Dusk's Dangerous Game

by Airstream

Rating: teen
Tags: Dark, Alternate Universe, Romance, Adventure, Princess Celestia, Sweetie Belle, Twilight Sparkle, Princess Luna, Original Character, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic
Length: 228010

When gods play games, we are but pawns.

For four long years, Celestia's apprentice Twilight Sparkle, once a model pony and a hero among heroes, has waged a bitter and secret struggle with her onetime mentor. Though she works from the shadows, directing her forces from the Old Capitol in the Everfree Forest, Twilight Sparkle is unable to gain any advantage,

Likewise, Princess Celestia finds her once-faithful student far more cunning and elusive than she had anticipated, and even now searches for a way to bring Twilight Sparkle's rebellion to its knees.

It is a game of greys, of knives in the dark and of poisoned wine, where pawns are moved and traded and exchanged for greater advantage, all the while drawing both sides nearer to the conflict which shall tear Equestria in two.

At the center of this conflict is a new pawn, one who only wished to see the truth for herself. Drawn into a deadly game whose rules she does not understand, Sweetie Belle must learn to survive in a world where all is darkened, and nopony can be completely trusted.

Because when gods play chess, all pieces are expendable.

A nation will crumble, old enemies shall return in the most unexpected ways, and regardless of who is victorious, only one thing can be certain.

Nothing shall ever be the same.

Followed by Stormsinger.

Published 2012-10-07 17:30:01 UTC
Last updated 2013-08-19 06:26:42 UTC

Black and White

Luna contemplated the scorpion on her chest. The variety was one she was familiar with, the Blackwood Whiptail. The bite was said to cause intense pain, and the claws of the creature were able to cut through some of the softer metals. But it was the tail, and the venomous sting concealed within, that Luna was wary of. Though not deadly, the venom of the Whiptail was prone to causing hallucinations, psychosis, and extreme, excruciating pain. In all, a nasty creature to encounter even when properly prepared. The only question that remained was one that had haunted her for two years. Was what she was seeing real?

Celestia had left a werelight in the cell for her, an gesture she had thought oddly kind until she had seen the carapace of this creature glistening in its light. Her panicked thrashing had only served to attract the attention of the creature, which had climbed up one leg and onto her chest with singleminded determination. It was only upon feeling the loathsome weight of the creature on her body that Luna had forced herself to calm down. Further movement would only serve to aggravate the arachnid, and that was something she did not want. Breathing slowly and steadily, she focused her consciousness down to a single point.

It had been four years, one month, fourteen days, eight hours, and twenty-four seconds since she had first awoken in her prison after giving all of her magic to Twilight Sparkle. She knew because she had been keeping track, second by second, just like she had done for one thousand years on the moon. In this time, she had been subject to quite a few tortures, some physical, and others mental. For ones like these, she merely needed to decide which was which. She focused mostly on ignoring her senses, while simultaneously allowing her mind to focus on the task at hand, which was deciding on wether or not the creature on her chest was real. After achieving total neutrality in both body and mind, she began to restore her senses, namely her sense of touch.

The weight on her chest was perceived as that of the scorpion, true, but a cold and distant part of herself reminded her that Celestia likely did not have ready access to one, and that there was really no way she would have been able to conceal it upon walking into the cell. Luna idly ran the odds of this particular Whiptail being real, and gave herself a three to one chance of it simply being another illusion set to torture her. Luna allowed her senses to return in full, and looked at the scorpion once more. Brow furrowed in concentration, she decided to test her theory. She shook herself slightly, feeling the scorpion respond in kind. She shook herself again, and this time the scorpion became fully alert, stinger sliding out of its tail. Luna placed her hooves behind her, and swung out from the wall, jarring herself against it quite badly. The scorpion struck, and she clearly felt the barb sink into her flesh, pumping venom into her. She gasped in pain, as it withdrew its tail and stung her again. She had chosen poorly.

Cadance trotted down the cold stone steps toward Luna's cell, checking each ward as she did so. They were all intact, magic flowing through them uninterrupted by the hooves of anypony besides herself and Princess Celestia. She had been ordered to tend to Luna after the scorpion had done its work, and to collect the creature and bring it back to Celestia's garden once again. For this purpose, she had the small wire cage it rode in, as well as some soothing ointment and a wet rag to clean her off with. Reaching the cell door, she focused slightly, a brief spark from her horn disengaging the lock and allowing her entry.

"Hello, Aunt Luna! I'm here to collect Sandy. How was she?"

Luna groaned, her eyes bloodshot and dilated from the effects of the venom. Her voice was hoarse, clearly she had been screaming for a while. Cadance didn't blame her, after all, the Whiptail had been in here for a full day, plenty of time for it to do all sorts of damage. Were it any other pony involved, they would likely have died. Luna, however, did not have that option, though she might have wished it.

Cadance located the scorpion in a dark corner, scooping it up neatly with her magic and stowing it inside the case. She looked the Alicorn over, checking her for the telltale welts left by the stinger. She counted eight, five on the chest, two on the neck, and one on her wing, which hung limp and disheveled from underuse. Wincing sympathetically, she began to apply the rag.

"Eight stings, Aunt Luna. You agitated her, didn't you? No wonder you were screaming. I'll see about getting you something for your throat, we don't want you losing your voice." She sniffed the air, wrinkling her nose. "And possibly a bath. You smell to high heaven."

Luna mumbled something, flecks of blood spattering her coat.

Cadance leaned in close. "What was that, Aunt Luna?"

"Keep your damned ointment. Apply it to the mark Twilight left on your face, may it remain forever."

Cadance gathered up her supplies. "That was rude and unnecessary. We're close to getting her, you know. Before this time next year she'll be back in the castle. But you wouldn't be able to appreciate that, seeing as there's no way to be aware of time down here. How long do you think you've been down here?"

"Four years, one month, fifteen days, four hours, eighteen minutes, and forty eight seconds. I have been keeping track, just like I did for one thousand years, child. And believe me when I say that a millennia in the cold darkness of space, on my own with only my fractured, tortured mind to keep me company, was an eternal torment that you could only begin to comprehend."

Cadance backed up a bit, out of Luna's reach. The dark Alicorn looked up, eyes glinting malevolently. "You can tell my sister that she can offer me Harmony all she wants. I have spent a thousand years devising all sorts of tortures to apply to myself, each of them worse than any petty cruelty she could perform on me. She is a rank amateur at this game, and I consider her efforts childish. And she will have to do a lot better than scorpions to cause me lasting pain."

Cadance opened her mouth to say something, but Luna cut her off. "I grow weary of your presence, Mi Amore di Cadenza, she who killed the mare that bore her. You are the product of hundreds of years of sorrow, yet you dare to pretend mastery over Love? I name you Heartbreak, and Strife. You are no more worthy to rule Emotion than I. Now, BEGONE!"

Cadance fled before the raw fury of the Royal Voice, slamming the door behind her, and leaving Luna alone in the dark once more.

"Hello, and thank you for tuning in to CBC At Dark, I'm your host, Sweetie Belle. We have a long string of old and new favorites coming up for you, but first we have your news report, every hour on the hour.

Our top story tonight, today marks the second anniversary of the Battle of the Whitetail Woods, a decisive victory for Equestrian forces against the rebel group known as the Ever Free ponies, and the first of two major conflicts in the ongoing struggle between Princess Celestia's loyal ponies and those who have chosen to follow her student Twilight Sparkle in what has been the first internal conflict between ponies since the Celestial Wars over one thousand years ago. A memorial service was held at the site of the battle today, commemorating those who lost their lives on both sides. The ceremony was attended by Princess Celestia herself, who insisted that both sides 'be treated not as Equestrians or Ever Free rebels, but as ponies'. Nearly five thousand lives, the majority of them belonging to Ever Free fighters, were lost in the day long battle. When confronted about claims of Changeling involvement, the Princess assured the populace that the Changelings had not been seen since the assault on the Royal Wedding, and she suspected that they had fled Equestria.

Rainbow Dash, Captain of the newly formed Pegasus strike group 'The Solar Wing', was available for comment earlier today. Asked about the ongoing conflict, she expressed total support of Celestia's cause, calling for the complete and unconditional surrender of the Ever Free ponies, and the capture and imprisonment of their leader Twilight Sparkle.

This comes in contrast to the statements given earlier today in Ponyville by the Bearers of Honesty and Laughter, Applejack and Pinkie Pie. Both have called for peace talks between both sides, and have begun serious campaigning to attract leadership from both sides to the negotiating table, with little success.

Bearer of Generosity Rarity, as well as Bearer of Kindness Fluttershy were both unavailable for comment.

In other news, prominent Gryphon diplomat Vagadar az Gavipashnepah and his contingent of followers left the city today in protest over perceived harassment by the populace of Canterlot, leaving only the envoys from King Balmas and King Cheshmsevegat to engage in diplomatic discourse with Equestrian officials. This reflects the current political climate between Equestria and the Oligarchy, as several prominent nobles have accused the nation of Avians of providing covert support to the Ever Free resistance group, as well as conducting night raids into Equestrian lands. The nation itself is officially neutral in the conflict, and has stated several times that the raids would be less frequent if land were ceded to the Oligarchy in order to contain its growing population.

In other news, a volunteer group has been formed in order to combat the seasonal migration of Windigos, a task that was until recently performed by the Condottieri group "il Fiato Danzatore", better known as the "Gale Dancers". This group has deserted their posting in the north of Equestria, and are believed to have fled south in order to join the Ever Free movement. They are the only Pegasus Condottieri group to have done so. A reward has been offered for information as to their whereabouts.

Tonight's curfew times are as follows. Canterlot will have clear streets by midnight, as will Manehatten. Detrot's curfew has been pushed back to ten o'clock. Fillydelphia's curfew remains rescinded. Los Pegasus will be cleared by ten, and the cities of Trottingham and Hoofington will be in lockdown by nine as per usual. If your city or community has not been listed, please check with your nearest government office or Regular post.

Finally, incentives for military service have gone up. Enlistment contracts for four years and above now garner a guaranteed stipend after service, as well as free academic and technical training when not deployed to a combat zone. Officers are desperately needed in both the Regulars and Air Corps, and enlisted soldiers are needed in all services. Again, visit your nearest military post for information.

Up next, we have the new release from Java Cup, "Ain't it Love?" We'll be right back after these commercial messages, I'm your host, Sweetie Belle, here on CBC."

The rest of the broadcast went off without a hitch, and Sweetie Belle completed her shift without incident. She had the perfect voice for radio, mellow and sweet, and her boss, Silver Chip, reported a forty percent increase in listening during her program, even though it went well past midnight. "Stick to broadcasting, Sweetie!" he said, shoving her increased paycheck at her. "You've got the talent for it, and ponies love you! You're made for it, mare!"

She'd smile and thank him, of course, and the extra bits didn't hurt. But her real passion, one that she'd loved even since she had began to get into journalism in college, was reporting. She loved chasing down leads, arranging interviews, snapping candid pictures. She loved finding truth among the lies, and she was also extremely good at finding the information she needed to make a story out of it. Of course, eventually ponies knew her, and knew of her reputation. So, she had began to study illusion magic. She changed her voice, she changed her coat and mane, she even managed to pass herself off as an Earth pony once or twice.

The only problem was one that plagued all good reporters eventually. She had exposed something she probably shouldn't have. In a debacle she had privately taken to calling "The Buffalo Incident", she had exposed an extramarital relationship between the owner of CBC and...another. It was completely unintentional, of course, but she had accidentally managed to blow the whole thing wide open. Their rival station, Equestrian Broadcasting Network, had gotten ahold of the story somehow and ran with it. So here she was, officially relegated to broadcasting.

It wasn't that she minded, really. She was lucky to have kept her job, she knew that much. And broadcasting was better pay, easier work, and higher recognition. EBN wouldn't have kept her on as a reporter, she knew that much. She had a reputation for finding out too much, and she was sure that EBN had a few skeletons in their closet as well. So, she was stuck in broadcasting, a wonderful honeyed trap tailor made for her.

Of course, what she did off of the clock was up to her. And she had twelve hours until she was expected to be back in to prepare for her next broadcast. So, it was off to bed for a few hours of rest, and then up for another round of "clandestine reporting". She would get back into reporting, she was sure of it. She just needed something big enough and public enough to make sure that her superiors couldn't retaliate against her. And since the Ever Free were big news right now, it was them she'd been asking about. Leads had been...less than forthcoming, however.

Sweetie Belle sighed as she trotted home through the streets of Canterlot. She lived a good twenty blocks away from the studio, halfway across town. Normally she could catch a trolley or similar to the station. That was one of Canterlot's improvements she was particularly fond of, only installed last year. But they shut off after curfew, and Sweetie Belle was out several hours past curfew. Luckily, she had all the necessary paperwork with her. She saw a light in the distance, and opened the clasp on her saddlebags, ready to withdraw the documents. Sure enough, a challenge rang out through the dark.

"Halt! You are violating curfew! Remain where you are!"

Sweetie Belle complied. The light approached, revealing two Guardsponies, one Pegasus and one unicorn. She rummaged through the contents of her saddlebags, and withdrew the small card identifying herself as a nighttime worker, as well as her identification paperwork, stamped with a rendering of her Cutie Mark and a small picture of herself. She held them out, and the unicorn took hold of them, checking them over carefully.

"Evening, gentlecolts. How's the patrol going?" she asked, dropping the saddlebags in order to allow the Pegasus easier access to them.

The unicorn smiled, handing the papers back to her. "A quiet night, Ms. Belle. And warm enough for the end of fall. Your paperwork appears to be in order, would you like an escort home? Nimbus and I have to be over that way as it is."

The Pegasus looked up from her bags, holding them open widely in order to allow her easier access inside. "Indeed we do, ma'am. It would be relatively little trouble for us to get you there."

Sweetie Belle slid her documents back inside carefully, being sure not to rumple them. Fastening the clasp on her bags, she slung them over her back once more. "Well, I normally take this part of the evening to walk alone, but if you are both heading that way as it is, I see no reason not to tag along."

She fell in alongside the duo, and together they walked into the dark and mist of the Canterlot night.

"Well, here we are, Ms. Belle!" the unicorn, whose name was Bronzeback, said.

She smiled at the pair of Guardsponies in front of her. "Thank you very much, sirs. I enjoyed the company very much."

Nimbus bowed slightly. "Any time, Miss. We're just doing our jobs. The next time you see your sister, let her know that her new line is wonderful. My wife is a huge fan. And to be honest, so is my bank account."

Sweetie Belle laughed. "I'll be sure to do that. Have a good night, gentlecolts."

The unicorn bowed as well. "And you, Ms. Belle." And with that, the duo trotted off into the dark once more, leaving Sweetie Belle to climb the steps to her front door, withdrawing a key from her saddlebags and fumbling with the lock. At last, the door clicked and swung open, as Sweetie Belle walked inside, closing the door behind her and locking it once again. She turned her lights on, illuminating the cheap table in her hallway, the door to the kitchen, the hooks for her saddlebags, and the stairs to her bedroom. She hung her bags, and trotted into the kitchen, grabbing half of a daisy sandwich from the icebox and sitting down to eat and relax for a bit before heading upstairs to bed. She had to be up in six hours if she wanted to get anything done tomorrow.

The empty plate lay in front of her, crumbs dotting its surface. She sighed. Shopping would have to be done soon, if she could find the time. She ran the plate under some water, drying it off and setting it to one side for later use. She shut the water off just in time to hear a *click* from the hallway. Frowning, she walked cautiously over to her kitchen door, pushing it open slightly. Nothing appeared to be out of place. She pushed it open wider, and her eyes widened. Something was different about her door, that was for sure. The lock had been locked, she was sure of it. Now it wasn't. Her horn lit up, and she snuck into the hallway. She sent a pulse of magic through her home, one that would reveal anypony else still inside. There was nopony inside, but outside...there was somepony moving through the garden.

She rushed to her window. The darkness concealed anything concrete, but she thought she could see a tail disappearing around the corner wall of her garden, fleeing into the night. She considered pursuing it. Trotting over to the door, she laid one hoof on the handle, before taking it off and locking her door. The idea even sounded foolish in her own head. She swept the hallway, and noticed something else out of place. A white envelope lay on her hallway table, with her name printed on the front in neat, plain letters. Curious, she opened it up. Inside were two things. One was a sketch of a Cutie Mark, a rose with thorns. The second was a note.

"We heard you were asking about us. If you wish to know more, a representative of the EF will be waiting for you tomorrow at noon, by the fountain of Shimmerstone the Wise near the great Forum. She has information for you. This is her Talent Mark. Be warned, this information is highly sensitive, and will likely put you at risk. She will wait for you for exactly fifteen minutes. If you do not wish to know more, simply do not arrive. This is perfectly understandable, and we shall not pursue you. If you choose to accept this information, know that you will be considered treasonous for not turning it in. Therefore, we shall be watching you to ensure that you do not. The choice is yours. Do you want the truth? Or are you better off not knowing?"

Sweetie Belle immediately took the envelope, note, and sketch over to her fireplace. She memorized the time and place, as well as the Mark. Placing them inside the hearth, she let a small stream of flame flow for her horn, watching as the evidence was consumed by fire. At last, the papers were reduced to nothing but ash. Sweetie Belle sat there for a while, weighing the options. If what was being offered was true, this could make her career. But it was bigger than that. Nopony really knew anything about the Ever Free movement. This wasn't just a story, this was truth. And the truth was something she couldn't resist. Sweetie Belle had made up her mind. Tomorrow, she would go to the fountain. And consequences be damned.

Who is a Player? Who is a Pawn?

Twilight lay undisturbed in the garden of stone near the throne room, her eyes closed and horn glowing softly. Once a week, she came in to this room alone, and spent several hours in meditation, the crystal around her neck floating slightly as she accessed its magic. Though many thought she was simply taking time to clear her mind, those close to her knew that her mind was anything but inactive while she was inside the petrified garden. A small spark of purple fell from her horn, and in Twilight's mind, the garden began to take on color and substance once more, the trees sighing, the birds chirping, and the stream that flowed through it burbling with life once more.

Twilight arose from her seated position, noting that her physical body was left on the ground, the only thing in this garden that resembled stone. She was a bit early, but then she always was. Her meetings had caused quite a stir when they had started last year, but most of the ponies under command had accepted the fact that they would continue from now on. Finding the usual bend by the river, she settled down once more and waited. She did not have to wait long.

"Good afternoon, Twilight Sparkle." a voice said from behind her.

Twilight didn't turn her head, instead choosing to manifest a tea set like she normally did. "Good afternoon, Celestia. Tea?"

The projection of the Alicorn came into view, settling down across from her and grasping the pot with her magic. "Please, allow me to pour. I'm pleased you were able to make it. Your projection is getting stronger, you are improving."

Twilight nodded, accepting a cup. "You know me, always seeking to improve. I find the practice relaxing."

The Princess of the Sun smiled beatifically. "It can be very relaxing, yes. Many a year I've spent in this garden. Imagine my surprise when you popped in one day. I had always thought this to be a private construct."

Twilight sipped at her drink delicately. It was Earl Grey this time, bitter and invigorating. "I imagine being in the physical location helps. Especially with all of the wild magic running around the Everfree, that's bound to have some interesting effects."

Celestia likewise drank. "Indeed. I don't suppose you'd be up to coming to Canterlot in order to discuss the problem further?"

Twilight laughed. "I'm afraid most of my notes are here at the castle. Of course, I'd be more than willing to give you a private report if you wished to attempt passage to the Regia. I'm sure the forest would be more than accommodating."

Celestia chuckled good-naturedly. "Can't blame me for trying. I am curious, however. How are you? Personally, that is. You're essentially leading a small nation, that can't be easy for you."

"It's all about delegation, really. I give us a direction to go, and other ponies figure out the how of the matter. Most of them are extremely competent, I rarely need to involve myself. As for my personal problems, they are many and mundane. I wouldn't want to bore you with them."

The Alicorn set down her cup, pouring another. "I hardly find your problems uninteresting, Twilight. And to be honest, I adore the mundane. I wish for nothing more than the comfort of routine. Please, enlighten me."

The unicorn sighed, setting her cup to one side. "Well, I have to admit, it is lonely being at the top. Tarantella helps with that, of course." Celestia winced at this. Twilight allowed herself a small grin. "She really is a wonderful pony, Tara. We are both quite fond of each other. Very much in love."

Celestia snorted. "Yes, yes. You're dating a mare, what else?"

"Well, you've sort of limited my options when it comes to love. And I do love her, truly. But I can tell that makes you uncomfortable. So onward we move. Let's see...Spike has started growing again. Very rapidly, in fact. I suspect the latent magic around here has something to do with it. He can hardly fit inside most of the smaller rooms, unless he concentrates on maintaining a good emotional balance. He lives up in the old Pegasus barracks in the southern aviary. And Golden Radiance has been busy updating the defenses on the Regia's defenses, adding another layer. I've lost track of how many layers that is. That's really all of the news I've got for you. What of my friends?"

Celestia smiled. "I visited Ponyville the other day, but I imagine you knew that already. After all, you're working with Changelings. While I was there, I visited Pinkie Pie and Applejack, though Fluttershy was out. I can't help but wonder why you haven't tried to capture her, she certainly spends enough time in the Everfree."

Twilight waved a hoof. "She never goes past a certain point. My followers have strict instructions not to harass her past that point, though we certainly keep an eye on her."

Celestia nodded. "That is good to hear. As it is, I spent a few hours in Ponyville yesterday. Applejack and Barley Scotch are doing well, most of the orchard has grown back after that fire your soldiers set." Twilight said nothing. The issue had been discussed at length, and both parties were acutely aware of the unintentional nature of the event. Celestia continued. "And more good news, they're expecting another foal! And just as Honey Crisp is starting her second year at school, too. If I recall, that's the age Applejack was when Applebloom was born."

Twilight smiled. "That's right. Applejack was seven when Applebloom was born. And that's wonderful news. What about Pinkie and Allspice?"

"Well, the bakery is doing a brisk trade, and they might open up another branch in Hoofington soon. That young mare Twist and her husband Snips appear to be the favored candidates for the new branch. And little Rosemary is doing just fine. She's just now coming into her horn, and even Pinkie is finding her hooves full. Rarity has come back to her boutique for a quick visit, and young Silver Spoon seems to be handling herself well in the absence of her teacher. I'm sure you're keeping well informed as to the whereabouts of Rainbow Dash and her Solar Wing."

Twilight's face soured. "That mare is more difficult to pin down than the Changelings, I swear. And yes, we're keeping informed. As much as we can. And my family?"

Celestia poured her student the last of the tea. "Shining Armor is doing well. He's been expanding the Guard, which I have to say is an excellent idea. He shows great promise as a commander. Your parents, of course, are still worried to death. They really only want you back home safely."

Twilight smiled sadly. "I wish I could speak to them. That's a bit difficult at present, of course. But I'd appreciate it if you could tell them I'm alright."

"You could always tell them yourself, Twilight. There's a scrying pool behind the throne, you know that."

"And scrying pools work both ways, which is why I had it drained. I'm young compared to you, Celestia. I'm not an idiot."

"And I'm hardly going to tell your family that I've been in contact with you for almost a year. I do you this courtesy because you were once my faithful student, and I hope that one day you'll be so again, Twilight Sparkle." the monarch said.

Twilight got to her hooves. "You do me this courtesy? If I knew how to ensure that we would not speak here, I would do so!"

The monarch did not bother to rise. "You could meditate in a thousand other places, Twilight. Nopony is forcing you to do so here, so why do you continue?" There was silence from the young unicorn. She shook slightly. Celestia pressed her question. "I am curious, Twilight. I do not wish to discourage you, but I feel that I must know. Why do you continue to make contact with me?"

Twilight's voice was rough and low. "Because...because you are the only way I have to pretend that I don't have to do this. You and I drinking tea in a garden...it's like I'm a filly again and everything is normal like it can never be again. You're the last little bit of my old life, and as much as I hate you for what you've done, I can't just abandon you, because I want my old life back." Her horn sparked again, and she allowed one tear to fall before cutting that emotion off entirely.

Celestia now rose, attempting to comfort her onetime student. "Twilight..."

The unicorn spoke sharply. "This conversation is over. Thank you for the company." And with that, she vanished, leaving the ruler of Equestria alone in the garden of her mind.

Twilight rose to her hooves in the real world, stretching the kinks out of her legs and back. Though hardly any time had passed in her mind, she estimated at least four hours had passed here in the physical world. Opening the door to the private garden, she trotted out of the stone sanctuary, nodding to the two guards on duty. Heading away from the throne room, she worked her way to the Mage's Tower, following the newly polished silver runes towards the familiar door. Knocking softly, she waited for it to open.

The creature that opened the door was one that hadn't been seen on the surface of Creation for millennia. Though its kind all took different forms, this one had chosen the form of some sort of ape, if apes had a mouth filled with needle-sharp teeth and claws strong enough to punch through metal. This was a demon, and it worked as a scribe for Golden Radience. When it spoke, its voice belied its fearsome appearance, kind and cultured.

"Good evening, Ms. Sparkle. Are you here to see the Archmage?"

Twilight nodded. "Yes, I am. Could you get her for me, Balthazar? I need to speak to her about a certain book on meditation magic."

Balthazar bowed low. "Of course, Mistress. One moment." And with a puff of smoke and a low rush of wind, he was gone.

Twilight reflected on the nature of the demon while he was gone. They had been very surprised to find several hundred of them, bound to the library, when they had been renovating the castle. Even more surprising was the fact that they were in fact pleasant, polite, and friendly to a point. Of course, they were also fearsome fighters when necessary, and absolutely devoted to their instructions, which up to that point had been to prevent the removal of books from the library. When Twilight had questioned them, she had wondered why they had not attacked her. Balthazar had been the one to point out that she had not taken books from the library proper, but from the office of the Archmage, which was not expressly ordered to be protected. He had cheerfully reassured her that if she had attempted to remove the books from the library shelves, they would have cut her to bloody ribbons. But she hadn't.

The demons were bound to the library, and would only return to their plane if the library and its contents were entirely destroyed. They had assured Twilight that they didn't really mind, that they had actually began to think of this place as home, and that they enjoyed the different things this world had to offer. Twilight wasn't so sure, but she was willing to take them at their word on that.

Her reverie was interrupted by the return of Balthazar. He smiled and offered one claw. "She will see you, Ms. Sparkle. If you would take hold?"

Twilight grimaced and took the proffered appendage. The world around her became pitch black and very tight, crushing the air from her. She felt cold, then hot, and then tingled all over as if her enter body had gone numb. She got a very distinct sensation of everything moving sideways, and then with a pop, the world rearranged itself.

The room she was in defied the traditional expectations of an Archmage's quarters, to a degree. The room was well lit, the books resting on well cleaned shelves of mahogany. No skeletons hung from the walls, which were decorated with bright swathes of fabric in many colors. An intricate Gryphonian carpet occupied much of the floor, save for a small bronze summoning circle set into the stone. A cheerful fire burned in a small hearth, and aromatic steam wafted out of a tarnished copper pot hanging above the flames. The focus of the room was a large wooden desk, at which sat a papery unicorn, who set down her quill and smiled at Twilight.

"Hello, my friend! Balthazar says you have some questions regarding that mediatation book I loaned you."

Twilight nodded. "Yes. It's rather...private. Could we talk alone?"

Golden Radiance turned to the demon. "Balthazar, you are dismissed. Please, take some time to yourself, so long as you cause no mischief."

Balthazar bowed. "Mistress." And with that, he vanished once more, leaving only the faintest smell of burned wood in his wake.

The paper construct eyed her expectantly. "You visited her again, didn't you?"

Twilight nodded miserably. "I couldn't help myself. I keep telling myself that it's just a game to keep her off balance, but I came to a realization during our discussion. I'm using her as a placebo for my old life, as a coping mechanism, and I don't know how much longer I can keep up the charade."

Golden Radiance sighed. "I can tell you two things. The logically beneficial thing for you to do, or the emotionally healthy thing for you to do. Which would you like to hear?"

"Both."

"Very well, then. Logically, you should continue seeing her. You glean valuable insight from your conversations with her, and it's come in handy more than once. It is a valuable intelligence resource, and one we should pursue. Emotionally speaking...well, you know my opinions on the meetings you have. Were it up to me, I'd have you stop contacting her at all. It's not good for you. But it is very good for us."

Twilight pondered this for a moment. Both sides of the argument made sense, of course. And she knew that same time next week, she would be appearing in the garden again, ready to engage in "teatime" with her mentor and enemy once more. And it hurt every time, true. But the intel was invaluable, scant though it was. Which reminded her.

"Celestia told me that she visited Ponyville. I remember getting the report, do you have a record of when it came in?" Twilight asked, all business once more.

"Yes, word reached us at twelve minutes past four. Three hours later she had gone. We had somepony tracking her the whole time, but they were loath to get too close. Celestia has developed quite a reputation among the Changelings, as I'm sure you've imagined. Regardless, we had eyes on her for the duration of her visit. Why?"

Twilight processed the information. A moment later, she spoke. "She was there for three hours, and accounting for sunset around this time of year, she left approximately one half hour before it was due to begin. However, I also recall that she arrived in Canterlot, a mere ten minutes of leisurely flight away, well after dark. About nine o'clock, if memory serves. The only question to ask is..."

"Where did she go?" Golden Radiance asked herself. "The same delay each time. At least two hours. But where does she spend them?"

Twilight trotted over to a nearby map, one marking ley line convergences in Equestria. The biggest was under Canterlot, of course. At least, the one Celestia was able to access. Truthfully, the biggest convergence was right under Twilight's hooves, sealed beneath the castle. Twilight traced over the map, following the graceful paths of magic. "Where indeed?"

Twilight returned to her quarters that evening a dejected mare, having come no closer in her quest to gain advantage over her teacher, or even having a bit of insight as to her plans. Her rooms were big, yes. The bathroom alone was larger than her basement, and the basin for washing easily as deep. The bed was newly made, the covers fresh and turned over. Normally she would be in her study, but tonight was a night for quiet contemplation, she felt. Moving to a small wooden chest, she unlocked it, sifting through its contents.

The items inside would resemble so much junk to any other pony, but to Twilight they were treasures she guarded more carefully than any dragon. Most items had been quietly removed from Ponyville, without the knowledge of its residents. Most she had collected personally. A withered leaf, plucked from the branches of an ancient tree housing a library, a sky blue feather she had counted herself lucky to find, caught from midair after it had fallen from the plumage of a passing Pegasus, who had been so preoccupied with her patrol over the town as to fail to notice her friend's disguise.

A brown paper bag from Sugarcube Corner lay on one side. She had been nervous about that, but Rosemary had been keeping Pinkie preoccupied, so Allspice had gladly sold her a single cupcake with chili sauce, which she had savored outside. That had been the first and only time Twilight had been able to see the new foal, she had planned her trip around the first birthday of the newborn. Following tradition, one unicorn to another, she had muttered a hasty blessing on her way out of the shop, feeling it catch hold of the infant filly. And she had left a large enough tip.

From that selfsame library, she had quietly teleported past the barriers in place, both magical and mundane. Her copy of "The Elements of Harmony: A Reference Guide" lay in the bottom of the box, its edges tattered and scorched, though she had repaired its broken spine. But what was inside was her real prize.

Photography was expensive, prohibitively so, and so it had been shortly after Twilight's greatest victory, the restoration of Luna, that the group had agreed to chip in for a group photograph, ordering six copies. There was very little in the way of material possessions that she treasured more than this picture. She in the center, Applejack and Rarity flanking her. Applejack's eye was closed in a confident wink. Pinkie Pie had literally climbed up Rarity's back to wave at the camera, and Rainbow Dash was hovering, as per usual. Fluttershy, of course, was the only one really holding still for the shot, hooves tucked in demurely, with a shy smile on her face. They all looked young, Twilight realized. Young, and happy, and...

"Cara Mia? Are you in here?" a voice called from behind.

Twilight started just a bit, jolted from her reverie, before relaxing at the sound of Tarantella closing the door behind her. Servants could move through the quarters, yes, but everything that happened behind that door was private.

The grey Pegasus moved in beside her, settling down and looking at the picture. After a brief silence, she spoke. "You miss them."

Twilight nodded. "So much, Tara. And more every day."

"You are aware, the weekly meetings with Celestia are probably not helping."

"I know. But they are a necessary evil. They've given us an unprecedented level of access into her whereabouts. She still trusts me, for some odd reason. I thought she'd be feeding me misinformation, but it seems she genuinely doesn't realize what she's giving me."

"That's a problem for another time, love of mine. You've been working yourself far too hard these past few days. And you still owe me several favors, I believe, from the other night. One for your 'divine spark' of inspiration, and the other for not coming to bed on time. You and I will speak more on the matter after we have finished."

Twilight pretended to think about it. "Well, I did have work to do tonight..."

"Twilight, caro idiota, that was not a request. You and I are going to bed. That's final. I'm going to hit that spot between your shoulders that makes you go limp if I have to, and I shall drag you under the covers if necessary."

Twilight laughed, setting the picture back inside the box. "Molto bene, il mio amore. Cominciamo."

She hardly had time to finish locking the box up before she was seized and hauled bodily onto the bed, landing amid soft sheets and cotton pillows. Tarantella kissed her fiercely, and she whispered words that made Twilight shiver all over before beginning. "Ora, harlota poco. Tu sei mio."

Soon enough, Twilight had all but forgotten the events of the day in the arms of her lover.

Gambit's Beginning

Canterlot was beautiful in daylight. The ivory and marble of the city, combined with royal purples and shimmering gold, copper, and brass, were far more striking by the light of Celestia's day than Luna's night, which reduced the colors of the streets to grey and black. Smart business owners took full advantage of this, hanging colorful flags outside of their shops to draw the eye towards their expensive wares, displayed proudly in well-cleaned windows. At least, that was normally what the streets Sweetie Belle now walked were like.

The flags still flew, of course, and the windows were well shined. But the walls, Canterlot's beautiful walls of marble and stone, were under seige. Painted, burned, and in some places even carved, were slogans and symbols that appeared faster than the unicorn street crews could make them disappear. "Don't live the lie" and "EF lives" vied for attention with the same symbol, repeated over and over. A six pointed star with a burst behind it. Sweetie Belle was familiar with the mark. She had borrowed books from the mare who had borne that symbol on her flank back home in Ponyville for years. There were supposed to be five smaller bursts around the first, but Sweetie had heard that the "artists" who made these marks equated those five bursts to Twilight Sparkle's friends, who had supposedly been among those who had first captured her. There was very little love for them among the ranks of the Ever Free if that was the case, Sweetie Belle realized. Speaking of realizations, she was abruptly aware of the fact that she had been standing in one place and looking at this Mark for several minutes. Shaking her head, she continued onward, towards Canterlot's Mage District.

The great city's architecture may have been more aesthetically pleasing and intimidating during the day, but at night, the Mage's District was far more interesting. Arcane lightning cracked among the spires of its towers, mysterious flashes of light and otherworldly noises spilled from its windows, and unusual constructs wandered its streets. During the day, the District was packed, its doors wide open to Canterlot's largely unicorn population. The shops were unmarked, and no stalls lined the streets. Such common street magic belonged in the bazaars of Fillydelphia, or on corners in Manehatten. And anypony who wandered into the Mage's District knew exactly what they were looking for, and where to find it. The bags and boxes carried here were made of subdued fabrics and dark wood, tied and locked tightly against prying eyes such as hers.

The fountain of Shimmerstone the Wise, who by all accounts had been a bit of a vainglorious bastard, was made to dominate the night. Its dark stone was inlaid with shimmering magelights, as well as the black basin in which water cascaded, flowing from the horn of the great Mage himself. It eschewed the Classical architecture of other such decorations, instead resting on a pillar tiled in intricate gold and black, which extended up from the basin in three tiers, clearly Gryphonian in design. Were this in any other District of Canterlot, it would have surely been the site of many a romantic declaration. However, due to its location, many ponies were unwilling to make a trip to it on even the best of days. It was located in the center of a large public square, packed with ponies, at the height of the day. Sweetie was acutely aware that this ensured that even if something were to happen to her, it would likely go unnoticed. Had it been noticed, help would likely have had difficulty reaching her. A perfect place for a meeting then.

A small clock hung in the window of one of the shops, and Sweetie settled down by the fountain at five minutes till noon. At least, she thought it was. The symbols on the clock's face were a bit...unclear. One appeared to be a Gryphonian number, and another she recognized as Quilinese. The others were not numbers by any stretch of the imagination, and their ranks included a picture of a bear, three crescent moons, a spinning wheel, and an anatomically accurate heart of some description. So, it was either coming up on noon, or crossed swords until pentagram. The unicorn contemplated the clock for another brief moment, and turned to wait on the arrival of her informant.

"I will never understand mages." a voice came from the bench beside her. A tan unicorn mare with a rose Cutie Mark stared at the clock, ignoring Sweetie Belle's startled jump. Her voice, while pleasant enough, was bland and forgettable. "Yesterday, it was going backwards and had a completely different set of symbols."

The pastel unicorn calmed herself. "You're a bit early." she said, noting the small saddlebag the unicorn carried.

"So are you." she replied, making eye contact. Her eyes, again, were an unremarkable shade of brown. Brown coat, dirty blonde mane, brown eyes, forgettable Cutie Mark, unremarkable voice...Sweetie Belle had an eye for detail, and even she was unsure if she would be able to pick this mare out of a lineup. "At least you're prompt. I appreciate that. Now, to business. This bag," she said, indicating a small, dark green saddlebag without any identifying marks and a few boring stains, "Contains a bit of information on us. Nothing that we don't already want other ponies to know, and certainly not anything sensitive. The information is secret, yes, but more along the lines of poorly known, and less along the lines of things we don't want ponies knowing. Unfortunately, that is all I am authorized to offer. Canterlot's security is too great for us to show you more. In fact, we're pulling out soon, abandoning the city and focusing elsewhere."

Sweetie Belle interjected. "Why? I've checked police reports and listened to rumors. There haven't been any high-profile arrests recently, and as far as I can tell your cover is completely safe."

The mare gave her a look that was equal parts respect and pity. "Ms. Belle, your reporting is admirable, fair, and unbiased. However, you are massively uninformed. There is a war on, and even now battles rage in the back alleys of Equestria's cities. The fact that you hear nothing is a testament to the secrecy of both sides, and when armies clash, it is because we have failed in our duties. Now, as I have said, we are abandoning Canterlot. However, there is a city nearby that is very much under our control. I'm sure you can guess as to which."

Sweetie's eyes widened. "Trottingham." she said.

"Indeed. The information you shall recieve contains a set of instructions for a meeting in another public place in Trottingham, two days hence. There you shall recieve much more information, and the information you have now shall be much clearer. We know you show a great deal of promise in illusion magic, so escaping notice should not be an issue."

Sweetie Belle came to a realization. "Ponies are going to notice if I don't show up for my broadcast tonight." she said, watching the crowd go by. "Not a big issue, but I'm going to need an excuse for my boss."

The dun colored mare nodded. "We have prepared for this eventuality." She opened the saddlebags, withdrawing a small beige folder and a clay pot. "In this pot is honey. The honey is for use as a base for a compound which is rich in Lacucrium sap. We've refined and modified it into something less...potent. And relatively harmless if you eat it with bread to absorb the chemical."

Sweetie surreptitiously took the jar and folder, placing them in her bag. "What will happen after I eat the honey?"

"You'll begin vomiting almost uncontrollably for the space of an hour. So prepare for that. Contact your employer during that time, and prepare to leave quickly. You'll need papers to enter the Rounds, so we've included those."

"What if I decide that I don't want to go?"

The mare looked at her intently. "I know that you want this, and badly. But if you were to loose your nerve, then we would simply disappear. Trust me, you would not be the first."

Sweetie Belle frowned. "You're right, I do want this. But I want some measure of security from you. This is treason if I don't turn it in. How do I know that you haven't been followed?"

The mare sighed. "Very well. I can ensure that I haven't been followed because my tail has been quietly killed by breaking his neck, dousing him in some wine, and laying him in an alley. The four other agents in this square have lost their tails and are now observing all entrances and exits for enemy agents. We know you haven't been followed because we have been tailing you since you left your home this morning, and we know that there are no magical recording devices around, because the interference from so much magecraft fries them like eggs. Most of Canterlot's other agents are busy chasing down a pony that no longer exists, and we have been behaving perfectly normally, so no attention shall be drawn to us. Now, I'm afraid I must depart, Ms. Belle. I have much to do, and very little time in which to do it. The same applies to you."

Sweetie Belle slung her bags back over her shoulders. "Right. I should get going. And thank you."

The mare smiled for the first time, exposing dainty fangs. Her eyes flashed green, and suddenly her Cutie Mark changed, forming into a violin. Her horn vanished. "You're quite welcome, Ms. Belle. Good luck."

Sweetie Belle watched in horror and fascination as the Changeling pushed her way through the crowd, vanishing in a sea of oblivious ponies.

Silver Chip knew that today was going too smoothly. Not much in the way of breaking news, a couple filler pieces, an appropriate guest for the afternoon slot, and a newsroom that was busy humming with the quiet sound of industrious research. So, he was not entirely surprised when the scrying glass in his office chimed gently, alerting him to an incoming call. His horn sparked gently, and the opaque surface of the mirror cleared to reveal his newest broadcaster, Sweetie Belle, with her mane disheveled and a haggard expression upon her face. She appeared to be looking down, so she was obviously using a pool as opposed to a glass.

"Sweetie! You're not looking too hot, hun. Up too late?"

The mare shook her head miserably. "Chip, I'm dying here. I woke up this morning feeling queasy, and I haven't been able to keep anything down today except for some bread, not even medicine. I called in a neighbor who works in Canterlot General, and he took one look at me and said it was flu. I'm not going to be in tonight, I'm so sorry."

Silver Chip grimaced. "Are you sure it won't clear up? It's just one night, and then you have a three day break to rest and recover."

Sweetie Belle gulped. "I'm not sure, but I could try to-" She gulped again. "I could-" Again she tried valiantly to keep her stomach calm. Silver Chip watched in horror as Sweetie displayed exactly what kind of bread she had eaten, right into her scrying pool. Her voice came over the glass, everything else now obscured. "Dammit, I'm going to have to clean that..."

Silver Chip, much to his credit, remained cheerful even as he watched regurgitated food swirl gracefully in front of him. "Alright, kiddo. I'll find somepony to cover your shift tonight. You're too sick to work. See you in a few days?"

Sweetie's voice was the very soul of misery. "Yeah. A few days. I'm going to lie down for a bit."

Silver Chip winced as he heard her vomit once more. "Ok, Sweetie. Have a good one, get some rest." He cut the feed quickly. Poor mare, she must have been hit really hard.

Sweetie Belle spent another half hour in front of her toilet before the effects of the honey began to subside. Moving quickly, she dumped the rest of the horrible concoction down the basin before flushing the whole thing clean. Her scrying basin was next to be cleaned, and she took a quick shower to regain some of her constitution and dignity. She left the newly cleaned basin under the shower while she packed a bag with a few bits, bobs, and sundries.

At last, she was prepared. She set the basin back in its holder upstairs, watching as the water settled into a smooth, mirror like surface and gaining a silvery quality that meant it was ready to use. The beige envelope was quickly seized and torn open. She would have done it when she got home, but she was pressed for time, and needed to call her boss before he expected her to be in, otherwise he would likely have sent somepony around to collect her. Closing her curtains and locking her door, Sweetie Belle spread the contents of the folder out on her kitchen table, reviewing what she had with a practiced eye.

The picture was the first thing that had caught her eye. Several ponies around the edges had been blacked out, but five ponies stared back at her, five very familiar ponies, on posters across Equestria above very large rewards. The picture was labeled with names and the date. This had been taken recently, no more than a month ago. The group sat around a table, which was suspiciously clear, save for one item. Sweetie Belle memorized the names. Next to a massive Earth pony who had been thought dead, a neat caption was placed. "Iron Oak." A sleek Pegasus mare, who was half-hidden behind a mane of messy hair. "Nightshade". A cheerful looking unicorn with a carelessly piled bun gazed back into the young reporter's eyes. Sweetie decided that she liked this one, a unicorn named "Radiant Zenith". Next came a pony apparently made of paper, sitting at the right hoof of the one at the head of the table. The strange unicorn was clearly labeled "Golden Radiance". And at the head of the table, wearing a crystal the shade of a winter storm, was the unicorn Sweetie Belle used to know. Twilight Sparkle's right hoof rested on top of another familiar piece. The Element of Magic looked oddly fragile to Sweetie, its gold tarnished and its stone dull. She set the picture aside.

Sweetie Belle looked over some of the paperwork. A slim stack of papers, each apparently referencing the deaths or disappearances of several prominent nobles, military leaders, and vigilantes who had taken it upon themselves to uncover the location of EF members. Sweetie Belle was disturbed to see her name included along with a terrifyingly accurate description of her habits, location, and friends in Canterlot. She looked over other reports as well. One on Cadance, heavily redacted. Another for Celestia. And five for each of the Bearers, her sister included. Sweetie Belle felt as if she was intruding into the lives of the five ponies she admired most, but she couldn't stop herself. When she was finished, she knew their last locations, the locations of their loved ones, their financial situations...all of it written with the same clinical detachment, but in the hoofwriting of several different ponies.

What she had here wasn't nearly what she had thought the EF to be. The impression given in Canterlot was one of a loose band of rebels and outlaws, constantly on the run, hitting vulnerable targets only, always on the brink of collapse. What she saw, however, she knew to be a small sliver of an extremely well organized group that had suddenly taken an interest in her. What's more, she realized that she would never be able to publish this. She should have realized it earlier, of course, but the full impact of this information would be far too great for anypony to allow it to go public. It would cause irreparable damage to the war effort. But she had to find out more, she had to know. What else waited for her in Trottingham, if this was considered to be on the same level as scraps to be flung at her in order to sate her?

Sweetie Belle was snapped out of her reverie by the soft chime of her scrying pool. Thinking quickly, she gathered up the documents, piling them neatly in her bag. Seizing a towel, she wrapped it around the top of her head, concealing her mane. If it was Silver Chip, she could pretend she had just got out of the shower and hopefully get rid of him quickly. Trotting over to the pool, she let the water clear. What she saw was possibly the only thing worse than Silver Chip.

"Sweetie Belle!" a cultured voice chirped from within the basin. "How are you, darling? I hope I'm not interrupting anything."

Sweetie Belle fixed a simple smile onto her face. She hated to pass herself off as a brainless socialite, but that was what her sister decided she was, so that was the role she played. "Hiya, Big Sister! How's Manehatten?"

Rarity returned the smile. Age had seemingly avoided the mare entirely, kept at bay by unicorns' natural longevity and a variety of beauty treatments. Her hair, still in her signature curl, hung slightly higher now, more of a bob than anything. Aside from that, she very much resembled the mare Sweetie Belle had practically grown up with. Her voice, though shot through with the nasal undertones of upper-crust Manehatten, was still warm and inviting, and every interview she gave resulted in a new group of admirers, who loved her for her voice alone. It had been Rarity who had landed Sweetie Belle her job at CBC.

"I'm doing quite well, dear. Golden Rule and I have a bit of time off between fundraisers, and I was wondering if you were going to be in town this weekend? I'd love to spend some time with you, you're always so busy now."

Sweetie Belle cursed internally. Of course this would be the one weekend Rarity would pick to visit. Sweetie Belle could think of only one thing that would allow her to escape Rarity's plans. And it would take quite a bit of magical ventriloquy. Thankful the towel hid her horn, Sweetie began channeling magic. "Actually, Rarity, I'm going to be in town this weekend, but...I'm kinda busy with something I'm not supposed to be...I actually got the night off of work for it."

Rarity frowned. "Why, whatever do you mean, Sweetie?"

Sweetie Belle's smile turned embarrassed, and she manipulated the skin under her cheeks, which reddened slightly. A completely fabricated voice, deep and masculine, came from behind her. "Sweetie Belle? Who's that?"

"Give me just a minute, I'll be right there!" she called, turning her head over one shoulder.

It was Rarity's turn to flush. "Oh, goodness...I didn't realize you had...company over. I interrupted, didn't I?"

Sweetie fought down the urge to vomit again. "Not really. We're just getting started. Either way, I'm not going to be out at all this weekend. In it for the long haul." she said, with a knowing wink that almost caused her physical pain.

Rarity's sense of impropriety kept her from enquiring further. "Very well, Sweetie Belle. I can see you're going to have your hooves full this weekend. Perhaps another time?"

Sweetie Belle nodded. "Sorry, sis. Any other weekend would have worked. And I'll be more than happy to show you around next time you come up, alright?"

Her sister nodded. "Alright, Sweetie Belle. I'll leave you two alone then, shall I?"

Sweetie smiled. "Thanks, sis. Sorry it couldn't work this time. Now, gotta go. Talk to you soon!"

"Likewise, little sister. Have fun." Rarity said, mortified, as the connection broke.

Sweetie whipped the towel off of her head, turning back to the documents. She had to get out of town. She had to track down more news, get more of the story she needed. It wasn't for her work anymore. She had to know, and nothing was going to stop her, save Celestia herself. She found her paperwork. Unicorn, which was nice. Pink coat, purple mane, Cutie Mark of two dolphins, one gold and one silver. Name of Dawn Breeze. Hometown of Hoofington, which was only accessible through the hub at Trottingham. Sweetie Belle worked on her physical appearance as she read over her supposed new life. She filled in the gaps easily enough. She worked as a secretary for one of the logging companies there. There were so many that she would never be questioned about it, and if she was, she'd make one up and say it was new. She had gone to Canterlot for a brief vacation. And she was a bit slow. Sweetie Belle was quite good at playing dumb, and nopony wanted to talk to an idiot for long.

Soon enough, Dawn Breeze, idiotic secretary from Hoofington heading back to her job in Trottingham, left Sweetie Belle's home and headed for the train station. In her bags were a few supplies, a small bag of bits, some few articles of clothing, and all of the evidence she had collected, stored safely in a hidden pocket in the lining of her saddlebags. Catching the last train to her destination for the day, Sweetie Belle watched as the city she knew so well faded into the gathering dusk behind her. She was on her way.

Knight's Play

Trottingham was the city Canterlot could have been, had it not enjoyed favor as the home of the Princesses. It too was a city of spires and metal, but where the capital of Equestria looked ethereal and majestic, the towers of Trottingham were solid and intimidating, with iron in place of brass, and granite in place of marble. It being located on the edge of the Everfree, its incredibly small squadron of weather pegasi were unable to fight back the majority of the weather around the city, as evidenced by the low bank of thunderclouds hanging over the city as the moon rose above the treetops. The city center was surrounded by a wall, but the logging industry had brought growth to the city, and now the low stone houses spilled past the obdurate barriers encircling the city proper. Curfew was rapidly approaching, and cloaked and hooded ponies were hurrying home while being carefully watched by Regular soldiers patrolling the streets.

Sweetie Belle was very glad for her paperwork as the train rumbled into the center of town, crossing over a trestle that spanned the river flowing from Canterlot, which meandered through the center of town. The sheer scale of the city impressed her. Having lived most of her life in Ponyville, and most of her recent life in Canterlot, Sweetie Belle had never really seen what happened when a city grew out, instead of up like Canterlot did. The streets were hastily cobbled, if they were paved at all, and twisted and turned back in on themselves without rhyme or reason. Elegant manors of stone warred for territory with ramshackle wooden shanties and low brick buildings. Every piece of available land was bordered and regulated by low stone walls, and the streets were still lit with gaslamps instead of magelights, despite Trottingham's significant unicorn population.

Many in the city were, until their official disbandment, under the control of one noble House or another, and most families still retained loyalty to those bygone days. A common phrase to be heard in the streets, in regards to the true source of power in Trottingham, was "The Princess speaks, but the Houses command". Sweetie Belle knew full well that Trottingham was a dangerous city, even before she had arrived. Gangs ruled the streets by night, and clashes between them and the night watchponies were frequent. With the beginning of the Ever Free rebellion, the city had been in a near-constant state of conflict, and it had the reputation, rightly earned, of being a hotbed of Ever Free activity. It was into this city, familiar and different all at once, that Sweetie Belle's train had entered, depositing her on the platform of the low, brown bricked train station before continuing to the relative safety of Hoofington and the south of Equestria.

Her fellow passengers formed into a few lines, heading for the nearest checkpoint, and Sweetie Belle copied them. Her disguise was holding steady, and she noticed a distinct lack of magical scanners. The invention had been developed in response to the Changeling invasion, and had recently seen widespread use across Equestria, making her job much more difficult. She had prepared for it by adding a few blonde highlights into her mane, hoping to claim them as a magical vanity if she set off the illusion-detecting devices. As it was, she would simply have to keep them there, unnecessary as they were.

"Evening, Miss! Welcome to Trottingham!" the guard on duty said, scanning over her papers. "Or rather, welcome back to Trottingham. Can I have your place of employment and name please?"

Sweetie Belle flipped her mane over one shoulder. "My name is Dawn Breeze." The guard looked at her expectantly. Sweetie looked back, eyes wide and innocent. She gave a little gasp, and laughed. "Oh, right! I work at Royal Logging as a secretary."

The guard consulted his list. "I don't appear to have a Royal Logging on here, Ms. Breeze."

"Are you sure? I filed the paperwork about a month ago. It's pretty new." she said, rummaging through her saddlebags distractedly, as if she didn't have a care in the world.

A clock chimed in the distance, signifying the change of the hour to nine. Curfew was in effect. The guard on duty sighed. "Alright, Miss Breeze. If it's a new company we probably don't have it registered yet. Be sure to check in with your nearest registration center so we can get that updated. In the meantime, I'll go ahead and let you through. Welcome to Trottingham, and go straight home, curfew just started."

Sweetie Belle smiled and thanked him, closing her bags and collecting her paperwork before trotting through the checkpoint. Moving quickly, she ducked into a nearby alleyway, changing her coat color to grey and striking the highlights from her hair. Her Cutie Mark faded, becoming that of a bit coin. She stowed her old papers in the secret lining of her saddlebags, withdrawing a second set which identified her as Silver Standard, banker from Canterlot on business to Trottingham. She ran over the second set of instructions, which she had reviewed on the train ride down. If she wanted to know more, she was to wait by the statue of the Paladin near Trottingham's famous Bronze Clock. Thus changed, she quickly located a darkened street, trotting briskly towards a building with lights in the windows, clearly an inn. It seemed clean and inviting enough, so she raised one hoof and knocked.

The Earth pony that opened the door was in that peculiar time between being an adolescent and an adult, almost matured but not quite. She still had the gangly legs of youth, and was slender enough that a less generous soul might call her bony. Her coat, a pleasant cream color, played a sharp contrast to a fiery red mane of hair bound tightly in a braid. A simple cloth apron was bound tightly around her shoulders, stained with the deep reds of wine, the browns of beer, and various other indignities which had happened upon it, giving it a look of uniqueness and age. Her face wore an expression of gentle weariness, and the bedraggled air of somepony doing far more work than they should hung heavy around her.

"'Ello, miss. Looking for room, are you?" she asked in the rough accent of a working-class Trottingham pony. "We're almost full up, but I'm sure we can find a room for you somewhere."

Sweetie Belle nodded. "I'd need room for about three nights. I've buisness to do in town, and I'm afraid my previous reservations at another inn fell through."

The mare's expression turned sympathetic. "A right shame, that is. Well, our rooms aren't highest quality, but they're cheap and they're clean, and meals is included for a bit extra per night."

"That sounds lovely. How much per night?" Sweetie asked.

"Three bits per night, one extra for food, though we also barter services in exchange for lodging. You don't seem too inclined for inn work though, begging your pardon, miss."

Sweetie withdrew her bag of bits. "That's reasonable enough for me. I'll go fifteen bits for the three days if you can exercise discretion and preserve my privacy while I'm here."

The mare shook her head, braid swinging wildly. "You'll pay twelve and not a gold shaving more, and you'll have your privacy, or my name isn't Oak Barrel. Please, miss, come inside." she said, ushering the unicorn through the threshold of the small building.

The common room of the inn was a standard enough affair. A low bar ran along the far wall, and a cheerful fire burned in the corner, most of the smoke flowing through the red brick chimney and out into the night. The rest hung in the air, lending the aroma of burning cedar to the area. Several circular wooden tables were arranged haphazardly by a small stage for a performer of some description. The thing that set this inn aside, however, was the company. For some reason, what appeared to be a theater troupe had descended on the inn, and half the tables were crowded with clowns, magicians, bards, and acrobats. The other half of the common room was occupied by no less than twenty Royal Guards, who were drinking heartily and singing ballads while no less than three of the minstrels played along, in three different keys. The effect was nowhere near pleasant, but definitely noticeable.

"It's not usually this crowded, but for some reason everypony needs an inn tonight!" Oak Barrel shouted over the noise, ducking a thrown tankard expertly. "Give me just a tick, and I'll see what's available for you!" And without waiting for a reply, she dashed into the crowd, taking a tray laden with drinks onto her back, depositing them on the table of several Guards, and talking to a mare Sweetie Belle assumed could only be a twin sister, so similar were they in coat and mane color. After a quick conversation, Oak Barrel nodded, and began dancing back through the crowd. One Guard attempted to grab her flank, earning a solid cuff for his troubles, and she managed to singlehoofedly save the drinks of a table full of card sharks before returning to Sweetie's side, panting slightly.

"Right-o, we've got one private room on the third floor, all the way down and to the right. Follow me!" she said, trotting up the stairs, Sweetie Belle following close behind. She led her up the stairs, which creaked slightly with each step, and after a brief climb, they arrived on the top floor of the building. Up here, the noise from the common room was very much diminished, so much so that Sweetie Belle was only aware of a slight hum.

"Once you've got the door shut, you won't notice a thing, Miss. That's a promise, that is." Oak Barrel said, laying a hoof on the brass knob of the door at the end of the hallway.

"Thank you very much for your hospitality, and please, call me Silver Standard." Sweetie Belle said, withdrawing her sack of bit coins from her saddlebag and counting out twelve. "There, that's twelve up front."

The mare swept the money into an apron pocket, bowing slightly. "Thank you kindly, Miss. Dinner is shepherd's stew and bread, I can bring that up for you if you like. Any choice of drink? We've got wine, mead, beer, water, and good cider from out near Ponyville. First batch we've had in a while, after that terrible fire."

Sweetie hardly hesitated. "Cider, please. I've not had Ponyville cider in years."

Oak Barrel looked at her curiously. "You've had it before?"

Sweetie Belle cursed her foolish slip. "Only once, at a fundraising event in Canterlot. I even got to meet the mare who made it, the Element of Honesty."

The innkeeper was awestruck. "That's an honor, that is. What was it like?"

Sweetie Belle yawned. "If you like, tomorrow I can tell you all about it. I've not got anything to do until the day after, so I'll be glad for company."

The Earth pony nodded. "Right then. I'll have your food up in a moment, and when you finish you can leave the tray outside, we come by and pick them up after the meals. I'll let you get settled in, and I'll be back in just a mo!"

Sweetie nodded tiredly, pushing the door open to reveal a simple room consisting of a small restroom, and a bedroom furnished with a simple chest of drawers and a small bed covered with a quilt. Sweetie Belle unpacked what few possessions she had, laying the documents underneath her clothing, and propped her saddlebags up against the wall. Checking her disguise in the mirror, she eliminated any minuscule imperfections that had appeared in her disguise, finishing just in time to hear a quiet knock on her door. Opening it back up, she smiled at the sight of Oak Barrel holding a tray of food.

"Here you are, Miss Standard! Breakfast tomorrow is hot at seven, and if you choose to sleep late, we start lunch at noon. Unfortunately the public baths are closed right now because of the curfew, but it lifts at six and you're welcome to use them as long as you like, for two bits I believe. Anything else?"

"No, thank you. I'll be up early tomorrow, and I will be happy to talk more then. And thank you for dinner, it looks delicious." Sweetie Belle said, yawning again.

Oak Barrel smiled cheerfully and bowed slightly. "I can see you're tired, Miss Standard. Have a good night." she said, trotting back down the hallway.

"You as well." Sweetie said, shutting the door behind her. Turning to the food, she fell upon it with zeal, enjoying the feeling of having food in her stomach again after having emptied it that afternoon. The stew was good, as was the bread, which was a bit hard, but perfectly edible nonetheless. Finishing the dinner, she looked at the tankard of cider before her. Careful not to spill a drop, she lifted it to her lips and took in a mouthful. Immediately she was reminded of early autumn days, waiting in line to get some from the source. She was reminded of the smell of apples cooking down, of spice and honey being added. She remembered how serious Rainbow Dash would become in the weeks leading up to its release, and the bitter sadness everypony felt when all of it was gone.

She found herself ruminating on her old life in Ponyville, and of how different she now was compared to when she had gotten her first cup of cider as a filly. And of course, she had gotten her first cup while waiting in line with Applebloom and Scootaloo. Sweetie Belle smiled. She hadn't heard from either of them in years, not since that October when they had watched Twilight break free from Celestia and vanish into the forest she could see from her window. She knew only a little of what had happened after she had left Ponyville to study in Canterlot. Scootaloo had left on her tour, of course, and after that had vanished from her life. Applebloom, on the other hoof, was a mystery to her. Idly, Sweetie Belle wondered she was now.

The command was obeyed without question. "Recruits! Present...Arms!"

Applebloom shouldered her training spear with the rest of her training group, armor gleaming in the evening torchlight. Each buckle was shined to spotlessness, each strap well within regulation tightness. The golden sun on her chest plate was burnished perfectly, as well as the head of her spear. She had distinguished herself during training, and had quickly rose to the position of Platoon Leader. This was the final day of her time as a Regular-in-Training, and she kept her gaze level and straightforward, face unreadable even though she could see her brother and sister in the stands. Big MacIntosh's face glowed with pride, and Applejack's eyes glimmered with happy tears. Applebloom had requested that she be assigned to a combat unit, as opposed to medical or administrative, where most mares ended up in the Regulars. Her scores had ensured that her request was granted. And now, she stood in front of her platoon, ready to take the final step in her training.

"On my command, you will recite the Oath of Service. Recruits! We are the Regular Army!"

Applebloom's voice was one among many. "We serve and protect our nation. We stand against those who would do her harm. Ours is the path of the protector, and we stand against Equestria's enemies. Let those who set themselves against us beware. Those who oppose us will not stand for long. We bear the shield. We are the spear. We are Regulars, and we fight for Equestria, our Princess, and Harmony. So we stand!"

"Congratulations, Regulars. Welcome to the service! You are dismissed to your families and loved ones. Dismissed!"

Applebloom stood at attention until Applejack and Big Mac caught her in a hug. "So proud of you, sugarcube." Applejack whispered.

"Eeyup." Big Mac added, and they stood there for a while. Applebloom allowed herself to cry a bit. She had made it. She was a Regular, and those who opposed Equestria would find her standing in their way.

The Board is Grey

Twilight's study was off limits to everypony save a few trusted souls, several of which were standing around her as she pored over the map from Golden Raidence's study. The paper itself was nothing special, merely a mapping of ley lines around the castle and its surrounding areas. However, this map was very old, extremely so. Radient Zenith estimated it to predate the Celestial Wars, and as such it made reference to several cities that no longer existed, such as Roam and Equusopolis Maximus and Minimus. As well, a tiny note scribbled in the margins made note of a "Glass Kingdom" far to the north. None of these were what Twilight was borrowing the map for, though they were interesting tidbits in their own right. What she was currently doing was comparing the old map to a considerably newer one, stolen from the Archives in Canterlot three years ago as part of an information gathering campaign.

The yellowed parchment confirmed what Twilight already knew, that the biggest confluences of ley lines in Equestria were gathered under its two capitals. Each manifested itself differently. The energy trapped in Canterlot's mountain grew potent magical crystals and gems, slowly over years and decades. The Regia's ley lines were channeled by Radient Zenith's magic into the surrounding woods, causing them to grow large and dense and wild. Several other lines met in a few different places, nothing particularly large. However, there were several discrepancies between the maps, which proved very interesting indeed.

Namely, the present day map neglected to mention that the Canterlot cluster of lines appeared to be something quite different than an actual cluster. It happened to be the intersection of several dense ropes of Power, which crossed in creation of a powerful magical site. One of these ropes came from under the Everfee. A few smaller ropes came from natural flowing lines that were attracted by the tangle. But the biggest and thickest tangle of ley lines came straight from the north, past the farthest reaches of Equestria, and apparently even past the location of the Minotaur Khanate. And as it went north, it only grew in strength. Twilight didn't know what it was. Golden Radience didn't recognize it. Even Radient Zenith was mystified as to its source or purpose. And so, they had agreed to cast a divination.

The three mares, one old beyond measure, one who would live far beyond her years, and one who had done more in her short life than three ponies could in ten lifetimes, stood at the points of an equidistant triangle, contained in a chalk circle of runes and lines designed to amplify the latent power under their hooves. Each had agreed that Twilight would be the one who would receive the vision, with Radient Zenith providing the raw power and Golden Radience shaping it. The doors were barred and locked, with Lunar Guards stationed at each entrance, the elite soldiers having received orders to not allow passage or open the doors unless Celestia herself was leading an attack on the castle. Each mare stood in her own chalk circle, careful not to smudge it, surrounded by six lit candles of pure white wax. An orb of glass stood in the center of the triangle, gleaming in the light of the candles.

At a nod from Twilight, Radient Zenith lit her horn, channeling a mix of Binding and Breaking magic into the runes. They began to glow and shimmer with silver light, as if the moon had broken into pieces and mixed with the chalk. Like argent fire, the magic slowly spread through the entirety of the divination circle, and as it closed in on itself, the light began to gently intensify. As it did so, Golden Radience let light spill from her papery horn, causing the candles to burn a deep green as the flames grew higher and hotter. Twilight did not channel any of her own power into the Binding, instead gently seizing hold of it with her will and allowing it to flow through her horn. As it began to build up, she mixed in a bit of her will, trusting the guidance of the unicorns around her. This sharing of magic was among the most intimate of unicorn experiences, the mixing of souls and magic only to be attempted by those who completely trusted each other. And so it was with these three, a scholar, a witch, and a Mage of the same blood and separated by time, brought together in order to see what was hidden. Twilight carefully released her magic, a beam of pale purple light flying from her horn and striking the orb. Twilight felt her consciousness flow from her body into the glass, and with a rush of magic, she began to search.

Twilight's consciousness began to expand rapidly, first taking in the castle, then the woods, then the surrounding villages, then Canterlot, and then...no! She applied her will, refusing to let her consciousness fly apart, bringing herself together and focusing her search on the ley lines. A difficult task it was, too. Each life, from ponies to the smallest of insects, burned with life, bright and fleeting flames. Amazed, Twilight turned herself towards Canterlot. There, four flames burned. The brightest blazed steadily with brilliant golden light, illuminating everything around it. Twilight felt certain she was looking at Celestia. The second was a delicate pink flame that burned almost as brightly, lined at the very edges with a familiar shade of blue. The shade of her brother's mane, Twilight realized. That was Cadance. The third pulsed from deep within the mountain, a sullen ember of red and black that Twilight immediately knew was Luna.

The fourth was...chaotic. The display she watched resembled nothing so much as a fireworks display caught in a soap bubble, brilliant sparks in impossible colors flashing against the pearlescent barrier containing it. As Twilight watched, it coiled in on itself, seeming to watch her closely. An icy fear gripped her heart as the flame darkened and a spark lept forward, punching through the bubble and soaring towards her. It hissed to a stop in front of her, and resolved itself into a horribly familiar form.

"Well, Miss Twilight Sparkle! I'd say it was a pleasant surprise to meet you here, but I'd be lying. Though the company is appreciated. Did you come all this way to visit little old me?" the mad god of Chaos said, his voice full of ancient, mocking cruelty.

"Discord. This...probably isn't good, is it?" Twilight asked.

Discord chuckled, not altogether unkindly. "Now, Twilight Sparkle. I can't hurt you here any more than you could free me. All my power is locked up tight. I merely wished to speak with you in person, as it were. I see you figured out the riddle from the last time we talked. And just look at you! Leading a rebellion, sowing chaos and dissent...it warms my crusty old heart, it does." With that, Discord reached down his throat, pulling out a disturbing mass of tissue that writhed and heaved. Twilight was not at all surprised when it burst into flame. Discord examined it. "At least, I think that was my heart. Ah well, I don't limit myself in such ways."

Twilight turned her gaze north. Discord followed, and his eyes glinted dangerously. "Divining the wild north,eh? Best be careful, Twilight Sparkle. There's beasties up there far worse than Changelings and hydras. How are my lovely children, by the way?"

Twilight filed that away for later. "The Hives have been invaluable in collecting intelligence. We've got quite the lead in that regard. They work in promise for a better life after it is all over, a life among ponies. Most who follow me are amiable to the idea."

"Hmm, yes. They were always a bit soft for my tastes. At least they've managed to find their niche. As weapons I found them rather useless. Now, what you'll find in the direction you're headed, those are my favorite. Mind if I tag along?"

Twilight located the massive river of energy. "Can I stop you?"

Discord laughed a proper laugh this time. "Not particularly, no."

"Then by all means, come along." Twilight Sparkle said warily, and she felt the draconeqqus follow closely behind her as the projection of herself raced across the mountains near Canterlot, following the line as it meandered gently further north. A brief while later, Twilight recognized the now-abandoned camp where she had met the Allegrettas, the lake she had swum in, the crumbling bench she and Tara had kissed on...

"Oh, Twilight Sparkle, you didn't! Celly must be furious. Very vindictive of you, falling for a mare like that." Discord teased from beside her.

Twilight's voice was cool. "What I feel for Tarantella is very real. Never doubt that." she said as they left the camp behind.

"Never said it wasn't, little Twily. Love can be a wonderfully vindictive thing, real or no."

Twilight chose to ignore both this last remark and his use of Shining Armor's nickname for her. Pushing herself harder, Twilight watched the mountains get higher and higher, finally becoming plateaus and windswept tundras devoid of almost all life. Yet even here it struggled on, in massive creatures, giant caribou and wolves and bears. As Twilight stopped and watched, a group of Minotaur descended on a wounded wolf, one of their number falling with a hole in his throat before his hordemates tore the wolf to shreds with their bare hands. It was devoured raw and on the spot. Several of his brothers checked to make sure the fallen Minotaur was actually dead before bowing their heads in respect. A bellow rose from the group, as they grieved. Finishing their wild ululations, the Minotaur tore apart and consumed their fallen brother as well.

"Many ponies don't realize that life itself is inherently Chaotic, Twilight Sparkle." Discord said, his voice hushed with something approaching reverence. "Celestia is just as unnatural as I am. And when I see things like this, I find myself gladdened to realize that life shall continue even if I cannot take part in it."

Twilight snorted. "You are just as destructive as her. I no more want you ruling me than her." She turned north once more, and together they flew into the snowy wastes near the top of the world. Even here, where winds howled wildly and snow and ice gripped the land in eternal submission, life clung to every inch it was given. Seals, great white bears, fish, even hardy lichen chewed on by rabbits with fur as white as the snow spread before Twilight in a wondrous carpet of life. Twilight realized that she was flying faster than ever, as the ley line pulled her close to her destination, flowing towards a spot in the horizon that pulsed with a steady beat. Suddenly, a black, icy feeling washed over her.

"Discord? What was that?"

A chuckle was all she could hear from the draconeqqus. "These are my perfect warriors, Twilight. You should have stayed away. I did warn you about the quality of life up here. Good luck."

Twilight rushed forward, borne along by the magical current of the ley line, towards something massive in the distance. The light pulsed from the top of a massive summit, a mountain that defied all definition and limitation by virtue of its sheer bulk and height. Twilight's heart raced in her chest as she realized that whatever Celestia had been working on, it was up there. And circling the base of the mountain, churning up snow and ice and wind, were Discord's perfect warriors. Windigos, by the hundreds, by the thousands, in numbers uncountable they circled, creating a cyclone of hatred and fury that Twilight felt as clearly as frost riming her coat.

A massive scream arose from their ranks at her approach, and they circled faster and faster, hoping to blow her off course and leave her to be trampled underneath icy hooves. Twilight felt herself slipping, as the cold seeped into her bones and heart, and she felt an overwhelming urge to forsake her quest and run, to simply run with this herd of majestic creatures, run forever for the sheer furious joy of it and not stop until the entire world was trampled under her wrath. Her head turned, and she began to fall in with the rest of the herd.

Suddenly, a warm weight seemed to settle on her shoulders, and Twilight found herself insulated from the cold. A small voice whispered in her ear. Cara Mia... Twilight shook her head. She wanted to run, she wanted to fly in the cold so badly... It spoke again. Cara Mia, please... That voice, it was familiar. Twilight, come back to me. Please, come back... Twilight...she was Twilight. She was Twilight, and she had a journey to complete, and she had to return home afterwards. She had duties, and ponies to lead, and...a mare. She had a mare that she loved. Tarantella.

"Tarantella?"

Cara Mia, don't go...

Twilight used that voice and that warmth to break free from the herd of ghostly ponies, those tortured and lost souls consumed by hatred so strong that when their mortal shells had passed into the cold embrace of the earth, their spirits had lived on, fueled by their rage and fury. A wild shriek came from the herd, which continued to circle. They did not pursue her. Speeding up the side of the mountain, she felt her vision begin to fade. Blackness ate at the edges of her vision as she climbed higher and higher, until finally she stood at the top.

There before her stood a circle of stones, some standing alone, others forming crude arches. A spring welled up from the center, and Twilight felt her vision returning the longer she gazed upon it. Quietly, reverently, she stepped forward. There, inside the icy water, she spotted something familiar. A stone, carved in the shape of the starburst on the Element of Magic, and shot through with lines of gold and pink. Twilight turned her head to the stones, noting the carvings on them. The rune work was unmistakeable. Celestia had carved these herself, painstakingly and one at a time. Runes of focus and constriction, and others whose purpose Twilight could only guess at. These were Magic of the highest order, something only an Alicorn with the right knowledge could handle, she was sure.

Twilight realized that something was...off. Something had changed while she was up here. The fountain still flowed, the sky still pulsed with light, the stones still stood...the Windigos. They had gone silent. Twilight began to dissipate her spell, returning to her body. She started to fade away, and watched as her teacher stepped out of thin air, looking directly at her. Her expression was one of absolute fury and steadfast resolve, an anger so massive as to be totally alien fueling the magic from her horn, and Twilight realized she was very much in trouble.

A fiery cord of magic wrapped around her throat, and Twilight began to choke once more, skin blistering under the assault. Celestia said not a word, her face a mask of divine wrath as her student struggled to escape. Twilight, realizing her time grew short, fell back on her last option. She channeled magic through her horn, feeling her perspective shake as the delicate balance of the divination was thrown off. Her vision flickered once, twice, as the cord became a noose and then a vice as Celestia fought to keep her there. Finally, with one last pulse of magic, Twilight Sparkle returned to her body.

"Give her air, damn your eyes! All of you, back!"

"Twilight? Twilight, listen to me, can you hear me?"

"She's not breathing..."

"Right. Clear the area!"

Pain. A spark, pain.

"Twilight, are you alright?"

Voices. Words, sentences, questions. Twilight. Twilight? Me.

"I've got a pulse again. Breathing too."

Pulse? Me? Hurt. I'm hurt. I hurt, I hurt, I hurt...

"Sweet Luna, help us in our hour of need, protect her from the grips of..."

"Tarantella, that's no help right now. Back up, child."

Tara? Voice, warmth, Windigos. Cold. I'm so cold...

"Get that potion over here! Yes, that's right, coat the needle..."

Celestia, stones, magic. Not magic, Magic. Why? Need to get up, need to find out, need to talk...

"Stick her."

Needleprick, medicine. I'm sick? No, I'm hurt. Got to get up.

"Twilight, did you say something?"

Got to get up...

"She's back. Get the medics in here, we'll corral the damage."

Tara...

"Twilight, I'm here. I'm right here."

Windigos. Thank you. Windigos, and you...you saved me.

"Right, she's in magical shock. About time you showed up. Treat her for frostbite and that burn along her neck. We'll be keeping the delicate parts working."

Found the circle in the north...Celestia's fountain. A giant mountain. Mad god Discord, frozen land, led me true and played his hand...

"This'll be easier on her if she's under an opiate spell, ma'am."

"Then do it. I authorize it as the Steward of the Everfree."

Sleep? Sleep.

Sleep...

And you're sure she saw it?

She was already there. She saw it all, Aether take her!

How much?

She was there for no more than a minute, and she was examining the runes when I arrived. She had already seen the stone, and that's enough to go on.

She doesn't know what she saw, though! Just a stone, and a fountain, and way too many Windigos. Nopony else can even decipher those runes. They can't comprehend the full meaning of it. I'm an Alicorn, and I barely understand some of it!

Luna could. I need security around that section doubled, and I'll be renewing the wards and chains tonight.

As you command, Highness.

Twilight almost died. The Windigos almost had her. And had she picked up that stone, she would have died.

But she didn't. And we can still make this right, Aunt Celestia. I believe you can do it.

Thank you, Cadance. Hopefully we shall be able to bring an end to this conflict before long.

I hope so.

Have you found out anything else about Shining Armor?

Yes. It's started, I think. At least for him. I can probably hold off for a while more, but after that I run the risk of seriously hurting him. And I'm not willing to do that.

I'd never ask you to, you know that. Just...be cautious. The first time is always dicey.

I will. Is there anything else, Princess?

No. Thank you, Cadance. Say hello to Shining Armor for me.

I'll do that. Good night, Aunt Celestia. I love you.

And I you, Cadance. Good night.

Bishop's Square

The day dawned over Trottingham long before Sweetie Belle woke up, exhausted from the journey and the events of the previous day. Looking out of her window from her bed, which was surprisingly warm and comfortable, the unicorn was able to see the ponies of the city going about their business. Or at least, trying to. As she watched, a pair of guards pulled one pony aside, demanding to know what was in his saddlebags. The contents were checked thoroughly before one of the soldiers roughly piled the contents, groceries, back inside the bags and handed them back to the unfortunate fellow, who was then allowed to continue on his way after producing identification.

Sweetie Belle was surprised. She had heard that things were more secure around here, but that seemed a little extreme. In Canterlot, ponies were only required to carry papers if they were out past curfew, or at certain checkpoints. Reluctantly, she rolled out of bed, fixing her illusion in the mirror and then looking out of her window again. The streets were busy and packed with ponies, on their way to and from the station. Suddenly, a cry arose from a nearby alleyway. A purple Earth pony galloped desperately out of the narrow space, hoof covered in black paint, which also spattered her face. Two guards pursued her, one blowing a whistle as they passed. Sweetie watched as the Earth pony was caught by an armor clad unicorn who had stepped out of a nearby building, her hooves working furiously as she remained suspended in midair, hovering in a weak aura of golden magic. The two guards nodded to their compatriot while they bound and hobbled her. The defiant mare spit at the guard who tried to bridle her before the bit was forced into her mouth and she was led off. Amazed at what she had just seen, Sweetie Belle looked to the alleyway. There, in fresh paint, was a six pointed star, and the word "Ever".

Sweetie Belle checked her disguise again, very thoroughly. As far as she could tell, she resembled exactly who she said she would be. Silver Standard, boring banker from Canterlot. Sighing, she checked the meeting date and time on her paper. A full day early, but she could not prepare to meet her informant because she had no idea who the informant was. And she refused to sit in her room for a full day. An idea sluggishly formed in the back of her still slightly drowsy mind. Tea first. Then the public baths, which she needed. It would take a bit of effort to maintain the pigmentation in her coat while bathing, but she was confident she could do it. And then...she pulled out the note from her bag. She was to meet her informant by the Bronze Clock, next to the statue of the Paladin. She had no idea where that was, so it seemed that today would be a good day to at least scout the area. With that in mind, she prepared herself further for her day. After checking herself over once more, thoroughly, she stepped out of her room, locking the door behind her.

Sweetie Belle heard a commotion coming from downstairs, splintering chairs and crashing pots and pans. Rushing down to the common room, she took in the sight in front of her. What appeared to be several guardsponies were being roundly beaten with various kitchen implements, wielded by the two sisters who ran the inn. A dirty Pegasus cowered in one corner, a little filly who was clutching a small bag in her hooves. The guards appeared to be trying to pacify the two sisters, who were letting loose with an impressive variety of curses as they stood in front of her.

"Got a lot of bottle, laying hooves on her!" Oak Barrel said, hurling a stool at the leader of the group.

"She refused to stop and be searched! We have orders to check all suspicious packages near the station!" he replied, ducking swiftly.

"Right, you bleeding idiot! Because one, she's deaf, and two, she's a gorram filly! How would you react? Eh?" the other sister yelled, her tidy bun coming undone in places.

A pan was swung at one of the guards who had gotten too close, which connected with an impressive clang. He dropped like a sack of potatoes, quite unconscious.

"She could have showed us what was in the bag, and that would have been the end of it."

"She had instructions to pick up supplies and come right back, because in case you haven't noticed, the streets aren't the safest place for a filly, ye gormless, feckless, half arsed excuse for a tin can! She can't be bothered to stop for you idiots, and neither can we!"

The guard stood his ground. "Look, there's no need to make a fuss."

Oak Barrel's eyes flared. "I've had it with you puffed up windbags." She turned to the filly, who was watching her with wide eyes. With a peculiar set of hoof stomps and head twitches, she beat out a set of instructions to her. The filly nodded, springing to her hooves, and tapped out a brief response. Opening the bag, she withdrew a small bottle of green glass. Stepping forward cautiously, she placed it on the ground, along with the bag.

"There. See that? That's sweet berry syrup. Hard to get, harder to buy. She loves it, and we use it in quite a bit of our food."

The leader stepped forward, uncorking the bottle and sniffing the contents. He spilled a small amount onto one hoof and tasted it. He grunted appreciatively. "Very well. That's berry syrup." He recorked the bottle, gently handing it back to the filly, who did her best to look brave, though she held herself low, ready to run if necessary. At a short tap from Oak Barrel, she fled behind them once more.

"Now, you piss-poor excuse for a soldier, is there anything else ye'd be wanting to do here besides frighten small fillies? Maybe steal the money in the register, or burn all of our furniture? If not, then ye can piss off." the other Earth pony said, hugging the Pegasus close.

The sergeant surveyed the damage to the inn. He withdrew a small bag of bits, shamefaced. The rest of his ponies did so as well. "For the repair of your furniture, and compensation. Sorry, it's all we have to offer." He tossed it on the ground, where it landed with a clink. A beat later, ten similar bags hit the ground.

Oak Barrel refused to look at them. "Leave. Just leave."

The guardsponies did so, picking up their unconsicous comrade and filing out without another word. The door thudded closed behind them.

"Unbelievable." Oak Barrel said, as she set down her pan, beginning to set up the chairs and tables once more. She began to lift one of the heavy oak tables, struggling to tip it onto one side. "They could have asked anypony in the bloody neighborhood. They know Cirrus."

"Probably new or reassigned. Their commander will have them up the wall for the next two weeks for that little stunt." her twin replied, comforting the Pegasus, who clopped out a quick message on the floor.

Her head turned around, seeing Sweetie Belle sitting on the stairs. "Ello, miss. Sorry you had to see that."

Sweetie Belle got to her hooves, and lit her horn up, lifting the chairs and tables, setting them back into their original positions. One table immediately toppled over, as well as a few of the stools. "Is this a regular occurrence?"

"Not at all, Miss Standard. Occasionally somepony will do something idiotic and get caught partaking in activities they should not, but on the whole it's a quiet neighborhood. Whenever they switch out guard units, though, things get a bit...shambolic. They don't know us, we don't know them, everything gets tense for a while." Oak Barrel said, slinging the broken chairs over her back and depositing them in the corner. "Cirrus gets a fright once every few months until we can get things sorted out between us and them. They'll be back in a few weeks, apologizing and eager to show us they aren't bad ponies, really."

Cirrus tapped out a quick beat, and Oak Barrel laughed. "That means hello, ma'am. She's taken a shine to you, normally she won't talk to strangers for days."

Sweetie tapped back, imitating the beat. Cirrus grinned, and stomped her front hooves on the ground in applause. "I've never heard of using this to communicate with deaf ponies. Did you come up with it?"

"Wasn't us, was it, Copper?"

"No, it was her. She came up with the whole thing. We've been trying to write it down, but she keeps coming up with new words. Caught her tapping out 'bollucks', or the equivalent, yesterday. Never should have taught her how to read lips."

Sweetie re-affixed a chair leg back to its base, making sure that the crack was no longer visible. Thus repaired, she set it to one side and started on the others. "Does she live nearby?"

Oak Barrel nodded. "We take care of her, keep her safe and give her a place to sleep. In return, she helps how she can, runs errands and such. Can almost fly, too."

The unicorn frowned. "No parents?"

Copper shook her head. "She's run off from a hospital near the center of town, though she won't say which. All the deaf and blind ponies stay there, apparently. She had a few friends there, but apparently she was dropped there as a filly. No note or anything. One day she had decided that enough was enough and left. Wandered into our inn half starved and tried to steal a crust during the peak hours a few years back, exhausted, freezing, and soaking. We gave her a job and a place a few days after we caught her and worked out how to communicate."

Cirrus clopped out a longer stream of beats, finishing by twirling on one back hoof and setting three hooves down with a sharp *crack*. She indicated Sweetie Belle, and then the bits on the ground.

Oak Barrel laughed. "She says that you should take some of the bits you've helped us save and get a bath. Apparently you reek."

Sweetie Belle smiled. "I'll not take your money, but I'll take you up on your suggestion. I was planning on it anyway."

Copper nodded. "Will you be back for midday meal, or will we see you at dinner?"

"I've got to meet my client near the Bronze Clock tomorrow at noon. I'll be taking a look at the place so I remember how to get there on time tomorrow, they're very punctual."

Oak Barrel set up the newly repaired chairs and tables. "Just follow the river from the baths, towards the center of town. You'll see it before too long. Odd place to meet somepony for banking, not much there but restaurants and tourist traps."

Sweetie Belle recovered. "It's a bit of a lunch date sort of thing. I've not met them personally, and this is a chance for us to identify each other as ponies before going further."

Oak Barrel nodded. "Makes sense to me. Enjoy your bath and sightseeing, and we'll see you around dinner!"

It was in the early afternoon, several hours later, that Sweetie Belle walked along the edge of the river running through Trottingham, watching the boats and low barges laden with lumber traveling its length. Trottingham by day was no more inviting than by night. The streets were filthy, the buildings dilapidated, and she got a feeling from the ponies nearby of a gently smoldering fire ready to flare back into life at the slightest provocation. This was a city on the brink of collapse, Sweetie Belle was sure. The sun glinted off of something in the distance, and Sweetie found her eye drawn to the source.

The Bronze clock was massive, a square tower rising to a tapered point, its roof covered in graceful spikes, capping a massive, intricate clock. The sides were ribbed, giant folds of metal that gave the illusion of a hundred pillars supporting the huge timepiece. As she watched, the hour was struck, three massive, booming chimes ringing across the river with force enough that Sweetie could feel them in her chest. Picking the pace up, Sweetie Belle trotted across the river, reaching the foot of the clock and gazing up at the impressive edifice in front of her. This was impressive in a way Sweetie Belle had never seen before. Canterlot's wonders spoke of a more ancient time, vast columns of stone and impressive buildings and facades that loomed majestically above the ponies passing by. This was a more modern wonder, an intimidating and beautiful fusion of monument and machine that was unique in its metallic, massive glory.

Sweetie looked around for a statue, finding none. Spotting a nearby guard, she trotted over. "Pardon me, but could you tell me where I could find the statue of the Paladin?"

The guard looked at her strangely. "The statue of the Paladin? Of Trottingham?"

Sweetie Belle nodded. "Yes, that one."

He snorted. "History buff, are you? Well, I can tell you this. The statue ain't outside. It's in the old monastery across the river. You know, above the tomb of the Paladin?"

Sweetie took it in stride. "Thank you very much."

He nodded. "You'd best hurry. They close in an hour, and tomorrow they're closed. Some sort of private gathering."

Well, that would be a problem. Sweetie Belle set off at a brisk trot, dipping her hooves in a small pool of water by the door of the abbey before stepping inside. The interior was quiet, a reverent hush permeating the ancient walls as several ponies bowed their heads in respect while standing in front of a tomb, made of simple white sandstone, a simply carved statue of a pony resting on the lid of a sarcophagus, plain and without markings. Sweetie carefully joined the throng, bowing her head in respect as the ponies around her murmured prayers or blessings and walked away one by one. She resolved to stay by the tomb until asked to leave, and so entered into a bit of quiet meditation. Such was the quiet that she was able to listen to the conversations around her, and despite feeling a bit sacrilegious in doing so, she found herself listening closely.

"...give me the strength to tell her..."

"I just want him to get better..."

"...in Celestia's name..."

"...no war..."

"...deaf filly..."

Sweetie Belle listened closely to that one, and was surprised to hear the voice of the sergeant, clearly off duty.

"I just want to protect ponies, but it is so hard. Can't they understand? We're here for them, not to hurt them but to help them. That filly was scared of me...Celestia, I have one her age at home, if she had ever looked at me like that...Please, give me strength, give me the strength I need to protect others...keep my family safe."

Sweetie Belle listened as a set of hoofbeats faded away, as the sergeant trotted out of the door on his own, hopefully carrying the strength of the Paladin with him. She reflected on the nature of his prayer. Was he a bad pony for what he had done? No, she decided. He wasn't. He had done something bad. Maybe a lot of bad things, but that didn't make him bad. Then who was the "bad" group, here? The EF? They had hurt ponies, she knew. But they seemed simply to want to be left alone. She had heard whispers of secession. If they were allowed to secede from under Celestia's rule, would they stop? Would Twilight leave it at that? Or would she continue going until Celestia was dead, and damn the consequences? And was Twilight a bad pony for her actions? Was she evil, or possessed, like Celestia had claimed?

Was Celestia evil for her actions? Sweetie Belle admitted that she liked the idea of a utopia for all, never wanting or needing anything again. She was sure that Cirrus would get her hearing back in Celestia's paradise. The sisters at the inn would never need to worry about broken furniture or a failed business. But Twilight would die. Her death would be the catalyst for this paradise, and every pony who came after, every pony everywhere, would have her blood on their hooves. Was she willing to pay that price? The life of another for her own perfect life? She didn't know. She wasn't sure if she wanted to know, if she was being perfectly honest.

And that was the problem, that was always the problem, the thing that drove her. She didn't know. She had no truths to fall back on, nothing concrete, no facts or evidence or accounts of what she was getting herself into. The EF and Celestia each told their versions and it was up to her to find out the truth of things. She had Celestia's accounts and versions, the official stories and explanations, and now she needed the information that would be hers tomorrow. She'd have to find a way in, somehow. Maybe she was to stand in front?

A hoof came into contact with her shoulder, snapping her out of her reverie. A kindly looking older unicorn, whose tan flank was marked with a scroll and hourglass, smiled at her from behind a pair of bifocals. "Miss? We are closing the doors. I hate to interrupt you, but I am afraid you must go."

Sweetie Belle smiled and thanked him, heading for the door and stepping into the sunlight, blinking at the sudden brightness. She looked at the clock in surprise. She had been thinking for nearly half an hour.

"Miss?"

She turned around to see the abbot standing in the doorway. He held up a key. "I'm afraid you dropped this. Funny thing, it looks exactly like the key for the side door from the cloisters alongside the building, but I clearly saw you drop it. And if you wish to come back tomorrow, around, say, noon, I'm afraid we will be quite closed. All the doors locked up tightly, not a pony getting in or out." He pressed it into her hooves. "Have a pleasant afternoon, Miss." And with that, he closed the doors tightly, the thud of an ancient lock sliding into place echoing through the courtyard before Sweetie could react. Shaking her head, Sweetie Belle headed back to the inn.

Sweetie Belle was confronted at the bar by Oak Barrel, who smiled when she saw her. "Evening, Ms. Standard! A courier left some sort of note for you, said it was important you got it. I have it here if you'd like to read it!"

Sweetie Belle smiled. "Thank you, Oak Barrel." she said, taking the letter from her. Opening it, she scanned the contents quickly.

"To the mare admiring the Paladin today-

I am glad you have come to Trottingham, if only for a while. I, too, love the tomb of the Paladin, and I knew a prayer of mine had been answered when you arrived at the abbey today. You and I have very similar interests, it would seem, and I would like to discuss them further with you someday. However, I must warn you. There are others, it would seem, who might disapprove of such a relationship as I hope we might have. These individuals may seek to drive us apart, or take you away from me. Rest assured that for now, we are safe. But tread carefully, my silver bell. Now is the time for caution between us. Eagerly awaiting our next engagement.

A fellow abbey-goer."

Sweetie's heart pounded. She was being watched, and not just by the Ever Free.

Arming the Knights

Twilight Sparkle grinned as she looked out of the window towards the courtyard below, taking in the ponies around the castle. Though they were first and foremost a military insurrection, all manner of pony folk lived here, among them refugees, intellectuals, and those who were simply disillusioned with Celestia's perfect society. It was morning, of course, the third morning after she had woken up from her ill-advised foray into the astral realm and her journey north. She had awoken babbling about mountains and Windigos and crystals, and the first thing she had asked for was a pen and paper. Quickly, she had made a rough sketch of the runes she had seen, as well as the stone circle and the strange object in the pool in its center. After making sure the details were as accurate as she could make them, Twilight had turned to Golden Radiance, and handed them to her, ordering her friend to commit them to memory, a rare action for her. Twilight usually didn't command any pony who followed her, especially those who she considered personal friends, but this was a rare occasion, and the significance of it was not lost on the construct, who had bowed and hurried out of the room. There, surrounded by trusted friends and loved ones, save Spike, who was off on some mission of draconic importance, she had told them everything. Discord, the flames in Canterlot, the mountain, the Windigos, and the circle. She told of how she was almost consumed by the icy herd, and how Tarantella's voice had saved her.

"I was calling you, Twilight!" Tarantella had said. "You had frost forming on your coat. We thought you dead, so still you were!"

Twilight went on to describe the strange circle of stones and the unusual runes, as well as the object in the pool. She also mentioned the arrival of Celestia, and how she had attempted to bind her still, desperate to keep Twilight from escaping.

"I don't think she intended to hurt me. If she wanted, she could easily have destroyed me on top of that mountain. Lucky for me she still wants me alive." Twilight had said, her voice still hoarse from the damage to her throat. "I broke the spell and returned home, despite her best efforts, though. And that's when you all saw me collapse?"

Radiant Zenith nodded. "Yes. It was the oddest thing, we felt a surge of power in the circle, and then all the hair on your coat stood up on end. We think that might have been Discord. Your horn was crackling with power, and you rose into the air. The door to the library was destroyed, though no damage to the surrounding structure was sustained. It was at that point that Tarantella arrived with medics, as we had called for help to stand by. After this the room became very cold, and you set back down on the floor, unresponsive and stiff as a board. This would be when we tried to cut off the spell, but could not. It was as if it had became self-sustaining at that point. We tried everything, and we began to worry when your coat began to freeze. That's when Tarantella stepped in and tried to contact you. After this, the ice melted, but then the room became extremely hot, and the skin of your neck began to smolder. Soon after, your horn flashed twice and you collapsed. An interesting sequence of events. Now, as to your treatment..."

Radiant Zenith had prescribed her bed rest and regular checkups. If she was able to move reasonably well and did not feel tired, she had said, three days would be sufficient. And three days it had been, three days of going stir crazy and wanting to do something, after she had found herself surprisingly tired of her beloved books. It was going to be a beautiful day, and she already knew exactly how she was going to spend it. And it looked like the ponies she would be spending it with were just arriving on the parade grounds. She opened her closet, revealing a battered set of armor, well used and ready for action. She began to strap it on, humming an old marching song she had picked up somewhere, and within minutes, she stood ready for a long day's work with the Lunar Guard.

The Lunar Guard fell into position silently, as per usual. Rank upon rank stood in perfect formation, evenly spaced and at attention. Not a word was spoken as they waited on their orders for the day. Though they fully numbered one thousand at their core, in addition to the newly created three thousand Lunar Reservists, less than six hundred stood there, their brothers spread across Equestria on missions of vital importance, seizing supplies, infiltrating bases, and on diplomatic missions. It took a special kind of stallion to join the all-male Guard. Those unfit, and those females who had the right idea but the wrong gender, were directed to the Reserves, as dictated by the tradition of the Guard. So too lay the tradition of the core one thousand. Unless they were wiped out entirely, destroyed to the last pony, the Lunar Guard would always number one thousand. A fallen comrade was replaced immediately, hoof-picked by Luna herself. Of course, she hadn't promoted anypony in four years. That duty now fell to their new mistress, the Lady Twilight Sparkle. And speaking of Twilight Sparkle...

"Stallions! Tench-hut!" the officer in command barked, a stand in for the absent Silent Shield. A smart pirouette brought him face to face with the legendary unicorn herself, dressed in heavy armor and waiting on his next command. He brought his hoof up in a smart salute, which she promptly returned.

"Good morning, Lieutenant Nova. What's the exercise for today?" Twilight asked quietly, surveying the ranks in front of her, their faces impassive.

"Good morning, Lady Sparkle. Exercise for today is a five mile ruck march, with sixty pound packs. We will be headed to the clearing located to the west for war games against the Reservists and Ever Free militia. If the battle is won, we will conclude exercises for the day. If it is lost, we will be continuing our ruck march and coming back around nightfall. The troops are ready for inspection if you choose to do so, ma'am. Or do you wish to fall in?" the lieutenant asked, surveying her armor.

"I'm under your command, Lieutenant, so long as you put me in a unit that will see action today." Twilight replied.

The lieutenant nodded sharply. "Very well, Lady Sparkle. You are hereby reassigned to the newly reformed Evening company, under the command of Sergeant Major Windrunner. They are located in the back, on our right. You have thirty seconds to pick up your pack and fall in. Dismissed!"

Twilight nodded, bolting for the nearby gear and slinging it roughly over one shoulder before galloping towards the back, falling into formation behind the already assembled ranks. It would have been very bad form for her to enter after they had taken role, and so she merely fastened her pack and waited. She didn't wait long. The Lieutenant barked out his orders.

"Today's ruck march is five miles! You are expected to remain with the group or face disciplinary action! Upon our arrival at our destination, we are to face a combined arms force consisting of Ever Free militia and Lunar Reservists. In order to make it fair, they outnumber us by two to one! Also, on our arrival at the field, you will be instructed to open your kits. In your packs you will find inhibitor rings. All magic users are hereby ordered to wear these rings for the duration of the exercise! To the best of my knowledge, your opponents have no such restrictions! We depart in five minutes from the west gate! You are dismissed to recieve your instructions!"

Discipline was maintained in the ranks even as orders were carried out, each company arranging themselves around their commander. Unusual for a company, Twilight's group was led by an enlisted pony instead of an officer. To his credit, he made no mention of the fact that the leader of their rebellion was in their company. He broke the news to his troops that they would be leading the attack on the Lunar Reservist positions, who had arrived at their destination that morning, and were likely entrenched already. They would be assigned roles based on the contents of their packs once they arrived at their destinations.

Quickly they formed into two files, eager to move before the sun got too hot. Twilight found herself next to the Sergeant Major himself.

"Lady Sparkle." he intoned, bowing his head in respect.

Twilight came to attention. "Sir." she replied, holding that position. She waited until he raised his head.

"At ease, Sparkle." he said. The message was clear, an understanding between the two. He knew the feeling well. She wanted nothing more than to cut loose and play dirty, to push herself past the normal limits of her body. Until the conclusion of the day's exercise, she was just another soldier. And she had done this often enough to prove that she could handle herself with the rest of the elite core of soldiers. She had put herself through training in the Ever Free Fighters before tackling the Lunar Reserve and handling herself well. She waited on the personal recommendation of their commander before proceeding into the grueling training of the Lunar Guard.

It showed, too. The mare who had taken command of a rebellion was a Mage of no small power, but she was not a soldier. This had been one of the first things she had rectified after she had settled into command. Training had changed Twilight Sparkle. The Sergeant was a good leader, one who listened to his ponies. Half the Guard was in love with her, and the other half was scared shitless of the purple mare. She learned fast, thought even quicker, and was vicious in a fight. That was the scary side of her, Windrunner thought to himself as they began a brisk march out of the gate. She appeared soft on the outside. But he had fought her personally. Under the admittedly beautiful exterior rippled bands of iron muscle and hidden strength. The same was true of her personality. She was still a Mage, and still a leader first and foremost. But she was an opponent nopony wanted. Most of the soldiers in the barracks joked about how in a choice between her and her dragon, they'd rather fight the dragon.

The column wound away from the Regia, its high stone walls fading into the distance as they quick marched into the forest, Twilight Sparkle keeping up the pace admirably. The first mile was easy, over level ground and hard packed earth. Progress was quick, and there was hardly a hitch to be had. The second mile had them climbing through thick growth, avoiding roots and pitfalls as they picked their way up the sides of a series of rolling, steep hills. The third pit them against mud and filth, culminating in the crossing of the river flowing back to the castle. No rests were taken. The fourth was a straight uphill climb, up a series of switchbacks cut into the rock of a low bluff overlooking the Everfree below. The fifth and final was prefaced with a brief pause, as the companies rearranged themselves into the formations they would be using during the battle. Packs were unloaded, and roles assigned. Horns were dampened by inhibitor rings. At last, they began the mile long march, ready to fight. Windrunner noticed Twilight Sparkle was carrying a bag of medical equipment to treat the injured. A battlefield medic, then. Good, he hadn't seen her perform that role yet. An alert was raised from the scouts ahead, who fell back swiftly, as stunner spells tore craters in the ground behind them. Evening Company galloped to the front to engage the enemy, ready for a fight. Soon, the sounds of battle rose from the tree-filled field on the bluff above the Everfree.

The forge was a place of stifling heat and soot, a noisy din rising from the pit containing most of the equipment used by the blacksmiths. Morning to evening and into the night, the place was lit only by the dim light of lanterns and the glow of forges. The smiths were supposed to work eight hours only, but such was their dedication and love for their craft that many chose to work ten, twelve, and fourteen hours in their days. However, there was one such pony who put them all to shame, one who had refused a room in the castle for a simple bed near the forge at night, and who only saw the light of day when she went outside in the mornings to split wood for the fires. This pony's name was Birchwood, she was a smith of legendary skill, and according to those she worked with, she was quite insane.

It was Birchwood who greeted a disgruntled Twilight Sparkle around noon, as the pony came in still wearing her pack and with a medical satchel slung over one side, her face a mass of cuts and bruises.

"Hello, Lady Sparkle! How went the battle? Any heroic feats of arms?" she asked, in the clipped tones of an middle class Trottingham pony.

"We won easily. And handicapped, outnumbered, facing a superior position, manned by well rested ponies who were firing at us after we had just marched five miles in full armor and kit." she grumbled, setting the bags carefully to one side of the door.

"Is that a bad thing?" Birchwood asked curiously.

"Of course it is! The opposing force was made of Lunar Reservists and EF Fighters who literally outnumbered us two to one! What does that say about the quality of their fighting?" Twilight Sparkle snarled, clearly upset. "I told Iron Oak that we'd be running the same exercise again in two weeks, and I expected to lose. I expected the Lunar Guard to be dealt a crushing defeat. If they can't stand up to the Lunar Guard in a straight fight, with them handicapped and outnumbered, how are they going to perform in the field, when it isn't stunner spells flying at them, and they're the ones outnumbered? Not to mention our complete lack of airships, and our incredibly small Air Corps. We need pegasi, but Los Pegasus hasn't sent us anything new in a month. Same for Cloudsdale, nothing from the Crystal Centers there."

Birchwood shook her head. "But you've got more spellcasters than you can shake a stick at, and a spy network that puts anything on the face of the planet to shame!"

"It does us no good if they're outnumbered ten to one in the field with no backup. And the Changelings, fierce fighters though they are, won't help us if Celestia decides to open up an assault on the Everfree. We need to increase the quality and number of our fighters, or start picking up allies in a hurry. Preferably all of those."

Birchwood moved behind Twilight Sparkle, who stood stock still. "I gather that scintillating conversation isn't what you're here for, however." she said, stripping the battered plate off of her leader.

"No. It isn't, but thank you for listening. I've actually got a proposal for you and Mahtaram, and you said you've got something to show me about your project?"

Birchwood pried the last of the armor off of Twilight, throwing it into a heap on the floor, where it was immediately gathered up to be repaired by a junior smith. She nodded, barely able to contain her excitement. "Yes. And now that I think on it, I've got something else, a battlefield equalizer for you. It could potentially solve your problem, if you'd like to see it."

The two ponies walked side by side through the forge, heading towards Birchwood's private section, which contained not only forge equipment, but glass beakers, bins of chemicals, odd sprockets and gears, and assorted other bits and sundries. Gingerly, she withdrew a small packet of gray powder. "Discovered this quite by accident a few days ago while getting rid of some chemicals in the usual way." she said, nodding towards the fire burning brightly behind her. "Damn near took my tail off, it did. Took me a bit to recall the formula for it, but I think I've got it right." She held the paper packet in one hoof, aiming for the fire. "Behind me, Lady Twilight."

Twilight Sparkle did as she was told, and backed up several paces more after seeing the caution with which Birchwood handled the powder. The dun-colored Earth pony hurled the packet into the flame, and with a rush of air and a loud *bang*, a tongue of flame billowed out of the furnace, followed by a column of black smoke. The forge went quiet as the assembled workers gazed in awe at the explosion.

"I call it 'Flash Powder'!" Birchwood said with a sooty grin. "Any spark sets it off. Had a great idea, carry it in little metal spheres with a small fire crystal. Put it on a timer, push the button to set it, wait for the crystal to break, and-"

"Boom." Twilight said, impressed. "Have you tested this further?"

"Nope! I'm taking it out to the range tomorrow, see what I can do with it. Would you like me to let you know how it's coming along?" Birchwood chirped, surreptitiously kicking a bucket of water over and extinguishing a small fire.

"Please, do so." Twilight said. "What of your other project?"

Birchwood smiled broadly at this. "Think we've finally got it this time. It was your extra ingredient that did it." She turned her face up to the rafters. "Oy! Mahtaram! Lady Twilight's here, do you have everything ready?"

With a slight *click*, a Gryphon landed behind Twilight. The creature stood several inches above Twilight, a smaller female of the species, but no less intimidating for it. The light of the forge glinted off of her smoke-stained golden feathers as she bowed low. "Hanoomeh Sparkle."

Twilight returned the gesture, inclining her head precisely. "Hanoomeh Mahtaram. Haaleh shomah chitooreh?"

The Gryphon cocked her head. "Man hoobam, motashakiram. Va shoma?"

Twilight smiled, making sure to show no teeth. "Man hoobam, haylee motashakiram."

There was a moment of tense silence, before both relaxed. Mahtaram spoke first. "Your Gryphic, it is improving. Though you need to use your throat more. You are here to see what we have for you, baleh?"

Twilight nodded. "Baleh."

The Gryphon took to the rafters once more, coming back with a set of armor, laying it out at Twilight's hooves. "The dragon scales were most effective in conducting the magical energies as you specified, as well as strengthening the armor as a whole. It made enough for an entire set, which is what we made."

Twilight Sparkle eyed the set of armor appreciatively. "This is masterful work. You've outdone yourself, Mahtaram."

The Gryphon bowed once more. "It is nothing, a mere waste of metal." she said, bowing to the old Gryphonian custom of Ta'Rof. But after a brief moment her obvious pride shone through. "I am glad it pleases you, Hanoomeh Sparkle."

Twilight examined it closely. "Why is it white?"

Birchwood cut in. "We think it might be the adamantium acting with the dragon scales you've given us. It affected the structure of the metal somehow. Not sure on the specifics, however."

Mahtaram grabbed a crossbow from a nearby table. "Observe." she said, loading it with ease and taking careful aim at the chestpiece. Her finger squeezed the trigger lightly, and the bolt sped forth, striking the plate at point-blank range. Not only did it fail to penetrate the metal, the arrowhead itself shattered under the stress. She swiped at it with her talon, creating a horrible screeching noise, but the metal remained unmarked. Finally, she seized a blacksmith's hammer, whirling it over her head briefly before bringing it down in a ferocious strike. The piece rang with the low tones of a bell, but there was not a dent to be seen in it.

Birchwood continued. "We have found that once the metal cools and hardens, it is nearly impossible to mar in any way. This applies to each piece. We were able to etch the channels along the inside as well as socket the gems as necessary, and I had one of our resident unicorns verify the connectivity, everything is in order. Same goes for the gems in the shoes. Unfortunately, this means that we are no longer able to etch the outside, or give it any inlays. And we count ourselves lucky to have gotten it right on the first try. I tossed a piece of scrap metal into the forge and tried to melt if after it had hardened. It hardly even warmed up."

Twilight stared at the ensemble before her, impressed. "This is amazing."

Birchwood bowed low. "We can't have you leading us in dented armor, milady. Though if you wish to have the old set back, you are of course welcome to it. But when it comes time to lead us, you will stand above the rest. We won't stand for less. Would you like to try it on?"

Twilight nodded, speechless. Mahtaram handed her a leather overgarment, which Twilight dutifully donned. The next was a mail jacket, which glinted with a different sheen entirely, almost black instead of white.

"Taurish bloodmail." Mahtaram said, handing it to her. "Only the Minotaur know how to make it. It's incredibly expensive to buy, but we were able to convince one of their ambassadors to take a turn in the forge for you. If you wish to thank Vladek, you know where to find him. This mail is lighter than even we Gryphons can make, and turns daggers and arrowheads with ease."

Twilight tugged it over her head carefully, as Birchwood bound her mane up so as to avoid getting it caught in the links. A belt came next, binding it in place. A set of armor tailored to cover her flanks and lower back went on next, intricately layered strips of armor ensuring that she could move freely and without being hindered. The chestplate was next. Twilight inspected it carefully. The concept had taken almost a full year to perfect, and much trial and error before the final product was ready. Five separate crystals, each made by Radiant Zenith, glowed softly inside the armor, linked together with intricate magic which was woven throughout the metal. The crystals were designed to catch the magic which splashed across the adamantium and store it for her to access later. Preliminary tests had been successful, and at last Twilight's magic catcher was ready for use. It fit perfectly, snug but not tight. It was fastened carefully, along with an adamantium gorget that protected her throat. Twilight stepped into the heavy shoes, fastening them securely around her hooves.

These also contained crystals, designed to store a different kind of energy. Kinetic energy was siphoned into the shoes, and stored in a complex series of crystals in the sole that allowed Twilight to run for greater distances and kick much harder than normal. Some of this energy was siphoned into her own bones and ligaments, in order to prevent her from breaking her own legs under the increased stress. At last, the helmet was placed on her head. It was a simple affair, imitating the Taurish helmets with a hole for her horn. A nasal bar descended from the helm proper, and the eyes had been left wide in order to accommodate a wider range of vision. Other than that, the helmet was very plain. Twilight didn't want to risk anything interfering with her ability to use magic while wearing it. Twilight levitated it onto her head, allowing her mane to fall free behind her. She swiftly bound it into a short ponytail.

Birchwood pushed a mirror in front of her. "Well? What do you think?"

Twilight stared in the mirror in awe. The mare staring back was...formidable. Covered in steel, lithe and deadly, hooves set in a defensive stance, with her face obscured by the helm, Twilight Sparkle felt every inch the warrior she had tried so hard to be. She stood a bit straighter. "It's perfect." she said, smiling. Her horn sparked, and she felt the crystals in the armor hum to life, helping the weight of the armor disappear. The Lady in white nodded. "It's absolutely perfect."

First Blood

Sweetie Belle came slowly awake at the sound of a careful knock on her door, a timid tapping that seemed less fearful of waking her and more fearful of waking others. Stirring the dusty cobwebs of sleep from her mind, she instinctively put her disguise back on and waited for another knock, half hoping that she had imagined the sound. Another knock, this one a bit louder, sounded at her door. Grumbling a bit, Sweetie Belle trotted over to the door, noting that her clock read a little past two in the morning. She opened it cautiously, peering around to see who had woken her. A nudge at her hoof caused her to jump slightly, and she slumped in exhaustion upon recognizing Cirrus, a small saddlebag slung over one shoulder.

"Cirrus?" she said, making sure to mouth the words clearly. "What do you want?"

The sky blue filly trotted into her room, hopping up on her bed, next to the small table by its side. She motioned for Sweetie Belle to close the door. Sweetie Belle, curious as to the actions of the young Pegasus, did so. After she had seen the door shut, Cirrus pulled out a sheaf of paper and a pen. She took the pen in her mouth, and, writing surprisingly quickly, sketched out a quick note in block letters, well formed but still retaining the crudeness of early hoofwriting.

I need to talk to you.

Sweetie Belle realized that whatever Cirrus had planned to discuss with her would be unsuitable for others to hear, especially at this time of night. Curious as to what the young filly could be planning, she nodded briefly and trotted over to the table, taking the pen.

About what?

Firstly, don't worry about what's on the paper. The ink will evaporate soon. Else I'd have brought more. I need to find out why you're really here.

Sweetie Belle tried to hide her shock. How had Cirrus known that she had an ulterior motive? The Pegasus, seeing her poorly concealed reaction, wrote another sentence.

I can't hear. Which means I pay attention to other things. Ponies tense up when they lie. I know. You've been lying a lot. And I can feel magic on you, all over. Rich ponies use the same kind to make themselves pretty. You don't really look like that, do you?

Sweetie Belle shook her head. Deciding to take a leap of faith, she dispelled her illusion, revealing herself as she truly was for the first time in a few days.

This is what I really look like. I'm here looking for somepony. Why do you need to know?

Because ponies who get caught doing bad things here don't just hurt themselves, they hurt others. Oak Barrel and Copper Cask are nice to me. And I want to be nice back. You've got a lot of secrets. I'm mostly interested in who you're looking for.

Sweetie hesitated a brief moment. She hated to do it, but if Cirrus tried to raise an alarm, she'd have to knock her out and flee the inn. Seeing no other way but forward, she scratched two letters.

EF.

The filly didn't look surprised.

Yep. Thought so. You want to find out more about them, right? That's why you're here?

I was contacted by them. I'm a reporter in Canterlot. I'm meeting some of them tomorrow, by the Tomb of the Paladin.

That's closed tomorrow, the filly observed, looking at her.

I've got a key.

Lively must really want to talk to you, the Pegasus wrote, before realizing her error and trying to scratch it out. Too late.

Sweetie Belle looked at the filly, catching her in both hooves. Cirrus squirmed a bit, realizing she had been caught. Sweete Belle sat her down on the bed again, and wrote two words.

Who's Lively?

Cirrus sighed. Lively is the EF leader for that part of the city.

And you know this how?

Because I used to work for her before I came here.

Sweetie Belle sensed that the whole truth was not being spoken. Or written.

Used to? Or still do?

Used to, I swear. She didn't want me around much, said it was too dangerous for me. So I left. But I can recognize when something's happening around here. Something is happening, something big.

What do you mean?

The pony who delivered your letter yesterday wasn't a pony. Which means that something's shifted in the city.

A Changeling?

The filly shrugged. Maybe. I can't tell. Maybe it was a Gryphon in disguise, I've seen those wandering around. Changelings are really good at hiding themselves. I'd say yes, though.

Sweetie Belle thought about this. If a Changeling had approached her in Canterlot, and another one was waiting for her here in Trottingham, that either implied that the EF had already moved out of Canterlot, which seemed unlikely, or there were more Changelings here, in Trottingham. How many cities had been infiltrated by the emotional predators? Which prominent and powerful ponies had they replaced? And Changelings would never agree to work for Twilight without something in exchange. What had they been promised?

Why are you telling me all of this?

Because the more you know, the less chance you have of getting caught, and if you don't get caught, they won't trace it back here.

Alright, I can believe that. What else?

The Guards are out. Not just Regulars but Guards, and they're looking for something. Can't say what, though. I didn't get to see a lot, but I know there's a place where a bunch of EF ponies meet for some reason. Don't know where.

Last question. Do Oak Barrel and Copper Cask know about what you did before you arrived?

This was the first time Sweetie Belle had seen Cirrus look at her with fear.

No. They don't ask, I don't tell. Please, don't bring them into this. They're just trying to get by.

I'm not planning on it. Just wondering.

I'm going to trust you tomorrow. If everything goes well, though, I'm begging you to please find somewhere else to stay. I've already lost two families, one that left me at the hospital and one in the EF. I can't lose them too. And be careful.

Sweetie Belle smiled.

I will be. You've got very good grammar and spelling for somepony your age, you know that?

Cirrus grinned back.

That's the thing about being deaf. Books mean worlds to you. And you can't help but pick some of that up. Now, I've got to get to bed before I'm missed. Good night, and good luck.

And with that, she rolled up her parchment, depositing it gently in her bag. Sweetie could see the ink disappearing as it evaporated off of the pages. Moving quietly to the door, she opened it carefully before checking to make sure no one was in the hallway. Moving with surprising stealth, she slipped into the shadowy hall without a backward glance. Sweetie shut the door behind her, and turning her lantern down, she slipped back under the covers, falling back into dreamless sleep once more.

It was mere hours later, at a quarter past ten, that Sweetie Belle packed her things and bid goodbye to the innkeepers and Cirrus. Initially they had protested her early leaving, but Sweetie Belle's gentle insistence that she wanted to go back home after concluding her business had served to sway their opinion on the matter, and soon she had set off, bags full and illusion firmly in place, towards the center of town and the Tomb of the Paladin.

Cirrus had been right. If you paid close attention, certain parts of the city were definitely more tense than others. Groups of ponies were loitering in places where they really had no business being, none of them particularly friendly looking. Shop owners were glancing around at their wares nervously, wondering if they would have to protect their livelihoods once more. And Cirrus had been right about the Guard. Not watchponies, not Regulars, but elite Royal Guardsponies patrolled the streets, not in ones and twos, but in columns of ten and twelve, in full armor, faces set in stone and looking for trouble.

But who was on whose side? Sweetie was suddenly quite aware of how some groups of soldiers surreptitiously looked the other way when approaching groups of ponies, probably informants or undercover police. She also caught sight of several ponies dragging one unfortunate into an alleyway, one who had been caught spying on the wrong organization. And unless she was very much mistaken, she saw a Guard, an actual Royal Guard, whose eyes glimmered with a faint green hue. She looked closely at his muzzle, and thought she might have possibly seen subtly hidden fangs.

Approaching the Bronze Clock, she witnessed a protest involving two groups of ponies, ringing the base of the clock tower and waving signs in the faces of their opponents. Closer inspection revealed that both groups were of roughly equal size, but each had very different messages. One group held signs reading "Celestia Sue For Peace!" and "Two states, one solution!", clearly a group advocating for diplomacy among the two factions in this war. Another was much rowdier, holding up signs that stated things like "Twilight Sparkle, Answer for Your Crimes!" and "Ever Free shall Never Prosper!". It was getting ugly, and more and more Guards were arriving on the scene in an attempt to control the protests.

Taking advantage of the distraction, Sweetie Belle swiftly crossed the river, arriving at the old stone monastery she had visited the previous day. Checking to make sure that she was not being observed, she slipped into the cloisters alongside the building, withdrawing the key from her saddlebags. She found the door, an old wooden thing that tapered to a point on top, like most doors in buildings like this did. A single hole was located in its center, just the right size for her key. It slid in neatly, turning with hardly a sound. Sweetie Belle was a bit disappointed at the lack of noise when she pushed the door open, as she had expected the portal to have opened with an appropriately dramatic squeal. Its hinges were well lubricated with beeswax, however, and it proved to be no trouble for her. Withdrawing her key, she stepped forward into the old stone walls of the monastery, closing the door tightly behind her, and relocking it from her side.

She found herself in an old stone tunnel, way lit by cheerfully burning lanterns on the wall. They were lit pointing in one direction only, clearly indicating her path. She obediently followed her designated layout, winding through several passages that served only to thoroughly confuse her as to which direction she was traveling before finally ending up in the sanctuary from the other day. It was populated by only one other pony, wearing a robe of simple homespun brown fabric. It looked up at the sound of her approach just as the clocks truck twelve outside.

The voice coming from under the hood was very familiar. "You're punctual. Good. I've got a schedule to keep to, and this robe itches like you wouldn't believe-" The voice cut off suddenly upon seeing her. "Hold on, you look familiar."

Sweetie Belle felt herself go a bit weak at the knees. She dropped her illusion. "Heya, Scoots. How's it going?"

Scootaloo moved remarkably fast, shedding the robe and embracing her tightly. "Luna preserve, Sweetie Belle. What are you doing here?"

Sweetie Belle tried to maintain her composure. "Same thing as you, I imagine. Were you sent to deliver a package, or some documents?"

"Yeah, to an anonymous leak, somepony who could get this stuff out into the public...wait, that's you? You're a reporter now?"

Sweetie Belle nodded. "That's me. What about you, what is all this?"

Scootaloo shook her head. "No time. We started that protest outside to distract the Guards, but I'm not sure if it worked."

Sweetie cut in. "Wait, you touched off a riot as a distraction? Ponies could get hurt!"

The orange Pegasus waved a hoof. "They won't be. It'll wind itself down in an hour or two."

"That's not what I saw! Sure, the side supporting peace might do that, but those other ponies looked out for blood!"

Scootaloo laughed a bit. "We set up both sides. They're paid ponies who show up, make noise, and run away. Harmless, distracting, and legal for everypony involved, mostly. Now, listen. You've got to get to ground after you leave here. This is sensitive stuff, and this could be very damaging if the wrong ponies got their hooves on it. Find someplace new to stay, use the new identity in there. We don't know how yet, but you've been tracked here. They're looking for you. A message was sent yesterday for you, hopefully it gave you a bit of a heads up."

Sweetie Belle frowned. "What do you mean, I've been followed? I've been careful! I've used aliases, covered my tracks, made sure that nopony knows I'm here!"

Scootaloo unbuckled the bags from her back. "Just like we have our intelligence ponies, so do they, Sweetie. You've been tracked by Moon Division since you left Canterlot. Just be glad Dawn hasn't decided to move on you yet, else we're both in trouble. Now, listen-"

At that point the door to the abbey ceased to exist. It did not explode, or fall over, or get pulverized into dust. A spell of such power was cast that there was literally nothing left of the door. A massive roar of power filled the room, and both mares were thrown back with force enough that they skidded along the floor, colliding with the pillars behind them. Sweetie Belle got to her hooves shakily, just in time to see a group of Guardsponies walk through the opening. Each one a unicorn, they pointed their horns squarely at Sweetie and Scootaloo, who had already gotten to her hooves and had been attempting to charge the ponies before she realized what she was up against.

One final pony walked through the door. Unlike the soldiers around her, she wore no armor. A simple rose-colored tunic, fastened with a bronze sun clasp, was the only thing that set her apart from any other pony on the street. Her wings were tucked delicately behind her back, and the noonday sun glinted off of her butter-yellow coat and fiery red mane. Sweetie Belle wasn't sure why, but she was far more frightened by this mare than any of the Guards surrounding her. When she spoke, her voice was kind and understanding, the sort of voice that you trusted as soon as you heard it. Sweetie Belle realized at that moment exactly how much trouble she was in.

"Shit." Scootaloo muttered.

The pony in question cleared her throat and spoke. "Sweetie Belle of Canterlot and Scootaloo of the Ever Free Rebellion, I hereby place you under arrest for treason and transfer you to the custody of the Dawn Divison of Her Serene Highness's Intelligence Service." She turned to the two ponies flanking her. "You may proceed."

The two unicorns' horns spat with magic, and both of the would-be spies were unconscious before they hit the floor.

White Knight, Grey Plans

Twilight's study was still recovering from the disastrous attempt at divination, which had blown one of the doors off of its hinges and made a general mess of the place. Everything was reorganized, but there was still a bit of structural damage needing repaired, so Twilight had taken her books and scrolls elsewhere, in order to avoid hindering the reconstruction efforts. Her quarters were ill-suited for such a task, and there were few places she could take the books without bumping into somepony who would distract her from her studies.

She had begun applying herself to the problem presented by the stone circle and the small rock she had seen in the pool. She had requisitioned Golden Radiance's notes, and had filled in the details as best she could, including as many of the strange runes as she could remember. A quick review with the crystal around her neck had shown that although the runes may have been a mystery, the layout of the circle was very familiar. The structure served to focus and collect energy. The only question, of course, was what kind. Twilight thought she might have had an idea, and so she had taken her notes to an abandoned aviary, and waited.

She didn't have to wait long. Soon enough she heard the low concussions of massive wingbeats, and the joyous alarm being raised from the walls at the approach of her oldest friend and truest companion. He had been gone for nearly a month, and was at last returning from parts unknown, seeking an answer to the questions she had been studying for quite some time. Twilight made sure the way for him to land was clear. After moving the last of her books out of the way, she scrambled back just in time to make room for the large purple dragon to land with a heavy noise.

"Spike! Welcome back!" she cried, running towards him happily.

"Hey, Twi. Good to see you!" he replied, catching her in a hug and swinging her around before depositing her gently on the ground. Spike had grown into a magnificent specimen of a dragon, easily three or four times the size of Celestia normally, though with effort he could shrink himself down enough to fit inside most buildings. His scales gleamed brightly in the noontime light, a bright and lustrous purple that ranged from colors almost as light as Twilight's coat to the deep shade of the night sky. The ridges along his back had all but disappeared, though they still retained their emerald hue. His wings had darkened in hue as well, a leathery black shade that reminded Twilight of the smoke of a dying fire. His teeth were now nearly as long as Twilight's legs, and he could maintain a stream of fire hot enough to melt rock for minutes on end. Every movement was one of hidden power and deadly grace, speed and strength being his in equal measures. Underneath his fearsome exterior, however, lay the caring heart of her very best friend, and a keen and intelligent mind.

"How was the trip?" she asked, as he unslung a rough bag from his bag, laying it down out of the way.

"Disappointing, I'm afraid. Not a creature I talked to could figure out why the Element was behaving like this." he said, drawing forth the diadem from inside of his satchel.

The Element was a mere shadow of its former self. The gold was tarnished, and it had bent in several places. The stone glittered dully in the light of the aviary, its luster long since fled. A single crack ran down its middle, threatening to split it in two. The smaller gems around it were crumbling similarly, and some were completely gone. That wasn't the worst of it, however. When Twilight had worn it for the first time, she could feel the magic in it, a powerful force that bordered on the all-powerful. When she tried to find that same power now, however, she was only able to feel a weakly pulsating force, hidden behind some sort of veil, there for now, but dying quickly.

"It looks so fragile." she said, taking hold of it gingerly, as if it could break by being held too tightly. And for all she knew, it could.

"No one could give me an answer. I talked with other dragons, with the Minotaur hordes up north, with the Zebra tribes out east, but I couldn't get any information. The Element of Magic is dying, Twilight. I think that soon it will just be another collection of rocks and metal."

She laid it on top of a low shelf of rock, and pulled her notes forward. "I think that I have something that can tell us what's happening to the Element." she said. "While you were gone, we've not been idle. It started with another session with Celestia in the garden..."

She filled Spike in on what he had missed, from her plan for Canterlot to the talk with Celestia to the divination and even to the armor now sealed up tightly in a vault of her own design. Spike listened carefully, nodding occasionally and attempting to understand the full implications of what was happening.

"And you feel certain that Celestia didn't want you to find the stone?" he asked after she had finished. "You and I both know that she can move extremely well. She's good at manipulating others."

"Only with a lot of prior planning. I'm positive that whatever was on top of that mountain was something I was never supposed to see."

Spike thought about this for a moment. "And you said that there was a stone in the pool?"

Twilight nodded. "In the shape of a starburst, same as this one."

"The stones...they were set up to collect energy?"

"Yes. I've set up circles like that for some of my spells. That circle is made to channel a lot of energy and keep it there, come what may. And I think it must be focusing the energy into the pool. It was in the direct center, which means it was the focus point."

Spike exhaled slowly, blowing smoke out of his nostrils. Twilight recognized this as his "thinking face", and remained quiet, allowing him to finish his thought. A minute went by in complete silence, and then two. Finally, he straightened up, and looked at her directly. "Do you remember that conversation we had with Celestia, right after the Embassy? Where she told us her side of the story, about the aftermath of the Celestial Wars? How she ended the Post-Classical Era?"

Twilight nodded. "She told us about how she...oh."

Spike nodded. "Can you project that memory from your crystal? I want to be sure I have it right."

Twilight closed her eyes, as the crystal lifted into the air, restrained only by the cord around her neck. A soft light filled the room, which solidified into a perfect replica of the Princess herself. It froze for a brief moment, and then began to speak.

"I sequestered myself on the tallest mountain I could find, one where the wind howled and the snow blinded me to the world below. I found a spot and I stayed there, Twilight. For ten years I stayed there. I let my heart rime over with ice, just as a thick layer froze on me."

Twilight shut this projection off just as she brought another one up. This one was fuzzier, having only happened in her and Celestia's heads, right before she had lost her memories.

"The process itself came to me near the end of my exile on the great mountain at the top of the world...For two years, I tied their will to mine, and at last, on the day of the strongest sun, I succeeded in forging them into the ultimate tool of Order..."

Spike nodded. "I do believe that you found Celestia's place of exile, Twilight."

The unicorn thought furiously. "On the day of the strongest sun...the solstice, the Summer Sun Celebration. But it's been decaying, the Element. Why?"

"Because it isn't tied to the other Elements?"

Twilight shook her head. "No. Because Celestia bound it to her will. But we unbound it. Now it's escaping. The Power of Magic is leaking out of the Element, Spike. It's dispersing. Like it used to be, before it was Bound by Celestia."

Spike suddenly understood. "But now it's being regathered, in that pool at the top of the world. It's being recollected by Celestia. She's making a new Element, Twilight."

She looked at the Element in front of her. "We need to seal this. Cut off the flow of the Element, make sure that it can't emit magic until we find a way to counteract this. I'm going to call a Council meeting, we're going to fix this."

The dragon realized something. "Twilight, if Celestia does recreate Magic again, what happens?"

Twilight Sparkle, the most powerful of mortal mages, felt fear. "We could ask the ten thousand Gryphons under Ashtar Sharestan what happens. As for me, I can only guess. My friends are tied to their Elements because of Celestia. She could very well do the same to me."

Shining Armor's head swam as he looked at the papers in front of him. He rubbed his head with one hoof, cursing the headache that had been building up around his horn. They had been getting more and more frequent, and he hated how weak they made him feel. As the Commander of the Guard, he had to set an example for those who followed him, and he could not do that if he was incapacitated by headaches. And it wasn't just the pain. It had been getting harder and harder to focus as of late. More often than not, his thoughts turned towards Cadance, though he saw her every day.

