//------------------------------// // The Wrath of the Fair Folk // Story: Rhythm and Rhyme // by MyHobby //------------------------------// Rain battered the observatory windows of the FAF Corona. Blitzwing soldiers soared around the ship, keeping thunderclouds and violent winds away from the airship. Some short distance away, the Stella proceeded in much the same manner; slowly yet surely. Corona, the ship’s namesake, held a spear lightly between her talons. She was alone in the room, swinging the weapon to and fro in practiced, precise movements. A hearty gust knocked her off balance, but she recovered with a sure sidestep. She held her stance with the spear running across her shoulders, parallel to her outstretched wings. It was more a dance than combat practice at this point. A test to see whether her body and the spear could cooperate and move where her mind wished. With this session, she learned every shift of weight, every point of balance, and every possible position of the blade. The physicality of it all helped take her mind off of their sudden departure. She knew there were only a few reasons her father would steal them away before the day was even through. One was an attack on their homeland, but surely Equestria would grant the princesses asylum until the danger was passed. One was that he and Celestia had finally gotten fed up with each other and parted ways. But Luna fought like a hellhound to keep their kingdoms friendly. Had her father done something that not even Luna could forgive? The thought caused her to lose control of the spear. The tip clattered unceremoniously against the floor. She sighed as she examined the blade; she’d need to sharpen it to remove the newfound dent. “I’m sorry.” Her father’s voice came from behind her. “Did I startle you?” Corona turned and regarded the larger-than-life griffon. Part of her simply wanted to launch herself at his chest and hide among his beard of black feathers, as she had when she was a chick. But she was older now, and certain childish things were best left behind. “In a way, I suppose.” She twisted the spear between her talons, watching the tip twirl in the low light of the observatory. “I don’t know if my thoughts…” She trailed off when she saw his furrowed brow. He had something to say, and the sooner she ended her explanation, the sooner he could air his grievances. When he saw she was waiting for him, he nodded. “You knew I was having nightmares?” That wasn’t the question she was expecting, but there was still time for that later. She leaned against her spear and tilted her head. “Yes, Father.” “How long?” Years. Years and years. “I had a question I wanted to ask you one night. When I arrived at your room, you were tossing and turning. It was a while ago.” Almost as long as Stella had been alive. Almost as long as their mother had not. She drummed her talons against the spear shaft. She dared to glance at his intense eyes before returning to the rain outside. “When I spoke to Flurry Heart about it, it was to try and help you. She’s been having nightmares, too, and I hoped she might understand how they could be… beaten.” Andean sighed, deep and dark. He, too, watched the blitzwings at work. “My dreams are not mere nightmares, Corona. They are… foretellers.” Corona held her beak shut with a talon. Flurry had said her dreams were prophetic as well. She dreamed that Merry was evil. Did her father dream the same? “Wh—what do they tell you?” Andean ran his talons through his beard. “I see a dark creature, as old as time itself. I see talons of fire that grasp you and Stella away from me, as my kingdom is turned to dust around me. I see that I am powerless to fight it.” He waved at the Stella, lingering on the bladed protrusion on the prow. “It is why I put all our wootz towards creating weapons of war, so that we may have a fighting chance.” “How do you know it’s prophetic?” Corona positioned the spear so that it hung from her back, freeing her talons. She embraced this newfound freedom by wringing them against her chest. “It might just be your mind reacting to what’s happening around you.” “Every night for the past seven years?” Andean shook his head. “The very same, with no variation. I can remember every word spoken. Feel every cut of the dark beast’s talon. Hear every scream as you and Stella are dragged into the Abyss.” He touched a single talon to her back. His entire foot was nearly as big as her, but the touch was gentle and familiar. “The only way to end the dream is to defeat the monster when it finally rears its ugly head.” A soft breath preceded his next words. “It is why we are returning to Felaccia.” Corona looked to her father. Wouldn’t Equestria assist them against the monster? Surely Celestia and Luna, who had gotten their fame fighting monsters, would be the first creatures to go to for help. “I don’t understand.” “The monster is a fae creature from the first age,” Andean said. “He wishes to regain his control of the sun.” Corona clicked her beak. “But Celestia—” “Celestia has been too heavily injured.” Andean stared stoically into the storm, his face betraying no emotion, just a weighty tiredness. “Should something happen to Luna, Cadenza, or Twilight Sparkle, the fae would easily wrest control from them.” His free talon found the hilt of his broadsword and gripped it tightly. “That is why I have made a deal with Ahuizotl.” Corona stumbled back. Ahuizotl? From the Daring Do series? Her father had told her he was real to warn her of the mad god’s deeds. He wanted control of the sun as much as any fae creature. “Ahuizotl? But—” She struggled to find anything worthwhile to say. “—he is a villain, Father. Evil! He has hurt so many people—” “I know, Corona,” he said, his voice as cold as a gravestone. “I know.” He turned to face her, his intense mask finally coming away. In its place was sorrow that led straight to his core. “I know. But he has a sun device that is nearly operational. The griffons have the last piece, hidden