• Published 22nd Jun 2012
  • 6,820 Views, 341 Comments

Elements of Insanity - Emeral Bookwise



Lunaverse; Twilight plans to prove herself superior to Trixie by forming her own Elements of Harmony

  • ...
16
 341
 6,820

Chapter 8: "Growing All The Time"

It is often believed that the Equestrian province of Palomino is a place of decadent excess. Some say that in even the poorest villages and thorps the streets are paved with gemstones. This is of course utter nonsense as even in the largest metropolitan cities gems are reserved for only streets in the most prestigious districts, and even then, are only mixed in occasionally amongst the otherwise mundane –if highly polished– flagstones.

There are, in fact, even disputes as to whether Palomino or Califurlong has the higher wealth per capita, but such disputes are typically dismissed as irrelevant, given that the two provinces are governed jointly. What is undeniable, however, is that Palomino is a place where the opulence of wealth is always on prominent display and no place is that more true than in the capital city of Larraguibel.

At the train station, steam billowed at the arrival of a mid-day train. The doors opened and passengers disembarked; ponies of all types plus the occasional donkey, cow, or even griffin. Amongst such a diverse throng it would be difficult to pick out any singular individual. Well, except perhaps for one. The massive white-coated pegasus, however, was entirely oblivious to the occasional stare, but his smaller traveling companion was by far less carefree.

Twilight Sparkle still felt ridiculous with her dark blue mane styled into a wispy pink streaked perm. More so still, she felt utterly exposed without the cloak that had become her standard apparel since first going on the run from the law. Still, so far so good, as nopony had recognized her... yet.

The unicorn had been a nervous wreck ever since boarding the train, and her hulking white compatriot's lack of conversational skills had done little to distract her from the relentless dread that her cover would never hold up under scrutiny. Not for the first time she wished she'd been able to travel with any of her other new friends, but it had been decided that to reduce suspicions they should travel in waves.

Silverstar and Clover had been sent on ahead a few days prior so they could begin scoping out the group's intended target, and Twilight would have just soon gone with them to do the same — if nothing else, she could have taken the time on the train to educate Clover on the finer points of Starswirl's contributions to the magical sciences. At Lemon Hearts' insistence though, she had waited behind while the matronly pony helped her create a new disguise complete with false documentation. Twilight might have wondered why Lemon Hearts would even know the types of ponies that could forge such items, but she'd been far more distracted by the magic that had been involved in creating the most prominent aspect of her disguise.

The perm had been entirely mundane, if perhaps far more embarrassing. What weighed most heavily on her mind though, still left her flank itching — well, not literally, but it was pervasively creepy never the less. Somehow Lemon Hearts had altered the appearance of Twilight's cutie mark. Such magic was not unheard of by any means, if difficult, but more concerning still to the ever scholarly minded unicorn was that she still couldn't figure out how this particular spell worked. It wasn't from any school she could identify. Illusion, transmutation, or maybe even enchantment would have been the obvious suspects, but, should be easily detectable with even the most basic spell and certainly shouldn't have been hard to analyze for any pony that knew to look for them.

Twilight had tried her best to examine the magic during the train ride, or at least the best she dared without risking the integrity of whatever spells where in place or drawing undue attention to herself, but whatever kind of magic Lemon Hearts had used seemed almost completely invisible, and what little she'd been able to find more so resembled a simple anchoring spell meant to hold something else in place. She wished she'd had the opportunity to talk with Lemon Hearts about it at length, but the matron wouldn't be arriving until a train the following morning along with Loosy, and by then there would be more important matters to discuss. Still, she resolved that after this was all finished she'd be sure to learn everything possible about the unconventional magic.

Absorbed in thought, Twilight had been giving little attention to her surroundings until, "Hey, you there!"

The unicorn stopped fast, glancing immediately in the direction of a uniformed stallion, only belated realizing how suspicious that must have made her look. As the dark gray-coated and light blue-maned pegasus walked directly towards her though, Twilight felt her panic rise sharply.

"You, look... familiar," he said, "I know I've seen you somewhere before."

"I probably just have one of those faces." She attempted to grin as convincingly as possible, though her eyes fully betrayed her nervousness. Before the uniformed stallion could get another word in edgewise though, she launched immediately into her cover story, "My name is Skylight Twinkle, and as you can see I'm an aeronautics engineer," as she spoke she turned sideways to display her altered cutie mark, a magenta colored hot air balloon decorated with a singular five pointed white star, though still surrounded by the same five smaller stars as her real mark, "If you like, I can show you my papers and—"

"No, not you," the stallion said without even sparing her a glance.

Twilight paused in the middle of levitating the false documents from her saddlebag and stared curiously. The stallion had been walking straight up to her, she'd been sure of it, except now all his attentions seemed to be focused on something just next to her.

