Back on Duty

Gregory carried a box with a whole chocolate cake in it, as they walked back to the Castle. Star Bright had the one with the fruit and cream combination cake. That left Blossom and the two guards, Glory Tail and Pepper Crush unencumbered. For the guardsponies it made sense, since they needed to be ready to react to any threats. Not that Gregory was expecting danger, but it just seemed like the proper thing to do. The mare, however, should have been the one carrying her own damn cake, except that Aura had taken Gregory aside and told him to help out. Apparently Blossom lacked the effortless balance most earth ponies seemed to possess. Any cake entrusted to her would likely end up as a splatter on the cobblestones.

On the other hand, Celestia would probably be happy with the gifts they were taking her, so it wasn't that much of a hassle. He glanced at Blossom, who was still chattering excitedly at Star Bright. She was so engrossed in whatever she was telling the poor colt that she hardly even watched the street and relied on Bright's occasional nuzzle to direct her down a particular street.

"Nearly there, sir," Glory Tail announced, mainly for something to say. Gregory could see perfectly well where they were.

"Good. When do you come off duty today?"

The guard pegasus glanced at his colleague, then cleared his throat. "Um, we were supposed to be off duty at noon, sir."

That sent a pang of guilt through Greg, since it had been him who had insisted they stay a little longer. He had wanted to finish telling his story to Storm Pop and Aura had been helping Blossom brush her mane after a shower. It had been too cute to interrupt.

"Sorry about that."

"No problem, sir. Glad to serve!" the other guard, Pepper Crush said.

"Well, you're getting a slice of these cakes each."

The offer made Blossom squeak in alarm and she twirled around to face Gregory. "B-But they are for the Princess!" She made a step closer and reached out a hoof, as if to snatch the package from Greg's hands, but he just lifted it up high, beyond her reach.

"Don't worry, Celestia will get her cake, but you've made rather a lot. You can't expect her and Luna to finish both of these cakes, can you?" Now Blossom's ears folded down and she blushed, but she didn't reply. Gregory connected the dots. "You were expecting them to leave some for you, weren't you?"

This accusation made Star Bright miss a step and glare at the young mare. "Blossom, we agreed! You already had plenty of sweets for breakfast today!"

The poor, put upon mare just lowered her gaze to the pavement and heaved the saddest sigh Gregory had heard out of her yet. Her hindquarters hit the pavement as she shrank down in pure misery. After a few moments of self-pity, Blossom stole a quick glance at Bright and muttered: "Fine..."

They resumed walking and Greg carefully moved the cake box to one hand so he could reach down with his other and give Blossom a quick ear-scratch as he passed. "Don't look so glum. I saw you licking the beaters. Poor Aura had to keep washing them!"

"Yeah," Star Bright agreed. "Counting that, it was like you had two cakes for breakfast today. That's not very healthy Blossom!"

The young mare got to her hooves and followed. She caught up with Greg and pressed her muzzle against his thigh in apology. "I know," she said. It was still a little dejected, but then she looked at her coltfriend and brightened up. "You're gonna teach me how to kiss instead, okay? I don't think I got the hang of it yet."

It was poor Star Bright's turn to squeak in alarm and Greg lifted the box again, only this time to hide his grin. There was a faint chuckle from the two guards, but with both of them facing stoically away there was no way to tell which one it was.

"Well, we're basically here. You two can go get some lunch, but make sure you come by the small dining room after for your cake, okay?" Greg told them.

The guardsponies looked uncertain and Glory Tail replied: "If it's all the same to you, we'll just see you to the dining room. It's on the way to barracks anyway."

Pepper Crush nodded in agreement.

"As you wish," Greg said.

As they passed the Castle gate, the two ponies stationed there saluted and Glory Tail returned the gesture. Gregory just nodded, having his hands full with the box he was holding.

"Ah, there you are. This is fortunate. Come with me, please," Luna's voice announced from the side. Greg moved the box out of his line of sight and saw the Princess and Silent Spell, who were coming from a side passage.

"Huh? What for?"

Luna rustled her wings in her impatience to tell him and her muzzle split into a smile. "We found two captives. Azure Wings and, well, Spring Morning."

"Wait, what? Captives? Azure and... Spring?" At first it didn't make much sense, but then realization came. "Oh, so there really is a Spring Morning?"

