//------------------------------// // Break Through // Story: The Ash // by Raging Mouse //------------------------------// Chapter 5: Break Through The marionette of a crocodile was munching happily on a poor, helpless pony doll when a fanfare played by two fake trumpets sounded. “Doo dododo doo doo dooo!” Children cheered. The appearance of a new doll, a pegasus with light mustard coat and grey mane, clad in green shirt and pith helmet, was narrated by a dramatic voice whose origin was hidden somewhere behind a back curtain of sack-cloth. “Daring Do has escaped the snake pit of hissing horrors and roaring reptilians using her awesomeness and coolness! She leaps onto the crocodile!” The new doll collided with the crocodile, sending both swinging by their strings, creating enough of an impression of a mighty struggle to enthrall the juvenile audience. “They trade blows! They trade bites! They hoof-to-claw-wrestle! But the crocodile manages to throw Daring Do off!” The Daring Doll was wrenched to the side of the makeshift stage, where it hung motionless, tilted slightly downwards. The children shouted for the dummy to rise up and teach the croc crook a lesson. A naturally cheery voice narrated the tragic scene. “Oh no! It looks like Daring Do has been defeated! Toothy the Crocodile roars in victory! Now he’ll have two ponies to gobble up!” Twilight spied a blue muzzle attach a stick to the doll’s forelimbs. Then the doll swung back against the croc. The original narrator picked up the story. “Hurray! Daring Do was only pretending to be out of the fight while she armed herself with a club! Now she will teach the ruffian reptile not to eat ponies by thrashing it until it promises not to!” The marionette croc mimed an amazingly good simile of the Pinkie Promise while the second narrator continued. “Then Daring Do offers the crocodile her favourite food! Cupcakes!” A shower of cupcake-shaped confetti fell on the stage while all three dolls celebrated this miraculous event. The children were loving every second, and even Twilight found a smile on her face. She’d spotted the children in front of the impromptu puppet theater after exiting the kitchens and wandering the palace grounds to quell her frustration. It served to lift her mood just as effectively as it managed to introduce something magical and cheerful into the lives of the target audience, many of whom were burdened by the threat of pending orphanhood. The foals were children to various ponies being treated around the castle. They had hope, though – the worst cases were at Canterlot Hospital. Ponies had begun protesting whenever someone suggested they be moved there for better treatment. The theater ended with all three dolls hugging each other in a tangle of wire and a deep philosophical lesson delivered from the wise Narrator Two. “Remember, gobble cupcakes, not ponies!” Twilight clopped just as enthusiastically as the wild and raucous audience. The dolls dropped out of sight, and Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash appeared – Rainbow by floating her cloud down from the hidden upper reaches of the small stage, Pinkie by bouncing in from behind the back curtain. They bowed to much cheering and hoofstomping. Eventually the attending nurses managed to restore order to and lead the group of children away (with much showering of gratitude over the volunteer marionette manipulators). Twilight walked over and hugged her two friends. “Thanks. I needed cheering up and your play was just what the doctor ordered.” “Ooh, you went to see a doctor? Silly me, I thought you were here to see Celestia!” “No, Pinkie, it was a— never mind. Where did you get the dolls from?” Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes. “Pinkie had them in her saddle bags. For emergencies.” Pinkie’s grin suddenly shrunk to a slight smile and retreated from her eyes. “And I was right. All of Canterlot is an emergency.” Twilight could only nod at this. “All of Equestria, Pinkie. This is affecting everypony, it seems.” Rainbow Dash yawned while nodding. “Anyways, did you see Celestia?” “No.” Twilight sat on her haunches and sighed. “I’ve asked all day but nopony seems to know where she is, even though they are still receiving her instructions. I think some of the ponies I’ve asked knew but didn’t want to tell me.” Pinkie gasped, her eyes wide and fearful. “Secrets and lies?” Her eyes narrowed and she clenched her jaw. “Unacceptable!” She pursed her lips while tapping a forehoof against her chin. Twilight and Rainbow Dash watched silently. A focused, concentrating Pinkie Pie was a rare and fearsome thing that you didn’t disturb without very pressing reasons. They didn’t have long to wait before Pinkie’s eyebrows were raised and she