State of Grace
by
Lunitaria
- Full Moon, New Moon
It had been over ten years. Over ten years since her brightest student in memory had first come to Ponyville – found her vocation, and began her lessons not only in magic, but in friendship. Nine years since she had come to her student and her friends for help in desperation at the return of Discord. And five long years, since the rise of a group calling themselves the New Lunar Republic, who had sought the end of her reign. She remembered the tall banners and the armor.
She remembered her own guards standing side by side, but most of all, she remembered Twilight Sparkle and her ever-present friend and assistant Spike, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy and even both Pinkie Pie and Rarity standing at her sides before the great court of Canterlot, as the demands were read in the first hours of the evening.
An evening of a full moon. Her guards shouting and snorting, ready to push against the impossible odds. The armored Republican ponies dug at the ground with hooves clad in dark blue steel. The memory grew painful then, imagining the realm that she had worked all of her life to maintain in friendship and peace, now was on the edge of destroying itself. She remembered lowering her head, trying to show her strength as a leader for her people, but not wanting the ponies she had known and seen all their lives bathing the land in the terrible scourge of war.
As the tension built and the Republicans demanded an answer to the questions they had put to her and the nobility of Equestria, the answer came from a source that Celestia had not considered. With a thunderous explosion of lightning, between the two great armies stood the lone Alicorn, Luna, shouting one word with all her strength, so that Guards and Republicans alike pulled away from her. “Stop! I will not have the blood of my family spilled! I will not have the blood of any pony spilled in my name or in that of any name of anyone in the entire world!”
The last two words were delivered with a rear and the infuriated stamp of both of Princess Luna's front hooves and shook the ground and split the sky with lightning, to even Celestia's amazement. “Would you build thine world and thine Republic on the blood of thy own kin? Thine own people? Thou wouldst transform this sacred place that stands at the heart of these lands into a shrine to the murder of thy people!” She turned on the Republicans, one hoof thudding down again, to thunder and a flash of lightning. She glared at them, and not even the tallest and strongest of them could look her in the eyes. “Then let us go within, thine leaders and my beloved Sister's and conclude this darkest hour as civilized beings of reason.
“I shall let no barbarism come of this night. Not in my name,” she turned towards Celestia then, and smiled a little, seeing the shocked expressions of both her and the Guard, “Or in the name of any other.”
The argument between the NLR and the Royalists was, at its heart, a very simple one. Princess Celestia, as benevolent and as kind a ruler as she was in more recent years, was still in absolute control of the entire country. Many ponies wanted more control and a greater voice for building together and establishing something more politically progressive than Celestia's “Mother-Knows-Best” state. The first night was difficult, lasting well into the dawn and beyond it, with arguments and the tension building until a smaller voice piped up, with the help of a purple flash.
A harried and tired-looking Twilight Sparkle walked up and onto the table, speaking so everyone could hear. “Arguing isn't getting us anywhere but angry at each other. There are rules of conduct for a debate, fillies and gentlecolts, and it is about time we used them.” She smiled and floated a sizable tome with her purple nimbus of magic from her ever-present bags. She appointed a neutral moderator with the approval of both sides, and the work proceeded. It was three solid weeks of arguments and counter-arguments over traditions, rituals, land ownership and so on, before an agreement was finally reached.
Celestia sighed, remembering how close they had come to a horrible war that first terrible night, and how her little, or not so little sister had argued for a different solution, which meant assigning the power in Equestria to its ponies, and that both the nobles and the people themselves would bear equal representation. She thought back to the debates and the passions of those weeks that had helped reshape her beloved Equestria. She also recalled the large ceremony attended by it seemed, every pony there was.
She had announced that she would step down from her ancient role in peace, in favor of whomever the Parliament and the Ponies so elected to rule as Prime Minister.
She still felt very bittersweet about it, but it meant she did have time more for her friends, especially her student, who was very saddened by it all, at first. Her ceremonial duties remained unchanged of course, and the joy she shared with everypony that attended the annual Raising of the Sun. Now three years ago, the now Prime Minister Luna appeared at her doorstep with a smile... and a problem. It seems that the change of the regime in Equestria had emboldened a few of their neighbors into espionage, treading into places that the legal restrictions on Luna's power prevented her from dealing with.
“I need your help, Big Sister,” she said with a smile, as they both sipped tea and nibbled sandwiches, “I need the help of someone that can work where the Parliament cannot. I can do a great deal for our people. But spies and worse? I can't do anything about them directly, aside from have them arrested – and there never seems to be sufficient evidence.” Celestia smiled, having thought of this herself, remembering that some neighbors were disinclined to meddle in the affairs of solar principalities, especially when they had had the same ruler for over a thousand years.
“Then leave a message for Celestine Grace, Luna. You don't need to tell me anything more than that. She will handle the rest.” Luna gave her a smile and a giggle, “Celestine? Not much of a pseudonym, Big Sister.” She winked, “But I'll do exactly that. And have the information passed along to someone who I think you'll approach in the first place.” Celestia chuckled at this. If her own name was an obvious one, Twilight Sparkle being connected to her was an equally obvious conclusion.
She had approached each of them in turn, not sure of anything about them, beyond their friendship with one another. Twilight as always was more than willing to take time from her studies (She was already in the more advanced classes of magic, a fact that always made Celestia smile) so she could help her mentor in any task she could think of.
Applejack was every inch as willing as Twilight Sparke had been. Pinkie Pie, once she could be reached between parties practically guessed the entire operation from Celestia's first appearance at her doorway, which in itself was something that had made Celestia simply stop and stare.
“Please,” Celestia had thought, “Don't let there be another Pinkie Pie in the world...”
It had not taken Rainbow Dash long to finally join the Wonderbolts, or make rank among them, once she had grown a little from the brash and vain pegasus pony she had been when Twilight Sparkle had first written about her, years earlier. Rainbow had taken to wearing a blue overcoat with room for her wings when not on duty, and her eyes seemed a bit more ruthless than Celestia remembered, from seeing her broad smile after the downfall of Discord.
Unsurprisingly, her answer to Celestia's request was simple and to the point. “Just lemme at'em.” Her final two meetings, she had been far less sure of, however. She decided on visiting Rarity, who had moved to a large boutique in Manehattan by this time. Her shop was bustling as always, scissors and cloth and jewels zooming around and fitting themselves into masterpieces of fashion. At the sight of Celestia, they all froze at once and Rarity gave her a low, formal curtsy, despite the events of recent years. After this, they simply hugged warmly while Rarity shouted to her various assistants to continue their assigned tasks.
She and Celestia entered a small, but actually magically-sealed room, to Celestia's surprise. “Oh! 'Twas a gift from Twilight Sparkle, for my birthday. It allowed any conversations that needed to happen in quiet about a new design to go without somepony peeking in on it, you know how sneaky the other fashionistas can be.” She mock-swooned and rolled her eyes, to Celestia's amusement and mild annoyance. “I will need your help, Rarity...” she began, before telling her of the possible troubles and risks involved.
Rarity's response was nearly astonishing in its strength, “So, I am going to use my mm... feminine wiles and (she fluffed her mane a little while saying it) charms in order to protect Equestria? Marvelous! Simply marvelous. Do let me know when you need me. It sounds positively simple compared to keeping up with the Manehattan fashion wars.” She giggled softly and smiled. Celestia embraced her and then commissioned an unlikely sort of line of wear, more drab and dark then Rarity expected, but it did seem appropriate.
Her final recruit in this new enterprise was Fluttershy, who proved a little more difficult to find. She was now in charge of a large private nature preserve, created for the protection of very unusual animals and creatures that were harmless enough to Fluttershy herself, but could be potentially very dangerous to any ponies that happened across them by chance. She found herself in the far western reaches of Equestria, among high mountains with snowed peaks, near Lake Tahoof and standing before an arched gateway ringed with butterflies, painted and not, certain that she had found the very place she had been looking for.
She moved towards it, and saw that there was a distinctive purple radiance all but crackling over it. She closed her eyes and her long horn glowed, and a smile spread across her face once again, as she recognized Twilight Sparkle's talents at work. A sound very like a large bell tolled and the magic of the archway shimmered, and Celestia stood and waited. A few moments later, the familiar form of a yellow pegasus appeared from the air, looking at first a little angry, but then very pleased as recognition crossed her face. “Oh! It's you Princess!” She curtsied low as Rarity had done, as Celestia shook her head and smiled, “It's just Celestia now, dear Fluttershy. And I need your help.”
For the sixth time, she explained what was needed, this time to a slightly nervous Fluttershy. “Ohh, I don't know how much I could help and all. And I have the Preserve to work with. But, if you need my help, I'd be glad to!” She smiled warmly. Celestia smiled back, but her tone was more serious. “I do not want to keep you from work that cannot go on without you, Fluttershy.” Fluttershy looked thoughtful for a moment, then nodded, “I can take some vacation time – the tenders and feeders are all kind ponies, who are used to working with the animals. I want to help you, I really do.” Celestia nodded again after a moment and told her the set of instructions to follow, once contacted.
The drilling began not a week from the last meeting with Fluttershy. She arranged for them to rendezvous at a residence she had acquired through an alias, in the southwestern town of Trottance. She had a large white house standing not too near any other houses, not a mansion or a castle as she had once lived in before, but a comfortable house of leisure. It was a house that could belong to any well-to-do stallion or mare looking to relax and enjoy the sight of the rolling hills.
She had long words with Rarity about the subject, and through her contacts, was able to arrange for furnishings and supplies that would be associated with the house. She had kept her old couches, however, since they were made for her large and lanky form, and were both comfortable and familiar. The first drill ended poorly, when Rainbow Dash caused a sonic rainboom and wound up smashing her way through a large bay window and scattering furniture, glass and Pinkie Pie about the room.
The second and third drills were not much better. The second ended within minutes of Celestia invoking the first signal charm, causing the image of Twilight Sparkle and Spike to turn into purple and green marshmallows and explode violently onto every surface in Celestia's front room. The third went awry when Rainbow Dash, Rarity and Applejack began arguing about the placement of folders and the appearance of the images of themselves, to the embarrassment of Celestia herself, and her student silently but firmly batting her own head against one of the living room's walls.