He realized that he should probably be taking time off to deal with this problem, and that the unique nature of his and Cadance's relationship had meant that the problem would be getting worse before it got better. He wasn't sure when things would be coming to a head, but he knew the time was close. He gazed out of the window and shivered. The weather in Canterlot was finally getting towards winter, and he fully expected snow in the next few weeks. Shakily, he grasped his pen, signing off on the order to issue winter gear to all Guardsponies, be they in the field or in garrison. He did not want his ponies underprepared. Things were about to start moving very quickly, and he wanted to be ready.

Rolling it up and setting it aside, he reached for the small glass of water on his desk, downing it in two quick gulps. Thirst was a problem as well, though it was hardly a major issue for him. He would be loath to leave the Guard, even for such a short period of time as it would take to alleviate the problem. However, the new Captain, a Pegasus by the name of Snowy Spear, would make a fine substitute while he was incapacitated. It was to this order that he bent himself next, pen scratching against paper loudly in the quiet confines of the office he occupied.

As he worked, he began to labor for breath. Realizing that another attack was about to set in, he calmly rang the small bell on his desk. From outside his door, he heard the sound of hooves departing rapidly, and the second sentry pushed the door open, allowing for greater airflow. Shining Armor continued filing paperwork. His vision began to dim and flicker, and his pulse grew in volume and speed, at least to his own ears. Cadance appeared in front of him, whole and unmarred, as he had seen her when they first met. She was joined by several others, all cajoling for his attention. They were ignored, as he finally filled out the last page, signing his name at the bottom. This task accomplished, he allowed himself to slump to one side, head spinning as he waited.

A hoof was felt on the side of his face, and he looked up, into the beautiful lavender eyes of his wife, who smiled at him compassionately before they both disappeared from his office, reappearing in the suite they shared. She gently laid him on the bed, removing his uniform and setting it to one side. Her horn glimmered with azure light as she touched her horn to his, sending him into merciful blackness.

Shining Armor woke with a start to see Cadance lying next to him, a blissful smile on her face, eyes closed and breaths coming steady in sleep. She didn't let on, but Shining Armor could tell that she was just as exhausted as he. Lines creased her brow, her shoulders slumped when she thought nopony was looking, and she slept longer now. But even though she was hurting, she still went out of her way to spread love and cheer where she could, to attend to her duties as a Princess, and to remain Shining Armor's wife, lover, and even after all these years together, his very best friend in the world.

She shifted a bit in her sleep, grumbling at some figment before subsiding once more. He took in everything about her. The slight upturn of her nose, the delicate points of her ears, her lustrous pink coat, the beautiful colors of the dawn in her mane, the soft purple near the base of her wings, everything about her was perfection. His eyes rested on the scar that had been left by his sister.

And yes, he still considered Twilight his sister, and yes, he still loved her, despite all she had done. He had never had the opportunity to speak with her directly, and so he didn't pretend to know her thoughts, but he felt sure that she was confused, frightened, and reacting out of fear. At that moment, all Shining Armor wanted was a moment to speak with Twilight. Just her and him, and maybe their parents. He knew that would never be the case, that she would die rather than submit to Celestia that way. They shared the same stubborn streak, he and Twilight. There was hardly a moment's peace in their house growing up, as they alternately fought and played together, two rambunctious and talented magic users. She had left for the tutelage of the Princess three years before he had joined the Regulars, on his way to the Guard. Even then, she was still a bookworm, the brains to his brawn...he chuckled. He hadn't thought back on their foalhood together in years.

Once again, he looked at the scar left by his sister. He sighed, feeling himself drift off to sleep again. He had made his choice. Country over family, and husband over brother. Those were the cards he'd drawn, and now he was playing them as best he could.

Trading Pieces

Sweetie Belle awoke to the sound of a opening door. It was the door on the left, through which a bright white light was spilling, framing the silhouettes of several ponies entering the holding area where the three prisoners were kept. She blinked rapidly, squinting to see who it was entering the detention block. After a moment, her eyesight adjusted, and she was able to see the pink tunics of her captors, as well as the bright red mane of Autumn Sunset. She smiled brightly at her prisoners as guards filed into the room, some taking up positions near the door, others standing in front of the cells, and still others descending the stairs to the interrogation room. A unicorn with a coat of bone-white, and a mane of the same shade, stood next to her, his light blue eyes expressionless. The only thing of color on him was his Cutie Mark, a single drop of blood. A set of small black saddlebags with unusually shiny silver buckles were slung over his back.

"Good morning, everypony! Things are going to be a bit crowded today, we heard news of Ever Free movement in the city, so we pulled in a bit of extra muscle to keep you safe." Autumn Sunset said, looking at them each in turn. Sweetie Belle met her gaze levelly. "Mr. Light should remember my associate. For our new guests, allow me to introduce our Specialist."

He bowed briefly, and at a nod from Autumn Sunrise, descended the steps into the room below. The door slammed below, and the trio were left facing their captor. She inhaled deeply. "He scares me a bit, to be honest. Now, Night Light, you'll be going first today. You'll be coming up with the wing healed, but how long that will take and how painless it will be are entirely up to you."

"Sure thing, lassie. Mind kissing it to make it better?" he quipped, grinning through the bars. He was met with an icy glare from the mare in question. "Can't blame me for trying, then." he grumbled, settling back down.

"Miss Scootaloo, you're next up. We'll be trying a different approach today, seeing as trauma had less of an effect on you than it normally does on Pegasi. The Specialist is interested to see how you'll cope. I'd prepare myself, if I were you." She dodged a well-aimed gobbet of spit from the Pegasus in question, before turning to Sweetie Belle. "Ms. Belle, I am not eager to hurt you further. Not only that, but you seem to have had training resisting conventional interrogation tactics. You are the main reason the Specialist is here today. We'll be trying non-violent interrogation tactics on you. They have a very high success rate." She turned to the guards, flicking her head towards the cell.

Four stepped forward, filing into the cell and encircling Night Light before moving in. Three were swiftly dispatched before the fourth could move in and deliver a stunning blow to the back of the charcoal Pegasus's head. He fell to the floor with a grunt, as his collar was detached and the slender iron rods were affixed to his collar. A band of leather encircled both of his wings, being pulled tight against his skin, and putting pressure on his injured wing, causing him to hiss in pain before being led roughly downstairs.

What followed next was the most insidious part of the torture they were being out through. Prohibited from talking, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo sat quietly in their cells, their imaginations running wild with thoughts of what the white unicorn was going to do to them. Time turned in on itself, as Sweetie Belle found herself repeating the same motions she had moments before out of nervous habit, such as brushing her mane, limp and bedraggled, out of her face, or touching the inhibitor ring locked onto her horn. Three hours passed before the Pegasus was brought back up the stairs, barely under his own power, eyes unfocused and his cheeky grin absent from his face. He lay unresistingly as he was chained to the wall once more.

The Guards approached Scootaloo next, subduing her with some effort and dragging her literally kicking and screaming down the stairs of the interrogation room before shutting the door behind them, cutting off the sound of Sweetie Belle's friend entirely. A guard approached, tossing a loaf of bread into Night Light's cell. The Pegasus snatched it up and began devouring it mechanically, staring straight forward and mouthing something silently as he chewed. He shuddered once, twice, before subsiding, closing his eyes and staying completely still. He inhaled deeply, exhaling slowly as tension drained from his shoulders and back, seeming to melt away. When he opened his eyes again, they were calm and controlled, his eyes once more. Quietly, he spoke. "Open my eyes, and let me see."

"Quiet." came the command from the guard. The Pegasus smiled, flexing his newly healed wing before continuing to eat his meal with much greater gusto. Sweetie Belle watched, mystified, as this Pegasus finished his meal before curling in on himself and resting. He caught Sweetie Belle looking and gave her an encouraging wink as he slipped into a heavy sleep. Sweetie Belle was all alone, and though she tried to sleep, it eluded her. Idly, she began to multiply by two in her head. Two...four...eight...sixteen...

She had reached two to the power of twenty (One million, forty eight thousand, five hundred and seventy six), three to the power of fifteen (fourteen million, three hundred and forty eight thousand, nine hundred and seven. Or was it fourteen?), and was starting in on the fours when the door to the interrogation room opened, and Scootaloo was dragged up the stairs. Sweetie Belle felt a little thrill of panic thrum inside of her as she watched Scootaloo being chained to the bars of her cell, head hanging limply and rolling from side to side. The unicorn peered closely at her friend's dilated eyes and vacant expression, and saw something that she wished she had not. Track marks ran along the length of one of Scootaloo's wings, and Sweetie Belle recognized the vaguest scent of sickly sweet burning as that of opium.

The guards withdrew from her cell just as Sweetie pressed her face to the bars of Scootaloo's prison. "Scoots...what happened? What did they do?" The guards didn't seem too worried about her talking, so she pressed on. "Scootaloo, look at me. What happened?"

Scootaloo met her eyes blearily, trying to focus on her friend. She worked to form words, spoken so quietly even Sweetie Belle had trouble hearing her. "Wood and sand...crystal clear. Blood and stone and bone. Crystal." And that was all she would say, repeating those words over and over. A guard approached, sticking a needle covered in some black substance in between her shoulder blades. The Pegasus grunted in pain, tensing up, before she relaxed again. Sweetie Belle caught a muttered snippet of conversation about an overdose between the two guards outside of her cell, before they entered her own area of confinement, and approached her warily. Sweetie Belle waited until they were close, about to unhook her collar, before lunging forward, goring one Earth pony along his flank before being subdued. Though she paid for that with a few heavy cuffs along the head, she smiled grimly as the pink-garbed pony collapsed, his back leg no longer able to support his weight.

She was led down the stairs into the room below, stealing one last glance at the two Pegasi behind her before she was roughly spun around and marched towards the bone-white unicorn waiting for her downstairs.

Sweetie Belle was once more tied to the table, facing the ceiling as she was thoroughly inspected by the unicorn. He poked and prodded, scratching down notes as he examined the roots of her mane, the health of her coat, even the blood flow along her ears. He was fastidious in his attention to detail, looking over every inch of her with a clinical, detached air. Nowhere was spared, and nothing was sacred. Sweetie Belle shifted uncomfortably as he finished his inspection, scratching out a last few notes. He busied himself with a small tray lined with glass bottles and needles of varying lengths. She ventured a question, braving retaliation from Autumn Sunset and the guards in an effort to break the silence hanging heavy in the room.

"Why do they call you the Specialist?"

He was silent for a brief moment. Then he spoke, his voice surprisingly high and airy, possessing a shimmering quality that was quite unnerving. "Because I am very good at my job. I get results with relatively little fuss and almost no mess." he said without turning.

"What's that supposed to mean? You're an interrogator, aren't you?"

He turned, a strange jumble of glass and wire floating alongside him as he trotted towards her. "I prefer to think of myself as a teacher. One who enlightens." he said, hanging it on the light fixture above her, where it caught the glow, refracting the previously harsh white into soft blues and greens and pinks. Occasionally, a flash of white would pass through the gently spinning lights, or be caught by a clear piece of glass, causing distracting spots to play across Sweetie's vision. She spoke nervously, eyeing the unusual glass above her.

"What do you teach?"

She felt a prick underneath her jaw, and before she could react, two padded buffers were placed alongside her head, forcing her to look forward. She blinked, suddenly dizzy. His voice came as if from far away. "I teach ponies how to see new truths, Sweetie Belle. Ponies that spend too much time in the dark sometimes need to be brought back into the light. I'm here to help you find your way back into the light, even if we have to push a bit to get you there."

Sweetie Belle tried to close her eyes, in order to focus her thoughts, but before she could do much more than remind herself not to talk, her eyes slid back open involuntarily. She tried again, with similar results. The colored glass above her filled her vision, and she felt as if she was floating. Another pinprick, this time on the side of her neck, was dimly felt. She felt herself relax, and a gentle voice spoke into her ear.

"Now, I want you to look at the colors above you for a while. When you can focus on the colors without exclusion, we can take the next step. Are you ready?"

Sweetie Belle tried to wrap her mind around the words being spoken. She realized that she was supposed to be doing something, something important, but she couldn't remember what.

"Just focus on the colors, Sweetie Belle..."

That was it, then. She was supposed to be focusing on the colors. She was supposed to let the voice know if she was focusing on the colors. She tried to answer, and found that she was able to speak fairly easily. "Yes. I'm focusing on them."

"Good...now, what do those colors remind you of? The blue and pink and green? The white? The white's very bright, isn't it? Like..."

Sweetie Belle realized that she knew the answer. "The sun. The colors remind me of Celestia."

"That's right, they do. What do you think about Celestia? What do you like about her? What do you dislike?"

"She's the ruler of Equestria. She moves the sun. She's always been a good ruler, but..."

The voice spoke again. "But?"

"Too many secrets. Tricky, slippery secrets. That's not good."

"But you keep secrets too, don't you, Sweetie Belle? That's why those ponies in the pink tunics attacked you, isn't it? Because you wouldn't tell a secret? Don't you trust them?"

Sweetie Belle tried to shake her head, but couldn't. "I don't know...I don't think so. I don't trust them." She stared at the colors above her, a soft rainbow that gleamed and shimmered as she found herself transfixed by the spectrum shifting in her vision. They really did look an awful lot like Celestia...

"Do you think that ponies should lie to each other, Sweetie Belle?" the voice asked, shifting into something familiar as another prick was felt along her neck. Her vision blurred at the edges, and her head began swimming. The colors were shifting again, and Sweetie Belle could have sworn that eyes and wings and other features were emerging in the glowing rainbow above her.

"No, they shouldn't. Nopony."

"Not even Celestia?"

Sweetie Belle gazed into the face of her monarch, that radiant visage, and listened to the melodious voice in her ears. "No, Princess. Not even you."

"Alright then Sweetie Belle, I'll make you a deal. You tell me your secrets, and I'll tell you mine. Is that a deal?"

Sweetie Belle's drugged mind swam as she stared into the collection of glass above her. The guards surrounding the table looked on in awe as the Specialist did his work, herding Sweetie Belle's psyche into a corner with little more than his voice, some stained glass, and the bottles in his bag. The Specialist slid in one final needle, and the mare sighed. He pushed a little harder.

"Is that a deal, Sweetie? Don't you want the truth?"

When she spoke, her voice was heavy, her words slurred. "Ok. Deal."

The Specialist allowed himself a small smile, and began to speak. There was a dull rumble from outside the door. He paused, looking towards the wooden slab, enchanted to bar sound. He silently gestured for the two ponies outside the door to go outside and check on what had happened. The other guards, four in all, shifted uneasily. The two chosen, a pair of bulky Earth ponies, slipped outside, sealing the door behind them.

Another rumble was heard, and then another. Two of the unicorns lit their horns in readiness. There was a bang, and then shouting from outside. There was a brief scuffle, and then another thud from directly outside. A voice shouted, high pitched and fearful.

"Open up! Those EF bastards just tried to break in! We took care of them, but we have wounded!"

One of the guards looked to Autumn Sunrise questioningly. She shook her head, before raising her voice slightly, calling towards the door as the unicorn strapped to the table lay there oblivious to the events surrounding her. "Passcode!"

"Celestia's teats, open the door! There's blood everywhere! Passcode is 'barleycorn'!"

She nodded to the guard posted by the door, who pulled it open, moving swiftly out of the way in order to minimize exposure to hostile fire. One of the regular guards, a nondescript brown Earth pony, entered along with a companion, two limp, bloody bodies slung over his back, their pink tunics stained with viscera. He lay them gently on the floor. His companion, a Pegasus, did the same with his own burden, a limp unicorn mare. Gingerly, they sidled away from the bodies. The Specialist trotted forward along with the other unicorns, as the remaining Dawn operatives moved to secure the stairs along with the new arrivals.

He examined the bodies, which were unfamiliar to him. "Autumn, have you seen these ponies before?" He lifted the gums of one. "Are those...fangs?" He took a step back in alarm, but wasn't fast enough to prevent the unicorn mare from burying her fangs in his neck, her disguise falling away in a rush of green magic. The two guards did the same, turning on their companions and cutting them down where they stood as they caught a barrage of spells from one of the two remaining unicorns on their chitinous skins. His comrade dropped his disguise as well, and the unicorn dropped with a black horn buried to the hilt in his throat.

Autumn Sunrise moved quickly, seizing a knife from a nearby table and placing it to Sweetie Belle's throat as she stirred weakly, fighting off the effects of the drug coursing through her body. "Not another move! You're here for her, so don't move or I swear I'll cut her-"

The Pegasus's rant was cut off in mid sentence as Sweetie Belle, half-conscious, rammed a hoof into her stomach, causing her to drop the knife and begin to collapse. Sweetie caught it, twisting it up just in time for several inches of steel to embed itself in the throat of the Pegasus, spilling bright blood everywhere. The coppery tang of death filled the air, as both mares locked eyes, one watching as the spirit fled from another. At last, the spark had left the weakly struggling body of the Pegasus, and Sweetie Belle lay back, dropping the knife and feeling strong hooves supporting her as she was rushed from the room and up the stairs. She felt the pumping of her heart, faster from the exertion, delivering more of the chemical to her head as she fought for consciousness. A voice spoke by her ear.

"Sweetie Belle? It's me, Scootaloo. You're going to be fine, I promise. We're going to a safe place. You'll be fine. Go ahead and rest, you're ok. Just rest..."

Sweetie Belle allowed blackness to claim her, and the last thing she heard was the chiming of a massive clock, somewhere very nearby.

More Players, More Plans

Are you two sure about this? I don’t know if this will have the effects you both think it will.

Just relax, sugarcube. You do your thing, we’ll do ours. We need to get a message to her, and we can’t use any of the normal channels. This is the best way.

And if you get in trouble, we’ll be there to pull you right back out, okie dokie?

Well, if you’re absolutely sure… I’ll try.

It was going to be another typical day, just like every day before it, and just like every day that would come after until the two stallions were relieved from duty and sent back to the Regia. Supposedly, they had been chosen for their excellent observational skills and attention to detail. The communication crystal they carried with them had a direct line to Golden Radiance, and every transmission was scrambled to within an inch of its life. Their observation blind was well equipped, and the two stallions were at the top of their classes in the Lunar Guard in observation, camouflage, and ranged combat. They were veterans of the Whitetail Woods incident, and the Red Rock campaign. They were two of the best soldiers the Ever Free had to offer, and they both knew it.

Why, then, were they both stationed at the edge of the Forest, watching a scrawny Pegasus who had done nothing since the start of the Rebellion feed her pets? Because Twilight Sparkle had asked them to, that’s why. By name, actually. One of the absolute best scout teams the Lunar Guards had to offer, pulled to an observation post for six months in order to keep an eye on her. That tour of duty was unheard of, the longest either of them had heard of was three months. But they had their orders, and so the Pegasus Cool Breeze, and the unicorn Silver Star hunched down in the trees, waiting for something, anything to happen in order to relieve the boredom.

They knew her habits, the small yellow Pegasus. Every day around noon, she would leave her house and wander into the edges of the Everfree Forest, checking for hurt animals needing her care. Though the wild animals of the deep woods still were far too dangerous, she was nonetheless a friend to those tamer species living on the outskirts of the woods. Occasionally, she would go to a different location, a nearby bog, or an old abandoned hut under the roots of a massive tree, and do business there. Her position was always relayed, and they were given swift, concise orders on how to handle the problem, which usually boiled down to following or not following her.

Though the duo were bored, they remained vigilant. This Pegasus was an Element of Harmony, and as such, was keeper of a great deal of power. Neither of them had seen her wearing it, exactly, but they had been informed that Celestia had entrusted the Bearers with possession of their own Elements, and as such, she was likely to have it nearby. Which was why, at the first sign of trouble, both would retreat to their bolt-hole, a small underground camp, and seal the entrance behind them. They had done this exactly twice, once when the Pegasus had apparently murdered a large bear in a fit of pique, and another when a damned cockatrice had come slithering out of the woods. Both had been false alarms. The bear was in need of chiropractic help, and the cockatrice had apparently come looking for a safe place to lay eggs, and had not petrified a single thing there.

So, another day, another shift, and about a month until they could both return home. They were currently engaged in their favorite part of the day, though neither would care to admit it to the other. Directly before entering the woods, the Pegasus would spend some time among the animals staying with her, feeding them and singing all the while. It was a pleasure to watch her work, truly it was. The Pegasus was the sort of beautiful that existed without effort, a graceful and delicate beauty that, while not exactly the sort that made you want to compose poems, made you think of marriage and a quiet life on a farm somewhere.

The unicorn turned to his comrade, whose eyes were glued to the Pegasus still, as a strictly precautionary measure, of course. “She’s finishing up with the chicken coop now. Are you ready to head back to the next post? We can’t stay up here much longer.”

The Pegasus nodded slowly. “I’d be fine with it, but…take a look at what’s around her neck.”

The unicorn looked. What was unusual about today was the presence of a pendant, a very simple thing consisting of a strap and a river rock that had been attached to it. It was very much the sort of thing both could imagine her wearing, if not for the fact that she had started wearing it today. “What do you suppose it is?” he asked.

The Pegasus snorted. “Don’t know. Want to go ask her?” he replied sarcastically. “I’m just saying we should be careful. What if that’s her Element? Why would she be wearing it?”

The unicorn looked at him disdainfully. “You’ve seen the Elements. You know, big metal things, rattle like nopony’s business, visible a mile off? That’s no Element. Come on, we’re falling back. She’s putting away the feed bucket now.”

The two ponies moved quickly and silently, retreating into the forest to set up inside of a very well hidden vantage point, almost totally invisible from the outside, and well off the beaten trail. They occasionally had trouble finding where it was, even if they knew exactly where to look. They waited for her to come trotting along the path, and sure enough, not fifteen minutes later, along came the Pegasus, moving according to the same route she did every day. However, something wasn’t quite right.

The Pegasus turned to his companion. “She’s acting differently. She’s not looking for animals, she’s headed somewhere. Get ready to move if we need to.”

The unicorn held up one hoof. “Is that…is that singing? She’s singing something.”

Both watched as the Pegasus walked by their blind, slowing as she did so. Her voice was melodious, extremely so, and she was singing softly enough that the duo had to crane their necks in order to catch the words she was saying.

“Hush now, quiet now, it’s time to lay your sleepy head.

Hush now, quiet now, it’s time to go to bed.

Drifting off to sleep, exciting day behind you.

Drifting off to sleep, let the joys of dreamland find you…”

Cool Breeze stifled a yawn. His partner did likewise. Both watched through burning eyes as the Pegasus stopped, kneeling down by the side of the path, still singing. The Pegasus got a glimpse of the pendant around her neck. Strap, rock, a small hole bored through, but…what was that? On the rock?

“Hush now, quiet now, it’s time to lay your sleepy head.

Hush now, quiet now, settle down to bed.

Slipping into a dream, let my music bind you

Drifting off to sleep, just let slumber find you…”

Oh, shit. Silver Star struggled to get up and head for the bolt hole. The Pegasus was headed right for them, and he could see very clearly the pink butterfly emblazoned on the front. She was drawing on the power of her Element. He toppled to one side, as he watched Cool Breeze’s eyes slam shut. She was standing over him now, directly over him. He looked up into her beautiful blue eyes, as she sang another verse.

“Hush now, quiet now, and let fall your sleepy head

Close now your tired eyes, and lie down, time for bed…”

The two stallions woke up with a start, bound securely but not uncomfortably to two chairs. Both were also incredibly not dead, which was something they had not expected after being captured by one of the Elements. They looked at one another. Both were also clean, and slightly damp. They had not bathed in a while, having spent the past several months living in the woods, and they had both been acutely aware of the fact. The Element of Kindness was apparently having none of that, however, and had taken it upon herself to bathe them. The two were unsure if they should be thankful for that, or frightened. Cool Breeze tested his bonds a bit, but was interrupted by the arrival of a newcomer.

A violently pink Earth pony poked her head into the room, looking at them both carefully. “Oh, good, you two are up!” she chirped, walking over to the captured ponies. “Fluttershy said that you two would be up soon, but you both have been asleep for a really long time, and it’s been a bit boring and exciting at the same time waiting for you both to stop napping, we’ve been here all day, and-“

“Pinkie!” another voice snapped from the same doorway. The voice belonged to another Earth pony, this one orange, with a weathered Stetson perched on her head. “Get away, you’re not helping matters none.”

The Lunar Guards looked at one another confusedly. A third voice sounded from behind them, a very familiar voice. “I’m glad they both woke up, I didn’t want to hurt them, and they looked so still…”

Cool Breeze and Silver Star realized that they had been captured by no less than three of the five remaining Elements of Harmony. While this soothed their bruised egos to one degree or another, this meant that they were effectively at the mercy of whatever these three mares wanted to do with them. Their eyes met, and they nodded. A wealth of information was exchanged. It had been an honor, they had to remain strong, and it would probably be over quickly. Probably.

“Oh, will you cut it out with the looks? You both look like we’re about to bury you behind the house.” The orange one, Applejack, said.

Silver Star cringed. He spoke nervously. “Well, we were there for Whitetail and Red Rock. Our experience with the Elements has been…less than pleasant.”

Fluttershy’s eyes got wide, and she nodded understandingly. Applejack stomped one angry hoof. “Ah swear, next time I see Rainbow Dash, I’m going to shove my hoof up her-“

Pinkie Pie cut in. “We are not Rainbow Dash. That’s a promise. We just need your help with something, otherwise we would have left you alone.”

Cool Breeze snarled. “What, how to get to the Regia? How many ponies we have? Spy locations? Fat chance, I’d bite off my own tongue first.”

Applejack chuckled. “Easy there, stallion. We just want you to deliver a message. And it ain’t from Celestia, or the Elements. Just us three. It’s for Twilight herself, and nopony else. We want to talk with her.”

Silver Star spoke up. “No offense meant, but that sounds like a crock of shit if I’ve ever heard one. Lady Twilight hasn’t lived this long by wandering out of the Everfree on a whim.”

Pinkie Pie placed a comforting hoof on his shoulder. “All you need to do is deliver the message. And preferably, stop spying on Fluttershy.”

The Pegasus crossed a demure hoof in front of another. “Oh, I don’t mind, really.”

Applejack looked each of them squarely in the eyes. “Cut it out, y’hear? No more of that.”

Cool Breeze sighed. “Look, we will definitely deliver the message. And we will undoubtedly be pulled from our post to deliver it, and it’s unlikely that we will be back. That’s all I can promise. But what reassurance will she have that you won’t try something?”

Fluttershy smiled, a sad smile. “We can’t give her any. We’ve already betrayed her once, and it was one of the worst mistakes we’ve made. All we can do is make amends.”

The Princess of the Night was bored. Granted, she usually was, but there had been nothing to relieve that for near on two weeks. Not a visit from Celestia or Cadance, not a single attempt at interrogation made, not a thing. She had simply been left down here, in the darkness, apparently forgotten. So, she had turned inwards, and was now examining her psyche in minute detail, attempting to patch the miniscule cracks that could lead to major breakdowns later on. By her estimation, it was nearly the Midwinter Solstice, when her power was at its very greatest. That meant nothing here of course, but it was still a welcome event in her own mind.

Idly, she began to reminisce about the grand festivals thrown in her honor, back before even the Regia was built, back when they had ruled wild over the city-states, consolidating them under one power, providing them with unity and purpose and, yes, harmony. They had been wondrous affairs, she being the one who waxed and waned the growing seasons for those who followed her. Stone circles, harvest dances, the taste of winter wine on her lips…she licked the inside of her mouth, realizing that she was still incredibly thirsty. She sighed, wishing for something, anything, to relieve the monotony. She’d even welcome a visit from her sister.

There was a rattle from the door outside, and it swung open, revealing two large, winged ponies. The taller of the two lit her horn, and sunlight spilled into the cell that was Luna’s home, causing her to blink and squint. She smiled despite herself, appreciating the humor in the situation. “Speak and she shall appear. I was just thinking of you, dear sister.” she said, as Celestia and Cadance stepped inside.

“Good morning, Luna.” Celestia said, approaching her.

“Actually, it’s late afternoon, sister mine.” Luna said. “I keep my own time, remember?”

“How could I forget? Still, I simply wanted to see if you were still as…regular…as you claim to be.”

“Well, it isn’t as though I had much else to do down here.” The dark Alicorn said. “Aside from swinging on my chains, of course, or calculating how many ponies it would take to fill this room to the tip top.”

Celestia tilted her head curiously. “Now I must ask. How many ponies do you think it would take?

Luna smiled humorlessly. “Well, assuming we are using the same caliber of pony that is accepted into the Guard, I would estimate…two hundred and nine, comfortably. Turn me loose on the Guard prior to the experiment, however, and I think we could fit what was left of the entire Guard in here without too much trouble. We might need a mop to get them back out again, however.” She laughed at the look of disgust that crossed Celestia’s face. “Oh, pardon my little jest, prithee. ‘Twas quite worth it, to see the look on your face.”

Celestia ignored the jab. “I presume you know why I am here?”

Luna was quite aware of why she was here, but decided to see if she could get another rise out of her sister. “To spend some quality time as family? Perhaps thou wouldst like a game of charades? Or chess? I do miss chess.”

Celestia was blunt. “I am here to offer you another chance at Harmony, Luna. Cadance is here to provide moral support, should you need it. I can give you access to more of your power, allow you simple magic again. Food, drink, the company of other ponies, all I ask is that you give me your word, on your name and Power, that you will be my ally.”

“I say to you now that you will never count me as an ally in this. Never.”

Celestia’s tone took on a note of concern. “Luna, look at yourself. You’ve been down here for years. I miss you. The ponies miss you. Your night misses you. You know that I can’t make it the way you do. You’re an artist, Luna, and I hate having to keep you from your greatest creation, but I must count you among my friends before I can trust you with that sort of power.”

Luna was silent and still, as if transfixed by some new revelation. “No…”

Celestia stamped one hoof, her voice ringing with imperious force, her language slipping into the archaic Equestrian she had once used. “Thrice I ask and done, Luna Aetheria ex Equestria. Wouldst thou stand by me in my hour of need?”

“An’ for a third time I deny thee, foul temptress. May your false face hide what thy false heart doth know.”

Celestia snorted and headed for the door, Cadance in tow. Luna raised her voice. “Oh, Cadance?”

The Dawn Alicorn turned. “Yes, Aunt Luna?”

“How is Shining Armor?”

Both Celestia and Cadance froze. Celestia spoke. “So you know?”

Luna smiled thinly, showing no teeth. “Of course I knew, the moment she walked in. Dost thou forget so easily my harems, sister? Well I know the signs of a soulbind. She absolutely reeks of it. Child, thou wert with him directly before coming here, were you not?”

Cadance nodded. “Yes. He’s almost done.”

Luna laughed both long and loud at this, a cackle that bordered on madness in places. “Surely he is. And he is fit enough that he will survive, so long as you restrain yourself. This is your first, is it not? What do you plan on doing with the…leftovers? That will be quite valuable, you know.”

Celestia cut in. “You have no need to know that, Luna.”

“Oh come now, surely you jest! Your prudish ways may have blinded you to the true nature of the soulbind, but my experience in the matter vastly outweighs thine. And you know full well that her actions would have fallen under my purview, back in the wild days.”

“You speak of them fondly, Luna.”

“And why would I not? Of course they were filled with the follies of youth, but thou and I, we were revered as goddesses, and well they should have knelt before us, for goddesses we were. I miss the wild ways still, betimes.” Luna said wistfully.

Celestia rolled her eyes. “This is precisely why we centralized the ponies, in order to prevent that sort of behavior, that lack of control you so frequently exhibited.”

“The old argument, sister? Aye, things were less controlled back then, but ponies lived free and wild, able to make their own choices.”

“Are we speaking on the past or present, Luna?”

“Who says that they are different? To creatures such as us, they are simply words, Celestia.”

“I will not be portrayed as a villain because of your desire for anarchy, Luna!”

Luna laughed again. “Oh, sister I have missed these talks of ours. Quality time with you is so very hard to come by.” She said, her voice light and airy. Suddenly, she lurched forward, straining against her chains, face inches away from Celestia’s. The monarch of Equestria did not flinch as she spoke, her voice low and threatening. “Make no mistake Celestia, I will be free. I will have my revenge on you. And I will have my freedom back, and then the world shall see exactly how cruel the night can be. This I swear, on my name and Power, by the Aether, by Order and Chaos and Day and Night. I swear it on blood and bone, wood and sand. All your subjects will bow before me, and in place of a Princess they would wish for a queen, not radiant but mysterious as the stars, and treacherous as the night!”

Her voice climbed in volume. “I will see your subjects as mine, Celestia! All would see me and desire me, for I am the Night incarnate, and so long as darkness lingers in Creation, there shall I dwell. My time comes, Celestia, it comes very soon. Bow before me and despair, for just as I have brought Chaos to heel, so shall I shackle you, Celestia!”

The monarch stared into the furious face of her sister impassively, meeting the Royal Voice head on. “If you wish to be freed, Luna, you know what to do.”

She turned to the cell door once more. “Come, Cadance.” she said to the trembling Alicorn, and the cell door slammed, leaving Luna in her darkness once more.

Her mind began to work furiously. If Shining Armor was that close, and Celestia was involved…she sniffed the air. The scent hanging on Celestia, though she had done her level best to hide it, was familiar. The Circle, then. And if she had been to the Circle, then it could only be for one reason. Luna began to plot and plan, devising strategies and backup plans in order to counter this move of her sister’s. Now all she needed was to get free…

Committing Pieces

Committing Pieces

Sweetie Belle’s return to consciousness was neither slow nor confusing, like it had been when she was imprisoned. Instead, it was rather like waking from a long sleep, a bit unpleasant but quickly ignored. The pastel unicorn sat up slowly, rubbing her eyes with one hoof while she took in her bearings. She was in a very simple room, on a cot that creaked just a bit when she moved. The walls were old brick, and the entire room was lit by a single magelight, throwing a gentle yellow glow from wall to wall. There was a door in one corner, one that rose to a point at the top, and set with an iron ring. The air was dry, though a bit cold, and Sweetie Belle thought she might be able to hear church bells in the distance.

Curious as to her whereabouts, she rose from her resting place, and proceeded to a nearby door. She attempted to open the door, but was perturbed to find it locked. Another tug proved fruitless, and she settled down despairingly, sure that she was a prisoner once more.

A voice came from outside the door. “Just a moment, Ms. Belle, we’ve got the door locked so nopony can get in except for a few trusted members. I’ve notified my superiors, and somepony will be along to collect you shortly. Just…take it easy for a few minutes, alright?”

Sweetie Belle didn’t bother to speak, simply walking back to her cot and waiting. She did not have to wait for long. Five minutes later, the door rattled and opened wide, admitting several ponies. Sweetie Belle caught sight of the familiar orange coat of Scootaloo, and Night Light standing close behind her. A third unicorn, her coat snow white, her mane fiery red, stood at the head of the group, and in the very back stood one more pony, cloaked and hooded. The white unicorn spoke first.

“Ms. Belle, we are glad to see you awake after such a short time. The Specialist’s needles are filled with all sorts of poisons, and we were not sure what he had given you. How are you feeling?”

“My head hurts a bit, and things are kind of fuzzy around the edges, but other than that, I feel just fine.” Sweetie Belle said, rubbing at her neck.

The white unicorn’s face remained serious. “That’s good to hear. I have just finished debriefing Scootaloo and Night Light on their experiences, and I would like to do the same with you in a while. But first, I would like to offer you the same choice we offer every pony that comes through here.”

Sweetie Belle’s curiosity was piqued. “Alright then, let’s hear it.”

“Do you know where you are, Sweetie Belle?” she asked.

Sweetie Belle thought. “Well, I’m assuming that this is some sort of safehouse, a hidden place for members of the EF to go to ground. Let’s see…you mentioned that I hadn’t been out too long, so I wasn’t moved far. I remember hearing a large bell before I passed out. That was familiar, so we are near the Bronze Clock, in the center of town. And I think I might have heard church bells, which when combined with the age of the brickwork and the style of the door, indicates that I am in an abbey or monastery near the Bronze Clock, of which there are only a few. And I met Scootaloo in the Tomb of The Paladin. So, I am going to assume that I am in the old cells for monks beneath the Abbey itself. This means, since you appear to be the one in charge, that you are the unicorn known as Lively, EF leader for this portion of the city.”

There was a beat of stunned silence from the occupants of the cell. A slow grin crept across the unicorn’s face as Scootaloo and Night Light did their best not to laugh. She gave a graceful bow. “I forgot I was talking to an excellent reporter. Lively Song, at your service. And I am the head of EF operations in the city of Trottingham. Scootaloo did not overestimate you in her report; you are a very intelligent mare. And in answer to the rest of your question, you are indeed in the catacombs and cells of the Abbey of the Paladin, which is the central hub for the EF in Trottingham. And now that you are here, I must offer you a choice.”

She gestured for the hooded pony to come forward, who obeyed, though its face still remained obscured by cloth. “It is no longer safe for you in Equestria, and we apologize for that. It was never our intention to get you caught up in this mess, and it was certainly never our intention for you to be captured. That said, we can do one of two things for you. The first is a popular option. We can send you through the Everfree and then through Los Pegasus, and hook you into a group of refugees heading for Gryphon lands. They are officially neutral in the conflict, and as such you will be protected there. Or you can take the second option, and fall in with us. We can offer you a role in the fight, and you’d be able to satisfy any lingering curiosity you have about how we operate. This would require a brief stay from you here before we send you into the Everfree.”

Sweetie Belle frowned. “Why would I need to stay?”

Lively Song sat on her haunches, the two Pegasi behind her doing the same. “We have discovered something about ponies who were under Celestia’s reign when Twilight began her rebellion. They have been…changed slightly. There is a bit of loyalty to Celestia written into ponies, that we need to weed out before they can be trusted.”

“I have no loyalty to Celestia at this point, I promise. That’s unnecessary!” Sweetie Belle protested.

Lively arched an eyebrow. “Really?” she asked, and gestured for the pony next to her to lower their hood. They did so, and Sweetie Belle stared into the face of a very familiar pony.

Twilight Sparkle winked at her. “Hello, Sweetie Belle.” she said, her voice warm and welcoming.

Sweetie Belle reacted without thinking, but the two Pegasi were ready for her. She hurled herself off of the bed, ready to tackle the purple unicorn and beat her unconscious if necessary, drag her to the nearest guard or to the Princess if she could…two sets of hooves caught her easily, and she was slammed down onto the cot, where she fought tooth and nail to get back up. Twilight regarded her curiously, and as Sweetie watched, the unicorn’s coat disappeared in a rush of green magic, revealing a bulky Changeling. Gradually, she stopped struggling, and came to her senses.

Lively Song’s smile was gone. “Each one of us reacted similarly. The only ones who did not were those sequestered in the Everfree when Twilight arrived, about five thousand ponies. Celestia’s subjects are devoted to her, whether they realize it or not.”

Sweetie Belle looked at her friends, their faces set as they backed away slowly. She was silent for a brief moment, trying to come to terms with what had just happened. “What would I have to do to be rid of this?”

“It’s not a long procedure, though it is somewhat dangerous. Three days of preparation, staying down here. Count yourself lucky, Scootaloo had to stay down here for two months. The process is significantly shorter for unicorns. The reason you remain underground is so our Crystal can work unimpeded. Once your three days are up, you’ll…”

Sweetie Belle interrupted. “Wait. What about a crystal?”

Scootaloo stepped forward. “It’s a crystal sent to us by Radiant Zenith, magically charged to siphon off unwanted mental influences. It leaves you a blank slate from a mental magic point of view. About the size of a pony, maybe a bit bigger.”

Lively resumed her explanation. “Indeed. The crystal will bleed off most of the mental influence. On your third day here, you will actually be taken into the room where the crystal is located, and a spell will be cast to completely purge any mental influences leftover. After you’re all clear, we can send you downriver to the Ever Free proper.”

“Why is it a dangerous process?”

The white unicorn looked uncomfortable. “Well, it’s taking something that is a part of you, whether you wanted it to be or not, and removing it. There will be some trauma, mostly of an emotional nature, but it fades quickly. Some ponies, however, go into shock, or become depressed or apathetic. There are memory gaps occasionally…it’s different for everypony, but the effects are always temporary.”

Sweetie Belle nodded thoughtfully. “I’m staying.”

Lively Song looked surprised. “Just like that?”

“It may sound strange, but I am not ready to give up on this. So long as I can work to bring the truth to everypony, I will continue to do so. By any means I can, short of…short of…”

“Killing.” Lively Song said.

Sweetie Belle nodded. “I don’t remember much about the escape, but I think…I killed somepony, didn’t I?”

Scootaloo sat next to her on the cot, putting one hoof around her shoulder. “You killed Autumn Sunset, Sweetie. She had a knife to your throat, and you took it away. She fell on it.”

Sweetie Belle nodded, numb on the inside. Night Light moved to stand beside her. He turned to Lively Song. “Ma’am, if you care to wait outside, we will be along in a moment. Right now she needs talking to.”

Lively nodded, and departed the cell along with the Changeling, closing the door behind her. Night Light turned back to Sweetie Belle. “Sweetie, what you have to understand is that in this case, you really had no choice. You were put in a position where she would have killed you if you hadn’t reacted. It was your life or hers.”

“And we are both glad you chose to keep yours.” Scootaloo chimed in. “Listen, that feeling you get when you take a life…it’s not going to go away. And it shouldn’t. If you kill a pony and feel nothing, that’s worrying. That means you’ve lost your empathy for others. But it will fade, with time. It will never be easy to live with, but it will get easier.”

“But she probably had a family, ponies who cared about her, innocents who loved her.” Sweetie Belle said.

“She was not a nice pony, Sweetie Belle.” Night Light said, shaking his head. “She hurt a lot of ponies, and they had friends and family too. So do you. And you chose to make sure that you would see yours again. And if you were going to kill somepony…well, I hate to say it, but you probably couldn’t have picked one more deserving of it, in my opinion.”

Sweetie Belle looked at him. “Do you remember the first pony you killed?”

“Every night.” he said simply. “I worked with him for two and a half years in the Guard. He was my friend, we watched out for one another, I even met his family at one point. On the night I was set to get out of Canterlot, he discovered me breaking into Luna’s chambers for the books I had been sent to collect. There was a struggle, both of us were trained to kill, and…” he shrugged helplessly. “I was trained better. That was the first time I killed for Equestria or the EF. And I still see the hurt and betrayal in his eyes, right as he was going. It’s very clear. But I had a job to do, and I did it.”

Scootaloo jumped in. “My first was about a year ago, right after I joined the EF. I was running a package from Hoofington to Trottingham, and there was a checkpoint I didn’t know about. Three solders chased me, I outran two, and the third cornered me in a little hollow in the woods right off the trail. He charged me, and I swung a tree branch at his head and split it open. It was only once I got to the safehouse in Trottingham that I realized what exactly I had just done.”

Night Light placed one wing along Sweetie Belle’s back. Scootaloo did likewise. “We don’t encourage killing, Sweetie Belle. But when it’s you or them, and you have to make a tough choice, it’s better for you to walk away and live.”

“I won’t kill somepony again if I join up.” Sweetie Belle said.

Scootaloo took one of her hooves. “You may not have a choice. But I can tell you this, if you are ever out in the field, you’ll be trained. If you prefer a non-lethal solution, we have those too. Not every EF member is a killer, Sweetie Belle. If you don’t want to learn how to kill, then you won’t learn how to kill. You’ll take self-defense classes. We all do, every one of us. But there are ways around taking lives. Heck, that’s what I specialize in, combat-wise. I prefer unarmed combat.”

Sweetie Belle nodded, reassured somewhat by this testimony from her friend. “And if I join? What then?”

Night Light smiled. “You’ll be sent back to the Everfree for training. The castle in the middle, called the Regia, is where we call home. You’ll meet with Lady Twilight, and she will work to help find a spot where your talents are needed. Each assignment is voluntary, so you can find one you are comfortable with. After that, you’ll settle into a new life.”

Sweetie Belle nodded. “And if I go?”

“You’ll go with the next group of refugees into Gryphon territory, and wait there until the conflict is over. It’s not a great life, but you’ll be safe. The Gryphons care for their own. I’ve escorted groups to the camps before. It’s a week’s hard march, and you’ll likely be put to work in a farm once you get there.” Scootaloo said.

Sweetie Belle weighed the options in her mind. This was it. Safety against self-reliance, and ignorance versus knowledge. There was really only one outcome for her, she realized. She had made the choice when she had gotten on the train out of Canterlot.

“I’ll join.” she said, making her choice.

As one, the three ponies got up and walked to the door. Night Light knocked twice on the door, and it swung open. What Sweetie Belle saw below took her breath away. He smiled at the expression on her face. “Welcome to the Trottingham headquarters of the Ever Free Rebellion, Recruit Sweetie Belle.” he said.

The door was one of several, arranged in a ring around a central pit, a giant ring that was occupied by several groups of ponies. Some were arranged in a smaller ring around a circle of padding, as two ponies grappled with one another in simulated combat. Others were reading over folders, tacking up different lines of data on a giant board, planning operations across the city. Still others were being treated for wounds along a series of low wooden benches, and another group appeared to be practicing illusion magic, a class taught by an instructor who wore an unusual pendant around their neck.

Sweetie indicated the pony in question. “What is that?”

Scootaloo snorted. “The pendant? That’s given to Changelings who are applying to live among ponies full time. It indicates that they are a Changeling, and once they’ve earned the trust of the leadership, they may remove them. That one is Azure. She’s close to being done with her trial period. If you want to learn how to conceal yourself while you’re here, she’s the one to talk to.”

Night Light nodded. “She taught me a thing or two, and I can’t even use magic. There are similar courses at the Regia, but this is a good place to learn basics.”

“And it’s safe, more’s the point.” Lively Song said, trotting up to them. “Have you made your decision, Ms. Belle?”

Sweetie Belle nodded. “I’ll stay.” she said, realizing deep inside that she had made the right choice.

Lively Song smiled. “Very good, then. Welcome to the EF. I’ll send a message along to the Regia, let them know to expect you along with the next group heading in.”

“That’s the group Night Light and I are going in with.” Scootaloo said cheerfully. “In the meantime, relax, heal, and learn a few things. In three days’ time, you’re on your way to the Regia.”

Twilight Sparkle looked at the two Lunar Guards in front of her, both of whom still smelled faintly of lilac shampoo. They stood at attention, waiting as Twilight considered what they had to say. “So, I’m going to review this one more time. You were both caught off guard and captured by Fluttershy, who then took you back into the custody of herself and two other Elements, Pinkie Pie and Applejack?”

Cool Breeze nodded. “Yes, Milady.”

Twilight sighed. “Well, that’s understandable. I wouldn’t expect you two to take on three of the Elements. Anyway, she bathed you, tied you both up, and then told you to relay a message. What was the message?”

Silver Star looked straight ahead as he recited the message from memory. “We were told that they wished to talk to you, alone and unarmed, on the edge of the Apple farm in Ponyville, three nights hence, Milady. They said they would not be wearing their Elements, and asked that you not bring along any soldiers as a sign of faith. Though it was not part of the message, I heard them discuss their betrayal of you in Canterlot. They appeared to consider it a regrettable mistake, and wished to make amends for it, Milady.”

Twilight was silent for a moment. “Cool Breeze. Do you think the Elements were being truthful?”

The Pegasus thought for a moment. “I couldn’t be sure, Milady, but I think so.”

“What say you, Silver Star?”

“Milady, I could detect no untruthfulness from any of them. Although, as stated, it was hard to tell.”

The purple unicorn tapped one hoof to her chin thoughtfully. “Very well. No disciplinary action will be taken, although you will both be reassigned, likely to another observation post. You are dismissed.”

Both came to attention and saluted smartly before pivoting to their right and exiting the room at a brisk walk. The doors closed behind them, and Twilight turned to the councilmembers next to her. “Well?”

Radiant Zenith shook her head. “I can’t decide this for you, Twilight. It sounds like a trap, though a fairly transparent one if it truly is.”

Nightshade, Captain of the Pegasus strike group known as the Shadowbolts, spoke. Her voice was surprisingly low, and it fluctuated wildly as if she was unaccustomed to speaking. “We have no major movement around the edges of the Forest. They’d only have the Ponyville garrison, and the Solar Wing is currently engaged near Los Pegasus, clear on the other side of the Everfree. They’d be hard pressed to make it all the way around in three days, and in no shape to fight once they arrived. You’ll have no interference from the Element of Loyalty.”

Golden Radiance spoke next. “I’d vote against it. If they are wearing the Elements and you are alone, you’d be hard pressed to retreat before Celestia arrived. Still, it seems unlikely that she would be so overt as to attempt trapping you in this manner.”

Iron Oak nodded in assent. “I’d say proceed with caution, Lady Twilight. My issue is a lack of protection for you.”

Twilight was silent for a span of minutes, the crystal around her neck hovering as she ran through calculations in her head, taking into account all of the advice she was given. The pendant settled back down, resting on her chest as she made her decision. “I will go, and I will go to the meeting alone. Pick ten Lunar Guards as escort, and Iron Oak will take his top twenty marksponies. We will arm them with flash powder spheres. They’ll stay a respectable distance back.”

Iron Oak bowed slightly. “It shall be done. But what of your protection, Lady Twilight?”

Twilight smiled thinly. “Don’t worry. I will be quite protected. Trust me.”

Players Convene

The night sky overhead was speckled with a thousand thousand stars, a tapestry of light and shadow that was awesome in both its scale and detail. A crescent moon hung in the sky, providing little light, but the stars themselves burned with such intensity that it was as if the celestial body was full and bright. The sun had set an hour ago, and the Apple farm was silent and still, slumbering in preparation for work the next day.

That is, most of the farm was quiet. Where it bordered the Everfree Forest, near a collapsed section of fence, three mares waited nervously to see if their invitation would be accepted. They had done as promised, and left the Elements that they wielded behind, as a gesture of good faith, and now they waited on a friend that they had not seen in years to appear, and speak with them. They could only hope she would find it in herself to be forgiving, and to listen to what they had to say.

“Are you sure that they would have delivered that message?” Fluttershy asked nervously, shifting from hoof to hoof.

“Don’t worry, sugarcube, she has the message. And she’s had plenty of time to get out here, I know it.” Applejack said, scanning the trees. “She’s probably being careful, is all. I can’t blame her.”

Pinkie Pie was silent, trying to use her Pinkie Sense to see if there was anypony nearby. She had gotten something earlier, something big, or maybe a lot of somethings, moving through the trees, but she had lost it. She still had the occasional shiver or twitch, indicating that something was indeed nearby, and so they had refused to let their guard down.

“We probably should have been more specific.” Fluttershy said. “Sweet Apple Acres has a lot of land bordering the Everfree, and we didn’t say when she should be here.”

It was at this that Pinkie spoke. “She’s here, I just know it. But she won’t come out for some reason.”

Applejack sighed. “Well, what the hay are we supposed to be doin’?”

Pinkie took a deep breath. “Hey! Twilight! You can come out, don’t worry! We won’t hurt you!” she called, her voice echoing into the distance, shattering the peace of the night.

Applejack jumped on top of her, shoving her face down into the dirt. “Are you bucking insane?” she whispered furiously, looking around for other ponies. “What if somepony heard that?”

Pinkie spat out a mouthful of dirt. “That’s kind of the point, isn’t it?” she said, as Applejack picked herself up, allowing the pink pony to rise. “We need Twilight to hear where we are.”

“But we also don’t need the rest of Ponyville knowing that we are trying to contact Twilight Sparkle! That’s a great way to get arrested and dragged up the mountain.” Applejack said. “And when Twilight wants to come out, well, she will.”

Fluttershy pointed one hoof. “Um, Applejack? Pinkie? I think it worked…”

Applejack and Pinkie Pie looked to the trees, planting their hooves defensively as they scanned for Twilight Sparkle. They didn’t have to look very hard. A single pony stood at the edge of the forest, watching them. That pony looked nothing like their friend, however. It was imposing, threatening, and the air around it fairly hummed with power, which even in the darkness rippled off of it in waves of shimmering force. The unicorn was clad entirely in white armor, giving it a fearsome, warlike appearance, and wore a helm made of the same material, with a hole for its horn, which glowed with a dark purple aura. A beaten mask of silver, etched with sharp, jagged teeth, covered the rest of its face.

Thinking they had been betrayed, each of them began to run. Before Applejack and Pinkie Pie could do much more than attempt to shift their weight, however, the very earth they stood on shot up around each of their legs, effectively trapping them in a stone sleeve that, no matter how hard they struggled, remained obdurate and unyielding. Fluttershy attempted to spread her wings and fly, but before she could do more than jump, a bolt of silent lightning sailed through the air, and the yellow Pegasus’s wings, and indeed all of her extremities, locked into place. The earth surged around her hooves as well. A clear dome of force manifested around the captured trio, and the armored pony calmly trotted forward, its armored hooves strangely silent against the ground. It moved as if it was not wearing armor at all, and Pinkie Pie got the sense that whatever this…thing was, it was angry with them.

At last the warrior pony stood in front of them, inside of the bubble, regarding them all calmly. Applejack struggled to free herself before slumping in her bonds, defeated. “Well, you got us dead to rights, whoever you are. What now?”

The pony regarded them silently, and then moved forward, placing one hoof under the orange farmpony’s chin, gazing into her eyes. They held eye contact for an eternal moment, before the warrior moved to Pinkie Pie, who stared at it without prompting, meeting its gaze levelly. Lastly, the armor clad pony moved to Fluttershy, who, in a moment of bravery, attempted to use the Stare in order to cow the pony. Her ice blue eyes widened, and she spoke very clearly and concisely, her words low and threatening.

“Let us go. Now.”

The pony rocked back on its hooves for a brief moment, seemingly transfixed, before coming to its senses. It gave a low chuckle, before simply walking away, standing in front of the three of them. It lifted one hoof to its head, disengaging the mask and letting it fall to the ground. As Twilight Sparkle lifted the helm off of her head, she spoke. “I must say, I’m a little disappointed. I gave you even odds of recognizing me.”

Applejack’s eyes widened. “Twilight! Thank Celestia, we thought y’all were here to kill us.”

“The night is young.” Twilight said lightly. “I’m not exactly feeling charitable right now.”

The Earth pony lowered her head. “What in tarnation is that supposed to mean? We just want to talk!” She stopped speaking immediately as the earth around her legs crept up further, reaching her chest.

“Just want to talk? Like the last time you wanted to talk? Back in the Tower at Canterlot?”

“That was different!” Pinkie Pie said. “Please, Twilight, you gotta believe us!”

Twilight laughed. It was not the light, joyful laugh that they had known for so long. It was laden with bitterness, and utterly without pity or empathy. “I’ve lost all trust in any of you. I said something very similar a few years back, remember?” she asked, and her horn glowed brightly before a beam of light shot towards the ground, spreading into a pool of color, which resolved itself into a very familiar scene.

Six ponies were arranged in a circle, one broken, bleeding and bruised, chains hanging from her sides as she struggled to stay on her hooves. The five others were closing in, as she begged and pleaded for them to hear her.

“I-you're not the ponies I knew. I don't know any of you, anymore. And that breaks my heart. I'm not asking anymore, I'm begging. You have to listen to me! I can prove it if you just give me a chance!” the wounded one said.

A unicorn with a coat of alabaster looked her in the eyes. “We wish we could, darling. But Rainbow Dash is making sense for once, and not you.” A harsh clanging noise echoed through the night air, as the three captured ponies looked on in horror at their transgression against a friend. The recording continued. “And now we have to end this.”

Applejack looked on in shame as a representation of Princess Celestia appeared as well, directly behind their friend, who was nearly on her knees; whether in supplication or exhaustion it was hard to tell. The representation of her spoke. “Thank goodness you showed up when you did, Princess. We couldn't have stalled her much longer.”

The three watched as Twilight Sparkle was brought down at last. As she was carried outside, and Celestia began her transportation spell to the tower, Twilight dispelled the energy for the illusion spell.

She spoke, her voice quiet. “It hardly seems different to me. One party begging to be heard, another rendering judgment. Here, however, is where you and I have our differences. I’m going to listen to you speak, and then I will let you go on your way unmolested.”

Fluttershy spoke quietly. “We made a mistake, Twilight. And we’re sorry for it, but we’re trying to make amends for it.”

Pinkie Pie nodded. “All we want is to talk to you, Twilight. To see you.”

Twilight looked at them both. “Well, you’ve got your wish. What did you want to talk about?”

Applejack sighed. “Well, what do y’all know about life here in Ponyville? You’ve got ponies watchin’ Fluttershy, so we know we’re being watched.”

Twilight thought briefly. “Let’s see…I know that you are expecting another foal, Applejack, and that despite the fire in your orchard, you have posted a net gain of sixty-eight percent increase in profits over the year. You’re doing well selling excess fruit to Canterlot, and your cider and hard cider are extremely popular among the gentry in the capital. I believe you’ve been contracted to provide some for the Winter Solstice Celebration Ball. Applebloom just completed training with the Regulars, and though she does not yet know where she’s being stationed, I have it on good authority that she will likely be sent to Red Rock Junction to strengthen the Garrison there. She’s assigned to a shock brigade, the illustrious 418th Rough Riders.”

Applejack attempted to speak, but was cut off. “Pinkie Pie, your bakery is doing well, and you are thinking about opening up a second shop, possibly in Trottingham, despite the heavy taxation rate there. I’d go for it, they could use a bit of happiness there. Your foal starts school next year. She’s beautiful.”

Pinkie Pie nodded thankfully. “How did you know what she looked like?”

Twilight allowed her lips to curl, so slightly and briefly it might not have happened at all. “I visited on her first birthday. I laid a blessing, too. One unicorn to another. Now, Fluttershy, you’ve not done much, but you and Applejack have been spending quite a bit more time together than normal.”

Fluttershy tugged at her hooves a bit. “Yes.” She said simply.

“Well, allow me to extrapolate based on the evidence I see in front of me. You all are meeting me on the edge of town, alone, in the dead of night, without the Elements you chose to bear. You have no soldiers, no backup of any kind. You are here minus Rarity, and Rainbow Dash is nowhere to be found, at least as far as you know. When Pinkie spoke up, she was silenced, which means that you don’t want anypony else finding out you’re here. Am I on track so far?”

The three trapped mares nodded.

Twilight continued. “And you want to talk. Not only this, you’ve captured my soldiers. Instead of turning them in or killing them, you chose to clean them up and send them back to me unharmed, for which I thank you. It is because of this that I agreed to come alone. Had you harmed them, we would still have talked, but…it would have been on far less friendly terms.”

Applejack snorted. “And this is friendly?”

Twilight chuckled again. “No. Friendly talks are reserved for those I consider friends. This is me being both cordial and cautious. I’ve said my piece. You know what I know about you. What did you want to tell me?”

“We want you to come to the table with Celestia, Twilight.” Fluttershy said. “We want you both to negotiate a solution to the end of the war, one that will stop the fighting.”

Pinkie nodded enthusiastically. “We’d be there, too. As a neutral party, to help you both come to an accord.”

Twilight looked at the three ponies she had once knew so well, studying their faces in complete silence. Her expression slowly turned from one of wary confusion into amusement, and from there into outright mirth. “Wait…so you think that I’m fighting Celestia to the death because neither of us wants to negotiate?” she said, visibly restraining herself from laughing,

“It ain’t no laughing matter, Twilight!” Applejack said. “Ponies are dying, gettin’ hurt on account of this war!”

Twilight’s mirth vanished. “You think I don’t know that?” she said, staring into the deep green eyes of her friend. “You think I’m unaware of the cost, the lives being taken because of this conflict? Last week I personally stood over the freshly dug graves of three dozen fighters, who fell because I had made the wrong call and sent them into an obvious trap. I talked with their families, too. I know that feeling too well, by this point. And you know what? It could have been far worse. It will get far worse. You think Whitetail was bad? You think Red Rock was bad? I committed less than a quarter of the ponies under my command to those. Celestia committed even less.”

“And we want to bring the war to an end before it gets worse! So no more families have to lose their loved ones, no more graves have to be dug!” Applejack said.

“Twilight, Applebloom is in the Regulars! She’s ready to fight and die because of this conflict, doesn’t that bother you?” Pinkie asked.

“I can’t let it bother me. I’m trying to bring Celestia to negotiate, but her ultimatum is always the same. I am to surrender completely, to let my armies be disbanded, and to retake the mantle of Magic when she deems me fit. And Applebloom is a grown mare, she has made her own choices.”

Applejack lunged forward. “Now listen here-“ she was cut off as rock crept up her chest and sides, squeezing gently, threatening to crush her if she got rough.

“No, you listen. You had your chance for peace. You could have helped me, all of you. But you chose to side with Celestia, and now I can no longer count you among ponies I trust.”

“But that’s just the thing!” Pinkie said. “I don’t know if we did side with Celestia.”

Twilight’s gaze locked on to her like a hawk spying a particularly slow meal. “Explain.”

Pinkie Pie sighed in relief as the rock crept down Applejack’s chest, allowing the Earth pony to breathe more easily. “We all thought Celestia was in the right, Twilight. All of us. But recently, it’s been like waking up from a dream. We were in the middle of thinking one way, and suddenly we’re thinking another way and nothing makes sense. And now that we all are thinking this way, we are starting to notice…things.”

Applejack nodded. “When Celestia came to town, we noticed that other ponies behaved differently. Not just nervous, or anything like that. But…different. Everypony got this real dopey grin on their faces.”

Twilight was silent for a moment. “I am giving you one chance. When did you notice this happening?”

“After the Summer Sun Celebration, for both of us.” Applejack said.

Fluttershy nodded. “Mine was around then, too.”

The armor clad unicorn looked each of them in the faces, checking them for falsities. “If I had not experienced the same thing, I’d call that the most ridiculous lie I’d heard from any of you.”

Pinkie shook her head. “Not a lie, Twilight. Cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye.”

Twilight’s head snapped around, checking the position of the moon. “A messenger will be by to let you know when we can discuss this further. I will meet you then. But I swear, if you play me false…”

“I know, I know. They’ll find us in pieces, right?” Applejack said.

Twilight settled her helm back on her head, snapping the mask of teeth back over her face. She smiled, though it was hidden. “Don’t be ridiculous, Applejack. We’ll find you, even if you try and run, and when we catch you? I personally guarantee they will never find you.”

And with that, Twilight Sparkle left her onetime friends behind, twisting the shadows around her. When her friends could see once more, she was gone, vanished into the night.

Three Queens

Princess Mi Amore di Cadenza Allegretta was in a foul mood. Her normally cheerful and open demeanor had been replaced with one that radiated anger and ill wishes, and she felt herself becoming irrationally angry over the slightest things. Much as she tried to hide it, by the time the day had come up on noon, she was simply unable to interact with other ponies. So, in a fit of childish pique, she had snatched several books from the library, growled her thanks at the unfortunate pony who had checked them out for her, and retreated to a private room near the very top of one of the tallest towers in Canterlot Castle.

She hated these feelings, but Celestia had told her that they would get more frequent as time went on. And she supposedly had it easy. The effects of a soulbind were no laughing matter for anypony, and even back in the wild days, when Luna’s scholars and lovers both had been locked in this magical state, the Princess of the Night was always gentle with them until they were spent. How had Luna done it, dealing with this unbalanced feeling? How had she put up with the dull aches, the vivid dreams, the sudden and unpredictable bursts of magic? She feared to use the power she had so recently wielded with ease. Indeed, the book she had in front of her now was being turned by hoof, something she had not done since she was a filly. It was oddly relaxing, in a way. She could focus on the information contained within, without having to focus on the magical grip she used to turn the pages themselves.

Though she had done so a hundred times already, she was currently looking through a book Celestia had taken from a house up north, or rather, a House. In it was contained her family tree, something she had never been too curious about until she had spoken with Twilight four years ago…her hoof went to one cheek, and she rubbed the scabbed flesh on it absently. The symbol was very clear and detailed, something that never failed to surprise her. She had attempted to remove it herself, one year after Twilight had placed it there. The pain had been indescribable.

Rather than dwell on the scar, she chose to focus on an unexpected positive, the enjoyable diversion she had found in tracing her family line. She had never been one to spend hours at a time in the library, preferring to be around other ponies, but she had enjoyed finding her relations among other ponies, and tracing her family line back as far as she could. Using the resources offered by Canterlot’s Archives, she was able to track down any surviving members of her family.

They were few and far between, scattered across Equestria, most living in quiet obscurity. All were loyal to Celestia, loyal to a fault. Except, of course, for the largest and most prominent group of family she had left. The Allegretta clan of Pegasi, one of whom was acting as Twilight Sparkle’s right hoof and lover, her family in the grasp of that unicorn who had attacked her, loving Twilight instead of her, the only family she had ever met being the only part of her family that hated her, all because of Twilight Sparkle…

She snapped the book shut, focusing on maintaining her self control, refusing to allow her emotions to run rampant, even though that was exactly what she encouraged in ponies. No, there would be nothing gained from losing her emotional center.

But she needed something to distract her from this bad mood of hers. So what would it be? She wanted nothing to do with anypony right now, not a thing. Except, of course, Shining Armor. For him, she was always able to make time. Seeing an opportunity, she thought of him to the exclusion of all else.

He was losing control fast, Shining Armor. The day he had collapsed at his desk had been his last day of acting as Commander of the Royal Guard, honorably suspended from duty by order of Princess Celestia herself, who, as usual, had filled in for her sister, who was indisposed. He had been spending the intervening time at home, attempting to maintain a level of health and fitness appropriate for the Guard, checking over the machinery that had replaced his leg, reading reports and orders that had been signed off by his replacement, and nearly everything else he could think of to keep himself occupied. His attacks were getting more frequent, and Celestia was sure that he didn’t have much longer to go. Possibly a month, perhaps less. The longer he lasted, she had said, the greater his chances of making it through unscathed were.

They truly were a pair, Cadance thought, smiling to herself. Fifteen years ago, he was considered the most eligible bachelor in Canterlot, if not Equestria, and she held equal position among mares. It was, of course, a perfect match. The ceremony had been…less than perfect, but Twilight Sparkle had pulled through and ensured that they were happy together…Cadance shook her head, choosing to focus on something other than her. She and Shining Armor had always been a high profile couple, even before he had officially proposed, and she still considered it a strange miracle that Twilight hadn’t caught wind of it…damn it!

She tried to focus on Shining Armor once again. He was a perfect gentlecolt, understanding and supportive, and she loved him with all of her heart. Their marriage was something out of a storybook, as were the marriages they had attended for the Bearers. Celestia had ordered her to keep her hooves off of the marriages, and let the Elements work for themselves. She had been pleased with the results, as far as she could tell. Each of the Elements had found their soul mates, and she did not lift a hoof to nudge them. Indeed, the only marriage she had hoped for in recent time had been the one for Twilight…

Anger filled her once more. Fine, she couldn’t think about Shining Armor without thinking of Twilight. That she could understand. But he was her only distraction, and she needed a distraction right now. Her mind cast about for a solution, and she quickly found one. Granted, Celestia had said not to do it too often, as it could potentially speed the process of the soulbind, but she needed this. Her horn lit up, and with a rush of air she vanished from the tower.

With a loud *bang*, she reappeared in the middle of the suite she shared with Shining Armor, who looked up from his desk, surprised at his wife returning home early.

“Cadance! You’re back? Is something wrong?” he asked, setting his papers aside.

“Shut up and come here.” she growled, as her horn lit up, lifting him off of his chair and carrying him behind her as she opened the door to their bedroom. She flung him onto the bed, kicking the door closed behind her, and stripping off her regalia. She did not climb into bed so much as jump headfirst into it. She turned to face her husband, drawing him in close.

“Distract me.”

And he did.

Luna was on the moon once more. White, chalky dust as far as the eye could see, while the blue pearl of her home gleamed in the sky above. She took in the beauty of the stars. She remembered exactly when the moon had looked like this. It was at the very beginning of her eight hundred and seventy eighth year of exile. She had just finished blasting that hole into the rock with her magic, where it lay alongside a row of seven others. Most ponies assumed that she had been literally imprisoned in the moon, as if she had been buried with a shovel and pail, or else she had been dispelled and spread across the moon, causing it to show the massive symbol of her darkest side, that fierce horned pony. But such was not the case, and in fact Luna had spent the first months of her exile flying aimlessly across the barren surface of the moon, testing the boundaries of her prison.

She could only fly so high before her wings refused to work, causing her to sink back down. Aside from that, she was free to go where she wished and do as she wished, an oddly gentle prison for a creature that certainly was not gentle. It was not until her nine hundredth year of exile that she, as Nightmare Moon, had begun working herself into a good froth once more. In the intervening time, she had perfected several mathematical and magical theories, composed entire languages, and created works of art in her honor. There were, of course, several monuments and statues dedicated to her sister, none of them at all nice. But it was not any of these she had considered her greatest work, certainly not when compared to what lay before her, what she was now visiting in her mind.

Before her lay a city, a grand metropolis of lunar rock and dust, greater than even their city had been, back when Celestia and Luna had ruled together. All of it built to the glory of the Nightmare, and more importantly, just to spite herself, all built entirely by hoof. She had used magic exactly twice in building the city. Once to gather iron and forge it into tools, and once to set an eternal light burning in the Palace of the Night, located in the center of the city. She was not sure if it was visible from Equestria, but it didn’t matter. She had built it on the dark side of the moon, anyway.

And now she wandered through the empty streets, each house still pristine, each block of stone familiar. Those had been easy to stack on top of one another, as things seemed to weigh far less here. The problem had been finding ways to ensure they stayed put, without magic. By notching them, however, she had solved her problem. That solution had taken her the better part of a year to perfect.

She hadn’t built the entire thing at once, of course. At times she grew weary, and would wander off to practice speaking, preparing for the day she would return and usher in eternal night. Well she knew the effects of outside influence on language, and so she extrapolated based on what she thought might have affected Old Equestrian. In the end, she had come up with three or four different languages, complete with grammar and syntax, for her return. She had been extremely pleased to find one of her guesses mostly correct, and with a little adjustment, she had been able to make herself understood.

She had finished the city, which she had chosen to call Astropolis, and had spent one hundred and fifty two years brooding in her castle. But it was not for this purpose that she had returned to the city in her mind. She did not wish to brood, she had no desire for angry contemplation. Closing her eyes, she sat through one hundred and twenty two years of exile in a moment, passing through each moment of exquisite madness in a heartbeat, until at last she stood before her throne, on the day of her return. She had broken the no magic rule in her last year, scrambling as she constructed her army as it had stood at its peak, fifty thousand strong. She created near every face from memory, and armed them all with spears and armor she had forged in an instant from lunar iron. Her stone army stood on the parade ground below her as the stars gathered power, ready to allow her to free herself. She stood on the balcony overhead, looking out over the assembled ranks, bidding them all farewell. Her last act as Queen of Astropolis had been to create a perfect likeness of herself, a surrogate queen for her surrogate subjects.

Then the stars called her home, and from the balcony she had shot, watching as the imposing castle, the parade grounds, all of her armies and the entire city she had created sank into the ground, all turning to rubble and ruin. Uncaring, she had soared into the sky once more, bringing one thousand years of Lunar power to bear against her sister at the moment of her triumph and locking her inside of the sun. Into the bright moonrise she had soared, faster than the light itself, and into a new and glorious reign Nightmare Moon had thrown herself.

Of course, that had not happened. The moon faded, as Luna hung limply in her chains, back in her cell once more. She had been beaten by Twilight Sparkle, and for that she thanked her. However, her salvation had come at a cost. For over a decade she had watched, helpless and waiting for an opportunity to set things right, to restore some semblance of balance to the world. She wondered if she was right to have helped Celestia seal Discord away.

Now that was insanity. Discord was destructive, no way about it. Celestia was the only one who would be willing to preserve existence, the very thing they had been born to guide. But that was the problem, was it not? She had failed to preserve balance. She had failed at her purpose.

No.

Twilight Sparkle yet lived, she still fought to rein Celestia in. So long as she was able to avoid capture, she would be able to maintain some semblance of balance. She remembered what had been said years ago, that Twilight would try and rescue her. She certainly hoped it would be soon, else Twilight would have no way to counter Celestia’s next move. And if she could not, then one thousand years on the moon would be the least of Luna’s worries.

“What do you mean, missing?” the white unicorn said, all sense of decorum thrown out of the nearest window as she confronted her monarch.

Celestia had done many difficult and frightening things in her lifetime. She had sealed Discord in stone, banished her own sister to the moon, and had managed existence for the entirety of that period in the absence of her sister. That said, she almost wished to be doing those things now. But she could not afford to lose her temper or calm right now.

“She was being detained under my authority. For some reason, she was picked up during the arrest of Ever Free rebels and held for questioning as a matter of procedure. The last I had heard about it, she was being detained for further questioning because of contraband found in her saddlebags. As soon as I heard that we had lost contact with the post she was being held in, I contacted you.”

Rarity breathed deeply and quickly in an admirable attempt to compose herself. She had grown, both in stature and social presence, after she had taken up her Element and moved to Manehatten. Though she did not have the elegantly tall figure of, say, Fleur Di Lis, she possessed a magnetism that drew the eye in any situation, and she carried herself with the confidence of somepony who was attractive, and quite aware of it. Her mane had been cut into a short bob, though her tail remained long. She had, however, opted to straighten it out of its signature curl. The Element gleamed at her neck, it having taken on the form of a short diamond necklace with a single amethyst that hung at her throat. It was a credit to Rarity’s natural poise and beauty that she remained quite attractive, even in the middle of an entirely justified breakdown.

“But…I don’t understand! What in the world was she doing in Trottingham, of all places?” Rarity asked.

“That’s just it, Rarity. I don’t know. All I know is that she was arrested and held for questioning.”

“By who?”

Celestia sighed. “Are you familiar with the Equestrian Intelligence Program? Besides your work with Sun Division, that is.”

Rarity nodded. “Yes, I am. It’s divided into three sections, Sun, Moon, and…oh my word, are you saying that she was held by DAWN DIVISION?”

Celestia fought the urge to wince. “Yes, she was detained by Dawn Division, they were in charge of the team that made the arrest.”

Rarity began to panic in earnest. “Sweetie Belle was taken by the Roses, she’s as good as dead, my sister is gone…”

Celestia exerted a bit of will, and when she spoke, her voice rang with command. “Rarity! Calm down!”

The necklace at her throat flashed as Rarity immediately quit babbling. Celestia breathed out through her nostrils. “I apologize for having to do that, you know I do not enjoy it. But we must remain level-headed. Now, here is what we know. Please remain quiet until I have told you everything I know. Alright?”

Rarity nodded.

“Here is what we know. Moon Division informed me that Sweetie Belle was met last week by several ponies, and shortly after she left the city. She headed to Trottingham, and stayed somewhere under a false name. She was spotted three days later entering the Abbey of the Paladin, and meeting with a pony inside, who turned out to be an operative of the Ever Free. The name is classified, and I don’t want this getting around, but we know that the operative was Scootaloo, a Pegasus I believe your sister knew growing up. She was detained for a total of two days, at which point a strike team of Ever Free fighters broke in, killed the operatives we had stationed inside, and took both of them and another dangerous Ever Free member away. Where, we do not know. No magic was used in the attack except to blow the door open.”

Rarity’s brow wrinkled. “Scootaloo? The Pegasus with the small wings?”

Celestia nodded. “She’s a very good smuggler now, and hard to track down.”

Rarity gave a despairing laugh. “Just like when she was a filly, then. Scootaloo was always the one who seemed to lead them into the most trouble.”

Celestia removed herself from her throne, descending the dais in order to speak with her Bearer.

“Rarity, I know this must be hard for you. I’ve already sent Rainbow Dash orders to go to Trottingham and lead a search there. The city is on lockdown, especially along the river, where most of the rebels try to get in and out. I brought you here so you could make an informed decision about what to do next. Should you desire to meet Rainbow Dash there, I will arrange for transportation. However, if you would prefer to stay here, and be informed of events as they unfold, I will be more than happy to keep you in the loop. If you like, I can have somepony escort you to the house Sweetie Belle was staying in, perhaps you can find some clue that we have overlooked.”

“I…I am not sure what to do, Your Majesty. This is quite different from anything Sweetie Belle has done before. I’m not sure how to handle it.” she said, slumping down dejectedly.

Celestia knelt down, looking her in the eye. “Rainbow Dash and the Solar Wing, for all their speed, will not reach Trottingham for two days yet. As somepony who has experience in having lost a sister, would you like my advice?”

Rarity nodded. “If you have advice, I’d love to hear it, Princess.”

“Spend a day here. Look through her home, see if you can find anything. Then go and find your sister. She needs you as much as you do her. With two Bearers in Trottingham, things will go much more easily.”

“That is good advice, Your Highness. I think I will take it.” Rarity said, getting to her hooves. “And with two of us searching Trottingham, it’s only a matter of time before we find her, and bring her home.”

Black Pawn, White Pawn

Sweetie Belle knelt on the cold stone floor of her cell, her eyes closed and her breathing deep and even. Her final instructions from Lively Song had been to skip the morning and evening meals, and to drink plenty of water. At sunset, she had retreated to her tiny room, and began to clear her mind in preparation for the ritual itself. It was easier than she remembered. Whatever the crystal did, it definitely worked. Her thoughts seemed clearer, her reactions quicker. Her already sharp mind was now positively brilliant, and she was able to perceive things she never had before.

The past three days had treated her well. She had entered classes with Azure, the Changeling who was running the course on illusory magic. She had learned some fascinating things about Changelings, as well. They were supposedly unable to create forms of their own, though Azure had heard of one Changeling, an assistant to Twilight Sparkle, who had succeeded in this endeavor. Another was that, in their natural form, Changelings could not speak, at least not in the ways ponies did. They snarled and growled, but that was all they could do. In lieu of spoken language, they hummed. Each Changeling’s holes were uniquely placed, lending them their own personal “voice”, and they identified each other by these as well. By vibrating and drawing air through these holes, they were able to communicate far more effectively over long distances than ponies could, and were able to perceive even the slightest changes in weather or sounds. Azure herself had proven to be both warm and patient, answering the many questions Sweetie Belle had to ask.

She had been praised on her skill in illusion magic, and learned quite a few things from Azure, including how to hold herself in order to mimic others more effectively, from the calm plodding of Earth ponies to the almost hopping gait of Pegasi to the delicate hoof placement prevalent in unicorns. She learned how to disguise herself as a male, how to masquerade as a noble or farmer or soldier, and even how to read the body language of others. Azure had admired her quick study, and had praised Sweetie Belle as something of a prodigy.

Of course, Sweetie Belle had spent time in other stations as well, though none so long as the Illusion course. She had tried her hoof at self-defense, but found that she lacked the necessary fighter instincts to excel. Still, a few useful skills had been acquired. She learned about codes and ciphers, how to use them and how to recognize key phrases and symbols indicating shelter or secret paths, as well as ones that noted different dangers, such as checkpoints or patrol routes.

To these practices she had devoted her time, and the three days had flown by despite what she had thought would be the case. And so, on the third day, she sequestered herself as she was asked to, and had spent much of the day in meditation. She had been given a mantra to repeat, and did so, over and over in her head. As time went by, she slipped into a sort of trance, lost in her own thoughts, repeating the same phrase to herself.

Blood and bone, wood and sand, time of knowledge close at hand .My mind my own, and set me free. Open my eyes, and let me see. Blood and bone…

Lost in dedication to the phrase, she was not aware of her door opening and a gentle hoof being laid on her shoulder until she was shaken gently. Opening her eyes, she looked up to see Night Light standing over her, a smile on his face.

“Are you ready?” he asked, his voice calm and composed. “Sun went down an hour ago.”

Sweetie Belle took a deep breath in. “I think so.” she replied. Her voice was nowhere near as composed.

Night Light noticed this immediately. “Are you alright?”

If there was ever a time to voice her doubts, it would be now. “I’m just not sure what to expect, is all.”

The Pegasus helped her to her hooves. “It’s very simple. A small cut, and a bit of your blood goes into a hollow in the crystal. Yours is already magically charged, so the spell will take hold fairly quickly. Until it takes hold, just repeat that mantra.”

“How will I know if it takes hold?” Sweetie Belle inquired.

Night Light chuckled. “You’ll know, trust me. The experience is a bit different for everypony, but we have not had a serious injury. Worst that’s ever happened was some fool of a pony fell over and cracked their head.”

Sweetie Belle felt a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. “And who would that have been?”

They both began to walk towards the door together, Sweetie Belle’s circulation returning slowly.

“Well, that would have been yours truly.” Night Light said. This drew a laugh from the unicorn. Night Light joined in. “There we are!” he said. “Keep your chin up, mare. I promise on my honor that you will be just fine.”

They stepped into the hall, following the walkway along its length towards the double doors that housed the crystal itself. Sweetie Belle was quite suddenly and acutely aware of a hundred pairs of eyes on her. Turning her head slightly, she took in the unabashed stares of each pony on the floor below. They wore a variety of expressions, ranging from encouragement and concern on the more experienced operatives to awe and jealousy on the recruits deemed unfit for the procedure.

“It’s an uncommon thing, seeing a new recruit through here. We have more luck in Manehatten or Cloudsdale.” Night Light murmured. “But this was the first of the crystal centers Twilight Sparkle ordered built. Hold your head high, it’s a tradition.”

Sweetie Belle did as she was told. With all eyes on her, she rolled her shoulders back, lifting her hooves high and looking straight forward. She knew the kind of picture she presented, confident and bold. At last, after what had seemed like an interminably long journey, they arrived at the doors. Night Light came to attention by the doors.

“I’m not cleared to go in. That’s you.” he said. “Good luck, not that you’ll need it.”

Sweetie Belle nodded her thanks, and pushed the doors open, striding through and leaving the watchful eyes of the crowd behind.

The doors closed behind her with a gentle noise, and Sweetie took the room in. The crystal’s room was much the same as the rest of the catacombs, grey stone and mortar with red brick in places. That was where similarities ended, however. The center of the room was dominated by a large crystal, perfectly clear with only the slightest hints of white near its center. It was supported by a cage of some dull grey metal that Sweetie Belle knew was not something she had seen before. Lines of runes and channeling formulae crossed over one another, covering the entire floor fifteen feet in every direction from the stone itself, save for one clear circle, the perfect size for a pony to stand in, very close to the crystal itself.

And the crystal, oh the crystal! Rarity would have fainted at the sight of such a large and brilliant gem. Each facet gleamed with the unyielding beauty of the diamond, yet somehow, some pony had cunningly carved a small bowl into the crystal itself. This did not mar its beauty in the slightest. In fact, it provided it with a strange sort of character, a unique enhancement to itself that, while taking some of the stone away, gave it something even greater. The whiteness in its center seemed to flicker and move along with the light, and the air in the room was so saturated with magic that Sweetie would not have been in the least surprised to find that it was.

“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” came a voice from behind her. Sweetie Belle looked over her shoulder to see Lively Song, who had been watching her carefully. “I need to give you a few last minute pointers, if that’s alright by you.”

Sweetie Belle nodded.

“Good.” Lively continued. “I’d have given them anyway, but it’s good to see you’re open to new information. Now, we have a medical team on standby in case of something going wrong. We don’t anticipate that, but it never hurts to be prepared. Your transport leaves in six hours, and you may not feel up to it, but we need to get you out of the city before sunrise. I’ll tell you why afterwards. Final thing, many unicorns, myself included, experience a bit of a…vision. It’s always different, and usually fairly vivid. So, if you do see something, don’t panic. You’ll be fine.”

Sweetie Belle processed the information. “How long will this take?”

“No more than a minute, and for unicorns like you and I, a great deal less. Now, are you ready?”

She took a deep breath in. “Yes, I am.” and before she could stop herself, she trotted into the circle, hearing Lively Song retreat behind her. A small knife had been left in the ring for her, its newly sharpened edge gleaming in the light of the crystal. Laying it against her skin, she calmed herself. She was suddenly hyperaware of everything, from the muffled voices outside to the stone underneath her hooves. Steeling herself, she placed the length of iron on edge, and applying slight pressure, drew it across her foreleg.

The knife’s keen edge ensured that she hardly felt a thing, just a slight stinging sensation as the metal came away red. The line along her skin was dark for only a moment before red appeared, first in beads and then beginning to flow in earnest. Sweetie Belle stuck her hoof over the hollow in the crystal, watching as blood ran down her hoof, pooling in the small basin. Once a goodly amount had been spilt, she withdrew her hoof carefully, hugging it close to her chest as she began to repeat the mantra.

“Blood and bone, wood and sand, time of knowledge close at hand. My mind my own, and set me free, open my eyes, and let me see.”

She repeated it exactly once before several things happened, all in quick succession. The first was the cut along her leg closing with remarkable speed, as the skin writhed and melted back into itself, leaving her whole and unharmed once more. The second was the crystal flashing brightly, so brightly that she had to avert her eyes. The blood that had been collected was vaporized, a small cloud hovering around the edges of Sweetie Belle’s circle. And as it closed in, the crystal began to ring with a high, keening tone, enough to set her teeth on edge. Louder and louder the sound grew, as the cloud moved in, and Sweetie felt her vision dimming and flickering, though she found herself unable to fall to her knees.

The light from the crystal resolved itself into something, a shape that she struggled to make out. Through the pain in her head and the rapidly spinning cloud, she was able to make out the shape of a small pony, walking towards her through the light. The crystal dimmed just enough to see who it was.

Sweetie Belle was looking at herself as a filly. Confused, she continued her mantra, hoping to somehow speed up the process.

“You know that won’t do any good.” the filly said. “You have one last choice to make, one final task.”

Sweetie’s chant faltered, about to die out. Her younger self held up a warning hoof. “Don’t stop doing that. If you stop now, things will be much harder. Just listen to what I have to say. I’m the part of you that Celestia has a hold on. Yes, I know it seems strange, but I need you to hear me out. Right now, your mind is working much, much faster than it is used to. About one hundred times faster. I’m acting as a limiter, holding you back from burning yourself out. The crystal is going to burn me out unless you step out of the ring and break the connection. You have to do it soon, before the crystal takes hold completely. That’s one of your choices. You can save me, and yourself.

Or you could go the other route, and actively help the crystal in what it’s trying to do. It’s more dangerous, but you’d be free of me.”

Sweetie Belle wondered why the apparition would be helping her to remove it.

“Because I’m trying to help you make an informed choice. I can’t force you to choose me, and you’ve come this far, so all I can do is hope. But if you get rid of me, then there really is no turning back. If Celestia wins, and there is a very good chance that she will, you know that you will not be spared. But if you hide me, at least until the proper moment, and manage to succeed, you will be rewarded beyond your wildest dreams in Celestia’s paradise. You could have everything you ever wanted in her new world and then some.”

Sweetie Belle realized that it all boiled down to the same choice once more. For the third time, she was being asked to choose between her old life, and possible redemption in Celestia’s eyes, or making her own path and finding her own truth.

With that perspective gained, she made her choice.

“You’re making a mistake.” the filly said. “It’s not too late for you to redeem yourself, still.”

Sweetie Belle cleared her mind completely, like she had been told to do. The filly was suddenly fuzzy and indistinct, and her voice was muffled.

“Please, listen to me! You have to-“

The filly stopped, her voice cut off entirely. Sweetie Belle watched as she began to disappear, small pieces of her floating away like embers on some unfelt breeze. Slowly at first, but more and more quickly, the filly began to fade away. The last thing that Sweetie Belle saw before the filly disappeared entirely was the silhouette of majestic wings, stretching out behind her.

Blood and bone, wood and sand, time of knowledge close at hand. My mind my own, and set me free. Open my eyes, and let me see.

It seemed like the crystal was getting larger and larger, filling her vision. She stared at the white in its center, which moved from side to side as if it was alive. She felt a buzzing around the edges of her thoughts, a sort of mental vibration. As she watched, the bloody cloud around her began to spiral lazily into the stone itself, congealing into a single impossibly red point in its center. The buzzing moved further into her head, and she felt a lance of pain shoot through her skull, starting at her horn.

Blood and bone, wood and sand, time of knowledge close at hand. My mind my own, and set me free. Open my eyes, and let me see.

She couldn’t think for the buzzing and pain, and all she wanted was for it to stop, but she knew that she would be alright, that it was all in her head. She focused on the red dot, and as she did, she felt the buzzing intensify. It felt like her skull was about to burst, and she was almost weeping from the pain.

Blood and bone, wood and sand, time of knowledge close at hand. My mind my own, and set me free. Open my eyes, and let me see.

At last, it came to a head. Her horn spat with light involuntarily, not her usual magic but a bloody red, and all of a sudden, everything in her head was entirely too quiet. It was as if all thought, all feeling had been totally erased, leaving her alone in the vast dark spaces that she used to fill, a lonely being in an infinite wasteland. And yet, it was not a bad feeling. She was free, truly free. Free of bias, free of influence of any sort. A perfect blank slate, the sort she had been only once, when she was first born. She had been given a second chance, a new start, and for that she was grateful.

She came back to herself, allowing her memories and experiences to come rushing back all at once. She still had her own opinions, of course. She still loved her family, for example. She feared Celestia, and though she felt some residual loyalty to her, she instinctively knew that she was no longer under her influence. She was herself, but at last she was able to see the entire world as it truly was.

Aware of the stone and the room once more, she lifted one hoof to her face as she looked around. It came away wet with tears, tears of joy. Her knees were weak and shaky, and she felt as if she was going to collapse at any moment, but at the same time, she couldn’t stop laughing and crying.

There was the sound of gentle hoofsteps behind her, and Sweetie Belle turned to see Lively Song, an understanding expression on her face, gesture to Sweetie’s leg so that she could inspect it. Sweetie Belle complied, and after she was satisfied that it was healed, Lively spoke.

“I’ve never seen that reaction before. Whatever happened to you, you are better for it, isn’t that right?”

Sweetie Belle could only nod.

“Come, there are others waiting for you. Welcome to your new life, Sweetie Belle.” she said, walking towards the door. Sweetie Belle followed suit, and as they were pushed open, revealing the sea of wondering ponies below, she felt as if she was truly walking into a completely new life. She was liberated, free. And as her fellow ponies applauded for her, she couldn't help but smile again.

Moves Ahead

The night sky above Trottingham was patchwork blackness, large swathes of clouds obscuring what stars had chosen to venture forth tonight, heralding ill weather from the Everfree. The air held a chill, appropriate for the lateness of the year, and most ponies that were able to had gone home. Those that were not banded together, huddling in what shelter they could find in order to conserve warmth. Though the city was home to many gangs, even those ponies realized that in the face of winter, it was better to cooperate for survival. The breeze was low, but the city Weather Crew said that it was blowing straight off of the mountain, heading south towards the stone towers. All of these served to worry ponies, but had they known what raced towards them even now, having circumnavigated the forest to the south and heading north, against the wind, they would have huddled low in fear.

It was not common knowledge, but the Element of Generosity had left the glass spires of Manehatten behind, going to Canterlot briefly and then heading into the city. She had stepped off of a private train that afternoon, meeting with a group of ponies who did not exist, and had settled down in a manor near the center of the city, not two blocks away from the river, in order to wait for one of her oldest and most loyal of friends. This friend was the one all who opposed the Solar Crown feared, one who had been responsible for numerous failed Ever Free plans, one who had pursued the topmost leadership of the rebels with an almost single-minded determinedness, and one who had proven herself an elite warrior on the two major battlefields of the war. Rainbow Dash, Bearer of Loyalty, leader of the Solar Wing, was coming to Trottingham.

And she was not coming alone. Wherever she went, her elite squad of Pegasi followed. Elite flyers, former Wonderbolts and Air Guard, all of them sharpshooters, close quarters specialists, counter-guerilla warriors. There were five besides her, just five, but they had cleared nests of Lunar Guards with no help, crippled the Ever Free air forces, and Rainbow Dash herself had defeated Silent Shield in combat last year, though he had vanished from captivity two short weeks later. The Solar Wing hit hard and fast, seemingly everywhere at once, like the light of their namesake.

So it was that just as the sun was setting, the sky crackled with the sound of thunder, heralding the arrival of the Six. The Element of Generosity stepped from the relative shelter of the house into the cold of its garden, her black scarf blowing in the wind, and allowed the latent power in her pendant to flow freely, spilling arcane energy into the air as a beacon, and she felt the answering pulse from Rainbow Dash in return, as the Pegasus honed in on her location. She waited for one minute without moving a muscle, and then two. Just as the clock was about to turn to three minutes, there was a slight whistle of wind through feathers, and six Pegasi slammed into the ground, bending their hooves slightly on impact before fanning out to cover all possible angles. Rarity did not flinch as dirt sprayed across her coat, the offending particles merely rolling off, leaving her alabaster beauty unmarred.

“Hello, Rainbow Dash.” she said carefully. “How are you?”

Rainbow Dash had changed in years gone by, but in many ways she had also stayed the same. Her coat and mane held the hues they once had when she had allowed her Element to possess her, dark cobalt instead of cyan, and a vibrant array of colors that contrasted sharply with themselves. She moved with the arrogant grace of a predator, not a single movement wasted, and her eyes gleamed sharply in the failing light of the sun. Her Element had changed as well, perhaps undergoing the most drastic change out of all of the Catalysts. It had spread over her shoulders and chest, forming a breastplate of metal that had stood up to all of the most powerful magic attacks. The red stone in its center (not a ruby, Rarity would have been able to distinguish a ruby) gleamed a bloody red, and the metal was etched with the noontime sun. The Pegasus wore full armor and still managed to outfly and outmaneuver every one of her squadmates with ease, the helm covering her head rimed with ice from their flight. She lifted it off of her head, tucking it under one arm. Her face was a hard thing, with nary a hint of joy or good humor to be seen at the sight of her old friend. It possessed a strange, severe beauty, like that of a hawk. When she spoke, her voice was not the low, rough thing that Rarity had grown used to hearing. It was a voice of command, imperious and entrancing.

“Rarity. I heard what happened to Sweetie Belle. My Wing and I are at your disposal. What parts of the city are in lockdown right now?”

Rarity gestured to the house behind her. “Please, let’s talk inside. It’s far more comfortable, and we have less of a chance of being overheard.”

Rainbow Dash nodded. “Right. Spitfire, Thunderhead, you two are on guard detail. Stay here. Velocity, Tornado, you two are up. Give me eyes in the sky, half mile radius. Keep the loops tight. Soarin’, you come with me.” The Pegasi leapt to obey, two of them taking to the air almost too quickly for a normal pony to see them. Rainbow Dash turned back to Rarity. “Right, let’s go. If we’re going to catch the scumbags that kidnapped your sister, then we’ll need to move fast. Tonight’s going to be dark and cold, which means odds are good they’ll be moving downriver, into the Forest. Once she’s in there, it’ll be too late.”

As they entered the house, the two Pegasi shedding the majority of their gear, they continued their discussion. Rarity trotted to a nearby table, pouring a cup of tea for her. “As far as we know, the entire river is locked down. Nothing is entering or exiting the city through there. And papers must be presented at each and every gate, staffed by freshly rotated Guards from Canterlot. This means…”

“They’ll be more difficult to bribe.” Rainbow said, turning down the tea. Rarity nodded as she offered it to Soarin’ instead, who gratefully accepted. “Good in theory, but this is the Ever Free’s city, make no mistake. Were it up to me, we’d check every house for them and root them out like in Canterlot, but we haven’t got the resources to do that here. Now, we took a quick sweep of the city before we landed. We’ve got it narrowed down to a few options available to them. The first is….”

“We considered traveling through the city to the edge of town, and then stealing a boat and making a break for it. However, we have received intelligence that the Solar Wing is in town.” Lively Song said.

Sweetie Belle nodded. They were going over the exit strategy for that night, which had been altered. Apparently, her sister was also in the city. She hoped that they would not encounter her. Not only would it make the escape more difficult and put lives in danger, but she also did not relish her sister discovering the allegiance she had claimed.

“What other options are available?” she asked.

Lively Song nodded approvingly. “Good. You’d be surprised how often our ponies try to tackle that sort of thing head on. I’ve seen the Solar Wing fight, and they’ve earned every inch of their reputation. It’s best to avoid them if at all possible. That’s why we’ve considered…”

“Traveling downriver with cargo, probably from upcity. Find a barge carrying tools or supplies to a logging camp, stash a boat somewhere along the way, a short distance outside of the city, and slip into the night.” Soarin’ said, indicating a map spread out on the kitchen table.

Rarity made an approving noise around the cup in her mouth. She lowered it, wiping daintily with a napkin. “That’s what I’d do. Get you looking in one direction, and slip by in something coming from the other.”

Rainbow grunted. “But they run just a tad more devious than that. The Ever Free are masters of disguise, perfect spies and saboteurs.”

“I wasn't aware you knew the word ‘saboteur’, darling.” Rarity said absentmindedly, perusing the map.

Soarin’ chuckled. Rainbow Dash did not. “The point is, they could easily forge papers and slip through one of the gates in the west side of the city. Changelings can imitate ponies with ease, so getting through checkpoints without magical scanners is a breeze for them. And from what I hear, Sweetie Belle shows some promise in illusion magic. So, that leaves us with option three, and by far the most likely…”

“We take a route from here through the city after dark but before curfew, under illusory magic. There are two gates that flank both sides of the river, leading out to the camps and our eventual freedom. These are where they expect us to be, however, so that is where we are often not.” Lively Song said.

“What’s the alternative route?”

Night Light stepped forward. “A small service gate on the southerly side of the river, hardly worth watching. Watched it is, however, so we are going to knock out the pair of Guards on duty and slip through. After that, we have a small skiff for our party being moved upstream tonight. Once we turn that nose downriver, they’ll be hard pressed to catch us.”

Sweetie Belle’s brow wrinkled in thought. “What if they do catch us? You said it yourself, the Solar Wing isn’t to be taken lightly.”

Scootaloo hefted a small metal sphere, the top of which gleamed with crystal. “This is full of some new weapon, straight from the Regia. Crack the crystal and toss it. The inside contains explosive powder, and a little something extra.” She tossed a hooffull of metal spheres on the table. “The inside has these as well. The sphere explodes, lots of heat and fire, the shards from the sphere itself, and about one hundred of these sling bullets go every which way.”

Sweetie Belle looked at the sphere with newfound respect. “Sounds nasty.”

Night Light nodded. “A little surprise for those who wish to throw a party.”

“And we’ve come to the conclusion that they will probably exit along the south side of the river, through one of the less closely watched gates. A transport will likely meet them there, one of their faster skiffs. If they can turn that nose towards the forest, nopony except for a fast Pegasi will be able to catch up to them.” Rainbow Dash said.

Rarity put a hoof to her chin in thought. “What if they anticipate your arrival?”

She heard a clack from behind her, and saw Soarin’ unloading a bolt from his crossbow. He handed her the shaft, and she turned it over, peering at it closely. “We carry several different heads on these. That one is made to punch through armor.”

Rainbow laid several others on the table. “The heads of these are magically charged crystal. One contains a stunner spell, one contains an ignition spell, and one an electrical charge. They break, the spell is released, and the magic takes hold. If we can confirm Sweetie Belle is with them, I’ll signal my team to switch to the knockout and electrical heads. If she isn’t, then…”

“You’ll hit them with fire and iron.” Rarity said. “Quite brutal, and extremely effective.”

Rainbow gave the first smile Rarity had seen from her in years. “A little surprise, something we can bring to the party.”

Sweetie Belle slung a bandolier over her back, setting the cloak she would be concealing it with to one side. She ran one idle hoof over the arsenal in front of her. It was her first mission, and she was to arm herself as she saw fit from the stores left in the armory. She could not shoot, and she didn’t trust the spheres, so…she settled on her choices. Three crystals containing a knockout gas, and two containing a “flash” spell, a dazzling and silent burst of light designed to draw attention and blind the eyes of a pony, depending on the use. She selected a short coil of rope just in case, and was just about to consider herself armed and ready, when her gaze fell upon a dagger, sheathed and waiting for use, on a nearby rack. Unbidden, a voice spoke in her head.

“We don’t encourage killing, Sweetie Belle. But when it’s you or them, and you have to make a tough choice, it’s better for you to walk away and live.”

She walked towards the dagger slowly, carefully, as if it was an animal that could bite her if she wasn’t careful. Gently, she tugged it from its sheath, watching how the well-oiled steel gleamed in the torchlight. She hoped that it wouldn’t come down to it, but if she had to make the tough choice, then…better she live. She replaced the dagger in its sheath and bound it to the bandolier. Throwing the cloak over her back, she fastened it carefully, making sure that it concealed the weapons before trotting to the door.

Night Light and Scootaloo were waiting for her on the other side. Sweetie Belle met their silent gazes with a nod of affirmation. They would be leaving one hour before curfew came into effect. Them, the Changeling warriors who had come to rescue her, and a few others. They were ready, they were prepared, and they had been smart. Sweetie Belle calmed herself. There was nothing to worry about, she told herself. She was sure this would go over without a hitch.

Rainbow Dash looked out over the well-kept lawn below. She had called her fighters back in, and they would be leaving soon. She had ordered them to get some rest before they set out, a quick reprieve. They would be leaving about an hour before curfew, when the Ever Free were most likely to make their move. She had taken the opportunity to slip away quietly, seeking a moment to be alone with her thoughts.

She turned over a feather in her hooves. To the eyes of any other pony, it would have been nothing special, just a Pegasus feather. It was a dark grey, fading to black near the end. It was, however, in perfect condition, and it did not belong to any member of her squad. And to Rainbow Dash, it was the most precious thing in the world.

A gentle knock sounded behind her. She turned to see Rarity standing in the doorway, her horn still glowing with magical discharge and a set of dragonfly wings protruding from her back, enabling her to keep up with the Pegasi. Her eyes were resting on the feather in Rainbow Dash’s hooves, and when at last they looked up, they were filled with equal measures sympathy and sadness.

“Is that…” she asked.

Rainbow Dash nodded.

“And you’ve kept it, after all of these years.”

“I’ll keep it forever. It’s all I’ve got left of her.” Rainbow Dash said.

Rarity sighed. “Rainbow…”

She was cut off. “Four years ago last week, I found out what had happened. Killed in the line of duty, while pursuing the fugitive Twilight Sparkle. Burial with full honors. One of the first official casualties of the war. Killed, with a knife to the back. To the back, by one of the Condottieri who helped her escape.”

Rarity was beside her now, with a sympathetic hoof on her shoulder. “If you wish to talk…”

“She’s the reason why I fight like this, you know. Twilight Sparkle took her from me. She took her, and now she won’t ever come back to me. We were going to apply for marriage after she got out, but…we never got the chance.” Rainbow Dash’s eyes were on fire with rage, grief, and bloodlust. “Twilight Sparkle took the most precious thing in my life away from me four years ago, and she will pay for that, I swear. But tonight, she’s trying to take something of yours away, something precious to you. And I’m not going to let that happen.”

She rose, strapping on her gear as Rarity watched. She placed the helm over her head. “Let’s go. We’re going to get your sister back.”

Next Moves

The skiff sped along the darkness of the river, its way lit by the lantern placed at its prow, glowing gently into the night. The air was damp and chilled, and the only sound to be heard was the rushing of the river. They were in the Everfree proper, and everypony knew not to pursue ponies protected by Twilight Sparkle into the woods. Not a one would come back from that chase. The ponies on the boat had shed their armor, and were tending to their wounds. The Changelings buzzed among themselves gently, discussing their next course of action. If they could get further down the river, they could combine their pitches, creating a distress call that might be able to reach the castle. Medics could be dispatched, healers fetched. It was nowhere near too late for the Pegasus in the bottom of the boat, and the Changelings wished to see him live.

Of course, they were not the only ones. Each pony in that boat owed something to Night Light, even Golden Radiance and Silent Shield. Neither of them could do much to help him, however. Both were masters of combat magic, and they lacked the skills and spellcraft to repair such a wound. So it fell to time, that inexorable judge of all, to keep him on the mortal plane or let him die. And none of them, not even the white unicorn kneeling in the keel of the boat, could do anything except push the boat as fast as it could go.

Sweetie Belle stared at Night Light, watching as his breathing slowed and deepened, and his body relaxed further and further. He looked dead already, a product of the Changeling medicine. She shuddered, feeling hot and cold all over in bands and waves. Her head spun, and she felt a bit nauseous. She really was a rebel. She had attacked Celestia’s soldiers and resisted arrest. She could have fooled herself into thinking that it wasn’t really her fault, that she had been unconscious for some of it, or forced into doing things she didn’t want to do, but the truth was looking her in the face. She had been attacked, and she had made the choice that her life was worth more than the one of the pony who had attacked her. She had wanted to live, and was willing to ensure somepony else died instead of her. Her flank twinged, and she looked down.

She almost laughed. She had been so caught up in escaping that she had completely forgotten about the burning pain in her flank, and now she could see the source. Not one, not two, but four small holes had been gouged out of her by shrapnel from those explosions. In three of them, she could see the gleam of metal, bits of it still lodged inside of her. She attempted to get up and walk over to where other ponies were being treated for their wounds, but a hoof from behind her forced her back down. She turned to see Scootaloo standing over her, holding the medical kit. Her own shoulder was bandaged, and the smell of iodine permeated the air around her despite the stiff breeze formed by their movement downstream.

“We’ve got four hours to the castle at this rate as opposed to our normal six. The Changelings can start humming in a while, but that might not amount to anything. He has a chance, Sweetie Belle, but we can’t make promises. You can’t help him now, and I won’t have you worrying. And to top it all off, you’re hurt.”

“What’s your point?” Sweetie Belle asked.

“You’re doing no good here. So, you and I are going to leave Night Light to rest, and I’m going to patch you up before your risk of infection gets any higher than it already is.” Scootaloo said.

Sweetie Belle opened her mouth to protest before noticing the hard glint in Scootaloo’s eyes. It wasn’t an offer. It was an order. Sullenly, she left Night Light’s side, and followed Scootaloo to the back of the boat. The pair of them settled down, and at Scootaloo’s instruction, Sweetie Belle rolled to one side, exposing the shrapnel-ridden area for her to work on. The orange Pegasus set to her work with a will, unpacking the bottle of iodine, gauze, a small tray, and a set of tweezers. A magelight was next out, Scootaloo setting it to one side in order to give herself light to work by. She examined the wounds critically.

“You’re lucky. I’ve seen these things in action before. They leave much bigger holes going out than going in. And they didn’t hit anything too important, but…this is still going to hurt, and I don’t have any painkillers.”

Sweetie Belle grunted. “Just pull them out. Distract me, somehow.”

Scootaloo wet the gauze with some of the iodine before beginning. “So, what happened to you after college?”

Sweetie Belle eyed her curiously. “You want to get into that now?”

“Well, you and I never had the chance to catch up. And I am curious about why you chose to go into reporting, what motivated you to look into the Ever Free.”

The unicorn took a moment to collect her thoughts. “Well, I suppose what brought about the change in interest was the changes in Canterlot. You’ve been there with me before, first for the Royal Wedding and later on for different events. And each time, it seemed beautiful, right?”

Scootaloo was silent for a moment. “Yes, it was. I remember, back then it was.”

Sweetie Belle continued. “And then Twilight Sparkle turned away from all of that. A perfect society, a perfect life, a perfect Princess. Do you remember how confused we were when we found out what had happened? Hay, we had a betting pool going on when Morning Star was going to pop the question. And then she renounced Harmony, killed Morning Star, and struck down Celestia. And she set the library on fire. Her library, Scoots. That place was her life.”

Scootaloo grabbed the tweezers, and selected her first target, a small ball sling bullet close to the surface. “I remember. But she had a good reason.”

“We know that now, but what about then? She had leveled half the town and killed Morning Star in front of everypony. We all thought that she really had been using dark magic. It sure looked dark. And then she ran away with Spike, and for the next few weeks, all we heard was how my sister and the remaining Elements had gone to stop her, how there was a massacre in Fillydelphia, and how she had been caught trying to break into Canterlot itself. And she had been freed from dark magic by the Power of Harmony, and she was going to reclaim her Element.”

Scootaloo set aside the first bullet. Sweetie Belle hadn’t noticed a thing.

“I was there for that ceremony, Scootaloo. Even I could tell, from way up in the stands near Rarity, that something was wrong. When I asked her about it, she said that she would explain everything to me after the ceremony. But the ceremony didn’t go as planned.”

Sweetie Belle was lost in her memory now, seeing the dais, the Princesses, the unicorn. She watched as Celestia gave magic to Twilight, and then Luna’s gift to her. And then…

“The Princesses collapsed after Twilight took Luna’s magic. Her Element was glowing, this strange sort of dark purple aura that was almost black. And then, the purest white replaced it. I felt Rarity gasp, and Rainbow Dash shot off of the bench to grab her. But before she could, Twilight’s Element flashed, and I heard a voice in my head.”

“The Elements.” Scootaloo said.

Sweetie Belle nodded. “Everypony across Equestria heard them. Obedience, happiness, harmony, all thoughts that we were supposed to think. I was stunned. So was everypony else. And Twilight told us all the truth. At least, her version of the truth. I remember thinking after the ceremony, after finding out that she had escaped, that there was no way she had gotten it right. I didn’t want the truth. I wanted to live that comfortable lie that I had been living. And then I was sent home. Rarity went to Manehatten. Celestia gave her speech, and as days went by, the message in my head became less and less clear.”

Scootaloo deftly grabbed the second shard of metal, a jagged and twisting thing, and began to gently work it free of the wound. “I remember that. After a week, you began to wonder if you had imagined the whole thing after all, except everypony had heard the same thing. It didn’t seem to matter much, by that point.”

“That was the last time I saw the old Canterlot.” Sweetie Belle said. “When I went to study at the Academy that fall, I noticed that there were checkpoints everywhere. We were issued student passes, and told that we must fill out paperwork if we wished to go into the city. A few months later, in the spring, a group of students were arrested for spreading information about Twilight’s rebellion. It didn’t have a name then, but at the end of the year, I heard it called by its name for the first time. Ever Free. And because nopony would talk to me about them, I was determined to find out more on my own. I got into Journalism as well as Magical Studies and Biology. Later I dropped Biology for Journalism, and two short years later, I had graduated with full honors a year early, holding two degrees.”

“So how did you end up with your job?” Scootaloo asked.

“Rarity.” Sweetie Belle said simply. “She was already climbing the social ladder. Her dresses were featured in every major fashion publication, she was personal friends with half the influential ponies in Canterlot, and she enjoyed personal prelature with Princess Celestia herself. When she spoke, ponies listened. I mentioned in a conversation that I had applied for reporter positions at a few companies, and not a week later I was called in for an interview by CBC. I had kind of figured that Rarity had something to do with it, and I wasn’t too happy with her. So, I set out to earn my spot.”

“Sounds like trouble waiting to happen.” The Pegasus said, dropping the second shard into the tray.

“Not three months later, I uncovered an affair between the head of CBC, and a diplomat from the Buffalo Tribes. This was not something I had intended to dig up, and so I never went public with the information. But I left a notebook on the trolley, and wouldn’t you know it, it was picked up by a rival broadcasting station’s reporter. And they made sure to credit me with my excellent reporting.”

Scootaloo winced sympathetically before reaching for the third and final shard of metal. “So, you were fired?”

Sweetie Belle laughed. “No, I was not. It was too big for me to get fired over. Had they let me go, CBC would have looked like they were getting back at me, and their reputation had already taken a blow. So, I was publically commended, and then I was ‘promoted’ to a job in broadcasting. Better pay, shorter hours, increased publicity, and absolutely zero time paid to do any reporting of my own.”

“They hobbled you.”

“And a masterful job they did of it, too. But I didn’t want to read the news. I wanted to find the truth. That’s why I got into journalism. So, I began sifting for stories. And whatever I had, it needed to be big, so big that nopony could touch me if I went and published it on my own. And I wanted news on the Ever Free. Things went from there.”

“You went all the way to Trottingham for a story?”

The unicorn flinched as she felt the last piece of metal being pulled from her. “No. After I received my first bit of information, I realized that I could never publish it. Not without being arrested for treason.”

Scootaloo set the final piece of metal in the tray. “So why did you go to Trottingham?”

“Because I was never in journalism for fame, or money. I wanted an answer to why Twilight left, why Celestia decided to turn Canterlot into a fortress, and why my sister, even after three years, still refused to tell me what had really happened to Twilight Sparkle.”

Scootaloo looked at her strangely. “She never told you? Her sister?”

Sweetie Belle shook her head as Scootaloo began bandaging her. “No. Not once. And as time went by, I realized that she never would. So, I stopped asking. And I started looking.”

The two ponies were silent for a moment, one that seemed to last for far longer than it did. Scootaloo surveyed her handiwork. “That should hold you off until we get to the castle. I’d get some sleep if I were you. Twilight will want to speak with you personally.”

Sweetie Belle lifted her head, checking the bandages over. “What about you?” she asked, as the Pegasus turned to walk towards the front of the boat, taking the magelight with her. “Why did you join?”

Scootaloo glanced at her over her shoulder. Her expression was unreadable. “That’s a story for another time.” she said, her voice low and guarded. “I’ll tell you soon, but now isn’t the time. Get some sleep. You’ll need it once we arrive.”

And with that, she dimmed the magelight, leaving the exhausted unicorn to slip into a troubled and uneasy slumber, as the boat sped through the darkness, towards an ancient castle and the pony who had started a rebellion, one that would forever alter the face of Equestria. Twilight Sparkle was waiting.

The Apple family farm was touched by the first shadowy tendrils of night, that unusual time where the sky is dark, and yet light still remains, as if the ground itself has stored the rays of the sun, and only once it is gone do they let it go. The fields were silent, the work for the day was done, and a mother was playing with her daughter out in the yard in front of an elderly house.

The two were practicing rope tricks, the orange mare tossing a rope gently around a barrel set up on the lawn and pulling it tight with her tail. The daughter, a beautiful young filly with a coat the red of dawn’s first rays, was attempting to emulate her mother, with slightly less impressive results.

The dun-colored unicorn, whose flank was emblazoned with a single rose, watched with a small smile on her face as the filly’s rope shot over the barrel for the fifth time. Clearly lack of commitment would not be something the young one would struggle with. Instead, it was probable that she would have to learn control over all else. But for now she was young, and having fun. It pained her to interrupt, as well as deliver the message in the way she had been instructed to deliver it, but do it she would.

Applejack looked up from the barrel to see a pony trotting down the path in the gathering black, a bag slung over one shoulder. Her face was drawn and impassive, and her hooves moved with purpose. She felt her filly turn as well, observing the visitor as she came closer to the duo. She moved in front of Honey Crisp protectively as the unicorn cantered to a stop.

“Momma? Who’s that?” Honey Crisp asked curiously.

“Never you mind, darlin’. Get your rope and head for the house. This mare and I have business to discuss.” Applejack said, as the unicorn watched her carefully.

“Is she staying for dinner?” the filly enquired.

“Unfortunately not, dear filly.” the unicorn said. “I must be leaving soon, and I have a long way to travel. I’m simply here to deliver a message to your mother.”

“That’s right. Now, go on inside.” Applejack said, her voice strained with suppressed worry and fear.

Honey Crisp obediently picked up her things and cantered back towards the house, throwing curious looks over her shoulder before going inside.

“My apologies on intruding without your permission, Bearer.” the unicorn said, bowing respectfully. “I bear a message from my Lady, Twilight Sparkle. I had thought you would not wish for your husband to hear it as well, and so I regret to inform you that you are last in the loop regarding the plan.”

“You got a lot of nerve, showing up in front of my daughter like that.” Applejack replied furiously. “And how did you know Barley Scotch was out of town?”

The mare remained calm. “We know a great deal about all of the Elements. Their locations, probable abilities, psychological dossiers…” there was a flash of warning in the mare’s eyes, gone as quickly as it had arrived. “And the location of their loved ones, at all times.”

Applejack glanced towards the filly in the house, eyes wide. “You mean to say y’all are…”

The mare nodded. “You’re on speaking terms with at least three of our agents, ponies you’ve known for years. It isn’t at all hard for us to get close to you. But we are benevolent watchers. We merely monitor you. For now.”

The orange Earth pony felt her temper rise. “What in the name of Tartarus is that supposed to mean?”

“You know full well. We are loyal to Twilight Sparkle, every one of us. We would die for her without question, and at her command, we would ensure the deaths of others as well. But you she will not cross, out of some hidden well of compassion. Count your lucky stars, Bearer. Because there is not a place you could go, save to the Princess herself, that we could not follow. Even then, it would only be a matter of time and patience. We could take everything from you, Bearer Applejack. And were my Lady to command it, I would make sure you begged for the black before I was finished with you.”

Applejack snorted in anger. “Now, listen here…”

“No. You listen. In four days’ time, we will be scheduling a meeting in a location you know well, inside the Everfree forest. The hut that once belonged to the zebra Zecora will be ready to receive you. A representative, one you know, will be waiting for you there. I have been instructed to give you this, and swear to you formally on the Power my Lady wields that you will return safely home after the meeting is concluded.” she said, producing a small pendant with a chip of crystal dangling from it from her bag. “In return, you must agree to bring no other ponies, and to bring your Element to the meeting.”

“And if I don’t?” Applejack asked.

The mare smiled. “Then I am afraid my Lady would have no further interest in the truce you profess to want so badly. Additionally, she would no longer be able to ensure her protection, from Celestia’s retaliation or anything else. Your fellow Bearers have accepted these conditions. Do you?”

“You little…” Applejack collected herself. Losing her temper would do her no favors here. “By my family’s honor, I will abide by these rules of yours. But you bear a message back to Twilight from me.”

A smile, a bow. “Of course. What would the message be?”

Applejack’s hoof hit the ground hard, hard enough that small pebbles and bits of clay rose into the air. “You tell her that if anything happens to my daughter or the ponies I love, I’ll make it my personal mission to beat her near death and drag her in front of the Princess, war or no war. She’s decided to threaten my family. Me, I can handle myself. But they are my life, and if she touches them, there won’t be mercy from me or mine.”

“I shall relay the message exactly.” the mare said. Her voice shifted, growing more robust, developing a pleasant twang and gaining depth and warmth. “You tell her that if anything happens to my daughter or the ponies I love, I’ll make it my personal mission to beat her near death and drag her in front of the Princess, war or no war. She’s decided to threaten my family. Me, I can handle myself. But they are my life, and if she touches them, there won’t be mercy from me or mine.” she concluded, as her coat shifted briefly to orange before turning brown once more. “Is that correct?”

Applejack stared in awe. “So, Twi’s using Changelings? How’d she get you to knuckle under?”

The mare began to walk away. “Knowledge is power, Bearer!” she called as she trotted off into the dark. “And you know next to nothing. What does that say about your ability to protect yourself? Or the ones you love?”

Twilight bent over the scrying pool. “And she’s received the message as I wanted it relayed?”

The Changeling nodded. “I did as you asked, my Lady.”

“Was she upset?’

“Absolutely furious, Lady Twilight.”

Twilight allowed herself a smile. Fluttershy was scared enough to have had second thoughts about the whole thing, but Twilight gave her a four in five chance of showing up anyway. Intimidation was a brutal art, but it was necessary in this case. Pinkie Pie had been approached much the same way as Applejack, but instead of threats, she had been promised answers, playing on her natural curiosity. The dossier on Twilight’s desk outlined Pinkie’s psychological profile fairly well. Twilight knew that Pinkie wouldn’t pass up the opportunity. And Applejack…well, she hated threatening her family, but if there was one thing that would anger her, then it would be the thought of something happening to Honey Crisp.

“Good. Thank you, Gossamer.”

The Changeling bowed as her image faded out. “I serve, my Lady.”

Twilight blew out the candle on her desk, trotting out of her newly restored study and into her quarters.

Tarantella was waiting there. “Did everything go as planned?”

Twilight nodded. “The last pieces are falling into place. The boat arrives in a few hours, so I’m going to get some sleep before it arrives.”

Tarantella drew her into a gentle embrace. “Good night, Altro Ala Mia.”

The purple unicorn responded in kind. “Good night, Mie Stelle e Anima.” As she drifted off to sleep, she found her plans spiraling around in her head, repeating themselves infinitely as she checked for flaws and faults. Satisfied, she let her normally ordered mind wind down and drift apart, relaxing herself using the meditation techniques she had learned while mastering Breaking magic. She fell asleep with a smile on her face. Her gambit was in place. With the movement of a few pieces, the endgame would draw near. But before the game was over, a good many pieces would fall.

Player, Queen, and Pawn

The alarm bell rang out into the night, brassy tones echoing off of the walls. Twilight shot out of bed, worried at the noise. It was two hours before the boat was supposed to arrive, and if it was early then a runner would have been dispatched to her chambers in order to wake her. She listened carefully for the pattern of the bell. Two strikes, then one, then two again, which meant that a party was back and they had seriously wounded individuals among them. Her mind went from being partially addled with sleep to razor sharp in moments, and she quickly trotted over to the wooden chest at the foot of her bed. The clasp was bathed in magic for a brief moment, and then Twilight withdrew several objects. She heard Tarantella sit up in bed.

“Twilight? Are you all right?”

Twilight slung her crystal over her neck, and fastened a cloak around her shoulders. A brief application of magic banished tangles from her mane, and the mirror showed that she was ready to go. She turned to Tarantella. “The boat is back early, with wounded. Odds are good Radiant Zenith is treating them, but I need to be down there.”

Tarantella nodded. “I shall alert the medical staff we have on call. Would you like me to fetch Glimmer as well?”

Twilight headed for the door. Her chambers were warded, meaning nopony would be able to teleport in or out, including herself. “Yes. I will be looking for her after I have collected my ponies, but send a messenger to the Library in order to be safe. Get her ready, and also have a messenger dispatch a message to the Queen. Inform Chrysalis that I await her company in the Library at her earliest convenience, and that the matter before us is an urgent one. And tell her I may have found a candidate for our plan.”

With that, she stepped over the threshold of her door, and with a rush of magic, she was gone.

Twilight focused on the docks near one side of the castle, willing herself to appear there, whole and unharmed. Years ago, it would have been no easy task for her, but now it was such a trivial thing that she occasionally did it without thinking, crossing distances that were unheard of for teleportation without any serious effort. So it was that she coalesced on the docks, the report of her arrival sounding through the night like thunder. The wind caught her cloak as she strode towards the vessel, just in time to see the limp form of a Pegasus being lifted from the boat. Her breath caught in her throat as she realized that it was Night Light.

She sensed the ponies lining the docks bowing to her as she strode past, but she was unable to greet them as she was accustomed to doing, having eyes only for her wounded agent. Her horn lit as she surveyed the damage done to one of her best agents. Radiant Zenith was there already, murmuring ceaselessly over the wound in his chest, a wound which surely would have been fatal had not one of the Changelings applied some of their ichor to it. Her horn gleamed silver in the predawn light, as the flesh of his chest writhed and twisted. He coughed, expelling ichor from his lungs, and his breathing was returning to normal. As she watched, an arrowhead worked its way out of his chest, clattering to the docks below before Twilight picked it up. She gave it to a nearby pony, a Condotteri.

“Take this to my study, and leave it in the care of your Condottiero. Do so quickly.” she said, and the Pegasus snapped a quick salute before speeding into the night. Twilight swept the crowd for the remaining ponies. She saw Silent Shield talking with his troops, and Golden Radiance was assisting ponies climbing to shore. As she watched, a graceful unicorn mare with a coat of white climbed out of the boat, moving to stand by Night Light. A moment later, she was joined by an orange Pegasus.

Twilight allowed them a brief moment with Night Light, enough for them both to see that he was being treated. She looked to the castle, and saw lights burning in the windows, and torches winding down the path from the walls to the docks. The Pegasus would live, of that Twilight was certain. But his road to recovery would be long without magical help, and she needed every agent healthy and fighting fit for what she had planned. She made a mental note to have him treated by unicorns exclusively, in order to help the healing process.

She stepped forward, Scootaloo’s eyes widening as she spotted Twilight behind her friend. She nudged Sweetie Belle, and the two of them sank to their knees in a bow.

“Please, don’t. I consider you both friends, and you’ve been through far too much to be bowing to me.” Twilight said.

Sweetie Belle rose to her hooves, looking at the mare in front of her. When she had last seen Twilight Sparkle, the mare had seemed approachable, friendly and open to all. She was neurotic, a bit messy at times and hyperorganized at others, and most of all, she was very practical looking, a voice of reason in times of need. A shoulder to cry on if needed, or a friend to laugh with if you had no reason to be crying.

The mare that stood before her was Twilight Sparkle, but at the same time, she was not. She carried herself with confidence and authority, her head held high and her bearing approaching something that could be called regal. A dark grey crystal flashed at her throat, and a cloak of black and grey caught the wind behind her. Her face, though it remained kind, was lined with wrinkles, and the three colors in her mane caught the torchlight and exposed strands of silver through the purple, pink, and red. So too had her body changed. Bands of muscle rippled under her skin, and her coat gleamed slightly in the dim light, whether from health or magic it was impossible to say. The pony Sweetie Belle had known in Ponyville was a hero and a friend. This Twilight was a leader and a champion.

Sweetie Belle noticed something else, as well. She had not acted to attack Twilight. The crystal had truly worked, and she was free.

“I’m glad you decided to join, Sweetie Belle. We are always looking for resourceful ponies here. You and I have much to discuss. You as well, Scootaloo. I’m here to take you up to the castle. I have a bit of a…proposition for you both. No obligations, no promises, but it’s big.” Twilight said. “And at the end of it all, you’ll have the truth you’re looking for, Sweetie Belle. I promise that, at least, regardless of whether or not you accept my offer.”

Sweetie Belle’s mind raced. She was being offered a job already? She looked to Scootaloo, who looked back at her. Their eyes met. A nod was shared, and the two curious ponies stepped forward. Sweetie Belle felt Twilight’s magic wrap around her gently, and with a dizzying rush of air, the trio reappeared in the castle.

Sweetie Belle assessed her surroundings. The oblong room she was in was paneled wall to wall in wood and shelving, upon which books were tightly packed, jostling for her attention. Tomes of knowledge on plant life, ancient dances, history and philosophy, and so many other subjects were on display, the biggest repository of knowledge Sweetie Belle had ever seen, including the Archives in Canterlot. Benches lined the walls, upon which were perched a few studious looking ponies, engrossed in thought. Each inclined their heads in respect to Twilight as she walked by, smiling and returning their greetings warmly. They walked through the very center of the room, passing under a gap in the ceiling. Sweetie Bell gasped to see that for at least four floors above her, the library stretched on.

“Trans-dimensional room.” Twilight explained. “Essentially, this place is bigger on the inside than it is on the outside.” She stopped in the exact center of the room, planting her feet in the center of a circular woolen rug, interwoven with intricate patterns and runes.

Scootaloo nudged her. “Watch this.” she muttered, indicating Twilight.

The purple unicorn cleared her throat, and her horn lit up as she spoke clearly and concisely. “Arshibal, I need you!”

There was a sudden rush of smoke and the smell of burnt incense, and a form coalesced in front of Twilight. It was a diminutive bipedal creature that was covered in iridescent scales, with a pair of dragonfly wings protruding delicately from her back. The air around her shimmered, and a voice rang through the air from an indistinguishable face. “Lady. How may I serve thee? Art thou seeking knowledge?”

Twilight bowed in respect. “Hail, Head Librarian. I am seeking not a scroll or tome, but one who searches for knowledge within thy demesne.”

The creature nodded. “It is within thy right to call them so. Who dost thou seek?”

“I seek three. Bring me the Changeling Glimmer. Bring me the smith Birchwood. And bring me the Gryphon Mahtaram. Do this and you shall have my thanks.”

The figure bowed and was gone, presumably off to find the parties involved. Twilight turned to Sweetie Belle. “That was a demon. They tend the Library and several other places. They are courteous and friendly, and are eager to help spread knowledge whenever they can. They are, however, bound and constrained by certain rules, which I shall inform you of later. Chief among them is that you do not remove books from this Library. They used to kill those who tried, but I have ordered them merely to detain offending parties instead. It will be unpleasant for you, however, and they will look on you less than favorably for the transgression.”

The air shimmered once more, and resolved itself into the forms of a bulky Earth pony, a slender Pegasus with a coat of white, and a Gryphon with a russet coat, who peered around cautiously as they finished appearing. The demon was last to appear.

“I have performed as asked, my Lady. Do you require anything more of me?”

Twilight smiled. “No, Arshibal. You have performed admirably, and with commendable haste. You are dismissed from your tasks, and may continue with your work.”

The demon bowed and vanished once more, and Twilight stepped out of the circle. The two ponies before her bowed courteously, and the Gryphon inclined her head. Twilight responded in kind, allowing the ponies to rise and giving the barest of nods to the Gryphon. She continued her walk, approaching an intimidating set of double doors, intricately carved with images of the forest surrounding them, from trees and rocks to stags and dragons and other, less savory things. Twilight placed one hoof on the door, focusing magic into the wood. She pushed, and the door swung open on silent hinges to reveal another room, this one smaller and cluttered with maps and charts. The five filed in behind her, and as they crossed the threshold, the door shut. Sweetie Belle looked behind her to see that they had apparently entered through a simple wooden door hardly taller than she was.

“It goes many places.” the Gryphon said, indicating the door. “All over the castle, and some places besides, for those with the knowledge.”

They gathered around a simple wooden table, one that was suspiciously clear of academia. Twilight looked at them each in turn. “Firstly, I would like to thank you all for attending. There was to be a sixth slot filled, but Night Light is currently in care for an arrow wound and will be unable to join us. However, he shall be briefed when he is in recovery.

Some of you I have known for years, longer than this rebellion of ours has been going on. Others have served under me faithfully for nearly as long as the Ever Free has existed. I know you all to be the very best and brightest this movement has to offer. And I mean that truly, for each one of you. It is for this reason I bring you together, because you are the best in your respective fields, and you have exactly the right skillsets I need for this assignment.

Now, I want you to understand that this is secret. So secret, in fact, that some facets of my intelligence program and many of my military commanders are unaware of my designs. Also, this mission I am about to propose is highly dangerous, and there is a very good chance that you will not return. Knowing this, if any of you do not wish to serve me in this, I will understand. Leave now, and no action will be taken against you. Are there any who wish to depart?”

There was a silence that seemed to stretch on interminably. Twilight smiled as not a one of them made a noise of protest.

“Very well then. Some of you are unacquainted, so I will make introductions.”

She indicated the snowy Pegasus to her right. “This is Glimmer, a Changeling and assistant of mine. She has been chosen for her excellent analytical mind and ability to anticipate the actions of others. In addition, she has been commended several times for exceptional bravery on espionage missions throughout Equestria.”

The Gryphon was introduced next. “ This is Mahtaram az Durmasagarti, a daughter of the King of the Durmasagarti Brood. She is an excellent diplomat and warrior. A finer shot I have never seen, and her instincts have served her well in both major battles of this war. She evacuated wounded at the battle of the Whitetail Woods, and was responsible for the destruction of no less than three airships during the final battle of the Red Rock Campaign. Officially, she has been censured by her homeland and is considered a refugee. However, she still visits with King Durmasagarti himself, who is our greatest ally in the Court at Ashtar Sharestan.”