smiled victoriously. “You should get Applejack to talk to them. She can usually tell when a pony is lying.” Twilight was taken aback. “That’s a good idea, Pinkie. Thanks! Do you know where she is?” Pinkie nodded vigorously. “She came by earlier and said she was heading to the lumber yard.” ~~~~~ Applejack hoisted into place the last of the wooden beams that were meant to go on the wagon in front of her. She wiped sweat from her forehead and walked round to the front where two ponies were waiting, having already strapped themselves to the harnesses. “All right, you’re set.” The wagon rumbled off, revealing a curious Twilight approaching. Applejack waved her hat to catch her friend’s attention. “Over here, Twi. How did your meeting with the princess go?” Twilight looked down at her hooves and sighed. “It didn’t. Hasn’t. I mean, I haven’t found her. I think some of the ponies I’ve talked to were lying when they said they didn’t know where she is, but I don’t know for sure.” Applejack nodded slowly. “Yeah, I’ve heard ponies talk. They say nopony’s seen hide nor hair of Celestia for more than a fortnight. She still does a fine ruling, though. I wish I’d learn that trick. Bucking apple trees from afar would be mighty convenient.” Twilight bit her lip and gazed at the farm pony with her head lowered. “You wouldn’t have some advice for me, would you? I’m at my wits’ end, and Pinkie suggested I get your help to get the truth out of ponies.” Applejack shook her head. “Sorry, sugarcube. I’ve tangled with these ponies before, usually when some bureau pony... er, what do you call them? Bureaccurate? Thanks... anyway, one of them comes to the farm demanding this special tax or that tariff, and their lies are harder to spot than anything I’ve ever met. Give me the hives, they do. How can one meet their own gaze in the mirror every morning when they are lying so much they become good at it?” “They probably lie to themselves as well. Oh, and I said ‘bureaucrat’.” Applejack chuckled. “You might just be right. Them bureau crates. Anyway, I suggest you ask someone who isn’t a pony. I saw Fluttershy tending to the animals and ponies in the Menagerie. Some of the castle’s mice might have seen the princess, or something. I reckon it’s worth a try.” Twilight sighed and shook her mane. “Thanks, Applejack. I’ll go ask her.” ~~~~~ Fluttershy ceased applying gauze to the shoulder of the patient in front of her while she considered Twilight’s question. “Yes, it’s very likely they know where she is.” She regarded Twilight with a sorrowful expression. “But they won’t talk to me. I managed to – uh – accidentally startle them. During the Gala.” Twilight sat on her haunches and nodded wearily. She remembered the Gala well enough. “I’m getting tired, Fluttershy. This day has been so stressful for all of us, but I feel so bad you all came with me and I fail to even find the princess.” “It’s not your fault. Did you ask Rarity yet? I saw her in the linen stores while restocking on gauze. I think she’s taken charge of patching and cleaning the used sheets. She’s inside the castle and talking to the staff, and you know she likes rumours.” Twilight nodded. Then her eyes widened and she started chuckling. “You know, when I didn’t get anywhere with my questions I started thinking the ponies were giving me the runaround, but now I’m running just as much between my friends!” Fluttershy gasped, put her hooves over her mouth and blinked her large, vulnerable eyes. “I’m so sorry! I didn’t know I was doing that!” “Easy, Fluttershy. I wasn’t implying you were. I was saying that I could have been wrong about the ponies I asked.” Twilight sighed. “I’ll go ask Rarity. It’s a good suggestion. Among the best I’ve heard, in fact.” ~~~~~~ Rarity sighed at Twilight, not pausing the needle she held in her magic. She was sewing shut a rend in the fabric of a blanket and reinforcing it. “Let me see if I understand you correctly. You’ve gone from pony to pony asking where Princess Celestia is.” “Yes.” “And they all said they didn’t know.” “Yes!” “And they all gave you directions to some other place where they might know.” “Yes, exactly!” “And – I’m merely guessing here, correct me if I’m wrong – through all of this, talking to every pony, not even once did you happen to remember and think of showing the very official-looking document princess Luna hinted was so important?” “Ye—” Twilight Sparkle turned as crimson as a volcanic sunset. It was quite fetching. Rarity merely smiled, tilted her head slightly and raised an eyebrow. When Twilight regained partial control over her vocal chords her voice was squeaky. “Do – Do you think that might help?” “Yes.” Rarity sighed again, still managing to smile warmly at Twilight. “Do you need me to