There were three more attempts, each of them growing more professional and less comedic with the completion of the dry runs they arranged. Twilight had suggested that Celestia visit an ordinary place to pick up the correspondence and materials needed for the mission, and that there were many such places that somepony like Celestia could go.
The seventh dry run was as clean and free of blunders and unintentional slapstick as Celestia could ask for, having each of the team members arriving in relatively short order, without long delays or any real difficulties. Strangely, it was the relaxation that really made it work – they were getting comfortable meeting in this way, and even the normally overenthusiastic Pinkie Pie had managed a somewhat more serious demeanor, though she was obviously enjoying it.
The eighth was as easy as a well-remembered song. Twilight had grown formidably as a magician over the years, and she rarely repeated mistakes. Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash had learned to compliment each others' natural tendencies for celerity and energy, managing to arrive nearly at the same time.
Applejack and Rarity made their own ways in, and Twilight brought Spike, now a little larger than the tiny dragon assistant who had warned Celestia about Twilight's fears, now years ago. Fluttershy had become a faster flier in recent years, and she had gained somewhat more comfort speaking to her friends.
They were ready.
On the ninth of April, nearly eleven years after the return of her beloved sister Luna, Celestia checked her daily correspondence. There were the usual mix of scrolls and envelopes, and also a simple envelope sealed with wax, addressed to “Celestine Grace.” She opened it there on her doorstep, horn glowing, smiling as she looked through her other letters, taking them all back inside, and casually hurling the letter (which was blank) into her hearth-fire.
She went to the tennis courts in Trottance, moving with ease, even through the odd gasp at her identity. She arrived wearing an outfit appropriate for tennis and carrying a modest dufflebag. She picked up a rental racket with the number 42 in hoof-drawn ink on the butt, then found herself a supply closet and closed the door, setting the dufflebag down and popping the end neatly off of the racket. She had to smile at the simplicity and elegance of it, pulling the scroll forth and setting it down, putting the end back on the racket snugly, before touching the scroll's seal.
It opened with a soft piff, and three images leapt into the air, hovering in surprising color, though appearing to be made of smoke. The left showed a scruffy right profile of an earth pony that had a wild mane and a serious expression, while the center showed a glamorous facial shot of a unicorn with a rich purple coat and horn, with a thick and wavy silver-white mane and a pearly smile. The right image was of a pegasus stallion's profile, showing the left cheek and a scar skipping from a strong high cheekbone to a jaw, the eyes glaring angrily at something off to one side.
The mane seemed to have been cropped very close to the hide, and was of a charcoal color. A stallion's strong baritone voice spoke then, unfamiliar as yet to Celestia: “Good morning, Ms. Grace. The stallion on the left is Drake Forester, an animal trainer who has been confirmed as working for a neighboring power that has designs on our border. He has been rumored to be able to train live animals to attack, and he has more than three times been seen in the company of a young adult dragon. The filly unicorn in the center is Prestigia Digita, a trained magician that has shown formidable skills in both elemental and illusion magic.
Last, is the pegasus Shocker Blaze, a trick flier with proven aerial and ground combat experience. Your mission, should you decide to accept it, will be to successfully gather evidence on these three ponies, proving that they are involved in a plot to compromise a senior Parliamentary official. They must be detained or deported from Equestria by the conclusion of your mission. As always, should you or any of your IP force be apprehended or detained, the Foreign Secrepony will disavow all knowledge. This scroll will self-destruct in five seconds. Good luck, Celestine.” The scroll disappeared in a puff of purple smoke, leaving the three hovering images printed and ready.
- Impossible Ponies
Celestia headed for the house she was using through her alias, taking only the time needed to bathe and then change into one of the outfits – still wonderfully stitched and fitted, despite their basic simplicity – and headed for her desk. She used her horn to pull a peppermint candy stick and absently sucked on it, enjoying the taste, while bringing a folder from the desk she had prepared. She opened it, and placed the contents, a group of large portfolios with full-color images on the front, taken from either pictures of the subjects or from various magazine covers. The first was a human, which puzzled Celestia, since she didn't remember adding any humans to the folder in the drills she'd conducted in earlier months.
She had a pleasantly smiling face and a long dark... mane? Celestia chuckled and set the dossier aside. The next dossier showed Fluttershy standing with wings raised in front of the Preserve. Celestia closed her eyes and used her magic to invoke the messaging enchantment of the dossier, before setting it down again, on her right. The next was an older male human with greying hair, which brought a confused look to Celestia's face for a moment, before she read the name that was something to do with “Phelps”, and upon opening it, was first surprised pleasantly and then saddened by the contents, closing them with a shake of her head, setting it on her left with the other human.
Next was an image of Applejack, with the title “Apple Farms” and “Since there's been apples!” She chortled softly and nodded, invoking the dossier as she had Fluttershy's. The next two were of a blue unicorn, which Celestia recognized then disdained, and a white stallion unicorn with an arrogant smirk which made her almost grimace, before setting aside. Her next was of Rainbow Dash, the image of her wearing the prize crown she had won years earlier, being carried off on the shoulders of her friends, and she smiled again and nodded, setting her with the first three.
Twilight Sparkle was next, an image made of her with her peers at the Advanced Magical Academy, for her formal induction, with the words “Equestria's Brightest” below them. Celestia smiled and nodded again, invoking the dossier, then added it to the growing stack. A similar treatment was given to a Pinkie Pie Party Invitation that showed the bouncy earth pony with all four legs in the air and a happy smile, surrounded by balloons and streamers and cakes, with Celestia chuckling a little at the sight of Pinkie's seemingly ever-present good mood. Rarity's glamor photo showed her in a large and complex outfit, posed effectively and seeming almost to sparkle before Celestia's eyes.
This final invocation, and the dossiers were stacked. She took a deep breath and let it out again, slowly, taking up all of the dossiers and returning them to the desk. She was almost certain for a moment that she heard something like a drumbeat when she did, but she dismissed it and sat in her parlor to wait.
She didn't need to wait for very long. A rainbow-streaking pegasus appeared in her window within moments, followed by a flash of purple light from near her front door, which she opened with a simple nod from her couch, and the familiar faces of Rainbow Dash and Twilight Sparkle, the latter carrying her ever-present assistant Spike, appeared through the doorway. She had only turned away for a moment, and there was already a pink-coated face pressed almost comically at the bay window, giving Celestia, Dash and Sparkle alike a start and made Spike break out in floor-rolling laughter. This had the bouncing pink pony rolling onto her back and breaking into hoof-kicking guffaws. With an eyeroll, Dash walked over to the locked door that led to the modest balcony, and was promptly bowled over by the bouncing and laughing Pinkie Pie who shouted “Hi Dashie!” while giggling and more or less pinning her down.
Dash looked up with a half-smile, “Uh, hi Pinkie, can you um... Get offa me?” Pinkie giggled and made a mock serious face for just a moment, then let her friend up, to chuckles from Celestia and her student alike. They sat together and traded stories, Dash telling about her latest aerial maneuvers, and Pinkie talking about the party she had thrown, and eventually some chat from Twilight about her studies, when there was another knock at the door. The purple mare of magic looked towards it curiously, to see Fluttershy enter, not more than a step behind Applejack, and the two were already laughing together.
“Ah'm mighty glad to see ya again, Fluttershy! How's that preserve comin' along,” came the familiar friendly drawl, accompanied by a companionable pat on the yellow pegasus' back. The gentle-voiced pegasus pony answered with a smile and a small hint of pride that Celestia could detect, “Oh! It's coming along wonderfully, Applejack. We've been helping the cockatrices keep fed without them leaving anypony for statues, just because they were nearby. We even had a little help from the Institute of Advanced Magical Studies,” she nodded to Twilight, who blushed a little, but smiled back, “and they helped us with some things that protected us from being petrified.” Applejack laughed, “From all I heard, y'all didn't need too much help with that, sugarcube.”
Laughter broke out among all of the friends then, even from Fluttershy herself, who was blushing despite herself. “Wow, Fluttershy,” Spike said, once he had more breath, “I heard that you'd stared down a cockatrice way back in Ponyville, but I didn't ever quite believe it until now. That's pretty awesome.” He smiled at her and she gave him a slightly questioning look for a moment, then nodded, laughing herself. “I just... Hate it when anyone threatens my friends, ponies or otherwise, Spike.”
The blue pegasus and purple unicorn overheard this and nodded, Twilight giving a little shudder. She remembered Fluttershy's insane-sounding bellow from the Great Galloping Gala years earlier, and the tone of genuine worry that had come from her mentor when she had said simply “Run.” “It's true. Wasn't that what led to the founding of the preserve in the first place?” “Hey, yeah. I heard you've had all kinds of animals there,” piped up the rainbow-maned mare.
Before the yellow-coated and now blushing pegasus pony could respond, there was a firm knock at the door. Celestia turned her head and opened the door with some ease, and a very well-dressed Rarity came in, looking ready for the most formal ball in Equestria. “Why hello, everypony, it's very nice to see you all once more!” A series of greetings followed, ranging from smiles from Rainbow Dash and Applejack, to a small dragon all but leaping into her for a warm hug.
The mood brightened more with the presence of all the old friends together again. Pinkie Pie took to bouncing, saying “we're all here! We're all here!” Celestia waited for the din to die down and rose, lifting the three images over to a table that was situated neatly between comfortable chairs and the couches.
“Shocker Blaze,” said Rainbow Dash, sounding both a little angry and astonished. “One of the few to get their flank kicked out of the Wonderbolts. The jerk kept getting into fights with the other 'Bolts, especially Soarin'. Couldn't keep it together, so Spitfire kicked him out... Hard.” Dash laughed, a little mirthlessly. Applejack and Rarity exchanged a look, then the former spoke, “He sounds like a bad seed, sugarcube. Sounds like he liked fights even more than y'all did.” The rainbow-maned flyer looked back at her and then towards the floor, nodding. Fluttershy and Twilight tried speaking at the same time then, but it ended in giggles and Dash snouthoofing.
