A Silver Sky: Four Little Ponies

---Chapter 21: Triumphant---

In the grand hall, utter silence reigned.

Every pony in the room stood on edge, watching as Rarity struggled for air. Fancy was taking far longer than he needed to. It was clear he was enjoying himself.

To no one’s surprise, it was Indigo Dream who broke the silence.

“’Checkmate?’” she said. “Oh Fancy, my gem, you have such a flair for the dramatic!”

“Can you blame me?” Fancy replied. “I’ve been looking forward to this evening for so very long.”

“We all have, dear,” Indigo said. “A pity our dear Rarity is mute now. I’d love to hear her choke out some last words.”

“Okay, I think that’s just about enough.”

Fancy, Indigo, and dozens of Circle members all turned their attention to the sharp, high-pitched voice which had just come from the far side of the stage.

There, standing alone, was Diamond Tiara. She was smiling.

“Not that I don’t like watching Rarity squirm,” she said. “But you two are taking it way too far!”

On the ground, Triage grinned. No one noticed.

“Oh, how precious!” said Indigo, “What were you going on about, poppet?”

“You said something about last words. Well, actually, Rarity told me something she wanted you all to hear,” Diamond said. “It’s nothing much, but I think it’s pretty important.”

Fancy nodded, with an amused expression on his face.

“Here goes!” Diamond Tiara yelled. “THE CIRCLE IS BROKEN!”

A light exploded from Rarity and Triage’s horns.

Fancy stepped back in confusion as the chain in his hoof dissolved before his eyes. Rarity’s collar vanished a moment later, as did her angry, helpless expression. In its place was a look of pure confidence.

The next thing Fancy heard was laughter.

The flash had distracted Gaze long enough for Triage to raise her head, and now the unicorn looked up at Fancy defiantly.

“Me and Rarity actually improved on that chain spell,” she said. “Made it so the phrase that breaks the chains didn’t have to be spoken by the caster. So we enchanted the filly so she’d be able to break the spell, too! And it never occurred to you stuck-up pricks to silence a little pink Earth Pony, did it? Call checkmate on THAT, you jackass!”

Fancy grimaced at Triage. She responded with a grin. “I’m not scared, Fancy! Go ahead and have your goons beat me to death, if that's what you're planning. It’s worth it just to see the looks on your faces right now!”

“Spearponies!” Fancy shouted. “Kill this loud-mouthed bitch!”

“’Loud-mouthed bitch?’ Thanks for reminding me!” Triage said, as her yellow magical aura appeared on Rarity’s lips.

“Ah, much better,” Rarity said as she regained the power of speech. She turned her eyes to the crowd.

Hoity Toity had not left the room. In fact, he was standing in front of the door, keeping his eyes fixed on the others.

Of course, Rarity thought. Hoity wasn’t running for the door. He was securing it. They havn’t given up.

The day will be ours.

“My friends!” she shouted from the stage. “Our time is now!”

Enraged, Fancypants charged Rarity, intent on silencing her.

He was stopped by a well-aimed wineglass aimed at his forehead . It shattered on impact, just missing his horn. Blood and red wine trickled down Fancy’s face, mingling as they went.

“Wishing Star,” Fancy said, identifying the attacker. “Only you would be able to aim that well while intoxicated, you pompous cow.”

“Ya think ya can jus’ give that bitch Innigo my number three spot?” came Star’s drunken response. “Fuck you! Ya don’ care about us! Ya never did! Cm’on, guys! Lesh get ‘im!”

The conspirators looked at one another.

It was as good a rallying cry as any.

All at once, any calm that remained in the grand hall was broken. Five ponies standing at the front of the crowd rushed the stage and leaped.

Indigo whispered something under her breath, and a shining dark barrier appeared around the stage for a split second. Four of the ponies slammed against it, falling to the ground.

But the fifth, a green stallion, was a bit swifter than the others, and he made it to the stage intact.

“Miss Rarity!” he shouted. “Run! I’ve got Fancy!”

“Oh, do you, now?” said Fancypants, with a grim expression on his face. “Gaze.”

