//------------------------------// // Stories and Schemes // Story: No Heroes Part IV - The Crystal Empress // by PaulAsaran //------------------------------// Fine’s waking was slow, a gradual easing into awareness. The first thing he noticed was the tickling sensation on his nose, leading him to rub it. As he did he became faintly aware of something small pressed against his chest. It took some time to clear his head to investigate; twice he fell back to sleep. But after a while he was finally awake and aware enough to observe his surroundings, and the first thing he did was look down. To his surprise, he found a small ball of white hair lying next to him on the bed. It was Keen, her tiny, alice blue head just barely peeking out from under her long white tail. For a long time he watched the filly sleep, her heavy breathing just barely visible under the mess of hair. He couldn’t help wondering how she had gotten into the room… or how she even knew about the room. Had Lightning- His mind went blank as a single thought jumped into his mind: he was awake. He lifted his head to glance around the dark room. As his eyes roamed the space he was able to assure himself that yes, he was most certainly awake. Keen shifted from under his leg, which he had absentmindedly rested on top of her in his sleep. He glanced down and saw that she was slowly waking up, her lips parting in a long, quiet yawn. She blinked her sleepy eyes and glanced up at him with a mall frown. Not sure what to do, he finally smiled. “And how did you get in here?” At the sound of his voice her eyes went wide. “You’re awake?” He nodded, and now his smile was genuine. She stood up slowly, his leg falling off her back lazily as she stepped up to look closely at his face with a worried expression. “You’re better now?” He glanced around, as if to find something to disprove his situation. His mind was so incredibly clear; it was as if he’d spent all his life looking through a fog and never knowing it. He turned to smile at her once more. “Yes, Little Bolt, I think I’ll be just fine.” She let out a happy shout that surprised him – it was so unlike anything she’d done before! – and wrapped her hooves around his neck. “I thought you’d never wake up,” she whispered in his ear. “We were so scared…” He sat up, holding her to his shoulder tenderly. She was quietly crying, and he patted her on the back for reassurance. “Hey, it’s okay, kid. Your Uncle Fine’s right here.” His stomach let out a long growl. “And very hungry.” She giggled as he set her down on the bed. He leaned forward to drop to the floor and felt something shift around his neck. It was a necklace. A tiny golden chain decorated by an old, worn amber maple leaf. He sat on the floor and stared at it, eyes closely following the minute, faded details of the leaf’s surface. Something was welling up inside him… pride? Yes, pride and pleasure. He noticed Keen, standing at the bed’s edge and studying the necklace curiously. He tried to speak and failed, so he swallowed the lump in his throat and tried again. “H-how… why is this here?” Keen noted his expression and smiled nervously. “I dunno. Tavi thinks the Moon Princess gave it to you.” Luna. Of course, how could it have been anypony else? He clutched the necklace close for a moment, silently thanking her for coming to his rescue with this precious heirloom. She had to have borrowed it from his father, there was no other explanation. He would visit the old stallion at the first opportunity, for this was a gift that he could never repay. “Uncle Fine?” Keen tapped him on the shoulder, a worried frown on her face at the sight of his fresh tears. “I’m okay, Keen,” he whispered, letting the necklace drop to his chest and nuzzling her tenderly. “Your Uncle Fine has never been better.” He turned so his back was beside her. “Come on, I need something to eat.” She climbed onto his back, and he made for the door. “Keen, do you know how long I was asleep?” “Three days.” Well, that wasn’t so bad as he’d feared. “No wonder I’m so hungry.” He gave her a goofy grin, and she giggled. As they began to climb down the dark stairwell he asked, “How did you get here?” “Tavi brought me,” Keen answered happily. “Mom was busy, but Tavi and me were worried.” “Well I’m glad you came,” he assured her as he opened the hidden door and passed into the less secretive portion of the house. “Thanks, Keen. You’re a good girl, you know that?” She only beamed in response. “So where’s Octavia and your Mom?” “Dunno,” she admitted, resting on her belly comfortably. “Maybe they wanna eat, too.” Just as Keen had supposed, upon reaching the kitchen they found Lightning and Octavia. Octavia was sitting at the table, her cheek pressed against a hoof as she stared down sullenly at a salad before her. Lightning was sitting across from her, staring at the wall with a grim frown and brooding eyes. And then, to Fine’s surprise, there was Spike. His back was to Fine, but he was clearly eating something. None of them spoke, or noticed Fine’s and Keen’s arrival. “Well,” Fine told Keen, “looks like I’ve got all sorts of visitors.” “Fine!” Lightning cried, turning to him so quickly she almost fell out of her seat. “You’re awake!” Octavia shouted, rushing over to give him a hug he happily returned. “It’s about time,” Lightning snapped. Spike, who had fallen onto his back at their combined outburst, looked up at Fine and tried to feign indifference. “Great, he’s up. Now what?” “Nice to see you, too,” Fine told him with a smirk. He glanced at Octavia as she stepped away; she was so happy she appeared on the verge of tears. “I’m okay now. I’m more okay than I’ve ever been. Excuse me.” He walked past her and made for the fridge. “Have you guys been watching over me all this time?” Lightning blushed and glanced away as he opened the fridge and pulled out the ingredients for a salad, hardly noticing that they were starting to age. “Ah, don’t make a big deal out of it,” she told him in a blatantly dismissive tone, “it was mostly Keen and Octavia.” He shot her a grin. “Well I appreciate it, anyway.” He set the ingredients on