Chapter 40, Progress Update. · 7:48pm Jun 16th, 2021
*Breathe in. 
*Breathe out.
It's honestly amazing how quickly two thousand words can disappear. Not because of a glitch or error that deleted them, or me accidentally forgetting to save it. Nope, those words still exist, they just don't exist in SMoTE anymore.
Thankfully, that doesn't mean I can't post them here. For those of you who are curious, I usually post deleted content on my blog and explain the directions the story was intended to take before I changed my mind. This is one of those times.
Without spoiling anything, I'm revealing something in Chapter 40, (Originally titled Behind a King's Back) and I hadn't alluded to it enough in the other chapters. I'm reworking the beginning of Chapter 40 and I'm at 700 words for that section now. Chapter 40 has been an⊠Interesting challenge. Even without the recent events in my life, this chapter would have been difficult to write. Heh, Iâm starting to feel like weâre ever going to see a chapter with Crumb Catcherâs POV.
Below is the original into of chapter 40. It doesn't spoil much since it's irrelevant now, but I thought some of you may like it. So, read it if you want, or don't. Part of me wants to jam this into one of the earlier chapters but I don't want to be an author who keeps going back to retcon or change things. Nothing wrong with those authors, in fact, I applaud them for fixing glaring issues and making their stories flow better. But if I do it once then I'm afraid I'll keep doing it until I just piss people off with my retcons and new major edits.
Chapter 40 will still come out this month, just not this week like I had originally planned. Sorry for the delay.
So yeah, hope you enjoy this. Hope you all have a great day!
The best kept secrets were those that everypony knew. At least thatâs what we tell them so they donât find out the real secrets. The ponies that actually believe that are usually the ones that like to live quietly, mares and stallions that donât care about learning what happens behind closed doors. The less they have to know, the more comfortable they can sleep at night.
They were interesting words. An excuse to blatantly lie to everypony in existence for the hope of keeping them safe. It was an interesting philosophy that Crumb Catcher had been forced to adopt since his sudden appointment to the council.
The book that held the words of his predecessor, Star Shine, was as old as every other shelf on his walls.
Unlike the other offices and rooms for the rest of the council members, the Royal Spy Master's suite was a fortress of enchantments and spells to keep it hidden away from prying eyes, with enough magical defenses and shields to hold off a teenage dragon. It was a fortress of power, the silent symbol of the Empireâs strength and devotion to Princess Amore.
The walls were covered with enough books to rival the Royal Archives, each one containing secrets and knowledge about the Empire that could only be shared between the Spy Master and the princess. While the ancient books of the Royal Archives had been locked to their shelves with heavy chains, the ones inside the Spy Masterâs Suite were unbound from any heavy metal, only relying on the enchantments placed on them by the most skilled mages amount the Ruva Kingdom.
A gentle breeze from overhead drew Crumb Catcherâs gaze to the ceiling of his office. The many hidden passageways in his personal room were covered by large wooden doors with several reinforced enchantments placed on them, allowing only those with the proper clearance to pass through his personal domain.
Their passageways were larger in size but fewer in number for their wings to fit through, which allowed thestral guards to come and go with ease as they made their nightly reports. Unfortunately, because of the atrocities committed by Sombra during his reign, the tunnels were filled with dust and cobwebs after years of being unused.
Aside from the many doors, holes, and bookcases filled with reports from previous Royal Spy Masters, the only items of note were his desk and the position of the room itself.
The office was located directly above the throne room, acting as a hub for spies from across the Empire to converge and deliver information to the Royal Spy Master. The placement of the room was supposed to represent the duty of the Royal Spy Master to always watch over Princess Amore, protecting her from threats that the princess would be ill-prepared for. However, that meaning died with the princess, and was buried with Crumb Catcherâs appointment to the council.
Crumb Catcher sank into his seat as he flipped through the familiar pages, reading her casual entries as they grew darker by the day. There was a time where the mareâs methods would have shocked and horrified the blue coated stallion, but it felt so oddly distant at that moment.
His initial disgust towards her had gradually grown into a deep sense of respect and admiration towards the mare. The guidance her journals offered had helped him reshape the castleâs staff, turning them into an exemplary tool for the Empire.
It was a tiring job, and it was often thankless, but it was his duty now. All because of a mistake that General Fodder had made in his rush to find Star Shineâs successor.
He couldnât help but snort at the thought, both in contempt and in slight mirth.
The general would have been a great ally, but his blind hatred of Skeletor stopped him from seeing the bigger picture. Whether a demon or a princess stat on the throne didnât matter to Crumb Catcher, what mattered was what the crystal ponies thought, and how history would reflect on him. Even if the masses wouldnât know of the lengths he went through to help them, he felt at ease knowing that his name would be on one of the shelves that decorated the Spy Masterâs office.
