Princess Celestia relaxed in the quiet confines of Luna's bedroom, a book floating nicely before her. Luna's bedroom was quite the stark contrast from hers, and with good reason. The dark blue and purple color scheme did very well to match her sister's love of the night. It also, somehow, simply felt more peaceful in there as opposed to her own bedroom. Whether it was the darker colors or the fact that the guards didn't come around here as often, Celestia found this place to be so relaxing. That was part of the reason why she chose this to be the location of Luna's study sessions.
The purple alicorn sat across from her sister, tiredly reading through the third of five books on Equestrian history and politics. Since she's been gone for a thousand years, her dear sister insisted that she catch up on how things operated in modern Equestria. Why she couldn't just skip to how things operated in modern Equestria, she would never know. Instead, she had to go through the painstaking process of reading over all one thousand years of the land's development. Fun. It wasn't that bad, she supposed. Getting through today's five books would cover about... fifty years. Maybe if she was lucky, she'd be done with this sometime within the next one thousand years.
"How are you coming along, Luna?" Celestia asked, not looking away from her own book.
Luna rolled her eyes. "Oh, this is simply exhilarating, ‘Tia. Truly, the most fun I have ever had."
Celestia just chuckled. "It isn't the most exciting thing, I know. But just imagine how good you'll feel knowing how to run this land yourself."
Luna looked up from her book. "No offense is intended, but why can't I simply watch and learn from you. It’s what I’ve always used to do.”
Celestia suddenly stopped reading. She slowly closed her book, a frown forming her face. "Because, Luna, life can be unpredictable. I think we've both learned that in the past. There may come a time when I am no longer around, and you'll be left to handle things on your own. That's why you must learn these things. You may be the younger one, but life seldom cares for such facts. You must be prepared for the worst."
Luna felt herself shrink down, fear and worry visible in her eyes. "What do you mean? When wouldn't you be around? You'll always be around, yes?"
"I'm afraid that I don't know. That is what I fear." Despite the hints of sorrow behind her voice, Celestia still managed to muster up a small smile. "But enough of that, what are you reading right now?" she asked, changing the subject.
"Hmm? Oh! Yes, um, it's uh…" Luna peered back into the book, racing to find where she left off, "…the founding of the… ambassadors! Yes! The founding of Equestria's ambassadors of peace." Luna punctuated her answer with a large, goofy smile.
Celestia raised a curious eyebrow, a knowing smirk on her face. "Is that so? Interesting. Even more so considering that the book you're reading only covers years 1150 to 1165, and the ambassadors weren't formed until the early thirteenth century."
Luna gave her sister a sheepish grin. "They are in a side note?"
Celestia grinned at her sister before grabbing Luna's book in a magical grip. Luna quickly grabbed it with her own magic, causing the two sisters to engage in a short tug-of-war. As hard as Luna tried, she couldn't overpower Celestia's superior magical strength, and eventually lost her grip on the book.
Celestia brought the book up to her face, only to sigh when she saw what her sister was really reading. "Luna, I am very happy that you're enjoying some form of reading, but I would appreciate it if you used this study time for educational purposes. Not this." She floated an issue of Daring Doo out from the pages of the history book.
Luna immediately shot up to her hooves. "What do you mean? That comic's very educational."
"Really? And what has it taught you?"
"Several things. Like that, uh... that hiding in a well-built stable can protect you from a nuclear explosion."
Celestia sighed again as a smile appeared on her face. "Oh, Luna. You'll be the death of me someday." She shut both the comic and textbook before standing up. "I suppose that will be enough for now. We can always finish later." She gave the comic back to Luna, who practically pounced on it before reading from where she left off. After letting out one more chuckle, Celestia left her sister's bedroom.
----
It was quite a long morning for the white alicorn. Spending four straight hours looking over various bills, approving various bills, and contemplating new ideas for various bills was an excruciatingly slow process. The knowledge that Rainbow Dash was sitting her bedroom, her unattended mind a chasm of information, only made the time go by even slower. Several times throughout the day, she just wanted to drop everything she was doing just to check on the pegasus, but by some miracle was able to fight off such urges. However, her patience finally paid off; with her schedule finally free, Celestia had time to breathe and, more importantly, to check on her little subject.
She sauntered up to her closed bedroom door. Pushing it open, she stepped inside. Not surprisingly, the room was still aglow with the bright light emitting from the candle’s green flame. Rainbow had been with her ancestor for over four hours now. There must've been an entire treasure trove of information just waiting for her. It took an embarrassing amount of willpower to keep herself from prancing like a filly as she approached the pegasus.
Closing her eyes, she channeled a stream of magic from her horn. It danced in the air like a spider web caught in the wind as it approached the fiery tendril. As soon as it attached itself to the swirling mass of fire, Celestia's mind was wiped clean of any and all thought. All noise around her became nothing but a distant whisper. It was as if she stepped into a deep, dark void of nothing. At first, there was nothing, then Celestia's mind regained certain thoughts, but these weren't her own. They were Rainbow's.
The pegasus' memories flashed through Celestia's mind, some more interesting than others. While there was the usual drivel, such as personal achievements, lifelong dreams, and other trivial things, more interesting things rested in Rainbow's foalhood. From the looks of it, the pegasus had a rather rough one. Having to spend every morning going through grueling training? Parents who would push her to her body's absolute limits? It was something that Celestia could certainly relate to, but that was beside the point. She had no time to pine over somepony else's past. Time was of the essence.
Celestia went deeper into the recesses of Rainbow's mind, going far, far back until she could finally make out Shadow's memories. As Celestia went through them, eager to check on the progress, a frown formed on her face. Only a few days had passed, nowhere near enough to find any useful information. At such a rate, it would take weeks of continuous sessions to find the location of the Apple. If that was the case, then there was little she could do except wait. Then again, keeping this up for weeks on end would no doubt turn Rainbow's mind into mush. Though she was admittedly reluctant, she'd have to give the pegasus a break soon. A few more hours at the most. Yes, that seemed about right.
Celestia detached herself from the candle’s flame, her mind refilling with her own memories again. The thin wisp of magic retreated back into her horn. She stared at that candle with cold eyes. Angry eyes, almost. What was she doing? With every passing minute, her enemies grew one step closer to powers that no one could possibly comprehend. Powers that could decimate Equestria. Time was the only thing she had none of, and just waiting for this accursed item to sift through Shadow's memories wasn't fast enough. She needed to do something else about it. Something a bit more... involving on her part, but what?
With another sigh and one last glance back at the still pegasus, Celestia left her bedroom. As soon as she was back out in the hallway, she could make out the frantic hoofbeats of running pony. Sure enough, a few seconds later, one of her royal guards came galloping towards her. He stopped right in front of her, clearly out of breath, before bowing to the princess.
Celestia just sighed again. Seeing her guards act in such a panicked fashion only meant bad news. "What is it?" she asked, as if she didn't already know.
