//------------------------------//
// Deals, Prison, Pancakes 
// Story: The Triumvirate 
// by Fedora71 
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 Chapter 21

Duo had infiltrated the prison while the rest of the decena waited outside. The other two deceni went to the palace to fulfill their respective missions: Coltnap Shining Armor and kill the traitor. He had been sent in as part of what had been called by his superior the “junior rule.” The new praetorians get all the grunt work and suicide missions.

Getting into the prison wasn’t easy. The ponies had increased security since the last report, operating in pairs and detaining anypony that was by themselves.  They had disabled one of the changelings key advantages, shape shifting. Still, that was only one weapon within the arsenal of the praetorians. Silently, he snuck into the prison, remembering when he and his friend had to prove their own stealth talents by sneaking into the Praetorian’s barracks. Duo believed it was an important part of training. His friend had believed it was only a means for the superiors to find more creative ways to torment the recruits. He shook the distracting memories from his head, pressing onwards into the elevated shack that was the warden’s office.
Once in the office he cautiously looked around for his objective, the duty roster. He was so eager in his search that he had forgotten just how lucky he was to have found the office uninhabited. Duo lifted his head from one of the file cabinets as he felt two authoritative and proud presences approach the office.
“So it’s that easy to intimidate the inmates?” asked one voice as they approached the door and the doorknob started to turn.
“You have no idea how intimidating griffins in armor are to ponies,” said the other one. This voice was decidedly tougher and older. However, his was also more tired, if just a bit relieved. He opened the door before continuing. In a fraction of a second Duo dove under the desk. The changeling knew he could take both griffins but the noise would raise an alarm and even if he did make it out of the prison he knew he wouldn’t survive his fellow praetorians. There was bit of sadness with the old griffin as he walked into the office.
“Hey old timer, you getting second thoughts about retirement?” the younger griffin mocked.
“Nah just spent a lot of time in this office,” the older griffin said, “Thirty years to be exact, can’t help but feel I’m leaving an old friend behind.”
“Don’t get all nostalgic on me, Lawrence,” the younger griffin said, “You did a good job and left quite a wingspan to fill. Maybe now you’ll have time to work on that book of yours?”
“Yeah maybe,” Lawerence said. Duo never understood griffin nomenclature. “But before I go,” the griffin said, “I may as well sign the last duty roster.” There was the sound of scribbling. “Not gonna lie, your next few weeks are going to be busy keeping everything in order. We have one quarter of the guards in maximum security guarding the sleeping changelings.”
“In all honesty, I’m surprised that Celestia hasn’t tried to get a dragon in there to guard them.”
“Given what they are capable of, I’m not entirely sure that’s a bad idea.” Lawrence said with a hint of warning in his voice. Duo had a brief moment of terror when he imagined if the ponies would go that far. One of the griffins began to walk towards the desk.
“How about you leave that here and we get to that party that the ponies totally hadn’t planned for you.” The younger replacement chuckled. There was the sound of something being placed on the desk and the door closed. Duo took a sigh of relief as the presences moved away from the door and steadily out of his reach.
Duo considered stealing the roster. Then he realized it in all likelihood, raise suspicion if it somehow went missing. The goal of the mission was to silently kill the captured praetorians. Duo took a deep breath and set to work writing down the names of the ponies that would be stationed in maximum security. It was quite a list. Duo really hoped they would be at that party for a long time. He had been warned that griffins were notoriously noisy to kill.
****
Ancro and Scott had waited up until Stigandr had returned from his interview with Twilight. Ancro took this time see if he could miraculously master reading. He couldn’t. Scott took this time to do a bit of working out.
“Alright, so I’ll be by to get you guys first thing in the morning.” Twilight said through a yawn. “I really appreciate you all agreeing to help. I’m sure the princesses will appreciate it as well.” Twilight shut the door behind her.
“Wow, if I wasn’t feeling her emotions I would think that she was using political leverage or something along those lines.” Ancro said, unable to come up with the words on account of being tired. That, and he wasn’t a night person. He hadn’t even been a night person on Earth. Yeah, he’d stay up late, but he didn’t do anything or go to parties. He honestly preferred a good nights sleep.
“Oh Stigs!” Scott said, remembering their visit from Discord, “Discord came by.”
“What did he say?” the unicorn replied.
“He has absolutely no clue how we got here or who got us here.” Ancro replied, chuckling. “Also, Scott suggested that he read Alice in Wonderland.”
