The Stars Beyond The Veil

by Charlemane


26 - Traitors

Chapter 26
Traitors
“Anything yet?”
“Nothing. There’s absolutely nothing on any channel, no shows, no news, just…nothing.”
“What the hell is happening at the TV station?”
“I don’t think it’s the stations, I think it’s the grid.”
“You mean like a total shutdown?”
“Yeah. No word in, no word out. Whatever’s going down right now, it’s big.”

- 3376 E.C. -
In the wake of a horrific attempt at genocide and the increasingly brutal responses by the NSR to quell rebellion, the enraged populace of the New Solar Republic storms the capital city and overtakes it. The ruling governmental body is deposed and at great cost. In response to the violent overthrow, the surviving leadership of the NSR lead a retaliatory strike against unarmed civilian centers. This cycle of retaliation continues throughout the year, as news of the attacks continued to spread to other populated worlds, fueling the fires of rebellion on every planet. In a move to press for peace, the gathered peoples of the NSR’s populated worlds declare a vote of no confidence in the remaining leaders of the old regime, asking them to step down peacefully and cease all military action. The appeal is ignored, and the military presses the attack.
Outraged at being forced to fight against their own people, a large portion of the military forces joins the revolution, supplying ships, weapons, and experience to the civilians fighting for independence.  By the end of the year, both the NSR capital building and the military’s unified central headquarters are burned to the ground. The period of time known as ‘The Collapse’ begins.
---- ----

I had a hard time sleeping that night. I kept running over scenarios in my head about how the whole thing would go down, and none of them were pretty. Assuming we could even get the drop on Nightshade, we would still have to disable him somehow, and I just couldn’t picture fighting him for any length of time and still coming out alive. Some small, stupid part of my head kept picturing him laughing at us while we tried to knock him down, casually shrugging off our attacks before murdering us violently. The mere prospect of confronting him terrified me to no end, what the fuck would I do in an actual fight?

Drunk on fear and guilt, I tossed and turned in bed, mind racing, driven by the sense of impending wrongness of my plans, and the memories of the things I’d seen him do first hoof. Was I doing the right thing? Jess even agreed with me that he was clearly an assassin, we had no lack of evidence thanks to Fritter, but knowing something about him didn’t make him any less dangerous, and right now we were still on his good side. Was the betrayal worth the risk? What if we were wrong? What if my understanding of the situation was flawed? Knowing me, it was highly likely, and no amount of warm showers could erase the chill seeping into my gut. Whether I liked it or not, Nightshade was one of my companions, somepony who had been with me through thick and thin since the beginning of this shit show, and yet there I was, forcing myself to stare into the bathroom mirror of my little apartment, ruminating on ways to fight him while trying to wipe the guilt off my face. I looked disgusting. I was making a mistake and I knew it. It would be tonight, I told myself at four in the morning, and four-fifteen, and four-thirty. I felt so sick I could hardly eat breakfast.

Only Tex knew what we were planning, but she remained conspicuously silent on the matter. I imagined this whole thing didn’t sit well with her either, and by five o’clock, I finally mustered up the courage to talk to her about it.

“Hey, Tex, you awake?” I said, staring into my half-eaten bowl of cereal. My crunchy oats floated loosely in the bowl. I’d added too much milk.

Yes, she replied. It was short and terse and exactly what I deserved.

“Do you think we’re making a mistake?” I asked, nudging one of the floating oat flakes with my spoon.

You mean about Nightshade? She replied.

“Yeah,” I said.

Yes.

I knew she would say that.

I know you want answers, Horizon, but what you’re doing is wrong. Tex said plainly. All of this cloak and dagger business isn’t the right way to go about this. Why not just ask him!

“Because he would never give me a straight answer if I did!” I replied. “You’ve seen him in action, Tex, he’d never just openly admit to being what he is. Who would? Hell, it’s hard enough just to get a sandwich order from the guy! Much less useful information.”

But why do you need to know? Doesn’t he have a right to a private life as well?

“He kills ponies, Tex,” I replied.

So do you, came her immediate response, and at this point you might as well be complicit with his actions. I’m not naive, Horizon. I know what you’ve done with him. You’ve admitted it to multiple ponies while I’ve been with you. You’re not innocent either. You also didn’t answer my question. Why do you need to know?

“Because he fucking scares me! Okay? I need to know because I don’t want to get shot in the back six weeks down the line just because I stopped being useful to him,” I said.

So your entire reason for this is because you're afraid? Tex replied. I know a few great novels along those lines you know. Something about, oh, governments that are terrified of their people so they invade every aspect of their lives to keep themselves safe. I won’t go into too much more detail, but they don’t end well.

I stewed while Tex continued, I know you’re paranoid of what he’s done, Horizon, and you’re right, I believe he’s guilty too, but this whole thing…it just doesn’t sit well with me! Betraying a friend like this is just...revolting! It’s a crime against friendship!

And there it was, the f-word again.

“What is it with you and your fixation on friendship? Nightshade isn’t my friend,” I said with less conviction than I could muster, “most days.”

I’m not fixated! It’s just...really important to me. And for that matter I’m not letting you change the subject! You have a problem! And Nightshade isn’t the only pony you’ve done this to either! I’m well aware of what you tried to find out about Tickintime! How many more? Are you just going to keep going behind ponies backs and fact checking them? Whatever happened to actually talking to ponies for Celestia’s sake!

“I only check if they give me damn good reason to,” I fired back, feeling a heat in my chest rising. “You weren’t there, Tex, you wouldn’t understand.”

You’re right, I wasn’t there, Horizon. I was too busy being stuck on a stupid ship for eight hundred years!

When I didn’t respond, Tex sighed. I’m not going to say this isn’t a difficult situation, but is this really the only way? How do we know you’re not wrong?

“That’s the whole reason we’re doing this Tex, to get our facts straight,” I said.

Well, then I hope for your sake that losing your friend is worth it, Horizon, because that’s exactly what is going to happen if you go through with this. Tex replied.

Squeezing my eyes shut I said, “I know, Tex. And I’d be lying if I said I’m not getting cold hooves about this, but there isn’t an if at this point. Jess is already doing the groundwork,” I said. “Whether or not either of us want it, this is happening.”

That doesn’t mean I have to like it. Tex replied. Especially since you know this is a mistake.

“I thought we agreed to lay off the mind reading.” I replied.

I don’t need to. With the way your emotions are fluctuating, it’s not difficult to put two and two together.

“No, I suppose not,” I said, finally dropping the spoon in the bowl.

Getting up from my tiny dining table, I took my food into the kitchenette and washed the rest of my meal down the sink.

*****

I had most of a day to kill before Jess said everything would be ready. And with my nerves the way they were, my imagination went wild. I couldn’t stop. I started imagining all the new and creative ways the entire situation could go sideways, with each iteration putting me in a yet darker mood. Thankfully my circle of doom came to an abrupt halt when I received a ping on my WAND.

Incoming video communications request. Please visit your nearest M-Net terminal to accept.

I blinked. Who the hell would be calling me at this hour?

I checked the message again, looking for either a source or sender, and came up empty.

Hey Tex, are you seeing this thing? I thought at her.

