Chapter 5
“Slave”
“Wait, so ya mean tah tell us,” Aj interjected, “That these syringes belong to Gloam?”
“What do these things do anyways?” Rainbow said, picking up one of the syringes.
“They’re magic enhancers,” Warden admitted. “Each of them has enough mana inside to double the effects of a unicorns spellcasting.”
“I’ve seen them used before,” I said, looking at the syringes. “Took three of us to take down the one who was using it. Where did Gloam get these?”
Warden looked down. “I don’t know. One day she just started showing up with them. I remember she was having trouble with a really complex spell and Princess Soleil was giving her a hard time about it. Then she comes the next day performing the spell like it’s nothing. She told me she just practiced a lot last night.”
“But you didn’t believe her,” I said.
Warden shook his head, “I’ve known Gloam since we were little foals. She’s one of the greatest magicians I know, but she wasn’t so good to learn a spell overnight.”
“Just what is your relationship with dear Gloam?” Rarity inquired.
Warden’s dark cheeks flushed a little as he said, “I, well, like I said we were close friends. I joined the guard so I could be with her.”
“Simply romantic,” Rarity said with a happy sigh.
“Anyways,” I said, “Gloam was using these, do they have any side effects?”
“Yeah, sometimes the mana is too much for a unicorn to control by herself,” Warden explained. “That’s why you saw her fumble her magic during the demonstration.”
“Surely if Soleil knew,” Fluttershy said, “She would have stopped it...right?”
“Wishful thinking I’m afraid,” Warden said with a sigh. “I tried to convince Gloam to go to Soleil and explain what happened, but Soleil hadn’t said anything about it, so I didn’t pry any further. Maybe Gloam simply didn’t want to admit her power wasn’t her own…”
“How couldja have stood by while all this was happenin’?” Aj said. “Ain’t you got a lick of care to stop her from takin’ them?”
Warden shook his head. “If I were to tell Soleil, she would have had Gloam killed!”
“Killed?” Rarity said, “Seems a little extreme, why kill her when it would simply be easier to take away the syringes.”
Warden looked down again, and said gravely, “Because slaves aren’t supposed to lie to their masters…”
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Perspective: Twilight Sparkle
Well. This is perfectly boring. I don’t even have any books, so I can’t read. I don’t have my paper and quills, so I can’t do any work for any of my other stuff for the Princess Summit. Argh! This is so frustrating. I’m not used to being out of the action. Usually I’m the one taking the lead, and helping everypony out. Being a princess sucks, sometimes, I have to admit. Sure flying is nice, and being able to give Private wing-hugs is a perk, but everything else is really just a pain. Though, I probably wouldn’t have to have been a princess to be framed for this whole kidnapping thing. That Soleil seemed determined to frame me, or Princess Celestia for something, to give her an excuse. She seemed positively excited about the prospect of a war with Equestria.
“Argh!” I uttered, rolling to my back, and throwing my hooves into the air. “Just… something to read would be nice.”
“Had I known that somepony would try to frame you, then I would have remembered to bring reading material,” I heard Voidera’s deep voice say.
I frowned at him, despite getting a respect for him over these past few months I couldn’t help but get a little peeved whenever Voidera started talking. Maybe a part of me was still not ready to believe Celestia had a somepony that made her so...normal.
“Look, if you would quit the sarcasm it will definitely help matters,” I growled at him, not in the mood for any form of humor.
“Tia asked me to guard you until this matter is settled,” Voidera said matter of factly.
Tia? Seriously?
I shook my head and refocused. “You and Celestia both know I had nothing to do with Gloam’s kidnapping! I should be out there with Private right now!”
“Until the matter is settled you are staying right here,” Voidera said as if I was a five year old wanting to go outside to play. Just how casual he said it infuriated me.
“This is ridiculous!” I yelled, “Let me out of here right now and if you keep treating me like I’m five I’ll-”
His red eyes glared at me as he said, “Do not vent your anger out on me, Twilight. Children do that.”
“UGGGH!” I groaned, and in my frustration my horn fired and blasted a small hole in the wall. I breathed heavily as I looked to Voidera.
“Are you done?” He said.
“I’m just sick of being here, Private and I are a team,” I said firmly.
“That I know,” He said, “But you shouldn’t take your frustrations on your sister in law’s wall either.”
“This is just, uggh! Celestia knows I’m innocent! Why did she make you watch me anyways!?” I yelled.
“Because she knew I would be able to stop you should you try to escape, plus she has the other guests to attend to,” He said, ever so simply.
