//------------------------------//
// ch 24 No Good Deed Goes Unpunished 
// Story: Equestrian Landings 
// by qwefg 
//------------------------------//

Lockheart


I couldn’t see anything, I could barely breathe, my head ached, I had no idea where I was or where I was going. I could feel the rough cloth of a burlap sack  that reeked of onions, as apparently nobody bothered to have the decency to clean this thing before shoving it over my head. I could hear a crowd muttering in the background as faint flickers of light managed to bleed through the cloth. The cold steel wrapped around my legs, chafing me, restricting my movement, while I could also feel the undeniably heavy chain collar wrapped around my neck.


In the haze of pain and confusion all around me, the last thing I could faintly recall in my state of delirium was trying to escape before something hit my wings, as I could feel the occasional jolt of pain with each and every pondering steps I took. The cacophony of voices in the background began to grow ever louder, as I could feel all the foul intent being intensely directed towards me.


“Traitor, deceiver, usurper.” the voices kept spat in my general direction with cries of hatred. 


I felt a tug on my chains pulling me in a specific direction, nearly causing me to trip on my wobbly hooves, as I tried to clumsily keep myself steady, only to feel the unceremonious strike to the back of my legs forcing  me to fall on all four knees. While my body screamed in agony, the suffocating burlap sack was torn from my head, accompanied by the roaring screams of joys from the surrounding crowd nearly deafened me, along with the sudden glare of sunlight blinded my sight,.


My ears screamed in pain, while it felt like a dozen needles were poking into my eyes, as I tried to recover some of my senses, only to feel a sharp clawed hand grab me by my throat and forcibly tilting my head up in a painful position, I could barely make out the shape of a very tragically familiar griffin staring down at me.


“So this is the fool that thought he could kill me.” The mad king Harold’s loud booming voice spoke out loud in a mocking yet triumphant tone, more for the benefit of the crowd to hear rather than my own.


He stood two feet taller than me as his armor shined under the bright sun. One might have been able to ignore the dents in the armor or the blood stains that covered his robes. To my surprise he wore a golden crown, but this wasn’t your typical ‘royal’ golden crown, but more like one of those sharp jagged crowns you see on villains in cartoons.


He finally, (and not very gently) let go of my head which just limp down my shoulders as he tensely walked in circles preparing his rousing theatrics for the crowd around us, clamoring out for blood; my blood to be specific. Personally, the sight of a wooden tree stump with his wretched nephew, Swift Wing, holding a basket next to it and the ever menacing axe lodged in the bloody puddle on wooden tree stump, didn’t fill me with any confidence. I felt another harsh tug on my chains as I turned toward the offender, only to see a familiar dapper looking brown earth pony holding them in his mouth, and staring at me with a sense of smug superiority towards me… It was Boulder Dash, that same stupid ‘noble’ earth pony who just happened to be one of the same annoying  ponies that Celestia sent to me as an instructor to assess my ‘latent’ Earth Pony magic talents and, like everyone else did, to see just how well my lies could hold up to his scrutiny. The same pony that I stumble upon freely strutting about in Equestria’s enemy stronghold, and the same one who had griffins under his orders to shoot me and bring me to him. And now, finding out that ‘my teacher’ was also selling out Equestria in the meanwhile to that bloody mad griffin didn’t leave me any room for doubt in his true loyalties lie; that traitor.


He scuffed in annoyance as he dragged my aching body towards the executioner's block.  “ Oh, don’t be so surprised of all of this ‘you filthy load of horse apples’ It’s just like Canterlot ‘your highness’.” he lampooned at me “You find the rulers and then you manage to twist them up so tight until they finally snap. It’s almost magical how you manage to make everyone around you hate you, so that you can justify all the spiteful deeds you commit against them just to satiate your need to sew chaos everywhere. So Lockheart, how many griffins died due to your machinations, how many had to suffer from your constant schemings?” He said sneering at me in contempt, with no pity in his eyes as he made sure it was loud enough to be heard by the crowd. 


The worst part of it was that the bastard is being just as much a fucking hypocrite and he is being praised for it of all things!


On those accusations, I struggled against my bindings, shaking my head in desperate denial, I couldn’t let that bastard keep talking bulshit about me like that while lying down. “I didn’t kill anyone…”


“Important?” the earth pony cut me off in jeer “Just a few soldiers or random griffins that Nopony would care about, when you set each noble houses to stab each other in the back? Do you actually just dismiss all of those deaths as a few ‘statistical figures’ on a sheet when you riled up every griffin against one another and then set them up for another bloody civil war?”


He kept dragged me forward as I desperately snapped back “They were going to go to war anyway! I didn’t push them so much as they just jumped for the chance. Hell, they were already at each other’s throats before I even got here!” I defended, after all I did was just gave them a nudge.


I was tossed on the ground, as Harold shouted to the clamoring crowd in triumph “This coward you see here was sent to kill me. He failed, believing that mere words and trickery would be enough to stop me, your one true king! To stop us from achieving our great destiny!”


Struggling against my binds, I looked up and glared at the crazy griffin who I had conspired to have him killed and had actually tried to kill, since the nobles couldn’t do it right on their own, and for some odd incomprehensible reasons he just wouldn’t die! Even with every single one of my tricks, cheats, and low blows that I had, I couldn’t beat that cursed monster if a ‘fair’ fight, as my only real option left that I could really do back then was run.


I felt my frustration growing as I hated and despised my lot in life. If it had been Twilight and the gang, they would have found some random griffin and starting some friendship speech for everyone to hear, as they sudden would all just fall in line in caring for everything and fix everything with a musical dance number to boot! If this was a ‘normal’ story, then a ‘hero’ would have been able to stand in front of Harold and defeat him in some PG-Y7 epic duel. Hell, if it had been Maxwell, I’m pretty sure he would suddenly luck his way into victory by stabbing the griffin head honcho himself through the heart, or suddenly having his companions just pop in at the last moment to save him just as the axe was about to swing down upon his head.


Yet here I was, without friends, without allies, and without any fucking god given luck as the crazy griffin berserker somehow found me before I could even properly try to assassinate him!


Glancing at the self serving earth pony, Harold smirked as he watched the pony bow down to him in fealty to him, before going into a proclamation “Bolder Dash, for your act of loyalty toward me, and delivering me my would be murderer. You have earned yourself a seat in my court, and a part of the spoils I shall take, when my army ravages the countryside of Equestria and it’s subjugation in retaliation for their cowardly attempt on my life!”


On those words, I felt my blood drained. Equestria was getting dragged along with my due to my, stupid, disastrous failure to get rid of that bloodthirsty lunatic, to try and protect all of them in the first place, only to all backfire at me. “It was me, all me! “ I pleaded, I didn’t want the ponies or Celestia to pay for my mistakes. Yeah, I was sore with them, but I didn’t want them to die because of me. “I was the only one who tried to have you killed, all on my own, Equestria has already disowned me and condemned me.”


A cruel smile adorned his lips as he whispered gently into my ear, like some smug old school disney villain “Here’s a little saged advice to you, from yours truly. It matters not what you thought you did, but what the public shall see. They shall take witness to the vile deceiver trying to usurp our fair nation and leave it weakened to outside forces.”


The mad griffin king stood up raising a talon high into the air in a grandiose gesture catching the mob’s attention. He ignored me as the roar of the crowd filled his ego as he stood over me like some wild game animal he had slain “With your failure, I will be able to rally the nation together to unleash a war that Equestria has yet to see since the birth of it’s nation!”


With contemptuous ease, he grabbed me by the throat lifting and lifted me off the ground with his inhuman strength and slamming me against the blood soaked wood grinning. I struggled to break free, but he stomped his foot down on my stomach, knocking the wind out of my lungs as he took the axe with his talons slowly drawing out the moment. I could feel my head being pushed forward, near the edge with the basket rested just underneath my head.


“You know, It would have taken years for me to come up with the proper pretext for me to invade Equestria” He shouted in glee at me as he raised the axe. “And now I can freely invade their weak pony lands, and it is all thanks to you!”


He laughed out loud in triumph, as the crowd screamed in joy. I closed my eyes trying to summon any strength I had left to escape, as the axe’s blade was ready to take it’s final swing at me before a screaming pain erupted through my body...



******



I groaned in pain, as I wearily opened my eyes as my body felt like it had been run over by a truck. I was laying on what felt like a soft velvety cushion (which was also very comfy) placed on some marble floor, I could make out faint whispers all around me, but nothing that I could actually make out. My neck stung when I tried to move it, but at least I didn’t feel the pressing of chains wrapped around my throat or weights tied to my legs like last time. Yes, my body might have felt more beaten and battered before, but at least there was nothing painfully holding me down at the moment, while I tried to make sense of my current situation.


“I brought him your grace. It wasn’t easy, The King of Iron Claw very adamantly didn’t want to let go of him, seeing how he was about to claim his head when I reached him. But, I managed to negotiate Lockheart as part of the treaty for you, despite his impromptu... scene he created over there” A voice, a very familiar smug voice, the same traitorous stallion voice said.


I blink confusedly, as it felt as if I had missed something. What just happened to me, was it all real, didn’t Bolder Dash sell me and Equestria out to Herald? Wasn’t I about to die? How did he got me out of that mess? Was it all just a fever filled hallucination?


I looked up, trying to see through the pouring light, piercing through all the enumerable multicolor stained glass windows around me, drowning everything in light, except that large silhouette right above me sitting on an altar. I could vaguely define it with a billowing rainbow in a breeze I couldn’t feel, which somehow felt alarmingly familiar, a long spire on top of it and very large... wings!?


It was Celestia, the solar princess, the freaking dawn bringer herself, it was the (supposed) embodiment of kindness, maternal love, the epitome of good itself, and...it was also the last pony I ever wanted to see again! She was there, right in front of me, in all her typical regal glory, with her ethereal mane flowing in a stupid non-existent gust of wind, sitting upon her golden throne, with that stupid public smile that everyone is familiar with, pretending that everything will be alright.


She was also the one who put me in a cell, when I was first found out; She was the one who thrusted me into the role of an alicorn royal, power that I didn’t want or even understood; she was the  one who exposed me to the entire world, to be under the crowd’s in uncalled worship and adoration of me.


One would say that I was wrong to even doubt her in the first place… but she was also the same pony who sent me to do the dirty jobs for her, to seek out the countless liars and the cheaters; she was the one who made me take those stupides tests to see if I was a real alicorn, to be in the crosshairs of the nobles’ scrutiny; she was the one who peered into my very mind without my consent, and saw through everything about me.


She knew the truth about me, she saw the lies, the secrets, the deals I made, the truth of what I really am, the threat I represented to her and all her little ponies. She chased me, she tried to hunt me down herself, she wanted to open me up, she wanted to kill me, and worst of all... and everyone would claim that she had every right to do so considering what I was hiding from her.


Beside me, basking in her radiance majesty, was Boulder Dash. who stood facing me, in a ramrod straight posture, looking at me in boredom, seemingly indifferent about me, then turning to face Celestia presence with a kind smile and, kneeling, bowing to her, waiting for her to render her supreme judgment upon me. Celestia’s on the other hand, while she slowly descended the steps from her throne pedestal, looked down at me in heart wrenching disappointment on her face, that you couldn’t help but feel ashamed at yourself even if you didn’t know why, like a parent who saw the truth of what their child did and still couldn’t accept it, or bring themselves to be angry to them. (Seeing every questionable act I did, while in Iron Claw, it might not be wholly unjustified).


Celestia stopped her descent two lengths in front of me peering down at me, while I was laying down on on the floor of the opulent  wide throneroom. Her chin raised up and faced Boulder Dash and in a clear auspicious soft voice reverberated throughout the echoing throne room, adding to her already unwavering and absolute authority that she exuded. “Thank you Bolder Dash, for the great deeds you have done these past few days for  Equestria’s continued safety of this realm and its subjects. The crown and all its ponies who resides are all deeply indebted to you for your show of great skills for managing to swiftly negotiate a peace terms before with Iron Claw’s ‘temperamental’ King Harold himself, while its leadership had torn itself apart and couldn’t effectively lead its own forces for any large scale engagements with Equestria, as well as force an armistice before any blood could be shed by any Equestrians.”


Wait, what!? Boulder Dash was sent to Iron Claw to try and save Equestria!? That didn’t make sense, wasn’t the griffins who shot me were under his orders? Wasn’t he the one holding my shackles to the executioner's block? Wasn’t he like all the other selfish nobles that I met before? Wasn’t I right about what I saw? Wasn’t any of all this real? Could he actually be the hero of all this. Could I be wrong about him this whole time…?


Celestia droned on with her speech to what I now realized to be droves upon droves of ponies, standing behind me, and was where I heard those hushed whispers early before. “And now, after seizing of part of its treasury, and a large portion of their weapons stock confiscated, as well as forcing the king of Iron Claw’s abdication, Iron Claw will no longer be a threat to Equestria for the feasible future and maybe, we can hope, that it’s new leadership will be more wiser in leading its subjects.”


‘In other words, do what Equestria says and pay lip service to Equestria.’ I thought in the back of my mind before realizing that there was something wrong with this scene.


How did Bolder Dash ever managed to convince Herald off the throne and surrender in the first place? Must have been a hell of a standoff  if Bolder Dash actually held his ground with Herald alone, Wait, how many forces did Equestria have already and how were they all ready for all of what happened? I mean I didn’t see a lot of ponies in Iron Claw.


A faint hope filled my heart as I couldn’t help but wonder if my stupid stunt actually might have saved lives in the end? Could I dare hope to get out of this situation alive? I mean if they didn’t let Harold kill me than that had to mean something right?


“And most importantly of all Bolder Dash, you have managed to find and retrieve my dear and cherished wayward prince Lockheart. Who thanks to you, has come back amongst us again.”


Wait, she is calling me a prince now!? Granted, she just showed me to the press and presented me as an alicorn, with none of that pretentious title that goes along with it, where at the time, I was just meant for show to shift the attention away from at what happen in the Everfree Castle. And, I never thought that I was ever in her good books, even before I ran away.


I looked back at the crowd as they fell into cheers, with stomping, nickers and whinnies, at Boulder Dash, who stood there proudly with a small smile pursing his lips, basking in all the praising he was getting in that moment.


The dread that rested deeply in my heart slowly started to fade with the present jubilations. There was no resentment, hatred, or ill will. They were happy, cheerful, in fact this scene felt more like the return of a hero from the MLP show. I almost felt like joining them in that... at least until I saw the none of them were actually looking at me.


The small gnawing dread began to resurface as I took full notice of the situation. I could feel their joy, their happiness, their respect towards the earth pony standing nearby Celestia herself… but none of it was directed towards me. This celebration wasn’t about my return, but the fall of Iron Claw’s brutal regime. 


I was just the excess baggage that I was dragged along… or the one sour point of their festive jubilations, as some of the crowd started to acknowledge my presence with withering gazes. I was once again, unwanted, hated, and despised.


