• Published 22nd Jun 2012
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Elements of Insanity - Emeral Bookwise



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

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Chapter 9: "The Effort It Expends"

Huaso Manor was a bustle of activity. Everypony who was anypony had been invited, and even those who had not now pressed against each other in a throng as they lined up behind velvet ropes to catch a fleeting glimpse of the cavalcade of nobles, celebrities, and other individuals of wealth & class arrived for the evening's festivities.

The crowd reached a fevered pitch as a gaudy carriage that looked more like a portable stage rolled up to the manor. Strobing lights and music filled the air as Sapphire Shores punctuated her arrival by singing a preview from her upcoming Ziegfilly Follies tour.

So enraptured was the crowd that scarcely anypony cared or noticed when a more practical carriage bearing the Baron Mounty Max and his date was the next to arrive.

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Inside the gates, the reception being held in the courtyard was a scene of more tranquil civility. A sound-dampening spell on the outer walls kept most of the racket from outside to a minimum. The magically enhanced music from the impromptu concert managed to bleed through regardless, however, causing a few of the stuffier nobles to roll their eyes and harrumph at having to share the evening in the presence of the pop idol sensation.

Black uniformed servants moved seamlessly amongst the various guests, carrying trays of hors d'oeuvres and fine wines to tide those guests over until the doors to the manor proper opened to begin the actual event. It was in all ways exactly what one would expect of such a high class gathering, yet that did little to set the mind of one lavender-coated unicorn mare at ease.

Twilight Sparkle tugged awkwardly at the straps of her uniform with one hoof, while levitating a tray of wine glasses with her magical aura. Her eyes kept darting about the crowd as she muttered under her breath, "Ooh, this was a bad idea; I just know it. I'll be spotted for sure; I've actually met some of these ponies before and—"

Clover Charms, wearing an identical uniform and balancing a tray of exotic cheeses on her back, put a reassuring hoof on her compatriots shoulder. "Just chill out, Tenbs. No pony's gonna recognize you."

"But… but over there, by the rose bushes, that's Zenith; I'm sure she's still holding a grudge from when I spilt punch all over her new dress at her birthday back when we were both seven. I never even wanted to go in the first place, but mother insisted since she and Count Apex had been best friends growing up and they were always so sure that the two of us would hit it off just as well."

"Yes, and I'm sure if you were a guest the two of you could have an epic confrontation," Clover rolled her eyes briefly before continuing, "Full of even more punch stains and maybe even a little mane pulling. You're not a guest though, you're just one of the hired help."

Struggling to keep her voice in check, Twilight rasped a reply, "Easy for you to say, no pony even cares who you are!" Only too late did she realize the unintended insult and add, "Wait, no… I didn't mean it like that, Lucky… I um, well…"

"I know, and none taken. Now shut up and smile… no, not like that; you look like a deranged mad mare. Just keep it relaxed and smooth, and for moon's sake girl, breathe! Better…?"

"Yes, but—"

"Shh… no buts, just listen. I'm sure you think you remember everypony from that old party, but tell me this, who served the cake?"

"That's easy, it was a stallion in one of those poufy white chef's hats; I think they're called a toque blanch. Funny story, they were originally invented for—"

"I don't mean what he was wearing, I mean what did he look like?" Clover scarcely waited as her friend's expression became vacant and puzzled. "See, you can't remember; no pony ever remembers the hired help. We're all just a singularly faceless and interchangeable mass. So as long as you just do your job, no pony will ever give you so much as a second glance."

"Are you sure?"

"Girl, if it wouldn't break our cover I'd sing you a song all about it!"

Almost as if on cue, trumpets blared, followed by an orchestral score. Wide-eyed, Clover mouthed awkwardly, uncertain of what to do, before fireworks drew all eyes to the sky above the manor. A team of twelve ponies flew formation overhead, not on the ordinary feathered wings of a pegasus, but on glittering multi-hued butterfly-like wings. The dozen fliers streamed trails of glittering dust as they danced and twirled about each other, all in perfect timing to the elegant musical accompaniment.

As the performance reached a crescendo they all spiraled straight down together before breaking off into a beautiful starburst formation in front of the manor's main doors. The team then landed, six ponies to either side, their gentle wing beats sending glittering dust swirling lightly about the carpeted trail as the doors to the manor opened, revealing the host of the evening as she sauntered out with poised dignity.

There could be no mistaking this pony for any mere guest, as Puissance wore an iridescent and long feathery dress with a matching elaborate headpiece. Specially designed weaves meshed and interwoven with the pegasus's own wings caused the gown's train to ripple and pulsate as she flexed. Finally, reaching the end of the grand dais that was effectively the manor's front porch, the vicereine spread her wings wide, and with them her entire ensemble bloomed and fanned out, giving her an appearance reminiscent of a peacock.

Puissance then began making her well-rehearsed welcoming address. At the other end of the courtyard though, the Vicereine's words were not what held the attention of a certain mare.

"Wow!" Clover said.

Twilight shrugged, "I guess she does know how to make an entrance, though it seemed a bit overly showy to me."

"Not vicereine what's-her-name; I was talking about the ponies with those fluttery wings. I've never seen anything like it except in fairytale books as a kid. What kind of ponies are those anyway?"

"Oh, that. It's just an advanced conjuration that weaves gossamer and dew. They aren't fairies, just normal ponies." She paused briefly to rub her chin in contemplation, "Still, it's pretty rare to find a unicorn with the talent to cast it, plus the spell is rather difficult for even a trained unicorn to cast more than once every few days. Oh, and it only lasts three days too. All together, Puissance probably had to pay a lot of money to bring in enough experts to cast it twelve times in such short order."

"Wait, it's a spell? So does that mean you could cast it too?"

"Well, yes, actually. My talent is magic, after all," though on mentioning that, Twilight couldn't help but reflexively glance back at her disguised cutie mark. Again, she found her mind dwelling on her continued inability to discern the nature of the spell Lemon Hearts had used to create the effect. Such musing were quickly distracted though.

"Then it's settled!"

"What's settled?"

"You're going to cast that spell, on me… well once this whole Elements of Harmony thing is over and we're all heroes. I've always wondered what it would be like to fly for myself. Did I ever tell you my mother was a pegasus? Or at least that's what I was always told as filly. Clover, they would say, It's a damn good thing you can't fly the coop like that fowl mother of yours…"

Twilight sighed, though she was unsure if it was the reminder of her compatriot's less than desirable upbringing or just the forced pun that pained her more.

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Despite the officiality of the party moving from the outdoor courtyard and into the main ballroom inside, one might be hard pressed to tell much difference. The same stuffy nobles still largely went about the same stuffy conversations. Servants still moved about unnoticed while attending to the casual disinterest of the guest as they would discard empty glasses or spent napkins. There were, however, now three buffet tables each proudly displaying a banner identifying the farm that was running it and identifying what place they finished at the recent competition in Trottingham.

Loosy Screws' violet eyes were barely more than pinpricks though as she nervously glanced around the crowd. She fidgeted from one hoof to the other. In some ways the crowd was a mixed blessing since it was easy to maintain anonymity amongst such a throng, but compared to the courtyard, the ballroom was notably more densely packed, lending an additional claustrophobic tension.

Still, it also gave her an excuse to huddle all the more closely alongside her date, though actually thinking about that fact caused her to blush. Loosy spared a sidelong glance at Siverstar, only for her heart to skip a beat as she was yet again no less shocked than the first time to see just how elegantly he cleaned up. He now wore a bow tie over a dapper collar with matching cuffed dress-bib and a sash around his mid-section. His mane and tail had both been smoothed and glossed.

Her heart sank though as she noticed him avert his own gaze from hers, unaware that the former sheriff was merely just as fearful of being caught gawking at the mare's own loose fitting and semi-sheer, single shouldered, silvery dress.

The volume of the crowd diminished, or was perhaps merely overwhelmed as a small orchestra began to play a waltz. The crowd shifted as guests cleared space for couples as they took to the dance floor. Some small corner of her mind hijacked Loosy's mouth before the rest of her could stop it as she asked, "Shall we?"

Silverstar's gaze narrowed sternly. "Now Loosy, ya know that ain't what we're actually here fer."

The mare was crestfallen and dropped her gaze to the floor. Of course she knew that, should have known better than to even ask in the first place. Yet for that one momentary instant she had foolishly allowed herself to get swept away, to wish if only briefly that she could just pretend the two of them could be…

A hoof gently lifted her head, as a second wiped a stray bit of hair back into the decorative bun her mane had been styled into. Their gaze met and as Loosy lost herself in the ocean of the stallion's deep blue eyes, she didn't notice how he paused and gulped audibly before speaking, "…but well, I reckon we could make time fer just one."

The next few minutes lasted both for an eternity and yet were all too fleeting, as the two ponies left the world and all its troubles behind. It was indulgent, and unbeknownst to the other, each silently cursed their weakness, or feared they might do so later. For now though, in this one brief moment of time, all they were was happy.

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From across the room, Lemon Hearts watched the happy couple lose themselves in the moment. Young love was such a sweet thing, and for her purposes most useful as well. Silverstar had proved to be just a little more canny than she was comfortable with. The former sheriff seemed to have an innate affinity for rooting out deceptions, or perhaps he was was just so determined to wallow in his own misery that he was purely incapable of believing in the kind of beneficence as she pretend to offer.

Blinded by love, however, it was easy enough for Lemon Hearts to hide behind the gratitude he owed her for reuniting them. His woeful lack of self-esteem certainly helped as well. The poor fellow was so convinced he was unworthy of Loosy's love that he failed to understand just how just how much the mare pined for him.

Not that Loosy was much better. It was almost adorable how utterly perfect for each other the two ponies were in their utterly pathetic inability to admit to their own feelings.

