//------------------------------// // Pieces in Place // Story: Dusk's Dangerous Game // by Airstream //------------------------------// The woods were quiet, a patchwork land of light and shadow cast by trees and mist that filtered out the weak winter sun as it spilled onto the woodland below. Not a creature stirred, and the only sound to be heard was that of a gentle breeze, still damp and chill with the moisture of a cold evening. It was a tranquil morning, one of peace and rest for the inhabitants of the Everfree Forest, huddling together to ward off the chill. That is, most of them were. A unicorn, mane bound into a tight ponytail and coat dappled with mud, crept cautiously through the trees, careful to avoid making any noise as she did so. She had spent the majority of the past hour doubling back over her tracks again and again, careful to avoid the Changeling pursuing her. A crack echoed through the woods, and the mare vanished from sight almost instinctually, huddling underneath a flawless veil as she swept the woods for any sign of her pursuer. Carefully, she began to move towards a nearby stream, taking care to avoid leaving a noticeable trail behind her. The crack had come from that direction, and she needed to know exactly what had made the noise. Her scalp tingled. Something was looking for her, and she was obviously walking into a trap. Her hoof went to a small knife belted to her side, drawing it carefully. If she was to be trapped, then there wasn’t much she could do to avoid it at this point. However, she would ensure that whatever she ran into, she would be ready for it. Another crack, and the rustle of bushes up ahead. Something was definitely up there. She crept over a low rise, knowing that as soon as she peered over the edge, she would be able to observe the entire stream. She sank into a slow crawl, moving carefully towards the small hillock she would scale to gain a vantage point. Closer and closer she moved, now only thirty feet away, twenty, ten feet and then over the hill she would peer. Still maintaining her veil, she carefully looked over the small ditch below her, through which a trickle of water still flowed, despite the cold of the morning. Her eyes darted from side to side as she swept for danger. Her ears pricked forward at the sound of another snapping branch, and she locked onto the target below her. Spotting movement, she readied herself to attack before realizing that the only thing in the water below her was a doe with her fawn, his horns almost in and his spots beginning to fade. Her heart sank as she began to notice other sounds, mostly the subtle hiss of magic. She rolled to one side just as a bolt of magic slammed into the hill where she had stood, throwing off her veil and creating illusory copies of herself that all ran in a different direction. She had tripped Chrysalis’s trap, and now she would pay the price for it. She sprinted through the trees towards a clearing she could meet her in, where the lack of cover would force Chrysalis to either lurk in the trees or meet her in open combat. She heard wings buzz behind her, more than one set, and her mouth curled in a defiant snarl. The Queen had brought drones with her. Thinking quickly, she seized several rocks with her magic, whipping them at the soldiers before she vaulted into the clearing. Most went wide, but she was rewarded with a sound of impact and a grunt from one of the Changelings following her, as he veered into a nearby tree. Sweetie Belle set her hooves underneath her as she met the Changelings head on. Four remained to attack her, and she realized that the fight would go badly for her. They were under orders not to kill her, simply herd her until their Queen could arrive, and so she would show them the same courtesy. She sheathed her dagger, waiting for one of them to make a move. They fought well as a team, but Sweetie Belle had been trained to fight teams, eighteen hours a day, every day, for the past sixteen days. The first swept in with a hook designed to drive her to the right. Sweetie Belle instead leaned inside of the blow, headbutting the Changeling viciously as she trapped his leg beneath her own, rearing up as she caught it between her leg and body. There was a snap, and the Changeling dropped with a broken forelimb. The second and third approached from her previous right, now directly behind her, hooves outstretched to grab her. They never made contact, as she hit the ground hard, rolling over and catching them in the stomachs with her powerful back hooves. Though not out, they would definitely be down. The fourth and final Changeling dropped on her from above, trapping her hooves behind her back as she stood up, and lifting her into the air. She kicked out, making contact with his knee as the two Changelings she had assaulted came back for a second attack. Sweetie Belle swung backward, feeling the Changeling restraining her push her forward to compensate. Once again, her back hooves shot out, catching one of the pair of Changelings underneath the chin, snapping his head back and causing him to plummet to the ground, where he landed in a heap. Her head snapped back, catching the Changeling holding her in the nose. She felt him free her hooves as he clutched at his nose, and twisted as she fell, planting a foreleg squarely in his sternum, watching him fold up like a