The guard stood back up, still out of breath. "Your Highness, we've captured a thief. He was caught attempting to steal the Shroud."
Celestia suddenly perked up. She did not expect that kind of news. In fact, that was relatively good news. "Really? And where is this thief?"
"In the dungeon, prepped and primed for interrogation."
A small smile crawled onto the princess' face. Things were finally looking up. "Excellent. I'll speak with him immediately. You are dismissed."
The guard bowed again. "Thank you, Your Highness." Without another word, he trotted away, leaving Celestia to her thoughts. Even though Rainbow Dash produced less than pleasing results, this supposed thief could be just what she needed to put the situation back in her favor. She still had some time left before more of her daily duties came crawling back to bother her, and she wasn't going to waste another second. She had a thief to interrogate.
----
Shadow shot up in her bed with a sharp cry. She frantically looked around, trying to take in her surroundings. She was in a room. A nice, cozy, candle-lit room. How in Equestria did she wind up here? She tried to remember, but it only made her head pulsate with pain. Whatever knocked her out left her in a mess. Her heart was racing, her head was pounding. She was out of breath, her frantic breathing short and shallow. Her mess of a mane hung past half of her face, matted down to her head with sweat. She just wasn't feeling good.
As Shadow finally calmed, she realized that she was no longer in her robes. What happened to her while she was unconscious? Various scenarios flashed through her mind, some worse, some better, but she quickly pushed all of them out. As far as she could tell, she didn't feel very different, save for a faint pain in her side. She looked down at her body to find bandages wrapped around her midsection. A thin streak of blood soaked through them, but they still held well enough.
She took another look around the room, really taking it in. It was rather clean. The hardwood floor practically shone in the candlelight. Shelves filled with books of varying sizes lined the wall in front of her. There was even a nice cup of water resting on the nightstand beside her. Everything was just so clean. Even her bed, despite the sweat stains, smelled and felt fresh. Either she was among friends, or she was just a highly respected prisoner.
Just as Shadow reached for the water, eager to satisfy her dried throat, the bedroom door opened as a familiar pink pegasus stepped inside, a bucket of water clenched in her teeth and a jar of white cream balanced on an extended wing. Shadow didn't know if she should've felt relieved or annoyed as the smiling pegasus approached her bed.
Butterfly placed the bucket and jar down next to the bed. "Good, you're awake."
"I cannot seem to get away from you, can I?" Shadow asked, adjusting herself to a more upright position.
"Small world, I suppose." Shadow turned away with a huff in response. Butterfly simply giggled at the mare's gesture. "I see your attitude hasn't changed."
"Neither has yours." Shadow took one more glance around the room. "Where am I?"
"Don't worry, you're safe. After I found you in that alley, I brought you to Madame Resona's house. My master, remember?" Shadow nodded. "She left the room before you woke up, but told me to keep an eye on you. Tell me, how do you feel?"
"I… I feel rather sick, to be honest," Shadow begrudgingly responded. Common sense told her to be grateful of this hospitality, but her pride wouldn't allow her. She just couldn't get over the embarrassment of being helped twice by a pony she barely knew. It wasn't even like she was a fellow Assassin; she was just some random civilian who happened to be skilled with making fires and throwing knives. And she always appeared to be in the right place at the right time. It seemed more suspicious than coincidental, but that was an issue she would press later.
Butterfly placed a hoof on Shadow's forehead. "Hmm. Just as I thought. You're burning up. Don't worry. I have a few things that'll fix your right up." She glanced at the untouched cup if water on Shadow's nightstand. "Did you drink any water? Go on, it'll be good for you."
Shadow's eyes drifted back to the water sitting next to her. It wasn't every day when such a simple thing seemed like a mystical elixir, so it was clear that she needed it. She carefully took up the cup in both of her hooves. She didn't want to waste a single drop as she brought it up to her lips. It was a bit more bitter than she expected, but still delicious. Invigorating, in fact. With every sip, she felt her strength return to her.
Butterfly simply smiled as she watched the mare chug down the entire glass within seconds. "How do you feel now?"
Shadow placed the cup back down on the nightstand, gasping for air. Perhaps drinking the entire cup without stopping for a breath wasn't a good idea. Despite that, Shadow couldn't deny that the water definitely helped. "I feel better. That water was truly something."
Butterfly giggled. "Thank you. I mixed in some herbs to help regain your strength."
"So you're an herbalist, then?"
"I have some experience, yes. It's a little hobby of mine." Butterfly took a sopping wet rag out of the bucket beside her. "Could you lie down, please?"
Shadow didn't really feel comfortable about putting herself in such a vulnerable position, but she really wasn't in a position to be reluctant. She slowly laid back down onto the soft bed.
"This should help with the fever," Butterfly assured. After wringing the rag of excess water, she used it to lightly dab Shadow's forehead.
The shock of the ice cold water touching her skin shot throughout Shadow's body, but it still felt very soothing. Almost immediately, that pounding headache of hers went away. With that nuisance gone, she could finally think straight again. "Butterfly?"
"Hmm?"
"This Madame of yours. Why would she allow a stranger to sleep in her home?"
"She can be very nice when she wants to be. I think she got it from me." Butterfly dropped the rag back into the bucket. Using her hoof, she scooped a small amount of the white cream out of the jar. "She didn't tell me why she did it exactly, but it must be for a good reason." She gently rubbed the cream against Shadow's wet forehead, making sure that it became absorbed into her skin.
Just like the wet rag, the cream felt cold on Shadow's skin, but still felt oh-so divine. She just wanted to lie back and let the pegasus work her magic, but she still had questions to ask. "You said that you found me in an alley?" Despite her clearer head, Shadow could barely remember what had happened before she blacked out. It was all just a blur to her.
Butterfly nodded, still focused on her work. "Yes, you were unconscious. Tranquilizer dart. It did quite a number on you. You're lucky that I found you when I did. Who knows what those guards would've done to you if they captured you."
"The guards." Yes, the guards. It was all still a bit blurry, but Shadow remembered something a few said that caught her attention.
"By order of Lord Solaris..."
You and I are going to have a lot of fun before I bring you to Solaris."
"Solaris."
Butterfly barely heard the mare. "Hmm?"
Shadow suddenly sat up in her bed, interrupting Butterfly's treatment. The pegasus tried to push her back down, but she wasn't moving an inch. "Solaris. I need to speak with him now."
Butterfly was a bit taken aback by the sudden request. "Lord Solaris? I don't know how easy that'll be, Shadow. He's very strict when it comes to visitors."
"Wait. Lord Solaris? When did he earn such a title?"
Butterfly looked at Shadow as if she just asked what one plus one was. "He's been Hoofington's Lord for quite some time now. A few years, in fact."
Shadow sighed in frustration. Glancing out the nearby window, she saw the city's castle off in the distance, jetting above the rest of the city, practically taunting her. That would at least explain why it was built in the first place. If Solaris was inside that beast, then things would become much more complicated. "I need to get inside that castle. Where are my things?"