Hmm? Oh! A message! Tex replied. “Yeah, I see it, why?

Who’s sending it? I asked her.

The sender isn’t attached to the message, either It’s anonymous, or the request is coming through a secured line, Tex said. You’ll have to take it to find out.

I frowned, not liking where this was going. Where’s the nearest M-Net terminal?

It’s down the hall to your left, I’ll mark it on your WAND.

Thanks Tex, I replied.

No problem!

I followed her directions to the nearest comms terminal and flicked my bitstick across the reader. Immediately, the terminal unlocked, allowing me to hook my request into the system. I watched the screen as a status message flashed briefly for a few moments before the call connected and I came face to face with one the last ponies I expected to see this morning.

“Ah! Excellent! You’re awake, I was beginning to wonder if I had the time wrong,”
Estoc’s smiling face greeted me through the screen. He looked a lot more princely now that he’d cleaned up. His perfectly coiffed mane seemed to glisten in whatever room he was in, and his stately posture was about as relaxed as I had ever seen him. I don’t know if I could ever imitate his practiced smile.

“Barely, It’s about five in the morning here. How are you today, Estoc?” I replied.

“Exhausted, but alive,” Estoc said. “I’m calling to apologize for my sudden departure after your...incident. My business could not wait any further at that point, although I was very glad to hear that you had survived. You had quite the ordeal.”

“I heard about that business of yours, it was all over the news,” I said, frowning, “They’re calling you the blood prince now. Can’t say I blame them.”

Estoc grimaced. “Well I suppose that was unavoidable given the circumstances. I know many ponies aren’t comfortable with the executions, but in my world they were necessary. I can’t afford to let treason go unpunished or else it may encourage further rebellion.”

My gut twisted just a little bit. “What happened? If I may ask.”

Estoc sighed, “Well, to be blunt, I routed a coup.” he said. “My Chancellor and hoofful of other ponies used my trip into deep space as an opportunity to overthrow my House. They hired the dogs to ambush us along our route and sabotaged our weapon systems. Our mutual friend was able to track down the ponies responsible through their network. You have to understand, Horizon, that I had to strike them now before they could get a hoofhold and execute them in as public a manner as possible.”

“Still, a your own funeral?” I asked

‘What can I say? Timing is everything—and I have a taste for the theatric now and then,” the prince replied, and then sighed, “although too late by far. I don’t know if you heard, but I’m the Lord of House Morningstar, now. The Chancellor killed my father.”

“I’m, uh, sorry for your loss,” I said.

Estoc shook his head, “It’s alright, I never really had a connection with him. I’m certain I saw my tutors more.”

“You’re starting to sound like Tick,” I said.

Estoc chuckled, “Well, we do come from somewhat similar backgrounds, seeing as she is the closest thing to nobility in the Core—even if she doesn’t act her station. Don’t get me wrong, I didn’t despise my father, I just never really...loved him. Or he, me, for that matter. We always lived with a sort of quiet distance between us. I wasn’t so much his son as much as I was his vessel to carry the family name.”

That’s awful! Tex complained.

“That must have made for some interesting dinner conversation,” I said.

Estoc laughed, “Hah! Oh, no. We rarely ever dined together. Only at formal functions, and even then, in silence. But enough about that, you’re probably wondering why I contacted you.”

“The thought did cross my mind, yes,” I replied.

Estoc smiled. “I would like to extend to you an invitation to a formal dinner,” he said. “As the new Lord of House Morningstar there will be a feast to celebrate my succession, and I would very much like it if you were all able to attend.”

I raised an eyebrow. “Why? I’m not exactly a formal pony, you know.”

Estoc’s smile didn’t falter, “I have ponies who can help you with that, as for the why, you saved my life, you and your friends. It’s the least I can do to show my appreciation, especially since your actions allowed me to do a little housekeeping as well.”

My stomach twisted a little harder. “Yeah, great,” I said. “When is the event?”

“The date is set a week from tomorrow, and I apologize for the short notice, I didn’t hear of your recovery until just yesterday.”

“Fritter?” I asked.

He nodded, “Indeed,” he said. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I have much to do. I hope to see you at the dinner, Captain Seldat. Please let my seneschal know whether or not you will be able to attend. Your friend should know who to contact.”

“Will do,” I said.

With a nod from Estoc, the line closed and a small, muted beep announced that my bitstick had been charged. I stared at the now blank screen in confusion for a few moments as I puzzled out what had just happened.

I was just invited to a formal event by royalty. Well, pseudo-royalty from what little I knew about the NSR.

Huh. Neat.

So Tex, I asked, as I started the walk back to my apartment, what do you know about formal dinners?

*****

Waiting sucks. Even after taking Estoc’s call, I had hardly put a dent into my day. It was still before seven, and as I wore a hole in my apartment’s carpet, it became clear to me that I needed something to clear my head. I was out of the loop. I hated being out of the loop. Jess was organizing her part and simply told me to go be at a place at a certain time tonight. That was easy enough, but spending the fifteen or so hours beforehoof was just mind numbing. So I decided, spur of the moment, that I was going out. I wouldn’t be far from where I needed to be, I just needed to do something to keep me occupied. So why not go shopping? I needed a suit anyway if I was going to attend Estoc’s Dinner.

*****

Guilt shopping, are we? Tex said dryly, I never knew you had it in you.

Shut up. I thought back at her as I strode down the corridor to one of the nearby malls in the commercial district, maybe an hour before anything would actually open. As I strode out of the hallway and into the main plaza I saw a lot of ponies at the control pads near their shop front doors, opening up their stores for the business day. Some of the employees casually glanced in my direction as I strode in, dismissing me as less important than their job, although a few of them did double takes when they spotted my wings. The tech shop owner’s face lit up like filly on Hearth’s Warming when he spotted me, his actions becoming frenzied as he tried to open as quickly as possible for the ‘big spender’.

Grumbling, I walked past him instead.

I did a fruitless lap around the mall checking shops before I bothered to check a directory. And once I did, I groaned. Only one shop was actually open this early in the morning. Pinkie’s. It was a brand I knew more by reputation than experience. All of the stores were combination outlets, specializing in both baked goods and party supplies—a restaurant and retail store all-in-one. I avoided them, purely on aesthetic. The inside always seemed too cheerful to be palatable to anyone over age ten, but since I pretty much skipped breakfast and no one else was open, I figured I might as well try a pastry or something. So, abandoning my dignity, I stepped inside the shop, secretly glad that no one else was watching. Well, no one on the outside, anyway.

I find it funny how macho you’re trying to look right now, Tex chided as I snuck in through the front door.

You’re Hilarous, Tex. Don’t you have like numbers to crunch or something? Go read a book. I thought back.

Why that’s an excellent idea! Don’t mind if I do. Tex replied. Have fun buying party supplies.

“Have fun buying party supplies,” I mocked under my breath. “Feh.”

Pinkie's was eerily quiet.

Although, considering the time, I suppose that was no realsurprise. I wasn’t even sure when the main clientele of this kind of chain even showed up, but for a place that was always open, I had expected there to be at least someone. But, no. No one was there, or at least no one I could see. The place was obviously open, judging by the way all the chairs had been set up and the neon glow of the open sign hanging in the store window. I had at least expected some bored employee to be manning the cash register, or cleaning the tables. Hell it didn’t even smell like anyone was cooking anything in the back.

