//------------------------------// // Chapter Seven: Depressing Discoveries // Story: CRISIS: A Royal Affair // by GanonFLCL //------------------------------// Getting back to Hope’s Point had been a simple affair without any major complications. Blackburn and her friends took an early morning flight from New Pandemonium to Newhaven - their pilot had been less gentle than the one they’d had on the way to Pandemonium, and Gadget had spent the entire trip in the restroom; a bag wasn't enough. They arrived in Newhaven just before dinner time and shared a brief meal with Shining Steel, who had maintained their lie for months - the trio was glad to have a warm, home-cooked meal for the first time since they’d left. They then caught a late flight back home to Hope’s Point aboard the Dragoon, a sleek purple-and-blue ship with sharp, angular features and four wings instead of two - it wasn’t a luxury ship like the Lunar Spear, but Blackburn just wanted to get home and didn’t think it worthwhile to wait for another ship to dock. After crossing through the Belt of Tranquility, the Dragoon slowed to a near stop as it dove down into the ocean, then coasted the rest of the way through the dark waters into its hangar bay. As everypony disembarked, there were lots of salutes and bows to welcome her home from her Utopian getaway as had been expected, and which she returned in earnest. It was good to be home, even if she wasn’t intending to stay long; there was still more work to do up north to ensure the prosperity of Hope’s Point into the future, but she’d enjoy the time she had her as much as she could. If King Stormchaser even knew his daughter was back home, he didn’t show that he knew. Blackburn wasn’t particularly bothered by it; if anything she was relieved not to have to talk with him at all, least of all about how her “vacation” had gone. Still, it made her realize how different things would be if Flashfire was still alive; he’d have greeted her with gusto and then some, thrown a celebratory party for her and everything. She wouldn’t have needed to hide the truth from him, either. She pushed those thoughts aside for now; wasting time on such sentiment was counterproductive. There were still matters to attend to here in the city, mostly confirming that her work up north had been fruitful. And so, after she, Gadget, and Crossfire got a good night’s rest in their own beds, they set out the following morning on their first order of business: a visit with Solarian to see how well the database constructor was working. They made for his office first thing in the morning after a healthy, hearty breakfast, dressed in their preferred attire at last: Blackburn in her long white jacket and her lucky scarf, Gadget in her purple coveralls and goggles, and Crossfire in his bronze-plated armor. What they found was not what they expected. The plaque on the door which once bore Solarian’s name and title had been replaced. The title of Chief Science Officer was still there, of course, as this was the office of the pony that held that position, but it was attached to a different name: Sunbeam. Blackburn didn’t recognize it. “The heck is going on here?” Gadget asked, staring at the plaque, eyebrow raised. “Did Solarian move his office or something? Who’s Sunbeam?” “Same office for same position,” Blackburn noted apprehensively. “Something has happened to Solarian.” She knocked on the door; she’d get her answers from whoever this Sunbeam was. A voice from the other side called: “Come in!” It wasn’t a masculine voice, in fact it was a familiar feminine one. Blackburn pushed the door open. Solarian’s office, or rather Sunbeam’s, had hardly changed since she last saw it, save for the occupant. Or rather, occupants. The first was a mare that Blackburn knew already as Gleaming Star, the Chief Intelligence and Enforcement Officer, replacement for Evening Glitz. She was a lilac unicorn with a deep purple mane that she wore short with long bangs, wearing a black coat over a gray blouse. It had been her voice that called out before. The other, by process of elimination, must’ve been Sunbeam, a unicorn stallion with a light orange coat and a dark orange mane that looked somehow both neatly-combed and unkempt at the same time despite how impossible that could seem; he’d clearly put effort into combing it, but had several split ends and a bad cowlick. He wore a lab coat as Solarian once had, but his was light blue instead of white. The two rose to attention as Blackburn entered the room and bowed low. “Princess Blackburn, this is a surprise,” greeted Star. “I had no idea you’d returned from your vacation yet.” Blackburn grunted and shook her head, a smug smile playing across her face. “Chief Intelligence Officer lacks intelligence, it seems.” Star frowned and cleared her throat. “Yes, well, I’ll, uh... have to have a talk with my lieutenants about keeping better tabs on things. We’ve been preoccupied since the afternoon before last, so I guess your arrival just slipped through the cracks. My apologies, it won’t happen again.” Blackburn raised an eyebrow. The afternoon before last was when Gadget had installed the database constructor. It couldn’t be a coincidence. “Afternoon before last? Explain.” “Oh. Uh, sure. Our database system was on the fritz after taking on a sudden influx of… well, an absolute ton of data. We thought it was some kind of hack at first, but then we realized all the information we’d suddenly acquired was personal data on pretty much the entire population of New Pandemonium City. Weird, right?” That pretty much confirmed that the database constructor had worked; this was good news, at least so far. “Hmm, quite.” Blackburn turned to the stallion. “Sunbeam, I presume?” Sunbeam nodded and stood up proud. “Yes, Princess Blackburn, Sunbeam at your service. A pleasure to finally meet you. I’ve heard a lot about you.” “And you are the new Chief Science Officer?” “That’s right, Princess, His Majesty appointed me last night. It was a very sudden thing, very surprising, but I’m not one to look a gift horse in the mouth, if you'll pardon the expression.” “What happened to Solarian?” Sunbeam and Star shared brief, almost-nervous looks. “His Majesty had him removed from his post,” Star said, tugging her collar. “I, uh… I figured out that the data we’d been receiving was a result of his database constructor, which means he’d had it installed up in Pandemonium somehow, and without His Majesty’s approval. His Majesty was, to be blunt, uh… pissed.” Blackburn kept on her poker face to hide her anger and confusion. Solarian had been removed from his position because of her actions? “I see. Is he in prison, or--” “Oh no no, His Majesty didn’t jail him or anything like that,” Sunbeam said quickly, waving his hooves in front of his face. “Solarian didn’t do anything treasonous or illegal, just… upset His Majesty. That’s all. Yeesh, can you imagine how awkward I’d feel if I got this position because he’d been executed