//------------------------------// // Entry 9, Part 9 (Look Before You Seer) // Story: The Poisoned Barb's Tale // by ManlyDerp //------------------------------// Regardless of whether Stardust is a reborn individual, or in possession of future knowledge, I recognize that these assumptions of mine are just that; assumptions. At the end of the day I don't know a thing about the stallion, and I likely never will until I can hash things out with him more directly. Sadly the only way that's going to be possible is with Prince Solaris’ “help.” Joy. I’ll have to work with the big guy closely if I want my next encounter with Stardust to be in a controlled environment. Randomly bumping into the unicorn on the streets isn’t going to cut it so long as I’m tied to Dusk’s hip, or him to Trixster’s; if he’s anything like me he’s not going to want to spill his secrets while his foalhood friend is within earshot. This means that discretion will have to be of the utmost importance. Solaris’s job will be to set something up where it’s just the three of us in the same room together and nopony else. That’s the only way we’re going to get him talking… Whether the Prince will allow me to speak with Stardust privately is another matter entirely though. An issue for another day, I suppose.  There’ll be plenty of time to hash out the details while I’m patiently waiting around for next month’s meeting.  Until then… well… To Be Continued... ... … is what I’d like to write, but sadly that’s not where this day ended. I had managed to keep Artemis’ disappearance a secret, developed a battle strategy for silencing Discord, and planted the seeds for a future confrontation with Stardust Glimmer; but there was still one final obstacle that stood in my way towards achieving a perfect victory. An obstacle that I, deep down, knew I never stood a chance against: Prince Solaris himself. ◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠ “Hmmm… I’ll need time alone to meditate on this discovery before proceeding, Barbara,” Solaris explains to me after a time, and I quickly note how this is the same response he gave me earlier in regards to my Discord plan. “At the very least I’ll be sure to arrange an audience of sorts with this unicorn, but how exactly I’ll go about it… Well, I already have some ideas in mind, but they’ll requir-” “Let me guess,” I snort. “Meditation?” “You know me so well,” the big guy snickers in reply. “Still, I'm truly sorry that I can't offer you a more solid answer at this time beyond ‘I’ll think about it’." “That's okay,” I reassure the Prince, as I allow a bit of the tension in my shoulders to ebb out of me. "Needing to think first is totally fair… But, hey; if it's going to take a while, do you think you could maybe, oh I don't know…” I shoot him a look.  “... update me this time?” my expression hardens. “The complete lack of them last month almost drove me batty!” Solaris winces. “Ah. Certainly… A-apologies on that, by the way,” he blushes in response. “It wasn’t my intention to keep you in the dark as I did.” “But that's exactly what you did!” “B-but that's exactly what I did,” he echos me morosely. “Again I apologize. I’ll be sure to grant you daily updates going forward.” “Daily?” I blink, now putting more thought into this. “ Um… Actually, a bunch of daily updates about Discord still being in the closet, or that his shards are still being cleaned up, sounds super borin-, er, I-I mean unnecessary… Updates on Stardust, and whether we’re going to use the Elements of Harmony early, would be greatly appreciated though." “Duly noted,'' Solaris bows his head slightly towards me. “We'll have to brainstorm a new delivery method for these messages, however. Perhaps I can occasionally swing by Ponyville to drop them off for you… but I suppose that by itself might seem even more suspicious to an outsider observer… Hmmm… Decisions decisions.” “Huh?” my own head tilts to the side, completely lost. “What’s wrong with sending a letter through my dragonfire like normal?” “Er... n-nothing, per se,” my host reluctantly admits, though it feels like he’s now choosing his words very carefully. “It’s just… Well… Ahem... Please allow me to quickly run a scenario by you.” “Okay, go right ahead.” “You’re in a room with just yourself and Dusk.” “Yeah?” “I send you an update letter concerning Stardust Glimmer.” “Understood.” “It arrives via your dragonfire, and it is clearly written for you and you alone...” “Okay.” “... Now tell me, dear; how likely would it be that Dusk would either A,) grab the letter out of your grip, thinking it’s for him, or B,) grow curious as to why I sent you a letter and not him, and start asking uncomfortable questions?” “...” “...” “... Dragonfire isn’t going to work.” “My thoughts exactly,” my partner in crime sighs tiredly. “That dolt colt of ours has so much Canterlotian in him that it isn’t remotely funny. I pray that living in Ponyville will help him to realize that the world doesn’t, in fact, revolve around him.” “Same,” I admit, not even attempting to defend my charge on this. "He’ll get better though, I promise.” “... Heh… Was that an optimistic estimation, or a spoiler, my dear little Seer?” “Good things come to those who wait~” I quote the big guy himself, completing our new in-joke. “Hah! That they do, my friend. That they do…” Ding dong ding dong, ding dong ding dong~ “... Speaking of time,” Solaris then notes somberly, as Town Hall’s clock tower chimes loudly overhead. “I do believe it’s almost time for me to give the sun its final push over the horizon…  “... which means, Barbara, that our own time is now officially up.” “... Oh,” is my simple response, my brain unable to think of anything else to say… ...  … Well, actually, no; that was another lie. There’s still a ton I want to say, it’s just I’m at a loss as to which topic I should focus on! Should I try to prod Solaris on what he meant by his ‘or at least somepony possessing future knowledge’ comment? Should I instead try to bring up the thing with the Mayor again? Should I instead risk the big talk by asking him about his parting words from two meetings back; the ones he used when he asked me if I was ready to disclose my ‘other’ secret yet? To again quote the big guy himself; decisions decisions… ... … Buuuut, honestly speaking, I think I’ve had my fill of long explanations for today.  There’s only so much this growing brain of mine can handle. “Was there anything else you wish to share with me at this time, dear?” “Nah I’m good,” I answer the Prince's sudden inquiry just as abruptly, keeping my true thoughts under wraps. “Nothing comes to mind.” “... Ah… I... see,” is how he replies, and I’d be lying if I said that he didn’t sound just a tiny bit disheartened. Lord knows what that could mean. “Very well,” he resumes, now better masking his disappointment. “Thank you as always for coming to see me. I’ll look forward to our next meeting.” In lieu of saying something stupid like “same”, I instead take the far safer (and more ladylike) path of curtsying before taking my leave. And please do allow me to be the first to say… Phew! I should not have survived that! Jeez Louise! For a minute there I thought I was going to snap like a twig under all that pony's probing questions and judging looks, but it looks like I'm going to be okay. No more watching everything I say, and no more awkward tiptoeing around touchy subjects… At least until next month.  I did forget to schedule a meeting for Rainbow Dash too, I now realize, but I can easily send that request through a letter once I’m finally miles and miles away from this dragon-hating hellhole.  I suppose there’s also the matter of whether Artemis chickened out on his quest or not, but I can’t think of a good way to verify this without journeying back to the Castle first. Considering how late it is, I’m not confident that I’ll be able to check the whole compound in the clawful of hours I’ve got left before this baby body of mine decides that it’s beddy-bye time and promptly shuts off. Coffee only does so much to delay the inevitable. Guess my next stop is Canterlot Park then. I have to get there by nightfall so I can meet up with my next host for the evening; Gl- “Actually...” My foot freezes in mid-step, as too my heart in mid-beat, thanks to Solaris’ sudden voice... … Sigh Of flipping course it wasn’t going to be that easy. "I know this is going to sound rather selfish, dear Barbara, but could you please grant me one final moment of your time this evening?" “...” “...” … Inhaling and exhaling under my breath, I turn back towards the Prince and provide him with the fakest, most clueless look I can muster.  “C-certainly, sir. What’s up?” “I’d like for you to see something before you go,” the redheaded stallion explains himself fully, having thankfully been unphased by my stuttering. “There is information that could prove useful for you to have as you continue to utilize the River and the Stone.” Unsure whether I should be relieved or concerned by his choice of topic, I grant this pony a now more honest expression of confusion.  “Something useful?” I parrot his words, and stare blankly back at his giant visage. “And what’s that?” “It’s back at the castle,” the alicorn elaborates even further. Passively shuffling his wings as he speaks, he continues. “I know I’ve carried you a fair bit today upon my back, but for our final relocation I’d like for us to utilize my magic instead of my wings. I do not wish to take up any more of your generously donated time than I already have, so please allow me to ask you this; what are your thoughts on teleportation?” “U-um,” I stammer, my mind flashing back to Dusk’s many, many failed teleportation exercises; all of which involved me. “Well I-I don’t particularly like teleporting, sir...” “I’m well aware of this, Barbara, hence why I’m asking for your permission first." “Oh… T-thanks, I guess…” Pausing, I give the suggestion some actual thought. “... Okay,” I relent, willingly accepting the magical assistance. Upon realizing that being flown to the castle would grant the big guy ample opportunity to drum up more traps and power plays the choice became obvious... Flying would have also majorly messed up my schedule. Like I said earlier, there's somewhere I have to be by nightfall. “Thank you, my dear,” Solaris once again nods his head in gratitude. “I promise you won’t feel a thing.” “Heh, I’ll believe it when I see-” Twinkle twinkle pop “... it,” I finish, astonished to see that our location has already shifted to someplace else entirely. Foot meet mouth.  “Whoa… You are way better at that than Dusk,” I grant the bearded stallion his well-earned praise. “My scales didn't even tingle!” “Practice makes perfect,” he chimes cheekily in return, before trotting away. “A thousand years worth makes even more so.” Following shortly behind on my even shorter legs, I cast my eyes about to take in our new surroundings. Instead of Town Hall, it seems we're now someplace I’m infinitely more familiar with; Canterlot Castl- Wait, no… Actually, I don’t recognize this place at all! At first I thought this was the throne room, but there are significantly more stained glass windows in here than there were in that particular hall. Some of this glass seems freshly installed as well; no dust, no smudges... nothing! The one I’m looking at right now even reaches all the way up to the ceiling, and depicts six balls of light, six stallions, and Nightterror Nebul- Double wait…  … Actually, I do recognize this place, just not from this world! “Is this…?” I start to ask, as I turn my gaze back towards the now distant stallion. “Hehe, does it look familiar, dear?” he answers my half question with a full one. “I hope it does. I purposefully arranged it to match your visions, you see.” “Canterlot Tower,” I speak in awe, granting our surroundings a now closer look. Sure enough, this place is nearly identical to the long room that was featured in the season two premiere; the episode where Discord broke free, and the first episode I shared openly with Solaris. I had described it as vividly as I could to prove the validity of my vision, and to ensure that no small detail was being overlooked. Now in realizing where we are, I think I can hazard a pretty good guess as to what, exactly, the big guy intends to show me.  There’s only one thing of value in Canterlot Tower, after all… Or should I say six things? Clip clop clip clop cli- With no more floor to tread, Prince Solaris halts before a massive door; one that depicts the sun, and possesses a rather large horn slot right smack dab in the middle of its imposing surface. “What do you think?” he inquires sweetly, fishing for compliments. “Was I able to replicate the seal sufficiently?” “Lawsuit worthy, Solaris,” I can't help but joke. “Princess Celestia now has grounds to sue you for copyright infringement.” “And I would gladly accept her challenge!” he laughs cheerily back. “But do keep in mind that it was likely Spike who originally planted the idea into her imagination, and that he in turn only did so after witnessing you do much of the same into mine.” “... I don’t think it’s physically possible for anyone to keep that in mind, sir.” In response to this, Solars simply chortles louder. “... Please tell me you didn’t teleport me over here just to mess with my head,” I groan, now fearing that this might very well be the answer. “Snrk...N-no no, Barbara. I assure you I did not.” “Then why?” Clip clop clip clop Trotting away from me, deciding to show rather than tell, my host next approaches the locked doorway and proceeds to stick his spiraling horn directly into the slot.  Twinkletwinkletwinkle A burst of magic soon followed, almost blinding me with its radiance. I raise my claws to my face to shield my eyes... only to lower them a moment later as the door completely disintegrates, revealing its contents.  A lone room, and a single jeweled chest... … Three guesses as to what’s in it, and the first two don’t count. Twinkle twinkle twinkle Turning on the spot, facing me once again, Prince Solaris then floats the chest out of the tiny space and places it gently in-between the two of us.  The Elements of Harmony’s casket remains motionless as the magical aura slowly ebbs itself off of it. The tower falls silent. “...” “...” … Unsure how to proceed, I slowly move my claws towards the latch. Solaris' white hoof immediately settles itself upon the lid, preventing me from opening it. “Before you take a look inside,” he speaks to me softly, his voice dripping with gravitas. “I have a question that I must ask first… How did the Elements of Harmony originally appear in your visions?” “How did they appear?” I echo the inquiry, completely sideswiped by, well, everything that’s going on right now. “You mean what did they look like?” “Indeed,” he confirms with a tap of his hoof against the lid. “You never described them to me when we discussed the Lord of Chaos' return last month, and I don’t believe you’ve seen this world’s iteration yet either, so please grant me an untainted description while you still have the chance.” “Untainted?” I again repeat his words, unable to discern the meaning behind the request. Unable to discern a possible trap either, I cautiously pause to gather my thoughts. The Elements of Harmony weren’t displayed all that frequently on the show, were they? In fact, I think I forgot all about them by the end of season one! Season two’s premiere is where most of my memories of the Elements stem from and, seeing as the