“Maybe the staff went home,” I wondered aloud.

I frowned, glancing up and down the shop interior before finally calling out, “Hello? Is anypony there?” Then i noticed the placard standing just inside the doorway.

Please be seated!

A party enthusiast will be right with you!

The message was circled by three differently colored lines and covered in winking smiley faces. I groaned.

“So long, fair dignity, I never knew you.”I muttered before picking the closest booth seat I could find. As the seconds ticked by. I couldn’t help but feel more and more ridiculous.

*POP*
SURPRISE!

Never underestimate how high a pegasus can jump when startled. I spent the next minute trying to pry my head out of the ceiling tiles. Spitting out insulation as I finally freed my head from the ceiling, I landed awkwardly on the table and rounded on an earth pony who immediately offended every sense I had. She was offensively pink. Pinker than pink. Ultra pink. And waaay too happy.

“Welcome! You’re the first customer of the day!” the pink menace cheered while hopping in place. She stopped for a moment to gawk at me, tilting her head to one side “Whatcha doin on the table, silly? Tables are for eating, not standing!”

My mouth worked soundlessly as the retort on my tongue made a u-turn. I blinked twice, glanced at the table, and slowly got down into a seat, staring silently at the strange mare in front of me.

The pony started giggle snorting.

“Your face looks funny! So what can I get for ya? Ooh! Wait one second!” In the blink of an eye, the mare dashed off faster than she had any right to. I sat, stunned, waiting only seconds before she was back, holding a still steaming cupcake with a single lit candle on a tiny plate balanced on one hoof.

“H-How?” I started, finally regaining my senses.

“Here you go!” The mare said, sliding the plate in front of me. “And don’t worry about the bill! This one’s on the house!”

“Buh?” I said, looking down at the cupcake in front of me. It was red, probably red velvet or something, decorated with a light, white buttercream frosting with just a touch of pink and cyan mixed into it in little swirls.

I jumped as I heard another pop, although at least this time I managed to remain seated. Confetti and streamers rained from…somewhere, magically avoiding the cupcake in front of me, and instead getting into everything else.

“Are you insane?” I finally asked the mare, chancing a glance at the her cutiemark in case it was something related to schizophrenia. It wasn’t. Unless a party popper with confetti represented insanity.

“Nope!” She cheerfully replied. “I just make sure every customer has a first experience that they’ll never forget!” My name is Pinkie Pie! What’s yours?”

...no way. Tex said, awed. They still exist?!

“P...Pinkie Pie?” I numbly replied.

“Yupperoonie!” The mare replied, then stopped, looking thoughtful for a split second before saying, “Well, not technically Pinkie Pie, technically I’m Pinkie Pie the two hundred and fifty-sixth! Because my mom was Pinkie Pie the two hundred and fifty-fifth! Pinkie Pie is actually my great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great g-”

She’s going to keep going, isn’t she, Tex asked.

“-great great great great great great great great great great great great great great g-”

This was a mistake. I replied.

“-great great great great great great great great gr-”

I needed to stop it. I needed it to stop immediately. So I took the only weapon I had within reach and stuffed it in her mouth.”

“RrrbmmmppfffrrrmrrmmmMMmMmmm!” She swallowed. She swallowed the entire damn cupcake, wrapper, candle, and all. “Tasty! So as I was saying-”

“NO!” I shouted, horrified.

“What? I was just going to say that I saw how you walked in all grumpy grump and I thought I’d get you a cupcake to cheer you up! Because you look like a pony that always needs cheering up!”

Did she just insult me? I thought.

I can’t tell. Tex replied.

“So what can I get for ya?” Pinkie asked.

“Uh…” I started.

“Oh wait! I forgot the menu! Be right back!” She disappeared. That’s the only way I could describe it, one second she was there, and the next she wasn’t. All I did was blink.

Should we just leave? I think we should leave. I thought.

No, don’t. She’ll find you. Tex replied. They always do.

How do you know? I thought back.

She’s a Pinkie, that’s how, came Tex’s response.

I don’t follow. I replied.

The menu is here. Tex said.

“Here ya go! Super distracted grumpy grump!” Pinkie announced, plopping a paper menu in front of me. I reached for the menu, keeping a cautious eye on the pink one for any more movement before reading the line items.

It was all cupcakes. All of it. No exceptions. I decided to just pick one and get it over with.

“I’ll have this,” I said, indicated the least interesting thing on the menu. It was a plain vanilla cupcake, with vanilla frosting.

Pinkie gasped, “NO! Not vanilla! You monster!”

I stared.

“No? Aww, and I thought I could get a smile that time. Alright! One double-vee cupcake coming right up!” The pink one disappeared again. I was beginning to question my sanity. The two may have been related.

She was back within a minute. How was she doing that?

“Here ya go!” She said happily, slipping another cupcake—sans one candle—onto the table before sliding herself into seat opposite me. The mare then plopped both of her elbows on the table and propped up her head while she sat watching me with an expectant and oddly infectious smile.

I was beginning to wonder if the cupcake was poisoned.

This is just all sorts of creepy. I thought at Tex.

Just roll with it, she’s a Pinkie, came Tex’s flat reply.

That really doesn’t explain anything.

I picked the cupcake up with my WAND, turning it over in the air and searching it for traps. As the offending baked good got closer to me, the Pinkie leaned in closer, her smile growing ever more impossibly wide.

Swallowing my pride, I took an experimental nibble.

“Weeeeeeeeell?” Pinkie said, hovering so close to me that I could feel her breath on my face.

t was...good. Mostly. Moist but not too moist, not too hot, but not cold, and just the right temperature to still feel like it had come out of the oven maybe a few minutes ago. Which was impossible because I was fairly sure when I had arrived the ovens were off.

“It’s...uh, good?” I replied, hoping the mare didn’t get any closer to my face.

“YES!” The mare shouted in triumph, exploding out of her seat into the air. Somewhere a firecracker sounded, followed by a burst of yet more confetti and...glitter, there was glitter this time. My flight suit was starting to sparkle. I set my cupcake down just after the mare landed back on the table.

“You must be popular with the foals,” I said, staring blankly at the mare.

“Don’t you know it!” Pinkie replied, sliding back into her seat. “So whatcha thinkin about?”

“Uh...”

“Oh don’t give me that look, I know something’s boggin your noggin. Especially after you came in with that really grumpy look on your face. So what’s up?”

I decided to humor her. “I am about to make what is probably the biggest and last mistake of my life,” I said plainly.

To my shock, the mare’s smile faded. Pinkie looked at me, all of me, her eyes pausing briefly on my wings, and then stopping on my eyes. Slowly her hair deflated.

“You’ve had a bit of a rough time, haven’t ya,” she said solemnly. As she spoke, her hair started to deflate, her puffy mane style settling down into something a little more tame.

I was put off by the sudden transformation. “You could say that,” I said, eyeing her warily.

“So what’s going on? What’s-”

“Why should I tell you?” I replied.

