Chapter 37
“I can’t believe she kept something like this…”
Sweetie Belle stared down at the old photograph she had found in Twist’s quarters, only vaguely aware that she was smiling at the scene depicted on the image. Other than this photograph, Twist’s room was as barren as the emotion the red head had normally displayed. The room had very little in the way of personal touches with nothing done to mold the room to suit her tastes, making it look much more like a hotel room rather than somepony’s personal living quarters. A few spare arrows, one of which had a hairline crack running up the shaft, were leaning in the corner next to a writing desk that, going by the thin layer of dust on it, had never once been used. An empty dresser was beside the desk with nothing on top but a solved Rubik’s cube and a few empty candy wrappers, and across the room from that was a bed that looked like it had never once been made. The closet only held three identical outfits along with a t-shirt that must have been a gift from Daydream: it was stylized to resemble the label of a hazardous chemical with the slogan “Irritant: DO NOT TOUCH!” and still had all the tags hanging on it.
“Look how little I was…” she said softly as she traced the tip of her hoof over the image of the little pale gray unicorn that would one day grow up to be her.
Sweetie Belle was lost. Everything had all gone bad so quickly that it felt as if her life had come crashing to a halt and she simply didn’t know what to do or think anymore. She had spent the entire day aimlessly wandering the mines and the quaint little underground town she had helped create for her diamond dogs, and then had slumped around her own quarters trying to find a way to fill the void. She eventually wandered into Twist’s room and, much to her surprise, had found a photo of the two of them along with a young Apple Bloom and Scootaloo. Even with all the years that had passed she immediately recognized it: Diamond Tiara’s cute-ceañera where the trio had first met. She had stared down at it for so long she had lost track of time.
“Why did you two have to come back?!” she lamented, thinking about her last meeting with them. She growled and swatted the photo from the table, and sat down on the foot of the bed. “You two should have never come back. I never wanted to see either of you again.” Sweetie Belle just stared down in silence, not even thinking anymore, and just wallowing in self-pity. “Who am I kidding?” she said softly as she picked the photo up and placed it back where she had found it, “I missed you two so much…”
As she left the room she flinched at the sound of a voice. “Miss Belle,” said Camélia, who had apparently been waiting patiently outside of the room, “Forgive me, I did not want to interrupt.” He held out a handkerchief and turned his head to pretend he didn’t notice the tears in her eyes.
“Camélia?” said Sweetie Belle with a sniffle, “I thought you and Daydream left before sunset.”
A rare break in Camélia’s professional visage came in the form of a smirk. “That was the intention, Miss Belle. However, Ms. Daydream got roped into a game of fetch with several of the diamond dogs.”
Sweetie Belle sighed as she gave the handkerchief back, wishing she could find the same level of joy in chasing a tennis ball that those dogs could. “You didn’t join in?”
“No, Miss Belle. Personally I am a stallion of the Frisbee,” he said with another faint smirk, “But all mirth aside, there are a couple of visitors here to see you in the main hall. They seem quite adamant in speaking to you about what they claim are ‘serious matters’, though if you wish I could shoo them away.”
Another heavy sigh came from the pale gray mare, “No, I had better see what is so serious.”
As Sweetie Belle approached the hall she could hear one of her visitors. “I said knock it off!!!” one of them bellowed in a heavy Manehattan accent, “He ain’t done nothin’ to any of you! Next one what gets outta line losses all their teeth, we clear?!”
Sweetie Belle broke into a jog and entered to find two ponies surrounded by sever angry diamond dogs. One of them, a young-looking blue stallion, was trembling with fear and cowering beneath his rather large companion. The companion, a tall and muscular mare, held herself low to protect him and was just barely holding herself back from making good on her threat; one of the dogs was looming close, bearing his teeth and growling low in his throat at the terrified stallion.
“Stop it!!! What’s gotten into you?!” Sweetie Belle yelled angrily to the dogs who all leaped back and, after a brief sheepish look her way, all hurried out of the hall. “I am so sorry,” she said to her visitors, “I swear I’ve never seen them act that way before.”
“It's fine,” said the big mare who stood up and coaxed the still-shaken stallion out from under her, “thanks.” The stallion said nothing; he merely stared up at the mare in silent awe as if he was genuinely surprised she had defended him like that.
