//------------------------------// // Episode 04 - Lost In The Twilight Hall // Story: Queen of Crimson Crows // by ZhaoZoharEX //------------------------------// Fire... Smoke... Blood... The horror that was on display in the streets of Bloodmist was enough to make Twilight’s stomach uneasy. Unsure what she ever expected to see when she drank the potion, but… This was not something she was prepared for. (“What… The… Hell…”) She tiptoed through the wreckage laid across the streets, taking note of the citizens laying injured or terrified. Merchants buried under their own stalls and limp as bystanders try to dig them out of the rubble and the sickening crunch of bones accompanying it. A guard hemorrhaging from his stump of a hoof, consciousness fading as medics urgently try to control the bleeding, losing him with every passing second judging by the desperation in their voices. A foal crying and being comforted by his equally scared mother as her husband collaborates with others to put out the fire in their home, ignoring the smell of burnt wood, metal, and flesh pungent in the air. (“Faust alive… Maho… What did she do…?”) A booming explosion knocked her out of her thoughts and from the impact of the shockwave around her, would have knocked her off her feet were she not an astral projection. The epicenter of the blast was focused around the currently crumbling palace, up high on the cliffs of the canyon, rumbling causing debris to fall onto the buildings below, causing further casualties. “That… That brat…” Twilight’s attention was drawn to the venom ladened voice, a unicorn male limping and holding his chest, likely broken ribs causing significant discomfort. He was wearing a royal scarlet sash that was in tatters, his face cut and bruised, mane disheveled, and face painted with a mix of pain and anger laced with a fearful undertone. He coughed as he struggled to stand, splattering his lips and hoof with bloody phlegm and wheezing as he collapsed to the ground again. “Father… He’s… She can’t be serious… He can’t possibly…” Foot soldiers and doctors rush to his aid, giving priority to him over other, clearly worse off individuals present. “Your highness, please! You need to lay down--” “GET OFF ME!” The stallion violently thrashed his arms to shake away the help, a hoof smacking a sergeant right in the snout and knocking him back. “Your king… King Zaqqum is being attacked and you useless idiots are just standing there! How disgraceful.” Lighting his horn, he encased himself in a dark orange aura, trembling as his pain subsided. It was clear to Twilight that he was still badly hurt, but now he seemed to be able to stand again. “Because of that… That hellion… Because of her… Them…” The smoke from the blaze filled his lungs, causing him to cough. “She’s going to take away everything from me…” The stallion shoved the doctor treating him aside and took off in the direction of the palace. Twilight took to the sky herself, curious what was to come. Landing near the courtyard, she saw the bodies of guards, some in worse shape than others. Some of the staff and soldiers were smart enough to stay clear of the massacre and not interfere. Twilight analyzed the scene - albeit reluctantly - and saw eight bodies that were distinct from the others. Eight stallions wearing the crest of Bloodmist, the ram insignias different from the crows in the modern era. These eight were wearing more elaborate and ornate armor with their scarlet sashes and silk robes. They appear to be brothers, likely princes from the royal house. Four were either impaled or had their throats slashed. One had his jugulars torn open, bite marks clear as day and both his front and the ground at his body painted red with high impact splatters. Another beheaded, the torn muscle and spine from his dismembered neck visible amongst the trickle, like a crimson fountain running dry. The final one was straight up ripped in half, his torso separated from his waist, his innards spilling out and both ribcage and skull impacted and stomped indicating a particularly violent and spiteful execution. The general area of the corpses reeked with iron from the blood and the putrid stench of flesh and guts in the early stages of decomposition. Twilight clutched her mouth and stomach, belly burning with bile that was desperate for freedom. She choked back the vomit, composing herself and running past. Maho had to be responsible for such a scene, there was little room for doubt in Twilight’s mind. Why the violence, why commit such slaughter with such vitriol? At the courtyards, she saw. When she arrived at this very plaza before, it was well manicured, beautiful, blooming with the allure and aroma of cherry blossoms. Now? The very vision of hell and ruin, soaked in blood and fire and setting the stage for screams of terror, the pleading for mercy… “P… Please…” pleaded the enormous dark stallion, laying on the ground with his arms and wings dismembered. “D-don’t do this to me! You can’t do this to me, I’M YOUR FATHER!” Standing before him was a small filly. Her body covered in scars old and new, her vermillion mane long and flowing, not like the short curls Twilight knew. Her face emanated the unadulterated rage and spite as her pearly whites were bared and stained with blood and organic debris. “You are no father of mine, Zaqqum! Your sons, my brothers were no match for me and you, the scoundrel that you are, were nothing more! Face it, your reign, your legacy ends here! I have bested you… I am the rightful ruler of Bloodmist now…” Mahogany popped her neck, followed by a hoof crushing her father’s ribs, prompting a squeal of agony from the monarch. “And so I hereby claim your throne as my own. And with it… Your blood!” Twilight watched in horror, the filly sank her fangs into her father’s throat and tore through his windpipe… And chewed it. She swallowed and bit off another chunk… And another… And another… Each bit of skin, each shred of muscle, each crackle of bone, all elicited painful screams and gurgled pleads from her victim. There was absolutely nothing anyone could do to save the king. He was fated to be prey for an angry princess. This was Twilight’s breaking point, she lost control and let loose the bile she had been holding in. Perhaps there were worse things than a kick to the face after all… “That bitch…” Twilight looked back as the stallion from before - probably another prince judging by the addressment from earlier - limped up, brandishing a wakizashi that was being drawn from its sheath. Twilight’s face paled in horror as she knew exactly what he was trying to do… And what was going to happen to him. “You took everything from me… From us… Why couldn’t you just… Why couldn’t you just rot in hell like you were supposed to?!” He never got the chance to lunge at the filly. A long blade was held stretched out, flat side mere centimeters from his throat. Both he and the purple princess focused their attention on the tall pegasus holding the blade, one leathery wing wielding the weapon and the other solemnly holding his cone hat. The stallion, pale in his complexion and decisive in his action, looked over at the prince with cloudy eyes filled with regret and