for ages past, responsibilities cast down upon me by mother and father they have become more of a curse then a blessing of responsibility. I cannot be rid of them nor can I hand them down in fear of their use for evil, Luna has become slowly aware sowing the seeds of jealously. Mother had always taken special care sharing them between me and Luna, father must be laughing wherever he is now.
Princess Celestia to Star Swirled
Date – Unknown
Twilight herself could not believe the site that covered the entire horizon. Canterlot her home where she studied magic and learned under Princess Celestia now a smouldering ruin a forgotten relic of this new depressing world. Truly now she saw this world for what it has become a society discarding the old ancient order of the world and placing it solely in the hands of the corrupt and the unjust. She slowly stepped down from the rails on the wagon and slowly slouched down in an exhausted, tired manner upon the truth that might befall her that she might not be going home after all. Steel looked partially confused over all of this and begun to slowly lean in to consult with the purple unicorn.
“Somethin the matter Twi?, a second there it looked like you got the fright of your life, then again Canterlot does have a kind of ruined beauty now do not cha think?” Steel now nudging Twilight trying to get a simple response from her.
“My..my..home…gone.” Twilight said while a tear ran down her left cheek. “Friends..gone and worst of all my hometown destroyed, there’s nothing for me here you were right Steel.” her head lowered accepting defeat and her fate of being stranded in this new cruel world.
“Whoa, wait this is your hometown?” Steel looked more confused “Well Twi this place has been like this since my great great grandpa almost, are not no way this place can raise a youngin such as you, you sure this be your hometown?” he began looking concerned but at least happy being able to talk straight with Twilight without breaking into an argument of sorts.
“I..It was once, now I do not know anymore Steel, what do you know of Canterlot by the way?” Twilight trying to gather even the slightest bit of detail even though it might not have helped it still would help calm her nerves over all of this.
“Well gee not much to talk about this place, since this city has been like this for a while now, I can remember that the Empire fella’s just leave this place alone mostly, seems there not interested in such ancient relics of previous rulers…..maybe?.” Steel shrugged while continuing to speak more.
“Second mostly this place is hired out for the likes of treasure seekers, looters and worst of all poachers huntin any wildlife in the underground catacombs for sport and leisure. Worst of all it is not anymore disgusting then seeing them bounty hunters dragging somepony from the ruins for just working to pay off their debt now is there, everypony just hates seein them kickin and bucking screaming that they missed a few payments to pay for medicine or food at times.” The dark chestnut pony looked into the distance looking disgusted at such a place of beauty being tainted by grave robbers and hired goons bought by the wealthy and the corrupt running from upon the countryside.
For Twilight it seemed like an eternity as Steel recalled everything he had to say about Canterlot becoming nothing more than a grave for vulture’s to pick at all her memories of her former home town. Anger should have taken over her at this site but it was nothing more of shock and pity at the overall outcome. The carriage begun its final decent over the last hill as the main gates of the city where getting closer and closer within Twilights view, she was home finally but not the way she wished for.
Everything that reminded her of Canterlot was there to be seen by all, the waterfalls that shimmered over the mountain was there still water flowing under the drawbridge and down into the lush green countryside. The lakes within the city were now empty, barren devoid of the life that once inhabited the land replaced with an empty hole of dirty and decay. Across the hill into the city Twilight could see the few ponies that still inhabited the city most likely looking for whatever of value and others seemed to be mining within the mountain seeking for the gems and rubies that where rumoured to cover the entire landscape. Everything to do with Celestia was gone, flags, banners and monuments of the sun Princess glorifying the old rule was either torn from where it once laid or desecrated in the Empires honour.
Twilight tried her best to detach herself from the images that cycled all through her head while still trying to remain positive about this new outcome. She began to look over at the castle and begun wondering of how she could turn this all around. Twilight began to show her insane smile at the crazy ideas that hatched within her mind about that if the castle was still intact so must be the libraries that laid all across the castles many rooms, the time scroll might still be there she thought now ignoring all logic within reason.
Steel nudged her again worried from what he saw a unicorn with a slight crazy mood swing from worried to apparently happy within the space of a minute.
“You alright Twi? You seem mighty weird all of a sudden, seems like you hit the crazy wagon all of a sudden.” Steel jokingly trying to make conversation while doing everything to not make a scene in front of the other ponies.
“Oh no everything’s Steel, what could possibly be wrong in the slightest?” Twilights head now tilted in a frightening fashion showing the most deranged smile that Steel had ever seen.
The earth pony now backed away a bit as Twilight turned her head again and looked away from the worried pony, all the others did not looked interested in the slightest, they usually looked up to catch a glimpse to observe any entertainment on the carriage ride but mostly all they saw was senseless chatter between the purple and chestnut ponie. Twilight looked again towards Canterlot her stance returning back to normal and the evil smile slowly disappearing. The foreman pony begun to look back towards the carriage full of ponies and begun yelling that they have finally arrived after the long trek from Ponyville.
The carriage trotted slowly over the massive archway still decorated with the engravings of the two goddesses still standing fifty feet high in the air with the walls of the city still standing strong with the giant wooden gates into the city now missing or destroyed from a battle long ago. The entrance to the city at long last went over Twilight as she admired its beauty it slightly assured her that Celestia and Luna might be still alive somewhere in some manner. She knew what must be done to possibly get home, get in that castle find the Star Swirled the bearded wing and find that time scroll, if it is still there after all this time
The carriage made its way past the main gate and deeper into the city of Canterlot, rubble was the best way to describe the scene that Twilight saw before her. She could make out all the places where she used to wander as a filly and lately during the night before her brother’s wedding. Twilight looked all around, shops that sold everything from food to fashion designs where left barren and empty most likely looted or faded with time. The fountains that were scattered all over the city where empty also, parched of water for countless years with overturned tables, chairs and windows smashed with half the buildings missing the front door or barely hanging on for dear life with a rusty hinge. They passed by one of the back alleys on their way to the town centre overseeing two ponies fighting over what seemed to be a piece of a random gem that was found in one of the houses down in the market district, nopony seemed to care or even watch all of them passing it off as some random act of violence that probably happened here on occasion, whether it was over money for food or to pay off a debt was completely irrelevant to everyone except Twilight.
The town centre was finally reached and was temporarily settled up as a centre of operations for the mining and hunting for artefacts within the city. The carriage made a pass around the massive decorated fountain in the centre and stopped to let the ponies off to start working for whatever amount of bits that they could muster from this job. All the ponies hoped off to stretch and prepare for what was ahead, the foreman pony walked over to greet the other pony in charge of this operation saying lines such as “Long time no see.” and “Got some more for the grinder”. Twilight and Steel passed this off as the foreman turned around to address the new recruits.
“All you bunch of maggots, line up and keep your damn mouths shut, here is how this is going down.” he said while walking up and down the line of the some six or seven new ponies.
“Your all here to help oversee that this operation runs smoothly, this city you might not of known is Canterlot and boy it is a sorry state of a city if you ask me.” Twilight looked somewhat disgusted at that slight remark.
“Some of you will be posted on mining duty others will be sent on artefact huntin, and might I tell ya neither of them is a walk in the park ya bunch of mares. Alright once I pair you up with a partner you will be assigned to a specific duty after which make your way over to the hut and grab your gear, are not no pony gonna die on my watch and be assured of one thing. If that does happen are not no pony gonna be getting your cut of the share I promise you that.” the foreman went over to grab the chart which would let him see which tasks where more important for the oversight committee.
Twilight was still remembering the last statement that the foreman made to the group and thought mostly about its disturbing new fact of her hometown being much more than a grave, it apparently became a beautiful rose with many sharp thorns, beautiful to admire but dangerous as well waiting to crush any clumsy ponies.
The foreman interrupted Twilights thinking to basically give a warning to all the new ponies about their first time in Canterlot “As you can all basically see in the distance, the castle is off grounds to any and I mean any pony. If I see anypony makin their way over to that castle you can bet you will not be getting paid. That castle is off limits due to the monsters from the Everfree along with the rumoured ghosts that haunt the grounds, a bunch of silly country pony superstition if ya ask me” the foreman finished talking and got down to business.
“Alright here we go, Brimstone and Sermon your to go onto mining duty up over in the mines over next to the castle outer wall and that includes you too Theo. Next are Brumby and Dio both of you scavenging over in the market district, rumour there is some decent history or whatever the oversight want you to look into that.” The foreman told each of them to get a move on and report over to the hut to get outfitted with pick axes and shovels along with a whistle to signal for help if need be. He breathed a loud sigh before flicking the next page of contents to see the allotted tasks.
“Alright you two the purple unicorn and the chestnut pony over here and make it snappy” the foreman eyeing both of them with what to do with the extra two he picked up back in Ponyville.
“Names and make them quick.” he said quickly.
“Twilig……ehh Purple Prancer from Ponyville” Twilight stuck to her fake name just to be safe, still remembering her episode from the Tax Office.
“Steel Steedly from Ponyville also” having no need to hide his name for any reason to the foreman.
“Alright consider both of you’s lucky that Theo is pitching in on mining, your task is the social district down the road, a lotta of houses and mansions bound to be somethin good in there, now hurry grab your things from the hut and report back here and no time wastin were on a schedule here.” the foreman having no patience for these two random ponies at all.
Twilight and Steel only responded with a nod and continued past the fountain into the large brown shaped tent to receive their gear for the trip. As they went inside all of the other five ponies left all fitted out with hard hats shovels and pick axes. The other ones looking for anything of value just got a simple gem to light their way and a whistle to signal for help, not that the oversight would care about helping simple hired ponies. Twilight walked up to the desk to the grey pony on the other side and simply stated her job and location.
“Artefact finding over in social.” Twilight keeping her response simple and to the point.
The grey pony looked up and responded back to her “Well look’e what we have here it is bein a while since we had a mare looking for this kinda of work, oh do not you worry we’ll fix you right up pretty good and whose this over here your stallion frienda sorry state if ya ask me.” he finished with a laugh at the motion and Twilight began to feel partially not comfortable around this pony.
“No, no she is not.” Steel replied back, “Now just give us our bucking gear and lets do what we were sent here to do.” his attitude apparently wanting nothing to do with this grey pony now fully in his face ready for a fight.
“Alright, alright ya firecracker of a pony, here is ya gear and the social district is about a couple minutes down the way ya came back, and I for one would watch yourself, a lotta ponies suffer….unfortunate accidents…especially the hot tempered ones.” the grey pony being slightly threatening about Steels sudden temper episode.
Both ponies grabbed their gear and proceeded to walk out the tent looking over and seeing if everything was in order. At the current moment it was lunch time and food was slowly being served from within the cook tent on the other side of the town centre. The meals where simple just a healthy dose of carrot and pea soup with a small side piece of bread along with a simple tankard of apple juice to wash it all down. Twilight, Steel and the rest all dug into the meal before properly starting their jobs. All the ponies quickly departed after the meal and Steel along with Twilight made their way into the social district on the other side of town, Twilight was still determined about getting into the castle and getting that time scroll, but first she would have to get it under the cover of the night. She continued walking alongside Steel to her new job location not wanting to see anymore of Canterlot like this especially towards the side of the city where she grew up along with seeing what her parent’s home might be in or what remained after all the looting.
Both Steel and Twilight made their way past what remained of the centre of the city and over past the massive stone bridge that descended down into the social district, the atmosphere was quiet with only the sound of their own hooves only being heard all across the city. No wildlife seemed to journey anywhere near the ruined city, possibly due to the feeling of past death and misery in the city. Steel and Twilight felt awkward with this uncomfortable situation of a place that housed thousands of ponies and no one to see or talk too but only themselves, Steel broke the silence and begun conversation.
“So….. when you said this was your hometown Twi, you meant it right?” for some reason Steel slightly began to trust this unknown purple unicorn.
“Yes, it was once, I grew up here as a filly a few blocks from here, you should have seen the city before all this Steel, the streets where alive with laughter, song and no pony would fight, disagree or even carry a care in the world.” Twilight’s attitude changed from being disappointed to remembering all the happier times in Canterlot where it was all so simple.
“Ahh right, you lived here, want to stop by your home it’s within the social district is not it and well it would not hurt to have a look, who knows you might find something from your past and all.” Steel said testing the ponies response to this notion.
“Actually, yeah I would be glad to if that is okay with you Steel?” Twilight asked if it was not too much of a bother avoiding their work for Twilights personal gain.
“Not at all Twi, after all we have literally an entire day to waste looking through all this stone and rubble might as well make the most of it” he said almost trying to make a game of it to lighten the gloomy mood of this city.
“Then let’s not waste time then.” Twilight said now directing Steel down the road past the old steel gates that lead into her neighbourhood. She knew that Steel was trying to cheer her up but to her the pain was still tugging away at her heart. A part of her did not want to see her home the way it was, she wanted to remember it the way she used to always remember coming home from after school with her mother and father at the dinner table serving up a stew or her mother making her a daisy and daffodil sandwich with her father asking her all about her day. They proceeded past all the homes Twilight remembered going by on her way to and from school. She then walked by the park where she and Shinning Armour her brother used to play knights and princesses on long summer days.
Twilight stopped Steel and walked over further into the park where the old swing set was once where she and her foal sitter Cadence spent their afternoons playing hide and seek. To Twilight it begun to tear more at her from inside as tears begun to roll down her cheek as she turned around and walked onwards to the house. Steel could see the sorrow that plagued Twilight not daring to ask what the matter was. Truly he begun to believe the pony more and more that this might be the actual Twilight but how it still seemed impossible since she apparently disappeared at least hundreds of years ago as the rumours say.
As both walked down the street Twilight finally came to her former home, she could still feel life within the building still. She stopped in front of the house as Steel was walking from behind her and looked around at the other houses down the road. From what he saw looking down the street, Steel noticed very little damage to the neighbourhood since the battle must of took a long way away from here since the main road to the castle was mostly damaged when they first entered the city.
“This is the place…right?” Steel looked towards Twilight.
“Yes… it is.” a nervous Twilight answered.
“You do not have to do this Twi, you know that.” Steel knew slightly the anguish of seeing your home destroyed by the Empire.
“I know but I must Steel for myself” she said making her way past where the door once remained entering the house with Steel following in soon after.
The sight of her former home was a bit hard to take in as she slowly walked through the living room trying to remember what it once looked like. It seemed by the looks of it other ponies have already being here looking for anything of value. She then proceeded to look into the kitchen taking a brief look inside. All the cabinets where empty with the doors hanging by a thread the kitchen table was flipped with the chairs smashed for firewood, a charcoal smell overtook the entire room. Twilight looked away from the kitchen proceeding upstairs to her room. She reached the banister and proceeded upstairs each step creaking as she ascended each hoof leaving a print upon the dust and dirt that littered the entire house. Steel looked at the pony making her way upstairs as she seemed transfixed on what might be upstairs.
Twilight walked down the hallway towards her room and saw nothing that reminded her of her past life, everything she saw was worn out by time and the windows smashed open by random vandals. She entered her old bedroom and remembered her hidden small chest containing her old belongings probably still remained nearby, within the hole underneath the floor boards where she hid all her personal belongings. She used her magic to move the bed aside as it fell apart when it was moved, Twilight did not seem to care as the bed was worn out and had lost its former colour.
She moved a piece of the floorboard aside and to her own surprise she found her small chest was still there. She opened it still containing her own personal belongings. Her heart skipped a beat as she looked in more and picked through all her past memories. Twilight looked through them all, her entrance exam into Celestia’s School was still there along with her necklace she wore at her brother’s wedding, a photo of Spike when she first met him that fateful day. As she looked through she began to cry as she had found what she looked for, a photo of the wedding day she kept hidden. Within that photo it contained Twilight, her family, both the princesses along with all her friends standing within Canterlot gardens with Shinning Armour and Cadence both held in a loving embrace. The picture was faded slightly but she could still remember the ceremony from the music to the last time she hugged her brother as he left on his honeymoon. Tears begun to fall on the photo as Steel heard her now crying from the hallway as he looked in the room and saw the distraught pony on the floor.
“Its okay Twi.” Steel said as he begun to enter the room to hug the pony trying in anyway to help her through all of this, truly he did not know what Twilight just saw, Steel was not good at this but a situation like this did not matter.
“No…*sniff*.. It is not okay, everything Steel, everything is gone, my home my friends everything, look.” Twilight now showing Steel the photo of the wedding.
“Woah, wait Twi that is you in the photo and these must be the princesses you talked about and these must be your friends by the looks of it.” Steel lookin amazed at all of this, it was confirmed finally no exception to all of this, Twilight Sparkle was right next to him this whole time.
“Im sorry, Twi truly I’m sorry for not trusting you when you first told me, please can you forgive me?” Steel felt quite the fool and inconsiderate about the unicorns feelings when he first met her.
“It’s okay Steel, it was not your fault there was no way you would have known.” Twilight held the photo up clearer and told Steel about all her friends and the princesses.
Through all of this Twilight talked as Steel remained silent as she continued telling him what happened that day with the changelings and her marriage into royalty.
“Woah, wait your royalty? Now that is something you do not hear everyday” Steel looking more shocked then confused on this common unicorns new found royalty.
“It’s true ever since my brother married Princess Cadence I have been partial royalty, now that I think of it you do remind me of one of my friends slightly” Twilight begun to see something new in this earth pony.
“Huh which one, where in the picture that tomboy pony with wings?” Steel pointed to Twilights photo guessing which one of other five ponies next to her.
Twilight begun to cheer up and chuckled at Steels response “No, not really more of this one from what I have seen from you” Twilight pointing at Apple Jack “Both of you are country ponies that are strong as well as dependable in saving anyone and from what I have seen you both where the first proper friend I have made when I first came to Ponyville”.
“A Friend..really?” Steel look flustered and slightly embarrassed “I have never really had a friend well, not since I was a filly I was always busy movin trying to keep away from trouble, so ehh friend Twilight, what know?” the earth pony not knowing what to do about all of this and where to go.
“I do not know, but I do know we have to get inside that castle, since I was a student to the Princess there must be some answer to all of this, I can only guess but something that can fix all of this is in the castle” Twilight standing up fully now prepared to leave the room.
“Well sure Twi, but not now, best wait for nightfall and make our way under the cover of the night sky, if that foreman catches us were in for a heap of trouble.” Steel determined to make it up to Twilight for not believing her the first time they met.
“Thank you Steel, in the meantime we must at least find something to bring back to the camp, I know some places that might at least have something of value, its in the wealthier side of town and there might still be another way into the castle” Twilight begun to pack away the chest under the floorboard and kept the photo inserting it into her backpack, knowing that whenever she felt down she knew her friends would be there for her wherever they may be.
Twilight proceeded to walk out of the room with Steel following her slowly “I wanted to ask Steel, why you helped me back in Ponyville along with coming with me to Canterlot?” Twilight asked honestly to the earth pony.
“Well shucks Twi you seemed lost and most of all scared of both Pike and Lancer, they are not gonna hurt anypony while I’m around, and let’s just say them beatin an innocent mare such as yourself just seems wrong in my books” Steel constantly looking back at Twilight as a smile slowly rose across her face.
“Thank you Steel, for saving me”. Twilight returning the hug back to Steel.
“Thanks and you can be sure of one thing Twi, I will be around to do it again” Steel said confidentially to the purple unicorn.
Both ponies laughed as they begun to walk down the stairs and leave the house, Twilight left with a sense of well-being and purpose that if she was to be stuck in this world at least making a friend would make it all the bit easier. Twilight begun to leave the house and walked down the rubble road towards the wealthier part of the social district leaving behind the memories of her childhood, she knew that here it was gone but in her heart it still remained there strong.
The wealthier part of the social district as Twilight remembered usually housed the biggest houses in Canterlot all covered behind by the pearly white gates leading back to the regular district. The bridge that once lead around into the castle from the wealthier side of town was destroyed making the only way to the castle through the main gates which could only be accessed back from the town centre. Twilights plan to get to the castle from the wealthier side of town had to wait, but finding anything of value was easier to get.
They continued walking past the expensive houses each one seemed more looted then the other, Twilight finally looked across the centre of the rich district and saw one mansion she knew would contain the desired artefacts that the oversight would be interested in. The mansion of one particular pony who lived at the ruined mansion hundreds of years ago, the mansion of Fancy Pants one of the wealthiest and most important ponies in all of Equestria and one she has met before on countless occasions, once at her birthday and another at the royal wedding. Fancy Pants wife usually had some of the most fabulous jewels next to the Canterlot Royalty. They finally arrived at the estate and saw it same as Twilights house but on a mansion sized scale, looted and rummaged by other artefact hunters.
They made their way past the main gates past the gardens all overgrown and unattended since the city was in ruins. The main door to the building was like all the other doors in the district, kicked in or creaky open ever so slightly. The inside was dark rejecting any light that tried to enter, some of the windows where boarded up and the chandelier hung tilted above them nearly ready to fall on any passer-by. The main hall had the grand staircase with rooms to the left and right of the current room; tables where broken, turned over or smashed to pieces.
“So Twi, how did you know this place was worth checkin out, and also who lived here anyway, the only places with houses like this anymore are either in Stalliongrad or Manehattan.” Steel admiring the grandeur of the interior decorating even though it might have shown some age being left unattended.
“A important pony called Fancy Pants, one of the wealthiest in Canterlot in his time, next to royalty many of the social elite hung on his every word, I have met him a couple of times but never knew him very well in such short time” Twilight making her way over to the grand stair case heading upstairs.
Both continued upstairs straight to the main bed chamber past all the guest bedrooms in the upper hallway, some of the paintings still hung most of them torn or fallen upon the dusty floor trampled on by each passer-by. The master bedroom was in sight and was easily the biggest bedroom in the entire estate. Twilight knew something must be here of value either it be Fancy Pants or his wives it did not matter, she did however slightly felt a bit guilty robbing from ponies long forgotten and hopefully somewhere they did not matter their valuables being looted for personal gain.
Twilight and Steel begun spreading out across the room looking for anything of value perhaps a safe or a hidden compartment behind a painting, they began tearing up the room looking for anything of that description. They checked the bathroom for anything and only found broken mirrors and a broken bath tub. They met up again at the centre of the room and begun to talk again.
“Whew, nothing like tearin it up like a bull at a rodeo, found anything Twi?” Steel catching a breather from tossing the room apart for anything that might be of value.
“Nope, same as well if there is something here once it is either gone or Fancy Pants is smarter then he led on.” Twilight sitting down to take in some air as well.
“This might be a stab but, hidden room maybe Twi?”Steel trying everything he could think of wanting to find anything other than broken decayed wood.
Twilight shuddered under the idea of another hidden passage “Hidden door then, last time I tried that Steel it was partially responsible for me being sent to this Equestria” joking it all slightly aside, Steel did not bother asking what that comment meant passing it off as some unicorn joke.
Both ponies began tapping all against the walls for any slight change in the woods density and then continued until Twilight found and confirmed Steels theory was true.
Twilight stood back and begun casting a slight blast spell to make a hole in the wall to the hidden room. What they found was a small room full of shelves containing jewellery and exquisite clothes finally lined with jewels and other sapphires’, Twilight looked at the clothes more closely and saw the design was made by her friend Rarity she felt the clothes and the fabric still felt new and unused.
“Well woah-we we found the jackpot Twi, this is us set for easy street” smiles of joy and riches ran all across Steels face.
Twilight detached herself from looking at the dress and talked back to the chestnut pony “Ehh yeah let’s take some for now and head back, I’m certain that oversight would be happy with what we found” both now begun to take some of the jewellery and put it in their backpacks heading back to the campsite triumphant.
As Steel and Twilight walked back into the main bedchamber, Steel turned around and looked at the wall with the hole in it and begun contemplating on what to do.
“Ehh Twi you know we cannot keep it likes this, someone will find this after a while” both ponies looked together knowing what must be done.
