Stellar peered from behind a wall, staring into the empty corridor with a gun in his hoof. He was waiting for it: for the guards to pounce out from the pillars. It was all down to the nervous anticipation trembling on the trigger.
"This way, Miss Twilight."
He quickly ushered the unicorn forwards, with Rainbow Dash and Soarin' following behind. Winter and Pinkie had separated from them, following Doctor Brineheart in the opposite path.
Well, Stellar sighed to relief, at least none of them had the nerve to ask what they were doing though.
"Stellar Lionheart, is it?"
The butler gave Twilight a nod whilst slowly slinking down the corridor.
"What is it you want to ask?" he said, turning back to the lavender unicorn.
"Rarity and Spike..."
The worry on Twilight's face for them was evident, as Stellar could see.
"They're fine, right?"
The butler stopped for a moment, uncertain of what to say considering the recent troubles that the both of them had been facing before their arrival. He couldn't just blurt out about Rarity's 'condition', knowing full well of the tirade of questions that might smash him straight out of the window.
Stellar sighed. Procrastination it is, then...
"You'll see."
Twilight turned back to Rainbow Dash, who was looking around warily around the corridors. Soarin' was just behind her, guarding all of their backs.
"What exactly is going on?" Rainbow asked.
"Winter's mother, Sovereign."
He clicked his gun, his ears twitching a little at the sound of hoofsteps.
"She took over the palace when he was at Fenderville. Trust me when I say she's not in her right mind now."
The pegasus just scoffed.
"Aren't they all."
"Rainbow!" Twilight hissed, before turning to the butler.
"My friend doesn't mean to be disrespectful, really. It's just that..."
The unicorn's voice started to drone inside his head, his attention more focused at a pony emerging from the corner. Stellar stood there, stunned with his haw hanging slightly open as he got closer, recognizing the pony immediately.
"Sidus..."
He seemed ethereal; a glowing ghost in full form. Yet there he was, the deceased pony that had once lavished in the life of blades and bloodshed. From the grizzly mane of his to that smile on his face...
Wait a minute... he's smiling?
Stellar blinked his eyes. That can't be true.
The smile was still on his face, before the ghostly form raised his hoof, placing it onto the butler's chest.
He could feel it. Some sort of deep aura... the very same that used to emanate from his friend when he was still alive.
Stellar looked up to the ghostly form, watching as it uttered:
"Lion... heart..."
"Mr. Lionheart?"
Twilight's voice snapped him out of it. He turned to the unicorn, who only gave him a bewildered expression.
"What is it?"
Stellar then turned to where Sidus was standing, only to see nothing there.
The lingering strength that was left in his heart was still evident. That proves it: that was no imagination.
He turned back to Twilight, who was now more worried than confused.
"Epiphany."
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*BANG* *BANG*
Caduceus Brineheart marched down the corridors, picking up a revolver from the dead guard.
"May Celestia have mercy on your soul."
He tossed it to Winter, who immediately loaded it up. Pinkie just stared at the dead pony, turning green with revulsion at the blood flowing through the uniform.
"We don't have much time," the doctor spoke up.
"Where are we going?" Pinkie asked, almost coldly.
"You should know where."
The doctor held his hoof up, gesturing for them to be silent before peering from the corner.
"Clear. Let's go."
The three of them immediately galloped down the corridor. Doctor Brineheart slowed down after a few rooms, prompting the other two to do the same.
"Tantrum's room?" Winter asked, looking with uncertainty at a white, dusty door.
"You have to see this for yourself. You and the mare."
Doctor Brineheart turned to Pinkie, who was a little surprised at his proposal.
"It might help you remember a few things."
"You want us to search my father's whole room?" the Patriarch asked.
"Everything's ready on the table, Sir Winter."
He turned the knob, ushering them inside. Winter and Pinkie just exchanged nervous glances, the pink mare asking:
"What are we going to find?"
The doctor just shrugged.
"Something that would stop Mirror Mare once and for all."