come along?” Twilight opened her saddlebags with her magic and floated the document out to hover just above her horn. “I’ll be fine. I’d better read this again, though. Wouldn’t want to misunderstand it or anything.” She lowered the paper until it was right in front of her eyes and started scanning the text. After a short moment she caught herself idly gazing at the watermarked coat of arms rather than reading. She shook herself mentally and tried to find where she’d lost her concentration only to track back to the first line. She blinked and squinted at the page. She could feel her attention skitter away from the text and refocus on the watermark. The Moon-and-Sun was quite masterfully rendered. Twilight counted the craters making up the lunar face of Nightmare Moon and arrived at the correct number, which was surprising considering how small some of those craters were. She shook her head to clear some of her dizziness. Then there were the filigree-thin curlicues of fire filling the usual flames circling the sun. She peered a bit closer, even though her vision wanted to double, and thought she could just make out an even finer, gossamer-thin pattern of smoky weave between the larger curlicues. She swayed slightly. “Darling, are you alright?” Rarity’s voice sounded distant and muffled. Twilight ignored the question for a while, instead studying the astonishing detail on the different ponies supporting the moon and the sun. She could see the parts of their eyes, even though none of the ponies were larger than a printed letter in most of the modern books in her library. Her desire to keep studying the watermark waned momentarily, allowing her sense of propriety to make her admit she should probably supply an answer. She wrenched her gaze from the document and tried to focus on Rarity while fighting against her sense of balance which was insisting she was falling. Just as she opened her mouth to reassure her friend she looked past Rarity’s shoulder and spotted Princess Luna, lying against the far wall of the linen store and looking quite secretarial because of the spectacles the princess was wearing on her nose. Luna seemed quite at ease and was reading a book, and she spoke without lifting her gaze. “That took you long enough, Twilight Sparkle. We do not say this because we are impatient: We are the opposite of our sister in most things, but when it comes to patience both of us have been gifted with a nearly inexhaustible supply. No, we say it because most ponies given the Scroll of Minor Agency start waving it about as soon as they arrive within sight of the castle walls.” Luna shut her book with a snap, stood and rewarded Twilight with a smile. “Not you, though. Were We appointing you an agent according to the traditions then observing your behavior when given the Scroll’s authority would be part of your trial of character.” She watched Rarity with an air of dry amusement. Rarity was alternating between waving a hoof in front of Twilight’s face to catch her attention and trying to follow Twilight’s gaze, apparently looking right through Luna every time. Twilight tried and failed to restart her brain. “A test? How did I do?” “Most ponies are found unsuitable and lose the opportunity to became Agent of the Throne. You are not like most ponies, as I said. We already knew that.” “Twilight, who are you talking to? What’s this about a test?” Luna smiled at Rarity’s increasingly panicky manners and nodded towards the paper Twilight was still levitating. “You had better include Miss Rarity in this discussion before she causes an unnecessary scene. Simply show her the Scroll and state your intent to include her in its authority, then bid her to read it.” Twilight nodded slightly, still not caught up with events and therefore operating on automatic. She looked at a very worried Rarity and turned the Scroll around. “Rarity, I want to share these benefits with you. Please read this.” Rarity stared at Twilight for a long moment, blinking rapidly. Then she slowly shifted her gaze to the paper Twilight was presenting to her. Twilight watched Rarity’s eyes, seeing how they started scanning the text and how they stopped and unfocused when Rarity’s gaze reached the middle of the Scroll. She watched Rarity rock gently backwards, just staring at the paper in front of her. Then Rarity regained her focus and read to the end of the paper. She turned her head to look at Twilight with an expression of confusion. “I remember this from when you read it to us yesterday, of course. Beautiful watermark, by the way.” Luna had silently walked closer until she was just behind Rarity. Now she coughed gently. “Thank you, Miss Rarity. We feel it was quite worth the price we paid the designer of the original.” Rarity