The stallion heard a whooshing sound behind him. He felt something hit his head.

Gaze turned toward his master as the stallion fell unconscious to the ground.

“Thank you, Gaze,” said Fancy. “That will be all.”

The grey unicorn raised an eyebrow.

“Indigo and I can handle things here,” Fancy said. “Go find Silver Spoon. Get her someplace safe. I might have to make the order soon.”

Gaze nodded, then vanished in the same instance.

Fancy turned to Rarity.

“How dare you,” he said, making no attempt to maintain his usual composure. “I raised you up from that mound of dirt you call a village. I gave you status and immunity from the law. I elevated you to the elite of the elite!"

He raised his hoof to strike Rarity.

“You ungrateful-“

His hoof did not reach its mark. A light blue aura enveloped his leg, as Rarity’s horn shined bright.

“You think you ‘elevated’ me? I am an Element of Harmony, darling,” Rarity said, as she telekinetically twisted Fancy’s leg, making him cry out in pain. Rarity smiled.

“You should be grateful I was willing to lower myself to be in your company.”

Rarity’s horn glowed as bright as Fancy had ever seen it. A moment later, he felt an explosion of pain in his leg, and collapsed to the floor.

“Oh dear,” Rarity said, as she strutted casually off the stage. “I think I might have broken something.”

Fancy attempted a spell, but the pain in his leg was so severe that he couldn’t properly focus his mind. Instead, he sat, helpless and crippled, and beheld the spectacle before him.

He did not like what he saw.

His beautiful ballroom was being torn apart by an all-out brawl. Rarity’s allies had planned their rebellion well. Most of his armed guards lay unconscious already, victims of sleep spells or well-aimed kicks. The few who remained were badly outnumbered. The guard who had been watching Triage had run off to join the fray, and the surgeon was now grinning from ear to ear as she shouted obscenities at ponies loyal to Fancypants.

Through it all, Rarity descended the stage with a graceful and refined air about her, as if she were above all the chaos that she herself had instigated. She raised a hoof, and the rebels let out a cheer.

In the corner Fancy saw Sapphire Shores, with two unconscious guards at her hooves. Two more charged at her, brandishing their weapons. She did not seem afraid.

Sapphire was as famous for her life story as she was for her songs. During her rise to fame, the papers had echoed the same story over and over again: The tale of a poor, disadvantaged filly, born and raised in a declining farm village, with a natural gift for song. They told of how she was the youngest pony ever to win a full merit scholarship to Princess Cadence’s Royal Academy of Dance. They told of a consummate performer, who choreographed her own dance routines and was known for marathon rehearsal sessions which did not end until she collapsed from exhaustion.

In a single fluid motion, Sapphire dodged one guard’s spear, then hit him in the head with a swift kick. The second guard came at her with a sword. She pivoted away (in fact, it looked more like a pirouette) and tripped the guard. He crashed to the ground, where he was quickly kicked unconscious in the final step of Sapphire’s dance.

Earth Ponies, Fancy thought. I always did underestimate them.

Another Earth Pony was ignoring the battle as she made her way to the door. Diamond Tiara ran up to Hoity Toity and stomped her hoof demandingly.

“We had a deal!” she said. “I saved them, now let me out!”

“Are you sure?” Hoity said. “It’s quite a big house. You could get lost in there.”

“I’ll risk it,” said Diamond. “Fancypants said Silver Spoon’s name just now. Which means she really is in here! I have to go find her! Besides, you promised you’d let me go if I said your stupid magic words, so MOVE!”

“Suit yourself,” Hoity said as he opened the door. “Though I am surprised you don’t want to stick around and see how the battle goes.”

Diamond Tiara looked back at the ballroom for just a moment.

“You’re all like Rarity,” she said as she ran out the door. “I hope every last one of you dies.”

Nearby, Jet Set and Upper Crust stood back to back, keeping wary of any potential attackers.

“Can you believe the nerve of that mare?” Jet Set said. “I knew Rarity was no good from the moment we met her. Remember, dear? The way she was sitting at an outdoor café talking to her cat? Her CAT? What kind of uncultured bumpkin-“

“I know, dear,” Upper Crust replied, “I was there, remember?”