in our capital of Roc. We can study it, replicate it, until there is no single creature who raises the sun and the moon. We can save our world from eternal winter, or night, or desert, or anything else an ill mind could conjure up.” Corona shook her head. “But Ahuizotl? Would he not be one of the creatures with control? And what of Luna?” “Luna…” Andean winced. Corona felt the pain herself. They all owed Stella’s life to Luna. That was a debt that could never be repaid. “Luna cannot… will not agree to our course of action. She will pursue Ahuizotl with the intent to destroy him and his sun device.” He clenched a talon. “Please understand: I work with Ahuizotl only to bring the sun device to full operation, to stand as a strong sword against the wiles of the fae creatures. I would never ally with him against Equestria or any other nation he attacks.” “But you’re still helping him.” Corona couldn’t look away from the sadness in her father’s eyes. Every last inch of his soul was crying out for peace where there could be none. Every last facet of his heart wished for rest that would not come. “You’re still f-facilitating his actions! It’s wrong, Father! How can you—?” She stopped speaking when he brought his head to her level. He spoke quietly, at nothing more than a faint whisper nearly swallowed by the storm. “Because I will never, ever give you up. Not you, not Stella, not Felaccia. Where we stand now, this is the surest way to combat the pure evil of the fae folk.” Andean drew back, sitting on his haunches. He gripped the hilt of his massive broadsword and slid it from its scabbard. The beautiful, brilliantly sharp blade glistened in the light of a lightning bolt. The gold pattern across the length of the sword glittered with a light of its own. “Euroclydon has been passed down for generations to the kings and queens of Felaccia. One day, I hope to pass it on to you. Though you shall be challenged for the crown, I believe in my heart of hearts that you shall seize the throne.” Corona felt awe build up in her chest at the sight of the ancient blade. The spear on her back felt puny by comparison. “I think it’s a bit large for a griffon of my body type, Father. It seems more suited to a full-blooded Ursagryph.” “That’s the beauty of it, Corona.” He set the sword between them, the hilt within easy reach of her. “Grasp the hilt and lift the sword.” Corona set her spear gently beside her. She gave her father one last glance, to see if he was truly serious about all this. There was no mirth in his eyes. She coiled her talons around the handle and lifted. The sword flashed and sparked with magic unknown to her. Metal all but peeled away, folding in on itself. What was once an immense weight soon fit into her grasp as easily as her personal spear haft. She held the sword in both talons, her eyes wide as she held the handle in a deathlike grip. “Euroclydon itself is a burden,” Andean said, “but the burden suits itself to the shoulders that bear it.” The sword was now twice as long as her arm. She gave it an experimental swing. The balance was unmistakably perfect. She held it above her head in a high guard. A tingle of magic ran from the hilt through her body, eventually connecting with her heart. It felt like a storm brewing. “But it is a weighty burden all the same.” Andean watched his daughter test the sword, his eyes alight with pride. “A grave responsibility. To protect those you love, you must often do things which hurt. Sacrifices must be made. Drastic decisions must be seen through. Friendships must be tested… and often found lacking.” She stopped her fluid movements. She held the sword in a lower guard, her red-tinged wings spread. “Father…” She held her tongue, regretting the thought and wishing to banish it from the conversation. He breathed softly. He held his talon out, palm-up. “Please speak your mind, Corona. You’ve wanted to say something since this conversation began.” She shut her eyes. The sword’s magic continued to mesh with her own internal heartbeat, interlocking them. Perhaps the feeling gave her the courage she needed. “You often say that the friendships of today… are the refuges of tomorrow.” Andean thought for a long moment, then nodded slowly. “Both can be overturned, unfortunately.” She held the sword with the point angled towards the floor. She raised the hilt up for him to grasp it. “Do you really want to take refuge with Ahuizotl?” He reached for the sword, but hesitated midway. He angled his head to the side to look his daughter in the eye. “Of course not. But what choice do I have? Until a better opportunity arrives, I must pursue the only avenue open to us.” He took the sword and moved it towards its scabbard. It grew as he moved, eventually reaching its original shape just as he secured it to his side. “I hope you understand, Corona, because this is the sort of decision you shall make when you are queen.” She picked up her spear and held it loosely. She stared at the beautiful, polished wood that made up its length. “I think I’d prefer my spear for the time being.” Andean brushed a talon across her forelock. A small smile touched the corners of his beak. It vanished as he turned away and walked deeper into the airship. Corona leaned her forehead against the viewing window. The cool glass soothed the headache that beset her. Thoughts swirled unbidden all the same, jumbling themselves into an unintelligible mess. “How are weapons of iron and wootz supposed to fight fae?” The chill of fear rattled her spine. She supposed they’d all find out, sooner or later. In the meantime, the nightmares would only grow stronger. *** Flurry Heart tossed and turned in her bed. She opened her eyes and saw darkness all around. She pulled the covers tighter, but it didn’t shut out the cold. Mom and Dad were having Issues. Bad Issues. They weren’t talking with each other, and every time Flurry tried to talk with them, they were unavailable. In some other part of the castle, or talking with other