He looked at one shelf in particular, the place that had accidentally given him the opportunity to defend the Empire before a knock at the door tore him away from his idle musings.
âEnter,â Crumb Catcher called out, allowing the orange stallion on the other side to trot in as he threw a salute. âHello, Jaded Armor, what do you have to report?â
âSir, Iâve come back from guarding the prisoner. Nothing new to report, he still refuses to speak to us and⊠And heâs starting to worry a few of us. He just stares at the wall whenever we come by to check on him,â the guard reported.
âI see. And what of Colonel Kernel?â
âAll is quiet on that front too, sir.â
âAlright, then. If you could, please call Blossom Brush in here, I need to speak with her about our princessâ accommodations.â
âYes sir,â the guard saluted before trotting away as an unexpected visitor brushed past him.
The master of the Alchemist Guild, Purity Flame, trotted in with a sour expression on her muzzle as she came to Crumb Catcherâs desk. A pair of white hooves slammed into the table as she lifted herself onto her hind legs, staring down at the large stallion as he leaned into his seat.
âGood morning Mrs. Flame.â
âBite me, Crumb,â Purity Flame seethed as she drew herself closer to the stallion. âWhere the buck is the expedition team?â She hissed.
âTheyâre still exploring the Ruva Kingdom. It would have taken them three days to travel there by hoof another three to come back, not counting the days they spend searching the Alchemy Towers there. It could be that they're gone for another week or so trying to get into those towers. Ruvas rarely kept their alchemy towers locked, after all,â Crumb Catcher excused, earning a harsh glare from his temperamental ally.
âThen why did I see some of those guards, the ones that should be in another bucking kingdom right now, outside staring at the Heart this morning?â She demanded, causing the thin smile on Crumb Catcherâs muzzle to fall.
He had explicitly ordered those guards to return to whatever family they still had and to await further instructions as to prevent any of the guards that werenât in his circle to notice their early return. But, sadly, they hadnât been able to resist coming to the castle to bask in the warmth of the Crystal Heart.
After tapping his hoof on the arm of his chair, Crumb Catcher released an irritated sigh as he rubbed his temple. âMrs. Flame, I would like you to forget what you saw this morning. The expedition up North to the Ruva Kingdom has been cancelled for the moment, and not many ponies are supposed to know yet.
âBut Lord Skeletorââ
âItâs only âSkeletorâ for now, Mrs. Flame,â he corrected, earning a harsher glare from the mare as he continued. âUntil the princess formally assigns him a title, thereâs no need to give him the title of a lord.â
âI agreed to help you so Lord Skeletor would be back on the throne! So Iâll call him Lord as much as I Faust damn please! Lord Skeletor entrusted the mass production of paper to me Crumb, and Iâm not going to abandon my research just because some fake princess told me to. I mean, can you actually believe that she had the gall to ask me to test Skeletorâs medicine again? I already saved the research, I know itâs safe, but her and those winged rats donât want anypony to use them! Itâs lunacy!â
âItâs what sheâs ordered, Mrs. Flame. Believe me, Iâm going to try to reason with her during todayâs council meeting, but you need to be patient, my dear,â he said, drawing a hoof under her chin as he stood to his full height.
Instead of accepting his advances as she normally would, she swatted the offending hoof away as her muzzle pressed against his. âThatâs all Iâve been Crumb, patient. Patiently waiting for a visit from Lord Skeletor, patiently waiting for an order, patiently waiting for an explanation, for the expedition team to return, to see Lord Skeletor back on the throne. Patient, patient, patient!
âIâve done everything youâve asked and more. Buck, I even lied to Lord Skeletor when I told him that Cannon Fodder asked me to look into the placebos! I deserve something, Crumb, I want to know whatâs going on and what we,â she made a point to gesture to both herself and Crumb Catcher as she emphasized that word, âare going to do. I canât help Lord Skeletor if I donât know what the plan is, Crumb.â
âYou donât need to know the plan yet, Mrs. Flame,â Crumb Catcher pressed, feeding her a lie that felt natural on his tongue.
Every Spy Master was trained by their predecessor to exceed in times of distress, to surpass the limitations of their teachers and be a safeguard for the princess. Every one of them except Crumb Catcher, who had been playing a good number of his moves by ear since his sudden appointment.
The Royal Spy Master was the first to break their stare off, falling to his hooves as he trotted around the desk with measured steps. He wore faux confidence like armor, assuring himself and Purity that he was fully in control. âGeneral Fodder has made matters for us difficult, but rest assured that everything is still under my hoof. Soon, Lord Skeletor will reclaim the throne as I promised you, but I canât allow you to know everything, my dear. You need a level of plausible deniability, something that will let you carry on my plans if I fail, my dear Pure Fire,â he complimented.