“Because getting it off your chest will probably help you make whatever decision you’re thinking about?”

That was...surprisingly lucid. I found myself suddenly reevaluating the mare in front of me.

“Alright then, suppose for a moment that I had a friend, but my friend did something bad. What would you do?”

The mare looked thoughtful for a moment. “Well what kind of bad is it? Is is like a bad bad or a sorta bad or a not-so bad kinda bad?” she gasped, “Did they steal cookies?!”

Okay, that one got me to chuckle just a little bit.

“The cookies are safe, don’t worry,” I replied with a breathy laugh. The mare breathed a sigh of relief. “It is pretty bad, though, but there’s a lot of uncertainty around it.”

“Did he...hurt somepony?” Pinkie asked.

“Yes. Quite a few ponies, actually, but we don’t know why,” I replied. “So here’s my problem. Another friend of mine is a cop, and she wants to get to the bottom of the problem, but I have another friend who thinks I should let the whole thing drop because I’ll lose my first friend’s, uh, friendship. So I’m being tugged in both directions, and it’s making me nervous, because I was the one who brought it up to my cop friend in the first place.”

“And now you don’t know whether or not it is right to betray a friend by going through with it?” The mare finished for me. “Ooh that’s a toughie. Have you tried talking to your friend about it?”

“Which friend?” I asked.

“The first one! Silly!” she happily replied.

“Well, not really. My friend isn’t the kind of pony to be very straightforward, I’ve found, and I’m not exactly willing to tip them off,” I said. “I’m afraid they’d do something drastic if they knew.”

Pinkie wilted. “Well I’m not sure what to tell you, then. It sounds like you should go through with it, but losing a friend…that’s just the saddest thing ever.”

The mare set her jaw. “I think you should give your friend a chance,” she finally announced. “A careful chance, but a chance. Ooh! Maybe you could grab popsicles afterward! I know a great place to grab popsicles!” She gasped. “I work there! Huh, what are the odds?”

I shook my head, chuckling softly, “Yeah, okay, maybe I’ll do that afterward.”

Her hair shot back to its bizarrely normal, poofy state. “Alrrrright! I’m happy I could help, now if you’ll excuse me I have work to do!”

“Wait, uh, how much for the cupcake?” I said, lifting my glitter ridden dessert off the table with my WAND.

“Oh that? You can have that for free. It was one of the leftovers.”

“Uh, okay then,” I replied, struggling to believe her. How this place stayed in business I could never know.

Wait! Quick! Ask if the other stores are also run by a Pinkie! Tex suddenly interrupted.

“By the way, uh, are… all of these stores manned by ponies like you?”

“What? Oh yeah! My Pinkie cousins run the other ones!” Pinkie happily replied. We have a really really big party every year as a family get together! And I get to see ALL my favorite Pinkies! I like Pinkie Pie the most,” She leaned in, glancing sideways before add in a hushed tone “,but don’t tell Pinkie Pie I said that.”

“How do you tell each other apart?” I asked.

“Easy! We use our middle names! Mines Party Popper! Pinkie Party Popper Pie the two hundred and fifty sixth!” It fit, kinda, especially considering the confetti.

Wait...doesn’t the name need to be exact in order to-

Don’t question it, Horizon, Tex said. That’s a very long and dark road, trust me.

“Well, okay then. Have a good day, Miss Pie.”

“Will do!”

I left that business feeling very confused. At least the cupcake was good. Well, after I cleaned off all the glitter anyway.

*****

The morning was in full swing by the time I left Pinkie’s. A small herd of ponies had started filling the cramped hallways serving as the mall, and the temptation to pony watch was strong. The cupcake had settled my stomach, and so I found a nearby bench to simply sit for a while.

I sat. I grumbled. The bench was hard, harder than I thought it would be, but then again what more could you expect from Earth Pony utilitarianism. I took a deep breath and squeezed my eyes shut, ignoring the insistent pinch of my bones rubbing against the hard plastic and began shoving aside my feelings one by one until I could simply focus on the why of them.

I had too little information about tonight’s sting, of that much I was sure. Jess wanted to keep her end of the thing under wraps as much as possible so as to prevent any problems, but she wasn’t the only pony involved, and with the sense of wrongness still churning inside me, I needed more details if I was going to feel confident enough to do this. I knew Fritter had a contact, either someone who knew Nightshade or whoever he really was, but Fritter had been sparse on the information. Maybe he was simply trying to protect his clients in an already shady business, but with Jess involved, something was going to go down tonight regardless. Before that happened, I needed to speak to him.

“Horizon? What are you doing here?” Someone asked. I turned my head cautiously toward the voice, making sure to avoid eye contact.

Tickintime looked at me with a puzzled expression, two bags of electronics parts hovering in her TK. She was wearing the same utility jumper she always wore, and judging by the confused look she was giving me, seemed to be the genuine article.

“What, am I not allowed to go shopping?” I replied, relaxing a little.

Tick shook her head, before stopping and squinting at me, “No it’s...why are you sparkling?”

I blinked, giving my flight suit another once over before spotting another patch of glitter I had missed on my shoulder. I quickly tried to brush it off with a hoof to no avail. I groaned. “It’s glitter,” I said, giving up, “Pinkie’s was the only place open when I got here, and I sorta skipped breakfast.”

Tick snorted, her face scrunching up as she laughed. “You actually went into a Pinkie shop? You? I would have thought you would have rather starved!”

“Well the service could do for a tranquilizer, but the food wasn’t all bad,” I replied.

“Remind me to tell you about the time my dad had them cater my birthday party,” Tick said, giggling.

“Noted,” I replied.

“So...why are you out here? I’ve never known you to be the shopping kind of pony,” Tick said, setting her bags down on the bench next to me.

I shrugged, “I’m killing time while I try to figure out what to do next. I’m also debating whether or not Fritter would be at his stand at the moment, I need to talk to him.” I said, then I nodded to her bags, “what’s in the bags?”

Tick brightened, “Oh, these? These are the last few parts I need to complete a little pet project of mine. I’m just short a couple more things and then I’ll be all set to go.”

Alarm bells were ringing in my head. I tried to smile the sense of impending doom away. “Just don’t blow up the ship,” I said.

“Pssh whatever,” Tick scoffed, “besides since when have any of my fixes actually blown up?”

My reply died somewhere in my throat. The mare had a point.

That seemed to satisfy her. “Welp, I’m off to finish this, see you later, Horizon.” Tick waved and then trotted off, scooping up the bags in her TK along with her.

“Yeah,” I said to myself, suddenly doubtful, “later.”

Wait! Ask her if she can help you get an outfit for the dinner! Tex said.

What? Why?

Because I trust your sense of fashion about as much as I trust a Pinkie in a pastry shop.

Thanks for the vote of confidence. By the way she’s out of earshot. I thought.

What? You...ugh, okay I’m calling her.

What? No! I replied.

Too late! Already done! Tex said smugly.

Is it too late to sell you? I said.

Do you honestly think you could convince me to leave? She replied. By the way, here she comes.

I looked up just in time to see Tex round the corner.