ponies. Flurry wanted to talk about so much. She wanted to talk about Spike’s injury. Or how much she already missed Aunt Yearling. Or how afraid she was of Ahuizotl. Or why the griffon princesses left. Or the changelings living in the castle. She wished she was staying at Grandma and Grandpa’s house. They had a really cool two-story building downtown, the last vestiges of the once-vast Twilight Estate. It even had a back yard, which was really rare for a city so full of apartment complexes. Instead, she and her siblings were staying in Canterlot Castle; in the east wing, away from the changelings. At least they weren’t in the same city as Merry anymore. “Flurry?” Flurry Heart rose her head above the covers and saw her little sister, Twilight Amore. The pegasus filly rubbed her eyes and clamped her jaw tight on the arm of a stuffed bear. “Can I sleep with you tonight?” Flurry Heart shuffled over to make room for Amore. The little pegaus hovered up and flopped onto her back. Amore sighed and dragged a corner of the comforter up to her chin. Flurry carefully tucked her oversized wings in. “You can’t sleep either, huh?” Twilight Amore frowned. She hugged her bear close, pressing her nose against its head. “I think this is what Middle Child Syndrome feels like. Except we all get it right now. I feel like… something really bad happened to Mom and Dad while we were gone.” “I don’t think it’s our fault.” Flurry shrugged. “They’ve just got things to work out.” Amore shut her eyes. “I didn’t even get to hug Mommy.” Flurry hadn’t hugged her either. Or Daddy. It was a keen ache in her chest and forelegs that could only be stilled by a close, gentle, loving embrace. It was the first time in memory that her parents hadn’t greeted her with a hug and a kiss on the forehead, or the nose, or the lips. It felt wrong. Flurry reached out and hugged her little sister, who sobbed into her shoulder. She held her younger sibling tight. Maybe it made it better, knowing her big sis was there for her. This was their first time spending time together since Flurry had gone off to school. Flurry felt like it should have been a happier time. “People think I got it all together,” Amore sniffled, “’cause I’m bossy and stuff. But… I’m scared, Flurry.” She raised her head enough to share her horrified expression with her big sister. “Are—are Mom and Dad gonna get divorced?” NO! No, no, no, no, no. “Th—they wouldn’t do that.” No, no, no, no, no, please Creator, no. “They wouldn’t do that to us. Or to each other. They love each other.” “I k—know that.” Amore hid her face with a bundle of feathers. “So why does it hurt so much to think about it?” Flurry rested her head on the pillow. She stared at the stars through the crack in the curtain. One glimmered especially brightly that night. “I guess it’s because of how much you love them back.” Amore sniffled, her shoulders shaking with sorrow. Flurry covered her with the comforter and sidled up next to her. She thought back to her last big nightmare, when Spike had come to comfort her. Maybe she could help Amore with the same thing? “We’ll have a sleepover together tonight. Just you and me. I’ll help you and you help me. Right?” “O—okay.” Amore wiped tears away with her bear’s foreleg. “Thanks, Flurry.” Flurry Heart covered exhausted eyes with her hooves. “Maybe we’ll even get some sleep. Someday.” *** Twilight Velvet rubbed her head as she rested in her daughter’s throne. The open circle of thrones in the Ponyville Castle glimmered with the Fires of Friendship, doing nothing to sooth her. The work was only beginning, and there was still so much to digest. She had no time to mourn her best friend. More than anything, she was angry. Angry that she hadn’t been there. Angry that Ahuizotl’s smug face was still smiling all the way to Felaccia. Angry that her entire family was being pulled apart to different corners of the world. Twilight Sparkle was working on defense with Celestia and Luna. Shining Armor and his wife were dealing with something Velvet couldn’t begin to fathom. Night Light was tending to the grandkids in Canterlot Castle, far away from Ponyville. Spike was headed to the dragon lands for healing. Velvet had to check in with Care and Blankety in the morning, see if they were ready for their next mission. To see if Care thought Martial Paw was going to be a help or a hinderance. If Martial hurt as much as Velvet did, she doubted she would consider him ready for combat. But she didn’t blame him either way. “Ma’am?” Twilight Velvet looked across the map to see Commander Skyhook, the captain of Twilight’s personal guard. The bat-pony saluted, his purple armor clinking merrily. “One of the prisoners insists on seeing you. Kiln says he has information about Merry Mare.” Velvet propped her cheek on one hoof. “It couldn’t wait ‘til morning?” “He was…” Skyhook gritted his teeth. “He was very insistent, Ma’am.” Velvet stood and followed Skyhook to where they were keeping the prisoners. Twilight’s castle didn’t have a dungeon, of course, so they kept them locked in a spare bedroom on the second floor. The guards on either side of the door stood ready, and one opened the door at Velvet’s approach. Inside, the first thing she saw was Rhombus, lying sideways on the bed and nursing his broken jaw. He gave her a once-over, his eyes lingering uncomfortably on certain areas, then let his head rest on the pillow. Kiln sat on a chair beside a corner desk, glass scattered around his hooves. “Thankee for comin’.” Kiln’s eyes glared daggers at anything that moved. “So, ye may have surmised that I’d been communicatin’ with Poni.” Sneaky as Caballeron’s crew was known to be, they’d strongly suspected it. Magic syphons were set up around the room to detect and disrupt any sort of magical communication. Apparently something got through, but was cut off in an instant. If the glass shards were any indication, the call was terminated with extreme prejudice. “Pocket-sized magic mirrors are expensive. Got some bad