"I mean... him!"

The subsequent reply should have been expected, but was no less startling, "Yeah!"

The uniformed stallion's eyes lit up, "I knew it; you are him! You're Snowflake McHugeLarge!" Almost bouncing with excitement he continued, "I flew with you in the Steepleton water raiser two years ago; you were amazing! Why, I've never seen a pegasus fly so hard with wings so sma—umm, that is to say you really are an inspiration." The pony's beaming admiration faltered slightly as a curiosity ran across his mind, "Though if you don't mind me asking, what are you doing here; I thought Cloudsdale was getting its water from Fillydelphia this year?"

"I can explain that," interrupted Twilight, "You see, I'm Mr. McHugeLarge's... err, his personal trainer, yes. And well, we're here to conduct some important, umm... training exercises." It was a terribly hastily conceived lie, and she wilted under the stallions gaze as he shifted his focus seeming finally contemplate her for the first time, but the only further response she could think of was an awkward smile.

"Is that so?"

That's it; the jig is up. A few tense moments passed as Twilight nervously awaited the pony to blow the whistle on her charade. Although absently Twilight was at least glad her cutie mark was disgusted with magic instead of makeup, since she was surely sweating enough to wash any such away. Still, it was cold comfort in the face of eminent exposure, and then...

"You sly dog, you!" the uniformed stallion declared as he nudged Snowflake in the chest with an elbow, "This mare here's a mighty fine catch."

Twilight blinked in confusion, "Wait, what..." then realization slowly crept into her mind, "No, no, no, no, no; I think you got the wrong idea you see—"

"YEAH!" and with that Twilight found herself instantly dragged into Snowflake's tight embrace.

Ever since Ponyville, she'd been forced to bear innumerous indignities both large and small; at this exact moment, however, her current predicament felt far worse than all of those combined. At least it can't get any worse, or so she thought until she felt the heat of Snowflake's breath as he leaned in for a kiss.

"Gaaahh, Snowflake, no!" Twilight yelled as she shoved him away with her fore-hooves. Then noticing the rather peculiar look she was getting form the uniformed stallion, as well as a few other passersby, Twilight chuckled forcibly, "I mean, not in public. Save it till we get to..." an audibly gulp paused her mid-sentence as the implication of what she was about to say settled in, "...the hotel."

Snowflake simply stared blankly for a moment, but then waggled his eyebrows as he slowly drawled, "Yeeeaahhhh..."

Any concerns Twilight previously had about being caught had by now evaporated completely, though some part of her would find getting clapped in irons right here and now preferable. Not that there was much chance of her being that lucky; after all, the authorities were looking for a lavender-coated unicorn, and by now Twilight imagined hers must surely be beet red.

"So, umm, anyway," proceeded the uniformed stallion, once again paying Twilight little concern, "If your free latter tonight how about you and I go out, shoot some pool, and knock back a few cold ones? We could make it a double date; plus, it's karaoke night at my favorite pub."

"Ye–"

Snowflake was cut off as Twilight shoved a hoof in his mouth, "I'm sorry, but Mr. McHugeLarge will only be staying in town briefly and has a very busy schedule."

"Oh, right; I get it." the uniformed stallion said with a wink, "Well then, I guess I've already taken more than enough of your time. I'll just leave you and your personal trainer to those exercises."

At the other stallion walked away, Twilight wiped her brow with one hoof, then realizing Snowflake had begun fondling the one she previously used to silence him, jerked it sharply away "That's enough of that Casanova."

"Yeah?"

"Just..." her response died in a fluster as she sighed reluctantly while massaging the bridge of her nose with one hoof, and absently using the ground to clean the other of any residue. "We'll discuss it later."

────────────────

Elsewhere across town at the opulent Huaso Manor, so named for the noble who had built it centuries ago, there was quite a commotion as various servants and hires moved about preparing for tomorrow's festivities. Among them were two earth pony mares, unloading their wares from a wagon.

"I'm still not sure how I let you talk me into all this," said the light yellow-coated mare with the carrot-colored mane and matching cutie mark as she checked through an assortment of produce crates.

"Not this here again; haven't we been over those concerns of yers like what... uh, dozen er so times by now." retorted the bright orange-coated and straw-maned mare as she set down a barel full of apples resembling the same trio of fruits that adorned her own flank.

"I know that, but now that we're actually here, this all seems like an even worse idea than ever." The first mare was now wringing her hooves nervously, "What do I know about catering a fancy dinner party, and for a vicereine no less?"

"Whoa there, sugarcube, I won't have ya'll going and disrespecting yerself like that. Ya got the skills, girl, and proved it by taken third place in that nationwide competition," then as she adjusted her stetson added, "Beat me fair and square, no less, ta do it too."

