//------------------------------// // The Hippocampi: Part 1 // Story: The Overworked Alicorn // by BreakDown //------------------------------// The Hippocampi: Forgotten Memories All is quiet within Canterlot. The city while not dark, is muted as the ponies began to retire, the sun having lowered and the hour growing late. Cadence was one of a handful of ponies who did not wish to go to bed. Instead she sat on the throne and listened to some pony drone on and on. She'd forgotten why she was listening to him some time ago. All she knew was that he had the most boring voice she'd ever heard. She also noted that his monotone way of speaking didn't help matters in the least. All and all, the pony was a dull and boring stallion who was droning on and on to the point of putting her to sleep. 'Is it illegal for me to throw myself out the window just to try and wake up, or would the guards arrest me for trying to assassinate myself?' The crystal princess wondered while she rubbed her temples. Listening to the pony drone on and on growing steadily more infuriating. This stallion actually made all of Twilight's little lectures to her stuffed animals seem interesting! Admittedly, Cadence thought they were adorable regardless, but even if she didn't she'd much rather listen to Twilight than this stallion. "And in conclusion, I'd just like to say thank you for your time Princess," The stallion droned in that same dull monotone voice. The crystal princess chuckled nervously and grinned, trying desperately not to jump for joy. A part of her wondered if this stallion ever actually met with Celestia before, or if she'd just been unlucky. "Uh, yes, well I'm certainly glad you brought this to my attention," Cadence assured. "Now then the guards will see you out now." Cadence stated with a glance to her guards. The ponies nodded their heads and trotted to the dull stallion, who simply walked out with them and left the crystal princess to her thoughts. Once the pony was out of earshot Cadence slumped in the throne. "Oh thank you sweet Sun above! I don't know how much more of that I could stand!" The crystal princess declared, idly rubbing her forehead. "Are you alright Princess?" One of the guards questioned as they returned to their posts at the foot of the throne. "I'm fine, but has that stallion ever showed up here before?" Cadence inquired of the guards. One of them frowned and hummed in thought for a moment before he answered her. "A few times before now. Princess Celestia has a standing order to evacuate her to her quarters in situations where he comes to the castle. But I think her majesty Princess Luna actually fell asleep when she tried to listen to him," The guard replied honestly. Cadence couldn't help a giggle at her aunt's expense, and then looked at the guards curiously. "How come you guards didn't?" The crystal princess questioned curiously. The main guard then glanced to his left, then his right and sighed. The guard slowly reached up and removed a pair of earplugs from somewhere in his helmet. "We've prepared for a situation wherein the enemy uses him to disable our troops ma'am." The guard replied stoically. Cadence snorted at the answer and quickly giggled behind a raised hoof. Quickly regaining her composure, though smiling the whole time, the mare smiled to the guard. "Oh, well I'm certainly in good hands then," Cadence mused aloud. The guard made no comment either way, merely turned his head and watched the entrance. The crystal princess sighed, wishing that she had some pony to at least talk too. Well any pony besides the boring stallion who'd very nearly caused her to lobotomize herself. As if in answer to her desire a ball of magic appeared in the center of the throne room. The air around it swirled and grew heavy, a pulse of black magic suddenly flowing off of it. A moment later there was a burst of dark magic and a flurry of feathers shot out in a wave. Mort now stood in the center of the throne room, the elements of Harmony and Faust along for the ride. A moment later the guards attempted to attack the grim galloper, only for magical auras of crimson and obsidian and hold them down. "Really, you didn't think to warn her we were arriving?" Faust growled at Mort as she held three guards down with her magic. "IT'S MORE FUN THIS WAY," Mort replied, the rest of the guards held by his own magic. Faust rolled her eyes and pushed the guards back to their stations and held them there. Mort did likewise, his own black magic also closing the doors to the throne room for good measure. "Wha-wha-what the! How did we get to Canterlot so fast?" Twilight demanded with wide eyes, long range teleportation wasn't exactly common after all. Her friends however were busy picking themselves off of the ground, Applejack holding a hoof to her mouth to keep from retching. "What the buck just happened!" the prismatic pegasus demanded. "Sweet Celestia, can ah never go on 'at trip again?" Applejack pleaded with a groan. "C-can some pony, p-please tell me wh-why we're in Canterlot?" Fluttershy questioned timidly. Rarity just looked around silently, eyes wide as they found themselves in Canterlot. Pinkie Pie on the other hand giggled and bounced over to Mort, a blinding smile across her face. "Woohoo! That was awesome uncle Mort! Can we do it again?" Pinkie pleaded. The grim galloper merely hummed and looked to Cadence instead. "CADENCE, GLAD TO SEE YOU'RE STILL AWAKE," the pale pony noted. The crystal princess wasn't sure what she felt more of. Annoyance from Mort just appearing like he owned the place, or anger for him dragging Twilight and her friends from Ponyville. "Oh please, it's late but its not that late," Cadence was torn from her less than princessly desires by the voice of the off-white mare she'd never seen before. The pink princess frowned to herself as she looked at the off-white coated mare in a green hooded sweater. Her frown deepened when she noticed how much raw power was flowing off of the mare in pulsing waves. It was invisible to the naked eye, but her senses picked it up and she shuddered. Whoever the mare was, she was no pony to trifle with. "Who are you?" Cadence asked the mare cautiously. Faust sighed and turned to the princess with a flat look. "ALLOW ME TO INTRODUCE YOU ALL," Mort started with a thinly disguised smirk in his tone. His horn was quickly encased in an obsidian aura and Faust turned to him with a snarl. "Don't you dare!" she started to