//------------------------------// // The Broken Kingdom // Story: Rhythm and Rhyme // by MyHobby //------------------------------// Caballeron huddled in the dark beside the small opening to the grand antechamber not two meters away. Tools chipped away at the solid stone, which had stood in place for millennia, ever since the hallway had caved in. The spark of magic caught his ears as a Painted One struck the flank of a nearby slave. “Enough! We’re close. There’s no reason to harm them now.” The acolyte growled at him, the painted lines on his face flashing in the dimness. “They slow down unless we keep them motivated, outsider. Those lacking hearts find little reason to move without persuasion.” Caballeron lit a cigarette and tossed the match at the Painted One’s nose. “And who’s fault is that?” A quick glance over the workforce told him they’d be through in a matter of mere hours. As long as the poor soulless ponies kept up a consistent pace—as long as no more succumbed to pains and aches they could no longer react to—Ahuizotl would have his prize. Then, Caballeron would be out. He glance back and, to his dismay, found the Painted One still fixated on him. He sighed and tipped his hat to one side. “By the way, the name is Caballeron. Use it maybe. Unless my name is meaningless next to the might of Ahuizotl.” “You jest in vain, outsider. Ahuizotl—” “Ahuizotl is wise, Ahuizotl is bold, Ahuizotl will lead the Painted Ones to Canterlot and wipe the land clean of the stench of unicorn tyranny.” Caballeron daubed his forehead free from sweat and dirt. “I’ve heard it every day since I joined your rotten little gang. It hasn’t swayed me yet.” Caballeron smiled as the Painted One blathered wordlessly. “Take it from a fellow earth pony; we don’t have it that bad. Business, commerce, innovation, all are the hallmarks of earth pony society. Half the nobility is earth ponies. What sort of oppression could you possibly be fighting? What sort of wonderous cause does your so-called god inspire?” The Painted One glowered, going silent as the workers picked away at the stone. The butt of his spear tapped against the ground lightly, just once. “Ahuizotl is not here to exalt the successful, but to liberate the forgotten. Not to safeguard the loved, but to empower the abandoned. You will not find one Painted One who is still joined to his mother and father.” Poni Caballeron scoffed. “He kidnaps abandoned children for his brainwashed army, then?” “Spin it how you wish, Caballeron.” The acolyte sneered. “My god is a god who keeps his promises.” Caballeron nodded. He snuffed what remained of the cigarette against the wall, his appetite for it spent. “Promises. Promises of power and privilege. Tell me, what promise has he kept lately?” The acolyte’s ear twitched in the direction of the tunnel’s mouth. He grinned at Caballeron and took a step back. “Wait and see.” Caballeron snapped his ears up to catch whatever the acolyte had heard. A faint skittering, a minor mechanical ticking. That was all that rose above the steady clink of excavation tools. He turned his eyes to match and squinted into the darkness, which was thick and foggy with dust. Light flickered, a shape came into view, and Caballeron’s chest burned with something resembling terror. Its body was separated into three segments, each rounded and made from a polished, bronze-like metal. The machine had six legs, set in pairs along the length of the midsection. Each leg ended in a curved, dangerous blade. The head held pincers the size of a pony’s leg. The eyes glowed with a magic that had, at some point in the recent past, been the lifeforce of a pony. The terrible loom of Ahuizotl’s presence filled the cavern. The mad creature’s mouth parted in two rows of vicious flesh-rending teeth. “Make the slaves stand aside!” Sparks flashed from the ends of spears. The painted ones drove the slaves to either side of the cavern. Caballeron stood atop a boulder that had come loose a few minutes before, all the better to keep out of reach and to keep Ahuizotl in sight. There, on the purported god’s side, a bag containing Scootaloo’s heart. And, Caballeron hoped, another heart as well. The thorax of the mechanical arthropod spread open, and from it emerged a silvery tube. Furious purple magic collected on the end as it aimed at the small opening. Heartfire spewed forth, annihilating all in its path. The wall vanished in a gush of dust and roar of fire. Ahuizotl raised a fist. “It has begun, my people! The time of Ahuizotl and the Painted Ones is now! Go! You have your assigned duties to prepare for my ascension!” He pointed a claw at a nearby acolyte. “You! Bring me the hearts for the device!” He stopped at the base of Caballeron’s boulder. With his height, he was easily able to see eye-to-eye with the pony. “And you. See to the slaves. Lock them in their cavern to await my emergence.” Caballeron gritted his teeth. “Perhaps you should keep your promise to me, Ahuizotl. One heart for a job well done.” “And indeed I shall!” Ahuizotl narrowed his yellow eyes. “Just as soon as the job is complete. Not a moment before. Besides—” He grinned. “—my Painted Ones have no idea how to treat a lady. Miss Belle doesn’t appreciate their attitude. Surely you will know how best to keep her comfortable, once her moment to shine arrives.” Ahuizotl patted the mechanoid on its head. “Come, Dissero. Time and tide wait for no creature.” Caballeron trotted away, his ears clamped tight against his head to block out the screaming laughter of his employer. “But when I guide the sun through the sky,” the mad god crowed. “Time and tide shall serve my beck and call!” *** When Button was next allowed abovedeck, they were gliding over the treetops of the Everfree Forest. The Vanishing Point