//------------------------------// // Chapter 21: Trottsberg Triad Trouble // Story: Primordial Conflict // by Jumping Jack //------------------------------// Chapter 21: Trottsberg Triad Trouble ~~~***~~~ I floated down from the very top of the ceiling. The small, circular room where the map is, sparkled from the angel rays shining through the stained glass windows. I saw Ouroboros studying the map with bored interest while Twilight sat across from him. She appeared to be lost in thought. Ouroboros finally broke the air. “Very well, Princess. Until the Pony of Shadows is handled, I’ll allow it this one time. But this means you are down to your last freebie.” He said. Twilight nodded and looked at him. Her look complacent. “I know it’s a selfish request. One that may not even be a good idea. But it’s all I can think of.” She said. “Starswirl needs our help. He’s been concerned about the others in Limbo.” Ouroboros’s tail slithered unnervingly behind him. “I told the old fool the sole reason why I picked him. I figured he’d enjoy being the hero again.” He said with a shrug. Twilight shook her head. “Starswirl is… getting older. If you haven’t noticed by now, he’s been getting weaker. His age rapidly growing. It’s because of you pulling him out of Limbo. The effects of whatever binding magic he was involved in had backfired because you intervened. One of your bylaws. As the sole being of bringing balance, you chose to pull him out of his element.” She explained. Ouroboros nodded. “Remember the exception. Somepony has already broken the rules and I had to correct it by breaking another to balance out the consequences. It is unfortunate of the affects. But one pony’s sacrifice does not outweigh the many that you and your friends swore to protect.” He said. Twilight shot him a frustrated glare. “And have you mentioned that to Quiet Fire and the others? How will their own sacrifices play out?” She frowned. “As the Princess of Friendship… no… the Element of Magic. I cannot let that happen. Quiet Fire, Starswirl. The other six power element holders. They don’t deserve this fate. The blame lies solely on the one responsible for disrupting your balance.” Ouroboros shook his serpentine head. “Princess, princess, princess. The Elements of Power do not belong to one host. Just like your Elements of Harmony do not belong to you exclusively. When the balance has been restored, the memories and actions of the ones who wielded them will forever remain with the stars. Quiet Fire will not die. But merely be a mark for when the Elements of Power are needed once more.” He explained. Twilight sighed. “There is one thing I’ve observed about you, Ouroboros. You are sentimental.” She said. Ouroboros flicked his tongue out in a snake like manner before leaning in. “Interesting. And what makes you say that?” He asked, his slit eyes reflecting her image. Twilight stood up. “The way you interact with Princess Celestia. Princess Luna. Starswirl. Discord. All the beings with the ability to understand or hold ancient power. You felt that with those ponies present, you wouldn’t feel so bad about your choices. Whatever past you had with Starswirl doesn’t matter in a way you think it is now. He needs to get back to Limbo to fix your mistake.” Ouroboros hummed in thought. “Perhaps. But that isn’t sentimentality. It is good to see an old friend, but our duties have always been… less than ideal in meeting. Starswirl has set his path long before encountering us. He even chose to leave behind the life he brought forth in the world to become a hero.” He said. Twilight narrowed her eyes. “What do you mean?” She asked with caution. Ouroboros rested his chin on her paw. “Starswirl was young once too. The poor dear. And he doesn’t even know it either. By the time she found out, he had already made a name for himself.” He eyed the princess. Twilight thought about it before looking up with pure surprise. But that look turned to a frown. “I think you are trying to change the subject, Ouroboros. We are currently trying to set a timeline back on track. We have to have both Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash healthy.” She rubbed her temple. “I shouldn’t have listened to your lead. You’ve been purposefully making things difficult for anypony to get anything done. As the being of balance, I thought you’d take the job seriously enough that we all took you at your word.” She said. Ouroboros’s eyes squinted. He then sighed and rubbed the back of his head in a laid-back manner. “Ahhh, you got me princess. You’re right on one thing. But wrong on so many. Yes, I have been making things difficult for you and your friends specifically to test you. And I am impressed you’ve managed to keep a leveled head. I hear you usually buckle under a lot of pressure. Shame I won’t get to see that. But, you are wrong in how I handle my duties as the World Serpent.” He put a claw to his chest proudly. “The seven are like my daughters in a way. Each star named by yours truly. They are not all… evil as you put it. They are imprinted with the bylaws I have in place. They are aware of what goes on in the world. “But it was thanks to the young Starswirl the Bearded that we had to prevent a balance instability. It required me having to… let the seven choose their hosts. I made that law so they could mold and shape their own personalities and will into something they can call their own. They have the memories of their previous hosts before. It carried over to the second time we had to handle another balance instability sometime after. The seven, already sentient and aware of their surroundings, grew to become competitive. I blame the previous hosts from before. Always had a tendency to one up each other when given a chance. And because of that, they begin to flaunt their powers of their own volition.” Twilight took in all this information. She furrowed her look. “So… they aren’t completely evil?” She asked. Ouroboros waved a claw. “They are not black and white. They are beings created for the sole intention of keeping balance. They absorbed what they could from their previous hosts and when they get bored, some earthquakes, floods, wildfires, strong winds, cold blizzards, nightmares and dreams.” He smiled. “Over the centuries, they’ve shaped the land you call Equestria. A bit of gratitude would suffice in that