"Madame Resona took them."
"Where is she? Can you take me to her?"
"I suppose I could. She's right downstairs. Can you stand?"
Much to her body's various protests, Shadow forced herself out of bed. Whatever it was that knocked her out was still having some effect. She tried to stand up, but her legs trembled beyond her control, threatening to give in to the slightest bit of pressure. It didn't help at all that it felt like her head felt like it was about to roll off of her shoulders, either. Despite her best efforts, she couldn't keep her balance and staggered across the room.
Butterfly quickly intercepted the falling mare, leaning against her as a support to stop her fall. "Careful, now." She kept Shadow on her hooves until she regained enough balance to walk on her own. "There you go. Much better."
Shadow shook the lingering dizziness out of her head. Though her vision was still rather fuzzy, she could finally stand on her own.
Butterfly still insisted on staying next to Shadow, just in case she fell again. "Feel better?" she asked. Shadow nodded. "Good. Let's get going. The Madame's no doubt waiting for us." Slowly, the pegasus led Shadow out of the bedroom.
----
As soon as Shadow stepped out of the bedroom, the strong aroma of lavender-scented candles slammed into her. It was a fitting smell, she supposed, since everything else around her practically oozed with extravagance. She was only in a narrow hallway, but that one hallway had more decorations and knick-knacks than she could be bothered to count.
A plush, red carpet embroidered with gold lace spanned across the entire hallway floor. Various paintings of ponies dressed in all things frilly and flamboyant decorated the walls. There were even a few paintings of the king and queen, as well as one of Celestia and Luna, both of whom looked absolutely miserable in their flashy dresses.
Butterfly led Shadow towards a set of stairs leading to the lower floor. Slowly, Shadow placed one hoof in front of the other as she made her way down the stairs. Butterfly stayed next to her as support, just in case. Their progress down the stairs was excruciatingly slow, but Shadow didn't feel like she was about to fall yet.
As the two made their way further down the stairs, the living room slowly came into view. Shadow didn't have many words to describe the place beyond 'extravagant', but that hardly mattered. What did matter was the fact that she felt very, very poor when she gazed upon the room.
Much like with the hallway upstairs, the entire floor was covered with red carpeting. A shimmering, golden chandelier hung above, casting the room in a bright light. Books in pristine condition filled the shelves that lined the walls. There were even a few random knick-knacks topping the various desks around the room, ranging from simple bags of bits, to small figurines, to... diamond-encrusted goblets? Where in Equestria could a pony get something like that unless it was crafted by hoof? Actually, taking a second look around the room, there were several expensive items decorating desks, such as necklaces, trophies, and other such things. The expenses put into buying so many items seemed outlandish, even by royalty standards.
In the middle of it all, lying comfortably in a pile of plush pillows, was a brown-coated, black-maned unicorn. She was dressed in a tight-fitting white shirt with a looser, black one over it. Black, leather boots covered all four of her hooves, and to top it off, Shadow could see the sheath that held her dagger strapped to her waist. The unicorn was deeply engaged with the book in front of her. She didn't even glance up as Shadow and Butterfly reached the bottom the stairs.
Butterfly left Shadow at the stairs as she approached the reading unicorn. She opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out, as if she was afraid of interrupting the unicorn’s story.
“Just a moment, Butterfly,” the unicorn requested, not even glancing back, “Allow me to finish this chapter first.”
The pink pegasus flinched at the sudden announcement before whispering, “Okay.” She promptly backed away as the unicorn continued to read.
Shadow, meanwhile, was rather impressed by the unicorn’s perception. At first glance, she seemed like nothing more than a pampered fashionista, what, with her shiny, curly mane, and clean fur. Shadow glanced down at her own body. Her fur was lightly ruffled and splotched with dirt. As for her matted mess of a mane, she didn’t even want to compare. She wasn’t jealous. She was just a little... she wasn’t jealous.
The unicorn finally shut her book and put it to the side. She stood and faced the pink pegasus. “Now, what is it, my young protégé?”
Butterfly was too busy awkwardly shuffling her hooves across the ground to catch the question at first. “Huh? Oh, right. Um, she's awake, Madame.”
The unicorn glanced over to Shadow, who still stood patiently by the stairs. A small smile crept onto the unicorn's face as she stood and approached her. “Well, it’s a pleasure to finally make your acquaintance, Ms. Streak.” She stuck out a hoof. “I am Madame Resona.”
Shadow shook Resona’s hoof. “You know of me?”
“Oh, but of course. Butterfly has told me quite a lot about you. Isn't that right, darling?" The pegasus nervously hid behind her yellow mane. Resona leaned towards Shadow, not like she made any effort to lower her voice. "Between you and me, I think she may like you."
Butterfly shot up, her wings flaring out and her pink cheeks burning red. "M-Madame!"
Resona simply chuckled at Butterfly's bashful nature. "Oh, come now. You know that I love to play with you, Butterfly." She put her attention back on Shadow. “Goodness, where are my manners? Please, sit down. Have some tea. Read a book. We saved your life, the least you could do is relax a little.”
It didn’t take much to convince Shadow. Her legs still felt weak, and those pillows just made them feel even weaker. She followed Resona over to the pillows, collapsing onto the cushy pile as soon as she reached it. Resona lied down next to her before picking up a porcelain teapot with her magic. She poured some more tea into two cups and handed one to Shadow.
"Thank you," she said with a grateful nod. While Resona took short, lady-like sips, Shadow downed the entire cup in a few gulps. The water was delicious, but this tea was nearly divine. Her body practically melted as she drank the warm liquid. There was something else to it as well, something about the taste. It was bitter, but not off-putting.
Resona chuckled as Shadow's eyes lit up. "I'm glad that you like it. I made it myself. Hoofington's tea can be so bland at times, so I added my own twist to it. Ginseng. A lovely little plant if I do say so myself. You know, it was imported all the way from Haysia."
"Haysia? Strange. I have not heard of such a place."
"It is a rather small place, but is an absolute utopia of various herbs and plants. You should visit it sometime."
"Hmph. Perhaps I will." That tea certainly put Shadow in a more relaxed mood than usual. She needed to learn the recipe to make more herself. What did Resona put in it again? Ginger? She'd have to keep that in mind whenever she came across an herbal shop. Perhaps she'd even go all the way to Haysia herself if time ever permitted it.
Resona took another sip of her tea. "So, what brings you to Hoofington, Ms. Streak?"
"Please, call me Shadow. As for my being here, I need to speak with Solaris."
Resona's eyes slowly rose until they met Shadow's. The black mare couldn't put her hoof on it, but something in the room changed. The initial homey mood of the room changed to something more serious. "Solaris? That is certainly something. What do you wish to speak to him about?"
"I would rather keep that to myself."
"Of course, of course. But best of luck earning an audience with him. He only spends his time with the very best that Equestria has to offer. The wealthy, the famous, that sort of thing."