"Really?" the pink mare replied, a questioning look on her face.
She then turned to Winter, who was almost as suspicious at him as she was.
"You'll need more than the Elements of Harmony to beat a time demon, I'm sure of that."
The Patriarch straightened his suit a little, settling down deep in thought.
"Mirror Mare ran out of control during my father's reign... maybe what he had done was the source of all this chaos."
"Exactly."
Doctor Brineheart held his breath, before speaking:
"Quickly now. Lock the doors from the inside. We don't want you to risk somepony barging in, don't we?"
"What about you, Doctor?" Winter asked.
"Where are you going?"
The doctor just turned back, giving both the Patriarch and Pinkie a smile.
"Me? Don't worry. I'm just going home."
Before Pinkie could comply, Winter shushed her, giving the doctor a nod before closing the door.
Caduceus Brineheart just laughed at the mare. Still the same Pinkamena he knows...
"To get everything ready, of course."
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"Are we there yet?"
Applejack sighed, turning to her sister for the sixteenth time. They've been worn out from all the galloping and walking back to Ponyville through a burning meadow, with overwhelming dread for the goodwill of their home.
"We ain't really there, as you can see. Unless yer tryin' to say we lived in a burnt field."
Sweetie Belle fell to the floor, fatigue cumbering her hooves down.
"I don't think I can go on any longer..."
"As melodramatic as ya sister, Ah see," Big Mac said with a chuckle, before kneeling down a little.
"Hop aboard!"
With a squeal of delight, the filly hopped onto his back, making the stallion grunt. The rest of them chuckled at the sight of Sweetie Belle having a free piggyback ride, before continuing down their trip back home.
If there was still a home.
"Ya think everypony will be alright?" Apple Bloom asked her sister, her face scrunching up a little.
"Ah'm sure everypony will be alright."
Applejack rubbed the filly's soot-covered mane, making her giggle. The orange pony then turned to her big brother, who was nuzzling Fluttershy's cheek affectionately.
"So where ya two lovebirds been?"
"Oh... um..."
Fluttershy spoke up nervously, much more than her usual self.
"We... uhh... took our time... um... a really, really long time, actually..."
"No need for an explanation, Fluttershy," Big Mac broke in with a nervous laugh.
"After all, we have other things to worry about."
Applejack just smiled. Other things to worry about.
Like two fillies too young for the subject they're getting at.
Then, they saw it.
Instead of the black, burnt ashes all around, separated by an invisible border, there was a field of bright green, completely untouched by the tainting, scarring flames of the dragons that no doubt flew through here.
Just beyond it, past the lush expanse of a meadow, was Ponyville. The buildings were still standing and intact, with no trace of flames and smoke...
Or ponies.
As they reached the entrance, Sweetie Belle climbed down Big Mac's back, joining them at their gaze upon the silent town.
The atmosphere was foreboding, almost as much as Zecora's visit two years ago. The disturbing calmness that was draping over the town only induced fear in them, the ponies immediately walking back into their home.
"Hello?" Applejack called out nervously, the only thing responding her being the creaking of window shutters and wooden doors.
A few rustles were heard as well, with pairs of eyes staring outside from the darkness, making them sigh in relief.
They were still here.
"It's safe to come out now!"
Murmurs started to echo around the town as all of its residents stepped out from their homes. Some were still pale, shaken from the giant roars still in their heads, while others where completely frazzled, no doubt from their frantic getaway from the beasts.
"What happened?" some chorused. "Why were they here?" others asked.
"Calm down, everypony," Applejack spoke, immediately silencing the town.
That's an easy crowd.
"Anyways, y'all might be wonderin' why the dragons were here in the first place. In fact, all of us are intendin' ta find out what made the dragons trespass into Equestria and tried to terrorize our homes in the first place."
There was a chorus of whispers and nods among them, as they looked at Applejack in the center of the circle of ponies.
The orange pony looked at Big Mac, and then to Fluttershy, both giving her a nod.
"We have ta start down with the basics, f'course."
