Bebop coughed a little as he tried his best to scale the tower wall.
It was hard.
That is perhaps the wrong word. It wasn't hard as in it was difficult, he was fully capable of scaling the wall with the two inch metal spike horseshoes he used for task such as this.
It was however a long "climb" and his legs were getting tired. He could see the window and a shadow moving along the adjacent wall inside. He could hear the distinct sounds of tearing fabric which made him hesitate. It would be a lot better if he could just wait in that room without any angry guard or adventurous admirer going through the princess's stuff.
He was still having a hard time believing that this princess was the genuine article. She was... Well she was mean and honestly she had the same venomous look in her eyes her pappy did when he got mad, but he really couldn't afford to be doubting this girl. If the dream pony had taught him anything it was to trust in her judgment, so that's what he would do.
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The hauntingly beautiful tune of some magnificent string instrument carried throughout the main hall. An off vanilla coated mare with hair like sapphire sat on her haunches playing the beautiful music. She was fairly young, perhaps barely 19 and she felt the lightning in her veins as she played her strange piano-like violin. The quiet of the crowd was total, all attention was wrapped on the young mare and her talent. As the song came to a close the stomping of the hooves of the guests was almost enough to cause a heart attack. The mare didn't look up once, rather she kept her head bowed until a gentle hoof lifted her chin.
The crowd had parted like a sea for the lord of the castle, and he now looked dotingly upon the mare. not a single pony had finished cheering.
"Soul bending... Simply rapturous."
He turned with a flush of his cloak and looked upon the crowd; With a quick raise of his hoof the crowd slowly brought their applause to a halt.
"Ladies and gentlecolts. This mare is the product of a lonely, gutter in one of the more unfortunate districts beyond or beautiful city. These gatherings often find themselves as a celebration for the affluent and privileged and I feel as though it is all too easy to grow complacent..."
He surveyed the crowd as his free hoof gently ran through the mare's velvet soft mane, admiring the enthralled audience.
"I felt the need to remind us that as we proceed into the future we mustn’t forget these most beautiful of arts, only remembered by the less fortunate... This mare was brought to my attention during a visit to my old home in the slums of Manehattan. I was told that her home, her... Tenement... Was to be demolished due to our ongoing push towards a better tomorrow. It never occurred to me that what we may have been losing in those slums as we uplifted them... Ladies, gentlecolts... Guests. I know you will agree with me when I say we must not let this kind of talent die. That is why I swear, I will do everything in my power to preserve the areas where these special talents develop in our ever stretching shadow..."
The crowd stomped lightly before the shadow king put a quick halt to it, as he wasn't finished. he looked to the young mare, face softer than a dove wrapped in moonlight.
"My dear, what is your name?"
The mare sighed lightly as a pink blush crossed her cheeks. She went to open her mouth, but thought better of it and crooked her head sideways as if her shyness shamed her. Her wings unfolded timidly from her dress and began to form glyphs of sorts. The crowd watched in quiet confusion before a well-dressed pegasus stallion emerged from the crowd.
"Uhm... If I may your highness? She is using a form of sign language common to under privileged children I have tutored in the past... She says-ahem-"
"M'lord, my name is Harmony. I am afraid I can neither speak nor see. I am sorry."
Sombra was stoic as the crowd let out a conjoined sigh of pity. The dark lord simply closed his eyes and bowed his head in appreciation of the mare's words... Of course the mare neglected to mention that these handicaps were brought about by the ruthless magical dumping in and around her home, but she enjoyed hearing too much to be so rude.
"Apology well accepted my dear. I did not know so we shall let it pass... Now back to the festivities!"
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I can't stand hesitation. It is a pet peeve of mine I've never ever out grown. I think it's one of those hereditary things, much like my gift for entropy, or the sick pleasure I get in manipulating ponies to get my way. It's just one of those things I suppose I get from my father, a very decisive stallion if there ever was one.
Which is to say, one must imagine how all these revelations regarding just what I'll be sacrificing when I leave tonight. I mean, it seems foalish but I very much want to stuff the cakes in my luggage and escape with them, or tell them! Or, or... I don't know! The cakes, some of the guards, the ones who are good ponies who happen to desire a better life for their families, my old magic mentor... I just. I don't know. I thought I didn't care about all the luxuries I would be leaving behind.
I won't have a big bed.
I won't have any delicious Cake-made culinary wonders.
And I really can't imagine myself having a very low profile if I don't cut down on my frivolous flirting!
I... I don't even... I mean, I know he's evil. But I think I will miss my father. I toyed with the idea of trying to get ponies to see the real him but honestly, the face he hadn't ever shown me was his true face.
Goddess, I'm facing more questions tonight than I ever felt I'd have to. What am I to him? Am I just.. A-A means to carry on his legacy? Does he just see me as a way to live on? What about Sequest- Equestria? What is that?! I mean... Arrrgh! This is so frustrating! At least I know I have a conscience, I don't think I would be caring so much if I didn't...