or something?” He looked to Star for approval; she gave him a withering, disapproving glare which made him shrink a bit in his chair. Blackburn nodded and let out a breath, somewhat relieved. “Hmph. Very well. Sunbeam, qualifications?” Sunbeam smiled wide, his pep returning. “I have two degrees from New Pandemonium Technomagic University and developed an improvement to the city’s docking system to streamline the taxiing and departure processes, which of course will speed along the influx of ships.” Blackburn resisted the urge to roll her eyes. It was clear he was just as much in her father’s pocket as Gleaming Star was. She did notice the increased speed the Dragoon had docked yesterday, but didn’t consider it an important detail. Not worth promoting Sunbeam for, certainly. “I see. Where is Solarian? Wish to speak with him.” “May I ask why?” Star asked. Blackburn leveled a quick glare in her direction. “Business with him is my own. Not yours.” “I’m afraid it is my business, Princess, as this city’s Chief Intelligence and Enforcement officer,” Star said; Blackburn noticed she was trying to put on a brave face but wasn’t nearly as good at it as she herself was. “Solarian has been deemed a security risk to Hope’s Point because of his deceptive, borderline treasonous actions, so we’re having him monitored.” Blackburn grunted, annoyed. “Asked me to bring oranges from Newhaven,” she said. A half-truth; she had oranges to give him, but he hadn’t asked for them, she just knew he liked them and wanted to thank him for his service to the city. “Where is he?” “I’m almost one hundred percent certain he’s at his house,” Sunbeam said with a shrug. Star nudged him harshly; he grunted in pain. “Ow! What was that for, Star? It’s the Princess, she’s not up to anything.” “That might be so, but it’s not your job to be nosey here, Sunny. It’s mine,” Star snorted. She rolled her eyes and looked to Blackburn. “But yes, he’s at his home, Princess. He’s been forbidden from going anywhere else. I’ll send word ahead that you’re en route so the guards will know to let you through.” “Very well, will seek him out. Good day.” With that, Blackburn turned and left the office, having Crossfire close the door behind them. ***** Solarian’s house was situated in the city’s underground residential district just like all the others, his a simple affair with only one story, totally nondescript and completely isolated from its neighbors. A trio of guards in full armored uniforms were situated at the front door, back door, and roof - a unicorn, earth pony, and pegasus respectively - and were at attention the second Blackburn, Gadget, and Crossfire came into view. Gadget levitated a small bag of oranges in her magic. The unicorn approached them as they came up the path to the front porch. “Princess,” he said with a slight, polite bow. “Got word from Chief Gleaming Star you were coming by.” Blackburn nodded. “What were you told?” “To be aware of your approach, and to take your gift from Solarian and deliver it to him for you. My orders say that you're not to be allowed inside.” “I see.” She gestured towards the house. “May I?” “Of course, Princess,” he said with a nod; he was more loyal to her than to Gleaming Star, that much was obvious. Blackburn’s crew walked up to the door with the guard, who knocked three times. “Solarian! You’ve got guests!” A moment later, Solarian opened the door. Blackburn had never seen him dressed casually before - she didn’t think he even owned any casual clothes - but there he was in just a green turtleneck sweater and a pair of glasses. He smiled when he saw who his guests were, giving a small bow. “Princess, good to see you,” he said. “Welcome back.” Blackburn smiled and nodded. “Solarian.” Her mentor gestured inside the house. “Please, come in.” Blackburn and her friends followed Solarian inside, where they saw that Solarian lived the same as he worked: efficient, practical, and clean. There weren’t any decorations, but plenty of appliances and devices to accommodate whatever Solarian’s needs were: to acquire information, store, prepare, and eat his food, sleep, shower, and take care of other biological needs. It wasn’t all exactly in the same room - the restroom was clearly partitioned off from the rest, thank goodness - but close enough to get everything done without walking more than a few feet at a time. This meant he didn’t have much to accommodate guests, but he quickly moved the few chairs he did have so that Blackburn and her friends had places to sit. Blackburn had Gadget present him with the oranges. “A gift from Newhaven. Your favorite.” Solarian smiled and took them, then set them on his kitchen sink. “I appreciate it, Princess. It’s a welcome break from my current diet of Dolor Red, which is all they allow me to have. I prefer Green.” He turned to Blackburn and was suddenly serious again. “The database constructor was installed and worked flawlessly. Well done.” “Yes, flawlessly.” Blackburn frowned and sighed. “Apologies, Solarian. Didn’t anticipate punishment for you. My fault you were removed.” Solarian waved his hoof to dissuade her from that train of thought. “No no, it’s my responsibility. I anticipated the possibility of being reprimanded if the constructor was discovered. I also underestimated Gleaming Star’s deduction capabilities.” He turned to Gadget and grinned. “Exemplary work on device, Gadget. Spark Plug would be proud.” Gadget beamed. “Golly, Mister Solarian, I appreciate that. I really wish there was something I could’ve done to keep you out of it.” “There wasn't much of a choice, but no matter. The job is done and the security improvements have been made, so the city will be safer in time.” Blackburn grunted. “Met your replacement. Not impressed.” Solarian tutted playfully. “His qualifications are certainly adequate.” “Adequate, not exemplary.” “True.” He gave her a warm smile. “Was your other mission successful?” “Progress made. Network making strides, first shipments south successful. Work started on undermining rival organization.” Solarian nodded. “Good. Good. Are you anticipating another trip?” “Yes, work will take another six, no... seven months at current rate. Additional time needed to make improvements to migration routes; connections made with like-minded ponies, groundwork laid. Making plans for next excursion.” “When?” “Two months at longest.” “Hmm… good, that affords you the time to examine your efforts from a distance and evaluate how they hold up without your immediate input.” He sighed. “Unfortunately, I cannot serve as your ‘secret-keeper’ on your next trip. I lack the means to be of any help, so you’d have no incentive to utilize my services.” Blackburn nodded. “Unfortunately, must agree; however, still trust you with information. Have already decided on next secret-keeper. Will need somepony with influence in fleet: ensures further shipments from north are handled efficiently.” “From the fleet? Hmm… Skyrocket is out of the question. His