//------------------------------//
// Chapter 47 -A Coming Storm- 
// Story: Shattered Skies 
// by Arctikfox 
//------------------------------//


-A Coming Storm-


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Earlier in Spring

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"Grave, where are you leading me?" 

"To the catacombs beneath the city." Grave said, a wet cough interrupting his mild tone. The darkness of the stairwell blocked much of the light that emanated from his horn. "You need to breath slower otherwise you'll get lightheaded, Bend." 

"And since when have there been catacombs of this size beneath Canterlot?" Bend asked, a question that went unanswered.

Bend jolted her younger brother with magic, scorching his leg, an act of violence that went unacknowledged. She watched as his leg's wound healed, changing to a new, discolored layer of skin. His new fur highlighting the tinge of decay over the rest of his body.

"Answer me, whelp." Bend spat.

"Are you so spoiled that you've lost the ability to divine where you are?" Grave scolded, slowly turning his hunched body to eye the lithe mare behind him. "We aren't in Canterlot anymore."

Bend scoffed and held her hooves inches from one another, concentrating to form a line of light between them. Soon, an orb appeared and with it three points protruding like spikes appeared.

"Did you figure it out?" 

"Prance-ish?"

Grave smiled and continued down the winding stairwell.

"Want to tell me why you opened a portal and transported us halfway across the planet?" Bend chided.

"You wanted to see what I was up to?" Grave's rhetoric flowed from his mouth as a hot, moist breeze blew past them with the sound of gurgled whispers. A scent of smoldering leather stung his sister's nose, a sensation he no longer knew.

Sound and sight dimmed as the stairway opened up onto a plane of voided light and skull-filled walls with beings shambling just outside the light's reach. She looked on between the close-spaced arches to the lights in the distance and hummed to herself. Thousands of beings walked through a city carved deep into the earth. A bowled city with the center being its lowest point, Grave had formed an encampment for his left over experiments. Oily black creatures lumbered around the city, beings that Bend had seen before and had come to know as Grave's personal guard even though he never viewed them that way.

"You have been busy." Bend said. "I know of your pit of filth beneath Canterlot, but this is astounding." She looked to her brother and scowled. "Why a city built from the catabombs? Aesthetics?"

Grave scoffed at his sister's question.

"You do know that he forbids us from taking actions without his approval?"

"My lord?" A hollow voice from the darkness called. "I have updates availible, when you're ready."

"Oh? You have friends." Bend mocked. "Isn't that sweet." She looked from her brother to the stallion, one covered completely in dark, tarnished armor. "What's your name?"

"Of no concern to you." Grave said. "He serves me. I picked him from a battlefield all those years ago, after some modifications to his battered body, I've made use of him. He's been a very good tool." Grave stoically patted the stallion's flank.

Bend looked around at the creatures that stood by, barely illuminated from the dim torches. Most of the creatures were ponies with other species sprinkled in, each bandaged or splinted. A dull roar of voices grew, alarming Bend for the briefest of moments.

Grave turned to the armored stallion and gestured to him with a flicking motion. "Update?"

"We have successfully reanimated most of the recovered bodies. The ones that needed to be scrapped were bodies that had been buried in place of the actual target. Not surprising, sometimes famous individuals go missing and they replace the body for the funeral with an unclaimed cadaver by accident."

Grave grumbled. "Sometimes it is hard to identify who dies after a particularly grueling fight." He lumbered toward the chasm that laid on the other side of the furthest doorway. "And what of their ability to fight?"

The stallion winced at the question. "We believed that through muscular rejuvenation, we could cut their recovery time down by a quarter, but the magic that was pumped into them only helped in stabilizing the souls within their bodies."

Grave started to brood. "So when will they be ready?"

"At least three months for minimum efficiency. Most will miss the operational window. Most of them need to build up the muscles that have decayed or relearn how to move entirely and that's only the cooperative ones. A good portion of them needed new limbs, mind you." Blue Line sighed and cracked his neck. "Breezy looked over a few samples I sent her and she remarked on their unstable makeup, so rushing their development will destroy their shelf-life."

"I do not care for shelf-life, Phantom." Grave scolded, calling the stallion by his assumed name that remarked on his own destroyed body. "If they decay, we'll replace what can't keep up, their fragility is of no consequence to me. Nor are their feelings on the matter." He brushed his hoof over Phantom's fake limbs that hide beneath the worn shielding. "Something you know all too well."

"And what of the foals you requested?" Phantom asked.

"Were they brought here?" Grave smiled.

"They're in your laboratory as per your request." Phantom's monotonous voice droned on with a cold and unconcerned tone as he read through twenty more points of interest before Grave interrupted him. 

"Handle what you're supposed to. I will be in my lab, do not interrupt me."

Bend and Phantom stood by in silence as Grave skulked away, mumbling to himself in delight. As the light dimmed, Bend turned to Phantom and hesitated to ask, fearing the answer. 

"He isn't... you know."

"No." Phantom said. "At least not to my knowledge. He brainwashes them and the ones that don't become his puppets, he turns into monstrous things called halflings." He turned to see the confusion on Bend's face and sighed. "Not the creatures your thinking of. These creatures are reanimated corpses that attack in packs, they mutate and crawl around."

