//------------------------------// // 4. Canterlot Tower // Story: Spectacular Seven // by Albi //------------------------------// Sunset opened her bedroom door and yawned. She dug out as much sleep from her eyes as she could and walked toward the bathroom. As her vision cleared, she saw Trixie walking toward her. Both girls paused in front of the bathroom door.  “Trixie has had to bathe in rivers and community showers for the last month. She demands to use the bathroom first.” Sunset rolled her eyes but took a step back and swept her arm toward the door. “Just for today.” Trixie raised her chin but smiled. “Your generosity is appreciated.” She sauntered into the bathroom and shut the door behind her. Remembering how long Trixie could take in the mornings, Sunset decided to bide her time by heading downstairs. As she approached the kitchen, she could hear Artemis and Selena talking in hushed tones. She poked her head around the corner and found them hunched over something on the table. “Morning,” she said with a hesitant wave. “What’s up?” Artemis heaved a sigh and stepped out of the way. “I’m afraid this morning starts off with some rather ominous news.” “Great, just how I like to start my days,” Sunset said with a playful smile. When it wasn’t reciprocated, she approached the table and saw the morning newspaper. Moondancer looked up at her, half her face hidden by a mask and the other looking exhausted. Corporate Transition: Shade Enterprises’ sudden new CEO! As dawn broke over Canterlot this morning, it was reported that Night Shade, president and CEO of Shade Enterprises, and the richest man in Canterlot, had fallen into a comatose state with no sign of awakening.  The company is estimated to be worth approximately eight hundred million dollars. In a missive penned by Night Shade, company operations and personal shareholdings have been signed over to his only daughter Moondancer. She has been named acting CEO until such time as Mr. Shade recovers, or the company’s board of directors votes to appoint a new candidate to the position. However, Moondancer’s inherited shareholdings total at fifty-five percent giving her majority ownership and the ability to override any decision made by the board.  Speaking from in front of the family manor in the Upper Villa, a seemingly shaken and hesitant Moondancer issued the following statement: “We have opted to give my father in-home care, and it is my deepest wish that he awakens soon. As of now, the doctors are unsure of what caused his sudden collapse, though he has been under a lot of stress as of late.” Moondancer turned eighteen earlier this month, meaning she is legally allowed to assume this emergency inheritance. However, there is doubt of her ability to run an international, multi-million dollar company. “There are some who assume I’m another airheaded heiress. I can assure you, while I’m no mogul, I fully understand the business model of my family’s company and how to navigate the corporate world. My father left the company in a very lucrative state, and I plan on keeping it that way until he returns.” Rumors are already swirling regarding this sudden transition of power and Moondancer’s capability. Moondancer transferred to Canterlot High—a public school that faced scrutiny last year over a sudden gas explosion that destroyed the front entrance—for her last semester of senior year, only to miss finals and subsequently leave her studies incomplete, essentially making her a high school dropout. When asked about this matter, Moondancer gave the brusque response: “While I believe in transparency for our company, what occurs in my private life is frankly irrelevant to the press.” Though the young heiress has spent her life up until now in relative obscurity, appearing only at corporate functions, Canterlot’s business elites will have a sharp eye on her from now on. The article went on to mention a drop in stocks, but Sunset hardly cared about the economics of the situation. She looked up at Selena and Artemis. “You think Night Shade got his soul taken?” Selena gave a grim nod. “The timeline of Tempest’s actions match too well for this to be a coincidence.” Artemis paced between the table and the stove. “First the Sirens are walking around again and now this. I just got home and already can’t catch a break.” “What does this mean for us though?” Sunset asked. “We’re not sure,” Selena said. “We had already assumed Night Shade was working with Tempest, or at least that he knew Moondancer was. Either way, why wait until now to remove him and put Moondancer in power?” “Why put an eighteen-year-old in charge in the first place?” Sunset asked. “It can’t be