"Yes and no," Luna said. She glanced over the other ponies with Gregory and decided they were allowed to hear this. "The disguise was based on an actual pony from Neighara, but the name was not. Her actual name is Smoke Puff. She has been reported missing nearly five months ago."

It was too much information too quickly and Gregory was starting to get lost. "Hold on, let me take this cake to Celestia and then we can talk," he offered.

"I can take that, sir," Glory Tail offered.

This kind of initiative made Luna proud and she inclined her head. "Good. I am not sure why you are fetching cake for sister, but the sergeant can take it the rest of the way. Come with us, Smoke Puff is waiting in the conference room."

"Why me, though? Shouldn't Celestia-"

Before he could finish his question Luna had already interrupted with an answer: "I do not wish to bother Sister with this. I need you because-" the Princess looked around at the assembled ponies and shook her head. "I will explain later, just come."

This was both mysterious and ominous, but Greg had no reason not to trust Luna. For an instant he thought she might be a changeling in disguise, but Silent Spell was with her and he doubted there were any changelings left in the Castle. If there were, they'd have attacked by now, or freed Silvermane and Spring Morning.

"Okay, sure."

He handed his package to Glory Tail, who easily balanced it on his back and held it in place with his wings. Blossom eyed the box hungrily for a moment, but Star Bright noticed and distracted her with a quick nuzzle.

"Come on," the colt told her, "let's get some lunch and give these to the Princess. Won't she be happy?"

The young mare squee'd in excitement and pranced a little as they set off. It seemed she liked giving gifts even more than she liked cake, which was useful to know.

"This way," Luna said, and led Greg back the way she had come.

Everything went to hell the moment Gregory stepped into the conference room, right behind Princess Luna. He had a split second to recognize the mare sitting at the table with a cup of something steaming before her. She was the spitting image of Spring Morning, but that made sense; the changeling had copied her appearance. To her left was Azure Wings, also with a hot beverage.

Smoke Puff, which Luna had said was her real name, shrieked at the sight of him and scrambled backward so quickly that she toppled the chair and hit her head on the floor. That didn't stop her, however and the mare scurried into a corner.

"No no no no," she yelled, "get it away! Get it away from me! HELP!"

The other two mares reacted faster than the stunned Gregory. Azure Wings hurried over to the shouting Smoke Puff and put her hooves around her. That broke the line of sight, which reduced her shrieking to mere whimpering in terror.

Meanwhile Luna turned so she was standing in front of Gregory and nudged him back and out of the room with a hoof. He was dimly aware of Silent Spell slipping past him into the room and slamming the door shut.

"What the hell was that?!" he asked once he could speak again.

Luna seemed just as surprised and she glanced at the door. "I have absolutely no idea, Gregory. Perhaps- would you mind waiting here for a minute?"

He nodded and the Princess pushed him to one side with a hoof, probably so there would be less chance of Smoke Puff catching another glimpse of him, then entered the conference room herself. In the moment while the door was open, Gregory heard Azure Wings' urgent murmuring and Smoke Puff's terrified whining.

He was shaken at the reaction, but still curious what could have brought it on, so he stepped closer and tried to listen through the closed door. There was absolutely nothing and he wondered why they had all gone quiet so suddenly, but then he remembered that there was a permanent spell against eavesdropping on the small room.

"Gregory?"

He twirled around, blushing a little at having been caught spying and at appearing foolish for doing so where it was clearly impossible. It was Princess Celestia, looking at him strangely.

"Mind telling me what is going on?"

He hurried over, putting a hand on her withers as much to calm her as to steady his own nerves. "I have no idea. She just started screaming the moment she saw me!"

Celestia leaned her head to one side. "Who started screaming?"

"Smoke Puff. The mare Luna rescued from that house they raided today. From a changeling cocoon."

The Princess frowned a little. "Luna sent word that she had freed some captives, but I was in Court. I came here as soon as Glory Tail and Blossom brought me some cake from Aura and said Luna had dragged you away for something."

"Well, she'll have a lot of explaining to do, I guess."

Celestia looked at the door and her ears twitched upright. She probably couldn't hear anything, but Gregory still fell silent and waited for her to finish whatever it was she was doing. Her nose wrinkled and her eyes widened.

"What is it?"

Celestia just shook her head to herself and focused on the man again. "Tell me exactly what happened when you went in."