As the cheers began to die down, I could hear a few of them whisper ‘The traitor of Canterlot’ in hushed tones as the room began to grow colder. Glancing back at the golden throne with a wave of her snow white wing Celestia dismiss Bolder Dash, which he silently bowed again to her and aqueous, not even sparing a glance toward me, followed the path leading to the tall main exit.


The room stayed silent except for the few hushed whispers, as some began to whisper about what Celestia was about to prepare for my ill fated return. Of course, ‘ill fated’ being the fact I had the audacity to return even if it wasn’t by my own free will.


Celestia stared down from ontop her golden throne, as I was once again reminded of my crimes… Discord’s bargain, and of course my own attempt to flee from Canterlot when she discovered the truth that I had so carefully hidden from her.


I felt my body start to curl up trying to make myself as small of a target as possible, as the sunlight from the windows grew harsher. Her shadow slowly started to cast over me, as the blinding sun somehow was making the room darker… almost as if the very light itself was being syphoned away from the room, and was being gathered for something else as Celestia’s foreboding presence loomed over me.


Normally, I would have ran away from her in a heartbeat, but my body felt as if it was trapped in cement as her gaze focused on me. My own fear of her soon squashed any attempt to muster up any will, or strength, to break me from her gaze, that I was left helpless upon the floor as the angered goddess made flesh locked eyes with me.


I had little choice but to face her judgement and wish… no pray for mercy even despite knowing that none would be spared for me. I could feel the dreaded awe of silence from the crowd drown out every other sound in the room as they had been waiting for this moment… for the punishment of my transgressions to have finally come.


“You have committed many misdeeds Lockheart.” she spoke forgoing any of her usual warm welcoming greetings expected of her.


I frowned at the unusually blunt statement coming from Celestia, as I tried to struggle to stand up, as I tried to defend, if not at least explain myself to her “No, you don’t understand... I did what I could in order to survive.”


Celestia shook her head dismissing my flimsy protests, as she seemed further saddened by what she must have perceived as my continued denial of any responsibility towards my actions before continuing “The theft of the Elements of Harmony… blaming Duran as the soul responsible culprit of the theft when it really was you all along. If you had told me sooner, if you hadn’t hid the truth from me all this time we could have tried reasoning with the changeling Duran instead of letting all of this situation spiral out of control like it did.” Probably referring to the fact that the mad changeling is wreaking havoc elsewhere, after the subsequent stunt I pulled back then.


I bit my lip as I bitterly retort to this load of bullshit “ He was an immoral monster that was a threat to Equestria. You saw what he did to all those people and what he was going to do! You know as well as I do, that if he had found the Elements of Harmony, nothing would have ever changed with him! Only this time, he would have had six new shiny gems to support his mad delusions of power instead of being hunted down like the monster he truly was!”


“Or, maybe it was my fault for pushing such a position onto a pony ill suited for it.” Celestia spread her wings dismissing everything out of hand of what I just said “I thought you would be more like me…or at least all your other predecessors that you would have rose up to the role of a royal prince, or perhaps that you would learn to better use your new position, to gather your own court and staff in order, to look out for others if you were given a position of power, instead of shunning them away at hooves length and isolating yourself from the rest of the world.”


I gritted my teeth, as I noticed the growing crowd of  nobles in the royal courtroom standing at the edge of the room whispering watching me, judging me, criticizing me, accusing me of everything I did! Those same lying jerks who were not so long ago smooching at me, those turn two face jerks, now saying that they always knew that I would turn out like this. I could imagine in my mind how some of the other ‘adventurers’ already turning their backs on me, since I wasn’t the ‘true alicorn’ that they desperately wanted, needed, no, demanded me to be, so that I would solve all their problems. But instead, I was the false alicorn set up by someone else to mislead and trick them. Never mind that I never claimed to be one in the first place and that I had always denied it when someone brought it up!


Celestia rubbed her face with her right hoof as she walked down her throne over to me “If we had reached the Elements of Harmony sooner, we could have solved everything. If Duran’s followers had seen us in possession of the Elements, and promised to send all his followers back home, they would have surrendered in droves and he would have lost all his credibility as their leader, sense it rested on possessing them in the first place and would have had no other choice but to surrender and comply. I could have convinced him to work with me, instead of having to rely on drastic means due to his followers fears and panic of being lost in this strange world.”


Looking back on it all, and seeing it from Celestia’s point of view, maybe I had made a few mistakes.


Should I have just left the Elements of Harmony in their shiny cage and just hope that Duran didn’t find them as easily as I had? Probably, considering the fact that I screwed up and we were only saved because Celestia arrived saving us just in the nick of time. Maybe if I had relied on Celestia’s forgiving nature, she might have been able to help out sooner, with the loss of the Elements of Harmony, or at least buy some time for her to come up with a solution to help me out with my Discord problem, while everybody tried to find the rest of the Elements of Harmony.


I bit the inside of my cheek, as I remembered that hated night… the night were Celestia just suddenly came and saw me practicing that one stupid spell. That night, were the truth was revealed… she did have every right to be angry, to suspect me of some greater crime than being tricked by Discord himself. Maybe if I hadn’t suddenly been possessed by the sudden urge to flee, than maybe I could have talked things out with her and found some sort of compromise…


And maybe Duran would have been an outstanding member of society, instead of some prick who took full advantage of a frightned mass of people, and expertly kicked out or surgically removed all opposition by turning them into puppets for his own amusement. While in the meantime, I placed my trust in the one person who threw me in jail ‘just because I looked odd’, before subsequently dumping me off to anyone she could find, rather than spend a single moment of her time in my presence while she tried to find anypony who could expose me as some misbegotten pretender to the throne!


How dare she make light of my actions, my judgement as if they were nothing!


“You would have just excused all of his crimes, just like that?” I incredulously replied “What about the brainwashing, the inhuman acts like turning people into dolls for their own amusement, the insanity of, of turning everyone into mindless violent thugs to serve as soldiers…” I could feel the bile rising in my throat as I continued to snap back at her “And yet here you are, saying that it was my fault, because I didn’t want to find out what you would do to me if you found out my secret?” 


Yes, I made a deal with Discord of all people for immortality, in exchange of getting one of the elements for him? That for all this time, I was hiding one inside of me, and to get it back that royal hypocrite would have to rip it out of my chest! Was it wrong? Of course it was. Did I fear death? Of course I did, but could you tell me that no one else would even be slightly tempted by the offer, much less terrorised of the fact that people already wanted to kill you in the first place for being arbitrarily designated ‘villain’ by that same mad god from the future? 


How many people would honestly admit that they would need to die or would be willing to die when presented with a situation like that!


I throw my hoof out at her and shouted “I was thrown in jail for simply looking like a freak? Or was my misdemeanor in trespassing in the hedge garden on the day a monster attack was justification for me being thrown in jail without a trial? “ I managed to point my painfully aching hoof at her in my indignation“Oh how justified you must feel that an admitted psychopath of countless crimes is the one that get’s a free pass because he didn’t get to steal the Elements of Harmony!”


Celestia’s imposing stature stock-still towered over me as her shadow cast over me like a monolithic figure of divine retribution “And what have your actions and your choices caused to us? Humanity is fractured and lost. Equestria resources are stretched to it’s very limit, while countless threats attack us from all sides. You act without consideration for others. You follow Discord’s schemes and deceptions instead of looking out for everypony around you and doing what is right instead of what is conveniently beneficial for you.”


I felt my body start to hug the ground as my wings clenched tightly to my side at the weight of the allegations she just heap up on me. I was dreading of what she was about to do to me. I knew I couldn’t ever hope to stand up to her in my injured state.


(not that it would ever actually change anything at the outcome as she is freaking Celestia!)


I could feel the frantic beating of my heart start to quicken, due to the gnaw quenching dread that filled my body… any moment that solar tyrant was going to rip my heart out of my chest for the wretched ‘greater good’ while the rest of those hypocrites would cheer for her.


Celestia looked down at me as she spoke in sorrow “Is it so hard for you to place your trust in somepony instead of preparing for them moment when they fail you? That, even when I found out the truth about your misdeed… that you chose to fled Canterlot instead of trusting in me that I would understand, or that I wouldn’t ever want any harm to you? How could you even think so ill of me!?” Her eyes moistened, really to fall in tears.


I stared at her in shock, at the sudden display of actually caring for me coming from her just caught me off guard. Her wings spread out then wrapped around my battered limp body and pulled me closer as she wrapped her hooves around me pulling me into her embrace. I could feel how soft her feathers were… how her own heart seemed to quickened its pace as she held my head against her chest.


I could even feel a few tears drip onto my head as she continued “I know, I was fooling myself thinking that you could become my nephew, but that doesn’t mean that I didn’t care about you. What’s more important is that I forgive you.”


My mind stuttered on hearing that word, actually daring to hope. I mean sure I was confused about her calling me her nephew… but that was probably something similar to the Blueblood’s position as a prince. Did this mean she wasn’t going to kill me or try to force me to be something that I just wasn’t?


I tried to crane my head up as I spoke with a faint spark of hope “You forgive me?”


She looked down at me in pity as a soft smile appeared on her face, while a soft golden light emitted from her horn “I forgive you… after you pay for your crimes.”


Before I knew it, I felt a screaming pain tear through my chest as I saw a large inert Element of Harmony drifting above my head dripping in some red liquid as my body was feeling numb.


Celestia let go of me as my limp body hit the floor “It was wrong of me to think of you as one of my little ponies… after all…” she turned her back on me “In the end, you're only human after all.”



******




I gasped for air as I placed a hoof over my chest. My body ached in pain as my chest hurt like heck and relief, as there gratefully wasn’t one great big Element shape cavity hole there. I struggled to breathe, as it felt like my lungs were on fire and my eyes started to sting, while smoke was drifting in the air.


Okay think… first I was in Iron Claw about to have my head hacked off. Then I was in Canterlot about to have my heart ripped out. I slowly opened my eyes fully expecting to be back home just in time to be shot by the police for some vague ‘justified’ reason… only to see buildings… lots and lots of buildings from Iron Claw in a blazing symphony of death and fire. 


I looked back at my own body just to realize I was lying in a bed with countless other dead bodies judging from the sickening amount of blood of the various weapons sticking out of the more healthy looking corpses. 


Either I had been left for dead when the survivors of this place fled, or the attackers had simply left me to die since I had looked to be dead or dying… which was kind of a mixed blessing really. On the bright side there were no guards and the missing wall beside my bed would make it easy for me to escape this place.




******



I continued meandering down the deserted streets, trying of making sense of what was happening around me, I saw a pair of griffins tearing down a wall with axes laughing as they took anything that was of value. I saw the streets bathed in blood with  various avian corpses of all ages laid dead on the streets, or left hanging, beaten, and brutally mutilated in such a manner... 


I felt my stomach lurch as I looked away from the scene as it was one thing to look at drawings, pictures, or movies about out… but something completely different about seeing it in person as I could feel the bile and whatever was left in my stomaching trying to escape.


This was not a scene one would see in MLP… maybe the nature channel, but not anything on any scale that held PG in it’s rating!


I might not know much about the local customs, but generally mutilated bodies were the universe’s warning sign to people… to tell them to be anywhere but here as I quickly turned around and ran inside the only ‘safe’ building I could see.


I spotted the familiar hanging sign of the Gilded Claw… the building was missing one of it’s walls and the fires had yet to reach it, but unlike the others there seemed to have been an attempt to defend the building, judging from the positions of the corpses either trying to defend or storm the building.


More importantly it wasn’t on fire, or threatening to lean over and fall down crushing me to death as I ran past the line of dead bodies, and nearly kicking open one of the doors while I tried to find the room that I had been hiding in. I didn’t have anything to protect myself and I was placing my hope that some lucky griffin didn’t discover my hidden stash of goods.


Which was fate, like the insufferable bitch that she was, in this universe had just decided to have the one mare that I had been chasing after before everything hit the fan to just be standing there, right next to the hidden stash in the floor staring at me in surprise… with my hidden shotgun pointed at me.


I flinched as I bitterly muttered to life itself “Of course the thief is the one who finds it.”


The brass colored fiend  that I had been hunting for months, just stood there with a smirk as she had somehow managed to fit my shotgun into an impromptu battle saddle which wouldn’t have been a problem… if she didn’t have a shotgun. She was also covered in some sort of leather armor and a small white cloth near her mouth as a makeshift breathing mask, to avoid breathing in smoke or the rotting decay of the corpses around us.


Her eyes focused on me at first in hostility, before switching back into slight relief, even while I prepared for the two of us to come to blows “Oh, you’re still alive.”


“That’s my gun…” I slowly replied (half growling at the bitch) as I tried to position myself by the exit if only to use the door as a shield if she tried to shoot me “And what is going on here?”


She chuckled for just a moment before she smiled as if entertaining my question “Well since you gave me this weapon, I guess I’ll tell you then.” Her hoof slowly went to gather up the remaining gems, and place them in her saddlebags, as she watched me “Okay here is how it went for the most part; the fighting started off with all the clans fighting against clan as every griffin, as you probably guessed by now, since they were already prepared themselves to turn on each other at the drop of a hat.”


I was discreetly making my way to the door, as I kept my eyes on her while she kept taking my hard stolen items for herself “What happened to the city?”


An almost sadistic smile appeared across her face as she replied “Well that’s a funny thing actually, as there were no alliances, no allegiances, no plan other than to get revenge on each other as they were only looking out for themselves…” She chuckled nearly shaking her head as she continued “Is it any wonder that a city left to violent idiots ended up like this?”


One of the buildings behind me collapsed, as I could feel the mistreated and mutilated foundation come crashing down and shaking the world around us. I turned my head, only to see the previous two looters broken bodies, as the building had it’s final revenge against the robbers that had come to tear what little it had left.


“Shouldn’t they have stopped after their leaders died?” I asked out loud “I mean, shouldn’t they have had to go and retreat or something, at least try to figure out who would be next down the line to be in charge?”


Yes my plan was to cut off the head of their clans, but I was also expecting them to retreat, fall back, go home to get reinforcement or at the very least get their paychecks since their boss kicked the bucket!


Brass just looked to me as if I was an idiot “You do realize that these are Iron Claw Griffins here right?” she rolled her eyes “Of course, they wouldn’t let a little detail like ‘leadership’ or  ‘planing’ bother them from bashing each other brains in. They just kept fighting each other, trying to claim they were the new king of their own clan before trying to kill the other new leaders of the surviving fraction until they descended into a mad ‘king of the hill’ free for all trying to claim the throne for themselves. Before you knew it, all their coffers ran out with shiny bits to pay their fighters with. And guess what those sword and axe wielding thugs did as recompense for all the hard fighting they been doing for them” She left the fate of those clans and nobles unsaid, with the plain obvious outcome with that insufferable smirk.


I shook my head in relief “So that’s when the fighting stopped.”


To my surprise and horror Brass laughed out loud “Of course not! That’s when the fighters decided to take over!”


“You can’t be serious.” I spoke out in sheer disbelief as I couldn’t believe that anyone would be that foolish…


Until I realized what the throne of Iron Claw meant to them. This wasn’t a chair to them, but the seat of power. Whoever was sitting in the chair was in charge of their nation because it had yet to fall into complete anarchy. They were slaughtering each other because they believed that the victory would be in charge of the rest of the nation.