the table and began mixing everything directly with the lettuce. He glanced at Spike. “What about you?” Spike sat back up, a big tub of ice cream between his legs. “I just came ‘cause I want to help Twilight and the others,” he explained with a sour expression. “It’s not like I’m here for you, ya thief.” Fine laughed, took a big bite of his not-quite mixed salad… and paused. He chewed for several seconds, staring at Spike with his brow furrowed. When at last he swallowed he asked, “What do you mean, help Twilight and the others?” The room went silent. He cast a long, slow look around, giving each of them a hard stare. Finally, Lightning said, “It’s a long story, but we’re in a lot of trouble.” “What kind of trouble?” He took another bite of salad, unable to ignore his hunger. “The kind that benchwarmers like us can’t handle,” Lightning answered with a dark expression. “You don’t know that,” Spike shot at her. “Twilight wouldn’t have quit!” “Twilight works for Silma now, Spike,” Octavia noted with a dejected sigh. Fine’s ears perked up, eyes growing sharp. “Did you say Silma?” His guests all shared startled looks. “You know her?” Spike asked. “It wouldn’t happen to be Silma Ril, would it?” They all nodded in unison. “I know of her. She’s supposed to be dead.” “We’ll she’s very much alive,” Lightning grumbled, “and she’s set to claim Equestria as her own. Face it, guys, we’re screwed.” Fine could see the despair on their faces. He looked to Keen on his back, and she bowed her head in a sad, worried gesture. He pulled his salad bowl close as he said, “Tell me everything. Don’t leave anything out.” So they did. He sat there eating his salad and listened as they told of how the giant monster, now known as Riptide, had arrived. That, at least, he remembered. Then they went on to describe how Luna had come to guide them all against Silma and Mane Archon, and of how they arrived at the castle to find Celestia already enslaved to Silma’s will. Spike actually choked up when Octavia related the capture of Luna and the Element Bearers. He asked no questions. He only listened and thought on the situation, which did indeed look grim. He finished his salad and had another before the story was over. When at last everything had been told, he started his questioning. “So Upper Crust?” “She said she was going to go to the Crystal Empire after getting her husband,” Octavia answered, her eyes low. “Jimmy and Nye are probably enslaved to Silma by now,” Lightning added bitterly. Fine considered this for several long seconds. Everything had gone to hell since he’d fallen asleep. The idea of Luna being controlled by Silma, of having her very mind twisted into blind obedience, sickened him. The thought filled him with a deep, burning hatred… but he kept his temper in check. He was her closest ally, the ever-present shadow of her intentions. If he couldn’t do something about this, nopony else would. Fine realized that he wasn’t afraid. His mind was clear, his thoughts unclouded. He was angry, he was worried, but he was not afraid. Perhaps it was how he’d just emerged from a convoluted dream that helped him overcome his fears and self-doubts. Whatever the case, he wasn’t thinking about if they could save Equestria; he was thinking of the next step. His mind kicked into gear. “Come with me. All of you. “What did Luna tell you about Silma Ril?” he asked as he lead them through the house. “Not much,” Lightning admitted. “Only that she was an old threat,” Octavia acknowledged. “What do you know about her?” “Did she have some gemstones?” he pressed. “There would have been three.” “What?” Lightning asked. “Umm… she had two, right?” “I remember seeing two,” Octavia agreed. “Then she’s not finished,” he noted firmly, more to himself than to them. “I read about her shortly after becoming Mane Archon. As far as I know there’s only one book in the world detailing her existence; all other evidence of her life was destroyed by her former subjects, a sign of their undying hatred. Fortunately that one book happens to be in my portion of the archives.” “Archives?” Lightning asked, “What archives?” Fine reached a section of a hallway, and his horn began to glow. Objects could be heard sliding around in the walls, and after a couple seconds there was a loud clicking sound. The floor just ahead of him shifted and dropped down to reveal a hidden staircase. “The archives of the Dark Archons.” “The Dark Archons?” Spike asked as he and the others descended the stairs. “Come on, Fine, we’re talking serious threats to Equestria and you’re going on about the…” His voice died when lights came on to reveal a vast room with artifacts, filled bookshelves and rows upon rows of filing cabinets. “…holy cow.” Fine set Keen on the floor with his magic before moving on, his eyes roaming as he walked on. “Silma Ril was the Empress of the world. Her realm stretched beyond the known world today. She was also Celestia’s and Luna’s teacher.” “She’s that old?” Lightning asked in alarm. “So where’s she been all these centuries?” Spike asked. “Dead, or so I read.” Fine was reading the titles of various books one at a time, dismissing each one with a solemn glower. “She was originally a benevolent ruler, but then she found the stones and things went wrong. After she made the Elements of Harmony-“ “She what?!” That came from Spike. “-everything went to hell. Celestia and Luna rose up together, along with the Unknown Princess, and killed her.” “Did she really create the Elements of Harmony?” Spike asked with awe in his voice. “Yes.” Fine moved on to another bookshelf. “The spell was supposed to be used to defend her empire against evil. Damn it, where’s that book?” “Waitaminute,” Lightning called, sitting amongst the mass of armors, weapons, books and trinkets, “I’m confused. What are these stones? Why did Silma go bad?” “Was it the Stones that caused the problem?” Octavia added. “The stones: The Life of Earth, The Light of Day and the Shades of Night,” Fine explained, abandoning his current bookshelf to rummage through a big chest. “Nopony knows who made them or how, but they were ridiculously