Words of Advice from the many worlds of Twilight

by Joe Toon


12: The Silent Knight

"Manehattan: If Canterlot is the Diamond of Equestria, this city is the Pearl. Easily the most populated city of Equestria, numbering by the tens of thousands. But despite the grandeur, the wealth, the endless chain of fashion shops, hidden in this city's underbelly is a cesspool of Corruption.

"The mob bribes or blackmails the influential; muggers and petty thugs prey on the defenceless; all the while, crazies and lunatics burn their way across the streets. With the Royal Guards constantly tied by the bureaucracy and most often too understaffed to deal with its problems, somepony needs to make a stand. (Sluuurp) Gotta say, this is good coffee!"

"...…"

"Sorry Twi, I couldn't help myself monologuing."

"...…"

"Right, busy night tonight. Who're we dealing with this time?"

"...…"

"The Dracone mob again? I take it has to do with the Crystal smuggling with the Diamond Dogs."

"...…"

"Right, no use sitting on our haunches. Let's get to wor... What is that?"

"!!!"


"Manehattan!! The Glamour! The Charm! The Fashion! Say, why is it so dark and brooding?"

"This isn't Manehattan, Rarity. It's just the world theme."

"I'll say. It looks like something out of the Power Ponies."

It has been days since Twilight's last visit to the pocket universe and Rarity thought it were prudent to have her take her mind off of the many day-to-day issues she's been having. They found themselves in a theme that had them atop of a roof in one of the many buildings of a metropolis under a night sky.

"You still didn't tell us about what you and Fluttershy saw when you two decided to have a tour here," Rarity inquired.

"Did Fluttershy tell you?" Twilight's dower expression made Rarity wince.

"... She didn't say anything, darling," Rarity sighed, "But we could tell whatever it was that the two of you saw shook both of you to the core."

"Yeah, even Discord," added Spike, "He looked pretty broken whenever Fluttershy gave him the sad eyes every time she looks at him."

"Well regardless, I would hope the two of you will tell us what happened sooner than later. Bottled up emotions isn't healthy, darling. Remember Starlight Glimmer?"

Twilight nodded in acknowledgment with a sigh, "Fair point."

"Um, Twilight, Rarity," Spike hesitantly called out, "I think our company has arrived and they don't look friendly."

Before either of the two mares could react to that statement, a caped pair glided before the three of them and landed on a statue by the edge. They revealed to be an alicorn mare clad in a familiar purple attire complete with a cape and a wide brim hat and a winged dragon (taller and leaner than Spike) clad in a blue coat with a red cape and fedora. Despite the masks the wore, their scowls could be seen as they glared at the trio who could only stare at them with amazement and fear.

"M-M-Mare-do-Well?" Twilight stammered at the caped alicorn before turning to the dragon, clearly puzzled, "And Spike?"

Without a word, the two caped crusaders launched themselves to the group in an incredible speed. Before Twilight's group could even blink, they were held down by the two: The dragon held down Spike while Mare-do-Well dropped down on Twilight while enveloping Rarity with a paralyzing magic.

"If you would be so kind, won't you please tell us who you are? Or would you prefer to be interrogated by her?" The caped dragon's voice was calm, stern and deeper than Spike's (almost like melted butter); which made Rarity almost swoon by the sound of his voice.

"Spike, please wait!" Twilight pleaded.

"It's The Spike to you," the tall drake snapped, "and unless you want to feel the worst mana burn in your life, we suggest that you start explaining why you three look awfully similar to certain figureheads."

"Twilight, Spikey-Wikey please," Rarity begged with pleading puppy-dog eyes, "We are from another reality, and those two are you from our world! Please don't hurt us!"

The two caped crusaders stopped to share a look to each other after Rarity's pleading eyes before they both gave out a sigh. Mare-do-Well released Twilight and Rarity while the tall drake got off of Spike and helped him up.

"Alright, if what you say is true, then we presume you are the ones responsible for bringing us to this Pseudo-Cityscape of a dimension?" The Spike inquired.