ragdoll under the repeated injuries. The last Changeling was directly below her, and could not get out of the way in time to avoid her falling on him, using him to cushion the fall from about twenty feet up. She smiled as she headed for the treeline, ready to disappear once again. Just as she reached cover, however, she heard the hiss of magic behind her. She curled into a ball, feeling the blistering heat of the thing pass over her back as the Changeling Queen landed nearby, the impact of her hooves shaking the very ground as the trees in front of her erupted into emerald flame. Sweetie Belle recovered quickly, roiling to one side as another jet of magic cratered the ground she had just left behind, clods of dirt and clumps of grass raining down on her as she drew her dagger and charged at the Changeling Queen, hooves working furiously as she dodged spell after spell, weaving towards her as her horn sparked with magic. She leapt at the Queen, who lowered her horn to impale her. Sweetie Belle’s form shimmered, resolving itself into a tall, stately figure, its coat black and chitinous, with a pair of wings laid flat along its back. Chrysalis’s eyes widened, and she instinctively lowered her horn to avoid impaling herself. This was all the time Sweetie Belle needed to bring the dagger down on the side of the Queen’s neck. Instead of being rewarded with a fountain of ichor or blood, however, the well-forged steel merely shattered, leaving Sweetie Belle holding the hilt of a useless tool. The Changeling Queen smiled then, exposing delicate fangs, and spoke. “Well done, Sweetie Belle. Very well done. I believe that I can no longer teach you anything on how to kill. Now we can begin your true instruction.” Sweetie Belle let her illusion fall, returning to her normal self. Keeping a careful distance from Chrysalis, she swept the clearing for any hidden tricks or traps. “What instruction?” “You have been learning everything a typical agent in Twilight Sparkle’s service should know, regardless of their specialty. Which makes you just another spy, unfortunately. My job is to create a special pony, one who knows how to get others to trust her with their deepest held secrets, how to deceive others into thinking they know more about her than they do, how to fit in anywhere, from the glass spires of Manehatten to the stone alleys of Trottingham to the marble majesty of Canterlot. Right now, you are an agent, Sweetie Belle. Twilight Sparkle does not need an agent. She needs a saboteur, an infiltrator without peer. That is what I shall teach you.” Sweetie Belle sat on her haunches, staring up at Chrysalis. “Alright then. Where do we start?” With a rush of green magic, the Changeling Queen’s form was replaced with that of one she had not worn for years. Soft pink replaced hard black, pastel hair replaced tattered gossamer, and when she spoke, it was with a voice so sweet and clear that it warmed the very heart. “We will begin today’s lesson with a simple phrase. The phrase in question is 'We trust that which we see as beautiful'. It's a useful phrase.” she said, giving a little grin. Sweetie Belle nodded, focusing her magic inward, feeling her body change and grow, mane curling, Cutie Mark changing, coat becoming immaculately clean. At last she stood, not as Sweetie Belle, but as her sister Rarity. When she spoke, her voice was rich and cultured, nigh-indistinguishable from that of her sibling. “Where shall we start, Princess Cadenza?” she inquired. “Please, call me Cadance.” “Cadance, you are not well, and you certainly aren’t thinking straight. I know it’s difficult for you to control yourself right now, but you must remain still.” The pink Alicorn grunted and moaned, straining against the sun-forged chains that bound her. Her brow was beaded with sweat, and the air reeked with the stench of it. Her mane was disheveled, and her eyes were wide and dilated, darting around the room as if looking for some hidden threat, or, much more likely, a way out of her predicament. Celestia sighed to herself, turning to a row of potions behind her. The tonics had been made right on time, having finished only yesterday. She had tested each one herself to make sure that nothing went wrong, and was satisfied that they would be able to control Cadance until she was ready to take part in the soulbind. It was far too early for her yet, but Shining Armor was definitely ready, and had slipped into a delirious fever only days before, calling weakly for his wife. It pained Celestia to keep them apart for so long, but if that was what it took to save both of their lives, then so be it. She had only ever had experience with having to control Luna, and so she had no real frame of reference on how Cadance would be reacting to the soulbind. The most noticeable side effect had become apparent only hours before, when the alarm bells in the highest part of the palace had begun ringing frantically, something that had not been done since Twilight Sparkle had escaped from Canterlot. Celestia had burst out of her chambers, soaring over the castle grounds, ready to strike down the foe invading her city, only to find that the culprit in question was Princess Cadance. She had been perched on top of a roof below, laughing ecstatically as an ever-growing group of mares and stallions had kneeled before her, slack-jawed expressions on their faces