An Alternative Beginning

by ultrapoknee

Chapter 15 - The Bust

Gregory sat at his small dining table eating a late dinner. After he’d woken up from his nap and discovered that it was nighttime, he put on some of his ruined clothes and made his way back to his room with help from his two guards. Once there, he’d taken a shower, put on a clean pair of pajamas, started a fire, cooked up one of the steaks he’d brought from Earth on his small stove, sat at his small two person dining table, grabbed a soda from the fridge and began eating. The smell of sweet delicious meat permeated the room as he cut into the tender wagyu beef and took slow bite after slow bite. 

He’d also managed to find a few potatoes in the kitchen a few flights down. The chef on duty at the time gave him a few, along with some butter, milk, salt, garlic, and even a few chives. He made some mashed potatoes from those ingredients. The chef had also given him a half dozen bread rolls, which he heated up in his small oven and buttered.

As he ate, he thought back with increasing guilt on his actions towards Ember. Ever since they’d met, he felt like they’d been at each other's throats. To him, it felt like she was trying to run his life and he had been fighting with her to keep control of himself and his life. Still, he knew there was no excuse for his behavior earlier that day, poison or no. He realized now that, in her own way, she was probably trying to help and that he’d probably royally screwed that up with his abominable behavior towards her. 

He would have gone to see her and apologize in person, but Swift and Moonlight advised him to leave her be. An angry dragon wasn’t something he should really tempt fate with. “Let her come to you,” Moonlight had advised him with an agreeing nod from Swift. He realized belatedly that he should have thanked Ember for saving him and intended to do just that when he saw her next, along with a big apology.

He was about to take another bite of the mashed potatoes when he heard a brash knocking at his door. Confused, he put his fork down, stood and began walking towards the door. “Who is it?” he asked. It seemed a bit late for anyone to be visiting, but then again, perhaps it was a night owl.

“It’s me,” a familiar female voice said. Gregory’s heart stopped. The voice belonged to Ember. “Let me in.”

Gregory swallowed a bit nervously, walked over and unlocked the door, only for Ember to storm past him the moment he opened it. Instinctively, he almost said something snarky, but bit his tongue. When he saw her pause and sniff the air, he said, “Sorry, you caught me in the middle of eating a late dinner.” He walked over to his table, grabbed the knife and cut his steak, which he had barely started, in half. He placed it on another plate along with a healthy helping of mashed potatoes and set it on the other side along with a fork and knife. “Here, care to join me?” he asked.

Ember walked up and looked at the meat with a raised eyebrow. “What kind of meat is this?” she asked.

“Beef,” Gregory replied, “and before you ask, no, it did not come from a cow from this world. Cows from my world can’t talk and are acceptable to eat.”

Ember frowned a bit, but sat down and took a bite of the steak. Gregory saw her eyes widen and she began tearing into it with fervor. Gregory grabbed his soda and poured both of them a glass from it. She looked at the strange fizzing liquid with narrowed eyes. “Vhat’s zat?” she asked with her mouth full.

“It’s called soda,” he said, “and it’s a popular drink from my world. The flavor of this one is called root beer. And no, it isn’t alcoholic before you ask.”

She picked up the glass, sniffed at it experimentally, took a sip, flinched a bit, then took another. She licked her lips before she put it back down. Swallowing, she said, “Eh, not bad.”

“Glad to hear it,” he said as he took his fork and knife and cut into another piece of his dinner while Ember continued to use her claws. There was an uncomfortable silence as the two ate. The way they both ate was as opposite as black and white. She tore into her food like it was the last meal she’d ever eat in a long time while Gregory ate and savored the precious beef. His thoughts, however, were in a whirl. He felt a mixture of emotions just then, a wave of guilt at what he’d said to her mixed with some lingering anger and resentment at how she treated him arguing within himself. He kept his face as placid as he could.

Finally, Gregory put his fork and knife down, wiped his mouth with a napkin, and looked at her. She was grabbing the mashed potatoes with her claws and was scarfing them down. However, when she saw he had stopped eating, she swallowed what was in her mouth, wiped her face with her arm, and looked at him with a slight scowl. “What is it?” she snapped. “Do I have something on my face?”

Gregory shook his head. “No, but I wanted to talk to you,” he said.

“Good, because I wanted to talk to you,” Ember replied.

“Alright, then may I go first, please,” he asked. To his surprise, she acquiesced to his request. He took a deep breath and exhaled. “About what happened between us earlier in the infirmary, I want to apologize for what I said and how I acted. I was completely out of line, and I shouldn’t have said what I said. I shouldn’t have yelled at you like that. I’m sorry.” Ember was about to speak, when Gregory put his hand up. “Please let me finish,” he pleaded. Her mouth snapped shut and she looked at him as he continued. “I also want to thank you for saving my life out there during the hunt. I’d be dead if it wasn’t for you, and I’m sorry that I didn’t say it sooner. I really am grateful that you saved my life.”

There was silence between the two for a while, neither one of them moving. Gregory kept his eyes fixed on Ember, not looking away. She did the same, until finally, she took a deep breath and replied, “I’m sorry too…”

Gregory blinked once, then two more times in rapid succession. “…What…?”

“I said I’m sorry, okay,” she said a bit irritably. “Just be quiet for a second. Dragons don’t do this kind of thing.”

Gregory looked at her, then nodded. “I’m listening,” he said softly. He could see that Ember was sweating, and it somewhat reminded him of the time when she called out Spike in the episode Triple Threat. He decided the right thing to do would be to just wait and let her say her peace.

She took a deep breath after a few false starts. “I keep forgetting that while dragons are amazing, our way of doing things isn’t best for every creature in the world,” she said. “It’s frustrating, but I guess I saw a lot of dragon in you, which is why I wasn't as understanding as I could’ve been. I’ll try and find more common ground with you in the future.”

Gregory slowly nodded. “I…I appreciate that,” he said, “and I’ll try to do the same. You deserve that much. Is there anything more you want to tell me about your views on the ponies? I really want your thoughts and reasons. I want to know if I’m being a complete fucking idiot about this.” He was nervous to hear what she had to say, but also knew he needed to hear it.

