//------------------------------// // Pip (II) // Story: Prevention // by Mind Matter //------------------------------// Pipsqueak had been scared of her at first; Princess Luna and Celestia and Cadance and Shining Armor and Miss Cheerilee and Momma and Dad and a whole lot of other ponies had said that she was a bad pony. But she didn’t hurt him or make things explode or have her dragon eat him; she lifted him in her magic, carried him over to her, and gently wrapped her forelegs around him. He was still frozen when she started shifting back and forth, but as she started singing, a soft, nice song that he didn’t really understand, he started shaking, crying again, and she held him and rocked him and said soft things that he couldn’t really hear. She just sat with him and let him cry until he stopped. Then Twilight Sparkle explained everything. She showed him the ponies who had hurt Momma and Dad. They were black-hats, tied up upstairs, staring at him with dull eyes when Twilight forced them to look at him. Twilight spoke to him; he hit them, as hard as he could. It made him feel better, even though they didn’t cry or apologize or anything, even when they were bleeding. They were bad ponies. Twilight said it was okay to hurt bad ponies. So he hurt them more. When Pipsqueak was done, Twilight smiled at him. Then her horn glowed brighter, and the black-hat ponies weren’t there anymore. She told him that she was going to bring him to her new home, away from the bad ponies, show him how to help the good ponies. Pipsqueak heard somepony move downstairs as they left. “Princess Luna runs the Inquisition.” “Princess Luna gives all orders to Inquisitors.” “Princess Luna killed your parents.” Pipsqueak watched as the blue alicorn entered the room. She was angry, yelling at the three guards that entered with her. It wasn’t the Royal Canterlot voice, but it was still loud. “…an absolute mockery of Us! How did the Manehatten Guard falling to Revolutionary corruption not cross your eyes, Captain?!” One of the guards – Shining Armor – sighed. Pipsqueak bit his lip. He was friends with Princess Dazzle, and Captain Armor was her Dad. He wasn’t supposed to hurt them. He didn’t want to hurt them. Just Princess Luna. “You can’t hurt her when you first see her. Wait for us. Then you may have your revenge.” “Princess, we’ve been dealing with the border towns and the farming communities that she’s gotten under her sway. A trade port in a secure zone isn’t exactly on top of our list, especially when it was designated secure by your own hoof!” “If I did such it was on inaccurate information! You must repair this fault in your methods, Captain, that would allow our eyes sullied by falsehoods.” “Of course, Princess…” Captain Armor sighed again. Luna huffed and turned, taking a few more steps into the room. Her eyes widened slightly when they found Pipsqueak. “Pipsqueak? Ho- When did you arrive?” “About an hour ago.” Pipsqueak replied, his voice level. “You cannot let her know of your intentions. However much it hurts, you must act as you were before she stole your parents from you.” Captain Armor and one of the other guards walked around Princess Luna. The Captain gave Pipsqueak a suspicious look. “Kid, how did you get in here? The door was secured, and-“ “I came in like always. A guardspony brought me here.” Pipsqueak tilted his head. “Didn’t you remember today, Princess?” Luna blinked. “In all of the excitement of the previous hours, it must have slipped my mind…” She shook herself. “I apologize, Pipsqueak. In such turbulent times, it is nice to have a companion such as yourself.” Her eyes flicked to Captain Armor. “You are dismissed; attend my sister and inform her fully on the events this day.” “Princess, I’m not certain-“ “I said dismissed, Captain.” Luna bit off. Captain Armor stopped talking, nodding and saluting at the Princess. He gave another smaller nod at Pipsqueak; the colt returned it. “Shining is confused, as are most that the Sun and Moon have their claws in. We shall free them, but their mistresses must be dispatched first.” “Well, Pipsqueak, what do you wish to do? I could use some distraction from… recent events.” “I was thinking we could play some chess…” Pipsqueak gave a lopsided grin. Luna smiled and nodded. “Yes, yes, that may do…” The board was set up quickly (only needing to be moved to a place Pipsqueak could reach), its glass reflecting the light of the sun shining through the window. Luna opted for the darker pieces, as she always did, leaving Pipsqueak