//------------------------------// // 14 - A Sordid Ordeal // Story: Mantles // by Ponky //------------------------------// CHAPTER FOURTEEN A SORDID DEAL It surprised Apple Bloom how much she enjoyed being back at school. It was nice to be anonymous among so many ponies trotting around her in open daylight. Only with so many opportunities to watch and listen did she notice how attuned her senses had become. Inane conversations met her ears along the path to her first class. For most ponies, the semester was already well underway. Nearly two months had passed since the graveyard, and Apple Bloom had healed quickly. Being an earth pony had its perks. Parts of her body were still tender, but that morning she had scaled a building without much more than a grimace and decided it was time to go to school. Her first class of the day, once again, was with Doctor Joe Cossitee. Apple Bloom entered the auditorium and found a seat early. She was one of the first ten ponies to arrive, and she sat in front of an open notebook before the professor arrived. As other students trickled in, she recognized none of their faces. Dr. Cossitee trotted into the auditorium from a lower door. He opened a briefcase on the podium and dragged his mismatched, blue and pink eyes over the growing student body. Class hadn't started yet and the students talked amongst themselves as he observed them. His eyes fell on Apple Bloom and he beamed, waving at her subtly. She waved back, happy to be recognized. She had a hard time following the lecture but took as many notes as she could. When the bell rang and the class ended, she hurried down the steps of the auditorium to meet with her professor. "Well, if it isn't Apple Bloom back from the void," he said as she approached. "What in the world happened to you? You disappeared without a trace." Apple Bloom shrugged. "I had a family emergency and had to go back home." He raised an eyebrow. "You went back to Ponyville? How did you manage that?" For a moment, a lump rose in Apple Bloom's throat. Just as quickly, she composed herself and said, "Nah, most of my family moved to Manehattan. I went there." Dr. Cossitee nodded. "Ah, I see. I hope you didn’t get caught up in that hypnosis kerfuffle I keep hearing about.” Apple Bloom shook her head. “No, by some stroke o’ luck I missed all that.” “Thank goodness,” he said. “You know, I've never been to Manehattan in my life. Is it true what they say, that you can't see the tops of the skyscrapers?" "You can see 'em," she said, smiling. "They're just real tiny up there." "That certainly makes more sense." He turned his attention to organizing his briefcase while addressing Apple Bloom. "I assume you have questions about the material. I'm glad to have you back, but you did miss quite a bit of important introduction." Apple Bloom didn't hear him. Her eyes were glued to the open briefcase, particularly on a small piece of paper tucked inside. “I’d be happy to go over whatever you need. The textbooks will cover all the information, of course, but sometimes it’s nice to have clarification.” There was a drawing on the paper. Of a cemetery. “Anything from today’s lecture you wanted to talk about, Apple Bloom?” She recognized the drawing. She had sketched it herself, after all, and instructed a terrified criminal to deliver it to the leader of the Mangled Marks. “Apple Bloom?” She looked at her professor’s markless flank. Her eyes widened. "Are you all right?" "You're him," she said under her breath. Dr. Cossitee squinted. "I'm sorry?" Apple Bloom looked over her shoulder. Several students were still in the auditorium, shuffling slowly out of the doors in a bustling funnel. She looked back at her professor’s mismatched eyes, peering intently into her own. He glanced down at the cemetery sketch. She watched his eyebrows slowly rise. "I…” She frowned. “I need your help, Doctor Cossitee. Could I come to your office sometime and… get caught up a bit?" He looked her up and down. Both of their faces were flat, strained. "Of course, Miss Bloom," he finally said. He took a pencil in a white aura of magic and wrote an address on the back of the cemetery sketch. "Visit me here any evening you'd like. It’s my home address. A mare like yourself would do well to keep it private. I’d love to help you understand what's really going on." She grabbed the paper in her teeth. Their eyes held contact for a few long seconds, then she bolted out the same lower door he had used to enter. Without even thinking about her next class, Apple Bloom galloped off campus for the last time. She didn't need an alibi anymore: she needed a plan to permanently dismantle Joe