“Oh, the ponies.” Ember looked down at her half of the steak then back up at him. “I guess it’s a matter of who proves themselves trustworthy and who doesn’t. Dragons take loyalty seriously, so when Princess Twilight and her group came around, I didn’t believe a word of them saying they changed. For all I know, they could be full of it or trying to curry favor with the other Twilight.”

Gregory nodded. “I completely understand, and now that I’ve had time to think about it, you’re well within your right to think that.” He reached up and hit the side of his head with his fist. “I think for me, it’s still sinking in that the ponies I once adored acted monstrously to a human who just wanted to be their friend.” He took a shaky breath and exhaled. “I tend to follow the motto that actions speak louder than words. If they’re truly repentant, showing it means more than just saying it.” Just then, he remembered something else he wanted to talk with her about. “There’s something else I think we should talk about.”

“That being?”

“The…flirtatious remarks I made earlier.” He watched a scowl form on her face. “I know it upset you, and honestly, I want to apologize for that too.”

“Good.” Her facial muscles relaxed slightly. “I never liked the idea of herding or hoarding. How can one share so many mates and keep the peace? Even the greediest dragons avoid that headache.”

Gregory pursed his lips. “I don’t know how it works in this world, but I do know in the past polygamy was common in my world more out of necessity than anything. I know that the times I’ve said flirtatious remarks I was under the influence of something, or at least one time I was, but-” he paused, something in Ember’s words suddenly highlighted in his mind. “Hang on, can I ask why me saying something flirtatious bothers you so much?”

"You're playing with the hearts of other females when you say flowery words but don't reciprocate their feelings,” Ember said. “What if you catch some creature’s attention, only to say that you were paying them a compliment or that you were kidding. You’ve done that other times besides being under the influence. So, that’s not a valid excuse. Either commit or knock it off!”

“I know it’s not a valid excuse,” Gregory agreed, “and now that I think about it, I don’t know those I’ve flirted with all that well. Back where I’m from, there can be good friends who can joke about that kind of thing in certain circumstances and not be romantically involved. Still, I guess part of my mindset here was that I seriously doubt I’d find someone who would seriously give me that time of day. I doubt I’d be attractive to creatures here. I’ll put a lid on that behavior.” He took his glass and began to take a sip.

“Eh, as far as pale, homey-looking, furless, tailless, ape-like qualities go, you’re not half bad,” Ember replied in a nonchalant voice. Gregory was almost sure there was a slight flush of pink over Ember’s cheeks before she caught him staring. “What?”

He was so surprised that his soda went down the wrong way and he began to cough hard. The cough turned into a laugh after a while. “Haha! Pale, homey-looking furless tailless ape! HAHA! Oh dear GOD!” He was doubling over now, wheezing as tears spilled down his cheek from how hard he was laughing. “Aaah…that was good…” He took his napkin and wiped his eyes and mouth. “Oh wow…”

Ember shook her head and chuckled a little. “You have a weird taste in humor.”

“Hey, if you can’t laugh at yourself, what can you laugh at?” he said. There was silence for a bit between them as Gregory took a few deep breaths to steady himself. Slowly, his smile faded again. He looked down at his half cut steak, and the darker thoughts that had been briefly banished from his mind began to resurface unbidden. He leaned down and rubbed his head. “Goddammit…”

Ember frowned. “What’s wrong?”

“I just…I know I need to change my way of thinking here, but it’s really hard,” he admitted. “I’ve completely fucked up every decision I’ve made since I found that website back on Earth. I’ve probably fucked up even more in ways I can’t see. I didn’t want this. There’s seriously a part of me that just wants to find a quiet place and just live away from everyone. Seems I keep messing up everything I do.”

“In the Dragon Lands, we usually brush off any mistake we make by being domineering,” Ember explained. “If you can look big enough and back it up, no one would call you out even if you’re dead wrong. Here, try this…” She puffed out her chest and started walking around. She looked at Gregory while pointing a single digit at him. “Hey, what are you looking at? Yeah, I came here on a whim, what of it? I’m here now, so you better just deal with it or go frolic in the grass somewhere!” Ember ended her little charade by crossing her arm and looking proud of herself. She looked back down at Gregory with a smirk. “See? Easy.”

Gregory watched her do this, then smiled a bit. “I see. I suppose that makes sense.” His smile faded and he shook his head. “Even so, I personally can’t do that. Even if I could, it wouldn’t feel right. I walked into this world expecting things to be the same, but surprise! It’s not! Everything I’ve done has backfired. I can’t just double down. I need to try and alter how I do things.”

“I think you’re still suffering from the poisoning,” Ember said as she sat back down. “You’re not normally so hard on yourself.”

“Poisoning or not, I know I've made some serious mistakes since coming here,” Gregory said. “I need to change and be more discerning. As for me being hard on myself, it’s not surprising. I used to be even harder and more judgmental of myself, especially back when I was dating my backstabbing and cheating ex girlfriend. She made me question everything I did, even if it was a romantic gesture on my part.”

Ember folded her arms in front of her chest. “Well, is that former mate of yours here now?”

“Oh hell no,” Gregory said with a brief flash of anger.

“And didn’t you say that actions matter more than mere words?”

“Yeah, I did,” he replied.

“Then you should quit all this talking and start making the effort,” Ember stated plainly. “Yeah, you’ve had some hardships since coming here, but you kept moving forward. That’s what makes you like a dragon in my eyes. Just remember how you are and go from there. You’ve got plenty of creatures here to help. Of course, none of them can compare to having the Dragon Lord by your side.”

Gregory was about to reply, but then he felt sudden nausea overwhelm him. He stood and rushed to the sink just in time to spat out a big glob of black goop into his soup. He stared at it as this was writhing and squirming before it slowly ceased moving. “Oh God…that just…that was nasty,” he said as he turned on the sink to rinse the quickly dissolving black mass down the drain. 

Ember waved a hand in front of her muzzle in agreement. “Yeah, hopefully that’s the last of the poison. Listen, I got something else to tell you. I’m leaving the school in the morning.”

“How come?” he asked worriedly as he returned to the table.

“There’s been some kind of emergency in the Dragon Lands that’s made my subjects flee,” Ember explained. “They are all coming here as we speak. I need to go and meet up with them to establish a temporary home and find out what’s happened.”