flew nearly low enough to scrape the tops of the tallest trees. It was a wide open sea of green, only the occasional craggy stone formation breaking it up. Animal calls both carnivorous and otherwise were heard as whispers above the roar of the wind. He had never been this deep in the Everfree Forest. He’d never so much as dreamed of traveling into the untamed wilds. Looking down, seeing the misshapen trees, the roaring rivers, the gaping caves, sent shivers down his spine. “Five degrees starboard!” Daring Do shouted across the deck. “I can see the spire!” “Aye, aye!” Martial Paw tilted the ship’s wheel the requisite distance, and the ship shifted its course. Daring Do trotted past Button Mash to reach Spike, who stood near the edge of the ship’s rail. “Get ready to weigh anchor. I don’t wanna overshoot this thing.” Button moved to the front of the ship. He figured at this moment that the best thing he could do was “not break anything.” He gazed into the distance and found the point where the vast greenness became… something a bit more sinister. There, like a black scar upon the forest, was a tangle of spiny vines. They crept and climbed, reaching outward to spill into a wide chasm separating the forest from the malignant growth. The remains of a withered rope bridge dangled from a gap in the vines, acting as the origin of a withered stone pathway. He peered between the vines, through the tendrils and branches, and found the castle Daring had seen. It was akin to a castle from the oldest fairy tales; stone parapets and stained glass windows and spiraling towers. The wooden roof had rotted away, alongside the drawbridge and doors. The portcullis had collapsed, as if blown outwards by an irresistible force. All around, an oppressive sense of claustrophobia filled the air. Depression. Suffocation. Maybe it was just him. “Do the thing, Spike!” Daring Do grabbed the rigging and hauled herself upwards. “Marty, keep us away from those thorns!” They dove straight for the brambles. Button swallowed hard when he noticed that no, it was not an optical illusion, the thorns really were as long as a pony. “Tr-try not to touch the vines.” Button jumped. Blankety Blank stood at his side, having given no indication that he had drawn close. The disguised changeling gave him a sheepish smile. “P-plunder vines like to wrap around anything that touches them. It’s an instinctive r-response to s-st-stimuli.” “Yeah?” Button cinched his saddlebags tighter around his barrel. “Duly noted.” The sun was blocked from view as they passed into the thicket. The vines seemed to all but absorb the light directly. The temperature dropped. The air stilled. All that could be heard was the rumble of the propellers scooting them along. Apple Bloom curled herself up as small as she could. As it was, she still dwarfed everybody besides Martial. “I thought the Tree of Harmony kept the plunder vines in check?” “It still works for most of the forest,” Rumble said. He gripped his spear tight as he stretched his wings. The blue magical field along his enchanted armor rippled with the movement. “Maybe the old palace isn’t a priority?” Apple Bloom’s eyes widened. She sucked in a mouthful of air as a razor-sharp thorn scraped against the side of the airship. “Don’t much like this. Not one bit.” Button chanced a look at the ground. The ancient stone pathway flashed with the scattering of a local flock of cockatrices. The hideous beasts crowed at them before vanishing into the mist. “Ponyfeathers!” Daring Do flipped over the side of the envelope with one hoof bound tightly with a rope. “We’ve got company!” Martial Paw didn’t dare to glance away from his steering duties. “Boggarts?” “Worse! Politicians!” Daring grinned and held a hoof beside her mouth. “All hands, prepare to receive royalty!” Button Mash trotted to the middle of the deck, with Apple Bloom and Rumble to either side. Blankety had vanished without a trace, either belowdecks or otherwise. Spike lowered the anchor at a signal from Daring, and the Vanishing Point slowed. As they descended, Button was able to get a look at the royalty Daring had seen following them. It was a golden chariot, drawn by enormously muscled pegasi. It was flanked above and below by two flights of five guardsponies. The occupants of the chariot drew the most attention. His eye was first drawn to the image of Equestrian beauty herself, High Princess Celestia. She was dressed in full adornments, topped with a glistening tiara. Her saddle radiated with everchanging rainbows, much like her mane had before she started to wear it more pink. Her eyes pierced right through him, as if discerning the deepest of his thoughts. He supposed he couldn’t be too embarrassed, considering that the deepest thought he could conjure up amounted to “Whoa.” It turned a darker shade of “Whoa!” when he saw the other passenger. She was tall, thin, nearly skeletal. Her pink mane hung limp like a weighted spiderweb. Her eyes, similarly pink, seemed strange. Off. Having an ethereal, out-of-this-world aura. Like a holographic comic cover. The chariot came to a hover beside the airship. Spike busied himself dumping ballast, though he had the presence of mind to shout “Hiyah, Princess!” before returning to work. Celestia waved to him and spread her majestic wings. “Ahoy! Permission to come aboard?” “Granted!” Daring Do called back. Rumble stood at attention beside Captain Care Carrot, who held her helmet at her side. She bowed her head to Princess Celestia as she and Queen Chrysalis II flew to the ship. “Princess Celestia, it’s an honor to have you join us. But, uh… what are you doing here?” The ship rocked as it settled down, tied fast with strong ropes to a few aged plunder vines that had hardened to a nearly stone-like