It was like King Arthur's sword only without having to pull the damn thing out of the stone!


“Of course, not everyone decided to join in on the fight.” She cheerfully replied with a new necklace of sapphires around her neck “Some just skipped the fight and went straight for the looting.”


I could hear the pain grasped moans as I looked back at the fallen building only to realize the looters were still alive. They were already dead, but they were just enough alive to feel the fires start to consume their bodies as… there was no words for describing the sound I heard.


It wasn’t so  much of a scream as a painful release of air before the fires consumed them.


It was a reminder that things could still get worse.


“Now, it’s mostly mindless violence, lootings, and chaos without any thought, plan, or plans of order left.” Brass and somehow snuck up on me and wrapped a hoof around my shoulder “Shame really since I had plans for them. Still your plan succeeded and mine had failed. You had valiantly slain the big evil empire.”


I placed a hoof to my mouth as I felt a bit of upchuck before shaking out of her gasp “How can you be so cheerful about all of this!” I shouted motioning towards the death, fire and madness that surrounded us.


That twisted bandit just shrugged “You win some, or lose some and loot some nation’s national treasury. Honestly it’s nice that I have to do a treasure hunt inside the city since most of the other contenders died killing each other for a room full of glass diamonds.”


My eye twitched as I tried to figure out where she was keeping my shotgun bullets. Just one small fire spell and I might be able to turn this around.


Brass just rose an eyebrow as she didn’t seem that concerned “You do realize that I’m the one who still has an army nearby who will come running and shooting if I so much as scream right?”


I needed one quick takedown before she could scream. It complicates matters a little, but that was life in a nutshell. Besides I needed to buy time and figure out where those highly explosive shotgun shells were located for my spell to work.


“Why are you still here since most of this place devolved into a warzone?” I ‘kindly’ asked the witch “After all I wouldn’t peg you as the type to be running around burning buildings about to collapse in on itself.”


Brass just smirked as she cheerfully gloated “Man you really are out of current events aren’t you!? I’ve already fled back to Equestria and ‘begged’ Celestia for her forgiveness…” She must've noticed that I didn’t believe her as she shrugged “Alright, Swift Wing went to her and and begged for forgiveness, namelly in the form of a few magical artifacts that I managed to find, which she gladly accepted for a royal pardon.”


“Swift Wing? The griffin who works for you!” I snapped back mostly in disbelief.


“Who worked for Luke.” Brass ‘clarified’ for me “I mean sure ‘we’ had to sell out most my former associates, where they were hiding the big baddies and so forth, but they were useless to us anyway.”


I tried not to frown as I had no idea who ‘luke’ and it probably didn’t matter anymore.


“Then why are you here?” I bitterly asked, as I took a few steps back from the burning smell of flesh, while I tried to find something to cover my nose.


“Because Celestia sent aid and left them in Swift Wing’s command.” Brass cheerfully replied “She couldn’t risk letting the chaos spill into Equestria and the citizens need some semblance of order, if only to stop this senseless chaos.”


The ground shook again, as two more buildings collapsed, revealing equestrians tossing griffin corpses onto one of the burning piles of bodies. Most of them were, as far as I could tell, wearing the armor of the Night Guard as two of the former humans (a hippogriff and diamond dog) were taking down some of the cadavers from a hangman’s noose.


Brass chuckled “By any means necessary of course.”


That was when I noticed they weren’t taking the corpses down. The bodies were still kicking. The Night Guard were placing the ropes around their neck. To my new found horror, two bat ponies had just appeared bringing a barrel and a griffin child before placing the child on top of the barrel so that they could have an easier time placing the noose around their neck.


“Why are they hanging children!” I snapped back at her in a mixture of fear and disgust.


Brass just shook her head as she did seem sorry to see it happen “Looting is punishable by death by hanging. No exceptions.”


“No exceptions…” I bitterly replied “No exceptions! I worked, trained, reorganized the entire forgotten branch only to have them do this! There is no way that Equestrians would…”


“You taught them war. You taught them vigilance. You showed them that they needed to be prepared for the worst and took in any and all newcomers.” Brass simply stated “Some just want to impress Swift to rise up the ranks, since the Solar Guard wasn’t admitting any humans. Some thought that you having personally caused the destruction of Iron Claw as divine judgement meaning that these lowly savages don’t deserve mercy. Of course, there probably are a few that simply don’t care.” she added as an afterthought.


I couldn’t believe what I was seeing right in front of me. Did I screw up by not looking close enough at some of recruits records, or did the change in standards allow common thugs, criminals or opportunist to take advantage of this situation here?


Was this all really because of me?


I watched in horror as one of the bat ponies kick the barrel, while the resounding snap ringed across the land, as the child’s body now hung limp from the rope. I watched on with disbelief as the other ropes fell before snapping the neck of the ‘savage’ griffins as the two former humans started to mumble, removing the ropes before tossing the corpses onto the ever growing piles.


“Still I have to say, I’m impressed.” Brass commented as she watched the ruthless efficiency as they prepared to hang another group of prisoners. “You managed to nearly single handedly destroy Iron Claw, and subsequently place it underneath Equestria’s rule without too much hassle.”


I turned away from the horrible scene, as I tried to walk away. I could feel my hooves splashing against the blood soaked ground as I tried to sidestep around the bodies. My own magic just barely managed to pick up one of the rusted swords, that a looter had yet to spot, as I tried to get out of here.


Brass ran after me shouting “What’s wrong?”


I turned around and snapped at her “What’s wrong? What’s wrong?” as I gestured to the madness around us “Can you not see what is wrong with all of this?”


Brass removed her breathing mask revealing a faint smirk “If you're so upset about it then how about you work for me?” I glared at her which only caused her to chuckle “You plan worked… it went off without a hitch and you succeed as everything went horribly right.”


I felt the dread in those words hang in the air, on hearing those words, not because they were false but because she was right. And, it didn’t helped that she didn’t make any attempt to harm me, which was the only thing that was holding me back from turning on her, which would have really been convenient for me if only to shut her up from the ugly truth. No, she was getting ready to make me an offer and, damn me, I was listening to it. “You saw what I was able to do? You saw how I was able escape Celestia’s grasp, gather allies when Equestria was out for my head, and always come out on top…”


I paused as I couldn’t help but think about her offer for a moment. I had tried keeping up with Celestia’s countless tests only to fail in the end. My attempt to rough it alone or survive on my only really just involved relying on a bet and following someone… and that ended in a city on fire.


“Or would you rather be on the run for the rest of your life always hiding in fear of the day when she finds you?” Brass finished as she let her words hang in the air.


That’s when I felt the horror of it all. Could I always be on the run from a semi-immortal princess? Heck I know for a fact that she is patient as she prepared for her sister’s return one thousand years later and possibly for King Sombra’s unknown return! It would be like being hunted by Inspector Javert!


There would always be someone searching for me. Someone issuing new search warrants or trying to conjure up some new sort of spell to track and locate me. It wasn’t a matter of if Celestia would find me on my own, but rather when she would capture me.


She held her hoof out at me, offering her help and services to me, as she was promised implicitly that she would protect me from Celestia and by extension Equestria’s wrath; at least until I am no longer useful to her like her former associates. Instinctively, I felt my hoof slowly moving towards her’s, to reacher to her all so tempting offer, only suddenly realize what I was doing and snapped it away.


I wasn’t like her. She already was a highway bandit before she was press ganged into an even worse group. I didn’t cause any ‘major’ crimes besides impersonating Cadance in Canterlot. She willingly joined a group to break criminals out of Tartarus, and laid a trap for the first response team with the express intention of burying them alive and get valkyrie petrify which is why I was after her in the first place. I tried to turn the Night Guard that was undermanned under equipped under budgeted, under staffed, under performing, into an efficient and competent force. She was gathering a group for no other pursues then to steal precious rare artifacts, and would cut them loose the moment she didn’t need them anymore. As for me, I was stuck playing mediary between business ponies on new ideas, inventions, or concepts brought over by other humans with the random self serving noble scheme thrown into the mix.


She aligned herself to a nation that thrived on conquest that planned to invade Equestria! All I did was kidnap a person and follow that rat back to his nest, so that I could smoke out the rest of the vermin before fully escaping Equestria’s grasp!”


To my surprise she battered her eyes and gave an almost… flirtish glance at me as she replied “We could have had a lot of fun Lock… but sadly for you…”


“Lockheart” I heard what was Maxwell’s voice snapped out loud.


I turned around and spotted the earth pony as Brass slipped away “She has other plans for you.”


Before I knew it, Maxwell stood there in front of me along with four other ponies, on guard and rearing for a fight. I couldn’t recognize them at first as the smoke started to blind me, but I recognized them from my dreams… no… my nightmares.


Another earth pony that wasn’t Maxwell stood near the front of the group almost protecting them behind him. I could hear a female voice from one of the pegasi wearing something like a dress complaining about the smoke, soot, and ash in the air.


A second pegasus spoke with a hint of fear “Warped horn, black feathers… He looks like a MLP villain.” she firmly stated as she moved towards the back of the group.


“Is this the one?” the unicorn spoke in an arrogant all knowing tone “He certainly looks like the usurper.”


Maxwell nodded his head as he glared at me “Lockheart… no… Grim Tale” he spoke with a voice full of hatred “I should have known I’d find you in a place like this.”


I gritted my teeth as that I hadn’t expected to hear that wretched screen name again… and to make things worse it was five against one wasn’t normally good odds… especially when my body felt like shit “What do you want Maxwell.”


“You need to answer for your crimes Grim Tale.” Maxwell bitterly replied as if just speaking to me left a bitter taste in his mouth “We are here to bring you back to Equestria to serve your punishment.”


I felt the faint memory of Celestia ripping out my goddamn heart as I glared at him. I wasn’t planning on reliving that ill fated nightmare again, as I pulled forth my rusty sword, only for a golden blast of light to knock it out of my magical grasp and send it flying into the streets behind me.


A sixth figure appeared as it stood clearly taller than the rest. At first, I thought it was Celestia as the mare had the same large slender body, white coat, long horn, and of course wings… the full alicorn package.


“Ah yes…” the new alicorn spoke revealing her full displeasure “The usurper.”


“My name is Lockheart.” I bitterly reminded both of them as I wished I could see the mare if only to who was insulting me.


“No it isn’t.” The larger alicorn quickly snapped back “Your name is Grim Tale. That was the name you were given. The fate you were assigned instead of the unrightful theft of what should have been mine!” She nearly spat at me.


The other ponies moved to either protect her or share her discontent towards me. Personally, I had no clue who she was!


She looked down at me as her horn blazed an golden light… not the same golden light Celestia had. This light burned not light the morning ray of the sun, but the harsh cold glare of an interrogator's light as she spoke “You stole the Elements of Harmony. Worked in hand and hand with known criminals like that despicable mare you were just speaking with earlier.”


I opened my mouth only for her magic to slam it shut as she continued “You weren’t in Cloudsdale during the jailbreak of Tartarus.”


I felt the force of her magic increase clenching my mouth shut to a painful degree as she rose her voice “You escaped your judgement having taken advantage of Celestia’s kindness…” She glared at me with her full hatred “You are a thief, liar, imposter, and a threat to everything good in this world!” she motioned towards the burning scenery.


Her wings shifted pulling out a sword… a real sword… a large shiny sharp scary sword and placed it in front of Maxwell as she said “You need to kill him Maxwell. If he escapes who know how many lives Grim Tale will take. Who knows how much destruction he’ll cause once again.”


“But weren’t we supposed to bring him back to Celestia... you know, to bring him back for justice!?” Maxwell spoke up in confusion while staring at the blade.


The alicorn figure pressed the sword on to him “You must, you are the one who must slay that monster”


Maxwell still seemed uncertain, while her magic enveloped and overpowered me as she dragged me helplessly closer towards them “Duran, Brass, Harold, Luke… He’s all connected to them. He allowed all of them to come into power. He’s the one holding the last element of harmony for himself.”


With his tail, Maxwell lifted up the sword, as there was still just the hint of doubt in his eyes, while I tried to break free of that other alicorn’s magic that was holding me.


The second earth pony walked closer as he spoke up “You know she is telling the truth Maxwell. Think of how Sombra was slain, or Tirek. Some villains just don’t change as they need to be slain.”


“It’s just like he said.” The large mare reassured him “It’s for the good of Equestria.”


Maxwell, with a gaze of resolve, lifted up the sword and charged at me, plunging it straight into my chest.



******



I awoke with a jolt, groggily realizing that I was just conscious now, and not dreaming this time around. My senses were rushing to boot up, I was still trying to come to grip that I was still alive, again. I slowly opened my eyes as the meager sunlight there was still blinded me. Wherever I was, it lacked smoke, fire and the cold feel of stone underneath my body, so it was a step up from the last nightmare I had. My body still hurt, my wings had the ever lingering jabbing pains, reminding me that yes, arrows had been shot through them, and to top it all off there was a faint bitter taste of cotton in my mouth. I could feel bandages tightly wrapped around most of my body, while I was trying to make out the blurry figure right next to me to my left starting to come into focus.


The first thing that come to my mind was swearing… not because I had any grand plan to use it to my benefit, but because I was tired of all of this. I was tired of waking up to every new nightmare that my subconscious kept coming up with, trying to deeply remind me just how badly I have screwed up at everything. I… I was tired of being chased, hunted, tested, and just one breath away from another failure at every moment.


“Are you okay?” a soft masculine figure near me tried to whisper, but in all intensive purposes, it just sounded as if doing it with a loudspeaker right next to my ear. 


I turned my focused on that shapeless blur, as a few bits of color were slowly starting become clearer. A few flicks of green of my mane told me that I was still in my ‘actual alicorn’ color scheme. I strained my head to look down at myself, at whatever of my bear skin I could make out. I saw the flicker of black fur of my fake alicorn form, instead of the glossy Changeling chitin hide riddled with holes that I was expecting to revert back into, to my own surprise. Apparently, keeping up this form wasn’t as straining as I had originally thought.


“Is there any pain on your sides?” The soft voice asked in concern “are the bandages too tight around your wings?”


I glanced at my wings as they looked almost mummified. I could feel the slight sting of pain when I moved them, letting me know they were alright… but it would still hurt to move them. I focused on my own magic as it felt like I was on empty… yet this disguise didn’t seem to be using up any of my magic to maintain.


“You might also want to drink some water…” A glass was placed near my hooves “I can try getting some soup or something light…”


“How long have I been out?” I weakly muttered as I tried to get up.


Instead of rising out of bed, my body groaned and protested as it refused to get with the program. When I had managed to lift myself slightly off the bed all it took was one hoof gently pressed against my chest to cause me to collapse back into the bed.


“You’ve been out for a week.” The pony shaped blur replied “We found you lying in the middle of the forest.” The figure placed a hoof on my forehead “Were you caught in the middle of the fighting in Iron Claw? Did they hurt you?”