“I know who Drake Forester is, um,” Fluttershy squeaked, now having the attention of all of the other ponies. Student and mentor both raised hooves and encouraged her, winding up smiling and chuckling softly, having unconsciously mirrored each other. “He's not a gentle pony,” Fluttershy continued. “He's always the kind that shouts and yells at animals. I can always tell. He tried more than once to work at the Preserve, but he was too angry for the work we do.” She made a slightly sour face at the image and nodded.
Celestia nodded to her and spoke in a soft, but serious tone, “Fluttershy, he's been seen with a young dragon. Older than Spike is,” she explained, her eyes turning to the small green dragon who looked surprised for a moment but much more serious and a little angry. “But he is not yet fully grown. Beyond Forester's proximity to a dragon, and your experience with him,” she said while turning back to face the now somewhat dour-faced pegasus zoologist, “we don't really know anything more about him beyond the company he keeps.”
At this, everyone looked first at the last image, which was a glamorous facial shot of a unicorn, and with eerie synchronicity, they all found themselves looking at the small purple form of Twilight Sparkle, who was sipping some of Celestia's fine, strong tea. “What? I don't remember everypony that uses magic in the entire country,” she said with a soft giggle. Spike laughed aloud at this, “Man, Twilight, I bet you have a book on unicorn magicians somewhere.” Rainbow took Spike's cue and broke into her own slightly squeaky laughs, until Rarity rapped a hoof on the table.
“Come now friends. Twilight is brilliant, but this time I think I might actually be the unicorn in the know.” The apple-flanked farmer opened her mouth to speak at this and gave her a somewhat incredulous look. After a moment, she simply closed her mouth and nodded. “She's a model with training in magic, darlings,” continued Rarity. “Her family has lived in this vicinity for oh, a generation or three. They're very respectable, the Digitas.”
“Actually,” continued the coiffured and bejeweled fashion designer, looking thoughtful, “I've seen her modeling work – it tends to be predictably themed, magic and fireballs. Oh! Not that sparkles and comets are unsuitable for the right unicorn, Twilight dear,” she said with a smile and her eyes on the purple mare, “but she seems to be a single-trick sort of pony-model.”
Celestia nodded, having been listening intently. “Good, my little ponies. Now. Twilight? Rarity? Do we have some idea of where they are?” They looked to each other for a moment and nodded, the very well-dressed mare speaking first. “Prestigia lives in one of the few castles on this coast, Celestia. She hosts the occasional fashion show or large to-do there once in a great while.” “Xenophinia?” piped in Twilight with a slightly zealous look in her eyes. “I read a book about the modern construction of castles.” She spoke with some speed, causing her less-magically inclined friends to look at each other and Spike to roll his eyes a little.
“The Digitas developed a lot of tandem operations with the stonemasons, so that a lot of the castle and the grounds are kept in excellent condition, reducing the effects of sunlight and weather to a minimum. They also set up a series of wards at regular intervals around the castle's perimeter so that no wild animals come closer than a few hundred yards, if they're over a certain size. They also made good use of persistent light charms, and there was even something about a room that had some kind of moving art on one wall.” The celestial former princess half-smiled in wonder, at how thoroughly her student had assimilated all of this in a relatively short amount of time.
The level-headed and apple-flanked pony spoke up then, her tone slightly more thoughtful. “Sounds like there's an awful lot of magic floatin' around over there, sugarcube. Think we'll be able to check it out?” Rarity smiled and giggled, “Just watch me work. I'll set up a meeting and actually sound out the place if you need me to, ladies. It will be a pleasure.” Spike then gave all the appearance of an extraordinarily happy cube of ice that seemed to melt directly into the couch underneath him, eyes a little crossed. Celestia spied this and covered her mouth with a hoof, trying not to laugh herself.
The always-upbeat voice of the pink party pony piped up “wait a minute, we could throw her a party!” Rainbow Dash snouthoofed again and grunted. Twilight looked more thoughtful and then nodded, “Actually that might work out – if she wants a big fashion show and party... Rarity, Pinkie? I think you might have something there.” Spike gave a slightly doubtful look at them, “Are you sure? I mean. What if she decides to do something besides serve you guys tea?” The indigo-maned fashionista flashed the small dragon a smile and nodded, “You're right, Spike. They might try something with Pinkie and myself. In fact, I would be very much surprised if she did not.”
Spike gave her a more serious look, but could not help returning the smile. “I get it now... You two are kinda obviously there to do more than stick shiny clothes on her and dance to the beat, so you're going to,” his thought was finished by the smiling pink pony, “to get ourselves into a little trouble. So, we can get right out of it, when the time's right.”
Pinkie started bouncing at this idea, to Celestia's chuckle. “Excellent as always, my little ponies. Coordinate with one another and see what you can find out.” “I'm gonna go check the place out, not just the castle, but the stuff surrounding too,” added the smirking cyan speedster. “I bet there's a hangout outside of the castle, too; Usually is, especially if the grunts wanna chill out away from the boss.” She chuckled. “Trust me, I know.”
The purple-coated unicorn looked to her and laughed too, giving an approving bob of her head. “Sounds like a good idea, Rainbow. Just keep clear of the castle's airspace. If I were a paranoid unicorn with a castle,” she began, and was ribbed by a smiling Applejack which led her to give first her, then the others a questioning look and then followed more laughter, “OK, OK, I'm not that paranoid, girls, come on. But I'm saying that in her place, I'd have a pretty nice security perimeter set up not only around the castle, but over it too.” The resident professional flyer looked thoughtful for a moment, then smiled, “I didn't think of that one. You rock, Twi.”
She brohoofed the unicorn, while Celestia looked on, smiling. They all moved out, sharing a warm grouphug by the door, while Rainbow Dash said, “So great to be workin' with you gals again.” The soft voice of the lemon-colored pegasus piped up, “I'll check out the wild areas near the castle, and I bet Applejack can get in with the groundskeepers. Um. They're usually friendly.” Applejack laughed and nodded, “Ah'll give it a looksee, sugarcube, see what's growin'.”
They all had to stop and stare as a large fancy carriage pulled up. Rarity laughed softly, “What? Did you think I would come in something simpler? No no, dears. I want there to be no doubt that Rarity has arrived, when she does.” Applejack and Fluttershy exchanged a glance, while Pinkie Pie bounced. “Ooo! Do I get to ride?” Rarity smiled a little wider, “in fact, I was going to insist on it. I need my party pony as well as my own reputation, if we're going to throw a fashion show and party.” Twilight laughed and nodded, “Well, they're definitely going to know it's you. Be careful you two.”
Equestria's foremost pink party pony smiled and bounded into the carriage at once, saying, “Don't worry, Twilight! I'll make sure nobody gets to being a Meany McMeanypants to Rarity!” Rarity flashed Pinkie a quizzical glance and sighed, before mounting the carriage, the quartet of strong and dignified earthponies drawing it picking up and trotting her off down the road, while Fluttershy took to the air, flying up and over with more ease than her friends had seen her display in the skies over Ponyville.
Dash took off too, flashing the purple-coated mare a salute and leaving the signature rainbow trail behind her. “Just us now, sugarcube.” Twilight smiled and trotted alongside the friendly farmer pony with her young dragon assistant in his usual spot on her back. “It's a long trot from here, Applejack, so do you want to teleport or...?” She looked a bit pensive. Applejack laughed, “Naw, don't go worryin' over mah innards, Twilight. We can take a little trot t'gether for a while, y'know? Ain't gonna run the whole dang'ol distance though, unless y'really wanna.” Spike spoke up, “Yeah, that teleport spell can sure shake up a good lunch if you're not careful.” Twilight laughed, and after a few miles, they disappeared in a flash from the long road leading away from the hills overlooking Trottance, as Celestia watched them go.
“Good luck, my little ponies,” she whispered.
For all her speed, it did take Rainbow Dash some time to make it northwards to the area of the West that she remembered well enough to navigate. Once she was in sight of the castle however, it was extremely easy to find. She skirted around it, coming no closer than a few hundred yards, then she looked for and found the small nearby town of San Stallion. If town was the right word. A single road and a few small buildings, but she spotted the place at once, since there were already a few ponies standing around near the doorway, sipping something that she couldn't quite make out from the air. So she did what came naturally, and went in for a closer look.
Applejack, Twilight and Spike appeared with a purple flash and a soft piffing sound within a mile of the town, heading along a long, winding road that lay between it and Xenophinia. The two ponies paused and Applejack laughed, “Shoot, Twilight, these parts are awful purty.” Twilight looked at the large green trees lining the road and looked one direction, then the other, then examined the road underneath their feet, while Applejack looked on, puzzled, “Now, just what in the hay... Oh! Looks like wagon tracks, big ones too.”
Spike was looking around too, seeming a little greener than usual and with a hand on his stomach, he kept quiet for the present. Twilight looked up and smiled, “That's right. I was wondering which direction,” “They was goin'. Yeah,” Applejack finished with a nod. “Lookin' like they're headed that way.” She pointed a hoof, along what Twilight believed was the northward track. “Mmm. We better find a place to keep our heads down, Applejack, and soon.” Applejack herself trotted and got up the slight hill that was alongside the road, while her friend watched, looking puzzled.
She looked around, having found what looked like it had been a farm once, and also spotted what looked like an old tool shed not far from the treeline. She moved to the edge of the hill and offered a hoof, “Looks like we might have found a little place.”
Rarity's fancy coach took the turn from the small town of San Stallion and turned north, as Twilight and Applejack scouted out an old and seemingly uninhabited farm, and Rainbow Dash dipped from her altitude to see what there was to drink, to see, and with a smirk, to possibly beat the blazes out of. The fashionable pony's bouncy pink riding companion was looking out one of the windows, making happy and fascinated sounds at the rows of trees the lined the path that led to Xenophinia.