Cossitee and his Mangled Marks. (/\/\) That night she put on the Mare Do Well costume Sweetie Belle had worn in the cemetery. It was a bit too tight, and the cone of fabric for Sweetie's horn hung limply over her snout. "You'll have to make me a new mask," she said. "You can use Rainbow Dash's for now," she said, digging it out of their closet. "She brought it back?" Apple Bloom asked. “Yeah. And when she dropped it off," Sweetie Belle whispered, "she said she gave the hat to Razorwing. She said he's looking for you here in the city, whenever you're ready to get it back." "Then I'll make plum sure he finds me," Apple Bloom said, sliding the new mask over her head. "Why didn't she just bring the hat herself?" "Probably to give Razorwing something to do," Sweetie said. She smiled as she helped adjust Apple Bloom's cape. "I didn't get to talk to him for very long that night when we went over the plan, but it's obvious he really likes you. Maybe Rainbow Dash is trying to set you up." Apple Bloom scoffed. "Oh, please, Sweetie Belle. Rainbow Dash knows how serious this is. We don't have time for any stupid romance." Sweetie shrugged. "He seemed cute to me." Apple Bloom opened the window. "I'll see you later, Sweetie Belle. Thanks for all your help." "Oh, real quick, Apple Bloom!" Sweetie said. "How was school?" Apple Bloom jumped onto the window sill and looked out into the night. "Enlightening," she said in a Trottingham growl, and leapt. (/\/\) “Freaking finally!” said Razorwing, flapping only once to slow himself before landing at a gallop. He skidded to Mare Do Well, sitting quietly on her haunches by a gargoyle. “Where have you been? I thought you were dead!” She glanced at him. “What?” He waved a hoof around. “Ah, it’s just a rumor going around. I knew it was hooey. But I’m glad you’re here, this place is getting bad without you!” “It’s been bad for a long time,” she said, staring out into the quiet streets. “Yeah, well, it’s getting worse. All of Equestria is getting worse! Did you hear about Manehattan?” “I heard you have something of mine,” she said. “I mean, I’ve done everything but straight up murder these ponies, and more keep cropping up every night.” Apple Bloom shuddered. “Do you have my hat?” she snapped. “Oh, right….” Razorwing set it on the ground between them. “It’s a little crumpled, but… dang, what happened to your costume?” She glanced at him. “What do you mean?” Razorwing grinned. “I dunno, it looks different. Like…” He blushed. “I dunno, kinda sexy.” “What?” Mare Do Well craned her neck to look at herself. “Where?” “Well, in the hips, mostly…” Razorwing seemed to catch himself and cleared his throat. “Uh, sorry. What do you want me to do now? Are you back for good, or what?” Mare Do Well stared at her waist and hindquarters for just a moment longer before snapping her head back to her city. “I’m back. I have important business to conduct tonight, but you should get back to Cloudsdale. I doubt their streets have cleared much without you.” “Oh, Cloudsdale’s not nearly as messed up as Canterlot. Not yet, anyway. Let me stay here and help you!” “Not tonight,” Mare Do Well said, picking up her hat. “I need some time to find my stride again. I will get in touch with you when I need you again, Razorwing. And I doubt it will be long before then.” He sighed. “All right, fine. Just don’t, uh… don’t get too hurt out there, okay? They’re still after you.” Mare Do Well nodded and Razorwing jumped off the terrace, soaring on agile wings to the outskirts of the city. When he had vanished into the night, Apple Bloom hastily pulled the purple hat over her ears. “Lyra?” she asked aloud. “Lyra? Unsung!? Can you hear me?” There was no answer. She wasn’t surprised—Lyra had to initiate a magical trance before the connection was formed. She pulled the hat tighter onto her head and unclipped the cemetery sketch from her utility belt. The address on the back led her to the apartment complex directly in front of her perch. After only a few seconds of gliding, Apple Bloom stood on the pavement before the building Doctor Joe Cossitee called home. She had already swept the premises for any traps, reinforcements, or trickery before finding Razorwing. It was a nice part of town: nothing and nopony suspicious was anywhere in sight. At the gate of the apartment complex, Apple Bloom—in full Mare Do Well garb—pressed the button on the intercom system with “COSSITEE” printed beside it. After a few dull rings, and despite the late hour, a low voice soon answered: “Hello?” “I found you,” she said. There was silence for a moment, and then he said, “Come up. Fourth floor.” The gate to the complex