say but in an instant Mort was done. There was a brief explosion of smoke as the alicorn in disguise opened and beat her wings to blow the smoke away. There was a gasp from some pony, it sounded like Fluttershy to Faust, while every pony besides Rarity, Mort, and strangely enough Pinkie, gaped in shock. Cadence stared openly, she noticed instantly how the mare was not only more slender but also taller than Celestia with massive wings. Twilight only idly noticed that she looked identical to her alicorn variation from the charm, but far more tired and sans regalia. "Sweet Celestia above!" Applejack exclaimed. Nearby Twilight stared at Faust with a mix of awe and confusion, Rainbow simply gaped, and Fluttershy tried her best to hide in her mane and tail. Faust turned and fixed the grim galloper with an annoyed glare. Mort simply chuckled and turned to face Cadence, who was trying to comprehend what she was looking at. "TO LADY FAUST," Mort finished and gave a bow to the said mare. "SHE WHO IS MISTRESS OF THE GRAND ARCHIVES, PRINCESS OF DREAM VALLEY, TECHNICALLY THE MOTHER TO CELESTIA AND LUNA, AND ALSO A LIVING MUSE," The pale pony finished with a smirk barely hidden in his tone. "You're a muse, you didn't mention that before darling," Rarity noted with a smile. Faust huffed and glanced at Rarity with a roll of her eyes. "Do you remember how you suddenly got inspired when I was with you the other day?" Faust questioned tiredly. The marshmallow unicorn nodded her head for a moment, before her eyes suddenly widened. "That was you?" She questioned with a smile. Faust merely sighed, leaned her head back and twisted, satisfied when she heard several pops she then looked back to Rarity. "Technically it was just my magic, close proximity to me causes bursts of inspiration and creativity. Music, poetry, art, magic, it's all sort of random. There was this one time I somehow inspired a few books I'd really rather not get into. Suffice it to say I have no control of it," The pure-white alicorn replied. However Rarity merely smiled warmly and rolled her eyes, idly wishing that the alicorn could just take a compliment. It was at that moment that Twilight finally came out of her stupor, eyes wide as she pointed a hoof at Faust. "Y-You're Princess Celestia's mother!" Twilight nearly shrieked. "Oh no, oh no, oh no, oh no!" The mare started shouting as she ran around her friends in circles. Faust watching her for a moment before dragging a hoof down her face and fixing the little lavender pony with a flat look. "Twilight calm down, I'm only their adopted mother at best," Faust stated with a frown. However this did little to calm down the mare as she suddenly stopped, the hairs of her mane springing out of place. "Calm down!? How can I calm down when I suspected the mother of Celestia was actually an evil villain who was out to destroy me and my friends!" The little lavender pony exclaimed. Faust made to comfort the little lavender unicorn, however stopped and looked at her incredulously when she realized what she said. "Wait, you thought what?" Faust demanded. The little lavender mare gave a sudden twitch and grinned at the ancient alicorn. "Nothing!" She exclaimed a bit too loudly. "Uh, actually, ah might've been a might suspicious of y'all when we first met an' mentioned it to her." Applejack stated nervously. Faust sighed and blew a breath into her bangs. "Well that makes sense." The pure-white mare decided tiredly. "So wait, this is the mother of Celestia?" Rainbow Dash questioned while flying around Faust's head. "How many bucking times do I need to tell ponies I only raised them!" Faust gritted out, practically grinding her teeth at this point. She really had to wonder why every pony assumed that she was Celestia and Luna's mother. Yes she raised them, yes she taught them magic, and yes she essentially cared for them... okay, maybe she could understand where they got the idea, but that didn't mean she liked it. "Alright every pony please calm down!" Cadence suddenly cried. The crystal princess then let out a breath and rubbed her head with a tired sigh. "Now seeing as it is getting late, and I'd rather not be up all night. Every pony should stay for the night so we can get this all sorted out in the morning," Cadence stated tiredly. "Wait, but what about Spike, I-I can't leave him alone, and w-we left him at the party," Twilight questioned worriedly while still twitching badly, her mane a mess. "My animals, they're fine now but I have to make breakfast for them tomorrow or they get cranky," Fluttershy noted timidly. "And don't forget that most of us have work tah do back in ponyville." Applejack stated. "Not me! Even with the party we had, thanks to Faustie we're still packed with baked goods!" Pinkie declared with a wide grin. Her friends looked to her for a moment and then turned to the pure-white alicorn instead. "I helped her bake a few sweets at Sugar Cube Corner in order to earn a few bits. Unfortunately I might have gotten a little carried away," Faust explained with a shrug. "Okay, that aside, I'll take care of your problems," Cadence assured and looked to a nearby guard. "Could you have a message sent to Mayor Mare, the Ponyville Weather Team, Sugarcure Corner, and Sweet Apple Acres telling them that the elements of harmony have been brought to Canterlot for urgent business?" the crystal princess questioned sweetly. The guard in question silently nodded his head, not really able to do much else with Faust holding him. "Good. Oh, and please find some pony to watch Fluttershy's animals and Spike while they are away," Cadence added with a smile. She then turned to Faust and Mort and sighed tiredly. "Now would you two please release the guards?" Cadence pleaded with the other alicorns. Faust rolled her eyes but complied, the guard Cadence had been talking to quickly rushing off to do as told. Once he was gone Mort released the rest of the guards, all of whom looked more than a little disturbed. "Alright, now does any pony else have any concerns about staying the night?" Cadence inquired. The gathered ponies all shook their heads, bringing a smile to the crystal princess face. "Good, then lets meet tomorrow morning to discuss what is going on." Cadence stated with a smile. "Please guards, escort Twilight and her friends to suitable lodgings," Cadence asked and the guards silently nodded their heads. The armored ponies trotted forward, wary of Faust and Mort, and