Shadow took another glance around the room, noting every expensive thing she found. "Surely, somepony like you could help me get inside."
"Really? And how would I do that?"
"Somepony in possession of such expensive merchandise must have more than enough money to buy her way into the castle"
Resona took an uninterested glance around the room. "Oh, all of this? Believe me, I didn't spend a single bit on any of these."
"What? But that's... How could you possibly--?" Shadow cut herself off when she noticed the sly smirk on the unicorn's face.
"I suppose a more specific introduction is in order." Resona set aside her tea and stood back up. She bowed her head to the mare before her. "I am Madame Resona, master plunderer and current leader of the Thieves' Guild."
Well, that would explain the vast amounts of wealth that Resona possessed. But it wasn't the fact that she was a thief that caught Shadow's attention. No, it was something else that the unicorn mentioned.
"The Thieves' Guild?" Shadow remembered hearing of it before. When she was a filly, Grey Mane told her stories of the countless times when Assassins and thieves worked together to meet a goal. It was a rather simple relationship. The thieves obtained information for the Assassins, and the Assassins would repay the thieves with blood and, of course, bits. Even to this day, the Assassins still had connections with the thieves, using them as a resource to teach new recruits the ways of stealth. This practice was made official years after Shadow became an Assassin, and by then she had received all the training she needed from Grey Mane, so she never got the chance to experience such a thing.
Resona looked over towards a desk in the corner. Using her magic, she opened the drawer and took out a large, rolled up sheet of parchment. Floating it over to herself, she unfurled it, revealing it to be a map of some sort. The unicorn placed it between herself and Shadow. It was a map of Hoofington, with every single building drawn and labeled in painstaking detail. All throughout the map were red markings on every building in the city, save for the castle.
"What is this?" Shadow asked, peering intently at the map.
"A display of the power we possess in this city. You may not have heard much of the Thieves' Guild, but I assure you, we are everywhere. Our eyes and ears survey every single inch of ground in this city, or rather, we would if it weren't for one, annoying thing."
"The castle is untouched by your men."
Resona nodded. "We are completely blind there. Solaris could be plotting any range of schemes behind those walls and we'd be none the wiser. That is something that needs to change. Unfortunately, his security is very tight, and I've lost several thieves to his guards. We need someone else, someone with combat expertise, to infiltrate it." She gave Shadow a small smile. "And I may know who that someone is. Do you, Assassin?"
Shadow just sighed. She already knew where this was going, and did not feel like trying to dance around it. "What do you want from me?"
"Oh, no. It's not what I want from you, at least not yet. Rather, it's what I want to give you."
"Really? And what could you possibly teach me that I don't already know?"
Resona rolled up the map and placed it back in the drawer. "Don't be so quick to look a gift horse in the mouth, darling. You never know what you may earn from this." She stood up, Shadow following suit. "Now, if you'll follow me."
"Wait. Where are we going?"
"Outside, of course. I've been cooped up with that book for so long that my poor legs are taut from neglect. I simply must to stretch them."
"But I can't go outside like this," she said, motioning towards her stripped, weaponless body. "Where did all of my equipment go?"
"Oh, don't get your mane frazzled over such a trivial issue. No offense, but your equipment was in a state of absolute disarray, so I had them sent away for repairs, improvements, modifications, and such."
Shadow took a single, threatening step towards the unicorn. "Where are they?"
Resona didn't even flinch at the foreboding approach. "In the tender care of a blacksmith in the middle of town. If you can go more than five feet without bursting a blood vessel, then I can take you there."
Shadow backed off, though her irritation was still clear. The things that she wanted to say were building up inside of her. She was like a dam ready to burst, but by some miracle, managed to stay silent.
Resona smiled again. "I'll take your silence as a 'yes'. Just follow me." She approached the front door, but Shadow still remained behind. The unicorn sighed in impatience as she came to a stop. "What's wrong, Shadow? You don't trust me?"
Shadow gave Resona a flat stare. "Why would I trust a thief?"
"For the same reason that I trust an Assassin. Do you honestly think that such a title places you on a higher moral standing?"
An answer was right on the tip of Shadow's tongue, but the mare thought better against letting it out. She didn't even know why she was being so suspicious in the first place. After waking up in such an unknown location, her instincts told her to stay on edge, but once she calmed down, she became more sensible. As far as she could tell, Resona was showing no signs of lying. She didn't seem shifty, she wasn't sweaty, and her heart rate didn't seem to increase. That either meant that she was telling the truth, or she was a very, very good deceiver. Given Resona's status as a thief, the latter didn't seem very unlikely, but if Shadow wanted her gear back, then she had no choice but to play along.
Eventually, she just sighed in submission. "Fine. Let's go."
"Excellent!" Resona immediately set off towards the door again, Shadow reluctantly following behind. "Butterfly, you've been a delight today. Why don't you take a break? Read a book. In fact," She used her magic to give the pegasus the book that she was reading, "finish that one for me. Don't spoil anything, though. I'm just dying to find out what happens to Rodeo and Mareiet."
Shadow just rolled her eyes as the two approached the door. She just couldn't shake the fact that this was going to be a very, very long day.
----
A few hours must've passed during Shadow's little nap. The sun that used to be creeping over the horizon was now high above the sky as crowds of ponies walked through the streets of Hoofington.
Shadow grew rather apprehensive as approached the thick crowds. Would somepony recognize her face? Was she going to have to prepare to run again? Strangely enough, once she reached the crowd, her face clear and in the open, not a single pony so much as batted an eye at her. They simply walked on past, going about their daily affairs. As grateful as Shadow was, she couldn't help but feel a bit suspicious of the sudden change in behavior.
"Strange," Shadow muttered.
"What is, dear?"
"Just this morning, nearly everypony recognized me as a threat. But now, none of them seem to even acknowledge me. It makes no sense."
"Actually, it makes complete sense." When Resona saw the black mare give her a confused stare, she decided to elaborate. "The citizens of Hoofington may be innovative, but they aren't very bright. Some of my boys tore down those ghastly wanted posters throughout the city, and just like a bad cold, nearly everypony forgot all about you. The guards may still recognize you, though, but that's just part of the fun."
"But that still doesn't explain how Solaris knew that I was coming. How did he know what I look like? How did he even know that I would be here?"
"Perhaps another city warned him of you."
Shadow shook her head. "That can't be it. These cities couldn't care less about what happens outside of their walls. It must be something else."
"Well, a pony like Solaris most likely has stranger ways of obtaining information. That could be something you ask him when you stop by for a 'talk'." Resona chuckled to herself, eliciting another roll of the eyes from Shadow. "Don't let these happy faces fool you, though," Resona continued, "Hoofington is a city filled with tyranny and deceit."
"Tyranny and deceit brought upon by Solaris," Shadow assumed.
The unicorn let out a small sigh. "Yes, ever since he came to rule over Hoofington, things have not been quite the same. He may have given the city a fresh coat of paint, but it's merely a facade to hide his true intentions."
"Which are?"