clicked open, and Mare Do Well hurried inside. Her heart hammered and her cape whipped as she rushed quietly up a narrow staircase, twisting back and forth until she reached the fourth floor. One of the dark wooden doors on the fourth landing stood open, and she hesitated at the edge of the staircase. She stepped through the door quietly. Her concealed eyes darted from corner to dimly lit corner of the small but well furnished apartment. The bright Moon behind a thin veil of clouds shone through glass doors that led to a balcony on the far wall. An open kitchen connected to a hallway that led out of sight, but her target sat on a long couch in a stream of Moonlight, wrapped in a crimson robe, holding a steaming cup of tea in his white, twinkling magic. “Please close the door,” he said. His blue eye did not shine in the darkness and appeared nearly black, but his pink eye glowed and revealed that his gaze was locked on her every move. Despite his calm stance and steady voice, he was ready to fight were she to attack. She did not plan to attack, nor did she plan to be attacked. Without looking away, she softly kicked the door closed behind her and stood still in the apartment’s small foyer. She hazarded a hidden glance to the connected rooms, noticing several artistic trinkets from cultures around the world. A sitar from Haissan hung on a wall near Dr. Cossitee in the living room, and a miniature mask from the Zebrahara, which Apple Bloom new to mean “Welcome”, balanced on a cabinet not far from the entryway. “Why did you come dressed in all that?” Dr. Cossitee asked. Apple Bloom didn’t have an answer at first. “Principle,” she eventually said. Dr. Cossitee chuckled. “I respect that.” He watched the wisps of steam rise from his tea. “Still, it seems unnecessary. As you can see, I did not wear my cloak.” “So you really are him,” Apple Bloom said. She maintained her Trottingham accent through it all. “You’re the leader of the Mangled Marks.” “I direct them, yes,” he said. “You killed Harper Heartstrings,” she said, taking a step forward. Dr. Cossitee frowned. “What a stupid ordeal. His death was regrettable. If I’d have known how much trouble it would cause us in the long run, I would have just let it go.” “Why didn’t you? He didn’t do anything to you!” “Quiet down, Apple Bloom,” he hissed. “It is the middle of the night and we are not alone here. Not like I thought we were in the graveyard.” “You brought your goons along,” she said. “I had every right to bring help.” “I was under the impression that we were there to talk, one on one,” he said, sipping at his tea. “I was going to dismiss the others once I had your word that I would not be harmed. As I was trying to tell you that night, there is more to the Mangled Marks than you seem to understand.” He took another sip. “But now that you have joined me in my home, and now that we are both aware that the other is a respectable person outside of this dramatic feud of ours—” He set down his tea. “—I believe we may discuss, maturely, how we might work together to accomplish our common goals.” “Work together?” Apple Bloom snarled. “I’ll never work with you. You’re a murderer. You sell horrible drugs and ruin ponies’ lives.” Dr. Cossitee shook his head. “All a means to an end. A mask, much like yours.” “How dare you!” “Apple Bloom, please, quiet down. I will not ask again.” Apple Bloom’s breathing was quick and ragged. She swallowed. “We’re alone here?” “Yes. Completely. Not even Aether knows where I live.” “That’s the big pegasus?” “He prefers tall,” said Dr. Cossitee, “but yes, you’re thinking of the right one.” “He almost killed me.” She took another step closer. “How do I know that wasn’t on your orders?” Dr. Cossitee sat up straighter in his chair. “Aether is fiercely loyal. You might say to a fault, though I never would. I was not conscious during your… squabble, but I imagine he was very angry. You tried to take someone he cares about. You can hardly blame him for lashing out.” “I am gonna kill you.” Apple Bloom’s natural drawl came back strong. Dr. Cossitee stood up. “I’m gonna rip you to shreds for whatchu did to Harper.” “And who is that going to help?” Apple Bloom made a move as if to jump at him, but stayed where she was. It scared Dr. Cossitee enough to shoot out a burst of magic from his horn. The spark whizzed over Apple Bloom’s head. “Careful, Professor,” she said menacingly. “You don’t want the death of two students on your hooves, do you?” “You can’t prove anything, Apple Bloom, if that’s your plan,” he said. The pitch of his voice was rising. “I’ve been doing this for years. You can’t stop what I’ve begun.” “I can, and I