because she’s easier to control. We’ve met Moondancer.” “Night must have done something egregious to upset Tempest,” Selena remarked. Artemis ran a finger over his goatee and stared out to the backyard. “Perhaps. Or… maybe…” A rapid knocking at the door prevented Sunset from pressing him on his muttered musings. She hurried over and opened it to find Twilight doubled-over, sword in hand, chest heaving. “Moondancer… CEO! I saw… newspaper!” she gasped. Sunset took her by the arm and led her inside. “Yeah, I just found out. You know, you didn’t have to run here.” Twilight straightened up. “I thought it would be a good pre-training workout. Plus, this is really big news! If Moondancer’s in charge, that means—” “Her dad probably lost his soul.” “Not just that. Moondancer’s in charge of one of the largest businesses on the East Coast. She has direct access to money and resources now. If she really wanted to, she could make our lives extremely difficult.”  Sunset pressed her lips together. “I wouldn’t put it past her… but even if she wasn’t directly in control of the company she’s still been rich and powerful all along. What more can she do now that she couldn’t have tried before?” “Good point. But I still think we should be prepared for something. Moondancer’s shown herself to be…” Twilight tightened her grip on her sword. “Impossible to read. The only person who knows what’s going on inside her head right now is her.” “Yeah. Attacking us one day and feeding information to Fluttershy the next. She definitely has her own agenda.” Twilight slumped her shoulders and headed toward the kitchen. “I just wish she told me what it was.” ******* You don’t have to do this. Moondancer looked up from her compact mirror to admire the passing cityscape. The limo pulled off the freeway and into the bustling traffic of downtown Canterlot. The sky quickly became obscured by the glass skyscrapers and concrete towers looming overhead.  Her head tilted downward and she caught her reflection again. No amount of makeup could hide the despondent look in her red eyes. It covered up the bags underneath her visible one at least. No one needed to know she was running on two hours of sleep. Every time she had closed her eyes, she saw her mother—Tirek, looking back at her.  You could end all of this right now. Moondancer snapped the compact shut and leaned back in her seat. She had spent hours pacing in her room last night, chasing that thought in circles. She didn’t care how well reasoned the idea was, she didn’t care if it made her complicit in any more chaos that occurred. The fact of the matter was she, Moondancer, was not ready for that, mentally or emotionally. But you can put an end to this entire nightmare! the rational part of her brain screamed. Make up for everything you’ve done! Make up for the failure your ancestors made! All you have to do is… Kill Mother. Moondancer lurched forward, cupping a hand over her mouth. Every time those two words strung themselves together, she nearly vomited.  But it’s true. You could end it all. Once Tirek dies a mortal death, this cycle ends and you can release all the souls from the Soul Lock. Moondancer swallowed hard but kept her mouth covered, her stomach still roiling. “All I have to do is sacrifice my mother and render years of toil and suffering pointless,” Moondancer muttered into her palm. She let out a broken laugh then gagged again. But it’d be a simple matter. His—Mother’s—his body is still weak. I wouldn’t even need my project. She shuddered at the visual of overpowering him and pinning him to the ground. Mother would want what was best for the world though. She’d… she would probably risk throwing her life away for the greater good. She would probably beg me to do it. But… Moondancer bit her thumb knuckle and pulled her shoulders in. Every time she played the scene out in her head, it froze before the final blow. Even if it was just Tirek wearing her mother’s face, it was still her mother’s face. Coward. “Yes, I am,” Moondancer said softly, lowering her hand. Her limo pulled into the roundabout at the base of Canterlot Tower. Its black steel beams and glass absorbed the sun's rays, giving the sixty-story building an even more ominous appearance. The media were already gathered along the path to the front entrance, microphones out and cameras flashing. “Are you ready, Miss?” Porter asked from the front. Moondancer smoothed out her ruffled maroon blazer and wiped off any lingering lint from her black slacks. “As I’ll ever be.” A moment later, her door opened and a flood of questions washed over her. She took Porter’s hand and stepped out of the car, keeping her expression neutral.  “Miss Moondancer, what will be your first act as CEO?” “Do you think you’re qualified to handle this position?” “What is your relationship with the board of directors?” “Is it true the scars on your face are from plastic surgery?” Moondancer’s eye twitched slightly at that last question before she tuned the rest of them out. Security guards kept the reporters at bay as Moondancer strode toward the sliding glass doors. She paused in front of them and turned toward the cameras. “I will follow whatever plan my father had in place. Thank you.” She gave a simple wave and backed-stepped into the building. Silence greeted her the second the doors slid closed. She took a moment to breathe in the quiet and look around the modest reception hall.  Moondancer couldn’t count the number of times she had been here, usually just to smile, wave, and put on the appearance that she and her father were a normal, happy family. There was a different air walking in without her father leading in front of her. Normally, she was detached and uninterested. But she was in charge now; she had to pay attention. A familiar red rug ran over the gray tiles to the reception desk where a young man typed away at his keyboard. A board with a list of the various departments and amenities occupying the floors of Canterlot Tower took up the wall to Moondancer’s left. Though Shade Enterprises itself used up much of the building, they leased out several floors to their subsidiary companies. On Moondancer’s right was a small sitting area with black leather couches and a coffee table covered in magazines. Moondancer remembered the days she had to sit and wait, politely saying hi to all the passing employees while her father finished up a meeting. A woman with alabaster skin and jet black hair tied in a neat bun sat in the seat Moondancer had always chosen.  She looked up from her tablet and smiled at Moondancer before standing and adjusting her horn-rimmed glasses. In heels, she was almost Moondancer’s height. “Hello, Miss Moondancer, I don’t know if we’ve ever properly been introduced,” she said, reaching her hand out as she approached. “My name is Raven Inkwell. I was your father’s personal secretary, and now yours, if you wish to have me stay on.” Her voice was prim but pleasant, and she never broke eye contact. Moondancer shook her hand and smiled back. “I remember you. Of course you can stay on. Having someone with such familiarity will make navigating through this much easier.” “Thank you, ma’am, I’m glad you feel that way. I do hope Mr. Shade gets well soon, but I look forward to working with you.” Raven withdrew her hand and tapped on her tablet. “Before we get to business, I must ask, how would you prefer to be addressed? Miss Moondancer, Miss Lulamoon, Miss Shade?” “Just ‘Moondancer’ will be fine,” she said, suppressing a flinch.  “Very well, Miss Moondacner.” Raven gave a polite nod. “If you’ll follow me, we can go through a quick tour of the departments before heading to your office.” ******* Though Moondancer knew the building well enough from her past visits, she humored Raven and allowed her to be her tour guide. She already knew Sand Dollar in accounting and Sealight from international relations. Sparkler from communications had come over for dinner in the past, and Moondancer had once had a playdate with Sugar Sweet’s son.  But meeting them as their new boss was different.  They no longer looked down at her with polite smiles and passive glances; they looked up to her with a cavalcade of emotions hidden behind affable greetings and condolences. Some of them looked at her with fear, others with expectation. But all of them held scrutiny: the judgment of fully grown adults who would now be expected to answer to a child. Moondancer couldn’t blame them. She’d be skeptical too if she was in their position. Only Raven seemed to withhold judgment, or at the very least, she was better at hiding it. They stood in the glass elevator on the side of the tower, watching the city grow smaller and smaller as they ascended to the top floor. “You have a video call with the president of Firefly’s Skydiving at two. They want to commission new parts for their airplanes. Then at four, you have your first meeting with the board of directors. I’ve already written up a few notes to help you review everything the company has been doing until now. They’re on your desk along with the password to access your father’s computer.” “Thank you, Miss Inkwell.” “My pleasure, ma’am.” The elevator came to a smooth stop and opened to a large hallway with a set of grandiose doors at the other end. Another reception desk was positioned off to the side, opposite