Veil awoke with a start, her surroundings seemed unfamiliar before her memory slowly adjusted between reality and dreams. She rubbed her eyes and stared out of the window. It was dark out accept for the moon shinning over the mountain side that greeted her first entrance into the city.
Finally her memory came back to her. She was in the home of yet another guardian, another pony who seemed no different from all the others that for some reason knew more about her than she did herself. Yet Firefly at least gave her some privacy rather than watch her like a hawk. Like those ponies in Appleoosa. The stigma of being a changeling had somehow ingrained a sense of prejudice in that family that Veil neither wanted nor cared for.
She climbed from her bed and made for the door. Her balance was off and she had to support herself on the side of the bedpost. She hadn't slept very well, her thoughts before drifting to sleep became her dreams. Rather her nightmares. Her pause in movement allowed her to hear voices on the other side of her door. One sounded like Firefly’s, the other was unfamiliar. They sounded rather tense. Veil silently opened her door and crept into the dark hallway, the only source of light was coming from the kitchen, the same place as the voices.
“So you were spying on her?” asked Firefly.
“It was only because Black Hooves asked me to pay closer attention to her daily routine,” replied the other voice, a stallion. “Besides, he at least seemed to take what I saw seriously. Not to mention the fact that spying on them is pretty much our job.”
Veil continued along the wall side, the sound of Black Hooves’ name being used had peeked her interest. The kitchen had come into view and she could see Firefly standing behind the bar, facing a white stallion who sat on one of the stools on the opposite side.
“I was the one who suggested you talk to him,” she said, looking annoyed. “If I didn’t take you seriously I would have laughed your flank out of that bar.”
The stallion hung his head slightly. “Sorry I… I guess I just had a shit day.”
“It’s okay, Hat,” she said, resting a hoof on his. “I know how seeing Dash with another stallion must feel.”
The stallion named Hat pulled his hoof away abruptly. Firefly lifted hers up and back on the ground, looking slightly hurt.
“This isn’t about jealousy! I was just shocked that I could miss something as important as a potential love interest.” He raised his head and looked straight at her, “and I don’t have feelings for Rainbow Dash!”
Firefly rolled her eyes. “Who are you trying to convince? Me or yourself? I can see it written all over your face.”
“I…”
“Its psych 101. You spend as much time as you do watching another pony, especially one like her, and it’s bound to make you feel something for them. They become your life. Look what happened to Hiero. Not three months of acting as Rarity’s protector and Triage had to sit him down and talk sense into him before he stormed into her boutique and confessed his undying love.”
Hat remained quiet for a second before sneering slightly. “I never knew about that…”
Firefly didn't look amused. “Oh, so you find that funny? Mr. ‘I twitch violently every time I hear Rainbow Dash’s name’?”
Hat stopped grinning and sunk his head back down. “Okay fine. She’s stunning, and I care… deeply… for her.” He lifted his head back up, “twitch violently? Do I really do that?”
“No,” she replied with a grin. “But you’re not far off. I suppose I can give you one for self-restraint.”
“I reckon you can,” he whispered cheekily, giving her a naughty look.
“Hat,” she said, looking away “I…”
Veil shifted in the dark and caught the attention of Firefly’s waning gaze. “Oh…” she squeaked, staring at her in surprise. “Veil.”
Hat turned in his stool, looking at the pony in the dark then back to Firefly.
“H-hi…” stammered Veil, nervously.
Hat stared at Veil. “Who’s this?”
Firefly trotted past Hat, towards Veil and smiled. “I’m glad you’re awake. There’s somepony I’d like you to meet.”
Veil cautiously stepped out of the hallway and into the kitchen with Firefly as Hat sat in mute surrender, his face turning steadily cherry coloured.
“Oh dear sweet Celestia,” he moaned. “This isn't the moment where I’m introduced to… our daughter, is it?”
Firefly looked aghast as Veil stared up at her with a confused expression on her face.
“O-our?” she stuttered, becoming embarrassed. “Oh… No… dear merciful Luna, no. Hat. If we… If we had a daughter I would have told you so years ago. No… You stupid stallion. Besides. If we had a daughter she would be a lot younger than this little filly. No, this is Misty Veil. I’m looking after her for… well, Black Hooves.”
Veil waved her hoof awkwardly at Hat.
“Oh, thank… thank both goddesses,” he sighed, wiping his mane from his eyes. “I don’t know what I’d have done if you’d dropped that one on me.”