sure as Tartarus will.” “You wouldn’t want to if you knew what I was after.” “What, Cossitee?” Apple Bloom spat. “Money? The throne? Your very own Cutie Mark?” Dr. Cossitee scowled. “I am trying to put an end to the most dangerous mare in Canterlot.” “I’ll take that as a compliment,” Apple Bloom sneered. “Not you, idiot. Satin. You think what I do to this town is harmful? Her devoted clan, the Gonne, deal daily in pony trafficking. You think you were the first student of mine who disappeared without a trace? I thought they’d gotten you, too.” Apple Bloom listened. “Satin is a genius. An evil genius. She is not taking over Equestria, she is dismantling it from the shadows. When is the only time you’ve seen her operate? Or do you even remember?” “The sky docks,” Apple Bloom said. “Your Mangled Marks were helpin’ the Gonne load up a blimp full of ponies.” “Were they, now?” His eyes narrowed. “And tell me, how many other shipments have you been able to stop since then, hmm? How many ponies have you saved from Satin’s ring without the help of the Mangled Marks?” “Oh, please, Cossitee, you want me to believe—” “It took me years to build enough trust to infiltrate that circle, Apple Bloom. Years of deceit and preparation. I want nothing more than to see the Gonne crumble and their leader dead. And you ruined my plan in its budding stages!” He stomped a hoof so loudly that Apple Bloom flinched. There was silence as the stallion composed himself. “I will admit, the death of a friend, such as you have endured, is detestable,” he continued. “So, since neither his death nor the foiling of my plans were intentionally aimed at each other, I believe we can consider ourselves even at this point, if both severely disadvantaged.” “What’re you talking about?” “I’d like to propose a brief union of our forces,” said Dr. Cossitee. “For our mutual benefit, and to repair damages caused to one another, I think we should work together to remove Satin from her position of power in this city.” “You do realize I’m tryin’ to do damages to you, right?” Apple Bloom asked. “If you help us end this… if you help me,” Dr. Cossitee continued, “my work will be done. I will personally ensure the collapse of the Mangled Marks, and you will have taken two birds with one stone.” “Wait… you want us to take down the Gonne together, and then you’ll just disband your own gang?” “The Mangled Marks is a front, the only true purpose of which is to eliminate Satin. The underworld is a complicated and intricate web of who’s who, and I have had to stoop to great lows in order to learn what I know of her now.” He sat in his chair and touched his hooves together. “I had another plan to find Satin on my own, but it would have involved the uninterrupted success of that cooperative shipment. The Gonne were very hesitant to try working with us again after that, believing that somehow it was our presence that brought along the Mare Do Well.” Apple Bloom swallowed. “So… what’s your big plan now?” “As it is believed that you are dead at Aether’s hoof,” he said with the twinge of a smile, “the Gonne are giving us another chance. We are to aid them in an intricate heist, after which I am to deliver our spoils to Satin myself. Though I’m sure she will take measures to protect herself, I think that together we may be able to incapacitate her permanently.” “I’m guessin’ you mean kill her,” Apple Bloom said with a frown. “Indeed, as any other method of justice would surely lead to her return.” Dr. Cossitee leaned toward Apple Bloom. “You don’t have a problem with that, do you? Wasn’t it you only moments ago threatening to murder me?” Apple Bloom offset her jaw. “I don’t trust you, Cossitee. Not a bit.” “But you know I am intelligent,” he said, sitting back comfortably. “And I believe the same of you. Take your time to decide, Apple Bloom. Consult your little friends, if you deem it useful. But the heist will require you and only you.” “You’re insane, Cossitee.” She looked at the Moon through the large glass doors leading from the apartment to the balcony. “But I imagine you’re pretty dang rich, ain’tcha?” she asked. Cossitee raised an eyebrow. “I have… plenty of wealth, yes.” “This shouldn’t break your budget, then,” she said, tipping her hat to him. In a violet blur, she sprinted across the length of the apartment and smashed through the glass. With a million shards glittering around her, Mare Do Well leapt from the balcony and threw open her cloak, falling into the night as a cloud rolled over the Moon. (/\/\) Dr. Joe Cossitee went by a different name among the Mangled Marks, though he kept his esteemed suffix as it seemed to impress his