Forsaken

Chapters

Outcast
"Hello Clarice"
To prove one's innocence
The great escape
He who lives by the sword
The questioner
Without a trace
Dead end
Smile
The long awaited reunion
The day of the Summer Sun Celebration Part I
The day of the Summer Sun Celebration Part II
The day of the Summer Sun Celebration Part III
A change of strategy
Capture
Ius means Justice
The betrayal Part I
The betrayal Part II
The betrayal Part III
A death in the family
The vilest of games
Author notes: Forsaken 2.0
Inquiry
Chance at a meeting
Author notes: additions and changes
Hunted

Outcast

Several hours earlier

Darkness fell like a mantle as Spike trudged through the forest picking up firewood. It had been a long day and he felt tired and hungry, but it would soon be night and predators would come out of their lairs hunting for food. He was sure they'd given Commander Storm Chaser the slip, but they'd been running all day and the Everfree Forest was no place to go strutting around at night.

"Awoooohh!" a long deep howl disrupted the tranquility of the night. 'Perhaps a timber wolf?' he thought to himself nervously. 'After all, they are very territorial creatures and Celestia knows they wouldn't be too happy after a hundred ponies went galloping through their hunting grounds in a single day'. He hastened his pace as he approached their hiding place under the gnarled roots of a Giant Sequoia tree. The roots of the old, gargantuan specimen had long depleted the nutrients on the soil's surface and eroded the ground underneath it as they grew deeper and deeper into the earth in search for sustenance. This had created a somewhat spacious refuge between its roots; a dark, stuffy, and moist refuge but a refuge nonetheless.

"Twilight? You awake yet?" whispered Spike as he crawled beneath the tree. A small plum figure lay there motionless, breathing slowly, without any sign of response. "Guess not," he said to himself as he set a few dry branches he'd collected in front of him. 'Can't blame her. She's been running since daybreak, and she's used a fair amount of magic teleporting around the forest to throw off the guards while I've done nothing but ride on her back yelling instructions at her' he thought to himself guiltily. Teleportation magic was one of the most unpredictable and difficult kinds of magic, a kind of magic even Twilight struggled with, and under these stressful conditions the continued use of this spell had strained and pushed her to exhaustion. It was one thing to cast the spell under pressure, and an entirely different story to cast it with the whole Imperial Guard chasing you, their muzzles filled with death threats, while running through one of Equestria's most dangerous landmarks. Soon after she cast the spell for the third time she had collapsed in the murky ground. Be it fate or a lucky coincidence, she had chosen one of the most convenient places to crash as Spike noticed the hiding space between the roots of a nearby tree just a few feet away. He hauled her with some difficulty through the moist ground and managed to shove her beneath the tree where he laid her carefully. Certain that the guards had long lost their tracks, he'd set out in search of woodfire: they'd need it if they were to survive the cold and ward off predators.

"Rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr," grumbled Spike's stomach in protest. "Right, I haven't had a bite all day long," he reminded himself. After all they'd been on the run ever since they'd gotten wind that Canterlot's D.A. was prosecuting them for property damage, grave injuries, and conspiracy to commit regicide. And though he knew they were innocent, the overwhelming evidence that had popped out of nowhere, and the public's reaction as well as that of their friends clearly spelled that they'd get nothing like a fair trial. 'Their friends' he thought painfully. 'How could they believe that this whole thing was their doing? Hadn't they known each other for almost a year? Spent so much of their time in each other's company? Faced so many trials and adventures? Well, it's true that all the evidence pointed to them and then there was Twilight's sudden change in behavior after the Princess came to visit them about a month ago. But it was all justified, who wouldn't freak out after being trusted with such important information? And yet they'd both promised the Princess that they wouldn't breathe a word of this to anypony. Despite all that isn't one supposed to trust and have faith in their friends? No matter how you thought about it, the justifications he might find, to think that their closest and dearest friends thought them anarchists and murderers was a complete shock'.

He shook these thoughts away as he arranged the branches he'd collected. They'd figure out a way to cope with it later, for now he had to focus on making it through the night. "Nhahhh" inhaled Spike as he drew the stuffy air around him into his lungs, his head drawn back and his chest pumped. "Fooooh" he exhaled releasing a jet of green flames onto the firewood he'd gathered.

"Mmmmf," groaned Twilight who had begun stirring, slowly awakening from her deep slumber.

"Twi? Are you okay?" asked the dragon gently as he lowered his head to take a look at her.

"Where are we...?" she asked in a feeble voice as she looked around the hole Spike had dragged them into.

"I found this place underneath an old tree," he replied casually. "I know it's not much but it was the only place I could find after you fainted. The entrance is somewhat narrow so anything bigger than a pony will have trouble getting in here," he added as he pointed toward the space above them, between the roots.

"What happened to me?" she inquired as she rubbed her head. "Where did the guards go?"

"You overused your magic and collapsed right afterward," he explained. "You haven't had anything to eat all day long and you've been galloping for hours. Your body probably reached its limit after the third teleport. But don't worry, we've put a lot of distance between us and those guys. They don't have any hoofprints to track you with since we've been teleporting around, and even if they did it's way too dark know to find any tracks," he finished in a lighter tone.

"Well, what about this fire?" she asked concernedly. "Couldn't they spot it? And isn't it, oh I don't know, a little bit dangerous to light a fire right underneath a tree?" she prodded with a mixture of irritation and concern.

"Relax Twilight, I'm keeping the fire small so that we won't be spotted from a distance, and don't worry there's plenty of space in here so that it can't reach the roots. And besides, it's pretty cold out there right now, we need something to keep us warm," replied Spike as he rubbed his hands in front of the fire.

"I know, I'm sorry," sighed Twilight as she gazed down. "It's just that I'm sick with worry after all that's happened today. I don't know what we're going to from now on," she added as she paced around.

"We could stay here for a while, you know? Live of the forest, until this whole thing blows over," suggested Spike.

"Spike, be serious for a minute!" retorted Twilight as she stomped her hoof on the ground. "We're wanted criminals! There's a few dozens of injured ponies out there! The whole army is chasing after us! AND they're probably putting up wanted posters with our pictures all over the country as we speak!" she said emphasizing the direness of their situation.

Spike kept his silence hoping to avoid any nuance that could remind her of their friends or the princess. He wasn't sure how Twilight would take it once she had to come to terms with reality. He knew he was only delaying the inevitable but he just didn't have it in him to talk about it, nor did he want to see his life-long partner suffer. Twilight was more than just a friend to him, she was a sister, a mentor, a pony he loved and admired. To think that other ponies would brand her a criminal was more than he could bear.

"It would be pointless to keep hiding in the forest. With the Imperial Guard after us, somepony is bound to find us eventually, and it doesn't exactly help our case that we ran away," she murmured as she looked outside their refuge.

"But we had no choice! You heard the guards! They all think we did it, and there's too much evidence against us! Besides where else can we hide? You said so yourself, everypony all over Equestria is looking for us," replied Spike with a definite tone of disappointment in his voice.

"Maybe, but whoever set us up is still out there. And every minute that passes us by is another minute that crook can use to erase his tracks and produce more false evidence," she pointed out.

"Not to mention he could try to kill the Prin-" he started before he realized what he'd just said. Now he'd done it, he had tried to be careful and avoid the topic of the Princess and their friends to spare her more worry. Somehow it just slipped his mind while trying to make sense of things, and sure enough Twilight's expression was slowly changing from puzzled to miserable as tears began swelling up in her eyes.

"P-princess Celestia" she stammered as tears rolled down her cheeks. "Oh how could they do this to her? Why would they even consider hurting her?" she wailed as she covered her eyes with her right hoof.

"Don't worry Twilight, I'm sure she's okay. I'm sure she'll pull through," Spike reassured her, though not entirely convinced himself.

"She's always been so kind and gentle, why would anypony wish her harm? You wouldn't meet anypony as friendly as her, except maybe Pink-" she choked as she began to take in everything that had happened since they had returned to Ponyville two days ago. How the newspaper had pointed her out as the prime suspect, how the police had arrived in Town interrogating everypony, how her friends had sided with her, how they'd reassured her that they would stand with her no matter what, how they'd guaranteed nothing was gonna happen to her, how they'd overheard the officers discussing the evidence they'd gathered, how their faces changed after that conversation, how they started slowly drifting away when their time came to be interrogated, how they started looking at her with fear and distrust, how they looked at her when the news of a large amount of explosive material found in one of the royal suites reached them, how they deserted her as she ran for cover when the Imperial Guard arrived in Ponyville.

"How could they believe I'd be capable of such a thing," she sniveled. "I thought friends stuck with you no matter what," she wept her face now contorted with sadness as her tears grew into wide streams pouring from her eyes.

"There, there Twilight," Spike consoled her. "I'm here for you, we're in this together," he added as he sat down next to her and rested his head on her shoulder.

"T-thank y-you," she sobbed in a barely audible whisper as she laid her head on his, wondering what her friends were doing now, and what they thought of her.

"Hello Clarice"

*Clip, clop, clip, clop* two ponies made their way across a long white corridor, their hoofsteps the only thing disrupting the eerie silence that filled the place. They hadn't spoken for a while and one of them was starting to feel a little bit uncomfortable. He quickly glanced at the cerulean pony leading him somewhat nonplused, hoping to find some answers in that quiet, reverent demeanor that he'd adopted ever since they'd stepped inside that place. Apparently he'd noticed the uneasiness that he was starting to exhibit for it was him that broke the silence.

"Something bothering you?" he asked in a low deep voice without so much as a backwards glance.

It was a simple question but one that sparked many answers, or rather concerns, inside his head. He tried to organize his thoughts in order to produce what he hoped to be a reasonable demand, but even after ransacking his brain he couldn't find any better way to respond.

"What's all this about?" he finally spoke hoping not to sound stupid or uninformed. As a soldier, private Top Brass was a committed pony: he always went above and beyond what his superiors asked of him and wanted to be as highly informed about his mission as he possibly could. He was fresh out of military school back in Canterlot, having been hoof-picked for this assignment after all that intensive psychological training he'd undergone under the tutelage of none other than Commander Storm Chaser. He wasn't very experienced but he more than made up for it with his eagerness and thirst to prove himself. He was a pony with big dreams, hoping to one day succeed his mentor as the commander of the Imperial Guard. And yet after all that emotional training he'd undergone, he couldn't help but feel uneasy about this particular mission. After all, why was it the job of an Imperial Guard, an elite soldier, to be made stand guard in Canterlot's psychiatric ward?

"Your job is to watch over patient #42 and make sure she's isolated at all times. Normally we'd place some orderlies outside her room but she's a highly unusual pony, and the D.A. fears she might escape," explained the orderly as he began digging into the pockets of his milky white shirt..

"So does that mean she was involved in the terrorist attack on the Princess?" asked Top Brass with a bewildered look.

"Could be but we aren't sure yet. There's no evidence to indicate that," replied the orderly as he pulled out an ID card with a collar made of little metal beads and slipped it over his head.

"What do you mean? I thought suspects were usually held in the cells back at the Police department until interrogation? Why waste time and resources investigating somepony when there's no physical evidence linking her to the crime? And for that matter why bring her here of all places?" he insisted even more puzzled.

"Apparently she was seen dragging a long range, projectile device the day of the Summer Sun Celebration. The Police found the contraption when they raided her house in her hometown and, after having determined it had been fired recently, they took her in for questioning," answered the orderly matter-of-factly.

"I thought the explosion was caused by a bomb hidden underneath the altar...?" continued Top Brass in a doubtful tone.

"It seems that way but apparently the D.A. doesn't want to take chances. He wants to know if the device could have been involved in some sort of back up plan in case the assassination failed," he explained as they reached the end of the corridor where an old gray-colored pony wearing a beige uniform sat in a desk guarding a thick metal door. He hadn't noticed either of them approach him despite the loud conversation they'd been having, maybe he was just used to the noise down there or too transfixed in the sports magazine he'd been reading to pay attention to the world around him.

"Good night," said the orderly as he approached the desk.

"Hnnn," replied the pony unconcernedly without lifting his eyes from the magazine.

"We're here to check up on one of the patients in ward S," explained the orderly, with an annoyed expression.

"Mmmm," responded the disinterested pony as he turned the page.

"This pony will be staying here, on instructions of the D.A. to guard patient #42," he stated as he gestured toward Top Brass.

The pony's reaction to these words were curious to say the least: as soon as he heard mention of patient 42, he fell backwards from his chair and hit his head on the wall behind him.

"You okay?" asked Top Brass stupidly, as if falling and hitting your head on concrete walls was an Equestrian tradition ponies regularly engaged in.

"Ouch," groaned the gray pony as he massaged the back of his head, slowly opening his eyes.

"We need you to open the door, if you please," insisted the orderly with a tone of utmost indifference towards him.

The custodian looked up at him and then his eyes darted towards Top Brass as he examined him with an inquisitive look, as if he were appraising him. "New guy eh? Did you bother to fill him in on the gory details?" he asked the orderly as his eyes narrowed maliciously.

"Gory details?" gulped Top Brass as he swallowed hard, now feeling nervous and less secure.

"Just ignore him," replied the orderly impatiently as he picked up the custodian's card from the desk and swiped it in the electronic lock right next to the door.

"What gory details?" persisted Top Brass as he addressed the custodian who was now recovering from his earlier mishap.

"You mean they didn't tell you anything about the patient? You didn't ask your superiors why she was in here of all places? Ever wondered what happened to the four other guys that came in before you?" cackled the custodian in amusement.

"Well I've heard some comments about her err... uniqueness," he replied trying to appear informed.

"Oh you haven't heard anything son," the ancient pony assured him, his eyes widening to give him a mysterious look.

"Doors open, let's go," interrupted the orderly who'd just finished inputting the code on the lock. Top Brass followed him through the door as he cast one final glance at the old pony smiling toothessly at him.

"Uhm," started Top Brass as they made their way down a corridor filled with cushion-lined doors.

"What is it?" asked the orderly, now somewhat uneasy.

"You never answered when I asked you why she was here instead of the Police Station," Top Brass reminded him with a nervous look.

"Listen, you're a well trained pony. You know the procedure before they interrogate suspects down at the station?" whispered the orderly slowing his pace, as he nervously looked around for any eavesdroppers.

"Well, they isolate them from other potential suspects and err... observe them to see if they fit one of the given psychological profiles of a criminal, right?" Top Brass responded, wondering what this all had to do with his question.

"Right, and it's usually a skilled detective, and in some cases a psychiatrist, that examines and observes if there are any... anomalies on the subject," indicated the orderly.

Top Brass' eyes widened in comprehension. "You mean the psychiatrists who examined her deemed she was insane?" he asked with bewilderment.

"No. Their diagnosis bore no results. It was undetermined," he finished significantly with an enigmatic look.

"Undetermined? But what does that even mean??" insisted the soldier more puzzled than ever as they reached a spiral staircase that led down to the basement.

"I'm not sure but she's definitely strange: so far all the guards that have been sent to watch her have cracked," responded the orderly as they began their long descent into darkness.

"Cracked?" croaked Top Brass, his throat now unusually dry.

"Cracked, stumped, befuddled, confounded.... She drove every single one of them to insanity. One of them nearly ripped his ears off in a effort to shut out her voice. We found him the next morning, huddled in a corner, mumbling to himself, begging for his mommy," sentenced the orderly with a grave look.

Fear suddenly gripped the young soldier as he started wondering what his fate would be. They were now traveling down a stone passageway that looked absolutely decrepit. Several empty cells with iron bars stood on either side of the walls, the cold stony floor covered with grime and dust. Water was slowly leaking down one of the moss-covered walls where a puddle had formed beneath it. Shackles adorned the walls in most cells, partially obscured by darkness as torches timidly lit the grim dungeon-like facility. Top Brass wondered what had transpired here in the past and what sort of criminals had been held in this old prison. 'What deep dark secrets did this place hold? What was the former purpose of the decadent jail? And what grim stories, obscured by legend and folklore, had this underground labyrinth suffocated within its stuffy walls, never to see the light of Equestria's sun again?'

"Don't worry. You'll be fine as long as you stick to your instructions" the orderly interrupted him before his imagination could wander off too far. "Just don't answer her questions, don't talk to her, don't listen to her, don't even look at her, and for Celestia's sake, whatever you do, don't accept any requests she makes or agree to any promises, understood?" he concluded placing emphasis on that last sentence, as they reached an iron door with bars on the window.

Inside, drowned in shadow, stood silhouette wearing a restraining jacket. The dark figure had been strapped to a mechanic bed that had been propped vertically against the wall, her deep rattling breath escaping through the tiny bars of the muzzle that been placed on her, as she snored peacefully.

"Good, she's asleep. Looks like you won't have too much trouble," assured the orderly in relief as he fit a huge old-fashioned key in the padlock that secured the door and unlocked it.

*creak* protested the metal hinges barely holding the rusty old door as the ponies stepped inside the room. Patient 42 suddenly began stirring and both ponies held their breath with caution as sweat drops slowly etched their way down their foreheads.

"Mmmmff," the filly gave a dissatisfied moan and continued sleeping. The orderly wiped the sweat off his brow and gestured the guard to stand next to her. Reluctantly, Top Brass approached the patient and stood at her side, his heart beating violently like a trapped animal, desperately trying to break free from its cage. With one final encouraging look, the orderly stepped outside the room and closed the door behind him.

"I'll be back at dinnertime to bring you some food," he whispered as he stepped away, his hoofsteps slowly fading into the distance as the soldier stood there alone, with nothing to keep him company but that thing.

Not a minute had passed since he'd entered the room when every last hair on his body suddenly seized up, standing on end. For a second he thought he'd been showered by icy water as he stood there like a statue, incapable of movement. He felt the gaze on his back, examining him, surveying his every movement. He desperately wished himself invisible but knew it was hopeless, for the creature was aware of his presence and had begun stirring once more in its place. His limbs heavy like concrete, he slowly turned around fully aware of the mistake he was making yet unable to resist the call of death. It was unreal, it was a nightmare, it was the closest he'd ever felt to pony hell as that gaze pierced him like a thousand daggers, those electric-blue eyes staring into his soul, descending into his subconscious, penetrating the deepest layers of his mind to feast on his darkest fears. He felt insignificant, a mere cog in a huge contraption, a drop of water in the vast ocean as he came to a sudden realization: 'he hadn't been sent there to guard the creature, he'd been sent there to satisfy its hunger! His whole life had been a lie, all throughout his 20 years of life he'd been prepared, trained, raised like a pig for slaughter, all for this one moment where he must fulfill his purpose and satiate the beast's hunger. It was, after all, fate, a cruel design of the goddesses that he meet his end there and then, there was no hope, there was no escaping it'.

Both of them stood there for what seemed an eternity, until slowly but surely, the lips of the creature began curving into an obscene smile as she revealed two rows of perfectly even, pearly white teeth. And when she spoke, her shrill singsong voice filling the whole room, every fiber in his very being screamed out in rejection:

"Hi there, I'm Pinkie Pie! Who are you? Are you friends with the guys from before? Where are they? What are we doing here? What's with the getup? Are you an actor? Are we in some sort of play? Ooh! Ooh! I know! Are we playing hide and seek? Who are we hiding from? Hey do you like playing games? I LOVE PLAYING GAMES! My favorite game is ponyball! Have you ever played ponyball? Well of course you haven't! I made it up just now!"

"Hnnnnnnnnnnng!" jabbered the poor pony, as violent spams shook his body: he'd been trained to withstand torture but this was worse than he'd initially imagined.

"Ooh! Was that you're doing? Is that a dance? Are you dancing? What's it called? Ooh! Ooh! How about I try it too?!" continued the pink monster mercilessly.

"Aaarghhhh!" cried out the poor pony as he rolled over trashing around in pain.

"Hey! You don't look too good? Are you feeling okay? I know what will cheer you up! A PARTY! Did you know that I'm really good at parties? It's my special talent, you know! Huge cakes, blue balloons, yellow balloons, purple balloons, dog balloons, pony balloons you name it! Just let me get my party cannon! Oh right! That pony took my party cannon! Have you seen my party cannon?" finished the 4-legged atrocity as she delivered the coup de grâce with that last sentence.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" yelled the soldier as his scream pierced the night sky only to fade out of existence as the darkness engulfed the torches' light, extinguishing them.

"Tut, tut, tut, we do really seem to run through them," sighed the old custodian as he turned yet another page. "I'm guessing I'll be sent to clean up after this one as well," he complained in an almost resigned tone as he got up from his chair and wandered off down the long corridor, whistling a lullaby.

To prove one's innocence

The morning sun shone through the thick foliage of the Giant Sequoia trees. The birds, all kinds and sizes, were chirping merrily as if welcoming the start of a new day, while a manticore lazily sharpened its claws on a nearby oak, letting out a huge yawn. Today marked the third day since the start of the giant ponyhunt that had initiated when the prime suspect of a terrorist attack on the Princess had run and taken refuge inside the Everfree Forest. The pony behind this task felt especially grouchy today and who could blame him? For starters there was that incident with one of the soldiers, who had forgotten the equipment back in the camp on the forest's edge; then there was that "accident" they'd had when they stopped for breakfast in a clearing where there were no trees or grass, a perfect resting spot that turned out to be a giant teeth-gnashing dragon's hunting ground; it wasn't like he minded another scar on his flank and after a lot of searching they'd found tracks and fresh hoofprints, but after following them around for 2 hours they'd realized they formed a giant circle; to make matters worse some of his soldiers were starting to slow down and one of them had even had the nerve of suggesting they all just sit under a tree and "chill": he'd gagged him with the crest on his helmet and tied him to a stump a few miles back. He was quite callous as he threatened to court martial the next idiot who came up with another brilliant idea and though he really enjoyed screaming his lungs out at the sheer amount of mediocrity his soldiers ponyfied, he was starting to feel like a fool trudging through the forest without so much as a clue. And yet if being turned into a claw sharpener, taken for a fool by a couple of degenerate criminals, and given lip by some insubordinate smart-ass wasn't enough, he'd gotten a letter from the D.A. that morning, announcing that he was on his way to town to oversee the search for the fugitive pony.

"Damn pencil-pushing bureaucrats," he muttered bitterly to himself as he was forced to stop for the tenth time when one of the soldiers dropped on the ground from exhaustion. "What is it now?!" he barked in exasperation as he turned around to face the scumbag who dared call himself an elite.

"Commander, we've been at it since daybreak.... It's already past 11 in the morning, and we haven't found anything!" replied the private in a defeated tone.

"I'm aware of that soldier! But I haven't given you an order to rest, have I?!" thundered Commander Storm Chaser as he stamped his hooves on the ground with rage.

"If I may commander perhaps we're going about this the wrong way...." intervened a second soldier as he cautiously approached the seasoned war veteran.

"ARE YOU SUGGESTING MY APPROACH IS MISTAKEN SOLDIER?!" demanded the commander with a deep mighty voice that scared off every living creature within a 2 mile radius.

"Not at all commander! I'm just suggesting that maybe if we placed guards at the forest entrances, we could capture the criminal as she comes out," responded the pony quickly as he backed away from the commander's burning glare.

"COWARDS! FAINTHEARTED, YELLOW-BELLIED, INCOMPETENT FOOLS!! I SHOULD HAVE THE LOT OF YOU COURT MARTIALED FOR YOUR GUTLESS, PESSIMISTIC REMARKS!! raged on Storm Chaser as he sprayed the lot of them with spit. The small team of 5 soldiers (minus one, who still was still reluctantly exploring the wonders of being a tree) cowered as if it were a single pony, slowly backing away from the irate commander. It seemed like it would go on forever until a what seemed to be a streak of gold and white swooped down on them from the sky. For a wild minute they thought they were being attacked by harpies and ducked for cover: and thus the nearest soldier jumped behind a bush, while the two ponies behind him tried to escape in opposite directions only to bump into each other, all while in the meantime the fourth soldier had stopped, dropped and started rolling through the dirt.

It was a while before they all recovered and realized that what had swooped down on them was a pegasus pony clad in golden armor. Feeling quite embarrassed they regained composure as they lined up right next to each other throwing out their chests proudly, wondering in fear what was in store for them after having shamed their commander with such behavior. But whatever punishment Storm Chaser had in store for them would have to wait, for their fearless commander, who'd been struck speechless by their reactions, was still watching the last soldier roll through the dirt in a mixture of horror and disbelief.

"Ehem! Commander Storm Chaser sir! I bring urgent news, sir!" announced the pegasus as he pulled a white envelope from the satchel hanging on his side, trying to ignore the pathetic scene in front of him.

"What's this about soldier?" inquired the commander as he opened the envelope and unfolded the letter in front of him, his eyes darting through the contents.

"District Attorney Silver Tongue has just arrived in Ponyville, sir! Your presence is requested at the mayor's office to deliver your report in person, sir!" explained the pegasus, determined to show the rookies under the commander's directives how a real soldier should act at all times.

"Colt damnit! Now of all times.... I had just found a lead on the fugitive's whereabouts and was just heading over there to capture her!" lied the commander hoping to be spared from yet another long meeting with a couple of infuriating no-good bureaucrats.

"Negative, sir! The District Attorney is calling off the search, sir! He says he's switching strategies sir!" replied the messenger with a tone of finality.

"HE'S WHAT?! WHY THAT USELESS, PENCIL-PUSHING, BIG HEADED LILLY-LIVERED SUNUVA BISCUIT EATER!" blurted out the commander as his face flushed with rage in a deep tone of magenta. "Let's go soldiers! I want to have a word with that little office prick!" raged the commander as he lead the way back to the edge of the woods, swearing under his breath. Little did he suspect that they'd been overheard by a certain purple unicorn and green-scaled dragon, who'd been following them around all morning, silently eavesdropping on them while staying right behind them on the path that they'd carefully left for them to discover.

"I can't believe this whole thing actually worked," whispered Twilight in astonishment as she stepped out of some nearby bushes.

"I wasn't too sure myself when I came up with the idea but it worked out quite nicely," acknowledged Spike torn between the notion that he was either a genius or his foes were just amazingly stupid.

"The circle was a nice touch, that way even if they did manage to find tracks of us they'd all look fresh and get them right back at the starting place. It was risky though," pointed out Twilight as she poked her neck behind some bushes, trying to figure out which path the ponies had taken.

"So what now? Do you want to take this chance to sneak into Ponyville and gather some supplies?" prodded Spike, the very idea of sneaking into Ponyville with a hundred guards camping nearby making him sick with worry.

"This is the chance we've been waiting for: while that meathead meets up with the mayor and the D.A. we'll sneak around town, gather some things here and there, and then we can finally begin hunting down whoever is behind all of this," avowed Twilight, her eyes shinning brightly with determination.

"What? In broad daylight?! But-" began Spike his protests were soon subdued by fiery gaze. She had a plan, she was resolute, and nothing would stop from carrying it out, that much was clear to him as he stared at her lost in awe.

"No buts Spike, every second that passes us by is another second the culprit has to plot his next move. We go now! We have to find some way to sneak into Sweet Aple Acres and Carrousel Boutique before nightfall," interjected Twilight as she snatched her aid from the ground and began galloping at top speed towards the edge of the forest.

"Rarity's house?!" asked the dragon flustered. "Sweet Aple Acres I get, we need food for the trip, but why in Ponyville would you want to break into Rarity's house?" he demanded absolutely confused and increasingly uncertain about Twilight's plan.

"I'll show you went we get there," she replied simply, kicking up a cloud of smoke as she passed by and disappeared from sight into the foliage.

******

Meanwhile, back in Town Hall, Mayor Mare sat nervously behind her working desk her eyes following a navy unicorn, with a certain air of concern, as he paced in circles around her office. He'd been at it for a good 20 minutes and though Mayor Mare was an open minded pony, the idea of a stranger with huge bags under his eyes, wearing a messy white shirt and a coffee-stained tie pacing around her, just plain disturbed her.

"Err, something wrong?" asked the mayor trying to sound friendly as the unicorn came to a halt.

"I was just trying to make sense of the information you just told me, Mayor Mare," explained the D.A. in a serious tone as he walked right past her and stared through the window behind her desk. The sky was clear and the sun shone brightly on a bunch of foals playing around the fountain as fuschia-colored filly watched over them: the pegasi of Cloudsdale had clearly outdone themselves this time.

"Anything in particular that might have called your attention?" she asked curiously, trying to dig out exclusive details of the investigation the stallion might be keeping to himself.

"Hmmmm, I was just thinking I might ask somepony in town to lead me to this zebra you mentioned. If she is indeed a close personal friend of the suspect living in the Everfree Forest, then she might be helping her evade us, and yet I really don't see how it would all fit in. She's a foreigner and all but it just seems too far-fetched that Miss Sparkle might be helping the zebras take over Equestria, especially since they're a scattered bunch of small tribes with no clear, definite ruler. Furthermore this zebra, Zecora you called her, seems to be an isolationist: not the type who'd really be out for a share of political power. No, I'm afraid when I asked you if there was somepony in her circle of friends that might be assisting her, I was referring to someone with a motive or grudge of some kind against the Princess," pondered the unicorn out loud as he scratched the goatee he'd grown after neglecting his personal hygiene for the last couple of days.

"So your theory is that Twilight had political aspirations and that's why she did it? And you also think there's somepony else involved in this whole affair?" inquired the mare with a raised eyebrow, her face filled with skepticism.

'Of course it was a ridiculous theory, he knew it himself. However, the Mayor had also belonged to Sparkle's outer circle of friends, therefore there was a chance she'd know about the meeting she'd had with Princess Celestia. He'd just have to find a way to worm it out of her, even if he had to resort to some cock-and-bull story about political aspirations and conspiracies amongst other countries. And then there was this Zebra whose existence he'd completely overlooked, maybe she knew something about this whole deal' he thought to himself, while his mouth spoke differently:

"It's a possibility Miss Mare, and it is my job to consider all possibilities. Try to think back a couple of months: was there anypony in Twilight's circle of friends with whom she may have spent some considerable time with, or somepony she may have discussed her plans at a great length with?" he insisted trying to sound convinced that he thought of Twilight as some rogue power-hungry pony.

"Only the ones you already have in your custody Mister Tongue and on that note, might I remind you that the Apples recently dropped by to ask me when Applejack would be allowed to come home?" she replied slightly annoyed as she frowned at him.

"I'll sign their release order this afternoon and have them brought back to Ponyville as soon as possible. After interrogating them it seems highly unlikely any of them had anything to do with Miss Sparkle's plan, and we also can't spare to lose more guards to the hooves of that pink pony. The amount of paperwork it's created is ungodly!" he assured her, though not really meaning any of it, except maybe for the antics of Miss Pinkamena Dianne Pie.

*BANG!* they both jumped as somepony kicked the door open, nearly knocking it from its hinges. True to his name Commander Storm Chaser charged his forward way towards the D.A. like a angry rhinoceros trying to scare off unwanted trespassers in its territory.

"WHY'D YOU CALL OFF THE SEARCH?!" demanded the irate commander without so much as a greeting, veins angrily protruding from his temples.

"What's all this commotion about?! Who are you and how dare you barge into my office like this?!" demanded the mayor in return, as she quickly stood up knocking her chair aside.

"HEY! Easy! Calm down everypony..." said the D.A. as he stood between them both, his hooves raised trying to keep them at a distance.

They all looked at each other for a full minute, Commander Storm Chaser breathing heavily like an angry bull, his eyes burning with rage at the sight of Silver Tongue.

"Miss Mare, this is Commander Storm Chaser. He is in charge off the search for Miss Twilight Sparkle," explained the D.A. calmly as he looked into the Mayor's eyes.

"Yeah right! The non-existent search you just called off, you prick!" retorted the commander filled with resentment and frustration at not being allowed to do his job.

"Language please!" pleaded the mayor as she eyed the commander with disgust.

"This is getting us nowhere," lamented the unicorn shaking his head."Commander I had my reasons for calling off this search-" he began but was quickly interrupted by the angry commander:

"Yeah?! And what would those be?!" he screamed in fury.

"Because I don't think we have the time nor the resources to cover every last inch of the Everfree Forest, and because I believe that stationing soldiers at the entrance of the forest will yield better results than a wild pony-chase. (And besides I need you and your soldiers assistance with an intelligence operation we've been planning for a while now, wait for me outside and I'll fill you in on the details)," he replied with an air of finality, murmuring that last sentence under his breath so that the mayor wouldn't hear him.

"Hmph!" breathed the commander, lifting his nose up high. "Understood sir, just don't take too long.... Oh, and do wash up, will you? You look like a slob!" sentenced the commander with contempt before banging the door behind him.

"Now, really! That stallion was positively rude!" exclaimed the mayor indignantly as she straightened the papers on her desk.

"Well, at least he's a good soldier," Silver Tongue assured her. "I must leave you now Miss Mare: I have some things I must attend to, thank you for your cooperation," added the unicorn as he bowed goodbye to her and promptly left her office.

"I still don't get why...." murmured the mare sadly to herself, her gaze on the framed picture on her wall of her and Twilight, taken during Ponyville's last Winter Wrap-Up....

The great escape

Private Aim High had always considered himself to be a very intellectually gifted pony. After all, he was always ahead of the rest and willing to soak up as much knowledge as possible. He was a very kind and gentle pony and all too eager to learn from his mistakes. Had he been sent to Celestia's school for talented unicorns he would have most definitely been top of the class due to his amazing talents and adaptability. His brain was like a sponge that just soaked up all kinds of information, allowing him to learn faster than most ponies did. If he'd been given Twilight's opportunity then he would have most definitely learned all the things she did in a third of the time she did: Princess Celestia wouldn't have been able to keep up with all the incoming mail! Why, it was barely 2 pm and he'd already learned so many things about friendship in that day alone! In fact he'd even made a list about them and was thinking of sharing it with the Princess once she got better:

1- You should always make time during work hours to have fun with your friends, however having a picnic in the middle of a forest filled with dangerous creatures should never be considered fun at all.

2- Burnt trees and grass are most likely indicators of a nearby fire hazard and you should always warn ponies to keep away from it, instead of dragging them toward it.

3- Though it is always good to make new friends, dragons can be extremely temperamental and do not appreciate being disturbed while napping.

4- You should never dismiss a friend's idea just because you think it's bad, and especially if that friend also happens to be your commander.

5- In relation to #4, if another friend thinks that your idea is better, you should thank him and be modest about it instead of rubbing it in your other friend's face: especially if the first happens to be the D.A. and the second happens to be your commander.

6- In relation to #5, though mean comments from your friends can be hurtful, roundhouse kicks are even more hurtful

The private lips curved into a smile, displaying a row of missing teeth, as he looked down at the letter he'd written. Goosebumps traveled down his spine as he imagined the Princess' pleased expression when he gave her his letter. His chest filled with excitement as his brain was swarmed by images of the tearful reunion with his parents, the slick crimson filly with the long silky mane, and huge eyelashes that lived next door, the red carpet and white gown at their future wedding, the big house with the white fence and the huge backyard where he'd play with his foals.... He folded the letter and stored it in his satchel and picked up another one he'd written earlier and stored it in an envelope with the following words written on its back:

*****************************************************************************************************************

Résumé

From: ex-private Aim High To: Pony Unemployment Office

774 Starswirl avenue, Canterlot

******************************************************************************************************************

His flank protested with pain with every step he took, slowly limping his way to the dark blue mailbox that sat alone, under the burning summer sun. The envelope on his mouth, Aim High placed his right hoof on the hot metal container as he gently lifted himself into his hind legs. His eyes twinged as a current shot from his abdomen, all the way to his chest: he probably shouldn't overdo it for a while. Just as he recovered and prepared to slip the envelope inside the dark horizontal slit on the mailbox he saw (or at least thought he saw) a plum-colored filly, with a neatly arranged dark slate blue mane and fuchsia highlights dart past him. He rubbed his eyes vigorously and looked again into the distance where he'd seen what seemed to be the most wanted criminal in Equestria run through. His head still spinning from the beating he'd taken earlier, he turned around and headed towards the train station. 'A mirage no doubt. After all it IS kinda hot today' he thought to himself as he lifted his left foreleg and slowly started massaging his temple. In the meantime, that very same plum-colored figure the unfortunate soldier had seen was making her way through a long dirt road, wooden fences on either side, as she left a trail of dust behind her.

"I think that pony glimpsed at us Twi," said Spike bouncing up and down on Twilight's back, squinting his eyes as he turned around and surveyed the quiet scenario behind him. He couldn't make anything in the distance other than the landscape and a few trees, it appeared that nopony had followed them so far.

"I hope not, or we're going to have a hard time gathering all the stuff we need," replied Twilight, her lips numb as she bit hard on them. If the soldier had spotted them, then gathering supplies would be the least of their worries. However, there was just no way they'd ever get a second shot at escaping if they waited any longer. The soldiers that had set up a camp between the Everfree Forest and Sweet Apple Acres had just been recalled to Ponyville and there was no telling when they'd be back.

The light suddenly became thinner as the shadows bathed them with a cool and gentle caress, the old apple trees surrounding them stood like a sea of green that stretched endlessly into the horizon. For the first time in days the light shone on the young filly's eyes as she contemplated the shiny red apples that hung from the twisted branches. The dragon's reaction bore no difference as he rubbed his sweaty little palms together, licking his lips as he eyed greedily the juicy fruit in front of him. Finally, after 3 days of surviving on mushrooms and dry roots, the pair had a proper meal in front of them. The two of them picked up as many as they could and stored them into an empty traveling satchel they'd burrowed earlier from the abandoned camp, but not before sinking their teeth into a few of the delicious treats.

"Man, I really need that," said Spike as he rubbed his stomach, his eyes still glazed with satisfaction.

"Me too Spike, but we can't afford to lose any more time, we have to make our way to Whitetail Wood," she reminded him as she strapped the sagging satchel to her back.

"Oh, right...." said Spike lowering his head, his eyelids heavy with disappointment.

"I'd like to stay too Spike but we have to get moving before the soldiers come back," she said in a longing voice as she lowered her head and lifted her partner from the ground. "Now hold on tight, if we act according to plan then we should be at Fillydelphia before midnight," said Twilight as she suddenly reared and began galloping at top speed again.

"Hi-ho Twilight! Away!" shouted the dragon as he waved his left hand in the air, a big smile adorning his face.

".... Don't do that again," said the pony with a frown, her eyes narrowed with annoyance as she vanished into the horizon.

******

The darkness of the night enveloped the landscape as the moon shone brightly upon the denizens of Ponyville, the crickets intoning a harmonious melody as everypony fell into deep slumber. The lights had gone out and calm ruled the air with a silk glove. Nopony moved through the streets except a couple of guards quietly making their rounds around the library. Out of the shadows a small figure stealthily made it's through the alley behind Sugar Cube Corner.

"Psst! Twilight! Coast is clear except for a couple of soldier guarding our place," whispered Spike to a second figure hiding behind a garbage dump.

"Odd.... I thought security would be tighter. Just where do you think everypony went?" asked Twilight as she scratched her chin while wearing a frown.

"Who cares? They're probably back at the camp waiting for us to show up. Boy are they gonna be disappointed," joked Spike as he waved her worries away with confidence.

"Spike, I'm being serious here! Something stinks here and it's not this garbage dump either," she reprimanded him as she covered her snout. the nauseous smell of rotten eggs filling her nostrils.

"Relax Twilight. They're all probably still looking for us inside the Everfree Forest. They would never have expected us to take the long way around Ponyville and come out of Whitetail Wood," Spike reassured her.

"I know it sounds crazy but I'm still getting a bad feeling about this whole thing. The whole thing smells fishy: why would they recall their troops and lea-" insisted Twilight but quickly fell silent: a light had just gone up right above their heads. The pair trotted down the alleyway and quickly jumped behind the corner as the wooden windows in the house next door creaked open. Out of the second floor window had emerged a pale goldenrod-colored pony with a puffy orange mane, her eyes narrowed as she held her firefly lamp in front of her, lighting the alleyway.

"Whozzer?" mumbled Golden Harvest, vigorously rubbing her eyes as she squinted through the darkness.

"Anything wrong miss?" asked the two guards as they trotted toward her, having heard the commotion.

"I think I heard somepony down here," indicated the filly as she pointed toward the garbage dump sitting next to the Cakes' house.

Quickly looking at each other, both ponies nodded as their eyes met, frowning with determination. They held their breaths as they slowly started their way towards the container, dark green slime oozing through the metal lid. They separated as they began creeping down the alleyway, the overgrown grass slightly caressing their hooves. Standing on both ends of the garbage dump, they signaled each other slowly mouthing to 3.

*BANG! RRRRRRNEOW! CRASH* they both stumbled backwards as a filthy black cat jumped out from within the container, its back arched and spitting in fury.

Their hearts beating rapidly, they sighed in relief as they traded smiles. "It's okay miss, it was just a cat," called the nearest one, holding his hoof on the side of his mouth. They slowly made their way back chuckling as she waved them both goodbye and shut the window behind her.

"Hahhhh," said Twilight emptying her lungs as they throbbed with pain: she hadn't noticed she'd been holding her breath the entire time. She took a quick look around the corner and surveyed the alleyway yet again: both guards had resumed their patrol around the library and the light had gone out from Golden Harvest's house.

"That was close," said Spike, sweat drops tracing their way down his face, his scales scratching up the brick wall as he slumped down on the floor.

"Too close," agreed Twilight, pushing down hard on her chest to prevent her heart from leaping through her throat. "We can't dawdle any longer, we're gonna have to hurry before somepony else notices us," she added as she sneaked her way around the houses, slowly approaching a tent-like structure. The round cornflower-blue house stood alone in the darkness, two oval windows on either side of the split door at the entrance, the second story had been decorated to resemble a merry-go-round, a triangular flag on its top waving in the cold night air. This was Carrousel Boutique, a designer clothes' store and Rarity's house. Spike silently approached the window and peeked through, his chest swelling rapidly and his hands balling into fists, he took in the scene in front of him: the purple silk drapes that had originally hung in the display room had been torn down, the mannequins wearing fine French satin were on the floor collecting dust, the white drawing table had been overturned, dozens of crayons and pencils spilling all over the carpet.

"It's been searched," whispered Twilight as she approached him from behind.

"They'll pay for this," said Spike, displaying his tiny fangs.

"Maybe later but first we gotta get inside. Hold on to me," said Twilight, holding out her foreleg in front of the dragon.

*POOF* her eyes spinning, Twilight held a hoof against her temple and shook her head violently to the sides. Spike wasn't feeling any different as he bent over and covered his mouth to prevent himself from hurling. One of the inconveniences of teleportation magic was that, if not properly focused when attempting it, it could cause a slightly nauseated feeling.

"Let's split up and search, remember to bring only what is useful," ordered Twilight as she began rummaging through a nearby wardrobe in the designing room.

"Define useful," replied Spike as he pulled out a measuring tape from a drawer.

"We're going to need clothes, make up, wigs, hats, those sorts of things. Whatever we can use to disguise ourselves and avoid detection," explained Twilight as she piled up some dresses on the back of a mannequin.

"You mean like this?" asked Spike holding an all too familiar purple costume, with a long navy cape.

"Nice find Spike, but that's kind of conspicuous," said Twilight as she reared to pull down a hat that hung on the wardrobe's door.

"I'm hoping she doesn't mind us borrowing all these," said Spike, his legs shaking under the weight of all the clothes he'd picked up.

"We need something to put all these in. Hold on I'll be right back," said Twilight as she darted upstairs. As Spike began neatly folding the clothes they'd picked up, Twilight reappeared wearing a pink set of traveling backpacks, the old military satchel filled with apples dangling from her mouth.

"You hold on to the apples and I'll take care of the clothes," said Twilight as she flung the satchel at Spike's feet, spilling some of its contents over the floor.

"Right," said Spike as he stuffed the clothes in Twilight's backpacks and flung the satchel over his shoulder. "We're ready Twi, lets get outta here!" called the dragon as he turned the handle on the door and pulled it open.

"SPIKE, NO!" yelled Twilight, a little too late.

*WOOOoooohh, WOOOoooohh* hell broke lose as the siren's call pierced the quiet of the night, Twilight and Spike we're blinded as a couple of floodlights switched on and turned their way, the ground trembled as a hundred hooves began marching upon it as if they were one: they'd been found out.

A bulky figure clad in golden armor approached them, his chest thrown out, his smile revealing two rows of yellowish teeth."Well, well, well.... What do we have here? Why, if it isn't everypony's favorite fugitive: Twilight Sparkle!" spat Commander Storm Chaser stopping his face inches away from Twilight's and breathing hard on her. She cringed with disgust as his hot, humid, foul breath invaded her nostrils, but quickly regained her composure and began staring daggers at him.

"Oh, and who could forget her little pet! You wanna try and breathe fire on me again, punk?" taunted the commander as he wiped his foreleg and smacked Spike hard across the face, sending him flying against the wall.

"NO! You monster, why don't you pick on someone your own size?!" demanded Twilight as she knelt down beside Spike and shot a dirty look at Storm Chaser.

"You know? I have to hand it to that slob: for a good-for-nothing bureaucrat, he sure does know what he's doing. He somehow figured that if we withdrew our soldiers and hid a smaller force in town, you'd show up eventually looking for your friends. I on the other hoof never thought you'd have the guts to show your face around here, not after the way you ran and hid like rats for the past three days!" continued the commander as he paced his way back and forth in front of them.

"We'll accompany you to Canterlot, as long as you guarantee our safety," said Twilight defiantly as she helped Spike stand up.

"Oh, there's no need to go that far Sparkle. After all, everypony knows you're guilty and I figured I'd save us some time," said the commander as his lips suddenly curved into a malicious smile.

"What do you mean?" asked Twilight as she backed away, her front leg flexed in front of her.

"Well, I figured we should let the D.A. take care of the paperwork and in the meantime we'd take care of you. After all, the capital punishment is not something a poster-boy should handle," explained the commander his eyes filled with excitement, his mouth watering with blood lust.

"You can't do that! You'll get in trouble if kill us in cold blood!" protested Spike as he stepped in front of Twilight, his arms spread wide open to protect her.

"I can if I say you two resisted capture and I had no choice," replied that commander as he lowered his head so that it was on level with Spike's.

"You're absolutely sick!" said Spike, his voice filled with contempt.

"Any last words?" asked the commander as he drew a sword from his belt, the white blade shinning in the moonlight as he lifted it over his head.

"How about, cowabunga?" retorted Spike, his eyes narrowing as he smiled from ear to ear.

*CREEEEAK* the steel tubes holding up a nearby water tank contracted and gave away, covered by a fuchsia aura. The tank that rested on top came crashing down along with the structure as its lid popped out on contact with the ground. The commander and the soldiers were washed away before they could react, as the contents of the tank gushed out with the force of truck.

"NOW!" yelled Twilight as she lowered her neck and swept Spike of the ground. Before the soldiers could even make sense of what just happened she began dashing through the empty streets.

"AFTER THEM!" screamed the commander as he recovered and began chasing them at top speed, his soldiers following close in pursuit of the fugitives. Having heard the ruckus, some ponies began emerging from their homes as they watched the Imperial Guard run off in direction of Foggy Bottom Bog, their faces riddled with confusion as to what had just happened.

He who lives by the sword

*Clippity-clop, clippity-clop,clippity-clop* the Imperial Guard stampeded through Foggy Bottom Bog, Commander Storm Chaser in the lead, their hoofsteps echoing through the landscape like death knells.

*SPLASH* murky water flew everywhere as Twilight jumped into the swamp, barely ahead of the soldiers. She didn't dare look back as she heard the small platoon following her jumped in after her. The wind rushed through her mane as she ventured deeper and deeper into the swamplands. Her head was spinning from the lack of oxygen, her lungs throbbed painfully on her sides, and her vision was getting cloudy as she felt her consciousness slip away for a second. A sea of white descended upon them as she burst into the thick fog, the vapor gently enveloping her like sheet of fine linen. She could no longer see a thing in front of her as she struggled through the murky water which was getting thicker by the minute, until....