"That's disgusting. The poor things." Bend said, extremely disgusted at the perversion of life. "He has always had a taste for the occult, even in the time before-" She paused and looked to Phantom as he stood as still as a statue. "Are you?"

"From the world before?" Phantom asked. "Yes. I'm not one of the Lesser Spirits that were made here on Equus."

"Right." Bend said slowly. "Maybe you can give me some insight."

"Thanatomania bordering on fanaticism." Phantom turned and strode toward the stairwell that Bend had came from. "That is the best way to describe your brother."

"Y-Yeah." 

Phantom sighed and looked to Bend as she followed behind him. "He tells me much about you and your other family members."

"Does he?"

"Even him."

"Then you know that Skies needs to be brought down?" Bend asked, strobing her eyes as the light in the stairwell increased suddenly. She looked back to see a small etching on the wall that held the invisible portal.

"I have my own motivations for aligning myself with y'all." 

"And those would be?" Bend asked.

"He isn't who I thought he was." Phantom said plainly. "I served a few Spirits and every single one was gilded. At least you all don't pretend to be righteous."

"Old Blue." A stern voice echoed through the hall, snapping Phantom's attention forward to see a goldenrod Pegasus smiling toward him.

"Madam Faith."

Faith smiled and moved to stand before Phantom, running her golden hoof down his chest, a numb shell that was permanently affixed to parts of his body. "It's been too long." 

"Yes, I've been busy."

"My brother has always enjoyed stealing my things."

Phantom hummed. "I thought you were away with Sir Fury, catching up on battle meetings. Or what amounts to one with you two behind closed doors."

"I'm wounded, I only have eyes for you." Faith smiled.

"Considering that you have eyes everywhere, I'll remain with my mindset that you and Fury are having an intimate relationship on Celestia's meeting table."

"Such a spoil sport." Faith ignored the accusation and turned to River Bend. "Sister."

"Hello again, Faith." Bend rubbed the bridge of her nose, trying to bleach the image of her sibling's romp out of her mind. "I see you haven't taken your trip to the other world yet."

"I wanted to talk things over with Fury before leaving and decide what our game plan is."

Phantom stood still like ice as his eyes scanned over to Bend, the coldness of the blue turning to red and then back again. "A plan that involves many positions for assault and yelling, I'm sure."

Bend couldn't help but chuckle at Phantom's humorous shot at her sister and her sister's sputtering.

"What has gotten into you, Phantom? This isn't usually like you."

"Yes it is."

"No it's not. You never spoke to me like this before." Faith brought her mouth to his ear and breathed deep. "You used to enjoy my company. What happened, sugarplum?"

"You sold me to your brother and he forced me to stand in silence, cloaked in magic while you and Captain Fury 'talked' about Discord's return. Remember? A few years ago? Fury came into the room and you let him dictate policy; over the table, the chairs, and then you left, presumably to dictate policy in the bed where he and his wife sleep at night."

"Sister!" Bend scorned, disgusted. "Ugh, what is wrong with this family?"

"A lot." Phantom said, staring down Faith's mischievous grin. 

"From what I remember, you enjoyed it when you dictated policy my way." Faith flirted.

"That was before I discovered you negotiated with half of Canterlot, over most of Celestia's political allies and some of its competition." Phantom sighed, glancing at the setting sun. "If you don't mind, I must go."

"Oh? To pay respects?" Faith chuckled. "I see some things never change. Dismissed."

Phantom left the room, he couldn't admit it, but he would love to see the whole of Canterlot fall. The perversion Faith, Graves, Fury, and Bend, exerted over the inhabitants made them all weak and subtly tainted. Faith laughed often, saying to the inner circle that she could order the slayings of anyone she wanted and the masses would beg for it. She had no one under any kind of spell, at least not magical spells.

Faith kept politics in line for Celestia through sex and secrets. What's more threatening than someone you once slept with holding your entire social well being by a thread? Married stallions like Fancy Pants bowed to demands like someone would for water in a drought.

On the rare occasion, Faith would be denied and then Captain Fury would step in with his fourth stable strike force. Scrounging up evidence to execute search warrants and taking ponies by force, often with no violence since the modern breed of pony would rather live than fight. All being done too often, a deed done in secret.

After this, River Bend would step in to liquidize assets of the pony captured or keep the riches for herself in the ocean temple she resided in for times so long ponies believed her to be long dead. A mare in charge of taxes and trade guilds, her wealth was built on the broken homes of beings across Equestria and across time. All was not too evil as she was one of the largest employers on the continent. 

Then last, and least. Phantom scowled. Lonely Graves, the sickest individual even by history's standards. Each of the terrible siblings kept secrets as did their big brother, but the sickness that dwelled in his mind was deep and varied. Phantom was no stranger to studying, he knew enough to know when something was wrong with a being's mind. Graves spoke to beings not there and often created undead from different body parts in an attempt to make lovers for himself, a task he succeeded in. However, mindless creatures propped against his chamber walls made for little conversation.

In public light, each of the siblings had a somewhat beneficial stance to society. An accomplished bureaucrat, one that formed pacts with allies much needed. A warrior for which society felt secure behind. A business-mare that represented one of the largest trade guilds and an employer for millions. And a shadow to connect it all.