loyalty is to your father, not to you or to Hope’s Point. Not that I’d insinuate anything, of course.” “Not Skyrocket. Bramblejam.” Solarian’s expression immediately and immensely doured. It did not escape Blackburn’s notice. “Solarian?” Solarian took a breath. “It’s not your fault, you couldn’t have known. Bramblejam passed away two weeks ago.” Blackburn felt a sharp pang in her chest and stared at Solarian like he’d just been speaking in tongues. Gadget nearly fell out of her seat in shock. Crossfire merely sat slack-jawed in disbelief. “Wh-what?” Blackburn sputtered, her face pale. “No… not the Diffusion sickness? Not so soon?” Solarian nodded sadly. “Correct. The reported cause is a heart attack. It’s untrue, of course. The real cause is Diffusion sickness. You’re aware that he suffered through it for years, and sadly he finally succumbed. It’s very sad… but his family history repeats itself once again.” “And he never knew…” Blackburn slumped in her seat, barely able to process the information. She’d known Bramblejam for years, known his time was limited, and known she couldn’t say a word about it to him, or to his family. She snapped up. “Briarthorn. Does he know?” “That he’s passed? Yes. The true cause? No.” Solarian shook his head. “The spread of information is forbidden, you know that. Bramblejam didn’t know, even at the end.” He leaned forward and put his hoof on her shoulder. “I’m sorry for Briarthorn’s loss, and for yours. I know he trained you to fly after your mother…” “Where is Briarthorn now? Need to speak with him, no... comfort him.” She sighed. “Know his pain...” “Last I heard, he serves on the flight team aboard the Southern Sun.” Blackburn turned to Gadget. “Is the Southern Sun in the city?” Gadget drew her datapad and tapped a few buttons, waited a few seconds, then nodded. “Yes, Princess, docked in Hangar Seventeen undergoing maintenance. All crew members are on leave until their next flight, which is unscheduled at the moment.” “Good.” Blackburn turned towards the door. “Come. Have a friend to visit.” ***** Blackburn, Gadget, and Crossfire approached Briarthorn’s home in the late afternoon, walking straight up to the door and giving it a loud knock. Briarthorn answered it after several long, quiet moments. He’d grown a bit in the last couple of years, not as tall as Crossfire but still of respectable height, and his wings had finally fully developed to a healthy, enviable size typical of his family. He was as handsome as ever, but currently was a bit disheveled; his mane was a mess, and his jacket askew. When he saw who it was at his door, he scowled; Blackburn had never seen him angry before, and it didn’t do his features justice. “Oh. It’s you,” he said with no small amount of venom. “Enjoy your vacation guys? Soak up a lot of sun? Sure hope you brought souvenirs--” Blackburn swooped forward and gave Briarthorn a tight hug, kissing him on the cheek. Briarthorn froze up for a moment, then returned the hug. “I’m so sorry, Briar…” Blackburn started crying and pulled him tighter. “I know how it feels… I’m so, so sorry...” Gadget and Crossfire stepped forward as well to join in the hug. “We’re really sorry, Briar,” Gadget said, reaching up to pat his back. “We didn’t know.” “We should've been there for ya, buddy,” added Crossfire. “We’re sorry.” Briarthorn started crying as well and buried his face in Blackburn’s neck. “Where were you when I needed you, Princess? Where were you?” “Have a lot to tell you, Briar.” Blackburn nuzzled his neck gently. “So much to say.” She pulled back from the hug to look Briar in the face, pressing her forehead against his. “Come with us tonight. We’ll honor your father in Hope’s Point tradition: revelry and drinks amongst loved ones.” Briarthorn sniffed, smiled, and nodded. “Yeah… yeah, I’d like that. It’s what he would’ve wanted.” ***** Blackburn, Gadget, and Crossfire walked through the streets of Hope’s Point in their typical incognito hooded jackets, as they always did when traveling through the city. To them it was no longer a security issue, but a privacy issue; they liked to be able to wander the city to shop, find entertainment, and eat without being bothered, and tonight was no exception. Briarthorn wore his official Southern Sun flight jacket, a red-and-orange affair with a fluffy collar, over a simple white shirt. Briarthorn was definitely the most knowledgeable amongst them about the best bars and pubs in the city, because now that he was on a flight team, he got free alcohol any time he wanted. He didn’t know why and didn’t care to ask, only knowing that it was city policy by declaration of King Flashfire himself shortly after the city’s founding. All that mattered to him was that in the short amount of time he’d been on an official flight team and could drink as much as wanted, he’d developed a taste for the stuff far beyond what he’d enjoyed with Blackburn and Crossfire in private - Gadget barely touched the stuff and was a total lightweight, so she wasn’t a good judge in any capacity. Thus, he knew that Wyrm’s Head Tavern was the absolute best spot in the city to “wet one’s whistle,” in his words. It was a bizarre building, though it was not so much a building as it was a ship graveyard made of dozens upon dozens of honest-to-goodness boats crushed together in some haphazard attempt to make a building. It didn’t really have proper floors, so to say, but if it did it would be four stories tall, unevenly taking up an entire city block somehow. Several awnings and windows that had been attached after the boats were smashed together were decorated with neon lights and signs that directed visitors towards the entrance, which the trio now stood under. One large boat, completely intact, hung from a crane-like structure high above the entrance. “Golly, this place is a dump,” Gadget murmured. “Is it legal to make a building like this? It looks like it violates so many fire codes. I’m counting five just outside alone.” “Dump though it may be, my dear little Gadget, it’s the tippity-top tavern, the supreme saloon, the most sumptuous speakeasy, and, dare I say it, the most pleasant pub in the whole city,” Briarthorn said with pride. “And it’s a pretty good bar, too.” “Have heard stories from pilots before,” Blackburn confirmed. “Popular with younger crews.” “Yeah yeah, exactly. Not everypony in the city drinks here, ‘cause they’re boring, but something like ninety percent of the fleet calls this their home away from home. I think a few of the older captains still hit up the ol’ Lusty Harpy uptown just out of sentimentality and because they like a little bit of a, uh… different kind of privacy.” He shrugged. “But this here watering hole’s got room to spare for half the fleet at once if they wanted. Or even if they didn’t!” Crossfire scratched his head. “How’d they get all them boats? Ain’t nopony uses boats north o’ the Belt, and none o’ them boats look like they came from the south. Believe me, I'd know.” Briarthorn paused