density. Overhead, Button could see the younger sprouts swimming their way through the air, grasping at birds. When one of the creatures was caught, it would be dragged into the morass, never to be seen again. Possibly digested. Most probably digested. “Chrysalis and I have discovered something of a blank spot in history.” Celestia’s calm, warm voice brushed against Button’s ears like a gentle, caring hoof. “There is concern that our ancestors may have demolished an ancient changeling city in order to build Fort Everfree, which was eventually repurposed into the Palace of the Royal Sisters.” Daring Do hopped down from the envelope to land beside Captain Carrot. “What we do know is that there’s some sort of ruins beneath the Everfree Forest. We got a general location, but now that we’ve found the northernmost city, we can triangulate the exact positioning of this city.” The chitin on Chrysalis II’s neck shifted as she swallowed hard. “You’ve found other changeling cities already? H-how many of them are there?” Button caught Daring’s glance at Celestia, with an unspoken question. It was followed with a regal nod, granting permission. “Three. One in the Northern Wastes. One in the Everfree Forest. One in the middle of Felaccia. Took us a year to find the one up north, and I didn’t wanna spend that much time in this hellhole of a forest.” Chrysalis’ eyes, as impossible to discern as they were, still took the occasion to water. “What was it like?” Daring Do scratched the back of her mane. “Pristine. Definitely recommend you take a trip there. At some point. Once we’ve exorcised the place.” “Exorcised?” “Just a little grave humor, Your Majesty.” Chrysalis didn’t seem to know what to say to that. She looked to Celestia, who had moved to the prow of the airship. The High Princess of Equestria leaned a hoof on the rail, her brow furrowed, staring up at the ruins of the castle. “The site of my greatest failure,” Celestia said quietly. “Yet paradoxically, also the site of my greatest triumph. The death and rebirth of Luna. The promise fulfilled. The light of friendship come into its own. Where the Elements were diminished, lost, broken, and then remade.” Chrysalis drew up alongside her, her wings vibrating at her sides. “I want to learn more about the Elements. Maybe their history has some sort of clue… about ours.” “I could tell you,” Button said, surprising himself. All eyes turned to him. He fought back the blush and reached into his saddlebags. “I—uh—I’m a storyteller by trade. I know a lot of the old myths, legends, and histories. I could give you a crash-course while Miss Yearling—” “Doctor,” Daring Do said. “—while Dr. Yearling investigates the map.” Button shrugged. “I’m not gonna be too helpful otherwise.” He pulled River from his saddlebags, the Equestrian hero shimmering with magic between the joints. “I—er—I’m a bit of a fanboy for Element Bearers.” Daring Do straightened her wings out, only wincing a little. “It’s cool with me. Rumble, Apple Bloom, keep the plunder vines out of the rigging. Spike, Marty, Care, you’re with me.” The royal guardsponies landed beside the gangplank and stood at attention. The ones on the left sparked, then swirled with green fire. Before the eyes of all, five changeling soldiers revealed themselves, coated in full greenish armor. “I apologize for the duplicity,” Celestia said before anybody could spring into action. “I thought it prudent for them to remain in disguise until we reached the forest. There are many ponies who would not take well to the idea of our honor guard being half-and-half.” Rumble raised his spear from its horizontal, ready-to-attack position. He cleared his throat, his hooves rattling in his boots. “N-no problem, Your Majesty. Just a few changelings outta nowhere. Nothing to be concerned about—” Care Carrot laid a hoof on his shoulder. “Shut up, Rumble.” “Yes, ma’am.” Daring and her assigned team disappeared behind the castle walls. Rumble and Apple Bloom swung weapons at curious plunder vines, warding the branches off. The soldiers—changeling and pony both—did the same for the ground level, clearing out a patch of crumbled stone courtyard. Celestia wandered off a short distance, well within eyeshot and clearly not wishing to be followed. She stared up at the castle silently, solemnly, her eyes running over familiar archways, and not-so-familiar decay. That left Button and Queen Chrysalis II alone, plunder vines overhead and darkness all around. “S-s-soooo.” Button tapped his hooves together. “What do you already know about the Elements?” “Not much.” Chrysalis took a seat in front of him. Her reed-like legs, full of pockmarks and holes, scraped against each other to cause a tiny whine. “I have heard how the Elements banished Princess Luna, and how they were able to turn her back into herself.” “Alright.” Button Mash placed River between himself and the queen. “Then I guess we can start from the beginning.” Chrysalis bent down to squint curiously at the puppet. “What is this? It looks like a doll, but it has the magical workings of a device.” Button Mash pulled his control cross from his bags and attached it to his hoof. “You’ve never seen a puppet before?” Despite the fact that her face was predominantly made up of interlocking plates, her features still sagged beneath the weight of her emotions. “My mother often referred to her victims as puppets.” Button’s heart stopped cold. His spine tingled up and down as his tail frayed. “W-well real puppets are devices like this one that can be controlled to—to tell a story. In a puppet show. I generally do kids shows, but some of the more famous marionette acts attract all ages.” Her ears flopped down, all the pep going out of them. “I begin to understand what my mother meant.” He twisted the control cross