powerful magical artifacts. Silma got her hooves on them, but didn’t understand the danger. Each stone is magically opposed to the other, like magnets that don’t want to come together. Individually they grant great power and are harmless, but when they come in close proximity their opposed magics interact chaotically, screwing with the minds of anypony caught in the crossfire.And Heaven-help everypony if they were to actually touch; according to the theories, the resulting destruction would be apocalyptic.” “So it was the stones,” Lightning declared, pounding her hooves together. “No,” Fine corrected. He left the chest with a snarl and went to scour another bookshelf. “You know, if you told us what you were looking for…“ Spike ventured. “Huge red tome,” Fine instructed without looking at them. “’The Rise and Fall of an Empire’. Be very careful! The book’s so old it might fall apart at the slightest touch. If you find it, let me know and I’ll use magic to handle it.” They all began to search. Octavia asked, “You were on the stones?” Fine moved to another bookshelf. “If I remember the book correctly, the stones’ negative impact on the mind is a very slow process, requiring centuries. They only started Silma’s downward spiral. It was the Elements that threw her over the edge.” “But the Elements of Harmony are supposed to be a great power for good,” Spike pointed out. “Honesty, Kindness, Generosity, Laughter, Loyalty and Magic,” Fine answered. “Silma didn’t understand what she was doing; the Stones were ruining her common sense. She sacrificed the six elements within herself to create the spell, and in so doing lost them all.” “What?!” Octavia paused in her search to give Fine a shocked look. “You mean she gave up all those emotions within herself?” “Thus began the end of her Empire,” Fine continued. “She became a tyrant, devoted to bringing about a terrible world of perfect order where all chaos was wiped away. It also helps to explain why the Elements failed to defeat her; they are literally part of her being.” “But that doesn’t make sense,” Lightning shouted from across the vast room. “If she sacrificed her magic, how could she defend herself and stay in power?” “She didn’t sacrifice all of her magic,” Fine corrected as he searched an antique set of drawers. “What she had left made her more than a match for, say, Celestia. And she still had the three stones, which amplified her powers beyond anything we can imagine.” “Okay, so she died,” Lightning said. “How the heck did she come back?” “I have no idea.” "And where have the stones been all these centuries?" Lightning pressed. "Luna and Celestia decided they were too dangerous, so they chose to get rid of them. The stones couldn't be damaged by normal methods, and since the stones' power was theorized to be limitless, combining them could result in cataclysmic destruction. In the end each princess hid one of the stones, none of them telling the others were they hid them." "Looks like they didn't do a good job," Lightning noted sourly. "Silma found at least two." Octavia turned to him, eyes shining with hope. “Fine… do you actually think we can stop her?” “Found it!” “Don’t touch it!” Fine spun about to see Spike standing next to a tall bookshelf, pointing to one of the mid-level shelves. He ran around all the objects and used his magic to very slowly lift the ancient book from its place, dust drifting off of it in small waves. He let it drop gently atop an old desk nearby and very carefully opened it to its table of contents. “I don’t know if we can stop Silma Ril, but it’s our job to look for a way. That starts with undoing the damage and freeing our friends.” Lightning appeared at his side, Keen standing between her legs. “But how? It looks like the same kinda magic Sombra used in the Crystal Empire, and those ponies are still in mental hospitals with no sign of improvement.” “That was before,” Fine told her, eyes roaming the list of contents. “Now that I know Silma’s behind everything – and I guarantee you she helped Sombra – we can do something about it. I recall somewhere in here that Silma used the same kind of magic to try and put down rebellions.” “How does that help us?” Spike asked, climbing on top of the desk to stare down at the book with a questioning frown. “Ah-hah.” Fine concentrated on the page number, gently turning the book with his magic to get to the page in a single motion. He flipped gradually through one or two pages before finding what he was looking for, and a big grin came upon his face. Octavia, standing at his side opposite Lightning, studied the page for a moment. Her eyes went wide. “Fine… is that what I think it is?” “Yes,” he confirmed triumphantly, “it’s an antidote.” He concentrated on the page, closing his eyes and focusing intently on a spell he’d not used since his days as a field agent. It took nearly a minute, but at last a page appeared seemingly out of thin air, a perfect copy that floated gently into his hooves. “Whoa, where’d you learn to do that?” Spike asked. “Tricks of the trade,” he answered, slowly closing the book. “Alright, we got what we came for. On to the next step!” He led them out of the archives, the secret staircase closing behind them with a soft murmuring of gears. Once it was closed all the way he turned to Spike. “You know how to get to Zecora’s from here, right?” “Sure I do.” Fine offered Spike the sheet of paper, and he took it carefully. “I want you to take this to her. She’s the only pony around with advanced potion knowledge. Tell her everything. We’re gonna need lots of potions, make it a dozen. If she needs more ingredients I should have them.” Spike snapped to attention. “Got it! But… if you’re not a potionmaker, why would you have the ingredients?” Fine answered with a resolute tone. “In my business it pays to be ready for anything. Oh, and take Keen with you.” “What?!” Lightning cried, her wing moving over the filly protectively. “You can’t send her into the Everfree Forest without asking me, first!” “I want her to feel helpful,” Fine said, winking down at Keen as she peered through Lightning’s