//------------------------------// // 16: Various faces // Story: To Die Twice // by Quite Quiet //------------------------------// Shining Armour was a morning pony. Getting up in the morning didn’t as much as faze him. Countless mornings in guard training rising at the crack of dawn before the sun rose had made him used to it and rarely minded at all. Being awoken in the middle of the night by an intense pounding on the door wasn’t included in his regular sleeping schedule. Rubbing a white hoof over his eyes removed some traces of sleepiness from them but some still lingered as he exited the large bed. Passing stacks of papers neatly placed in their respective places on the floor he navigated through his room towards the door. The barely furnished room had little more than the bed and a desk in it so Shining could easily move through the room even in his less than stellar condition.  The insistent knocking on the door continued even as he moved towards the door and even as he moved to open it never stopped. Calling out did nothing to dampen the noise either, as much as Shining tried. Composing himself to the best of his ability he forcefully opened the door just before another knock could be delivered. Standing right outside his door with hoof raised was one of his regulars, an ordinary guard adorned in the traditional golden armour and helmet. Through his still sleep-clouded mind Shining could only manage a single semi-coherent sentence. “What?” Seemingly unfazed by his superior’s words the guard politely responded. “Princess Celestia and Princess Luna request your immediate presence in the throne room, sir:” In an instant most of Shining Armors previous sleep induced come was repelled, replaced with a flat frown. Quickly picking up his own armour from the stand next to the door he easily slipped into the chest plate but opted to go without helmet for the occasion, speed being important. Moments later he was outside his own door and making his way towards the throne room, where the two princesses where most certainly waiting for him to arrive. Entering the throne room greeted him with the sight of the two rulers of Equestria leaning close together and reading a single piece of paper. Both so intently focused on the paper neither noticed his entrance. Clearing his throat when he stood directly beneath the thrones finally caught their attention and the two of them simultaneously lifted their heads towards the interrupting noise. In their expressions both concern, worry and a hint of confusion could be read. Being the first to gather her thoughts again, Celestia spoke to the captain. “Shining Armour we have received another message from him.” “Him? You mean the pony who gave us the location of Trixie a few months ago?” Shining replied, a hint of confusing in his voice. Celestia nodded “Yes, and it seems he have sent us another of these letters, this more troubling than before.” The throne room stood silent for a moment as Shining went over the fact in his head. “Can I see the letter, Princess?” Luna, who currently held the letter in her magic responded by levitating the note directly to him and just waited for him to pick it up in his own magic. When he did she let go of her own hold of it and sat silently and regarded the expression of the captain as he read. Shining himself tuned out any distractions as he quickly read through the impressively short letter. Princess, Somepony is plotting to take over Canterlot during the wedding between Shining Armour and Princess Mi Amore Cadenza. -A helper and a friend “This is all there is to it? A single sentence and nothing more?” asked a confused Shining Armour. This time Luna responded instead of Celestia. “Nay, the details of your wedding still remains unknown to the public.” “So how did he know?” The facts Shining just had gotten refused to make sense for him, even as he tried his best. “We do not know this. Only that somehow he knows things he should have no possibility of knowing.” Celestia lowered her head at this and uttered a quiet sigh that both other ponies in the room heard, but made no intention of mentioning. Moments later Shining spoke up with a curious tone nonetheless. “Did the ponies you tasked with examining the letter find out anything else about him?” Celestia looked thoughtful as she gathered her thoughts to respond. “After a careful and thorough examination they could agree the author of the letters is, in their words: a non-unicorn male most likely old. They had nothing else to add.” A moment later she added. “Do you have any thoughts on the matter, captain?” Shining thought over the information he had just gotten before responding. “He clearly knows more than he should know, but doesn’t seem willing to act on it. He knew where Trixie was and instead of capturing her himself he sent us a latter instead, meaning he doesn’t want to be identified. Possibly meaning he’s important or already wanted. With no possibility to know more I’d advice to leave it for more pressing issues.” Both Celestia and Luna nodded their heads respectively, which would have been more impressive had they been in sync. “I agree captain. Perhaps you have a suggested plan of action for your wedding in two weeks?” Celestia replied and the question sounded both like an order and a question at once. Shining grinned. “Force fields.” Trixie looked out across the dimly lit bar she currently used as her home. The brown cloak hanging over her shoulders hiding both her face and most of her features while barely restricting her movement at all. She sat at her stool as the other half a dozen patrons ordered their various drinks in the opening minutes. Most of them then retreated to their own table to consume whatever brewage they had bought, much like Trixie had done just as the bar opened. In front of her on the counter sat a lonely glass of water almost forgotten as she watched the patrons move around the bar. The bartender took one last glance at Trixie after serving the last of the customers before stepping out into what Trixie assumed was the kitchen or something similar. Picking up her own glass with her magic Trixie took a large sip of the water inside before placing it back down on the counter. A moment later a sigh could be heard escaping her lips. The bar stopped filling up by the time it was half-full, most