with Celestia’s side. He set a piece forward, and for the next few minutes both he and Luna were focussed fully on the game. “I must say that I am glad to have you here, Pipsqueak.” Luna said, breaking the small silence. Pipsqueak tilted an ear forward as he moved a charger. “Oh?” “Yes. Twilight Sparkle’s ‘Revolution’ has been a particularly pointed thorn in our sides as of late. I fear for those who are under her sway, or who remain loyal but are caught in her web of deceit…” Luna shook her head. “I must ask if you’ve heard any talk of her supporters left in Ponyville. We recently captured a mare that had been with her from the beginning of this debacle, a ‘Lyre Heartsings’ or some such. Did you or your parents know her?” “I don’t think so, Princess.” Pipsqueak replied, setting a charger forward and blinking as the memory of the guards and the black-hat came back. “Is she okay?” “She and her ‘partner’ are in the care of the Inquisition; we do take care of those we apprehend, despite the rumours.” “She will never admit it. Her Inquisition is a pure and just organization, any dissent is wrong. But you know the truth.” “Rumours, Princess?” “Yes, I’m sure you’ve heard of the Inquisition’s ‘brutality’ or use of torture to extract information. Lies and slander spread by the rebels, of course.” “I saw a mare get picked up by an Inquisitor, Princess; the guards beat her up before they arrested her.” Pipsqueak was barely able to cover the anger in his voice. Luna gave him an odd look before moving one of her pieces to check him. “They may occasionally need to use force, Pipsqueak, but I’m sure that they had a justification. Twilight Sparkle’s forces grow ever more insidious; we’ve recently needed to cleanse the Canterlotian Guard of Revolutionary corruption, and by today’s events we may need to extend the investigations…” Luna took a breath. “But that is entering the veil of that which I wish to avoid today.” “You don’t need to worry about scaring me, Princess…” “That is not my fear, Pipsqueak. Though were I able to prepare you to resist Twilight’s machinations…” There was silence for a few more moves. As Pipsqueak lifted Celestia, Luna spoke again. “How do your parents fare?” Something hot and painful shot from behind Pipsqueak’s eyes into his chest. His grip on the Princess faltered, but he managed to place her down. “My… my parents…?” “Yes. I sent a letter to your address last week, but have heard nothing…” Luna’s brow furrowed. “Are you alright, Pipsqueak? You-“ The floor suddenly rumbled, the whole room shaking. The chess set fell from the table and shattered. Luna was standing, her wings spread for balance, and she gripped Pipsqueak in magic to lift him away from the broken glass. “What is this?!” She shouted as the shaking stopped. There were yells and muffled calls echoing through the doors; one of the guards opened his door to investigate, falling back as a flash of light sped past the opening. The other guard slammed the door shut as several more flashes lit the hall. “Rebels!” The first guard gasped, his snout singed. Luna’s wings lowered, and Pipsqueak’s heart leapt. “We shall assault the castle. You must get close to Luna, wait for a distraction before striking. One of the guards shall be of the Revolution; he shall provide you with what you need.” The doors were hit several times more, both guards now putting their weight against them. A call erupted from behind the doors, and the sound of hooves hitting the heavy wood began. “They dare attack here? So brazenly?!” Luna gave an odd laugh. “The fools! We shall crush them in their mad assault!” She set Pipsqueak down, turning him to face her. “Young Pipsqueak, you must find cover; they may damage the castle further, and I do not wish you injured by a fallen masonry.” Pipsqueak nodded, quickly crossing to the wall and ducking under the nearby table. A crack echoed from the doors, and several seconds later the first guard’s door blew open, launching the guard with the splints of wood. As Luna and the second guard began launching volleys of magic against the invaders, the first guard rolled to Pipsqueak’s wall. He and the colt met eyes before he winked, drawing a small dagger from beneath his armour and sliding it to Pipsqueak. The younger pony nodded gravely, his breath quickening as he grabbed the blade. “You must strike somewhere that will cause her to fall. Her neck, her eye, her heart. She will not die quickly, she will not die easily. You must steel yourself. She must know your betrayal as you know