cronies. “Doctor Trepony,” said a thick mare with a broken lightbulb for a Cutie Mark, “the ponies you summoned are here.” “All of them?” he asked, glaring at the pony from under his shadowy hood. “How many are there?” “Four,” the mare answered. Dr. Trepony nodded. “Bring them up here.” The mare went back down through the roof entry to fetch them. Dr. Trepony stood next to Aether and observed the castle above, bathed in Moonlight. “This is it, my friend,” he said. “Are you ready?” Aether nodded. “Good. We can’t afford any mistakes tonight.” The burly mare returned with four ponies of varying shapes and sizes, each dressed in tight black clothing that concealed all but their eyes. “Each of you has been specially chosen to represent the Mangled Marks in the most ambitious heist in Canterlotian history,” Dr. Trepony began. “You will be working with Aether and following strict orders from the Gonne. You will meet them, dressed as castle guards, in the castle gardens. There can be no detection whatsoever. Leaving casualties is not an option. Am I understood?” The four ponies nodded. “We begin in thirty seconds. Are there any questions?” “Why isn’t he wearing one of these things?” a brown eyed stallion asked, tugging at his tight black jumpsuit and pointing at Aether. The great black pegasus backed into a dark corner of the rooftop. He crouched and closed his eyes. Within seconds, though the other ponies squinted into the shadows, Aether was completely invisible. “Oh,” said the brown eyed stallion. “Go,” said Dr. Trepony. He watched the four of them follow Aether off the edge of the building into the branches of a tall tree. They leapt noiselessly from one tree to another toward the gardens. The smallest of the four had a uniquely powerful leap. Dr. Trepony smiled. (/\/\) Two guards stood silent at the doors to the grand ballroom, staring into the garden. Any splendor it once boasted was long gone: shriveled plants and wilting trees gave way to weeds and neck-high grass. Not the chirp of a bird or the scuttling of a squirrel had been heard there for years. Both guards jumped when an enormously tall pegasus rose from the grass like a living shadow. Its long, skeletal face nodded deeply. One of them swallowed and knocked a rehearsed rhythm on the castle doors. Two more guards opened them from the inside. Aether flapped once and swept past all four, taking a seat in the center of the empty ballroom. The four ponies in black followed him, and the guards entered last. Two them shed their armor to reveal unicorns with carefully coiffed manes and business suits. “You’re gonna sneak through the castle in that?” asked the brown eyed stallion. Aether reached out and smacked him between his ears. “Ouch! Sorry, uhhh… nice suits.” “They’ll stay here and open the doors for you when the target is secure,” said a suited mare, gesturing to the armored guards. “Two of you will come with us and retrieve the decoy from the basement; the others will go with Aether.” “I’ll come with you!” said the brown eyed stallion, but Aether shook his head. The stallion whimpered and lowered his snout. “You two come with us,” said the suited mare. She pointed at the smallest pony with amber eyes and a wide, grumpy looking stallion. The other suited Gonne, a bearded stallion, checked the watch on his wrist. “We need to start now.” “Split up,” said the mare. “Aether, you know what to do.” Aether nodded. Like a snake made of midnight, he dashed across the ballroom and climbed a flight of stairs. Two of the Mangled Marks followed him hastily. The others slipped into a long, empty hallway. The Gonne led them through the castle, creeping along the walls. “How did you two get in here?” whispered the grumpy looking stallion. “We’ve been posing as guards for months,” the suited stallion said. “We had a few close calls at first, but even Shining Armor recognizes us now.” “Shining Armor?” the smallest pony asked. “You mean… the Princess’ brother?” “He’s still the Captain of the Guard. Rumor is he hasn’t left the castle once since Princess Sparkle took power.” More than a few times they had to sneak past patrolling guards, but it was obvious that all four of them were skilled in the shadows. Before long they reached a narrow wooden door that the suited mare unlocked with her magic. “This way to the basement,” she said, ushering the others through first. The staircase was built into one of the castle’s corner towers. It spiralled tightly; the ponies followed its stone steps downward into total darkness. The unicorns knew where to stop without igniting their horns. “Through here,” one said. “Stay quiet. Watch for any guards.” The Mangled