"Pretty much," Spike patted the dirt off of himself as he raised a claw, "The name's Spike, but you already know that. This is Princess Twilight Sparkle, ruler of our Equestria, and this lovely lady is of course Rarity."

Mare-do-Well stepped forward to shake the young drake's claw before removing her mask and hat, revealing a scowling and slightly bruised Twilight Sparkle. The tall drake did this same and revealed (much to Rarity's awe) an older, mature and incredibly handsome Spike.

"Oh my..." Rarity gawked with a blush.

"I guess secret identities are out of the question here," the drake spoke out, "I am Prince Small Scale, adopted son of Dragon Lord Torch and ambassador to Equestria." He pointed to Mare-do-Well, "This is Countess Twilight Sparkle. Doge of Manehattan, bearer of the element of justice," and he gave a small blush, "and my fiance."

"WHHHAAAAATT!!"

All three were stunned in agasp. FIANCE? Spike's pupils dilated to pinpricks as he couldn't believe what he was hearing. Rarity's face was beet red from blushing at the implications and suggestive imagery of said implications. Twilight was reduced to a bumbling mess as she muttered ramblings, "Fiance? What? Me and Spike are what? No, that's not possible. It isn't possible. I hatched him as an egg. I practically raised him. He's like a brother to me, if not I'm like a mother to him. No this isn't possible..."

"H-how is that possible?" Rarity finally spoke with a deep red blush, "Spikey-wikey was hatched by Twilight as a student of Princess Celestia. How did she become...?"

"Wait, she hatched me in your world?" Small Scale bemused, "Well, this must be awkward."

"You mean, Twilight didn't hatch me in your world?" asked Spike, finally snapping from his stupor.

"No, she wasn't even Princess Celestia's student," Small Scale snapped.

Twilight, finally snapping out of her shock from this revelation spoke out, "Wait, I'm not? But then how is she an alicorn?"

"What do you mean?" Small Scale looked at Twilight while sharing a puzzled expression from her counterpart, "All nobles and royals are alicorns. Is that not the case for you?"

"Alicorns are rare, we are not born, we are created (in a matter of speaking)," Twilight began her encyclopedic explanation, "They are created by ascending when a pony achieves a great and magical feat such as raising the sun."

The two caped crusaders gawked, "Wait, they can do what in your world? Actually, you know what, never mind." Small Scale continued, "Anyway, we met a few years ago when my father Lord Torch agreed with Celestia to open relations with each other. Then they had the brilliant idea to seal it with a diplomatic marriage. Since Twilight and I have known each other for years, studying in the same school of Friendship after all, they agreed to have the two of us tie the knot."

Twilight's counterpart gave him an affectionate nuzzle when he finished, causing him to blush slightly.

"Oh how romantic!" Rarity squeed. Spike could only blanched at the thought of him and Twilight being a couple.

"So, why are the two of you dressed like comic book heroes?" Twilight gave a sheepish smile at Mare-do-Well.

Mare-do-Well didn't say a word and just simply gave a small nod to Small Scale.

Sweet Celestia, does she not smile, much less talk? "I don't mean to be rude, but can you not talk?" Twilight asked.

Her counterpart merely shook her head.

"Yeah, there is an explanation for that," the drake replied with a weary sigh.

Spike gasped, "You mean, did your Twilight's parent's die in an alleyway in front of her by some mad mugger which caused her to lose her ability to speak and swore a life of vengeance to rid crime in Equestria as a masked vigilantly?"

The masked mare snorted, holding out her laughter. Small Scale deadpanned, "Are you crazy? No way did that happen! If it did, she would have been in a psych-ward by now. Where the hay did you get that idea?"

Spike blushed with embarrassment, "Um, a comic book called "The Batmare"."

Small Scale cleared his throat, "Anyway, the reason why she can't speak is because of the magical enchantments on her suit. For whatever reason, in exchange for protection the suit prevents her from talking. We asked our Rarity why that was the case but all she said was that the artificers who helped her built it had no clear idea what's causing the side effects. In the end, we just went with it after finding out that the criminal elements find her silence more intimidating."