"There's not much to tell. Smoke Puff saw me and started yelling like I was going to murder her or something. She knocked over a chair and hid in the corner, and then Luna pushed me back out."

"I don't understand. Why such fear? Blossom had been exactly the opposite."

That was right! Gregory remembered the younger mare's reaction to him and to Celestia. She hadn't been quite as terrified as Smoke Puff, but it was a close thing. "You're right. I wonder why."

"We will find out. Come, you need lunch and I think Smoke Puff will need some privacy," Celestia said as she urged the man to turn with a gentle pressure of her wing across his shoulders.

"What? Why? You can't hear what's going in there."

The Princess shook her head. "No, but I can smell. Somepony... soiled herself. You must really have frightened her, Gregory. Come, I will send a maid to help clean up."

An impossible idea occurred to Greg. "That means she's met humans before. Some bad ones, by the sound of it. But how? And where?!"

Celestia shrugged. "That is something we will have to find out. Come on, you cannot help if that was her reaction to seeing you. Oh, one more thing: who else is in there with her?"

"Silent Spell and Azure Wings."

"Good, they will get everything in hoof. We will talk with them later. Come."

There was nothing for it but to let the Princess lead him away, though Gregory kept glancing back at the door in disbelief. So scared of him that she peed herself? Just what had Smoke Puff seen?!

The contrast between her and Blossom could not be more poignant.

"The cake looked delicious, by the way," Celestia commented, aiming to take his mind off this strange, unsettling new development.

"Well, Aura and Blossom baked both of them. I just helped them carry it here."

"Still, I thank you," Celestia replied smoothly. "Except next time, please do not promise my cake to guard ponies, Gregory."

His mouth fell open and the man looked at the Princess in shock. Surely she wasn't that selfish, even for cake?

He caught her amused smile and relaxed. She was just joking.

"I'll give what I want to whom I want, Celestia! Don't be greedy!"

She giggled and stuck her tongue out at him.

"Or else I'll have to revoke your bath privileges again!"

This threat just made her chortle. "I am no longer in your service, Gregory."

He didn't have a counter for that, so he just reached his arm around her withers and patted the side of her barrel as they both laughed. She'd succeeded in getting his mind off the incident, though. What had happened with Smoke Puff was strange, but surely there had to be a logical explanation. No doubt Luna or Silent Spell would find it.

The important thing was that the mare was otherwise alright.

Everything was in hoof. Princess Luna was finally able to relax after Azure Wings had taken Smoke Puff away to settle her in a guest room. Her reaction to Gregory' presence had been utterly unexpected, but having heard her story it made sense. She wished it hadn't. The Princess was sitting in the small conference room, listlessly staring at the far wall and completely oblivious of the smell. A maid had poked her head in to clean it up, but seeing Luna's expression had made the mare mumble something about coming back later and duck back out.

"Tartarus..."

There came a knock, but Luna didn't really hear it. A moment later the door opened to admit Celestia, who took one look at her sister's face and pushed a chair next to Luna's. The wing around her back was welcome, as was the soft, comforting presence next to her, and Luna leaned heavily against the older Princess.

"I will not tell you. It is too horrible, Sister."

Celestia gave her a nuzzle, her breath warm and smelling faintly of chocolate. "Tell me," came the quiet command. The older sister had spoken softly, but it was an order and Luna knew it.

She still shook her head, but Celestia grasped her face with her hooves and made her face her. Their eyes met and Luna felt her own fill with tears.

"Tell me."

Luna closed her eyes and drew a breath. "There is another portal, Sister. It leads to a distant, cruel part of Earth. A place where the rule of law applies only loosely. Tartarus, it is worse than... Tartarus!"

This was certainly a surprise and Celestia blinked a few times as her mind obviously raced. "That... explains much. Now tell me the bad part."

Perhaps she was right. Two could carry the burden more easily than one. True, Azure Wings and Silent Spell had also heard Smoke Puff's story, but it would be the Royal Sisters who had to face this dark story. The duty came with the power. They had to deal with it ultimately. Perhaps knowing that it was out of their hooves had made it a little easier on the other three mares, but there would be no such luxury for the alicorns.

"We will have to arrange counselling for Azure Wings and Smoke Puff. Perhaps for Silent Spell, as well."