boys never felt the need to describe them in their retellings, I guess that's what I'll have to rely on for a proper description. “Well…” I begin slowly, my mind piecing details from well over twenty years ago together. “There were six gems in total… each of them shaped like the user’s cutie mark… each had a different color…Loyalty was red, Honesty was orange, Laughter light blue, Kindness pink, Generosity dark purple, Magic magenta… Five of them were attached to big, golden necklaces… and the one for Magic was attached to a golden tiara…  "... That’s about all I can remember, sir.” “Hmm,” Solaris hums, using his free hoof to stroke his beard. “Interesting. Five golden necklaces and a single, golden tiara… I assume those would all be rather appropriate accessories for mares to wear, yes?” “I guess,” I shrug, still completely lost on why this is important. “Do you suppose they would look rather silly on stallions?” “Maybe,” I again shrug. “On Dusk it would for sure, but on Rainbow Dash or Elusive it might look nice… and maybe Bubble Berry too, now that I think about it.” “I see,” the Prince strokes his beard further, still in deep thought. “That must be why they looked rather different in my own visions.” “Different?” “Indeed,” he reveals, before placing both his front hooves again atop the decorated box. “In all the visions I’ve experienced that featured an Element of Harmony, said Element was cast in silver, with thin silver chains for all but the Element of Magic which was instead attached to a silver circlet.” "... Huh," I note blandly. Feels like I’m just drifting through this conversation at this point and not actually contributing. "Neat-" Wait. I think I just spotted something useful. “You're using past tenses again, big guy," I point out, hoping that I'm on the right track. "Why do I have the sudden impression that you're about to drop a bombshell on me?" In response, Solaris smirks deviously… Twinkle twinkle twinkle … before at last opening the box. Sure enough, it contains the Elements of Harmony. Sure enough, they're beyond my wildest imagination… though not in the way I was expecting. I was anticipating them to not be attached to golden necklaces or a tiara based on Solaris' comments, and based on his choice of tenses I was anticipating them to not be on silver chains or a circlet either. This though…  … I don't have any words for… this... … … Well... except for maybe: "Eggs?" "Eggs." "... Eggs?" "Eggs." "..." "..." "... Eggs?!" "Silver, golden chained, spheres," the Prince assures me that I'm not, in fact, going crazy. "So, yes… Eggs." "Eggs…" "Eggs." "..." "..." "... Eggs?!" "Eggs~" "E-eggs...?" "Uh-huh, eggs." "..." "..." "... E-" Twinkle twinkle twinkle Before my mental breakdown could reach its apex, Solaris reaches into the casket and tosses me one of the so-called 'eggs'. “Here," he commands nonchalantly. "Take a closer look." Lacking the means to do much of anything else, I put my existential crisis on the back burner in favor of examining the now infamous egg-like object. And 'egg' is really about the best way I describe this darn thing; it's too round to be anything but. I can't even tell which Element of Harmony I'm holding thanks to its unassuming shape. My best guess is that it’s Magic simply based on it having been the centermost trinket before being removed from the box, but I'm still unsure. Rotating it in my claws reveals to me that it's sort of flatter on one side than the other, while also being primarily gold in hue with a matching gold chain… The front still gives off the impression of a flat silver egg though. All I can do is stare dumbly at this dumb thing's, for lack of a better word, egginess as my talons work on feeling out the rest of i- Hey wait a second, what's this? There's a… switch of some sort near the top, hidden towards the back. It's neither silver nor gold, instead being a solid magenta in hue. It feels like a button when I put some pressure on it… … … Against my better judgment, I push the button all the way in. Click As soon as I do, the 'egg' reveals unto me its true nature. It's not an egg at all. It's a pocket watch. Specifically a pocket watch with the Element of Magic acting as its face. The relic shines out brightly in my grasp, as if grateful for having been released from its silver prison. Its power radiates down my arm as well, and grants my scales a feeling akin to goosebumps. “Whoa,” I utter in awe, mesmerized by the surreal sight and sensation. “Just as beautiful as I remember,” Solaris chips in, as he stares just as intently at the Element from over my shoulder. “Why is it shaped like this?” “And therein lies the golden question; why indeed, my dear. Why indeed…” “...” “...” “... You’re just as clueless as I am, aren’t you?” “... Welllll I wouldn’t say that I’m clueless,” the called out Prince looks away sheepishly. “I just lack a concrete answer, that’s all.” “That sounds like something a clueless pony would say.” “Hah!” he then snorts loudly. “Guilty as charged!” For his next trick, Solaris extends his hoof towards me and cups it somewhat upwards. Catching the hint, I gently place the still open Element back into his grasp. Snap! The moment it leaves my possession, the watch violently slams itself shut.  