“I didn’t, I just thought there would be Cheshire Cats in Equestria.” Scott defended, “I mean they have everything else.”
“Scott, they have Greek and European myth,” Stigandr explained, ”not nineteenth century literature.”
“At least you didn’t tell him about Lovecraft,” Ancro said, half mocking, half comforting his friend, “I would rather fight a Jabberwocky then a Shoggoth.”
“Getting back on topic,” Stigandr said, “Discord claims he has no idea how we got here. So pretty much.”
“We got nothing,” Ancro finished smiling, “looks like we are here until further notice.”
“Or we could break Discord out.” Scott added smiling nervously. Stigandr casually walked over and hit the griffin on the back of his head. He knew it probably wouldn’t do any good. Still, it never hurt to try. "Just kidding!”
“And on that bombshell it’s time for bed,” Ancro in the best British accent he could make. The Top Gear reference earning a smile from Scott.
“Yeah we need to get our rest. Twilight’s going to talk to the princesses about giving us some level of freedom with which we can operate,” Stigandr said. “Odds are we are going to meet both of them.”
“Outside of our heads this time,” Scott said. “I would much appreciate it if the ponies stayed out of there.”
“Scott, I’m going to take the high road and not pick on you this time and just go to bed,” Ancro chuckled.
“I appreciate it,” Scott replied. “‘Night.”
“‘Night Stigs,” Ancro said before going to his room.
***
“Wake up,” a voice whispered to Specs while she slept. She had a rough day being Spitfire, or at least trying to be her! First she couldn’t find a safe spot to transform. Then every flower vase in Canterlot decided to try to fall on her. After that a pack of dogs decided to chase her halfway to the palace, and that was only the start!

“Wake up,” Lazily she sat up and looked around the room looking for her agitator, satisfied with not seeing or sensing anyling. She rolled over and covered her ears. Someling had to be playing a prank on her. That is the only logical explanation. “Oh for goodness sake, Wake up!”
Specs jumped out of her bed and reflexively went into a defensive fighting position. Eyes still foggy with sleep she spoke out, “I don’t care who you are, I’m going to kick your flank!”
“Highly improbable, I assure.” The voice said forming into the shadow of a mismatched creature.
“Hey I remember you,” She spoke up, “From the prison.”
“Yes, and as you can see,” the figure responded snaking around the small apartment, “You and your brother both got out of there safely.”
“No thanks to you.”
“Why must you insult my honor?” the shadow said while acting as though Specs had stabbed him in the heart, “I lead you to your brother and look what it gets me: no respect, not even an ounce of trust.”
“You expect me to trust you after what you did?” She replied, not buying the overly dramatic act for an instant. “You left me and my brother to fight a praetorian! You led me into a trap!”
“A trap for the praetorian who very easily would’ve killed your brother with a smile on his face,” He countered. “I could’ve very easily left him to his fate and you wondering how much they made him suffer. So you need to remember that you owe me!”
“I don’t owe you anything,” She replied, “I don’t have to do anything for you.”
“Well consider that I can actually hold you and all the changeling refugeeshostage,” He replied. “It would be a terrible shame if anything were to happen to any them. Like a flower pot falling on your head, or it being extremely difficult to find a place to transform, or, for instance, if a pack of dogs start chasing you like you are made of dog food.”
“That was you?” She replied her horn charging.
“Please blast away, it’s not like there’s a big scare about changelings right now,” The shadow replied. Her horn’s glow died and she glared at him. “Now then, I’m going to need a few errands.”
“Like what?” Specs knew she was going to have to do everything he told her to do. She couldn’t risk her brother or the other changelings’ safety. After seeing what he did in the laundry room, revealing all the deserters didn’t seem that far a stretch.
“Now I distinctly remember you mentioning something to Ancro about teaching him changeling stuff,” The shadow said pacing back and forth.
“Don’t worry,” Specs said, “I had no intention of teaching him. Besides he’s dead, with the rage I was feeling from Shining Armor.”
“Au contraire mon petit métamorphe,” The shadow said. How could she see him grinning? “Ancro is alive and well and I want you to train him.”
“What!” Specs was completely taken back by this request. “He’s got to be surrounded by dozens of guards!”
“Well I have a lot invested in those three and would much rather not see them torn limb from limb by the praetorians coming to do that.” The shadow was bending over her. It was then that she realized that the shadow wasn’t cast on the wall but was in fact standing on the floor.