The worker's quarters are extremely unsatisfactory. They are dingy, they are dark, and they wreak of waste and shame. I had only been down here a sparing few times in my life for obvious reasons and to this day I cannot imagine what goes on in here. If anything nice could be said about it, it would be that it is very large. Each room is as large as my own, though it seems that several families, if not strangers as well, share these rooms. Fortunately the only ponies here are the sick or crippled. They hear hooves no doubt, I am not making any attempt to quiet my steps but unless the sound of dignity can be carried via hoofstep I do not believe they suspect it is me.
"By Sombra's black heart, it's tha princess!"
Nope. Nope nope nope nope.
An elderly stallion approaches me from his little squalor. He wreaks of sickness and age and I have to fight every instinct to vomit in his disgusting, wrinkled face. I feel a shiver move up my spine as I put on a light smile and give the pony a short bow with my head. I doubt he is able to show me the proper respect and hide his face from my sight until I've given him permission, most likely because he is either senile or stupid.
"I think you have me mistaken, sir. I am not the-"
"Ohhhh nonsense! Ah know that yer tha princess! Too clean to be anypony else! Plus, ya got ya daddy's eyes!"
Oh goddess stop it. Stop it, stop it, stop it. Talk talking with your raspy voice, stop breathing out of your fat, feeble throat. Just. Stop. Existing.
"Ohh my? Was I that obvious? I am sorry if I woke you, I'll just be going now-"
"Ohh nooo it's fine, it's fiiine! Please stay! Ah haven't got much to do givin mah legs ain't what they used ta be. Top it all off Ah ain't really gots good eyes anymoa."
Stop speaking at me with that horrid drawl you pathetic animal!
" I mean it I really need to go-"
"Oh, well dat's fine den... Well watcha doin'?"
"Fetching something for my father which he would be very displeased if he got later than expected."
The old pony's soggy eyes blinked individually a few times before it seemed the hint reached whatever remained of his brain cells. I was doing something for daddy, so he'd better shut up, and get out of my way.
"Oh oh oh! Of course, yeah, yeah. G-Get allong now. Tell yer pa ya didn't see me alight? Please?"
I didn't gratify him with an answer. I simply took my leave of the waste of space and trudged through the squalor. I can't begin to describe my distaste with the ponies who think they are worth my time when they really aren't worth the air they breathe... It's beyond words really.
When it is up to me, they won't bother anypony for much longer.
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Bebop peered through the window into the princess' quarters. A little red dragon was tearing sheets and tying them together. He chuckled to himself unsure if the princess realized how tall her tallest tower was. He imagined her shimmying down the torn bedding and realizing very soon that she'd need much more but by that point she'd be dangling there and flailing her legs and screaming in anger and calling for her daddy! it would be hilarious if like, some guard was looking up and saw up that pretty slutty dress!
By now his mind had painted the scenario vividly and he was rolling haphazardly on the edge of the outer windowsill laughing somewhat hysterically, prompting the little red dragon to slam his claws on the window and drag them down, making a stomach churning, ear shredding noise as his talons tore at the glass. Bebop responded by bolting upright, his mane becoming spiked from the surprise and his ears flattening to try and stop the horrid sound from entering his head. The dragon glared daggers at the bouncy ninja who smiled a little off kilter. The dragon smirked, as he drummed on the handle of the window. If he opened it, Bebop would have a long fall ahead of him.
"Nononononono! Pleeeease Mr. Dragon guy, I'm not a bad guy, I'm helping out the princess! Please don't, ya know, murder we with a wind-"
Thorn rolled his eyes and pushed the window open. Bebop barely had enough time to grip the swinging window to hang from it. He had never been one who was afraid of heights but he was very afraid of dying.
"No! No! No, no no! I said don't do that! You don't even get it! I am not a fall damage friendly pony!"
"Well maybe you'll think better of spying on people you filthy liar!"
"I'm not a liar!"
Bebop bit his lip a moment and thought about it for a few seconds.
"Well not usually! Definitely not now!"
Thorn scoffed and pulled back on the window and pushed it out once more trying to shake the pony, now clinging to it for dear life, free.
"C'mon dude! Knock it off?!"
"That's what I'm trying to do!"
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Now, I've never exactly been inside my Nanny's room. It had never been a pace I had been allowed to play in.
I can now see why.
The room was barely better than the servant squalor I had just left. It was smaller obviously, it only needed to accommodate a single pony. The bed seemed nicer and I suspect that Mrs. Cake kept the room as clean as possible. But it hadn't helped much. I suspect this room was older than she was and looking at some of the iron fastenings on the walls, this may have been a torture room in years past. There was an off rust color to the walls that made me suspect that my original idea had some validation.