Putting the wouldbe lovebirds out of her mind, Lemon Hearts turned her attention to more immediate concerns of what to do about the stodgy marquis that was her date for the evening. So far she had been playing the mere demure hanger-on while the stallion engaged other guests in the typically dull conversations that only the petty-minded nobility found interesting. Still, now that she was in the front door, she had no more use for him and was looking for a convenient opportunity sneak off into the crowd.

"…but are orphans really that much of a problem in wider Equestria?"

She'd only been paying scant attention to the conversation. Up to this point she'd only needed to occasionally nod or make some other vocal affirmation to provide the illusion of interest. Practiced as she was though at social manipulations, Lemon Hearts knew to listen for key words that required more attention, and apparently at some point her date must have moved the subject onto to her own profession.

The noble who'd asked the question, a baron Mounty Max as she recalled him having been introduced to her, proceeded without waiting for further reply. "Sure enough even back home in Saddlesbu… err, Nulpar, unfortunate accidents do happen. When such things do happen though, there's almost always a close family member or friend that can take such foals in."

Lemon Hearts appraised the baron, as she decided how or even if to respond. She'd never heard of the province of Nulpar before, but then again she'd never had much interest in politics beyond what little she needed to know to manipulate the local authorities. Perhaps it was new, certainly the inflection in the baron's use of the word suggested that even he wasn't used to calling it as such. What kind of province was it though?

Again, judging by this Max, he seemed to be a pony ill at ease with formality, preferring a cruder vernacular. He was also rather rugged in build, not like a farmer though, but rather perhaps a miner –no– a mountaineer. Yes, that would also fit with his accent that sounded distinctly northern, somewhere most likely near the borders to the Griffin Kingdoms.

None of these, however, were thoughts Lemon Hearts actually dwelt on. She'd honed such observational skills over decades of practice and so they all came as a matter of instinct to her now. Thus only a second or two passed before she finally spoke, "Were it only that simple in the cities, Mr. Mounty." Most nobles would take offence at an address that failed to acknowledge their status, however, Lemon Hearts soon saw by the baron’s expression that she had judged correctly and that the lesser title, appended to the first part of his name no less, would better put this Max at ease.

Seizing the moment she continued, "In your own home province where isolated villages of only a few hundred ponies, plus the odd goat or hippogriff are the norm, it's a rather simple matter for everyone to know everyone else. In the cities where we are constantly surrounded by thousands or more, however, there just isn't enough time in the day to meet them all. As such, it is exceedingly difficult to know whom can be trusted, and so, far too many ponies respond by simply trusting nopony at all."

Her words had clearly struck a nerve, and the obvious disappointment on Max's face was plain to see. Yes, this was clearly a noble still new to the shadowy games of the Night Court, an easy mark both for his peers and for herself. "Of course that's not to say we don't all still have our associates, but the kind of community bonds strong enough to take in a stranger's child… not so much. Even when such is the case, there is always still the matter of trust. Sad as it is to say there are always those who would take in abandoned children, not out of genuine love, but rather for any number of potential ulterior motives." Even through her outward mask of weary resignation, Lemon Hearts might be inclined to chuckle to herself at the irony, that is of course if such concerns had ever even bothered her in the first place. "That, Mr. Monty, is why organisations with established reputations like my own are so vital."

"I suppose I do see the point in that, but…" the baron's words trailed off as seemed to grapple with the new and unfamiliar concepts assailing him.

Good, Lemon Hearts thought as she smiled, both as an outward sign of emotional reassurance while also inwardly over just how easy it was to manipulate him. She allowed a tear to well up in the corner of one eye to add weight to her next words. "Why just the other day I met a grown mare who slipped through the cracks, who spent her whole youth growing up shuffled between foster families that never really wanted her in the first place." This was of course entirely true, even if the circumstances she'd met Miss Clover Charms under had nothing to do with her orphanage. Just as well too, as the unfortunate mare possessed nothing of any use or interest to Lemon Heats outside of her role in Miss Sparkle's plan. "That's no way for any foal to grow up, wouldn't you agree?"

"No, of course not."

"See Max," chimed in the green mare accompanying the baron, presumably his own date, "Madam Hearts here is such a wonderful pony."

Lemon Hearts had hardly paid the young mare any mind until now, who had been entirely unassuming, almost shy. Having finally spoken up though, that quickly changed. "I’m sorry… I mean that is… it's just that I've been something of a fan of your work for some time now. It's both an honor and a privilege to finally get to meet you in person. You’ve done such a wonderful job for so many foals. I’m actually the patron for a charity hoping to set up an orphanage similar to yours in Ontarneigho and I was just wondering… that is if it wouldn't be too much of an inconvenience, if I could pick your brains for a moment."

Sighing inwardly, Lemon Hearts cursed this complication. It wasn't first time she'd been approached in such a manner, but surround by such an ostentatious crowd as tonight's jubilation she'd not expected to be singled out by anypony actually familiar with her work. "Of course dear, although now may not be the time for a detailed discussion, maybe we can arrange a more formal meeting somewhen?"

"Oh, I would like that, but can I ask just a few questions?"

The mare was persistent, Lemon Hearts had to give her credit for that, but she didn't have time to placate such trivialities. By her own observations of the crowd's movements this evening, her best opportunity to intercept her intended target would be coming up shortly. She had to find a way to extricate herself from the discussion without further delay.

"It's such a wonderful thing to see such enthusiasm in young and upcoming dilettantes. You remind me so much of myself at your age," actually, if the young noble had even half a clue the things Lemon Hearts had actually done at that age, she'd like run screaming in terror, "Would that there were only more ponies like us, Equestria could be such a better place. Of course I would be glad to lend whatever personal assistance I can to help your own endeavors succeed. I find myself becoming a bit parched though, would anypony like a drink?"

"I think I could stand another mead," announced the baron.

"I could do with a wine myself" added his date.

All too easy. "Good, I’ll just..."

"No need," interjected her own so-called date, "That is what the servants are here for after all."

"There’s no need to bother, I can..."

Infuriatingly though the Stallion had already clopped his front hooves together, summoning a black clad servant to take their order. "Chocolate milk for you wasn’t it?"

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Loosy's thoughts lingered on the dance she'd shared with Silverstar, and how woefully short it had been. They weren't actually here for such things of course though, and so he'd had to excuse himself to attend to the mission. Now she was all alone in the crowd. She felt utterly lost as she once again found herself questioning if she really had anything meaningful to contribute to the group's task.

"Why hello there, Ms. Screws," turning at the address, Loosy found herself face-to-face with none other than Vicereine Puissance herself, "It's quite the unexpected surprise to see you here. I do not believe we've ever met before. After my staff informed me that the widow of one of my former and most influential financial advisors was in attendance, however, it would have been remiss of me not to take the opportunity to see to you personally. Your late husband always spoke well of you. His passing truly was a tragic loss that lessens all of us."

Being face-to-face with the vicereine was decidedly nerve-wracking. Lemon Hearts, however, had predicted this possibility and given Loosy very specific instructions. Taking a deep breath to steal herself, Loosy did her best to casually brush a hoof across the silver ear-clasp Miss Sparkle had given her, "Thank you, Vicereine, I appreciate the condolences," now with the signal sent over the enchanted communication device, all she had to do was keep the vicereine talking until Lemon Hearts could make her way over, "But well… actually I was one of the lead carpenters who helped renovate this estate a few years back. So we've met before, if only briefly while you were overseeing construction on the southeast gallery."

"Really?" There was an an almost instant change in the vicerine's tone and posture. She was no less an imposing figure, but suddenly she seemed somehow… eager. "Well, then I suppose I owe you a personal measure of thanks as well for the excellent craftsmareship. The furnishings on that wing are so intricately matched that it is difficult to tell where the old ends and the new begins. Tell me then, are you doing well for yourself after you husband's untimely passing? I could surely find some use for a mare of your talents in my employ."

"Thank you for the offer, Vicereine, but my husband left behind substantial savings as well as several lucrative investment contracts, and…" she paused before finishing, "And a sizable life insurance policy as well. My son and I should be more than secure for quite a few years, and well, I'm still only just now adjusting to the loss anyway. I don't think I'm at all ready to go back to work just yet."

It was subtle, but Puissance's demeanor immediately fell back into the more neutral stance she'd started from. "Well, I suppose at least you seem to be bouncing back now. My servants informed me though that you brought a date. Where is he, pray tell?"

"Silver? He um… well, I think he said he needed to use the little colt's room. And well, I um… I also wouldn't really call him my date. He's just an old friend doing his best to look out for me."

"Please, there's no need to wear a mask of such propriety with me." It was difficult to tell if the vicereine actually cared, or was just becoming bored. "I've had no shortage of paramours in my day. Why, I even married two of them. When each of my husbands passed in turn, I made sure to erect proper monuments to them both in the gardens as well as making sizable donations to foundations that now bear their names so as to ensure their legacy lives on. I never, however, even once wasted a second on mourning." Pussance’s expression remained stern, yet there was something unmistakable sad in her next words, "I'm too old now to have much use for a third husband, but you are still young enough. Keep that in mind, lest you find yourself regretting missed opportunities later."

"It's not mourning though… I mean, that is…" Loosy stammered. How could she admit the real truth of the matter and her shameful guilt, that she had first fallen in love with Silverstar while her husband had still been alive. Worse still, the sheriff hadn't even been the first stallion she'd made flirtatious advances towards during her marriage. Maybe she'd never had the nerve to actually go through with a full affair, but that hardly alleviated the burden of her sinful desires.

Like so many things in her life, she'd only married her husband for fear of the alternative — being alone and having to fend for herself. Still, he had been a good stallion, always supportive of her and even gifted her a son. Yet he'd also been so much older than her as well as emotionally distant. She had certainly needed him, but never felt like he had needed her… or at least that was the excuse she had always held onto as she would secretly flirt with other stallions.