news?” “Poni admitted to me,” Kiln said, his voice warbling, “that his wife Merry killed me own wife.” “Merry Mare,” Velvet said, as though she didn’t already know, “former mayor of Ponyville?” “One an’ the same.” Kiln leaned forward and narrowed his eyes. “Frankly, I want vengeance.” Velvet wrinkled her nose. Truth be told, she felt a very physical need to work towards putting somebody away. Whether that meant putting them in jail or the hospital… well, the lines were starting to grow fuzzy. Part of her wanted to charge right up to Merry’s front door and find out just what was going on. Another part of her said that this was pretty low priority considering Ahuizotl’s current warpath. “Kiln, unless you have more evidence, I can’t really do anything until we question her tomorrow.” “Aye, of course ye have greater priorities than one dead mare from two decades ago.” Kiln scowled and crossed his forelegs across his broad chest. “But then, I didnae come to Twilight Velvet, Canterlot Police Chief, did I? I came to Twilight Velvet, Night of Counsel.” Velvet didn’t dignify that with a response. She sat back and waited for the other horseshoe to drop. “Merry Mare is more of a threat than Ahuizotl.” Kiln rubbed his nose and kicked a shard of glass across the room. “She’s allied with the Unseelie Court of Fae.” What? How was that supposed to work? She was just an angry old lady, wasn’t she? “What do you mean?” “She’s a siren, marm.” Kiln grinned wide, his teeth about willing to break from the force of his anger. “One o’ three deeply rooted in the culture of the Unseelie Court. She seeks to uproot Equestrian politics and rebuild the country with herself as its head. She’s a monster who murders or enslaves everybody who stands against her. It was she who orchestrated the assassination attempt on Celestia… and yer daughter.” Twilight Velvet stared at the stallion, her breath short. She felt adrenaline coursing through her veins, magic shocking her fairy strings. Still, she couldn’t believe it. If Kiln was merely spouting hooey in his quest for revenge, the whole revelation was worthless. “That’s the most ludicrous thing I’ve heard all day. Without evidence—” “Beggin’ yer pardon, marm.” Kiln’s bushy eyebrows lowered. “But if’n ye give a single darn for the sake of Equestria, ye’ll do well tae investigate her.” Velvet snorted. “You didn’t give much of a darn until you found out she killed Amber—” “For Poni’s sake!” Kiln smashed his hoof against the desk. The wood splintered. “Ye ken the ties of friendship, do ye nae? The ties of family? Well, they’ve just been broken beyond repair, marm. An’ now I’ll fight for me life until Amber’s murderer has been brought down.” The burly guards surrounded Kiln and prevented further lashing out. The one-time companion of Caballeron lowered his head and allowed his hat to tumble to the floor. “Just… do it for Amber. Do it for Ember, me daughter. Do it for yer own families’ sake.” He sent Velvet a final, smoldering glare. “Tread carefully. Merry isnae one tae be underestimated. Just now, I’ve practically signed me own death warrant.” Velvet threw him a mocking salute—“Your country thanks you.”—and left through the door. Skyhook followed along, slightly behind her. “What do you think?” “I want it to be true, darn me.” Velvet hissed a low breath. “If he’s telling the truth, it’s the single greatest bit of news we’ve ever received regarding the Unseelie Court.” Skyhook tilted his head to one side. “Miss Mare is currently a murder suspect. Perhaps during the investigation, a few clever ponies could look deeper into her affairs.” “Sensible.” Velvet rolled her eyes up and to the side. “Only ponies you can trust, though. We really don’t know how far the conspiracy goes.” “I’m well aware, ma’am.” Skyhook winced. “The whole thing with Caution still bugs me.” Twilight Velvet stopped beside her daughter’s throne and picked up a coat she’d left there. She tapped her hoof on the armrest for a moment, then decided “to heck with it.” She slipped into the outerwear. “I’m going for a walk.” Skyhook pursed his lips. He removed his helmet and shook out his shoulder-length dark purple mane. “Any particular reason?” “I need to do a little snooping. At least get started on some sort of forward movement.” Velvet rubbed her chin, examining her options. “It’s just a walk around the neighborhood. Scope out the bar Scuttlebutt works at. See if I can’t stumble on something unseemly.” Skyhook nodded slowly. “You shouldn’t be out there by yourself.” “Send a few plainclothes soldiers to follow me.” She shook a bag of bits and stuffed it in her coat pocket. “We have plainclothes soldiers, right? That’s a thing we do?” “Well, they can just take their armor off…” “That’ll do.” Velvet winked at him. “Make sure they know to activate stealth mode, alright?” “Yes, Ma’am.” Ponyville was one of the more peaceful towns she’d been to. Even the night life, rowdy as it was, was muted compared to the likes of Manehattan and Canterlot. Only a single bar was open this late, and the coffee shop had long since closed its doors. The streetlamps still glimmered for the late-night walkers. Velvet gave Ribbon Wishes, the town plumber, a nod as she passed. The more she stayed in Ponyville, the more she felt like she and Night Light could live there, once they both retired. It was a bit nicer weather-wise than the other choice: the Crystal Empire. The trade-off was proximity to the grandkids, but maybe Twilight Sparkle could be persuaded to move forward with her romantic relationships… Some day. Once she had romantic relationships. “Stop it, Glasses!” Velvet raised her head to see two young ponies leaving the local bar. The mare was a pretty young thing, and the stallion would have been quite handsome had he not been completely zonked. When Velvet heard the shouting, she began to move across the street to protect the mare, but hesitated when she saw that he was cowering away from her. “You keep letting him get to you, after all this time!” The