It did take them time, but they reached the massive front gates, which were promptly opened to Rarity's both well-known and luxurious carriage. Her quartet of strong stallions drew her up alongside a pair of well-dressed attendants, one of which stood close and opened the door to the carriage, standing aside, appearing respectfully aloof. Rarity appeared from the carriage in a smooth motion without bounce or making a single sharp sound from any of her hooves, causing the attendants themselves to give a bow, while a third, this a deep purple stallion with a smoothed dark brown mane in the black finery of the head of a household.
“Welcome, Madam Rarity. Lady Digita has prepared a reception room for you and your staff. With your permission?” He gestured with a raised hoof, bowing a little to Rarity and pointing towards the large and intricate entryway which stood open, under two towers wrought with many intricate designs and frescoes. With a regal nod, she followed, a bouncing Pinkie Pie not far behind, drawing strange looks as her outfit jingled with each bound. They were led down fantastically ornate hallways lined with carvings of gold and wonderfully-polished wood, that even the sometimes vain and style-crazed indigo-maned mare simply stared at in wonder, her bouncing companion smiling as always, managed just one word for the trip to Xenophinia's prepared reception area. “Beautiful,” said Pinkie Pie.
It did not take Fluttershy's well-experienced eyes and ears very long to lead her into the thick forests north of the castle's grounds. She remembered what Twilight had said concerning the air over the castle, so she skirted it and the road below, flying low over the tree branches. The fresh scent of them made her smile and wish she had a little more time. She spied a clearing something around a mile north of the castle's highest glittering white rampart, circled by a ridge. Her snout caught the scent of acrid and vaguely familiar smoke on the wind and heard the low rumble that she was searching for, not without it sending a little shiver up her spine.
The soft-spoken winged mare that so many in Equestria thought incapable of considering the slightest harm to any swooped into the brush and landed with stealth and skill that any airborne bird of prey would have been proud of. She inched her way through the greenery, wary of any sound and the loud rumbling came again, alongside another sound. “It sounded like a deep raspy voice speaking,” she considered silently. She could not make any of it out, not even after she crept closer. She did hear a voice then, and from alarmingly close, this a mare's, with an edge of steel. “Pegasus, you're trespassing.” She saw a bright blue wave of energy wash into the green in the shadows under the trees, before it felt as if the whole forest fell on her.
Rainbow Dash's closer look began at the doorway of the local house of drink and merry-making. Her fast approach drew the eyes of the two standing on the simple wooden slatted walkway, which was well-worn by many hooves. The larger of the two, a red-beige stallion sipping at something when the rainbow trail descended dropped the cup of honey-mead from his mouth and nudged the smaller light brown stallion next to him, causing him to grunt in annoyance. “Now why did you do that?” He asked, turning his head somewhat, in time to catch the cyan speedster's fast trot up to the walkway.
“Sup, guys?” She said with a smirk, going neatly over the two much larger ponies on her way into the white-washed doorway that led behind them. The smaller of them said, “Where in the hay did she come from?” The larger shook his head. “Dun' know, but you can bet your tail there's gonna be trouble.” The inside of the door and the nearer half of the modest building appeared to serve as a general store, with sacks of seeds and such, and a variety of goods. The large beige stallion came in the front door, Rainbow Dash spying his crate and shovels cutie mark. “Afternoon,” he said in a pleasant tone, “Looking for some supplies, or just something to wash the dust out?” He assumed the place behind the counter at the back of the store, smiling pleasantly.
Twilight, Applejack and Spike were sitting more or less together in the small shed, while Twilight concentrated, horn glowing a soft bright purple. She shook her head and sighed. “I'm sorry, Applejack, I can't sense Fluttershy, or Pinkie, or Rarity either. The castle's got too many defensive wards for me to risk pushing my awareness spell too far, unless I want Prestigia knowing exactly where I am.” “Shoot,” said the strong, kind voice of the apple-farmer. “I hope they're all okay, Twi. It's about time I started my part in this here little shindig.”
She embraced the purple magician and gave Spike's head a friendly rub. “Y'all take care now, both of ya.” She trotted out, leaving the two friends alone. Twilight took that moment to rummage around the shed a little. Her companion and assistant asked, “What are you looking for here? All I see is dust, cobwebs and junk.” Without hearing him, she lifted bits of twisted gardening and farming equipment one at a time, saying “No” to every one, save the last, a trowel.”Perfect!” Looking even more puzzled now, “Doing some gardening or something? I got no idea what you're going to do,” her young dragon assistant said, his arms raised for emphasis.
Rarity and Pinkie Pie were aware of the size and opulence of the reception area. Both were set on large divans, one a rich scarlet and gold, the other a cream color with silver highlights. Once the wonder of the setting had worn off – which itself took some time, since there was a great deal to see, as the walls and ceiling were both intricately carved and highly polished, the wood itself seeming infused with gold. The indigo-coiffured mistress of fashion spoke first, as they had been left alone, once the servants had guided them there. “No service? None at all? That seems uncharacteristically rude.”
She looked around her surroundings, and spied a small bell. She raised it up and gave a vigorous jingle of it using the deep glow of her magic. Pinkie was still looking around at all of the seemingly thousands of carved figures, coats of arms, busts and so on that lined the walls and gave one ornamentally carved wall not very far away from their seats a strange look. She bounded up to it and proceeded to examine it very closely, with all the attentiveness of a jeweler hard at work. “Something funny about this wall...” She said, sounding characteristically dramatic. A pair of finely-clothed unicorns strode in then, one bearing a plate of sandwiches and the other several decanters and glasses. They gave low bows and departed with well-practiced dignity.
Fluttershy awoke in what appeared to be a large, natural cavern, warmed by a large bonfire in the center. Her head ached, and her hooves were heavier than she remembered. With a start, she sat up sharply and her head ached formidably. “Easy now,” came a stallion's voice from not far away. “Her stun charms don't do lasting harm, but they really do a number on your equilibrium and coordination for a few hours.” She thudded her rump back onto the ground, eyes clearing again after a moment. The wild-maned earth pony that looked back brought everything into sharp focus.
“YOU!” She shouted and was on her feet with a jerk, going to the limit of her chain in an instant, able to move no more than a few feet closer to him. “What have you done to me? And what have you done to my friends, or that dragon?!” Her breath was a bit raspy and quick, and it took her several long moments, giving his eyes the same formidable stare that had intimidated cockatrices, dragons and even errant fillies. His voice came much more uneven, “I... didn't do anything to them! I..” She cut him off with a bellow through bared teeth, “Liar! Then why I am chained in here?!” It was when he stumbled and she heard the clink of chains that she realized that he was chained here too.
- Obscured and Inverted
The rainbow-maned flyer in the distinctive and well-worn coat smiled to the friendly grocer and said “Somethin' to drink, sure. Let me cool my wings and my hooves.” The grocer chuckled and nodded towards a set of swinging doors to one side of the store, through which the sounds of clinking glasses and the soft din of conversation could be heard, even at this relatively early hour – it was only very early evening. She trotted casually over to the doors and pushed them open with ease, smirking and looking into the modest tavern. There were several earth ponies at the bar itself, and beyond them, there were several pegasus ponies at the far corner of the room, in light and somewhat worn-looking armor.
The ponies in the corner cast their eyes towards Rainbow Dash herself, her coat not obscuring the unique rainbow-thunderbolt on her flank. She caught their gaze and gave a somewhat more smug smirk at them, giving her hindquarters a wiggle, before settling in at the far end of the bar from the door, her back to a wall and little else, as more pairs of eyes drew towards her. She was in a very small town, she knew, populated by either farmers, or the staff of Xenophinia itself, of which she was very obviously neither. Despite disdaining the uniform of her beloved Wonderbolts for this mission, her eyes narrowed as she looked back, realizing that now, only a few minutes after entering, she was the sole subject of the room... and there was a truly uncomfortable silence.
The talented magician that had once been Celestia's top student, and to a great many of the ponies in Equestria, still was, looked at the geometric design that had once been a piece of rusting ironmongery. She was smiling and nodding at it. “It's finished,” she muttered, her voice showing a slight amount of fatigue. “What's finished, Twilight? I've seen you make some weird stuff, but you've been twisting and muttering over that thing, and I don't have a clue why,” her companion asked from near the doorway, his tone tense.
“It's for you, Spike. It's something that should help you, if things wind up going sour with this mission. I don't know if I am going to have to take her on head to head, especially in her family home, with all of her family's magic swirling around her.” She shook her head and looked out the window. “I'm worried about them, and I can't get any sense of what's going on with Rarity or Pinkie. Or Fluttershy.” She paced to the other side of the shed, Spike stopping her halfway. “Stop it, Twilight. You're great, they're great, and we've been banging our heads together to do this one right. You were great even way back when you took on Nightmare Moon! What's the next move?”
Now on her own with the afternoon starting to slowly move towards evening, Applejack was trotting smoothly and casually towards San Stallion, keeping an even pace. She reached the edge of the small collection of buildings, to see a pair of large and strong stallions go running past her, catching a sight of a gold shield design on both of their flanks. She decided to follow, some deep instinct drawing her to her full speed, her strong legs getting her right ahead the stallions, who paid her no heed. It was not long before she heard why – the sounds of things being kicked around and the unmistakable shouts of several ponies involved in a fight.
There was a crash and glass flew into the street while a deep voice shouted, “Not my store, you tub-thumping morons!” A familiar cyan-coated pegasus in a grey coat tumbled into the street and was on her feet, “I love this place,” she whispered with a smirk and was back through the broken window like a rainbow-trailing bullet. The pair of earth ponies that Applejack had passed, followed her around the corner and were joined by a third, a strong-looking unicorn mare who had a white coat with a similar shield design on her flank.