Gregory’s eyes widened in alarm. “Wow…well, from what I’ve been told, the Neutral Territories are hundreds of miles in area, so that shouldn’t be a problem. Still, that’s terrifying.”

Ember looked out Gregory’s window at the night scenery as a brief flash of concern hit her features. “...Yeah, it takes a lot to make a dragon run away. Let alone all of them at once.”

Gregory nodded. “I understand. Just…please be safe, okay?”

Ember smiled broadly as she puffed out her chest again. “Of course I’ll be fine. Don’t forget who you’re talking to. I’ll be back before you know it.”

Gregory smiled a bit. “Sounds good. But since you’ll be leaving in the morning, do you want to watch a movie with me? And no, it’s not about My Little Pony.”

“You mean from that magic mirror you have? What kind of movie is it?”

He couldn’t help it. He grinned. “It’s a movie where dragons are one of the main focus. It’s called How To Train Your Dragon.”

“I see. So, is it about a dragon apprentice getting trained for battle?” Ember asked as she got to the bed as Gregory brought his laptop over from the desk where it was.

“No, because in this movie dragons don’t talk,” Gregory said before realizing what she’d just done. “Wait, we’re watching it in my bed?”

“Is there a more comfortable place you would want to go to?” Ember asked, giving him an expectant look while stretching out in his bed.

He opened his mouth, then shut it again, nodding. “Fair point. This bed is comfortable.” He got on the bed and placed the laptop next to her. Then, he went back, grabbed their food, and returned to the bed. “Alright, let’s begin, shall we?” He hit play.

The CFE Branch Office in Manehattan was located in a building that was being rented out to them for a cheap price by the owner, one Sterling Silver. It was a simple affair, having once been used as a boutique a year ago. All the trappings had been stripped and been replaced with posters of the mottos and slogans of the CFE. It was early morning, about seven AM, and the first employee there, a hippogriff male named Sharpclaw, was organizing files when one of his fellow branch members, an earth pony named Brute Force, came running in, a newspaper in his mouth. Sharpclaw turned and looked at his fellow CFE member with a smile. “Brute, good morning. You’re here early.” He noticed the wide eyed look on Brute’s face, and his smile faded. “What’s wrong?”

Brute put the newspaper on the counter in front of Sharpclaw, eyes wide with alarm. “...I have some terrible news, sir.”

Sharpclaw raised an eyebrow, then looked down at the newspaper. There, written in big bold letters on the front page of Manehattan Times, was the headline LEADER OF CFE FRAUD? Sharpclaw frowned deeper, then looked up at the burly brown furred stallion. “What is this?” he asked.

“It’s the latest headline of Manehattan Times,” Brute said. “It has detailed articles about Cozy Glow. She’s not who we thought she was. It says here that she’s an agent of Tirek!”

“I can see that, Brute,” Sharpclaw said as he picked up the newspaper and began to read the article, “‘Over the past year, the name Cozy Glow has been associated with the Creatures For Equestria movement, a fringe group of creatures who feel oppressed by ponies. She and various other creatures have been traveling through Equestria preaching about equality for all, and it’s likely she and her group have visited every major city in the country. However, an anonymous but reliable source has informed this reporter of a disturbing link between Cozy Glow and the imprisoned monster Tirek.’” Sharpclaw took a deep breath, then continued. “‘During The Trial one year ago, the human Jason Wright revealed to the world that his kind have been able to spy on our world through unknown means. Something he failed to mention, however, was that Cozy Glow was a part of the entertainment he claims to have seen of our world. It has also come to the attention of this reporter that a second human has managed to arrive in our world. He has shown that Cozy Glow has more nefarious purposes in mind for her radical group, including the release of Tirek, who is a known enemy of Equestria.’” Sharpclaw put the paper down, unable to read more for the moment. “What in Tartarus is this?!”

“It’s not some puff piece or slander campaign, sir,” Brute exclaimed. “They have authentic visual spells to back it up. Cozy’s been using us! The spell shows how she is an expert manipulator! She used this crisis to try and bring back the worst villain Equestria has ever known!”

Sharpclaw looked at the paper once more, then saw said visual spell. Pony newspapers could be enchanted to display magical visual recordings reporters had taken. He touched the image which showed Cozy and the young dragon Spike sitting in front of some strange device. The photograph came to life and he watched as the device displayed a strange simplified version of Cozy Glow acting in increasingly erratic and manipulative behavior. He stopped the image halfway through and put the paper down. “Okay…that’s…wow,” he began, clearly unsure what to say. He looked at Brute. “We’re gonna need to speak to her or send her a letter.”

“We have to act now, sir. I already saw many ponies and our members reading it. The whole city likely already knows about this. We have to cut all ties with her or else all of our members could be seen as conspirators in overthrowing Equestria!”

Sharpclaw scowled. “I’ll write a statement about this and I’ll send the newspaper to her via the dragon fire candle. Spike is always with her, so he should get the paper.” Quickly he grabbed the green candle and lit it.

“I’ll contact the Manhattan Times to prepare a statement as quickly as possible. We can have an interview ready in an hour.” Brute turned and hastily galloped out of the office.

Sharpclaw took the parts of the paper that were relevant to the article, rolled them up neatly, and held them over the green flame. Instantly, the newspaper went up in flames and vanished out of the nearest open window, on its way to its destination. He rubbed his face with his claws. Today was going to be a long one…

Spike was standing in front of the bathroom mirror in the temporary bedroom he’d been given while staying at Starlight’s school. He was brushing his teeth with a towel around his waist when he felt the familiar tightening in his stomach that indicated a message was being delivered to him through dragon fire. It was rare that such a means of delivery was used, and if it was being used, it was definitely an emergency. Judging from how tightly his stomach was being clenched, something bigger than a letter was coming through. 

His cheeks puffed out, and he belched out green flames, followed quickly by a rolled up piece of paper. He caught it in his grasp and quickly opened it. When he saw the headlines, his heart sank. Quickly he rinsed his mouth out, tossed the towel aside, and ran out of his room, calling out for Cozy Glow.

He didn’t find her first, but instead found Gabby at a table with some of the other students. He ran up to her, panting heavily and slammed the paper down in front of her without preamble. “We’re in trouble!” he panted heavily.

