//------------------------------// // Chapter 33 - Breaking The Ice // Story: Denuo Fortuna // by Firecaller //------------------------------// Chapter 33 - Breaking The Ice Rubbing her eyes, Applejack tried to stay calm. “Let me just get this straight. By now our friends will have been, as you put it, ‘initiated’.” Brother Steady-Eye, already cowering on the floor, tried to make himself that bit smaller. ‘Y-yes’. Lowering her head, Applejack looked him in the eye. “And this ‘initiation’ involves them having their cutie marks... burnt off.” Her voice was civil. Her expression, if a little strained, was calm. The look in her eyes told a completely different story. He tried to cringe back even further. “I-I’m not part of that! I don’t have anything to with Initiations! I just work in...” Applejack placed a hoof on his mouth. “Shh.” He could feel the trembles in her hoof as it pressed on his lips. “And where would our friends be, right now?” Applejack released his lips, unthinkingly wiping her hoof on her chest afterwards. “I don’t know! Please, I don’t know!” Rarity looked up from the bucket of water she had been cleaning herself with. To her dismay, all she had achieved was turning her coat a dull grey colour. Already feeling incredibly abused, she was finding Brother Steady-Eye’s continual pleading extremely grating on her already frayed nerves. Slamming a hoof down, narrowly missing the bucket, she turned an icy stare at him. “I suggest you think harder darling! A grey pegasus stallion and a dark green unicorn mare. Our friends, where are they?” Brother Steady-Eye blinked at the unicorn. “A dark green unicorn mare?” Pinkie nodded enthusiastically. “That’s the one. She’s called Sunbeam.” He looked over at Pinkie, who smiled back at him. He gave Pinkie a puzzled look. ‘Wait! Didn’t her mane used to be curly? I’m sure it was and… And I really don’t like her smile.’ Twilight’s ear twitched. “Do you know what happened to Sunbeam… The green unicorn mare… then?” Glad of the distraction from the pink one’s now extremely unsettling smile, he looked over to the unicorn. “If it's the mare you’re talking about, she was chosen to become a Bastion” Applejack raised an eyebrow. “Come again?” “A - A dark green unicorn mare was found to be physically pure on initiation. Brother Adeptus had her taken away to be ascended.” He looked away. “She killed three brethren trying to make it back to the dungeon. We think she was heading back to free another pony.” He smiled, suddenly eager to please. “Those two could have been your friends.” The smile faltered. “T-they were recaptured in the dungeon and she was ascended soon after.” Fluttershy brought a hoof up to her mouth. “Oh my, she killed ponies, are you sure?” “Oh yes. Two were…” Twilight cut him off, her eyes narrowing. “Ascended? Just what do you mean by that?” Brother Steady-Eye cringed back at Twilight’s suddenly intense stare. “She was made to drink the Elixir of Elevation. It purifies the mind, allowing her to follow the path of light without the distraction of thought. I heard it took four brethren to hold her down before Brother Adeptus could pour it down her...” Brother Steady-Eye snapped his teeth together to stop himself talking. By the unicorn’s expression, he was too late. Turning away from him to face the wall, Twilight didn’t speak for several minutes. The others alternated between looking at her with concern and looking at Brother Steady-Eye like he was something they’d trodden in. Continuing to face the wall, Twilight spoke with a very controlled voice. “So... she was forced to ingest a mind control drug then.” Fluttershy’s wing shot out, stopping Rainbow from taking another step towards Brother Steady-Eye. He shot her with a grateful look for that. The glare she gave him back made him want to crawl into the floor. Looking away, he found Applejack leaning in close to him. The feeling of her hot breath ruffling the fur on his muzzle sent cold shivers down his spine, all the way to the base his tail. Pulling back, he instinctively covered his face with his forelegs. “If it’s her I know where she is! I know where she is!” Through his legs, he glanced at Applejack. “She’ll be in Brother Adeptus private quarters. He’ll be there at the moment and he never goes anywhere without them.” Turning back round to look at him, Twilight took some calming breaths, even so, her right ear kept twitching. “I think Sunbeam should be our first priority girls. If it is a mind control drug, the sooner we can break her out of it, the better. As