I groaned as that felt like a stupid question to ask “Just.. some random griffins started attacking out of nowhere. Something about a bell being rung.” I groggily replied.


The hoof was removed from my forehead that felt damp “Apparently, they thought their king was killed.” My vision was getting back into focus as I tried to remove the damp cloth “Sorry about your horn…”


“What’s wrong with my horn?” I asked as I felt a small bit of panic at the potential implication that could mean.


Was it cracked? Did it get damaged during the crash or perhaps some griffins simply snapped it off to keep as a trophy or to show their king that I was dead!


“Well, it has a few…” The pony looked queasy with as he spoke with a hint of concern “Well it looks a bit… mangled. Did something happened to you recently?”


I exhaled a breath of relief, there wasn’t anything unusual about that… besides it just  being creepy overall, but at least my horn was safe and more importantly intact, which meant I should still be able to cast magic… I just needed to collect some more love (or something close enough to it) and I would be able use my magic again… well I should be able to. Still, I had a pony tending for me right in front, and a bit of pity or sympathy my way could help speed up my recovery. Still, I didn’t had any fever, so I went and reached my forehead and removed the damp cloth… why was Bolder Dash in front of me?


With how unusually soft spoken and ‘concern’ he sounded, I just didn’t recognized the usual annoying loud, so cock sure of himself demeanor that bastard always seems exude around him. The earth pony had just completely caught me off guard without his usual act. But, thinking back on it, it was him all along.


I stared at him in hatred, attempting getting ready to see whatever this new nightmare scenario had cooked up this time around, as he was trying to casually asked “So, what were you doing before...”


“Cut the…” I felt my throat burn as the cursed flames was about to shot out of my mouth, cutting off whatever swear I was about to say and reminding me of my bitter reality at the moment.


I was badly hurt, trapped, and currently held hostage by the one earth pony who was probably a traitor to Equestria, who likely had Griffin guards right outside ready to storm in and restrain me at a moment's notice. And the last time I ‘actually’ saw  that bastard, was when he was nonchalantly heading to greet the local psychopathic tyrant of Iron Claw who wanted to invade Equestria for the sheer fun of it.


Boulder Dash kept his smile as he attempted to calm me down, but I now could see cracks behind his mask “I don’t know what’s going on, but if you could tell me what happened, I could...”


“I saw you talking to Herald… Boulder Dash” I bitterly spat out.


The cheerful innocent smile still stayed on his face, albeit it now looked plastered on now. Despite that, I could feel the turbulent mixture of rage and fear from him with my Changeling senses. He knew that I knew he was a traitor, and he wanted to hide the fact he was a traitor until he would betray me as the ‘real traitor’ before I could tell anyone he is a traitor.


“Oh, so I see that you already know my name, for alas you have me at a disadvantage as I don’t know yours, could you…” the earth pony calmly replied with his sweet honeyed words.


I didn’t pay much attention, as I realized that this could be my chance to escape. I could either pretend to be some random pony, or changeling, pretending to impersonate myself instead of claiming to be the real deal. Oh sure, an imposter held less worth than an exiled prince, but it would make escaping easier… at least once I figure out how to escape.


Or at least, that’s what my thoughts were until I felt something smashing up against my horn, causing me to curse out loud in surprise, as the chaotic green flames consumed the offending object and turned it into... a fruitcake!?


Boulder Dash looked at me with a mixture of confusion and surprise before recovering “Green flame, swearing…” He glanced at my horn and the inedible cake on the bed “Honestly, I thought that was just a  baseless rumor running about you, Lockheart.”


I glared at him, as he muttered underneath his breath “So I did in fact found the real Lockheart instead of just some imposter. Honestly, the fact that you happened to have stable chaos magic running around in your system should have been obvious in the first place…”


I gritted my teeth, as I could see the fear in his eyes at the revelation, while personally, I was annoyed about my ‘feign’ ignorance to have been removed. Though, a part of me was wondering what he meant by stable chaos magic? Here’s an oxymoron if I hear any?


“That’s because most creatures infected with chaos magic either live short lives or the magic dissipates shortly after the encounter with it.” Mini Discord spoke as he appeared right beside me “They don’t call it chaos magic because of how neat, orderly and safe it is.”


He pulled out a small red dog house and sat on it, while wearing an old War World One pilot uniform. Boulder Dash seemed oblivious to the miniature Discord flying around him as if nothing was wrong.


“What do you want?” I hissed in anger towards Discord, as the earth pony raised an eyebrow at the straightforwardness of the question.


“Didn’t you try to kill the king of Iron Claw?” the earth pony spoke in a serious tone


I chuckled betterly “Of course not.”


Boulder Dash frowned as he rose his voice “You were caught fighting Harold, after the failed assassination attempt.”


“Yes I fought him, but that’s because he was trying to kill me!” I snapped back with growing frustration at the bitter memory of that  particular one sided encounter “What was I supposed to do? Just kneel down to him and let him hack my head off?”


“I just want to know why you were in Iron Claw.” Boulder Dash firmly replied.


Discord chuckled, as he started doing more barrel rolls “Oh you know, the usual. Take revenge against all those who have slighted you, plan to cast an overly complex ritual spell, all the while gathering the necessary ingredients to help tip the odds into your favor before you unleash chaos upon the world.”


I snorted  replied derisively“ Oh, just simply taking notice of an Equestrian who just happened to be talking with a ruthless warmongering dictator.”


Now the earth pony frowned while I smirked. Yes it was stupid, but then again being captured was a death sentence right now. The mad griffin king Harold wanted my head and Celestia was preparing to do something equally as nasty to me, but for more ‘noble’ reasons.


Pretending to be ignorant was useless if I didn’t know what he wanted. If Harold promised money, than I could reveal every dirty secret I knew, so that he could blackmail the other nobles of Iron Claw, or help direct him towards some of the places I squirreled away some of Iron Claw’s missing treasury.


If it was for nobility or status with Celestia… that would be a bit trickier, but I knew enough secrets to promise him power, as the other nobles would grant him prestige… and probably plot his demise behind their false smiles in the meanwhile.


Boulder Dash tried to laugh it off, while I senes otherwise, as he said “I was there on Celestia’s orders, to investigate what was going on in Iron Claw. Look, you know me as I had been your teacher…”


“Oh yes, one of your ‘teachers’ he was.” Discord replied as he was now adopting a cheesy Yoda accent “Teach you and lie he did. Stare at rocks while he write reports. Test again before finding flaw or new teacher he was.”


I know that listening to the tiny devil resting on my shoulder wasn’t the best idea, but I could feel my hatred towards him growing. I could tell he was lying through his teeth as Canterlot taught me how to spot nobles lying through their teeth on almost daily bases.


“No, you were just another noble picked by Celestia to make me run through another series of jumps and loops.” I snapped back in hatred “You didn’t give a damn about me, just as long as it elevated you from your previous station! If I was a not an alicorn, then you would have provided the proof that I was a fraud. If I was a real deal than you were the earth pony that had the privilege to personally trained him.”


I glared at him in his silence as I nearly spat “What’s the matter? Are you upset that I decided to leave Canterlot before you got your claim to fame?”


Boulder Dash was un-phased by my comment. So if he wasn’t focusing on raising his rank then it had to be money. Canterlot had a lot of Unicorn ‘Elitist’ making rank more trouble than it was worth, but if he was anything like a Cloudsdale pony, than money was worth more to him.


To my surprise he replied “I went to Iron Claw because it is good to know the intentions of a warmongering nation that lies so close to Equestria’s borders. I would find it more surprising that you would take refuge in such a dangerous a nation out of all places to hide in.”


“Ooo” Discord whispered with glee “He thinks you did something naughty!”


“Maybe he was just worried about you?” A third voice replied “That place is full of nasty griffins and he found you really, really big boo boos!”


“Cause by his own griffins.” Discord cheerfully added.


I glanced at the tiny pesky gray filly, who was now blowing a big raspberry at Discord while trying to play the angel on my shoulder again, as Boulder Dash rubbing his chin trying to figure out what heck I was looking at. I was both grateful and annoyed that he couldn’t see the tiny alicorn filly beside me… though mostly annoyed, at the fact these dam hallucinations were still here and they were getting out of control!


I could deal with them when I was on my own! I did not need them to start distracting me or doubting myself in a moment like this! I needed to focus on the back stabbing traitor in front of me instead of second guessing myself!


“What can I say?” I bitterly snapped back “I needed food, water, and a map that lead me away from Equestria and Celestia’s bounty hunters.”


Boulder Dash stared at me in mock confusion as he pretended not to know “You think Celestia has placed a bounty on your head?”


I huffed in bitter annoyance, as I could spot Discord waving around that damn newspaper “The fact they are publically denouncing me as a monster or a traitor to the crown in less than a day after I left Canterlot, is kind of hard to ignore.”


I held onto my hatred, reminding myself just how easily these dam Equestrians could turn traitor when it became convenient for them. Though, that could be used for my advantage if I knew what this traitor wanted!


Boulder Dash frowned “It wasn’t like that?”


I couldn’t help but chuckle at the absurdity of that statement “One night, I tell Celestia I’ve had enough and left. Before the sun even hits the sky everypony for miles are denouncing me as a back stabbing traitor who tried to murder Celestia before…” The words were lost as I started swearing up a storm.


Struggling, I tried to calm myself down, as I had let my rage get the best of me “So, I find it a little bit strange that they were so ‘ready’ for my sudden departure especially the ones with torches and pitchforks.” I bitterly added, much to his apparent surprise.


I wasn’t going to be fooled by the pony’s nice and innocent ruse. Yes, the ponies could seem so damn innocent, but all one had to do was remember how the ponies from the Hearth’s warming eve story were before the sudden turn about… and of course there was Sombra the tyrant of the Crystal Empire.


“Can you blame us considering your possible heritage?” the Earth Pony replied sorely with what seemed like a hint of regret.


I glared at him as I had grown sick of hearing that question day in and day out “You mean, if I want the job I was forced into, while I had repeated for the umpteenthn times that I’m not an alicorn? In fact, I’ve denied every single damn time when some random pony called me an alicorn, as I was never an alicorn in the first place!”


The green flames danced out as Boulder Dash jumped back narrowly avoiding the flames as I noticed something hidden behind a curtain that his body had been blocking from my sight.


I tried raising a hoof to point at him “But what about you? What do you want? What did Harold promise you?”


Boulder Dash frowned as he tried to counter “This isn’t about me…”


“Of course it’s about you!” I snapped back “I overheard what you were talking about with that warmongering tyrant. I know that he plans to invade Equestria as he hasn’t been all that subtle about it.”


I could feel his fear starting to grow, as I didn’t know what the Earth Pony traitor had been discussing with Harold or even how their conversation ended. What mattered was that he thought that I knew what he had been desperately trying to hide.


I focused on his fear as I tried to use it to refuel my magic. The feeling or rather ‘taste’ was unpleasant like eating rotting vegetables type of unpleasant, but I needed strength, I need magic, I needed to throw him off his game as I gathered my strength to escape even if I felt like throwing up.


“You need to press him for information.” Discord whispered “Ask him what he wanted. Start simple and slowly needle him for what he betrayed everyone for? Let that fear mix with his own self-loathing to get a small taste of what you felt since your exile.”


I nodded my head as I continued to press on “And yet you are the one to question me, when I’ve only spoken the truth while you have only lied? What did Harold promise you? Was it Money, gold, jewels, status, power or a claim of high nobility?”


He stood at me, un-phased at my shouting, as I dug even deeper “Or, maybe he promised you Celestia… Is that it? After he burns Canterlot to the ground you’ll come in and ‘rescue’ her, so that you can claim her as your prize and…”


I felt a hoof smash into the side of my face, possibly knocking a tooth out, as he stood over me glaring at me in hatred. His breathing was more erratic, as his expression looked more like a wild horse about to trample someone rather than the usual suave and dandy pony.


I could taste the blood on my tongue as he shouted in naked rage “You think that is my reason to betray Equestria!”


“Don’t do it…” The alicorn filly cried out in despair.


Discord grinned as he rubbed his hands “Do it…”


“I’ve seen people do far worse for far less.” I coldly replied.


“Do you have any idea what would happen if Iron Claw attacks! They would go after us first!” Boulder Dash shouted in outrage“They would tear Thunder Peak down from the mountain and burn my own village to the ground!”


“Why does some random place matter?” I snapped back.


“Because my wife lives there, you featherbrain!!!” Boulder Dash shouted at the top of his voice “That is her home, the griffin city, which also lies near the small city I look after! That is where Equestria isn’t just ponies, but griffin and ponies, where Equestria isn’t the sole power to safely look after everypony!”


With the damn finally broken, leaving him in a naked fury, I pointed a hoof at me as hatred filled his eyes “So do not think that I am simply betraying my nation, unlike you, over some petty grudge my parents had!”


I clenched my teeth, as I felt the rage surge through me as he thought I had left Equestria over some ‘petty grudge’ instead of actually running for my life. Oh, I was in the wrong for wanting to live, instead of dying for the ‘greater good’ like some hapless martyr!


Boulder Dash walked over to the curtain as if it held some dark secret. I prepared myself for the worse as it could be guards, possibly Brass or maybe even Harold or Celestia who had been waiting for this exact moment to reveal themselves.


He tore down the curtains as the alicorn filly gasped in shock, as I saw all too familiar lanky dark silhouette of alicorn reared on her hind legs chomping the bit to strike me, which I was in no shape to even try to move. I couldn’t help but to look into the cold hard gaze of Celestia bore down on me in hatred… until I heard Discord’s laughter as he held his sides laughing. It was only then that I realized that it wasn’t actually Celestia, or even moving for that matter. On closer inspection, I realized that sure it was an alicorn, but not just any alicorn either… it was an obsidian statue of Nightmare Moon? Why was a statue of Nightmare Moon staring down at me, as Boulder Dash acted as if this was some sort of grand reveal?


“He can’t be serious!” The alicorn filly spoke out in fear.


Discord held his sides as he wiped away his tears “Oh he really does think he is? Oh this is hilarious!”


“What is it?” I asked out loud.


It was kind of creepy how the statue of Nightmare Moon’s gaze seemed to focus on me… and the level of detail on it. It felt more like one of those objects crafted by a mad man that saw something from beyond the stars. Creepy… but it was rather pointless.


Boulder Dash spoke in the same tone of an inquisitor getting ready to sign a death sentence “It’s a statue of Nightmare Moon. We thought it would be the perfect gift to give Harold since it showed just how insane we truly think he is.”


I stared at the statue, as I still didn’t get it, until Discord whispered into my ear “He thinks your Nightmare Moon’s foal Locky.” Mini Discord must have noticed my shock of disbelief as he continued “You’re both alicorns, you both have have ebony coats, you both have slitted eyes, you both have fanged filled mouths, you both are shapeshifters, you both have low opinions about everypony around them, you’re both like to hide from everyone in dark dank places, you both like using others for your own ends, as well as spread fear and mistrust between people, all the while feared and hated by the general public. And to top it all off, your good looks radically changed after getting into an argument with Celestia.”