Gabby arched a brow and read the paper. Instantly, her confusion morphed into horror as she read it. “T-This can’t be right. No, that’s not true! That’s impossible!!!”

“The Manehattan Times is a reliable paper according to Princess Luna,” Spike said, “and if the Manehattan branch already got wind of this, then the other branches aren’t far behind.” Spike looked back at the picture. “How did they get this picture? We were alone!”

“No! I refuse to believe this!” Gabby slammed her fist on the table angrily. “Cozy wouldn’t do this! She’s been helping so many creatures all this time.”

“I don’t know…” Spike said, a frown creasing his brow. “She seemed genuinely upset when she was watching that depiction of herself. Still, she wants to free creatures from imprisonment. Tirek’s been imprisoned because he’s as evil as you can get. Who knows how many others are guilty that would’ve gotten a free pass from our message?” He looked up at Gabby. “I don’t want to believe it, but we need to bring this out into the open now and figure out the truth.”

“We’re going to see Cozy now!” Gabby said as she and Spike flew out the room with the papers in his claw.

Cozy was flying slowly down the halls, talking to several students in the hallway and was in the process of giving them some fliers. Suddenly she heard the frantic flapping of wings from behind her. She turned and saw Gabby and Spike approaching her quickly. Spike landed next to her and put a firm claw on her. “Cozy, we have a problem,” he said, panting hard.

“What’s wrong, Spike?” Cozy asked with concern. “You’re all out of breath. You should try and pace yourself if you are going to exercise-”

Spike held up the paper before she could finish her sentence. “Read that!” he exclaimed.

“The paper? Sure, but I don’t see-  ” Cozy felt her heart stop as she read and saw the pictures of her MLP counterpart. “W-Where did they get this?!”

“I don’t know!” Spike shouted almost frantically. “We were alone! I know we were!”

“No. no. no. It’s-it’s a lie. That– this isn’t me!”

“It doesn’t matter what the truth is,” Spike said darkly as he looked at the paper. “Ponies will latch onto this and believe it more than our message. Look at how they demonized us! They called us a fringe group!”

“There’s also this letter from the Manehattan branch calling for your removal,” Gabby said, handing her the letter. 

Cozy only grew more numb as she read and the paper flew out of her hooves. She began to hyperventilate. “N-No…not now…I can’t…”

“Cozy? Cozy! Calm down!” Spike said earnestly.

But Cozy did not heed her friend's words. Everything was muted as a dull ringing grew louder in her ears. Cozy felt like she was suffocating. “I-If the branch in Manehattan sent this and that other me is in the paper, that means ponies and creatures saw it too. They’ll kick me out. They’ll hate me! I-I can’t– DADDY!!!” 

Cozy flew down the hall with surprising speed as she headed to Gregory’s room. She flew past his stationed guards and burst through the doors. If she was in the right frame of mind, she would’ve questioned why Ember was sleeping next to him. Instead she leaped onto the bed, startling the two awake as she buried her face into Gregory’s chest and started crying. “Ah! What’s going on?!” Ember shrieked, sounding embarrassed as Spike, Gabby and Gregory’s guards came into the room as well.

Cozy didn’t stop crying, just continued clinging to Gregory tightly as she sobbed. Soon, she felt his hand running through her curly mane. “Hey, what’s wrong?” he asked in a gentle and soothing tone.

When Cozy didn’t move, Cozy heard someone giving the paper to Gregoty. “She’s crying because of this…”

Cozy heard him take the paper, then there was silence. Cozy heard her new adopted dad muttering something incoherently before he pulled Cozy off of him, lifting her chin to face him. “Cozy, talk to me, okay?”

“They’ll hate me. They’ll hate me!” Cozy became inconsolable as she babbled.

A look of understanding and clarity passed over Gregory’s face and he held her close, stroking her mane. She heard him saying, “Spike, you and Cozy were alone when you watched that video, right?”

“Yeah, there was no one with us in that room,” Spike explained. “I don’t know how they could’ve gotten a visual spell on that clip.”

Cozy heard Gregory make a humming noise. “Moonlight, you’re a unicorn. Can you think of anything that could explain what might have happened? Could someone have been invisible in the room? Here, look at the angle of the picture.”

Cozy looked up from Gregory’s chest with one eye and watched as Moonlight lifted the paper and looked at it with scrutiny. She took on a thoughtful face. “That’s possible. I can scan the room to see who was in there. But another possibility would be a scrying spell. It allows the caster to place a spell with audio and visual on a target from a remote location. All I have to do is scan Cozy for foreign magic.” Moonlight looked down at the distraught filly. “If she’ll let me.”

Cozy froze. She was afraid of magical scans. Her parents had submitted her to plenty of those before she ran away and they always made her terrified. Gregory looked down at Cozy, and any fear she felt about a magical scan evaporated at the reassuring look that he gave her. She nodded slowly. Cozy saw him smile, then he turned back to Moonlight. “Do it,” he commanded.

Moonlight did as instructed as her magic envelops cozy Glow as gently as possible. Cozy tensed, but she felt Gregory tighten his grip on her. She saw herself be surrounded by a light green magical aura, but it was a softer feeling than when she’d been younger. Suddenly, Cozy saw the aura change to a dark red color and she felt her heartbeat increase. The red aura wavered a bit, there was a sound of shattering glass and the magic aura returned to its light green aura. However, after a few seconds the magical aura cut off. Moonlight frowned. “I couldn’t zero in on the culprit,” she explained.

“Tch. There goes our lead.” Swift said.

Cozy felt Gregory tense. “I smell a rat. Has anybody seen that unicorn who came with you guys recently? Feather Duster, correct?”

“Not since earlier when you guys all left the room yesterday,” Spike said. “You don’t think that she had anything to do with this? She’s been with us since the recruitment phases of the CFE.”

“Or she’s been with you since the beginning as a spy,” Gregory explained. “You don’t think that Canterlot’s House of Lords would just leave you alone, did you?”

“The speed of which this story broke and the clear bias in the print certainly suggests their involvement,” Moonlight agreed.

Gregory took back the newspaper portion and looked at it more carefully. “Who owns the Manehattan Times?” he asked after a while.