“I hope this is quick, I do have some shopping to finish up,” Tick said as she crossed the remaining distance between us with a somewhat annoyed expression on her face. Her two shopping bags still hovered beside her in her TK.

“Uh,” I muttered, struggling for an out that wouldn’t make me look like a complete idiot. “What did Tex tell you?”

Tick frowned, adjusting her glasses before giving me the stink eye. “Nope, nuh uh. You first.”

I groaned. Dammit Tex. Taking a deep breath, I said, “Tex wants me to ask you for help. Estoc called me this morning and invited me to a state dinner. If I’m going to attend,” I breathed, “I’m going to need a suit.”

Tickintime’s smile sparkled.

*****

Tex, for the record, I hate you, I thought as Tick turned me around in the dressing room door and shoved me back in with yet another pile of dress clothing.

“Nope, try these on, and take off the pants for crying out loud,” she ordered.

“No, the pants are staying on,” I replied, “I don’t want to attract any more attention than I need to.”

“Ugh, but why though? They look hideous with everything! Almost all of these styles are supposed to be front only, I don’t get why you keep turning them down.”

“I have my reasons,” I said, grumpily shutting the dressing room door behind me.

“Yeah, and I get those reasons, but we can always magic up a solution for that you know?” Tick replied from outside, “I mean, it won’t stick for long, but it should last a day or two. I’m sure Estoc has a few ponies on hoof who could help! Just try them on.

This was the third store we were trying. Apparently the first two didn’t have what we were looking for. Of course part of that was because they only had clothing for earth ponies, but I still hated most of their selection. It was hard enough prying me out of a flight suit, and running around some fancy store with some uppity-up making disparaging remarks on my ‘couture’, was just about the final straw.

I mean come on, it’s a flight suit. It’s meant to be functional, not pretty. Although they do sell pretty ones from time to time. Hell, with the way my life has gone I wouldn’t mind getting one of the armor plated ones like the milsec uses. I’m...getting off track, sorry.

I stopped as I felt one of the suit’s legs draw tight around my left wing, and paused as I looked in the mirror to figure out what went wrong this time. With a string caught in one of the slight wing joints, my wings splayed under the tension, putting me in a weird stationary bank as I helplessly tried to work the damn thing free again.

Rip.

On a side note, dressing room stalls are remarkably great for pounding one’s head against, so long as you avoided the mirror.

Beebeep.

On another note, fuck technology.

“What’s going on? Are you having trouble?” Tick called from outside.

“Oh, you know, I’m just here making unexpected purchases. Everything’s grand,” I replied, at least halting the rhythmic pounding of my skull against plastic.

“Do you need help?” she called again.

I hated this. I hated shopping. I hated my stupid, no good wings. And I hated the fact that I was still going to put up with it, because fuck it, I was not losing this war today. I took a long draw through my nostrils and let it out slow.

“I’m fine,” I said, less to Tick and more to myself. “I’ll just be a minute.”

I set the coat down, it was a lost cause at this point, unless you wanted to just glaze over the new baseball sized hole in the armpit. I didn’t like that tux anyway.

I heard hoofsteps outside the stall door. They were followed by a knock.

“Iz der a problem monsieur?” the attendant asked. “Ve just registered a purchase from zis stall.”

I wisely took a moment to calm myself, breathing slowly until I could at least manage a civil reply. “Do you have anything in pegasus?” I asked her. “Because I’m pretty sure you do now.”

We were politely asked to leave.

The time wasn’t completely wasted, though. At the next store we managed to find something that Tick deemed ‘situationally appropriate’ courtesy of the more helpful attendant at Haute du Pommel. The mare there didn’t shy away from my wings, and instead tried to compliment them, actively butchering one of the existing suits styled for earth ponies using a WAND of her own. That mare was a whirlwind once she got going. She took my measurements, and in minutes had me dressed up in something that actually looked nice, once I got over the fact that it left my flank exposed. Tick got her contact info, I got an order telling me to come back tomorrow to pick it up, and the two of us left the shop not quite knowing what had just happened. I donated the suit I had ruined in case the mare could use it. She took it with grace and a few disdainful comments about the quality of suits being made these days.

After that, Tick and I went our separate ways. At least I had burned a few hours, and maybe a hole in my wallet, but we won’t go there. I had sufficient time for my mood to darken by the time I reached Fritter.

*****

“Hey Fritter, we need to talk.”

The afternoon rush at Fritter’s stand was mostly over. The buck had just started wiping down his equipment by the time I found my way back to his part of the food court. The poor guy still looked tired since the last time I saw him, but at least marginally more rested. Today, he was working alone, which probably explained why the line didn’t stretch into the next sector.

“Let me guess,” he asked in a low monotone, not even bothering to look up from his cleaning, “you’re having second thoughts too?”

I shrugged, “I don’t know, Fritter, something about this whole situation has just got me really antsy.”

Fritter frowned as he cleaned, “I know the feeling, believe me.” He stopped, pausing his rag, “My contact never showed up at our meeting,” he said flatly. “I’m getting bad vibes about this too, now, and that’s never a good sign.”

“Do you think we could just drop it?” I asked.

Fritter shook his head. “Not really, no. Jess is gonna do it, regardless. I haven’t tried to talk her out of it because she seemed dead set on doing it, and besides, at this point we’re in too deep. It’s best to stick to the plan than try to come up with something at the last minute. Otherwise I can guarantee it’ll all go to hell. At least this way we know it’s coming.”

“So, damage control then?” I replied.

Fritter nodded, and then set his cleaning rag back inside his cart. “All I can tell you now is to be careful. Since this is Jess’ show, she’ll fill you in on the details when you see her. Go armed. As for me, I’m going to look a little harder into my contact. This whole shit screams dirty to me and I’m gonna find out why.” Fritter took a breath. “and Horizon?”

He swallowed. “Don’t die.”

*****

It was with those words that I spent the rest of the afternoon and most of the evening brooding. I ate a lite dinner of what I expected would be my last meal, and spent the rest of the hours whittling away my time in my apartment, as the clock ticked slowly downward.

It was just past ten when I got the call. Jess was ready, and it was only then that I got the plan.

It was going down in the slums, right where this fucking rollercoaster all began. I knew the place by heart now, having seen the station map enough times to navigate it blindly. It was all I could do to push down the nervous tension I felt building in my chest at the thought of revisiting that place. It was empty now, or so Jess said, and perfect for an intimate conversation. Jess picked the makeshift coliseum for the flashpoint. It had the fewest sightlines and the most debris to hide in.

This was the plan. Jess would hide a snap trap close to the target point while one of Fritter’s station contacts passed Nightshade a hint he was looking for. If Nightshade took the bait, he’d search the coliseum, and once in position, Jess would shoot him with a stun round from her rifle. The charge would set off the trap and Nightshade would be ready for questioning. It wasn’t nice, but at this point Jess was taking no chances. No masks, no lies, it all ended tonight. And if it didn’t work, we were all dead.

I asked Jess what the hint was. All she gave me was a name: Black Briar.