Fluttershy could not help but stare in complete shock at the pony across from her. There was no mistaking him, this was Drake Forester, whom she had seen shouting and waving his hooves in frustration at his apparent inability to make the slightest impact on any of the rare animals of the Preserve. She stared, then simply curled up, whimpering a little, realizing at last just what she had shouted and how she had treated him. “Fluttershy, please don't worry about being angry with me. I earned it.” His voice was more mature now. “B-but I... I yelled...” She squeaked and hid her face under her hooves. “Yes, Fluttershy, you did, and I deserve it, for how stupid I was.” He actually laughed a bit and shook his head. “Believe me, my big mouth's gotten me into more trouble.”
She glanced at him, looking now truly confused. “But weren't you supposed to be working for someone else? Big trained dragon, and and..” She trailed off. He looked a bit confused. “Trained dragon? Just what did you hear about that? Besides, it's... impossible. Dragons can't be trained like animals, not like that – since they're at least as smart as ponies.” He sighed. “Frequently smarter.” It was then that there was a low rumble, and one side of the cave gave way to sudden sunlight, and there stood the form of a green dragon, fully four times the size even of a large pony, striding in and using a nimble tail to slam a stone back into place over the entrance.
Pinkie Pie was looking closely at a wall, while Rarity gave her a puzzled expression. The fashionista was on the verge of saying something when Pinkie poked at a corner of the wall panel and the panel itself clicked and moved smoothly aside, drawing a gasp instead. “Darling, what have you found there?” She asked, after a moment, still looking a little startled. “It's a screyeball!” The pink party pony stuck her head into the gap and there was the sound of something thudding and her head reappeared, a glass sphere with a strange feathered design embedded in it rolled from the gap and across the floor.
“It looks like very high-quality crystal, but that's not a design I recognize. I do wish dear Twilight was with us in here, she might have a better idea of what a... scr..eye...ball would be?” Her pink-maned companion gave her a wider smile. “It's a hidden eyeballthingy! I aaaaalllways know when someone's watching, so I listened to my Pinkie Sense. And here it is!” She laughed and bounced in place a little. “Darling, that's a simply wonderful talent. Now, I believe it's time to start the music.” She rose from her seat and her horn glowed, drawing the bell to her once again, to give it an emphatic jingle.
It hadn't taken long before one of the large and inebriated earth ponies had decided to do something truly foolish. He had wandered up beside Rainbow Dash and used a small card menu with his mouth to unsteadily but sharply swat the side of her flank with a leer. He and his two friends found themselves on the receiving end of three extremely fast and precisely-placed hooves, two hooves catching them in the sides of their faces to be sent sprawling, but the swatter himself being bucked sharply upwards, to a shout of “Hooves off the merchandise before you buy me drinks, fathead!”
Two of the pegusi in the corner had jumped right in, tussling with Dash and getting solidly kicked about. One of the other farmers charged her flank, managing to get enough momentum to push her up and out, smashing her through a window, while she tucked, tumbled and recovered. The whole bar was up in arms then, the bartender long since out of sight. A shimmering bright white-gold field appeared around everyone suddenly, Dash still in midair, executing a lunge towards one of the armored pegusi, when a strong mare's voice bellowed “Stop this nonsense at ONCE!”
Twilight winced, looking out of one of the windows, her horn glowing a soft purple. The charm she sensed even from this distance had her sighing. “The plan was for Rarity and Pinkie to set up the party, then contact us. Applejack is going to try what we talked about before. But the plan is going to need to change shape somewhat, Spike, because Fluttershy... and Rainbow Dash now... Have been captured. I can't tell exactly, since I'm doing my best to sense her quietly, but I think Rainbow Dash was actually arrested.” Spike turned from his spot near the door, coming over to the mare that was like his four-legged sister. “How? I thought she was pretty good in a fight.” “Oh, she is, but there's a unicorn there, older than I am, I think, and I think she's an officer of the law,” Twilight explained, her horn still glowing a little.
“Fluttershy is the one I'm really worried about, Spike. She's somewhere very near strong Draconic magic.” Her young assistant jumped and took a step back, “Wait, a magic-user that's a dragon? Actually that sounds kinda cool,” he said with a thoughtful expression and a growing smile. “No, Spike, dragons are magical, in and of themselves. You interact with magic, because you breathe elemental fire, and because you're who and what you are. It's not hard for me to sense dragons, especially given that you get larger and stronger over time.” She chuckled softly, shaking her head a little. “I'm going to keep an eye as best I can on Fluttershy, like I said. I don't think Rainbow Dash is in any danger, not yet.” Spike looked back at her, smiling, but his eyes were serious. “Hope Rarity's okay. And Pinkie Pie too.”
Applejack was agog. “Whoa, nelly,” she whispered, in a hushed tone. “Caught Dash in midair, and a few others by herself? She's sure no little filly. That's the kinda moves Twi woulda used,” she thought, observing the unfolding drama at the tavern and general store. One of the two that she had followed turned towards her and the other took up a similar position facing the other direction. “Alright, shove off,“ he said, in a brusque tone, addressing not only her, but a few other earth ponies that were standing around in the growing gloom of the evening.
Ponyville's famous apple-bucking mare moved off, finding herself trotting slowly alongside an aged-looking earthpony with what looked like a bunch of grapes on his flank, and another that had a wagon-wheel. “Shucks. Always some outsider comin' on in and breakin' the windahs,” came the voice of the older. “Never fails.” The wagon-wheel flank spoke up then. “Shoot,” he said. “I was hopin' to find some newcomer to help me out, but if the drinkhouse is all smashed, gonna be a few days.” “Hey, did I hear ya was lookin' for some help,” asked Applejack with a smile. “Sure did, missy,” said wagon-wheel with a curious grin.
The kind-natured pegasus that was the object of concern in the plans of Celestia's famous student was looking at the youthful dragon that she had been warned about. And the dragon had sealed them both inside a medium-sized cave, moving a stone with as much effort as it took Pinkie Pie to lift a cupcake. It opened its mouth and began to speak, as Fluttershy found herself slowly creeping away from the sheer intensity of its gaze. “Provided that you answer my questions,” came a slightly raspy and trilling voice that was still pitched high and surprisingly feminine, “you shall come to no harm.”
“Yes, I speak, my little pony.” She crouched and then sat, crossing her hind legs. “And now, I listen. Please explain why Fluttershy, one of the saviors of Equestria from Discord's scourge and the kindly curator of the Preserve is here in San Stallion, creeping around the modest forest that is under the watch of the Digita Family.” She rested a pair of long-digited talons under her chin and simply looked at Fluttershy with fierce reptilian eyes and the hint of a smile on her face. Fluttershy could only squeak and let her rear thud to the ground, her lips quivering.
Rarity set the still-sounding bell down, and before Pinkie Pie could do more than turn her head towards the door, it opened. To the eyes of one of Manehattan's most skilled fashion designers, the unicorn that entered was under immediate and thorough scrutiny. “What a mane she has, what color,” she thought. “She must know a skill or two to bring out that kind of pearlescence from a mane that's normally plain white. Hmm... Her coat is more red than Twilight's, and she looks as though she knows all the tricks of the trade for bringing out the best texture and color and preserving it. And a metallic silver and red dress, sharp corners, comets and sparkles. Oh, this can only be her.” Rarity rose with a smile at the approach of Prestigia Digita and gave a simple but respectful curtsy.
“Welcome to the castle of Xenophinia,” she began, her voice a smooth blend of a light lilting softness that carried more strength than Rarity remembered ever hearing from Fluttershy when speaking similarly. “The Lady Rarity of Manehattan's Grande Carousel Boutique and the inestimable presence of the perpetually positive party-planner, Pinkie Pie.” She gave first Rarity then her companion a respectful nod. “It is not every day that such a bright pair of stars crosses the sky here.” “Of course, darling, I simply had to come by and speak to you. I have an entirely new line of formal dresses in the works, and I simply have to have the help of someone with your perfect mixture of skills to set them off right. If you like I can give you a preview, darling,” said Rarity, with every ounce of sincerity she had, even down to her own eyes sparkling.
Rainbow Dash's suspension in midair ended several minutes later, within the confines of a tall coach. Her angle of attack had been right for her to see the mercs retreating at some speed out of the rear exit, though a couple of the rowdier and drunker earthponies – including the flank-smacking chump, she noticed with a smirk – were given similar treatment. “How did I get myself inta this stupid mess? I mean... I hate small spaces,” and she bucked hard at the back of the coach, causing it to clang loudly and leave both of her hind legs stinging smartly from hooves to stifles. “Uugh! That was a stupid move,” she muttered while turning about to look out at the road in the gathering gloom.
She watched for what felt to her like an eternity, trying hard not to pace the small confines of the coach, her teeth on edge already. “I hate small spaces, don't wanna be in nopony's apple-bucking cage,” she hissed between clenched teeth. She eyed her wings and flexed them, groaning a bit when they could not quite open fully in her surroundings. “Least they're alright. Going to give whomever sees me first the surprise of their lives if they think I am gonna be meek,” she thought, sitting and holding her head. “Going to see if I am as good at bucking faces as Applejack is with apples...” She smirked to herself, and whipped up a little sob and tears.
“It's time. Fluttershy is in danger, and my sense of her is fainter than it was when she was first captured, Spike.” She lifted the small and now faintly glowing breastplate that she had fashioned for her assistant, eyeing the runes that shone on its surface carefully as she did. He held his arms up and she used her magic to buckle it onto him, securely. He shrugged a little and moved his arms side to side somewhat, then gave the front of it a tap with a knuckle. He looked back at Twilight and smiled, giving her a firm nod, one fist bunched up, he smacked it into the other.
“Sounds like it's time, alright. Time we got Fluttershy out of the beartrap.” He vaulted onto Twilight's back and looked out of the window from his seated position. “Are we going to be able to make it there without getting ourselves stuck in the same spot?” She looked back at him, shifting a little, so his greater weight as more evenly distributed over her back. Her horn glowed and she moved towards a wall at a swift trot, and before Spike could comment, they were standing among tall redwoods in the dark.
She listened, and moved her head in a slow arc, horn glowing faintly still. She did this along a number of angled planes, turning quietly in place. After several minutes of this as her assistant sat at ease on her back while looking curious, she turned to him and smiled, giving him a nod. They were undetected.
