Something a little different to my other two stories so far, though there's still comedic bits in there. The dark stuff won't kick in until about chapter nine, and if you're not into that then just reading up to chapter eight will give you a passable enough conclusion (though if you stop there you'll never find out what's really going on).

What happened to the cute pic of lyra sitting upside down? Nice to see ya on Fimfiction.

Looks epic I'll read it later, so here's a fav

I have a feeling that the pony who would want Lyra dead is *potential spoiler censored* .

Okay, lemme get this straight. You have 2  chapters currently published, each one is at least 3'000 words . . . and it will continue beyond chapter 9?!?

This is going to be a loooooooonnngg weekend

Haha. This is awesome! I had come to the conclusion that Lyra was a spy a while back Here I will be following your story

And to think I was thinking of reading this fic everytime I saw it updated on EqD, but never actually clicked the link to start reading it (since I haven't had too much time to read new fanfics lately ;_; ).

Then, suddenly, I see this on the FimFiction homepage while searching, bored, for a new fic to read. And it just turns out I have enough free time today.

Delaying time is over. Reading time has just begun. (?)

---*Reading...*---

Great and interesting start so far. I've got enough patience as to wait until you update this here on FimFiction to continue reading (Enough patience... Not even I believe that, lol). And that last phrase... Not sure if "cliffhanger" applies here, but it definitely leaves you hooked. Totally looking forward for new chapters!

lol an interesting idea, I'll have to put this on watch.  

YOU, my sir, HAVE DONE IT!

the best thing that could happen is if you put Donut joe, or as he's known in the spy society, Conmate!

I'm  definitely  following!  Your  story  is  great!  

This is great woo hoo!

There was a modest spread laid on by the staff at Sugarcube Corner and four members of the Canterlot orchestra attended to provide a genteel soundtrack to the evening.

Gentle.

>>576226576226

Thanks for the spot, but it's correct.

gen·teel   [jen-teel]

adjective

1. belonging or suited to polite society.

2. well-bred or refined; polite; elegant; stylish.

3. affectedly or pretentiously polite, delicate, etc.

Genteel is correct - I posted a response with the dictionary definition but it appears to have gotten lost in the system. It means "polite, refined or respectable". Thanks though.

EDIT: Double post = I fail at life.

>>576254576254 Darn it, I got trolled by Sweetie Belle again...

Nice chapter

Twilight & Doctor shipping! Also, "she would probably make a great companion for him."

Image: http://cache.ohinternet.com/images/2/24/I_see_what_you_did_there_super.jpg

I came for the Lyra and stayed for the Drtwi

Berry Punch, Carrot Top and Lyra... all spies and on different sides? I wonder if Berry is actually in the same organisation as Miss Top... or should I say Golden Harvest? Hmm...

Yes, new chapter!

*reads*

Image: http://assets.diylol.com/hfs/b37/24c/ac6/resized/creepy-willy-wonka-meme-generator-it-seems-you-want-my-attention-you-have-it-now-what-bb2ff4.jpg

Shit just got real!

Plus Noteworthy's got the hots for Lyra

I absolutely love this story !!!  More !!!!

looks good. tracking.

I'm loving the Doctor showing up in this fic. You're hitting all the sweet spots of a good story in my eyes.

There were others before the mane 6 who held the elements?! And one of them was LYRA?!

...

MOAR

Image: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/31471793/FiMFiction/emoticons/misc_Lyra2.png

Image: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/31471793/FiMFiction/emoticons/misc_Lyra_dealwithit.png

*sees update*

Ooh, new Spyra chapter!

*reads chapter*

Huh?

*checks story*

Yep, definitely says Spyra...so why is it all about Celestia and Luna?

Don't get me wrong; I enjoyed this chapter and think the history has been created really well. I just find it odd that almost the entire chapter focuses on the princesses and the only link to any of the story previous is Lyra being thrown in at the end.

Awesome

>>660358660358

Thanks for the compliments - this chapter was a bit of an exposition dump and its relevance will become apparent later. How much later?

... quite a bit later.

If you really thought I was going to take a threat from the likes of you without doing something about it, you had another think coming.

1. Another thing coming.

Things are starting to heat up... now lets see if CT/GH finds out about the mysterious brown pony with an hourglass for a cutie mark

this interests me. FireFlash shall track this story now.

That foal is a spy!

Adrenalin taking over

1. Adrenaline.

... Now confusion is all around me because lets see...

GH doesn't know why Hearstrings and BP are fighting so this rules out her working together with BP making Noteworthy's assumption wrong meaning... False... information... There might just be a 4th party involved if I am right...

Now there is a 5th player... confound these mis-information missions! ... Now I want answers too... Mainly the only question for me is, why did Celestia say an agent had gone rogue? Was she telling the truth or the half truth?

Haha. HAhahah. HAHBAHAHHZHAHAHHALCKJAHKJCSHHAHAHA!

Knew it.

The Court Jester is in the HOUSE ladies! AHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHA! SEARCH FOR THE BLACK FOX!!!!

This is a VERY interesting story! I am very intrigued by the story plot, and am eager for more! *watches/favs*

Calling it right now, it's Derpy behind this murderous scheming.