“Your right Steel, I will use my magic to move the wardrobe over to block the hole and after cast a weight spell it would make it impossible to move” Twilight looking smug in her decision.
She then began casting her spell with the wardrobe responding slowly rumbling and levitating as the dust on top began to fall upon the floor. The wardrobe was slowly sliding across covering the hole, she finished with lowering the wardrobe and letting it rest again on the floor with a final casting of a weight spell making it much heavier than it was made out to be. Both now seemed adamant in their choice if they needed to return to get more if need be. They now left the estate and out of the wealthy part of the social estate back towards the town centre where they originally started this time with riches and renewed possibilities.
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It was now late in the afternoon and the sun was slowly starting to give way to the ever rising moon, Twilight and Steel returned back to the main camp noticing it from the distance with smoke bellowing from the cook tent in the distance it was close to supper for the camp and both ponies begun to feel slightly peckish. All the other ponies returned from their other tasks except for Dio who apparently did not return with Brumby, Twilight did not bother asking what had happened but Brumby did not seem to mind his partners loss. Everypony begun to turn in all their gear from the tent and walk over to grab a meal for all their hard work mining or digging up artefacts. As Twilight and Steel turned in their gear and there findings the foreman’s eyes lit up like two bright eyes at the rare find.
“Well rookie, I guess I was wrong in doubting you to find anything of value, but hot dog you put out, I’m keeping you on artefact huntin for the while same with your friend there” the foreman not trying to hide his joy at all. “You too go on over to the cook tent and tell them I sent ya, an extra portion for each of ya”.
Both made their way over and helped themselves to their extra portions of potatoes with a daisy sandwich and a tankard of cider to wash it all down. Each sat down around the massive fountain eager to tuck in to their meals. One of the ponies broke out a guitar and started playing to lighten the mood and another got a violin and begun playing as fires flickered all over the campsite. To Twilight it reminded her of Applejacks Summer rodeos, she might of not being able to make the last one but she was sure she would not miss this one as the coldness of the night was replaced with laughing and singing, it seemed fake slightly but it was the closest warmth she got all day.
It was not till the late hours of the night after all the fires died down after all the blankets where handed out that both Twilight and Steel begun to put their plan into action and that was getting into Canterlot Castle. It was deep into the night, Twilight and Steel started slowly and quietly making their away out of the town centre down the palace road. Canterlot at night had a certain peaceful tranquil to it, the stars glistened in the night sky each sparkling more than the other. The moon was in full tonight beaming down a white glow lighting the city and the towers of the castle along with it, looking up in the sky no one would know they were walking within a ruin.
The town centre was now nowhere in sight to the two ponies as they both breathed a sigh of relief over not getting caught by any of the sleeping ponies, it will not be till morning that anyone would miss them and time was plenty on their side. The money from the find within Fancy Pants estate could at least help them for months on end, Steel at least thought of using the money with Twilight and leave the Empire all together settling down in the other kingdoms or hiring a boat and go to one of the free cities over the distant shores.
Finally after the short walk the last road to the palace was in sight, the draw bridge to the castle was lowered allowing free access to anypony to enter the castle grounds. The giant Iron Gate still hung above the massive archway with it still decorated with the insignia of Celestias rule. Both passed over into the front garden of the castle, it was all overgrown and the fountains where chipped away for the jewels that decorated the statues. The castle itself overall was nearly in perfect shape compared to all the other structures around, the windows where all smashed and the main door was unfortunately caved in possibly due to a previous accident. Steel contemplated on what to do next but was assured by Twilight the back garden door into the ballroom was another option to try. Both continued around the exterior of the castle under the many archways dividing the gardens finally reaching the back garden. The metal exterior of the ballroom remained but again all the windows were missing. Twilight made her way inside the castle a little off course but that did not matter, finding the remains of the library was the main concern here.
The main walkway in the ballroom was tattered, torn and the lush red colour of the carpet was all but gone. The massive statue that decorated the end of the hall was cracked and fell on it side letting the wild plants and flowers seamlessly swallow it whole, all the pillars which held up the walls where eroded and some of them missing or toppled over. Steel could only imagine what this place looked in its full glory, he continued to pick up the pace and keep up with the purple pony leaving the ballroom altogether. Twilight knew the castle like the back of her hoove and quickly sped down the hallway towards the library, the gate that led into the library section was gone but from what Twilight saw the bookcases of the Celestia Wing along with the Ancient Catalogues of Equestria History still remained and stood strong, the Star Swirled Wing was around the corner. Twilight was now in a full gallop towards the library knocking over the door into the wing and saw nothing more but a hole in the ground where the library had collapsed, destroying all of the Star Swirled Wing and its contents, the scroll itself lost in eternity.
Twilight could only lower her head in disappointment, she knew this was a long shot but did not get her hopes up over this actually working out. Steel was slightly behind still admiring the grand scale of the castle he never knew when he would be in another castle next time destroyed or still standing, after which he finally caught up Twilight.
“Say I’m guessin Twi that hole in the ground should not be there I guess right?” Steel still wondering what Twilight was looking for all this time in the library.
“It should have being here Steel, the Star Swirled Wing where the time scroll should be, I could have been able to go back and fix all of this, I’m certain what I found and learned a couple of days ago before I met you is what caused all of this.” Twilight no longer hiding her intentions for being here in the castle.
“You found what then Twi” he asked Twilight wanting to know right away.
“It is a long story Steel but basically ancient artefacts is what it comes down to, thousands of years old ago they were made by the goddesses themselves crafted to best evil when friendship is at its most powerful.”
“Uh-huh, right sounds kinda nutty if ya ask me Twi.” Steel laughing at all this friendship nonsense.
Steel looked in his personal backpack for anything of use and found a light gem he forgot to turn in back at the hut, he begun to shake it to light it up and he threw it down the hole to see how deep the darkness went. Thankfully though the hole only went at least a few metres till the gem hit a floor offering another option to both ponies.
“Well looke what we have here, when somepony destroys a library, they usually leave a hole right Twi” Twilight could only chuckle at the awful joke that Steel thought up that previous second.
“Well, if you are not busy making bad jokes Steel, we got a tunnel to explore.” Both ponies leapt down jumping between each stone into the darkness.
Twilight kept her guard up on this new discovery, the last time she did this a trip into the future was the only outcome. She was going to be alert this time she told herself while lighting the way down the tunnel.
“I see this is new to you too Twi, was this around when you were in old Equestria?” Steel asked honestly.
“No , I lived in the castle all my time as a filly and never before has this secret tunnel being here, I remember looking through the blueprints of Canterlot Castle all the time and never before has this being here” Twilight trying to picture how this could possibly lead to something new or ancient.
Then again she thought with all the secrets that Celestia told her this might of being here all along. The tunnel descended deeper and deeper into the mountain finally reaching a lone empty room. The contents itself was nothing more than a statue of a unicorn standing confident in the face of what imaginary danger it was facing. It stood on a pedestal that was bare and not engraved, no name and no date was to be found anywhere in the room or on the statue.
“It makes no sense, why make a secret room just for a statue.” Twilight thought to herself out loud.
“I know what you mean Twi but still, it could be worth something or could have something important inside.” Steel said again throwing random ideas since it seemed to work last time.
Twilight nodded and agreed with the earth ponies thoughts “Sounds good, but no way are we gonna open it all the way down here, wait stand next to me I will teleport me, you and the statue outside to the back garden” Twilight preparing to charge her horn.
Steel stood next to Twilight as she finished the spell and the room lit up in a sudden bright flash and returned back to its eternal darkness this time the statue with the ponies missing. The sun was beginning to slowly shine all across the land over the mountain, their time was almost up soon the ponies down in the city where going to notice soon they were missing. Twilight felt woozy from teleporting the heavy statue and the earth pony felt disorientated from moving from a light shining on his face  to a dark and cold room setting.
“Woah how often do you do that anyway Twi” Steel shaking his head trying to see straight “Quick we gotta head back before somepony notices.” Steel entering a near full gallop towards the main castle gate. The sun was rising faster with its light touching the statue, the eyes on it started to glow.
“Steel wait the statue…it is….it is.” Twilight looking shocked at what was happening.
“Forget the statue Twi, it is not going anywhere we can wait next nightfall.” Steel looking back also shocked at what Twilight saw as well.
The statue was slowly moving each turn a crack ran down the entire length of its body. After a few seconds a bright light burst forth from the stone shaped body revealing a living breathing pony as it begun to open its eyes.
“Wait, what Canterlot it is a.” the mysterious unicorn pony begun talking looking at the castle in its current state.
Twilight and Steel stood there in complete silence jaws open on what was happening before their very eyes.
“Do not worry Princess I’m coming.” the pony said out loud galloping back into the castle grounds at full speed.
Twilight and Steel both looked at each other and said at the same time “The statues alive!?!” as they began chasing it back into the castle.

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              6.A Monument to all their Sins               
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6.A Monument to all their Sins
Chapter 6 – A Monument to all their Sins
Wreath herself could not believe it when she heard the news about where she was going for the next few days, Stalliongrad the capital of the empire and home to Emperor Lionheart himself along with his council. Her heart was beating at an alarming rate as she knew with her Grandmaster, she could possibly get to meet some of them along with maybe seeing the Emperors son, Crown Prince Storm Lionheart himself soon to lead the empire if the rumours where true. It was all weird to her she had never been this happy ever and with her exams finally finished it was a moment that deserved a party, she would not care who would have went even Coronet could not ruin this celebration, she dreamt for years on end of finishing her studies. Wreath finished her packing of all the essentials she would need except for a photo of her parents a necessity she missed all her life and one thorn that Coronet kept plucking at. Still she brushed this aside, finished her packing and left the dorm room knowing full well she would gladly never see it again as she slammed the door shut, locking away all the bad memories.
Wreath used her magic to lift up the case as she begun heading over to the main garden where Lavaliere and a carriage where waiting to escort her over to Stalliongrad for the next few days, the sun was shining and the only cloud in the sky was the city of Cloudsdale shimmering off in the distance. She continued to make her way past the old training grounds where she had her final test and off towards the garden that lied within the centre of the academy. There she saw Lavaliere standing next to the chariot with the Imperial Pegasus crew getting ready for take-off. Wreath made her way over making her presence fully known to the old bearded pony.
“Good afternoon Grandmaster, I am here as you requested and ready to fly.” Wreath not wanting to hide her overall joy of this special treatment she was receiving recently.
“Wreath you have arrived excellent, again congratulations on finishing your studies here at the academy, we are nearly ready just waiting for one more to join us.” Lavaliere also seemed overly happy and glad as well a trait he never showed often only when he had a card up his sleeve or a trick to play.
“Another? Who everyponies here there is you me the pilots…..” Wreath was beginning to piece it all together now as she heard a familiar voice across the garden.
“WHAT IS SHE DOING HERE?!.” Coronet shouted loudly at the sudden unexpected sight of Wreath standing beside the Grandmaster both next to the chariot.
Both ponies could only look awkwardly at each other as Coronet walked ever so slowly towards the other two. Wreath did not like this as much as Coronet did but yet again Lavaliere looked on with a devious smirk of playing these two ponies for fools yet again. Coronet finally made her way over settling her case over next to Wreaths one and begun facing the old pony himself.
“You said nothing about this commoner begin here it was not part of the deal” Wreath could usually see from Coronets way of talking that she had no notion of respecting authority towards any superiors,  to her they were all below her.
“Deal….Deal?” Lavaliere laughed right in the grey ponies face “There is not and will never be one and if there was, I certainly would never make one with you” Lavaliere enjoyed playing Coronet for the fool as always, Wreath always chuckled at her confused look she always gave back in return.
“Let us not waste time, we have a deadline to keep in check and Stalliongrad is a few hours away on the other side of the Kingswood Forest.” Lavaliere was beginning to step on the chariot first, the only one of the three not bringing any luggage it seemed.
“Well, Coronet.” Wreath begun to break silence between the two of them “Idiots first I always say.” The blue pony forgot to wind up Coronet after having not seen her at all today.
Coronet could only snarl at the response as she lifted her case and begun stepping on the chariot right next to Lavaliere. To Wreath she felt disheartened that her dream trip was to be ruined by one particular pony but then again seeing Coronet humiliated and hopefully doing it again in front of the Imperial Court also was a chance she did not want to miss. She learned at a young age to enjoy the little things and not let other ponies knock you down in your prime. She begun to lift her case as well and step onboard the opposite site of Coronet with Lavaliere separating them. The Grandmaster gave a commanding voice to the two Pegasus drivers in front to journey straight to Stalliongrad and right away he said. Both responded with a nod of approval as the carriage slowly begun to ascend lifting the chariot high into the sky dashing away from the academy in Hoofington.
Wreath looked behind as she closed her eyes and thanked whatever god that where still around that she could close this dark chapter in her life, Hoofington Academy was over. No more scheming and no more plotting to avoid the other students tricks and lies although she did enjoy foiling them. The carriage passed over the city and over the main gate leaving the academy off in the distance. Wreath could feel the cool air fly right past her mane along her face, when she opened her eyes again she could barely see the academy where she was looked up only to see it slowly disappear and finally gone from her sight, swallowed by the horizon.
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The journey to the capital took them over the Kingswood a forest that was almost as old as the Everfree itself but without any of the monsters or ancient ruins that lurked within. Many of the Stalliongrad Elite would hunt for the any unlucky animal that would cross there path others would mainly hold races that were available to the ponies that only received the proper invitation. The forest blanketed the entire landscape all the way to the capital, up high in the sky Wreath could see it all the landscape seemed like her oyster with all for her to see. To the North behind her laid her old academy with to the south was their current destination, to the West lied Canterlot Mountains with the ruined cities towers standing high above. Lastly to the East the small town of Derbyshire sister town to Ponyville lied on the other side of Equestria, a common dusty earth pony settlement on the border of the empire.
It was some time until they were even close to the capital which explained why Lavaliere wanted to leave early skipping breakfast and always wanting to get to the point only when matters concerned him as well in the slightest. The carriage begun to descend towards the capital finally, Wreath and Coronet have only heard of Stalliongrad but sheer amazement is what took them upon its sight.
A massive city bigger then Manehattan and Los Pegasus combined nestled right above a massive hill surrounded by strong thick walls that continued round the city and many more times as they climbed up the hill towards the grand palace all built on separate tiers. Truly this was a testament to the Empires might and they had three centuries to truly show what ponies where capable of when they came into power. Within the outer confines of the city was the common residential where markets, theatres and festivals where usually held, petals where falling from the rooftops and banners shinned high against the city walls, it was the last day of the summer sun celebration in the capital and the city was alive with music, laughter and cheering.
Above them stood the biggest wealthier part of Stalliongrad massive estates with finally detailed gardens looking down upon the common side of the city separated by the thick stone walls dividing classes of pony in a truly iconic fashion. Within the centre of everything stood the Imperial palace a shining gem across the landscape , statues of Pegasus, unicorns and earth ponies working together where displayed all over the Imperial gardens. The palace itself was built upon different levels each one getting smaller as the palace was raised to the sky. The walls where decorated with massive red banners that ran down the side of the castle displaying a Pegasus and an earth pony bearing a shield and sword standing back to back a symbol of the peacekeepers within the empire. The chariot descended onto the outer tier of the castle landing on the upper level gardens. A moment that seemed like eternity for the two students as they believed this was all simply the city of dreams.
The chariot landed at its desired destination next to the castles giant library, Lavaliere was the first to step off as he made his way forward towards the welcoming committee that was eager to meet him. Wreath and Coronet soon followed after admiring the lush garden they had just landed in taking in all it had to offer, along with taking all their cases with them.
“Councilor Lavaliere, I say it is an honour, we were expecting you but not this soon.” the Emperors representative replied to the old pony.
“Yes, well situations have arisen and I have to talk to the council right away, tell me are they ready to hold court?.” Lavaliere eager to get his message across as well as suitable demands if need be.
“Im afraid not Lavaliere but there will be one later as the festivities within the lower levels dies down, I do hear that the council themselves wish to speak with you on other pressing matters.” the representative said as a squad of escort guards arrived to oversee the welcoming.
“Very well, I will wait within my own personal quarters, also prepare two rooms as well under my name for these two ponies they will not be joining the meeting but are somewhat relevant hence why they are here for the council to see if need be.” Lavaliere began instructing with the representative bowing in agreement. The chariot behind them began to depart leaving the three ponies and their luggage behind them.
“Right away, councilor.” the guards as well as the other pony departed back the way they came eager to fulfil the councilors demands. The Grandmaster turned back to his two students each eager to know of their grandmasters other title.
“Councilor Lavaliere?.” Wreath looking confused towards the old pony.
“Your part of the Imperial Court?.” Coronet asked as well.
The old pony only looked disinterested as he begun to talk back against these accusations “Yes it is true amid the rumours within the academy, I’m more of how do we say part of the council but not really involved, politics has always bored a pony like me. Now’s not the time to bicker we must get inside and prepare.” Lavaliere walked away from them towards the interior of the castle ignoring any other questions the ponies brought up.
“Prepare for what?.” Coronet looked confused and annoyed towards all this.
“I do not know but I think we have come to a dangerous place.” Wreath thinking out loud about this city and wondered what dangers lurked under its massive stone walls.
Both made their way inside slightly following Lavaliere from behind as they went inside to the grand library. The bookcases rose high into the ceiling with books about anything a pony could ask for. Many desks where scattered throughout the centre of the room with scholars delving into whatever knowledge was contained within. The library had two levels with ponies walking up and down carrying stacks of books to be re-shelved or looked into. Wreath was eager to look at the secrets these books contained many still carrying the old Royal Celestial Badge on the cover many thought of being destroyed. Time was an issue here and reading was not on the agenda. Coronet herself looked completely disinterested in the whole affair since she mainly focused on honing her skills in the offensive nature rather than researching. She decided to pass the time walking through the library referring to everyone around her spouting constant insults all ending with an “egghead” remark. The three ponies from Hoofington begun to leave the library heading towards Lavalieres personnel chambers to face whatever outcome was waiting for them just around the corner.
They finally arrived at the desired destination as the old pony himself opened the two big wooden doors that stood before him, as it opened Wreath and Coronet were taken in awe at the size as well as the contents within the room.  Lavaliere’s personnel room was not used much due to his need to be constantly held up back in Hoofington Academy. His room within Stalliongrad was massive in comparison with a similar sized desk to his own one back in Hoofington. The windows rose from floor to ceiling pointing out towards the city with the two great towers in the distance linking the West side to the city from the East side. The walls of the room held countless amount of books some of which where taken from the library for the grandmasters own uses, against the back wall behind the desk a massive portrait of the known world was decorated for all to see. On the map contained the Equestrian empire, with the Dragon and Griffin Kingdoms, to the south over the sea held the zebra dynasty.
“Well we are here finally.” Lavaliere took a deep breath admiring the room he last remembered looked a bit smaller, whether this was up to his age remembering or his constant lack of attendance was a debate for another time.
“Wow if I lived in a place like this I would never leave, complementary cider case to the side not too shabby.” Coronet giving a slight compliment at the décor.
“Anyways both your rooms are down the hall, I suggest you prepare yourself for later I however will wait here until the meeting, you are both free to roam the grounds, I would suggest the training area down in the courtyard or at best the library we just came from.” Lavaliere said pointing towards the door in an act of dismissal.
Both were ushered out by the old pony as he closed the door in front of them leaving them in a massive castle unguarded and unsupervised. Both decided to walk to their rooms seeing the point of no longer carrying unnecessary luggage around all day. When they arrived to their rooms smiles and raised eyebrows rose across both of their faces. Giant sized beds all covered in expensive silk along with a wardrobe filled with elegant dresses to fit any size for a mare or stallion, balcony’s that looked out onto the countryside and down into the city itself still bustling with celebration. Wreath herself wished she could attend in a small manner as she lowered her head remembering what she wanted all this time, a party to be held or to attend but all she got was loneliness held up in a luxurious decorated cage. She dropped her case and proceeded to make her way to the library, if at most she could try to get lost in a book she thought to herself.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Finally after the celebrations in the lower city had died down, Lavaliere knew it was time as he made his way down towards the council room to discuss his new agenda to be brought forth to the other committee members. He always held the office of magic and training but was rarely needed to attend if it only concerned any state affairs or was called on to precede with the Emperors plans to strengthen Equestria in times of war or military arguments between the other kingdoms. The two guards opened the doors that led into the great hall where portraits of various rulers before have sat on the seat of power controlling Equestria herself through their hooves, maybe someday Lavaliere thought to himself he would see himself up their but when and how was ideas that ran through his devious mind. The final door was opened as he stood in the same room with the most powerful ponies in Equestria, he made his way to his place as he sat next to the other councillors in silence. A cold look of discontent stared right at him from all angles as he made his way across the room, Lavaliere knew he was slightly not wanted but to him it did not matter the emperor along with a few councillors held him in high regard secretly and that was all he needed. Silence surrounded the entire room as the doors opened again as two Imperial guards walked in first to the room, all the councillors including Lavaliere stood as they greeted there supreme ruler, it was Emperor Lionheart the fifth in his name as he walked over slowly towards his seat at the other end of the room. Walking in from behind him was his son and soon to be heir to the empire, Crown Prince Storm Lionheart a fair looking pony with a passion for politics, military and old Equestrian magic.
The councillors that surrounded the emperor ranged from ponies from all corners of Equestria, each given power by the emperor to rule over certain aspects of society. For the Pegasus ponies there was two, Master Valor was head of the military and air force trained to combat the dragon or griffon kingdoms in the event of invasion. Councillor Starshine Flourish was in charge of intelligence in dealing with the underground of Equestrian crime as well as routing out any enemies that might undermine the empire. Two unicorns sat upon the council as well with Lavaliere himself in charge of magic and training of unicorns that upon graduation where sent for intelligence or peacekeeper activities dealing with putting down any small town resistance. The other was a young energetic unicorn called Lighting Rage directly in charge of research into the old artefacts left behind by Star Swirled and implementing them into the Empires personal army. The last two where normal earth ponies, Rain Twirl dealt with the treasury of Equestria allocating where it could be best suited as well as dealing with the farming over on the West side of Equestria near Ponyville. Lastly Brave Steed led the Empires Navy keeping the sea safe from pirates and other enemies across the known sea. All had a role to play and others took pride in their own manner both cruel or in a destructive manner.
Both the rulers finally found their seats as the emperor himself stood up and begun to speak.
“This meeting is now in session.” he said giving a commanding voice that echoed all across the room.
“Firstly I would like to thank Lavaliere himself for attending this meeting, we all know that his lack of attendance is for the continued survival of our society and I for one thank him personally.” The emperor sat down as all the councilors looked towards Lavaliere nodding his head in approval of the Emperors message. “But first we must deal with more pressing matters, since we have known in the past few years relations with our neighbouring kingdoms has diminished, we fear the worst about all of this we cannot allow the griffons and dragons to ally against us, the result would spell the worst of all out war in the North.”
Councillor Valor stood up to address this grown concern “Do not worry my lord, our air force is always combat ready we can be sure of one thing, if they do invade they will rule the day they settled foot on Equestrian soil.” Valor always did rush to any situation in brute force. “Backed up by the peacekeepers of both earth and unicorn ponies there can be no defeat or surrender.”
The other Pegasus pony stood up as well to voice his concern “I can assure my fellow councillors that my spies up in the North assure us that war is far from happening Valor, the problem is respect that they hold for us. They see our nation still as young and undisciplined since the dissolve of the old rule. Certainly dragons and griffons of their superior life span see us as a mother sees a child, young and reckless.” Starshine told the council with the emperor grumbling in agreement; it thankfully did not mean war but an insult upon him and his land all the same.
“Then we need one thing to show our might, weapons both new and old, something we should have had since we came into power, I do sense a lack of progress especially on Lighting Rages research” Valor accusing the young unicorn councilor directly. “Truly your eggheads have found something of use in those old stones we keep mining for you.” The Pegasus ponies sat back down letting the young unicorn address this concern.