"He intends to corrupt this city. He wishes to break the minds of its citizens until they bow down without question."
"And what makes you say that?"
"Just take a closer look around, Shadow, and you'll see--"
"Hey, you!"
Shadow was nearly about to run when she realized that the guard wasn't calling out to her. No, he and two other guards were approaching a lonely merchant stand. The weak, old unicorn standing behind it reared back in fear as they grew closer.
Resona pointed at the scene. "You'll see things such as this." She and Shadow stopped to observe.
The guards surrounded the stand, swords hovering in their magical grip. "Time to pay, friend. Where is the money?"
"I told you, I need more time. My business is small; I simply can't make enough in the time you give."
"Where does all of your money go, hmm? You have no wife, no foals. What do you spend it all on? Food? Hah!" The guard poked the unicorn's chubby stomach with his sword. "I think you've had enough of that." The surrounding guards joined him in mocking laughter.
Shadow stood by, glaring at the scene with increasing intensity. She felt the rage slowly building up inside, threatening to burst out at any moment. She wasn't about to stand idly by and let this happen right in front of her.
She started towards the guards, only to have Resona place a foreleg in her path. The unicorn met Shadow's glare with a stern look of her own. "No, don't."
Shadow shot daggers at the unicorn before looking back at the scene before her.
"Well, then," one of the guards began, "if you can't pay now, then what are we supposed to do about it?"
"Just give me more time. That's all I ask."
"We gave you more time, old fool! Lord Solaris was merciful enough to give you time last week and the week before that. But no more games, he demands his payment now."
"Then perhaps your Lord asks too much!" the old unicorn snapped.
The three guards were struck silent by the outburst. Not long after, one took a menacing step towards the unicorn. "Our Lord has rebuilt this city--"
The unicorn immediately realized his mistake and cowered back. "I-I'm sorry."
"--brought confidence back to its citizens--"
"I meant no--"
"--and all he asks in return is a measly bag of bits to make up for all of that, and you dare say that he demands too much?"
"Please. I only meant--" The merchant was cut off when the guard spat in his face.
"If it weren't for him, you would be dead in a gutter somewhere! Would you have him undo everything that he's done to save this slum of a city?"
"N-no, I--"
The guard didn't allow him to finish. He raised his sword in the air and brought it down on the unicorn's stand, smashing it in two. As the merchant stared aghast at his destroyed stand, the other guards shoved him to the ground. He tried to get up, but the guards met his attempts with stomps and kicks.
As this scene played out, Shadow only felt her anger become more and more potent. It was burning in her eyes, it was bubbling inside of her very soul. Her breathing came out as feral growls. Every fiber of her being was telling her to lash out, and she wanted to listen to them. She wanted to tear those guards apart. She wanted to do far worse than that.
"Shadow, stay focused!" Resona ordered.
Her words fell on deaf ears. Shadow could hear nothing but the unicorn's pained cries as the guards continued to beat him. She didn't care that she had nothing but her bare hooves. She didn't care that she'd more than likely attract more guards. She just didn't care about anything. She couldn't just stand by and let this happen, no matter the circumstances. Her mind was made up.
"Shadow, don't you dare," Resona growled.
Shadow didn't listen for a second. She bolted towards the guards, all sense and thought thrown out of the window. Anger was the only thing fueling her movement, and it made her blood-thirsty.
The guards never saw her coming. Shadow tackled one of them, pinning him to the ground. The others stopped their assault and watched in shock as the raging mare attacked their partner. Shadow raised a hoof and brought it down hard on the guard's face. That alone was enough to break and bloody his nose, but she wasn't done. She raised her hoof and brought it down again. She did it again, and again, and again until the guard's body ceased to move. She was sure that she felt his face cave in at some point. Good.
Shadow looked at the guards behind her, anger still burning in her eyes. One of them finally regained enough sense to attack. Shadow got back up just in time to avoid a stab aimed right at her abdomen. She countered with a quick, hard slap, but not to his face. No, she hit him right in his horn. The sudden pain in his skull disrupted his focus, making him drop his sword. Shadow was quick to take it up in her teeth as the guard staggered back, still trying to get over the immense pain. She never gave him the chance to recover, and with a quick slash across his throat, ended his life as well.
As the second guard fell to the ground, his throat a crimson fountain, Shadow set her sights on the last one, the one who started the attack in the first place. By this point, fear was plastered on his face as he stood there, trembling in his armor. Shadow took a single step towards him. He took a single step back. She stepped forward again. He stepped back again. Every advance she made was matched by a retreat from the guard. She should've expected this sort of cowardice from a guard such as this. So willing to prey on the weak, and so quick to run from anyone posing a threat. Pathetic.
Shadow crouched down, preparing to pounce on him like an angry manticore. The guard simply stood stiff, far too scared to make any real attempt to escape. Easier for the Assassin. But just as she was about to attack, a dagger flew right past her and towards the guard. It embedded itself deep in his forehead with a sickening crack. The guard, stunned at first, slowly staggered forward, a thin red line trickling down his face as his eyes rolled to the back of his head. Just as he reached Shadow, he finally collapsed at her hooves in a limp heap.
The dagger in his head was encased in a bright blue aura. Shadow didn't even need to look back to know who it was, so she didn't. She dropped the sword and walked over to the merchant as Resona yanked her dagger out of the guard's forehead.
The old unicorn was cowering behind his destroyed stand, his forelegs covering his head as he kept it in the dirt. "I-is it over?" he asked, his voice cracking.
With the guards dealt with, Shadow finally calmed down enough to find a sincere tone. "Yes, it's over. Nopony will hurt you now."
The merchant, still shivering, peeked out from between his legs. Sure enough, he only saw the black mare standing before him. Feeling safer, he slowly got back up on his hooves. "Oh, thank you. Thank you. You have no idea what this means to me. If you didn't stop them, those guards would've... th-they would've..." The fearful tears in his eyes came back, but he wiped them away.
"I know. I was just glad to help." She looked down at the destroyed stand. "Do you need any help with that?"
"Huh? Oh, this? No, I'll have my sons help me with it. They've very strong stallions, just like their father."
Shadow couldn't help but chuckle as the old unicorn puffed his chest out, despite the fact that his stomach was the more prominent feature about him. Still, it was a pleasant sight, and only made the rescue feel even more worth it. "Yes, well, you should get home before more guards arrive."
"Straight away, miss. Straight away." He lived up to that promise by trotting away from the messy scene as fast as his legs would carry him. With him gone, Shadow turned her attention towards Resona. Whatever elation she felt before was quickly washed away when she saw the unicorn's stern glare.
"What were you thinking?" Resona demanded, stomping up to Shadow.
"What was I supposed to do? Stand idly by while that merchant got beaten?" Resona nodded, much to Shadow's disgust. "But we can't just--"
"Yes, we can. You just don't want to." Shadow was about to say something else, but Resona cut her off. "Allow me to finish, please." The black mare kept her mouth shut, and Resona continued. "You cannot allow your emotions to get the better of you, especially not over a trivial matter such as this. You need to come to terms with the fact that you cannot save everyone. It's a hard fact to face, I know, but the sooner you accept it, the easier your life will be."