A yelp echoed in the hall as Phantom nearly collided with Fury's daughter, Pride. "Lady Pride?"

"Oh, that was you, Phantom." Pride smiled up, studder stepping the trucking stallion. "How are you?"

"I'm well, and you?"

"I'm good-"

"Now, Pride, we've spoken about this. The correct response is 'well' not 'good'. One does good, one feels well." Phantom said.

"Yes, I know." Pride rolled her eyes. "I'm only ten. Leave me be, you nun."

Phantom chuckled. "Me? A nun? You enjoy torturing me with your grammar, don't you?"

Pride shuffled her hooves. "A little."

"Well, where are you off to now?" Phantom looked down the hall she traveled in and noticed a small pack on her flank. A dread fell over him as he remembered Graves talking about an upcoming attack in Ponyville.

"I'm going  to the train station with mom." Pride shuffled her hooves more. "Mom says we're moving there permanently for daddy's job. I'm kind of nervous."

Phantom took a deep breath to clear the weight from his throat. "Well, I'll be sure to visit you. But, Lady Pride, I must ask you do one thing."

Pride looked up to the dark, shadowed faceplate of Phantom's. Her alabaster coat striking him as her purple eyes contrasted the dark overtones, a red mane coiled in spirals off one side of her head as it was neatly clipped with a stripped shield hairclip.

"Anything for you, Phantom."

Phantom placed a loving hoof on the filly's shoulder and remembered some of the best advice he has ever received. "We all know Ponyville is constantly in the news for troubles that strike it. If trouble comes to you, use your mind, it's your greatest weapon. Your mother is your only concern, it may seem scary, but running can be more heroic than fighting a losing battle. So please, stay safe my dear."

"I didn't say I was going to Ponyville?" Pride asked with an accusing smile.

"I know." Phantom chuckled. "Promise me."

"I will, Phantom. You taught me well."

"That's my girl."





Farhaven





"Mom." Cadance called as she strode into her parent's personal library.

"Yes?"

"Mooom."

"Yes." Honey said again, closing the large tome before her.

"Mo-" Cadance felt her mother's magic clamping her mouth shut and the surroundings of the room shifted until she lay before her very annoyed, very disheveled mother.

"What is it, baby?"

Cadance knelt down and rolled around until she managed to squirm her way into Honey's side.

"What do you need, Sweetie? Mommy's writing letters to some of her and daddy's friends." Honey sighed as a mothers do when their daughters come to them for advice. "Is it that suitor of yours? What's his name. Grinding Farmer?"

Cadance dispelled her mother's magic to scold. "Mother! His name is Shining Armor."

"A grinding farmer would be more fun." Honey levitated an apple up so that she could take herself a large bite and paused. "With the corset and a lead. A big strong stallion just on you like a lion on its kill. now that I can get behind. Or in front-"

"Mom!" Cadance covered her ears and shook her head. "That is so gross. I need bleach."

Honey laughed fully. "How do you think you were born? Your father knows how to get what he needs."

"I thought you and dad went to the maker and I was made from a piece of each of you?" Cadance asked, rolling to her side to look at her mother.

Honey chuckled. "The Maker allowed us to conceive, but your father and I did so the normal way."

"Normal way?" Cadance asked, earning herself an incredulous look.

"The same way you and your hubby have tried." Honey summoned two nearby, miniature statues and started bumping them together aggressively. "Just more furniture breaking and mane pulling."

The doors to the room opened to River and Inko whispering harshly to each other. Before either of them could realize what was going on, Cadance leaped towards them, only to be held in the air and levitated backwards by Honey.

"Wonderful!" Honey called, pulling River and Inko both into the room after her daughter. "Eavesdroppers can join the conversation too. The more, the better."

River laughed quietly, floating mid air trying to hike her shirt down. "We stopped by to see what you were doing today, but we heard you telling Cadance about you and Skies, so we were getting ready to skedaddle."

"Yeah, don't want to revisit the dark times." Inko said jokingly.

"Mother!" Cadance scolded, shocked at the revelation.

"I literally haven't said a word." Honey defended as she set her companions down.

"You and dad were that bad?" Cadance asked.

River nodded as she smoothed out her tight shirt, pulling on the center to let her chest floof out. "Anara, your mother is a Spirit known for her beauty and passion and your father presides over the animal kingdom. Are you really surprised?"

Shivers ran up Cadance's spine at the mental imagery.

"It's natural." Honey stuck her nose in the air, a defiant look on her face.

"No, when I get it down and dirty, it's after going to a sports bar and it's with timid stallions. I don't cause structural damage." River said.

"Or noise complaints." Inko added. 

"Hypocrites." Honey chuckled as she patted Cadance's hoof. "So, Sweetie, you needed help with your Colt toy?"

"You said I did." Cadance's retort was met with her mother and aunts snickering at her. "What?"

"You don't have to say it, dear." River said. "We see it."

"See what?" Cadance held her hooves out in confusion.

"You're unhappy." The mares of the room said in unison.

River sighed and dug her muzzle into the collared shirt pocket, a light blue to compliment her brown coat. She spat out two tickets to the much coveted play, Catsablanka.'

"Who are these for?" Cadance asked.