“I’d drop more than that on you, you ass,” she replied, her horn glowing slightly. “Get your mind out of the gutter for a second, you’re making a terrible first impression!”
“Sorry, Fly.” Hat climbed off the stool and raised a hoof to Veil. “Pleasure to meet you, miss.”
Veil shook his hoof lightly but said nothing. Firefly turned to the kitchen and busied herself with making a quick meal in an effort to recompose after Hat’s bombshell, leaving him and Veil standing awkwardly behind her.
“Soo…” he began, looking down at Veil. “You know Black Hooves?”
“Yes. I did,” she replied.
“You did?” he asked back.
“Yes. He used to look after me then he abandoned me.”
Her terse response left Hat feeling more awkward than he had felt in a long time. True, he was prying, and whatever business Black Hooves had with firefly concerning this filly quite frankly didn’t concern him. No, all he felt like doing right now was burying his head in the stove.
“Ahh… okay,” he replied, shifting his gaze to the ceiling. “He’s my boss.”
“He’s Firefly’s boss too.”
“Veil would you be a dear and close the curtains in the lounge for me?” Firefly asked abruptly.
“Okay.” Veil turned and trotted out of the kitchen, towards the living area and out of earshot.
“You’re looking after her for Black Hooves?” Hat asked, turning his gaze away from the filly as she left and back to Firefly. “Is she like an asset or something?”
“Something like that,” she replied quickly, but her thoughts were elsewhere. “Hat, what made you say something like that? Do you honestly believe I would keep something like a possible child between us a secret?”
“Since yesterday, I haven’t seen you in over three years,” he answered. “We live in the same city but avoided each other ever since… ever since… I just got a fright, okay?”
She began putting together a hay sandwich for Veil and an awkward silence fell upon them. Firefly used the time to consider her words. Finally, she put the sandwich on a plate and turned to face him.
“I am trying very hard not to think about those days,” she said, looking him dead in the eyes. “Not because I regret it, but because I don’t. Because for three years I've put off trying to say the things I wanted to say to you. I thought, maybe, you weren't ready. That loosing your family would have made it hard for you to be with me. Then you come in here and whine about your affections for Rainbow Dash and how sad it is that she has a lover. I could deal with that. I can even deal with your subtle flirtations but dropping a question like that, in front of Veil, makes me think that all I ever was, was a mistake to you.”
Hat dropped his jaw, completely taken aback by the sudden spill of her true feelings at such a weird time. But he wasn't about to give into this.
“I came here for advice,” he responded, coolly. “Not to whine. I don’t care who Rainbow Dash is bucking. I just didn’t understand how I could miss something like that. Yeah, I care for her, I may even want her. But it ain't realistic. I guess coming to you for help was a mistake.”
“You-“
“It’s getting late,” he cut across her. “I think I better get going.”
He turned on his hoof and trotted out of the kitchen and towards the front door. Firefly didn’t protest to this and remained quiet as she listened to him open and shut her door before dropping her face into her hooves.
“So stupid…” she moaned. “Why did I say that? Why?”
“Firefly?” the timid sound of Veil’s voice flowed into the kitchen. “Are you okay?”
Firefly stood herself up and took a breath. “Yes, Veil. I’m okay,” she smiled at her. “Come! I made you something to eat. You look famished.”
Veil trotted towards Firefly as she levitated the plate towards her.
“Would you like to sit with me while I eat?” Veil asked hopefully.
“Of course.”
The pair headed out of the kitchen and towards the lounge, the curtains now fully closed. Firefly climbed onto her couch and curled her tail around her forehooves staring at the curtains thoughtfully. Veil sat on the couch next to her and began to nibble on her sandwich, all of a sudden not feeling as hungry as she did a few moments ago.
“Why did he leave so quickly?” Veil asked curiously.
“Urgent matters,” Firefly replied.
Veil stopped eating and gazed at her. The unicorn looked so pretty curled on her couch, playing with her long white tail. She was lonely, Veil knew this, and it seemed that much of it had something to do with that pony called Hat. Come to think of it, he seemed like a very lonely pony too. He mentioned something about another pony called Rainbow Dash. Hadn't Fluttershy said she was her friend? Thinking of Fluttershy all of a sudden made Veil feel lonely too. Maybe, she thought, if she asked nicely she may get to see the yellow pegasus again.
“You said Hat ‘watches’ Rainbow Dash... Why?" Veil finally asked, breaking the silence.