“So,” said Sweetie Belle as she eyed the pair up and down, “I understand there is something ‘serious’ you wish to speak to me about.”
“Sweetie Belle, we’re inspectors with the Canterlot Criminal Investigation Department,” said the mare as she held out a badge that bore the department’s insignia.
Sweetie Belle wasn’t impressed. “And?”
“I’d like for you to answer some questions for me, if—”
“Oh, knock it off,” said Sweetie Belle with a roll of her eyes, “Just spare me the rhetoric—”
“I heard growling and yelling; what happened?!” said a panicked Daydream as she burst into the room and froze as a huge smile spread across her face. “Friends of yours, Lambkins?”
“Used to be,” said Sweetie Belle. “Right, Babs?”
Daydream’s expression turned remorseful as she spotted the badge and sensed the apparent animosity in Sweetie Belle’s tone. “Perhaps then… you two should be alone, yes?” She trotted up to the little blue stallion and leaned down. “Hi!” she said cheerfully, “Let’s give these two some privacy, ‘k? Come on, cuddle bug, we’ll have some tea and cake!”
The stallion shot an alarmed look at Babs, who looked back and spoke softly almost like a mother would, “It’s okay,” she said, “you can trust her. I’ve heard all about her.”
Sweetie Belle watched Daydream drag her latest victim to the dungeon of tea and pointless stories, waiting until the two of them were alone. “He seems a bit… young to be an inspector.”
“He’s what you’d call a… specialist.”
“Whatever,” said Sweetie Belle, forcing herself to sound civil to her old friend, “It has been a very long time, hasn’t it?”
“Yeah,” said Babs as she removed her hat and wiped sweat from her brow, “How many years has it been, anyway?”
“Too many for mindless pleasantries,” Sweetie Belle said curtly. She couldn’t help but see the face of Twist’s murderer contorted into that cruel sneer as the fatal blow was delivered whenever she looked into her old friend’s eyes; every word her old friend said was accompanied by the cackling laugh made as the murderer flew out through the skylight. She wanted nothing more than to watch her dogs grab Babs and hurl her outside, preferably into a nice fresh mud puddle, but if she played her cards right she might be able to milk some answers about Twist. She strode to her chair and kicked a pillow to the ground at Babs’ hooves, and tossed herself into the comfortable seat. “If you don’t mind I am rather busy. You said something about some questions?”
Babs expression filled with sorrow, as if she had been expecting something more of a reunion, as she gently took a seat on the pillow she had been given. “You’re not under arrest or in trouble or anythin’. Let me make that real clear first of all. Before I ask anythin’ else, though, you’ve heard of a group called the ‘Rainbolts’, right?”
Sweetie Belle scoffed at the rather dumb question. Though public opinion of them varied wildly from terrorists to revolutionaries, most ponies had heard of them: a group of rejects and outcasts that were obsessed with bring down the Queen’s reign over Equestria but had barely managed to accomplish anything. Personally, Sweetie Belle held a rather low opinion of them; their dedication to their hopeless cause had gone far beyond the point of admiration and made them rather pitiful in her eyes. “Of course I have.”
“Yeah,” said Babs with a solemn nod. “They’ve been quiet as of late. Real quiet. Personally, I had hoped it meant their group had fallen apart or disbanded. That’d be real nice, but then everythin’ started to go to pot all at once outta nowhere.”
“…Like?”
“It don’t matter,” said Babs flatly, “I just wanna ask if you’ve come into contact with anypony you think may have ties with them?”
“No,” said Sweetie Belle. As things stood right now she refused to believe Twist had any ties with that group despite that mottled sword-carrying degenerate and the smooth-talking mustachioed goof that had popped up the other day.
Babs took a small notepad from the drab saddlebag she wore and quickly began to write. “Anypony, then?” she said with the pen still clenched between her teeth, “Any unusual, unexpected, or unwanted visitors?”
“We’ve had a lot lately it seems,” said Sweetie Belle in a tone that dripped with anger. “Between airponies here to do wet work and the other half of the Cutie Mark Crusaders both popping up out of nowhere, it’s been a real busy week.”