Marks had to feel along the curved wall for an opening. An empty archway led them into the cold basement deep within the mountain. Every step they took, however light, echoed through the darkness for several seconds. “I can’t see anything,” the grumpy stallion said. “Hold on.” The unicorns trotted past the Mangled Marks. “This is where we need you. The Princess regularly boxes up items in the castle and sends them to the basement. We put the decoy in one of those boxes. This place is enormous, but there are always guards patrolling and we can’t risk lighting our horns. We’ll cast a spell on each of you to let you see in the dark, but we won’t be able to move while its active.” “Got it,” said the small pony. “What does the box look like?” “We marked it on the bottom. We didn’t want anypony to notice.” “No problem. Let’s get started.” The unicorns’ horns sparked once, and the other two could suddenly see the basement in black and white. Their mouths fell open at the expansive chambers before them. “What do you see?” the suited mare asked. “Giant shelves,” said the stallion, “stacked to the ceiling with boxes.” “Well then, get started! Find the box with Satin’s mark on the bottom.” The ponies scrambled from shelf to shelf. Every box was nearly as large as they were, and some were heavier than others. They tilted each one back and checked the bottom, careful not to knock anything over. “Quiet!” one of the Gonne whispered. The flicker of a distant torch cast a faint light into the chamber. A guard stepped into the spacious room and scanned the shelves. All four thieves had tucked themselves behind boxes; they held their breath and waited. The guard turned and walked down an adjacent hallway. Nopony moved until his torchlight was gone, and then the frantic search for the marked box continued. “I think I found it!” whispered the small pony. “Does Satin’s mark look like a spiky salt shaker?” “You don’t know the mark of the Gonne?” one of the unicorns hissed. “Yes, that’s it,” said the other. “Open it, quickly. What do you see?” The pony was soon joined by the grumpy stallion. Together they popped open the lid and rummaged through its contents. “Whoa… there’s a bunch of scrolls,” said the small pony. “Like… a ton of scrolls.” “Ignore those. What else? Is there a mirror?” The scrolls smelled of burnt parchment, but showed no signs of singeing. The ponies pushed them to the sides of the box. “Oh, yes! Here, at the bottom, there’s a mirror!” The pony tried to lift it and nearly lost her balance. “Whooa! It’s heavy!” “Here, I’ll help,” said the grumpy stallion. “Make sure none of these scrolls fall out.” Slowly, they lifted the mirror from the bottom of the box. It was very long and narrow, but the stallion carried it on his back down the shelves to the basement’s cold floor while the mare replaced every loose scroll and closed the box. They ran together to the corner staircase in the tower. “Okay, we got it!” the mare whispered to the unicorns. “You can stop your spell. Come on!” Everything went black. “Go, go!” said one of the unicorns. The four of them hurried up the stairs, slowing only when the glow of Moonlight graced their eyes again. “Now quickly, up to the royal chambers!” “What!?” snapped the little mare. “To the Princess?” “No, we won’t even get close to the Princess,” the Gonne stallion said. “She keeps the mirror where Celestia used to sleep.” “What mirror?” Nopony answered. They traversed the castle in silence, slinking from one long staircase to the next, until they reached the highest suites. The upper levels of the castle were more heavily guarded, but with a bit of distraction magic and skill, the four thieves were able to find Celestia’s abandoned bedroom within minutes. One of its doors was slightly ajar. Aether and the other of the Mangled Marks were removing an ornamental upright mirror from a heavy stand. Seconds after the Gonne had entered with the decoy, the mirror clicked and fell away from its horseshoe shaped support. Aether caught the huge mirror and set it away from the group noiselessly. The Gonne stallion used his magic to fit the decoy mirror into the empty frame. Quickly, the Mangled Marks fiddled with latches in the back to keep it in place. “A little left… that’s perfect, right there,” said the Gonne mare. “That’s where it was.” “These mirrors aren’t identical,” said the brown eyes Mangled Mark, stepping away from the mirror’s thick. “It’s a bit smaller. Are you sure they won’t realize it’s a fake?” “Princess Sparkle is drowning in responsibilities, most of which are products of her own fractured imagination,” the Gonne mare said. “There’s no way she’ll