The investigator had proved quite resilient, at least for now. She had taken charge after Smoke Puff's story had come out.

Celestia didn't immediately answer, looking worried about what she was about to hear. "We will. Now tell me the rest. Why did you insist to bring Gregory into this, without even telling me?"

Luna looked down, ears folding flat. 'The Warrior Princess' was one thing, but this was something else. She had made an error in judgement and disappointed her sister, which never felt good. "Silvermane is taking orders from one of the human warlords. He is sending gold to them and in return they are giving him slaves. Human slaves."

"Did you know this before... the incident?"

Luna shook her head. "I thought- perhaps, seeing how Blossom took to Gregory, perhaps Smoke Puff would feel the same. That perhaps she would feel safe confiding in him, like Blossom had done. I did not consider that her experiences might have been that bad."

Celestia nodded a little to herself. "I see. A mistake, but one anypony might make. I do not blame you, but I wish you would have involved me sooner, Sister."

"Yes, Sister," Luna replied, voice as meek as she could make it.

"Another portal. That explains Blossom's story and the people in the mine. I did not understand how they could have come through the border, but if there is another portal..."

Luna nodded slowly and then leaned against her sister once more. Celestia was warm and solid, a real comfort after this revelation.

"There is more," the older sibling said, matter-of-factly.

"Yes," Luna admitted. "Silvermane had given some ponies to the humans as servants- slaves!"

Celestia grunted and her muzzle scrunched up in disgust. "It is hard to believe, even of him. Perhaps he was under duress by the humans?"

Luna shrugged a little. It would explain his behavior, but she wasn't too optimistic. The stallion had been plotting with changelings and using slaves in his illegal mines. Him selling other ponies into slavery wasn't that much of a stretch.

"What were they paying him? Gold is worth a lot more than human money," Celestia asked.

"I do not know yet. Silent Spell has promised to find out. Sister, that was not the worst bit."

"Oh?"

"Smoke Puff- the human warlord..." She stopped to draw a shuddering breath and tried to banish the mental image, but now that she had started she had to tell her sister. "He killed a pony in front of them. An escapee. He said it was an example."

Celestia was silent and Luna didn't mind. Any words in that moment would be superfluous. She leaned her head on her sister's shoulder and closed her eyes. Such evil was hard to imagine. Smoke Puff had been in near panic when she had said it and for good reason. She had spoken of blood. So much blood. Doubtless she would have nightmares. Luna had her work cut out for her.

"What do we do now?" she asked.

After some more silence Celestia replied: "Have Silent Spell speak with Silvermane again. He will be tried in court, but I do not yet know what the punishment should be. Perhaps... Tartarus?" Her voice trembled at the word. It would be the first pony she sent there. At least the first normal pony, not some twisted monstrosity which had almost nothing left of the pony they used to be.

"I do not envy you that decision, Sister."

"I know. Furthermore, I will involve the humans in this immediately. This is no longer only Equestria's problem. If there is a second portal we must have control over it, on both sides."

"Smoke Puff did not know where the portal was, but she knew it was out west someplace. Beyond White Tail Woods; that land is not explored well enough."

The elder Princess gave a single nod. "I will send some pegasi to look for it."

Luna lifted her head and looked in her Sister's face. "I will join them!"

"Luna-"

"They need an alicorn. They might need magic. Who knows what weapons the humans might have brought into Equestria?"

Celestia couldn't argue with that, of course. "Very well. Leave as soon as you can. I will tend to matters here."

"Will you tell Gregory?"

For a while there was no reply, so Luna just waited patiently. It was an important decision and she did not wish to rush her sister.

At long last Celestia shivered. "I will have to, but maybe not just yet." She turned to look at Luna. "We will have to tell Eli. He will need to take this news to Earth and coordinate the investigation there."

It was unfortunate, but Luna agreed, so she nodded. "I will send him to see you." She was about to stand up and begin doing. A plan, at least a start of one, made her feel a little better. The atrocities Smoke Puff had described were easier to bear when she was working on stopping them.

Celestia's wing pressed her down and Luna complied. "In a minute. I wish to sit with you for a while, Luna."

Her sister's warm muzzle leaned against Luna's neck and she put her own wing around Celestia.

"Perhaps we go to a different room. This one... smells. We should let the maids clean it."

Celestia didn't move. "In a minute."