young mare was verging on tears, completely oblivious to her surroundings. “I don’t love that horrible stallion, I love you! And I’m tired of you forgetting that!” Velvet moved herself behind a nearby bench. The mare hadn’t hit “Glasses” yet, so perhaps she didn’t need to step in. The instant it got physical, though… “You need to take care of yourself!” The mare was trying and failing to shout over her own sobs. “You need to eat! You haven’t done anything but drink for days! It’s hurting you, Glasses!” Glasses blinked owlishly at her. “Truly…” “I’m done.” Truly raised her hooves and shook her head. “I need to go home. Just… done.” She walked away from Glasses, her hooves clicking against the sidewalk. Glasses reached out for her, tears trickling from his eyes. “Truly—” “I’m going home!” Glasses stood alone, his body wobbling to and fro. Velvet sighed; she had to take him to the police station. He could rest there until he was sober enough to remember where his house was. She started across the street, hoping against hope that she wouldn’t have to drag him the whole way. A tiny little pony with a rat-like smile slipped a foreleg around Glasses’ shoulders. “Hay, buddy, why don’t I take you home? You can send flowers to her tomorrow.” Glasses nodded morosely. “Thanks, Scuttlebutt.” Scuttlebutt? Twilight Velvet hid at the name of her quarry. There was Merry’s way-too-familiar companion. The pony that Silver Lance said had “wrong” magic. Velvet moved to the shadows and followed the two of them from afar, her curiosity carefully held in check by a growing sense of danger. Glasses vomited twice along the road. Scuttlebutt was supportive, both figuratively and literally. He had much more strength than his skinny body would suggest. Changeling? Fae? Something worse? Was there anything worse? The four plainclothes soldiers caught up the next street over, ready for action. She motioned for them to spread out. A pegasus flew to the rooftops, while a unicorn bent light around their body. The two earth ponies backed off to follow from a greater distance. Velvet furrowed her brow; they’d reached Merry’s neighborhood. Maybe they’d get more than a head-start on their investigation. Scuttlebutt stopped beside a dark side street between two close houses. He patted Glasses on the shoulder. “Well, I suppose this is the final stop.” Glasses looked around, his eyes failing to focus. “This isn’t my house.” “No.” Scuttlebutt grinned like a rat about to devour cheese. “But I thought I’d stop for a bite to eat.” With the speed of a lightning strike, Scuttlebutt smashed Glasses’ head against the wall and dragged his limp body into the darkness. Velvet gaped for only a moment. She shot forward, her hooves pumping. “Move in! Move in!” A blazing spell from her horn illuminated the whole alley. Trash cans and wood piles decorated the narrow pathway, alongside the gnawed skeletons of various woodland creatures. A short distance away, frozen like a deer in a spotlight, was a horror beyond Velvet’s imagination. There was no hair on the creature straddling Glasses. It was coated with pure white, smooth skin. Rather than hooves, each leg ended in a series of sharp claws. Its tail was a mere stub. It’s head was almost like a pony’s, save for the viciously sharp, fishlike teeth. Its eyes were large, black, and soulless. Worst of all, she could see its throbbing heart within its gaping ribcage. A flash from her horn surrounded Glasses with a shield, then repelled the sickening creature. The thing smashed against the far alley wall, bending and squishing like a rubber toy. Velvet tried to grasp it, but it slithered its way between the buildings. “It’s a wight!” Velvet shouted to her companions. “I want that thing subdued now!” As the pegasus soldier dove in for the attack, Velvet checked on Glasses. The stallion had a thick skull, so she had hope that the concussion was minor. She’d stopped the wight before it could attempt to feast, so he seemed to have no other injuries. The pegasus screamed. The wight contorted its body into wild and impossible shapes, throwing its attacker off. Velvet mined her memory in a hurry, seeking information on how to combat such a creature. Ice. If a wight was frozen, its body would shatter. But they didn’t want to kill it, they wanted to question it! It was elastic enough to escape just about any trap, no matter how airtight. They’d have to batter it into submission. The earth ponies charged down the alley, sending their shoulders into the wight’s torso as the unicorn held it steady. The monster howled and snapped its claws and teeth at them, inflicting numerous small injuries. “Scuttlebutt!” Velvet shouted. “You’ll save yourself a lot of trouble if you surrender now!” The wight’s voice was like a hoof breaking through a rotten log. “Get away while you still take breath!” It slithered out of the unicorn’s grasp, then all but vanished into the shadows. Velvet charged in the direction he’d gone, her horn glowing brighter with every step. She caught mere glimpses of him turning corners, taking side-streets, and leaping between trees. The last she saw of him was a leg slithering its way through one of Merry Mare’s windows. Twilight Velvet hesitated on the front lawn. She turned to the pegasus and one earth pony. “Turvey, Trundle, you two take Glasses to the castle and keep him safe. Send help. At least one pony who knows an ice spell in case we can’t subdue the wight.” She looked to the other earth pony and the unicorn. “Jasper, Aura, you two with me.” The first two left, and Velvet led the others to the front door. She rattled it with several knocks. “Royal Guard! Open up!” No time to spare. She signaled Jasper, and the hefty mare kicked the door down. Twilight Velvet walked inside, her eyes bounding around the interior. Two stories and a basement. The kitchen lay straight ahead, the dining room lay to the left, and a sitting room to the right. From her vantage point, she could see that the upstairs held mostly