motioned for the elements to follow them. As they did Cadence hopped down to Faust and grinned nervously. "Miss Faust, if it's not too much trouble would you mind coming with me?" Cadence pleaded. The older mare raised a brow for a moment before sighing and smiling back. "Sure Cadence." the pure-white alicorn mare replied and rolled her eyes when Cadence grinned. "Great! I have so much that I want to ask you!" she happily cried and all but bounced off. Faust following behind her with a chuckle as she thought of Twilight. It didn't take a millennia old alicorn to realize that Twilight was going to freak out soon enough. At the moment she was probably suppressing her desire to run around screaming or even just hide from the pure-white mare's 'wrath'. "Ten bits say Twilight freaks out until she tires herself out and falls to sleep," Faust offered to Cadence with a smirk. The crystal princess merely rolled her eyes in response. She was well aware of how Twilight was, especially how she could over react. Only some pony who didn't know the mare would actually take a bet like that. "That's a suckers bet," She replied and both alicorns smiled. The two made their way into the castle, sparing only a passing glance at Mort as they left. The grim galloper hummed in his spot for only a moment, and then vanished in a swirl of black magic and feathers. He returned to his home to rest as well, for tomorrow was promising to be a very trying day... Celestia yawned tiredly as she and Luna continued their search for the Golden Door. 'How long have we been awake, I wonder?' The solar mare wondered to herself. A glance back rewarded the elder alicorn with the sight of her sister barely managing to keep her eyes open. Luna wasn't nocturnal, contrary to popular belief, it was just that she dream walked while sleeping. This meant that she could protect their ponies, even while her physical body was resting. Regardless, Celestia believed that they had been awake for far too long and they were both feeling it's affects. "Tia, I fear this confounded tower wishes us to trot in circles till doomsday," Luna slurred tiredly, a yawn following. Celestia smiled at her sister and nuzzled her neck affectionately. "It seems that way Lulu," Celestia admitted. She was certain that the tower was trying to mess with them, however it's sense of humor left much to be desired. The solar mare glanced at her sister with concern and frowned deeply. It was clear to her that Luna was growing tired, and it was equally clear that they weren't finding the Golden Door anytime tonight. Much as she hated to admit it, she also realized that she was feeling tired beyond all reason as well. Their search for the Golden Door could wait until they had each rested up. "Luna, lets find somewhere to sleep for the night," Celestia urged. The younger alicorn nodded her head in agreement and yawned tiredly. Smiling fondly, Celestia led the blue alicorn through the tower's halls. The halls seemed to change as they went, soon coming to a door. A frown crossed Celestia's features as she approached the door and opened it with her magic. Within she saw a familiar room, untouched by time that caused both her and Luna to halt. It was a small room, at least compared to their bedrooms in Canterlot Castle. But that really didn't matter to either of them. To one side was an old bunk bed with an oaken frame, the mattresses still made and kept neat. On the bottom bed was a stylized C, a more simple L on the one over it. At the foot of the bunk beds was a large trunk for anything they may wish to put inside. Across from the beds was a fireplace, a small red carpet laid out in front of it, perfect for stories by the fire. Speaking of stories, a bookcase was also held in the room, several books Celestia and Luna recognized placed within. "T-tia, isn't this..." Luna whispered as she looked around the room. The solar mare did not answer, instead silently trotted into the room and felt tears well in her eyes. "Our old room." The solar mare whispered. She silently realized that not a thing had changed about the room. It was just as they had left it so very long ago. The solar mare approached the book case and looked through the old selection with a smile. Many of the books were childish now, but had been her favorite stories while she was growing up. What's more, was that not a speck of dust or dirt had collected even after so many years. So clearly, though not in use, Faust had been taking care of the room for some time. It was almost as if they had taken a step back in time to their days as fillies. "Happier days, without worry or care," Celestia stated quietly. A smile soon crawled across her face as she saw an old vanity nearby, one which she remembered fighting with Luna to use on a near daily basis. Of course that was when they had started to grow up, but it was still a happier time. The solar mare reached a foreleg up to wipe at her eyes, then looked to Luna. The lunar alicorn had opened the old trunk and was now holding an old rock in her forelegs. "Tis the wild rock we befriended." She mumbled with a happy smile. Celestia smiled back and then turned to the rug before the fireplace. She approached quietly and sat down, her eyes closed and she laid her head down. A smile soon crossed her lips as the old memories played through her minds eye... Celestial Majesty, the filly who would grow to be Celestia, trotted beside of Faust with a smile. The older mare had her sister Lunar Glory, who would one day be Luna, riding on her back. The little lunar unicorn was half asleep and yawning tiredly as she snuggled into Faust's back. "Seems like some pony has had quite a busy day," Faust noted. Celestia nodded her head, hopping beside of the pure-white alucorn with a beaming smile. "Uh huh, Luna and I were trying to find Dream Castle again," little Tia replied, only to pout suddenly. "But we still haven't found any trace of it though," she complained cutely. Faust giggled quietly to herself and nuzzled the tiny unicorn gently. Lil' Tia happily nuzzled the larger pony back, a smile stretched across her face. "Well now my very adventurous little ponies, perhaps you're not looking in the right place," Faust suggested. Lil' Tia looked up at the much larger mare with an adorably confused expression that only Fillies could make. "Then where should we look?" the little pale-pink unicorn questioned. Faust hummed and tapped her chin for a moment, then