"You just don't understand, do you?" Shadow snapped. The sudden outburst struck Resona silent. "I've already accepted that fact, but just because it's true doesn't mean that I can't try my best. That's why I became an Assassin in the first place; to help everyone in Equestria escape this kind of abuse. That may be a goal that I'll never reach in my lifetime, but I will not allow such things to happen in front of me, not if I can help it."
Resona sighed in exasperation as she shook her head. "You see, it is that type of talk that brings people like you to an early grave. You think that the title of Assassin makes you this all-mighty super-mare, when in reality, you are just as vulnerable as everyone else."
"I know I am, but—"
"Then act like it, Shadow! What good will you be to Equestria if you die? Have you ever stopped to think about that?" Resona took the silence that followed as a 'no'. "Please. Listen to me. This is not a little filly's fantasy. This is life, and whether or not you like it, life is ugly. Life is unfair. Life will throw you to the ground and kick you while you're down, and I promise you, there will come times when that becomes blindingly obvious."
Shadow was struck silent by the unicorn's tirade. Her eyes simply fell to the ground. As much as she hated to admit it, Resona was right. She let herself become so wrapped up in her emotions that she simply stopped thinking rationally. It was a miracle that she wasn't dead already, but she was becoming more and more reckless with each passing day. She needed to stop, but she simply couldn't help it. She hated feeling useless, she hated feeling helpless, but most of all, she hated feeling insignificant, like she couldn't change anything in the world around her. She became an Assassin with the hopes that she would be able to make a difference in this oppressive world of hers, but more often than not, she found herself wondering whether or not she'd actually succeed in doing that.
"Shadow? Are you feeling well, dear?"
Shadow snapped out of her guilt-ridden stupor as Resona called out to her. "Yes. Yes, I'm fine. I'm..." Shadow let out a long, tired sigh. "I'm sorry. It's just... I was unable to protect two ponies very close to me. I just want to make sure that nothing like that ever happens again."
"Say no more. I understand."
"Do you now?"
"Do you honestly believe that thieves have clean pasts? We've all been face-first in the dirt before, just like you. Even Butterfly, innocent and fragile as she may seem, has a past riddled with misery and abuse. Our pasts are what made us stronger. The same applies to you, does it not?" Shadow remained still at first, but soon nodded. "I understand that it's something you don't wish to discuss." Resona placed a reassuring hoof on Shadow's shoulder. "Just know that you're among friends."
A pained smile appeared on Shadow's face. Friend. Why did that term seem so alien to her? How many friends did she actually have? It was a question that Shadow never really dwelled on. Not mere workers, colleagues, or others that she simply knew, but someone who she could enjoy talking to and actually be happy around.
None of her Assassin colleagues could really count; she simply worked with them, so calling them 'friends' would be a stretch. The same could apply to the Solar family. She wasn't very friendly with them, she was merely protecting them. Celestia and Luna would've been potential candidates if Shadow were ten years younger, but at her age, she was more like a foalsitter than anything else. Grey Mane, as much as she respected him, wasn't very fun to talk to or even be around. Goat, despite his light-hearted attitude and admittedly effective skill as an Assassin, was just annoying. Even though Shadow saw him in a higher light than her other partners, she just wanted to gouge her ears out every time he opened that fat mouth of his.
So, no. Shadow didn't have any real friends to speak of. What did she just say? That she wanted to avoid losing anyone close to her? Well, how was she supposed to do that when she had no one close to speak of? Goat was right. She was a very, very recluse pony.
----
Shadow and Resona continued through the city streets as the unicorn continued to comment on the city's current state. As much as Shadow hated to admit it, she was finding it more and more difficult for her to go through with her mission to protect Solaris. Between the cruel treatment of the citizens to his disgustingly effective levels of deception, he did not sound like somepony worth saving. In fact, he sounded more like a target than anything else. However, these were all words coming from Resona's mouth. Shadow would reserve her final judgement until she met Solaris for herself.
"I don't understand, though. How did Solaris come to rule over Hoofington to begin with?"
"See these renovations?" Resona asked, motioning towards all of the flashy and elaborate buildings. "These are all because of him, and the citizens immediately loved him for it."
Shadow scoffed. "Just like that?"
"Just like that," Resona huffed. "Perform one generous deed and the masses line up to kiss the dirt you walk on. If you ask me, I believe that Hoofington was better off as the slum that it was before."
"Isn't that rather excessive? Hoofington was a dangerous place back then, full of bandits and disease."
"As was every other city in Equestria, but at least we had the freedom to do as we pleased. Now, we have this oppressive, omnipotent force watching over us like a foal watching ants march along a hill."
"But you must admit, the city is far safer than it has ever been before."
"Yes, but at what cost? These citizens have been weakened under Solaris' rule. They no longer have the fighting spirit that made us strong. Those violent bandits aren't gone, they've simply been placed inside shining armor, now free to do whatever they wish. These ponies still fear for their lives, they are ready to explode, but they just don't have the backbone to do anything about it. We do."
"Yes, but—" She was cut off when Resona stopped her in her tracks. "What? What is it?"
"We are getting closer to our destination." Resona pointed ahead of the two.
Shadow looked ahead to find a less than pleasing sight. Just ahead of them, a long line of guards blocked off the road. They couldn't go any further, not without any trouble. They needed a plan for this.
She leaned in towards Resona, hushing her tone. "What do you think? Should we find another way around?"
Resona's face didn't show an inkling of worry. In fact, she was smirking. "Don't be ridiculous, dear. We're going straight through."
"What?" Shadow may have been known to make dumb decisions, but even she thought that was an outlandish plan. She was still stripped of every bit of equipment, including her hidden blade, and Resona was armed with nothing more than a flimsy dagger. "How in Equestria do you plan to fight your way through that?"
"Honestly, darling, I thought that an Assassin of your caliber would know that fighting isn't the only solution to everything. For example, we could always request assistance."
"Assistance? From who?"
"I have friends who have a tendency to appear at the right place and time." Resona tilted her head off to the side, as if directing Shadow over there. When she looked, she saw a small band of thieves cooped up near an alley. They certainly carried all of the signs of thieves. As opposed to Resona's relatively clean outfit, these ponies were dressed in torn, faded shirts complete with a matching hats. Some even had bandages wrapped around their hooves, no doubt to hide whatever cuts they suffered over the years.
The thieves immediately stood at attention when Resona looked at them. With a simple nod of her head, they sprung into action and galloped towards the guards. Rather than outright attack them, they instead bumped into the guards in an attempt to provoke them. But that wasn't all that they did.
As the thieves ran away, Shadow saw a bag of bits hanging from their teeth. They didn't always have those bags, did they? But Shadow didn't even see them take it. They were that fast? Unbelievable. And they were just the scrubs; what was Resona, their leader, capable of?