“There’s no clear owner, but Jet Set is a big investor for it,” Swift said.

“Jet Set…he was the one who first assaulted Jason before the Trial started, correct?” Gregory asked.

“That’s right. He still has the scar from the Gjallarhorn,” Spike said.

Gregory nodded. “Swift, Moonlight, new assignment. Find Feather Duster and apprehend her for questioning.”

Swift and Moonlight shared a look. Moonlight turned back first. “We can find her, but you’re not allowed to question her. You’re a VIP, not a ruling authority.”

“I didn’t say I would be questioning her,” he replied.

Ember smirked as she cracked her knuckles. “I think my authority fits fine. But    you have to be quick about it. My dragons are still on the way.”

“We’ll go tell Starlight. Something like this is definitely against international treaties concerning the school.” Spike said as Gabby nodded.

“Especially since we’re in the Neutral Lands,” Moonlight agreed. She turned to Swift. “I’ll scan for her magical signature. You do some discreet questioning. It’s likely she’s gonna make a break for it now that she knows her scrying spell is gone.”

“Treat her with every courtesy available,” Gregory cautioned. “Don’t treat her like garbage because Equestria can use that against the CFE.”

Starlight’s office was surprisingly sparse for the Head Teacher of such a large school. There was a desk, a chair, a wastebasket that was half full with discarded papers, and a window looking out onto the campus. The only piece of decoration that was currently in the room was a philodendron plant. 

It hadn’t taken long for Feather Duster to be found. Half an hour after they had all gone searching for herMoonlight had discovered her near the exit to the school. There had been a short magical fight, but Moonlight had easily subdued her and brought her to Starlight’s office.

As Gregory watched Moonlight lift the sleeping spell she’d cast on Feather, his anger only increased. He was seething and almost seeing red. He was pissed not only at Feather Duster, but at himself. How could he have been so stupid? He had left the computer on when he should have logged it out at the very least. Nobody knew his password! One single slip up had caused an entire movement to be derailed.

Still, some doubt began creeping into his mind. Cozy said she wasn’t like the Cozy from the show, but did that mean she was automatically without faults? He quickly dismissed those doubts since he didn’t have any proof. 

Cozy had not let go of him since he had gotten out of bed with Ember by his side. Now, he was sitting in the office with Cozy still in his lap, Ember next to him, and Starlight, Spike, Gabby, Moonlight and Swift in the room staring at the waking unicorn.

“Owww…! Hey! What’s the big idea?! Why am I tied up?” Feather Duster said as she tried to struggle. Calling upon her magic, she appeared shocked when it fizzled out. “My magic! What did you do to my magic?!”

“Simple, I got a hold over your horn.” Starlight said, gesturing to her glowing aura that was encompassing Feather Duster’s horn. “Barring any suppression rings, this method is the next best alternative. Now, you’re going to tell us why you were spying on Cozy Glow?!”

Feather looked confused. “What are you talking about?” she asked.

Spike tossed the newspaper down at the desk with the incriminating article about Cozy. “This article was sent by our Manehattan branch. It’s spreading lies about Cozy being some master manipulator crying to free the likes of Tirek! Cozy and I were the only ones in that room. This paper shouldn’t exist!”

“What does that have to do with me?” Feather asked, looking at the article with a scowl before looking back at the crowd of gathered creatures.

“You’re the only unicorn that was close enough to Cozy to put some spell on her to spy on the movement! Who are you working for?!” Gabby said, slamming her claws on the desk.

“What? You think I’m guilty because I am Cozy’s friend?” Feather replied angrily. “Or is it because I’m a unicorn?”

Moonlight looked at her dispassionately. “Why were you sneaking off this morning?”

Feather’s eyes narrowed. “I was going for a walk!”

“Then why did you attack me when I asked to talk to you?” Moonlight asked.

“Y-You startled me, that’s all.”

“A normal pony wouldn’t outright attack someone if they were startled,” Starlight said stoically. 

“Ponies tend to have knee jerk reactions, remember?” Feather said. “I’m no different. It’s why I joined the CFE!!!”

Starlight frowned deeply as she moved closer. “Look, you can either come clean now or I’ll make you!”

“No, Starlight. That’s not what we can do here,” Gregory said. “That would give fuel to our enemies.”

“You got nothing on me that can say I did anything wrong!” Feather said, ignoring Gregory. “I’ve been a loyal friend and member of the CFE. I would never hurt Cozy.”

“Is that right? Well, I guess we are doing this the hard way.” Starlight said as her horn glowed.

“Starlight, no!” Gregory shouted in alarm.

Despite Gregory’s protest, Starlight magic produced a large screen of the school and its interior. It displayed several images of staff and students. It even showed the arrival of Gregory and shortly after, Cozy Glow’s group. The image then focuses on all of Feather Duster's movements. Particularly, the moment Feather Duster contacted High Life in Canterlot. “You’re not the only one that has a scrying spell in place.”

Feather Duster’s features went pale. “Y-You’re spying on your students!? You can’t do that! This is neutral ground!!!”

“It’s a failsafe that I had built into the school,” Starlight explained. “With so many different creatures, I have to ensure full safety for all of them. I got permission from all the other leaders and the students know this as well. It helps if there are any rogue changelings that haven’t moved over to peace like Chrysalis said.” Starlight smirked. “Now, care to explain to us why you are talking with one of the most influential ponies in Canterlot? Or should I send this to every news outlet before that? I’m sure the Princess would like a copy of potential treason in her midst.”

Gregory sat back down, a look of relief passing over his features. He’d been afraid Starlight would forcefully read Feather’s mind, but with what she’d just said, he felt better. He decided to apologize to Starlight later.

Feather looked around the room wildly, then her eyes locked on Cozy Glow who was still sitting on Gregory’s lap. Her features contorted into a look of utter contempt. “Your time has come, little filly,” she spat.

Gregory felt Cozy tense up and cling to him. He glared at Feather. “I suggest you answer the question,” he said.

“You made a lot of ponies angry when you tried to play activist!” Feather Duster stated before smiling. “I was sent to gather information and sabotage your little movement. It doesn’t matter how much you cry. Your little pals won’t believe a word from a pony!” She then turned and looked directly at Gregory. “And it’s all thanks to you humans.”