He rubbed his chin “Though to be fair your previous Canterlot color scheme is completely different from your current color pallet. Also the evil gnarly horn design doesn’t win you any favors”


I stared back up at Boulder Dash as he seemed dead certain to think that I was the unholy son of Nightmare Moon… heh… the threats, the hatred, how quickly they denounced my name… heh, heh…. This was the reason?


I started to chuckle as it wasn’t fair. No matter what I did I was already slotted for the villain role without trying. I was always fated to fail because everyone wanted me to fail. I was the false alicorn to humans and the Nightmare’s foal to Equestrians.


Boulder Dash looked so sure of himself as if nothing I could say would convince him otherwise. I could feel myself starting to break down “Is that what you think? That I’m just some random magical alicorn that pulled itself out of existence just to satisfy everyone’s crazed delusions!”


I could feel the smile growing on my mouth as my body began to shiver “With Celestia, it’s another alicorn fit to rule a bunch of self entitled jerks. With you, I’m the evil child of Nightmare Moon who Celestia had banished when her sister Luna when crazy from grief. With Discord, I’m just the random human he pulled out of existence and dumped me on this rock just for shits and giggles.”


My teeth began to chatter, as I could feel my face starting to hurt from the smile, and the stinging feeling around my eyes isn’t helping either “So I’m the magical human, impersonating a changeling, impersonating an alicorn, impersonating a missing royal blood line, all because some hack job of a writer couldn’t figure out what the blazing fuck I’m supposed to be. Hell, for all I know I could secretly be an alicorn who’ll be turned into a foal by some random wizard in hopes of making a sane love happy alicorn be possible in the future!”


I looked up at Boulder Dash, who seemed aback, like things weren’t going the way that he was expecting to go at all, as he kept taking steps backwards “You’d like that wouldn’t you? All that crazy mumble jumble madness finally stretching itself so far, it makes the truth! I was torn away from my home and dumped in this god forsaken land as a villain, only to shake hands with Discord himself who thought it would be more funny for Celestia to think I’m Royalty material. If I screw up, I’m a villain, if I succeed then I’m a fucking cardboard cutout Alicorn on a pedestal!”


My face really began to hurt, as Boulder Dash seemed frightened of me “I took on a crazed fucked up changeling, who wanted to turn people into cheap knock offs of other ponies, in the hopes that one of his screw ups would be able to use the Elements of Harmony, which I had in fact lost to, and made a deal with Discord, because that crazy nutjob tricked me with twisting his words to screw me over.”


I started tapping my chest to where that stupid chest scar was “I don’t even know if he shoved one of those things into my own damn heart, or if it was all one big twisted mind game to keep me guessing! I don’t even know what element he was even taunting me with, but that’s okay… I spent my time playing politics while my friends got turned to stone.”


My green flames from the swear I just made danced onto the ground, twisting some of the bricks apart until black flames now stood between me and Boulder Dash. The statue of Nightmare Moon seemed to smirk, as I could feel the damn of my emotions finally break down at the absurdity of everything.


I laughed out loud, I just couldn’t hold all my frustration in anymore “I had the entire power of a prince, where I’m damn certain that I could have tried using the Night Guard to start a ‘holy’ crusade against Brass and hunt her down. Instead, I waste my time trying to gather all the necessary ingredients in order to complete one really long and complicated spell, that I’m not even sure I can cast!”


Boulder Dash opened his mouth before I cut him off “But don’t worry, Celestia just suddenly woke up, for some odd reason, and suddenly had a pressing need to visit the Royal Garden at the exact moment I happened to be preparing the spell. The spell I needed to protect me from her peaking in one specific memory, that I absolutely didn’t want her to see. It’s almost as if somebody woke her up at that exact moment, and made sure that this had to happen!”


I could feel a sudden jerk in my neck, as I wasn’t sure if it was from me… or the shear stress that I had been expressing for the past months finally making themselves known to me “So, I kidnapped a griffin noble who had worked with Brass in the past on a twisted hunch, then hired a griffin to take him back home, while I followed them long enough for the hired griffin to figure out where the kidnapped one was going.”


“Oh, then of course Discord and the tiny alicorn filly started talking to me.” I cheerfully added “Discord kept telling me how everyone were jerks, and the tiny alicorn kept talking about how I needed to believe in others, or how harmony was the way to stop the axe wielding psychopaths, and greedy selfish humans who didn’t give a fuck about anyone, just as long as they got to sit on the throne even if it meant overthrowing an entire nation.”


I could feel another snap, as I smiled “Then I went out and helped the traitors rotten eggs of Iron Claw to be more efficient in their murders against one another before I would go out and utterly murder their king! Maybe even break up a few alliances and destroy such a corrupt nation that wouldn’t last another hundred years because of how messed up the country is!”


Boulder Dash throw a hoof out “You were behind the disaster in Iron Claw! You tried to assassinate the king of Iron Claw with a bomb!”


“No! No, no, no that was much too inefficient as not only did it fail, but it wasn’t cost effective.” I chided him “All those random shipments of black powder being bought, only to be wasted by a bomb that didn’t even go off when the king sat in his chair? There should have been plenty of fucking explosives hidden there to either kill the monster or blow up the entire room!”


The flames started to lick the walls, as the light from the sun outside began to dim. The windows were slowly growing smaller as the evil black flames turned purple setting the room into a more sinister tone.


I kept shaking my head in frustration, as I couldn’t believe that someone tried to kill that bird with explosives and actually failed. “My plan was to go to his room and make a small spot to hid in his ceiling. Then, when he went to sleep in his bed, I would unleash round after round of screaming hot lead down into his gullet riddling his body with bullets until he died. Then, everyone would start pointing fingers about who could have done it, just long enough to run away and start sending their armies to tear apart their remaining rivals!”


I laughed out loud at the absurdity of everything “And yet, I messed that up! I finally played the role of a villain only for some asshole to jump the gun and screw up! He wasn’t even hurt and he ran exactly to where I was, which I might add was fucking bullshit! How the hell did he even find me so fast when I hadn’t even tried to kill him yet!”


Mini Discord and the tiny alicorn filly looked around in fear at hearing what sounded like twisted whispers that seemed to come out of nowhere, it almost sounded like a song, a… demented song, that, that seemed so familiar to me, somehow; like I heard it somewhere before. Boulder Dash was now looking at me in open terror, as every hair on his body was standing on end. The air grew colder, as it almost felt as if some dark presence was gazing down upon my helpless form.


My hoof slowly rose up to my face, as I could feel my sharp teeth grinding against each other “Oh sure, I tried to kill Brass… well more like steal the magic portal necklace and the Cockatrice, before they suddenly summon whatever they were trying to summon, but that was more out of panicked theft and most of the guards fired blindly into my smoke screen.”


I stared at Boulder Dash “And now I’m beaten up, tied up, and about to be gift wrapped to whatever fate this god forsaken twisted joke of a world has in store for me. Because no matter what I fucking do, I am apparently fated to fail because life loves to watch me suffer!”


Suddenly my body felt cold… and funny… not my face hurt and everything hates me and wants to hurt me… but happy calm relaxing funny. Oh look the Earth Pony is making funny faces. How did his nose get as big as a bus…



******



Boulder Dash


The flames died out instantly as only the faint trickle of light left from the windows and from the door that was left opened behind him. In the shining light of the sun stood a large female griffin who stood as confident as Celestia herself when she raised the sun each morning… and raised his spirits each time he saw his beloved Gavenia.


Though Boulder Dash was kind of surprised to see her with a blow dart gun… and the now sleeping alicorn who was snoozing away. The earth pony and Griffin looked at each other before looking back at the alicorn, as they tried to figure out what in sweet Celestia’s name had just happened!


The earth pony slapped his own face as he tried to snap himself awake “Did he… Did he just have a mental breakdown and call on dark powers from it?” he asked unsure of what had just happened.


His beloved looked down at the blow dart gun “Was that batch a bit too strong… I mean the potion not the blow dart as I think that was just strong enough.” She looked back at him “Did you find anything useful out of him?


He stared at the unconscious alicorn as he didn’t know what to think. He was expecting Lockheart to deny any claims to Nightmare Moon, or start ranting about how Celestia was wrong to banish her only sister.


He didn’t want to admit it to himself, but he had slowly began to believe that Lockheart was in fact Nightmare Moon’s foal during the discussion with how he spoke. How the alicorn seemed to just love to watch him squirm… how he just seemed to know the exact word to accused with make him feel guilty, angry, or just plain miserable... how he seemed to be feeding on his anger to grow stronger… the venom in his voice when he talked about Celestia.


Gazing back at the mocking joyous expression of the Nightmare Moon statue, he couldn’t help but feel a chill down his spine as he was sure the statue didn’t look like that before he revealed it to Lockheart. Looking at the statue he just couldn’t help but notice the many eerie similarities between the small alicorn and the larger one.


The first were just surface level ones light the coat, the teeth… the fangs… especially the fangs. But it went deeper than that. There was the denial, the resentment, the burning hatred, and sadly the fact that he was just as much of a fruitcake as the original Nightmare Moon was in the records.


He could still hear that creepy whispering from the walls… thankfully the creepy flames were gone now, leaving the room darker than normal, instead of terrifying to stand in. The moments near the end of his rant, felt like one of those horror stories some of the rumors in Canterlot whispered about Lockheart.


Confronting him about his possible heritage with Nightmare Moon was foolish… but he didn’t expect the alicorn to simply snap… maybe spiral into rage or trying to strike a bargain, but not…


Boulder Dash face hoofed as he remembered the tears running down the alicorn's eyes. Those weren’t the eyes of a monster born of nightmares. Those were the eyes of a helpless pony trapped, persecuted, and terrified. It was then he remembered the small speech Remedy Cross had given to him once.


“One Princess. One Alicorn. One ruler. Where does that leave one who looks like an Alicorn… without all the regal bearings. What is one to do if they look like an alicorn with the talent of an alicorn?”  Remedy voice seemed to whisper in the back of his mind.


Boulder Dash didn’t feel like a hero… or even a pony trying to protect his home. At that moment, he truly felt like a villain that Lockheart was accusing him to be, as he just saw a pony who wanted to be left alone by the world only to be constantly persecuted again and again.


All because… he wasn’t what they wanted him to be.


“He saw us in Iron Claw and knew we were talking with Harold.” He slowly replied.


His beloved frowned “This isn’t good. Why did we try and save him again?”


Boulder Dash bit the inside of his cheek as he thought back to finding Lockheart lying in the middle of the forest beaten, battered, and bruised. He remembered the arrows sticking out of the alicorn’s wings… his arrows… the arrows used by the guards sent to protect him were used to bring the alicorn crashing down to the ground.


There were many reasons that he could come up with… knowledge of what happened, to interrogate him, to trade him in to Harold for good grace.


Though the truth was that the unconscious pony was an alicorn. Maybe he was an imposter instead of the runaway alicorn, but on the off chance that he was… Equestria respected alicorns. Equestria was founded by Alicorns, ruled by an Alicorn… It would have just felt wrong to have left him there.


But somepony or some griffin who wasn’t an Equestrian might not understand.


“Because we needed to know.” Boulder Dash lied to her “What if he he sent a message to Celestia about our meeting with King Harold?”


Gavenia face palmed as she muttered “Fair point… but this is still a disaster. We have Nightmare Moon’s…”


“He said he wasn’t related to Nightmare Moon.” Boulder Dash cut in.


She rolled her eyes “Maybe he’s lying or maybe he doesn’t actually know he’s related to Nightmare Moon. Either way to doesn’t matter.” her feathers started to puff out as her body grew more tense “The real question is how do we keep him restrained? Better yet what do we do with him now that we know who he is? Do we give him over to Celestia and hope that he doesn’t tell her what we were doing?”


“No, he would most likely keep it to himself.” The earth pony replied as he tried to calm her down “When I was… teaching him he was cold… guarded. He was the type of pony who preferred to keep secrets from everypony.”


That, and all attempts to get the alicorn to open up or even lighten up with him a little failed. In the back of that alicorn’s mind, he truly didn’t believe Boulder Dash’s sincere attempt at friendship… which may have sadly been proven it to him in that moment.


He looked at his beloved as he remembered how easy it was to connect with her. It seemed odd that a ground bound earth pony would try to date a griffin that loved to soar in the sky… and it wasn’t easy since he was a representative of Equestria and her the daughter of the ruler of Thunder Peek.


Though he had, against anypony and griffin’s expectations, managed to impress her, as his own self confidence had surprised her, even more so the lengths he went in his attempts to seduce her. As the two got to know each other more she knew that she could count on his support, but also to not be shy (or surprised) at accepting his affection for her.


While they did have their little spats every now and then they didn’t always see eye to eye (like now). Both of them knew that they were far better and far happier together than they were apart from one another.


Boulder Dash placed a foreleg around her neck “More importantly we didn’t promise Harold anything and he won’t ask for an answer until things settle down back in Iron Claw, as he wouldn’t want to look weak to us.”


Gavenia rubbed her neck into his shoulder “So even if he told Celestia it wouldn’t matter… or would she...”


The earth pony leaned his head closer to her’s as he continued “Do what? Be concerned that a foreign nation tried to threaten us, but we managed to weasel our way out without giving him a definite answer?”


She couldn’t help but chuckle “I guess we really lucky when that bomb went off when it just did.”


He nodded his head in agreement as he glanced at Lockheart… as a small unsettling feeling filled his stomach… did Lockheart know what they were going to do? Did he set off the explosion early, so that they could leave without giving Harold and answer, or being forced to pledge their allegiance to one of the other griffins that would have tried to claim the throne at that moment? Though, his self incriminating statement said otherwise, he would like to believe that maybe...


He felt a pit in his stomach, as he already knew what their answer was going to be, before the failed assassination attempt went off, giving them an excuse to flee Iron Claw. Personally, he was just happy that he wasn’t forced to betray Equestria right now… even if they were… foalnapping an Alicorn prince.


“Heh… we might have been in trouble if Brass didn’t suddenly point out where the assassin had fled to.” Gavenia said out loud as she tried to calm down.


Boulder Dash blinked as he thought about this mare Brass. How did she spot the assassin so quickly? As soon as the bomb nearly killed their king the mare had warned Harold were the assassin was running off to before the bell started to ring. The other nobles of Iron Claw were not in the room and Swift Wing was suddenly left with the protection of Iron Claw’s best guards, right along with a few of his own, right when a the failed coup turned into general anarchy broke out in all of Iron Claw.


“So…” Gavenia said as she looked at the unconscious alicorn “What do we do now?”



******



Celestia


Celestia took a deep breath as she prepared herself for the coming trip and looked at her reflection in the mirror once again. Her white coat was well groomed (with her now shrunken half sized stature) and her now long pink mane rested across her shoulders as a light blue ribbon had been tied around her tale. The illusion of the fake cutie mark rested along her side of what looked like four pink hearts in a circle with for pink triangles (or were they smaller hearts?) that were resting in-between them.