and tapped his chin. “I think they just built them themselves? Either that or they hoisted them up from the bottom of the ocean from ye olden times. Which one sounds cooler? Because it’s that one.” He shook his head. “But I digress. I’ve only been coming here a few months but it’s already got a special spot in my heart. Did you know they have themed rooms of all shapes and sizes?” Blackburn hummed. “Variety of ships implies as much.” Gadget rolled her eyes. “Ugh, whatever, can we just go someplace else? This place feel too… I dunno, public? And unsafe, yes, definitely unsafe. I don’t want the roof falling down on me in the middle of a drink, y’know. Or at all, actually.” Briarthorn leaned over and gave Gadget a gentle pat on the head with his wing. “Aww, c’mon now giggity Gadget, they’ve got private rooms for little groups like ours, too. Or smaller, if you and Crossfire wanna just head out and leave this to me and my Princess, eh?” Gadget stuck her tongue out at him. Blackburn nodded and leaned against Briarthorn. “If this is where Briar wants to go, this is where we’ll go.” She gestured towards the entrance. “Shall we?” The quartet entered into the tavern, where they were greeted by the sight of dozens of ponies seated around circular tables of different sizes, enjoying drinks and each other’s company. The interior was rather tame and orderly compared to the seedy exterior, despite being loud and crowded. A bar stretched across one wall in its entirety, helmed by a single salt-and-pepper unicorn stallion that looked every bit like an old-timey western saloon bartender. A jukebox in the corner played an upbeat jazz number that kept the conversations somewhat private despite the participants needing to talk loudly to hear one another. First thing, Briarthorn walked up to the bar and got the bartender’s attention. “Hey hey, Rum Runner, party of four for one of the small private rooms. Whatcha got in the way of tip-top quality? I’ve got some very important ponies with me, some VIPs, if you will.” Rum Runner checked an electronic panel behind him, which displayed a collection of numbers, some red and some green. He turned back to Briarthorn. “Take room 204.” Briarthorn nodded, then pulled a badge out of his pocket and flashed it. It displayed his picture, name, and the flight team he was part of: the Southern Sun. “Put it all on my tab, boss pony. There’s revelry to make and respects to be paid.” The bartender looked closely at the badge, then nodded. “You got it, sonny.” Briarthorn gestured for the others to follow him to the back of the front bar towards a hallway that led off into the rest of the building. They followed him through one door, up some stairs, down the hall, and to another door labeled “Private Room 204”. Briarthorn knocked three times, each time on a different part of the door, but received no response; it was clear. He then opened the door to reveal an unoccupied room behind it. This room was small and cozy, about the same size and layout as an average karaoke lounge: a single large table in the center of the room surrounded by a comfortable, half-circle couch. The couch was made of red-dyed leather, the table of a black-dyed wood. A device the size of a water cooler was positioned at the end of the table furthest from the couch, its front holding a small data tablet. As the quartet entered the room and took their seats, Briarthorn locked the door behind them. Gadget and Crossfire took seats on one side of the table, Blackburn and Briarthorn on the other. The former three took the opportunity to pull down their hoods, unzip their jackets, and get comfortable; Blackburn in particular cozied up close to Briarthorn. “See? What’d I tell ya: total privacy,” Briarthorn said, shrugging off his jacket and hanging it on the edge of the sofa, leaving him in just his shirt. He then pulled the data tablet over to him and tapped a few buttons, which softened the room’s lighting to a comfortable level - not too bright, not too dim - and gave it a hint of blue. “Check it: mood lighting. This baby’s got every color, every brightness. If you want I can even make it rainbow-colored, or polka-dot, or make it twinkle like a disco ball.” “Okay, fine, this isn’t so bad,” Gadget said, giving Briarthorn a sincere look. “Kinda nice, actually. Good atmosphere, nice and cozy.” Briarthorn put his hoof over his heart and smiled. “Oh my stars and garters, Gadget, was that… was that a compliment? For me? This is a red letter day, yessir, unless…” He leveled her with a scrutinizing gaze. “You’re some kind of clone. Or android. Sent here to infiltrate the city by taking on the form of a dear friend! You can’t hide your secrets from me, pod pony!” Gadget shook her head. “And back to normal, there we go.” “What’s everypony starting off with, eh? Eh?” Briarthorn asked. He pointed at Crossfire first. “Big guy, what’s your poison? No no, wait, let me take a guess here… whiskey, straight. Keeping it clissy-classy.” “Yessir, straight whiskey fer me, thanks,” said Crossfire with a simple nod. “Rocks or no?” “Naw.” Briarthorn typed that in, then pointed to Gadget. “Short stack? I remember you’re a lightweight, so… shirley temple? Extra cherries?” “Hard lemonade please,” Gadget said, nose in the air. “Chilled, if you would.” “Ooh, you’re a brave pony, Gadget. Letting your hair down tonight, huh? Let me know when you wanna graduate to wine coolers.” Briarthorn tapped that in, then pointed to Blackburn. “Your Princessfulness?” “What are you having?” she asked. “Will defer to your expertise.” Briarthorn tapped his chin. “Hmm… well, I’ve taken a liking to one of the new brands of scotch they ship up from Deepgrove down south, tastes like dark chocolate. You like scotch? ‘Cause I like scotch. I also like bourbon. They’ve got this great bourbon here from Utopia itself, really top-notch stuff, tastes like maple syrup. Wait wait, I’ve got it: tequila. Ooh, how about some tequila? Newhaven makes this jalapeño-infused brand that’s just fantastical.” “Sounds good, tequila it is.” “Great! Great great great.” He tapped in that order as well, then gestured around the table. “Now, how ‘bout some snacks? Can’t drink on an empty stomach. I mean, you can, but you shouldn’t. So, they make some bing-banging nachos here, and some killer hay fries. Like, I think somepony’s died eating them. Y’know what, pfft, yeah, you guys totally want snacks.” He tapped in a few more orders, then pushed a button on the side of the main device. Less than a minute later, the device’s top glowed a dim blue, and with a flash and a pop, their orders appeared: a snifter with Crossfire’s whiskey - straight, no ice; a bottle of Gadget’s hard lemonade, covered with a thin layer of frost; two shot glasses for Briarthorn and Blackburn filled with tequila - accompanied by slices of limes and a shaker of salt; a plate of plain hay fries with sides of ketchup and ranch dressing - the former for Gadget, the latter for Blackburn; and a plate of nachos