*****

The slums had seen better days, even when they were occupied by a rival gangs and a bunch of vandals. Now it was all gone, left to rot until the suits decided to finish ‘reclaiming’ it, and filled with nothing more than the ghosts of dead gangers, left behind when the cops swept them under the rug. The bloodstains were still here. Dark patterns of blotchy brown specks dotted walls, pooled around rusting dents, and streaked across the floor. The crews never made it this far in the cleanup, or maybe they just didn’t care. The coliseum was riddled with bullet holes, punching so deep through the makeshift barricades that they might as well have been paper. It was clear the gangers made their last stand here. Not for the smell, but by the way all the streaks led out the only gate in and out, as the cops dragged the bodies out to be identified.

I hid in the shadows of the empty bleachers surrounding the center of the fighting ring, unmoving; waiting silently for Jess to take her shot; and making quiet prayers to the only goddess I truly respected.

She can’t hear you, you know. Tex answered. Princess Luna’s not omniscient. She’s strong, sure, but she’s not a deity. She isn’t perfect.

Then I guess I’ll worship power, I replied irritably, sinking a little lower in my stance as I tried to make myself as small as possible. Sitting in the dark, I could feel myself age, my world awash in shades of grey and colors I couldn’t recognize. I couldn’t see the entrance, but I could see Jess, concealed beneath a blanket and unmoving in her shadowed corner of the room. It felt unfair, somehow, that I’d be the one blessed with darkvision and not the pony on the trigger. All I could do was wait. And wait. And wait.

My pulse pounded in my ears for what felt like eons. Until finally, hoofsteps. My breath hitched, my eyes widening as they darted to the barricade blocking my view of the coliseum entrance. I forced myself to breathe, slowly—oh so slowly.

A step, and another. Seconds passed like years as Nightshade slowly entered, his eyes on a swivel, glazing over my position as he walked further into the coliseum floor.

“You can come out. I know you’re here,” he declared. His head turned from side to side, alert, but unaware.

Something in the pit of my stomach disappeared. He knew?

“Aetra? It’s me. I just want to talk,” Nightshade called out.

“Ok.” Jess replied. Nightshade’s head snapped to the side, as her rifle flashed brighter than the sun.

SNAP.

Nightshade screamed as he was hit, his legs splaying wide as four metal objects fastened around his hooves, while his body still convulsed with the electric charge he’d been hit with. The manacles flashed once, then split in four different directions, suspending him like a pony being drawn and quartered. He hit the ground on his back with a pained grunt, and then looked wildly at Jess as she threw off the blanket and rose from her firing stance.

“Jess! What the fuck?!”

“Hiya stud, how ya doin?” she replied cheerfully. “Comfortable?”

“Are you out of your fucking mind?! What the fuck did you do?!” Nightshade said.

His eyes then locked on my position as I quietly emerged from the shadows.

“Hello Nightshade,” I said, stepping into the open.

I was expecting anger, wrath, vitriol. Some sort of death threat along with whatever promises he would make about my next of kin. Something along those lines. Instead, Nightshade’s surprise simply, melted. He looked tired all of a sudden, more tired than I had ever seen him. Resigned, even. He let his head fall back to the floor with an audible thump and stared listlessly at the ceiling.

“Fuck,” he said, exhausted. “Of all the fuckin—damn it!” He took two deep breaths, as he tried to calm himself, and then glared at me. “What did you do?

Jess tsked. “Not so fast, hotshot, we’d like to ask you a few questions before we get to the round table.” Jess said.

Nightshade grit his teeth. “Funny way to ask a question, bitch. What do you want?”

Jess shrugged, “Oh, nothing, just a few questions about your little adventures on the side.” Her WAND lit as it entered display mode, projecting a still of Nightshade driving a knife deep into a coal-black pony’s jugular. “Like this one for example,” she said, “or these.” The image replaced with another, and another, and another. It was everything Fritter had sent us and more.

Nightshade’s eyes widened.

“So we’ll start with this, first,” Jess said, taking up a stance between his splayed hind legs and looking down at him with icy contempt. “Who are you really, Nightshade? Because I’m pretty sure that isn’t your name.”

Nightshade laughed. Nightshade laughed hard, coughing occasionally.

“Something funny?” Jess asked, “And what’s with the cough? You didn’t fall that hard.”

He looked at her with one of his infuriating grins. “You have no fucking clue, do you. You’re right, Nightshade’s not my real name. So what tipped you off?”

Jess smiled, “Oh, you know, this.” Her projection changed to a movie. The camera feed from the planetside alleyway.

Nightshade’s grin faltered as he watched.

My WAND beeped at me, notifying me of a message. Irritated, I glanced at the sender. Fritter. I didn’t want to miss Nightshade’s answer, but it was probably important. I noticed Jess glance to side as well, apparently she got the same message, but she ignored it, focusing instead on the buck.

Nightshade paled, as some sort of realization hit him. Then I recognized something that gave me chills.

Fear. Genuine fear on the last pony I’d ever expect it from.

“Where did you get this video?” Nightshade demanded.

“A reliable source,” Jess replied, dismissing the question, “Why don’t you make this easy on us and start telling us who you really are, because depending on your answer, you’re either going to a very dark corner of the galaxy, or I’ll shoot you here and now and be done with the matter.”

Nightshade shook his head, “No, you don’t understand, the only ponies I know with that footage are a group you do not want to fuck with.”

“Enlighten me,” Jess replied evenly.

Nightshade grit his teeth and squeezed his eyes shut. He drew a long breath, calming his nerves before speaking again, “I will, but promise me you’ll tell me where you got that footage when I’m done.”

“No promises, hun but maybe I’ll consider it,” Jess replied.

Nightshade grunted, “Ugh. Fine, whatever.” He looked at me, “This was your doing wasn’t it.” I did my best not to flinch under his gaze. The darkness helped.

“You’re still not talking,” Jess said, Nightshade gave her an impatient glare.

“Horizon, you remember the cargo ship, right?” Nightshade said, turning his head in my direction.

“I don’t think I’ll ever forget,” I replied.

“Do you remember who attacked us?”

I shook my head, “I never got their names, as far as I know they were just some whackjob terrorists.”

Nightshade shook his head, “Did they look like terrorists to you? Combat tactics? Breach and clear? Their equipment?”

I shrugged, “I’ve never really thought about it to be honest, I was too busy trying not to piss myself. I remember hearing something about ‘epla’ something or other from the tower bucks though.”

Nightshade gave a throaty laugh, “Of course.”

Jess squinted at him, “What do you know, Nightshade?”

Nightshade shook his head. “The tower bucks were half right, technically they were part of ‘epla’. Were.”

“How do you know?” I said.

Nightshade smiled, “Easy, I used to be one of them.”

“Jess raised an eyebrow. Used to be? What division?”

“Epsog,” Nightshade replied.

I never saw Jess draw a weapon so fast. “Don’t. Move.” she growled.

Nightshade simply laughed.

I looked between the two of them feeling confused. “I don’t get it, what’s Epsog?’”

“So, do you want to tell him or should I? Jess?”

Jess’ eyes narrowed, “You’re doing well so far, why don’t you tell him and I’ll correct anything I don’t agree with.”

Nightshade then continued. “It’s an acronym. Earth Pony special operations group. It used to be a division of the EPLA, before the hammer came down on them a couple centuries back.”