She could feel her cheeks start to turn red from the sheer embarrassment of the situation she had found herself in as she walked out of the room. It didn’t sound that difficult at first… after all she had to just let Maxwell show her around Manehatten, since that was where the Cultural Festival would be taking place.


Of course, that plan was slightly delayed due to the fact that ‘Sundance’ needed to help escort the Breezies delegation to Manehatten. For that to happen, the Breezies, along with the culprit behind all of this whole mess, were being transported to Manehatten by regular passenger train. Granted, this was done by ‘borrowing’ one of the noble’s train carts to help ensure a safe and smooth ride for the Breezies.


Celestia looked back at her long time aid, Ink Note, with a slight hint of desperation in her eyes “I’m sure Maxwell will be perfectly able to take care of the transportation of the Breezies.” She said more to reassure herself more than anything else.


Ink Note the white unicorn, with dark almost inky black mane as her cutie mark was that of a simple quill in an ink bottle… the same canterlot aid, who had helped Celestia navigate through countless long tedious schedule, fight side by side against the ever growing power of the Bureaucratic legion of papers, and of course traverse the boundless ever changing landscape of Canterlot Politics and the nobility’s court games. Out of all the ponies she could have picked in her long centuries, she was certain that this one mare would be the hard never budging rock she could rely upon in this endeavor.


Instead, the heartless fiend replied “I think we should add a light blue aquamarine scarf. What about you Cloud Puff?”


The tiny breezie stared at Celestia as if she was analyzing a rare painting “Maybe one of those wide brim sunhats, with the same ribbon as her tail tied around it?”


Celestia frowned “This was supposed to be one day off instead…”


Ink Note held up a hoof “Canterlot will be perfectly fine during the time it takes for you to arrive to Manehatten. I’ve already set up the apologies for your absence , along with the accompanied lame reasons as to why, make the proper rescheduling, and more importantly find assistance for the piles of paperwork that will need to be looked over, double checked, and authorized by the crown itself.”


Celestia shook her head as she didn’t believe that Ink Note was already prepared for this sudden event… or that she had already made plans for something like this “You know how much paperwork accumulates in just one day.”


“And I have already obtained Lockheart’s former aid to assist me.” Ink Note firmly stated “And besides… after all the times you had hinted, toyed with, or suggested that I find a nice young stallion to spend some quality time with, I think it would be just fitting that this be now your turn now to get a taste of your own advice.”


Celestia’s mind raced in grasping for any excuse to get out of this “What about my talks, speeches, the moments where I have to go to a dinner invitation or…”


“All of your public meetings that require your presence are not until the day after you little get together with Maxwell.” Ink Note stated as a cold hard fact as she had personally made Celestia’s schedule to ensure that it was possible “The paper work is also being taken care of… unless you want to spend some time bonding over paperwork with Maxwell. I’m sure I could acquire a second train cart to ensure all the last minute request paperwork will be able to join you on your ride.”


Celestia opened her mouth ready to counter that statement… until her brain froze for a second… did Ink Note actually make a slight bit of innuendo towards her? The two of them stared at each other as slowly Ink Note’s face turned a slight shade of red realizing how that could have been interpreted as.


“Just to be clear…” The mare replied trying to regain her dignity “I mean wall to wall papers where a slight bump on the track could literally drown you in paperwork.”


Celestia couldn’t help but shiver at the mental image as there was always last minute paperwork that would suddenly spring into existence before the festival began. 


“Are you sure you can handle it?” The solar princess asked one last desperate time.


Ink Note sighed as she stood up straight “Most of the paperwork will be simple, mindless and boring, but ultimately easy and harmless work. I was planning on using it as a opportunity to see if we could find a third pony to help assist as an alicorn’s aid if needed. Anything that is of any actual importance will be saved until your return.”


Celestia felt a little bit guilty about dumping all of her paperwork upon a bunch of hapless ponies, but she reassured herself that it was anything too bad… and most of it was rather dull and repetitive. Besides she could surely trust her aid to take care of Canterlot until then.


Ink Note wore a soft smile as she tried to ease the princess’s worries “Unless a sudden invasion attempt by the feral roaches happens to attack Canterlot than we’ll be just fine…” Celestia raised a hoof as Ink Note cut her off “And yes I’ll be ready to send you a warning if such an unlikely event just happens to take place.”


Cloud Puff chuckled as she spoke out loud “Is she always like this when she leaves Canterlot?”


Ink Note nodded her head “She likes to claim she is spontaneous, but I wouldn’t be surprised if she made schedules to make check sheets for planning her entire future when she was a foal.”


Celestia quirked an eyebrow “You do realize I’m still in the room right?”


The unicorn just looked at Celestia with an odd glance “Really? All I see is just a young mare getting cold hooves about her upcoming date.” She went over to Celestia and helped gently push her out towards the door “I know you're nervous about making sure everything turns out alright, or the fact that this will be your first date in a long time…”


Celestia opened her mouth only for Ink Note to cut in “I’ve been working for you for how many years and I have yet to even see you go out on a date with anypony… unless there’s been a few nightly excursions that I have not been informed about?”


The solar princess kept her mouth shut as there was no right answer to that question. Cloud Puff laughed in joy as she was carried on top of a large sunhat as it was gently placed over Celestia’s head.


Celestia tried to look back at her aid “Are you sure everything will be fine… especially with the other nobles?”


There was an almost sort of twisted grin on Ink Note’s face as she spoke with the same ease as a Las Pegasus dealer “They’ll be taken care of.”


Then the door was shut before Celestia could ask what she meant… or question why she had a sudden moment of déjà vu as that grin had reminded her of Lockheart when he dealt with some of the nobles…


“No… I’m just imagining things.” She told herself “I have known Ink Note for countless years and I am quite sure she won’t abuse her position while I’m gone.”


“Besides what’s the worst that could happen!” Cloud Puff replied with far too much cheer for Celestia’s liking.


With a deep sigh Celes… no… Sundance prepared to help transport the breezies who actually wanted to attend this year’s cultural festival. Now all she had to do was see how Maxwell was doing on his end.



******



Celestia held onto her sun hat as she felt the cold breeze past by her. Some of the breezies shouted in glee as they used the edges of the hat to keep them from being blown off. She had insisted on them trying to keep a low profile, or possibly getting a few guards for extra security to help ensure their safety, while she escorted them to the train station, but Cloud Puff, as she should have expected from that bundle of mischievous trouble, had made things constantly more difficult than it had to be.


“Is everypony alright?” she asked out loud.


“We’re fine Sundance” The tiny terror replied with glee “Now onward to the tracks of destiny!”


The other breezes were quickly swept up in Cloud Puff’s enthusiasm as Celestia sighed to herself as she should have taken those extra guards with her. She didn’t want to bring any attention to herself so she just stuck with keeping the same amount of guards her aids, before her sudden addition to the trip.


The problem was that she didn’t currently had any guards with her, since they were all inspecting the train carts and the accommodations for the breezies. The solar princess caught the wayward glances of a few ponies as she felt odd.


While she was perfectly capable of flying or arriving to her intended destination by herself she had always been accompanied by the Royal Guard. It felt odd not to see them nearby, as she heard some of the ponies in the background whispering.


She shook her head as they were probably surprised to see so many breezies out in the open. Celestia was certain that her disguise was holding up and that nopony was asking why their beloved princess looked like a small mare setting out for a date.


“Oh this would have been so much easier if I get ready in a cart or a carriage.” she muttered to herself.


She towards the train station as her fears started to grow. Why were there so many ponies staring at her? Where they buying train tickets or did they hear a rumor? Did that pony just point and whisper something about her? Where in the wide wide world of Equestria was Maxwell?


She placed a hoof over her eyes as she tried to spot him. Could he wearing his new suit for the party or was he wearing his normal white shirt and brown jerkin combo? Would she even be able to find him in this…


“We did make sure that the vault to the cursed artifacts was sealed before we left... right Cloud Puff?” Celestia asked outloud.


The tiny breeze poked her head out and sighed “Yes we did Sundance so you have nothing to worry abou…” 


Celestia glanced at her the awful… no horrible crime against fashion as it stood out like a beacon against everything that was holy and tasteful “Did that suit attach itself to him… is it cursed?”


Cloud Puff coughed “No… I think... he picked it on purpose.”


“Why would anypony ever want to wear something so tacky like that on purpose!?” Celestia nearly shouted out loud.


“Hmm, well the collar is a bit too tight, waistcoat was somehow too loose, as the blue orange tangent undershirt horribly clashes with the mustard gold… and yet it’s sewed on as part of the suit.” Cloud puff analized out loud, demonstrating her unexpected in depth critique. “And what made him think that purple bow tie and pointed bowler cap combo was a good idea in the first place?”


Celestia glanced up at the breezie in surprise “I didn’t know you had a passion for fashion.”


The tiny breezie chuckled “Oh, I have to pay attention to detail since most of you ponies look the same.” Celestia frowned at the bad joke much to the tiny terror’s pleasure as she continued  “We have to ask him where he got the suit!”


“If only to burn the offending shop down to the ground afterwards.” Celestia whispered underneath her breath as she walked towards the bright ugly mustard yellow suit that stood as a stain against reality itself.



******



Maxwell


I looked back at the moving ponies and then at the train ponies as I tried to keep everything in order. I had a few last minute requests for supplies to be transported, a few items to help re-ensure the safety of the breezies.


I felt a lump in my throat as I looked at the method of transportation we were using for the breezies in Manehatten… it looked almost like a glass zoo cage expect this one looked as if the creator was debating between build houses for the smurfs… or gingerbread houses. Hopefully all I would need is a fresh paint of coat if these ‘houses’ weren’t up to their standards.


“Okay…” I muttered under my breath “I just need to leave a good impression on one of the most fragile races in existence in hopes of having them owe me a favor in the future.”


Yes, that’s what I needed to focus on. Not any of my self doubts that has plaguing me about sending all those people up north to fight a battle that I skipped out on… or how the suit had somehow managed to tug on me in all the wrong places. Seriously how does a shirt manage to do that?


Pocket Ace said this was the perfect suit for him to wear because it always caught a mare’s attention and helped lighten them up when he took them on a date. Of course this wasn’t a date, and I need something that would look good in front of a bunch of nobles hosting a party.


I have no idea what was deemed ‘fashionable’ for ponies muchless pre-twilight era noble ponies… and looking at ‘upper class’ ponies didn’t help either. Half of the suits looked like they came from the late 19th century or straight out of Harry Potter’s wizarding world.


I could feel my butt freezing out in the open wind, as I would have rather went with the wizard robes, if the dress code didn’t require my flank to be exposed.


‘Is this what you’ve come down to?’ I heard Ivan’s voice whisper in the back of my mind ‘Playing dress up and playing pretend instead of doing something important?’


I tried to push out the venomous thoughts as I reminded myself why I was doing this. Breezies were Equestria’s experts of magic involving other realities and dimensions. That meant helping them out helped everyone find a way home that much quicker. 


I heard a few shouts snapping my out of my thoughts as I turned my head only to see four members of the royal guard shouting orders and trying to make space. Two of the smaller or less vocal ponies came over to me. One green unicorn holding a spear and a… pegasus that seemed to be copying a griffin color scheme.


The pegasus glanced at the breezie container and started to gush all over it “Oh my goodness! They even have tiny little seats and beds inside them!”


The unicorn rolled her eyes “They were built for the breezies Sparrow.”


The pegasus spoke with a hint of glee “But it was last minute stuff! This whole train ride is last minute and they managed to make enough beds for all those tiny ponies!”


I coughed as I tried to catch their attention “Uh who are you?”


The pegasus quickly saluted out of reflex as she stated “Cadet Private Sparrow reporting for duty!”


Emerald stood straight as she added “Cadet Private Emerald Spear also reporting for duty and the safe transfer of the breezies from Canterlot Castle to Manehatten.”


The pegasus smirked “We’re here to make sure that Nopony on the trains tries to bother those cute little fussy things, or cause any impromptu disaster by suddenly opening up the door while the train is moving.”


I remembered how much trouble Cloud Puff had when I was speaking normally… trying to picture a breezie dealing with the wind from an open door or worse… a breezie being sucked out of the train cart…


“I look forward to working with you both.” I replied with full sincerity.


Sparrow nodded her head “I’m going to take a look at the train cart now.”


I took a good look back at the breezie container, as I prayed that the breezies would also like the small furniture that was made for the diorama. It was a little bit funny to think that this was just made as an art piece… and now it was being used to catering breezies.


‘Okay one last check.’ I thought to myself ‘I finished the paperwork for the rest of the event, I managed to find a place for the breezes to rest and do their part in the cultural festival, I signed off the last of the papers needed to send the next shipment of supplies to the expedition up north so they should be doing okay.’


I spotted my reflection in one of the windows as I looked ridiculous… I looked ridiculous while giving tour guides and attending parties in the safety of Manehatten, while others were trudging through the snow trying to find Duran and help save the yaks up north.


I saw my cutie mark in the reflection of one of the windows as Ivan’s voice whispered in the back of my mind “You were the one who was chosen to fight against the darkness… instead of sending others to fight your battles for you.”


I tried to ignore the venomous thoughts in my head as I continued look over the small diorama for any flaw… or any additions I might need to make until I noticed just how quiet things had become. All it took was one quick glance to spot the small swarm of breezies being lead by a single mare.


I could hear a few whispers amongst the crowd and I’ll admit I was kind of shocked to see what I guessed to be Sundance as the only clothing she was wearing was a ribbon around her tail along with a sunhat… which some of the breezies seemed to be resting on.


So this was the mare I was suppose to be with for the entire train ride to Manehatten... and then escort around town for one day!? Celestia’s dinner party invite was for the day after so that meant if I screwed up there was a good chance Celestia would hear of it right away and chew me out or worse...


Okay deep breaths, speak softly, and…


“You wouldn’t happen to know anyone named megan would you?” one idiot in the crowd asked loud enough for me to hear.


I face hoofed at the sheer idiocy of that question as thankfully the mare in question didn’t seem offended as she replied “I don’t know anypony named Nutmeg?”


“She doesn’t sound like Laura Dean.” A second idiot replied “So pay up.”


Sundance seemed a little bit confused at the statement, but otherwise alright as she finally made it over to me “Is there somepony else that is supposed to be here or…”


“Long story short you look very close to a famous pony back home.” I sheepishly replied as I really didn’t want to explain it to her.


Sundance chuckled nervously as she seemed a little bit uneasy at my comment. Maybe she isn’t that thrilled about the sudden popularity or suddenly being compared to another pony she never even heard of. The breezies on the other hoof flew off her hat and started exploring the tiny town that was left for them as I patiently waited for the final verdict.


I glanced back at her as she seemed a little bit nervous so I tried to give her my best smile as I said “My name is Maxwell and I’m here to help…”


“Escort me.” She quickly replied “I mean you're here to escort Sundance who is me I mean. Just an average and very ordinary earth pony.”


A nervous chuckle escaped her lips as she also tried to smile, but I could tell she was nervous. How many rumors had she heard about the ‘other sundance’ to make her so nervous? Then again Cloud Puff did say she would be nervous and that she was in need of a day off.