"You two." River said. "Fleur sent them via a messenger, but I hate dressing up and Inko hates frou-frou plays. We decided to head to Joe's instead. Then we might go to Canterlot and ruin a golf course or three."

"Windmills gotta die." Inko added.

"Golf?" Cadance asked. "Joes, in Canterlot?"

"Nope! Joe's is here." River exclaimed. "I wrote to him after Skyfall told me about it and Joe agreed to open a location here. I'm sure I should have made that sound more official, but that's that." She paused and stared blankly as her stomach growled. "And that's my cue to go."

Without another word, River and Inko disappeared into the darkness of the corridor, letting the tickets float gently to the floor.

Cadance smiled weakly at her mother with the tickets in her magical grasp. "S-So, you want to go to a play?"

"No."

"Oh." Cadance said meekly. 

"And neither do you." Honey smiled as her hoof touched Cadance's chin. "We haven't been separated for over a thousand years to spend time together silently watching a poor rendition of Titanic."

"Again with that name." Cadance mumbled.

Honey grabbed the floating tickets and hopped up. 

"Where are we going?" Cadance called after her mother.

"You'll see!"





Canterlot
Later that evening





"OI! Who wants good seats? You want good seat? No sticky!" Honey yelled into the crowded Canterlot streets. She waved, bogged down by the trenchcoat she wore and smacked the tickets. "Nice seats, premium seat, you ain't gon' get these seats anywhere but here!"

"How much?" A stallion asked.

"More than you can afford, pal!" Honey shoed the stallion away.

"Mom!" Cadance scolded from under her own, coated disguise.

"Watch this." Honey whispered back.

"No, seriously how much?" The stallion demanded. "I would like better seats for me and my mare."

"Two." Honey said.

"Hundred? Deal!" The stallion cheered.

"Thousand." 

Cadance inhaled sharply and entered a coughing fit, as did the stallion. The proclamation hitched everyone's attention onto Honey, causing her to smile deviously.

"No seat deserves two thousand bits!"

"Unless they're seats next to the royal box seat." Honey smacked the tickets with every word. "You seem like a nice, wealthy stallion, so I'll sell them for fifteen hundred."

"I'll pay three!" A mare called from behind the stallion, much to his horror. One by one ponies started to out bid the poor stallion as he tried to keep up, only to fall behind richer ponies.

Cadance could only stare in horror as her mother flashed her a mischievous glance.





"Rich ponies are so easy." Honey chuckled as she took another spoon full of the rocky road ice cream from the dripping bucket and lobbed the ball into her mouth. "Dangle something that is seen as a status enhancer before a mortal and boom, instant money."

"My mother is a crook." Cadance droned to herself. 

"A beautiful crook."

"A beautiful crook." Cadance said, trying not to smile. She looked to her mother who was wearing a large, happy grin. After a few moments of staring, Honey laughed loudly.

"What are you staring at, goofball?"

Cadance tilted her head slightly in thought, examining the situation in her mind. "I always wondered what my parents would be like."

"Sorry." Honey gurgled out from a cream filled mouth.

"It's not a bad thing." Cadance giggled. "I'm actually happy you and dad aren't the ones I envisioned you to be."

"Did you see me as a quiet, yet stuffy mare whose hard to please?" Honey asked. "You'd be astounded at how many creatures I meet that have that pre-image of me."

"I thought both of you would be like that. In highschool I dated a stallion named Buck Withers, his parents were like that and somehow due to my status as Princess I always believed I was destined for that." Cadance's heart pounded as she met her mother's questioning look. "What? Did I offend you?"

"Yes!" Honey said.

"I'm sorry, I just thought that parents-"

"No, not the parents thing." Honey waved her hoof and evaporated the bucket of ice cream into shards of crystals that flittered out of existence. "This Buck thing. He sounds like a douche bag."

"Mom!" Cadance tried to suppress a boisterous laugh.

"What? The way you talk about him makes me think he had a reputation as a bully and someone who has a less the reputable relationship among mares." Honey said. "Like a stallion who takes you to the toilet to make out. You dated someone like this?"

Cadance smiled at her mother's ire. She had only given the stallion's name and her mother picked up the tones immediately and determined a reputation from someone her daughter dated over a decade ago and whom she had never met.

"He live in Canterlot?"

"Last I saw, yes? He's married now."

Honey sat up and rolled her shoulders. "We're going to visit him."

"No!" Cadance exclaimed in a shocked chuckle. "You're not going to antagonize my ex."

"Antagonize? No." Honey smiled. "Just remodel his yard in waste from the septic system that runs under his house."

With two hooves buried into her face, Cadance groaned, remembering her father's words before her mother's return. 'She was always prone to mischief, especially if she felt wronged in any way. Once your mother and a Spirit named Black Horn got into a four year long prank war that ended up in both of them being banned from eastern Stalliongrad.'

"Maybe we can just spend some time together?" Cadance asked and received a light kiss to her cheek.

"If that's your wish, the Spirit of Serenity shall grant thy request." Honey cooed.

"Spirit of Serenity?"