hers.” “YOU DARE ASSAULT US, YOU FOALISH PEONS?!” Luna Voiced, blades of magic leaping from her horn and slashing through the closest rebels. “YOUR MISTRESS IS WEAK OF MIND! SHE SENDS YOU TO DEATH FOR NAUGHT!” “We fight for freedom!” A rebel yelled. Luna lowered her horn, and the stallion was blasted back through the doors, a wet crack echoing over the din of the fighting as he hit the wall. “FREEDOM?!” Luna laughed, her grin defying her eyes as she destroyed another rebel. “YOU FIGHT FOR PALTRY GAINS AND EMPTY PROMISES! YOU DEFY US ON THE CLAIMS OF A MADMARE!” “FOR THE REVOLUTION!” Luna twisted as the call erupted from behind; several pegasi shot through the window, two of them hitting the alicorn, the third charging at the second guard. Luna stabbed one of her assaulters with her horn, ripping him in half as her horn raised to incinerate the pegasus still in flight. Her second assaulter caught her hoof between his hind legs, and was blown apart as her magic’s focus turned to him. Luna stood, coated in blood, and let loose a cacophonic scream towards the doorway, the rebels there fell with bleeding eyes and ears. There was a call from further back in the hall; as the rest of the rebels fled, her gaze fell on Pipsqueak. “Young Pipsqueak, come to me. We must away while the rebels are dissuaded.” Pipsqueak nodded, standing up before Luna lifted him in magic and carried him to her back. The colt was mildly surprised that she didn’t notice the dagger he held, even if it was hidden behind his leg. Carefully, he shifted the blade to point at Luna; his breath quickened, heartbeat rose, hoof quavered as he raised the deadly tool. His leg hitched for a second, enough for his mind to talk to itself. She hurt Momma and Dad. She hurt a bunch of other ponies. She needs to be stopped. We don’t need to hurt her. Yes we do. Twilight said we do. She hurt Momma and Dad, why can’t we hurt her? Momma said we shouldn’t hurt ponies even if they hurt us. Momma’s dead. Images, memories, flashed through Pipsqueak’s mind. His mother on the floor, bleeding, cold, still, Twilight Sparkle coming down, showing him the black-hats, black-hats killed Momma LUNA KILLED MOMMA “Hey!” The second guard shouted, his eyes on the dagger in Pipsqueak’s hoof. Pipsqueak and Luna started at the sudden yell, Luna’s head following the guard’s gaze on instinct, apparently not noticing the first guard tackling the second. Her eyes widened slightly as she saw the weapon. “Pipsqueak, y-“ Luna began. Then Pipsqueak’s hoof came down, and the blade fell in the spot between Luna’s wings. The alicorn reared in shock, and Pipsqueak tumbled off of her back as her wings shot out reflexively. When Pipsqueak put his eyes back on her, the Princess stood nearly frozen, her legs stiff and splayed like a foal’s. Slowly, she began shuffling her hooves a small amount in an apparent attempt to turn; Pipsqueak watched her, couldn’t turn away from her, as her legs began to quiver, finally buckling after several long seconds. She fell on her side, a pool of blood beginning to form, wetting and darkening her coat as it seeped from the wound in her back. As the first guard subdued the second, Luna’s head rose, the lower side black from the blood in her coat, and Pipsqueak’s stomach fell as her eyes met his. They were wet, unfocussed, dull as they passed over him, but for one brief moment he could see her, and he knew that she could see him. In that moment, her eyes were scared. Confused. Hurt. Betrayed. Pipsqueak’s vision blurred. Luna’s form became his mother’s. Then there was a loud crack, and Pipsqueak fell into darkness. --- The room had settled into a pregnant silence. Rainbow Dash and Applejack both stared at the floor, jaws slack, eyes wet, small tears falling unnoticed by anypony including themselves. Rarity held Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo, and Apple Bloom tightly, all four of them openly weeping. Spike had set the quill and parchment on the floor, eyes closed and claws clasped as he seemed to fight against breaking down. Twilight was the only one with her eyes on Pip. His eyes were dry, his voice and visage having slowly regained stoicism even as his tale worsened. The near entirety of her mind was focussed on grabbing the stallion, holding him tight, giving him somewhere safe that he could sit and stop and just let go of everything he was holding on to. Unfortunately, she needed to do something first. “Rarity-“ Twilight’s voice was wet, and it cracked as she spoke. She coughed, steeling