*Schlomp!* she widened her eyes in surprise as her legs sank into a patch of mud, sending a mildly surprised Spike flying headfirst into the water. 'It's over! We're done for!" she thought to herself as she turned around to face her enemies. For a minute, that seemed to stretch into eternity, she stood there waiting for her pursuers to burst through the fog like a funeral procession, and yet she waited in vain as nopony came. Her joints aching in pain, she pulled herself free as she made her way towards Spike, who was now spitting out bits of mud with disgust. Her sweat, pouring from every inch of her body, mixed with the filthy water on her as she straightened her ears to listen. She could barely make out the muffled sounds of shouting and and angry screams over the croaking of the frogs: they'd done it, they had escaped certain death at the hooves of Commander Storm Chaser yet again. They looked at each other in silence, their outlines blurred by a sea of white, and slowly began walking forward, their destination unknown.

They walked for what seemed like hours, not daring to speak a word to each other, fearing the sound of their voice would guide their pursuers through the fog. They thought themselves lost until suddenly, the fog began to disperse, and the thick mud turned into solid ground. The howling of the wind whistled past the gnarled swamp cypress trees as they stood still against the darkness, their thick twisted branches held high in front of them as if waiting to snatch unsuspecting prey, like feral beasts. Twilight led the way through the misty road, followed closely by Spike, as it started to bend upward. His eyes darting from one side to the other, he began rubbing his forearms, his teeth chattering with nervousness. He trudged up the steep hill, his limbs getting heavier by the minute, his head nodding as his eyelids began to close. *BONK* his snout contracted with the impact as he fell on his rear, suddenly coming to a halt. He rubbed his snout delicately as his blurry eyes tried to make sense of what had made Twilight suddenly stop in front him. His eyes widened in apprehension as he surveyed the enormous rocky formation in front of them, stretching endlessly into the sky and past the clouds.

"Dragon mountain," spoke Twilight at last, as some distant memories involving a large crimson dragon with a bad sleeping habit flashed across her mind. She turned around, her eyes full of encouragement, only to see her partner curled up on the ground, merrily sucking his thumb. She smiled with sweetness as she lifted him and placed him on her back, making her way up into a nearby crack upon the rocky walls of the mountain. She squeezed her way into the dark and humid corridor, laying Spike on the ground, and then slumped against the wall as she curled right next to him.

******

The sudden urge to "go" woke her up the next morning. Twilight stretched her legs as she came out of the cavern, looking for someplace secretive. She finally settled for some nearby bushes and promptly hid behind them as she did her business. Her joints still ached from all that galloping she'd done the day before, and her eyelids still felt heavy like boulders as she let out a huge yawn. She poked her messy head, hairs sticking out everywhere, inside the crack and confirmed that Spike was still sound asleep. Squinting at the sky, she tried to check for the sun's position but quickly gave up as she noticed a fluffy mass of white over their heads. She guessed it must be around 6 or 7 am and figured she could sleep for another hour or so, as she laid herself right next to Spike. No such luck.

"Commander! I've found tracks!" announced a soldier, his voice carried by the wind to Twilight's hiding place.

She stood up in alarm and quickly made her way out of the cave to check for the source of the sound. In the distance she saw small white and golden dots, as they slowly made their ascent up the hill they'd climbed the day before. She quickly pulled back and shook Spike awake, who blinked a couple of times and let out a yawn as he stretched his arms.

"Whazzrong?" mumbled the dragon as he scratched the back of his head, Twilight's face coming in and out of focus in his eyes.

"They're coming this way, hurry we gotta go," whispered Twilight as she strapped on her twin set of backpacks.

"Aww, shucks," groaned the dragon as he slowly got up and flung the satchel over his back, following Twilight out of the cavern.

Twilight poked her head out of the ridge a second time to scout her surroundings: they were closer, too close. There was no choice, she'd have to put some distance between them and resort to teleportation magic again. Screwing up her face in concentration, she focused on the ridge several feet above them and POOF! Her eyes slowly slid in and out of focus as she stretched her neck once more to check for the soldiers' location: there was now plenty of distance between them, it'd take them an hour worth of hiking to reach her location.

The narrow road twisted itself around the mountain like a snake, the sky was beginning to get dark as a mass of storm clouds slowly made their way towards the mountain ridge. Twilight poked her head out of the ridge for what was the dozenth time to confirm her pursuers' position: they were slowly starting to gain on them. She bit her lips as the drizzle slowly started showering them, she hadn't taken into account that these were highly trained soldiers, accustomed to demanding physical activities like trotting and hiking. It wouldn't be long now before they caught up to them and, having used up most of her energy, she couldn't keep relying on teleportation magic or she'd risk collapsing from exhaustion.

The sky started coming down on them as the drizzle gradually turned into a downpour. Having finally sighted his prey, Commander Storm Chaser abandoned all pretense and began galloping up the slippery slope, closely followed by his soldiers. Twilight glanced back a saw with horror that they were no more than 50 feet away from her, she took off galloping as she swept Spike off the ground.

"C'mon! We've got her cornered!" barked the commander as he picked up the pace, huge raindrops sliding down his face.

"Twilight!" called out the dragon in alarm, as the soldiers gained on them.

"I know, I know!" yelled Twilight, trying to speed up as her lungs started failing her again.

"No! ahead of you! It's a precipice!" Spike warned her as they approached a wide gap in front of them.

"Hold on!" said Twilight as she strained her eyes with concentration. 'Hop, skip, and...'

"JUMP!" she yelled triumphantly as she took off from the ground aiming for the ridge on the other side of the precipice. Twilight soared through the air for an instant before landing heavily on the other side, water flying everywhere as she momentarily slipped on a puddle that had formed. She recovered and glanced back once more to see the commander galloping rapidly toward her, his hooves striking the ground with fury.

"HAH!" yelled the commander as he took of the ground after her, the muddy road collapsing under his weight.

"Careful!" called out one guard as he slid on the mud and came to a stop inches away from a certain and painful death.

"What are you doing, you imbeciles?!" called back the commander, as he landed on the opposite ridge and turned back to check on his troop across the gap.

"The ground is unstable sir! We're gonna have to find a way around!" explained one of the guards from across the chasm.

"Useless fools!" muttered the commander as he took off and charged after Twilight, the icy wind swishing past him. His chest swelled with excitement, his eyes strained with concentration, he closed in on her. She was now barely a few feet away, as they galloped through a wide dirt road, the rocky walls drenched with water as streams flowed down them. She was now just a couple of feet away, only a foot away, his head was right next to her flank, they were head to head....

*WHAM!* Twilight yelped in pain as Commander Storm Chaser slammed her hard against the rocks, suddenly coming to a halt.

"Hahh, hahh, where are you going in such a hurry Sparkle?" asked the commander maliciously as he lowered his head on level with hers, breathing hard on her neck.

"Ugh," Twilight winced with pain, the commander's face swimming in and out of focus, as she slowly opened her eyes.

"You know, it hasn't exactly been easy. You've certainly prolonged this more than we expected, but no matter.... I have you now...." said the commander as stopped in front of her and lowered his hoof toward his hilt.

"Get away from her!" fangs bared, Spike pounced on the commander.

"Stand aside, punk," said the commander as he raised his foreleg and swatted him away. Spike hit the rocks with a mighty THUD, and slumped down unconscious.

"Spike!" called Twilight as she tried to get up, her legs trembling under her weight.

"Don't worry, he'll follow after you," said the commander as he pulled out his sword.

"Why are you doing this?! Soldiers are supposed to protect and serve, not take justice into their own hooves!" yelled Twilight as she backed away slowly, trying to reason with the hotheaded commander.

"Justice? Who said anything about justice? I'm just following orders," replied the commander with amusement, his face momentarily illuminated by lightning.

"Orders?" asked Twilight, frowning as she tried to take in what her foe had just said.

"That's right Sparkle: orders. You're a threat and one that has to be eliminated," explained the commander as he approached her.

"A threat? But I didn't do anything! I'm innocent!" protested Twilight as she glared back at him.

"Precisely," said the commander suddenly coming to a halt.

"Huh?" Twilight felt her jaw drop as her eyes widened with shock.

"You know, for Celestia's favorite stooge you really are slow at catching up. Did you seriously think I would consider an egghead like you to have the ability, or the guts to pull off that coup? Don't be conceited now," he said as he rested the blade on his shoulder.

"You mean, you were the one behind that attack on the Princess?!" demanded Twilight, her stomach boiling with rage.

"Yes, and no. You see, I was merely hired to make sure you didn't run around messing things up for my client," explained the commander, his yellowish grin etching its way from ear to ear.

"You would sell your soul and betray your Princess.... FOR GOLD?!" yelled Twilight her chest swelling rapidly, her head pounding with anger.

"Oh no, not gold Sparkle. WAR," breathed the commander, his eyes widening as he stared off into the distance, his eyes filled with the fire of madness.

"You're crazy...." whispered Twilight as she shook her head in disbelief.

"Oh, I wouldn't expect you to understand it Sparkle, after all you're not a soldier. You don't know what it's like: galloping till your hooves bleed, sleeping in the dirt in nights as cold as this one, years of preparation... only to spend an entire lifetime watching over some bratty Princess as she makes merry with stuck-up useless aristocrats at her bucking tea parties! And all of that for what? TO BE DISMISSED AND FORCED INTO RETIREMENT WITH A SIMPLE 'Thank you, for your long years of service'! HOW DARE SHE?!" he bellowed like a wounded animal, brandishing the sword high above his head, his facial features blurred by the rain and the scars disfiguring him.

Twilight had no retort for this, she stood there as if rooted to the spot, her eyes filled with a feeling closely resembling pity as she fully appreciated him for the first time.

Princess Celestia was a wonderful pony, and a kind and gentle ruler: she had probably wished for her most dedicated servant to enjoy a better life, to live a peaceful and quiet retirement away from the hazards of battle and hellish training. She had probably wanted for the uptight, weather beaten pony to rest easy, having earned the right after long years of dedication. However, the commander appreciated none of this: he lusted for the blood of the innocent only to satisfy his selfish need for cruel and senseless battle.

A sick feeling welled up inside her stomach at the though of somepony who'd speak and regard her mentor in such low esteem, all for the sake of violence.

"It was an outrage, after so many years of service, being so easily discarded like a tool. So when I was approached, late one night at the bar, by someone who seemed to understand and sympathize with my hatred for the princess, I was all ears when they let me in on their plan to kill her. It was simple enough, they'd provide the ingredients for the bomb and I was to turn a blind eye to all the illegal gunpowder shipments coming in from Manehattan. After the explosion I was to order the Imperial Guard out on the streets to hunt for the culprit, and allow my client to sneak into Canterlot Castle, during the ensuing commotion, to plant the evidence in your room. With dear Celestia out of the way, all we had to do was send assassins to dispose of Luna during her diplomatic trip to Griffin land and put the blame on them. War would break out as all the grieved and distressed ponies of Equestria would turn to me to avenge their beloved, benevolent rulers. And I... I would become the greatest commander in Equestrian history, as I beat down the barbarians and ravaged their lands! It was the perfect plan...." said the commander his eyes, filled with smoke and fire, staring off into the distance; his ears full of battle cries and the clashing of swords; the stench of blood and gunpowder in his nose.

"You're deranged!" Twilight spoke finally, as she she backed away, shaking her head in disgust.

"You've lived long enough Sparkle, and after I've taken care of you, I'll tend to the princess," said the commander, ignoring her as he drew closer.

"Who's behind this?!" asked Twilight, her eyes darting all over the place in search for a way out.

"I don't see why bother you with the information, seeing how you're going to die anyway," replied the commander as he lifted his sword once more, his outline suddenly sharpened by lightning. "Good-bye, Sparkle,"

*SCHLING* he swung down his sword, missing Twilight's head by a hair, as she crouched just in time to avoid it. *CLUNK* she charged against the commander's chest, sending him toppling backwards towards the edge of the ridge. Sky and ground seemed to invert, as she tried to shake her dizziness away, her head throbbing with pain. Snorting fire out of his nostrils, the commander charged against her. Momentarily frozen with fear, Twilight jumped out of the way at the last second, sending the commander crashing against the rocky walls of the mountain. *CLANG* the commander stumbled about dizzily as he dropped his sword, Twilight dove in after it. She was a second too late as he stepped on it right before Twilight could lift it from the ground, and smacked her away hard. *SPLASH* she hit the ground and slid sideways, nearly unconscious, as the icy mud covered her body. The commander lifted the sword and walked towards her, the rain bathing them both.

"It's over," the commander sentenced as he raised the sword for the last time, Twilight laying defenseless on the floor as her whole life flashed in front of her eyes.

At that moment several things happened at once: the rumbling sound of the rocks rolling down the mountain was eclipsed by the cracking sound of thunder, Twilight's warning was deafened by the commander's scream of fury as Spike pulled her out of the way, the ground turned to mud and collapsed as the commander struck it with his sword. The rocks rushed past the place where they'd stood momentarily, as they bounced on the mountain's surface, taking everything in their paths.

Lightning, a scream, followed by a sickening *crack*; the commander's blood oozed through the remains of the avalanche, his body crushed beneath the rocks.

Her body heavy like iron, her stomach slightly nauseous, Twilight got up and walked over the the edge to witness the sad spectacle. Her heart fell as she saw the rain washing down the commander's blood: she felt bad for him, despite him having been her enemy.

"He had it coming, there was nothing you could've done," said Spike as he stood next to her. They exchanged a solemn look, as they sat there, waiting for the rain the stop.

"So what now?" asked Spike, as the lasts drops of rain fell on them.

"We go to Manehattan Spike, there is something we have to check," replied Twilight as she moved on closely followed by Spike, the sun's rays playfully poking through the clouds, as a huge rainbow stretched over the sky above them.

The questioner

It seemed as if time had stopped back in Canterlot. Perhaps it was just an impression that the sun stood still for the past twenty minutes, but since the interrogation had started the needles of the clock seemed to have come to a complete stop in the D.A's office. There, eyeing from across a long metallic table sat a couple of ponies, or rather a pony and a zebra, the first of which was D.A. Silver Tongue and the latter an inhabitant of the Everfree Forest: Miss Zecora.

The D.A. wiped the sweat of his brow for the umpteenth time, his hooves fumbling with his checkered red-and-blue tie trying to undo the knot on his snow-white shirt. He browsed through the folder in front of him in the hopes of making a new discovery or some data he had perhaps overlooked, but quickly gave up: two pages wasn't something he could work with. He glanced at his guest and opened his mouth to speak, but it was her who spoke first:

"Of Twilight's whereabouts I know not, perhaps you should look in another spot?" she suggested calmly, as only she could under the strenuous circumstances.

The D.A. frowned and gave her an appreciative look, trying to arrange his thoughts into what he hoped could be a leeway into a polite interrogation.

"Miss Zecora, you are a current inhabitant of the Everfree Forest, are you not?" asked the D.A. as he levitated a crimson quill and a notepad in front of him.

"In the forest I reside, to this question I have already replied." reminded him the zebra, her hooves resting on the table.

"How long have you lived there?"

"I believe it's been three years, though it might have been longer, according to my peers."

"And what exactly do you do for a living?"

"I gather ingredients to prepare herbal cures, of their effectiveness I can certainly assure."

"And these ingredients, are they all found in the forest?"

"Some of them yes, some of them no, for the missing ingredients to Ponyville I go."

"How often do you visit Ponyville for ingredients?"

"Once every week, I'll go around and have a peek. Always on Monday, into Ponyville I'll make my way."

"Is this how you met Miss Twilight Sparkle and her friends? During one of your visits?"

"That is correct, it was thus I came to know these ponies I love and respect."

'Well at least she admitted she was fond of Twilight and her friends. She was being awfully cooperative, perhaps the lack of a guilty conscience? Or maybe some clever ruse to fool him into a false sense of confidence. This was far from over' he thought to himself as he scribbled on his notepad.

"Yet it seems you haven't been seen hanging around them much. Why is that?"

"My friends often find the opportunity to work themselves up into a riot, that being said I prefer the calm and quiet,"

'Ah! But do you now? Maybe it's time I started sharing the information I've gathered on your behavior Miss Zecora' piped a nasty little voice inside his head. "However you came out of the forest during the Nightmare Night Festival, as described by Miss Mayor Mare of Ponyville."

Zecora, however did not lose her composure, she merely looked at him and calmly answered his query. "I don't isolate myself during celebrations, I always come out to improve my relations."

The unicorn stretched his neck, pushing himself partially off the table as he leaned back on his chair. He'd hit a dead end in one of his theories, a discouraging prospect but one that only helped strengthen further propositions. If she hadn't participated in the attack, maybe she'd helped Twilight evade capture. He looked back at the zebra and resumed his interrogation.

"About these ingredients you gather in the forest, are they all near your hut?"

"Some of them near my hut sprout, but most of them are scattered throughout,"

"How far are they scattered around your hut?"

Zecora looked at him quizzically."This question I can't quite understand, perhaps if you made another demand?"

"Certainly. I meant to ask how far do you often travel, be it in miles or traveling time, through the forest in search of these ingredients?"

She didn't know what the D.A. hoped to accomplish by asking such an irrelevant question, but she guessed he must have his reasons. "For simple tasks, like collecting flowers, I don't have to walk for more than half an hour. For trickier ingredients the forest poses many trials, forcing me to travel roughly eight miles,"

For a moment Zecora thought she'd seen the shadow of a smile on the D.A. face, but then she thought she must be imagining things when the D.A. continued in his polite and pleasant tone. "I see, and at what time during the day do you usually venture out into the forest to look for ingredients?"

"I usually travel from daybreak till noon, but some herbs must be collected under the full moon,"

"In other words from five to twelve a.m. on normal days, and during the night once every month, correct?" Asked the unicorn adding two and two like was accustomed to.

"You're quite good Mister D.A., it's a shame this job has turned your hair quite gray,"

"Thank you, I guess. But now I must ask you about an inconsistency I've found on your statements,"

"Ask what you must, lest I give you a reason to distrust,"

"Earlier you said you ventured no more than eight miles away from your hut, yet that doesn't seem a distance so significant you'd need seven hours of your time, from five to twelve am, to cover it. Care to elaborate on that?"

"Herbs and plants don't sit in a perfect line, I hope you understand this just fine. More than eights miles I've never traveled, and with this I hope the mystery is now unraveled,"

"Hmmm that makes more sense," said the D.A., the gentle scratching of his quill against the paper the only noise that could be heard. After having finished scribbling those last bits of information he finally set down the quill and the notebook on the table, he looked into the zebra's eye and she looked into his, calmly smiling at him. She thought the interrogation was over and leaned back on her chair lowering her defenses, lured into that false sense of calm that preceded the eye of a storm.

A mischievous smile flickered across the D.A's face, suddenly betraying his true intentions. He leaned forward and placed his forelegs on the table, the sole of his hooves touching each other. His calm and relaxed look suddenly vanished as it was replaced by a serious-looking frown. The pleasantries had finally come to an end, it was time for the real interrogation to begin.

"Miss Zecora, what were you doing the morning of June the twenty-first, at precisely ten a.m.?"

Zecora was taken aback by the question and the sudden change in Silver Tongue's attitude. She fumbled around with her hooves before answering: "Why, I must confess I remember not, perhaps I was picking ingredients around my hut."

Silver Tongue tilted his head to the side, squinting at Zecora with faked curiosity "Picking ingredients during the Summer Sun Celebration, one of the most important festivities in Equestria? I thought you never isolated yourself during celebrations...."

"My best friends had left on a trip to Canterlot, therefore I had no reason to come out of my hut, or so I thought."

"Why not go with them?"

"Cities and towns one cannot hope to compare, though I like the hustle I prefer clean air,"

"Miss Zecora, what were you doing on Tuesday the 24th of June, from five to twelve a.m.?"

"Why I was gathering herbs around my hut with haste, making sure none of them went to waste,"

"Did you see or hear any unusual activity during that day?"

"Not that I recall, the Everfree Forest is no shopping mall,"

He finally had her. It was time to turn on the pressure and make her crack. With any luck she'd be giving out her confession within the hour. "Let me get this straight: you spent seven hours moving around in a radius of eight miles from your hut, located somewhat deep into the Everfree Forest, and you didn't see or hear anything, despite the fact that a hundred imperial guards went thundering through the forest, in pursuit of a fugitive who also happens to be your close friend?" He asked with the unmistakable tone of skepticism in his voice.

He'd hit the bullseye. Zecora was no longer able to keep up with the pretense she'd used during the whole interrogation. Her eyes skipping from the walls, to the table, on to the one-way mirror behind the D.A. were all too familiar to the unicorn who was used to handling and exploiting contradictions.

"Perhaps they were too far, thus I wasn't able to witness anything bizarre," she finally managed to answer, though not sounding entirely convincing at all.

"Miss Zecora, when exactly did you hear the news about the attack on the Princess?"

The question hit her like a ton of bricks, she had not fully prepared for such an interrogation. She tried to answer as quickly as she could, without betraying a hint of nervousness. "It was on Wednesday during my usual drill, when I went to gather herbs back at Ponyville,"

"So basically a day after Miss Sparkle vanished into the forest. Well isn't that convenient?" Pondered the unicorn out loud so that his guest could hear him.

"Are you suggesting I lie?! Perhaps you should ask again and look me in the eye," replied the zebra angrily as she leaned forward and slammed her hoof on the table.

Anger. A common reaction he witnessed on dozens, if not hundreds, of ponies when they were cornered. Perhaps they thought if they acted indignant enough they could convince him of their innocence, but he knew better than to overlook such a blatant defense mechanism.

Silver Tongue got up and slowly started pacing around the table. "Well, I just find it curious how you claim to have learned about the attack on Wednesday, after you supposedly visited Ponyville for ingredients."

Zecora followed his every move as he made his way toward her, his forelegs crossed behind his back. "Yet, correct me if I'm wrong, didn't you say earlier you usually visit Ponyville on Mondays?" Asked the unicorn casually looking at the ceiling.

She had not retort for this. She opened her mouth to speak but words wouldn't come out. The D.A. noticed this and continued pacing around. "Not to mention that nopony saw you come out of the forest, despite the fact that we had a hundred guards stationed right outside."

Her stomach gave an unpleasant lurch. She clearly hadn't thought of this before she answered his question. But the D.A. wouldn't stop there. "There's also the fact that we had to come get you from your hut, meaning you actually went back to you hut after learning of Princess' Celestia's fate and what Miss Sparkle had done."

She was now sweating buckets, she tried to explain herself as she turned around to look at Silver Tongue who was now right behind her, but words failed her.

He leaned forward so that his head was on level with hers and whispered in her ear. "I don't know about you Miss Zecora, but I find that such a story doesn't sound the least bit convincing or logical. Should I perhaps remind you that harboring a wanted criminal and obstruction of justice are both punishable offenses?"

Zecora gulped down hard, closing her eyes for a second. She felt lightheaded as she turned back and opened her mouth to speak, but was interrupted in the form of a slim palomino pegasus wearing a fancy mustache and a long black mane that had been combed backwards.

"Stop right zere messieur! This interrogation shall not continue without my consent or that of my client!" said the newly arrived pony accompanied by a white stallion sporting a similar mustache and dressed in a black tailcoat, and a white filly with a neatly arranged purple mane.

The D.A. looked at the intruders and quickly recognized them to be attorney Tour de Langue, followed by Mister Fancy Pants and Miss Rarity. He facehoofed himself wondering why he'd signed her release papers the night before. He had been careless to forget that Miss Rarity was an acquaintance of Fancy Pants, one of the most influential ponies in Canterlot.

"District Attorney Silver Tongue, how charming to see you again my friend. I hope the job's treating you well?" commented Fancy Pants as he approached the D.A. and shook his hoof.

"Better than I could hope for Mister Fancy Pants, the pleasure's all mine," replied the unicorn trying to sound as polite and as least annoyed as he possibly could.

"Marvelous old boy. I say, I expect you've already met my good friend Miss Rarity?" he asked while looking casually at the filly standing in the doorway.

"We've met," replied the unicorn briefly.

"Why, when I heard from Miss Rarity here that one of her friends had been taken into your custody I was just baffled you know? So I gave a call to your friend Tour de Langue here and asked him if he might accompany us to check up on things. After all we know each other of old, and we know how obsessive you can get with your work. I hope you weren't scaring the poor lass now, were you Silver?"

It was all well played: he couldn't find a way to respond to this intrusion and continue his interrogation in the presence of that insufferable couple. Nor could he do it now that they'd hired Tour de Langue to pull her out of there. He'd have to get a warrant and in the meantime the infuriating pegasus would coach her into avoiding his questions. This was a tremendous setback.

"Silver Tongue, I trust you will up'old the law and allow me to escort my client out of 'ere," said the palomino pony, placing his foreleg on Zecora's shoulders.

"Go ahead."

"Very well, if zere's somet'ing you need just contact me at my office. Ozerwise, I t'ink we'll be on our way. Bonsoir, mon ami," he added as he gave a short bow to the D.A. and escorted Zecora through the door, shortly followed by Fancy Pants and Rarity.

Zecora raised her head and looked at Rarity, her chest swelling with gratitude. "You come with impeccable timing, a minute later and I would've stopped rhyming."

"Oh there's no need to thank me darling. I would've felt just horrid if I'd left you by yourself in that dreadful place," said Rarity as they exited the building, where 5 fillies where waiting for them at the end of the stone steps.

One of them, a skyblue pegasus with a peculiar rainbow-colored mane took of from the ground and approached them. "So, did he manage to make you spill the beans?" She asked the zebra.

"No, but he was very close, and despite my lies, I think he knows."

"So? What are we waiting for? We best get out of this here city before we get thrown into them stuffy old cells again!" Suggested a second orange colored filly with freckles, and a long blonde mane tied in a ponytail.

"Uhm... but what are we gonna do about Twilight?" Asked a third yellow-colored filly, with a pink mane combed over her right eye.

"Don't you worry your pretty little mane over the details. We're going to go looking for her before that big-meany-pants D.A. finds her!" interjected a fourth bright pink pony with a puffy mane, bouncing on her hooves. "But before that, we have to go and leave some flowers at that white house-thingy. The ponies there seemed so sad to see me go: they were all screaming out of loneliness!"

They all marched down the road to the train station, completely unaware that a certain unicorn was silently watching them from his office window.

"Miss Light Hooves?" He called over his shoulder, as a pink filly with glasses and lime green mane tied in a bun approached him.

"Yes sir?"

It didn't matter whether Tour de Langue had interrupted him. He had been close to uncovering the truth for a minute there. These fillies, despite what they might say knew more than they were letting in on, and he wasn't about to let them go just like that."Call the intelligence department and let them know that the suspect's friends are on the move. Arrange to have them all followed."

Without a trace

The pegasi ponies of Canterlot swarmed under the blue sky, hovering bits of a grayish puffy concoction into a single gargantuan, Zeus-quality thundercloud. Some of them moved in single file, laboriously adding their bits to the ever-growing cumulonimbus, like ants bringing food into their ant pile. Others were zooming around like bees, darting from one place to the next, bucking out small puffs of white clouds, merrily engaged in a make-believe version of pinball. Contemplating this scene from his office window, D.A. Silver Tongue was quietly listening to his assistant, who was frantically flipping through a notepad as she read the latest reports on a variety of cases the office was handling.

"And apparently that Penny Worth conveniently took back his confession after Officer Gulping Donuts spilled his morning coffee all over the copy of the original document."

"Uh-huh."

"And of course they've sent in a request to see if we could get them a new copy, but that new intern Loose Screws seems to have misplaced the file again!"

"Uh-huh."

"There's also the case with the serial prankster, who keeps on sneaking into houses at night to scribble obscene drawings on the flanks of ponies. The Society for the Creation of Reasonable Opportunities for Talented but Underdeveloped Mares as well as the National Blank Flank Association are in an uproar!"

"Mhmm."

"And there's still no word on the whereabouts of Commander Storm Chaser as well as those of the fugitive, Twilight Sparkle."

His eyes nearly popped out of his skull as D.A. Silver Tongue was hit with a sudden realization. He turned around to look at the aqua-colored filly, who lifted her eyes from the paper she was holding and peered at him behind her red spectacles. "Wait a minute, the Society for the Creation of Reasonable Opportunities for Talented but Underdeveloped Mares? Doesn't that shorten to-"

"Sir! Be serious for a minute!" Yelled the filly, her pink eyes flashing dangerously. "The report from the Imperial Guard says that on the eve of the twenty-fifth they cornered the fugitive near one of her friends' home in Ponyville-"

A sudden alarm went off in the D.A.'s head and he raised his forearm to stop the merciless barrage of words that was being hurled at him. "Hold on for a second. Which friend was this? Where did they corner her?"

The filly ran her left hoof over her short straight fuchsia mane, lifting it from her right eye and gently tucking it behind her ear. "It appears it was at a tailoring shop. A place called 'Carrousel Boutique' belonging to one Miss Rarity."

'Damn them! So they had helped her escape... Rarity probably left her something at her place, knowing it might be safe as opposed to her home! No, wait. That couldn't be it... The soldiers ransacked the place right after he took her into custody, he remembered that from all the paperwork he'd filled due to that rogue commander's impromptu searches, lacking proper authorization. Then there's the fact that they'd all been very cooperative at first, as if they'd doubted Miss Twilight for a minute. It was them who pointed out her strange behavior in the weeks previous to their trip to Canterlot. Then why would she go through all the trouble of sneaking past dozens of guards just to get inside a tail-'

"Disguises!" Said the unicorn out loud making the filly stumble backward and topple out of sight behind a large wooden chest.

"I beg your pardon D.A. sir?" Called his assistant beneath a pile of papers.

"Nemo Ius, can you tell me what happened after they had her cornered?"

The filly started rummaging through the papers in the floor in search of her notepad. "Uhm, yes. Apparently she resisted arrest and fled, using her magic to bring down a two ton water container on the guards."

"Did she have anything on her?" insisted the stallion, now pulling out the metal drawers in his filing cabinet and rummaging through folders.

The filly flipped through a couple of pages before answering. "Well yes, she seemed to be carrying pink bags and her assistant had a brown satchel, which was later found out to have been stolen from the military encampment nearby."

"Aha!" Exclaimed the unicorn in triumph as he pulled out a particularly thick folder, with pictures poking out of the sides. He laid it open on the table, the pictures spilling over onto the floor, and began flipping through the pages by magic. "Miss Sparkle fled into the Everfree Forest on the morning of the twenty-fourth. According to this report, at that time she didn't have any sort of gear on her!"

Nemo Ius turned her head quizzically, trying to process this information. "In other words...."

"In other words she broke into the tailor's shop to swipe costumes, dresses, anything that she could use to disguise herself," finished the D.A. as he scribbled notes and pinned some pictures on a large wooden board on the left side of the room.

The filly's right eyebrow flew upward faster than a hungry parasprite on apple bucking season. "Why on Equestria would she risk her freedom gathering costume changes? If you ask me she was probably nicking stuff to go into hiding, abroad," suggested the filly emphasizing the last word.

"Really now Nemo? Why not break into somepony else's house then? Why specifically the tailor shop? Heck! Most ponies don't normally wear clothes! I bet she's up to no good again, and I'll bet you that if we pay Miss Rarity a visit we'll find that a heap of her dresses went missing," concluded the unicorn as he made his way over to his desk and flipped through the stack of forms laying on top.

"But how are we supposed to find out what she took? I hardly think we'll get any answers if we just stroll around and a-"

She was forcibly interrupted as the stallion levitated a sheet of paper in front of her face. "This is the inventory the guards made when they searched the Boutique: whatever she took, it's on this list," explained the D.A., furiously scribbling away on a form he'd pulled out.

"Invent-? What?" said the filly her eyes wide with shock and confusion. "Sir, if I could just get your attenmmf-" began the filly timidly, but was interrupted as the unicorn folded the form he'd filled out, put it in an envelope and stuffed it in her mouth.

"Take that letter to Judge Eager Mallet: it contains a form requesting a search warrant for Carrousel Boutique. Then go to your house and pack your bags, if we move fast then we might have Miss Sparkle in custody before the end of next wee-"

"Sir!" protested the filly, spitting out the envelope. She stood there glowering at him as she usually did whenever he got into one of his frenzies.

The unicorn ceased all movement, a coat hanger conspicuously protruding from the traveling coat he'd just slipped on and a levitating briefcase stuffed full of papers on his side. He turned around to look at his assistant. "Yes, Nemo?"

The filly stared at him for a second, drew a deep breathed and sighed. "Sir, I'm afraid we can't leave just yet," she said in a calm, and rational tone.

"Why not?"

"Well, the report also says that, right after Twilight Sparkle evaded capture at Ponyville, Commander Storm Chaser pursued her and went missing shortly after that," explained the filly as she read out the last notes of the report.

"Went missing?" repeated the stallion in a puzzled tone.

"Yes, sir. The Imperial Guard resumed the chase four days ago, after sighting the suspect on Dragon Mountain. But due to bad weather conditions they lost her trail, and that of the commander," added the filly, thrusting the notepad on the D.A.'s hooves for him to read.

Silver Tongue levitated the notepad in front of him and browsed through the content, torn between disbelief and annoyance. "Why wasn't I told right away?!" Demanded the unicorn.

Nemo Ius rolled her eyes, and let out an impatient noise. "Sir, I have been trying to tell you all day, but you get so worked up you hardly ever listen!" Pouted the filly stamping her hoof.

Silver Tongue gave her an apologetic look and patted her on the head. "Sorry about that Nemo, old habits die hard I guess."

The filly smiled back. "So what do we do now sir? We have an escaped fugitive, a pending warrant, and a missing hothea-commander!" she added hastily with an embarrassed grin.

The D.A.'s head started pounding as he pictured the reaction of the military brass in Canterlot. "Ugh, I think I feel a migraine coming on."

"I'll ask Miss Light Hooves to get your aspirins sir," said Nemo Ius before exiting promptly from the office.

The unicorn laid back on his chair and raised a hoof over his eyes, covering them. He let out a deep sigh overcome with a sense of foreboding. 'If the generals get wind of this they'll see this as an opportunity for a promotion and start fighting and feuding with each other over the position of Commander-In-Chief of the Imperial Guard, rather than focusing their resources on finding either the fugitive or the missing commander. Hay! We'd better find the commander before the news spread or we'll have a civil war on our hooves! I guess we'll just have to deal with all of it at once....'

"Buck it all."

******

Neither Twilight nor Spike had ever been in a city as big as Manehattan. The isolated urban jungle stood at the edge of a vast inlet, completely cut off by the Drackenridge Mountain Range in the East and a desert, across the sea, that stretched endlessly on the West. There, the city rose out of the huge plains where it stood, visible for miles.

The odd couple made their way across Mane Street, trying to blend into the crowd. Granted, they were having a hard time warding off attention with the peculiar disguises they were wearing, but at least nobody seemed to recognize them. Once or twice a passerby had stopped to observe the quaint little couple making them, if anything, more nervous and suspicious looking than they already were. But if their chosen wardrobe wasn't inconspicuous enough, their behavior made them stick out like sore hooves.

First off, ladies did not stumble around in elaborate, long French satin dresses and matching chapeaux right in the middle of summer, unless it was on Sundays. Second, such an attire was to be worn only while playing croquet on fancy gatherings. Third, salmon was out this season, in favor of pale green. Fourth, Manehattanite gentlecolts did not jump up and down the street, pointing at every little thing in their path. Fifth, nor did they engage in imaginary sword fights with their walking canes. Sixth, though the tailcoat and the top hat the chap was wearing were magnificent, his mustache was most obviously fake.

"Check it out Twi! Isn't it amazing?!" piped the little dragon, pointing with excitement at the skyscrapers towering high above them.

Twilight flushed in a deep shade of red as the ponies around them gave her a look full of contempt. "Spike, shush! Your antics are making us stand out too much. You act like we're a couple of tourists," she said, levitating the dragon by his tail and bringing his head on level with hers.

"I can't help it, it's all just so different compared to Canterlot and Ponyville!" yelled out the dragon, unabashed.

Twilight sighed. "I know this must be very exciting for you and all, but remember what we're here for. That commander said the gunpowder used for the bomb was shipped from here, we can't afford to get sidetracked," said Twilight with a hint of impatience on her voice, setting Spike back on the ground.

Spike raised an eyebrow. "But how in Equestria are we supposed to find any clues in a city as big as this?" asked the dragon, shrugging.

"Don't worry, I have a plan. But we're gonna have to wait till it's dark, I hardly think we can just stroll around asking about illegal shipments," replied Twilight, her eyes sparkling mysteriously. "First we need to get checked into a hotel."

"Any ideas?" Asked Spike.

Twilight's lips curved into a devious smile as she eyed a huge rectangular building made of granite, across the street. Out of the base's structure rose yet another building made from brick and limestone, not quite as tall as a skyscraper but tall nonetheless. The structure ended with two towers topped with bronze-clad cupolas. Above the front door stood out large golden letters, at least 6 feet tall, giving out a warm welcome: "Waldhoof Astoria Hotel."

Spike gulped. "Oh dear, I hope they take Equestrian Express."

"C'mon Spike, just like we rehearsed, remember?" Said Twilight as she made her way across the street.

Spike gave a prolonged sigh and followed suit after her. "I've got a bad feeling about this."

The couple lifted their noses as high as they would possibly go and marched towards the entrance. This was, perhaps, a horrible idea seeing how no sooner than they had done so, Spike tripped over the hem of Twilight's dress causing her to trip and smash headlong into the welcome carpet. The porter, a burly moccasin-colored earth pony with a brown mane hurried towards her and helped her up.

"Are you all right, mademoiselle?"

Twilight's eyes spinned in opposite directions, as the stallion's face swam in and out of focus. "Did anybody get that carriage's license plate?" She mumbled stupidly.

"Thank you sir, I'll take it from here," said Spike, pulling Twilight's forearm over his shoulder and helping her inside. The porter bid them good day and muttered something that sounded suspiciously like nouveau riche.

"You okay Twi," asked Spike, giving Twilight a little shake.

Twilight closed her eyes and rubbed her forehead. "Ugh, my hea-" she started but fell silent the minute she open her eyes. She felt her jaw drop, her eyes trying to take in all the luxury in front of her. The marble floor was so clean and thoroughly waxed that you could see your reflection in it, the circular columns that rose from the ground matched the floor and bore carvings of the baroque period on the granite base, they stretched up into a vault that depicted harmony between the royal pony sisters (as perceived by Domanetello), a stone fountain sat in the middle where the statue of a filly wearing a long robe poured water out a jug.

"Ehem."

Twilight turned her head to pinpoint the location of the fake cough. It was a gray unicorn with a long ivory mane, combed into what looked like a fancy hairdo, or a cake topping depending on your perspective. He was sitting behind a large wooden bureau, looking smugly at them.

"Yes, how may I help you?" called the stallion from behind his bureau as he beckoned both of them forward.

The both of them approached the reception, trying to look as snobbish as possible. "Good day to you sir. I am Monsieur Blasé, and this is my wife Madame Crème de la Crème," explained Spike as he gestured toward Twilight and himself. "We are here on a visit from Canterlot and wished to be accommodated into your magnificent hotel."

The stallion looked at them skeptically. "Visitors from Canterlot mmm? For such a sophisticated looking pair I don't think I've ever heard your names."

Spike began to sweat and played with his mustache, before he managed to answer however, Twilight interjected.

"We travel around a lot you see? Why, we came here because our good friends, Mister Fancy Pants and his wife Missis Fleur de Lis, recommended it," she said as she pulled out an envelope bearing Fancy Pants' crest (a souvenir she'd taken from Rarity's bedside table).

The stallion opened his eyes in shock at the sight of the envelope, but before he could even hope to recover from the surprise Twilight went on the offensive again.

"My husband works as a royal messenger for the princesses, we're here on royal business to take care of a few duties. I trust that won't be a problem?"

She had done it. The stallion nearly tripped in his hurry to get out from the reception desk.

"Of course not, Madame!" He exclaimed giving the both of them the lowest possible bow he could muster. "Allow me to show you to our finest chambers!" He added excitedly and summoned three baggage carriers. "Take the belongings of the messieurs to the imperial suite, pronto!" He instructed the ponies, who quickly obeyed and disappeared with their luggage.

Spike and Twilight exchanged a wink as the stallion led them up the long staircase sitting at the end of the reception hall. If they were going to live on the run, and lie through their teeth while on the hunt for a maniac, they might as well have a good time.

Dead end

Moonlight shimmered faintly through the thick gray clouds creeping slowly across the sky, over the city of Manehattan. The warm summer air and the humidity connived together to turn the city into one big oven, sending its distressed inhabitants running for the refuge into the comfort of their homes. There, they sat around a collection of fans, air conditioners, and a number of apparatuses designed to fight the environment's harsh design. Aristocrats, business ponies, artists, celebrities sat together with their families at home, indulging in the mindless tedium the urban life brought them each and everyday. Soon it would be time for the others, the pariah of pony society to come out and do their jobs, under the cover of darkness and away from the contemptuous looks of their masters. The city always changed its face at this time: the streets overtaken by the likes of garbage ponies, picking up trash as they went along; nurse ponies, making their way to the hospital to do their rounds; delivery ponies, supplying businesses with the goods that kept them profitable; public employees, wiping and cleaning the streets they were not allowed to wander in during daylight....

It was a usual night in the big city: the elite slept comfortably in their feathered beds, their heads lined with happy dreams, while the outcasts busted their hooves to scrap a living in low-paying professions. However, for a usual night in a very routine oriented city, one could say this night in particular wasn't as usual.

A dark figure, clad in grey was silently trotting through the alleys in the dead of night. It's movements were careful, deliberate, fluidly blending into the shadows as it made its way to the East side of town. Twice it looked around for any signs of movement, before stepping out of the alleys and crossing an empty street. It could now smell the sea breeze, and hear the cawing of seagulls.

'The dock must be nearby,' it thought to itself with satisfaction.

It's heart filled with excitement, the figure stepped out into the open and trotted down the concrete road in direction of its target. The scenery seemed to change gradually as the old apartment buildings soon turned into small closed-up businesses, and the smell of sea breeze was soon replaced by the nauseous smell of garbage.

The moon poked its face for a minute as the clouds shifted, casting its light upon a number of warehouses sitting near the edge of the docks, a large body of water stretching into the horizon behind them. A mountain of muck and litter sat unchallenged in the vicinity, offending sensitive nostrils. Several seagulls hopped across it as they gulped down whatever sustenance they could find, others hovered over it, like flies zooming around a steamy pile of manure. A building stood right next to it with a discolored sign that read 'Recycling and Garbage Processing Plant'.

The silhouette turned its head away in disgust, pulling the hood of its traveling cloak sideways, over its nose to shield itself from the stench. Suddenly a loud cranking noise tore through the quiet of the night. Startled, it ducked for cover behind a trash can. Its heart thumping violently, its head pounding with the foreboding feeling that precedes capture, the figure stood there for what seemed like an eternity, waiting for the inevitable. However, nothing happened.

It poked its head from behind the trash can, in search for the source of the noise and saw movement beyond the warehouses, near the dock. The gray figure came out of its hiding place, hugging the wall of a warehouse as it silently approached the illuminated street on the other side of it. It poked its head around the corner and took an eyeful before ducking out of sight again. Some worker ponies were loading shipment onto a boat, using a mechanical crane to lift large wooden crates. It narrowed its eyes in suspicion, watching the crane hoist yet another crate, while a brown stallion shouted instructions over the racket the machine was making.

The mysterious form gave the contraption an appreciative look from afar, pondering its next move. A gleam of pearly white teeth shone underneath its hood as it reached a satisfactory answer. It looked straight at the crane and filled itself up with concentration, focusing on the apparatus with all its might, visualizing every fuse, every cable that allowed it to function....

Bzzzzzt! Sparks flew from the machine's control panel, as the crane groaned and came to a stop. The workers looked up and gave the machinist an inquisitive look, waiting for his verdict.

"Ey! This thing's busted!"

"What? What was that?"

"The crane! It's busted!"

"What?! Colt damnit, piece o' junk!"

"Someone call the repair guy!"

"Yeh, the repair guy. Where's that bum?"

"Said he'd be back in a few, had to take a leak or something."

"What? Again?!"

The worker ponies, far too focused on their discussion, didn't notice the silhouette creeping around the crates, as it went into the warehouse where they were being stored, its cloak whipping through the door and into the darkness.

A faint light shone beneath the hood of the creature as it lowered it to inspect a crate. The clouds shifted yet again, sending in moonlight through one of the windows of the damp and stuffy warehouse, to reveal a plum colored horn protruding from a dark slate blue mane with fuchsia highlights. Suddenly bathed in light, the unicorn retreated towards the shadows, looking around for the source through its large purple eyes. Having identified the culprit as the moon, the filly stepped out of the shadows and recast her luminescent spell.

Twilight Sparkle examined every inch of the crate, trying to find a way to open it, however she gave up once she realized the crate had been nailed shut. Her eyes scanned the inside of the warehouse in search of tools, and they came to rest upon a rusty crowbar sitting on a nearby shelf. Her lips twisted into a smile as she levitated the object and placed it underneath the lid of the crate, forcing it open with a satisfying creak. She looked around nervously to see if the worker ponies had heard her, but they were still arguing and fuzzing over the mechanical crane.

Sweat drops rolling down her forehead and temples, she licked her dry lips, concentrating on the lid of the crate as she lifted it and set it carefully on the floor. Slowly approaching the crate, her heart beating with excitement and expectation, she stretched her neck and peered inside. Within the box she could see the white packing peanuts lined all the way to the brim of the crate. She held her breath in anticipation, rummaging through the contents of the crate, sending peanuts flying everywhere. Her heart skipped a beat as her hooves hit something solid underneath the foamy bits; she gulped down hard and bit her lip, slowly lifting the object from within the box. Her eyes widened with enthusiasm and her heart throbbed with furor, as she lifted the object into the light to discover its true form....

"A scooter?!" She whispered in disappointment, eyeing the shiny silver contraption resentfully. "I sneaked out of the hotel, braved the streets at night, and risked capture for a children's toy?!" She added in exasperation, dropping the scooter back into its box where it sank underneath a foamy sea of white.

Twilight's stomach gave an unpleasant lurch, her heart heavy with thoughts of recent failure. The unicorn raised her hoof right up to her face, and wiped her sweaty brow. "Ugh, ponyfeathers!" She mumbled as she raised her hood once more, turned tail and departed out the front door.

******

Hundreds of miles away, a certain navy unicorn sat inside a train compartment alongside an aqua-colored earth pony, zooming through the countryside on top of a rail. D.A. Silver Tongue sat his boredom on an elbow as he stared out of the window, his mind abuzz with questions on the Imperial Guard's strange behavior during his recent visit of Ponyville. In front of him, Nemo Ius was leaning on her sit snoring peacefully.

The D.A. turned around to look at her. Her usually neatly-combed mane hung over her right eye, hairs sticking out everywhere, her chartreuse tie messy and wrinkled. 'Poor thing' he thought to himself. 'She hasn't had any sleep in over two days'.

Without warning the train suddenly took a sharp turn to the left, sending Nemo sliding off her seat and onto the floor in one swift motion. The startled pony rubbed her head in a daze. "Ugh, what happened? Are we there yet?"

"No, we just passed through Hoofington barely an hour ago, we must be halfway there," answered the stallion. "You okay Nemo?" he asked with an air of concern.

The filly stood up and dusted herself off before returning to her seat. "I'm fine sir," she said rubbing her uncovered left eye. "I just wish I could get some shut eye, all this running around asking questions is exhausting," she added, stifling a huge yawn.

"I know," agreed the unicorn, staring out the window once more. "Once we get to Manehattan we'll try to get some proper sleep."

At these words the filly's stupor seemed to dispel, as she eyed him with interest. "Sir, why were you so keen on getting to Manehattan? You practically dragged me into the first train you saw," she said, giving him an inquisitive look.

"I deemed it prudent Nemo," answered the stallion mysteriously, without taking his eyes from the blurry scenery outside his window.

"Prudent?" She asked in shock. "You don't think those guards had anything to do with the commander's death, do you?"

The unicorn didn't respond, he merely continued to watch the trees zooming past them, in the dead of night.

"Sir, what did that filly tell you back in town?"

"Which one?"

"The one with the puffy orange mane and the carrots for a cutie mark."