The pen fell to the stone floor with a soft clack. “‘Other half?’” said Babs Seed in a surprised voice, “You mean… Do you mean Scootaloo’s alive as well? You saw her?! Is she okay?!”
Although ‘okay’ isn’t the word Sweetie Belle would choose, she nodded nevertheless with a cold sneer. “So you knew about Apple Bloom already. Let me guess, Inspector: you were the one tracking her after she did whatever she did to tick you guys off, right?”
Babs Seed’s ears drooped down over the sides of her guilty face, answering Sweetie Belle’s question. “I… I didn’t know it was her…”
“Like it would have mattered to you,” snarled Sweetie Belle.
“Course it does!” roared Babs as she punched the ground in anger, leaving a crack in the stone. “I’m tryin’ to HELP PONIES!!! Not sittin’ in here on my rump pretendin’ the rest of the world doesn’t exist anymore! I’m only one mare; there’s only so much I can do! Least I’m still tryin’! I haven’t given up on ponies to sit here surrounded by those dogs and lettin’ my rear end grow to fit a nice comfy chair!!!”
“How dare you?!” spat Sweetie Belle. “How dare you march in here like this after everything that’s happened and claim you want to ‘help’ ponies! I know all about what you did in the Crystal Empire! The unit you served with! You were the ones who destroyed the Crystal Heart!”
“They started that war!” growled the huge mare with low controlled fury, “We had no choice but to—”
“—doom their entire country in the process,” interrupted Sweetie Belle, “and force them to flee to parts unknown just to stay alive.”
“What would you have done?” asked Babs angrily, “sit back and let them bring the fight to us? You’re right Sweetie, I was there. I saw the force they were musterin’ to invade us with. I almost died fightin’ them and…” she went quiet and held a hoof over a scar on her belly, “No. Fine. Go ahead. Blame me for everythin’ bad that’s happened. I don’t care anymore! Sweetie Belle, I gotta do somethin’ about all this before it gets any worse. Ponies are dying, Sweetie. It’s only gonna get worse.”
“So why come to me?” said Sweetie in a cold tone, “Why would you think I’d get off my apparently growing rump to come and help you?”
“I’m not here for your help,” said Babs, “I’m here to help. Look, I get that we ain’t friends anymore, right? Rifts form and friendships end. Sad as it is that’s life. I still care about you though, Sweetie. I don’t see us meetin’ in the bar to shoot pool anytime soon, but I still wanna keep you safe. I’ll be blunt: I think you’re in danger.”
Although she was still angry, Sweetie Belle’s eyebrow rose in morbid curiosity. “Fine,” she said with a shrug as she dropped back into her chair once more, “I’ll bite. What’s on your mind, Babs?”
“I can’t tell you much. Ongoin’ investigation and all. This group I think is tryin’ to gather up the Elements of Harmony. I’m worried they’re gonna target you to get the one your sister had. They mean business too, Sweetie; you know what Silver Spoon grew up to be, right? They hired her and sent her marchin’ right into the palace to target our princess.
Sweetie Belle found herself smiling at such a thought. She had heard about Silver Spoon, the once schoolyard bully with a bad attitude from a foppish rich family whose only real talent in life seemed to be causing trouble for others. She had recently resurfaced and gotten quite good at weaponizing that talent to become a rather notorious thief and all-around reprobate willing to do just about anything for a bag of bits.
“Yeah, it’s real funny,” said Babs sarcastically, having picked up on the smile. “Now you ain’t exactly the most flexible of ponies. No offense. What happens if they decide the easiest way to get what they want outta you is to pull some lunatic out of the bag and aim them at you?” A hint of unsettled desperation rose in her voice as she continued, “Sweetie, I even have a few guards waitin’ on the zeppelin. They’re good friends of mine and you can trust ‘em; with your permission I’d like to post ‘em here as protection—”
“I’m not having them set hoof in this place,” said Sweetie Belle, “Not after what happened to… to…” she slowly trailed off as a rather chilling realization hit her. Twist. Ever since the funeral Sweetie Belle had been haunted by the troubling suspicion that Twist had been doing ‘jobs’ on the side for extra money, though even if it was true she still felt as if Twist had been a true friend who she could trust.