a provisional plan: first; we go get Sunbeam; second, we go and rescue Greywing; third, we all escape. I see time itself as the limiting factor here. Time until somepony comes to check on us.” Applejack forced a smile at Brother Steady-Eye. “How long we got before somepony comes to check on us?” “W-when the morning wake up call goes off. Almost everypony will be asleep until then. So a-about five - six hours from now.” Twilight fixed the Brother with a resigned look. “I ask this more in hope than expectation. Is it possible that the entrance is only lightly guarded?” Hope shone in his face. “Right now it shouldn’t be guarded too well. I could take you there, you could all walk right out.” Applejack reached over and stroked his cheek. “Oh darlin’ you were doing so well.” Putting a hoof under his chin, she lifted it up. “I can tell you’re lyin’ to me. If we try walking out, we’d just be caught again, wouldn’t we?” He nodded, his face now terror-stricken. “Anything else you’d like to confess, sugar?” “T-they have alarms to wake up the entire complex if needed.” He squeaked. Applejack patted him on the head. He found her smile almost as bad the pink ones. Almost. He could still feel that one. It was still sat on the back of his head like a physical presence. Turning to look would only make it worse. Twilight rubbed her chin. “I say we stay put, we’re relatively safe here for the time being. If two ponies go get Sunbeam, and I doubt she’ll come willingly by the way, I will continue to gather more information.” She turned to the Brother, her gaze hardening. “Applejack here will be confirming everything you say, so please, no more heroics. Or I will be… even more disappointed in you.” - - - - - - - - Sitting outside the door to Brother Adeptus’ private chambers, the Bastion stared blankly at the stone wall opposite. With the cowl on her robe bunched up around her neck, she had been staring at the wall for hours now. A bead of moisture had been slowly forming at the edge of the left eye. It finally grew large enough for it to roll down the cheek, only to be quickly absorbed by the fur. Still looking forward, her right ear suddenly rotated to face down the corridor. She could hear somepony approaching. “All I asked, dear, was if you knew where we were.” “Sugar, I can follow a map. And before you ask, he wasn’t trying to fool us when he drew it, he was too scared and… Sweet Celestia! Partner, I do believe we’re in luck.” “Oh! How wonderful, she’s sitting outside. I honestly thought we were going to have to go into his room to get her. Actually dear, what was your plan if we had to? You never did mention that part.” “C'mon lets go.” “Darling, I feel I must inquire now, what was your plan?” “Shh. Now you know what you have to do partner?” “Yes I do. And I also believe we are going to have to have a serious chat later, about your plan, or the lack thereof... Partner.” The Bastion slowly turned her head to look down the corridor. Approaching her were two mares, a grey unicorn in a blue robe and an orange pony in an orange robe. The orange pony was most likely an earth pony. While the robe could be hiding wings, but she looked too heavily built to be a pegasus. They were a couple of body lengths away now. The unicorn was wearing a blue robe. So that meant... “Now!” The orange one broke into a full gallop, straight at her. Her head pulling back in surprise, she tried to charge up her horn. The orange pony tackled her before she could finish, throwing them both down the corridor. The orange pony ended up on top of her, pinning her down. “The ring sugar, get the ring on her horn!” The unicorn galloped up to them, levitating an inhibitor ring. “Hold her head still!” The Bastion lifted a forehoof, only to have the orange one push it back down on the floor. “Hah, ain’t no unicorn alive that can outfight an ‘Apple’ hoof-to-aaaah!” “Darling! Are you okay?” The orange pony, none-too-gently, shoved the Bastion’s head down to the floor. “Ornery varmint! She only went and stabbed me with her horn... Oh horseapples!” The Bastion’s horn had started glowing. The orange pony lifted the hoof that had been pinning her head to the floor. “Sorry about this sugar.” Her hoof struck the Bastion’s horn. Letting out a whimper, the Bastion’s eyes grew wide as the glow vanished. The orange pony got off her, allowing the Bastion to curl up and cradle her horn. The unicorn winced. “Darling! That was uncalled for, I was about to get the ring on. Poor thing.” The orange pony rubbed the inside of her foreleg where