“Indeed I agree my Pegasus friend, but we do lack one thing, your patience for one along with elemental stones and in its purest form the mining operations in Canterlot and in the mountains have only provided minuscule amounts at the slightest, if we are to finally unlock the secrets of these elemental weapons we need a viable power source, something you have trouble understanding. Oh if Star Swirled was alive, centuries would take years to accomplish. My research has found out the need to formulate a strong enough compounds could take decades, the dragon kingdoms are the most bountiful in gems and elemental stones, trading with them has become laborious.” Lighting Rage tearing apart Valors argument right before his very eyes as the Pegasus sat down slowly again.
Rain Twirl then sat up to begin addressing the ponies in the room “What we need here is to commit more towards these sort of rare findings, I can assure all of you the treasury can help allocate the necessary funding thanks to the Crown Prince Lionheart we can help finally refine better elemental materials to arm our military and still have enough for this winters harvest.” Rain always found ways to fund the empire if it were through taxing or arresting unknown lords for their valuables he always found a way.
Lavaliere watched on as they continued to bicker amongst one another as he lowered his head and stroked his beard, politics had always bored him as they threw more debates across the room as he finally began to speak up. “I for one have a solution.” The old pony said as they all stopped arguing and begun facing him.
“Do you now?, certainly an old scholar pony such as yourself has had an epiphany falling asleep on his chair as usual.” the young unicorn snapped back at him.
“Hardly, you’re not Star Swirled on that we can all agree. Through many years of research into magic I had developed a way to help refine the elemental that Councilor Rage does so require.” A devious smile ran across his face as the entire council rose their heads upon hearing this news.
“Truly you are joking old pony, unless you should be in my position rather than me” Rage talked back not caring for the words of an old pony.
“Do not worry boy, you will know soon enough. Through certain studies in Hoofington I have found elemental properties respond to the magic a unicorn’s horn when casting, the result ranges from low to very destructive properties. I just so happen to know of two test subjects that are ideal for testing your elemental weapons should you allow this to be authorised emperor.” Lavaliere smiled at the end of his argument knowing that the young councilor found him in a situation he could not refuse.
“Oh really more of your students should I imagine, are we seriously gonna go through with this fellow councilors?”. Rage looking for any sign of approval in the room the response however was not what he expected.
“Your research has not turned anything new since you or your predecessors took it upon themselves, the only thing you have to offer is excuses and failed experiments” the Crown Prince said to the young researcher who quickly fell back into line.
“If this is true then Lavaliere what do you plan to do?” the emperor asked the old pony directly with a raised eyebrow.
“Tests of course if we can find out more on all of this we can help produce the perfect soldier that will help finally establish us as a proper power in the eyes of the other kingdoms. A small step I can say, since unicorns at first could harness this rare stone but if we can refine it more we could arm all our peacekeepers with the Pegasus military for an all-out war if need be” Lavaliere explaining his intent as well as fulfilling the Emperors dream since he first came to the throne and his father before him. The room fell silent upon this new discovery with Starshine standing up once again showing off his intelligence.
“I can vouch for Lavaliere my lord, I have heard and read all about what he is all telling us, certain unicorns with traits can be used, the strength of the stones has nothing to do with but the catalyst is the bearer itself.” Starshine proudly displaying yet again his ability to hear whispers all though the land. Lavaliere did not look amused about his new found knowledge.
“And how would you know then Starshine?” Lavaliere looking disgusted by all of this suddenly thinking of who could be a potential informant back in the academy or elsewhere in Hoofington.
“I have my ways old pony, you seem to have just gotten yours as well I see.” Starshine sitting down across from Lavaliere a smug smile to the old unicorn.
“Then it is settled then, Rage show Lavaliere what he requires as for his test subjects,  the rest of us however need to discuss the peacekeeper crisis that plagues us. Starshine tells me that for one growing discontent have risen back again across towards Canterlot since the Ponyville uprising. Councilor Rain, would you mind explaining all of this?” the emperor looked down the neck of the earth pony addressing his failures at this new situation.
“It…it seems that in recent months, activities have arisen in the countryside of certain unfortunate situations, such as the attack and murder of an Imperial diplomat, constant raids of Imperial peacekeeper camps along with the theft of multiple weapons with known escapees aiding these ponies. They go by no name or purpose but to the locals they are known as The Order of the Celestial Brotherhood my lord.” sweat of nervous look ran down the face of the earth pony.
“A pretentious name for a band of outlaws Rain, they look like heroes and you look like nothing but a blubbering idiot to us in front of them, if you cant deal with common peasants we’ll find someone else who will.” Valor straight forward telling the pony off in front of the entire committee.
“I agree with Valor, Rain I want them dead, everyone. And if that is not the case burn the villages and the farms, let them know what it means to choose the wrong side. I will not have another uprising, not in my time.” the emperor said as he stood to on all four hooves.
“This meeting is adjourned, I will be looking for a quick response to this Rain or else we have no use for you.” the Crown Prince said as him and his father began to leave under escort yet again. The councilors still remained standing next to the great table waiting for one to throw the first comment.
“That went better than expected.” Starshine said out loud “As for your situation Rain best see me right after this I can assure you we can work to a mutual agreement. This Celestial Brotherhood or whatever is surely just a splinter group of the Ponyville rebellion” He said as he began to leave the room followed slowly by Rain and the rest until it was just Rage and Lavaliere left in the room.
Rage walked over and began to speak to the old pony “About time you found suitable test subjects, I have been looking forward to this since eight years ago the last subjects you sent me did not end up so well old pony.” The young unicorn trying out Lavalieres patience of the former students sent to Rage.
“They were a loose end nothing more, but this time we have what we finally have what we need to accomplish, the others must not know about this.” Lavaliere boldly looking into the eyes of the Rage as he talked his past dealings.
“I would not worry they have no idea, even Starshine thinks I hate your guts, but hey what he does not know cannot hurt him.” Rages winked towards Lavaliere “Never mind lead me to where I can see these new recruits and show me their profiles, I will be sure to show you the new toys I have cooked up since them.”
Both ponies smiled as they left the meeting room towards the research area of the castle and looked down towards Wreath and Coronet, Rage looked on towards both of them. Two test subjects who had combat magic and recent graduates of the academy.
Rage could only smile as he looked back at Lavaliere.
“They will do just fine.” As they both walked down towards Rage’s personal quarters.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
The sun was rising slowly back in Canterlot as Twilight and Steel were still chasing the mysterious living statue that sprang to life the second sunlight touched as it ran back into the castle. The last they saw of the statue now looked like a yellow unicorn with a light fiery red mane run across the castle gardens back into the ruined castle.
“How in the sam hell did that thing spring to life Twi?, second it was just standin there and now its runnin like a pig at an all you can eat buffet.” Steel running along Twilight.
“Beats me, Steel but that pony said the princesses’ names and whatever that could mean I have to know.” Twilight now running faster through the ruined corridors after the living unicorn statue determined to get answers out of it.
The unknown unicorn seemed to be running towards the throne room as Twilight and Steel could hear it running as quickly as possible. Both ponies had trouble trying to keep up with the mysterious pony. After a sharp turn they came to a collapsed roof with the unicorn pony looking at it thinking of its next move. Twilight and Steel saw it and begun to shout back at the pony.
“Stop, we want to talk to you.” Twilight said while running closer and closer within view of the living statue.
“You cannot stop me, I will not let you, the Princess needs me!” the unicorn said shouting back at Twilight. Within a moment the unicorn let out a strong light as she teleported away from Twilight and Steel.
Both of them stopped in awe of its power as Twilight knew fully well only ponies who trained in Celestia’s School could only be able to accomplish a feat like that.
Twilight stood exactly where the pony was standing not a few seconds ago and began pondering quickly where she could have went.
“She said that she needed to see the Princess” Twilight began pondering where the living statue could have gone.
“Not to break your concentration Twi, but if I was a runnin livin statue who came from some dark secret dungeon the last place I would want is to go back in.”  Steel thinking out loud as usual.
“The only place we have not tried is the throne room, so that is where we are heading, but the passage is blocked which means we have to.” Twilight now looked at now nervous Steel.
“Nuh-huh no I’m not teleportin again, that stuff messes with your head and I can guarantee that Twi.” The earth pony shakin his head from left to right.
“Now’s not the time to argue mister, where doing it and that is final.” Twilight began using all the power left in her horn and in a purple flash both ponies where gone and appeared upon what was left of the Princess Celestia’s throne, with it standing next to it was the mysterious unicorn pony now standing still. Both Steel and Twilight walked slowly towards the unicorn both not daring to speak in the event that they would scare her off again. They continued to walk but where interrupted by the unicorn as it began to talk back to them.
“It is gone; she is gone, the castles gone. WHAT HAPPENED HERE!!” the unicorn screamed at the top of her lungs as her voice echoed all across the grand hall. She finished shouting and begun to fall and cry upon the steps leading up to the throne.
“I do not know, it happened a long time ago I’m still adjusting so I know what you’re going through.” Twilight tried to learn and reason with this new pony.
“How would you know of pain, your entire world turned upside down? It was not an hour ago I was talking with the Princess within this very room, now to see it destroyed and left to rot, tell me how does a unicorn like you live with yourself” the unicorn talked back directly at Twilight.
“Now hold on here a minute here missy, we have all lost somethin cause of this empire. I do not know what kinda life style you and Twilight here have lived….” Steel was suddenly interrupted by the yellow coloured unicorn as the name she just heard rang a series of bells in her head.
The unicorn’s eyes opened up as she looked at Twilight and ran over next to her suddenly beginning to speak again. “YOUR Twilight Sparkle, like the famous Twilight Sparkle of Ponyville?. You went missing I remember now how did you end up in this sort of a mess.” the unicorn looked in amazement eager to await Twilights response.
“It is a long story already I can tell you and you must be?.” Twilight answered back awkwardly towards this suddenly friendly pony.
“Sorry, where are my manners I am Speed Reader I was once a personal student to Princess Celestia, the last one if I do recall, my it was a pleasure learning under her just like you once did. I remember seeing you once when I was a filly. I was so jealous of you.” Speed kept talking all about her past life but only one word kept hanging onto Twilight and that was “personal student”.
“You where the princesses personal student Speed?.”
“Yes I was, I also had a personal assistant his name was Scratch,Spork,Spunk?”
“Spike I’m assuming Speed.”
“Yes the dragon, really helpful he always felt sad for some reason.”
“ME gone missing, that was the reason Speed” Twilight began to look furious.
“Im sorry Twilight, this is just so much to take in, me standing in front of the Twilight Sparkle, I could have not wished for a more perfect setting. Minus the rubble of course.” Speed slightly laughed at her end response.
“Lets not get ahead of ourselves mares, let’s answer first of all, how did you become a statue? and second you seem to possibly be the pony who last lived here, what in the same hell happened to all of this?.” Steel eager for answers and none of which were being answered.
“That is right Steel, Speed do you know what happened with Celestia when I left, or more importantly what happened to my friends and Spike.”
Speed looked down and begun to think of what to say, her response was not what they wanted to hear.
“I’m sorry both of you I do not remember, I do remember bits and pieces I’m certain it will return in time. Until then I’m beginning to remember other things, something I must do and where I can look into it…..I think” Speed told both Steel and Twilight as she rubbed her head trying to remember even the slightest thing.
“That is good but where Speed?” Twilight asked hoping she would remember.
“Right here, I think I remember Celestia showing me this once. If I just go over here to the throne and push this in I can.” Just as Speed said the last word a secret hatch opened just behind the throne as a massive slab of the floor began to give way allowing a secret staircase to be revealed.
“I do believe we got it, at least my memories are still intact” Speed said proudly out loud.
“Again with the secret passages, cannot we go just one week without this happening?” Twilight complained out loud.
“What can I say Twi, third times a charm.” Steel said nudging Twilight as he made his way to the staircase.
All the three ponies prepared to descend down the hidden staircase to wherever it might of lead. Speed remembered one thing and that was at the end there was answers for all three, answers that explained why Equestria fell into this new age of depression. After sometime the staircase ended and darkness was to be seen all around. Speed used her horn to light the way as all three stayed close and continued down the long dark tunnel until they ran into a door at the other end of the staircase. The symbols on the door where similar to the ones Twilight encountered back in Star Swirled’s hidden library the symbol of the two goddesses encircling each other showing the rotations of day and night. Speed looked at the door with intrigue as she considered on how to open the massive door.
“Well gee’golly have not seen a door like this, must be at least hundreds of years old.” Steel said looking at Twilight who did not share his optimism.
“Steel this is a symbol of the old Equestrian Order, used secretly by Princess Celestia the last time I saw this weapons where on the other side, weapons I think that made Equestria the way it is.” Twilights said staring at the door and remembering the last time and what contents this one contained.
Speed inserted her horn into the hole in the door and begun casting her magic, within a second the door lit up and opened slowly. The ground rumbled slightly as the both doors gave way showing the room that Speed was looking for, she casted her magic as it shot into the room lighting all the gems and crystals that hung above the chandeliers. As the room lit up endless rows of tables lined the room with countless gems engraved within the wall. Speeds eyes lit up along with the gems that shined a bright white light as she turned around and begun to speak. Speed walked over to one of the gems that had a scroll beside with the words “Play Me” on the paper. Speed knew somehow the gem had a voice recording on it, she used her magic to play its contents and her voice started speaking from the gem.
Speed, it is me talking to you, weird right. Anyways this place contains everything you will need to learn why you were turned to stone. Remember this that it was a choice we made both you and the Princess. We need to fix whatever state Equestria is currently in, the weapons of Star Swirled the Bearded have been found by the ponies of Equestria and have begun using them against the Princess herself, we doubt that she will last long against this backlash. Gather friends and hope that any resistance if it still exists is around to help save Equestria. Please you must do this. I must go now they are looking for me. I will use this paralysis spell to encase myself in stone, only sunlight will free us. I hope if whoever frees you is kind enough to hear your plee.
Speed put down the recording as she began to jog her memory and remembered what the recording had to say.
“I remember now, here lies the last known archives of the Royal Equestrian History all the up to its downfall, I helped catalogue it up to the point right before I was encased in a statue, please come in I will show you Twilight everything you need to know.” Speed grabbed Twilight and led her into the archive room, Steel walked in following the two unicorns.
“As I said Twilight, I helped catalogue all this now I remember, it took months when I was Celestia’s student I began to do this, me and Spike. The Princess knew somehow this was to be useful in the future. I’m glad she was right” Speed walked down right next to one of the desks as it read on the table Princess Celestia commissions archives. “Here Twilight have a look.” Speed said as Twilight unwrapped the scroll and begun to read its contents.
My dearest student Speed Reader
These coming months have been dark and you for one know the sadness that grips my heart, my sister has left me angered over the secret that she has discovered somehow. I should have destroyed Star Swirled’s devices decades ago her guards have left as well leaving the castle at half strength, it has been years since I have heard from her and her whereabouts are unknown. The political courts want nothing more to deal with my enquiries. It is through the ponies of Canterlot along with Sir Fancy Pants that they do not rebel in full strength against my rule.
I fear this storm will not pass, not for countless decades.
I commission you my dear student to please document all of these messages, plans hatch within my mind and it is these plans that might save Equestria as we know it. If I do not survive this ordeal I have a mission for you, a mission that is ages in the planning.
PS: You remind me sometimes of her, I only wish she was still around. I could really use her help.
PPS: Forgive me, dribbling on useless talk.
Yours somewhat faithful ruler
former Princess Celestia of Equestria.
Twilight looked shocked with what the letter had to be told, she did not understand the sudden fall that the Princess had suffered. Twilight had put down the scroll and begun to talk back to Speed again.
“Princess Luna left, the royal court of Equestria wanted nothing to do with Celestia? What happened Speed, is there more of these letters?.” Twilight was desperate to know more.
“Yes there is over here, that was one of the last ones the Princess had sent me before they came to arrest here if I remember correctly, they led her to somewhere else a new capital the royal court called it, during that time the Princess was away sent to there from Canterlot to answer before the court. As she left Canterlot was attacked and Celestia was imprisoned.” Speed remembered more as she moved from one table to the next looking for more insight to show Twilight.
“Here Twi, here is another it seems to old and possibly an early one at best.” Steel said from the other end of the room looking through its contents. “Hey what do you know it has your name on it?”
Twilight ran over straight over to Steel. She grabbed the scroll straight from him and begun to read. “Its not a letter just a newsletter it seems.” As she began to read it fully.
To all relatives and friends of student Twilight sparkle
You are cordially invited to the remembrance ceremony in Canterlot Castle.
The ceremony is to commemorate the one year anniversary of her unfortunate disappearance.
It gives me great pleasure in this sad unfortunate event that the Star Swirled Wing will be renamed to the Twilight Sparkle Wing in honour of her selfless acts in saving Equestria  multiple times along with her friends from the town of Ponyville.
We Hope You Would Attend This Ceremony.
Your Ruler
Princess Celestia of Equestria
“I disappeared?” Twilight said as she lowered the scroll in confusion.
“That is right Twilight, no one knew what happened to you, Celestia, your friends no one at all. The last she remembered seeing you was in Canterlot Castle that very night.” Speed remembered what Celestia told her a long time ago.
“And what of the student Lighting Guise, he was with me that night, what happened to him?.” Twilight asked wanting to know what happened to that little pony.
“Lighting Guise, never heard of that name before Twilight sorry, some pony you knew maybe?” Speed trying to remember that name but not ringing any bells unfortunately. Twilight felt disappointed in not knowing what happened the last time she last saw him back in the Everfree.
“What happened to my friends Speed, is there anything on that here, the other elements of harmony?.” Twilight desperately flipping through random pages for answers.
“The elements of harmony, yes there was a catalogue about what happened to them, Princess Celestia seemed necessary to do so encase they where needed again.” Speed ran over to the wall as she shone more light revealing a gigantic portrait of all six ponies engraved upon the massive tall wall. Two gigantic scrolls ran from the wall all the way down between the engravings of Twilight and all her friends.
“Woah Twi, you were like famous or something?, you must have been rich or this Princess held you in high esteem.” Steel looked at each of the six stoned ponies nested within the wall.
“Famous Steel, I guess if you want to put it that way, but from this I guess the Princess held us all in high esteem.” Twilight admired the size of the massive portrait.
Speed walked over to one the giant parchments and begun examining its contents, after some time she broke silence “Here Twilight this chapter at the bottom should tell you all you need to know about your friends and their final whereabouts.”
Twilight walked over to the giant hanging scroll and took quite a read of both sides of the wall. It described everything that had happened since the summer sun celebration all the way to the Canterlot wedding. She walked over to the other side of the parchment reading it as it ran down the ceiling to the floor. It described fully the after events when Twilight disappeared, what she read was sadness of what happened to her friends after she left them. The chapter that it was under was called “The Breaking of the Elements.”
She read more of what happened to her friends, after the months they were brought together closer then ever all united over Twilights disappearance. They apparently met up always at the library with Spike to help remember Twilight as the months turned to years. Rainbow Dash kept the library in check with Spike in remembrance of Twilight possibly honouring her of helping Dash’s new found passion of reading. Rarity’s boutique closed down months later and she was offered to move to Canterlot to design dresses for the wealthy and Canterlot Elite.
“Looks like she became a very important pony” Twilight told herself.
Years later Pinkie Pie left for the big city of Los Pegasus the supposed party capital of Equestria, her whereabouts after that remain a mystery. Spike left permanently for Canterlot to help assist Speed Reader, Celestia’s new student and the Princess. Rainbow Dash tried to keep the library in check after Spike left Ponyville. Money became a main concern for the Pegasus and the library was soon turned into a museum in the centre of Ponyville by the town’s committee, after which Rainbow left for Cloudsdale apparently enlisting for the Wonderbolts. She soon apparently became the fastest flier within the land. Fluttershy settled down in Ponyville permanently outside the Everfree Forest and soon married to a certain special some pony.
“Thats four of them, the last one is Applejack.” Twilight kept reading towards the end.
The parchment skipped years later, Applejack sold the farm years after not seeing any of the others. Granny Smith passed away and Macintosh settled down as well. She apparently journeyed the lands visiting all the other ponies keeping them together. Rumour had it she settled down in Derbyshire on the other side of Equestria.
Twilight felt torn apart by this breaking of her friends by her absence. She read the last line on the parchment and walked away remembering what it said.
Without the magic of friendship the elements broke apart and with that so did Equestria.
“The elements are gone.” Twilight said to herself. “Celestia said she was alone, what happened to Luna.” Twilight asked Speed with raised eyebrows.
“There was a gem recording Celestia made about all of that, it was more of a personal confession may I remind you.” Speed said concerned about what it may have contained.
“Celestia is not around anymore.” Steel said. “I’m pretty sure what she would have had to say it may shed more light on what we need.”
Speed walked over to the main table where all the gem recordings where. She looked through them all and picked the one that was needed. Speed used her magic to turn on the gem recording. A voice begun to echo from the stone, it was Princess Celestia.
I’m so sorry Luna, I should have told you sooner about everything. It is strange talking into this stone about my deepest confessions. It is true I had Star Swirl make those elements but only in the best interest in saving you from yourself.
Those relics have haunted me every since you returned back to Equestria. With Twilight gone I feel this is all my fault and if anypony should suffer it is me and me alone.
I never kept them in the need should you ever return back in to that demon Nightmare Moon and I for one wish I could take it all back right away this instant. When you came before me angry and saddened learning of there existence, I never intended for you to feel betrayed by your own sister, all I wanted was us to rule together as mother and father intended.
If you ever come back home remember this, your big sister will always love you no matter what.
Your Loving Sister
Former Ruler of Equestria
Alicorn Celestia Sunshine.
“She gave up the throne even before she it was stripped from here.” Twilight stared at the gem saddened by its contents.
“Its true Twilight, the day Luna left Canterlot, Celestia was never herself. The last strain of hope after you left was solely placed within her younger sister. Of course the royal court saw this as a golden opportunity to further extend their rule over the Princess.” Speed look disgusted by the treatment the Princess suffered during the last years of her rule. “She spent the last days of her rule confined deep in the caves of Canterlot looking at that ancient cavern trying to solve matters that seemed distant.”
“The archive of the elements of harmony Speed, she was looking through it all for some sort of sign, possibly to avert the darkness that was predicted.” Twilight said as all suddenly became clear.
“Woah wait darkness, princesses and element of harmony, sounds oddly like a old ponies tail Twi. Listen forget all of this pony nonsense, we can still use the money we earned, get a boat and leave this land. Please Twi there’s nothing here to save anymore.” Steel trying to talk sense into the young purple unicorn.
“You do not understand earth pony, if this darkness is true no matter where we go it will find us.” Speed looked angrily at the earth pony.
Steel looked at Twilight waiting for a response from her only to respond by the same remark.
“It is true Steel, the Princess told me all about it years ago and it seems the time is fast approaching. If it is true there will be nothing that will stop it, we cannot rely on this empire to save us in the slightest.” The earth ponies’ response was a snort followed by a nod of agreement towards Twilight. He felt like she needed him all the way and wherever Twilight would follow so would Steel.
Speed looked more at the gems that lined the table all emerald coloured glistening with vibrant colours. She looked more that would help fill in the gaps needed to help remember her memories but of all that she found one part was missing, how to fix all of this was the missing part of the puzzle. Speed looked more at the other tables all emerald coloured gems until she found a ruby gem all different from the others. She remembered somehow this was the one that would tell her what was needed to be played as she used her magic to light up her horn.
Speed it is me Celestia by the time you hear this you will be encased in stone, listen I am heading to Stalliongrad to address this new council and hopefully sort out all of this nonsense once and for all. More then likely they will not listen and use the devices that I once used on my sister on myself. The result will be imprisoning me upon the very lunar prison I sent Luna. I may not be returning for some time and in my absence Equestria will tear itself apart slowly and be destroyed before I return. Make no mistake my student the darkness is coming and I have finally found the time it will arrive. It is no less then three hundred years in the future, I have made you prepare this entire archive for you to remember what must be done when you awaken.