Despite it all though, things changed forever on that fateful day in Appleloosa. The tyrant's midnight sun had been taken by the native buffalo as an omen that their ancestral spirits were angry, and so the already tense relations between them and the settler ponies broke down completely. Silverstar had organized every able-bodied pony into a militia. She'd tried to be brave for him, but just like she always had, she ran away while others stood their ground. She'd hid in the first building she could find, and that had nearly been the death of her.

One of the rampaging natives ended up charging through the walls and knocked out the main support column. As the building collapsed around her, she'd stood petrified. A weight had crashed down over her, and then everything went dark.

She wasn't dead though and somepony else was in the darkness with her, had used his own body to shield hers. She'd called out Silverstar's name, thinking only the sheriff could be so brave, but quickly discovered instead that it was her husband.

The secrets of her traitorous heart revealed, and fearing nopony would ever find them beneath the rubble, she finally confessed all her sins. She didn't know what response she'd expected, anger, sadness, but not that question.

"Did they… make you… happy?"

Her husband then made his own confession, that he already knew about her flirtatious affairs, that he'd known from the very first. His words were heavy with ragged breaths, but not a hint of condemnation… and some how that only made it all worse.

"I… I'm sorry…" he had wheezed out in barely more than a strained whisper, "It was… my… fault. If only… I could have… been what… you needed me… to be… then… then it wouldn't… have been… been so hard… for you. All… all I've ever… wanted was for… for you to be… happy, but now… now you'll be… free. Just know… that… that I will… will always… lov… … …"

Loosy wasn't sure how much time passed after that in the silent darkness, such concepts had lost all meaning. She wasn't sure when the light returned. Somewhere a mare was pulled from the rubble, as well as the body of what had once been an elderly stallion. Loosy, however, was far away where she didn't have to see his ruined wings or the splintered boards that pierced his… no, she was far away and all alone.

A young colt had come to comfort the mare, but she didn't move. At some point the mare was taken away from that awful place, but the pain never went away. Even when she was eventually brought back to her home in Baltimare, it never subsided. How could it, when everything in the estate that had been her husband's was a reminder of…?

Fortunately Loosy was still far away, where such pain couldn't exist.

The colt was also at the house. The son tended to his mother's every need with ceaseless dedication, yet she lacked the strength of will to even so much as acknowledge his affections, and so it continued, for how long she couldn't tell. Days and Nights all blurred together. Once she even imagined Silverstar had come to see her, but no. Why would he, why would anyone? Eventually though somepony did…

"Ms. Screws."

Loosy blinked, looked up, and there they were again, those same rosy eyes that had greeted her from her long waking slumber. Briefly she considered if she'd ever awoken in the first place, but this time she knew the name that belonged to those eyes, "Lemon Hearts?"

The eyes narrowed, and for the briefest moment Loosy thought she saw something behind them, something that frightened her. "The vicereine, where is she?"

Loosy glanced from side to side, quickly remembering where she was and what she was supposed to be doing, "I… I think she left."

Lemon Hearts frowned as her gaze intensified, becoming like a blade that pierced Loosy's very soul. She wanted to apologize, to beg forgiveness, but under that icy gazy she could hardly even breathe.

"It okay, deary" and just like that it was over. Loosy blinked and the matronly unicorn was again the same gently nurturing pony she had always been. Had it only been Loosy's own guilt that made it ever seem different?

Before Loosy could find the strength to speak again though, Lemon Heart was already turning away, a hoof held to her own ear-clasp, "Miss Charms, I'm going to need your help with plan B."

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Snowflake stood at his post, guarding the stairs. He wore some kind of black servant's uniform instead of armor, but that did nothing to diminish his excitement. So far agreeing to help that purple unicorn lady had been the best choice he'd ever made. It was a good thing that other nice unicorn had come along to tell him it had nothing to do with an all elephant orchestra, because now here he was a guard in the employ of actual nobility.

The brown stallion, Silverstar, walked up to him. The pony must have been really used to wearing his hat, because he reached up a hoof as if to tip it in greeting before realizing his head was bare. Snowflake suppressed a laugh –guards had to be emotionless all time– but the sight was so silly that a mild snort still escaped his nostrils. That was okay though, as Snowflake kept a stern expression so hopefully it would just sound intimidating — guards were supposed to be intimidating.

Apparently though, it wasn't intimidating enough as the pony proceeded to try and walk past him. Snowflake firmly sprung into action, using one hoof to gently, but firmly, push the pony back as he sidestepped to interpose himself in front of the stairs.

Silverstar narrowed his eyes before muttering something incomprehensible under his breath. Snowflake knew his job though, nopony except the staff or the vicereine was allowed past these stairs. A moment later the other stallion muttered again, a bit louder, but Snowflake still couldn't quite make it out. This is why he hated trying to talk to ponies with mustaches, the darn things just muffled the typical mumblings of most ponies even more. Finally the other pony raised a hoof up and brushing aside a bit of mane, tapped the silver ear clasp hidden beneath, "Cansarnit Snowflake, it's me! Don'tcha remember?"

For a moment Snowflake was confused, how the words seemed to come from directly inside his own ear instead of the other stallion's mouth, but then he remembered the similar clasp that he'd been given. He couldn't figure out though why the other stallion would be using the communication device when they were standing right next to each other, especially to ask such a silly question.

"Yeah!"

"Good, then if you'll kindly just step aside…" the pony then pushed a hoof into him, but Snowflake stood his ground.

"Is there some kind of problem?" that was the voice of the purple unicorn lady — Tambourine, or was it Skylight, or maybe Sparkle? Clover called her the number ten for some reason, but that only made even less sense as their team only had six ponies in it. Seriously, the purple unicorn lady had so many different names it was hard to keep track.

Still, he didn't actually mind all that much — all those quirks just made her even cuter.

"It's Snowflake, Twi, he's bein' stubborn as a mule."

"Hey!" interrupted Clover's voice, "My great aunt was a mule."

"Err… sorry, didn't mean no offense by it."

"Oh, don't be sorry… she was a real ass."

Snowflake snickered at the pun — except, wait… if her aunt was a mule wouldn't make her only part ass? Then it dawned on him that the joke was itself intentionally half-assed — BRILLIANT!

"Right…" drawled the other stallion, who clearly had no appreciation for good comedy, "Well, either way, he's bein' dense as a rock and ain't budgin' an inch, think maybe he's gotten himself confused about which job he's s'posed ta be doin'."

The compliment about his impressive physique helped Snowflake regain his composure, but Silverstar was clearly the one who didn't understand that there was no job more important than being a guard for a vicereine. Well, unless it was being a guard for the Princess herself.

"You just need to ask him the right way," said Clover, "Snowflake, hon, you remember that me and TripS were both working here on recon, right? That's how I helped you get the job."

"YEAH!?" Snowflake shouted in reply, then remembering that she was actually speaking to him from very far away he put a hoof up to his own ear clasp and repeated, "YEAH?!"

He'd almost forgotten, but was the other stallion really still working here? The stallion didn't seem to be wearing any kind of uniform, and with that nickname Clover had given him maybe he'd gotten fired for being clumsy or something.

"You, know you don't have to shout," said the purple unicorn lady, "The enchantment on the clasps can pick up even the faintest whisper."

"Aw, Tenbs, don't be so hard on the lug. I think it's cute."

Snowflake beamed with pride at the mare's compliment. She was pretty cute herself, but the purple unicorn lady was cuter still. Of course for a stallion as eligible as himself it did pay to keep his options open. Then again, both mares seemed friendly enough with each other too. Maybe they wouldn't mind sharing him — or maybe they could even all make it a threesome.

"Anyway, if you could be a dear and let TripS go on by that be a great favor. Remember that we've all got an important mission here with the fate of all Equestria riding on it."

That was right. Snowflake was still a little sketchy on the details, but he remembered the purple unicorn lady saying something about needing to find an artifact to stop some flaming treant, or was it the Treant's Son that was on fire? That second one probably made more sense because the lemon unicorn took care of a lot of her own children, though the child of a treant would still be treant too so it probably didn't make much difference. He still wasn't sure how dangerous a burning tree spirit really was; wouldn't it just burn away to ashes before it could hurt anypony? Or was it just the fire they were trying to put out before the poor thing died… but if it was already on fire, did they really have enough time to save it? Either way, he guessed maybe it was just some weird magic thing.

Of course, now that he stopped to think about it, how could one treant be so important? Then again, hadn't there been mention of some kind of queen? If it was the queen of the treants that needed help saving her son, well then, maybe some kind of diplomatic treaty was at stake. Briefly Snowflake fantasized himself, in the full armor of a royal guard, leading the charge against an army of walking trees. Then he shook his head — if the treant queen was asking for their help, then surely they must be a peaceful race and as such a good pony like himself should do everything he can to help. He'd probably even get a hero's medal. As handsome as he was now, he'd get even more fillies once he was a famous hero.

His musing were interrupted by a vibration he felt coming up through the floor. Glancing up, he saw Sliverstare tapping a hoof impatiently. Alright, it was settled then. "Yeah," he said as he stepped aside and unhooked the velvet rope that cordoned off the staircase.

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Carrot Top didn't really own any formal clothes suitable for an event like this. She'd briefly considered commissioning something from Carousel Boutique, but not only would that cut into her profits, but it would also mean submitting herself to the scrutiny of the shop's owner. Rarity wasn't a bad pony, but she could be a bit overbearing, especially when she got inspired. It had been hectic enough that one time Carrot Top found herself owning the fashionista a favor and had agreed to model for her, so she was less than enthusiastic to risk a repeat performance if she didn't have to.

Fortunately, while digging through one of her grandmother's old trunks, Carrot Top had managed to find something to wear. The pale mulberry garden dress was a little large on her, trimmed in more lace than she really cared for, and overall was noticeably dated, but still functional enough. Carrot Top did feel a little silly wearing the matching wide-brimmed sunhat indoors, but she'd decided the dress looked even sillier without it.