the horn had stabbed her. “Wasn’t gonna risk it. Buck it, that’s gonna bruise. Glad those spikes you’ve got there are blunt sugar.” The unicorn shot a glare at the orange one, before slipping the ring over the Bastion’s horn. She gently stroked the Bastion’s mane. “There, there…” The orange pony rolled her eyes. “Oh come on. She’d have… Oh never mind. I’ll tie her up so we can get her back shall I?” Her expression softened as she looked down at the Bastion. “I hope Twi’s right, that she can get her back. Seeing her like this…” She looked at the door in a calculating manner. The unicorn looked up. “No darling! We leave him alone. He’s a powerful unicorn with three mindless slaves as guards. Getting Sunbeam back is our top priority.” “Shucks, you’re right. It doesn’t feel right though.” She turned to look down at the still whimpering Bastion. “Hogtying time.” She smirked as she leaned towards her. “No critter ever got out of one of my hogties, not without magic. Not even Rainbow.” The unicorn looked up with a fake innocent expression. “Really darling, something you want to share with us... about you tying ponies up?” “I - I... Darn it! Nothing like that. You’ve got a twisted mind there sugar. Now let's get this robe off and…” She tailed off as they both stared at the circle of burnt flesh on one of the Bastion’s flank. The unicorn blinked before turning a venomous look upon the door. The orange one quickly tied the Bastion’s legs together. “Let’s go, before we both go do something we shouldn’t.” The unicorn nodded. “Indeed darling, indeed.” The orange one slung the Bastion over her back, then shifted the weight around to get comfortable. Both took several steps down the corridor before they stopped and looked back at the door. “I still say it doesn’t feel right, just walking away.” “I know darling, I quite agree. But what would you do to him if you got your hooves on him?” “I’d…” The orange one hung her head. “Yes, I’d do the same. Let's go shall we.” - - - - - - - - As the door to the chamber opened, Rainbow jumped forward, a hoof raised. “Oh, it’s you Rares.” Relaxing, Rainbow lowered the hoof. “How’d it go?” “Got Sunbeam right here partner,” Applejack called out from behind a startled looking Rarity. Twilight looked around from Brother Steady-Eye, quill in her mouth and a notepad on the floor. Behind her, Fluttershy was staring at Brother Steady-Eye. In turn, he was staring back at her, his whole body trembling, seemingly unable to break the stare. Rarity tilted her head. “Any problems?” Twilight smiled, putting the quill down. “No, he tried to leave, but Fluttershy persuaded him to stay. Do you know we’re underground? This entire complex was dug, by hoof, into the side of a cliff.” Applejack shifted her weight to keep Sunbeam balanced on her back. “That’s mighty fine sugar, but Sunbeam here has been a mite twitchy for a couple of minutes now. I think we should be dealing with her first.” Twilight glanced at the trussed up pony on Applejack’s back. “Of course Applejack. If you could put her down we can get started.” Applejack gently rolled Sunbeam off her back. As Sunbeam lay on her side, one of the burn marks on her flanks became clearly visible. Twilight wasn’t the only pony that couldn’t help but stare at the burnt flesh where her cutie mark used to be. Twilight turned her head away, trying to ignore the injury. Several deep breaths later she felt calm enough to speak. “Right... From what I’ve learned, sounds like Sunbeam was given, once you ignore all the pomp and ceremony that went with it, just a basic mind control drug. And as all those sorts of things tend to work in the same way, a standard treatment works on all of them.” Twilight turned to Rarity. “The treatment is going to require some magic and that is where I am going to need your help Rarity.” Rarity sat up. “What do I need to do?” “What we need to do is provoke a ‘major emotional response’ in her, this will break the controlling effects of the magic. From what I know of Sunbeam, I think I know just the thing that will work.” Rarity smiled. “Let's do this then darling. I can’t wait to be out of this horrid place.” Twilight turned her head away, her happy expression falling. “Actually girls, I need to tell you all something before we do this.” Twilight shuffled her hooves. “Given our current situation, Rainbow’s damaged wing, my lack of magic, everypony’s generally exhausted state... please nopony deny it, and other factors. All my projected escape scenarios, save one, have low probabilities of