She glanced around the crowd, recognizing all the familiar faces.
"Now which one of yer have any clear idea where the dragons went?"
The crowd remained silent. Applejack bit her lip, gazing at all the uncertain faces they were wearing.
"Somepony?"
A crow cawed unhelpfully in response, the residents of the town tensing about uneasily.
The orange pony tried again, mentally crossing her heart.
"Anypony?"
Just then, a small, bright orange hoof waved from the crowd, a pegasus easing her way through the tight spaces between all the ponies.
"Scootaloo!" Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle exclaimed instantaneously, before looking at other in bewilderment.
"Scootaloo?"
"You know where the dragons went?" Applejack asked doubtfully.
"I'm positive I got it right, Applejack!" she said with a stern nod.
"I did a little bit of eavesdropping. Their leader said they wanted to go to Canterlot."
"Canterlot..."
Applejack racked her brains, the events of the afternoon coming back into her.
"Your leaders and I have come to a disagreement: a ludicrous mistake, I must say."
"Of course! Canterlot!"
The orange pony turned to Fluttershy and Big Mac, who gave the same, serious expression.
"The dragons mentioned somethin' about some sort of argument with Princess Celestia!"
"The... um... dragons?"
Fluttershy cringed a little at the mention of dragons. Big Mac huddled closer to her, knowing of her exceptional fear of the majestic creatures.
Applejack bit her lip, starting to feel uneasy at the countless pairs of eyes staring right at her.
"So?" she spoke up, taking a turn to gaze at all of Ponyville's citizens.
"Who wants to go to Canterlot with me?"
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"Just a couple more stitches to that side..."
Rarity watched as Spring fumbled with the machine, which whirred in response, the needle plunging thread through the two pieces of fabric beneath her hooves.
She was teaching the young mare about dressmaking: one of the 'arts' that Spring was suppose to learn from Stellar today.
Spike was in the room, as well as Octavia and Crimson, the couple sleeping in each other's hooves on an armchair.
The dragon watched with a smile as their ears twitched, the both of them snuggling closer to each other.
"And then a little more over there... that's right."
Rarity's voice sounded like sweet nectar with butter frosting in his ears, making him swoon. There was always that beauty and glamour surrounding the mare; the one thing that would have a long promenade through his mind.
"Rarity?" Spring suddenly spoke, giggling slightly at Spike.
"Why is he looking at you like that?"
The unicorn turned to the dragon, who immediately stumbled up from his daydreams.
Rarity giggled at the sight, before replying:
"He always looks at me like that."
Spike blinked for a moment, watching the pair laughed as his face reddened.
"Alright, alright," he said with a chuckle, rising from the bed.
"It's not like you didn't stare at me as well."
The mare just rolled her eyes, Spring watching the couple as if it was some sort of cinema movie.
"Do it again! Do it again!"
Suddenly, the dragon pounced at the filly, who fell backwards onto the bed. He then began to tickle her, making Spring break into a laughing fit with fresh tears in her eyes.
"Stop!" she managed to speak, before laughing all the way.
"Enough, Spike," she said with a smile, the dragon stopping immediately.
Rarity nuzzled his snout, stopping just before the filly's laughter died down.
"That was a rude awakening."
Octavia stretched her hooves, her hoof covering a yawn. Crimson was still snoring like a pig, drool escaping from the corners of his mouth.
She gave them a wave, rubbing her tired eyes as Spring giggled, rolling around her giant, green bed.
"So," the gray mare turned to the filly.
"Any progress with Rarity?"
"I learnt a lot actually! A whole, crisp-crasp lot!"
Spring bounced into a mountain of pillows, popping out of them with a gleeful smile that made the rest of them laugh.
"Rarity's really, REALLY good at making dresses!"
"I'm flattered, Spring," the unicorn replied, her hoof resting on Spike's claw.
"But it was no big deal. Anypony can make an adequate dress."
"But none could make any finer dresses such as you, Rarity," Spike added, making the mare blush.