regard.” Twilight frowned. “There won’t be any because of you, Ouroboros. If you just tell us who is responsible for your appearance, the torture of seven creatures who were just living their lives, perhaps we would be a bit more open for gratitude giving.” She said sternly. “We shouldn’t even have to wait for the Summer Solstice to happen either.” Ouroboros shook his head. “Once again, you mortals are interesting, but at the same time, disappointing. I am afraid my tongue is tied to that information.” He shrugged. Twilight rubbed her chin. “You know, I’ve been doing some reading on the side. Tons of it.” She pointed at him. “There is another serpent, isn’t there?” Ouroboros’s posture immediately changed. Twilight motioned with her hoof. “Another eldritch being broke your rules. Is that it? Because, if you think about it a bit more, there isn’t just one eldritch being. You are cosmic. As well as the Elements of Power. It would make sense that there would be other similar beings somewhere out there. You even hinted one just earlier.” Ouroboros smiled slyly. “Interesting. And disappointing. You got me again, princess. However, having mortals being able to comprehend me is tiring. By the time it arrives, I won’t have the power to help. Which is why I’ve come to you. Why I pulled Starswirl out of time. To correct the balance and fix my laws. And why I have complete faith in dear Quiet Fire to succeed. For she is a special case. She will be the very one to reinforce the balance forever.” He flourished his paw casually as he continued. “I guess I can give you a pass for hitting the nail on the head with my own shocking news. Bringing up Starswirl’s offspring is not a change of the subject. More so of planting that motivation for later.” He then smirked and looked up to me. I found myself floating gently down in front of us. My fiery veil covering me as I remained motionless and staring blankly at Twilight. Ouroboros pulled down the hood of my veil to reveal me. Twilight gasped. “Starswirl was young once. And he met the love of his life through me. Little did they think that consequences of fooling around has such an impact. His lover isn’t supposed to exist. Nor were her descendants. Dear Quiet Fire will be the last apple to have grown from a tree of half primals. Why is that? Because like the bylaws, any of my gifts coming into contact while an element is present will block and muddle it. And ever since the start of this New Year, her primal heritage has finally blossomed. Din may not have known it at first when she chose her. But I can safely surmise she now has a good idea.” He suddenly chuckled at the shocked look of Twilight. “Come now, princess. It isn’t that surprising if you did a bit more homework. I would have given you extra credit. Perhaps give a freebie freebie. But alas, class is dismissed. Don’t you have a job to do after school?” Twilight shook away her daze and stared at me. "What... happened to her eyes?" She asked. Ouroboros shrugged before tossing my hood veil over my head. "Something that has yet to come. But that isn't important at the moment." He tapped the map. I could see my cutie-mark along with several others swirling around certain destinations. Moving about slowly. "You have some friends who need catching up to do." He smiled. Twilight narrowed her eyes. Her horn glowed and she popped in a purple flash. She was gone. Ouroboros studied the map and pat my head. "I have to hand it to this current generation. They have their future well prepared." He then looked at me and shooed me with a claw. "Go along, now. Time to wake up from your nap." ~~~***~~~ I found myself jolting awake, nearly falling off of the wagon as we hit a bumpy patch. I looked around tiredly. We were traveling down a cobblestone path towards the center plaza of Trottsberg. I had to give it to the town. It looked very vintage with some old architecture mixed with modern structures. The town was buzzing with ponies wearing mainly overalls and coats along with caps. There were also ponies dressed like elites. Penguin tuxes and mares in elegant gowns, bonnets and dresses. This was similar to Canterlot, but the town appeared to not have much time affect it. The bell tower loomed overhead. Colts and fillies playing out in the streets and running by with ponies calling out to one another. The usual hustle and bustle of a town. But something about this town seemed... serene than Manehatten and Detrot. I yawned and stretched before slumping against the wagon's walls. I then felt something cold press against my cheek, waking me up as I looked to see Cloudchaser holding a cool bottle soda. "Root beer?" she asked with a smile. I smiled and took it in my magic, taking a swig of the bubbly and carbonated beverage. Cloudchaser sat down next to me. "You were tossing around in your sleep again. Everything okay?" she asked. I was quiet. Should I tell them? Ouroboros wanted me to see that conversation. But... I don't know how I should feel about it. Face the day. I frowned at the voice in my head. "Just lack of sleep keeping me from doing anything really." I said. When we had arrived to Trottsberg, I was surprised to see that some of the creatures we had saved from the Triad cargo ship were actually from or lived in Trottsberg. Thi wasn't surprised by this. Apparently, Trottsberg is under the Triad flag. Or at least for now. We spent the day gathering some information while Catlyn stayed behind to help out with transferal of the refugees. Sharp Eye stayed behind as well to help out. I could only hope that Gaia and Aquarius would be complacent enough to not cause trouble. We asked around town about any strange weather events or unusual activity. Someponies gave us suspicious looks and some even cantered off from us. The Triad police patrolled the streets and apparently, the folks may have thought we were agents looking for resistance members that have been spotted lurking in the town. Yes, Trottsberg is currently caught in a resistance war with the Triad and the Nilneigh Island. The Nilneigh Island is a pretty big island, with four sibling islands not too far off. Thi appeared over the wagon walls, vaulting over and sitting down. She had her denim jacket wrapped around her waist and only a white tee on her. She happily snacked on a cracker. She then looked at me and waved a hoof. "You gonna' remove