Chapter 54 - De:Position
Five unicorns.
The cabal.
One stared silently at her. The other four laughed haughtily.
The screaming voices. Pony souls trapped in damaged bodies.
A filly in agonizing pain. Opal Bloom.
The ordeal in Underton rendered Fluttershy restless and unable to sleep for more than a few hours. Calm tea did nothing to help ease her stress, but she was afraid of taking any food, drink, or medicine lest they were poisoned or laced with the drug known as Bliss. She worried about the ponies hospitalized due to Bliss overdose. She worried most about the children, whom Fluttershy saw in them a part of herself. Just like herself, most of them were orphans, but she was fortunate to have been raised by the animals of the forest instead of cold-hearted ponies.
In the day that passed, Applejack had alternated between refining her latent Geosense skills and keeping an eye out for any suspicious ponies that might be their Crystal Rebel cohorts. The latter she spent most of her time on, being that there were no trustworthy instructors, and she did not want to arouse any suspicion by asking any one from the Geosense Corps. Lately, she paced from window to window looking out for Aurea or any signs of her.
Twilight was allowed to set up a "lab" in one corner of the room to test for any traces of Bliss in the meals delivered to them. A small table filled with beakers, flasks, clamps, and test tubes bubbled with seemingly mad science, and so far nothing exploded or melted through the floor. Morsels and drink were subjected the unicorn's scientific gauntlet, and yet no traces of Bliss were found.
At another corner, Spike assisted Pinkie Pie on the best way to consume four crystal pies in the shortest amount of time, and she would have tried eight if Twilight were quicker in checking the food for any poison. Apparently, according to Spike, Pinkie Pie had woken up at the last leg of in the eating contest and attempted to gobble her share in one fell swoop. Alas, she was not used to consuming large amounts of the Empire's specialty desserts in large volumes, and it affected her stomach to the point that Rarity had, in Spike's own words, "Devoured the last bite of crystal berry pie in the most sensual swallow I had ever seen." The stomach-sickened pink earth pony had staggered left and right on the contest platform, knocking over her table and her chair in her wake. She had toppled over and landed face-first into one of Rarity's maidservant's hindquarters, causing a chain reaction that sent the two stuck ponies careening down the street incline and destroying food stalls, one of which included a ketchup stand.
Spike chased after them and found Pinkie Pie alone and incensed at being out-eaten by Rarity. The pony couldn't move from all the food and the vicious stomachache, so Spike tried his best to move her despite the wounds he suffered from Opalescence's claws. He was still recovering from the scratches, which he declared were battle scars for taking care of the most well behaved royal pet of the most beautiful princess that he had ever seen.
Her friends were busy in their way in preparing their confrontation against the cabal, while Fluttershy lay around the room lethargically. Nopony told her to perform any investigations or research. She wouldn't blame them after her failure to retrieve the books from the Secret Library. And she could have done something back at the Rebel Base to help drive off the invading Royal Guards. Yet she couldn't. She was afraid of her Element's powers. She was afraid she wouldn't be able to user her Element.
When she thought about, she really didn't have to leave her home. Twilight and her friends had successfully driven out the invading Gaean army. She could have stayed behind and protect her animal friends, Element or not, and yet she came with her pony friends to the north.
I don't want to be left alone, she thought.
I don't want to be abandoned.
I want more power to protect the Forest.
I want to see Shiny again.
I want to know who I am and where I came from.
Applejack had the Element of Truth. I could ask her to use it to tell me everything, Fluttershy thought, if I get a chance.
"Anything, Applejack?" Twilight suddenly asked.
The orange pony lingered her head out of the window for a while before pushing herself off the sill to walk towards the purple unicorn. "Nothin'," she said. "Either I ain't used to this Geosense or every pony is makin' a lot of noise. I can't see or sense any traces of Aurea or her comrades around the castle."
"Then we'll have to act upon ourselves. Everypony, Spike, let's huddle."
The windows were shuttered, and curtains were draped over the sills. The door was locked, and bedsheets were used to plug its cracks and gaps. Everypony and Spike gathered in the center, and after feeling certain that they would not be eavesdropped let alone seen, Twilight cast a magical spherical barrier that enveloped her and her friends.
"We don't have much air here, but we'll try to be brief," said Twilight. "Fluttershy, are you able to remember what was drawn up on those Castle plans before it was burned up?"
"Well, um, the Crystal Transference Core looks like the Crystal Heart," replied Fluttershy.
"But now they got all that guarded up like some kinda Fort Knox since the Rebel attack," said Applejack. "We can't steal it now."