patrons taking places by another pony that had a table or filled the small bar desk like Trixie had. She guessed the bar could safely handle at least forty maybe fifty ponies but that was still far away at the moment. None of them seemed interested in her at least, even as she looked around the room. “Hey girl, something on your mind.” The voice came from somewhere in front of her and Trixie’s head snapped around in an instant, only to come face to face with the bartender. He deliberately had placed himself straight in front of her and held a curious expression on his face. Trixie scowled. “Nothing important.” He just laughed. Not a condescending or hurtful laugh but a gentle genuine one, one that meant no harm at all. “Haven’t you heard? I’m a bartender, I get paid for listening to your troubles.” He clearly meant that last part as a joke, but neither of them laughed, though his face betrayed a soft smile that encouraged her to talk. Trixie sighed again. “Fine. It’s a friend. He’s the most scatter-brained, bipolar pegasus I have ever met. One day he barely know what day it is and the next he apparently knows everything about everything in Equestria.” She threw her hooves up in the air for emphasis, not caring for the odd stares she got from a few of the bar-goers around her. The bartender in front of her hummed. “So what’d he do? Forget your birthday? Won a pop-quiz over you?” Before responding the female took a moment to formulate her answer, making sure to take out any specific mentions of the amulet currently resting in her saddlebags next to her. “I was looking for this piece of jewellery over the last few months, then all of a sudden he comes up to me and gives me perfect directions to where I can find it.” Trixie’s voice raised more and more as she spoke and was almost screaming when she finished talking. “And his reason for knowing was laughable. He had connections that told him.” “So why does it matter?” the bartender asked. “You found what you were looking for didn’t you? He just gave you a push in the right direction.” “Because I never told anyone what I was looking for. There is no way he could have known.” Another sip from the glass in front of her slid down her throat, cooling her down a little. “So maybe he really does have contacts? I guess you asked ponies about this ornament, yes?” A nod in reply was all he needed to continue. “They could probably piece together what you were looking after by asking one of them then. Girl stop taking this so serious, ponies do have connections everywhere, especially if they travel a lot.” Trixie’s reply came in an unsure tone. “I guess. It just doesn’t seem like him.” “I’m sure he only meant to help. Not everypony out there focus on themselves, most of us wouldn’t hesitate to help a friend out if we could.” Trixie’s response to the comment got interrupted as a patron came up to the bar and asked for a drink, which forced the bartender to leave Trixie alone for a few minutes. She watched the bartender mix a drink with his magic before handing it over to the customer in exchange for a couple of bits. She held her words in until she knew his attention wouldn’t be disrupted for a while again. “Thanks I guess. For talking I mean. I think it really helped to just voice my concerns to somepony.” She gave him a smile as she spoke, punctuating the sentiment with a minimal bow in his direction. “Don’t worry about it girl. I’m here to be spoken with if you need me. But now if you’re feeling better you’ll have to excuse me, my pal over here is really down.” He winked and left her immediate presence.  She saw him a minute later strike up conversation with another customer sitting at the bar with a lowered head. As the patron lifted his head the same surprised expression she saw now probably was the same as she had before their little talk. “Another stranger to him then.” She eyed the almost empty glass in front of her for a moment before downing the rest of the liquid in a single gulp. Putting down the now empty glass on the counter she pushed herself off her chair down on the floor again, All four hooves firmly planted on the ground moments later. She walked around the fixed chairs next to the bar as she made her way towards the door, careful to avoid any ponies moving to or from the bar. Still being early in the evening the bar still only held half its maximum number but it was enough for Trixie to doubt her choice to occupy the innermost corner for the past hour. Then, moments before she herself could open the door it slammed open right in front of her. Startled by the sudden appearance of the door Trixie stumbled backwards a couple of steps before gathering herself again and calming down. Focusing on the door again she prepared to tell off the pony opening the door for being so careless, but the words got caught in her throat. Standing in the open door was none other than the former unicorn Winter Heart. Wearing the same irritated frown she always had seen the caretaker wear Winter stared down Trixie as she occupied the entire door for herself. She opened her mouth and uttered a single word that broke Trixie out of her stunned silence. “Come.” Shaking her head both to clear it and as a response to Winter Trixie speaks up instead. “Why should I come with you, the last time we interacted you tormented me then locked me in a room all on my own?” The accusations from Trixie appeared to have no effect at all on the white mare in front of her. “We were not involved. Queen demands your presence,” Winter spoke without moving a muscle, not even her expression changed. This as much as the words that came out of her mouth confused Trixie. Trixie shook her head slowly. “We? Queen? Do you mean Queen Chrysalis?” she asked, dumbfounded. The not-Winter in front of her nodded. “Yes. Come.” Giving no further chance for Trixie to refute the statement the pony turned around and left the bar in an instant. “Chrysalis wants to speak with me? This can’t be good. But do I have any other option? I need to get back there sooner or later and apparently this something will take me there.” Her internal debate quickly resolved Trixie exited the bar and looked around a moment before finding the pony she thought was Winter moments ago walk down the road leading south. Catching up to the pony the two of them carried on in silence.