“Go on,” Jess said.

Nightshade continued. “Epsog itself was a collection of sleeper cells, a sort of failsafe for the organization if they ever failed. And they did, marvelously. The original EPLA was crushed into spacedust years back by a coalition of all four sovs, who judged it too dangerous to let live. Once it died, we all went dark and rebuilt in secret.

“Fast forward two centuries and you have today’s problem. The Republic is still struggling to eradicate a movement that should have been dead centuries ago and can’t all because relations between the sovs soured. We helped.”

“So what was up with the cargo ship then?” I asked.

Nightshade smiled. “That ship was a targeted attack on the Republic’s relationship with the PC, but its initial delivery failed. It was intercepted by the Republic’s counter-intelligence and disabled, but my network got wind that there were more transports en-route to the target. That’s why we needed the delivery manifest. My handler commissioned me to find a way back onto the ship without tipping off my former buddies that the rest of their mission had been compromised. The rest is history.”

So I was just a pawn, and Nightshade was using me to help him with his dirty work. Great. “So where do you stand in all this, Nightshade?” I asked.

“Isn’t it obvious? I defected,” He replied.

“Why?” Jess asked, still training her weapon on him.

“Petty revenge, mostly,” he replied. “That pony in the video? That was my father, the old Nightshade. That was the last agent he hit before command had him killed. I’ve simply been returning the favor. Your turn, where did you get that video?”

“Not so fast, hotshot, I have more questions,” Jess said.

“And I’d like to leave here alive. It was Briar, wasn’t it?” Nightshade asked.

Horizon! Big problem! Tex suddenly yelled into my head.

What? Can’t you see we’re busy? I replied.

No, idiot! Bigger problem! All the M-Net nodes in this area just shut off!

What do you mean shut off?

I mean they’re gone! We’ve been cut off from the M-Net! We can’t call for help!

“Jess! We’ve got trouble!” I called.

“And that would be my cue!” Somepony else cheered.

Instinct told me to duck. I felt something brush my ear, as I spun low and back, using a backbeat to propel myself away from whatever tried to hit me. An indigo blue buck closed the distance on me quickly, whipping himself around the  obstacle with a grace I’d thought impossible for an earth pony.

Jess instantly sprang backward, her rifle going to full tilt, only for a second pony to  step out behind her, snapping the rifle out of her grip with two simultaneous blows to her forelegs. Whatever happened next I missed, I was too busy trying not to die. I threw myself down and to the side, slamming against a wall as the blue earth pony drove his right foreleg into the steel barrier and dented it.

“Hey Nightshade! Long time no see!” the blue buck called, effortlessly keeping up with every wingbeat I made as though it were the easiest thing in the world.  “Though I think Wolfy has seen better days since you last paid him a visit!” His attention turned to me, “Ooh, flighty little bastard aren’t ya?”

He attacked, I ducked and rolled, trying to get at least to a space where I had some more open air. I had to get off the ground. The blue buck saw it coming

“Oh no ya don’t!” He laughed.

I barely saw it coming, I willed my body to move just a little faster. It didn’t. The buck caught my sudden backbeat with a hoof, and slammed the elbow joint of my left wing against one of the support beams holding up the coliseum walls, crushing it. The feedback shock was blinding. I think I screamed. The pain was followed by a sting near the back of my neck.

“And, checkmate.” The blue buck called. I ripped myself free, shouting as the failsafe in my pinned wing engaged and an electric sensation shot up my back, severing the metal appendage from my body, as I spun around and made a blind kick for the buck’s shit eating face. He glided around the attack effortlessly, sliding just past the blow before using my momentum to drive a second hoof down into my barrel, stopping me in place while the rest of my body folded around the impact.

I slammed into the ground like a sack of bricks. I couldn’t breathe for a full three seconds. Far too long. I tried to roll away. The buck helped me. I rolled across the floor and slammed into a wall, each second finding it harder and harder to move. By the time I looked up, I could see the buck’s psychotic smiling face as he casually meandered in my direction. Something metal hit the ground in front of me. A slender, metal object with a small feather attached to one end. A needle. My muscles locked up, and I realized in horror just what had happened. The buck sat down, took my head in his hooves and turned it to face his muzzle.

“So? Any last words before I show you my impression of a pumpkin smasher?” he said with a manic smile. His breath stank. It took everything I had to even wheeze.

He shrugged, raising my head a little higher off the ground and squeezing, “Oh well, at least I asked.”

“Don’t kill him,” a mare ordered. Her voice had a velvety quality to it, but from here I couldn’t see her. “we need to find out how much they know.”

The blue buck scowled, “Aww, but Briar! Don’t we only need one for that?”

“No, they might have told different people. We’ll need them both for cleanup. You’ll get your kill, just be patient.” The voice said again.

The buck let go. My head hit the ground with a sharp crack, smacking hard against the metal flooring before rolling helplessly toward the center of the room, giving me a clear view of Nightshade, and…Nightshade?

Nightshade, the Nightshade I knew, struggled on the ground, struggling to pull himself out of the restraints holding him to the floor, while standing above him was a mare, identical to him in all but cutiemark, if her coat and mane was a little more well cared for. She held herself with practiced poise, in a manner similar to the way Estoc walked, projecting confidence. Beyond he I could see Jess, writhing on the floor as whatever poison that had hit me took hold.

The mare, Briar, looked at me and smiled, and then turned her attention to Nightshade on the floor, who went very, very still.

“Why hello there! Nightshade! It’s been so very long since we’ve last seen each other hasn’t it? Did you miss me? Because I’ve certainly missed you. You’ve been very naughty,” Briar said.

Nightshade glared back at her, spitting to one side, “Hello sister. I see you found yourself a new partner. I knew you liked working in pairs, but Foxglove? Really? I thought you had better taste than that.”

“Hey! Bitch, I resent that!” The blue buck, Foxglove, I assumed, shouted back.

“Be quiet, Foxglove, the adults are talking,” Briar said without looking. Foxglove growled, but didn’t reply, choosing instead to start pumping pressure into the hoof pinning my head to the floor, chuckling a little louder every time I whimpered in pain.

Briar adjusted her hair a moment and then kicked Nightshade just inside his thigh. Nightshade yelped in pain, before gritting his teeth and growling. “You’ve given me a lot of trouble in tracking you down, you know that? A. Lot. of trouble. If it were any other pony I’d be impressed, but since it’s you, mmm no, I’m just disappointed. I mean, really? using your old codename as an alias? What were you thinking?”

Nightshade coughed a laugh, “Do you have any idea how many ponies are named Nightshade? It’s like the most common name in the universe.”

The mare rolled her eyes, “Yes, you’re so original, I gathered that. Listen I...ugh I just cannot take you seriously when you’re looking like that.”

With a flick of a hoof, a syringe popped into her fetlock. Nightshade’s eyes bulged when he saw it, forcibly kicking his legs against the restraints to try and slide the snap trap away from his double. Briar snorted once, gave him another kick, and then pinned his chest to the ground with one foreleg before slamming the syringe into his neck with the other with a smooth practiced motion. Nightshade writhed in place, trying to break free of the needle.