spun around so fast her that her mane struggled to keep up. It swayed back and forth gently even after she’d come to a stop facing the princess. Then she laughed. “Darling, I’ve been most impatiently hoping to meet you!” Luna and Rarity traded nuzzles like the best of friends. Twilight felt her hind legs give, and she plopped down on her haunches and gaped at the two ponies in front of her. They were merrily discussing past meetings of which Twilight had no knowledge. Eventually Rarity glanced at Twilight and cleared her throat. “Please forgive me, Twilight dear. I’ve been one of Princess Luna’s tutors of modern etiquette, mostly regarding proper attire of course. It was kept a secret by her request in order to keep the Carousel Boutique from being invaded by curious ponies seeking an audience. We’ve become quite good friends.” Rarity turned back to Luna. “But what is the matter with all this hiding? What is the meaning of the document I’ve just read?” “There are areas of this castle that are made inaccessible by means other than mere guardsponies and barred doors. You will need the ability to spot and traverse these areas if you wish to reach Our dear sister. The Scroll empowers you to do so. There is more to it than that, of course, but that is what matters for the moment.” Luna looked at Twilight. “Shall We take you to Our sister?” Twilight was still reeling from the Scroll’s influence and from the shock of Rarity’s and Luna’s familiarity. She pushed her disarrayed thoughts into the back of her mind. “Yes, please, Princess.” Luna started walking. Twilight and Rarity followed her. “Just Luna, please. Our – my – speech might give the impression that I value tradition and formality. It is merely that I am adapting to the modern way of speaking a bit slower than optimal. Be reassured that I‘d prefer informality and I insist upon it among my agents. Well, I would if I had any other than you.” They were walking along the servants’ halls, meeting other ponies only occasionally. Invariably it was a servant of some sort, bowing low to the ground and not moving until the trio had passed. Twilight seized the opportunity to sidetrack the conversation for a moment. “Just what is an Agent of the Throne?” “An Agent of the Throne of Moon and Sun is a pony who is authorised to act as the hooves and eyes of my sister and I. They are unbound by Equestrian law and custom, in varying degrees depending on their station. Your Scroll bestows upon you the title of Lesser Agent, meaning you are considered to have free reign over Canterlot Castle, and authority over all ponies within except for us princesses. Your brother, Shining Armor, is a Greater Agent, by the way. Greater Agents aren’t allowed to discuss the details of their status, or even to reveal it, but it essentially means he is carrying out our will in all of Equestria. And beyond. He needs that status as he’s the closest we have to a general of the armed forces in these mostly peaceful times.” Luna turned around a corner and started walking down a short passage that ended in a plain wall of mortar and stone. There were no doors and little light. Twilight and Rarity slowed to a halt at the intersection and looked at Luna with confusion. The princess seemed to sense she’d lost her companions, and she looked back at them, but didn’t slow down. “The important part of the Scroll lies in the watermark, however.” Princess Luna walked straight into the wall without stopping. There was no crash: she glided into the masonry as if it wasn’t there. Twilight and Rarity yelped from shock and ran up to the wall. They prodded it and even hit it, but it was just as solid to the touch as it appeared to the eye, in spite of disappearing princesses. Luna’s head reappeared, not even causing a ripple through the rock, and she grinned at the two amazed ponies in front of her. “The watermark contains powerful magic. It is part geas, part enchantment and many other things besides. Right now I shall teach you how to use it as a key. Hold the Scroll in front of both of you so that you can see the text, but not so that it blocks all of your view. I want you to see both it and this wall with one glance.” Twilight floated the scroll a bit further ahead of her as Luna waited. She heard Rarity gasp, then Twilight did the same. The wall had faded away like shadows in front of a lantern, revealing a well-lit gallery cut out of bedrock that admitted the daylight through a series of arched and icicle-festooned windows. The gallery sloped gently downwards and curved to the right out of view. The sound of rushing water echoed through the chamber. “This room is situated just below the main level of Canterlot. Or it would be if we’d actually commissioned its construction