this way and that, causing River to sway back and forth. She took a step forward, then a skip, then a hop, the internal gyroscope keeping her level. Chrysalis watched closely, a hint of light returning to her strange eyes. “You do that just with the motions of your hoof?” “And a little earth pony magic.” He made River bow, then set off at a trot. “They make different models for pegasi, and unicorns usually use their horns.” Chrysalis reached a gnarled hoof out, but held it back. “M-may I take a closer look?” “Sure! Sure!” Button detached his control cross and slipped it into his bag. He scooped River up to place it gently into Chrysalis’ waiting cloven hooves. “Just be gentle and it should be—” The instant the puppet touched Chrysalis’ hoof, a spark of green lightning struck. The power flashed through the innards of the device and raced into Button’s frog. He snagged his foreleg back and sucked on the burnt pad. “Ouch! Son of—” “Oh no!” Chrysalis also shrunk back, nursing a singed claw-like hoof. “No, no, I’m so sorry!” “—a gun…” Button looked down to see River lying on the crumbled stone, her paint chipped away and her wood burned at the entrance and exit wound. The inner workings spritzed between green and blue, fighting the influence of changeling magic. “I’m so sorry!” Chrysalis repeated, covering her mouth. “I don’t understand! I just tried to touch it, and my magic reacted, and I didn’t know it would happen, and I’m so sorry!” No kidding, he thought. Who woulda thought that just touching the thing would cause it to explode… or short out… or whatever the changeling magic did. “It’s fine. It’s just a puppet. I can make a new one.” He sighed deeply as he picked up the corpse of his hero. The inner light finally flickered out, fading to gray. “This… this is River. A pony from the First Age; the first part of recorded history. And the story of the Elements of Harmony… It begins with her.” Panic faded as anxiety conflicted with curiosity. Chrysalis II of the Changelings lowered her hooves to balance her fore half. “I’m truly sorry. I would help fix it if—” “It’ll be fine,” he said, tucking the lifeless husk into his saddlebags. “The story is bigger than one puppet. It’s bigger than any one person. And it’s important that you hear it.” He glanced at Celestia, who remained motionless. Her ears were turned to face him, though, and that sent a strumming through his fairy strings. He was explaining the story in front of the Princess of Equestria. The story was ancient long before she was even born. He took in a deep breath, shrugged off the pressure to worry about later, and began to relate. “In the first days, the world was shared between the Three States of Being. The animals, creatures of flesh, lived off the land and the plants. The Draconequui, creatures of thought, controlled the weather, the seasons, and the winds of the world. The Fey, creatures of spirit, ruled over the heavens, guiding the stars, the sun, and the moon.” Chrysalis leaned closer, her ears perked attentively, her eyes shimmering with some enchantment. Button looked past the horrific features to the soul beneath, one eager to learn and hear the story. She wanted to know more. With all her heart. “The Sapients—beings of flesh, thought, and spirit—populated the world. The land was divided between them, and each was given their own home to protect and rule.” His ears dipped down as his voice took on a darker intonation. “But the Fey Folk grew jealous, and sought to leave the heavens and rule the world for themselves.” *** Daring Do reached the throne room and passed by the tapestries without a second glance. Last time she was here, they had discovered the map. That had been just after the final battle with Commander Hurricane. Just after losing so much, yet gaining so much else. Care Carrot was exemplary of that fact, alongside Blankety. Blankety Blank himself waited for them near the throne. She supposed he’d snuck out once they’d landed, avoiding Chrysalis at all costs. She couldn’t blame him. There’d been bad blood, much of it spilled, but the rest still boiled beneath the surface. “So,” Spike said, tapping his clawtips, “what’s the plan?” “Care’s here to kill any monsters with her freaky flame spells.” Daring Do hopped up the steps to the throne three at a time. “Marty’s the cartographer, so he’s gonna be doing all the calculations. You’re here to move heavy objects, and I’m here to potentially scribe this into a high-tension chase scene in my next book.” She looped her wing around Blankety’s shoulders. “Blank’s here as our resident psychic bug monster. He’s gonna state the obvious and talk a lot about feelings.” Blankety grinned. “I’m sensing a vague hostility from the leader of our expedition.” “Voilà!” Daring circled behind the throne and tapped a stone slab tucked up against the wall. “Sparkle helped with this thing last time. Wanna lend a hand, Spike?” “No problem!” Spike climbed the staircase on all fours and positioned his shoulder against the slab. He pushed with a good portion of his strength, and the stone easily slid away. A hallway appeared, leading downward at a steep angle into shadows. Worthlessly aged torches lined the walls, but Care’s lit horn pushed back the darkness. Martial Paw landed beside them, having flapped his way up to the thrones. “Amazing what you can accomplish with the strength of a thousand ponies.” Care cantered past him, giving Spike a wink. He puffed out his chest a little. Just a little. Enough that Daring could see the pride in her young, adoptive nephew’s smile. She slugged his shoulder and moved into the dank, dreary dungeon. It was unchanged from her last visit. The walls bled moisture, which collected on the floor in pools of ichor and mung. Malevolent mud—a species of slime