as they gazed up at her with untold adoration and love. As she had sped towards the spot, Celestia noted that a retreating Guard had dared to sneak a look at the spectacle behind him, lasting only a brief moment before he, too, had assumed the same expression as all the other ponies, and trotted over to join them in mindless devotion, sparked by some twisted kind of love for her. She had lit on the rooftop carefully. There was little on earth more dangerous and impulsive than a newborn Alicorn, as she knew from experience with her sister. When she spoke, she had done so with great care, so as to avoid startling her. The young Princess held in her grasp the minds of at least a hundred ponies, and any sudden shocks or unpleasant surprises could cause irreparable damage to them. “Cadance, what are you doing?” The Alicorn had shivered, letting out a long and low moan, before replying. “They love me…so much love. And I love them. They’re mine, all mine…but they aren’t mine. Where is mine? I love him.” Celestia had taken the opportunity to move a bit closer. “You mean Shining Armor? Cadance, he’s back at home. He’s sleeping, remember?” Cadance shook her head. “No. No, nuh-uh, no. I don’t want him home. I want him here. Want Shining Armor, now.” The crowd below her sighed in adoration. Celestia had moved a few inches closer, stopping when she noticed Cadance’s wings beginning to rise, meaning she felt threatened. “Cadance, I can take you to him, but all these ponies can’t come along. Will you let them go? I promise, we can go see him together. But you have to let all of these ponies go first.” Cadance had growled then, actually growled. “No. Mine. They love me.” Celestia stood absolutely still. Cadance was on the brink of going completely feral. Luna had never snapped so suddenly, hers had always been a slow descent into this sort of impulsive state. Then again, Luna had never been as closely tied to the sort of emotion that went along with a soulbind. Her mind whirled furiously, before she hit on one last chance to bring her under control without harming the ponies she controlled. “But I love you too. Just as much as they do.” Cadance tilted her head. “You love me?” “With all of my heart.” Celestia said. She meant it, too. Cadance was like the daughter she had never been able to have, in a way. Cadance’s face contorted and Celestia had inhaled slightly, ready to fight, before the magic in her horn had flickered out and the Mistress of the Dawn had begun sobbing wildly. Celestia had checked the ponies over carefully, ensuring that they were unharmed, before she had placed a tender wing over her young ally and transported the two of them to a high tower, binding her gently in strong chains before sending for the tonics to be brought. And so, there they stood. Celestia uncorked the first bottle, a small thing containing an unbelievably strong sedative. Had any normal pony tried it, even a drop, it would likely stop their heart. Celestia approached Cadance, who bent her head weakly, drinking the entire contents of the bottle before gasping at the surprising coldness of the mixture. Celestia watched carefully as Cadance sagged in her chains, breathing heavily. Dipping a needle into the second bottle, she carefully pricked her neck before laying it to one side. Cadance was silent for a brief moment after, completely still except for her breathing, which smoothed out considerably. When she spoke, her voice was absolutely clear. “Thank you. I don’t know what came over me.” Celestia unlocked the chains, letting Cadance rest on her own hooves. She placed one hoof under her chin, tilting her head up so that she could look her niece in the eyes. “We all have trouble with our first soulbind. It’s not an easy thing to do for anypony. Luckily, you have somepony with experience in controlling this sort of thing. Luna and I spent nearly three centuries trying to contain these things before we were able to come up with a reliable system. With help, you and Shining Armor will be fine.” Cadance was silent. Celestia pressed on. “Now that you have experienced what it feels like, did you get a feeling for when things will…come to a head?” Cadance nodded. “It’s going to be right after the Midwinter Solstice. I can feel it. Maybe on the night of, maybe a day or two after.” Celestia exhaled, a long and slow breath out. “I see. Well, that shouldn’t be too much of a problem. We’ll be ready for it.” “I suppose. But, what if…what if it goes wrong?” Celestia drew Cadance in close, embracing her. “It won’t. I promise you, on my life, that we will see you and Shining Armor make it through. I won’t allow anything else to happen.” Luna was dreaming, and though she was the one in control of the Night, she had never, for the life of her, been able to wake up from this one. The stars, vaster and in greater numbers than any pony had seen in nearly two millennia, burned in the skies overhead, and in some places they seemed to form a luminous cloud, hovering over the great northern plains of what was not yet Equestria. The collection of tents, pitched by a wide and swiftly flowing river, were all that construed the grand city of the Royal Alicorn Sisters, save for a circle of stone, dark against the night. In white and black they billowed in the breeze, sparks from the campfires swirling up into the air as if to join Luna’s blessings