Find allies that will help you and find the new elements of harmony. My research in the archives of the elements has found that they will return to fight this new threat. I am sad to say they will fail if it is not due to our intervention. Please my student I know this is a tall task to address but your maybe our only hope of saving what is left of Equestria. Use the scroll within the room next to this gem, each will contain the cutie mark of each pony and with that find them, unite them and use what I thought you to beat this evil.
I wish there was some other way.
Your Faithful Teacher
Celestia.
Speed dropped the gem and begun looking under the table for the very scroll that Celestia had described, upon minutes of looking she had found what was looking for. Upon opening the scroll six cutie marks were on the piece of paper. All three looked at this new discovery and the six marks that needed to be found. Upon looking Steel found an astonishing discovery his cutie mark was listed upon the piece of paper. The symbol of an hammer and an anvil was one of them.
“Well that is a good start I do say” Speed looked at Steel, the earths ponies response was confusion and denial.
“Woah wait here, let’s not all jump to conclusions here you two, no way am I being dragged into all of this magic nonsense.” Steel said quickly as Twilight and Speed began eyeing him.
“Its here in paper Steel.” Twilight said. “Like it or not you are one the ponies who might save Equestria.”
“Pain in the ass Twi, forget it.” The earth pony began to become annoyed at the sudden responsibility that was trusted upon him.
“Now’s not the time to argue you two, there is five more elements needed to be found and Equestria is a big place.” Speed folded back up the scroll as she begun to leave the room back upstairs to the throne room.

//-------------------------------------------------------//
              7.The Journey of Light and Dark              
//-------------------------------------------------------//
7.The Journey of Light and Dark
Chapter 7 – The Journey of Light and Dark.
Twilight and Steel ran out of the archives chasing after Speed all the way back up the spiral staircase up to the sunlight room, it was now midday in Canterlot and their disappearance from the campsite down in the city was most likely known by all. Upon re-entering the ruins of the old throne room Twilight could see the room alight with a certain beauty still being held but this time it was a mixture of nature along with an ancient power still within the very stones themselves, the sun still shone on the throne as off in the distance Speed was standing still looking over the scroll countless times.
“Speed wait, we cannot get ahead of ourselves. Do you even know where to start we cannot just run blindly throughout all of Equestria looking at least a dozen cutie marks.” Twilight reasoning with the young yellow unicorn off at the other end of the room.
“Twi’s right Speed, we need direction and runnin around blind never helped any pony.” Steel said plainly not wanting to cause any further arguments at this time.
The yellow unicorn turned around slowly with the scroll held up looking over it again and again seeming to not listening to the other ponies bickering within the room. She closed the scroll and began to formulate a response.
“You do not think I do not know that?. I know damn sure on what must be done. Find the new Elements of Harmony and stop whatever evil is coming regardless of what must be done. Do I know where to start no I do not but surely we can work this out.” Speed finally seeing reason and walking back to Twilight her thoughts baffled on what could be done with six random cutie marks with one already found.
“Okay, good.” Twilight said before taking another breath to talk again. “What we need first is names, locations and most of all a method of getting around I’m quite certain that wagon down in the city is not a first class taxi now.” As she said all of this Steel begun to come back with ideas that might help the cause.
“I think I can help you mares out with one of those issues and help me all the same now.” Both Speed and Twilights eyes grew wide at the earth ponies notions. “Ya’ll see those offices back in Ponyville Twi, the ones that hold all the records of ponies all over Equestria, I reckon we need to be getting our hooves on them books. It will contain name, locations as well as the cutie marks of all the six ponies on that scroll.” Steel finished speaking noticing the looks he got from the other two. “Wha, I can be smart when I want to be thank you very much Twi.”
“Speed you are a genius.” Twilight hugged the chestnut pony. “We need to get our hands on those books, let’s just head back to Ponyville and get the ones back there then.” Twilight finished speaking before being interrupted.
“It are not that easy Twi, each of those office’s does it by region and a series of breakins all across each one gonna rustling nothin but bad news. The best place is where there all stored and that is one dosey of a trip I can tell ya.” Steel dreading the location he was to reveal next to the other two.
“What where? It cannot at least be worse than here.” Speed entering the conversation eager to learn of this earth ponies new found knowledge.
“Do not say I warned ya’s. If you want that information then we gonna have to head to the main archives all the way in Stalliongrad where all the unused ones are kept and it no easy place to get ta I can tell ya.” Steel folding his two front hooves in protest over this notion.
“Stalliongrad?, like that new capital that Celestia talked about in the recording. If so we need to head there and fast you too.” Speed now confident in their destination next.
“Wait up Speed, Stalliongrad is a long way away and a trek of three random ponies across the land and getting into the place is not possible we need to think this all through, like first of all how do you know where it is all kept Steel?.” Twilight testing the earth pony’s about this matter.
“Well…I…Uh, knew about it a long time ago Twi, I have been to there a couple of times travelling also my brother moved there Anvil Steedly. My little bro is part of the peacekeeper detachment in the lower quarters of the town, told me himself about all the fancy books and scrolls all locked up in the main archives in the rich district when he was off duty.” Steel slightly sweating over this entire notion, Twilight and Speed brushed this all off with trusting the earth pony’s knowledge.
“Really Steel a brother you never told me you had one?” Twilight asked concerned about this new fact with the past few days he knew the pony.
“It are not one of my proudest memories the last time I saw the little guy we had an argument of sorts over in Cider Ranch Tavern.” Steel tried to remember the bitter memory.
“If I may interrupt you two getting acquainted as usual I think getting there would be our main goal, but how is an issue” Speed trying to get everyone back on track. “We have no Pegasus transport as well the journey will take days bless we avoid this Empires gaze long enough.”
“I hate to say it Twi but Speed is right it is not like you can teleport us there like you usually do, that notion just makes me sick thinking about it.” Steel sticking out his tongue at the thought of going through it all a third time with the purple unicorn and now the yellow one.
“I’m sorry Steel but teleportation of that distance is unheard. I heard that Celestia was thinking of making some sort of teleportation spell to handle transport all over Equestria but it looks like now she never finished it.” Twilight finished as the yellow unicorn was eager to but in and tell the other two what she just remembered.
“That is it Twilight, Celestia planned all of this for me, to get around I remember now.” Speed was alive with joy over what she remembered now.
“And what exactly would your amnesia of a brain remember random things at a time like this.” Steel talked back to the unicorn’s cob web mind of a brain.
“I would have you know earth pony that being asleep for nearly two hundred and ninety years does have its side effects.” Speed said bitterly to the chestnut pony. “But in fact Twilight, Celestia did finish her plan, kind of. She could not find or make a spell scroll that only common unicorns could use so she throught of the next best thing and that was linking certain parts of the city with magic that would flow all back to Canterlot.” As Speed explained both the other two ponies lost her halfway at the crazy notion.
“How in the sam hell did she do a crazy unicorn magic thing with all that?” Steel could not believe that transport of this kind even existed.
“Yeah Speed there must be some sort of magic or even device the princess had made to do all of this.” Twilight asking still looking for answers to this new discovery.
“Yeah there was, it was to be used for me to scout out the land quickly to find the missing six. They link the cities through a magic hex hidden within a confined part of the city streets, usually they were in a library or under a town hall to avoid it being demolished. She constructed it if I remember with a bit of elemental stone and shattered it with magic to imprint the stone into the very floor itself. With the shards they would be linked together and activated, once one lights up all the others will too allowing us to travel faster than any Pegasus Wing travel.”  Speed stood proudly next to the other two for reciting of how she was thought by the princess herself word for word.
“That all sounds well and good but where is the one in Canterlot then and how would we even consider activating the device to tell us to get to Stalliongrad?.” Twilight tried still to get the young unicorn to remember the exact location.
“Now that Twilight I can answer, first it is here the platform of the thrones itself, smart idea I do say, next you are sitting here and then your half way across Equestria.” Speed said pointing at the throne itself. “But turning it on I have no idea.”
Both Twilight and Steel lowered their heads in disappointment on this last morsel of information. All three where stuck up in the castle with no way to leave the city without running into the foreman and the rest of the mining crew.
“Hey do not worry you too, I’m sure there is something down in the archives that will tell us. I will be back when I have the answer we need.” Speed dashed back down the spiral staircase back into the darkened room at the other end of the tunnel.
“That ponies lack of remembering is gonna get us killed Twi, I do not like it.” Steel said quietly to Twilight as the yellow unicorn ran back downstairs.
“She is trying Steel we need to get our hands on those books it is the only way to find the other five and clear your name which you want remember.” Twilight answered back determined in their next course of action to take. “I will be heading down to help Speed, if you want to come along.”
“Nah, take your time, it looks like ya’ll gonna go through with this so I will be brief, take your time if we are headin to Stalliongrad we must do it tonight under cover of darkness. Are not no way we gonna have any chance in daylight around the upper levels of the city.” Steel offering whatever support that would help Twilight. “In the meantime I’m mighty hungry gonna see if I can pilfer some of the cook tents food for the three of us, I think a nice warm Carrot Soup and Bread with a dash of cider might help calm those nerves.” Steel turning on his stallion hospitality.
“You are such a charmer Steel.” Twilight giggled as she slowly walked down the stairway back into the solid darkness following after Speed.
Steel walked away out of the throne room towards one of the collapsed roofs and proceeded to jump down towards the exit. He began muttering to himself in a concerned tone as Twilight was all but gone from his sight. “I just hope whatever she finds in Stalliongrad, it is not about me.” Steel hurried up and left the castle grounds.
           ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
It was oddly quite within the grand library of Stalliongrad as Wreath flicked through countless books, folded and unfolded many scrolls trying to pass the time while Lavaliere was with the council. As for Coronet she did not care what she was doing or who she was bothering within the castle as long as it was far away. To Wreath the silence of the library with the small sound of hooves journeying up and down stairs was a peaceful tranquil noise that she always found in libraries. Her eyes slowly where gathering weight as she slowly lowered her head giving into sleep, a novelty she was denied this particular day. She quickly snapped back to reality as she began to step away from the desk with all the books to freshen up as she begun to journey upstairs to see what else would be on the list as studying magic and history was beginning to bore her plenty.
The upstairs of the library was the same as downstairs but this time tall diamond decorated chandeliers glistened as they peacefully swayed back and forth now at eye level for all to see. All the aisles she walked by had the same usual description as she passed by with the great history of Equestria or the sieges of the griffon kingdoms 800-850 year of the royal rule. Wreath continued walking past all of this till she reached one of the lone aisles in the back which just was labelled as “miscellaneous”. To her this seemed odd as she always thought every book deserved a place and this location seemed like a waste bin for unsorted and unwanted books. She decided to journey down it looking for anything of the ordinary.
Most of the books she saw on first appearance were worn out and unable to be read, for others they were withered and battered with age.  Wreath began flicking through some of the books. The more she journeyed down the walkway the less light was coming through as she finally made her way to the very back of the library. She looked at the tall bookcase that surrounded her and found at most a small chest on the top shelf most likely not used or seen for many years. Wreath used her magic to grab it as she slowly lowered it right in front of her.
“A small chest here?. Seems odd and with the old royal symbol, seems like these trinkets should be contraband by the Empire.” Wreath said to herself free to think out loud as she began to slowly open the chest, within it where a couple of dusty scrolls and two books. Wreath grabbed everything from the small chest and made her way back downstairs.
Upon returning to her desk down on the lower floor the sunlight began to shine on the dusty old book as she whipped it clean and began looking at the front cover. It was a solid leather cover with a golden unicorn with a blue gem for an eye, the bindings of the book where gold as well. She began putting this aside and looked at the other scrolls she got from the chest as she unfolded each of them she saw pictures of six ponies. Each one had a saying under each one that said Generosity, Honesty, Laughter, Loyalty, Kindness and finally magic. It made no sense to Wreath what this all meant as in the picture each of the ponies where circled and crossed out except for the unicorn that had magic under her picture, whether she was missing or the rest presumed found or dead was for another time. What mattered was looking into what the book contains. The books contents interested Wreath as she begun to read separating herself from the world around her.
It was now becoming late as the sun was slowly descending down over the mountain for it was now soon to be night time all throughout the land. Wreath lit a candle beside her as she looked at the book in greater intrigue. She examined its contents to see nothing but an old mare’s tale of goddesses that lived before that raised the sun and moon while the other lowered it for the other. After reading more and more she found out about a Nightmare Moon that plagued the land. Wreath giggled at the description as it reminded her much of Coronet this evil pony in the story. She continued to read some more about an Elements of Harmony and how they saved Equestria before. Wreath flicked threw more of the pages as each one became more frequent and in better condition to the first few pages as if they were added a while after. She found a picture again of the six ponies that she saw in the scrolls each one wearing an exotic necklace with the centre one wearing a tiara. She tried to compare each one both the scroll and the book slowly thinking about whether or not this story had become reality, she always heard that the previous ruler was imprisoned but no news of her death or location was ever known except for some few who knew but they were the emperors council themselves. Suddenly she became more and more transfixed on reading until a loud bell could be heard off in the distance signalling that the councils meeting was now officially over.
It was not till shortly after that Coronet made her way into the library from wherever she had been under escort urging Wreath to following her to see Lavaliere. The blue unicorn responded with a sigh and closed the book wishing somehow slightly its contents would solve everything for her, where she came from and who where her parents. But she slowly knew through each book that the answers where nowhere to be found as she took it with her and proceeded to see the grandmaster and what plans he had in store for both of them.
The castle was alive with an orange glow from the sun as it began to set all across the land, Wreath and Coronet where making their way past the library straight to where Lavalieres personal quarters was located. The guards opened the doorway allowing both unicorns to proceed directly into the grandmasters room, the room now had a warm feeling due to the time of the day with the chandelier alight with candles high above them lit up flickering slightly. Wreath made her way into the personal quarters only to find that Lavaliere was nowhere to be seen, possibly be due to that he has not fully returned from the meeting yet. Coronet walked in slowly after as the guards escorting both waited outside. The two guards waited till they both entered the room fully to close the doors sealing them in as they continued with their patrol inside the castle. Wreath found she was left in a slightly awkward position alone in a room with Coronet was what she was afraid of.
The room stood silent in an orange glow with both ponies not acknowledging the others presence, it was always an attitude they had when conversation was the only other option. Coronet was the first to make a move as she slowly walked away from Wreath towards the personal cider cabinet in the room to see and perhaps taste what flavours each contained. Wreath on the other hand made her way towards the giant map that hung at the back of the desk and looked in awe at its detail. She could see her hometown of Manehattan and tried to remember what it would look like now or more importantly would anyone still remember her. Wreath thought it would have being easier to pick a random town and call it home since the only place she spent her whole life was in Hoofington a sour thought of returning there was the only thing that crossed her mind. Both ponies where interrupted as the doors opened once again allowing two ponies to enter, one was Lavaliere and the other was a young unicorn fancily dressed in formal attire.
“Ahh my two student’s glad you could make your way here. Allow me to introduce Councillor Lighting Rage a good friend of mine who would oversee your new training schedules.” Lavaliere said in making his presence widely known. To Wreath she could only think of how many lies where in that conversation.
“Please Lavaliere you are too kind, these must be the lucky two, Wreath and Coronet. Might I say I look forward to working with both of you as I’m sure you are as well.”  Rage said admiring the two unicorns in the room, the thought of success on new found theories waiting to be practiced floated through his head in secret.
“Woah now wait, training” Coronet struck a nerve at the mention of this notion. “Listen her high and mighty, we did all the training back in Hoofington are not no way I am having another one of those crazy final final trials again.” Coronets anger seemed to temper down as she finished talking.
“See did not I tell you Rage, pure disobedience.” Lavaliere talked quickly back to Rage as both his eyes opened at the sight of this raw anger in such a young student.
“I mean nothing in the slightest my dear; all I mean to do is field trials with actual weapons from the research section within this castle. Both of you will be testing them for future use in the Peacekeepers division as well as improve our understanding of magic all the same. I do say that a pony such as you Coronet would be able to admire this.” As Rage talked more and more Coronet seemed to like the idea.
“You got me hooked at weapons Councillor, continue talking.” The grey unicorns face began to draw a smile at the notion of actual unrestrained weapons.
“Important missions, far better than simple peacekeeper detail, we need actual field test data. You and Wreath will be partnered up together and sent on missions for the Empire. You will report only to me and Lavaliere personally.” Rage finished talking about all the detail as he was eager to hear a response.
Wreath began to join in the conversation interested in the detail “Wait a minute you said me and Coronet teamed up together.” A slight distain of look as both looked at each other preferring to go at it solo.
“YOU both will be paired and that is that. If you refuse then I will find another, I do not have to remind you both the extent to have this put in motion as well as the opportunity you have been given.” Lavaliere flared his nostrils in anger at the idea of his plans destroyed before being implemented. “Now if there is nothing else to discuss we should all go and get ready for tonight’s first mission.” The old pony turned around and began to leave the room.
Rage looked to see the old pony off before talking back to Wreath and Coronet. “I would not mind him. It is being a long day and he does have high hopes for both of you. Come now at least see the devices you would be using as well I can guarantee you tonight’s mission is just a simple test at best.” The young Councillor turned around to leave the room as both the two students followed as well. Wreath felt a sudden safety around this young Councillor but she knew as well to keep her guard up.
Both began to follow Rage down the hall towards the lower section of the castle. The sun was falling more and more over the mountain nearly ushering in night time. The castles décor began to change slightly as they journeyed over to Rage’s personal quarters that were located within the research centre within the castle. The research area in the castle was small in comparison to the real one located off in Fillydelphia where the elemental stones where mined for in there most purest state, Rage spent most of his time there rather than in the capital since science with magic was his speciality. Rage opened the two massive wooden doors that led into his personal quarters, the room itself was massive compared to Lavalieres one since he did not have to stay at the castle mostly. The room was full of beakers, blueprints and armour designs for Councillor Valor. Papers about almost anything littered the room a true sign of organised chaos a true depiction of Rages devotion to understanding anything worthy of interest. Upon arriving they found Lavaliere again examining the contents on the desk, more than likely the two devices one for each pony.
“The place is a mess Rage, as usual a true showing of what goes on in that head of yours.” Lavaliere said to Rage as he entered with Wreath and Coronet.
“That may be true old pony but still all’s good enough for the Empire and with this history in the making.” Rage said trying to keep a positive face in front of his two guests. “Now if we look over her both of you here are the devices that will be tested.”
Rage used his magic to lift up what seemed to be two gauntlets, both leather encased in the centre was a massive gemstone, one blue the other grey. Rage was proud in their design as he made them to match each pony.
“Oh and of course this is needed as well.” Rage ran around the desk scattering papers and designs as he found what he was looking for. “Here it is two necklaces to be worn around each of them; this is where the true strength would come from within the device, the gauntlet on the other hand just focuses it.” The Councillor made his way around handing out the respected device to both Wreath and Coronet.
Wreath looked at her gauntlet as she equipped it and found nothing unusual to the training versions she used back in the academy. She then looked over at the necklace as she remembered seeing it before. It then hit her as it looked like the one in the book she found earlier. Her eyes opened wide in at this possible discovery as she began looking around ever so slightly at the notes on the wall and on the floor. Wreath could see numerous versions of what she was holding, all where labelled with failure, scrap and not the original. The blue unicorn looked confused at the last one “not the original” what could it mean overall she wondered.
“All right you two, as for the training tonight it will be out in the town of New Saddle. Peacekeepers there have been hunting for a vigilante pony most likely involved in inspiring uprisings over in Ponyville.” Lavaliere cutting to the chase in times like these. “Both of you have been trained to be Peacekeepers back in Hoofington this will be like the usual training you have done only real.”
“The Councillor is right; we believe the pony is meeting with other members of the supposed “Celestial Brotherhood” a bunch of nonsense if you ask me. Your plan will be to take care of him and his associates if any in anyway you deem fit. Capture or kill but you must never reveal yourselves.” Rage filling in the details on what needed to be done.
Both councillors stopped talking in order to give the two students time to respond on what was to be done for them, a rare opportunity to use their magic they thought in ways rather than simple standard peacekeeper duty. Wreath on the other hand was trained for a situation like this but was always in the back piecing the situation together slowly, a common trait for a pony in the services of Councillor Starshine Flourish. Both looked at each other not wanting the other to possibly ruin their opportunity of working under some of the most power ponies in Equestria. With that they both gave their responses.
“We’ll do it then.” Both Wreath and Coronet responded as they finally gave there answer to the two older unicorns.
“Excellent, exactly what I was hoping for.” Rage responded in delight at the news. “Now if you can excuse us your chariot awaits to New Saddle within the hour all will be filled in there once you meet my informant in the town.”
Rage begun to leave the room leaving one final message to both of them “Good luck and try not to have too much fun.” He said giving a sly smile as he disappeared from view.
“What did he mean by that?” Wreath asked Lavaliere.
“Nothing important that you two should know. Now’s not the time to waste get ready to move out at once and grab your gear.” The old pony ushering the other two that time was not on their side.
Coronet grabbed her necklace and gauntlet as did Wreath, both proceeded to make their way out of Councillor lighting rages personal quarters and towards onto the outer gardens on the other side of the hallway. As they left the confines of the inner castle they were met with the decorated fountains surrounded with marble benches all across the outer wall, in the background where two Pegasus next to the chariot dressed in the armour colours of the town of New Saddle consisting of blue coloured uniform decorated with a silver lining. All three ponies made their way across the garden straight to the carriage.
“Hop onboard you two.” Lavaliere said directing them upon their mission. “You two have never seen eye to eye, but make no mistake that me and Rage have placed a lot of faith in you. Faith that in countless hours of making those devices that hang around your neck where not in vain.”
“We will not grandmaster, I promise you that.” Wreath assured her teacher and mentor once again. Coronet remained silent at the notion but assured Lavaliere silently that this partnership was only temporary.
“Like Rage said meet with his informant, with that listen to what he has to say and do. He will direct both of you.” With Lavalieres final words the chariot began to lift off again into the now night sky leaving the city of Stalliongrad.
Wreath and Coronet looked at the once lush city that they were finally leaving back again heading towards simple towns and villages. The city was not alight with lanterns, gem lights with the roar of talk and chatter in the lower streets of the city. Wreaths memory was still itching away at her with this new necklace that hand over her neck. She began looking at it and began fidgeting at its silver medallion shaped design with remembering the words that ran around in her head along with thinking of the picture she saw in that book she was carrying in her backpack.
“Elements of Harmony.”
“Not the Original.”
It stuck to her mind like glue but still she would have to brush it aside for an secret mission was needed to be done and a very special one at that.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Back in Canterlot Castle the moon was raised high in the night sky as all three ponies finished tucking into the meal that Steel managed to get off the cook tent back down in the centre of town. It was weird eating in beside the old Equestrian throne. Twilight thought quietly to herself, a place of power and beauty now a decrypted ruin where royal manners no longer existed. Truth be told both Twilight and Speed where famished from looking over countless scrolls looking for the right one.
“So all we have to do is stand next to the throne and just use the spell that is mentioned in the scroll, sounds easy right,” Twilight said finished up her meal by washing it all down with a mug of cider.
“Easy enough I would say, but this scroll specifically says that concentration is key, do not want to end up somewhere else. There is also the worry that all three of us will be thrown all over Equestria.” Speed responded concerned over the slight failure that could possibly happen.
Steel ate his meal slowly while still hungry trying to make sense of all of this which in his mind boiled down to two things teleportation and unsafe kept ringing in his head. He then decided to join in the conversation.
“Do we even know what is on the other side when we get there?. For all we know we could be struck right into a hornets nest if this goes wrong.” The earth pony worried about the technical aspects of this plan.