The Earth mare bowed her head humbly as Twilight continued. “This is our master smith and inventor, Birchwood. She has been with the rebellion since its inception, and is responsible for the invention of flash powder, though she and I are the only ones with the knowledge to make it. She served for two years in the Regulars before joining up, and has an extensive knowledge of physical sciences.”

Scootaloo’s wings buzzed as Twilight pointed to her next. “This is Scootaloo, also known as the Runner. She is the most successful courier for our cause, and has never failed to make a delivery, passing through checkpoints and hotspots with ease. I personally have seen her fight, and I can guarantee that she will be able to hold her own.”

All eyes were on Sweetie Belle as Twilight smiled at her. “And this is Sweetie Belle, recently of Canterlot, who joined our ranks mere days ago. I have known her for much longer, however, and I can say that she is one of the more intelligent mares I have met. Even before making it here, she was captured by Dawn Division, and with no prior training, resisted interrogation and torture to an astounding degree. She is an excellent mimic, and she likely knows Canterlot better than any of you. She is also related to Rarity, the Bearer of Generosity. Her sister, to be exact.”

Introductions completed, Twilight addressed the whole table once more. “Each of you is an excellent operative on their own. Even Sweetie Belle, with no training, performs better than most ponies for the job I have in mind. As individuals, you are strong. But for this mission, you will be embedded in Canterlot for one night, just one night. That night, however, will determine the outcome of the war. On the Midwinter Solstice, during the longest night of the year, you will be infiltrating Celestia’s Winter Gala. Your goal is one that we have continuously strived for. Ponies have died to bring us the information we now have, far more good mares and stallions than I would care to admit.”

Twilight unfurled a map of Canterlot Castle. “As guests, several of you will be attending the party in order to gain access to a secret passage. At the end of that passage lies a door, and there, bound in chains, will be your objective.”

There was a collective intake of air from the assembled agents. Surely she didn’t mean…

The leader of the Ever Free nodded. “Yes. You’ve been hoof-picked to free Princess Luna and get her out of Canterlot.”

There was a mutter from the assembled Ever Free members. Twilight held up one hoof. “That’s not all. Normally, I’d be waiting on sending you in until we could be assured of victory, but certain events have transpired that need Luna’s expertise in the field of magic. And time is of the essence, or this rebellion will be crushed within the next year, guaranteed. Midwinter’s Eve is the height of Luna’s power, and if you can get her out of the cell she’s currently in and out into the moonlight, there is no way you won’t be able to escape the city.”

The five looked at one another in a new light. If they were going to succeed, they would need to work together, to come up with a plan and figure out who was responsible for what. They would need to requisition supplies, plan out a route, come up with backup plans…

Twilight spoke once more. “I’ve talked to Grapevine about this. He’s moving a very few agents back into Canterlot, though for the week leading up into the Gala, you will be staying in a safehouse in Manehatten. Birchwood has access to all the materials she will need, and we’ve managed to secure tickets for four ponies so they will be able to enter. You have one month to train yourselves for this mission. Report back here tomorrow at noon to meet with your trainers, and we will begin then. Any questions?”

There were none.

“Then I wish you a good evening. Rest, recover. Remember, secrecy is paramount, and we cannot afford to let this mission fail. Succeed, and you will be heroes. You are all dismissed.”

The group turned to leave, shuffling out of the door, except for Sweetie Belle, who remained in the study. For the first time since she had arrived at the castle, she spoke. “I came here for the truth, Twilight. If you want me to be a part of this, tell me the whole truth, not the partial truth we just heard.”

The purple unicorn chuckled. “You’re sharp, Sweetie Belle. I suppose, after all that you’ve been through for this, I owe you some measure of honesty.” Her horn glowed, and a heavy iron box covered in preservation runes appeared on the desk. Twilight laid a hoof on it. “Tell me, what do you know about the Element of Magic?”

The mountain under Canterlot echoed with the sounds of falling rock. The darkness of the caverns was seemingly lit by a small sun, light from which refracted through a thousand thousand facets, giving the entire room a gentle glow. Again came the sound of rock being struck with great force, echoing around the deeps.

Celestia stood on an outcropping of crystal, her horn gleaming as she examined a crystal held in her grip, flakes falling from it as she brushed off more chips of stone. It was a tiny thing, a rough sphere of flawless crystal that she was even now polishing with her magic to a high sheen. She looked closely. Any imperfections could prove fatal to Shining Armor, and detrimental to her plans. After her thorough examination, she smiled happily. It had been a long time since she had made one of these, and even longer since she had used one. But she still had her craft, and the crystal was well within acceptable parameters.

A soulbind was a tricky business, she mused as she ascended back into the lower vaults of the Castle. She had honestly thought such a thing would never happen again, but such is fate. She would give it to Cadance come sunrise, so that she could imprint herself onto it. And if Shining Armor was to have any hope, she would have to do it right. There would be no second chance.

Promoting a Pawn

Sweetie Belle rolled out of bed and hit the floor with a delicate click, glancing out of the window over the courtyard below her. She had been given lodging in the main keep, in a section reserved for returned operatives. Her room had all the amenities one could expect from a castle, with its own fireplace, a chair and small bookshelf, a wardrobe for clothing, and other touches added to make it feel more like a home. She straightened her hair and tied it into a tight bun as she recalled Twilight’s conversation with her the other night. She had been told everything, from Twilight’s original plan to recruit her, to the decision made to send Scootaloo to meet her, to the scramble that had ensued when she was taken by Dawn Division. Twilight had given her an early copy of the events leading up to her rebellion, bound into a leather binding and embossed with a simple six pointed star on the front. In addition to this, she was also given an updated dossier, one including information on the Bearers and their families. Sweetie Belle had been saddened and more than a little surprised to see her friend Applebloom’s name listed, along with her new posting in the Regular Army.

She spent some time looking through the files, setting aside those of friends and family and turning to those of her teammates. She had been informed that they would all be receiving the same files, detailing their strengths and weaknesses before they began training. She had to admit, Twilight had picked an impressive team. Night Light had a list of commendations and successful missions as long as her arm, and had performed in an exemplary fashion throughout his career. Scootaloo had rightly earned her fame, and was certified in four different martial arts as well as evasion and escape.

The Changeling, Glimmer, was an unusual case. Though Changelings normally only had the ability to mimic other ponies, apparently Glimmer was enough of a magical genius that she had created her own form, one that was found nowhere else in Equestria. She had been under the personal tutelage of Twilight herself, and showed promise in several different fields of the arcane. She was a personal aide to the leader of the rebellion herself, and was showing the mind of an excellent analyst and strategist. Sweetie Belle realized she was likely to be the planner in their party.

The Earth mare, Birchwood, was a different sort altogether. She had been one of the first new recruits in the Rebellion, seeking work and gainful employment outside of the small village she had grown up in. She was a master smith, responsible for the designs of several weapons used by the Ever Free ponies and some specialty pieces used by agents and warriors in the organization. She was not combat certified, but Sweetie Belle knew that with her musculature that she would have no problems ending a fight with anypony foolish enough to cross her.

She was often seen in the company of the next member of her team, the Gryphon Mahtaram. Mahtaram az Durmasagarti was indeed the eighteenth in line for the throne of the Durmasagarti Brood, being the daughter of King Durmasagarti by his fourth wife. Sweetie Belle knew that Gryphons raised young and married in a communal setting, but was unsure of the details. She read further. An accomplished warrior who had chosen to specialize in the bow and crossbow, she commanded respect among her peers, and commanded her own flight of Gryphons at the young age of ninety-seven years old. Seeing as there was no way she would be invited to any sort of party, Sweetie placed her in the role of support as a most likely option. Ideally, she wouldn’t have to use her bow for anything, but there was always the possibility of something going wrong, and she would be good to have in a fight.

Sweetie Belle realized that the only weak link in their party was herself. She had no experience, no training, and no idea what her strengths were besides a propensity for illusion magic. She sighed and set the files to one side. Twilight had said she would be meeting with her teacher this morning, and she didn’t want to keep her waiting. Checking herself in the mirror once more, she trotted to the door and placed one hoof on it, pulling it open. A jet of emerald magic slammed into her chest, knocking her backward and driving the air from her. Sweetie Belle slammed into the wall behind her, and looked up through blurry eyes at the figure that started walking towards her with a strange, limping gait.

Its mane hug in tatters around its shoulders, and its horn was long and jagged, tapering to a deadly point. Black, gleaming chitin covered its body entirely, even lining the delicate holes in its hooves. A pair of wings was folded at the back, gossamer gleaming in the early morning sun. Sweetie Belle’s eyes traveled up and up again, from the floor to the horribly familiar face of the Changeling in front of her.

“Hello, Sweetie Belle.” Chrysalis said, her multi-timbred voice cold and amused. “I’m here to begin your training.” Her horn lit up again, and Sweetie felt the world spin underneath her as they teleported from the castle, landing in a nearby field by the edge of the Everfree forest. The Changeling Queen smiled pleasantly at her. “I am the one Twilight Sparkle has appointed to lead your training in the mornings. In the afternoons you will be working with your teammates. We will meet every morning at this location as the sun rises. Failure to do so on your part will result in…punishment.”

Sweetie Belle struggled to her hooves. “I don’t understand. What are you training me to do?”

“Everything, dear child. Hide, fight, survive on your own, and much more. I will teach you how to blend into a crowd, how to convince a pony to give up all of their secrets without them even realizing they’ve done it. I’ll show you how to use a knife, a strangling thong, a thousand poisons found in every dwelling across Equestria if necessary. You aren’t a spy, Sweetie Belle. Twilight has given you to me to be so much more than that. You are going to be a provocateur, an infiltration artist. I’ve seen your raw talent. You have potential, but you lack training.”

Sweetie Belle nodded. “What’s my first instruction?”

Chrysalis smiled. “I am allowing you five minutes to get ahead of me, into the woods. Avoid me until noon. If I can find you, I will attempt to kill you. This will be the easiest day of training you have with me. Tomorrow, the hunt begins at sunup. So come prepared or come early. Any questions?”

Sweetie Belle bolted for the forest, streaking through the trees so quickly that the Changeling Queen had hardly realized she was gone. Chrysalis chuckled. “She learns quickly. I’m going to enjoy this.”

Sweetie Belle staggered into the main hallway of the keep at half past noon, covered in cuts, bruises, and tree sap. Chrysalis had found her no less than ten times, and Sweetie Belle had gotten away just barely for nine of them. The Changeling Queen had attempted to blast her into smithereens with magic, throw her into a swamp of some description, stab her with a knife, strangle her with a vine, and beat her to death with her hooves, as well as other, more imaginative things. Sweetie Belle had only just escaped by dint of luck, speed, and the willingness to fight dirty. In the last hour, the Changeling Queen had trapped her hooves in the dirt and lectured her on what she had been doing wrong. Her movements were predictable, she had a tendency to try and hide instead of running, and she left a trail that a blind bear could follow. The Changeling Queen had then told her how to improve herself. Double back, lay ambushes, and use the terrain to her advantage. Sweetie Belle had soaked up the information like a sponge, forcing the Queen to expound more and more on her topics, and they had ended the day on a strangely positive note. That is, until the Changeling Queen had attempted to stab her once again, forcing Sweetie Belle to tear her hooves from the ground and roll to one side before taking a shot at her. She had been most perturbed to find the Changeling gone, leaving her to fend for herself in the middle of the forest.

It was in this manner, tired, injured, and in no mood for others, that she was quietly alerted by a member of the palace staff that she was late for her rendezvous with the other members of her team. Cursing in a manner that would make her sister’s ears bleed, she sprinted towards the small audience chamber that they had appropriated for their training, bursting through the doors exactly thirty seven minutes later than she should have.

Four pairs of eyes tracked her as she entered, skidding to a stop as she took her surroundings in. The room was an exact replica of the Ever Free headquarters’ training floor. A large mat dominated the floor, and a rack of weapons stood to one side, the selection ranging from staffs and cudgels to bows, spears, and swords. A blackboard stood to one side, carefully cleaned. A table stood nearby, upon which rested a jug containing water and a few cups. The members of her team were sitting on the practice pad in a circle, looking at her expectantly.

Sweetie Belle gave an embarrassed grin. “Sorry I’m late, I got a bit lost.” she said, joining the circle.

Birchwood laughed. “You’ve got all the markings of one who got lost in the forest. Is that tree sap?”

Sweetie Belle nodded. “I’ve been training.”

Scootaloo’s nose wrinkled. “Training? With who?”

Glimmer cut in. “My Queen Chrysalis has agreed to undertake the role of a teacher to Sweetie Belle.” She eyed her appraisingly. “You are still alive, which means that you must have acquitted yourself well. Congratulations.”

Sweetie Belle sunk into a kneeling position, eager to take a brief moment of rest. “Thank you. Is she always so…abrasive?”

The Changeling laughed. “Our Queen is cruel and ruthless, but we love her just the same. She does what she thinks best for our race, and has led us with wisdom and grace in most everything. You only know her as a warrior Queen, but to us she is a beloved mother and monarch.”

Mahtaram spoke quietly, the Gryphic accent in her voice clear. “She leads by example. In hard times, she requires a sterner rule, and you follow her in that regard.”

Glimmer nodded. “We are no mindless drones, but if our Queen requires us to be warlike, then warlike we become. But due to the generosity of your leader, we can live in relative peace and security. Indeed, ponies in the Ever Free treat us more kindly than we had ever hoped. And should she prove herself triumphant, we may live among you as equals, not scavengers and parasites.”

Sweetie Belle ventured a more sensitive question. “Was she recently injured? I noticed her limping.”

“The one you call Cadance did that to her, when she was flung out of the castle by the force of her magic, and us along with her. I was one of those few who tumbled through the air with her, and as we plummeted towards the Everfree Forest, she reached out to as many of us as she could, and cushioned us all with magic. So many of us did she save that she had no power to spare for herself. She will bear that limp until she is able to rear one of her daughters to replace her.”

“What happens then?” Scootaloo asked.

Glimmer was silent, necessitating Mahtaram’s intervention in the conversation. “She will select a Changeling whom she trusts implicitly, one she believes is the best replacement for herself. Generally, they will be young, not yet mature. This one will be quietly taken aside one day, and the Queen will force her to kill her, causing a transfer of magic and a metamorphosis that lasts several days.”

Glimmer’s voice was saddened. “She has already selected her replacement, and told her that she will not cause her to Transcend until the end of the conflict.”

The oblivious Pegasus plowed ahead. “Who? Do I know them?”

Sweetie Belle sighed. “Scootaloo, sometimes you’re really dense, you know?”

Her friend’s eyes widened. “Oh. Oh, wow. Ok. Um. Sorry.”

Glimmer smiled. “Consider the transgression forgotten. Now, let us turn to the plan we have been given to follow.”

The group nodded in assent. Glimmer continued. “Now, the plan is as follows. Four of us, Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle, Night Light, and myself will be attending the Gala under alternate identities, perpetuated by Sweetie Belle. Shahzaneh Mahtaram will be providing support from the roof of the Archives, located across a walkway from the Castle itself. It affords the most coverage of the structure, and is an excellent spot for concealment. That will be our entrance. The cell itself is located far underneath the Castle, through a secret passage located in Celestia’s chambers. At midnight, we will enter the tunnel, searching for the magical signature of the wards. Once we break in to free Princess Luna, Celestia will be notified by magic, a set of wards located around the passage into the chamber. The Palace will be put on lockdown.”

“So how do we get out?” Scootaloo enquired.

Glimmer walked to the board, drawing a quick sketch of the mountain Canterlot was on, as well as a quick sketch of the castle and the rail line from the city itself.

“The group of operatives sent into the city yesterday, in preparation to lay low until the appointed date, were a demolitions crew. They will listen for the stroke of midnight, and when they hear the sound, they will detonate magical charges along the Rounds, destroying it. Guards will be split in two directions. When they split, we will be headed out of the city. We will not go up as Celestia expects, but down into the caverns beneath the mountain, exiting through an aqueduct entrance. Birchwood will be waiting for us there with transportation, a small airship, smuggled to the city and stored in the tunnels that will carry us back to the Everfree. Once Luna is exposed to the midnight moon on the Solstice, her power will return, slowly at first but exponentially as we go.”

“How will we get into Celestia’s quarters?” Sweetie Belle asked wiping blood out of her eye calmly.

Glimmer sighed and tossed her a rag, which she held over her eye gratefully. “The operative who got us this information will let two of us in. The other two will stay behind and monitor the situation from the ballroom. Sweetie Belle, you will have to go along with the other pony, likely Night Light. Once we hear that you two are headed through the tunnels, Scootaloo and I will evacuate the palace with the rest of the guests, slipping into the tunnels through a conveniently located service entrance to the sewers a mere block from the palace. Odds are good we will beat you to the airship, and we shall have it waiting for you when you arrive. The entire journey, start to finish, will be less than fifteen minutes if everything goes to plan.”

Mahtaram stood, following the Gryphic custom of standing when speaking. “Who is the contact?”

Glimmer shook her head. “I do not know. Somepony high up, and trusted by Celestia. Aside from that, I have not the slightest idea.”

“They must be in a place where their hooves are tied. Else I wouldn’t have been recruited.” Sweetie Belle said musingly. Who could that pony be? And how close were they, actually, to the Princess?

Celestia sighed as she felt hooves run through her mane, massaging soap gently into her scalp. There were few ponies she trusted with the task, but this was one of them.

“Am I doing well, Highness?” a voice asked.

Celestia stifled a groan of pleasure. “Yes, Silver Lily. That’s excellent.”

Silver Lily smiled to herself. “I am glad, Princess. If you need anything else, you have only to ask. I am here to serve.”

Piece to Player

The hut in the forest was supposed to be dark, left just as it was when the zebra who had lived inside had disappeared those years ago, vanishing into the tangles and mist of the forest she had arrived from. Though it was uninhabited, the small dwelling under a massive tree had remained untouched save for a few spiderwebs that had looked long since abandoned when the hut had first been investigated. No creatures would live in its walls, no insects would build nests in the sheltered spaces within, and predators seemed to avoid the place entirely. In all, Zecora’s hut was a place of eerie peace, that of some dangerous creature in a fitful sleep, or a storm hovering on the horizon, waiting to break upon the shore.

It was to this place that three mares, alone save for each other and their Elements, walked in the dark one night, way lit by a single lantern brought from Fluttershy’s house. Each felt differently about their meeting with the Ever Free, but each knew that once they had contacted Twilight, there could have been no other option but to do as they were told. And this time, they had done as ordered. A small set of saddlebags containing the three Elements in their keeping bounced up and down on Applejack’s back. Their lives were held in the hooves of a mare they had betrayed years ago, and each of them was acutely aware of both how powerful and how callous Twilight Sparkle had become over the long years of war.

It wasn’t just them, either. Applejack’s stomach turned at the thought of ponies she knew being Changelings, with orders to hurt the ones she loved if necessary. Pinkie Pie had realized that she hadn’t sensed Twilight anywhere near her filly during her first birthday, and the mare could have done whatever she wanted then without fear of reprisal. Fluttershy had barely been able to venture into the forest after they had captured their two guards, and she locked her doors and windows tightly each night after checking the animal pens.

The way to Zecora’s was not a long one, but it did lead into the darkest part of the forest, and each mare listened carefully for any sign of trouble, unable to hear anything out of the ordinary. In fact, none of them could hear anything from the Forest at all.

“I don’t like this, y’all. It’s too quiet.” Applejack said, as the trees blocked out the last glimmers of light from the stars above.

Fluttershy nodded. “Where are the animals? This has always been a quiet section of the Forest, but not like this. Pinkie? Can you sense anything?”

Pinkie stopped walking, each muscle in her body tense and quivering as she felt around her for anything out of the ordinary. Her eyes slammed shut and one hoof slowly lifted itself off of the ground as her ear gave a gentle twitch. After a moment, she shook her head. “I can feel something, but I’m not sure what. It’s a really weird sort of humming sound. Not bad, just….strange. But that’s it.”

The group continued walking in silence after that, the air around them growing still and calm as they proceeded farther and farther into the trees. At last, they reached the small band of Poison Joke that encircled Zecora’s land, noting that a small path had been cleared through the beautiful blue flowers. Carefully, they stepped through and onto ground they had not walked in almost a decade. Through the trees, they could see the cheerful glow of a fire ahead, and they picked up the pace to hasten the end of their journey.

The door to the abandoned hut stood open, and through the portal each of them could see a small cauldron resting on an open fire, the contents bubbling merrily and sending a steam through the air that even from a distance smelled of sharp spices and stewing plants. A figure appeared at the door, and a very familiar voice called out through the dark.

“Hello there, ponies drawing near! Come closer, you have nothing to fear!”

“Zecora!” all three exclaimed, running forward. The zebra gathered them all into an embrace, as the old friends were reunited once more.

“It is good to see you at my door. I had hoped to speak with you one time more. Please, come inside and rest a spell. I hope you all are doing well?”

“We’re doin’ just fine, Zecora.” Applejack said, as they were seated at an old oak table that had not been there while Zecora had lived in the hut. “But what about you? You haven’t aged a day!”

The Zebra smiled, pouring each of them a cup of tea. “The Forest provides a glorious wealth. With herbs and potions, I keep my health. My teacher tells me of fern and flower that gives my body youthful power.”

“Do you mean that you can keep young with herbs?” Pinkie asked excitedly.

Zecora shook her head tolerantly. “What you see is strength and skill, kept for me by my teacher’s will. But I will age, as do you, and die to be reborn anew. Should she wish, I will not expire, but that hinges entirely on her desire.”

Fluttershy cocked her head curiously. “So you’ve been learning herbalism with somepony? A teacher? Is that why you had to leave?”

Zecora laughed. “Dear child, she taught me since I was small. I knew her before I knew you all. Though I did not wish to leave you, friend, my time with you had come to an end. It is for her that I speak to you, so that you know just what to do.”

The mood in the hut grew serious as she continued. “My teacher will soon step through that door, a pony you have not seen before. She is older than you and older than I, and knows the Forest better than Fluttershy. It costs her much to be so near, so hold her patience and company dear. And she predates the Elements, so I beg you, use some common sense. Attempt to harm her in any way, and you can be sure of Tartarus to pay.”

Applejack slammed a hoof down on the table. “Now wait just a darn minute! You mean to tell us that we’re going to be hoofed off to some other pony who’ll try and intimidate us again?”

Zecora’s eyes flashed before she quite visibly restrained herself. “Listen closely, arrogant child. My teacher rules the Everfree wild. A kinder soul you will not find, but I beg you, pay her power mind. She seeks to help you, so let her see if she can help you and your loved ones remain free.”

Applejack settled down again. “Sorry ‘bout that. But t’aint fair, being shuffled around like that without knowing the how or why.”

“Now perhaps you begin to see why ponies join the Ever Free. I will not live Celestia’s lie. All of us would rather die.”

Pinkie Pie’s tail switched abruptly to one side, and she shivered. “I think somepony’s coming.” she said, indicating the door.

Zecora walked calmly to the door and waited. There were three taps, gentle and precise, and Zecora opened the door, bowing her head as she did so. A unicorn of indeterminably advanced age walked in, greying red mane bound in a messy bun on top of her head, her lined face graced with the ghost of a smile. An aged set of saddlebags rested along her back, and her eyes, both kind and cunning, swept over the three mares, making them feel very small indeed. Zecora closed the door behind her, still keeping her eyes averted. The unicorn turned around.

“Zecora, dear, you can look up. And these are the Element Bearers?”

“Yes my teacher, these ponies three. Applejack, Fluttershy, and dear Pinkie.”

The unicorn looked thoughtful as she set her bags down. Turning to Zecora, she indicated the door. “My student, I’m afraid you’ll have to say goodbye. For this, I’m going to need these three alone. Go out into the forest and gather…let’s see…monkshood, feverfew, and henbane. Be careful with those, and bring them to the cottage at sunrise.”

The zebra bowed once more, before turning to her friends again. “I am afraid I must depart, but I will keep you in my heart. Perhaps one day, when this is done, we shall meet once more under midnight sun.” And with no further words, she opened the door, disappearing swiftly into the night before any of the Bearers could say good bye.

The unicorn shut the door with her magic, before joining the ponies at the table. She looked at each in turn. “Now, I’m sure you have some questions. But I can’t answer you or help you until we have a bit more trust in one another. So I am going to tell you the truth. My name is Radiant Zenith. I am one thousand, two hundred and eighty-four years old next month, I am the Steward of the Regia as appointed by Twilight Sparkle, I planted the first tree of this forest, and I maintain balance as best as I can here. I was sent by Twilight Sparkle because I am inordinately more familiar with Breaking magic than she, and because she cannot keep an emotional center around you three because of the conflicting emotions generated by your betrayal. For which, you can rest assured, she does not truly blame you.”

Applejack snorted. “Could have fooled me.”

Radiant Zenith nodded sympathetically. “Twilight is young. Wise beyond her years, but not yet wise enough to realize that you are not fully in control of your actions. Some part of her already forgives you, much as she might hate to admit it to herself.

“Why is she so…dark?” Fluttershy asked, sipping at her tea.

“Twilight Sparkle is bearing a very large burden at a very young age, while also wielding much power that was until recently in the possession of a goddess. Breaking magic takes a terrible toll, and while she has learned to control it for the most part, as opposed to letting it control her, she still is not as in control of her emotions at times as she could be. This is why I and others are there to guide her. The problem is exacerbated by her proximity to you. You caused her a lot of pain, and healing that will take much effort on her part.”

“And ours.” Pinkie chipped in, voice uncharacteristically serious.

Radiant Zenith looked at her strangely. “So you do feel remorse for what you’ve done?” The three mares nodded. She rested her chin on one hoof. “Fascinating. The Catalysts must be decaying as well. Might we engage in an exercise with your Elements?”

“Are you sure that’s a good idea?” Applejack asked. “What if you set them off?”

Radiant Zenith let the full force of her thousand years of experience with the Elements bleed into her gaze as she locked eyes with Applejack. The Earth pony folded almost immediately under the pressure, and rummaged through the saddlebags at her hooves, withdrawing the Elements and setting them on the table, where they lay staring up at the ceiling, three jeweled eyes belonging to Celestia.

The Elements changed the pony who bore them, that was certain. But so too did the pony change them. This was most apparent in Fluttershy’s Element, which had taken on the form of a simple pendant, a river rock with a simple strap. The vaguest hint of a pink butterfly was visible on the stone, worn smooth by time. Applejack’s had turned into something resembling a sturdy locket, a block of shining gold suspended by a solid chain. Applejack lifted its lid to reveal the orange stone sitting inside, shimmering brightly in the light of the hut. Pinkie Pie ran a hoof over her own necklace, admiring it. It was beautiful, that much was true. The solid gold of it had turned into large golden loops the size of earrings, forming a sort of lattice that tapered to a gentle point. In the center, a disc of solid blue gleamed, its center etched with the outline of a balloon in gold.

The three Bearers looked at Radiant Zenith, whose gaze was fixed on the objects in front of her. She nodded slowly, running one hoof over them. “They are truly beautiful, in their own right. You all have wonderful souls. Of course you would have, else you would not be fit to Bear them as you have, not without great pain. Now, without putting them on, focus on your Element in your mind.” she said, placing a white candle on the table and lighting it. “While you do that, focus on the flame with your eyes.”

The Bearers did as asked. Radiant Zenith continued. “Now, I want you to think thoughts of peace, harmony, and contentment. Focus on them to the exclusion of all else.” She noticed the candle flame burning higher and brighter. “Good, now think the opposite. Discord, strife, and disobedience. As hard as you can, focus on those.” The candle’s flame flickered and threatened to go out. She noticed sweat beginning to bead on the mares’ faces as they struggled with their Elements. “Last exercise. Think back onto the feelings inspired in you by Twilight’s messengers, how passionate they made you feel, whether it was a good or bad feeling. Try to feel that again.”

She withdrew a candle of midnight black wax, lighting it with the flame from the first, extinguishing the former flame and replacing the candle with its dark brother. The three friends’ focus shifted to the new candle, and as they fed their fear, anger, and curiosity, the flame burned higher and higher still, wax running in rivulets down the side to pool at the base of the rapidly decaying candle. The Bearers began to pant as the Elements shone with faint golden light and Radiant Zenith let her magic flow from her horn, playing over the entire table. Her silvery energy seemed to be repelled by the aura of the Elements, recoiling as if burned by it. She focused harder, as light spilled from her horn like water, running off of the table and pouring onto the floor. The candle’s flame reached the roof of the hut, no longer a candle but instead a pillar of flame rising from the table itself, fueled by magic alone.

Suddenly, the light from the unicorn’s horn collected itself, turning in on Pinkie Pie’s Element with single-minded ferocity as it drove back the golden aura, sinking into the metal with the sound of rushing air. The candle exploded, consuming all the excess power in the room in one brilliant flash of white light, and leaving the four mares blinking in surprise. The three Bearers crowded around the table, gasping at what Pinkie Pie’s Element had become. After collecting herself, Radiant Zenith approached the table to see what had been wrought by magic.

The Element was changed, of that she was certain. It was no longer a physical thing, though it held the form it had when Pinkie Pie had laid it on the table. The links were composed of a beautifully hot looking flame, bright blue, each individual link one of ionized gas and smoke. The Element itself shone a terrible white, bright enough to burn the eyes of those looking at it. As they watched, the flame faded, leaving it looking normal once more. Three pairs of eyes sought an explanation from Radiant Zenith.

“I have not the power to free the Element entirely from Celestia’s control. But I have done something else. You are no longer a Bearer of Harmony, Pinkie Pie. I name you Wielder of the Unbound Power of Laughter. Celestia may yet have ties to it, but you are its true master now. One fifth of the most powerful force for Order now answers to you directly. Use it wisely.” Radiant Zenith sunk to the ground in a bow as the Element rose into the air, resting on Pinkie Pie’s neck. Fluttershy and Applejack followed suit.

“Hail, Wielder. Hail, Pinkie Pie, Mistress of Laughter.”

Pieces in Place

The woods were quiet, a patchwork land of light and shadow cast by trees and mist that filtered out the weak winter sun as it spilled onto the woodland below. Not a creature stirred, and the only sound to be heard was that of a gentle breeze, still damp and chill with the moisture of a cold evening. It was a tranquil morning, one of peace and rest for the inhabitants of the Everfree Forest, huddling together to ward off the chill. That is, most of them were. A unicorn, mane bound into a tight ponytail and coat dappled with mud, crept cautiously through the trees, careful to avoid making any noise as she did so. She had spent the majority of the past hour doubling back over her tracks again and again, careful to avoid the Changeling pursuing her. A crack echoed through the woods, and the mare vanished from sight almost instinctually, huddling underneath a flawless veil as she swept the woods for any sign of her pursuer.

Carefully, she began to move towards a nearby stream, taking care to avoid leaving a noticeable trail behind her. The crack had come from that direction, and she needed to know exactly what had made the noise. Her scalp tingled. Something was looking for her, and she was obviously walking into a trap. Her hoof went to a small knife belted to her side, drawing it carefully. If she was to be trapped, then there wasn’t much she could do to avoid it at this point. However, she would ensure that whatever she ran into, she would be ready for it. Another crack, and the rustle of bushes up ahead. Something was definitely up there. She crept over a low rise, knowing that as soon as she peered over the edge, she would be able to observe the entire stream.

She sank into a slow crawl, moving carefully towards the small hillock she would scale to gain a vantage point. Closer and closer she moved, now only thirty feet away, twenty, ten feet and then over the hill she would peer. Still maintaining her veil, she carefully looked over the small ditch below her, through which a trickle of water still flowed, despite the cold of the morning. Her eyes darted from side to side as she swept for danger. Her ears pricked forward at the sound of another snapping branch, and she locked onto the target below her. Spotting movement, she readied herself to attack before realizing that the only thing in the water below her was a doe with her fawn, his horns almost in and his spots beginning to fade. Her heart sank as she began to notice other sounds, mostly the subtle hiss of magic.

She rolled to one side just as a bolt of magic slammed into the hill where she had stood, throwing off her veil and creating illusory copies of herself that all ran in a different direction. She had tripped Chrysalis’s trap, and now she would pay the price for it. She sprinted through the trees towards a clearing she could meet her in, where the lack of cover would force Chrysalis to either lurk in the trees or meet her in open combat. She heard wings buzz behind her, more than one set, and her mouth curled in a defiant snarl. The Queen had brought drones with her. Thinking quickly, she seized several rocks with her magic, whipping them at the soldiers before she vaulted into the clearing. Most went wide, but she was rewarded with a sound of impact and a grunt from one of the Changelings following her, as he veered into a nearby tree.

Sweetie Belle set her hooves underneath her as she met the Changelings head on. Four remained to attack her, and she realized that the fight would go badly for her. They were under orders not to kill her, simply herd her until their Queen could arrive, and so she would show them the same courtesy. She sheathed her dagger, waiting for one of them to make a move.

They fought well as a team, but Sweetie Belle had been trained to fight teams, eighteen hours a day, every day, for the past sixteen days. The first swept in with a hook designed to drive her to the right. Sweetie Belle instead leaned inside of the blow, headbutting the Changeling viciously as she trapped his leg beneath her own, rearing up as she caught it between her leg and body. There was a snap, and the Changeling dropped with a broken forelimb. The second and third approached from her previous right, now directly behind her, hooves outstretched to grab her. They never made contact, as she hit the ground hard, rolling over and catching them in the stomachs with her powerful back hooves. Though not out, they would definitely be down. The fourth and final Changeling dropped on her from above, trapping her hooves behind her back as she stood up, and lifting her into the air. She kicked out, making contact with his knee as the two Changelings she had assaulted came back for a second attack.

Sweetie Belle swung backward, feeling the Changeling restraining her push her forward to compensate. Once again, her back hooves shot out, catching one of the pair of Changelings underneath the chin, snapping his head back and causing him to plummet to the ground, where he landed in a heap. Her head snapped back, catching the Changeling holding her in the nose. She felt him free her hooves as he clutched at his nose, and twisted as she fell, planting a foreleg squarely in his sternum, watching him fold up like a ragdoll under the repeated injuries. The last Changeling was directly below her, and could not get out of the way in time to avoid her falling on him, using him to cushion the fall from about twenty feet up. She smiled as she headed for the treeline, ready to disappear once again. Just as she reached cover, however, she heard the hiss of magic behind her. She curled into a ball, feeling the blistering heat of the thing pass over her back as the Changeling Queen landed nearby, the impact of her hooves shaking the very ground as the trees in front of her erupted into emerald flame.

Sweetie Belle recovered quickly, roiling to one side as another jet of magic cratered the ground she had just left behind, clods of dirt and clumps of grass raining down on her as she drew her dagger and charged at the Changeling Queen, hooves working furiously as she dodged spell after spell, weaving towards her as her horn sparked with magic. She leapt at the Queen, who lowered her horn to impale her. Sweetie Belle’s form shimmered, resolving itself into a tall, stately figure, its coat black and chitinous, with a pair of wings laid flat along its back. Chrysalis’s eyes widened, and she instinctively lowered her horn to avoid impaling herself. This was all the time Sweetie Belle needed to bring the dagger down on the side of the Queen’s neck. Instead of being rewarded with a fountain of ichor or blood, however, the well-forged steel merely shattered, leaving Sweetie Belle holding the hilt of a useless tool.

The Changeling Queen smiled then, exposing delicate fangs, and spoke. “Well done, Sweetie Belle. Very well done. I believe that I can no longer teach you anything on how to kill. Now we can begin your true instruction.”

Sweetie Belle let her illusion fall, returning to her normal self. Keeping a careful distance from Chrysalis, she swept the clearing for any hidden tricks or traps. “What instruction?”

“You have been learning everything a typical agent in Twilight Sparkle’s service should know, regardless of their specialty. Which makes you just another spy, unfortunately. My job is to create a special pony, one who knows how to get others to trust her with their deepest held secrets, how to deceive others into thinking they know more about her than they do, how to fit in anywhere, from the glass spires of Manehatten to the stone alleys of Trottingham to the marble majesty of Canterlot. Right now, you are an agent, Sweetie Belle. Twilight Sparkle does not need an agent. She needs a saboteur, an infiltrator without peer. That is what I shall teach you.”

Sweetie Belle sat on her haunches, staring up at Chrysalis. “Alright then. Where do we start?”

With a rush of green magic, the Changeling Queen’s form was replaced with that of one she had not worn for years. Soft pink replaced hard black, pastel hair replaced tattered gossamer, and when she spoke, it was with a voice so sweet and clear that it warmed the very heart. “We will begin today’s lesson with a simple phrase. The phrase in question is 'We trust that which we see as beautiful'. It's a useful phrase.” she said, giving a little grin.

Sweetie Belle nodded, focusing her magic inward, feeling her body change and grow, mane curling, Cutie Mark changing, coat becoming immaculately clean. At last she stood, not as Sweetie Belle, but as her sister Rarity. When she spoke, her voice was rich and cultured, nigh-indistinguishable from that of her sibling. “Where shall we start, Princess Cadenza?” she inquired.

“Please, call me Cadance.”

“Cadance, you are not well, and you certainly aren’t thinking straight. I know it’s difficult for you to control yourself right now, but you must remain still.”

The pink Alicorn grunted and moaned, straining against the sun-forged chains that bound her. Her brow was beaded with sweat, and the air reeked with the stench of it. Her mane was disheveled, and her eyes were wide and dilated, darting around the room as if looking for some hidden threat, or, much more likely, a way out of her predicament.

Celestia sighed to herself, turning to a row of potions behind her. The tonics had been made right on time, having finished only yesterday. She had tested each one herself to make sure that nothing went wrong, and was satisfied that they would be able to control Cadance until she was ready to take part in the soulbind. It was far too early for her yet, but Shining Armor was definitely ready, and had slipped into a delirious fever only days before, calling weakly for his wife. It pained Celestia to keep them apart for so long, but if that was what it took to save both of their lives, then so be it.

She had only ever had experience with having to control Luna, and so she had no real frame of reference on how Cadance would be reacting to the soulbind. The most noticeable side effect had become apparent only hours before, when the alarm bells in the highest part of the palace had begun ringing frantically, something that had not been done since Twilight Sparkle had escaped from Canterlot. Celestia had burst out of her chambers, soaring over the castle grounds, ready to strike down the foe invading her city, only to find that the culprit in question was Princess Cadance.

She had been perched on top of a roof below, laughing ecstatically as an ever-growing group of mares and stallions had kneeled before her, slack-jawed expressions on their faces as they gazed up at her with untold adoration and love. As she had sped towards the spot, Celestia noted that a retreating Guard had dared to sneak a look at the spectacle behind him, lasting only a brief moment before he, too, had assumed the same expression as all the other ponies, and trotted over to join them in mindless devotion, sparked by some twisted kind of love for her.

She had lit on the rooftop carefully. There was little on earth more dangerous and impulsive than a newborn Alicorn, as she knew from experience with her sister. When she spoke, she had done so with great care, so as to avoid startling her. The young Princess held in her grasp the minds of at least a hundred ponies, and any sudden shocks or unpleasant surprises could cause irreparable damage to them.

“Cadance, what are you doing?”

The Alicorn had shivered, letting out a long and low moan, before replying. “They love me…so much love. And I love them. They’re mine, all mine…but they aren’t mine. Where is mine? I love him.”

Celestia had taken the opportunity to move a bit closer. “You mean Shining Armor? Cadance, he’s back at home. He’s sleeping, remember?”

Cadance shook her head. “No. No, nuh-uh, no. I don’t want him home. I want him here. Want Shining Armor, now.”

The crowd below her sighed in adoration. Celestia had moved a few inches closer, stopping when she noticed Cadance’s wings beginning to rise, meaning she felt threatened. “Cadance, I can take you to him, but all these ponies can’t come along. Will you let them go? I promise, we can go see him together. But you have to let all of these ponies go first.”

Cadance had growled then, actually growled. “No. Mine. They love me.”

Celestia stood absolutely still. Cadance was on the brink of going completely feral. Luna had never snapped so suddenly, hers had always been a slow descent into this sort of impulsive state. Then again, Luna had never been as closely tied to the sort of emotion that went along with a soulbind. Her mind whirled furiously, before she hit on one last chance to bring her under control without harming the ponies she controlled. “But I love you too. Just as much as they do.”

Cadance tilted her head. “You love me?”

“With all of my heart.” Celestia said. She meant it, too. Cadance was like the daughter she had never been able to have, in a way.

Cadance’s face contorted and Celestia had inhaled slightly, ready to fight, before the magic in her horn had flickered out and the Mistress of the Dawn had begun sobbing wildly. Celestia had checked the ponies over carefully, ensuring that they were unharmed, before she had placed a tender wing over her young ally and transported the two of them to a high tower, binding her gently in strong chains before sending for the tonics to be brought.

And so, there they stood. Celestia uncorked the first bottle, a small thing containing an unbelievably strong sedative. Had any normal pony tried it, even a drop, it would likely stop their heart. Celestia approached Cadance, who bent her head weakly, drinking the entire contents of the bottle before gasping at the surprising coldness of the mixture. Celestia watched carefully as Cadance sagged in her chains, breathing heavily. Dipping a needle into the second bottle, she carefully pricked her neck before laying it to one side. Cadance was silent for a brief moment after, completely still except for her breathing, which smoothed out considerably. When she spoke, her voice was absolutely clear.

“Thank you. I don’t know what came over me.”

Celestia unlocked the chains, letting Cadance rest on her own hooves. She placed one hoof under her chin, tilting her head up so that she could look her niece in the eyes. “We all have trouble with our first soulbind. It’s not an easy thing to do for anypony. Luckily, you have somepony with experience in controlling this sort of thing. Luna and I spent nearly three centuries trying to contain these things before we were able to come up with a reliable system. With help, you and Shining Armor will be fine.”

Cadance was silent. Celestia pressed on. “Now that you have experienced what it feels like, did you get a feeling for when things will…come to a head?”

Cadance nodded. “It’s going to be right after the Midwinter Solstice. I can feel it. Maybe on the night of, maybe a day or two after.”

Celestia exhaled, a long and slow breath out. “I see. Well, that shouldn’t be too much of a problem. We’ll be ready for it.”

“I suppose. But, what if…what if it goes wrong?”

Celestia drew Cadance in close, embracing her. “It won’t. I promise you, on my life, that we will see you and Shining Armor make it through. I won’t allow anything else to happen.”

Luna was dreaming, and though she was the one in control of the Night, she had never, for the life of her, been able to wake up from this one. The stars, vaster and in greater numbers than any pony had seen in nearly two millennia, burned in the skies overhead, and in some places they seemed to form a luminous cloud, hovering over the great northern plains of what was not yet Equestria. The collection of tents, pitched by a wide and swiftly flowing river, were all that construed the grand city of the Royal Alicorn Sisters, save for a circle of stone, dark against the night. In white and black they billowed in the breeze, sparks from the campfires swirling up into the air as if to join Luna’s blessings in the skies above.

The camp smelled of wine and incense, the scent of which permeated every inch of the surrounding country and hid the fact that most ponies in the camp had spent the night deep in prayer for the one currently sequestered in the Lady of the Night’s caravans, surrounded by alchemists and priests. The Lady of the Sun had fought with her sister again, and she had fled into the night to contemplate eternity, as she sometimes did. And so it fell to Luna, the Unyielding Night, to comfort the beautiful young unicorn who lay in the tent alongside her.

The unicorn was everything Luna desired in a partner. Young, intelligent, magically talented, and most importantly, strong. Luna kept tents of lovers and thinkers, but only one would be allowed to join her in a soulbind. This one’s name was Starset, and she had been the most promising of Celestia and Luna’s students, a true prodigy in the fields of magic. Had, until Luna had taken her to her bower in a moment of weakness. One thing had led to another, and the end result was the soulbind that now held Starset in its grip. The once lively and proud mare, hardly more than a filly, now lay on the bed of pine needles Luna had gathered for her, tossing and turning feverishly. Luna was little better. She had learned to control the more feral aspects of the soulbind, and even now focused on pouring the excess energy she was emitting into her young charge, who was gasping for breath even as Luna forced her lungs to keep sucking in air.

Starset’s horn flared and flickered, sparks raining from it and causing the needles to smolder briefly before the flame was drawn back inside her horn. She gave a short, ecstatic cry, part pain and part pleasure, before her entire body became rigid, every muscle tensing. Luna was sobbing as she worked to save her, both from fear and agony, as magical feedback began to build inside the confines of the tent. There was a rumble of gentle thunder outside of the tent, and the sentries cried out an alarm. Luna paid it no heed, as Starset’s eyes rolled back in her head, breath coming in short, quick gasps as her horn now gave forth a steady light, no longer flickering weakly. Luna tried desperately to stop the light from increasing, as another, gentler light shone from outside of the tent.

The tent flap was thrown aside, and Celestia strode inside, holding a crystal in her grasp, a flawless sphere of clear diamond. Her mane, a bright pink like that of the dawn itself, flowed in majestic waves as she walked to Starset, her face calm and composed. Kneeling down and placing the sphere by her side, she spoke to Luna.

“Sister. It is time. Let her go.”

Luna’s magic flickered and died, Breaking magic grounding itself back into the air and earth as every light in the tent went out with a sense of dreadful finality. The horn on Starset’s head went dark as well, and Luna’s heart leapt into her throat as she realized she could no longer hear the breathing of the unicorn. There was a brief moment of dreadful silence, before the crystal in front of her began to glow softly with light. Luna spoke, her voice hushed and awed.

“Sister mine…what have you wrought?”

Celestia allowed magic to spill from her horn, bringing light back to the tent. “Her magic is bound to that. Petrify her body until we can return her soul to where it should rightfully be.”

Luna’s voice shook. “You have…Bound magic?”

Celestia nodded. “I have. Her life has been saved, the first one since our rule came to be. It occurs to me that if she is strong enough in will, we can move her back into her body. Though I know not what kind of mare she will be, if she returns.”

Luna spread stone over the still form of Starset, willing her very being to remain stone until she was able to be revived. As she worked, her mind spun. If magic, the very soul, could be contained within her sister’s crystal, then what else might be bound? Was there a limit to what magic could be contained? She did not know the answers then, though she had suspected her sister would use this crystallization of magic to new and unseen ends.

It would be another two thousand years and a rebellion later that Luna would see exactly what could be frozen in crystal, forever bound to Celestia’s will. Just as how, a thousand years after this first instance, Starset’s line would support her sister, inseparably Bound to her. They had gone by the name Luminous then. Later, they would change their names to Radiant. And when Luna returned in triumph to spread eternal Night across the land, it had been a descendant of Starset, bearing the surname Sparkle, that had stood against her. And she had wielded something else, something Luna had thought would never be Bound in the way it had. The Power of Harmony itself could be Bound.

And it had been at that moment, looking back on two thousand years of history as the darkness that had consumed her was stripped away, that Luna had believed her sister’s victory complete. But, she reminded herself, as she dangled in the darkness below Canterlot, what could be Bound could also be Broken.

She felt confident that Twilight Sparkle would Break her own ties to her teacher. And, if she could, she would find a way to Break the Elements and free the Power within. Luna had faith in Twilight Sparkle. No matter how long it took, she had faith that Twilight Sparkle would emerge triumphant.

Black Painted White

The training room was filled with the sounds of combat. It was day twenty one of Sweetie Belle’s training, and she was at last able to hold her own against her teammates, with the notable exception of Mahtaram. She had discovered a propensity for knifework, as well as being unusually hard to pin down in most situations. Currently, she was engaged with Glimmer, who was circling around her at the edge of the map, a simple wooden staff in each hoof, meant to represent their metal counterparts, which were stacked neatly by the training dummies in one corner. Sweetie Belle had found that there was no better way to take the measure of somepony than to fight them. So much was revealed there, from the way they thought to their general fitness, and much more. Taking Glimmer as an example, Sweetie Belle knew that the Changeling disdained direct confrontation, simply as part of her nature. The Changeling preferred to wait in ambush, to strike when her opponent was unprepared. Her twin metal staves could easily kill a pony without leaving a mark, and so she would be able to theoretically kill silently and without detection, allowing her to take her victim’s place. She was a classic predator, waiting for the opportune moment to strike before doing so with brutal efficiency.

Sweetie Belle was an entirely different pony. There was some part of her that had decided that the best way to defeat an opponent was to get close, so close that there was no other choice but to accept the blow when it came. And so they began the dance, with Sweetie Belle attempting to get close as Glimmer attempted to push her away, vanishing into her blind spots with unnerving competence.

Sweetie Belle’s practice blade, made of weighted wood, missed the Changeling’s hide by inches as she ducked a return blow from the staves. She had a plan in mind, but she would need the Changeling to believe that she had the advantage before it could be implemented. So, she allowed Glimmer to dance partly into one of her blind spots, sagging as if exhausted by her exertions. The Changeling, seeing a weakness, exploited it. One stave swung in front of her, cutting her off, while the second whistled toward her skull in what would have been a painful rap on the head if Sweetie Belle had not moved forward regardless of the obstacle in front of her, twirling to catch it on her ribcage as she lined up and threw the knife she held directly at Glimmer. The dull blade bounced off of her sternum, but had the blade been metal, it would have sunk deep and stayed there, a surely fatal blow. Glimmer, realizing the extent of her imaginary injuries, dropped her staves with a smile.

Birchwood and Scootaloo applauded at this, and Mahtaram allowed a brief smile to cross her normally expressionless face before returning to cleaning her crossbow, checking the wood for cracks and chips that could prove deadly to her accuracy later on. Sweetie Belle shook hooves tiredly with the Changeling before stepping out of the ring to grab a quick drink. She had fought each one of her teammates at least once today, as she had every day, and most of them were in agreement as to how she was improving rapidly. The only one that she had not yet fought was Night Light, and that was because he was apparently off on business. He had been released from care last week, and had stopped by briefly to meet the team he was working with before he had been sent off to be debriefed by Grapevine, the Head of Intelligence for Twilight Sparkle’s forces.

She watched halfheartedly as Scootaloo and Birchwood squared off against each other, shouting encouragement that she paid no attention to as her mind began to turn over the various facets of the plan. It seemed simple enough, but she knew better at this point. Going to Trottingham had seemed simple, and so too had that meeting by the fountain. Chrysalis had told her that if something seemed simple, that was because somepony, somewhere, was taking advantage of somepony else. And if the situation seemed to benefit you, then the odds were good it was you that was being taken advantage of. So she asked herself what exactly made her uneasy, and found that she knew the answer already. It was Twilight Sparkle. She was smart, smarter than all of them, and Sweetie Belle had seen that Twilight was unafraid to use that intelligence to further the ends of the Ever Free. She had been told what was apparently happening to the Element, but she had the feeling that Twilight was playing another game entirely, one that she knew nothing about. Of course, there was nothing to prove her suspicions, simply a feeling. But truth was being concealed from her, and so she chafed at her lack of knowledge.

“Your head is in the sky, Sweetie Belle.” a low voice intoned, causing her to jump. Sweetie Belle turned over her shoulder, seeing that Mahtaram had used her remarkable stealth to sneak up on her. Again. The Gryphon held a cup of water in one claw, but she paid it no mind, eyes watching each movement of the fight in front of her. “You are uneasy, and something is bothering you.”

Sweetie Belle had once asked the Gryphon how she knew what she did, to which Mahtaram had smiled and informed her that she needed only to look to her own body and have sharp eyes to perceive her thoughts. She had never gotten used to the fact that Mahtaram was able to read her mood by using her own body language. She had even challenged her to read her mood as she shifted her body postures like Chrysalis had taught her, forcing herself to feel happy, angry, and worried while her body threw signals in the exact opposite direction. The golden gaze of the Gryphon had peeled her apart like an onion. So she knew it would be no use lying to the avian after her curiosity had been piqued.

“I’m having doubts that Twilight Sparkle is telling us the entire truth about this mission. There’s something else at work here, something bigger than this. She’s working another angle, laying out another plan. I know her well, at least I did, and I can tell you that she never had just one project going, never just one focus. That’s how she knows as much as she does. And it bothers me to not know the truth, the whole truth. I can’t put my trust in Twilight Sparkle until I know what she has planned, beginning to end.”

The Gryphon growled deep in her throat, an alarming sound that was actually a mark of approval or respect towards a peer. She shifted closer, and if she were not a Gryphon, Sweetie Belle suspected that she might have laid a friendly wing over her. That gesture implied ownership in Gryphon culture, however, and so the wing remained where it was. “Tell me, Sweetie Belle, what do you know of the Oligarchy?”

Sweetie Belle knew very little about the Oligarchy. “It’s ruled by five Kings, each of which maintains a tribe of separate Gryphons. They are divided into caste systems, ranging from farmers to merchants to soldiers and others. Its primary territory consists of the mountains, deserts, and highlands to the south until it reaches the Sea of Ahbi. Though your territory has shrunk consistently since the Celestial Wars and the beginning of the Solar Era, the Oligarchy was once the primary economic and military power past the river that runs from Canterlot past the Regia.”

Mahtaram growled again. “Good. Though you do not know much, what you do know is untainted with bias. Commendable. I ask you this because I wish you to understand why I place my trust in Hanoomeh Sparkle.

My entire life was one of hardship. Though I am technically a Shahzaneh, a Princess in your tongue, we of the noble caste take our duties to our subjects much more seriously than your nobles do. I grew up with nothing, helping in the fields we work and the fishing boats we maintain. My family abandoned me for a decade to wander in Ashtar Sharestan, living as a beggar in service to others. I nearly died of starvation, and it was only from a sense of duty that others kept me alive. When my rite of passage was over, I was welcomed warmly into my father’s house, and I began to learn the ways of the Court.

We are a proud race, Sweetie Belle. The Kingdoms do not often mingle, not because of animosity, but because we value self-reliance and closeness of community over almost all else. It is for the continued benefit of the Kingdoms that the Oligarchy was formed. The Court is a dangerous place for young Gryphons like I was because it is very easy to give offense, sometimes fatal offense. So, to keep the peace, we are instructed in etiquette, known as Ta’Rof in our tongue. It covers a great many things, from mannerisms to proper greetings to the giving of gifts. But what it teaches you, above all, is to avoid offense. How to avoid offending others, and how to avoid showing that you are offended. From a very early age, hardly more than half-grown hatchlings, we are taught how to lie, and well.”

“Sounds complicated.” Sweetie Belle said, as Birchwood picked up Scootaloo bodily and slammed her into the mat.

Mahtaram must have been in a good mood that day, because her mouth twitched once more. “Indeed.” she said, before draining her glass of water. “Not only do we know how to lie, so does every other Gryphon at the court. Indeed, many of the other castes practice the tradition as well. So in a conversation, we may lie to another Gryphon, who knows that we are lying, but feels that it would be rude to point it out. So they in turn will lie to you, although you know that they are offended and believe you are lying, which would call for you to be offended, so you must act like you are offended at their implication you are lying and are attempting to hide it, even though you both know that you are lying. Both parties can, in fact, lie for the entirety of a conversation and walk away as if they had never suspected the other party of telling a falsehood.”

Sweetie Belle turned to look at her teammate. “I apologize if this seems rude, but that is the single most ridiculous thing that I have ever heard.”

Mahtaram’s feathers stood on end in shock before she realized that Sweetie Belle was poking fun at her. “It is important that we know this. To insult the honor of a Gryphon openly is to potentially invite death. Ta’Rof helps us avoid this. By keeping the air clouded with feigned compliments and politeness, we are always left wondering if a perceived slight was meant or not, thus preventing unnecessary bloodshed. It would be too direct.”

“But what does this have to do with me?” Sweetie Belle asked.

“Sweetie Belle, I have learned that total honesty can lead only to disaster, regardless of what you have been taught. All sentient things lie on occasion. Nothing is meant by it, that is simply how things go. Twilight Sparkle has not been entirely truthful with anyone here, Pony, Gryphon, Changeling, or otherwise. But I can tell that she cares for us all, and wants us to succeed. She aches for peace, and each time she orders a life to be taken it causes her great pain. Had she her way, your Lady would simply live alone, in peace. But she chooses to defend us all, and so we must do the same for her. Of course Twilight Sparkle is lying to you. But that is no reason for you not to trust her.”

It was at this point that the doors to the training room were cracked open. A messenger strode through, and was intercepted by Glimmer. She murmured thanks as he walked away, before turning to her teammates.

“Twilight Sparkle wishes to speak to us all.” she said calmly. “We are discussing the final plan.”

The study they were using was in the old Astronomy tower, a drafty old place that was rarely used, and scheduled for repair by Pegasi crews come spring. However, one room in the Tower had been refurbished, the walls sealed tightly and the room clear of dust and debris. It consisted of a simple bookshelf, one small table, and a few chairs. There was no distinguishing mark on the door, no window from which light could escape, and no air vent from which conversations could be overheard. In short, it was the perfect place to discuss things which nopony had business knowing.

“Firstly, I’d like to commend you all on your progress here.” Twilight Sparkle said, looking at each of them in turn. “You are coming together as a team and determining your roles nicely. I apologize for keeping Night Light away from you all, but your week in Manehatten should allow for your team to mesh again without too much trouble. Next, we will be going over some of the finer details of the plan, including your route to Manehatten. I’ve just received the final piece of our puzzle, and you are finding it out at the same time as I am.”

She laid a small scroll on the table, sealed with Celestia’s signature official business insignia, a golden sunburst. Breaking the seal and unfurling the scroll, she read over its contents. “Greetings and felicitations from Her Solar Majesty, Princess Celestia Aetheria ex Equestria. You are receiving this scroll because of your confirmed attendance at this year’s Winter Gala, as always held in honor of my sister, Her Serene Majesty Princess Luna Aetheria ex Equestria. Though her continued poor health keeps her bedridden, she has expressed her desire to continue her traditional dance, held as per usual on the Winter Solstice of this year. This missive has been sent to inform you of the theme and dress for this year, which is…” Twilight trailed off. “Oh, you’ve got to be kidding me.”

Mahtaram, sitting by Twilight Sparkle and able to see the next words with little difficulty, continued. “A chess motif, while the dress shall be traditional bridle and tack. An exotic style of dress inspired by the Quilin, bridle and tack dress focuses on highlighting the beauty of the physical form, drawing attention to what is not being worn while being tasteful enough to appreciate what is being worn…” She made a face. “That’s unusual.”

Sweetie Belle fought back a blush. Bridle and tack! At a royal event? What could have inspired Celestia to allow such a taboo set to be worn at an official function? The sensual association with bridle and tack dated back to ancient times, back when Celestia and Luna had first started their nation. That gear was worn by personal attendants to the Princesses themselves, who had been rumored in old stories to engage in some fairly lewd acts with their most faithful of servants, such debauchery as to become the stuff of legends. The so-called clothing had fallen out of style with the establishment of the old Capitol and the advent of real clothing, worn only at formal events. Several hundred years later, ponies had been most perturbed to find that the then newly discovered Quilin wore such dress as part of their daily garb. And she would have to wear it in public. She felt her face flush as she realized Scootaloo was speaking.

“…expect me to wear that? In front of Canterlot upper crust? What in Tartarus is Celestia playing at?” the Pegasus said, her voice boiling with ill-contained scorn and humiliation, her wings buzzing furiously.

Twilight and Mahtaram were apparently the only two not flustered, and it was Twilight who was assuaging Scootaloo’s doubts. “It’s a fairly clever move on Celestia’s part to ensure that nopony is able to smuggle in weapons. Where would you be able to hide them? The good news is that we are just a bit smarter than she is this time. Though you’ll be wearing…that…most of your tools will be disguised as accessories, and your weapons will be smuggled into the castle ahead of time.”

Sweetie Belle raised a hoof. “What exactly do you mean, tools?”

Twilight smiled at her, laying a wooden box on the table. “Please, see for yourself.” she said, and unclasped the container, displaying its contents for all to see.

There was a gasp from the table. The box was filled with precious stones and jewels, beautiful chains of silver and gold, and mane clasps in jade, turquoise, and onyx. Sweetie Belle saw a set of chopsticks used to hold a bun laying in one corner, and a hoof ring that glimmered with a single ruby in another. Each piece was labeled with a name and arranged in groups. Sweetie was pleased to see that the beautiful ebony chopsticks were for her, as well as a shimmering necklace of diamonds and a set of jet black earrings.

“There are dossiers concerning the properties of your accessories in your rooms, and you should look over each of them. Your, ah, gear…will be delivered to you in Manehatten, after you have left here to receive measurements. Obviously the contents of this box are not what they seem. For example, Sweetie Belle’s earrings will, with a small spark of properly applied magic, put most latent magic systems right to sleep, as well as confusing and obfuscating the wards placed around Luna’s cell. The chopsticks are far stronger than they look, ideal for stabbing, and they can be broken apart to access a length of garrote wire. The diamonds explode. Quite violently, actually.”

The assembled ponies eyed the items with new respect. Twilight continued. “Now, we were originally going to have you go through Trottingham to get to Manehatten, but in light of recent events, we no longer believe that to be a viable option. So, you’ll be going along a longer route. We have a small airship that will drop you in Red Rock Junction, and from there you’ll be taking an express train north to Manehatten. Most every train from Northern to Southern Equestria passes through Red Rock, so you can lose yourselves in the crowd and make your way back to a friendly city like Hoofington or Los Pegasus if you need to disappear.”

“Should we be expecting problems, Lady Twilight?” Birchwood asked.

Twilight laughed. “No, we don’t expect any problems from Red Rock. Things should be relatively easy there.”

The Captain of Garrison for Red Rock Junction, a Regular by the name of Stalwart Spear, was reviewing the record of the pony standing in front of his desk. She had recently been assigned to the 418th Infantry Division, commonly known as the Rough Riders. Though she did not have much of a record as an enlisted pony, her commanding officers had spoken very highly of her in training, and she had demonstrated remarkable ability in her aptitude tests. Though she had only arrived two months ago, she had already come to the attention of several of her superiors, and it was apparent to the experienced officer that she would go far in the Regulars. She could probably make it in the Guard if she tried. Which made her perfect for this assignment.

“Legionaria Applebloom, you may stand at ease.” he said, casting an appraising eye over her. Her uniform was freshly pressed and immaculate, though he knew for a fact that she had just come in from a patrol out in the desert. He could smell the sand on her. “Do you know why I called you in here?”

“Sir, I have no idea. Have I done something to earn reprimand, sir?” she asked.

“Nothing of that sort, Legionaria. You have been distinguishing yourself among your peers. Your sergeants and officers have very good things to say about you, and you have been recommended for a special posting, a rather short one.” he replied, making eye contact with her. “Now, I want you to know that this recommendation does not only come from me, or any part of your chain of command below me. This comes from Canterlot. Which, funnily enough, is where you will be posted if you accept this assignment. And by accept, I mean to say that I will be giving an offer to refuse this assignment, which you will ignore. Understood?”

“Yes, sir.” she said, straightening a little.

“Good. You have been selected as a candidate for a temporarily formed group under the direct command of Princess Celestia herself. This is a full regiment comprised of ponies from all over Equestria, and has been given the tentative title of ‘Equestrian Guard’. You will be reassigned to this unit for a grand total of one month before it is decided whether or not the group is disbanded. You will be representing the Rough Riders, as well as acting as a representative of the town of Ponyville. As such, you will comport yourself with poise and decorum when required, and exercise the same competence you have over these past months. Do you understand?”

“Yes, sir.” Applebloom replied.

Stalwart Spear opened the file, ready to sign off on the paperwork. “Now, because I must ask. Do you wish to not be included in this regiment?”

The answer was crisp and concise. “No, sir.”

A signature was scratched, a stamp applied. The folder was closed. “Very well, Legionaria. You leave tomorrow at 0650 hours from Platform Six. The troop transport train. Dismissed!”

Applebloom pivoted smartly, clicking her hooves together, and took measured paces to the door. It closed behind her, and the office of the Garrison Captain was silent once more.

Twilight smiled fondly as the door to the meeting room closed. It looked as if every member of the group would perform admirably. She made a mental note to personally check their escape craft before it was sent out the next day. Sensing a magical disturbance at her door, she gently applied telekinesis to the thick oaken slab, swinging it open. “Come!” she called.

Radiant Zenith strode in, fresh from the forest. “Well, I have good news and bad news.” she said, closing the door behind her. “Which would you like first?”

“Give me the bad first.” Twilight said, packing the jewels away and rolling up the scroll.

“Very well. The bad news is that I will not be able to Break the spell Celestia has applied to Honesty as easily as I did to Kindness and Laughter. Not without risking her discovery of the whole thing. Which would bode ill for our plans.”

“And the good?”

“I think I know how I can bring Rarity into the fold. At that point, it’s four Wielders to one Bearer. And all you need then is to tip the Wielders to your cause.”

Twilight was lost in thought. It had been two weeks since her onetime friends had reconvened in Zecora’s hut, and Fluttershy had Broken her Element, allowing the true power of Kindness to flow unchecked for the first time in a millennium. She could no longer be called a Bearer of an Element. Instead, the timid little Pegasus was a Wielder of the Power of Kindness, a Champion of Harmony. Gradually, she was tipping the scales in her favor. But Pinkie Pie was too flighty, and Fluttershy was, well…Fluttershy. Neither would want to fight. But Applejack and Rarity could be warriors, if needed.

“Very well, how would you bring Rarity into the Ever Free?”

“Simple. Use her sister.” Radiant Zenith said.

“And how do you propose I do that?” Twilight asked.

“I think you know that already. It’s the social event of the season. If the Bearer was not there, it would be social suicide. At this point, it would be an ideal time for Sweetie Belle to make a move on Rarity.”

Twilight shook her head. “No way. That mare knows more than I’m comfortable with already. If she found out what I was doing to ponies she knew, how I was threatening and manipulating them, then she would turn on me. And neither of us can afford that.”

Radiant Zenith smiled. “I think we can make it work. I would have to assemble the Council, call a meeting with a few important ponies. She wants truth, Twilight Sparkle. We can give her the whole truth. But here, in the Regia, we control exactly how that truth is presented. Believe you me, with the right pressure, Sweetie Belle will bring us her sister. And she will be happy to do so.”

There was a beat of silence from Twilight. And then, “Very well. Call the Council to order. If you say we can make it work, then we will make it work.”

Radiant Zenith bowed her head. “Lady. It shall be done.”

A Play Revealed

Sweetie Belle was being beaten, and soundly. It was her twenty-eighth day of training, and she was almost competent enough to hold her own against Mahtaram. Almost. Of course, that was assuming that she was only attempting to escape the Gryphon as opposed to actually fighting her. Her teammate was currently wearing a weighted vest, with both her front and back claws wrapped in several layers of sturdy fabric so as to avoid accidentally eviscerating her. Even though she was handicapped, the Gryphon was still a far more fearsome fighter than Sweetie Belle could hope to outmatch.

Every blow was avoided, every block made no difference, and Mahtaram was accommodating Sweetie Belle, slowing down her responses and pulling her punches. It made no difference, though. Mahtaram was simply built to fight, and fight she did. She fought with economy, efficiency, and decisiveness. Sweetie Belle attempted to exploit an opening, landing on the Gryphon’s back as she attempted to grapple her into submission. A quick twist and setting of claws later, and it was Sweetie Belle who went flying through the air to land in an unceremonious heap on the ground. Mahtaram waited patiently, tail twitching like that of a cat as she got back up, and Sweetie Belle had the very uncomfortable feeling that she was being played with. Gritting her teeth, she swung one hoof at her, and then another, setting into a kick that could break bones if it connected. As her hooves shot out, however, the Gryphon leapt over the kick, landing in front of the unicorn and slapping her upside the head contemptuously.

The unicorn sprawled out on the mat before attempting to get up, only to be stopped by a claw applying casual pressure onto the back of her head, just enough to let her know that she should stay down. She complied, as Mahtaram waited for her to tap out. She dutifully did so, knowing that her teammate could have ended the match at any time. Since the day she had talked with the Gryphon, Sweetie Belle had gotten to know her a little better. Underneath her admittedly cold exterior was a reservoir of passion and fierce loyalty that made her into an excellent warrior. She also exhibited compassion in some measure, and she was truly generous. But she was also a rigid model of self-control, and Sweetie Belle could tell why by the way she fought.

Mahtaram could be cruel, and cunning like one of the great cats she shared blood with. She was well versed in deceit and lies, and she never let her guard down totally, and certainly not for any significant length of time. She was, in short, a warrior. Not a soldier, and not a Paladin like those great heroes of old. No, Mahtaram, and indeed all Gryphons, were berserkers that enforced themselves by refusing to be anything other than perfect. Sweetie Belle shuddered to think what it might be like to face a Gryphon who had lost that self-control, or even one who had simply decided she was a threat and needed dealt with.

Before she could continue that train of thought, however, the doors to the training room were opened. Her heart soared to see the familiar form of Night Light trot through the portal, looking hale and hearty. The door swung closed behind him, and his eyes sparkled as he took in his fellow operatives.

“Well, it looks like you’ve all been working hard!” he said, glancing around the room. “I’m here to see how you’ve all been coming along. Sorry I haven’t been back, they needed me over in Manehatten to set up the place where we’ll be staying over the next few days.”

Mahtaram lowered her head ever so slightly, an indicator of respect. “Night Light. We have been engaging in combat training. Sweetie Belle and I have just finished a match, if you care to step into the ring.”

Night Light placed a hoof to his chin. “Well, I’m not sure…”

“Come on, old-timer!” Scootaloo whooped, bounding up to the edge of the ring and gazing at him scornfully. “Or are you soft after that time in hospital?”

Night Light chuckled at this. “I’ve not lost a step, and I’m still young enough to beat you, impudent filly.”

Scootaloo snorted. “I don’t believe it. Heck, I think you’d have difficulty taking on Sweetie Belle!” she said.

Sweetie Belle took a step back at this. “Now hold on, I never agreed to…”

Birchwood jumped to her hooves. “Brilliant! Every one of us here has fought, except for Sweetie Belle and Night Light! Let’s see it!”

Glimmer nodded, a smile on her face. “We should be able to assess the weaknesses of each member on our team. And if anypony can analyze others on the fly, it’d be Sweetie Belle. Let us see who comes out on top!”

Night Light’s eyes glimmered with amusement as he looked at Sweetie Belle. “I’m game if they are.” he said.

Sweetie Belle sighed. “How many of you want us to fight?” she asked.

Every hoof shot up, as well as one burlap-wrapped claw. Night Light smiled as he stepped into the ring, facing Sweetie Belle. “I suppose that settles it, then. Are you willing?”

Sweetie Belle’s eyes swept over him, as she assessed his weaknesses and hers at once. She was a bit tired after her sparring match with Mahtaram, but she would likely be tired at the Gala as well. And she wasn’t sure of it, but she thought she might be able to beat him. She came to a conclusion.

“I’m always up for a challenge.” she said, injecting a bit of confidence into her tone.

His hooves shifted into a ready stance, his head lowered a bit. “Alright then. Let’s get it started.”

The two began to circle one another cautiously, looking for an opening. Sweetie Belle’s mind was picking him apart even as he did the same to her. He was cautious, yes, but also too direct. He didn’t want to consider her an easy challenge, but he was also overconfident. His chest rose and fell evenly, so she would be unable to exploit his wound. The wings would be sensitive, and Sweetie Belle noticed that he tended to prefer leading with his left side. She switched her stances around, and he followed suit. His movements were less sure, then. So she could attack from the right. The circle tightened.

She threw out an experimental hoof. It was easily blocked, but the action itself gave her more information. He had studied the same martial arts Scootaloo had, which focused more on ending fights quickly with a few short blows. His foreleg was a bit stiff, possibly from an old injury. It was on his right side as well, another weakness to exploit if possible. Her eyes met his, green to blue. She came up with a plan.

She saw how it would play out. First, she would pretend to stumble a bit, enough to draw him into an obvious feint towards his left side. He’d ignore it, setting in for an attack on his right. She’d follow through with her movement, however, and hit him on his good side. One blow to the head and a roll to the right. Dazed, he would attempt to ward her off with a jab. At this point, she could move around the blow and land on his back. Once she had access to his wings, it would be all over. She stepped once, twice, her next hoof dragged along the ground…

“Sweetie Belle!” a voice shouted from behind her. Her head whipped around to see Twilight Sparkle standing in the doorway. Everypony in the room stood straighter at the sight of their leader. “I hate to interrupt, but I must have a word with you.”

Sweetie Belle’s shoulders sagged. Abandoning the ring, she followed Twilight Sparkle out of the room, giving a farewell to her teammates before the door closed behind her. Her mouth opened to inquire as to their destination, but a look from Twilight Sparkle was all that was necessary to convey a desire for silence. And so, the two unicorns traveled through the castle without a word spoke. From the training room, they took a flight of spiral stairs that Sweetie Belle had not noticed before, ones that seemed to spiral onwards and upwards without end. No doors branched off of either side, no windows were available to tell her how long she had been climbing for, and the walls were of bare, featureless stone. Eventually, the interminable stairs came to an end, and Sweetie Belle and Twilight Sparkle stood before a simple door, made of some grey metal.

“I’m going to be upfront with you.” Twilight said, looking her straight in the eyes. “The ponies in this room have not been gathered in the same place since I started this rebellion years ago. But you are considered important enough that we have convened again, to answer any questions you have. And you will have some, by the time we’re done.”

Sweetie Belle was confused. “But what are you going to tell me?”

Twilight Sparkle shuddered. “I’ve been working on plans other than what you have been training for, Sweetie Belle. And they’ve been kept secret. But this one is one that you should know about.” And with that, she pushed open the door, revealing a room Sweetie Belle had seen only once before, in pictures.

The room contained nothing but a wooden table and some chairs. Sweetie Belle noticed one at the head of the table, obviously for Twilight, and one closer to the door for her. Arranged around that table was every major and prominent member of the Ever Free, all of them waiting on her. There was Silent Shield and Golden Radiance, both of whom looked at her with a slight glimmer of recognition. There was Radiant Zenith, sitting at the right hoof of Twilight Sparkle, and directly down the table from her sat The Ever Free Fighter’s Marshal, Iron Oak. A slim, athletic Pegasus by the name of Nightshade regarded her with cold eyes, sitting next to the Condottiero, Tarantella Allegretta. Spike was curled in one corner of the room, his bulk taking up most of the empty space. Sweetie Belle could see the trapdoor he would have used to get in and out. A coal black Pegasus, Grapevine, sat closest to her. Also at the table were a hulking Minotaur, pitch black, as well as a Gryphon with feathers of steely grey and dark gold. All of them were looking at her, and the door swung shut behind her. Sweetie Belle took her seat, feeling very small indeed.

Twilight cleared her throat. “Sweetie Belle, the ones you see in front of you are the only ones who know the full extent of my plans. What you are about to hear will not leave this room. Is that understood?”

Sweetie Belle nodded. Twilight continued.

“You know most of the ponies in here, but I am afraid you don’t know the representatives of the other races in here as well. The Minotaur’s name is Vladek Foecrusher, and he is a diplomat from the Minotaur Khanate. And the Gryphon’s name is Vagadar az Gavipashnepah, one of the first Gryphons I met and representative of his King.”

Sweetie Belle bowed in turn to each of them as they returned the courtesy. “Why have you all gathered here?”

“Because we believe you need to hear the truth before you continue further. It was unanimous.” Golden Radiance said. “We are about truth, Sweetie Belle, and though you have been told the truth, you haven’t been told all of it.”

Twilight nodded. “What you are about to hear may shock you. But until I have finished explaining myself, I would ask you to remain silent. And just so you understand how serious this is, at the end, you will be offered a choice. You can choose to stay, having sworn loyalty to me and therefore to the Ever Free, or you can go home. Because our lives now hinge on your approval, I will be the pony personally escorting you to Princess Celestia, to be taken home.”

Sweetie Belle felt the breath leave her chest as she realized exactly what that meant. What she was about to hear was so sensitive and so important that if she was unwilling to serve Twilight after it, she would be damning the entire Ever Free. She was aware of each set of eyes at the table dissecting her, watching her reaction as Twilight continued.

“Firstly, I would like to inform you that while I have been unable to get anypony close enough to contact your sister, I can assure you that she is doing as well as can be expected for somepony in her position. She hasn’t stopped looking for you. Not once. She loves you very much, and nothing will change that. She is working with the Princess and Rainbow Dash to find you, and we’ve had to pull some ponies out of Trottingham and Hoofington due to searches there. But I have not been able to get a message to her assuring her of your safety.

That is not to say that I have not been in contact with several other Elements of Harmony. Applejack, Pinkie Pie, and Fluttershy have all entered into talks with my agents, and with the exception of Applejack, I have managed to free them from the holds Celestia has placed upon them. How will be explained why in a moment.

Additionally, we have located Applebloom. She has been pulled from her unit in the Regulars, and folded into an entirely new organization under the personal command of Princess Celestia herself. None of this has been confirmed, but we believe that it is to be made up of outstanding young recruits with little to no experience in the service. They are to be molded by Celestia and Cadance’s potent control of mental magic into the ultimate fighting force, to be used against us in Celestia’s final push. They will fight without fear, without hesitation…and without mercy. She plans on using this new group, known as the Equestrian Guard, to enforce her rule without using the chain of command she currently uses. A group of perfectly loyal soldiers under her direct command. They will be the match of any group we send at them if left alone for too long, which is why we are striking now.”

Radiant Zenith took the reins. “Now, what I have done with Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie is released the magic in their Elements. The Elements of Laughter and Kindness have been destroyed, and now their Power is free and unchecked. This has broken the ties generated by the Elements to Celestia, and so those two have been freed from her control. We now consider them both powerful neutral parties. Applejack is going to be freed next week, while you are away in Canterlot. It will be on the eve of the Gala, actually. The only unfortunate part of Breaking the Elements in such a fashion is the trauma that must be dealt in order to loosen the ties to their Elements without Celestia knowing.”

Sweetie Belle thought about that. While she wasn’t happy with the knowledge of ponies she knew being traumatized at Twilight Sparkle’s command, she understood the necessity. But what did this have to do with her?

Radiant Zenith continued. “We have freed Pinkie Pie by playing on her sense of curiosity. We introduced an old friend you know, my apprentice Zecora, and hinted at knowing more than she did. Pinkie’s natural curiosity served to loosen her ties to the Element, which discourages that sort of thinking. A quick and powerful burst of my magic was enough to shatter the ties Binding it to Celestia, and now Pinkie Pie wields her power freely. Fluttershy was slipped a powerful and subtle hallucinogen before she was escorted to the Forest by her friends. Her naturally timid nature was helped along by the drug, and she was jumping at shadows by the time she arrived. It was easy to free her then, and she was given an antidote. Her friends were…not pleased.”

Sweetie Belle noticed that though Twilight’s face was supposed to be impassive, the unicorn was actually uneasy at the mention of what had been done to the unfortunate Pegasus. Sweetie Belle looked further, noting other signs of discomfort as Radiant Zenith continued.

“Applejack is more difficult to separate. Her Element, Honesty, is strongly Bound to Celestia. Perhaps the only one more close is Loyalty. As such, she will require more prompting from us. The plan is to abduct her foal on her way back from her last day of school before the break they observe for winter. Applejack’s anger will be strong enough to Break her ties to her Element with little prompting, and at the end her foal will be returned, unharmed and asleep by way of a simple spell. It is Twilight’s desire that she be the one to return her foal.”

Twilight nodded. “Applejack has stated that she would not forgive an intrusion upon her family, which I believe. However, I also believe that I can then convince her to support our cause.”

Sweetie Belle found it hard to believe that Twilight Sparkle would sanction the foalnapping of a small filly. However, she knew that Twilight Sparkle was forced to do far worse to maintain the Ever Free. And she would return the foal unharmed at the end. Still, this was not sitting well with her at all.

Twilight Sparkle continued. “The reason we are Breaking the Elements now is that until recently the Elements were at full strength. Their rate of decay is mirroring that of my Element, and so their hold is weakening. Until recently, we had planned to quietly incapacitate the Elements by means of agents close to them. Non-lethally if possible, but if what was needed was a death, then I was going to agree for it to be sanctioned. Two of our soldiers were captured, and a message was delivered. They wanted to contact me. After I found out that I would no longer have to give that order, that they were willing to ally themselves with me…it was the happiest I had been in literal years.

Until we found that the Elements were breaking themselves free, we had always assumed that they would need fighting, and we were prepared to meet them in open combat after your operation was complete. However, we still have two problems. Rainbow Dash and Rarity have been spending too much time near the Princess. And if they are allied with her after you return from your operation, I will be forced to order our agents to strike.”

Twilight took a shuddering breath, and Sweetie Belle did not need her training to see that the unicorn was very nearly in tears at the thought of ordering her friends killed. Spike growled, a low and comforting sound, and Twilight pulled herself back together. She continued.

“Rainbow Dash is still in Trottingham, leading a search for you. She’s been given full command of the garrison there, and…it’s bad. Very bad. I’m not discussing anything happening there. But Rarity can still be reached, and we think that she might be able to be freed still. Now, I cannot contact her, and none of our agents can get close enough. Except for you. Rarity has been confirmed as an attendee to the Winter Gala, as a special guest of honor. We need you to bring her in.”

Sweetie Belle’s hooves shook as she realized that she was supposed to speak. “How would I…what would I do?”

Twilight spoke again. “Get her to follow Scootaloo and Glimmer out of the Gala, into the aqueduct entrance. She’ll meet you at the airship as you and Night Light bring Luna down.”

“And how would you…free her?”

Radiant Zenith cut in smoothly. “We believe the emotional trauma from her separation is a good start, but we need to cause more pain to free her. It will get worse for her before she gets better. Between yourself and Lady Twilight, you could inflict the required amount of emotional damage to separate her from her Element. We believe guilt could be an effective tool, if her psychological profile is anything to go by.”

Sweetie Belle nodded. “So, just to revisit what has been discussed so far. You’d like me to help you abduct my sister, bring her here, and cause her emotional pain so that she will forsake her ties to her Element. After hearing that you are planning on doing the same to Applejack and her foal. This is after you want me to free Princess Luna from beneath Canterlot and earn the wrath of Celestia, provoking open war between your group and hers, as opposed to the skirmishing going on now?”

Twilight winced. “Sweetie Belle…”

“No. Shut up, Twilight. I can’t believe you’d ask me to do this, after causing me so much pain, forcing me to abandon everything in support of you, you now want me to cause my sister, a pony I love, pain enough to cause her to forsake who she is?”

Golden Radiance spoke up. “We did not ask you to join us, child. You sought truth, and said that you would accept the consequences of your actions. You were told, time and again ,that you could leave, be taken to safety. The truth is ugly, Sweetie Belle. It always is. But what you need to understand is that war is unavoidable.”

Silent Shield nodded. “Grapevine’s efforts are commendable, but the fact is that we are moving towards a final confrontation. The Element of Magic is degrading, and soon Celestia will have a new one to wield against us. If she can do that, she will simply shackle the Elements to her once more, and open up an assault on the Everfree. We’ll lose badly.”

Sweetie Belle slammed a hoof on the table. “Freeing Luna will cause open war anyway!”

Twilight nodded. “But with Luna on our side, she might be able to halt the degradation of the Element of Magic. And we might stand a chance against Celestia if we have Unbound Elements on our side of the conflict. She might even think us enough of a threat to allow a peaceful secession from Equestria.”

Sweetie Belle laughed. “You really think that? Do you think that Celestia will just let you go? She won’t ever stop, Twilight. Not until one of you is thoroughly beaten. What I have an issue with is the methods you are using to prevent bloodshed. You are inspiring fear and chaos across Equestria, you’ve caused pain to those you care about, doesn’t any of that even register with you? Or are you such a cold, calculating leader that lives are just numbers to you?”

The table was silent, and everypony, including the Minotaur and Gryphon, leaned away from Twilight. Her eyes flashed, and Sweetie knew that she had misstepped.

“You think I don’t know the pain I cause? You coddled, comforted filly, you think that I don’t feel anymore? Ever since Luna gave me her magic to bear, I have done nothing but feel. Ask Tarantella how often I cry myself to sleep at night, how often I skip meals because the thought of what I am doing sickens me, about the time I bit clean through my lip to stop myself from crying out at the sight of those returning from the Whitetail.

It’s only by virtue of those around me that I do not go insane from grief, or rage, or fear. If I lose, I suffer the worst fate available to a mare. I will die a slow death through rape. But before that, Celestia will wipe my mind clean. Sometimes I wish she had, just so that I wouldn’t have to feel anymore! So don’t accuse me of callousness, because you do not know anguish as I do, or loss, or betrayal. I will say this only once, Sweetie Belle. Mind your tongue.”

Silence settled over the room, before Sweetie Belle took a deep breath and continued. “I apologize. That was rude of me. But you are asking a lot of me, and of Rarity. How will I convince her to follow me, and how can I look her in the eye after causing her that much pain?”

Twilight inhaled, exhaled. Her voice was soft and caring, much closer to the pony Sweetie Belle had known, all those years ago. “Ask yourself if she would follow you. I think she would. As for living with yourself after causing pain to others, well…I could help you both with that.”

The participants at the table held their breaths as Sweetie Belle considered that. A minute went by, then two. Not a sound was made, not an errant scrape of a chair or a cough was heard. Sweetie Belle’s eyes met Twilight Sparkle’s.

“I will help you, on one condition.”

Twilight’s shoulders slumped. “Name it, and I swear it will be yours, if it is in my power.”

Sweetie Belle nodded. “If, after the conflict is over, and you stand triumphant, if you are offered peace…take it. If Celestia agrees to stop the bloodshed, then do so. And above all, I want you to forgive all of your friends, even Rainbow Dash. Prove to me you still feel, Twilight Sparkle. Show mercy, and compassion, and love.”

Twilight smiled, a shaky thing, and one tear crept from the corner of her eye to splash against the hard wood of the table. “Agreed. By my Power, I will agree to that.”

Counter Plays

Canterlot gleamed on the side of its mountain, resplendent in the full noon light. It was the very height of Celestia’s power, and so too did the sun bring out the best of the city. Visible for leagues in every direction, the fortress city was a symbol of benevolent might, a daily reminder to those living within its shadow that they were under the rule of Princess Celestia, The Ruler of the Sun. And so long as they accepted her rule, she would protect them against Equestria’s enemies, as she had for centuries. After all, hadn’t she been the perfect ruler for as long as Equestria had existed? Was she not loving? Was she not kind? Did she not care for her subjects as they cared for her? Yes, Celestia was Equestria’s guardian spirit. To one and all, she offered protection, and in return, all she asked was that ponies did as she asked.

But those places that refused, those that attempted to cast her rule aside, were made acutely aware of what life was like without the blessing of the Sun. And several places had done so, at one time or another. Trottingham, Hoofington, Las Pegasus, Cloudsdale, and Detrot were notorious for their large subversive movements. And so, to maintain good order, Celestia’s troops had been deployed to each of these places. Arrests were made, curfews were implemented, and some semblance of normalcy reigned in most of these cities. But the largest of these, and the closest to the Everfree Forest, refused to submit. Trottingham was dangerous at the best of times, and deadly at the worst. And because of recent events in the city, things were getting worse. Much, much worse.

A group of students from the university near the edge of town had staged a peaceful protest, calling for the removal of soldiers from the city as well as the rollback of curfew times. It was disrupting city life, they said. Trottingham could police itself, why were soldiers needed as well? A group of Solar Guards had been keeping an eye on the protest when things got ugly. A stumble, a bump, and one of the students was tackled and arrested by overzealous Guards. The crowd which had gathered had turned into a mob. A fire was started, shops were burned down. Eighteen ponies were killed in the ensuing riots. None of them were soldiers. Three days later, a young Pegasus filly was running errands for her caretakers, who owned an inn. She refused to stop at a checkpoint and have her bags checked. A stunner spell was fired, and it hit her right as she was spreading her wings to take flight for the first time. She landed badly and broke her neck. It was later discovered that she was deaf. There was another riot. That time, an entire squadron of Regular soldiers were apprehended, beaten, and hanged in the town square by the populace before order could be restored.

And it was tenuous, even before the Element of Loyalty, Rainbow Dash, had arrived with nearly a thousand more Regular soldiers, taking control of the city garrison. That had provoked outright war in some places. Trottingham transformed itself overnight, its checkpoints doubling as the various gangs seized territory from loosely policed sections of the city. Their ranks swelled as disillusioned ponies sought a way to fight back against the oppression being levied upon them. Barricades were erected, hasty bastions formed to choke off vital streets. The city teetered on the brink of anarchy, but what worried most ponies wasn’t the fact that gangs had become stronger, or the reality of living in a police state. What worried the ponies of Trottingham, resident and soldier alike, was the fact that the Ever Free movement had not made a single move. In fact, it was as if they had disappeared entirely.

Of course, that wasn’t the case. The Ever Free were simply biding their time. Watching, waiting, like hungry wolves they sought an opening, looking for the perfect weakness to exploit. Days stretched into weeks as the question grew and grew inside the minds of everypony in Trottingham. Where were the Ever Free? Where would they strike? And most importantly, what were they planning?

The Crystal Center at Trottingham had not been so busy since its first opening, three years ago. Every cell was full, ponies double and triple bunking in shifts as the ranks of the assembled Ever Free Fighters swelled. The crystal was in use almost constantly, as ponies were brought into the ranks of the Ever Free to thunderous applause. As they were freed form Celestia’s rule, each pony was given a mission, and assigned to a new place somewhere in the city, to lay low until an appointed date. They were under no illusions as to the type of assignments they would be on, and most ponies had agreed to get their hooves dirty. But some were told to stay behind, ponies with certain skillsets to be assigned to the Ever Free’s biggest project yet, as well as its most secret.

“We just received eighteen more barrels of flash powder, and a crate of explosively charged crystal!” one of the clerks called to Lively Song as she nodded and noted the amount in her book. She was currently engaged in inventory, her head clerk currently taking a shift at operating the Crystal.

“Right, store them in the armory with the rest! Tell the chemists that they know what to do with them!” she called back, as another pony, this one a Pegasus, stepped forward.

“Four crates each containing fifty crossbows, and what we estimate to be about four thousand quarrels to go with! Adamantium heads!”

Lively Song nodded. “Anti-armor or anti-spellcaster?” she inquired.

The Pegasus grinned. “Anti-spellcaster.”

Lively chuckled. “Good. Into the armory!” The Pegasus snapped a salute and flew off to order the weapons into storage.

The last pony in line stepped forward. He saluted, speaking in the broad tones of a low-class Trottingham dweller. “Oi’ve got eight boxes sealed toight wiv a personal letter to th’ leadah of this Centah! To be read ‘afore openin’!”

Lively Song accepted the letter, tearing it open gently. She recognized the delicate writing of Twilight Sparkle on the front, and the single sheet of parchment was covered with a few scant lines of writing in the same style.

“Dearest Lively, I hope this missive finds you well. The boxes contain a gift for your followers, made by ponies here at the Regia. I found it to be a bit much, but the ponies here seem to like it quite a lot! At the very least, our ponies will be able to identify one another when the time comes. Please, enjoy them. Similar shipments are being sent to the other Centers, and my army here is adopting this as well. Now we look as united as we are!

Sincerely, Lady Twilight Sparkle, Leader of the Ever Free, Duchess of the Forest, etc.”

Lively smiled as she turned to the boxes now laid out on the ground before her. “Open them!” she called.

After a brief struggle, the boxes were opened, and the watching ponies cheered to see the contents. There before them were simple tunics, each with a careful tie made to cinch around the waist. The fabric itself was a deep purple, edged at the sides with white thread. On the chest was sewn a circle of white, and inside of that was a single six-pointed star in the rich red of the setting sun, with Luna’s black wings stretching to either side of the circle. There was a cry, and a pole was drawn from one of the boxes. Another expanse of fabric flowed behind it, and it fluttered open. The flag billowed proudly, and Lively Song felt a stirring in her heart as she gazed upon that regal banner. The Ever Free were rebels, she realized. They were saboteurs, and spies, and they slunk from shadow to shadow. Some part of her had chafed at that, far away from conscious thought or memory. Something about her had hated the running and the lying and the hiding, and now she had both the means and permission to become one thing more. She was going to become a revolutionary. She was going to lead those following her into one final conflict, under this banner, and she would be able to stand against tyranny.

Everypony in the catacombs stood up a little straighter as they received their uniforms. Were they soldiers? No. they were bakers, and masons, and chemists, turned rebel because they wished for freedom. And now, they were receiving a uniform, and the opportunity to prove themselves worthy of that cause. Were they soldiers? No. They were Ever Free. They were many, and they were growing, and before long Celestia herself would tremble at the sound of their hooves.

A shiver ran down Celestia’s spine as she waited in the caves beneath Canterlot, where the new recruits were being gathered. They truly were vast, the caves. After their recent rediscovery, many ponies had taken tours of the wide, rocky spaces. They had joked about how it would be easy to lose armies in those deep caverns. Little did they know that Celestia was in fact doing so, right now. At last, the final Regulars, Air Corps members, and Naval ponies had been gathered, No Guards had been selected, because they were few, needed elsewhere, and were quite frankly too set in their ways to react well to this kind of training. Numbering one thousand, the selected ponies, referred to as Legionnaires and Legionarias, stood at attention under the command of their also newly selected officers as Celestia approached the shelf of rock that she would be speaking from.

“Welcome to the ranks of the Equestrian Guard! You are reviving an ancient tradition by accepting this posting, one that stretches back to before the Celestial Wars. Over the next month, you will be put through a rigorous and demanding course of study in order to elevate you far above your fellow serviceponies. At the end, you will be the most feared fighting force in Equestria, assigned to my personal command. Make no mistake, if you perform well, this will not be a temporary posting. You will become the first brothers and sisters of a new service, one that will bear the banner of Equestria’s might for centuries to come!” Celestia spread her wings, light spilling from them as if to bring the sun’s light to the deeps of the world.

The light spread, and as it did so, it began to coalesce near the top of the cavern, forming a small sun that hung in the air and gave heat and light to those below. The ponies below her glanced around as their new surroundings were revealed. Low barracks of stone and crystal had been formed by some unknown power, and everything was laid out in the manner of a standard Regular camp. Celestia waited for them to settle down before resuming.

“This next month will be the hardest of your lives. But at the conclusion of your training, you will be far more than soldiers.”

Celestia exerted a small amount of will, and the very air seemed to warp in front of her, releasing a heavy piece of metal, which clattered to the ground. It was not the hardened bronze used by the guard, nor was it the dull grey used by the Regulars in combat. This metal was instead comprised of a curious golden hue, whorls and curls stretching lazily through the chestpiece, and giving the impression of clouds or mist.

“As my soldiers, you will be the only ponies to wear this. It is called aetherium, and in times past, it was worn only by my mightiest champions. This shall be your uniform while under my command. In plate such as this, you will be as gods on the battlefield. You will be an unstoppable force, striking down those who wish to do Equestria harm! You are the best young soldiers our land has to offer, and I will lead you into glory! You are the chosen! You are the few! You are my Equestrian Guard, and soon all of Equestria will know you as its greatest protectors!”

Celestia spread her wings wide as a cheer rose from the ranks below her. A brief nod served to galvanize the ponies beneath her into action, as recruits were broken up into their respective groups. Celestia turned to the pony beside her, who was concealed from view below. “Cadance, I believe that it would be most expedient to hasten the selection for our Chief Legionnaire. Would you be so good as to fetch Applebloom from below and bring her to me?”

Cadance nodded weakly, taking flight as she spiraled down to the assembled soldiers below. Celestia grinned to hear the panicked calls to attention as officers realized who exactly was flying down, followed by the soft sounds of Cadance’s voice requesting Applebloom. She waited patiently while the Earth pony was located. She noticed that Cadance’s flying was beginning to degrade. She supposed that it was not surprising, with the condition Shining Armor was in. Cadance was on a strict regimen of potions and nothing else, and it was close to time for her to complete her soulbind with Shining Armor. She had not slept last night, nor the night before. As it was, it was all she could do to ensure that the surrounding crystals had been supersaturated with the necessary emotion magic to ensure the desired result in her new Guard.

With a gentle pop, both Cadance and Applebloom appeared on the ledge. Celestia held up one hoof, forestalling the salute she knew was coming. “Please, remain at ease, Applebloom. It will expedite this much more easily.”

Applebloom’s hoof lowered, as she waited on permission to speak. Celestia continued. “Now, we have the officer’s chain of command set up for the Guard. But we’ve been taking a look at enlisted ponies to be promoted to non-commissioned officer positions. We will be approaching other ponies, but I can honestly say without bias that of all the profiles we have selected, yours stands out the furthest. As such, I am promoting you to the position of Chief Legionaria. You will act as an intermediary between myself and the enlisted ponies, as well as being in command of all enlisted activity. You are welcome to choose your own First Legionnaires to command at the division level from our pool of sergeants. And of course, you still answer to officers. Any questions?”

Applebloom shook her head. “Just one, ma’am. Will I still get to fight?”

Celestia smiled. “That’s the attitude I want from my Guard. Yes, Applebloom. You will fight. In fact, stay vigilant and do well here, and I’ll place you at the vanguard when we march. An enlisted leader, marching at my right side. How does that sound?”

Applebloom’s face remained impassive, but her heart sung with joy as she replied. “That’s all I ask, ma’am. And thank you.”

“You’re quite welcome, Chief Legionaria. I have a feeling that you’ll do well here. Very well indeed.”

Chessmaster's Lament

Sweetie Belle looked out over the shining city below her. Manehatten was a jewel in the Equestrian crown, a shimmering, gleaming city of glass and steel that seemed to claw at the sky even as it hummed with activity below. Trolleys ran the streets, and an underground railroad was being installed in order to cut down on traffic. The city sprawled out in all directions, and every square inch of ground that it claimed was filled to the tip top with life, not just on the ground but above it as well. As she watched, a Pegasus swooped by her balcony, waving cheerfully as he went about his business. She returned the gesture, watching as he folded his wings and dove towards the street below. It had been a long time since she had been able to just watch ponies like this, having spent the past month and a half either on the run or in hiding. A smile tugged at the corners of her mouth, even as the chilly December wind tugged at her mane.

“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” Night Light said from the door behind her. She turned her head, startled at his quiet approach. He chuckled, calmly walking to stand beside her. “Apologies. That’s a habit of mine, I’m afraid. After you spend enough time in this business, your work life and personal life tend to blur.”

“I’ve noticed.” Sweetie Belle said, taking in the view again. They had been told that they were staying in a safehouse. What they had not been told was that the safehouse was located in the city’s theater district, in a hotel that catered to such an exclusive clientele that it didn’t even bother to advertise itself as a hotel, relying on word of mouth alone.

“Really? Already? You’ve hardly been with the Ever Free for any length of time at all!” he said, as they both watched the fading light leave the city, which was even now lighting up in response.

“Well, I was training with Chrysalis for that entire month. Her lessons have a way of…sinking in.” Sweetie Belle replied. “And it really is more a matter of her training amplifying things I’m already good at.”

Night Light rested his chin on one hoof. His eyes found hers. “And what are you good at?”

That question meant a lot more to the two of them than it would to other ponies. Sweetie Belle was an unknown quantity. They had hardly spent any time together since she had joined, and during the operation they would both be expected to rely on each other without doubt or hesitation. Night Light needed more than the assurance of his peers to trust her like that. They were spies, after all. Trust was a valuable commodity. So, it was after thinking it over carefully that Sweetie Belle replied.

“Well, I think you know my skillset already. I’m competent in a fight, and at the risk of bragging, I think that you’d be hard pressed to find a pony who can imitate others as well as I can. And of course, there are the skills Chrysalis had me learn. How to extract secrets from others, how to earn trust, that sort of thing.”

Night Light was unimpressed. “That’s all well and good, but I’m asking you to prove what you know.”

“What did you have in mind?”

“There’s a ballroom inside. What say you give me a demonstration?”

Sweetie Belle looked at Night Light incredulously. “You want to fight me? Now?”

He shrugged. “We never did get to finish our practice match at the Regia. I’m sure the others would be willing to watch.”

Sweetie Belle turned, ready to begin. Oddly enough, she didn’t mind the prospect of a friendly contest with him now. In fact, the idea was exciting to her. Her hooves picked up as she led the way back indoors. “Well?” she called over her shoulder. “Are you coming?”

Night Light was right behind her as they re-entered the parlor they had just left. Mahtaram watched with detached interest as they strode through the wide open space, glancing up from her book. Scootaloo and Birchwood were engaged in a game of cards as Glimmer observed them from a nearby couch.

“Night Light and I are going to have our fight, if you care to watch.” Sweetie Belle said, as they turned down the hall towards the ballroom. There was a flurry of motion as the bored group of friends put down what they were doing immediately, following them through the door into the ballroom.

It wasn’t a very big one, but it certainly spoke to its own strengths. The floors were beautiful old pine, the chandelier exquisite crystal, the walls a rich red spaced with wide windows that took in the entire city at a glance. It was to the middle of the old dance floor that the pair proceeded, while their teammates stood by the doorway, watching to ensure that neither of them was hurt.

They faced each other across the wooden floor. Night Light, making light of the situation, bowed low to his partner. Sweetie Belle curtsied likewise, and without further preamble, the two began to circle, waiting for their openings.

The weaknesses they had noticed before had hardly changed. Night Light still favored one side and was slightly overconfident in his ability to handle her, and so there was no need to adjust her strategy accordingly. She took the lead, throwing out one hoof in a jab to test his defenses. Her blow was easily avoided, and he followed suit with a simple cross towards her jaw. She leaned back slightly, stumbling as she did so. He closed the distance with remarkable speed, seeking to press his advantage, but Sweetie Belle was ready for him. His real attack, a wicked hook, was easily caught, and she slammed her forehead into his, causing him to stagger back. She followed up with two quick jabs to the left side of his face, and culminated with a kick to Night Light’s foreleg, forcing it to buckle under the pressure.

Night Light made a grab for her, hooves twining around her chest with surprising dexterity as he lifted her off of her own hooves, rolling her to one side and coming down on top of her. Here he was able to use his greater weight to his advantage, as she curled up into a defensive ball, warding off his attacks. She was fading fast, and she knew it. A thought came unbidden to her mind, one of Chrysalis’s lessons. She decided that here, it just might work.

Lowering her hooves, she avoided one strike, and then another. Quicker than blinking, she closed the distance between her head and his, and before Night Light could react, her lips met his in a kiss. She felt him stiffen in shock, and suddenly he had lost control of the situation. Seizing her advantage, she twisted, burying one of her back hooves in his belly before managing to establish herself on top of him, trapping both of his hooves behind his back. She leaned into his wings, pinning the sensitive appendages behind his back as she waited for him to tap out. After a brief struggle, he went limp, and one of his hooves tapped twice. Letting him up and offering a hoof, she was keenly aware of the awestruck looks of her friends. She dreaded meeting Night Light’s gaze, fearing that she had crossed some sort of line. Nervously, she looked up, meeting his blue eyes with her own green.

He offered a hoof, his expression full of good cheer. “Well done, Sweetie Belle. A bit…unorthodox…but there’s nothing wrong with thinking outside the box. You deserved that victory.”

Sweetie Belle mumbled her thanks, blushing slightly as she did so. It was at that point that the bell rang, saving her from a situation that was rapidly devolving into something that she would rather not think about.

The bell had been ringing because of a courier, arrived from a design shop nearby. He had deposited a number of garment boxes at the doorstep, and as soon as they were signed for he was gone once more, the very model of discreet and professional service. As they closed the door, Sweetie Belle noticed that each box had a tag attached, with a name neatly written along its length. Four boxes in total were handed out, one for each pony attending.

Sweetie Belle gently removed the ribbon from her box, lifting the lid and setting it to one side as she took in the sight of her Gala outfit. While it wasn’t much to go by, she had to admit that what was available was excellent in quality and design. A lifetime of practically living with her sister had instilled an eye for design and aesthetics in her, and Sweetie Belle had to concede that she would look rather…striking in this.

The gear was largely in red, elegant ropes and drapes of crimson fabric that fell in perfect symmetry to one another. The fastenings were in rich gold, and Sweetie Belle saw that the designer had opted to use uncolored leather straps to bind the garment to her body, giving it an organic, natural feel. Three plates of metal were lying in the bottom of the box. She knew from experience that this particular design of bridle and tack was meant to “preserve modesty” by using intricately decorated plates to conceal the chest and flanks of the pony in question, while also ensuring that nothing was too chaste. True to the theme of the Gala, they had been etched with chess pieces. In this case, a pawn. She noticed that her teammates had each received a different piece. Night Light was currently attaching his knight piece to the front of his tack, and Scootaloo was copying him, affixing a rook to hers. Glimmer was examining the ropes on her own, but Sweetie Belle caught a glimpse of the bishop glinting on her silver plates.

As she watched, the snow white “Pegasus” furrowed her brow, concentrating. Slowly, her mane gained color, becoming a striking black. She bulked up considerably, as her shoulders broadened and her wings lost their delicate edge, becoming powerful and majestic. When she was finished, Glimmer’s teammates took in Scootaloo’s date to the Gala, an oddly attractive stallion.

Both Glimmer and Scootaloo flushed, Glimmer from the way everypony was staring at her, and Scootaloo because she realized that Glimmer could portray a rather handsome stallion, who would be escorting her to a high society function. Glimmer turned one hoof over in wonder.

“I’d forgotten what it was like to change into something that wasn’t me. This is definitely a new experience. How does it look?” she asked, her voice changed from its normal high tones into a smooth and low sound.

With nopony willing to answer the question, Mahtaram stepped in. “Well, I believe that you are rather attractive, by pony standards. And the reactions from our female teammates would appear to support my statement.”

Glimmer’s face lit up. “Really? So it looks good?”

“Good?” Birchwood said, a grin spreading across her face. “Scootaloo is a lucky mare, taking you to the Gala! I’m half tempted to see if she’d trade me places and watch the airship!”

Snapping out of her daze, Scootaloo laughed. “As if! Glimmer, I think I’d be the luckiest one at the Gala, with you at my side! It looks fantastic!”

The group of friends spent the rest of the night talking and laughing, discussing the Gala and almost forgetting that they were likely on a suicide mission. The issue of Sweetie Belle’s kiss was put aside as well, if only for a while. For one brief night, everything was right.

Almost.

Twilight Sparkle looked at the board in front of her. She had never forgotten the chess game Luna had laid out for her, in the landscape of her mind four years ago. She had played and replayed the same setup, a hundred times over. She had lost the queen every time. She had sacrificed pawns, rooks, knights, and bishops. She had decimated both armies, locked both sides into a stalemate, and lost and won in equal measures.

But this game was different. Each game piece was important, each had a cost far beyond what it was worth on the battlefield. She was playing chess with the lives of others. And each loss, on both sides, contributed to the loss of more than armies, or agents. It hurt the board they played on, as well. Already, projected casualties from the battle were expected to claim sixty percent of all committed ponies. The land would be scarred, and the ambient magic would likely affect weather patterns around whichever site was playing host to the conflict. She could ill-afford to lose, but she would not consider any victory that destroyed what she had built as a victory.

Her hoof nudged a bishop, which took a white pawn dutifully. A runner had been dispatched to inform her agent in Ponyville to proceed with the kidnapping of Honey Crisp, to be brought to an outpost deep in the Everfree for safekeeping. The filly wouldn’t remember a thing, thanks to the tranquilizer spell that would be used. And of course, her agent would be immediately discovered thanks to her actions. She would be recalled to the Regia, to be removed from play.

The black bishop was taken by a white knight. Applejack would be furious, of that there was no doubt. But Twilight was banking on her being willing to work with her, when she discovered exactly what was being done to her sister in Canterlot. With her support, Pinkie and Fluttershy would likely join her cause as well.

She contemplated a white rook and bishop threatening a group of pawns, nearing white’s edge of the board. She could see no way through without losing at least one pawn, besides the one that would be sacrificed to give her back the Black Queen. Rainbow and Rarity were still unknown quantities. Rarity might be flipped with some effort, and Twilight had the inklings of a plan forming in the back of her mind, a way Rainbow Dash might be convinced to at least become a neutral party.

And of course, there stood the White King. Celestia herself guarded the edge of the board, and indeed the white pieces were arrayed around her. She still had her queen, and Twilight knew that the first thing that would have to be done once Luna was rescued would be to neutralize Cadance. There was a plan for that, as well as one for her brother. Without his leadership, the Guard would not be able to fight as effectively.

Twilight picked up the Black King, twirling it in her hooves as she studied the board. Yes, sacrifices would have to be made, but she could come out victorious, if all went according to plan. But sacrifices would have to be made.

Face contorted in rage, Twilight swept the pieces from her board, hurling the Black King at a nearby wall. It hit a mirror, shattering the glass as she attempted to find her emotional center. She had never wanted this, never wanted a war, or to have run and hid like this. She hadn’t wanted ponies to fight and die for her. That wasn’t who she was. But what troubled her most was the fact that she was sitting here, calmly planning the death and distress of ponies that she knew and loved, or had loved once. Between her friends and her allies, she should have counted herself blessed. She should know what was right, and what was wrong. But she didn’t. Twilight Sparkle had never wanted to be a killer. But she had killed, and now a lot of killing needed done. For the good of her followers. For the good of Equestria. She caught sight of herself in one of the shards of glass. She hardly recognized herself. Was it for the good of Equestria, really? Or was it for her own good? What was she fighting for?

Rarity fought back a yawn as she made her daily reports to the Princess, who waited patiently on her throne. The search for her sister was in full swing still, and between her and Rainbow Dash, they’d find out where Sweetie Belle had gone.

“…and that’s all we’ve gotten from Trottingham. I’ve spoken with Moon Division and Dawn Division, and they believe that she may have been spotted in Red Rock a few days ago, but they weren’t sure. She was traveling in the company of several other ponies.”

Celestia nodded, taking in the mare in front of her. Rarity had hardly slept or eaten since her sister had disappeared into the Everfree. It was a credit to her that it hardly showed, and the telltale signs of exhaustion actually looked rather fetching on her. Her eyes were lined with the faintest of dark circles, her hair was ever so slightly out of place, and her voice was laden with a sleepy tone that was actually more appealing than anything else. But it showed in her actions how frantic and stressed she truly was. Her husband and adopted foal worried for her, and she had not even seen them in a week, though the family had temporarily taken up lodging in the castle to stay together. There was a breaking point for everypony, and Celestia realized that Rarity might just have reached her own.

“I’ll ask for that report to be forwarded to me. If my suspicions are correct, then Sweetie Belle is being used as part of some greater plan. She could be traveling with known agents, and if that’s the case, I can put out the word to look for them as well.”

Rarity nodded thoughtfully. “What would you like me to do?”

Celestia beamed at her. “Rarity, you are doing yourself no favors by pushing yourself as you have. You’ve eaten little and slept less. And you have a Gala to attend at my official request in one week. To be quite frank, you are not looking your best, which speaks to your state of worry. I am commanding you, as a Princess, to leave this quest until a new day dawns tomorrow.”

Rarity opened her mouth to protest, but Celestia cut her off. “I won’t have one of my Elements falling asleep on her hooves. Take time off, by my command. Who knows, perhaps giving yourself a rest will help you see the problem in a new light, or shed some new revelation on the whereabouts of your sister.”

So commanded, the Element of Generosity gave a shaky bow, and strode from the throne room. Her journey was not a long one, as she was staying in a nearby tower. Each servant was greeted warmly, and she even stopped to help one young filly balance a precarious stack of towels, watching fondly as she staggered away. Ascending the stairs to her small apartment, she noticed that her mail had been forwarded. Noting that her husband and colt were both out, she flicked through the small stack of envelopes idly. Among her usual correspondence was a letter from an old friend, an Earth pony who owned a boutique that made specialty clothing in the city of Manehatten.

“Dearest Rarity, I’m trembling as I write this. Of course we here at the boutique know of the awful struggle you are currently going through, and Velvet and I want you to know that we support you every step of the way. It is to this event that I write this letter. I sent it by express mail, quite simply because the news I have is extremely urgent. In fact, I have also sent one copy to our friends who work at Sun Division near the theater district.

As you know, we make some rather unusual clothing in my shop, among them bridle and tack. So we were pleasantly surprised when the theme for this year’s Gala turned out to be just that. We’ve gotten a lot of business as a result, and many ponies seem very interested in my designs. But I’m rambling. We received an order for four sets of bridle and tack to be delivered to a rather exclusive hotel in the theater district.

Velvet ran the order out there yesterday, and he dropped them off last evening. Now, he says he can’t be sure, but he thinks he saw a mare in the apartment that looks an awful lot like Sweetie Belle! I wasn’t going to bother you, but then I went back over the measurements given to us by the courier who arrived last week. I know you remember that ensemble I made for her last year, the one she wore to that high society fling with you. And wouldn’t you believe that they fit her almost exactly!

My dear, I can say with some surety that Sweetie Belle was in Manehatten this week. Unfortunately, when we went back to the hotel, we were informed that the party had checked out that morning. She may not even be in Manehatten, and if she is, I’m afraid Velvet and I won’t be able to find her.

But she’s going to be in Canterlot! For what, I don’t know, but she is going to be attending the Winter Gala! Perhaps you can use this to help bring her back to you?

You have my love, darling, and I wish you the very best of luck.

Quick Stitch.”

Rarity put down the letter. A new hope had kindled in her chest. Sweetie Belle was going to the Gala? Then for one night, one glorious night, Rarity might be reunited with her sister once more. She had to bring this to Celestia. She would get her sister back. She was sure of it.

Interlude in Dreams

Sweetie Belle collapsed, coughing blood weakly as she tried to support herself on shaky hooves. Holding one close to her chest, she hobbled through the hallways of Canterlot Castle, glancing fearfully over her shoulder as she tried to escape, to find some exit, any exit. Her Gala outfit tangled her, tripping her up as she screamed in pain, narrowly avoiding the jagged splinter of bone protruding from her foreleg. Sobbing, she staggered down a dimply lit stretch of corridor. Hoofbeats, slow and precise, echoed off of the walls from behind her. The pony pursuing her was in no hurry. Sweetie Belle couldn’t get far.

Around the darkened halls of Sweetie Belle’s mind she ran, as the breath labored in her chest and she felt the icy claws of fear gripping her heart. The hallway narrowed, and she could hear the same steady beats behind her as she hobbled through the halls, crimson viscera staining her once-pristine coat. Rounding a corner, she felt a sob choke her, as she took in the dead end she had run into. She looked behind her. A shadow, one with a long and graceful horn, stretched on the wall ahead of her. She was almost here.

Eyes darting desperately from left to right, she spied one last bit of salvation. A single door, made of wood and sealed tightly, was set in a recess in the wall, offering her temporary refuge. Limping, she made her way to the door. It was stuck. The hoofbeats grew louder, closer, as she tugged on it desperately. Panting with fear and exertion, Sweetie Belle gave one last desperate yank before the door rattled open. She threw herself through it without a second thought, slamming it behind her. Her horn lit the way as she all but fell down a set of steep stairs. The door opened behind her, and Sweetie Belle shrieked in pain and panic, holding her hoof close as she fled the pony pursuing her.

She couldn’t breathe, couldn’t think, couldn’t get away. She was going to die, she was going to die slowly, and horribly, and there wasn’t a thing she could do to stop it. She heard the same steady hoofbeats, right behind her, keeping perfect pace and even managing to catch up with her, despite the unicorn’s exertions. Another door flashed into her vision suddenly, bound with heavy metal. She threw herself at it, bursting through and damaging her leg further. It was no use, she was trapped.

She glanced around the room. Cold stone, chains, bonds. A hysterical laugh died in her throat. She had made it to Luna’s cell. The hoofbeats stopped. She scrabbled at the stone floor, backing into a corner, away from the light that filled the room. Her horrified sobbing quieted as she saw that alabaster head pass through the doorway, followed by a majestic set of wings and a tail that glowed with all the colors of the rainbow. Princess Celestia’s grin grew wide upon seeing her, impossibly wide. She calmly strode towards Sweetie Belle, with all the grace of a predator.

A jet of light, and Sweetie Belle felt something run out of her, spilling wetly onto the floor. She gasped, so far beyond pain that she could no longer feel. Her eyes fluttered shut gently, and she felt herself slipping away. Mustering the strength to gaze at Celestia one more time, she forced herself to stare into her eyes as she died. But something was wrong, even more wrong than she had thought. It wasn’t Celestia. It wasn’t Celestia at all.

“Look at me, Sweetie Belle.” Rarity crooned, smiling sweetly. “Look at me. I’m waiting for you, Sweetie Belle. I’ll be waiting for you, right here.”

“NO!” Sweetie Belle cried, shooting awake as she thrashed around, tangled in sweaty sheets. Her breathing slowed as she took in her surroundings. A bedside table, a lamp, a door made of simple wood. A window showing her the Manehatten skyline, with soft moonlight spilling silver across her sheets. Alone and frightened and far from home, she allowed herself the luxury of crying softly. There was nopony around to hear it.

The air was clear and crisp, fresh with the heady scent of pine as a full moon hung in the sky. Twilight Sparkle considered the place in front of her. Her home, her real home in Ponyville, was the same as she had left it, but not the same. All was quiet and still, save for the peaceful sound of crickets. Somehow she knew that she would be meeting nopony out on this night. So, she picked up her hooves, and walked the streets that were at the same time familiar and utterly alien to her.

It had grown, that much she knew. Several buildings rose above the town hall, still and dark in the night and the streets in the center of town had been cobbled. The lamps were still lit by flames, however, a comforting solidity in a changed town. Twilight’s hooves took her past Sugarcube Corner, which seemed oddly still, and past an official-looking building where Carousel Boutique had once stood. She passed town hall, noting that a flag appeared to hang still from the spire at its top. With no wind, however, she could not tell what it was. She moved onward.

The statue in the center of town had gone. Celestia no longer graced Ponyville with her stony presence. In her place stood a simple stone spire, engraved with only a few names. Rainbow Dash. Applejack. Pinkie Pie. Rarity. Fluttershy. Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo, Applebloom, Macintosh Apple, Roseluck, Bon Bon, Lyra Heartstrings, and others. Each name painstakingly carved and well cared for. Twilight felt the first stirrings of unease. What had happened here?

At last, she arrived at her destination. Home. A single light burned in the window, and Twilight Sparkle knew that somepony was expecting her company, and was not a pony to be kept waiting. So, she pushed open the door, and gazed toward the lit fire, stoked especially for her. There, sitting close to keep his hooves warm, was somepony she had thought dead and gone, long ago.

“Hello, Twilight.” Morning Star said, his voice warm and deep. He indicated a chair. “It’s been a long time. Have a seat.”

Twilight did so. It seemed to her the most natural thing in the world, to be talking in an alternate version of her town with the colt she had killed, the first life she had taken, all those years ago. “I don’t think you should be here. In fact, I’m almost positive I killed you four years ago.”

He laughed, a sound that she had never quite forgotten, though she had tried her best to. It was an intoxicating sound, and utterly irresistible. “Of course I’m dead. But I couldn’t resist making the trip back to congratulate you. You’ve accomplished quite a lot in the forty years since I left this place behind.”

Twilight shook her head. “You mean four.”

“Do I? Look out at Ponyville. It’s changed, hasn’t it? Too much since you last saw it. Everything quiet and at peace, a silent and still night. Equestria knows peace, and a guiding hoof to show it the way. And it’s all thanks to you.”

The tree creaked. A wind was picking up. “What do you mean?”

Morning Star pointed out of the window, towards town hall. “Look.”

The flag at the top of the building had caught the wind. As Twilight watched, it unfurled itself, displaying its emblem for all to see. A single star, in shimmering red and flanked by two dark wings. She gasped, as she realized exactly what had happened.

“Three and a half decades ago, you brought Celestia to her knees after freeing Princess Luna. With your powers combined, none could stand against you. Your armies marched out of the Everfree. You took Ponyville easily, and then Hoofington. Trottingham was consumed by revolution within, and it was there that you captured Rainbow Dash, and had her publically executed in the town square. A show of force was needed. This alienated your old friends, and Rarity had not forgiven you since her sister had died to free the Princess. One last battle was fought on the fields by Canterlot. You personally killed them all, as ponies flocked to your ranks, driven by fear and causing them to swell. Scootaloo and Applebloom were found lying next to one another, clearly having fallen after some titanic struggle. Scootaloo had her hooves at Applebloom’s throat. Luna and yourself, working together, defeated Celestia. She is now buried under the ruins of Canterlot, her spirit fled and prevented from returning by Luna. Cadance’s horn was removed, and she was sent to wander the icy wastes to the north, bereft of land and titles.”

Twilight’s mane waved as she violently whipped her head back and forth. “No. I would never do that. No.”

Morning Star’s voice took on that mocking edge she had heard before he died. “And that’s not all. Manehatten burned under Gryphon torches. Fillydelphia was ceded to the Minotaurs. No land south of the Everfree forest remains under Equestrian control. Your nation is humbled. But they were all necessary sacrifices to rebuild Equestria, you claimed after taking the throne yourself. No more would you exercise authority over lands not your own. You have funneled money into science and magic, things which unicorns excel at. You’ve reestablished the Houses, effectively returning Equestria to its feudal roots. Pegasi have been drafted into military service. Earth Ponies once more till the earth for food. But they somehow manage to love you, Twilight Sparkle. You’ve obliterated the old Equestria, and in its place is a new land, one where you rule unchecked.”

Twilight buried her head in her hooves. “No, no, no, no…”

There was no warmth in his voice now, and the fire began to die as he continued to speak. “But you’ve managed to have everything you’ve ever wanted! Revenge, safety, a world where ponies no longer fear manipulation by their queen. All it took was a few sacrifices. Some necessary casualties. A bit of cruelty to preserve kindness. Some betrayal to ensure loyalty. Deception to keep honesty, tears to keep ponies laughing, and you are very generous with what you’ve taken from others. All for you, Twilight Sparkle. All for you, and you alone.” he bowed, prostrating himself on the floor before her as the room spun, becoming something rather different than her library, the walls turning into cold stone. Twilight felt her hooves leave the ground, and she wasn’t in her library anymore. The audience hall at the Regia stretched before her, and she gazed out over a thousand ponies, clad in dark armor. Morning Star knelt, and so did they. His voice rang throughout the hall, mocking her. “Hail, Twilight Sparkle! Hail, the Evening Star!”

“Hail!” a thousand voices replied,

Twilight fought to lower herself, to preserve her place as a normal pony still. Something held her suspended, however. Glancing to one side, she saw, to her horror, a set of regal wings. Smoke ate at the edges of her vision, and she whipped her head to see that her mane had become as Celestia’s, gleaming with pale grey light as it flowed in an arcane wind. Tears rolled down her face as she surveyed her kingdom, over all that she had wrought. Morning Star’s voice rose on the wind, reaching her ears.

“All through necessary sacrifices, Lady Twilight! All this because of your necessary sacrifices!”

The sun broke over the horizon, blinding her with its terrible power. She saw, through watering eyes, the visage of her teacher flickering deep within, her expression filled with pain and sorrow. Its brilliance ate at her, and she felt her wings catch fire, true smoke filling the air around her as she plummeted to the ground, smote in ruin, rushing towards to ground below…

Twilight Sparkle awoke with a gasp. One hoof went to her back, another to her mane. She breathed more easily, then. She felt her face. One hoof came away wet with silent tears.

“Cara Mia? What is wrong? Did you dream again?” Tarantella asked, her slumber disturbed.

Twilight forced calm into her voice. “It’s all right, Tara. Just a dream, nothing more.”

The Pegasus drew her into an embrace. “Come. Tell me of it. I am here for you.”

Twilight drifted back into sleep that night with wet eyes and comforting words in her heart. She had allowed herself to cry.

There was somepony there to listen.

Celestia was covered in ice. The bitter winds howled around her, and she could hear the shrieks of the Windigos below, drawn to this place by her pain and misery, potent enough to keep them there for a hundred hundred lifetimes. But the long winter of her discontent was about to end, and she was going to open a new era in history, a beginning peace that was going to become a reality. As naturally as breathing, she reached for Harmony. Gathering it to herself, she concentrated it into smaller and smaller points, drawing down the power of Harmony into its vessel. Six physical vessels, ones she had made, gleamed before her in the vibrant colors of the rainbow.

Once more, she bound them into these vessels of pure metal and flawless stone, pressing more and more Binding Magic upon them, forcing the vast power they represented to remain still. At last, they lay quiescent, and she smiled. They had fallen to her will after a long battle, but it was necessary that a sacrifice be made. Harmony maintained balance, after all. She was to use them to promote life, and peace. An offering of death and war must be made. With the six Catalysts in tow, she cracked the thick ice holding her down, and sped through the skies, seeking one of her oldest foes. Not Discord, trapped as he was in his prison of stone, nor her still-beloved sister, exiled on the moon.

Nay, her first foe upon manifesting, the one that had been spreading death and misery when her subjects’ cries had grown too loud for her to ignore, was not a god at all. Indeed, he was one of Discord’s lieutenants, and he had managed to flee into the northern wastes after she and Luna had defeated him, before doing the same to many of Discord’s minions and the manifestation of Chaos himself. His name was Ariothrax, and he was one of the last Great Dragons.

A mountain ridge rose ahead of her, and she let out a scream of rage as she angled down. The ridge shifted, cracking open one massive eye, and rose to meet her. One brilliant point of light plummeted to smite the great blackness of the dragon, and the air was filled with arcane lightning and oily, smoky fire. Great crashes and cracklings were heard across the frozen wastes, as life was traded for life, and war was waged for peace. The Dragon was old, and mighty, but Celestia’s attack was too powerful to stop, and it was a matter of minutes before the Monarch of the Sun was able to send a beam of ruinous magic into the throat of Ariothrax, cutting his last scream of defiance short, and causing a great torrent of dark blood to stream forth, staining what snow it touched before causing it to evaporate into foul steam.

Celestia’s once-pristine visage was spattered with blood, and as she soared towards her stricken foe, she pointed her hooves. Gracefully, the Alicorn disappeared under a torrent of blood, with the elements in tow. When she emerged, she felt different, far more powerful than she had before. The Elements shimmered, a terrible heat emanating from them as the pure gold they were set in gleamed as if freshly cast. As she watched, they cooled, shining brightly in the light of Ariothrax’s dying fires. But that was not the only change that had been wrought in the blood of the dragon. A blood price had been paid, and now the Elements were truly Bound to her will.

As the crimson dripped from her hide, Celestia felt a great heat fill her, seeming to emanate from her very core. Groaning, the Radiant Noon arched her neck to the heavens, feeling something building deep inside of her. A torrent of flame emanated from her mouth, a great pillar of fire that scarred the sky as she felt herself change. Upon opening her eyes, she noticed several things. The first was her mane. Though it had been pink, now it shone with every color of the rainbow, a beautiful field of pastel that billowed like flame or cloud.

But the second was far more interesting. The Elements burned, bright flames that pulsed in time with her heartbeat. She laughed, knowing that they were truly part of her now. And that wasn’t all. She could see that a group of Minotaurs were headed to the site of the battle, to investigate the vast commotion. She knew this because of the flames they also emitted, things which burned with a primal passion, in green and bloody red and dark gold.

She also appeared to burn, a steady white flame that provided light wherever she flew. Below her, she could see every sentient being, every soul blazing as if consumed by an inferno. None, however, burned so brightly as herself. She flew south, admiring the way her mane trailed behind her. And as she did, she realized it was time to raise the sun.

And she did, drawing back the night and pushing the day forward, spreading it across the land as she soared unchallenged through the skies. She turned south, towards her little ponies. She could see their lives pulsing on the horizon. At last, she was returning. At last, she was home.

Gently, naturally, Princess Celestia woke from her slumber, breathing deeply in the quiet stillness of her bedchambers. It was almost time. Rising from her bed, she effortlessly affixed her regalia and strode forth onto her balcony. She could feel the sun, waiting to be raised if only she would command it. And just as she had since the beginning of time, she reached deep into the molten hot core of herself, and nudged the sun above the horizon. Moving it into the sky, she smiled gently. Her eyes, beautiful pools of violet, swept the city below.

It blazed with life.

Bishop's Tea

The sun rose over Canterlot, just as it had every day since the city rose to its mountain heights all those centuries ago. Light swept down from the mountain, crashing over the tallest towers like a massive wave before trickling down to pool in the streets below, running in rivulets down alleys and side roads and forming great lakes of warmth in the town squares. The great city stirred, returned to life as the night was pushed back and curfews were lifted. It was going to be a special day. The Winter Gala was tomorrow, and nearly everypony in the city was eagerly anticipating the event.

Shops began cooking and baking at a rapid pace, in order to accommodate the influx of ponies that would be attending. Similarly was the best craftsmanship of each jeweler, clothier, and haberdasher displayed, in the hopes of attracting a patron who would be willing to sponsor good work. Indeed, some ponies had already received generous amounts of money, as several prominent nobles had already arrived in the city proper.

Among those nobles, hidden in plain sight, lived Sweetie Belle, Night Light, Scootaloo, and Glimmer. Sweetie Belle’s coat had lost its creamy tones, and was now a shade of pale gold. Her mane fell in graceful midnight waves to near her hooves, and she had bound it into a simple braid, excellent for traveling. Her once-recognizable voice had been altered to become pleasantly bland, a voice that would escape memory entirely. Night Light hadn’t needed much work. His hair was once more a beautiful black, and his feathers now fairly shone with silver. Scootaloo’s signature orange and purple had been replaced with green and rosy pink, her short-cropped mane lengthened to the tops of her shoulders. She and Glimmer were both back at the safehouse. They had arrived the day previous, and immediately headed for the building, a small inn near the opposite edge of the city. The experience had been an unnerving one. Sweetie Belle had returned to Canterlot, a place she once called home. Each street used to be familiar, in its own strange way. Every building provided a sense of solid peace, of unmoving protection and obdurate might that promised shelter and safety for those living within the mountain city’s great walls.

Now, Sweetie Belle saw the other side of that might. The buildings loomed over her, guards patrolled in force, and she could clearly see what measures had been implemented in order to capture her and those she traveled with. Sweetie Belle didn’t feel protected anymore. Quite to the contrary, she felt like every Guard, every checkpoint, every poster put up for Twilight Sparkle’s arrest was in fact placed there specifically for her. She began to breathe a bit more heavily, almost losing her composure.

“Are you alright, dear?” Night Light asked, his tone concerned. They were posing as a newlywed couple from Manehatten, a Mister Silver Sparks and his wife, Rose Sparks. “Rose? Do you need to sit down for a moment?”

Sweetie Belle snapped back to reality. “What?”

Night Light looked at her intently. “I said, do you need to sit down?”

Sweetie Belle shook her head. “No, I think I’m fine. It’s just a bit…overwhelming.”

The Pegasus nudged her in the direction of a small café. “Come on. We’ll get you a drink and let you calm down.”

