A Jester's Hat

Chapter 3

A Meeting

Taz is sleeping, giggling softly as he dreams. He isn't really dreaming. He's having a nightmare. He sees the mare he killed just a few days ago, and she's crying and pleading again. Taz just cuts her down, laughing at her scream which was cut short. He then kills the filly she was trying so desperately to protect, who's laughing while its mothers blood is splattered on him. As the foal  dies, the scene shifts, and Taz has to watch the whole thing over and over again. This repeats so many times, and Taz is frantically battering against the invisible barrier that is stopping him from saving the mare and the filly. He screaming in his sleep, but it comes out as laughter in real life. Finally he wakes up. He begins laughing hard, the taste of meat still on his tongue. He gets up and walks to his toy box, where he takes out a weapon he had not used in decades. The dark red metal was still so reflective and it's edge had not faded away. The scythe blade of it still had that oh-so-sharp edge to it, as did the axe blade. Holding this weapon in his hooves, Taz's laughter seems to die down slightly. A shimmer of black runs across the blades. Taz puts the scyxe back in his toy box and laughs again. Inside, he's crying. Celestia and Luna probably hate him by now. His brother and sister-in-law definitely hate him. Everypony will despise him now. He should just give up. Everypony hates him, so what does he have to live for? It would be so easy to end it a second time, to bring an end to the insanity.  He's holding the dagger he always carries, the hilt in the design of his own mane. A jester hat. The blade is painted blue and yellow, caked in blood. Taz chuckles when he remembers the mare and the filly. They should have been smiling. Those who don't smile must die. that is the way of the Jester.

Celestia and Luna are at the head of a long table. At the table are also Shining Armour, Celestia's guard captain, Darklight, Luna's guard captain, Doctor Whooves, who is a great friend of Taz's,  and many others ranging from friends of the scarred stallion to military commanders who had fought alongside him.

"I trust you've all heard the new about our great friend and my uncle," Celestia asks. Her voice is filled with sorrow. Everypony around the table nods solemnly. "I know for a fact that he is not doing this willingly," Celestia continues.

"Your grace, I completely agree with you," A military commander speaks up. "I have fought alongside that stallion in many wars, and he has got one of the strongest wills I have ever seen. The amount of physical and mental torture he endured during the Great Pony War would have made any other snap."

"I know I haven't known him  nearly as long as many of you," Shining Armour says. "But when I first met him, I mistrusted him. He showed me what kind of stallion he is, and I know he holds more honour, respect and love than many of us here." He sits. The rest of them nod in agreement.

"I have called you all here today because I know you all hold strong connections to my uncle," Celestia says. "You are either friends or trusted comrades. I want you to find my uncle and bring him here. If he dies so will you."

"I will make sure nopony kills him," Darklight says. He was usually a quiet guy, and hated Celestia. But Luna wanted him to be here, so against his wishes he joined her in this meeting. He had spoken to Taz and they seemed to have a lot in common. They often exchanged war stories over a glass of whiskey when they got the chance. Personally, he thought Taz was a great soldier and he blamed Celestia for his insanity. But, then again, he blamed Celestia for anything bad that happened. It took all his self control not to kill her right now. Celestia nodded. She knew he hated her, but she didn't let that faze her.

"Then it's settled. You all shall search for my uncle but under no circumstances will you kill him. Unless there is no other choice." Celestia closes her eyes and tries hard not to cry while saying that last sentence. "Meeting adjourned." Everypony files out, Darklight and Shining Armour glaring at each other as they exit. Once they're all gone, Celestia breaks down. She falls to her knees and cries, Luna accompanying her.

"H-how could he... he..." Luna begins, but can't finish. She buries her head in Celestia's shoulder, and she does the same. The two royal alicorns stay like that for a long time, not even bothering to raise the sun or moon.

Taz is getting ready to kill some grumpy ponies again. These ones are a long way from the temple and he's prepared his joke book and toy  box for the trip. He laughs as he flies south over the ocean. He's carrying his scyxe this time but probably won't use it. It was too serious of  a weapon. He flew close to the clear water and giggled at the fish. After a while he snatched one out of the water. He was hungry so he quickly devoured the still live fish.  He grabbed a few more and ate them, too. If only there was hot sauce to go with them. Oh, well, normal fish would do. Taz then dunked his head into the water and emerged moments later, mane soaking and laughing. He looks up and sees land. He quickens his pace, excited to kill some more grump. When he lands, he rests for a while. He catches a small ferret and eats it alive, too. Ferret was so tasty, it almost rivalled pony flesh. Almost. But pony meat had a subtle sweetness to it. He reads through his joke book for a while, laughing and rolling around at the hilarious jokes that are in there. He finishes the book and wipes tears from his eyes. He takes flight again, still laughing a bit, and flies up to the mountain he was told to. As he turns the corner of it, he sees the city on the side. A sign is next to an archway in the wall surrounding it. Taz flies down and reads the sign with a huge grin on his face.

*Welcome to

Canterlot*

Have a great day!