There’s no way she was here for that…
Babs Seed immediately picked up on her apprehension. “Sweetie Belle, if there’s somethin’ you wanna tell me, it will be just between you and me.”
“Just go,” said Sweetie Belle as she fought off tears.
“Sweetie Belle!”
“Get out!!!” screeched Sweetie Belle as she began to sob loudly, “Just get out of my life and never come back!!!”
“Lambkins!!!” called Daydream as she hurried down the hall and into the room, followed by the little blue stallion. “Lambkins, no… don’t cry…” she said softly as she stood in front of Babs Seed and put a hoof on the big mare’s chest. “I think you had better leave.”
“Sweetie, please!” Babs said frantically as she tried to push past Daydream, “You gotta listen to me!”
“That is quite enough,” said Daydream in a forceful yet still soft tone as she tried to lead Babs toward the exit, “I’m asking you politely to please leave.”
“Get your hooves off ‘a me!!!” roared Babs as she reared back and put all of her weight into a fierce haymaker to Daydream’s face—
THUD!!!
Daydream might as well have been a stone statue; she hardly even flinched. There was no pain at all in her face, just a look of complete wide-eyed surprise as Babs Seed shakily lowered her hoof. “OWWWWWWWW!!!” whined Daydream like a little foal who had just been pinched by a sibling, “What was that for?!” She rubbed her cheek dramatically while Babs Seed took a step back, clearly caught off-guard and even a bit intimidated. Daydream took a step to close the distance and once again laid a hoof on Babs’ chest, and spoke in such a calm and friendly tone that it was a bit creepy, “Now, I would really appreciate it if you would please leave.”
Babs gave a longing, defeated look over her shoulder at Sweetie Belle and affectionately swatted her companion on the shoulder. “Let’s go, Bright Eyes. We should make it back to Canterlot by mornin’.” With her head slumped down she slowly began to walk down the hall, being closely followed by the little stallion. She stopped to throw a hoof over her mouth and wretched out a series of guttural coughs while the little stallion clamped his hooves over her shoulders to steady her. With that she nodded appreciatively to him, gave one final look back over her shoulder, and vanished down the hall.
Daydream watched them leave with unusual focus and walked over to stand beside Sweetie Belle. She tried to lean in for a hug but was pushed away. “I’m fine,” said Sweetie Belle as she dabbed the corner of her eyes, “…Thank you.”
Daydream sighed and fidgeted uncomfortably, unsure of what to say. “I know ponies hate those little guys,” she said as if to change the subject to something more pleasant, “and while I do understand why they are still really cute.”
Sweetie Belle stared up at her pink friend, confused as she always was at Daydream’s random musings, and shrugged it off. “What about you? I heard that punch from here.”
“Huh? Oh. Yeah,” chirped Daydream as she patted her cheek with a goofy smile, “Oh, no, it’s fine. Thank you. She doesn’t hit hard at all.”
“Daydream, she’s the size of a house,” said Sweetie Belle in disbelief to which her friend just shrugged. “Never mind. Daydream, you know how I hate to ask for favors—”
“Ask!” chirped Daydream happily.
“I need you to keep an eye on things here for a while,” said Sweetie Belle, “On the diamond dogs. I need to leave for a while and take care of some things and, well, you’re… the only pony in the world I would trust to keep them safe.”
Daydream’s chipper expression softened and became dead serious. “I would stand against the Queen herself to protect them,” she said without even a hint of joking in her tone. For the first time in her life Sweetie Belle was the one to hug Daydream, catching the tall pink mare completely by surprise. The shock of the moment kept Daydream as stiff as a stone statue for a moment before he returned the hug with a grip tight enough to make Sweetie gag. “But you have to promise to come back. I can’t bear the idea of losing a friend. You know how lonely I get sometimes; I even tried building friends once—”
Sweetie Belle shushed her friend before she degenerated into hysterics. “Don’t ruin the moment.”
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5318374 there is a difference between unwilling to kill and unwilling to fight. they would be unwilling t okill. they together would far more than enough to overpower her without killing her.
Merp. I hope The Cutiemark crusaders can be ok!
Great update as this main plot is starting to make some sense....Somepony, the mask pony in cloak maybe, is working with the Rainbolts to find the Elements of Harmony.
Scootaloo is starting to meet up with the group thanks to the info from the previous chapter centered on her.