Gregory was seeing red now. He had never been this upset before. He didn’t want to do anything foolish, though, so he closed his eyes and took a few deep breaths before turning to Starlight. “Starlight, I think you should send this to Princess Luna regardless.”

“I was going to do that regardless,” Starlight replied. “I just wanted to make her squirm a little,” Starlight turned and gave Feather Duster a wicked grin. “With Luna’s new policies and all the recent courtroom drama, I’m sure you and your band of traitors are in for a grand old time.”

“Is there a place where she can be locked up until we can ship her off to Canterlot?” Spike asked.

“I suggest giving her a temporary spare bedroom,” Gregory said, “but under close guard.”

“What? Why?” Ember asked pointedly. She turned to Gregory and pointed at Feather. “She’s a criminal!”

“Yes she is, but if we treat her poorly, we’d only feed into the lies that other creatures are monsters and that ponies are the only good creatures around,” Gregory stated. “She should get decent accommodations and three square meals a day until she can be taken to Canterlot. But that’s my two cents on the matter. Ultimately, it’s not my call.”

“We can throw her into your car. Remember how I couldn’t get out with my magic and hooves without your help?” Starlight said.

Gregory shook his head. “No. Cars tend to get very warm and very stuffy when they’re closed up . It would be very uncomfortable. It’s a cramped space and the seats are not very comfortable for sleeping. And I don’t want her anywhere near that vehicle.”

“How about a broom closet then?” Starlight suggested.

“I suppose that could work,” he conceded, “either that or one of those empty warehouses. One that’s like the one I put my car in.”

“Alright, we’ll have your accommodations ready in a while, Feather Duster. Please be sure to write a positive review when you get back, and thank you for choosing Yggdrasil.” Starlight had a cheeky smirk on her face as she materialized a gag and put it over her muzzle. Feather Duster struggled in her bonds anew while yelling obscenities.

Gregory couldn’t help it. He snorted at Starlight's attitude. He stood, then looked down at Ember while still holding Cozy in his arms, covering her ears so as not to hear Feather Duster swearing. “You coming?”

Gregory took Cozy to her room so that the young filly could rest. She had actually fallen asleep in his arms as he’d carried her back, or at the very least had faked it convincingly enough. Even if she was faking it, he knew she needed some rest. Ember had walked beside him without saying a word. After that, Ember had said she had to go, so Gregory walked her out. The two were outside the main school gates. The sun was high in the sky now and it was almost noon. Gregory looked at Ember. He felt a lot better about whatever kind of relationship they had, but he also knew that they needed to talk a lot more. It must have showed on his face because Ember reached over and poked his forehead with one of her claws. “You’re doing it again,” she admonished.

Gregory paused, then forced himself to relax. “Yeah, guess so,” he said.

“Alright, what’s bugging you this time?” Ember asked, sounding almost exasperated. “Plots of revenge for your hatchling?”

He sighed. “There’s a lot on my mind, and some of it involves you and me.” He faced her. “There’s a lot we need to talk about when you’re not busy, but for now your main focus needs to be on your people. They need you a hell of a lot more.”

“Hmm, that’s true,” Ember said with a nod. “But if you do decide to go after them, don’t leave me out.” Ember smirked at him. 

“You wouldn’t let me regardless,” he chuckled dryly. “You’d kick my rear, I’m sure.”

“Just as long as you know that. See ya, Gregory.” She spread her wings and flew up into the sky before he had a chance to respond. 

Gregory watched her go, attempting to process what she just said. “Did she just…?” he trailed off, but he couldn’t help but smile. A genuine smile. That had been the first time she’d said his name and not called him just human or something else. He wasn’t sure why, but hearing her saying his name made his heart swell a bit. He watched her go, unable to look away. She didn’t turn around, but he still raised his hand and waved at her as she sped up, heading southeast. His stomach then decided to betray him and it growled. He smirked. “Okay, okay,” he said, looking down at the offending organ, “a late breakfast it is, then time to educate myself.” He still stared off after Ember until she was out of sight, then turned and headed inside to grab some breakfast.

Princess Luna was sitting at her desk while going over her docket when there was a knock at the door. “Enter,” she said without looking up.

A guard strolled inside and bowed. “My Princess, you have visitors that have urgent news for you.”

“Urgent news? And who are these visitors? I told you that I cannot entertain guests come the afternoon and evening hours,” Luna asked without looking up.

“It’s your sister and her protege, your highness.”

Luna’s eyes widened abruptly as he said this. She looked up at the guard finally. “Send them in.”

The guard stood to the side as Celestia and Sunset came into the room. Even though Celestia had given up the crown, the guard still bowed in reverence to the solar alicorn. “Thank you, guard,” Celestia said gratefully, “although you don’t have to bow to me anymore.”

“I am merely honoring the great service you provided,” the guard said. “You’ll always be a princess in our eyes.” So saying, the guard turned and left, closing the door behind him leaving the two alicorns and sole unicorn alone.

“Devotion like that is hard to break. I bet you miss it all the same.” Sunset smirked.

“Yes, yes, the guards are loyal,” Luna said with a wave of her hoof, “but I doubt you came back so soon for worship. How is it you got here so quickly? It’s unlike you.”

“I apologize for that, Luna, We combined our magics to power a teleportation spell.” Celestia said apologetically, “we couldn’t drag our hooves on this. Someone has launched an attack on the CFE that could threaten their entire movement.”

Luna lifted a newspaper and slammed it down on the desk in barely restrained anger. It was the same newspaper that Celestia and Luna had seen earlier. “I saw,” she said. “It isn’t just the Manehattan Times, either. Canterlot Weekly has also shown this image and other newspapers will likely pick up on it soon. I’ve received reports that many ponies are all but up in arms. And guess where it’s worse than elsewhere?”

“Ponyville,” Sunset growled.

“I believe the term is bingo, young mare,” Luna nodded.

“It doesn’t surprise me anymore, sadly,” Celestia said in a disappointed tone, “however, the information we have isn’t the headlines. We have clear evidence that points to High Life of the Council of Lords as the main instigator.”