"And we can't destroy the Castle with everypony inside of it," said Twilight. "And even if we could, we won't have enough power to take it down."
"So that leaves us takin' the King hostage. I ain't gonna be pretty, considerin' we have no idea what kinda magic he possesses and all the guards surroundin' him around the clock."
"Maybe we don't have to threaten the King, because traditionally, the Crystal Empire is essentially a matriarchy since its inception. Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie did witness the King cast some kind of spell on her, and she must have some influence on her subjects. It's all starting to make sense: Lord Umbra has usurped power from the true ruler of the Empire and is deliberately making her ill so she won't be able to perform her duties."
"And what if turns out that the Queen is in on all the conspiracy?"
"Then we'll have to use her as leverage to get information out of Lord Umbra."
"Are you suggesting that we kidnap Rarity's mother-in-law?" Spike asked.
"Afraid so, little guy," said Applejack. "If it means saving the Empire and lettin' us go in the process."
"Aren't you mares sticking your noses in other ponies' business? Besides, we're supposed to be after Elements remember? It seems like your just carrying out the Crystal Rebels' crazed mission."
"You are right," said Twilight. "We are sticking our noses in another country's business, but we're here and we need to find a way out."
"Besides," said Applejack. "There's a lot of evidence pointin' to the Royal Family's involvement."
"Like them replacing all the books in the Secret Library," said Twilight.
"Like Lord Umbra casting a hypnosis spell on the Queen," said Fluttershy.
"Like how Rarity cheated in the eating contest!" Pinkie added.
"I don't think that has anything to do with the conspiracy," said Applejack. "Rares has a Diamond Stomach, that's all."
"Well... I even a thought about a song for her! 'Rarity is an evil Princess, 'cause she kicks you with a punt; she likes to laugh at your face, because she's a big giant cu--'"
"Okay, that's enough," Twilight interrupted. "As catchy as that song is, we must stay focused. So we all agree to kidnapping, er, I mean, rescuing the Crystal Queen?"
"Count me out," said Spike. "I don't want to be involved in causing a coup."
"Spike, I know you like Rarity, but we're not suggesting that she's involved with the conspiracy."
"But you girls have a way of implying it. Let me out of here, Twilight. I'd rather get clawed by Opalescence than hear any more of this."
"Spike..."
"Just let him be, sugarcube," said Applejack.
With that, Twilight created an opening in the barrier for the baby dragon to waddle out of the room. Afterwards, Fluttershy, Twilight, and Applejack glared at an obliviously guilty Pinkie Pie.
"What?" Pinkie asked. "That song was much tamer than the one I had for the King."
They couldn't go through the secret passages anymore, because they, or rather Fluttershy feared that the scuttling terror was still prowling the narrow passageways. The pegasus pulled up to the rear as her three braver friends marched up the sparkling stairs of the main hallways towards the royal chambers. The unicorn maidservant North Star passed by, and she nervously avoided Pinkie's gaze even as the pink earth pony waved at her.
"We're here," said Applejack. The large doors to the royal bedchambers was decorated with six imitation crystal, gold hinges, and gold handles. Guarding each side were two unicorn stallion guards in darker armor who were obviously not pleased to see three fuming mares before them.
"In the name of the Royal Family," said one of them, "nopony is permitted to enter the Royal Bedchambers."
"Look fellas," said Applejack, "we wanna see the Queen, and we wanna see her now. If you're not allowin' us, then I'd advise y'all to step aside if you know what's good for you."
With twitched eyebrows, the two guards immediately took her words as a threat, and charged up their horns for their magical defense. Twilight, however, was quicker, and two quick draw shots from her horn landed them unharmed but unconscious. Applejack bucked the doors open and she and her friends arrived in to the antechamber hallway that separated the rooms of the king, queen, and the two princesses. It did not take long to find the one where the queen resided, because of all of the doors the largest and most grandiose was locked. A hard buck from Applejack's leg did nothing to budge it. It was magically locked.
Before Twilight could fire a spell, a dark purple plume of smoke manifested before the door to the Queen's bedchambers. Emerging in form was the dark-maned Lord Umbra, obviously bothered by the forced entry. He thundered his steps towards the mares, but composed his anger to retain his royal composure and his dutiful respect to the Esteemed Guests. If he didn't, the four crystal earth guards behind Fluttershy and her friends would have attempted to skewer the mares with their shoulder-mounted spears.
"I sincerely hope that there is a good reason for disabling my unicorn guards and bursting into the royal antechamber unannounced," said Umbra. "Explain yourselves."