Of course what made her feel silliest of all was how much better dressed Applejack was. Her fellow farmer had discarded her usual stetson, and was now instead garbed in a wide-collared light-brown blouse with a double layered skirt, dark brown on top, red underneath, and trimmed in a sandy –almost, but not quite gold– embroidery. Her tail had been tucked into a tight bun and hidden beneath the skirts, while her mane had been rigorously combed and conditioned, leaving it smooth and wavy with just the slightest curl at the tips. The whole outfit was topped off by a beaded green necklace with an apple shaped pendant.

Even though she knew better, Carrot Top couldn't help but feel some of her old jealousy towards Applejack return. While her own carrot farm was a far cry from the most successful in Ponyville, one of the things Carrot Top did like to pride herself on was being one of, if not the best looking farmers — especially her mane. Unfortunately, now Applejack was proving that to have perhaps always been a foolish pride. No doubt Carrot Top put more effort into personal grooming on a daily basis, but it was now all too apparent that Applejack was more than capable of cleaning up when the occasion suited. Not only that, but above and beyond the dress which was both more stylish and functional than her own frumpy ensemble, Carrot Top also found herself overshadowed by an even more undeniable fact — Applejack was just plain better at talking to other ponies.

Now Carrot Top held no illusions in regards to her own social skills. She was by no means she, however, bluntly speaking, she was a doormat and she knew it. Furthermore, she knew full well that as one of Ponyville's community leaders, Applejack was no stranger to public speaking, and was even more so an expert self-publicizing salesmare. Still, Carrot Top had perhaps hoped that the apple farmer's rustic country vernacular would leave her distinctly out of place among so many nobles. No such luck, however, as Applejack had perfectly affected an astonishingly accurate upper-class Manehattan accent that would even put a posh socialite like Rarity to shame.

Carrot Top supposed she really shouldn't have been so shocked though. During their train trip from Ponyville, Applejack had told her the story of how as a young filly –before earning her cutie mark– she had briefly aspired to be an executive in the Apple Trust, during which time she'd lived with her Aunt and Uncle in Manehattan. Even if Applejack eventually left the big city behind to return to a life of working the land with her own four hooves –and in so doing discovered her true talent and passion– it was clear she'd never forgotten the lessons she'd learned about how to hobnob with the snobs.

Still, for all the minor resentments she was struggling to suppress, Carrot Top couldn't argue with results. Applejack had brought with her all the same enthusiasm that made her market stand the best in town, and so their shared buffet table was easily as busy as the other two catering teams combined. Not that such made all that much difference. Carrot Top had already been paid in full by the vicereine for her services, so it didn't matter how many guests chose her food over the other options. At least not directly. The greater dividend was in exposure, and more than a few of the guests had asked about ordering direct produce shipments.

True to her word though, Applejack didn't steal the opportunity to promote Sweet Apple Acres, never even mentioning it once. Unfortunately, Applejack didn't really do anything to help promote Carrot Top’s own Golden Harvests much either, instead speaking mostly in broad terms of the entire Ponyville farming community. Still, with the recent formation of the union, that might be just as well.

This introspection was broken when Carrot Top felt a gentle nudge. "Look sharp, girl. The vicereine is comin' this way," whispered Applejack, briefly slipping back into her casual drawl for those private words.

As Vicereine Puissance approached the buffet table, Carrot Top put on her best smile, though she still wasn't sure what to expect from this encounter. Then a different panicked thought crossed her mind, Wait, am I supposed to bow? Puissance was royalty, second only to Princess Luna herself. If she tried to bow while still behind the catering table though, she'd be almost completely hidden from view. Maybe she needed to rush quickly around to other side to properly greet the vicereine. Oh, why didn't I brush up on my etiquette during the trip over?

An awkward silence hung in the air as Carrot Top stood paralyzed with indecision. Shortly though, she realized that Applejack wasn't going to cover for her on this one. Probably out of respect and not wanting to upstage Carrot Top in front of the noble that had invited her. Unless… unless, just maybe, this had been Applejack's plan all along, to leave Carrot Top high and dry when good impressions mattered most. No, she mentally slapped herself, Applejack and I aren’t rivals anymore; were friends. Aren't we?

All the while the awkward silence only stretched out even more awkwardly, as she became increasingly aware that all eyes were on her, Now or never, all or nothing. "Um… Good evening, your grace," the moment she spoke, however, Carrot Top wondered if that was the right term of address or not. Either way, it was too late now. "This is quite the gathering you have here. I'm actually a little overwhelmed by it all," she forced out a brief chuckle from the grin that was starting to feel painfully plastered to her face, "but it's… umm, it's an honor to be part of it."

There was again a pause that seemed to stretch out for an eternity as the vicereine seemed to appraise the farmer. "Please, the honor is all mine, and it is only all the more so a privilege to have a national hero such as yourself here with us tonight."

Carrot Top's dread at embarrassing herself was now quickly overwhelmed by an even deeper concern. "Forgive me, Vicereine, but I was under the impression that I'd been invited her tonight for my placement in the competition at Trottingham, not… well, not because of my Element of Harmony."

"Quite right you are. It would, however, be equally remiss of me not to at least acknowledge the greater service you performed for this whole nation, and at no small risk to your own personal safety. Everypony in Equestria owes you a debt of gratitude, be they commoner or noble alike."

"Oh… well, in that case, thank you… I guess."

"No, thank you. Tell me though, have you enjoyed your visit to Palomino? We have such a rich cultural history here."

"Actually, I've been so busy with all the catering preparations that I've not really had much chance to see anything but the kitchens." As an afterthought Carrot Top added, "Although I suppose I did end take a brief trip down to the markets for some extra supplies, and I guess that was nice." Actually it had been more than just nice, it had been nearly perfect, and now that she thought about it more, maybe a little too perfect. It had almost been like some kind of scripted performance. On even further consideration, she'd only needed to go to the markets at all because of a last minute change in the menu request. She stared at Puissance, wondering if the vicereine was really devious enough to have paid off that many ponies just to ensure that Carrot Top would be impressed.

No, that kind of conspiracy theory would have to be insane even by Trixie's standards, wouldn't it?

"Such a shame. Perhaps I could arrange a tour for you… and the other caterers as well, of course. Not just of the city, but the surrounding countryside as well. Tell me, were you aware Palomino recently instituted a land grant program to encourage agricultural development?"

Actually, she had been aware of that fact, but only just recently, as of this morning to be precise — during her impromptu trek out to the markets. Again, she'd not thought much about why so many ponies would be discussing the same thing before, but now… "Wait, are you trying to bribe me into moving here?"

There was a slight gasp from several of the ponies in the entourage of sycophants that seemed to hang on the vicereine's every word, but Puissance herself was unfazed. "But of course not. It was nothing more than a professional courtesy. A fine upstanding farmer such as yourself should always be aware of all the options available to her by which she can advance her trade; don't you agree?" If Puissance actually meant that as a valid question, Carrot Top would never know, because the vicereine proceed without waiting for any kind of reply, "Were it my intent to bribe you it would hardly be in my own interest to do so in such a public venue as this. This is merely a question I would have asked any other farmer, and indeed which I intend to ask the other caterers here as well."

Puissance's gaze then shifted to the side before she continued, "And to that end, what of your associate here? If I am to understand correctly, she too is the proprietor of her own farm, and if I am not mistaken, the fifth-place finalist from Trottingham as well."

"Why yes, Vicereine, and I do very much appreciate your most gracious invitation. I must regretfully decline, however. You see, the Smith branch of the Apple Trust has lived in Ponyville for generations; we even helped found the town. I am quite certain that a pony of your eminence can understand the responsibility that entails."

"Yeah," Carrot Top added, "I've got friends in Ponyville too, and I could never leave them behind."

Turning to once again face Carrot Top, the vicereine pressed, "Well, if that is your concern, I assure you that Palomino has ample employment opportunities for teachers, weather ponies, and postal workers as well. We also have an especially fine appreciation for the arts in all their forms, including music."

Given just how keenly aware the vicereine seemed to be in regard to the professions of all her friends, Carrot Top was more sure than ever that this was all little more than a thinly veiled ruse to recruit the heroes who bore the Elements of Harmony. Especially since no similar attempt had been made to further persuade Applejack. Though Carrot Top also couldn't help but notice that the vicereine hadn't offered to advance Trixie's political career. Then again, it was hardly a secret that Trixie had never been very popular amongst the nobles, so it probably made sense for Puissance to perhaps be more reluctant in that regard.

"Oh, but listen to me prattle on," Puissance continued, "Such offers must sound dreadfully presumptuous of me. Please forgive an old mare her eccentricities. Still, it can hardly be denied that ponies of such vaunted importance as you and your friends deserve the very best Equestria can offer, without the need to worry about misguided fools who would only attempt to exploit you for their own petty gain, and well… I'd like to think Palomino is a place that could be that for you, if you'd let it."

Carrot Top was silent, unsure how, or even if to respond. Had she misjudged the Puissance? Even if noble had been trying to convince Carrot Top to move here and bring all her friends with her, was it possible the vicereine really wanted to do so only to genuinely protect them from harm. Having such a powerful political ally would certainly keep them safe from any more of Greengrass's machinations. The Duke had already tried to coerce Lyra through her old mentor, sent those FlimFlam brothers to scam Carrot Top herself, and then there was that sleazy stallion who'd nearly bewitched Cheerilee — the thought of that last one truly made her shudder. Who could say which of them he might go after next or how?

"Anyway, if you will excuse me, I do have other guests to atte—" and without any warning the vicereine suddenly found herself covered in fondue. Shocked gasps echoed through the entire crowd as all eyes turned to the guilty party.