“I can assure you safely Steel, the platforms themselves where put in secret locations under cemeteries or monuments. Are not any chance they would have changed in the last three hundred years.”  The yellow scholar assuring that whatever Celestia planned it was going to work.
“Well from what I see from all of this is three ponies just sittin here bickerin, lets get this started. It is late enough already and we gotta get to those record books by all means.” Steel began to stand on all four hooves and make his way over to the throne, Twilight along with Speed slowly followed right after.
“By the way Speed there is like nearly a hundreds of thousands of ponies in Equestria, it would take hours to sort through all of that; I hope that your name speed means something.” Twilight asked the young unicorn.
Speed responded with a confident smile assuring the purple unicorn that all was takin care of already “Way ahead of you Twilight, they do not call me Speed for nothing, I got my cutie mark similar to what where gonna do. I have managed to master a spell that would sort and find anything I put my mind to in any scroll or book. If these marks are in a book within the castle of Stalliongrad we’ll find it.”
The three ponies now stood before the throne all ready to make the journey to the capital of the pony Empire. Speed took a deep breath as she began to take the scroll out of her backpack and studied the scroll again carefully. After a few moments she turned around and talked to the other two.
“Remember one important thing, just keep thinking of our destination do not want to lose anybody at all got that?” Speed said as she turned her head back towards the scroll. Twilight and Steel started to look concerned over was this a good idea. As Speed read the scroll the throne came alight with blue wisps that circled all over the entire throne room. The bright light could be seen all throughout Canterlot as bright lights flickered out towards the city. With a loud sound the lights dashed back down towards the throne. Within moments a loud bang was heard and with that the three ponies were gone from Canterlot hopefully towards their intended destination.
When Twilight opened her eyes she was welcomed with utter darkness with no way out, her entire body ached with pain over the ordeal she had just endured with a slow start she begun to get up on all four hooves.
“Steel, Speed are you there?.” Twilight called out in a low whisper. After waiting a few seconds she was greeted with two familiar voices.
“Over here Twi, damn that smarts.” Steel replied.
“Same, sorry I think I put too much into the spell that time.” Speed said feeling guilty over the pain that ran through all three of them at the moment.
“At least we’ll know next time right.” Twilight said to the young yellow unicorn.” But first lets sort ourselves out and find where we all are.” Twilight lit up her horn and with a sudden purple glow they all saw were they were.
It was an old dusty room with cobwebs that littered the entire area, bookcases filled with scrolls bearing the new Empire symbol on each one of them with carefully put away for future use. The faint sound of water dropping could be heard from one end of the room a showing of the room was devoid of any attention for quite some time.
“Well it is not Canterlot but is it Stalliongrad?” Twilight asked looking to find anything of reference that would help her.
“Only one way to find out.” Speed said as she also began casting her own spell. A bright pure light shone out all though the room as all the scrolls on the tables and bookcases began to unfold as Speeds eyes went pure white looking through all the information contained within the scroll. After which her eyes returned to normal as the magic was reversed and everything returned back to normal.
“That is amazing Speed how long have you been able to do that?” Twilight asked curious to its magic and maybe in some way she could learn.
“It is a mixture of my cutie mark as well as the princess trained me to channel it as well.” Speed happy about getting attention on her talents.
“Woah woah wait up her, if you could do that, then why did not you use that back in the archives could have solved us a heap of sorting.” Steel picking any sort of flaws in Speeds talent.
“Firstly it does not work on gems and second I have to see when the scrolls are.” Speed replied in a lecturing manner. “But to answer Twilight question yes we are in Stalliongrad, mainly the old storage area which keeps any scrolls that are old or unused, one of the scrolls got me the old blueprints for the entire castle we can use it to make our way up to the library and from there we can cut through to the main area where all the census information is kept on all the ponies in Equestria.” Speed said as she made her way over to the only visible door holding the old scroll.
Twilight and Steel began making their following Speed as she opened the locks bolted on the door and slowly proceeded to make her way up the spiral staircase. Steel stopped and looked around the small room one last time. He could see in the back the old royal symbol of Celestia and Luna but this time their eyes where both emerald green. He brushed it all off as nothing as he proceeded to follow Twilight back up to civilization ever careful over the price of failure. After what seemed like forever all three finally made their way to another bolted door opening it to reveal a massive library. There were no lights to illuminate the room but there was the natural glow from the moon shining a white light into the seeming never ending library. Speed looked again at the scroll pointing towards a door upstairs that would lead to their destination.
Under this certain situation Twilight wished she could spend her time reading through all the books she could help herself in the library just like when she was a student under Celestia spending most of her nights reading under a candle. All three walked through the library towards the upstairs section following Speed as she looked on ignoring everything around her. As they made their way upstairs they found the door that Speed was describing at the other end of the library, they continued towards the door as they heard a noise downstairs as it seemed two other ponies entered the library.
“You sure this will work Starshine this seems like it could make this entire situation of mine worse.” The earth pony said back towards the Pegasus obviously concerned over a certain situation.
Twilight, Speed and Steel instantly hid themselves as they looked over the banister at the ongoing conversation.
“Of course Rain we need to work together on this.” The Pegasus assured the earth pony. “As I have said we will work this all out, I have a plan to get rid of this and let you keep your head Rain.” Starshine said in a sarcastic tone.
“I can trust you right Starshine?, this vigilante situation in Ponyville has caused nothing but trouble and it is spilling out into the countryside we could use brute force I use all the bits needed to have more Peacekeepers hunting after these peasant rebels.” Rain taking the situation into his own hooves.
“Brute force, really Rain?. The worst thing you are gonna do is incite more anger in the populace, think about it your taxing them and those labour camps only make a hornets nest of trouble.” Starshine shaking his head in disappointed over this reckless attitude.
“Then what then?.” Rain looked concerned looking towards the Pegasus unsure about what plans were hatching in his devious mind.
“First my earth pony friend is to put out the fires, show them that you are willing to compromise you got to see it from their perspective Rain such as the main reason, you still have something they do not have and that is money.” Starshine said as he began walking across the library.
Twilight remembered the events from her time in Ponyville thinking that this was the pony responsible for it all. Steel began gritting his teeth in anger looking at the earth pony remembering the entire heart ache he had to go through with the taxes, money and finally his time in Ponyville.
Rain thought about what Starshine meant and begun contemplating the idea “So you want me to basically lower taxes, is that it what you want and stop sending people to work it off. I do not know someponies gonna know.” Rain concerned over the technicalities since lowering taxes was something he had never done before.
“Yes Rain you gotta a problem with it?.”
“No not at all but you better be sure this will sort it all out.”
“It will sort it all out do not worry, I will have my informants make sure of it but on another note I have a wild rumour that Lavaliere and Rage are working up something and its…”
Both ponies began walking now leaving the library entirely with Twilight and Steel catching the end of their conversation about them talking about two other ponies. Twilight brushed it off as nothing and ushered the other ponies to start heading towards their destination.
All three ponies upstairs could now breathe a sigh of relief and wonder at what was going to happen back in Ponyville but neither of that mattered only the information they needed. All three now left the library only to be met with a corridor of doors; the two looked at Speed as she pointed towards one of the many doors certain about picking the right one. They all walked over entering the new room closing the door behind them quietly to not alert any nearby ponies certain there was more than those two downstairs.
“We are here you two finally.” Speed said in a low voice as to not attract attention observing their new location a room similar to the one they first arrived in but this time it was more finely taken care of with countless amounts of scrolls and books on each shelf with a sign printed on each displaying the cities and towns of the Empire. “Just let me use my magic and we can finally get out of here and on our way away from this place.” Speed said preparing once again.
“This was too easy Twilight; once we get this done we can be on our way and determine if that silly scroll Speed has my mark on it.” Steel said looking at Twilight eager for answers about this silly prophecy.
Twilight looked concerned agreeing over what Steel had to say in a way he was right about all of this, it was too easy. The room was alight with a bright light as the scrolls waved around the room with books opening and closing constantly all decorated with orange fire sorting them within the air opening and closing as if Speed was absorbing and sorting the information being given. After some time the correct scrolls along with pages ripped from the books where now revealed listing six pieces of paper fell before Speed.
“Good work Speed, as fast as the last time. Let’s just grab them and run we cannot stay here any longer.” Twilight said feeling uneasy that somepony saw the orange light somewhere within the castle.
“Wait a sec.” Steel said walking over to the torn pages slowly. “I gotta see Twi, I gotta know if my name is on one of them.” He walked over unfolding one by one seeing names of ponies he did not know. A tension began to build up till he reached the last one to open it revealing what he feared most what it said.
Steel Steedly
Age 23
Residence: Ponyville
Status: Incarcerated.
He dropped the page walking away slowly, Twilight knew by his look that it was true he was one of the elements needed to save Equestria but what element she and Speed did not know.
“Gotta be some mistake right, Speed.” The earth pony looked frightened by what Speed had found.
“Ohh I do not lie or make mistakes like this Steel and neither did the princess you are what we need.” Speed said in her reply to the Steel. “We can sort this all out but we gotta move we are not safe her one bit.” Speed gathered up the pages as they proceeded to leave Stalliongrad hopefully to never see it again.
Twilight slowly walked by Steel resting one of her hooves on his shoulders telling her that all would be fine. The earth pony took comfort in all of this as he left as well wanting nothing of this place or what he has learned.
All three made their way back to the library downstairs certain that what they came for was worth it proceeding to the door with the spiral staircase. They were however stopped by the sound of hooves from behind as they turned around slowly to see another pony emerge from the darkness.
“My..My..My up for a bit of late night reading, it seems you three have a knack for it as well as theft of imperial documents from what I see.” The pony that stepped forth was old with a white beard and a grey coat possibly due to his age.
“And who are you the librarian.” Steel looked at the old pony not concerned over who or what he was.
“We do not have time for this RUN.” Speed said making a dash back downstairs the spiral staircase back to the platform to get them back to Canterlot.
Twilight and Steel joined with Speed and began running as well getting away from the possible old pursuer. They finally descended back down to the old dusty room nearly out of breathe.
“I will start getting us back to Canterlot at once, Steel bolt that door. Twilight help me with the spell.” Speed not wanting to waste any time at all.
“I’m not sure what to do Speed.” Twilight worried on what needed to be done, she saw was casting the spell but a spell that still confused her slightly.
“Do not worry Twilight, just do what I do and we’ll be out of here in no time.” Speed said beginning the spell with Twilight trying to keep up with the other unicorn.
The spell was being casted much quicker now since Speed was becoming familiar with the methods of casting as well with Twilight helping her with the overall strain of what needed to be done.  Steel finished tossing a bookcase over the door and begun running over next to Twilight as they finished casting the spell.
“Now or never guys.” Twilight said as all three stood next to one another as the room was alight again with a blue light.
Within a second the room was alight was a sudden bang and with it the three ponies were gone from the room as well as the city itself. The room returned back to dark for some time, only after a while the disturbing sound of hooves from the other side of the door. The hinges of door were smashed open with magic and the bookcase thrown like a rag doll across the room. The old pony slowly walked over to the where the platform stood looking ever so slightly at how the patterns of dust on the floor was disturbed by the portals activation. He discarded this entirely and made his way over to the insignia of Luna and Celestia. The old pony used his magic to grab both the green emerald stones from each of the eyes leaving two empty sockets within the wall. Both became alight showing all that needed to be seen by the old pony, images of the three he encountered within the library. The room was alight now with an eerie green glow with pictures of Speed, Steel and Twilight.
The old unicorn now smiled upon this discovery certain he found what he was looking for.
“What is this an common earth pony. And what is this as well, interesting if I’m not mistaken the last protégé of the former princess.” The old unicorn paused as he looked at the third and final pony.
“Hmm, now this one looks interesting I’m certain she and I will be meet again very soon, she may not know me but I know plenty about her, I have learned all I need to know about this purple unicorn……..Twilight Sparkle former Element of Magic.”
The room returned back to darkness as all being heard was the hooves of the pony walking back upstairs.
The pieces where now on the board as both sides knew what had to be done and where.

//-------------------------------------------------------//
                 8.Where our loyalties lie                 
//-------------------------------------------------------//
8.Where our loyalties lie
Chapter 8 – Where our loyalties lie.
It has come to my attention through studies of these elements the more they fascinate me. They seem to resonate but still only around the presence of certain ponies, how or why confuses me mostly. For example when the princess comes in close proximity the stones light almost acknowledging her presence nearly, this much we already know. But to do this to normal ponies especially one of the royal guards it glows brightly as I passed him in the hallway the other day almost choosing him or her. Could this be cause of the traits needed that the princess talked about, needless to say a night’s sleep is what I need more than anything.
More investigating will be needed.
Star swirled the bearded
date – unknown
Darkness engulfed all of the land as two ponies where heading towards there impending destination, where a task that apparently required attention of both councillors especially Lavaliere was needed. Wreath thought over this many times but the appreciation to actually test magic as well as her peacekeeper skills in the field was something to look forward too. She remembered her training along with the training of others within Hoofington Academy as all the peacekeepers there within the city where all unicorn students in there learning training to be being able to gain as much as they could before being sent out all across the Empire, the only city however they could never be stationed in was unfortunately their hometown in this case Wreath knew she could never see Manehatten again as long as she was in service to the peacekeepers. Few had tried to leave to pursue a life of away from servitude but to all the brand of a traitor and deserter were to be expected.
The chariot was closing in on the town of New Saddle a town that was not quite a city yet it, but still had the luxurious lifestyle of the other cities that surrounded it. At most the town was used as a crossroad through to the capital and beyond the Empire. The business of the town centered mainly through trade whether it would be information to sell or elemental materials mined from Fillydephia the town started off as an intersection for passers through. Wreath check over her necklace as well as her gauntlet as she begun to see the small town lit up as a bouquet of candles in a sea of darkness. The blue pony begun to break the long silence and began consorting with her partner as well as being her rival.
“So, Partner?” Wreath felt a sick taste on her tongue as she uttered those very words. “What do you think about all this, like c'mon like all this does not seem fishy right?” She looked on towards the grey pony as a look of distain was to be met in result.
“I do not care Wreath nor do I want any of this, being played for the fool to do someone else’s dirty work, all I know is I'm stuck with you and till then I hate to say in order to succeed we have to work together an opportunity like these never come by often.” The very words said by Coronet seemed weird as almost as if an offer was coming up. “At most I love what this brings all the gifts and opportunities but at most I hate the one pony behind all of this and for what he had done to me that day.” Coronet raised her left hoove at the scar that now decorated her left check and remembered the timber wolves that gave her the satisfaction of remembering that regretful day.
“You hate Lavaliere on that we can agree Coronet, but still he has a game plan and if we do not watch ourselves we are going to end up nothing more than his pawns.” Wreath talked probably for the first time towards Coronet unsure if this was some ploy or she was telling in some way her own personnel confession.
“Game Plan?, do not think for a second this means were friends the very thought sickens me, I swear once this is done  we are through with all of this and no commoner like you is going to stop me.” Coronet slammed both her front hooves down on the chariot shaking it slightly as it begun to land. Wreath saw suddenly Coronet returned back to her former self over the remembrance of what she had to say. She shrugged it off and remembered that there was a mission that needed to be done and that now was not the time to talk about other trivial matters, Coronets rage issues had to wait as the chariot now landed just outside the town gate.
Both Wreath and Coronet stepped slowly off the chariot as it begun to ascend back into the night sky leaving them in unfamiliar territory. The air itself was stale all around with the lanterns that hung above the town gate swaying back and forth from the leaving of the chariot as they slowly returned back to normal silently standing still illuminating the area around them. The town gate was open with no guard at all at their post which seemed odd at most or a direct showing of lack of leadership in the town watch. Both Coronet and Wreath made their way slowly into the town of New Saddle unsure of who to meet where or would they be meeting them first possibly.
The city itself was dead with no other pony in sight to be seen a slight occurrence that could mean only one thing and that was a curfew was in effect in the town possibly to root out any conspirators, more than likely that Brotherhood that Lavaliere was talking about. The two ponies could not find anypony within sight and decided to at least make their way into town probably towards the town centre to find out what was going on. The street signs swayed back and forth creaking each time as Wreath and Coronet passed by looking for anything of interest, the town pub was closed off as well which seemed odd with such a late night venue closed for all, dogs could be heard barking off in the distance but for what reason was unknown. They continued straight down the road till they came across the centre of the small town a massive fountain which displayed the shield symbol of the town’s peacekeepers and their duty to the Empire. Wreath looked around unsure on what to do next she paused and began to think. Coronet walked over standing beside her talking out to loud to anypony who would listen.
“Well looks like the informant is late, typical.” Coronet folded her two front hooves not wanting to be blamed for any wrong doing she thought she caused.
Wreath was still looking around at the night sky towards the massive clock tower off in the distance for any sign or guidance on where to go. Wreath began to day dream out of all of this separating herself from the world around her, she began to think to herself about what she had learned recently from being in Stalliongrad as well as councillor Rage's office about the following words “Not the Original” and why was that unicorn in the picture not crossed out that said “Element of Magic” as she thought she could no longer hear Coronets nagging voice. As she remained in deep she thought she could have sworn for a second she saw something unbelievable, a unicorn flying through the night sky all dressed in black, she began to think straight detaching herself from her daydream but it was too late as the illusion itself disappeared. Wreath ignored this looking back down to earth shaking her head and looked back up again, the flying unicorn was gone never to be seen again.
“Let’s just keep moving Coronet.” Just as Wreath said those words a fog began coming in from nowhere.
The fog was rising slowly concealing the area around them as they heard the small sound of hooves make their way towards both of them. The two ponies unsheathed their swords in response to this as well as being ready with their new found magic slightly eager to test it is potential. A shadow now appeared from the fog revealing another pony dressed in a formal cloak hiding their appearance, the new pony flicked his horn as the fog slowly evaporated into the night sky. The pony lowered his hood to reveal a unicorn pony to both Wreath and Coronet, he smiled as he slowly begun to talk.
“So looks like you are the two I'm looking for assuming that you are the right ones?” the hooded pony looked sternly at the ponies in front of him eager to test their response.
“And I assume you are the very pony we were sent to meet in this back end of a town or a cheap con artist at best it seems.” Coronet said harshly towards the unknown pony.
“Easy now all high and mighty I was only informed slightly as you were too and I would not like this to start off with insults mind you.” Both ponies now began eyeing each other distastefully at what was exchanged.
The situation fell silent between the three ponies each not returning a response, to Wreath she knew that this mission was getting off to a shaky start and needed to be fixed before the entire trip was for nothing.
Wreath decided to break the silence and fix this dispute before it broke out into a fight “Break it both of you, I assume you are the pony we were told to meet, we have been sent from Stalliongrad and the sooner we get through this the better.”
“Very well, let’s get inside before the guard shifts change around again, even though your here on Imperial Business they do not know that.” the hooded pony ushered them past the town center towards one of the houses trying to shield them from any prying eyes.
Coronet looked on towards the unknown pony as they were being lead off the main road looking cautiously in the event of them possibly being jumped or at least robbed by this pony or his friends. She remembered that they were supposed to meet somepony but was this one the informant was the thought constantly conjuring up in her head. They continued to be led through the dark alley till they reached one of the doors along the countless others they passed by as the mysterious pony raised his hoove banging on the door and awaited for a response. After some time a shutter opened from the top of the door, a bright light shone from the door into the darkened alley. The pony inside gave a brief glance at the three outside before closing it, the overall response after a few moments of silence was the sound of the door unlocking. The hinged door opened slightly to reveal the pony from inside.
“Hurry you three get in now.” The pony said quietly beside the door, ushering them to get inside quickly.
Wreath and Coronet looked at each other unsure of what possible trouble they could have gotten themselves into, both knew if these ponies tried anything funny they would certainly come out on top with or without there new found powers. All three made their way inside before the door closed shut once again. The inside of the house was simple as with all the other houses within New Saddle, the curtains were drawn to avoid any other ponies from looking in possibly. The interior of the house was in shambles far from any high society lifestyle they were accustomed too. The wallpaper was decorated with a dull beige colour. The hooded pony walked over next to his assistant standing next to the fireplace as the logs flickered giving off an orange aura all across the room. The two ponies whispered quietly before the hooded one turned around and begun to speak towards Wreath and Coronet with his voice changed all of a sudden.
“I must apologise for all of this secrecy, Lavaliere told me that I would be expecting you.” the hooded pony’s voice turned from a common pony voice to one of supposed higher upper class you would find in the upper levels of Trottingham.
“You were expecting us? Let’s start with proper introductions first since you seems to have the upper hoove here.” Wreath responded to this pony’s superior knowledge since the one peeve she held were other ponies playing tricks on her.
“But of course Ms Wreath, my name is Cloud Meadow as you probably saw amidst the fog I used to conceal you from any ponies watching. I am a servant to the Lord of his fair town Lord Thunder Prism my friend who you just met was Thunder Crackle our informant within the peacekeepers of New Saddle.” Cloud said out loud assured that the area around them was safe for a more informative discussion. “But you two must be tired slightly from your trip please sit while me and Thunder get you the hot meal as well as the necessaries for tonight.”
Thunder left the room to fetch the equipment for tonight’s event as well as getting food and drink for both Wreath and Coronet, as he left the room Cloud tucked away his hood walked over to his desk next to the fireplace and unfolded two scrolls to show the two students.
“Ahem, if you two wish to still see the proof you need, please have a look at these.” Cloud said as Wreath walked over to examine the documents further proving the unicorn’s true allegiance.
Wreath looked at the documents and saw clearly the proof she needed to see. On the two scrolls was  all the information about both Wreath on one and Coronet on another plus the order being sent to New Saddle to help aid both Cloud and Thunder for as long as needed. A signature at the bottom by the grandmaster with the imperial signature with stamp, issuing this as official business. Wreath read them over twice before raising her head to look back at Cloud.
“This all is legit Cloud but why all this secrecy? Surely Imperial Business does not need to be hidden knowledge.” Wreath stepped back from the documents waiting for Clouds response.
“Hidden Knowledge is an important key of the Empire Wreath, since we can get past this charade of secrecy these documents serves no more purpose.” The moment Cloud said these words he used his magic to toss the scrolls into the fire as they turned to ash all before their eyes.
Coronet looked shocked as she approached the reckless unicorn seeming eager to enter this conversation “What you have done is illegal, destroying imperial orders is against everything we know, that means there is no evidence that this event ever took place.”
“That is true Coronet but sometimes events like these are hidden for safety surely if the griffins or dragons found out about all of this, relations would surely be damaged for years on end, all I ask is assistance just this once.” Cloud walked away towards the table as Thunder entered the room again with plates full of food along with a scroll on the other hoof.
“Ahh Thunder good timing, if it is not much we can all eat as we lay out the plan for tonight, I can assure you we have plenty of time before the traitors reveals himself.” Cloud said inviting Wreath and Coronet to the table.
All the ponies in the room began to tucker into their meals each one seeming to enjoy the food that was set out before them. They seemed detached from the agenda that was to be set out all before them. After the meal was finished Thunder began setting aside the entire cutlery from the table and begun getting down to business.
Cloud rolled out before them a scroll detailing the agenda to be finished as well as a map showing the possible whereabouts of the assailant. “Okay as we all know both of you have being sent on Imperial Business to deal with a potential threat; this mission is an assassination at best.”
Wreath looked somewhat confused over the term assassination and interrupted the talking unicorn “Assassination, we were sent to root out any threats and arrest if need be.”
“I can assure you Wreath that is not the case, if this pony were to live past this night at most the orders for our death will come next morning, even though this pony is a traitor to the Empire he is also a high official to the Lord of this town and holds a high influence. The only choices we have are a silent death and pass it off as a simple mugging gone wrong.” Cloud said looking straight at Wreath who seemed to despise these kinds of dirty dealings.