"Eh, more or less an honorific. Officially I watch over precious resources like gems and metals. However, I also cater to all sirens and muses." Honey kicked her hooves gently off the bench as she looked out onto Canterlot's busy streets. "Unlike your father, or one of the major guardians that control more vast areas like the oceans, part of my power resides in creatures and their emotions. Much like you and love."

"My power resides in other beings?"

"I believe so." Crystal said. "You're still coming into your own so your powers will fluctuate and change depending on what you come into contact with. Many lower Spirits became charged with the first elements they touched, for example; The hero named Berry Booms was shocked by lightning and then became so fast the world stood still for her. That was before being captured and imprisoned in a comic book by Celestia."

"So my powers will change?"

"It's very likely. I tried to keep my magic restrained as you broke free from your binds." Honey cupped her hooves. "I don't want my ailments to infect you."

Cadance looked to her mother with wild concern, which came off like a look of constipation. "But I heard you shooed away dad so that you could help me?"

"Yes, your father is smart and resourceful." Honey complimented. "There is only one other Spirit that rivaled him in strategy, even now this plans move in his absence. However, when it comes to souls and the care required to lead yours from the maelstrom of emotion you were in, only someone with vast amounts of emotional experience could help you. Luckily I am here for you. Your father was completely useless then. Like a napkin in a hurricane."

A hoof rested on Cadance's knee as Honey finished. 

"Plus, If Sky did it you'd turn into a glorified houseplant."

A half-hearted chortle escaped Cadance after the tender moment. Ponies slowed as they passed, trying to eavesdrop on what may have been construed as a romantic rendezvous. She looked up to see her mother smiling down at her and was given pause.

"You okay?"

"It's nothing, I have yet to see you this happy." The canterlot evening soon gave way to night as Honey stood and waved Cadancce to follow. "Wait, where are we going?"

"To see an old friend." Honey chirped and looked around to make sure no one was following them. "I think her house is around her somewhere. Oh, duh... teleportation." 

With a quick teleportation, Cadance opened her eyes to see the luscious surroundings of a neatly trimmed courtyard. Tall fountains and statues melded in with cut shrubbery all neatly maintained.

"Lady Bee?" An old butler with a green coat asked.

"Hi Jeeves, we're here to see your charge."

"Again, Lady Bee, teleporting in is rude." The butler chided and turned toward the grand mansion doors. "But I know you won't listen, never have. Follow me."

"Sorry, Jeeves. I love you." Honey called as she trotted after the aged butler.

Cadance giggled at her mother's banter with the butler before following them. The mansion was a home befitting that of royalty. Large pillars gripped the walls from floor to ceiling where clouds sat, light illuminating them from within the light the darker corners. The longer she walked through the house, the more familiar they seemed. Old paintings and statues started to stand out like ones she saw in Farhaven castle.

The distant sound of singing echoed through the corridors shortly before Jeeves came to a stop before a large set of purple doors emblazoned with a golden unicorn head. Cadance squinted and saw faint trails of mist swirling before the door.

"Thank you, Jeeves." Honey chirped. "It was nice to see you again."

"My Lady." 

Honey waited for Jeeves to turn the corner and gestured Cadance closer. 

"You father hasn't taught you about realms yet, has he?"

"I've been to his realm, but no." Cadance shrugged.

"If you mean his little garden, then you have yet to see his real realm." Honey smiled. "It can be a little overwhelming for those not accustomed to jumping fully across world lines."

Honey touched the large doors and the mist became more visible. "Do you see the mist?"

"Yes. I saw it when we got here."

"The mist trails are actually strands of torn reality." Honey started. "Every Spirit that is brought into existence by the maker was first birthed into a realm of their own since bringing a being of such raw power would permanently taint the lay lines of the surrounding lands."

"Lay lines?"

"Natural magic that flows through the planet." Honey said. "Each Spirit's realm has places where foreigners may enter, but if the make-shift entrance is too far from their portal, they do this." She tapped the door. "Official portals are neatly coupled with the Equus realm, but these back doors are teeming with strands, as you see."

The singing reached a climax as Honey pressed the door to enter, revealing a very large, white Siren. At first Cadance was alarmed, but her mother's flippant behavior put her somewhat at ease.

"Honey Bee?" The Spirit's singing voice stopped as she caught a glimpse of her guest. 

"Hey Fleur." 

The large siren erupted into a typhoon of water and reappeared before Honey in the form of a Unicorn, bringing her into a strong hug. "Bro, you're back and in one piece, thank the maker. I received your letter just moments ago, it sounded so urgent!"

"It is, but that's for another time." Honey placed her hoof on Fleur's arm and smiled, finding solace in the moment.

"F-Fleur de Lis?" Cadance asked in shock, earning a shocked look from Fleur in return.

"Uh, Princess I can explain." Fleur's iconic accent was absent and her usual showy way of standing had been replaced by a static slouch next to her mother with her wet mane clung lazily to her neck.

Honey huffed at the awkwardness. "Cadance, this is Fleur, she is one of my oldest friends and the Spirit muse of beauty. Fleur, this is Cadance. My daughter."

Fleur raised an eye brow for a moment and then looked to Cadance and back a few times until Cadance's horn glowed, revealing her antlered form. Fleur's mouth dropped as she brought her and Honey into a hug.

"You. must. tell. me. everything."