The gray-coated and mossy-maned earth pony servant smiled broadly. "Whoops… but I guess now tonight's dinner really is all on the vicereine," any attempt, however, by the mare to worm her way out of trouble with such a poorly conceived joke was only met with scornful silence. "Gee, tough crowd; I—" whatever further excuse she might have had died as the mare locked eyes with Puissance, whose own eyes held only a cold fury. It wasn't a restrained fury, so much as it was a promise of inevitably dire retribution. "…I'll just be going, that is," and with that, the mare ran off into the crowd.

Puissance ruffled her wings with agitation, which due to the rigging on her peacock like gown, splattered bits of fondue on any guests unlucky enough to still be standing in close proximity to her. If she meant to give immediate pursuit to the clumsy servant though, no pony would ever know as a yellow-coated and blue-maned unicorn mare stepped forward from amongst the other sycophants.

"Vicereine, if you please, I work with many children, and so know a variety of spells for cleaning out stains."

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Silverstar looked at the door in front of him. It was certainly ornate and fancy enough, but so were most of the doors in the manor. He'd made this trip once before while he and Clover had been doing their initial recon surveillance, but he still double checked the notes Loosy had given him to make sure he'd taken all the correct turns and counted the proper number of doors and intersections.

Finally confident, he took one last glance down either end of the hall before bringing a hoof to his ear. "Alright, Twi, I'm here and the coast's all clear, so—" *pop* "—come right on up…" Silverstar trailed off as the unicorn teleported directly in front of him. "I thought ya said ya'd still need a minute to back trace the clasp before ya could do that?"

Twilight grinned sheepishly. "I was sort of already tracking you most of the way."

Shrugging, the stallion turned to regard the door. "Loosy says any security that'd normally be on this room ain't s'pposed to be workin' tonight, so getting in shouldn't be too hard."

Twilight blinked as her eyes glowed with the faint light of a detection spell to confirm the lack of lingering enchantments. "She's right. Just like everywhere else inside the manor I can see a pretty advanced warding charm, but they're all connected to a single spellmatrix. No way to turn one off without turning them all off. Normally that's probably a good thing as it means any attempt to bypass one ward would still risk setting the others off. With so many guests here tonight though, the alarms would probably go haywire trying to keep track of everypony. Maybe it was really was a serendipitous we changed the plan to break tonight. I could probably work out a counter spell for these wards, but it could have taken weeks of research."

"Don't reckon I understand half the things ya just said there, but maybe we should get on with it 'fore one of the guard patrols sweeps this area?"

"Oh, right. I'll start scrying the other side to get an accurate teleportation vector; should only take two or three min—" there was a sudden soft crack as Silverstar firmly leaned his weight against the door. About five seconds later it was followed by a snap as the lock gave way.

As the door swung open, Silverstar stepped aside, "Ladies first."

"Not very subtle."

"Ain't nothing much likely to be subtle 'bout any o' this 'fore we're through here t'night. Best way to cover our tracks is to be quick as possible and long gone 'fore anypony figures out we were even here."

The two ponies then stepped through the door and into Puissance's private study. The room was ornately decorated, every corner and piece of furniture featured intricate wooden engravings. The walls were all adorned with paintings in gilded silver frames and multiple glass display cases were filled with antique treasures.

Silverstar whistled softly, "Well, I'll be… if'n this is what she keeps in just her office, I ain't rightly sure I can even begin to imagine the wonders that'll be locked up in that secure vault o' hers."

Twilight was already beginning to rummage through the massive desk which dominated one end of the room. "Let's just hope that info Lucky coaxed out of the staff manager was correct, and that she keeps the vault key in here." Reaching a locked drawer, she called over. "Hey, think you could work your magic touch over here too?"

"I reckon I can oblige ya, ma'am."

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Puissance fumed in silent contempt. To think one of her own servants could be so careless. Well, not that the mare would be in her employ much longer, or anywhere else for that matter. It would be easy enough to make sure the clumsy earth pony was blacklisted throughout all of Palomino and Califurlong — at least at any establishment of repute. As a vicereine, Puissance also had plenty of clout to ensure the same in several surrounding provinces as well. She hoped Madam Lemon Hearts had provided the patsy with suitable compensation.

Yes, Puissance was more than canny enough to recognize such an overly convenient setup. Still, she played along with it long enough to gauge the unicorn's motives, which turned out to be simple enough. Lemon Hearts ran a charitable orphanage and did a very fine job presenting herself as nothing more than a mere nurturing matron, yet years of practice in the Night Court made it all too easy for the vicereine to see through such a genial facade. After all, every pony had a price, something that they valued above all else, and what Lemon Hearts valued was something Puissance could respect.

The matron was no mere bleeding heart giving free handouts to those who'd done nothing to deserve it, rather, she was entirely pragmatic. If left to remain vagrant on the streets, such orphans would of course only grow up to become further drains on society. If taken in while they were still young and malleable though, then they could be guided and provided with the training needed to become productive citizens. It was an admirable endeavor and so Puissance could overlook a bit of reckless enthusiasm in its pursuit, enthusiasm that even reminded her a bit of her own more precocious youth.

Besides, to think of what she could gain, an entire generation of otherwise forgotten foals who could grow up knowing that it was Puissance Noctilucent Optiebeurs-Golo who had been their benefactor, her portrait given a place of regal prominence in the facilities. Such a legacy could even be made to last more than just a single generation, as it wouldn't take much effort to set up a self-sustaining investment that could pay out dividends for decades to come. It would in the end all be a very small price to pay for a single ruined dress that she was far too wealthy to ever have had cause to wear again anyway.

She was already crunching the preliminary numbers in head, when she was rather rudely interrupted, "Excuse me, Puissance."

There were scant few ponies of station sufficient and/or enough nerve to address the vicereine directly by name, in such a casual manner without appending her title. Puissance turned and to no surprise found herself face to face with a white and lavender trimmed unicorn mare. To an ignorant plebian the middle-aged mare might seem one of the less important guests in attendance, clad only in a simple silken dress, the same light-blue hue as her eyes and accented only by a singular strand of pearls about her neck. Puissance of course knew better.

"Why, Velvet," she said adding emphasis to her equally inofficious address, "What a pleasure to see that you could be in attendance tonight. After your husband declined to attend I was afraid I’d miss the opportunity to see you as well. Should we perhaps make our way over to the other side of ballroom? I do believe that as usual, Wallflower has been monopolizing no small number of guests with her ever so exhaustively engaging conversational skills. It's been ages since the three of us were able to get together outside of official business."

Velvet eyed the elderly pegasus coolly, "Please, Puissance, let's not waste time on such pretenses of base civility; they don't really suit you."

As she appraised her fellow vicereine, Puissance noted a subtle glow at the base of Velvet's horn, almost entirely hidden beneath her striped mane. It would be difficult for anypony else in the room to notice, especially since, "A perception filter; how utterly conspiratorial of you."

"Hardly, I just thought it would be simpler if we could speak candidly, without the need to worry about inadvertent eavesdroppers."

"And whatever, pray tell, would you and I have to talk about that could possibly require such precaution."

"You also shouldn't feign ignorance" replied Velvet doing nothing to disguise her deepening scowl, "It doesn't suit you either. The only way your intentions on this night could be any more obvious would be if you'd made that mare the guest of honor."

There was a short pause as Puissance gave an affectation of confusion at the implication. "Why… surely you don't mean that quant young mare from Ponyvile now? I will admit that having one of the Elements of Harmony here is a most unexpected privilege, but I invite the best teams from Trotingham to cater this event every year, as you well know. I wasn't even a judge, so there's little I could have done to rig anything to my benefit anyway."

Velvet scoffed, knowing full well that Puissance was both rich and canny enough to do exactly that if she'd wanted to, though in this case she was inclined to believe at least this admission was true, after all it would have been an easier way to conceal the more obvious truth. "Indeed, but you've never before invited more than the top two teams, and even then only when the winning farm was too small to properly cater an event of this scale."

"Perhaps you failed to notice, but this year that scale includes a guest list twice as large as any previous year. I assure you, the extra catering was strictly essential. In fact, perhaps I should have invited the best four teams, since it seems poor Miss Topmore had to beg for assistance from the fifth place team to cover her table"

"Yes, and no doubt you have a reasonable excuse for inviting all those extra guests, a symbol of defiance perhaps against the impending threat of the Tyrant Sun. Funny though how the second round of invitations didn't get sent out until after the competition in Trottingham. " Velvet paused a moment measuring the mood before adding, "Though now that I stop to consider who one of the judges was this year, maybe I shouldn't put any blame on you at all. Maybe instead the rumors are true and that in your senility you're letting that viper, Greengrass, pull your strings like a mere puppet."

That last statement seemed to pierce Puissance's armor as she made a rare show of force, spreading her aged wings wide and again fully unfurling the train of her peacock like dress in the process. No pony, least of all the young Duke of Caneighda, could manipulate Vicereine Puissance Noctilucent of the house of Optiebeurs-Golo. Over her many decades in the Night Court she had crushed dozens of upstarts just like him and she would no doubt go on to crush a dozen more before her days were through. For now she was just stringing the whelp along, giving him precisely enough rope to hang himself with. Once he'd made an appropriate mockery of the political process and been ousted –preferably imprisoned as well– then she'd be able to make an example of him. He'd be all the proof she'd need that those who bore the Elements of Harmony required allies to protect them from such filth — allies like herself of course.

Still, Puissance had not become so successful in her career by succumbing to petty emotional outbursts, and as she gathered her wits back she could easily see the smug grin already forming at the corners of her fellow vicereine's lips.

Of course Velvet would have already known that it was Puissance who was playing Greengrass for the fool and not the other way around. Any implication to the contrary was just a ploy to rile her up, perhaps provoke her into a tantrum that would draw the crowd's attention even through the perception filter. Well, two could play such games and Puissance would prove that her experience was nothing to be trifled with.