sympathy. “Don’t do it, Alder. Don’t throw your life away for vengeance you know you can’t obtain.” The prince’s eyes transitioned from furious vengeance to sorrowful recognition. He seemed to know this stallion and Twilight, after examining him, knew as well… “S… Sir Bonsai…? How are… You’re supposed to be dead… I saw her kill you with my own eyes…” “My fate is not important. Yours however could be.” Bonsai lowered his blade, prompting the prince to do the same with his own weapon. Now that he was yanked out of his fury, the adrenaline subsided, and the reality hit him. He started trembling, not with anger but with fear. The prince… Alder, glanced back at the sight of his sister devouring their father, his life long since left his body as Mahogany tore it to pieces like a lion feasting on its kill. “Your father fell so easily to his daughter’s wrath. Do you think that you, his eldest son who shares merely half his strength, would stand a chance against her? You know just as well that she will not be satisfied with felling the king. She’s already killed eight of her brothers without a second thought… What makes you think the remaining one hundred are safe?” Bonsai reached into a saddlebag and pulled out a bamboo sake flask and took a drink from it. “Listen. It doesn’t have to end this way for you. Your brothers won’t listen to a word you or I say. They’ll try to resist and fight back; their sister will never be queen in their eyes. They’ll seek revenge, retribution. Their fates are sealed, there is no saving them. But you… You’re smart. I’ve seen you grow up, trained you from birth. I taught you when to pick your battles… You can save yourself. But if you do… I want you to move on. Don’t live in hate, there is no joy to be had with living a life in search of revenge. If you keep your eyes fixed on the past, you’ll never see the future that’s ahead of you.” Bonsai tossed the bottle along with the bag to Alder, who caught it with shaky hooves. “Drink, calm your nerves… and run. Don’t look back. Your sister will need to work through her emotions… But I promise in the future, she will be better. I hope to see you again one day. Be strong… Some big changes are coming.” Alder stared at the flask, confused. He glanced back at Mahogany one last time before taking a big chug of liquid courage, pocketing it into the bag once finished. “Thanks… Sir Bonsai…” With that, the vampony prince took off running. Twilight stood speechless, unsure how to really process what she had witnessed. She stood by as Bonsai started walking to the filly nearly through cannibalizing the king’s corpse. The potion’s effects chose this time to wear off as Twilight was snapped back to reality. She stood dazed and dumbfounded, and eventually grossed out as she realized she was standing in a puddle of her vomit. She was going to need to clean that up. “That… What… I have so many questions...” “Ah, it feels like forever since I last walked amongst these bookshelves.” Stygian trotted giddily as he collected volumes and tomes from the organized sections of the palace library. “It likely has been forever ago,” Cypress said with a tired snark from his desk, wrapped in his thick wool haori and blanket as he typed away on his typewriter. “Make sure to organize those by title and genre when you’re done with them, I have a system for a reason.” “Oh of course,” Stygian responded as he added to his growing pile. “You know, I’ve read so much engrossing fiction in my time after returning from Limbo.” “Mhm.” Cypress took a few slow sips from his coffee before clacking away once more. “Why, this one story I’ve been reading as of late involves this tale of this rogue angel attempting to bend the world to her will. She recruits these mares and takes them to Elysium while Equestria grows progressively worse, and then there was a bit about a revolution. It was popular for a time but unfortunately, it was never finished. I’ve heard the author has a habit of not finishing their works.” “The author sounds incompetent and seems the type to make promises they can’t commit to.” Stygian waited for more input, but Cypress seemed uninterested. “Well, um… Oh, but he did have some fun ideas. I’m sure it’s not always easy to put those ideas to paper--” “I’m not overly interested in failed works of fiction. Or fiction as a whole really.” Stygian’s smile dropped a bit, he was making no progress. “Ah, I see… Well, um, how about non-fiction? I recently wrote a few stories about my past experiences, even as far back when I studied under my mentor. I may have a copy of my most recent book back in my bags.” “These tax forms and budget proposals leave me with little time to read, I’m going to have to decline.” A sigh was exhaled from Stygian’s lungs, followed by his rubbing the nape of his neck. “O-oh, s-sure. Yes, I understand it must be very busy here. You are the record keeper and treasurer of the kingdom, after all.” Stygian debated continuing the conversation, but was saved from this fruitless endeavor when the doors of the library opened and stepped in Twilight, nursing a slight headache but relatively chipper. Doubly so after being in her element. “Oh, Stygian,” she said with mild interest. “Hello Twilight. Are you doing well?” “I could be better. I, uh… Got a little sick when I was laying down for a nap. Other than that, I’m just fine.” Twilight took a seat on a spare cushion, despite annoyed glances from the vampony prince present. “Um... Hello. Prince… Cypress, was it?” Said prince grunted in affirmation, barely looking up from his stack of papers as he typed away. “Not the talkative type, I see…” No further acknowledgement was given from the prince, making zero effort to hide his passive aggression. Cypress continued to do his work, sighing with an obvious impatience that told Twilight perhaps she should back off. Taking this hint, she cleared her throat and turned to Stygian. “Um… So, um. Stygian? I was wondering something.” Stygian placed down the stack of books on the floor near them. “Yes? What is it?” “Well, a few things, actually. I’ve been meaning to ask, how do you and Maho know each other? You seem like good friends at the very least. I tried asking her about it, but… Maho is--” “I’m what, Purple?” Speak of the devil and she will appear, as Twilight discovered upon seeing the face of the queen slid into frame between her and Stygian’s, wearing a pouty scowl and not wearing her crown. “Gah!” Twilight practically jumped back to put a degree of distance between them, stumbling over the seat and books and making enough noise to prompt Cypress to angrily shush her. “Hm? What’s the matter, you’re even more spazzy than usual.” “Err… Nothing! Nothing at all…” The queen raised an eyebrow, curious but not curious enough to care. She took Purple’s now vacant cushion and sat next to Stygian. “Hey Styg. How’s the library? I’ve added many titles over the years for you.” “I added the titles, mother,” Cypress quipped as he placed another sheet of paper in the pile. “Yes yes, Cye.” “Oh, it’s positively stunning!” Stygian beamed. “I’ve seen so many titles I’ve only dreamed of skimming through!” Maho giggled, a warm smile growing across her face. “I’m glad. Though I am disappointed