“Let me get this straight. You want me to sneak into the most heavily guarded anti-changeling place in the world and train Ancro, who I hardly know or like, to fight the most ruthless, sadistic changelings Chrysalis can muster.”
“You act like that was supposed to sway my opinion in some way,” the shadow replied. “You have one week in which to get it done.”
“That’s impossible!”
“I sometimes believe six impossible things before breakfast,” he replied. “It’s not like you have much choice. It’s either that or I reveal your dear sweet restaurant operation to all of Canterlot. Your only hope then is that the guards save you before the angry mob does too much damage.”
Specs was speechless. This shadow had threatened her and her brother and she couldn’t do anything about it. All she could do was hang her head and nod.
“Now don’t get all sad,” The shadow said trying to cheer her up. Specs was a changeling and knew when someone was going to switch it around. “I have a plan and all it will take is for you to get a bit of blood on your hooves.”
“Who’s?” Specs replied.
“Just some pony scientist who has been studying changelings,” Discord replied, “It won’t be that messy. She’ll go into the restaurant in the morning; you’ll be able to recognize the microscope cutie mark.”
“Fine,” Specs resigned.
“Oh if it’s not too much trouble, can you see if you could train Scott as well?” he asked rhetorically, knowing she had no choice but to agree. “Also keep our little arrangement between the two of us, deal?”
“I don’t have much choice, do I?” Specs said.
“That’s the spirit, my little pawn,” the shadow said clapping his front limbs together. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to go and set up the rest of the board.
***
Celestia’s horn had ceased to glow as she completed her final duty and lowered the sun. It had been a tiresome day and she hadn’t accomplish the most important tasks she had wanted to. Namely talk with Shining Armor. He had been sulking for too long. He needed to understand that Cadence was ready to forgive him. He wasn’t willing to forgive himself.
“Sister,” Luna said. Celestia snapped out of her thoughts and stared at her sister. “You are sitting in my throne.”
“Oh I’m sorry I was just-”
“Distracted?” Luna finished, “Do you wish to go on a walk and talk about it?”
“No Luna I’m fine. It has just been a taxing day,” Celestia said.
“Sister, we both know that is not all that is weighing on your mind,” the dark blue alicorn said. “Have you been trying to make sense of the changeling and his friend’s actions?”
“Partly,” She replied, “Also the changelings worry me. The ones we have in the prison haven’t spoken a word since their capture.”
“Also, you miss our teacher,” Luna said, levitating a book from behind her back. “I remember when this portrait was made. It was the night before he disappeared.”
“Ancro asked several questions about him and the history of Equestria,” Celestia replied levitating the picture back into the book.
“What did he wish to know about Starswirl?” Luna asked.
“How powerful he was,” Celestia said, remembering back to when she grasped the sheer scope of his power. Back when Discord reigned.
“What was his reaction?” Luna asked with a smile. 
“Awestruck,” Celestia said with a smile.
Luna couldn’t help but chuckle. Very few ponies had the grasp of just how powerful Starswirl had been. In all honesty, they wouldn’t have been able to use the Elements of Harmony, much less defeat Discord, without his aid. He had been the one to tell them about the Elements of Harmony and had sent them on their quest.
“Sister you must get some rest on this evening,” Luna said, “I will guard the night.”
“Thank you Luna, but I assure you that I am quite alright.”
“Tia, that mask you wear for our little ponies will fool them but not me,” Luna replied. “You must rest.”
“Yes Luna, perhaps you are right,” Celestia replied, “I do need to go to bed.”
“Good night sister,” Luna said with a smile as her sister went off to her chambers.
***
“I can’t believe we ran into Spitfire today,” Pinkie Pie proclaimed as she bounced back into the palace, her two friends behind her. “I mean what were the odds that she would be getting lunch at the same time at the same restaurant as us.”
“You want to talk about odds?” Rainbow Dash replied, “What are the odds that a pony who is in the Royal Guard looks exactly like Spitfire?!”
“Yeah she did look an awful lot like her,” Pinkie Pie said then stifled a giggle. “I’m just glad I’m not the one who called her a changeling.”
“Now Pinkie Pie, don’t be so hard on Rainbow Dash,” Fluttershy piped up before smiling, “It’s not like she wanted to make a scene with everypony watching her.”