“That makes waaay too much sense, now that I think about it,” Sunset said. “He always struck me as a holier-than-thou asshole. I bet the CFE threatened the amount of mares he took to bed.” She looked absolutely disgusted.

“Nay, just the entire status quo of the noble houses,” Luna said. “Blueblood and I have suspected his ilk of foul play for some time. We’re currently following a lead on an exchange of bits that lead to the human Gregory Graystone’s exile, but it sounds as if you have something more concrete.”

“Bribery to get Gregory to leave Ponyville?” Celestia asked.

“Indeed, sister,” Luna replied, “but go on. What is this evidence you speak of?”

“We found his agent he planted within the CFE,” Celestia explained. “Thanks to some brilliant spell crafting by Starlight, we found that he doesn’t just want to undermine the movement, but the crown as well.” Celestia’s horn glowed as she showed Luna Feather Duster’s confession.

Luna watched without remark as the memory played out. She was genuinely curious as to why the young filly Cozy was sitting in Gregory’s lap. As the memory faded, a dark smile formed on Luna’s lips and her eyes temporarily became slits before returning to normal. “This is just what we need to put the House of Lords out of commission.”

“Is Blueblood still in the city? I would like to accompany him when he makes the arrest.” Celestia asked with the same smile as Luna.

Luna looked at her. “Cellie, did you forget the punishment Jason put on you? You cannot be involved in anything political. This is my domain now.”

“Who said I was acting as a political entity?” Celestia said. “I was thinking more in the lines of sitting at a tea party with my nephew as he invited some guests over. I don’t have to do a thing.” The coy smile never left as Celestia finished.

Luna’s muzzle stretched into a grin again. “Is that so? Well, that seems fitting.”

Sunset smiled as well as she rubbed her hoof together in an almost devilish fashion. “Oh, I like this deviousness you two have. I’m your plus one on this.”

“I shall inform Blueblood at once to begin preparations.” Luna said as she pulled out a parchment.

Unlike High Elm, the estate which belonged to Prince Blueblood, named Sunny Spires, had been constructed much more recently. It was rather extravagant and was closer to the palace than High Elm. It was rare that Prince Blueblood didn’t have guests because he was known to show off his opulent lifestyle.

He was doing just that with the members of the House of Lords in the late afternoon that spring day as they all gathered in his dining hall. The table was set with the best dishes and the maids were scrambling to accommodate everypony. There were multiple conversations going on as they waited for their host to begin his normally arrogant but sadly necessary speech.

When the last guests had arrived, Blueblood stood, lifted his wine glass and a spoon and tapped it loudly enough so that everypony in the room heard it. The maids, used to this by now, immediately left the room. When everypony had quieted down, Blueblood smiled. “Greetings, everypony,” he said. “Thank you for coming to my banquet tonight. Now, before I continue my speech, I’m sure you’ve noticed two empty seats near me that haven’t yet been filled.” He gestured towards it and a murmur spread through the banquet hall. “I have invited two special guests tonight and I wanted their presence to be a surprise. Please welcome back to Canterlot, after a year long absence, my aunt Celestia and her former student Sunset Shimmer!”

The doors were opened once more to reveal the aforementioned mares. Both were wearing gorgeous gowns as they walked in together. The room was silent as the two took their seats, Celestia directly to Blueblood’s right and Sunset by her side. She smiled at Blueblood. “Thank you for having us, dear nephew,” she said.

“Yeah, quite the shindig, too. You pulled out all the stops, huh?” Sunset said. She knew how these parties went, but she opted to be purposely impolite, mimicking the social gathering of those these nobles would call pleasants. Judging by the many pointed looks and uncomfortable shifting, she got the intended effect.

“Yes, I strive to be as welcoming and hospitable as possible,” Blueblood said before turning to Celestia. “How have your affairs been with your travels, dear auntie?”

“They’ve been most enjoyable and enlightening, dear nephew. Although, I will admit that I miss my days in the castle,” Celestia said in a wistful tone.

“And may I just say that we greatly miss you as well, princess,” Jet Set said. “It is nothing short of a tragedy that our esteemed princess was forced to relinquish the crown at the behest of that ape!” 

There were many murmurs of agreement at Jet Set’s words. Perfect Pace, the young earth pony noble, added in his two bits as well. “Even so, everypony here saw the news about that monstrous filly leader of the CFE. Without her, that pathetic movement won’t last long.”

“Still, you have to give credit where credit is due,” High Life said, turning to Perfect and Jet. “That little filly created a nationwide movement at her age. It’s quite an accomplishment for somepony so young. Such a shame that her talents were put to waste.”

“I say good riddance!” Upper Crust shouted. The murmurs of agreement returned. “She’s nothing but a bleeding heart traitor. As if those nonponies hold any true value. They should be kneeling in gratitude for what they had.”

Zesty Gourmand nodded in agreement. “We’ve been more than generous,” the food critic agreed, “I know I was when I tried that zebra establishment.”

More murmurs of agreement were heard and the noise in the room crescendoed. Finally, Blueblood tapped his glass. “Yes. The recent events are why I decided to host this gathering. Well, it is more like a celebration. We’ve all tolled long and hard to get to this point. And now, our efforts are being realized. Isn’t that right Auntie?”

“Yes it is, dear nephew,” Celestia said in an agreeing tone. “I’ve always tried to be as accommodating as I could be when I was a princess. Regardless of that, even I have made several errors during my rule.” Celestia paused when there was an applause among the gathered ponies and voices of reassurances.

“You needn’t feel ashamed of anything, Princess. At our current progress, I’m sure you can be back on the throne where you belong in no time.” High Life lifted his glass of wine. The others copied his gesture, as did Celestia.

Celestia gave High Life a kindly smile before speaking.“Your words are as kind as they are fraudulent, High Life,” She turned to face the lord fully, “but I believe you may be misinterpreting my intentions.”

High Life raised an eyebrow. “How so, Princess?”

Her smile turned into a glare. “The error I’ve made was ever giving you rotten sycophants a modicum of influence,” she said darkly. “In your continual selfish greed and xenophobic tendencies, you’ve done nothing but undermine the core values that my sister and I have built into this once great country! You’re bleeding this country dry and give nothing back!”

Blueblood stood and stamped the ground. “Guards! To me at once!”