success.” She took a faltering breath in. “And the only one I can see succeeding is based on… on…” Twilight closed her eyes. “On utilizing Icefang’s skill set. Her full skill set. From what I can gather...” Twilight pointed to Rainbow and Pinkie. “... Is that she is quite accomplished in covert movement. By that, I mean sneaking. I’m sure that not just anypony can sneak up on Pinkie.” Pinkie nodded enthusiastically. “Oh yes, that was a good prank by the lake that day. The changeling mask was quite realistic. Rainbow squealed...” “I didn’t!” Applejack wrapped a hoof around Rainbow’s neck. “Uh sugar, half the town was there… Yes, yes you did.” Twilight smiled, enjoying the brief feeling of normalcy as Rainbow stuck her tongue out at Applejack. Reluctantly she continued. “With that in mind, her ability to ‘sneak around’, would be invaluable for the rescue of Greywing. Not to mention securing us a safe passage out of here.” Twilight closed her eyes. Her chest felt tight as she considered her next words. “Of course, a likely scenario would be her having to… to…” Twilight swallowed. “Neutralize opposing forces.” She hung her head. “Please understand girls, If we ask her to do this, we will be offering a tacit level of approval of her doing just that. We will have blood on our hooves. I just can’t see any other plan working, not without being dependant on an unacceptable level of luck.” There was silence. “If anypony has got any other ideas, please… say something. I’m willing to consider almost any alternative right about now.” More silence. Twilight’s voice was a whisper. “So, any objections to asking Sunbeam to…?” Rarity stepped forward. “Darling. Having seen what they have been doing here… I have no objections to your plan. In fact, I wish formally second your plan about asking Sunbeam for help.” Rainbow nodded. “Thirded. Besides, I’ve already got blood on...” Fluttershy silenced Rainbow by pulling her into a tight wing hug. “Shhh...” Keeping her wing around Rainbow, she looked around at Twilight. “Sometimes some of my animal friends get hurt, and sometimes with that pain they become dangerous.” There was a sudden hardness in Fluttershy’s voice that the others found uncomfortable. “So to protect the others, I have to act. I accept the necessity of your plan Twilight.” Applejack gave a slight nod. “No objections from me sugar. Seen plenty varmints from the Everfree get in... and just what they can do to livestock when they do. Sorry to say I don’t see these varmints as being any better.” She looked away. “Worse in fact.” They all turned to look at Pinkie. With a straight mane, she stared at the ground, she didn’t look up when she spoke. “I don’t want to lose you girls. I realise what we have to do here, but I want you all to pinkie-promise that you’ll come back.” She looked up and made eye-contact with each of them as she tapped the side of her head. “I mean up here. That we’ll all remember who we are, who we still are. And we’ll remind each other of that... if any of us need it.” She lowered her head. “Sunbeam and Greywing as well. I think they are going to need our support as well. Perhaps more.” Pinkie closed her eyes. ‘I hope I can carry Sunbeam, I hope...’ Pinkie looked up in surprise as five ponies all started reciting the pinkie-promise. Some of her curls returned as she watched them. After the girls had finished, she solemnly recited the pinkie-promise herself before smiling at them. Pinkie turned to Twilight. “We are all here for you Twilight, we are all here for each other. You are not making this decision alone.” She stuck out her tongue. “I’m not letting you. This is our decision. We are all taking an equal load.” Twilight looked around at her friends, each one nodded back to her as she did so. A small smile formed on her face. “Thank you girls.” She could feel her eyes grow moist. “Thank you so much.” Twilight took a breath in. “Now for Sunbeam.” Applejack let out a breath. “About time. Had my hoof on her the whole time tryin’ to keep her still.” Twilight looked around on the floor. “First off we need to blindfold her, where’s the one they used on Fluttershy? Oh and Rarity, this is what I need you to do…” - - - - - - - - The blindfold, that had required two ponies to get on her, was finally removed from over the Bastion’s eyes. Blinking in the light, she looked up. The first thing she saw was an image of Princess Celestia glaring down at her. - - - - - - - - Rainbow peered out the door. Gently closing it, she turned back to the others. “All clear.” Applejack nodded