notice a few differences in the curls of its decoration.” “You don’t know Twilight,” said the small mare. The unicorn glared at her. “And you do?” “I used to.” Both of the Gonne sneered. “Well, whatever she was like when you met her, she’s different now,” said the stallion. “We’ve been watching. She never comes in here, like she’s afraid Celestia will be sitting on the bed.” “Anyways, we have the mirror,” the grumpy stallion grumbled. “Now what?” “Aether will take care of the rest,” said the unicorn mare. She turned around and nodded to the statue-esque pegasus looming behind them. “We will report to Satin tomorrow. I believe this is the beginning of a powerful union between the Mangled Marks and the Gonne.” “Actually, I hate to be the bearer of bad news,” said the small, amber-eyed mare, “but you’re out of a job.” The Gonne mare squinted at her. “Excuse me?” Aether flapped his wings to hover over the Gonne. He smacked the unicorns’ heads together and they fell to the ground unconscious. The Mangled Marks dragged their limp bodies and hid them behind tall, limp curtains. “Wow, I can’t believe that worked!” said the brown eyed stallion. “Now the mirror is all ours, right? What does it do?” The small mare shrugged. “I’m not sure, but it shuts ponies up pretty well.” “How?” Aether picked up the mirror and hit the stallion over the head. The small mare darted to the other two and punched them under their chins. All three groaned and collapsed one by one into a pile of drooling ponies. Apple Bloom peeled the black suit off her bright yellow body. “Did you bring my costume?” she asked Aether in a cold tone. The pegasus moved fluidly to Celestia’s barren balcony and returned with a neat purple pile balanced on one hoof. Apple Bloom took it from him warily. “Thanks,” she said. Aether stared. (/\/\) Two dark figures shot out horizontally from the castle above. Alone on the rooftop, Dr. Trepony grinned at the shapes. They banked left together and floated toward him. Aether arrived first, pumping his great black wings to set the mirror down gently. Mare Do Well arrived soon after. She folded in her cape at the last moment and landed hard next to the mirror. “Excellent work,” he said. “Now do you believe that I intend to betray my own once Satin is no more, Apple Bloom?” “I don’t know if I’ll ever believe a word you say, Doctor Trepony,” she said in a gravelly Trottingham voice, “but I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t think we could take down Satin together.” “I can accept that.” He turned to Aether. “It looks heavy. Can you carry it to Restaurant Row? I am to meet Satin there.” Aether nodded and wrapped all four of his hooves around the mirror. With several powerful flaps of his wings, he rose above the rooftop. “Hide it in the alley between the Ponies’ Pizzeria and the Smoked Oat. Then you are dismissed for the night. I’ll call upon you soon.” Aether dove toward the heart of the city with the mirror held tight in his spider-like legs. Mare Do Well watched him blend into the night sky. “I am sorry for using your real name,” Dr. Trepony said in a soft voice, “and I thank you for not revealing mine. Aether does not know it.” “I assumed as much.” She straightened her hat. “Restaurant Row, huh? I’ll stay out of sight until you give a signal.” “Yes, I assumed as much.” She could hear the smile in his voice. It only made her hidden scowl deepen. She ran to the edge and jumped as far as she could in the direction Aether had flown. Mare Do Well bounded from building to building on her way to the rendezvous. The nearer she drew to Canterlot’s most popular eateries, the quieter and slower she moved. Some of the restaurants were open all night, and she soon spotted small groups of ponies in the streets, hungry for a midnight meal. Catlike, she sprinted along gutters and avoided their attention. She stopped near the Tasty Treat, Sweetie Belle’s favorite restaurant in the city, and watched the alley across the street for nearly half an hour. “Unsung?” she breathed into the night. “Are you there? Can you hear me?” Lyra’s voice didn’t come, and Mare Do Well wondered if her hat had taken some kind of magical damage. If the enchantment was compromised, how would she get a message to Lyra in Ponyville? Her flying machine, the Wishing Well, was too obvious a target now that Mare Do Well’s fame was nationwide. Her thoughts were cut short when Joe Cossitee, uncloaked, trotted into view. Mare Do Well crouched and waited for him to enter the alleyway. Instead, he knocked on the front door of the Ponies’ Pizzeria. The windows of the restaurant were unlit, but he stood patiently until the door