the hoodie? It can get pretty hot here in the Meridian. Wintertime is practically only 80 below. Nice weather actually. Which is strange as this is about as normal weather any place could have with a power element somewhere." she said. I sighed and rubbed my foreleg. "But... I feel naked without it." I said. Thi arched a brow. "I don't know if you noticed, but your hoodie is pretty tattered. All that fighting you've been doing and not being able to wash it. I had to get rid of my own denim jacket for a new one. But boy. Taking a shower after so long really loosened me up." she said as she rolled her neck. We were on day two of being in Trottsberg. The inn we were staying at was an old building with nice, furbished rooms. I ended up sharing a room with Cloudchaser this time. Which... also didn't help me to sleep. She would sleep on the next bed over. I think I spent half the night admiring her before passing out the rest of the night. I yawned tiredly before motioning around us. "Is that why we are heading to the main plaza? To go shopping in the middle of Triad territory?" I asked. Thi nodded. "We need to prep before going into the Marsh Lands. And considering our old wagon is back in Manehatten hidden under the bridge and we were unable to sneak it aboard the Triad cargo ship, I'd say that renting one here in Trottsberg is better than nothing." she explained. Flitter floated down to us and sat between us near the edge of the wagon. "Despite the Triad banners over the town, it does appear to be that ponies here act about as normal as if they weren't ruled by a tyrannical slaver cult." she said with a frowned thought. Thi nodded. "Doesn't mean that their police are that way. I guess they are behaving right now with the frontlines being so close to the town. And with the rumor of resistance fighters in town somewhere, I'm guessing that they are trying to keep a 'friendly' profile under pressure. They are a shadow organization still. Having their image exposed to the public is something they'd only want if they are making preps for announcements to controlled territories." she explained. I studied her a bit more. I must have been tired enough that I didn't notice she had her bat in a duffle bag that hugged her closely. She wasn't wearing her holster either. She may have it stashed in the wagon somewhere with her firearms. Flitter had to do so as well before going into town. Triads don't like adventurers. Probably because of the amount of trouble that could happen inviting foreigners exploring their lands. Thankfully, I was able to walk around without anypony asking me about the dull dagger still attached to my thigh. I had almost forgotten about it during the whole tirade with Squirk and Aquarius. Apparently, it's okay to have smaller weapons on your person as long as they are properly contained. It sounds like a dumb way for the Triad to openly invite terrorism in their territories. But... maybe they would anticipate that so they can shoot first and ask questions later. Now that I think about it, that may be the case. It'll give them an excuse to open fire under their laws. Glad my quarterstaff can only manifest when I desire it to. I hummed in thought as I looked down at myself. There were a couple of mud stains I wasn't sure how that got there. The flame patterns on the cuffs of my sleeves were faded and the color was no longer grey, but a blackish tinge. There was even a hole and tear forming at the front pocket. I gave a sad look as I pat my hoodie. "B-but I had this since the time I moved to Canterlot... Do I have to really get rid of it?" I asked. Thi was kicking back, her hind leg over the other and bobbing gently. "If you want to be weighed down by the filth or caught on some brambles or worse, objects while you are fleeing something. Yeah." She said. Flitter smiled. "Is that why you don't like wearing baggy clothes?" she asked. Thi nodded. "Had a bad accident as a filly with baggy clothes. Decided to try slim fits or skin-tight stuff. Helped a lot when it came to my archeological digs." She said with a pleased smile. I groaned sadly as I looked down at my hoodie one last time. I then took off my hoodie and held it up with my magic. Thi put her magic over mine and tossed my hoodie over her back with a flick of her head. It sailed in the air as I held out my hoof and looked on with a single tear. It landed neatly into a trash can. I bowed my head, already missing it. Cloudchaser gave me a reassuring smile and pat my shoulder. "Don't worry, Fie. You'll be feeling better once you get some new stuff." She said. The wagon came to a stop into a lot. Scribble unlatched the wagon holster from him before looking at us. "We're here." he said. Thi furrowed her brows as we were getting off the wagon. She looked him up and down. "You sure walking around in your yellow scholar coat would be comfortable?" she asked. Scribble pat his coat. "If you are suggesting I get a new pair of clothes for this occasion. I already bring an extra pair of warm clothes." He said, before proceeding to strip in front of us. I don't know what came over all of us, but we all adverted our eyes. Well, except Cloudchaser and Flitter. Cloudsdale and Ponyville ponies really don't seem to mind anything since they don't normally wear clothes. But it just feels... weird when it comes to me and Thi. I caught Thi, however, checking out Scribble. He wasn't as scrawny as I thought. He was decently athletic looking as he tossed on a yellow hood like jacket that draped into tails behind him. A brown vest underneath to finish off the look as he dusted himself off. He then looked at us with no change of emotion or embarrassment. "Shall we go?" he asked. He then proceeded to walk ahead of us towards the center of the plaza. Cloudchaser and Flitter shrugged and flew after him. I trotted past Thi, seeing her face a little red. She caught my look and frowned. "Don't even think about it. It's just... I'll never get used to non-Canterlot ponies being without clothes." she said. I then gave her a playful smirk. "Don't hide it. You were checking him out big time." I said with a wink. Thi balked and glared at me. "Wha? No! Fie, don't make me slug you." she said. I danced around her, getting low and sticking my tongue out with a cocky grin. "What's the matter? Tiger caught your eye? Big, badass Thi Billette