“No idea,” Firefly lied. “I guess it’s a task the director gave him. We aren't supposed to talk about work.”
“Oh. Well, he seems sad,” Veil said, accepting Firefly’s story.
“Hat?” Firefly looked at Veil curiously. “What makes you say that?”
“Changelings can feel the emotions of other ponies,” Veil answered. “It helps them take on their form easier. For me it’s more difficult, I wasn't born a changeling. It’s more like just a feeling I get when I meet a pony.”
“Must be nice. You can almost tell who you can trust,” said Firefly.
“No. I thought I could trust Black Hooves,” said Veil sadly.
Firefly kept quiet at this. The idea of speaking about Black Hooves on a personal level seemed odd to her. She had never thought of the director as anything other than her boss. The words ‘compassion’ and ‘father figure’ weren't exactly phrases she associated with him. But somehow, for some reason and for some purpose he had nurtured a kind of connection with the pony beside her. Even though it all ended bitterly, he had put a lot of effort into her keeping her safe. Why?
“Hat lost his family,” she replied, steering the conversation away from the director. “Years before I met him. He had a wife and filly that were killed by intruders while he was away doing agency work. I don’t know the full story but considering it’s been over seven years since it happened, I’m surprised he’s managed to keep himself together for so long.”
“That’s horrible!” Veil could sympathize with him. “It doesn't ever go away. You dream about the ones you lose for the rest of your life.”
“I know,” said Firefly. “It’s why, no matter what he does, says or implies, I will never hold it against him. I love that pony with all my heart.”
“You love him?” Veil asked with interest. “Is that why he asked if I was his child? You two were… together?”
“We were once. We started working together in the field and we began to rely on each other. Soon it turned into love, for me anyway. But when things became too serious he stopped it dead in its tracks and we parted ways.” Firefly felt herself begin to tear up. “I only found out he had a family after he left me. Goddess, I was furious. But soon I began to understand. We met up a few times afterwards and decided to stay friends. Although that quickly turned into years of hardly talking at all.”
“And now he’s back?” Veil questioned. “Why?”
“We saw each other yesterday at the arena before the Wonderbolt show. I was there to… um… see the show, as was he, I guess.”
Firefly was coming awfully close to revealing her role as a protector. Perhaps it was because in all her years of watching Twilight she had never actually sat and spoken to somepony so openly before. The realization that in five years she hadn't spoken about anything other than formal work related topics shocked her.
“You just bumped into him?” Veil pushed further.
“Yeah... After that he called me up again.”
“What for?”
“Well, I probably shouldn't say this but, he swore he saw something in the crowds.” Firefly had lent closer to Veil as if she was about to spill the beans on some major gossip.
“What do you mean?” Veil asked, bending forward as well.
“Some sort of giant black alicorn caught his attention during Rainbow Dash’s sonic rainboom.”
“What?” Veil felt a shiver run down her spine. It couldn't be. Did Firefly just say what Veil thought she did? Nopony knew about what that creature looked like. Veil had never mentioned it. The mere thought of it lurking in Canterlot dissolved any form of security she felt here with Firefly.
“Sounds a bit crazy, doesn't it?” said Firefly.
“No,” Veil replied tensely. “What else did he tell you about it?”
Firefly studied Veils sudden change in behavior. Something was off, she had become tense in mere seconds of hearing about the alicorn. “Not much else,” she answered. “Veil, are you okay?”
Veil looked into Firefly’s eyes, biting her lip. “What if I told you that what Hat saw was real?”
“I would ask you why you would say that.” Firefly knew exactly where this was going.
“He saw what my queen described as The Ancient,” said Veil. “The very same monster that killed her, destroyed my hive and ignored me. The reason why I’m alive is probably because it sensed I wasn't truly a changeling.”
The sudden wave of honesty spilled from from Veil before she even knew what she was saying. For years she kept this quiet, not even uttering a word of it to Black Hooves. But now there was a sense of urgency. She felt panicked and the idea of just sitting here talking was making her restless. It was out for blood, it will kill again.
Firefly uncurled from her couch and moved towards her. “Are you absolutely certain of this, Veil?”
“Yes!” Why was Firefly even doubting her?
“Okay,” she began. “We need to think our next steps through. I will have to contact Black Hooves. Unfortunately, that will have to wait until morning.” She cut across Veil before she could object. “I realize this must be hard for you, but all we have to go on is something Hat saw that might be this… this ancient. We can’t act on anything until we have proof.”