instead of merely drafting the plans for it. But my sister can deal with possibilities as if they were real, and so we can use this gallery-in-potentia to reach some very existing rooms she and I have carved out over time when nopony would miss us. It’s quite a large complex nowadays. We also admit Agents of the Throne as well as anypony we deem have need of a secluded location. All are under geas not to reveal them or talk about what they see or experience while inside. That is also part of the watermark.” Luna walked through the gallery while talking with a carefree tone, as if she was relating a recipe for vegetable soup rather than discussing state secrets and half-existing rooms. The gallery descended along the curve of the cliff face. An archway placed where the cliff curved outwards again, just beside an ever-falling cascade of foamy water, led to the second-floor balcony of a high-ceilinged hall decorated by plain arches sculpted from the rock itself. Openings led onwards in all directions. The only sound was the echoing boom and drip of falling water. Luna led Twilight and Rarity around the balcony to an exit opposite their entrance. The room beyond that defied exact classification. “My dear sister, you have visitors.” The trio had entered a multi-story room in the sharper end of its egg-shaped circular floor-plan. The room was large enough to house Twilight’s treehouse library in its entirety. The floor was lost in shadows at least five floors below the balcony Twilight and Rarity were on, and that was in spite of a brilliant shaft of light entering a huge circular window in the ceiling about four floors above Twilight’s head. Twilight saw all this in the half-second between entering the room and spotting Princess Celestia. The Princess of Day was sitting on her haunches, slumped into a position that telegraphed great weariness, neck bent over the stone railing and looking down into the darkness below. Celestia looked up as her sister spoke, spotting the group and locking eyes with Twilight. There was indeed great weariness in her eyes and it scared Twilight, as she had never seen the weight of centuries so clearly expressed in her mentor’s face before. There was also sorrow and patience. Twilight approached that gaze like a moth caught in the light of a thousand candles focused into one single beam. She trotted, then she outright galloped up to Celestia, but she slowed down when she drew so near that she had to crane her neck to maintain eye contact. There she and the Princess stood for a moment, simply regarding one another. Then Celestia bent to nuzzle Twilight’s ear. Twilight leaped forward and brushed her neck against the princess, who bent her own neck further down to wrap around Twilight’s. Soon they were hugging each other tightly. Twilight felt tears in the corners of her eyes. “I’ve missed you so much.” “Dear Twilight. Seeing you lifts a great burden from my heart.” Celestia raised her head slightly and looked at Luna, who had remained a couple steps removed together with Rarity. “Dear sister, I think I am supposed to be very cross at you for your meddling, but it seems I simply cannot muster the will.” Luna took this with an air of stoicism. “I shall remind you once you are feeling better so that we can design a suitable punishment for my disregard of propriety and etiquette.” Twilight spoke, words tumbling out of her, as she buried her face in Celestia’s coat. “Celestia, you are so sad and tired, and I don’t know why, and it scares me. Can you tell me what’s wrong?” The Day Princess hesitated. “Twilight, if I involve you in this... If I let you become involved... This is not something that could have a happy resolution.” “I don’t care. I just want to be there for you.” The princess sighed. “I have made a huge mistake and I don’t know a way to make it better. I completely failed Equestria when I was most needed: before, during and after the mountain’s fall. Now I am lost regarding how to repair the damage. I’m trying to save one single life, in the hope that the solution there could also apply to Equestria in general, but its seemingly inevitable death draws ever nearer.” “Who are you trying to save?” “Not who. Look for yourself. You and Rarity have my permission to do so now.” Celestia craned her neck over the railing. Twilight followed her lead and now saw the brightly illuminated floor, and all the things upon it that the previous darkness had concealed. Her eyes widened ever further as she processed what she was looking at. Rarity had also looked down, and her hooves flew over her mouth before she looked away, overwhelmed by nausea. The princess spoke in a low voice, close to a whisper. “Perhaps I’d better recount the events leading up to this moment.”