being a girl. We always knew you had a feminine side to you." I said. Thi swiped at me and I skillfully dodged it, laughing as I cantered away, Thi rushing after me as we barreled past the others. The morning went about as you expect it too. Window shopping strange shops with curious stuff on display. An antique shop we passed by had some strange, steam punkish designs. When we got up to a boutique, Thi shoved me inside, a little bit of a way to get back at me from earlier. Scribble, Cloudchaser and Flitter went in a different direction to look for supplies. Upon entering the boutique, a mustachioed, stout stallion greeted us. "Welcome, ladies! Welcome! Care to browse our latest wear? They are very popular with the young adults." he said, motioning over to a rack. Thi saluted him. "We'll keep it mind, thanks. Just browsing for now." she said. The stallion nodded. "Take your time! Ahh! And will that be all for you today?" he asked. We saw an earth pony mare nodding to him. She had a lemon combed mane that was covered by a cap and a velvet coat. She was wearing a rolled up long sleeve sweater and overalls. She took the bag and looked at us. Her eyes widened when she saw Thi and I. Thi arched a brow. The mare tipped her hat and trotted past us, exiting the boutique. Thi and I exchanged glances before she shrugged and we went to browse the aisles. Nothing really stood out to me. We probably spent a good thirty minutes browsing the store. Thi had picked out several graphic tees for me to look at and I denied each one. I then looked around a bit more before seeing something displayed in the back. The pony mannequin wore was appeared to be a short-sleeved hoodie with a fiery graphic across the rims and cuffs of the outfit. I studied it a bit more. It was bit darker than what I usually wear, but I pointed to the outfit. "What about this one?" I asked Thi. Thi looked over and studied it. "I dunno, Fie. It's kind of expensive." she said as she saw the price tag on it. The stallion waddled over to us. "Ahh! You are looking at a prototype to a new design inspired by the recent events that have been happening as of late. This one is inspired by the one who bears fire and clashing with the other gods of the world." He marveled. I stiffened and cast a worried glance to Thi. Thi caught my look and smiled. "I see. Well, I think we've overstayed our welcome so we should be going. Thank you for your time." She said as we turned. The pony turned to us. "Hold on... I recognize you." he said. Thi and I froze and began to sweat a bit. A thought occurred to me. There are probably ponies who are loyal to the Triad. And since Thi is well known for being a terrorist to the ideals of the Triad, it made me realize, and probably her as well, that she wasn't really making any effort to disguise herself. The pony looked around before leaning in and whispering. “Aren’t you the wanted criminal for the Triad? And you… you’re the one who has been inspiring my designs!” He said with a bright smile. We turned around and exchanged glances with each other. I then withdrew my knife and tossed it over to Thi, who caught it and aimed at the stallion while I brought out my quarter staff and aimed the head at him. The stallion started to sweat and hold up his hooves. “N-now now, ladies. N-no need to get overly suspicious. Ehehe…” he stuttered. Thi arched a brow. “Yeah, I guess we were not hiding ourselves at all. But now that you bring up this point, I don’t think we can have any witnesses. What do you think, Fie?” She said. I narrowed my eyes at him. “We’re not savages, Thi. But I’d say he best do well he forgot we ever existed and maybe toss in some clothes our way.” I said stoically. The stallion gulped before waving his hooves. “P-please put down the weapons, ladies. I-I promise, I’m an ally.” He said. Thi frowned. “Really? Unless you are part of the resistance, I don’t see how you are.” She said. The stallion tried to dance around our weapons, but our tracking followed him. “L-let me show you.” He said. He placed his hoof on the hoof of a mannequin and twisted the very bottom, revealing a button which he pressed. There was a sound of something unlocking and the wall began to fold inward. He motioned to us. “Ladies first.” He said. Thi smirked and motioned with her head at me. “After you.” She said. I narrowed my eyes at the stallion before stepping through the door. Thi told the stallion to go in and she took up the rear, keeping the dull blade on him. We descended the steps, the stallion pulling a hanging string that caused the door behind us to close and lock. The room then lit up and I gasped at the sight. It looked like a storage area. The room was a bit cluttered with what looked like rifles and other assortment of firearms. A bit further ahead was what appeared to look like an elegant office set up. An oak tarnished desk with a velvet covered wooden chair behind it. A gem lamp with some other assortments of papers, accessories and three bookshelves along with a display shelf in the middle. The display shelf had an antique looking vase, some war medals and pictures cased in oval holdings, a stack of books on one side and then a magnificent ivory flintlock pistol on a hanger display. Thi whistled and looked around. “Neat.” She said. The stallion waddled over to the desk and smiled. “I am an inside pony that provides intel and weapon smuggling distribution for the resistance. The name is Stout Pipe. A pleasure to make your acquaintance, Thi Billette. Fireborn Hero.” He said with a bow. I rubbed the back of my head and looked to Thi. Thi shrugged. “Well… this is a surprise. And we were getting ready to trash the place.” She said casually. “So, if you know who we are and based on the look you are giving us, you want to offer us something?” She asked. Stout nodded. “Yes, but not in a way that you think. I can provide you, Thi Billette, and your stalwart companion here what I can. You both are heroes here.” He said. I slumped. “But, we just got here. What did we do? More importantly, what did I do?” I asked. Stout nodded. “Thi Billette is a hero in Pony Land. She has thwarted the many attempts of the Triad more than the resistance could count. We’ve been under the banner for years now, but when we heard there was somepony out there giving the good old what for towards the Triad, it inspired a