"Well, yeah..." the first mare began to concede, "But you remember all the trouble those FlimFlam brothers gave the both of us? That was all because of my Element of Generosity and how it makes me a political target for ambitious nobles. What if this is just another trick to control me and my friends? Sometimes I feel like becoming a savior of the world was more trouble than it's worth."

"Hey!" declared the second mare with a stern look, "I won't hear ya talkin' that way. What all y'all did was a great thing and don't ya ever go thinkin' otherwise. Sides, like ya said, this here is a vicereine we're talkin' 'bout hosting this shindig; that's as high as it gets short of Princess Luna herself. No reason to go expectin' a pony who's already got more wealth an' political power than you or me could ever dream of to be playin' dirty games."

The first mare went back to the wagon for another crate, as she considered, "I guess, but—"

"But nothin', Ah tell ya! It ain't even like yer the only pony that done got invited fer this job either; both the other teams that finished 'head of y'all from that competition are here as well. So just face up to the facts you'd have been here even if it weren't fer that fancy Element of Harmony 'o yers. 'Sides, even if'n it were otherwise, ya got me here to watch out fer yer best interests and I ain't gonna let no pony take advantage of you."

As she set down another crate and began making sure the contents were intact, the first mare replied half sarcastically, "And here I was, thinking you only convinced me to let you be my partner so you could promote the Apple Trust."

"Hey, now!" retorted the second mare as she set down a crate of her own, "It ain't nothing like that, and you know it. It's just yer farm's too small ta have enough product to cater an event like this, and all yer new union buddies are too busy installin' them new irrigation systems ya won fer them. This here ain't got nothin' ta do with the trust, and my kin from Hoofington would have that part covered anyway. This is about making sure Ponyville get's the recognition it deserves, and if'n there's one thing my aunt an' uncle from Manehattan taught me it's how ta make a good impression on the hoity-toity high society types."

"Well, suppose that make sense and—" stumbling, she lost her balance, and was helpless to prevent the next crate she'd just lifted from the wagon as it careened toward an imminent crash — only to stop short.

The mare gazed over at the brown hoof that had steadied the load and the dark mustachioed stallion it was attached to. "Careful there missy. I reckon the last thing ya want is to go spillin' all this produce on the ground."

"Thanks. I mean, they're just carrots, so they came out of the ground in the first place, but it still would have been a pain to have to clean up the mess, so I guess I owe." After the stallion helped her safely set the crate down with the others, the mare reached into to it and pulled out a carrot bunch, "Here take these; it's the least I can do."

"That ain't necessary missy. T'was just doin' what any right minded pony should."

The other mare interjected, "I reckon you should just agree their pardner. This girl her is too generous to take no fer an answer."

The stallion glanced over to the second mare and then back to the first, "Well, if'n ya insist; it'd be my pleasure." Bowing slightly, he too took the offering and then trotted away.

...

A gray-coated earth mare with a short curly green mane smiled coyly at her compatriot as he returned, "I thought you told me to keep low and not draw any attention."

"Well what'd ya expect me ta do, just ignore a damsel in distress?"

"You know, TripS, you're a real sweetheart under that gruff exterior of yours."

────────────────

Later that day, just after dusk, there was knocking at the hotel room door. Twilight Sparkle trotted across the room to answer it and on opening the door was pleased to see Silverstar and Clover Charms. Leaning her head out the door to glance conspiratorially down both ends of the hallway, she then quickly motioned them inside. Before she could start asking any questions about their recon however.

"So, the honeymoon suite?" queried Clover.

"Ugh... don't remind me." groaned the exasperated unicorn. "Snowflake and I got mistaken for a couple at the train station and then one thing just kept leading to another," then glaring at the overly smug pegasus who was reclining lazily on the plump overstuffed velvet sofa, she added, "And it cetartanly didn't help matters that somepony got a little carried away with the act."

Snowflake seemed to feign being hurt, or maybe he actually was; it was always hard to read his emotions, "Yeah?"

"I swear, if I knew how annoying he could be I'd have never put him on my list."

"You shouldn't talk that way Tenbs," said Clover with concern, "aren't we all supposed to be friends?" then shifting to a teasing smirk, "Besides, I think you and Flakes her could make a cute couple!"

"Please, Lucky, I'm in no mood for teasing."

"Who said I was teasing?"

Any retort, however, died on Twilight's tongue the moment she opened her mouth. Snowflake wasn't the only member of her would be band of friends that could be insufferably irritating, but no matter how hard she wanted to at times, Twilight just couldn't stay mad in the face of the Clover's infectiously unyielding positive attitude (though the use of word infectious might be a disturbingly apt description). Even if Twilight didn't care for the teasing insinuations, she knew the earth pony never meant any offense by them. Besides, wasn't that what friendship was about, putting up with all those little inconvenient nuisances because you all have each other's best interests at heart?