to Rainbow before looking down at the mound of green fur, currently being hugged by Fluttershy and Pinkie. Lowering her head, Applejack spoke quietly. “How you doing partner?” An eye opened. It looked around before fixing on Applejack. “Like I’ve been tortured, turned into a zombie, then revived by somepony who thinks cardiac events are bucking funny!” Applejack gave her a small smile. “Glad to have you back partner.” Placing a hoof into her ear she wiggled it. “And I just wanna say… Oooeee, you got quite the set of lungs on y’ah girl.” “Indeed, I am quite glad that this chamber is soundproofed.” Rarity chipped in. “Yeah, and I thought being at the centre of a sonic rainboom was loud,” Rainbow smirked. “Buck you all.” The eye closed. Despite the bravado, both Fluttershy and Pinkie could feel her heart pounding, the tremors still running through her and the rapid pace of her breathing. Stepping forward Twilight cleared her throat. “Ahem… Sunbeam. How are you? I mean do you feel up to moving around?” There was a slight movement from Sunbeam that both Fluttershy and Pinkie took as a signal to let go. Giving her room, they watched as Sunbeam unsteadily got her hooves ready to catch her if need be. Swaying slightly, Sunbeam lifted a hoof and ran it down the length of her horn. Twilight noted the shiver that ran through Sunbeam when her hoof clicked over the notch in her horn. Looking around the chamber for the first real time, Sunbeam noticed Brother Steady-Eye, cringing in an alcove. Turning her head, she glanced at one of the burn marks on her flank before looking back at him, her eyes narrowing as she did so. Brother Steady-Eye felt his throat become very dry. Apparently losing interest in Brother Steady-Eye, Sunbeam continued looking around the chamber. Her gaze stopped on Brother Constellation’s body, tucked away in an another alcove. Lifting a hoof to point at him she said nothing as she looked from face to face. Only Rainbow met her gaze with a defiant look. Lowering the hoof, her expression changed to one of empathy. Rainbow held her look for a few seconds longer before looking away. Sunbeam took a step towards her. Twilight interrupted. “Umm, Sunbeam… We need to tell you… something. Err...” She tailed off. Sunbeam stopped. Still looking towards Rainbow. Rarity stepped in. “Darling, we need your assistance. We know… ahhh…” Rarity looked away unable to finish. Fluttershy hid behind her mane and said nothing. Rainbow just kept avoiding eye contact. Applejack snorted as she looked at the others. “Okay, looks like I’m gonna be the one to do this then. Sunbeam, ain’t no easy way to say this. So I’m gonna just come right out and say it. We know you’re Icefang. We know what you are.” Sunbeam’s expression didn’t change for a second before spinning round to face Applejack, a look of shock growing on her face. “I… I don’t know what you’re talking…” “Don’t darlin… Don’t.” Stepping backwards, Sunbeam backed into the wall between alcoves. “Sorry sugar, we’ve known since the inn. We were going to wait until we got back to do this, but as things stand, looks like we need to deal with this now.” Looking around, all Sunbeam could see was looks of determination on their faces. She turned her attention to the door to the chamber. ‘I could… A quick dash and…’ Her ears fell to the sides. ‘...And I wouldn’t make it to the door. Not even to the bucking door. Not against the Elements. I… I...’ Twilight took a step towards her. The step echoing in the chamber. Sunbeam spun round to face the wall. ‘I can’t watch. Funny, I - I thought I would’ve been braver than this…’ She could hear another hoof step towards her. Sunbeam found herself studying the pockmarked surface on the stone in front of her in great detail. It had a scratch that ran down the length of it, almost perfectly bisecting the stone. Another scratch, starting halfway up, curved upwards but narrowly missed meeting the first scratch. The air was too dry, she decided. Not only was it was making her throat dry, it was giving her a metallic taste in her mouth. Her left flank itched, just above the burn. ‘Humm, I wonder what spell they used to seal my burns? Healing Hoof’s all purpose spell is a good standby for ponies with limited training, but it wouldn’t work for this kind of burn. So I…’ A hoof fell on her shoulder, causing Sunbeam to flinch at the contact. She could feel the lump in her throat. ‘Please, just make it quick. You said we were friends! Just make it...’ Twilight took a breath. “Icefang, we need your help to get us out of here. Can you assist us in...” - - - - - - - - Laying on the floor Sunbeam glared at Applejack and Rainbow, both with their backs to her, sniggering. Fluttershy’s wing gave her a hug. “There, there. You’ve been through a very stressful time. I’m sure anypony could have just fainted like that.” The sniggering increased. As did the glaring. Twilight gave the two sniggering ponies an annoyed glance before checking over her notes. “Well that’s everything we know Icefang, you have the map and your skill set seems to be ideally suited for this… endeavor.” Sunbeam looked up at Twilight. Twilight could see the question on her face. Twilight sighed. “Reference your entry to Equestria, as soon as I knew you were a fugitive, I realized it was going to be so much easier.” She glared at her. “Yes, easier. Believe it or not, you status as a fugitive is going to actually help your case!” She snorted. “And that’s all down to the fact that there's actually a precedent for this. A wanted fugitive, from another country, helped a noble almost a hundred years ago. As a reward that noble arranged for him to stay in Equestria. And because it was a noble, it gets to stay on the books!” Twilight stamped a hoof. “All because he helped carry some damned nobles' luggage over a river, he got to stay in Equestria, no questions asked.” She snorted again, only this time it was accompanied by a visible puff of steam. “So, all I have to do is throw you my toothbrush, get you to jump over a stream and I can virtually guarantee that you will get to stay in Equestria. Unbelievable isn’t it?” Everypony present had noticed that several strands of Twilight’s mane had started sticking out. Twilight shook her head. “It wouldn’t have mattered how much help you gave, if you had just been a pony that had entered Equestria illegally, I’d still be looking at reams and reams of paperwork. Days and days of interviews, cross examinations, just to let you stay.” Twilight let out a bitter laugh, unaware she was practically shouting now. “But oh no, because you’re a criminal and a precedent is on the books, it’s going to be a case of ‘sign here’ and ‘welcome to bucking Equestria Icefang!’ Twilight threw her hooves in the air and screamed. “Bureaucracy!” Everypony had shuffled a little bit away from Twilight by now, Sunbeam included. Twilight glared down at Sunbeam. Without even realising it, she had started doing the calming exercises Princess Celestia had taught her. Several minutes later, her breathing had almost returned to normal. She pointed a hoof at Sunbeam. “However, Icefang...” Fluttershy felt Sunbeam flinch as they both stared at Twilight. ‘Every time! Every time Twilight uses that name, she flinches.’ Twilight kept pointing at Sunbeam. “...We know that you are a mercenary, a bandit and… and...” Twilight shoulders slumped and she dropped her hoof. Fluttershy could feel Sunbeam start to tremble through her wing. Sunbeam watched Twilight intently. ‘Don’t say Snake, please... Don’t say Snake.’ “...And providing you follow the laws and ordinances of Equestria, it is within my purview to offer you a provisional visa. A full visa will be dependent on the results of an in-depth assessment, to be carried out later. So provisionally, welcome to Equestria Icefang.” Fluttershy could feel Sunbeam’s trembles vanish as quickly as they had come. Sunbeam fought the smile. ‘She didn’t mention Snakes, she didn’t mention… Wait! Could she be messing with me again?’ Twilight shook her head at Sunbeam’s sudden hopeful smile followed by a look of concern. “Yes, the assessment will cover your past actions Icefang. Now I can’t promise that there won’t be any repercussions from that. But what I can tell you is this: that by helping the Element Bearers, on a mission critical to both the Princesses and Equestria, you help your chances immensely. Your actions while in Ponyville, reference getting yourself injured while in defence of foals, will also help.” Applejack spoke up. “Of course darlin, you do realize that there will be a lot of restrictions placed on you in the near future. I can see you having to wear an inhibitor ring and a tracking bracelet for a start.” She shrugged at a scowling Twilight. “Just being honest here, you’re got a lot of ponies to win over again. No matter what recommendations we might give.” Sunbeam nodded. “I can live with that. But please…” Her tone became pleading. “Sunbeam. I’m Sunbeam.” She looked away. “I want to forget Icefang ever existed.” Twilight nodded while flipping a through her notes with a hoof. ‘Got a few questions I will need to ask at the assessment, not right now though, as right now we need her focused. Let's see: Her actions at the Hope’s Hill massacre; how she obtained enough money to buy a house outright in Ponyville; what being a ‘snake’ actually means. The references made to it in the stories were vague; if she’s committed any crimes while in Equestria or against Equestrian citizens...’ Sunbeam pulled herself to her hooves, disrupting Twilight’s train of thought. “Well, it’s time for me to go be a hero I suppose.” She gave Twilight a small smile. “I’m actually looking forward to rescuing Greywing, and gloating ‘quite a lot’ to him afterwards about it.” Twilight raised an eyebrow. Sunbeam waved a hoof. “Fine, I’ll wait until he’s recovered before I start gloating.” She turned to Applejack. “Now, just to show my good intentions.” She looked Applejack in the eye. “I will, to the best of my abilities, secure this facility to enable the rescue of Greywing and our subsequent escape. I will do nothing, knowingly, to endanger anypony in this room. Or Greywing. Or the mission.” She blinked. “How’s that?” Applejack smiled at her “That’ll do sugar. That’ll do.” - - - - - - - - “Hang on Sunbeam.” Twilight trotted out the chamber door and into the corridor with Sunbeam. “I forgot to mention a few things.” She closed the door behind her, leaving them alone. Sunbeam kept looking down at the map, occasionally lifting her head up to look down the corridor. Twilight’s hoof started drawing circles on the floor. “Thanks for doing that with Applejack. It does speak volumes that you did it voluntarily. Anyway Sunbeam… I need to ask you something of you.” An ear swiveled to point at Twilight. “Once we escape the complex, I calculate that we have a high probability of recapture soon after.” Sunbeam’s head lifted up. “Once we get out, we would have no idea where we are, which direction to go, not to mention that none of us are in peak condition right now. They, however, would retain all the advantages of a base of operations, plentiful supplies, knowledge of the local area, numbers, organization and so on. I seriously doubt that we could gain sufficient distance before they started coming after us.” Sunbeam slowly turned her head to look at Twilight. Twilight didn’t look up as her voice started to falter. “While I am willing to share the responsibility for what happens during our escape... W-what I am about to ask, only a princess can ask of a pony.” Twilight’s head dropped, almost touching the floor. “Sunbeam, to maximise our chances of a successful escape, we need to prevent an organized response to it.” Sunbeam watched impassively as Twilight slowly started to cry, forcing the words out. “For that, they're... their command structure, the chain-of-command, it needs to be… needs to be…” Twilight let out a sob. “...Disrupted. You understand? You understand what I’m… I’m asking of you?” Twilight hadn’t noticed Sunbeam walk over to her until she lifted her head with a hoof. Tears were rolling down Twilight’s face. “I’m s-sorry… Sunbeam… I shouldn’t have to ask this of you, of anypony… I shouldn’t have to ask this at all! I’m a terrible pony, I’m a...” Sunbeam gently placed a hoof over her mouth. Twilight, with tears still running down her face, looked back at her. Sunbeam lowered her hoof and after a second, took a sudden step forward, enveloping Twilight in a hug. Twilight started sobbing into Sunbeam’s shoulder. “I’m sorry… I’m sorry…” Sunbeam stared at the wall behind Twilight. ‘Okay practice hugging a pillow helps, but it’s still not quite the same as a real pony. But, I feel progress has been made. That definitely felt more natural than last time. Besides, looked like Twilight really needed a hug right now. Maybe I should comfort her some more?’ “Be thankful Twi, your first time asking this and it’s in defence of friends and country. A totally black and white situation, you couldn’t ask for better circumstances. All the times that follow, when it’s all messy as Tartarus and when whatever you do, ponies are going to get hurt… You can look back to here and now, and know you did the right thing, this one time.” Twilight’s sobs slowed and she became strangely still in Sunbeam’s hug. Breaking the hug, a hoof still on one of Twilight’s shoulders, Sunbeam waved her other hoof in front of her face. Twilight just kept staring off into the distance. “Hey, you okay Twi?” Twilight snapped back to the present. “O-of course. Thank you, Sunbeam.” Twilight’s expression seemed off