The pegasus from the royal guard came back and saluted “Cart is clear and safe…” she stared at sundance oddly for a moment.


The mare seemed a little bit nervous as she replied “Is there anything wrong?”


Sparrow shook her head for a moment apparently dismissing whatever she was thinking about “Sorry about that. Thought you were somepony else.”


“Huh, Nutmeg?” Sundance asked nervously asked.


Sparrow chuckled “I don’t know who that is, but it’s nothing…”


The pegasus walked away as the unicorn whispered “I told you she was an earth pony!”


Sundance seemed to smirk as she whispered “How many ponies did you tell?”


I opened my mouth to answer only for Cloud Puff to interrupt “Only a few of the royal guards… and the ones who were just joining the royal guard… and the maids… maybe told one of the messenger ponies to tell the other adventurer ponies that a certain pony was going to be here today.”


Sundance seemed to be blushing in embarrassment as I tried to think of something to say “How about we go inside and make sure everything is ready?”



******


Sparrow and Emerald stood outside making sure nopony bothered the breezies. Normally I would commend them for their efforts, but at this point I could use a distraction from this air of awkwardness. Sundance for the most part looked like the old G1 pony that I had expected… only mixed with a bit of Moondancer and fluttershy… shyness for a lack of a better word and sitting with nothing to do didn’t help either as she just stayed quiet.


The Breezie responsible for this whole mess was off playing/exploring their new accommodations leaving us with nothing to talk about as neither of us really knew what to say to one another… beside very forced, but short attempts at small talk, which had always fell dead in the water.


That just left me with making sure that the only table with chairs in the room was secure to the floor. I was a bit surprised to see that they were padded, and rather comfortable to sit in after hearing about some of the rumors between the remodeled trains and their previous versions. 


Still all in all, there wasn’t much to do except sit and wait as the breezies explored the room or checked how well the diorama held up to living guests.


“How long did it take to build this?” Cloud Puff shouted in excitement.


I shrugged “The base model took a few days… the renovations needed took two days to complete.”


Yep… two rather mind dulling days trying to build and paint tiny chairs with everyone else. I glanced at Sundance… a day or two depending on luck until we arrived in Manehatten… This felt like it was going to be a really dull trip.


I looked up at Sundance as she seemed nervous “Are you alright?”
She stopped fidgeting in her seat for a moment as she stared at me oddly “You know what’s going on right? I mean…”


There was a small pause as she just stared at me waiting for me to say something.


“Cloud Puff told me that you needed help finding a guide.” I was starting to feel nervous as her eyes just kept drilling into me… as if she was expecting some sort of hint or clue about something I knew nothing about.


We just sat there for a few more minutes, as the train began to move as I looked out the window and watched the landscape roll by. The room was silent except for the random comment made by a breezie or how some of them were quite content with watching the landscape race past us.


“So… how is your job?” Sundance asked out loud “How is the tavern you work at?” I looked back up at her as she sort of panicked “I mean I heard you were working at a Tavern from C… Princess Celestia!”


I shrugged “It’s doing well.”


She continued staring at me as I didn’t know what she wanted. I told her it was doing fine so that should be it… or was she expecting more?


“Just well?” she finally asked.


I just nodded my head, as I didn’t know what to say “Sure there is the usual customer wanting a drink or a bite, but there wasn’t much in the way of Adventure’s jobs at present, since most of them are away at the moment... But the tavern is still doing fine.”


“I get a feeling there’s a but…” the mare calmly replied.


“There isn’t anything wrong with it.” I quickly replied as I was happy that Pocket Ace took me in. I was proud about the work I had been doing… but looking outside… feeling the train hit the train tracks and just feeling it carrying me along.


I couldn’t help but wonder what I was doing… or if I should have gone along with everyone else to the frozen north. I glanced at my cutie mark of a shield… the destiny calling card of this world claiming my role to be a protector… and I’m not protecting anyone… heck I’m not even going to make a final confrontation with Duran and I know that traitor is currently up north attacking the yaks.


She kept staring at me as I tried to change the subject “So what about you? I tried asking around beforehand… I mean before hoof and no one seemed to know who you were.”


It looked as if she was starting to sweat as she quickly replied “I don’t get out a lot. Breezies aren’t normally seen outside spring so it would be normal if Nopony knew about me.”


I glanced at the other breezies as it felt… kind of sad “Doesn’t it bother you that none of them realize the hard work you're doing? I mean it can’t be easy doing your job.”


Sundance sighed as she glanced out the window “Mostly it’s just smile and fill out the paperwork… maybe listen to a few complaints.” A soft chuckle escaped her throat “Nopony realizes how hard you work when everything's going alright, but they know when something goes wrong.”


“Still, I just take a look and see what I have done and I know… that no matter how hard it gets… that everything will be alright.” She spoke with complete sincerity as she looked out the window smiling… before quickly becoming flustered “I mean that’s what I feel at least when I’m doing my job and trying to help them out!”


I couldn’t help but chuckle as she made it sound so simple “I wish I had the same faith you had. It must be easy following your cutie mark.”


She stared at me oddly for a moment before replying “Wait… is this about your job… or your cutie mark?”


Suddenly the room became rather quiet as I felt like I was under a spotlight. I was suppose to help show Sundance a good time… not make her feel as if I was upset at playing tour guide for the mare, especially when I needed this job to get a favor from the breezies!


“No!” I jerkily answered, as the white mare face hoofed, while I tried amend myself “I mean I took the job, this job…”


To my utter surprise and confusion she had placed a hoof over my mouth as she spoke in a calm almost… motherly voice “You have a cutie mark of a shield and you are ‘guarding’ this mare.” she said teasingly with a smirk “Is it that difficult for you?”


“No… I mean…” I felt like grabbing my hair and tugging on it “It’s not your fault, but…” How do I say it? How can I be able to explain what I’m feeling right now, and why do Humans have to have a hard time saying these things, while ponies don’t have any problems expressing their feelings? “I just feel a little bit useless right now.”


She looked at me in surprise “Useless… you think that…”


“No…” I sighed in frustration, with how I kept fumbling with my words as I didn’t mean for her to think that she was the problem “It’s just being on this train made me think about one of the jobs I helped… that I’m helping out with… there were reports of where… where a bad pony is.”


“You mean Duran.” Sundance clarified which came to me as a surprise that she nailed it so perfectly “The evil changeling that caused a mess in the Everfree.” 


I sighed though I wasn’t sure if it was from relief as Sundance was easily able to figure it out… or frustration at how difficult it was for me to explain what was bothering me right now.


I absently nodded my head  “Yes that person.” I moaned “Here I am trying to make a festival go off without any problems… and…” I kept stuttering in my words, that just couldn’t find them and I kept waving my hooves until I just… I just couldn’t get the words I needed to say and just motioned to my cutie mark “Everything in Equestria seems to say that I should be going up North to deal with her, instead of sitting in here where it’s safe while the others are fighting to protect. I mean I wasn’t worried about it before, but these days…”


Sundance smirked “I think you’re getting a little bit confused about this. Tell me Maxwell… are you good at your job? Do you enjoy what you’re doing? Do you feel that your job is important?”


I rolled my eyes as that answer was kind of obvious “Well, yes… but it isn’t related to my cutie mark. I just go out finding random odd jobs for other people to do. I mean sure there is the random town with a timberwolf problem, or the sudden odd job that Celestia… I mean Princess Celestia needs help with.”


“What kind of jobs?” Sundance asked with a hint of curiosity.


“I’m not allowed to say.” I meekly replied.


She shook her head as a soft chuckle escaped her lips “Not the ones from Princess Celestia. I mean those other ones, like the timberwolves and such.” There was a small bit of mischief in her eyes as she said “Do you really have work rated as Adventurer grade babysitter?”


I hung my head and tried not to laugh, as they always seemed to ask about that one “Well, some ponies think that’s it’s better for foals to naturally go through their magical surges naturally… instead of keeping a pegasi in a crib, an earth pony in a foal pen, or to limit a unicorn’s magical outbursts.”


Sundance rubbed her chin “Still that could be done by a babysitter… and for much cheaper prices.”


Now I couldn’t help but smirk as I explained “Not when the nobles want to make sure none of their priceless furniture gets broken during one of those outbursts… or when some random combination or fusion of spells turn a pile of dirty laundry into ‘Socko’... that of course shoots rapid fire socks at everything nearby.”


“I guess you hear a lot of stories then.” She cheerfully replied in good humor.


I couldn’t help but smirk as I went on “Well somepony has to go out and explain why the dryer was wrapped in chains or where the new set of apple trees in their backyard came from!”


That seemed to make her chuckle, as I felt my cheeks redden as she said “Sorry, sorry, it might seem so silly coming from me, but you sound like one of those foals worried about their new cutie marks. They often get so caught up in searching for their symbolic meaning that they often forget that Cutie Marks don’t define a pony. Ponies define their cutie marks.”


“Yes I know.” I rolled my eyes that the obviousness statement coming from a native “A cutie mark about gems is vague as it could mean a talent in jewelry or a talent in mining.”


“That’s not what I mean.” Sundance replied in that same calm all knowing manner a teacher (which can be very annoying) had when explaining something to a student “It would be closer to say that one should ‘Trust in yourself’ than try to define them by what their talent is supposed to be.”


I huffed in slight annoyance at her “That sounds much easier when you’ve had years to figure it out. I got my cutie mark this year.”Couldn’t she have better stuff to preach with? At least other ponies came with a ‘how I got my cutie mark’ story.


The mare smirked as she pointed outside “Here’s an easy example to compare yourself to.” steering my head at where she was pointing, I looked outside trying to find whatever she was pointing, as I didn’t see any ponies outside just empty fields and skies. “I was pointing at the sun Maxwell… you know… Celestia?”


I looked back at her skeptically to see if she was joking… and oddly enough she seemed to be completely genuine “Uh… you mean Celestia… the big white pony that rules over Equestria?” Sundance nodded as if that was supposed to make sense to me before I replied in a deadpan tone “No offence, but there is a big difference between running a tavern than looking after an entire nation.”


“But it’s essentially the same when you look at it from the perspective of a pony’s cutie mark.” Sundance countered… or tried to counter at least since that was all just... ridiculous.


“She has a cutie mark of the Sun and she rules a nation.” I slowly replied scenes she nodded her head, as if happy that I made that connection “That… doesn’t really help since that cutie mark is linked to being in charge of Equestria.”


Now Sundance looked at me as if I was being crazy “Her cutie mark is the sun… you know… raising the sun which last time I checked doesn’t have any relationship to ruling over countless subjects. I mean, yes it’s a mark of magical talent, since moving the sun and moon is a very difficult feat to accomplish… but casting arch mage’s spells doesn’t have any relationship with public management, legislation, accounting writing laws, negotiations, public speaking or the countless other tasks she does on a daily bases for her little ponies.”


“and yet countless rulers have been able to link their claim to the throne by relationship to their connection with the sun.” I countered, I don’t know how this turned into talking about Celestia’s butt mark but I wasn’t about to lose this argument for that.


Her tail twitched and flicked about as I could tell she was annoyed, but there was also a hint of amusement in her eyes “Unless you mean they're pretending to be Celestia’s illegitimate foals I still don’t see it.”


“Not every nation knows about Equestria.” I quickly clarified.


“So, they don’t have any control or connection with the sun.” Sundance stated with a hint of smugness.


“But it is a strong argument as those who claimed to raise and lower the sun each day were able to guide the masses through their claim of such power.” I replied as I started to draw upon the history of my own world “In the past claims of divinity were linked with the crown or the rulers of nations. Even after the truth that they were mortal men had died away, the sun was still kept as a symbol of power and used by rulers marking their status as those above the common yolk to help cement their claim to the crown or ruler ship of the lands they controlled.”


Sundance seemed a little bit surprised at this revelation, before she switched back to the offensive again with a burning focus in her eyes “But, relating the symbols of status and power of other nations foreign to Equestria wouldn’t count, especially in the founding years of when the cutie mark manifested itself!” 


“And yet that same very mark literally marks them and lays bare who they are out to the rest of the world.” I interrupted 


“Of course, there are ponies with nearly the same cutie mark, but have two very different meanings to the ponies bearing them and that their special talent that manifest in themselves can be wildly different in nature or intensity.” Celestia countered “Cutie Marks appear as symbolism commonly understood or has a special  meaning to the pony themself... it happens in a moment of clarity when she knows what she must do in that moment or, no... When they appeared!” she spoke out loud nearly slamming her hoof down on the table in an ‘eureka’ moment. 


“Ah trying to dance around the issue without bring about Equestria’s how claim and dominance of ruler ship before Celestia even reached the throne!” I mockingly replied.


“Ah that’s where you're wrong!” Sundance shouted in triumph as she raised one hoof in the air for emphasis “The rotation, movements, shifts, and schedule of the sun and moon were not seen as ‘claims of power’ in the era of the division between the three tribes, were seen no more than manipulating the weather for a pegasi or growing a tree for an earth pony. Back then, it was an important feat, but one that stood on the same level as the other tribes so ergo… the cultural significance of the symbol was not in fact linked to a claim to the crown, rulership, or a position of political power no more than an earth pony farmer or a weather pony pegasus. It didn’t matter that if the unicorns could rise the sun if the weather didn’t allow the light to help grow the food or the gift earth ponies had to cultivate it during the freezing cold blizzards!”


She looked so smug at shooting down my argument and I have to admit that I didn’t expect her to bring up that point… then again different cultural, different values, different perspectives… but this was not the ‘magic bullet’ that would bring me down.


“Ah… but before Celestia took over the shift of moving the sun about… what happened to the unicorns who did the job before her?” I slowly countered as I started drawing her out.


Sundance didn’t seem impressed as she replied “Yes, there were a few nobles or power wizards, but having Celestia take the burden off them after her cutie mark appeared doesn’t support your claim.”


“I’m not talking about what happened to them after Celestia took over…” I smirked as she seemed puzzled at my question “I’m talking about what happened before when they burned out their magic. I had also took some time to look at a few bits of Equestria’s history since I’ve been in Canterlot.”


The mare seemed to be chewing her lip as she wasn’t sure where I was going with this line of thought, but she was preparing herself against one last assault before she could declare victory “Some lost their ability to use magic, but that didn’t mean those who could still use magic lorded over those who didn’t.”


“Ah, but they still had their knowledge didn’t they?” I asked with a cheerful smirk that made her stand on the defensive as I continued talking and driving it home “They became teachers, rule makers, leaders of government as one needed talent and skill to look over the nation, while those who still had their magic continued their craft. Burning their magic out wasn’t seen as a weakness, but it simply made them move onto looking to contribute in other important duties of the kingdom, since they still had a vast amount of knowledge and talent taught to them and help impart all of it to the next generation would be needed in order to help move the sun in the first place.”


I held my head up tall “So in fact… the symbol of the sun was in relationship to the crown and that of a leadership position within the kingdom. Ergo… Celestia’s cutie mark of the sun was also a clear marking of defining her capability and capacity as a ruler of a nation, and that’s without even saying that it was a ‘ray of sunlight’ onto a kingdom that had just become free of an endless winter.”