Not for the first time Twilight considered her own motives. When she first concocted this plan she'd only cared about finding avatars worthy of embodying the principle virtues of harmony, but one by one she'd come to care about these ponies. Silverstar who was the first pony to take her pleas seriously and who gave her a metaphorical shoulder to cry on, becoming the pillar that anchored her and gave her the strength to persevere. Then Clover, who hadn't even been on her list, but taught her a valuable lesson about looking past the superficial to see what it was the elemental virtues really meant. Perhaps most of all though was Lemon Hearts, who had gone the extra mile to bring them all together when Twilight herself had failed and was ready to just give up. While she'd still had little time to spend getting to know Loosy Screws, Twilight was certainly eager to learn more about Silverstar's old friend as well. So if that were all the case Twilight figured maybe even Snowflake would grow on her... eventually... and if she wanted this plan to work she needed to at least try.

Still, that could all come in due time; right now there were more important matters to attend, "So then, how much info have you two been able to dig up."

Silverstar spoke up first, "Security is pretty tight, not that I ever reckoned it would be any otherwise with such a high ranking noble as this Puissance here. Pity though she ain't one of them lazy arrogant rich folk, so secure in her own self-importance as to not think she needs any. Still, the patrol lay out is all pretty basic stuff, even worked a couple similar jobs myself back in the day, so it shouldn't be too hard to work around the gaps."

Next, Clover added, "And I was able to hit it off pretty good with the staff manage, cute fellow too. A bit old for me, but still a shame we won't be sticking around long enough for me to see about scoring a date or two," she paused as she noticed the stares she was attracting from her compatriots, "What? Cant a girl admire the sexy eye-candy while planning the heist of the century?" but the only reply she received was more stares. "You guys are no fun sometimes. Anyway, I'm pretty sure I could talk him into letting me bring in a few extra friends as temps. There's going to be an awful lot of cleanup work after that party the vicereine is throwing tomorrow night, so that should get us all through the gates."

"I still think it's a bad idea fer all of us to be goin' in there together like. Be better if just one or two o' us snuck in there all quietly. In and out real fast 'fer anyone notices."

"If I thought that would work, Silverstar, I'd have already stolen the amulet myself. I've got more than enough experience from sneaking into restricted library archives. No, we have to do this as a team, so that we can each prove ourselves worthy of taking on the powers of the elements; it's the only way this plan has any chance of working."

"She's right, TripS. You're just being a fussy old worrywart," then eyeing a bouquet of rosses on the table, "So I'm guessing you won't be wanting these Tenbre, and I'm famished," then without waiting for a reply, Clover plucked off one of the blossoms and speared it on a carrot she retrieved from her saddlebag.

As she casually munched on the concoction, something nagged at the back of Twilight's mind, "Where'd you get that carrot, Lucky?"

"Wshat, thish" she spoke with her mouth full, then swallowing added, "TripS her helped some mare from dropping a crate full of them so she gave him a bunch as thanks. You should try one, there the best I've ever had," she then pulled the whole bunch from her bag and tossed them on the table.

Twilight levitated them over to herself and looked at the label on the tie binding the bunch together, "Golden Harvest Farms," she read aloud, then after taking a moment to let the metaphorical gears in her head click into place, "Oh no, oh no!"

Swallowing another mouthful of rose petal covered carrot, "I guess you don't care for the brand then?" Clover respond nonchalantly.

"What? No." Twilight started to stammer as a million terrible thoughts ran through her head, "I mean, yes... or rather, It's not the brand... well, it is... but not because of the flavor or anything. It's the owner... Carrot Top!"

"Who?"

"Carrot Top... the Element of Generosity!"

"I though Lemmsy was the Element of Generosity?"

"No, not our Element of Generosity... I mean Lulamoon's!"

Clover simply shrugged, "And that's a bad thing?"

"Bad? BAD? Of course it's bad!" Twilight shouted as she punctuated each bad with a short advancing hop casing her compatriot to back up nervously, "She's the enemy and if Carrot Top's here then that magical fraud and the rest of her fakers are probably all here too." Twilight began to pace with a frantic worry as a few loose curls of her mane started to fray from the stress, "I don't know how she did it but somehow Lulamoon must have found out what I was doing... I don't know how, but she must have... it's just too much of coincidence to be anything else."