The guards immediately gave chase, abandoning their posts and leaving the road wide open. Resona chuckled at the sight. "As I've said. Innovative, but not very smart."
Shadow just stood there, her jaw threatening to drop to the floor. In all of her years, she had never seen such skilled movements from anyone other than an Assassin. Just what sort of training did they go through to grant them such skill?
"Are you coming, darling? Our blacksmith friend isn't much further away."
Shadow looked ahead again. Resona already started walking down the street again, and showed no signs of stopping. She trotted ahead to catch up. Hopefully she was growing closer to this blacksmith Resona kept going on about. Only time would tell, she supposed.
----
It was obvious that they were on restricted grounds. The streets beyond the guard post were completely barren, meaning that Shadow and Resona were the only two ponies on the open street. Despite the fact that a guard could easily spot them from Manehattan, Resona insisted on staying out in the open for some inane reason.
"Are you sure of this, Resona?" Shadow asked, keeping her voice low and hushed. "We would have a better chance of remaining undetected if we went through an alley."
The unicorn stared at Shadow, gasping in utter disgust "An alley? Are you daft? Do you have any idea how filthy Hoofington's alleys are?"
A thief worried about staying clean? What an interesting combination. "You don't think that any guards will see us?"
"The blacksmith is right up this road. I assure you, there will be no guards between us and there."
Shadow stopped in her tracks, placing a foreleg in Resona's path. "Then who is that?" Shadow asked, glancing up and to the right.
When Resona saw what Shadow saw, she planted a hoof firmly on her face. "A guard."
Yes, standing atop a building was a guard armed with a rifle. He vigilantly scanned across the area in front of him. Unfortunately, the only two intruders in the area were behind him.
Shadow and Resona hugged a nearby wall, effectively staying out of the guard's sight. Resona let out an overdramatic sigh. "I was hoping that I'd be able to avoid getting dirty today."
Shadow just rolled her eyes. The last thing that she needed was somepony's theatrics. "Do you have any throwing knives? I can take him down from here."
"That won't be necessary. I can handle this."
"What? But he's on a roof. How will you--?"
Resona cut her off with a swift wave of her hoof. "As I said, darling, I can handle this. Just give me a moment." Before Shadow could ask any more questions, Resona ducked into a nearby alley. Shadow could hear the unicorn exclaim in disgust as she grew further away. Then she heard a different sound, one that was very similar to metal clinking and scraping against stone. It wouldn't have bothered Shadow so much if it weren't for the fact that she heard the same sounds again and again and again. Curiosity eventually getting the best of her, Shadow peeked into the alley just to see what Resona was doing. What she saw was something that she just did not expect.
Nothing. The alley was completely empty. But it didn't make any sense. She didn't hear Resona gallop away, and even if she did, she would've still seen her down the alley. She didn't hear the sound of a spell being cast, so the possibilities of cloaking or teleportation were out. What did that unicorn do?
Shadow's question was answered when she heard a short, pained grunt come from the roof above her. A few seconds later, the guard that was keeping watch tumbled off of the building and plummeted to the ground behind Shadow. The mare observed the unmoving guard before her. It was clear that he was dead, and it was clear how he died. His throat was ripped open. Not sliced open, but ripped open as if somepony dug a hook deep into his jugular before yanking it out. It couldn't have been a painless way to die.
Looking up, Shadow saw another peculiar sight. Resona was standing atop the roof, looking right back at her, a tiny smirk on her face.
"I said that I could handle it, did I not?" she said. She dropped down, landing right next to Shadow. She brushed away any dirt on her shoulders and fixed her slightly frazzled mane. "Now that he's out of the way, we should continue," she suggested, completely ignoring Shadow's dumbfounded stare.
"How did you do that?" she asked.
"Hmm? Do what?"
"How did you get on top of the building? You have no wings, and I heard or saw no signs of a spell. What did you do?"
Once Resona realized what Shadow was asking, she chuckled. "Oh, I understand. See, I may be a unicorn, but when it comes to spells such as teleportation, I'm, how do you say, lacking. As a result, locomotion has been rather difficult for me, but I didn't let that stop me. Since I didn't have pegasus wings or any advanced spells as my disposal, I needed to rely on simple innovation." With a quick flick of her hoof, a blade shot out of the bottom of Resona's boot.
Shadow couldn't believe; she possessed a...No, it wasn't a hidden blade, at least not like the one Shadow possessed. This one, instead of being a simple, straight blade, ended in a hook.
"What is it?" Shadow asked, completely captivated by the strange blade before her.
The blade retracted back into Resona's boot. She raised the same hoof and used her magic to take off her boot, revealing a shining, silver bracer. This one was also different, lacking the Assassin insignia and having a rounder design than the original's sleek curves. "I like to call it the hookblade." she said, "A useful little tool that allows ponies such as myself to overcome various obstacles, buildings notwithstanding. It may not be as simple as flying or as flashy as teleportation, but it does the deed all the same."
"Where did you get that bracer?" Shadow asked, not taking her eyes off of it.
"Oh, this? I made it myself. After seeing that curious hidden blade that you Assassins use, I decided to have my own crafted, only with locomotion in mind rather than combat, though it is effective in both."
"Interesting." So many uses for such a tool flashed through Shadow's mind. How useful would it be to be able to scale a building within seconds while other guards could not? It offered more angles for stake-outs, planning, and assassinations. Shadow didn't exactly know how she was going to get such an item, but she still had one, clear thought in her head, "I want one."
Resona chuckled. "I imagined that you would. Come, we can make the arrangements once we reach the blacksmith."
With the way to the blacksmith finally clear, the two mares continued down the street. After all the trouble that the two went through, this trip had better have been worth it.
----
Resona sat against a wall in the blacksmith's shop, impatiently tapping a hoof on the floor. The shop itself was nothing out of the ordinary; various swords, daggers, maces, and shields decorated the wooden walls ahead of her. Larger weapons and pieces of armor hung in prominent display cases throughout the shop. The familiar smell of coal and forged steel filled the air. The disgruntled, grey unicorn standing behind the counter constantly mumbled to himself as he wiped the blade of a sword.
Shadow was in the back of the store, changing into her new gear. The mare had been gone for nearly fifteen minutes now, and without a book to keep herself busy, Resona found waiting to be a very slow, tedious process.
"Honestly, dear," Resona called out, "I know that you enjoy taking your time, but can you please hurry?" No response. With a less than ladylike grumble, she continued to wait. And wait. And wait.
The shop's back door opened. Resona practically leapt up to her feet as she saw the black mare walk out, donning new, clean, white robes. The unicorn brought a hoof up to her forehead, nearly fainting at the sight. "Oh, my. Shadow, you look amazing."