The stallion drew a deep breath and let out a sigh, before turning around to fully face his assistant. He paused for a moment and began to speak in a low voice.

"Miss Golden Harvest saw something the night Twilight Sparkle was cornered at the boutique."

"What was it? What did she see?"

Silver Tongue looked around the compartment, as if expecting someone to burst through the door or find somepony hiding under their sits.

"She said she saw the commander try to kill Miss Sparkle, despite the fact that she'd surrendered," he explained in a voice that was barely more than a whisper.

Nemo's eyes widened in horror. "Why would the commander of the Imperial Guard try and take justice into his own hooves?"

Silver Tongue paused for a moment before answering. "I don't know Nemo. I honestly don't know," he said, resting his forehead on his hooves.

Nemo stared at the floor, trying to make sense of this information.

"But I do know this," Nemo lifted her head at the sound of the D.A.'s voice. "Commander Storm Chaser was known for his cruelty, but he'd never passed judgement on a suspect before."

"You don't think this was a high handed attempt at justice then?" pressed on the filly.

"Not likely Nemo," answered the stallion as he leaned back once more, closing his eyes as he reminisced the events from the day he was assigned to the case. "From day one, Commander Storm Chaser had this eery obsession with catching the culprit, or rather not the culprit but Miss Twilight Sparkle."

Nemo Ius looked at him quizzically. "What do you mean sir? Aren't they the same thing"

The D.A. stared at the ceiling for a few seconds and continued. "For a commander who's famed for hating bureaucrats, aristocrats, nobles and the likes, Commander Storm Chaser seemed to take the attempt on the princess very personally, wouldn't you agree?"

"But sir, Princess Celestia is loved by everypony. Surely acts of this nature-"

Silver Tongue let out a bitter laugh. "Nemo, Commander Storm Chaser disliked the princess, he didn't think anypony outside the military was worth a damn either. I know because I've worked with him for a long time."

An expression of understanding was beginning to dawn on Nemo's face. "Sir, what exactly are you suggesting?" She asked, dreading the answer she was about to receive.

"Commander Storm Chaser's irrational hatred for Twilight Sparkle, his reluctance to give up the chase in an enormous forest with a handful of guards, a secretive place where nopony would see or hear anything, his attempt at killing her after she'd surrendered.... They all seem like acts befitting somepony's desperate attempt to silence Twilight Sparkle," concluded the D.A., looking straight into the filly's pink eyes.

"You mean, the commander was the one behind the assassination attempt on the Princess?" Said Nemo in a hushed voice.

Silver Tongue pondered this in his head for a couple of minutes. "No," he answered flatly. "Commander Storm Chaser was never the type to scheme conspiracies against the powers that be. Rather he was used like a tool by somepony else. Somepony else is behind these attacks, but who or why, I don't know," he muttered darkly.

Nemo Ius shook from head to hooves at the thought of finding herself smack dab in the middle of a worldwide conspiracy to overthrow the princess. "You think it might be somepony in the Imperial Guard?"

"Possibly," answered the unicorn. "This afternoon, when we found the commanders body, after four days of searching, buried beneath a landslide I asked around the guards for details of the story...."

"And?"

"They told me that the commander went off on his own, giving chase to Twilight Sparkle under precarious conditions. Precarious conditions that ultimately led to his death, I believe. They seemed very cooperative until I asked them about that night at the boutique," said the unicorn in a serious undertone.

Nemo gasped at the implications of what the D.A. had just said. "You didn't tell them about your source did you?" Asked the filly, her heart filled with worry at the thought of the orange-maned filly.

"No, I bluffed. Told them everypony in town saw the whole thing, including Storm Chaser's little slip up. They didn't seem too happy with me...."

At this, Nemo found that her drowsiness had completely gone. "You what?!" Yelled the filly angrily. "You mean you suspected the Imperial Guard was behind the attempted coup d'état, and you went ahead and practically told them so!" She said, her voice shaking with panic.

"Well, to be fair I only figured out Storm Chaser's unnatural behavior after I questioned the guards. As for the Imperial Guard's involvement, we're not even sure if they are involved, or how deep the conspiracy runs in the military brass," explained the stallion apologetically.

"T-the m-military brass?" stuttered Nemo in a barely audible whisper, the color draining from her face as she slumped on her sit. "We're dead, we're so dead."

"Don't worry, it will take the Imperial Guards at least a couple of days to relay the information to their superiors. In the meantime, I think it's best if we put as much distance as ponyly possible between us and Canterlot. Lay low for a while," he added gravely, watching the nature around him vanish as the train went into a long tunnel and disappeared from sight.

******

Meanwhile, in the Waldhoof Astoria Hotel, somepony had just teleported inside the Imperial Suite, giving a very startled dragon a nasty shock.

"Don't.Do.That.Again!" Breathed Spike, his hands resting on his knees, gasping for breath.

"Sorry Spike, didn't think you were awake," whispered Twilight sympathetically.

"I had just finished enjoying the best bubble bath I've had in my life, and was preparing to hit the sack, when you popped out of thin air!" Explained Spike angrily.

Twilight drew the curtains by magic, making sure nopony could see them from outside before removing her traveling cloak. "A bath sure sounds nice after spending an entire night hiding behind trashcans and dumpsters," she said, smiling from ear to ear.

"Did you find anything?" Asked the dragon, though already dreading what the answer would be.

"No, no illegal gunpowder shipments this time either," she answered in a defeated tone.

Spike stared at her cross armed. "It's been five days Twilight, don't you think it's time to look someplace else?"

"No, Spike. That commander said that the gunpowder was shipped from Manehattan, and I'm going to find it even if it kills me!" She retorted stamping her hoof on the floor.

"But the gunpowder was used to blow up the altar. What guarantee do you have that they will keep on shipping this stuff when they don't even need it anymore," said the dragon, giving Twilight a skeptical look.

"Because he implied the gunpowder came in periodically and in more than one shipping, far more gunpowder than needed to blow up an altar. Something's ahoof, and I'm getting to the bottom of it,"

Goosebumps traveled down Spike's scaly back, who stood there shuddering with sudden realization. "Why would anyone need that much gunpowder?" He stammered, his voice quaking with fear.

Twilight turned her head and scratched her chin, deep in thought. Try as she might, she couldn't figure out that last bit, though her mind kept telling her she'd overlooked something. "I don't know Spike, but it's gotta be something big. Gunpowder is a banned substance in Equestria, as well as the whole World."

They both sat there, in their beds, discussing their next move as the moon inched its way over the night sky. Unbeknownst to them, a group of ponies had caught wind of their present whereabouts and were doing the best they could to get to them. Having missed the last train for Manehattan thanks to the fuzziness of a certain white filly, who had taken her sweet time packing only her most fashionable dresses in several suitcases, Twilight's friends sat together at the station in hopes of catching the next available train.

Smile

The sun hung at its highest point over the city of Hoofington. It wasn't as big as Manehattan, nor as sophisticated as Canterlot, though it resembled the latter in appearance in the fact that buildings were small and scattered throughout. The streets were mostly made of grass, with a few stone roads sprinkled around, here and there. Several oak trees rose out from the ground throughout the city, where they housed a number of different bird species, some of them rare. Outside, to the East, the vegetation grew wilder into a forest lined with oak trees as tall as they came, where an enormous lake sat at its center. The plaza, right in the middle of the city, was crawling with excited colorful ponies running around in swimming suits and basking in the sunlight; others walked around with caps and camping gear, checking the stores as they went along, chattering excitedly about what activities they were going to engage in: ranging from swimming in the lake, to bird-watching. It was a typical summer day for the small city, a vacationing spot filled with water parks and natural resorts.

A honking sound drew everypony's attention to the train tracks, coming in from the North. Off in the distance, a shiny black locomotive grew larger, billowing a stream of white steam as it approached the train station. The cranking and clinking of the wheels on the track grew louder and louder, much to the pleasure of a large crowd of merchant ponies awaiting the arrival of the Canterlot Express. Suddenly, the screeching sound of metal filled the air and the train started slowing down considerably. The clinking of the gears died down as it was replaced by the rattling and banging of the train's compartments against each other, the smoke seemed to vanish as well when the locomotive reached the station and came to a complete halt. The train released any excess steam with a loud hiss, and honked one last time for show.

The machinist, right elbow sitting comfortably on the lower frame of the locomotive's window, pulled down a retractable microphone and spoke into it: "Welcome, fillies and gentlecolt, to the city of Hoofington. We'll be stopping here for a few hours, as scheduled, to restock on supplies and perform routine maintenance on the train. In the meantime, you're welcome to step out and visit the city as it has excellent restaurants and picnic spots. Do remember that we'll be leaving at four 'o clock sharp, so be sure to bring your watches and keep your ticket with you at all times." With these words several compartment doors slid open and a crowd began slowly filtering through it.

Pinkie Pie was the first of the six to shoot out from the door. She darted from one place to the next, impossibly fast, 'ooing' at every trinket the merchants near the station sold.

"Now, now Pinkie. Don't wander too far off," said Applejack stepping out of the train.

"Ugh, the heat is unbearable! Where is my chapeau?" Bemoaned Rarity, rummaging through her bag.

"Ooh, ooh! Look, a giant water-slide!" Yelled Pinkie and darted out of sight again.

"Whoa Nelly!" Called Applejack, throwing a lasso at the pink filly and dragging her back. "We did not come here for sightseeing ya hear? So try and behave yourself, will ya?" She scolded Pinkie Pie, trying to ignore the puppy-eyed look she was giving her.

"Chillax Applejack! We've got four hours until the train leaves," said Rainbow Dash, suntanning lotion and sunglasses at hoof.

"I just don't wanna get sidetracked, if we miss the train—"

"We'll be fine! Try to kick back and relax for a change," said the pegasus waving her hoof dismissively.

"I'm afraid I have to side with her on this one darling, we're stuck here for four hours and I, for one, am not interested in sitting here getting sweaty for nothing," said Rarity, sporting a wide-brim, lime-colored chapeau.

Applejack could see where this was going. She gave a sigh and relinquished her hold on Pinkie Pie. "Okay, but whatever we do, we stick together ya hear? I don't wanna spend my day looking for y'all."

"Sure, mom," retorted Rainbow Dash.

The group spent most of the day wandering around the city, looking for spots of interest. Pinkie Pie was allowed to ride the giant water-slide twice, which she did excitedly, splashing everypony in the vicinity; Rainbow Dash laid back on the grass, trying to get suntanned while the rest went into a beauty salon after Rarity insisted that they all needed it; later it was Applejack's turn to drag them to a country-styled restaurant, where they tried a variety of spicy meals, much to Rarity's displeasure, who accidentally nibbled on the end of a red looking vegetable she thought was a tomato, but turned out to be pepper; even the quiet Fluttershy could barely contain her exhilaration when the group agreed to her pleas of going bird watching. It was nearly half-past three when the group decided it was time to head back to the train.

Fluttershy was still reeling about the different kinds of bird she had seen when a tall, thin saddle-brown earth pony approached them with a satchel full of notes.

"Excuse me, which one of you is Miss...err...Rarity?" Asked the pony squinting at a piece of paper he was carrying.

"I am," answered the white filly, stepping forward.

"I have this telegram for you from Mister Fancy Pants," said the stallion as he handed the note to her.

Rarity levitated it in front of her and began reading it to herself, as the group surrounded her and craned in for a better look. After a few moments she turned around to face the others, looking troubled.

"Twilight and Spike left Manehattan this morning with some stranger on a cruise. They're heading to Canterlot as we speak," announced the filly.

"They what?!" Asked Rainbow Dash in disbelief.

"I don't likes the sound of that. Who's this stranger he was talking 'bout?" Said Applejack, frowning slightly as she pulled the telegram out of Rarity's grasp.

"It seems he's some captain of a cruise named 'High Tide', though Fancy Pants doesn't know him very well," explained Rarity.

"Well, I'll be dipped! It says here they aint alone. 'pparently, that nib-nose D.A. went with them," said Applejack to everyone's general astonishment.

Fluttershy gasped, lifting a hoof to her mouth. "Oh no! What do we do?"

"Twilight's gonna get caught before we have a chance at getting to her!" Said Rainbow Dash loudly, grabbing both sides of her head.

'Why that no-good ruffian! Not only was he rude enough to lock us up, but he even had the nerve of showing up at my house with a search warrant after having ransacked it once already!" Snorted Rarity, her face contracting with fury.

"Simmer down everypony!" Called out Applejack. "It says here the cruise will be stopping at Stabbleside a few days from now."

"Stabbleside? That's southeast of Hoofington, in the coast right?" Asked Rainbow Dash.

"Soooo all we gotta do is take the train to Stabbleside," said Pinkie Pie, bouncing on her hooves.

"Right, we should get our bags and check the schedule for the next train. C'mon everypony," said Applejack, beckoning the rest to follow her.

******

It had been a very awkward morning for Twilight. It seemed that no matter what she did, she could not elude the navy unicorn following her around at every turn. Twice he had spotted her attempting to get off the cruise before it set sail. She had pretended to be strolling around the deck for a little air when he'd caught her in a last desperate attempt of jumping overboard, into the ocean. He was being enchantingly nasty as well, pretending to be friendly and conversational as an excuse for making uncomfortable questions and throwing snide remarks about her curious demeanor. Once the needles of the clock reached twelve, she knew her fate had been sealed: a loud horn signaled their departure and the S.S.Concordia drifted away from the coast, making any attempt at teleportation far too dangerous to undergo.

She was busy watching the remains of Manehattan sink into the horizon when the unicorn stepped inadvertently next to her. "Oh dear, it looks like it will be a few days before we see land again, wouldn't you agree, Miss Crème?" Commented the D.A. with fake concern.

"Uh, I-I guess so..." replied Twilight, forcing a smile.

Silver Tongue saw her discomfort and relished at the further opportunity to tease her. "Looking awfully green there Miss Crème. Not seasick, are you?"

"Oh, nonono! I'm totally fine, I'm just feeling a little under the weather, but I'll be alright," she replied hastily, waving her hoof dismissively.

"Oh how wonderful! After all, I was just asked by captain High Tide to inform you that we're invited to dinner at his table, and it wouldn't be the same if you were shut away in your cabin, feeling a little sick," teased on the unicorn, his mischievous smile growing at the look of surprise in Twilight's face.

Curiously enough, Twilight did feel sick at these words. But the worst was yet to come as he turned around to leave and confirmed her worst fears.

"Well, I'm off to my cabin to check up on Nemo and to have some well deserved sleep, so I'll be seeing you later. One more thing though: do mind to read up on table manners, we wouldn't want anypony else to see through that little charade of yours now would we, Twilight Sparkle?" And with this he departed, leaving her looking stricken.

During the following hours she paced around her cabin trying much too hard to come up with a plan for getting out of her predicament. She had thought of taking a vessel out to sea, right in the middle of the night, (after all they were still in an inlet and would soon be traversing through the Southern Canal into the ocean) but thought better of it: a storm would sink her in a heartbeat and even if she succeeded she would still be right in the middle of nowhere. Next she had thought of conjuring wings on herself and flying away, but she couldn't leave Spike behind, nor had any means to cast the spell as the instructions book on how to do it was still in the library, back in Ponyville. Finally she had thought of inviting the D.A. for a nighttime stroll around the deck and then pushing him overboard, but she was smaller than him and had no way of overpowering him, nor would his absence go unnoticed by the overly friendly captain.

As minutes turned into hours she had to reluctantly accept that she wouldn't be worming herself out of her invitation. At eight 'o clock sharp, she gave a deep sigh and headed out to the dinning hall to accompany the D.A. and the captain, followed reluctantly by Spike.

The couple trudged towards the dinning hall, dragging their limbs along the parquet, much in the same way a convict does towards toward the gallows. When they arrived they stood in front of a double door made of mahogany, with brass handles. On both sides of the door stood a couple of porter ponies, wearing matching tailcoats and gloves. They each grabbed one of the handles and pushed the doors open to reveal a magnificent hall filled with long dinner tables, covered by crimson tablecloths and white lace on top. Each one of these tables was filled with succulent dishes such as roasted artichoke with chipotle aioli, blue cheese and citrus bruschetta, insalata capresse and avocado, wild mushroom and mascarpone soup, vegan artichoke and tomato bisque, grapefruit and fennel salad, oven-roasted sunchokes, and a ton more delicacies most ponies had never even seen or heard of.

Her mouth watering, Twilight scouted the inside of the hall for her host and spotted him at the end of the hall, sitting at the head of a table, accompanied by Silver Tongue and his assistant. They both wandered over to their table, under the scrutinizing gaze of dozens of other ponies, sitting at their respective tables. When the captain spotted them he ceased flattering a highly embarrassed Nemo, and got up to welcome them with open arms.

"Mister Blasé and Miss Crème! How wonderful it is to have you join us!" He exclaimed delightedly.

"The pleasure is ours, captain," responded Twilight, allowing the captain to kiss the tip of her hoof. She noticed he had switched his navy overcoat for an ivory uniform, badges gleaming in his chest.

The captain gestured them towards the sits on his right, across the D.A. and Nemo. Before the captain sat again, Twilight took the opportunity to shoot a defiant look towards Silver Tongue, who nodded in response, giving her a mischievous smile in return. He no longer looked shabby and scruffy, having shaved his three-day beard and properly combed his silvery mane backwards, in fact he looked quite dazzling with his ebony suit and royal-blue cravat. But if the D.A. without bags under his eyes was an unusual sight, Nemo Ius stood out even more with a sweeping purple gown, parted on the left side to reveal her leg and part of her flank. The filly had arranged her hair in a neat plait to reveal both her pink eyes, and was no longer wearing her red spectacles, a strand of fuchsia hair hanging on the right side of her face. Twilight had to stomp on Spike's foot to stop him from wolf-whistling at her, as the dragon drew in air to do so.

"You have arrived at just the right moment, I was just telling my dear attorneys here about these wondrous chandeliers I recently acquired," said the captain nudging towards the crystal chandeliers hanging from the vaulted ceiling.

"You seem to have fine taste sir," agreed Twilight, taking a peek at the shiny orbs of crystal hanging on top of them.

"Oh please! Call me Tide, all my friends do," implored the captain.

Twilight nodded at him. "Surely, sir Tide."

"I always thought you were far too enthusiastic to appreciate your surroundings. Never knew you had a taste for fine arts Tide," interjected the D.A. with a surprised tone.

"You don't know the half of it my friend," replied the captain, turning towards him. "Lately I have taken a liking to all sorts of art," he informed him.

"Such as?" Pressed on Nemo.

"Well, mostly sculptures. I've become a big patron of the arts, shipping fine sculptures all around Equestria in order to help independent artists get well known."

The D.A.'s eyes searched the hall for a few moments before turning towards the captain again. "That's odd, for a stallion that seems to enjoy art so much, I don't see any sculptures in the hall. Did they not fit the environment?" He asked curiously.

"Ah, no my friend. I'm afraid they're locked in with the rest of the cargo: wouldn't want them to get damaged before we reached the museum back in Canterlot," said the captain fiddling with his hooves, letting out a heavy sigh.

"Damaged? Surely they're more likely to get damaged if they're locked inside a room with shifting objects right?" Inquired Twilight.

The captain cast her a dubious look and shifted on his sit uncomfortably, before he had the opportunity to answer, however, a distraction came in the form of a waiter carrying their dinner.

"Ah! Pesto and two-cheese panini! My favorite!" Said the captain, smacking his lips. Twilight and Spike exchanged meaningful looks, but did not press on the matter.

"So," resumed the bulky stallion. "You mentioned earlier you were working on a case Silver?" He asked the D.A. in a casual tone, nearly making Twilight choke on her mango soup.

"Yes, it's the case with the terrorist attack on Princess Celestia," the unicorn informed him.

"Terrible business, just terrible," commented the captain, shaking his head.

"Isn't it?" Added the unicorn, directing his gaze at Twilight who was pretending to be busy, sipping her soup. "Apparently, the pony behind the attack was a filly who was a protégé at Princess Celestia's school for gifted unicorns."

"How dreadful! Why would she try to kill her own mentor?!" Exclaimed the stallion indignantly.

"That's what I'm trying to find out Tide, but try as I might I still can't find a motive behind her actions," he continued without taking his eyes off Twilight. "But that's not all, there have been a few inconsistencies, despite the considerable amount of evidence gathered against her, that seem to suggest she wasn't acting alone."

Spike's hand trembled with anger as he suppressed a mad desire of grabbing the flower pot in front of him and smashing it over Silver Tongue's head.

The captain looked at him inquisitively. "You mean she had help?"

"Oh, I mean more than that," replied the D.A. giving him a significant look. "My recent findings seem to indicate that some military personnel might have been involved."

Everypony stopped eating at looked at him stunned, even Twilight couldn't stop herself from opening her mouth in wonder at his words: she had not been expecting this.

"You don't say..." whispered the captain in disbelief.

"Which leads me to believe that either she helped a radical group within the military overthrow the princess, and they let her take the blame for it, or she was actually framed for a crime she didn't commit," finished the unicorn dramatically.

Twilight sat there, rooted to the spot, dripping her soup all over the tablecloth, a strange uplifting sensation in her stomach. Her heart had skipped a beat at his words, her mind completely blank, she merely stared at the D.A. torn between disbelief and excitement.

"Now, how does that one work out?" Inquired the captain, with a confused look on his face.

The D.A. looked at him and swallowed a piece of avocado before continuing. "For starters, the fact that we found the constituents for building explosive materials in her room was fishy, seeing how the suspect didn't have the means to either procure such ingredients nor sneak them into Canterlot, undetected."

"Perhaps she had help," suggested the captain.

"I thought so too at first," admitted the unicorn. "So I took her friends in for questioning, but none of them seemed to harbor any significant information, other than the fact that their friend had been acting strangely, during the weeks prior to the attack."

Twilight held her breath, images of her reunion with the princess flashing across her mind.

"Well, maybe they knew more than they were letting on, Silver. You don't know these terrorist types: their minds work in different ways than yours or mine," persisted the captain.

"They aren't terrorists!" Spat out Spike, to everyone's surprise.

Twilight threw a nervous look at Silver Tongue, who quickly understood. "Right you are, Mister Blasé!" He added hastily, trying to divert High Tide's attention from Spike. "You see, after interrogating them I felt they were hiding something, and so I had them followed. After much investigation and information gathering, however, I was forced to conclude that they were regular fillies just trying to protect her friend, whom they believed innocent," he added, giving Twilight a reassuring smile.

Twilight returned the smile in kind, her chest swelling with gratitude at what the D.A. had just told her: her friends' allegiance meant the world to her. She looked sideways and pretended to wipe her mouth, to prevent the other ponies from watching the pearly tears swelling up underneath her eyes.

"How can you be so sure of that?" Asked the captain giving Silver Tongue a skeptical look.

"Because of the fact that the suspect ordered the guards who were watching over the altar to escort her through town, at the time the explosive was set. If she had an accomplice it is more likely that he was within the military, or so I thought," explained the D.A. through the soles of his hooves.

"But doesn't that prove that she was behind the whole thing? Distracting the guards while her accomplice set the bomb?" Pointed out the captain, throwing up his huge arms in exasperation.

"Not necessarily," explained the D.A. "Though it is mysterious, maybe she was coached into giving such an order by somepony else. Or the guards who gave that statement could've lied about it, if they were involved. Any theories on that regard Miss Crème?"

Twilight had to admit it was very well done: the way he had staged the whole conversation in order to pass information to her, all the while allowing him to interrogate her without arousing suspicion.

"Maybe it was both?" Suggested Twilight, raising her wineglass and taking a sip. "Perhaps she was told to give word to the guards that their presence was required at headquarters, and they took the opportunity to spin the truth against her, to hide their involvement."

"Ah! But you are all forgetting one crucial detail," he cackled, waving at hoof towards Twilight. "The lass ran away from the law, didn't she? Why run if she was innocent, eh?" He added conclusively.

"Maybe because she knew so much evidence had been piled against her, and there was no way she'd get a fair trial," answered Spike.

"True," acknowledged Silver Tongue. "There's also the fact that the Imperial Guard was breathing down her neck, Tide. And I've gotten witness accounts that the late Commander Storm Chaser tried to execute the filly on the spot, after she'd surrendered."

The captain looked horror-struck at these words. "Jeez! I knew he was a mean, old ogre, but I never figured him to be a killer..." said the pony in a hushed voice.

"Though it was his duty to apprehend the suspect, the commander's strange behavior and his attempt at killing her can only be interpreted as a means of silencing the truth, meaning Miss Twilight Sparkle might've had nothing to do with the crime in the first place," concluded the unicorn.

A sensation of relief spread throughout Twilight, knowing now that not only did she count with her friends' support, but also that of the D.A. For the remainder of the evening she allowed herself to enjoy her meal, while swapping anecdotes and laughing alongside her new friends. Even Spike joined in with an occasional joke, making the captain roar with laughter, banging hard on the table. Life could not be better for the fugitive couple, who seemed to have found peace at last.

******

Over the following days the trust that Twilight had found in both Silver and Nemo seemed to strengthen. The couple of attorneys took the time to pay casual visits to Twilight's cabin, and stroll around the deck with her and Spike, pretending to engage in casual chatter. It turned out Silver Tongue wasn't as overbearing and unreasonable as she had initially thought: he was just a simple stallion, out to find the truth. Having talked to him a few times had given her the impression that he was an open minded pony, never settling for a definite answer and always keeping a certain measure of doubt in his mind. She had asked him how could he possibly live with the uncertainty of not knowing whether the ponies he'd put away where innocent or guilty. He merely answered that there was nothing more certain than doubt itself, to which Spike had replied that the guy was off his rocker, and that the stress of his profession had long since fried his brain.

Though she wanted to be cooperative, she still felt uncertain whether she should trust the unicorn with the discussion she had had with the princess. By now she knew that the stallion was aware of it, having tried to touch the subject a great deal of times. Nonetheless she felt it wasn't the right time to let him know of it: the last thing she wanted to do was put somepony else in danger. After all, somepony could overhear them and spill the beans all over the press. It was simply wiser to keep their silence until they got to Canterlot, where the D.A. had promised her the best protection the police could offer her.

Another thing that kept her from telling Silver Tongue about the meeting was the fact that he was friends with High Tide. Though she trusted the unicorn, she deeply mistrusted the captain, especially after he'd been so persistent on his theory that she was the culprit. By now she was certain that the captain was hiding something, and she had a hunch on what it was, though she didn't know how to tell this to the D.A: if she accused the captain of using sculptures as a front, to transport illegal substances, without any proof, she could lose the D.A.'s favor. She would have to sneak into the lowest levels of the ship, where the cargo was kept, to have a look at these sculptures. To that end, she had waited three days, since the stallion had avoided her question at dinner, for him to lower his defenses. And so, casting away her ladylike appearance, Twilight covered herself once more with her traveling cloak and stepped out, into the darkness of the night, while everypony slept.

The first stop would have to be the captain's cabin: since that was where all the keys were kept. The feat should be easy enough, all things considered, since there was few personnel patrolling the place. In fact, she needn't sneak into the cabin at all, just merely get in range of it to perform a reverse-teleportation spell on the keys.

Her eyes burning with the fire of determination, she stepped out into the deck, tiptoeing across the shiny parquet, keeping her back against the wall. She could see the cabin, sitting high on the cruise, at the end of five flights of stairs. She had to stop for a minute, when a sailor-pony came out of a room next to her an went whistling past her, flashlight at hoof. She wiped the sweat of her brow and started climbing the long metal staircase, that connected the deck with the captain's cabin. She tried her best to soften her steps, so as to avoid the clanging noise of her hooves against metal. So far she had been successful in her attempts, and had climbed nearly four flights of stairs when she heard the familiar voice of the captain addressing one of the sailors.

"Could you get down to the kitchens and ask the chefs there to whip me up some hot cocoa?"

"Sure thing captain!"

Twilight panicked as she heard the pony step out of the cabin and start descending the stairs right above her. She looked around for a place to hide, but found none, she was about to jump out when she heard another voice from the captain's cabin.

"Captain, it's half past eleven: the cooks already went to sleep."

"Oh darn it! Hey, you! Come back, there's no need..."

She let out a deep sigh of relief as she heard the sailor climb back up and enter the room. She waited a couple of seconds just to make sure the stallion wasn't about to come out again, and resumed her silent climbing. She could see the two sailors and the captain through a wide window that spanned all around the cabin. Setting her sight on the keys hanging on a shelf on one side of the room, she mustered her forces and concentrated with all her might. With a popping noise the keys materialized in front of her; she took them and began her descent.

She sneaked her way towards the stern of the ship, and found it to be unguarded. She found some stairs leading downward towards a hatch, which she had great difficulty opening. Underneath it, a long flight of metal stairs led towards a dark corridor, filled with similar hatch-like doors. She walked around until she found one of them had a chain around the handle, with a huge padlock denying any kind of access to it.

Her heart thumping wildly, she pulled out the keys she had stolen and began trying them one by one. After a few attempts, the padlock gave a satisfying clicking noise, and fell to the floor with a clang, dragging the chains with it. Twilight grabbed the handle and turned it slowly. The door creaked open as she put her weight on it and stepped inside the room. Thought the place was shrouded in darkness, moonlight filtered through the portholes in the wall, casting it's revealing light upon a number of stone statues filling the room. She had found the sculptures she'd been searching for.

Twilight approached the wall to her left and examined the sculpture of a robed filly holding a torch on her right hoof. She placed both hooves on it and heaved forward, sending it crashing into the floor. A glittery black substance spilled from it. Before she had the chance to do anything else, however, she heard a voice behind her.

"Gunpowder...dear Celestia, High Tide, what have you done?"

Twilight turned around sharply to see the D.A. standing in the entrance. "Silver Tongue! What are you doing here?" She asked in shock.

"I went to your cabin for a little chat and saw that you were missing. I woke up Spike and he told me where you were headed," explained the stallion.

"Did anypony see you?"

"I don't think so...but tell me, what is all this?" Asked the unicorn looking at their surroundings.

Twilight hesitated for a moment. 'Would it be alright to trust him with what the commander had said?'

The D.A.'s voice brought her back to her senses as he placed his hooves on her shoulders. "Listen, Twilight, this is important. If my belief is correct and all these statues are filled to the brim with gunpowder, then this conspiracy is bigger than we thought and all of Equestria could be in danger."

Twilight drew a deep breath and began telling him everything the commander had told her before he was crushed by a landslide. Already she could see the growing concern in his eyes as he tried to think of the implications of what she was telling him.

"War?" Whispered the stallion hoarsely, filling slightly lightheaded. "Are you certain that's what he said?" He asked flabbergasted, wishing he hadn't heard anything after all.

"Yes, and unless we find the culprit behind this plot, I'm afraid countless lives will be sacrificed in meaningless battle."

The D.A. shook his head in disbelief. "Why didn't you tell me this before?! This changes absolutely everything!"

Twilight traced the floor making circles with her right hoof, staring guiltily at the floor. "I was afraid you wouldn't believe me."

The unicorn quickly began pacing around, scratching his mane into a mess. "If this conspiracy runs as deep as you suggest, then we're going to have to move fast. First off, we're going to need to remove the princess from the care of the Imperial Guard. Next we're going to have to send a delegation to Princess Luna, have her brought back and placed under protection immediately. Then...there's no choice, we can no longer afford to have you wandering about Twilight, we're going to have to place you under the witness protection program."

Twilight's heart sank with these words. She understood only too well the implications of what the unicorn was telling her. "You mean I'm going to have to go into hiding? But what about my friends? Won't I be able to see them again?"

The D.A. stopped moving and gave her an apologetic look. This, if anything, made her feel even worse. "Twilight, I won't lie to you, it could be a long time before we catch the culprit. Yes, you would have to hide, and contact with the outside world would be limited until we've rooted out this conspiracy. I know you find this to be unfair, but you and Spike are our only witnesses, and therefore the only key to exposing and convicting the masterminds behind these acts."

Twilight felt her gaze drop to the ground and the tears build up behind her eyes. She knew all this, but still she could not help but feel disheartened. After having gone through so much to see her friends again, having that taken away from her, just as she closed in on her goal, was downright crushing.

The D.A. gently placed a hoof on her chin and lifted it to look her in the eyes, he then spoke in a low and sympathetic voice. "Listen, I know it's unfair to ask a filly, who's not even half my age, to shoulder the responsibilities of a grown mare. But unfortunately for you and me, this is no longer about what's fair or unfair. This is about what our country requires us to do, in order to ensure peace. I know this is hard to accept, but sometimes fate calls upon the few to sacrifice themselves for the needs of the many."

Twilight swallowed hard, suppressing a sob. She listened earnestly at the unicorn, trying to take in every word, every feeling he evoked, wishing to make herself stronger.

Silver Tongue pulled out a handkerchief from his pocket and handed it to her. "I pledge to you, that I will not rest until this culprit is caught, and I assure you that I will not allow you to come to harm. I solemnly swear to uphold my word, in the name of justice," he intoned, gesturing towards the brass scales on his flank. Twilight could not help but smile at his, wiping her tears with the handkerchief.

"So what do you say kiddo? Want to help me blow the lid on this joint?" Said the stallion, holding out his hoof for Twilight to shake. She looked at him appreciatively, slowly brought her right hoof forward, to meet with Silver's.

A flash. A deafening bang. A scream of pain and surprise. Twilight stood there rooted to the spot, warm blood splashing her face, as she watched Silver Tongue, eyes shut tight, fall in slow motion on the floor. Her eyes traveled from the mangled figure of the unicorn gasping for air, a gaping hole spurting blood on his chest, to the stallion standing in the doorway, some kind of long tube ending in two barrels on his hooves.

"No!" Twilight's scream rent the air as she flung herself on top of the stallion, trying to apply pressure to the wound.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk. Such a shame I had to do that old friend, but you left me no choice..." spoke the familiar voice of the captain, as he stepped out from the shadows, shotgun at hoof.

"You!" Yelled Twilight, her teary eyes flashing with the utmost hatred at the sight of the bulky stallion.

"Me," answered the captain simply. "I'm sorry, Silver, I really am...I hoped you would stay away...hoped you wouldn't figure it out," he said in a grave voice.

Silver Tongue spat out blood, and opened his eyes, trying to take in the blurry outline of his friend. "H-h-how...l-long?" He managed to stammer, giving him a resentful look.

"How long have I been at this? Oh quite longer than you imagine my friend. You see, it's good business: war, that is."

"But why?! Why would you do this?! I thought he was your friend!" Protested Twilight, eyeing High Tide with disgust.

The stallion looked at her, but it was to Silver Tongue to whom he addressed the answer. "Nothing pains me more for it to have come to this, but I simply could not allow you to interfere in our plans. I had hoped it wouldn't come to this, but you were simply too good of an investigator to let it go and let Miss Twilight over here take the blame."

"That's because he's a good pony! He wouldn't let an innocent take the blame for the sake of pretending!" Retorted Twilight, breathing heavily.

"And that's why I had to get rid of him," explained the captain calmly. "It was sad really, being told that you were poking your nose in affairs that did not concern you. I was ordered to find you and get rid of you," he told the bleeding unicorn.

"Or...dered?" Whispered the D.A. squinting at the captain.

"I don't suppose there's any harm in telling somepony who has a hoof in the grave. The Canterlot elite has been the driving force behind the attempt on the princess. They caught wind of you asking the Imperial Guard uncomfortable questions and wanted you out of the picture. I walked into the Waldhoof Astoria, after you ran away from Ponyville, knowing you'd check in there as usual. How surprised I was to find not only you, but also our darling little fugitive here," he said, nudging towards Twilight.

"You mean you knew all along?" Asked Twilight, angered at the fact she'd been tricked.

"Knew? Of course I knew! I'd have to be an idiot not to realize it was you under that ridiculous get up! So I decided to kill two birds with one stone and I lured both of you onto my ship, hoping to dispose of you."

"You'll never get away with this, you monster!" Seethed Twilight, staring daggers at the stallion.

The captain threw his head backwards and roared with laughter. "I'm afraid we already have my little filly. Princess Celestia is being gradually poisoned as we speak, and Princess Luna is set to be assassinated on the tenth of July, during a parade on her honor at Griffin kingdom. And with you two gone, there will be nopony left who could possibly interfere," he said, cocking his gun and pointing at Twilight.

"This thing here is cutting edge technology and the next step in the evolution of warfare. It uses the blast of gunpowder to spew out projectiles at very high speeds, capable of penetrating even the thickest of skins. So don't worry, you'll hardly have the time to feel anything before you're dead."

"Shoot me here and we'll both blow sky high!" Twilight taunted him, gesturing towards the statues behind her.

"Oh don't worry, if I point downwards there's very little chance of hitting them," he said matter-of-factly. "Goodbye Twilight Sparkle, it was my pleasure."

Twilight closed her eyes and raised her hooves to shield herself, but the bullet never came. Instead they heard a shattering noise, as a bust was cracked open on top of the captain's head, knocking him unconscious. Behind him stood Spike and Nemo.

"Silver Tongue sir! What happened?!" Blurted out Nemo rushing forward.

"He's been shot, he's losing a lot of blood. We have to get him out of here pronto!" Replied Twilight, heaving the injured stallion into a standing position and throwing his forearm over the back of her neck.

"I'll help you!" Offered Nemo, doing likewise with the D.A.'s free arm and helping Twilight drag him out of the room.

The trip back was far more difficult, the group had a lot of difficulties dragging the barely conscious D.A. up the metal staircase.

While Nemo and Spike were busy struggling with the metal hatch, the stallion turned his head towards Twilight and spoke in a hoarse voice.

"Meeting...with princess...what was it about?"

Twilight eyes met with his, as she considered his question. She gave him a sympathetic smile and whispered something into his ear. The stallion's lips widened into a smile from ear to ear as he whispered, "Never would've thought of it."

They managed to pull the unicorn onto the stern and set him carefully on the floor, where Nemo began to apply immediate pressure on the wound, while Twilight looked around for help.

"Twilight, look!" Yelled Spike pointing to the distance.

Twilight whipped around to see where her assistant was pointing and found out, with relief, that he was gesturing to several lit structures, scattered throughout the coast. They had finally arrived at Stableside.

"Quick Nemo, there's no time to lose! Help me hoist him into one of the evacuation vessels," said Twilight nudging her towards the side of the ship, decisively.

The captain hadn't had his last word on the matter, however, as he came sprinting up the stairs, shotgun on his hoof.

"Freeze!" He thundered, aiming for Nemo.

Twilight managed to push her overboard and into the vessel just before the captain unloaded his gun, leaving a huge dent on the metal surface of the ship.

"Oh no you don't lassie!" Yelled the stallion, letting out another shot at Twilight, who was trying to hoist the D.A. overboard. She barely ducked, dropping Silver Tongue in the process, missing death by a few inches.

The distressed captain opened his double-barrel shotgun and swiftly began loading a couple more shells.

"Now!" Signaled Twilight charging towards the captain. Spike grabbed the D.A. and tried to pull him up with all his might. Time seemed to come to a stop as Twilight jumped into a charging tackle against the captain, who was slowly lifting his gun and aiming it at her. She inched closer and closer, as his hoof delicately squeezed the trigger.

A flash of blue light. An echoing bang. Twilight suddenly found herself sitting perfectly safe on the vessel, which was now precipitating towards the water, alongside Nemo and Spike. Her eyes darted around, searching the boat for any signs of Silver Tongue, until she realized what had happened...

"You did this?" Asked the stallion at the badly injured unicorn.

"A reverse teleportation spell...simple stuff," croaked the D.A. pulling himself on his hooves.

"Your actions are meaningless old friend. What can you hope to achieve in that sorry state?" Taunted the captain.

"With luck...a little justice..." answered the unicorn, blue sparks flying out of his horn.

All of a sudden a massive blast beneath them shook the entire ship, sending the both of them tumbling to the floor. High Tide looked around in fear, and saw a dark cloud of smoke rushing out of the cargo bay below. Fear gripping him, he turned around to look at the unicorn, with utter hatred on his face.

"What did you do?!" He breathed menacingly.

"Blew up...whole cargo...no gunpowder...no ship," replied Silver Tongue in a barely audible whisper, lying on his side in a pool of blood.

"You! You remained behind to pull this meaningless stunt?! Why even try?! You're dead one way or another!" Barked the captain.

"Told her...fate calls upon the few...to sacrifice themselves...would've felt like a hypocrite...if I hadn't," answered the unicorn simply. "And to protect...the princess' dream..." he added, giving out one last breath, his last smile stretched wide across his face.

The long awaited reunion

Twilight Sparkle lay on her bed in her dormitory. The faint light of sunset permeated the room, giving out a sense of overall gloom. The warm summer breeze filtered through the half-drawn blinds on the window, invading both her nostrils and mind with unpleasant memories from the night past. She turned around to lay on her back, watching the sweeping motion of the ceiling fan above her. She could still see the images as clear as day on the back of her head: the figures of the sculptures, etched underneath the moonlight; the shimmery black substance, spilling all over the floor; the mangled body of Silver Tongue, laying in a pool of blood; the silhouette of the giant cruise, sinking beneath the waves, never to be seen again....

A loud knock on the door snapped her from her musings. She stood up quickly, nearly tripping, as her back leg got snagged on her bed sheets.

"Yes?" She called, staring cautiously at the door.

"It's us. Open up," whispered a familiar voice.

Twilight gave a loud sigh and began fumbling with the door chain. After a couple moments, she stood back and fully opened the door to let in Spike and an aqua-colored filly into the room. She gestured the latter towards the bed, and magically drew up a chair for Spike, as she locked the door behind her.

"So?" She asked, looking up expectantly at the couple.

Spike's eyes dropped to the ground slowly. He fumbled with his thumbs, biting his lips, thinking carefully about how to answer her question. It was the filly however, who answered first.

"Word out on the streets is that High Tide is alive," she spoke softly.

Twilight felt her stomach fall at these words, but bit her tongue and allowed the filly to continue.

"Apparently the coast guard arrived an hour after we left, and rescued him alongside the passengers in the cruise."

"Anything else?" She asked, trying hard to suppress the hopeful tone in her voice.

The filly gave her a look of utmost misery and opened her mouth to speak, but her voice broke off before she had even uttered the first few words of a sentence.

Twilight gave her a sympathetic look and put a hoof on her shoulder. "Sorry Nemo, didn't mean to bring back any bad memories."

"Well, you see..." Twilight turned around at the sound of Spike's voice. "They haven't found his...his corpse yet," stammered Spike, filled with a nauseous sensation at the sound of that word. "But, from what we've heard, captain High Tide seems to have identified us to be the culprits behind Silver Tongue's death."

"Of course he has..." muttered Twilight bitterly, feeling the burning rage welling up inside her stomach.

"He's saying that we sneaked into the cruise as a pair of stowaways and that, after he witnessed us killing the D.A., we blew up the ship to erase all the evidence," he added over Nemo's continued sobs.

Twilight was at a loss for words. Never in her life had she harmed or even thought of harming a living creature. She had never liked violence, nor tasted the bittersweet feeling of revenge. However, as she stood there remembering the captain's booming laugh right after shooting Silver Tongue, she had to fight down the urge of running down the stairs, hunting down the bastard, and throttling the life out of him. Her chest heaved with exhilaration and discomfort at the thought of taking somepony's life. She had to stop, though, when she felt a scaly hand upon her shoulder.

"Uh... you okay Twi?" Asked the dragon, with a look of concern.

She drew in a deep breath, and slumped on the floor, folding her legs inward. "Don't worry Spike, I'm fine," she answered, giving him a slight smile. "I just wish there was something we could do to bring that creep to justice," she added bitterly.

"But we don't have any evidence," pointed out Spike.

A sudden idea lit up Twilight's expression as she wheeled around to look at Nemo still on her bed. She obviously noticed this as she cocked her head to the side, giving her an inquisitive glance.

"What? Is there something on my face?"

Twilight's smile grew wider still. "No, but you were the D.A.'s assistant! You had access to all of Silver Tongue's files, and you could help me prove my innocence by vouching for me in public!" She said, her eyes shinning excitedly.

"Oh...uhm...geez...where should I begin?" Stammered the filly, casting a sideways look at Spike for support.

"Sorry, Twi," interjected Spike. "But High Tide has said that we've put Nemo under some sort of mind-control spell, and that we're using her to do our biding."

Twilight had a hard time swallowing these words. 'So that was the little scheme the captain had cooked up in order to prevent Nemo's intrusion from ruining their plans? To make her out to be a brain-washed pony, doing the biding of an evil terrorist set out to kill the princess?' She couldn't help but feel frustrated at how well it all fit, and how little hopes they had left for exposing the conspiracy now that both the evidence and the D.A. were gone. Even more disheartening was the fact that they had lost all their belongings in the shipwreck: there was no way she could stroll around pretending to be a high society lady without the means to conceal her identity. She was busy brooding over all these things when Nemo's voice interrupted her.

"Twilight, I think we better leave town before nightfall. I was able to get lodging on account of working for the D.A.'s office back in Canterlot, but the minute word reaches the landlord that we're wanted fugitives...we'll be hard-pressed to find a way to escape. The accident with the cruise happened far too late to make this morning's tabloids, and the fact that this is a crowded place makes us all that harder to spot, but by tomorrow morning everypony is going to know who we are and be out there looking for us."

Twilight had to admit she had a point. It had been hard enough getting out of Ponyville, without causing a commotion, once everypony had thought her out to be the culprit. She could only imagine what it would be like, getting out of town tomorrow, once the police and the Imperial Guard were informed of her whereabouts. They had to beat them to it before the streets were filled with a thousand patrolling guards, and their faces were plastered all over the newspapers.

"Let's get out of here before things get ugly," she spoke firmly, throwing Rarity's traveling cloak around herself once more.

******

Rarity was, as her name implied, a unique pony. Though fate had deemed that she be born in little ole' Ponyville, she most certainly knew that Canterlot was the place where she truly belonged. After all, where in Equestria could somepony hope to find someone with her considerable talents? The design...the craftsmanship...the fit...the color! Everything there was to her creations just screamed out of her superior sense of fashion. Unmatched. Unequaled. Unreproducible. Even the most influential and well-known ponies of the Canterlot elite had been entranced, bedazzled by her regal appearance and demeanor. Dozens of stallions would have gladly given anything to have her hoof in marriage. And why wouldn't they?! After all, she was a lady, a damsel, a delicate flower sitting amongst the dunes of crudeness, right in the middle of a desert of all that was rude and uncivil. Why wouldn't anypony come save her from her predicament?!

"Applejack, sto~~~~p!"

The cowgirl gave a loud sigh before turning around to look at her search partner, for what she felt was the thousandth time. "Now what?"

"That street! It's downright filthy!" Cried out Rarity in apprehension at the sight of the stone pavement, covered in grime and banana peels.

"Beg pardon Rarity, but this is a port. All the streets are filthy!" Retorted Applejack, glaring at the picky white filly.

Rarity let out an indignant gasp. "I just had my pedicure done and I absolutely refuse to befoul my beautiful hooves walking on that icky muck!"

Applejack's patience was beginning to run thin. They had been going out in pairs and searching the town for any sign of Twilight since morning, having heard of what had happened on the cruise from the nearby merchants. Rarity, however, wasn't been exactly helpful. She had been complaining nonstop about everything that had to do with Stableside since they had gotten there three days ago. Either the temperature was not right enough for her, or the sea breeze was frizzing up her mane, or the food didn't look clean enough....

"Eww! Why does everypony keep on bumping into me! They're soiling my coat with their sweat! Why do the streets have to be so crowded! And why do all these bedraggled merchant ponies have to walk around with their products at hoof? I already have little personal space as it is!" Whined on Rarity, prancing on the spot.

"Now listen here Rare. Everypony is doing their part looking for Twilight, and I'll be darned if Ah let this opportunity slip us by. So you best stop complainin' and start lookin' for our friend!" Barked Applejack.

Rarity, though, was too busy, watching a certain hunchback pony wearing a familiar gray cloak, walking down the street in company of an aqua filly, to pay attention to Applejack's scolding.

"Applejack, darling. I think...that's my traveling cloak," she said without taking her eyes off the peculiar pair.

