//------------------------------//
// Chapter 6: The other motives? 
// Story: The empire of gears 
// by ShadyMcChangeling 
//------------------------------//

	"Whoa there Twilight, could ya slow down fer a minute?" Said Applejack, a hoof on the partially panicked Twilight.
The group had been assaulted by Twilight's fast-spoken words for about five minutes prior.

"How?! HOW?! What did I say to offend him?" Thought the panicked Twilight.
"Twilight, it's okay. You didn't mean any harm. I'm sure it'-" Said Spike, trying to comfort the panicked mare before getting cut off.
"I don't know what I did wrong, was it something I said? Did I ask a bad question? Did I-" Rambled the alicorn, her pupils the size of pin-pricks.

"TWILIGHT! SNAP OUT OF IT!" Shouted The orange earth pony, who brought a hoof sharply against the side of Twilight's muzzle.
The room had now been removed of all sounds, and had become deathly quiet for a few moments.

"Applejack! What in Celestia's name has gotten into you!?" Exclaimed the white unicorn. 
"It was for her own good." Said Applejack, a serious expression on her face.
"And what is slapping your friend going to hel-" Said Rarity before being interrupted by Twilight.
"It's, it's okay Rarity. I, I got a bit panicked there. Thanks Applejack." Said Twilight holding a hoof against her cheek.
"I couldn't let my friend have a panic attack now, could I?" said Applejack comforting the alicorn.

"Hold on a second." Said Rainbow dash, taking a sip from the beverage in her hooves and then continuing.
"If this guy was kicked out of his own home." She took another sip as she got up from the bed she was on. 
"And lives here all alone." Another sip, now coming to the group at the center of the room.
"Why didn't he jump at the chance to come to ponyville?" She took yet another sip.
"I don't know, he left before I could ask him." Said Twilight.
A clock chimed eight times with a high pitched bell.

"It's getting late, I think we should rest before anything else happens." Said a pink maned pegasus, her voice a near whisper.
"I suppose you're right Fluttershy, this is a lot of information to take in at once." Said Twilight rubbing her temple.
"So is it agreed then?" Asked Rarity.
"Yeah lets go to bed." Said Spike flopping onto one of the cloud beds.
The rest of the ponies flowed suit, and once they were all comfortable, Twilight extinguished the purple-flamed lamps that lit the room.



"Where am I?" Thought Twilight to herself.
A dark grey hallway encompassed her, the walls studded with black flamed torches.
"Hello? Is anyone here?" Said Twilight to the echo filled corridor.
"Goodbye princess Celestia, It was pleasant to meet you." Said a familiar yet eerie voice.
Twilight stood frozen as she saw Mirror standing over a weak Celestia.

"Twilight please, help me!" Called the white alicorn.
Twilight lunged forward, but seemingly out of nowhere large black chains bound her to the spot.
She watched as Celestia helplessly reached with a hoof towards twilight, her face stained with tears.
With a flash of light and a deafening thunderclap, her mentor lay motionless and dead.

"She tried you know." Said mirror in a near mocking tone.
Twilight stared at the cadaver, her eyes streaming with tears.
"But even her best was not enough." Mocked Mirror walking around Twilight.

"No,no no no no." Wept the broken Twilight.
"Lightning is a rather quick way to go, though she was a means to an end so that is justified." Said Mirror walking around the corpse.
"To be honest, I prefer shadow evisceration." Mirror said poking the dead Celestia.

"Its not pretty, but no amount of resuscitation and healing spells will bring you back from that." Announced Mirror facing Twilight. 
"Well, toodles!" Said Mirror with an eerie smile on his face.

Twilight felt something force itself down her throat and into her stomach. In a moment Twilight felt spikes pierce her flesh.    
All she could see was the insane smile on Mirror mask's face.



"AAAAAAAH!" Screamed Twilight bolting upright, her body drenched with sweat.
"AAAAAAAAH!" Screamed Rarity an octave higher, nearly shattering the windows.
"Aaaaaaaah." Screamed Fluttershy, her attempt being more of a whisper than a scream. 
"AAAAAAAH!" screamed Applejack, A bit of her accent leaking though.
"AGARAGAH!" Screamed Rainbow, gurgling as she did so.
"AAAAAAH!" Screamed Pinkie, crawling at ludicrous speeds across the walls.
The group's ears only heard ragged breathing and racing heartbeats.
"Don't worry, I Spike the magnificent will protect you." Mumbled the still sleeping Spike.