which appeared much more like dirt than gelatin—hid within the goop, making each step a treacherous one. The tunnel was barely wide enough for two ponies to walk side-by-side, which made conditions cramped for both Martial and Spike. It was a lengthy walk, but not unbearable. Just more than a little claustrophobic and plenty stressful. It was a straight shot, no forks or curves to be found. Forward and down. Darker and colder. They reached the end before long. The tunnel stopped in a sheer wall of stone, carved from the earth. Before the wall stood a lone slab, once squared at the corners but now worn down with age and erosion. Daring scraped the surface and found the material beneath to be a shiny bronze-colored metal. “Here’s the map.” Daring Do reached up as high as she could go to wipe the muck from its surface. Symbols and lines appeared. Three circles, surrounding three locations around Equestria and the world, denoted the locations of the three great changeling cities. “We can exactly pinpoint the northern city. Marty, it’s all yours.” Martial Paw pulled scroll upon scroll from his backpack. Rubbings, scale drawings, sheets of calculations, all of it there for his use. He dried off a portion of the floor with a rag, then used it as a flat surface to write upon. Care loomed over his shoulder to provide light. “If you had all of that, how come we had to come down here?” “Personal error, mostly.” Martial Paw produced a compass and drew a few expertly-measured arcs. Using the created points, he made a line across the page. “As you can see, the map is far larger than any paper we’ve been able to come up with. As such, any rubbings must be made using multiple sheets. Tiny errors have the propensity to build up.” Martial tapped the map with a talon. “This thing has been machined to highly precise measurements. I do not own a device capable of reading enough decimal places to find an imperfection. As such, all told…” He drew a measuring tape from a side-pocket. “It does us good to refresh and relocate.” “Fair enough,” Care said, intensifying the glow of her horn as he hovered high enough to reach the northern city. “I guess a photograph wouldn’t capture it well, either.” “Not if you’re going to do any kind of calculation.” Martial jotted down a note and landed on all fours. He pulled out a longer compass to connect a few lines, writing down formulas as he went. “With a map that covers this amount of area, any miscalculation could put you hundreds of miles—” He stared at his own equivalency, his brow wrinkling, his beak clicking together. “—off… target…” Spike reared up on his hind legs to get a look. Daring squeezed around him and brought her head close to Martial’s. “Found something already? It didn’t take long for you to get freaked out.” “Not freaked out, just…” Martial Paw angled the page towards her. “These are the coordinates for the Palace of the Royal Sisters, are they not?” “Yep.” “That’s pretty funny,” Martial said, “because they’re the coordinates I just generated with my calculations.” “No kidding?” Care dimmed her light just enough to conserve magic strength. “Wait, really? The Founders built Fort Everfree on top of changeling ruins?” “The ruins are underground,” Blankety Blank said. His voice grew higher, shaky, but most certainly strengthened by the thrill of discovery. “Before the F-Founders lived here, they drove a pack of Diamond Dogs out of the land. They must have lived in the changeling t-t-t-tunnels.” Daring Do craned her head to look over the map. A sinking feeling appeared in her stomach. “We could be right on top of Ahuizotl right this second.” She snatched the page away from Martial and handed it to Spike. “Okay, Spike, you head over to Celestia and let her know what we’ve found out. We gotta start combing the area for a way into the ruins, and we need to get Celestia out of here.” Spike took the page gingerly in his claws. Concern wrote itself upon his face as fire lit his shimmering green eyes. He moved a little ways into the corridor before looking over his shoulder. “What do I do in the meantime?” “You guys stay with the airship.” Daring passed another page to Martial, who began to scribble furiously. “We’re gonna locate the third city so we don’t have to come back down here. We’ll be with you in a few minutes. Trust me.” Spike nodded, his voice tight. “I do.” Blankety Blank reared up to press his hoof against the map’s Everfree location. He leaned against the bronze-colored material and sighed. “W-with our luck, Ahuizotl’s already been here and gone. He could be thousands—” His hoof slipped. A light sparked. Blankety shrieked as a bolt of magic left his hoof and entered the map. He tumbled to the ground and rolled over Martial’s workspace. Daring and Martial stared wide-eyed at the map, their breath held in preparation of whatever might have been activated. Care looked between the two of them. “That’s usually something pretty bad, yeah?” The etched lines marking the map glowed with changeling magic. The walls rumbled, not unlike the churning of oversized clockwork. Daring froze, wishing for all the world to bolt, but unsure of any true safe spot. By the time she was ready to run, it was too late. The ceiling opened up, and a furious blast of air pressed her against the ground. The floor creaked, split, and then opened up fully. The slime made grasping for footing useless. The air made her wings ache. The abyssal plummet gaped for them, swallowing her, Martial, Care, and Blankety whole. The floor closed up, the wind halted, and the corridor was left empty as Spike raced for help. *** “River and her friends stood before the King of the Fairies, the Lord of the Sky himself. All they had was their hope, their friendship, and the small trinkets they’d gained