Applejack seemed to calm down at these words and walked up next to her to have a look. "Haven't we seen that filly with pink mane before?" She added thoughtfully.

"That's not pink. That's fuchsia, my dear," Rarity correcter her.

"Ok. Ok. Haven't we seen that filly with the few-sha mane before?" She asked again, struggling with the word.

Rarity nodded in response. "Why yes, I believe we have but, oh heavens, I just can't remember where..."

"Was it in one of Pinkie Pie's parties?" Suggested Applejack.

"Maybe it was during the Grand Galloping Gala. She does seem somewhat high class," pointed out Rarity.

"How do you reckon?" Asked Applejack, inspecting the filly from head to hooves.

"Well, her neatly combed mane, and the way she walks, and that tie... I swear I've seen that tie before."

"Oh shucks, them ties remind me of that nosy Dee—" her voice trailed off, her eyes widening in comprehension, her brain unable to make the connection just yet. She turned around to look at Rarity and saw that she had reached the same conclusion.

"Applejack, that's the D.A.'s assistant!" Yelled out Rarity after a moment's silence.

"Ah knew it! But who's that she's with? Merchants' been sayin' that the D.A. kicked the bucket the night before," observed Applejack.

"I think, that's our dearest Twilight..." said Rarity, her voice quivering with excitement.

Applejack shook her head in shock. "Twilight?! But why would she be with her of all ponies?!"

Rarity scratched her chin, pondering the meaning behind this. "Maybe she's been taken captive!" She spoke out in alarm.

Applejack returned her worries with a gasp. "Oh no! We've gotta help her!"

"But what are we gonna do?!"

"You go out and rally the others. Ah'll follow them and make sure they don't get away with Twilight."

******

"Are we out of town yet? I'm boiling in here!" Whined Spike from underneath Twilight's cloak.

"Hush Spike! Humps aren't supposed to talk! We'll get found out," whispered Twilight, sweating underneath her disguise.

"Don't worry, we're nearly out of town," Nemo assured them, out of the corner of her mouth.

Sure enough, they were approaching a white brick wall at the end of a stone-lined road, were a welcome sign had been nailed to the archway over the entrance. The fillies hastened their pace, their eyes dead set on the dirt road that stretched itself beyond the entrance. They could already taste the freedom in the air as they got closer to the threshold, unimpeded.

Their faces sweaty, their hearts racing, they stepped out into the spacious plains in front of them, gently caressed by twilight. They exchanged nervous looks, torn between anxiety and triumph, and high-hooved each other as they broke out into relieved giggles.

All of a sudden, before either of them could speak a single word, they were ambushed. A single cyan bullet wiped the smirks of their faces, as a rainbow maned pegasus dived out of the sky and tackled Nemo Ius out of sight.

"Rainbow Dash?!?!" Yelled out Twilight in shock, pulling off her cloak at last, to release Spike from his hiding place..

"Alright, who are you lady?! Just where are you taking Twilight?! You better answer! I'm not afraid to get rough on ya if I have to..." Rainbow Dash spoke out in a threatening tirade of words, pinning Nemo to the ground.

"Please don't hurt me!" Pleaded a terrified Nemo under Rainbow Dash's ominous glare.

"Please don't make me," she retorted, further terrorizing the poor filly.

"Twilight! Heavens to Betsy, it is you!" Called out yet another familiar voice.

Twilight felt her jaw drop faster than lightning. "Applejack?!"

"Its not just her!" Announced Pinkie Pie bouncing towards her, followed by Fluttershy and, to Spike's delight, Rarity. "We've missed you soooo much!" Cried out the pink pony, pulling her into a tight embrace.

Twilight still had not recovered from the initial shock. "But-but what are all of you doing here?! How did you find me?!" Demanded the plum filly, albeit sounding more worried than she intended.

Rarity gave a tiny cough to call her attention. "Well, the manager at the Waldhoof-Astoria let Fancy Pants know that you were headed here, and since he's a big friend of mine, he's been helping us track you down," she explained. "Now, do tell me, is it true they have a fountain that shoots out wine in the lobby?" She asked, her eyes glowing with excitement.

"Err..."

"Hey! Let's leave the questions for later! We gotta do something about her first!" Called out Rainbow Dash, nodding towards the still cowering filly beneath her.

"Oh nononono! She's actually on our side, and has been helping us elude capture for a while now," explained Twilight, trotting towards them.

"How do you know? She could be a spy for all we know!" She said accusingly, snorting hard on Nemo's face.

"Relax Rainbow, she was there when the captain tried to kill us last night. She's as much of a wanted criminal as we are now," Spike told her, gently putting his claws on her side.

Fluttershy gave out a terrified whimper. "Kill you? Why would anypony try to kill you?"

"Its a long story," said Twilight simply, pulling Nemo from underneath Rainbow Dash.

Over the next couple of hours, Twilight retold her side of the story as best she could. Being careful to explain how she'd managed to slip through the clutches of the Imperial Guard in more than one occasion. She had to admit it her friends made a great audience, and it was kind of refreshing telling them all that she'd seen, despite the horrible memories she was now reliving for them. They, in turn, listened attentively to anything she said and gasped at all the right spots ("that scumbag!" Yelled out Rainbow Dash in disgust, when she told them about Storm Chaser trying to kill her). After she finished explaining how captain High Tide had killed Silver Tongue and framed them for it, (she had to stop for a while to allow Nemo to regain composure) everypony went quiet and shifted uncomfortably in their spot.

"Girls? Is there something wrong?" Twilight asked, giving them a concerned look.

A shiver ran through the crowd as the ponies eyed one another, their faces filled with shame.

"Golly, Ah never thought you'd been through so much," spoke out Applejack, after a moment's silence, not daring to look Twilight in the eyes.

"Yeah," admitted Rainbow Dash. "You've braved all these dangers while we ran around doing nothing. Talk about loyalty..." she lamented.

"But girls—"

"Please Twilight, say no more. We ditched you. We abandoned you when you most needed us... nothing we say can change that fact," said Rarity, tears streaming down her face.

"I feel awful that we suspected you. I don't know if you could ever forgive us for ever doubting you in the first place," spoke Fluttershy in her usual hushed tone.

"Oh Twilight please forgive us! We didn't mean to be such a bunch of big mean, meany-pants!" Piped up Pinkie Pie.

"Girls—"

"Twilight, we did ya wrong. As far as Ah'm concerned we're indebted to you big time. We're mighty sorry for the way we behaved with ya. Why Ah could buck myself in the rear for the way Ah acted. But Ah assure you that Ah'll do mah best to make it up to you, and so will everypony here," swore Applejack to general assent.

"Thank you Applejack, but I've already forgiven all of you," said Twilight, feeling the burning sting of tears behind her eyes. "You're the best friends a pony could ask for, and I can't...express my joy to have you all here with me right now," she added, her voice breaking off as she fought an overwhelming desire to cry out of happiness.

"You're too kind sugarcube," sobbed Applejack, putting her arms around Twilight and hugging her tightly.

Twilight found that she could no longer keep the pretense. Finally in the presence of the ponies she loved, the friends she had been longing to see, she could not fight the long-kept moan of misery that had haunted her since the fateful day in which she had turned from being one of the Princess' most beloved subjects, to the most loathed pony in Equestria. She felt her knees give way as she let out a wail of sorrow, burying her face into Applejack's chest. Her friends rushed to her side and embraced her tightly, stroking her back as they too let out cries of their own.

"It's okay Twilight, we're with you now..."

The day of the Summer Sun Celebration Part I

"Rainbow Dash, wait up!"

The cyan pegasus came to a stop and hovered in midair, turning around to look at the source of the familiar voice. Behind her, four ponies and a dragon were hiking a particularly steep hill, huffing and puffing as they went along.

Rainbow Dash batted her short wings anxiously, giving a longing look towards the castle standing before them, a couple hundred yards away. "C'mon guys! I want to get there sometime today!"

Twilight Sparkle couldn't help but roll her eyes at her. "Rainbow, the party doesn't start till tonight, I see no particular hurry in getting there."

The filly's eyes widened in disbelief. "No hurry?! The Wonderbolts are going to be there and you say there's no hurry?!" She demanded indignantly.

"Just like they were at the gala, and remember what happened then?" Twilight reminded her.

"Yeah, but this is different. Everypony's invited and there aren't going to be any snobs hogging their attention all night long! Uh...no offense, Rarity," she added hastily with a sheepish smile.

"None taken," replied the white unicorn in a dignified tone.

"Besides," Rainbow Dash continued, ignoring Rarity, "Pinkie Pie's already there!" She complained, gesturing towards a small pink dot skipping merrily across the castle grounds.

Sure enough, about a hundred yards away Pinkie Pie was hopping excitedly all over the place, like a rabbit on steroids, dragging a canon from a rope in her mouth. Rainbow Dash might have been the fastest flyer in all of Equestria, but that didn't mean she was the fastest pony, not by a longshot.

They group trekked a couple more grassy hills, towards a cliff where Canterlot Castle stood at its edge. The structure was built right against the rocky side of a large mountain, half of it suspended over the abyss beneath it, towering high above the clouds. A wide stream poured down the mountain and around the castle, ending in a large waterfall that flowed endlessly into the depths below. A drawbridge had been built over it to allow access to it, and on top of it a white mare, possessing both wings and a horn, stood with a benign smile aimed at them. This alicorn, clad in a golden chest piece and tiara incrusted with matching amethysts, was none other than Princess Celestia.

"Ah, Twilight Sparkle, my prized pupil!" Exclaimed the Princess with unmistakable delight. "It's good to see you and your friends again."

Twilight and company returned her greetings with a low bow. "Princess Celestia, it's an honor to have been invited to stay with you."

"Oh, not at all my dear student," she replied, slightly shaking her head. "It's lovely to have you all here with me at a time of celebration. I hope your studies on the magic of friendship have been going well?"

Twilight exchanged a significant look with Spike and felt her face flush as she gave the Princess an embarrassed grin. "Uh...well, sort of."

"Perhaps we might talk about it later? I suppose you will be wanting to get settled into your rooms," suggested the alicorn in a calm and reassuring voice, tossing her ethereal mane aside as she turned around and led them through the gates.

Twilight trotted up right next to Celestia and opened her mouth to speak, but thought better of it. It would be best perhaps, if she waited until they were alone to talk. Apparently the Princess noticed this, for she acknowledged Twilight's concerns with a tiny nod before moving on.

The suites were all located in the West Wing of the castle, which also happened to be the side that was suspended over the chasm below. Each of them stood individually, at the top of the towers that made up that section of the structure. An external spiral staircase allowed access to the top of each tower, where a tall set of double doors barred entrance to a splendid bedroom complete with a four poster bed, a wardrobe, a full-sized mirror and it's own bathroom.

After finally leaving each of her friends in their respective rooms to unpack (it took some time to get Fluttershy up the stairs to her room as she came down with a sudden new-found fear of heights), Twilight and Spike followed Princess Celestia into their own.

With a delicate gaze, Celestia addressed the baby: "I'm sorry about this, but could I have a word with Twilight, in private?"

Spike took no offense, he gave nod of understanding. "Of course your highness," he said, and left the suite.

"Now then, was there something on your mind Twilight?" Asked the Princess in a casual tone, checking outside the windows for eavesdroppers.

The plum filly stared at the ground and began tracing circles on the rug with her hoof. "Uh, about the conversation we had last time...."

The Princess gave a prolonged sigh and wheeled around to look at her. "Yes, I feared it'd be something like that."

Twilight looked up at Celestia and continued unabashed, "Are you sure about this Princess? I mean I hardly think—"

The sun goddess lifted an imposing hoof in signal for her to stop. Twilight ceased talking at once and her gaze dropped to the ground once more.

"Twilight, you know that I value your diligence and trust your judgment despite the fact that you are still a young filly..." she intoned.

"But—"

"Which is why," she spoke louder still, drowning the sound of Twilight's protests, "I need you to trust mine. You're an intelligent filly and a talented unicorn, but you lack experience. Your doubts are not unfounded, but I'm afraid you set too much in store by the contents of your books rather than acknowledging what's right in front of you."

"But how can you be so sure—"

"Twilight, remind me why it is that I sent you to Ponyville in the first place?"

"To stop Nightmare Moon from taking over Equestria and bringing about nighttime eternal?" The filly suggested.

Celestia shook her head solemnly. "I sent you to Ponyville because, despite your considerable talent, you have a knack for brooding over the the smallest details, rather than taking your time to enjoy what's around you," she explained. Twilight gave her a quizzical look, but Celestia pay no heed and wrapped a slender forearm around her neck. "You have spent most of your life with your head buried in books, and so you have neglected one of the most important aspects of your education, my little pony."

Twilight reeled from shock. 'Neglecting her education? How in Equestria was it possible that she had neglected her own education, when she had spent more time than anypony else perusing every book the Canterlot library could hold? Surely the Princess was mistaken'.

A soft smile adorned the mare's gentle face as she looked her student in the eye and saw the confusion that she held. "Meeting other ponies, having fun with your friends, taking a break once in a while... these are all part of the integral education a pony needs."

'Oh, that...'

The Princess let go of Twilight and wandered over to a nearby window, opening it in full with her magic. "When I first met you I knew you had enormous potential Twilight, and so I took you in hoping to have a hoof in your upbringing."

A couple memories involving turning her parents into potted plants and aging Spike into a full-grown dragon flashed across Twilight's head. A guilty grin momentarily split her face, but she shook it off and continued listening.

"But the more time I spent watching you, the more worried I became that you were too much of an introvert. I knew you had the talent and the ability, but by granting you a special status within my school and keeping constant interaction with you, I'm afraid I made you grow dependent of me. I just couldn't help it, I mean... you were so... adorable!" Celestia cooed, turning around and nuzzling Twilight's cheek.

"Oh, please don't," muttered Twilight, her whole face burning red, though making no attempts to resist her.

"Oh dear I'm doing it again, aren't I?" She teased on, lifting her hoof up to her mouth to cover her obvious grin at Twilight's embarrassment. "Though in all due seriousness," she resumed, adopting her solemn tone once more, "I couldn't help but feel that I was responsible for you not being able to socialize with the rest of the students."

Twilight gave her a sad look. "But Princess... that wasn't your fault at all."

"Oh but it was Twilight," Celestia assured her. "By spoiling you and allowing you to be around me all the time, I made you all the more reluctant to play with other ponies. Rather than let you drown yourself with books day and night, I should've been more firm and encouraged you to act like the rest of the foals. In making you my protégé I made you into an exception and so I built this invisible barrier around you that no one could penetrate, no matter how hard they tried."

"I was merely being stubborn—"

"No, you were reacting in the only way you knew how to, and so I was responsible for letting you," the Princess corrected her with a tone of finality. "And that's why, when I received your letter detailing your findings on Nightmare Moon's return, I knew you had been pushing yourself way too hard again and decided to take a gamble."

Twilight stood there in silence, wondering where she was going with all of this.

"I sent you to Ponyville, as far away from myself as I could, in the hopes that, thrown into an unknown environment, you'd be forced to interact with other ponies. And so when you met your friends and defeated Nightmare Moon, and you asked me if you could stay in Ponyville with them, I was elated. I knew then I had finally made the right choice."

It was true that Twilight hadn't been much of a socialite, but this had all been a year ago. What was the point of bringing this up now?

"Twilight, you have always been a powerfully talented unicorn, I will never tire from saying that. It just so happens that you are incredibly modest as well, a rare quality gifted ponies often lack, but your modesty borders on the line of diffidence. And so, just like you shied away from the prospect of making friends, so you shy away from this matter as well," she finished with a grave look.

Twilight looked severely troubled. She bit her lips and mused things over in her mind before answering. "Princess, this is just so much different from what you've asked me up until now. I'm not sure I can do it..."

Celestia sighed again. "This is precisely what I mean Twilight. You never even give yourself a chance before you decide you can't do it!" She said, with a slightly annoyed tone.

Twilight was becoming more and more flustered by the minute. "But what about Princess Luna? Couldn't you ask her to do it?" she suggested, a sudden tone of panic in her voice.

"Luna has her own royal duties to attend to, and I'm afraid she has quite enough on her plate already, after a thousand years of isolation. There really is no other pony I can trust to do this Twilight," she said, with a pleading look in her eyes.

Twilight felt herself under tremendous pressure under the gaze of this kind and gentle goddess. Princess Celestia had always been a source of love and inspiration for her, only this time around she may have been asking for too much. Yet she couldn't help but feel that she'd be poorly repaying her if she refused to do it. The Princess trusted her, believed in her in spite of how little confidence she herself had, perhaps she knew best after all? Celestia had never disappointed her or let her down since she'd known her, and so, though she had the urge to kick herself for doing so, she found herself considering the possibility.

"Let me think about it."

Princess Celestia smiled and nodded. "I expect your answer tomorrow morning, until then I shall leave you with your thoughts." With a bow, the Princess departed out the door.

The day of the Summer Sun Celebration Part II

Princess Celestia was, of course, a patient pony. The sun goddess had lived for over a thousand years and bore witness to countless events of historical significance throughout the millenia. After her discovery of the Elements of Harmony, and with the help of her sister, she had valiantly struck down Discord and ended his tyrannical rule over Equestria. She had poured herself into magical studies, under the guidance of her mentor: Starswirl the Bearded, to undo the damage the draconequus had brought upon the land. She had assisted the ponies of olden time with restoring the chaos-ridden lands back to their former glory.

Celestia had been proclaimed as the new queen, over all the land, after the fruits of her labor and her newfound longevity. The young mare had, very reluctantly, accepted the offer to become the ruler of Equestria, alongside her sister, taking responsibility for the astral bodies that maintained the balance in the world. Her first Royal Decree had been to abolish the title of "Queen" and replace it with that of "Princess", as the former left the bitter taste of old age in her mouth. She participated in the wars, against neighboring tribes seeking to take over the lands she had been commissioned to protect. Even after all this, she had fought off her younger sister when she tried to take over the kingdom for herself, taking over her responsibilities after she banished her to the moon.

She certainly knew about tragedy and drama, having lived more than ten lifetimes filled with both. That was probably why she was starting to feel a teensy bit annoyed by her sister's pouting about not being able to see her for weeks, though admittedly she couldn't deny that Luna, and her sudden sister complex, were very cute.

"We shalt miss ye, dear sister of ours," bawled the night princess aloud, holding tightly around Celestia's neck.

"So shall I Luna, but remember that you will be only be gone for three weeks," she answered, soothingly.

"They might as well be three centuries! Every second spent away from ye feels like an eternity!"

"I'll write to you if it helps?" Suggested the white mare, caressing her back with one of her hooves.

"Will ye? Thou better not break thine promise! Promise us that thou will write everyday, I beseech thee!" Pleaded the dark mare, letting go of her sister and giving her a watery look.

"I promise," responded Celestia with a serene smile.

"Thou hath better not be lying, or ye shall receive thine comeuppance, when we return from our journey, ye trickster!" Proclaimed Luna jokingly, casting an accusing hoof at her sister.

"Oh? And what exactly do you have in mind dear sister?" Teased on Celestia, narrowing her eyes mischievously.

"Thou hath not an inkling of the unspeakable horrors we shalt inflict upon ye, shalt thou fail to keep thine word!" She thundered, waving her right hoof above her head threateningly.

"You haven't thought of anything, have you?"

"...Nay."

The siblings burst into identical fits of giggles.

"Do behave yourself around King Edward, will you Luna? They say the apple doesn't fall far from the tree...."

Princess Luna frowned. "Ah yes. We hath read of the morbidly obese king and his taste for young, supple females..." she muttered darkly. "Still, t'is the son we wishest to speak with. Thou hast nary to concern thyself with."

An interruption arrived at that moment in the form of an ivory carriage, pulled by a couple of pegasus stallions clad in gold armor. The mares watched them as they descended on the yard, right in front of them, circling around them before they came to a stop.

"Princess Luna, your transport is ready," Spoke the one closest to them.

Luna gave both of them a puzzled look. "What is the meaning of this? We thought we'd be escorted by our personal guards, and on our personal carriage?"

"I'm afraid your guards haven't had enough training for this particular type of mission, your highness," said a rough voice right behind them.

The mares turned around to find a bulky, brown earth pony with a short black mane, he too was wearing golden armor and a crested helmet. Luna seemed to be taken aback from the sight of this stallion, as every visible part of his body seemed to be covered in scars.

"Ah! Commander Storm Chaser," said Celestia pleasantly. "I trust you're obsessing yourself with security as always?"

The stallion gave her a steely gaze and let out a loud snort. "I'm afraid you're far too lax on this matter your highness. These mongrels you're eager to negotiate with once swarmed over this land wishing to make it theirs."

Celestia raised a hoof to her mouth to stifle a giggle. "Oh, relax commander! If anything, it is you who is far too uptight. We haven't had war for centuries, and I certainly don't see a reason why the griffons would want to start one now."

"Say what you will your highness, but as long as I'm the commander of the Imperial Guard it is my duty to see that none of you come to any harm," retorted the stallion with a frown on his face.

"Pray tell, how exactly art my soldiers unprepared to handle this trip?" Inquired Luna indignantly at the commander.

Storm Chaser fought the urge of rolling his eyes at royalty, instead he kept his temper for once in his life before answering. "When you resumed your duties as Princess of the Night you hoof-picked but a handful of guards straight from the Imperial Military Academy: a place crawling with amateurs and greenhorns who have not even learned how to hold a sword straight," he explained. "None of them has even finished their education, much less experienced adverse situations. They wouldn't last a second should the griffons choose to attack us."

It was Celestia's turn to roll her eyes. The sole of her hoof met her face as she vigorously rubbed her brow. "For the last time Commander Storm Chaser, Luna's not going to get att—"

"We hath no idea..." whispered Luna, her eyes growing wide with surprise and awe. "Forgive us, for doubting thine judgment commander," she added as she sank into a one kneed bow. "We wishest thee to carry on thine duties and protect us to the fullest of thine capacities."

A smile flickered across the commander's face as he took a sideways glance at Celestia's incredulous expression. He gave Princess Luna a curt nod, and departed at once to summon more guards.

"Err..."

"Is there something wrong sister?" Asked Luna with a look of innocent confusion.

"No," muttered the Celestia, trying to shake that last scene from her head. "Nothing's wrong at all. Have a safe trip, okay?" Pleaded the white mare.

"Ye should not concern thyself with our fate, after all we art on the hooves of a very capable stallion. Take care dear sister!"

A platoon of white pegasi arrived at that moment, twelve in total, surrounding the carriage on both sides. Luna gave her sister once last hug and mounted on the vehicle, which pulled up immediately and went airborne. Celestia waved her sister off as the carriage lifted her higher and higher, past the clouds.

The princess turned around to find a very excited Twilight, levitating a quill and a long piece of parchment behind her.

"Ah, yes... The preparations for the Summer Sun Celebration, right?" Asked Celestia with a very awkward smile. The sun goddess had little time to mentally prepare herself for her student's usual outburst of bureaucratic blabber.

"PrincessCelestiaIvealreadymadethechecklistofallthethingsweneedtomakeachecklistofallthethingsthatwewill—"

"Yesssss, Twilight, I can see that," blurt out Celestia, "but I'm afraid there's so little to keep in check that you won't need to go through all of Canterlot's parchment supply to make a checklist," she added, rolling up yet another one of Twilight's signature checklists of the things needed to make a checklist.

Twilight gave her mentor a disappointed look. "Really? But this is the first time in twelve years that we've held the Summer Sun Celebration in Canterlot! Are you sure you don't need me to triple check the preparations?"

Celestia merely smiled at the unicorn and rustled her mane. "Don't worry my little pony, I assure you that I've hoof-picked none but the best stallions and mares to help with preparations."

"Yes, but princess—"

"However, if it means that much to you..." Twilight's expression seemed to light up at these words, "I can assign you oversee the preparations—"

No sooner than Celestia had spoken Twilight had jumped up five feet into the air and let out a scream of delight "Yeeeeeesssss! Yesyesyesyesyesyesyesyesyesyesyesye—"

The Princess froze the elated filly with her magic in mid-air, just as she was skipping around her, and levitated her to eye level. "On the condition that you don't over-exhaust with those checklists of yours, okay?" She finished amiably.

"Okay," answered the filly, feeling her face flush deep red.

******

Half an hour later Twilight trotted down Canterlot city, Spike sitting on top of her staring down a long piece of parchment, quill on his hand.

"What is the first item on our checklist Spike?" The filly called over her shoulder at her assistant.

"That would be food," replied the dragon, unintentionally licking his lips, though feeling a stab of disappointment as soon as he read the name of the restaurant aloud. "Greenhouse... you'd think that with all these snobs hanging about they would at least consider adding something that isn't salad to the menu!" He grumbled, crossing his tiny arms in irritation.

"Don't worry, I'm sure the Princess hasn't forgotten about your liking for gems," Twilight assured him.

The couple made their way down the stone pavement, towards a two-story building that seemed to be made almost entirely out of glass. They could distinguish several sets of circular tables, most of which seemed to be occupied by customers, spread throughout a shiny cherry-wood floor. There were several planters filled with daisies, roses, and daffodils pushed up against the glass walls. There were about four orange trees that seemed to be growing out of the floor, and through the first floor ceiling, also made of cherry-wood. The front yard had been decorated with a couple of white planters, which had lilacs growing out of them.

Twilight stepped in to find herself greeted by a lime-colored unicorn with a neatly parted maroon mane.

"Welcome to Greenhouse, table for two?" He asked them, giving them a polite bow.

"Err...No, thank you. I've been sent by Princess Celestia to oversee the preparations for tonight's banquet," explained Twilight.

"Oh, yes of course, please follow me around to the back."

The pony led them around the tables, where customers were still being served, and through a set of double doors that led right into the kitchen, incrusted on the building's only wooden wall. Upon entering the place Twilight had trouble making sense of anything as her world turned upside down at the chaotic scene in front of her.

The air was filled with at least a dozen different smells, metal and white linoleum replaced the familiar brown and green she'd seen before, the temperature seemed to have risen significantly, but all of this was absolutely nothing compared to the movement in the room. Several ponies, wearing white uniforms were running around the place, yelling instructions at each other, flames rose randomly out of frying pans as the cooks cast their contents into the air and caught them yet again as they came down, busboys ran out pushing trolleys filled with plates, about a dozen ponies quickly arranged different ingredients to form a variety of plates.

Twilight was snapped out of her trance as the unicorn right next to her pulled out a clipboard and began listing off some hors d'oeuvres.

"As you can see we've already worked our way through the canapés, the vol-au-vents, and deviled eggs," noted the stallion, gesturing towards several trays stacked neatly on a large carrier. "Our chefs are still working on the caviar, and the crudités, and we're nearly done with the cheese. Care to sample some?"

Almost immediately, four ponies zoomed in out of nowhere carrying trays neatly arranged with Swiss, Gorgonzola, Cheddar, Gruyère, Gouda, and more cheeses than Twilight or Spike could even recognize.

"Sure," said Twilight, helping herself to some Gouda, while Spike gobbled down several pieces of Cheddar.

An electrical current shot unpleasantly through her mouth as her taste buds went to work. The cube of cheese she was chewing on was soft, yet still felt firm enough against her dentures. The taste wasn't too strong, but it wasn't weak either, it was just right. "Delicious!" She exclaimed, licking her lips. Gouda was her favorite kind of cheese after all.

"I'm glad you like it miss," said the stallion, waving the servers away (Spike, still chewing on his Cheddar, moaned with longing at the vanishing trays).

"Don't worry Spike, there will be plenty of time for food later on," she assured him. "Carry on please," she added, casting the stallion a nod of approval.

Twilight stepped outside only to be greeted by the familiar sight of a cyan pegasus zooming through the skies above her.

"Hey there Rainbow. Where are you going in such a hurry?" She called out.

Rainbow Dash slowed down at the mention of her name and hovered over Twilight. "Hey there Twi! Can't stick around, the Wonderbolts will start practicing their routine at four!" She blurted out excitedly.

"Is everypony still at the castle?"

"Only Fluttershy. Rarity went to visit some friends of hers and Pinkie Pie and Applejack went off to see the city. Well, gotta dash! Catch you later!" She yelled out before darting off towards the stadium.

"Looks like everypony is keeping themselves busy today!" Said Spike aloud.

"Yup, and so are we," replied Twilight. "What's next on the checklist Spike?"

"Weather," said the dragon, inspecting the list, "the air squadron of the Imperial Guard is supposed to be taking care of it."

"Well, it looks like they've got their work cut out for them..." pointed out Twilight, taking in the large formation of altostrati covering the sky like a huge blanket.

Their attention was suddenly diverted by the thundering sound of hooves marching on the ground, they wheeled around to find a contingent of white pegasus soldiers, led by a cherry red pony, shouting out a cadence as they went along.

"One mile - No Sweat

Two mile - Better yet

Three miles - Gotta run

Four miles - Just for fun

Come on - Let's go

We can go - Through the snow

We can run - To the sun

We train - In the rain

A-I

R-B

O-R

N-E

Can you be - Like me?

Airborne - Infantry"

"A-ten-hut!" Yelled out the pack leader, suddenly coming to a stop. The soldier's followed the command of their officer and quickly lined themselves up into two rows, breathing heavily. The pony turned around and gave them all a harsh, disapproving glare, making them cower. Twilight had to wonder how was it that he commanded such respect over the troops, being much smaller than the rest of them.

"You call yourselves soldiers?! Why you're the sorriest bunch of pansies I've ever laid my eyes on!" Shouted the crimson pegasus, pacing back and forth in front of them.

The soldiers shifted uncomfortably in their spots, sweating buckets underneath their armor. One of them in the back had his tongue sticking out as he gasped for breath. The officer seemed to notice this and zoomed in on him like an angry bee. The soldier immediately adopted a straight posture and went into a salute.

"What's the matter with you soldier?! Tired?!" Demanded the officer, sending spit flying into the soldier's face.

The soldier recoiled a little at the sudden invasion of his personal space, but kept his stance nonetheless.

"Sir! No, sir!"

"Then why are you gasping for breadth like a pathetic unicorn snob?!" Barked the officer.

"Sir! I my chest was just swelling with excitement at the thought of further training, sir!"

"You're a scrawny pile of dung! Aren't you, you weak little runt?!"

"Sir! I am not weak, sir! I am proud to be a part of Equestria's toughest squadron, sir!"

"You calling me a liar private?!"

"Sir! No, sir! I just believe you are mistaken, sir!"

"Mistaken?! Drop to the ground and give me twenty!"

The pegasus immediately dropped to the ground and started doing push ups. With a grin of satisfaction, the officer backed away and resumed his pacing.

"Alright you sorry lot! We've been given orders by Princess Celestia to clear the skies before sundown. And I sure as hay won't have a clean record of discipline and diligence stained by you lazy bums! So get to it!"

Stamping their hooves hard on the ground, the soldiers took off in a "V" formation towards the clouds. Twilight recognized this as a good moment to introduce herself.

"Ehem, excuse me sir, my name is Twilight Sparkle and I've been sent by the Princess to oversee the preparations for the Summer Sun Celebration."

The officer gave a dismissive nod without turning around to look at her. "Yeah, yeah... tell your Princess that we have that covered."

Twilight and Spike exchanged awkward looks. Wanting to make a good impression, Twilight persisted on her commentary.

"So...these soldiers of yours seem to be well-trained, mister...?"

"That would be Miss Tempest, or rather, General Tempest," the officer corrected her, taking off her golden helmet to reveal a messy blonde mane with crimson highlights. "And those soldiers, are the sorriest bunch of losers I've ever seen, they're far from well-trained," she added, flashing her gold eyes.

Twilight seemed to be taken aback at the fact that the officer, that had so roughly commanded the troops before, was in fact female. Upon closer inspection, she noticed that she was quite young, perhaps in her mid twenties? How she had managed to snatch such a position, considering her age and gender, was beyond what Twilight could imagine.

"Ah, those fools are messing up as usual," commented the filly looking none too happy with the work of her subordinates. "Well, if you'll excuse me, it seems I have some work to do," she told Twilight, and promptly took off from the ground at an impossible speed.

Twilight gawked at her as she sped through the sky, leaving a stream of air behind her as she drilled through the massive clouds with ease.

"Rainbow Dash's long lost sister?" Suggested Spike stupidly.

Twilight shook her head and resumed her usual sternness. "C'mon, we still have stuff to do."

******

The couple made their way down Starswirl avenue, a long strip of road lined with restaurants and businesses. Twilight had forgotten how crowded the streets were, having moved to Ponyville last summer, and therefore had a little trouble navigating through the pack of ponies walking around with groceries and shopping bags.

"Yoohoo~ Twiligh~~~t!"

Twilight looked around for the source of the familiar voice and saw a white filly sitting in a table at a local Coffee house. Though she recognized Rarity at once she had trouble identifying the stallions accompanying her. Ignoring Spike's jealous grunt at the sight of his beloved enjoying the company of two males, Twilight walked towards the table, where Rarity drew up a chair for her at once.

No sooner than she'd sat down one of the stallions, a navy unicorn with a silver mane, got up and covered his head with a fedora.

"Excuse me, I really must get going," he said in a gruff voice Twilight found none too friendly.

"Oh Silver, don't be rude now! Another esteemed guest has just arrived!" Protested a familiar voice. Twilight recognized this pony to be Fancy Pants, an acquaintance of Rarity and a Canterlot bigshot she'd met months ago at her birthday party.

"I apologize for the rudeness, but staying any longer would really be pushing it. My office is getting swarmed by an unnecessary amount of paperwork," replied the navy unicorn tersely.

"Won't you at least stay and say hello to our friend Twilight Sparkle? She's Princess Celestia's protégé and one of the most magically talented unicorns in Equestria," said Fancy Pants, trying to spark some interest in his friend.

The unicorn's expression seemed to soften with these words and his brow lifted with surprise, taking an interested look at Twilight and Spike, it wasn't everyday that one met such a notorious pony or a dragon for that matter. He lifted up Twilight's hoof and shook it, "Delighted to meet you Miss Sparkle, I've heard of your exploits before. It's a shame circumstances can't allow for any more exchange of words, but I really must get going. I have an excruciatingly huge pile of paperwork waiting on my desk for me to fill."

"Pleasure is ours," returned Twilight, "though I can certainly understand where you're coming from: I've been assigned to oversee the preparations for the Summer Sun Celebration this year. I'm afraid we won't be relaxing much ourselves."

"I really look forward to seeing your work then," said the unicorn politely, "if...I manage to get everything done before sunrise tomorrow," he added with a dejected look.

Fancy Pants laughed heartily at this, "Now, now my friend! I'm absolutely positive you'll make it for the party tonight!"

"I sure hope so," said the unicorn with a smile. "Miss Rarity, Miss Sparkle," he added with two short nods, and departed.

Twilight tilted her head as she watched him blend into the crowd. "He looked vaguely familiar, but where have I seen him before?"

"Oh don't concern yourself with him," interjected Fancy Pants waving a hoof jovially, "do tell us what you've been up to Twilight my dear. Are the studies coming along nicely?"

"Yes, I've been doing quite well actually. Princess Celestia is pleased with my work and has lately been assigning me with more difficult tasks," she said thrusting out her chest with pride.

"Oh, you never told me of this before!" Complained Rarity, "well? Do go on, tell us everything the Princess has been sharing with you!"

Twilight smiled awkwardly. "Well, it mostly has to do with official stuff, like handling the preparations for the celebration. I know she sent me to oversee the preparations in Ponyville a year ago, but the celebration in Canterlot is so much bigger," she explained, widening her eyes.

"I can attest to that!" Exclaimed Fancy Pants. "For such an enormous city the job is usually much harder than on small towns like Ponyville."

"Which is why ponies visit Canterlot at least once in their lifetimes just to see the Summer Sun Celebration," explained Twilight, "I read it in this book called 'A progression of Equestrian rituals throughout the ages'."

"Well, I for one, can say that they couldn't have picked a better pony to supervise the preparations," said Rarity, making Twilight blush. "I hope they don't overwork you too much though, remember that we still have a party to attend to."

"Of course not Rarity, and anyway, doing things like these is what I like best!" Piped up the plum filly enthusiastically, painfully unaware of the horrors that were to come the next morning, as well as their consequences.

The day of the Summer Sun Celebration Part III

An orange glow lit the clouds above as Celestia's sun finalized it's loop over the land and retired behind the mountains to enjoy a well deserved rest. The crickets chirped merrily, bidding the giant ball of fire goodbye and singing a welcoming song for Luna's moon. All over Canterlot ponies were leaving their workplaces, and closing up businesses as they made towards their homes to partake in the celebration, but even as the skies turned darker, and the smaller of the astral bodies poked it's pale face from the horizon, one pony was still laboriously fulfilling the duties with which she had been entrusted. Much to the dismay of her younger assistant....

"Twilight, we've been at this for hours now, can't we just call it a day? The feast will start soon and I'm starving!" Pouted Spike, trying to stifle the growls of protest his stomach was making.

Twilight tutted impatiently, he'd been badgering her with this question for a while now. "You know we can't just ignore the duties the Princess has entrusted us with. We will see that the preparations are finished before the celebration starts. Now tell me what's the next item on our list."

The young dragon let out a reluctant sigh and lifted up the piece of parchment to his eyes. A sensation of easement ran through his sore scales as his eyes traveled downward through the numerous items, and discovered that all but one had a bright red check on their side. "Security: it's the last one!" He answered letting out a sigh of relief.

A well deserved sensation of accomplishment swelled up in Twilight's chest, renewing her with energy and a sense of purpose. She held up her head and folded up one of her forearms to strike a dignified pose. As always she had proven herself capable of meeting the Princess' standards. She couldn't wait to report back to the Princess and basque in all the glory of her compliments and comments about how proud of her she was.

"Uhm what are you doing Twilight?"

Spike's voice called her back from dreamland to the dark, empty stone road they were sitting on. "Uh... nothing," she said with a sheepish smile. "C'mon, we better get this over with or we'll be late for the party."

"It says here that we're supposed to go to the headquarters of the Imperial Guard and ask for the latest report on the situation," explained Spike, his eyes still on the list.

"Hmm that's right next to the Imperial Academy right?" Twilight pondered out loud, scratching her chin with her hoof. "Shouldn't take long for us to get there then," she added, her expression lightening up.

Spike's stomach gave yet another impatient growl. "Well, can you speed things up a bit? I'm not sure how long I'm going to last if I don't see food anytime soon," Spike complained, rubbing his tummy.

Twilight rolled her eyes with amusement. "Alright, don't worry. I'll make sure we get to the party before they run out of appetizers... Now hold on."

The dragon obeyed her and wrapped his arms around the base of her neck. With an impressive neigh Twilight lifted up both forearms in the air, nearly sending Spike sliding off her back into the ground, and took off with far more speed than one would expect from a tired pony.

With Spike hanging onto her neck for dear life, Twilight galloped through the empty streets, buildings zooming past her. The cool night air rushed through her mane and softly caressed her plum coat, sending pleasant shivers running down her back and sides. Her lungs, having been caught unaware due to the sudden burst of effort, throbbed painfully from the lack of oxygen. Noticing this, she slowed down a bit and allowed herself to inhale a gale of wind. The effect was almost instantaneous: no sooner than she felt the icy mountain air filling up her lungs, she felt the relief spread to her muscles. She couldn't hide her delight as her face split into a grin; it was a good night for running.

It didn't take them long to reach Hurricane avenue, where a large grey building stood in a distant hill. Twilight looked around for the entrance and noticed a couple of guards on either side of a metal fence, patrolling the entrance with a stoic demeanor. As she approached them she couldn't help but notice the barbed wire all around the perimeter, wondering whether it served any useful purpose other than for appearances, considering that a pegasus or a unicorn would have no problems with it.

An authoritative voice, carrying a not so friendly tone, woke her from her musings. "Halt! Who goes there?! What business do you have here?!"

Without so much as flinching, Twilight approached the guards and pulled out a sealed letter from the Princess, levitating it towards the closest soldier. "Ehem. My name is Twilight Sparkle and I have been sent here by Princess Celestia to oversee the preparations for the Summer Sun Celebration. I have been asked to report back to the castle with the latest details on security."

The guard held up the letter in front of him and perused its contents. After determining the authenticity of Celestia's crest, he gave a nod of approval and grunted at the other guard. Both of them stood on either side of the fence and pushed it open for her. The nearest guard then beckoned her towards him, she swiftly obeyed without a fuss.

"I shall escort you to our head of security so that he can give you the latest report," he briefly explained. The soldier then began marching up the long winding road towards the grey structure on the hill. Twilight found this unnecessary behavior curious, to say the least, but she wasn't about to comment on military traditions and certainly not inside an imperial stronghold.

Twilight couldn't help but examine her surroundings: she had always wondered what had been the purpose of the military on a peaceful kingdom like Equestria. She noticed that the place had it's very own street lamps and, though she couldn't see the extent of the field they were traversing, she knew that it must have been huge to warrant such a generous use of electricity. As they trekked up the hill and closer to the building she noticed a couple of floodlights in the distance, casting down their light upon several wooden cabins and a collection of tents. Right next to them she could see two lines of tires laid out on the ground, as well as several lines of barbed wire that hung over a small patch of dirt on the ground, and a long running track that stretched out into the darkness.

"Those must be the training grounds, right?" She said, trying to appear well informed and hoping for something conversation. The guy however merely grunted without so much as giving a backwards glance and continued his marching.

"Hard-flank."

"Hush Spike!"

"We're here."

Twilight and Spike ceased their bickering for a moment and turned around to look at the structure. What had initially looked like a large building from a distance was in fact four smaller ones connected by a series of annexes. The size and shape of each one appear to differ, but they looked the same in essence as they were all made of granite. Twilight was so busy wondering what was the purpose behind their design and the secrets they concealed that she didn't notice they had arrived at another gate.

"Identify yourself!" Shouted the guard patrolling the entrance, and Twilight noticed a sign that read 'Authorized Personnel Only', in bright red letters, plastered on the gate.

The guard that had been leading Twilight up to that point straightened up into a salute and handed over the letter bearing Celestia's crest for the other guard to examine. After a moment's deliberation, the guard looked up and nodded.

"We have been informed of your arrival Twilight Sparkle. Follow me, Colonel Clean Shot has been expecting you," he said, and pulled the gates open for them.

Their new escort led them through the gates and onto a concrete road that seemed to lead to a fifth structure Twilight hadn't noticed before. This one was far smaller than the others, and barely popped out of the ground, with no more than twelve feet in height and width. It was located right in the middle of garden that separated all four structures and seemed to be heavily guarded for a building that small: there was no less than four soldiers patrolling the perimeter around it and two more standing guard at its thick metal doors.

Upon seeing Twilight and the guard leading her, the soldiers parted and pushed open the doors for them. A sense of understanding slowly creeped across Twilight's face when she saw the flight of stairs leading down.

"Wow! A bunker! I've always wanted to see one of these!" Exclaimed the dragon with excitement comparable to the one of a young colt upon seeing his first tree house.

Twilight however gave the guard a skeptical look. "Is all this security necessary? I mean, we're overseeing the preparations for a party, not the development of some ultra, secret, Equestrian weapon of doom."

The guard stopped in his tracks and gave her an annoyed look making her stumble a bit, though she was sure she must be imagining things ('after all, Equestrian guards always looked annoyed for some reason'), for he merely paused to gather his breath and answer her question. "It is not the purpose of the Imperial Guard to question the decisions of the Military Brass. It is our purpose to follow the safety protocols that have been devised for our protection, as well as yours," he intoned placing particular emphasis on those last words.

Twilight had to admit she was very impressed, it appeared that these soldiers had been very well trained, not only physically but also mentally, to fully commit themselves to their work. Still, despite how much of a fan she was about rules and procedures, she could not help but feel that these "protocols" were exaggerated at best.

"One would think you're half expecting somepony to hide a bomb inside the cake," she remarked.

"Uhm, it is a possibility," Spike reminded her. "Remember Rainbow's birthday?"

The young dragon had a point. Twilight did not have to search deep into her memories to find recent event, involving a certain pink pony mistakenly placing fireworks instead of trick candles inside a three story cake featuring the Wonderbolts, that the Cakes had painstakingly baked for the occasion. Long story short: the six friends and the middle-aged couple had found themselves up in frost's creek without a spatula.

The three of them soon started their descent down the flight of stairs and through a long and narrow corridor, their hoofsteps echoing all they way down to the end of it. Twilight blinked a few times, her pupils dilating to adjust to the darkness. Though the air was stuffy and moldy she could still feel the gentle caress of the cool night air, in the form of a draft coming from above ('the ventilation perhaps?'). Her first impression was that whoever designed the place had been very diligent in doing so to prevent any unwanted visitors to sneak in unannounced; with a single entrance it was virtually impossible for anypony to slip through security, let alone reach the end of the corridor without being detected. Though she could still find a single major flaw in such a design that would have rendered this, the safest of bunkers, into a giant death trap.

It seemed however, as if the soldier was able to read minds. Just as she was about to say it out loud, he got ahead of her: "place is completely fireproof," he said dismissively.

Twilight's disappointment was only exacerbated by a loud snort from Spike, who failed to stifle a laugh. "I was about to say that...the...air is... kinda stuffy, and it could lead to the formation of...mold! Yes! Mold. Laugh all you want Spike, but mold is a serious issue and it could lead to lung disease," she added with a frown, absolutely determined to be right about her assessment that the place was flawed.

The guard, nonetheless, was not listening to a word she said, having instead concerned himself with escorting the odd couple down the barely lit passage, which now appeared to be reaching its end. The ponies stood before a room, barely wider than the passageway they'd just traversed, where some kind of metal contraption stood right in the middle of the room. Upon close inspection it seemed like a large cage that was connected to the ceiling by thick, black chains.

Twilight was busy contemplating it's purpose when the guard slid the door of the contraption open. "Get in," he said in what was almost a command. Not wanting to disobey or appear discourteous, she readily stepped into the cage despite the reservations she had about the thing. As soon as she had done so she heard the gate shut behind her, and turned around feeling a little panicked.

"At ease. You will be escorted to Colonel Clean Shot's office when you reach the lower levels," said the guard from outside the contraption.

Caught under the spell of adrenaline, the filly could not make sense of these words. "Lower levels? Wait! What do you me— WAHHH!" With a loud cranking noise the cage started slowly descending down a shaft they had not previously seen.

"Hey! What is this?! What's going on?!" Called out Spike in alarm, shifting uncomfortably on Twilight's back.

"It's a lift," pointed out the guard unhelpfully, before vanishing from view as they sank below the ground.

"Relax Spike, I think what he means is that this thing is a transportation device that allows ponies to move upward or downward, or so I think..." she explained while trying to make sense of the mechanism that allowed such a thing to function.

The "lift" continued its slow descent down the dimly lit shaft accompanied by a symphony of creaking metal and clanking chains. It seemed like it would go on forever when suddenly they were greeted by a blinding flash of light, as the contraption deposited them right in front of a brightly lit hallway.

Twilight rubbed her eyes vigorously and did not even have the time to register her surroundings before the gate of the lift slid open and she was beckoned forward by a couple of guards. "This way. The colonel has been awaiting you."

Her eyes still stinging, she stepped forward into a soft midnight blue carpet that covered every inch of the ground, and quietly followed the guards along the hallway. "Make sure you remain with us at all times. This place is very large and you could get lost," indicated one of them as they navigated the maze-like structure, turning left and right at random corners.

Though she doubted the sincerity of his concern for her, Twilight was not about to put that statement to the test as it did seem likely that she wouldn't easily find her way back. Everything just looked the same to her: the long winding hallways, the white spotless walls, the grey ceiling panels... even the wooden doors decorating the walls seemed to be the same! She had trouble believing anypony could actually manage get through this maze without both a map, and a compass. She was about to let them know it too, until they finally came to a halt in front of a set of double doors.

"We're here," announced one of the soldiers as they positioned themselves on either side of the doors and pulled them open for her. Beyond them stood a large room that would have allowed for at least a couple of dozen ponies to wander about freely. The walls were made with fine mahogany and decorated with tapestries of long forgotten heroes, as well as the progression of the Equestrian flags from oldest to most-recent, a long crescent-shaped table sat in the middle of the room surrounded by leather sits, and on the very end of the room a white screen displaying a map of the World had been pulled down.