smothered with cheese and piled high with diced tomatoes and onions, black beans, jalapeño coins, sour cream, guacamole, and red salsa. “Order up, everypony!” Briarthorn passed drinks orders around and set the food in the center. Blackburn sat up straight as she held her glass in hoof. “To Bramblejam.” The others raised their glasses to hers above the center of the table. “To Bramblejam,” they all said together. Blackburn and Briarthorn drank their shots in one go; the former let out a cough as she finished before biting into the lime - she’d never been much for jalapeño. Gadget took the most minute of sips of her lemonade; Crossfire took a generous sip of his whiskey, letting out a hum of approval. Briarthorn then gestured between himself and Blackburn to see if she wanted another round; she nodded and smiled in agreement. Briarthorn put the order in, and seconds later two new tequila shots popped up, which the two swiftly drank. Carousing had begun. “How have you been holding up, Briar?” Blackburn asked, putting her hoof on his. “Know it’s hard…” Briarthorn sunk into his seat. “I’ve been doing as well as I can, I guess. Work keeps me occupied, keeps my mind off the worst of it. Same with all the free booze, drowning my sorrows and all that cliché jazz.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “To be honest I’ve spent less time at home lately. You guys actually caught me at a good time, I just came back from an assignment down south.” “Do you... know what happened to your father?” she asked. Briarthorn frowned, then took a deep breath. “He had a heart attack. Two weeks ago, early in the afternoon while we were walking to lunch with mom. She went into a panic, I just tried to get help as fast as I could. We got him to the hospital in time, but… there were some complications…” He shook his head. “He didn’t make it.” Blackburn remained silent, and put her wing around Briarthorn. “I’m sorry, Briar…” Briarthorn shook her off and glared at her. “Don’t be sorry, Princess. You didn’t know. You were on a fun, sunny, Utopian vacation. A vacation that, I remind you, I wasn’t invited to, by the way,” he added with a grunt. “Though I guess I should be glad you didn’t invite me, y’know, your loving coltfriend? I would’ve missed everything, never would’ve gotten to say goodbye, and then I really would’ve felt like shit. Now at least I just feel a little bit like shit. So thanks for that, I guess.” Blackburn sighed and leaned back. She knew he was mad, but she knew that that’s all it was - misdirected anger out of grief. She’d done the same after her mother; not at anypony else, but at herself. If only she’d spotted the threads sooner; if only she’d said something to her grandfather; if only she’d stood up to her father; if only, if only, if only. So she could let Briar be upset. It was his right. But he at least needed to know the truth. He deserved it. “Briar… have truth to tell you. Wasn’t on ‘vacation’.” Briarthorn raised an eyebrow, his frown melting away. “Huh?” “Was in New Pandemonium City. Secret trip, not common knowledge.” “Whoa, wait, what?! What?!” he blurted, nearly leaping out of his seat as he grabbed her by the sides. “You’ve been in bucking Pandemonium for the last four months?! Are you bucking crazy?!” “Royal duty to ensure city’s prosperity,” she replied matter-of-factly. He leveled a fierce, accusing glare at her. “So you went allll the way up north and you didn’t think to tell me? Didn’t invite me? Blackburn, c’mon, you know damn well I would’ve gone with you, would’ve helped you, would’ve done anything you asked. Why?” “Intention of trip was installing Solarian’s database constructor,” Blackburn continued. “Couldn’t endanger anypony else; otherwise, would’ve invited you. Appreciate concern… also, not convinced of your skill set.” “Pshaw, I’m useful as all hell, Princess.” “Loud, colorful, lack skill with tech, espionage, or negotiations, at least to my standards,” Blackburn listed off. She gave him a sympathetic smile. “Top-notch flyer, though.” Briarthorn paused and stared at her, exasperated. “Wait… wait wait, you said Solarian’s database thingy? Solarian just got removed from his position because His Majestical Majesty found out he had that little gizmo installed without him knowing. Caused a big ol’ hub-bub and hullabaloo for Chief Gleaming Star, made her look real stupid - which I might add tickled Solarian pink. That was you?” “Correct. Secondary intention--" Briarthorn grasped his head in his hooves. “There’s more?!” “Challenge rival smuggling faction, regain dominant hold over import of goods into Hope's Point. Progress slow, but moving along.” “And how exactly are you doing that?” “Set up dummy company, using it for ‘shipping’ supplies south via our agents; supplies acquired from rival faction, incidentally.” Briarthorn thought about this for a moment. “Hang on… hang on, there’s a new supplier we’ve been having for a lot of tech parts in the past couple of weeks. Not enough to really notice unless you’re delivering the parts yourself, but a few of the crews here and there have gotten to talking. I mean, I’ve noticed it. Big ol’... big ol’ crown on the boxes...” Blackburn smirked. “Crown Spectrum?” “Yeah, that’s-- wait. Wait, no, no no, that’s you? For really-reals?” Briarthorn shook his head in disbelief. “Holy smokes, Princess… wow, you’ve been busy. A busy little bee, and up in Pandemonium? Do you have any idea how dangerous that is? Any idea what His Majesty would do if he found out? He’d have you… well, grounded, I guess? But like, literally. But not too literal, like he’s not gonna clip your wings. Just metaphorically.” “Naturally. Not worried; have Gadget and Crossfire along,” Blackburn noted, giving her trusted bodyguards proud smiles, which they returned. “Your words prove work is succeeding. Fantastic news.” “I’m… wow, okay… okay, so, yeah. Um… I guess I can’t get mad at you for gallivanting around down south while I was dealing with dad’s passing,” Briarthorn admitted, rubbing the back of his neck. “Not when you were really up north trying to help the city and putting yourself in danger to do it. Holy horseapples. Blackburn, you’re… you’re nuts, you know that?” “Doing what it takes to serve and protect city.” “Still… geez laweez, Princess. Wow.” He let out a breath, then pointed at her. “You and me, Blackburn, we’re getting hammered tonight. You deserve it.” He quickly placed another order, and seconds later two new shot glasses with limes appeared. He passed one over to her. “Bottoms up!” ***** About an hour later, the quartet’s revelry had progressed quite far beyond just honoring the fallen. The four friends enjoyed each other’s company, talking, drinking, eating, and having a grand old time together for the first time in a very long while. Gadget, as usual, couldn’t hold her liquor, and even after just two bottles of hard lemonade, she was flushed in the face and had a hard time keeping her head up to finish her third. Crossfire, the biggest