grinned at the unicorn. "Try in your dreams. After all, it is Dream Castle," Faust replied with a nod, as if that was that. The little filly didn't take too kindly to the suggestion and fixed the mare with a look. "I thought Dream Castle was a real place," She noted pointedly. Faust snickered and nodded her head in response. "Then why won't you tell us how to find it for real?" The filly demanded with a pout. Faust smiled and wrapped the unicorn in a blanket of crimson magic. Lil' Tia yelped as she was suddenly lifted up and placed onto the mare's back alongside the nearly sleeping Lunar Glory. "Because, my little pony, your imagination can take you to places you've never been to before," Faust replied with a smile. "But I wanna see it for real!" lil' Tia declared with a pout. Faust sighed with a shake of her head and gave the little filly a stern look. "You must realize that you cannot have everything you want," Faust stated with a nod. "Lulu gets whatever she wants." Lil' Tia replied with another adorable pout. Faust sighed in response and shook her head with a frown. "No she doesn't Tia, she gets what she needs," Faust stated. "Then why do you always let her pick the bedtime story?" lil' Tia questioned cutely. Faust hummed for a moment and then glanced at her with a smirk. "Oh, so I suppose she was the one who picked that story about how the ponies in Dream Valley met Surprise?" Faust inquired and lil' Tia blushed. "Um, well," Lil' Tia mumbled quietly as she and her sister were carried through the halls of the tower. "See, she doesn't get everything she wants either. She's also a little pony, and little ponies need more attention than others Tia," Faust stated with a nod of her head. The elder mare then smiled brightly and turned her head to the little ponies as they approached their bedroom. "And as Princess of Dream Valley, it is both my duty and honor to protect two very special little ponies," Faust stated playfully. Lil' Tia smiled in response, then yawned as her own eyes drooped while next to an already sleeping Lulu. Faust trotted into the fillies' bedroom and made her way to the fireplace. The fire warmed the mare as she laid down and brought a book down from the shelves. Her crimson magic wrapped around the fillies on her back and brought them down onto the rug at her sides. Lil' Tia remained awake, even as her eyes dropped, Lulu however snuggled into Faust's side. The pure-white alicorn's wings opened a moment later and folded over the fillies, giving them warmth and comfort. The alicorn hummed lightly as she brought up the book to look through it. "Now what story haven't you heard?" the pure-white alicorn questioned. A smile crossed her lips as lil' Tia moved forward and yawned sleepily. "Maybe... story 'bout you," the filly mumbled. Faust silently nodded and closed the book, lowered her head and nuzzled both fillies affectionately. "Once upon a time, there was a filly named Faust, who had nothing not even a symbol of her own" The pure-white mare began. "She was a lonely little filly with no place to call home. Since she was little she wandered from place to place seeking a home of her very own. Yet everywhere she went she was turned away. 'No no, go away there's no room for you here,' a unicorn crowed. 'Leave us be we have to many mouths to feed,' an earth pony growled. 'Go away, our clouds are no place for you,' a pegasus would cry. Place after place, she was turned away." Faust continued with a frown. "Never deterred by their unkind words, the little filly continued to travel on. Through bogs and swamps she traveled, her hooves grew pained in their depths. Across plains and through forests she made her way, escaping wolves at the cost of her horn. Through deserts and over mountains she wandered, till she grew thin from hunger. The filly continued on, she never complained, for there were so many ponies less fortunate than her. Though she had no horn at least monsters did not chase her, though hungry she found enough food to get by, and though her hooves ached she at least had all four," Faust continued quietly. "She continued onward, till one cold rainy night she found a sturdy castle, and wandered to it's drawbridge. She scratched her aching hooves on the closed bridge, and cried to anyone inside. 'Oh please oh please, I mean not to intrude, I ask only..." Faust paused for a moment, a stray tear falling from her eye. "... to not be so alone.' And with that the drawbridge began to lower, the filly ran back to see who would come to meet her from the castle," Faust continued and paused once more. Lil' Tia kept her eyes opened, she listened on as the story continued, even as sleep beckoned her to it's embrace. "A magnificent mare as white as snow walked forward, her mane like amethyst and eyes kind and blue as the gentle sea. The little filly was left in awe of the regal mare, and shivered until her hooves scooped her up. The mare smiled kindly and nuzzled her, the warmth radiating from her warming the lonely fillies heart. 'Oh little one do not fear, I will keep you safe and near. I will teach you all that you need to know, and care for you so that you will grow. And one day when you're healthy and strong, I'll help find the friends you've sought for so very long.'" Faust whispered while nuzzling Lil' Tia's cheek affectionately. "And so at long last the filly was not so alone, she lived with the regal mare as her student and friend. For many years she went on like this, an ever faithful student who owed her so very much. For now at long last she had a home. And though her hooves still ached she was no longer cold. And though her horn was still broken she was no longer scared. And though she was thing she was no longer hungry. And though on some nights she still felt alone, Princess Majesty was always there to keep her warm." Faust whispered as Lil' Tia finally began to fall to sleep. "For what is the point of being safe and warm yourself, if others aren't as well?" Faust whispered as Tia's eyes closed. The alicorn smiled and nuzzled the little filly as she began to fall to sleep. Then nuzzled Luna as well who snuggled closer to her in her dreams. "Good night to you both, my little sun and stars." She whispered as she gave each fillies forehead a kiss, and lil' Tia was finally whisked away into her dreams. Celestia slowly opened her eyes, a few tears fell, but she paid them no heed. Her sister sat beside her, a sniffle here or there as