While Applejack was busying herself with a local family of farmers and kindred spirits called the Vine Family, who had (appropriately enough) a large farm nearby dedicated to the growing of grapes, her gentle yellow-coated friend and companion was trying to avoid the gaze of an increasingly annoyed pair of reptilian eyes. “Ssspeak,” came the sharp voice of the dragon. “Have you lost your voice, timid and cringing Fluttershy? That's much too bad.” There came a sigh and a mock-sad look crossed her face, as she turned away.
“Then here your wings and your old friend will keep you company, under stone and spell until you remember how to talk.” The eyes looked back again, as the dragon neared the boulder, “Or else I forget where the entry stone is.” The eyes turned away from Fluttershy again, the stone was once again moved – and returned, leaving Fluttershy and Drake to sit in the dim light of a firepit, in the center of the cave.
Despite the evening gloom, the dragon's form was clearly visible from the small copse of trees that blocked her ability to see the keen eyes of Twilight Sparkle, peering from near the underbrush. She watched the smoothly confident strides of the dragon, until she passed from sight and hearing. “Going to wait a little longer. I don't know that much about older dragons, but I'm not taking the chance,” she pondered silently. After many minutes had passed, she turned her eyes to the stone. “Watch out for her,” she said silently to Spike, who was sitting next to her, meeting his eyes. The young dragon's own eyes flicked towards the ridge in the direction that the dragon had departed and he nodded, his expression a mixture of consternation and determination.
The magician and scientist of the Impossible Ponies moved forward, treading slowly and putting her weight on the ground as evenly and as stealthily as she could. “Hm. Some kind of charm on this stone. I think this is where Fluttershy was.” She closed her eyes and lit her horn, “Aha, this is the place,” she whispered, and the glow enveloped the stone. “Come on,” she muttered, the glow brightening as she not only pulled but turned the stone. With a soft sound of earth and stone grinding it came loose. She set it gently aside, only to hear an alarmed squawk from behind her, and something purple hurtled past her and into the cave.
From where she was sitting, Fluttershy could see more than her colleague and friend Twilight could. When the boulder's weight shifted, the gentle-natured yellow pegasus' eyes were on the opening of the cave in an instant. “That looks like Twilight's magic,” she whispered. In a moment, the stone had shifted and Fluttershy could see the dark outside – and an all-too familiar pair of red glints in the distance. Before she could warn or do much more than rise to her feet, she saw the eyes dart forwards and heard a sound from outside. “What was tha-ooh!” She had just enough slack in her chains to rise a little into the air, body-blocking Spike from his ballistic trajectory. She looked down towards him. “Breathing looks okay. Ooh! Breastplate. Twilight's magic?” Her thoughts came to an abrupt halt as the now-furious visage and form of the dragon returned.
“Who is this little spy? Some little pet of yours? Ha! Useless,” the dragon hissed, eyes not fully on Fluttershy. Watching from the entrance to the cave, Twilight, who knew the pegasus' moods and abilities far better saw the change in Fluttershy's mood and lowered her horn. With a purple glow from her horn, she snapped the bonds that held the pegasus pony's feet to the ground. Fluttershy lifted her head, this time her teeth bared. The dragon caught the meek yellow pegasus' lightning-fast movement a moment too late. The hoof of the now-airborne pegasus struck the dragon squarely in her side, causing her lurch sideways with a startled and angry yelp-hiss.
“You!” A short, sharp bucking kick to the dragon's chin. “Will!” A lunge for the dragon's forejoints with both back hooves. The dragon hissed and growled, clawing for the yellow pegasus' face, to have her own met by both forehooves. “Not!” The pegasus' knees rose in unison, meeting at the dragon's chin, kicking her upwards and off-balance. “Hurt!” The enraged yellow pegasus darted away as the dragon dropped to the ground again, only to be met by a speedy airborne forehoof. “My!” She lunged past and turned, kicking off from a wall to dive back, catching the dragon in the small of her back to send her flying into the opposite wall, groaning, breathing, but now unconscious, as Fluttershy's litany ended with her on all fours again. “Friends!”
The prison carriage that was being drawn by a pair of strong stallions with golden shield cutie marks finally stopped, before a simple single-story building. Two more strong looking stallions flanked a large gate, which was open. Before them, a white unicorn mare with a much more fancy-looking golden shield on her flanks peered at the approaching carriage, as it was pushed backwards. She turned to the two guards, who moved to face the carriage from both sides. “Sheriff Shield? I hear... crying,” said one of them. The unicorn gave him a nod and lowered her head a little, a white-gold glow around her horn. “Stand ready just the same. I don't expect this to go easy.” She released the latch, then began to open the doors.
Concealed in the gloom of the carriage, the sobs that came from Rainbow Dash did not match the low crouch she held at the back of the carriage. “Awright. Small-town fuzz, probably standard cover positions, left and right of the door,” she thought, eyeing the corners of the carriage where her imagination placed guards. “That leaves the unicorn, probably the head cheese.” The doors were flung open, and she was through them in a lightning-fast spring, tilting and unfurling her wings to use the longest axis of the door. She did a tight barrel roll and managed to catch both of the guards squarely across the jaw and land just long enough to propel herself in a forward somersault, eyes and momentum now both directed towards the now clearly alarmed unicorn, who had not taken her grip from the doors of the carriage.
The streaking rainbow-trail left behind as one of Equestria's most famous fliers kicked a pair of police ponies and launched herself towards the sheriff with the ease of the most talented of acrobats was observed in silence from the roof of the police station. It was a low roof, but there was enough oblique shadow cast by nearby trees and the corner of the roof, that the figure remained unnoticed, so far. “What the,” came the surprised noise from the Sheriff herself, before being tackled solidly by the smirking speedster. She found herself bowled over and smacked firmly into the nearest wall, striking her head and slumping earthwards. The rainbow-topped flyer looked over her, then the other officers, nodding each time.
The figure in the shadows darted to the ground and took off at a run, bellowing “Follow me, quickly!” The sound of galloping hooves drawing closer to the Sheriff's Office left Rainbow Dash with few doubts or options and she sped off after the other. “I know that voice is familiar,” she muttered to herself, as the figure sped into the forest ahead of her. The figure stopped in a clearing, turning to motion at her to do the same, and so she did, with her eyes on him and the surrounding tall old growth trees. There were torches lighting the clearing and now enough light around for her to see the strong features and scarred cheek of Shocker Blaze. She was in a low crouch before she was aware of it, eyes on him.
“Why did it have to be you,” his voice came. His attention on her, but his eyes looking earthwards. “Why of every pony in Equestria, did it just have to be Captain,” he snorted sharply at this,” Rainbow Dash.” She bared her teeth at him and said in a voice with an edge he could practically feel, “Maybe it would have been you! If you hadn't decided to get your flank kicked outa the Wonderbolts and left the back-bucking country, it would have been you.”
He turned to her then and stomped a hoof, snorted and shook his head. “I didn't get into fights with that idiot Soarin' because I wanted to leave the country, you short-sighted dork!” She riled at this, her cheeks starting to blush, but not from embarrassment. They started circling each other in the clearing, awareness of the world outside of them and the firm earth under their feet fading. “I got into fights with that feather-headed fool because of his eating habits. I knew. I really knew that sooner or later, he was going to wind up overweight!”
She looked back at him, locking eyes first, then darting up and towards him. He tumbled under her, and she wheeled around, losing none of her momentum. She was onto him but only for a moment, as he growled, tipping back, he caught one of her hooves and flipped her in her direction of travel. She tumbled forward, recovering as quickly as before, her body crouched low. “I'm not buyin' it, Shocker. You can talk your jaws off about Soarin'. He was still part of your team!” She feinted to her right and leapt left, managing to get merely grazed by a kick, but she bucked sideways and hard.
Shocker took the bucking kick in the midsection and rolled back, coughing, “Why... Why did it have to be you,” he said again, actually half-smiling and shaking his head. “I didn't just argue with Soarin' over his eating. I argued about you.” He gave her a baleful look, angry but also... something else that Dash couldn't read. She shook her head and straightened, eyes on him still. She started to speak again, and one of his hooves thudded the ground, and he began to bellow. "Because they never gave you a second look. You saved Spitfire's flanks, and Soarin's too! More than that. You made them look like a bunch of foals.” Blaze shook his head, snorting in clear disgust, while Dash looked on, incredulous, but her eyes narrowed suspiciously. The scarred veteran continued, his eyes never leaving hers. “But they thought you were too young. So I'm gonna tell you what I told Spitfire the day she kicked my tail out."
He moved closer, wings flapped out fully and raised. “I saw you, all those years ago. Young, underweight, bigger muscles than brains. Saw you shaking in your hooves when you had a real challenge. Saw you take every drop of the fear and the junk that everypony had piled onto your head for years and fly into the air.” He snorted again and began to circle her, his strides slow and deliberate. He turned back to her as she eyed him, raising a hoof for emphasis. “Then you had a friend in danger. I saw you turn your tail to the sky and dive.”
His voice had taken on the cadence she remembered, from when he spoke to young recruits. She tensed, readying herself. “You had so many fears before that day. You took it all. All of the derision and laughter and you blew them clean out of the sky.” He reared and thudded to the earth again, eyes now intense, and there was no mistaking the pain in them. “You might be faster than anyone,” he continued, his voice softer. “You might be slower than a bag of rocks on sniffing out a trap. But that day I knew the only thing I needed to, babe.”
He jabbed a hoof towards her. “I knew you would put everything out of your head to save a life. I knew you'd blow right past anything and anyone in your way, to do what's right.” He turned his back on her, and she saw that the mercenaries had gathered. He spoke once again to her, smiling over his shoulder. “That's the kind of fighter this country always needs.” He faced the nearest of the mercenaries, who still looked scuffed from his earlier fight in the tavern. “Move out – break camp, heading for Station High tonight.” With the fluttering of many wings, she was alone... And flabbergasted.