Octavia and Spring just chuckled, each of them edging closer to the couple.
A small knock on the door interrupted their chat, the golden knob turning a little as it opened.
Rarity and Spike stifled a gasp of delight, watching as the ponies outside entered the room.
"Twilight! Rainbow Dash!"
"Rarity!" the lavender unicorn exclaimed, galloping towards her overjoyed friend.
The both them gave each other a tight hug, with tears of happiness dripping across their faces.
"Spike!" Rainbow said, flying towards the dragon.
"Boy, am I glad to see you!"
"Same here, RD," he replied, giving the pegasus a hoof bump.
Soarin' and Stellar entered the room as well, all giving warm smiles of their own.
"What... Why are you girls here?" Rarity asked.
"I thought you were opening Persimmon's box in Fenderville."
"It's a long story, Rarity," Twilight began with a sheepish chuckle.
"You see, as soon as Rainbow called you guys, we went to catch the pony that hurt our friends..."
Stellar just watched from afar, a somber look on his face at the lavender unicorn's explanation.
His gaze was directed more onto Twilight's satchel, feeling a tempting aura emanating from it.
Persimmon's box... just the thing they needed.
Caduceus should be heading home right now, he thought to himself. Probably getting the final essentials they needed for their 'ritual', if he were to put it in words.
The butler sighed: if only the other two were here to see this...
"...and that's why we're here."
Rarity stopped for a moment, trying to let everything sink in.
"You mean... the pony that hurt our friends, that tried to hurt Applejack, Rainbow, Pinkie and you... was none other than Winter Palgiot himself?"
"I know right?" Rainbow said, tossing up her hooves with frustration.
"Don't even start on how Pinkie and him were friends!"
"Friends?" Spike said with surprise.
"T-They were friends?"
"Not just that. Winter was Pinkie's ex-coltfriend."
Twilight sighed as Rarity and Spike's jaws dropped to the floor, taken aback by her statement.
"Hard to take in, I know."
"What... but wasn't... isn't he..."
Rarity turned to Stellar, giving him an inquisitive look.
"But wasn't Harmony Winter's marefriend?"
"There's another mare? Oh, great!"
Rainbow clenched her hooves, wanting to scowl at the Patriarch.
"Wait 'till Pinkie hears about this!"
"Miss Diane knows very much of it, the fact of Winter and Harmony being together."
Stellar wrinkled his snout, chuckling a little at all the shocked expressions they were giving.
"Why... why is she still with that insolent, backstabbing cheat then?!"
Rarity's eyes flurried with rage, slamming her hoof onto the floor.
"That's it!" she snarled. "I demand a complete explanation!"
"You would have to wait a little longer, Miss Rarity," the butler replied somberly.
"But-"
"I assure you, everything would be clear and a thorough explanation would be given."
Stellar brushed his suit, watching at the setting sun in the horizon.
"Until then, the most we all can do is wait."
He added something else quietly under his breath. He doesn't believe in luck, but there's no harm in believing in it, is there?
"And pray."
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"I can't believe this..."
Pinkie closed her eyes on the couch as Winter scowled, tossing all the papers aside. He sat down across the pink mare with a creak, his hooves massaging his head.
"Why must everypony tell a lie to me..."
"Hey. Cheer up, Winter."
The pink mare cautiously approached him, placing her hoof on his shoulder.
"D-Don't worry... I'm sure we can think of something out..."
"He's taken it too far for us. We can't do anything."
The Patriarch sighed under his breath, before saying:
"Diane... I don't know what to do..."
Pinkie stopped for a moment in surprise. That was certainly unexpected from Winter.
He always knows what to do! That's his talent, after all...
"Winter, don't say that."
The pink mare settled right next to him, her puffed mane swinging sideways.
"I'm sure both of us would work something out! After all, we must always think things through-"
Winter raised his hoof, wearing a solemn frown.
"There's only one way to do this."
He trotted towards the door, with Pinkie following closely behind. The Patriarch turned back to her, before uttering:
"Tell them."