As Puissance relaxed her wings, she began her strategic retort, "I think perhaps that you're just trying to scare me off to give yourself free rein to enact your own plans… or rather your husband's?" Puissance didn't wait for a reply the expression on Velvet's face was all she needed before moving in to strike while the iron was hot. "Oh please, don't looked so shocked; subterfuge was never that boy's strong suit and he's always been out of his league in Canterlot. He's hardly done anything to conceal his contempt for the princess's apprentice and it's rather plainly clear he's just waiting for the first excuse he can find to take some kind of retribution over that unfortunate incident with the ursa."

Velvet cringed at the sting of those words which dug into a wound that was still fresh in her heart. With her own pride still injured though, Puissance was in no mood to give quarter. "A pity that in all those years you spent playing the demure housewife you never took the time to properly educate your children so they wouldn't bring shame upon your house." This was of course an exaggeration, and Puissance knew all too well that the Starlight familial merely had a generations old tradition whereby the born heir focused on the provincial affairs of Latigo, while their spouse would focus on the national affairs of Equestria.

Puissance had always found it such ridiculous division of labor. Why, she had two full provinces to govern in addition to her duties in the Night Court. Yet she had never needed either of her own previous two husbands to do anything save providing the obviously requisite assistance of siring offspring. Which was not to say she never cared for them beyond such practical needs, as both were always well provided for with all the luxury her ample wealth could provide.

Still, that last taunt, seemed to backfire as a renewed confidence returned to Velvet's eyes. "As if you are one to criticize on such things."

"And why wouldn't I be?" taunted Puissance in a haughty self-important superiority, "I'm easily three times the mother you are, and that's without counting all my grandfoals or latest great-grandfoal." She grinned wryly and added mockingly, "Though I suppose you aren't so old yet that there's not time to at least try and catch up now, dear; maybe you could manage to become at least half my equal."

"Really, and just how many of your children or theirs have you ostracized, disowned, or even driven into veritable exile? Not as though you ever had time to raise them yourself in the first place though, so I guess you just blame that on the nannies. No, Puissance, just because you birthed seven children doesn't mean you know the first thing about what it means to be a mother."

"Mind your tongue, Velvet!" it was a hiss, but the intent was no less clear for its lack of volume. "You may be hold the same rank as I do, but you are still far too young and naïve to understand the sacrifices I've had to make to insure the pride and integrity that is the House of Optiebeurs-Golo's legacy. Even as I taught them the consequences of their defiance, I have still always ensured that not one of my descendants will ever want for need or suffer in total obscurity.

"Maybe if you're lucky though you'll still have a chance to learn such lessons before your own house crumbles for want of real leadership. Luna is nothing if not merciful, so I doubt she'll hold the indiscretions of your daughter and husband against you personally. I suppose though that if you are still unwilling to claim your true birthright, there is at least that son of yours. He has no wife to pawn his duties off on, and it has after all been far too long since a true Starlight sat in council with the princess."

Puissance was, however, unable to fully enjoy her scathing remarks as Velvet seemed oddly distracted, looking no longer at Puissance directly, but off into the distance at something else. Attempting to follow the unicorn's gaze proved futile though, revealing nothing except for the expected crowd of guests… oh, and the insufferable servant that spilled the fondue, seemingly engaged in conversation with another servant. The failure of the other staff to immediately ostracize the incompetent mare disappointed Puissance; perhaps she would have to make two examples of her staff before the night was over.

Unable to gauge Velvet's distraction, Puissance simply chalked it up to general weariness. To the other vicereine's credit though, it passed quickly enough, allowing her to conclude herself with a calm dignity, "…If that is what comes to pass then I will have every confidence in my son to make myself, his father, and yes, even his sister proud." As she turned to leave, Velvet spared one final glance over her shoulder. Again though, she seemed to look more so past Puissance rather than at her. "Perhaps, however, you should consider that it is not only the House of Starlight's viceroyship that is in need of fresh perspective."

Puissance glared incessantly at the impotence of her supposed peer. To think that she had ever once admired Velvet's grandmother. Besides, Puissance was all too keenly aware that of all her myriad possessions, time was the one that she couldn’t buy more of. Still, she had quite enough left to insure her final legacy, and fully intended to use it to take every step needed to see to it that her great-grandson –the young Baronet Scepter of Cavesson– would grow up to be a perfect heir to her title. If it took until the last breath, she would be certain that no more mistakes were made, that no whimsical flights of fancy would be allowed to distract the colt from his destiny.

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While Silverstar was retrieving Loosy, Twilight had gone to meet back up with Lucky. The two mares made their way out of the ballroom, completely unaware of that an intimately familiar acquaintance had noticed Twilight.

Snowflake as well as Lemon Hearts were already waiting at the staircase, and so together all six ponies descended into the labyrinthine catacombs beneath the manor. It wasn't long before they reached an archway that was guarded by a pair of burly minotaurs, each wielding a dangerously sharp pike-axe. The two behemoth bovates looked bored, but still more than attentive enough to notice any sneaky intruders.

Twilight edged back after having peeked around the nearby corner. She blinked to dispel the lingering glow of the detection spell from her eyes. "That armor is impressively enchanted. I don't think even my strongest attack bolt could do much more the scuff than finish on one, let alone have any effect on both. I can't use any kind of geas either as long as they've got those helmets on"

Silverstar cracked his neck and pounded one hoof against the other, "If it's as simple as knocking off those helmets, then I think me and ol' Snowflake here can handle that much. Think you can put up some kind o' barrier to make sure nopony upstairs hears the commotion?"

The concern was apparent in Twilight's eyes, but she nodded in affirmation.

Before she could start channeling her next spell though, Lemon Hearts interceded, "While I'm sure you two strapping stallions are well up to such a task, there are more subtle approaches for breaching that armor." The mare then levitated a flask out from her bag. "I just need one more ingredient," turning to Snowflake she continued, "That is, if Mr. McHugelarge here would be so kind as to graciously let me borrow one of his feathers."

The pegasus tilted his head before slowly replying, "Yeah…?"

"Excellent," and then with one swift pluck she grabbed a feather in with her magic. Uncorking the flask, she then dipped the feather into the contents and stirred gently. "Miss Charms, dear, did you remember to bring some glasses from the ballroom like I asked?"

"Huh? Oh right, uh, here you go," answered the other mare as she set out two whine sifters on the floor.

As Lemon Hearts poured out the pungently sweet contents of the flask, Twilight asked, "What is that stuff?"

"Just a little something I read about one lonely Hearts'n'Hooves Day."

Moments later, after some careful instructions, Clover casually trotted around the corner balancing the two snifters of vibrant purple liquid. Upon seeing her, the two minotaurs quickly snapped to attention and crossed their pikes in front of the gate.

"Halt!" spoke one.

"Who goes there?" added the second.

Grinning without a care Clover responded, "Oh, me? I'm just one of the servants from upstairs. I thought it was really lousy of old Pucy to throw that lavish party for all those stuffy nobles, but leave the two of you stuck down here all night with nothing to do. So, well…" She looked conspiratorially left and right, before proceeding in a loud whisper, "I thought I'd sneak you down some of that fancy imported exotic wine."

The two minotaurs looked at each other, then back to the pony before uncrossing their pikes and relaxing their postures. "Well, ain't that thoughtful of you. 'Course, we really shouldn't be drinking on the job."

As the first minotaur smiled, the second added, "But one glass can't hurt, so long as the old bat never finds out."

Each then took one snifter in hand and turning to each other clinked them together before together saying, "Cheers!" Downing the contents in one quick swig, the pair of minotaurs stood for a moment contemplating the flavor. Then suddenly their bodies went rigid as their eyes locked fixedly on each other. Silent moments passed before…

"Why, I never noticed what a stacky-wacky, beefy-cakey you are."

"Aww… you're fine piece of ruggedy-duggedy, muscularly meaty goodness yourself."

As the two minotaurs continued trading overly affectionate compliments of the other's physique, the other five ponies came down the hall to join Clover.

"You sure they'll be okay?" asked Twilight.

Lemon Hearts dismissed the concern with a wave of her hoof, "But of course. The effects of the potion only last one hour… more or less. Why, they won't even remember a thing after coming to their senses. Though we should probably give these strapping gentle-sirs some… privacy."

"You're such a tasty-wasty looking dandy-candy treat. I could just eat you all up."

"Not if I eat you first, my snoogy-woogy cuddle bear."

Loosy, Silverstar, Snowflake, and Twilight all averted their gaze, preferring not to think of the matter any further. Silverstar in particular added "I best reckon she's right."

With that they one-by one broke away and passed through the archway into the labyrinth, until only Clover Charms lingered behind. "Hmm… I wonder if it's really true that minotaurs are hung like a—"

"Clover!" Twilight called sharply.

As Clover caught up with the others at the first intersection, Loosy was already pulling a large sheet of paper from from her bag and spreading it out on the floor for all to see. The sheet depicted architectural plans for a maze, complete with a path crudely drawn in crayon, with further doodles in the margins, as well as a few juice stains.

"Sorry for the mess. I didn't actually work on this section of the manor, so I only have a copy of these plans because one of the other contractors took a liking to Woody back when he was still just a little foal and gave him it to him to play with."

"It's fine," said Twilight as she studied the map, "This is more than we would have had without you."

As Loosy smiled shyly, Silverstar spoke up in concern. "Are we right certain that this'll be safe? There could still be traps."

Loosy frowned, but answered, "Well, there are traps," she indicated pointing a hoof to several marked spots on the map. Worried glances passed between the ponies, hoping that some of the nearby doodles were just silly foalish imaginings. None of them were eager to contend with things like a pool of lava, nor what appeared to be some kind of sharks swimming in it — and were those crossbows mounted on their heads? "As long as we stick to the main path though, we shouldn't run into any problems. The traps are only there to catch lost trespassers, since the vicereine wouldn't want to accidentally set them off herself."