Shadow felt amazing. Her new robes were more elaborate than her previous ones, having an open, elongated collar and a pointed hood that draped on her shoulders even when covering her head. The robes split open near the end as they draped over her backside, leaving room for her tail to poke through. They were also shorter, not covering nearly as much of her legs as her old robes did, allowing for freer movement. Her signifying red sash was still wrapped around her waist, but along with it was a leather belt that held bags of smoke bombs, medicinal herbs, and bits, as well as the scabbards that contained her throwing knives.
She was more armored as well. Metal plating bearing the Assassin insignia protected her chest while metal a pauldron protected her left shoulder. As an added touch, a white and red cape attached to the pauldron draped across most of the left side of her body, stopping short of her flank.
Shadow couldn't help but smile as she looked down at herself. She was back, and felt better than ever. "I must say, Resona, I was rather wary of these robes of yours. But after putting them on, they fit me perfectly." She bowed to the unicorn. "Thank you for this."
Resona stood up and bowed as well. "The pleasure was mine. Oh, that reminds me. How do you like your new toys?"
Shadow glanced down at her front hooves. Both of them were covered by a silver vambrace, the right one slightly larger and bearing the Assassin insignia as well. She raised her right leg before extending the concealed blade. The shiny blade ended in a sharp hook, as did the other one. "They work just as planned. I'm sure that they'll do wonders in the near future."
"I'm glad that you like them. And don't you worry your pretty, little head about your old one. Rest assured that I'll keep it safe."
Shadow retracted her blade. "I can only hope that you're right. Now, about Solaris."
"Yes, yes, of course. We can arrange plans on the way there. Just try to avoid getting into any more trouble along the way."
Shadow smirked. "I can promise nothing."
Resona rolled her eyes before leading the mare towards the shop's exit. "You know, if you like these clothes, then perhaps you could try on some of my others? They're not like your robes, of course, but perhaps you'd still find them to your liking."
"I would prefer if we kept a professional relationship for now, Resona."
"Of course, of course. It is just a suggestion, one that I will be willing to follow through with should you ever change your mind."
"I will consider it." Shadow simply could not wait. With these new tools in her possession, she could finally infiltrate that castle. She was so close to Solaris that she could practically smell him. Still, there was one question lingering in her mind. Was saving him a good idea? Considering the warm welcome that she received earlier in the day, persuading him to come with her could very easily prove to be harder than she thought. Well, there was only one way to find out, and Shadow was more than eager to find out.
----
Was Celestia a good ruler? She liked to think so. Ever since she came to rule over Equestria, she did everything within her power to ensure that its inhabitants, her loyal subjects, would never come in harm's way. She wanted to rid Equestria of the suffering that had plagued it for so long, through peaceful means if at all possible. Unfortunately, with a position as powerful as this, such goals weren't as simple as she wanted to believe. There came times when simple words weren't enough, and drastic action needed to be taken.
Every so often, there came along those whose only purpose was to cause as much havoc and misery as possible. These were the ones, the cancerous growths on an otherwise great land, that Celestia needed to get rid of. She captured these criminals, tried to persuade them to change their wicked ways, but they never changed. That only left one option: execution. It wasn't an easy task at first; execution rarely was, but over time, much to Celestia's disgust, giving the order became easier and easier. Soon, she was simply no longer affected by it, at least not externally. But internally, it was slowly eating away at her. Every time she had a life ended, she felt a part of her own die off, like a shell peeling away to reveal the black, emotionless void underneath.
Her subjects never saw this side of her. No, all they saw was an all-powerful, benevolent being who wouldn't harm a fly. She supposed that was for the best, though she could never shake the feeling of deceit that came with it. Once again, was Celestia a good ruler? As she descended the cold, stone stairs leading into the castle's dungeon, she liked to think so.
The dungeon was like the physical form of Celestia's 'darker side'. As opposed to the rest of the castle, which was bright, clean, and glistening with the elegance of pure royalty, the dungeon was a place of agony. It was dark, dank, and reeked of blood. No matter how many times Celestia came down here, her nose always stung from the stench.
As she came closer to the bottom of the stairs, she heard the rattling of chains, as if someone was trying to break free from their binds. She couldn't help but feel pity for the poor soul, whoever it may have been.
Reaching the bottom of the stairs, she saw the thief. At the opposite end of a corridor lined with numerous, empty, chain-ridden cells, was a dark green unicorn. Splotches of dirt soiled his coat and matted down his mane. All four of his legs were bound to the wall behind him by chains, leaving him hanging in an embarrassing, splayed position.
He continued to struggle against his chains as Celestia approached him. The princess calmly sat in front of him, meeting her prisoner's angry glare with her own, patronizing smile. "Hello, there. How are you?" The unicorn let out an angry snort. "I apologize if my guards were rather rough with you, but you know how this sort of thing goes, right?" He remained silent. Celestia stood back up and paced back and forth in front of her prisoner. "I suppose that I can't blame them. You did, after all, attempt to steal one of the most powerful items in Equestrian history. After already stealing one other, I might add." She stopped right in front of the unicorn. "So, tell me. Where is the Staff? Who are you working for? What made you want to take it?"
No answer.
Celestia sighed in impatience. She came closer to the unicorn until her muzzle was inches away from his. "Are you going to cooperate or am I going to have to resort to more drastic measures?"
The unicorn answered by spitting in Celestia's face. The princess flinched in disgust as the glob of saliva landed right on her cheek. Any other pony would've flipped into a rage after such a disgusting act, but Celestia wasn't any other pony. Though violent thoughts did flash through her mind for a split-second, she managed to calm herself down with a long, deep sigh. Even then, the anger was still clear in that piercing glare of hers. She may have prided herself on being forgiving, but that didn't mean certain actions would go unpunished.
After flinging the spit off of her face with a magical flick, she slapped the defiant unicorn across his face. It wasn't very hard, just enough to leave a nice, red welt on his cheek. "You should learn respect," she hissed. "Just who do you think you are, you foolish colt?" The unicorn prepared to spit again, but Celestia interrupted him with another slap across the face. Even with a bloodied nose and two large welts on his face, the unicorn still gave Celestia an angry glare that only made her want to hit him again.
She stood back up, staring down at the unicorn with cold eyes. "You aren't even aware of the magnitude of your actions, are you?" she asked, her voice eerily calm. "You foolishly attempt to undo everything I've achieved in the past one-thousand years, and when I ask you to explain yourself, you spit in my face. Well, if you aren't going to give me information willingly" she began, backing away from the unicorn, "then you leave me little choice."
Keeping her stern eyes locked with the unicorn's, Celestia channeled magic into her horn until it glowed a warm, but foreboding yellow. Though the unicorn tried to maintain an angry glare, Celestia could see something else in his eyes: fear. Slowly, she brought her horn closer to his forehead. "Oh, there's no need to worry," she assured. Inch by inch, her horn grew closer. She could see beads of sweat form on her prisoner's brow. "I promise you, this won't hurt one, little bit."
As soon as her horn touched the prisoner's forehead, it flashed a bright yellow, filling the room with a blinding, white light.