Winter watched as she stopped in her tracks, her ear twitching a little.
"W... What?"
"Tell them everything. How it all began. How we got together and how we have this... th-this..."
The stallion flicked his hooves, forming a shattered orb made from hovering entities of square crystals.
"...untamed magic."
Pinkie sighed as he flipped his hoof, the orb diminishing into the air.
"I... I can't, Winter."
"You can, Pinkie. Look, I've seen you being more confident than the rest of the world is."
He held her hoof, not wanting to let go.
"Trust me when I say that you're more capable of telling the story than I am."
"But you said-"
"I've said a lot of things, but compared to what I actually do..."
Winter chuckled a little, staring dreamily into her eyes.
"You never think things through. You just... do them."
The pink mare just smiled, leaning her head against his shoulder.
"If you get it wrong, just try again!"
"We're both very, very different ponies," the Patriarch said, nuzzling against her fluffy mane, which made her giggle.
"I don't really know if we could ever work this out..."
Pinkie just shrugged.
"Like I said! We'll work it out together!"
"No, not that..."
Both of their hooves were cupped together, the two ponies just looking into each other's eyes before Winter muttered:
"The both of us..."
Their lips edged closer, but the mare hesitated for a moment.
"I'm not sure I want to do this."
"Trust me."
Winter held her hoof tightly, gripping it like a vice.
"We won't do it. Just a small kiss, as usual."
Pinkie rolled her eyes with a giggle.
"Since when were our kisses 'small'?"
The Patriarch just shrugged, flashing her a grin.
"Oh, I don't know..."
"It's hard to satisfy you with only a small kiss now, won't it?"
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"And when will you return, Princess?"
"It depends," the white alicorn replied to her head minister.
"These matters are extremely important, not to mention complicated as well."
"In the meantime," she continued, "you'll see to it that everything will be alright?"
"My hooves are always at your disposal," the minister said with a bow.
Princess Celestia nodded, dismissing his presence.
Nightfall is arriving, signaling her and Luna's journey to Pendant Lakes. She would be glad enough to teleport there with her horn, but that might catch a lot of attention, considering that Mirror Mare would detect their magic stream as well.
Philomena groomed its feathers, before flapping eagerly to the alicorn, letting out a delighted squawk.
"I'll miss you too, Philomena," she cooed with a chuckle, shaking her flowing mane.
"Won't we all?"
The mare gasped as a giant figure landed at the balcony, the wind from its wings slamming the doors wide open.
"Good evening, my Princess."
Princess Celestia's horn glowed threateningly, looking up at the towering figure on the balcony. The screams and cries from outside rang into her ears as she said its name:
"Kanov'hin."
"It's an honor to be here, your Highness," the dragon said with a bow.
"Surely you wouldn't mind the intrusion, would you?"
The alicorn watched in horror as the dragons chased the ponies below the palace, the guards trying their best to shoo off the reptiles away.
Up in the sky, a swarm of them flew in a spiral, roars echoing from each of their mouths as they shot flames into the sky.
"You're not invited here," she could only scowl.
"I'm well aware of that," the dragon replied, giving her a smile.
"Let us try to negotiate the matters again, shall we?"
"You want to abolish the king and queen of your nation, which would affect the ties of Equestria as well."
Celestia trotted to the side of the balcony, watching as the ponies below in the town scramble from safety at the powerful beasts, shaking her head in displeasure.
"That would immediately sever our alliance, in turn sabotaging our economy. Our financial problems are enough already. What makes you think that Equestria would accept your change?"
"It's destined."
Kanov'hin let out a hearty chuckle, watching as the alicorn crinkle her nose in contempt.
"So different."
The dragon turned to the princess, his tongue slithering a little.
"I beg your pardon?"
"Different. From your brother."
Princess Celestia let out a sigh, almost as if in disappointment.
"He's a lot more of an honorable dragon than you'll ever be."
"Jovern only shamed our family, marrying that mare of his."