bedrooms. A sobering thought hit; Merry probably hadn’t moved out of this house since she’d lost her family. Hazy Aura lit his horn and used the spell to examine for any light-bending enchantments. The wight seemed to be out of sight and out of range. “I can’t see a thing, Lady Velvet. He’s got his hoofprints all over the house.” “Routine visits.” Velvet bounded up the stairs and found the bedrooms empty of pony or monster. All the beds were still made up, so nobody had been dragged screaming from the covers. Sometimes, she had to appreciate the small miracles. “If she hasn’t noticed he’s a cannibalistic beast by now, I think she’s as suspicious as he is.” “To be fair,” Jasper said, “the whole town’s been fooled.” “But this lady spends hours at a time with him.” Velvet trotted down the staircase and into the kitchen. The oven was cold. The sink was dry. Nobody had used the room for several hours. “Basement. You first, Aura.” He opened the door with a spell, keeping his distance. Scuttlebutt’s gasp could be heard near the foot of the staircase. Nails clattered against the floor, before his footsteps reached carpet. Hazy Aura took the steps two at a time, brightening the entire basement. Velvet followed close behind, with Jasper bringing up the rear. It was a furnished basement, with a semicircle of couches surrounding a radio. Opposite the radio, beside a small walk-in closet, was an ornately carved full-length mirror. Scuttlebutt’s disgusting, elastic form could be seen scrambling towards it. Twilight Velvet cast a firm, blue-colored shield around the creature. He pressed against the magic wall surrounding him, his blank eyes widening. Velvet grunted as the shocks from his struggle battered against her horn. “Not gonna hold him long!” Hazy Aura released a burst of magic that blinded Scuttlebutt. The wight screeched and clawed at his face. Just as Velvet released the shield, Jasper rushed in to tackle the monster. He lay beneath the strong earth pony, short of breath and chittering in a ghastly language. Velvet wiped sweat off her brow, taking in a slow breath. “You, Scuttlebutt, are under arrest.” “What are you doing in my house?” Twilight Velvet leaped back at the appearance of Merry Mare. The former mayor was well-dressed for the late hour, her hair coiffed and her cravat carefully tied. She looked at the three ponies over her glasses, her face severe. “Lady Velvet, unless something desperately urgent has happened, you cannot just barge into my home un—” Jasper stepped aside to reveal the struggling wight. Scuttlebutt blinked at Merry, its voice strained. “The Mother! Help me! Please!” Merry Mare curled back in absolute, unadulterated disgust. “My word! What is that thing?” Velvet raised her head ever-so-slightly. “It’s Scuttlebutt. We found him attempting to cannibalize a local stallion. When he fled into your house, I thought you might be in considerable danger.” “Th-thank you!” Merry moved to put as much space between herself and Scuttlebutt as possible. “Oh my. Thank you very m—” Her absence left Scuttlebutt’s path to the mirror completely clear. He twisted his upper body around to squirm from Jasper’s grasp, then kicked back with all four legs. With his body free of the soldier, he sprinted forward like his rump was on fire. He vanished into the mirror, leaving behind nothing more than a ripple. Silence pervaded the basement, until Merry broke it with a single “Idiot.” Velvet turned on Merry, standing as tall as possible in the hopes of intimidating the mare. “Care to explain what the heck just happened, Miss Mare?” Merry sighed. She removed her glasses to polish them with a soft cloth. She eased them back onto her nose and shut her eyes. “It’s a long story, and I don’t think we have time before your reinforcements arrive.” Twilight Velvet surrounded herself and the other two Royal Guardsponies in a multi-layered shield, made all the stronger by her being inside it. Merry raised an eyebrow, spun on her front hooves, and bucked the shield with all her might. The shield and its three occupants were launched across the room, where they fell into the mirror’s liquid-like surface. *** “Grandma!” Flurry Heart bolted upright in bed, her chest heaving with unsuppressed sobs. Twilight Amore screeched as she, too, came awake. She looked at her older sister with wide eyes, clutching her stuffed bear tight. “Flurry?” “It’s Grandma!” Flurry said, her words in a rush. “Merry Mare’s gonna hurt Grandma!” Amore was out of bed and flapping her wings in an instant. “Well, come on! We gotta find a guard!” They burst from the bedroom with hooves and wings pinwheeling. Their violent, screaming charge caught the attention of a passing maid, who they nearly bowled over. “Whoa, kids!” The pegasus mare slid neatly out of their path. She spoke out of the side of her mouth. “With emotions like that, you’re liable to make the changelings riot.” “Please, ma’am!” Flurry clutched at the maid’s dress. “We need to send a message to Ponyville right away!” The maid gave them a small smile as her forehead wrinkled. “Yeah. Sure. I’ll help you with that. Call me Sky Wishes. I know a guy named Natter who can get you a message anywhere.” *** Twilight Velvet spat grass and dirt out of her mouth. Her horn fizzled with the pain of having a spell crushed by sheer physical force. Her combat capabilities were hampered; she could manage a short-range teleport, maybe two. A shield was out of the question, considering what Merry had managed with a single buck. Velvet spun, scanning the area for any sign of her suspect-turned-foe. Jasper lay against a tree trunk, out cold. Hazy Aura groaned and clutched his head, his horn also fizzling. The air around him twisted and danced as his camouflage spell went haywire. They appeared to be in some sort of forest. Trees surrounded them, all healthy, strong specimens. Lines of gold snaked up and down the trunks, glimmering in the darkness. A few apples could be seen among the boughs, though most of the