"Well howdy Miss Sparkle, take a sit please."

Twilight and Spike's heart seemed to skip a beat at these words: they had been so busy admiring their surroundings that they had not noticed the stallion sitting in one of the chairs. Unlike the soldiers they'd met so far this one seemed to have a strange air about him, though she couldn't exactly put a hoof on what it was that made him stand out from the rest. Maybe it was the lack of the custom imperial armor, or perhaps his sloppy orange mane protruding from underneath an old cowboy hat, it could even be the fact that he had both back hooves up on the table, but everything about this pony just screamed "unprofessional".

"Who are you?" She asked in a reproachful tone before she could stop herself and think about the situation.

"Oh! Pardon mah manners, lass. Ah'm colonel Clean Shot. Ah was asked by the generals to stay behind and debrief ya on security," explained the canary yellow stallion in a southern drawl, lifting up his hat to reveal a large pair of green eyes and a winnfield style of beard.

Spike's right eyebrow raised as high as it would go. "You're the colonel?"

"Haha, Ah get that a lot 'round here," joked the stallion as he got up and made towards them. "But turns out the military likes ponies with talent. It don't matter squat what ya look like s'long as ya got what it takes, if ya know what Ah mean," he finished with a wink.

Twilight, it turns out, did not know what he meant, though she did prefer the colonel's nonchalant attitude rather than the stoic and uptight demeanor most guards were known for. "I'm Twilight Sparkle, and this is my friend Spike," she said amiably pointing towards the purple lizard sitting on top of her, "it's a pleasure to make your acquaintance."

"Well what do ya know? Seems ya intellectual-types sure are keen on manners! Ah'd like to chat some more, but Ah'm afraid Ah got an urgent message to relay to ya," he said, his voice almost dropping to a whisper.

Twilight tilted her head in a mixture of confusion and curiosity. "Urgent? What do you mean?"

The middle-aged soldier held out a hoof in front of his mouth and pursed his lips. He then turned around and inspected their surroundings, squinting around as if half-expecting a ninja to burst through one of the tapestries. "We just had a conference with the military brass, and we've received numerous reports that make it seem likely.... that there will be some sort of disturbance during the ceremony tomorrow," he explained.

"A disturbance?" Repeated Spike, "what sort of disturbance?"

The colonel gave them both an appreciative look that seemed to last an eternity, then, with the air of someone bearing the weight of a bomb he pulled off his hat and spoke: "There seems to be a plot of some sort against Princess Celestia. An attempt in all likelihood."

A nasty shock shot through Twilight's back. "An attempt on the Princess?!" She exclaimed with a jolt.

"Shh!"

"Oh right, sorry," she added sheepishly. "But why on the wide, wide world of Equestria would anypony try to kill the Princess?"

"Are you guys sure about this?" Asked Spike trying to stop himself from shivering.

The colonel nodded. "Dead sure. We've received intelligence that a couple o' spies might have slipped amongst the Imperial Guard. Though our informants assure us that they're not the only ones. 'pparently lotsa weird characters have been flooding into Canterlot as of late."

Twilight's blood seemed to come to a stop as she felt her chest tighten. 'Spies? Suspicious characters? A plot to murder the Princess?' To a pony who was so used to peace those type of things seemed like stuff pulled straight out of fairy tales. The very idea of violence seemed foreign and distant. "Who would do such a thing colonel?" She asked horrified.

The stallion gave her a solemn look. "We aint sure who's behind this, but we've been keeping track on a number o' suspects for a while now. Though if we arrest them out in the open we're sure to miss out on the opportunity of discovering the culprit behind this attempt. That's why the military brass decided on the meeting just now to let things slide for the moment so we can observe, see what happens and act accordingly. Ya just gotta let the Princess know she's gonna be the bait, so she can take the necessary precautions."

"Necessary precautions?! This is the Princess we're talking about! You can't just use her as bait and let these guys take a shot at her! They're too dangerous to be let about wandering freely, they could put everypony in danger!" Twilight protested.

"True," the stallion admitted, "but mah gut tells me that if we went on the offensive, we'd only be delaying their plans and giving whoever is behind this the chance to rethink their strategy, and Ah don't think these spy-types are the talkative kind either. If they escape who knows what sort of trouble they'll cause for ponyfolk later on."

The trio fell silent at these words. True, if they acted fast all the suspects could be rounded up and locked away, but then again any ruckus would be likely to catch the attention of the masterminds behind this plot. They were between a rock and a hard place. The colonel was still rubbing his chin, lost in thought when Spike broke the silence.

"What if you lured all the suspects into a secluded place and then arrested them!" He suggested enthusiastically, striking the palm of his claws with a balled up fist.

The colonel however, shot him down immediately. "Ah already told ya, we got some suspects under surveillance but we aint sure if that's all o' them. The military has been infiltrated remember? A plan like that would take lotsa coordination and communication within the military: it could be easily leaked. 'sides, how are we supposed to round up all the suspects without attracting any attention at a time like this?"

"Well, you could summon all the guards here and then arrest the suspicious looking ones," the dragon persisted.

"Yeah, and while Ah'm at it Ah might as well hand out flyers asking everypony if they've seen any potential rebels and/or evil masterminds," the stallion returned with a scoff. "Ya honest? If we mobilize the entire Imperial Guard, the culprits behind this are gonna know something's up."

"Not if we mobilize the suspects in small groups, and if the orders are coming from somepony outside the military," Twilight offered.

The couple of males stopped their bickering to give her a curious look. "What are you getting at Twilight?" Prodded the dragon with a growing sense of apprehension.

The filly took a deep breath before continuing. "If I use my authority as an overseer appointed by Princess Celestia I could tell the guards that they're needed at headquarters."

The colonel's face twisted into a frown. "And ya plan on just waltzing up to these folks and tricking them into following ya? Ah don't think the generals would agree with leaving the fate of Equestria on the hooves of a filly. No offense there lass."

Twilight stamped her hoof on the ground, her eyes burning with determination. "I'm not just a filly, my friends and I have taken on the likes of Nightmare Moon and Discord before and saved Equestria in the past. I am ready to do what's necessary to prevent my mentor from coming into harm," she protested with an air of finality.

Spike knew his partner to be a stubborn one, but even if she was determined to see this through to the end he wasn't about to let Twilight get hurt on account of her recklessness. "Twilight," he said in a slow deliberate voice, much unlike his usual boastful tone, "this is going to be dangerous. I think you should let these guys handle it."

"Spike, Celestia isn't just my teacher. She's like a second mother to me," she offered with paused delicacy, "I can't just stand by the sideline and risk her getting hurt. Wouldn't you do the same if it was me?"

"Gosh, I guess you're right. I hadn't seen it that way..." the dragon murmured, scratching the back of his head.

The colonel let out a heavy sigh. "If ya say y'all are ready to do your part for Equestria, then Ah guess there's no stopping ya. But if y'all are gonna help out, Ah'd prefer ya stick to our terms and do things our way. No independent actions or horsing around, understood?"

Twilight's face split into a grin, "you have my word colonel!" She replied, striking her forehead with an arm in a poor attempt at an official salute.

"Very well then, lets get down to specifics..."

******

Cold sweat running down her back, Twilight Sparkle woke with a start.

A change of strategy

Twilight Sparkle woke with a jolt, for one second she thought she must've been shocked by lightning: barely a minute ago she'd been traversing the twisted halls of her memory, the next her every nerve seemed to light on fire as a violent spasm shot throughout her back. She immediately sat up, her plum coat drenched in sweat, looking around in all directions in search of the source of her discomfort, but was merely greeted by an impenetrable darkness. Not daring to move a muscle, she listened attentively for any sign of sound or movement...

It had been a while since she'd camped out, having spent the last few days on a well prepared mattress aboard a luxurious cruise, but her senses were as keen as ever. She pulled herself into a standing position and straightened her ears, trying to pick up on the delicate whispers of nature. She could already make out the whistling of the wind as it passed through the trees surrounding her, the warm sea breeze ruffling her unkempt mane. Nearby she heard the soothing flow of a river, passing quietly through the forest, as if deliberately avoiding any unnecessary noises that might wake up its inhabitants. The thick blanket of sycamores creaked as one, as a strong wind blew through, scorching away all green from their salt burned leaves. She could hear everything, yet absolutely nothing at the same time. Even the ground seemed to refuse its secrets to her, as the dirt beneath her hooves lay perfectly still.

Her lungs throbbing with pain, Twilight let out an aggravated sigh. She'd been holding her breath the entire time. She focused her eyes on the tangled bodies around her, staring through the darkness at the dark mass that was spread along the clearing she was standing on. Her friends were still comfortably snoozing inside their sleeping bags, all except Pinkie Pie who had managed to free herself from hers, and lay sprawled over the rest of them. Not wanting to wake any of them, she quietly levitated herself a few inches from the ground and over their bodies (they had all insisted to sleep around her, as a protective measure) towards the edge of the clearing. With one final glance at her friends, she stepped into the woods when a whisper broke the silent spell of the night.

"Nightmare?"

The young mare wheeled around towards the source of the familiar voice to find a purple dragon behind her, rubbing his eyes morosely.

"Sorry Spike, didn't mean to wake you."

The young dragon stifled a huge yawn. "You didn't. Had the urge to use the bathroom. Where are you going?" Asked Spike with an inquisitive look.

"Dry throat. I heard a river nearby so I figured I might indulge myself," replied the filly, nodding towards the woods.

Spike's mouth stretched into its biggest yawn yet, revealing two rows of sharp fangs. "Alright then, be careful. I think I'm gonna hit the sack again... g'night," added the dragon, with a casual wave of his hand, dragging his feet back towards camp.

"G'night," replied Twilight as she watched her young apprentice slip back into his sleeping bag. She waited a few moments before she resumed her pacing, her ears trying to pinpoint the source of the water's flow. Her mind was still a little hazy from sleep, but she was sure she'd been dreaming something important. She remembered she'd once read that dreams were the manifestation of a pony's subconscious, trying to make sense of real life events, and that in order to preserve the memory of your dreams it was essential to focus and try to recall them right after you woke up, lest the memories slipped back into the subconscious. Albeit, it was easier said than done, as the harder she focused on it, the farther and farther away the memory seemed to elude her. She shook her head in irritation, it seemed like a fruitless effort to try and pry into her memory banks for answers that weren't there.

With the sound of the rushing water as her guide, Twilight made her way through a murky path, her attention still focused on her surroundings. Even if they were protected from prying eye of the Imperial Guard she knew better than to drop her guard: those ponies would stop at nothing to detain her, and her previous encounters with them had taught her that even rough terrain and natural occurring phenomena, such as fog, wouldn't deter their nerves. Sudden bathroom urges and dry throats had nothing to do with it, after two weeks on the run both Twilight and Spike had developed some kind of sixth sense allowing them to perceive impending danger, it had been such that had interrupted their sleep. She could still feel a knot in her stomach and a heightened feeling of uneasiness about the place, as if she were attuned with her enemies, able to read their very thoughts and intentions. Whatever they were planning couldn't be good, it would be best to depart at the crack of dawn.

******

It had been but a day after the violent bombing of the S.S. Concordia, and the disappearance of District Attorney Silver Tongue, but news of the incident had already reached Canterlot and it seemed like everypony had their own theory on the matter. Rumors broke out like wildfire concerning the sighting of the fugitive Twilight Sparkle and her involvement on the incident. All the way down Starswirl avenue ponies swapped their version of how she did it and speculation seemed to be the menu of the day. Most of it however, had to do with the methods or the motive behind Sparkle's individual war against pony society, and very little concerning the evidence presented against her. Still, despite all this, a very annoyed doughnut baker stubbornly maintained that both Twilight and Spike were one hundred percent innocent.

"I'm telling ya, ya mooks!" Insisted the khaki unicorn, slamming his hoof on the table for what seemed like the fiftieth time, "I've known both Spike and Twilight for ages, and they'd be incapable of such a thing!"

"Aye, that might be, but ponies change overtime and power can drive even the righteous to do insane things," pointed out an aged stallion scratching an Old Dutch style of beard that would've made a certain young dragon jealous. "In fact," he pressed on, adjusting a tartan Tam o' Shanter on his head, "hasn't it been known for ages that this here lass was one of the most magically talented unicorns Equestria's seen in over a century?"

"it's true!" Chimed in an old mare wearing a purple knitted hat, with a gaudy yellow flower, that might've been fashionable sixty years ago. "Why, I heard from one of my friends that conducted her entrance exam for Celestia's School that she once set a dragon on the Princess!"

"Right you are, Crochet my dear. Why, I even heard she would routinely turn her parents into potted plants whenever she got into a fit!" Offered her friend dramatically, sitting right next to her.

"No..." gasped a third mare from across the shop, "why that wicked little filly! She was a rotten apple from the very start! If she'd been my daughter I would've straightened out that dreadful personality of hers with a well placed cane on the flank!"

"She never did any such thing you old bats!" Countered the shopkeeper indignantly, "one of her spells went out of control during the examination and caused the egg she was hatching to age into a fully grown dragon! An innocent mistake any five year old filly might find themselves making!"

A cyan stallion couldn't help spitting out a torrent of strawberry milkshake all over the counter at these words. "SHE SET A DRAGON ON THE PRINCESS AT AGE FIVE?!" He spluttered, his eyes nearly popping out of his skull.

"No you idiot! She didn't set a dragon on anypony! She merely lost control of her magic due to nerves! Magical surges are something that comes and goes on young unicorns!" Retorted Pony Joe.

"Aye, but that still doesn't change the fact that she had the power to age a dragon to full size during her infancy. That's not a feat most unicorns, even grown ones, can easily do," pointed out the old stallion once more. "Just imagine what kind of power she's gotten herself now after years of study..." he concluded, widening his eyes into a significant look.

"What's your point Bag Pipe?" Asked the shopkeeper with harshness.

The old man made a retching sound and aimed for a nearby spittoon. "They say ol' Bag Pipe is becoming senile and paranoid, and you young'uns may be right, but let me tell ye one thing: explosions like that.... they're not the product of garden variety unicorn magic. No, that right there is the result of powerful magic of the highest level. None but the most talented unicorns could be able to pull off something like that, and s'far as I'm concerned the only pony matching such description just happened to be there at the moment of both explosions: on the altar and on the cruise. I know it's harsh lad, truth always is, but ye're gonna have to accept that this friend of yers, just isn't who ye knew anymore..." concluded the old stallion giving Pony Joe a sympathetic look.

A very nasty silence descended upon the place. Joe's heart sank, he had no retort for his words. No matter how much he might try and defend his friends the old stallion was right: it would've taken magic of the most advanced to cause such an explosion, and the only suspect capable of it had been sighted at the place and during the time of both bombings. It was like he'd hit a brick wall and was unable to move forward no matter what kind of reasoning he might use to try and circumvent this fact. The young stallion was deep in thought, trying to process all of this, when an interruption in the form of a magenta pegasus stormed into the shop.

"Have you guys heard the news?! The Parliament has declared Canterlot in State of Emergency, and the D.A's office is being brought under the jurisdiction of the military! They're even discussing the possibility of establishing martial law as a temporary precaution until Princess Luna returns!"

Pony Joe's indignant yell was drowned out by the sudden outburst of whispers throughout the shop. Never in Equestria's history had any part of the kingdom been declared in State of Emergency. He was just now starting to realize the severity of the crisis they were in. State of Emergency meant that all liberties regarding personal security, freedom of assembly, and even liberty of transit were hereby suspended until the Parliament deemed it prudent, or until the crisis had been overcome. The implications of this sudden measure were far more severe than anypony could imagine: seizures without warrant, violation of private property, and imposition of curfews were but a few the shopkeeper could name off the top of his head.

"This is an outrage! How could the Parliament just hand over control of the government to the military?!" Exclaimed the unicorn indignantly.

"The tabloids are all saying that Sparkle has joined in with her subordinates!" Replied the pegasus, chucking out a copy of the Equestria Enquirer on top of the counter, "It seems she's recruiting ponies all over Equestria in an attempt to overthrow the government! Apparently her true intentions were to blow up the cruise she was in once she arrived in New Saddle, to maximize the death toll, and then use the resulting confusion to lead a coup against the Princess! After hearing such news the Commander of the Imperial Guard decided they couldn't stall any longer and headed over to the Parliament to demand a closed-doors meeting with the parliamentarians."

"Hogwash is what it is!" Thundered the doughnut baker, "Twilight leading a subversive movement against the Princess is as ridiculous as Nightmare Moon stories! I bet you those thugs at the military just bullied the Parliament into surrendering their functions over to them!"

Nonetheless, nopony heard a single word the unicorn said, for they were all now badgering the pegasus with questions regarding the appointment of the new Commander-in-Chief of the Imperial Guard, as well as that of the new D.A. Before he had a chance to answer though, another stallion burst through the door.

"Hey everypony! It seems that the terrorists were just cornered in the outskirts of Fillydelphia! The Imperial Guard is giving chase as we speak!"

******

Several hours earlier

A female pegasus soared through the air, carrying a brown saddlebag on her side. Although she was flying at a low altitude she could feel a frigid breeze licking her sides beneath her wings and cutting roughly through her violet mane. Her eyelids seemed to become heavier with the blast of wind rushing at her face, as she struggled to keep them open. Clearly it had been a mistake to leave her goggles at home, but it was far too late to go back for them now, she had work to get done and her boss would kill her if she was late. The light gray filly let out a huge yawn, wondering if she'd be allowed to sleep once she was done with the task that had been entrusted to her. She shook herself awake and took a good look beneath her to find and extensive plain stretching out into the horizon. 'Finally!' She thought to herself triumphantly, after hours of flying over what seemed like an interminable forest, she could sight her destination.

With careful deliberation, the filly started slowly circling a landing patch on the ground. It was harder than she had imagined at first, for the weight of the saddlebag threw her off balance. She could feel a few of the envelopes it contained spilling out each time she wheeled around to slow her descent. After a few tentative tries however, she landed gracefully, in front of a silver-coated unicorn clad in golden armor.

"Well?" Prodded the stallion with slow, deep voice.

The filly snapped into what was unmistakeably a salute before replying. "General Hawk Eye sir! The message has been delivered as you instructed and we're reading to commence operations at your command!"

"Well done soldier," he returned, "were there any complications during your flight?" He asked, narrowing his eyes in concern.

The filly shook her head slightly, "none sir, I don't think I was sighted: the forest was too thick to see the floor. I assume the same can be said for anypony beneath trying to search the skies."

"Hmmm," he pondered out loud, scratching his jet black mane. "Very well then," he said adjusting his helmet, "give the signal. Let's smoke these weasels out of their hole."

******

Rainbow Dash was having a tough morning. It'd been hard enough for a pegasus, that had been accustomed to fluffy cloud beds, to sleep on the cold, hard ground. She also happened to be a fairly late riser, preferring to ignore the fickle mandates of her alarm clock and wisely save herself up for awakening when her body was ready for it. This, added to the fact that her house was suspended about a hundred feet in the air, thereby barring entrance to anypony who might try and disturb her, contributed to that blissful privilege only a few ponies could boast about, of being able to sleep as much as she wanted. Nevertheless, this morning was different.

The cyan colored filly had been jerked awake by (as Fluttershy would call it) "the harmonious melody of dawn". This was a matter of perspective though, as Rainbow was pretty sure that the earsplitting racket the birds around the clearing were making, didn't have a hint of harmony or melody in it. She'd repeatedly pelted the nuisances with rocks, all the while telling them to shut up, much to Fluttershy's displeasure. Yet for all her efforts the birds seemed to be having an enormous amount of fun in keeping her awake, and so they kept coming back every two minutes to harass the poor pegasus some more. After a relatively short lapse, in which Pinkie Pie learned at least three new swear words, the pegasus gave up and decided to have some breakfast. Or at least she tried to...

Anxious at the prospect of losing sight of their friend, they had left Stableside in such a hurry that they had completely forgotten to pack some food. They realized their mistake only too late the previous night, after the hungry ponies had devoured any leftover supplies Twilight and Nemo had been keeping for their travel. Normally she would've kept a civil tone even in the face of such adverse circumstances, but when she was denied the opportunity of a hot shower, having been pointed to a nearby river instead, she felt ready to buck civility out the window.

"This sucks! I wanna know who was the featherbrain that forgot the food back at the hotel!"

"Uhm... I'm sorry," murmured Fluttershy almost reflexively.

"Now, now... it aint your fault sugarcube," said Applejack, lightly patting her on the head.

"This is serious Applejack! We've got a long way ahead of us and I'm starving!" Persisted the pegasus.

"Well that may be so, but pointin' hooves at one another aint gonna make ya any less hungry," said the earth pony, adopting a firm stance.

"It'll make me feel better about it!" Persisted Rainbow Dash.

"If you two have the time to argue you might as well help us clean up camp!" Twilight all but yelled, knocking the both of them over with a magical barrage of sleeping bags.

"I've heard of 'hitting the sac' but I've neeeever heard of the sac hitting back," said Pinkie Pie before bursting into a fit of giggles.

"Oh, good one Pinkie Pie, I really liked that one," joined in Fluttershy with a small chuckle.

Twilight didn't seem to find any amusement on the matter however, and she let her friends know with a rather exacerbated groan. "We don't have time for this! Pinkie Pie stop horsing around and pack your bag! We need to put as much distance as ponily possibly between us and Stableside. The Imperial Guard could be on our tracks at this very instant!"

"Uhm, Twilight..." interjected Rarity, "we were staying at Stableside for three days and we didn't even see a hint of the Imperial Guard. You yourself said that you lost them back at Drackenridge Mountains over a week ago. Are you sure you're not being a little bit paranoid?" Suggested the white filly.

"No, that was before they found out I was aboard that cruise, but High Tide said he knew who I was from the moment he saw me. He could have sent a message at any time during our trip to tell the Imperial Guard of my whereabouts!" Twilight pointed out.

"I'm inclined to agree," chimed in Nemo, "even if the military has been in a state of disarray over the nomination of the next Commander, odds are that they've been alerted of our presence. From my past dealings with them I'm sure they've arrived at Stableside by now and are looking for any sign of us, it's best to move on and keep our lead."

"Not that this running away business isn't fine and dandy with me," commented Applejack, "but shouldn't we be doin' somethin' about the princesses?! Ya said so yourself: Celestia's bein' poisoned and there's a plot to kill Luna! What are we supposed ta do about that?"

"We don't have a definite plan as of yet," Twilight admitted, "but I've been discussing this with Nemo and Rarity, and I think we've managed to come up with a few ideas. They all require us to get to Fillydelphia first though..."

"Oh gee, mind sharing with the rest of the class?" Asked Rainbow Dash sardonically.

"Well, we'd thought we could—"

Suddenly the forest around them seemed to erupt with noise as a thousand birds took off as one towards the sky, cawing angrily. Twilight felt the ground tremble beneath her hooves and watched with apprehension as squirrels, ferrets, and even deer zoomed past them as they burst from the bush, looking spooked. The group shuddered collectively as a strange prickling sensation traveled down their backs.

Spike raised his nose into the air and took a couple of tentative whiffs. "Do you guys smell something burning?"

Capture

"C'mon everypony, lets high-tail it outta here!"

Applejack in the lead, the group of friends trampled through the bushes ahead, in full flight of the crimson inferno inching ever so closer behind them.

"The animals! What about the animals?!"

"There's no time Fluttershy! We gotta hurry!"

The canary pegasus felt a powerful tug in her tail as her cyan colored homologue tried to drag her with her teeth.

"Stick together! Keep up with the pace and don't wander off on your own!" Commanded Twilight, turning around to do a quick headcount.

"Where do we go?! Which way is out?!" Called out Rarity in despair, prancing on the spot as her head darted in all directions.

The ivory unicorn's fears were not unfounded. The trees seemed to rise all around them, blocking their path and obstructing their view. Fire spread around the forest, devouring the canopies overhead like a hungry beast, and sending fragments and branches crashing down below. Creatures of all size and manner ran around frantically in confusion, with no set direction, scurrying about in search for shelter. The woods cracked and creaked angrily as the whole forest seemed to give out a loud and prolonged death throe.

Her heart beating with trepidation, Twilight scouted her surroundings looking for a clear path, but the wildfire had already completely encircled them. With a twinge of panic she realized there was no way out.

"Twilight, through here!"

The filly wheeled around to find her young assistant, pointing towards a meadow through the thicket up ahead. With a sudden outburst of relief, the unicorn charged ahead while beckoning the rest to follow her. "This way everypony!"

"Twilight no!!"

It was as if the temperature had suddenly dropped fifty degrees. The young scholar felt her muscles seize up, as if she had just been showered with icy water. Goosebumps traveled down her back when she heard the loud "crack", a personal invitation from the grim reaper himself, and turned around to see the trunk of an old tree give way and fall apart. The old gargantuan sycamore, ablaze in flames, precipitated angrily towards her with impeding doom. Twilight stood there, rooted to the spot in horror, unable to move but a single muscle, awaiting the silent call of death. The entire world seemed to come to a stop around her as the trunk came crashing down with full force, bringing every single branch with it in its trajectory towards the filly, and then it happened....

In a blur of pink the plum unicorn was lifted off her hooves and dragged out of the way as the piece of timber hammered the ground with such force that it shook the trees around them.

"Twilight! Pinkie Pie! Are you okay?!"

Applejack felt time compress as seconds seemed to turn into hours while she waited for an answer. After what seemed like the longest minute of her life, her call was greeted by hacking and coughing, followed by a rasp voice from behind the tree.

"We're fine, don't worry!" Said Pinkie Pie.

Twilight seemed fine but was shaken nonetheless: she had just narrowly avoided death. Her body still quivering, she turned toward her friend in disbelief, "Pinkie Pie... that was awfully brave of you. I-I really don't know what to say... thank you," she whispered.

"It's all good Twi! You'd do the same for me, and besides if you wanna thank someone, you better thank my tail: twichy-twitch!" She added, gesturing towards the the cotton candy-like appendage hanging from her haunches, which was indeed shaking with spasms.

"Make way! Imma comin'!" Said a familiar voice behind them.

The fillies turned around just in time to witness Applejack emerge from the flames as she jumped over the fallen tree, sparks flying underneath her, and landed heavily next to them. The cow-filly then threw a lasso at the trunk, where it settled around a sturdy branch protruding out of its burnt body, and called out the others to help her.

"Alright y'all, we gotta get this thing outta the way pronto! Put your back into it!"

With an almighty tug, Applejack, Twilight, Pinkie, and Spike pulled the remains of the old sycamore towards them. Their hooves sunk into the ground while the ancient, gnarled wood protested their every effort, creaking and cracking with every jerk of the rope. Finally, with a resounding crack, the charred remains of the tree broke into halves, allowing the rest of the ponies safe passage.

"Help... can't... breathe," stammered Rarity, covering her snout with her foreleg, trying to shield herself from the black fumes issuing forth from the bushes around them.

Assistance came in the form of Rainbow Dash, who wrapped one of the unicorn's forelegs around her neck for support, and heaved her forward. "You gotta keep your head low! Move as fast as you can, but make sure you don't breathe any of the smoke!" She pointed out wisely.

With Twilight and Applejack leading the front, the group moved with haste, allowing the two fillies to clear a path ahead of them: the latter would lasso burning branches and bring them down, while the former scoured the remains with her magic. Following closely behind, Pinkie Pie and Nemo Ius called out for any potential threats hanging overhead, helped along by Pinkie's sense. Lastly, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, and Spike brought up the rear, dragging Rarity along as she was still hacking due to the fumes she'd inhaled earlier.

The ponies and the young dragon trudged their way through the woods, flames licking their sides, trusting branches and bushes aside. Sticks, jagged remains of burnt branches protruding all around them, would occasionally dig into their coats scratching them as they pushed through. Thorns, laying on the ground, sliced their legs making their every step a living hell.

"I think I see the exit!" Called Twilight from up ahead.

"Yeah, Ah sees it too!" Confirmed Applejack.

With one last push the group burst through the woods, heaving and panting as they went along, until the last of them was out. Turning around, Twilight surveyed her friends to check their condition. Spike lay sprawled in the ground, tongue hanging out in fatigue; Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy seemed to be assisting Rarity as she retched, trying to evacuate her lungs of the smoke she'd taken in; Applejack and Nemo seemed a bit shaken but in good shape nonetheless; only Pinkie Pie looked completely fine, though obviously a bit exhausted from the ordeal. The whole of them were covered in soot and burns they'd gotten while trying to escape.

Twilight couldn't help but cast a final glance at the forest, and watched as it sunk underneath a sea of flames. A chill traveled down her spine, thinking what would've happened had they been but a minute too late. 'No' she thought to herself, shaking the dreadful images from her head, 'that isn't important now, all that matters is that we're safe now. Or were they?'

There it was again, that knot in her stomach. Somehow she could still feel it in her very bones, there was something very wrong with this picture, and it wasn't the fire either.... 'True, they were in the middle of summer: the heat and the humidity could've contrived to cause this horrendous scenario, and yet... there hadn't been any flammable material laying about in the forest floor, such as hay or others, that could've allowed for spontaneous combustion to develop. The conditions had been wrong as well, there was no feasible way the sun's rays could've penetrated the thick foliage and ignited the grass beneath them. Where was the sun for that matter? It was still daybreak and the celestial body was barely poking its face out of the horizon, there was not enough heat to cause an ignition. Still, if a fire had broken out, however unlikely that event might have been, she could understand if it had started eastward... but westward? How in Equestria could sunlight have managed to circumvent the whole forest and start a fire in the opposite end?'

"Hey everypony, lookit that!"

Twilight was snapped from her musings by Applejack' voice. Slowly, she turned around to take a look at where her hoof was pointing and immediately she felt her stomach fall. A small contingent of about two dozen pegasi had just punched their way through the gushes of smoke issuing forth from the forest, and were now descending upon them.

Rainbow Dash narrowed her eyes with pure dislike. "Why those lousy... I'll show'em who's boss!" She said, arching her back and spreading her wings. Before she was able to take off though, she felt a powerful force pinning her to the ground, as if her hooves suddenly weighed several tons each.

"Rainbow you're barely standing up as it is, and there's too many of them for you to fight them on your own," Twilight said with alarm in her voice, her magical aura gently wrapping her friend, "and besides, you're severely injured," she finished, casting a disapproving look at the pegasus who was indeed covered in cuts and burns.

"Twilight's right," added Rarity, who seemed to have finally overcome her coughing fit, "none of us is in a fit state to fight, our only chance is to run!"

"Run and then what?!" Protested Rainbow Dash, still struggling against Twilight's spell.

"Run and then... hide?" Suggested Fluttershy amiably.

The unruly athlete smacked her lips in exasperation, "oh and where do you suppose we hide? Under a rock maybe?" She asked, rolling her eyes.

Fluttershy ignored the sarcasm and merely pointed towards the horizon, where several structures seemed to be rising out from the ground in the distance.

"It's Fillydelphia! C'mon there's no time to waste!" Releasing Rainbow Dash from her spell, Twilight charged ahead, calling for the others to follow her as her trot turned into a full gallop. Her legs and joints ached from exhaustion, but she pushed herself knowing a worse fate awaited them if they were caught. The filly could feel her sides hurting and her head spinning from the lack of oxygen, and concentrated instead on the rush of adrenaline pumping through system. She could see the city, etched against the sky, becoming bigger and clearer with each bound. She put in an extra burst of speed, furiously striking the ground with her hooves, faster and faster, not daring to take a look back in fear that a moment's distraction would cost them their freedom. Alas, if only she had....

Having taken off as fast as their hooves would allow them, the group had not noticed the considerable drop in speed the pegasi chasing them had undergone, nor the way they'd taken their sweet time spreading around to form a concave behind them. It had completely escaped Twilight's logic that the pegasi could've easily overtaken the tired and injured ponies if they so wanted, air travel being faster, yet they were deliberately hanging behind, looming just out of reach. Teasing them. Poking at them. Herding them.

"We're there! We're safe! We did it!" Yelled out Pinkie Pie triumphantly, stepping onto the stone pavement that lead straight to the city's entrance.

Immediately, Twilight scanned the view up ahead in search for potential hiding spots. She'd never been there but the city had the same feel as Manehattan, with businesses taking up most of the space in the streets and huge buildings sprinkled here and there, though much smaller in comparison to the former's skyscrapers. She knew at first glance that the place would be bountiful in dark corners and back alleys to hide and elude their pursuers.

The young mare did some quick mental arithmetic and decided on a plan: "Everypony split up and spread out! We'll meet at the other end of town. Take your time and don't be reckless! Make sure you shake them off!"

There would be no such chance. There weren't even thirty feet away from the city when several forms rose out of the ground in front of them, shaking off grass and leaves off their backs to reveal a Romanesque style of armor, forged in gold. The friends stood there in shock as five dozen soldiers climbed their way out of a trench, which had been cleverly disguised with vegetation, barring their entrance to the city.

"It's a trap! Go back!" Yelled Spike, too little too late, for the pegasi were already descending upon them to block the rear.

Twilight searched frantically for an opening, but it was to no avail. The soldiers in front of her were already closing ranks, surrounding them in a concave, and she could feel the pegasi landing uniformly behind her to complete the circle. They'd been had: this time they were truly trapped and there wouldn't be a way out.

She could feel her erratic heartbeat, working itself up into a frenzy, as she tried to take in the severity of the situation. Her friends' cries and yells seemed suddenly foreign and distant, the whole world around her seemed to be spinning, spiraling out of control. She felt a strange knot in her chest, all the while a growing sense of apprehension seemed to overtake her like an avalanche. She did not notice the pristine golden carriage land behind them, dragged along by a couple of pegasi, nor did she watch as a strapping old unicorn, with a silver coat and a jet black mane, stepped down from it to address them. No, it was his voice, harsh like a whip and cold with menace, that brought her back to reality.

"Give it up Sparkle. There is no escape." This wasn't a threat, nor was it an opinion. It was merely a statement, but one he spoke with such force and confidence that there was little doubt to be had.

The group turned around to face their captor, it was then they realized just how screwed they really were. The stallion's age ranged around mid fifties to early sixties, but he was a testament to all that was tough and disciplined: over five feet tall, his entire body seemed to be covered in muscles. It wasn't the kind of useless bulk some ponies would get in order to be more intimidating either. Upon close inspection one would find that he had honed his body to perfection, developing his vast mass into something that would protect him from most physical attacks, without impeding his movements or limiting his speed. This wasn't someone they could fight head on, or outrun for that matter.

"General Hawk Eye, sir! Permission to give my report sir!" Piped up a palomino pegasus right next to him.

"Permission granted private, speak up," replied the stallion in his low, deep voice.

"The fugitives have been cornered, no contingencies have been reported, operation 'Wildfire' has been successful, I repeat: operation 'Wildfire' has been successful," stated the soldier springing into a salute.

"Good. At ease."

Her fear momentarily forgotten, Twilight felt a pang of anger in her stomach as she rounded on the unicorn in front of her. "Operation 'Wildfire'? You mean to tell us you set the forest on fire?!" She demanded craning her neck to meet the stallion eye to eye.

"That is correct, Sparkle. We started a controlled fire in order to lure you towards the city," explained the general unabashed.

"Nonsense! How could you have possibly known where we were, or where we would go?" Asked Rainbow Dash.

"I'm a military strategist: it is my job to find out where my enemies are, where they would go, and how to catch them. It only takes an incompetent like Storm Chaser to allow a filly to fool the Imperial Guard for two entire weeks," he spat out with pure disdain.

Twilight however, hadn't had her say yet. "You burnt down a whole forest just to capture us?! What about the animals?!" She pressed on.

"Collateral damage."

"WHAT?!"

"Enough!" Shouted the stallion, "you are wanted criminals, you have no vote or say on how I do things. You are to remain silent and do as you're told," he said with a tone of finality.

"But of course!" Said Nemo sardonically, "I imagine you wouldn't want to execute us somewhere where everypony could see you. No, I imagine you're going to take us for a nice little stroll, somewhere secluded where you can be spared of any formalities such as a fair trial, right?" She added with a bitter laugh.

"I will not repeat myself woman," retorted the unicorn waving a threatening hoof, "hold your tongue if you want to keep it. You are to be escorted towards the Imperial Prison, where you will await trial under a military jury and be senten—"

"Oh wow! I must've gotten my constitutional classes mixed up! I didn't know the Imperial Guard could subject civilians to military trials! Thanks for the clarification there sergeant desp—"

Before Nemo Ius could finish her quip she felt something hard collide with the side of her face. The impact traveled throughout her skull and she felt her consciousness slip away as she was flung sideways onto the grass, where skidded to a halt.

"DO NOT TRY MY PATIENCE! THIS IS YOUR LAST WARNING!" Thundered the General, his left hoof held aloft.

"Nemo!" Twilight yelled in alarm, throwing herself at her to protect her from further harm.

The attorney wasn't moving. Her eyes were shut and her spectacles, dangling pathetically from one of her ears, had broken with the force of the blow. Some of the shattered glass had scratched her snout, where a couple of scarlet droplets were issuing from a particularly wide cut. Her left cheek, where she'd been struck, was purple and swelling. A single string of blood, mixed in with saliva, was dripping from her open mouth.

Twilight propped her up with one of her forelegs, removing strands of disheveled hair from her face, and gave her a little shake. The filly remained unresponsive to stimulus. Fire consuming her every thought she turned to face the attacker.

"You monster!" She yelled, angry streams pouring down her eyes.

"Say what you will, but move while you say so Sparkle! My patience with you is beginning to thin... now get to it!" He ordered.

A rebellious smile suddenly lit up the unicorn's face. "No, I won't!"

Fuchsia aura emanated from her as her horn was set aglow. The soldiers backed away as a purple light irradiated from her, enveloping her and her friends. The light grew brighter and more intense until the group had completely vanished from view. A small poofing sound was all that the soldiers heard.

"Quick! Let's get away before they— huh?"

Twilight stopped in her tracks looking aghast, surprised to see that she was still surrounded. Somehow the soldiers had managed to teleport alongside her.

"B-but how?" She stuttered, her mind racing through her actions in search of the mistake.

At this the general gave her a devious smile. "You didn't think we would be prepared for such a thing?"

She was panicking now. 'He can teleport right beside me wherever I go! That's not possible! It shouldn't be possible!' She thought to herself in desperation. Twilight turned around to look at her friends and she felt her heart wrench to see that they all had the same fearful look in their eyes ('the same look I had back then...'). Her eyes burning with determination she concentrated all her power once more as she cast the spell one more time.

"A one trick pony aren't you?" Lamented the general as his own horn glowed white.

The magical energy dispersed and Twilight opened her eyes to find that they were still surrounded.

"But that's impossible! How can you teleport alongside us?! There is no spell that would allow for such, even theoretically!" She yelled, terror gripping her.

The stallion smiled mischievously once more. "You're right, there isn't," he agreed.

"Huh?"

"There is however a spell that allows one to disrupt another unicorn's magic, causing their spells to go awry. We haven't been teleporting with you: you haven't teleported at all," he explained.

Her mind was abuzz with questions now. She'd never seen or come across such a spell in any of her readings, how was it that this unicorn had when she had poured through each book in the Canterlot library at least seven times.

"Oh, it's not a spell you'll find in any book, it was my own creation," he added after seeing the confused look on her face.

"But that's im—"

"possible?" He finished for her. "You greatly overestimate yourself Sparkle. Just because your talent is magic, does not mean that you have a monopoly on the thing. Sometimes a unicorn will unlock powers others may lack through discipline and practice. History shows us that hard work eventually trumps talent, a lesson you will not soon be forgetting, even if it is your last one...."

Twilight eyes twitched at these words. "I already gather that you're in on the whole coup d'état and that you want to kill us, so why put us through this mock trial? Why not execute us here and now? From what I saw from the previous Commander, formalities aren't something you ponies enjoy following," she said, trying to provoke him. If they were to be executed, then she would at least ensure that evidence of the irregularities remained behind.

Surprisingly the General cast her an annoyed look and grunted uncomfortably, before giving her his back. "I will not discuss my orders with you Sparkle, and I am done talking. Guards!" He bellowed and at once the soldiers surrounded the friends and shackled them.

Twilight, who hadn't taken her eyes off the General, noticed his eyes flickering for the briefest of moments towards Nemo and muttering something that sounded strangely like "situation's changed..."

Ius means Justice

A gale blew through the empty streets of Canterlot, twirling a few maple leaves through the air, alongside an abandoned newspaper. Not a single shadow could be seen upon the stone pavement stretching out beyond the grassy hills. The usual chirping and singing of the birds was entirely absent from hustle and bustle of the mountain city... not that there even was any hustle and bustle. Activity all around had ceased and the businesses stood deserted. It was as if everypony had suddenly gone on vacation. The truth, unfortunately, was much, much grimmer.

An old stallion rested his haggard hip on a fine chair, upholstered in crimson stuffing, contemplating the dire scene from his office window. He buried his head into his front hooves, laying his elbows on the mahogany desk in front of him, lost in thought. The solemn expression on his face was accentuated by the somber decor around him. Though his mind had been inevitably addled by age, he still had some of his old flare left in him. He took off a pair of squarish spectacles and set them right next to him, rubbing his eyes morosely. He blinked a couple of times, trying to take in the blurred outlines surrounding him.

How far had his eyesight deteriorated throughout the years? Surely it wasn't as bad as the doctors claimed...

The veteran lifted the glasses and held them at eye level, examining them carefully.

Yes, they were far thicker than the very first pair he'd owned but still, it wasn't as if his eyes were entirely useless now.

The teal unicorn let out a prolonged sigh, replacing them on top of his snout and the effect was almost instantaneous as his surroundings suddenly came into sharp focus.

There it was again. The fleeting moment of hope crushed by the heavy weight of reality. He had indeed gotten older, much older than he'd anticipated. Not that he hadn't expected to reach old age, it's just that it hadn't occurred to him that his body would be getting older with him. It isn't something many ponies grasp after all. Mobility is something most ponies take for granted until the steady advance of time starts slowly chipping away at it. First to go are your knees and other articulations, all consumed by the merciless advance of arthritis. Then your hip starts failing, forcing you to spend more and more time getting acquainted with your couch. The muscles follow immediately after, slowly deteriorating from the lack of exercise into hanging lumps of useless flesh.

Yes, such was the unavoidable passage of time. Still, if there was some sort of goodness to be found in all of this was that, at the very least, the continued loss of his eyesight had been for a just cause.

He turned his neck sideways to look at the towering bookcases that covered almost all the walls around him and his lips curved into a satisfied smile.

After nearly fifty years exercising his profession, judge Absolutus Ius had reached the very pinnacle of juridic knowledge. True, it had taken him a lifetime of continued study and practice to do so, but he couldn't have been more satisfied with the results.

After all, what was the purpose of life, if not to resolve oneself to achieve great goals, and leave behind an everlasting legacy that other ponies might benefit from it?

Legacy.

The tired judge buried his forehead into his hooves again, tutting with regret.

How was it that Equestria, the land which gave him birth, the country which he spent so many years helping shape into a model of prosperity and peace, had fallen so low?

All of a sudden, the set of double doors in front of him burst open violently. One of the brass handles flew right out of the cherry wood with a resounding crack, and landed a couple of feet away from him. Absolutus remained immobile as ten guards filed in and quickly surrounded him, lances at hoof. A single ray of sunlight penetrated the gloomy office, casting its reflection upon a fine crafted table sitting on a rug in the middle of the room. The smell of perturbed dust wafted through the room, as the soldiers lowered their weapons to point them at the judge.

"High Chancellor Ius," called a white stallion as he stepped into the office.

The unicorn said nothing, merely giving him a flash of his purple eyes before dropping his sight back to the surface of his desk.

"I'm corporal Spear Head. We have a warrant for your arrest," the stallion persisted, lifting up a piece of parchment with a seal on it. "You are being charged with treason against the State and obstruction of justice," he continued, seeing the lack of response from the judge. "How do you plead?"

Absolutus sighed and set both hooves on the desk before answering. "Innocent naturally, but I doubt that will do me much good now, will it?" He asked in a dreary voice. "I have to ask though, what are the grounds for such wild accusations?"

"Earlier this morning you abused your vested powers to secure the release of no less than fourteen insurgents, after they openly declared war against the State and attacked the Imperial Gu—"

"Ahh!" Exclaimed the stallion with unmistakable amusement in his voice. "So that's what prompted you to declare martial law, wasn't it?" He asked narrowing his eyes into a thin line. "Taking over the Parliament was not good enough for you, eh? Had to shut down the judicial system and suspend due process as well to accommodate your goals, didn't we boys?" He added nastily.

"You admit to it then?" Inquired the guard angrily.

"Oh yes, I do!" He answered nonchalantly. "You see, those... insurgents you called them? Were actually just concerned citizens exercising their right to freedom of speech and assembly, as guaranteed by the Magna Carta of Equestria. And that attack on the Imperial Guard? Well, forgive me but I haven't heard of anypony dying from having tomatoes thrown at them. Unless you are allergic to ketchup that is?" He added, lifting his eyebrows in mock concern.

"Furthermore," continued the soldier, a faint flush of color rising in his face, "we have received intelligence that you're responsible for the subtraction and disappearance of fifty-three classified documents, as well as a hundred and twenty-eight lesser documents, pertaining to the on-going investigation of the attempt on Princess Celestia."

"Now, I wonder where I could've put those," pondered the judge out loud, rubbing his chin.

"I suggest," said the soldier, his anger rising, "you tell us where you've hidden them, and we might be lenient on your sentence."

"Are you sure you didn't just misplace them?" Offered the stallion calmly.

Spear Head forcefully brought down a hoof upon the desk, leaving a dent in it. "Do you have any idea of who you're dealing with here?! Tell us where the documents are now, or else!"

The unicorn took off his glasses one more time and, pulling a handkerchief from his black gown, he began wiping the lenses. "I have a fair idea of who I'm dealing with son, more so than you think," he said. He put on his spectacles once more and resumed, "you see, about a week ago I received a letter from an old student of mine, and then another one two days ago."

An uncomfortable silence settled in as the soldiers watched the old stallion with apprehension, a strange sense of dread crawling through their stomach.

"Such an interesting letter it was..." continued the unicorn. "He seemed to think that the Imperial Guard was plotting to kill him, after he'd so unwisely revealed that he'd received testimony that you lot tried to execute a filly, nothing more than a suspect at the time, in order to avoid a trial. Very much like what you are doing now." He added in an undertone with a smile.

The soldiers said nothing and continued to stare at the judge, the lines in their faces becoming more pronounced with each word he spoke..

"The second letter was far more interesting than the first, indeed it was," he said, and at this he paused to examine the rapt audience before him. With a satisfied grin he witnessed a shiver run through the group, and so he carried on with his little tale. "Apparently my former student caught up with the suspects at some point and subjected them to a full interrogation of the events prior to the summer sun celebration. And wouldn't you believe it? He seemed to think they were innocent!"

The white stallion in front of him went, if possible, paler. His casual breathing throughout the conversation had evolved to agitated exhalations, and then into heavy snorts.

"Moreover," said the judge, louder still, "he was forced to conclude, after all this evidence, that somepony else had perpetrated the attack. Somepony, or rather a great deal of someponies, within the military...." he finished, his casual smile cast aside to scorch them with a stern look.

Their worst fears confirmed, the corporal in charge of the group approached the judge in what he hoped would be successful attempt at intimidation.

"If you value your life I suggest—"

"Don't!" Yelled the judge, suddenly heaving himself up with both his front hooves on the desk. "Don't even try it sonny!" He warned the soldier yet again. "You think you can come here and intimidate me?! It's my turn to ask now: just who the hay do you think you're dealing with here?!" He barked, thrusting his snout into the one of Spear Head, who was forced to stumble away in surprise at the judge's sudden outburst.

"I. Am. Absolutus. Ius. Great, great grandson of Iustus 'The Just'! I come from a long line of judges and jurors, and I will not allow you to make a mockery of justice, and especially not in my country!" He breathed, punctuating every word to pierce his opponent like the sharpest of swords.