"Now calm down and think reasonable like girl," SIlverstar interjected with worried concern, "Just cause these carrots come from that farm don't mean this Carrot Top herself is actually here. I bet there's produce been purchased from all over fer that party on tha morrow,"

Twilight breathed an audible sigh of relief, "You're right. It's probably nothing... every thing will fine, it will all be fine..." yet just as it looked like the crisis would pass, the panic all came rushing back in one great wave, "But what if your wrong!? Quick tell me about this mare you helped... about Clover's age... earth pony... light-yellow coat... exceptionally well groomed carrot-colored mane... her own namesake for a cutie mark?"

Siverstar sighed, dreading what he was about to say, "Yeah, I reckon that was her alight."

"I knew it, I knew it!" Twilight chimed in equal parts triumph and worry, "Ooh, but what are we going to do now? If, Trixie really is onto us we have to revise the plan –immediately– before she can try stopping us."

"Look maybe it ain't as bad as all that. I reckon it does look a might suspicions, but coinkydinks like this here really do just happen sometimes," the expression on Twilight's face, however didn't seem to be buying into that, and truth be told Silverstar wasn't sure if he did ether,but still, "Even if that Trixie girl really is onto us all, there ain't nothing we can do about it 'til Lemon Hearts and Miss Loosy get here, so there aint' no sense fretting about it now. We should all just get a good night's rest and we'll figure out what to do in the morning."

He was right; Twilight knew he was right. Blind panic would only make matters worse. He was wrong about just sleeping it all off though. If she was going to come up with a contingency plan Twilight couldn't waste a second; there'd be time to sleep later. Still though, there was no sense worrying the others, and she'd be able to work out all the details better on her own anyway.

"You're right, and thanks for reassuring me; I don't know what I'd ever do without you," she then hastily began to usher Silverstar and Clover to the door, "Now if both of you don't mind, I'm still feeling a bit train-lagged. So you two go off to your own room and we'll all meet back here in the morning to figure this all out... okidoki, buhby!"

Clover hesitantly stared at Twilight, the unicorn was manically wide-eyed, and wore a grin that was entirely too thinly sharp, "Are you sure you're okay Tenbre? We could, I dunno, maybe stay and talk about this some more if you like?"

Quirking her head slightly and widening her smile to near decapitating proportion, Twilight twitched her ears as she replied "Who me...? No I'm fine... just peachy! Now if you'll excuse me, a girl needs to get her beauty sleep... gotta be bright-eyed and bushy-tailed in the morning... early to bed, early to rise, and all that."

"Uhh, Tenbs, I think your eyes might already be a—" the door slammed unceremoniously in Clovers face "...little too bright," she fished. The mare considered knocking, but was pretty sure her seemingly half crazed friend wouldn't answer even if she tried. From the look on his face it seemed Silverstar had reached the same conclusion, and so with nothing else to do the two earth ponies just shrugged and hoped for the best.

Back in the room though Twilight was already conspiratorially wringing her hooves together as she sorted through all these new variables in her head. Still, she had one more matter to take care of before she could start planning in full. "Good new, Snowflake, looks like you get to have the bedroom after all."

────────────────

Morning came and with it three ponies entered the hotel lobby to meet two more waiting ponies. One of these waiting ponies, Silverstar, was however not particularly please to be greeting one more pony than he'd expected.

"Pardon my concern, Miss Loosy, but should the boy really have come along with ya?"

Woody Whittles bristled his dull blue wings lightly in agitation. He held nothing but the greatest admiration for the former sheriff, but the near-stallion colt also didn't much appreciate being dismissed as though he were only a child either.

Loosy her self looked more than a little torn at the questions as she anxiously rubbed one cyan fore-hoof against the opposite limb. Fortunately for both ponies though the yellow unicorn accompanying them interceded with an explanation.

"I'm afraid Mr. Star that young Whittles here was most insistent he remain close to his mother, and given how recent her recovery has been it felt wrong to deny him, and I doubt the worry would have done Ms. Screws here any good either."

Silverstar let out a short snort, "Well I s'ppose that I can't fault him for being such a well meaning son, but this ain't really no task for children to be involved in." Bad enough any of the rest of them have to be involved either, fer that matter.

With one last ruffle of feathers, Woody put aside any disgruntlement, "Look, I promise to leave everything to the rest of you, but if my mother's going to become a hero, I want to be close enough so I can be the first to congratulate her... and you too Sheriff."

There it was again, that boys unshakable notion of clinging to the pony he mistakenly thought Silverstar still was, or had ever been. Despite his desire to protest though, the old trail-worn pony couldn't bring himself to disavow such youthful hope no mater how misapplied. At least he could maybe use it to help keep the boy out of trouble, "Well, alright then, but if'n yer a staying then you do so under my terms, ya got that, young man."

"Yes sir, Sheriff, sir." the statement was punctuated with quick salute and an eager smile.