But there was someone else outside

1. Somepony.

Blues... We will miss you dear stallion... Leave this job to the mares.

Now I'm just waiting for them all to draw two pistols and point them at each other while standing in a circle.

What.

"Come to think of it, Heartstrings has been in the background everywhere I've been lately."

Image: http://weknowmemes.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/i-see-what-you-did-there.png

She looked at the metal hands he had invented. They seemed kind of interesting but were obviously of no use to her, seeing as telekinesis was much more practical.

Lyra NOT caring about hands?!

Image: http://stooffi.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/what-sorcery-is-this.jpeg

Well... I guess my thought of Derpy being the possible suspect is out of the question...

Why doesn't this have more attention??

It should, as the well-written story that it is. Also, tomorrow's going to be an awful day for Twilight, just because it's supposed to be awesome

>>875663875663

Thank you.

It is featured on Equestria Daily but that only links to my Deviant Art account (you may want to have a quick look there. It's three chapters further on than it is on my FIMfiction account, and there is added Bon Bon craziness in the author's comments. Though I'd still like you to check it out here, of course). I'm getting an average of 300 views per chapter there, which I'm happy enough with.

And yeah... not to spoil things, but there are BAD times ahead for Twilight. (Fluttercry as there are no sad Twilight icons)

>>829303829303

"Someone" was intentional. Don't want to limit my options.

After all, the watcher may not be a pony...

This chapter is doing quite a bit to play into my suspicions as to the identity of our mystery figure. I am fully expecting a subversion, however. Part of me is even expecting a double subversion, in which I end up being right after you toss out something that makes me doubt my original idea.

All this adds up to the fact that you are doing this whole mystery bit beautifully, and that I have a tendency to read pretty far into things. Keep it up.

Now we know the other chapters took place before Lesson Zero... I say that some slight slither of evil/malicious intent has infected Celestia... but that would be too obvious... Hmm... I cannot think

She's a changeling!!

Okay, maybe not. The point is, she's evil. EVIL!!!!

So... Lesson Zero, while Adding Cruel Celestia, Lyra, Berry Punch and Dr. Whooves to the mix. Amazing chapter And amazing fic, btw. Keep up the great work!

Doctor Whooves, what did you do? What horrible things did you change or fail to change?

Great chapter! The plot thickens! Looking forward to the next one already!

They let her past

As Twilight came closer

1. Pass.

2. Went.

Oh Twilight... fate has other plans for you... which will most likely involve the four spies as well... I would say may Celestia help us all but...

Oooh, I want more, this is actually really interesting.

>>936079936079  uhh, just so you know the mods are banning people for that.  

>>940127940127  Seems pretty draconian. It's a five letter word added as a joke. A joke. Not at all serious. It has a trollestia face next to it. To ban someone for that would be ridiculous. It's not even like the first part was about it. I read the story, added my opinion, then edited it to say that

>>940618940618 just a warning, it's on the facebook page.

>>941920941920 Thanks then, I'll edit it out then if the mods are going to overreact badly.

At least it appears that Twi isn't completely bonkers yet, she did snap out of it.

Anywho, good chapter; keeping the plot rolling along. I await the next installment.

Oh buck... where's Doctor Whooves when ya need him?!

Seems familiar...

Edit/repost?

Either way, not complaining about an update.

Thank you for that last line!

For a while I was worried you were going to just do "Celestia is being impersonated by Queen Chrysalis and that's why she's weaker and not acting like herself"

I haven't completely ruled out the possibility of that happening, but now I think it's much less likely and for that I thank you.

Also, I couldn't help but read Krastos' lines in my head as being shouted. His name is just too similar to Kratos for me to get past that.

Uh-oh, not good.

Great chapter, moved the plot along nicely.

  This fic gets more and more amazing, I wish I could write this well.

Sweet Ce- No... if she DOES turn evil then it will be like Corona (from RainbowDoubleDash's Lunaverse). I have very, VERY mixed feelings right now...

Wow? Am I first? SWEET! MY FIRST FIRST!

A short mare with poofy hair?...hmmm I'm drawing a blank

Oh well! Good job! Keep up the good work! REALLY LIKE THIS STORY!

Man, I like this story and all but I sure hope there's some explanation for the OOCness I see.  Biggest offender, even topping Celestia?   Damn right I said it, Applejack is way off.

The Illuminati

That reference!

Now... normally with poofy hair I would say Pinkie but... Maybe Twist? Oh the possibilities... Why must you make me cry with that heartfelt story? I must now wait... for more...

>>11327641132764

Is that just from this chapter? If so, then I'd like you to elaborate. Applejack was upset with Lyra and I think that's how she would react. Dash would get into an argument, Pinkie would go into an aggressive sulk, Rarity would go drama queen and Fluttershy... well, she'd either go into Flutterbully mode or be so passive that she'd make Lyra feel guilty.

AJ, on the other hand, is the reasonable one. She'd talk out her feelings while trying to keep a level head and, when it comes to someone she's upset with, be brutally honest about it.

If I've got it wrong and written her OOC, then that makes me feel sad.