herself. “Rarity, if you… could you take…” “Ah, Ah got it, sugarcube.” Applejack spoke. The farmmare stood, taking a breath before crossing the room to her marefriend. She whispered something in Rarity’s ear, and the unicorn hastily nodded. She mumbled what could have been described as words to the fillies, pushing them to stand and walk out of the room with her and Applejack. Twilight nodded, took a breath. “Spike, Rainbow-“ Spike grabbed the parchment as she said his name; he met her eyes and gave her a nod of assurance before turning and walking out. Rainbow followed him, gently shutting the door. “Is something amiss, Milady?” Pip asked. Twilight screwed her eyes shut as she heard his voice, his inequine calm. “Yes, Pip. Something is… amiss.” “May I ask what, Milady?” “You.” Twilight coughed and took in a few more breaths as the stallion blinked, his ears flicking back. “May I ask what I have done wrong, Milady?” “You… you just told us about, about killing Princess Luna, about your mother’s death, and you’re sitting there, acting like you read a bucking grocery list!” An edge of anger fed into Twilight’s voice rather suddenly, shoring it up against the drowning feeling that was working its way up her throat. “I am unsure-“ “STOP IT!” Twilight shrieked. “Just stop, stop hiding, stop acting like you aren’t hurting when you are, Pip! When you started talking, you were gasping, you were in pain, everypony could hear it and then you just, you just shut it out, like you were swatting a fly! You recalled those, those horrible things, but you acted like you didn’t feel anything for them! You said what you felt, but you… you just…” Twilight’s voice hitched, a few sobs escaping. Pip reached out, wrapping a foreleg around her, pulling her to his chest and slowly rocking back and forth. The two sat in silence for a quarter-minute before Pip replied. “I sounded like I was in pain due to the fact that I was in pain – the action you took to relieve my mind of its catch gave me a headache.” “That’s not what I meant.” Twilight sniffled. “What you said about how you felt…” “I spoke those feelings because they are what I felt, Milady. They are not my current feelings.” Twilight put her hoof on Pip’s shoulder, pushing herself slightly away from him to stare him in the eye. “What?” “I was a foal at the time of these events, Milady, unable to properly process my feelings and the events as they occurred. With age, perspective, and Lady Dawn’s aid, I have determined a proper set of emotions to be felt towards the events as they occurred.” “… ‘proper’ emotions…” Twilight repeated. Pip nodded. “Yes, Milady. In example, when I killed Luna, I felt angry at her murder of my parents, saddened by their deaths, and betrayed by what had been probably my best friend up until that time. Looking back, I cannot feel anything towards her death and my role in it but minor satisfaction that I aided the Revolution. Whatever actions Luna took against me are irrelevant.” “Irrelevant. You, you’re saying that you think that Luna killing your parents is irrelevant?!” Twilight gave a wide-eyed stare at the stallion, pushing away from him to stand on her own. He blinked. “In terms of the Revolution as a whole, yes.” “But… Pip, your parents… you don’t feel anything for them?” “Of course I do. I am saddened that they were killed in such a brutal manner, and that they could not live to see the glory of the Revolution.” Pip took a breath. “Mostly, however, I am appreciative towards them. Without their sacrifice, unintentional as it was, I would likely not have realized Luna’s evil or the Revolution’s greatness for years to come. Their deaths, tragic as they were, served a greater end. To mourn them in bitterness or depression would be to shame their memories.” Then Pip smiled. Twilight saw the edges of his mouth curve softly upwards. The way his cheeks moved. The way his eye shifted. The smile was not acted, faked, put-on. To Twilight’s perception, it was a genuinely glad smile – not happy with, necessarily, but grateful for the memories that evoked it. The smile disappeared as Twilight’s hoof violently met Pip’s face. She hadn’t felt herself move, was as surprised as Pip was when she struck him, but before he could respond her horn was glowing and she was holding him down, a white-hot spike of rage bridging the back of her head with her horn and reddening her vision. He looked up at her in confusion; not fearful, not worried, but unsure. “Mi-“ “Quiet.” Twilight hissed, without thinking the word. She was