And so hours passed as Honey retold of her and Skies' reunion and the shocking news that her child was not only alive and well, but living with her father.

"I'm surprised he took it so well to be honest." Honey said while lounged out on a large, ornate couch. "I thought he would have eaten me alive after being away for so long."

"Or barricade himself inside his house." Fleur chuckled and clapped her hooves. "Oh, Cadance, there is so much I can tell you about your father that he wouldn't want me to say."

"Then you probably shouldn't." Honey chuckled.

"I. Will. Anyway!" Fleur's sing-song voice echoed.

Meanwhile, Cadance was rubbing her temples. "Mom, did dad really go that nuts when he saw you?"

"Yeah, it wasn't the wisest thing to do on my part." Honey rubbed her arm as she stared up to the ceiling. "I was worried, had I went reintroducing myself in an indirect way, he would suspect me to be an impostor."

"Did he bite you?" Fleur leveled her eyes at Honey who refused to even try and answer. Cadance looked between her mother and the lady of the house. "Honey. Did your husband bite you?"

"...Yes."

"And did he do anything to you?" Fleur gave hey friend a reassuring look.

"...No."

"Then you know what that means, sweetie, that Stallion still loves you." Fleur chirped and snuggled into her couch as Cadance looked on. "And you have your daughter too, ugh, I'd kill to be you."

"Mmhm." Honey hummed. "You would drive Skies up a wall."

"Yeah, you're probably right. That husband of yours needs a mean mare, I know myself, I am high maintenance." Fleur stretched and noticed Honey giggling. "What?"

"High maintenance is when a mare demands alot of attention. You, need borderline worship." Honey said, causing Fleur to harrumph, adding the silliness of the claim. 

As silence fell over the room, Fleur waved to Cadance, who had been silent for most of the visit. "Oh, Darling, tell us about you and your husband, the prince, right?"

"Shining Armor? What about him?" Cadance asked, causing Fleur to inhale with her teeth clenched in a wince.

"That bad?" Fleur asked.

"It's kind of bad." Honey turned on the couch to face the center of the room instead of the ceiling.

"Our marriage is great?" Cadance asked. "I stay in Ponyville and he returns every now and again to check on the Empire. It nearly runs itself so a vacation every now and again doesn't hurt. He comes over and we talk, it's a little awkward cause he still suspects something between dad and me, but I think he trusts me enough to believe me. I think he is with his parents in Canterlot's Cloud District currently." She sipped her tea and placed it down. "He sends me letters and we have a date every so often."

"Ouch." Fleur said, ending Cadance's line of thought.

"What's ouch? What's wrong?" Cadance asked, confused at her mother and Fleur's reactions.

Fleur gestured to Honey impatiently. "Can you give your daughter advice, please? Y'know, teach her to handle her business."

Honey Bee palmed her cup and rolled it in her hooves thinking. "The reason Fleur is acting like this is because you are clearly unhappy with Shining Armor, in more ways than one. Take it from two femme fatales from the time before, we know a hot relationship from a cold one where you two sleep in different rooms."

Cadance shook her head and brought her hoof to her chest, seemingly proud of what she was about to say. "I'm the Princess of Love, I know when I see a loving relationship or not."

"Then why are you in denial." Honey accused bluntly. "Do you love Shining?"

After a brief moment of silence, Honey asked again. "Do you love Shining Armor?"

Cadance quietly touched her hooves together. "You mean like you love dad?"

"This isn't about your father and I." Honey said, adopting a more motherly tone. "Are you going to stay with Shining, even though he is mortal and you are, in fact, immortal? It is not uncommon for a Spirit to court a mortal, but the briefness of the ages takes them too fast, but leaves the hurt much longer. We have all come to know the hurt, but some listen to their hearts anyway."

Cadance closed her eyes and nodded. "I plan on remaining with him."

"Don't misunderstand me, Anara." Honey cooed. "I'm impressed with the stallion. He loves you deeply and goes out of his way to make sure you are safe and happy. He has protected you in more ways than you know. He is successful and has done nothing but bring you honor and by extension, brought our house honor."

"So why do you think there's a problem?" Cadance asked with a weak smile. "You like him and dad seems to tolerate him. He also brings our house honor, is this okay with you and dad? That I stay with a mortal?"

"The honor and thoughts are for your father and I, I'm talking about you." Honey stood and strode to her daughter so that she could sit next to her. "Me and Sky talk about you and Shining. Your father loathes to admit it, but he likes Shining as well, but we both see that you're unhappy and it worries us."

"I'm happy. As you said, he does everything for me and what's more, he takes over the majority of daily duties in court." Cadance reasoned.

Honey sighed. "It's not what you say, it's what don't say."

"I talk about Shining all the time." Cadance said. "We even go on dates still."

"And the fighting?" Honey reminded, a flood of emotion flooding into her from Cadance. "There is no love coming from you when you speak about him, not an inch of passion, nor is there that spark in your eye when you meet your true love." She brought Cadance into a hug as they sat there, saying what she and Sky wanted to to convey their concerns. "I want you to love and be loved in return. I want you to fall to a hurricane of passion so intense that you can't think straight. I want you to give someone your world worth having it."

"Well, sounds easy." Cadance said.