of a single security officer. Raven walked at a brisk pace, but Moondancer took her time, admiring the potted plants and paintings on the wall. She paused at a watercolor of Canterlot’s skyline, remembering the auction her father had bought it from. She had been six and very fidgety, bored of all the stuffy people holding up little signs just for pictures. She had been treated to ice cream afterward though for her patience. Looking at it now, Moondancer admitted it was a fine piece of artwork. She carried herself down the velveteen carpet to the oak doors. Raven had seated herself at the desk and was already typing away at her computer. She paused and smiled at Moondancer again. “I will be right here if you need anything. Just press the intercom button on your desk.” “Right. Thank you, Miss Inkwell,” Moondancer repeated. She took a quick breath and pushed open the door. Like the rest of the building, she had been here before when she was just the CEO’s daughter. Stepping into the office as the CEO herself held a different atmosphere. She felt the urge to keep her shoulders straight and hold her head up as she crossed the threshold and swung the door shut. She paused and let her heels sink into the plush white carpet. The office was brightly lit, due completely to the back wall being made entirely of glass. Moondancer walked past the couch and tea table set up in front of her father’s desk to get a better appreciation of her new view. Far down below, she could see people scurrying down the street like ants or driving beetle-sized cars. To her left were the mountains, free of snow now that summer had arrived, and to her right, she could see the line of trees that marked the Everfree Forest. Straight in front of her, high-rises and skyscrapers dominated downtown Canterlot, towering over old brick and mortar shops and apartments. But they all bowed before Moondancer’s tower, the next tallest building still several stories below her.  Moondancer felt tall and important. If only for a moment.  She looked back at the rest of the office. It made a U shape around the door. On one side was a small kitchenette with a fridge and microwave, and on the other was a door to the bathroom. Potted plants with large, round leaves sat close to the windows. They were so green and shiny, Moondancer doubted if they were real. A simple brush with her finger told her they indeed were. Her father had some competency with plants it seemed. After admiring the succulents, Moondancer finally approached her father’s desk. It was dark mahogany, a perfect contrast to the carpet, and curved along the surface. The computer came with two monitors that took up the left side. Moondancer took a seat in the office chair and scooted herself in, and for another brief moment, she felt important again. A neat stack of papers and a pen sat in front of a picture frame. Moondancer nudged them aside and quickly cursed her curiosity. Her mother, father, and a younger Moondancer smiled at her from in front of the grand staircase back at home. They were all sharply dressed; Night Shade wore a silver business suit with a black tie to match Apalla’s silver skirt and black blazer. Moondancer squinted her eyes at her younger self. Little Moondancer’s hair only fell to the nape of her neck and her bangs curled over her cheeks. The memories of that day sat somewhere in the fog of her mind. She recognized the sundress her mother had wrestled her into. It was fuchsia, her favorite color and her word of that year. She also recalled being squirmy that afternoon though she couldn’t remember why.  The three of them smiled at the camera, Moondancer in between her parents and beaming like the happiest child in the world. They weren’t painted, they weren’t forced. They were genuine, happy smiles.  None of them knew. None of them had any idea of the tragedy that was to befall them. Her mother was to be a scapegoat, her father a pawn, and she, Moondancer, a vindictive fool.  Moondancer clenched her jaw and flipped the picture face down on the desk. On either side of her were a row of drawers. She picked the top one and opened it up, shoving the picture inside. Her hand reflexively snapped the drawer closed, but she kept her fingers curled around the handle, a conversation with her father springing to her mind. Did he really keep it? She opened the drawer again, nudging the picture aside to look at the other contents. Seeing only business folders, she closed it again and opened the one below it, finding more organized files. She opened another filled with spare pens, pencils, and highlighters. Moondancer tried the top drawer on her left and found a thin stack of unorganized papers. She leafed through them and found her query. It was written in purple crayon by a child who had just discovered how to hold one. The letters slanted against one another and dipped below the lines. Some didn’t look like letters at all. Still, Moondancer could make out the words ‘princess’ and ‘tower’ and ‘save’ along with a few other context clues.  “Why on earth would he keep this?” Moondancer flipped the paper over, finding more of her younger self’s scribbles on the back. She wanted to be annoyed with her father, but something about him holding on to this trite, unintelligible screenplay touched her. She puckered her lips and put the paper back in the drawer. It wasn’t as though his sentimentality could help her now. Night Shade was gone and Moondancer found herself cursing his name. Oaf. I told you not to waste either of our time trying to fix this relationship. I was perfectly fine without you. Why did you insist on trying? You just made it hurt more... Moondancer swatted a tear away. I should probably start working. She tucked herself in a little tighter and turned the computer monitor on. On top of the stack of papers was a sticky note with the computer password. Moondancer punched it in and was greeted to a generic home screen with dozens of files plastered over it. Mondancer edged her seat back an inch and tugged at her shirt collar. She pulled over the stack of papers and started leafing through them, finding project names and business associates with short summaries and important bullet points under each of them.  After a few pages, Moondancer’s eyes began to gloss over. She pushed the papers back and returned to the computer, deciding to just click on the first file her mouse found. It opened to a ledger and a financial summary totaling in the low millions.  Moondancer found her mouth dry, and it was suddenly hard to swallow. She clicked open another file and found a memo filled with business jargon she barely understood.  Economics class did not prepare me for this. She opened a file named ‘quarterly reports’ hoping to find a good place to jump in at. The graphs and summary were understandable at least but not what Moondancer would deem helpful. She opened another file and scanned through it, understanding some sections and being thoroughly confused by others. She opened another file, then another, and another, her breathing growing more labored with each one she opened. Moondancer leaned back in her chair and placed her hands in front of her lips. I have no idea what I’m doing. I don’t even know what I’m supposed to be doing. A hysterical giggle broke free from her before she clamped her mouth down. “No, it’s fine. I’m fine. Everything’s fine.”  She glanced at the door hiding partially behind her front monitor. Her eyes drifted to the intercom by the base of it; a simple brown box with a speaker and a red button. Moondancer tapped her index fingers together before leaning over and giving the button a quick poke. A second later, the speaker crackled before Raven came through, clear as day. “Yes, Miss Moondancer, did you need something?” “Oh! No, um… I was just testing to see if it worked.” “Very good, Miss Moondancer.” It crackled again then went silent. Moondancer watched the intercom for a few more seconds then looked back at the door. She couldn’t ask for help on the first day. She already told the press she knew what she was doing. And the way all her new employees looked at her… like she was a child and they were expecting her to mess up. She couldn’t take company ridicule on top of everything else.  “I can do this,” she said, wiping a layer of sweat off her forehead. “I just need to… do it.”  But what exactly did she do? And where did she start? She pulled over the notes again. “Okay, Raven said I have a call with a skydiving company for plane parts. I’ll just start there.” The notes referred her to a computer folder labeled Celaeno Aviation. Finding it proved easier said than done, as the folders were not organized alphabetically but rather by acquisition date. Moondancer had to go down the exhaustive list of subsidiaries the company owned, several of which she had no clue existed. The more she read, the tighter the knot in her chest squeezed. She wasn’t just in charge of the employees of Shade Enterprise. She technically presided over thousands of people across half a dozen companies and had millions of dollars at her fingertips. And yet, she was just a pawn in someone else’s game.  