BEDLAM II: Heart of Glass

by Gormless Wheaton

Chapter 15

---

Despite the encounter with whoever that was still rattling in my brain, it wasn't too great a challenge to creep toward the town hall. Since every creature was keeping to themselves, no one paid mind to the alleyways. But the ease of my advance did nothing for my state of mind. In fact, the sight of the locals trudging along only added to my distraction.

Were things really this unhappy even when I wasn't around? I could stomach the idea of folk flinching and being miserable when they knew I was in town, like at Mount Aris or in Abyssinia, but none of these creatures had any idea I was here. I could live with being hated. I could live with Celestia, Luna, or some other hero-type rousing folks against me. But only so long as my vision for the world was fulfilled.

And a key component of that vision was the fact that everyone was better off under my control.

But as I drew near the town hall, now not even bothering to skulk due to how empty the plaza around the building was, that key component seemed to be.. Absent.

'I hope you're enjoying it at least.'

I brought my hand to my chin with a heavy hum. Every bad thing I've done was all in service to something. Initially, and in a few cases since then, it was petty revenge, sure, but there was always a goal in sight. A vision, a direction, and a clear design for how I wanted things to end up. Something I'd chastised Cozy and her co-conspirators for lacking.

Was I any better at this point? If I wasn't actually improving the world how I wanted? Especially after compromising on Twilight's place beside me all those years ago?

'-And she has to pick up the pieces of the flimsy empire he leaves behind.'

I grimaced and drew my hand over my face with a breath. "No time for regrets or second thoughts. You have a crisis on your hands," I murmured and grit my teeth. "Correct the flaws and prove her wrong later." With that, I strode towards the door to the town hall.

---

The town hall was one of the only buildings that hadn't needed to be rebuilt, but its interior had still been modified to accommodate managing the city as well as keeping in touch with Canterlot and any local police units who had golems. Thus, the inside was more closed off, with what had once been the main and open floor being repurposed as a reinforced chamber where the city's power and data flow were handled.

That chamber was also where the mayor would be, separated from the rest of the building by a cylindrical metal shield that rose from floor to ceiling and was accessible only by a single reinforced sliding door.

"I'm sorry, the mayor is- EEEK!" The secretary beside said door squealed and fell out of her seat upon looking up and seeing me. She scrambled around her desk and forced a smile. "Lord Bedlam, sir! Wonderful to see you! Uh-"

"Save it. I'm going in," I said, waving a hand. She whimpered and pressed up against the door.

"You can't! She, uh, she's in a meeting!" She whimpered again when I placed my hand on her head.

"Of course I can, and I don't care," I declared, pushing her to the side. Or at least I tried to. She strained against me with a grunt.

"No!"

Then, her desk pinged. "It's fine, Posey," the voice of Mayor Mare chirped drawing our attention to the desk. "Let our esteemed leader in, please." Posey blinked and gave me a nervous smile before meekly shuffling out of the way. After just a moment, the door slid open, and I glared at Posey for just a moment longer before heading in.

The room was lit up by the alternating grid of huge square-cut gems that pulsed with magical power and the metal frames housing the smaller gem arrays we use for computing. The floor was sleek and partially illuminated in stripes as magic and data flowed along glass-covered channels spreading out from the mayor's desk to each power gem and magic computer.

Mayor Mare sat at said desk with a subdued smile. By means I have yet to uncover she hadn't aged a day, though she no longer wore glasses as her eyes had given out years ago. Instead, she now sported a pair of faintly glowing magical false eyes, which worked like the real thing if not better.

I smiled as I approached, sizing up the controller console built into her desk. "Good afternoon, Mayor."

"Hello to you too, Supreme Administrator!" She chirped and chuckled. "I had an inkling you'd be on your way. After all, mine is the closest console to Canterlot, and you'd certainly be looking for one."

I paused and furrowed my brow. "What?"

Her smile widened. "On the off chance you escaped Canterlot, you'd be looking for a console to contact Jury-rig or somepony else. And mine is the closest," she set her hooves on her desk and leaned forward with a smile. "That's what." She clicked a button and the door slammed shut.

I began scanning the room. "How the hell did you-"

"We have our ways Bedlam. You might have figured out how to mix magic and machinery, but that's hardly the only way to use magic," she declared with a chuckle. I raised an eyebrow as she spoke. "Some of us still remember how to send letters by magic, you know."

"Very useful for sharing secrets, like the fact that Starlight Glimmer was seen dragging you through Canterlot, without any of your nasty tools or bodyguards," she tilted her head with a smirk as I failed to compose myself and recoiled with a grimace. "It isn't too difficult to fathom the idea you would manage to slip away, but it's plainly obvious you're still unarmed." I jumped as a rush of wind slammed down behind me. Whirling around, my jaw dropped and I fell back in terror.

"And alone," declared Rainbow Dash with an absolutely sinister grin.

---

Comments

[SleeplessChatter]

Another good peek at what Bedlam's goals are, including his blindspots. Seems like he's having all the normal problems bad dictators managers have where there subordinates tell them what they want to hear, not what's going on. Kinda curious whether he'd actually act on his revelation that people are unhappy in his empire even when he's not in the room.

Although at this rate they are all going to be converted before he gets a chance since everyone is too busy trying to kick him when he's down. Not surprising nor undeserved, but talk about awkward timing :P