“Wow you guys are some real friends.” The cyan mare replied with a roll of her eyes. “Let’s not tell all of Canterlot about this, okay?”
At that time Pinkie Pie started to ramble about how she wasn’t going to tell everypony in Canterlot. Just some and their closest friends of course. It was about the time that Pinkie Pie had really started to get her mouth running up to speed that Twilight had walked up to them. Twilight noticed that Pinkie Pie was rambling.
“So Pinkie Pie, have you figured out that riddle yet?” Twilight asked, mostly out of her own curiosity. Ancro’s riddle hadn’t appeared in any of the books or stories that she had read, making her believe it was entirely original!
Pinkie Pie stopped mid word her mouth hanging agape. She jumped up into the air, legs flailing wildly before running off. Leaving Twilight, Rainbow Dash, and Fluttershy to cough in her dust.
“What was that about?” Rainbow Dash asked. Before Twilight or Fluttershy could explain Rainbow Dash picked up a small pink note from the ground and read it aloud. “Dear Dashey, if you are wondering why I ran off it was because I forgot that I need to ask a writing desk a question.
“Uhh anypony want to explain?”
“Ancro asked Pinkie Pie a riddle and it’s been driving her a bit crazy, well, crazier at least,” Twilight said, “I’ve actually been a bit intrigued as well.”
“Wow you and Pinkie stumped by a riddle?” Rainbow Dash said, impressed. “I didn’t think a changeling would be smart enough to stump you two.”
“Ancro’s fairly clever,” she replied as her friends started to follow her, “Which is why I’m feeling a bit nervous about what I’m about asking the Princesses to give them some room with which they can help us.”
“What do you mean?” Rainbow Dash replied.

“Twilight please don’t say what I think you’re saying.” Fluttershy spoke up in a shaky voice.
“Ancro and Stigandr agreed to help us. Stigandr said he could guarantee Scott’s help,” she explained, omitting the bit about how little he’d be able to give. “That’s a griffin and a pony that have lived with a changeling for years and a changeling helping us.”
“How do we know that they aren’t planning to try to escape first chance they get?” Rainbow Dash said.
“They are dangerous Twilight. Maybe you could find a spell?” Fluttershy murmured. “Or something else?”
“Yeah Twilight after what he did to your brother-”
“Yes I know!” Twilight shouted, “I know what happened. I’ve been told it a thousand times, but there’s not much other choice. If I had another option I’d take it! There are changelings in Canterlot and Ancro said he’d help us find them. He saved Cadence from being captured by the changelings. Yes, he attacked me and her later, but that was to save another changeling who wasn’t with the ones who attacked Cadence.” She took a deep breath and held back tears. The whole situation had been stressful and chaotic. Convincing Celestia not to store them in the prison had proven difficult enough. Now she had to convince her to let them out and ontop of everything else, ponies kept reminding her of the situation with her brother and Cadence.
She felt a wing on her shoulder. “It’ll be okay Twilight,” Fluttershy said her voice brimming with sympathy.
“Yeah sorry,” Rainbow Dash said. “We forgot you are under a lot of stress. You’re right, we don’t have a lot of options. Make sure his friends know that if they try to break out they’ll have me to deal with.”
“I’ll be sure the Triumvirate knows.” Twilight laughed.
“The who?”
“The Triumvirate, it’s what they call themselves.” Twilight said.
“Yeah, well it doesn’t matter what they call themselves,” Rainbow Dash proclaimed, “I can still take them.”
Twilight explained what she knew about them and what she had uncovered, which admittedly wasn’t much. Still her friends listened to her all the way to the throne room.
***
Twilight had thought that she would be meeting with Celestia. To be honest, she should’ve seen it coming. This was a major decision and the sun had just set. Twilight took a deep breath and told them her plan and the agreement she came to with Ancro and Stigandr.
“What of the griffin, Scott?” Luna spoke up. “He is a member of this Triumvirate as well. Did you not confer with him as well?”
“No princess but Scott is, well, a bit...” Twilight struggled to put the words gently.
“Of an obnoxious jerk.” Rainbow Dash finished bluntly. “Also he’s scared of clouds.”
“Scared of clouds?” Luna asked. “I have never heard of a griffin who was scared of clouds.”
“Yeah he just kinda freaked out when my door hit him in the face.” Rainbow Dash said. Luna raised her eyebrow expressing her curiosity. “Pinkie Pie and I found him in a field. It looked like he was about to have break down.”