she held an old map folded into a hat in her hooves. "Tia, m-mother left everything as it was then, it is also clean so she's worked to keep it that way," Luna stated while holding the hat and wiped at her eyes. "and we forgot about her," the lunar mare whispered. Her sister's voice was so soft that Celestia barely heard her speak at all. The solar diarch sighed and lowered her eyes as she realized she had done the same. Over a thousand years they had lived, one could forget so much in that time true, but how did one forget being cared for by such a wonderful mare? "I know Lulu." Celestia whispered while she nuzzled the younger mare. She looked around the room quietly, more memories echoed in her mind of other times Faust had been there for them. Whether it was to teach them of magic, or to care for them when they sad or hurt, or to simply tell them stories at night. Faust had been a mother to them both when they had none. She had been to them, what Majesty had been for her. 'Because what point is it to be safe and warm, if others aren't as well,' Celestia thought, remembering an old lesson from Faust herself. "C'mon Lulu, lets get to bed," Celestia urged and nudged her sister toward the old bunk beds. Luna silently nodded and quietly trotted over to them. Celestia rose up and followed behind her, both removing their regalia and placing them into the trunk at the foot of the beds. Celestia quietly slipped into the lower bed as Luna climbed atop the upper one. Both sisters crawled under the covers and felt a bout of nostalgia as they remembered bi-gone days. The beds were, perhaps, just a bit small, but it didn't matter to either mare in the slightest. No, small beds didn't matter to either of them, for as they fell to sleep, old memories returned, and for just a moment they weren't Princess Celestia and Luna. They were just Lil' Tia and Lulu again... Faust awoke with a groan. The sun shined in her face as it seemed to do every day. The pure-white alicorn slowly rose up and rubbed her head. She glanced around to see she was still in Cadence's bedroom. It was a large room with all the usual amenities as well as a large bed, though she'd elected to sleep on a simple mattress. She was significantly taller than the crystal princess after all, or really most ponies. The mare smacked her lips and yawned while she stretched her forelegs into the air. She lowered her forelimbs back to the ground a moment later and rubbed at her face. Cadence was still asleep, unlike her it seemed that the sun had nothing against her. Faust muttered about the sun being against her under her breath. She knew it was silly but she felt it had to be why the sun only ever seemed to wake her up. Yawning once more the mare shakily rose up to her hooves. She stumbled for a moment before shaking her head and blinking her eyes open. Still drowsy as all buck the mare slowly made her way over to Cadence's private bathroom. Slipping inside Faust wandered over to the sink and turned it on. Rather than splash herself, the pure-white alicorn allowed her head to fall forward into the sink. She rose back up a second later with a gasp and her eyes wide open. Now fully awake the pure-white mare brought a hoof to her head and looked around. A moment later she remembered where she was and let out a sigh. "At least Cadence is nice enough," Faust admitted with a smile. All the night before Cadence had been asked her about this and that. Even if it had only been for a little while, it had been nice to be a teacher again. Faust sighed and turned out of the bathroom. She trotted back into the bedroom as a drowsy Cadence passed by her. The pure-white alicorn smirked slightly as she passed. She was happy to know that she wasn't the only alicorn who had trouble waking up. Of course Luna had somehow inherited that trait from her as well, but that was a different story. She sighed and made her way over to the windows in Cadence room and pushed them open. She looked out over Canterlot for the first time and a small smile crossed her features. "Not bad silly little Celly," Faust whispered fondly. She then turned to the bathroom as a somewhat more alert Cadence trotted out with a yawn. "Morning Faust," She mumbled passed a hoof, yawning tiredly and then shaking her head. "So what first?" the crystal princess questioned curiously. The pure-white alicorn merely rolled her eyes and smiled in Cadence direction. "Don't we have to meet with Twilight and her friends to discuss what is going on with Celestia and Luna being missing?" Faust questioned with a raised brow. Cadence was quiet for a moment, and then sighed tiredly. "Oh right, sorry I'm just a bit out of sorts when I've just woken up," the pink princess stated and turned to trot out of her room. Faust followed behind the younger mare and fell into step at her side, the palace guards saluting as they passed. The pure-white alicorn couldn't keep a frown from her face when she noticed the vast majority of guards were Pegasi. "Seems like their more war-like traits never really went away," Faust noted aloud. Cadence sighed tiredly at her side. "Unfortunately. While Auntie Celestia assures me that the military isn't as integrated into Pegasi society as it was thousands of years ago, you'll find a lot more of us volunteering for military duty," Cadence stated with a shake of her head. "They weren't originally like that you know, it was because of General Storm-Wing that that started. He was a military genius and the main reason the Flutter Ponies were bombed with lightning. He was afraid that the Flutter Ponies "Utter Flutter", an ability to generate massive gusts of wind, could be used against them or something. I'm not really as well versed in him as I am in the Unicorn lord at the time." Faust idly explained. Cadence winced visibly, though she had heard of Flutter Ponies before, they were mostly through myth and legend, which made it easy to see what had happened to them. The two alicorns trotted in relative silence and soon entered into the palace's dining hall. Pinkie Pie was already present and wolfing down stack after stack of pancakes. Twilight was nursing a cup of coffee, while the only other Element who was present was Fluttershy. The butter yellow pegasus was silently nibbling on her own pancakes, demurely taking small bites of her meal. "Morning Faustie!" Pinkie cried out with a wave. Faust silently waved her hoof in response, while Twilight and Fluttershy