resistance. Ever since then, we’ve been at war with the Triad.” He explained. “As for you, Fireborn Hero. Your exploits have reached far and wide. Every now and then, the ponies here tune into the Equestrian radio to listen in on the Princesses and any other events happening over there.” I sighed. “Well, as flattering as that all sounds, I don’t want us to be caught up in a war against the Triad. Not saying we don’t want to stick it to them when we can. But, we are here on a special mission from the two princesses themselves. We are trying to get to the Marsh Lands. But as it seems, we won’t be able to leave the town without some sort of paperwork and all these Q and A’s from the Triad.” I said, remembering asking one pony when we had arrived. Stout nodded. “Indeed. The resistance do have an expansive underground tunnel system they use to get around. The Triad have been trying to find it, but luckily, the amount of inside ponies they have is about as expansive.” He said with a coy wink. Thi smiled. “Impressive. Well, glad I could inspire. But unfortunately, I’m not here to boost moral. Like Fie said, we got a job to do ourselves and we would prefer to have it kept under wraps from the Triad.” She said. Stout nodded. “Completely understandable. But, I will say, we are quite the fans of your work, Thi Billette. I-I know you are busy but can you… say something into this megaphone, if you will? Something inspirational for the troops out fighting for their independence!” He said, wheeling in a phonograph. Thi arched a brow. “That’s super ancient. How are you going to get this out to the frontlines?” She asked. Stout pat the phonograph. “Smuggling of course! But not the phonograph. It’s the recorded cylinder that’ll be smuggled. Every now and then, the resistance would play an inspirational message from the leader through the Triad’s own messages. If the ponies of the Nilneigh Islands hear something inspirational from the Thi Billette, it will boost moral greatly!” He said. Thi looked at me with an intrigued look before clearing her throat. Stout began to roll the cylinder with a handle and Thi spoke: “This is Thi Billette, asking you to shoot any birds on sight. Screw birds!” She said. Stout darted his eyes before looking at me. I gave a dumb shrug and a blank look in return. Stout took out the cylinder and replaced it with another. “Err… let’s try that again.” He said. Thi frowned before clearing her throat. “Uhhh… Thi Billette bringing you a message to stick it to those Triad bastards and raise a glass for me. Oh, and uhhh… screw birds too.” She said. Stout smiled. “Ehhh…. A bit better. I can work something out. As thanks for doing so, I can provide you with anything you’d like. Free of charge!” He said. Thi smiled. “Now that’s the kind of customer service I like. Let’s say you hook up my gal here with new clothes and…” she looked at the dull blade and tossed it down. “Two knives for emergencies that aren’t so ancient.” She said. Stout nodded. “Knives I can do. You can pick whatever you want from my store.” He said. Thi nudged me. “Not bad, eh?” She said. I chuckled and nudged her back. “Alright, Ms. Hero of Pony Land.” I said with a smirk. We headed back up the stairs, checking to make sure the coast was clear before slipping out from the hidden room. When Stout ensured it is well hidden, I began to browse the clothes again. My eyes fell onto the prototype. I hummed in thought. “Say… what would the final look of the prototype look like?” I asked. Stout studied it a moment before reaching under and withdrawing a wrapped-up cloth. He took it out of the bag and unfolded it out before me. It was grey with some half stitching and sketched in lines. “It’s not completed yet. Just a concept.” He said. I smiled. “I would like to wear it when it is ready. I like how it looks.” I said. Thi snickered. “To capture that fiery personality or because of your element?” She teased. I wiggled a hoof at her. “I’ve always liked fire designs before I had a psychotic one lazing about inside of my head.” I said nonchalantly. Thi shrugged. “Fair enough.” She said. Stout smiled. “I would be glad to finish it for you. But until then, may I recommend casual wear in this aisle?” He asked, pointing to the rack aisle beside me. I decided to pick out something not too flashy and not too fashionable. A grey tee with a simple, dark grey hiking vest with a hood connected to it. Putting on the clothes, I felt so much better and relaxed. Thi shook her head. “You and your hoods.” She said. Thi picked out a red tail cap and a plain hair clip to keep her bangs out of the way. Surprisingly, she didn’t look like herself. More like an early skater hipster. Which made me chuckle as she frowned at me. “I think you forget I was punk goth back in CSGU.” She said. “I may have grown out of it, but that doesn’t change my sense of fashion now.” Stout then reached down and laid out a small tool belt with knives. “Take your pick, ladies. Hunting knives, tactical knives, pocketknives, combat and boot knives.” He said. Thi browsed the knives and with her magic, reached for a carbon dark balisong. She unlatched it and spun it around in her magic before stopping to examine the blade. She smirked and twirled it closed before pocketing it a foreleg holster. I hummed in thought, examining the knives. I picked out a carbon combat knife. Buckling the holster on my thigh after removing the old one, I sheathed it and nodded pleasantly. “Never thought we’d be graciously accepting contraband from an inside pony.” I said to Thi. Thi rubbed her chin. “Just out of curiosity. Has the resistance encountered any… unusual beings that have been roaming about as of late?” She asked. Stout closed his eyes in thought before nodding. “A lot of vicious attacks from the Lizardfolk. We aren’t the only ones having a war with the Triad. Raptorians have been sighted accompanied by see through like creatures. Nothing seems to faze the ghost like creatures. But it gives the Raptorians an edge against the Lizardfolk. Territory war.” He said. Thi looked at me before asking. “What about the waterfolk? From the Marsh Lands?” She asked. Stout looked a bit pale. “Why uhh… there is no more Marsh Lands. It’s been completely dried up. No pony knows where the waterfolk have gone too. It’s like they upped and vanished.” I cast a worried look at Thi, who