All at once the Royal Guards poured into the room with swords and spears drawn. “Nopony move!” the Captain of the Guard shouted. “By order of Prince Blueblood and Princess Luna, you are all under arrest for treason!”

“WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS?!” Jet Set hollered. The rest of the House of Lords exchanged frantic glances at all the armed guards.

“What, are you hard of hearing or something?” Sunset asked with a condescending smirk “This is a raid. You’re all busted.” Sunset kicked up her hooves on the table and put her forelegs behind her head in human fashion.

“On what evidence can you provide for this illegal arrest?!” Upper Crust demanded.

Blueblood smirked at them all. “That evidence will be brought up at your trial,” he said in a clearly amused tone.

“...I see. So, Feather Duster has been turned, I assume?” High Life said. Unlike his compatriots, High Life was as calm and stoic as he’s always been. He even had the gall to take another sip of his wine.

Blueblood turned to him. “I suppose you’ll have to see, won’t you…my friend?”

“Hmm, yes. I must say that this was well played on your part,” High Life said. “I never even suspected you of anything like this. You’ve always been the earnest fool that likes to flaunt his prestige. I should’ve guessed that it was an act. But, I suppose it doesn’t matter. You’ve won the battle, but lost the war.”

“And what makes you say that?” Sunset asked.

“That little movement is crumbling as we speak,” High Life said calmly. “It will take far too long to retract those papers thanks to the upcoming trial. Besides, ponies and non-ponies alike are already chomping at the bit for that filly’s head. I wouldn’t be surprised if some riots are forming right now despite the lateness of the hour. My view from a cell may not be ideal, but it shall be a good one all the same.”

Blueblood ignored him and  turned to the Captain. “Captain Steel Forge, take them away.”

“At once, Your Highness!” the captain said before turning to his subordinates. “Magical suppression rings now!”

There were cries of anger as the unicorns had their horns put out of commission, the pegasi had their wings tied to their sides and the earth ponies had magic shackles placed around their hooves to diminish their strength. Soon, the three were alone. Blueblood then lifted the bell for the servants and rang it. When one of the maids entered, he turned to her. “Gather all of the servants in Sunny Spires,” he said, this time with one of the kindest smiles on his face. “There’s an uneaten feast here, and I’d hate for it to go to waste.”

The maid looked stunned by this and couldn’t speak for a while. Finally, she spoke. “Y-You’re Highness?” she squeaked.

He chuckled. “There will be some major changes around here,” he said, “and it starts with you and the other servants. Go and bring every servant in Sunny Spires here. This meal is for all of you.”

Without another word, the maid turned and ran out, an extra bounce in her step. Sunset got out of her chair and walked up to Celestia and Blueblood. “So, do you think High Life was bluffing? I hate how calm and collected he was despite everything.”

“I’ve had dealings with him on many occasions,” Blueblood said. “High Life may be younger than most nobles, but he is incredibly smart and very dangerous once you become his enemy. It’s very likely he’s planned some sort of backup plan, so we should watch out.”

“There’s nothing we can do about him now, but we can prepare for the eventuality of the riots.” Celestia said. “Come, let us return to my sister.”

The first indication that anything was wrong in the retirement community was a sudden drop in temperature despite the island being near the southern border of Equestria. Even in the middle of May, the weather was warmer than it would be up in the north. The sun seemed to do little to alleviate the sudden cold and the breeze that began to pick up around the elderly residents.

When the breeze turned into a high wind and when clouds began covering the sun, the morning activities were either canceled or brought inside some of the larger buildings. The sky began darkening menacingly.

Among it all, a travel worn and exhausted griffin named Galen stumbled upon the town. He was exhausted and hadn’t eaten a thing in days. He had the bits for a meal, but any time he tried to enter a place to eat in this Faust-forsaken land, he was turned away and told various things like “Your bits aren’t good here,” or “Go back where you came from and stay there,” and various other cruel and heartless words like that.

He was desperate now, and as the wind picked up and the temperature dropped, he went from house to house, banging on the door and pleading for someone to let him out of the sudden storm. However, even in the community of older ponies, almost all of whom were over a century old, he was rejected. Frustrated, he turned and left the town, heading south towards a set of hills that marked the borders of Equestria.

The winds only increased and he pulled his cloak about him to try and shield himself from the icy wind. He was bitterly cold, his stomach felt like it was clenching tight around him, and he was angry. In his anger and frustration, Galen did something he hadn’t done since he was a kitten. He prayed to Faust for a miracle. He looked up at the sky, now covered with thick and dark clouds. “Faust! Please hear me! I know I haven’t been a good griffin. I haven’t prayed like I should and I’ve done things I shouldn’t. But please…please help me! I don’t want to die in this land! I’ve been chased out of towns, had garbage and rocks hurled at me, been insulted and more! Please help me! Don’t leave me to die in this forsaken-YAH!”

His prayer was interrupted when the ground underneath him gave way and he fell into a sudden small hole that had formed. He fell for a few agonizing seconds before he landed in a pool of water. A pool of surprisingly warm water. He splashed and sputtered as he flailed about before realizing that the pool was only a few feet deep and that he could stand. He looked around and saw that the water was illuminated whenever he moved around in it. There were some crystals in the cave that also glowed along with bioluminescent lichen on the walls.

He made his way to the shore, looking up at the sky. He was too weak to fly out and the hole wasn’t exactly a good enough shape for him to fly through, so he lay down to rest and curse his rotten luck.

As it turned out, his luck had never been so good. The sky turned black and snow began pelting down everywhere, covering the houses in thick blankets of snow. The winds increased and began buffeting the houses themselves. The power went out everywhere. Candles were quickly lit and fires were built, but with the increasing cold it didn’t help as much as it would have. Ponies huddled around their fires in fear as cracks formed on the windows. The younger ponies hung blankets in front of the windows that were cracking, but it only delayed the inevitable.

Then, they all heard it. A ghostly wail that sent a different type of chill down the spines of anypony who heard it. Those ponies who were watching the storm saw a ghostly shape in the sky, then the shape split apart, then those split again until the sky was full of the wraithlike equines. Everypony knew then what those creatures were, and their fear turned to utter terror.

The Windigos had come to Equestria.