"I s'pose that makes sense, but what if she's had the layout changed. This map's gotta be at least ten years old."

"Maybe… but I've not heard of there being any further renovations to the manor, or at least none large enough to make that possible. So far as I know, these catacombs have been here and unchanged since the manor was first built three-hundred years ago."

"Alright then, Loosy" announced Twilight, "We're counting on you to lead the way."

The earth mare shuffled nervously, but then nodded.

────────────────

Reaching the end of the maze, the six ponies now found themselves standing in front of the large and heavily reinforced vault door. Twilight stood in awe as she scanned it with her magic.

"These enhancements are just amazing. There's at least a dozen different protective wards all weaved together. Not only that but, those look like elkish runes carved into it, and I think those embedded gems are of cheeroonean spellcut. The door itself also looks like its got traces of astranium in the alloy and the scouring marks are indicative of griffin stormforging, if I'm not mistaken. I've not really had much chance to study tapir or zebra techniques, but I wouldn't be surprised if there was some contribution from them as well."

"Huh…" Clover said with a shrug, "seems like a lot of effort to go through for just a door."

Loosy countered, "Well, this is where the vicereine is supposed to keep all her rarest and most private treasures. I'm no expert on magics though, so I can't even begin to imagine how much this must have cost to commision. To be honest, even for a vicereine I didn't know Puissance had that much wealth?"

"These catacombs are mighty old by the looks of things," added Silverstar, "Could be this door's been here since before the vicerine's family even built the manor above."

"Ooh… do you really think so?" responded an increasingly excited Twilight.

"So," asked Clover, "What would happen if somepony tried forcing this thing open?"

Twilight wore a grin that put even her comical compatriot to shame as she giddily answered, "I have no idea," and clapping her fore-hooves together as she eagerly added, "Isn't it great!"

Realizing the others were all staring at her, Twilight coughed to regain her composure. "I mean… that is to say… well, it's just that I could probably write an entire doctoral thesis just studying the intricacies of the how all these disparate enchantments were inter-combined to create this door."

"Yes," interjected Lemon Heart, "and maybe you'll yet get the opportunity to do so in the future, but I do believe we have more immediately pressing concerns."

"Right, of course," said Twilight somewhat dejectedly, sparing one last glance back at the door.

As the scholarly unicorn opened her bag and levitated out an oddly structured polygonal stone, Clover blinked while rubbing the bridge of her nose. "What the heck is that thing and why is it giving me a headache just looking at it? It looks like something out of one of those weird artsy McEquishire paintings my old boss would put up around the office to try and convince everpony how deep he was… more like off the deep end, am I right?"

Twilight forced out short chuckle, then proceeded to explain, "This is a tumultia. It's a type of unique pan-dementional geometric shape; no two are alike and they are impossible duplicate. This one also happens to be the key to Puissance's vault."

"Very good then." From her own bag Lemon Hearts produced a faded lock of mane. "Thanks to Miss Charms' assistance I was able to surreptitiously aquire this from the vicereine as well as speak to he at sufficient length for the other half of my task."

Taking the lock of mane in her own aura Twilight walked over to the adjoining locking mechanism, or rather unlocking mechanism. The door itself was functionally impervious, rather the device connected to it was designed to interrupt the enchantments so as to make it even possible to open the door.

Placing the lock of mane on a panel meant to confirm the vicerine's identity, Twilight then began to rotate the temultia in front of an equally confusing looking hole. "Now I just have to figure out the correct angle to actually insert this thing…"

Lemon Hearts rolled her eyes impatiently while no one was watching her before reaching out and taking hold of the impossibly paradoxical object. "If you will alow me." She then spun it slightly, before pressing it against the lock and twisting at what almost seemed like two different directions at once. "Now then, just one last step."

The matron then wrapped an aura about her own throat. She leaned over the lock and spoke a single word, "Precious." It was an astonishingly accurate impersonation of the Vicereine, but would it be enough?

Twilight shifted uneasily from one hoof to another. Loosy glanced about nervously. Silverstar eyed the door for any sign of trouble. Clover grinned in eager anticipation. Snowflake seemed preoccupied with a nearby spider-web.

There was a whirring buzz, followed by a hissing pop. The door glowed with an audible hum of power, and then with a final jarring crack, began to slowly open inwards.

Smiling, Lemon Hearts turned back to the others and, still speaking the vicerine's voice, repeated the words Puissance herself had spoken at the commencement of the jubilation, "On this most special of days, I plan to give even more to you, my guests." Switching back to her own voice, Lemon Hearts then added, "Well then, I do believe it's time we take our gracious host up on that offer."

...

As the six ponies entered into the vault they couldn't help but be overwhelmed by the stunning sight of so many treasures assembled in one place. Step-by-step as they made their way ever deeper, each new wonder was no less amazing than the last.

Passing by a large pile of assorted coins –both silver and archaic gold– mixed with gems of assorted colors, Clover whistled and then added, "Wow, it's like those stories you hear of the brave knight who slays a dragon. All we're missing is the fair damsel in distress."

"Yes, that would certainly make this scene all the more entertaining, now wouldn't it?"

Clover laughed awkwardly, her back to the mound of treasure, "Umm… wow, Tenbs, you sure are great at voices, huh… right?" but the unicorn only shook her head ever so slightly as the rest of her body froze rigid. "Lemsy, Screwloose? Oh, come on it can't have been Flakes or…" Clover trailed off as she saw the increasingly dread filled gazes of her friends, and more importantly as she heard the clattering of coins and gems.

The inescapable realization sunk in as she slowly turned round, and bore witness as a great beast rose from beneath the piled coins and gems. Clover gulped and cursed herself, "Me and my big mouth."

Of course the pony didn't feel at all big in any way as her eyes took in the sight — black scales and matching spines, a purple underbelly, a mouth full of dagger-like teeth at the end of a snake-like neck, four limbs ending in equally vicious claws, and sinuous wings. All of it adding up to an imposing reptilian form, nearly twice the size of all six ponies put together. It gazed down at them all with vibrant chartreuse eyes, and then the dragon spoke.

"So then, what do we have here? Six little ponies who have lost their way. The mistress shan't be pleased, no, she shan't be pleased at all."

The dragon –or rather Ebony Mellifluence of the Jaded Night's Shadow as her mistress called her– stared down at the six intruders. It was a rare thing for anypony to visit here, other than the mistress herself of course, and actual thieves were only all the rarer still. In fact, to Mellifluence's recollection, there had never once been an unwelcome intruder larger than a mouse. Oh, but the possibilities this presents, she thought to herself sinisterly.

"YEAH!" her musings were cut short by the white pony's bellow as he launched himself bodily into the air, two small wings buzzing as he fearlessly charged the dragon.

Mellifluence might have found the attack cute, were it not so boring it made her want to yawn. Of course as she actually opened her maw it was instead to produce a gout of chartreuse flames, engulfing the foolish pony. As the smoke cleared however there was nothing, not even the expected charred corpse.

*pop*

Turning her head, she caught the magical flash as her intended victim reappeared next to his now panting cohort. His coat and mane were scorched and blackened with soot, and he teetered dizzily, but otherwise seemed woefully unharmed.

"Well, aren't you a talented little unicorn. Shall we see just how long you can keep that up?"

There was a second flash of magic, and now the unicorn was levitating a chest. "Well, umm… actually, I thought maybe we could cut a deal." The unicorn forced a grin, but her eyes still trembled in fear. The chest opened revealing a content of silver coins. "Dragons are supposed to like treasure, uhh... right? If you let us pass safely, there can be more where this came from… a lot more."

Silence hung in the air, before Mellifluence began to laugh. "Surely you jest little pony? Look around you at all the treasures of this vault. Do you think me so petty that I would have any use for such a measly tribute?"

"Is that so, beast?" declared a second unicorn with a yellow coat as she stepped forward with preposterously undue confidence, "Does not this vault, and all its contents, actually belong to the vicereine? Really, what are you other than a glorified guard dog?"

It was tempting to incinerate the impudent little pony and just be done with it. This was such a rare opportunity, however, that Mellifluence was far from in any hurry to rush to a premature conclusion. "Now then, aren't you the bold one to think you can speak to me like that? Still, your pretentious bravado in the face of impending doom amuses me. I suppose can indulge a brief chat… I do so enjoy playing with my food."

Mellifluence smiled as that last line affected the desired reflexive gulp of dread in her prey. Except it was only the other five who did so, while the yellow one still stood firm and seemingly without concern. In many ways the lack of fear was an insult to her own draconic pride, but at the same time it reminded her of that day so many years ago when she had first met the mistress.

She had been little more than a scrawny whelp back then, struggling to keep pace with her larger more able-bodied kin during the last great migration. Too weak to assert herself among her peers, she'd been forced to make her own isolated camp. Yet serendipity had smiled upon her when the pony she now called mistress had approached her with an offer.

"You are mostly correct, little pony. Everything in this vault is the mistress's. Why, even I myself belong to her, or at least those are the terms of our arrangement. A lifetime of devotion in exchange for all these treasures upon her eventual passing. After all what is the life of one pony to a dragon? If it pleases the mistress to claim that she owns me for a scant few decades then let her. A hundred years from now she and any of your kind that ever knew her will all be dust, but I shall remain and be all the wealthier for my brief years of servitude."

"If what you say is true though, then why turn your snout up at our offering? No matter how trivial, does not each and every coin only make your hoard all the larger? We need only but briefly borrow the use of a single relic, and needn't even remove it from this vault; isn't that right Miss Sparkle?"

It took the purple unicorn a moment to register she was being spoken to, no doubt her meager pony mind still preoccupied with thoughts of impending demise. All the while her mouth moved wordlessly until, "Um… yes… that's right. We just need to perform a single ritual, then we'll be on our way and you can keep the silver for your trouble." Now instead of fear the unicorn's eyes gleamed with hope, as did her other compatriots. Mellifluence would need to disabuse them of that.