to Sunbeam for some reason. Nothing she could put her hoof on. Twilight lifted Sunbeam’s hoof off her and turned to the doorway. Stopping, she looked over her shoulder at her. “I promise I will do everything in my power to let you stay in Equestria.” She gave Sunbeam a small, strained smile. Sunbeam nodded back at her. “Thank you.” Twilight walked back into the chamber, as Sunbeam waved to her. The door closed and Sunbeam’s hoof fell. Looking down at the floor she swung her hoof out to the left, then let it swing limply back to the right. “Buck!” Lifting her head, she glared at the door. “I’ve done house-clearance before Twi... it’s not fun! And that was with a team of trained ponies. Trying to clear an entire complex, by myself, is just bucking nuts.” She rubbed her eyes. “Don’t get me wrong Twi. I want to slaughter every mother-bucker in this cluster-bucked place.” She dropped the hoof. “And let’s not forget Master...” Her face twitched. “Brother Adeptus. I really want some quality, one-on-one time, with him. I really do.” She glared at the door again. “But it’s not the sensible thing to do. The sensible thing to do is to cut my losses and get the buck outta here!” She glared at the door some more. “Yet I’m still here. About to do something stupid. Because… because…” Her ears slumped as her eyebrows rose. “I have no idea why!” She tilted her head to one side, studying the door. “What’s worse… I don’t want to do the sensible thing Twi. I want to stay and help you. Even if it is bucking nuts.” Lifting a hoof, Sunbeam angrily jabbed it at the door. “Just what the buck have you done to me Sparkles?” Sitting back on her haunches, she brought both hooves up to rub her eyes. “What have you done to me? It used to be all so clear, so simple. Look out for yourself Icefang.” She looked up over her hooves at the door. “Now it’s all so complicated. You’ve got me worrying about other ponies. Other ponies Twi!” Sunbeam dragged her hooves down over her face. “How did you do that? When did you do that? I never noticed it happening.” Sinking her face into her hooves, she shook her head. “This is sooo gonna get me killed… Oh buck it all!” Falling forward, there were two clicks as Sunbeam’s forehooves hit the floor. “On the off-chance that this works, you will owe me pizza and beers for weeks, do you hear me... weeks. Right, time to focus.” She ran a hoof through her fetlock and took several calming breaths. “Right, I need to remember to do these... Strike from cover and hit ‘em hard and fast. Keep the pressure up, don’t give them time to recover or regroup. Target small groups, rinse and repeat to wear them down. Patience is my friend... Remember it's short periods of boredom, followed by long periods of being dead. Prioritise targets, make sure they stay down… ” She couldn’t help but say the last bit in Silver Strike’s voice. “And damn well remember to keep checking your bucking six Icefang.” She looked along the corridor. “Primary objectives: disrupting the chain-of-command and rescuing Greywing. Greywing isn’t going anywhere. So I can concentrate on the chain-of-command first. The more disruption I cause, the better our chances of our escape. So... I’m looking to maximize casualties overall.” She stared off into the distance. “Most will be sleeping. So that will make it easier.” A few more seconds passed. Her ears fell to the sides. “I’m gonna have to do it, aren’t I?” Sunbeam lowered her head. She was silent for a moment before she sniggered. “Hey, Scrolls... Congratulations! Today I’m going to do it! Today, I finally become the pony that you always wanted me to be.” She sat in silence for a while before lifting her head. Her lips pulled back into a snarl. “And I hope you rot in Tartarus for it!” Sunbeam closed her eyes. “...I’ll save you a place.” She whispered. - - - - - - - - - Pinkie fell to the floor twitching madly. Fluttershy and Rainbow rushed over to help, with Applejack, Rarity and Applejack joining them a few seconds later as they had been busy trying to find out what was wrong with Twilight. Fluttershy stroked Pinkie’s fetlock as the twitches subsided. “Goodness, are you okay Pinkie? That looked like quite the pinkie-sense reaction.” Pinkie looked up, her hair straight and tears in her eyes. “I think something terrible is about to happen...” - - - - - - - - Sunbeam looked up at the sound of the guard’s partner calling out. He was calling out that he should slow down and stop splitting up from him, it was dangerous. She nodded in agreement... and stepped over the body.