“That is quite unusual.” Luna said. Ancro’s apparent fear of spiders was understandable  to some degree. She didn’t understand it, but apparently other ponies were afraid of the arachnids as well. Personally, she found them cute. A griffin who was afraid of clouds, though, that was something unheard of. “Very well, you will have my support as long as they are under the watch of at least five guards. They will start by being walked around the palace in the morning.”
“Yes your highness,” Twilight said with a bow. “I promise you they won’t be any trouble.”
“Just to be sure, both Celestia and I shall meet with them in the morning,” Luna said definitively. 
***
Two decena encircled the palace. They were waiting patiently for their chance to take the place of some unsuspecting guards. The changelings would have to observe them, preferring to take the place of the ones who lived in the palace barracks and not an officer who would return home to a family. If they had more time to study their prey then they would perform the task without a problem and enjoy it. However, they had been given a mere week with which to do this task.
Chrysalis hadn’t said a week. The praetorians merely had to regain some lost honor from the failure of the other decena, so the commanders had set a goal. They would strike at Shining Armor and the traitorous Ancro and, if necessary, his friends within one week. Some of the praetorians had actually imagined the fates for the friends or the traitor if they were fortunate enough to get a hold of them. It would be delicious to feed on their pain and fear as they watched their friend being torn to pieces. Some of them still held the belief that they were under the control of the changeling, even though their spy reported that it they seemed to willingly be with the changeling. It didn’t confuse or bother the changelings, all it meant was potentially more targets and more to feed on if they caught them.
***
The next morning, Stigandr had woken up Ancro who in turn woke up Scott. Scott was a light sleeper that morning so Ancro didn’t get to do anything to mess with him. Scott wanted to know what Ancro planned to do. The changeling left after claiming Scott was paranoid for even considering that Ancro, one of his best friends, would ever try to wake him up in a harmful or embarrassing way. Scott pressed the issue until his friend was out of the room.
“Hey Ancro,” Scott asked as he walked into his friend’s room. “I have a question for you.”
“Alright, shoot,” Ancro said.
“Let’s say we went into the Marvel universe, with our powers.”
“Yes Scott?” Ancro asked already having some idea where this was going.
“Could we take on the Avengers?”
“Depends, movie or comic?” Ancro asked.
“Both.”
“In the movie if we get the drop on them we could conceivably take everyone besides Thor and Hulk.” Ancro said visualizing taking out Stark before he got his armor on and using magic to overpower Captain America, Black Widow, and Hawkeye. When it came to Hulk and Thor, though, the only thing that would happen would be bad and painful. If Bruce Banner had tried to kill himself and Hulk spat out the bullet what the heck could they do?
“And comics?”
“Similar count until someone realizes we are attacking Avengers, then we get stomped. Comic book Avengers have a lot bigger team.”
“Okay what about the Justice League? Isn’t Superman vulnerable to magic?”
“Yes but Green Lantern, Aquaman, Wonder Woman, Martian Manhunter, Flash, and Hawkgirl aren’t.” Ancro sat down and thought about how they could do it. “We’d have to take out Batman, get the kryptonite from his utility belt and ambush Superman. Manhunter is vulnerable to fire, so if I hit him it’s a maybe. After that we are screwed.”
“Are you guys talking about breaking out of here?” Stigandr said, walking into the room. He had heard talking and Ancro saying things like stomped and screwed. He had assumed Scott was trying to get Ancro to come up with a plan or Ancro was trying to come up with a plan just because.
“No we’re discussing if we had to fight the Justice League or the Avengers.”
“I’m pretty sure we’d just get our butts kicked by any of the other members that outclassed or ganged up on us.” Stigandr said, “Green Lantern alone would turn us inside out.”
There was a knock on the door. In walked Twilight with two plates of food and guards, lots and lots of guards. All equipped with their various sharp and pointy objects.
“Sweet pancakes!” Ancro proclaimed running over and grabbing a plate of the syrupy deliciousness.

(Thanks for reading! Any feedback or comments are always appreciated. I'd like to thank my editors who put up with my atrocious grammar and butchery of the English language. Thanks to my friends for inspiring the characters of the Triumvirate (though technically it's a quadrumvirate now.) My dad is back from the hospital and is currently driving me absolutely insane. If you like it fav it. Artwork still by Sara (shaya.laperro@gmail.com))