Poor Babs as her actions makes her a sympathic character in my eyes as she is once again on the "wrong" side of things.
Babs warning maybe a hint at Sweetie Belle gaining a second chance of reuniting with her friends.
Still it's going to take a miracle for Applebloom and Silver Spoon to get out of their situation along with the Cake twins in tow.
Please do keep up the good work upon such a great tale like this one.
Corsan it!
No more chapters
While I've figured a lot of the background story out. I'm eager to see where it all goes.
Buut I've probably read too many stories with a twist. (Having guessed several things all along the way.) Please do prove me wrong at some point
I think Sweetie in her own way is coming round. She was totally indiffrent before and even admits to herself how much she missed her friends. And I think she will act on that soon. But will it be for which side? To go after those who killed Twist? To find and aid her old friends? Even to just bring the whole sordid mess down in some way? as for this storys length, its all cool as far as I am concerned. Just as long as it gets updated and doesn't become a dead story!
Oh, Sweetie Belle.... help Babs change! Look at that picture some more and remember your friends...
Another splendid chapter and I can't wait for more! There's still so much... the Cake twins, Apple Bloom's escape (I hope) and revenge (really hope). Scootaloo and the Element of Loyalty. Bah! You're reducing me to sappy mush!
Psst... so when do you think the next chapter will be done?
It's clear that Babs has never considered what's happened in Equestria to be bad enough that they should be invaded. And defeating your enemy is different from forcing them right back to their own ground then pushing on and killing them all or trying to.
5328208
I've been putting them out every two weeks, but probably the 12th this time around since I'm leaving for Portugal on the 13th to have Christmas with my family.
(It'll be two chapters, though, since it's a two-parter).
...is Daydream Pinkie Pie or something?
Uh huh, And the communists burned down the Reichstag.
This is not a chapter specific comment mainly because, well, I feel guilty. Guilty that of all the stories I commented on THIS wasn't one of them. You know why I feel guilty? Well...
This story is AMAZING! It's fantastic, it's easily one of my favourite pieces of fiction on here, if not I've ever read. I'm serious, I can't sing enough praises for it. The way you craft the world and characters make me invested and leave me on the edge of my seat. I'm struggling to think how best to sum up my feelings, so I'll try and keep it simple. I really enjoy this tyrannical setting you've established; you really do make it seem as if while there is a clearly evil ruler, the combination of militarism and forced normality paints a picture that, well, if you weren't THERE when the actual take over took place, the whole thing would have just flew by you; you know, kinda like how EVERY dictatorship lasts.
Then we have the characters. I admit, many stories - fan fiction and otherwise - find it difficult to keep the focus on multiple characters, build up the world, and make us sympathise with those characters who are less than noble. You pull it off. Every characters we follow in some way does strike a sympathetic cord with me; heck even Silver Spoon, who let's face it, could be easily classes a side villain. It's also interesting to see how the characters got where they are and what they've faced; it really does help to paint this as a living breathing world as opposed to just picturing the areas we see in story.
I was honestly trying to think of some constructive to add, but really, the only thing I could point at is some grammatical and spelling errors. Even then, I'm sure I read somewhere that you mentioned English isn't your first language, so errors are to be expected; heck it's better English then some native tongues can speak
Sorry if it's a bit long winded, but I'll sum it up here: You're doing an amazing job, and I think it's down right disheartening that more people don't like and favourite this story. I always promote this story whenever someone asks about recommendations; heck, I read this to a friend of mine, and he always jumps for joy whenever he hears of a new update. Keep up the good work; I'm looking forward to see the progression of this tale
The hell no way stuff. Daydream... I'm wondering now if she's Pinkie. Her attitude, the way She 'Picks up" on things. And building friends? Yeah so Pinkie.
5792237
I agree with you, I mean who knows? She might be Pinkie in disguise. I checked the chapter that finally introduced Ms. 'Daydream', and the only thing(s) that doesn't add up is her cutie mark and her height. I mean, pink, mare, EARTH pony, hugs that might unintentionally bring you to your grave (XD), rambles about stuff that don't add up... I'm getting a big theory/hunch right now, but I have to read the rest of the chapters before I semi-confirm or reject it.