“Does Lavaliere know about this?” Coronet asked assuring herself that any dealings here would not come back to haunt her but still the use of force seemed all the much enjoyable to her.
“Yes he does Coronet, he in fact authorized this act, although he is high up on the council he does not wish to take part officially in this kind of dealings, we work from the shadow as does he.” Thunder said out of turn assuring to everyone that this was the wishes of their grandmaster as well as a fellow councillor.
“Well yes, Thunder is right but more importantly the target is set to meet tonight as you know over in the trade district of the city in a warehouse that is connected to the grand clock tower a key landmark within the city, I'm quite certain you have at least seen it once you arrived into town.” Cloud looked at both ponies with Wreath nodding assuring him she knew what he was talking about.
“Yes we have Cloud what is the plan for tonight anyway?” Wreath asked not concerned slightly over the town’s history what so ever seeming to be interested in the present.
“The target will meet there within the hour, Thunder himself is to meet there as well as one of the informants there will be a total of three there including Thunder and the target.” Cloud explained further.
Thunder began adding more to the detail of the mission knowing much about it since his life was on the line “As for me I will give the signal to attack once I am certain we got what we needed, after which I will need you two to attack and assassinate the assailant, do not feel any remorse he would do the same to you tenfold.” Thunder said adamant about the cost of failure.
“And what about the third person the unnamed pony you failed to mention.” Coronet asked not wanting any loose ends over all of this.
“But of course the same as well dead at most, the pony would more than likely be a bodyguard or assistant nothing much to worry about.” Thunder said not showing any second guessing in the matter.
“Thunder is right Coronet, we strike within the hour. Down in the pantry will be a passage way to the sewers we will follow it straight underneath the grand tower. Wreath and Coronet will prepare as Thunder prepares to meet the informants, listen to all he has to say, his life depends on it.” Cloud said looking at Thunder certain that failure was far from happening.
Thunder left the house to prepare himself for the event that was coming up within the hour, even though he was not fighting his life was on the line everyone's life was except for Cloud who was staying behind to report on the overall outcome. Cloud himself went upstairs leaving both Wreath and Coronet next to the fireplace letting them look over the details one last time before making the trek to the warehouse. Wreath was concerned over assassinating let alone killing a high official. In all her training of being a peacekeeper arresting and detaining was her overall goal, it was true in rare cases that killing was needed if the opportunity presented her with her death as a possible outcome to her death was something no pony should hold power over.
“Wreath, you okay going through with this you do always seemed to choke up before these situations.” Coronet looked at the blue pony, she seemed slightly pale then before probably nervous over the fear of failure.
“Do not worry Coronet, I will not let it get in the way, when the time comes I will know what to do. But these weapons Lavaliere gave us how much power do you think is in them?” Wreath looked concerned mainly about their origin as well as enhancing their magic as well; she has always heard such treatment always came with side effects all which led to a slow death or loss of magic entirely if lucky.
“I would not worry with the crap we have been through treat this like a training mission and we'll do fine.” Coronet walked away from the fireplace over towards the banister of the stairs checking to see if Cloud was finished and prepared to leave.
Wreath looked at Coronet unsure of why she seemed helpful or at most accepting towards her company, she could have sworn the day both of them passed Lavalieres trial she came out a new pony. What she saw through the chalice room or what Lavaliere told her in secret probably affected her in some way; she stared at the fire as it slowly began to give way as the flames died down slowly. After some time Cloud came downstairs passing by Coronet ignoring her and making his way towards Wreath, he picked up the scrolls that both have read through and torn them to shreds before their eyes. He threw the pieces in what was left of the fire looked at both of them and said in a determined voice.
“It is time both of you this way.” Cloud said as he raised his hood concealing himself once again. He passed through to the room adjacent straight to the small pantry; Cloud proceeded to lift up a small hatch revealing a secret entrance straight to warehouse.  The unicorn began walking back to the meeting room signalling both Wreath and Coronet that the coast was clear to proceed down to the sewer. All three began to drop down to the dark unlit sewer slowly proceeding towards where Thunder was already waiting at the warehouse.
New Saddle sewers was a labyrinth built with a series of complex tunnels all decorated by lime green walls decorated by moss or any chemical waste that was left behind. The sewers were built mainly to divert all the sewage towards the ocean by the Bridle Shores along with excess water during the fall period to prevent flooding. All three ponies silently made their way through the green lit sewers each refusing to speak in the event that their voice echoed down its endless halls. The way was mapped out carefully either by Thunder or Cloud each twist and turn indicated by an arrow leading to the warehouse. Rats and other small vermin quickly made their way past their hooves running back and forth between warehouses that either contained grain and other goods worth trading. As Cloud made his way to the warehouse he ignored all ladders that lead up to the surface until he came upon the one that was essential to the plan, he stopped at one particular ladder examined it slowly before looking back towards Wreath. He began to speak quietly making sure his voice would not echo.
“We are here.” Cloud said pointing up towards the hatch above them certain this was the right one. “You two head on up I will make my way back to the hideout after this is done the chariot you arrived in will be waiting back at the main gate into town, use it to get back to Stalliongrad. It is sad to say we may never meet again. I can assure you it is for the best.” Cloud smiled as he began walking back the way he came fading back into the darkness.
Wreath slowly made her way up the ladder placing one hoove in front of the other ascending up towards the hatch with Coronet following soon after, both made their way from the sewers up towards the wooden hatch with Wreath unbolting it and lifting is aside slowly to avoid attracting attention. With the hatch now gone Wreath took the final steps on the ladder entering the warehouse finally being able to see the staging ground for the attack. The warehouse stacked crates of all shapes and sizes each one branded with the destination and contents, all the towns and cities of the Empire was stamped on each one resting on top of one another reaching as far as the ceiling itself.  The light within the warehouse was dim at best with each row of crates having a simple lantern to light the way. Coronet finally entered the warehouse along with Wreath each looking around observing if any other pony saw them enter, Wreath turned around and sealed the hatch again concealing there entry to the warehouse. Both began to make there the nearest stairwell leading to the upper level to gain an overhead view of where the meeting was to take place exactly. With each step they made a creak could be heard all throughout the warehouse, they looked around making sure that no pony caught their attention but thankfully no one was around to hear or let alone care.
After both ponies ascending the stairwell they made themselves hidden behind one of the many crates that laid on the upper floor after which they had no choice but to wait for the upcoming event. It was not till about a few minutes later that the doors at the other end of the warehouse opened slightly revealing Thunder who seemed overly cautious about the situation he peeked inside and walked entered the warehouse followed by two other ponies, a common earth pony clad in a city watch uniform a bodyguard perhaps with a unicorn dressed as some sort of high official. Wreath and Coronet could easily see that the unicorn was the target. Thunder made his way deeper into the warehouse discussing with the other two as he made his way closer to where Wreath and Coronet where.
“And you are sure about all of this Thunder?, I need the full assistance from you, the capital too if need be should the worst comes to pass, the shipments being sent from Fillydeplhia are unheard of at best.” the unicorn said towards Thunder who seemed awfully concerned about some upcoming event.
“I can assure you my friends that all of this will sort itself out, these threats you have received is nothing more than idle nonsense, why would an official possibly from Stalliongrad have any need to wish any sort of threat towards you.” Thunder jokingly laughed the unicorn’s worries aside.
“Cause this town handles all trade to and from the capital, if any other imperial official where to run this place who knows what would happen, this town’s main goal is a checkpoint of goods at best as well as passers-by.” the unicorn seemed adamant about defending his position on the town even if it was a high official to the Lord itself.
All three made there against the endless rows of crates towards Wreath and Coronet, both slowly unsheathing their swords ready to strike when Thunder allowed it.
“That is true, threats like these come for some reason what about it, could be somepony does not like how you run things or at best something you have done.
What about the ponies you have converged with some bad ponies from what I heard.” Thunder looked around trying to catch the eye of Wreath or Coronet getting ready to strike.
“I have not in the slightest considered converging with the like, I know my loyalties Thunder what are yours, you know of all higher end officials that all of this is nothing more than petty fighting within among the upper classes, I have seen how they look at one another and it’s my job to fix this if need be and I have proof that would route out this cancer.” the unicorn slammed his two front hooves down.
“You have proof show me and let’s address these matters together then.” Thunder looked interested suddenly in what the unicorn had to say.
The unicorn handed Thunder the scroll and began unfolding it. Wreath and Coronet were now directly above them now waiting eagerly to strike when Thunder saw fit. He began reading the contents on the scroll suddenly looking back and forth at the unicorn unsure on how to react to this hard evidence.
“And you are sure this really happened, this is treasonous at best you know.” Thunder asked one last time assuring himself that this was the real deal.
“Yes given to me by a higher up informant who wishes to remain anonymous mind you.” the unicorn said certain he was protected.
Thunder wrapped back up the scroll and smiled back towards the unicorn certain that now was the time. The unicorn looked confused before it was to late Thunder shouted suddenly “NOW” as both Wreath and Coronet leapt down from the upper level right in front of Thunder both with their swords drawn out. In the midst of the confusion the unicorn made a dash back towards the main door trying to escape. Coronet went to engage his bodyguard who seemed to be defending him until he could escape, both clashing swords trying to set the other off balance. Coronet shouted to Thunder to get out of here at once and to Wreath to block off the unicorn from escaping.
Wreath made a dash straight to the door using her magic to keep up with the unicorn as he began using his magic to toss boxes and crates of any size towards Wreath trying to stop her or at most crush her if possible. Many of the boxes slammed on the ground as others burst open spilling its contents all over the floor with the lanterns falling next to them starting small fires within the warehouse. The two unicorns began using their magic against one another as it seemed that Wreath had the upper hand thanks to the necklace as well as the gauntlet. With this she was able to dodge as well as hurl multiple crates blocking the exit entirely. The unicorn stopped in front of were the door once was now buried in numerous amount of wooden crates, he began to use his magic to lift them up to escape but Wreath kept casting to hold them down preventing escape. The unicorn snarled at her as he began running to one of the back doors that lead up to the grand clock tower that connected to the warehouse. Both were now in full chase as Coronet still fought the earth pony.
As Wreath left the confines of the warehouse in full pursuit Coronet prepared to properly duel this bodyguard, both knew that only one could leave to either help their ally. The earth pony raised his sword in a duelling respect as did Coronet before the fight started. Both circled one another waiting for the other to strike. Coronet gained the upper hoof thanks to her magic tossing a lantern at the bodyguard shattering glass and fire all over him; she then lunged straight after shattering the ponies defence and rendering him off balance. The bodyguard fell on all four hooves with his sword still rose defending himself from the brutal onslaught that occurred. In the midst of the chaos he managed to grab one of the broken pieces of glass that scarred his face slashing it back and forth at Coronet. At that moment Coronet backed away as the glass barely missed her throat, the bodyguard responded by using his two back hooves to knock Coronet straight away burying her into a pile of boxes all falling upon her. The earth pony quickly hurried away from the scene towards his master assured that this duel was over. Coronet reacted with brute anger smashing all the lanterns around with magic as all the boxes that buried her were thrown all across the room, she responded with a furious roar as her eyes glowed bright white and the necklace flashed a fiery red. The bodyguard stopped running to turn around back towards once he came to see the angry assassin eyes staring at him all lit up with rage. His instant reaction was to run at once to hopefully reach his master and get him to safety.
Coronet reacted with brute force shouting towards the earth pony to stop right where he was but her response fell on deaf ears as she used her new found magic to lift up her sword as well as the broken glass that littered the floor. With an angered jester she pointed all the glass at the bodyguard as well as her sword as they all began to light on fire. As Coronet ran towards the earth pony she hurled the objects with all her magic towards him all coated in fire flying across the room. The earth pony turned around suddenly unsheathing his sword once again preparing to face this new onslaught. He began parrying the fiery sword as it was flung before him; slowly he was being beaten back as his sword fell upon the floor. He looked down to pick up his sword but as he regained his stance he was instantly torn cut and shredded by the fiery glass that flew right by him. Within a moment the earth pony was no more as he fell upon the ground where he once stood tall, blood, glass and torn clothes was all what was left.
Wreath left Coronet to fight the bodyguard not knowing who would come out on top as she was still in pursuit of the unicorn. The chase itself led up to the grand clock tower of New Saddle as both were determined to either get away or catch their assailant at best. The wooden stairs wrapped all around the clock tower with Wreath throwing magic towards the unicorn trying to at most stop or injure at best, every action she took was responded by the unicorn doing the same. After what seemed like a eternity of back and forth parries of magic they finally came upon the top floor as the unicorn turned around the last corner making Wreath lose sight for a moment as she turned in chase to see the pony was gone from view most likely hiding, she rose her sword defensively unknown where he might have gone.
The upper floor of the clock tower was covered with massive chains hanging from the ceiling with the inner workings of the massive clock constantly turning each lever and crank creaking as it moved back and forth. She walked in slowly her head turning from left to right trying to make out where he might have gone.
“So tell me assassin.” the unicorn’s voice echoed all across the upper floor making his whereabouts impossible to pinpoint.
Wreath jumped at the very sound of his voice as she knew she was all alone without any help from Coronet.
“Tell me who sent you, was it Brightly? Or Whistler? Wait no maybe HeartString? It does not matter each one will pay for this even if it was not their fault. All of them are traitors including you.” the unicorn moved around the sound of shuffling was heard but where was unknown.
Wreath broke her silence finally responding to these accusations “The only traitor here is you, consorting with the enemy we know all about it.”
The room fell silent each turn of the cogs and other machinery was heard all throughout until a massive dong was heard all throughout. Wreath covered her ears dropping her sword in the midst of the loud noise, with this confusion the unicorn now made himself known using his magic to grab one of the rusty chains wrapping it around Wreaths neck as she was hung back up again with the chain being raised by the unicorn. The bells within the clock tower now stopped chiming as Wreath was being hung up trying to use her two back hooves to reach the floor but to no success.
The unicorn made his way slowly over to Wreath assured of his victory as she dangled there struggling for air.
The unicorn unsheathed his own sword as he walked over pointing towards Wreath as he began to talk.
“Before I kill you, that is if you want it slow or fast I WILL be getting a name of whoever sent you, now TELL ME WHO IS SENT YOU.” the unicorn said raising his sword pointing towards Wreaths neck.
The blue pony struggled still looking for anyway of escape, with Coronet downstairs she would have to rely on instinct or at least the magic she was given, she looked around until she found her answer. The unicorn used his magic again to raise the chain further tightening it, with each tug Wreath was desperately gasping for air.
“I can do this all day assassin, tell me NOW.” the unicorn began to grow impatient over this slight delay.
Wreath began to use her magic to slowly reach out as she began to speak “It was....” the only words she could put together on such short notice as she began reaching out even further.
“It was who, tell me.” the unicorn shouted again poking the sword at Wreaths neck.
Just as the unicorn said those words Wreath managed to clasp her sword with her magic impaling the unicorn from behind. The pony looked stunned by this sudden act as his magic was no more clamming on the chain freeing Wreath from her untimely death. As she fell to the floor gasping for breath the impaled unicorn slowly backed away trying to free the sword from where it layed, as he stepped back more and more he fell through the guard rail falling back down to earth all the way down to the bottom floor of the grand clock tower. Wreath managed to free herself from the chains grasp as she walked over to the broken guardrail seeing nothing but darkness not seeing where the unicorn fell. She walked back towards the stairwell making her way downstairs her mission in New Saddle now over.
As she made her way downstairs, Wreath ran into both Coronet and Thunder along with Cloud who showed up after the chaos had died down. All three looked at what was left of the impaled unicorn nothing but tattered remains and broken bones. Wreath made her way up to Coronet who seemed to hold her sword plucked straight from the fallen unicorn, as Wreath grabbed it Coronet began to talk.
“Hey, what happened up there exactly?” Coronet asked slightly curious about the entire matter.
“Nothing where finished here, let’s go.” Wreath not wanting to look at the battered remains of the pony she just killed.
“Hey do not think you can blow all this over, you killed a pony as did I, both traitors at best do not forget that no need to feel sorry for this one.” Coronet said walking up to Wreath both preparing to leave through the main warehouse door.
Thunder and Cloud walked over to both of them to congratulate them on a job well done “Well done both of you and do not worry I can assure you that your superiors will hear nothing but good things from us come morning.” Cloud said giving Wreath a pat on the back as a sign of accomplishment, Wreath however brushed it all off.
“Do not worry me and Cloud will stay behind making sure all of this seems like some sort of unfortunate accident at best I can guarantee no one will know.” Thunder said now happy this entire ordeal was over. “I would suggest leaving right away the guards have being paid to leave the town gate open for you I would hurry before they change their mind.”
Wreath and Coronet left the clock tower going through to the warehouse main door leaving quietly back towards the main gate of town where there chariot would wait letting them leave at once. Thunder and Cloud waited behind as they made their way back into the main warehouse, they began to fully observe the wreckage as the warehouse was now in tatters with two dead ponies high official ones at best. Both made their way to the front door closing it fully as Thunder began to talk.
“Do you think they know about the identity of that unicorn in the other room Cloud?” Thunder asked concerned over the possibility.
“Not in the slightest Thunder, we both played it well; no one would ever think of guessing, Lavaliere wanted him dead that is enough reason.” Cloud said locking the last part of the warehouse.
“Killing that earth pony was one thing but the death of Lord Thunder Prism, tell me Cloud how does it feel to kill your master after all you were his butler and servant?” Thunder asked openly about this thinking how far did Clouds morale grounds stop.
“Let’s just say the pay was good as was the opportunity, Councillor Lavaliere pays well for what reason he would want the Lord of this town dead does not bother me.” Cloud said making his way over to the barrel of oil possibly to torch the place.
“I heard he has his hands in everything these days’ magic, politics as well as number of high officials do not you thing Cloud?” Thunder questioned openly once again but this time falling on deaf ears.
“Hey Cloud where did you go?” Thunder asked as he looked around.
Within a second the pony himself was stabbed with a knife from the back, stunned by all of this he fell to the floor in dire agony. As he turned he could see Cloud looking above him all smiles with devious looking eyes.
“Why you back stabbing son of a.” Thunder said as all life was now robbed from his body.
“Nothing personal Thunder but as we said it was all a mugging gone wrong, we do need a scapegoat, even if it is a peacekeeper informant like yourself.” Cloud said smiling as he laid the body down to rest.
The unicorn got up from where Thunder laid and tossed a lantern towards the crates of flammable oil. As the warehouse took alight with fire Cloud left through the hatch leading to the sewers, as he left the warehouse he took one last look at Thunders lifeless corpse.
“I’m sorry old friend, but you were never cut out for all of these shady deals.” Cloud said closing the hatch leaving the warehouse alight with fire and smoke as it blanketed the entire town.
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Canterlot castle still shinned in the moon lit sky with the entire city blacked out except for the few camp fires down in the city. Brimstone and Sermon two of the ponies who arrived recently were left on guard duty since two of the pony’s disappeared from the camp with no trace of their whereabouts.
“Gah ever since that earth pony and unicorn left everyone has bein edgy especially that foreman; you know how superstitious he has about that supposed ghost up in the castle, bunch of nonsense I ask ya.” Brimstone making small talk towards Sermon as they both gathered over an open fire for even the smallest bit of warmth.
“And yet I had the idea to team up with you on this money making job of yours, sure go to a ruined supposedly haunted city and look around might get paid and come back home after all it will only be a week, well so far it is bein a fun trip would not ya say.” Sermon sarcastically replied back to Brimstone.
Brimstone began to talk harshly about his friend snarky remarks “Hey at least I have a plan to make ends meet as for all of this nonsense not my fault, first those two go missing, the bright light show in the castle at night and finally this morning the cook admits clearly somepony is stealing food, I would say grab the bull by the horns and see this through.”
“Well at least we get paid extra food rations for these kind of things, drawing the short straw twice in one night is not gonna make a fun day of work, still if that place is haunted do not you think it would clearly show a sign or something.” Sermon said questionly.
“Yes Sermon that is how ghosts work, I want you to look up at the castle and tell me there’s no ghost maybe that will keep you quiet.” Brimstone challenging Sermon at least to pass the time.
“Fine then I will say it.” Sermon looked up at the darkened castle high up in the night sky taking a swig of cider before he yelled at the top of his lungs. “There is no ghosts, there I said it now what.”
The second Sermon talked a bright blue light flashed through the castle and quickly disappeared returning back to darkness. Both Sermon and Brimstone looked at each other eyes wide open waiting for the other to talk.
“Well I guess this place is haunted.” Brimstone said alarmingly.
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A great wall of blue light decorated the old throne room as it began driving out the darkness that engulfed the room. After the light show had ended all that was seen all throughout the room was darkness and three ponies seeming to be exhausted from their ordeals, each one breathing for air or someplace to rest.
“Phew.......that was close.......who do you think the hell was that old pony?” Steel said gasping for air looking for any explanation of what happened in the past five minutes.
“Definitely not a librarian I can guarantee although he did seem fond of you Twilight did you see how he did not take his eyes off of you.” Speed said looking at the purple pony.
Twilight thought about what Speed had to say about this and remembered the old ponies face as well as those fiery eyes looking at her seeing some sort of opportunity or at most something worse.
“Do not remind me Speed we got out of there and soon they will be after us or worse we are already wanted ponies now back in Stalliongrad orders for our arrest already being carried out.” Twilight dreaded the consequences of them being caught even if it was just by one old pony.
“Wanted ponies please Twi that old coot, no pony gonna believe him what is he gonna say three ponies broke in ran downstairs and just vanished. If I recall no one knows anything about this magic hex that gets us around are not that right Speed.” Steel looked at the yellow unicorn for any sort of backing.
Speed now dusted herself from the journey and begun walking over to Twilight.“Steels right Twilight, only the princess and her high council knew of any sort of dealings and their long dead plus even if they did they would not know the spell.”
“But anyway guys we have stayed too long in Canterlot we gotta get moving, Speed where too?” Twilight asked impatiently seeming to be sick of seeing Canterlot constantly in the state it is in multiple times going to and from.
“On that we can agree Twilight.” Speed began getting to work.
Speed unfolded the pages laying them out on the floor for all to see. She looked at one of the pages thoroughly especially the one that apparently had Steels name on it. Speed tilted her head back and forth at the earth pony and then folded it certain that her accusations were right.
“We get it Speed my names on the list, now let’s just get it over and done with and just say it for all of Equestria to hear.” He said tired of these back and forth accusations.
“Steel, Equestria needs you do not think for a second you are alone in all of this me and Speed will be here to help you every step of the way and we will need your help getting the others as well.” Twilight consoled the earth pony of whatever fear or hate he had was nothing to be afraid about.
“Yeah Steel what exactly do you hate about all of this you have been doing nothing but arguing about one little piece of paper that has your name all over it.” Speed asked holding the paper that had Steels name as well as everything there was to know about him, she looked back and forth at the piece of paper she held up with magic testing the chestnut pony’s response.
Steel looked at Speed knowing full well that he was caught by all of this and had no choice but to comply or be found out “Fine I will go with you Twi no matter where now let’s hurry up and find the others before the Empire does.”
“Smart choice earth pony now let’s see.” Speed looked through all the other five pages, she began looking uneasy at some but more interested in others. After some time she raised her head and gave out a destination. “Be prepared guys but the next destination looks like Manehattan a female pegasus pony by the name of Spark Chaser but she is apparently.”
“Apparently what Speed, surely she could not have moved anywhere?” Twilight asked eager for answers.
“Oh no she is still there but Spark is a Peacekeeper Twilight and by the looks of it a new one who joined recently who was just transferred from the city of Stableside the last couple of months.” Speed said concerned over what she had learned.
“A peacekeeper? What are those like the royal guard.” Twilight looked mildly interested as well as confused over what the term meant. Steel on the other hoove had something to say about all of this.