watching events unfold, detached, curled up and trying to make sense of what she’d just heard, felt, seen. “You sicken me.” Pip swallowed, but did not speak. Twilight felt her eye twitch. “I want you to think, Pip. Use what little of your mind Dawn left you to play with.” Twilight’s body shifted down, staring Pip in the eye, forcing his head to face her. “Let me ask you something. What reason, what remote advantage, could Luna have gained for killing your parents?” “I am unsure as to her-“ “You don’t know. Have you thought about it, or did you just trust Dawn when she said Luna did it?” “La- Lady Dawn presented the black-hats-“ “Yes, those Inquisitors she blamed for your parents’ murders. Let me ask you, Pip – was Dawn’s horn glowing at every point that you were there with them?” “I am unsure-“ “I’ll answer. Yes, it was. Dawn had those Inquisitors killed long before you met them, Pip. They might not have been Inquisitors, she might have just taken two dead ponies, necromantized them – if she wasn’t just directly puppeting their bodies – and put some black hats on them, then presented them to you as a convenient explanation for why your parents were dead, and why Dawn was there for the fact.” “I, I’m not-“ “Luna would gain nothing by killing your parents but a distraught foal, Pip. But Dawn, she stood to profit, she did profit, from the deaths of your parents. She gained an inside, a way to strike at Luna that would pass all checks and barriers. All she had to do was get you to believe that Luna had killed your ‘Momma’, and you were, you are, putty in her hooves.” “Milady-“ “She truly has castrated your mind, hasn’t she?” Twilight’s voice cut Pip’s attempt at explanation off for a sixth time. “Let me spell it out for you. Luna didn’t kill your parents. Dawn did.” When Pip didn’t respond, she continued, tears falling from eyes she hadn’t noticed were wet. “Dawn murdered your mother and father, then lied to you, convinced you that Luna had them killed, just so that she could manipulate you into killing Luna. She used you, and you’ve never been able to realize it because she’s never let you. She’s been using you from day one, Pipsqueak.” Twilight’s head leaned down, and she placed her forehead on Pip’s. “I’m so sorry...” Twilight felt her mouth return to her mind’s control just as the last word escaped. She cut her magic and let Pip free, taking several breaths as she stepped back and, consciously this time, attempted to make sense of the last minute’s events. Her eyes, again, went to Pip – the stallion was staring at the floor, his brow slightly furrowed, his jaw slightly loose. His eye moved to her as she stopped. “Mi... Milady…?” His voice was cracked, his eye unsure, scared. “I’m sorry, Pip…” Twilight said softly. She reached her hoof out, but Pip jerked back. He shook his head once, twice, small, jerking motions. “If, if Lady Dawn killed my parents, then… then Luna, she didn’t…” “Pip, I want you to think about what happened, not what Dawn said. What you saw. Why would Luna have sent Inquisitors to kill your mother and father? Why was Dawn there? If Luna did send them, and Dawn knew about it, couldn’t she have stopped them?” Twilight shook her head. “Luna having your parents killed makes no sense. Dawn having them killed, killing them herself, then blaming Luna, turning you against her…” “No. No, that can’t be. That’s wrong. Luna was a bad pony. Lady Dawn was a good pony. Good ponies don’t hurt innocent ponies, bad ponies do.” “Pip, Dawn wasn’t a good pony.” Pip and Twilight both took in a breath. “I don’t know if your Princesses were as good as ours are, but I can promise you, Pip, that Dawn was not a good pony. What she did, to Equestria, to the non-ponies, to you… she can’t have been.” Pip didn’t respond. His eye was on her, confused and almost fearful. “I’m sorry, Pip…” Twilight repeated herself. “But you needed to know-“ There was a blur of movement, a flutter of pages, a crash as the window burst outwards. Twilight took a step to follow him, however futile it may be, but froze as the door opened. She turned to see who, to tell Rainbow or Applejack what had happened. Instead, she found herself looking at her brother’s double. The stallion glanced between her and the broken glass. He opened his mouth, his eye back on her. He faltered before speaking. “Where is he?” Broken Shield, Dr. Long Path, and two guards had arrived just after Rainbow left the room. She and Applejack had talked to Broken. Broken had talked to Path, after the latter had talked to