on their journey—” Button was about to reach the big moment, where all the hardship came to a stunning conclusion. The climax of the story. The crowning victorious moment for the heroes. He saw the excitement in Chrysalis’ eyes, the accident with the puppet long forgotten. He had even heard a chuckle from Celestia on a few occasions. If only he had his puppets! His stage! Then he could truly relate the awesome wonder he felt when he told the story. As it was, he took what he could get. He opened his mouth wide, ready to finish off the villain with a single phrase from his lips. “Everypony come quick!” Spike shouted, charging from the ruins of the castle. “They’re trapped!” Celestia stood at once. Button got to his feet and brushed the dirt from his legs. Spike raced at them, green fire trailing from the corners of his mouth. He skidded to a stop in front of Princess Celestia and held out a sheet of paper. “They all fell in a trapdoor! We need to go in and—wait!” He pointed to the page, indicating a set of numbers that meant next to nothing for Button. “The changeling city really is beneath the castle! Directly beneath it! Ahuizotl’s already there, so you need to get out of here right now!” Celestia got to her feet, pausing on the way up to catch her breath. “A trapdoor? Where are they now?” “Directly beneath the castle!” Spike pointed at her chariot with an extended clawtip. “You need to get out of here now. If Ahuizotl knew you were here, only protected by five guards, there’d be nothing that could stop him from killing you!” Celestia rubbed the scar across her chest. “But if they need help—” “That’s what we’re here for, Your Majesty!” Apple Bloom waved down over the side of the ship. She swatted a plunder vine with a satisfying thwack! “We came to help Sweetie and Scoots, and now this just means we got ponies on the inside!” “That’s right, Princess!” Rumble waved his spear in what he hoped was a nonchalant manner. A plunder vine nearly ripped it right out of his grasp. He yanked it back and gave the vine a good stabbing. “You need to get back to civilization and get us some real back up.” “Please,” Spike said quietly, only truly in earshot of Celestia, Chrysalis, and Button. “Equestria couldn’t survive losing you again. And you know it.” Celestia’s frown deepened. She shook her head and turned her gaze away from his. “You and Twilight both have a habit of telling me what I need to hear.” She spread a wing and marched deliberately towards the chariot. She called out to the soldiers attached to the harness. “Skilly! Duff! Bring us back to Canter Mountain, double-time! This time is the time Ahuizotl does not get away!” Skilly and Duff nodded, swinging the chariot around to allow Celestia and Chrysalis II to climb aboard. The five changeling soldiers morphed into their equestrian disguises, while the Royal Guard grouped together in formation on the far side. Button glanced up at the changeling queen, who stood still, her features uncertain of emotion, and her legs uncertain of movement. “I guess we’ll have to finish the story later, Your Majesty. I promise it’s got a good ending.” “Y—” A light pink touched Chrysalis’ cheeks. She skittered backwards from him, then spread her wings to launch herself into the chariot. Celestia gave the order, and the formation sped off into the sky, en route to Canterlot. Rumble and Apple Bloom descended the gangplank and took up position beside Button. Apple Bloom struggled to get her saddlebags to sit right over her riot armor, but a tug from Spike set them right. “Alright, Spike,” she said, her eyes narrow and her jaw set like flint. “Wat’s the plan?” “I think we can get in through the same trapdoor.” Spike flexed his arms, causing sinue to ripple beneath the scales. “It’s made of stone, and can only be opened with changeling magic, but I get the feeling it’s not gonna be too much for me.” “Did you see how deep it is?” Rumble asked. “Is it even possible they survived?” “It’s deeper than I could see, but three of them have wings.” Spike waved for them to follow, then switched to all fours to increase his speed. “I haven’t seen a death trap yet that Aunt Yearling can’t get out of. We just gotta hurry so we can help them.” “Got my med kit,” Button said. The four of them set off at a swift trot, following Spike’s memorized pathway through the Palace of the Royal Pony Sisters. Button refused to get distracted by his surroundings, though he wished he could have been there under different circumstances. At the moment, though, there were people who needed him. There was a goal, and it was finally in sight. With his friends by his side, and Spike at the lead, he allowed a bit of excitement to build. An adventure. He was actually on an adventure! He was one of the few braving vast dangers, exploring ancient ruins, defying malevolent monsters. And if he had his way, it’d be the last time he did so for the rest of his life. Spike led them down the damp corridor, burning slime with his enchanted dragonfire. They raced along in the light of his flame, which disintegrated what was left of the torches. A stone slab embedded with a bronze-colored plate marked the dead end, beneath which Button could see seams in the floor. Spike dug his claws between the seams and pulled. He pulled with all his might, his muscles protesting, his breath filled with smoke, his breath deep and labored. A sound like metal bending radiated from deep within the walls. Rumble tapped his spear against the stone. “So, when you actually get that open, how are we gonna make it all the way down? I have wings, but the rest of you…” Button took a step back. “There was rope in the airship.” Apple Bloom stopped him with a hoof to the shoulder. “I’ll come with. There’s no tellin’ how much rope we’ll need to get—” “Hold! On!” Spike strained, leaning back as stone ground against stone. “We! Can’t! Argh! We can’t use the rope if—hugh!