His hoof gently returned under Purity's chin, her eyes a bit more hesitant to meet his gaze. She wasnât as aversed to his touch as she was earlier, which was a great improvement in his opinion. âI want whatâs best for the empire, my dear, a chance for us to follow the example Lord Skeletor has set for us. And I need your help more than anyponyâs my dear. I canât trust them,â he spat out, letting go of her chin as he continued to pace around his study with a purposeful stride.
âI need ponies I can trust, Purity, and I trust you more than anypony else. Thatâs why I canât let you know too much. If Iâm caught then I may be charged with treason against the new princess, but even so, youâll be safe. Itâs a sacrifice Iâm willing to make, and one I dare not ask you to take alongside me. You understand, donât you my dear?â He asked gently.
There was a certain measure of reluctance in her silent nod, but all of that seemed to melt as he stared deeply into her eyes, a thankful gaze that bled a false sincerity to himself but came off as a warm love to her. Their lips slowly met in a light kiss that grew more passionate.
He didnât want to touch her, he felt uncomfortable sharing something so tender with a mare that he barely considered his friend. In the past, he would have scalded himself for playing with others and using his talents to deceive them. He would have felt sick holding a mare and talking her to bed just to use her for his own gains.
But, it was a necessity these days. They were a typical part of his new performances, his act to everyponny around him to sell the character of a calm and imposing figure that knew what they were doing.
He was just one of many liars on the political stage, and the mare in his hooves had just unwittingly stepped onto the stage with him.
They both had parts to play, whether she knew it or not. All he had to do was guide her through her lines and keep her from ruining the script.
It was easier said than done, of course. But, he had a job to do, a direction to follow to keep their stage from falling apart. It was at least more than he had before Sombraâs reign.
This intro was going to have us look into Crumb Catcher and deliver some hints about him that Iâve been desperate to get to. Every single time I try to write from his POV, I have to scrap it for one reason or another.
The chapter where Cadence and Shining Arrived, I was going to have Crumb Catcher be the one contacted by Mirror Amore, but scraped it. Then I was going to have him stage a coup on Skeletor mere moments before the two royals arrived and have Skeletor desperately teleport away and meet them while bleeding out. Scraped it. Plan to have Cadence teleport away and basically raise a shield around the Heart. Scraped. Have Luna confront Skeletor in the dream realm. Scrap.
So, Chapter 40 has hit another slight delay as I rework the NEW intro for something that flows better with the ending.
Oh, and a note for those of you who wanted the action to rise soon, don't worry. You'll get your cake. 
Crumb Catcher so devious he outwitting the author
I serverely dislike admitting any weakness, but I have to admit that it took me far, far too long to realize what SMoTE was.
Skeletor Master of the Empire
Sigh, I'm getting senile as I age.
Monk
"Thirty minutes, Celestia. I was gone for thirty minutes," he said to her in an annoyed tone. "And in that time, Canterlot has been overrun with insect-like creatures, the groom is hypnotized and unable to perform his job, and you are being flung across your own throne room by...whatever that is. In thirty minutes." -Onomonopia
Speaking of Skeletor..... seen the trailer for the new netflix masters of the universe reboot yet?
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I did. Also heard the Tela news too.
Ignoring all of... that, the trailer is really good. Only notes were Skeletor's first line. It sounded like a cut of two different lines when he said champion. It sounded like, "Call your shhampion," to me.
Also, not a fan of the laugh. Sounds like the generic evil laugh, doesn't really hold any of the pitch or weight of the original or 2000 laugh. Other than that, animation looks good, I'm glad we can see some new powers, and the fanart for it looks good too. Ah, but don't look at the fanart unless you've already seen the spoiler toys. Don't know why they announced a toy that practically spoils the story as one of their first five figures.
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I'm not sure what you mean by "Tela news" It's probably obvious and I'm just not grasping it.
It's Mark Hamill doing the voice of Skeletor, so I'm guessing he's trying to strike a balance between his role as the Skeleton King (from Super Robot Monkey Team Hyperforce Go!) and the Joker. If he gets laugh too high, he'd go into his Joker laugh. Still, we only saw a little bit of it and a single line/laugh. I'm looking forward to it. The animation from what I've seen is absolutely beautiful. So nice to see someone taking animation seriously again. I'm cautiously hopeful this will be good. I do prefer the look of Skeletor from the 2002 show though. Wish they'd gone with that. But thus far that's my only complaint.
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Oh yeah, I'm expecting great things from Mark. As soon as I heard he was voicing Skeletor, I was excited!
It's just around the corner, and you know that this will make the fans more creative. There's not enough Skeletor themed music or even AMV's. I'd love some more original content for the skull headed champion of evil.