trees were bedecked with blossoms. Velvet looked closer, and the shadows danced. Vague shapes and monstrous silhouettes surrounded the three of them. Red eyes flashed. Purple fangs gnashed. Green claws thrashed. They disappeared the instant Velvet tried to focus on them, like glow-in-the-dark toys. “Ah, ah-ah, ah, ah. Ah, ah-ah, ah, ah…” Velvet’s breath caught in her throat. The song echoed from every corner of the grove. It tickled her spine. It grasped her brain and wrung its fingers through it. She covered her ears, but was unable to shut it out. It just kept growing louder, and deeper, and darker. She had heard it before, but only as a warning. It was the Song of the Sirens. Merry Mare walked slowly through the haze of smoke-like creatures. A yellow gemstone hung from her neck, radiating magic unknown. Her eyes held the same power; glowing bright. Boring their way into Velvet’s soul. Claiming her as their own. Velvet turned away. Jasper had come to, and appeared completely entranced. Hazy Aura was drooling, his expression blank. Behind them, another gemstone shimmered in the dark, this one red. Two red eyes hovered above it, and a second voice joined the song. “Ah, ah-ah, ah, ah. Ah, ah-ah, ah, ah…” A third voice sounded, and Velvet felt her last hopes sink. There, to the rear, a blue gem and its owner’s shining eyes. A three-part harmony assailed Twilight Velvet. Her stomach twisted, her mind rebelled, and she latched on to the one target she could focus on: Merry Mare. She charged at Merry with all the force of a one-mare army. She swung around to buck the siren full in the face. Merry caught her hooves and casually tossed her aside. Velvet ate dirt for the second time in as many minutes. She sprang to her feet, hoping that the blood rushing through her head could stave off the effects of the song. She launched a punch at Merry, who caught it out of the air. Merry smiled at her. Velvet gaped in horror as fish-like spines and fin-like wings protruded from the siren’s back. Gils opened and closed along Merry’s neck. Scales materialized out of her coat, chilling Velvet’s hoof. The siren opened her mouth, and a violently loud note picked Velvet up and tossed her across the clearing. Merry’s yellow amulet bathed her own body in its power, and a crystal formation fully encased her. A large hoof smashed into the ground beside Twilight Velvet. She squirmed away from the attack, and brought the source into full view. Where once was Merry Mare, former Mayor of Ponyville, now stood a massive sea monster from the depths of her darkest fears. The half-pony, half-fish siren snapped its jaw at her. The gemstone which was once a necklace was now embedded into the neck of the creature. “Ah, ah-ah, ah, ah. Ah, ah-ah, ah, ah…” The power of the song materialized as yellow-tinged magic, swirling around Velvet’s torso and hooves. It gripped her and lifted her into the branches of the trees, where she could meet Merry eye-to-freakish-eye. Merry’s voice all but purred her song, creeping in Velvet’s soul. “Face-to-face with defeat Your heart is pitiful and weak Equestria’s gonna fall Now that you are under our thrall” Merry Mare’s monstrous visage filled the sum total of Velvet’s view. It became the scope of her world, centered on her enchanting, yellow eyes and her silky, enticing voice. “We are the lords of all creation We can cow the greatest nation We will wield the sirens’ song Righting all we see as wrong “Please don’t withhold your adoration Just accept reanimation We will wield the sirens’ song Righting all we see as wrong” “Oh-whoa, oh-whoa Equestria’s gonna fall Oh-whoa, oh-whoa Now that you're under our thrall” Velvet’s head lolled to the side. She couldn’t think. Not on her own. The song was overpowering. The atmosphere was stifling. She attempted to speak, but came up short. Merry leaned close to whisper in her ear. “Don’t worry. I’m not going to kill you. I have… other plans for you… “Twilight Velvet, heed my command Every whisper is a demand Light reduced to shadow and song Soon I’ll have you singing along!” The last thing Velvet heard before losing consciousness was a single hushed command. “You must see to it that Ahuizotl is destroyed.” She let Velvet drop limp to the floor and turned imperiously. “Scuttlebutt!” Scuttlebutt skittered out from behind a tree, bowing low. “The Mother calls?” “You are an imbecile!” Merry moved with practiced motions through the trees, never once brushing against them despite her newfound bulk. “You led them right to my house! And then right to my mirror!” “I panicked!” Scuttlebutt clasped his claws together, all but praying. “I knew how… how vital to the cause I am! B-besides, I led Velvet right to you—” “It’s too soon!” Merry roared. “The longer she’s under my control, the more chance she has of discovery!” She glared at him out of the corner of her eye. “They caught you attempting to eat a pony.” “Please, Merry—” “Somepony has to go to prison for that, Scuttlebutt.” Merry’s razor-sharp teeth ground against each other. “There’s no sweeping it under the rug this time.” Scuttlebutt attempted to run, but he didn’t get far. Her magic enveloped him in an unbreakable vicelike grip. “No! You need me! You said it yourself!” “That is correct. We will need you.” She brushed a hoof against the gemstone in her neck. “And the Equestrian Penal System will undoubtedly keep you nice and cozy until such an occasion.” Blinding magic washed over her again, and she emerged in her original body once more. “If you breathe a word of this, I shall stretch your body to the absolute limit, and then take one step more. Are we clear?” Scuttlebutt stared into the face of the middle-aged mare and swallowed hard. “As crystal.” *** Twilight Velvet groaned as she got to her hooves. That last punch had really taken it out of her. Maybe she was getting a little old. Just a little. She surveyed the scene in an instant. The mirror Scuttlebutt had been thrown against had shattered completely. The couches in Merry’s