Rarity and the foals. Broken had gone up to the door, listening, coming in when he thought something had gone wrong. Twilight had talked to him. He’d grabbed her, surprisingly gentle but insistent, and dragged her out into the main room. Twilight had talked to everypony. Broken and Path were discussing things. Applejack, Rainbow Dash, the two guards, watched, waited. Rarity was reading a fairy tale to the Crusaders and Spike. It seemed to be helping the Crusaders; Spike seemed to acknowledge that it was helping Rarity more than him. Twilight felt numb. “Miss Sparkle?” A soft voice broke Twilight from her observation. She raised her head rapidly, jumping to her hooves. Path gave a soft smile. “I need to ask you something.” “What is it?” What are we doing here, even? I should be out there, finding Pip. He handled himself before, but he wasn’t so disturbed before, he could be getting hurt or hurting himself or “I don’t know where he might have gone, if that’s what you’re going to ask.” “It’s not, don’t worry.” Path took a breath. “From what everypony out here said, Pip had a… breakdown, let’s call it, before he started talking about his parents’ deaths?” Twilight nodded. “It’s happened a few times before. When I confronted him… whenever I made him think about Dawn critically.” “I see…” Path blinked, his smile fading. “Twilight, Miss Dash and Miss Applejack said that you put your horn to his head during this breakdown. Did you cast a spell on him to cause him to react like he did?” “I… Pip has a bunch of spells on his mind already.” Path’s ear flicked and his eyebrows rose. “Pip is being compulsed?” Broken’s head shot towards them, and he quickly crossed the room to stand beside Path. The guardsponies shifted themselves, moving to a point slightly behind the stallion. “What did you just say?!” “Broken, Dr. Path, Pip’s mind is covered in spell-threads. I checked him this time, and two of them were acting up, getting giant pulses of energy through them. They’re very close to my magic, and I just cast a counterspell-“ “YOU BROKE A COMPULSION?!?” Path was suddenly shouting. Twilight shrunk back, but Path froze, took a few breaths, and brought his hoof to his mouth. “Miss Sparkle, I’m sure you intended to aid him, but to forcibly destroy a compulsive spell without warning or preparation is extremely dangerous. We are very lucky that Pip didn’t have a more severe reaction than ‘a headache’; please, never do that again without my presence and approval. And help.” “Hold on a second. Pip was being compulsed?” Broken seemed struck. “When did this… what was going on?!” “I, er, I was trying to get him to calm down, he was worked up after Sweetie-“ “Yes, yes, I got that part. He was freaking out about having his Dawn-worship contradicted again. When was he being compulsed?” “That was the compulsion, Mr. Shield.” Path responded, having regained his composure. “I’m guessing that Dawn laid a spell, numerous spells, on his mind to force him to-“ “No, no, stop. Compulsion is forcing somepony to do something or think something, cutting off their will and-“ Broken cut off with a choking sound, taking a breath. “There’s a difference between that and forcing somepony to not do something or think something. Compulsion blows up every path except the one the caster wants, the other one just blows up one path and lets the victim choose which remaining one to go down. That’s totally different.” “There’s restrictive and active compulsion, Broken, but they’re both-“ “No, they aren’t, and I don’t give a fuck about your doctorate or your research or any of that. Compulsion is what… what that Changeling thing did to me before my wedding. Whatever Dawn’s crimes, she never compulsed anypony.” Broken seemed to tense while he was speaking, his eye flicking between Path and Twilight. They looked at each other before Path sighed. “In any case, Miss Sparkle, I would say that Pip was simply overwhelmed by everything that happened today. Having a compul-“ Broken coughed harshly. Path gave him an annoyed look. “-a spell removed from his mind would likely have caused a discharge that acted on both his physical brain and the other spells. He was recalling the events as though he were reliving them at first, but as the healing spells he holds counteracted the damage to his brain, he fell more and more into his emotionless presentation, the rote and regularity that his mind would seek against the emotional tumult of his memories. When you pulled him out of it, forcibly, and made him ‘think critically’ against Dawn while leading him to a conclusion that defied his worldview, he panicked. His fight-or-flight instinct activated, and since he couldn’t ‘fight’ you-“ “-he ran away. Scared and confused.” Broken finished. He put a hoof to his head. “Faust and all Her being, he’s still-“ Broken stopped, shook himself. He glanced at Twilight, his eye mutely burning. “We need to find him.” “We don’t know where-“ “He’ll go somewhere he defines as ‘safe’, Risen guards are programmed to do that.” He gained a sour look. “Programmed, Faust… it’ll be somewhere he’s been, that he associates with security, probably secluded. The Everfree Castle?” “That would make sense.” Path nodded. “We can send guards, try to flush him out-“ “No. I’m going. Twilight, you need to come too. Nopony else.” “Say what?” Applejack’s voice cut in. Broken turned, finding Applejack and Rainbow Dash beside the guards. “There’s no way in Tartarus we’re lettin’ ya-“ “I know how to fight a Risen, if I know they’re coming. Twilight can help me better than either of you; no matter how much of a tantrum he’s throwing, he’s still got her as an ally in his head, and he won’t stop her from paralyzing him. He’s too dangerous to risk bringing anypony who doesn’t know how to fight him, which is all of you.” Twilight spoke before the others could. “Broken’s right. He and I can deal with Pip, I don’t want to get anypony else hurt.” “Twi-“ “The longer we wait, the worse he could be, Twilight.” Broken said. Twilight glanced at the others, at Path’s worried look, Applejack’s and Rainbow Dash’s and the guard’s suspicion. She looked back at Broken, saw his set jaw and hard eye. Then she tackled him and teleported. Broken and Twilight appeared in a clearing, tumbling through the grass as their momentum carried them out of the teleport. Broken stood, shaking himself and appraising the area. “Fluttershy’s cottage?” He asked. Twilight nodded. “Closest place to the Everfree I have a good idea of.” Broken shrugged. “It works. We need to-“ “Oh, look what the manticore dragged in.” Discord’s voice came out of nowhere, as usual, but it was decidedly agitated. He didn’t bother with tricks; one moment he wasn’t there, the next he was. His gaze fell on Twilight. “Listen, missy, you need to fit a leash on that pet headache of yours.” “Wha… is Pip here?!” Twilight bolted to the draconequus, grabbing him and pulling his head down to her level. “Where is he? Is he okay? What happened?!” “My, my, he’s got you in a tizzy, doesn’t he?” Discord shook his head. “I was just visiting Fluttershy – you ponies always manage to interrupt our conversations somehow – when that thing you call Pip barrels through the front door, coated in blood and lacerations. Fluttershy of course started tending his wounds, leaving me to suffer his presence.” Discord sniffed. “Though at least he has some chaos this time, even if it is-“ “Shut it, mad god.” Broken’s voice was harsh. “Is. He. Still. Here?” Discord gave Broken a withering look, but waved his hoof behind him. “Up in the infirmary. He had a bunch of glass stuck in him, Fluttershy wanted to get it out before it got… well, stuck in him. She’s been working on him since he arrived.” Twilight moved to cast another teleportation. Broken put his hoof on her horn. “Hold on. I have an i-de-a.” The last word warbled and pitched, and by the ‘-a’ Twilight’s voice had replaced Broken’s. Her appearance covered his as well; he was slightly taller than her, his horn longer and pointed. He also had wings. Twilight watched as he stepped towards the house, his horn glowing as he spoke. “Pip! Come out here! I wish to speak with you!” There was quiet for three seconds. Then there was a loud thump, and Pip appeared in front of Broken. His front was covered in small cuts and what looked like bulging bruises, and his eye was wide and wild, seeming to see Broken as one might view a ghost. “Mi-Lady Dawn?” he asked, his voice cracking. Broken gave a small grin, then whipped his horn down and cast a spell at Pip’s foreleg. The limb quaked and twisted, a loud, wet crack audible even at Twilight’s distance. Pip responded almost instantly, twisting and bucking Broken through the air. As Broken flew, however, Pip collapsed, crying out in pain. The door to the cottage opened, Fluttershy rushing out with a panicked look; Discord appeared behind her, grabbing her and vanishing with her in tow. Broken hit the ground and convulsed, but he seemed to wave Twilight forward as his disguise dropped. The mare stepped quickly, crossing most of