I ran my hoof over the uncomfortable bedding, barely more than a thin layer of hay layered between two sheep skins... She had woken up here only a few hours ago.
The woman who had basically replaced my mother... Lived in a hovel...
I would have to fix that one day.
I wasted no more time loitering, I didn't want to be caught once more. I opened the heavy looking door and hung a right. As I ascended the staircase I could hear Thorn yelling and a high pitched wailing of somepony from beyond my door. My head shook itself as I completely forgotten I had sent Bebop ahead of me, without so much as warning Thorn. I didn't bother opening the door, instead I simply teleported to the other side.
I had to laugh, watching bebop hang from my window while Thorn tried to shake him free. Bebop's hind legs were dangling and flailing as he tried to scamper... Well I suppose through the window. I was surprised he even made it up here but honestly. He hardly seemed capable.
"Mistress! I was just dispatching of this-"
"Ally? Thorn, how ungracious of you."
I lay my hoof on Thorn’s shoulder as he bowed. We had this thing, you know? I would never do this with him if it were just the two of us but we had company. So we liked messing with them.
"Bebop, just... Come in whenever you're ready. I've bags for you to carry."
He gave me a strange look from the window as I went about making sure everything was ready for my departure. I took a breath of air from my room, reveling silently in the fact it was fresh, and didn't wreak of urine or blood. Bebop managed to get in, I heard the window close and I just made the assumption he got in... The lack of a death cry and the sound of my bed giving way to weight more than mine was a telltale sign that Bebop had indeed made it inside rather than falling to his death.
Good for him.
"Bebop... My father knows you're here, and he knows I want to leave..."
I waited for some sort of reaction. Receiving none I just went on with what I had to say.
"I don't know what that means for my plan. I... I know he knew that one day I would want to take the throne from him... But... I don't think he knows how I want to do it... I... I don't know any more Bebop. I can't imagine my original plan will work..."
I fought back the panic, the last thing we needed was me losing my head. I love it when well laid plans come together, mostly because I can't accept failure.
Which was exactly what was about to happen.
"I mean, I think if we-"
"Princess! Calm down!"
I felt Bebop grip my shoulders, he was looking at me with this worried glance and Thorn was staring at me. I was clam though. Wasn't I? Of course I was. I felt my eyes go wide as a bead of sweat was wiped from my face.
Bebop's fur was surprisingly soft. Very absorbent. He also had nice yes and a very tender smile. I think he might have made a good prince... if it weren't for his common upbringing, the lack of any special skills besides climbing that I knew of...
Maybe he was good in bed?
Suddenly I felt a sharp pain spread across my face. I shook my head instinctively, and felt some clarity return to me. I didn't even know things had been blurry.
Thorn spoke up as I looked around, not sure what had happened.
"Princess... You were uhmm... Are you alright? You were talking some nonsense?"
No... I Said...
"I said that all out loud, didn't I?"
The duo nodded and I blushed.
Wonderful.
"Princess, you needa calm down. I mean, I can't imagine why you think I'd come alone."
Bebop seemed to laugh at my mental break down, which only served to make me angry, but what he had said caught my attention.
"You... Didn't come alone?"
The pony scoffed and flung his hoof out with a smile.
"Of course not. I brought a friend. I told her 'panic, if I'm not outta there in half an hour, give me a realllly solid distraction'. So she..."
The stallion's smile drooped into a deadpan of realizaion as I sensed he hadn't kept track of the time. Not only that but the name he said, Panic... It sounded oddly familiar to me.
"What? Who's Panic? How long ago did you tell her-"
Bebop shoved his hoof in my mouth as his eyes went wide. I saw a bead of sweat fall from his brow and he looked to Thorn.
"Get the most important bag. Take it. We need to leave. Like... Heh heh... Right now."
He laughed nervously which made me nervous, the name kept ringing some de-ja-vu in my mind. I had heard it before somewhere... I wracked my brain over and over until the night outside my window lit up and that light was quickly followed by the sound of an explosion and the guard tower furthest from my window erupted into oblivion.
I remembered the name, and bit down on Bebop's hoof as rage welled up in me.
"Panic?! Your backup. Is. Panic?!"
Bebop recoild and shook his hoof as he through his head from one side to the other. He wasn't sure who to more affraid of I'm sure. I felt like tearing his tail off and using it as a garrote to strangle him!
Which, I guess was what Panic would do too from the stories I've heard.
Before either of us could speak another explosion, encrouching on the main hall (and the party) tore through the night, followed by the maniacal laughter of a mare who sounded like she vomitted rainbows. Faintly I could hear in the distance a chanting of sorts, more like hallowed shouting that could just barely reach my window.
"TIME TO PAAAAAAAAANNNNNNN-IIIIIIIIIIIICCCCCCC~!