looked to her as she sat down. "What am I, rotted oats?" Cadence asked with a smirk. Pinkie smiled and waved a hoof her way as well. "Naw, but Faustie is a lot older than you are." Pinkie repeated. Cadence giggled into her hooves while Faust dragged a hoof down the length of her face. "Oh ha ha, very funny." The pure white Alicorn grumbled. "In any case, when do you think your other friends will wake up, Twilight?" Cadence asked her sister-in-law with a smile. The little lavender mare sighed and shook her head. "Rainbow is any ponies guess, I think AJ is already up and running around somewhere to calm her nerves, and as for Rarity, well, she really likes her beauty sleep," Twilight replied. "Why would Applejack need to clear her head?" Faust questioned with a raised brow. At the same time a servant brought her a large stack of pancakes and left with a bow. Cadence also received a stack of pancakes from another, though it was smaller than Faust's. "It probably has something to do with the fact she was suspicious of a mare who turned out to be Princess Celestia's mother," the crystal princess replied. She then raised some syrup with her magic and poured it over her own pancakes. "Ah, that would make sense," the pure-white mare admitted with a nod. The room was left in relative silence afterwards, those present either continuing with their own devices. Soon enough Applejack made her way into the room, followed by Rarity who practically pranced into the dining hall. "Well I must admit, that was perhaps the best nights sleep I've had in quite a while," Rarity declared cheerfully. The unicorn mare took the seat at Faust's side and was promptly served by the staff. "You seem awfully cheerful Rares," Applejack noted. The marshmallow unicorn smiled and nodded her head. "Why indeed I am, I'm feeling quite refreshed," the unicorn replied and then tapped her chin. "Although I must wonder how your night was, darling," Rarity questioned while looking to Faust. The pure-white alicorn swallowed a bit of pancake and then smiled before answering. "It was fine. Cadence just wanted to know a few things about Alicorns," the ancient alicorn admitted and took another bite of her pancakes. "Couldn't she have asked Princess Celestia about that?" Twilight questioned with a frown. Faust nodded while chewing on her pancakes then swallowed and answered the little lavender mare. "I meant she asked about things that they couldn't answer," The pure-white alicorn replied. "Oh," Twilight mumbled and looked down into her coffee. Again the group fell into a silence, at least until Rainbow zipped into the room. The prismatic pegasus yawned loudly and stretched in midair before landing at the table as a final stack of pancakes was brought out for her. "Sweet, breakfast!" Rainbow crowed with a grin. The rainbow maned pegasus thus began her meal, enjoying the flat cakes with gusto. "Ugh, really darling, must you really be so uncouth?" Rarity questioned of her cyan friend. The prismatic pegasus stopped her meal for only a moment to tap her chin and grin. "Not really, I just prefer it this way," the prismatic pegasus replied. A frown crossed Rarity's features and she shook head head, then groaned as she realized that Pinkie Pie and Applejack's table manners weren't much better. "In any case I'm just glad every pony is here," Cadence stated as she wiped at her mouth. "Me too, I wanna know who I have to buck in the face for ruining my vacation," Faust grumbled irritably. "Uh, ah don't mean to pry now, but why are you so set on time off?" Applejack suddenly questioned as she scratched the side of her head. "Maybe because I've been locked in my tower for several millennia doing nothing but work work and even more work," Faust replied with a flat look directed at the apple-mare. The orange pony quickly looked away from the ancient mare and nervously scraped a hoof on the floor. "YOU REALLY COMPLAIN FAR TOO MUCH FAUST," Mort stated as he appeared at the table in a burst of feathers and a flash of black magic. Several of the elements nearly jumped out of their seats as the undead alicorn sat down and pulled a cup of tea from... somewhere. "Hi again uncle Mort!" Pinkie cried with a happy wave. The undead alicorn nodded his head in the pink party pony's direction and then glanced to Faust. "YOU ARE THE ONE WHO APPOINTED YOURSELF AS THE ARCHIVIST OF THE GRAND ARCHIVES. SO DON'T COMPLAIN SO MUCH ABOUT A JOB YOU GAVE YOURSELF," Mort noted and took a sip of his tea. Faust snorted with a deep frown then shot the undead alicorn a dirty look. "Oh yeah Mort, I should really stop, what I'm doing. It's not at all like I didn't save thousands of years of knowledge from Discord," Faust commented sarcastically, a sneer across her face. "ADMITTEDLY YOU HAVE DONE A GREAT DEAL OF GOOD FAUST. BUT I ONLY MEANT YOU SHOULDN'T COMPLAIN SO MUCH ABOUT YOUR JOB. CELESTIA, LUNA, AND I ALL HAVE RATHER TRYING DUTIES BUT WE AREN'T COMPLAINING," Mort replied. Faust scoffed and fixed the grim galloper with a flat look. However Cadence quickly intervened before the pure-white alicorn and the grim galloper could get into an argument. "Now now, every pony, we're here to discuss Celestia and Luna, not fight with one another," Cadence reminded the two. "Hey yeah, what happened to the princesses anyways?" Rainbow questioned while watching Mort intently. The rest of the elements looked to the grim galloper as well. Shifting uncomfortably in his seat, Mort heaved a sigh and put his tea onto the table. "IT WOULD SEEM THAT AFTER FAUST LEFT HER TOWER UNATTENDED, DISCORD PAID HER A VISIT," the undead alicorn began, then harrumphed. "MOST LIKELY HE PANICKED SINCE SHE WASN'T THERE, SO HE TOOK CELESTIA AND LUNA TO THE TOWER TO WATCH IT FOR HER," Mort explained bluntly. Faust twitched for a moment, she stared at the grim galloper and then brought a hoof to her face. "Ugh, of course Discord would decide to visit the one time I'm not home," Faust grumbled. In her own personal opinion the spirit of chaos had probably only popped in to annoy her. They weren't exactly the best of friends after all. "YES WELL, BE THAT AS IT MAY THE TOWER HAS BEEN COMPLETELY SURROUNDED IN DARK MAGIC. I FEAR THAT THE PRINCESSES HAVE BEGUN TO EXPLORE THE TOWER AND ACCIDENTALLY LET SOMETHING LOOSE," Mort noted gravely. The pure-white alicorn groaned and rubbed her temples with her hooves, sitting back with a pained look on her face. She then growled and glared into the sky