feathers. “She’ll feel bored if she stays here.” “But it’s dangerous out there!” “Spike can watch after her,” he countered, casting a smile at the dragon. “Right, Spike?” Spike glanced worriedly at Lightning, who was shooting Fine a sinister look. “Well, yeah, I guess. But why do you want Keen to come with me? Wouldn’t she be safer-” “Look,” Fine interrupted patiently, “I’m about to discuss some things with Lightning and Octavia that are a bit mature for a filly her age. Besides, Zecora can look after her while we go do our hero thing.” Lightning considered him, eyes untrusting as she chewed her lip in thought. After a while she turned to Spike, who quailed under her gaze. “I think Fine knows what he’s doing, Spike. But you better watch my Little Bolt, you hear me?” Spike saluted, fear in his eyes. “Yeah, I got it! Don’t you worry, I’ll guard her with my life!” Lightning seemed to accept this, though her eyes betrayed her worry. She stepped back so that Keen was standing before her and knelt down to nuzzle the filly. “Okay, Keen, you’re gonna go with Spike and spend some time at Zecoras. You cool with that?” Keen frowned, clearly troubled by Lightning’s manner. But she nodded, and said, “I’ll go. I like Miss Zecora. I like how she talks.” After a hesitant moment she added, “Everything’s okay, right Mom?” Lightning pulled her child close for a tight hug. “Everything’s gonna be just right, Little Bolt. I promise.” She let go and sat up to press a hoof against her eye, a soft smile on her lips. “Pinkie promise. “Okay,” Lightning said once Spike and Keen were gone, “what’s this thing you need to talk to us about?” He pointed a hoof upstairs. “First, we go to my office, and I talk a little about Mane Archon.” “You mean you know of him, too?” Octavia asked as he led them to some stairs. “Let me guess,” Lightning grumbled, “you’re gonna say he’s part of the Dark Archons, huh?” “Part of it?” Fine asked, “He founded us.” Lightning let out a disgusted sound, and Octavia groaned. He cast a glance back at them. “You still don’t believe anything I say about the Archons, huh? What about the archives you just saw?” “You work for Luna and your clearly rich,” Lightning told him. “Considering the introverted egg-head you are, I’m betting you’ve just been collecting all that crap to satisfy some weirdo habit of yours.” Fine rolled his eyes. Octavia actually giggle despite the seriousness of their situation. “Alright,” he said, stopping in the middle of a hallway, “if you won’t believe that, perhaps you’ll believe this.” He turned to the wall, horn glowing dimly. The familiar sounds of objects shifting and clicking reached their ears, and after a few seconds a hidden door swished open. Fine’s office was covered in scrolls and letters, which had piled so high on his desk they’d fallen to the floor in heaps. Even as they stared more letters were poofing into existence in the air above the usual spots. “Well,” Fine remarked, “glad to see the organization didn’t collapse without me.” “What is all this?” Octavia asked, peering around the corner as Fine stepped gingerly into the room. He cleared some space on the desk and set his book down before sifting through some of the letter and scrolls. “This is what happens when the leader of the Archons takes a three-day nap. Here,” he found an interesting letter and tossed it to her. Octavia read the letter curiously, then her eyes went wide. “F-Fine, why are ponies writing to you about killing somepony?” “What? Let me see that.” Lightning snatched the letter from her and read it. “Oh please, it’s a joke or something.” “Aw crap,” Fine shouted, eyes going over a letter. “They finally found the Butcher of Biscneigh and I’m asleep?! We’ve been trying to off that bastard since Hoofknife was still running the organization!” Lightning and Octavia read a few letters and scrolls at random, both of them very silent. After a while Octavia turned to him, eyes wide. “By Luna’s mane, you were serious?” Lightning fell to her haunches as she read the first page of a large manuscript. “Fine… this is a report on changeling hunts in orphanages all over Equestria.” He used his magic to grab the manuscript and take a closer look. “Oh good, I’ve been waiting a week for that one. It’s not like Ammo to be late.” “You mean the Archons exist?” Lightning asked, her tone making her disbelief clear. “And you’re the leader?” Octavia added in a similar manner. “The title,” he corrected as he set the manuscript in a place of prominence on the desk, “is the Mane Archon.” They gave one another alarmed looks. “You mean like-“ Lightning started. “Yes,” he interrupted, “just like the Mane Archon you fought. The title is a tribute to our founder.” Octavia glanced at Lightning anxiously, then back at Fine. “Suddenly you make a lot more sense.” “But… but…” Lightning rubbed her head as if it were hurting. “But why didn’t you just tell us that in the first place? Instead of lying all the time?” Octavia gave her a doubting look. “Would you have believed him if he had?” “Well… no, I guess not.” “The lies were all designed to keep you from guessing the truth,” Fine announced as he waded through piles of paper to get to his seat behind the desk. “The Archons aren’t supposed to exist in the public eye. Everything we do revolves around complete secrecy. We don’t want ponies to believe in us.” Once again, Lightning and Octavia shared confused looks. Octavia came forward, shoving papers aside as she did to stand opposite him. “So… why are you telling us about this now?” “Because the faster we strike, the better our chances of stopping Silma Ril and Mane Archon,” he answered. “I need your help, ladies. I think Archon secrecy can be set aside in favor of rescuing Equestria.” “Hold on,” Lightning said, waving a hoof at him in frustration. “I still wanna know who this Mane Archon guy is! You said you’d tell us.” “Lightning, I think-“ Octavia began. “No,” Fine said, “she’s right. You need to know what we’re dealing with.” He finally managed to clear his chair of letters and scrolls. Sitting, he turned to them with a solemn frown. “Mane Archon lived 700 