"Alright, first rule ya stay in yer room. Second, don't go out on yer own 'til this is all over. Lastly, at the first sign any trouble ya skedaddle, but good. Put them wings of yers to work and go out the window if ya have to, then ya take the first train you can out of town, and don't ya ever once look back or hesitate." Woody's sidelong glance to his mother betrayed his concern, but Silverstar gave him no time to protest, "Don't you go worrying 'bout yer ma' here. I promise that come sun's fire or windigo's frost I won't let anything happen to her, but if'n I'm a going to do that I need to know don't have to worry none 'bout you, and I'm sure yer ma' needs to know that that just as much if'n not more so."

"I..." Woody still looked uncertain, but that stood up strait, "Alright than sheriff, I promise. But you promise me, not just that you'll keep her safe, but that you'll keep yourself safe to."

"I..." now it was Silverstar's turn to hesitate. Could he really make that kind of promise? Could he trust the boy to keep his own if he didn't? "All right than, Woody, I promise."

"On your honor?"

The old pony wasn't really sure he had any left, but, "On my honor."

With the matter settled Lemon Hearts checked the three new arrivals into a room, giving Woody the key and sending him on his way. The remaining four ponies then went to meet the rest of their comrades in the honeymoon suite.

────────────────

A hoof started to knock the door, only for it open almost instantly as though the occupant had been waiting impatiently for their arrival, "Come in, come in, take a seat every pony; we've got lots to discuss."

As the group each found a comfortable spot to settle down, Silverstar and Clover exchanged nervous, if reassuring, glances. Twilight's mane was an absolute mess and her eyes seemed a bit bloodshot. The two earth ponies weren't sure if she'd actually gotten much, if any, sleep as they had advised. If nothing else though, she did seem notably more calm and collected than the previous evening.

"So then, Lemon Hearts, Loosy, I don't know if you've been informed yet, but a snag has developed in our plans."

"Yes," spoke Lemon Hearts, "This Carrot Top. I do agree with Mr. Star that coincidences do sometimes happen, but this is still worrying none the less."

"Exactly, that's why we have to move as quickly as possible; you see I figured it out. Even if she's onto what I've been up to, there's no way Trixie could have known exactly where I would up to it, so she and her cohorts are probably all watching out in different spots around Equestria. Now maybe we're lucky, and Carrot Top only knows to be looking for me, but if there's any chance they've actually learned about the rest of you, then after meeting Silverstar yesterday she could have already called the others."

Silverstar ponder aloud, "That seems like an awful lot o' guess work there."

"Maybe, but the stakes are too high and we can't afford to take any chances. We may only have a brief window of opportunity to work with and that's why I've decided we aren't going to wait until after the party, but instead we're going to get to the amulet tonight and perform the ritual right there in Puisance's vault."

To say the room fell into shocked silence at that brazenly bold declaration would be an understatement.

"Umm..." faltered Loosy, hoping someone else would speak up first in her stead, "... well, umm, that is... are you sure that's a good idea. It seems way to risky to me."

"She's right Twi," added Silverstar, "It'd be a better call if we just laid low for a week or two, maybe split town and come back later when the heat is off."

"That won't work; if that fraud has traced me this far she might be able to figure out what it is we came her for and then get Puissance to move the amulet somewhere else. It could take us months to find it then, and wherever it might be, Lulamoon would probably be close by waiting for me. No, we have to do this now, it might be our last and only chance!"

Another long pause before this time Lemon Hearts spoke up, "Alright then, I agree; better now then never. But this will require further alterations to the plan. We can't just all show up at once as new servants, that would look entirely too suspicious. Instead, I think I'll pull in a few contacts and attach myself as a date for one of the gusts already attending the party. That should also help me attend to the other matter that Ms. Screws here brought to my attention before our arrival."

"The detail I..." Loosy seemed to take a moment to connect the relevance, "oh, right. The security spells on the vault door."

"What about them? I've broken into some of the most secure archives in Equestria," boasted Twilight, "I'm sure it's nothing I can't handle."

"Maybe, but you, I was part of the construction team that did renovations on this estate a few years back, and well, I didn't work on the vault personally, but I knew the ponies that did. The whole thing is keyed so that not only is Puissance the only one who can open it, but even if someone bypassed the locks, if the door opens when Puissance herself isn't there it will set of a multi layered contingency alarm."

"Exactly," interjected Lemon Hearts, "now I don't doubt your talents, Miss Sparkle, but there is no point taking foolish risks. It shouldn't take much to set up a decoy to fool the spell; a single feather or lock of hair from the vicereine should be enough, which I should be able to covertly acquire while meeting with her in the guise of a guest."