You don’t have to be. You can put this to rest. No, I can’t! All you have to do is kill— Moondancer gagged, bile rising to her mouth. She forced it back with a shudder and coughed from the acid clinging to her throat. Legs trembling, she pushed herself away from the desk and stumbled over to the kitchenette. She poured herself a glass of water from the faucet and downed it in one gulp. The empty glass slipped out of her sweaty grasp and thudded against the countertop as Moondancer slid to her knees. She turned over and laid her back against the counter, pulling her legs up to her chest. Tears streamed down her cheeks. Her hands shook on her knees and her breathing quickened. She stared blankly at the soft white carpet. “I can’t do this… I’m not strong enough… I’m sorry. I thought, but… I can’t. I can’t do it. I can’t do any of this. I can’t do… I just can’t...” Her tears ran over her scars, making them prickle, and she lifted her mask and tossed it to the side. She had spent an hour in this position last night with similar thoughts screaming in her head. She didn’t know why they kept crowding; she had one course of action. But the thought of sitting in this office day in and day out, putting on the facade she knew what she was doing and could direct an entire company while Tempest hovered in the shadows made her chest ache. Is this what Father went through? But he actually knew what he was doing.  You have someone here who knows what she’s doing. Moondancer turned her head. She could see the intercom on the desk. She could ask Raven for assistance… but if word got out that she needed help with even the most basic of tasks— Put your pride away for ten seconds! Moondancer wasn’t sure if she’d call it pride. It was hard to feel prideful when she was a puppet on a string. Whatever it was though, she did her best to swallow it down. She took another minute to breathe and put herself partially together before standing up. Just… one thing at a time, Moondancer.  She wiped off her running mascara and slipped her mask back on before returning to her desk. Her finger hovered over the intercom button as she took another look at the folders and files open on the computer.  You don’t have to do this. Yes, I do. She sighed. But… I don’t have to do all of it alone. She held down the button. “Miss Inkwell…” “Yes, Miss Moondancer?” “Um… I… I just…” She cleared her throat. “Could you come in, please? I need your assistance with something.” ******* At a quarter to midnight, the Canterlot Art and History Museum should have been silent. Yet an eerie, hypnotic melody drifted through the dim corridors. Adagio trailed behind the night guard, singing a few more notes as they crossed through the main exhibit hall. She ran a finger down her gemstone, savoring for the umpteenth time how smooth and warm it felt against her neck. She had the guard completely enthralled, but she sang again anyway, just to hear the soft melody of her voice. Her voice! Sung in a rapturous solo! She didn’t need her wretched sisters to provide back up. In fact, she had never needed them! She had offered them a chance at greatness out of the kindness of her heart and a sense of kinship. She had allowed them to ride on her coattails to greatness. But if they wanted to spurn her and throw their lot in with those disgusting girls, then so be it.  A rush of footsteps drew Adagio’s eyes down an adjacent hallway. Here came another museum guard, hand near his baton.  “Iron Bar, what are you doing? Why is—” “Aaah aaah ah. Aaah ah.” The new guard slowed to a walk then came to a full stop. His eyes took on a green tint and his expression turned blank, just like the other three guards she had ensnared.  “Just go back to your position,” Adagio said silkily. “There’s nothing wrong here.” He nodded and turned around, stumbling back to wherever he had come from. Adagio made a throaty chuckle and looked down at her leather glove. Stitched into the palm was the Sacanas shard. Sure, she could have blasted her way into the museum and taken what she wanted by force, but she didn’t know how much power her shard had left.  And watching humans do her bidding was always satisfying.  Her escort led her to the back of the fine art section where all of the notable jewels were on display. In the center of the room sat Adagio’s prize, the display light above it giving it a brilliant shine. “Get it for me,” she commanded. The guard nodded and took out his keys, unlocking the glass case and reaching inside. “I guess the old adage is true,” Adagio said, holding her hands out. “If you want something done right…” The guard placed the Crystal Heart in Adagio’s palms. Its blue surface lit up her face, even in the dim light of the closed museum. She looked down at the dozens of reflections in the crystal’s facets, all of them grinning hungrily at her. “Do it yourself.”