the distance between her and the hobbled stallion. “Pip?” she asked, as gently as she could. Pip’s body stiffened, his head twisting to put his eye on her. “Mi-Milady, I, wha, what-“ The stallion coughed. His eye was a deep pink, and he was breathing heavily. Twilight dug her hooves into the dirt, meeting him as fast as she could and wrapping her hooves around him. “Pip, I need you to calm down. It’s okay, it’s okay, nopony’s going to hurt you anymore.” She raised a hoof, brushing back his tangled mane. The stallion was stiff, almost as a statue, his neck and chest strained against themselves. He opened his mouth, but nothing save a sob emerged. “It’s okay, it’s okay, Pip, you’re going to be okay…” “Why?” His voice, strangled, emerged. Twilight squeezed her foreleg around him, keeping brushing his mane. “Pip, Pip, just calm down, it’s okay…” “I-if D-D-Dawn h-hurt Momma, she was a b-bad pony…” Pip stumbled over his words, letting out another cry. “If, if she was bad, then… then Luna was…” “Pip, Pip, it’s okay, it’s okay…” “IT’S NOT OKAY!” Pip screamed, and for a moment Twilight could hear a foal’s voice beneath the baritone he usually spoke with. He shoved her away, disappearing from the spot with a rush of air only to appear mere metres away, falling to the ground with another pained cry. Twilight followed him, staying slightly back but still close as he twisted to face her. “Pip, you need to calm down, just stay calm and stay still. If you-“ “WHY?” The stallion asked again, fresh pain sharpening his voice. “D-Dawn, if L-l-lady Dawn was a bad pony, then I was a bad pony! I’m not supposed to be a bad pony!” “No, Pip, no, you aren’t a bad pony…” Twilight took a step towards him, but he shuffled back, raising himself on his unbroken foreleg and kicking the dirt with his hind hooves. “Pip, Dawn tricked you. You aren’t a bad pony for that, good ponies get tricked by bad ponies, that doesn’t make them bad…” “But, but I h-hurt so many ponies, and I thought it was o-okay be-because they were bad, but if Dawn was bad then they were good ponies! I hurt good ponies!” “Pip-“ “What do I do?!” Pip shouted the question. “How do I know who’s good and who’s bad?! Dawn was supposed to be good, but she-” His eye focussed on Twilight. “How do I know if you’re a good pony?! You could be a bad pony like Dawn was! Just, just trying to fool me, use me to, to hurt-” “Pip, I just want you to calm down, okay? I promise you, I don’t want you to hurt anypony, I’m not a bad pony-“ “HOW DO I KNOW?!?” Pip screamed, his voice raw. He and Twilight stared at each other for a time; Twilight watched as his working foreleg quavered under his weight, saw his entire body shaking, even as his eye held her. She sighed. “You can’t just ‘know’, Pip.” she said quietly. Pip’s eye widened, very briefly, before his foreleg gave and he fell fully to the ground. He shook violently for a few seconds, then lay still. As Twilight approached, he let out a wail, and she quickly got around in front of him, sitting down and laying her hoof on the side of his head. He raised his own hoof, pressing hers harder into his skull. “Please…” “Pip?” The stallion hitched a sob. Twilight thought, then spoke again. “Pipsqueak?” “It hurts… please, Miss Twilight, make it stop hurting…” “What hurts? Pipsqueak, what’s hurting?” Pipsqueak groaned, shaking a small amount as he pressed her hoof to his head again. “Okay, okay, Pipsqueak. Just stay calm. I’ll...” Twilight lowered her horn, touching it to his temple. Where before there had been two burning threads, now there were dozens; each pulsed hot with magic, crossing each other, pressing each other into Pipsqueak’s mind. The counterspell readied itself again, but Twilight tore her horn away. “Miss Twilight-“ “Shhh, shh, Pipsqueak, it’s okay, you’re going to be fine…” “It hurts, please, make it stop, it hurts so much…” “Shhhh…” Twilight brushed her hoof along Pipsqueak’s head, his hoof moving with hers. The grass and dirt in front of them shifted; Twilight raised her head, her gaze finding Broken Shield staring at Pipsqueak in abject shock. “Broken-“ “I… I’ll go get…” Broken cut her off with a mumble, his eye still wide and fixed on his old enemy. Pipsqueak let out another cry of pain; Broken stiffened, then teleported away. Twilight put her eyes back to the stallion, the colt, on the ground. He was breathing steadier, tears falling without sobs. “I’m sorry, Pipsqueak…” she said. She grabbed his hoof with both of hers, squeezing it gently in response to his grip. “I’m sorry…”