"Is that so?" mused Silverstar in a mild accusation, "Ya keep seeming to come out with a might few unusual talents fer a mare who supposedly just runs a charitable orphanage. Ya sure there ain't any other secrets yer keepin' from us."

"Mr. Star, I appreciate your diligence, but I assure you that I am nothing but fully committed to seeing this plan through. Besides, I'm hardly the only pony here that is more then what they might seem at first glance, lest you forget Miss Sparkle, or even yourself."

"I s'ppose you make a fair point there," despite his words though, something about Lemon Hearts had been increasingly rubbing him the wrong way. He'd always been good at reading ponies, but the best read he could get on Lemon Hearts was that she had a very good poker face. Now, that didn't mean she was hiding anything malicious and could just as easily involve some more personal shame. Also, so far as he could tell nothing she was no bold faced lier, but was she ever entirely truth either. He didn't want to suspect her of such things; she'd fixed Loosy, if nothing else, and for that he would always be grateful, still...

"Now then," proceeded Lemon Hearts, heedless of Silverstar's contemplativeness — or perhaps intention trying to distract from it, "if that's all settled, lets move on to who else will be going in the front door with me." she then turned to the cyan coated earth pony, "Loosy dear, you also mentioned to me your former husband was a longstanding finical broker for the nobility. I should imagine he had earned a few favors he could call in on such an occasion as this."

Loosy considered that for moment, "Yes, I suppose so... and actually, come to think of it, I think Puissance herself even extended him an open invitation to attend any function she was hosting... but, but I don't think I could impose on that, especially not on such short notice."

"Nonsense deary; you are a widow in morning. Puissance can't possibly have you turned away without losing face with any other noble that did business with your late husband. The imposition might put you out of her future good graces, but we only need the opportunity of this single night." then sweeping her eyes across the other gathered ponies, "Of course though, it won't do at all for you to attend alone; you're going to need a date, and I should Think Mr. Star here can fill that role admirably."

"What?!" both Silverstar and Loosy exclaimed in unison, only to just as quickly shy away from each other's gaze.

Loosy was the first to break the brief silence that followed, "But I thought I was supposed to be attending as a widow in morning."

"Yeah, and there's no way a dusty old trail-pony like me would fit in with a bunch of fancy nobles at a formal ball," added Silverstar."

"Please leave the matters of the heart to the expert here, dears," chided Lemon Hearts dismissively, "A tragic hero of a lost frontier colony come to console the widow of the stallion he failed to save, only for the two to fall for each other, why it's all too perfect and will speak to everypony's romantic sensibilities no matter how repressed. A bit contrived, yes, but still something that others will believe because they want to."

Silverstar shifted uncomfortably at the notion which hit a bit to close to the truth, or at least his own fanciful delusions, "Maybe, but well... Me and Clover here have been playin' the part of servants fer the past few days, so what if I'm recognized?"

"Oh don't worry about that, Mr. Star. Do not underestimate the signifgance of class and station, no pony would even think to connect a servant with a guest. Besides, after I'm done giving you a proper makeover not even your own parents would recognize you."

Silverstare didn't really have time to worry about or object to such a procedure before, "Wait a minute," interjected Clover, "So we're rushing into all this because apparently Tenbre thinks it's to much of a coincidence for that carrot pony to be here, but Loosy just so happens to not only conveniently have inside knowledge about the estate we're breaking into, but her dead hubby was also buddy-buddy enough with the nobility for her to just waltz on in to a fancy ballroom party. Isn't that all just as suppositious a coincidence?"

Loosy fidgeted nervously, "Well I only got the job working on the estate renovation because of my husband's political connections in the first place, and Puissance wasn't the first or last noble I ever got to do carpentry work for."

"Still seems a touch to convenient to me. I mean it's not like Tenbre even chose you herself; TripS did, but none of us knew we'd be breaking into some nobles estate until after we all met at Lemsy's orphanage. I know a thing or two about luck, and when something seems to good to be true, it usually is. For that matter, what was a pony as important as you and your hasband ever even doing out in the Mild West where TripS met you in the first place"

By now Loosy's fidgeting had increased to full-blown trembling, "My husband... he didn't just do financial work for nobles, but corporations too... like the Apple Trust... and when I heard about that frontier colony they were starting up, I... well I was just so bored of always working on stuffy old manors for fussy nobles... I wanted something new, something exciting. All my life, I'd always played it safe, but I didn't want to just never see the rest of the world either... so I begged him to take us out there... and then everything went wrong with those natives... there was all the fighting... and me... all I could do was hide like a coward... and in the end my husband, he... and it was my fault, I... I should have never dragged him out there... and Woody too... what if he'd also been... we, we should have all just stayed safe here in Equestria." the distroaght mare was breathing heavily and seemed on the verge of bolting into a panicked gallop, "But the worst part wasn't even when my husband died, before all the fighting... it started when we first arrived... when I... because I... I..."