The veteran then resumed his seat, taking his old wig from its stand and placing it over his grayish mane. "Don't think I didn't know how this would end, you're gravely underestimating me if you do. I moved the documents at my students request and had them delivered to a safe location of which even I am unaware of, at the hands of one of the secretaries in the D.A.'s office."

"Miss Light Hooves...."

"Too late. She's already gone into hiding, sonny. I daresay those documents will soon be made public for everypony to see, and then your deception will end, and your coup shall crumble," he said, resting his front hooves one on top of another. "Dictatorships, are always short-lived."

The corporal regained his composure, his face livid with anger and his mouth obscenely contorted into a lopsided smile. "If you won't talk, then your niece shall."

"She won't," replied the stallion simply. "Now, stop wasting my time and do what you came here to do."

It all happened in one swift moment that seemed to stretch out into eternity. Absolutus didn't even have time to register the corporal's orders as he felt the pointed blades penetrate him from different angles, severing muscle and puncturing organs. The coldness of the steel invaded him as he shuddered, the sharp pain in his body now strangely numbed. The ancient stallion uttered a few words that would be forever lost, and then he moved no more.

******

Nemo was awoken by the dripping sound of water. She looked at her surroundings in a daze, her eyes adjusting to the darkness around her. She swayed on the spot as she tried to get up, and was immediately assisted by somepony next to her.

"Are you okay?"

The aqua filly turned around to look at her helper and saw the blurred outline of a plum unicorn, with a dark-slate blue mane, and fuchsia highlights.

"Twilight?"

"Here," whispered the filly, lifting up a glass of water and tilting it gently into Nemo's mouth, "drink this, it'll make you feel better."

Nemo simply obeyed and gulped down the liquid, feeling the icy water trickle down her esophagus. She hadn't realized how sore her throat was up until that moment.

"What happened? Where are we?" She mumbled looking aghast at the cobblestone walls, covered in moss, enclosing them.

Twilight took a deep breath before launching into an explanation, "we've been taken deep into the dungeons of an old prison in the outskirts of Canterlot. You were knocked out the whole way from Fillydelphia. Though I'm still not sure why they didn't just dispose of us right there and then," she remarked with a pensive look.

"Knocked out?" Asked the filly feebly, pulling herself to her hooves and immediately she felt a dull pain throbbing on the side of her head.

"Easy," said Twilight, lending a friendly shoulder to the injured filly as she swayed once more. "You were hit pretty hard, so it's best if you stay put for a while."

"Uhm," said a hesitant voice behind them, "I tried to fix your glasses?" Suggested Spike, as the ponies wheeled around to look at the young dragon holding a pair of broken spectacles, heavily patched with duct tape. Nemo took a look at Spike's handiwork, and cringed as the remaining lens fell out of the frame and shattered against the ground. "Sorry," he muttered, watching the dismayed look on the pony's face.

"Err, don't worry. You did your best," the filly assured him.

"The others were taken to a different cell," Twilight resumed, "it seems they've singled us out for a reason, but I'm not sure why."

Nemo merely ran a hoof through her short fuchsia mane, tucking it behind her ear. "Whatever it is, I have a feeling we're still alive because of it. No point in giving us a trial, even if it is a mock one, when they've been so keen on getting rid of us."

"I hope you're right," replied Twilight, "while that reason persists we still have some hope left."

The fillies exchanged a dark look for a brief moment, and started examining their surroundings.

"You think there might be a way out?" Asked Nemo, pressing her hooves against the iron bars of the cell.

"Don't know, but it won't hurt to try and find one," returned Twilight, tapping the cobblestone walls in search for a hollow passage.

The girls and the dragon spent the next twenty minutes combing every inch of their cell, checking every corner, prying every stone, testing each bar in search for a weak spot. Their hopes were waning with the passing minutes as they submitted each element to careful observation, looking for a sign of decay in the old cell that might allow them to break free. When their search came up with empty results they dedicated their minds instead to the pursuit of a feasible escape plan, exhausting every option to the fullest of their analytical capabilities. They didn't get far though, as they still didn't know much about the place.

"What about magic?" Suggested Nemo.

"Nope," answered Spike. "Already tried that. It doesn't work."

"There's either a magic field or an enchantment of some sort over this place that prevents me from casting even the simplest of spells," explained Twilight.

"Hmmm," pondered the attorney out loud. "Oh! Doesn't that mean that the guards can't use magic either?! That's gotta count for something, right?" She pointed out triumphantly.

"Already thought of that as well Nemo," said Twilight. "What that simply means is that if neither one of us can use magic, then whoever has the physical advantage will win. Need I remind you this place is crawling with soldiers trained for combat?"

"We don't have to fight them head on, we could outwit them and find a way out."

"Yes, but that would require a plan, which would in turn require knowledge of the layout, the schedules, and the defense mechanisms. All of which we, unfortunately, lack."

"Well didn't you get a good look when we were brought in here?"

"We were blindfolded and lead here."

"Oh."

As much as she loved being right, Twilight had to admit that it wasn't exactly playing to her favor under the current circumstances. Her head seemed to crack under the tremendous amount of pressure she was putting into it, thinking of a way out. She'd been so busy with it that she'd ignored that little voice in the back of her head, telling her something was off.

"Say Nemo..."

"Hmm?"

"Don't you think it's strange that the three of us were singled out, even though everypony else was bound to have heard everything there was to know about the coup?" Twilight said, giving her a quizzical look.

"What? That again?" She asked rolling her eyes, "it doesn't exactly help us to speculate over little details, when we ought to be focusing on finding a way out, don't you think?"

"I'm just wondering," pressed on Twilight, "what do the three of us have in common that would warrant such a measure?"

"Well," said Spike, holding up one of his hands as he started listing things with his claws, "we shared a room back in Stableside, we came into direct contact with the gunpowder, we were held accountable for blowing up a cruise, even though that was most likely Silver Tongue's doi—" The dragon clasped both hands over his mouth apologetically. He'd forgotten Nemo got riled up every time she heard mention of the stallion's name. He was surprised to find, however, that rather than filling up with tears, the filly's eyes had widened into a significant look. He turned to look at Twilight and found that she too, had a look of dawning comprehension on her face.

"Nemo, you don't think..." she began, turning around to look at her.

"That this has something to do with him?" She finished for her. "I think it might, but right now it escapes my mind," she admitted, furiously rubbing her forehead, hoping to stimulate her brain.

"Think! Was there something he did on that cruise, that could've potentially undermined the military?" Twilight urged her.

"Other than blowing it up you mean?" Interjected the dragon skeptically.

"Not helping Spike!" Yelled out Twilight, trying to turn his mouth into a zipper, only to remember that she couldn't use her magic.

"I"m trying, I'm trying!" replied Nemo with her eyes closed, her mind frantically racing through her memories.

"Did he leave any sort of evidence that could have survived the explosion?"

"Yes! I mean no! I mean..." the filly stammered, shaking her head furiously, "he wrote down everything both of you told us during our sessions, but I don't think those survived the wreck. They sunk alongside the cruise!" She finally managed.

"They must have!" Twilight insisted, "They must have or else the military wouldn't feel the need to keep us alive at this very moment! They think we know where he hid them!"

"Yes Twilight, except it doesn't matter where he hid them: the cruise sunk. Alongside whatever records of your and Spike's interrogation were left behind," replied Nemo irritably.

"He could've given them to somepony else!" Piped up Spike, now partaking in her mentor's enthusiasm.

"No Spike, you two were the only ponies we knew there, and there's nopony he would have trusted that information to. Especially if he suspected the military was invol—" Nemo's voice trailed off, her eyes strangely unfocused, her jaw hanging open as she slowly brought a hoof towards her mouth.

"Nemo? Are you okay?" Asked Twilight, examining her with an air of concern.

"The letters..." she whispered.

"Huh?"

"The letters! Silver Tongue sent two letters to somepony else! One at the beginning of our travel, just before we left Ponyville, and then another one through the air courier at the cruise, right after we met up with you two!"

"That makes sense!" Yelled out the unicorn, savoring a faint taste of victory in her mouth, "if Silver Tongue managed to sneak the records of the investigation off-board then this whole fiasco the Imperial Guard staged could be easily brought down!" She concluded excitedly.

Nemo felt the uplifting sensation in her chest as she mulled things over. "The military would need the continued support of the populace in order to prosecute us. If we're killed and the truth gets out that the bombing was staged by the military they'd be turning us into martyrs, and then a rebellion would be sure to break out!"

"They also wouldn't be able to touch Princess Luna! Nopony would believe that the griffins were responsible if they knew the military was the one that tried to kill Princess Celestia!" Blurted out Twilight, now rolling with it.

"They'd need to destroy the records to prevent the truth from getting out, and so they'd have to stall our execution until they could get their hooves on them, and so those records are—"

"Where?" Finished Twilight.

The scholars exchanged a worried look.

Everything: the life of the princesses, the future of the Equestria, their very survival hung on this crucial piece of information. As long as the records remained hidden then they still had some hope left, even if they didn't know where they were, but that meant that time was also against them. The Imperial Guard would tolerate them so long as they believed that they had useful information that would help them uncover the location of the files.

Twilight felt a pang in her stomach.

This also meant that her friend's were in grave danger, not having interacted with either Nemo or Silver Tongue and therefore not likely to harbor any useful tips. Wasn't the fact that they alone had been singled out proof enough that their lives were somehow a little more valuable to the soldiers than those of her friends? She needed to convey all of this to them and fast, lest the soldiers discard them like trash. And then there was that little inconvenience: they didn't know where the files were. How long would they last under the scrutiny of interrogation before the military realized they knew nothing at all?

They had to get their stories straight, lead them on and stall for time. The soldiers had but two days before the attempt on Luna's life, they'd come at them with everything to make them talk. In the meantime they needed to come up with an escape plan and, most importantly, to figure out who was Silver Tongue's mysterious correspondent and the content of the letters. With that information at hoof, they would easily discover the location of the records, and bring down this whole façade.

"We need to talk to the others and warn them about all of this! If the soldiers think they might know something about the records then they won't kill them!" Said Twilight, a growing sense of anxiousness gripping her.

"But how?" Asked a defeated looking Nemo. "We don't even know where they're being held!"

"Uh, girls? I think you'll get that chance sooner than we think," said Spike.

The fillies turned around and listened. Sure enough a set of hoofsteps could be heard approaching the prison cell.

"What do you think they want?" Wondered the young assistant shivering on the spot.

"With any luck, they just want to have a little chat...."

The betrayal Part I

Twilight and Nemo stumbled their way down a dark corridor, the sound of their hoofsteps echoing against the moss-covered walls. Spike trudged slowly behind them, dragging his feet upon the rugged stone that lay beneath him. Two sets of hoofsteps echoed alongside their own, those of a couple of prison guards escorting them.

Twilight tasted the moist air as she took in a lungful, gulping down hard. She recoiled at the distinct feeling of dust rubbing against the inside of her throat, coughing slightly. She stopped for a moment to regain her composure and immediately she regretted it. With a powerful heave she was lifted off her hooves and flung forward into the pavement by one of the prison guards next to her.

"We didn't give you permission to stop," scorned the soldier.

The filly pushed herself off the cold floor wearily and took a few tentative steps before she was flung forward again by one of the guards.

"Are you deaf? Quit stalling and move it!" Ordered the other guard.

"I'm trying my best, but I can't even see where I'm going with this blindfold on!" Whined the plum unicorn desperately.

"Why are these even necessary?!" Demanded Nemo, tugging at the black fabric over her eyes, "The code of penal procedures clearly states that, even in the case of military detentions, sensory deprivation is absolutely illegoomf!"

Twilight felt a slight draft of wind momentarily brush by her sides, and she could only assume that Nemo had been flung next to her.

"Shut your trap, we make the laws here," replied the cold voice of the guard.

The filly felt a set of tiny claws gently wrap around her foreleg, the edged fingertips slightly digging into her coat. Though she couldn't see her young assistant, Twilight could almost picture the state of frightened state of him as she felt the tiny arms supporting her tremble.

"Don't worry, we'll be okay," she whispered to him, though not entirely convinced of it herself.

The soldiers led the captives through the maze like dungeon carefully coaching them past twists and turns, and up several sets of staircases.

Left, left, right, up, straight fifteen yards, right, left, straight, left, straight ten yards. Though she was not allowed to see her surroundings, Twilight had been taking her time to calculate every step and turn they had taken since leaving their cell. Since it was unlikely that she would get a better opportunity to become familiar with the layout of the prison it would be best to take every chance she could get. Her survival and that of her friends would depend on her ability to garner as much intelligence as possible on the structure.

"We're here."

With a curt notice the soldiers stopped abruptly and removed the blindfolds from the fillies. Twilight felt her eyes involuntarily water as sunlight, cascading from some old high-arched windows, enveloped her. She blinked a couple of times trying to take in her surroundings. They were in a long corridor up about three stories high from the ground, judging by the sight of the distant treetops visible through the windows. The position of the sun and the length of the shades, cast by a couple of watchtowers sitting in the corners of the building, indicated that it might be between ten and eleven in the morning.

A creaking sound called Twilight's attention, startling her. She turned around and noticed they were standing in front of an iron door, which was now slowly opening to reveal a canary yellow stallion on the other side.

"Nice work fellas, Ah'll take it from here," said the stranger lifting an old stetson to reveal an all-too familiar pair of green eyes and a winnfield style of beard...

"You!!"

The unusual soldier barely had the time to register the filly's indignant scream before he felt her forehead dig into his gut. The two of them fell into a heap of trashing limbs and writhing bodies before a bewildered Spike and Nemo who stood agape as the unicorn kicked and pummeled every inch she could reach of the stallion.

"You stupid degenerate swindler! How dare you trick us?!"

"Aie! Get'er off me! Get'er off me!"

The guards rushed to the stallion's aid and promptly pulled a still trashing Twilight off of him.

"Stay still you deranged bitch!" Yelled one of them, and immediately she felt the air drain out of her lungs and her strength wane as he punched her hard in the gut.

"Easy fellas, you wanna save that aggression fer later," said the stallion, lifting his hat off the floor and dusting it off before replacing it on top of his head. "Still, Ah must say Ah'm impressed. Fer a lass ya pack quite the punch Miss Sparkle," he added addressing the filly who was curled up into ball on the ground.

Having gotten over his initial surprise at his mentor's emotional outburst, Spike quickly recognized the soldier standing before them.

"Colonel Clean Shot!" He stated with pure loathing in his voice, balling his hands into fists.

"Actually it's Brigadier Clean Shot now," he corrected him, "Ah was ascended right after our meetin', for 'special services to Equestria.'"

Still unable to speak, Twilight shot him a reproachful look, angry tears staining her cheeks. How could this stallion speak so calmly of his services to Equestria after what he'd done?! After he'd manipulated them and helped bring about the demise of his country! Of his ruler!

"Ahh don't give me that look," he said, "Ah was just doin' what was necessary fer the good of our nation and all ponykind."

"You're a fraud!" Retorted Spike.

"Say what ya will," returned Clean Shot frowning slightly, "Ah don't expect a young lad like yerself ta understand the work of greater minds, nor the sacrifices required ta maintain peace in the world."

"And I suppose these 'sacrifices' won't be made by you or any of these 'greater minds' of which you speak of, am I correct?" Pointed out Nemo, who was now beginning to get the gist of the story between the brigadier and her companions.

"Ya must be Miss Jui-ce, right?" The stallion ignored her, tilting his head to the side.

"It's Ius," she corrected him, "and what if I am?" She demanded in return, sticking out her chest proudly.

Clean Shot merely chuckled. "Ah must say, ye're some lucky gal! Ah'd bet mah hat off that all of yer friends here are wishin' they were ya, and if they aren't they'll be soon wishin' they were."

It was Nemo's turn to tilt her head to the side now. "What do you mean?" She asked in mix of confusion and growing dread.

"Whoops! Now, now miss juice... Ah wouldn't want ta spoil the surprise," he said, walking past her to retrieve Twilight off the ground. "C'mon, up ya go! That's it... no need fer tears, ya wouldn't want ta run out of those so soon now, would ya?"

Twilight shot yet another look of pure venom at the stallion, who returned in kind a provoking smile. He then lifted his head to address the guards.

"Ya two, follow me and bring that there partner of hers with ya," and with that sentence he easily lifted Twilight off the ground and over his shoulder, and made past the guards.

"Where are you taking them? What are you going to do with them?!" Asked Nemo, unable to fight the fear in hear quivering voice.

Brigadier Clean Shot turned his head to give her a malicious smile. "Let's just say that depends on how yer interview goes. Who knows? Ya might be able to spare these ponies some pain if y'all are willin' to cooperate. But don't take too long now..." he advised her, "if Ah get bored of waitin', Ah just might try mah own luck at makin' miss egghead here talk. Now ya best step inside, yer host must be gettin' mighty tired of waitin'." And with that ambiguous phrase he tipped his hat to her, and departed with the captive Twilight and Spike, leaving Nemo looking stricken.

The attorney stepped through the threshold and quickly realized she was in a long corridor that stretched sideways all the way down to the other end of the structure. A discolored crimson carpet, that might've been fanciful at one time, sat on the floor collecting dust. The walls were adorned by hand crafted sconces, made of solid gold that gleamed under the wavering flames of the candles sitting on them. A collection of framed paintings covered the walls, their contents ranging from landscapes to portraits of unrecognizable ponies.

She was busy wondering the purpose of all the extravaganza displayed inside the prison when a loud thunking noise startled her. She turned around and inspected her surroundings looking for the source, whatever had caused it was nearby...

"Thunk!" There it is again! She thought to herself as she wheeled around to pinpoint the source of the noise coming from behind a wooden door on the wall. Slowly, she approached it and hesitantly lifted a hoof toward it. Would it be a good idea to disturb whoever was in there? What did that soldier mean by 'interview'? And who could possibly be waiting for her behind that door?

"Only one way to find out Nemo," she muttered to herself as she carefully flexed the ergot on her foreleg and rapped the wood three times.

"Come on in," beckoned a muffled, yet strangely familiar voice from the other side.

The filly obeyed and gave the door a slight push, opening it to reveal dimly lit room where a rectangular table sat in the middle with two chairs facing across each side, one of which was already occupied.

"It's been a while, my dear filly," spoke a stallion's voice, his face emerging from the shadows to reveal a white coat and a brown mane with matching mustache she knew only too well...

"You!!"

******

"Let me out! Let me out I say!"

"Simmer down Sally, Ah doubt these folk are the type ta take requests from strangers."

Rainbow Dash stopped kicking at the iron bars in their cell and turned around to shoot an annoyed look at Applejack.

"How can you be so calm?! Who knows where they've taken our friends and what they're doing to them!" She scolded the farmer, stamping her hoof hard on the ground.

The cowgirl merely lifted her hat to reveal her green eyes and gave her a skeptical look. "And ya think kickin' and screamin' like a school filly on her first day is gonna fly well with them guards? Ya sure like stirrin' up a hornet's nest, don't ya?"

"Better than sitting around and chewing on hay weed!" Retorted the cyan pony.

Applejack spit out the golden straw from her mouth and gave her a scowl. "Ah'm tryin' to think of a way outta here, and Ah would be havin' an easier time if y'all weren't behavin' like a hot-blooded bull with ants in his undies," she said, firmly stepping forward.

"And I'm trying to make us a way outta here and I would be having an easier time if you got off your lazy flank and helped me kick these bars down!" Responded the filly, pressing her muzzle into Applejack's.

"Applejack, Rainbow Dash is that you?" Called a soft voice down the corridor.

The two fillies stopped arguing and bolted to the door, sticking their heads through the iron bars.

"Fluttershy? Where are you?"

"Over here," called the voice yet again, and the couple twisted their heads just enough to see a familiar soft-yellow foreleg sticking through some iron bars, about five cells away from them, waving at them.

"Are ya alone?" Asked Applejack.

"Rarity and Pinkie Pie are here with m—uhm, what? Oh my, I hardly think this is the time Pinkie... B-but that's so embarrassing... Oh o-okay, I'll ask them anyway. Rainbow Dash do you have any tee-pee?"

"Any what now?" Asked the filly nonplussed,

"Uhm, tee-pee," insisted the canary colored pegasus.

"Can ya speak a little louder?! We aren't quite catchin' ya sugarcube!" Applejack admonished her.

"Uhm, please don't make me say it again..." she said softer still.

Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes in exasperation. "Well then don't be such a wuzz and speak up! What is it that you need?!"

The yellow filly shied away for a bit before drawing in a long breath. "Do you have any toilet paper?"

Rainbow backlashed. "What?! No! Where would we keep toilet paper?!" Replied the filly perplexed.

"Oh okay... she says no Pinkie. Uhm, really? Oh my! Rainbow Dash are you sure?! It's kind of an emergency!"

"Will you two stop foaling around?! Honestly!" Scolded Rarity at her cellmates as she stuck her own head through the iron bars to look at Applejack and Rainbow Dash, "Applejack is Twilight there with you?"

"Uhm, Pinkie Pie, where are you going?"

"No, and neither is Spike," replied the cowgirl, "you two got that other egghead lawyer there with ya?"

"What are you doing in that corner?"

"You mean Nemo? No, I think they might have locked the three of them in a separate cell."

"Oh dear, I don't think that's very sanitary..."

"Well shucks, Ah figured there might be there with ya."

"Oh my! Pinkie Pie please don't."

"Yes, we figured the same dear, but seeing as how they're neither with you nor with us that begs the question: where are they?"

"Oh me! Oh my!"

"They're probably being kept somewhere in this prison,"

"Uhm Rarity?"

"In a minute dear. How do you know? Did you see where they were taken when we left the wagon?"

"But—"

"No, we were blindfolded, but there ain't no sense in taking them ta a different prison now, is there?"

"Rarity..."

"I said in a minute. Well I see your point but why bother isolating them and leaving us here to rot?"

"I don't think we have a minute..."

"Beats me, but we're gonna break out of here and find out!"

"Oh dear! Here it comes..."

"How? Did the two of you come up with a plan?"

"I can't look!"

"Well, not really but we're workin' on one."

"What do you have in mind?"

"Well since we're still alive that means they're bound to come get us at some point right?"

"Probably."

"We're thinking we could try and tackle the guards as soon as they open this door and then free ourselves."

"Uhuh. And then what?"

"And then we'll take it from there. How does that sound?"

"Sounds awfully simple and naive don't you think dear?"

"Ah told her she was just blowin' hot air!"

"Oh and I suppose you have a better plan AJ?"

"Hi everypony! Ahh... That was some sweet relief!"

"Sweet relief? What are you talking about Pinkie Pie? *sniff* Eugh! What in Equestria is that sme—? PINKIE PIE!!!"

At that moment the iron door at the end of the corridor swung open and struck the adjacent wall with a deafening bang.

"Alright, enough! Stop this ruckus right now!" Thundered a guard, stepping into view.

Seeing that he wasn't alone, the fillies quieted at once. At least a dozen guards immediately started filing into the room in double columns and divided into two groups, standing in front of the occupied cells.

"Bring them, Brigadier Clean Shot asked for them personally."

******

Nemo shook her head in a daze, her muzzle throbbing with a dull pain.

"Charging at me the moment you saw me, that wasn't so smart now, was it?" Asked the stallion adjusting his cap, behind an overturned table.

"You bastard!! You foul, evil bast—"

"I tire of your insults dear filly," replied the stallion returning the table, now having served its purpose as a shield, to its original position."I didn't come here to take abuse from you, but to talk like civilized ponies."

"What could a traitor and a murderer like you possibly want with me?!" Retorted Nemo, standing up to scorch the white stallion with her pink eyes.

It was irritating. Part of her had wished that she would never have to lay her eyes upon this stallion, leaving the burden of his crimes up to the princesses and the judicial system, but another part had been longing to see him ever since she parted ways with him. Longed to be reunited with him, to stand next him. How she had wished to be the one who would find him... and kill him. Tear him to pieces, burn him, and spit on his remains. The perpetual object of her hatred, the one who had betrayed her and Twilight, the stallion who had killed her mentor: Captain High Tide.

The betrayal Part II

"What could a traitor and a murderer like you possibly want with me?!" Demanded Nemo, standing up to scorch the white stallion with her pink eyes.

The captain brought one of his enormous hooves into his navy coat and chuckled amiably . Nemo made no effort to hide her revulsion at this, the features in her face rearranging themselves into an ugly grimace. High Tide pretended not having seen this and continued to dig into his pocket in search of something.

"I was just wondering if you could help me, with some matter," he finally said, extracting a wooden pipe from his coat and bringing it to his mouth.

The expression on Nemo's face morphed through several phases at once: from innocent confusion, to wild disbelief, and finally into one of overwhelming anger. "Why would I bring myself to helping a scumbag like yourself?!" She spat, furrowing her brow.

The captain let out a small puff unconcernedly. "That's three times you've insulted me today and we've barely seen each other for five minutes," he sighed, "must we resort to crudeness? Where is your civility my dear attorney?"

"Civility..." repeated Nemo in disbelief, "you killed Silver Tongue and then you tried to kill me!! Buck your civility, buck it right up your—"

"Ah-ah-ah! Language my dear filly!" The stallion tutted, waving a massive hoof through the air. "What would poor old Silver Tongue think of you if he saw you in this state?"

"I don't know, and I doubt I'll ever know," she replied, "thanks to you..." she added choking back her tears. Even if she wasn't able to put a hoof to the stallion, she wasn't going to give him the pleasure of watching her cry.

The captain contemplated her long and hard, watching her chest contract and expand rapidly with each violent breath she took. Suddenly he pulled the pipe out of his mouth and set it on the table, then, he brought a hoof to his head and pulled his cap to do the same, revealing a neatly combed brown mane.

"His death has been a loss for us all, myself included..." he said in a grave voice.

Nemo however, wasn't going to have it. An angry fire scorched her stomach as it fought desperately to get out of her. "You dare...? You dare?" She whispered in a hoarse voice.

High Tide remained in place unmoved, steeling himself up for the barrage of insults to come.

"You dare?!" She dragged on for the third time. Nemo could feel the soreness in her throat, the stinging in her eyes, but she simply couldn't contain herself anymore, she let fury consume her as she let loose a scream that rent the air around them. "How?! How can you be so vile?! How can you lament his loss?! How do you even dare mention his name after you betrayed and murdered him: your friend of many years?! How?!?!" She yelled unable to control the tears gushing from her eyes, as she stepped forward.

The captain kept his silence, watching the filly sob uncontrollably, her eyes shut tightly, in a vain attempt to prevent herself from doing so.

"It was my mistake," he finally said.

The filly opened her eyes and watched him in confusion.

He turned around and drew a deep breath. "When I was first approached by an old colleague of mine, some time ago, with this...business proposal, I thought he must've gone mad. Shipping gunpowder! Why, the very idea of it was ludicrous! After all, was it not one of the most illegal, and highly dangerous, substances in our world?! I thought to myself 'what in the world is he thinking?! And how does he plan on getting away with it?' Outrageous! Simply outrageous!" He spoke, shaking his head angrily.

Nemo felt her curiosity piqued, to say the least. Was she about to find out who was behind this plot?

"So I turned him down and told him he must be out of his mind," he said, angrily banging his hoof on the table. "I thought that would be the end of it, but dear was I wrong..." he added, widening his eyes significantly. "It wasn't until later that I learned that I wasn't the only one he had approached concerning this business venture. Parliamentarians, judges, celebrities, nobles, heck, even the military! All of them had been called into action by this fella to contrive what would be the biggest heist in history! To supply the warring nations around Equestria with new and powerful weapons so that we all might profit from it! To become merchants of death, in essence...."

The filly watched him in disbelief. Was that how far the conspiracy ran? So he wasn't lying when he said the 'Canterlot Elite' had been the driving force behind the coup... but what a huge understatement! How could this thing have grown so out of proportion to include so many prominent ponies?!

"I had no choice, I already knew too much," he said, shaking his head, "I could either be a part of it, or sleep with the fishes."

"So he threatened you?" She asked.

The stallion shook his head again. "No. But he needn't do it: I knew very well that if I opposed their little scheme I would soon find myself six feet under. All I could do was accept the role that had been assigned to me."

"But why not tell the Princess?! Why not ask her for protection?!" Insisted Nemo.

"Because that's not where the plot stopped as you very well know by now..." He answered, his face submerging in darkness as he cast his look downward. "The mining industries, the warehouse owners, the Canterlot's Museum patrons... we were all played for fools!" He yelled, slamming the table with his hoof. "We didn't know, I swear to Celestia we didn't know!" He said, grabbing his head with both hooves.

Nemo watched him quietly, as his chest heaved with exhilaration.

"W-when that bomb went off..." he stuttered. "And from the very beginning he knew! He knew exactly what he'd done, what he'd achieved, what he had managed to make us do. No pony would cross him, not after they'd helped him sneak those cargos into Canterlot! He didn't say a word to us, but he knew damn well he didn't need one! Not when we were all complicit on helping him achieve his coup, not after we'd had a hoof on the attempt on Princess Celestia, and especially not when it was revealed to us that the military had been in on the whole plan from the get go!" He burst out desperately.

The attorney's face was one of utter horror. "You mean to say that none of you knew about the plot against the princesses? But how can that be?" She asked trying to work out the implications on what the stallion had just told her.

The captain rested his forehead between his hooves before he continued. "The scheme was in operation for years, and while it lasted we all got a hefty amount of bits out of it. No pony seemed to mind, as long as the war wasn't brought into Equestria and as long as those big fat paychecks kept on coming we didn't see a reason to complain."

"As long as war wasn't brought into Equestria?" She repeated, aghast. "You were supplying other nations with weapons!" She emphasized. "Of course war would have made it to Equestria, sooner or later!"

"Nay," he said, gently shaking his head. "We had our assurances. Since we had a monopoly on the thing we were careful not to deliver too much of our goods to one side alone. See, we couldn't make a profit if one side suddenly overwhelmed the other, so when we felt one of them was getting too powerful we'd raise prizes on them, and sell cheap to the losing side. By controlling the market, you control the conflict," he explained.

"So essentially you ponies had a hoof on both cakes," she commented with revulsion. "You're all disgusting," she sentenced.

"I'm not saying I'm proud of what we did," he said, shrugging, "but as I said: we had no choice, as you'll soon learn. In retrospect I guess I should've seen it coming, seeing how the military was fine with getting the smallest cut for the most dangerous job."

"What do you mean?" She asked.

"The military was in charge of espionage. Masquerading as a communication's agency they struck up deals with foreign governments arranging for the delivery of our weapons, but that was just their first purpose. As soon as they were 'inside' they'd run all kinds of intelligence operations on them, trying to make sure they didn't replicate our technology, hindering all attempts on weapon development, sabotaging coal extraction operations," he listed off. "They were the spear head of the operation, one that was consistently at risk of death and exposure."

"Their very presence was enough to intimidate those who would get cold hooves and try to leave. No pony was fool enough to try it. We found out too late what they were really after..." he lamented, covering his eyes. "The pony behind all of this was a devil: he'd planned it all with the military from the very beginning. To use his power and influence to convince others of his stature to bring this operation to life. And once we were all deeply involved with it, muddied in the whole affair, to use our own weapons to his advantage in an attempt to topple the government."

Nemo had a hard time believing it. Who in Equestria could have concocted such a master plan, one that would take many years of careful deliberation and perfect execution to bring itself into fruition, and for what purpose? "But why? Why try to kill the princesses? If he had already achieved this power of which you speak, why take it further? What did he stand to gain with all of this?"

The captain carefully surveyed the filly before his eyes, the lingering image of his old friend now reflected in her curiosity. He shuffled uncomfortably, wondering whether it would be alright to press this further. Would she believe him if he said it? Surely he had nothing to lose if he tried. "To emerge as the sole victor out of this whole fiasco. To take advantage of the already weakened nations. To conquer all that stood before him and take the spoils for himself. To solidify Equestria's military hegemony in the world, something which the Imperial Guard has craved for a long time. To become..." he gulped down hard, trying to force himself to say it, "the next Emperor of Equestria."

She couldn't believe it. Were her ears failing or had he just implied that the stallion behind all this was part of the nobility? But how could that even be possible? As far as she was concerned there was only one stallion that stood next in line to the throne if something were to happen to Luna and Celestia. No! It couldn't be! She couldn't see how... "You mean," she started out carefully, "that the pony behind this plot has been... all along?"

"Yes," he confirmed. "Prince Blueblood of Canterlot."

******

Brigadier Cleant Shot tutted impatiently as the needles in his wristwatch trailed on, slowly and laboriously, past mid day. He gave an exasperated sigh and turned to face the guards.

"It's been too long," he finally managed, "time fer us ta take matters into our own hooves."

"Sir?" Inquired the guard nearest to him.

"Prep the prisoner, we're gonna have ourselves an interrogation," he ordered, turning around to cast a look at Twilight who shifting inside a small cage, "a really interesting interrogation Ah daresay," he added, his eyes shinning with malicious intent.

Twilight shuffled uncomfortably as the soldiers unlocked her cage. "What do you mean?!" She blurted out, her breath working itself up into a frenzy even as her endocrine system saturated her blood with adrenaline.

The stallion paced his way over to her, silently watching her while the guards pulled her out and held her hoof in hoof. He took his time appreciating the despaired look on her face, letting the silence drag on, before he finally leaned into her ear and whispered: "We're goin' ta have a lot of fun you and Ah! Ah just hope ya enjoy it as much as Ah will..."

The unicorn's eyes widened into a terrified look, a sight which only added to the brigadier's amusement, now giving her a yellowish smile that spread from ear to ear.

"Let's introduce her ta 'the rack' fellas!" The canary stallion gestured towards a circular wooden table with straps on its ends, each one connected to a rope that ran underneath the contraption and connected to what looked like a stirring wheel.

It was as if her heart had stopped. Twilight felt her insides ice slowly as she came to the realization of the fate that awaited her. "No! Please stop!" She yelled, trashing about, desperately trying to free herself from the soldiers' grip. "Help! Somepony do something! Applejack! Rainbow Dash! Anypony!"

The guards didn't relent on their grip, even as they dragged her across the room and set her on the table. The poor unicorn began trashing even more violently, hopelessly dragging on the moment to the point of psychological exhaustion. The stallions however, ignored her pleas and managed to secure all four of her limbs to the straps.

The brigadier made his way over to her, slowly and deliberately, clearly savoring the scene before his eyes, watching the rising and falling motions of his prisoner's chest as she began to hyperventilate. He set a hoof right next to her head and addressed the filly:"Comfortable?"

"Don't do this! Please, I'm begging you!" Pleaded the filly one last time.

The soldier raised his eyebrows in consideration and began circling the table. "Well, that depends on whether y'all are willin' ta cooperate with us, Miss Sparkle," he stated. "Ya see, we're all in a bit of a pinch here, and we were hopin' ya could help us resolve a few matters."

Twilight kept her silence and started taking long anxious breaths, twisting her neck in search of the stallion who had just now disappeared from her view.

"Some of them papers related ta the investigation seem ta have gone missin'," he said over her back, "nothin' much really... pictures, instruments, testimonies, interrogations." He paused for a moment waiting for the filly to react, when she didn't he carried on. "Do ya know how?" He asked her.

Normally Twilight would've taken note on everything the stallion had just told her, under the current circumstances however, fear was preventing her from making much sense of what the soldier was telling her. "No," she simply replied.

The stallion circled around to the front an gave her a look, assessing her answer, after a few moments he smiled and continued. "It would seem our dear old D.A. got in touch with one of the judges here in Canterlot, through some letters we later confiscated in the judge's office, letters which instructed him ta hide all this documentation somewhere 'safe'." He watched her again, waiting for a reaction, when he wasn't given one he approached her, "Do ya know this judge's name?" He whispered into her ear, bathing her with his breath.

Twilight was shivered as she choked out an answer. "N-no."

"Absolutus Ius. Does that ring a bell mah dear filly?" He prodded on.

It was true that an intelligent filly like Twilight would've been able to make the connection between the judge an Nemo in a heartbeat, but the pressure on her was so high that she was unable to respond in any other way besides shaking her head in denial.

"Ah was afraid of that," sighed the brigadier, vanishing from Twilight's field of view a second time. Quite suddenly, the filly felt a small tug on her limbs, not something powerful enough to cause her pain but disturbing enough to jerk her into an alarmed state. "The contraption where ya lay is a wonderful diplomatic device Miss Sparkle. Ya see, it helps shy ponies such as yerself socialize and be more talkative-like," he explained, and at this the guards on the other side of the room moved towards the filly, summoned by an unseen gesture from Clean Shot no doubt, and stood at either end of the table. The two of them then placed their hooves on the table and rotated it, so that Twilight could see the brigadier manipulating the wooden wheel on the end.

"Whenever little colts and fillies like yerself feel like bein' needlessly uncooperative Ah just turn this here wheel," he said, pushing the wooden artifact ever so slightly so that she felt a second tug in her extremities. "So ya best behave yerself from now on, or else y'all are goin' ta find that my hoof just slips," he informed her, giving her yet another tug.

Twilight felt a nauseous feeling building up within her as her heart raced at full speed, the sudden increase of adrenaline making her slightly light-headed and putt off. The stallion noticed this as well and gave her a smile as he approached her. "Good. Now that we understand each other let me ask one more time: do you know who this fella Absolutus Ius is?"

The scholar ransacked her mind in search of an answer, and was about to give up when her brain made the connection. "H-he's Nemo's relative?" She guessed haphazardly.

"Well, what do ya know? Seems ya've done yer homework Miss Sparkle! Onto the next question then! Do ya think it's coincidence that this D.A. fella confided this information ta his assistant's uncle? A filly who, like yerself, had also become a target fer the Imperial Guard? A filly who teamed up with ya right after the incident with the cruise..."

Slowly, Twilight shook her head. It was mortifying, that all of Silver Tongue's action were somehow related to her, and yet knowing that she bore no information at all on what he'd been planning at that time. The goddess of fortune, it seemed, wasn't on her side.

"Good! Well, it looks like this is gonna be an interestin' interrogation after all! Let's carry on then, shall we?" He suggested. "Now Ah want you ta tell me what ya three where plannin' on that cruise..."

The question hit her like a ton of bricks. They had barely introduced themselves to the couple of attorneys, and helped them with their query, they never got to planning absolutely anything! "We never planned anything! We barely had time to discuss our strategy!" She confessed.

The soldier sighed and tipped his hat downward, placing a hoof on the wheel. "Wrong answer," he breathed, flashing her with a cold look.

Immediately Twilight felt the joints in her forelegs and hindlegs scream with pain, as the rope around her wrists and ankles tugged harder and harder. She too let out a scream of her own, trashing around wildly in a futile attempt to resist it.

When the brigadier felt she'd had enough, he locked the apparatus in place in headed over to the heaving unicorn on the table. "Care ta revise that statement darlin'?" He asked her.

"I-I'm not lying!" She groaned, trying her best to endure the pain, "it's the truth!" She called out desperately.

"Not buyin' it," the stallion answered, putting more pressure on the wheel.

The filly felt her muscles tense up again as the ropes pulled harder. She screamed even louder, feeling the swelling pain slowly traveling from her joints to the surrounding areas, her very nerves on fire. "Please stop! I'm telling the truth! We were only interrogated, and Silver Tongue thought he could make use of his influence to hide and protect us! Nothing more!" She yelled.

"Where?"

"What?"

"Where did he offer ta hide y'all?" He pressed on.

"I-I don't know, he never—GAHH! No!!!" For the third time she felt the ropes tighten and cut into her wrists as the machine spread further apart, pulling her limbs to an unimaginable extent.

"Ah suggest ya loosen those lips before Ah loosen these pretty limbs of yers," he threatened her, viciously turning the wheel.

"B-but I'm telling the truth!" She insisted, "Silver Tongue never mentioned the name of the place!"

"What about the documents? Where are they?!"

"I don't know! Argh!" Twilight shouted out in pain, her sides on fire, as she felt her ribs crack ominously from the pressure of the rope, pulling ever so harder, steadier, until...

A cracking noise split the air, disquieting those present. The filly gave out a prolonged scream that echoed all around the dungeons, her whole body bathed in sweat. She trashed around weakly, lifting her body momentarily from the table, and fell limply back down. She sobbed hard, tears running down her face. The pain, the humiliation... it was just too much to take.

"Looks like some her forelegs just got dislocated," the brigadier said in a tone of utmost indifference. He unlocked the wheel, letting it return to it's original position and immediately Twilight felt the tension around her limbs loosen up. The stallion then approaching the sobbing filly and whispered once more into her ear.

"Looks like yer a tough nut ta crack Miss Sparkle. But don't worry, if torture ain't enough for ya, we got other ways of makin' ya talk..."

The betrayal Part III

Nemo stood agape contemplating the stallion in front of her, trying to properly register what it was that he'd said. She'd watched him gesticulate a determined set of words, some of which had probably bounced off of her the moment he'd uttered them due to the seriousness of what they implicated but, unless she was very much mistaken, the captain had just suggested that the stallion behind this conspiracy was none other than the princesses' nephew: Prince Blue Blood.

The captain regarded her in earnest, keeping to his quiet demeanor, in a mix of amusement and mild irritation.

"Uhm, that is... yeah, so... what I... huh?" She finally managed with a couple of raised eyebrows.

High Tide sighed. He'd been expecting this reaction the very minute he'd decided to talk to the filly, he knew things were about to get slightly annoying as she prepared to pounce him with a hundred different questions, still he figured that he should keep to the story.

"It's true," he insisted, "Blue Blood orchestrated the whole coup and used his influence and political power to rein in as many allies as he could find."

"But why? Is he not Canterlot Royalty already? Why would he want to go beyond that? What type of reason or ambition could push him to the point of parricide? His own blood!" She emphasized, suddenly looking sick.

The stallion felt his mouth give the smallest of twitches, that was something he also hadn't figured out yet. "I can hardly imagine what it is that tempted him to push the boundaries of morality to such an extent. Perhaps it was power itself that corrupted him so, perhaps he was born with the predisposition to be a foul murderer, but from what I gather I think he has some sort of deep grudge against the princesses."

"A grudge?" Nemo repeated, tilting her head just a little.

"Ask me no more on the subject," the captain replied, shaking his head, "the only thing I know is that every time we spoke I could but detect a slight hint of resentment whenever we talked about the princesses... before, you know, all this..." he said, bringing his right hoof around in a circular motion.

A grudge against the princesses... What could the benevolent goddesses have possibly done to upset their own nephew to this point? It all seemed just too unreal and unjustified. Was there a part missing in this whole puzzle? Perhaps something she'd overlooked? Suddenly her mind caught up to her and she remembered precisely where she was and what was going on. "Captain, why have you brought me here? What does all of this have to do with me?" She asked the stallion suspiciously.

High Tide gestured towards the sit in front of him once more, an offer that Nemo took, tentatively so. The enormous stallion then drew a deep breath and let out a prolonged sigh. "I told you before that the death of Silver Tongue was my mistake. Initially Blue Blood wanted to involve him in the whole conspiracy, but I knew that old Silver was too uptight and hardheaded to accept such an offer..."

Nemo kept a neutral stance. Perhaps those terms better represented the views of a businesspony, but to an attorney and other ponies who dealt with justice on a daily basis such a stance would've been called nothing short of righteous.

"Instead of extending the offer to my friend, like it was intended, I managed to convince the prince to keep him in the dark. I basically told him that, while the D.A. was my friend of old and that I could persuade him to accept such an offer, the more ponies we involved the less slices of cake we could divide amongst ourselves. He argued passionately against my perspective of course, saying that getting the D.A.'s office under our hooves would be worth the investment, plotting no doubt to take advantage in the aftermath of the explosion to blackmail guilty consciences and single-hoofedly guide the investigation in his own self-interest..."

The attorney felt a chill crawl up her spine. So the Prince had actually considered involving them into the whole plot. It was both fortunate and bad, for they had been spared of what would have essentially been a threat to participate in the attempt, but they had also missed out on the chance to warn the Princess.

"In the end however I was able to talk some sense into the Prince and let him know that the risk he was taking was too high, and that the less ponies knew about the conspiracy the better. After all, how could we manage to monitor all of them if the numbers kept growing? Moreover, these were attorneys we were dealing with, even if we had bought the D.A. one of his underlings might have figured things out. No doubt some self-righteous fool would've found out too much and done his utmost to foil the plan, and murdering public officials could lead us to trouble indeed..."

Nemo had found her voice again. Irritated by the captain's insults she stamped her hoof hard on the cobblestone. "Foolishness you call it?! To stand up for your own beliefs and our country's well-being?!"

"Hold on, I don't say I don't agree with the thought!" The captain said with haste.

"You nobles and businessponies are all alike! Too egotistical and concerned with your own self-interests to give a damn about the well-being of others and even less than that of your country!" She spat with fury.

High Tide rubbed the temples on the side of his head, things weren't going how he'd hoped...

"I'm not saying I don't understand the sentiment, courage that is..." he began.

"Not that I would expect you to. It is certainly difficult to understand a quality which you so greatly lack," she lashed out, causing him to recoil momentarily.

"Listen," the captain continued, ignoring the earlier sting from Nemo's tongue, "I think it admirable that somepony would give his life for the cause he believes in, but you have to agree that there are times when one's life is more important than making a mere statement! Sometimes a pony has to do... things, in order to stay alive and fight another day!"

Nemo gave the stallion a calculating look, observing him, analyzing him... Just from listening to the way he spoke of his old friend she knew that he wasn't devoid of feeling. Hadn't he said it back then when he held Silver Tongue at gunpoint? "Nothing pains me more for it to have come to this(...). It was sad really, being told that you were poking your nose in affairs that did not concern you. I was ordered to find you and get rid of you." Ordered. From the conversation she'd just had she could gather that the captain had been acting out of fear for his superiors, that her mentor's murder had not been his call to make. The stallion was nothing more than a mere puppet, a coward who could only be but pitied for the unlucky position in which he'd been placed...

'Still!' Spoke a stronger voice in the back of her head, 'doesn't that make him all that more dangerous?! If the stallion was so easily swayed by fear how could he be trusted with anything he said!'

To ask the question was to answer it: because despite all that, here he was, coming clean with everything he'd done and, at last, revealing the name of the pony behind this horrendous plot. But for what purpose? The answer became apparent the minute she thought about it.

"I see. You're here to ask me to betray my friends, aren't you?"

******

Twilight took a deep breath, inhaling the warm sea breeze as it danced through the sky. She let out a relaxed sigh, focusing on the zephyr pleasantly rushing past her mane. She allowed herself to feel the gentle caress of the wind massaging her tired muscles and relieving her of the heat from the sun's rays. The orb of fire hung high over the sea below her, casting its light over the chain of green hills, blooming with flowers and bushes, where she stood. Truly this was a sight to behold!

An entire city had been built along the sea cost, where it stood high above the water on top of these ridiculously enormous hills that somehow connected to the ocean without so much of a hint of sand. A wide strip of pavement, made with white bricks, covered each of the grassy giants, stretching from the top all the way down to the sea where it ended in a stony pier, whose foundations sunk underneath the water. Metal railings had been fit on the very end of it to prevent ponies from falling into the sea below, and business littered the city on either side of the pavement, the majority of which were restaurants. A single line of palm trees adorned the middle of the street to complete the scenario of a perfect sea side town.

Eager to get a better view of the ocean, Twilight made her way down the shiny white bricks, carefully dodging the tourists wandering about in search of a good place to eat. She couldn't help but gasp at the unique architecture surrounding her as she laid her eyes upon a two story hut that had been painted pink and decorated with starfish and seashells. She could see the inside of it through several windows that had been made to look like portholes, revealing numerous sets of wooden tables, covered in cloths, on the inside. 'A restaurant no doubt', she noted to herself as she made past it.

Suddenly a scream pierced the air causing her to stop in her tracks. The filly turned her attention to a growing cloud of dust climbing its way up the slope towards her. She watched with apprehension as a crowd of terrified ponies scrambled their way up the stony path, screaming and yelling as they went along. Twilight stood rooted to the spot, watching them as they ran past her, wondering what they were running from. The answer soon became apparent with the sound of a rumbling noise that seemed to be growing in intensity.