angrily. "One week, I just want one week without something going crazy around me! Is that really too much to ask for!" The mare demanded of the heavens. She obviously received no reply, though now several ponies were very confused. "So then Celestia and Luna are in Faustie's home and making a mess of it?" Pinkie questioned. "Yes." Mort, Cadence, and Faust replied bluntly. "Okay, so why don't you just teleport in there and get them out?" Twilight asked Mort with a frown. The grim galloper took a moment to look at Faust, who glared at him when he did. "TRUTH BE TOLD, IN MY YOUTH I WAS A NECROMANCER AND ATTEMPTED TO TAKE THE TOWER AND THE VALLEY IT RESTS IN BY FORCE. IN ORDER TO STOP MY RAIDS FAUST CAST A SPELL THAT PROHIBITS ME FROM ENTERING," the grim galloper admitted. Faust scoffed and looked at the grim galloper incredulously. She remembered what his so called 'raids' had been like after all. "Umm, excuse me..." Fluttershy suddenly mumbled in a quiet tone. The undead alicorn looked to the butter yellow pegasus and she shifted uncomfortably in her seat. "D-don't feel obligated to answer, but if you don't mind, whats a Necromancer?" the mare questioned curiously. Twilight was the one to reply however, a deep frown on her face. "A Necromancer is a type of spell-caster who specializes in animating and controlling the dead," the little lavender mare explained. "But Necromancy is supposed to be an old mare's tale," Twilight added curiously as she looked to the oldest alicorn in the room. "Oh no, it's real alright, this is the pony who invented it," Faust growled while pointing a hoof at Mort. The grim galloper shifted uncomfortably in his seat as the elements all looked at him in shock. As was quickly becoming a very common occurrence, Pinkie didn't seem surprised in the least as she continued to munch on her pancakes. "So this guy can make zomponies and such?" Rainbow questioned. Mort nodded. "Uh, can y'all talk to ghosts then?" Applajack wondered. Again, Mort nodded. "Err, can you actually control the undead?" Rarity inquired nervously. Yet again, Mort silently nodded his head. "Oh-oh my," Fluttershy whispered while shrinking down to hid in her mane and tail. "YES WELL, I HAVEN'T USED NECROMANCY TO RAISE ANY UNDEAD FOR QUITE SOME TIME NOW. NOT SINCE I SENT RAIDS INTO FAUST'S LANDS OF DREAM VALLEY," Mort stated. Unfortunately for him, Faust brought a hoof down on the table and sent a scathing glare his way. "Is that what you're call unleashing a massive army of the undead on my ponies?" The mare inquired snidely. Mort visibly winced at the reminder and brought an armored hoof to his skull. "CAN WE PLEASE NOT TALK ABOUT THAT RIGHT NOW?" The grim galloper pleaded. Faust scoffed and poked the undead alicorn with her hoof. "Buck no! You and your stupid army of Sinisteeds, Zomponies, and Windigos tried to trample my ponies and overrun my tower!" Faust roared at the undead alicorn with a snarl. Mort merely glared back at her, the flames that made up his eyes glowing brighter and brighter in the shadows of his hood. "Do you have any idea how hard it was to deal with those freaks?" Faust demanded with a low growl. Meanwhile the Elements and Cadence silently watched the alicorns, not sure how they could get involved, or if they even should. "IN MY DEFENSE I WAS INSANE AT THE TIME." Mort grumbled. Faust rolled her eyes and glared at the undead alicorn. "Insane or not you killed dozens of my ponies, raised them from the dead, and tried to capture me while you were at it!" The off-white mare shouted, her eyes narrowing with each word. Not surprisingly Cadence and Pinkie merely sighed and glanced to the other elements. The majority of whom were now openly staring at the grim galloper in a mix of shock and horror. "Buck Mort, if I hadn't finally managed to take the Necronomicon away from you I'd have been turned into your private concubine or something," Faust grumbled with a visible shiver of disgust. "ALRIGHT NOW THAT I AM SORRY FOR," Mort admitted while looking anywhere but at the older mare. "Oh no, I'm not through yet buster, I'm unleashing ten-thousand years of pint up fury on your bucking head!" Faust snarled at the grim galloper. "Y'all are ten thousand years old!?" Applejack demanded while openly staring at Faust. The off-white mare rolled her eyes and gave the apple-mare a flat look. She also ignored the equally shocked looks of the other elements and Cadence. "Not right now Jackie I have a tirade to lay on this sorry skeletons stupid skull!" Faust growled and turned back to the pale pony. Mort mentally groaned and hoped that the mare didn't have too much to be angry for... oh wait. "Then when I manage to finally push your forces back, what do you do? You make off with Dream Manor and turn it into your own private vista in the netherworld! Do you have any idea how many ponies you killed or made homeless with that stunt!" the pure-white alicorn shouted at the pale pony furiously. "Oh so that's where Uncle Mort's house came from," Pinkie noted aloud. She was promptly ignored as Faust stood up and banged her hooves against the table. "Now lets get to that stupid book of yours! The Necronomicon, I mean how the buck did you think that making it would be a good idea? For bucks sake Mort, I've barely kept that thing contained for all these years!" Faust roared furiously. "Discord kept trying to play with it so I had to put a living lock on it, he was way more interested in the lock than the book afterwards but still!" Faust shouted at the pale pony. Mort wincing and sinking into himself as he looked anywhere but at the now irate pure-white mare. "The Necronomicon is actually real!" Twilight exclaimed with wide eyes. Cadence didn't look much better as she openly gaped at Mort and Faust. The said pure-white mare rolled her eyes and looked to Twilight with a flat look. "Yes, and he was the bucking moron who made! Now be quiet down, I'm on a roll here and I haven't had a decent rant in thousands of years!" the ancient alicorn grumbled as she turned back to Mort. "I mean really Mort, do you have any inkling of just how many zomponies I had to slay to get at that book? Not to mention how the majority of them were my own subjects before you raised them from their graves into an unholy legion!" the ancient alicorn snarled. Mort looked properly cowed and idly twirled his hooves, the elements merely gaping at the grim galloper. "You're a zompny slayer?" Rainbow questioned of