seemed to return it with a grim stare. She nodded. “Right. Well, thanks a lot Stout.” She said. Stout waved at us as we left the boutique. “Don’t be strangers now! And do not be out after curfew! The Triad police patrol everywhere and if they catch anypony out at night, they’ll do more than detain you.” He said. We looked around the plaza, hoping to spot our friends. I smiled when we saw them sitting in front of the fountain. Cloudchaser saw us approach and waved. “Nice digs.” She said with a wink. Thi smirked and pat her chest. “Dunno how you two are fine without clothes.” She said. “I’m not complaining.” I said suddenly. My friends looked at me and I caught Flitter eyeing me mischievously, which got me to flush and clear my throat. “Err… coming from Ponyville after all. You won’t catch me without anything.” I then shot them a glare. “Today doesn’t count either.” Cloudchaser smirked while Flitter giggled. “So. Have you girls noticed anything out of the ordinary?” Scribble said suddenly. He was scratching down something in his journal. Thi rolled her hoof. “Just a boutique owner who graciously provided us with the best customer service ever.” She said. Scribble closed his journal and stuffed it at his side. “That’s not the only pony graciously providing. Met a lovely couple who supplied us with a good deal. Ever heard of Erebus?” He asked. Thi and I furrowed our brows. I remember back in CSGU history class reading something about that name. “Isn’t he that cloud demon?” I asked. Scribble nodded. “That’s the short answer. The complicated one is that he was a malevolent force that fed off of any shadows. Feeding on shadows gave him power to grow exponentially.” He explained. “Erebus was defeated thousands of centuries ago. No pony is for sure how the demon came about. Well, a lot of the folks here are rather superstitious about ancient magic. There has been some eyewitnesses that have described seeing shadows in certain areas that were moving on their own and some with no shadows in sight.” I rubbed my chin. “Could be Tenebres lackies?” I suggested. Everpony nodded. Everpony except Thi. Thi snorted. “If I know one thing about ancient magic, is it involves the Triad. I wouldn’t put it past them using local superstition to empower their empire’s hold.” She looked up to a banner hanging from a building not too far away. The Triad symbol etched in gold on a silver backdrop. “I’ll stop them eventually from causing so much havoc with the relics they’ve been stealing. You guys have no idea how lucky we were with Squirk. If Aquarius wasn’t contesting the tyrant, we would all be underwater.” She looked grim. “You all now know how dangerous the Triad are. They were willing to believe in resurrection from the destruction.” Cloudchaser frowned. “Makes you wonder if the Triad fear anything.” She stated. Scribble motioned to the area around us. “I agree with Thi. I wouldn’t put it past them if they somehow got a hold of something that may have been left behind by Erebus. But I will also not rule out that Tenebres and Ventus are still at each other’s throat.” He said. I stiffened. I found myself hesitating suddenly. Should I tell them? I should, but it could just be an actual dream. Even I don’t believe the news. I know where I was born. Who my parents are. My grandparents even. No way am I descendent of Starswirl and a primal. But… who did Starswirl meet? There was a sudden crackle overhead and we looked up. A four headed speaker pole, that wasn’t too far away, began an announcement. An important announcement from General Lilac Evergreen, four hundred and twenty secondth barrette lead. ”Civilians of the Nilneigh Islands. A reminder that housing any suspicious individuals is punishable to twenty years community service with no parole. Any civilian witnesses not present or unable to report a crime will be interrogated and sentenced to work in the Ethereal Mines. We walk in the shadows to bring forth the light.” The speaker squealed before silence. Ponies were still going about their day as the announcement was played. We looked at each other and Thi brushed her snout with a hoof. “Well, we also have our share of news. Turns out, the Marsh Lands don’t exist anymore.” She said. Scribble cocked his head. Thi nodded. “The region has dried up and the waterfolk that used to inhabit that area has, and I quote, up and vanished.” She sighed. “I’d say we still head there just to take a look around. But we need to get around the frontline fighting and avoid Triad policy.” Flitter pointed at our hooves and we looked down to see an apple roll in front of us. We looked up and I spied a pony lurking in the corner of an alley. The pony made eye contact with me, tipped their cap and then walked down the alley. I narrowed my eyes and looked to my companions “Today is going to get interesting.” I said. We followed the figure as they led us between alley after alley. They had stopped a couple of times to make sure we were following at a reasonable distance. We ended up back by the docks. I could see the Lion’s Mane still docked further down. I looked to see Sharp Eye talking to Catlyn and Kale as if they were discussing something serious. I hope they were okay being here. The Triad allowed foreign invitation exclusively to the docks. Anycreature that isn’t a pony stepping into the town would be detained and asked to leave in the nicest way a Triad personnel could manage. We tailed the figure down to a dirt path that led towards the lighthouse. The figure leaned against the fence post, head dipped down and their expression covered by the cap. I thought the pony looked familiar. Upon getting closer, the pony tipped up their hat, revealing a tomboyish freckled earth pony mare. The same lemon combed mane and velvet coat. Her eyes an amethyst pair. She eyed us as we approached before holding out a hoof. “Thi Billette. We finally meet.” She said. Thi blinked in confusion before holding out a hoof and shaking it. “Uhh… likewise. Who are you?” She asked. The mare tipped her cap down again. “No pony important. I hear you want into what used to be the Marsh Lands.” She said. Thi nodded cautiously. “In a sense, yes.” She said. The mare made a quick glance around before leaning in. “You can’t get into the Marsh Lands anymore. The Triad have the whole site blocked off. Their fire curtains patrolling all over. Even