“I don’t see why she sees the need to trust you over me!” I yelled at him. “I can handle myself! I can keep myself composed! I am innocent here! I will not let some lying arrogant witch make Celestia think otherwise!”
I breathed heavily again, Voidera kept his look to me and said, “It seems you are less frustrated at me, and more so that you think Celestia doesn’t trust you.”
I sighed and looked down, “I just, can’t believe she would trust you over me.”
Voidera didn’t say anything as I went on.
“I couldn’t believe my ears when Celestia said you were her special somepony,” I said. “Celestia is everything I want to be. Strong, brave, unbelievably wise and composed. Everything just, changed when you came around. Suddenly she was normal, just a mare like me. I was scared to lose that image of her, of my idol. I knew it wasn’t fair to her or you, but in the back of my mind I always wondered if maybe one day I’ll find out Celestia isn’t who I thought she was…” My shoulders slumped and my wings drooped.
I heard Voidera’s hoof steps and then felt him, put a hoof on my head. For such a big stallion he was surprisingly gentle. His voice was the same, “Celestia trusts you Twilight, you are the daughter she always wished to have. The reasons she has you here with me are not because she believes Soleil, but simply to protect you from her.”
“Voidera I…” I tried to begin.
“I know it is... difficult to see Celestia in such a light. But under that mask is still a young mare, trying to figure out what is right,” Voidera said. “One day, you’ll have a student of your own, and they’ll see you around Private and probably think the same. In the end, though, Celestia still cares about you, and that will never change.”
I looked up at him, I smiled and said, “I- I understand, doesn’t make it any less easy.”
Voidera then smirked, “There was a time when Celestia was just like you, you know.”
“Like, me?” I asked, driven by a morbid curiosity to know more about my mentor.
“She was a little more bossy at your age,” Voidera said in reminisce. “But, she too was a very focused student, wanting to accomplish everything the right way. Took me to get her to lighten up a little.”
Sounds like the reverse of my own relationship with Private. Almost.
“You know, I could tell you a story about this one time when Tia and I had to break into a library…” Voidera said with a smirk.
Must not give in Mustnotgiveinmustnotgivein…
“Tell me!” I yelled.
Darn my morbid curiosity…
__________________________________________________________
Perspective: Private Eye
“A, slave?” I said, trying to grasp what I just learned.
Warden slowly nodded. “Yes, Gloam isn’t just the student of Soleil, she’s her slave too.”
“But, ain’t slavery outlawed?” Aj said, “Even Mah Granny doesn’t remember a time when ponies were enslaved to one another.”
“Not all countries agree with Celestia on slavery being bad,” Warden said with a shake of his head. “Calvaria is one of the few countries with a public and thriving slave trade. Soleil gets the first pick over every bunch.”
“How barbaric!” Rarity said in shock.
“I knew she was a meanie pants!” Pinkie said.
“Pinks, I think we all could tell that.” Rainbow said, rolling her eyes. “But this puts her lower then Discor-” She was cut off when Fluttershy flashed her a look. “Uh… I mean, Chrysalis! Yeah, she’s still bad right?”
“Just how did you know Gloam when you were kids?” I asked firmly.
Warden’s eyes closed, “Her, mother couldn’t afford to pay off a debt. She tried for months, but they eventually took Gloam as payment. I was her next door neighbor.”
“How truly horrid, to have to sell your own child,” Rarity said, putting a hoof to her mouth.
“How did Gloam go from a debt slave to the princess’ student?” I asked.
“Because she had magical potential,” Warden said. “But, after all this, I’m starting to think Gloam was just a way for Soleil to try and show off how seemingly great and prosperous Calvaria is.”
“Another lie too?” Fluttershy said, her voice developing an edge that you rarely see.
“Calvaria is suffering in truth,” Warden said, “In truth, there is a reason why all of this happened and I-”
Suddenly the door burst open and two guards stepped in, Soleil soon followed. “Well, what is this? My student’s personal guard has gone traitor...Celestia cannot ignore me anymore…”
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Perspective: Twilight Sparkle
“So then, the next thing I know I’m neck deep in frosting and the whole library had to be cleaned for a week before it all got out.” Voidera said, telling his tale and trying not to laugh too hard himself.
“I can’t believe Celestia used that as cover to escape!” I said, laughing. “It’s so, amazingly creative!”
“Wait till I tell you how we found Evona,” Voidera began, before we heard a knock on the door.
Voidera turned and went to open the door. There, was Gloam, she was okay thank goodness!
I ran to Gloam and said, “Oh my goodness I’m so glad you’re okay!”