was opened for him; it closed once he stepped inside. Mare Do Well sat up, confused. A few minutes later, Cossitee exited the building and made his way to the alley. A rope dropped from a window on the pizzeria’s side. Cossitee tied the rope around the mirror, then it was heaved into the building through the window. As Cossitee made his way back to the front door, he glanced up at the rooftops around him and sharply pointed to the window several times. Mare Do Well nodded to herself and waited until Dr. Cossitee re-entered the restaurant. She glided across the street and landed on top of the Smoked Oat. The pizzeria’s window was already closed, but through it she could see a couple of suited stallions measuring the mirror and examining it closely. In preparation to crash through the window, Mare Do Well crouched her hind legs and aimed her snout at its center. Just as she was about to launch off the roof, a voice crackled into her mind. “Holy mackerel, Apple Bloom! You’re alive!” “Whoooaa!” Mare Do Well lost her balance and tipped forward. She grabbed the edge of the Smoked Oat’s roof, dangling three stories up by one hoof. “Oh Celesita, sorry Apple Bloom!” Lyra’s voice balanced between a scream and a giggle. “I can’t believe it! I thought maybe you… I mean, I told Rainbow Dash to take you to the hospital, but then… gah!” Mare Do Well sighed. “Hello, Unsung. I’m really happy to hear your voice, but I can’t pretend this is the best timing.” “Right, of course, of course, I’m sorry,” Lyra tittered. “I just… it’s been a long time. Where are you? Catch me up!” “Uhhhh…” Mare Do Well looked at the window directly across from her. “See that mirror in there?” “Yeah. Whew, oh boy, it’s good to be back, lemme tell ya! So cool to see what somepony else is seeing. Okay, what about that mirror?” Mare Do Well hesitated. “I… I just helped the Mangled Marks and the Gonne steal it from the royal castle, and now their leaders are having a meeting in this pizzeria.” Lyra was quiet for a moment. “Uhhh… what?” Hanging from the building with one hoof, Mare Do Well grabbed an unenchanted gem from her utility belt and threw it at the window. The suited ponies turned away from the mirror with furrowed brows. One of them trotted to the window, lifted it open, and stuck his head out to look down. Mare Do Well kicked off the wall and tackled the stallion, knocking him out against the floor. She whipped around before the other stallion could shout and grabbed him by the mane. With all her might, she smashed the pony’s face into the mirror, shattering the glass. The stallion dropped, bleeding from his forehead, and Mare Do Well closed the window. “What the… what!?” Lyra yelled into Mare Do Well’s thoughts. “Hold on, what was so special about that mirror?” “No idea,” Mare Do Well whispered. She opened the nearest door and galloped down a hallway to the nearest staircase. “Wait, so you figured out who leads the Mangled Marks?” asked Lyra. “He calls himself Doctor Trepony,” Mare Do Well whispered. “He’s been working with Satin to get that mirror. They’re both in here somewhere. I’m gonna kill two birds with one stone.” “You’re gonna…” Lyra gulped. “You’re gonna kill them?” Mare Do Well rolled her eyes. “No, Unsung, it’s an expression. I’m taking both of them down tonight, and they’ll never get up again.” Lyra grimaced in her living room. “Yeesh. Maybe it’s just ‘cause I have murder on my mind now, but… that doesn’t sound much better.” Mare Do Well jumped down the entire staircase and burst through a pair of swinging doors into a spacious, shiny kitchen. The floor was covered in blood. Startled, Mare Do Well surveyed the room and absorbed as many details as she could. Four beefy unicorn stallions in ripped up suits were piled in and around the dishwashing sink. Their limbs and necks bent at unnatural angles. “Oh my… Apple Bloom?” Lyra gagged. “I think I’m gonna barf…” On the opposite side of the kitchen from the broken stallions, Doctor Joe Cossitee stood over the bloody corpse of a grey-ish pink unicorn with sharp cheekbones. A huge kitchen knife floated in his magic. The dead mare’s flank had been skinned, and the removed Cutie Mark balanced on the edge of the knife. Doctor Cossitee was smiling. His teeth were crooked and small. Mare Do Well took a step back. “What have you done?” she choked. The metallic smell of blood seeped through her mask and burned at her nostrils. “I didn’t need you for this part,” he said. “I assume the crash we heard means you broke that infernal mirror? Good, good… that’s wonderful.” He laughed, eyes wide, nodding rapidly. “You’ve been very helpful, Apple Bloom, so very, very helpful.”