“Twi, a peacekeeper is no pony to hang around; you remember your time in Ponyville think Pike and Lance but a whole city of them patrolling each more horrible.” Steel said angered by the bitter memories “At most what are we gonna do get her to leave the Empire or kidnap her?”
“Well talking about it will not change our initial plan we need her and that is that. We can get there from the throne and it is a straight shot to Manehattan. Twilight could you help me setup the spell, I will give you the honours of starting the casting.” Speed on top of the throne handed the scroll to Twilight as she begun to take her place.
“Sure thing Speed I was gonna ask about that anyway.” Twilight walked up to the throne as she unfolded the scroll as her horn began to glow purple once again. Speed walked down from the throne each step looking at Steel looking to talk about what she just learned.
As Twilight was busy casting the spell she began separating herself from the world around her. Speed noticed this at once and began talking quietly to the earth pony.
“So Steel or should I call you that.” Speed squinted her eyes look suspiciously at Steel.
“Whatever do you mean I got nothin to hide.” he replied suddenly while starting to get slightly nervous.
“Tell me truthfully why do you follow her?, is it for redemption or will you just use her like you did with everypony else.” Speed said slowly showing the page with the names all under Steels name.
“That is none of your buckin business unicorn I have got nothin to prove to you and anythin that paper says is a lie.” Steel reacted angrily towards her but enough to not get noticed by Twilight, nearly on the verge of snatching the paper from Speed but knowing of what scene would be created if Twilight saw.
“I do not care what skeletons you keep in your closet Steel but be assured of one thing you WILL help us or help me Celestia your past will haunt you.” Speed looked the pony in the eye then looked back at Twilight who was still nearly finished casting the spell.
“Fine Speed have it your way, but once this is done were gonna settle this dispute.” Steel began moving towards Twilight not wanting to hear anymore from her.
“Looking forward to it my Lord.” Speed finished speaking and followed as well standing next to Twilight with Steel right beside here.
“Manehattan here we go.” Twilight said as Canterlot castle lit up with bright blue lights for hopefully the last time leaving behind the city still broken a monument to ages past waiting to be restored.
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Stalliongrad castle shinned all across the land as the sun began to reach the city walls letting everypony know that daytime was upon them. Stalls, markets all opened once again with the city watch patrolling constantly keeping the peace. However deep within the prison of the capital one particular pegasus was being escorted by peackeepers fully shackled in the event of escape carrying out his final walk to the gallows. The execution of all pegausus was a swift and brutal hanging with shackled wings a delightful irony many found as they always tried to fly away but to no avail. He made his final trip down the long dank hallway living his last moments thinking fully of how he ended up in all of this accused of crimes he did not commit.
The massive wooden doors at the end of the hallway opened revealing the gallows upon which the pony would hang. He made his way inside slowly looking once at the wooden contraption and then down again as slight drops of water patted his head almost like the gods themselves were mocking him as if he were a child. He walked slowly up the steps only to be stopped as the guards left the room leaving him in complete darkness as the doors swayed backwards locking in place preventing no escape. The pony looked around for any sign of life but was not granted any until a voice called out from within the room.
“Enjoying our day are we?” the pegasus pony looked around for any sign of the voices whereabouts but to no success. “Oh come now me and you have much to discuss.” as an old pony walked from one of the corners revealing himself.
“Wait a minute I know you old pony, you’re the one who I saw when I was being brought in, you were the one who ordered this execution!.” the pegasus snarled at Lavaliere.
“The names Lavaliere and please no need to place the blame we all knew you did it, you just needed a little push out of the door former peacekeeper turned bounty hunter.” Lavaliere smiled at the next remark he was to play on this one innocent pegasus.
“Oh yeah and what am I accused of exactly, you have nothing on me.” he said shackling his chains trying to break free.
“Really how about your supposed aiding of conspirators or the late death of Lord Thunder Prism from New Saddle burnt alive within the grand clock tower and that is not including your desertion. I can assure you tampering evidence is quite easy for a pony like me.” Lavaliere tossed the scroll beneath the pegasus’s feet assuring him that he was not lying. The news of the murder as well as fake signed confessions of his signature admitting it all lay out before him.
The pegasus pony looked mildly shocked at what he saw everything needed to place the blame on him was all there nothing he would say would save him, his life was in this old ponies hoove “What do you want Lavaliere as you can see I have a date with the gallows all cause of you, come to laugh are we.” he said not interested in anymore what the old unicorn had to say.
“Oh I can assure you Ace Fritter, is that your name or should I call you by your nickname Swift Devil. I must say faking your death as a peacekeeper and becoming a pony for hire is interesting to say the least. But what if I told you, you could stop all this nonsense by doing a little job for me one more hunt and you are a free pony.”
Swift's eye's opened slowly as he fully looked at Lavaliere and the gallows again before talking again. “What sort of job old pony?” Swifts took a sigh at the thought of once again doing jobs for the high and mighty even though they paid well.
Lavalieres horn glowed unshackling the pony as he began walking up to him. He then raised his hoove on the unicorn and teleported back up to Stalliongrad castle deep in the underground labyrinths that stretched all underneath the castle. The area had no walls endless in all decorations with massive columns that held Stalliongrad castle up on all fours; lanterns decorated the endless void in all directions with a simple wooden table which laid countless objects waiting to be picked at in the center. Both ponies now appeared suddenly out of thin air beside the old creaky table as Lavaliere walked over fully leaving Swift right where he was standing.
“As I said Swift I have a problem.” Lavaliere began talking plainly towards the pegasus.
“I do not do those sort of jobs anymore and you know that Lavaliere.” Swift grunted towards the old unicorn.
Lavaliere snarled as he turned back facing Swift “Oh you WILL or else it will be a swift trip back to the gallows for you, death is a fickle thing for one of your skills, I need a pony who can locate and find two particular ponies. A simple task overall.”
“Really as you might have known my job is to sort problems, just give a name.” Swift now seeming eager to be set free, either to go on the run again or fulfil those mad ponies wish was two thoughts running in his mind.
Lavaliere walked over towards Swift showing straight from his front hoof a green gem, as he touched it a picture appeared straight from Lavalieres hoof illuminating a green aura all around the area.
“These are the ponies I need brought in, for what reason you do not need to know but more importantly the two unicorns must be brought in alive.” Lavaliere explained as he was interrupted.
“And what of the earth pony?” Swift asked looking towards Lavaliere.
“Preferably what he has learned from those two should not be held in public knowledge, how you get rid of him is of no concern just make sure he will not be coming back anytime soon.” Lavaliere said putting away the gem and tossing towards Swift as a reminder of who he was hunting.
“Fine just point me towards the nearest exit and let me on my way.” Swift said adamant to leave thinking possibly of not returning or doing the job assigned.
“Oh but wait, a common pegasus against two unicorns, especially two special ones at best does seem a bit suicidal.” Lavaliere said stopping Swift before he started to take flight. “Take these with you, I think you would remember them your old gear.”
Swift walked over amazed at how all his equipment was not destroyed he began sorting out though it all. He picked up his sword, cloak, smoke bombs and other assortments he used in capturing stragglers he used to pick up back in Canterlot.
Swift began dressing himself appropriately until he saw a gauntlet left on the table.
“What this then it is not mine.” Swift looked remembering if he ever owned such a piece.
“This is a little gift of me to you, as you may know pegasus cannot use magic but with this you will be granted some minor magic at best but one particular spell you will enjoy.” Lavaliere smiled at the possibilities this would bring.
“Really like what kind, magic is really not my thing old pony, stopping it or cancelling it out with nullifying rings is one thing but how is this gauntlet gonna do that.” Swift raised an eyebrow looking at the piece of armour as he began putting it on.
“It is a special piece of advanced form of the equipment used to stop unicorn magic as well as my own personal touches. Your a hunter and at best you need allies to help you hunt, with this timberwolves will obey you on the simple act of a whistle, just raise your hoove and they will follow you. Should make hunting out in the wild that much easier would not you say?” Lavaliere said proudly at this admiring his own devious mind, he had always found timberwolves an elegant creature but also a dangerous one at best.
“You never cease to amaze me you know that, now this should make it easier, should not be long.” Swift said now fully outfitted ready to start searching for Twilight and Speed.
“Ahem just one little thing must be done before we part ways.” Lavaliere walked over placing his hoove yet again on Swift as they were teleported yet again outside the main entrance to Stalliongrad near the Grand Imperial Bridge into the city. Passers-by ignored them seeing this as Imperial Business that they did not want to interrupt.
“Finally sunlight has not seen you in so long.” the pegasus smiled as rays of sunshine beamed down all around him. “Alright Lavaliere I will do it just point the way, but I’m only doing this for my freedom as well as long as the pay is good.”
“Do not worry Swift it will be. My first advice will be to head to Canterlot Castle at most they would have settled there at least for a short while. After which check the main towns along the way, Ponyville would be a perfect place to find that purple unicorn if not Manehattan more than likely hiding in the summer sun celebration being held there.” Lavaliere said giving Swift the final send off.
“Gotcha do not worry they will not be able to hide for long.” Swift said flapping his wings beginning to take flight before being disrupted once more by old unicorn.
“Oh and Swift, it you ever think about backstabbing me or consider the very thought, that gauntlet you wear now will kill you at my command, even so much as take it off will do the same as well. Consider this my insurance on you.” Lavaliere smiled as he teleported away not waiting for a response.
Swift was left alone on the Grand Imperial Bridge contemplating the very implications of what Lavaliere had to say. To save his own life he must capture these two unicorns and fast he looked again at the green gem that was given to him. He thought to himself slowly and said the following words.
“Canterlot, Ponyville and Manehattan, right the hunt is on.” He said taking full flight into the sky over the horizon fully determined that nothing will stop him from being free.
His life depended on it.

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9.Manehattan City of Lights, Parties and Elements of Harmony
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9.Manehattan City of Lights, Parties and Elements of Harmony
Chapter 9 - Manehattan City of Lights, Parties and Elements of Harmony
A bright sun rose over the peaceful landscape of Manehattan a city built on the success of trade with its key location important to all within the Equestrian Empire, a city not as big as Stalliongrad but still held a unique style of living similar to Canterlot. Many believed during the great uprising over the old monarchy that Manehattan would rebel or at least support its current hierarchy. The overall result was a silent dismissal at the end of Celestia's Rule by the Lord Mayor of the town Lord Ironhoof. The aftermath was a silent change of loyalties conforming Manehattan into the Empire. The city was founded on peaceful tendencies and as such it would remain for ages past. Even to this day traditions and monuments held by the city are still held regardless of the monarchy or the imperial rule being held there and as such the city now prepares openly to celebrate the summer sun celebrations in honor of another year of a successful grand harvest honoring everyponies work in the field. In truth only few remember the true meaning of the summer celebrations originally supposed to be in honor of the Princess Celestia raising and lowering it for all to enjoy but after each year less remember its meaning, replacing it with its new false tradition.
A bright light suddenly appeared within the old darkened monastery just outside the outskirts of the city revealing three ponies all set upon visiting as did many others that fateful day. All three began brushing themselves off as the yellow unicorn with the fiery red mane began speaking to the other two.
“Well it seems like we made it…somewhere at least let’s hope this ruin of a place is somewhere near Manehattan.” Speed said confident that Twilight brought them to the right place.
Speed began making her way out towards the only source of light within the pitch black room slowly walking over to the light seeping through the cracks of the two rusted bronze doors that stood before her. With a flick of her horn the doors creaked open slowly letting sunlight fully enter the old monastery around them revealing cobwebs, dusty floors and in the back two ponies covering their eyes from the sudden entry of light suddenly stinging their eyes.
Steel rubbed his eyes trying to at least focus on pinpointing exactly where Speed was before beginning to speak “Woah easy on the light show some of us have bein up all night.”
“Yeah Speed I like the sun as much as any pony but not that much at once.” Twilight said agreeing with the chestnut earth pony.
Speed seemed to ignore both of them arguing all of a sudden as she took in the landscape that was shown all around her, the sound of the trees swaying in the wind along with the birds chirping preparing for the remainder of the summer for the inevitable winter months coming soon, to her it seemed Equestria had not changed one bit since she last saw it in full bloom. She began stepping out into the sunlight now fully taking in the atmosphere as she saw that she was at least someplace peaceful even if it was an old graveyard of sorts.
It seemed mesmerizing all of a sudden as Speed looked around fully seeing tombstones in all directions as they were smack bang in the middle of it all. The forest surrounded the old monastery luckily hiding their presence for the time being. She tried to find at least some sort of direction that would lead to an exit until Speed saw a gap in the trees a sight of massive city off in the distance with smoke slowly seeping from multiple houses deep in the city streets. At last civilization was founded for the time being. The yellow unicorn ran back inside to begin converging with Twilight and Steel.
“Good news, first of all it looks like where in a graveyard.” Speed said excited about telling them.
Both Twilight and Steel looked at one another slightly confused over this new found fact.
“Surely graveyards are not places to be happy about anything else?.” Steel asked confused over all of this.
Speed thought about what she just said and realized about the mix up, she smirked at the thought of it and began correcting herself. “Right sorry, where in a graveyard but the good news is that it looks like we are at the right place, this must be the old Manehattan graveyard.”
Twilight and Steel where delighted as they left the old monastery now taking in what Speed had found, good news at last had come to all three they made it to Manehattan.
All three looked around the graveyard taking fully in what had to be given; the overall result Twilight saw was sorrow. Names of ponies long forgotten lay out in all directions many of which neither Twilight knew or even heard of. Speed began leading the way towards the exit with Steel following in close pursuit.
Twilight gathered her thoughts as she started putting one hoof in front of the other heading in the same direction as Speed. The cobbled stones beneath their hooves where old and worn similar to the ones that Twilight felt back in the Everfree forest with Lighting, she looked at some of the graves as she started to pick up the pace wanting to leave at once fearing that the names of her friends laid on one of these endless slabs of rock her pace turned from walking to a near enough gallop catching up to Speed who was quickly approaching the exit until the yellow unicorn suddenly stopped in front of one particular tombstone. Twilight slowed down now next to the Speed as she finally saw what had to be revealed, her throat becoming dry as she did not want to see its contents whether it be friend or foe.
Speed raised her front hoof moving aside the moss that covered the tombstone and read out loud at what it contained revealing it to all. “Lunamoon…where does that name sound familiar. If I remember right, Twilight and Lunamoon are two words that click but where?” the yellow unicorn looked up at Twilight waiting for a response the only look she received was a look of sorrow and pain.
Twilight broke her silence before talking out loud “Trixie Lunamoon, a performer who came to Ponyville, I was partially responsible for what happened to her, she did return shortly after but that is for another time, Speed is the first name Trixie by any chance?” Twilight walked to the other side of Speed now fully seeing for herself. The first name was different from what Twilight had expected taking a look herself before briefly walking away towards the exit.
Speed looked back at Twilight and then at the tombstone reading the first name out loud Here lies the performer Nixie Lunamoon, a pony who wished nothing better than performing for one and all. Will be missed by friends and loved ones especially her sons and daughters wherever they maybe.
Twilight made her way to the exit thinking about what she had just saw and wondered what Trixie got up to in her absence, her only thoughts that went to her was the joy of settling down with a family whether this pony was Trixie’s daughter or at least her granddaughter was for another time, still she moved on peacefully it seemed. Speed and Steel caught up to Twilight not wanting to interrupt her encase if the past brought up any unpleasant memories being in this assortment of past ponies, all three were now on the verge of leaving the monastery onto the dirt road that lead out of the small forest.
The tall trees blanketed the summer sky only letting the smallest of light through its dense foliage. It was eerily quiet due to all three not talking about what occurred. Steel decided to break the silence approaching Twilight concerned about what she had seen ever since the time in Canterlot the past had brought up unpleasant feelings inside of her.
“Say Twi, that Nixie Lunamoon, you ever knew her seemed like some sort of important pony to you?.” Steel making idle talk to pass the time trying to get Twilight to at least open up.
The overall response was silence as Twilight began thinking on what to say it all seemed pointless in comparison but to her it was important as she begun to speak. “No Steel I never knew Nixie but to me she was a relative to Trixie Lunamoon a pony I used to know, think about it Steel, ponies you used to know carrying on their lives, living peacefully and yet you are suddenly separated from them forced to live in the still in the shadows as everypony you knew progressed onward as you just stood there stuck in time for three hundred years as they went on with their lives, tell me Steel have you lived that I do not think any of you have ?” Twilight sounded desperate for answers as every word seemed harder to say as she confessed her undying heart to the simple earth pony.
Steel backed away confused but slightly understanding what she had to say not wanting to reveal his back story to anypony except Speed who already knew, the thought of just being separated from everypony around you separated and not missed watching as they progressed onwards not acknowledging you in the slightest seemed a faith worst then death. Speed overheard everything what Twilight had to say and stopped as she two remembered what it was like being torn from your life all because of royal business but to Speed it all seemed as similar as she spoke towards the other two.
“Woah wait for a second Twilight, do not think for a second choices like these come by without any reason or without consequence.” The yellow unicorn said feeling suddenly wanting to help bear the burden to Twilights response.
The purple unicorn turned around brashly nearly in tears as she began speaking back to the defiant unicorn “And how would you know the feeling of being torn away from your very lifestyle, being separated from your friends and loved ones?”
Speed was taken in by all of this as she now listened fully to what Twilight had to say, she finally began to talk back not wanting to reveal her own personal heartache as well “I understand what is happening to you more then you know. You of all ponies where unfortunately torn away from your life we all know, I choose it to be taken away for the greater good. The secrets I had to keep from loved ones especially accomplishes, please Twilight do not think for a second you are alone in any of this.” The yellow unicorn seemed calm but still felt bitter over the memories of her family now up and gone.
Twilight was shocked on what the yellow unicorn had to say,  she wanted to at least say something but nothing came up to her, she remained silent and carried on along the dirt road towards Manehattan. Steel looked on towards Speed knowing full well each pony had literally left behind their old life for nothing of any worth. He looked as the yellow unicorn passed him by now fully taking in the new found truth about her past life, a pony who gave away everything in the namesake of an old forgotten monarchy hoping to possibly save the world even if the odds were heavily stacked against him. Speed brushed it all off slightly ashamed at her sudden outburst as she considered joined with Twilight to put matters straight.
Speed finally caught up to Twilight feeling slightly embarrassed about what was exchanged as she finally gathered the courage to speak to her “Look Twilight, I’m sorry it was not in my right to argue back there.” As Speed began speaking Twilights pace started going from fast to slow as she wanted to hear what the young unicorn had to say “In truth I never wanted to become Celestia’s personnel student the only reason I ever did it was to be able to learn the same way you did, everypony talked about how strong and confident you where, I just hoped I could be like that, even in the toughest moments I would think of what would Twilight do and yet it seemed you would give me the right choice even if it was the hardest of the two.”
Twilight seemed suddenly caught up in what this sudden admirer had to say sudden feelings of rage and sorrow over her constant loss was replaced by something she had not felt in a long time a feeling of pride or at least commitment that her studies had at least reached somepony even in a world gone crazy and that was worth fighting for.
“Why are you telling me this? “Twilight began to speak right after being interrupted again by Speed.
“I do not know it kind of feels like the right time to have it all open, in times like these you got to fight for your friendship, I learned that from you.” Twilight thought on what Speed had to say looking back at the common earth pony before thinking on what had to be said next “Even look at Steel I can guarantee Twilight he is more complicated then he looks even though he can seem carefree at times he knows full well the loss of his family, he has fought against everything and is still standing strong.” Speed finished talking as she went up ahead past Twilight now exiting the small forest.
The forest went silent again as Twilight began reflecting on what she had just learned and saw how much hope she must have placed in the other two. Speed always looked up to her as she never met her once seeming to be fully committed to seeing all of this through, Steel on the other hand saw something in Twilight for which she did not know but was certain for whatever reason it was for the greater good, she took solace in this knowing full well friends where around her new ones that would stick by her and support her no matter what in the coming days or months. She waited for Steel to catch up her now looking positive once again forgetting her past troubles as they made their way over the last hill leaving the forest into the clear lush green lands.
Speed was galloping up ahead as excited as ever to see the city that lay over the landscape clearer then she last saw it beside the old monastery. She let out a brief gasp as she saw something to be held in shier magnificence as she said out loud to the other two.
“Manehattan we finally made it.” Speed said looking proudly at their imminent destination looking back as the other two had finally made it. Both Twilight and Steel looked at the city with its massive river separating the city in two, they had at last found a place to rest and find the next element of harmony.
The road was short to the front city gates as they descended down from the forest heading towards the city, off in the distance dozens of ponies where coming to and from the city gates most likely preparing for an upcoming event as such. Manehattan had always been a city on the far edge of the Empire and as such had ways of governing itself separately without worrying about any protest from the capital, the city had always thrived on business and the Empire was happy with those allowing small imports from other kingdoms and cities. The thick stone walls that surrounded the city encircled both sides of the river it was built to withstand any attack from the land sea or even air in the event the griffin Empire chose to attack in the old days, if an attack happened suddenly Manehattan would be left to defend until Canterlot or Stalliongrad came to aid. In the history of the city if had never fallen to any foreign rule.
The three ponies had now left the small dirt road that led to the old monastery and proceeded towards cobbled stone roads that went straight to the city and off into the rest to Equestria. Carriages, hoof-drawn carts proceeded directly passed them in a hurry eager to setup before the night for it seemed an event was drawing near.
Twilight looked as each passer dashed by slightly eager to know what was going on “What is all the rush it seems everypony wants to get into the city quickly.”
Steel began to think on what Twilight had to say getting closer and closer to the city gates “Oh yeah it is that time of the year again the summer sun celebration, the city is going to be full of ponies should be fun was looking forward to some rest though.”
“I think Steel is right Twilight, I’m basically exhausted from the trip back and forth from Canterlot, Spark Chaser can wait she is not going anywhere.” Speed started yawning realizing all of a sudden how exhausted she was from not resting once since she was freed from stone.
Twilight responded with a similar fashion to Speed all three needed to rest once they made their way into the city, they proceeded past the massive black wooden iron doors each embedded the princess of the day and night still after all these years they finally made their way into the city and saw nothing but overcrowded ponies. Houses stretched on in endless directions many had their windows open shining yellow sun banners bearing Celestia’s mark, warehouses where open selling their goods for any hungry pony. The three slowly made their way to the town center along the way stages were setup and small time performers already entertaining passers-by, music littered the streets as violins; guitars and music brightened the hearts of any who crossed them. After carefully navigating through a sea of brightly coloured Pegasus, unicorns and other common ponies they finally made their way to the closest tavern seeing it slowly filling with cider thirsty townsfolk. Steel made his way inside allowing the other two to wait in the crowded street. After a brief wait outside the earth pony returned brandishing a smile as in his right hoof was the key to a room for the night.
“First let’s just say one thing guys; you do not want to know what I paid to get this.” Steel said dangling the key in front of them.
“I will not complain waiting three hundred years for a feather bed cannot wait.” Speed said rubbing her eyes walking into the tavern alongside Steel.
“You and me both” Twilight said to herself making her way inside to the upstairs room eager to rest for at least till nightfall.
All three finally get some rest upstairs in one of the rented rooms. Tonight the city would be alight with fire, dancing and cheap exquisite cider running through the streets.
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“Brother do I really have to do it?, on all nights such as this the summer sun celebrations” the white Pegasus begun speaking “Guard duty of all sorts I have only being here like a few months and already I’m exhausted from all this training.” Spark protested to her brother wanting to at least have time to herself even if the city was overcrowded.
Fleetforth her brother was captain of the city guard preparing himself for the events that would transpire tonight, one of the busiest times in the city alone.  He walked over to his personal quarters while Spark was protesting as he began preparing to don his chest plate armour as well as ready his sword, his job tonight was providing security for the elite of Manehattan.
