//------------------------------//
// 11 - In Dark Corners 
// Story: Out of Cadance 
// by David Silver 
//------------------------------//

"Our plan failed, those years ago." The stallion clopped down a hoof on the table. "All those bits, all those plans... Ruined... What do we have to show for it?"

A mare, dressed in the same sinister clothing, raised a hoof. "If we can control her, sir, we have a pony where we would want her."

"But we can't," he hissed with a scowl. "She refuses to listen to our commands. I built her! Why is she so... stubborn... Dolls are not supposed to be stubborn. Give a command, they follow it, end of story."

The mare tapped at her cheek thoughtfully. "Well... She's still yours, isn't she? Why not figure out what went wrong?"

"Don't you think..." He trailed off, frowning. "I... haven't tried. She dwells in royal circles, making her difficult to approach casually. We planned Cadance's snatching for moons!" He let out a soft breath. "On the other hoof, they are young adults. They are at the right age where they begin to roam outside the view of caretakers at times..."

He leaned in closer to the mare. "You might have a point. Watch her. Figure out when she is alone and vulnerable. We'll make a tool of her yet..."

"As you command." The mare dipped her head and fled away with a bounce in her step.





Tempo smiled. The crowd cheered and applauded for her. She was coronated with all the fanfare a princess of the nation was due, and not a pony had a complaint.

Of course, most of them had no idea they were applauding a golem. Tempo was in no hurry to remind them. Still, the thought of it shook about in her as she walked stiffly into a quiet room to sink to her haunches.

"You did quite well." Celestia entered from another door. "You should have seen poor Cadance when she was coronated. She was quite young, and bedazzled by the entire event." She looked Tempo over. "I spoke too soon... Do you want to talk?"

Tempo smiled at her adoptive aunt gently. "Thank you for offering. Would they be as happy? Would they applaud, if they knew they were stomping and clapping for a doll?"

"If they knew you entirely, I think they would." Celestia sank next to Tempo, swaying tail curling halfway around the unsure automaton. "There is something in you. I couldn't say what, exactly, but you are more than what you are built of. You are a pony, and I don't say that just to encourage you. There is a living spark in there, little Tempo. Never doubt that."

Tempo leaned against the warmth of Celestia for a quiet moment, considering quietly. "Auntie, am I warm?"

"Hm?" Celestia raised a hoof to gently run across Tempo's cheek towards her neck. "You are cool, but not cold. Before you ask, it is not unpleasant. Little dear, you have a boyfriend, do you not? Surely he has an opinion on such delicate matters and how they may apply to--"

"--Yes, yes, I do..." Tempo fidgeted in place. "He's never complained. He likes hugging, and kissing." Tempo smiled gently. "I wish I could give him more. I feel no... need for what I know he wants... But I feel bad not giving it. Am I a poor partner?"

"Hm." Celestia was quiet, just warming Tempo by proximity, which felt nice and so quiet. "I don't believe so. Some ponies just don't want that. They don't think of it. You are one of those, and that's not a 'broken' thing to be."

Her eyes widened with a new thought. "Ask him, if he wishes a foal. If he does, adoption is a fine option. There are foals in need of loving parents, and I feel certain you two would be ideal for that. In fact... I should have thanked you ages ago."

"What for?" Tempo rose to her hooves, avoiding stepping on that wafting tail. "What did I do?"

"You tamed a wild prince." Celestia remained laying, but was tall enough to easily match Tempo, or even beat it if she wanted to. "He was quite a hoof-ful before, but you calmed him... Ah, will you be at the Grand Galloping Gala this year? At his side, you two will make quite the dashing couple. It would thrill him, and you may have fun. Twilight's coming, do you remember her?"

"Little Twi?!" Tempo perked at that, smiling. "That cute little filly that buried her nose in any book she could find?"

"The same, but... Time has passed." Celestia stood then, striding for a window. "She is grown, following her own destiny. She will be there, as an adult, and my student. Treat her well, not that I feel I need remind. You already like her, do you not?"

"Twilight?! Of course. She's a darling little.... mare?" That would take getting used to. "Wow, all grown up... I hope she's doing well. I guess I'll find out. Oh, yes! I'll go! I want to see Twilight, and I get to make Blueblood happy too. I'll definately be there."

"Marvelous." She touched her forehead to Tempo's, horns jostling lightly. "I'll be there too, like every year." Celestia rolled her eyes at that. "It's a duty. Now, let's move on to other topics." She led Tempo back into the castle, the ice cracked. "You have ponies who want to meet their new princess."





Cadance danced in place with a giggle. "You're going?! I've been asking you to go forever! What changed your mind." She hurried up to touch noses with her sister. "I am so over the moon right now."

Tempo raised an ear. "Speaking of that, will Princess Luna be there?"

Cadance recoiled a step. "N-no... She's still recovering, poor thing."

"Poor thing..." It clicked. "Oh! Twilight did that, didn't she? I remember hearing about that..."

"She did!" Cadance withered. "Why are you going the one year I can't?"

"You can't?!" Tempo hopped forward at Cadance. "Whyever not?"

"Princess duties." Cadance pointed towards a window. "Princess Celestia will be at the Gala, so somepony else has to be doing actual work."

"Poo. I'll do my best to represent us both." The two met in a warm hug, sure they'd do their parts.





Tempo smiled politely as the delegates crowded around the newly titled Princess, offering their hearty congratulations and probing curiosities in equal measure. She answered vaguely where she could, trying to focus on the Gala's glamor instead of the small doubts still needling at her.

When a break in the salmon-coated nobles finally appeared, Tempo slipped gratefully towards one of the buffet tables for a respite. She touched pastries to her lips out of habit more than any ability to savor the decadent fare.