“I… I suppose you’re right,” Veil murmured, with a resigned sigh. “But, promise me you won’t let what happened to me happen again.”
“I promise you, Veil. We will contain this situation,” answered Firefly, assuredly.
Firefly had no idea how wrong she would be.
***
Black Hooves hated pomp and splendor. The thought of traveling everywhere with an announcer crying your name to the masses and grand entrances was an outdated fashion, even for of a pony of his standing. To have the ear of Her Royal Majesty was to be somepony worthy of that sort of attention, however, and it became more of hindrance as time went by. Not to mention the fact that being a pony in his line of work required a certain level of discretion that most failed to understand or see. So once again he found his visit to the palace throne room heralded to all who would hear before he could even gaze up at the Princesses themselves.
“May I present to Her Royal Majesties, Sir Black Hooves; Royal Adviser to the court and Protector of National Security!”
Black Hooves smiled weakly as he stepped through the double oak doors and towards the throne. Like everywhere else in the palace, the throne room was a marvel to behold, if not more so. The pristine white marble pillars, the ostentatious designs of the white stone floor and the ever constant shimmer of sunlight that beamed delicately through the stained windows behind the throne cast an aura of regal, if not godlike, power.
Black Hooves let his gaze fall upon the two most powerful ponies in Equestria. Luna and Celestia. Celestia’s beauty was always breath tacking, her magically flowing multi-coloured mane and her broad and powerful wings always made Black Hooves feel small.
“Thank you,” Celestia began, with a smile. “Black Hooves, it’s an honor to finally see you back at court.”
Black Hooves bent both his forehooves and lowered his head into a bow. “The honor is always mine Your Majesties.”
“Please, my dear friend,” Celestia said, still beaming at him. “There is no need for such formalities among us.”
“As you wish.” Black Hooves stood back up and began to walk steadily towards the staircase leading to the throne. “I do not wish to impede on your affairs dear highnesses. But I come to seek a private audience with you, my Princess.” His gaze falling upon Celestia.
Throughout his trek to the throne, Luna remained silent. She surveyed him with an unreadable expression, at times glancing towards Celestia for a brief moment before resting her eyes upon him once again.Black Hooves knew that Luna and Celestia kept secrets from each other, it was only natural. It appeared Luna’s involvement with the changeling had gone completely unnoticed by her sister, he could see it in her eyes. It mattered little, his business was with Celestia, not her devious younger sibling.
“I would be happy to grant your request, dear Black Hooves,” Celestia replied. “Of course I would have to ask my sister to hold court during my absence.”
Gazing at Luna briefly, she descended the stairs and came to a halt in front of the director. “I always make time for my... Old friends.”
Luna silently obeyed her sister, her gaze still upon Black Hooves as they turned to exit the throne room through one of the side doors.
“I don’t presume to take much of your time, my Princess,” Black Hooves began as the door closed behind them and they entered a corridor leading towards the upper palace. “But something… something dire has caught my attention and I believed you would need to hear this.”
“Of course,” she replied, staring ahead of her. “Say no more. We shall speak when we reach my room.”
“I assume this is some secret passage?” inquired Black Hooves.
Celestia’s larger form seemed to move quite nimbly through the narrow hallway. A smile stretched across her muzzle. “Sometimes, I too wish to move around without being noticed by everypony.”
He remained silent at this. The Princess always had the uncanny ability of reading one’s mind. The pair continued to move silently through the passage, up a flight of spiral stairs and towards what seemed to be a conjunction of passages all leading in separate directions.
“It’s a network,” Black Hooves confirmed more than inquired. “I knew the palace had one, I had never expected it to be so…"
“So intricate?” Celestia offered, turning towards the passage on her right and leading him towards the far end. “Its ancient, this passage. Used long before teleportation spells were invented. Here.”
They arrived at a stone wall at the end of the passage that clearly seemed like a dead end. Celestia’s horn began to glow and the wall simply vanished revealing a side entrance into her quarters.
Like Luna’s, Celestia’s quarters were lavishly decorated. The same four poster bed raised on a dais, the same wooden teak flooring and even the same heavy curtains that hung weightily from the ceiling. Perhaps the only difference was the size of her room in comparison. It was larger, even brighter. Where Luna kept her room dark and ostracized from the world, Celestia’s was open and welcoming.
“I assumed you’re quarters would have been in one of the towers, your majesty,” Black Hooves noted, stepping past Celestia and viewing the surroundings.