“I really do not see the problem here sis I have made sure that you only have to do your guard shifts near the celebrations so even if you are on work you can still see the shows, do you know how many of the other guards would kill for that kind of treatment and on top of that all the guards shifts get swapped later in the night, giving you time to enjoy the rest of the party.” Fleetforth said fixing his collar making sure it was just level, dressing the part was important he saw letting all know of his role and position.
“I know bro.” Spark said looking at her uniform as it was folded on the bed carefully laid out before her “I’m really grateful for what you have done to me in these past few months, taking me in and sorting out any quarrels between mother and farther, I’m still receiving letters telling me to thank you for offering to take me in.” she said fixing her white mane and wings getting ready to get dressed.
“You know I would do anything for you sis, when I heard what happened to you back in Cloudsdale what you did to that instructor, I’m just glad you did not get kicked out of Academy or worse.” Fleetforth chuckled as he began to do the finishing touches on his uniform sheeting his sword.
She listened carefully what her brother had to say remembering what happened that day as she stepped in defending an unarmed student from the violent fencing instructor a secret she never told Fleetforth “Yeah bro cause of you I’m still a peacekeeper, what can I say I do not know what came over me.” Spark laughed it away trying to not worry her brother as the white Pegasus was nearly finished being fully dressed and ready to bear this dull guard shift.
As soon as Spark finished speaking she turned around to proceed directly downstairs away from her room towards the front door of their house, it was a simple accommodation at best placed within the middle class society of Manehattan. Spark felt more of a guest staying with Fleetforth since it was his house partially given to him by the Lord of the city for years of loyal service along with his promotion. She waited downstairs for her brother to get ready eager to go out and see the glistening lights and fireworks right down in the town center rather than seeing them through a plain glass window. Spark looked out at the window as the sun was starting to set over the city painting the landscape a warm orange glow, it was a sign that her shift was nearly starting.
After a short time Fleetforth made his way downstairs fully dressed in the same armour as Spark but his one was lined with a red and gold insignia on his chestplate along with a fancier helmed hoplite helmet being worn. The plume on top of the helmet was a bright red displaying his rank while Spark’s only had a calm blue more simple.
“As usual bro, you always take your role seriously.” Spark said sarcastically.
Fleet raised an eyebrow looking slightly annoyed towards her sister’s comment “Hah its good having you here sis.” He laughed with Spark joining in soon after. “Now if we do not leave soon we are both gonna be late.”
As they both left the house Spark took a breath of fresh air as she looked down into the city from the middle district towards the market section of the town, dozens of ponies walking back and forth, some observing the spectacles as each one more amazing then the next. She was interrupted as her brother crept on her tapping her on the shoulder.
“It is alright sis and do not worry I have stationed you as close to the spectacle as you can get just remember to pay attention to your work and it will be over in no time you will have the rest of the party to yourself.” Fleet said confidentially to his little sister trying to at least cheer her up.
Spark did not look at her brother seeming to be more fixed on the performances down in the center of the city she always saw herself never suited for a militaristic lifestyle and always preferred the peaceful life in Cloudsdale, unfortunately that was not possible for her.
She took a deep breath before looking back towards her brother “Well I’m off I guess, you have fun by the way guarding all the elite ponies of Manehattan.” Spark said trying to stay positive.
“Actually you are gonna have more fun than I ever will, those posh ponies do not know the meaning of fun, you go and enjoy yourself Spark.” Fleet said giving a wave as he made his way to the upper district.
Spark could only wave as she took to the sky showing off her glossy white wings “I will brother for both of us.” She muttered taking to the sky over the festivities.
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Night had finally reached the city as Twilight was slowly awaken from her slumber with a loud bang outside the darkened room above the tavern where they slept, the room came alive with colours of red green and blue, fireworks launched themselves all over the city. She squinted her eyes covering them from the light spectacle that at random times lit the room constantly.
Twilight slowly made her way out of bed leaving its comforting warmth as she slowly preceded towards the only source of light the two windows that saw down into the city streets opening them to observe the scenery some more.
The second she opened the plain glass windows the entire noise of the city streets leapt into the room awaking both Speed and Steel from their slumber. Both looked at Twilight standing next to the window out into the city streets possibly looking out at the passers-by or a performance down in the town center. Speed climbed out of bed making her way towards the bathroom to fix up her red mane as it was all messy and let down. Steel just yawned as he made his way towards Twilight all three leaving the beds unmade.
Steel rubbed his eyes as he begun to speak his mane still untidy as usual “Well that was the best night’s sleep I have had in a long time.”
Twilight no longer looked down at the city full of lights speaking back to Steel “I think it is time we start getting out there looking for Spark.” After saying she closed the window letting silence once again surround the room.
Speed came back into the room fully cleaned and tidied up from her sleep, her mane properly let down and her coat brushed clean “I agree Twilight the sooner we find Spark the quicker we can make our way to the next town, should not stay in one place for too long.”
All three agreed, each preparing to gather their belongings Steel locked the door behind them making their way down the spiral staircase down into the tavern. The entire bottom floor was full of ponies of all kinds straight from Ponyville, Trottingham and some from Glascow. Twilight and the others made their way past the entire crowds and wooden tables filled with large wooden tankards of ale, cider and other alcoholic drinks. Each had little room to breathe or even personal space until they made their way outside into the dark festival lit streets.
All three looked around as the city had changed drastically since they last left it when they first entered the tavern earlier that day, the stalls where all filled with barrels of cider from all corners of Equestria each wanting their customers to try some. Food was not an uncommon sight as apple treats and cake stalls every ten feet offering something different over their competitor. Peacekeepers still walked the streets making their presence known still brandishing the old armour of Celestia’s reign with a different insignia showing allegiance. All three became clueless on a place to start looking, they stood their thinking until a giant smoke and firework display shot out within the town center, Twilight and Speed looked at each other agreeing at least that was a venue to at least check out.
After navigating through crowds on the busy streets they finally got to see what the commotion was all about a massive round stage decorated the entire center all being covering with bright vibrant colours all among the entire wooden framework, to the unexpected pony it looked very much like a carousel from a distance surrounded entirely by ponies. Twilight and the others watched from a distance as it seemed a show was about to begin. The entire town center went dark all of a sudden making everypony fall silent, the sudden darkness began causing a commotion as all of a sudden everypony was caught off guard as a loud bang with a volley of fireworks fired illuminating the sky as all the lights suddenly became bright once again.
A loud commanding voice echoed in all directions coming from the carousel “Welcome citizens of Manehattan and all across the Empire” a voice that sounded almost familiar as Twilight began to take more notice keeping her eye fixed on the stage.
Steel left to find one of the many stalls to at least gather drinks for the long night ahead leaving Twilight and Speed to watch the spectacle that unfolded. The voice became louder suddenly as the talking continued “watch and be amazed as we all three of us perform acts of death defying feats before you tonight” it seemed almost as if it was leading up to an amazing entrance “I give you the Great and Power Trixies.” The second those words where said another dash of fireworks leapt forward into the night sky showing the outline of three ponies two unicorns and one Pegasus.
Twilight became suddenly amazed and perplexed by what she just heard The Great and Powerful Trixie’s “Wow even three hundred years in the future and she still finds a way to constantly come back again into my life.” She muttered to herself.
The three blue ponies made their way on stage in full view each dressed with a cape and pointed hat. Each was based off Trixie’s clothes but with slight colour and design, the blue Pegasus wore cape decorated with stars with the two unicorns showing off the sun and the moon. All three looked confident in front of their cheering crowds almost boasting just like the original Trixie did as the show finally started.
The two unicorns walked to the front of the stage ready to speak to the masses “For our first trick our adoring Pegasus sister will take to the skies above you lovely townsfolk, but not before being launched with a massive volley of fireworks around her, she will then take flight risking her own life for you all.”
The blue Pegasus stepped forward taking off her cape as she prepared for the event standing next to a few dozen fireworks being set alight by magic all pointed towards her, she stood confident looking at her own demise.
“You ready sister.” said one of the unicorns lighting final firework with her horn.
Her response was a silent nod as her wings took full form getting ready to fly. The crowd fell silent as the sound of the fizzing from the light found its way to the fireworks setting them all off. The Pegasus responded by taking to the sky as the fireworks began chasing her seeming to be guided by magic, the second blue unicorn seemed to be the one in control of the entire spectacle instantly detonating one of the larger fireworks letting all know that they were in fact really. The Pegasus dashed and dived past the hail of flying death almost taunting them in some spectacle. As she flew over the hundreds of ponies the screaming wail of the event was heard by all, some ponies covering their ears over all the noise. Finally the Pegasus met up above the carousel flying still with her upper front hooves up in the air letting the fireworks hit her in all directions exploding all at once in a bright light leaving no room for escape. The explosion blinded everyone who gazed at it. After the noise died down the blue Pegasus was nowhere to be seen, it all seemed like she did not make the escape in time the crowd was still silent guessing what would happen next. It was not too soon as the Pegasus appeared again flying over the crowds circling them in a victorious pose, the entire street lit up with cheers and applause at the entertainment before them as the Pegasus landed back to earth standing beside her two sisters taking a bow to the entire crowd.
Twilights and Speeds mouths dropped at the entire event before them, the real Trixie could never pull off magic tricks on this caliber nor afford this many pyrotechnics. Steel returned with three tankards of cider one for him and two for the others, each took a drink before talking about what they just saw.
“That was awesome.” Speed said her eyes fixed on the blue Pegasus “Tricks like that do not happen overnight.”
“You can say that, magic like that is very rare even in Equestria controlling magic with teleportation and concealing it from other ponies not easy especially in front of an entire crowd.” Twilight knew the magic’s tricks but admired the technicality of it while taking a swig from her drink.
The performance continued for quite some time into the night tricks, impersonations and assistants from the crowd, each act after the other held the crowd in awe even if some were partially drunk anyway. As the event was wrapping once and for all, the blue ponies made their way onstage for the final send off.
Each took a bow before speaking to the crowd one last time “Thank you citizens of Equestria for being such a great audience, this is the final send off for us but be assured you will see us again next year.”
They all looked at one another with the Pegasus pony standing between them, with a silent nod all three had vanished a second after they left a last spectacle of fireworks launched into the sky. After the fireworks stopped a hail of cheers and cries where heard all across the town center, the crowd loved them and wanted that to be known all across the city.
Steel took a swig of cider before speaking out loud to himself “Bah magic does not seem so hard.” He took another sip of cider before looking around at the faces of Speed and Twilight each looking slightly annoyed with his empty statement.
“Oh right sorry… ehh the show was pretty good though.” The earth pony looked slightly embarrassed trying to change the subject slightly.
They all looked around as the crowds of gathering ponies started to disperse slowly as if to get another drink or to find a different venue of interest it seemed like another one show here was not to be started for some time. They left their drinks and starting walking at a steady pace.
“Well Spark is not here anyway, let’s just hurry on to the next venue and start looking.” Speed ushered the others to at least get a move on even if finding Spark seemed slim.
All three followed the crowds to wherever they were going in this maze of a city, as they all walked no pony could see in front of them. Twilight began looking up into the night sky all decorated with stars each one lighting the way, within the city sky lanterns each decorated with the mark of Celestia’s Sun rose intot he night sky and off towards over the horizon. If not for a moment Twilight could have sworn she was still back in her Equestria enjoying this with her other five friends. She continued walking in a daze next to Speed who saw that Twilight was busy thinking in quite solace; she did not want to disturb her fearing another incident repeating again like the one back in the monastery. A few minutes later they arrived at their destination in the city which seemed to be the center of the entertainment district full of tables and barrels of cider.
The center of the entertainment area looked to be more of a distillery then a venue tables laid out in continuous rows some filled will ponies laughing dancing and singing not giving a care in the world only the tables in the far reaches were left empty. Steel looked around noticing that many of the ponies here were off duty peacekeepers finished from their shifts earlier in the day.
“Twi look at this, peacekeepers an by the looks of it a few dozen it seems, if Spark is anywhere she sure damn hell is here holed up at one of these tables.” Steel waved his hoof all across the area illustrating his point.
Speed took a look at her pack and took out the page that contained Sparks name on it and began studying it over some more, the only thing she could get out of it was basically just that she was a peacekeeper Pegasus stationed here. It all seemed to mention no notice of look or let alone mane colour to single her out from the few dozen Pegasus guards stationed there off duty. She folded the page putting it back in her bag before speaking.
“No matter what we have to find her, spread out we need to get some sort of mention of her here, start asking if need be.” Speed said sounding adamant to not fail over something as simple as this.
All three agreed searching this massive venue for any mention of Spark, Twilight began checking over at where the barrels where all stacked asking at all mentioning to the ponies there that she was at least a friend of Spark, Speed searched at the endless row of tables walking around the peacekeepers keeping her ear open for any mention of the Pegasus’s name. Steel checked with the venue owners for any such information relating to new peacekeepers in town lying about one of them would be her cousin as such. The search took to at least an hour each returning empty hoofed with looks of disappointment, Spark was not here. All three gathered to an empty table to at least rest and consider their next set of options of finding one pony among hundreds of peacekeepers. Steel was parched from speaking to random ponies after another as he went to fetch more cider for himself and the two unicorns, the night was just over half done at this rate.
Steel returned shortly after with three more drinks of cider,he sat down and quietly started drinking away thinking on what to do. Out of nowhere bells rang out all among the city endlessly ringing alerting everypony in the city about an upcoming event. Twilight looked around seeing the small ensuing chaos that was about to happen, the guards sitting down sprung back to action instantly knocking over there tankards of cider and ale equipping themselves ready for an imminent event incoming. They all donned their helmets charging away from the venue into the city. Speed and Twilight looked around startled by what was happening; all the ponies around them seemed to be oblivious to what was happening not batting an eye.
“What is going on Steel, has something wrong happened?” Twilight asked confused over what happened so fast.
Speed asked as well nearly knocking over her drink “We should get out of here something sounds wrong.”
Steel sat silent at the table drinking away, he set it down after sometime before speaking “Easy there ladies, it is nothing to be afraid of, it’ just Manehattan’s way of telling the guard shifts are changing all across the city.” He said calmly resting both Speed and Twilights nerves.
Both sat down slightly embarrassed with their sudden conclusion of any imaginary danger. All of a sudden a few dozen guards entered the venue all thirsty from their recent shift. All sat down where the guards were originally left being replaced tired ponies. They all called over one of the maids around the area ushering them to fetch cider and food for all, laughing now eager to enjoy the rest of the night. Twilight and the others sat their silently eager to listen for any mention of Spark. After the guards begun to have more drinks then they could handle a small argument broke out between a Pegasus and two other guards, attention was drawn all around the area towards this both ponies now shouting in disagreement.
“I’m sick and tired, Spark all the special treatment you have received you know as well as everypony that we were meant to have your shift tonight, we for one are sick and tired how your brother treats a reckless pony such as you.” The guard pony said holding his drink pointing his hoof straight at the white Pegasus.
Twilight and the others slowly made their way towards this interested in what they had learned overhearing the earth pony shouting. His friends began joining in slandering the Pegasus and her brother.
“You have been nothing but a pain to us ever since you came here months ago; we are all tired how your bastard brother treats a drop out such as you.” The orange unicorn interrupted his friend venting his opinions towards Spark and her brother.
The white Pegasus took a silent sip of her drink ignoring both ponies hazing her after her shift ended. She finished drinking stood up slowly from the table. Everypony looked at how she was going to handle these two peacekeepers as she walked over and stood before the orange unicorn sitting down. All of a sudden she quickly punched the off duty guard causing the table and its contents to spill over the floor. The unicorn quickly got up lunging towards Spark both being held back by the other peacekeepers.
Both wanted to duke it out in front of everyone both exchanging words as they seemed to calm down before being let go walking away.
“No one talks like that about my brother, especially some low grade guard such as you.” Spark said her teeth gritting at the unicorn guard.
“Your brother’s days of making you his favourite pet will be over soon mark my words.” His final remarks rung in Sparks’s ears as the rest of the guards around them left leaving Spark all alone without any other ponies to talk too. She silently lowered her head letting out a sigh as she walked down to grab one of the drinks from an empty table and sat down. The crowds no longer watched as they all dispersed away from them not wanting to be involved anymore as one of the maids begun cleaning up the mess that Spark caused on impulse.
Speed looked at Twilight and Steel remarking on what happened whispering that the white Pegasus was the pony they were looking for. “That is her right over there what should we do, go over and talk to her?”
“We should she seems upset at least, plus she is alone I’m going over.” Twilight grabbed her drinking walking over towards the lone white Pegasus. Steel and Speed soon followed after her. As they reached the empty table they could see clearly the lonely white pony sitting still her head lowered facing her drink with her helmet set beside her, at most she seemed like the loneliest pony at the festival.
Twilight gathered up the courage to speak to Spark “Um.. Excuse me your names Spark are you not?” she asked carefully not wanting to cause another incident like earlier.
The white Pegasus was still looking down towards her drink not acknowledging Twilight in the slightest, she sniffled before speaking finally “Whatever the cost I did I will pay for the drinks okay, leave me be.” She spoke in a low depressed tone.
Twilight quickly corrected herself before speaking again “Oh I’m not here for that I’m just wondering if you are okay, it is not every day a pony gets in a fight like that especially when outnumbered.”
Speed and Steel made their way over towards Twilight all sitting down beside the lone pony at least trying to keep her company.
Spark looked up at the three that had joined her looking at the two unicorns and the one earth pony “Ehh what are you guys doing, it is not usual to sit at a table with a peacekeeper you fellas usually hate us or stay out of our way.”
All three where stuck on what to say to the questionable Pegasus, they all wanted to say something like you are the element of harmony leave this town and join us, but that would at most seem comical or worse scare away Spark. Silence struck the table before Steel came to the rescue.
“Well truth be told, all three of us are outta town, I come from Ponyville and both of them are from Trottingham and Glascow.” Steel continued before being interrupted.
“And that has something importance because?” Spark said not caring what they had to say.
Speed and Twilight where getting nervous on where this was heading, starting a conversation with lies usually ended badly. Steel continued hoping something good would come out of all of this.
“Well on the way in that orange unicorn heckled my two new friends here, nearly wanted to knock him six ways to Canterlot. Glad to see he got what came to him taught I would buy that pony a drink at least. Plus it is a party we are all strangers here so I say let’s drink till that is any different.” Steels lie seemed convincing if a little stupid.
Spark looked interested all of a sudden being a show off was her thing and ponies telling her about it seemed to be a positive mood swing for her.
“Alright Ponyville fella, you got yourself a deal.” The white Pegasus ushered one of the maids over for four more giant tankards of ale “Oh and I want the special one for the guards get none of this swill.” Spark at least seemed to cheer up now wanting to enjoy the festivities.
“Since we are all randomer’s here let’s start with names since you seem to know mine.” Spark said looking at all three.
“Well that is Speed Reader; our talkative earth pony friend here is Steel Steedly and finally I’m Purple Prancer.” Twilight talked still giving her fake name for her own safety. Speed looked slightly confused by Twilights new name but brushed it off as nothing strange.
After some small talk the drinks arrived, much different from the ones the citizens of Manehattan get, these drinks where much taller and in a wider tankard with different cider that tasted more smooth if not more rich then the usually ones they tasted tonight. Each said cheers clanking their drinks together before taking a big mouthful of this new cider, it was indeed stronger as it seemed to warm them up from the cold night air that surrounded them.
After multiple drinks into the night each pony began to loosen up at least forgetting all troubles that happened earlier that day or in fact the past few weeks. Music was still playing which lightened the hearts of eveypony around them.
“So Spark how long have you bein in Manehattan seems like you have bein here a long time.” Speed said slightly tipsy from the strong cider drinks she was not used too.
“Oh only like a couple of months, I have bein staying with my brother captain of the guard love him I do but honestly I do not know where I would be without him.” Spark laughed it off taking another drink, Twilight could see somewhere in this white Pegasus the feeling of the relationship she shared with her brother back in old Equestria.
“Captain of the Guard, sounds like a good lifestyle Spark I’m jealous.” Steel finished off his forth drink looking at the Pegasus lowering her head at that notion.
“Somethin wrong Spark?, do not mind Steel he likes to kid around.” Twilight leaned in on Spark comforting her at least.
Spark looked down at the reflection of herself from the bottom of her drink before speaking again “You would think that but honestly guys, I hate it here I never wanted to be a peacekeeper and the worst part is I cannot leave without ruining my brothers reputation.”
Silence took the table each not wanting to break it first. Out of nowhere Spark laughed all of a sudden “Hah I’m joking really but first another round to go and make it snappy.” She said to the waitress passing by she smiled but only to hide the truth to the others.
“To go?, heading home it is late we should head back to the tavern anyways.” Speed said preparing herself to leave the table.
Spark interrupted them before speaking cutting into what Speed was saying “Woah you are stayin at the Dashing Prance down at the other end of the city?” she said seeming excited hoping it was.
“Yes it is Spark; we are stayin there for at least a night or two.” Twilight said getting another free drink off the waitress.
Spark smiled at the ideas that went across her head thinking of something else to make the night more awesome “I know the owner we should head there I’m certain he would help accommodate yeah’s easier and he owes me for some favours my brother did for him a while back.”
All four seemed happy with all of this as they took their drinks back to the tavern with them, the streets where less crowded now and more easily walk able back to the tavern from the venue they were at. Throughout the city only some of the performances were still being played and the fireworks stopped as most ponies were heading back to their local taverns or homes. The night was almost over as they finally made it back to the Dashing Prance Tavern. All four walked in seeing the inside still slightly busy still, inside the barkeep was at the back cleaning as he turned around seeing Spark and the others he walked over giving the white Pegasus a hug as he began speaking.
“Spark Chaser what brings a random pony such as you all the way down here to my dingy old place?” The bartender said jokingly as he talked.
“It is nice to see you two barkeep. Listen can you do anything to help me and friends stayin here tonight?” Spark said pointing towards Twilight and the others.
“Of course Spark anything, I remember the times your brother saved my ass plenty of times consider my way of thanking him.” He began walking over behind the bar grabbing a bottle of wine and an extra key to another room.
He began walking over to Spark handing over both of them “Here you go consider it my way of saying thanks and I forgot to welcome you to Manehattan by the way sorry about that.”
“Thanks barkeep you are a good friend.” Spark returning the hug in return as all four made their way upstairs.
The room that was given to them was much bigger then they slept in with the beds being much bigger and seemed more comfortable. Spark ran and jumped on the first one she saw still clenching the bottle of wine she held. They all made their way in with Speed closing the door behind her. Twilight grabbed the bottle and four glasses that laid on the table beside them as she opened the bottle with her magic she poured the contents giving a glass to each. All four once more raised their glasses with Spark toasting them all at once.
“To new found friends my they never end.” Spark raised her glass with everypony standing around her.
They cheered hear hear as they drank to that notion into the night. After sometime the bottle was empty rolling on the floor above it four passed out tired ponies slept on their comfy feather beds. It was Sparks’s first festival in Manehattan and definitely one she would not forget.
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Back at home Fleetforth returned back from his night shift escorting around important dignitaries and other ponies who is cared about money rather than the celebrations down in the city. He sat down exhausted from his ordeal setting aside his gear until there came a knock on the door.  He grunted slightly making his way downstairs answering the door to another fellow peacekeeper.
“What is it soldier, it is bein a long night and sleep is the next thing on my mind.” He said trying to look up to avoid falling asleep from exhaustion.
“Sorry to disturb you sir but there has being a breakin at the docks warehouse. They got away but we did manage to find the pony behind it all, one of the smugglers boats is still docked and we have the pony in custody.” The unicorn peacekeeper said sternly towards his superior.
“Ugh very well lead on I will follow soon after.” He walked over gathering his sword and helmet once again, this night was not yet over.
Fleetforth prepared to make the journey out into the town yet again not knowing what exactly was going to happen or whether Spark was at home sound asleep.
In truth the captain of the city guard’s role was never left unfinished.