the Skinny Legs.” She said. We all looked at each other. “Skinny Legs?” Flitter asked. The mare shushed before looking around. She then motioned towards the lighthouse. “I’m workin’ the day shift here at the lighthouse. Let me… see if I can whip us up some coffee. And tell you all about the great history this lighthouse has.” She glanced past us before turning around and opening the door. We exchanged glances again before entering the lighthouse. It was a little cramped with all six of us fitting inside, but the mare seemed to traverse the clutter easily. She kicked up a barrel and motioned around us. “Have a seat.” She said. We did as we were told. She closed the lighthouse door before throwing up a towel to cover the paned window. She then turned on an oil lantern and placed it at the center of the table where a bread bowl was along with what appeared to be this morning’s uneaten breakfast. The dishes in the small sink were piled high as the mare dug through and wiped the glasses she pulled out, reaching for a thermos and pouring each a cup of coffee. She passed it around to us before sitting down on the counter. “So… does every lighthouse worker act so secretively?” Cloudchaser asked. The pony took a sip of her coffee before sighing. “I apologize for all this cat and mouse secrecy. The See Bees were swarming today.” She said. I cocked my head. These are very strange terms this mare is using. She looked at us before facehoofing. “Right. Foreigners. Well, as I’m sure you are aware, we are a quaint little town off the coast of the Mainland. We are currently occupied by Triad, a nasty bunch that could even hurt a fly with a blitz canon.” Cloudchaser blinked. “Wow, that’s uhh… quite descriptive.” She said. The mare shook her head. “I don’t want to get into too much detail. What I can offer though is a guide into the Marsh Lands. But it’ll cost ya’.” She said. Thi narrowed her eyes. “How much?” She asked. The mare pointed to her bag. “That bat of yours.” She said. Thi coughed as she was taking a casual sip of her coffee. She then chuckled and pointed at her. “Ahaha! You’re a funny one.” She rasped, beating her chest. The mare narrowed her eyes. “You’re the Hero of Ponyland and yet you are walking around with that bat. Excalibur’s artifact, mind you.” She said. Thi then looked at her with a suspicious look as well as recognition. “So, what of it?” She asked in a stern tone. I felt myself adjust a bit, just to ensure if things go south, I’d be ready. The mare opened up a drawer and pulled out a folder. She then tossed it onto the table and Thi stopped it from sliding. She opened the folder and began scanning the documents. I looked at them as well. Newspaper clippings from several years ago. Showing a very younger Thi Billette mug shot giving a rude gesture to the camera and several newspaper clippings of her endeavors. Thi arched a brow. “I have a fan club. Wow.” She said. The mare shook her head. “Read it a bit more. Specifically, between the dates of April and June.” She said. Thi frowned and scanned the clippings. Her look began to grow with concern. She then pointed at the paper. “This says that Mount Grimoire had awoken and caused the entire island to be covered in the magma. Death toll of over six hundred thousand. But… Mount Grimoire was the-“ “The exact location of where you picked that bat up. I know because I was the one that led you to it.” She then glared at Thi. “Six hundred thousand, Billette. Including foals.” Thi darted her eyes and a look of concern washed over her. The mare stood up and slammed her hoof on the table. “You don’t seem to ever understand the amount of damages and lives you ruin by being this ‘Hero of Ponyland’.” The mare said. She then spat into the sink. "The fact you even decided to show your face around here is sickening." I then frowned and stood up, putting my own hoof down the table. "Did you just bring us here to chastise Thi? Because honestly, us being here surrounded by ponies looking to invade Equestria isn't setting us at ease in the slightest." I said with a stoic look. The mare eyed me. "Get on with it and we'll leave. Simple as that. Or I'll consider this a waste of time." The mare narrowed her eyes before they widened again. "Wait... is that..." She then looked to Thi. "Alright, fine. I'll put aside this revelation for now. But don't think this is over, Thi Billette. You need to answer for what you've done all those years ago." She then leaned against the sink before looking at me. "You're right. I didn't bring you out here all the way to give a pony a smack across the head. In fact. I led you all here specifically to let you know that the resistance leader has been wanting to have a word with you. You'll remember him, Thi. Somepony you used to run with before the disaster happened." I narrowed my eyes. "Who?" Thi asked, sounding dead panned. I cast her a worried look. The mare shrugged. "Cassett." she said. "General Cassett now. General Dino Cassette." Thi looked up at her with shock. "He's... alive??" she asked. The mare frowned. "No shit. You would have known that if you didn't decide to up and leave the team." She wiggled a hoof at her. "And considering the involvement you've been getting into." She eyed me. "He knows you're alive as well. Figured you'd eventually find your way back to Pony Land or somewhere in between. And what do you know." Thi bowed her head. This is so bizarre. Thi seems to be at a loss. This isn't the first time she has had been called out for past actions. Though... she never mentioned about dooming an entire island to death. I furrowed my brows. Something isn't adding up. Who is this mare? And what has been going on with Thi that I am missing? Six years, Quiet Fire. I thought about the weeks that led up to this point. Thi had genuinely seemed to have gotten over her childish carefree ways. She did go to me without me knowing she was in town, but since then, she has stuck around. And frankly, she hasn't left my side since. She's even been protecting me from certain events. More than that now that I realize. She's saved Equestria many times when she was gone for the past six years. But... did I ever wonder why she decided to come back. Truly come back. It wasn't for nostalgia sake. It wasn't to make up for lost time. I couldn't believe myself. I was starting to have doubts. I owe you