//------------------------------// // Chapter 12: The Summit // Story: Villainous // by CrypticMetaphor //------------------------------// After a long travel period, the carriage touched down at its destination. As per tradition, all royal summits were to be held at a place where the delegates of the kingdoms would feel no need to fight due to it being sacred ground. Mount Unity was among one of the tallest of Equestria’s landmarks, they say in the time before, the creator herself made the mountain her home. Therefore it was only fitting that any Summit be held at the mountains summit. The door opened as The Envoy disembarked first quickly followed by Ignatius. The black dragon glanced at the carriage as Jasper emerged, cracking his neck as he blinked his eyes in the sunlight. “Jasper,” Ignatius asked with concern, “You alright?” Jasper nodded, “Just had a little trouble sleeping.” Ignatius nodded as Jasper clacked onto the ground. The human took notice of the other carriages; he didn’t recognize their make but guessed who they belonged to. His eyes narrowed slightly as he noticed a second Equestrian Carriage and one made of a crystal like substance. As he walked, he felt his stride strengthen as he set his shoulders. The time to think on past sins was over; he looked ahead with purpose and a confident smile as they were almost at their destination. He turned his head sharply as something slithered out of the corner of his eye, his confident smile fading. What was that he just saw? It looked familiar like…that was impossible. He shook his head as The Envoy glanced at him with an expression of concern. Jasper motioned to him that he was fine as The Envoy stepped inside, the sound of his throat being cleared entered Jasper’s ear. “Now presenting his royal highness, King Jasper of Equestria.” The doors opened as Jasper entered and gazed around the room with a neutral expression, deep down though in a part of his mind he was surprised. He saw a Griffon decked out in silver armor, from the build and appearance it was female. Beside her sat a familiar face. Princess Cadance had indeed seen better days, black circles were around her eyes and her mane’s colors were muted slightly and its luster had all but vanished. Her coat was faded and her eyes were slightly bloodshot. When her almost hollow eyes met Jasper’s she looked at him with utter malice and contempt, which he returned with an even glare. He walked past a young red drake wearing bronze and a zebra in tribal armor with gold fitting in his mane. Jasper stopped when he saw where his seat was. “Why are they here?” Twilight gazed with a false smile as her friends remained silent, “ALL Equestrian royals attend the Summit Jasper, what, didn’t you know? Hm, imagine that.” Jasper narrowed his eyes as The Envoy cleared his throat, “Lord Jasper, if you please.” Jasper took a seat in silence as The Envoy began to list off various orders of business disputes between the certain kingdoms. The dragon, which he learned the name was Diamondback, was having a slight land dispute with the Zebra king Tikeel. It had started over a gem mine, of which one of the tunnels accidentally expanded into Diamondbacks territory. After a heated debate, as per the Equestrian standard, they settled their differences and negotiated equal share of the mines profits. Jasper rolled his eyes, he had suspected even politics in this land would be lack luster as all hell and just rode the storm. The Griffin queen, known as Silver Wing, was currently looking for support. Turns out when the Crystal Empire went south, Cadance asked for aid from the Griffons which they more than graciously provided. Silver Wing however requested for more help in the effort of setting up defenses and efforts to supply the Crystal Ponies with heating Matrix’s, Griffon product for the cold seasons, post haste. The other parties agreed, to which Cadance was grateful, but then it came to the Equestrian branches. Twilight smiled with warmness at her most dear family member, “Of course we’ll help you Cadance,” she glanced at Jasper with slight anger, “it’s quiet unfortunate that this tragedy befell you.” Jasper blinked as he snapped out of whatever world he wondered to, “Yes…very unfortunate.” Twilight looked at Jasper with seriousness, “Which is why we WILL supply troops to your kingdom.” Jasper looked at Twilight, then at Cadance and sighed, “No.” Without warning, Cadance closed the distance and tackled Jasper to the ground. She pressed her hoof to his throat with murderous fury in her eyes. Jasper gasped for breath as his mind became clouded, his thoughts scattering. “IT’S ALL YOUR FAULT! BECAUSE OF YOU MY HUSBAND IS GONE,” she began to tremble, “Because of you my subjects are freezing, b-because of….,” she broke down into tears and fell off the king as her resolve crumbled, curling into a ball. Silver Wing narrowed her eyes at the human, “So what she spoke was the truth,” she shook her head, “Have you no heart or decency to lend your aid?” Jasper righted his chair, “In my eye, I would, but we just can’t afford to. Equestria, MY kingdoms wellbeing must come first. If Equestria was to fall from one of its enemies, what’s stopping them from attacking all of you?” The Summit fell silent at this revelation as Jasper produced a piece of parchment, “Which is exactly why I come with this arrangement. This treaty started formulation in secret, during my times away from the eye of many.” He placed it down as they all leaned forward, “This treaty brings something to the table which has never been brought before. Why should we all live in fear of separate enemies when one of them can live in fear of us? This paper,” Jasper poked the treaty, “outlines a merger of our powers under the Equestrian banner. Think of it, no threat of wars, land disputes, resource struggle. We would ALL be equal.” Diamondback scoffed as he read a line, “Equal eh? Says here YOU would be top drake, all of US must answer to you.” Silver Wing looked away, “Preposterous.” Tikeel nodded, “I might be old, but never would I do something so foolishly bold.” Jasper showed