our son is less than enthused.” she said, shooting a disappointed glare at Cypress. He responded with an eyeroll. “Mother,” Cypress stopped typing, “He may be my father, but he is not my dad. You can’t expect me to bond immediately with some stallion I met literally hours ago.” “At least he is trying, Cye. He is a family friend and I expect you to at least show him some courtesy.” Cypress returned his mother’s glare and while alighting his horn, took his work and tools to a neighboring table. “Sorry, Styg,” Maho said with a sigh. “Cypress has been quite distant ever since my little tiff after Luna… it’s a shame you’ve met him under these circumstances.” “It’s quite alright. I suppose I shouldn’t be terribly surprised. But it’s nice to be here again after so long.” Maho pulled him in for a… rather affectionate hug. “It truly has been a long time, has it not? Perhaps later… You could join me in my study, and we can catch up over some private time.” Stygian paused for a moment, as if to process a response. Then blushed. Hard. He did not have a response ready before a cough and clearing of Twilight’s throat interrupted. “Oh, you’re still here,” Maho scowled. “Would you be so kind as to make yourself scarce, Purple?” “D-does Sir Bonsai know about your little affair?!” “First you compare me to my father and then you mock my marriage?” “Okay okay, I’m sorry, perhaps that was a little too direct.” “Look, just…” Maho pinched the skin between her eyebrows. This alicorn was annoying her, but at least in front of her beloved companion, she was determined to keep her cool. “Purple, what I do in my kingdom is my prerogative. The Styg and I have a close friendship and I wish to rekindle that old flame. Bonsai is an understanding stallion; he knows I have obligations to my people. If you have concerns, bring them up with him or Sprucie, they have more patience.” Twilight wasn’t quite sure how she wanted to approach this. Many questions were swimming through her mind and none were going to be answered by the queen. So perhaps it was time to do the unthinkable: take her advice. “Alright. Do you know where they are?” “Probably in the tea house.” “Thank you… Before I go, I just want to say for what it’s worth… I’m sorry for what I said at breakfast. I didn’t know what I was saying.” Maho took a breath, ready to speak. Words didn’t flow at first, however, as she had to process the audacity the alicorn had to issue a parting shot in the form of an apology. Her face ran the full gamut of emotions, starting with confused bewilderment to teeth clenched with irritation, back to puzzled mouth agape, to finally resigning to a resting bitch face. “Sure, yes, fine, just get out of my sight already.” Twilight, in a mix of emotions herself, stood and made her way out of the library. Even if there was more beneath the surface, she wasn’t keen on witnessing this little sight. Stygian sighed and slumped over. “I’m sorry, Maho, I don’t quite feel up to it right now. Perhaps I can take a raincheck on the, uh… Private time.” Maho’s smile slid off her face, replaced with a disappointed pout. “Oh fine then, perhaps later. I suppose we mustn’t rush into things.” The queen stood up and reached into her robe, brandishing a scroll. “By the way, you left this behind the last time you were here. It’s been a very long time, but I preserved it in the hopes I’d be able to return it. Here.” Stygian, curiosity piqued, took the scroll and quickly unraveled the twine. The old parchment had the scent of age to it and the old Ponish scribbling was fairly alien compared to modern texts. “I left this behind? Sorry, it’s been so long, I don’t recall. Hm…” “Yeah, your mentor or something left it to you or whatever. I don’t understand a word of it except for something about magic nullification. It’s beyond my scope.” At the words “magic nullification”, Cypress’s ears perked with interest. He turned his body halfway around to look over Stygian’s shoulder to read alongside him. Now this was something interesting. “...Gusty the Great?” Leaning against the wall and lightly banging her head, Starlight had been silently venting her frustrations for the past few hours. Her mother having explained her predicament didn’t give the unicorn many avenues. Truthfully, she wanted to break something. It was the fear of invoking the queen’s wrath that prevented a direct confrontation. “What am I gonna do…” Starlight sighed and ran her hooves across her face. Her emotions were an unwelcome accomplice to her rational thinking, like that one friend who won’t shut up when you’re trying to think. “Starlight! There you are!” And on that note, Trixie trotted up with Sunburst in tow. “Any luck? You don’t look so good.” “No, Trixie, I enjoy causing minor brain trauma to myself for the sake of entertainment.” “No need to be snippy, Starlight. I was just checking up on you.” Starlight breathed deeply, composing herself before she said or did anything unnecessary. “Sorry… Just… Talking to mom and she dropped one heck of a bomb on me is all.” “The ‘Bring Them Home’ policy I take it?” Trixie waved her hoof, beckoning over Sunburst. “Or whatever it’s called.” “Yeah. How did…?” Sunburst stepped closer. “We, uh, heard over breakfast. The queen… Well, I’m not really sure what to say that will make this any simpler.” Starlight exhaled an exasperated sigh while rubbing her temples. “I was not ready for today…” “None of us were,” Trixie quipped as she rubbed her Great and Powerful ears. “If I knew what was going to happen, I’d have kept my ear plugs in.” “What?” “The queen’s a looney, she got mad and yelled.” Sunburst hastily hushed the Great and Powerful liability. “T-Trixie, the walls have ears!” he said in a quiet yet frantic voice. This elicited an amused laughter, though not from any of the trio. Rather the source of the chuckles came from around the corner as a sleek stallion in his morning finest swaggered around. “Don’t worry about it, Mother’s not going to hear you. Even if she did, she isn’t going to care, she’s been called far worse.” Starlight sort of perked up at seeing the prince. “Hawthorne was it? Um, you’re the head of staff in the palace, right? That means you’re Skylight’s - I mean Rafflesia’s - boss.” “I suppose that is true, yes. I heard from her earlier, it seems to be quite a quandary.” “Yeah…” “I can’t do much more than offer sympathy, I’m afraid. Mother has final say over these policies and she is a stubborn one. That said, in light of these events I’ve decided to relieve her of her duties for a time, mental health is important and I think of the staff as like family.” “Ah. Thank you for doing that.” “My pleasure. Perhaps you can use that time to catch up with her. Go sightseeing, relax and chat, there is a restaurant near the Corridor of Bones I would recommend, just mention me and they’ll take care of you.” “Sorry, Corridor of what?” Hawthorne used one of his wings to point out the large windows out to the east. “Corridor of Bones. It’s a landmark over in that section of the Valley. See that building with the crooked chimney by the bridge? That’s the place. Family run restaurant, Mr. Hydrangea - the grandfather of one of my maids - owns it. It’s a little barbecue and grill