years ago. Back then Celestia was struggling to unite Equestria, but there was a lot of division. At that time Equestria wasn’t as you know it now; it was smaller, and still trying to promote its messages of peace and unity to its neighbors. Celestia was a capable leader, of course, but she was working against incredible odds. “Enter Mane Archon. Archon founded the Dark Archons in order to protect his local community against brigands. He was a masterful leader, and expanded the secretive order to cover much of Equestria. By that time the organization’s public purpose was to protect Equestria against both domestic and foreign threats.” “And Celestia approved of such a shady organization operating within her realm?” Octavia asked, a doubting frown on her face. “That doesn’t sound right to me.” “Actually, Celestia hated the Archons,” he told her. “She still does.” “So why put up with them?” Lightning asked. “Why not give them all the boot?” Fine thought about this question for a few minutes, tapping his chin as he considered his answer. “I guess the best answer is to repeat what she told me. She saw how the Archons were taming the darker side of Equestria, and knew that she could never have achieved that goal on her own, not so quickly. She decided that the Archons were a necessary evil to keep the peace, though she kept a close eye on Mane Archon and his people. To do that, she offered to induct them directly into the Equestrian government.” “Whoa, risky move,” Lightning noted. Fine grinned. “You have no idea. Turns out that’s what Archon was after all along. His real goal was to take over control of Equestria, right out from under Celestia’s hooves.” “That seems fairly risky, itself,” Octavia said. “This Archon was either very bold or very arrogant.” “Both,” Fine replied. “But he was also an expert at deception; for all her fretting over Archon’s affairs, Celestia never saw it coming.” “Really?” Lightning asked. “Celestia? Didn’t see it coming? I’m supposed to believe that?” Fine leaned forward to give her a critical look. “She didn’t see him coming this time, did she?” Lightning frowned and said nothing, though her brow furrowed in anger. “I think this is a bit of a different situation, Fine,” Octavia noted. “The point is, Celestia’s not infallible, and this guy’s good,” Fine told them both. “Or at least he was. His grand scheme never came to pass.” “Why not?” Octavia asked. “Because about thirty years after Celestia inducted the Archons into the government, he disappeared in an accident involving some magical experiments. Just vanished into thin air.” Lightning blinked, thought about this with a confused frown and asked, “What do you mean, just vanished? That can happen?” Fine shrugged. “He was trying to develop some new teleportation spell, and poof-“ he clapped his hooves for emphasis – “gone just like that. Nopony’s seen hide or hair of him since, till now. Nopony knew if he was dead or what. He was just gone.” Octavia set a hoof to her chin in thought. “That sounds really farfetched.” “As opposed to Silma coming back from the dead?” Lightning asked. “Good point.” “But what about those weapons he used?” Lightning asked, her attention going back to Fine. “I’ve never seen anything like them!” But to this Fine only shook his head. “I have no idea. I don’t recognize any of them. If we knew where he’d been in the past seven centuries we might have a better understanding, but right now? Not a clue. "At any rate, without his ambition and leadership, the Archons went through a long period of changing states and arrangements until they became the super-secret, publicly-nonexistent entity it is today. The only hint of Archon’s influence comes strictly from my job title, and even that’s only a nod in his direction. He might not even know his organization still exists.” “Great,” Lightning snapped in frustration, “so all we really know about this guy is that he’s dangerous and deceptive.” “I wouldn’t fear him so much,” Octavia noted. “We were able to beat him, after all. I think Silma’s the real threat. Her and that monster, Riptide.” “Hmm, yes,” Fine answered with a solemn frown, “that is a problem. It’s the big mystery.” “I dunno how we’re gonna deal with that thing,” Lightning admitted. “I mean look at it! And not to mention the mere sight of it sends you running like a little filly.” Fine touched the necklace he was still wearing, confidence filling him. “That won’t happen again.” “You sure ‘bout that?” she asked. “’Cause I’m pretty sure every pony in Ponyville could hear you screaming.” Fine shot her a firm look. “I don’t know what that thing is or where it came from,” he snarled, “but I won’t be running again. It took my mother, so I’m gonna take its head.” Lightning and Octavia’s eyes went wide at his vicious tone. “Your mother?” Lightning asked, voice much quieter than before. “Really?” “But…” Octavia ventured, “how are we gonna kill it?” “One thing at a time,” Fine instructed. “Right now we have to figure out the situation in Canterlot, and that starts right here, with you two.” He gestured to the letters just in time for one to poof into existence and fall onto his hoof. “These letters come from my agents. Most of them are minor jobs and communications, I just get them for quality control. Others are directed to me. If they’re doing their jobs, everypony should have stopped to focus on the current crisis.” His teammates looked down at the letters uncertainly. “Okay,” Lightning said, “so what does that have to do with us?” “I’m going to read this book,” Fine declared, gesturing to the massive red tome on the desk. “I want to try and get some sort of understanding of Silma, analyze her. It should take me a few hours. In the meantime, I want you two pouring over letters.” “What?!” Lightning shouted, flying into the air to emphasize her disapproval. “You want us to read when we should be out there fighting?” “We can’t win if we don’t know what we’re up against,” Octavia pointed out, though she sounded hesitant. Fine nodded and shot Lightning a serious scowl. “Lightning, I think by now you should know the dangers of rushing