them his gauntlet, “Look upon me not as your king, but as a brother. I may not be of your world or your species,” he gestured around, “Look at us all, we meet upon this sacred ground as one already. Yet, why must we be divided? I say no more! We work and fight as one,” he glanced at Cadance with sympathy, “so that we might help one of our sisters in need.” Silver Wing still scoffed which Jasper pointed out, “Silver, when your youngest sister fell ill. Who did you got to with a request for the necessary remedies, even now she fly’s around happy and free, If not a tad moody.” Silver glanced at Tikeel with a warm smile, “I still haven’t thanked you for that.” Tikeel waved a hoof, “It was merely a deed, a good deed indeed.” Jasper then looked to Diamond back, “When you and your brothers were trapped upon your countries volcano, who gave aid in the rescue?” Diamondback looked to Silver Wing with a warm smile which she returned. Jasper approached Cadance, “And Princess, need I say more?” Cadance looked to the side, memories of Sombra returning and Equestria’s aid. Jasper stood in the center of the table and spread his arms, “Once, we were proud and separate. But yet we ask for help in the most dire of times. Well I say, we unite and become the first Equestrian Empire! A force that nopony can topple! Now who will join me? Say aye!” Silver Wing shut her eyes as Twilight looked with concern at her friends. Tikeel nodded firmly, “Aye.” Diamondback stood, “Aye.” Silver Wing exhaled, “Aye.” Everypony looked to Cadance, who remained silent, her tears fresh. But these tears were not of sorrow. She looked with sheer happiness at Jasper, “A-aye, and thank you so much.” Jasper smiled, “It takes a true ruler to request assistance from their others.” It was then upon that day that the treaty was signed, when all the royals departed, they all flew Jasper’s banner. Cadance shocked Twilight when she hugged Jasper. “Thank you,” she cried into his armor as he slowly patted her on the back, “you have no idea how much this means to me.” Jasper nodded, “Shining is fine, he is living, but he misses you so.” Cadance nodded, “I shall endure, and will you consider lifting his sentence?” Jasper sighed as she was upon her four hooves, “I shall contemplate it.” Cadance thanked him once more as she departed. Twilight and the girls approached him and stared at him with mixed feelings, Twilight however was looking through him. “Whatever your planning,” she pointed, “rest assured I WILL counter it.” Jasper shrugged, “Do as you wish, I was merely doing it for all of our benefits, more Cadance if anything.” Twilight lost her composure, “But you were the one who caused it! You’re the cause of her ENTIRE situation! What occurred here was nothing more than….,” Twilight’s eyes widened as a spark went off; her mind fit the pieces together and saw everything. Jasper smiled, “-was a momentous thing,” he then turned on his heel, “As I said, I was only helping us out as a whole.” Jasper entered the carriage as it took off. Twilight on the other hoof stood motionless as she realized the truth. * Many more hours passed before Jasper’s carriage touched down. For once, since he arrived, he donned a genuine smile. He walked through the castle and headed toward where the Royal Sister’s statue’s rested. As he went through the castle, he noticed something strange; the guards were not all at their stations. His eyes widened in horror as he and Ignatius stood in the hall. “Iggy, go to the dungeon and check on our guest.” The black dragon nodded and ran away. Jasper ran to the statue garden and froze, the royal sisters were gone. Two guards ran to their lord who started trembling. “My lord-“ he was cut off as Jasper reeled on him. “WHAT. HAPPENED,” his tone was cold and radiated masked rage. The guard backed up, “I-it happened so fast, one moment we were guarding the area. The next, we woke up moments ago.” Jasper inhaled sharply as he walked away from them and put his fingers through his hair as he continued tremble, “Do you know, who did this? Jasper then grasped one of the statues legs as the gem glowed, steam rose from the point of contact and spoke through gritted teeth, “I am not going to lose my temper,” he then released the statue as a burned hand mark appeared there, “Alright, here is what’s going to happen. I am going to go take a shower in what is considered my bathroom. I am then going to go to sleep, wake up in the morning, and when that occurs I expect breakfast and a list of potential suspects with it. Understood?” The guards nodded frantically as Jasper left swiftly as Ignatius appeared before him, “Sunset Shimmer, her cell door was destroyed, and she’s escaped.” Jasper nodded as he walked away from him, he wordlessly ended up in the room were all the stained glass windows were. He gazed at the impressions as his eye began to twitch; he clenched his right fist as his rage built. His eyes then fell upon the very first window showing Twilight and the ponies defeating Nightmare Moon. He then let out a yell of rage as he blasted the window to bits; he whipped around and blasted another, then another, then another. Soon he fell to his knees and stared at the ground. A smile crept onto his face as Ignatius rushed in to find him; Jasper threw back his head and laughed. The laugh echoed through the halls and sent chills down the spines of all who heard it. He stood and inhaled to calm and compose himself, “That’s better,” he then looked at Ignatius, “Now they all believe in me. Ignatius, compose a letter to the Queen of the Changelings.” Ignatius raised a worried eyebrow, “Why?” Jasper smiled, “I wish to speak with her one on one, I have a proposition.” Jasper then walked away with no emotions on his face. He entered his chambers and froze, before him in the dark was one of them, a Shadow. He yelled out in shock as he blasted it, his wardrobe fell in pieces to the ground. He shook his head and sighed, scolding himself for being foolish, he laughed. It was just a trick of the light, his mind wiping free the last fleeting thoughts of his nightmares, nothing more.