joint but they’ve got plenty of vegan options for you. Food is a little pricey, but damn is it delicious, the spicy smoked potato-mushroom medley with rice is to die for, I think you’ll enjoy it.” “Thank you, that does sound good, I’ll consider it.” Hawthorne grinned. “On cold days, I’ve found a nice hot meal is the perfect way to warm up.” “Aaaand now I’m hungry again,” Trixie said as she licked her lips. “That breakfast was really good, thank you Prince.” “Pleasure’s all mine. Perhaps you’d enjoy a private dinner sometime tonight? I’d enjoy showing a lovely lady a good time.” Hawthorne slyly said with a wink. "I've got a special recipe for creme pies I'd be more than excited to share." Trixie giggled at the suave pegasus’s flirting. “Trixie isn’t opposed to it, handsome. Can I get back to you on that though?” “When you’re ready, just find me.” With a wink and a smile, Hawthorne strolled past the trio down the halls. Trixie couldn’t help but feel a bit of a boost to her already inflated ego having had a prince make a pass at her. “Well… Trixie has a new fan,” she triumphantly boasted. “Talk to you later, Starlight. I…” Trixie breathed into her hoof and sniffed. “I need to go brush my teeth.” Starlight smiled with a mix of amusement and a hint of jubilation as Trixie trotted away. Her plight hasn’t been forgotten, but she needn’t forget life’s little pleasures. “Not exactly subtle, was he? At least she's receptive.” “Back to the main topic, though,” Sunburst said redirecting everyone’s focus, “Twilight is probably going to try and convince the queen to let go of her little, uh, arrangement with Fluttershy. It’s going to be challenging since it seems to go deeper than we thought. But maybe we can help. Try to convince her to let go of your mom too.” “Well… I’m going to need to talk to her first. After talking to mom, it turns out things are more complicated on her end too. I’ll go into more detail about it later. Um, Sunburst?” Starlight cleared her throat and rubbed her neck. “Think we can take that little… Screw it, I’m just gonna call it a date. Thank we can push that date back a bit, after this whole thing is resolved?” Sunburst nodded, understanding the gravity of the situation. “Of course. If you need to talk to me, just come find me.” “Thanks. I need to clear my mind and gather my thoughts, I’ll talk to you later.” Sunburst and Starlight bid each other ado. On her lonesome again, the unicorn headmistress once again found herself pondering to nobody in particular whilst aimlessly wandering the palace. (“This kind of stress wasn’t what I signed up for… But I can’t run away now. Still, what am I gonna do? How do I even begin to address this? I doubt confronting the queen directly will get me anywhere, other than face down on the floor. I don’t know if adding my stress to Twilight’s is a good idea either… AGH! This is so aggravating!”) With no direction in her steps, Starlight’s pondering had landed her in the staff wing of the palace, far from her starting point. Yet still at square one. Luckily for her, an outlet presented itself - at least for her physical fatigue - in the form of a sign pointing her to the bathhouse. “Oh, this place has one of those Onsen? Hm… Well, what the heck, as good a place as any to think.” After carefully reading the rules of the baths - and checking with the maid to see if it was alright to use it - Starlight grabbed a pair of towels and entered the spring area. The contrast between the somewhat chilly palace corridors and the humid steam was a mite jarring, especially with the bath being outdoors and snow visible on the gazebo roof and surrounding rocks. The water itself was quite hot, but not unbearably so. It was also cloudy, likely from the temperature combined with the minerals dissolved into it. The air was also cloudy from the thick steam making the surroundings hard to see. Starlight carefully edged into the water, submerging her body bit by bit - letting her protection amulet float freely - to allow it to adapt to the heat. It took a bit of time but oh boy did it feel amazing. Her joints loosened and her relaxed muscles practically melted as the warmth penetrated deep to the core. Sitting with her back against the edge and placing the small cloth on top of her head, she sighed serenely, having not felt this good in years. Heavenly didn’t even begin to describe it. “Starlight?” Hearing her name, Starlight jumped a bit out of her bliss and looked over to the source of the voice. Because of the aforementioned steam, she completely failed to see the other occupant, who either was oblivious until now or had been silently watching. Scooching over a bit and squinting, the mare she was sharing the bath with sat next to her. “Oh, Professor Atha! I didn’t notice you here.” The elder unicorn chuckled slightly. “Apologies, I was doing a bit of meditation, I didn’t mean to startle you.” Atha’s mane was tied back more than usual, fully revealing her face sans her monocle. Her false right eye was much more obvious without the strands of hair covering that side of her face, as were the wrinkles and scars across her surprisingly well-toned, muscular body for her age. Well, perhaps it’s not so surprising for a seasoned military officer. “Sometimes I wish I could get a physique like yours,” Starlight said as she awkwardly stared at the water in front of the professor. “Hard work and discipline, Starlight Glimmer. Decades went into crafting this body of mine, impurities and all.” “I used to be in better shape, especially when you were actively teaching me magic. I still remember how hard you pushed me with PT just to learn that compression spell.” “Yes well,” Atha cleared her throat, “You needed a strong and sturdy body to take the stress of condensing atoms. We made progress, yet in the end you still couldn’t quite get it down.” “Compressing a huge several megagrams boulder down to the size of a pebble is a tall order at any skill. Yet you make it look so easy…” Starlight’s mentor smirked, somewhat smugly. “Decades, Starlight. Decades.” Both mares sunk further into the water. Starlight shifted a bit, attempting to loosen her joints more and pop the pressure in her neck. “This is really nice. The queen is generous to have this bath for her staff.” “Quite. As I understand it, it’s a mixture of minerals and herbal compounds designed for healing and rejuvenation. The hot water is also a boon in this cold climate. These old bones of mine have been crying out ever since we landed.” Starlight fiddled with the amulet as her hooves poked up from beneath the surface. “Yeah… I had a heck of a time this morning…” Atha glanced over, the light of the firecrystal lamps reflecting and refracting through her false eye. “Yes, the air certainly seems to have an effect. A potent defense mechanism for this nation at the very least. I saw your little… reaction to the mist back on the ship.” Starlight flinched, the amulet slipping from her hooves and falling the few centimeters into the water. “Oh, you did, huh? Yeah, it made me feel really sick…” “Perhaps it’s because of their age and condition, but those three fillies weren’t any better off.” “Yeah…” The mentor raised her eyebrow. “You seem quiet