"So you are super heroes," declared Spike, "How did that happen?"

"Well, it all started twelve years ago. A small pink alicorn from nowhere by the name Cozy Glow made her debut in Equestria's high society. Next thing we knew; backroom deals, smuggling of illegal items and products, piracy, black market profiteering, hired thugs and mercenaries, blackmails and bribery, even a changeling slavery trade. She managed to worm her way through to the Canterlot Elites and spread her influence all across Equestria through crime and espionage. They called her "The Big Mare" because she was practically untouchable due to her connections. Even the Royal family couldn't touch her without being threatened forced abdication."

"My word, that's horrible!" Rarity gasped with her usual dramatics.

Small Scale continued, "So in response to crime and corruption, Princess Celestia and Princess Luna went behind their mother's back and formed a team of crime fighters called "The Harmony League." Our members include; The Wonderbolt (Rainbow Dash), Wyld Fey (Fluttershy), Silver Mare (Rarity) and Sweetie-Bot, The Buckaneer (Applejack), The Boulder Sisters (Pie Sisters), The Great and Powerful Trixie (because she will settle for nothing less), Captain Chaos (It's Discord), Changeling Mare-Hunter (Chrysalis), and then there's us; Mare-do-Well and The Spike.

"For twelve years we've been slowly breaking The Big Mare's grip on Equestria by taking out her lieutenants and associates. We've arrested Triek more times than we can count, The Flimflam Brothers, Garble Dracone and his mob family, so many members of the Diamond Dog Gang, and even The Tempest. Lately though, we've been encountering crazier faces; like the Shadow League, Doctor Hydra, The Maneiac, Sedusa (Twilight has a grudge on her for the many times she tried to abduct her brother), The Siren Sisters, The Equaliser, and worst of all; the Candymare."

Mare-do-Well stomped a hoof and gestured to the older drake at the three.

"Right, I believe this is the part where you tell us why you brought us here?"

"Well, it's quite a story." Twilight proceeded to explain the details of her dimensional visits as well as mentioning the World leaping alicorn counterpart that's been threatening other worlds.

"That's... That's actually alarming." Small Scale and Mare-do-Well shared a troubled look, "We've actually heard of some new mare in town making a name for herself who happens to be an alicorn. No details yet, but the Criminal Underworld have become more organised than usual as of late. This can't be a coincidence."

A familiar beeping rang.

"Oh ponyfeathers, we've run out of time," Twilight sighed, "We could discuss more at a later date. For now though, we have to go."

Mare-do-Well reached out a forehoof to Twilight and tugged at her shoulder with a questioning look.

"She's wondering how we'll get to contact you should we find anything interesting." Small Scale conveyed his fiance's thoughts.

"Oh right, when you get back to your world you'll receive a token of some sort that should allow you to request a meeting in the future." Twilight explained.

"Well, that's useful."

Both sides made their farewells as a blinding light envelopes them, returning all home.


"Finally, a world that wasn't awful to us!"

"Speaking of, we still need to talk about what happened before."

"(Sigh) Right Rarity."

Twilight was making her way out of the room they were in before noticing Rarity glancing at Spike. "Rarity, what's wrong?"

Rarity hesitated with a small blush, "Well darling, hypothetically speaking, do you think dear Spikey-Wikey could become as dashing as that drake we've just met?"


"Alright Twilight, are you ready?"

"...…"

"Alright, let's do this!"

(CRASH!!)

"Alright, Garble Dracone! Make it easy on yourselves, drop the goods and surrender!"

"Heh, Mare-do-Well and The Spike. We thought you'd be here. You two can't resist a good tip. Looks like she was right on the money after all!"

"She?"

"Well, well, well. So you are the famous Silent Knight, or should I say this world's Twilight Sparkle?"

Oh no.

TO BE CONTINUED...