>>11345631134563  I'm not trying to be mean with the comment, like I said I like the story, but everything, Celestia looking at a dying Twilight with contempt, AJ might have shown anger at least a bit but she also would have worked thing out/understood I mean look at it with this phrase in mind.  "Ah think, after what you've done, that I'd prefer it if ah never saw you again."  (your line for AJ) now let's look at what that litterally means.  "Even though you were working under orders from the Princess and couldn't have told us because that's what being a spy - and one for the Princess so obviously on the side of good - actually means.  Ah think, after what you've done, that I'd prefer it if ah never saw you again."  It just doesn't sit right.  And worse, you have Applejack turning her back on somepony, when she'd be the first to offer some kind of help or support especially considering she'd know this wasn't Lyra's fault not even a little.  I don't know, I'm not telling you your story is wrong after all there could be some reason it's all different and I'm just not seeing it.

Sorry for ranting I hope I'm not offending you...

>>11352761135276

Nah, you're not offending me at all. It all helps me improve my writing.

My reasoning for AJ behaving in this way is that she's loyal to her friends, and in my story's continuity she only met Lyra a couple of days ago. She's heard the story from Lyra and Dashie's side, but Dash is blaming Lyra completely and although AJ knows it's not as simple as that, it's obvious that Twilight finding out the truth made things a lot worse. That is the one factor that made things escalate to the point they did.

It wasn't Lyra's fault, true, but the only ponies who truly understand that are Lyra and Berry Punch.

AJ's upset by the near-death of her friend and she's honest to a fault. She said what she felt.

Your questions about Celestia will be answered in the next chapter. Stay tuned.

>>11371991137199 I get where you're coming from, it's just really hard to picture Applejack acting like that.  I am eager for the next chapter.

Yay! New chapter! I hope those mane6 dweebs get what's coming to them for being such jerks to Lyra.

what about screwball?

discords little pet does have the ability to do those things right?

do you seriously think you have a chance now Celestia's power has combined with my own

she didn't have enough friction to jump

1. Do you seriously think you have a chance now that Celestia's power has combined with my own.

2. Should it be momentum in this case? I know you said a few lines later that the tower was falling and it gave way but... I don't know

No now would be a terrible time to throw something like that in...

Damn cliffhangers.

>>12174751217475

Traction might be a better word. The tower was falling to the point where she couldn't keep her hooves on it any more.

Discord seems a little out of character. After being imprisoned for who knows how long he wasn't ready to fill the streets with blood, but now he is?

>>12220751222075

The letter wasn't written by Discord. All will be revealed soon enough.

Oh my. Imagine if it had been Krastos the Glue Maker that broke free instead of Discord.

Oh the feels... I hope Lyra will be okay... and the elements safe as well, not much point if they're just left there

Wow, so tense this chapter made me...  I was worried.

Just checked my stats and I got 305 views in the 7am period of the 11th, having only had a few each day before then. What the heck happened there?

Berry.... O thank goodness . I didn't expect that to end so well.

Oh... wow.

Gah! Why wasn't I aware that this story was on Fimfiction!?

...

Oh well, time to reread everything!

Things change, folk adapt

1.Folks.

Well... That was quite a

Image: http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m6xq6m0lsA1r8k5p5o1_500.gif

Now this is a nice case of worldbuilding. You took this so much further than I expected it to go, and it makes perfect sense in a, "whoa did not see that coming" sort of way.

,,,,,Wow, Very well done. I didn't see any of that coming and I  can't seem to punch any holes in it. For giving me a new head canon you receive one moustache; redeem it at any time.

You are trying hard to earn that dark tag.

Yes Lyra.... crusshhhhhh.... Carrot Top.... pathetic meeeaaaat.

...wow. So he was eevil since the beginning. Now I want to read about Screwball !

Wow, Screwball is realy just as I thought. So this is it, you get out of my Read Later list and are now in my fav' list !

Fly, you foals.

Is it wrong that I feel more sorry Carrot Top is dead? I liked her.

... All those deaths... must they been done?

I can't think...

>>13236121323612  you're clearly not a southerner, Folk can pass as both singular and plural based solely on intent, though you are right in that Folks, with an s, is usually what's used when implying plural.

Okay, I only just read it (even though I was planning on reading it a few days ago) and all I can think is 'holy shit.'

Just... All these twists, man. It makes me feel feelings so hard.

Ooooooh fuck.

By the looks of it, I predict the ending to be that Discord will regain control over Equestria, and hell breaks loose for the ponies OR  The remaining ponies (Lyra and company) manages to bring Luna back from her prison, of which Luna revives Celestia and they all defeat Discord and bring back peace to Equestria.

>>13700321370032

Possible. My guess would be Lyra gets Doctor Whooves to switch sides, and he uses what's left of his power to fix things and end all this for good. But we'll see what the author has in mind.

Wat

Image: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/31471793/FiMFiction/emoticons/misc_rainbowderp_flip.png

>>13688741368874

its fine Celestias spent most of this fic being a jerk

I love this story but NOOO! You may not go off killing celestia, making dr whooves evil, and ruining my head cannon..... Ugh but it's so good..... I still don't want to see any more tradegy