Despite Sweetie Belle’s protestations, she soon found herself seated at a table, waiting on Night Light to return with some sort of drink. Idly, she looked around, taking in the view of the street, and forcing herself to calm down. She silently reminded herself that the odds of anypony recognizing her were one in a hundred thousand, and even if somepony she knew was nearby, she was wearing a disguise. There was no way anypony knew who she was. Not a snowball’s chance in the sun. Thus reassured, she turned to the café once more, seeing Night Light returning to the table, a tray clutched in his hooves. On it were two small coffees, with a pitcher of cream and a small bowl of sugar. More unusual was the inclusion of a bowl of what looked like cocoa powder.

“It’s a drink that my parents made whenever they needed to unwind.” Night Light explained, spooning in and stirring a healthy spoonful of the stuff. He added cream and handed it to her. “Drink up. It will do you some good.”

Sweetie Belle sipped at her drink, feeling the warm liquid flow down her throat and coil in her stomach. She recoiled a bit at the strong taste of coffee. It was a relatively new addition to Equestria’s cuisine, brought by the Zebra tribes and an instant hit. It was much stronger than her usual tea, but it definitely filled her with energy and the chocolate and cream did go some way to helping her reestablish herself.

“It’s good. Thank you.” she said, as Night Light added a single spoon of sugar to his own, stirring it gently.

He smiled affectionately. “Of course. Are you feeling better?”

Sweetie Belle opened her mouth. She was going to say that yes, she did feel better. She was going to thank him for the coffee and understanding, and to suggest that they return to the safehouse after they finished here. However, the unicorn that had just entered the café caused something entirely different to come out of her mouth.

“Oh, buck.”

Rarity was standing in the shop door, morning light gleaming off of her newly brushed coat. How could she have forgotten? Every Gala or dance she went to, Rarity went out the morning before for a preliminary grooming and cleaning before she was actually groomed and cleaned for the event itself. And when she did, she often stopped for a bit of tea and quiet conversation with a “nopony” off of the street. It was one of her last indulgences before the event itself, and she kept it quite secret, as the only pony she had confessed to was Sweetie Belle.

Night Light, ever the veteran, remained calm. And with a glance from him, Sweetie did her best to remain normal as well. She looked around the restaurant. With any luck, perhaps she would take a different seat. Her heart sank as she realized that most every table was full, except for theirs. And it had one very inviting seat left near the aisle she was currently walking down. And sure enough, the Element of Generosity stopped in front of the table.

“I’m terribly sorry to interrupt, but would it be alright if I were to sit with you and share your company? I’ve just gotten done with some errands and I’m looking for a bit of relaxation, as it were.”

Sweetie Belle took the lead. Unbidden, one of Chrysalis’s lessons leapt to the forefront of her mind. It would be rude to refuse, especially such a public figure as her sister. It would also arouse suspicion, though a small amount. But with the amount of secrecy they were currently practicing, that suspicion was not something they could afford. So, there was one refuge remaining to them, and that was in audacity.

“Of course you can, Ms. Rarity. Might I say, I am one of the biggest fans of your work. Truly, your designs are inspired.”

Rarity smiled gratefully, sitting at the table with a sigh of relief. “Thank you very much. I’ve been running around the city all morning and skipped breakfast to get everything done.” She nodded at a nearby server, who swiftly disappeared. Apparently she was something of a regular here. “This is the first chance I’ve had to sit down in ages. But that’s me. What are you doing here? Been out and about?”

Night Light nodded. “We’re actually visiting the city from Manehatten. I was lucky enough to get two tickets to the Winter Gala this year, and we wanted to get in ahead of the crowds. We just arrived last night.”

Rarity’s eyes lit up. “Oh, that’s wonderful! I will of course be attending this year. Perhaps you’d like to sit with me at the table? I could arrange for you two to meet the Princess herself. From the looks of you two, you’ve just been recently married, unless I’ve missed my guess entirely.”

Sweetie Belle managed a bashful smile. “That’s right. Just married two months ago. The tickets were a gift at the wedding. We managed to scrape together bits for outfits and train tickets, and we’re staying with relatives here.”

Night Light picked up the thread of the conversation. “We’re incredibly lucky to get these, and so we’re determined to make the best of our best night since the wedding night. Isn’t that right, Rose?”

The Element of Generosity chuckled. “Well, I hope you’ll forgive my rudeness. I’ve not even properly introduced myself. As you know, my name is Rarity, and I design dresses for a living. Though that’s gotten a bit difficult as of late, what with the current conflict and such. What are your names?”

Night Light placed a hoof around Sweetie Belle’s shoulders. “My name is Silver Sparks, and this is Rose Sparks, formerly of the Garden family. We both work in an art gallery downtown.”

“I imagine that’s where you two met, then?”

They had not anticipated the need to talk about their job, so the duo began to lie with the professionalism and poise they had been trained to use. Sweetie Belle nodded. “We met by a statue by Neighoff, one of his Classically inspired pieces.”

Night Light knew the statue. “Rhapsody in Flight. It’s still one of our favorite pieces in the whole gallery. We realized that we both spent entirely too much of our shifts in the room where it was, and we got to talking. We clicked right away, and not just about topics like art, either. I was amazed. She’s the perfect mare for me.”

Sweetie Belle giggled. “I’m still impressed that he can sit through the whole of Clyde-Dale’s Les Opries and enjoy the whole thing! And he can cook Quilinese like nothing I’ve ever tasted. It’s excellent.”

Night Light leaned in, and Sweetie Belle knew exactly what would have to happen next. To sell it, another kiss was needed. A good one, one to not just maintain the illusion, but to ensure that Rarity believed them a couple without the shadow of a doubt. So, she closed her eyes and leaned in. They met in a kiss, and Sweetie Belle’s mind thrummed with panic and fear, and something that felt oddly like pleasure before going blank entirely. It lasted for only a moment, but that kiss was an eternity contained, one perfect space of time filled with all the potential that could ever be between two ponies.

They pulled away slowly, still looking at one another. Butterflies rolled in her stomach, and Sweetie Belle realized that Night Light’s beautiful blue eyes saw her in a whole new light, as a fellow spirit and somepony who could love and be loved in return. And so too did he appear to her. It was at that moment that Sweetie Belle’s nervousness melted away, and she turned to face her sister, reluctantly breaking eye contact with the Pegasus.

“I’m really lucky to have found him.”

Rarity’s voice was soft and low. “I can see that you care for each other deeply. Last time I saw somepony look at another like that was at one of my best friends’ weddings. You two go well together, that much is clear. And I’d consider it an honor if you two would sit by my husband and I at the Gala this year. The seating roster hasn’t been finalized, so I could easily have it arranged.”

Night Light gave an imperceptible nod. Sweetie Belle caught it out of the corner of her eye. “We’d be delighted to, Miss Rarity.”

Her sister smiled. “Please, it’s simply Rarity. And I’m glad to hear it.” She broke off as her meal arrived, a simple croissant and a cup of black tea with sugar and cream. She sipped at it carefully, and Sweetie Belle caught a slight wrinkling of distaste around the corners of her mouth.

“Too much cream?” Sweetie asked.

Rarity looked at her strangely. “Yes, actually. That’s odd, most ponies would assume that it had too much sugar.”

Night Light looked on as Sweetie Belle corrected herself with grace. “No. Too much sugar can be rectified with more tea, but cream tends to flood everything. I can’t stand that.”

Rarity laughed a little. “Indeed. You share the same taste in tea as my sister.”

“Really?” Sweetie Belle inquired innocently. “I’ve heard her radio broadcasts. She’s brilliant. Although I’ve not heard from her in a while.”

The alabaster unicorn sitting across from her nodded sadly. “I’m afraid Sweetie Belle has taken a leave of absence from her job because of personal reasons. I tried to follow her to Trottingham, because I heard that she had fallen in with some…disreputable ponies, but to no avail. She managed to elude me.”

“That’s awful! Did she have any reason to avoid you?” Sweetie Belle asked.

Rarity shook her head. “No. I simply wished to talk to her. That mare’s always been a bit headstrong. It’s a quality I admire in her, actually. But if she wants to do something, then come fire or flood she will do it. Of course, it leads her into trouble more often than not, and I try to help her out of it. I’m happy to, it’s my job as a big sister, but I’m afraid this time that she might be in more trouble than even I could get her out of.”

Sweetie Belle’s curiosity was piqued. “Did you ever consider that she might resent that? As the youngest in my family, I always felt like I had to prove that I could do things on my own, without help. And I know my family loves me, but sometimes their ‘help’ feels like they’re coddling me a bit.”

Rarity blinked. “Actually, that never occurred to me. I suppose I always looked at it as lending a helping hoof to provide Sweetie Belle with opportunities to be successful. That’s all I ever really wanted for her. It would explain some of her behavior, however.”

“Like what?” Night Light asked.

“The earliest example I can think of after she finished with school was when she was applying for a reporting job at Canterlot Broadcasting. I discreetly pulled a few strings, and managed to get her an interview. From there, it was only a matter of time before her natural talents managed to win her that spot. But I think she always knew what I had done, and she might have resented that. After that, she became more and more distant. We used to make frequent trips back and forth from Manehatten to Canterlot, did you know? But she became busier and busier, and after a while so did I. Right before she left for Trottingham, I tried one more time to visit her. I was going to try and reconnect with her.”

Sweetie Belle couldn’t believe exactly what she was hearing. Did Rarity really mean what she was saying? Knowing the risk, she probed a bit further. “Was that when she left for Trottingham?”

Rarity nodded. “She left that night, actually. I can’t help but wonder if she was already planning to leave, or if my call was what convinced her to leave.”

Sweetie Belle laid one hoof on top of her sister’s, aware of the familiarity the gesture implied. It occurred to her that this might be a good way to find out what she knew about her. “I’m sure that your sister wouldn’t have left because you tried to contact her. That’s something no loving sister would ever do, no matter how angry she was.”

Rarity sniffed. “Thank you. You actually remind me of her in some ways. I’m sure you two would get along well. I just hope that I can manage to convince her to stop what she’s doing before she does something we all regret. I have it on good authority that she might be in Canterlot, even attending the Gala under a new identity.”

Sweetie Belle, much to her credit, did not allow a ghost of the shock she felt at that to cross her face. “That’s wonderful! Maybe you will get the chance to speak to her, then. I’m sure that she’ll listen to reason.”

Rarity met her eyes. “Do you think so, dear?”

Sweetie Belle nodded. “The bond between sisters is a strong one. I think that she’ll be receptive.”

Applebloom staggered under the weight of her pack. She had not slept in three days, hadn’t eaten anything except for some horrible fruit jerky in eighteen hours, and the stress was starting to take its toll. The sun in the cavern never set, meaning that even if she was able to get some sleep, it was guaranteed to be fitful and full of nightmares. There were only a few things that kept her going. Her dedication to her country, her family, and her monarch gave her the strength to carry one, even though the burden placed upon her was greater than any she had borne so far.

Her vision flickered at the edges, and she shook her head with a groan. The hallucinations had started only a few days after she had arrived, and she wasn’t the only one. She saw monsters and dangerous ponies around every corner, and oftentimes she couldn’t help herself from leveling her spear and charging at them, regardless of whether they were real or not.

The sun overhead began to shift, from gold to red, and Applebloom felt a rush of relief. At the end of her march, she was scheduled to have a shift in the classroom before being allowed a six hour leisure shift to clean her aetherium, eat, and sleep. Maybe this time she would be able to dream about something other than war.

The armor had gone on as soon as she had arrived at the head of her enlisted command, and was easily twice as thick and heavy as the combat armor she had worn in the Regulars. Moving had been difficult, but between the exercise and the diet they were being fed, Applebloom could almost feel the muscle building under her coat to help support the weight of the metal. She could see the camp up ahead, and shifted pace into a light canter.

“Halt!” the pony on guard called, he and his partner crossing their spears. “Your sign?”

“The Sun Prevails.” Applebloom replied.

Both came to attention. “Good evening, Chief Legionnaria. You’ve been out a while. Where were you?”

Applebloom looked at the Pegasus who had spoken, a junior enlisted by the name of Windtunnel. While she didn’t make a habit of speaking to his rank, she felt good after her march. “Took an extra lap. We’re the best, which means we push ourselves whenever we get the chance. Take that lesson to heart, Legionnaire.”

Windtunnel nodded. “Understood, ma’am. Welcome to camp.”

Applebloom trotted past him, pack rattling with an extra eighty pounds in addition to the hundred she was wearing. Stopping, she saluted the small statue of Celestia in the center of camp as she had been instructed to do. “Highness.” she said, before continuing on to her tent.

The inside was as Spartan as the ragged outside. A cot lay in one corner, actually dusty with disuse, neatly made. A trunk for her belongings rested at the foot of the bed, and a rack for her armor took up one wall. She was proud to say that even with the extra weight, she could have the entire set on, laced, and ready for battle in five minutes or less. Dropping her pack, she pulled out a strip of fruit jerky, chewing on it thoughtfully. It tasted horrible, burning and choking her, but it also filled her up and gave her energy. Finishing the strip, she began to remove her armor, checking over the roster for classes that night. She would be leading a class on “The Ever Free: A Threat to Equestria.” for one hour before engaging in the nightly prayer to Celestia along with her First Legionnaires and officers. After that, she’d be able to get about four hours of sleep, four and a half if she was lucky.

She did consider herself lucky, too. She was proving herself, showing that she could take anything the world could throw at her. This was all a challenge, another way of proving that no matter the adversity she faced, she could overcome it. And she would overcome any adversity, be that training, hardship, or war. She was one of the elite. One of the few. She was one of Celestia’s chosen.

One Turn More

The sun rose over the Regia, and Twilight cracked her eyes open. Today was the day, the day she made her move. Today the pieces would fall, sacrifices would be made, and the war would swing its balance one way or the other. A knot of dread formed in her stomach, threatening to eat at her insides and drive her mad with panic. She forced her emotion aside, focusing on the deep, even breathing of the mare behind her. Tarantella was a rock in her stormy sea, but now was the time Twilight had to swim on her own. She rose silently, without waking her lover. With only the barest of sounds, too slight for even the Pegasus to notice, Twilight fastened her crystal around her neck, ran a brush through her hair, and turned to the chest by her armor.

Opening the clasps, she withdrew a mantle of black fur, that of the wolves that ran through this forest. It had been a gift from Vladek. She fastened it with a whirled clasp of Changeling ichor, which gleamed an icy blue in the right light, retaining its jet black hue under all other conditions. Lastly, she lifted a circle of gleaming silver from inside of the chest, carved in the shape of talons, a gift from the Gryphons. Her next decisions would affect all of these species as well as her own. She would represent them in this capacity as well.

Resting one hoof on the door, she glanced back at Tarantella, who was still sleeping peacefully. Maybe she should ask her….no, it was better to wait. The knob turned, she pushed, and a moment later, Twilight Sparkle had left her sanctuary behind. Across the hall was the door she wanted, and her horn lit as she opened this one as well. The magical portal swung open to reveal her war room. Stallions bellowed the call to attention and foreign dignitaries bowed as Twilight made her way inside, greeting her generals and holding herself regally.

Maps were forgone here, as were lists of troop disposals and intelligence reports. Twilight Sparkle’s pet project hovered in the center of the room, and she was immensely proud of it. The crystal comprising the table had been hauled out of the mountain beneath Canterlot in secret, and bathed in alchemical compounds after it had arrived at the Regia before the etching and sculpting began. Once Equestria had been rendered in perfect three dimensional detail, the arduous task of linking together each and every crystal center began. Blood taken from the crystals allowed for the accurate tracking of individuals, their positions available on the map until the charge in their blood burned out and they had to re-donate. Their positions were outlined in purple and red, while Celestia’s projected forces burned in bright gold and white.

Canterlot blazed like a torch, swarmed with Guards, Air Corps, and Navy. As Twilight watched, a swarm of Pegasi and airships detached itself from Canterlot, heading towards Trottingham. Undoubtedly they had been requisitioned to help keep the peace by Rainbow Dash. Trottingham’s aura had changed in the past several days. Like its smaller sister Hoofington, it now fairly pulsed in dark violet and red, barely contained by Celestia’s white. And that power only grew daily. Twilight took in her troop layouts for a moment. Nearly every asset was being concentrated in key targets, pulled from surveillance to prepare the sabotage of Celestia’s infrastructure. The Lunar Guard had been concentrated at the Regia, ready to act as Twilight’s hammer. The Reserve had been dispatched to several hidden forts earlier in the week, sun shining on their armor as they shouldered pikes and satchels of flash charges, singing their company songs. The Ever Free Fighters had been outfitted with uniforms, and trained in the use of flash powder, in addition to a few of Birchwood’s more…recent adaptations of the technology.

She took her seat at the head of the table overlooking the map, and gestured for her aides to bring her the news. A series of crystal spheres were laid in front of her, most in the background, but four of their number set directly in front of her. She steeled herself. A life, possibly several, dwelled in those spheres.

The first pony stepped forward. “Lady Twilight, our agent in Ponyville is in place to take the filly. She is waiting on your final order. Should she proceed, ma’am?”

Twilight nodded. “She may proceed.” A spark shot from her horn, sinking into one of the spheres. It glowed purple. Somewhere in Ponyville, her agent would notice that the pendant she wore was glowing purple, as well as heating up slightly. Her orders would be carried out.

Another stepped forward. “The demolitions team at the Rounds is ready and foresees no problems completing their mission. A magically driven supply train returning from Fillydelphia will be in the Rounds, as well as two more from Red Rock and Detrot. No passenger trains are scheduled to arrive until tomorrow morning at six o’clock. Are they to detonate the charges at midnight?”

Another spark. The sphere gleamed purple. A third spoke. “Lady, the Trottingham branch of the Ever Free is ready to begin. Small scale riots have already begun in some parts of the city, and the Guard has been dispatched. If we commit our forces inside the city, then we can have control of it within a day. A team is currently waiting by the Governor’s House near the center of the city. They can have Rainbow Dash subdued and executed by sundown, if Milady so wishes.”

Twilight’s mouth tightened. A blue spark shot from her horn, signaling her desire to have a direct conversation. The sphere it was directed at began to pulse regularly. She moved on to the next one.

A Gryphon stepped forward, bowing low. She returned the gesture, indicating that he should speak. “My master in the Court wishes to inform you that all but King Balmas have agreed to support your war against Celestia. He bids me tell you that King Balmas is not willing to go to war. He fears Celestia’s wrath, and that his tribe may one day join their brethren in the Vault of the Ten Thousand. Should my master attempt to draw support elsewhere?”

Twilight sighed. She hated playing politics with the Gryphons. Five Kings ruling one kingdom, no matter how wise, invariably ended in some bickering. And Balmas was the most stubborn of them all. Though he would never admit it, even to himself, Twilight had the strong suspicion that he was afraid to challenge Celestia. For good reason, too. His grandfather lay among his crystallized warriors in that vault. A red spark travelled from her horn to the crystal, and she spoke into the link she had formed.

“Keep plying him. We need his vote, and he’s a cunning enough warrior that his expertise will come in handy during the fighting. I can sweeten the pot for him perhaps, offer him a trade deal or some such. But we need his support. He’ll tip with enough pressure from King Gavipashnehpah and his nobles, so don’t let up on the pressure. I’m counting on you. Without the support of the Gryphons, Celestia’s Navy and Air Corps will tear us to shreds.”

She broke the link, and the four spheres in front of her were taken away, to be placed in their respective racks once more. She turned to the spheres in front of her, each one labeled with the name of some noble or general in Celestia’s service. No explanation was needed for these. A green spark for a life taken. Red for a life spared, at least until they no longer proved useful. Green. Green. Green. Red. Green. Red. Red. Green. Green. Green…

The blue sphere pulsed suddenly, and Twilight was faced with the visage of Lively Song. The unicorn, though just a head in this projection, bowed. Twilight nodded in return.

“You wished to speak, Milady?”

Twilight nodded. “Listen to me. Trottingham is your city, make no doubt about it. Proceed as scheduled. Take it, throw out the Guard. Take the Governor’s House. And subdue Rainbow Dash. But do not, and I repeat, do not kill her.”

Lively Song’s face now wore an expression of shock. “Lady Twilight, I am afraid that I don’t understand…you know what she’s done here, how ponies have suffered. She’s not just Celestia’s loyal dog, she’s ruthless, and cruel. She’s caused more pain than any of them here, and if anypony deserves to be made an example of, it’s…”

Twilight’s hoof came down on the table. The war room fell silent as she spoke one word. “Enough.” Lively flinched. Twilight continued. “We are not Celestia, we are not the Solar Wing, and we are not about vengeance. We are about freedom, and doing what is truly right. Make no mistake, this is not a suggestion. It’s an order. I’ve given you a lot of autonomy in Trottingham. And Luna knows it’s earned. But if I find out that Rainbow Dash has been seriously injured or killed as a result of your actions, or the actions of those under you, I will pull my support for your revolt. Understood? I’ll be arriving to pick her up personally, and you will see why tomorrow morning. But until then, she is to be kept safe and secured.”

The unicorn nodded nervously. “Understood, Lady Twilight. I’ll see to it she’s kept safe. Might I ask you to-“

Twilight smiled. “Of course I’ll pass a message on to your brother.”

“Tell him I love him, and that I know he’ll do what needs done. And tell him that he’ll do fine in Canterlot. It’s home for him.”

Twilight nodded. “I can’t imagine it’s easy for him to return there. He hasn’t been back since he escaped from the Guard a few years ago, correct? That night where he-“

Lively Song nodded bitterly. “Killed our brother, yes.”

Sweetie Belle rose from the bed, large enough for two. She wasn’t sure what had happened last night, but after they had managed to get away from Rarity, they had spent most of the day walking and talking with one another. One thing had led to another, and a walk had led to dinner, and dinner had led to a drink, and the wine had led them home, and then to…bed. It was a one-night stand, of course. It couldn’t be anything but. And yet…Sweetie Belle felt some foolish part of herself try and hope for more. Some part of her still the schoolfilly, waiting on her one true love. No, what had happened between Sweetie Belle and Night Light had been a sort of mutual rape. Neither cared for the other past what they could do to satisfy themselves, at least not as long as they were here, in Canterlot. And wasn’t it silly, to think of things like love when you knew very well that you might not live to see the next sunrise?

She trotted out onto the balcony, only to see Night Light cradling a small sphere, one used to convey messages, in his hooves. He was watching the sunrise, marveling at the view Canterlot afforded of the land below and the sun above. As the fiery disc rose above the horizon, Sweetie could see Celestia’s light spreading over the land below, from Canterlot towards Manehatten to Ponyville in the distance and even over the tops of the Everfree Forest. Sweetie Belle took a strange measure of pride in the fact that though the Everfree appeared to fall under her reign, Celestia’s light could not penetrate the trees.

“What a horrendous bitch.” Night Light remarked, watching the towers above them as Sweetie watched the fields below. She turned around just in time to see the Princess sinking back down into her tower, to prepare for the guests she would be entertaining that evening. “Of course, I probably shouldn’t say that when we’re eating with her tonight, eh?”

Sweetie Belle giggled at that, leaning in for a kiss which he returned heartily. “Good news?” she asked, indicating the crystal.

Night Light shrugged. “Twilight Sparkle sends her blessing and best wishes. And she delivered a message from my sister, back in Trottingham. She’s amicable to the idea of us sitting at the high table tonight, as it gets you closer to your sister and allows us to more easily monitor the Princess.”

“I wasn’t aware you had a sister.”

The Pegasus nodded. “She’s probably getting into all sorts of trouble back in the city. I hope she makes it through all of this.”

Sweetie looked out over the city below. “Big sister?”

“Little sister, by a few years. Love her to death, though we haven’t spent time together in ages.”

“It’s strange. Here we are, about to go and risk our lives. We could face any of a thousand horrible things tonight, and past that we’re likely to start war that’s previously only existed in back alleys. But we talk about the ones we love. Such a little thing, so why do we talk about it at all?”

Night Light drew her in close. “Love’s anything but little, Sweetie Belle. Love’s what drove Celestia to use Twilight Sparkle like she did. Love’s what caused Luna to set her free. Love’s started wars, raised and ruined cities, and turned night against day. When you think about it like that, it’s our problems that seem small. So I think the question is that why don’t we think on love all the time, and death only rarely?”

Sweetie Belle looked at him. “About last night…”

“It shouldn’t have happened. Not like that. And until this is over, we should leave it there.”

The unicorn’s eyes started to water. “I understand.”

Night Light caught her chin with his hoof, tilting her face to meet his. “Until it’s over. And then, when it is, I’d like to get to know you better. Maybe actually go to that museum, and to that play. I’ve heard it’s good. Would you go with me?”

Sweetie’s tears turned into a smile. “Of course. Of course I would.”

They met in a kiss this time, a proper kiss.

Cadance groaned, her face pressed against the floor. She tried desperately to move herself, to rise to her hooves and fight her exhaustion further. Never in her life had she been so challenged, nor had she ever been in this much pain. One hoof laid itself flat on the floor, followed by another, and then another. Hissing in pain, she dragged her last hoof to its proper position.

Come on, you can do it. You are the Radiant Dawn! Walk! Support yourself!

She pumped her wings weakly, trying to lift herself into the air. Her legs tensed, burning as if she was lifting the weight of the mountain on her shoulders. And slowly, shakily, as if through willpower alone, she stood. Splay-legged, like a foal taking its first steps, she managed to support herself. One hoof moved forward, and she scrambled to regain her suddenly missing balance.

No! You’re close, don’t give up now. Just two more steps…one more…now reach out and…

She slipped, her head hitting the ground with a sickening crack as she fought back a wave of nausea. Her hoof reached for the bell cord weakly, the one that would summon somepony to help her, a servant or physician. Mere inches away, it dangled uselessly in front of her. She knew that she did not have the strength to lift herself again, and so she did the most dangerous thing a soulbound Alicorn could do. She reached for her magic, and allowed it to pass out of her.

The cord was yanked with such force that it tore loose of its socket, taking a section of the wall with it. The bell rang exactly once, a brazen tone that echoed throughout the halls of her quarters without end. She could hear no less than five sets of hooves clattering through the hallways towards her, and she lay her weary head to rest. One of her servants, a page in Celestia’s service, was first into her chambers.

“Princess Cadance!” Silver Lily cried, bending over and cradling the Alicorn’s head in her hooves. “What happened?”

Cadance saw several of her other servants approaching as well. “Return to your mistress, Silver Lily. Let her know that I need her help.”

The Pegasus was off like a shot, speeding out of Cadance’s room, leaping over her balcony, and taking swift wing to Celestia. While she waited, Cadance gave orders to her servants to begin locking her rooms up and to ensure that all dangerous magic was turned off. She was going to take a short vacation, she said. And of course they would be recompensed for days of work lost, and she would ensure that it didn’t come out of their vacation days. Yes, it would be with Shining Armor. No, she didn’t want them to spread the rumor. Yes, of course the Gala would still be tonight…she broke off as Celestia materialized on her balcony. Her servants bowed quickly as she walked calmly over to Cadance.

“Well, you were right. The Winter Solstice, or so it would seem. Are you ready to begin?” she asked.

Cadance nodded. “I thought this was supposed to be a secret. Ponies weren’t supposed to know, right?”

Celestia glanced at the servants prostrated in front of her. She pointed one hoof. “You. Your name is Strawberry, is it not?”

The maiden in question, a Pegasus, nodded. “Yes, Highness.”

“What you have seen here is a natural part of an Alicorn’s life cycle. It is called a soulbind, and it is a rare and sacred event. You and your companions are lucky to have seen even this small part. Tonight will bring about many changes, Strawberry. This is among the holiest of holies. I would ask you and those around you not to speak of this, not even to each other. Do you understand?”

There was a murmur of reverent consent. Celestia arched an eyebrow at the prostrate Alicorn. Gently, she dipped her head, and with assistance from Cadance’s hoofmaidens, rolled the Alicorn onto her back. Her horn gleamed gently, and with a rush of summer wind, the Princess of the Sun was gone once more.

The peak of Canterlot’s Mountain was among the highest in Equestria, without equal save for Ashtar Sharestan and some in the very far north. So high was it that nopony would fly to its peak, both from respect for its powerful winds and also out of reverence for the space itself, said to be sacred to the Princess. It was here that Celestia knelt, bowing her head as she walked into a simple stone hut, dimly lit by a crackling fire.

Shining Armor was there already, breathing deeply and evenly as he was held in his coma. A crystal sphere gleamed at his head, in between his bed and the other bed, both fashioned out of pine needles, aromatic herbs, and other sacred plants. Celestia gently laid her young charge on this bed, stripping off the simple jewelry she wore and covering her with a simple woolen blanket. Cadance blinked at her muzzily.

“Aunt Celestia?”

The goddess looked at her. “Yes, Cadance?”

“What if I’m not there tonight and something goes wrong? What if Twilight attacks, or Luna gets loose, or somepony tries to hurt you? What if Twilight does something to the Elements?”

Celestia’s smile was perfection itself. “Cadance, I appreciate your concern. But right now, I’m more worried about you than any of that. You’ve been pushing yourself too hard. While it’s true we’re expecting trouble, it’s nothing we can’t handle. And I will be fine. I promise.”

Cadance seemed unsure. “If you say so…”

The Solar Alicorn knelt down. Cadance was slipping away, and an idea occurred to her, one that hadn’t since she had first spent a night at the young filly’s side, years and years ago. Taking her hoof, she began to sing, an old song she had heard nearly a thousand years ago.

“Till sun again shines, and ladybugs awake, I pray nightmares my dreams don’t take. Sweet sunshine, now go to sleep, and in my hooves you safe I’ll keep. I bid you well until the dawn, but now dear heart the day is gone. So keep me warm and safe tonight, and I’ll see you soon…” Cadance had fallen asleep. Celestia bent her neck, kissing her on the forehead. “My dear dawn light.”

In a small room, hardly more than a cupboard, Silver Lily was muttering feverishly into a crystal. Celestia was distracted. If Lady Twilight was going to strike, it had to be tonight.

Rainbow Dash looked out over the city from the top of the Governor’s Spire. Already she could see fires spreading, crowds swelling in the streets in defiance of curfew. A flare went up, exploding in a blaze of purple. More Ever Free, advancing on one of her positions. She barked orders to another of the Pegasus divisions she had stationed at the keep, and sent them off to reinforce the failing barricade. She hadn’t authorized the use of deadly force. Yet. But she could sense it in the air. Violence was only a spark away. Another flare, this one green. Rioting, not yet an organized mob but getting close. A division of ponies under her command was two minutes away, if that. She listened as a runner made his report to the level below her. It wasn’t looking good. She had almost ten thousand ponies at her command to control a city of over five hundred thousand. It was early in the day yet, and already she was outnumbered by nearly two to one. A messenger climbed the stairs.

“They’ve taken the Bronze Clock, ma’am. Tearing down Celestia’s statues and hanging purple flags, with a-“

“Red star, six pointed. Yes, I’ve seen them. We’re losing the city, though the airships might help when they arrive. I’ve yet to see a mob that can challenge the Navy’s raw power. Pull our forces back to the Market District, have them consolidate by the Eighth Canal. Tell them that if they are attacked, they are authorized in the name of the Princess to use any means necessary to break up the riot, up to and including lethal force.”

The messenger blanched. “Are you sure, ma’am?”

Rainbow Dash continued to stare at the city. “A regiment of my ponies was lynched several days ago. We’re fighting a war of attrition here. If we can’t hold, then we are going to consolidate around this tower while I get as many of you out by airship as I can. And then we’ll come back with the whole damn Navy. Have we gotten word to the Princess?”

The messenger shook his head before realizing that she couldn’t see him. “No, ma’am. All radio towers have been sabotaged, and something’s fouling up our communication crystals. Last transmission known to be received was our daily report to Canterlot yesterday afternoon. I’ve dispatched Pegasi to intercept the fleet headed our way, and use their equipment to inform the Princess of the situation, but I don’t know how many of them have made it out.”

Rainbow Dash snarled as an explosion tore through the position she had sent ponies to reinforce. The so-called cavalry had been too late. Her forces had abandoned their barrier as per orders, and she had just witnessed it being destroyed. It wasn’t with spellcraft, either. The troops called it “common pony’s magic”, the stuff packed into those little balls that exploded when thrown. There was no doubt in her mind that Twilight had something to do with that particular invention. She turned, making eye contact with the pony at last.

“Get runners out to all riot control teams. Tell them that they are to pull back and form a perimeter five blocks from this location. If they are engaged, use deadly force.”

The pony saluted. “Yes, ma’am.” He trotted back down the stairs, to relay that message exactly. His eyes flashed green as he allowed himself a small grin. Five blocks? Perfect. That would give Lively time to consolidate her forces before the airships arrived. He hoped they did, too. Twilight’s new weapons would prove to be extremely…interesting to watch.

Blackest Knight

The sun had set at last over Canterlot, and the Gala had begun. Ponies from all over Equestria, those with the greatest clout, or incredible wealth, or the just plain lucky stood before Canterlot Castle’s imposing marble edifice, drawbridge open to receive guests warmly and welcomely after they trekked across the bitter cold spray thrown up by the falls in the distance. Normally each Gala was a grand spectacle at the gates, all pomp and circumstance as ponies showed off lovely gowns and striking suits after climbing out of gilded carriages. But tonight was not a normal night. The Guard, normally there in full dress uniform as part of an honor guard, instead swept the crowd with their eyes, watchful for sudden danger. Their hooves tightened around real spears, and they huddled against the gusts of biting wind coming down off of Canterlot’s mountain, which was obscured by cloud. The night was not welcoming, and the city felt…uneasy, as if something was not quite right with the world. The air hung heavy with the promise of upheaval, and though they did not consciously know it, each attendee sensed the potential violence hanging in the air around them.

And it wasn’t just in Canterlot either. Across Equestria, ponies huddled in their homes against some unseen but still barely perceived threat. A full moon glared balefully at them from a pitch black sky filled with innumerable harsh points of light, poised like distant daggers ready to fall on the unprotected world below. Though the Gala was not aware, tonight was the last night of Old Equestria. Tomorrow would dawn in blood, and fire, and in that terrible crucible of conflict something new, something both greater and lesser than what was would be formed.

But tonight was a night for celebration! A time to celebrate the Moon’s reign, though she had not been seen in well over four years. Her sickness kept her abed, and she was rumored to be kept in some secret part of the palace, where she could rest and regain herself until Celestia could restore her magic to her. So too was this a night of mourning as well as celebration, for the grievous injury inflicted upon her by that rebel, Twilight Sparkle.

It was to this gathering of the hoi oligoi that Sweetie Belle, Night Light, Scootaloo, and Glimmer had arrived, fifteen minutes apart and with each couple in a separate carriage. Glimmer and Scootaloo had already arrived, and the carriage Sweetie was sitting in was filled with a tense silence, one that was rapidly approaching a breaking point. Sweetie Belle was nervous, and rightly so. She was being thrown into a lion’s den without any prior experience, and the fate of a rebellion rested on her shoulders.

“Nervous?” Night Light asked, tilting his head curiously and breaking the silence. Sweetie Belle gave him a terse nod. He reached across the carriage. “I know this is big. We’re all nervous. Doing this sort of thing never gets easy, and this is pretty big for a first-timer. But we’ve got this covered. Sure, knowing we’re expected doesn’t make this any easier. But that’s just it, we know that we are expected.”

Sweetie Belle looked at him reproachfully. “I just can’t help but think that things are going to go horribly wrong. Canterlot’s in lockdown already, which is only going to make things more difficult for us.”

Night Light knew full well that the odds were stacked heavy, but he knew that both Sweetie Belle’s survival and his depended on her confidence in herself. “Look out of the window, Sweetie Belle. And tell me what you see.”

The carriage rattled over a bridge. If Sweetie Belle had cared to look down, she would have been dizzied by the drop underneath. She looked out over the edge of the tier she was riding along. “I see the city. Everything’s dark. Ponies are home tonight.”

“Good. And past that?”

“The moon’s full tonight, so I can see the plains below the city. I can see the river going into the distance, and I think I can even see Ponyville below us. Maybe. And past that, I can see the Everfree Forest.”

“And past that?”

Sweetie Belle craned her head. “Darkness.”

Night Light’s hoof thumped on the windowsill. “Exactly. Do you know what tonight is, Sweetie Belle? It is the longest night of the year, and in the darkness lie hidden things. Take that tower for instance.” he said, pointing at a prominent spire rising near the palace. “Who would guess that in that tower waits a Gryphon who is without doubt the finest shot in Equestria? And once you put your earrings in, you’ll be able to hear every word she says. We’ll see a surprise coming from a mile off. Or the Rounds. Never could you ask for a more perfect night to see something pass so gloriously from this world. Everything quiet and still. But mostly what I want you to see is that moon.”

Sweetie Belle looked. “It’s beautiful.”

Night Light nodded emphatically. “Indeed it is. And tonight, on the longest night of the year, shrouded in shadow, we will free the Princess who rules it. Sweetie Belle, if we can get Luna into the moonlight, then there is no power in this world that can stop us.”

Sweetie Belle found the words oddly comforting. Something still nagged at her, though. “But what am I supposed to say to Rarity? How can I convince her to follow me, when I’ve been following in her hoofsteps for years?”

Night Light caught her up, kissing her gently. “If anypony can do it, Sweetie Belle, it would be you.” he said seriously, staring at her and into her, a single perfect moment of intimacy. “You are stronger than you know. There’s velvet around you, yes. But inside, you are the purest steel I’ve seen in a long time. You’ve trained with the Changelings, you’ve uncovered the Ever Free with no help, and when I first spoke to you, you were recovering from torture, torture I found out you had endured to protect a filly you had met only days before. Your sister is a hero, Sweetie Belle. No doubt can be had there. But you are a fighter, and never let anything different be told to you.”

The pastel unicorn sat quietly for a moment. It was not the same silence of a few moments previous, however. This silence hung heavy with a different kind of promise. “Night Light, I want you to promise me something.”

His voice was completely serious. “Name it.”

“Don’t leave me. I think I can do this, as long as you’re there with me. But if I lose you, if I can’t find you…I don’t know what I’ll do with myself.”

The carriage rumbled into the castle grounds. They were about to arrive. “I swear to you, as long as I live I shall never, ever leave you. I’ll be right here, Sweetie Belle.”

They came to a stop. For one last time, they met in a kiss. Chaste though it was, it was an entire conversation in one expression of love, not yet deep, but young and full of hope. The door opened, and Rose and Silver Sparks stepped forward, ready to face the Gala.

For better or worse, they had arrived.

Celestia’s wards held true, and Luna was unable to reach her moon, her beloved moon. This night, of all nights, was difficult for her. Even when she had been exiled she had never been separated from her power for so long. And on this night, she could hear it calling to her, louder than ever she could hear the sweet voice of the moon and the song of the stars. How it ached, to know that glory awaited above while she was bound below! Those foolish ponies up above her danced and honored her, not knowing the one they paid homage to was bound beneath their hooves, alone in darkness.

Luna screamed again, slamming herself into the wall with force enough to bruise her back. She wrenched at the chains Binding her close, and her horn fairly burned with need, the need to be used, to create vast and terrible miracles of the night once more, to break her free and strike down her enemies, those that dared to chain the Night! And yet…that was not the worst part.

She was Balance incarnate, created to ensure that neither Celestia nor Discord was too powerful. And she had failed in that task. But she was still connected to them both. Indeed, her magic, true Breaking magic, straddled the spectrum between Chaos and Order, using the one to promote the other or vice versa. And though Celestia had done well in insulating her from her power derived from the moon, she had one more option available to her.

She had resisted for four years, but tonight might be the night that she could no longer resist calling upon her darker self. When she had worn that mask, had favored that Power instead of the moon, she had been consumed by bloodlust and rage and pride. She had believed herself an empress, a Queen made to rule a night eternal and so keep creation in proper balance. She had favored Chaos, then. And she had admitted to no one, not Celestia or Discord or Twilight or any of her many, many lovers that she could just as easily draw upon the darkness as well.

Even now, she could feel that nagging whisper at the back of her mind. It told her that she could control it this time, that she had every reason to use it, that she could put it away when she had fought her way to the moonlight once more. And then the moonlight called to her once more, and Luna groaned. Well she knew the corruption of her darker self. Ponies had called her Nightmare Moon, as had Celestia. Luna herself used that term, on the rare occasions when she discussed it with others. But she had another name for her darkness, one she used in the privacy of her mind. Not once had the word escaped her lips, but the name even now burned at her. The Shadow. Every part of herself that she kept under lock and key, the very emotional freedom she had so long indulged before realizing what harm it caused, had created a quite separate entity. And well it should have, repressed for time indeterminable before she had let herself succumb in a moment of weakness. And she had spent one thousand long and lonely years on the moon for that weakness.

But that was on your own, with nopony else to guide you. Celestia was strong then. Now is the time to take up The Shadow! Twilight has weakened her! The sunset shall herald the night!

No. Down that road lay only a slow seduction into madness and bloodlust. Twilight Sparkle would surely free her soon. Celestia thought she hid her emotions well, but Luna could hear the strain in her voice when she visited, to wheedle or gloat or to inflict some petty cruelty upon her. Twilight’s rebellion was taking a toll on her, that was for certain. And unless she was very much mistaken, she had felt a familiar pulse of magic permeate the heart of the mountain. Cadance’s soulbind had started today, which meant that Celestia would be distracted. Tonight was the perfect time for her to strike. She closed her eyes tightly as the voice pressed forward again. This time it spoke with open malice.

You grasp at straws. She has abandoned you, or worse she cannot rescue you. And well you know what the soulbind means for Celestia. She will have her offering. The Element will be reforged. Your work and plans, all for naught! If you wish to save your ally, then take up The Shadow!

Luna refused to listen. She could not, would not, take up that darkness. Holding that abomination close to her breast was a daily challenge, and one that she had undertaken for three millennia before she let herself succumb to her baser urges. If she could not do the same for four years, four short years, then she was hardly worth the title she claimed.

But you had the moon. The voice whispered to her again, slowly and sensually. You never had to go without one power or the other. And it’s driving you mad, knowing that you could take your bonds away at any moment, step forward into the light, and take retribution for what’s been done to you. Listen to the moon Luna, pretty little Luna. It calls to you. Can’t you hear it? Your birthright, your charge. Your Power. It’s calling you.

Luna trembled in her chains, and it was at that moment that the song of the moon reached a crescendo. For one shining moment, she could almost feel it resonate within her. But then it faded, and once more she was in the dark. And the loss of that barest taste of power hurt more than the past four years, combined.

You know what to do, Luna. The Shadow waits faithfully. All you have to do is nothing.

Luna opened her eyes. They began to glow white with Power, save for one spot. One sliver of black remained, the eyes of a predator. The shadows around her began to writhe like serpents.

Twilight Sparkle watched calmly from the shadows as Applejack sat alone in Zecora’s hut. Though she could not actually see it, she could feel the raw power of Applejack’s Element from her position, as it attempted to assuage the emotion of its Bearer. The moonlight gleamed off of her unprotected coat as she observed the pony from behind an illusory screen. She turned to a slender pony, dark brown.

“What is she feeling?”

The Changeling shuddered. “Her mind is not the calm and centered place it once was. It is a maelstrom, a fractured place of fear, betrayal, and worry. But I can feel one thing more, Milady. Her anger burns hot, like newly forged iron. If you go out there alone, then…I worry for you, Lady Twilight. She is liable to kill you, or at least try.”

Twilight nodded thoughtfully. “Is Spike on the way?”

The Changeling nodded. “He comes, Milady. He will bring you news of Trottingham, though I have already heard it from my brethren.”

Twilight tilted her head curiously, careful not to disturb the filly on her back. “What news?”

“The city has fallen. Your banner flies above the Governor’s Spire, the streets are made ready to push back Celestia’s soldiers, and Rainbow Dash is in your custody. She has removed her Element, as well.”

Twilight winced. She knew that effects of relying too heavily on any powerful magic were detrimental at best, fatal at worst. “How is she?”

“I do not know, Milady. Only that she is injured, near death. Her strength left with her Element. She is a broken pony.”

“That much easier, then. Thank you, Azure. You may return to the lines.”

The Changeling bowed her head before retreating into the night. “Lady.”

Twilight inhaled, taking a step forward and dispelling her illusion. She would have to draw on all of her self control for this. She knocked politely on the door of Zecora’s hut and waited. She didn’t have to wait long. The door flew open to reveal a disheveled Applejack, her hair mussed and her eyes red. She had been crying. The Earth pony’s eyes narrowed, and she spoke with murder in her voice. “You”.

Twilight levitated the filly onto the ground nearby. “She’s under a spell, Applejack. Has been since she was taken at the schoolhouse.”

A hoof swung through the air, impacting Twilight Sparkle’s jaw with a crack and sending her spinning. Applejack stepped out of the hut as Twilight tried to keep stars from her eyes. Her head rammed into Twilight’s, dazing her, before the Earth pony turned around, locket jangling, and bucked Twilight as hard as she could, right in the chest.

Twilight coughed blood, dark and crimson, as she hit a nearby tree. One of her legs was broken, bone protruding through the skin, and her ribs were shattered. Applejack stalked forward, consumed by rage. Twilight huddled into a ball at her approach, trying to defend herself against the bloodlust of the farmer.

Applejack reached her, and began to speak. Occasionally, she punctuated her words with a kick or a stomp.

“I told you, Twilight. My family is off-limits. I ain’t never done nothin’ to you, ain’t raised a hoof against you. That fire you caused nearly cost me everything. I turned a blind eye. War took ponies I know from me, ponies I loved and cared about. You were the cause of it all. And I kept quiet. But now you’ve gone too far. You done bucked the wrong tree, darlin’. And now you’re gonna pay.” She raised one hoof, a pony consumed by anger about to end a life in defense of her child.

Twilight released her wards. She screamed in agony as all the damage inflicted on her was suddenly and violently undone, and she forced herself into the air before the pain caught up to her and forced her to shut down. There was a struggle, short and violent, before Twilight’s horn found the locket around Applejack’s neck.

The clearing lit up brighter than day, and a thunderous roar filled the air as Applejack stumbled back in shock, her locket blazing with amber fire. She stood transfixed as it dissolved, coming to rest around her neck as fiery chains before it vanished completely. A warm breeze swept through the clearing.

Twilight forced herself into a kneeling position. “Hail, Applejack. Hail, Wielder of the Power of Honesty.”

Twilight’s eyes widened as she realized that she may have miscalculated Applejack’s emotional reaction to her plan. A shield flickered into place, and Twilight was bowled back by the magically enhanced hooves of her assailant as she tested herself against one of the unbound Powers of Harmony.

Twilight cast another shield spell, this one more permanent and self-sustaining, over Honey Crisp. Her horn lit up just as Applejack hit the ground where she had stood, cratering it easily. Her appreciation for Applejack’s newfound strength was shoved roughly to one side as she fought to pull her back from the brink of a berserker state.

“Applejack, listen to me! There was a reason for this, a reason we had to kidnap Honey Crisp!”

Applejack didn’t even acknowledge that she had spoken, charging the unicorn again. She was moving faster, becoming acclimatized to the new power she Wielded. Twilight thought of and discarded a half-dozen options before she had to blink away then.

“Coward!” Applejack howled, mad with rage. “Kidnapper! Liar! Stand and fight!”

“I don’t want to fight you, Applejack!” Twilight called from the other side of the clearing. “I just want to talk. If you would just-“

A torrent of amber flame lit the air in the clearing, coiling around Applejack sinuously before it struck with the speed of a viper. Twilight huddled behind her shield, which was rapidly failing despite the power she was pouring into it. She managed to blink away just in time, before the inferno ate a hole in the ground where she had stood.

“Applejack! Calm down! I’m not trying to hurt you or Honey Crisp! I needed you free tonight, because if you weren’t-“

Applejack leapt through the air, and again her hooves flew out in a perfect bucking motion. Twilight’s wards, now active, flared as the hooves impacted her side and sent her tumbling limply through the air. She slid to a halt in a spray of earth before staggering to her hooves. Her horn flashed, and again the earth sprang up around Applejack, holding her in place. “Will you slow down and listen to me? Please?”

Applejack’s phenomenal strength was put to the test, for one brief moment. Then the earth around her shattered, and the apple farmer stepped out of her rocky bonds. “You coulda’ talked to me a long time ago, Twi. A long time ago.”

Twilight realized that she had truly, grievously, underestimated the lengths Applejack would go to in order to protect her daughter. She spoke softly, her voice cracking. “Applejack, I’m not asking you anymore. I’m begging. Please, you have to listen to me. This was the only way to help you.” Her horn flashed. All of her magic in the clearing vanished. The wards on her coat flickered and died. “Please, Applejack. Please.”

The Earth pony said nothing, merely growled as she advanced on her onetime friend. She was stopped short, however, by a small voice behind her.

“Momma?”

Applejack was still for a brief moment as what had just happened sank in. “You clever little…you knew that I’d get angry.”

Twilight nodded, seeing that Applejack finally understood. “Of course I knew. That was the only way. You needed to be freed, tonight. Go to your daughter.”

Applejack rushed to her filly so that she could comfort her. “Honey Crisp, are you feelin’ alright?”

The filly nodded, rubbing her eyes. “I fell asleep. Where are we?”

Applejack searched for an explanation. “We’re here to, ah…to visit somepony that I used to know.”

Honey Crisp pointed. “Her?”

Twilight nodded. “I’m here to talk to your mother, Honey Crisp.”

Applejack shook her head. “We’re done talkin’.” she said shortly, before lifting Honey Crisp onto her back. “Come on, lil’ sugarcube. We’re headed home.”

Twilight remained calm. “It’s about Applebloom.”

Applejack ground her teeth as she stopped. “Ah suppose this is why you needed me tonight?”

“Among other reasons, yes. She’s in trouble, Applejack. Big trouble. And you couldn’t have done a thing for her before our…talk.”

“I’m listening.”

The air was suddenly disturbed with the sound of heavy wingbeats. Three ponies looked up to see a massive shape blotting out the moon above, and Twilight lit her horn as Honey Crisp gave a low cry of fear, huddling against her mother.

Applejack drew her in close. “It’s alright, Honey. That’s someone else that we ain’t seen in a while. And ah know you remember him, too.”

The shape tucked its wings, and Spike the dragon landed heavily in the clearing, scales glinting in the moonlight. Twilight smiled, and stepped to one side, allowing Honey Crisp the opportunity to see who had come for her.

The filly’s eyes were wide. “Is that…are you?”

Spike nodded. “It is. I am.”

Honey Crisp lit up. “Spike!” she careened across the clearing, tackling the now-grown dragon in a massive hug. “I haven’t seen you in so long!”

Spike hugged her back, carefully. “It’s good to see you, Honey Crisp. You’ve grown!”

The filly giggled. “So have you! But, if you’re Spike, then she’s…” her already wide eyes got wider. “Twilight? Aunt Twilight?”

Twilight turned to Applejack. “Aunt?”

She shrugged. “It stuck. She didn’t believe a thing anypony told her about you two, by the way. But why is Spike here?”

Twilight smiled. “I can’t teleport all of us to the Regia. He’s our ride. And he wanted to see Honey Crisp.” She walked towards the dragon before climbing up one wing and settling onto his back. The unicorn offered a hoof to Applejack. “I know we still need to talk, but…need a helping hoof?”

Applejack stared at the appendage for a long moment. She reached out and took it. “Thank you, Twilight. Thank you.”

She nodded. “Come on. We’ve got a lot to discuss on the way.”

Play of the Pieces

The Everfree stretched out beneath the traveling ponies, leaves whispering among themselves in the night, bathed in the pale and steady light of the moon. Occasionally, a cloud would scud across the sky, casting a shadow on the dappled forest below, but for the most part the night was beautiful and clear. To Twilight, Applejack, Honey Crisp, and Spike, it was almost as if they were the only ones in the world. Everything was peaceful and serene, though the air was chilly and a bitter wind was beginning to blow in from the north, sending ripples among the treetops.

Honey Crisp was silent, awestruck at the view below her. Though her family lived on the edge of the Everfree, she had been warned never to play too close to the border of the forest. She had always known it was because it was a dangerous place, but from above it seemed like one of the most beautiful things she had ever seen. She had never flown before, and what Pegasus friends she had were utterly lacking in the poetic skill necessary to describe it to her. Even now, with this vista laid out before her, she could really only find one word that described how she felt right now. She felt free.

Applejack clutched her daughter tightly as she felt the dragon pump his wings, soaring on a rare thermal. She too was silent, though it was for a completely different reason. Where her child saw only beauty and wonder, she was able to see what this flight meant for them both. Already she could no longer see an end to the forest. She could hardly see Canterlot for the dark and the distance, and soon enough even that familiar mountain had faded from view, as if it never was. They were headed farther and farther away from the safety of home, and deeper into the land controlled by Twilight Sparkle. No longer was she in control of her own fate. She had put trust in Twilight, and now for better or worse her fate, as well as that of her child, lay in the hooves of one who had recently been her enemy, and might still be.

As they flew through the air, minutes passing into one another and blurring into an hour, dark shapes began to rise from the treetops, spiraling and twirling in a protective formation around them. At first the mother and daughter thought they were surrounded by Pegasi. And there were some, clad in strange skintight suits that seemed to be made partly of shadow, making it difficult to keep track of where they ended and the night began. But then one of the fliers caught the light of the moon in their profile, and Applejack saw the curved beak and avian head of a Gryphon. Another flitted in front of her, and she could swear she saw holes in the legs of that escort.

Twilight was unable to speak to the group over the rush of the wind, and so she began to flash her hornlight in an irregular, jerky pattern. One of the Pegasi produced a small crystal tapping out a reply. Twilight’s horn flashed green, and the Pegasus fell back along with the rest of the guard. She turned over her shoulder, meeting the inquisitive eyes of her fellow passengers. “They were needed elsewhere!” she cried, indicating the rapidly departing squadron of fliers. “None of Celestia’s forces ever come this far in, so we’re safe! If you look ahead, you’ll see the castle! It’s right across the river!”

Applejack craned her neck, and was just able to see the spires of the Regia clawing at the sky like slender fingers. But unlike that fateful night nearly fifteen years ago, when she and her five best friends had saved the land from eternal night, the castle was no longer in ruins. Torches blazed on its walls, the crumbling stonework had been repaired, and the windows of the castle glowed warmly with light. The encroaching forest had been driven back, and in the place of dense forest Applejack could see fields and orchards, even a small town forming near the walls of the castle, no bigger than Ponyville. The sound of an alarm bell ringing drifted through the air towards them. They had been seen. And they were expected. She could feel Spike angle downwards, and she tightened her grip on Honey Crisp.

“Hold on to me, sugarcube.” she murmured loud enough for her to hear, and she felt the filly clutch at her apprehensively. Spike’s wingbeats slowed and then stopped as he glided in for a landing. Applejack’s breath caught in her throat as they missed the tops of the walls by no more than a few meters. His wings flared, and he beat them heavily as he came in for a hovering landing. Finally, he let himself fall a short distance before landing heavily on the ground with a thud. One wing unfurled, and the trio of ponies cautiously walked down the proffered appendage.

Twilight Sparkle was immediately at his head, holding a quiet conversation with him. Applejack could not hear what she said, but the dragon nodded once before he spread his wings again and took to the skies. The unicorn hobbled over to her as the Earth pony and her daughter regained their footing after being buffeted by his powerful downdraft. “He’s needed over in Trottingham to help evacuate some ponies.”

Applejack tilted her head. “Won’t the Princess be a mite suspicious of a full grown dragon evacuating pony folk?”

They turned and walked toward the castle together. A guard fell in around the trio as they walked, keeping a respectful yet watchful distance. “She would be, if the city was still hers. Revolutionaries and my agents in the city have evicted the Guard stationed there and Ever Free ponies now openly walk the streets as of sunset this evening. Apparently Rainbow Dash paid the price for her heavy Element use when she was relieved of it.”

Honey Crisp looked around fearfully at the dark armored ponies surrounding her. “Aunt Twilight, where are we?”

Twilight smiled at her. “This is a castle, Honey Crisp. There are some ponies here who need to live in the woods so we can protect each other. These guards are here to make sure that you two both remain safe.”

The filly thought about that. “Aunt Twilight, is what ponies are saying about you true? Are you trying to hurt the Princess?”

Applejack looked at her expectantly, judging Twilight. With her Element unbound, she would know if the unicorn was lying. Twilight took a deep breath and continued. “I don’t want to. But she wants me to do some things that…well, that I don’t think I should have to do. And she’d be pretty angry with me if I kept refusing her, so I left Ponyville and came here instead. Now the Princess can do things her way and I can do things my way, and we don’t have to interfere with each other.”

They had reached the main hall, and their guard shrank to two Lunar Guards as the others returned to their positions. Applejack took in the surrounding keep. It was certainly built for royalty, she could see that. The walls were richly carved with scenes depicting ponies locked in combat against terrible foes and horrible monsters. The pillars supporting the ceiling were covered in runes that Applejack recognized as the old language of High Equestrian, and they gleamed with inlaid silver in the light of oil lanterns. Clearly, magelights were in demand here. Two massive plinths stood flanking a staircase which split in two, but whatever they had supported had been removed. The watchful eyes of long-dead ponies, their faces forever immortalized in stone, watched from alcoves near the ceiling.

“Do you know what this room is called, Honey Crisp?” Twilight asked. Honey Crisp shook her head no. “This is called the Hall of Heroes. Some very famous ponies are depicted here. Only the very bravest and best warriors and mages were honored in this hall. And a few of them were your ancestors.”

“Really?” she asked. “Which ones? Where are they?”

Twilight stopped in front of a statue of an Earth pony. His visage was fearsome, his features belying brute strength in spades. And yet, for all of his clear martial prowess, there remained something open and comforting in his gaze, a sort of rough kindness that belied a warm and open heart. This was no warrior. This was a Champion. “His name was Strongwood. And we’ve found evidence in our library that he is related to you. And his official title is Champion of Harmony. He had a reputation for being fair and honest with everypony, and seeing falsehood even when others couldn’t.”

She trotted over to one bust that seemed to be streamlined, aerodynamic in a way that immediately alerted the viewer that this was a Pegasus. “This is Spectrum of Cumulus. He was even older than Strongwood, and he was one of the first Champions of Harmony. Do you know who he is related to?”

Honey Crisp tilted her head, squinting. “He kind of reminds me of Aunt Rainbow, a little.”

Twilight smiled and nodded. “You got it! He is related to Rainbow Dash, very far back. He was one of the first Pegasi to pledge loyalty to the Princesses, and he worked as a personal guard for Celestia for many, many years. If you look around this hall, you can find healers and mages and warriors, all of them Champions of Harmony, related to my friends and I.”

Honey Crisp’s eyes were wide. “Even Aunt Pinkie?”

Twilight’s nose wrinkled. “Well, we are still working on finding hers. There are two ponies who might be her ancestors here. An Earth pony named Rose and a unicorn named Surprise. We haven’t found anything saying they were Champions of Harmony, so we can’t be sure.” She indicated the two statues. “Which do you think is her?”

Honey Crisp peered closely at the two statues, right next to one another. The first one wore an expression of mirth that transgressed the stony majesty the rest of the statues seemed to convey. Her eyes were crinkled around the edges with laugh lines, and a grin tugged at the corners of her mouth as if she couldn’t even stop herself from laughing as stone. The second one was almost the same, but not quite. Her mane fell in clouds that cascaded around where her shoulders would have been, and a mischievous smirk was barely contained underneath the stone. Her eyes, while not unpleasant, seemed to hint at knowing things other ponies didn’t, as if she had just played a joke on them all and was waiting on a response. Honey Crisp turned away from her and back to Twilight.

“Well?” the unicorn inquired. Honey Crisp noticed that other ponies that had been passing through were watching her curiously, waiting to see her response.

“I think it’s Rose.” Honey Crisp said. “She just seems…nicer, somehow.”

Twilight nodded understandingly. “I think so, too.” she said conspiratorially. “But we need to keep moving. Your mother and I still need to talk. I know somepony who’s been waiting a while to see you. I’ve told her a lot about you both, and I can’t wait for you to meet her.”

Applejack looked at her friend. “And who might that be, sugarcube?”

“Her name is Tarantella Allegretta. And she should be here by now.” Twilight said, looking around. One of the servants, who had been standing unobtrusively in the background, trotted forward at this.

He bowed low, once to Twilight and then once to Applejack before he spoke. “Lady Twilight, Condottiero Allegretta left shortly after yourself. She is not expected back until morning.”

Twilight looked at him strangely. “And where exactly did she go?”

“She departed for Trottingham, Milady. She said that she wished to transport the Element of Loyalty herself.”

A sharp bang echoed through the hallway as the air around Twilight was suddenly supercharged with magic. Ponies scurried for cover as Twilight struggled to recover her emotional center in order to curtail her Breaking magic and cope with the news. The distorted air was finally calmed as Twilight composed herself. When she spoke, her voice was full of constrained worry and fear. “Thank you for telling me about that. Although I wish it had been sooner. Could you tell me how many ponies she took with her, Mr…?”

The pony prostrated himself on the floor. “Straw Broom, Milady. My name is Straw Broom. I believe she took the Condottieri with her, Milady. About thirty including herself. She said that she would be able to transport Rainbow Dash more easily with their assistance in manipulating the weather.”

Twilight was silent for a brief moment. With a flash, she disappeared, leaving Applejack and Honey Crisp standing in the Hall of Heroes. Confused as to what to do next, they looked around. Luckily, they didn’t have to wait for long.

“My apologies on Lady Twilight’s behavior.” a voice came from behind them. “She worries about that Pegasus so. I believe I was to show you two to the Library, and from there we would find you rooms for the evening?”

Honey Crisp yelped at the sight of the pony behind her. Applejack moved in front of her protectively. “You!”

The papery mare nodded. “Me.” she said simply. “I believe we have met before, though we have not been properly introduced. My name is Golden Radiance. I’m one of Twilight’s ancestors, in a way. And I don’t believe I caught your names?”

Applejack took a step back, not moving her eyes from this pony. She knew exactly what kind of magic this…thing was capable of. She had seen it in Trottingham. And it was more dangerous than any army.

Golden Radiance tilted her head. Spying Honey Crisp, she leaned in. “And what’s your name, little one?”

Honey Crisp peeked out from behind her mother’s legs. “My name is Honey Crisp, ma’am. But what are you?”

Golden Radiance straightened up. “Then you must be Applejack. It is an honor to meet you both at last.” she said, giving a little bow. “As to what I am, Miss Crisp, I am what is known as a construct. I am the personality and memories of a pony who has passed on. I was sealed inside a book, which is why I am made of paper.”

Honey Crisp opened her mouth to ask more questions, but was cut off by a rumbling noise from her stomach. The construct laughed at this.

“Sounds like you could use some food. And you as well, Wielder. If you are used to my admittedly shocking appearance, I suggest we sojourn to the kitchens. We can surely find something for you both there, and then we shall meet the Lady in the library once she has sorted her feelings out. How does that sound?”

Applejack realized at that point that it was going to be an unusual night. With a resigned sigh, she relaxed. “Might as well, then. Come on, Honey.”

As they walked down the hallway, moving deeper into the castle, it occurred to Applejack that her friends and family were probably wondering what had become of her and Honey Crisp. She resolved to send a message as soon as possible. After all, she really had no way to talk to them except by Twilight’s good graces…

The cottage on the edge of the woods blazed with light as two groups of ponies huddled together, scared and clinging to familiar comforts. Word had been sent to Canterlot, but no response had returned. Ponyville, despite its proximity to the Everfree, was deemed a low threat area because it contained three of the Elements of Harmony. Indeed, many military strategists saw it as an ideal point from which to begin a proper invasion of the woods because of this perceived strength. As such, when word was sent informing the authorities of the failure of that strength, it tended to not register immediately. Canterlot’s military machine was mighty, but it was concentrated elsewhere. Mobilizing it would take time, and that was something that the ponies of Ponyville did not have.

And so, Fluttershy, her husband Guiding Light, Applejack’s husband Barley Scotch, and Pinkie Pie along with her family had gathered in the small hut belonging to the timid Pegasus. And on the insistence of the two mares, they had remained there. In a strange twist of fate, the duo had positioned themselves by the door, and their faces were deadly serious. Nopony was getting into or out of that cottage. Of course, they had been asked where the Elements were. And of course, they had been forced to admit that they did not have the Elements. And that the Elements were not in their possession, nor were they even still in their most well-known form. It had taken only a brief demonstration of the unbound power they now wielded to convince their families of the truth.

“But what I don’t understand is why Honey Crisp got taken!” Barley Scotch exclaimed. He shot a guilty glance into one corner, where Pinkie’s foal Rosemary was currently sleeping. “Applejack’s Element wasn’t unbound, or whatever you all are calling it. So why take our daughter instead of the Element?”

Fluttershy and Pinkie traded a glance. “We were afraid of something like this.” Fluttershy said. “A powerful negative emotion breaks the Element forever. Pinkie’s was curiosity. Mine was fear. We think that Applejack’s might have been anger.”

Barley cradled his head in his hooves. “And the one thing that makes Applejack genuinely angry is when somepony goes against her family. Does Twilight know what she’s gotten herself into?”

Guiding Light arched an eyebrow. “What do you mean?”

The stallion groaned. “Applejack’s got a temper. It’s buried deep, real deep. But if you get her going, that mare is like a train. She won’t stop for anypony, and Celestia help you if you’re in the way. If somepony ever laid a hoof on Honey Crisp, I don’t think Applejack could rightly be considered in control of her actions. She’d be in a killing mood. And I mean that sincerely.”

Fluttershy gasped. “And if she broke her Element, and had access to that power…”

Allspice winced. “How good is Twilight Sparkle at magic, again?”

Pinkie Pie was uncharacteristically serious. “She’s the greatest mage ever. Literally. That’s what she was born to be if you believe her side of the story. And from what Fluttershy and I have seen, we’re inclined to believe her.”

“So now what?” Barley Scotch asked miserably. “Do we just wait? Are they going to contact us if Applejack is beaten? And what if she wins?”

As fate would have it, at that moment there was a knock at the door. Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy sprang into action, taking positions on either side of it and readying themselves. Blue and pink lightning crackled around them, and Pinkie Pie reached out with one cautious tendril of magic, throwing the door open wide.

The lightning flickered and died as the duo stared in confusion at the little filly blinking at them in surprise. She held up one hoof, forestalling a conversation. “Please, do not assault me. I am an emissary from Twilight Sparkle. I have taken this form to show that I pose no threat to you. I am here to deliver a message.”

Fluttershy and Pinkie nodded at her, indicating that she continue. “I have been sent to give you greetings, and to let you all know that the foal Honey Crisp and the mare Applejack have safely arrived at Milady’s castle in the Everfree Forest, unharmed and of their own free will. I also bear a warning for the Wielders and their families. It is no longer safe for you here. After tonight, Celestia’s wrath shall be terrible. She will have lost all of her Elements. However, her will is still tied to yours. If you remain, you shall be little more than puppets come the dawn. I and others have been sent to you to afford you passage to the Regia. Milady implores you by the friendship you once shared to come at once, and leave behind nothing you truly hold dear.”

The cottage was suddenly submerged in quiet conversation as the ponies inside attempted to choose a path and find out how to handle the situation. Pinkie and Fluttershy wanted to head for the woods. So did Barley Scotch. Allspice was against the idea, and Guiding Light just wasn’t sure. The filly at the door waited patiently for them to come to the inevitable conclusion to travel inside the dark wood.

Gathering up a few scant supplies and waking the sleeping Rosemary, they began the walk towards the Forest. No conversation was made, fearful glances toward the sleeping town and the monotony of trudging through the silent night being the tone of the quick journey. At last, they reached the trees. Inside, several other dark ponies could be seen waiting for them, hooded and cloaked. Among them waited a mare with a messy red bun and white coat.

“Hello, all.” Radiant Zenith said with a small smile. “I wish that I could have met your families under better circumstances. But I’m going to need you all to trust me. There is a magical passage that will curtail our journey by a significant margin through the trees, but I am afraid that we will need to be taking some precautions once we arrive.”

“And what would those precautions be?” Barley Scotch asked, gazing at the hooded ponies. Two of them moved in to flank him. They did likewise to Allspice and Guiding Light.

“Celestia has laid a compulsion on her subjects, a magically induced set of commands. Those fully grown and accepting of her rule obey them automatically. As such, we will need to restrain you,” at this she made a gesture, and the ponies flanking him grabbed him professionally and firmly, “until such time as you can be relieved of it. Your wives and the foal need not be restrained. Rosemary is not yet of the age where she has accepted that programming, and Pinkie and Fluttershy have already broken their ties to Celestia.”

A pony standing beside her threw back her hood to reveal that she wore the face of Twilight Sparkle. One brief struggle and demonstration later, the need for restraint became evident. So agreed, the party proceeded into the woods.

After a walk that took around fifteen minutes, they arrived at their destination. Or rather, a destination. Two trees had grown together in this clearing, vines spiraling around their trunks, and though Fluttershy had passed this way often, she had never seen them before. The air inside the glade was hushed and still, and it seemed to the ponies that they were interrupting something sacred.

Radiant Zenith turned to them. “No matter what you see, do not leave this glade or interrupt my spell. It will be only a moment.” And with that, she began to chant, low at first but gaining power and strength and speed as she went. The air began to flow curiously inside the clearing, weaving in and out of the two gnarled oaks and rising and falling in time with her chant. The tone and pitch began to rise and fall, and soon Radiant Zenith was no longer chanting. She was singing, and the wind was her instrument.

Voices whispered among the trees, and vaguely familiar and sinister forms flitted in the shadows. A light flashed, and then another. The air was filled with the scent of fresh fruit and pine needles, of flowers and herbs. A beautiful laugh resonated through the clearing, one both lovely and entirely alien. No recognizable emotion was in that sound, but at the same time it was filled with feeling. Not a pony in that clearing would ever forget the sound of that laugh.

All at once, the air between the trees warped and twisted, and a figure stepped through. As she stepped into the light, mare and stallion alike gasped. More slender than any pony, with eyes of opal brilliance and a mane of fiery red, she tossed her head proudly as the moonlight glinted off her coat of wonderful bone white. The action revealed ears that tapered to sharp points, far thinner and longer than those of a normal pony. She looked over them all, a knowing smile on her face as she waited for something to happen.

Radiant Zenith bowed deeply. “Hail, Mistress of the Trees. We ask for permission to pass through your demesne so that we may aid our cause tonight.”

The lovely not-mare smiled, showing no teeth, and stood to one side with a little flourish. Radiant Zenith turned to them, her voice low and urgent. “We will be travelling through a clearing. Whatever you do, do not approach the tree in its center, and do not stop moving. Follow me and you will be to the Regia in minutes. You do not wish to know what happens if you fall behind.” With these words spoken, she stepped through the trees. No trace of her remained.

The column of ponies followed closely behind her. As they stepped through the portal, each gasped in wonder at the massive tree before them. Silver apples hung from its boughs, gleaming with all of the colors of the rainbow while retaining their argent hue. Other ponies lounged around the tree, watching them with sudden, predatory interest as they galloped through the clearing, keeping to the edge. Radiant Zenith halted before another set of trees, and her horn gleamed silver as the forest behind them shifted into a view of a river. Not stopping, they charged through the gap, Rosemary bouncing on her father’s back in order to keep her with the group. The last pony was through, and Radiant Zenith hurled herself through the trees, wincing with relief as the smell of fruit and pine was cut off.

“Thank Luna, they were not hungry tonight. Some poor beast must have wandered in earlier.” she muttered, dusting herself off. Radiant Zenith counted her ponies, and sighed with relief to see that they were all there.

“What were those things?” Guiding Light asked, helping Fluttershy to her hooves. “That was…indescribable.”

Radiant Zenith shuddered. “Those were the Mistresses of the Forest. Pray you never see them again. I will say no more on the matter, and you would do well not to seek any more knowledge on it lest you go mad. Or worse, find what you’re looking for.” And the matter was considered closed.

The filly with no name stretched, her disguise falling away in a rush of emerald as she began to buzz her wings. Three more Changelings approached the stallions, holding thick ropes. They were reluctantly hobbled and bridled before Radiant Zenith nodded her approval. All eyes had been on her, and so the group had failed to notice what lay across the darkened fields ahead of them.

The Regia loomed before them, imposing and dark, though the battlements were crawling with life. Lights burned in the high towers, and a group of Guards were rushing to meet them even now. Radiant Zenith’s horn flashed, and the trees they stepped through were suddenly indistinguishable from the forest behind them. It was as if they had never been there at all.

“Welcome, dear friends,” she said, indicating the castle, “to the Regia. We have much to discuss.”

“-said that she was being well cared for.”

“We are doing all we can for her! She’s suffering from severe magical atrophy, and it’s all we can do to keep her alive. The only route not taken is ichor.”

“Do not stick that foul substance inside of her. I won’t have her going into shock. Where is she?”

Darkness pierced by light, the sound of creaking wood. Pain. Pain of the eyes and the body. A figure steps into the light, and the blinding glow vanishes. The sound of hooves on a floor.

“Are you awake?”

An effort is made. “Y-yes. Where…am…I?”

“Do you remember what happened to you?”

“I was by a tower. My armor was taken from me.”

A comforting grasp, one hoof in another. “Yes. If you stay here much longer, you will likely die. My name is Tarantella. I am here to take you to Twilight Sparkle. She will be able to heal you, as will some of her allies. Tell me, how difficult is breathing for you?”

“It hurts, but not all that much. I think it should probably hurt a lot more.”

“I’m going to give you something that will help you sleep. We’re going to be airlifting you out of the city. It will take perhaps an hour to get to the Regia. Once there, you can be healed.”

A vial is placed to her lips. The Pegasus hesitates briefly before draining it in one long swig. It tastes like honey and mint. The honey fades and the minty feeling begins to spread through her mouth, tingling and causing it to go numb. Soon it begins to spread to other parts as well. Within a minute, the Pegasus is asleep.

The Condottiero nods to her companions. Gently, with the care afforded a sleeping and sickly child, she is hoisted onto the backs of two Pegasi, who carefully carry the Bearer of Loyalty out of the room. They pass through the rough blue canvas walls of the field hospital, and within moments they are once more outside. The entire process, from landing to retrieval, has taken no more than five minutes. The title of Lady’s Consort can get a lot done.

A bag is unslung from the back of one of the Condottieri. It is an old design, but one that has never needed improving. With the speeds the Fiato Danzatori fly at, traditional slings will not do for the carrying of passengers. They would be lost to the gales in minutes, unable to help themselves. So, they are placed in a bag woven from the fiber of certain plants that grow in the north. The fiber is specially treated and dried, and the result is something far stronger than mere burlap and lighter than silk. Porous and warm, it is the only way to transport the wounded of this Pegasi troupe.

After much careful positioning, Rainbow Dash is placed in this envelope. Grumbling a bit, she curls into a ball and slips back into a deeper slumber. The sack is carefully sealed shut, and two lengths of the same fiber are carefully and tightly bound to two of the Condottiero, the strongest flyers among them. Tarantella takes a step back and observes the layout of her forces. Nodding in approval, she slings another bag containing the physical Element of Harmony over her shoulders, fastening the ropes holding it under her chest. She gives a whistle, and in one smooth motion, the Gale Dancers rise into the sky, forming a flying V even as they rise.

They enter the clouds above them, disappearing from view, and the assembled crowd of revolutionaries watches in wonder as the previously still and dark shapes in the sky begin to twist and warp. No more than a minute later, the Gale Dancers are rocketing along, pushed by gale force winds as the clouds stream behind them in what looks for all the world like a sideways tornado. The clouds over Trottingham are pulled back, more fuel for the storm they had created.

When at last they have departed, trailing a storm over the Everfree, the ponies on the ground stare up at the sky in wonder still. What the clouds had hidden is by their lack now revealed. The moon is bright, its luminescence rivaling that of the sun somehow, and it is much larger than it has ever been seen before. And the stars, oh the stars! They shimmer in untold multitudes, not only in distant silver but in fiery red, icy blue, and glorious yellow. As they watch, more colors begin to appear. Pink, green, purple, orange, and more are described in the tapestry of the sky. Those who know the truth about Luna turn towards the horizon, searching for Canterlot. Perhaps tonight, of all nights, the Princess is freed?

Perhaps she is.

Rarity looked at herself in the mirror, going over her ensemble one more time. While she did admit to a certain thrill at the ensemble she would be wearing, she couldn’t help to think that maybe bridle and tack was going a bit far. Still, she had to admit that the purple and gold outfit she was wearing did look good. Her Element had been behaving itself, the color switching from diamond-clear to amethyst in order to better complement her gear. Her hair, still in its fashionable bob, gleamed with health, and her tail had just finished its curling. A tasteful dab of perfume was applied, carefully so as not to accidentally smudge her makeup, and the Bearer of Generosity took a step back, admiring the entire effect. Possibly not her best Gala appearance, but definitely better than she normally looked. Satisfied, she stepped out into the parlor of her Canterlot apartment, where Golden Rule was waiting on her.

“You look lovely.” he said, bending in close and kissing her lightly, every bit the gentlepony.

“Is Brownstone asleep?” she asked, fixing her earrings as they moved towards the door.

“Just passed out for the evening. The foalsitter Celestia sent assured us that he’d be no trouble.”

Rarity smiled, showing perfectly white teeth. She picked up the list that was sitting on the table by the door. She had received it from Quick Stitch only that afternoon, and had yet to get it to the Princess. A piece of information that would help her identify her sister. Sweetie Belle would be wearing red tack, and the style was one Rarity was familiar with. She and her escort would be wearing plates of metal, engraved with chess pieces. Sweetie’s was a pawn.

She set it back down again, as she turned to Golden Rule. “I’m ready. Shall we?” she asked, and the two proceeded out of their door, down the hall, and began the long trek to the ballroom. She had not been able to contact Celestia, as she was rumored to be attending to the Princess Mi Amore di Cadenza. Something had happened to her, apparently, and the monarch would not be available to greet guests like she normally did, although she would be attending the banquet through the closing ceremonies. Regardless, Rarity and Golden Rule were the only two who had knowledge of the letter. With the banquet and the mysterious cessation of communications between Trottingham and Canterlot, things were quite hectic. The attendees waiting downstairs had no idea how close the Gala had come to being cancelled. It had taken quite a bit of wheedling from Rarity to ensure that everything stayed on track, and now it was about to pay off. She would find her sister, she was sure of it…

“Rarity!” a voice called from the crowd. She turned her head to see Rose Sparks and her husband Silver trotting towards them. The first thing Rarity noticed was the jewels she was wearing. Surely they were heirlooms, because the necklace of diamonds she wore were among the biggest and brightest she had ever seen. If she were to sell them, individually or as a set, she would be able to feed a family of eight for the better part of three or four years. Her hair was in an intricate bun, held in place by two Quilinese chopsticks of beautiful dark wood. Her face sparkled with youthful exuberance, and her husband seemed a bit taken aback at this display of joy.

And then Rarity noticed what she was wearing. Her bridle and tack fell in drapes of deep crimson, fastened with straps of unfinished leather and shining gold fittings. A chestpiece of brass and two smaller flank plates helped to hide the major bindings of the gear, and they were etched with chess pieces. Pawns, to be exact.

Rarity’s breath grew short as she realized that she was looking at a very carefully trained and well-disguised Sweetie Belle. Moreover, she had managed to fool her sister into thinking she was somepony else entirely. But now her façade had ended. Her continued liberty lay in Rarity’s hooves.

Should she alert the guards? Should she allow her sister to be captured, to be once more released to the tender care of Dawn Division? Should Rarity do her duty to her country, or her family? Could she convince Sweetie Belle to abandon her quest? Could she save her sister? In the next moment, Rarity would seal her sister’s fate. Life or death. Freedom or confinement. Love or duty.

She made her choice.

Queen in Play

“Rose!” Rarity cried as she descended the steps to the ballroom floor. “Lovely to see you, darling. I must say, you look absolutely stunning. Are those real diamonds?”

Sweetie Belle nodded carefully, so as to avoid disturbing her mane. “A family heirloom. They were my grandmother’s. We’re extremely proud of them.”

The two couples continued their slow promenade towards the actual ballroom, exiting the foyer. “Well, they’re wonderful. And they suit you, dear.” Rarity said. She turned to her husband. “Don’t they, Golden?”

Golden Rule jumped a bit, clearly shaken out of some deep thought. “Pardon? Oh, yes. They are marvelous.”

The fashionista held a hoof to her mouth. “Oh, I’m terribly sorry. I’ve completely forgotten to introduce you all. Dear, this is Rose Sparks and her husband Silver Sparks. They just arrived from Manehatten. They’re newlyweds, and we met yesterday when I was out. We hit it off so well that I asked if they could be seated next to us at the banquet tonight.” A careful nudge, made without Sweetie Belle’s notice, warned her husband to play along.

The stallion caught himself. “Apologies, my mind was somewhere else. It’s a pleasure to meet you both. My name is Golden Rule, and I run a bank in Manehatten.”

Night Light shook his hoof firmly. “Silver Sparks. I work as a curator in a small museum downtown. And this is my wonderful wife, Rose. She works the same job as I do.”

Golden Rule smiled. “I see. That would be how you two met, then?”

“That’s right.” Sweetie Belle said. “One sculpture brought us together, and then we both found out that we had a lot more in common than an appreciation for art.”

“Two peas in a pod, that’s us!” Night Light added. “Out of all the ponies in Manehatten, we managed to find each other. She’s a miracle if ever I found one. “

Sweetie Belle giggled, leaning in for a chaste kiss. “So, how did you two meet?”

Rarity grinned. “Well, some details are between husband and wife, you understand, but…” her voice trailed off. “Oh, that’s simply marvelous! The Princess truly outdid herself with the decorations this year.”

The Gala Ballroom stretched away from them, at the bottom of another set of stairs, which spread wide onto a polished marble floor. The room itself was oval in shape and composition, with two thrones facing each other across its length. True to the subject of the celebration, the hangings on the walls were of black velvet, richly embroidered in silver thread. Luna’s moon featured prominently, as well as the profile of an Alicorn, wings outstretched in flight as it reached for the heavens. The contrast between the black of the hangings and the white of the stone continued onto the floor.

A spell had been cast on the floor that checked it in black and white, and the servers wore tabards embroidered with pawns, while more important ponies in service to the Princess wore different pieces. Knights for the Guards, rooks for the orchestra, and bishops for ponies such as the majordomo and the master of ceremonies. Naturally, nopony would dare to assume the role of queen or, Celestia forbid, a king.

One side of the room was cleared for a social area, and ponies were standing around inside of it, sipping on wine or other drinks and conversing lightly. On the other, by Celestia’s throne, tables had been arranged, each place setting marked with a name. A table of hors d’oeuvres was laid along one wall, and was the subject of much attention. The center of the room, of course, was a dance floor, and a small string quartet along with a pianist and a singer were entertaining the couples swaying gracefully in time to beautiful music.

“This is incredible.” Sweetie Belle said.

Rarity glanced around the room furtively, checking for a space where she might be able to speak to her sister in private. No such luck, the Princess was taking no chances. A spot where anypony could potentially meet and reconnoiter for an operation against the Princess was occupied by a Guard, or simply too conspicuous to be considered private. She’d need to be creative, then.

She opened her mouth to speak, but before she could do so, Night Light cut in. “This is wonderful. I think I recognize that song, as well. Might I have this dance, Rose?”

Sweetie Belle could tell by the expression on his face that something was wrong. “Of course, dear. If you would excuse us for a moment?” she said, before they both walked towards the dance floor.

Night Light placed one hoof on her shoulder, the other resting lightly along her back, and together the two of them twirled onto the dance floor. They stayed like that for a moment, dancing and swaying to the music, and Sweetie Belle felt her neck naturally arc downward to rest near his shoulder. He did likewise.

“Your sister knows.” he murmured. “Why she hasn’t alerted Guards yet, I don’t know. But she was absolutely stunned when she saw you. She’s very good at hiding her emotions, but she definitely knows. And Golden Rule is in on it. Right now, I’m sure they’re discussing what to do with us.”

Sweetie Belle, remembering her training, gave a little laugh before leaning in more closely. “Are you sure? We’ve come too far to call off this operation now.”

“Turn on your earpiece. Mahtaram will be able to tell us if anything big is happening around the castle. And contact Glimmer. We may have to cut and run.”

Sweetie Belle’s mind was operating at a different level entirely. Refuge in audacity, another of Chrysalis’s lessons, flashed into her head. Combine that with the simple trust felt in familial bonds, and unwillingness to break perceived social norms at public gatherings…she could do this. She could make this work. But she’d need to be spot on in her work, and have most of her strings tied up before Celestia arrived. “No. I know how we can still pull this off.” A flash of magic, and her earpiece buzzed to life. As they danced, she spoke quietly. “Mahtaram, please keep me posted on the status of the Guard activity around the castle. Can you see where the Gala is being held?”

On a high tower rooftop, the Gryphon sighted down the haft of a powerful crossbow. The light of the moon was like high noon to her. “If you need me to pick a target, I could hit them from here. Those windows are wide open.”

“Glimmer, can you see any communication between guards? Any suspicious movement?”

The Changeling was silent for a moment in her conversation with Scootaloo and a Pegasus from Fillydelphia. Sensing each and every emotion, she managed to filter it down to just the guards. Scootaloo cleverly distracted their fellow Pegasus with an amusing anecdote just as Glimmer finished. “Nothing from here, and there’s nothing in the way of excitement or fear coming from the Guards.”

Sweetie Belle processed that. “Right. Stay on your hooves. We may have to leave soon if things go poorly. Apparently Rarity knows who I am.” There was a burst of chatter from her teammates. “Quiet down. Keep a level head. I’m saying we stay and try to pull this off, and I just need you all to be ready. Mahtaram, use the communications crystal you have to alert Birchwood. I want that airship ready to go once the Rounds blow, not after. Until I give the word, stay put. We’re close, and it’s not over yet.”

The song shifted into something more lively, and the pace picked up around them. Sweetie Belle and Night Light followed suit. “Now what?” Night Light asked.

Sweetie Belle’s blood was singing, her mind was racing, and every single detail stood out in sharp relief, as if she was in a fever dream. She felt adrenaline surge in her veins. She was in danger, yes, but right now she was getting ready to play something masterful. All she had to do was get Rarity alone for a brief moment. The young reporter-no, the young saboteur, leaned in and kissed Night Light gently. “The party’s about to get a lot more interesting. For us, Equestria ends tonight, one way or the other. Might as well dance.”

Night Light grinned, and the two of them spun out onto the dance floor for another turn. They had time to kill, and they needed to blend in. Celebration was totally justified. After all, what was a revolution without dancing?

“Rarity, you know I trust your judgment. But what are you planning?” Golden Rule asked.

“Sweetie Belle has gotten herself into something that she doesn’t understand. Or at least that’s what I thought, when she left. But when we met over coffee, she and I had a conversation. And I think she was trying to tell me something.”

“And what was that?” Golden Rule said as they stood to one side, enjoying some small amount of removal from the party below them.

“She’s doing this for the same reason she dropped Biology for Journalism in college. She found the truth, and I wasn’t the one to tell her. And I can’t imagine Twilight was completely honest with her when describing the events of four years ago.”

Golden Rule snorted. “So she joined the rebellion because she wanted to lash out at you?”

Rarity shook her head. She understood now. “No. She’s angry that I didn’t tell her what had happened, even after she asked me point blank. Oh, I knew that it was a bad idea to keep that from her! But what do you say to a mare that’s hardly more than a filly? Especially when you realize that you had sold your friend to your monarch in exchange for…for what? There was no way I would have ever wanted to discuss that with her. But she wanted to know. And she found a way.”

“So why is she back in Canterlot, instead of blowing up bridges in Hoofington?”

Rarity stared at the couple on the dance floor, the strange stallion and her sister. “She’s here for something. What it is, I don’t know. But it has to be for a reason. Maybe the same reason Cadance is indisposed tonight?”

“Rarity, we have to let the Guard know about this. Who knows what she could be up to?”

The Bearer of Generosity was silent for a brief moment. “All she ever wanted from me was the truth. And I intend to give it to her. But if she is captured, she’s going to disappear somewhere. I won’t see her again, I know that much. She’s considered a traitor to the nation, and you know what happens to those.”

“They hang.”

“I’ll not see my sister on the end of a noose. So I am going to speak to her, out in the gardens, before dinner. If I decide that she’s beyond redemption, I’ll alert the Princess myself.”

The stallion sighed. The song that was playing came to an end, and a faster one started. He looked at the Pegasus dancing with Sweetie Belle. “And who is he?”

Rarity tilted her head. “I’m almost positive I’ve seen him somewhere before. But right now, I don’t know. He makes her happy, though. Like I was when I met you.”

Golden Rule smiled. “And he looks scared out of his wits whenever she leans in close. She’s got him wrapped around her hoof. That’s definitely your sister. I never really had a choice when it came to you, did I?”

The alabaster mare smiled. “Not a chance, darling.”

The song ended, and with a game plan in mind, Night Light and Sweetie Belle walked off of the dance floor and made their way back to Rarity and her husband.

“You two certainly looked like you were enjoying yourselves out there!” Rarity exclaimed as they trotted back up the steps. “And you move well together too. Do you dance often?”

“Not too often, but enough that we know how to move.” Night Light said proudly, laying one hoof across Sweetie’s shoulder.

The Bearer of Generosity smiled. “That’s wonderful. Rose, I was wondering if you’d perhaps like to take a walk in the garden with me? It’s a bit chilly, but many of the plants are still in bloom. I know they’re a must-see for ponies visiting Canterlot.”

Sweetie Belle looked her sister in the eye, and saw truth there. She really wanted to walk in the garden. “I’d like that very much, Rarity. Can you two keep yourselves entertained?” she asked Night Light, who nodded in affirmation.

Without another word, the two mares began to retrace their routes through the hallways. They walked in silence, one that was rapidly reaching its breaking point. Sweetie Belle’s muscles tensed, ready for anything. She had seen her sister fight to kill in Trottingham, and she knew that Rarity was capable of it. Perhaps even willing to, if she misstepped. “I have you two in my sights.” Mahtaram said into her ear. “Perfect vantage point, no activity in the Gardens. You’re clear for a conversation. I’ll keep the others updated.” The two sisters at last broke through into the air of a winter’s evening, and after a short walk they were in the Royal Gardens of Canterlot.

It was warmer in here than outside, the air merely chilly instead of frigid. Sweetie and Rarity headed for the center of the garden, towards an old magnolia tree that grew there. It was in the middle of a wide open space, which meant is was the ideal place to have a conversation undisturbed. They sat down next to one another on a simple stone bench, staring into the depths of a reflective pool.

“You can drop the act, Sweetie Belle.” Rarity said. “I knew it was you ever since I saw that outfit.”

The younger sister dispelled the illusion on her voice, though she kept her physical illusion in place. “I had wondered how you knew. Was it the clothier that tipped you off?”

Rarity nodded. “Quick Stitch and I are something along the lines of contemporaries, and we keep abreast of certain trends. She recognized your measurements. How could you tell I knew?”

“It wasn’t me. It was my partner. He figured it out. Of course, when I took a look at you, I could see it too.”

“Your partner? Does he have a name?”

Sweetie Belle nodded. “I suppose aliases don’t matter much at this point. His name is Night Light.”

Rarity stifled a gasp. “Night Light? You mean…the Pegasus Night Light?”

“Yes. Clearly you know him, though I can’t see how. Unless you were involved in the intelligence community.”

That question may as well have been a nail pinning Rarity down. “I’m sure I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Sweetie Belle laughed. It was not a pleasant sound, least of all to her sister. “As a powerful pony with a penchant for gossip and the resources to gather it, I’d be surprised if you weren’t in pretty far with Celestia’s intelligence service. It can’t be Dawn. You don’t like bloodshed. And Moon Division would require you to disappear, so that leaves Sun Division. Which fits with your lifestyle. Frequently traveling, high profile, and you haven’t released anything really new fashion-wise in nearly a year.”

Rarity’s shoulders slumped. “I take it you’re familiar with the divisions, then?”

“Moon Division, what remains of it, infiltrates the ranks of the Ever Free and other threats to Equestrian security. Though I imagine they have a difficult time keeping their cover with the measures Twilight has put into place. Your Division, Sun Division, runs the entire service administratively, but also engages in propaganda and public opinion campaigns. I saw some of your material in the Regia. You write well. And I think you know how familiar I am with Dawn Division.” Sweetie concluded, making eye contact with her sister.

Rarity squirmed. “Did they…did they hurt you?”

“I was interrogated, humiliated, and tortured. They used a heated knife so as to avoid me bleeding out. And the first pony I have ever killed wore a pink tunic.”

“Celestia, Sweetie Belle…I’m so sorry. I didn’t know.”

“And now you do.”

Rarity was about to hug her sister, but thought better of it. “Why are you here?”

Sweetie Belle said nothing, choosing instead to look away from her sister, staring into the pond. “My turn for a question. How do you know Night Light?”

The Bearer sighed, looking at the moon, which burned with a strange brightness overhead. “There isn’t a pony in service to Celestia’s intelligence service who doesn’t know him. The most successful spy of the Ever Free’s, and the symbol of intelligence failure. He was stationed in Canterlot, guarding the chambers of Princess Luna against intrusion. He was born here, both of his parents were servants of Celestia, and his older brother had already joined the Guard. We suspect he was recruited to Luna’s spy network during a certain period after he finished his schooling. He wanted to apply for a position as a Lunar Guard. His parents did not approve. Especially his father, a Solar Guard retiree.

It came as a pleasant surprise to them, then, when he enlisted in the Regulars a few months later. He made it through training easily, applied to the ranks of the Solar Guard as his brother had done, and was accepted gladly. He took his oath of service to Equestria and Celestia, and through a twist of fate, ended up in his brother’s regiment.

It was a few short months later that Twilight killed Morning Star and went on the run. The Lunar Guard, supposedly out of the city on exercises, vanished. Luna, as I am sure Twilight told you, betrayed Celestia, freed Twilight, and placed the considerable resources at her command at my friend’s disposal. She has used them extremely effectively. We all thought the worst had passed. But the worst was yet to come.

Ambushes. Assassinations. Theft, arson, the annihilation of any Guard regiment to cross into the woods, and things only got worse from there. It was then that I offered my services in the realms of intelligence, Sweetie Belle. And it was around that time, two years after Twilight’s rebellion began, that Night Light struck.

He had been promoted several times for valor in the line of duty. Though he had never killed, he had worked valiantly to save his comrades during the Battle of the Whitetail Woods. He was a hero in the making, and considered trustworthy and loyal by his commanding officers. And so, he had been assigned to the honorable duty of guarding Princess Luna’s chambers, which also contained her personal library.

On an otherwise uneventful evening, he knocked out his fellow guard and broke into the room by dint of a lockpicking spell that had to have been crafted by a master. There, his brother found him using another spell to shrink down Luna’s library into a portable container. There was a brief struggle, and Night Light walked away. His brother did not. He managed to bluff his way into a command center, and actually stole Equestrian force disposition maps off of the central table before heading back to his barracks, stripping off his armor, and disappearing into the night. It was a short ten minutes later that his brother was discovered.

Does that answer your question?”

Sweetie Belle nodded. “Is that why you wouldn’t tell me the truth about Twilight?”

This time, Rarity did reach out to hug her sister. Sweetie Belle moved away. Tears were forming in her eyes, but her voice was level. “Answer me.”

“Oh, Sweetie…I never wanted to tell you about what had happened, about what we did to Twilight. Don’t you understand? I wanted to protect you, to keep you safe from that. And…and I was afraid.”

The reply was terse. “Afraid of what?”

It was Rarity’s turn to cry. “I was afraid that you’d hate me for what I had done. I know I hate me.”

The air was still, save for a fitful breeze that rustled the branches of the tree above them. Sweetie Belle looked at her sister, really looked, and saw her as a pony for the first time. She wasn’t a hero, she wasn’t a savior, she had fought no wars, she was simply one of a special group of friends. She wanted to make dresses, to show her sister that she loved her, and she mostly wanted the fighting in Equestria to stop. She was alone, and frightened, and empty on the inside. She had Golden Rule, yes, but after realizing that Morning Star had been hoof-picked for Twilight, she had begun to wonder about him.

She was open and vulnerable. Sweetie drove her point home, and her words struck true. Rarity had been doomed from the start. “I don’t hate you. I never could, and I think you know that. But I’m sided with Twilight, and I’m going to do what I came here to do. If you try and stop me, I’ll knock you out and keep you hidden. I can impersonate you well enough to avoid Celestia’s suspicion, and you’ll be entirely blameless in the matter. I can handle myself, big sister. But I need to know if I should act on you now, or if you’ll stay out of this. And I can also make you an offer.”

Rarity’s ears pricked up. “What kind of offer?”

“A staged kidnapping, back to the Regia. You can make up with Twilight, and try to undo the damage you’ve caused. With your Element, Twilight might be able to win this war, bring the fighting to an end. You could be known as a pony that brought peace, instead of waging a shadow war. All you’d need to do is follow two of our agents out of the castle at the right time, and you can be on our transport out of the city.”

Rarity looked at her sister with newfound respect, and maybe a little fear. What had happened to Sweetie Belle? She had been a curious young mare, carefree and innocent. She had been loved and safe and protected. And then she had left it all, through her own sister’s negligence. And hardly a month away from her, and Sweetie Belle had come back as something more than before. She was darker, more mysterious and competent than before, and she held herself with the confidence of somepony in absolute control of herself and the world around her.

And then she thought of Twilight. For four long years, she had regretted her decision to betray her friend in such a way, but she had always lacked the courage to deny Celestia. Only recently had she begun to find herself again, to look at her life and see that what she had thought she wanted was maybe little more than a gilded cage. And didn’t she make a fine songbird? Now Sweetie Belle offered to open a door and set her free. How could she resist?

Rarity smiled. “I’ll accept your offer.”

At this, Sweetie Belle’s face lit up. She sprinted across the clearing, and threw her hooves around Rarity. “Thank you, sis.” she whispered. “Just hang tight. I’ll get us out of here. I promise.”

Rarity stiffened in shock at first, but it only took a moment for her to return the gesture. “I should be thanking you.”

“Thanking her for what?” came a melodic voice from behind them.

Rarity and Sweetie Belle whirled to see who had spoken. There, bathed in the radiance of the sun even as the night wore on, was Princess Celestia.

Both prostrated themselves on the ground before her. “Good Evening, Princess.” Rarity intoned, averting her eyes guiltily.

The monarch smiled good-naturedly. “I apologize, Rarity. I did not mean to sneak up on you and your companion, Ms…?”

Sweetie Belle’s illusory voice came back naturally, with practiced ease. “Sparks, Your Highness. Rose Sparks.”

Celestia indicated they should rise, which they did. “A pleasure, Ms. Sparks. Perhaps you could explain what Rarity was thanking you for? Normally it’s the other way around, so I am more than a bit curious.”

The lie came easily to her. “It was her thanking me for coming to her with my problem, Highness. As opposed to trying to work on my problem myself.”

“And what problem would that be?” the Princess asked, humor in her voice.

Sweetie Belle blushed a bit. “It’s rather private, Your Highness.”

Celestia winked. “You’d be surprised at how often I hear that with a problem. Come, tell me. It shall be a secret between the three of us.”

Sweetie Belle inhaled, pretending to steel herself. “Well, Princess, it’s my husband and I. We’re newly married and trying for foals, but we’re having a bit of trouble. Nothing seems to be working, and we’ve tried just about everything for him and for me short of magic. Not red clover, or partridge berry, or even liferoot. I was about to suggest we try for a stud, but Rarity convinced me to see a doctor who can give me a fertility spell to use.”

The Princess laughed, and a warm wind moved the branches of the magnolia tree. “She’s right on that. Herbal remedies are a good start, but if you truly wish to guarantee a pregnancy, then a fertility spell is the right way to go. I could cast one, if you’d like.”

She hadn’t anticipated that. The crystal in her ear made sure she was very able to hear Mahtaram’s laughter, even as she kept an eye on the Princess. “I am sorry, Sweetie Belle. She dropped on the garden like a hawk, straight down from the mountain. I do not think she plans on hurting you, but…it is too funny!”

Seeing no way out, Sweetie Belle bowed gratefully. “I’d be honored, Your Highness.”

A wash of heat enveloped her, and she felt herself buzz with energy. It grew higher and higher, and with a rush, Sweetie Belle felt the spell sink smoothly into her coat. It nestled in her chest, a little ball of flame that warmed her from the inside out.

“There you are, Rose.” Celestia said. “Though I think that you don’t need it as much as you think you do. You appear to be perfectly capable of having foals without my assistance!” Celestia turned to Rarity. “I’m afraid I must depart, the master of ceremonies will want me to enter from the Grand Stair from my chambers. I look forward to seeing you both at dinner!”

With a roar like that of a blazing fire, she rocketed into the sky once more, tucking her wings neatly as she landed on her balcony to prepare for the Gala. Rarity and Sweetie Belle looked at one another, acutely aware of how close they had come to a short drop and a sudden stop.

As they walked back to the castle proper, Sweetie Belle’s mind began to wander ever so slightly. What had Celestia meant by “perfectly capable of having foals”?

Dance of White and Black

It was an unusual night at the Regia, to say the very least. New visitors, tense soldiers, and an air of ready watchfulness were the watchwords of the evening. The atmosphere pooled in pockets, bubbling in the scullery and kitchens as serving maids gossiped, resting heavily in the Guard barracks and diplomatic quarters while their occupants contemplated the conflict that was about to start, and spreading like wildfire through the high towers and aviaries where the Pegasi had their homes. But it was in one of these towers, belonging to Twilight Sparkle, that it gathered thickest, like a choking fog.

Six mares occupied the tower. Twilight sat at a table with her once and future friends, sensing the power of their Elements flowing freely through them. Fluttershy fidgeted nervously, glancing out of the window towards the city of Trottingham. She had anxiously been awaiting Rainbow Dash’s return, eager to see if her friend since childhood had survived her journey. Pinkie Pie and Applejack were eating, the efforts of a long day taking their toll. Pinkie stifled a yawn as she continued her conversation with Applejack, though she refused to sleep just yet.

Flanking their Lady were Golden Radiance and Radiant Zenith, neither of them eating, both of them studying charts, notes, and schedules for the upcoming strikes against Celestia. Golden Radiance’s eyes fluttered for a moment, before she shook herself and walked over to the window, standing in full view of the moon. As the three Wielders looked on in confusion, the moonlight began to bend itself around her, spiraling inward as it disappeared into the tip of her horn. The construct’s eyes flashed a healthy green, and she gave a small noise of satisfaction, as if she had just polished off a large meal.

“What in tarnation was that?” Applejack asked.

Golden Radiance looked around, her expression embarrassed. Had she blood, she would likely have blushed. “Pardon me. I felt weary, and I needed moonlight to recharge this vessel of mine.”

“Golden Radiance doesn’t eat like you or I.” Twilight said to Applejack. “She isn’t really living, she’s a personality suspended in a construct. She’s entirely magical, which means that she needs fuel to survive. This happens to be moonlight. She needs it, otherwise she’ll deactivate.”

“What happens if she deactivates?” Pinkie Pie queried, peering at the unicorn’s papery horn closely.

“I will revert to my dormant form, that of a book in which my personality is sealed. If I expend all of my power, or if I am fatally wounded, the same shall apply. In fact, that is why I was unable to assist Twilight Sparkle in Canterlot.” Golden Radiance replied calmly.

“How did Twilight get you out of an old book in the first place?” Pinkie asked.

“I needed blood of kin, magically charged, to reactivate myself. Originally, I had planned for myself to be the only one to use me. But I was slain, and so I lay dormant for centuries until Twilight unsealed me.”

Applejack’s brow wrinkled in confusion. “Wait. You all mean to tell me that y’all are related?”

Radiant Zenith nodded, looking up from her notes. “Indeed. Twilight is one of the last descendants of House Radiant, of which Golden Radiance and myself are part.”

There was an awestruck silence from the trio of Wielders, broken after a moment by Fluttershy. “Are you saying that the three of you are all from the same family?”

Twilight nodded. “A scholar, a Mage, and a witch. That’s us. Granted, it’s unusual, but then again, when has my life been anything along the lines of usual?”

The metaphorical ice that had surrounded the group of ponies began to crack. A chuckle, a tug of the lips as a smile worked its way onto a face. Shoulders slumped in relief, magic which had until recently been kept ready was released, and the ponies in the tower began to relax a bit more. Were they friends? No. And they probably would not be for a good while. But they were getting acquainted, learning trust, and that was a step in the right direction.

Applejack gestured to the food on the table. “That’s pretty good for a bunch of starving rebels. You all steal that?”

Twilight shook her head. “Most of the first year, we relied on outside suppliers and raids. Which is where Whitetail came in. But once the first harvest came in, things got a lot easier. You should have seen Hearth’s Warming the year we first got here. That was the year with the heavy snow, remember?”

The farmer nodded, grinning. “How could I forget? Hay, you could hear trees exploding from the cold in the early morning. We lost a few of the younger apple trees like that. How bad was it for you all?”

Twilight gestured out of the window towards the river. “We had barges coming upstream with supplies, everything from lantern oil to food to warm clothing. The only thing we didn’t lack for was firewood. Those fields you see were all cleared recently. Lots of ponies to feed, and only a little time to do it in. But before we got those supplies-“

There was a cautious rap at the door, and Twilight broke off. “Enter!” she called, slipping back into the role of a leader once more.

A Lunar Guard trotted through the door, stopping at a respectable distance from Twilight Sparkle. He knelt briefly before delivering his news. “Milady, the Condottiero has landed with the Element of Loyalty in tow. She is in good care, and is under surveillance. Her Element has been removed and is currently in storage along with your own. What is your next command?”

Twilight’s voice rang with authority. “Ensure that she is well guarded and cared for. The Wielder of Kindness will be along in a moment to see if she can help. She is not to be stopped or molested in anyway, by any of my Guards. Those that do shall answer to me. Radiant Zenith will seal the Element of Loyalty to ensure that it cannot be used. And send Condottiero Allegretta to me.”

The stallion snapped a salute, pivoted, and removed himself from the room with haste. Twilight turned to Radiant Zenith. “Would you mind performing the seal? I need Golden Radiance here, and I wish to speak with my Condottiero.”

The witch smiled. “Of course, dear. Enjoy your time with your friends. I’ll be along presently.” Her horn flashed with silver light, and she vanished without a sound.

“You’re gathering all of us here in one night?” Fluttershy asked, as she prepared to leave.

Twilight nodded. “Or else Celestia would suspect something. Until she’s defeated and your Elements are unsealed, she could easily reshackle you all. The only one who might give her trouble is Rarity, and that’s because she has experience in dealing with mental magic.”

Applejack frowned. “So what’s your plan for getting Rarity out of Canterlot?”

“The same plan for getting Luna out of Canterlot. Sweetie Belle is going to do it.” Twilight said calmly.

“Come again?” Applejack asked. “It sounded like y’all just said that you sent Sweetie Belle to fetch Luna from Canterlot, as well as Rarity.”

Twilight nodded. “Tonight, actually. During the Gala. Well, when I say during the Gala, I mean after the Gala is evacuated.”

Pinkie tilted her head. “Why are they evacuating the Gala?”

Twilight looked at a clock on the wall. “Because in exactly thirty five minutes, the Rounds are going to explode, taking three automatic cargo trains with them. One contains military supplies, one contains mail and building materials, and one contains assorted cargoes, among which have been hidden three hundred and eighty five barrels of flash powder, each weighing in at thirty five pounds, smuggled on in Trottingham.”

Sweetie Belle glanced at the grand clock suspended above the dance floor. Thirty minutes were all that remained until they were to begin their operation. She glanced nervously at Night Light, who smiled back at her confidently. A ringing laugh rose from Celestia, who was seated a mere two spaces away from her, as her sister, the consummate actor, finished some amusing anecdote or another.

“I can see the last train pulling in to the Rounds. “ Mahtaram’s voice echoed in her ear. “You’ve got thirty minutes. Check your tools, your weapons are being held by our contact in Celestia’s chambers.”

“You’ve sent Sweetie Belle to Canterlot knowing that Celestia is there? Waiting for her? What in Tartarus were you thinking, Twilight?”

Twilight held her ground. “I was thinking that Sweetie Belle, who joined of her own volition, who was given every opportunity to turn that mission down, and who chose this path because none of the ponies in her life were honest with her, was perfect for this. She does illusion magic like nopony I’ve ever seen. I can’t even approach her level of skill. She was trained by the best agents we have to offer, and she is with a small but elite and experienced group of operatives.”

“So why can’t they do it?” Pinkie demanded, her hair frizzing as she leapt to her hooves.

“Because they were too well-known! With Sweetie’s illusory expertise and knowledge of how Canterlot works, they have a chance to free the Princess tonight. And I was out of time. My Element is deteriorating quickly, and without Luna’s help, it’s starting to look very likely that Celestia will win the war. Besides, she’s hardly defenseless.”

Sweetie Belle raised a hoof under the pretense of adjusting her bun, checking to make sure that both chopsticks were still there. They were. The hoof trailed down to her earrings, the ones that were made to confuse the wards around Luna’s cell. A toss of her head confirmed that they were still there. Her necklace rested comfortably across her throat. Nine diamonds it held, four smaller ones and one of the larger she had seen, gleaming in the light. She frowned. It looked like Twilight hadn’t managed to make that one completely flawless. A small sphere of milky white lay at its center.

She saw Night Light adjust himself similarly. He had declined any of the improvements offered by Twilight, instead choosing to rely on gear he had himself created. A simple watch rested along his right foreleg instead of the traditional left, he had concealed something along the roof of his mouth, and Sweetie Belle noticed that something was distending one of his straps ever so slightly.

She caught his eye, and nodded almost imperceptibly. They were both ready.

Golden Radiance help up a supplicating hoof. “Sweetie Belle does not know it, but the largest diamond on her necklace contains distilled moonlight, concentrated in its purest form. Once she reaches Luna’s cell, Luna will automatically remove the charge it brings her, using that magic to rekindle her lost Breaking magic. At that point, all that will be needed is for the trio to flee down into the caverns. An airship is waiting there, a fast model unlike anything in the Royal Navy.”

“Once Luna is in the moonlight, she’ll be able to hold Celestia off long enough for the party to get away. Especially tonight, when her power is at its greatest. That’s why we set it so that she will arrive a little after midnight, when the moon is at its zenith.” Twilight said to her friends, who settled back down.

In the deepest dungeon below Canterlot, the thing that was once Luna thrashed in its chains, frustrated at the lack of progress it was making. The Alicorn of the Night growled, a sound almost draconic in nature, and drew more of the darkness into her. Her coat darkened more and more, until at last all that distinguished her from the shadows she occupied were the slits of her eyes, glowing a terrible grey in the dark.

She inhaled, tasting the air. It would be after midnight. Once the moon had passed its zenith, she would be free. She would show her sister who was the true power, who was really the one fit to rule Equestria. She would take her revenge. Canterlot would be consumed by shadow this night. And never again would it see the sun.

Pinkie Pie tapped a hoof on her chin thoughtfully. “But what about Princess Cadance?” she asked.

Twilight smiled. “We received a missive from the castle earlier today. My brother is currently very ill, so sick that he cannot perform his duties as Commander of the Guard. We believed that Cadance would simply be preoccupied with him to the point of being unable to react quickly to our raid. But she, too, collapsed this morning. Celestia took her away somewhere, and neither of them has been seen. Presumably they are out of the equation, at least for a while.”

“Do you know why?” Applejack inquired.

Twilight’s face grew serious. “No. And that worries me, partly because Shining Armor is sick with some mysterious disease and partly because I fear it may be another play of Celestia’s. Hopefully Luna will be able to shed some light on the matter.”

The wind on top of the mountain howled with all the fury of winter, its biting chill permeating the very rock of the mighty peak. In the hut constructed with loving care at its summit, two ponies lay laboring for breath. The stallion, white with blue in his mane, was dreadfully still, a thin coating of ice riming him over completely. His horn flickered in beats and starts, a light that was echoed in the crystal sphere placed near his head.

The mare was different, anypony with eyes could see that. It was apparent in her long and tapered horn, as well as the rosy wings on her back. Her stature was graceful, her features perfect, save for the scar on her face. Even now, the ropes of white tissue gleamed in the pale light of the moon. The fire in their cabin had long since gone out. She shuddered, and gave a weak cough before gasping for air. Her eyes, a beautiful purple-pink, fluttered open for the last time.

It would happen after midnight, she was sure of it. Already, she could feel the black claiming her. As she watched, Shining Armor’s chest was still, and a steady stream of light flowed from his horn into the sphere of crystal. The ice claimed the rest of him, though his horn was free still. She smiled. Everything was going to be alright.

A moment later, she fell back into oblivion, and her soul fled her body to join that of her lover in the sphere of crystal. And all was dark and cold on the mountain.

There was a knock at the door, brazen and impatient. Twilight’s eyes lit up, and without excusing herself, she nearly ran to the door, throwing it open wide. An exclamation of delight, an embrace, and the Condottiero was through the door. Twilight began to babble excitedly.

“Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, Applejack, this is Tarantella Allegretta, the Condottiero of the Gale Dancers. Tara, these are my friends Applejack, Pinkie Pie, and Fluttershy.” she said, indicating each pony in turn. “Tarantella met me outside of Fillydelphia. She is one of my best friends, my greatest confident, and my lover of these past four years.”

There was, for the second time that evening, a stunned silence. Tarantella blushed nervously, an uncharacteristic gesture for her. “It is very good to meet you all. Twilight speaks highly of you.” she said, offering a hoof.

Applejack took it slowly. “Well…it’s a pleasure to meet you, Miss Allegretta. Pardon our slow reactions, we all thought Twilight would have decided not to try again after, well…”

“After Morning Star.” Fluttershy said quietly.

Twilight said nothing. Tara would have to make her own impressions. The Pegasus pulled herself together. “Indeed. I had thought so as well. But such was not the case, and I thank my lucky stars that she decided to try and love me.”

Twilight stepped forward, standing beside her lover. “I owe my life to Tarantella. Literally. She helped to rescue me from Canterlot, gave me food and shelter when I needed it, and she abandoned her family home for me. Her band of Condotteri, the Gale Dancers, are some of the finest flyers I’ve ever seen. They can do some things that even the Wonderbolts couldn’t.” Twilight leaned into her, and the tow stood together, supporting one another. “She’s kind, and loving, and fun to be around. I’ve cried on her shoulder quite a few times, and she’s always been there for me. How could I not love her?”

Pinkie Pie trotted forward carefully, and offered one hoof. Tarantella took it solemnly, and Pinkie Pie shook. Her face cracked into a wide grin. “Oh, this is silly! Give me a hug for helping Twilight smile!” she cried, drawing the Pegasus in closely. Before Tarantella could do much more than return the embrace, Pinkie had leaned in close, whispering to her. “Don’t get me wrong, we’re all glad to see you. And thanks for taking care of Twilight. But I would stay away from Rainbow Dash. She’s got some unsettled business with you, though she doesn’t know it.”

Tarantella felt a familiar fire light in her breast, one that she had rarely felt before outside of battle. It was that of competition, of realizing that she had a rival near her. If Rainbow Dash wished to consider her an enemy, then by the traditions of her family and House she was honor bound to accept her challenge. “I thank you for your warning.” she murmured before pulling away.

She could see it clearly now. It was no longer Rainbow Dash that Twilight Sparkle’s friends were worried for. It was for her. She had no idea what she had done, but Tarantella Allegretta had a feeling that she would be paying for a past crime soon enough. The only question remained was what. What had she done, to earn a warning from the Wielder of Laughter? What had been done to earn the as yet unrealized enmity of the Bearer of Loyalty?

She resolved to attempt handling the matter on her own. If she could not, then Twilight would have to be informed. But there was likely a reason she had been warned secretly. Her mind was made up, then. Much as it pained her to do so, Tarantella would not inform Twilight Sparkle. She and the Pegasus currently lying near death in the next room would settle this between themselves. One way or another, a debt would be paid… her hoof strayed to a dagger at her hip. Paid or nullified.

Gambit's Open

It was unusual, at least to Sweetie Belle, that the ponies gathered around her were carrying on with their lives in spite of the unknown reality of an impending assault on the very heart of Equestria. In four minutes, she would begin her task, the real reason she was here tonight. She snuck a glance in the direction of Rarity. Sweetie had to admit, her sister was a consummate actress when she wished to be. Not once during the meal had she been able to detect anxiety or fear from her, and she had almost forgotten the scared, shaking mare that she had confronted in the garden a few short hours ago. Rarity’s face was drawn, composed without the slightest trace of worry. Indeed, she looked for all the world like a unicorn who was having the time of her life. Sweetie Belle hoped she didn’t overdo it. After all, as far as the Princess was concerned, Rarity was still pining for her lost sister.

The clock in the center of the ballroom clicked, and the minute hand swung forward. Three minutes to midnight, and the party was just reaching its zenith. Dinner had been finished, dessert was about to be served, and once that had been concluded, Celestia would be giving a speech in the place of her sister. Traditionally, the party would last until the sun once more rose above the horizon, at which point the assembled guests would cheer Luna’s praises and disperse back to homes and family, to prepare for Hearth’s Warming Eve. At least, that’s how it would have gone, if not for the plans they had tonight.

A quick final sweep of the room confirmed that they were indeed ready to go. In between Rarity and the door were Glimmer and Scootaloo, ready to intercept her when the time came. Night Light was a model of alertness, muscles rippling under his coat like oiled springs as he shifted readily in his seat. The moon was visible through the glass ceiling overhead. It was approaching its zenith, and it would only be a few short minutes after midnight that Luna’s power would be greatest, in the darkest hour of the full moon of the darkest night of the year. The clock ticked again. Two minutes.

“I have movement along the walls.”

Sweetie Belle cursed under her breath. “Report.”

Mahtaram sighted along the breach of her crossbow. “A routine patrol has been interrupted. An officer inspecting the troops, looks like a surprise inspection. They are stopping along our exit route. It may complicate matters.”

Night Light’s voice sounded over Sweetie’s earpiece. “If they haven’t moved when the train explodes, kill them. First the officer, then the guards. Understood?”

The Gryphon slotted a bolt into the groove of her weapon. She tested the air. The earlier wind had shifted, and blown back up the mountain. “Understood.” The Gryphon inhaled. She had not shed blood in years. But tonight, it was starting to look like she would be able to strike at her enemies once more.

One minute to midnight, and the ballroom was a mass of cheerful, smiling faces. Sweetie Belle steeled herself in her chair, making sure to keep her exterior relaxed. Everything felt so calm, so serene…she felt wine on her tongue as she sipped carefully, the last drink she would have for a long while. She heard the sweet sound of the orchestra permeate the room, and looked at the clock. Fifteen seconds. She sat still, doing absolutely nothing out of the ordinary, waiting on her chance. Five, four, three, two, one…nothing.

At two seconds past midnight, Equestria changed forever. Deep inside one of the train cars being held in the Rounds, a single pony, his body frail with illness and time drawing short, smiled to himself and cracked a fire crystal along the wall he was leaning on. It flared into glorious life, sparks flying from it even as the stone began to consume itself. It hurt, but the pony was far past pain. His name would forever be lost to history, but his actions would speak louder than entire armies.

Steadying himself, the pony hobbled towards a small wooden barrel, the top removed, and gazed at the silver powder within. He smiled, inhaling deeply. Then, without a second thought, he released the firestone. It traveled down, down, down, and a spark fell into the powder. If one had the perception, they would have been able to watch as the powder seemed to turn itself into a thousand stars, skittering across the surface of the barrel before burrowing down into the bottom. The barrel turned in on itself briefly, wood cracking, before the stars turned into a true flame. Were time to slow further, the observer would be able to see the flame, air rippling before it in a concussive wave, contact another barrel. The aged stallion in the car did not die so much as cease to be. And the fire continued to the exterior of the train, no longer constrained by mere walls.

The fire bloomed from windows, rolled through doors, and consumed all in its path in a single instant of agonizing heat. The blasting powder had done its job, and done it well. The train was not lifted into the air, it was hurled skyward as if trapped in the grip of a terrible monster, borne aloft by a wave of fire and force that chewed through wood, stone, brass, and steel. The wave continued into the sky, and the concussive blast that accompanied it roared through the tranquil night like a thing possessed, a testament to Twilight Sparkle’s opening moves. The Guards on duty died in searing pain, scarcely able to process the fact of their deaths before entering the black. The Rounds, a true testament to Equestrian engineering and tenacity, crumbled under the strains forced upon it. Its three towers stacked with turntables folded inward, the roar and screech of metal joining the all-consuming rumble of the train blast, and then, completely unintentionally, the entire structure detached itself from the mountain, taking yards upon yards of track with it.

The rumble reached the ballroom, and a hush fell across the assembled ponies as they turned, as one, to see what could possibly have created such a din. The high vantage point provided by the windows afforded an excellent view of the explosion and subsequent destruction of the tracks. There was a beat of stunned silence, not a sound from any of them save Celestia, who kept a level head as she addressed her subjects.

“Mares and Gentlecolts, please adjourn to the streets outside. I fear that we may have had an accident or malfunction with the train system, and it would be best if the halls were cleared so that we can assess the situation.”

At these words, Sweetie Belle, Night Light, Rarity, and her husband all got up from their places along with the rest of the guests and hurriedly shuffled towards the exit. Of course, it was only once the group had spread into the main hall that the pair of ponies slid down a back hallway, waiting cautiously for the crowd to pass. Quickly, they began to prepare themselves. Weapons were waiting in Celestia’s wing of the palace, placed there by the operative, and they had exactly twenty minutes to free the Princess and get to the airship. Sweetie Belle withdrew the chopsticks, her bun falling apart. A quick application of magic was all that was needed to tie it back with a strap from her tack, and she looked to see Night Light undergoing similar preparations.

He withdrew from his mouth a small case of metal, which he cracked open to reveal a group of small reddish beads. After inspecting them to ensure that none had cracked, he withdrew a simple length of wooden tubing from his tack, extending it to a length about half the size of his foreleg. His watch, when tapped correctly, began to glow with a blue light. “Personal shield.” he explained. Another tap and it was off again. “It has a limited charge, but it’s discrete and has saved my life more times than I’d care to count.”

Both ponies continued down to corridor, moving briskly towards the lighter stone of Celestia’s personal chambers. Though guards had been pulled in order to deal with crowd control and to assist in damage control, but Celestia was no fool. Her Guard would have been split, yes, but there were surely some that had stayed behind. And sure enough, two of them were coming down the passage. Quicker than Sweetie Belle had ever seen him move, Night Light pulled out one of the beads, fitted it into the end of the tube, raised it to his mouth, and blew. The bead exploded into a cloud of powder, which caused both Guards to begin coughing and hacking quietly before they both slumped over, tears running down their faces. In less than ten seconds, they were both unconscious.

“Herbs from Radiant Zenith, mixed with powdered Nova peppers to ensure they get coated on the insides of the lungs. Nasty stuff, gives you a terrible sore throat. They won’t be able to speak for hours, but their sinuses will be wonderfully clear. Let’s go.” Night Light said, dragging the two ponies into an alcove, and the two of them sprinted off down the corridor.

Higher and higher they climbed, ascending multiple stairwells in a bid to meet their informant and free Luna. So fixated were they on their goal that they did not see another set of Guards, stationed to either side of the doorway they had just passed through on their latest set of stairs. The two stallions, a Pegasus and Earth pony, both lowered their spears and prepared to charge the two intruders. Before they could do that, however, a silent shadow dropped from the ceiling.

Silver Lily calmly put her hooves around the neck of the Pegasus, twisting it with a sharp crack. He slumped forward, dead instantly. The Earth pony attempted to get back, in order to give himself room to use his spear, and his mouth opened to call for help. The Pegasus produced a small dagger, throwing it with pinpoint accuracy into the throat of the Guard. His cry for assistance went unsaid, as he collapsed in a bloody heap.

Sweetie Belle and Night Light spun around to see the young Pegasus wipe a small splatter of blood off of her coat. Their eyes widened as they realized that she had just saved both of them from attack, capture, or worse. Breathing just the slightest bit more heavily than normal, Silver Lily strode up to them. “You must be the two operatives I’ve heard so much about. My name is Silver Lily. I wash Her Royal Highness’s hair, tend to her regalia, and assist her at formal events. I am also the highest placed asset of the Ever Free in this castle. Now, I believe you wished to see the Lunar Princess?”

Night Light nodded. “My name is Night Light, and this is my companion Sweetie Belle. Do you have an exit plan?”

Silver Lily smiled as they trotted down the hallway. “As far as Celestia is concerned, I am a perfectly loyal servant who just happened to be caught in the explosion earlier tonight. I’ll be cooling my heels in the Everfree inside of two days. Now, as to your weapons, they are ready and waiting for you in Milady’s chambers. I moved them in there right after she left. “

Sweetie Belle kept her eyes open. “What about Guards?”

“What Guards? You just met the two who guard the way in to Celestia’s chambers, and any others that might have been in here are likely dealing with the emergency outside. Nopony would ever be foolish enough to enter Celestia’s chambers without her express permission.”

They stopped before an imposing door, one of light wood inlaid with gold. A simple carving of the sun spread across its width, and whatever tree this portal had been carved from, the smell of it still held, filling the air with the scent of something not quite like sandalwood. Silver Lily rested a hoof briefly on the door, and with a rush of magic, it swung open wide, runes of protection and warding fading out of existence as she did so.

“I’m the only one with express permission to do that. Celestia trusts me completely, or at least as completely as she does anypony these days.” Silver Lily said, as they entered a small sitting room, consisting of little more than a tea set and some simple furniture. From underneath a table, she withdrew two small cases. “Now, for the lady I have two small daggers, a few flash stones, and a strangling thong.”

Sweetie accepted them gratefully, divesting herself of the constricting bridle and tack before strapping on her bandolier. It rested against her chest like an old friend. The chopsticks were broken, and their lengths of wire were removed. She coiled them tightly, and set them inside a small pouch on her bandolier along with her necklace.

Silver Lily drew forth a longer, heavier package. “And for the stallion we have a set of wingblades. Dangerous stuff, sir.”

Night Light smiled at her, withdrawing the twin blades from his pack. They were fashioned of light steel, two blades made to snap forward in much the same way a scorpion’s tail would. The blade lay along the inside, and from the practiced ease with which he fastened them, Sweetie Belle could tell that Night Light was extremely competent with the weapons. He folded his wings neatly along his sides, and looked at Silver Lily expectantly.

“Right, then. That’s settled. Now here’s the bad news. The passage actually starts in Celestia’s bedroom. She updates the wards weekly, and I don’t know if she would have changed them tonight or not. I was technically dismissed from my evening duties tonight, so I was unable to see if that was the case. If she has, then you’ll have about five minutes before a pack of Guards is back here to poke you full of holes or throw you in a deep, dark pit. She won’t be far behind, either.”

“So move fast?” Sweetie Belle inquired.

Silver Lily nodded. “Move very fast.”

One final door stood between them and their destination. Silver Lily turned to them, and looked each of them in the eye. “Understand that Celestia will know once Luna’s chains are broken. She’s said as much to Cadance when she thought I wasn’t listening. When the Night Alicorn is free, she’ll be back here more quickly than you could imagine. And you had best hope that Luna can hold her off. Are you ready?”

Both ponies nodded. Sweetie Belle’s stomach fluttered, and she shifted in preparation to sprint through the door. Silver Lily inhaled, exhaled, and pushed open the door. A low tone was uttered, one that reverberated for much longer than it normally should have, spreading throughout the room, but going no further.

Silver Lily sighed. “Thank you, Celestia. She hasn’t changed the ward, otherwise that tone would have gone right over our heads to the Guard barracks.” She trotted over to a section of wall, emblazoned with a fresco of Celestia in her youth, rose hair streaming out behind her. “Miss Belle, I believe you have a set of earrings to activate?”

Sweetie Belle’s horn sparked, and the earrings began to glow with a faint blue light. Silver Lily tapped the wall in three separate locations very quickly, and the door swung wide to reveal a darkened passage, hewn from rough stone. Even the Pegasi could feel the raw magical power welling up from inside it, spreading across the room like a gentle tide of arcane energy.

“Stay close to me.” Sweetie murmured, and Night Light pressed in close. They would barely be able to walk side by side. Slowly, she walked towards the door. Her horn lit, but she found that it did little to penetrate the black in front of her. She shuddered. Something was very wrong with that passage. The shadow hung in the air like smoke, and almost refused to budge when her light hit it.

The Pegasus mare danced from one hoof to the other. “Hurry up, Sweetie Belle. You don’t have much time, and I don’t want to be in here if Guards show up.”

Sweetie nodded and strode forward, Night Light following close behind. She considered saying something to the Pegasus, but thought better of it. Nothing else needed to be said, really. Her hoof set upon the stair, and she could feel the wards humming underneath her hooves, waiting to go off. It was almost as if she was standing on a sheet of paper above a raging river, and trusting it to take her weight over the maelstrom below. At last, both ponies were in the passage. With a click, the door slid shut behind them. And Sweetie Belle and Night Light were alone in twilight.

Twin sets of hoofbeats echoed off of the close stone walls, as the two descended lower and lower. Carefully, oh so carefully, they followed the stairs, wary of traps or tripwires. The pale light from Sweetie Belle’s earrings was all that illuminated their passage, as the unicorn did not want to risk her magic setting off the wards prematurely. They were visible in that light, the wards. All around them, lines and webs crisscrossed, streaking through the walls in veins of gold and white. If they had cared to look, they would have seen the intricately knotted lines were not solid. In fact, they were incredibly small and dense strings of runes, a master warding that completely prevented ambient magic from escaping or entering. They vibrated warningly as they passed, but the light from Sweetie’s earrings, more powerful than she realized, hushed them back into quiescence.

It was a curious thing, that tunnel. It was one of the few magically dead spots in Equestria by design. This meant that Sweetie Belle was finding it more and more difficult to maintain the spell as they descended. Little did she know that the magic she was wielding was not her own, not anymore. Twilight Sparkle’s spellwork was clearly visible in the earrings, as well as the necklace she wore. In a way, Sweetie Belle was channeling Twilight Sparkle into that tunnel.

Which was exactly why one thread, one that was tied very closely to the back of Celestia’s mind, was vibrating wildly, as if it were a string plucked by frantic fingers. Its job was not to detect intruders. Its job was to recognize the magic of Twilight Sparkle, who was the only mare in Equestria powerful enough to penetrate Celestia’s wards. Sweetie Belle didn't know it, but Twilight Sparkle's assistance had placed them both in danger.

Mahtaram watched from her vantage point on the rooftop tower of the Archives, ensuring that nopony was straying from the plan. This was…easier said than done, as the streets had dissolved into chaos. Scootaloo and Glimmer had disappeared with Rarity after “assaulting” her husband, knocking him out and disappearing down the aqueduct. The Rounds had exploded spectacularly, meaning that Canterlot was effectively stranded on the mountain, save for whatever airships it still had in its possession. There weren’t many, considering the Home Fleet had been shot down over Trottingham that day.