Startled by the sound, I take a nervous step away from it. “What the?” I start to ask. Once again choosing to show rather than tell, Prince Solaris goes on to place a hoof upon the relic’s button, and delicately press it inwards; just as I had done… … but the Element refuses to budge. Before I could express my bewilderment, I find Magic once again being offered to me. Taking it into my talons, I press the button experimentally. Click Just like before, the lid opens wide in my grasp. “The Elements have become rather picky, Barbara.” Raising my gaze, I find my host staring at me intensely. “They can't be opened by anyone other than their proper user,” he explains clearly, and right away I spot a contradiction in his statement. “But Magic opens for me,” I address the oddity, uncertain as to what it could mean. “Well that's actually quite unsurprising, dear,” the pony nods pleasantly with himself, before doning a lecturing voice. “Dusk is Magic’s current bearer, and it was through Dusk’s magic that you were given life; hence his mana must still run deeply through your veins.” “Would that really be enough to trick an Element though?” I raise an eyebrow, not completely convinced. "I don't exactly breathe pink fire, big guy; I've got magic all my own inside of me!" “True, but you're still very much a foal developmentally,” he wing-shrugs, and bluntly reminds me of the sad truth. “My student's more mature mana must be overpowering your still growing source whenever you touch the Element; no other explanation would suffice.” “... Okay,” I relent, reluctantly accepting the hard facts.  Rest in peace, Magical Girl Barbara; the daydream that lasted all of sixty seconds. Twinkletwinkletwinkle Snap! With a small wisp of his magic, Solaris knocks me out of my musings by lifting the pocket watch out of my grip and placing it back within the chest. Twinkletwinkletwinkle To my great surprise, he then grabs another Element out of the box and holds it aloft before me. “Their picky nature is not their only quirk, dear Barbara,” he speaks to me ominously, and there’s something about his tone that’s making me hesitant. “The Elements have also grown to be quite… Well, it’ll be for the best if you experience it yourself.” Twinkletwink- "Apologies in advance." With hardly any warning, Solaris abruptly silences his spell; thus sending the Element plummeting towards the floor. Instinctively I reach out to grab it before it could hit the ground, and in doing so I find my talons accidentally pressing its swit- Click BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ!!! A... ... A... ... A... A-a scream, bloodcurdling and primal, erupts from the ether. As a thousand needles ran down the length of my arm, and as lightning danced in the forefront of my blurring vision, I sluggishly came to the realization that the wail was coming from me. Pain. Pain. There’s nothing but pain... ... M-make it stop. Make it stop. … Make it stop make it stop make it stop make it stop make it stop make it STOP!! Dropping to my knees, unable to think straight, my free claw finds its way to my clenched one and frantically tries to pry the damn paperweight out of its vice-like grip. And still I screamed. And still I screamed. BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzz… zz... … Clink clink After what felt like an agonizing eternity of feverish work, I at last manage to let go of the Element. My throat is raw, and my mouth is full of ash... … P-phew… … … Sniff… ... … W…  … W-what the hell was that about?!  It feels like I just gripped a flipping electric fence or something… Even now my arm is still numb and useless… I-I can't feel it... Sniff… W-why did it do that to me?! Rising back to my feet, in a state of shock, I shoot the trinket a searching look… … only for my blood to run cold as I spot the Element’s colored release button, and realize which one it is. “Hm. That one reacts similarly when I press it as well.” ?! With eyes wide, and heart racing, I slowly turn my now terrified gaze back in the speaker's direction. Prince Solaris stares down at me with an unreadable expression. Gone is his humor, as too his warmth.  His eyes reflect onto me not the image of a kind ruler with silly quirks, but a disappointed father with an iron rule. His stance has changed as well, having gone from slack and casual to straight and commanding. Towering above me like a vengeful spirit, the monsterious height difference between us has never felt more profound. All the while, the Element of Honesty remains abandoned where it fell. “...” “...” “... W… W-why are you showing me this?” I manage to croak out my question, as raw fear burns hot in my chest. “...” “... S-sir?” “... The Elements know something we Seers do not,” he at last replies. His gaze never leaves my own as he starts to approach closer. “They are guarding themselves against imposters, and actively lashing out at those who lack their values.” I take a hasty step back. “B-but they didn’t do that in the sho-, I-I mean my vision!” my tongue almost slips, my mind still reeling from what just happened. “Even Spike wore