“I knew you always admired him, Treyu, but don’t you think this is a little too far?” Briar cooed, flashing Nightshade a wicked smile. “Now hold still and take your medicine, sister. You’ve been wearing daddy for far too long.”

She yanked the needle free, and then Nightshade started screaming.

Tex! Get help!

How?! All the nodes in this area have been shut off!

I heard the distinct crack of bone. Nightshade’s screaming only got louder as he writhed in place, his skin seeming to boil in place only to tighten around his entire frame. His muzzle shrank, his jaw narrowed, his entire frame seemed to shift and morph like putty.

“So, now that we have that little bit out of way, tell me little sister, why did you have to kill poor Wolfsbane? He’d only just earned his title, you know. I know he was annoying, but really?”

“Fuck you.” I couldn’t even recognize Nightshade’s voice anymore. The words came out as more of a gurgle than anything else and decidedly higher in pitch.

“Why did you do it Nightshade? Why did you leave? We had everything!”

“Everything? Like what? being Basalt’s personal fuck toys?!” Nightshade hoarsely spat back.

Nightshade’s head snapped to the side as Briar slapped him...her I wasn’t sure any more. “Do you have ANY idea of what you put me through?!” Briar screamed. “They dragged me in front of the court to testify against you! We were a team you spoiled bitch! So tell me, WHY?”

Nightshade closed her eyes and breathed, her chest heaving. “Destiny,” she said in a low raspy tone. “I’m going to kill him, Aetra. For everything he made us do. Especially dad.”

The blue buck laughed. “Kill him? What, King Basalt? Ohoho, that’s rich! Bitch you’d be lucky if he didn’t have your corpse hung above his bed so he could f-”

“One more word out of you, Foxglove and I’m going to make good on my promise,” Briar snarled.

Foxglove shut his mouth with an audible click.

“Wow, she’s got you whipped,” Nightshade laughed hoarsely.

A loud bang sounded as the buck pounded the deck and snarled. Judging by the dent, I was lucky that wasn’t my head.

“Don’t pick on children, Treyu, it’s not nice.”

“Fuck both of you,” Foxglove spat.

“Now enough joking, Nightshade, why did you leave us?”

“I’m not joking, Briar, I’m going to kill him.”

Briar’s expression changed to something unreadable as her eyes narrowed.

“You’re serious. Is your talent telling you this?” Briar said.

“Absolutely.”

Briar’s lips thinned as she judged Nightshade’s words. I couldn’t read the expression really, but she was thinking. After a long moment, she sniffed.”What is your talent telling you now?” Briar asked cryptically.

Nightshade closed her eyes and took a deep breath, “Somepony dies tonight,” Nightshade responded.

“I see, and who are these ponies to you?” Briar pointed in my general direction.

“They’re allies. Ponies who are helping me get there, in their own little ways.”

Briar frowned, “Your allies betrayed you.”

“I still need them.” Nightshade rasped.

“Even after all this?” Briar gestured to his bindings. Nightshade merely nodded.

Briar closed her eyes, breathed deeply and sighed, “Oh, the things I do for family.”

Foxglove stood up, “WHAT? you can’t be fucking serious. Our orders were to take her dead!”

Briar flicked her tail. I saw a flash of something in the dark, before foxglove yelped.

“Orders have changed,” Briar replied.

“W-what the fuck did you just hit me with?” Foxglove said, his voice rising in panic.

“Goodbye Foxglove.” Briar simply said.

“W-what? NO! NonononoNO! You BITCH! I’LL FUCKING K—” Foxglove choked, muscles spasming as foam dripped out of his mouth. His heaved as his body shook, drawing in wet, choking breaths, while he clawed at the needle wedged in his chest. His legs gave first. He hit the deck with a thud, screaming and gurgling as his body convulsed, legs and torso flailing enough to lift his body off the deck.

Briar looked at her screaming partner in casual disgust, before turning her nose and trotting toward the coliseum’s only exit. “When you’re ready, call me.” She said, stopping briefly in the doorway, and glancing back at Nightshade’s spread eagle form.

She then cheerfully addressed me. “Oh, and Horizon?” she said, flashing me a playful little smile, “If I ever hear that anything happened to my little sister, we’re going to have a long talk.” She winked, and left without another word.

It was minutes before anyone said anything; minutes before Foxglove’s corpse finally stopped twitching.

“Wow, we really fucked this up, didn’t we?” Jess finally said weakly, still motionless in her corner of the coliseum floor.

“No, really?” Nightshade replied. Her voice now distinctly female.

Another minute or two passed before Jess piped up again. “Why?” she said, her voice cracking under the strain “Why did you spare us? You could have been rid of all of us. Started fresh.”

“I’m sick of starting fresh,” Nightshade replied quietly. “I’ve seen too many friends die over this mess already.

“After all that, we’re still your friends?” I chipped in, throat hoarse. Fuckin moons was I getting thirsty.

“Oh, I’m fucking pissed at both of you for this, make no mistake. But don’t think I’m just going let sis have her way with you just because you pissed me off. I’m a killer, not a monster.” Nightshade took a moment to think about that, “anyway, that threat she made though? That was real. You’re both fucked now. My sister knows your names and your faces, and you’ve pissed her off. She could find you anywhere now.”

“So, what happens now?” Jess asked.

“How long will this trap keep running?” Nightshade asked in response.

‘Until you stop breathing, or I hit the release,” Jess replied.

“I assume the grid is down,” Nightshade said.

“Completely.” I answered.

“Well, then we’re pretty much stuck here then until either someone finds us or the tranqs wear off. Way to go, dumbass.” Nightshade said.

I didn’t have the strength to groan.

“So, twenty-questions, I guess.” Nightshade said, “That’s what you wanted, right?”

“You’ll actually fuckin answer them?” Jess said.

“It’s that or silently brood for six hours.”

“Six?” I asked.

“Or four,” Nightshade finished, “It depends on the mix she used. Fuck, I want a drink.”

“I have never seen you drink before.” I said.

“That’s because I can’t mix it with the poly potion,” Nightshade said, blowing away a strand of mane that had  “It has...less than desirable side effects.”

“Why, do they last for more than four hours?” I asked. Nightshade ignored me.

“That’s some hell of a potion,” Jess said, “Even I couldn’t tell the difference.”

After a minute or two I asked, “So you’re really a-”

“Mare? Yes.” Nightshade sighed. “Like I told you before, I have a small talent with alchemy. Gran taught my sister and I as much as she knew. Briar’s actually better at it. She’s the one who perfected the recipe.”

“I’d call it more than a small talent if you can brew up something that can convincingly change your gender,” Jess chimed in.

“Nah, it’s small talent. All I did was follow a recipe. Great Gran’s secret recipe number sixty-three: the genderbender.” Nightshade’s voice just sounded so wrong. “It’s not permanent, though, I have to keep taking booster potions to keep the effect up, and those all taste like piss. Fun in bed though.”

“I did not need to know that.” Jess groaned.

“This is really weird. Do you feel weird? Because I feel weird now,” I said.

“Alright Horizon, my turn to ask a question,” Nightshade said.

“Shoot.”

“Why are you sparkling?”
---
40% Remaining…