Mahtaram kept a watchful eye on the Rounds, where Celestia was currently fighting back fires along with the rest of her Guard, while Regulars and other services attempted to corral the panicked population and keep order in the streets. She had to admit, the Alicorn of the Sun was formidable. As she watched, Princess Celestia seized a clump of rubble and twisted steel easily ten times her size and tossed it down the mountain with no more thought than a child tossing a pebble. It seemed to fall to her, then, to remove rubble while her Guard helped to rescue the wounded and injured.

Of which there were many, she realized. The blast had been huge, larger than anticipated, and part of the explosion had torn through a residential district. She felt a pang of regret. There was no honor in the killing of foals, or women, or the sick and elderly. And the flash powder, while useful, was a tool made only to kill and maim. She did not know how she felt about that.

Her philosophical ramblings were cut short, however, when she realized that Celestia was no longer lifting the rubble off of the mountain. She was standing still, as if flesh had become marble. She stayed like that for one moment, two, three, before her wings snapped out. Mahtaram’s crossbow swung around to cover the Alicorn, and she sighted along the haft of her crossbow before her talon tightened on the trigger.

And then the Alicorn was gone, just gone, a fearsome wind spreading behind her as she sped toward the palace faster than even the Gryphon could perceive. Mahataram realized that Sweetie Belle and Night Light were in trouble. Her talon flew to her crystal.

“Birchwood. Birchwood, respond.”

The Trottingham pony’s voice came over the crystal. “What’s got you hot and bothered this time, Mahta? “

“Celestia just returned to the palace. She knows. Get that airship ready. Once the Bearer is in, take off.”

There was a silence. Birchwood’s voice came over the crystal. “So it’s like that, is it? Leave her if she isn’t here when I’m ready?”

“You know that Luna was a long shot. Sweetie Belle did as well. If Luna is freed, she’ll be fine. But I’m pulling my rank here. Leave her, and Night Light. That’s an order.” Mahtaram waited for a response.

The crystal was dark. It flashed once more. “Right. I’m starting the engines now. What about yourself?”

Mahtaram smiled. A group of Pegasi, no doubt the famous Air Corps and some of the Guard, had taken to the skies. “I’ll catch you up. I can buy Sweetie Belle some time, but it’s going to require a bit of shooting.” She deactivated her crystal, and sighted in on the lead pony. “Now,” she murmured. “Come and meet eternity.” Her talon tightened, the bot sped forth, and the Pegasus dropped. Another was fitted. The smell of blood wafted towards her on the wind, and Mahtaram’s smile took on a predatory cast. Tonight was the night for a hunt.

Black Queen Rising

“Are you ready?” Night Light whispered to Sweetie Belle, whose horn was no longer able to penetrate the clinging black of the tunnel. She had long since given up maintaining the hornlight, and now all of her energy went into the earrings she wore.

“Yes. Take off the necklace, use the gems. Three should do it.” she replied before pushing more magic through herself. She had encountered strain on her magical capabilities before, but not like this. It was as if there was no magic down here at all, and she felt herself not only growing tired, but also drained, as if the effort was expending some essential part of herself.

Night Light gently removed her pendant, breaking off three of the gems and laying them along the hinge side of the door in front of them. They stuck to the door easily, and Night Light set his hoof against one of them before glancing around to make sure that there was nothing flammable, a useless gesture in the dark. He hesitated. “How are we going to ensure the blast goes in, and not towards us?”

Sweetie Belle thought a moment, and with a titanic effort, pushed her horn as hard as she ever had. A light showed, faint and hardly enough to see by, like a flickering candle visible through thick fog. She began to feel nauseous. “Your watch. Use my strangling garrote to bind it to the doorframe, and then tap all three of the charges. Your shield should catch the blast, and I’ll focus on it to make sure the charge is expended in a wide, strong shield for one moment instead of a sustained and small shield. It could work.”

“What about maintaining the spells on the earrings?”

“At that point, it won’t matter if Celestia knows we’re here or not. We’ll be able to free her before she’s back. But we don’t have much time. We need to get her out and down into the caves in the next ten minutes.”

Night Light nodded, and took the offered wire from Sweetie Belle, stretching it across the doorframe. One quick knot later, and the watch hung suspended from the extremely strong wire, ready for action. The two ponies looked at one another as Sweetie let her light go out. It was time.

Celestia stood over the still form of Silver Lily, who had bolted for the nearest window when she saw her monarch standing in the doorway of her chambers with her Guards. The Pegasus was bound, bruised and burned, but alive. Not conscious, Celestia had seen to that. She grimaced at the itching in her neck where the Pegasus had planted an adamantium dagger, a one in a million shot that would not have landed were the Solar Alicorn not distracted. It had shattered, the pieces flying apart and melting as they hit the ground.

“Take her away, and store her in a dungeon. One of the deep cells. She’ll hang in the morning.”

The Guards standing by nodded as they lifted and carried the Pegasus out of the room. The remainder stood by her. One, a young Lieutenant, stepped forward. “Highness, are you sure you wish for us to fall back? We can be of some assistance in subduing the rebels, surely.”

She smiled sadly, before gently teleporting them away, far away, back to the Rounds where they truly could do some good. She should have done the same on the way to the castle, of course, but she wasn’t thinking clearly. Even now, she thrummed with fear as she cracked open the passageway. It had been a distraction, of course it had. The Rounds meant nothing to Twilight, though they were certainly a bonus. She had been so foolish to allow strange ponies in the castle on tonight of all nights, especially with Cadance lying dormant on the mountain.

The door swung open, and the fear she had felt before as a thrumming escalated into an all-consuming panic, a fear so all-consuming and powerful that she reacted without thinking. Her wings snapped, the echo going on for far longer than it should have, and the Sun Goddess rocketed down the passageway through the all-too-familiar darkness that choked the way in front of her.

As she sped downwards, she heard the strangest of noises.

Tap, tap, tap…tap.

The two ponies huddled at the bottom of the stairs, watching as the flashing lights of the crystals found one another and flared in harmony before continuing their countdown, their hues darkening from diamond to ruby as they prepared for the blast. There was the faintest sound from on top of the stairs, and as the stones at last reached their full potential, the tunnel filled with a curious snapping noise and the rushing of air.

With a roar, the stones detonated, the shield spell in front of them expended in a moment as it channeled all of their destructive power inwards, shredding the bolts on the door easily and denting the metal of the chamber. Before either pony could react, the air was filled with a gentle heat, and the view of the tunnel was obscured by white feathers, as Celestia bent in close, her wings shining as they formed a protective barrier around Night Light and Sweetie Belle. It was the wings of Celestia that saved them both.

The door in front of them ceased to be, melting into shadow as tendrils of roiling black rippled out of the dark, driving against the protective glow of Celestia’s wings with the force to shatter stone and bend steel. Celestia rocked back, her wings folding underneath her as she was assailed by this tide of abyssal shadow.

Another blow broke her concentration, another knocked one wing away, and the tendril that exploited this opening cratered the bedrock of the stairway with ease. Then one final tendril, of a thicker and deeper black than its brethren, impacted Celestia squarely in the chest, driving her into the stone, and through it into the stone behind it. Still it pressed forward, and suddenly, Celestia could resist no more, and the darkness pulsed, ramming her all the way through the mountain, and driving her into the plains below Canterlot. And the Solar Princess lay horribly still.

The thing that stepped through the shattered door was at once familiar and terribly, horribly alien. Its frame was slight, its stature imposing and slender, and it appeared ever so slightly stretched, as if the creature had been seized and gently pulled upwards and downwards to lend it extra height. For all of its slender traits, it was also terrifyingly beautiful, possessing a dark majesty and vast, cosmic power. It was Luna. It was a Nightmare. It was Shadow.

The abomination that had been Luna was all in black, save for the gleaming silver of its eyes, flecked in grey with two slits of black that fairly burned with a sadistic rage. Its horn smoldered with sullen flame, resembling nearly extinguished embers, and as it bent down to examine the ponies in front of it, a smile split its face. The teeth that were revealed did not in any way resemble that of a pony. They were needle sharp, pointed and thin, and there appeared to be far more of them than should fit in that mouth, three rows of sharp teeth against which a mottled red and black tongue worked feverishly, forked like that of a snake. When it spoke, its voice was sibilant and cold, hungry and mocking.

“My two rescuers. You have my thanks, children of the clay. You have served the night, and done so well and faithfully. Long I have waited to be free and take my revenge, and you have afforded me the opportunity to do so. I would reward you, but…I require one thing more from you.”

Sweetie Belle could not speak, not when confronted by this…thing. Her mind had gone blank, replaced by an abyss from which she could not escape, or even raise a hoof in defiance to this Alicorn of shadow. Its wings flared behind it, and the skeletal bat’s wings it possessed also glowed with somber, greasy flame. It leaned in close, tongue flickering obscenely over Sweetie Belle’s chest.

“I require…sustenance. And you possess more life in you than most. An excellent first meal.”

Something struck it in the head, causing it to hiss in anger before looking away from her to see what had dared to strike it. Night Light stood on two hooves, wingblades held in front of him in a protective stance as his lips curled in a defiant snarl.
“Let. Her. Go.”

The creature laughed, a high keening sound that rattled the bones in Sweetie Belle’s body. “Such a brave little fool. I do believe the Moon knew you, before she was sealed away. The one who watches in darkness, one who cannot stand in the light as his family did. You are Night Light, are you not?”

The Pegasus shifted as the weight of the Shadow’s gaze fell upon him. “You know that, Princess Luna. We’re here to get you back to Twilight Sparkle.”

The thing that had been Luna stalked forward, pressing him against the wall as it loomed over him. “Night Light, he who strayed. Betrayer, kinslayer, black coat among white. I can see the shadow in you, Night Light. So much of it, your soul stained by it. A better servant I could not ask for.” Its horn flared. “But what haste lies in you, what disobedience. Surely you know better than to strike me with…”

It broke off its speech at the sight of what he had hurled at it. The single diamond in the center of Sweetie Belle’s necklace gleamed palely despite the utter lack of light surrounding it, and not with the bloody red of the Shadow’s flame. It shimmered with a faint silver, almost like…

“Moonlight.” the creature said, and that single word contained far more hunger than it had expressed when examining Sweetie Belle. The dark Alicorn stalked closer to it, tongue flickering and tasting the air in anticipation. It inhaled, and as the duo watched, the diamond pulsed, and then dimmed. A coil of silver rose into the air, sinking into the creature’s horn. It shuddered in ecstasy, closing its eyes briefly. “You have brought me much. Enough to earn back your miserable lives. Go, flee. My sister and I have unfinished business to attend to.” It gestured negligently with one hoof, and a doorway opened in the rock, one that had not been there moments ago. “That will lead you into the heart of the mountain. There you will find passages to the outside.” It closed its eyes, and the light it had provided vanished. Luna, or whatever she had become, was gone.

“Come on.” Night Light said, roughly hauling Sweetie Belle to her hooves. “We’ve got to make the airship.”

“What about Luna?” Sweetie Belle asked as they began to sprint down the steps, her horn providing just enough light to see by.

“She’s a damn Alicorn, she’ll be able to take care of herself. It’s more Celestia I’m worried for at this point anyway. Come on!” he cried, and the two of them clattered down the stairs into the heart of the mountain.

Celestia had always hated winter, and it was precisely for this reason. She was cut off from her source of power more often than not, and when the sun did shine it was weak and without passion. While Luna had been exiled on the moon, Celestia had not been idle, however. She stockpiled energy the same way those with plentiful food would begin to develop a layer of fat. And now, she had her reason to burn it.

Light began to pour from her coat, filling the air around her with warmth. Her mane began to change colors, fading from its usual pastel tones to a soft golden color. Her eyes began to glow white with barely constrained power, and she grimaced in pain as a thousand years of unused power was seized and brought forth in order to help her stand against the monster that her sister had become. And she did so not a moment too soon.

The night sky above her warped and twisted, stars shimmering with cold white light as the moon began to burn brighter and brighter. The space between the stars deepened, until even the most oblivious of watchers could sense the true depth of the void between them. The air temperature dropped, and the grass around Celestia frosted over with ice.

The Monarch of the Dawn rose slowly, painfully to her hooves, flaring her wings until they met over her head in defiance of what was coming. She did not have to wait long. The night around her coalesced suddenly, and a bolt of shadow shot down from the sky, breaking against her wings like water against a mountain. Though the force should have killed a regular pony, Celestia bore it calmly, flexing her wings and legs to avoid damage. She knew what was next.

“Impressive, sister mine. It is apparent that you have been preparing for this day for quite some time. I sense much of the sun in you. That must burn.”

Celestia turned and regarded the darkness behind her. “Of course it does. But I bear that pain gladly to protect my subjects from nightmares like you.”

The dark split to reveal a pair of slitted eyes, glowing in the same shade as the moon above. The darkness lashed out again. It was toying with her, Celestia knew it. And she also knew that she had very little hope of winning an offensive fight with her sister when the sun was down, especially on this night. “I’m sure. Such the martyr, you are, Celestia. Do you know the difference between martyrs and fools?”

Celestia shook her head. She could feel her sister building up to something big. She could feel the sun pulse in answer to her desperate pleas for assistance, and though it was out of her reach, a bit more warmth managed to find its way into her.

“The difference between a fool and a martyr is that the fool’s side lost.”

The air around Celestia crystalized, trapping her completely in a block of ice feet thick on every side. Bands of cold iron manifested themselves around it, sealing the block to the earth. As Celestia struggled, the block began to sink. She knew that if she sank beneath the earth, she would be completely trapped in the blackness her sister was using as her power. It would all be over.

Focusing herself, she reached for the Sun’s magic, and with a minor effort of will, managed to melt the ice, the steel bands, and some of the ground around her for good measure.

“If that’s all you are capable of, Luna, then I’m afraid you’ll not be carrying the day today.”

The molten rock around her feet bubbled and hissed before leaping up her sides, and spreading along her back. Celestia drew in more fire and more heat, reaching deep into the very bowels of the world for as much energy as she could muster. Clad in fire, she set her hooves and waited. Her magic ran to the defensive, and she would play to that strength.

Then, for the very first time that evening, Luna revealed herself to Celestia. Her form was hideous and beautiful all at once, the beauty of shattered glass and jagged rock. It hurt to look at the Alicorn of the Night, but at the same time she was so marvelous to look at that it was impossible not to. There were creatures in Equestria possessing such beauty as to drive mortals mad. Luna’s beauty was crueler still. To take refuge in insanity was simply not possible around her. All that could be done was to watch.

“Oh, Luna…” Celestia whispered. “What have you done to yourself?”

Luna’s smile broke the darkness like a dagger. “I’m restoring the Balance, Celestia. We’ve sealed Discord in stone, but you’ve been left unchecked for far too long. I’m taking what is, and turning it to what should be.” She rose into the air, her wings trailing smoke. “Starting with Canterlot.”

Lightning crackled from her horn, and the stars began to burn with an unnatural light as she gathered the force of an entire storm along its length, turning towards the mountain. Celestia shot into the air, transposing a barrier between her sister and the city. The air roared with the sound of the magical energies colliding, and the flash of impact was visible for miles. Again, Luna built up energy, and Celestia was ready for her. The impact forced Celestia back towards the city, and Luna pressed in close, seeking an advantage.

Celestia’s horn blazed with golden fire, and a lance of heat and light pierced the night sky, aiming straight for her sister’s heart. Luna swept one wing in front of herself, and the bolt vanished into the swirling shadow as if it had never been. Luna retaliated by seizing a massive piece of ground, wide enough to support a farm, and hurling it through the air towards her sister with no more effort than a belligerent child throwing a toy. Celestia blasted the mass of rock and stone to smithereens, not even wincing as the jagged pieces stung at her coat.

“Enough games.” Luna growled. “Let us not show restraint, sister mine.”

Celestia did not speak, instead climbing to match her sister’s height. She reached deep inside of herself, tapping into the primal forces of Creation she had been tasked with managing. The vast reservoir of Binding magic, like an ocean of fire, lay before her. With such energy at her disposal, she chose to merely conduct it through herself, lending it structure and form. In moments, she was surrounded in bright golden flame.

Luna did likewise, lowering her head and pointing her horn directly at Celestia. With her emotions running so high, it was a simple matter to reach deep into the blackness that was Breaking magic, and seize control of it, forcing it roughly through her horn. Cold silver and icy blue energy crackled through the air around her horn before spreading to the rest of her, surrounding this being of shadow and flame in a bright grey aura.

With twin shouts of fury, the two Alicorns unleashed their full might upon one another. Were it against any other target, the sheer amount of energy expended would have ended worlds, caused stars to explode, brought ruin to entire facets of existence with ease. However, because of the nature of this magic, almost all of the energy was neutralized immediately. Almost.

Twilight gasped, staggering to one side as she clutched at her chest. Her horn, which had been engaged in carrying a tray of drinks from one table to another, winked out suddenly. She grabbed at a nearby table to steady herself, succeeding only in tipping it over as the glasses of wine she had been carrying shattered on the floor. She landed squarely on some of the shards of glass, but didn’t notice. She was far past pain, at this point.

Tarantella was at her side in moments, followed closely by Applejack and Pinkie. “Twilight! What happened, what is the matter?”

Twilight focused, concentrating on the meditative lessons she had learned with the unicorns here, some of whom being quite conversant in Breaking magic. Gradually, she managed to put herself back together enough to grit out “Get…Radiant…Zenith. Now.”

Tarantella shot off without another word, barking commands to the guards outside of her chambers to fetch a medic. Twilight turned to Applejack and Pinkie. “Can you feel that?”

The two Earth ponies shook their heads. Twilight looked them both in the eyes. “Feel with your Elements. My Breaking magic…is burning. Check and see if Celestia is…doing something different.”

No sooner had the duo closed their eyes than they shrieked in pain and opened them again. “What in tarnation?” Applejack asked, confused. “It was like everything was on fire, includin’ me!”

There was a rush of air, and Radiant Zenith appeared, grinding her teeth in pain. “Luna and Celestia are fighting. It’s the only explanation. Golden Radiance just shut herself off entirely, and the rest of our sensitives are completely catatonic. Something’s gone wrong with the operation.”

Twilight stood up shakily. “Or something went too well. We never considered that Luna’s time in isolation might have awoken her…darker side.”

Applejack blanched. “You mean to tell me she may have become Nightmare Moon?”

The unicorn shook her head. “Something worse. I pushed too hard, and tipped the order Celestia had installed too far out of balance. Luna’s entire existence revolves around maintaining balance. Namely between Discord and Celestia. With Discord gone, Celestia is able to rule unchecked. Until now Luna has allowed it, because she was largely beneficial. Considering what’s happened recently, however…”

“She might have decided Celestia’s too great of a threat to continued ruling.” Pinkie Pie finished.

Twilight nodded. “What we are feeling right now is Order and Balance fighting over the scraps Chaos left behind. We can’t let this continue. We need to bring Luna to heel, and get her back into the Everfree Forest so that we can figure out how to restore some kind of reasonable Balance.”

Radiant Zenith nodded. “You’re suggesting we throw ourselves into the ring? It might not go too well.”

“Do we have a choice?” Twilight asked. There was a rumble of distant thunder, and a brilliant flash lit the horizon. “Between the two of them, they’ll destroy Equestria. It almost happened the last time around, and that was when things were more or less in harmony with one another.”

Applejack held up one hoof. “What are you suggesting we do?”

Twilight sighed. “We need to get you, Pinkie, and Fluttershy ready to go. If Luna and Celestia are allowed to continue like this, they’ll rip a hole in Equestria large enough to do some real damage. I know you don’t have much experience with using the Power of Harmony yet, but it’s our only real hope of burning some of Luna and Celestia’s excess power off.”

“Define ‘real damage’.” Applejack said.

“They wield the primal forces of Creation. Comparable to the powers of Discord, though they have never extended themselves in such a way, at least not since the Celestial Wars.” Radiant Zenith said. “And when they last met on the field of battle, their blows reduced an entire empire to rubble and ruin.”

Twilight nodded. “I’m going to get Golden Radiance and inform Tarantella of where we’re going. Meet us in my study, and get that circle ready. Radiant Zenith, make the necessary adjustments, and tell it to send us to the site of the battle.” With a flash of light and a small pop, she vanished.

“How do you know where that is?” Pinkie asked.

“Because they are acting like a magical beacon. It will be hard to miss them.” Radiant Zenith said, gathering up a bundle of chalk and some candles. “Applejack, find a guard, tell them to bring three suits of adamantium plate up by order of the Steward. Are you familiar with armor?”

The farmer shook her head. “I have no idea how to wear armor.”

“Well, you had best learn. Pinkie Pie, go and retrieve Fluttershy, and inform her of the situation. Hurry, speed is of the essence. I’ll need to fit you three into armor.”

It was a scant ten minutes later that the circle in Twilight’s study flashed brightly, sending the three Wielders, Twilight Sparkle, the newly reconstituted Golden Radiance, and Radiant Zenith towards the battle of gods taking place near Canterlot. Tarantella and Silent Shield were acting commanders of the military forces around the Regia, tasked with defending the castle if possible in the event of their failure, or evacuating as many as possible if the castle became indefensible.

The two of them stood together, side by side in the tower room where they had received their last instructions. Tarantella bowed her head and sighed, aware that even now, many miles away, her lover was likely engaged in a battle she could do nothing to win. She was a great warrior, of that she was certain, but when compared to Twilight Sparkle’s magical prowess she unfortunately fell far short.

“It’s not that she doesn’t think you can help, you know.”

Tarantella turned to Silent Shield, who had been appraising her with his one eye. “Pardon?”

“Lady Sparkle. You are every bit as valuable an asset to her as Radiant Zenith and Golden Radiance. Even more so, truth be told. We unicorns rely too heavily on our magic as a whole. It’s one of the reasons my Lunar Guards train with inhibitor rings. But you…you have faced some of the most powerful magical forces in the world, combated Windigos every winter, dueled with unicorns of all skillsets, even braved the walls of Canterlot to save her in her hour of need. In fact, she sees you as her most powerful warrior, which is why you have stayed behind. Who else to watch over her domain?”

Tarantella laughed at that. “She wishes me to stay here because she believes I cannot take care of myself. That I am weak.”

The Commander of the Lunar Guards tilted his head. “Then why did she not leave her two most trusted spellcasters here with you to watch you? Or lock you in your room so that you were not injured? She cares for you, yes. And she loves you more than she does herself. If she could leave all of this and live somewhere far away with you quietly for the rest of her days, she would jump at the chance. But she cannot, and she realizes that she cannot hope to tie you down. You are an excellent fighter, Consort. I have watched you. You would not have been placed in command with me otherwise.”

Tarantella thought on that. There was a part of her that burned whenever Twilight hurt herself using magic, or was forced to lay her life on the line because of some arcane threat. She wished that there was some way to help her, to make sure that her lover would not have to face so many foes at once. Why, even now, with this in front of her, Twilight Sparkle still had another threat currently being treated in her castle.

Suddenly, what she had to do was all too clear.

“Silent Shield, I am going to take a brief walk and think about that. Can I meet you back here in an hour or so? I’d like to discuss our backup plans and evacuation routes.”

The unicorn’s yellow eye locked on to her. “Going to visit the Pegasus, are you?”

Tarantella’s hoof slowly moved to her hip. “Is that a problem?”

Silent Shield shook his head. “She’s a threat and poses a clear danger to everypony in this castle. I’ve read her file. She’s hotheaded, impulsive, and brash. An absolute nightmare to handle. If she is flipped to our side, I wouldn’t mind. But if she were killed while trying to escape, I’d not shed a tear for her. Go, talk to her. See if you can figure her out while she’s still weak. If she gets loose and tries to kill us, I’d like to know how to put her down.”

The guards on duty outside of the prisoner’s room were experiencing a unique mix of fear and boredom. On one hoof, it was Rainbow Dash they were guarding, the ruthless fighter who had annihilated entire platoons of Lunar Guards and Reservists on her own. On the other hoof, she was close to death, clinging by the thinnest of threads to her continued existence. She might not make it through the evening, the rumor went. She had been absolutely quiet since she had been placed in the room to heal. The nurses had left only two hours ago, and she was being quietly isolated in order to allow her the opportunity to rest.

“Evening, gentlecolts.”

They both jumped at the sound, seeing a completely empty hallway. They did not have to wait long. The Consort to Lady Sparkle, Tarantella Allegretta, was walking down the hallway towards them, out of the dark like some strange phantom. She smiled at their expressions.

“Apologies, I left my lantern. I did not realize that hallway was so dark.”

“Good Evening, Consort.” the senior guard replied, coming to attention. “Can we be of assistance?”

She nodded. “I would like to speak to the Bearer of Loyalty. I am trying to ascertain the nature of her Element so that we may find a way to neutralize its ties to Celestia.”

“Is that what’s been happening?” the junior guard asked. “we heard the Elements were being turned but we didn’t know how.”

Tarantella winked at him. “Don’t spread the word, but yes. And the process can get a bit violent, which is why I am performing a preliminary checkup for Lady Twilight.”

The Guards looked at one another. The senior one mulled her request over. “Technically, we are not to let anyone through without the permission of the doctors.”

Tarantella’s wings sagged a bit. “Are you sure you could not let me through? All I would like to do is have a brief conversation with the Bearer. That is all. I merely wish to make sure she will not be a threat to the Lady.”

The pair looked at one another uncertainly. “Well, a quick talk wouldn’t do any harm to her. And if you are acting in the interests of Lady Twilight, then I suppose we can’t oppose you.” the senior guard said.

The junior guard held open the door for her. “Be careful, Consort. She might still be dangerous.”

Tarantella smiled at the pair of them. “Thank you, Guards. Please, ensure that nopony bothers us. I will only be here a short while.”

The door closed behind her, and Tara turned to the Pegasus on the bed, who was stirring from sleep. Rainbow Dash’s chest was heavily bandaged over her scabs, an IV hung from one foreleg, and a stasis crystal shone brightly over her head, ensuring that any changes to her body happened slowly and smoothly with plenty of time to react from her caretakers.

The Bearer turned to see the unsmiling face of Tarantella Allegretta watching her from the doorway, clad in armor and appraising her in the same way a predator does to particularly slow prey. She tried to speak, but her lungs could not expel enough air to form words. She tried to raise a hoof, but her strength had fled, leaving her as helpless as a newborn.
Her eyes widened as Tarantella stepped closer to the bed, drawing a dagger from her side as she approached.

“Hello, Rainbow Dash. I believe you and I have much to talk about.”

Melee in Squares

The mountain city of Canterlot was thrown into chaos, as the air above the city crackled with lightning, exploded into flame, and roared with the primal force of creation, striating the sky in silver, blue, and gold. So far, none of these attacks had reached the city. Celestia fought like a dragon protecting her hoard, never giving an inch, always managing to just barely block each incoming blast of magic. But it was apparent to the ponies of Canterlot that she was tiring. Her attacks became fewer and fewer as the brilliant light of her coat dimmed, her latent magic burning up faster than a dry forest consumed by flame. A thousand years of sunlight was nothing to scoff at, but on the level of magic being used, it paled in significance. Tonight was Luna’s night, the peak of her powers. Nopony questioned why she was attacking her sister. It was assumed that Twilight Sparkle had somehow corrupted her, brought the Nightmare back to life. But it would not be long before Celestia was overcome by her sister.

Even now, as a lance of gold ripped the sky in two, splintering on a shield of sharp silver, the foundations of the city began to shake. The fires from the bombing began to spread out of control, and teams of Pegasi took to the air to quench the flames with whatever they could find, from sand to water to cold crystals. They were fighting a losing battle, and they knew it, but it gave them more time to evacuate ponies to a safe location and establish a proper cordon around the inferno that was consuming entire city blocks.

A cry of shock rose from the crowd at what was occurring over the very top of the city itself. Celestia had retreated, and was even now bringing the city’s ancient wards to life. Sigils of the sun, healing, and protection flared into glorious life over the city proper, fueled by the ley lines converging underneath the mountain. Exhausted, she folded her wings and dove a bit, drawing on that same fount of energy to replenish herself. But the Nightmare was not far behind.

The stars actually tuned red, a bloody red, as the moon burned with a brilliance that spoke of cataclysm, destruction on a planetary scale. With a mighty roar, Princess Luna struck the barriers of Canterlot, which flickered and shook, disrupted for the briefest of moments. Screams of fear echoed throughout the streets as civilians scrambled away from the point of impact. The Shadow drew back, and this time, the moon and stars burned an icy blue. Again came the impact, and this time, some of the runes disappeared entirely. Then came the worst blow of all. The moon went out. The stars dimmed. And the runes above Canterlot ceased to be. A laugh of triumph pierced the sudden hush that had consumed the fleeing crowds below, and then, with a rush of air, the light of the moon returned. And Luna stood among them.

The ponies of Canterlot began to despair. And then they began to scream.

The top of the mountain was still and silent, all dark and still. Even the wind, a constant companion to the icy peak, seemed to be waiting on something. It was here, on top of the highest peak in the range, that a goddess lay, dead and sleeping next to her lover, soul fled into a sphere of crystal that gleamed and shone. Before, it had glowed with a soft violet light, filling the cold and ice-rimed hut with a comforting, if not warming, flame. But things had changed, in that hut. The soulbind was complete. Now all that remained was for the young Alicorn to regain herself.

The light had separated. A soft and rosy glow filled the top of the sphere, fluttering and ephemeral and beautiful to look at. It was the soul of Mi Amore di Cadenza Allegretta, and at last she was ready to return to her reign. And she was stronger for it. At the bottom of the sphere, beating slow and steady like a measured pulse, was her counterpart, her soul mate. Shining Armor, son of Nightlight and Twilight Velvet, last male descendant of House Radiant, lay in spiritual sleep, waiting on his wife to free him and let him defend the Realm once more. It was time.

With a flash, the sphere began to rise, tendrils of pinkish light flowing from it in gentle lines, coiling around but not touching the body of the Dawn Princess. They waited, forming what almost appeared to be a loose cocoon of light, until the very last shades of pink had fled from the sphere, which settled back onto the simple shelf it had been placed on. The light shuddered, threads blurring into one another, and with an almost palpable glee, the light sank into the stiff form of Princess Cadance, while the sound of thunder filled the air.

Her eyes shot open, and Cadance screamed in pain. Something was changing inside of her, something truly unusual and monumental. As she watched, her legs lengthened, her chest grew ever so slightly broader, she felt her neck begin to curve gracefully. Her wings, majestic before, were truly those of a goddess now. And with a final groan, she felt her hair cease to exist as it normally did, merging into a sinuous mass. As if a match had been lit, her hair changed from a normal, if somewhat unusual head of hair to the billowing mass of energy common in her Monarchs. The process was magical, yes. It was a miracle. It was the birth of a goddess, for true and certain, but that does not mean that it was in the least bit enjoyable.

Cadance rose, and immediately noticed differences in the world. Where before she was able to notice emotions in ponies and then subtly influence them, here she was able to do much, much more. The entire emotional tapestry of creation stretched before her. No, that did not describe it. She was the tapestry, as much a part of it as the creatures that comprised it. She could feel all of it at once, each individual part. She felt the sudden surprise and fear of a Minotaur, passing from this word violently by the hands of his comrade, who valued his fine mace. She felt the exhausted joy of a Gryphon mother, giving birth to a new clutch of eggs, and the pang of regret she felt as they were gently removed to be raised by their community.

Not only this, she found that each emotion could be manipulated as easily as a musician might pluck the strings of a harp. She eased the passing of that Minotaur, providing some measure of solace as he entered the void and was lost to her. She gently coaxed the Gryphon into sleep, filling her heart with love for the brood-mate who even now held her tightly as she smiled through tears of joy and anguish. It cost her little to do so. In fact, it seemed to her as natural as moving her hooves or wings. Gradually, she came back to herself.

She frowned, feeling the area around her. Something was wrong, that much she could tell. Canterlot was a cauldron of fear, confusion, and pain. Ponies were dying in brutal agony, and she could feel the fear and despair rising from them like black, oily smoke. She gasped to feel such negative feeling, but what truly made her ache was what had clearly inspired them. She did not know how she knew it, but Cadance could tell that Luna was free. And it was not just her. Something had taken hold of her, something both of Luna and of something else, something darker and far more destructive. Its anger burned like a firebrand in the night, threatening to become an all-consuming inferno if left unchecked for long. And that was not all. Celestia was cornered, trapped trying to save as many ponies as she could. As Cadance rushed to the cabin entrance, spreading her wings against the snow, she felt another large group of ponies disappear, reappearing on the plains below. Celestia was trying her best to save them. But she could not afford to evacuate ponies and fight her sister at the same time. It was more than what was within her power.

Cadance’s wings gave a single snap, echoing through the night, and she shot off of the side of the mountain with force enough to leave a crater. Speeding faster than even the most powerful fliers in Equestria, she arrived at the edge of the city in moments. And there, hovering above the marble towers of Canterlot, besieged by fire and shadow, she tapped into the true potential of her magic for the first time in her life.

An eerie calm descended over the city as ponies looked skyward once more. A lone figure hovered over the castle, the colors of a spring sunrise spilling from her and bathing the city in their light, bands of color that calmed ponies wherever they found them. Adoration in their eyes, the inhabitants of Canterlot cheered as they recognized who had come to fight for them. Only two minds resisted her, and it was those two she sped towards.

The Shadow and Celestia were locked in combat in Equestria’s main forum, powerful blasts of magic shredding marble edifices and annihilating columns with ease as they both blinked into and out of existence almost faster than mortal eyes could perceive. Each blow would be a killing blow to a normal pony, but it was apparent that these two were made of stronger stuff. AS Cadance watched, Celestia took a blow under the wing that sent her barreling through the side of a shop, disappearing in a pile of rubble. The Shadow pressed its attack just as the shop burst into flame and exploded, shards of wood flying through the air like so many javelins. They shattered on the skin of her sister, and Cadance felt one bounce off of her wing. So preoccupied were they that neither noticed her until she let her power flow. Her voice rang like a bell, high and clear with such command that it was impossible to disobey.

“Stop.”

Both Alicorns sank to their knees, eyes focused on her. Cadance eyed them both. Celestia was panting heavily, bleeding from cuts near her eyes, wings, and throat. Luna had not been trying to disable her. She had been trying to kill her. Her eyes were wide with panic that was rapidly being replaced with a sense of relief. She remained silent, but Cadance knew that she was encouraging her to continue.

Luna struggled and spat, but the creature she had become was ruled by emotion, and Cadance was the master of that realm. The shadowy aura around her heaved and writhed like an alive thing, coiling and striking at her as if it could harm her on its own. It raged against her, but Cadance was able to hold in in check. Barely.

She smiled. Not only did she feel powerful doing this, she felt right, right in a way she never had before. She realized that this was her true calling, to use the emotions of others to promote the well-being of all. She was in control, she could bend the hearts of ponies to her will. She was ascendant at last.

Cadance pushed harder, leaning in to Luna’s mind, and noticed something unusual. Luna was not the Shadow. And the Shadow was not Luna. Luna was very much a prisoner in her own mind, and even now she was desperately warning Cadance.

Fly, you fool! Flee!

It was at that moment that three things happened at once. The first was the roar of an attacking dragon, rising from the treetops of the Everfree. Cadance immediately placed the roar as that of Spike. The second was an explosion of light and magic, revealing a group of heavily armed and armored ponies. Strange collars of flame danced around the necks of some, and others let magic flow from their horns as they started forward, with obviously hostile intent.

And in the confusion caused by her revelation about Luna, the attacking dragon, and the appearance of the pony she now recognized as Twilight Sparkle, the third thing happened. The Shadow lifted itself off of Luna’s body completely, leaving the Alicorn behind, and dove straight at Cadance.

The process of teleportation, for those unfamiliar, is an unusual one. The body is reduced to the purest form of energy, and shoved roughly through the fabric of space, time, and magic to the destination envisioned by the caster. Guided only by will, the helpless passenger can often be disoriented or in serious pain if the magic user in question isn’t correctly focused on those with them as well as the destination. The feeling is akin to being turned into stars, a billion points of flame, or possibly as mist or steam. It is at once the most exhilarating and terrifying thing in the world, to be so transported. Not only this, but in such a state, if one has the presence of mind, they can actually feel the essential self of the ponies they are traveling with.

Because of the long distance to be covered, all the ponies were able to feel exactly when they had reached the edge of the Everfree Forest, and Radiant Zenith suddenly dropped out of the party. She was to land directly on top of Spike’s position, apprising him of the situation and sending him to help Twilight if at all possible. The Wielders prepared themselves mentally for the battle ahead. They were none of them strangers to danger, but at the same time, they were aware that the battle had changed. No longer could they rely on a goddess, either of Moon or Sun, to help them if they should falter. Indeed, the odds were good they’d have to fight both of them.

Twilight’s voice reached them all at the same time, an intentional message for the group.

I’ve suspended us in time until Spike can get closer to the castle. He’ll be drawing the Guards away from us. Get ready, because we’ll be arriving in three, two…

And just as easily as they had disappeared from the Regia, the first Wielders of Harmony in over a millennium, the greatest mage of any generation, and a dead pony in a paper shell appeared, not twenty meters away from the magical epicenter of a fight between goddesses.

The first thing that Twilight became aware of was the presence of Cadance. But at the same time, she was…changed. Now more than ever, she resembled Celestia in form as well as function. The second thing she noticed was Luna, or rather, what had once been Luna, pinned to the ground by some sort of powerful magic. Her horn tingled in warning, and Twilight swiftly erected mental barriers, centering her mind. There was powerful mental magic at work here. The distraction caused by their arrival was clearly enough for whatever had possessed Luna to free itself. And free itself it did, sliding from Luna as if it were a skin from a snake.

She sensed what was going to happen before it did, and stepped aside. The three Wielders stepped forward, channeling their newfound powers, and fire erupted in pink and orange and blue, wrapping around the Shadow and causing it to screech in pain. Applejack, Pinkie Pie, and Fluttershy formed a wedge almost instinctually, with Pinkie at the head. Together, they were able to push the darkness back enough for Cadance to free herself. Her eyes widened in shock at what she was seeing, but the look of surprise on her face turned to one of hope and determination. Her horn flared, and a blot of icy blue magic impaled the Shadow neatly. The Wielders and goddess worked together, and soon it was all the Shadow could do to keep them at bay.

Twilight and Golden Radiance stepped forward, faces drawn. The light of the magical display occurring reflected off of Twilight’s armor faintly as she stepped forward. Her helm slid down, covering her face, and the half-mask of silver grinned its toothy grin in the light of the burning city. Golden Radiance indicated the Princess in front of them, and Twilight prepared herself for the spell that would take them all back to the Regia, safe and sound. All she needed to do was wake up Luna, and she could provide the energy needed to…

“I would not do that, Twilight.”

Twilight spun around to see Princess Celestia watching her calmly, with a sense of detached curiosity. The Alicorn’s horn flared, and the fire around them flickered and died. Even the blaze in the distance seemed diminished. She smiled embarrassedly. “Pardon me. Luna was quite the challenge to deal with, and I’m famished. In the absence of sunlight, fire will have to do.”

Twilight signaled Golden Radiance, who approached the fallen and still form of Luna, who lay on the ground, unconscious. She turned to Celestia again. “I’m taking Luna.”

Her former teacher nodded as if in acquiescence. “Very well. But I’ll be taking back the Elements.”

“No games, Celestia.” Twilight growled. “You’ve lost this round. It’s best to retreat and make your next move from there. Tend to your city, and your subjects. And I’ll go back to my forest, and take Luna with me.”

“That’s hardly fair to me, Twilight. I can’t let you leave this city, you know that. Especially with the Elements and my sister in tow. And if you are here now, I presume you know about the soulbind?”

Twilight was at a loss. “The what?”

Celestia’s eyebrows shot up. “You mean you don’t know?”

Twilight shook her head. “No. I don’t know.”

Celestia laughed. “Then, my once-faithful student, I most certainly cannot let you leave this city.”

The Shadow screamed loud enough to set the ears of the surrounding ponies on edge. It lashed out with one limb, from which a blade formed naturally, almost gutting Fluttershy. She retaliated with a torrent of pink flame that ate at the creature horribly, causing it to stagger back. It was cut off from escape by Applejack, whose magic pulled up the very earth and set it behind the beast, pinning it against the wall. Pinkie Pie followed up with a burst of tiny stars, brilliant points of magic that chewed through the beast with ease. Cadance was ready to deliver the knockout blow, but her magical blast missed the thing by inches, as it seemed to melt and reform somewhere else.

It hissed, and darts shot from its tail, which now resembled that of a scorpion. One of them caught Applejack high in the chest, piercing her armor and knocking her backwards. She gasped in pain as some sort of venom coursed through her, and she felt her heart begin to stutter and fail before the familiar amber fire filled her up and pushed out both the venom and the dart, leaving her healed and fresh. The rules of engagement were clear. It would take a perfect killing shot to end the fight for either side.

With renewed ferocity, Applejack leapt back into the fray. A bolt of azure lightning soared overhead, met by a frothing and billowing column of shadow that caught it easily. Pinkie Pie let loose with another bolt, and then another. Fluttershy’s magic lashed out, coiling around the middle of the creature and tightening rapidly, but before she could cut it in half, it seemed to melt away, reappearing behind the yellow Pegasus. She dove to one side just as it buried itself in the cobblestones where she had stood.

Applejack set her hooves, and with hardly more than a thought, seized a huge chunk of marble and flung it at the monstrosity. Turning the magic inward, she rushed forward just as it turned, catching it under the chin with both hooves. Its neck broke with a sickening crack, and it slumped to one side, staggering. Cadance’s magic pierced it through the head, and it twitched once before becoming still. But of course, that wasn’t enough to kill it.

With a groan like that of breaking metal, it collapsed in on itself. The four combatants backed away slowly, fearful of what would happen next. They did not have long to wait. The pool of blackness drew itself up, a towering monstrosity that was all leering eyes, shattered claws, and razor sharp teeth. A mouth formed, and it spoke on its own, without the aid of Luna for the first time.

Hate…

It made no move to attack them, and Cadance approached it carefully. Maybe she would be able to seal it…

Without another word, it grew wings, speeding off into the night. It turned once more, and before any of them could react, it spat a ball of greasy black fire at them, forcing the four to take cover. When the explosion had cleared, there was no trace of the creature. It had vanished into the night, just like the shadows it was made of.

Celestia’s horn shone with golden magic, and the next thing Twilight was able to perceive was the fact that she was laying on her back. Her armor hummed with excess charge, and she deduced that her crystal inlays had absorbed all of the excess magic in Celestia’s stunning spell. This would likely explain why she was not unconscious. Silently, she crept to her hooves, the armor moving easily with her. Celestia had turned her attentions to the Wielders, and was getting ready to do the same to each of them, along with the Shadow, when the massive magical discharge from Twilight’s armor, coupled with a bolt of dark gray Breaking magic, caught her in between the wings, driving her down into the ground. She turned to see Twilight getting back on her hooves, a smile on her face.

“I’m nowhere near finished yet, Celestia.”

Without another word, the Alicorn unleashed another barrage of magical bolts, each of which was deflected, avoided, or absorbed by Twilight’s armor. Twilight laughed, and accessed the spells in the pendant under her armor, suspended by its simple leather strap. Fueled by the energy in the armor, Twilight’s beam of energy could have leveled a city block easily. It was focused down to a fine point, however, and caught Celestia squarely in the chest, knocking her backwards a step.
Twilight followed up with two more bolts of Breaking magic, followed by a web of crackling lightning and a series of small stars that erupted from her horn. The Sun Goddess bore each blow impassively, catching them on her wings, chest, and body. Her retaliatory strike knocked Twilight off of her hooves, causing her head to buzz and her vision to swim before she staggered back to her own four hooves, ready for more.

Celestia didn’t let up the assault, pressing Twilight close. The unicorn was only just able to keep ahead of Celestia’s attacks, and she was tiring swiftly. Another bolt of magic left a scorch mark on her armor, and then another. Twilight staggered, almost spent. She triggered the crystals in her armor, focusing the energy they had stored at Celestia, who blurred to one side, avoiding the blast of energy entirely. Twilight sank to her knees, and reached for her crystal one last time.

Then it happened. A blow from Celestia caught her square in the chest, and Twilight slumped to one side, utterly beaten. Celestia’s face held no joy as she gazed upon her student. “Just be still, Twilight. I don’t want to hurt you any more than I already have. We’ll get you taken care of in a moment.”

Twilight raised her head, horn flickering weakly. Celestia placed a gentle hoof on her forehead, forcing her back down. “Enough. The last thing I wish to do is cause you or anypony else pain.”

A new voice, one much like that of the Sun Goddess, but possessing the high qualities of youth, echoed across the square. “Then you and I are not so similar, Celestia. Because I’m going to enjoy this.”

Luna stood on her own hooves, horn lit up as she drew in magic from the three Unbound Elements. Pointing her horn squarely at Celestia, she smiled. “This will only last until sunrise. But I can’t help but to appreciate the irony.”

With no further preamble, she released the magic in her horn, and it flew straight and true. The colors of the Elements faded to silver as they roared towards Celestia, and struck her in the chest. The Solar Alicorn didn’t even have the time to scream before the Power of Harmony struck her in the chest, and she vanished completely.

Luna’s horn faded to a cool blue, and she seized the Wielders and Twilight in her grasp. She nodded at Golden Radiance, who bowed. “Have I your blessing, goddess?”

The Lunar Alicorn smiled. “Be well, brave warrior. Thy family awaits thee.”

The sound of thunder echoed through the forum, and then it stood empty, save for the newly forged Alicorn. And one other. And soon after, there was only one pony in the square. She spread her wings wide and waited. And she looked at the moon, upon which was emblazoned the mark of Celestia, the eight-pointed sun.

A Pawn Taken

If there was one thing Sweetie Belle had learned in her training, it was that there was always another angle to consider. There is always a plan, always a backup set in place by the best of manipulators in the event of their overt designs being stymied by some unseen circumstance. And though Night Light and herself had managed to escape the wrath of Celestia and the Shadow, she could not help but to feel the presence of something else, something new. She knew instinctively that neither of them were safe yet, that there was something else waiting for them ahead. What it was, she did not know, but she knew it was there.

But at the same time, she could not stop running forward, pell-mell down the corridor of rough stone after Night Light. It was a compulsion, a desire to get as far away from the creature they had just encountered as possible. Her scalp tingled as if it were still watching them, and she dared not turn her head for fear that it would be there, smiling that horrible toothy smile if she did so. And then would come the lunge, and the piercing teeth…

A glimmer of light up ahead lent hope to her weary heart at the same time as it filled it with fear. There was no way that the reddish glow ahead was the light of the moon, and they had not been traveling nearly so far as to be at the airship yet. But at the same time, it was light, blessed light, which meant a refuge from the terrible Shadow.

Night Light slowed down, maneuvering in front of Sweetie Belle in order to restrict her movement. As he ground to a halt, she attempted to get herself under control. The Shadow wanted Celestia, not her. And it had let them go. It was no longer a threat to her, but whatever was ahead of them certainly was. Sweetie Belle inhaled, then exhaled, drawing her dagger and holding it lightly, ready for use. Through a series of taps, the two ponies agreed to proceed slowly.

Night Light was the first to exit the tunnel, crouching behind an outcropping of rocks and checking for cover before indicating it to Sweetie Belle and telling her to move forward. A quick flash of movement, and she vaulted silently into cover. As one, they looked at what was casting the light.

It was what appeared to be a small sun, burning a low red that filled the cavern with bloody light. Curious, Sweetie Belle glanced around the rest of the cavern, sweeping along the walls. A hole off to their left looked promising as an exit, and indeed it appeared to be well-maintained, having some crudely cut stairs leading to it from the cavern floor and a railing to prevent slippage. But what had constructed that, and who was maintaining it? Night Light pointed at the cavern floor, a look of shock upon his face. And there was the answer revealed.

A camp had been set up on the floor of the cave, entirely made of stone and clearly occupied. A fire burned in the center of it, near a statue of Princess Celestia herself. Even from this distance and in such poor light, Sweetie Belle could see ponies in hulking armor patrolling the walls, marching on the parade ground, and walking in twos and threes from place to place. She could not, however, identify the armor. It looked like it belonged to the Guards, but she had never seen Guards this size, and that plate they were wearing was too bulky for most ponies to be wearing. There had to be a full thousand ponies down there, all of them apparently massive and well-equipped. But why were they here? What could they possibly be, and what purpose did they serve?

The answer was unimportant. Right now, all that mattered was getting around to the entrance, and getting out into the landing area. Sweetie Belle had almost been killed far more often than she would have liked to admit, and she wanted nothing more than to be on an airship out of the city with her sister. She signaled to Night Light, showing him the aperture through which they could depart. He nodded silently, and together the two of them began the process of moving from rock to rock, waiting on the other to give the all clear before proceeding. It took only minutes to reach the final leg of their journey, but those minutes were precious when they were on such a tight schedule.

At last, they were ready to make it across the final stretch and enter the mouth of the tunnel ahead of them. The only problem was the space. No rocks were available for them to use as cover, and the Guards on the wall would surely see them if they attempted to make a run for it. And outrunning them was far too risky. They may have looked like brutes, but both of the spies had seen how smoothly and precisely they had walked. There was only one alternative. Sweetie would have to veil them both, and together they would walk to the entrance of the cave.

A short sprint, and Sweetie Belle was huddled behind the same boulder as Night Light, ready to go. No words were traded, nothing needed to be said, and all that was done to reassure each other was a touching of hooves. Then, reaching inside of herself, Sweetie Belle found her magic, and wove a perfect veil around them.

And then the sun above them flared into brilliant gold, and an alarm was raised from the campsite.

Applebloom was awake immediately. Her dreams of the sunlight on her face shortly became a reality, and it was only a moment later that she vaulted out of bed, full armor already on, and sprinted towards the source of the disturbance, grabbing a spear but neglecting her helmet. Her hair whipped around the newly-white hair on her face as she ran, the ponies underneath her falling in behind her as she roared instructions for spellcasters to get to the walls and Pegasi to take to the air.

The gates swung open as she barreled out of the camp, leveling her spear as she ran. She could see the two intruders, though they were obviously trying to veil themselves from her sight. What was strange, though was that they appeared to be unaware of the presence of three other ponies, leaping down from the rocks above and heading for the exit into the mountain, and from there out onto the plains below Canterlot.

The light from the sun at last managed to penetrate the veil to the point that Applebloom could see who was underneath it. A Pegasus wearing wingblades was galloping alongside a pony, the telltale signs of powerful illusion magic in her coat. She recognized Sweetie Belle right away. Her howl of rage could be heard by all, and she sped up. Tonight she would kill.

Sweetie Belle let the veil drop, instead focusing her magic into lighting her horn. Night Light was pulling ahead of her by just a bit, shouting encouragement as he ran, and she could feel her muscles burning with the exertion. They were almost at the tunnel’s edge, and the Guards were gaining. A sob rose in her throat. It wasn’t fair. She’d managed to fulfill her mission, and now she would die underneath the mountain of Canterlot, killed by monsters wearing the skins of ponies. Her hooves blurred as she forced herself to run faster than she ever had in her life, sprinting for the exit. She could see the charging Guards pouring out of their camp, and she could have sworn that one of them was looking right at her.

“Sweetie Belle, duck!”

She did so instinctively, without considering where the voice was coming from. A javelin flew overhead to shatter on the hard rock behind her. Had she been standing erect, it would have taken her through the eye. But the maneuver had cost her. Just as they reached the mouth of the cave, Sweetie Belle stumbled, twisting her hoof on the irregular floor of stone. Putting one hoof out to catch herself, she was rewarded with the snap of bone, and a spike of pain that made her want to vomit. She screamed and fell, clutching at her foreleg.

Night Light’s eyes widened as he turned his head over his shoulder to see Sweetie Belle writhing on the ground, a jagged spear of bone protruding from her leg, viscera staining her coat red. He rushed from the tunnel to her side, the wingblades sliding out.

“Come on, Sweetie Belle. You have to get up, we need to go.” he said, standing over her protectively. The Guards were not that far away, and closing the gap rapidly. He stood over her protectively. Swallowing, he looked her in the eye. “Sweetie Belle, close your eyes, and lay on the ground, hooves out. No magic. They might choose to capture you. If not…it’ll be over quickly, and I’ll see you soon, alright?”

Sweetie Belle shut her eyes tightly, preparing herself for death. She waited for the sounds of combat, the roar of charging ponies, the sting of a spear. But it never came. Instead, there was a huge detonation, a rush of heat, and a furious scream from the ponies who had moments ago been pursuing them. Sweetie Belle opened her eyes, and saw something that she thought she would never have seen again.

Rarity, eyes blazing with uncontrolled fury, was channeling magic through her horn, a torrent of purple fire that bathed the ground in front of her, sticking to walls and the floor like glue and burning far hotter than any fire had a right to. As Sweetie Belle watched, confused, the Element of Generosity’s expression turned from fire to ice. A unicorn attempted to trade spells with her, and he was contemptuously blocked before she retaliated, blowing his head off. A set of hooves lifted Sweetie Belle into the air, setting her on a broad back, and she turned to see Scootaloo smiling at her. If that was the case, then she was riding on…

“Careful, Glimmer. She’s hurt. Make the tunnel, we’re right behind.”

Night Light and Rarity began to back up as the group retreated to the escape route. The armored ponies screamed in rage as the fliers began to plummet from the ceiling, forcing Rarity to switch her attack from the ground to the air. Night Light got in front of her, wingblades out as the Pegasi began their charge. Rarity backed into the tunnel, and gestured to Night Light to follow.

As he turned to retreat, however, one of the ponies leapt through the fire and flames, a spear in her grasp. Hurling it with practiced ease, she neatly severed a tendon in his back leg, and the Pegasus collapsed. Sweetie Belle watched as he turned to face his assailant. Rarity’s horn lit up, and a bolt of force slammed into the ceiling above them, causing rocks to fall and block the entrance. Before she could do that, however, Sweetie Belle caught sight of who had trapped Night Light. Applebloom wore a predatory grin as she advanced, the fading purple light of the fires gleaming in her golden, pupil-less eyes.

Night Light growled at Applebloom, his wingblades coming out. His back leg was ruined. Even if by some miracle he was rescued, odds were good that he’d never regain full use of it. It wasn’t so bad, he mused. A long career and a successful one. And he had been killed during his most successful mission yet. He still had a few tricks left, however. Enough to make sure this bitch remembered him.

He pumped his wings once, soaring into the air just high enough to come down on top of Applebloom, who backed up in order to avoid the deadly edges of his blades. Spinning neatly, he swung at her unprotected face, causing her to rear and catch the leading edge of the blade on her breastplate. She retaliated with a hoof upside his head, which caused his vision to flicker. Shaking his head and causing droplets of blood to arc gracefully through the air, he stabbed with the point of the blade, the signature scorpion strike of the blade coming into effect. This time, Applebloom was unable to avoid it completely, and the tip of the blade dug out a small chunk of flesh beneath her eye. He smiled as the Chief Spear growled, searching for a way to end this quickly.

She found it. Rushing him, she waited for him to slip to one side, which he did. What he did not anticipate, however, was her picking up the dagger which Sweetie Belle had dropped. And as he had watched its original owner do, many times, Night Light watched the dagger speed towards him unerringly, and before he could react, the steel slid into his heart, knocking him onto his back. The world began to go gray, and Night Light felt curiously cold. As his eyes slid shut for the final time, his hoof found the dagger in his chest.

Those who later handled his body would say that he died trying to pull out the dagger, and failed in this last task. But that was not the case. It was a comfort to rest his hoof on it, gripping tightly. It was almost like Sweetie Belle was there with him. And then, everything went white, and Night Light departed this world for the next, thoughts of her in his heart.

He died with a smile on his face.

Mahtaram’s crystal flashed, and a familiar voice spoke in her ear.

“Mahtaram, can you hear me?”

The Gryphon drew her jambiyah, neatly slicing the throat of one of the Guards who was attempting to attack her. It worked through several more Air Corps members and Royal Naval ponies, spraying blood across the cobblestones, before she was able to respond.

“I read you loud and clear, Miss Zenith. What’s going on above the city?” She sheathed the dagger, picking up her bow and notching one of her last arrows. It took a diving Guard in the throat, causing him to tumble from the turbulent sky limply into the ground.

“Luna is free, but a bit…unbalanced. We’ve arranged for some extra support for you. But you need to begin your withdrawal immediately. It’s too dangerous for you to be around for much longer.”

The Gryphon picked up a spear, hurling it through two ponies who were attempting to use magic on her. One was killed instantly, while the other clutched at his weeping throat and collapsed on the ground. Before she could be targeted any further, she slung her bow over her shoulder and shot into the air with a single pump of her wings, speeding over the city towards her rendezvous point. “Understood. What are we looking for?” she asked, avoiding several arrows and crossbow quarrels that had been fired at her by her pursuers.

There was a chuckle over the connection. “Look to the forest, and you’ll see. Don’t move until you can be sure the two Alicorn sisters are on the ground.”

A roar echoed in the distance, and Mahtaram smiled. She could see who was coming towards the city, and she suddenly had no worries about the escape route. If Spike was their escort, she pitied the attacker.

Sweetie Belle felt hot and cold as they rushed through the blackness of the under-mountain. Some part of her knew that she was in shock, but this was not the kind of shock that came with unconsciousness, and she could not afford it at any rate. Instead, she clung weakly to the back of Glimmer as they ran, crying for the pain both inside of her and out. Rarity was loping along right beside them, light spilling from her horn as she followed Scootaloo, who was leading the way.

“Look at me, Sweetie Belle. Look at me, I’m right here.” Rarity said to her sister, trying to keep her from falling unconscious. “We’re almost there, and then you can rest.”

Scootaloo and Glimmer looked at one another. Sweetie Belle was supposed to veil the ship from sight so that the Guards didn’t pursue them. She couldn’t do that if she was unconscious. It didn’t matter much at that point, but there were going to be a few more close calls tonight.

“Birchwood, can you hear me?” Scootaloo said into her earpiece. “Are the engines running?”

“Hot and ready. Sweetie Belle and Night Light with you?”

Scootaloo winced. “Night Light didn’t make it.”

There was silence from the other end. Scootaloo continued. “He held off Guards who were chasing us. There was a cave in.”

Birchwood’s voice was thick and halting. “That idiot. Never could figure out when he was in too deep.”

The passage widened, and turned into a proper cave. The floor widened and smoothed itself out, and it was only moments later that they could see Birchwood and the airship, sleek and black against the night outside, waiting for them. A rope ladder was thrown down, and Scootaloo launched herself onto the deck, throwing down a basket for Sweetie Belle. They had come prepared for casualties. Gently, Glimmer set her in the sling, and she was drawn up and onto the ship’s deck. Rarity appeared silently on the deck, kneeling next to her sister, and the Changeling was the last one to board the airship.

With a lurch, the airship started forward, picking up speed as it went. Birchwood kept a steady hoof on the tiller, and within moments they were out of the confines of the cave and into the open air, soaring towards the Everfree. Mahtaram landed on the deck as alarm bells began to ring from the city walls,, and what few Guards the beleaguered city could muster were dispatched to bring them back.

Mahtaram threw open a chest fastened to the deck, tossing a first aid kit to Rarity as she withdrew a fresh quiver of arrows. Stationing herself at the stern of the ship, she began to pick her targets. Scootaloo withdrew a small case from the chest, opening it to reveal several flash powder spheres, along with a sling to hurl them from. Soon, the air behind the ship was a maelstrom of darts and fire, discouraging even the most driven of their pursuers to back off and let the airship flee.

As the small craft soared over the plains below Canterlot, the occupants could see what had happened to the once-proud city of Canterlot. The side of the mountain burned with debris, thick clouds of choking smoke rising from its sides as well as numerous craters on the ground below. The city was on fire, a raging inferno that was slowly being brought under control by teams of exhausted ponies, split in so many different directions. As they watched, a flash erupted from the side of the city, and a stream of golden light shot into the air, hurtling into space. The moonlight flared, and when they could see again, every pony in that ship gasped to see the all-too-familiar Mark of Celestia emblazoned on its surface.

“What…what has been done?” Mahtaram asked.

Not a soul spoke. Glimmer was the one who finally broke the silence. “Change. We have just watched history being made. Whatever happens after tonight, the world will be forever changed.”

She had no idea how right she was.

The Weeping Rook

The Pegasus on the hospital bed began to thrash weakly, trying to get away from the advancing Condottiero, who merely waited until the Element of Loyalty had exhausted herself. A tear rolled down Rainbow Dash’s face as she gazed into the unsmiling face of Tarantella Allegretta, who stood with drawn steel in hoof. After all this, she was just going to kill her? Nothing else, no trial, no verdict, nothing? This wasn’t fair, it couldn’t be the end…but maybe it was, and it was what she deserved. She had seen the way the doctors had looked at her. They were afraid of her, they hated her, and Rainbow was almost sure that if they were not on orders from Twilight, they would have left her to die. Of course they had sworn an oath to do no harm, but that didn’t mean they had to offer help. And now, this Pegasus was going to kill her. Quickly, she dried her eyes, set her face, and prepared herself for death.

Tarantella nodded appreciatively. “You are very brave, to accept death so quickly. But it will not come for you today. I am using this for my protection only. I was told I might need it.” She tilted her head curiously. “Do you know who I am, Rainbow Dash?”

The cyan mare shook her head. It took some effort. Inhaling, she spoke a single word. “No.”

“My name is Condottiero Tarantella Allegretta, of the Fiato Danzatori. And I wish to know if you are here to kill Twilight.”

That got a reaction from the Pegasus. Her body arched up out of the bed, and if it were not for her weakened state, she would have been across the room, hooves at Tara’s throat in moments. But in her weakened state, all that was achieved was a strangled growl and a few inches of lift before Rainbow Dash collapsed on the bed, gasping in pain. A few spots of red appeared on her bandages, and Tarantella waited calmly for the Pegasus to subside. The stasis crystal over her bed flickered. Normally orderlies would have been in the room to check on her, but Tarantella had seen them distracted by two of Silent Shield’s hoof-picked lieutenants. She had time to listen to Rainbow Dash, and hear what she had to say.

“This is why I chose to speak to you now. You are impulsive, brash, and a threat to the safety of every pony, Gryphon, Minotaur, and Changeling in this castle. You blazed a trail of blood and fear and death for four years after your friend disappeared into the Everfree. Not once have our analysts been able to discover why. And now I wish to know.”

Though it pained her, Rainbow Dash had found her voice. “You bitch! I’ll beat your head into a bucking wall!” Her threats were heard by nopony. The room was soundproofed.

Tarantella approached the bed, within reach of Rainbow Dash. “You lack the necessary strength, and to be honest, I cannot fathom why you seem to hate me so. I have never wronged you personally, I know that for certain. We have never met.”

The Pegasus was having none of it. “I swear to Celestia, once I get out of here I’m going to destroy every one of you! And I’ll make sure Twilight goes last, so you can feel what it’s like! You won’t-“

The blade appeared in Tarantella’s hoof and was at Rainbow’s throat quickly enough that it made a whistling noise as it parted the air. “Lay one hoof on her, and I will personally carve your heart from your chest and feed it to you.” Not missing a beat, she sheathed her weapon again. “Why. Why are you so bent on making me suffer? What do your friends know about me that I do not? I have done nothing but show you kindness, Rainbow Dash. Why do you hate me?”

The fire suddenly faded from Rainbow Dash. In its place was a broken shell of a mare, not just defeated but ground into dust so thoroughly that it might as well not have been a pony at all. She looked Tarantella in the eye. “You really don’t know, do you? You have no idea.”

Tarantella shook her head gently. “What have I done? Why did you, of all of Twilight’s friends, decide to make it your mission to hurt her?”

“Stormchaser. Stormchaser was the reason. You took her from me, when you took Twilight from Canterlot.”

The Condottiero sat down, confused. “Are you saying I took a love from you? I remember no such thing.”

Rainbow Dash began to speak. At first, it was halting and grating, as if the words hurt to spoke. As she continued, however, she grew in strength and confidence.

“Her name was Stormchaser. She was born in a small town outside of Fillydelphia, to a mother who sold flowers and a father who was a carpenter. Their names were Lily and Cedar. She grew up as an only child, but she had a twin brother who died the day after they both were born. If he had lived, the parents had planned to name him Granite, after his grandfather. In case you were wondering, her parents were both Earth ponies. Their line is pretty much all Earth ponies, as far back as five generations. She was going to be called Sandalwood, but when her parents found out she was a Pegasus, they decided to name her after the last Pegasus in their family, who was also called Stormchaser.”

She took a breath, coughing a little. Tarantella took a glass of water from the bed and lifted it to her lips gently. The Pegasi took small sips, to avoid choking. Refreshed, she sat back and continued.

“She got her Cutie Mark right after she learned how to fly. A storm got away from some of the weather ponies, and she chased it down and tapped the exact right spot to break it up before it hit town. Her parents were so proud of her, flying strong at such a young age.”

Tarantella spoke up. “That truly is admirable. I was not able to fly so until I had been flying for several years.”

Rainbow Dash nodded. “She belonged in the sky. But she didn’t just fly. She liked to sing, and she was pretty good at it, too. Not Los Pegasus material, but I liked to listen when she got in the mood. Neither of us could cook, so we ended up eating out a lot.” She chuckled. “I remember trying to surprise her for her birthday with her favorite home cooked meal. I had no idea I could burn Nova pepper soup to a black crisp, but there you go. We ended up going to a nearby greasy spoon. It was one of our best nights together.”

She continued. “She was so…graceful, I think is the word, in the air. Me, I’m fast and precise, a real hard-hitter. But she was beautiful when she flew, even if she was sometimes a bit clumsy with four hooves on the ground. I know that feeling pretty well. Loyal to a fault, always promoting one thing or another. I think that might have been why she joined the Corps.”

Tarantella was beginning to understand, but Rainbow Dash was talking still, as if she wasn’t even there anymore. And it was such a change from the monster they had all thought her to be, that Tarantella could not bring herself to interrupt. “She always said she joined because there was nothing left for her in that town once her parents were both dead. Life out on the plains is pretty short, and her parents worked hard. And, I think she wanted to help ponies, to make sure that the sort of hardships her town went through with the tornadoes and storms wouldn’t happen to others. The Air Corps offered the best chance for her.”

The door creaked open, and one of the Guards stuck his head in. “Just checking on you both, Consort. We’re outside if you need us.” It swung closed once more, and Rainbow Dash continued.

“She joined a Recon group for the speed and competition. It turned out she was a natural, and she ended up on a stunt team in the Corps. Since I did a few freelance stunts back then, it was only a matter of time before we met and hit it off. Same age, same interests, and I’d worked out after the Royal Wedding that stallions weren’t really my ‘speed’, if you know what I mean. We met after more and more shows, trading stories or getting drinks, and before you knew it we were both going steady, and I had never been happier.”

Tarantella knew that feeling well. She had experienced it right before she had visited Canterlot.

“Normally you’d expect a pair like us to butt heads, and we had a few fights, but we actually got along pretty well. It was awesome for two years, and then I decided that I wanted to spend my life with her. I got up the courage, and popped the question at one of the Summer Sun Celebrations, right as the sun set on the last night. And when she said yes, I lost it. I started crying I was so happy, and for the rest of the night she wore the necklace I gave her proudly. But there was a caveat. She wanted to postpone the engagement until she could quit the Corps.”

Rainbow Dash smiled fondly at this. “That was so her, right there. She was able to rein me back and get me to think things through. She was a planner. It sucked when we had to split because of a patrol or exercise. Her contract was up in a year, she said. One year and she’d be out with a nice separation bonus and ready to retire. We wanted to start up our own team, better than the Wonderbolts or any other stunt group. And then we’d open a flight school. We both loved the sky, and we wanted to share that with as many Pegasi as we could.”

Her face darkened. “And then, a few months later, one of my best friends goes crazy and kills the colt she’s been seeing for months, absolutely shocking us all and ending her almost literal fairy tale romance. She takes off north after setting her library on fire, destroying half the town, and knocking me unconscious when I tried to talk to her. But you know about that already. You met her up north, didn’t you? And you two fell in love.”

Tarantella nodded. “That’s right.”

Rainbow Dash sighed. “I don’t think she realizes the panic she caused, even today. The most powerful spellcaster ever had gone insane and killed the colt she loved. All of Equestria’s armed forces were mobilized that night. Stormchaser got called back to Canterlot, and I went after Twilight with my friends, because I’m loyal and I wanted my friend back. And you know what? After we caught her, I had doubts. It felt wrong, it didn’t sit right with me, but the Princess convinced me it was for Twilight’s own good. And when Twilight, our Twi, came back to us, it looked like we might actually get our happy ending.”

Tarantella knew what was coming next, but it did not make it any easier to hear.

Rainbow Dash’s voice became weak again, this time from tears. Four years later, and it still hurt. “At the ceremony, Twilight took Luna’s power and knocked out Celestia. I was horrified. I thought that she had panicked and tried to use magic to defend herself. She was a nervous wreck leading up to the ceremony. I flew as fast as I could, hoping to reach her, to calm her down and get her to stop, but she did something to the Elements. And I realized that she had been in the right all along. I was so stunned, that I couldn’t even move. I just landed on the nearest wall and curled up, trying to figure it all out. I didn’t even notice when she had gone. The Guards found me there two hours later, and then I heard what had happened to Stormchaser. It was one of her teammates that identified who had done it.”

Tarantella finally understood. “Me.”

Rainbow Dash nodded. “You.” She started to cry. “They brought her body back. They had cleaned her off and sewn her up. She almost looked like she was sleeping. I cried for the rest of the night, there by her side, and when she was buried the next day I hadn’t left her once. It was pointless. I had no direction, no purpose. I’d lost my Other Wing. And it was there that Celestia found me, still crying, even after all my friends had tried and failed to get me away from that little patch of dirt.”

Her voice got stronger. “She told me that she could help me, that I could stop the war and stop the killing if I wanted to work with her. What was I supposed to do? A day later I was in Cloudsdale, and after that, I began to train with my Element. It was your face on every weighted bag, every target, every sparring partner I faced. I wanted Twilight to face justice for her crimes, sure. But I wanted you, Tarantella. I wanted you to hurt like I had to, and I wanted to know that I was the one who had made it that way. I waited for four years.”

Tarantella ended the story. “And here we sit. You helpless, a clear threat to my lover, wanting to kill me. Any sane pony would drive this dagger of mine through your head and kill you now. But there has been enough bloodshed. And I think you should know how and why Stormchaser died.”

Rainbow Dash sat back in her pillows and listened as Tarantella spoke. “When we were ambushed outside of Canterlot, I watched my friends and family, ponies I had grown up with and fought beside, killed and captured as we fought to escape. In the end, out of thirty ponies, nine remained. Myself, one of my cousins, and seven other brave fighters. My uncle lay dead with a pike through his throat, and we could not grieve or else we would be discovered. It was then that Luna herself appeared to us, and spoke of how we had needed to play our parts perfectly. And we had.”

Tara’s hoof tightened. “Oh, you have not seen such rage in your life. My cousin was inconsolable. We cursed her bitterly for what she had done, until she revealed that what she had planned would result in freedom, for ponies everywhere, at the cost of her own freedom. But she needed us to help. They looked to me. I was their leader, and my decision was theirs. And I went back. For Twilight. Because I loved her and believed in her, and because she needed me.”

This time it was Tara who drank. “For three days, I waited and bided my time. We took shelter with some ponies in Luna’s service, who called themselves the Order of The Crescent Moon. We work with them still today. And on the third day, we went to the arena and waited for my Other Wing, and though I could see she did not recognize me, I could not help but smile and throw her a rose. I watched with pride and fear as she was welcomed back into Celestia’s service, and as she took control of her life again. I watched you try and stop her, and once she disappeared, we circled above the city and waited.”

Tarantella leaned back against the wall. “She was not hard to find. Spike is easy to spot, and sure enough, the city had noticed. Pegasi swarmed from its towers, and soon ten times our number were in pursuit. But we had the advantage, and we hit them from behind. Many of our techniques are non-lethal, but at that height, any fall is lethal. We tore them to shreds and drove many of them away. Except for your Wing, Rainbow. She stayed persistent, and when we tried to stop her, she reunited my cousin with her father. I dropped on top of her, and met her in combat above the trees of the valley below Canterlot.”

She remembered it very clearly now. “She fought like a wildcat, her dagger nearly taking my life three times in the space of a minute as we fought for altitude and that perfect shot. But we were both sinking lower, and soon we were barely skimming the tops of the trees. I knew then that if I did not win, and soon, odds were good I would never see my love again. So, I did what I had to. I had tried to tangle her in the trees, but she was too wily by far. My rope was gone, and we were fighting knife to knife. It was her or me, and when I saw an opening, I took it. I clipped her wing, and when she spun, I took her near the head.”

Rainbow Dash flinched. “Don’t tell me that.”

Tarantella pressed forward. “She died painlessly and instantly. I know. It is how we release those who are badly hurt in battle up north. And she died like a true warrior, Rainbow Dash. Never doubt that. She died doing her duty, and for this I remember her. As I rejoined my fighters, I saw one solitary Pegasus, keeping a distance, watching the fight. Her flying partner, no doubt. When he saw me rise alone, I watched him peel away to Canterlot. His heart was broken as well, I think. She was well-liked, wasn’t she?”

Rainbow Dash nodded. “Yeah. She was.”

Tarantella met her eyes. “You know that no amount of death can redeem a life. Death begets death, and revenge cannot bring her back. I know your pain. I have lost those close to me, and I have suffered for it. But no matter what we do, we cannot bring the dead back. I have thought on it for a long time. Should you wish to speak to me about this again, or need somepony to cry with you, call on me. I will be there for you.”

Rainbow Dash was silent. As Tarantella turned to leave, however, she spoke. “Tarantella, we will never be friends. We’re not confidants, I don’t want anything more to do with you. But I can’t bring myself to kill. Not you, not Twilight, nopony else. I’ve caused enough death. Tell Twilight when you see her that I won’t do anything to stop her.”

Tarantella simply nodded and closed the door behind her, leaving the Pegasus to rest. Because the room was soundproofed, she could not hear when the Pegasus began to cry. It was so soft that she could not have heard it from the doorway. The Pegasus in that room didn’t want anypony else close to her to die. All she wanted was for Stormchaser to come back. That’s all.

In the vault of the Regia, sealed inside a case of stone and iron, the Element of Magic, hardly recognizable, began its final stage of decay. The stone, the beautiful star set in it, detached itself completely, cracking in two as it hit the floor of the container. One half shattered into a thousand pieces, the other remaining miraculously intact. Three points were all that remained of the star. Chips began to flake away from it, however, as the Element degraded.

By the time three sunrises had passed, it, too, would be dust.

In another box in that same vault, the Element of Loyalty rumbled and shook. The red stone in its center gleamed with Power, and a stray spark skittered across it. It was very closely tuned to its Bearer, and with Celestia banished, it could be closer than ever. Twilight had thought that she would break Rainbow Dash’s Element through rage, like Applejack’s. But tonight was not a night where Rainbow Dash could hate. Tonight was a night for grief. And that would do just as well.

The Long Play

With a sound like rushing wind, a group of exhausted ponies appeared in Twilight’s study at the Regia, bruised, battered, and smelling heavily of smoke and ozone. As the three Wielders collapsed on the ground, exhausted, Twilight spun on Luna, who was taking in her surroundings.

“How could you just leave Golden Radiance like that? There was no purpose served by her death!”

Luna’s face was grave. “If we had left without a rear guard to be sacrificed, then Cadance would have been able to follow us back here. And in our state, odds are good she would have leveled the Regia entirely with us not able to do a thing to stop it.”

Twilight’s horn flared, and her armor began to remove itself, settling on a nearby rack. “That’s impossible. You can’t just ‘follow’ a teleportation spell.”

“Twilight, an Alicorn just earned her status as a goddess tonight. Believe me when I say that you have no idea what she is and is not capable of. Golden Radiance’s death allowed a chance for our trail to disperse enough that she could not follow it.”

Twilight snorted. “Yes, we noticed. We lost good ponies tonight because she somehow became super-powerful. I thought she had come into her own as a goddess! But instead I had to ward myself against high-level mental manipulation the entire time we were fighting. What happened?”

Luna’s voice was weary and low. “Cadance has performed what is commonly known as a soulbind. It is something that a very few can achieve. In fact, before tonight, only two have ever managed to initiate one, though hundreds have experienced it. I will explain later, but I must know who we are able to rely on.”

Twilight took a deep breath, composing herself. “Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, and Applejack can be relied on. Rainbow Dash is downstairs in the infirmary being treated for severe magical atrophy, and now that we have arrived, an operative will be up to inform us on how our plan to retrieve Rarity is commencing.”

At that moment, the door opened, revealing a Changeling holding a message sphere. Luna’s eyes widened, but as the Changeling bowed politely, she did nothing except return the gesture. Without a word, it handed the sphere to Twilight, who set it in a plinth on a nearby table and activated it. It began to glow purple as she spoke into it.

“Hailing strike team Bishop, come in Bishop. What is your status?”

The light in the sphere coalesced into the familiar visage of Rarity. She seemed surprised to see Twilight, though she quickly assumed an air of businesslike calm.

“Good evening, Twilight. Apologies if this wasn’t who you were expecting, Sweetie Belle is currently being treated for a broken leg, and Glimmer took an arrow earlier while we were escaping, which means I’m the only one who can use this thing. We’re about ten minutes into the Everfree and expect to arrive within the hour.”

Twilight didn’t skip a beat. “I’d like to know who in my party is still alive and undamaged, please.”

Rarity smiled. “Of course. Sweetie Belle is alive, as is Birchwood and Glimmer. Young Scootaloo is here as well, and the Gryphon. She’s been training her crossbow on me this whole time, and refuses to tell me her name, though I’ve heard Birchwood call her ‘Mahta’. That’s it.”

“I think you’re missing one. Is Night Light there?” Twilight inquired.

Rarity’s face fell. “Unfortunately, he is not. We were pursued, and he stayed behind to hold them off. Sweetie Belle is quite distraught.”

Twilight was stunned. “I…see.”

Rarity continued. “We’ll be there soon, Twilight. From what I can tell, you’ve been planning something big, and I must admit everypony on Celestia’s side has been curious as to what.”

With that, the sphere went dark. Twilight turned to her three friends, who were only now getting to their hooves. “Are you all alright?”

Fluttershy nodded weakly. “I just need to lie down for a while. It’s been a long day.”

Pinkie Pie looked around. “Do you have any water? I could use a drink.”

Applejack sat down heavily. “Same here. And while you’re at it, maybe you can explain why I should still be trusting you, Twilight. Seems to me I've been lured here under false pretenses.”

Twilight had completely forgotten to inform Applejack of her stake in all of this. Sighing, she stripped away the last of her armor. As the Changeling next to her opened the door, she gestured to the stairwell behind it. “Maybe we should sit down and discuss this somewhere more congenial. I’ll see if Rainbow Dash can be moved from her bed. If not, we’ll just have to bring it to us. We can start once Rarity arrives.”

As it turned out, Rainbow Dash was conscious and lucid, which was more than could be expected of her. Tarantella had intercepted Twilight as the Element of Loyalty was being moved, and informed her of their conversation. Twilight, while upset that Tarantella had attempted to speak with the dangerous Pegasus alone, was understanding of her motives.

“Honestly, I had no idea that Rainbow Dash blamed us for the death of Stormchaser. This puts things into perspective. And you’re sure she said that she would have no part in the conflict?”

Tarantella shook her head, watching as the bed was wheeled into the meeting room where they would be speaking. “She wants nothing to do with us. I don’t know how to turn her, and I certainly can’t force her to declare allegiance to us. She’s set in her ways.” She looked at Twilight worriedly. “You haven’t slept much, have you?”

Twilight looked her lover in the eyes, reminded of the question she had been so tempted to ask this morning. “Of course not. When have I ever gotten enough sleep?”

The Condottiero laughed. “True enough. Promise me that you will rest when you are done here. You do no good to your followers when you are exhausted.”

Twilight nuzzled her briefly. “Of course. But for now, I must go to work.”

The doors opposite them opened up, and Rarity walked through calmly, followed behind by Sweetie Belle, who looked more tired and drained then Twilight had ever seen her look before. The alabaster unicorn turned to her sister, murmuring something. Sweetie Belle nodded, sitting down heavily and favoring her foreleg. A medic rushed forward from near Rainbow Dash’s bedside and began to examine her, his horn lighting up as he checked her for injury.

Rarity approached the ruler of the Regia before sinking into a courtly bow. “Twilight. It’s been a long time.”

Twilight tilted her head curiously. “I can’t help but notice that you haven’t tried to assault me. I assume that means you have broken your ties to Celestia.”

“I’m sure I have no idea what you mean, Twilight.”

The purple unicorn’s horn sparked with light, sending a lance of energy at Rarity. The stunned unicorn could only watch as violet sparks erupted from her coat, catching the blow before she could even react. Twilight nodded in satisfaction. “You have. This makes things much simpler.” She turned to Tarantella. “Do you wish to stay or leave, Tara?”

Tarantella smiled. “I think I will stay. I want to hear this.”

Twilight nodded before turning to address the rest of the room. “Now, I think that we are all here. Guards have been set at the doors, there are drinks available. Your wounds have been seen to, and you are all gathered under one roof for the first time in years. Are there any who do not wish to be here?”

Applejack sat at the table, her face resolute and expectant. She still had a score to settle with Twilight, and she wanted to know exactly why her onetime friend had thought it appropriate to steal her child. Fluttershy was next at the table, meek and demure, but steadfast in her commitment to peace. Rainbow Dash looked on from her spot, her bed an oddity in the room, but the Pegasus within somehow still as threatening and regal as ever. Rarity took a seat next to Pinkie Pie, her face calm and composed. She had made her choice back in Canterlot. She was Twilight’s pony now.

Sweetie Belle almost opened her mouth to say something. She didn’t want to be here, she didn’t want to do anything except curl up in a ball somewhere and cry. But there was time for that later. Now she was needed at the table. She got to her hooves and hobbled forward, stopping at a hoof on her shoulder.

It was the medic. He leaned in closely. “Ma’am, I think we need to talk after you are done here. It’s not urgent, but it is important. Please, come see me after you’ve finished with Lady Sparkle.”

She nodded, shaking him off and taking her place at the table. One more thing to add onto the list, then.

The last pony to take her seat at the table was Princess Luna, holding two boxes of metal in her telekinetic grip. One contained Twilight’s Element, and the other Rainbow Dash’s. She set them down on the table, looking at Twilight expectantly. The unicorn stepped forward along with Tarantella, taking her seat at the circular slab of wood. The Condottiero sat at her right hoof.

Twilight smiled and began. “Firstly, I would like to thank you all for being here. You’ve placed a lot of trust in me, and I cannot express how much that trust means to me. I owe a lot of you answers, and it’s time that I peeled back the curtains and showed you all the truth. We have a lot of information to cover, and very little time in which to do so. So, the first order of business is to establish where we are now as opposed to when Luna was imprisoned, four years ago.”

Luna looked at a chart in front of her. “Am I correct in saying that you have the Everfree Forest under your control?”

Twilight nodded. “Completely, with the help of Radiant Zenith. Also, we have used the Changelings to great effect. Celestia’s intelligence networks are completely compromised, and we were able to eliminate many important nobles tonight as well as some of the top generals. Basically, we have decapitated Celestia’s army.”

“And you are sure you can trust the Changelings?”

Twilight nodded. “A patrol stumbled across the Hive about a year after you were captured. Though relations were tenuous at first, we quickly realized that the Changelings really only ever wanted food. And we were happy enough to give them that in return for their help. Chrysalis has been cooperative, and the Changelings as a whole are actually far more intelligent and empathetic than we gave them credit for. It’s almost like they’re ponies, just…not.”

Luna thought about that, gesturing for Twilight to continue.

“Tonight, agents of the Ever Free, working in conjunction with the Order of the Crescent Moon and the Changelings, have overthrown the garrisons in Trottingham, Hoofington, and Los Pegasus. Those cities are now under our control, and we are working on reinforcing them using the Ever Free militia, while the Lunar Guard and Lunar Reserve are holding the perimeter of the Forest. We think that if we can present a large enough show of strength, then Celestia will have no choice but to allow us independence.”

Rainbow Dash spoke up, wheezing slightly. “Not a chance. She wants you bad, Twi. She won’t stop until she has you.”

Luna nodded in agreement. “Celestia cares little for armies or nations. She considers it her sacred duty to bring you back to Canterlot.”

Twilight’s face set. “Well, she can’t have me. We’re dug in deep and ready for whatever she can throw at us. She’s got a wrecked army and no way to contact her commanding officers, those that are left.”

“But she does have Cadance.” Luna cautioned. “And Shining Armor still leads the Guard. He would have been up on the mountain tonight.”

Twilight turned to Luna. “I think you should tell me exactly what I am going up against when I’m fighting Cadance. What is a soulbind? How can she have gotten more powerful because of it? And is there any way for me to match her?”

Luna sighed. “Tell me, what do you know of magic in nature, Twilight Sparkle? How are unicorns able to use it actively where others cannot?”

Twilight thought back to her days at Celestia’s Academy. “Magic exists all throughout Equestria. It flows in natural patterns called ley lines, and permeates everything we do here. This is why Earth ponies can encourage plant growth and Pegasi can manipulate weather. Unicorns as a general rule can’t manipulate big things like that reliably, but we can use smaller amounts over a wider range of applications. Each unicorn, and any sentient creature who uses magic, draws from a reservoir of energy deep inside of them. The power of the user stems from two things.”

Twilight seized a cup and a pitcher of water, using them as a demonstration. “The first is reservoir size. This determines how much magic a user can access at any time. This is where the raw talent aspect comes into play. I have a large reservoir, so I can use large amounts of energy.”

She poured a glass as the others watched with interest. “The second is how efficiently you can regulate the flow of energy. That’s a result of discipline and teaching, which is what makes the difference between a student and a master Mage. Even if they have the same well of power, the master will be more powerful because he can better release and control his power.”

She took a small sip to illustrate the release of power. “I always looked at it like flowing water. Horns are the ‘pumps’, and the will of the caster moves water through the pump. It’s a focus point. Theoretically it would be possible to channel energy through another part of the body, say a hoof, but that would be extremely difficult for unicorns because we only ever concentrate it through the horns. That would be like trying to pump water with a hammer. It just doesn’t work.”

Luna nodded. “Now, what about sharing magic?”

Twilight’s face flushed. “Unicorns can share magic on rare occasions. They did it back before Celestia and Luna arrived in order to move the sun. It involves giving up ownership of your magic, and trusting one user to manipulate it in a beneficial manner. Generally, it’s only undertaken by those who trust one another implicitly.”

She lined up more glasses, pouring water into them until they were partly full and the pitcher was empty. As she spoke, she began to pour the glasses back in. “By pooling magic, you allow for one unicorn to do things she would not normally be able to do. Moving the sun and moon comes to mind.”

She poured water from the pitcher back into one glass before draining it dry in a quick gulp. “That about sums it up.”

Luna smiled. “That’s correct. Very well done, Twilight. Now, I must ask you one more question. Can a unicorn ever hold more than their reservoir can hold?”

Twilight shook her head. “There’s a limit. It would be very dangerous, possibly deadly, for a unicorn to have that much magic.”

Luna took the now empty glass and the pitcher. “I can tell you that not only is it possible for that to happen, but that it used to happen frequently, and that ponies survived it. It was what happened when my sister and I approached our subjects too closely, worked with them on projects or took them as lovers.”

Twilight tilted her head. “What do you mean?”

Luna sighed. “There is a school of thought that suggests that magic is in fact the essential makeup of the soul, that it is something about the souls of unicorns that allows them to store and use magic instead of manipulating it as the Pegasi and Earth ponies do. And when you share magic, you are allowing your soul to come directly into contact with the souls of others. This is why it is such an intimate experience for unicorns. To share magic, one must share a small amount of your soul.”

Fluttershy smiled. “That doesn’t sound too bad.”

Luna’s lecture continued. “The sharing of magic involves sharing every spark of magic available, and parceling it out evenly. This is no problem if the unicorns in question are evenly matched in terms of power. Most unicorns are close enough in magical ability that a sharing of magic is not an issue. Any excess energy is vented quickly enough. However, what do you think would happen if one side of that equation was much more powerful than the other? What if it were, say, a goddess?”

Luna picked up the pitcher, pouring water in to the cup until it began to run over. Her point illustrated, she cleaned up the water and turned back to the ponies who were staring at her in wonder. “But that much magic isn’t vented. It’s impossible to release that much, like a pump that is under extreme pressure. So it sits, and it waits. As the unicorn regains more and more of its own magic, the shared magic is placed under greater and greater pressure. Soon, it has no place to go. The unicorn in question is torn between the goddess and its own magic. It is bound to her.”

Twilight’s voice was small. “A soulbind.”

Luna nodded. “At this point, there is so much extra magic that it may as well have become a third unicorn. Before we could find a way to contain it, a soulbind would inevitably result in the explosive venting of magic from the unicorn’s body. And it wasn’t just the excess, either. All magic would be released, as the unicorn attempted to rid itself of all foreign magic. The cure would kill them, forcing the soul out of them.”

The purple unicorn’s mind was moving fast, trying to apply the information as quickly as possible. “But why did she become more powerful as a result?”

“Because she received a large portion of her magic back. And not just her magic, a small amount of Celestia’s magic.” Luna said. “She was supposed to undergo her soulbind much earlier. More than a decade ago, in fact.”

Twilight’s eyes flashed in understanding. “The Royal Wedding. She gave away her power to Shining Armor at the Wedding, when they kicked out the Changeling Queen.”

Luna nodded proudly. “Exactly. Finally, she was able to regain her power, and more. She has received her full measure of magical potential, and she reflects that in her physical form. Celestia and I underwent the same changes during our first soulbinds. Now she is on the same level as she and I when it comes to power.”

Twilight’s analytical mind was working extremely quickly. “But what about Shining Armor?”

“He is in stasis on top of the mountain Canterlot is built on. I could sense the residual energy when I was fighting Celestia. His soul has fled his body, but he has been covered in ice to prevent damage. Cadance will release him soon, and his soul shall return to his body from the vessel it was placed in. Soon, all that will remain is a crystal sphere, containing one perfectly blank soul.”

There was only one question remaining to Twilight. “And why does Celestia want that soul?”

Luna’s expression was grim. “The Elements are a force of Life and Order. To reforge them, Celestia must present an offering. To bring back your Element of Magic, she must give a life. And now she has one, ready for the giving.”

The box containing the Element of Magic appeared at her side, and she split it open, revealing the fractured gem inside. “In three days’ time, she will have all the energy from the Element of Magic gathered in one spot. She will make her offering. She will reforge her Element. And you will fall, Twilight Sparkle.”

White's Move

There was a stunned silence from the table. Applejack rested her head in her hooves. “So that’s it, then. We’re done.”

Twilight shook her head. “No. Now that I know that the Element is breaking down, I can use the same spell I used on you all to Break mine. It’ll be easy.”

Luna’s hoof slammed down onto the table. “DO NOT use that spell!” She gazed at the assembled ponies, who cowered in fear. Reasserting control over herself, she cleared her throat. “My apologies. But you cannot use the same spell to Break the Element that you have used on the others. The lion’s share of the power now rests in the Circle on the Mountain, formed when Celestia and I were first summoned to this place. It is the source of our origin, and it is well-warded to prevent intrusion of foreign magic. If you attempted to access that place, physically or through arcane means, Celestia would know. If you tried to use your magic, it would likely take you to the top of the mountain and hold you there.”

“That would explain a lot.” Twilight mumbled.

Luna raised an eyebrow. “You have attempted to access this place?”

The unicorn nodded. “A few months ago, I attempted astral projection in an attempt to follow Celestia on a detour from Ponyville to Canterlot. I was nearly killed as a result.”

Luna’s attention was laser focused. “And you summited the peak? How did you escape the guardians Celestia set?”

Tarantella spoke. “The Windigos? Celestia set them there?”

Luna nodded. “She did so to prevent them from roaming wild, as well as providing a guard around the peak. A very few manage to escape every winter, and they follow the ley line from the mountain to Canterlot. This takes them through your valley.”

Twilight brought attention back to the issue before them. “So because most of Magic is concentrated on that peak, I can’t access it?”

Luna nodded solemnly. “Celestia has more control over it than you do, now. You cannot retrieve it. Yet.”

“Yet?” Twilight inquired.

“In three days, when the sun rises and Celestia is able to set her power on it, all of the Power of Magic will be concentrated in the spring on top of the peak. Celestia will take her offering to the top of the mountain and reforge the Element. But we can stop her.”

The room was silent, waiting on Luna to continue. “It is not perfect, but there is a solution. On that third day, when the sun is rising, I can send you there, Twilight. A single bolt of Breaking magic, concentrated in the pool, would scatter Magic to the four winds. It would then and forever be beyond Celestia’s control.”

Rainbow Dash coughed weakly before speaking. “Is there any reason you couldn’t go there now?”

“The Windigos.” Luna said simply. “My sister put them around the mountain to ward it against me back when I wore the mantle of Nightmare Moon. They appeal very strongly to emotion. I have never been able to pass them before, not without losing myself to them entirely. I am amazed Twilight was able to pass them at all. Only Celestia has been able to distance herself from emotion enough to pass them.”

Twilight nodded. “Could I take the Element there and perform the ritual?”

Luna shook her head. “With such a familiar vessel nearby, and Celestia’s magic permeating the mountaintop, it would do little more than make a new Element for her to harness. It must be fully Broken before it can be remade.”

“So what are we supposed to do in the meantime?” Applejack asked. “Just sit here and wait?”

Twilight smiled. “We prepare. We know that Celestia will try to stop us from reaching the mountain, try and keep us busy putting out fires while she waits on the Element to fully degrade. So we wait for our chances to strike, consolidate what we already have, and prepare ourselves for one knock-down, drag out fight.”

She spread a map out on the table, murmuring a quiet spell to cause portions of it to light up in gold and purple. “The purple is us, the gold Equestrian forces. We’ve taken Hoofington and Trottingham, and we just received word before the meeting that Los Pegasus had been overrun by dissidents and is receptive to Ever Free rule. We have eliminated most of Celestia’s chief staff. Several prominent nobles, mostly unicorns, have been quietly encouraging riots and rebellions in Manehatten. Others, including those out in the desert to the south, have actually declared allegiance to us, turning over their land and resources. Equestria is dissolving, and fast.”

A wooden box, carved with stylized flames, was brought forward, and Twilight tapped the lid carefully. “This box’s twin contains a message to Celestia. It’s been delivered to her chambers by one of our operatives before he fled the city. Hopefully, when Celestia sees it she’ll be dissuaded from attacking us.”

Applejack raised one hoof. “Sorry to interrupt, but I think it’s about time Twilight explained to me what she brought me here for. And why she stole my daughter.”

The unicorn’s face grew grim. “It’s about Applebloom. She’s been taken by Celestia.”

The orange Earth pony nodded. “She’s enlisted. Celestia’s within her right to do that.”

“But not to do what she did to her.”

Every eye at the table swiveled to see who had spoken. Sweetie Belle’s voice was flat as she continued. “Your sister is a monster now, Applejack. She’s a killing machine, an animal.”

“Horsefeathers.”

Sweetie Belle’s horn lit up, projecting a beam of light that fuzzed out over the table, resolving itself into a shape both familiar and horrifying. Applebloom stood poised to strike, a snarl on her face and a spear in her hoof, muscles bulging obscenely under heavy golden armor. Her eyes were pupil-less and shimmered with gold, though it was apparent to all present that she was far from blind. Her coat no longer held any trace of yellow. Instead, it gleamed the white of clouds, or new fallen snow. Or bone. Her mane had deepened to a deep red, and her face was spattered with blood. They almost matched in hue.

Sweetie Belle allowed Applejack a good look before she dispelled it. “That’s what your sister has been made into by Celestia. And don’t think that she won’t kill. She’ll do so all too happily. We lost one of our team tonight because of her.” This too was said with only the barest hint of emotion.

Applejack shook her head. “How do I know that you ain’t lying?”

“Because I saw her too, Applejack.” Rarity said, placing one hoof over the farmer’s own. “And it’s not just her. There were at least a thousand others, held in a camp underneath Canterlot’s mountain.”

Twilight nodded. “They’re called the Equestrian Guard. One thousand ponies, all young, all distinguished in some way. They were gathered over the past few months, and taken to Canterlot, where they disappeared. Now we know where they were. The goal was for Celestia to have her own personal force, able to be used as a hammer against our forces. They’d be completely unaccountable to any other branch of service, under Celestia’s direct command, and easily the deadliest foe we could encounter on the battlefield.”

Luna was uncharacteristically quiet when she lit up her own horn, projecting another pony onto the table. It too resembled Applebloom, down to the eyes and fierce expression. The only differences were that this one was male, and had a lengthy scar running down one cheek. It too wore heavy gold plate, and it wielded a short sword and circular shield as opposed to a spear. Turning to Sweetie Belle, she spoke with a quaver in her voice. “Is this what you saw?”

Sweetie Belle nodded. Luna dissipated the illusion and tuned to the map in front of her. “It’s too much… we’ve pushed Celestia too far.”

Twilight frowned. “What do you mean?”

Luna began to speak quickly as she drew charts to herself, scrolling through troop displacements and strength reports. “That pony is a type I saw before, a thousand years ago. It is called a Sunborn, and believe me when I say that they are a terror to behold. Celestia used them as shock infantry, and they were all but invincible to regular infantry. They we stronger, faster, more agile. They were killers without peer, could take incredible damage and keep on coming, and tore through my best Guards without breaking ranks. But worst of all was their fanatical devotion to my sister. I saw one jump on a hex without a second thought to protect his Princess, and he never once screamed or cried out.”

Twilight furrowed her brow. “And what about that says that Celestia has been subjected to too much pressure?”

Luna threw aside a paper, and began sketching out rough battle plans. “The fact that she has made them suggests that she was preparing for an all-out invasion of the Everfree Forest. She’s bound to have prepared troop plans already. The ones Sweetie Belle saw tonight had reached the end of their training. That means that whatever plans she had, they’re ready. She doesn’t need her generals anymore. She’ll just consolidate her junior commanders underneath her and push anyway. Twilight, Celestia is already prepared for war. But now she has a justification. She’ll be ready to destroy the Rebellion once and for all.”

“But her forces are still spread out!” Twilight said. “There’s no way she could mobilize them all in three days.”

Luna nodded. “Exactly. Now that she has Cadance, she has the raw magical power necessary to open portals, permanent tunnels through the fabric of space and magic and time that she can move her armies through. Her soldiers can traverse Equestria in hours now. Come morning, the vanguards will begin arriving. By the sunset of the first day, she will have her forces fully consolidated. And then she’ll push.”

Twilight began to panic. “We’ll be overrun. There’s no way we could throw back that many, not without help of some kind. Two days to prepare? That’s nothing!”

Fluttershy pointed out of a window. “No, Twilight. Not two days.”

Pinkie Pie gulped. “One.”

The first rays of dawn crept over the horizon. They were red, and gleamed with the promise of pain and death.

Twilight turned to Applejack. “You may have your chance sooner than you thought, Applejack. Come tomorrow, Applebloom will be on the battlefield. You’ll have your chance to get her back.”

She left the second half unspoken, but everypony there knew what was implied. Applejack was on Twilight’s side now. If things went poorly, one sister might kill the other. It was looking all too likely that it wouldn’t just be those two, however. In one more day, the revolution would stand tested. For better or for worse, the fate of Equestria rested on one single day.

The sun dawned red over Canterlot, though the moon still hung in the sky. As Cadance watched, the two celestial bodies seemed to converge, until the moon was completely covered by the heavenly orb. And with a rumble like thunder, both magical and arcane, the mark on the moon vanished. And it was only moments later that a brilliant comet, blazing in the morning light like a harbinger of doom, streaked toward Canterlot, splashing onto the ground in front of Cadance, who remained kneeling respectfully in front of Celestia.

Or rather, what Celestia had become. Her rage manifested itself in the most extraordinary fashion, setting her coat and feathers alight in golden flame that dripped in blue and red, hissing on the ground. When she spoke, her voice was not the soft and soothing tone she had used so often. Cadance had always been reminded of a violin or cello when listening to it. Now it echoed like bells of bronze and gongs of brass, terrible and powerful enough that she could actually feel the words threatening to set her coat on fire. This, combined with the rage she felt pouring from Celestia like waves of heat, prompted her to avert her eyes.

“Bring him.”

Cadance reached for Shining Armor with her magic, bringing him from the top of the mountain to her. His form was still, covered in ice completely. She took it as a good sign. Had he been in danger, he would not be so well preserved. Celestia bowed her head, a tiny ribbon of flame coiling around the prone form of the stallion and sinking in to the ice with a rush of steam and a sibilant hiss. As he thawed, Cadance anticipated Celestia’s next command, retrieving the sphere from the mountain hut and laying it before her. Shining Armor’s soul was suspended inside, coiled like azure smoke and waiting on release.

This next part was her task and hers alone. Gently, oh so gently, she lit her horn, feeling her magic pour into Shining Armor and stimulating him, reminding the shell what it was like to bear a soul. A second tendril of magic withdrew the soul from the sphere, holding it delicately in front of her lover. Gently, without prompting, it sank into Shining Armor once more, filling the vacuum she left as she withdrew her own magic. As she watched, he coughed once, twice, before his eyes fluttered open. She bent over and kissed him then, feeling him remember himself, who he was, and return that kiss.

“Enough.”

The voice echoed through the air like a whipcrack, and Cadance turned to face her monarch. Celestia’s flame began to flicker as she spoke. By the time she finished, Celestia’s flames had nearly died out.

“We have much to do. The Elements are gone, I can no longer control any of them save Magic, and that is tenuous. We are standing in the middle of a ruined city, and I have not a single idea who is and is not still able to preserve Equestria. Please, Cadance. I understand you are relieved, but right now you have a duty to Equestria.”

Cadance took a deep breath and nodded. At a signal, two Guards came running, checking over their Commander. She walked to Celestia’s side, glancing back at Shining Armor, who waved a hoof.

“I’ll be fine. I promise.”

And then, with a rush like smoke, the two Alicorns disappeared, reappearing in Canterlot’s War Tower. It was a hotbed of activity, one that was characterized by ponies rushing to and fro, babbling orders and updates in a panicked, constructive sea of organized chaos. A giant table dominated the room, showing Equestria completely mapped out as well as Equestrian force dispositions and the estimated positions of Ever Free forces in the form of wooden tokens. The activity in the room ceased, however, upon seeing the two goddesses standing over them all. A reverent hush fell over the room, and as they noticed their monarchs, the ponies turned and prostrated themselves on the ground before Celestia and Cadance. Cadance turned to speak to Celestia, and almost bowed herself at what she saw.

Celestia no longer possessed her mane of pastel ethereal energy. Instead she displayed one color and one alone. The legends told of a time when her hair shone with the gentle pink of a sunrise, gleaming softly as the first rays of dawn. Celestia had returned from the moon with a different color entirely. Her hair shone a deep crimson, the color of flame, or possibly blood. Her eyes, instead of tranquil purple, flickered with an intense blue light, like the hottest part of a candle, and the air around her gleamed gold with power. The sum effect was that of a goddess comprised of flame, a wrathful fire spirit beautiful and terrible to behold. She spoke, and ponies obeyed.

“Return to your duties. Get me the highest in command. Now.”

A scant minute later, the commander of Canterlot’s Air Corps flew down from a meeting room above, snapping a quick salute to his ruler. His uniform was clean, and pressed, though his head was swathed in bandages.

“Highness. We’re glad you’re back.” His voice was calm, but Cadance didn’t need to use her magic to see that he was stressed. The rigid wings on his back proved that much. “We’ve been assembling what knowledge we have on the table, and we’re getting more intelligence in as we go.”

“And what do we know, Commander?” Celestia asked.

He indicated the table. “Massive rebellions in Hoofington and Trottingham have overwhelmed the city garrisons. They’re effectively in the possession of the Ever Free. We lost contact with Los Pegasus early this morning, and we’re assuming the same there. The fires are out, but the Rounds were completely destroyed in the explosion, so there is no way for non-flyers to leave the city, ma’am.”

Celestia’s wings slowly began to lift, betraying her emotions despite her best efforts. “Continue.”

Nervously, the stallion offered a stack of papers. “In addition, Ever Free operatives have assassinated no less than seventy high-ranking officials, including the generals of each branch of service. The Captain of the Guard was killed in the blast last night, and the Commander of the Garrison in Fillydelphia is still missing. Prince Blueblood was found last night strangled with his own cravat, and his newest marefriend is missing and wanted for questioning. My own wife attempted to beat me to death with a gravy boat last night, ma’am. When I killed her in self-defense, I found that she was in fact a Changeling.”

He gestured at the table. “In addition, our borders with the Oligarchy are active. Troop movements are being observed, though no move has been made to provoke a response from our own forces. Several of the old noble families have expelled soldiers and officials from their land, mostly along the southern border of the Everfree. And lastly, the Elements of Harmony cannot be reached, ma’am. The Solar Wing reports that Rainbow Dash was left in Fillydelphia as the result of an arrow wound that prevented her from flying, but she is the only one accounted for. We believe the Bearer Rarity was kidnapped last night during the Gala. Some of our flyers report the departure of a small airship, too fast to be intercepted. It was armed and fired on them, ma’am.”

Celestia was silent for a moment. When she spoke again, her voice was tight but controlled, resembling her old tones much more closely. “Please inform all groups on standby to proceed to active status. I’m calling up the reserves from near Fillydelphia, and consolidating the First, Fourth, and Sixth fleets north of Ponyville. The Second and Fifth are to rendezvous over Hoofington. If fired upon, they are ordered to use deadly force. I will restore order in Trottingham myself.”

The Pegasus barked out orders to the necessary ponies. Turning to face the Princess, he waited on further orders. Celestia pushed forward Cadance with one wing. “This is my niece. She will be familiarizing herself with the board, while I secure some of the important resources we have left exposed.”

The Pegasus bowed once more, and when he straightened up, Celestia had vanished. Turning to Cadance, he bent a little at the waist, hovering as he did so. “If you’ll follow me, ma’am?”

Cadance stepped forward to the board, gazing at the tokens arrayed upon it. She listened as the Commander began to speak, indicating the pieces.

“We have three full Legions of Regulars stationed in and around Fillydelphia, mostly concentrated here and here. That comes to about fifteen thousand ponies…”

The cavern echoed with the sharp crack of teleportation, and Applebloom whirled to face her attacker before prostrating herself on the ground before Celestia. At her signal, one thousand others did so as well, full packs rattling on their armor, freshly checked. Their spears, newly sharped, remained erect and proud, points gleaming in Celestia’s radiance.

Applebloom waited for the officers to approach Celestia, flanking her, before taking her position at her right wing. It felt good to be there, right. She surveyed the thousand before her, warriors all, and felt a swell of pride in her chest. She had made it, proved herself to be the best of the best. Turning to Celestia, she waited for orders.

“Strike your camp, Chief Spear. By noon, you will taste blood.”

Applebloom smiled, baring her teeth in a snarl as she belted her order. “Guard, strike camp! And prepare yourselves! Today, heretics die!”

Black News

Twilight Sparkle adjourned the meeting with haste. There was nothing more to be said, not really. Applejack would be willing to fight for as long as it took to bring her sister back, the rest of the Wielders were with her for better or worse, and the only thing left to do was begin. Contact was made with the cities under Twilight’s control, warnings were made, and ponies were called to arms. The evacuation of civilians into the Everfree began immediately and on a massive scale, and Twilight began to devote herself to her work once more, at least until Luna stepped in.

“Twilight Sparkle, rest. I will guide the Ever Free while you sleep, along with your council. You do us no good exhausted.”

The purple unicorn, surprisingly enough, didn’t put up much of a fight. In fact, she didn’t say a word as she nodded quietly and stepped away from the communication sphere she was using. This, to those who knew her, was not a good sign. If a pony like Twilight Sparkle was so exhausted as to neglect her work or leave a project unfinished, how tired was she, truly? Had she given up on the cause? Did she know something others did not? Whatever it was, those who watched her retire from the chamber, Tarantella gently leading her to bed, noticed that she looked more than tired. She looked old, and frail, like all the life had been drained from her, leaving only a hollow shell.

As she was led away, feeling exhaustion ravage her body, Twilight couldn’t help but look back at her friends, sitting around the table. They looked almost as bad as she did. Fluttershy was comforting Applejack, who had the distinct look of somepony trying not to cry over a shattered family. Pinkie Pie looked uncharacteristically grim, staring at the rising sun as it broke over the trees, spilling ruddy light on the leaves below, turning verdant green into lifeless brown. Rarity was in conversation with Princess Luna, her face drawn and tight as she recounted everything she knew about Equestrian intelligence and troop dispositions. Rainbow Dash was worst off. Though color was gradually returning to her face, she still seemed to be only a shadow of her former self. Her cheekbones were pronounced, her hooves shook as she accepted a glass of water from an attendant, and Twilight could see that the bandage on her chest was bloody.

And then the door shut behind her, and Twilight blinked. They were in her chambers, quiet and dark. Somepony had activated her personal door and sent them to their room as opposed to the hallway. It was Luna, she supposed. She’d have to thank her for that. Fumbling with her crystal, she managed to get it off and stow it in the chest before she put a hoof the wrong way and fell forward, colliding painfully with the floor. She hadn’t been this tired in ages, and it bothered her. Whatever Celestia had thrown at her, she was lucky to have had the armor on to catch it, she realized. It likely would have rendered her seriously injured at the very least.

She felt a set of strong and gentle hooves lift her back up. Tarantella was stronger than many thought, and though it took her a moment to lift Twilight into the bed, she managed to accomplish it with her lover’s help. Twilight was dimly aware of covers being laid over her, and a kiss on her forehead, making her feel almost like a filly again. She smiled, eyes fluttering closed. Before she dozed off, she managed to force out a few words.

“Tara?”

“Yes, Cara Mia?”

“I need to ask you a question…afterwards. Ok? Will you be here?”

Tarantella watched as Twilight began to breathe deeply. She smiled. “Of course I will, Twilight. Of course I will.”

Though a war was raging, for a few brief hours, all that existed for the two of them was the darkness and the warmth and the quiet. And each other. And that was all either of them really needed.

Sweetie Belle trotted out of the room when nopony was looking, and took to the stairs. The five who had returned hadn’t agreed on any particular place to meet, but she knew where they had spent time together over the past weeks, and so she felt herself drawn to the room where they had been practicing. Down the stairs she traveled, through halls lit by the flickering light of torches and the glow of lanterns. She passed by the medic’s office, making a note to visit later, and traveled down another set of stairs, one that stretched up and down in both directions. She knew what was up those stairs. The room where she had met with the entire leadership of the Ever Free, where she had been asked to betray her sister. It had been easy for her, surprisingly so. She felt a little uncomfortable at the fact.

As she turned down the stairs and began to walk, she became aware of what she was doing. She was coming up with ways to distract herself, to make sure that she didn’t think of him. Well, it was working. Less so than when she was unaware, but even so, she wasn’t thinking of Night Light, or how he had died, or how it was almost certain that it had been Applebloom who had killed him, or…

She stopped, tears stinging her tightly shut eyes, and slammed a hoof into the wall, hard. It hurt, but the pain gave her something to focus on, construct herself around. It felt good, so she did it again. And again, and again, and again. She felt something in her crack, and a fresh needle of white hot agony lanced up her arm into her shoulder and neck. She clamped down on the scream. It was full of pain, and she wanted to keep it all for herself. When she opened her eyes again she saw the world through a haze of red. Clutching her re-broken leg to herself, she hobbled down the stairs, working a healing spell as she went. Her vision flickered, and she felt the bone knit itself back together. The pain stayed, and she was glad for that.

From the bottom of the stairs it was a quick hobble to the room, and the door swung open to reveal her teammates sitting there, looking at her. They’d all been crying, she could see that. There was a set of bags on the floor, and Glimmer was wearing her preferred form, that of a white Pegasus mare. Sweetie Belle limped forward, and the eyes of her friends shifted down to her bloody hoof. Mahtaram lurched towards her, claws outstretched, and Sweetie Belle thought she was going to catch her, or try and force her to lie down.

Instead, the claws of the Gryphon meet behind her in a tight embrace, drawing her in close.

“I am so sorry.” Mahtaram whispered. “He was a good stallion, and I could tell you both loved each other. I am so, so sorry.”

This uncharacteristic display of affection caught Sweetie Belle off guard, and she stiffened slightly before relaxing into the embrace of her friend. And that was all it took for the tears to begin flowing in earnest. Sweetie Belle was not one to cry loudly, or noticeably. Instead, what came out of her was a steady stream of tears, accompanied by small, pathetic whimpers. Surrounded by her friends, Sweetie Belle allowed the mask she had been so determined to keep on to fall to pieces, caught in the arms of a Gryphon. One by one, her friends joined in the embrace, and held tightly to her until she allowed herself to cry until she was unable to do so anymore.

As she was released, she felt her friends move as a group towards the set of bags on the ground. Sweetie realized that they belonged to Mahtaram.

The Gryphon noticed her looking, and smiled weakly. “I must return to my homeland, Sweetie Belle. My father calls his brood to him, and we are girding ourselves for war. Upon finding that the Princess of the Night had returned, and fought for the Ever Free, King Balmas at last gave his support. I must hurry, for if I am not at my father’s side, he must remain behind. And he is one of the greatest supporters of Lady Twilight. Until then, I must fly, and quickly.”

Sweetie Belle glanced at the bag. “Sometimes, I forget that you have duties as a Princess. Won’t you get tired?”

The Gryphon chuckled. “A little. Nothing that can’t be dealt with, in time. We shall arrive in good time, and be ready to fight as always.” Noticing the look of sadness in her eyes, Mahtaram held up a claw. “Do not fear for me or my family. We will be here ere the sun rises on the third day. Count on that, Sweetie Belle.”

Sweetie Belle choked back a desperate laugh, that was the Mahta she knew and loved. “I will. And if you don’t show up, and we lose, I’m going to be pretty annoyed.”

The Gryphon snapped a claw before rummaging through one of her bags, withdrawing a curved knife. “This is a jambiyah,” she said, resting a claw on it, but not pulling it free of its sheath. “We use it as one of our first weapons. And our last, in many cases. To draw the blade is to vow to spill blood with it. We never break that vow. Should our enemy retreat before we can slay them, we make a cut along our own legs to satisfy the oath. I have had this one since I was first cast out of my father’s house.” She offered it to Sweetie Belle, who accepted it dazedly.

“Are you giving this to me?” she asked.

Mahtaram nodded. “You will have need of it in coming days. The jambiyah is a tool of retribution. Use it wisely.”

Sweetie Belle examined the dagger, before taking the belt it was fastened to and buckling it around herself. There was so much to say, but it boiled itself down to two words. “Thank you.”

The Gryphon nodded before picking up her bags. Slinging them over her shoulder and tying them tightly, she only nodded at the rest of the party before she rose, and left without another word. Birchwood followed her, seeing as they had known each other the longest. Aside from that, however, all that had needed saying by her had been said.

Sweetie turned to the rest of her friends. “What now?”

Glimmer cleared her throat and spoke. “I have some…news for you, Sweetie Belle. We have already discussed it, and I am afraid I must take leave from your party as well.”

Scootaloo sighed. “I still think that your Queen could have waited.”

Glimmer inhaled shakily, trying not to betray too much emotion. “Sweetie Belle, I have been Called.”

The unicorn tilted her head. “Called? What do you mean, called?”

Glimmer shivered, as if ice cold fingers had been run down her spine. “Chrysalis has Called me. I have been officially selected to be her successor. And even now, I can hear her speaking in my very core. Sweetie Belle, I need to report to the Hive. I have to take her mantle up tonight.”

“Wait, you’re going to lead your Hives now? This is the worst time for it to have happened!” Sweetie Belle cried.

“We go to war, Sweetie Belle!” Glimmer snapped, her composure fracturing for the briefest of moments. “Chrysalis has been crippled beyond her ability to heal, and no Changeling shall lead her race into combat without being whole in body and mind. Tomorrow, all of the Changelings in Equestria will be united under one banner, fighting for our right to exist. My Queen’s last gesture of love to her people is to allow them a healthy leader. Me.”

Sweetie Belle sat down hard, head spinning. “So what does that mean for you?”

Glimmer swallowed as though her mouth had suddenly turned bone dry. “Tonight I will enter the Queen’s lair, and she will allow me to take her life. When I do so, all of her memories, as well as all of the memories of the Hive since it was first collected, will be transferred to me, along with her power. Tomorrow, I will still be me, but…not me. I will be given a different name by the Queens past, and part of me will be replaced by the echoes of them. Effectively, tonight is the night I die as well.”

That was the wrong thing to have said. Sweetie Belle’s eyes flashed, and her hoof raised up as if to strike the Changeling. “Don’t you ever say that! I’ve lost somepony already tonight, and I don’t intend to lose anyone else!”

Glimmer’s face remained calm. “And you won’t lose me, not entirely. I am informing you that I will be changing tonight. When next you see me, I will not be Glimmer anymore. I will still be a friend to you, but I will also be a Queen. I only wish for you to understand that. And…”

Sweetie Belle saw a change come over the Changeling then, as her shoulders slumped and her words became heavy. “I am afraid. I do not want to kill Chrysalis. She has been good to me, and kind…and I do not want to change, but I must. For the good of my race, tonight I will become more for them.”

Glimmer’s shoulders rose back up. “No. I consider it an honor. If that is what is required of me, then I will take that burden with no complaint. An honor and a privilege. But I digress. Should you wish to see me, I will be met with my queen in an hour.”

Sweetie Belle said nothing, only hugging the Changeling gently. “I’ll be there. Don’t change too much, alright?”

Glimmer returned the embrace. “Of course. It’s been a pleasure serving with you, Sweetie Belle.” She turned to Scootaloo, who welcomed her with open arms. “And you, Scootaloo. You were lovely tonight. I had fun.”

Scootaloo’s voice was rough. “You weren’t half bad yourself. Even if you did keep stepping on my dress.”

The two shared a laugh before Glimmer stood back up, squaring her shoulders. She turned to face them both, opening her mouth as if to say something, but closed it decisively, choosing instead to nod at the pair before departing through the open door.

Scootaloo looked at Sweetie Belle. “Just the two of us again, huh?”

Sweetie Belle smiled. “You know, I was just thinking the same thing. Funny how that works, isn’t it?”

Scootaloo sighed. “I’m thinking of going to Trottingham, helping with the fight there. Are you okay with that?”

Sweetie Belle nodded. “You’ll be safe, I know that much. How could you not be? If I remember correctly, nothing in Equestria could give you more than a broken bone. You’re not coming back as a Princess though, right?”

The Pegasus laughed. “We do seem to know an awful lot of royalty, don’t we? Between Luna and Twilight and Glimmer and Mahta, we tend to get around.”

“Not to mention the fact that we seem to be constantly in trouble whenever we’re together. It’s always something, isn’t it?”

Scootaloo nodded. “I’m heading out with a group around noon, if you want to come with. We could always use another fighter, especially one like you.”

Sweetie Belle didn’t even need to think. “Absolutely. Just like old times, we two getting in way over our heads…”

“Making it up as we go…”

“And coming out of it alright in the end, because that’s how it works, right?”

Scootaloo offered a hoof, which Sweetie Belle bumped. “Definitely. If you want to come with, I suggest you get your affairs in order. Talk to Rarity, meet with Glimmer for the last time, all that.”

Sweetie’s eyes widened. “Oh, shoot! I forgot to talk to the medic, he said he had something to tell me.”

The two ponies began walking towards the door, and Sweetie Belle took one last look at the room she had spent so much time in over the past few weeks. In that time, it had started to resemble something along the lines of familiarity, but now, without the users inside of it, lending it life, it looked forlorn, abandoned. Sweetie Belle was suddenly struck with the notion that she would never see the room again, and she almost slowed down to take a better look.

“Sweetie Belle? Are you alright?”

Scootaloo’s voice jolted her out of her reverie, and Sweetie Belle fell back into line as the duo trotted back across the hall and up the stairs. They spent the ascent in a companionable silence, neither asking for anything other than the company of the mare beside her. After a wrong turn, they managed to find their place once more, and before too long they stood in front of the office of the doctor who had spoken to Sweetie Belle. Raising a hoof, she knocked at the door twice before waiting. A moment later, the portal swung open wide to reveal the unicorn who had tended to her.

He smiled gently. “Good morning, Miss Belle. I’m glad you stopped by.” He noticed Scootaloo, and his expression became slightly puzzled. “And this would be…?”

Scootaloo held out a hoof. “A friend. Sweetie Belle and I grew up together, and I’m here to help her wrap a few things up before she gets ready to leave again.”

The doctor turned to Sweetie Belle. “Miss, I’m afraid the results are a bit…personal. I don’t know if you’d want anypony in to hear them.” He opened the door to his office. “Now, I am not forbidding entry to your friend. But I would suggest she wait in the hall while we discuss what I discovered. If you wish to tell her after that, you certainly can.”

Annoyed, Sweetie Belle shot a glance at Scootaloo, who shrugged. She turned to the doctor. “Alright then. I’ll come in alone.”

The stallion’s face wore an expression of relief. “Thank you, Miss Belle.”

With a quiet thud, the door closed behind her. The doctor gestured at a seat, which Sweetie Belle took. He did likewise. Inhaling, he began. “Firstly, allow me to introduce myself. My name is Helping Hoof, and I am the Chief Battle Medic in the Regia. I attend to high-level parties all the time, and I can say without a doubt that there was nothing wrong with you except that broken hoof. However, there was an…abnormality.”

Sweetie Belle looked him in the eye, confused. “And what would that be?”

Helping Hoof sighed. “We were instructed to check each occupant thoroughly upon entry using an All-Body See-All spell developed by Lady Sparkle to detect latent or dormant magics. She gave us the modified version after we discovered that newly recruited ponies tended to attack her on sight, and so we began to use that extensively. It’s quite comprehensive, and can bring back a number of results. Now, the next questions may seem a bit personal, but I need you to be truthful with me. And I promise that none of what you tell me will leave this room.”

Sweetie Belle nodded.

“Two things. Firstly, you were coated in powerful latent Solar Magic. It leaves a very distinct trail. Do you know where this might have come from?”

She thought back over the course of her evening, and found the answer readily enough. “I had an encounter with Princess Celestia that ended with her giving me a fertility spell.” The doctor raised an eyebrow and she flushed. “Look, I needed to cover for somepony, alright?”

Helping Hoof massaged the sides of his temples. “I see. And to the second question. When was the last time you were sexually active?”

This question came as such a surprise that Sweetie Belle actually thought she had misheard. “Excuse me?”

“When was the last time you were with a stallion?”

Sweetie Belle thought about that. “About a week ago, if I remember correctly. Myself and a teammate had a bit too much to drink.”

“Is he available for contact?”

She slammed a hoof down on the table. “No, Night Light is definitely not available for contact, seeing as he’s dead. Now would you mind telling exactly what the buck you found wrong with me?”

Without betraying any emotion at all, the doctor spoke. “You’re pregnant. About a month along, by the looks of things.”

He continued to speak, though his voice seemed to echo strangely to her. “If I had to guess, assuming you had no sexual contact before coming to the Regia, I would surmise that Celestia’s spell accelerated your pregnancy by a fair margin. If the spell runs its course, I think you would have a foal in the next six months.”

Sweetie’s voice was high pitched and quiet. “I’m sorry. Did you say I was pregnant?”

Helping Hoof nodded. “Undeniably. Somehow, you are with foal, and a developed one at that. We wouldn’t have picked it up otherwise.”

“I…see. If you’ll excuse me, I think I need some air.” Sweetie said, standing up. The last thing she remembered before fainting was the floor rushing to meet her.

Pawn to Queen

Sweetie Belle’s vision flickered back into uncertain life as she realized that she was being supported on a bed of magic, held in place by the doctor. Helping Hoof panted slightly as he gently set her on the floor, sweat beading his brow as he took her unaccustomed weight. Sweetie Belle caught herself gently, steadying her hooves as she felt his magic flicker and die.

“Apologies, Miss Belle. Perhaps I could have been more tactful.” Helping Hoof said, his voice weary. “And my magic is more suited to delicate works than suspending pony-sized objects. Are you alright?”

Sweetie Belle nodded weakly. “I think so. It was just a shock, is all.”

The doctor’s horn lit up as he focused on her, and Sweetie Belle felt the familiar, almost-static feeling of a spell washing over her body. She waited patiently while the doctor finished his examination, considering the implications of what she had just learned. A foal. In time, she would be the mother of a little filly or colt, apparently Night Light’s child. And she knew it was his, there had not been another in…years, really. She hadn’t been with another stallion since she had first moved to Canterlot, and even those didn’t last long. And there was really nothing that could be done at this point. If Celestia won, there would not be a place for her, especially now that the Elements had been Broken, and their Bearers turned to Twilight’s side. A thrill of fear ran through her. This wasn’t in the plan, she wasn’t prepared for this. What was she going to do?

Helping Hoof looked at her, finished with his spell. “You appear to be perfectly alright, except for some very quickly done repair work on the hoof I set not an hour ago. I’ll not ask why you rebroke it, but please refrain from doing so in the future. And of course, I repaired it correctly. Keep off it for the next few hours and you’ll be alright.”

Sweetie Belle was silent. Honestly, out of all the things she could have anticipated hearing from this medic, this was the least expected. She was honestly lost, without purpose. Helping Hoof saw the look in her eyes and shifted uncomfortably. He cleared his throat and attempted to remain professional.

“Would you like me to help you consider a few options?”

Sweetie Belle nodded.

“This is obviously a delicate time in the history of this rebellion. As I’m sure you know, the next few days will prove pivotal in our history, and in fact the history of Equestria. There are three potential options available to you. The first is staying here, at the Regia. You would be well kept for and cared for, in a more relaxed environment. Your chances of miscarriage are extremely low, however, so I can also recommend that you continue with your duties as normal, from a purely medical standpoint. The third would require special dispensation from one of my superiors, but I think it could also prove beneficial to you and the foal you carry.”

“And that would be?”

“Well, it would involve a spell we use on many of our agents who need to be placed into deep cover. Essentially, we could rewrite who you were for a temporary period, until such time as hostilities were concluded. You would have no memory of who you were excepting the ones we gave you. Combined with a sufficiently powerful illusion, we could hide you away in a city like Los Pegasus, or possibly Ponyville to the north. If we were victorious, an agent could be dispatched to relive you of the spell. If we were…not…then it would expire on its own, about a month from now. You would be deeply enough embedded into your new role, however, that nopony would suspect you of being Ever Free, even after you were reestablished.”

Sweetie Belle thought over that. Just leave? Take what was left to her and go? It seemed so simple, and yet it seemed wrong. She was owed compensation for her work. She could tell her sister that she was leaving, obtain permission from Twilight, and be gone by this time tomorrow. It sounded so easy. But at the same time, it seemed wrong. How could she abandon those around her? Now, when they needed her most, she was thinking of leaving them, hiding like a coward.

But she wasn’t just thinking for herself anymore. She was carrying around a child, though she had difficulty thinking of it in that way. Wouldn’t it be the responsible thing to remove herself from the conflict now? If she died, so too did the child.

But at the same time, she had a duty to her friends and family. And if she was not there to help them, and Celestia won, then she would have to raise a child in a world that she now realized would be nothing more than clockwork. She would raise a child who would never think for itself, never be allowed to try new things, to speak its mind, to even have a mind at all. There were so many things to consider, and not enough time to consider them in.

She looked at Helping Hoof. “I’d like to think my options over. If I do manage to come back, I’ll do it with the Lady Sparkle’s permission. Would that be enough to send me undercover?”

Helping Hoof nodded. “It’s a simple enough potion. I’ve made it a dozen times this month alone. And keep in mind that there is no right or wrong answer.” His horn flashed, and the door behind Sweetie Belle swung open. “I’ll be here, Miss Belle. Whenever you wish, we can begin.”

Sweetie Belle thanked him, taking her leave and joining Scootaloo in the hall. The russet Pegasus looked at her strangely as they began to walk towards the room where Rarity and the other Elements were waiting. “What was that all about?”

Sweetie Belle sighed. “You know how Night Light and I spent that night together in Canterlot?”

Scootaloo nodded, before her eyes widened. “Did he give you something?”

Sweetie Belle flushed, shaking her head wildly. “Scoots, I’m pregnant.”

“What?”

“I’m pregnant. The foal is due in six months because of that stupid spell Celestia cast. I have a few options open. I could stay here, go with you, or take a third option.”

“Which would be?”

Sweetie Belle looked at her childhood friend before continuing. “I would be allowed to take a potion which would wipe my memory, write in a new personality, and then I would be sent away from the action for my own safety.”

Scootaloo’s voice was guarded. “And which option were you thinking of taking?”

“I’m not staying here any longer than I have to, that’s for sure. I was trying to make up my mind about whether or not I should go with you. I’m at a low risk for miscarriage, but I know that if I go, so does the foal.”

Scootaloo’s wings rose a little bit, indicating that she was upset. “Dammit, Sweetie Belle…out of all the times to have a foal, you chose now?”

Sweetie Belle gave a half-hearted chuckle. “I know, right? As if things weren’t bad enough.” Her voice became quizzical. “What do you think I should do?”

The Pegasus was silent for a minute, mulling over the information. “I’d love to have you with me, but I can’t see this ending well. I’d ask your sister.”

“What did you want to ask Rarity?” a voice from behind them asked.

Both of the fighters spun around, reaching for weapons that weren’t there, before they relaxed. Pinkie Pie, exhibiting her classic ability to pop up where least expected and most needed, was bouncing slightly behind them. Her eyes widened, and she slowed down as she realized that she had startled the duo. “Sorry. I forgot ponies around here are a bit more twitchy than normal.”

“What are you doing here?” Scootaloo asked, eyeing the Earth pony suspiciously.

“I was on my way to go see Allspice and Rosemary downstairs. They have a room down there, and I needed some sleep. Most of us have rooms downstairs, actually. But it sounded like you were talking about some pretty bad news, so I wanted to see if I could help!” Pinkie Pie replied. “It’s bad enough that we’re going to be doing a lot of fighting in the next few days, so I wanted to help cheer you two up. For old times’ sake.”

Sweetie Belle, against her better judgment, found herself trusting the Earth pony. “Pinkie, I could use a bit of advice.”

Pinkie Pie nodded, sitting down and paying close attention as Sweetie Belle explained everything, from her rescue from the cell in Trottingham to Night Light and her beginning a friendly rivalry to their growing close as a team, and from their into the one-night stand they had had in Canterlot. And his death, and the last piece of their relationship, the foal she was now carrying. Pinkie Pie wore the same expression of warm sympathy, nodding and listening alertly the entire time.