"And what if I would prefer to keep six juicy lumps of equine flesh for my trouble instead. I already have plenty of silver, but while the mistress feeds me well, the meat of her own kind is one of the few delicacies she has always denied me. I must say, I'm rather curious to learn what ponies taste like."

"Beg my pardon…" spoke the brown stallion who seemed to otherwise be doing his best to comfort a light blue mare he held in his hooves, "Uhh… ma'am, but I reckon trying to eat us all would be more trouble than it's worth. I don't much fancy our chances, but there are six of us, so I reckon we could still do some damage."

"Don't think you can intimidate me with such meager threats. Dragons are both resilient and fast to heal. Besides, it can be ever so dull down here all alone; I think I could use the exercise."

"Maybe, but I reckon some of these here antiques look a mite fragile."

"You wouldn't dare!" she roared dropping all pretenses of civility, "Just for that I'll break your legs and make you watch as I eat all the rest first. Oh, and I assure you, I'll be extra slow with that blue one you seem so fond of."

The stallion's eyes filled with a protective defiance as he pushed the trembling mare he'd been coddling behind him and took up a firm stance. It was all for show though, and as the two combatants sized each other up both knew exactly how it would end. Despite the stallion's outward bravado, the mournful resignation that had claimed his soul was all too delectably obvious. Mellifluence considered it almost a sufficient consolation to delay her wrath… almost, but not quite.

"What if I could sweeten the deal?" The yellow one again, not that Mellifluence had any more reason to care as she stalked towards the first of her prey with deliberately slow menace. "I happen to run an orphanage full of young ponies with no families to miss them. You let us live as well as complete our business here, and in return I will bring you one deliciously tender foal every year to sate your hunger."

All was still and quiet in the vault. Five ponies stood aghast in petrified confusion. Even Mellifluence herself was too shocked to be angry that she was no longer the source of their horror. The yellow pony's offer was so entirely unexpected that, even in her own predatory hunger, the dragon could scarcely comprehend it.

She contemplated the yellow pony carefully. The mare did smell of children, so there was at least some truth to her words. Further, her expression showed no signs of hesitance that would otherwise suggest a hasty deception. There was something else though, something unlike anything Mellifluence had ever observed in a pony. Admittedly, she had only met a scant few ponies, and yet... whatever it was that made this one different, it was something she found profoundly unnerving.

It had been many years since the now great dragon had felt this small. She had drawn so much strength from the mistress's treasure, the hoard that would one day be her own. So how was it possible that this single pony made her hesitate with the uncertainty of mere a hatchling?

"Well, dragon, what will it be? Six surly adults today, or a steady supply of helpless children for decades to come?"

Mellifluence knew she should just kill the impudent little thing, kill them all and be done with it, and yet… "You are younger than the mistress, little pony. If you are lying to me, then when she passes from this world, I will hunt you down and exact my promised tribute… with the interest to be paid in tortuous pain."

Despite the threat, the unicorn didn't falter, not even for a momentary instant. Instead she only narrowed her gaze and with a predatory grin all her own flatly replied, "Then we have a deal."

────────────────

As Twilight stood overlooking the intricately drawn spell-circle, making sure every line and inscription was in place, she also couldn't help but reflect on the events that had all conspired to bring her to this point. Ponyville, Trixie Lulamoon, and the Ursa, which had all set the course in motion. Now, here she stood with her assembled cohorts.

Silverstar, the first pony to take her plight at face value and give back to her the help she so desperately needed. Clover Charms, a pony she'd never even intended to ask, but whose uncompromising optimistic enthusiasm turned out to be exactly what she'd been looking for; truly living up to her own Lucky nickname. Snowflake, who despite all his quirks had pulled through and supported them all every step of the way. Loosy Screws, admittedly, it had been hard getting to know the soft spoken and fidgety mare, but Silverstar seemed to have more than enough faith in her. Lastly, Lemon Heart, the beneficent matron who provided for so many children… children she'd just used as a bargaining chip.

–NO–

How could Twilight possibly even for a second entertain such doubt? It had all been just a BLUFF; it couldn't possibly be anything else! There was just no way that a pony like Lemon Hearts could be anything less than the genuine article. If it hadn't been for all her efforts, going that extra mile to bring the six of them together, none of this could have ever even happened in the first place, and yet…

Twilight lamented as she closed her eyes and inhaled deeply, and yet hadn't she once been equally sure of Lulamoon? The princess's protégé, the pony who revived the very Elements of Harmony; surely, she had thought, such a pony could be no less than the greatest archmage since Starswirl the Bearded.

No, it wasn't the same, it couldn't be the same. Twilight had seen through Lulamoon's act from the first moment they'd met. It had only been her own doubts that caused her to briefly consider otherwise, caused her to make that terrible mistake that landed her in all this trouble.

Not ever again.

She wouldn't second guess herself like that anymore. Soon, so very, very soon she'd be vindicated as the real hero that Equestria deserved and Lulamoon would be forever exposed for the fraud she'd always been from the start. Then it would finally all be over, and Twilight could finally and at long last go home. She was done with running, done with hiding, and after tonight she'd never have to do either, not ever again.

All her fears and doubts vanquished by righteous hope, Twilight opened her eyes as she exhaled the breath she'd been holding. "Alright, everypony, take your places. It's time to become heroes!"

The six ponies each took to their mark around circle. At the center between them sat the open pouch containing the shreds of Corona's regalia. Twilight levitated the Alicorn Amulet up and overhead, then began to slowly channel her magic through it. Lines of power stretched from it to each of the other five ponies, and from each of them to another, forming a hexagram of light. The power then cascaded forth and condensed on the shattered shards at the center which began to levitate and radiate an ever cascading greater power. There were colors, so many colors, and Twilight could see them all, the entire spectrum that was the greatest magic known to ponydom — THE ELEMENTS OF HARMONY!

It was a power beyond any one pony, the power that united them all in a common bond. There weren't many colors at all, but rather they were all just one color that blended together until the whole chamber became awash in a blinding light of the purest white.

The unicorn blinked, she didn't know when she had collapsed, or how long she'd lain there. As her vision cleared, Twilight brushed an errant strand of limp mane from her eyes, shortly realizing that somehow the magical feedback had undone her perm. Glancing backwards she saw that her tail and even cutie mark had also been restored to their normal forms.

"Oh wow… look Tenbs you did it, you really did it!" said Clover as she excitedly bounced in place.

As she climbed back to her hooves, Twilight returned her attention to the center of the circle. There sat six pieces of golden ornate jewelry, five necklaces each adorned with a colored gem in the shape of one of her cohort's cutie marks… and one diadem. Twilight gazed fixedly at the prize she'd coveted and the six pointed starburst gem that topped it, the final culmination of all her hardship and struggles.

"Well I'll be…" Said silverstar with a whistle, "I reckon she really did."

"Well, Miss Sparkle, it seems congratulations are in order," agreed Lemon Hearts.

"YEAH!!!"

Moments passed, but while the others celebrated Twilight only intensified her scrutiny, weaving magic through her horn so she could look past mere sight as she analyzed the artifacts before her. "NO!" Twilight finally yelled out, "We… we failed," and then sank to her hindquarters, ears wilting in despair.

"But, Tenbs, look. They're right there… aren't they?"

The unicorn shook her head morosely. "It might look that way," Twilight said as she levitated the diadem, "but these are nothing but cheap useless junk," and then flicked her hoof against the replica of the Element of Magic. The ring echoed through the chamber, followed by silence, and then by a crack. The false element split down the middle, fractures spreading not only through the gem but the gold as well until the whole thing came crumbling apart completely.

Lucky scooped up the necklace bearing a blue clover-shaped gem, while Loosy did the same did the same with the necklace bearing a screw-shaped gem. Both artifacts, however, proceeded to crumble just the same in their hooves, the sound of the scrap metal and fractured jewel shards echoing hollowly across the floor.

Her heart felt just as empty. Twilight couldn't believe it; had Gâteau's research been faulty, or perhaps the Alicorn Amulet was an insufficient catalyst, or maybe, maybe she just didn't have a sufficient sampling of the Elements original magic…

–or else–

No, she could scarcely bring herself to even consider, but what if… what if she had been wrong this whole time? Was she, Twilight Sparkle, top of her class and magical prodigy without pier, not actually worthy to wield the Elements of Harmony?

…And if that were true could it mean that Lulamoon, that Trixie had been right all along?

As her mind despondently struggled to come to term with this potential revelation, Twilight felt a firm hoof wrap about her barrel. She looked over and saw Silverstar embracing her, "There, there, girl. It was a mighty fine try."

Next to him stood Loosy, who simply nodded warmly, while to Twilight's other side stood Clover Charms, her smile as uncompromising as ever, "He's right, Tenbre; we all tried our best and that's all that matters."

"Yeah!" exclaimed Snowflake as he joined the circle of companions and drew all five ponies into a tight group hug. The big lug even seemed to be tearing up with what her B.B.B.F.F. would call a measure of liquid pride.

–Wait– only five?

Separate from the rest stood Lemon Hearts, "All quite true, I suppose. Though I think this souvenir will make a lovely consolation prize," she said as she levitated the Alicorn Amulet to her neck and fastened the clasp. Then as red light flashed in her eyes, "Oh yes, this should do quite adequately."

Author's Note:

So this chapter has been a long time coming, too long, but we're finally entering the end game stretch and next chapter will be the big climactic finish. Hopefully I won't keep you all waiting nearly another year this time.

Anyway, special thanks this chapter go to ColdGoldLazarus, thatguyvex, plus Talon and Thorn for assorted proofing and pre-reading assistance. Additional thanks to FinalFan for post publishing proofing.