“Actually, it was the tree that was closer seen as a symbol of power and rulership, since providing healthy crops were at an all time low and those who held a position of power over food supported their claim to power.” Cloud Puff interjected “And while the earth ponies did have to give up their food, the best farmer were left as the leaders, the unicorn in charge of food shipment and gardening held more power than those with gifts or feats of magic as not even their mastery over magic could stop them from starving along with the other tribes.


She rubbed her chin “Even pegasi for all their mastery over the skies and the clouds tried finding other ways to grow crops to survive which had also coined the term for ‘cloud farmer’ which came from the myth or attempt to sow seeds into the clouds and grow food to help support those who lived up above in their cloud cities instead of relying on the earth ponies down below.”


I looked down in surprise as I saw a small row of breezies sitting back and watching us… some of them even had tiny bowls filled with some sort of powder as one breezie seemed to give an elbow jab into Cloud Puff’s side, as she was upset at him for interrupting the show.


I glanced back up at Sundance who seemed to be radiating smugness as she replied “Ergo… that’s my point for the win.” There was a slight pause of silence as her cheeks seemed to start to turn red as Cloud Puff smirked and was about to say something until Sundance interrupted “Not one word.”


She looked back at me with one last smirk “Also just to let you know, a cutie mark doesn’t ‘drive’ a pony to master a skill or trade. For example, some ponies with a cutie mark related to music, don’t necessarily want to become consumed in trying to become a musical maestro in a particular field, they could just do it for recreation instead, or use it while applying it in their trade. So to just assuming their cutie mark is related to their job is an incorrect assumption to make anyway.”


I shook my head as I honestly didn’t expect to get into a debate with her… or to have so much fun having a debating against her. I will admit that I find it odd that a symbol for an apple tree could have been the sign for nobility and power, instead of ‘humble’ beginnings.


The white mare tried to compose herself as she spoke in a lecturing tone “So there you have it… Celestia’s cutie mark has nothing to do with ruling, but her hard work, dedication, and talent is the reason why she is the Princess of Celestia instead of arch-mage or wise scholar of Equestria.”


She looked at me and smirked “And yet most ponies have a hard time trying to imagine her as somepony other than Princess Celestia.” She placed a hoof on my shoulder “And if you continue to ask if what you're doing is right… sometimes the most important job of being a good leader is not rushing into the battlefield, but getting other ponies to talk and have them work together towards a common goal.”


She held her head up high and apparently was trying her best ‘Celestia’ impression “Plenty of ponies can grab a sword and charge straight forward without thinking of tomorrow. The toughest ponies are those who remember to plow the field the day after, rebuild the wall the next week, and look out for one another the year after that!”


She cleared her throat before continuing in her normal voice “Defending ponies can be seen more than holding a shield and charging face into danger. It is also helping out behind the lines, providing supplies, helping others find work, or just simply helping the community out.”


“Who was that quote from?” I asked as I was ready to hear ‘Celestia’ as the answer.


Sundance to my surprise giggle as she replied “Star Swirl’s formal complaint to the royal court after they refused Princess Platinum’s idea to move to Equestria with the other two tribes and instead go to war for the new land found.”


She glanced at my cutie mark “Then again… I guess that could look as a good sign for a tavern. So mystery solved.”


I frowned a little as she chuckled… but I couldn’t help but get caught along with her good cheer as I knew she wasn’t trying to insult me. A part of me couldn’t help but think of what my cutie mark would look on a sign… or if it really mattered what my cutie mark looked like just as long as I tried to stay ‘true to myself’’ if that was the real secret to happiness in Equestria.


“So just stay true to myself?” I muttered out loud.


Sundance rubbed her chin as she thought about it for a moment “Well, I actually meant was something closer to ‘Be where you think you’ll do the most good’ since you were questioning what you should be doing.” She chuckled a little as she shook her head “I mean does running around in the snow chasing after an old grudge help more ponies out than what you're doing now?”


That… I guess I hadn’t considered it like that… but she does have a point. I may not be running after any escaped convicts or criminals, but with helping with the logistics of supplies and contracts I have been able to help more people out right now than I would be if I had just went up north. I looked back at my cutie mark hoping for some sort of confirmation or sign… only to have it just sit there as an otherwise odd,but unassuming patch of fuzz on my butt.


“This cutie mark would be better than the previous one to put on a sign.” I half heartedly replied.


“Other what?” Sundance asked out of curiosity “I mean I’ve heard about a helix fossil for a sign… and I am curious about how that was the first idea for a tavern sign you came up with.”


“Oh no, I meant the previous cutie mark I had…” I tried to clarify as I wasn’t going to try to explain the inside joke about the helix fossil


“Other cutie mark?” Sundance interrupted as she stared at me in confusion “Last time I checked, ponies have one cutie mark and don’t you dare say they have ‘one on each side’ Maxwell.”


I shook my head half in good humor… and half in sorrow as I remembered my ‘first’ cutie mark “When I had escaped from Duran… I was leading as many people who didn’t want to go along with his crazy scheme out of the castle. There was a fight and… I ended up getting a cutie mark of a smirking half mask.”


I sighed as the bitter memory slowly came back “Well, you see, I was a bit of a joker… tried to use humor to lighten the mood of a really bad situation that we were all in and I felt that I had to at least try make everyone feel a little better, heh… I was desperately to try in clinging the bright side of things.”


It was hard to explain both in how I was… and how ignorant I was back then “So, I guess it kind of made sense at the time, but then everyone else… nobody had a cutie mark, and suddenly I got one with how it looked like it was sneering which some of them though it meant I was a two faced liar or backstabber. They started having arguments over what it meant. They just left me behind as they didn’t feel safe traveling with me anymore.”


Sundance looked at me in pity “They left you behind because you stood out? Didn’t they try to help or…”


“You have to understand that I was the one who had invited Duran to join our group in the first place, they weren’t very happy with me to begin with.” I tried to explain their side of things as I felt the old sting of the memory of the betrayal “I made a bad decision… when it came to leave, Duran had caught onto our attempt to escape and we lost a few members… I stood up to him and he tried to do to me…” I lowered my head as I remembered that bitter moment “What he did to the others and then I got my first mark” I got lost in the Everfree Forest, then caught in a giant spider web and a whole bunch of other things...  and if it wasn’t for Lockheart and the others finding me there in that forest and helping rescue everyone… I…”


I looked down at the table as I remembered that horrible moment of dread. I was too afraid to make anymore decisions. I just kept trying to make jokes… trying to brighten up the situation, or find someone else who could save everybody. Heck, it feels so odd that I hadn’t stopped looking at the Equestrians as people as I saw them as… things back then.


I saw Steel Halberd and Remedy Cross as nothing more than mindless NPCs or mere ‘background characters’ that couldn’t do anything. I followed Lockheart almost blindly like a lost puppy because he was the pony with wings and a horn, while I was the screw up who only managed to rescue some of the humans before they abandoned me in turn.


I took a deep breath as I looked back up at Sundance “I know that Lockheart has received a lot of flack in Canterlot, but if he wasn’t there that day. If he didn’t stand up… show me that it didn’t matter who you were, as he stood up against Duran all by himself fully knowing that he couldn’t win.” I sighed, as I remembered the fear and horror I felt when I saw them struggling to save everyone “I just… I just rushed forward trying to follow their example.”


I glanced down at my cutie mark “And then that’s when this thing appeared. Suddenly I stopped trying to make jokes. I started looking at others in a different light… I stood up for myself and saw not an alicorn standing against an evil that I couldn’t face… but a normal guy struggling to do his best against something he didn’t believe he could stop, but he hoped to delay that threat just long enough for the rest of us to escape.”


Sundance looked at me as she seemed to be proud at what I had just said “I’m not sure what that thing on your flank was before you came to Canterlot… but it sounds like your true cutie mark came to you when you stopped being somepony else and started being yourself.”


“Yah!” Cloud Puff shouted “It didn’t come because you fought an evil pony! It came because you did what you thought was right in that moment! Do you think you need to walk around in a suit of armor, swinging a sword, or do you think you need to help ponies out all over Equestria, even if it isn’t punching that jerk in the snout!”


I couldn’t help but chuckle at the image of a pony in shining armor giving an upper cup to Duran. Sundance started to join in as she must have pictured something similar as the rest of the breezies joined in.


Sundance was the first to calm down as she looked at me “So… what is the real reason you wanted to go to the cultural festival? I mean it wouldn’t have been that hard to go up north and I’m sure you could have found something else to do than escort a random pony around Manehatten.”


I suddenly felt a twinge of guilt as escorting a mare around Manehatten for a ticket home was kind of on the top of my list. It also reminded me of a small… minor… thought that I had started to dwell on today.


“Well…” I looked at her as she stared at me in that damned kind and caring way that Equestria seemed to have. That one little look that made you spill everything out on the floor instead of finding someway to avoid the issue “… The ones who I had escaped with from the Everfree Forest the first time… they are having a small get together.”


“And you feel nervous about meeting them again.” Sundance replied with a hint of sorrow.


I looked back up at her as she didn’t seem sad that I would be leaving her… it was more of a look of sympathy or perhaps a similar feeling of regret or unease.


“I mean, I’ve managed kep get in contact with everyone else from the Everfree incident, but…” Sundance cut me off as she placed a hoof over my mouth. There was a soft kind smile that reminded me of Celestia as she looked at me and smiled.


She removed her hoof from my mouth as she said “I understand… but I’m coming along with you.”


I tried to talk her out of it “You don’t have to as I can still…”


Sundance frowned as she continued “Oh no. You agreed to show me around I’m kind of curious about this event. You need to go over there and get over your regrets and if any of those ponies try to complain about you being in Manehatten instead of going up north to fight a changeling than I’ll give them a piece of my mind!” She replied with both her hooves on the table helping her stand up tall.

I opened my mouth and tried to say something… but the look in her eye told me that it wasn’t up for discussion. I glanced back at Cloud Puff waiting to see if she would say anything only to see her shrug.


“Besides…” Sundance replied offhand “We can visit some of the clothing shops in Manehattan and get you a better suit.”


“What’s wrong with my suit?” I asked only to see her shock.


She placed a hoof over her mouth and made a polite cough “Maybe we should find you something that was made in… this century?” She pulled out a small book out from somewhere as she continued “Maybe Jade Boutique might have something that could fit you… or would Gentle Colt’s Stand have a better selection of suits…” 


I stared at her as she continued checking her book for where we would go... when did Sundance become my guide and escort for the Cultural Fair?



******



???


In the dead of night, at the Canterlot high security wing, Colton looked up at the barbed glass door, separating him from any visitors, as some unfamiliar pony shrouded in a black cloak walked into the medical corridor. The figure seemed to somehow blend into the darkness and didn’t seem hindered by the lack of light in the least as he walked towards the glass wall.


Colton starred in almost seeming indifference at the present sinister looking pony addressing him “What are you doing here?”


The cloaked figured chuckled as two black wings popped out of the back of the cloak, as it turned to face him. Colton felt odd staring at the pony as the hood did much to cover the pony’s face in shadows, which seemed to lead to an endless void, but he could make out the rough outline of a pony and judging from the placement of the wings he could tell this was a pegasus.


The odd pegasus stared at him in silence for a few moments before finally saying with a raspy voice “Would you like to see Sanguine once again?”


Colton’s ears perked to attention of the name, but then immediately shook his head “It would be pointless. I’m trapped in here and I doubt Sanguine would even be allowed in this building.” If it wasn’t told in such a cold indifferent tone it would have almost sounded like disappointment from the earth pony.


The odd pegasus nodded his head in understanding, before casually pulling a book from out of his cloak and presenting it to Colton “Right now, I’m in a bit of a bind. My current client is getting upset on how his plans aren’t going according to schedule and he decided to… ease up on the reigns.”


There was a slight chuckle that reminded Colton of the time when a group of adventurers were caught by Sanguine when they were trying to escape from his group. Colton could remembered how Sanguine made that same chuckle, just before he made them turn on each other before welcoming back the last one standing.


The shrouded pegasus casually dropped the book on to the floor and used his wings to flip through the pages “Though the current restrictions are a little bit troubling, as I find myself in the need of a good sculptor at the moment. Someone who can chisel through just the right amount of stone instead of just blindly carving in hope of getting it right.”


Colton felt a small chill from the pegasus, as he didn’t sound like one of the doctors. In fact, he sounded like someone the doctors would very likely keep away from him, just for good measure. ‘Could he be planning to break him out of here?’ He mused to himself. Was he going to be allowed to go outside to work his talents… his art… his cutie mark?


The pegasus plucked a feather from his wing and placed the blackened makeshift quill onto an open page of the book “You have a wish that will never be made… and I can give you the chance that you would never have.”


Colton felt a small thrill as he remembered the joy he working with Sanguine… and then a small bit of doubt and sorrow as he knew Doctor Patches wouldn’t be happy with him going back to his old habits again. Colton would be breaking his promise to the nice doctor and ‘breaking a promise would is the fastest way to lose a friend’ after all, and he of all people knew why he wasn’t allowed outside anymore.


Still, he stared back at the mysterious pony “What’s the catch?”


The pegasus chuckled as he grinned revealing his pearly white teeth “Oh nothing much… Just a chance to grab the dice and roll your fate for yourself. I can promise you that you will get your wish… but you’ll only get one wish, so it’s best to make it a good one.”


Colton looked down at the book and stumbled back in surprise, as the book was now on his side of the room. He felt the chill run down his spine once again… and a new growing thrill… no… joy at the possibility the book seemed to promise him now.


He wanted to be with Sanguine again, but he also didn’t want to upset Doctor Patches, as he was a good friend, which unlike the other doctors in the ward, he actually tried to reach out and help him. If this book made wishes possible… then couldn’t it make it so that he could be with Sanguine and have the good doctor join him? After all, maybe he will stop holding him to his promise anymore if he also knew the joy that is Sanguine.


Without wasting any time, he fervently took the quill and started scribbling down his wish.


‘I wish to be united with Sanguine again, and for Doctor Patches to join me. I wish that he would be just as happy as I am at that moment and for him to stay my friend.’


The pegasus moved to grab the book as Colton placed his hoof on it “This will make my wish happen. All of it?”


The pegasus chuckled once again, as he spoke in understanding tone “Yes. It is not limited by trying to keep a wish as one sentence. You will be given the chance to be united with Sanguine as well as your good doctor friend will stay your friend and be just as happy as your are when you are with him once again.”


Colton stepped closer to the glass “When will this happen?”


The pegasus snapped the book right in front of Colton’s face as he said “Sooner than you think.”


He turned away walking out of the room as Colton looked at the floor in surprise. His hoof hadn’t moved from it’s position, but the book was gone… almost as if it was never there as his hoof wasn’t even wet from the ink that should have still been drying on the page.


Yet he looked back at the empty room with a hint of joy in his heart as for some reason… he knew he was about to have his wish granted.


“I can’t wait to see his face when they meet.” Colton said to himself as he walked back to bed happy.