more than that... Her words came back to my mind. Right... she did say that didn't she? What did she mean? For a moment, I had forgotten she was my best friend. I was looking at a stranger. Somepony who had a bit more regret than I do. Thi stood up and sighed. "I... can't see him." She said. The mare snorted and rolled her eyes. "Figures. Somethings never change. Always running away when past actions decide to come back and bite you. I should really turn you into the Triad. You're the reason they are causing so much strife now. Not Cassette." She then ripped a poster from the wall and put it on the table. A mugshot of Thi Billette with an obscene gesture and a cocky smirk facing towards us with the word: Wanted: Thi Billette. By order of her majesty, if anypony sees this terrorist, they are to report to proper authorities. Bounty hunters are to bring her back Dead or Alive. Reward: 100,000,000 Bits. Cloudchaser sputtered. "Whoa! That's a lot of bits!" she stated. The mare shushed again. "The See Bees." She looked at Thi. "You're public enemy number one. And the fact you are walking inside the lion's den without any form of lion disguise must mean you have a complete death wish. Or is that just the thrill of being the badass hero?" She clicked her tongue. "You'll get your come uppance sooner or later, Thi Billette. But for now, you have no choice but to see him. Otherwise, I'll report you to the Triad. We'll see how long that cocky attitude gets you." Flitter frowned. "But I thought you were a part of the resistance with you being so secretive. What if we just report you instead?" she cocked a challenging brow. The mare smirked. "I'm not a part of the resistance. I'm a... neutral party of sort. I just have a personal vendetta against Thi Billette. I could care less about you lot. Though, I wonder if turning you all in would up the count? Domestic terrorist and her troupe." She said. Cloudchaser and Flitter shot a glare at her and I was about to jump in when Scribble pushed me aside and chimed in. "While this all sounds like something therapy would suffice for. Let's get back on track? You said you'd provide us guidance into the Marsh Lands before proceeding to berate Thi. At the cost of her bat? What if we counteroffer." he said. I felt myself fuming a bit. But honestly, I was glad Scribble chimed in. Go egghead, go. The mare cocked a brow. "You don't have a lot on you from what it looks like." she said. Scribble motioned towards the area where the docks are. "We have a passage to and from Equestria at the moment. Our return trip will be leaving once we accomplished what we've done here. Do you want out of this place? Do you want riches? Or perhaps do you want to see Thi Billette strapped to the bow of the ship for the rest of the ride home?" he asked. Thi balked at his words. "Hey!" she stated. The mare smirked. "A funny thought. One I welcome. But... now that you provided me with some open deals... how about out of this place?" she said. Scribble nodded. "I'll see if I can get Captain Catlyn of the Black Whiskers to make room for one more for passage to Equestria. Perhaps a direct destination you'd want to be at?" He asked. The mare rubbed her chin. "Saddle Arabia in the San Palomino Desert. I have a cousin there that I've been sending letters too. Been meaning to catch a ride out of this dump." she said. I titled my head a bit. Why would you want to leave here to an even hotter place? That made no sense. But I wasn't really in the mood to question this mare. She certainly was hostile to Thi Billette. But... she did bring up a reminder to me. Thi Billette just walked in on my life after six years of no words from her. And she states she owes me more than coming back? Scribble nodded. "I'll see if it can be arranged. Now, would that be all? We would like to get on with heading to the Marsh Lands." he said. The mare sighed and nodded. "Deal." She eyed Thi Billette again before looking at us. "We'll have to do it by sundown. Hope you're okay with sneaking past the police. Don't get caught either. If you do, I am not going to break you out." she said. "We'll meet here by the lighthouse again. I'll ask to cover Sandy Beard's shift tonight." We left the lighthouse with mixed emotions. Thi Billette trotted ahead of us, darting her eyes in thought. I looked at Scribble, who seemed to be casting glances at Thi himself. Same with Cloudchaser and Flitter. Cloudchaser broke the air. "So, you know we are going to ask, right?" she said suddenly. Thi slowed her trot to a walking pace. "We've practically been on this journey for nearly a month now. I know we don't have to know all our skeletons in the closet. But if one concerns a certain past of questionable origins, should you blame us for getting curious?" Thi nodded. "I can and shall. Curiosity killed the cat, as they say." Thi said without making eye contact with us. I cast her a worried look. Thi shook her head. "What a surprise that Lo Mein would be here of all places." Scribble eyed her. "That mare?" he asked. Thi nodded. "Used to run with her and Cassette a few years back. Raided a Triad base off the other side of Pony Land. Don't let that tomboyish nature fool you. Lo Mein is a killer martial artist and assassin. She's ruthless too. The Triads that went against her weren't the same. Well... considering they were dead anyway." she said matter-of-factly. Flitter flew next to her. "Now that makes us even more curious to ask you. What happened to the island she was talking about? What is going on with that bat?" she asked. Thi shook her head. "I won't say too much until after tonight. When she said See Bees, she means that the Triad are listening in right now." She explained. She then pointed out into the field we were passing by. There was indeed some black spots flying around from flower to flower. "I'll explain everything once we get to where we need to go." Thi then picked up her pace to a trot, walking a little ahead of us. I bowed my head. Another thought occurred to me. Has Thi really only come back to me because of some adventure? Did it... tie into what Ouroboros said in my dream? I shook my head. No. I have to confront Thi on somethings. But that isn't one I want to explore just yet. I have a job to do. And my job right now is... to face the day I guess. I sighed. Today was indeed going to be interesting.