suddenly. Do you have something on your mind?” Starlight swiveled her neck to avoid eye contact. “Oh, it’s nothing. I don’t want to bother you with it.” “Starlight Glimmer!” Atha firmly stated in her old drill instructor voice, making the younger unicorn subconsciously stand at attention. “At ease.” Darting her eyes back and forth upon realizing what she did, she relaxed and again submerged her body into the water. “My days of teaching you may be behind me, but I am all ears. What plights you have, you may vent them.” “...Well, if you aren’t going to be bothered by them…” “Starlight, I am an educator. I have a doctorate in archeology and mana physics. I am also a commander, being in charge of a marine division. If you have problems, It’s my civic duty to help.” Starlight chuckled. Her old mentor was always one for boasting about her duties, but it raised morale every time. “Well, it’s just… I met my mother today.” Atha’s gentle smile morphed into one of blank surprise. “Oh. Did you now? The same one who died?” “Well, I thought she died. It turns out, she’s a vampony. I don’t want to go into details, but she got whisked away by the queen. To here. For her own safety or so the claim goes.” Atha placed a hoof to her false eye and caressed it. “I see. And while I was absent from a lot of the discussion at breakfast, I understand there is a policy in place that prevents her from leaving. Troubling, though this is hardly the first time that queen has been a pain in my ass.” Looking over again, Starlight had noticed Atha touching her eye. “That reminds me, I’ve been meaning to ask about that. Back at the gala, you mentioned she showed up before. Before I was born, I think.” “Yes, it was around four or so decades prior. She showed up and caused a real ruckus. I was in charge of the guard at the time, holding the rank of Major. Her… arrival wasn’t a clean one, there was at least one fatality and a few injuries.” “Is… Was your eye one of them?” Atha paused, looking Starlight in the eye before averting her gaze. “Yes, it was. My old brain has long since blocked the details of that night, but I ended up with these scars on my face, as well as losing my eye. It would have been a career ender had I not been so stubborn. Still, it did force me out of the full time guard role and I became a reservist for some time while I healed. I rebounded of course, but in that time I dedicated more time to my doctorates. With the benefit of hindsight, I suppose this event is what pushed me to master mana. I wanted to prove to my peers this injury wasn’t enough to put me down, and well, I’m a general now.” “So the queen did that… I was wondering about the eye for a long time, but I never had the courage to just ask. I guess it felt offensive.” Atha grasped her false eye and removed it. The eye was a lustrous orange gem, matching her natural eye’s color. “Really, I hold no ill will towards Mahogany. Not anymore. I will admit that I held quite a lot of resentment towards her back then, but I suppose after some time I decided it wasn’t worth holding onto it. Though I will admit I am not impressed with her crude antics. To be honest, I can’t say I’m impressed with the way Celestia handled her mother either, but that’s neither here nor there. A mother-daughter bond is something that should not be squandered… Oh, uh, perhaps I shouldn’t say that in front of you. My apologies.” Starlight smiled and shrugged, standing up. “Don’t worry about it.” Atha stood as well, placing her eye back in her socket. “I am perhaps not the best source of advice on this problem, but trust in yourself. You have a support network. When I fall short, they can pick up the slack. In the end, do what is best but consider the consequences of your actions well. Regardless, I am more than willing to share what support I can offer should you request it.” “Thanks, professor. That means a lot.” Starlight went to pop her neck one last time before getting out of the water. However, perhaps it was because of the heat or the minerals in the water, but the small chain holding the amulet snapped, causing it to slide off and go for a dip. The unicorn panicked, as the water was quite cloudy and hard to see through. Fortunately, Atha was quick on the uptake and with a fast reaction encased the area with aura and displaced the water, parting it and showing the talisman sitting on the bottom of the spring. “Oh thank goodness!” Starlight exclaimed with a sigh of relief. “I really didn’t want to deal with the mist again.” Atha picked up the amulet and strung it around Starlight’s neck again, casting a spell to weld the chain back together. “Do be careful with this now.” Starlight held the charm in her hoof. “Maybe I shouldn’t fiddle with this too much. Thank you professor--” Stopped in her tracks, she noticed something that made her raise a mild alarm. “Oh, uh, Professor? Your amulet is missing now…” Atha adopted a puzzled expression. “My amulet?” With a hoof she patted the area around her chest, confirming there was indeed no amulet. Her puzzlement turned to concern. “Oh. Um… Do excuse me, Ms. Glimmer, I shall speak with you later.” The elder mare made a beeline for her things and rushed out with what could best be described as “subdued urgency”, leaving Starlight at odds with the abrupt end to this conversation. There she stood for a minute or two, just processing everything that just happened. She glanced down at her amulet, and then back at the doors. “Well…” she said with a confused shrug, “guess I’ll go find Twilight.” To say the first day in Bloodmist was rough would be an understatement. Between the talks, the revelations, the delays, and the emotions, things were shaping up to be a very difficult building of relations. Twilight, taking all this into account, decided to opt out of the sightseeing with everyone - she had a pounding headache anyway - to unwind and think. “Spike, where did you say the teahouse was again?” she said with a drained grumble. “Uh, Celestia said it was… In the courtyard,” Spike responded, having to pause and think. “Which courtyard? There’s like half a dozen of them.” “The one overlooking the north.” “Do you have any idea how little that narrows it down?” “Twi, it’s not my fault the architecture in his place is weird.” “I know, I know…” Doing her breathing exercise, Twilight collected her thoughts. Maybe it was the chilly air that encouraged her to wear a coat. Maybe it’s the lunch Hawthrone made that, while extremely tasty, also weighed her down. Maybe it was an unexpected turn of events with the fillies and Discord coming along for the ride. Or maybe, just maybe, it was coming to terms with her old mentor omitting details on her cuckoo family. Whatever it was, Twilight couldn’t help but feel low on energy. “Don’t worry, Twi. We’ll find a way to get that energy back up.” “Oh, was I thinking that out loud? It’s been a heck of a day…” It took a few wrong turns and accidentally walking in on the guards changing room, but somehow she managed to make it to the teahouse before sundown - not that one would know with the mist blocking out most light anyway - and was greeted with the warmth of the coals beneath the tea kettle. “There you are,” Spruce calmly