Kicking his feet back, Kanov'hin scowled with spite.
"You should've seen how happy our parents were when she passed on."
"Jovern had attained honor comparable to that of the noblest dragons itself."
The alicorn watched as the dragon just grimaced, watching at the regal town below.
"All you care of is to overthrow the monarchy, when your brother would spend time strengthening the bonds between our two nations."
"Pah!"
The dragon just spit a small jet of flame out of his mouth, making the princess step back cautiously.
"Enough of this. What matters is now."
Kanov'hin flapped his red wings, Princess Celestia watching as he soared into the sky, shouting:
"It's your choice now! Whether you like it or not!"
The alicorn returned to her quarters, shutting the door behind her. Philomena squawked nervously on its perch, flapping to the alicorn's side.
"Well... time to think things through."
Like most mares, she fell onto the bed, staring at the ceiling with her mind whirring out all the problems they were facing. She and Luna could sneak out of Canterlot to Pendant Lakes, which would cause the dragons to raze the whole nation down. Or she could stay here and buy some time, which would cause some so-called 'weapon' in Pendant Lakes to fire and destroy Equestria as well.
She sighed. The chaos was ripening into Mirror Mare's favor. Killing all their financial tycoons... hiding the truth by slaughtering the ministers... causing pandemonium among almost every town in Equestria...
"I'm sorry, Twilight. You'll just have to wait."
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Sovereign Palgiot wiped her slightly wrinkled face with a towel, feeling fresher after her short bath.
She stared at the mirror, wiping a little moisturizer onto her face.
"Ahh.... Good to be home..."
With another rinse and wipe of her face, she stretched her hooves, slowly striding towards her bed.
It was large, in fact almost five times her size, yet she never cared. The more space it took, the better.
Without care for the world, she laid down on the sheets, holding up a list in her hoof.
The paper unfurled itself, the end of it reaching the ground. Sovereign looked at the figures at the list, shaking her head with disapproval.
"Tsk, tsk..."
She tossed the list aside, scrunching her lips in disgust.
"Peasants..."
Her hoof reached into the depths of her bed sheet, before lunging out, a revolver gripped inside her hoof.
She pointed it to the front of her bed, a white stallion now standing there with a gun of his own as well.
"Winter."
"Hey, mom," the stallion replied, giving a grin.
"Miss me?"
Both ponies had their guns pointed to the other, their hooves trembling with anticipation on pulling the trigger.
An immediate silence washed over as they exchanged malignant glares. Even nature was shunned by the tension; the usual chirps of crickets gone, the croaks of frogs stopping abruptly.
"So, you've decided to return," Winter spoke, breaking the silence.
"To see how my son is failing spectacularly at his duties."
Sovereign held her snout high with vanity and pride as she beckoned her head towards the list on the floor.
"You can't even settle these overdue accounts."
"We have bigger problems on our hooves."
"What's bigger than a financial crisis?"
The old mare scowled with disbelief, her hoof closer to the trigger.
"When the rest of the families know we're in debt, they'll take away our industry! Our town, even!"
"All you care of is money. How the accounts were not dealt with. How we're going to plummet into a heap of bills and fines that I could care less about!"
Winter strode a little to the left, the barrel of Sovereign's gun following along.
"I care for the safety of everypony in Equestria, alright? I care for their well being."
"And not for Summer and Autumn?!"
The mare gritted her teeth with a grumble, shaking her head with rage flickering through her veins.
"If you cared, they wouldn't have been DEAD!"
"And Spring will be as well if Mirror Mare is not STOPPED!"
Mother and son stopped, both panting with growing fury.
"Mirror Mare..." Sovereign began.
"A name I haven't heard in a long time."
Then she laughed, cackling in her deranged state of insanity. Winter just crinkled his nose with disgust, watching as his mother trembled uncontrollably in her bed, tossing the sheets around.
"Ahhh...." she said, finally calming down.
"No matter, then. This is my problem to solve."
Without hesitation, Sovereign pulled the trigger.
*SLISH*