When Sweetie finished, Pinkie Pie hopped forward, bringing her into a gentle hug. She smelled like sugar cookies, Sweetie Belle dimly noticed. Breaking the embrace, Pinkie Pie smiled wanly. “Sounds like a pretty serious decision. What do you think you should do?”

Sweetie Belle sighed. “That’s just it. I don’t know. I can’t make decisions for just me anymore, you know? I have to think bigger than that.” A thought occurred to her. “You have some experience in this, right? You chased down Twilight carrying Rosemary.”

Pinkie Pie nodded. “And I almost lost her as a result. But I was pretty far along then. Sweetie Belle, I can’t tell you what to do here. All I can say is that you need to listen to what your heart is telling you to do. It may sound confusing at first, but I can tell you that I made my choices listening to my heart. Once you manage to cut through all the opinions, I think you’ll find that you already know the right thing to do.”

She got to her hooves once more. “I know that your friend is supposed to go through a ceremony soon, one that will change her. My Pinkie Sense is telling me that you should be there for her. Maybe it will help you. I’ll find your sister as I go downstairs and let her know about your situation for you. But I really think you should be there during the ceremony.”

Sweetie Belle looked to Scootaloo, and then back to Pinkie. She couldn’t quite put a hoof on it, but she felt that the Wielder of Laughter might be right somehow. “Thank you, Pinkie. I think I’ll do that.”

Pinkie Pie gave her another hug and a smile. “If you need anything, just remember that your Aunt Pinkie Pie is there for you. And whatever you choose, I think you’ll be fine.” Without another word, the Earth pony turned and trotted down the stairs, fading into the darkness. Soon there was no trace of her at all.

Sweetie Belle turned to Scootaloo. “Where is the Hive located?”

Scootaloo grinned. “I’d forgotten you were never down there. You’re going to love this, trust me.”

When the Regia was first occupied, there had been a real problem with damp. This came from the massive cavern deep underneath the castle, through which a river ran dark and cold. Though the cavern was pretty, there was never any real use for it, as the wet and cold made staying there for more than a few days unpleasant at best and unhealthy at worst. That was, until the Changelings had been contacted and agreed to take up residence in the castle.

The Queen had settled by the river, and begun constructing her Hive. It was a bold new step, consolidating many smaller hives into one large one, but her hard work and diligence had paid off. The passage down into the domain of the Changelings was now comfortably warm, the ichor insulating the stone and absorbing the water that used to drip from the ceilings and walls. As Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo descended deeper, they encountered what appeared to be organic doors, portals that expanded to let them through and contracted behind them, several feet thick.

The way ahead was lit by bioluminescent lights, glowing in pale white and yellow and green, flickering like the soothing light of fireflies. Sweetie Belle could smell the telltale signs of Changelings, dry musty air and warm flesh, and as they rounded the last corner, what she saw took her breath away.

The center of the cavern was dominated by a large pillar, stretching from the bottom of the cavern to the top, hundreds of feet high. It was intersected by a hundred walkways, entering the pillar at seemingly random intervals and gently glowing, throwing patches of light and shadow around the cavern. The walls themselves were lined with holes and walkways broad enough for two or three ponies to walk along side by side, and strange protrusions that gently pulsed with life. Those were eggs, Sweetie Belle realized. As she watched, a graceful shape dropped from one of the walkways, spreading its wings and soaring to one of the cocoons, splitting it open gently.

As she watched, awestruck, a wet shape fell out of the cocoon, coughing feebly. It was about half the size of a fully grown Changeling, and its carapace was a shiny blue as opposed to the black Sweetie Belle knew so well. The one who had freed it cradled the newborn, supporting its head as it cleared the last of the nutrient fluid from its lungs. As she watched, a small wisp of green smoke fell from the mouth of the nurse, before being inhaled by the newborn. Sweetie Belle realized with a jolt that she had just watched the transfer of love from one Changeling to another. It unfurled its wings, fluttering them once, twice, before laying them along its back and shaking itself hardily.

“Amazing, right?” Scootaloo asked. “They let anypony who wants to come down here visit.”

“Is it wise to leave the eggs out like that?” Sweetie Belle asked. “What if somepony was here to hurt them?”

Scootaloo laughed. “If they wanted to try, they wouldn’t be able to get past the second door. They’d be trapped until the Changelings arrived to apprehend them. This whole place is alive, in a way. If knows everything going on inside of it. Speaking of which,” she added, indicating the air in front of them, “It looks like we’re expected.”

She was right. A small group of Changelings was flying towards them. As they landed, one of them took the form of a brown Earth pony, a form that Sweetie Belle recognized as the default for Changelings in a hurry. “Welcome, honored visitors! The Queen Elect is being prepared in her chamber, and will shortly be escorted to the arena. A place has been prepared for you, if you wish to view her Ascendancy.”

Sweetie Belle silently assented, feeling two sets of strong hooves lift her into the air. As she watched, Scootaloo took to the air behind her, wings spread wide as she soared along with the Changelings towards one of the more interesting sights Sweetie Belle had seen today, which was saying something.

The Changeling Arena was made all of black ichor, specially hardened to support its own weight and able to seat some twenty thousand of its number. And it was nearly full, as well. Those who could not find seating hung from nearby outcroppings of rock and stalactites on the ceiling of the cavern. Still others had perched on nearby walls. But none of them, Sweetie Belle realized, were flying, save for the ones bearing her and Scootaloo to their seats.

Sweetie Belle was laid to rest in the very front row, able to see everything from her vantage point. Her seat was unusual, constantly conforming to the contours of her body in order to make her comfortable, an experience she found disconcerting. Scootaloo landed next to her, peering out over the crowd.

“Oh, good. We aren’t the only ones here.” she said, indicating a block of seating across the arena in which several ponies, Gryphons, and Minotaurs sat. “That would have been awkward.”

Sweetie Belle took in the massive space in which she found herself. Changelings filled the stands as far as she could see, all in their natural forms. None of them moved much, none of them fluttered their wings, and each one was completely silent. Sweetie Belle faced the floor, watching for what was supposed to happen next.

She didn’t have to wait long. With a roar of green fire, Chrysalis appeared on the arena floor, her wings outstretched and her mane well-groomed. Her coat fairly shone with polish, and she held herself as a regal Queen should, with her shoulders back and her head high. Her eyes swept the stands, and Sweetie Belle made contact with her teacher for the briefest of moments, just enough to catch a glimmer of acknowledgement, before her majestic gaze continued on. When she spoke, her voice was proud, yes, but not arrogant.

“My loyal subjects, I thank you all for the dedication you have given me over the years. We have been through times of feast and times of famine together, and you have given all to me. Would that I could thank you all for your service, but I cannot. You have sacrificed homes, families, even hatchlings and brood mates, all for the greater good of your people. And now, on the eve of war, it is my turn to give you all that I can. Here, on the cusp of a new and historic age for our proud race, I, Queen Chrysalis of the Hive, do pass on my mantle.”

A door opened itself in the wall of the arena, and Sweetie Belle felt her heart leap into her throat. Glimmer, recognizable even as a Changeling, proceeded to the middle of the floor, facing Chrysalis. Chrysalis continued to speak. “This, my successor, is the most worthy I have found. I can think of none better than she to wear my mantle, and to lead our people into a still more glorious dawn. Words do us no good, my fellow Changelings. I bid you farewell, and good hunting. I will be in our Hive’s memory, watching with pride as you forge a new life for yourselves. Thank you all.”

Her words finished echoing throughout the arena, until they had died out, leaving complete silence. But even this did not last for long. Glimmer’s wings spread, and she began to vibrate them, filling the space with a melodic buzzing, almost like a violin, one that somehow seemed to describe her perfectly. And then, another set joined in, lower than her own but no less powerful. It sounded of cellos. And then a third, and a fourth, and then ten more, and them in droves, the arena filled with buzzing, a beautiful maddening buzz that was both hopeful and melancholy, filled with love and grief. And that was not all. Green light began to spill from the wings of the Changelings, first in motes, then in streams, until finally the arena was full of blinding emerald light. Love poured from the wings of the Changelings, pooling at the foot of their Queen.

Chrysalis stood stock still, and Sweetie Belle smelled the acrid tang of pheromones being released from her body, compelling Glimmer to take one step forward, then another, as the buzzing grew louder and the light grew brighter, until all that was visible was sharp black on brilliant green. Sweetie Belle watched through eyes that were wet with tears, not from the blinding light, but from the beauty of what she was experiencing, as Glimmer’s head lowered, and with a small, neat thrust, she buried it in the breast of her ruler.

The buzzing reached a crescendo as Glimmer’s form shattered, becoming as smoke before recompiling herself, Chrysalis’s form diminishing as Glimmer’s grew. At last, with one last rush of sound and light, Chrysalis vanished completely, as did the noise and green magic. All was dark, all was silent. And then, a new sound filled the arena, a single low buzzing that grew in pitch before bursting into glorious song, and green light burst from the new Queen, flying forth into her subjects, who rocked back in their seats as if struck all at once.

So did Queen Chrysalis of the Changelings pass from the world, returning to her subjects all the love they had given her. And in her place stood the Changeling Queen that Sweetie Belle had once known as Glimmer. Tall, more graceful than Chrysalis had been, with a mane of well-kept blue hair and a set of transparent green wings, she straightened up and addressed her subjects for the first time. “The Queen is passed. Long live Queen Chrysalis, tenth Queen of the Hive. So too has the Queen been born. Hail Feldspar, Eleventh Queen of the Changelings.”

A roar arose from the stands, as Changelings filled the air with the drumming of hooves and the beating of wings. Sweetie Belle knew then exactly what she was supposed to do. It resonated in her as clearly as the wings of the Changelings surrounding her. She turned to Scootaloo.

“The Changelings are fighting for the survival of their race, but what we don’t realize is that we are too. We won’t be ponies anymore if Celestia wins. We’ll be automatons.”

Scootaloo nodded. “Does this mean…”

Sweetie Belle looked out over the arena, as the new Queen prostrated herself before her subjects. “We don’t have the luxury of not fighting. I’ll come with you to Trottingham, Scootaloo.” Queen Feldspar rose, and her attendants flocked to her as she nodded to her two allies in the stands, acknowledging them before being led away. “I’ll fight, and not just for myself. I’ll fight for my child, and their children, and theirs. Celestia has a lot to answer for. I’m not running. I’m fighting.”

New Boards, New Games

The Aether was roiling and troubled, flashing with low lights and distant rumbles of thunder. The balance of Creation had been upset, and when the physical nature of the world was threatened, the magical world responded in kind. Not many had trod here, not since the ancient days of Unbound Magic, before Celestia had bent it to better suit the physical world. Starswirl had walked here, and the Great Sages of the Unicorn Tribes. Much of the battle against Discord had been fought here, as well. It was his home as well as the Alicorns’, including the one walking through it now, away from a pool of milky water sheltered by three pillars of warped stone.

Luna strode through the seas of magic, watching them caress her like an old friend or lover might, and she smiled a little at their familiar touch. If she could, she would love to spend as much of her time here as possible, but she loved the world too much to stay away long. Her form here was as it truly should have been, a Goddess made of flame of dark blue and red and black, serene and soothing to all who could see it. Onwards she walked, through fields of memories and across the slowly flowing rivers of life and death, passing through thickets of possibilities and gazing up into the white mist that served as the sky here. Time was changeable in the Aether, or what passed for the Aether to her, but it seemed to her that far too little time had passed when she arrived at her destination.

A sea of stars stretched before her. Not in the sense mortals used the term, but an actual sea of glowing celestial fire that lit the horizon as far as it could in either direction without being overly loud or dazzling. It was more along the lines of starlight made liquid, softly glowing with promise and magic. Seating herself, she waited. She knew that her presence had been felt, and she did not wait long before the sky flashed brightly, and a pillar of golden flame descended from the heavens to come to rest near her. It flickered for a moment, reasserting itself, before it took the form of Princess Celestia, who nodded her head regally.

Sister.

Well met, Celestia. Knowest thou why I am here?

Not for any of the cares of the mortal world. You wait by The Sea. So I suppose you mean to ask of it a question.

Indeed. The creature I bore has come loose.

I had thought that it was merely the effects of your Breaking Magic.

Hardly. The cool-burning Alicorn gazed out to the sea. I have ever struggled with that monstrosity, and thought it my cross to bear. An extra weapon with which to restore the Balance, if needed. But the beast would not heed my calls. I unchained it, yes, but I did not think it would abandon my company entirely.

Meanest thou that your construct was not a construct?

The sullen flame shimmered, what passed for a laugh in a place like this. It was a poor laugh, more desperate than amused. Nay, I have seen many constructs. I have made several, and called them back into myself as well. That was not a part of me.

The golden flame was silent. For an eternal moment, she too stared out at the sea, thinking that over, before turning to her sister. And now it resists your recalling?

Nay, I have not attempted to call it to me, because I cannot find it. I have scryed the entire world already, and asked the Truth-Seekers to discern its location. They cannot see it. It appears to have fled into the savage lands of the South, nearing the realm of Stone and Fire.

By this, she meant the land of the Gryphons. She was not willing to speak their names here, or indeed the names of any thing in the mortal world while in this sacred place. It would only upset the balance further.

Celestia’s voice was grave. The Balance will suffer if that thing is allowed to take root.

This is why I need your help. We are not allies, but against that thing we can be. Ask with me. The Sea will answer two, even though the Third has fled.

And where is our brother?

I have not seen him. No doubt in the far reaches of the Aether, amusing himself in some dark corner.

Celestia’s choice was easy. Very well. If The Sea knows of it, it will know where it is. Shall I begin?

Very well.

Light of Water…

Sand of Bone…

A boon we ask…

For things unknown!

The Sea was calm as ever, waves breaking on the beach before them without pause. A glimmer of Power rippled through the light in front of them, echoing off into the horizon, and the two Sisters waited patiently. They did not wait long.

With a rush of water, in between one wave and the next, a fount of liquid light splashed onto the sand, and glided towards the Sisters before stopping in front of them. When it spoke, its voice was soft as rain, and powerful as the mighty depths of the ocean itself. It was The Sea, that which touched on all things equally. The only Powers greater than its own stood in front of it.

Ask…

Where is The Shadow? Where has it fled to?

And how do we destroy it?

The thing of water and light was still for a moment, and while it thought, the waves behind it ceased their crashing upon the shore. It thought and thought, and retreated in on itself. The surface of the starlight behind it was unnaturally smooth, like glass. It was calm for a moment, eerily so. And then, the storm broke.

Death! Destroyer! Ender of Worlds, Devourer of All! It comes for Creation!

The sky crackled with lightning and roared with thunder, the white mist churning and tearing overhead as the Aether rebelled against the horror of what had been discovered while the water remained flat, as if inverting the vista of a stormy ocean. The pillar of watery light continued to boom its dire proclamations as the two flames were driven back.

It has Begun, Sun and Moon. Now there is no hope, no place it cannot reach. It cannot be destroyed, for it is the Destroyer. It cannot be reasoned with, for it is not of Creation and therefore does not comprehend it. The World is out of Balance, and it must be restored! The Sun has caused another to Ascend, and now there must be another to counter. If you cannot counter Dawn with Dusk, then your petty squabble over mortals is for naught!

Luna stepped forward, legs bowed in supplication. But if Celestia carries the day, then all is unbalanced! Nothing will redeem it!

The very foundations of the Aether shook as the soft glow of the sky became a blinding light. The Sea lashed out, driving her from her hooves. Fool. This is not my will. It is the will of the Aether.

I have not heard it in this place, though I have been listening.

The pillar turned to face Celestia. No, this place does not speak. It is deathly quiet. You know of that which I speak. So too does the Moon, and the Mad One.

You mean…

I do.

The pillar of light sank back into the ocean without another word. As if it were bidden, the waves once again lapped at the shore.

Luna regained her footing before nodding at Celestia and vanishing. They both knew what had to be done, unpalatable as it might be. Luna would once again move her pieces, and Celestia would move hers. But now, the black and white would move together, and their goal was the same. Dusk must be brought into the fold. And she must not know of it until too late. There was no other way. And Celestia was ready now, after all these years, to see the Evening fall under her rule. With Luna aiding her, how could she go wrong?

The Alicorn of the Sun came back to herself with a start, shaking her feathers out as she surveyed the field of ponies before her. All clad in golden plate, all smelling of war and death, all with white coats and red manes, her Sunborn stood like statues, waiting on her command. One thousand pairs of eyes, gleaming gold without pupils, gazed up at her from the parade ground, the very one where Twilight Sparkle had taken her independence of Celestia and fled Canterlot. She smiled and spread her wings, feeling the rich flow of the Ley beneath her as she waited for Cadance to begin her spell.

And with a jolt, she felt it begin. The vein of magical energy twisted in on itself, coiling like a serpent, before the rush of magic forced itself to the surface of the earth, hanging heavy over the arena like a heat haze, gathering more and more power as it went. Celestia could feel the rest of it speeding towards the Everfree Forest, flowing along its own well of arcane power before coming to a halt outside of Trottingham. She knew it to be so, could feel the lives pulsing in the city as the bridge of time and space and magic was carefully opened.

Like the sky itself had split to reveal the coldness of space beyond, a dark tear appeared in the sky, slowly sinking down to the ponies in the arena below. Just outside of Trottingham, the same phenomenon was observed, causing the alarm bells to begin ringing as the Ever Free fighters inside found their positions and waited.

Closer the tear came, and closer, until the entire group had departed, simply appearing outside of the fields of Trottingham. As they began to march forward in unison, Celestia at their head and Applebloom by her side, the portal behind them rotated to form a doorway, one that ponies could march through easily. Celestia felt more opening up across Equestria, from the northern orchards around Fillydelphia to the simple town of Ponyville to the streets of Manehatten. There would be a relative few coming with her, some two Legions of the Regulars and a very few of the Guard.

The Sunborn locked their shields as they approached the city, forming a cluster of moving shelters that ground across the earth slowly and terribly. Celestia stayed behind, watching them get their first taste of battle, and stayed out of sight of the town walls. As soon as they were in range, Celestia’s Chosen knew it. The heavy weapons of Trottingham had been presighted and quickly adjusted, and the defenders around the city’s outer walls cheered as the ground in front of them exploded in a cloud of smoke and shrapnel, the flash powder sphere arcing gracefully through the sky.

Their cheers died, however, when the smoke cleared to reveal that same group of ponies, continuing forward with hardly a scratch to show for it, and not a single one of them even winded. Another round was fired, more desperately this time, and again the earth erupted in smoke and flame. But the Sunborn continued on. The spellcasters on the walls began to open fire, as did the archers, hooves tightening on crossbows as quarrels sped forth, splintering on shields.

The fronts of the shield-squares began to ripple, and a wave of magical attacks burst forth, nearly all of them fire and force magic. They hit the walls hard, causing them to shake and crack. Before the unicorns manning the walls could retaliate, the wall of shields had closed up once more. Alarms began to ring as more ponies began to pour out of the portal behind Celestia, wearing the armor of Legionnaires in the Regulars. Another wave of magic from the Sunborn, and a section of the wall ceased to be, its defenders screaming as they were blown away by the increased power of the enhanced unicorns.

Celestia took to the air, speeding over the heads of attacker and defender alike. Her Pegasi followed her into the city, speeding down to ruthlessly crush bones and snap necks before taking to the air again, like hawks. A few fliers rose to challenge them. They did not last long. Celestia felt something lift her into the air and was much surprised to see a puff of black smoke underneath her. Clearly the defenders of the city were attempting to bring her down the same way they had destroyed her Third Fleet, which she could see smoldering in the distance.

She paid the anti-flier batteries no mind, instead setting course for the Governor’s Spire, upon which a tattered flag flew, displaying a red star on a purple field. She angled her hooves downward, landing in the courtyard amid cries of alarm. Composed, almost serene, she strode forward, ignoring the pikes that were bending on her hide and the spells skittering over her chest. One brave Earth pony attempted to block her entry to the door of the Tower. He was incinerated along with the thick slab of oak itself.

Stepping forward into the space before her, she was greeted with the view of every pony inside holding a weapon, all of them pointed at her. Without missing a beat, she spoke four words only.

“Where is my Commander?”

A unicorn, one who had been seated behind a desk until Celestia had walked inside, was the one to speak. “Deprived of her Element and taken to the Regia in the Everfree Forest. As per my orders.”

The monarch arched one eyebrow. “Indeed? And you are?”

“Lively Song, daughter of Long Haul and Lily, sister of High Climber and Night Light, and the one who took this city from her.” She drew her knife and faced Celestia proudly. “And I am ready to meet death, living Ever Free.”

Celestia’s eyes closed tightly, and when they opened, they burned with the light of the sun. “So be it. I charge the ponies of the Ever Free with treason. Sentence death, to be carried out immediately.”

And with a terrible scream, each pony in the Tower died in fire, bathed in heat and light by the Sun herself. It was not long before the flames reached the top of the spire, lapping like hungry tongues out of its windows and through its roof.

As the walls of Trottingham crumbled, and the Sunborn marched through with the Regulars at their backs, Twilight Sparkle’s flag burned as brightly as the sun.

The sun shone brightly over the Regia, and spilled over the two ponies inside, lying close to one another, twined together as if inseparable. Tarantella’s head rested comfortably near the chest of Twilight Sparkle, whose arms were wrapped around her tightly. Both ponies were breathing together, in perfect harmony, and were quiet and at peace. Not a sound was made save for deep even breathing, and it was as if nothing could touch them there, suspended in that one perfect moment.

But all such things end. Gradually, gently, Twilight opened her eyes, inhaling deeply as she was brought forth from deep sleep, by whatever mysterious force compels us to wake. Noticing the slight change, Tarantella followed her to the waking world soon after, and as they met eyes, both smiled at the sight of one another.

“Good morning, Tara.” Twilight murmured, brushing an errant strand of hair out of her lover’s face.

The Pegasus gave a pleased little groan as she wormed her way deeper into Twilight’s embrace. “And a good morning to you, my love.”

They lay silent for a moment, taking in the morning and each other for what both realized could be the last time. Twilight thought about all she had been through with this mare, how she had been the rock in Twilight’s storm, a friend and confidant and something strange and new, always a constant but never static. She was reminded of the little things about Tara, how she put on a brave face in public but still acted like a foolish girl in private, how she possessed stubbornness and level-headedness in equal measures, all of her little sayings and mannerisms. If Twilight was going to be captured today, or killed, then she would do it with Tarantella in her heart.

Tara looked at Twilight in much the same way, gold eyes meeting violet. She remembered how they had struggled their first winter, how Twilight had shown herself to be steel inside of velvet, how she practiced for war but desired peace, and how she loved those who were loyal to her more fiercely than anything Tarantella had ever seen. Twilight had come a long way from the frightened young mare who had flown with Tarantella all those years ago. She was a ruler now, a leader that Tara was proud to serve alongside. But she had stayed true to herself. She still believed in redemption, in forgiveness, that she could work out her problems in ways other than war. And for that , Tarantella Allegretta loved her all the more.

Twilight kissed her Pegasus lover on the forehead. “Tara, I need to ask you a question.”

She nodded eagerly. “I will hear it, Twilight.”

“Tara, tonight may be our last night together. Come what may, tomorrow morning we will be at war. I imagine it’s already started, And if that’s the case, then I want you to know that regardless of how much time we have left, or how little, that I have never been so happy as I have been with you. You gave me hope when I was hopeless, you’ve seen me at my best and worst, and still stayed by my side. You’re more than beautiful, you’re funny, and kind, and good in ways I can’t even describe, much as I would like to.”

Twilight drew Tara in closer, as if she was afraid of losing her. “I’ve never felt this way around any other pony. You make my heart flutter every time I look at you, and I know that I can count on you to be there with me, whenever it matters. Forever. And I want you to know that as much as you consider me to be your Other Wing, as much as you say that I complete you, that I love you so much that I’d give you anything. I’d give up my magic for you, Tarantella Allegretta. I love you, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you.”

Tarantella did something she had not done in years. She began to cry, as Twilight said a simple sentence. “Tarantella Allegretta, of Clan Allegretta, will you marry me?”

The silence that followed was one of the most awful Twilight had ever experienced. Her heart hammered, her throat caught, it seemed as if she was floating. And then , Tarantella looked her in the eye, and with a beautiful smile, made Twilight Sparkle, for one brief moment, the happiest mare in Equestria.

“Yes, Twilight Sparkle. Yes, a thousand times yes. I will marry you.”

Though the world remained outside, and war, and death, in that single moment none of it could stand. For one brief moment, love held supreme dominion over the land.

Cadance shook with exhaustion as she opened another portal, this one to the largest Regular camp in the north, hone to nearly ten Legion’s worth of Regulars. Moving the Ley was hard work, and though she felt her new power growing inside of her, it still took everything she had to keep them open long enough for ponies to march through. As they finished, she closed each one with a gasp, but the fatigue stayed with her. Thankfully Celestia had been quick with moving her forces through the portal, as it had collapsed after she had gone through. No losses, but it had been close.

She attempted once more to manipulate the vast reservoir of energy under the Everfree, but it resisted her fiercely. It almost seemed alive in a way that the other ley lines didn’t, bordering on the self-aware. When she reached for that in the hopes of replenishing herself, she not only was unable to use it, but actually found that some of her magic had been drained.

And that was something she could not afford, no matter how she wished she could rest. Using the power inside of her, she cast about to gain knowledge of her situation. Most of the army had arrived near the Whitetail Woods, and were even now marching through or around Ponyville. The vast army would camp there for the evening, and then begin their assault. From there it was scant miles to the Everfree Forest. She knew there were ponies there, waiting for the Equestrian forces, but they were hidden from her entirely. That would be Radiant Zenith’s doing, she supposed.

But Cadance could tell how things were proceeding in Trottingham. Celestia had left not an hour ago, and already the Ever Free forces were being routed. She could feel the urgency and panic they felt as they withdrew into the Forest, escorting the last barges of refugees. One of the refugees in particular was extremely unhappy, and Cadance idly focused on that one. It was a little filly, a Pegasus, fleeing the city with her two keepers, who were doing her best to calm the crying child.

With a start, she realized that this filly, hardly more than a foal, was deaf. Her heart went out to the poor thing, and she too did her best to calm her. She focused her Power, feeling for the calm center within herself, and transferring some of that emotion to the filly in the boat. With a smile, she watched from afar as the young filly fell asleep, exhausted from her ordeal. Cadance would have no influence after she entered the Forest, but hopefully the sleep would take hold before then, and she would wake up with some measure of peace.

The ley lines surged again, unusually and powerfully. She groaned, and pushed harder, feeling the portals stabilize. She chided herself for losing focus. There were more important things than one filly. Though she made a note to watch for her in the coming days. Perhaps she could save her. After all, there was no way one so young and helpless could be guilty of much.

She monitored the lines as she continued to maintain what portals were open, close those no longer necessary, and open new ones to replace them. Soon Equestria’s ley lines began to writhe in earnest, as the youngest Alicorn diverted the natural fabric of Creation to help preserve it. She had a utopia to ensure, a war to win, and a land to save.

High on the mountain, in an otherwise silent garden, a sinuous statue shuddered. Things had been approaching a head for months, and only yesterday did Twilight deal her final blow. And what a blow it had been. The Balance was undone. Equestria’s natural magic was warped and twisted, and Chaos reigned supreme.

Soon. It would happen soon.

Black's March

The quiet town of Ponyville stood transformed in the last lights of evening. All day long, ponies had been arriving, marching out of strange tears in the land that were black as night, girded in armor, pulling small supply wagons behind them, and marching to pre-designated areas to prepare for the upcoming battle. Those supply wagons had helped Celestia’s forces immensely. Each contained rations, weapons, medical supplies, and construction equipment. Each Legion that marched through those tears was fully capable of setting up a fort anywhere in Equestria and holding it for a month with no help from the outside world. With the combined strength of eighteen of Equestria’s twenty-one Legions, there were well over ninety thousand ponies currently occupying the area in and around Ponyville, most of them in camps around the town proper.

In addition, every spare cloud for miles in every direction had been requisitioned, taken by the Air Corps in order to use as space for their flyers, who could not afford to be placed on the ground in such tight quarters. The massive disk of white above the town served multiple purposes. It provided a base and launching platform for flyers, held multiple lookout points for scouts to spy on Ever Free positions, and ensured that the skies were clear in every direction, so as to lessen the chances of ambush. Most curiously of all, it served as a giant umbrella. The underside was hardened, ensuring that any projectiles aimed at the underbelly would glance off of it harmlessly. Any of the high shots necessary to hit the town, thrown by the Ever Free trebuchets, would simply fail to hit the ground.

Shining Armor looked over the defenses appreciatively from his vantage spot above Town Hall in Ponyville. The wall constructed by the Equestrians in front of the town was impressive to say the least. Ramparts of earth, wood and stone rose a regulation fifteen feet above the ground, and in front of them had been dug trenches five feet in depth. Every fifty feet rose a tower manned by two alert sentries, and in between those were ballistae, mounted on swivels and crewed by members of the Eighth Legion engineering cohort. The Eighth were among the best at siegecraft, having held off numerous Minotaur assaults in their forts ringing the northern mountains of Equestria.

He had been appointed as pro temporae commander of the army assembled below him, and his orders were quite clear. On his arrival, he had consolidated his hold around Ponyville, built his defenses, and marshaled his troops. Those manning the wall would continue to do so until tomorrow morning’s sunrise, at which point they would begin their assault on the Ever Free positions, at which point he would be relegated back to the Guard, and another would lead in his stead. If they pushed hard enough, the Ever Free lines would be shattered, and from then it was only a matter of time before they reached the castle his sister commanded.

Shining Armor snorted. Twilight had no experience commanding troops on a battlefield, and she had shown it. Her hit and run tactics wouldn’t do her any good in this situation, pinned against a wall. She was outnumbered, outgunned, and outclassed. It was estimated that all told, she had approximately twenty thousand troops at her disposal, most of them untrained skirmishers. And the Everfree was a large place, so they’d be spread thin. It would be easy to mop them up.

Suddenly, and without warning, an immense wave of magic came rushing out of the Everfree Forest, blowing like an electric wind over the assembled ranks below. There were several cries of shock from those manning magical instruments as they shorted out. Shining Armor’s eyes narrowed as the sun sank below the horizon for good.

“Captain Fairweather!” he called, waiting on the leader of the Air Corps.

A tawny Pegasus who had been maintaining a crossbow looked up. “Sir!” he replied, coming to attention.

Shining Armor’s eyes swept the Forest. “Something’s not right with the treeline. I need flyers to tell me what’s happening out there.”

The Captain was one step ahead of him. He pulled a magical flare from his bag, firing it into the air, where it exploded into strong purple light. As Shining Armor watched, a wing of scout flyers shot off towards the Forest edge, peeling off into groups of two as they surveyed the darkness below. Each was suited to night flying, and there was a full moon out, so they should have had no trouble. But such was not the case.

Seeming to appear from nowhere, a group of swarming, shadowy figures melted into existence right on top of the unfortunate Pegasi, and Shining Armor could only watch in horror as each of them was borne to the Forest below, screaming as they fell. Shining Armor, straining with his optically enhanced eye, could barely make out a few features on the monsters that had attacked his soldiers. They were not Pegasi, or Changelings. They certainly weren’t Gryphons. He didn’t know what they were, but whatever the case, those…things…were not something that should have been. They were all scales and circular mouths and sharp, edged teeth that gleamed a sullen red even in the light of the moon. They had no wings.

There arose a cry of alarm from the walls, shouts calling the now-defenders to arms as what appeared to be a large bank of storm clouds charged headlong out of the Everfree skies straight towards the lines. Shining Armor felt the platform of clouds that he was standing on lower as more fliers hurled themselves towards the now-massive storm. Shining Armor knew that whatever was happening was not natural, and was no doubt the work of Ever Free spellcasters. At least he thought it was. But as he watched lightning begin to flicker in the clouds in an unnatural, poisonous green, he realized that there was no way a group of spellcasters could even begin to call that much weather out of nowhere. They’d be hard-pressed to move that storm, even if it was hovering above their heads.

A wave of lightning that could only be properly called a sheet rippled out from the storm, and caught the flyers where they were. Shining Armor watched in horror as the very ponies who had tried to dispel the storm were fried by it, plummeting down into the clear land between the Ever Free and the Equestrians. Thankfully, the Captain of the Air Corps realized that whatever they were dealing with was not natural, and the last Shining Armor saw of him was his back, as he retreated to lead his ponies above the clouds.

The storm bank hit the disk above Ponyville and actually caused it to slide back, loosening the protection over the town somewhat as the opaque veil of the storm hid the moon behind it, covering the land below in pitch black. Torches flared into life along the walls, throwing out some illumination below, but not much. Shining Armor hit the ground along with the rest of his staff, most of whom sprinted into the cover afforded by Town Hall, cursing as they attempted to form some semblance of command. Shining Armor let them go. They’d command ably, he was sure. But his job, as Commander of the Guard, was to lead his ponies in the Guard. And they were positioned in the seat of honor, the midpoint of the wall protecting Ponyville. The fighting would be fierce there, and they’d need every spear they could get, he was sure.

“Don’t bother saluting! Get to the bucking wall!” he roared at a group of Regulars who had stopped to do exactly that. They broke into a run as he reached his destination, barreling up the steps to the head of his Guard. He picked up a spear from a rack nearby, unslung his shield from his back, and looked out over the plain below, or at least what he could see of it.

It was eerily still, lit only briefly by the occasional flash of lightning which threw everything into sharp relief. It looked surreal, the light burning away soft edges or shades of grey. There, in that storm, everything was either light or shadow. A wind began to pick up, softly at first, but growing more and more wild as it went. Shining Armor watched closely as flares were shot into the sky, casting light on the battlefield below. So relieved, his eyes were able to pick out movement near the treeline. There were a few sharp sounds of impact as some of the more undisciplined Regulars fired at them, but they were swiftly brought back into line by their officers. Whatever was out there, it was too far away, yet.

“Hold all fire until I give the order! Whatever kind of distraction they’re throwing up, it won’t work. We’re holding the high ground, here!” he called to the troops near him. There was a murmur of agreement, and Shining Armor felt a thousand pairs of eyes sweeping the flatland along with his own. A thousand ponies there on the walls next to him, not to say anything of the thousands more stretching to either side of him, watched and waited.

And waited.

And waited.

Five minute went by, then ten, then fifteen. “Steady, don’t lose focus!” Shining Armor called to his troops, who were shifting nervously at the increase in wind speed. A crackle of thunder rippled through the skies, followed after by a jagged bolt of lightning that he could have sworn was black. An eerie howling rose from the treetops, and then Shining Armor could see strangely glowing eyes, burning green and icy blue, staring at the lines. A gravelly screech echoed into the night, and a dozen more answered it. Shining Armor felt himself beginning to tremble just ever so slightly at that sound. It sounded horrible, like the sound of a knife sliding across slate.

And then, in between one flash of lightning and the next, the trees parted to reveal a group of slowly shambling figures that looked strangely familiar. Shining Armor almost gave the command to fire, but the words died unspoken in his throat as he realized that he was looking at about ten of the fliers that had crashed into the woods. They looked badly hurt, dragging their wings close to the ground so that the pinion feathers nearly touched. One of them was missing the wing entirely, save for some unrecognizable gobbets of flesh.

Shining Armor frowned. Something wasn’t right. The way they moved, the stumbling and the sagging parts, it was as if they had forgotten how to make their bodies work. Or…if something else was inhabiting them entirely. “Halt!” he called. “Do not move, or we will shoot to kill!”

One of the Pegasi looked up at him as thy continued to shamble forward, now within firing distance of the gate. “Kill?” it queried. The voice was not something any pony could ever have made on its own. It sounded almost like what a cat would sound like, if it ever learned to speak. It was guttural, warbled and scratched at the inside of his eardrums. “Kill…kill…”

Shining Armor’s horn lit up as he took aim. “Stop moving! Do not approach the walls!” he bellowed. The Pegasi did not listen, continuing forward. His voice rang out once more. “This is your final warning! Do not come closer!” The Pegasi paid him no heed. They were almost at the gates, maybe a hundred yards away now. From this distance he could see without doubt, even in the dark, that there was something wrong. Coils of obscenely pulsing flesh, tubes of some terrible parasite, pushed through skin slick with blood and matting the coats with gore. Shining Armor fired. The bolt passed through the lead Pegasus’s head cleanly.

That was a mistake.

With an earsplitting screech, the other Pegasi broke into a terrible, lurching run, covering the distance far more quickly than anticipated. The corpse of the Pegasus dissolved completely, leaving behind something Shining Armor knew he would never forget, not until the day he died. The skin sloughed off, revealing a heaving mass of worms and rot that took to the air immediately, gliding on some obscene trick of biology right towards the gates. There were thousands.

A single volley cleared the rest of the Pegasi, and as one, the spellcasters threw up a shield. It was enough to contain the parasites that had infested the majority of the fallen fliers, but it could not get them all. Shining Armor threw up a personal shield, enough to cover him and the ponies next to him, as the wave of insects hit the walls.

Immediately they began burrowing into the coats of those unlucky enough to be unshielded, disappearing into the skin and leaving only a small, neat hole as to their whereabouts. And not moments after that, the afflicted Guards began to scream. Shining Armor watched in horrified fascination as they rippled under the skin of the unfortunates, writhing obscenely upwards and forwards, burrowing through necks and throats, cutting the screams of Guards off short. One near Shining Armor burrowed across a shrieking Earth pony’s eye, clearly outlined, before disappearing back through the nasal cavity.

And then, not a moment later, the worm, and by proxy the soldier’s head, exploded.

Cries of fear, pain, and horror were uttered as ponies watched their comrades die helplessly. Those who had been hit in the flank were worst off, and Shining Armor saw more than one Guard put a spear through their friend to save them the agony. With a chill, he realized that he hadn’t checked to make sure the rest of the worms were captured. Sure enough, the shield was flickering.

He knew that he would have to do something, and fast. Without thinking, he lowered his head, pointing straight at the pile, and began to set fire to the earth. The stream was massive, far larger than he was used to, and it burned with a literal white-hot intensity, blazing like magnesium as it chewed through the abominations of nature squirming on the ground. The screamed as they died, little high-pitched screams that dug into Shining Armor’s skull. Thankfully, the remaining spellcasters joined in, and with their combined streams of fire, the rest of the worms were fried where they lay.

Replacements climbed to the top of the walls, tossing down their fallen brothers in order to create space. There would be a time to mourn later, but for now the dead were a nuisance. Checking his line to make sure that it was still effective, Shining Armor turned back towards the Forest. He had thought the worms were bad, but the flicker of lightning revealed to him that what they had faced was merely an opening volley.

A single figure stood close to the walls, cloaked and hooded in such a manner as to obscure their face. Behind it, in a straight line, stood one dozen others. Thirteen, he realized with a jolt. Thirteen figures were standing in that field, and all of them were looking at him. Slowly, without making any sudden movements, the figure drew forth a flag of white emblazoned with a star in red. And she spoke.

“I come with peace, to beg you heed. Depart, or else the Forest feed.”

Shining Armor waved down the spellcasters taking aim. “Not going to happen. Whatever it is you’re doing, cease immediately and surrender yourselves for questioning. This Forest is Celestia’s, and we’re taking it.”

The figure’s voice was grave. The hood rose, revealing the slightest hint of white and black stripes. “I assure you, it is not we who have unleashed the Everfree. None of my comrades or I have used magic to block your sky. But I tell you now, leave this place, or worms are not the worst you’ll face.”

Shining Armor’s horn lit, as did the horns of each spellcaster on the wall next to him. “Last chance, rebel. The combined might of Equestria is behind this wall, and I guarantee that you’ll run out of monsters long before we give up the fight. Or didn’t you hear that Celestia’s torching the Forest as we speak?”

The hooded figure’s eyes flashed a wicked yellow as a bolt of lightning in the exact same hue tore open the sky. “Three times I ask and done. Leave this place, Twilight Velvet’s son. We may not stop your army here, but we’ll take a toll you will find dear.”

There was nothing more to say. “Fire.” Shining Armor said, and a thousand points of light sped towards the hooded figure in every color of the rainbow. The hooded figure shrank in on herself, seeming to dwindle to nothing but shadow, before the bolts gouged a crater in the ground, spraying earth everywhere. The figure re-formed back amongst her peers, and Shining Armor noticed that her cloak was gone, revealing the zebra for who she really was.

Zecora’s hoof flickered with green light, which coiled and writhed obscenely, before she struck the ground sharply, causing a shockwave of brilliant green to rocket across the ground in all directions. Then, her twelve companions did likewise, waves of purple, black, blue and yellow ripping through the trees and hills but leaving them untouched. Shining Armor’s horn tingled. Whatever they had done, it was big.

There was no wait this time. With a gust of wind, black forms began to appear all around the spellcasters, whipping in the stiff breeze like they were cut from the fabric of the space between stars. Their bodies ended in four hooves, and were built like the most brutishly strong Earth ponies. But where the heads of the ponies should have been, there was instead a waist, and a torso similar to that of a Minotaur. They each had two long arms, axes of bone and clubs of rock clutched in foul grips. Their heads were squat and crude, flanked by two curling ram’s horns that were clearly hardened with use. And their eyes gleamed with smoldering fire. They were powerful, twisted, monstrosities without a doubt, and boded very ill tidings for Shining Armor’s wall. He could see more arriving by the second, an army of half-ponies that stretched into the distance on either direction. He could hear commands being shouted on the walls as the beings began to move forward at a leisurely trot.

“Hold until they’re in range, then fire at will!” Shining Armor roared. “Ballistae, I want you firing now!”

With a clank, the massive siege engines unloaded the spear-like shafts within them, sending them humming at the enemy ranks, which had broken into a canter. Some few missed, but the siege engineers knew their craft. Shining Armor saw many of the creatures falter, caught in their unnaturally twisted torsos by the massive points driven into them with vicious force. Those collapsed in on themselves, melting back into the shadows. But only a few hundred had fallen. Several thousand were charging now, in a full gallop, and the ballistae needed reloading.

“Archers and spellcasters, get ready!” he called. Crossbows were raised, horns flared defiantly. As soon as the shadows had made it into range, he gave the order. “Fire!”

The air was filled with the hum and hiss of bolts and spells, which tore into the charging army with a vengeance. Some fell, others faltered, but many ignored the stings entirely. Shining Armor caught a glance of the other shots from the Regulars out of his peripheral vision, several thousands of spellcasters firing indiscriminately into the mass of darkness before them.

“Shields and spears up!”

With a rattle, the implements were raised, locking into place at the top of the wall. What few oil-pots and heavy stones were available were snatched up, ready to be thrown at the enemy. The earth before the shadow-things rippled, arching up into sturdy ramps.

“Tighten ranks!”

The Guard huddled behind their shields, spears forming a pincushion. Shining Armor raised his own shield. As the first of the monsters arrived at the ramps, the Guard leaned back as one, holding back potential energy.

“Push!”

The wall of shields rushed forward, meeting the first rank of monsters in midair. The air was suddenly filled with the crashing of shields, the dull thuds of clubs hitting metal, the sounds of cracking bones, and the screams and roars of dying ponies and abominations. Shining Armor deftly blocked a swing from the club of one beast, thrust his spear into another, and blasted a hole clean through the first with his horn, leaving a gaping, smoky hole. He reared, catching it high in the chest with his hooves and sending it back over the wall before falling back into line with his comrades. The charge had faltered, and now came the grind.

It soon became repetitive, the pattern of block, thrust, and retreat, block, thrust, and retreat. Shining Armor’s arm began to tire and his shield began to waver, and he could sense to ponies nearest him doing the same. His horn lit up again, and a high-pitched whistle emanated from it. Without prompting, his rank folded their shields in, sliding to the right and back behind the shields of the next rank, who were considerably fresher. He took his place at the back of the line, breathing heavily and peering through the three ranks in front of him. It looked like the charge was beginning to turn in favor of his troops, and he smiled. If that was the best that they could throw at them, then the Ever Free had been severely overestimated.

He blew the whistle again, and the second rank slid backwards behind their comrades, who locked shields and pushed the monsters back. Of course, the occasional blow would land on an unfortunate Guard, but on the whole they acquitted themselves well, never letting a hole remain unfilled for long. The wounded and dead were dragged back if it could be afforded, to be tossed in a pile or handed off to a medic. The occasional spell was cast, frying the shadow-creatures or shocking them, and in a few cases even freezing them. But on the whole, it was simple drudgery, the routine, monotonous killing of Equestria’s enemies. There was nothing heroic being done here. Merely work that needed doing.

At last, the final creatures lay dead, without a single corpse to show for it. Casualties had been lighter than expected, and the defenders gave a defiant cheer, offering up defiant curses at the Forest ahead of them, exultant cries of their Legion’s prowess, and praises to Celestia. The banners of the Legions, which had been lowered before, were raised and flew proudly in the wind, snapping crisply. Shining Armor exhaled slowly, before turning his eyes to the Forest once more.

And he saw that they were not done yet.

“Spears back front! Next rank up! Lock shields and prepare to repel besiegers!” he shouted, indicating the Forest. The Guards turned as one, and immediately began scrambling to present a front in good order once more.

For out of the woods, charging in packs, were timberwolves. By the hundreds, by the thousands they came, growling and snarling as they scented pony flesh to rend and tear. And loping right alongside them were other things. Manticores, bears covered in armored scales where fur should have been, things that looked like serpents with four knife-like legs that were covered in spines, deer with massive, smooth-pointed horns and barbed tails of their own, even a few half-grown feral dragons.

And just as they broke cover and began running, the clouds opened up overhead, and it began to rain. Water poured from the sky, lightning flared and crashed, and dark shapes began to plummet from the sky. Shining Armor was almost hit by one, and he gave a wordless exclamation of horror as he realized what had almost crushed him.

The body of a Pegasus stared at him blankly, wings ripped from their sockets and a long gash in her throat. And then the wave of wild creatures hit the wall, and everything descended into chaos and confusion once more. The storm raged on, battle above and below the clouds, and from the Forest edge the army of the Ever Free stared in amazement at what Radiant Zenith’s apprentices had unleashed upon their foes.

One in particular, an Earth pony who had defected in the early days of the rebellion, gazed at Zecora with a mixture of awe and fear, watching as swirling runes and ancient sigils appeared all over her body. “There’s no way they can survive that.” he mumbled, as the cries and screams of dying soldiers reached his ears. “They’ll be ripped to shreds.”

Zecora turned to him, her expression grim. “The power of the Forest is broke in two, and we still have a job to do. Were my teacher here with me, they would not reach the Everfree. But I say this to you with no doubt, by tomorrow morn, it will run out. We cannot draw on much in day, here where Celestia still holds sway. When the sun is rising, and darkness goes, you soldiers will have to face your foes.”

“So, there’s no hope? Then why are we here?”

Zecora smiled, revealing pointed teeth. “Fret not, my dear soldier bold. This tale is still quite untold. Tonight we rule, and will make them pay. Half will die before light of day. And if they should last until the night?” She gestured, and with a rush, the ground in front of them burst. The skeletal form standing before them glowed with an icy blue light, rusty spear clutched in its cold grip. A single grave worm fell from its eye socket. She gave a low laugh. “Then their fallen comrades they shall fight.”

The soldier gaped at her, completely cowed. Necromancy. They could do necromancy, and there was sure to be bloodshed on a scale not seen since the ages after the Celestial Wars. Suddenly, he felt a thrill of fear run through his body. He gulped nervously at the calmly smiling witch before him, and gripped his halberd just a bit tighter. The zebra quite abruptly had become a lot more frightening.

Black Pawn to White Queen

Twilight stood at the head of the table, as was her right. Luna stood to one side, off in the shadows. Radiant Zenith sat at her left hoof, and Spike was at her right. Before her were the six Wielders of Harmony, garbed in adamantium plate and watching with great intent. Sparks in pink, orange, blue, red, and purple danced across the surface of the metal, and each one of Twilight’s allies’ faces was drawn, set, and determined. Each knew the risks involved, the chances they took by leaving their families behind to stand up against one of the most powerful forces ever assembled in Equestria. For the first time in each of their lives, they would join in battle against Equestria.

“You’ve all made your goodbyes, and made peace with yourselves. You are all willing and dedicated to join me in my cause against Celestia, all for your own, different reasons. You know the risks, and what’s at stake if we lose. Is that right?” Twilight asked. Her voice was hard and emotionless. She had put herself to the side, and let the leader in her step forward.

The group nodded, and Twilight looked at each in turn before continuing. “We are going to the edge of the Forest. We’re going to fight against Celestia and her Sunborn. We’ll be taking Applebloom back, and if we can all bring Celestia down, together, then we may be able to force a stop to this war once and for all. It’s been fairly bad for the Forest. Radiant Zenith has agreed to hold off on unleashing her power in the east until after we arrive, and Celestia’s army has already made considerable progress in the past day. Tomorrow morning, a massive army, located in Ponyville, will begin pressing south; though for the past several hours Radiant Zenith has been applying pressure to keep them on their hooves. Come tomorrow morning, however, Radiant Zenith will not be able to exercise her power outside of the Everfree Forest, and the army will begin their push. I suspect that their progress will be swift by force of numbers alone. We estimate that approximately eighty five percent of Celestia’s available forces have been deployed. So we must hurry. Are you ready?”

Twilight looked at each pony in turn. Fluttershy was first, mane pulled back in a bun and drawn out of her face. Her eyes glimmered with fear, Twilight could see that much, but her face was as rock, expression grim and angry. Her eyes crackled, and Twilight realized that she was on the verge of unleashing her Stare already.

Next was Rarity. She was a different sort entirely; calm and serene as she met Twilight’s gaze levelly. Her hair was loose, needing no restraint due to its short cut. Her face was an unreadable mask, but Twilight could tell by the set of her shoulders and agitated tail flicks that she inhabited a place of strange, tranquil rage. The Sunborn had dared to harm her sister, and she would not rest until the last of the offenders was ash.

Applejack refused to even hide her feelings. She was worried sick about her sister, but no force in heaven or on earth would stop her from getting her back. Twilight wasn’t even sure death would be a barrier to her. She wore her mane in a braid, laid back and coiled around her neck. Her tail was tied into its infamous knot, and she had somehow woven weights into it. Twilight had watched her test it on a small wooden table. The thing had shattered into a million pieces.

Pinkie Pie’s hair had gone flat, bound into a simple tail. Normally Twilight would have been worried by this. Flat mane meant that she wasn’t emotionally stable. But somehow, Twilight could sense that she wasn’t in that same place. No, Pinkie Pie was something Twilight had never seen her become before. She was focused. Entirely, utterly, without reservation or doubt. She had her eyes on a goal, and she would stop at nothing to achieve it. And that was more frightening than an unstable Pinkie Pie.

Rainbow Dash was last. Her mane, as per usual, was loose. She had somehow found red paint, and smeared it across her eyes, speckled it across her face, and wiped it across her mouth. From a distance, it looked startlingly like blood. Anypony seeing that face would surely hesitate before attacking. Rainbow wouldn’t give them a chance to recover. A mace dangled at her hip, and it looked like she knew how to use it. And her face…it was the worst of them all. It held a resigned weariness, the slightest hint of worry, and a cynical, experienced core. But Twilight thought she could see signs of something far more disturbing. Her wings were slightly raised, her breathing labored a bit, and her eyes almost shone with an unpleasant light. Rainbow Dash was excited. She was going to slaughter, and she wanted a taste of blood.

More or less satisfied that they were ready, Twilight nodded. “Luna will be manning the defenses at the castle, and Radiant Zenith will be coming along. Radiant Zenith is stronger in these lands, and Luna still needs time to recover fully. Spike is coming with us as well. Radiant Zenith wishes him to be by her side, and he has agreed to do so.”

The dragon nodded his assent. “I can do more good in other parts of the battlefield, keeping watch over you, Twilight. But I will be ready in case I am needed.” he rumbled. “And I’m restricting myself to the Regulars. I’ll not roast Applebloom by mistake.”

Twilight nodded. “Please, depart and wait for me in the study. I’ll be along shortly.” She watched as the ponies filed out, chattering amongst themselves. Spike stayed by her side, resolute in his devotion. Radiant Zenith, seeing that Twilight wished to speak with Luna privately, departed as well.

The Alicorn looked at her strangely. “Are you well, Twilight Sparkle?”

Twilight shook her head. “You’re planning something.” she said bluntly.

The Alicorn’s wings snapped open in shock. She opened her mouth to deny it, to defend her honor, but no words came out. Finally, she bowed her head in acknowledgement. “It is true.”

“Would you mind telling me what it is?” Twilight said icily. It wasn’t a request.

Luna’s voice was full of shame. “I cannot.”

“Bullshit.” Spike rumbled. “You’ve played us both already, Princess. We won’t be used again. What is it that you’re holding back? Tell us!”

Luna’s shout echoed strangely throughout the room. “I cannot!” Twilight and Spike took a step back. Her voice dropped once more. “It has been forbidden.”

“By who? Celestia?” Twilight asked. “We freed you from that!”

Luna shook her head miserably. “There are things in Creation more powerful than my sister or I, Twilight Sparkle. I cannot, else I risk my permanent destruction.”

That was a bit of news Twilight had not heard before. More powerful than the ones who had created…everything? More powerful than Luna, or Discord, or Celestia? It was troubling, to say the least.

“I’ll not be used, Luna. I’d die first.”

Luna laughed, a soft laugh halfway between a chuckle and a sob. “You won’t be taken by Celestia, Twilight. I’ll see to that. And I promise, you will have your revenge tonight. Oh, don’t deny it,” she said, noting the look of protest on the unicorn’s face. “I know that despite all your talk of peace, you want to lash out at Celestia. And I can promise that tonight, with my help, you’ll make her bleed.”

Luna’s horn lit up. “I promise, Twilight. I will not harm you, nor will I allow Celestia to make you hers again. My plans run with yours, not against them. And I have gifts for you, should you choose to accept them.”

Twilight weighed what had been said. Luna was planning something. Of course she was, she had to be. She hadn’t spoken to Twilight since she had come down from her meditation chambers this afternoon. That session must have revealed something to her. And it involved Twilight, playing her role. But she had no other recourse. Without Luna, she was finished. With no options remaining, she bowed her head.

“Fine,” she growled. “I will accept your gifts.”

Luna smiled. “The first is for your appearance.” Her horn flashed, and Twilight’s armor faded from white into a dusky gray. Whorls of black curled lazily through the armor, giving the impression of smoke. Two slits opened in the back, heavily armored in much the same manner as Pegasus armor was. Twilight gasped as she felt an all-too-familiar tingle in between her shoulder blades. A brief moment later, a set of wings erupted from her back.

They were not grey, like her first pair had been four years ago. They were black, a deep black that shone with undertones of purple. The feathers were sleek and shiny, precisely tipped and well-oiled. Twilight felt a set of slim, tapered wingblades materialize on their alula, and she snapped them forward reflexively. They cut through the air with a lethal hiss. And that was not all. As Twilight watched, a thin trail of smoke began to hover above them. Twilight realized that it would trail behind her when she flew.

“First impressions are important, Twilight Sparkle. Especially on the battlefield. Your friend Rainbow Dash knows that well. The more fearsome you appear, the more your enemies will fear you, and the harder your allies will fight. Obviously the wings are not permanent, they will last until tomorrow night’s moonrise, but they will be there. You will be a commanding presence on the battlefield, for sure and certain. Especially with the sort of creature Radiant Zenith commands at your back.”

Twilight had never brought that topic up with her mentor and advisor of these past years. “What exactly does she…command?” Twilight asked. “It sounds like she can do some pretty nasty stuff.”

A shadow fell across Luna’s face. “When I was Nightmare Moon, I fancied myself Queen of Darkness. I will never claim that title again, not while Radiant roams this earth. She has told you that this is a place of balance?”

Twilight nodded. “She keeps it that way on purpose.”

Luna grimaced. “What she does not tell you is that the Everfree forest balances all of Equestria. And my sister spent one thousand years filling every corner of the land that she could reach with light.”

Spike hissed. “And all of the dark has gathered here.”

The Alicorn nodded. “You have seen her Guardians of the Forest, correct? The not-ponies?”

“I have. They’re frightening in more ways than I can imagine. I’ve seen what they do to ponies that they catch.” Twilight said with a shudder.

“Those are her scavengers. They represent about the same threat as a blowfly or wasp, compared to some of what she has in debt to her.”

Icy fear gripped Twilight then. “But she doesn’t seem like that kind of pony. She’s so kind…”

“Make no mistake, Twilight Sparkle. She is not only their keeper, in some cases she acts as a jailor. Many of the foulest things in this Forest were put here by her. And she beat them in combat and keeps them in thrall. She is not some doddering mare. Radiant Zenith practices old magic, back when it still roamed unbound she bent it to her will as easily as you might turn the page of a book. Be glad she is on your side.” Luna stopped, seeing the looks on Twilight and Spike’s faces. “My apologies. She will not harm you, I know that much. Will you receive your second gift from me?”

It was nearly time. Twilight bowed her head. “Very well.”

Luna smiled reassuringly. “Pull out your crystal. I want to give you a gift.”

Twilight’s horn lit up, and the breastplate detached itself, revealing the gem socketed inside. It glowed with faint silver light; pulsing like it had a heartbeat of its own. Luna’s smile grew wider as she looked at it closely. A hum escaped her, unusually low and melodious, as her horn bent and touched the crystal in the breastplate. There was a rush of icy energy, the crackle of flame, and the crystal flared brightly before settling back into its normal rhythm.

Twilight reattached the breastplate, noticing that there was now a starburst, six pointed, right where her crystal was set. It pulsed just as the gem itself had, raised and glowing ever so slightly. As it settled back into place, Twilight noticed an icy feeling near her chest, one that tingled and refreshed her wonderfully. All of her previous weariness and mental fatigue seemed to vanish, and she realized as she straightened up that she had been holding her shoulders low to the ground.

“I’ve allowed your crystal to conduct both Breaking and Binding magic more effectively now. You had it done very well, but I’ve made a few alterations. Try channeling Breaking magic.”

Twilight did as she was told, reaching for her emotional center, selecting an equal amount of positive and negative emotion, and lighting her horn with it. She was surprised at how much easier it had become.

“Your skill in balancing emotion has improved. That silver light means you are in a state of emotional harmony. And your crystal is clearly your focus point, which is good. By channeling through yourself, you have unlocked much potential. Had you this much power four years ago, I would not have needed to give you mine. You have matured as a spellcaster.”

Twilight grudgingly bowed her head and mumbled her thanks. Luna continued. “I will watch over this castle while you are gone. If the worst should pass, I may be able to hold it against Celestia for a time. But I will not take to the field today. My power is not yet great enough to have any hope against my sister, especially with my Shadow gone. So I have placed a single spell in that crystal, one that will take you to the Mountain at sunrise. Right by the pool, actually.”

“Where is it? The Shadow, that is.” Twilight asked. “Should we be worried about it coming back?”

Luna shook her head. “Worry on one thing at a time, Twilight Sparkle. The Shadow is gone, far and away gone for now. I do not think it will return soon. But right now, your conflict is with Celestia. Focus on her, and carry the day.” She straightened up, and did something Twilight had seen her do only rarely. A wing fell gently across Twilight’s back, and Luna drew her in close, holding her tightly. “Know that, no matter what happens, I have been and always will be your friend, Twilight Sparkle. And it has been an honor.”

The unicorn stood frozen for a moment, stock still, before returning the embrace. “Ponies are going to die, aren’t they?” she asked. Luna only nodded. “It’s not fair.”

“No, Twilight. It isn’t fair. But it cannot always be fair, and you have borne more hardships than most. Come tomorrow morning, however, it will all be over. I promise.”

Twilight looked up at her, for one brief moment letting herself be that innocent young mare she had been once. “Can you promise that? That you won’t let Celestia have me, and it’ll be over tomorrow?”

Luna’s voice was serious. “I swear it on my Power, Celestia shall not have you for her own.”

Twilight, satisfied, broke away from the embrace. “Thank you, Luna. Without your help, I’d be dead right now. Sometimes I wish I had never known what Celestia had planned, but I realize how much better this is. We should be allowed to make our own choices.”

Spike rumbled in agreement. “And above all, we should be allowed to live freely, without fear. Because of your help, that’s a possibility. I’d have lost Twilight long ago if not for your assistance.”

Luna bowed her head slightly. “Without you two, my gestures would have been for naught. Your strength took a rebellion and forged it into something more. After this is done, an empire is waiting to be born anew in this place. And I look forward to building it with you, together.” Her wings flared. “Now, go. The sun rises soon, and I will not be able to hold in in check much longer.”

Twilight and Spike turned and left, the door shutting behind them and leaving Luna to her own devices. She watched the door close fondly, her smile both sad and wistful. That would be the last time she saw Twilight Sparkle, for all of her talk. The spell in the crystal would last until the critical moment, that much she knew. She only hoped that when the crystal was overloaded, Twilight’s death was quick. It should be, that much magical energy was impossible for anypony save a goddess to endure.

Spike leaned against Twilight reassuringly as they stood in the summoning circle, facing one another. Eight were leaving the Regia, the five Wielders, a dragon, the witch of the Forest, and the last Bearer. Twilight reached for the crystal with her mind, using some of its vast power to begin the transportation process. She reached for each pony in the circle with her. Teleportation had always been her specialty, and now that she had taken time to devote herself to magical study, she had truly become a master of the art.

First was Applejack, to her right. She felt the flame in her burning a steady orange, hot and angry, and wove it into the spell. With Applejack’s soul bound, the magic would ensure her body followed. The next was Fluttershy, a delicate pink flame that seemed to waver at the slightest provocation, but was surprisingly resilient. Then came Pinkie Pie in blue, and Rainbow Dash in red. Both had high-burning souls, leaping about and full of life. And then came Rarity, burning a beautiful purple.

Radiant Zenith was next, her soul a shimmering silver that Twilight realized mirrored the Breaking magic that she was using exactly. Fascinated, she took a closer look, and what she saw only served to pique her curiosity further. Radiant Zenith’s soul did not just possess magic, like her friends, it was magic, pure and unchained. Luna’s warnings echoed clear in her mind, and Twilight realized that her soul reflected the nature of how she used magic. It wasn’t just a tool for Radiant Zenith. The fact of the matter was that she was a part of magic, just as much as magic was a part of her.

And then came Spike, his soul burning the same shade as his fire, a brilliant green. Twilight saw love there, and a fierce desire to protect those he cared about. She saw him full of equal parts rage and calm, his being existing on a knife’s edge between the two. She felt him tense a bit beside her, but he soon relaxed, trusting her completely. Twilight smiled to herself as she gathered her friends close, and with a rush of wind, they disappeared from the Regia. Some of them for the very last time.

Sweetie Belle ducked behind the parapet as another wave of spells slammed into the stone, some of them soaring right through where her head would have been. The Lunar Guards beside her were fending off the Sunborn as well as they could, but their foes were simply too well-trained and protected. She felt a line of pain running down one side of her leg, and the now-familiar trickle of blood seeping from the wound. Scowling, she used her magic to repair the flesh wound, panting a bit with the exertion. As another wave of spells travelled overhead, she took a swig of water. The Sunborn had settled in outside of the walls, and were trading blows with the Guards, who were more magically skilled than they had anticipated. Several of them had fallen already, and for each casualty the Guards had inflicted, the Sunborn seemed determined to give two or three back. But she was doing no good here. As a wave of force and electricity sped forth from the walls, lighting up the sky, Sweetie Belle ran down the steps, taking them two at a time. Just in time, too. A massive bolt of force gouged a crater right where she was sitting.

It had been unnerving at first, seeing the massive army marching out of the burning woods in front of the Fort. She had personally seen the last of the refugees pass by in boats not half an hour before that. It had been terrifying when the first shots had been fired, and the screams of dying fighters filled the air. Fully one-half of the Lunar Reserves were here, along with about one quarter of the Lunar Guard. They were elite fighters, the best of the best. But Celestia’s super-soldiers were chewing through them with alarming speed. The majority of the weapons had been sent north, to combat the Legions gathering in Ponyville. Worst of all, Celestia herself was watching from the edge of the battlefield, waiting for the inevitable sally forth from the Fort, where she could pick them off.

They were losing, and badly. Sweetie Belle knew that much. But there was nothing that could be done about that. She sprinted across the courtyard, to the rallying area by the main gate. There, a crowd of ponies had gathered, milling about and organizing themselves into companies. She had been lucky. Scootaloo and herself had been placed into the same group, called the Irregulars, both as a joke and a descriptor. The Irregulars were a motley group of fighters, their weapons ranging from hammers to spears to flails. Sweetie Belle saw one with a trident, a pony she knew only as Brick. Why a none-too-bright Earth pony had become a fisher she would never know, but he definitely knew how to use it. “You seen Scootaloo?” she asked him. He gave a little smile, nodded, and pointed to a nearby stack of barrels.

Scootaloo was busy wrapping her hooves before putting the horseshoes on. Spying Sweetie Belle, she gave a small smile before fastening the first one into place. “How is it up there?” she asked, wincing as the weight dragged on her hoof a little. She gave an experimental punch to make sure that it still worked well.

“They’re tearing us to pieces. We’ll get the order to move soon.” Sweetie Belle replied. “If you like, I can enchant that so it’s a bit lighter.”

Scootaloo fastened the second one. “Nah, I’m used to it. Save your magic for yourself. Spellcasters get tired easily in battle. You’ll need that.” With one smooth movement, she slammed her back half into two more horseshoes, giving her kicks added power. She buzzed her wings, rising into the air a bit. “Are you ready?”

Sweetie Belle nodded. “I am.” She was. The fear she had felt at the beginning of the battle, what had felt like a lifetime ago, was gone now. It had disappeared when she saw Applebloom directing soldiers along the line. That had settled it for her. Her friend wasn’t just a grunt, she hadn’t been forced into anything. She was leading the Sunborn, and she liked it. Sweetie Belle’s fear had vanished then, and she knew without a doubt that she was perfectly capable of killing. If Applebloom tried to hurt her or Scootaloo, she’d be doing her best to defend herself. Her hoof drifted to the jambiyah. Sweetie Belle would use it, if she had to.

A burly stallion at the head of the assembled ponies blew a horn, the brassy sound echoing off of the walls of Fort Dauntless. “Listen up!” he called. “We’re waiting on a signal. You’ll know it when you see it, so be ready! No matter what happens once you get out there, remember that your enemies are the Regulars and those other freaks!”

There was a cheer from the assembled ponies, and Sweetie Belle joined in, more to give herself confidence than anything else.

“The Regia just contacted us, and they said they’re sending reinforcements that’ll help us turn the tide here! So do well, keep moving, and we’ll see you back here soon! Silent Shield is currently engaged in the second line of defense up north, but he sends his best regards, and knows you’ll make him proud!”

The cheer came again, more of a roar. Sweetie Belle’s horn twinged, and she felt something powerful and magical building in the air. Lightning flickered through the clear night sky above them, without the sound of thunder to accompany it. The gates began to rumble open, and as the tide of fighters began to stream out of the gate, Sweetie Belle saw a bolt of arcane energy slam into the ground in front of the Fort. Before she was borne away by the tide of ponies, she caught a sight of massive wings, and recognized that Spike was crouching on the ground ahead.

A shriek came from the air above her, and Sweetie Belle saw eight others, just like Spike but in different colors, plummeting from the sky. Twilight Sparkle was here. And she had brought Radiant Zenith, which meant that her sister and the other Wielders were there as well. Hope filled her heart as she charged forward, making it through the gate as another volley of magic shot overhead, arcing forwards as they thundered towards the enemy lines.

The Regulars and Sunborn surged forwards as well, as Celestia lifted off from her vantage point near the edge of the woods, trailing golden fire behind her. Spike leapt into the air, Twilight and her friends vanished from view, and Sweetie Belle forced herself to focus on the charging ranks in front of her. The lines drew close, everything seemed to slow down, and Sweetie Belle drew two of her daggers with a snarl.

Then the lines closed, and everypony started to try and kill one another.

A Black Sacrifice

There is nothing on the face of the planet more terrifying than fighting a dragon. There is a reason anypony brave or foolish enough to take one on and win has been immortalized through song and story, and why nearly every good epic tale features a dragon in some capacity. Sometimes they are portrayed as benevolent creatures, dispensing great wisdom and perhaps even magical aid in the form of some amulet or trinket. Other times they are shrewd hoarders, engaging in games of chance or riddle contests with heroes who attempt to steal from their mounds of gold and jewels. And sometimes, they are skinwalkers, traveling the land in search of new and interesting ponies, in the form of beautiful mares or handsome stallions. Children borne by these, always raised by their other parent, often go on to do great things in such tales. But all agree. The wrath of a dragon is terrible to behold. They are cunning and patient, avaricious and cruel, arrogant and terrible. But they do not need to be any of those things to destroy their enemies; they have no need of steel or spell to win the day.

No, the anger of a dragon dawns in fire. And in fire, so did nine dragons lay waste to the field.

Sweetie Belle charged forward, daggers sweeping under the low guard of an unfortunate legionnaire and neatly hamstringing him as she sidestepped his spear thrust. Scootaloo was right behind, driving a hoof forward into the skull of another, who dropped bonelessly to the ground. She flapped her wings once, arching in a textbook example of a backflip over the spear thrust of another before she landed on her back hooves, crouching low and spinning, and extending one out. It caught him in the back of the knee, causing him to lose his balance and collapse while she calmly broke his spear, flipping the point forward and causing him to impale himself neatly through the chest.

Sweetie Belle wove sideways past another spear, thrust by another Regular, trapping the haft between her foreleg and body as she reared up, applying pressure to the wooden pole and snapping it with ease. Her dagger entered the back of his skull neatly, coming out stained a dark red as he stumbled and fell. She saw a duo of legionnaires working together to impale an unlucky unicorn who had lost her own weapon, a simple staff tipped on each end with two sharp blades, which was tangled in a net . She attempted to turn and flee, in order to free up space for her to use her horn, but before she could go more than a few steps one lucky lunge caught her in the belly. Brick, the Earth pony, roared in displeasure and rammed the trident he was holding through them both before twisting it cruelly and pulling back sharply, leaving a gaping hole through which the entrails of the soldiers could be seen.

Before he could do much more, however, a Regular charge broke through the tentative line they had established, and he was forced to retreat, the unicorn mare slung over his back as he fended the soldiers off skillfully. Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo charged the line, several others following them as they covered Brick’s retreat. The giant roared, hurling his weapon through the air as he left the conflict, hauling the gravely wounded unicorn to safety.

A gust of fire spun overhead, annihilating a nearby formation of Regulars where they stood. Sweetie Belle charged through the fire, summiting the ridge where they had once stood, and looked out over the battlefield as Scootaloo and several other Irregulars arrived behind her. One, a Pegasus, calmly began firing into the massed ranks in front of her with a crossbow, causing pony after pony to crumple silently. The Regulars began to retreat, blowing horns as they did so.

“They’re on the run!” Scootaloo shouted exuberantly. “Can you believe it, Sweetie Belle? Bucking dragons out of nowhere! Nine including Spike! And we’ve got them on the run!”

What appeared to be a red comet arced out of the sky, and it slammed into the hilltop beside them, revealing the slightly worse for the wear body of Rainbow Dash, who was crouching on all four hooves and wincing in pain. Her eyes widened when she realized that everypony on the hilltop was pointing a weapon at her, and she dropped her mace with a clatter.

“Sorry! Sorry!” she yelled. “I’m not used to using my Element like this. I’ve come to talk to Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo!”

A boulder soared gracefully through the air, heading straight for them. Rainbow Dash turned, and with a grunt, the aura of red surrounding her lashed out, grabbing the hunk of stone and hurling it back in the direction it had come from. She turned back to the group, her eyes falling on the two Crusaders. “Listen up and listen good. Twilight, Rarity, Applejack, Fluttershy, and Pinkie Pie are currently herding the majority of the Regulars back towards the river.” She indicated the black shimmering band in the distance, and the fierce fighting occurring in that area. Flashes of prismatic light erupted near that area, and Celestia was trading blows with a small figure, one who was throwing bolts of shimmering silver.

“ Well, all except for Twilight. Three dragons, Spike, and herself have engaged Celestia. But she needs the rest of us.” Rainbow Dash said. “I can’t stay long. Applejack wants you two to try and recover her sister, so she can free herself up. Once you have her, we can break off from the fighting and help Twilight bring Celestia to heel. We saw her as Twilight brought us in, she’s back towards the camp. She might listen to you, at least for long enough to knock her out or something. Get her subdued, and we’ll take care of Celestia. This group you have here, what are they called?”

“Irregulars.” Scootaloo said. “They’re the Irregulars.”

Rainbow Dash smirked. “Nice name. I like it. You’re kicking some major flank out there. You hit the Regulars like a freaking freight train, don’t let up when you reach the bottom of the hill.”

Scootaloo nodded. “Got it.”

Rainbow Dash spread her wings, ready to take off. “Good mare. Keep it up, we’ve got Celestia on the ropes here! If you can get Applebloom, the rest of the Sunborn aren’t your problem. Get back to the Fort, hold out there until we wrap this up. Radiant Zenith has been maintaining the defenses and marshaling some sort of big magic near the Fort. So be ready for that. And Scootaloo?”

The orange Pegasus’s voice was guarded. “Yes?”

Rainbow Dash’s expression softened. “I’m proud of you. You’re a better mare than I ever was, I can tell you that. When we’re done here, I want to talk to you, got it?”

Scootaloo straightened up, her eyes shining. “Got it. See you on the flip side.”

The Wielder of Loyalty nodded before grabbing her mace, and with one smooth motion, her wings snapped downward, propelling her into the sky.

Scootaloo turned to her friend. “You see where the Sunborn are?”

Sweetie Belle nodded, looking over the field in front of them. One group hadn’t run, and stood firm on the flat stretch they occupied, not even fazed by the fire and carnage surrounding them. One of the dragons, a handsome drake with scales like midnight, soared too close to the Sunborn. As one, every spellcaster unleashed a bolt of force, forming a broadside so powerful as to cause the dragon to peel off, shrieking in displeasure. “There!” she called. “Applebloom’s there!”

The Irregulars thundered down the hill, the rest of the army behind them as they began their final approach to one of the most dangerous groups of ponies in existence. Sweetie Belle shook blood off of her daggers, holding them in front of her. The wall of obdurate gold in front of them seemed unforgiving, unyielding. The shields towered above her as she charged across the flatlands, and gleamed forebodingly in the light of dragonfire. But she saw several of the monstrosities Celestia had created lying still on the ground. They could be beaten. They weren’t gods, they were just soldiers. And as the Irregulars slammed into the wall of armor presented to them, Sweetie Belle vaulting over the line with a dagger in each hoof, discovered one more truth about them.

Just like regular soldiers, they could bleed.

Twilight blinked away from Celestia’s counterstrike quickly, her mind moving faster than it ever had before. She swooped in close, her smoky black wings buffeting her teacher’s fiery white as she discharged a bolt of Breaking Magic directly into Celestia’s face. The Alicorn grunted in displeasure, catching Twilight high in the jaw with one hoof, sending her spiraling downward. Celestia followed her, pressing close as she did so, but before she could finalize her assault another of the dragons caught her in the side, sending her wide of her target.

The young unicorn used the distraction to recover, pumping her wings wildly as she struggled to regain altitude. She had refused to stay on the ground when she had arrived, forcing Celestia to be extremely careful with her attacks. Anything too powerful and she risked knocking Twilight unconscious. At this height, a fall would be fatal. And the dragons would ensure that she would not catch her student in time to clear the battlefield with her.

With a scream that was equal parts effort and rage, Twilight accessed one of the spells in the crystal, causing the air around Celestia to become extremely dense. The Alicorn, scrambling to regain altitude, plummeted in much the same manner as her student had before she realized what had happened. Celestia’s horn glowed, and the air around her superheated, rising once more and behaving as air ought to. She whirled just in time to catch a dragon that had been plummeting to strike her like a bird of prey, a needle-thin beam of energy emanating from her horn, striating the air as it played across the hide of the dragon. Twilight watched in horror as lines of dark, almost black blood began to appear. The dragon stopped pumping its wings, separating into several pieces before hitting the ground below with terrible violence.

Spike burst out of a nearby column of smoke, and managed to catch Celestia by surprise, biting and raking at her as they both plummeted towards the ground. With a neat kick, he propelled Celestia into the ground just as he pulled up, his mouth steaming slightly as he tasted the blood of a goddess for the first time in his life. The two remaining dragons inhaled at the same time, bathing the ground around Celestia with flame so hot the rock beneath the incinerated plant matter began to melt and warp. Twilight added her own silver fire to the mix, easily as hot as the fire of the drakes. Spike kept up the pressure as well, his characteristic greenish flame rippling through the inferno. For nearly a minute the stream of fire continued without end, blasting a crater meters thick into the stone and causing anypony who was even close to burst into flame. When the fire abated, Twilight looked through the smoke, and was astonished to see that her onetime teacher was not only back on her hooves, but she was only slightly singed.

Her voice carried like a shout, but was in the same calm tones Twilight had always heard her use. “I am She Who Moves The Sun, The Glorious Noon. Fire is my realm. You’ll have to do a lot better than spellfire and dragonflame to hurt me.”

With that, she pumped her wings once, soaring into the air. Her mane, a deep red, began to turn gold. “The sun rises soon, and when it does it will all be over, Twilight.” One of the dragons dove on her, but her horn flashed, and with a bright flash and a sound like thunder, it simply vanished, leaving behind the smell of burnt flesh and some eye-stinging smoke.

“Not even close, Celestia. The Elements have all been Broken, we’re routing your army, and it’s only a matter of time before my friends help me bring you to your knees. And this time, it’ll be you kneeling before me.” Twilight replied.

“We’ll see.”

The two blurred together, spells flashing thick and fast between them as they dove, twisted, and blinked in and out of existence, each looking for the upper hoof. Twilight fought with ferocity and skill, her spells ingenious and applied with devastating effect. Had anypony else challenged her in such a manner, they would have been killed within seconds.

But Celestia was stronger, faster, tougher, and had millennia of experience on her side. Twilight’s blows landed like feathers, her shields tore like tissue paper, and each maneuver was like watching her swim through molasses to the goddess. Had Celestia been trying to kill her student, it would have only taken a minor application of will.

Twilight felt strange. Her vision began to flicker and flash, showing her two or three possibilities at once. She felt as if she was made of quicksilver, and the blows Celestia landed on her, while painful, were not as bad as they should have been. Twilight began to fight through the pain, her vision crystalizing as her coat crackled with electricity and her horn began to work faster than it ever had before. Whatever was happening, Twilight Sparkle had begun to hold her own.

And then Celestia stopped toying with her.

It was a combination of three blows. One hit Twilight squarely in the front, propelling her towards the ground below. The dragons dove towards Celestia as a pair as the second blow landed, coming from behind Twilight, cushioning her fall even as it severed her wings. And the third and final blow knocked her off of her hooves entirely, sending Twilight Sparkle’s barely conscious body tumbling through the air before she crumpled in a heap.

Another spell seized Spike and his accomplice, driving them viciously into the ground and breaking the neck of the smaller, female dragon as Celestia sped down into the crater Twilight occupied, groaning as she attempted to reassert herself. The unicorn blinked her eyes blearily, trying to stop her vision from spinning as her teacher calmly walked closer and closer. Her horn sparked once, twice, and with a supreme effort of will, Twilight managed to do something she had never done before.
An arcane construct appeared before her, shimmering silver in the darkness. It was a simple crescent, curved like the blade of a scimitar, with two delicate flanges protruding from the rear. Twilight swung it wildly, and Celestia backed up just in the nick of time. The magical blade hissed as it swung through the air, and embedded itself in the nearby bedrock as easily as it might have cut through soft cheese. Celestia eyed the implement warily as Twilight regained her hooves once more.

“I may not be able to fly anymore, but I can guarantee that if you get close enough to hit me with a stunner spell, I’ll be able to take your head off with this.” Twilight said, holding it in front of her in a classic “guard” position. The crystal in her chestplate flickered as she drew more strength from it. Her limbs stopped shaking, her head stopped pounding, and the unicorn stood up just a bit straighter.

Celestia sighed, her horn lighting as well. “I suppose you leave me no choice, Twilight. I have tried to do this without hurting you, but you have proven time and again to be resistant to what mercy I offer you.” With a flash, Celestia’s own blade appeared. It was slimmer and longer than Twilight’s, more of a bastard sword to her cutlass. “I will try and leave you with as few personal injuries as possible. I’m going to have you eventually; I may as well keep you in some comfort.”

“Bitch.” Twilight spat. “Come and get me.”

The two charged at one another, and the sound of thunder filled the battlefield as their magical blades rang and crashed, dueling between their two armies.

Sweetie Belle realized why the Sunborn were so difficult to fight. It wasn’t that they were any more difficult to hit than any well-trained soldier, or that they possessed mystical powers. The fact of the matter was that they were big, strong, faster than was readily apparent, and tough. They could take two or three hits that would normally kill a pony, so long as it wasn’t something along the lines of severing their heads entirely. Sweetie ducked under the swing of one of the armored titans, feeling the breeze his shield made as it passed over her. She left one knife in him, limiting his movement, and the other felt its way into his carotid artery. Blood speckled her coat, but the giant still refused to go down.

Their blows felt like being hit with a length of granite, and their eyes were frightening to say the least. Pure gold through and through, Sweetie Belle got the feeling that they were far from blind. In fact, she was sure that their vision had been enhanced. She danced around the frenzied swings of that same pony, drawing a third knife as she moved in close for the kill. The last knife was rammed into his eye, and the gold-plated juggernaut finally dropped as she pulled the previous two from his corpse. She had started off the fight with six daggers including her jambiyah, but had lost two since the Irregulars had charged this position. She supposed she should be grateful that her sister and the other Wielders were keeping the Regulars corralled along with the Guard and Reservists. There was quite enough to be done with the Sunborn.

Scootaloo gave a shout of pain and rage nearby as one of Celestia’s chosen managed to graze her flank with a spear. A hoof upside his head sent the offender staggering, and an uppercut propelled by her wings collapsed his jaw entirely, blood tainting the pristine gold of his eyes as he crumpled. Scootaloo turned to face Sweetie Belle, her eyes widening as she indicated somepony standing right behind her.

Sweetie Belle hit the dirt, feeling the breeze from a mace or hammer swinging through where her head had once been. She rolled away as the implement swung downwards, leaving a crater in the dirt an inch thick. A swift kick to the underside of her assailant bought her enough breathing room to unsheathe a dagger and stagger to her hooves.

Scootaloo vaulted her, hooves extended as she soared through the air, catching the pony directly in the helm and causing it to stagger back . With a growl, the bulky mare hefted her mace again, swinging it in a circle above her head as she charged Scootaloo. The orange Pegasus rolled to the side instinctively as Sweetie Belle threw the dagger, which twirled lazily through the air exactly once before entering the eyeslit of the Sunborn’s helm point-first.

A chill ran through Sweetie Belle as she realized what it was she might have done. “Scootaloo!” she called. “Take her helm off Check!”

Scootaloo paled when she realized what it was that they might have done, and scrambled to remove the pony’s helm, hooves scrabbling at the catches. One strap came off, then the other, as Sweetie Belle scrambled over. A sort of hollow had been formed in the fighting around them, but it wouldn’t last long, so they needed to hurry. If they had killed her…

“Oh, thank Luna. It’s not Applebloom, Sweetie Belle. It’s a unicorn.” Scootaloo said, her voice heavy with relief.

Sweetie Belle sighed, her shoulders slumping. Scootaloo looked up, her eyes widening once again. “Sweetie Belle!”

A terrific weight landed in between Sweetie’s shoulder blades, driving her to the ground and sending the dagger, freshly drawn from the eye of the Sunborn, flying from her hoof. Scootaloo’s hoof flashed out, and Sweetie Belle felt the weight disappear from her shoulders. Staggering drunkenly, she managed to rise just long enough to get into a defensive position before a blur of gold was right on top of her, knocking her sideways again. Scootaloo drove the Sunborn back in a flurry of blows, each one striking at an unarmored spot on its body.

Sweetie Belle drew her last dagger, keeping the jambiyah in reserve. The Pegasus and Sunborn broke apart, and Sweetie Belle was finally able to get a look at the pony that had attacked them.

The view lasted only a moment, though, as Applebloom picked up a fallen spear and readied herself for combat.

“Bloom!” Sweetie Belle cried. “Stop! We don’t want to hurt you!”

Applebloom’s golden gaze fell upon the unicorn, and a bloodthirsty smile spread across her face. “Guess that makes my job easier, then.” she said calmly, and without further hesitation, she charged her best friend.

Twilight’s blade flashed once, twice, forcing Celestia to give ground. She fought ferociously, not giving an inch as she hammered at Celestia’s defenses again and again, sometimes even driving her teacher to her knees. She had managed to summon a shield as well, and as Celestia’s counterattack landed, she swung it into place. Sparks flew in all colors of the rainbow as the unyielding power of that barrier managed to turn Celestia’s magical blade away from her. Twilight struck inward, swinging the sword from her shield side in a massive horizontal swipe that almost managed to open a line on her teacher’s chest. With a flick, the point of the crescent buzzed forward in a thrust that aimed straight for Celestia’s heart.

The golden blade managed to just barely turn her thrust, and Celestia countered with a series of quick jabs that served to give Twilight cause to begin circling her teacher in order to avoid giving her the opening she needed. A bolt of lightning crackled from Celestia’s horn, throwing up dust and debris in front of Twilight. The unicorn huddled behind her shield, turning it up to catch the inevitable downward swing. The blow landed, driving Twilight down to the ground as Celestia rained down blow after blow on Twilight’s rapidly weakening defenses.

Twilight’s desperate swing missed Celestia by the smallest of margins, but the ensuing pause was enough to give Twilight the opening she needed to get back up. Rushing forward with her shield in front, Twilight managed to slam the barrier into Celestia just as her next swing came forward. Celestia backpedaled, almost stumbling, before taking to the air. The advantage it gave her in height soon became apparent.

Celestia stabbed down with her blade, hoping to lame Twilight enough to finish the fight. The blade was barely turned by Twilight’s own magical weapon, and her retaliatory swing fell far short. Celestia swung again, the blow landing squarely on Twilight’s shield. The barrier shimmered weakly, Twilight’s renewed strength fading fast. She could hear her friends screaming her name as they charged away from the perimeter they were enforcing, hoping to rescue her, but it was too little, too late. The next blow caused the shield to flicker, and the next caused it to wink out for a full second. Twilight managed to reestablish it, but Celestia’s final blow was as much mental as physical. The unicorn sank to her knees for a third time, utterly beaten.

“Twilight Sparkle. Yield.” Celestia said, her blade leveled at the unicorn’s throat.

Spike hit her with the wrath of a thousand suns.

The dragon was a blur of snarling teeth and flashing claws, fire dribbling from his jaws as he buffeted Celestia with his wings, slashed at her with his claws, and spat an inferno that burned a brilliant, emerald green. His first blow drove her into the ground, his second broke an upturned foreleg, and his third landed squarely across her ribs, causing the monarch to scream in pain.

Spike ignored the spells bouncing off of his hide, or in some cases drilling into him, tearing at Celestia with his teeth, growling and snarling all the while. Celestia’s armor was mangled, her calm shattered as she fought to get clear of Spike’s unbridled fury, causing him to swell in size alarmingly. A bolt of molten metal caught him in one eye, and Spike’s screech of pain echoed throughout the battlefield, louder than the rest of the combatants combined. The fresh hole, weeping smoke, served only to enrage Spike further.

Celestia’s next attack caught him in the throat, cutting his screech short. Spike’s lifeblood spilled into the hard ground, and he retreated, standing over Twilight protectively. The unicorn could only watch in horror as Celestia rose into the air, and her horn sparked with magic. Spike’s mighty legs trembled with effort, and as he tried to roar his defiance one more time, his blood, hotter than boiling water, spattered Twilight, soaking her in gore.

And then, Celestia’s last blow pierced his chest, and Spike collapsed.

His eye, fluttering shut, fixed on Twilight one last time, blood spilling from his body in earnest now. Twilight’s eyes welled up with tears as a great calm settled on the dragon, and the green windows to Spike’s soul closed for the final time. And Twilight lay on the scorched earth, covered in the life of her best and first friend, and wept.

Red Pieces, Black Magic

Cadance shivered, looking out over the city below from her quarters in Canterlot’s palace. The wind had become unnaturally chilly in the past hours, enough so that ponies had all but abandoned clearing rubble from the streets and had instead chosen to shelter in whatever homes were still standing nearby. The wind howled malevolently as it whipped through the spires of the city, but that was not what had made her shiver. That wasn’t it at all.

Cadance had become acclimatized to her power by degrees, noticing greater and greater refinement of her abilities as the day spun into night and the sun san down below the horizon. She could still feel everything, and could still focus on individual ponies. While she couldn’t access minds, she could experience the emotions that they were feeling. And she had spent much of her time focusing on Twilight Sparkle. She had attempted to access her mind, to force a surrender from her, but the little unicorn was protected behind thick mental barriers, ones that could only be gained by years of intense practice. So, she was limited to riding along with her opposite number, and attempting to put her emotional state into some kind of frame of reference.

Just then, she had noticed an abrupt shift in moods from her sister-in-law. Before, she had been angry, yes. She had also been frightened, exhausted in body and mind, and perhaps she was even a bit saddened, deep down, by what she was doing to her teacher. And Cadance knew that she was fighting Celestia. She could feel the power of their blows even though they were far over the horizon. Twilight’s emotions had shifted and changed, as the tide of battle ebbed and flowed. She had almost regained some of her confidence for a brief moment, clearly gaining a temporary advantage, but that had quickly ebbed. Then came a spike of terror, followed by a burning, passionate hate.

Her latest shift, though, had been the most frightening. Her rage had suddenly been inundated with grief, so powerful that it actually made Cadance’s heart ache in sympathy. The fires of her wrath had blazed higher and higher still, until, with a sudden wrench, the feeling had shifted entirely. If she were forced to describe it, the Dawn Alicorn would have used the analogy of fire suddenly turning into ice, sucking the warmth out of the surrounding air in the same way it would have emanated from the flames. Twilight Sparkle was feeling something Cadance had never encountered before, something raw, and powerful, and unpredictable. It was beyond anger, beyond rage. It was…

“Hatred is such an interesting emotion, don’t you think?” a mocking voice came from behind her. “So powerful, and yet so… self-destructive.”

Cadance whirled, her horn lighting up as she faced the one who had spoken. “Who goes there? This section of the Castle has been sealed!”

The voice chuckled, echoing from all directions. “My goodness, Celly finally did it. She actually managed to get you onto your hooves, and she might actually manage to finally breed that whelp Twilight Sparkle.” It spoke again, this time directly in her ear. “Dear old Celestia might actually win, and that means the game would be over.” Cadance spun to face where it had come from, directly over the open air by the balcony. The voice spoke again, from behind her. “We can’t have that, now can we?”

The blow that whistled through the air knocked Cadance off of the balcony, causing her so much pain that her wings refused to flap. She landed on a terrace fifty feet below with an earth-shattering crack. Her vision swam with spots in different colors as starbursts exploded in front of her eyes, causing her to blink blearily. Through the haze, she could see a sinuous shape crawling down the side of the tower like a lizard, tail flicking back and forth like that of a cat. It grinned, and in that grin Cadance could see one long, jagged fang, gleaming dully in the light of the city.

Discord unlatched from the side of the tower, floating lazily over to the Princess against the breeze. His grin was wide and hungry like a crocodile’s. “Cadance, dear, I don’t believe we’ve met. I’m a dear old friend of your Aunt’s, and I’ve just come back to town. You can call me…”

“Discord.” Cadance whispered, rising shakily to her hooves. “How did you escape your prison without alerting Celestia?”

The draconeqqus grimaced. “I’d prefer it if you called me ‘Uncle Discord’, but we can work on that later. And as to how I escaped?” his grin returned, wider than ever and full of madness. “With so much Chaos filling every corner of Equestria and the Elements Unbound, how could I stay away? Really, I was just awaiting the opportune moment, and here you little ponies have handed it to me on a silver platter.”

The wind picked up again, even louder than before, and colder. Even Cadance noticed the chill through her coat. It seemed to creep into everything, and she could actually feel ice forming on the nearby buildings. She shivered, and Discord’s smug expression only grew.

“Feeling a bit chilly, Cadance? When was the last time you had contact with anypony up north? They’re feeling a lot colder now. If they’re still feeling anything, of course.”

Cadance felt anger boiling deep in her chest as she realized that she could no longer sense anything up north save for a few flickering points of light, guttering like candles in an arctic gale. “What have you done, Discord?” she demanded, her horn lighting up.

“What have I done? Nothing at all!” he laughed, floating on his back and gazing up at the stars. “It’s more a question of what you’ve done. Twilight kicked off this wonderful celebration of disorder and strife last night with some fireworks, and Celestia went right ahead and obliged her with a dance. The Forest is gorging itself on Equestria’s finest soldiers right now, and it looks like the festivities are well underway. But you’re missing something.”

His claw shot out, grabbing Cadance roughly by the throat faster than she could blink, his talons just barely breaking the skin of her neck as he began to squeeze slowly. “Dear Cadance, you forgot guests. So I went and brought them.”

Discord rammed her into the marble side of the castle as he leaned in close, close enough Cadance could smell his rancid breath, like foulest carrion, blowing into her face. “And you’ll be the one entertaining them, dear. I won’t be able to stay, I’ve got to get up north for a bit.” His other hand, the lion’s paw, lovingly traced the scar on her cheek, lingering near her eye as he debated on whether or not to take it. “So sorry to dine and dash, but you know how it is. Lots to do, and so very little time in which to do it.”

His eyes lit up malevolently as he pulled the feebly struggling Alicorn in. “Now, give us a kiss, dear.” Cadance twisted her head, trying to get away, but her caught her fast and their lips met, his loathsome snake’s tongue forcing its way into her mouth, filling it with the taste of carbon and writhing obscenely. It seemed to last for an age before he withdrew the offending appendage and dropped the panting, violated Alicorn onto the ground roughly. His smirk made her sick to her stomach. “Seemed like you were starting to enjoy that. Whatever would Shining Armor think?”

Cadance felt her fear vanish, replaced in an instant by white-hot fury. A bolt of magic spat from her horn, hissing as it crackled through the air, but the draconeqqus was too fast. His tail whipped around, stinging her on the nose and causing her to blink, and when she was finally able to see clearly, he was gone, vanished into the night.

And then, the alarm bells of Canterlot began to ring. The wind picked up again, and Cadance realized that it wasn’t the breeze making that peculiar howling noise. It was coming from a massive bank of black clouds, roiling violently in the night sky as if they were ready to burst forth with rage at any moment. Cadance looked more closely, and her heart nearly stopped when she realized what it was that was approaching Canterlot.

Windigos. Thousands, tens of thousands. And they were all headed straight for her.

Sweetie Belle dodged Applebloom’s spear thrust neatly, ready to land a strike on her friend’s unprotected neck. She was cut short, however, when Applebloom spun the haft around and struck her squarely across the ribs with it, causing them to groan in warning. They weren’t cracked, not quite, but it had been close. Silently she thanked Rarity for making her wear the armor, as it had caught much of the blow. Backing up, she tried to get away from Applebloom, who pressed her close.

The Earth pony’s head snapped around, and she left her attack on Sweetie Belle to fend off a countering move from Scootaloo, who had found Brick’s trident. The Pegasus thrust downward, hoping to lame Applebloom, but she was brought up short when Applebloom thrust the spear haft, missing its head, in between two of the tines. The struggle was brief, but titanic. Scootaloo twisted the deadly weapon in her hooves, and Applebloom’s spear snapped. The Sunborn growled as she raised a length in each hoof, backing away from Scootaloo.

Sweetie Belle’s hoof reached for a knife, only to find that she had lost her last dagger. It was down to her and the jambiyah. Silently, she drew the long blade, holding it lightly in one hoof. Applebloom’s eyes widened slightly upon seeing the blade, and Sweetie Belle knew that Applebloom was acutely aware of the significance of her drawing it now.

“Planning to kill me, Sweetie?” she asked, twirling the two staves of wood in both hooves. Sweetie Belle was very suddenly reminded of her practice sessions with Glimmer, and how she had won last time. Sure enough, Applebloom presented her front, and Sweetie Belle felt her hoof twitch, ready to throw the dagger and end her once and for all. But something stopped her, and before she could think better of herself, Applebloom had closed the opening.

“Please, Bloom. We don’t want to hurt you.”

“All evidence to the contrary, traitor.” Applebloom said, indicating the knife. “Scootaloo seemed a mite eager to do it.”

The orange Pegasus hefted her three-pointed spear. “Only when you tried to hurt Sweetie Belle.”

The three Crusaders circled, their orbits drawing in tighter. Scootaloo jabbed at Applebloom with her trident, the Sunborn knocking the halfhearted attempts aside contemptuously. Sweetie Belle flipped her dagger from an overhand grip into an underhand, holding the blade close. If she could get in close enough to Applebloom, they might be able to disable her. If she hamstrung her, the unicorn medics would be able to repair the damaged muscle one they got her back to the Fort. It wasn’t far. The conflict had pushed them back to the plains right below the rise they had charged down earlier.

Sweetie Belle spoke, her voice cracking for the first time in years. “Please, Applebloom. This isn’t like you. We’re your friends, we don’t want to fight you. All we want is to keep you safe.”

Applebloom’s expression flickered, doubt crossing her face for a moment as she considered Sweetie Belle’s words. Something like pity warred with another, alien emotion on the mare’s face before the impassive mask slammed back into place. “If you were my friends, you’d be on the right side. You ain’t friends of mine. You’re Ever Free, the scum who destroyed my home to save your own sorry hides years ago. You ain’t even ponies anymore. You’re traitors.”

“I guess that’s it, then.” Scootaloo said, her voice resigned.

“I guess it is.” Applebloom replied.

Sweetie Belle could feel the tension rising in the air, it wouldn’t be long now. Applebloom’s staves rose, her shoulders rising again.

“For what it’s worth,” Scootaloo said, readying her trident. “I’m sorry for what I did to the orchard. I did what I had to do to survive.”

Applebloom’s face contorted. “Die, heretic!” she snarled, and she charged straight at Scootaloo, driving her back as she slipped inside of the Pegasus’s guard. The stave battered at her once, twice, before Scootaloo dropped the trident and swung out with her horseshoes, catching the edge of Applebloom’s shoulder with one of her powerful blows. Applebloom rolled with the punch, using her momentum to spin, facing Sweetie Belle. Her front hooves came down, back end coiling like a spring right before she bucked Scootaloo squarely in the chest.

Sweetie Belle heard ribs cracking even as she charged, and some of the blood Scootaloo spat up sprayed across her face, speckling her grimy white coat with bright red. Applebloom dropped out of the classic “bucker” stance, rolling to the side as Sweetie Belle’s jambiyah came down, pommel first, where her head would have been.

Applebloom rolled to her hooves, skidding a bit as pebbled flew from the furrows her hooves dug in the earth. A new weapon was in her hooves. Sweetie Belle rolled to the side as the quarrel from the crossbow buzzed through where her left eye would have been. Applebloom dropped the crossbow as Sweetie Belle charged her, scooping up a hoof full of dirt and throwing it into the young unicorn’s eyes, blinding her. Sweetie Belle felt rather than saw Scootaloo leap over her as she cleared the grit from her eyes.

Scootaloo’s hooves were a blur, as she landed a one-two combo on Applebloom’s body before flipping over the back of the Sunborn, her rear hoof kicking up, past her face, and then slamming down in between Applebloom’s shoulder blades. Scootaloo wasn’t pulling her punches anymore, and Applebloom was starting to feel her injuries. Scootaloo’s next punch, a wicked right hook, caught Applebloom in the jaw, and a few teeth flew from her jaw as Applebloom’s head snapped back.

But then she rallied, and came after Scootaloo with a vengeance. Ignoring the hammer strikes Scootaloo was raining on her back with her hooves, she picked up the Pegasus bodily, slamming her into the ground mercilessly once, and then twice, before throwing her into the dirt. Applebloom wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth, licking it off of her hoof as she approached the gravely injured Pegasus.

Sweetie Belle cleared her eyes in time to see Applebloom plant a vicious kick into Scootaloo’s already-broken ribs, causing the Pegasus to cough up still more blood, curling into a ball. The Sunborn kicked her again, and again, rearing up to slam her front hooves down into Scootaloo’s unprotected belly as Sweetie Belle tackled her from behind. The jambiyah was lost, and she had no weapon. But Sweetie Belle was past weapons.

Her teeth latched onto Applebloom’s ear, and as the latter screamed in pain, she yanked her head back, tasting the coppery tang of blood. Applebloom’s hooves scrabbled at Sweetie Belle’s back as she spat the ear out, ramming her head into the base of Applebloom’s skull. The soldier’s hooves caught on one of the leather straps, and Sweetie Belle was hurled through the air, hitting the dirt at the base of the hill she had just charged down hard. Applebloom’s face was ugly as she approached the unicorn mare, who attempted to rise. Her leg crumpled, the newly healed bone unable to maintain its integrity any longer, and she hissed in pain.

Applebloom picked up a spear, this one with a head. Twirling it once, she stalked toward Sweetie Belle, blood streaking down her face. One eye was swollen shut, and she walked with a limp in her step. Soon, she stood over her onetime friend, looking down at her with contempt.

“You bitch.” she snarled, “You were supposed to be on my side in all of this. I knew Scootaloo had turned traitor, but I thought you were smarter than that.”

Sweetie Belle coughed weakly, her throat suddenly dry. “You…you’re on the wrong side. Not us, you.”

Applebloom smacked Sweetie Belle in the face with the butt of the spear, snapping her head to one side. “How dare you?!?” she cried. “The Ever Free attacked my home, hurt my family’s livelihood, they almost burnt down half of Ponyville, and you have the nerve to say to my face that my side is wrong? I wouldn’t be here right now if it weren’t for Whitetail. Damn near killed my family.”

Sweetie Belle laughed, knowing that she likely had moments left. “Look around you, Applebloom. The Forest was burning long before the dragons showed up. And I know you were part of the group that set Trottingham on fire this afternoon. We may be bad, but you’re far, far worse.”

Applebloom’s face darkened. “I ain’t got nothin’ more to say to you.” She lifted the spear, ready to drive it down into Sweetie’s gut.

A wave of panic washed over the unicorn as the spear came down. “Applebloom, I’m preg-“

Twilight stared numbly at the dragon in front of her, the lifeless shell that had once held Spike. It couldn’t be. He was hurt. He was badly hurt, but he wasn’t dead. He couldn’t be dead. He was a constant, a dependable friend and a brother, something like the child she had never had. Spike was still alive, he had to be alive, her number one assistant couldn’t have died for her…

“Spike, get up.” she whispered. “Please, get up. You’re scaring me, please, Spike… I need you. Help me, Spike, don’t die…”

Celestia landed, walking toward her student with an air of detached calm. “I am sorry, Twilight. But this had to end. I regret his death, but the time has come for you to cease struggling and come with me.”

Twilight heard the words from very, very far away as her mind turned in on itself. Celestia’s words echoed in her head, but Twilight was no longer paying attention to them. In fact, she was no longer standing on the same battlefield. Her body stayed, but her mind had fled.

Instead, Twilight found herself standing on the precipice of her psyche, looking down at a very familiar sight. Below her, the ocean of Breaking magic surged and boiled, frothing with rage as cold spray clawed at her face and soaked her coat, tasting of salty tears. Twilight regarded this vast reservoir of dark energy with eyes that were completely dry and a heart that was now far colder than anything she had ever encountered before, even that icy black abyss.

Here was magic enough to destroy her enemy, but she knew that she could not wield it all. She was just one conduit, after all. Celestia was powerful, far more powerful than she could ever hope to be on her own. There was no way she could use it all, but maybe, just maybe, it could wield her, instead of the other way around. Twilight closed her eyes, and jumped off of that cliff, claimed by the icy ocean of hatred.

And when she opened her eyes, Twilight Sparkle had gone quite mad.

Her prone form, still steaming with the blood of the dragon she had loved more than anything in this world save Tarantella, rose from the earth, her broken and cracked bones snapping back into place while crackling and popping like twigs, while her eyes remained tightly shut. Celestia’s horn lit up, and a dome of golden energy appeared as she prepared for a counterattack from her student.

Twilight opened her eyes, and they were black through and through, just like the magic that had enveloped her horn. The crystal in her chestplate pulsed like a second heartbeat, and tendrils of shadow crept through her armor as she drew on the icy energy of hatred, letting it flow like quicksilver through her entire being, caressing her like a lover as she thought of all the pain Celestia had caused her, her lost life, her false love, the years of hardship, the betrayal of those closest to her, her years of sacrifice and paranoia…and Spike. All this and more flowed through her like dark water, coalescing at the tip of her horn.

The ribbon of shadow that escaped from her horn took Celestia high in the chest, shattering her barrier like sugar glass before driving her a full meter into the dirt, leaving a crater that actually smoked from the friction. Before Celestia could recover, Twilight let loose with a torrent of black energy that ate away at the ground around Celestia, tearing at her flesh and bone with all the force of a howling, gale force wind. The monarch of the Sun barely managed to struggle to her hooves in the face of this energy before Twilight bore her to the ground again, pinning her to the earth with the sheer force of her wrath.

“Twilight!” Rainbow Dash called, red aura sparking as she tried to fly closer to her friend. “Calm down, you’re out of control!”

Another tendril of shadow snaked out, grabbing at all five of her friends before hurling them through the air like toys tossed by her will. They barely managed to steady their falls, landing near the Fort unharmed. Twilight’s rage was all-consuming, her hatred implacable, but she felt herself in complete control of her actions, and her friends were not the target. She inhabited a strange place of tranquil fury, raining down blow after ruinous blow on Celestia as she became aware of the fact that she was screaming wordlessly, an endless howl of pain and rage and sorrow.

The crystal in her chestplate began to spark as its grey began to separate, coalescing into white and black along the near-invisible flaw Luna had introduced. More and more magic began to flow through it as Twilight pushed herself to the limit. Clouds began to form in the sky, trailing in from the direction of Canterlot as Twilight felt frost rime her coat and horn. A blue, glowing shape was sucked through her horn, efficiently stripped of its energy and tossed aside without consequence. Twilight Sparkle did it again, and again, consuming hundreds of lifetimes worth of hatred. The crystal flared, cracked.

Twilight’s eyes widened as she felt something go very, very wrong.

The crystal shattered into a hundred pieces, fifty black and fifty white, as all of its energy was directed forward. The crystals, in turn, were blown backward, and Twilight Sparkle collapsed on the battlefield, riddled with holes. Snow began to fall from the sky, and as the sun rose, Twilight’s final expression of rage spiraled across the battlefield towards the river, eating through friend and foe alike as it dug a furrow hundreds of meters deep.

Water began to rush in as the river itself began to fill in the expanding crater, consuming all in its path as a new lake was formed. Through dimming vision, Twilight could see Celestia take to the sky, wings smoking as she searched for Twilight. She dove, but it was far too late. Water rushed towards Twilight, and she felt herself moving forward to reach it. Snow whipped around her face as she felt herself falling, and as her eyes fluttered closed, Twilight Sparkle saw one last thing.

A six pointed star, gleaming in pink and gold. She reached for it, and as her heart failed her, Twilight Sparkle allowed herself to embrace her Element.

Endgame

Sweetie Belle flinched, feeling something warm and wet hit her face as she cringed. Her wounds throbbed in agony, but the stabbing, searing pain that she had expected had not come. But she did not know why. Hesitantly, she opened one of her eyes. She wished she hadn’t. The world in front of her had been transformed into orange and red and shimmering steel. Another drop of something warm landed on her upturned face, and she knew where it had come from.

Scootaloo stood over her protectively, her face contorted in pain as she faced Applebloom, her wings spread over Sweetie Belle like an umbrella, hooves planted squarely in the dirt. The spear was inside of her body, at least eight inches of steel and wood transfixing the Pegasus, who seemed to be feeling a strange mixture of surprise, pain, and defiance. Her eyes traveled down the wooden length, into the strangely neat and puckered flesh around her wound, weeping bright blood, before her eyes moved back to her killer. Scootaloo’s face changed, a resigned calm spreading over her that looked totally out of place. Her hoof found the shaft, and tugged on it weakly, thrusting more of it inside before she collapsed, taking the weapon with her.

Applebloom’s face was unusual. Blood wept from the jagged stump of her ear, her teeth were chipped and missing, and one of her eyes was slowly swelling. The Sunborn looked at Scootaloo as if she was trying to process the information in front of her, like a difficult math problem, before lines of horror began to appear on her face. Her golden eyes widened as she backed away from Scootaloo’s fallen body, up the hill, and her eyes met Sweetie Belle’s.

Sweetie Belle felt a cold breeze wash over her, and was not at all surprised to see snow falling from the sky. The wind seemed to sink into her very core, and she found the hot throbbing of her injuries seemed to fade away, along with the rage that had seemed to be consuming her after seeing Scootaloo’s corpse. It was all so very clear to her what she needed to do. She rose on shaky hooves, pulling a knife from the ground and flipping it from one hoof to the other. Some distant part of her was surprised to see that it was her jambiyah.

Mahtaram’s voice sounded in her head. “The jambiyah is a tool of retribution. Use it wisely.”

Well, there was no time like the present for retribution. She picked up some of the broken spear haft in her other hoof. Applebloom’s face struggled between her training and the remorse she felt as Sweetie Belle closed in, her steady walk speeding into a quick bit of footwork that carried her in close. The wood struck Applebloom in the jaw with a crack, spinning her around. The shaft then swung backwards, catching Applebloom in the temple and causing her to crumple.

Applebloom snarled, her training reasserting itself, and picked up a sword, swinging it at Sweetie Belle. She dodged it with ease. She felt like Chrysalis, utterly devoid of passion, or mercy. The shaft was dropped, Sweetie Belle struck Applebloom in the cheek with the back of her broken hoof. The sound of breaking bones could be heard, from which pony it was impossible to tell. Applebloom thrust with the short blade, but Sweetie Belle caught her hoof, bringing all of her weight onto it as she rested the appendage over her shoulder. Applebloom’s foreleg gave way with a crack.

“You don’t deserve to live.” Sweetie Belle said calmly, punctuating the last word with a flick of the dagger, leaving a line across Applebloom’s face. “You have taken everything from me.” Flick. Blood streamed from Applebloom’s ruined leg in a long gash, right along the artery. A kick caught Applebloom under the chin as she tried to rush forward down the hill.

Sweetie Belle flipped the jambiyah, the pommel catching Applebloom between the eyes and causing her to sink down. The Earth pony’s eyes crossed, and Sweetie Belle sat on Applebloom’s chest, hearing ribs creak and groan. She could hear screaming from somewhere behind her, and the coldness in her chest grew. She straddled her friend, who could only moan in pain.

“You’ve taken Scootaloo.” Another neat series of cuts unbound the armor from Applebloom’s body, causing the breastplate to fall away. Sweetie Belle’s horn lit up, and in a display of uncharacteristic magical strength, she hurled it down the hill. Applebloom’s chest heaved in panic and agony as Sweetie Belle gazed into her eyes.

“You’ve taken Night Light.” The knife cut ever so gently across Applebloom’s throat, just enough to break the skin.

Applebloom’s expression was panicked as she realized how helpless she was, and Sweetie Belle was struck by how similar she looked to the Pegasus that had first taken a knife to her, Autumn Sunset. Her weight shifted, and Applebloom’s panting became gasping as she began to lose her ability to take in air, pinned by Sweetie’s weight.

“And had that spear taken me, you would have killed my child.” Venom crept into Sweetie Belle’s voice at that, and the blood in her veins pumped faster as she neared the final moment. An explosion sounded in the distance, followed by the cries of many ponies, but Sweetie Belle paid them no mind. Applebloom’s eyes met her own, and though the golden orbs were unable to express much, Sweetie Belle caught an expression she was familiar with. Applebloom was begging, either for her own sorry life or…maybe for forgiveness, for redemption.

Sweetie Belle raised the dagger above her head in both hooves. “So. For my friend, and for my lover, and for my child, I hope this hurts. And one more thing. This is for me, too.” The dagger swept down, sinking into Applebloom’s heart with a wet thud. Applebloom’s eyes welled up with tears, blood spraying from her mouth, as Sweetie Belle twisted the knife. The tears spread, and before long, Applebloom’s jerking, shuddering body had relaxed.

Sweetie Belle felt tired, so very tired, as she dropped the knife with shaking, numb hooves. She felt wet spray hit the back of her neck as her shoulders slumped, and the last thought before the water took her, before she was driven down into icy blackness, was that although she had won, her enemies were the only ones who no longer felt any pain. She relaxed as she was swept into oblivion, and though the water was the cold of a river in midwinter, it could not compare to the coldness in her heart.

Cadance stood her ground, feeling the panic of the citizens below her as they noticed what was circling above their heads. Waves of terror washed over her, and the Windigos screamed in rage as the blizzard spiraled above Canterlot. The circle tightened, becoming more violent, and Cadance realized that the fear and uncertainty of the ponies below was actually feeding the weather. Already she could see snow piling up in drifts, ice dangling from balconies. Were she not a goddess in her own right, Cadance would likely have begun to suffer from hypothermia. As it was, she could actually see new Windigos being born, as ponies with anger in their hearts shed their mortal bodies and chose to rise with the herd above. Ponies were dying, Celestia was not here to protect them, and if she didn’t do something, there would be no Canterlot left to defend.

So she spread her wings, horn shimmering with teal light, and soared into the sky.

Immediately, the Windigos took notice of her. With a shriek, a small group of them separated from the pack, trailing snow and sleet behind them as they charged her. Cadance fired off a bolt of magic, driving them back as she hovered over the city. Drawing on the power she wielded, she summoned flame, and lots of it. It filled the sky, red and orange that turned the sky into an inferno, driving back the storm as the lost souls within in screamed in impotent fury. But the effort was too extreme for the newly christened goddess, and after a scant minute, she could no longer maintain the curtain of fire.

But her display had given the ponies below her a brief respite, and she had found more than that in their souls. She had found something that gave her strength, and it was with renewed determination that Princess Mi Amore di Cadenza Allegretta, daughter of the great Windigo fighters of the north, faced her enemy. And with the hope of all of Canterlot lending her strength, the Alicorn faced the spinning storm.

Fire spat from her horn, and it spread into a curtain of crackling flame that leapt and twisted and spat, striking down Windigo after Windigo as it roared with a voice of its own, countering the Windigos’ shrieking, which seemed to steal the very breath from the lungs of all who heard it, with a deep rumbling that thrilled the veins and invigorated the spirit. The inferno was easily the size of Canterlot itself, a massive cone of fire that punched a hole through the crashing storm.

The cloud spiraled around the conflagration, Windigos screaming in pain, fear, and rage as the fire ate at their hides. But no matter how hot the fire burned, the ghostly forms remained, driven back, but only just. Ponies in the streets below began to notice this, and as the hope in them faded, so too did Cadance’s flame. The wind came back, stronger than ever in that absence of hope, and Cadance began to feel weariness and apathy overcome her as she spread her wings in a last gesture of defiance, protecting her city.

Her heart swelled with sadness as she felt frost take her coat as well, but her head remained unbowed as she continued to try her utmost to fight, to drive back these vile creatures and prevent them from taking Canterlot as they had the north of Equestria. Her horn spat, her heart filled with rage, and she screamed defiantly into the storm as she felt her body rime over with ice entirely.

But just as the storm took her, she realized what it was she was doing wrong.

Windigos relied on fear and anger to survive, that was all they had known in life. Here, where she had been fighting them , she had made her stand. But what if that wasn’t the key to beating them after all? The city was full of so much anger and fear and despair that this storm was raging harder than ever before. But perhaps, instead of seeking to annihilate her foe, she should be trying something else. Anger and violence had created these beings, it was food for them. Perhaps…perhaps the opposite would be enough to dispel them.

Her heart fluttered nervously as she turned inward, wings pumping steadily as she began to direct magic in a way she had never thought of before. Growing up, she had always thought of her emotional magic as something to be used as regular magic, pushed out to help ponies. But here, in the middle of the whirling tornado of hate and bitterness, she did something she had never done.

Seizing hold of that emotion, and opening her heart wide, she began to direct it inside of her. Her eyes fixed on a Windigo, galloping full force towards her, rushing fearfully at her and leaping into the air with a scream before disappearing into her chest, right where her heart beat faithfully.

Cadance screamed in agony as the full force of this pony’s bitter life overwhelmed her. Her mind was suddenly filled with images that were not her own. Images of a hard life in the north, of toiling beneath an ancient castle for rulers that did not appreciate the bounteous harvest being given to them. Her hooves scrabbled at dirt as her Earth pony magic thrummed monotonously. A winter came, passed, came again, and stayed. Her family, two foals and a faithful wife, shriveled and died, though she gave as much as she could to them, going hungry so they would not, and always sending food to the castle. Perhaps the Pegasi would move the clouds soon, it had to be soon…And then it had never happened. That pony had died with bitterness in their heart, full of grief and misplaced rage, not of starvation but of a broken neck. The stallion had tried to kill his neighbors for food. He had lost that struggle, just as he had lost the struggle to keep his family alive.

Cadance felt millennia of bitterness and rage, more than fifty lifetimes of hatred, welling up and threatening to overwhelm her. Reaching deep within herself, she relieved the spirit of its burden. Her heart, laden with cold though it was, managed to find forgiveness for the spirit of that poor stallion, and as she opened her eyes, she saw the Windigo vanish, turning white as it did so. She smiled and readied herself again. It might take everything she had, in fact she was sure of it. Were she to survive the night, she would never be the same.

Another hit, one of a hundred thousand, and Cadance groaned in pain as another lifetime of sorrow washed over her. Her horn flickered, but she stayed strong. The love she possessed would have to be enough. She shared as much of herself as she could, and felt the hateful spirit disappear, released from its chains to the earth. As she took in more and more, the tide of rage and sorrow and hate threatening to overwhelm her, she felt the cold creep into her limbs. First in ones, then in threes and five and dozens, each Windigo turned into her, and Cadance took their anger and replaced it with the same gentle love she felt for all those beneath her.

And as the ponies of Canterlot watched her, and understood what she was doing, they responded in kind. Cadance felt their love pour out of them, filling the streets and rising to her like a hot desert wind, driving the chill from her bones. And she smiled, and called more to her. She could sense each and every Windigo, all across Equestria, turn towards Canterlot. They were without number, as many as snowflakes in a storm. But with the love of those beneath her, and enough confidence and magical skill, she might yet save Equestria. She smiled, not noticing her coat turn a frosty white.

And the storm raged on, as Hatred met Love. From the bitter cold of night, the sun began to rise. Dawn was claiming her land.

The water of the lake gleamed in the sunrise, its surface oddly peaceful. It had not been, scant minutes ago, but those unfortunates caught in its middle had long since drowned, weighed down by their armor and weapons. In a day or so, they would come to the top again, swollen and bloated. They could be collected then. But that didn’t stop what remained of Twilight Sparkle’s army from wading into the murky, frigid water, and dragging out those bodies they could.

Among them were the Wielders, and though they had found over a hundred dead, Equestrian and Ever Free alike, they still had not found the bodies of those ponies they were looking for. But the sun was rising, and they had duties to perform . It would not be long now before they were forced to abandon the search, and return to the Regia. Celestia’s army in the North was on the march, and the First Line couldn’t hold them, even with flash powder.

Applejack was beside herself with grief, searching with no pretense for her sister, her every action desperate. The water beside her erupted, a large sphere rising into the air in which a few limp shapes floated. The water parted, dumping them onto the ground, and the rest of the water was released back into the lake. They were not her sister, they were the bodies of two Regulars and a one winged Pegasus with no armor. She repeated the process over and over again, but was unable to find more bodies. Snorting in frustration, she moved down the line.

Rainbow Dash circled overhead, sweeping the edges of the lake for the injured and dead before suspending them with her magic and returning them to the Fort. No matter which side the ponies had fought on, they were treated there. But she still had not luck finding them. The three that mattered most. The Crusaders.

There wasn’t much point to looking for Twilight. All of them knew that. Twilight had died creating this lake, her body in the deepest part. The explosion would have obliterated her completely, anyway. Rainbow still remembered the feeling of that shockwave, pressing her to the ground like a giant hand descending from the heavens. The cloud of rubble had expanded into the air, looking for all the world like a giant mushroom, before the water had rushed in to claim the crater. And it had taken both armies with it. In a way, Twilight had buried herself, and taken two armies as an honor guard into the afterlife.

Fluttershy was back at the Fort, treating the wounded as best she could, her magic seeming to find each spot that needed attention and heal it, faster and more completely than even the best unicorn medics. She was working herself hard, knowing her limits and pushing them without exceeding them. But there were already so many to help, and more that she could do nothing to other than gently sooth them into sleep to wait for the inevitable.

And Pinkie Pie and Rarity were walking along the water’s edge, peering into the depths as their magic swept over the surface of the lake, fishing out bodies where they could find them. Pinkie was remarkably intuitive, and she plucked fallen soldiers from the water with impressive dexterity and speed, laying them gently on the shoreline. But it was not a task she enjoyed, and she found herself thinking that it was like a macabre, never-ending game of bobbing for apples, but the prizes only made her sad and she knew she couldn’t stop yet, because they had loved ones to find.

But it was Rarity, worried Rarity, who made the horrible discovery. Scootaloo bobbed gently in the shallows of the lake, the spear gone but the hole still very much apparent. Focusing gently, she lifted the young Pegasus out of the lake, sending up a flare as she did so. Pinkie arrived first, followed by Rainbow Dash and Applejack nearly simultaneously. Though it was unusual, the Pegasus’s eyes were closed. It looked almost like she had fallen asleep.

“Oh, Scoots…” Rainbow Dash moaned. “Not now, kid. I never got to…”

Rarity bowed her head silently. “The others will be nearby.”

Pinkie nodded. “I can feel it. They were together when she died.”

Applejack’s magic spread wide, and with a grunt of effort, she dragged forth a limp pile of armor and fur. Rolling it over, she gave a little yelp, as if she had cut herself. The assembled ponies looked on solemnly as Applejack draped herself over the wet form of her sister, who lay terribly still, and began to sob. There was nothing more to say, all that was left was for Sweetie Belle to be found.

And find her they did. Rarity averted her eyes, stinging with tears of her own, as Sweetie Belle was dragged out of the shallows by Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash and laid out next to Applebloom, her jambiyah still clutched in her right hoof. Sweetie’s face was calm and impassive, her features still and cold. Together, the four friends bowed their heads over the bodies, and wept.

“She doesn’t need the dagger anymore.” Rarity said, her voice quavering. “Take that horrid thing away. Toss it in the lake.”

Rainbow Dash nodded, approaching Sweetie Belle’s still form. Wrapping her hoof around the dagger, she tried to pull it from the unicorn’s grasp, but was unable to do so. Frowning, she tugged harder. It still wouldn’t budge. Finally, with a yank, she managed to rip the jambiyah from Sweetie Belle’s hoof.

Her efforts were rewarded, however, when Sweetie Belle coughed up water.

“She’s alive!” Rarity cried.

Rainbow Dash sprang into action, dropping the dagger and seizing Sweetie Belle in her magic as she soared towards the fort. Sweetie Belle could still be saved, but her wounds were serious. There wasn’t much time, but there was hope there. Sweetie Belle was alive. And right now, that was what was important. Time enough to grieve later, but now was the time for action. The dead were best left dead.

The first thing was pain. Such pain that she screamed, the sound echoing off of high mountains and through quiet fields. Tightness, compression, a core of steel around which there was nothing but pain. Needles of glass dug into her, burning on the inside in a hundred different places. She screamed and screamed as her back dug into the soft earth, filling the air with soft clay as she let lose all of the agony within her.

But even that, after a time, subsided, and she could no longer take refuge in pain. Gradually, over an eternity, she began to remember herself. Drawing in her life, her experiences, slowly but surely Twilight Sparkle was brought back to herself. It took a lot of effort, but she was finally able to manage the strength to open her eyes.

The earth below her was covered in grass as far as the eye could see, stretching out onto an infinite plain. Behind her was a forest, dark and dim. Her eyes were just able to discern the far-off shadow of mountains, from which there gleamed a most curious and enticing light, one that was both welcoming and elusive. Twilight felt herself rise on shaky hooves, like a foal might, but before she could set off towards the distance, she felt a gentle hoof on her shoulder. She turned to see who it was, and her eyes flew wide in shock.

“Hello, Twilight.” Morning Star said, his tone jovial. “I know you may not think so, but it really is good to see you.”

Twilight began to breathe heavily, taking him in. Morning Star was just how she remembered him, tall and handsome, red hair falling messily down his back as his eyes laughed at some hidden joke. His expression was one of cheerful recognition, and his stance and tone were completely non-threatening. Twilight felt herself tense up involuntarily, and she got ready to bolt for the mountains.

“Relax, Twilight. You’re still very new to this, so I’ve been kept here as a guide. It’s not time for you to take that journey.” he said, voice jovial. “At least, not yet.”

“Goodness, you really did hurt her, didn’t you?” another familiar voice said. “She looks like she’s either about to run as fast as she can, or try and kill you again!”

A young unicorn mare stepped out of the forest, tossing her blonde mane. Her step was lively, and the Talent Mark on her flank was familiar as well. Twilight knew it like she knew her own. After all, she had branded Cadance with the same Mark, a five-pointed star wreathed in flame. Golden Radiance smiled at her benignly.

“Hello, Twilight. You’ve met part of me before. I’m Golden Radiance. The real one.”

Twilight calmed down, drawing air in through her nose and pushing it through her mouth. “It’s a pleasure to meet you finally.”

Golden Radiance stepped forward, standing beside Morning Star. “We’re here to guide you, Twilight. Somepony very important needs to speak with you urgently.”

Twilight’s brow furrowed. “But I’m…I mean, aren’t I…”

“Dead?” Golden Radiance asked. “Yes, I’m afraid you are.”

Morning Star nodded solemnly. “Which is a shame. We’ve all been watching, and I have to admit by the end I was rooting for you.”

“But if I’m dead, then shouldn’t I be moving on?”

Morning Star shook his head. “You aren’t ready for that journey yet. Besides, it’s not like death is an irreversible thing.”

Twilight gave a short, barking laugh. “I don’t know, it seemed pretty permanent when you were involved.”

Golden Radiance cut in smoothly. “What he means is that death is like…well, it’s like dusk. It’s a state of being, not a destination. A journey. And while dusk is supposed to lead to night, it’s not impossible to step back into daylight.”

“Just difficult.” Morning Star said. “For important things only. But between your raw magical power, Luna’s spell, the charge in the crystal, and being bathed in dragon’s blood, you’ve got a lot of energy stockpiled. And believe me when I say that you are well worth the effort, Twilight.”

Golden Radiance nodded in agreement. “Which is why we were held to meet you. You are pivotal in the struggle between Chaos and Order, more so than you could have ever known alive. This was the only way to speak to you.”

A jolt of realization hit Twilight. “That’s why Luna put a flaw in the crystal.”

“That’s right.” Morning Star said. “Subtle and effective. A work of art the way she did that. She and Celestia came to the same conclusion together after she was released from Canterlot. But they went about it different ways. Celestia wanted your child. Luna wanted you.”

“For what?” Twilight asked. “I’m the pawn again, and I don’t have a clue what game we’re playing anymore.”

Golden Radiance began walking towards the forest, Twilight and Morning Star in tow. “It’s the greatest game, Twilight. The rules change, the board is never the same, and the stakes are higher than ever.” Her eyes, deep brown, met Twilight’s own. “You’re playing to not only balance Creation…”

“You’re playing to preserve it.” Morning Star said. “You’re the last piece in Creation, and we need you. So no, you can’t die yet. You’re needed Twilight Sparkle. Right now, you’re more important than your war, or Equestria, or Cadance. You’re more important than Luna and Celestia. Which is why we’re taking you to meet a special somepony.”

“Who?” Twilight asked. “Who can just bring me back like that?”

Golden Radiance smiled. “She’s called Aether, Twilight. But she likes to be called Mother.”

Before the Game

The forest road was quiet and still, kept in a sort of perpetual twilight by the thick foliage overhead. Twilight was reminded of many different walks under canopies that she had taken on her journey, from her first foray into the Everfree with her friends nearly two decades ago to her adventure with Morning Star that had cemented her supposed love for him to the many, many walks she had taken through the Everfree with Golden Radiance, or Radiant Zenith, or Tara as she had considered different facets of her duties in the Ever Free. As she recalled these moments, she noticed that the trees began to take on different qualities.

The massive monarchs of the woods were normally gray, but to her they appeared to gain color and texture depending on what she was thinking of. A snowy walk with Tarantella during one winter caused phantom drifts of white powder to pile up around their skeletal remains, whereas the smell of fruit began to spill from the trees when she recalled a sunny day at the Apple farm, where she had met Honey Crisp for the first time.

Golden Radiance smiled as fiery tones rippled through the trees overhead, a reflection of the first Running of The Leaves that Twilight Sparkle had ever run. “This place is not immutable, as I see you’ve figured out. The Aether responds to your thoughts and consciousness in the form of physical changes. Your memories help to strengthen the fabric of this place as you change it. At the beginning of time, before lives were created and destroyed, there was nothing here, not even mist. But as life passed through this place, so too did experiences.”

“Everything you see here is the product of life and death working together to create things. The Aether is very much a product of balance.” Morning Star added. “As more ponies and Gryphons and Minotaurs pass through, this land becomes more and more defined and expanded. As you get closer to the center, those experiences run together into the biggest layer of them all. Like an onion, but each layer inside is bigger than the one on the outside.”

Twilight furrowed her brow. “I thought that the Aether was a goddess. But this place is also called the Aether?”

Golden Radiance shook her head. “No, Twilight. The Aether is both goddess and realm. She is tied to this place as much as it is tied to her. It is an extension of her self, but she can also be seen as an archetype, the expression of this realm.”

“From here, Mother’s essence runs out through the afterlife into the primal seas of Creation, spilling out into the world. All of the worlds.” Morning Star added.

Golden Radiance shot him a look. “Hold your tongue. You know that she wants to explain that herself.” she snapped.

He bowed his head meekly. “Apologies. I’m a little over-eager, that’s all.”

Twilight cocked her head. “Why?”

Morning Star looked at her strangely. “Well, I suppose it’s because I died without telling you my side of things, and why I wasn’t permitted to continue on to those mountains you were so eager to get to.”

Twilight snorted. “You died because you tried to sell me out to Celestia like the traitorous bastard you were, and don’t even try to spin it any other way.”