stated. “Did you get lost? Sorry, I didn’t think it would be a problem, otherwise I would have escorted you.” “Nah, don’t worry about it,” Spike responded with a dismissive gesture. “We got this.” After letting Spike have his pick of cushion, Twilight herself took a seat. The teahouse wasn’t huge but it was spacious enough to allow the heat to circulate eveningly. The bamboo walls and floor were solid at shielding the outdoor chill and the eastern decor provided a cozy atmosphere. Unfortunately, it appeared that many guests didn’t show, as besides her and Spike, only Spruce and Bonsai were attending. But perhaps that was a blessing in disguise as with her state, she didn’t want to have to deal with the matriarch of the palace. “Apologies for my wife’s behavior,” Bonsai said in his zen, sipping from his clay mug. “...I was thinking out loud again, wasn’t I?” Twilight blushed, soliciting a laugh from those present. “Sorry, I really mean no disrespect.” “No no,” Spruce waved off as he used his aura to place mugs in front of her and Spike. “It’s no secret that Mother is a stubborn goat. Though I will admit, she’s not usually this… vindictive.” “By the way,” Spike said as he paused to take a sip of his piping hot tea, “where is everyone? I’d thought at least Celestia and Luna would be here.” “My sisters have been busy moving back into their rooms.” Spruce also paused to sip. “They’ve also been quarreling a bit over an issue between them, so I would imagine they decided to retire early. As for the others, Hawthorne is usually chasing skirts after work, so I imagine he’s probably down in town by now. Cypress is probably still in the library, he’s a bit of a recluse and rarely leaves except to eat or deliver papers, so I’m not at all surprised he’s absent. Maple and Acacia are probably playing with the young ones.” “As for Sequoia,” Bonsai placed his mug down. “He’s either tending to his garden… or planting seeds,” he said with a hearty chuckle. “H-hopefully not with Fluttershy,” Twi said with a shaky half-hearted laugh. She picked up her mug, letting it warm her hooves. “I just don’t know what I’m going to do. Fluttershy is one of my best friends, I don’t want her to be rushed into something she doesn’t want…” “I wouldn’t worry about it too much.” Spruce, using his aura, picked up the kettle and poured his father some fresh tea, prompting a thankful smile from him. “Brother is a gentle stallion, he can probably sense the trepidation. I doubt he’d try anything funny with her until the issue is settled.” “That’s good to hear at least…” Twilight blew on her tea lightly, cooling it adequately to drink. It still burned a bit, but not so much as to stop. It was a nice earthy green tea, but with a soothing freshness to it. With each prolonged sip, she felt a part of herself rejuvenated, as if the worry she had accumulated was being pushed to the wayside. “How is it?” Spruce asked. “I brewed yours with some mint and cherry tree leaves for your head. I also added a bit of chamomile for stress relief, as well as a tiny bit of ginger for probiotic.” “It’s really good,” she said with a satisfied sigh, “Thank you.” Spruce smiled. “Glad to hear it. It’s the least I could do after the scene Mother caused at the gala.” As much as she wanted to gulp down the rest of the tea, she placed the mug down to make it last. Spike, having already finished his tea, slid his mug forward. “So, why is she like that, anyway?” “Pardon?” Spruce poured more into the mug. “Maho, all that she does. No offense, but… She’s kinda… Y’know.” Bonsai slouched a bit, resting on the floor. “Mahogany has a lot of baggage, and saying that is oversimplifying it. From youth, she’s had to deal with those who would prefer her dead. So, she overcompensates by being rough and self-serving. I’m not saying she’s always right, mind you, but with so much stacked against her, she chose to be stone and not ice.” “Stone and… Wha?” Spike confusedly asked, taking his new mug and sipping more. “What father means to say,” Spruce picked up as he started brewing a new kettle, “is that Mother adopts her abrasive attitude as a sort of defense mechanism. I don’t know much about her past - she never talks and we never ask - but her family were… Let’s say the domineering type. The only one besides her who really experienced it is Father.” “Yes,” Bonsai lay on his back and stretched. “Zaqqum was my lord, I served loyally for a time. Though I died before I met her. I remember very little from those days before.” Twilight’s ears perked up. “You… died you say?” “I try to be water in a sea of fire, a calm and collected person to contrast with my wife’s hot temper. Alas, I am not an innocent stallion myself. I may not remember much of my days before serving her, but I know that my days serving her father were rife with murder and cold obiedience. I stand loyally beside my lord, right or wrong, carrying out their orders regardless of the consequences. Zaqqum was an absolutely cruel beast, he regularly tormented people simply because he was in charge. And most of the time, it would be me who carried out those punishments he dished out. Unsurprisingly, the day I was cut down in battle, I did not see respite in the heavenly paradise…” Twilight was caught off guard. Contrasting his wife, Bonsai had been an absolute delight. She’d never dreamed he’d be capable of doing… Anything worthy of the inferno. “I see… But if you’re dead… How are you sitting here now?” Bonsai chuckled. “Funny story about that, actually.” He sat back up again. “See in my last moments before death, I had dueled with someone who was challenging Zaqqum’s throne. A mare, I don’t remember her name or what she looked like, cut me down with almost no resistance. It wasn’t even a contest, I lost outright. I wasn’t an idiot, I knew I would never be forgiven for my actions, even if I was just following orders. Sure enough, I woke up deep in the pits of Tartarus, bound by chains to suffer eternally. After an indefinite amount of time, she came along: Mahogany. She was a young filly at the time--” “Wait wait, Maho was in Tartarus? Why?” “I’m getting to that. Anyway, despite her size and young age, she easily freed me from my chains with a single bite. She was strong and most of all filled with anger. Yet she took the time to free me. I had nothing better to look forward to, so I decided to follow her. She protested at first, not needing a ‘smelly old beard’ by her side, but we grew to tolerate each other. I was in her debt and as per my code I would serve her from then on.” “I see. But that doesn’t explain why she was there in the first place.” “Well, it would turn out her father sent her there as a punishment. Sealed her in the deepest pits.” Twilight tensed up. “So… He punished a young filly… by banishing her into the deepest pits of hell? And back at breakfast I said… I probably deserved to get yelled at…” Twilight said as she sipped her tea out of shame. “Think nothing of it, Twilight. There is no possible way you would have known about it.” “Besides,” Spruce took a sip of his mug, “even if she doesn’t see it, what you said wasn’t entirely off the mark. It’s not tyranny, no. But she is still pushing your friend into the family. It’s