Fluttershy witnessed several tense seconds pass with her friends saying nothing. They could lie, or perhaps Fluttershy could finally find the strength to speak up and reveal to the King the atrocities being committed in this seemingly idyllic Empire. But her three friends beat her to the punch, and they stepped forward with unwavering determination.
"Give it up, Lord Umbra," said Twilight. "We know what you're doing to your kingdom."
"Pray tell me what I am doing that would render you so incensed?" he asked.
"For starters, you're deliberately drugging your ponies to keep them happy against their will. Those drugs are highly addictive and dangerous, and withdrawal symptoms left them severally hospitalized."
"You're usin' them to help power up a weapon for your invasion of the outside world," said Applejack.
"And you're casting a hypnosis spell on the queen to keep her under your control."
"Your daughter beat me in an eating contest!" Pinkie cried. "Oh, and you chased us out with a crab monster thingy."
"Anyway, we're here to rescue the Queen from the clutches of your hooves."
"Rescuing her? From me? This is absurd. The Queen is ill and indisposed, and I made it my high priority that she is getting the best treatment for her untimely depression she is suffering from. I don't know what kinds of rumors you're hearing, but the spells I am casting on her are healing spells. These are serious accusations you are unleashing towards me. The Crystal Empire is a peaceful nation, and we have no interest expanding our borders, let alone mount an invasion against outsiders."
"I'm sure Shining Armor's sudden appearance made you have second thoughts," said Applejack.
"I admit that Captain Armor arrived mysteriously at our borders in poor health, but that doesn't mean we harbored any ill will to anypony who might have sent him here."
"Then why in earth can't we leave the Empire? All we're hearin' from you is nothin' but excuses, and now we've gotten ourselves embroiled in your country's internal struggles."
"So you came in contact with the Crystal Rebels."
"What of it? Now let us see the Queen."
The King, Lord Umbra, held his front hoof to stave off Applejack's advance and any action his guard might take. Somberly he paced back and forth in front of the doors to the Queen's bedchambers. He didn't trot rough and agitated as before, and despite his fearsome appearance, Lord Umbra appeared calmer.
"No," said Umbra. "I won't let you see the Queen, but I will assist you uncovering the truth behind your words, and you will lead me to wherever you have visited with the Crystal Rebels. I may be King, but I am not above callous evasion of rumors and accusations. If I must prove the Royal Family's innocence, I will do all that I can to assist you with your investigation. Guards, summon Captain Armor."
The four guards bowed, and galloped away to fetch the Royal Captain. Moments later, they returned with Shining Armor, who arrived in his gold-lined purple plated armor covering his snow-white coat. Even now, he still did not recognize Twilight Sparkle, Applejack, or Fluttershy.
"Captain Armor," said Umbra, "I will be accompanying these four mares to all our treasuries, guard houses, bases, and our state-run medical facilities, starting now."
"I shall prepare an appropriate guard escort, my lord," said Armor.
"There is no need. These four mares are sufficient, given their brave defense of our castle a few nights ago. Please stay behind and provide heightened security for the Queen and the Princesses."
"My lord, these are our Esteemed Guests, and they are outsiders."
"Am I not making myself clear? I am venturing alone with our Guests to see with my own eyes if their allegations are true or not. If you'll please, step aside."
"That I cannot do."
A flash of light filled the room, instantaneously blinding everypony. The mares heard male grunts, hooves slamming repeatedly on the floor, and the bone-jousting of horns. When the light died down, Shining Armor retracted his magical Psy-Blade back into his horn. He stared down upon Lord Umbra, whom he felled to his stomach, and watched his King bleed from his forehead. The King's severed horn was clear across the room and nearly touched Sunset Shimmer's front hoof. The mare Lieutenant gladly kicked the horn further away from its owner and then joined up with Captain Armor as the four guards surrounded the fallen King.
"All traitors to the Empire must be executed," declared Shining Armor.
The King gasped, and before he even got a chance to ask why, the four guards raised their forward bodies and pounded their front hooves to the ground. Even Fluttershy felt the full force of Geosense quaking her entire body as four fissures formed from the guards' hooves snaked towards the King and immediately formed a growing pit. The King attempted a leap to safety, but the pit grew to large for him to make an escape. He gripped the edge as long as he could before he plunged into the darkness below. When the echoes of his screams vanished, the four guards slammed their hooves to the ground again. As if by earth magic, crystals grew from the edges and immediately sealed the pit.
The stallion that turned towards the four mares wasn't Fluttershy's Shiny. He wasn't Applejack's Shine. He wasn't Twilight's brother, Shining Armor. This stallion coldly stared at them with a grinning moll at his side with seemingly murderous eyes.
"Now arrest these outsiders for the assassination of our King," he commanded.