//------------------------------// // Plots and Plans // Story: Just an Everyday Princess // by Wages of Sin //------------------------------// The hoofmaden band quietly snuck away from the stairwell where they had been listening. "What do you think that was about?" Cloud asked as they all piled onto Brush's bed. "I don't know... He seemed really nervous though..." Breeze observed. "Maybe he had a request for her majesty?" "Maybe he's an admirer! Maybe he want's to admit his feelings but couldn't bring up the courage to do it." The reaction amongst the imaginative mares was immediate. "Awwwww~ That’s so cute! He's going to tell her his feelings! Maybe that's why he wants to meet her after dinner!" "That would be so~ Ah! We have to hear it!" The giggling gaggle swooned as they imagined the fairytale sight. "How do you think he'll do it? Do you think he'll he just come out and say it?" "Not to a princess! He'll be a gentlecolt and ask how she feels first!" "But she might not even realize how he feels! She might shoot him down without even knowing! " "She is a princess, she can't respond favorably to every old pony who has a princess-crush..." "That's terrible! We have to help him!" "I know what we have to do! At dinner we'll..." Bastion sat outside the hotel glancing left and right. He watched as a figure galloped up from the direction of the town center. "You said you were going to grab a pie and be right behind us, what the buck happened! It's a miracle the captain didn't notice you were gone! I had to swipe your key before he noticed-" Dasher threw a hoof over Bastions mouth as he came up. "This isn't the time! I just heard that the town is plotting something with the buffalo tribe!" "Yeah, we had a pie war with them. You fought in it remember?" "No! I mean something serious! They made sure we were gone and started plotting something!" Bastion looked to his friend incredulously, "'Plotting'? Like what are we talking about here?" "I don't know! They were talking about this 'one week to do it' and 'the guards are an ‘unexpected problem’ and stuff. After that last part I hightailed it back over here! We've got to tell the captain and pull out of here ASAP!" Bastion thought it over. On one hoof, the princess's safety is first priority, but on the other this is the fifth (?) time we've thought that the princess has been in danger and each time so far it's only caused things to get worse. "No, we'll just keep this between us. You can tell Stonehoof if you want to, but do it later. For now let's just stay calm, it's probably nothing." "I hear them plotting something, and you don't want to do anything about it?" "Basically." "What about protecting the princess?" "Fine, you say they were meeting in the center of town? Then I'll go check it out, assuming they're still there. Planning "something" isn't a crime; I need evidence before we tell the captain and he sends us on a wild goose chase again. You stay here and get ready for dinner later." Bastion began the way back to the town. "Wait! What do I tell the Captain?" Dasher's questions went unanswered as his compatriot waved back to him. "Great... You know I'm not good at this espionage horseapples-" Bastion came up a back alley and hid behind one of the more outlying hay-bale stacks. He could just make out every few words from the one addressing the crowd. "-The ritual grounds have been prepared, all the rest is up to you.” Chief Thunderhooves told the crowd. "Good," Sherif Silverstar stepped up to the mob, "Alright everypony, you know what to do. Have your materials prepared and hidden, we need this to be perfect. Any questions?" From the distance where he sat, Bastion could not make out any of the crowds questions as the shouted over each-other, but when one was called upon the others quieted enough for him to hear some of it. "Braeburn won't even..." mumbling covered the questioner's voice, "...burn is the center of this whole plan then why..." someone asked. "Because Braeburn might overthink it if given too much time. We need him to be ready to commit when the time comes..." Oh Celestia Dasher was right! Bastion didn't need to hear any more. There was a town wide conspiracy involving some of the none too friendly buzzwords of dark magic, and to top it off it was apparent that Braeburn was going to play an important role- The princess! "Where are they?" Twilight wasn't particularly hungry, but she was beginning to worry about being late for dinner. "Princess, we're sorry for being late. We fell asleep after-" "It's not a problem girls. It's not you I'm worried about." she said looking to the guards rooms. "Princess?" "It's nothing." she said shaking away the thoughts "Anyway are you all hungry? You're in for a treat tonight! Apple family cooking rivals even the royal chefs!" "Well I'm sure glad you think so!" Braeburn said as he came through the doors to the makeshift royal estate. "Mam Golden and Pap Fritter spent all day making it." "I can't wait to try some of their cooking. I've heard their praises sung by Applejack back in Ponyville." "We'll I don't know how well we can compare to..." As the acquaintances made small talk, the maids huddled to make sure of their plan. "Ok, so we're all ready?" brush asked. "Um... What am I supposed to do again?" Breeze asked apologetically. "You're going to be the one that bumps into me when I'm carrying the... Whatever it is we can find to spill on the princess." "...and why do we have to spill something on the princes again?" "How else will we get her wet? The princess is a looks-good-in-the-rain kind of mare, how could Braeburn possibly resist telling her how he feels after seeing her wet-maned?" "Ok... I guess..." "Ok! Good! And remember, we have to get them alone together!" "That's all very troubling..." Captain Blue Blazer thought a moment, "And you say you confirmed this?" he looked from Dasher to Bastion as Stonehoof listened on. "Yes sir. I believe the whole town is in on it." Bastion affirmed. "Then we cannot let the princess out of our sight, and under no circumstances let the princess be alone with anypony!" "Oh, here they come." Twilight noted as the door to Blue Blazer's room opened and the four stallions came out. "Let's get moving. After hearing about the wonderful meal from Braeburn here I'm starving!" "After you princess." All four guards surreptitiously glared at Braeburn, Braeburn for his part just smiled back. Twilight, ignorant to the exchange, just opened the front door heading to dinner, four mares and five stallions in tow.