hardly the first time she’s set up marriage arrangements, perhaps for good reasons, but that hardly changes things.” “Yeah. And that thing with Stygian… Never mind, maybe it’s not my business.” Spruce raised an eyebrow, stopping mid sip. “Something on your mind?” Twilight hesitated, perhaps a bit embarrassed to mention her thoughts. “Well… It’s just, when I was talking to Stygian earlier, Maho came in and started talking to him. She was… How do I put this… Rather affectionate with him. And from what Cypress was saying and back at breakfast, it sounded pretty much like they….” Bonsai chose this time to chuckle, perhaps a little more boisterously than necessary. “You needn’t worry about that, Twilight. Mahogany and Stygian are long time friends. It’s only natural that he be a sire for one of her sons.” “But aren’t you married? Or is this some cultural thing I’m not understanding?...” Spruce placed his mug down and yawned. “Twilight, I suppose I should explain. Firstly, polygamy isn’t exactly uncommon here, expecially among the royal family. With the fertility crisis being what it is, mixed with the gender imbalance in favor of males, the queen has set a standard for, well, diversifying the gene pool. In the hopes of producing offspring that might be capable of phasing out the gene causing this fertility quirk. As such, all of us have different biological fathers.” Twilight nodded. Perhaps it was a little too forgien for her, but who was she to judge a culture for its solutions to this unique problem. “When you put it that way, I guess it makes sense… Though I still don’t approve of Fluttershy being involved in all this, I understand Maho’s thought process now. Err, don’t take that as me giving the okay or anything.” “Relax, I understand. We’re doing what we can.” Spike, having finished his tea and lounging on the floor on his belly, propped his arms up to support his head. “So hey, if you all have different fathers, do you know who they are? Just curious.” “Well, little Acacia is certainly mine,” Bonsai proudly said as he raised his mug. “As for the others, let’s see… I believe Sequoia and Hawthorne were sired by Rookhoof and Flash Magnus respectively. As for myself, I believe I was fathered by the magic teacher of my older sisters… I can’t remember his name…” “STARSWIRL THE BEARDED?!” Twilight exclaimed, jumping in excitement off the ground, startling those present. “YOUR FATHER IS STARSWIRL THE BEARDED! Oh my gosh, I didn’t know he had a son! Oh, I thought you were hot before but now...” Having realized what she just said, she took a moment to read the puzzled and greatly amused faces on the guys, especially Spike who was trying (and failing) to suppress a snicker. Bonsai wasn’t even trying to hide his laughter while Spruce merely tilted his head with a smirk. Twilight composed herself and cleared her throat with hard blush. “Ahem. Thinking aloud again. Ignore that.” “Gee Twilight,” Spike playfully elbowed the princess, “why don’t you marry him in Fluttershy’s place.” “Truthfully wouldn’t be opposed to it, you would be quite a catch for anyone of your choosing,” Spruce said with a sly smirk as he poured everyone more tea. His words made the purple mare turn a brighter shade of red, hiding her face in embarrassment. “Now then, having made that little side trip, Maple’s father is… Well, it’s complicated.” Washing down the awkwardness with her fresh cup of tea, ignoring the burning of her mouth and throat from the high temperature, Twilight was eager to change the topic. “Go on.” “You well know the story of Luna and Nightmare Moon, yes?” Bonsai stated. “Well. Little Tia and Lulu are Mother’s treasured girls. Being her eldest children aside, she made a promise to protect them and cherish them for all time. The day Luna… She felt like she failed as a parent, as a protector. She was understandably distraught and angry at herself that she couldn’t keep that promise. She felt she did something to make Luna feel the way she did. I did too. I promised to Mahogany I would fulfill that much needed father figure.” Bonsai sipped his tea. “Soon after the Nightmare Moon incident, we made an emergency visit to Tia to talk about it with her, and console her. However… Mahogany was in an emotionally unstable state. There were a few among the elite that felt like this was necessary. That Luna was a liability. Though I highly doubt any of them would’ve wanted it to go the way it did. Yet one brave and very stupid noble said this to Mahogany’s face. She… Let’s just say it was a mess when I and Tia found her.” Twilight flinched. She had seen through the potion the violence the queen was capable of. “I… I have an idea…” “Mahogany realized what she was doing too late. She saw the horrified look on her remaining daughter’s face. I suppose she felt ashamed because immediately after she ordered me to follow, to leave the palace. However, she didn’t go home. Actually we began to wander aimlessly for years, she didn’t want to face anyone and she was in a dark place.” “It was after talking to Tia that I stepped up as regent of Bloodmist,” Spruce spoke, crossing his arms. “We hadn’t seen or heard of her in weeks and we were worried. Father sent us letters after a while. I would say sister and I bonded during this time, as rulers of respective lands, yet over the next two decades we searched for Mother to convince her to come back.” “During that time, Mahogany fell deeper into her old ways after dethroning father, before having her own family. I suppose she had given up hope and conquered a small province in far off land forgotten to time. It wasn’t all bad, she did encounter vamponies who were not part of the Kingdom of Bloodmist. Yet as time went on she grew more distant and agitated. It seems many of the locals grew fed up with her ways and brought in various bounty hunters and the like to get rid of her. You can guess how that went.” Bonsai chugged the last of his tea and flipped over the mug, signaling he was finished drinking for the night. “One of these hunters… She kept around as a trophy, if you will. She liked this stallion’s looks, he was handsome but obedient. From this, a new foal was sired. A daughter, whom she named Maple. This filly… Well, I think she helped heal Mahogany. Having lost a daughter before, now she gained another. Having the child around helped her mood tremendously. However the filly’s father was mentally unstable himself, probably from the captivity and treatment. It culminated in him attempting to end the child’s life out of spite. I cut him down long before that ever happened. Mahogany… retaliated. She snuffed out the locals who were sending hunters her way, leaving only the children and the vampony followers who stayed loyal.” “Geez,” Spike balked, “That’s twisted.” “Things were far different back then.” Spruce finished his mug, he too flipped it over. “One day, I got a letter from Father, urging Tia and myself to come and talk to Mother, sharing their location. Tia had an idea to bring her back and asked me to keep her busy whilst she prepared something. I got into a fight with Mother after I did what you did back at breakfast and compared her to grandfather. I was pretty bruised and I was out of it