in the group, could hold his own much better, but was also drinking slowly, only on his fifth glass at this point; he was enjoying himself more snacking on food that Briarthorn kept ordering, now working on a plate of mozzarella sticks and marinara sauce. Blackburn and Briarthorn weren’t technically engaged in any sort of drinking competition, but were keeping even with one another on shot after shot; they’d since moved past tequila to shots of zebra-made vodka. As the alcohol kept flowing, they got more comfortable being hooves-on with each other despite their company; the alcohol seemed to make Gadget mind less than usual, too. “So wait wait wait,” Briarthorn said, barely containing a laugh. “You’re telling me you got one of the tippity-top crime bosses, like full on mob boss ‘badabing-badaboom’ crime bosses, in Pandemonium to give you all this new tech stuff because you gave his daughter a necklace?” Blackburn chuckled and took a deep breath. “No no, it’s because Gadget’s little inventions are so cool. Necklace just, uh… gave him pause? Yeah yeah, because Gadget and I are a team! So Gadget impressed him with her wizardry, I impressed him with my insight.” “You mean *hic* Tinker and *hic* Thunderbolt impreshed him,” Gadget slurred as she leaned giggling into Blackburn, either not noticing or caring that that meant her face was dangerously close to Briarthorn’s crotch. “I am a ssshhuper *hic* tech wizzzzz. Abra kadabra!” She flailed her hoof through the air and almost clonked Blackburn in the face. “Heh heh, this is grrreat,” Briarthorn chortled as he ordered himself and Blackburn another shot; they appeared seconds later. “I can’t believe my Princessly Princess Blackburn duped the mafia into helping her bring them down from the inside. Wow. Wow.” He smiled and shook his head in amazement, then gave her a kiss on the nose. “You’re amazing, babe.” Blackburn chuckled and ran her hoof up his back. “No, you’re amazing.” “And you say you’re making all kinds of other business partners up there?” He asked, taking his glass in hoof. “Oh all sorts, yes,” Blackburn said, taking her own glass. She and Briarthorn clinked glasses and drank. Blackburn reeled a little; zebra vodka was strong, sure, but tasted awful. “Doctors, information specialists, press agents; all sorts.” She gave a slight hiccup; the alcohol was getting to her more and more every minute. “I don’t even know how you could meet that many ponies and make such strong connections so… fast. You’re like a… a rocket. A rocket of friendship. A satellite of love!” Gadget sat up straight and nearly knocked over her bottle in the process. “That’sh ‘cause she’s *hic* the besht!” she exclaimed. She took one of Crossfire’s empty snifters and placed it, upside-down, on Blackburn’s head; Blackburn didn’t seem to care that she got a small amount of whiskey in her mane. “All hail *hic* all hail *hic* Queeeeeen Blackburrrrrn! Long live the Queen!” “But she didn’t do it alone,” Crossfire noted, taking another mozzarella stick for himself. “Blackburn’s good ‘n’ all but we couldn’t o’ done it wit’out a lil’ bit o’ help.” Blackburn nodded; her snifter crown slipped off her head and onto the table, though luckily it didn’t break. “Yes yes, had help.” She pushed Gadget playfully. “Help from Gadget and Crossfire, of course.” “Well, not just us,” Crossfire said with a shrug. He’d long ago accepted that he was the only pony in the room sober enough to think completely straight; Briarthorn was still lucid but more flighty than usual. Gadget snorted as she lay on her back and pawed at Crossfire’s side; he ignored her. “Pfffffft. Yeah yeah *hic* whatever, sho what? Blackburn’s *hic* shtill the besht!” She giggled and snuggled up to Crossfire. “She’sh sho aweshome…” “Somepony was helping you?” Briarthorn asked, turning to Crossfire. “Awww, I bet you wouldn’t need that much help, you big ol’ drink of water, you. I bet you could just… just shake that big ol’ badonkadonk and every mare on the block would come running. And some stallions!” Crossfire raised an eyebrow. “Huh?” “You’re a hunk-and-a-half! The studdliest stud that ever studded! Look at you, you big ol’ beefcake.” With his wing, he poked Crossfire’s abdomen, which was tight and muscled. “You’re just a… a… a sexy stallion. Sorry, that’s all I got. I already used all my creative ones.” He turned back to Blackburn. “So wait, you had somepony helping you guys make these contacts?” He tapped his chin. “Must’ve been somepony pretty special to help you meet all those ponies.” Blackburn smiled, almost dreamily. “Lockwood. Nice pony, knows lots of other ponies. Very helpful.” Briarthorn paused and stared at her. “Wait… wait, did you say ‘Lockwood’? Whaaat? No way, you guys know him too?” Blackburn raised an eyebrow. “Wait, you know him? How?” “Two months ago the Southern Sun took a trip up north on a supply run. My first time to Pandemonium, by the way, so that was neat. That city’s filthy, like super duper dirty, I don’t know how the pegasi there can live with that air quality.” He tapped his chin. “Huh, guess that’s why we get so many pegasi down here, ain’t it? Anywho, we were supposed to meet somepony on the docks. I… uh… hmm. What was his name?” he muttered, tapping his temple. “Deadlift,” Blackburn finished. “Our contact on shipping dock, ensures our supplies are accounted for and do not attract suspicion. What happened to Deadlift?” “Oh, nothing, he’s perfectly fine. Nice guy, by the way, super friendly. I didn’t know pegasi could get that big. But anyway anyway, he had a friend with him there just making a delivery of his own or something, and said friend invited us out for drinks since he’d never met anypony from Hope’s Point before, at least that’s what he said. Name was Lockwood.” “What did he look like?” Briarthorn scratched his head. “Uh, gray pegasus - kinda scrawny, plain-looking, short wingspan; brown mane - tidy, but not too fancy; he wore a nice hat and a plain jacket - hat might have been expensive; he had pretty eyes, though, a really odd shade of gold.” Blackburn smiled fondly and nodded. “That’s him. He does have pretty eyes, doesn’t he?” Briarthorn gave Blackburn a sultry look. “Ohhh? Prettier than mine?” He waggled his eyebrows to draw her attention to his eyes. Blackburn looked at his eyes closely, then nodded again and hid her face in her hooves. “Uh huh…” “Pshaw. Pshaw!” Briarthorn huffed, mock-offended. “You’re a terrible liar, Miss Princesspants.” Blackburn leaned in and gave him a deep kiss. “You’ve got him beat in looks, tiger.” “Nuh uh!” Gadget blurted, rising back up in her seat. “She’s *huc* she’s the best truther *hic* the besht truther there ish.” She poked Blackburn in the side. “Tell him, Blackburn. *hic* Tell him about *hic* about *hic* about that… that thing… with the thing. *hic* With the Diffushion… *hic*” Blackburn was too drunk to verbally shush Gadget; a rough shove did the trick, though. Briarthorn raised an eyebrow. “What’s that about Diffusion? Oh! Oh I