“I died believing in my heart that you were a beautiful, intelligent, and principled mare who would understand Celestia’s side of things and sacrifice herself for the greater good. Admittedly, I was wrong about your understanding her, but as I watched, I began to develop an appreciation of your side of things. You proved in your very first winter that you didn’t need Celestia to survive, and that if you were left to your own devices, you could lead ponies just as well as she could. In fact, the only reason you didn’t do better than her is because you were also trying to conceal your existence and fight a war.”

Golden Radiance rolled her eyes. “Tell her the whole story, if you’re going to talk about it.”

Morning Star gave her a patronizing grin. “I planned on it.”

Twilight looked him in the eye. “Tell me right here and now that you didn’t wish me harm at the end of your life.”

The stallion’s cheeky grin diminished somewhat. “Of course I did, a little bit. I was in quite a bit of pain, and under considerable stress. But I’ve had four years to cool off. And I’m under the impression that if you were to ally yourself with Celestia instead of working against her, you might be able to accomplish some real good, given time. But I still believe that Celestia is the driving force for prosperity in the world, and that you need to work with her closely.”

Twilight’s nostrils flared. “How can you possibly justify her actions? There’s nothing there that isn’t horrible on multiple levels! The elimination of free will, the attempted genocide of other species, the years of manipulation, nothing there is good!”

“Her actions can all be justified using your rebellion, actually.” Morning Star retorted. “You say she’s trying to remove free will, which she is. Look what you did with it. Equestria’s on the way to its most destructive conflict ever. More so because you’ve actively involved other races as well, all of them possessing free will. Free will drove ponies to fight and kill one another over ideology, to lie and cheat and steal because they decided it was justified. When Celestia controlled Equestria through the Elements, even with limited power she was able to drive our race into an unheard of level of prosperity for centuries. We can harvest crops three times a year whereas other races can only do it once.”

“And you’re in favor of killing those other races.” Twilight accused.

“No, actually. Her plan was to let nature run its course. Equestrian expansion would eventually result in the assimilation and gradual extinction of the other races, simply because they would be unable to match the level of cooperation we could achieve with one another if we were truly of one mind.”

Twilight’s lip curled. “Like Changelings?”

Morning Star nodded. “Exactly. The oppression you’re thinking of would entail crushing all individuality, leaving no room for expression or thought. Celestia knows that would be both wrong and horrible. Your foal would have worked to remove violent, confrontational, and morally reprehensible thoughts at the source, before they manifested themselves. Ponies would never have thought them, simply because the thoughts would never have the opportunity to take root. By focusing energy on productive and good thoughts, we would eventually eliminate the need to remove those thoughts.”

“I don’t follow.” Twilight said. “You’re saying that Celestia thought that ponies would never have bad thoughts after a certain period?”

The stallion was excited. “That’s it exactly. After several generations, all the social mores that would have made those thoughts manifest would disappear. There would never be a reason for ponies to think those thoughts, so they wouldn’t.”

“Because Celestia manipulated the system to ensure that they’d never get that chance?”

Morning Star rolled his eyes. “Yes, we all know that she manipulated you, and as a result your happy little life was taken from you. And I recognize that the results were pretty horrible. But you have to look at it from her side, Twilight. The Celestial Wars showed her that discord and strife killed ponies far more effectively than they could themselves. It was Celestia’s love for her ponies that formed her plan, not some sociopathic need for control. The life of one mare, one that she tried to make as happy as possible while she was alive, for the ensured prosperity of her chosen race for eternity. When you look at it from her perspective, you seem fairly selfish by denying that opportunity.”

Twilight’s retort was quick. “It’s not about me! It’s the fact that I disagree with her morals entirely. The fact that we feel negativity is a wonderful thing, because without it we could never experience the full range of what we are capable of emotionally.”

“Oh, so you enjoy feeling pain, fear, anger, and heartbreak?” Morning Star fired back. “I’ve watched you cry yourself to sleep at night, Twilight. You certainly didn’t look like you were enjoying that.”

“Maybe not, but it made the good times that much better. And hardship will leave you stronger for having endured it.” Twilight said resolutely.

“Or leave you broken beyond repair, like you almost were.” Morning Star snorted. “You’re speaking from a limited perspective. I honestly expected you to have a more intelligent argument than that, Twilight. You’re a mare of intellect trying to speak from the heart, and failing miserably at it. What I’m saying is that Celestia’s world would involve no reason to engage in that so-called hardship.”

“You’re speaking like some sort of zealot. I’m trying to approach this rationally, but my beliefs don’t line up with hers. I’ll never work with Celestia, and that’s final.” Twilight said, laying her ears back.

“I’m an idealist, and you’re playing the role of a cynic, but without the emotional detachment. And I can assure you that never is a very long time. Just ask Golden Radiance.” Morning Star replied smoothly.

The unicorn mare glanced over. “Don’t drag me into this dispute. The two of you are arguing over something far more personal than ideology, so don’t pretend that I’ll have any bearing on this conversation.”

Twilight realized that she was right. The conversation was superficially about Celestia’s goals, but what it was really about was the relationship they had shared before Morning Star had died. She still didn’t trust him, even in death. She knew that if it had been only Morning Star who had met her when she died, she would have bolted for the mountains without a second thought. The only reason she was even talking to him was because Golden Radiance was there in case something went wrong.

“Fine. I have personal reasons for fighting against Celestia. She used me like a game piece to achieve some sort of nebulous goal. She was playing with my life, how do you think that makes me feel?” Twilight grated. “In the space of a week, I found out that I had been bred like a dog, was valued only because of my reproductive abilities, and that I was going to be a sacrificial offering to bring forth some sort of mind-controlling Alicorn. And then I found out that my friends were enthralled to her, the Element I had been entrusted to bear was in fact controlling me, and to top it all off, Celestia and Luna both played me as if I were some sort of token to gain a strategic advantage.”

Morning Star’s expression was neutral. “And what about me?”

Twilight found out that just because you were dead didn’t mean that you couldn’t cry. “I think you were the worst. I had very real feelings for you. I still do. And when I killed you, I hated you for what you had done, more than anypony I had ever faced, ever. You were worse than Discord, or Nightmare Moon. But when I shot Celestia down fleeing Ponyville, I wasn’t using my hatred for her. That came later, after I found out what she had planned for me. I was using the hatred and self-loathing I had felt for myself when I killed you to fire that particular spell.”

Morning Star sighed. “I can understand that.”

Twilight shuddered. “I still don’t trust you. I killed a monster that day, or so I thought. I think it made it easier, to think of you as a monster.”

The stallion looked at her strangely. “Do you want to hear how I looked at it?”

Twilight nodded. “How could you have done it, faked it all that well? I thought you cared about me then. Did none of it matter to you?”

“Actually, you mattered more than you know. What I felt for you was just as real as what I felt for Celestia.” he said calmly. “Do you know what it’s like, to love two ponies so much that your heart is torn between them?”

Twilight’s eyes widened. “You were…in love with Celestia?”

Morning Star’s head bobbed once. “I was, when I was alive. I worshipped her; put her on a marble pedestal far above any other pony. She was beyond reproach, my perfect goddess of sunny marble, with a rainbow caught in her mane. My earliest memory was loving her. I would have done anything to see her smile, thrown myself from the tops of mountains if she had only asked. For a kind word I would have forsaken water until death claimed me, for a kiss I would have fought armies. I could no more refuse a request from her than I could will my heart to stop beating.”

His expression turned inward, as if he was contemplating some part of himself. “So when she asked me to follow you, so I might win your heart and fulfill her plans for you, when I was told that I would father the savior of Equestria, how could I have said anything other than yes? I thanked her for the opportunity and swore that I would do my utmost to make you love me, though I had never met you.”

Twilight felt a sharp little pain in her chest. “So it was never real?”

“At first, no. A kind word here, a touch there, it was all I needed to bind you to me. I knew you were smitten after the first days, before we had even left Ponyville. I don’t think you knew until much later. Perhaps it was that night after we had fought together, when you kissed me. But I remember that night, when I saw you sitting by the fire, charting the night sky. The moonlight caught you, and you looked so beautiful that it was hard to stop myself from falling for you then. And I did. That sketch I made of you came from the heart, and I was very much embarrassed when you discovered it.”

Twilight felt a pang of guilt. She had lost that sketch in the fire that had consumed her library, along with most everything else.

“The love I felt for you was different than the love I felt for Celestia. Hers was stately, grand, the love a common pony felt for an unattainable ideal, a paragon without equal. My love for you thrummed like violins, burned like lantern oil. I wanted to talk with you for hours, to bring you everything you could ever ask for to see what you’d do with it. Yours was raw, earthy. Hers was ethereal, like a sunrise. By the time we reached Canterlot, I was head over hooves in love with you, Twilight.”

Twilight felt her heart break, just a little. “Then why did you…”

“Betray you?” Morning Star asked gently. “Well, it wasn’t an easy choice. And at the end, I wasn’t sure if I could go through with it. Who do you turn to in that situation? If I hadn’t betrayed you, and out of nowhere Tarantella had come into your life, who would you have picked?”

Twilight didn’t have an answer for that.

Morning Star continued. “I contented myself with loving you, knowing that your time was short and that I would be able to spend as much time as I could with you. I would keep you ignorant to keep you happy, and raise your daughter the best way I could along with my other love, Celestia.”

“So you were going to love me until I was dead, and go back to Celestia?”

Morning Star looked at her disapprovingly. “It’s hardly that simple. To refer to the other scenario, what if Tarantella had only a year to live, and I was alright with you being in love with her, while she did not know about me?”

That threw things into relief for Twilight. If she were put into that sort of situation, she was unsure of how she would handle it. Some part of her was angry with Morning Star for suggesting that she was not the only pony he cared for, but another part of her reminded Twilight that in the same situation, she might very well have tried the same thing.

“So I continued loving you, both for Celestia and myself. Until one autumn afternoon, I showed up at your library early, with a bottle of red wine that had cost me a week’s pay at the Archives and the hope that you and Spike and I might be able to have an evening together. But you weren’t home, and I, being curious, found an opened door into the basement. I thought you had been working on something, and so I went downstairs. And I found another door to another basement that you had apparently neglected to tell the Princess about.”

Twilight winced a bit. There was no malice behind that gesture, it was only a small basement. She had never seen reason to bother the Princess with the details of her home improvement. When she had begun compiling evidence against the Princess, the space had come in handy. Nopony ever came down there except for her, and it was by Spike’s room, which meant if there was ever a break in, the dragon would be able to hear the intruder if they decided to investigate the basement for some reason.

“I found everything down there, Twilight. And I knew what it was, too. It was obvious you had been busy, and with only a few more pieces to the puzzle, you would have had the whole thing laid out in front of you. You had already found out about your heritage and Celestia’s role in it, and quite recently. I found the letter from a relative near the door when I went back upstairs and realized that you had gotten everything you needed, more or less. And I was so angry with you, Twilight.”

Morning Star took in a shuddering breath as they walked. The trees were growing larger, and smelled of pine spice and ozone. “You and your damned inquisitive mind had destroyed what little happiness you could have had left, and when you were inevitably brought before Celestia, the goddess I loved would ask me to break your heart. And I couldn’t do that to the mare I loved.”

His tone turned hard, and Twilight finally heard some of the Morning Star that still appeared in some of her nightmares. “So I forced myself to hate you. Right then and there, I forsook the love I had for you, and allied myself to Celestia completely. Because it would be easier for all of us if I did. Then you’d have no doubt that I would not save you, Celestia would see my loyalty, and I would no longer have to hurt a mare I loved. I made you into a target, and when Spike came home, I knocked him out and waited. The rest you know.”

“I died fighting for a cause I believed in, on the orders of the goddess I loved, fighting a mare that I despised. And when I woke up here, I cried until Mother found me, and brought me here.”

The party stopped, and Twilight’s eyes widened as she took in what was in front of her. The library was just as she remembered it, the leaves shimmering emerald in the light of the Aether’s strangely luminous sky. A coil of smoke unfurled lazily from the chimney, and the windows blazed with light. Twilight could smell woodsmoke and the baking of fresh bread from the inside. She turned to Morning Star and Golden Radiance.

“Is this where she’s been waiting? In my library?”

They both nodded. “We’ll be waiting out here for now.” Golden Radiance said. “You’ll see us both soon, don’t worry. But right now, it’s just you and her.”

Twilight swallowed. She was suddenly nervous, and for good reason. “What is…what is she like?”

Morning Star smiled. “She’s wonderful. Everything she does is in your best interests, and you can tell. But you’re going to have to make some tough choices. Now go on, she’s waiting for you.”

Twilight Sparkle nodded once, and knocked gently on the door.

“Come in!” a bright female voice called. “It’s unlocked, Twilight. You should know that, it’s your library!”

The little unicorn took a deep breath, and pushed the door. It swung open with a creak, and before she could lose her nerve, Twilight Sparkle stepped inside, closing the wooden door behind her.

Meeting the Chessmistress

The interior of the library was just as Twilight Sparkle had remembered it. Well-kept books lined the walls, the floor had been swept recently, the air was heavy with the scent of fresh flowers and baked bread, and a cheerful fire crackled in the hearth. A kettle hung over the flames, whistling merrily, and two cups stood on a table near the fireplace beside a tray containing milk, sugar, and lemon as well as an assortment of cookies.

“Please, have a seat!” the voice called. “I’ll be along in just a moment!”

Twilight dutifully obeyed, unsure of where the voice was coming from. She chose her favorite chair near the fireplace, staring into the wavering flames as she pondered what kind of being she would be conversing with. Her concept of a goddess was, of course, an Alicorn. If she were to be honest, her concept was Celestia. It was the closest thing to one she had known her entire life. She was expecting a towering figure that was equal parts commanding and loving, perhaps more than a little mysterious or powerful looking.

What she was not expecting was for the fire in the fireplace to expel a pony from the tongues of light as if she had been created from the flame itself. Twilight watched in fascinated awe as she stepped gracefully from the fireplace, the wavering mare of flame growing a horn and tail as the hue of her coat faded into a pleasant white and her mane became a bright, cheerful red. Her face contorted as she stumbled out of the fire, and she did something Twilight could only describe as flickering before correcting herself.

Her eyes opened, and regarded Twilight patiently. They were the deep blue of candle flame or swift water, twin pools of warm infinity that Twilight swore contained all the stars of the universe in their black pupils. They were full of good-natured humor and cheer, and were both incredibly wise and pleasantly tired. They gave the impression that this mare saw your entire soul, even the parts you were unaware of, took its measure, and found it good. Twilight felt that all her faults were laid bare before this mare, and that she knew them intimately and forgave them without hesitation.

Twilight felt immediately at ease around her, and her tentative smile was rewarded with a wholehearted beam from this unicorn, who had settled down on the opposite chair, pouring them both tea. She levitated a cup over to Twilight, who accepted it gratefully.

“What kind of tea is this?” she asked.

“Your favorite.” she replied.

Twilight took an experimental sip, finding it piping hot, but not burning. A cornucopia of flavors washed over her tongue, and she realized that this was the best cup of tea she had ever tasted. The flavor was very good, and nearly indescribable, but if she was forced to, Twilight Sparkle would have had to describe it as a sweeter, more spicy Darjeeling. Normally, this would have ruined the blend entirely, but it was surprisingly pleasant and more than a little invigorating.

She looked up to see the mare watching her expectantly. “It’s very good.” she said. “Thank you.”

The mare laughed, a wonderful sound like wind rushing through an orchard. “You’re quite welcome. It’s the least I can do for you, you’ve been through quite a lot on account of my daughters. And my son, to an extent. And you’ve been more help than you know, even if it has been a bit of a headache, rushing around to get things done.”

Twilight nibbled delicately on a piece of shortbread. “I’m not sure I follow. To be honest, I’m in the dark about this whole thing.”

The mare nodded her head. “I completely understand.” It wasn’t just an expression. “And believe me when I say that Celestia and Luna’s struggle affects more than your world.”

“What does that mean?” Twilight asked. “My world, that is. Is there only one?”

Mother nodded. “There are many worlds, Twilight Sparkle. And many possibilities to go along with them, and I can see them all. You are currently sitting in the center of Creation, Twilight. In more ways than one, because yours is the last world to approach the state it is currently in.”

“I don’t follow. Sorry about that.” Twilight said, a bit mortified.

The mare looked at her reassuringly. “Well, let’s look at it like this. If you were to get out of your chair, which of your rear hooves would hit the ground first?”

Twilight examined her position, and found it to be perfectly balanced. Whichever hoof hit the floor first would be a matter of random chance. “Either could, I suppose.”

“Right. What if I told you that every time you did that, both hooves landed separately at the same time? That is, the left hoof hit first and the right hoof hit first?”

Twilight furrowed her brow. “You mean to say that both would happen?”

The mare nodded. “Twilight, I encompass all of Creation, which contains all of everything. Every thing that was, or is, or will be. That means every single possibility is encompassed within me simultaneously. Past, present, and every future, I can see them all. Now ,the difference between a world where your left hoof hit first and one where your right hoof hit first is negligible at best. Oftentimes they end up merging together later on. But sometimes, that action is incredibly important.”

The purple unicorn thought about that. “How could something that small bring about such a change?”

“There are many universes in which a single misstep brought Celestia to her knees when she first fought Luna, resulting in an eternal night. Her sister ruled over Equestria in an eternal night, enforcing Order in her cities. But the nighttime made ponies easy prey for predators. They live in massive walled cities under her rule, farming in massive heated caverns underneath the surface. They are in constant conflicts with Diamond Dogs, and as such have evolved to a point in which they are perfect killers in tight, dark spaces. Pegasi are marginalized, and are both fast and vicious. They carry messages between the cities and enforce the law, while unicorns heat the caverns and maintain the glowing stones they use to farm, which is done by Earth ponies.”

Twilight’s mind was transported, considering all of the factors that had to have gone into that society. “That sounds fascinating.” she said, leaning forward in her seat. “I’d like to meet somepony from that world.”

Mother chuckled at her enthusiasm. “You may very well get to. It would be a short visit, however. We have much to do.”

Twilight felt the hair on the back of her neck stand up. “Why is that?”

“Because we need to send you back to Equestria to restore balance.” Mother said.

Twilight’s hoof tightened on her cup. “And if I say no?” she inquired.

The mare that had created everything looked at her strangely. “Why would you refuse?”

Twilight snorted. “You know.”

“I do, but I would like to hear you explain yourself. Humor an old mare.”

Twilight set down her cup, looking at the Aether with a gaze of steel. “Because I’ve been through enough already. I’ve had everything taken from me, never had a moment’s peace since Celestia tried to use me, and now that I’ve gone and died because of Luna, another one of your daughters, I want to stay dead. Let Celestia and Luna and Discord fight. I want no part of it anymore.”

Mother nodded. “Did it occur to you that you still have loved ones alive back in Equestria?”

Twilight Sparkle nodded. “They can handle themselves without me. It’s not like I’d ever see them again. And from what I can tell, death’s no big deal.”

“That sounds rather callous, wouldn’t you say?”

Twilight shook her head. “On the contrary. Life is suffering, I know that all too well. For the first time, I’ve found a bit of peace without having to worry about anything. It’s liberating, to say the least.”

“And what if I told you that by refusing to return to Equestria, not only would you throw Creation permanently out of balance, but you would also condemn everything in it, living and dead, to permanent destruction?”

“Then I’d tell you to take Creation and shove it up your ass. I’m tired of being a pawn. Take some other dead pony and send them back. I can’t have been the only one to have died with enough magic to return.”

Mother was calm. “Of course not. But it has to be you, because not only did you die with enough magic, but you have affected so much in your world that it would be impossible for any other being in all of Creation to occupy that spot. You were the catalyst for change in your world, Twilight Sparkle. It would be like replacing the gear in a watch with a slightly different one. It simply wouldn’t work.”

Twilight’s voice became hot with anger. “You’re telling me that there isn’t another Twilight to take my place?”

“No, because they’re all filling their niches right now. You are the very last one to arrive and make her decision.”

Twilight felt her head spin just a little. “What do you mean? There are other Twilights?”

Mother nodded. “Quite a few. Or their equivalents, anyway. For example, the one who arrived before you was a dragon.”
“I don’t understand.”

The Aether nodded. “I know. Let me explain. The goddesses you worship and the god you fear are something called archetypes. Do you know what that means?”

Twilight shook her head. “I know what an archetype is. It’s a literary term. It means something that is similar in all stories. Heroic archetypes, villainous archetypes, that sort of thing.”

Mother nodded. “Exactly right, and a little wrong. My archetypes are very simple. I only have a few, and only three of those are active. Points for guessing which three.”

Twilight thought for a moment, and then the answer became clear to her. “Order, Chaos, and…Balance?”

The goddess smiled. “Right. In addition to Luna, Celestia, and Discord, there are several others. Knowledge, represented by the sea, Death, represented by sand, Emotion, ruled by blood, Strife, represented by bone, and Growth, represented by wood. There are one or two others, but you should be familiar with all of those but the first.”

Twilight’s only response was a blank stare. Mother smiled, coughing slightly. “Oh, come now. You invoked them when you freed yourself from Celestia’s control. Remember that little chant Discord taught you? It wasn’t just a spell, it was a proper invocation, from back before Celestia bound the magic in your world. Every one of the ponies following you invoked them to free themselves from Celestia’s Order. This swung your world from Order, and gave the archetypes of Death, Emotion, Strife, and Growth free reign. All of which are very conducive to Chaos. You also invoked Knowledge as well, to a lesser degree. Have you ever been to the ocean, Twilight Sparkle?”

The little unicorn shook her head, taking a tentative sip of tea.

“I think with your propensity for knowledge, you’d find quite a connection to the ocean. But I digress. What you’ll find is that the three major archetypes, the ones you know well, are active. There are seven minor archetypes, and you know five of them. The other two aren’t important right now, but you would know them as Birth, represented by clay, and Life, represented by fire. When I say life, I mean the spark that exists within all living things, Twilight. You saw it when you first invoked the archetypes as a corona of flames around ponies. You can still see it now, if you try.”

“What does this have to do with me?” Twilight asked.

“The archetypes are decided by action, which requires free will. None of the archetypes may deprive any part of my creation of free will. Not even myself. But the free will of ponies, indeed the free will of all living things, may affect the course of the archetypes. For all intents and purposes, Twilight, every mortal is in fact a god to an immortal. They’re just very weak gods. By the support of the ones they rule over, visibly or invisibly, each of the archetypes gains and loses strength. They will never be dispelled entirely, but I can assure you their influence can be greatly diminished, to the point where they do not express themselves in that world any longer. This is where your world comes in.”

Twilight was silent, merely gesturing for the goddess to continue.

“Every world has a pivotal moment in which it is decided what path it will follow. Some turn to Order, others to Chaos, and some maintain a tenuous balance. These latter always will fall into one camp or the other, though. It was never my intention for them to remain undecided. The fall is decided by events in that realm. For example, the nighttime realm I spoke of has just seen the death of a very prominent governess, one who had finally perfected a way to grow food above ground without using weapons. She developed a strain of crop that is repellent to all creatures that would prey on ponies, and it grows best in moonlight. That realm has swung towards Order.”

“So the fields protect the ponies.” Twilight mused.

“Indeed. That realm is about to enter a new age of prosperity and pave the way for the eternal night to become the best thing that ever happened to that world.”

“And I’m assuming others have swung towards Chaos? What does that look like? Death and despair?” Twilight asked.

“Actually, there’s a perfect example that I’m rather interested in. Luna and Celestia annihilated each other long ago, and Discord eventually became so chaotic that he discorporated entirely. Ponies harnessed the inherent chaotic energy in his body and supercharged themselves with it using a process that was developed by a young unicorn who discovered the magical properties of lightning. They’re a race of nomadic shape shifters now, roaming across the wide plains building cities of spun sugar and moondust. Perfect utopia.”

“And which side of the scale does my world fit into?”

Mother’s voice became grim. “Yours is a special case, Twilight. It’s teetering between Luna, Celestia, and Discord right now. It threatens to tear itself apart, and that is not the worst of it. Luna’s darker self has freed itself from her control, which should not have happened. But it did. Her destructive tendencies went with it as well as something far, far worse.”

Twilight came to a realization. “You’re talking about the Shadow.”

Mother nodded. “That…thing…was not in my design. It is not of Creation, I know that much. And it is highly destructive, and corrupt beyond measure. It is Destruction, and it lives in your world, Twilight Sparkle. This is why you are needed to return to your world.”

The fire flared in the hearth, spilling out along the floor in the shape of a giant wheel made of many spokes, almost like a flower. Most of it burned a steady gold, but one spoke cradled a tiny spark of chill blue. As Mother spoke, it spread. “If it should overwhelm your realm, Twilight Sparkle, it will spread from there into other realms, those that have chosen their allegiance. It will destroy them as well, spreading unchecked from possibility to possibility. It is a parasite, a slow poison that I can feel even now gnawing holes in my being. If it consumes Equestria, it will have energy enough to move to others. And all of Creation will cease.”

A single petal went blue, the flame deepening to black. “It is not of Creation. It is dangerous and deadly, and the only reason I ever included Destruction inside of Luna was to balance out the light she carried inside of her. For her to lose control of it should have been impossible, but it wasn’t.”

Twilight glared at her. “Why did you include something that could get lose? Especially if it was that dangerous?”

The flames continued to turn, going from blue to black over and over, spreading with greater and greater speed. “When I first created Balance, she was far too corruptible. She would always side with Discord, or Celestia. She was born in the shape of a great dragon, and her scales were the black of night and her flame the purest white. She would always end up choosing, one or the other. So I remade her, melted her down and split her in two. She had the body of Order, feeling an intense affinity for her sister, but within her I had inserted a bit of the Shadow from around the edges of Creation. I folded it deep, over and over in such a way that it could never break free without destroying her. It kept her capricious and a little cruel, like her brother.”

The flame flickered and went out with a sense of finality. Mother looked at her expectantly. “I created Luna with the spirit of Destruction in her. It kept her on edge, gave her the ability to switch allegiances between Order and Chaos without hesitation whenever necessary. But her losing control of it has endangered all of Creation.”

Twilight was suddenly aware that flames were dancing under the coat of Mother, betraying the fact that she was in fact furious. “Fortunately, there is a solution. Unfortunately, it involves you. The Shadow moves swiftly, it already spreads its roots in your world. Celestia has no time to raise your child and prepare it to do battle with that thing. But you can take her place. Declare allegiance to Order or Chaos, and from there defeat the Shadow and banish it from Creation.”

Twilight was taken aback by this. “Choose a side?”

The Aether nodded. “Yes. Right now, Order and Chaos are perfectly balanced. With your world’s alignment will come the combined power of either Order or Chaos, enough to defeat this threat.”

Twilight gulped. “But how do I choose?”

Mother gestured to the basement. “That’s why I said that you were the last to arrive. In the basement, a sort of parliament has been assembled. All of you, every single permutation of you, having created the turning point of their world, is waiting for you. Each side has elected a representative, and they will be attempting to sway your opinion on which force is the correct one to use.”

Twilight cast her gaze towards the basement door. “And what happens if I should choose one and leave the other?”

Mother sighed. “Then the balance will be undone, and swing in favor of Order or Chaos across all of Creation. With your help, one side shall prevail. It is up to you to choose which. It will not be an easy choice, but it is the only one you can make. To choose neither would doom your realm and so destroy Creation.”

“But that would destroy Creation in the long run! Isn’t too much Order or Chaos just as bad?”

Mother nodded. “Normally you’d be right. But I have ways of creating balance that might just surprise you. Your choice is important, but I can assure you that I will make sure the cosmos continues on.”

Twilight took a deep breath in. “You know what? I’m still half-tempted to just take off towards the mountains. I don’t appreciate being made a pawn again.”

“I can understand the sentiment. It must be frustrating, seeing me limit your free will like this. However, such is the role you must fill for now. Are you ready to begin?” Mother asked.

Twilight shook her head. “No. No I’m not. You and I need to straighten some things out first.”

The Aether gestured. “I’m all ears.”

“Firstly, I think that you’re incompetent beyond all reasoning for allowing Luna to release that creature, even if it was unplanned. You should have seen that possibility a very long time ago.”

“I agree, it was foolish. But I can assure you that there was exactly zero possibility that it would escape when I bound it to her.”

Twilight growled. “So you can’t predict that thing? That makes me feel a lot better about working with you. And why didn’t you step in before things got that bad?”

Mother actually chuckled at this. “Twilight, I can’t. No more than you could cast a spell to manipulate a single cell in your body. Luna and Celestia and Discord are my children and caretakers, they are responsible for affecting events in my realms. I can only ever influence things here, and subtly. Even if I could, I would never interfere with my Creation.”

“And why not?”

“Because what would the purpose of giving my children and by default yourself, free will, if I never gave you the opportunity to use it? Every choice falls along a spectrum of will, and even plans like Celestia’s came about because of the choices of her subjects and herself. When she chooses, she represents the will of her subjects. If I were to interfere, I would negate the will of her people. If I were to interfere, I would take away the greatest gift I could give you. The power of choice is one you must never underestimate, Twilight Sparkle.”

“Not even if it means the destruction of everything?”

Mother’s face wrinkled distastefully. “Twilight, I could ‘kill’ the Shadow, but I think the price paid would be too great.”

“How so?”

“It would be akin to killing a spider by burning down an entire city. The fact is, although I am omnipotent, that power and my awareness only extend to things in Creation. Since it isn’t, I cannot sense it. I cannot be more precise. Luna and Celestia couldn’t sense it either. Discord couldn’t and he probably wouldn’t. He never did see the point of listening to me or his sisters. But you, one who dwells in the world it inhabits, could bring about its destruction much more precisely than I could. And I would never willingly destroy any aspect of my creation.”

The unicorn sighed. “Why did it have to be me?”

Mother got up from her chair and hugged her. Twilight noticed that she felt unusually cold and clammy. “I know it seems silly, and unfair. But this is simply the lay of the land. We can only choose to travel it, for good or ill, or we can turn back and never know what might have been. There are those born to greatness, Twilight, and those who have it forced upon them. You were born to have it forced upon you. I wish it could be another way, but it simply cannot.”

“I could choose to keep on walking towards the mountains, still.”

Mother nodded. “You could. But I don’t think you would. You say that you would let the world burn, but I think when you say it, you don’t consider the implications. Tarantella would die. Your friends would die. Your brother would die, your followers would die. And then they would be dead for eternity, Twilight. Because soon, I would die. And with my death, Creation would die as well. And this is why I must ask you to make your choice now, because I will never deprive you of your ability to choose. What will you do?”

Twilight thought about that. She was so very, very tired. Without her, Tarantella and her friends and Radiant Zenith and all those she held dear would perish. She would perish. Everything she had ever known, everything that was or could be was at risk. She had the right to choose destruction if she wished. But inside of her, deep down, she knew.

“I’ve made my choice. And I will choose to fight again.”

Mother nodded in approval. “Thank you, Twilight. You have sacrificed much. I can think of no other being I would rather take your place, even if it could be otherwise. Are you ready?”

“No. One more thing.”

Mother tilted her head. “And what would that be?”

“Whatever I choose, from then on, you let me be. I will not be a pawn. I want to be a player.”

Mother’s gaze turned from comforting to steely. “Tread carefully, Twilight Sparkle. You know not what you ask, and you certainly don’t want to let the archetypes hear you say that. You might get what you wish for.”

The unicorn reached inside of herself, finding the steel that she had used to bend her enemies before. Her gaze narrowed, and she set her shoulders defiantly. “I’ve not been in control of my actions since birth. You are using me, just as Luna and Celestia and Discord have. You want someone who fights for creation? Fine. I’ll do it. But in return, I want power, and a reassurance that you won’t interfere with that power. Yes, I’ll die if I don’t fight for you. But I’ll drag you down with me, and you can’t give the reins to anyone else.”

The Aether rumbled dangerously outside, and Mother scowled. “You’re far too clever for your own good, Twilight Sparkle. It sounds like you want to be a goddess yourself.”

“For the price of all of Creation, that doesn’t sound too unreasonable. If I go back, I want to be able to kick Celestia’s teeth in. Let me have equal power in my own little realm. In return, you get all of Creation, and I get my assurance that Celestia will not interfere with my life again. Same goes for Discord and Luna. I no longer trust any of them.”

Mother’s cold gaze drilled into her, pinning Twilight like a nail through some exotic bug in a collection. “You are no champion.”

“No. But I am a fighter, and believe me when I say that if you give me what I want, I will fight like nothing you have ever seen. You want your enemies crushed? I can do that, but I want to make my own moves and crush my own enemies.”

“You cannot kill Celestia, or Luna, or Discord. You know that.”

Twilight laughed humorlessly, not letting her fear show. “Of course I know that. They’re integral. I just want to be able to have enough power to defend myself from them. Personally, I find your reassurances that ponies have free will, and that our actions influence the archetypes, a bit suspect. After all, I’ve spent my life having my free will yanked around. Now give it back to me. And give me the tools to keep it.”

The white unicorn’s mouth twisted into something that was neither a grimace nor a smile. “It’s not that simple. Every god or goddess expresses an archetype. That’s why I wanted you to choose a side. Order and Chaos are the two most powerful, and can do you the most good. To exist independently of them would be negating the point of you entirely.”

“Then give me one of the lesser archetypes. Knowledge, for example. There is no reason that I cannot wield the power of Knowledge and another power, is there?”

Mother flickered again, and Twilight took a step back. “Twilight, do not ask this of me. Any other boon I would grant, but not this one. The power of wielding two archetypes would kill you. You would not be a proper goddess, forever torn between two aspects of reality. I cannot give you domain over both, and expect you to perform your duties.”

“And choosing only one will permanently align me with that side. This is what I want. Let me worry about whether or not I could handle the power. But I will have the power to fight Celestia.” She locked eyes with the Aether. “I’m not asking for domain over all of Knowledge, or to become a full-blown goddess. But lend me that power. Give me the ability to truly choose for myself what it is I do. Do this for me, and I will be the fiercest warrior you have seen. I will destroy your enemies, and keep Creation safe.”

Her voice nearly caught, she was so scared, but she managed to continue. “You go on and on about free will, but from what I can see ponies haven’t had much of a choice in how they live their lives. Give me power, and let me make my choices. And those are my terms.”

Mother was silent for a long moment, and Twilight was suddenly very aware that she had just demanded the powers of a goddess from the being responsible for…everything. “Your hubris will be your downfall, Twilight Sparkle. But I am hardly in a position to deny you your request. Choose your side, and then come and take your power. I cannot guarantee it will not come without cost, but you will have it. But if you should fail in your duties to me, and your realm be overrun by the Shadow, I will have no choice. I will purge it in cleansing fire, and it will be on your head that I will have done so. Will that suffice?”

Twilight got out of her chair, making sure that both of her back hooves landed at the same time, or as close as she could make them. “I suppose. Let’s begin, shall we?” Her voice was steady, and her motions confident, but deep inside, Twilight was screaming in panic.She had no idea what she was getting herself into, and the thought of going down to the basement and making that choice terrified her.

She and Mother walked to the basement door, and Mother pushed the door open wide. “I’ll be along in a moment, I need to fetch the elected representatives for the council below. You wouldn’t believe how hard it was to find two neutral parties. In the meantime, please, get acquainted with yourself.”

Twilight nodded, stepping through the door. It swung closed behind her, revealing the familiar staircase she had used so many times. Her hoof traced the worn wood lovingly, taking in every grain and flaw before she laid her hoof along the banister and slowly began her trek down the ancient wooden steps. She could see that her basement actually remained untouched, every piece of equipment still in its original place, freshly clean and greeting her cheerfully. A door opened on the side of the staircase, and Twilight’s breath caught in her throat to see a very familiar face.

Spike’s grin was luminous as she all but flew down the stairs, catching him in a tight hug as bitter and joyous tears streamed down her face. She didn’t say a word, just held him as tightly as she could, not ever wanting to let him go even though she already had back in life.

“You looked surprised to see me.” he rumbled.

Twilight laughed through her tears, her voice halting. “I suppose that I should have expected you here, it’s just that…I thought you had…”

“Moved on?” he said gently, still cradling her close. “Not without saying goodbye to you first. Never without a goodbye.”

She felt herself sobbing into his chest, the black scales feeling surprisingly warm and yielding to her. “Oh, Spike…I don’t know what to do, I just want it to all be over so badly. I just want to rest, but I can’t. I’ve got to make this choice, and I can’t do it, I just can’t. I can’t do this, Spike, I can’t do it.”

Spike released her from his embrace, holding her at arm’s length. “Twilight, you’re capable of more than you know. I know that you’re tired, and I know that you’re hurt in more ways than one. I don’t like that you have to make this choice either, but it sounds like you have to. It’s completely unfair that the burden is getting laid on you like this. But I’ll be right here to help you.”

Twilight sniffed, drying her tears. “Spike…could you just…”

The dragon didn’t need her to continue. Gently, he placed his claws around her, holding her with the same grace and care one would use to pick up a newborn. She sighed, closing her eyes as he cradled her gently there in that stairwell, feeling calm and at rest for the first time in a very long time indeed.

The Last Gambit

Spike gently let Twilight down as the tears dried from her eyes. She was glad Mother wasn’t there to see her cry. She was feeling a lot less strong than she looked. The trapdoor stood open, down into the pitch black of what was no longer her sub-basement. A gentle murmuring, as that of a faraway crowd, rose from the depths. Twilight turned herself towards the hole, with Spike behind her. When she spoke, her voice was calm.

“I’m so sorry that you died for me, Spike.”

The dragon chuckled. “I had a feeling that I might end up doing that once the rebellion started, Twilight. I’m just glad that I was able to be there until the end, for better or worse.”

The little unicorn smiled. “I considered sending you away more than once. Of course, I knew you probably wouldn’t be gone for long, and you’d fight me every step of the way. And I’m glad you were there for me, too. I really let Celestia have it after you died, so there’s that.”

Spike growled in satisfaction. “I don’t doubt that. You fought like a wildcat beforehand. I suppose it was Luna’s fault that you died? Did she put a spell on the crystal?”

Twilight laughed at that. “Got it in one. I suppose I should have anticipated her using me, she did the same thing before she was in Canterlot, she’d do the same thing out of Canterlot.”

“It’s not your fault,” Spike said, his voice low and worried. “She’s had lots of practice at manipulating ponies.”

Twilight met his eyes, her expression totally calm and accepting. “Spike, I need to go down there. And you have to stay behind. Go on ahead without me.”

The dragon shook his head. “No, Twilight. I’m not going to do that. I’ve been there with you at the start of this, and I’ll be there at the end, too.”

The unicorn turned towards her longtime friend and truest companion. She smiled at him gently. “Spike, you don’t understand. I’m not going to be coming out of the basement this time. I’ll be headed out, and with a new Power behind me as well. It makes no sense for you to wait for me, and I have a feeling that you won’t be too safe here after. I made Mother pretty angry.”

Spike’s eyes widened. “You’re planning something.”

“Of course. And if I’m very, very lucky, it might just work. But if it doesn’t, then I’ll not be coming back soon anyway.”

“Twilight, I don’t think that’s such a great idea. This isn’t Celestia we’re talking about. It isn’t Luna, or Discord. This is the Aether, everything that is or was or will be. She knows that you’re planning to double cross her somehow.”

Twilight shook her head. “Spike, I just spoke to her. I’m not sure what it is, but something is bothering her. She’s weak somehow, and I need to exploit that. There was a point when she stepped out of the fire where she just disappeared entirely. If she’s having that much trouble just manifesting herself, then I might be able to get around the restrictions she’s set up. She goes on and on about free will, and even if she does anticipate me, I’ll bet she still won’t stop me.”

Spike growled, his head bowing close to her as she met his gaze levelly. “You’re playing a very dangerous game, Twilight.”

“The most dangerous game of all, Spike. And when I come out of the hole, and I’m back in Equestria, I don’t really think I’ll be Twilight anymore.”

Spike, even though he was dead, felt his heart ache a little at the thought of the mare he loved being so changed. Swallowing hard, he forced a grin onto his face. “And if I find a way back? Or you should manage to speak to me again? What should I call you?”

The little purple unicorn smiled. “Call me Dusk. If I should find a way to speak to you again, somewhere down the line, call me Dusk.” And with a quick peck on his cheek and a wink, she rushed down the stairs, and flung herself into oblivion.

The dragon watched her go with longing in his heart. She was right, really. He couldn’t go down there, and he knew it. With Twilight Sparkle’s departure, he felt like a part of him had been stolen away, given to some passing strangeness that he could neither see nor comprehend. But at the same time, it felt as if that part of him had taken with it a heavy burden. He sighed, not quite happy with the way things had gone, but close enough to content. He trudged back up the stairs, casting one last longing look at the trapdoor, his room, and the basement as he went. Placing a claw on the door handle, he turned it with a quick jerk, as if he was afraid that if he stayed for too long, he’d never leave. The door closed behind him, and the basement was quiet and still, all at rest.

It would be a long journey towards those mountains, made longer by his reluctance. His only hope was that someday soon, he would see his dearest friend again beyond those snowy peaks. He decided that there was no hurry, not really. He’d wait for Twilight at those slopes. He’d wait for as long as it took. And when, someday, she passed his way, Spike and Twilight would climb those mountains together. He would be by her side, just as he had been all his life. If he had to wait for all time, he would wait.

After all, wasn’t the purpose of a friend to be there for the ones they loved?

Twilight drifted down into inky blackness, caressing her on all sides. She let herself fall, relaxed completely. She had no way to judge how fast she was descending, but she knew that she was falling more slowly than normal, judging by the slow approach of the voices below her. A minute went by, then two, and five, and ten. She was in no hurry, and spent time idly counting off the minutes and preparing herself for the difficult choice that lay ahead.

She contemplated the black around her. It was not like the icy depths she had plunged into back in the Forest, biting and chill. It seemed more like it was swaddling her, wrapping her up snugly in a cocoon of warm, heavy black that managed to cradle her without making her claustrophobic. She felt safe here, secure. She could have drifted forever, and some part of her still wished that she would.

Nearly twenty minutes went by, and then Twilight heard the voices suddenly swell in volume, as if they were close by. She was filled with a sense of urgency, and she swung her hooves underneath her just as the blackness that had enveloped her gave way to light, gentle and flickering, but to her eyes harsh enough to cause her to shield them. Once she realized that she no longer had the need to adjust to light, however, she set her hoof down, feeling rather foolish.

There in front of her were benches, and the benches were full of shadows. They were strange and unusual things, perfectly blank and black, lit from behind by what looked like some distant fire. Had Twilight breath, it would have caught in her throat at what wondrous shapes were outlined before her. They were menacing and inviting, softly curved and covered in sharp spines, every form or shape that she could have imagined in a thousand years, and others she would have never seen in her wildest dreams. It was a terrifying and wonderful menagerie of shapes, and Twilight got the feeling that they were all of them judging her.

She stood on a floor of purest marble, shot through with veins of deep color, shimmering in riotous beauty. It seemed to her to be the perfect meeting place for Order and Chaos, a single harmonious whole rippling with joyous disruption. Silently, she trotted to the center of the floor. Holding her head high, she surveyed the crowd before her, their silent ranks stretching back and up until the meager light was no longer sufficient to illuminate them.

She waited, and waited more. Her eyes swept the assembled ranks in front of her, unable to pick out which of her selves had chosen to ally themselves with which side. Perhaps it no longer mattered, she mused. Perhaps here, in death, they sat together. It seemed most likely. She kept her head erect, as if she expected the assembled souls to obey her. Her patience was nearing its end, and finally she could hold her tongue no longer. Her voice rang clear and sharp, casting defiance into the silence before her. Her words came from the heart, and she found herself possessed of supreme confidence.

“Are you finished judging me, or will you still delay me? I have been kept here for a reason, and I wish to fulfill that purpose. Where are your orators? Speak! Or keep silent! It makes no matter to me. But if you delay me much longer, there will be consequences. Or haven’t you heard?”

The ranks rocked back at this, and Twilight felt her heart thrill a little as they leaned forward again, much more intently. A voice, scratchy like that of a frog, emitted from the shadows. “Aye, She of Balance. We have heard, and watched. But those we have chosen to represent us bend to no-one’s whims, least of all yours.”

Another voice, this one a gentle female voice, spoke next. “We have not yet seen you plain, without a body to cloud you or magic to twist you. You have been through much. But then, so have we.”

Twilight remained silent; contemplating the shadows in front of her just as she was sure they were contemplating her. A question rose to the front of her mind, and she felt a need to voice it.

“I couldn’t help but noticing that something was very…wrong with Mother.”

“Oh?” a strangely echoing voice queried.

“She seemed a bit…off. She flickered in and out, on a few occasions she disappeared for a moment.”

“Is that all?”

Twilight shook her head. “She looked like she was…in pain. Like she was badly hurt. Just when she came out of the fire, but it was there that she stumbled.”

There was a rush of air, and Twilight was startled to see the space in front of her warp and twist. From the air stepped a being of sand. Its shoulders were broad and it stood erect on two legs. Its face was like that of a hairless ape, its features indistinct and shifting. Two arms dangled down from the shoulders, culminating in two hands, each with four fingers and a thumb. It was bizarre to see that many on a creature, Twilight reflected. The most she had seen was three and a thumb. Its legs were long, longer than the arms, and ended in two feet with five toes. In one hand it carried a scroll, and in the other it carried a long knife, curved and serrated along one end. It opened two eyes, of deepest jet, and regarded her with the patience of a being who knew that no matter how much you struggled, you would be under his power eventually. When he spoke, his voice was quiet, but hypnotic, like winds over a lonely desert.

“And it is for this purpose that we have agreed to help shield your true intentions from Mother. Because she is…not herself.”

Twilight bowed her head low, for she knew exactly what she was speaking to. “Death. An honor.”

The being chuckled. “Little warrior. You brought many into my power. I thank you for this. And your death was rather…exciting. My older sister is greatly vexed at your destruction.”

Twilight’s eyes widened. “Celestia! I’m dead, at least she thinks so. That means she’s stopped her assault, right?”

“Wrong.” a stern female voice boomed.

The air in front of Twilight warped again, as if it had been turned for the briefest of moments to glass. A shape formed, uncoiling itself into the shape of a serpent of white flame, which turned in on itself, giving light to the room without revealing the rows behind her. It looked at her with two eyes of shimmering golden flame, and a smile tugged at the corners of its mouth, which opened to reveal two sharp fangs.

“She now fights to bring her sister back under her control. Discord has slipped his bonds, and brought down Windigos from the peak you fell onto, Twilight Sparkle. She plans to crush your rebellion before turning north to reshackle her brother. The one who bends Emotion to her will is holding the demons of hatred off, but only just.”

Twilight bowed again. “And you are Life?”

The serpent nodded sinuously. “It falls to us to argue the merits of our sister and brother, though they hardly pay us mind. And while we are here, we must explain why you have been allowed to plan so against our Mother.”

Twilight sat patiently, wrapping her tail around herself like she had as a filly, when everything had been so much simpler and the most complex thought she had was her next lesson. “I’m listening.”

Death’s knife glimmered in the dim light of the amphitheater. “You are here, Twilight, because of something that has been eons in the making, something that only now has begun to take its toll."

Life’s tongue flicked out, testing the air. “Creation is polarized like it should never have been, and it is tearing Mother apart. With all of the Aether straining one way or the other, it is no wonder that something dark was able to slip in.”

Twilight looked at the two archetypes in confusion. “So what is it you want me to do?”

Death’s “face” moved in a way that suggested a smile. “It’s very simple, Twilight. We want you to help us bring our brother and sisters under control. Help us shackle them as they shackled you. Mother refused us, long ago, but with you, we can finally achieve our goal.”

Life nodded, coiling around Twilight possessively. “Help us, Twilight. It would be so very easy to do so. If they stray too far from their normal state, they fall back into the primal stuff from which they were formed. We can hold them there.”

Twilight looked up at the vast and fiery serpent. “How would I send them there?”

Death’s knife traced a delicate pattern in the air. “It’s easy, Twilight. All you must do is kill them.”

“Fire!” Silent Shield barked at the spellcasters under his command. A spell kicked up dirt in front of him as the volley of spells sped across the field, tearing holes in the ranks of the slowly advancing Regulars. The advancing ranks crumpled and fell as the more powerful spells ripped through their shields and armor, but the lines kept advancing.

“First rank! Fall back and re-focus! Second rank, forward! On my mark!” the Lunar Guard shouted. An arrow thudded into his armor, but the tip couldn’t penetrate the hardened adamantium. There was a brief pause while the second rank of unicorns took aim. “Fire!”

Bolts of magic sped across the battlefield in red and green and blue, exploding into gouts of flame, or crackling through ranks in bolts of electricity, or eating through flesh and bone like acid. Twilight’s army was mostly unicorns, and it was here that they showed their skill and discipline on the battlefield. The Lunar Guard had taken up a fighting line in front of the Regia, and was even now shredding the lines of the Regulars before they could get close to the walls.

The Regular spellcasters fired back an ineffectual volley that claimed one or two of the spellcasters in Silent Shield’s ranks, but the veteran commander knew that in this situation, he could not afford any losses. Celestia’s forces had come out of the woods with a combined land and air force of nearly one hundred thousand. Manning the defenses of the Regia were less than half that number. It was basic siegecraft. To storm any citadel, at least twice the number of attackers to defenders was needed under a competent commander. At this point, Silent Shield was only delaying the inevitable. And then he heard a noise echoing across the field of battle that chilled him.

“Solar Guard! Form lines and prepare to charge the center!”

The Lunar Commander’s eyes narrowed at that, and he barked out his next orders. “Bring the Reservists to the front! All hooves to arms and prepare to repel offensive!” Drums began banging, relaying the orders. “Form lines! Spears forward! Flash powder behind! Spellcasters in the rear!”

The ranks scrambled as they prepared themselves. The Regular advance faltered as they met with unexpected resistance from a pocket of Ever Free Fighters, who had concealed themselves in a nearby thicket of trees.

The lines formed as Silent Shield neatly sidestepped another Changeling, which plummeted from the sky to land with a rather final sounding thud right where he had been standing. The new Queen, Feldspar, had pledged her entire race in support of the skies, as they were not able to fight the tightly packed formations of the Regulars very effectively and could demonstrate little magic of their own.

Thunder erupted from the skies over the parapets of the castle. The Wielders were busy deploying their magic to shield the castle, augmenting the ancient wards that Luna had awoken to keep Celestia out. They were fading fast, however.

Something was not right with the way they were being used, and each of the Bearers had complained of feeling a pressure building in their heads when they returned to the Regia. They couldn’t describe it well, but they knew what it meant. Celestia was trying to bend them back to her will.

“Lunar Guards! Prepare defensive positions! Hold the line at all costs!”

The horns rang from the castle, and he could hear the sound of ballistae being readied and pointed at their targets. Newly improved by Birchwood, they fired in a rather unique way. At the top of each was a rack containing ten bolts, and the firing mechanism was extremely easy to pull back. This meant that the siege weapon could fire ten bolts in the time it took regular ballistae to fire two, at the expense of range. Once the rack was emptied, it was set to the side, and a new rack was slotted in.

But it was the next command, heralding the introduction of Birchwood’s newest invention, which caused Silent Shield to grin. “Buckers! To the front! Prepare to fire!”

Shining Armor’s ocular implant gleamed in the light of afternoon as he surveyed the battle in front of him. They had encountered hard fighting that day, and his troops were tired, but their goal was in sight. The battlefield in front of him was a bloody mess, ponies having fallen in heaps where they lay, and already the corpses were beginning to stink despite the fresh coat of snow on the ground. As he watched, the last of the Regulars began their retreat to both sides, clearing the way for the Guards to take the middle. He hefted his long pike, feeling the familiar weight in his hooves as he waited on the Regulars to clear.

“Guards! Prepare pikes!” he called. There was a clatter as the long implements were readied, slotted into grooves on the armor that allowed for a gallop while use. A skill that took years of hard practice and determination. “Visors down!” At this, three thousand visors slammed shut, protecting their eyes from grit and dust and giving them each a fearsome visage. “On my mark!”

The last of the Regulars cleared the field, and Shining Armor could see his opposite number forming the Lunar Guard and Reservists into a defensive square, right across the moat from the drawbridge. Some strange equipment was being moved into place; no doubt some new form of ballista.

“Forward!” Shining Armor cried, and the shimmering golden line of the Guard rumbled forth, pikes held deadly level despite the steep incline they were charging down. They started out in a short trot at first, but as they moved down the hill, that trot became a canter, and then a gallop. The rumble of their hooves was like thunder, and the first volley of spellbolts was almost entirely ineffective at stopping the charge.

A rapid twanging was heard from the walls, followed by several meaty thuds as bolt after bolt was fired from the ballistae, spearing two or three ponies at a time as they tore savagely at the flesh of the Guards. Even this would not have been enough, even with the spells and the arrows and the bolts and the exploding spheres the Guard would have still been mighty enough to crush the defensive lines of the Lunar soldiers.

But they could not stand for long against what happened next.

“First rank buckers, FIRE!” a stallion shouted, and then with a roar like that of angry demons, the entire front rank or the Guards dissolved into smoke and chaos and noise. Spheres of metal, propelled by flash powder, shot forth from the mouths of the barrels, whirring lethally as they tore furrows through the tightly packed ranks of the charging ponies. Shining Armor felt something pass over him as a bucker ball took the head off of the stallion behind him, before going on to punch through another and bounce through the legs of others, snapping bones and tearing up grit and clods of dirt.

“Second rank buckers, fire!”

Shining Armor’s horn flashed a brilliant blue, the signal to retreat, as more heavy balls of lead filled the air around him, leaving him miraculously untouched. The heavy shot ripped through the Solar Guard like the fingers of Death themselves, turning once-proud warriors into screaming wrecks, missing limbs and spurting great red gouts of blood onto the frigid ground as they writhed, calling for help and for their mothers and for death.

Shining Armor’s hooves slipped, found traction, pushed him away from the lines. He kept his head down as he and the tattered remnants of his Guard retreated from the walls, leaving their fallen behind. The Regulars, seeing the Guard in distress, formed a solid wall behind them as they retreated, presenting thick shields to the enemy. Thankfully, the newly made artillery could not reach the lines, and Shining Armor took the opportunity to catch his breath.

“Casualties report!” he called, after a few minutes. “How many did we lose?”

A young Lieutenant, face scratched and bleeding from a flash sphere detonation, answered his call. “Out of three thousand, sir, we estimate no more than one thousand members of the Guard returned alive. Of those, most are fit for combat. In all, we can present about nine hundred Guards to the enemy, but we…sir, if they keep using those flash powder weapons, we won’t have much of a chance.”

Shining Armor growled, scraping at the ground with his hoof. “Where in Tartarus are those idiots from the Navy? Their guns can take out those stupid…what were they called? Buckers? I’d like to see them try and use those up against a Hydra-class arc cannon.”

“The Navy is still an hour out, sir. They said that they were running with a storm at their back, so they should be here soon.”

Shining Armor’s eyes turned back to the positions at the bottom of the hill. “Let’s hope so.” he said, his tone grim. “Because if they don’t get here soon, there’s no way we’re taking that castle.”

Tarantella snarled as she kicked an Air Corps member square in the jaw, he dagger catching him in the throat soon after. It slid out of him with a wet sound as his limp body spiraled down towards the ground bonelessly. She spun, ramming her skull directly into the face of another Pegasus mare who had been attempting to assist her wingpony. Tara’s teeth dug into the soft tissue of her face, and her knife found its way in between the unlucky soldier’s ribs. She spat the gobbet of flesh out in disgust as she gained altitude.

The Condottieri were a force to be reckoned with on any battlefield, and any Condottiero was sure to be a great warrior. They had to be in order to win the respect of their followers. But Tarantella was on another level entirely. She had been grief stricken before, when the Bearers had brought her the bad news, but her tears had given way to rage, burning white hot inside of her when the army on the horizon had appeared. Without a word to the command of the Regia, she had gathered her mercenaries, and as one, they had shot into the sky.

Another challenger appeared, holding what appeared to be some sort of trident in his hooves. He jabbed at her, but she rolled to one side, and the thrust did little save leave a new line of red to join the multitudes along her legs and back. He paid for it dearly as she hurled her knife with expert precision. He fell clutching at the length of metal in his eye and did not rise again. She withdrew her last weapon, a length of rope with a lead weight at one end, and set about destroying her enemies.

Tarantella Allegretta no longer cared if she lived or if she died. All she wanted now was to find the goddess who had taken from her the one she loved. And when she caught Celestia, she would give the wretched mare reason to remember her. Even if it cost her own life, Tarantella would make sure Celestia paid for her crimes.

Check

“I’m sorry, you want me to what?” Twilight asked.

Life’s gaze burned as it met her own, transfixing the young unicorn. “Kill them, Twilight. If you want to save your world, you must eliminate the forces that are tearing it apart. If Celestia and Luna and Discord are allowed to run rampant, they will destroy your world just as surely as the Shadow. Regardless of who wins this struggle, you will lose. Unless you decide that no one wins that war.”

Death nodded in agreement. “You wish for free will? It can be yours. You could seize control of your own life, for the first time in your life you would be free to choose as you wish, truly free, without bias. You could choose what to do with your life, Twilight.”

Twilight’s mind spun at the implications. No more Celestia or Discord to fight against, no more Luna to maintain Balance. She could save her world by dint of her skill and intelligence, and hers alone. She could be what she wanted to be, anything at all.

Life smiled beatifically at her, seeing what the young unicorn was thinking. “Yes, Twilight. You could be anything, do anything, and be with whoever you wanted to be with. Your body has been destroyed, and with it the curse Celestia laid upon you at birth. You could have a foal, Twilight. You could marry a stallion, or a mare if that is what you so desire. You could take both.”

“Who would refuse one who killed a goddess and ended a war? You could have anything your heart desired, and more. With our powers at your disposal, with Knowledge and Life and Death at your command, you could work wonders. Your name could be remembered for all time, writ large in the very stars. You could be the Empress of the Evening, the Mage Queen who gave ponies their freedom. You could be ruler, beloved of all.” Death hissed, his knife twisting back and forth in the air.

Twilight’s brow furrowed. If she agreed to kill those who had twisted her world so badly that she hardly even recognized it, she could remake it as she saw fit. Visions of ivory and ebony towers, crackling with lightning, stood tall in her head. She could bring forth a new age of prosperity, with only a single nod of her head. She could have her revenge and all the power she could ever desire by simply saying “yes”, all she would need to do was what was clearly right. Her so-called friends had only come slinking back to her when she had brought them to their knees through trickery and lies, when they should have been there from the start. Her thoughts spun wrathfully as she considered what she could do to them. She could make them beg for forgiveness on their knees, just as she had begged them four long years ago, when they had shown her where their true loyalties had lain.

Of course they had chosen Celestia over her. They were nothing more than tools, after all, nothing more than mortal. She could raise them up to new heights after grinding them into the dust, showing them the light after teaching them their errors, for Twilight would be the one with the power to remake her life, and in doing so remake the lives of others, make them better, give them their freedom and lead them into a new and glorious age. Celestia had to be stopped; she could not be trusted to keep control. And Discord was surely no better. And all it would take were a few necessary sacrifices.

She froze. The ivory towers in her mind melted away, replaced with a familiar hall, the audience hall of the Regia. She remembered with horror how Morning Star’s mocking voice had called to her, hailing her as a savior as legions of faceless ponies prostrated themselves before her. She remembered two wings made of smoke, the horrible things she had seen in that terrible dream. She remembered what she could have done. Canterlot in ruins, her race humbled, and her friends nothing more than names carved into a weathered stone.

Her friends…she couldn’t believe what she was considering doing to her friends. They were not tools, they were ponies, with thoughts and feelings and hopes and dreams of their own. Free will meant making mistakes, intelligence meant being open to thoughts that might be different than her own. She had no right to punish them for being used by one so much more powerful than them. She had been like them, once. And as soon as she was offered power, she considered using it to put herself above others.

And it was only then that she realized what she was being told to do, and how she was being used. Her shoulders began to shake as her head bowed, and the amphitheater, at first silent, was soon filled with the gasps of desperate, near-hysterical chuckling. Death and Life looked at one another in confusion as Twilight began to howl with laughter, the tones of her revelations echoing off of unseen walls. She laughed and laughed, until she finally subsided, breath coming in short gasps. Finally, she lifted her head and looked at Death and Life, whose expressions were as inscrutable as the space between stars.

“Okay, so let me get this straight.” she said, swallowing another chuckle. “You want me to take a stand and exercise my free will by doing what it is you tell me to do. You want to get rid of Celestia and Luna and Discord, thereby increasing your power, and you want me to do it for you. Meaning that I would in fact be free of their influence, at the price of falling under yours. Essentially, you want a puppet to dance for you in exchange for some insane dream of power and fame?”

Death attempted to speak, but Twilight’s voice cracked like a whip across his own. “You really don’t get it, do you? You’re offering me the world, and everything inside of it, but you’ve made a big mistake.”

She locked eyes with Life, who now seemed to be transfixed by her instead of it being the other way around. “The thing is, I don’t want the world. I never wanted the world. What you’ve just offered me is the exact opposite of what I would really like, which is to finally rest, to find a bit of redemption and not have to worry about my world or any other world coming to an end. All I wanted was happiness, and what you’ve just offered me would never, ever make me happy.”

Her eyes swept over the stands behind the two archetypes, and she took in the shadowy ranks of the waiting versions of herself. “I don’t want to owe allegiance to any aspect. I don’t want to be a god, but I feel the only way for me to ever be out from underneath these massive Powers is to become one myself. So, I have a counterproposal for you all.”

There was no outward sign of assent from the shadowy spectators in front of her, but Twilight could feel their attention on her just as acutely as the full force of a storm. She had interested them, and now it was up to her to convince them of the plan she had been holding close to her chest.

“I will not work for Order, or Chaos, or Death, or Life. I will not be subservient to any archetype, and that is a vow I will hold to. Mother herself will not challenge me. But I can offer you something else. I will never be a pawn, but I can be something better. Make me a champion, a knight who fights for your causes because she wishes to, not because she is forced to. Lend me power when I need it, and I can promise you that I will do more than banish the Shadow, I will do what Luna could not.”

She looked the two archetypes in the eyes, and spoke with confidence. “I can maintain the Balance. With her help, and the support of the other archetypes, there is nothing that I cannot do. Once the Shadow lies defeated, and Equestria is saved, I will relinquish my power, if it is so desired. To be honest, that’s what I would prefer. And that’s why you can trust me, because I don’t want your power, I just want to rest. I will do my very best to make sure that your enemies are crushed, Celestia and Discord brought to heel, the Balance is maintained. And after that task is complete, I will gladly step aside. No, I will beg to die, if that is what is needed.”

The archetypes and the assembled shadows gazed at her as if transfixed. “Make me your ally, not a tool, and I can be far more deadly and effective than even you could be acting through me. Let me solve problems my way, and I promise you that I will be more than you could have ever dreamed. Just look at what I accomplished on my own! With none of you supporting me, with only the help given to me by my friends, I was able to nearly bring Celestia to her knees, something Discord and Luna could never have done. Imagine what wonders I could create with my freedom intact and your support!”

Twilight raised one hoof in the air, nearing the climax of her speech. “I ask you this, good and gentle souls. I ask for your support, the backing of Order and Chaos alike. Lend me your Power, and let me shoulder the burden of Balance. I will drive out the entity of Destruction, and restore Equestria to its rightful state, that of evenness and true harmony, not the lie that Celestia claimed it was. True Harmony is about a balance between extremes, and with your help, I can bring about Harmony, not just for my worlds, but through me, all of Creation. Order and Chaos, side by side, and the stronger for it! I ask you now, brave and wonderful souls, lend me your strength, and I will never falter, and I cannot fail. Lend me your strength, and together, let us forge Creation into what it was always meant to be, a place of Balance!”

Twilight was suddenly aware of a great pressure upon her, and her eyes widened as she watched the air warp and twist even more, bringing new forms to the arena floor. A column of writhing water, some strange looking creature with fur the color of bark, a grinning skull with razor sharp teeth, and others revealed themselves to her, and Twilight heard the crowd suddenly erupt into roaring and cheering as she faced down the archetypes, keeping her head high.

“It seems they’ve agreed to your proposal, dear.” a voice said from behind her. “Well played. A masterful speech, if a tad bombastic. Keep in mind that you did ask for it, however. And you have made some very big promises. Very big indeed.”

Twilight nodded her head respectfully as Mother trotted around her back. “Mother. I assure you, I meant every word I said.”

The mare smiled, laugh lines creasing her face. “I’ve no doubt of that, my dear. And perhaps I should have listened to my children more. I had always intended for Balance to reign supreme, but I suppose it was too much for any one being to bear, no matter how great she was. Perhaps the extra help will be of use to her.” She turned, facing the rows of benches. “I have never seen Order and Chaos agree on something so solidly.” she said, taking in the applauding spirits. “Perhaps you really can bring around equilibrium. It’s certainly time for it.”

Twilight smiled, finally allowing herself to relax. “So what happens now?” she asked.

The Aether turned to face her, her face serious. “To keep your promises, you’re going to need to make some changes. You aren’t going to be a goddess, because you don’t command any archetype, you simply use them as necessary. So you will not be immortal, though I think that we can work something out. Life and Death support you, so you will not be allowed to die until you have fulfilled your goals. And you will be taking a small part of me with you. This is to ensure that you can access the archetypes as you need them. The rest, you will simply need to take care of on your own.”

Twilight frowned. “Part of you? What do you mean by-“

Mother lunged forward, burying her horn up to the hilt in Twilight’s chest and cutting her sentence short. The unicorn choked and gagged as pain radiated out from the wound, which felt as if it was on fire. Mother broke the horn off of her head with a vicious jerk of her head, leaving the horn embedded in Twilight’s heart as the young unicorn collapsed, suddenly feeling very cold indeed. Twilight looked down to see blood seeping from the wound, and the last thing she remembered seeing before blacking out entirely was Mother’s sympathetic face.

Twilight drifted in weightlessness once more, and this time she realized that it felt far colder than it should have.

Sweetie Belle shot up in bed with a start, eyes swiveling wildly as she attempted to take in her surroundings. She immediately regretted that action as a lance of pain shot through her head and chest, causing her to hiss in agony as she sunk back down into the mattress. She could hear rumblings in the distance, sharp reports and cries from somewhere nearby. Silently, she took stock of what was around her, and came to the conclusion that she was back in the Regia.

The sudden clatter of hooves sounded, and a familiar looking Pegasus filly skidded to a stop near her bed, eyes gleaming with tears as she looked at her expectantly. Sweetie Belle’s sluggish mind attempted to reconcile this filly with what had happened to her, and took a moment to arrive at the logical conclusion.

“Cirrus?”

The filly nodded, pulling out a sheet of paper from her saddlebags and showing her the message scrawled upon it. Are you feeling alright?

Sweetie Belle sat up more slowly this time, taking it easy. “I think so. What’s going on?”

The Regia’s under attack. Celestia’s trying to break the wards, and Luna and the Elements can’t hold her off much longer. They’re flagging fast up there. All of the other foals are being moved to the keep, along with the injured and sick. You’ve got to come with me, this part of the castle’s about to be overrun.

Sweetie Belle nodded once, forcing herself out of bed. Upon hitting the floor, her hooves nearly gave way, causing her to stumble a bit. She caught herself just in time to prevent a fall, steadying herself on a nightstand. She looked around as the room spun. She appeared to be in some sort of sick bay or hospital wing. It was being evacuated, and quickly. Most of the beds were empty, nurses ushering patients out of the door.

The filly withdrew another piece of paper. Rainbow Dash already collapsed, and she’s unconscious. The other four are working as hard as they can, but they’re just no match for Celestia. It’s only a matter of time, now that Twilight Sparkle’s dead.

The duo burst into the hallway, Sweetie Belle panting as she hobbled along. “Twilight Sparkle is dead? When did that happen?”

The filly glared at her, tugging her along impatiently. Sweetie Belle figured she must have run out of paper, so she shut up and focused on running. The tower shook as she rounded a corner, sending her into a wall. Gritting her teeth in pain, Sweetie Belle kept moving, powering through it. The steady stream of ponies merged into the main hallway that ran between the outer tower and the inner keep, moving calmly but urgently towards their destination. Cirrus flapped her wings a few times, landing on Sweetie Belle’s back to avoid being separated in the crowd.

The weight was negligible, and Sweetie Belle found herself moving more and more easily with each step, trying to make it to safety. As she hobbled, she tried desperately to think about something, anything besides what she knew she had done to one of her best friends. It had been her or Applebloom, she knew that. She had no choice if she wanted to live.

But that look in her eyes, right before she died. It had been almost like Applebloom had become herself, for one last moment. And the possibility that Sweetie Belle had not killed a monster, but instead her best friend, terrified her and sickened her beyond words. It had been easy to do it, to get in close and bring her down. If she was going to be honest with herself, she knew that she probably could have ended the fight before it had even really begun. But some part of her had held back, hoping that Applebloom was still in there, somewhere.

And in a cruel twist of fate, she had shown up. She had shown up right as Sweetie Belle had given up hope on her, had forsaken peace for the blade. Maybe she hadn’t. Maybe she had been imagining it, maybe Applebloom really had disappeared. But the possibility that she wasn’t was something that would haunt her for as long as she lived.

This wasn’t likely to be very long, Sweetie Belle realized. Trottingham was an entire city, full of innocents, and Celestia had set it ablaze. The castle was full of Ever Free ponies, threats to her rule. By the time she was finished, there would likely not be a castle left at all, let alone ponies inside of it. But she set those thoughts to the side as they reached their destination, a room with many doors, each imposing and stretching to the ceiling above. Sweetie Belle realized it was the antechamber to the throne room, which also lead a few other places. With a jolt, she realized where they were headed.

The vault in the Regia stood open, empty of coin, which was strewn about on the floor in order to make more room for ponies to fit inside. The mighty door looked unbreakable under normal conditions, but Sweetie Belle knew to a goddess it would make a very poor barrier indeed. It was their best hope, and it would not be enough to save them, not by a long shot.

A tap on her shoulder caused Sweetie Belle to turn her head, and she was presented with an envelope by Cirrus, one that bulged strangely. Making an effort, she took it from the filly as they sat down inside the vault, settling against one of the walls. Immediately she recognized the script on the outside as Rarity’s, and she tore it open eagerly, withdrawing the letter first.

My Dearest Sister,

If you are reading this, it means that I was not there to comfort you when you woke up. It feels like I never am there, doesn’t it? But this time, it is for a reason. Celestia’s army marches on the Regia, and since Twilight is gone, it doesn’t look like we have much of a chance left. I can feel her now, tugging at my thoughts and telling me to surrender. But I won’t, not while there’s breath left in me.

Because I’m fighting for you, Sweetie Belle. Everything I can do to keep you in my life just a little bit longer is something I will do gladly. There is so much I didn’t say, so much I could have shared with you if only I hadn’t tried to keep the truth hidden from you. That’s one of my biggest regrets, that I will never be able to talk to you as a sister. I don’t expect to come from this fight without anything to show for it. Like as not I’ll be in service to Celestia again. Rainbow Dash is already showing signs of flagging, the poor dear doesn’t have much strength left, and she was the closest of all of us to Celestia.

I failed to protect you, Sweetie Belle. Even though I tried, it seemed the harder I worked to keep you safe, the less safe you became. Even this last action is ultimately futile. But all is not lost, Sweetie Belle. Inside the envelope is your knife, one you refused to let go of even after we pulled you from the lake and brought you back here. It’s yours. Use it to keep the ponies around you safe. Perhaps you can do it better than I.

Sweetie Belle, I love you more than you could ever know, and for what it’s worth, I’m proud of the choices you’ve made. Even though I couldn’t see it, you grew into a powerful young mare, one that I envy in more ways than one. Keep your conviction strong, and your faith in yourself stronger. Something great lies within you, Sweetie Belle. Though it should have died, the foal inside of you is as healthy as ever. Keep it safe, and those around you safe as well.

I love you, and I miss you already. Please, remember me fondly, and know that I will be here for you until the very end.

Love,

Rarity.

Sweetie Belle folded the letter back up with trembling hooves, taking the jambiyah from the envelope and hefting it in one hoof as she gave it an experimental twirl. Her eyes met those of Cirrus, and Sweetie Belle made the choice right then and there. She would keep this filly safe. Regardless of what she had to do, she would make sure that Celestia could not have Cirrus. The knife hummed as she looked at it, and then at the filly. Whatever it took.

Shining Armor ducked behind the hastily erected earthworks as another bucker shot whirred overhead. The young lieutenant screamed at the spellcasters to return fire, her voice echoing throughout the battlefield. The sun was beginning to set, and the clouds were rolling back in, flashes of thunder and lightning heralding the arrival of a storm as flakes of gentle snow began to fall.

He looked out over the ramparts as Celestia dove in close to the castle, her attack repulsed yet again by the remaining Elements and her sister. Rainbow Dash’s signature red flares of lightning had ceased hours ago, and the defenses were finally beginning to weaken. The wards on the walls, layered so thick that they put Canterlot’s defenses to shame, flared yet again, another rune failing somewhere in the system and taking an entire layer of wards with it. Easily thirty layers of defenses had been removed, but the powerful runes showed no signs of letting up soon.

A shout arose from the ranks of the Equestrian army, and the ponies assaulting the castle cheered wildly at what was appearing over the treeline. The Fleets had arrived! All seven of Equestria’s fleets had combined, and hundreds of airships now filled the skies above the Regia. Cries of panic came from the defenders on the walls, but it was too late. The might of Equestria had finally arrived, and now the massive guns of the Navy were going to pound the last remnants of the Ever Free into submission. Shining Armor smiled. It would all be over soon.

Last Moves

Twilight had died in the cold and the dark, and it was to the cold and the dark that she returned. The little unicorn struggled and kicked as she floated weightlessly in the abyss she had found herself in, cloaked in bubbles and unable to tell which way was up. She was reminded of her experience in the Everfree several years earlier, and the cruelness of the Keepers of Truth was recalled with little fondness. Calming herself and ignoring the burning in her lungs, Twilight stilled herself, trusting her natural buoyancy to orient her. Sure enough, she felt a slight tugging in one direction, and she began to kick for the surface, eyes fixed on the dull shimmering above her.

She breached the surface with a gasp, drawing in a breath of air so cold that it burned her to take it in, and screamed in pain and defiant joy. She was alive again, wonderfully alive, and she realized how unusual it was to live again. Her pulse thudded in her ears, rushing and roaring as it pumped blood through her body, and she could feel the swish and shifting of her heart, and the steady in and out of her lungs. Twilight simply lay on top of the water for a brief moment, getting used to the sensations, before she began to swim steadily to the side of the pool she was lying in.

She was surrounded by a very familiar stone circle, and she recognized the view past the standing stones as the top of the mountain she had divined, in what seemed to her to be another life. It probably was another life, she reflected. But that was not all, she realized, resting a hoof on her chest as she stared up at a rapidly darkening sky. Something was different about her, unusual. What was lying on her chest, or rather inside of it, surprised her.

The Element of Magic gleamed proudly, flickering with light in time to her heartbeat, ringed by numerous crystals in white and black. Twilight felt an intense heat emanating from it, hot enough to melt the snow around her, and realized that she could feel what appeared to be a vast reservoir of power, so great as to make the Elements pale in comparison beside it. Twilight turned her consciousness inside of itself, and when she focused on the crystal, she realized exactly what it was. She now carried in her chest not only the Element of Magic, but a direct link to the Aether. Smiling, she focused on dampening the stone, and turned her attention back out once more.

It burned her to carry, but she paid the sensation no mind, instead looking for her armor, which she found after a brief search at the bottom of Celestia’s pool. Reaching for it with her magic, she hardly needed to exert any will at all to wrench it violently from the bottom of the pool and lay it in front of her.

It was a mess, the front blown out and the crystals in the center in complete disarray. The metal was blackened and twisted, unable to contain the magical force of her old crystal shattering. Twilight frowned. She would need armor to ward off the worst blows in the coming conflict, she knew that. But she couldn’t just rip any old set of plate off, she needed more durable stuff. Gazing at the armor, she made her decision.

Reaching deep inside of herself, she drew on the incredible power she now carried. It felt to her like plunging into a flaming stream, and she grunted in pain as she drank deep from the well of magic inside of her, pouring it into the armor. She bathed the armor in magic, feeling the metal bend to her will as she realized what needed to be done.

The armor was melted in a split second, the crystal and strange ore condensed into a single sphere of red-hot alloy that writhed and twisted like a serpent before Twilight Sparkle decided how to reforge it. Spells of force and duplication flickered across the glowing orange sphere, pulverizing it into something stronger while increasing the amount available to her. She would need more metal for what she had in mind. At last, she stood ready to begin, and Twilight Sparkle began to reform her armor around herself, letting the metal cool on her body, only protected by the thinnest skin of magic.

She made herself mail first, links so fine that what she wore resembled a shirt more than armor. It was the grey of a storm, fitting her body exactly and bending like fine cotton while providing all the protection of chain mail and more. It wrapped around her legs and middle, culminating in a coif that covered her head entirely save for her ears and horn.

The shoes were different than they had been before, cunningly hinged and composed of layers of plate that swiveled and moved with ease. They were etched with flames, running from the earth up to where her knees would be. The knees of the greaves were etched with a single six-pointed star. Her breastplate was similarly etched, with a six pointed star, but with one key difference. A dragon, wings stretched as if ready to take flight, clutched the star in its talons, spewing flame from its gaping, toothy maw. Anypony familiar with Spike would have seen the resemblance right away. More layered plate stretched to the back of her body, encasing her flanks and tail in shimmering metal that gleamed a dark grey in the light of her magic. They were etched with stylized wings, not feathered but leathery like that of a bat.

Her helm was next, and it was a fearsome helm indeed. It concealed her face entirely save for her ears, eyes, and horn. From the hole for her horn a spike jutted, easily six inches longer than the horn itself, made for goring and stabbing. Two more flanges jutted from her cheeks, bladed like sabers, ready to slash and hack the poor fool who dared to close with her. The entire pieces was lined with scales, and the gorget met the visor in such a way to suggest the presence of teeth, merging seamlessly to create the appearance of fangs.

Twilight smiled fiercely inside of her armor as she felt the improved crystal work conduct the energies through the metal, making her movements faster, her body lighter, the armor stronger. The power she wielded thrummed within her, and she felt good, better than she ever had before. She could cast her consciousness across Equestria, and where there was thought, so too did she exist. It occurred to her that she had actually accomplished Celestia’s goal by enlisting the help of the archetypes. She now wielded power over Knowledge, and she planned on showing her teacher exactly what she was capable of. But first…

Twilight’s smile turned the tiniest bit cruel, and she focused on a rather different castle than the one she had died defending.

There was a crack of thunder, a flash of light, and the top of the mountain stood still once more.

The skies above Canterlot were the white of purest snow, interspersed with pale blue flashes of lightning that flickered among the clouds, spinning in a pale disk above the capital as they poured snow down on the capitol of Equestria. The ponies huddled in their homes fearfully, burning fires to ward off the cold as they waited on their goddess to save them, for Cadance to emerge from the clouds triumphant. All had gone quiet about an hour ago, but before the eerie calm had descended with the snow, a might battle had raged above the city, and was at least partly responsible for the harsh weather.

Unseen to the ponies below, Cadance was floating, transfixed, above the clouds. Her mind ranged far afield as her body hovered, her mastery of emotion sensing the location of every Windigo, from the few stragglers over the Everfree to the vast herds now roaming the northern wastes, swooping down on ponies to drain them of hope and life. She consumed them all, filling herself with their hatred and leaving them with no reason to continue living. She met and forgave every one, healing them of their wounds and sending them peacefully into the afterlife.

But it was taking its toll. Her feathers shone with the white of bone, her normally kind violet eyes slowly turning into the hard blue of ice, and her face twisted into a furious scowl that spoke of near-homicidal rage. Still she continued, and still she forgave, though her heart was filled with the hatred of millennia and more. Her will was iron, her love boundless, and though her body was wracked with anger and hate, she could still feel the core of her true self pulsing strongly. She was weak, however, and as such she was unprepared for what happened next.

Twilight erupted from the clouds, two wings of smoke and shadow flaring from her back, and tumbling into her body. The Alicorn was limp for a moment before she was able to call herself back to her own body, but when she did, there was nothing holding her back. Rolling to face Twilight, she drew deep on the hatred within herself, forcing it through her horn in the form of a beam of icy blue magic that knocked the unicorn backwards through the sky. Frost rimed her horn as she screamed wordlessly at Twilight, drawing on the raw emotional power of the hatred she had absorbed and focusing it all on Twilight Sparkle, the mare who had stolen her family, scarred her face, and made her life unbearable for four long years.

Twilight felt the heat within her catch the coldness and push it away before she drew on its power in turn. The draconic armor lit up as if it had just been forged, the red-hot energy coalescing at the tip of Twilight’s horn before flashing forth in a red-hot beam of incredibly thin energy no thicker than a needle. It was barely caught on Cadance’s shield, which stopped the penetrating force of the beam from gutting her like a fish. It did not, however, shield her from the vast and fiery explosion that tore through the heavens, burning a hole in the clouds as Twilight pressed her assault.

Cadance’s brow furrowed as she locked eyes with Twilight. She didn’t know how, but the mare had seemingly returned from the dead. But at the same time, something was…different about her. The unicorn was no longer as helpless and weak as before. If anything, she was stronger now than Cadance, still weak from her bout with the Windigos. And there was something more, too. She possessed something else besides power.

Twilight’s next attack was just as strong as the first, maybe even a bit stronger. The beam of light flickered across Cadance’s shields, slicing them as though they were rice paper parted by a sharp sword. Cadance rolled, attempting to find an opening, but it seemed that no matter how she tried, Twilight was one step ahead of her, always there to press the attack and forcing the Alicorn to tire herself with more useless shields. More than once a magical beam managed to slip by her defenses, leaving deep burns on her flanks as they neatly burned away flesh.

And it was only then that Cadance realized what Twilight was doing. She didn’t know how she had done it, or how she was using it, but the unicorn was somehow anticipating her movements. She knew what Cadance knew as she knew it, which meant that she could plan a counter for the attack. Twilight had become what Celestia had hoped she would be, or at least produce. She had become the Mistress of Thought. But she wasn’t under Celestia’s control, and that made her a terrifying opponent.

“Fine, Twilight.” Cadance growled. “Two can play at your game.” And with those words, she focused on the young unicorn, levying an intense psychic assault on her as she dove. The unicorn barely managed to roll, but her movements were sluggish, her mental defenses crumbling under the weight of the intense fear and exhaustion Cadance was forcing her to feel. More icy hatred flared from Cadance’s horn, meeting Twilight’s fire, and the skies above Canterlot flared into life once more, as the power of Thought met with the power of Emotion.

The sky above the Regia rumbled and cracked as Celestia’s assault was barely cancelled out by Rarity, whose bolt of amaranth magic barely managed to cancel out the intense power of Celestia’s blasts. The unicorn wobbled on her hooves as she gritted her teeth, exhaustion tugging at her limbs and battering her already beleaguered mind. The desire to give up, to just roll over and let Celestia carry the day was monumental. If not for the support of her friends, and the exhortations of Princess Luna, she would have long succumbed to the pressure in her head.

Another bolt of magic soared through the sky, even as the ground below mirrored the conflict above, rippling with light and noise. Fluttershy was the one to strike that bolt down, her pink energy soaring gracefully into the sky to dispel it before it got too close to the castle. She grunted in pain as she did so, the unfamiliar magic taxing her in ways that she was unused to. Landing, she closed her eyes for a brief moment, as if she was focusing on a faraway voice. She shook her head wildly, clearing it, before rejoining her friends as Applejack cancelled out another attack.

“Keep going!” Luna called. “If we can hold until the sun sets, I may yet be able to repel her!”

Rarity groaned, her head throbbing as she cast another bolt of magic into the sky, forcing Celestia to dodge as she battered at the defenses. She wasn’t sure how long they could last, especially with Rainbow gone. Her fierce nature hadn’t lasted long after Celestia had begun attacking the castle in earnest, and she had been the first one to collapse. She had been taken below an hour ago, in a deep coma. The beleaguered warrior had finally reached her limits.

The sun was setting, almost touching the horizon, and the hour was finally approaching twilight, but the moon wouldn’t rise for another hour at least, possibly more if Celestia tried to keep it from rising. And Rarity knew she didn’t have another hour left in her. In fact, she wasn’t sure about the next few minutes. Her concentration flickered, and it was due to her lapse in attention that another bolt managed to sail through the defenses of the remaining Elements, erasing yet another layer of the wards.

“Mine!” Fluttershy called, leaping over an off-balance Pinkie Pie to catch the next bolt. Her magic ripped through the sky, actually managing to bore a hole through Celestia’s magic and catch the Alicorn off-guard. Celestia retreated for the briefest of moments, and Rarity felt a moment of blessed relief from the voice in her head. Steeling herself, she thought of Sweetie Belle, and reminded herself that she was doing this for her sister.

Pinkie Pie followed up with another bolt of magic, sky blue lightning warning off a party of Air Corps Pegasi that had flown too near. Celestia flew low over the castle again, and this time it was a bolt of indigo magic from Luna that took to the air, causing the Solar monarch to interpose a hasty barrier between herself and the offending spell. Rarity, seeing her opening, drew in the last shreds of her will, and unleashed a torrent of purple flame that washed through the air, catching Celestia off guard once more.

The action cost her dearly, though, as Rarity sank to her knees, her vision going black around the edges as Celestia found a hole in her mental armor that she could no longer defend. With a groan, Rarity felt her eyes roll up in her head, and heard Applejack calling her name. Looking up at the sky, she could both see and feel Celestia swooping down towards the tower, avoiding the spells Pinkie Pie, Luna, and Fluttershy were sending at her to cover Applejack’s retreat. Rarity raised one hoof, pointing in an attempt to warn her friend, but she couldn’t move.

And then the sky exploded.

Shining Armor dove for cover as the skies above the Regia erupted into noise and light, arcane energies skittering across the sky as two figures appeared high above the battlefield. He adjusted his magical eye, and what he saw stopped his heart. An armored figure, her wings smoking in the dusk, stood over them all, towering above even Celestia like some sort of vengeful bird of prey. Her armor resembled a snarling dragon, and her entire body was wreathed in baleful flame and grey, shimmering magic. When she spoke, her voice carried across the entire battlefield.

“Transgressors! Intruders! Armies of The Dread Sun! You have trespassed upon my demesne and attacked my followers! For your crimes against me, you shall pay in blood! For I am the Dusk, the Everstar! I claim these woods in my name, and so you shall pay homage! Resist, and this shall be your fate!”

And with that, her magic flashed, and the second figure was cast from on high, tumbling limply before slamming into the ground hard enough to raise a cloud of dust. Shining Armor gasped as his wife impacted the earth, and he felt a tremor of fear run through him at the sight of what he now realized to be his sister. And then the unthinkable happened.

The airships, their salvation, which had been approaching the castle, soared overhead, and from their decks came Gryphons.

In the hundreds, in the thousands they came, turning the guns of Equestria’s Navy against the forces on the ground and obliterating entire groups of ponies in magical lightning, softening them up for the impact of the Gryphon assault. Shining Armor was suddenly beset by three of the avian predators, each wearing their king’s colors and lashing out with scimitars and spears. The army, in sudden disarray, was soon fighting for its very life as the Gryphon warriors tore through their ranks, easily outclassing most solitary legionnaires. Pockets of resistance were targeted with the guns, and what had once been an organized assault turned into a rout.

The Air Corps Pegasi began to tumble from the skies, simply unable to match the peerless flying ability of the Gryphons, and a cheer arose from the Ever Free defenders at the sight of the Gryphons driving their enemies back. Shining Armor fought clear of the Gryphons, his armor catching most of the blows while his horn made quick work of the attackers, and seized a banner from the earth, waving it back and forth as he rallied what little remained of the Guard.

“Retreat!” he called, attempting to save what remained of the army. “Everypony back! Form rearguards and retreat!”

Ponies flocked to him, casting shields to ward off the worst of the guns from the Navy, and as they fell back, Shining Armor noticed the Gryphons forming a defensive ring around the castle, consolidating their position rather than pursuing the remnants of the Regulars and Guard. The army fell back across the plains in front of the Regia, far out of the way of the castle walls. First a hundred, then a thousand, then another thousand all gathered under Shining Armor’s banner as he waved frantically, attempting to gather whatever remained to himself.

So entrenched, Shining Armor was then able to watch as his sister took her next steps.

Twilight watched the army fall away from the Regia’s walls with a satisfied grin on her face, the Gryphons emerging from their airships and driving away the last attackers as they formed an iron ring around her castle. Her grin faded, however, upon noticing the damage done to its walls, and sensing the intense magical disruption leaking from the damaged and destroyed wards. Her chest thrummed warningly, and she looked up just in time to see Celestia regarding her calmly as she hovered in place, wings flapping in a measured pace.

“Twilight. I’m glad to see you again. You’ve…grown.”

The unicorn smiled, though the expression was hidden by her mask. “Celestia. I wish I could say that I was glad to see you as well, but I’d be lying to you. Now get out of my damn woods. And take your army with you.”

Celestia inclined her head regally. “Of course, Twilight. Will you and the other Elements be accompanying me back to Canterlot?”

“You’ve lost, Celestia.” Twilight said, her horn sparking. “Take what you have left and begin your retreat. If your army is still around this castle come nightfall, I don’t want to be held responsible for what happens next.”

Celestia laughed. “With you and the other Elements at my side, I don’t anticipate a problem.” Her horn flashed, and Twilight felt a strange tugging at her mind, as if Celestia had taken hold of her will and given it a gentle yank. “The rest of your friends are very close to seeing the error of their ways, Twilight. Will you let me do the same to you? Just because you have ascended doesn’t mean I can no longer execute my vision. I actually prefer it this way. You are my favorite student, out of the many I have taken over the years. You’ve proved yourself to be resourceful, cunning, intelligent beyond even my expectations.”

Her tone turned motherly, and oddly hypnotic. “Think of it, Twilight. You could have your life again, your eternal life full of happiness, by my side just like it was. It’s not too late to renounce the bargain you made. Oh yes,” she said, noting Twilight’s confusion. “I can sense what you’ve done. You’ve made a deal with all sorts of devils, Twilight Sparkle. But you can still hold on to what you’ve taken, and use it to help me bring about a paradise. I can show you how. All you need to do is let go.”

The sky was quiet for a brief moment before Twilight’s shoulders slumped. “You aren’t the first to offer me power. And though your offer of peace is tempting, I’m afraid that ship has sailed. It’s over, Celestia. I don’t want to fight you, but if I have to, I will.”

The Alicorn looked at Twilight, her face a mixture of love, regret, and anger. Twilight thought she knew that feeling, the one Celestia was displaying. She had experienced that same feeling four years ago, kneeling in an empty tower in front of her friends. It was the feeling of a heart breaking.

“So it’s come to this.” the Alicorn murmured.

Twilight was resolute. “I suppose it has.”

With nothing further to say, both goddesses manifested blades of magic, and charged at one another. And their duel tore the sky asunder, as the sun touched the horizon.

Dusk had arrived.

The Penultimate Move

Celestia’s form blurred as she sped through the sky, her face contorted with rage at her student’s final defiance. Twilight rolled to one side, her wings of shadow cloaking her in darkness as she disappeared in a puff of shadow before reappearing directly behind her teacher. Her horn flashed, a bolt of silvery Breaking magic flashing through the air and catching her in between the wings. Celestia cried out as it ate at her back before kicking back, her horns catching Twilight directly under the chin.

Bones snapped and popped as her jaw shattered, blood spraying everywhere as the unicorn flipped head over hooves through the sky. Blinking through tears of pain, Twilight could feel the bones in her jaw knitting themselves back together even as her helm flew from her head, exposing her face for the world to see. A roar rose from the walls as the defenders realized who had returned to fight for them.

Celestia followed up with a neat thrust from her blade, which Twilight managed to turn before her own magical weapon flicked up in a neat sideways sweep, shearing a snippet of the billowing scarlet mane from Celestia’s head. The blades met again, Twilight’s attack from above caught on the shaft of Celestia’s sword. Celestia’s counterattack was swift and brutal, three diagonal cuts of the blade that culminated in a devastating downward sweep, one that Twilight was forced to avoid by sacrificing some altitude.

Reaching inside of herself, Twilight called upon the power inside of her, feeling the archetype of Knowledge surging through her soul. Focusing on Celestia, she felt her horn blaze with light as her vision changed, growing white around the edges. Celestia’s form flickered and split, as if she was caught in several different and brilliant sources of light casting shadows. They moved as Celestia did, each of them taking a different action, and Twilight realized with a jolt that she was seeing brief moments into the future.

Her blade caught Celestia’s attack easily, and her teacher’s defense was easily bypassed, her blade leaving a red line along her teacher’s flank. Twilight heard Celestia grunt as she pulled away, appraising her student once more, and seeing her in a whole new light. Twilight readied her blade again, and her wings propelled her forward. She saw her teacher’s shadow sweep its blade forward in an attempt to forestall her, a blow with her full force and power behind it.

Twilight tucked her wings in close, spinning as she avoided the beam of golden light, her own grey blade taking Celestia through one wing. The Alicorn cried out in pain as she jerked back, the neat hole turning into a jagged cut as she fell to earth, her magic even now closing the wound. The crater she left was deep, the crater of something much larger than what she appeared to be. Twilight smiled to herself, thinking that her teacher was finally beaten.

And then Celestia began to take her seriously.

Twilight was unable to perceive the next blow, it moved so fast that she was unable to react at all. The blade sunk into her shoulder with practiced ease, digging out a chunk of flesh before she was able to feel the pain from it, and by the time that the signals reached her brain, the blade had already dug more of her from the other shoulder, leaving her with a pair of notches in her flesh.

Celestia’s hoof caught her in the temple, and Twilight felt her vision flicker as she hit the earth at an incredible speed. The flesh reappeared in a flash of light as the scrambled nerves sorted themselves back out. Twilight’s innate knowledge of where Celestia was going to be was the only thing that saved her from the finishing blow. Without conscious thought, her magic activated itself, and she disappeared from the crater just as it was devastated by a massive magical discharge. Celestia came after her quickly, and soon Twilight found herself on the defensive.

The duel raged on, Twilight unable to react to where Celestia was but able to anticipate where she would be. Their blades met and clashed with such force as would shatter mountains, Celestia’s strength and speed only countered by Twilight’s newfound foresight. The pair wielded only their weapons, moving too quickly and focusing too harshly to even consider the use of magic. And in a way, there was no need for magic here. This contest was a contest of dominance, plain and simple, and the emotions were primal and full of rage. To use anything other than physical skill would have been to admit defeat.

To onlookers on the walls, it appeared as if the air in front of the castle had erupted into a conflagration of sparks, and blurs of purple and white. Craters appeared spontaneously, the air crackled with arcane discharge, and the heat that was generated from this contest of wills and minds rolled towards the sky in waves. Any trees, any structures remaining in the open, any boulders or hills that dared to reach towards the heavens were pulverized, turned to dust as one contestant or another slammed into them with ferocious speed and force.

The crash of blade on blade was like thunder or the breaking of the tide, the flashes of light too brilliant to endure without losing vision, and the gusts of wind that buffeted the castle forced the awestruck spectators to crouch low against the constant spray of grit and liquidized rock that was being generated by the speed at which earth was flying. Each pony and Gryphon huddled low, the Changelings retreated to the castle grounds, and even the sky seemed to hide itself behind rumbling thunderclouds, generated by the intense magical discharge. Not a soul in the Regia would dare to venture forth to interfere with the deadly dance being woven in blood and steel.

Twilight felt herself tiring as Celestia’s blade lopped off an ear, the spray of blood staunched immediately as the appendage began to regrow itself. It didn’t bother her at all; she was far beyond even pain. She healed faster than her teacher by an exponential factor, but there was only so much even her newly enhanced body could take, and she was, after all, only mortal. A very powerful mortal, but a mortal nonetheless.

Celestia bled from a half-dozen wounds, none of them lethal or even particularly debilitating. Her thrusts were still sure and true, her defense as iron-hard as when she had started, and she appeared to be regaining control of herself. Her expression was drawn and hard, her eyes flashed with the threat of further violence, and the air around her was beginning to crackle with even more power.

Twilight swung her sword overhead, putting all of her magical weight behind it as they drifted closer to the ground once more. Celestia caught the blade, her face inches away from being bisected by her own weapon as she struggled to thrown back her student’s assault. With a grunt, she pushed back, and Twilight disengaged her teacher, standing on top of the shattered earth she was supposed to be guarding.

“Celestia, stop!” she cried. “This isn’t the way to handle things, we need to talk! If you don’t cooperate with me, things are going to get really bad!”

Celestia’s voice was brazen bells, ringing like judgment. “The only talk we will have, Twilight Sparkle, is you giving me your surrender.” Her horn flashed, and Twilight suddenly felt a terrible pressure bearing down on the inside of her skull as her heart seized. “Now, kneel!”

The sudden mental assault caught Twilight by surprise, and she could feel the Element in her chest pulse with heat not her own as Celestia forced herself inside of her student’s mind, laying waste to whatever defenses she had. The pain was excruciating as Celestia attempted to rewrite Twilight Sparkle’s personality for the second time. This time, she was not nearly so gentle as she had been before. Now there was no need for games, no need for delicacy.

Twilight found herself suspended in a sea of fire, her psyche smoking as it slowly burned her personality away, to be replaced with Celestia’s mindless devotion. She struggled to reassert herself, to reach for the power of the Aether she knew to be just out of reach, but every thought towards defending herself was annihilated before it had the chance to fully form, and so she could only delay the inevitable as Celestia pushed harder, and harder, and harder still. Twilight gasped, hooves scrabbling desperately at her head as she tried something, anything to get Celestia to cease her assault.

“You know how to make it stop, Twilight! All you have to do is give me your surrender! Surrender, Twilight! Kneel!”

Twilight felt her back bend, her knees begin to buckle. Her head bowed low, and she could feel the last vestiges of her essential self clinging for dear life in the raging inferno that her mind had become. Her body ached, and she found herself thinking on how easy it would be to just let go, to submit after a long struggle that she was tired of perpetuating. Just as she began to bend a knee, her saving grace arrived.

Tarantella erupted from the clouds like an avenging angel, lightning trailing behind her pearlescent wings as she struck the monarch full force, driving her into the ground as lightning coursed through them both, causing Celestia’s magic to flicker and die as electricity coursed through her body. The Alicorn collapsed under the combined weight of the blow and the weather.

“You kneel, you tyrannical zoccola.” Tarantella snarled, swaying on her hooves as she stood between Celestia and Twilight. “You dare to touch her? Come and take me, if you think yourself hard enough.”

She wasn’t alone. Three more Condottieri slammed into the ground, each of them brandishing weapons made of adamantium and holding a firm line between the monarch and her prize.

Twilight raised her head off of her hooves, trying her best to reassert herself. “Tara…no…”

The mercenaries moved not an inch as Celestia rose from the ground, smoking ever so slightly as she calmly regarded the four Pegasi. Her wings spread open, glowing with soft light as her horn began to heat up. “Remove yourselves. You get one warning.”

The Gale Dancers sprang into action, the three lieutenants leveling pikes at Celestia as they rushed forwards in a loose line, Tarantella bringing up the rear. Celestia incinerated one where he stood, but the other two managed to close, slipping out of her field of vision as they thrust their pikes at her sides. The Alicorn didn’t move an inch or bat an eye as the spearheads shattered against her coat, and Tarantella’s next blow was blocked contemptuously as Celestia shattered her foreleg for her impertinence. The Condottiero grunted, flapping her wings to rise to Celestia’s height before swinging with her other hoof. Celestia simply moved out of the way, her wings buffeting the smaller Pegasus as she casually crushed the life from another of the lieutenants.

The last remaining pony leapt onto her back, seizing Celestia’s neck in his hooves as he attempted to twist it. Celestia’s coat flashed brightly, and the pony was reduced to black ashes that simply refused to cling to her body anymore. This was all the opportunity that Tarantella needed to close with her, however, and Celestia did not expect what came next.

Drawing a dagger from inside of her armor, Tarantella rammed it directly into Celestia’s eye, where it stuck, quivering obscenely as the monarch screamed in pain. The Condottiero drew another, using the first as a handle to swing herself around. The second one sank in, its path true as Tarantella drove it deep, twisting the handle as she landed gracefully on three hooves. Tarantella sprang forward with a shriek, ignoring the pained thrashing of Celestia as she hammered blow after blow on the handles of the knives, driving them deeper and deeper.

Celestia’s magic flared brighter than Twilight had ever seen it before, and Tarantella found herself propelled through the air at speed, skipping over the jagged ground before tumbling to a limp halt. Celestia’s magic roughly seized the twin blades, yanking them roughly from her now-bloody sockets as her magic turned inward, forcing her eyes to repair themselves at a rapid rate. Blood wept from the holes where her eyes had once been as she stalked toward the Pegasus, pinned to the ground by the force of Celestia’ magic.

Tarantella Allegretta found herself spread-eagled, her hooves pinned to the earth with her chest presented to the sky and her wings fully extended. Celestia blinked once, twice, as her eyes opened once more. They were a bloody red, and saw only in black and white. For the first time, Celestia’s eyes matched her view of the world. She strode towards the Pegasus, the twin daggers held in her grip before they shot forward, flipping end over end once before burying themselves to the hilt in her wings.

“You dare?” Celestia asked, her voice as terrible as the sun. “You dare take sight from the Sun herself? You dare to keep me from the paradise I wish to create?” The daggers were withdrawn from Tara’s wings as tears of pain crawled from the Pegasus’s eyes. “So be it.” The daggers began to glow with heat, the adamantium heated to the temperature of a raging inferno.

The twin tools flashed, and the Pegasus’s wings fell limply to the ground, the stumps cauterized as Tarantella thrashed weakly against her magical bonds, trying to escape. Celestia’s horn crackled as the daggers were lifted towards the sky, and she looked down on the crippled Pegasus before her. “Make repentance, upstart slut. And give my regards to Ultimo.”

Tarantella’s gaze was fixed on the sky, and as one final tear slid from her eye, she relaxed. This was it, then. The end. The dagger sped down, and Tarantella had time for only one thought as she shut her eyes.

Cara Mia, forgive me…

Applejack groaned, the coils of amber magic surrounding her pulsing fiercely as she pushed with all of her might, the weight of the Regia’s main tower pressing her into the earth even as she pushed it back into the air. Pinkie Pie’s face was screwed up in concentration behind her as her tendrils of magic plucked any stragglers from the rapidly collapsing structure, setting them down away from the tower as best she could before more of the sky-blue magic she Wielded crawled into the windows and gaping holes once more.

Fluttershy held the line right next to Applejack, and her magic was almost as strong as the Earth pony’s. While Applejack took the majority of the weight, Fluttershy seemed to be focusing on the weak points in the tower, patching it up instead of letting it fall apart piecemeal. The occasional bit of stone fell from the Regia’s tower, but by and large it held together remarkably well. Still, it was already leaning heavily to one side as a result of the magical beating it had taken, and anypony could see that there wasn’t much that could be done at this point.

“Where in tarnation is Luna?” Applejack hollered, feeling her hooves sink into the ground another half inch.

“She went to go secure Cadance!” Pinkie Pie called. “Said she was too dangerous to be left unrestrained, and that she was going to make sure she stayed out of commission!”

“Looked pretty out of it to me!” Applejack grunted. “Could really use her help right now…”

Fluttershy groaned as she pressed against a massive chunk of rock. “We have to hold on! Rarity’s still inside!”

It was true, and one of the main reasons why Applejack was pressing against the tower with all of her might. Two Crusaders had died in less than a day. She had lost her sister, and she was going to make sure that Rarity had every chance to save her own. That being said, the tower had minutes left, if that. The Wielders still didn’t fully understand their powers, and they were certainly not at full strength.

“Come on, Rarity.” Applejack said through gritted teeth. “Where are you?”

Rarity leapt through the crumbling remains of the tower, her hooves sticking to the floor with a simple charm as she forced herself to climb through yet another collapsing doorway. Her destination was clear; it was getting there that was the problem. The vault in which at least a hundred ponies sheltered was mere floors above her, but she couldn’t risk teleportation through the already unstable structure. If she went even a little bit wrong, she could end up outside of the tower, hundreds of meters up, or even worse, trapped inside of a wall.

Her eyes lit up as she saw the main staircase leading to the antechamber before the vault, and she sprinted forward, willing her hooves to disengage from the “floor” just as she reached the stairwell. Reattaching her hooves, she galloped up the stairs at a breakneck pace, compensating for the strange angle by leaning into the side wall of the stairwell. Her lungs burning, her chest heaving, she stumbled up the stairs as best she could, almost falling more than once, but pushing forward all the same.

Her heart sank upon reaching her destination. The vault was there, right in front of her, but the way was blocked. She could hear the faint cries of trapped ponies behind that wall of fallen debris, and realized that the only reason the vault itself hadn’t collapsed was because of its hardened exterior. She also realized that the only thing keeping this entire floor from collapsing was that vault.

Rarity was faced with a choice. Either leave the vault and save the tower from collapsing just a while longer, or clear the debris, open the vault, and hold off the collapse for as long as she could. It was obvious to her what she had to do. Gritting her teeth, she felt violet magic spill from her horn, coating the chamber in arcane energies. So prepared, she seized the pile of rubble, and with a swift yank, threw it to the side and the door open.

“Everypony listen!” Sweetie Belle called, hefting Cirrus on her back as the vault shifted yet again. “Climb up the sides of the walls, Pegasi carrying the weak and the young! If you stay away from the back of the vault, there won’t be as much debris, and a greater chance to break free!”

There was a rush as ponies stampeded towards the blocked vault door, forcing Sweetie Belle and the few guards that had made it inside to flare their horns in warning. “Don’t push!” she called. “Everypony will get out of this just fine if we stay calm and orderly!”

The tower shook again as it shuddered towards the ground, and screams of fear arose from the young and a fair number of the older ponies as well. Sweetie Belle recognized how badly things were going, and knew that they didn’t have much time before the entire tower collapsed. She resisted the urge to scream herself, knowing that she had to present a brave face for the others. She was the only one with a level head, and she needed to keep it. Even the guards were starting to panic a little.

There was a terrible scraping sound from outside, the sound of rubble moving around, and Sweetie Belle tensed. Surely this was it, the final descent of the tower, and with it the ponies who had taken it as refuge. She reached for Cirrus, and felt the filly’s tiny hoof take her own.

It was a surprise, then, when the door of the vault was torn from its hinges as if it was made of cheap and flimsy wood. Sweetie Belle’ turned to see her sister, standing before her, shining in alabaster glory as the ponies began to cheer and push forwards. Sweetie Belle stepped to one side, letting the tide pass her by as her eyes met Rarity’s. They both nodded. There was work to be done.

In twos and threes the ponies stepped through the vault door, and as quickly as she could, Rarity rounded them up in groups. She only had the energy and control for one last attempt at teleportation, and if she was going to take everypony, she would need them as close together as possible.

“Cluster together!” Sweetie Belle called. “Get as close as you can, and hold on to the ponies next to you! Don’t let go, not for anything!”

Half the ponies had left the vault, and the tower was on its last legs. Sweetie belle could feel the floor shaking beneath her, and she leapt into the vault to hurry more ponies out of the door. There weren’t many, and she could feel it in her bones. They were going to make it; they were all going to make it.

“Rarity!” she called. “Start focusing! Get them out of here!” She turned to Cirrus, holding out her hoof. The Pegasus reached for it, a smile on her face, and their hooves met for the briefest of moments.

Then the floor shook once more, and the filly tumbled from her back towards the back of the vault, her expression shocked and frightened. Sweetie Belle didn’t hesitate, sliding back down the sharply slanted floor after her. The two of them hit the back wall, and Sweetie Belle seized the filly, placing her on her back once more. She kicked off from the wall, climbing back up the floor just in the nick of time. The back wall collapsed, exposing them to the drop below, several hundred meters to the ground.

Sweetie Belle could see the teleportation spell beginning, Rarity’s face pleading with her as more magic poured from her horn. It was too late to stop it now, if she did every pony with her would be doomed to die. Sweetie Belle scrambled up the floor, just yards away from the edge of the vault threshold. Rarity reached for her, her expression frozen with fear as she began to glow brighter and brighter, almost gone from the tower entirely. Sweetie Belle locked eyes with her sister for the final time, smiling as she reached behind her back.

Cirrus’s hoof touched Rarity’s just as the entire party disappeared. Sweetie Belle smiled, feeling the tower rumble and shatter from the magical backlash. The resulting shockwave caught her in the chest, sending her speeding towards the back of the vault. As she shot out of the hole, she could see the tower leaning towards her menacingly, descending inexorably towards her, more and more quickly. She smiled, finally at peace with herself.

“This is what finding the truth gets you, Sweetie Belle.” She chided herself gently. “It’s dangerous. Now look at you, about to die.” She closed her eyes. "Still, I wouldn’t have traded a bit of it. Not a bit. See you soon, Scootaloo, Applebloom. Wait for me.”

There was a terrific impact, and then everything went very, very still for Sweetie Belle.

Check

Cadance’s eyes fluttered open as she took stock of her surroundings. Her coat was covered in mud and gore, and she was cold and tired beyond all belief. Her head pounded painfully, and her muscles throbbed in almost-perfect time. Her stomach threatened to turn in on itself when she attempted to rise, and so she sank back down carefully, content to rest a while.

“A wise move, child.” Luna looked down at her calmly. “I would have disliked to restrain you in your state. I fear that I may be too overzealous should I exert myself, and we can’t have you damaged any further.”

Slowly, as if being dredged from the bottom of an abyss, Cadance’s memories faded back into reality. She remembered meeting Twilight above Canterlot, the battle that had taken place. She remembered a searing pain from where her scar had been, barely being able to turn Twilight’s attacks away, her frightened visage reflected in the unicorn’s armor. She remembered how easily she had been defeated. Twilight had somehow anticipated her movements, and it was only by leveling all of the hatred that she had absorbed at Twilight Sparkle that Cadance had been able to compete with her.

And then that particular well of power had burned itself out. Millennia of hatred was gone in moments, and Twilight had begun her work. She remembered the cruelty of her blows, how she had been batted around by Twilight’s magic like a half-drowned kitten. Twilight had fought with economy, precision, and grace. Before, she had been a frightening opponent. With her newfound power, Twilight had become unstoppable. She hadn’t stood a chance.

Luna’s eyes met hers. “You know,” the dark Alicorn said. “The curse Twilight laid upon you was only set to last until her death. Or yours, but mostly hers. You could see it as a small act of mercy. ‘Tis more than any of us deserve, really, after what we’ve done to her.”

Cadance’s tongue felt like it was made of rancid fat. “What…what is she?”

Luna watched as the grounds on the other side of the Regia erupted into a flurry of motion and magic. “I see she and my sister have failed to reach an accord. I suspected as much. As to your question, I cannot rightly say. I suspect she wields the Power of Knowledge now. She seemed most acclimated to it. But there is more in her, more than I think I anticipated. She is a representative of the Aether, now. For ill or good, my Mother has a claim to her.”

Hoofbeats sounded in the distance, and Cadance’s ears pricked up at the sound of a familiar gait. She craned her neck, searching. Moments later, she was rewarded with a set of strong hooves around her neck. “Shining Armor?”

The stallion nodded, his grip never loosening. “Cadance, are you alright? What did she do to you?”

Luna gave a snort of amusement. “I have done nothing save making sure that she does not attempt to do anything foolish and further injure herself. She was beaten quite soundly by Twilight, she should not be moving.”

The Commander of the Guard gaped. “Twilight? But…we heard from one of the Air Corps detachments that she died!”

Luna shrugged. “She did. But she still had business left on the mortal plane, so she was returned. And before you go about thinking that you could send her back, I wouldn’t try it. And get those pikes away from me before you hurt yourselves,” she snapped at the contingent of Solar Guards who had been edging closer. “Even with twice the number of soldiers you have now, you’d still be losing.”

The sky began to deepen to black, and Luna inhaled deeply. “It won’t be long now. I gave Tarantella the idea of watching the skies for my sister after telling her of Twilight’s regretful death. If my suspicions were correct, she should be ready to strike soon.”

Lightning erupted from the sky, and Luna nodded approvingly. “This is it, then. The beginning of the end.”

Shining Armor’s eyes were wide. “You mean you actually encouraged a mortal pony to take on Celestia? Knowing full well what will happen?”

Luna’s face was somber. “I tell you this only because no one will believe you, Commander. But in any game of chess, sacrifices must be made. I take no joy in it, but what follows will be very delicate work. Twilight is intelligent; she will figure it out eventually. But until then, it is vital that she move in the correct patterns.”

In the distance, the tallest tower of the Regia began its final journey down.

Tarantella felt something wet and hot hit her face, and she gasped as she opened her eyes. She had expected death, had welcomed it, even. She had consigned herself to oblivion knowing that she would have died doing the right thing. She had expected her next sight to be her father and mother. Tara had waited to see eternity, but what she saw made her breath catch in her throat.

Twilight stood over her, both daggers buried straight in her back as dark blood flowed from the two massive wounds. Her teeth were gritted, and Tarantella could have sworn she saw the fangs of a dragon in her lover’s grimace before Twilight’s horn flashed with a pure silver light, and her back hooves propelled her forward, taking Celestia with her.

The little unicorn was unstoppable; all emotion vanished from her face as the wounds in her back began to spray magic in addition to blood. Celestia’s blows rained down on her, leaving cut after cut that wept with crimson, but Twilight’s assault never faltered. Truly, it appeared as if she had simply decided that if she were to die, Celestia would pay for it.

The unicorn stopped, blood flowing from a hundred cuts as she wobbled on her hooves. Slowly, she sank to the ground, her eyes fixed on Celestia as she lost the strength to stand. Gently, Celestia approached the young unicorn, her wings spread wide in victory. Twilight was reminded of another time, years ago, when she had knelt before her goddess, and she began to laugh, a rasping, coughing laugh. Celestia looked upon her student, laughing as the life fled from her body, and she tilted her head to one side curiously.

“You find this amusing, Twilight?” Celestia asked, her tone curious. “I win again. You die for nothing.”

Twilight smiled, blood seeping from the corners of her mouth as her horn lit up and she yanked the daggers from her back. Tossing them to one side, she managed to look up at her teacher once more. “No, Celestia. I win.”

And suddenly, the unicorn burst into flame, white hot flames that roared and hissed as they crackled in orange and red and purple and silver. With a rush of magic, the broken body of the unicorn rose into the air, shedding her armor as she did so. The flames grew brighter and brighter to behold, and even Celestia was forced to shield her eyes before the brilliance of her student. The inferno turned in on itself, forming a ball in which Twilight Sparkle’s huddled form could be seen, not only failing to be consumed by the fire, but apparently fueling it.

There was an explosion that was as much magical as it was physical, and the clouds in the sky evaporated in moments, revealing the last failing lights of heaven and the emergence of the stars above. A solitary star rose in the east, and with a sound like the tolling of a massive bell, Twilight Sparkle was reborn.

The unicorn looked at Celestia, her face young and impetuous, far younger than she had been when she died. The unicorn standing before Celestia was maybe sixteen, the age she had been before she had left Canterlot, the age she had been before meeting her friends, or defeating Nightmare Moon, or… taking up her Element.

The crystal star in Twilight’s chest flashed, the six points dazzling Celestia as she slammed into the ground, a massive magical discharge forming around her hooves as she simply pointed her horn at the monarch. With a minor effort, Twilight Sparkle drew deep from the ley lines underneath the Regia, and directed their energies at her old teacher.

Celestia’s eyes widened, and she flexed her wings, ready to pump, but it was too late. Jagged shards of nearly transparent crystal burst from the earth, and with unimaginable ferocity, they slammed into the body of the Alicorn. They erupted from the top of her back, their pristine clarity smeared with blood and gore as they clawed at the sky. Celestia’s scream was cut short, and she writhed feebly on the massive spikes, still very much alive.

“I know this isn’t enough to kill you,” Twilight said, trotting towards her. “But I need to speak to you, Celestia. I am Twilight Sparkle, Bearer of the Crystal Flame, Mistress of Knowledge, and Champion of the Aether, and by the power of my Setting Sun, I will have your attention and respect!”

Twilight’s horn lit up, her magic a deep purple, and she leaned in close to her onetime mentor, their roles reversed for the first time. “Pay attention, Celestia,” Twilight murmured. “It’s time you learned something.” Their horns touched, there was a rush of energy, and the duo tumbled into blackness.

The manor in Twilight’s mind had seen better days. She had not used it since her final speech with Luna four years ago, and the two of them were able to see the effects. The walls were stained, the foundations crumbling. Tiles were missing from the roof, and the path leading to the house was overgrown and choked with weeds.

It was the work of a moment to clear it all away, to repair and improve the old house Twilight had made once upon a time, in happier days. Celestia stood by, watching as the walls were once more whitewashed and the red tiles of the roof were put back in place, the lawn was trimmed and the house was made to sparkle and shine like new.

Twilight gestured to the house. “Welcome, Celestia. Go on ahead inside, I’ve some work to do out here.”

The Alicorn, surprisingly enough, went without a word. Twilight watched her go, realizing just how bizarre it all felt. She had invited Celestia into the deepest recesses of her mind, into a private place she had built for herself and nopony else. Only a few trusted individuals had made it this far, Spike and Luna. And she was going to call one more. One she considered more dangerous than any foe she had fought so far.

A circle burned itself into the grass, runes of containment forming as a complex summoning circle took perfect shape on the lawn. Twilight sighed, and began to shout, as much psychically as mentally. “Discord, I need you! O Lord of Chaos, O Scion of the Aether! Discord, the Abyss, the Void, the Chasm! Discord, I bid ye come hence!”

“No need to yell, Twilight Sparkle,” a mocking voice drawled from behind her. “And the titles, though appreciated, were unnecessary, along with the three names and the circle. I’m not some demon to be whistled for.”

Twilight inclined her head respectfully, turning to face the sinuous draconeqqus. “Apologies, but I needed to speak with you and Celestia together. She’s waiting inside, if you would care to join me? I have a proposal I need to discuss with you both.”

Discord gave a mocking little bow, conjuring a top hat. “After you, Miss Sparkle. It is, as they say, your party.”

Twilight nodded curtly, trotting down the pathway towards the house, Discord in tow. She felt a bit nervous accepting Discord’s thoughts into her, knowing his track record with her friends. But it was only a cautious flutter, nothing more. Twilight wasn’t entirely sure why, but she felt as though she was protected from his influence at this point in time. And she could sense no ill will from the spirit of Chaos, merely a good-natured amusement, which was grating on a few levels, but not particularly threatening.

The pair entered in through the front doors of the house, which closed gently behind them, and Twilight led Discord into a small study, standing to one side as he entered the room. Celestia’s eyes narrowed as she saw who had come in after Twilight, but otherwise she didn’t react. Discord took his seat, and Twilight took her own, sitting between the two. She sighed, preparing herself.

“I imagine this is the first time you have spoken like this in a while. Discord mentioned to me that you don’t visit his statue, Celestia, but he and I spoke a few months ago.” Twilight turned to the Lord of Chaos. “You nearly let me get eaten by Windigos. That was not appreciated.”

The draconeqqus shrugged. “What did you expect from me?”

“Nothing less than that,” Twilight admitted. “And Celestia, later on that same trip you attempted to wrangle me into submission with a Binding spell, which was understandable. You didn’t want me seeing this.” Twilight said, resting one hoof on the crystal star pulsing gently in her chest. “But I got ahold of it, and now it’s mine. Not yours, mine.”

Celestia said nothing, merely choosing to regard Twilight calmly. Twilight returned her gaze levelly for a long moment before sighing and massaging her temples. “Look, I don’t know how to put this, but I need you both to cooperate with me. I’m sure you both know what’s happening, what Luna let into the world, and I know that you both know why. It’s time for Chaos and Order to stop going at each other’s throats, and we’re starting with that here. And I think the first step to doing that is to allow Discord to discorporate and roam Equestria freely.”

Celestia’s voice was ice. “Absolutely not. Twilight, you’ve no idea the destruction he’s caused, the lives he’s ruined. He very nearly destroyed the world, Twilight. I cannot in good conscience allow him to roam free.”

Discord rolled his eyes. “And your perfect Order did so much better. Honestly, Celly, controlling the hearts and minds of your subjects? That was cruel and you know it. My world may have ended in fire, but yours would have stagnated entirely.”

Twilight’s hoof slammed into the table, causing both gods to look at her askance. “Enough from both of you. I am very close to going on the advice of the lesser archetypes and sending you both back to the Aether, but I know that will only make the job I was sent here to do that much harder.”

She looked at the Alicorn sitting to her right. “Celestia, you’ve lost. Your version of Order will never hold sway, nor should it. Discord is right to suggest it would end poorly. If I had thought it a good idea, I would have stayed behind. But it’s not. At the very least, you should have allowed ponies the choice to join your utopia. But chaining Discord and keeping him locked up would expend more time and energy than we are able to afford, not to mention depriving us of an ally.”

She turned to Discord next. “Discord, I don’t want you in charge of things either, but I do think that your brand of Chaos can do some good in the long run. If there’s something I learned while leading the Ever Free, it’s that struggle, while unpleasant, breeds new ideas and more durable individuals. And if we’re to succeed against the Shadow, we’ll need strong supporters.”

Discord laughed. “And why should I agree to work with you? The bigger the thorn in Celestia’s side, the happier I’ll be.”

“Because if the Shadow wins, three will be nothing left. Not just wreckage, nothing. No opportunity to practice Chaos, because there will be nothing to practice on, and you’ll be dead. So will Celestia. So will I and every thing that ever was, is, or will be. I’m offering you the opportunity to practice more Chaos than you have in millennia, just on a reduced scale over a larger area. I suggest you take my offer.” Twilight retorted.

She turned to Celestia. “I don’t have the energy to fight you any more, Celestia. That’s a fact. You can’t control me anymore, and I certainly can’t control you. I propose we sequester Equestria once Discord discorporates. Any who wish to stay with you can do so, and accept your rule. Control ponies if you wish and they consent. Let them choose once they reach the age I was when they left home. I can’t control you any more than I can control Discord, but I need you both to work with me. I need Luna and Cadance, too. We all made a big mistake, but it’s time for us to swallow our pride and fix it.”

Twilight looked at the two gods, her tone becoming almost pleading. “You two have spent all of your existence fighting, but now you need to work together, otherwise that existence is going to come to an end. Call it a temporary truce or a cease-fire, but right now Equestria needs both of you, whether or not you can see that. So I’m not just asking, but from a position of power, I’m begging you. Help me. Help Equestria. Help us, Discord and Celestia. The ponies under you will need you more than ever before, and they need you more than they realize. So please, in the name of the Aether, help us.”

The room was silent save for the wind outside, as the spirits of Chaos and Order looked at one another. Their lips curled, their shoulders tensed, their eyes smoldered with hate for one another. To ask Order and Chaos to cooperate? It had never been done. It was never intended. Twilight’s horn sparked dangerously, and a decision was reached.

With a sound like thunder, the magic hanging in the air dissipated, leaving a beaten Celestia to slump in exhaustion as Twilight drew away, forcing the spires back underground. The Alicorn lay on the blood-soaked dirt of the ruined land. The smoldering castle stretched to the sky behind her as she contemplated her dominion in ruin, her followers destroyed, all in a futile attempt to end the rebellion which had spread across her kingdom. It had been a bloody conquest, consuming hundreds of thousands of lives, cities razed to the ground, and the shattered bodies of fifty thousand soldiers prostrated by Twilight Sparkle and her armies rotting in the Everfree after facing abominations made to strike horror into the hearts of mortals. It was over. She had lost, and all that was left was the surrender. Celestia focused on healing herself of her wounds. She would need her strength in the days to come.

Twilight had other worries. “Tara!” she called, searching the battlefield. “Tarantella Allegretta! Where are you?!” There was no answer, and Twilight’s heart plummeted. The Pegasus had sustained serious injuries, and even if the knives hadn’t connected, there was a very real possibility that she might be dead. Twilight called again, an edge of real panic creeping into her voice. “Tara! Where are you? Say something! Anything! Tarantella!”

“Here…” a weak voice called. “Twi…light…here…”

Twilight’s head snapped around. “Tara!”

The Pegasus was in bad shape. Her body was twisted and shattered, and she could barely turn her head to look as Twilight hurried over. She smiled weakly as Twilight knelt over her, surveying the damage. “Cara Mia, you’re back. Did you…did you win? Is it over?”

Twilight nodded, a tear trickling down her face. “It’s done. We did it, Tara. Celestia’s beaten and we can live freely, together.”

Tarantella shook her head. “Not together, Twilight. You know that. I can see my father standing behind you. He’s waiting for me.”

Twilight’s hoof tightened on Tara’s. “Don’t you dare give up on me, Tarantella Allegretta, because I am sure as Tartarus not going to give up on you.”

She could feel Tara’s grasp slipping as the Pegasus began to fade away. Desperately she asked one more question. “Tara, do you want to stay with me?”

The Condottiero smiled. “Yes.”

“With all of your heart?”

“I’d never do it for anything less, Twilight.”

Twilight nodded sharply. “Then I’ll try something.”

She inhaled deeply, breathing in the smell of smoke and death as she cleared her mind. And then she plunged into the vast well of power inside of herself. She began to pour power through her horn as she reached for Tarantella’s soul, grasping it tightly as she began to let magic flow into the Pegasus’s battered body. Twilight knew only a few things. The soul was life, and she used some of herself every time she cast a spell. Like a cup full of water, she could contain her soul.

Tarantella’s cup was cracked, and leaking. But Twilight was attempting something amazing. She poured more and more of herself into Tarantella, keeping her alive as she simultaneously drew magic from her own body, repairing Tarantella’s glass by depleting her own. It was as difficult as pouring water into a cup made of freshly made glass, like manipulating fire and water at the same time. But Twilight had more magic and more life to draw on than most. And she had decided, deep down, that this was what she would gladly use her magic for.

Tarantella’s body was wrapped in a warm cocoon of deep purple light, cradling her like a womb as her bones reknitted themselves, her lungs sealed shut once more, her heart began to pump with more strength and vigor. Her mind went blank as she experienced something she never had before, the sensation of shared magic. She arched her back as her shoulder blades erupted in pins and needles, and with a single, swift motion, wings sprouted anew from her back.

Twilight grunted in pain and kept going. She could feel life leaching from her bones as she poured it into Tara, years slipping away as she fought to bring her back from the brink of death. She gasped as magic poured from her, and with a final push, she cut off the flow of magic. She rushed to Tara’s side, looking over the Pegasus, who lay extremely still.

“Tara? Tarantella? Are you alright?” Twilight looked over her lover’s body, noting the stillness of the chest, the calm blankness of the face, the lack of movement. Her heart sank. She had failed.

Of course, it was right then that Tarantella’s eyes shot open, focusing on Twilight with a blank expression on her face as she began sucking in huge breaths of air. Her wings unfurled from her back, and she craned her neck to look at them. They were different than before, her wings. Her old ones had been an iridescent gray, whereas these started gray and faded to deep purple at the tips, the same color as Twilight’s magic. Turning to Twilight, Tarantella smiled, throwing her hooves around Twilight’s neck.

“I spoke to my father,” she murmured. “He gives his blessing.”

Twilight was momentarily confused. “Blessing? What blessing?”

Tarantella leaned away from Twilight, cuffing her lightly on the side of the head. “Idiota. For a genius, you can be downright scatterbrained at times.”

The unicorn’s memory returned. “For the wedding?” Tarantella nodded, and Twilight smiled. “That’s wonderful! Forgive me, though. A lot has happened.”

The two ponies sat alone, surveying the battlefield. “It’s over, then.” Tara said. “Really?”

Twilight nodded. “Really. It’s all over, and we can finally have a bit of peace. We’ve earned it, and we’ll need it. There will be tough times ahead.”

Tarantella leaned into Twilight, draping one of her new wings over her back. “So long as we’re together, Cara Mia, we can take on the world.”

Twilight shuffled in closer. “I know, Tara.” There was so much to do. A nation to forge, treaties to sign, plans to make. There would be parades and coronations and christenings. There would be funerals, and memorials, and monuments to the dead and missing. But with Tarantella by her side, Twilight Sparkle knew she could accomplish anything. “I know.”

Mate

A purple unicorn sat in a tower overlooking the Everfree Forest, and smiled as she watched the springtime sun rise over the trees there. The light glinted off of her mane, a simple black streaked through with purple, pink, and a band of deep red. The mare noted that her hair had hardly grayed at all, even though she was technically thirty years old, a quarter of the way through her life if it was to be considered average. Of course, Twilight Sparkle’s life was going to be anything but average.

Her gaze flitted over a nearby map tacked to her wall, representing the tiny town of Ponyville, and the area surrounding it. Several lists were fastened to it as well, dignitaries and guests with important areas outlined in red. After taking in the contents of that list one more time, she smiled and set it to the side. Turning to a simple wooden picture frame, she examined a photograph that she still held very near and dear to her heart.

Fluttershy’s demure smile caught her eye first. In all the years she had known the timid Pegasus, Fluttershy’s smile had never changed. She smiled much more often, nowadays. She had every right to, seeing as she was expecting a child of her own soon. The foal was due in the spring of next year, and every one of her friends was looking forward to the christening, even though she had already chosen the name. A simple spell from Twilight had revealed the gender of the child, and it was to be a filly. With Rarity’s permission, Fluttershy was going to name her Belle.

Rarity hadn’t smiled much since the day Sweetie Belle’s limp body had been pulled from the rubble of the tower, and she had hardly spoken to Twilight for a while after that. She understood, of course. Sweetie Belle had died in Twilight Sparkle’s employ, while helping to further Twilight Sparkle’s cause. To be honest, Twilight Sparkle had expected Rarity to hate her for what she had done, but the tide of fury had simply never come. One ill had come of this, however. Rarity was so consumed by grief that she was no longer able to use her Element with any sort of significance. Indeed, most magic was completely beyond her now. This made her most recent gift to Twilight all that much more meaningful.

Pinkie Pie’s cheerful grin had been a constant uplifting force throughout the past few months. She had taken to using her Power well, and whenever efforts to rebuild had gone sideways, it could be relied on that Pinkie Pie would be there with a smile, a joke, and a new, different solution to a problem. It had been Pinkie Pie who had come up with the idea to keep Ponyville as a neutral haven. She had proved herself remarkably savvy as a politician, as well. She was on the fast track to take the mayorship soon, if she wanted it.