so my memories of that day are fuzzy. But Tia cast some kind of spell and when I came to they were embraced in a hug. It was one of the only times I’ve seen Mother cry. But after that, I met my little sister, who I’ve been close with from that day forth. After that, we all went back home where we’ve mostly been ever since, just waiting out the time Luna would be back.” Having stayed mostly silent through this story, Twilight too finished the last of her tea and flipped the mug upside down, placing it aside. “I see. She’s a mare fueled by emotion… Maybe not everything she does is so great, she’s made some questionable decisions. But… Well, I can tell how she interacts with her family and her subjects… She does care. Though she has an interesting way of showing it.” “Tia and perhaps I as well do give her a lot of leeway, probably too much. But she’s our mother… We love her just as much as she loves us. So it’s hard to say no, as much as we really need to sometimes.” “We tell you this not to make you agree with her actions, but to help you understand them,” Bonsai said with a somber smile. “If you wish to connect with her, you need to try and understand her and approach not with logic but with emotion. Be assertive, she respects that.” “Yeah, I get it. Thank you Bonsai, you’re a good king.” Twilight smiled back. “You are welcome. Though, I am not a king. I am merely the queen’s husband. Her partner and loyal knight.” “Right, sorry.” Twilight glanced at Spike who was yawning and obviously getting quite sleepy. She lifted him up onto her back, intent on carrying him to the room they were staying in. “Oh, before I call it a night, may I ask one last thing?” “Yes?” “On the subject of fathers of Maho’s children, I almost forgot to ask about Celestia and Luna. No offense, but it’s pretty obvious they aren’t biologically… Well, anyone’s. They certainly don’t look like Maho.” Bonsai sighed, adopting a resigned look of uncertainty. “Well, Twilight. I’m afraid I can’t answer that question. I don’t even know myself. She brought them back one day as foals, she was crying and distraught. She had a friend she would talk to whom I never met, I can only assume that friend is their biological mother. Aside from that, all I can say is that I vowed to protect them with Mahogany, having accepted me as her husband on that day.” Twilight pondered. This left more questions than answers. “I see… Thanks anyway. I think it’s probably time for me to go to sleep. I need to get this one to bed too. It was… Well, it was a rocky start, but I’m glad I talked to you both.” Spruce waved. “Rest up, have a good night.” Not often a task she finds herself doing, Rafflesia strolled down the bed chamber corridors, delivering fresh protection amulets for the guests. Her pace was that of a turtle’s, drained of energy after reuniting with her long-lost daughter earlier that morning. Yet she worked through it, being the last task she had to complete that day, her boss promising her some much coveted time off. (“Orchid said the general was in the onsen, I think.”) she thought, sighing through her fatigue. (“Her name… Atha was it? Hm… Well, I was gonna need to give her a new charm tomorrow anyway, so I suppose it’s no issue if she lost the old one.”) The onsen was fortunately a hop, skip, and a jump away from Cypress’s workshop where he had been unusually grouchy the whole day. She and her fellow staff knew better than to further agitate him beyond their duties, thus Rafflesia took the platter of freshly enchanted amulets left on the desk and rushed out while managing to avoid eye contact with the cantankerous prince. Another sigh, this time of relief, the mare picked up the pace through the corridors towards the onsen. Thankfully, the halls were fairly void of activity this time of the day so it was a straight shot. Many of the maids were probably out on the town right now, maybe joining Hawthone for some drinks. Others might be tending to the queen or one of her offspring. Heck, Celestia and Luna had moved back, maybe they were aiding one of them? Perhaps they were busy setting up the wedding? Well, whatever the case, at least it would make for a fairly easy rest of the night, Rafflesia assured herself. Maybe she could even get a full night's sleep tonight. Sleep sounded good, but there was a small job to do first. Sliding the bamboo doors open, Rafflesia glanced around in her attempt to find the elder unicorn officer, the sound of the showerhead cluing her in on the washing area. There was an obscured silhouette behind the curtains actively scrubbing their body, perhaps that was her. Approaching the curtain, she spotted a pile of towels and a scarf neatly folded on the sink nearby. “Hello? Um, I brought the amulet you asked for. Should I--” A hoof on her shoulder spooked her, making her jump and slip on the damp floors. Luckily, the hoof had a firm grip on her robes and she managed to keep her footing. “Apologies, I didn’t mean to scare you.” Rafflesia turned to face the mare who spoke to her, a tall elder unicorn wearing the striped cotton yukata given to guests of the palace. This mare had her pipe and monocle, this had to be her. “Oh, it’s okay. Um, are you the General Atha staying with us?” “Yes, that would be me. I take it you’re answering the urgent call regarding the lost amulet?” “Y-yes, that’s right. Um, here you are…” After presenting the platter to her guest, Atha reached out and took one. “Ah, thank you kindly, miss…?” “You may call me Rafflesia, ma’am.” “Rafflesia then… Hm, say. You know my Starlight Glimmer, correct?” The younger mare tilted her head. “Um, y-yes? Why do you ask…?” Atha adjusted her monocle before tucking the amulet in her robe. “Starlight Glimmer is my star apprentice, I taught her what she knows about magic. Well, she told me she… met someone quite close to her tonight. I figured it was you.” “How… How do you know that?” Atha paused, taking a puff of her pipe. “Nevermind that, it’s not important. Listen, I understand things are rough. I just want to assure you, have faith in Starlight. She will prevail and you will be returned to your old home with her. I have nothing but the utmost confidence in her. If I may make one little request: please do everything in your power to love and support her. Don’t give up.” Rafflesia stood taken aback. This wasn’t quite what she had expected from her. The conviction and optimism in the words she spoke held something of a stern kindness to them. It was just like… “Anyway, thank you once again for the new charm. If you will excuse me, I’d best be heading to bed. I fear it’s going to be busy in the coming days ahead. You have a blessed night.” The old unicorn performed a small bow before making a march to her quarters, leaving the younger mare puzzled. There were many things she could think about in that given moment, but she still had other amulets to deliver. Even the thoughts she did have were clouded by her ever growing exhaustion. Following the ideal course of actions for her, she made her leave from the onsen as well. The shower’s running water came to a stop. The pony washing pulled back the curtain and stepped out. A scowl across their lips. “Things just got more complicated…”