know, you guys must’ve heard about that huh? Yeah, it’s pretty neat, pretty cool.” He fluffed his feathers a little in pride. “I’m the Junior Diffusion Flyer on the Southern Sun now, as of last week actually. Moving up in the world, yessiree.” Blackburn paled and rose sharply in her seat. “You… work as a Diffusion flyer? Not Cadet?” “Oh yeah, I was a Cadet on the Southern Sun. At first. They were still looking for a Junior Diffusion Flyer though, for like, weeks after I joined, but there weren’t a lot of options available; the next graduating class isn’t for a few more months, y’know, ‘cause I graduated early on account of being tip-tippity-top of the class. Anywhoozles, the ship Technician, Long Drive, he convinced me to ask Captain Sunstar for the position.” “Why?” “Because he knew I was perfect for the position, of course.” “Thought you wanted to be a Cadet, Briar. With your skill, two years as Cadet, two years as co-Captain, then you get your own ship. ‘Captain Briarthorn’, remember?” She trailed her hoof over his chest seductively. “The sexy Captain Briarthorn…” Briarthorn shrugged. “Yeah, but… Diffusion flying is a bit of a family legacy, y’know? Dad did it, his mother did it before him, and her father did it before her. It’s in my blood.” He flared his big wings, almost knocking several glasses off the table. “Yessiree! Captain Sunstar saw me try out and said I’ve got a real knack for it, on account of… all that stuff I just said. I was made for this, babe.” Blackburn just stared at him for a long moment. “You enjoy it?” “Oh, hell yes. I mean, I’d love to be a full-blown Captain someday, but I know that even I have to work my way up the ranks the hard way, no nepotism here, no sir. Heck, dad was a Diffusion flyer for twelve years! Senior position, sure, whatever. But I don’t mind. It’s so cool that my job keeps my ship, my crew, our cargo, and our passengers safe.” He beamed proudly. “I love it. Wouldn’t give it up for the world. Like I said though, someday I’d love to have my own ship, but for now, I’m happy with where I’m at.” Blackburn paused to think, then smiled and nodded. “That’s… really neat, Briar… I’m glad you found something you enjoy.” Briarthorn reached his hooves around Blackburn for a tight embrace. “Hey! That reminds me! You weren’t here when I got assigned to the Southern Sun! Ohhh, you! We need another drink to celebrate.” He kissed her full on the lips, then rose up to grab the tablet again, but as he went to place the order, Blackburn held up her hoof to pause him. “Order me a Gunpowder’s Guzzler,” she said. Briarthorn raised an eyebrow and looked at her like she was from one of the moons. “Wow, really? The Gunpowder’s Guzzler? That’s, uh… that’s one heck of a drink there, Princess, if you can even call it that. Are you sure--” “I’m sure.” “Yeah yeah, okay, your funeral.” Blackburn frowned at his choice of words. He placed the order: another shot of vodka for him, and for her, a cocktail glass filled with a black liquid topped with a sparkler. Blackburn took her glass and nearly forgot to clink glasses with Briarthorn or take out the sparkler before choking it down. It tasted like burnt coffee mixed with extra spicy hot sauce; it was an acquired taste, and she still hadn’t acquired it, but it was one of the absolutely hardest drinks she knew. And right now, she needed something hard to come to grips with what was swirling through her head. The rest of the night was mostly a blur to Blackburn. She drank more Gunpowder’s Guzzlers, one after the other, until after her fifth round - or sixth, or seventh, she wasn’t sure - she could barely see; by this point, Gadget had already passed out after her third hard lemonade. It was here that the revelry finally ended and everypony decided it was time to get some rest. Crossfire was strong enough, and sober enough, to carry Blackburn and Gadget by himself, and Briarthorn, though thoroughly drunk, was still lucid enough to walk on his own; the two decided it would be best if they stayed at Briarthorn’s place for the night. ***** Blackburn and Gadget sat at Briarthorn’s dining table the following morning, ice packs on their heads, cups of coffee in their hooves. “I’m never drinking again…” Gadget grumbled. “Never ever ever ever ever. I swear on Harmonia’s left hoof.” “Will need to keep better tabs on my limit,” Blackburn agreed as she took a sip of her coffee. After a long moment of quiet, Gadget turned to Blckburn and frowned. “You didn’t tell him, Blackburn.” “No. I didn’t.” “Why?” Blackburn took a deep breath. “Bramblejam loved his work. Briarthorn loves his work. Work critical to city’s success. See no reason to disrupt.” “But… but Blackburn, you know that if he keeps this up, he’s going to die. Like, within the next ten years or so.” Gadget shook her head. “I don’t understand. You tried practically everything you could to steer him away from what he’s doing, to push him into the Captain’s chair. Why aren’t you gonna try to change his mind?” “Can’t do more… if I try to convince him to quit, will have to explain why. Plus, he enjoys it… cannot deprive him of that.” Blackburn sighed. “Can only… make him happy.” Gadget remained silent for a long moment. “I don’t agree with this, Princess. He deserves to know.” “I know.” “And you know damn well Crossfire won’t agree with this either.” “I know.” “Then why--” “My decision to make!” Blackburn snapped, rising from her seat. “My duty to keep secret from him, from all Diffusion flyers! My duty, my decision, my guilt! I will live with my decision. With my father’s decision. With my grandfather's decision. It’s what’s best for him, what’s best for the city. You don’t think this is hard for me, too?” Gadget and Blackburn locked eyes for several seconds before Gadget turned away and sighed. “Okay, Blackburn… I see your point, but… just promise me that you’ll do everything you can to make this better. I’m not exactly Briar’s biggest fan sometimes, but he’s my friend too.” Blackburn took a breath to calm herself. “Will do what I can as Princess. Father unlikely to be sympathetic; requires King’s approval for such a project.” She hummed and tapped her chin. “Possible solution with our resources in Pandemonium. Perhaps we can develop improvements to Diffusion system?” “Yeah… yeah, that could work.” Gadget gave a slight smile and nodded. “I’ll see if I can whip anything up while we’re dealing with our other business. Might be able to market it with Virtuoso’s help if I can figure something out. With any luck… maybe we can save some lives here, not just Briarthorn’s.” Blackburn nodded. “All we can do, all we can hope for.” She sat back down and took another drink of coffee. “Are you sure you’re going to be okay, Princess? I know you and Briarthorn have this whole thing going on… but doesn’t this make that difficult?” Blackburn sighed and shook her head. “Have to rethink things… rethink everything. Need time away again. Will begin plans for next trip… after headache goes away...” Two