Once the shock started to wear off, Rainbow Dash stood there for a long time, looking up at the sky. She bounded up and flew off, following the rough direction she had seen the others taking. “Roadapples! I let them get away,” she muttered to herself through clenched teeth. She opted to head in another direction, seeking a little solitude and shelter.
“So, it's settled then,” said Rarity with a smile. “Tomorrow afternoon, your fashion show begins, and my whole new line gets the finest treatment on the coast! Marvelous darling, simply marvelous.” She shared a laugh with Prestigia and Pinkie too, the latter with her face buried in a bowl of chocolate caramel popcorn. “Oh my! The hour has grown very late indeed,” her concerned eyes turning towards the ornate and ticking clock.
“Think nothing of it,” came the refined tones of her hostess. “Guest rooms have been prepared.” She turned her head and the refined-looking stallion that had first greeted Rarity and Pinkie at the main gate gave a respectful nod. He moved to the door and opened it, gesturing with a raised hoof and a bow. “Take them to Room Three, and see that they are undisturbed, until they call for breakfast.” Prestigia looked back to Rarity, “I know well the need for beauty sleep, of course. Would you and your companion care to make use of the family spa?
“Oh darling, we could never impose,” the talented designer began, but her hostess had her hoof raised. Rarity chuckled and nodded, “Oh if you insist then, Ms. Digita, then I would be delighted!” She yawned, and not without sincerity. “Oohh. Excuse me, Prestigia,” she began, but her hostess merely laughed and rose, giving her a curtsy. She rose as well and smiled, “Tomorrow morning then, once all of our rituals are finished, of course.” Her hostess feigned a dramatic sigh and laughed, sweeping from the room without further comment. Pinkie was busy lapping all of the chocolate and caramel from her face, but she managed to give Rarity a nod and a serious look, before heading out herself, bounding and laughing.
The pair were led through a labyrinth of halls and to a large stateroom. Manehattan's most famous fashionable pony walked in and looked at the scrollwork and the gold leaf that adorned the bed and ceiling alike. “This is a stateroom? My room at Canterlot wasn't anywhere near this fancy.” She looked at a portrait on the wall that faced the door. “ This looks like it was brush-painted about three hundred years ago, judging from the fashion of the time. Obviously, the Digita family has not left their history behind.” She sat on the massive four-posted bed and waited for the light knock that inevitably came at the door. She smiled and began to relax, preparing for bed.
Pinkie's little signal tap was part of the fun she had planned for the night. “Ooooo,” she had thought, watching the poise and the way the servants moved. “They're all kinda stiff-lookin'. Except that one with the dark mane. He keeps his eyes on eeeeverypony,” she had thought, while she buried her face in the delicious popcorn. “Better wait until he's not around tonight.” She had spent a lot of time bouncing around her room – which was loads of fun! It was also how she worked out her movements for the evening.
She bounced three more times, before making very loud yawns, “Pinkie sense told me that one of the staff was walking by right then,” she considered, while blowing out the host of candles lighting her room. From her place on the bed, she spied “a snoopy snooping snoopy snoop” hovering at the door, likely with an ear to hear the long, slightly giggly snores. “Ooh! Soft,” she thought as she had slipped her hooves into the slippers provided with the room. She moved over to the door and pressed her head against it, “Nope, nopony coming, nopony watching.” She had opened her door and closed it again very gently, using her fluffy tail to pad it. She moved past Rarity's suite and brushed the edge of a slipper against the doorjamb, “Now she sleepie-sleeps,” she thought, heading for her first stop.
Pinkie padded softly down the corridor, moving with an easy stealth that would have surprised those that knew her only from her parties in Ponyville. “Nope, nopony around this hallway,” she thought, looking here and there. She headed away from the guest suites, exploring the immense castle. She managed to avoid the gaze of a passing servant once, slipping behind a decorative curtain. Another was distracted by a slightly off-center painting on a wall as she soundlessly padded past, hiding in the servant's own shadow momentarily.
She reached an impressively large and ornate door, flanked by the bronzes of a pair of rearing pegusi. “Oooh. Pinkie sense says they're watchy-watchers, always watching. She peered at them from around a nearby corner. “Easy to remember, being so shiney and muscley and armor-ey,” she thought, taking a side corridor. She felt the twitches that told her that the room beyond was watched from within, as well as without. It took her some time spent peeking around corners and disappearing under tables and furniture, but she did find an unlocked room with a window on the same wall as the watched room. It was full of cloth and bottles and mops, but the a distinctive lozenge-shaped window was without a lock, being much too small for anything larger than a sparrow to fit through it. She looked up at it for a long while, committing it to memory before returning to her room.
Twilight Sparkle, Spike and Fluttershy sat together in the cavern, and looked at Drake Forester. Drake had been completely silent since the display of skill he had seen from Fluttershy. He refused to meet their eyes, even while Twilight used her magic to replace the large stone and her kind companion checked the physical status of the dragon, with a small smile.
Spike said nothing, simply sitting and staring at the captured pony with his arms folded. Fluttershy turned to Twilight, while examining the unconscious dragon. “She's not seriously hurt, Twilight, but she will be sore for a while. Ohh, and I used a restraint on her for now. I really don't like using them on anyone or any animals, but she should be safe while we're here.”
“I don't expect us to be here more than we need to, Fluttershy,” her companion answered contemplatively, “but the first thing I need to hear – is what your complete story is, Drake.” She gave the silent pony a nudge to his shoulder. He raised his head and gave Fluttershy a look, one Twilight herself interpreted as something between fear and resentment, though it lasted only a moment. She shook her head and gave the stone a lift and nodded towards it. Fluttershy smiled and nodded, and walked out. Twilight strode to the far side of the small fire and sat.
“I left the Preserve with the idea that I could tame a dragon, especially a younger one,” he began as soon as the stone was in its place again. “I wound up being tamed myself and being used as a stooge for Marengehast's schemes.” Before Twilight's mouth could open, he looked towards the still-unconscious dragon and shook his head. “Her latest was too much, even for my ambitions. I didn't want a war. She made contact with some old noble family that wanted to disrupt the peaceful nature of Equestria,” he continued, eyes on the fire before him. He snorted. “Turns out this noblewoman had some leverage, or so Marengehast told me. I didn't want anything more to do with it.” He raised his forehooves, chains clinking. “And here I am.”
“Well, you're involved, but only the proof of what you're telling me will actually tell me just how much of this is true or not,” Twilight said, her hoof rubbing her chin. She exchanged a brief look with her young assistant, who looked back and simply nodded, his eyes still serious. She eyed a pair of small pebbles and smiled, “You'll be treated fairly under the law, Drake. I'm not interested in going around it.” She raised the two pebbles into the air, and opened her senses beyond the cave, as much as she could. “Feels very dim out there. There's definitely something in here shielding it from detection or scrying.” A familiar presence was suddenly present outside. “I think I know just how to get that proof, from the castle.”
After spending some time flying around at speed high over the castle, Rainbow Dash spotted her nearly lifelong friend walking from a cave. She swooped in low from the trees and came up to her, not able to suppress a smile at seeing the yellow pegasus again. “What's going on, Fluttershy,” she asked, eyeing the large boulder, coming close enough to give it a tap. She nearly asked the obvious question, but stopped, seeing that her friend was obviously unhurt, chuckled softly. “Caught yourselves a dragon? Good one.”
It was another few minutes before the stone was moved and raised into the air, as if it weighed little more than a single appleseed and was set back down again by a concentrating purple unicorn. She smiled at seeing her friends and spoke. “Here's what we'll do. Rainbow, take these two pebbles. Give the blue one to Pinkie who should be...” She trailed off, closing her eyes and her horn glowed a little brighter. She smiled, giving a laugh, “In the castle, tomorrow morning, you'll need to get inside the room that's near the diamond-shaped window that smells like wine. When you've given her the stone, head outside. Then break Pinkie's window and duck into her room. The window is a large one with golden roses all over it, third story.” She opened her eyes again and nodded.
“Pinkie's still carrying a brooch I gave her,” she said, when her friends began staring at her, as if she was speaking in the wrong language. “It means that she can actually store simple messages for me, with the spell much less likely to be spotted by anypony else.” She looked a bit more serious than before. “Now, what you need to do is enter the room with the golden pegasi on either side of it – but you'll need to wait for the alarm – you should have enough time to get in and find what we're looking for.” Rainbow Dash gave a crisp salute and was off without another word.
“Fluttershy, I want you to see if you can get anything more from Drake or Marengehast. I doubt you will, but keep them comfortable and safe here, in case Prestigia decides to move against them. The gentle pegasus nodded, and Twilight raised the stone again for her and secured it, following inside to get some rest. She made her horn glow and thought about one of Rarity's jewels, one she herself had chosen to resemble her cutie mark, “Rarity, there's going to be an alarm tomorrow morning. Keep Prestigia busy.” She hoped that the little charm would work without Rarity being endangered.
The team's evening preparations were complete, and much-needed rest preceded the morning. Applejack was the first to rise with the sun, taking a cart of fresh grapes up to the castle, apparently for “Some fancy shindig,” according to the Vine family. She enjoyed hauling the large load and looking at the landscape as she moved resolutely past. “I'm probably gonna be the one that's helpin' with thuh exit,” she thought silently, “That's the setup. If it's gonna change,” she thought, kicking a rock from her path, “I'll hear about it.”
It was not long until her ever-present hat gave a soft glow and spoke softly into one of her ears. “Eyup, thought she'd do somethin' like that.” She picked up the pace some, following the instructions that Twilight had given her. It wasn't very long before she found herself being waved towards the service entrance of Xenophinia's central grounds. “Lots of grapes here, going to take a while t'get them all unloaded,” she thought, lending her strong back and hooves to moving the crates to one side of the loading dock. "This is the spot Ah'm gonna be working from for this little square-dance."