in the skies above. The camp smelled of wine and incense, the scent of which permeated every inch of the surrounding country and hid the fact that most ponies in the camp had spent the night deep in prayer for the one currently sequestered in the Lady of the Night’s caravans, surrounded by alchemists and priests. The Lady of the Sun had fought with her sister again, and she had fled into the night to contemplate eternity, as she sometimes did. And so it fell to Luna, the Unyielding Night, to comfort the beautiful young unicorn who lay in the tent alongside her. The unicorn was everything Luna desired in a partner. Young, intelligent, magically talented, and most importantly, strong. Luna kept tents of lovers and thinkers, but only one would be allowed to join her in a soulbind. This one’s name was Starset, and she had been the most promising of Celestia and Luna’s students, a true prodigy in the fields of magic. Had, until Luna had taken her to her bower in a moment of weakness. One thing had led to another, and the end result was the soulbind that now held Starset in its grip. The once lively and proud mare, hardly more than a filly, now lay on the bed of pine needles Luna had gathered for her, tossing and turning feverishly. Luna was little better. She had learned to control the more feral aspects of the soulbind, and even now focused on pouring the excess energy she was emitting into her young charge, who was gasping for breath even as Luna forced her lungs to keep sucking in air. Starset’s horn flared and flickered, sparks raining from it and causing the needles to smolder briefly before the flame was drawn back inside her horn. She gave a short, ecstatic cry, part pain and part pleasure, before her entire body became rigid, every muscle tensing. Luna was sobbing as she worked to save her, both from fear and agony, as magical feedback began to build inside the confines of the tent. There was a rumble of gentle thunder outside of the tent, and the sentries cried out an alarm. Luna paid it no heed, as Starset’s eyes rolled back in her head, breath coming in short, quick gasps as her horn now gave forth a steady light, no longer flickering weakly. Luna tried desperately to stop the light from increasing, as another, gentler light shone from outside of the tent. The tent flap was thrown aside, and Celestia strode inside, holding a crystal in her grasp, a flawless sphere of clear diamond. Her mane, a bright pink like that of the dawn itself, flowed in majestic waves as she walked to Starset, her face calm and composed. Kneeling down and placing the sphere by her side, she spoke to Luna. “Sister. It is time. Let her go.” Luna’s magic flickered and died, Breaking magic grounding itself back into the air and earth as every light in the tent went out with a sense of dreadful finality. The horn on Starset’s head went dark as well, and Luna’s heart leapt into her throat as she realized she could no longer hear the breathing of the unicorn. There was a brief moment of dreadful silence, before the crystal in front of her began to glow softly with light. Luna spoke, her voice hushed and awed. “Sister mine…what have you wrought?” Celestia allowed magic to spill from her horn, bringing light back to the tent. “Her magic is bound to that. Petrify her body until we can return her soul to where it should rightfully be.” Luna’s voice shook. “You have…Bound magic?” Celestia nodded. “I have. Her life has been saved, the first one since our rule came to be. It occurs to me that if she is strong enough in will, we can move her back into her body. Though I know not what kind of mare she will be, if she returns.” Luna spread stone over the still form of Starset, willing her very being to remain stone until she was able to be revived. As she worked, her mind spun. If magic, the very soul, could be contained within her sister’s crystal, then what else might be bound? Was there a limit to what magic could be contained? She did not know the answers then, though she had suspected her sister would use this crystallization of magic to new and unseen ends. It would be another two thousand years and a rebellion later that Luna would see exactly what could be frozen in crystal, forever bound to Celestia’s will. Just as how, a thousand years after this first instance, Starset’s line would support her sister, inseparably Bound to her. They had gone by the name Luminous then. Later, they would change their names to Radiant. And when Luna returned in triumph to spread eternal Night across the land, it had been a descendant of Starset, bearing the surname Sparkle, that had stood against her. And she had wielded something else, something Luna had thought would never be Bound in the way it had. The Power of Harmony itself could be Bound. And it had been at that moment, looking back on two thousand years of history as the darkness that had consumed her was stripped away, that Luna had believed her sister’s victory complete. But, she reminded herself, as she dangled in the darkness below Canterlot, what could be Bound could also be Broken. She felt confident that Twilight Sparkle would Break her own ties to her teacher. And, if she could, she would find a way to Break the Elements and free the Power within. Luna had faith in Twilight Sparkle. No matter how long it took, she had faith that Twilight Sparkle would emerge triumphant.