The filly turned her eyes towards the horizon and felt her heart skip a beat as she saw the sea come towards her in a single fluid motion. The once calm waters were now trembling with agitation as a solid wall of deep blue precipitated itself towards the city. The very ground trembled as a gigantic wave reached the shore and crashed against the pier below, tearing it to pieces. The enormous force of the impact was translated into a salty drizzle from the resulting splash, bathing the unicorn entirely.

Shaking herself dry Twilight inspected her surroundings to assess the damage that the tidal wave had done to the place. She didn't have too long to look, for a speeding mass of blue caught her attention out of the corner of her eye. Petrified by fear she noted a second wave, even bigger than the first, hastily approaching the coast. It was as if the sea itself had taken a life of its own, the wall of water stood ten stories high as it violently rushed towards the city.

"Sea quake!"

Listening to the frightened warning of a nearby pony, Twilight took refuge in an alleyway next to her and steeled herself as the wave crashed and dissolved itself against the ground, drowning out the terrified screams of the ponies around her. The ground shook once more, sending her tumbling to the floor. The sound of a hundreds hooves thundered through the pavement and into her ear while she tried to blink herself conscious once more. She watched while an ever growing crowd of ponies raced their way up the hills and out of harm's way as yet another wave began swelling itself in the distance.

Scrambling to her hooves, Twilight started galloping at full speed after them, only to find herself falling farther and farther behind. She cast a look behind her and saw, with a twinge of panic, that the incoming wave stood even twice as high as the previous one. She kicked the ground harder than before, trying to put as much distance as possible between her and the sea but discovered, to her despair, that she was barely moving an inch from where she stood. It was as if her entire body had been submerged under water: her legs felt abnormally unresponsive, moving in slow motion rather than as she commanded them to. Fear gripping her, she turned around and saw the sea engulf half the city as the giant wave crashed right behind her, drenching her from head to tail.

Realizing the impossibility of escape, she stumbled to her hooves and sought refuge into the restaurant she'd seen earlier. She ran towards a couple of western doors, suspended two feet above the ground, and tackled her way through them, catching out of the corner of her eyes a fourth wave swelling to an unbelievable size in the horizon. She quickly scanned her surroundings for a safe location and found one behind a counter that stood against one of the walls. The ground shook once more as the sea inched its way closer towards her, prompting her to dive behind the furniture in search of protection.

The impact of the wave shook the structure down to its very foundations, sending splashing water filtering through the roof made of hay and into the building. Refusing to leave her place in fear of drowning Twilight covered her head protectively with her forelegs while the waves kept on coming, crashing themselves again and again against the hut. The wood around her creaked ominously as a fifth wave impact upon it; she knew, sooner or later, the sea would sweep her sanctuary like a spec of dust, but she couldn't summon the strength to flee for her life, regardless. She would be swept and drowned by the ever raging sea....

"Dive!"

The suddenness of the voice startled her, causing her to bump her head against the edge of the counter where she was currently hiding. The unicorn looked around in bewilderment in search of the whoever had spoken. Even if she couldn't see anypony, somehow she still knew that everyone had already evacuated and the whole city was now deserted.

"Dive!" Spoke the voice for the second time.

Twilight scanned her surroundings once more in search of the disembodied voice. For some reason it sounded so... familiar.

"Don't run!" It said yet again in a stronger tone. "Face it! Whatever you do, don't let it intimidate you!"

Slowly, not entirely sure why, Twilight got to her hooves and found herself crashing through the front window and out into the streets again. Turning around to face the sea she inspected the horizon once more. She could make it out in the distance, the single greatest wave she had seen so far. The gargantuan monster stood over a mile high and precipitated ominously towards the city, threatening to engulf it completely.

Her eyes filled with fire, her heart beating with determination, she took off towards the wave breathing heavily. The buildings around zoomed past her as she printed her hooves upon the ground, inching closer and closer towards the body of water. The enormous tidal wave, of absurdly gigantic proportions roared angrily as it stretched to impossible heights well past her range of view. Unabashed Twilight put in an extra burst of speed and precipitated towards it to meet its challenge.

"That's it! You can do it!"

Her ears filled with encouragement from the disembodied voice, she reached the crippled pier at the edge of the sea and steeled herself with resolve, watching the monstrous wave rush towards her. She silently watched it approach, and waited for it to be within her range....

"Dive!" Yelled the voice one last time, and this time Twilight recognized it as her own: the very voice of her subconscious.

Without a moment's pause she arched her back and leap past the rails, brazenly diving towards the rushing monster. She felt the water surround and envelop her, carelessly sweeping her without effort. The filly felt impotent against the enormous force dragging and twisting her. She felt herself losing consciousness and regretted her folly in challenging such a force beyond her understanding, when all of a sudden the wave itself broke and dissolved into thin air.

Coughing slightly, Twilight opened her eyes to find herself floating in a shallow pond of water. She got to her hooves and lifted her head to observe the sea once more and discovered, with satisfaction, that it had completely retreated, leaving nothing but a shallow lake in its place.

She was trying to make sense of such an anomaly when she heard thunderous applause around her. Startled, she turned around to find herself partially surrounded by an ever growing crowd of ponies, cheering for her and chanting her name.

Her heart gave a leap of joy and her lips curled into a smile that stretched from ear to ear. She had done it. She had defeated the sea itself and restored peace for the ponies in the city.

"Never give up! No matter how big the problem or how great the obstacle, keep your faith until the very end!"

An icy sensation wrapped her body like a blanket, and her limbs seemed to scream in pain as the world around her dissolved. Her head swimming badly, Twilight opened her eyes and coughed violently, tasting a hint of vomit in the back of her throat.

"Rise and shine Miss Sparkle!" Jeered an unpleasant voice, "we still haven't finished our little chat."

The unicorn looked around in a daze and saw no trace of the hills where she had been standing moments ago, nor any indication of the sea, yet somehow she was drenched in water.

Understanding the confused look in her face, Brigadier Clean Shot held up a bucket of water so that she could see it. "Well Ah'm sorry if Ah woke ya up, but it just seemed awful rude of ya ta pass out in the middle of our conversation," he explained.

"Wh-what's going on? Where am I?" She stammered, trying to take in her surroundings.

"Well, it seems Ah owe ya some apologies Miss Sparkle," said the stallion, slowly approaching her, "'pparently mah boys don't know how ta take it easy with the ladies, so they might've taken things a little overboard. Though in all due fairness, we're new ta this waterboardin' business so we didn't know ponies could suffocate and pass out. Ah hope y'all can forgive us for that little slip."

Twilight shivered unpleasantly. That's right! She was being interrogated for the location of Silver's records, and the brigadier had already subjected her to more than a couple of torture devices.

Clean Shot rubbed his chin in mockery, pretending to be deep in thought. "Now, Ah just don't know how ta appeal to ya Miss Sparkle! Ah've already taken ya out ta see most of the main attractions, but ya refuse ta loosen yer pretty lips! And that's bad for mah reputation, 'cause Ah've been known ta always get tongue on mah first date. So what shall we do ta remedy the situation?"

Twilight couldn't help but respond with a look of utmost misery, she desperately hoped that the stallion would take pity on her and let her leave for now, but she knew to ask for such a thing was impossible.

"Aww don't look so sad mah little filly," the brigadier shot in return. "Ah, know!" He suddenly spoke, his eyes glowing with inspiration, "why don't we make this a double date! Heck, rather why not make it a group date instead!"

A sudden sense of dread invaded her. She didn't know what the stallion was planning but whatever it was it couldn't be good.

"Oy! Bring them in boys!"

Twilight felt her stomach fall as she watched her friends file into the dusty dungeon accompanied by a dozen guards flanking them on each side.

"Raaargh!" Catching a glimpse of her friend, broken and disheveled upon the table, Rainbow Dash pushed past her captors and flung herself towards the brigadier with a battle cry. Before she could reach him however, one of the brigadier's personal escorts tackled her and pinned her to the ground.

"What have you done to her?! I'll break you for this, you hear me?! I'll break you!!!" Bellowed the irate pegasus.

"Well, ain't that touchin'?" The stallion taunted her. "Now..." he said, turning towards Twilight once more, "Ah've been a patient pony and so Ah've waited, out of the goodness of mah heart, ta hear ya sing. But so far ya have refused ta let me hear yer pretty little voice, so Ah've decided it's time ta let somepony else have a turn."

At this Twilight started trashing around violently, "No! Please! You can't! Don't hurt them!" She pleaded with him.

"But what's a pony ta do then?" He asked unconcerned. "Ah know! How 'bout this? Let's play a little game! Ah'll ask ya some questions and for every time y'all refuse to give me an answer Ah'll hurt one of yer friends."

Twilight struggled even more desperately, trying to free herself from the straps that bound her to the table she was laying on. "No! Don't touch them!"

"But just ta make things interestin' we'll do the followin': after every five turns Ah'll let ya pick somepony at random and then Ah'll finish her off. If y'all refuse ta pick anypony then Ah'll just pick for ya..."

Twilight's insides froze. Her heart stopped as she stared intently into the stallion's eyes. "Y-you wouldn't," she managed, her brow sweating profusely.

"Ah will," he replied with a smile, his voice filled with menace.

******

"Betrayal is a strong word my dear Nemo," replied the captain, "I prefer the term tactical retreat."

"You're asking me to run away and leave my friends behind?!" Asked the filly outraged. "Never!"

"Listen," began the stallion, trying to reason with the attorney, "I've been asked to get the location of the files out of you by any means necessary. Do you know what it took me to convince Blueblood and the military that you could be turned? To include you in our team?"

"I don't care!" She fumed, "you expect me to shun my friends and leave them here to die, just to save my hide?!"

"Friends you barely met but less than a week ago and which you've only known for days!" Pointed out the captain, his temper rising to match Nemo's.

"But friends nonetheless! Friends who stood next to me and risked their lives to save me when you tried unloading your gun one me! Friends who stuck by me when you turned us into criminals by blaming us for Silver Tongue's death! Friends who did their utmost to keep me safe when a whole forest came crashing down upon us, ablaze in flames! Friends who would give their lives many times over rather than betray me!" She retorted, her eyes nearly popping out of her skull.

"Don't be a foal!" High Tide all but yelled, "you would go down with them just for the sake of loyalty even though it won't accomplish a thing?! Use your brain! If you get out of here then there's might still be hope to fight this! But all of that, all of it, will be nothing more than a mere dream if you just let yourself get killed for the sake of ridiculous, intangible, imaginary concepts like bravery or loyalty!"

"This country was founded upon 'ridiculous', 'intangible', 'imaginary' ideals such as those! And through them it flourished to become the most prosperous nation in the World until you lot came along to ruin it!" She reminded him.

"Nemo!!" the stallion insisted hoarsely, "if I can't manage to convince you they'll torture you and kill you! Please! I don't want any more blood on my hooves, just listen-to-me!" He pleaded with her, putting his hooves together in a praying motion.

The attorney closed her eyes and reflected briefly upon the stallion's offer. True, she alone could flee this place and find a way to bring down the Prince. She could, somehow, restore order to Equestria and seek revenge for her fallen friends. Dying in here would accomplish absolutely nothing, like the captain said. A disturbing image crossed her mind as she pictured herself laying flowers at Twilight's grave. She shuddered, trying to shake that image away from her head. She wouldn't have it. She wasn't going to abandon her friends and carry on the burden of their deaths for the rest of her life, forever made to ponder over the irreplaceable gaps of their absence.

"No deal High Tide. I'm staying here and finding a way of saving Twilight on my own."

The captain sighed in defeat. "If you're resolved to see things through to the end then I can't stop you my dear filly... It would seem you're every bit as stubborn as old Silver," he lamented. "Very well, if I can't change your mind then I'll guess we'll have to resort to plan B. I just hope things work out like he said they would. I shudder to think what will happen to us if we fail...."

A death in the family

A couple of shadows traversed the length of the old dusty hallway, their hoofsteps muffled by the decayed carpeting on the floor. Ethereal forms danced upon the stone walls, cast by the light of the faint, shimmering sconces. And air of calm and secrecy hung over the place, the silence almost palpable.

Nemo Ius obediently followed captain High Tide as they made their way through the fifth floor, her mind riddled with questions as to what the captain had meant with "plan B". For somepony who could talk at great lengths, and in such a loud voice, he sure could keep his quiet when he wanted to. Though his solemn demeanor was starting to disturb her....

Unable to bear the suspense a minute longer, the attorney decided to break the silence. "Where are we going? I thought you said had plan?"

"I do," replied the stallion casually without turning around, "it's sort of what we're doing right now..." he explained.

The filly narrowed her eyes in suspicion, observing the enormous form of the captain walking ahead of her. If there was a skill she'd picked up ever since she started working for the D.A.'s office three years back, that was the ability to tell when somepony was either lying or not being entirely truthful to her. Though she detected no lies in the captain's words, she could also sense that the stallion was keeping something to himself.

"You still haven't answered my first question," she reminded him, coming to a stop.

High Tide let out a weary sigh, turning around to confront a highly annoyed, and dubious Nemo. "Do you really think we have the time for this dear? Your friends are not exactly in gentle hooves, you know?"

"Precisely. Which is why I want to know where the hay you're taking me!" The filly pressed on.

The captain regarded the face of the filly, half-submerged in shadows, and saw in those great pink eyes of hers that she wouldn't be deterred in her questions. "I'm afraid I don't follow you dear Nemo, what exactly are you getting at?" He asked her, bringing up a hoof to the bridge of his snout.

"My friends were taken downstairs!" She said, taking a firm step towards the captain, "so I want to know why is it that we're going upstairs, in the complete opposite direction of where they were taken!"

The filly breathed hard, casting a strong, judgmental look upon the earth pony almost as if daring him to lie. She was half-expecting him to deny it, to lash out defensively and smother the issue, instead she was greeted with a wide smile which revealed not the slightest trace of malice or resistance.

"Because your friends are being held in the complete opposite direction of where we are headed," he openly admitted.

A pang of anger suddenly surged through the filly's body."So you were intentionally misleading me! You don't care for my friends nor what happens to them at all! You're leading me away from them in an attempt to hinder me from trying to save them!" She yelled out, her heart wrenched by the uncertainty of her friends' fate.

"Not so fast my dear filly," spoke the captain, betraying an even wider smile and pulling a set of bright, red cylinders from his overcoat. "I don't think you quite understand exactly what you're up against."

Nemo backed out almost immediately at the sight of the foreign object. She'd experienced before firsthand the horrors the captain could unleash with the strange, unidentifiable tools he wielded. "What is that?! What are you planning to do?!" She spoke out in alarm.

"Remember the substance I had on the cruise?" The captain asked her, with cold, calculating look.

The attorney suddenly felt the air drain out of her, were it not because of the solid hue of aqua-colored hair covering her body, she would've visibly gone white from shock.

"Gunpowder!! So plan to kill me after all!" She yelled out, taking up a defensive pose, though realizing the helplessness of her situation.

The captain fought the mounting desire in his chest to let out a booming laugh. The filly was a certified pessimist and complete worrywart, just how many of his odd qualities had his friend imprinted on her?

"Not quite my dear Nemo, you see... this is our ticket out of here," he replied cryptically.

"Huh?"

High Tide smacked his lips in exasperation, "perhaps you would agree that making our way down to the dungeons and fighting about a dozen guards by ourselves might be a bit stupid, no? Even in the off-chance that we succeed, we would still have to fight our way out of a fortress crawling with guards, then we would have to run out to the courtyard and fight about a hundred soldiers, all the whilst ignoring the spears and arrows being hurled at us from the ponies perched on top of the walls, all of that in order to reach a heavily secured door that takes no less than ten stallions to push open. Now I don't know exactly how magically talented your friend, Miss Sparkle, is, but seeing as how there's an anti-magic barrier cast around the place, I'm sure you'll agree that our chances are one in ten million should we try and go with that route."

"To be honest, I was thinking we could try the windows," pointed out the filly, with an affronted look. She hated being made to look stupid. "Even without magic, we have two pegasi, with their help we could manage to glide down to the ground from one of the higher floors."

"Oh yes! That's a marvelous idea! Yes, we should definitely try that! I would love to hitch a ride on a pegasus together with three other ponies and play everypony's favorite game of jumping-out-of-a-window-and-hoping-the-fall-doesn't-kill-or-horribly-maim-us! That way when our captors find our crippled, but still hopefully breathing, bodies on the ground they'll be thoroughly convinced we're far too imbecile to even come up with any reasonable plan to obstruct their efforts to reshape Equestria. And then, the moment they leave us to get acquainted with the newly reduced capabilities of our bodies, we can somehow manage to crawl all the way to Canterlot and spoil their plans! Why it is the most splendid idea I've ever heard!"

"Hey! That was completely uncalled for! I never suggested we hop on Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy, three at a time, and ask them to fly us down at breakneck speed!" Protested the filly, chest swelling with indignation at the prospect of being insulted by a stallion she had long considered to be of lesser wit and courage.

"Good. Because that would most certainly be stupid..." said the captain in an undertone. He would've added more but thought otherwise when the filly flashed him a dangerous look.

"Anyhow, we could go down one at a tim— what?! What is it this time?!" Demanded the outraged unicorn after the stallion decided to mock her once more by bringing a hoof up to his face in an obvious sign of distress.

"Nothing, it's just you seem to be under the delusion that the the Imperial Guard will just sit tight and allow us to board the Rainbow & Fluttershy Express and give us the leisure of gliding down one at a time. Perhaps you were also hoping they'd provide us with in-flight snacks?" He suggested.

"Th-that's not—stop twisting whatever I say to try and make me look stupid!" Bellowed the irate filly.

"That wasn't my intention dear," the stallion quickly apologized, though not sounding completely convincing, "I was just pointing out the flaws in your plan. But regardless of whether or not it would work, I'm afraid the windows are not a possibility."

"Why not?" Asked Nemo, her anger cooling about just enough to allow for a little display of curiosity.

"Because all windows leading to the outside have been fit with iron bars and welded shut," he replied with utmost simplicity. "You think they would leave such an obvious escape route for pegasi unguarded in the eventuality of a prison break?"

"I didn't know that, okay?!" Piped up the filly defensively, "and besides, that's seems like a better plan than throwing a bomb at the guards and hoping it kills and injures enough ponies to discourage the rest from attempting to capture us!"

"Duly noted. But that's not what I was planning on doing, and if you think I only have one of these you're woefully mistaken...." the captain added with a smile.

"Okay, fair enough, but that still doesn't explain why we're headed in the wrong direction...." Nemo pointed out, looking cross.

In reply the captain held up the explosive device and turned it around to reveal what looked like a pocket watch strapped to the side of the cylinders. "Because if we want to attempt to rescue your friends we're going to need to draw the attention of every guard in this prison as far away from them as we can."

The filly's eye widened in comprehension. "A diversion... that's brilliant! That ought to buy us enough time to free Twilight and the others! But that still leaves us with the problem of how we're going to get out of here..." she added perking up an eyebrow.

"I've got a plan for that as well, but we'll leave that for later. Come! We mustn't waste any more time if we wish to save your friends from certain death!"

With a determined nod, Nemo trailed behind the captain and the couple disappeared behind a door leading up to one of the towers.

******

"Now what was that last bit?"

Rarity had had her differences with Rainbow Dash in the past, that was something to be expected due to the obvious clash of personalities they both had, still she had never wished any harm upon her. To see her collapsed on the ground barely hanging on to any semblance of consciousness was more than she could bear. Next to her disheveled form, standing over a mess of littered cyan-colored feathers, Brigadier Clean Shot cradled an iron pipe, a cold hard glance adorning his face.

"I s-said y-you can buck off! Bucking prick! Th-thinking you're all that cuz you got your buddies behind you! You're nothing but a steaming pile of manur—oomf!"

The white unicorn filly heard the ominous swooshing sound of the pipe and the sickly thunk it produced upon connecting with Rainbow Dash's shoulder. Huddled next to her, Fluttershy sank her face deeper onto Rarity's coat and sobbed harder than ever.

"Shh-shh-shh, it will be fine darling, it will all be fine," she said gently wrapping her left foreleg around the meek pegasus' head, and slowly stroking her long, pink mane.

"No it won't!" Scoffed one of the guards next to them, "because after we're done with her, I'll tend to you personally!" He threatened, thrusting his face in front of the diva's and licking his lips lasciviously. "Who knows, maybe I'll have your pretty little friend here join us as well," he added, lowering his head to Fluttershy's level just so that she could hear his whisper. To his delight, the yellow pegasus let out a muffled cry and began shivering violently.

Rarity cast both her forelegs over her friend in a protective fashion and shot the gray stallion a glare, completely unabashed. "Leave her alone you unrefined brute!"

The soldier pay no heed to her and instead turned around to face his superior. "Sir, permission to speak?"

"Granted soldier, what is it ya want?" Called out the Brigadier unconcernedly, over the writhing body of Rainbow Dash.

"I was just wondering, since we're gonna finish them anyhow, wouldn't it be okay for us to have some fun with a couple of them before sending them to the grave? No sense in wasting six perfectly good fillies just like that right?"

"Now there's a thought!" Said the soldier, saluting his homologue's idea. The Brigadier made his way towards Twilight, still laying on top of the table and yanked her face towards his by her mane. The filly, whose voice had long gone hoarse from screaming and pleading with him to leave his friends alone, merely looked at him, her eyes filled to the brim with tears. "Ya heard that Sparkle? Mah men wanna relax themselves a bit, think yer friends could provide them with the necessary accommodations?"

"Y'all better think twice before layin' yer hooves on them!" Barked up Applejack in her southern drawl, her legs trembling with effort as she pushed herself off the floor and into a standing position.

"Ah! Glad ta see ya off the floor Miss Applejack! Ya sure know how ta take quite a beatin', Ah must compliment ya on yer toughness, though Ah wish the same could be said of yer manners and intelligence..." her evil counterpart taunted her.

"Ah don't reckon Ah'll ever accept compliments from vermin like ya. Y'all are rotten apples ta me!" She retorted casting him a defiant look.

The Brigadier returned her insult with an insolent smile, slowly approaching the injured filly. "Shame, and here Ah though ya were quite the mare..."

The earth pony felt an explosion of pain on her left cheek and tasted iron in her mouth as the stallion flung the iron pipe around and struck the filly hard across the face without any warning whatsoever, knocking her sideways onto the floor, where a couple of pearly whites rolled from her bloodied mouth, onto the floor.

"Oh dear me, it seems mah hoof just slipped!" Joked the stallion nonchalantly.

"Why don't you take on someone your own size, scum!" Lashed out Rainbow Dash, as she struggled to get off the floor, her wings beating frantically to keep the weight off her injured left shoulder.

"Sure," welcomed the brigadier, an obscene smile suddenly twisting his lips, "Ah think that's a mighty fine suggestion Miss Dash," he said, making his way towards her once more.

The speedster reincorporated and steeled herself for the inevitable abuse she was about to suffer. For a moment the both of them regarded each other: Rainbow Dash with a look of utmost loathing which, to her ever increasing indignation, was met with taunting amusement etched upon that hateful smile of his. The blow, however, never came, for the stallion's eyes were now widening in understanding, and his mouth was slowly shifting into an 'o' of comprehension. A mounting sense of dread in her stomach, Rainbow's anger was suddenly replaced by one of fear and concern. She stood there, her limbs suddenly turned to stone, holding back the torrent of emotions suddenly swelling in her chest.

Much to her misfortune, Clean Shot managed to pick up on this as well and so, that vile, malicious grin adorning his face once more, the soldier slowly twisted his head around to observe the three unharmed fillies who stood in the back of the room, cowering against the wall.

"So that's what ya two have been up ta, till now..."

"RAAAAARGH!" With a battle cry, the injured pegasus kicked hard off the ground and pounced on the unsuspecting soldier, desperately reaching for his neck.

Her attempt however was rendered fruitless, for one of the guards filling the room effortlessly tackled her into the ground once more. A horrible stinging sensation suddenly enveloped her left side as she landed on her injured shoulder, the weight of the guard pinning her to the cold, hard stone crushing her bone. Still, though her injuries demanded that she settle down, her rage would not allow it.

"Don't you dare touch them!" She bellowed at the soldier.

"Ah must say Ah find yer concern ta be quite touchin', Miss Dash," the stallion openly admitted, now turning around to face Applejack still on the ground, recovering from the earlier blow that had broken her teeth. "So ya were in this too, eh? Miss Applejack?"

The cowgirl could only manage to return him a deadly glare, whose intent all but betrayed the amount of hurt she wanted to inflict upon the brigadier.

"Ta think ya two would take turns at aggravatin' me and let yerselves get badly injured just ta keep mah mind off those fillies right there... how very brave of ya," reflected the soldier, rubbing his chin in wonder.

"Don't know what you're talking about," grunted Rainbow Dash from underneath the guard still holding her down.

"Nice try little filly, but ya couldn't expect ta make a fool outta me forever now, could ya? Ya knew sooner or later Ah'd notice that masochistic eagerness of yers to run headlon' onto ol' Betsy here," he said, shifting the bloodied iron pipe in his hooves. "Ya two play this game quite nicely, but Ah think it'd be awfully rude ta keep all the fun ta ourselves, so let's have somepony else join fer a change..."

At this Applejack made to get up again but was quickly subdued by the combined weight of two guards who promptly, and unceremoniously pushed her down onto the dusty floor.

"Now, let's see who would like ta join our little game..." the stallion began, his eyes shifting their attention between the three fillies before him.

Almost immediately, Pinkie Pie, stepped forward, a determined look on her eyes, but her body shivering nonetheless.

"Ah don't think so," said the brigadier, pleasantly surprised at the misguided display of valor shown by the pink party pony. "Ah though Ah made it clear when Ah said Ah was supposed ta take mah pick amongst ya, but so far it's been y'all pickin' fer me, so Ah'm feelin' as annoyed as a foal on a candy store whose parents insist on givin' him all the sweets 'cept the one he wants."

His eyes traveled from the baker to the fashionista, casting her protective legs over the weeping yellow pegasus and gave her a smile.

The white unicorn gulped down hard. "V-very well," she stammered, "do with me as you like."

Laughter rang through the room as the brigadier stamped on the ground hard. "Nice! Ah like eager fillies Miss Rarity, and Ah shall enjoy mah turn with ya, but Ah think you've misunderstood my intentions...." he said, his gaze slowly dropping to rest on top of Fluttershy.

The pegasus felt her blood freeze, a falling sensation gripping her stomach. She desperately wished with all her might to make herself invisible, to disappear from sight, to wake up from the horrible nightmare she was trapped in. Though her eyes were shut and her face covered by Rarity's coat, she could still sense Pinkie Pie stepping in front of her and Rarity strengthening her grip on her.

"Guards?!" The brigadier called out, and both fillies found themselves being wrestled away, trashing and kicking, from their delicate friend whom, soon enough, felt a firm set of hooves slide underneath her forelegs and force her into a standing position.

Clean Shot approached the trembling pegasus and delicately lifted her head towards him by her chin. The terrified filly squeezed out a couple of tears and tried to appeal to him. "Please don't."

"Well, aren't ya a polite little filly? Real pretty too. Damn shame Ah've got a job ta do..." the soldier softly whispered, and for a second Fluttershy thought he might be reasoned with, hoped he might spare her....

"Chain her to the wall and bring me mah throwin' knives."

No such luck...

"What? Wait! No!" Screamed out Twilight, who had regained her voice and was struggling against the straps that held her down to the table, despite the considerable injury she had sustained in her dislocated joints. "You said we'd each have a turn before you tried to kill someone! You said you'd let me have the pick!" She protested, wiggling pathetically on her place. She had hoped she might spare one of her friends by nominating herself for first pick but the brigadier, it seemed, had other plans.

"That was mah initial intention Miss Sparkle but it seems yer friends don't like playin' by the rules and they don't feel any shame on hoggin' all the turns ta themselves," he replied, casting a sideways glance towards Rainbow Dash and then towards Applejack. "It's been way past the fifth turn so now ya get ta see one of yer friends go, but since ya were nice enough to remind me the rules Ah'll let ya have the next pick: so that'll be either Rainbow Dash or Applejack. They've already taken five turns each though, so just think of it as a favor will ya? You'll just be puttin' them outta their misery."

Fluttershy slumped down to the floor, her hindlegs trembling with fear. She felt herself get dragged along the floor, her inert hooves helplessly scratching the rugged stone floor. Her heart racing faster than she'd ever felt it, the guards slowly locked her upper limbs together to the end of a chain. Then, without warning, the icy metal began clinking and clanking as the bolts trailed upon the floor, the guards pulling them through a dusty metal wheel on the floor. The pegasus felt the grip on her forelegs tighten as she was lifted off the ground and hoisted against the wall, hanging there limply... helplessly....

The pegasus cast one final desolate look at his friends. "It's okay girls," she muttered gently, trying to sound more brave and hopeful than she really felt, and then she turned her head to face her executioner.

A swishing sound filled the air. Cold, sharp steel traveled at an astounding speed in a blur of white. The pegasus didn't even have the time to react to it, all she did was utter a small eep-ing sound and went absolutely silent.

"Fluttershy no!"

The dazed filly didn't recognize the voice of her distressed friend, her head swimming badly. She slowly opened her eyes to take in the blurry forms around her wondering whether it wall all over. She felt a stinging pain in her chest and realized she wasn't breathing. Terror invaded her thoughts and the poor filly began to hyperventilate. She slowly turned around and found the dagger embedded upon a crack on the wall next to her head.

"Damn, Ah missed," remarked the brigadier with a smile.

A chorus of screams and complaints broke out as the five friends started yelling abuse at the unconcerned soldier.

"Stop it! Leave her alone!" Twilight's voice broke out.

"Number two. Here. We. Go!" Said the brigadier launching the next dagger, which swished about the air and landed right between the pegasus' thighs. "Awww, must be losin' mah touch!" He complained.

"You ruffian! How can you treat a lady this way?!" Demanded Rarity.

"Like this," responded the soldier in turn and flung the next dagger at Fluttershy. The timid little pony eep-ed once more as the pointy knife embedded itself on a crevice next to her left ribs with a 'thwack'!

"You're scaring her! Stop it!" Pleaded Pinkie Pie, giving out a puppy-eyed look in concern for her friend.

"Ah know Ah am, but this is just too much fun!" Exclaimed the soldier as the next dagger whipped through the air and landed inches away from Fluttershy's right cheek. "Ah! See! Ah was close that time!"

"Don't! Take me instead! If you hurt her I swear I'll tear you to pieces!" Screamed out Rainbow Dash, batting her wings angrily.

"Yer not in a position to negotiate with me Miss Dash, much less to threaten me or give me orders," he replied, throwing yet another dagger towards the frightened filly who felt the blade strike and shatter against the stone on her right side.

"Damn! That one was mah favorite! Oh well, Ah'll have to get it replaced later."

"Hang in there sugarcube! We'll help ya!" Said Applejack, struggling against the combined weight of the two guards to no avail.

"Now we're down ta two! Number six, don't fail me now!" He prayed, launching a dagger right towards Fluttershy's head. The filly managed to react just in time to avoid the blade from sinking into her right eye. In a protective reflex she managed to turn her head and avoid the dagger altogether, which instead sank into her pink mane, cutting off a few strands of hair.

"That's the spirit Miss Fluttershy! It's no fun unless ya squirm a bit! Though now you've left your neck exposed.... Ah know where Ah'll be aiming fer next!" He cackled with malice.

"No more! Please no more! J-just leave her alone, it's me you want," cried Twilight, streams pouring down her eyes, her spirit weary and broken from being made to see her friends suffer.

"Ah'm 'fraid Ah can't just do that Miss Sparkle," said the brigadier turning toward her. "Though if ya tell me where the documents are hidden Ah promise Ah'll leave yer pretty, little friend alone.

"B-but I don't know where they are," sobbed the unicorn, "I'm not lying, I promise! The D.A. barely got over his suspicion of me to trust me just enough to hear my side of the story! And after I told him everything I knew he said he'd "take care of things" and left me! Please! I'm telling you the truth! I didn't even know he'd sent those letters until after you told me! I'm begging you, let my friends go!" She implored him.

The brigadier gave her an appraising look and carefully observed the broken filly, weeping pathetically upon the hard wood, her eyes bloodshot and puffy. He calmly analyzed her gaze and the rhythmic rising motion on her chest. Though he had subjected her to several tortures and made her watch her friends suffer the filly had not yet given him any piece of useful information. Not even a grown pony would've held out this far, had they something to hide. Her body language did not betray any sign of deception: she was, after all, telling the truth.

"Very well, Ah believe ya Miss Sparkle..." he said, and the captive ponies let out a breath of relief to hear this. "But Ah'm afraid Ah can't just let you canter out of here: y'all know too much," he sentenced.

Twilight's heart skipped a beat. "But you said you'd leave my friends alone!" She pleaded once more.

"No can do Miss Sparkle. And now it's time for number seven," he said, this time dropping all pretense and adopting a quiet and solemn demeanor, one that froze the blood of the pegasus filly suspended in front of him. His joking tone now abandoned, the brigadier surveyed Fluttershy with a somber look and she could tell, from his sudden deadened eyes, that he felt nothing from it.

Clean Shot lifted the last dagger and held it above his head. "Lucky number seven, Ah wonder if that'll be a lucky throw for ya, or me," he deadpanned as Fluttershy watched him with resignation.

Before his throw was made, however, the brigadier's concentration was broken by a deafening roar, followed by a violent tremor.

"What the hay?!" He yelled out, trying to keep his balance.

Almost as if on cue the metal door swung open, banging itself against the wall, as a large white stallion burst into the room looking terrified.

"Clean Shot! Intruders! We're being attacked!!" He yelled, his deep voice greatly amplified by the littleness of the room.

"What?!" Replied the canary yellow pony in shock, "Where?! By who?!"

"It's the rebels! We've been found out! They're launching a massive attack upon the West Wing!" He screamed out in alarm, waving his double barreled shotgun about.

"Rebel scum! Alright ya lot!" He said, turning around to face his soldiers. "Grab yer weapons and follow me! We're gonna teach these bastards we're not to be trifled with!" He commanded.

The soldier's remark was followed by a second explosion which seemed to shake the whole building down to its foundations.

"Sunuva...!!"

"Quick! I don't think the boys upstairs will be able to hold on any longer!" The captain urged him.

"High Tide, stay here and guard the prisoners! We'll be right back!" And with that said he galloped out of the room, more than a dozen guards in tow.

The captain waited until they were all out of earshot before speaking. "Well, that was surprisingly easy," he deadpanned, swinging his shotgun on top of his shoulder.

The fillies in the room gave him a curious look, not entirely aware of the situation, save for the fact that their lives had been momentarily spared.

"No time to waste, he said sweeping a set of old fashioned keys from a nearby table and throwing them towards Rarity. The fashionista caught the rusty relic in her hooves, and gave him a confused look.

"Well, don't just look at me! Get your friend down from the wall!" He urged her, gesturing towards Fluttershy. The filly quickly obeyed and unlocked the wheel which kept the pegasus hoisted up, and began fumbling with the locks on her hooves.

Meanwhile, the captain and Pinkie Pie began unstrapping Twilight off the table. "I thought you were with them! What are you playing at?!" The filly demanded upon seeing the pony's face once more.

"I've switched sides dear, now you best get over your anger and cooperate with me, or we'll all regret it when the soldiers get back!" He replied.

"Where's Nemo?! What have you done to her?!" She pressed on, not taking her eyes off the captain.

"I've led her and your assistant to a safe place. I daresay we best get a move on and join them before Clean Shot sees through my ruse!"

Above them, a third explosion rang out, followed by angry and frightened screams.

"Good, looks like they're confused as to where the attacks are coming from," he commented, undoing the last of the straps binding the filly. Now, can you move?" He asked her.

"My forelegs are dislocated, I don't think galloping my way out of here is an option," she answered.

"Damn! I don't know how to set dislocated joints!" The captain swore aloud.

"But I do!" announced the newly freed Fluttershy, quickly hovering towards Twilight. "Uhm, this might hurt a bit so please don't hate me... we can count to three if you like?" The pegasus amiably suggested.

"No time for that! Just do it!" She answered, brimming with determination.

With a quiet nod the timid pony grabbed onto her right foreleg and pulled on it with all her might. For an instant Twilight felt her friend was gonna rip her limb off and squeezed out a tear of pain, but a moment later she felt a satisfying pop on her shoulder, followed by a slightly burning sensation.

"Thanks," she groaned.

"Don't mention it," the pegasus smiled back, "should I tend to the left one now?"

Within minutes the group of ponies were making their way out of the torture room and through the darkened corridors of the dungeon like facility. Rainbow Dash and Applejack unceremoniously sprawled on top of the captain's back, too injured to move about freely.

"Quick! The stairs are this way! I memorized the layout of the place when we were being led out of our cell!" Twilight commanded, taking the lead.

"No!" Warned the burly earth pony, casting an enormous foreleg to impede her advance. "The upper floors are crawling with guards!"

"So what do you suggest we do?! Stay here and wait for them to capture us?! This is our only chance!" Retorted the filly angrily.

"We have to head downstairs!" He replied, gesturing towards the darker side of the tunnel they were in.

"What?! We'll be trapped like rats! We have to take our chances with the guards! You have a weapon for pony's sake!" She persisted.

"No, we won't! Because this place isn't just any ordinary prison," he returned.

"What?!" She recoiled, perking up an eyebrow.

"This place was remodeled from an old cathedral which was expropriated by Princess Celestia when its owners were found practicing occultism and magic rites to free Nightmare Moon, over two-hundred years ago. There are several passageways down in the catacombs leading to the surrounding forest," he informed her.

"How do you know all that?!" Asked the scholar suspiciously.

"I wasn't exactly lying back on my cruise when I said I'd become a big patron of the arts. I've studied this place closely in the past, with permission of her majesty of course," he added with a wink.

"Won't those passageways likely be sealed off by now?" Twilight asked, trotting to keep up with the captain's enormous leaps.

"Yeah, but I thought I might encourage them to let us pass," he said, producing a lone red cylinder from his coat, a fuse protruding from one of its ends. "Now, hurry it up! Spike and dear Nemo are waiting for us and I only set up four explosives, the last one will be detonating soon...."

******

Pegasi soldier flapped around frantically through the air, hurled by the expansive wave of the explosion which had collapsed the southern tower. The debris of the old, derelict structure came tumbling down upon the courtyard as a handful of ponies jumped and ducked for cover.

"What the hay is going on?!" Bellowed the irate brigadier scanning his surroundings in search of the invisible attackers. "Soldier!" He called out to the nearest pony, "what in Equestria's name are y'all doing, and where are the intruders attackin' from?! Answer me!" He screamed, grabbing the nonplussed pony by the shoulders and shaking him.

"I-I don't know sir! The explosions just keep on going off!!" He replied weakly.

"Sir!" Yelled out a voice overhead, and Clean Shot whipped his head around to face the pegasus hovering above him.

"What is it lieutenant?! Speak yer mind!" He ordered, slightly annoyed.

"We have found the remains of explosive material on the northern, as well as on the eastern tower," he informed him.

"Ya don't say?!?!" The furious brigadier yelled out sarcastically, "and here Ah thought we were bein' attacked by parasprites!"

"It was one of our own sir! More than likely dynamite set up with a set up with a timed detonator."

"What?! That's crazy! Nopony outside the highest ranks of the military knows how ta build one of those, 'cept—" the colonel's eyes suddenly widened in comprehension, suddenly feeling stupid to have overlooked the obvious, "High Tide...." he whispered to himself.

"Sir?"

"Lieutenant! Quick! Secure the walls and make sure nopony gets past ya, understood?!" He commanded.

"Yes sir!"

"You!" He gestured towards the earth pony he'd abused earlier, "Grab a small platoon of soldiers and follow me down to the dungeons!"

"Aye, aye sir!" Replied the soldier obediently.

The group of ponies cantered their way through the debris littered throughout the courtyard and kicked open the set of double doors leading inside, unhinging one of them. The brigadier stumbled to his hooves and galloped through the corridors, sweat pouring profusely down his brow. He reached the entrance to the dungeons in no time and quickly began descending at top speed, skipping three steps at a time.

By the time the soldiers arrived to the torture room they found the place completely deserted, save for their presence.

"Can't be..." the brigadier muttered.

"Sir! Perhaps they've escaped upstairs?" Suggested the soldier nearest.

"No! We would've crossed each other on our way down!" Yelled the aggravated stallion, "but then... where are they?!?!"

A rumbling sound coming from downstairs answered his query.

"The catacombs! They're heading for the passageways!!" Yelled the brigadier in alarm.

"Should we give chase sir?!" Promptly offered one of the soldiers.

"No! That place is like a maze! We take ta the sky! Find them! Ah want ya ta comb every last inch of this forest in search of them!" He thundered.

"Sir, yes, sir!" Chorused the soldiers, promptly filing out of the room.

"Not you!" He said, suddenly grabbing the last soldier by his foreleg, "Ah want ya ta go up ta mah quarters and fetch somethin' fer me..."

"Sir?" The pony replied with a quizzical look.

The brigadier gave him a nasty smile. "Go and get me dear ol' 'Jane' from mah chest. It's time Ah show these ponies why Ah'm called 'Clean Shot'," he said, casting off his armor to reveal a bulls-eye mark upon his flank.

******

"Freedom!" Cheered Spike, crawling out of the bushes covering the exit of the tunnel.

"Don't jinx it!" Twilight admonished him, "we're not out of the woods just yet, literally speaking," she added, eyeing the trees around her.

"Are you insane?!" Twilight turned around to find an irate Nemo bellowing at the captain who, despite being over twice her size, was cowering at the sight of the filly. "Those tunnels are over a hundred years old! They could've caved in on us thanks to your little stunt!"

"Yes, but they didn't," the captain friendly reminded her, "anyhow I think it would be wise to head for the river, I've some acquaintances waiting for me there."

The filly was going to protest but the last comment got the best of her. "Really? You have friends waiting for us?" She repeated in a surprised tone.

"Seems awfully convenient for you to just happen to have friends waiting for us don'tcha think?" Rainbow finally spoke, though still sprawled over his back.

"Ah, yes, well, the plan was to initially collect Nemo, and Nemo alone... Don't get me wrong!" He added hastily seeing the angry looks on their faces, "it's just that I wasn't sure I'd be able to get you all out of here. Not without getting myself killed anyhow."

If anything that last line only seemed to make them angrier, and the captain was truly starting to regret his words until a certain meek pegasus trotted up to him. "Don't worry, I believe you," she said in the softest of voices.

"You do?" Asked the captain, perking up an eyebrow.

"You saved my life," she answered, "if it weren't for you that bad, bad stallion would've killed me. Thank you," she added, nuzzling him in the chest.

The group looked at her awkwardly and slowly shifted their attitudes into a more relaxed tone.

"Well, if Fluttershy trusts him, then so do I," announced Pinkie Pie.

"Me as well," joined in Rarity, "though you had initially planned on abandoning us to a horrible fate, the fact is you still helped us all despite your fears and reservations. You have my thanks," said Rarity giving him a courteous bow.

The ponies resting on the captain's back mumbled something that could be interpreted as their consent, and Spike decided to trust in Rarity's judgement. Only Twilight and Nemo exchanged a skeptical look, though they decided not to press the matter further.

"Okay girls enough with the groups hugs," the plum unicorn firmly spoke, "High Tide, if you're gonna get us out of here I suggest you do it now. Clean Shot must've noticed the explosions were a decoy by now."

"I'm inclined to agree my dear filly," the stallion admitted, "we're already fashionably late to the party, I suggest we pick up the pace if we want to reach the safety of our refuge before the Imperial Guard finds us."

The captain in the lead, the ponies began trudging through the forest, keeping underneath the canopies overhead. Judging from the position of the sun, Twilight guessed the time to be around three to four. Seeing that they had been apprehended early in the morning it was safe to say their captivity had lasted but a few hours at most, but even then she was convinced it hadn't been short enough. And she was sure her friends would testify to that.

The group traveled about five miles deeper and deeper into the forest, until they broke out into a clearing, guided by the sound of rushing water. What Twilight saw next was to say completely unexpected, albeit a welcome surprise.

"Well, if it isn't Twilight Sparkle and good old Spike! You sure are a welcome sight!" Spoke the khaki unicorn aloud, greeting her with a warm smile, from atop a large piece chunk of wood, swaying ominously over the rapids where it lay, strapped to a tree stump. Half a dozen ponies were scuttling about frantically, checking the makeshift raft for any failures and securing the knots.

"Pony Joe!" Piped up the dragon excitedly, "what are you doing here?"

"What? Didn't you know? I'm part of the group of ponies fighting this fiasco!" Replied the doughnut baker indignantly, "we call ourselves 'La Resistance'."

"There's a resistance movement?" Inquired the unicorn filly curiously. "How is that possible?"

"I think we best skip the details for a later time!" Warned one of the stallions securing the knots, "we've got incoming!!" He yelled pointing towards the sky.

The group turned around in the direction the stallion was pointing and saw a single a gold shape growing larger and larger over the horizon.

"Get on! Move! Move! Move!" Yelled the baker, beckoning them on top of the raft.

"I'll get the rope!" Said a pale green stallion, nearest to the river bank.

He never got close...

Hundreds of birds took to the sky as a deafening bang echoed throughout the forest. The ponies saw the stallion fall backwards in slow motion, and topple overboard into a watery grave leaving a trail of blood behind. He was dead before he hit the water.

"What was that?!" Yelled out another stallion in fright.

"Don't know, but I'm not staying here to find out!" Replied Pony Joe, whacking the rope with a machete.

A second shot rang out, and this time it was the stallion standing next to Rarity who fell over the edge of the raft and into the river, a bloody, giant hole where his left eye used to be. The party cast their eyes skyward and noticed that the shape moving towards them was actually a carriage, pulled by a couple of pegasi guards, on top of which sat a familiar canary yellow pony, wearing a stetson and resting what looked like an elongated tube on top of his right shoulder.

"High Tide! You have to do something! Return fire!" Twilight beseeched him.

"I can't!" Replied the anxious captain, "my gun doesn't have nearly as much range as his!"

"Then what do we do?!" Asked Rarity prancing frantically on her spot.

"Can't this thing go any faster?!" Complained Rainbow Dash.

"Hold on," the captain replied, "I'll get an oar," he said, depositing her and Applejack on the floor.

The cowfilly carefully lifted her head to look at their pursuer and immediately regretted it: the stallion was looking through a mounted scope directly at her.

"Watch out!"

A third bang rang out from the brigadier's gun, blowing Applejack's stetson off her head and causing him to swear loudly. That was the first time he'd ever missed a shot.

Had her cheeks not been swollen, rendering her attempts in communication completely useless, the filly would've spared no words in thanking her hyperactive friend. For had Pinkie Pie not shoved her head against the floor, that shot would've gone straight through her skull.

"You're most certainly welcome!" Cheered the pink pony, correctly interpreting the grateful look upon her friend's face.

"Save your celebrations for later!" Said Twilight, "we're about to enter the rapids!" She announced pointing towards the spot where the river's flow was faster and more violent.

A sudden spasm shook Pinkie's tail, and she immediately turned around to lock her eyes with Rarity. "Hey Rarity, your shoelaces are undone!" She quickly jabbered.

"Are they really?" recoiled the filly lowering her head just in time to avoid a deadly projectile which zoomed over her elaborate mane.

"Silly me! You don't even wear shoes!" The filly joked in a bubbly manner, completely uncharacteristic of somepony who had just saved two of her friends from very sudden, violent deaths.

"Uh-huh..." muttered Rarity aghast trembling on the spot, her eyes wide with shock.

"How are you doing that?!" Inquired Nemo incredulously, staring at the pink oddity before her.

"Oh, it's thanks to my Pinkie sense. Usually I get random signals throughout my body which indicate when some things are about to happen, speaking of which, excuse me, " she said, suddenly ducking to allow yet another bullet to zoom over her.

"That makes no sense!" Retorted the attorney.

"Oh but it makes perfect sense you see—"

"Girls we don't have the time for this! Look!"