"That's enough of that, Clover!" exclaimed Silverstar as he stepped between the two mares, "If ya got a beef to pick, pick it with me and leave poor Miss Loosy out of it."

Clover hesitated, but before she could figure out what to say next a lavender hoof on her shoulder drew her attention as Twilight interjected her own opinion, "I don't think it has anything to do with luck. It's serendipity. Besides, you don't honestly think that either Silverstar or Loosy have some ulterior motive here. I'll admit, I'm still new to this whole friendship thing, but if Lemon Hearts thinks they are good ponies, surely you aren't doubting her, not after all the effort she put into bringing us all together in the first place."

A moment of silence passed as Clover contemplated it all, "I guess you're right Tenbs," Then turning back to Silverstar and Loosy, "Sorry about loosing my head back there. Sometimes I just see things different and I say stupid stuff without thinking about how much it might hurt somepony."

As Clover reached out with an apologetic hoof Silverstar, glanced back to Loosy, then stepped aside, "It ain't really my decision to make. Miss Loosy is the pony who needs to make that call."

"I..." Loosy was still fidgeting slightly, but with one final deep breath stood calmly and with hesitant uncertanty extended her own hoof to touch Clover's, "Of course it's okay."

At that Clover dragged Loosy into a single armed embrace and tussled the elder mare's mane a bit with her other hoof, "Well, alright then." then she reached reached out and dragged Silverstar over into a make shift group hug, "Oh, and you too."

As the two hijacked earth ponies tried to figure out a way to politely extricate themselves, Twilight turned to further address tonight's plans, "So what about me?"

"Hmm... probably best not to try sneaking you in through the front. Even with a proper disguise there might be too much risk of somepony recognizing you given your heritage, but the party goers will hardly be sparing a second glance at the staff, so best if we let Miss Charms get you in that way... Mr. McHugeLarge too I think as well."

"Will that really work? I'm mean surely they'd already have all the staff they need for tonight."

"Oh, I wouldn't worry about that dear, these types of events are almost always a bit short staffed in some way or another," then added silently to herself, or at least this one will be after I arrange for a few servants to unexpectedly call in sick.

────────────────

"Excuse me?" said the stout tan-coated and orange-bearded Huaso staff manager.

"You heard me, I'm sick of it, ALL of it, and I quit!" fumed the orange-coated and pinky-maned mare with atypically belligerence.

"But, Pageturner, you've always loved your job here, always said it made you happier than anything else in the world."

"Well that was then and this is now, so you can take this sun cursed job and shove it where the moon don't shine!" she emphasized her words with some rather explicit gestures.

"But you can't just quit without notice," he tried inssiteng, desperate to salavage the situation, "especially not tonight of all nights."

It was all for not though as the mare was already heading to the door, "That's your problem bud, not mine. I'm through with it, though wasting my life in this thanklessly menial job and cowing to thick headed nobles. So goodbye and good riddance!" and with that, slammed the door shut behind her.

The staff manager could only stare blankly after her in a disbelieving stupor. It just didn't make any sense; something was clearly wrong with Pageturner, because this just wasn't like her at all. Plus, she was a good worker and he'd hate to lose her. Fortunately though, in what ever insanity had gripped her, she'd not actually filled out any official letter of resignation, and she had more than enough sick leave to cover a few days. With any luck she'd come around and realize what a terrible mistake she was making.

Still, she really couldn't have picked a worse time, what with the ball tonight. It didn't help that several other ponies were also down with an assortment of aliments, or a few that just hadn't reported in at all today. Such things happened, but it was now exceeding the safety margins he always maintained. The remaining staff could probably manage with some difficulty, but the vicereine expected nothing but perfection at all times. He was probably going to have to hire some temps to cover for them all, and it wouldn't be easy on such short notice. There'd be no time to run proper background checks on credentials, he'd just have to hope that maybe some members of the remaining staff had some friends they could vouch for.

Still, he couldn't help but dwell on Pageturner's out of character behavior. Maybe it was just stress, or maybe she'd just caught one of the same bugs that had the other staff down, could maybe even be both. There had certainly seemed something off about her appearance though... like her coat had lost its luster... it was hard to describe, but the only word that came to mind was the she seemed somehow "gray".

────────────────

Author's Note:

--Special thanks to Blackbelt for helping me proof read this chapter. With further thanks to ColdGoldLazarus and G S tol Kriaal for additional proofing assistance.
--I'd also like to thank thatguyvex, who helped me brainstorm some of the concepts being implemented in this chapter and the next.
--Additional thanks to GrassAndClouds2, for approving my inclusion of a few characters he invented.