“Yes, yes, I know, but the very idea of-“

“UPPER CRUST! What the hell are you doing?” shouted Triage, who was fending off an enraged unicorn with her favorite scalpel. “Help me out here!”

“Did you hear that, dearest?" Jet Set said. "She wants you to help her! Imagine, a traitor asking you for help! Why would she even expect you to-“

Jet Set never had a chance to reach the obvious conclusion before his wife knocked him out with a swift blow to the back of the head.

“I’m sorry you had to find out this way, darling,” she said. “But I think we should see other ponies.”

It was all falling apart before Fancy’s eyes. With surprise on their side, Rarity’s conspirators were quickly thinning out the ranks of Circle members who were loyal to Fancy.

No, it’s not over yet, he thought. Gaze should be back soon, and in the meantime, I still have Indi-

One moment.

Where the blazes is Indigo?

Amidst the chaotic violence which continued to unfold in the ballroom, Fancy could not locate Indigo anywhere.

“INDIGO!” He shouted. “Where the hell are you?”

That was when he noticed a strange shimmer of light near Shamrock Dream, who was cowering under a table. Then, with a bright flash, Indigo and two of her foals stood before the table.

An invisibility spell, Fancy thought. That coward.

“Come on, sweetheart! Let’s get you out of here!” Indigo said to her daughter. Shamrock dashed from out of her hiding place and embraced her mother.

Indigo turned to the stage. “Sorry, Fancy, but as I said before, a Dream lays down her life for no one.”

Three of Rarity’s allies charged at Indigo as she continued to speak.

“If you manage to live through this, be sure to remember who warned you about Rarity in the first place!” Indigo said. “Ta!”

There was another flash, and the Dream family was gone, moments before the three conspirators would have reached them.

Rarity, still standing in front of the stage like a general commanding an army, raised her hoof.

“PONIES OF THE CIRCLE!” she said. “Fancy’s guards are unconscious. His bodyguard is gone. His second has fled. Those of you who continue to fight for him, ask yourselves: is it worth it?”

She gestured toward Fancypants.

“Is he worth it?”

One by one, the ponies who remained on Fancy’s side raised up their forehooves. It was over.

“So, dear Sir Fancypants, supreme leader of the Circle,” Rarity said, turning to Fancy. “Shall we discuss the terms of your resignation?”

*******

“-ll you!”

The last fragment of Sweetie Belle’s warning was drowned out by the sound of magical feedback. Before Sweetie’s eyes, her sister vanished, and in her place was a vast, ornate room. Scores of foals turned their heads and looked right at her.

“The Gallery,” she whispered.

Sweetie recalled one particularly horrific Gathering three years ago, when Rarity had punished Sweetie for some infraction by throwing her in the Gallery and leaving her there.

She did not come back to get her for three days.

One of Sweetie Belle’s fondest hopes was that she would never see the Gallery again.

It was a moment before the teleport was fully complete, at which point Sweetie realized she was still in midair. She let out a yelp as she fell unto a soft mattress. Two guards stood on either side of it.

“Oh, yeah. The special guest,” one of them said. “Fancy told us you were coming. Got some plans for you, kiddo.”

On the other side of the room, Sweetie could hear another guard shouting out orders.

“LISTEN UP, BRATS! YOU STAY WHERE YOU ARE, GOT IT? WHAT’S HAPPENING OVER THERE IS NONE OF YOUR CONCERN!”

Just then, a realization went off in Sweetie’s head.

If I’m really in the Gallery, then she must be here, too!

“TWI-“

A hoof clapped over her mouth before she could finish. Sweetie was getting very tired of being interrupted.

The hoof’s owner slowly removed it from Sweetie’s mouth. The guard slowly shook his head, making his intent clear.

“Please…” Sweetie said to the guard. “You have to let me out of here. They’re going to kill my sister…”

“You’d better hope they don’t kill her too quick, then,” said the guard. “Fancy gave orders to keep you safe for now.
Leverage against your sister, I guess. But once she’s dead, you’re no longer special.”