As she surveyed the splendid ballroom, she caught sight of Twilight Sparkle animatedly chatting with Rarity across the dance floor. Tempo smiled softly, reminded of that shy little bookworm enthralled for hours in the palace library’s embrace. How remarkable to witness the earnest student now grown into a confident young mare in her own right...

Tempo took a step towards Twilight before a nearby whisper caught her ear, faint over the orchestra’s swelling strings. "Is it her?" The voice sounded furtive, tense. Tempo glanced back, brow furrowing. Had she imagined...?

But her eyes caught on an elegantly dressed stallion hovering near a servant’s entrance, scanning the room almost frantically. As his gaze passed over her, Tempo froze. Those cold, calculating eyes...she knew them. Her very first memories were of that cruel visage glowering down at her.

He had come. The cultist who forged her into being had hunted her down at last.

Fear seized Tempo in its icy grip. She backed towards the ballroom’s grand doors, horn instinctively flaring defensively. She had to find Celestia, Cadance, anypony who could--

The pony was leaving. Just like that? She watched him stiffly until he walked out. She hurried to find somepony not occuppied to talk to and ran into Blueblood first.

It seemed Rarity had also found him. "Darling, I've heard so much about you..."

Tempo forgot her former fear. She couldn't see the lines of feelings between ponies like Cadance, but that Rarity had an interest in Blueblood felt perfectly clear. She stomped ahead with an angry little snort.

But Prince Blueblood didn't need her backup. "I'm sorry, madame, but I have an escort this evening. Ah, there she is." He threw a hoof over Tempo, drawing her close. "Meet Princess Tempo, my marefriend."

Rarity's eyes widened, her dreams dashed cruelly on the rocks of reality. "Marefriend? Oh... I see..." She laughed tensely. "Of course..." Her tense eyes settled on Tempo. "What a lovely princess you've found. Of course... a prince and a princess... Quite a good pair." She wandered away with a tense laugh, guarding her rejection poorly.

Blueblood turned to Tempo, already forgetting Rarity. "Dear, you look troubled. Did something happen? I'm here to help. You, especially."

Tempo glanced back uncertainly towards where that ominous figure had disappeared. But Blueblood gently turned her chin back towards him, brow creased in concern beneath his princely circlet. “What’s got you so distracted, my dear? You look as though you’ve seen a ghost.”

When Tempo shared her brief sighting of the strange lurking pony, Blueblood pressed closer protectively.

“Well, whoever it was has scurried off now the coward. Likely envious some other gentleman got to you first, eh?” He winked playfully, though his grip on her shoulders remained steady.

Tempo managed a wispy laugh, wishing she could shake off foreboding so easily. “Would that it were such benign jealousy...I should not let shadows ruin this lovely night.”

Blueblood tilted her chin up, brushing his nose affectionately to hers. “Well then, how ever shall I distract my fair lady from these gloomy fancies?”

When Tempo asked if they might withdraw somewhere quieter, his grin gleamed. “My thoughts precisely! Far too much stuffy propriety choking the gaiety from the air in this crush. Let us away to the balconies at once!”

They went, side by side, only to be accosted by a manic pink pony. "You two look like you might be having a good time." Pinkie popped a party hat on either of their heads. "Hirrah! Now this is a party."

"I say..." Blueblood hiked a brow at Pinkie. "Whatever do you think you're doing?"

Pinkie paused her fleeing away. "Making this part shake, obviously."

Tempo smiled at Pinkie. "You are a friend of Twilight, aren't you?"

"Yep!" Pinkie bounced closer. "You know her?"

"I used to help foalsit her. I would love to hear about one of her friends. What does she do, as an adult?"

Pinkie's smile grew by the moment. "I could tell you such a story, or three... Sit down!" She hurled a pillow at Temp, knocking her down back onto the cushion. "So, there was this mare that wandered into Ponyville..."

Blueblood chuckled gently, sinking beside Tempo to hear the tale. "You know, she's here." He glanced at where Twilight struggled to approach the busy Celestia. "You could ask her directly."

Tempo followed Blueblood's gaze to where Twilight lingered anxiously on the fringes, working up the courage to weave through the crowd surrounding Princess Celestia.

"You're quite right," she murmured, touched by a sudden urge to go reassure that awkward, bookish filly she used to know...as if no time had passed at all. Tempo gently extracted herself from the exuberant Pinkie Pie's hold.

"Do pardon me a moment - I see an old friend I really must greet."

She crossed the polished floor towards Twilight Sparkle, a fond smile rising unbidden to her lips. But as Tempo drew up beside her, the words froze. Twilight stood nearly as tall as Tempo now, slender and elegant with her lustrous violet mane swept up neatly. No gangly little unicorn...when had she grown into such an enchanting mare so swiftly?

"Twilight?" Tempo managed finally, surprise still fluttering inside her. "I...I'm not sure if you remember me clearly anymore, little starshine, but--"

"--Tempo?!" Twilight whirled, eyes flying wide with astonished joy. Before Tempo could react, Twilight had tackle-hugged her fiercely. "Oh my gosh, Tempo it is you! I'd heard you became a princess but so much time passed...Oh wow, look at you!"

She drew back, beaming radiantly up at Tempo with shimmering eyes. "I can't believe after all these years...! You were like the big sister I always dreamed of back then!" Impulsively she hugged Tempo tight again, laughing through sudden happy tears. "I never stopped missing you..."

Tempo swallowed a surprising lump in her own throat, hugging Twilight back just as fiercely. How strange and wondrous, this forgiving power of love to melt years apart in a heartbeat...

"Nor I you, my little star," she whispered. "Now come - we have so very much catching up to do!"

But without her calming presence, Pinkie had resumed her rabble rousing, and the door bashed in, admitting animals of all varieties and a heaving Fluttershy. The party would end more insterestingly than it usually did.