Broken Fences

by GJT_Productions

Mole Among Dancers

Captain of the Guard Gibraltar frowns as he reads over Lieutenant Captain Shining Armor's report regarding his meeting with Star Dancer. Shining himself, sitting across from him in his office, changes his look to one of deep concern.

"Shining, I appreciate what you're trying to do, but I'm worried you're going to end up in over your head. As even you yourself admitted, this isn't really your battle to fight." Gibraltar dryly comments as he looks up from the report.

"But sir, Star Dancer specifically petitioned me for help! As an officer of the Royal Guard and a friend, I felt honor bound to respond to that call." Shining Armor indignantly replies.

"And I'm not saying what you did is wrong, just to be clear Lieutenant Captain." Gibraltar calmly continues on. "What I'm saying is you have that impulse to try to solve the problems of everypony that asks you for help. Just because Princess Celestia trusts you to help with her sister doesn't mean you can help everypony that asks for it. You have to draw the line somewhere."

"Captain, how else was I supposed to respond to her message?" Shining asks.

Gibraltar lets out a loud sigh before responding: "Unfortunately, your approach is the best answer to that question. Also unfortunately, this is not something you can really fix. The problem with Moon Dancer is something your sister is going to have to solve herself, one day."

"But when is that day going to come? My sister is in Ponyville until further notice." Shining Armor replies.

"I wish I could answer that question for you. I'm not even sure Princess Celestia could give you an answer. And whether it would be soon enough to help, your guess is as good as mine." Gibraltar replies with a sad shake of his head.

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MEANWHILE, IN THE PEGASUS COLONY ABOVE CANTERLOT...

"So you two want to be Wonderbolts?" Wonderbolt Captain Spitfire was saying to the two younger pegasi standing in front of her desk in the Wonderbolt Canterlot office.

"Yes indeed they do." Misty Fly, standing behind the younger pegasi, replies. "The young stallion is Zodiac, and the mare is Lightning Dust. Lightning Dust is Lightning Streak's filly, and Zodiac is my nephew."

"Ahh, following in the family tradition I see." Spitfire says with an approving nod. "It's always good to see that happening. Do you two foals know each other?"

"We were in the same Junior Speedsters squad, ma'am." Zodiac says, and immediately both he and Lightning Dust start performing the Junior Speedsters chant (and the little dance that goes with it) to prove the point.

Spitfire seems convinced by the little performance and nods again before speaking: "Alright, alright, what about records of their time in Junior Speedsters?"

"I have them right here." Misty Fly answers, walking up to the desk and dropping a pair of parchments on Spitfire's desk. Spitfire picks up one and looks it over quickly, puts it aside and repeats the procedure with the other parchment, nodding in general approval when finished.

The excited smiles on the other pegasi in response to Spitfire's nod are hiding a darker motive - once again, Spitfire has been duped, this time with "whitewashed" Junior Speedster records. The purpose of the whitewashing is threefold - to increase Misty Fly's potential allies, further Zodiac's progress toward becoming a Wonderbolt and clear the way for Lightning Dust (who would have been denied admittance to Wonderbolt Academy with an honest record showing a pattern of reckless endangerment to others) to become a Wonderbolt cadet as well. Spitfire did not see anything that set off her alarm bells at the time, and only became aware of the duping much later, during an investigation into an incident at Academy perpetrated by Lightning Dust that very nearly took lives as a result.

"Very good, very good. Misty Fly, make sure these two are aware of the proper application procedures and requirements." Spitfire concludes after finishing looking at the parchments.

"Yes, ma'am, I'll be sure to tell them." Misty Fly replies with an unnoticed sly smile.

"Very well then, you all are dismissed from my office."

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A LITTLE LATER...

Lightning Dust was greatly puzzled by how the completely cloaked unicorn figure standing nearby seemed to be able to walk on clouds. Some special spell? An alicorn in disguise? What exactly was this pony?

"I trust the deception worked, Agent WA?" the mysterious unicorn was saying to a smiling Misty Fly.

"Like a charm, Agent Snake." Misty Fly eagerly replies.

"Excellent. That Wonderbolt Captain is so easy to dupe, like dough between hooves." Agent Snake comments.

"Yes indeed, master. I have a very low opinion of the Captain, and believe I could run the Wonderbolts far better than she can."

"I'm sure you can, Agent. But I have other business to attend to. Has the young mare shown any interest in becoming one of us?" Agent Snake asks, pointing a covered hoof in Lightning Dust's direction.

"Nay, master." Misty Fly answers with a shake of her head.

"Hmm, maybe later then. You may escort her back to her father, I have something specifically for the young stallion." Agent Snake says, this time pointing his hoof toward Zodiac.

"You heard him, Lightning Dust. Come along, your father's waiting for you." Misty Fly says to Lightning Dust as the former beckons the latter to follow along. Lightning Dust does so, but can't resist looking back at the puzzling pony she just met.

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"I didn't know she was an Agent too, sir." Zodiac says to Agent Snake once Misty Fly and Lightning Dust are out of earshot.

"You must understand, young Agent. It is for reasons of security that Agents are generally kept unaware of the identities of their fellows. I made an exception for your case because you and Lightning Dust will need WA's support to get into the Wonderbolts." Snake explains.

"I understand, sir." Zodiac replies, giving a salute with a forehoof.

"Good, good. Now, I have a special assignment for you. Follow me." Snake commands, gesturing with a covered forehoof.

Zodiac cautiously follows Agent Snake down an alleyway and through an unmarked door into a room lit by a few candles. As soon as both of them are in the room, Zodiac pushes the door closed, quickly followed by Snake pointing toward a table set against one wall of the room. Zodiac walks over to look at what Snake is pointing at, and in the dim lighting observes a device similar to a crossbow, only double-barrelled and with large syringes filled with some kind of colored liquid loaded as the ammo.

"Your mission is simple, Agent." Snake begins explaining. "Your current employer, Star Dancer, has not been keeping up with the payments she promised to make, and has also sought help from the loyalist Shining Armor for her filly. She is now a traitor, and both she and her filly must now pay for the betrayal."

"And what do I do?" Zodiac naturally asks.

"You must help the forces already pushing mother and filly apart. Moon Dancer seems to trust you, use that trust to get her to run away from Canterlot. Do whatever it takes to separate the two of them. If there is interference or non-compliance, that's what the weapon is for. Do not be afraid to use it, Agent, for it is a glorious tool in the spreading of chaos and the resurrection of the chaotic one."

"Yes sir, sir!" Zodiac eagerly exclaims, and as he picks up the weapon Snake is most pleased to see the young pegasus reflect his own evil grin...