one once, b-but all it did was refuse to work!” “And in mine, you wore Loyalty against Discord, and it too did not work,” the alicorn unabashedly reveals my future, leaving me at a loss for words. “That particular vision has already shifted thanks in part to our efforts in moving the statue… yet the chained design from my original prediction remained the same…” Twinkletwinkletwinkle SLAM “Eep!” I shriek as Solaris quickly shoves the fallen Element back into the chest, and shuts its lid tight. “The Elements know something we Seers do not,” his highness repeats himself, frightening me further. “They have foreseen a future where such defensive measures are necessary, and one even I can’t predict… “... So please, dear Barbara… Please allow me to ask you one, final, time… “... Was there anything else you wish to share with me at this time?” The room grows chilly. “...” “...” “... No,” I whisper, using all of my remaining willpower to do so. “No I do not, y-your highness.” “...” “...” “... Very well…” Like a light switch being flipped, and very much akin to how it happened with the Mayor; Prince Solaris’ mood switches back from deathly serious to his usual ‘friendly’ self. “Thank you once again for your time, dear,” he smiles artificially to me, with closed eyes and with what I now know to be fake cheer. “Please allow me to do the gentlecoltly thing of teleporting you to the front gates. I’d hate for you to accidentally step on a Shard of Discord, haha!” ◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠ I should have bobbed my head. I should have simply said “yes please” and left it at that. I should have let that whole exchange slide. I should have swallowed my words altogether and gone along my way. I should have done literally anything else than what I actually did. I was scared. I was terrified. I was half-convinced that I was about to faint on my feet, or break down into a blubbering mess before his hooves. When people get into that sort of mindset, their brains tend to default to baser instincts to protect themselves. What that sort of reaction looks like is different for everyone; some will resort to shouting, while others will attempt to bargain. For me, it’s different. When I’m backed into a corner, and given nowhere else to run, I tend to fall back on my tried and true coping mechanism of comedy. I’m sure I’ve illustrated this habit well enough for you, dear reader; a wisecrack here, a snappy comeback there? Never would I call myself a comedian, but I feel that it’s still a perfectly normal part of the human, and dragon, condition for us to make light of our trauma. And that’s exactly what I attempted to do when the Prince offered me a teleportation spell; I made light of the situation. How foolish of me. I should have known better. Only Solaris is allowed the last laugh.  ◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠ “Y… Y-yeah,” I finally respond, after taking a much-needed moment to recover from that sudden whiplash. “It’d be best if you teleport me… H… H-heh… Knowing my luck, I-I’d probably end up getting turned into something hideous like a beetle, or a tatzelwurm, or…” Attempting to mask my fear, and wanting to steer this meeting towards a less one-sided conclusion, I don a forced snarky smirk as I look my less-than-gracious host straight in the eyes and say: “... a pony!” “Actually I’ve foreseen that it would be a form you're already quite familiar with,” he deflects me easily with detached precision. “A bipedal creature of darkened skin and curly hair… A nostalgic affair, one might say.” “...” “...” “... W-... W-What?” “...” … Prince Solaris' grin turns hollow. Twinkle twinkle twinkle “Until next time, my dear little Squire.” Pop With that, Canterlot Tower, and its sole inhabitant, disappear completely from my sight. What also disappeared along with them was any semblance of victory that I had garnered from this horrible day. ~At the Same Time, Underneath the Same Sky~ Solaris’ face remained stony as his horn cooled from his teleportation spell, and as tension began to leave his body. Left alone in the tower, he was allowed to finally gather his thoughts. Once he did... “... Snrk…” … he couldn’t stop himself from laughing. “She’ll get the hint eventually,” he snickered to himself, as the look on his Squire’s face burned itself deeply into his memory. … … Twinkletwinklepop “... She’ll have no choice but to,” he finished soberingly, his laughter slowly fading away into nothing. Stardust Glimmer’s photograph, freshly plucked from the Index, flitted beside the ancient pony as he went about resetting the Elements’ resting place. While his magic managed the heavy lifting, his full attention lied instead with analyzing the youth-less mugshot… … Clip… clop... … His attention was so divided, in fact, that he failed to notice that he wasn’t truly alone. Cyan eyes pierced through shadows of the ivory tower, and laid themselves squarely upon the Elements’ casket. There they lingered for a time before their owner beat a silent retreat. With his target finally located, and infiltration route fully secured, the cloaked unicorn couldn't help but grin at his wondrously good fortune.