Daroach had outgrown his awkward adolescence for some time now, but with Princess Celestia looking down at him like a mother waiting to hear his confession, he very much had to resist the urge to fidget. A habit he thought he had long gotten rid of.

"Daroach... I don't suppose you would know why missing items have become the courts most common complaint?"

"Ah, alliteration! Quite-"

"Daroach." Well shit, there he went and figdeted, rubbing his hands together under his cloak. "I know that your crew has been restless since the guard took over the mission to find Chrysalis, but I would much appreciate it if you could focus your attention to other things. Like completing the airship we are providing all the materials and funding for." Daroach sighed as he looked around the deck. The shell of the ship was complete, now it just needed the utilities.

"I'm not much use there your highness. Doc's got all the brains between the four of us and Storo has all the muscle. Spinni and I are kinda left waiting for something to happen." The Princess looked at him rather quizzically.

"I was under the impression that all of you had your own specialties?"

"Yeah. Spini is the fastest land animal this side of the galaxy and I can kick the keaster of anyone who tries anything. Besides the fact that I'm the leader but that doesn't help me understand jack all about how to put this ship together."

"Hmm. Then I may have a job for the two of you, provided you stop stealing from my ponies."

"I'm all ears princess, but I can't make any promises. Kleptomania is a helluva hard thing to catch before ya gone and done it." Wait a moment... "You ain't asking us to return what we stole?" Celestia smirked before making her way to the dock, and Daroach quickly fell in step beside her.

"I would, but it would appear you've already installed several of them onto the ship. I will have to compensate the businesses they came from."

"Caught that, did you? Alright, fair enough. Hey, am I still invited to that fancy Gala event?"

"I do not recall ever inviting you to the Gala?"

"Great, I'll see you there." Daroach took it as a good sign when Celestia didn't respond, especially since he could see her trying not to smile.

"Why am I here again?" Rough Shod was currently parked to one side of the ballroom in a wheelchair while he listened to the various sounds of ponies cleaning and setting up furniture and decorations. It mostly sounded like hooves on stone and magic.

"Because you asked me to take you somewhere nice?" Dawn Rise's voice washed up from behind him.

"Right. I was thinking more along the lines of the garden, or the courtyard." Because those were supposed to be quiet, regardless of whether or not he could see the view.

"I'm not allowed outside the castle though, aren't I?"

"The castle-grounds, Dawn. And to be honest, so long as you stay in the city and show up to court on the day of the 'trial,' nopony is gonna give a shit where you are." Dawn Rise was brought back to serve as a witness to Chrysalis's trial. As cut and dry as it was, the Captain wanted to make sure everything was done properly.

"Well, if you're sure. I am getting quite peckish so I'll hit the town tonight if that's true."

"Yeah, knock yourself out. Ask some of the guards around where you can find the brothels. If they say they don't know, their probably lying."

"As crude as always Rough Shod." Said pony jumped in his seat. He didn't hear this voice make his way over to him.

"That you Captain? I'm going to need you to trot louder, I can't see your shampoo products from a mile away anymore."

"Hehe, sorry about that. I'm going to have to ask you guys to move."

"What, is the ugly old stallion disturbing the staff?"

"No. This is where the catering is supposed to go. The staff better get used to you, you're invited."

"The fuck am I going to do at a Gala? Bowl over the nobility?"

"I hear the gardens are nice this time of year."

One crystal heart spear has long since turned to dust. Two more creak in its place.

Toby half slid, half walked across the counter with a towel in his hands as he cleaned it. Running a bar was a difficult game, but he was happy to play it. He was earning lots of points from all the customers coming to Poyo, and he always put them back into the bar to make it even better!

He didn't really understand how it all ran, but he was learning! And the nice brown pony was always helping him learn the rules and playing the game with him.

"Heya Lucky." And there he was now! Toby waved to his friend as he walked over and sat down in his usual spot. "Mind pouring me a drink?" Toby nodded as he hopped off the counter to grab a glass. "Thanks kid. Oh, and before I forget, I got somethin to ask you."

"Haaaaa!" The pony blinked as a multilayered cocktail all of the colors of the rainbow popped up from behind the bar and slid into his hooves.

"Damn. That was fast. A little too colorful, but eh." He took a sip of it, ignoring the straw entirely, before humming. "Nevermind, it's good. Anyway-" He put his hooves up as Toby got on his own stool. He still didn't come up to eye level with the pony. "I get invites to this fancy party every so often. I don't usually go, Canterlots a bit of a trip and it's kind of lost its splendor after working there for so long. But, I also get to bring a plus one. Figured it would be fun to bring you with me and see what happens."

A party! Toby loves parties!

"Poyo!"

Vinyl Scratch laid on the couch, outside of her disguise, as she listened to the chello play. It was always beautiful to her. Many thought it was odd that a DJ and a classical musician got together, but they didn't have anything against each others practiced art. Vinyl was actually quite entranced by Octavias music, it was some of her favorite to listen too, even over the more hyper and synthetics songs she was known for. So she let her eyes close as she let the music wash over her. Three beats, one beat, one beat, offbeat and-

"FUCK!"

-and a missed note. Vinyl winced at the sound of Octavia growling at herself. She could just imagine her now, bow clenched in one hoof as she resisted the urge to slam her head into the neck of her instrument.

"You were doing really good babe!"

"Ughhh... I know. But I had this memorized not two days ago and now I can't play past the first FUCKING-" Octavia was great, a real lady and much nicer than she deserved. Patience of a saint, just so long as it's somepony else she's being patient with. "-At this rate I'll be no better than a music teacher!"