Rarity and Pinkie Pie rose not much later than the sunrise. Rarity's routine began as it usually did, with a little light run around the castle's courtyard, then a long soak and mudmask. Her bouncy pink friend actually did very bouncy and noisy aerobics, which began in her bedroom and proceeded into one of the gardens. She was bouncing and jogging along, when her Pinkie Sense made her aware of a blue pebble tumbling towards her. It missed her and she gathered the softly glowing pebble up in a twirl, catching a look from her rainbow-maned friend, hidden behind a hedge that was heavily covered in ivy. She dropped it neatly into a pocket and headed her own seemingly bouncing and random way back to her room, sniffing flowers and singing a song about walking on sunshine, which startled several gardeners and later, when she continued the song in her own bouncy way, several of the cleaning-staff.
Once Rarity's cleaning and brushing rituals were finally completed, she made her way to her room. “Oh I really have to smile, Prestigia's manedressers and staff are quite good. My mane simply sparkles this morning,” she said happily, catching sight of herself in a full-length mirror. In an instant, she was in a familiar whirlwind of cloth and ribbon and jewels. Her supplies had been brought with her, of course, “I never do my work halfway,” she said with a smile, as an extravagant evening gown began to take shape, the light blue corona of Rarity's magic flickering over it.
She worked diligently and applied her own long-practiced skills, with bejeweled glasses perched neatly on her snout. She was the very vision of the artist hard at work. There was a tap at her door, and a stallion's voice came, “Madam Rarity, the Lady Digita requests your presence, as well as your proposed clothing project.” She gave the door a smile, “Oh, but of course!” She gathered her creation and supplies, and was met by a pair of very deferential unicorns, who turned to give her room to move, and carried both her extra supplies as well as kept her own dress from dragging on the floor behind her.
She was led to a large highly polished hardwood room with a high ceiling. The room's walls were covered in countless works of art in ink, pencil and fine oil. “They're all of her. The poses are different, the coiffures and clothes are not always the same, but it's a room full of her,” thought Rarity, suppressing a shudder. She looked towards a dais that took up one side of the room, “That background, it looks like the best quality silk I've ever seen. Ooh, hard to look at, so radiant white.” It was then that Prestigia entered from a door on the opposite side of the room and smiled, standing on the dais. Manehattan's most famous clothier smiled up at her, raised her chin, lit her horn and began to work.
Pinkie Pie was greeted by a shadow at her window, during her laughs and aerobic dances. She kept up her loud song, bouncing around the room as the window was opened. She exchanged a look with Rainbow Dash, who was outside of it. She danced away from the window and towards the door, and at that moment, her chromatic colleague crashed through the window, and they both tapped the glowing pebbles. Pinkie, now looking exactly like the flying intruder, barreled through the door and down the hall, tipping over artworks, flowers and whatever else got in her way. Rainbow, now looking like Pinkie came out of her room, “Ohshecamethroughmywindowboomcrashandshewentpastmeandflewdownthehallzooooom!” She gestured towards the path of destruction, and the servants headed the opposite way, shouting for guards.
Wearing Dash's guise and gaining some of her attributes, Pinkie flew full speed down the corridor, ricocheting off off walls and archways, until she saw her real goal. She rocketed towards the two bronze pegasus sentries and with a quick tumble, they were on their sides, one of them shattering from the force of the blow. Her real task completed, she turned a corner to find one of the castle's staff coming the other way. She took her small glowing blue pebble and hurled it at the poor pony at full strength – not injuring him, but shattering the stone and causing his form to blur and take Rainbow Dash's, while she herself shouted for the guards, tackling her quarry without pausing.
The real Rainbow Dash made her way to the room that Pinkie had been in much earlier – the scent of wine and dust was unmistakable. “Here they come,” she whispered, listening at the door as the clattering gallop of guards came quickly up the hall and faded to her right. Even through the door, she could hear the shouting, “Hey, it sounds like they caught me. Trouble is, they didn't catch the right me.” It was a few minutes of shouting and the sound of dragging hooves and denial before there was quiet again.
She tapped the small stone again and headed from her hiding place. “Gotta be quiet,” she mused, keeping a sharp eye out for servants and guards alike. “Way to go, Pinkie Pie,” she whispered, seeing that the two pegasi were tipped sharply over, one shattered, and the other seemed to have broken through the door's lock. She tapped her pebble and resumed her normal appearance, going through the door in a leap, landing, somersaulting and looking back, she closed the door to the way it had originally been. “Where would she keep that kinda stuff,” she wondered, before her eyes came across a gaudy starburst and moon cast of bronze on a wall beside the desk. “Heh, not subtle,” she considered with a smirk, gingerly tipping the artwork aside. A soft crunch near the door was the only warning she had, before a face looked inside.
She was on the wall behind the open door in a flash. “She's not going to like this. The whole set of security enchantments are going to need to be rebuilt along with the statues and the door too,” came a masculine voice. “Well, we'd better get started by cleaning the mess up out here,” another, lower voice replied. “I'm not doing someone else's job, Brick,” came the reply, sounding clearly annoyed. “What we better do, is wake Maintenance up, he's the one in charge of this.” The second voice sighed, “Yeah. Alright, not getting him angry at me again. Come on.” The hoofsteps faded away and Dash let out the breath she had not been aware of holding.
She looked under the piece of artwork on the wall and surely enough, there was a large folder and a book. She opened the book and read, thinking for a moment back to the first book she remembered reading, though this was quite different. “Numbers, lots of them, looks like a ledger.” She eyed the folder and nosed it open, her ears still back on the doorway. “Looks like pictures, names... Prince Blueblood? This is it then.” She smirked and used her teeth to push them both back into her jacket, sliding the wall sculpture back to where it had been, careful to not let it scrape. She made her way back to the odd-smelling little room, to wait.
In the small cave, having slept in shifts, the gentle yellow pegasus, purple unicorn and her young assistant waited, sometimes asking questions of the now-conscious dragon and earthpony. “We wanted an empire. This chaotic republic is nothing without the Princesses,” insisted the dragon, hissing the words out. “We made contact with Prestigia, who was less than thrilled herself at the prospect of her family's power being lessened.” Drake turned to look at the dragon, “An empire can't be run by force, not an empire of ponies,” he shook his head. “And I was an idiot for thinking that my country was weak.”
Spike gave him a severe look, but turned back to Twilight. “Is it time yet?” She lowered her head and nodded, lifting the stone from the doorway, while her pegasus companion gave another close look at the dragon's scales and nodded to her. “It's time.” She drew close and her horn glowed brightly. In a moment, they were alongside the road that led towards the main castle.
Rarity was just fitting Prestigia with her newest creation when a guard burst through the door. “Lady Digita! There's been an intrusion in the guest quarters!.” She responded with a lurch and (with the subtle help of a small pair of scissors) the elaborate robe tore quickly, spilling gemstones and cloth everywhere, while Rarity shrieked with feeling. “My wonderful creation! Oh you fool, you fatheaded idiot,” she bellowed at the guard.
He did as near an impression of a turtle as could be managed, blushing fiercely. “It's simply ruined! I cannot work with this. And... Oh no. Where is Pinkie Pie? Did your bunglers allow her to be harmed as well, Lady Digita?” She flashed the shocked model a frown and rose, doffing her glasses. “I had thought your staff much more professional than this,” she growled and raised her head, stomping from the room. Prestigia clapped her hoof to her face, and the guard had long vanished by the time she looked up again.
Rarity headed for her rooms, looking very weepy and angry, muttering words like “expense” and “unprofessional,” as she made a beeline for the wreckage of the guest floor. Pinkie was there, looking out of the broken window and they embraced upon seeing each other. “It's time to go,” she muttered, and the tall head of staff nodded from the doorway, “Lady Digita offers her most profuse apologies, Madam Rarity. I will send for your coach immediately.” Rarity flashed him an appreciative smile, and she and Pinkie gathered their belongings in peace, departing in gruff haste.
As soon as they had trotted out of range, Rainbow Dash emerged from her hiding place, heading for the still-broken window. She could already hear the voices of the two stallions that had been there before, joined by a third, while they chattered and complained about damage and enchantments and so on. She leapt through it and sailed straight down, heading for the hedges below. She trotted quietly through the gardens she had seen repeatedly from above and made her way to the castle's kitchens and service entrance.
Applejack was still working at the loading dock and was cheerfully shoving boxes of fresh, delicious-smelling sweet grapes into a neat stack. “Whew! Them's a lot of grapes – bet Granny Smith could whip up some mighty good jam with these,” she said with a laugh, which was echoed by a few of the other earthponies who were busily moving other supplies both onto the dock and into the castle itself. A soft tap off to her right drew her gaze to a stack of empty crates, one of which seemed to be larger than the others. “These the empties?” she asked and one of the castle's staff, who was clad in a white smock. The pony simply smiled and nodded in reply.
“Ah'll just take 'em back to the farm,” she said with a smile, hefting the first few onto her cart. “Would you? It would save us an extra trip,” said another pony with a wagon-wheel on his flank. “Why sure. Gotta take their cart back anyhow.” She hefted the crates back with only a little bucking, the heaviest of them well-concealed amongst its neighbors on the cart, as a magenta pair of eyes and a smirk watched from inside.
Applejack took the now-lighter cart's harness and headed back towards the town. Twilight, Spike and Fluttershy were there alongside the road with another dragon and a dejected-looking earthpony. “The authorities will be here presently, so you won't have a long wait,” said the purple unicorn, before getting into the cart, lifting her assistant in a purple nimbus. “Just be sure that she doesn't try to fly for a few days, or she'll be hurt, Drake,” explained the kindly pegasus, giving the tousled earthpony a slight smile. They departed, passing the police cart speeding in the opposite direction. The glow of unicorn magic made the grape cart look as if it were carrying nothing more than crates, despite the fact that it carried Impossible Ponies, and the means to end a conspiracy along with it.
Dedicated to the memory of Peter Graves and Greg Morris - the Secretary shall never disavow.
Mission: Impossible was created by Bruce Geller and is the property of CBS Television Studios (Formerly Paramount).
The Mission: Impossible theme song was composed by Lalo Schifrin.
Special thanks to Lauren Faust and the entire Friendship is Magic crew at Hasbro - May Your Stars Forever Shine.