“Twilight, it’s good to see you are okay too,” Gloam said, rather...sadly?
“Shouldn’t you be with Private?” I asked. “He’ll probably want your statement on what happened.”
“Yes, why aren’t you with him, young one?” Voidera asked, his eyes narrowing.
Gloam slowly closed her eyes and her horn glowed...with dark magic! “Forgive me…” She said, zapping Voidera with some kind of spell.
Voidera flew and crashed into the wall, leaving a dent in it. Dark magic...I knew it was powerful but...it took down Voidera?
I turned to Gloam and said nervously, “Gloam, what are you doing?”
Gloam’s eyes slowly opened, there were tears in them. “Earning my freedom…”
______________________________________________________
Perspective: Private Eye
I glared at Soleil and declared, “You set the whole thing up!”
“How dare you accuse me you miserable dog!” Soleil yelled, and then glared at Warden. “It would seem I was wrong to bring you here, guard. I never should have listened to Gloam. What state secrets have you given up?”
“Nothing! And,” He turned to me, “What do you mean she set it up?”
“The whole scenario doesn’t make sense,” I said. “Why would Gloam and Twilight teleport into the room and leave only one blood stain on the ground? And why was Twilight unharmed when she was found?”
“It was obvious,” Soleil growled, “Your dear Princess Twilight tried to kidnap my student!”
“It doesn’t make sense for her to do that either.” I said firmly.
“Twilight is a lot of things, petty isn’t one of them.” Rainbow said firmly.
“She would never attack Gloam over a rather silly contest.” Rarity said firmly.
“What about the mana siphoning book?” Soleil said, trying very hard to keep her argument. “Surely she saw the potential in my student and tried to steal her mana, just like she must have done to many to achieve such power.”
“You didn’t do your research.” I said firmly, “Twilight would have to have had the spell memorized when she was six, because her raw magical energy caused a dragon egg to hatch.”
Soleil’s eyes grew wide.
“Somepony planted that darn book, and made it look like Twilight was the one who attacked Gloam.” Aj said firmly.
“I betcha if we came back with the lab tests, we would find only Gloam’s DNA on the club, not Twilight’s.” I said with a smirk. “Now, the only question is...why?”
I advanced on Soleil, despite our size difference, I was making her sweat. “You wanted war with Equestria. I can imagine that under your rule, you’ve made some enemies. They didn’t like that you were basically enslaving them. That your country was ruled by a select few corrupt. You knew that if things continued, you’d have civil war on your hooves. So, you devised this plan.”
“Ridiculous I-”
“I’m not done,” I interrupted her. “You used Gloam. You knew as her slave she couldn’t disobey you. So, you set this whole plan up to make it look like Twilight was the one who kidnapped Gloam. You would have returned to Calvaria with stories of Celestia’s supposed treachery. With war on their hooves, nopony would question your rule so long as they were safe…” I said, and closed with, “And yet, your plan had one major needle.” I held up the syringes. “That poked the hole in your plan.”
“I guess you could say your case was,” Rainbow suddenly pulled shades out of nowhere, “Shot”
YYYYYYYYYYYEEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!
Note to self, burn shades.
Pinkie looked at...somewhere, “What? Come on it’s been forever since we used that joke! Don’t hate in the comments!”
“Enough!” Soleil yelled, madness entering her eyes. “I could never stand how somepony of… MIXED blood could do so well, and get along with you worthless accursed excuses of ponyflesh. The houses were NEVER supposed to have mixed, and when it happens, it’s supposed to bring DISASTER not success! And yet Celestia has had success after success! I couldn’t stand it, I tell you! And now there are worms who seek to overthrow me! I am the reason their sun comes up in the morning, the reason they can grow crops! Their lives are MINE to do with as I see fit! And now I see fit to destroy that false princess, and erase her taint from the alicorn race!”
I glared at her, then my eyes grew wide as the door opened behind Soleil...she had no idea who was there as she continued on.
“I will kill that little wretch slowly,” Soleil continued. “Make her pain last for days until she can’t take it anymore. When that little false alicorn is begging for death, only then I will give it to her. Then I will invade this pathetic country, and destroy it utterly. That will show everyone how weak Celestia really is!”
Suddenly both guards were thrown against the wall by powerful magic, the sound of a spear being dragged on the ground caused Soleil to stiffen, her eyes slowly turned.
Celestia was standing there, her ivory colored spear in her magic as she said, “I don’t believe I heard you cousin, exactly what were you going to do to MY STUDENT?!”