—I can’t get this open!” Rumble leaned on his spear, a curled smile on his lips. “Would it help if I got out and pushed?” Spike paused, sending a literally burning glare Rumble’s way. “It might!” He gave the two halves one more yank, then shifted his might to one side of the trapdoor. The stone cracked beneath his hands, sending dust into the air. He used the newfound handholds to get a firmer grasp, which aided him just that little bit more. With a mighty, draconic roar, and a final bulge of his muscles, he tore the door away from its place. It moved a total of one foot before something metal ground to a horrible, shrieking halt. His handholds turned to crumbs in his grip, sending him backward. Though he was nowhere near the door, the metallic grinding continued. Button jerked his head right and left. “Stay away from the walls! If something comes through—!” The wall behind Rumble caved inward, driven by a cog the size of Big Macintosh himself. It clanged like a dulled bell against the map stone, before knocking it against the trapdoor. The hinge Spike had all but ripped apart slammed back into position, this time with several tons of stone and metal on top of it. Rumble got to his feet in a flurry of misplaced feathers. “Is anybody hurt?” “I’m fine,” Button Mash said. He helped Apple Bloom get to her hooves by letting her lean on his shoulder. “Apple Bloom and I are fine. Spike?” The dragon sat beside the trebly-sealed trapdoor, covered in dust but none the worse for the wear. He wiped the grit from his face and gave them a pained frown. “So much for that idea. Anyone else got a plan?” Apple Bloom pointed behind Rumble. “How ’bout we go through the other hole you made?” Button climbed over and around the fallen cog and reached the newly-torn hole in the wall. He stuck his head through and saw many other cogs, some spinning powerlessly and disconnected, others stuck fast by debris. He looked down, down, down to see that the cogs continued ad infinitum, or at least as far as he could see. Apple Bloom leaned against the wall to get a look. “A’yup. Looks like I can just ’bout sneak my way through. Spike, too, since he ain’t as big as me. Is Rumble’s armor gonna be a problem?” “Naw, I’m still skinny.” Rumble hovered, stirring up the dust with his wings. “Comparatively.” Button turned around to face the dragon that had become their de facto leader. “We headed down, Spike? Doesn’t seem like there’s anywhere else to go.” Spike nodded, hoisting himself onto his hind legs. “Let’s get’em.” *** The air blasted Martial Paw and caught his wings in a torrent that could not be resisted. He shot downwards like an arrow loosed from a bow. All he could see upwards was blinding pain from the wind, and all that lay beneath was inky blackness. A shout stole his attention, coming from up and to the right. Captain Carrot lay in the throes of freefall, uncontrolled and inescapable. Blankety Blank flashed as he morphed into his changeling form, spreading his wings and beating as hard as he could. He latched onto Care and held tight, doing everything in his power to slow her fall. “Don’t let go!” Her armored hoof struck the wall. The shockwave radiated through her body and threw Blankety into a tailspin. Her armor made her too heavy for Blank’s filmy wings. If Martial was an arrow, she was a bullet, headed for a terribly swift landing at the bottom. Martial tucked his wings in to reduce the wing resistance. He approached her faster than one could blink, and wrapped his forelegs around her. He laced his talons into the hinges of her armor and clamped down. “This is gonna suck for both of us!” He spread his wings, and let out a scream as his joints protested. The wind pushed from above and tore from below. Feathers flew out of alignment. A few even tumbled off in the turbulence. She reached around his neck and held on for dear life, adding strangulation to the list of injuries he’d accumulate during the fall. A touch of hope entered his heart as he felt them slowing down. If the fall could just last a few more meters, he might even be able to bring them in for a gentle landing. The hope was shattered as they impacted the stone floor with a bone-rattling, but not bone-breaking, crunch. He lay there for a moment, his muscles tensed and bruised, and his throat begging for the ability to refill his lungs. A small voice warbled up from beneath his feathered chest. “Would you please get off me?” His voice was little more than a harsh rasp. “You’re still choking me.” The buzz of Blankety’s wings came from above as the changeling darted to their side. “Oh gosh! Care! Are you alright?” “I’m fine.” Captain Carrot released Martial’s neck at last, and he was able to pry his talons from her armor. “The enchanted shield took most of the landing.” Martial gripped his throat and coughed, air fighting with dust for occupation of his lungs. He stumbled back to remove his bulk from atop the captain. He leaned against a stone wall and watched her stagger to her feet. She removed her helmet and shook out her mane. She took a few deep breaths to still the shaking in her hooves. “Th—thanks for the save, Martial. I think I was a goner.” Martial tried to think up something witty and nonchalant, but he suspected the lack of oxygen in his brain prevented this. “Sure thing. Anytime. Preferably never again.” She took the occasion to chuckle nonetheless, despite the lack of wit and high levels of chalant. She gave Blankety a sidelong hug and turned her gaze upwards. Her horn glowed to peer into the dark heights. “Anybody see Daring?” “It’s all good!” Daring Do shouted from above. The faintest outline could be seen