in on something like this. Sit. Read.” She glowered at him, but after a moment’s consideration dropped back to the floor. “Damn it, I hate all this waiting…” “It will be worth it,” he told her. “Trust me.” “So what are we looking for?” Octavia asked, pulling a pile of letters towards her from the desk. “Anything relating to the situation in Canterlot,” he explained. “Anything at all relating to Silma, Archon or Riptide, no matter how unimportant. If you find something talking about them, tell me immediately.” “And then what?” Lightning asked with a dull frown, plopping to the floor amongst the letters and scrolls. “Then we form a plan,” he answered, pulling out some paper and a quill. “I’m gonna write a mass letter to everypony, let them know I’m still around and ask for a sit-rep. Octavia, try to read those as they come in, alright?” They were at it for hours. Fine felt as though the work was going well; he skimmed through much of the book and felt he was getting a decent picture of Silma’s behavior. He wasn’t sure how reliable the book would be, especially when he considered that she might be mad from the effect of the stones, but it was his only source. Lightning was continuously frustrated, the entire exercise proving a true test of her patience. She complained, but she did the job. Octavia, fortunately, took to the task easily and with fervor. A number of things were quickly established. For one, most if not all of his agents in and around Canterlot had escaped Silma’s attempts to control the city and were reporting their individual situations in a timely fashion. He thanked his predecessor from two hundred years ago for the rigorous training regime the agents had to go through now, for without it he doubted things would be going so well. Silma Ril had taken control of the top half of the city, but was still in the process of trying to enslave the population with her magic. The lower half of the city hadn’t been taken over yet, and he was pleased to learn that Upper Crust – of all ponies! – was leading an evacuation. Fine suspected the only thing keeping Silma from launching an all-out attack for complete dominance of Canterlot was her desire to have all the elites and soldiers under her control. If she pulled that off he knew it would be a disaster for the ponies below. They knew Luna was on the moon, searching for the Shades of Night. He realized now that Silma and Archon had to have had a hand in her return from exile, hoping that Luna could get the stone for them. She’d thrown a wrench into their plans, though – he knew about how she’d made herself forget its location. That was fortunate, for otherwise they would have been much farther along in their plans at this point. The first thing that alarmed him was the news that Celestia had left for the Crystal Empire. That was almost two days ago, and he knew it meant Princess Cadance was going to be Silma’s next victim. He hoped Cadance and Shining Armor were putting up a fight; he wanted to be ready and strike before Celestia returned to bolster Silma’s power. And then there was this news of some sort of object being installed on the tallest tower of Canterlot Castle. He suspected it was some sort of weapon, but none of his agents could confirm. It was worrying, to say the least. Zecora arrived near the end of the third hour, flanked by Spike and Keen. She was eager to help but lacked ingredients. She’d already made a few sample potions for experimentation and was convinced she had it right by this point. Fine brought her to his alchemy lab, where she quickly made herself at home and got to work, Keen and Spike assisting in whatever way they could. Satisfied that progress was being made, he returned to his book in the office, Octavia and Lightning still pouring over the letters. Fine was about halfway through his book when Octavia let out a shout that caught his and Lightning’s immediate attention. “Those wonderful, stupid boys!” “What are you talking about?“ Lightning asked. Octavia was grinning from ear to ear, a letter in her hooves. She laughed, but looked like she wanted to cry. After a few seconds of uncertainty she finally just offered the letter to Lightning, who read it swiftly. When she was finished she looked up with a crooked, silly smile. “I don’t believe it.” Fine waved at her with both hooves. “Can somepony please tell me what we’re not believing so I can get in on it?” Lightning tossed the letter to him; he caught it with his magic and brought it up to his nose. Fine, I don’t know if writing this will do any good, but Nye insists I try. He was sent to the moon this morning, along with Princess Luna and a small army of ponies. They’re out to find some kind of stone, though I have no idea why. There’s no telling when or if they’ll find it, but Nye has to come back once every twelve hours to report directly to Silma. Why he has to do it and not Luna, I don’t know, but the point is Luna’s not in Canterlot. Meanwhile, Celestia’s been sent to the Crystal Empire. She’s supposed to kidnap Princess Cadance and bring her back to Canterlot to be enslaved like the rest of them. She left last night. Silma’s devoting all her attention to enslaving all the soldiers and elite ponies in one massive spell. I overheard her say it would take around a week, so you’ve got another five or six days before Canterlot’s completely under her control. Archon’s having me build some sort of superweapon atop Canterlot Castle. According to the blueprints he provided it’s something called a Tau Cannon. It’s got technology like I’ve never seen before, so it’s taking a lot of time to build. I’d try sabotaging it, but Archon’s watching the entire process like a hawk. Fine, my brother believes that you’ll find a solution to this situation. I’ve got no choice but to believe in you, as well. If you read this in time, act now! Celestia and Luna are gone. Archon and Silma are both distracted. If you’ve got a plan, hit them while you have the chance! I don’t know how long we can keep up this charade. Jimmy “They’re actually spying on Silma and Archon,” Lightning declared with glee. “Can you