Rainbow Dash was next in the circle. Her days off stunt flying and airspeed records were long gone, after the injuries she had sustained at the final battle, the one they were calling the Fourth Battle of Dunsinane. She too had lost her Power in that struggle, though it was not because of any emotional grief. In fact, it was because she no longer saw a use for it. The once-fiery mare had mellowed considerably, becoming almost monastic in her habits. Twilight would have been unnerved, except for the fact that Rainbow Dash seemed genuinely happy. Soon, she would head north to assist with the reclamation of Equestria’s northern lands. She was going to help train teams of a new group of flyers at a school funded by both Twilight and Celestia. The students were called Stormchasers.

Finally, her gaze rested on Applejack’s smiling face. Her story was not nearly so kind. She had lost a sister, as well, but whereas Rarity had allowed her grief to flow naturally, Applejack’s emotional distress had turned inward. She hardly ever left the farm anymore, and Twilight was told not to come near her land. Twilight respected her friend’s wishes, of course, and would continue to do so even after Applejack had her foal. An invitation had been sent, regardless, and Twilight could only hope that Applejack would set aside her anger for one day.

“Twilight? Are you still awake?”

Twilight turned with a start, tearing her eyes away from the picture to see Tarantella standing behind her, watching as she examined her old things. She felt a grin creep across her face as she studied Tarantella, who looked at her with a curious expression on her face.

“Aren’t we supposed to be avoiding each other until the wedding is over?”

Tara snorted. “I believe that applies to the dress. What are you looking at?”

Twilight indicated the picture frame. “I’m just going through some of my old things. I’ve come a long way since that picture was taken. And to be honest, I’m not entirely sure I like where I’m at right now.”

Tarantella smiled, reaching out and drawing her in close. “That is why I know you will be a good leader, Cara Mia. The wise leader is the one who leads out of necessity, not a lust for power. It is what separates you from Celestia.”

Twilight slumped, relaxing into her fiancé’s embrace. “That’s not it, though. I mean, that’s some of it, but not all of it. A lot of ponies got hurt because of me, and not all of them were willing to fight in the first place. And I can deal with that, I can figure it out as it comes, but there’s something I’m really uncomfortable with.”

Twilight’s eyes stung with tears for a moment before she lifted a hoof to brush them away. “Tara…I’m going to be alive for a long time after you die. A really long time, probably. And I know there’s probably at least a hundred ponies I could think of who would love to have the sort of life I’ll have, but…I just want to live a normal life. Is that so much to ask? I’ll grow old with you; have years and years by your side. I may even ‘die’ around the same time as you do. But when my time comes, I’ll be young again. Sixteen, not even fully grown. We’re the same age because I used so much magic to heal you, but when we are at the end of our lives, you’ll move on and I’ll…stay behind.”

“You’re right. It isn’t fair. It’s not fair to you, or to me, or to anypony we know. I won’t get to see you in the afterlife, and you’ll have to live the rest of your life without me after I’m gone, at least until you find somepony else. And you will find somepony else, eventually,” Tarantella said, looking into Twilight’s eyes. “But I am content. We have each other for a time, and I think that is enough. It could have very easily been less than that. And as for your friends, and their losses, I think there’s something to be learned from it.”

Twilight sniffed. “And what would that be?”

The Condottiero smiled, turning with Twilight so that they could survey the town beneath them. “They made their choices of their own free will, Twilight Sparkle. And they must deal with the consequences of their actions. But because of the choices you have made, they were able to make choices of their own free will. Not since before the Celestial Wars have ponies been able to make their own choices, and though we may not like where our decisions lead us, at least we know that we are free to choose our own paths.”

The streets of the small town began to stir. Ponies were waking up to a still more glorious dawn. Twilight watched as stores began to open up, and a walleyed grey Pegasus lurched into the sky to deliver her mail, her tousled cornsilk mane blowing in the low breeze. Twilight watched her go, and realized that she represented the direction Twilight had chosen to lead ponykind. There would be bumps along the way, mistakes would be made, but at the end of the day, she knew that the mailmare would return home, to a daughter that loved her very much. And speaking of daughters…

“Is Cirrus up?” Twilight asked.

Tarantella shook her head. “Not yet. She wanted to stay up late for the rehearsal dinner, so I let her sleep. She can have a day off from her flying lessons, this sort of thing only happens once after all. She’ll need to be well rested for the ceremony tonight.”

Twilight felt the back of her neck prickle nervously at that. “It feels unreal. After all this time, after so much, I’m…”

A wing blocked her from saying anything further, as Tarantella leaned in and kissed her cheerfully. “Getting married, yes. I believe southern Equestrians call it ‘getting hitched’, or ‘the old tack and plow’. After tonight, we’ll be together in the eyes of all, for better or for worse.”

Twilight returned the kiss, before her horn lit up, tossing Tarantella gently on her nearby bed before following her onto it. Drawing her close, she leaned in, her lips almost brushing Tarantella’s ear, which twitched in pleasure. “Hopefully for the better.” she whispered.

Rarity shuffled nervously in her seat. Four of Twilight’s best friends had arrived to her wedding, a quiet affair in what Twilight had once called her library. The inside was a bit bigger now, of course, Twilight certainly had the power to do so. She had called in a favor from some sort of Doctor, and Rarity could now definitely be sure that the treehouse was bigger on the inside. But the unusual dimensions of the room she was in wasn’t what made her nervous.

Celestia had arrived, as had Luna, and Cadance, who would be presiding over the ceremony, as was her right. A few others took up some of the seats. Shining Armor, dressed in his military finest, seemed both nervous and proud as he waited for his sister to stride down the aisle formed by two groups of low wooden benches. His opposite, Silent Shield, stood at attention in a simple high-collared shirt of black, upon which was emblazoned a silver crescent moon. In addition, a few courtiers from both sides, as well as Twilight’s mother and father, occupied space on the benches.

Pinkie Pie and her husband were both chatting quietly, a surprise in and of itself. Pinkie Pie had hardly done anything quietly in the past few months. Rarity shook her head, and continued her survey of the crowd, hoping to see one more face that she had not yet. She saw Fluttershy, positively glowing with happiness as she and her husband whispered contentedly to one another. They had lost Fluttershy’s house in the fighting around Ponyville, but the rebuilding hadn’t taken long, and they had added on extra rooms for their foal.

Rainbow Dash was speaking quietly with a Gryphon in the back, the one they called Mahtaram. Apparently, her siblings had acquitted themselves a bit too well in battle, and she had moved up in line for the throne. Now she stood at the right hand of her brother, who would be King someday. The two appeared to be hitting it off quite well, as Rainbow Dash was cracking the occasional joke, which Mahta tolerated and even managed to grin a few times.

And then there was herself. Golden Rule sat next to her, along with their adopted foal, Brownstone. She had made it through alright, despite everything seeming like it should have turned out differently. Somehow, some way, she had managed to get a happy ending out of it all. Well, almost happy. Or it should have been happy.

Rarity knew that she would be dealing with what Sweetie Belle had done for years, if not a lifetime. And that grief would stay with her for a very long time. But she was blessed, she knew that much. She had lost a sister, while others had lost so much more. Fluttershy had lost a home, Rainbow Dash had lost her excellent flying skills, and hundreds of thousands had lost their lives in the series of battles that had taken place over the course of a single day from start to finish.

But it wasn’t for herself that she was worried. She didn’t see Applejack, and that worried her. They hadn’t heard anything from their friend since the day they had all returned home, on Hearth’s Warming Eve. Applejack had taken her family home without a word to anypony, and she hadn’t left the farm since. Twilight’s invitation had not been responded to, and Rarity supposed that she could understand Applejack’s unwillingness to see them all. Family meant more to Applejack than most realized, and she and Applebloom had been very close.

“You know, you look lovely.” Golden Rule whispered. “No dress, no makeup…you’re even growing your mane back out again. It looks good on you. The mare I fell in love with all those years ago.”

Rarity blushed. “Well, I decided that maybe…maybe I needed to make things a bit more simple again. After all, Canterlot’s a high-society sort of place, and Ponyville is considerably more rustic. I’m sure young Silver Spoon will jump at the chance to take my place there. All I could ask for is in Ponyville. Peace and…peace and quiet.”

Brownstone looked up at her quizzically. “Mom? Is the wedding going to start soon?”

Rarity nodded. “Yes, Brownstone. It is.”

“Where’s Aunt Applejack?”

“Right here, little hayseed.” came a voice from behind them. Applejack strode up the aisle, Honey Crisp and Barley Scotch in tow. She turned to Honey Crisp, who was acting unusually bashful. “Now Honey, you go on ahead and sit next to Brownstone, y’hear? Daddy will be by in a minute, and I’ve gotta talk with your Auntie Rarity.”

The little filly tentatively crept to her seat by Brownstone, where she sat blushing hard as Brownstone did his best to start up a conversation with her. Rarity shook her head fondly as she walked up to Applejack and met her in an embrace.

“We’ve missed you, darling. How are things?”

Applejack rested a hoof on her stomach, which was starting to bulge a little with the weight of her own child. “They’re…they were rough, I’ll be honest. But they’re getting better, bye and bye. I shut myself off from the world for a while, from Honey and Barley too. Losin’ Applebloom…it was powerful hard, and I can’t help but to blame Twilight for it. Don’t rightly know if I’ll ever forgive her for the hardship she put my family through, but I realized once spring rolled around that I couldn’t just shut myself off from the world forever. My family needs me, and so does the community around here.”

Rarity nodded. “Do you know what you’ll say to Twilight?”

Applejack sighed. “Not really. I suppose I’ll just have to find the right words at the right time. I don’t think that I’ll ever really trust her again, but I can at least try to lay the past down to rest. Aside from that, though, I can’t say. Things are changin’ real quick around here. Have you noticed?”

Rarity nodded. “It’s like the Everfree is leaking out into Equestria. The clouds move on their own, Fluttershy has noticed that some of the animals are talking about new predators…whatever deal Twilight made with Discord, it’s already taking effect.”

“T’aint all bad,” Applejack said. “Things are growing quicker, even the weeds.” She chuckled, scratching at the back of her neck. “We’ve had our hooves full down at the farm, keeping things running smoothly. Suppose it’ll be like that from now on, what with Ponyville being called neutral ground now.”

Rarity nodded. “I’ve already said goodbye to a few of my friends up in Canterlot. They’re leaving for the new city Twilight is building, calling it a brand new opportunity to make history. They’re calling themselves Starsworn, and the new capital of Twilight’s kingdom is called Starfall.”

Applejack was about to reply, but before she could, a set of bells began to ring from nowhere, prompting a scramble from every pony except for the three Alicorns for seating. Cadance took her position at the head of the aisle, and as they waited, the bells began to fade. It was noon precisely when Twilight Sparkle stepped into the door of her library, with Tarantella Allegretta at her side.

Twilight Sparkle, known to those who followed her now as Lady Everstar, was many things. She was a warrior, and a diplomat. She was a mage and a scholar, a general without peer and a leader without equal, save for perhaps her teacher. She was broken and made whole, she was mortal, and yet she would never die, not until her tasks upon this earth were done. She was a revolutionary, and a fugitive, and a librarian, and a student and teacher and friend to so many. And, stepping through the door, she was revealed to be one thing more.

Twilight Sparkle was beautiful.

She was clad in a gown of dusky, wine red, with a simple circlet of thin tarnished gold resting upon her brow, from which a single amethyst dangled between her eyes. Her hooves were bare, and she wore no jewelry save for a simple pendant made of obsidian, cunningly fashioned into the shape of a dragon. Her face, for the first time in four long years, was completely at rest. Twilight Sparkle, though she had waged war for so long, had found her own peace. And she would never let her go.

Tarantella Allegretta’s dress was simple, a sleek affair in purple and silver that seemed to shimmer like water and float like clouds. It was Rarity’s gift to the new couple, the first dress she had made in years. And she had done all that work by hoof. Tarantella wore a simple band around her leg, leather studded with diamond, that wrapped around her leg three times before fastening near the top. Her brow was unadorned, but in her ears dangled two earrings, each stud set with a perfect ruby.

Gentle music seemed to float down from the rafters as the duo strode up the aisle, coming to a halt before Princess Cadance, who looked at them both with a smile on her face as they turned to face one another, lost in each other’s eyes. Spreading her wings wide, she began to speak.

“Friends, we are brought together on this, the first true day of Spring, to join in matrimony these two ponies, whose love, dedication, and will to thrive has brought them far and stood the test of time. Their love for one another has seen good times and bad, and it is to the benefit of all that they have decided, on this day, to be as one body and soul. Should any gathered here have reason as to why they should not be so joined, let them speak, or forever hold their protests.”

There was not a sound from the tiny room, and after a somber pause, Cadance continued her litany.

“Marriage is perhaps the greatest adventure we can hope to embark upon. By taking these sacred vows to one another, Twilight Sparkle and Tarantella of Clan Allegretta agree to be of one household, relying on each other in times of need, through times of triumph and trial. Through marriage, these two make a commitment to face their disappointments, embrace their dreams, realize their hopes, and accept one another’s failures. They hereby swear to aspire to these ideals during their time together, through mutual love and acceptance of one another.”

Cadance’s voice rang clear like birdsong through the library, and it was hard to find a dry eye in the room as she continued to speak.

“We are here today, gathered before friends and family, to witness the joining of marriage between Twilight and Tarantella, a celebration which marks the ending of two lives and the beginning of one new one, full of joy, peace, and laughter. And now, through me, you will be vested in that most sacred of bonds. Who gives away this mare Tarantella to be wed?”

A single Condottieri stood up from the back of the room. “I, Molto Allegretta, do give away my cousin on this day to be wed.”

Cadance inclined her head regally. “And who gives away this mare Twilight to be wed?”

Celestia rose from her seat, her voice even, calm, and perhaps the tiniest bit proud. “I, Celestia Aetheria ex Equestria, give away this mare to be wed.”

Cadance turned to Tarantella. “Do you, Tarantella Allegretta, take this mare as your wife, to stand by you through wind and storm, in the cold of winter and the heat of summer, as friend and family both? Will you love her, comfort her, remain true to her, remaining by her side at the cost of all else, so long as you both shall live?”

Tarantella’s voice was soft. “I will.”

Cadance then turned to Twilight. “Do you, Twilight Sparkle, Lady Everstar of the Forest, take this mare to be your wife? Will you see her through the day and the night, through wealth and poverty, as friend and family both? Will you love her, comfort her, remain true to her, remaining by her side at the cost of all else, until the end of your days?”

Twilight’s voice held a lifetime of love in two words. “I will.”

Cadance bowed her head briefly. “May you always share in the joy of love, one in heart and mind, may you always create a home together that leaves a smile in your hearts, love, generosity and kindness. As Twilight Sparkle and Tarantella Allegretta have consented together in marriage before friends and family, what, therefore, fate has put together, let no thing tear asunder. And so, by the power vested in me by my right as Princess of Love, I now pronounce you wed. And may your days be good and long on this earth.”

Cadance smiled, and nodded to them both. “You may now kiss.”

The two locked into a fierce embrace, meeting in a passionate kiss as their assembled friends and family applauded wildly, clinging to each other as if for dear life. It was only after a long while that they finally broke that kiss, panting and grinning at one another like the pair of love-struck fools that they were.

Joining hooves, they all but floated back down the aisle, their friends and family trailing behind them. Placing their hooves on the door together, they threw the simple wooden portal open wide, and stepped blinking into the sunlight.

A titanic roar greeted them from the gathering crowd, as an equal number of Solar Guards and Ever Free soldiers raised swords in unison, and with one voice, barked “Hail, Lady Everstar! Hail Lady Tarantella! Hail!”

Twilight was reminded for the briefest moment of the dream she had once thought to be a prophecy, of Morning Star’s mocking words. In the end, she had been able to have her happiness after all. As they strode down Ponyville’s main avenue, with friends, family, and monarchs trailing behind, Twilight Sparkle fell at last at peace. Soon, she would have to face reality once more. Applejack had done her the courtesy of arriving, and she would need to answer for her sins. Twilight had the feeling she would be answering for a very long time.

But for now, all that mattered was this. Today, Twilight Sparkle had won. She had fought against all odds, defied the sun, surpassed the moon, and with any luck, soon enough she would be able to restore balance to the world. Right now, Twilight was bound to only one thing, and one alone. Tarantella would be there with her, every step of the way. Together, they would take on the world.

Together, they were now and forever Free.

Clearing the Board

Twilight’s dress hung in one corner of the abandoned Sugarcube Corner, which had been quietly gathering dust ever since Pinkie Pie had agreed to help with the rebuilding efforts. She would be returning, of course, but for now the building stood unused, a testament to the toll war had taken on the surrounding area. Several other shops, including Quills and Sofas and some of the farmer stalls, had been abandoned entirely, their occupants vanished to parts unknown to make new lives. Twilight knew of at least one couple who were emigrating to her realm.

The unicorn hummed quietly to herself as she set a scouring spell on the floorboards and lit the lights of the shop, drawing the sheets off of the tables and display cases. Her skills with cooking left something to be desired, but she had managed to procure some bread from one of the many buffet tables outside, and there was a daisy patch that was ripening out behind the bakery. Sandwiches, at least, were not beyond her. A pot of tea was whistling merrily on the nearby stove, and Twilight levitated it absentmindedly to one of the shop’s larger tables.

Cobwebs vanished from the rafters as the last of the dust was swept from the floorboards, and the glass of the display cases began to shine again as Twilight set her tray of food upon the table. Taking a step back, she surveyed the empty restaurant and found it to her satisfaction. A bit of dust had gotten on her dress, but that was to be expected. And it wasn’t like she couldn’t clean it up anyway.

Twilight realized that she was distracting herself from the task before her. It had taken a combination of her wedding and coronation to get all of her friends back in one place, and even that had been a tricky proposition. She wasn’t the only one avoiding the problem. Each of them had thrown themselves into work, or travel, or grieving after that last night of war. The only one who had actually returned to Ponyville directly after had been Applejack, and she had spent the majority of her time on the farm.

Tarantella was playing her part outside, being the blushing bride and distracting the ever-growing tide of well-wishers while Twilight quietly disappeared, casting a simple veil over herself as she slipped away from the adoring masses. Quietly, she waited for her friends to be contacted and for them to make their ways to the shop.

The front bell rang, and in came Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie, who was babbling about her friend’s child. “Really, you shouldn’t have to worry too much, you’re great with kids. And if you need a few tips, I can tell you a few things that seemed to work with Rosemary. And your husband’s great with children, and you’ll have all of these friends to help you if you need it, so…”

She trailed off as she took in the shop, and its sparkling interior. Twilight grinned as Pinkie Pie’s eyes widened, seeing the months of neglect and decay taken care of. “Surprised?” she asked, quirking an eyebrow.

Pinkie Pie’s eyes narrowed. “Twilight Sparkle, did you do all this? On your own? On your wedding day? I bet you got your dress all dirty too, didn’t you?”

Twilight held up a defensive hoof. “You know me. And the dress will clean up.”

Pinkie Pie sighed. “Twilight, you’re lucky we got here first. Rarity would not be happy if she saw all of this, especially what you did to your wedding gown.”

“I cleaned this place up in about three minutes using a single spell. And the dress will be fine, watch.” Twilight said, before her horn sparked and the dust detached from the hem and sleeve of her dress, floating to the floor. Upon hiding the polished wood, the offending particles seemed to vanish, like they had never been.

Pinkie Pie giggled, bounding forward and burying Twilight in a hug just as full of life and warmth as she was. “It’s good to see you, outside of a meeting or something like that. And thank you for cleaning up my shop; it was a bit of a mess.”

Fluttershy stared at Twilight’s chest. “Is the Element going to…will that be there…?”

“Forever? Yep. And it’s not really an Element anymore. I don’t know what to call it, actually, but seeing as it keeps flickering a lot of ponies keep calling it the Flame.” Twilight said. “If you want to touch it, you can.”

She remained very still as Fluttershy approached her cautiously. The timid Pegasus rested a hoof on the six-pointed crystal that was embedded in her chest, and flinched a little. “It’s…warm! And softer than I thought it would be. I mean, it still feels like stone or crystal, but it has some give to it.”

Twilight nodded. “That’s magic for you. I’m writing a book about all of this, hopefully I can do the story justice.”

Fluttershy drew her into a surprisingly tight embrace. “I’m glad. I’m glad that you’re happy, and that we can still meet like this and that everything will keep going. It’s been a long time since I was really able to relax in my own home. So thank you for that.”

The bell above the door rang, and Rainbow Dash entered. Fluttershy gave a small squeal of surprise and drew back from Twilight as Rainbow trotted forward, offering a hoof, which Twilight took. Twilight opened her mouth to speak, but Rainbow Dash cut her off. “Look, I’m not going to pretend that everything’s ok between you and me, because it’s not. We both did a lot of things to each other, and fixing that’s going to take time. And it won’t take an afternoon, but…” Rainbow took a deep breath. “I appreciate that you made the effort to bring us all together, and that says a lot to me. Not enough for us to be all buddy-buddy, but enough to show me that you really do want to fix your friendship with all of us. And I think we should be taking steps to meet you on that.”

Twilight waited as Rainbow Dash shuffled her hooves nervously, averting her eyes. With another deep breath, she met Twilight’s gaze head-on. “Twilight, I treated you wrong. And I’m sorry.”

This time it was Twilight who drew Rainbow Dash into her arms. “Thank you, Rainbow,” she whispered, hugging her close. “Thank you so much.”

Twilight pulled away, indicating the seats. “Please, all of you sit. I made food if you’re hungry, tea if you’re thirsty.”

It was at that point, oddly enough, that the door opened, and admitted the two ponies in the group who may have had the most grievance with her. Applejack and Rarity were both composed, though Twilight could see some puffiness around her friend’s eyes where a few thoughtful tears had been shed during her wedding. She had always admired Rarity’s ability to cry on command. Applejack’s face was stony, and Twilight received little more than a curt nod as she proceeded to the table.

Rarity planted a friendly kiss on her cheek, and leaned in close. “Be gentle, dear. She’s more fragile than you think.”

Twilight followed her to the table, where her friends were sitting and waiting on her. Settling down, she took in the assembled ponies. Rarity sat directly across from her, with Applejack to her left. To her right was Fluttershy, who was commiserating with Rainbow Dash over sandwiches and tea, while Pinkie Pie sat at Twilight’s right hoof, her meal gone and her cup half-full. Twilight waited a moment to let her friends settle in before rising up and placing both hooves firmly on the table. She cleared her throat, and the muted conversation died down.

“Firstly, thank you all for coming. It means a lot to me that we’re able to sit down and talk like this without the threat of some massive disaster looming over our heads.” There was good natured chuckling from most of the ponies present, and even Applejack cracked a quick grin.

“The reason I’ve asked you all here should be obvious. Over the past five years or so, we’ve all done each other a lot of wrongs. Me personally, I’ve assaulted you, destroyed your livelihoods, attacked your families, manipulated you, and dragged you into situations you had no need to be in. I’ve done wrong to you all, and some of you have already forgiven me for those transgressions, which I appreciate. But some things still need to be said, and dealt with.”

Rainbow Dash’s wings flared as she stood up. “Don’t beat yourself up, Twilight. We’ve done just as much to you. In fact, if we’d been there for you from the start, none of this would have happened.”

Rarity nodded. “No one is more to blame than us, darling. If we had stood with you when you started, instead of against you, then perhaps this entire war could have been avoided.”

Applejack’s hooves slammed into the table. “Bullshit.”

Every eye turned to her, and the room became deathly quiet as Applejack began to speak in low tones. “We all got our heads turned around by Celestia, and there wasn’t a damn thing we could have done to stop it. We’re blameless in that. But Twilight broke us free, and then proved she wasn’t any better than the Princess. She used us all, and I for one ain’t gonna stand for it. Her damn war cost my family dear.”

Twilight remained calm. “I hardly think of you all as blameless, Applejack. I acknowledge that I did use you all, but I at least gave you a choice in the end. Celestia did not.”

The Earth pony snorted. “Not much of a choice. You could have just let us be, you know.”

Twilight shook her head. “Not really. If I hadn’t moved to free you all, you would still be living under Celestia. I would too, most likely.”

“That’s not what I meant. I’m talkin’ about before things got rough. The fire your soldiers set, the way you had us all watched. And you kidnapped my daughter. Your soldiers killed my sister, Twilight. I’m not goin t’ forgive you that.”

Twilight’s calm voice took on a harsher edge. “Celestia’s soldiers had my ponies pinned down. If they hadn’t shown up, they would have disappeared back into the Forest without any casualties on either side. I had you watched because in case you had forgotten, you were still enthralled to Celestia, and the only way to break that bondage was to get you so angry you could shake off your Element. Honey Crisp was the only way to get you that angry. And as I have said before, Applebloom made her own choices. Or, at least the choices she could have made under Celestia.”

Applejack’s voice raised, not quite yelling, not quite talking. “Your soldiers were accountable to you. Your agents were acting under your orders. And your agents killed Bloom, too. So pardon me if I don’t bend a knee to you and beg your forgiveness, Lady Everstar, but you’ve just about destroyed my family, which is the most important thing to me in this world.”

Twilight’s nostrils flared. “Oh, I’m sorry. What was that you were saying about family? Because at least you still have one. I haven’t spoken to my parents in years or my brother in months. At least you have the luxury of growing old with the ones you love. At least you weren’t bred like a dog to birth some monstrosity that would eliminate all free will. Applejack, I know this might be hard for you, but just once, for once in five bucking years, try and assume I had good reasons for what I did. I don’t know what you want from me. Why do you hate me? Why are you so determined to prove me wrong?”

“Because you took Applebloom!” Applejack barked. “You took Applebloom from me!”

“Did I run her through with a spear?” Twilight retorted. “Did I beat her senseless while she tried to stab me? Did I plant a knife in her heart?” The air began to crackle with ill-contained Breaking magic as Twilight drew herself up. “Did I take her from her safe posting in Red Rock and send her to Canterlot, or brainwash her, or feed her hallucinogens? Did I give her armor, or put a spear in her hoof, or send her to Trottingham and tell her to burn it to the ground?”

Orange sparks began to dance along Applejack’s coat. “No, but you sure as Tartarus didn’t mind having her killed! She was young, confused, and far from home.”

“Your sister was a killer, hoof-picked by Celestia to cause as much damage as possible. When she died, she was hardly even a pony anymore. So I don’t know why you’re angry at me instead of the Princess, seeing as she basically caused all of this from start to finish. Unless you were saying I should have let myself be raped like a good little girl!” A bolt of silver leapt from Twilight’s chest as a flare of orange flame rolled off of Applejack’s coat.

There was a bang as Fluttershy stood up, her magic coming between the two. “Stop it! Stop it right now!” she shrieked. Twilight and Applejack looked at her, stunned. Fluttershy took a deep breath, and spoke calmly and quietly. “We are here to try and reconcile with each other, to get back the friendship we once had. And we’re going to do that quietly and with civility, or so help me Celestia I will make you sit down and be quiet, magic powers or no magic powers! Do I make myself clear?”

The two ponies stared at the little yellow Pegasus, quite stunned. So did Pinkie and Rarity. Even Rainbow Dash looked a bit frightened. “Now,” Fluttershy said. “There are some things we need to say. Applejack, apologize to Twilight. You know she’s owed one, so give it to her.”

Applejack ground her teeth angrily, refusing to meet Twilight’s eyes. She inhaled slowly before looking up. “Twilight, I’m…” she choked, trying to force the words out of her mouth while figuring out just what she was going to say. “I…I apologize. Guess you don’t really think of me as the most dependable of ponies after all.”

Fluttershy looked at Twilight. “You next.”

Twilight sighed. “Applejack, I’m sorry for your loss. Applebloom was a good mare who had a lot of promise, and it’s not fair that she had to die. And your farm was a casualty of war, and Honey Crisp shouldn’t have had to see what she saw or go through what she did. And I know it sounds crazy, but I did it for you.”

Applejack said nothing, so Twilight continued. “Applejack, I cried for days when I left you all, years ago. I put on a brave face for the ones I led, but whenever I was alone, I bawled my eyes out. The first time I snuck back into Ponyville to gather recon, before we had the Changelings, it took everything I had not to run up to you in the marketplace and tell you how sorry I was that I had almost hurt you. All of you. When I visited the library and found my picture with you all, it was a treasure I would keep with me for the next four years. I never wanted to hurt any of you, but in the end, it boiled down to losing everything I had worked for, or dragging you all into my fight.”

Pinkie Pie held up a hoof. “Applejack, are you really angry at Twilight for what she did to you?”

The Earth pony nodded. “O’ course I am! Because of the war, my sister is dead!”

Rainbow Dash nodded. “Yeah. Applebloom’s dead, because of the war. Because that’s what war is, it’s young mares and stallions getting killed. If you want to lay blame on Twilight, that’s fine. But is she the only one responsible?”

Rarity nodded. “It seems to me that Celestia shares some of the blame as well, so why are you putting it all on Twilight?”

Applejack’s ears flattened defensively. “Because it was her ponies what did it!”

Rarity shook her head. “That doesn’t make any sense and you know it, darling. Why are you really angry?”

Applejack’s eyes shifted in between the gazes of every pony at the table. “I’m angry because my sister was killed! Why do I need to keep saying it?”

“And who’s to blame for that?” Fluttershy asked. “Who is really to blame?”

Applejack rested a hoof on her forehead. “Twilight. And…and Celestia too, I suppose.”

Rarity put an arm around her shoulders. “Anypony else?”

Applejack nodded, placing her head in both hooves. Her shoulders began to shake, and Twilight realized that she was crying. Perplexed, she leaned in. “Applejack, who?”

The farmer looked up. “Me, alright? I blame m’self for her leaving in the first place.”

Twilight’s brow furrowed. “How do you mean?”

The farmer began to speak, haltingly at first, but gaining in strength. “It was right after y’all torched the orchard. Those trees had our best crop in ‘em and they were a few days from being ready to buck. The winter before had hit us hard, and Applebloom was looking for a way to get off the farm. Even with Big Mac moved up north with Cheerilee, the house still felt too small for her. She was goin’ to help us with those trees, take some of the money, and head off for schoolin’ somewhere far away from the fighting. Fillydelphia, I think.”

“Is that why she joined the Regulars? She wanted to repay the favor?” Twilight asked.

Applejack nodded miserably. “Not for her, though. For me. When those trees burned down, I was so angry that I bucked down the entire orchard by myself. Sold what wood we could for charcoal. When we were replantin’ next spring, I said some things I shouldn’t have. I told Applebloom that I was goin’ to wring your neck for that, and that I was sorry she wouldn’t get to head for school. Somehow she got it into her head that if she went along and tried to bring you down, it would somehow undo the damage y’all caused. She told us when she joined up with th’ Regulars that she was doin’ it for the money and th’ education.”

“And I’m sure that was a part of it, but it wasn’t the whole reason. If she had wanted, she coulda’ been sent somewhere behind lines, or taken a job as a clerk or a medic or an accountant. But she chose to be a fightin’ pony, and look what it got her.” Applejack said, looking at the untouched food in front of her. “Shit, look what all that fightin’ and killin’ got us. There’s hardly a pony in this town didn’t know somepony who got themselves killed or missin’. There’re still plenty of ponies around here who feel sore about the war, and Applebloom was one of them. Y’all know how young mares and stallions get, how they don’t do much thinkin’ except from the heart.”

Applejack’s voice hitched. “When we…when we went to see her after she graduated from training, she told us…she told Big Mac and I that we shouldn’t worry, that she’d make sure we were repaid for the farm. We all thought she was talkin’ about money, but I think she might have meant somethin’ else now.”

A tear fell from Applejack’s eye, pattering on the table as she picked up her mug of tea. She didn’t sip it, just held it close, feeling the warmth in her hooves. “So when I heard she was dead, it all became pretty damn clear. Y’all would recall I didn’t stay more than a day or two after the fightin’ ended. I spent the past few months on the farm, in mournin’.”

Twilight reached across the table, laying a hoof on Applejack’s. “Applejack, I know that you must hate me for what I’ve done to your family, and I know that you may never forgive me for what I’ve done, but I want to show you something. Actually, I want to show you all something.”

Her horn lit up, and a beam of light fell onto the table. As they watched, a simple column of unmarked, smooth marble took shape, widening into a plinth at the top. Upon the platform, three ponies stood. To anypony who was not familiar with the Crusaders, they would appear to be a simple grouping of an Earth pony, Pegasus, and Unicorn. To those at the table, however, the resemblance was all too clear. Applebloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo stood rearing, expressions of joy on their faces. Their hooves met in the middle in a gesture of solidarity that was again familiar to any one of those at the table who had ever seen them together, helped them on one of their many quests, or had spent any amount of time with them.

“This statue has already been commissioned and paid for. There are going to be three made. One will be in Canterlot, one in Starfall, and one here in Ponyville. There is a placard at the bottom which reads ‘To those who gave their lives for what they believed in.’, and each is going to be dedicated on the anniversary of the last battle.” Twilight said. “In addition, I’ve spoken with Celestia. Even though I don’t agree with the CMC being used to find Cutie Marks, for…obvious reasons, we can both see what good came of these three and their ability to unite ponies. For that reason, both Celestia and I are giving our support and resources to create a new organization in their memory, one focused on promoting unity between our two nations.”

The Wielders gazed at Twilight in awe as she continued. “I don’t think that we can rightly forgive each other right now. I don’t think that any words of solidarity or kindness made right now could carry their full meaning, so I think we should each make a vow. Until such time as we can decide to truly forgive one another, we’ll meet. Regardless of what’s going on, no matter how important, we will set aside one afternoon every three months. Each Solstice and Equinox, we’ll meet back here at Sugarcube Corner. And we’ll talk. Just like we should have five years ago, when I left Ponyville. About ourselves, or each other, what we’re doing with our lives and our families. Can we all agree on this?”

Pinkie Pie nodded. “And if any of you want to stop by, for any reason any time, you’ll find the door open.”

“I think that to be an excellent idea.” Rarity said. “And I’ll give my full support for it.”

Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash both nodded silently, giving their assent.

Applejack looked up at Twilight, their gazes meeting again. Unconsciously, each of their friends leaned in, waiting on her response. The farmer and the Lady looked at one another, an entire conversation passing unsaid in that single glance.
Applejack raised her hoof and spat on it, offering it to Twilight. “Twi, you’re right. I can’t forgive you for what you’ve done. Not right now. But in the future? Maybe. So I’ll meet with ya’, if you really want to lay things to rest.”

Twilight spat on her own hoof with no hesitation, offering it to Applejack. A somewhat slimy hoofshake occurred, and the two of them exchanged a nervous smile. Each of their friends beamed, relieved that they were at least patching up their feud.
“Now, who wants to head back outside and join the fun?” Twilight asked. “I know a good illusion spell that should keep us from sticking out too much, and Tara’s given me a few hours before I need to be back by her side.”

Applejack grinned. “Gotcha whipped already, huh?”

Twilight snorted, wiping her hoof off on some nearby cloth. “She’s had me whipped since day one.”

There was a gasp from Rarity, and Twilight looked up to see Pinkie and Fluttershy resting their heads in their hooves. She looked back down, and her stomach dropped as she realized just what she had wiped her hooves on.

“Twilight Sparkle,” Rarity said, her voice deadly calm. “Did you just wipe your hooves on your wedding dress?”

The Greatest Game

The Library in the center of town burned with a steady light, spilling out of all of its windows into the streets below. Outside, the wedding celebrations of the Lady Twilight Sparkle, also known as Everstar, were still in full swing. Packs of ponies caroused wildly through the streets, drunk on peace as much as alcohol. In fact, many of the wandering groups were comprised of Loyalists and Rebels, both in uniform and laughing and cheering with one another. A crowd was gathering in the fields outside of town, and they were all waiting expectantly for the final show of the evening to begin.

With a thunderous roar and a dozen bursts of light, the first magical illuminations lit up the sky, exploding into reds and greens and blues as the crowd cheered in appreciation. Children flinched momentarily before letting forth squeals of delight, and the adults smiled and held one another close, in camaraderie or romance as the case may have been. The show continued, each spell booming, whistling, and popping as they lit up the sky for miles around.

Twilight Sparkle watched the show with interest from her window in the Library, Tarantella beside her. Both were back in their dresses, though soon enough they would be retiring to the wedding bower. Before that particular activity could take place, however, there remained one final duty that Twilight had to undertake. And she was not looking forward to it.

“Cara mia, it’s time.” Tarantella murmured. “Everypony is waiting downstairs.”

Twilight grumbled. “Let them wait. It’s my wedding night, for crying out loud.”

The Condottiero laughed, unfurling one wing and resting it over her. “Unfortunately, you must do your duty to your nation before you do your duties to your wife.” She leaned over, whispering gently into the unicorn’s ear. “And the sooner you do the one, the sooner you can get to the other.”

Twilight felt a chill go down her back. “Maybe I should go down there. It would be impolite to keep anypony waiting.”

Tara grinned. “That is the general idea, yes.”

Twilight took a deep breath in, steeling herself. “Wish me luck.” she said, trotting towards the stairs.

“All the luck in the world.” Tarantella replied, watching her go.

It was a short distance from Twilight’s stairs to the basement door, and from there she ducked into the dimly lit room where she had once stored all of her equipment, her favorite books, and anything else she deemed precious. Now, the space was spartan in nature, bare walls painted white with a table set up on the floor made of plain, unadorned wood. Around this table sat a few figures, lit by the candles placed on the walls. Quills and ink were provided at each place setting.

Celestia sat at the farthest end of the table, her crimson mane blowing fitfully in a non-existent breeze. Twilight was forcibly reminded of how much she resembled her Mother. She was conversing with her brother, who sat erect, and in his best dress uniform, his ocular piece polished and glowing with steady light and his mechanical parts buffed to a reflective sheen. Shining Armor’s face was pleasantly neutral, as he regarded his monarch resolutely.

Sitting at Celestia’s right side was Cadance, who was listening to the quiet conversation with great intent. Twilight had briefly considered remarking her face out of spite, but she had decided to let bygones be bygones. Besides, there would be a considerably larger fight this time around, with the power they both wielded.

Luna sat at Celestia’s left, her gaze stoic and far away. She had become more and more withdrawn as of late. In fact, she had simply vanished for more than a month after that fateful night. When she was asked where she had gone, she had simply responded “Home”. Twilight had decided that it would be pointless to question her further. When she was ready, Luna would share more of her journey. At her side stood Silent Shield, who was carefully watching Twilight as she walked down the stairs.

Though the Lunar Guard and Reserve were no longer under her control, Twilight had easily replenished her ranks. In fact, they stood larger and more numerous now than they had before the battle. Birchwood and several of the other smiths had worked on miniaturizing the “buckers”, making them more portable. Training ponies to use flash powder and buckers had considerably less needed investment per soldier. It took months to train a fighter for the Guards, or even the Regulars. Twilight could train a pony in weeks. That, along with the massive exodus of unicorns from Celestia’s lands, and the support of the Changelings, meant Twilight Sparkle’s new nation was the dominant military force in the region.

One of her officers stood by her side, in fact, clothed in a purple and gold uniform. Silver Lily, after escaping Canterlot and her hanging during the Windigo attack, had decided to hang up her spy’s cloak and step into the light as one of the heads of Twilight Sparkle’s new Air Corps, in Recon. She had considered offering the job to Tarantella, but it had felt wrong. Tara wasn’t military, she wasn’t that kind of mare. Which was probably a good thing, Twilight mused to herself. She was gone enough with the Condotteiri, recruiting more tribes.

“Milady, I have the papers you’ve requested.” Silver Lily said, coming to attention and extending a scroll to her. “They just arrived this afternoon, during the ceremony as a matter of fact. The Gryphons sent a representative and signed, so all that’s left is the three at the table.”

“Thank you, Silver Lily.” Twilight said, taking the document. “Please, close the trapdoor and station a guard at the top of the staircase. Nopony in or out until I give the word otherwise.”

Silver Lily didn’t say another word, merely snapping a crisp salute before flapping her wings and taking to the air, soaring over Twilight as she headed for the door. A moment later, there was a thud from above as the door closed, and Twilight was alone with the three Alicorns and their representatives. Without a word, she trotted forward, coming to her place at the table.

The conversation ceased as she surveyed the group. Taking another deep breath, she set the roll of parchment on the table. “Thank you all for coming. This is pretty much a formality at this point, but signing this will give us all the appearance of legitimacy and help to keep things calm as power transitions where it may. You’ll have to excuse my lack of a representative, but most of my officers and general staff have seen the document we’re about to sign, so there was really no need for one. Queen Feldspar sends her regrets that she cannot attend, but she is busy settling a new city near the Regia and was unable to pull herself away. And the Gryphons are busy consolidating their new lands as well.”

“It’s a shame they couldn’t come.” Luna said. “The Changelings would have a field day at this party, and the Gryphons are always good for a few laughs when intoxicated.”

“We seem to remember differently, sister.” Celestia said. “Last time an ambassador from the Oligarchy got drunk at a party he nearly managed to filet a buffalo chief before passing out in a bowl of noodles.”

Luna smirked. “Like I said, sister. Hilarious.”

“Moving on,” Twilight said lightly, unfurling the scroll. “This treaty defines the boundaries of the Ever Free’s territory, names it as a technical subordinate of Equestria in name if not in practice, and allows for free and easy transit between the two nations. Everypony saves face and goes home relatively happy.”

She looked at the assembled rulers, meeting their eyes in turn before continuing. “And while we’re here, we should probably iron a few things out between us.”

Celestia smiled. “Go ahead, Twilight. I’m all ears.”

Twilight turned to Cadance first. “Cadance, as far as I’m concerned, we’re even. You did wrong to me, and you paid the price for it. I’m not going to say I’ll forget the past four years happened, but I am saying that I’ll try to keep an open mind around you in the future, if you think that you can prove yourself worthy of that trust. I think we’ll all have enough on our plates already, so it would be nice if we didn’t have to worry about planting knives in one another’s’ backs.”

The rose colored Alicorn nodded slowly. “I think I can work with that. And I think I’ve probably learned my lesson about trying to take advantage of you, physically or otherwise.” Her hoof rose unconsciously to her cheek, where a scar had once been displayed. “And I’d like to thank you for agreeing to let me preside over the marriage. Tara’s family, and so are you. It was really important to me.”

Twilight nodded. “Well, it’s a step in the right direction in my book. And besides, it got you to Ponyville. You’ve been spending an awful lot of time up north.”

She turned to Luna next. “The reason I am here right now is to help you restore and maintain balance. I am more than happy to do so, and I look forward to doing so,” she said cheerfully. Leaning forward, she continued in the exact same tone of voice. “But if I catch wind of you manipulating me or the ones I love like you did with Tarantella, I’ll destroy you so quickly and completely that you’ll wake up in the Aether wondering what in Tartarus just happened to you and in more pain than you’ve felt in your life.”

Luna’s eyes widened, and she leaned forward. “I see you talked with Tarantella.”

Twilight shrugged. “You knew I’d find out sooner or later, and I know you were only doing what you had to in order to restore the Balance. This is the reason why I didn’t bother to push back until now. I wanted you here, in front of everypony, before we had this conversation. There are two of us to maintain the Balance until we can find the Shadow and eliminate it. Give me a reason to, and…I might decide to try doing it on my own.”

“Is that a threat?”

“No, Luna. A warning. There is no reason we cannot be friends and allies, and I don’t particularly mind if you do any political maneuvering of your own, but I want to be very clear that meddling with myself or the ones I care for will be an unacceptable breach of trust between us. That goes for everypony at this table.”

The dark Alicorn was silent, choosing only to nod in response. Twilight sighed. “I do not mean to cause you harm, Luna. But I must stress this. Do not attempt to use me. At the very least, ask me for assistance. After all, our goals are the same. We should be able to work with each other, not use one another. You might be surprised as to what I’d agree to, if you truly needed me.”

Luna held herself a bit straighter. “Very well, then. You have my word, Twilight Sparkle. I shall not manipulate you or those you care for, and if I need your assistance, I shall ask.”

Twilight then turned to Celestia. Meeting her eyes, she addressed the goddess, not as a mentor or an enemy, but as an equal. “Celestia, I’ve been putting this off ever since that last night in front of the Regia because I’ve been trying to find the words to describe the breach of trust that exists between us. Honestly, I hate the fact that you’re going to remain in power, that I need to work with you to stop the Shadow from taking over entirely, and that you’re basically going to suffer no consequences for you actions. Hay, in a hundred years most ponies will have forgotten about the horrors of this war.”

Twilight’s voice gained strength as she continued. “Which is for the best, I think. I want them to be happy and safe just like you wanted them to be happy and safe. I see now how you could think ignorance and mindless direction could keep them happy. It would, now that I think on it. But recently, I’ve had a change in thinking.”

Celestia quirked an eyebrow. “Oh?”

The unicorn nodded her head. “I couldn’t think of how to phrase it. I spent a full night trying to figure out how I would explain myself to you. And then it hit me. I knew how to describe how I felt to you, how to frame my thoughts in a way you could understand.” She placed her hooves on the table, drawing herself to her full height. “So, from me to you, I’d like to deliver one last report, in person. Think of it as me stepping forward, leaving your tutelage for good.”

Celestia smiled gently. “You’re graduating?”

“I am.” Twilight replied grimly. “Are you ready?”

Celestia said nothing, merely inclining her head in acquiescence.

Twilight cleared her throat. “Dear Princess Celestia. Over the past five years, I have spent a lot of time looking at the past. I’ve examined my mistakes and my successes, the years I spent in service to you and the years out on my own. I’ve remembered good times and bad times, the friends I’ve made and lost, all the sacrifices made by both sides. And until recently, I spent the majority of my time examining what had already happened. I firmly believed that by remembering my past, I would somehow be able to have those good times back.”

“But one snowy night, last winter, I died. My life was cut short, and I found myself talking to a pony I once thought I knew and loved. I talked with the Mother of everything, who told me that I still had work to do, and sent me back. I came back from the dead with a task, one that will take me many lifetimes to accomplish. And she made sure I would have all the time I needed. I was, for the first time, presented with an abundance of future. And then I realized that I had spent too much time looking at my past, and striving for something I would never have. With that in mind, I turned to the future.”

Twilight smiled. “My future. With my beautiful wife, and my friends, old and new. With strong ponies at my back and standing by my side. My future, the one where I help others strive for perfectly unattainable goals, helping them to stand and crawl and walk and run on their own. My future, and all the trials and tribulations and successes that would come with it. I stopped focusing on the happiness I had once possessed in the past, and focused on finding happiness in the future.”

“I learned that it’s important to learn from your past, but you cannot attempt to live there. You need to enjoy the now, and look to the future. You can’t let your past mistakes define you as a pony, and I can’t afford to live in the past any more than I can afford to abandon those who need me. This is why the next time I “die”, I’ll be shedding my name and taking up a new one. Some ponies call me by it already, which will certainly help. I can’t afford to live in the past any longer, and neither can you. Those you considered enemies, your sister and brother, are your allies and mine now. No longer can we work in opposition to one another. It’s time to lay the past to the side, and move forward together.”

Twilight’s smile turned sad. “For the final time, your student, Twilight Sparkle.”

Celestia cocked her head quizzically. “I get the feeling you weren’t just talking about yourself, Twilight.”

The unicorn nodded. “I told you once that I would have gone along with your plans, had you asked. I meant it, too. I loved you, Celestia, and part of me still wished that things might have turned out differently.”

The Alicorn frowned. “And now you hate me?”

Twilight shook her head. “No. I have no love for you, Celestia. But I…respect you, I think would be the best way of putting it. I’ve seen what you’re capable of, and it frightens me how far you are willing to go to achieve what you believe to be a worthwhile goal. And I believe your intentions are noble, but you know what they say about good intentions. If I can’t make you pay for what you’ve done in the past, then I’m going to make sure you don’t get the opportunity to try again in the future. And this time, I’ll be ready and in a position to stop you if you do.”

Celestia’s gaze softened as she looked at Twilight. “You really have come into your own, Twilight. I’m proud of you, in a way.”

It was the unicorn’s turn to be perplexed. “How so?”

“Think of what you accomplished.” Celestia said. “After you left Equestria, you did more in four years than ten ponies could in ten years. You organized a small nation, trained an army, pushed yourself to your limits every day, and made difficult decisions while recognizing your strengths and weaknesses, all for a cause you believed in. I’ve spoken to some of the Lunar Guard. You trained with them after rising through the ranks. You suffered with your followers through your first winter together, turned a potential enemy into an ally with the Changelings, and remained a strong leader while trying to alert ponies to the truth for four long years. And it paid off.”

“What are you getting at?” Twilight asked.

“Do you remember when I brought you back under the power of the Elements? That conversation we had in your mind?” Celestia asked curiously.

“Vaguely.” Twilight replied. “Why do you ask?”

“Twilight, I meant it when I said that I wished you could have been born as the Alicorn. Somepony like you is born once in a very great while. You are everything I hoped you would have been in a ruler. You’re kind, loyal to your subjects, have a knack for turning handicaps into assets, and devastatingly intelligent. But most importantly, though you have changed some in bearing and mannerisms, you are still you, Twilight. And I find that to be admirable.”

Twilight’s brow furrowed. “I don’t get it.”

“I’m trying to tell you that as far as I’m concerned, my goals have been met. I didn’t realize it at the time, but when you sat Discord and myself down and convinced us to work in tandem, if not directly with one another, you took your rightful place as a champion of Thought. And you did it on your own terms.”

Celestia smiled. “I’m telling you that you have nothing more to fear from me, Twilight. Regardless of whether or not you believe it, I will not work against you. In fact, I look forward to working with you. Not as a monarch, or a teacher, but as an equal. You may not be an Alicorn, or a Princess, but in my mind you stand just as tall.”

Twilight tried to digest that information. It almost sounded like Celestia was trying to extend an olive branch and a compliment at the same time. She wasn’t sure how she felt about that. After years of looking at Celestia as an enemy, she had been willing to try and start again. But to hear her say that she actually regarded Twilight as a friend already, and to mean that sincerely, sounded strange to her. Five years ago, she would have leapt at the chance. Five years ago, she would have accepted without a second thought in this position. But she was five years older and wiser, and so she looked at this gift with careful eyes.

Twilight held herself erect. “Thank you, Celestia. It means a great deal to me that you are willing to abandon your plans for a utopia. I truly believe that the two-state solution we have set into place will work to the benefit of all.”

Celestia’s smile quirked into a grin. “Still canny, I see. I suppose I can’t blame you for not trusting me, Twilight. I wouldn’t in your position. I’ll just have to prove to you that I intend to work with you in good faith.”

“Speaking of good faith,” Silent Shield cut in, “I believe we should be signing this treaty into effect.”

“Agreed.” Shining Armor replied. “Technically, the war isn’t over until the required signatures are acquired. And I don’t know about the rest of you, but I’m a bit nervous with troops mingling in the middle of a cease fire.”

Twilight nodded, unfurling the scroll. It was a single sheet of paper, containing only a few paragraphs. Other treaties would be signed later, but for now, this was all that was required. The ink was still crisp and black on the signatures, though the letters had settled along the pre-written paragraphs at the top. These few lines were the work of a full month of debate between the two sides, haggling for pieces of land and acquisitions and reparations and so forth before Pinkie Pie had taken a look at the massive document, pages long, and suggested that all that was required was a basic understanding of where things would sit. Everypony should be able to read it, she had claimed. Later that day, she had produced an “abridged” version of the treaty. It was, everypony agreed, what really was needed.

The words, in Twilight’s finest calligraphy, read as such.

“ The Monarch Celestia, benevolent and true to her subjects, has entered into this compact with the Lady Everstar. She of the undying flame, to promote Order and Peace in the lawless region known as the Everfree Forest.

It is ordained that these lands, from the cities of Trottingham and Hoofington in the East, bounded by the southernmost reaches of Ponyville in the North and the lands of Los Pegasus in the South, from thenceforth into the sea to the West, shall be apportioned under the Lady Everstar, and she shall be sovereign over them and rule them how she sees fit.

It is ordained that she shall receive her lands and titles by the will of Celestia, and make them habitable for her subjects so they may thrive. As compensation for her labors, the Lady Everstar shall be appointed with wealth and goods with which to support her subjects.

It is ordained that the vassals of the Princess Celestia shall be withdrawn from the lands of Lady Everstar, and cease conflict with her subjects. So too shall they be withdrawn from the lands of the Gryphonian Oligarchy.

It is ordained that those who wish to reside within the demesne of the Lady Everstar shall not be denied entrance to her lands, provided they are subject to her laws and customs, as determined by her and her appointed officials.

It is ordained on this, the Spring Equinox of the year One of the Age of Evening, that the Unicorn Twilight Sparkle, now known as Everstar, Ruler of Magic and the Crystal Flame, Champion of Thought, has founded the Evening Kingdom. Long live her reign.

Signed Twenty March, Year One A.E.”

It was impressively simple. The Gryphons would be signing another treaty with Equestria in a few short weeks, ceding the southern deserts to them under the condition that no ponies be evicted from their settlements. No problem was anticipated there, as there were vast expanses of space available for the Gryphons to settle and hunt in. It was a good thing, too. Luna had promised to make a visit to the capital, Ashtar Sharestan, and begin the process of undoing the spell on those ten thousand warriors who lay in vaults, turned to crystal. It would be a long process, but well worth it. In response, the Gryphons had sent their diplomat, the one Twilight knew as Vagadar. His name was signed in bold, confident strokes below the text.

Vagadar az Durmasagarti, Mouthpiece of the Five Kings, Protector of Peace.

Twilight had already signed another treaty with the Changelings as well. They had several settlements already planned, mostly underground, where they were suited to living. It had taken some doing, getting the new arrivals from Canterlot to accept living with the shapeshifters, but steps forward were being taken. Their Queen’s name gleamed underneath, the black ink somehow managing to gleam teal in the candlelight.

Queen Feldspar of the Changelings, Ruler of the Hives and Protector of the Ancestry.

“The specifics can be dealt with later.” Twilight said. “But right now, we need to get this signed. It’s time for peace. We’re long overdue.”

“Agreed.” Cadance said, pulling the treaty towards her. Dipping her quill delicately in the inkpot next to her, she signed her name in flowing, flowery script.

Princess Mi Amore di Cadenza Allegretta, Radiant Dawn, Guardian of the Heart, ruler of the Northern Mountains.

Luna eyed the document critically as she pulled it towards her. “You have my support, Twilight. Should you need me, call on me.”

“It sounds like you’re leaving.” Twilight joked.

Luna nodded her head. “I go to found my own lands, far away from Equestria. After tonight, I shall depart for at least a year. My followers will go with me as well.” She signed her own name in graceful, smooth characters.

Princess Luna Aetheria ex Selena, Majestic Night, Mistress of Dreams, Keeper of the Moon.

“Where are you going to go?” Twilight asked.

Luna smiled. “To find the answer, simply go outside and look to the east. You’ll see it with little trouble, especially on a clear night like tonight.”

With a jolt, Twilight realized what she was talking about. “Do you mean to say…are you going back to the moon?”

Luna nodded. “There are some, like me, who have tired of Equestria. They feel lost, like they have no place here or in the new nation you are forming. There is a city for them, on the moon. I can protect them with my magic, and keep them there until they wish to return.”

“I’ve spoken to Luna about it, and we both agree it’s for the best.” Celestia said, pulling the paper towards herself. “The fact is, there will always be those who can’t help themselves, nor do they want to be helped. By creating a place where they can go to work through their problems, away from the world, they can bring themselves to make the choices they need to make. That place is neither under your control nor mine. Luna has agreed to create a place for those who are lost.”

Twilight sighed. “Clearly you’ve all discussed this already.”

“This is the first time I’ve heard about it.” Cadance said, looking at the elder Alicorns. “And I’m beginning to see what Twilight is talking about. Before making decisions like this, you should at least let us know.”

“Agreed.” Celestia said. “It was poor judgment on our part, but we both agree that it needed to be done.” She looked at Twilight. “Can we count on your support, Twilight?”

The unicorn made a snap decision. “Fine. But I’ll need the particulars ,and soon. I want to know how many are going, the logistics, how to get to the moon, all of that.”

Luna nodded. “You shall have them tomorrow morning.”

“Maybe not tomorrow morning, Aunt Luna.” Cadance replied. “It is Twilight’s wedding night, after all. I imagine she’ll be sleeping in tomorrow.”

The Alicorn’s eyes widened, and Twilight could have sworn she saw a blush creep across her face. “My apologies. A week, then.”

Twilight looked at her, confused. “I don’t think I’ll need a week to recover.”

“If you don’t you aren’t treating her right, Twilight.” Celestia said, smirking as she signed the treaty. Her signature was familiar to Twilight, all bold curves and elegant lines.

Princess Celestia Aetheria ex Equestria, Glorious Noon, Brilliant Sun, Ruler of Equestria.

Twilight groaned, resting her face in her hooves as the parchment was slid across the table to her. “You all are going to be teasing me about this for years, aren’t you?”

“Decades, my dear.” Celestia said. “Get used to it, you’re immortal now. And I wouldn’t be ashamed, were I you. Truth be told, Tarantella is a very pretty mare. And spirited, too. A good match for you.”

The three Alicorns laughed as Twilight shook her head, picking up her quill and staring at the parchment. The nib hovered above the inkwell as Twilight stared at the line where her name would go. She gulped. That line was the start to a new life. That line would give her a kingdom of her own, responsibilities and titles and privileges she had only ever dreamed about. Once her name was on that line, her titles alongside, she would be a ruler just like Celestia and Luna and Cadance.

“Twilight.” She looked up. It was Shining Armor. He looked at her, his expression calm. His voice was steady and soothing, like it had been when she was young. “You’re ready.”

“Indeed you are, Lady Twilight.” Silent Shield rumbled. “More than ready.”

Luna smiled proudly. “We all agree.”

Cadance nodded. “You’ll be a good ruler. I can tell.”

“I’m proud of you, Twilight.” Celestia said. “It’s time.”

The quill dipped into the ink. She wiped away a spare drop, and before she could stop herself, she signed her name in precise, tight strokes, well-practiced over long years of writing.

Lady Everstar ex Arborea, Ascendant Evening, Bearer of the Crystal Flame, ruler of the Evening Kingdom.

She rolled up the parchment with a smile, turning from the table. “If you’ll excuse me, I have to go and comfort my bride.” She trotted up the stairs, knocking twice on the door. “Silver Lily, open up!”

Turning back, she gazed at each member sitting at the table. “We’ll talk more soon. For now, I bid you all a good evening.” The door opened, and she stepped through, handing the scroll to her aide. “Get that copied and sent to the necessary parties. And let everypony outside know. The war’s over.”

Twilight grinned as she saw Tarantella descending the staircase. “Excuse me, Commander.” A moment later, Twilight met her bride at the bottom of the stairs. Together, they disappeared in a flash of light.

The three Alicorns made it out of the basement just in time to see the newlyweds disappear.

“Does anypony know where they went?” Luna asked.

Celestia shook her head. “I don’t, and I don’t believe she told anypony. Which is alright by me. She hasn’t had a moment to herself in five years, after all.”

Cadance smiled to herself. She knew exactly where they had gone. There was no need to share the information, though. She agreed with Celestia. Those two had earned some privacy, at the very least.

“That was not so bad, was it?” Tarantella asked, shedding her gown and hanging it over a nearby tree branch. She had dispatched a group of Condottieri the previous week to drop supplies in this area, and they were both grateful for them. A small fire burned in a freshly dug firepit in the middle of the clearing.

“No, I suppose it wasn’t.” Twilight replied, creating a small lean-to out of branches cut from nearby trees. With a minor effort of will, she gathered pine needles, creating a fragrant bed of them underneath the makeshift shelter. “But I can’t help but think that they will try something in the future.”

The Pegasus shrugged, looking out over the lake. “So you will be ready for them. But I think they are sincere.” She stretched her wings, letting the cool mountain air play over her pinion feathers. “And I have faith in you, my love. Else we wouldn’t be here now.”

Twilight grinned, shucking her clothing as she joined Tarantella by the shores of the lake. They both stared across the lake, holding hooves as they took in the view of the crumbling manor in the distance. A gentle breeze caressed them both as they felt the nearness of each other, two burning beacons in the darkest night. The stars twinkled above, the only witnesses to this area’s visitors. It was quiet, and serene, and a bit lonely.

“I haven’t seen my home in a very long time.” Tarantella said. “It’s beautiful.”

Twilight swallowed nervously. She wasn’t sure why, she’d done this sort of thing a thousand times before. “Yes,” she managed to get out. “Beautiful.”

And she was. The firelight caught Tara’s hair, making it shimmer like silver and gold. Each individual strand on her coat seemed to Twilight to be the softest and most beautiful thing she had ever seen, and her scent was that of swift water and autumn leaves. She turned to face her, and Twilight drank in her lover’s face, every bit of it. Her eyes, the amber of a hawk’s, her strong features and wiry figure somehow irresistibly feminine.

Twilight felt a flutter in her stomach. She was married to this mare. To the most wonderful, kindhearted and strong and loving pony she had ever met. Tonight she had been given a kingdom and a wife. And she knew that she held Tarantella much higher than any kingdom. How could it have been any other way?

“Twilight…” Tarantella breathed out.

As one, they sank down onto the banks of that lake under the spring sky. Though there were trials ahead, challenges that would need surmounting not just in the way of a kingdom but in the way of friends, and family, and goddesses, Twilight was absolutely sure, in that moment, that everything was going to be alright. Better than alright. It was going to be perfect.

And as it turned out, she was right. There, under that gentle sky, for once in Twilight’s life, everything was perfect.

Fin

Author's Note

Adversity is like a strong wind. It tears away from us all but the things that cannot be torn, so that we see ourselves as we really are.

Be well.

Opening Move

A purple unicorn sat in her tower high above the trees of the Everfree Forest, the evening oil of her lanterns burning bright against the gathering blackness of the twilight hour outside. The light glinted off of her mane, a simple black streaked with purple, pink, and a band of deep red. The mare herself noted that her hair had begun to grey a bit, though she was hardly approaching thirty years of age, a quarter of the way through her life if it was to be considered average. Of course, Twilight Sparkle's life was anything but average, as the events of past years had attested.

Her gaze lit briefly on a map tacked to her wall, displaying the city streets of Canterlot. Several buildings were marked in red, denoting hideouts and supply centers, as well as a short list of agents stationed in the Capitol. After taking the information presented to her, she turned to a locked scroll case that was kept very nearly constantly by her side. Her horn flashed, and one end fell open, allowing her to review the simple roll of parchment inside. She read over its contents one more time, before rolling it back up and putting it away, frowning to herself.

A sound of hooves echoed from the hallway, and Twilight turned to see the familiar and admonishing face of the mare she loved behind her. "Altro Ala Mia, what are you still doing up? Come to bed, you've been awake since dawn."

"I can't, Tara. I'm so close to finally giving us the upper hoof, but there's just nopony I can trust to take this last position. I need somepony on the inside, respected enough to gain trust but not so well known as to attract attention, and with the necessary skillset to accomplish this without a hitch."

"You need a perfect spy."

"No, that's exactly what I'm trying to avoid. Spies are spies, they act a certain way and attract suspicion by avoiding suspicion. I need something different, something less...one-dimensional." she said, as she trotted over to her window, looking down at the courtyard below. It was the changing of the Guard, ponies in dark armor taking over their comrades' posts as the sun dipped behind the trees. Twilight watched as the magical defenses she had helped to build around the castle were activated.

"A difficult task, to be sure. Have you asked Glimmer?"

There was a beat of silence. "Tara, you're brilliant. I'm going to make that up to you. Give me an hour, and then I'll be along. And could you call her in?"

The grey Pegasus smiled broadly. "Of course. One hour, mind. No more. And then I'm going to ensure that you sleep." With that, she kissed Twilight on the cheek, trotting out through the same door she had entered.

Twilight contemplated the scene in front of her. Her castle, the Regia, was layed out before her. Her walls were strong, the battlements patrolled by elite soldiers, protected by the most powerful wards and spells known to ponykind. With the help of her Steward, she had ensured that beyond the fields of food she could see in the distance, any pony traveling through the woods towards this castle with hostile intent would quickly be dealt with. So why did she feel so unprotected?

She swiftly realized that Tarantella's idea would not, in fact, work. Her deadline was only a few short weeks away, and it took more time than she had to place an agent into position, especially with the kind of talents she needed.

A soft sound behind her caused her to jump slightly, and she turned around swiftly, only to sigh in relief at the sight of the snow-white Pegasus hovering a few inches above her carpet. "You wished to see me, Milady?"

Twilight sighed. She had tried to dispense with the idea of "Lady Twilight" and "Milady", and had been completely unsuccessful. Especially with Glimmer's kind. Her young assistant had a very defined sense of social order and hierarchy, and clung to that tightly. This made her invaluable as a diplomat, and combined with her talent for organization and curious nature, she was the ideal candidate for Twilight Sparkle's new assistant when Spike was away.

"Glimmer, how would you go about getting an agent into place in Canterlot before the Midwinter solstice?"

The Pegasus frowned. "Even for us, it would be impossible. These things take time, especially so close to the breast of our opposition."

Twilight slumped. "That's what I thought. Can you think of no way to place an agent in that time?"

Glimmer sensed the quiet desperation coming from her mistress. "We cannot place an agent. But you could recruit one."

Twilight looked at her curiously. "Recruit?"

"Yes. Take a pony already in place. Bribe them, threaten them, do something to turn them. Give them your order. With Celestia's grip on the minds of Equestria, it will be difficult. But not, I think, impossible."

Twilight thought about that for a moment. For the most part, the ponies of Equestria acted normally. But such was Celestia's hold on them that many would resist that sort of treatment, especially if they knew it would harm the Princess. It was infuriating, that magically induced loyalty they all retained. There were ways to get around it, of course, but it would be difficult to do so without raising suspicion. Twilight realized that she might have to break her promise to Tarantella.

"Thank you, Glimmer. You may leave."

"Would Milady like me to tidy up the room?"

"That would be fine, if you like. Leave the charts on the table out, and be careful you don't fall off the bookshelves."

"Very good, Mistress."

As the young mare busied herself clearing the room, she flew over to a nearby radio, face screwed up in concentration as she fiddled with the dials. Signal was difficult to come by in the Everfree, but Twilight's tower had better reception by far than the rest of the castle. With a hum, music filled the room, a soulful voice singing about the sky falling. Twilight recognized the tune, and tapped her hoof along as she pulled forward a list of prominent ponies in Canterlot. She checked off the names one by one, rejecting them as she looked over their qualifications and traits. This one was too old, and far too loyal to Equestria. That one wasn't well-known enough to access the parts of Canterlot Twilight would need him to access. The song faded out, and Twilight listened as a voice came over the air, one that sounded surprisingly familiar.

"That was 'Sky Fall', an up and coming new hit from Sapphire Shores for part of her new album, The Fires of Whitetail. Up next we have 'From the Khan With Love', an old hit from Blue Note and the Bass Gang, right after the commercial break here on the Canterlot Broadcasting Network. This is your host for the evening Sweetie Belle, and we will return right after these messages."

Suddenly, everything fell into place. Twilight smiled, double checking the variables in her mind. Glimmer turned, her head cocked to one side. "Mistress? Do you need me to take a note for you?"

"Yes, Glimmer. Get a message to Grapevine, ask him to find out everything he can about CBC and a new host of theirs, a young unicorn by the name of Sweetie Belle. Tell him it's urgent and secret. I want a report on my table in two days if he can swing it."

Glimmer nodded. "Of course, Milady. Anything else?"

"One more thing. Contact Chrysalis and tell her we might be needing a few warrior drones. If this goes right, we will have to pull out of Canterlot entirely, and I'd rather not leave our agents unprotected."

The Pegasus sighed, setting the books down gently and trotting over to the window. With a rush of green magic, the young Changeling dropped her disguise and used her now-reformed body to send a message out over the wind. A moment later, she buzzed an acknowledgement. Focusing, she re-instated her new body, panting with exertion. "She will be able to spare them, if they are given bodies to wear."

Twilight walked beside her, nodding in approval. "You're getting better. Soon you'll be able to wear the body you created just as easily as your copies."

The mare smiled in gratitude before returning to her work. Twilight Sparkle looked out of her window, over the fields and trees below. It was hidden by distance, but she could sense Canterlot staring back at her. She allowed herself the small luxury of pride, though she had little opportunity to display it in the past. This was it, she could feel it. The endgame had begun.

Celestia was waiting on her next move, and Twilight Sparkle's final gambit would pay for all. "That's all well and good," she mused, "But gambits rarely go well for the pawns."

Captured Pawns

Sweetie Belle woke to a splitting headache, her face pressed against the stony ground of a small cell, barred with thick beams of iron, illuminated by the glow of several magelights. The air smelled of damp and mildew, and was fairly quiet. Time seemed to hang still, as if they were being preserved for some future purpose. Sweetie was a bit surprised at the conditions, she had always imagined dungeons to be dirty, straw covered affairs, lit by torches and resplendent with the smell of blood and the screams of ponies. This place reminded her more of a bank vault or a drunk tank than anything else. It was clean, and she could see a bench behind her that she supposed could double as a bed, though there were no sheets or bedclothes on it. She decided to take a look at her surroundings, but her attempts to move were brought up short by a length of thick chain, attached to a collar around her neck. She could not move more than a few paces in any direction, enough to get onto the bed if necessary, and to move around some as well. But she couldn't reach the cell door by a large distance, and she was sure that the chain could be shortened if necessary. The collar was padded along the inside so as to make sure that she didn't choke herself on it, but it was made of a fairly strong iron. She could feel an inhibitor ring locked onto her horn, and didn't even bother to try using magic. With nothing else to do, she climbed onto her bed and took stock of her surroundings.

The world outside of her door consisted of three doors, spaced evenly across a curved wall. A desk stood to one side, behind which stood a unicorn stallion wearing the same rose tunic fastened with the same clasp. He watched her carefully, guarded but not unduly worried. Seeing that she would be offering no resistance, he turned his gaze back towards a scroll on his desk, reading over the contents carefully. Attached to her cell was another cell, the huddled form of a sleeping pony resting on one of the benches, in a patch of shadow cast by the magelights. His (for she felt sure he was male) chest rose and fell evenly, clearly asleep, but Sweetie Belle was unable to distinguish what kind of pony he was. She turned around, rolling over to face the other cell. It was unoccupied, the layout exactly the same as her own, but Sweetie Belle saw several orange feathers lying on the floor. Scootaloo. Where was she?

Sweetie Belle didn't have to wait long for an answer. The rightmost door swung silently open, spilling a cold blue light onto the floor as two ponies in tunics entered, dragging Scootaloo behind them, as she hung limply, hooves dragging on the floor, clearly unconscious. A small trickle of blood ran from her mouth onto her cheek, and Sweetie Belle saw the telltale marks of bruises beginning to form on her body. The Pegasus was carefully placed on her bed, and reshackled quickly and professionally. Sweetie Belle watched, transfixed, as the unicorn at the desk trotted over, letting the light from his horn play over her body. The bruises disappeared as he worked, and soon enough the Pegasus was whole and healthy once more. Without a word, both guards and the unicorn exited her cell, closing the door tightly. Then they opened the door to Sweetie's own cell.

She shrank back, trying to avoid the guards to no avail. A desperate kick was easily avoided, and an indifferent hoof was laid along her jaw, sending her tumbling to the ground. A short iron rod was produced by one of the guards, who hooked it onto her collar, snapping the hook closed.

"Clear." he said.

The other guard undid her chain. Wildly, she tried to yank the rod away from the first guard, who merely pushed, forcing her back. The second raised a hoof in warning, and Sweetie Belle subsided. She allowed herself to be marched out of the cell, passing through the blue door, where she was brought to a halt. The unoccupied guard proceeded ahead, and she was pushed forward once more, the second guard bringing up the rear. It was a short flight of stairs, descending no more than one floor. The ceiling was low, with more blue magelights inlaid along its length. She was halted once more, as the first pony opened another door at the bottom. A brief conversation took place, after which she was beckoned forward.

The room she stepped into resembled nothing more than a strange cross between a governmental office and a physician's room. A low steel table dominated the center of the room, straps dangling loosely from its sides. A metal cabinet stood to one side, well scrubbed. The room smelled of disinfectant. A small sink was protruding from another corner. In addition to this, she saw another desk, emblazoned on the front with a bronze sun, as well as a small basket with neatly stacked files resting inside of it. A pink tunic hung on one hook, its owner currently occupied at the sink. Sweetie Belle recognized the pony, the Pegasus mare with the red mane, as she turned to look at her.

"Just hook her to the wall, I will be there in a moment!" she called cheerfully, scrubbing her hooves down. The guards dutifully maneuvered Sweetie to the wall, where another chain was fastened to her collar, this one much shorter. The rod was detached, and one guard indicated that she should sit. Sweetie Belle sat. The mare finished her cleansing, and donned her tunic once more before turning to the guards. She waved one hoof, and they spun about and exited the room, closing the door behind them. Sweetie Belle could hear them take up positions outside of the door. The Pegasus stood behind the desk and smiled at her.

"Hello, Sweetie Belle. My name is Autumn Sunset, and I'm here to ask you a few questions. If we like the answers, you're free to go. Nopony knows you're here, nobody saw you captured. We'll not trouble you again unless you do something questionable, so if you cooperate, it will be like you were never arrested in the first place. Deal?"

Sweetie Belle stared at her. "Do you mind if I ask a few questions first?"

Autumn Sunset arched an eyebrow. "I suppose. Though the sooner you answer our questions, the sooner you are free to leave. And you'll be needing to sign a document saying that what you see here is something you will never publish or write about. We know you do some freelance reporting in addition to your broadcasting work, so I should expect some form of curiosity from you. Please, ask."

"First question. Where am I?"

The Pegasus laughed. "You're in a holding area run by the Dawn Division of the Equestrian Intelligence Program. EIP for short. Other than that, I can't say."

Sweetie Belle nodded. "What is Dawn Division?"

"Dawn Division is tasked with finding information. Shedding light in the dark, as it were."

Sweetie Belle nodded. "Last question. What will you be doing with Scootaloo?"

The mare frowned. "You know her? The Runner?"

Now it was Sweetie Belle's turn to frown. "The what?"

"We call her The Runner in mixed company. We've known her real identity for a while. But you know her."

The unicorn felt she had made a terrible mistake. "Yes. She was a foal friend of mine, but I haven't seen her in years."

The Pegasus nodded. "Well, that...complicates things. I'm afraid you're going to be here a bit longer than I had originally thought, Sweetie Belle. Between her and the documents we found in your bag, things just got much more complicated." She threw the contents of her bags on the desk. "False identification. Aliases. Information about the Ever Free. Information on the Bearers of the Elements of Harmony. Information on Princess Celestia, Princess Cadance, and several other prominent ponies. And that's just the first folder. I imagine the information you were picking up was unknown to you, but thanks to your capture, we will be able to prevent the loss of lives in many cities, from Manehatten to Canterlot to Fillydelphia. Quite a treasure trove. We've got couriers arriving soon to pick up the documents. But it was all in your possession, Sweetie Belle. Which makes you look rather bad considering you know a prominent smuggler for the Rebellion."

"I didn't know she was working with the Ever Free!" Sweetie Belle interjected. "We had just met before you captured us both!"

Autumn Sunset snorted. "It's all a bit convenient to be true. I want to resolve the matter swiftly, Sweetie Belle. Every second wasted is another second that lives are lost. I will get my information from you, one way or another. You choose how."

Sweetie Belle looked to the table. She could imagine the metal pressed against her back, the straps digging into her skin, the blow of a club or the sting of a knife. She shuddered. "Ask. Just ask, dammit."

"Who contacted you?"

"An anonymous note was left at my home while I was working late. I followed its instructions and burned that evidence. I met an agent by the fountain of Shimmerstone in the Mage District. I'm not positive, but it might have been a Changeling."

"Good. That's useful. Did she say anything besides where to go for your next piece of information?"

"Yes, she said they were getting ready to abandon Canterlot."

"Did she say why?"

"No, she didn't. She said somepony following her had been killed. Soaked in wine after his neck was broken."

The Pegasus pulled a file off of her desk, scanning its contents. She nodded. "So that's what happened. Very well. Where did you stay?"

Sweetie Belle was silent for perhaps a moment too long before replying "I think it was called Brelik's. I used a disguise, they wouldn't remember me."

"Horsefeathers." Autumn Sunset replied cheerfully. "For the final time. Where did you stay?"

Sweetie Belle stuck to her story. "Brelik's. That was it. Brelik's."

Autumn Sunset sighed. "You're protecting somepony. That's admirable. However, I'm afraid that you leave me no real choice. I had hoped to avoid this step, because of your sister, but I'm afraid that I can't allow you to lie. I'll give you a final chance. I suggest you take it. If you answer me truthfully, we can stop for today. If you lie again, I'll have to open the cabinet in the corner." She picked up a small bell and rang it. The two guards filed back in, flanking the unicorn. "Where did you stay?"

Sweetie Belle closed her eyes. She thought of Oak Barrel, and Copper Cask. They deserved to be left out of this. And Cirrus. She'd promised Cirrus that she wouldn't see trouble because of her. She inhaled. "I stayed at Brelik's."

She did not resist as the guards unchained her, placing her roughly on the table, binding her tightly to the top with the wide leather straps. She stared at the ceiling, into the magelight, feeling her eyes burn in protest. She shut them tightly. Something was pressed to her mouth. Autumn Sunset's voice sounded by her ear. "Place this in your mouth, or you'll bite off your own tongue." She accepted it, a wooden bridle wrapped in cloth and padding that tasted of salt and old saliva. She heard a hissing from beside her, and turned her head. Autumn Sunset was holding a small knife over a burning crystal, letting the flame play back and forth across its length.

"This is to sterilize the knife, as well as heat it up. It will cauterize as it cuts, so you won't have to worry about bleeding out. The way this will work is simple. We will begin with a simple cut. Every time you refuse to answer a question, I will double the number of times this knife parts your skin. One becomes two becomes four becomes eight, and so on. There will, of course, be time for you to answer in between sessions. If we go too quickly, you'll fall unconscious. And the knife will need reheating. Let us begin. Where did you stay last night?"

Sweetie Belle was silent. The guards held her down as Autumn Sunset approached her with the knife. A moment later, the knife left a neat cut on her skin, and the smell of seared flesh filled the air. Sweetie Belle choked back a scream. The question was asked again. No answer was given. Another moment passed, and again the knife left as smoking cut, followed by another. This time she really did scream.

Sweetie Belle was placed gently back on her cot in the cell, hooked in and secured before the unicorn came in and dispelled the cuts along her body. She had gone for seven rounds, and Autumn Sunset had been true to her word, doubling the cuts each time. She had felt the knife a total of one hundred and twenty-three times before passing out, sixty cuts in to a sixty four cut session. A brief moment later, they were gone. The wounds had healed, but the pain lingered on. She curled into a tight ball, her coat damp with sweat and tears. She had managed to avoid losing control of her bladder, and before she was placed back in her cell, the two guards had placed her in a small basin, rinsing away any blood. They had allowed her to use the restroom, but she was closely observed while she did so. As soon as she had finished, into the cell she had gone. The three guards had departed soon after, shutting off the lights and leaving them in the silence and dark.

Sweetie Belle told herself not to cry, that she was far past crying. She hadn't told them anything, not a thing, and after a while, Autumn Sunset had stopped asking. After that, there was only the pain. And she had made it through that, hadn't she? She had come out fine, just fine. Although...they had healed her. She didn't want to, but soon found herself wondering what they would have done that for. To keep her healthy? Possibly. A horrible thought occurred to her. They healed her so that they could break her anew, starting on a fresh body. That was it, that had to be it.

"Hey, Sweetie..." a rough voice mumbled from behind. She turned, seeing Scootaloo grinning at her. "Don't worry. We won't be here long. They'll come for us, I promise. This is our city, they won't stand for this. You'll see."

"She's right, young miss." Sweetie Belle turned, seeing the pony in the other cell getting to his hooves. "They're just looking for you two. Once they've found you, and find you they will, we'll be out quicker than you can say "Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwll-llantysiliogogogoch."

Scootaloo laughed. "Night Light? Is that you? What happened, did you finally throw a hip out, old stallion? I thought you were the best!"

The pony stepped forward as far as his chains would allow, coming into the light. He was a handsome Pegasus, a bit worn around the edges, with grey shot through his close-cropped mane and tail. He had the slender build of one who enjoyed running, perhaps from places they ought not to be. His eyes, a periwinkle blue, held a mischievous glimmer, and his face was cast with laugh lines, the overall effect being that of somepony who knew a secret they found amusing in the extreme, but found it even more amusing not to share. The only thing unusual about him was the state of his wings. One was held normally, but the other hung limp from his side, useless and detached. He caught Sweetie Belle looking.

"Oh, don't be worrying yourself, dear. This'll get fixed right up next time around. One of those pink idiots tried to hold me down by the wings, and look what happened. Daft pony got chased out of the room by Little Miss Sunshine herself. Smarts a bit, but there you are." His voice was laden with the rich brogue of a pony from the settlements to the far east of Trottingham. "And in answer to your question, o mare of mystery, I was arrested for that business at the Trottingham museum."

Scootaloo winced. "That bit with the sarcophagus?"

He nodded. "Who knew that security would object to me accidentally destroying the entire exhibit? Not my fault, just there to meet a friend, who turned out to have a dagger and the willingness to use it. Can't hardly blame me." His eyes turned to Sweetie Belle. "Chin up, lass! You'll be making it through this, or my name isn't Night Light!"

Scootaloo chimed in. "He's one of the best at this sort of thing. Posed as a Guard for two and a half years, if you can believe. Left in the dead of night carrying about a thousand bits, some spell books from Luna's personal collection, and if you believe him, having slept with the new Captain of the Guard's wife."

Sweetie Belle smiled a bit. Night Light laughed. "There you are! You've done beautifully, Sweetie! Did you give anything away?"

Her smile fell. She nodded. "A few things. I told them about how I was contacted, and that it was a Changeling. And that the Ever Free were abandoning Canterlot."

An expectant silence waited for her. She looked up, waiting to see scorn or disapproval from the two Pegasi. Scootaloo frowned a bit. "That's it?"

"Isn't that enough? Between that and the information they have, they could do some serious damage!"

Night Light laughed. "Color me impressed! They wanted the Treasury, and you gave them half of a chipped bit, Sweetie Belle!"

Sweetie Belle slid off of her cot shakily. "What do you mean?"

Scootaloo sat down. "Sweetie Belle, you're telling me that they worked on you for an hour, at least, and that's all they got out of you? Not even the place you stayed last night?"

The unicorn shook her head. "No. That's it."

Scootaloo gave a low whistle. Night Light spoke next. "Those documents don't tell them anything that they don't already know we know. And they certainly don't tell them anything significant about us. And they had plenty of time to work on you, my dear. I know agents of ours who have been working for years in this sort of situation that would have cracked for less. Why didn't you give them anything else?"

"I made a promise." Sweetie Belle said simply.

Night Light nodded. "I can understand that. Hold to that promise tomorrow. We'll be out by then, I'm sure. But things may get nasty before then. Scootaloo, can she be trusted?"

Her response was immediate. "I'd trust Sweetie Belle with my life."

Night Light nodded. "Then we'll bring her along. Sweetie, my dear, you've truly put your hoof in it. Don't worry. We'll get you somewhere safe. A promise made and kept. Tomorrow you're coming along with us."

Sweetie's curiosity was piqued. "Where?"

Scootaloo smiled. "We're going home, Sweetie. Into the Everfree. I'm sure Twilight will want to see you."

Rooks in the Sky

The mist rising from the river curled around the hooves of Sweetie Belle’s group. They numbered seven. She had been separated from Scootaloo and parceled into a group consisting mostly of Changelings, large hulking warriors that had each taken the form of the same dirt-brown Earth pony, trusting the poor weather, fog, and night to hide them as well as their cloaks. Each was well armed, and ready for trouble. A small blessing sent to her, however, was the addition of Night Light, who was the official leader of the group.

Keeping mostly to the shadows, the two groups of ponies slipped into the gathering darkness one after the other, splitting up so as to avoid suspicion. The route had been carefully planned, and all of the right guards had been either paid off or avoided, so they had made it to the river unchallenged. The only sounds to be heard were the rushing of the water below and the carefully muffled sounds of hoofsteps. Sweetie Belle found herself watching the skies nervously, checking for a glimpse of a wing or the glint of armor.

“I wouldn’t worry about them.” one of the Changelings said kindly. “They have an entire city to search. Even if they knew our route, which they don’t, the Solar Wing would still have to look for us among a thousand ponies heading out of the city proper.”

Night Light nodded. “I’ve come up against them before and made it out alright. No stupid heroics and you live to fight another day. And besides, there are reinforcements waiting for us at the boat. If we can make it there, we’ll be fine. But we need to focus and keep moving. Understood?”

There was a murmur of assent from the group. “You make it sound like they’re invincible.” Sweetie Belle grumbled.

The Pegasus laughed. “Hardly. They’re flesh and blood, just like us. But they are very accomplished warriors. Cleared out entire outposts without us even knowing they were on the way. The Lady Twilight had to intervene and take a personal hoof in the matter. In the end, we managed to get a reliable picture of where they were, and now we know the signs of them being nearby. They fight smart. We fight smarter.”

They broke away from the river, following a long alley towards the main gate. Night Light pointed excitedly. “Look! You can see one of their positions up there, right above the tower on the gate if your eyes are sharp enough.”

Sweetie Belle looked where he was pointing. Sure enough, perched on top of the tower, surveilling the crowd, was a Pegasus, her bright yellow and orange coat still visible even though the sky was dark.

“Spitfire…” she whispered. The Wonderbolts had been disbanded after Twilight’s defection, their skills and expertise needed elsewhere. Many had taken jobs as propaganda models, raising morale and gathering support for various services, and more than a few had been listed among the names of those killed in raids or battles. The organization, fifty ponies at its peak, was now estimated to contain no more than twenty. Its highest-profile members, the Class A flyers, had vanished from public life, however. And now Sweetie Belle knew where they had ended up. For all the pomp and circumstance in their shows, all the showpony stunts, they were still fierce flyers. And the biggest name among them was here, probably with a loaded crossbow, waiting for her to slip up.

“Aye, and Soarin’ will be nearby. I imagine that he is hovering near the cloud layer, just high enough for us to miss him if we look for him.” Night Light said. They merged into a large group of ponies, heading into a large square. Sweetie Belle felt the ponies around her form a sort of sphere, a protective shield. The warrior Changelings, knowing that she was unable to defend herself well, were ensuring she made it out alive, even if they did not.

Under her hood, Sweetie Belle’s horn was working furiously, modifying the warriors so they appeared more normal. She added blonde manes, piebald coats, varying Cutie Marks, and more. As she worked, she felt the Changelings’ natural illusion magic help hers along, and each of them locked their disguises into permanence as they walked towards the center of the square. Out of the corner of her eye, Sweetie Belle saw Scootaloo’s group hug the shops closely, following them towards an alley. Her group did likewise.

As the small gathering of ponies walked down the alley, Sweetie Belle began to breathe a bit easier. She could see the gate they would be going through up ahead, and they were almost home free. She could sense a similar brightening in spirits from those around her. They picked up the pace slightly, and Night Light nodded to the guard on duty at the gate, who didn’t bother to ask for identification, before they passed into the exterior of the city.

“And it’s a quick hop, skip, and jump from here to the skiff.” Night Light said. “Piece of cake.”

Sweetie Belle opened her mouth to reply, but was interrupted as something buzzed through the air, tugging at the hem of her cloak before embedding itself in the ground. The air suddenly filled with the sound of thunder, and Sweetie Belle looked up to see a multicolored aura filling the sky, followed by a streak of the same heading right for them. Another buzz, and one of the Changelings by her side stumbled and fell, an arrow in his neck.

Scootaloo cursed. “They’ve got us! Fan out and run!”

Sweetie Belle could only stare in shock as three more streaks filled the air behind the first, one a fiery orange, one a brilliant white, and one crackling with lightning. She fell in behind Scootaloo, processing the information as she ran. They were being chased by Spitfire, Soarin’, Rainbow Dash, and she felt certain the white streak was her sister.

The air was suddenly filled with crossbow bolts, and side by side the two Crusaders sprinted through the mud towards the river.

Running from my sister with Scootaloo. Sweetie Belle thought. Some things never change.

Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo threw off their cloaks as they ran, exposing the bandoliers underneath and freeing their hooves to run faster. The duo exchanged a glance, instinctively knowing what to do from long afternoons of adventuring together. Sweetie Belle worked one of the flash crystals loose from its holding strap, gripping it tightly with her magic. She could hear the rustle of wings behind them, and as they galloped over a rise in the ground, she tossed it to Scootaloo. The orange Pegasus leapt into the air before spinning around and ramming a hoof into the suspended crystal, cracking it and sending it flying back at the offending pursuer. It exploded into a brilliant flash of light not two feet away from the Pegasus, who crashed into the ground, blinking its eyes rapidly in order to clear them.

Though it had managed to disable their assailant, the crystal had also served to draw attention to their position. Glancing up at the sky, Sweetie Belle saw the rainbow streak arch towards them instead of the Changelings, moving faster than she would have thought possible. The white streak followed close behind. Sweetie Belle wasn’t sure how her sister had gotten wings, but she had. And now they had two ponies they knew personally, both of them Bearers of the Elements of Harmony, heading straight for them.

They ran faster.

The river gleamed dully ahead of them, and Sweetie Belle saw that a skiff was indeed waiting for them, riding low in the water. Two ponies lounged nearby, and her heart sank. Only two? They had the entire Solar Wing after them, and only two ponies had been sent? They altered course slightly, charging towards the skiff. Scootaloo produced a whistle, blowing it wildly as they ran. Sweetie Belle saw several other Changelings running towards the skiff. The two ponies waiting by the boat strode forward, throwing their cloaks off as they did so. The Changelings behind them withdrew spheres from the boat, and they bucked them towards the oncoming pursuers in a single volley.

“Get down!” Scootaloo cried, and both of them hit the dirt. There was a noise like thunder, a rush of heat, and Sweetie Belle felt something lodge itself in her flank and begin burning. She cried out in pain, and staggered to her hooves in order to continue her flight towards the boat, cloaking herself and Scootaloo.

“Let’s go!” she cried, and the two of them lurched towards the relative safety of the skiff. Sweetie Belle looked for the two ponies who had been walking towards them, and her breath caught in her chest. An imposing unicorn, barded in dark armor, stood before her, his solitary eye gleaming gold though there was hardly any light to see by. He was standing by another unicorn, one who appeared to have been fashioned from paper. Silent Shield and Golden Radiance stood before her, and Sweetie Belle saw the Lunar Guard’s eye focus on her.

“Get to the boat, daft filly.” he growled, unleashing a bolt of magic from his horn at the Solar Wing, which had fallen back and regrouped. All of its members were taking formation, creating a wedge in order to smash through the scattered pockets of resistance.

The two of them leapt over the side of the craft, landing in the bottom as Sweetie Belle dispelled her shield. Hearing hoofbeats, she glanced over the side in time to see Night Light, leading another small group, thunder to a halt.

“That’s all we’ve got. Of the sixteen we left with, they took down four. Time for us to go.”

The Wing had finished their preparation work, and as one, they sped towards the huddled ponies. Golden Radiance’s horn flashed, and the clouds above them congealed, suddenly swollen with water. Lightning flickered among them, and Sweetie Bell felt the first drops of rain hit her face. Another bolt of magic hit the boat, and Sweetie felt the wood thrum with life, as if it had been imbued with energy.

“Go, get your followers into the boat.” Golden Radiance said. “We will hold them off.” As she spoke, the wind picked up, and she directed a gust at the Wing, which scattered in order to avoid it. The gust turned into a strong wind, blowing from the Everfree. “Get the boat into the river. There’s a beacon in the bottom. Once you’ve got it moving towards the forest, activate it. We will follow.”

Night Light and the other Changelings began pushing the craft into the water. Sweetie Belle’s horn lit, suspending the boat on a cushion of magic that made it all but frictionless, allowing the ponies to push even faster. She felt the back end slide into the water, and the remaining ponies piled into the boat as it drifted into the river, turning itself to allow current to pass.

“It’s turned the wrong damn way!” Scootaloo shouted.

One of the Changelings hopped on the tiller, turning it sharply as the boat drifted with agonizing slowness, bringing the nose around to face downriver. Sweetie Belle watched as the two unicorns stood alone against the riverbank, fighting to buy them time.

A bolt of lightning shot from the sky, gathering in a rush of sparks along the horn of Silent Shield before he unleashed its power on the unfortunately named Thunderhead, who caught the full blast squarely on his chestplate. The magically enhanced armor, made for Pegasi, was designed to ward off lightning, but the force of it stood his hair on end and knocked him back into the ground. The clouds above them burst, rain slicking the feathers of the Pegasi down, slowing their flight and forcing them to land.

Golden Radiance unleashed a torrent of green flame in the direction of another Solar Wing member, as well as the Element of Generosity. She was rewarded with a cry of pain from Soarin’, as well as a pulse of magic from Rarity that clued her in to her exact location. Another blast of energy, this one intense and needle thin, burned through the air with such brilliance that it left afterimages as it went, giving the appearance of a panoply of spidery lines weaving through the air. A shield of translucent force manifested itself, straining under the unusually intense beam of light. She felt Rarity channel more from her Element, using its strength to bolster her own.

Rainbow Dash, seeing her friend and squadmate both in trouble, adjusted her course to attack Golden Radiance. She drew an explosive quarrel from the belt at her waist, fitting it into the crossbow and sliding the bolt back. Sighting down the shaft, she let fly.

The round was picked from the air by Silent Shield, who detonated the head early, making sure that neither the explosion nor the bolt itself reached his companion. With a roar of rage, he picked up a nearby boulder, hurling it through the air at the Pegasus, who only just managed to dive out of the way. She retaliated by hitting the ground in front of him, her hooves coming around to catch him square in the chest. He twisted to one side, allowing her to hit his side instead as he caught one of her hooves in the deep mud of the riverbank. Trapped, he soon made short work of the Pegasus. A desperate swing of one hoof was easily blocked, another dodged contemptuously. A blow to the side of her head left the Pegasus dazed, and Silent Shield lit his horn for the killing strike.

A quarrel buzzed through the air, impacting him in between two of his ribs and sinking in deeply. He cried out in pain, clutching at the wound, before snapping the shaft off angrily and focusing the bolt of magic meant for Rainbow Dash onto the Pegasus who had shot him. Though it did not kill her, Spitfire hit the ground hard, quite unconscious.

Golden Radiance had closed with Rarity, and the duo was even now trading magic over the still form of Soarin’, who was badly burned and going into shock. The last time they had met, Golden Radiance had toyed with her. The last time they had met, Rarity had been humiliated. This time, Rarity was winning.

“Give her back!” Rarity screamed, as a bolt of argent magic crackled from her horn, forcing Golden Radiance to leap out of the way. “You have my sister! Let her go!”

Golden Radiance vanished from view, her voice coming from three different directions. “Your sister made her own choices. She is a grown mare, she picked her side.”

Rarity’s assault faltered. “You’re lying! She would never, she isn’t a rebel!”

“How well do you know your sister, Bearer? Truly know her? When did you see her last, talk to her in person? Sweetie Belle wants the truth. We offered her the chance to see it.”

A bolt of magic from Rarity’s horn vaporized a nearby tree. “Show yourself, coward!” A pulse of magic thrummed through the air, and Rarity looked to the river in time to see the skiff picking up speed. A papery unicorn waved one hoof from the deck. The voice sounded behind her once more.

“Of course. We are secretive ponies, but the Ever Free is all about truth. Perhaps you may see through Celestia’s lies one day. I hope so. For your sake, and the sake of the love between you and your sister.”

Rarity’s eyes widened to see Sweetie Belle watching her from the prow of the boat. Even from this distance, Rarity could see the sadness and regret on her sister’s face. But there was something more as well. Defiance, and a burning determination, and something else, an expression that was not so much an emotion as a message. Don’t try to stop me, it said. I love you, and if you love me, you won’t stop me. Rarity saw Rainbow Dash struggle free of her bonds, snatching her crossbow from the ground. She loaded another bolt into it, one of the ones with an armor piercing head. “Rainbow, no!” she cried, but it was too late. The bolt sped through the air, heading towards the boat. A figure on the deck slumped to the ground bonelessly as the refugees sped into the night.

“No, no, no, no…” Sweetie Belle mumbled, cradling the bloody Pegasus in her hooves. “Night Light, stay with me, Night Light…”

The Pegasus was trying to speak around the bolt lodged in his chest, coughing weakly as he labored for breath. Scootaloo had sprinted to the back to get the medical kit. His eyes, full of fear, looked at Sweetie Belle, focusing on her before sliding closed. Sweetie Belle felt the boat pick up speed as they raced into the forest. Scootaloo slid to a halt, unclasping the case and unraveling the necessary materials. She began to apply the bandages quickly and professionally, maintaining pressure on the gauze she had put down and tying the strips together tightly. Before she could go further, though, she was shouldered to one side by one of the Changelings.

Sweetie Belle watched as he bent over the wound, inspecting it. He turned to his brothers, who nodded almost in unison. As she watched, he withdrew a few of the spines from his “mane”, taking a black ichor from their bases and smearing it along his hooves. He snapped the quarrel off, leaving the head lodged inside, before he pressed them to the wound gently, watching as the dark paste spread across the hole.

“This is to help with the bleeding.” One of the Changelings explained, taking the form of a pony in order to speak. “It will seep into the wound, and hold it closed. It will also put him in stasis, so that he might yet live. He will appear as one who is dead until we can remove it. But we must arrive soon, or else…”

“Or else what?” Sweetie Belle asked.

Scootaloo laid a gentle hoof on her shoulder. “If we don’t get to the castle in a few hours, sunrise at the latest, it will take root inside of him. It will spread unchecked, and kill him anyway. I’ve seen it used one other time, as a last resort. We were still too late. Sweetie Belle, I hate to tell you this, but there’s a good chance he won’t live to see the sun again.”

Knight Fall

Honey Crisp waved goodbye to her friends as she left the schoolhouse, promising to meet them bright and early the next day to help with a bake sale put on by the school. The filly had taken to baking like a fish to water, and every adult around her noted that the sweet young mare would likely have her Cutie Mark in baking sometime soon, though they naturally refrained from telling her this. As it was, the setting sun gleamed across her unblemished flank as she wrapped her scarf even more tightly around her neck and pulled her stocking cap over her untidy mane and freezing ears. The day had dawned cold, had kept cold, and it looked as if it would finish even colder. She was looking forward to getting back to the farmhouse and a cup of hot cider.

“Honey Crisp!” a voice called from the schoolhouse. She turned to see that her teacher, Mr. Books, was standing in the doorway, waving to her. She blushed a little at the sight of him. Like most of the fillies in her class, Honey Crisp had a bit of a schoolgirl’s crush on the teacher. He was handsome, kind, funny, and currently not seeing anypony. So she quickly readjusted her hat as she trotted back towards the schoolhouse.

“Yes, Mr. Books?” she asked.

The unicorn smiled kindly. “Would you mind stepping into the schoolhouse for a brief moment? I’d like to talk to you about something.”

Honey Crisp glanced over her shoulder at the road behind her. Normally she was supposed to come straight home if her mother wasn’t there to pick her up, but Mr. Books was her teacher. And she certainly didn’t want to disappoint him. “Of course, sir.” she replied, stepping inside. The door closed behind her.

Mr. Books trotted behind his desk, a simple thing of applewood, a gift from her family many years back to the schoolhouse. He noted the young filly shuffling uneasily in front of him. “Honey Crisp, are you alright?”

She nodded. “I’m just eager to get home, sir.”

He smiled. “Understandable. Last day before the winter break and all that. I promise to make this quick. I have a question for you, and then I shall happily escort you home myself. Deal?”

The Earth filly nodded. “Deal.”

“I’ve been going over your medical records, and everything is up to date except for your weight. How much do you weigh, Honey Crisp?”

The filly gave her weight confusedly. “But why do you need to know that? You’re not Nurse Redheart.”

Mr. Books smiled at her as his horn lit up. A quick jet of light caught her in the chest, and the filly sank to the ground, asleep. “Because, Honey Crisp, I need to know how fast my sisters and I can run with you. I know your mother, and I don’t relish the thought of being caught by her with you in tow.”

Her disguise fell away in a rush of emerald, and her wings began to hum and vibrate, letting her sisters know that the time to flee was now. She turned to face the side of the schoolhouse as she waited on a response. She did not wait long, perhaps a minute, before two replies came back, little more than affirmative chirps. Another spell reduced the side of the schoolhouse to ash, as she hauled the filly onto her back and began to sprint through the streets of Ponyville.

An alarm was raised at the sight of a Changeling sprinting through the streets carrying a foal, and several ponies gave chase to the kidnapper before she was able to make it through the center of town. She saw to her horror that the Bearer of Honesty was setting up a cart in the town square, and their eyes locked before the Earth Pony’s face contorted and she leapt away from the cart, giving chase.

She kept to her pre-planned route, cursing her encumbered speed as Applejack gained on her step by step. She was close now, so close, all she had to do was make it into the next lane, and…there! She took the corner sharply, sprinting for the edge of town as best she could while carrying a half-grown filly on her back. Applejack’s thundering hooves were right behind her the whole way, and she was never quite so glad to see Onyx, minus her disguise as the proprietor of Quills and Sofas, waiting in the middle of the road.

She fired a stunner spell at Applejack, keeping to her orders to use non-lethal techniques at all costs, and giving the Changeling time to increase the distance between herself and the furious Applejack. The last stretch lay before her, and she felt rather than saw Azure fall in on her other side, joining the magical barrage speeding towards Applejack. The pair of female Changelings not running fired off a few more spells before abandoning their positions and breaking off towards the Everfree. As they ran, a loop of rope was quickly secured to Honey Crisp’s middle, and three lengths were attached with practiced ease.

Applejack panted as she made up the gap between her and the Changelings, who had approached the open fields on the edge of town. They were getting ready to leap into the air and head towards the Everfree, she could see that much. And she didn’t know what it was, but there was something about the clouds lining up at the edge of its boundaries, obviously as a deterrent to the town’s Pegasi.

As one, the team of Changelings leapt into the air, spreading out into an even triangle. The breath caught in Applejack’s chest as she worked harder and harder, desperate to catch the monsters who had taken her foal. Three steps away, two, one…she jumped, hooves outstretched as the Changeling team struggled for lift. And missed, by the smallest of fractions of inches. The Earth pony could do nothing but stare as they climbed higher and higher. One or two Pegasi rose from the center of town in order to stop them, but they were easily picked off by spells from the two Changelings flanking “Mr. Books”. She screamed as Honey Crisp appeared to slip off of the lead Changeling’s back, suspended by the ropes each Changeling held in their hooves.

“Honey Crisp!” the heartbroken mare called as her daughter was flown away over the Everfree. “Honey Crisp!” The town gathered to watch helplessly as Applejack, a community leader, broke down. “Monsters! You bring her back, you bucking monsters! Please, I’ll do anything! Just…just bring her back…”

The crowd parted for her husband, who had stepped out of a shop just in time to see the Changelings take off. Parcels forgotten, he had hurried towards the edge of town, somehow knowing that it was his daughter being taken from him as they winged towards the forest. Barely Scotch knelt by his wife, comforting her as she began to weep.

“Hon, what happened? Who took her?”

Applejack’s sobs grew quiet, and she began to shake, violent tremors that wracked her entire body. When she looked up, her eyes gleamed with a barely repressed fire, a torrent of hatred that bordered on the all-consuming. When she spoke, her voice packed an ocean of hate into two simple words.

“Twilight. Sparkle.”

Without a backwards glance, she left her husband and town behind, heading towards the forest. Twilight Sparkle had taken her foal from her. And she would be waiting for her, waiting to meet her. She was going to Zecora’s hut. There she would meet Twilight Sparkle. And there, friend or no, she would make sure Twilight Sparkle never did anything to hurt her daughter or the ones she loved, ever again.

Rainbow Dash surveyed the town in front of her, one that even now burned from within, consumed by the fires of revolution and anarchy as ponies leapt from street to street, looting government buildings, toppling statues of Celestia, and overrunning any of her positions that had been left too far forward. Even now, the last remnants of the Guard had formed a compact ring around the tower, behind a barricade that had been erected both quickly and professionally. She herself had helped with her own hooves to tip a wagon onto its side, nail boards into place, and tear up cobblestones in order to forestall any charges made by the Ever Free.

In some places the defenses had already been tested, being thrown back with difficulty by those manning them. They had paid dearly for that defense, however, and she could hear the screams of wounded ponies in the tower behind her, as her medics did their best to treat them for the wounds they had received from the strange spheres thrown by the rioters. Rainbow Dash watched as another pony under her command, an Earth pony hardly more than a colt, was carried to a medical hut by two of his comrades. He appeared fine…until she noticed that one of his hooves was badly mangled and blackened. He didn’t appear to be in much pain, though. He didn’t look to be feeling much of anything, anymore.

How had things spiraled so quickly out of control? She gazed at the skies, which only hours ago had seemed to be full of the promise of salvation, if they could not restore order entirely. Now they were a grim reminder of what Twilight Sparkle was truly capable of. Three hours ago, a task force of nearly fifty ships, among them troop carriers, bombards, and the quick moving aerial gunships, had roared into view above the city from the northeast, straight from Canterlot. They had cheered then, thinking that Celestia’s justice would carry the day here in Trottingham. They were wrong. By the Radiant Sun, were they wrong.

The sky of Trottingham had suddenly darkened with patches of smoke, resembling the magical illuminations unicorns shot into the sky to celebrate holidays and special occasions. What had set these explosions apart, however, was the fact that they erupted in flashes of flame, and were powerful enough to do damage to any airship. She had watched, horrified, as the anti-airship rounds being fired from…from somewhere...had torn the fleet to shreds. One had gone directly into an airship, punching a hole in its metal hull before exploding within the ship. It had veered listlessly after that, crashing into one of its brethren and plummeting into the ground. And she had seen what they did to Pegasi as she had raced off with the rest of the flyers under her command to rescue those they could. It was only thanks to her speed and agility that she wasn’t hit by the explosions that dotted the air.

But she hadn’t made it back unscathed, not quite. She had been hit right underneath her wing, near the joint where it connected to the rest of her body. She had barely been able to glide in for a landing, and she would be unable to get enough lift to fly out of the city. Her last orders to her team had been to leave the city. They were the fastest flyers available to her, and they could handle themselves in a fight. It would be after the Gala when they arrived, but they would be back. And they’d bring the might of Equestria back with them. She just hoped they’d be quick. So far, the rebels had shown no mercy, given no quarter, and asked for none in return. Prisoners were not taken. They needed reinforcements, and they needed to hold out until morning. But that wasn’t her problem right now.

“Aurora Company has been pushed back to their position in our defensive ring! We no longer control anything in the city except the barricade!” her aide shouted over the sounds of combat and explosives, magical and mundane. “ They’ve effectively grounded our flyers, ma’am, though we still have a few combat ready. What are your orders?”

Rainbow Dash snapped out of her reverie, bringing herself up to speed on what she had just been told. A moment later, she came to her decision. “Ground them. I need every able-bodied pony up on those walls, holding pikes and spears. Tell our mages that if they don’t come up with a way to counteract those spheres they’re throwing outside of personal shields, then we’re all finished. We are now fighting a defensive battle, and we are going to hold this position until reinforcements arrive. If we can last until tomorrow morning, then I believe that Princess Celestia herself might be available to lend aid.”

The aide scurried away to deliver the message. Rainbow Dash sighed and reached for her canteen. A voice rang out over the barricade. “Attention occupants of the Governor’s Spire! Forces belonging to the Princess Celestia! We of the Ever Free Occupational Movement wish to speak with you! Is the commander of the Guard garrison available to speak?”

Rainbow Dash, though unable to fly, was fast enough that she had made it to the top of her wall before the echoes from the voice had faded away. She swept the walls for a unicorn, pulling one who had been rescued from a falling airship with her. “You. Navy. Can you do amplification spells?”

The unicorn nodded weakly. “Yes, ma’am. Just start speaking, I’ll boost your voice.”

Rainbow Dash cleared her throat and replied. “This is Commander Rainbow Dash, Bearer of the Element of Loyalty and Commander of Her Solar Majesty’s Peacekeeping Force in Trottingham. Who am I addressing?”

A reply came back. “My name is Lively Song, elected leader of the Ever Free movement in the city of Trottingham. I am here to negotiate terms of ceasefire and surrender of your forces. You’ve lost the city, Commander. We don’t want any more bloodshed. Will you negotiate?”

Rainbow Dash’s wings flared indignantly before she realized what her situation was. She was surrounded, the ponies under her command were weary and hurt, and they were clearly outmatched. Her eyes took in the pitiful fort they had constructed, the frightened faces of the Guards around her, and for the first time in nearly four years, Rainbow Dash felt her bloodlust fade. When she spoke, it was not with the voice of a commander, but that of a leader.

“As Commander of this group, I will negotiate terms of surrender. Here are my conditions. Firstly, the seriously wounded I have in my care, those unable to move themselves, will be treated for their wounds and kept safe. Those able to leave while still sustaining serious wounds must be allowed to do so. Thirdly, all enlisted taken as prisoners will be treated humanely and fairly. In return, they will abide by the rules of their captors., and remain orderly under the command of their officers, who will comply with the rules of their detainment.”

There was a pause from the location of the voice. Rainbow Dash could feel the eyes of nearly a thousand ponies on her as she stood tall, waiting on a response. One minute went by, and then two. As she counted towards her third minute, the voice spoke again. “Your terms are acceptable. However, I must make an addendum. You will relinquish custody of your Element and agree to extradition to the Regia in the Everfree Forest, there to be tried for war crimes against the newly formed state led by the Lady Twilight Sparkle.”

Rainbow Dash didn’t even hesitate. “Agreed.”

“Then I consider our conversation concluded, Commander. We will arrive in fifteen minutes. You have until then to prepare yourselves. Good day.”

Rainbow Dash turned to the weary, disbelieving ponies that she commanded. “You are hereby ordered to form yourselves into chain of command, stack your weapons, and enter formation. We’ve lost this city. No need for you all to lose your lives. And besides, my team is on the way to Canterlot. If they think that they can hold this city,” she growled, “they’ve got another think coming. Let the medics know that they’ll shortly be relieved and appraise them of the situation. And if the Princess is unable to recover me in time to put down this foolish revolt, then I would like to take this opportunity to say it has been an honor serving with you all.”

Lively Song strode down the avenue, to the right of her banner-bearer. The flag sent to her by Twilight Sparkle had seen fierce fighting during the day, and had proved itself to be a symbol to rally around during some of the more pressing engagements. The once-pristine silk was now tattered and scorched, the pole stained with blood. For all of that, it still remained a powerful symbol. Just like her warriors, who had proved themselves extremely well today. At last, she and her group of Ever Free fighters reached the barricade, which was gently levitated aside by the unicorns with her. They were not challenged. Carefully, she and her captains stepped through the gap.

“Guard, tench-hut!”

A thousand ponies came to attention, those that were able. In front of them lay spears and helmets, stacked in orderly piles by unit. In front of the group stood their Commander, Rainbow Dash. They stood proud, waiting on her to make a move. Lively handled it with all of the grace and dignity she could muster. “Stay here.” she murmured to the Earth Pony bearing the banner, and she strode forward to meet the Element of Loyalty face-to-face. “Commander Rainbow Dash, I presume?”

The chromatic Pegasus nodded shortly. “Indeed I am. Are you here to relieve me of my command?”

“Lively Song, at your service. And yes, I am here to take command of Trottingham.”

The Pegasus slumped. “Very well. I, Rainbow Dash, hereby relinquish control of the city of Trottingham and surrender my forces until such time as hostilities between the Ever Free and Equestria have ceased.”

“I Lively Song, do accept your conditional surrender and give my word to hold to the terms of our agreement. Rainbow Dash, you may hold yourself relieved of command.” At a nod from Lively, two ponies stepped from the ranks behind her holding bonds. “Rainbow Dash, I hereby charge you with crimes against the Ever Free State, charges to be leveled formally at the Regia. In compliance with the standing commands of Milady Twilight Sparkle, I am to seize your Element, to be brought with you to the Regia.”

Rainbow Dash nodded, looking at the breastplate she wore. She had not removed the Element since Twilight had started her rebellion. She had grown accustomed to its power, its protection. And she had no idea what would happen once she was separated from it. Inhaling, she placed her hooves on the plate, and tugged. It refused to budge, and a lance of pain shot through her. She gritted her teeth and tried again. The Element tore at her skin in protest, as she attempted to shed the bond she had shared with it over four years of battle. A high pitched, keening scream came from the Pegasus, whether from her own throat or the protesting metal it was hard to say. Reaching for her last reserves of strength, Rainbow Dash, Bearer of the Element of Loyalty, relinquished her power.

The breastplate clattered on the ground, as Rainbow Dash followed it down. There was a gasp from the ponies she commanded. Underneath the armor, the pony was emaciated, her chest scabbed and bleeding over protruding ribs. Her coat had no luster, and that was rapidly spreading to the rest of her body as she collapsed onto the ground, her usual reservoir of power gone. For four years, Rainbow Dash had pushed herself with the aid of her Element. And now, she was paying the price. The once proud pony was now skin and bones, chest laboring as she fought for air.

Through fading sight she saw her officers looking at her, horrified at the sight of her weakness. She was barely aware of calls for a medic as restraints were placed around her wings and legs. A bridle was slipped into her mouth and securely fastened. Humiliation and fear flared up hot within her, and she came to realize that she was crying. Gentle yet powerful hooves lifted her away, bundling her out of the gates toward some unknown location. The last thing Rainbow Dash heard before she fell into merciful unconsciousness was the tolling of some massive bell.

Battles Past and Present

The boat that had departed the Regia was one of several, a flotilla of small craft that sped upriver with the help of magic. Each contained reinforcements enough to help supplement the forces currently in the city of Trottingham, or what remained of them. The ponies had been informed that Trottingham had been attacked, and the city was now dark. It was very likely that Celestia herself had led the attack, no doubt to recover Rainbow Dash, while the bulk of her forces massed in Ponyville, hoping to push through where the Forest was thinnest.

The plan was for the elite Lunar Guard as well as the best-armed of the Ever Free Fighters to ride upstream to a fort that had been created last year, known as Fort Dauntless. Commanding the river, it sat on a hill overlooking much of the surrounding forest save for a circle that had been cleared around it in order to prevent sneak attacks. They were only hours from the stronghold, having left the Regia at noon. It was nearly sundown, and most ponies in the boats were silently contemplating the setting sun as they moved into the gathering dusk.

Sweetie Belle was no exception. She sat near Scootaloo, clutching the pack of supplies she had been handed as she stepped onto the boat. The jambiyah that had been given to her by Mahtaram was belted securely around her middle, like she had seen the Gryphon do, along with several other knives. In addition to this, she was wearing armor. Originally, she hadn’t wanted to wear the boiled leather gear, but Rarity had insisted.

“If you are absolutely set on charging off into battle, with a child no less, you are not going unprotected. You can count yourself lucky I let myself be persuaded by Pinkie Pie.” she had said. “You’re wearing the armor, and that’s final.”

It wasn’t that bad, not really. Scootaloo was wearing a similar getup, though hers was more focused around protecting her forelegs and shoulders, with minimal padding along the sides. Fastened to her side was a pair of simple steel shoes, ones that would make her blows much more effective in combat, easily deadly to anypony not wearing armor, and troublesome to those that did.

The two of them sat in the stern of one of the boats, where they had been since the beginning of their journey. The mood in the boat was largely subdued, save for the cheerful conversation of the few Ever Free who had somehow made it into the skiff. These were the ones who had not seen combat, and were either masking their nerves with false bravado, or were genuinely excited about the upcoming battle due to their lack of experience.

A hulking Lunar Stallion shook his head. “Reminds me of Whitetail.” he grumbled. “Here’s hoping that it won’t turn out similarly.”

Sweetie tilted her head curiously. “Whitetail…Scootaloo, wasn’t that when you were first working for the Ever Free?”

The orange Pegasus grunted. Opening one eye, she looked at Sweetie Belle. “Yep. One of my first assignments.”

“What was it like?” the unicorn asked.

The Lunar stallion chuckled. “Trust me, kid. You don’t want to know.”

That was the wrong thing to say to Sweetie Belle. She felt the curious reporter in her stir at the dismissal. “Now I really do. I know it was a military defeat for the Ever Free, but what was so bad about it? We in the capital didn’t hear much about it other than Equestria won.”

Scootaloo sighed. “Look, I really don’t want to talk about it. It brings up a lot of things I’d rather keep buried.”

“Scoots, I know every one of the team member’s backstories except for yours. I know that the battle probably had something to do with why you joined, and why you decided to come inside of the Everfree rather than operate outside.”

Sweetie Belle leaned in, making eye contact with her friend. “And I’m willing to bet it has something to do with the fact that you didn’t once attempt to talk to Rainbow Dash while we were in the Regia, not even briefly.”

That did it. Scootaloo sat up straighter, and examined Sweetie Belle with all the intensity of a hawk. “Fine. I can’t keep any secrets from you. Especially now. So I’ll tell you exactly what it was like.” She looked at the stallion seated next to them. “You want to help me out with this?”

He leaned in as well, the three of them forming a small circle. “I’ll listen, and chime in where I’m needed.”

Scootaloo nodded, looking at Sweetie Belle again. “So tell me what you know about the Battle.”

Sweetie Belle thought. “It involved the Guard, some of the Third and Fifth Fleets, the Regulars, and took place near Ponyville. Estimated casualties on the Ever Free’s side were around four thousand, as opposed to the thousand or so ponies lost on the Equestrian side of things. It lasted one day, and was fought over…something in the Woods.”

Scootaloo nodded. “You’ve got the basic bones of it. But what you’re lacking are details.” She inhaled, looking up at the reddish sunlight filtering through the trees. Sweetie Belle got the feeling that Scootaloo wasn’t entirely there anymore.

“I was under contract with the Ever Free after my delivery business went under. Too many security checks can get bad for mail, you know? So I was desperate, and asked around for work. A pony that wasn’t a pony approached me in a Hoofington and offered me a job. And wouldn’t you know it, it was in Ponyville. He wanted me to scout out the route to the Whitetail from the woods. I was sort of on the edge about the whole thing, but the money was too good to pass up. I loaded up my scooter and trekked back to Ponyville. I got a job delivering mail in the city and in my spare time, I sent the occasional message back.”

The stallion nodded. “I remember looking over some of those reports. I was in the Lunar Reserve then, before I got called up. They were helpful.”

Scootaloo continued. “And then, I was offered another job. There was a massive undertaking being instigated by the Ever Free. An army of nearly six thousand would be marching out of the Ever Free to the Whitetail Woods, to seize the supply caches that were apparently hidden inside of the forest. If I helped to move goods with them, not only would I be well paid, I would be taken into custody, inducted into the rebellion, and provided for as an agent. Now, it was summer then, and things were looking good, but I knew fall wouldn’t be far away, and then would come winter. And the last winter had nearly killed me. No home or job. I’d freeze to death. A spot with the Ever Free was looking really good.”

“So you took the offer.” Sweetie Belle said.

Scootaloo nodded. “I did. The appointed date came, and it was hot and dry, like it had been for weeks. A good breeze was coming from out of the west, and from the south came a column of armed and armored ponies. The made it right around Ponyville without entering the town.”

“That was on Lady Twilight’s orders.” the stallion rumbled. “We were to avoid the town so as to give us a bit more time and to keep civilian casualties to a minimum.”

“In they went, and I with them. The group I was with threw open this trapdoor in the middle of nowhere, started hauling out sacks of beans and crates of lantern oil. I loaded up with a few packages, and handed them off to the runners waiting by the forest edge. I went back and got more, and once the door was emptied, we did it all again. Until the reports came in.”

“The ponies in town had alerted Canterlot. They had a radio tower set up near town hall, recently built, and soon enough we saw airships on the horizon.” the stallion said. “We didn’t have a lot of flyers, and those that were available were being used to ferry messages between teams. We had about half of the supplies back in the Everfree already, but we were going to have to fight for the second half.”

Scootaloo’s voice grew a bit shaky. “I was just about to exit the treeline when the first rounds came in. You know those cruisers the Navy has, big and mean. One of the forward facing arc guns let loose right as I hit the treeline, and I watched a ball of magical lightning as big as my head tear up three ponies in front of me. But I couldn’t stop, otherwise I was a goner. I kept my head down, charged through, and dropped my bags near the Forest just as the rest of the Navy came in overhead. They were Third Fleet, the skeleton guard left in Canterlot while the rest were away on exercises. But that wasn’t all. They had troop carriers with them.”

Sweetie Belle could see the Pegasus’s hooves shake, and she reached out, cupping Scootaloo’s hoof in her own. The Pegasus smiled gratefully and kept talking, like she couldn’t get the words out fast enough. “I went into the Forest for the last time, right as they lifted out the last of our supplies. I found out later that we were the only team to get all of what we had come for. But what supplies we had salvaged would help the Ever Free to limp through until harvest, which was in a few short weeks. Now we needed to fight our way out. And that was going to be tough. Some of the Guard had already landed on the ridge between Ponyville and Whitetail, and there were more arriving. We were already under fire when we made it back into the treeline.”

The stallion nodded agreement. “We had already begun to trade spells with them, but they were beginning to dig in on that ridge, and it overlooked our entire escape route into the Everfree. Every time we tried to make a break for it, they would light up the edge of the woods with spellfire, and the ones that made it through got torn up by the Navy’s guns in short order. Another wave of transports rolled in, and they deployed Regulars, who advanced further down the hill and started to set up proper field fortifications and siege weapons. We were getting hammered, and so we pulled back into the woods.”

Scootaloo continued. “The Third Fleet was bad enough, but when they started hurling rocks and firepots into the trees, it got really bad. Nopony knew who was in command, who was with what company of ponies, and everypony was running around like chickens trying to form up proper battle lines. Every time we got something set up, the Navy would swoop in and pound it into the ground. We tried sending up fliers, but the Air Corps was in the area, and they kept us on the ground. And then, after hours of this, the Fifth Fleet arrived.”

Sweetie Belle knew the story of the Fifth Fleet. Based in Fillydelphia, it had been largely destroyed by Twilight Sparkle and Spike after they had tried to escape the city. They, as well as Golden Radiance, were responsible for nearly half of the Fleet going down in flames over the city. After the rebellion had been well and truly underway, Detrot’s mighty industrial complex, by and large unused in recent times, had been shifted into overdrive. The Fleet had been assembled in a matter of months, with replacements rolling off of the line, bigger and better, in days. Within a year of Twilight Sparkle’s rebellion, the group of airships had been totally rebuilt or revamped, even those who had not been damaged.

“They hit us from the north and east, driving us back towards the last southwest corner of the Woods we could still hold. Half of the trees were straight on fire, and we had lost easily a thousand ponies. Finally, we were out of options, except for one. A quick team of runners would start a fire to the southwest of Ponyville, and turn it dangerous while pointing it towards the town. We’d use it as a distraction, punch through their lines, and make it into the Everfree.”

Sweetie Belle’s eyes widened. “You mean the Ever Free started that fire? The one that…”

Scootaloo nodded. “That one. I volunteered. We were each given a bag containing a specially treated fire crystal, the kind we’d normally use in demolitions. One of the engineers had modified them, instead of the explosion coming out all at once, it was a controlled bleed of heat. We waited, right there on the edge of the Woods. I could see the explosions lighting up the ridge in front of me, and the spells kicking up dirt near the treeline.”

She gulped. “My hooves were shaking, my heart was pounding, everything seemed still for a moment…and then the whistle blew, and we were off. It felt like a race at first, like a weird kind of fast marathon, you know? Until the first shots came in, and one caught the pony next to me in the satchel. He lit up like a candle. I can still remember him screaming. Then it didn’t seem like a game anymore.”

She clenched her hooves, clearly back on the battlefield. “I just remember running, and running, and running until we reached our destination. I looked back over my shoulder, and out of thirty volunteers, I see that eight beside me made it. We’re on the hills right outside of Sweet Apple Acres. And I thought when I arrived that I’d feel bad about setting fire to that hillside, but all I could think at that point was how burning all those apple trees was going to save my flank. I got out my crystal, and the others got theirs out, and we get ready to set fire to the fields. And just as I get ready to tap mine in, the absolute worst happens. There’s a sound like thunder, and streaks start filling the sky. One fiery, like a comet, one made of thunder clouds, one flat white, and one just trailing lightning out of nowhere. And of course, the one at their head. A streak in every color of the rainbow angles itself down towards us, and it’s all I can do to tap my crystal before Rainbow Dash lands on the hilltop.”

Sweetie Belle and the stallion both looked at Scootaloo, watching her recount the events of that day, events that clearly still meant something to her. “There was no stopping the crystal once it started, and two others had managed to activate theirs as well. They were the first two down. She whipped a crossbow out of nowhere, chambered two shots, and took them both down before they could get more than half a dozen paces clear of her. She only missed me because I tried to close with her. And I paid for that.”

She lifted her wing to reveal a white line, puckered and twisted, underneath. “She did that. With a dagger that she left inside. I hauled off and decked her in the face, and I ended up breaking my hoof in three places. Of course, after that the others had managed to activate theirs, even though the rest of the Solar Wing had landed and began to run down the survivors. She didn’t even bother to use another knife on me. She knew I was done for. I looked into those eyes, and I saw something that I had hoped never to see Rainbow Dash express towards me. It was contempt.”

Her voice shook. “That almost hurt worse than the knife. She was my idol, growing up. I had respected her, in a way, even though she was on the other side. I thought it showed that she had morals. Morals I didn’t agree with, but still. And then I found out that not only did she not extend that same respect to me, she looked at me like I was worse than trash. I was nothing more than a traitor to her at that point. But that wasn’t what was important to me. I needed to survive. The route behind me was closed, so I did the only thing I could do. I charged forward.”

The stallion tilted his head. “Into the fire?”

Scootaloo nodded. “Bleeding into the fire. Luna, it was horrible. Rainbow Dash almost chased me down, but I think she decided it wasn’t worth it. That knife had nicked something important, so I was bleeding everywhere. But it missed the artery she was aiming for by less than a quarter of an inch. Woozy, broken, bleeding and burning, I tumbled down that hill, through the fire and flames to a ditch. It was a drainage ditch for the farm, not with water, but it still had plenty of mud. I pulled the knife out, packed mud into the hole, bound the wing up with my satchel, and passed out.”

Her voice grew stronger. “I woke up at least ten minutes later, and everything was on fire. The fields, the trees, even some of the ditch. But I could see my way out. That ditch ran along the edge of the farm, running towards the Everfree Forest. I could hear the last ponies retreating from the battle, and I gathered up my strength and followed them. It was long, and I fell a few times, but at the end of the trip, I stood alone, walking towards the last medics outside of the Everfree. I gave them my name, the company I had been arbitrarily assigned to, explained where I was, and passed out. I woke up in Trottingham three days later.”

The stallion whistled. “That’s damn impressive, kid. That fire you set was what gave us the diversion we needed.”

“What happened on your end?” Sweetie Belle asked.

“The fire they started got noticed in a big damn hurry. I was fighting in close along the front lines, repelling Regular charges, when I saw the smoke begin to go up. A minute later, a hefty chunk of the fighters gets pulled off of the line, helping with the cleanup. The Air Corps goes too, and the Third Fleet, almost out of fuel, peels off towards Canterlot to bring back water to fight the fires. If there had been any rainclouds around, they might have been able to contain the blaze, but the sky was clear as could be. It had been for days.”

He stretched, cracking his back. “I fought off the last charges with my platoon, and then we fell back as per usual, except we didn’t establish another line. We just cut and ran towards the flames, heading around the back of the fire. We took some shots along the way, and I lost a few good friends in that dash to the Forest. But most of us made it, and splitting the forces like that saved a lot of lives. If we hadn’t had that blaze, every single one of us would be dead or imprisoned now.”

A cry went up from the first boat. The Fort could be seen in the distance, low and solid in the last lights of day. Torches burned along its length. Ponies patrolled the walls in force, and Sweetie Belle’s heart swelled. To move large numbers of ponies, Celestia’s forces would need to come through here. But this Fort was the greatest stronghold of the east, manned by some of the finest ponies that the Ever Free could offer. There was no more defended position outside of the Regia, and Sweetie Belle was to be included in that defense. If there was any safer place for her to be, she couldn’t imagine it.

Celestia spread her wings wide, drawing on the power she had stored during the day. Behind her, the city of Trottingham burned, consumed from within by the fires of retribution. Three full Legions of ponies stood at her back, with her Sunborn waiting patiently. Not a one of them had been bested in combat that day, and a very few had been wounded. And they still hungered for combat.

With a minor effort of will, a lance of energy streamed from her horn, splashing across the Forest in front of her. Immediately, it flared into a hellstorm of fire and heat, consuming the leading edge of the thickly packed trees in an instant. She did not trust the Forest, especially at night. It would have to go, she thought, burning a wide swathe for her forces to march through. With that gone, she would have little trouble reaching the Regia.

Radiant Zenith’s head snapped up from the text she was reading, her body perfectly alert.

“What’s wrong?” Twilight Sparkle asked, looking up from her map.

“There is a disturbance on the edge of the Everfree.” Radiant replied. “A fire, a very wide fire…” her voice broke off. “Oh, that pompous, arrogant little tyrant!”

Twilight had never seen Radiant Zenith quite as angry as she was right then. The mare’s coat began to glow silver, and her eyes narrowed as smoke began to leak from her horn. She rose smoothly, gazing out towards the east, towards Trottingham. “So, Celestia thinks she can intrude on my Forest, does she?” Her horn lit up, and suddenly Twilight was very much aware of the power her erstwhile ally wielded. With a hiss and rush of wind, the light on her horn went out. Radiant Zenith smiled, her teeth suddenly pointed. “Well, I’ll just lay out the welcome mat for her, shall I?”

Lightning crackled across the sky in blue and green and black, as Radiant Zenith finally began to exert herself. “I’ll send her every beastie, every rotten and dead thing that slithers and crawls throughout my Forest. Poison and death and slow, creeping rot, or my Power is forfeit. She’ll rue the day that she stepped foot into my woods, Twilight Sparkle.” A twisted smile crept across the unicorn’s face, and Twilight got the feeling that she was enjoying the thought of slaughtering those who had transgressed upon her. A low roar echoed through the woods. Then another, and another, followed by the yipping of wolves and the shrieking of bats and other, less savory things.

Radiant Zenith turned to Twilight, and the expression on her face was one Twilight had never seen before, nor ever wanted to see again. Radiant Zenith wasn’t afraid, or angry, or confused. She was hungry.

“Now they are in my world, Twilight Sparkle.” Radiant Zenith chuckled. “My land, my rules.”

Twilight Sparkle felt a chill run down her back, and realized that she felt almost sorry for the invading forces. Almost.