Twilight's warning came too little too late. Before either filly managed to turn their heads towards the front they felt the raft tumble as it hit a rock and sent them crashing to floor. Pinkie Pie barely felt the blow to the back of her head before she blacked out completely.

Fearing the worst, her friends scampered over to help her.

"Pinkie are you okay?" Twilight called out, hoisting her head up.

"Hey, don't just crowd around the same place! It makes you easy targ—"

Pony Joe never finished the phrase. Before he was able to a deafening bang drowned out his words, dulling his sense of hearing. Not that he was even able to hear the shot, for the bullet that had been aimed at him pierced his brain before the sound ever reached his ears.

Beside him, his lifelong friends, Twilight and Spike, watched with horror as the baker wobbled on the spot for a second, and fell like a lifeless puppet whose string had simply been cut. He crumpled into a bloody mess upon the floor, where he lay perfectly still, the light of his eyes faded into darkness.

Over their heads the disgruntled brigadier cursed himself as he watched the raft speed up and vanish out of sight over the splashing water..

The vilest of games

"—increase in activity on the eastern borders, mainly the pass between Rosy Hills and the White Forest. Too many soldiers gathering on the Cretan side to be a simple routine military exercise, and shipments from the capital are still coming in. Naturally we've expressed our worries to Chieftain Mighty Horn as to the contents of these crates, but he has dismissed them as needlessly alarmist and insists that the presence of the soldiers is to assist the population in preparation for winter. He also claims the crates carry supplies and we needn't be concerned about those."

"Winter, councilor William? Hasn't summer barely begun but a couple of weeks ago?"

"These minotaurs are brutes! Now they're treating us like fools! Something must be done to put them in their place!"

"Now, hold on General Robert, we can't antagonize them and risk a war! Especially not with our forces stretched thin as it is!"

"Minister Frederic is correct, General. Earlier this morning we received word that there's growing discontent amongst the harpies. Apparently there is a shortage of food throughout Harpya. Matriarch Aellai and her sibling, High Priestess Adelpha, are accusing us of having robbed them of their land and forced unfair conditions upon them during the Armistice of Canterlot."

"Preposterous! Princess Celestia herself acted as the moderator and there hasn't been a single complaint for the past one hundred and thirty-four years! If those harpy sisters spent less time feuding amongst themselves, and more time tending to their subjects they wouldn't be having these problems!"

"Nevertheless chancellor Arthur, their rallying cries of protest have found echo amongst the populace. Need I remind you that gryphons are still as widely unpopular in Harpya as they were during the Northern Peaks War?"

"Well it's not like the harpies were defenseless, little pigeons either! If you go down to the royal archives you'll find plenty of reports on the 'Massacre of Prima Nimbus', with accurate depictions of those blasted monsters viciously feasting on gryphon intestines!"

"Perhaps if we were to renegotiate the armistice...."

"We will not relent a single mountaintop to these savages! Other nations will see us as a bunch of weak cowards, susceptible to intimidation! Next thing you know the diamond dogs to the southeast will be asking for their share of land! Let those beasts sort out their problems on their own!"

"Denying the harpies will only feed their anger, I'm sure concessions can be made... what say you, your majesty?"

An eery silence fell upon the chamber as all eyes turned to the gryphon sitting at the head of the table. Worried gazes regarded the inert figure of their ruler, anxiously awaiting any sort of sign from him, as the snowy white gryphon contemplated their query with a frozen scowl. For several moments, which seem to stretch into eternity, King Edward of Grypha remained perfectly still, like a hawk waiting to dive towards its unsuspecting prey. His great amber eyes, staring past his crossed golden claws, fixated upon the adjacent wall. Cold, worried, calculating.

"To dismiss the harpies on the West with the minotaurs readying for war on the East would be foolish indeed. Should war break out again between the griffin and harpies, Mighty Horn will undoubtedly seize his chance to lay claim to the eastern cities," he spoke in a dreary voice, his every syllable accentuated by the clicking of his beak.

"Your majesty—" protested the angry general, ruffling his ebony feathers in indignation.

"Silence, Robert. The king speaks..." The sovereign warned him, sending the general a steely gaze that froze his insides. "We cannot prevail against so many," he continued, fumbling his claws in front of him, "but to give in to Aellai's demands would be a mistake. The general is correct in his assessment that a concession of land, in the present circumstances, would impress the image upon the other nations that the once great Grypha is weakening and incapable of defending its own borders. To allow the harpies to rouse the anger of the masses unimpeded would mean to convey our ineptitude and lack of character to the sisters. Immediate action must be taken to make sure these cries are subdued—"

"M-my lord, surely you can't be suggesting—" a tawny gryphon sitting on the left side of the conference table stammered, his quavering voice matching the flimsy structure of his body.

The king sent a dangerous glare towards his councilor, his pupils contracting into thin slits and at once the gryphon ceased his interruption. Edward's eyes lingered a few more moments upon the trembling gryphon to let him know that further interruptions would not be tolerated, he then resumed his calm demeanor and continued. "As I was saying, to allow the harpies to spread hate towards the griffin would certainly be foolish. That being said, I also have no intention in falling for their bait: they want us to take action against them and use it as an excuse to stir the hornet's nest."

Every gryphon in the room fell silent, their anxious eyes trying to decrypt the still features of their ruler in search of an answer. Nobody dared to breathe a single word, in fear of rousing their king's anger with yet another interruption. After a few minutes passed, and without any sign of the king breaking his silence anytime soon, councilor William decided to brave the odds at spending the rest of his life rotting in a dungeon.

"What do you suggest we do your majesty?" He whispered, his beak clicking softly whilst he tried to keep a subdued and polite demeanor.

The king's eyes shifted towards him and, once more, he felt himself panic at the sight of the great, amber orbs looking directly into his gray ones. He swallowed hard, trying to read into the king's poker face, and found himself relieved to notice a calm, appraising look on those dilated pupils of his. The kings eyes then traveled to the opposite side of the table where a slate grey gryphon sat on the left corner, curling his elongated mustache with a set of claws, seemingly lost in deep thought.

"Minister Frederic," the sovereign spoke in a strong, firm voice, and at once the gryphon ceased his musings to regard his king with the fullest of his attention.

"Yes, my lord?" He said, with calm curiosity.

"How high are the tariffs on imported goods?"

"Well, excluding the reduced tariff pertaining to the trade agreement with Equestria, our current tariffs on imported goods stand at thirteen and twenty-one percent the value of the final selling price for consumable goods, and manufactured commodities respectively," he promptly answered.

"I see," the king said, with an air of interest, "and how much of the gross domestic product do these tariffs account for?"

"The tariffs? Err, I believe about four point fifty-nine percent of the GDP, your majesty," he quickly added, shuffling about a set of papers in front of him, "why?"

The white gryphon kept his silence, pondering the data in his head, working out the numbers presented to him. After a moment of deliberation he finally arrived at an answer he favored and opened his beak to speak. "We shall reduce our tariffs to zero for all Harpyan goods. Then we shall temporarily declare the area surrounding the Misty Mounts and Lake Miroir to be privileged economic zones, free of government intervention, and allow the harpies undeterred passage until the shortage in Harpya is addressed."

Whispers of protests broke out as the griffin started squabbling over the king's decision. Every gryphon in the room leaned over the table, some of them shifting a few official-looking notes through their claws, in an attempt to gain their ruler's attention.

"Silence!" Barked the king, pounding the table with a fist, and instantly the rabble ceased around him. "We will not yield a single strip of land to Aellai or Adelpha, but we will also not allow them to manipulate their subjects into seeing us as some kind of monsters. We will allow the harpies access to our hunting grounds and fertile soils, and then we'll see just how long can the sisters keep up their pretense. This is just a temporary measure, and one we can certainly live with until things are resolved on the Equestrian side."

"But sire," chancellor Arthur spoke with an incredulous look, "when will things be resolved in the Equestrian side?"

Before the king could address the question however, a distressed voice thundered outside the room, nearly shattering the window glasses in the hallway. The griffin turned around in search of the distraction and heard, with growing concern, the livid rant followed closely by a duo of pleading squeaks, firmly making its way toward their current location.

"We seek an audience with the king, out of our way!"

"Your majesty, please, King Edward is very busy tending to internal affairs with the privy council."

"Thou shalt halt thine efforts to hinder us this instant and inform thine king we wishest to see him!"

"Princess, the king hates being disturbed more than anything—"

"And we loathe being made to wait more than anything!"

"Please, be reasonable your grace, the king will find this interruption most unpleasant—"

"He shalt find the feeling of our hoof up his royal arse far more unpleasant!"

"Princess please! He'll have our heads for this!"

"And we shalt have thine rears unless thou movest out of our way!"

The griffin stood aghast as the set of double doors burst open, blasted by a an unknown force. A navy colored mare, nearly six feet in height, stood upon the threshold of the conference room, a magical aura in a hue of blue ominously wrapping her horn, and both her wings spread out in a display of authoritative rage. At either side of her, two griffin clad in silver armor, teetered on their hind legs as they tried to calm her whilst sending apologetic looks towards their king. Princess Luna paid no heed to the visages around her, portraying a varied set of expressions that ranged from fear to outrage, and locked eyes with the king.

"Edward! A word if you please!" She thundered in the full might of the Royal Canterlot voice, and at once the griffin counselors turned around, nervous to see how the king would react to this intrusion.

The king however, did not lose his composure to the sudden disturbance and, instead, drew a deep breath before addressing his subjects.

"Leave us."

"B-but your majesty—"

"Now!"

Not wanting to anger their king any further, the counselors scampered for the exit as quickly as they could, and began filing out of the room until both heads of state we left alone.

"Luna, I already now what you're going to say and the answer is still—"

"We will not remain hidden whilst our country is thrown into disarray by traitors and conspirators! Already hath the vermin brought harm upon mine sister, and now they wishest to harm her prized pupil!" Luna spoke, her voice so strong it made the wooden surface of the table vibrate.

"I know this, but having you return to Canterlot would be playing into their little game!" The gryphon replied brusquely.

"And what course of action would thou dost suggest we take? Twilight Sparkle and her friends hath been apprehended, and we can feel Tia's presence growing fainter by the hour! Shalt we fail to act upon such circumstances Equestria will be doomed!" She reprieved, stamping her hoof upon the gray carpeting.

The legs of Edward's chair rustled against the floor as he disengaged himself from the table and began pacing his way toward the Princess of the Night, his right claw clasped over his beak as he searched the floor for an answer.

"Luna..." the king began, desperately trying to form his thoughts into a cohesive argument.

"Thou swore to give us thine support! Thou promised us thou would dost lend us thine army should the necessity arise! Are thou reneging on thine word?!" She challenged him.

"No," he firmly answered, drawing to the fullest of his height. "Nor would I renege on my promise to your sister to keep you safe, even from yourself," he added, placing particular emphasis on that last phrase.

Luna's eyes twitched at the mention of Celestia and she rounded angrily on the distressed gryphon with renewed annoyance. "Mine sister watched over thine growth after thy father, King Henry, passed away, making sure thou didn't come to harm whilst thy relatives feuded over the throne. Would thou be so ungrateful as to ignore the mare, that protected thou during thine childhood, in her time of need?"

It was the gryphon's turn to voice his annoyance, and he did so taking a half-step towards the stubborn princess as he contracted his pupils with anger. "Princess Celestia did more than watch over my growth. It was her who taught me all matters of diplomacy and state, whilst making sure my late-father's mistresses and bastards did not lay claim to the throne or my inheritance!" He replied in an offended tone as Luna cautiously receded a couple of steps, surprised at the king's outrage. "And even if she left me before hairs first sprouted on my chin, I spent enough time under her care to learn most there is to know about politics!"

"I shall add this as well dearest Luna! Whoever is behind this is a master of the craft as well, for not only has he managed to disrupt peace around the World, he has also found a way to pit the neighboring nations against us! Flying blindly into Equestria would be playing into the hooves of the perpetrator, and to give him the opportunity to do away with you as well!"

"Still thine tongue Edward!" The princess warned him, her eyes flashing dangerously, "thou surely are not suggesting we can be killed by a mere mortal?! Us, who have guided the celestial body of the Moon over the night sky for hundreds of years?!"

"So did Celestia with the Sun, and look what happened to her!" The gryphon pointed out, "these traitors and schemers have found a way to harm even the almighty alicorns! How do you think you'll fare should you kick open Canterlot Castle's front door and start demanding answers?!"

"We needn't do this alone! If only thou would lend us thine army for such a task..."

"No!" bellowed the king, "that's just what they want! An excuse to tear both you and my kingdom apart! You barely resumed your reign but little over a year ago, and the terror of Nightmare Moon is still fresh upon the memories of those who witnessed your return the past summer! How do you think your subjects will react when they see their Princess of the Night descending upon Canterlot with a thousand griffin in tow, especially with your sister in such a delicate state?!"

Luna's gaze dropped toward the floor and she shifted awkwardly in her place.

"They'll think we're invading! They'll think you've betrayed them! They'll think this was your doing all along!" He sentenced, his chest rising angrily with every breath he took. "And that's not even half of it."

Luna felt her chest contract as a burst of adrenaline shot through her. "There's more?" She asked weakly, her eyes wide with disbelief.

The king nodded in return. "Our enemies have realized the purpose of your visit and Celestia's plan to bring about peace to the northern nations, and so they've stepped down to the field to match our forces. They're cleverly poking at our sides, spurring the harpies and the minotaurs, goading them to go into war with us."

"But surely there's something we can do? Tia said an alliance between Grypha and Equestria, two of the world's superpowers, would dissuade the warring nations from seeking conflict with us," she stated in a soft, yet hopeful tone.

"And so your sister and I thought," the king admitted, "but that was before the attempt in her life. Now with Celestia struggling for her life and Equestria falling into anarchy, the World finally sees how vulnerable we truly are. Our enemies are flanking at our sides, gauging our strength, looking for any sort of weakness to be exploited. Should we send an army to aid your cause, our foes will swarm into our undefended territory and end us."

"Then we must hurry and sign the treaty before it's too late!" Princess Luna insisted, stepping up to the king.

Surprisingly the king shook his head in dissent. "No. If we push the treaty forward the minotaurs and the harpies will think we're desperate and call our bluff. Remember Princess Luna, all war is deception, and so we have to maintain our composure just long enough for our plan to bear fruit."

"But time is running short and every day that passes the traitors bolster their forces..."

"Relax princess. We have received intelligence that a large supply of gunpowder was lost but a couple of days ago, and while we're no nearer to finding out where this shipment was coming from, or how it was being transported, it remains still a huge setback to their plans. As for your sister and her pupil, plans have been set in motion in order to free them, thanks to one of our contacts on the Equestrian side."

Luna wasn't entirely convinced as to the effectiveness of the gryphon's plan, but nonetheless she acknowledged his efforts with a curt nod. "And once we deliver our family and friends from the clutches of these traitors?" She asked, narrowing her eyes with expectancy.

"Then my princess, you are free to do as you see fit with them," the king acknowledged with a bow.

"There shan't be naught but a smoking crater where they once stood," she said, with barely contained fury.

"True. But in the meantime we should take advantage of this whole situation..." the king added with a curious smile.

"Advantage?" Repeated the princess in disbelief, "how?"

"Our enemies have crafted the illusion that your rule is as legitimate as it ever was, and that you still retain control of Equestria," he explained. "whilst that's not necessarily true, we can still use that to our advantage and continue to act is if nothing's wrong. Our reserved composure should be enough to unnerve the harpies and the minotaurs for the remainder of your stay and until the treaty is signed. They will not dare to attack so long as our performance does not betray a hint of fear nor doubt."

The princess, if anything, looked impressed. She could hardly believe the son of the gluttonous Henry had grown into such an astounding young gryphon (well, as young as a gryphon approaching his thirties could be considered to be such), and a craftsman of politics.

"Prince Edward, how did thou get so good at this game?" she asked, an amused smile curving her lips.

"Well my princess," he replied, "I learned from the very best."

Author notes: Forsaken 2.0

Okay so it's been over eight months since my story got rejected by Equestria Daily. The review in question pointed out the following problems:

1) Overuse of onomatopoeia

2) Improper use of capitalization to emphasize dialogue.

3) Punctuation/capitalization errors.

4) Characterization: mainly Storm Chaser's.

5) Inconsistencies regarding plot devices in the first chapter, such as the Imperial Guard allowing Twilight to easily get away in the first chapter.

6) Improperly denoting numbers.

7) Massive walls of text and info-dumping. I was also asked to include another character in chapter two rather than have Silver Tongue go over a monologue.

Since then, I can confidently say that I've smoothed out most issues (mainly 1, 2, 3, 6, and 7), but the first eight chapters remain horribly written in comparison to the later ones. There are also some parts of the story that need revising such as Twilight's reunion with the others (as IraqLobstah pointed out it was lazy on the emotional part).

Later today I'll start working on chapter 24 and hopefully have it published tonight, but right afterward I would like to begin working out the aforementioned problems so that I can resubmit to EqD (mainly numbers 4 and 5). I also have some mixed feelings about General Hawk Eye, granted he's fairly new to the story but he just feels like the second coming of Storm Chaser.... Clean Shot has much more personality than either of the stallions.

I'll probably try and get all of this done within the next week and hopefully it won't set me back on my writing. As for the parts I've pointed out I'll try and re-characterize Storm Chaser into a much more believable villain, and work a bit on Hawk Eye as well to prevent them from overlapping. Any feedback and suggestion regarding either stallion are quite welcome.

Also, regarding the second half of issue number seven it's already obvious whom I'm going to include in chapter two, which means the first chapters will have to be accommodated to include her as well. Who am I referring to? Well Pinkie Pie of course!

...

Well, not really. It's actually this filly.

Pony Creator, why you no have more accessories????

Inquiry

*Tic, toc, tic, toc* the needles of an old grandfather clock droned on in a corner of a dimly lit room. Several papers had spilled from a desk and lay in the floor covering the linoleum, some of them with hoof marks from being stepped on. On the right side of the room sat a filing cabinet with files and envelopes protruding from one of the metal drawers. A selection of random objects, ranging from the wheel of a wagon to a cannon with confetti spilling from its muzzle, lay forgotten in a corner. Amidst this mess, sitting in a fine mahogany desk, sat a navy-colored unicorn pony. His forehead carefully resting on his hooves as his long wavy white mane dangled in front of his face. There were a few pronounced streaks of gray hair here and there, more than normal for a pony in his early thirties. His eyes closed in meditation as he carefully reviewed recent events in his head. This was none other than District Attorney Silver Tongue.

"Hahhh," sighed the pony in defeat as he slowly lifted his face to take a look at the time. I was now past 2 in the morning and all the ponies in his office had already gone to sleep. His gaze still on the clock he wondered whether he should do the same and call it quits for now. It was tiring work, his superiors had always warned him, something only somepony with experience could handle. He had only a few years of practice in the Trottingham tribunals as a prosecutor when one of Celestia's counselor had approached him with the offer. He had accepted on the spot without not so much as a second thought. 'District Attorney! To the princess! How could it possibly get better than that?' Alas, it wasn't as simple as he had initially thought. Sure, his new office was bigger than the previous one, Canterlot coffee was much better than that dirt Trottingham ponies drank, and having an entire team of investigators as well as the Police and Imperial Guard on the sole of his hoof wasn't exactly all that bad. Yet the amount of cases he had under his belt was starting to overwhelm him. His special talent was interrogation and he had not yet met a pony he couldn't crack in the witness chair, but interrogation was only about 10% of the work. It was the district attorney's job to lead the investigation, gather evidence, gather testimonies, ask the judges authorization for search warrants, coordinate with the Police and the Imperial Guard, and do all of this while under the constant scrutiny of the public and the press. He had quite enough on his plate already when the explosion had obliterated the altar during the Summer Sun Celebration. Over 50 ponies injured, some of them with third degree burns; a sum of 13.4 million bits in property damages (and rising); and to make matters worse, Princess Celestia gravely injured and deep in a coma.

He rose from his chair and started pacing around the desk in circles, it was a bad habit of his, one that made him look insane and that had earned him quite a few nicknames in his office. He didn't care, he had never placed much importance on what other ponies thought of him as he was highly committed to his job: he was a workaholic as someponies would say. It didn't matter anyway because there was nopony around to point and criticize him. He continued to pace as he reconstructed the events in his head.

Miss Twilight Sparkle was the culprit, that much was clear to him. It had been a clever move: setting the explosive beneath the altar where the Princess would stand and raise the sun. Normally the princess could have avoided any injury by casting a shield spell around her, but with so many ponies close to the altar she had chosen to cast it on them instead. It was perhaps this astounding act of bravery and sacrifice that had prevented any casualties, but it had cost her greatly and nopony knew when she'd recover or even IF she'd recover. Miss Sparkle knew better than anypony the Princess' kind and gentle predisposition, she was aware of her love and devotion for her subjects, that is probably why she had chosen that day to put her scheme in motion. She had known that the Princess would choose to save her subjects rather than herself and that's why she picked the Summer Sun Celebration, when everypony gathers around the altar in Canterlot's Central Square.

Miss Twilight Sparkle was Celestia's favorite student and prized pupil, a pony loved and admired back in Ponyville. She would have probably gotten away with it, had she been more careful in covering her tracks. After all she was one of the few students who had access to the altar along with Princess Celestia; she'd been the one who conveniently gave the order to the guards protecting the altar to escort her through town, while her aid planted the bomb; she was not only gifted at magic but a scientist as well, more than capable of making a bomb that powerful and knowledgeable enough to make it react to the Princess' magic signature; the ingredients for making such an explosive had been found at her suite in the castle, hidden behind a fake wall that reacted to magic; she'd run after he'd ordered her detention for interrogation; her friends' testimonies pointed her strange behavior dating from a few weeks back; and then there was that conversation: the discussion her and the Princess had had about a month ago when she came to visit her in Ponyville. That was the only piece missing in this whole puzzle, that discussion that nopony knew about ('Well, almost nopony' he thought to himself).

In the aftermath of the explosion he'd run into Miss Lyra Heartstring and Miss Bon Bon, two of Twilight's neighbors in Ponyville. After investigating the Princess' activities during the last few weeks and while interrogating some of the Imperial Guards about who had been in company of the Princess before these events and if they had witnessed anything suspicious, he was overheard by this couple of fillies. Miss Heartstring and Miss Bon Bon had approached him after he'd finished his interrogation and given him a most enigmatic piece of information: apparently the Princess had visited Miss Twilight in an unofficial visit, when she was supposed to be seeing the mayor of Manehattan. They thought it was most unusual for the Princess to drop by in Ponyville, in the middle of the night, without her royal escort. According to them she'd gone inside the library and stayed there a great length of time. Shortly after she left, Miss Sparkle had stepped out looking somewhat distraught. Unfortunately they had no clue what they talked about, and it was this certain piece of information that prompted him to investigate Twilight. And yet after all the evidence he'd found he still couldn't figure out why she'd done it. Sure it all pointed out it was her, but without a clear motive he'd find it difficult to convince the judge it'd been her. And so he had remained behind while everypony slept, mulling things over in his head.

'WHAT DID THEY TALK ABOUT?! What did the princess tell Miss Sparkle?! Why was she so upset afterward?! What prompted this attack?!' unless he answered found answers to these questions he'd never close the gaping hole in the case he'd built against Twilight.

Chance at a meeting

The sun slowly poked its face out of Canterlot's mountain range, sending the first morning rays shimmering through the white clouds onto the extensive landscape. Below them, the Canterlot Express sped on its rails, twisting and turning like a snake on the grassy plains. Down one of its compartments, a pink filly had stuck out her head outside the window. The wind rushing past her puffy mane, her eyes sparkling with excitement, her tongue flapping about as she tasted the air, Pinkie Pie followed the progress of the never ending river that stretched southward, alongside the train tracks. Despite Pinkie's elation and newfound joy for travel, however, her companions weren't so keen on partaking on her enthusiasm.

"Oh-ooh! My hair! Pinkie Pie shut that window!" Pleaded Rarity, trying to keep the wind from frizzing up her long, twirly mane.

"Oops! Sorry there girls, didn't mean to upset you," answered Pinkie Pie, closing the window, in her usual shrill voice.

"What'cha fuzzing for there, Rarity? Ah doubt, y'all gonna arrive to Manehattan looking all nice and proper," said Applejack, lifting her cowgirl hat to reveal a pair of baggy green eyes.

The white filly pulled a scarlet brush out of her purple bag, and started carefully brushing her mane. "Though I may have been reduced to sleeping on a dirty bench, I will at least maintain my dignity and arrive to Manehattan looking like the lady I am," retorted Rarity, contemplating herself on her portable mirror.

"Heh, good luck with that," scoffed Rainbow Dash. "We still have hours of travel left before we get there, like at least half a day," she added, rolling her eyes with impatience at Rarity's mannerisms.

"Uhm, speaking of which what are we gonna do once we get there?" Asked Fluttershy in a low, soft voice, eyeing her friends with concern.

"Well duh! We're gonna look for Twilight of course!" Said Rainbow Dash, throwing up her forearms in exasperation.

"Uhm, that's not what I meant...I-uh...I mean...I've..." stammered Fluttershy, looking down on the floor.

"What's that there sugar cube?" Asked Applejack with mild interest.

"Well...I-uh...that is to say...I've never...uhm...been to a city as big as Manehattan," said Fluttershy worriedly without taking her eyes off the floor.

Rainbow Dash let out a loud tutting noise. "Sure you have! We've been to Canterlot before, remember?"

"Yes, but Canterlot is different: it's picturesque, and up near the mountains, and surrounded by beautiful trees and gardens, and—"

"Your point?"

"Well, I just don't think I like the idea of...scary gigantic buildings...and concrete roads instead of grass...and thousands and thousands of ponies all bumping into each other in crowded streets," said Fluttershy, shuddering at the idea of being surrounded by thousands of strangers, in a city far removed from the nature she was used to.

"Aww, don't you worry your pretty little mane. We're here with you, remember?!" Squeaked Pinkie Pie, pulling Fluttershy into a hug as she patted her light pink mane. Fluttershy smiled back pretending not to notice Rainbow Dash's fake vomit attempt.

"Aw shucks, Ah can't wait to see Twilight again so we can apologize to her for the awful way we treated her," said Applejack, shaking her head in disapproval.

Rarity nodded in agreement. "It was unfair and hurtful that we abandoned her like that when she most needed us."

"Yeah, that was pretty lousy of us," admitted Rainbow Dash, rubbing her left forearm.

"Oh, I hope she isn't too mad at us," lamented Fluttershy, looking down at the ground yet again.

"What are you all sad and blue about? Of course she'll forgive us! She's our friend remember? And after we apologize we're going to throw her the most stupendous party a pony could ask for!" Chimed in Pinkie Pie, sending confetti flying out of nowhere as she stood arm-spread on her back legs.

Applejack chuckled. "Ah reckon y'all are right Pinkie, but there's something we gotta take care of first," she clarified, leaning back on her right forearm and pointing casually at her.

"You mean finding the real culprit and giving him the ole one and two right?" Said Rainbow Dash, punching the air with her hooves in a mock fight.

"E~~xactly! But I was talking about finding her first. Where'd you say she was staying Rarity?"

"Only the most marvelous and luxurious hotel in all of Manehattan! The Waldhoof Astoria!" Answered Rarity dewy-eyed.

The other fillies merely stared at her.

"Gesundheit," said Rainbow Dash.

"Ah!" Gasped Rarity, her jaw dropping in indignation. "The Waldhoof Astoria is a national landmark of all things classy and posh! I simply can't believe you've never even heard of it! Why, it was designed by the most talented architects and artists of our time, and only the most important ponies go there, and ooh! Don't get me started on the decor..." blurted out Rarity, her voice quivering with excitement.

"Oh my..." spoke Fluttershy in a hushed tone.

"Well, it was mighty respectable of that there friend of yours to help us locate her Rarity, Ah reckon we owe him big time."

Rarity waved her hoof dismissively. "Oh not at all! Fancy Pants is such a darling, he wouldn't call us in on a favor. I have to remember to properly thank him next time I see him. This is twice he's helped us now."

"Soooo, how did he know Twilight was in Manehattan?" Asked Rainbow Dash, her left eyebrow arching upward.

"Well, Twilight and Spike apparently checked into the hotel posing as Fancy Pants' close friends, under fake names," said Rarity, barely suppressing a giggle. "Oh, Madame Crème de la Crème, I ask you," she added wiping away a tear of laughter.

"Krem-dela-what-now?" Persisted Rainbow Dash, tilting her head slightly.

"Oh, never mind my dear. The important thing is we know where she is," Rarity reassured her.

"Must be fancy for 'egghead'," pointed out Applejack.

Everypony stared at her for a second, and burst out laughing, Rainbow Dash on all fours thumping the ground with her hoof, Pinkie Pie rolling over the floor, holding her stomach. Though they had abandoned her friend before, each of them was prepared to go to any lengths to make it up to her, even if it meant becoming fugitives like her. Such was the bond they all shared together, and the marvel of friendship.

******

In the meantime, Twilight and Spike wandered the streets of Manehattan, under the blazing sun, hoping to find clues that would put them back on track, in their hunt for the mysterious gunpowder supplier. They had been walking around the city for hours now, and still hadn't found no trace or trail to lead them. At first Twilight had tried hitting every store and factory that sold or produced fireworks, only to find there weren't any. Next they had tried the local library to check for newspaper records of police busts aimed at organized crime, involving gunpowder manufacturing, however there hadn't been any in the city. They went to the labs and the chemists next, to find out the process of making gunpowder, but they were assured that one could not find ingredients for such a thing in the city. They perused maps for nearby coal mines, but the closest one's were about a thousand miles away in the Mild West. Finally, they had tried searching the train station for suspicious activity, only to come out empty hooved and seriously disappointed. Their patience running thin, their hopes waning, they sat at an outdoors cafe to eat brunch, wishing to renew their strength.

"Ohhh, my feet..." moaned Spike, letting himself fall face-first onto the table they were sitting on.

"I can't believe we haven't found anything in all the time we've been here!" Pouted Twilight, resting her forehead on her hooves.

"Need.Food.Now," punctuated Spike, his voice muffled by the table.

"I mean, after 6 days of nonstop searching one would at least think we would've found something," insisted Twilight, waving her hoof impatiently.

"Gems.Rubies.Sapphires. Anything," called Spike without so much as moving an inch.

"But nooooo, it just can't be that simple, can it? We have to check under every rock to find the slightest hint that something may be wrong here and, silly me, turns out there isn't!" Twilight continued with her monologue, banging hard on the table.

A waiter approached them and handed them menus, which couldn't have been more welcome by Spike, as he no longer had energy to lift a single muscle. After brief consideration Twilight settled for a Caesar's Salad and a macchiato, and Spike opted for a Super Deluxe All-Your-Gems Sandwich and a Slurpee. They were barely halfway through their succulent meals when suddenly Twilight noticed a pony stepping from the train across the street.

It was a navy colored unicorn, wearing a diamond-patterned blue and red tie over a ruffled white shirt; he had taken off the coat of his black suit, hanging it from his left hoof, over his back. His long wavy white mane, with pronounced streaks of gray here and there, dangling beneath a fedora, and a set of brass scales imprinted on his flank. He was closely followed by an aqua colored filly, with a straight short fuchsia mane, combed over her right eye. She wore red spectacles underneath a sun hat with pink lacing, and a chartreuse tie; she had a piece of parchment with a red quill for a cutie mark.

Twilight spat out a jet of hot coffee into Spike's face, who tried, only too late, to shield himself with his hands. Sticky and covered in brown liquid, Spike shot an annoyed look at Twilight.

"What's the matter with you?!"

Twilight grabbed the dragon by the head, and forced him underneath the table, as she pulled open the menu and pretended to browse through its content. Perhaps she would have been more convincing had she not been reading the thing upside down, but her work was done: the couple walked past them levitating a number of suitcases and bags behind them.

Spike re-emerged from underneath the table looking mutinous. "Twilight, what in Equestria—"

"Hush Spike! Or he will see us!" Whispered Twilight from behind her menu.

"See us? Who?"

"That navy unicorn walking down the street, with the scales for a cutie mark!"

Spike turn around and gave the pony a curious look. "Who is he? Is he important?"

Twilight looked at the dragon in disbelief. "Haven't you ever read any of the books we have in the library?" Asked Twilight in an accusing tone.

"Well, all but the boring ones."

"Spike, that stallion's name is Silver Tongue: Canterlot's District Attorney! He is a top-notch prosecutor who has complete command over the police and some influence in the Imperial Guard. He's written several books on penal law!"

"Yeah, that would be why I don't know him," joked Spike.

Twilight stamped both her hooves on the table and stretched herself over the table so that she was face to face with Spike. "Spike this is serious business! He's the one leading the case against us! If he's here that must mean he's sniffed us out! Soon the police and the Imperial Guard will be patrolling down the streets! This is bad, this is very bad!" Said Twilight, her voice filled with panic, pressing her nose against Spike's.

"Calm down Twilight! Even if he is who you say he is, there's no way he would recognize us or know where we are staying," Spike reassured her. "We just gotta go back to the hotel, get our things, and scram before he catches a wind of us,"

Twilight cringed at the thought of giving up her search for the gunpowder shipments. "But what about—"

"Twilight," interrupted Spike. "I think it's time we bailed this joint. If there ever was an operation here, there's nothing left now. Besides, we're bound to find clues in Canterlot," he added reasonably.

Twilight couldn't help but agree with him. If the feds had sniffed them out, the best thing was to pack things up and leave before things took a turn for the worse.

"Let's hurry back to the hotel Spike,"

******

It took them barely twenty minutes of trotting to reach the hotel, the nerves and hysteria driving back their weariness. They packed their things at top speed, stuffing everything they found in sight into their bags. Five minutes later they were at the reception counter checking out.

"Oh, uhm, about payment..." started Twilight hoping to smooth-talk the manager into charging their very extensive bill to Canterlot Castle.

"Oh, yes! No worries madame: monsieur Fancy Pants has already delivered payment on your behalf," interrupted the stallion, waving his hoof dismissively.

Twilight and Spike exchanged quick looks of shock. "W-what do you mean?" stuttered Twilight.

"Well, after you two checked in, I sent a message to monsieur Fancy Pants telling him you two had dropped in. He was quite delighted that you took his recommendation and asked me to send him your bill as a courtesy," explained the stallion, thoroughly convinced of their ruse.

Twilight's heart beat with excitement and happiness: she could only think of one pony who could have used her connection with Fancy Pants to help her out. However, she'd have time to reminisce later, it was time to get the hay out of there.

"Oh how marvelous! Well, since all that's taken care off, I think we best be off," she said, backing away as she spoke.

"Oh, do take care, and visit us again. Messieurs," replied the stallion, giving them the lowest bow yet.

They were about to head out the door when they found their way barred by a burly white stallion, with a brown mane and matching mustache, wearing a white captain's cap and a navy overcoat.

"I say, I couldn't help but overhear you're acquaintances of Fancy Pants..." said the stallion, sucking on a wooden pipe.

"Oh, yes, yes. We know him. We've known him for some time," replied Twilight, desperately trying to sneak past him and get to the exit.

"Oh, you mean Madame Crème de la Crème? She's also an acquaintance of the Princess, and her husband, Monsieur Blasé, is a royal messenger!" piped up the hotel manager, gesturing towards Spike, with barely contained enthusiasm.

"You don't say! Why, how spiffing to meet such a pair of wonderful... err... ponies..." said the stallion, eyeing Spike with interest.

"Haha! Well, its been nice meeting you too! But we must be on our way... haha... bye!"

"Oh but you simply must stay and have a chat!" insisted the white stallion, twisting his arms around their shoulders and pulling them towards himself. "Oh, but how rude! I don't believe I've introduced myself: the name's High Tide, captain High Tide of the S.S.Concordia. It's my own cruise: I both own it and navigate it."

"Really now?" Said Twilight with faked interest, trying to pull out of the captain's enormous arms.

"Where are you two going in such a hurry?" Inquired the captain with a frown.

"Well, we were heading back to Canterlot—" began Spike.

"Oh, how convenient! I'm heading there myself! Mind you, it's a cruise so it sacrifices speed over the scenic route, but if you're interested...."

Twilight's mind raced over a plethora of excuses, each one as bad as the next. "Uh, well you see—"

At that moment D.A. Silver Tongue and Nemo Ius stepped into the Waldhoof Astoria, sending Twilight's mind into full panic mode. Spike had also seen the stallion and started to fidget with his mustache, nervously.

"Yes! Of course we are!" Shouted Twilight, quickly turning her head to hide her face.

"Magnificent! Then it's settled!" Exclaimed High Tide, pulling the both of them into a tighter embrace.

"Uh, yes can I help you?" Called the manager's voice in direction of Silver Tongue and Nemo.

The D.A. walked over to the reception counter and set his fedora down on it. "Yes, we wish to be accommodated in one of your dormitories."

The stallion behind the counter eyed him from head to hooves with a look of contempt and pure dislike.

"I'm sorry, but the Waldhoof Astoria only caters to the needs of only the most refined ponies. Also, we don't have....dormitories...we have suites," specified the stallion, putting emphasis on 'dormitories' as if it were a foul word.

High Tide turned around to look at the commotion and immediately brought an enormous hoof to his forehead, with such force that he could've knocked down an iron door.

"Oh dear Celestia! If it isn't everypony's favorite D.A.! Silver Tongue old friend, how are you doing?!" Called the captain over his new companions, making his way over to the reception counter to shake the D.A.'s hoof with two of his own.

"I-I-I'm-m-m f-i-i-i-n-n-e," stuttered the unicorn as he was shaken up and down on the spot by the enormous captain.

"Oh, and who might this beautiful young filly be?" barked High Tide, setting down Silver Tongue and taking two ample bounds towards Nemo.

The filly blushed and shied away, intimidated at the sight of the captain.

"That's my assistant High Tide: Nemo Ius," explained the D.A. adjusting his tie.

"My pleasure," Spoke the stallion out loud, lifting Nemo's hoof and kissing it.

"Ch-charmed," replied Nemo flushing a deep shade of scarlet.

High Tide turned around once more to face the D.A. "What brings you to this part of town old friend? Sightseeing maybe?" Suggested the captain in his booming voice.

"Not quite Tide. I'm here on important business," answered the unicorn with a touch of impatience in his voice.

"Ah! Listen to him! Always serious!" Said the stallion, making his way over to the counter and throwing a huge arm around the manager's neck. "You know, this guy might not look like it, but he's a damn good prosecutor! Sure, he might look messy from time to time, but that's because he's a workaholic. I'm telling you, you'll never find a better pony fit for that D.A. gig if you looked around for a hundred years!"

"Thanks for the compliment Tide, but I'd really like to get checked in...Nemo and I haven't slept in a while," Silver Tongue informed him, hoping the captain would at least drop the tone a few decibels, as his head was pounding with every syllable the stallion spoke.

"Certainly monsieur Silver Tongue!" Rejoiced the manager, the D.A.'s social standing having refreshed him with a renewed sense of brown-nosing.

"Oh but you must simply come with us Silver! My cruise is anchored at the docks; you and your enchanting assistant can come and sleep all you like, and then we can catch up!" Suggested the stallion, wrapping his arm around the unicorn's shoulders, and dragging him towards the door.

"Thanks but I think I'll pass Tide: I'm awfully busy," replied the D.A. trying to come up with a suitable excuse.

"Nonsense! What you need are a few weeks of relaxation and pleasurable company! Why, I've just met the most wonderful couple out here. The way I hear it they're both acquaintances of Fancy Pants and the Princess!"

The unicorn was starting to get severely irritated. "Now, really Tide, I'm being se—"

Silver Tongue paused for a second as his gaze stopped on Twilight and Spike, who were both sweating buckets underneath their disguises.

"This is Monsieur Blasé, a royal messenger to the Princess, and his wife, Madame Crème de la Crème. They have already accepted my offer to come with me on my cruise," said the captain gesturing towards the odd couple.

The D.A. narrowed his eyes in suspicion, not really taking in anything High Tide was saying. Twilight and Spike gave him very nervous and forced smiles.

"So? You going to join us?" Asked the captain.

The unicorn smiled back maliciously at the pair, and then added: "Sure, why not? I believe the case I'm working on might be coming to an end after all..."

Author notes: additions and changes

Well, I believe I've finally worked out a way to re-characterize Storm Chaser and flesh him out as a more believable character (rather than a cartoonish, cereal villain). This is the least of concerns, as it doesn't change the story in essence, merely the interactions between himself and Twilight Sparkle. So technically, this change shouldn't ruin the progress of the story up until this point.

So what I'm planning to do is tone down his anger quite a bit, since he seems fueled only by rage, and instead give him a more stoic, dutiful demeanor. I think developing a back story based on his ideals and beliefs will help make him more tridimensional. One way of doing this would be to make him a good soldier gone bad. My premise, in that sense, is that he's a strong, hard-working, stallion who believes actions speak louder than words, and his self-devotion to the princess was his primary drive until his later years. He's a stallion who wishes to be helpful to his country, and to the princesses, to that end he always puts himself in the line of fire (hence his scarred body). However, through the years, his ideals have distorted to the point he now believes might makes right.

Following a discussion with the princess, Celestia decides that such a hardened past has corrupted the once noble, and honorable stallion. To spare him from any more psychological harm, she decides it's best to retire him from the military and even offers him a position in her privy council (away from battle). Storm Chaser resents the Princess' decision to take him out of the battlefield and put him in a meaningless position. His anger towards Celestia is only fueled by her willingness to negotiate with nations who were once Equestria's foes, and so every step she takes leading towards peace, only helps to accentuate his anger and his perception that Celestia represents all that's wrong in Equestria.

It's in this scenario, and previous to his formal dismissal from the Imperial Guard that High Tide and company approach him, having picked up on his underlying anger towards the princess. Feeling betrayed and with the promise of bloodshed and the glory of battle, Storm Chaser accepts the offer to overthrow Celestia on the spot.

During the first chapters he is then portrayed as someone who is stoic, but forceful. A very centered and to-the-point stallion, excelling at what he does, albeit with a lot of anger boiling underneath the surface. It's not until his eventual demise at Drackenridge mountain that all those suppressed feelings of rage and betrayal spew forth, as he highlights how he was used and thrown like a tool by the Princess he swore his allegiance to.

I've also been thinking on adding a bit more information on the interaction of Twilight and her friends, and their previous argument right before falling out. I mean, it was the premise of the story that she was abandoned by her friends, so I should've put more effort on my part (mainly during chapter three) in detailing such a scene. Angry tears must be had, and that should help for when I rewrite the reconciliation between Twilight and friends.

If anything guys, let me know what you think of these changes, whether or not they'd be helpful or unneeded. Any suggestion is also welcome on your part. When I start modifying the first chapters I'll put a (revised) tag next to the chapter title so that you'll know it's been modified. I'll keep the tag for up to a month and then remove it.

So, with that out of the way have some Silver Tongue and Storm Chaser.

...

Okay, so pony creator doesn't exactly have royal armor, nor a military-style haircut that would fit Storm Chaser. So I figured I would give him Celestia's mane and the next best uniform I could find. Which apparently was... wonder woman's...

Ha! The guy looks so pissed he's probably attempting to break the fourth wall to murder me. Lucky me he's a fictional character, or else he'd be banging my head against the keyboAFJGGBAGNWIERWHFFNVMXHGDTRUEMSOCXNC,COVB!!

Hunted

"Quick Twilight! I can still hear the dogs and the guards behind us!" exclaimed Spike.

Splish, Splosh, Splish, Splosh* water splashed everywhere as Twilight's frantically struggled through a small but steep river, spasms shooting painfully through her legs .

When? Why? How? No matter how many times she asked herself she still couldn't figure it out.

"No! I can hear more guards coming from that way, we have to take a right!" indicated the purple green-scaled dragon as he pointed through a clearing in the forest.

What was going to happen to her? What was she going to do from now on? Is this what life had in store for her? An eternity of flight...?

"THIS WAY! STEP IT UP YOU USELESS LUGS! QUICK BEFORE SHE GETS AWAY!" bellowed the commander of the Imperial Guard

*Clippity-clop, clippity-clop, clippity-clop* the sounds of a hundred hooves echoed through the forest like war drums, as they grew louder and louder.

"They're catching up on us! We have to do something or we'll be goners!" Implored Spike.

How could she have let this happen? How could things have turned out this way? And how... how could her beloved friends have discarded her so easily?

"TWILIGHT, SNAP OUT OF IT!" Spike's voice resonated through the forest, his tiny fingers pulling hard on Twilight's soft ears.

"B-b-but I... I...," whimpered Twilight, now close to tears in desperation of not knowing what to do, the light of her eyes filled with misery as she looked at the baby dragon sitting on her back in search of answers.

"I've gott'em commander! They're this way!" Indicated a nearby voice in the woods, alerted no doubt by Spike's little outburst.

"Good work soldier! We've got them cornered this time!" replied another voice in a authoritative tone. "Spread out! And block all possible exits! We'll have these low-lives hung from the highest tree before the sun sets!" he commanded with the unmistakable tone of menace and savagery in his voice.

"I'm sorry Twilight but we don't have the time for this! I know it's hard but if we can't afford to get caught up in our thoughts right now! We have to focus on escaping!" pleaded Spike, his little hands unintentionally pulling hard on Twilight's mane.

"HERE THEY ARE!" yelled a snowy white pegasus guard as he burst forth from behind the trees in front of them.

"Don't let her get away!" added a second one as he closed in from behind blocking their path.

"Good work men!" said a third pony as he slowly approached them from the side, his silhouette masked by the trees' shade. "Did you think you could outrun us? US?!" inquired the figure at his ever-paling prey as he stepped out from the shadows. He wasn't nearly as big as some of those hot-shot rodeo ponies or seasoned construction workers, but commander Storm Chaser was an intimidating sight. His bulky brown colored body protected by a gold armor, his short black mane and the scars covering almost every visible inch of his body gave an undeniable impression of toughness. He was perhaps the only earth pony to have commanded the Imperial Guard in Equestria's history, the title having been reserved for pegasi or unicorns as they often had an edge over regular ponies due to their lack of wings or magic. But even without these indispensable tools, so often used for combat, commander Storm Chaser had crawled his way to the top overwhelming his rivals with will power and determination alone. He was famed as an unyielding pony, incapable of love or compassion for those who disregarded rules.

"We didn't do anything!" retorted Spike, his tiny fists balling as he set his blazing stare on the commander. Though normally he would have cowered in fear at the sight of such a beast, he had always been braver when sticking up for his friends.

"A likely story!" replied the commander. "Why don't you tell it to the judge? I'm sure we could all do with some amusement before the execution!" he breathed as he glared back at his captives.

"E-exe..c-cution?" stuttered Twilight in fright as a sensation of being dropped into icy water washed over her.

"That's right my little filly," cackled the commander maliciously, "or did you think you could just try your luck at regicide and get away with it?"

"Y-y-you can't! I'm innocent! P-please! Just hear me out!" implored Twilight as slowly backed away trembling with fear.

"Seize her," ordered the commander as he turned his back on her, his gaze cold as ice as he ignored her request with the utmost indifference.

"STOP!!" yelled Spike as he spit out a jet of green flames at the soldiers closing in on them. "QUICK! YOUR TELEPORTATION MAGIC! NOW!!!" urged the dragon as he pulled on Twilight's ears in an attempt to bring her to her senses.

"DON'T LET HER!!" bellowed the commander just a fraction of a second too late. Twilight and Spike disappeared on the spot leaving nothing behind except for scorch marks and a cloud of purple smoke.

"You idiots! She got away!" screamed Storm Chaser.

"What do we do commander?" asked timidly one of the soldiers.

"We chase after her of course! I don't care where she decides to hide! A pony like her couldn't possibly survive here in the Everfree Forest by herself!" replied the commander. "I'll hunt her down and bring her to justice IF-IT'S-THE-LAST-THING-I-DO," he finished emphasizing every last word.

Meanwhile, everywhere on Equestria the news spread like wildfire. Rumors, terrible rumors about a recent attempt on Princess Celestia's life and the pony behind these heinous act. All over the country angry murmurs broke out as everypony pointed out the identity of this would-be-murderess: miss Twilight Sparkle of Canterlot.