"Me and your father just want you to be happy, or at least willing to be. Hiding in the castle tower isn't the best way to hide."

Knowing she was caught, Cadance giggled. "Then I will try."

Honey wrapped an arm around Cadance's head and smiled. "I know it's cheesy and cliche, but love is passion, it's easy to find, you just ignore your head and listen to your heart. Eventually the one meant for your soul will appear, sometimes in the most bizarre ways. We as immortals will see kingdoms rise and fall, races come and go, and even those we know as family turn to dust as a distant memory." She held Cadance at arm's length and smiled. "So there is no reason to go this journey without finding love, if you haven't loved, you haven't lived."

Cadance smiled. "You sure you aren't the Spirit of love?"

"I try." Honey chuckled. She sighed and grew somber. "If Shining is your chosen partner, then you both must rekindle the love. That will require him to learn about you, and by extension your father and I. I am not one to keep secrets like your father, he must know and so must that sister of his, and ultimately her close friends. I know you're close to them as well. One of which will be much more startling than the other."

"Yeah." Cadance laughed darkly. "Learning that dad is his father-in-law will be jarring."

"Right... your father." Honey tried to laugh, but her mood betrayed the truth of her statement.

With the seconds melting away the tender moment, Fleur paused her hoofheld game and looked over lazily, interrupting the mares. "So, do you girls want to stay the night?"

Honey smirked. "Only if you invite the others."

"Others?" Cadance asked.

"Yep, most of the Spirits that were allowed to stay in Equestria are mandated to remain in Canterlot's eastern cloud district so that Celestia can keep an eye on them." Fleur said. "Surely you noticed that the guards here were sporting Silver swords."

"I thought that was a rich pony thing." Cadance rubbed her neck in embarrassment. "Why would they be silver otherwise?"

"The high class hoo-haw is a rumored cover." Fleur rolled her eyes at the ludicrous rumors that flew around her memories as she was forced to live a life of being famous for being famous. "Silver can inflict lasting wounds on Spirits if given certain enchantments."

Honey looked to Cadance. "There's a reason your father has a silver set of plate armor in his study."

"And with that, I'll summon the girls." Fleur clapped her hooves and trotted out of the room happily.

"I'm about to be poked and prodded all night, Aren't I?" Cadance asked.

"You know you secretly love it."





Canterlot Royal Council Chambers





"Are you okay, Faith?" 

Faithful's piercing green eyes tore themselves away from the cityscape to see Fury standing in the doorway with his helm beneath his arm. "Yes, Fury, I'm just thinking about how I'm going to do this."

"Its a plan five thousand years in the making and you choose now to reflect?" Fury asked. "Seems pointless."

"You would know all about pointlessness."

"Ouch, what has you in a mood?" Fury asked as he closed the door behind him. The silence following his question filled the room, only armored hoof falls could be heard until he plopped next to Faithful. "Need someone to talk to?"

"If I needed someone to talk to, I would consult delegates, not my brother." Faithful growled as she stood and cantered away from the window seat. "Shouldn't you go and see your wife and child? You're spending more and more time from them. You wouldn't want a repeat of the last three spouses you've had."

Fury chuckled darkly as he watched Faithful pace from one side of the room to the next.

She caught his devious look and scowled at him. "If you came here for that, you should have at least left your wife so she isn't pining for a husband that isn't coming home. Adultery ruins marriages."

"Ruining marraiges? That is your expertise, sister. I'm just along for the ride."

Faithful turned to scold her brother, but found that he closed the distance between them in the blink of an eye. "Oh, what? Are you going to grab me like some common tavern wench?"

Fury's eyes bore down on Faithful. She glared back until she caught a glimpse of her brother walking through the courtyard that her room overlooked. She bowed her head and relented.

"Father."

The body clone of her brother began to malform into a wretched, sad form of a pony. Green skin hung like melted wax under a white mane as it bore up to Faithful, pleading for her to stop whatever was happening to it. "It's been a long time, Unfaithful." 

"Not much to report."

"Oh?" The voice echoed in a wet raspy tone. "Then I take it you do not know of your brother's entrance into the mirror?"

"I do."

The being convulsed and a new limb extended from the body before it swung, hitting Faithful in the face, sending her head snapping to the side. "You wanted to speak with him outside my view?"

"No." Faithful said.

"Liar." The voice drew out the word in a long whisper. 

"It is no lie." Faithful seethed. "I merely wanted revenge."

"Not before I'm through with him." The voice faded, ending the conversation. The body knelt to the floor and as the influence left its body, so did life.

The doors to Faithful's room opened, revealing two of her siblings, Fury and Bend.

"Sister, what's... oh." Bend recognized the use of body snatching magic and it's brutal after effects. "Who was it?"

"Who do you think?" Faithful sighed in complete disgust as she summoned a bottle of rum from a nearby cupboard. She looked at the dead creature on the floor and grimaced. "Disgusting, doing that to someone."

"why do you care?" Bend chuckled. "Acts like this are hardly new to us. Mortals come by and serve a purpose, then leave, that's the shape of things."

"We were mortal once." Faithful chided. "Or have you grown so comfortable in your wealth that you actually believe your past is all one big nightmare? That you were always destined to be a wealthy mare of Canterlot?"