“Sounds romantic, doesn't it?” she chided. “A Princess at the top of her tower… waiting for her one true love?” she laughed at her own joke. “No. I prefer it here in one of the wings. Less stairs to climb.”
Black Hooves remained silent at this. It was not the first time he been in this room with her and being alone with her in here once more was starting to make things uncomfortable for him. But it was necessary and it was time to start getting to the point of his visit.
“But I believe you have something you wish to speak to me about, Mr. Director,” Celestia said, once again giving Black Hooves the impression that she could read minds. She walked towards one of her windows and stared out of it as if to contemplate the answer to a question she already knew was coming.
“Your highness,” he began.
“Please, Black Hooves,” she interrupted. “You’re one of my closest advisers and… a friend. Call me Celestia like you used to. I don’t enjoy being placed on a pedestal as much as I have to be.” She turned her neck to one side to glance at him before turning back to face the window.
“Yes,” he responded with a sigh. “I… don’t really know where to begin but years in my position has granted me access to things that nopony could ever lay their eyes on in a hundred years of searching. Things that I have found equally as fascinating as they are disturbing. Things that I have come to realize would shatter the very framework of what our society thinks of its monarchs… well. You.”
It was Celestia’s turn to remain silent. She stood as still as a statue, her flowing mane being the only thing that continued to move. Black Hooves moved closer to her, completely taken aback by how daunting the prospect of questioning her was becoming. But he had to keep going. No matter how much he feared, respected and even loved her, he needed answers. He needed to hear them from her own muzzle.
“There is an ancient tome written by a... scholar... long dead that I am proud to have possession of,” he continued. “It describes the various myths and legends that surround the… creation theory or our origins. Beyond just Equestria, but of everything. The scholar, I believe, scoured the lands in order to make sense of all the folk myths of ancient times that could lead to a more concrete answer. Time and again, one such theory seemed to string many of them together.
The theory speaks of a Goddess who was there at the dawn of time. From Chaos and nothingness, she created harmony and order. She created our land, the sun, the moon. She presided over them both until the chaos of old returned with a vengeance. Some sort of battle ensued and it ended with her being victorious. Chaos was given form and imprisoned by the Goddess.
That’s the short version anyway. My interest lies solely upon the form that chaos was given. Each myth named it something unique but the scholar named it The Ancient. A creature given the form of a dark alicorn with a blade shaped horn and unspeakable power. The antithesis of the Goddess.”
Celestia turned towards Black Hooves with somber look on her face. “I know of this myth, dear Black Hooves. I sense, however, there’s more to this than a simple history lesson.”
“I believe you recall the incident that happened five years ago?” Black Hooves continued, beginning to pace. “The changeling hive that was decimated?”
Celestia lowered her head and shut her eyes. “I do. All too well.”
“Well I believe I know what was responsible,” he said. “The Ancient.”
Celestia cocked her head in disbelief. “I hope you have more to go on than assumptions.”
“I do,” he replied.“I have a survivor of the attack whom, despite my best efforts, hasn't divulged much. But the ancient texts speaks of its disdain for the changeling race. In a thousand years they have remained untouched until then. The way in which their queen was murdered, the act of genocide and… recent eye witness accounts of this creature near the area as well as an account from my own agent here in Canterlot itself has lead me to believe it has to be real.”
Celestia had a strange look on her face. At first it seemed she was considering what he had said, then her expression almost seemed resigned.
Black Hooves continued in an almost liturgical fashion. “In all my years of director nothing has been quite as clear to me as this. This… this leads me to the point of my coming here.” He stopped pacing and gazed over at Celestia. Her ability to fathom what he was about to say was evident on her face. “If The Ancient is real, so too is this Goddess. If that’s case, that means that neither you nor your sister are who you claim to be. If she is responsible for the sun and the moon, then where do you and Princess Luna fit in?”
Black Hooves felt almost ashamed for asking such an impertinent question, but Luna and Celestia had always been the deities of Equestrian society. Their immortality had elevated them to the level of divinity. Where they not always there? Had they not shown a godlike understanding of their magical powers? But where they truly Goddesses?
“Sit down, Black Hooves”, she finally answered, inclining her head towards a chair beside the fireplace. “I ask only that you listen and not interrupt me until I am done. Will you do me that courtesy?”
Black Hooves nodded and did as she asked. He sat and waited for her to join him, unsure of what it was he would hear, if it was even his place to hear it.
“It has been a long time coming, my old friend,” she said with a sigh. “It is time I told you everything.”