the pure-white mare. Faust rolled her eyes and nodded her head, then turned back to glaring at the grim galloper. "That is so bucking awesome!" Rainbow crowed with a grin. "Not like I had a choice, it was either slay zomponies or let them overwhelm my guards," Faust grumbled with her eyes trained on the grim galloper. "UH YES, I'M ACTUALLY REALLY SORRY ABOUT THAT, BUT YOU DID TECHNICALLY TEACH ME THE FIRST NECROMATIC SPELL I EVER LEARNED," Mort replied quietly. Faust groaned and brought a hoof to her face. "Oh right, Soul-Sight is such an evil spell..." the ancient mare replied sarcastically, "... it's not at all like you took it way too far and started doing unholy experiments on ponies!" she snarled at the grim galloper furiously. "Uh, maybe you two should, I don't know, calm down?" Cadence pleaded of the two tiredly. The crystal princess then leaned back as both older alicorns fell silent. "Alright, now back to the problem at hand. How do we get to Celestia and Luna?" Cadence questioned while looking to Faust. The older mare sighed tiredly and rubbed at her eyes with her hooves. "Unfortunately if the tower is surrounded by dark magic all entrances and exits would have closed," The pure-white alicorn admitted and then clicked her tongue. "The only way inside in that instance is through an underwater passage at the bottom of the tower," Faust muttered with a frown and Rainbow smirked. "So we just swim inside, big deal," The prismatic pegasus stated with a nod. "Not really, we still have to get to the tunnel, which happens to be several miles underwater and south of Manehatten," the pure-white alicorn responded flatly. Rainbow blinked and then grimaced in response, the other elements not looking much more enthused than she was. "Alright that could be a problem," the prismatic pegasus admitted sheepishly. Twilight frowned to herself and then looked to Faust with a deeply confused look. "Can't you just teleport us into the tower?" she asked the pure-white mare with a frown. "No, I can barely teleport myself from the tower to Ponyville," the pure-white mare noted with a frown. "So 'ats what y'all were doing in my orchard," Applejack noted with a smirk. Faust grinned sheepishly and nodded her head. "Yeah, and because of that I don't want to think about what might happen to passengers if I tried it," the pure-white alicorn mumbled with a shudder. The rest of the elements couldn't help but agree with the mare, especially Twilight who had an inkling of what could happen to them. "So you can't teleport in, and the only way inside is under water," Cadence mumbled under her breath with a frown. "can you use a water breathing spell or something?" the crystal princess questioned curiously. Both Twilight and Faust glanced to one another, then Cadence and shook their heads. "That kind of spell wouldn't protect us from the pressure, we'd likely be crushed if we tried to get down as far as Faust has suggested," the little lavender unicorn replied. Faust nodded her head, clicked her tongue and frowned as a thought came to her. "Actually, I might know of one way down there," the pure-white alicorn admitted. Twilight looked to the older mare with a surprised expression. "And that would be?" the little lavender unicorn questioned curiously. The pure-white mare chuckled to herself as she looked to Mort, the grim galloper bringing a hoof to his skull when he realized what she meant. "OH PLEASE NOT THEM, ISN'T THERE ANY OTHER WAY?" Mort pleaded. Faust rolled her eyes and shook her head, the grim galloper thus allowed his head to fall forward and slam into the table. "OF ALL THE PONIES IN THE WORLD, WHY DID IT HAVE TO BE THEM?" the pale pony pleaded over dramatically. Rolling her eyes, Faust fixed the grim galloper with a flat expression. "What do you care, you don't have to go visit them." Faust reminded the grim galloper pointedly. "NO, BUT AS SOON AS THEY REALIZE THE OTHER TRIBES ARE NO LONGER DIVIDED THEY'LL JOIN UP WITH EQUESTRIA, AND THEN I'LL BE SEEING THEM ALL OVER THE PLACE," Mort grumbled and rubbed his skull tiredly. Twilight looked between both ancient alicorns, she wondered what they were talking about for only a moment before interrupting them. "Uh, pardon me, but who are you ponies talking about?" the little lavender mare all but demanded. The other elements and even cadence nodding their heads in agreement. Faust suddenly snickered and grinned while Mort groaned and banged his head into the table. "Has any pony here ever heard of the Hippocampi?" the ancient alicorn questioned. Twilight blinked and nodded her head, as did the majority of the ponies present. Most of them had heard of them at one time or another through old stories, they weren't exactly a hidden myth. "Well yeah they're supposed to be to the ocean, what pegasi are to the sky right?" Rainbow asked with a shrug. "Yeah that's them!" Pinkie declared and then looked to Faust with a grin. "I mean duh, of course we've heard of them Faustie, there are all kinds of stories about 'em!" Pinkie declared happily. "The Little Hippocampi is one of my favorites from when I was a foal," the pink party pony declared happily. Faust blinked and then fixed the mare with a frown. "Which version?" the pure-white alicorn questioned curiously. "Both!" Pinkie declared happily. Faust looked at her more than a little shocked, but decided to take her word for it while the other elements seemed confused. "There's more than one version of The Little Hippocampi?" Rainbow questioned while scratched her head as Faust grimaced. However the pure-white mare quickly shook her head and looked at the prismatic pegasus with a frown. "That's not important right now, what is important is that Hippocampi are real," Faust stated and smirked when Twilight gaped at her. "B-but how's that possible! They're just a myth!" the little lavender unicorn exclaimed. Faust merely rolled her eyes and grinned cheekily. "So were Nightmare Moon and Discord," She stated teasingly. The ancient alicorn then took a breath and looked at the others seriously. "But in any case, yes Hippocampi are real, and you're in luck because I just so happen to know a way to get in contact with them," the pure-white alicorn stated. "So pack your bags every pony, we're heading to the ocean to meet with the Sea-Ponies!" Faust declared while Mort groaned. It was clear to every pony present that the grim galloper wasn't exactly a fan of the under-water dwelling equines... TBC...