believe that?” Octavia shook her head. “I wouldn’t if I hadn’t read the letter myself. How in Equestria did they ever convince Silma to let them keep their free will?” “I donno,” Lightning confessed, “but I’m impressed. I didn’t think they-“ “Please, be quiet!” Fine was staring at the letter, mind running wild with scenarios and possibilities. What did this mean, how could he use it, what would the twins likely do I this situation? It was the old analytical tik-tok of his brain, back and working like never before. He was so excited he was actually short of breath! “Everything stops,” he ordered, dropping letter and turning his gaze upon the letters that still covered much of the room. “Forget everything else! We need to find every letter Jimmy and Nye sent us!” Octavia started immediately, but Lightning was giving him an uncertain frown. “What are you thinking?” she asked. He barely heard her, his mind still running frantic. But a plan was forming. A risky, dangerous plan, but a plan nonetheless. “Nye’s on the moon,” he noted solemnly, more to himself than to her. “That means they haven’t found the Shades of Night yet. That’s the key. If we can get that stone, we can do this. I need… I need…” He shuffled through the letters to find a blank piece of paper and immediately began scribbling a note. Octavia lifted her head from the letters she was going through to give Fine a hopeful smile. “You’ve got a plan, don’t you?” He folded the letter and concentrating on a certain face, dropped it into his teleportation potion. “I’ve got a plan,” he acknowledged with a proud grin. “It’s dangerous, it’s risky, and the start of it rests completely on the shoulders of Nye. “But I’ve got a plan.” Jimmy stepped back from the weapon. It wasn’t as big as he’d expected, but its unusual shape made a mount absolutely necessary. It wasn’t quite finished… but almost. His emotions were mixed; on the one hoof, it was a marvel of engineering that made him proud; on the other, what it was going to be used for made him sick to his stomach. Archon walked past him to study the newly-installed parts with a critical eye. Jimmy wasn’t nervous; he’d followed the blueprints to the letter. If there were any flaws, it would be from the work of the smiths who made the parts in the first place. He was confident that the work so far would meet inspection. Archon continued to study the deice for nearly a minute, but at last he turned to Jimmy and nodded. “Fine work. Looks like you’re an engineer, after all.” “Thanks.” Jimmy forced a smile to his lips, even thought all he wanted to do was buck the bastard in the face. “Come on,” Archon ordered, climbing down the steps and gesturing for Jimmy to take the lead. “You’ve done enough for one day.” His horn flashed, and a semi-transparent wall of energy arose around the weapon, protecting it from potential saboteurs. “I enjoyed the work,” Jimmy confessed, for that part at least was true. “Where in Equestria did you find that thing?” “Stole it from a group called Black Mesa,” Archon answered as if he were discussing laundry. “Never heard of them. Are they a foreign firm?” Archon grinned. “You could say that.” His tone changed to something more businesslike. “You’ve been doing good work so far. I had my doubts about you, but keep this up and I might give you a more permanent position in my government.” “I appreciate that,” Jimmy said, but then shot an annoyed look at his ‘boss.’ “I wish you’d stop hovering over me all the time. I feel like I’m back to being my old stallion’s apprentice.” “I don’t trust you quite yet,” Archon admitted. Jimmy watched as he locked the gate leading to the stairs. “Can I ask you something?” “You can ask,” Archon said, “but I might not answer.” Jimmy followed him down the tower stairs once more. “Between you and Silma, how’s the power going to be shared?” “Why do you care?” “Just trying to get a clear picture of the future,” Jimmy replied in as honest a manner he could. “If I’m going to do well in the new Equestria, I need to know what’s going to happen.” “A prepared pony. I like that.” Archon wasn’t smiling. “I will control Canterlot and the surrounding provinces. Silma Ril will take over the Crystal Empire, which was hers to begin with, and the majority of Equestria.” “Two nations?” Jimmy asked, genuinely surprised. “I thought you were going to rule together.” Archon paused by a window and gestured to the sleeping form of Riptide in the distance. “Silma and me? We can’t stand one another. But it takes both of us to keep that thing under control, so we have to put up with each other.” “Ah. So this way you two stay out of one another’s manes?” “That’s the general idea,” Archon replied. A shadow passed over them, and they glanced up to find a pegasus circling to land on a balcony a floor down. It was Fluttershy. The two left the window to meet her at the stairs. “Hello Jimmy,” she called to him with a beaming smile. It required all his will to smile back at the sight of those red eyes. She turned to Archon. “My Lord. I was hoping to see the weapon.” “It’s not ready yet,” Archon told her with an official air and head raised. “You can’t work with it.” “Oh.” She lowered her head a little and pouted. “I want to use it. All my friends have jobs to do, I feel left out.” Jimmy swallowed the lump in his throat and forced himself to pat her on the back. “Don’t worry, Fluttershy, I think we’ll have it up and running tomorrow. Right, Lord?” Archon nodded, his face as stern as ever. “Most likely.” “See? Don’t worry, Silma can’t expect you to use the weapon if it’s not ready yet.” “I know,” she mumbled. “I just want an opportunity to prove myself.” “You’ll get your chance,” Archon said as he passed her to head down the stairs. “Don’t worry; at some point soon there’s going to be an attack on this castle, you can count on it. Silma and I don’t expect the world to just sit back and watch.” Jimmy watched him go with a bitter frown, then turned his attention to the depressed Fluttershy. It was so odd. She looked like herself, talked and thought like herself. Yet she so clearly wasn’t Fluttershy, who would