basement had been scattered, ripped, and otherwise made unusable. The mare herself was curled in the corner, clothed in her pajamas, just as when they’d arrived. She stared disbelieving at the pale monstrosity that lay beneath Jasper’s hooves. The strong earth pony soldier held Scuttlebutt down with three hooves, while the last hoof clamped his mouth shut. Hazy Aura’s voice came from the staircase. “Ha! The Cavalry is here! Down here, Skyhook!” Velvet trotted to Merry’s side and offered the terrified mare a hoof. “Here. Looks like the worst is behind us.” Merry Mare took the hoof and slowly got to her feet. Her limbs were weaker than Velvet would have figured. A life of office work did that to a person, she guessed. “Th-thank you. Thank you so much.” She stared at Scuttlebutt with a queasy expression. “I—I should have known. How—?” “Don’t bother yourself with it,” Velvet said. “He had the whole town fooled.” Several guardsponies tromped down the staircase, led by Skyhook. The commander hesitated at the sight of Merry. Another glance brought Scuttlebutt into view. “Secure the prisoner.” A piece of paper he carried in his hoof vanished beneath his chest plate as he approached Velvet and Merry. “So… a wight.” “First one we’ve seen in ages,” Velvet said. Her keen mind pulled up a snipped of trivia she’d read a few years back. “They mostly hang around Beefland, near the Barrow Downs. I think the last ones in Equestria were banished back when Celestia first took the throne.” Skyhook’s eyes flicked between Velvet and Merry. “Are you alright, Miss Mare?” “As fine as I can be,” she sighed. “At least Velvet was quick enough to react. I don’t know what I would have done without her.” Paralyzing chains were wrapped around Scuttlebutt’s rubbery limbs. The wight’s hideous face held no expression as he was dragged upstairs at spearpoint. Merry’s voice was hushed. “I don’t think I can sleep after that. Anybody for tea?” “Sorry, ma’am.” Skyhook dipped his head cordially. “I’ve got a prisoner to incarcerate. And Velvet—” “I’m probably just going to collapse into bed.” Velvet smiled at Merry. “Sleep or no, I need a chill pill.” “Suit yourselves.” Merry nibbled her bottom lip. “Do you mind if I stay at the castle tonight? I don’t… I don’t feel safe here.” “By all means,” Velvet said. Skyhook raised an eyebrow, but said nothing. The soldiers locked up Merry’s house in short order. Skyhook busied himself with seeing Scuttlebutt shipped off to Canterlot as soon as equinely possible. Merry holed up in a plush guest room. Velvet herself headed to her special room, set aside by Twilight and Spike for their mother. She collapsed face-first into bed and let exhaustion take her. *** Rhombus snored in the middle of the bed, all his limbs spread out like a cat’s. This left Kiln with the uncomfortable chair and its far-too-small desk. It was just as well; he wasn’t going to be able to sleep in the slightest. He stared at the scattered shards of magic mirror and growled. Merry would get hers. And maybe Poni would, too. The lies, the secrets, the pain. Amber Waves would hate him if she could see him now. His daughter, too. Carrying on with his worthless quest and his ridiculous friendship. He was left with only two things: Vengeance for Amber, and a comfortable life for his wee Ember. The door clicked open. Kiln turned; Velvet probably had more questions. “Wot did ye think ye’d find all o’—” Merry Mare herself stood in the small bedroom. She kicked the door shut, and the lock set in place. Kiln tried to scream, but a tightness wrapped itself around his throat. Hooves clawed at his neck, but there was no physical force. There was nothing to fight against. Merry’s voice was hushed. “I thought you might be here. Unfortunately, I can’t outright asphyxiate you with poison joke without arousing suspicion.” His lungs burned as the edges of his vision blackened. She had cut off all airways. He slumped to the floor, scattering glass shards. “I’m forced to take more subtle steps lately.” She laid a hoof on his forehead. “With Velvet and anybody else who suspects what’s really going on.” She patted his cheek as unconsciousness took him. “You’re going to help me find Poni’s missing heart. And then you’re going to forget everything I’ve ever done.” *** Skyhook glanced back at the castle as the prisoner carriage rolled close. He snuck the piece of paper from his breastplate and read it over once more. To Commander Skyhook. Ponyville Castle. Flurry Heart prophetic dream. Twilight Velvet in danger. Merry Mare attacking. Help immediately. Natter “I’m sorry, Flurry,” Skyhook whispered, his heart dropping out of his chest. He shredded the paper so that Merry didn’t have a single chance to find it. “I think I was too late.” “Commander Skyhook!” Skyhook looked back to see Coldstone hustling towards him. The massive crystal pony saluted as he drew near. “Sir! Kiln Stovepipe escaped during the scuffle at Merry Mare’s house!” “What?” Skyhook’s eyes shot to the crystalline towers of the castle. Was it Merry’s doing? “And Rhombus?” “Still there, sir. Conked out like nothing’s happened.” That was good at least. Honestly, between the two of them, Rhombus scared Skyhook more. “How did Kiln escape?” “Seems he had some sort of invisibility potion.” Coldstone waved a hoof. “He had a carriage waiting for him, too. Maybe he and Scuttlebutt were in cahoots?” “That—” Didn’t make sense with what he knew. But if Merry was behind it… Maybe he couldn’t trust Coldstone anymore. Maybe he couldn’t trust anybody. “—is a possibility. Attempting to shift the blame on Merry when Scuttlebutt was the real threat.” Skyhook had to talk to Twilight Sparkle and Celestia. And Luna and Cadence. And Shining Armor and Stonewall. And anybody else who could possibly fight a siren. Skyhook drooped as Scuttlebutt was loaded onto the carriage. “Ahuizotl picked the exact worst time to attack, you know that?” “Yes, sir.” Coldstone gave the wight a swift boot as he passed. “That’s for sure, sir.”