The guard leaned in close to Sweetie’s face. She could smell his breath as he spoke.

“And I already called first dibs,” he said.

Sweetie shrunk back, trembling.

“Don’t worry, little girl,” said the other guard. “We’ll make you forget all about your traitor sister.”

From the other end of the room, Aurora could hear the two guards laughing.

“They’re mocking that foal!” she said. “This is awful. Newcomers usually get left alone their first night here. Why can’t they leave her alone?”

“Yeah, well, if that’s the worst thing that happens to him down here, he’s pretty lucky,” Peregrine said.

“What makes you so sure it’s a he?” Aurora said.

“What makes you so sure it’s a she?” Peregrine retorted. “Oh, that’s right. You can’t feel sorry for anyone who isn't a girl, can you? Look at you. Playing den mother with all the fillies, hugging them and wiping their tears, but if a colt feels lonely or scared, he’s on his own!“

“I don’t dismiss you because you’re a colt!” Aurora said. “I dismiss you because you’re an asshole!”

“For thun’s thake, you guyth!” Twist said. “Will you pleath knock it off! Peregrine, calm down! And Aurora, you didn’t have to call him that!”

“How can you defend him?” Aurora said. “After what he did to you!”

“I’m not defending anyone,” Twist said. “I just don’t want us to fight, okay? We finally have a day with no patrons. We’re about to do thomething really dangerous. Can’t we please just have some peace for a couple of minutes?”

Aurora could hear the faint sound of a filly sobbing on the other side of the room. But she also noticed that the guards had left her alone.

“No, we can’t have peace,” she said. “Not while that poor foal is in so much pain.”

She stood up.

“I’m going to go talk to her.”

Peregrine’s jaw dropped. “But the guards said-“

“I don’t care.” Aurora said. With a stoic expression, she began to walk toward the sound.

“Aurora, wait!” Twist said. “If you get in trouble, they’ll chain you up, and the whole plan will be ruined!”

Aurora stopped walking. “Ten years, Twist. Ten years of my life, spent down here. Do you remember how you once asked me how I kept from going numb?”

She looked back at Twist and Peregrine.

“I didn’t. The only thing I ever feel anymore is anger. But when I’m able to help someone out, when I’m able to make another foal feel less afraid, less empty...” Aurora said. “I feel it. Just for a moment, I’m happy.”

She began walking toward the newcomer.

“Hey, wait up!” Twist said, walking after her. “If you’re going, then I’m going, too.”

“Thanks, Twist,” said Aurora with a smile. "We'll go really slow, okay? Just to be safe."

“Yeah, whatever. Have fun wrecking the plan,” Peregrine said.

“Suit yourself,” Aurora said, and she and Twist walked away.

Peregrine watched them leave. After a few moments of this, he winced.

“Dammit,” he said, as he got up and began trotting after them.

*******’

Triage had a black eye. Hoity’s beautiful suit, a one-of-a-kind-Calvin Colt original, was in tatters. Even Sapphire had managed to sprain her ankle during a particularly complex show of agility.

But it didn’t matter. The head conspirators wore triumphant smiles on their faces as they watched Rarity ascend to the top of the stage. This time she wore no chains.

“My friends,” she said, addressing the crowd, such as it was. “For some time now, there have been rumors that I was planning to usurp Fancypants and take over the Circle. In light of tonight’s events you are probably not surprised to learn that those rumors are true.”

There was some good natured laughter from the crowd.

“But don’t worry, because I don’t intend to run this Circle as Fancypants did. This will not be a cheap blackmail scheme intended the increase the fortunes of a single pony. Tonight the files Fancypants has kept on all of you will be burned. My Circle will belong to us all. No secret files. No intimidation. My Circle – our Circle – will be devoted to a single ideal: pleasure, and the beautiful, freeing power it brings. We have all indulged ourselves as members of this organization. But I promise you, my friends, that we have merely scratched the surface. The plans my friends and I have will expose you to pleasures and depravities you never dreamed possible. A network of Galleries around Equestria. Untold power and influence, beyond the confines of Canterlot. It shall be ours, my friends. Join us, and let us take you there.