never have been so eager to use a weapon clearly designed for mass murder. They were all like this now. Every single one of the Element Bearers; they behaved as if they were still their normal selves, but weren’t. If it weren’t for the red eyes he’d have never known they were working for Silma. She bit her lip and looked up at him. “Have you heard anything about Fine?” He blinked. “You’re worried about Fine?” “Of course I am!” She turned to him with a frown. “We left him all alone, and I feel terrible about it. If our Empress didn’t require I stay here, I’d be at his side right now.” He studied her for a moment, a strange sadness filling him. “You really care about him, don’t you?” She sighed and bowed her head once more. “I just feel responsible…” So, her concerns for their former leader had survived the brainwashing. It hurt to think that Fine might be willing to fight her despite everything. He struck Jimmy as the kind of stallion who’d do that. But even if she was the enemy now, he couldn’t ignore that pouting face. He set a hoof under her chin and made her look him in the eye. “Fine’s a tough guy. He’ll pull through, you’ll see.” She smiled weakly and nodded. “I guess I’ll just have to believe in him.” She turned to start downstairs. “I’m supposed to talk to Twilight about something tonight, so I better go. Thanks, Jimmy, and good luck with the weapon.” He watched her go, noticing how her head lowered just before she passed beyond his sight. So he hadn’t really helped… well, he wasn’t certain what he could do about it. Right now? Probably nothing. “Jimmy.” His ears perked up at the familiar voice. He glanced around, but found he was alone in the room. “Who’s there?” “It me, Lightning.” “Lightning?” He spun about rapidly, trying to locate the voice. He had a big smile on his face. “Oh, am I glad to hear you! Where the heck are you?” “Right here.” “Where?” Something grabbed him and forced him to face the window. He stared, but there was nothing for him to see. He glanced at his shoulders, where he could still feel something touching him, but all he saw was air. “I don’t…” “A friend of Fine’s cast an invisibility spell on me.” His ears perked up again, his heart jumping into his throat. “Did you say Fine? You mean he’s awake?!” “Oh he’s awake,” her disembodied voice replied with wicked pleasure, “and he’s got a plan.” Jimmy reached forward and felt something just before him, gathering it was Lightning’s chest. He immediately came forward and engulfed her in a hug, ignoring the strange sensation of holding solid air. “You have no idea how happy I am to hear you say that!” “Oh, I’ve got an idea,” she countered, but then pushed him away. “Sorry Jim, but there’s not much time; this spell will wear off in another fifteen minutes or so.” He was still grinning, and had to stop himself from hugging her again. “Alright,” he whispered, giggling. “S-sorry… I’m just… I thought me and Nye were alone. Do you have any idea what’s it’s like to stare in your former friends' eyes and pretend everything’s okay?” He dropped his head back and let out a long, relieved sigh. “The past three days have been hell.” For a moment Lightning said nothing. She was silent so long that he actually started to wonder if he weren’t going crazy and imagining her, but then she touched him on the shoulder. A soft, reassuring touch. “Everything is going to be okay, Jimmy. Your stupid brother was right this time. Fine got over his problems, and he came up with a plan. He sent me here to get the ball rolling.” Jimmy stared in the general direction of the voice, abruptly serious. “I never should have doubted you guys. Alright, what are me and Nye supposed to do?” He could hear Lightning rummaging through something, perhaps a pack. After a few seconds an object appeared seemingly out of thin air; a small wine bottle filled with a red liquid. He took it in his hooves and studied it, feeling a little confused. “I take it this isn’t wine.” “It’s a cure,” Lightning corrected. “It will undo Silma’s mind control.” Jimmy’s eyes lit up. “Really? How’d you find that?!” “No time to explain,” she said, her voice rushed. “Nye comes back from the moon in a few hours. Tell him he needs to get Luna to drink the potion. Tell him that the entire plan rests on us getting the Shades of Night, not Silma.” He wanted to show his disbelief, but there was no face to focus on. So he stared at the bottle, instead. “You want Nye to convince Princess Luna to drink this? You mean the entire plan hinges on him?” “If anypony can do it, it’s Nye,” Lightning assured him. “At least that’s what Fine said. We need the Shades of Night, Jim. Fine’s entire plan revolves around it. Once they have it, Luna can send Fine a notice, and he’ll signal her our location in the city.” Something else appeared; a golden necklace with an amber maple leaf. "Tell Nye to give this to Luna after she's back to normal. Fine said she'd know what it means." Jimmy accepted it, studying the piece of jewelry. It was a rather pretty piece, but what was it for? No matter, he had something else to worry about. “And what am I supposed to do in the meantime?” “Nothing,” she replied, her tone firm. “Trust me, I know waiting’s a pain in the flank, but just keep doing what they want.” “But… but it might take forever for them to find the stone,” he pointed out. “Sorry Jim, I can’t stick around any longer. I can’t risk getting caught. If things change I’ll come back for you, I promise!” “But… but Lightning!” He could hear her hooves on the stone steps. He sat there for several seconds, worry eating at his stomach. After a while he looked down at the potion in his hooves. It looked so… harmless. Was this thing really going to save Luna? He had doubts, but he decided to ignore them. Fine was awake, and if anypony knew how to scheme up a solution it was him. Jimmy would trust in this plan. He had four hours before Nye’s return, so he tucked the bottle under a leg and made for his new room to think on Archon’s weapon and how to sabotage it. Fine had never let them down before. He had to at least try to help out in whatever way he could.