Bend tsked at her sister. "You always get like this after you speak with him."

"He and I barely talk, that is a very bold claim to make." Faith said, cantering over to a crystal decanter. She rummaged through the cabinet next to the alcoholic container and retrieved a label-less jug.

Fury rolled his eyes. "Enough you two. Faithful, what did he say?"

"He was warning me not to take my revenge in the neighboring realm." Faithful downed a gulp of colored liquid and simmered. "I think the little black spot went and told him what we were planning."

"That is happening more and more these days." Fury said. "I task agents to follow Grave and they always turn up, weeks later, made into macabre centerpieces. Lately, however, they aren't coming back at all."

"You think he is planning something?" Faithful asked.

"An army of undead soldiers sounds like planning." Bend mumbled, drawing her siblings' attention. "Recently, he showed me some of what hes been up to. In short, he is building his own forces of undead beneath Prance."

"Purpose?" Fury asked.

"I don't know." Bend said. "But this leaves us with a small problem."

"How so?" Faithful asked. "I mean, I agree that's a problem, but what are your thoughts?"

Fury glanced at Bend and grumbled. "Grave went through the portal today. Judging from the time frame, it was shortly after Bend left his lair. I've just received word from Twilight's guard staff that the portal hasn't been working for the past hour."

Faithful noticed Fury's angry breathing. "And?"

"And, Princess Celestia recently took a night excursion to Baltimare and back." Fury said. 

"Yes, we've established time and time again that that type of stuff is normal for her. We can't really keep her on a leash." Unfaithful paused and shook her head at the mental image.

"I'm mentioning it because she flew there with that lacky, Sombra. That, coupled with her rereading many manuals on survival and looking at various stores in the lower Fish District for travel gear and the lack of anyone else being informed as to why leads me to believe she is going to disappear for a long time." Fury scowled. "We obviously can't let this happen before Ponyville is razed."

Bend chuckled. "Looks like everything is on your shoulders, Faithful. We've finished our tasks for the mission."

Faithful raised her eyebrow in question. "You have?"

"Yes, our trade deals with smaller nations have been skewed unfairly in our favor." Bend smirked. "Not to mention taxes and fees are at an all time high for both import and exports. Sales tax and income tax are high as well, that took some time, though."

"And the higher taxes have led to ponies having to resort to illegal activities like prostitution and narcotics." Fury sat and pulled a pad from his armor. "Local media is also pressing Guard related incidents in a negative light, leading the public to mistrust and disrespect of the guard."

Fury shoved the pad away and looked to the city and his sister walked to the window. "Brother noticed the unrest immediately upon his return, but even he can see that it's too late for anything to be done. That's likely why he warded his little nation in shields and has thus stayed away from interfering. Smart. A regime change at this point would become child's play."

"I've been in the castle for too long, I didn't think it was this far." Faithful said matter of factly.

"It is." Fury said. "I've been sending raiding parties into non-pony settlements for years to indulge in any baser instinct they wanted to satiate. With the creation of Farhaven, they'll come to know a better life and their hate for Equestrians will grow. It was a noble action, but brother will fail."

"And our revenge will be complete." Faithful said, her words giving off a hollow feeling. She turned and eyed her siblings, each of them stood silently, waiting for her to speak.

"While I'm gone, attack Ponyville with a force of mixed units." Faithful pointed to Fury. "I know Grave was gathering cadavers from local trade roads around Equestria, he is bound to have enough variety to match Farhaven's demographics. As planned."

A thoughtful hum escaped Faith. "See that they're trained and ready. Then assemble members of your personal stable, fill it with noteworthy ponies you can lose." Faithful eyed Bend. "Buy some ships, nothing fancy and all paid for with used bits, no credit. Assemble gear that looks readily thrown together. Then gather extra guard ships and equipment. Make sure every pony has a set of each."

Fury and Bend nodded at the implied reasoning.

"And where will you be?" Fury asked.

"I will write to Celestia requesting her presence with guard units in Ponyville to be sent the day after the attack." Faithful sighed and grabbed a small messenger bag and a lumpy balled up cloth. "I'm going to go and see if I can't do something about our brother."

Bend rushed to confront her sister, but met her sister's hoof instead. "No, Bend. You and Fury have had your chance to capture him. Now, it's my turn."

"And what is your plan?" Fury asked.

"I have something somewhat special for our little Spirit of the Forest." Faithful said. She rustled her hoof into the small bundle of cloth and pulled out a purple, hoof sized device, it glowed and tore open a portal in the center of the lavish room. She took one tentative step into the portal and glared back. "Once I have him, we can escalate plans into the next stage immediately, make sure to be ready."

The torn edges of the portal flapped in an unfeelable breeze as magic forced Faithful into human form. She shivered, still unfamiliar with transformation. Long black hair fell to and past her shoulders as the neat bun she wore came undone. The room where the portal had taken her was not unfamiliar, as she had been there many times before, however, never during the day.

Faithful fixed her ruffled blouse before opening its door to a long, crystallized hallway that led to an atrium with the words 'Crystal Preparatory Academy Est 1472' inscribed on stone floor in a semi circle.

"M-Miss Faithful?"

Faithful turned and smiled at the only person walking around. "Long time, Principal Cinch."