"What the hay is goin' on?" Asked Applejack.
"well...." Said pinkie.
"IheardTwilightgoingmmmandmmmsoIWokeuptoseewhatwasgoingonanditwasboring"
Pinkie inhales.
"soIwentbacktosleepandinmydreamIwashopingaroundafieldofcandycanesanditwasrainingchocolatemilk"
Pinkie inhales.
"butIheardsomeonegoAAAAAAHandIdecidedtogoallovertheroomcuzwhynotduh"
Pinkie inhales.
"andspikewasmumblingthenApplejacksaidWhatthehayisgoinonandIjustdidanexpositiondumpandnowwherehere."
"Uhhhhh.." Said Applejack with a quizzical look on her face.
"Twilight you alright? I swear the first scream came from you." Asked Applejack looking towards Twilight.
Twilight was shivering and shaking, the nightmare still fresh in her mind.
"I'm fine." Lied Twilight.
"Twilight dear, if there is something wrong you can talk to us." Said Rarity, laying a hoof on Twilight's shoulder.

Suddenly three large booms sounded off nearby, Startling the ponies and waking up the dragon.
"Wha? is pinkie throwing a party?" Said the groggy Spike. 
Then an Edmyron walked into the room carrying a tray with a wax sealed scroll atop it.
"A message?" Said Twilight as she levitated the scroll to herself.
"What does it say?" Asked Rarity.
"You are all cordially invited to the Festin du matin." Read Twilight.
"The, what?" Asked Applejack.
"Wait there's more. Ahem AKA breakfast, don't be late. The food will get cold. This edmyron will guide you."
"oooh! A scroll just for breakfast? This place is fancy." Said Rarity as they followed the metal creature down one of the hallways.

They Arrived at a large room with a dinning table in the center, and seven ornate wooden chairs sat by it.
Each plate had gold embellishments in the shapes of cogs around them.
A card with the name and cutie mark of the six ponies and dragon sat on them.
Each one of them took their seats, and each of them reacted differently.

Rarity goggled at the plates and chairs.
Applejack admired the flawless grain of the wood.  
Fluttershy commented on the softness of the seats.
Pinkie just sat with a grin on her face.
Rainbow was jittering for some odd reason.
And Twilight milled over her nightmare.

"it's okay, Mirror isn't evil." Thought Twilight.
"But he is a changeling, masters of deception."
"He just wanted to learn about magic, not to conquer all Equestria."
"Hey Twilight!" Said Pinkie.
"Hi pinkie." Said Twilight, distracted from her thoughts.
"Can I tell you something." Asked Pinkie.
"Sure, what is it?" Said Twilight.
Pinkie suspiciously looked around then said.
"Ever since we came here everypony's been really really happy, and Mirror seems like a real fun pony."
"And that means, what?"
"You and Mirror could be great friends silly." Said Pinkie gently placing her hoof on Twilight's nose.

Pinkie gasps and then says "I could throw you a "I'm now a friend of Mirror" party!"
"There can be pinatas, a big cake! Everypony will come and- Oooh shiny!" Said Pinkie being allured by a glowing balloon floating by.
The pink pony hoped after the odd balloon down a corridor and out of sight.

"Maybe Pinkie is right, we should try to be better friends with Mirror." 
After a few moments group of Edmyron came in and set large platters of food on the table.
"Hey Fluttershy, can ya pass the coffee over." Said Rainbow heaving piles of food onto her plate.
"Hey sugarcube, I think ya had too much coffee." Said Applejack staring at the sheer amount of cups on Rainbow's place.
"Pfft, nah I'm right as a rainstorm." Said Rainbow, still jittering.

Twilight took some time to study the table and the different types of food.
She saw the standards, daises daffodils oats etc.
But she also saw a several large platters of gemstones all sorted by carat and color, all by Spike of course.

"Wait where's Mirror?" Thought Twilight.
And no sooner than two seconds later a scroll bearing Edmyron stood next to her.
She opened the scroll to see Mirror's message.



I am sorry I could not make it to breakfast, I had some things to be done urgently.
But I will join you all once the matters are dealt with.
-Mirror Mask
P.S: Meet me at 8:30 tonight in this room alone.




--To be Continued--