“To those who fought with Fancy: I bear you no ill will. Renounce him now and you may remain a member in good standing. Refuse, and you may leave with my blessing. There will be no recrimination, no petty schemes for revenge. We are all friends here.”

She walked over to Fancypants, who still lay on the ground, holding his ruined leg.

“Well, most of us,” Rarity said.

“And what’s to be done with me, then?” Fancy said. “I suppose my head will make a fine keystone in the foundations of your little empire.”

“Oh, for moon’s sake, Indigo was right. You are far too dramatic,” Rarity said. The crowd laughed. “No, Fancy, dear, nothing like that. So long as you vow to leave us be, I’m prepared to let you off with an expulsion for life. You see, there is one pony we will be keeping a file on, and that’s you. Several members began keeping their own files individually years ago, in hopes that they could use it to turn state’s evidence if we were ever caught. My friends and I have compiled those documents. It’s quite the mountain of damning evidence, I must say.”

“I understand,” Fancy said, in a monotone voice. “I’ll keep your secrets.”

“There’s a good boy,” Rarity said. “I’ll even let you keep the Gallery foals for the time being. Just until the new Gallery is constructed, of course, at which point they’ll be moved out en masse.”

“What? You mean to take my exhibits as well?” Fancy said, as emotion returned to his voice.

“They were never yours, darling,” Rarity said. “Those foals are the property of the Circle.”

“Never mine?” Fancypants shouted. “NEVER MINE? Everything in this mansion is mine, you stupid nag! You think I’m going to let you take them from me?”

“Yes, as a matter of fact, I do,” said Rarity. “And we’ll start by having you bring my sister back.”

“Ah, yes…” Fancy said. Suddenly he was smiling, and his voice was an octave deeper. “Your sister.”

“I don’t think I like your tone,” Rarity said, with a hint of unease in her voice.

Fancy closed his eyes. A blinding light erupted from his horn, and pulsated as he spoke:

“ATTENTION ALL HOUSE STAFF: INITIATE THE HOOFBEIN PROTOCOL.”

The words echoed throughout the entire mansion.

“Hoofbein?” Diamond Tiara said as she made her way through the mazelike hallways. “What’s that?”

Elsewhere in the mansion, Silver Spoon turned to Twilight in confusion. “I think I’ve heard that name before,” she said. “Twilight, do you recognize it?”

“Well, it’s a fairly uncommon name,” Twilight said, in her matter-of-fact librarian’s voice. “The most notable Hoofbein I can think of would be the pre-classical painter…”

“Painter…?” Silver Spoon said. Then she remembered.

“Oh my sun…”

“That name…” Rarity said. “The story you told me…”

“Yes, the first time you visited my mansion,” Fancy said, smiling. “The story of how I acquired Hoofbein’s masterpiece, when the gallery that owned it said I couldn’t have it.”

Rarity took a step back. “No…”

Fancypants, his face bloodied, his leg broken, grinned from ear to ear.

“You see, I set up a contingency plan years ago. Just in case. All it took was a small mechanism built in the right place, and a few specific orders to my guards. And that message I just sent was the trigger.

“No one takes what belongs to me. No one. I’ll destroy my possessions before I let anyone else lay a hoof on them. You know that, Rarity. You know the pride I take in my collections,” he said. “You should have seen this coming.”

“Rarity?” Triage said. “What is he talking about?”

“Yes, tell them, Rarity,” Fancypants said. “Tell them what happened when the idiots who ran that gallery said I couldn’t have what I wanted.”

“You…” Rarity said, her eyes wide with horror. “You burned the gallery down…”

*******

“What’s a Hoofbein?” Twist asked, as the three foals made their way toward the newcomer.

“Better question,” said Peregrine. “Where did all the guards go? As soon as we heard that voice, they all teleported away.”

“Something’s definitely going on,” said Aurora. She stopped for a moment and sniffed the air. “Hey, do you smell that?”

“Yeah," said Peregrine. “Smells like…

“…smoke…”

[NEXT: Dying breath]