Months Later Blackburn, Gadget, and Crossfire arrived in Newhaven in the late morning, greeted by Concord and the usual entourage of dock workers with the usual overenthusiastic greetings and service; this had been more of an official visit that last time, so Concord had prepared an even more extravagant welcome replete with banners, balloons, and music. Blackburn wasn’t sure if she should feel honored or embarrassed at the amount of effort Concord had put into things, but was thankful nonetheless; the stallion certainly had a passion for his work. The trio made their way straight for Shining Steel’s home as soon as they were able to pull themselves away from Concord’s overbearing welcome, as they had already arranged plans to visit before taking their next secret trip north to Pandemonium. Their bags were packed, their tickets and fake identifications ready for their flight later tonight, and their cover story already planned out with Shining Steel and another trusted ally: Evening Glitz. They five of them were now eating a simple lunch together: daisy sandwiches, strawberry salads, and cool, fresh lemonade. Paramour and Crystal Heart were out for lunch with some of Crystal Heart’s friends and their mothers, giving plenty of time for this little clandestine rendezvous to occur without involving the two in any potentially risky ventures; they had plausible deniability should anything happen. “Traveling to the Utopian capital itself is a pretty decent excuse,” said Glitz, who sat beside Shining Steel opposite Blackburn and her friends. She took a bite of her strawberry salad and mulled over the situation in her head, her brow furrowed. “I suppose that’s why you had Shining call me here?” “Correct,” Blackburn said. “Trust both of you implicitly; have no ponies in position within city to assist. Had planned on using Bramblejam, but...” She frowned and sighed. Glitz put her hoof on Blackburn’s. “I heard last week. I’m so sorry, Princess. I know you looked up to him.” “Not to mention you’re dating his son,” Shining added, shaking his head. “That must be really hard for both of you to deal with. If there’s anything we can do--” “No, just help with my mission,” Blackburn said stiffly. “Appreciate the offer, but I can cope.” Shining nodded, taking a bite from his sandwich. “Well, if you’re still thinking about anypony else to trust with your missions, Princess, I’d recommend Concord. He’s a pretty reliable sort, well within the means to keep these trips of yours secret while making the process more convenient for you. Nopony would bat an eye if he fudged a few things, y’know?” Blackburn shook her head. “Do not know him well enough to trust with information. Agree with assessment, though; additional benefit: plenty of autonomy, as father doesn’t oversee his duties. Also potential con: risks losing said autonomy, which allows Newhaven to prosper.” “Yeah… yeah, okay, I can see where that might be risky.” Shining shrugged and took another bite of his sandwich. “Well, maybe at some point you’ll get to know him. Then you just might change your mind.” “At any rate, at least for now, the cover story is that the Princess and her entourage are coming to the Utopian capital with me to visit the city and meet a few dignitaries from House Dawn and House Snow, since you missed the chance on your last trip, right?” asked Glitz. She hummed and tapped her chin. “How long are you planning on staying in ‘Utopia’?” Blackburn looked to Gadget and Crossfire, then smiled. “Diplomatic mission, requires all due diligence. Extended leave. Current plan: six months, maybe more.” Glitz leaned back in her chair and took a drink of lemonade. “Okay… I can make that work. A few forged documents here and there so that it seems like you’re with me while I’m doing my rounds with the noble houses. Granted I would like you to actually be present for those discussions some day, but for now we’ll work with it. Never know when you might actually need Utopia’s help, right?” “Thank you, Glitz,” Blackburn said with a nod. “Appreciate your assistance and confidentiality.” Glitz waved the gesture off with her hoof and smiled brightly. “Not a problem at all, Princess. It’s the least I could do for you after all you’re doing to help Hope’s Point, especially since you’re doing it at risk to yourself. You’re just like your grandfather in that respect.” Blackburn grinned. “He trusted you with city security; without you, duty falls to somepony with similar dedication.” Glitz leaned forward and gave Blackburn a hard look. “Speaking of which, how’s my replacement, if you don’t mind my asking? What’s your opinion of her?” Blackburn grunted. “Agree with Solarian’s assessment: know-nothing know-it-all. Takes quick, easy solutions over thorough, effective ones. Fits right in with father’s ‘let it be’ attitude. Not a suitable replacement for you.” “Yeah, I figured as much. I tried to help that filly learn the importance of doing a job right, but she always insisted on doing a job quick.” Glitz sighed and shook her head. “I’m glad you’re doing what Solarian and I couldn’t get done before your grandfather passed. Breaks my heart that he got fired for doing what needed to be done. He deserves better than that. Who ended up replacing him, by the way?” “Sunbeam.” Glitz tapped her chin. “Huh… yeah, that makes sense. Probably got a recommendation from Gleaming Star. They’re close, you know? He seemed qualified enough.” “He’s no Solarian,” Blackburn said, shaking her head. “Nopony’s like Solarian,” Glitz muttered. “Dangit, I wish there was something I could do for him…” “He’ll manage just fine, Glitzy, don’t you worry,” Shining said with a smile, patting Glitz on the shoulder. “Flashfire entrusted him with that position for a reason: he’s a smart cookie. Only pony in that whole city smarter than you, y’know?” Glitz rolled her eyes. “As you always like to remind me.” Shining snapped to attention and saluted. “It is my sworn duty as your little brother to tease you as often as possible, lest you forget your place and get ‘too big in the head’ as mom used to say.” He chuckled and relaxed immediately after. “You worry too much, sis. He’ll be fine.” “Yeah yeah, just you watch,” Glitz huffed, poking his horn. “You keep teasing me like that and I’ll make sure little Crystal Heart prefers her aunt to her father any day of the week. I’ll spoil that filly so hard your head’ll spin, mark my words.” Shining narrowed his eyes. “You wouldn’t.” “Try me, little brother. I still have enough pull with Concord to ship a whole amusement park down here just for her, and I’m not afraid to do it.” “Okay, okay, I give,” Shining said with a laugh. Blackburn cleared her throat. “Again, appreciate help from you both. Grandfather’s trust was not misplaced. You make Hope’s Point proud.” “So do you, Princess,” Shining said. “Hope’s Point and your grandfather both.” Glitz lifted her glass. “To Hope’s Point!” The others lifted their glasses as well. “To Hope’s Point!” They drank.