of her, spiraling slowly down on outstretched wings. “Just gimme a sec!” She floated to a gentle halt, gritting her teeth as her wings leaned back and forth. She slowly, painfully brought them back in to her sides. “Sorry. Had to lock them open to save myself. I think I used up all the good feeling from the ambrosia.” Care leaned in to get a closer look at her wings. “Are they hurt? What’s wrong with them?” “It’s an old condition, Cap.” Daring brushed her off, gracing her with a cockeyed grin. “There isn’t any cartilage in my wing joints. Just bone rubbing against bone. The ambrosia dulls the pain if I don’t use them, but I use them often enough for it to really suuuck.” She flipped her pith helmet end-over-end and set it deliberately on her head. “That’s not the important thing right now. Right now, we gotta figure out how to get out of here.” Blankety gazed upwards, his multifaceted eyes reflecting the light of Captain Carrot’s horn. “I don’t think we’re g-going back that way. Those stone doors looked b-b-big enough to flatten a house.” “I’ll never be able to fly in this condition,” Daring said. “Aaah, screw it. How’s our chances horizontally?” “The tunnel,” Martial Paw said, pointing his talon forward, “goes that-a-way.” Daring Do scuffed her hoof. She shot Blankety a glance out of the corner of her eye. The little changeling blended in with the shadows, but she could still see the worry in his wide, blue eyes. “So, Blankety. That trick with your changeling magic. It was just like what happened in the Northern Wastes.” Blankety bobbed his head noncommittally. “My recommendation?” Daring gave him a gentle pat on the back. “Don’t touch anything metal down here.” “Duly noted.” *** Caballeron watched as the Painted Ones locked the door to the room. The slaves, each and every one of them, were sealed inside. Far from the room that contained the hearts, far from the room that held Sweetie Belle, and certainly far from the changeling devices Ahuizotl had collected. He followed the acolytes back to the chamber, where Ahuizotl was waiting. “Bring fifty hearts to this room. Take the rest to the pit.” The immortal terror spoke to a young Painted One, who had just reached adulthood. “Have the others position them as needed.” He raised his head and greeted Caballeron with a smile. “Ah! Doctor! I trust the slaves are safe?” “As can be.” Caballeron tipped his hat back. He moved to the side to allow several Painted Ones access to the chamber, each carrying a large piece of golden armor. “Shall I bring Sweetie Belle and seal the deal?” “Indeed.” Ahuizotl chuckled. He removed the jeweled adornments from his neck and wrists. Painted Ones crowded around him to attach a full breastplate, studded with gemstones. Each stone was sized and shaped the same, a hoof-sized egg, though each was made from a different color of stone. Similarly-studded bracers and boots followed. The two curved swords were inserted into the sheathes on his back, while the Spade of Hearts found its place at his side. He topped the outfit off with a golden wreath behind his ears. “She is the lynchpin. It is time for it to be pulled.” Caballeron looked over the discarded fineries carefully. It took three Painted Ones to carry the lot of it, but a fourth also stood by. Ahuizotl removed the sack from his side and passed it to the remaining acolyte. “I trust you know where this goes?” The Painted One nodded silently, then trotted off. Caballeron eyed the bag. Scootaloo’s heart resided within, and perhaps another heart. One vital to his interests. “Then I shall make my way to Miss Belle’s cell. We shan’t keep a lady nor a god waiting.” Ahuizotl strode off, followed closely by the mechanical insectoid that had once been Dissero. Caballeron followed the four Painted Ones closely, calculating the steps until they would be out of the mad god’s sight. Kiln and Rhombus were waiting. Kiln picked up the first pony before he knew what was going on. He slammed the Painted One neck-first into a boulder, ending his threat forever. Rhombus flapped a single wing, and two glints of metal embedded themselves in two throats. Caballeron came up behind the last pony and covered his mouth before he could scream. A blade stabbed itself between the acolyte’s shoulder blades. Rhombus reached a wing out to cushion the bag as it dropped. He cradled it close, a small smile coating his blood-flecked face. “Easy, Scootaloo. I’ve got you. You’re safe—” “Open the blasted thing,” Caballeron hissed. “I want that heart, Rhombus!” Rhombus gripped the zipper in his teeth and pulled back. One heart beat within, glowing a bright, lively purple to match Scootaloo’s eyes. “One heart?” Caballeron gripped his mane and fought to suppress the sudden onset of rage. “Where the hell did he put it?” Kiln sneered at their surroundings. “We need tae clean this up, or it’ll be all our necks.” Caballeron sucked in a hot, smoke-laden breath. “We’ll play along a little longer. Kiln, you get rid of the mess. Rhombus, you and I will collect Sweetie Belle. Keep the heart close. We may need a bargaining chip for both Ahuizotl and Celestia.” Rhombus licked his lips, the gears moving beneath his ears. “We should grab Scootaloo’s body from the slave room. Make sure she gets—” “That—” Caballeron pressed the bag against Rhombus’ chest. “—is far easier to carry than a full-grown pegasus mare with a chip on her shoulder. We take the heart and nothing else. Agreed?” He shared a glare between Kiln and Rhombus. “Agreed?” Kiln had no hesitation. “Aye.” Rhombus gritted his teeth and rolled his eyes. “Oh, believe me. I know I don’t have to like it.” “Then let’s move.” Caballeron ran down the corridor as Kiln hoisted the four bodies onto his back. “And get out of here before he drops the sun on our heads!”