"I think you're being a little harsh Octi."

"Yes, you're right. I shouldn't say that about music teachers."

"On yourself, I think your being too harsh on yourself."

"Oh. Right." That being said, Vinyl wasn't ignorant to the fact that she was contributing to much of her partners stress. She knew she was being tight-lipped about how she felt, and she knew that Octavia hated it when she did that, but asking her girlfriend how she felt about growing a dick and raising a foal was probably not conductive to short term stress relief. So until then...

"I love you Octi..."

"... I know. I love you too Vinyl."

Another heart begins to tremble as one of its brothers begins to lose its light.

Queen Culicidae glared at Beta Knight from under the covers.

"I'm... busy..." The knight just huffed at her before speaking anyway... Was she imagining it or was one of his eyes not glowing?

"I'm sure. Would you like me to wait to tell you the good news about your daughter?" Of all the times-

"...Fine. What do you have to say?" She sat all the way down, trying to get comfortable. It was difficult to ignore the changeling under her though.

"Princess Chrysalis has been captured, and appears to have suffered minor injuries."

"Appears- AH!" She hissed and dropped one end of her blanket to punch the changeling who just had the nerve to buck up against her. She very pointedly ignored his yelp of pain as she glared at the knight. "Appears to have? That does not inspire confidence."

"... Are we truly ignoring what just occurred?"

"Fuck you! You insisted on doing this now!"

"I asked if you would like me to wait." Culicidae didn't deign to give that a response, she just put more effort into her glare. "... Very well. The capture method was... unorthodox. And her prison is immune to magic at the moment." Beta stopped for a moment as a masculine groan came from under her. She very subtly reared her hoof up into the air before driving it into the gut of her subject beneath her. "... Her trial will have to wait until after the upcoming Gala in Canterlot, and transportation will be a long process as she will have to be delivered by cart or chariot."

"Very well. I expect to hear regular updates on how she is. And I hope your princesses aren't planning on keeping my daughter away for more than a month."

"You will see her soon. You need not worry." And then Beta was gone, in the blink of an eye. The queen waited for a moment to be sure he was gone. And then she threw away the blanket and hissed at her bedmate.

"You are on thin fucking ice!"

"Please let me go! I have a wife and kids!"

"No you don't asshole!"

"No, but I'm going too..."

"...Smooth. And also, no. I'm your mother, don't make this weird."

"Do you think we should get Swaddle a bowtie? He's coming with us right?" I nodded as I poured sudsy water over Carina.

"Yep. And a little bow sounds adorable, even if I'm sure the image will be ruined somewhat by the warhammer he won't put down." Cleaning Carinas yellow 'mane' was like cleaning a strip of silk cloth. She didn't really have individual hair follicles like ponys did, but it certainly made it easier to wash. Same with her smooth pink carapace. I was a little jealous.

"You don't think he would leave it here?"

"Nope, he seems pretty attached. I think he might have some Bandanna-Dee in him." She turned to me as finished with her hair.

"What about a banana?"

"Ha! Bandanna, a unique Waddle-Dee from Dreamland. He's like the captain of his kind, though he served King Dedede." She snorted as she began to pour shampoo onto my collar of fur.

"Dee this, Dee that. It all sounds like non-sense you know."

"Hey, not all of it is Dee. There are also Waddle-Doos."

"Yeah, that doesn't help." She began to scrub the soap into my neck as she spoke. "You ready for the Grand Galloping Gala, big boy? Don't want to make any last changes to your 'wardrobe?' I'm sure Rarity can scrounge up something."

"No. I don't doubt I'm going to feel a little uncomfortable being underdressed, but Rarity wasn't even considering pants. You know how the cloth makes me feel. I'd rather go nude than go with a tuxedo and have to worry about dick-slapping rich ponies everywhere I go."

"Damn Elfy, I would pay to see that."

"Unfortunately, I'm not that desperate for money. How about you? Ready to wow the nobles with your impeccable self?" She chuckled as she ran a comb through my fur.

"Yeah, for one reason or another I'm going to get stared at. But I'm ready. I'm excited even! Nice music, nice food, nice company..."

"Glad to hear it. Just don't eat any of the fondue. We'll probably have to leave if you do."

"Fondue? Never had it before, what is it?"

"Well, there's different kinds I think, but I was talking about the chocolate fountain things."

"Oooh... Now you know I have to try some!" She lit her center horn on fire for only a moment, but it was enough to dry everything she had been cleaning in only a moment. And then she leaned over and kissed me before she laid her head against my shoulder. "Don't worry, I'll behave. I can have some before we leave."

"Hehe, I can live with that. Mind helping me with my tail?" She hummed into my neck, as if considering it.

"In a moment. I'm too comfy right now." I didn't answer her, but I did wrap my arms around her as I listened to the lake around us. It was a good moment.

Another spear turns to dust, and only three remain. In the Canterlot gardens, a statue cracks and shudders, much to its own confusion.

What is going on out there? This is so far ahead of scedule, I don't even know what I want to do yet! I guess I could just watch until I have some good ideas bouncing around my head. I am so very curious about what's happening after all...

Author's Note

I know it's a similar chapter to the last one, but I needed to establish just a little more and bring some loose ends back into frame before next chapter. I'm personally looking forward to the next one. It's been making it hard to write these chapters because most of my thoughts are occupied by the ones after it. Thinking too far ahead I guess.