//------------------------------// // Wedding Bells Part 1: Assumptions and Communication Gone Wrong // Story: Brony Recon: Ascension // by Freescript the Bard //------------------------------// >><<>><< Luna’s POV Three days had passed since we returned to Equestria. One may think that the days preceding a royal wedding would warrant significantly more activity around the castle, especially near the banquet hall. However, the undeniable fact is that the banquet hall is always heavily trafficked with the preparations one celebration or another. These days, it seems that anypony with bits could rent out the palace banquet hall for a night or two. What sort of world do we live in that a high-royal wedding is just as much work to set up as a noble heir’s birthday party? From the balcony of my tower, I looked down upon the ponies setting up the party and observed their work for a few minutes. As I watched, I saw two stallions hauling a large box stamped with the logo of the local bakery, no doubt containing a multi-tiered cake. With a heavy sigh, I shook my head in pity of the hard work they were putting into an assumption. As my sister's sun began to dip below the west horizon, and I lifted my moon into the sky to the east, I heard the stirrings of my betrothed as he got out of bed and stretched his wings. Skyblaze made his way groggily to my side, and stared with half-lidded eyes at the courtyard and the activity in it. "That is a big cake box," he remarked. "What's all the hubbub today?" I shrugged and draped a wing over his shoulders. "Something about one of the princesses being wed to a handsome young pegasus stallion," I told him sarcastically. "Personally, I believe it is much aloof over nothing." "What?" Skyblaze looked up at me in surprise. "Nopony told them? Aww, that's too bad." "Indeed, all that hard work in vain. Though, to be fair, ponies can be very presumptuous, especially in Canterlot." I took a moment to nuzzle his head. "This is also what happens when we take care to keep our actual plans discrete." He nodded in agreement, leaning on me a little more. I kept my wing around him and pulled him a little closer. We stayed like this for some time, watching the last orange rays of Celestia’s sun dip out of sight, until the whole sky was a deep blue that was so characteristic with my star-studded nightsky. “So,” I prompted, giving the indigo stallion a squeeze with my wing. “Shall we begin?” Skyblaze replied with a mischievous grin. >><<>><< Sure Hoof’s POV It was way too quiet around the castle. I mean, sure, quiet meant that there weren’t cultists bursting through the windows in the endless and mysterious onslaught on Princesses. But this quiet was unnatural. Even the banter of nobles and the rhythmic hoofsteps of patrolling Night Guard couldn’t be heard through the echoing halls of the Royal Wing. The silence was an ominous one, and suggested something out of the ordinary. For a grunt like me, who was rarely in-the-know about stuff the higher-ups try to keep quiet, silence like this could mean a lot of things. For one, it could just be a standard drill for a special ops team, and they needed the regular patrols on duty. Two, there could be an urgent matter in another wing of the castle, so the force in less-essential wings was relocated and the castle evacuated. Three, the wing could be on lockdown and the department head may have forgotten to inform the normal patrol. Four, one of the Princesses was either dead or missing, but the odds of that being the case were extremely low. Five, one of the more panicky nobles saw a-- “Clear the way!” I jumped back toward the door I was stationed at (I think it was the Royal snack stash?) to let the small band of six ponies through. To my surprise, four of the ponies were Solar and Lunar Knights, the greatest champions of Equestria hoof-picked by the Princesses for the elite title. The fifth and sixth ponies, who galloped in the center of the formation, I recognized as the Head Investigator of the Royal Investigative Service, and the Director of the Equestrian Intelligence Agency. What in Tartarus is going on!? I wondered. Why do they need Knights and the criminal investigation heads!? Looking at the door behind me, I pondered whether the ridiculous amount of cakes in the Princess’ stash was really worth guarding over investigating the sudden increase of activity. On one hoof, I could be court marshalled. On the other, I could say I was investigating for matters of security. “Armor is gonna have my head…” I groaned as I left my post and ran after the heavily-armed escort of ponies. >><<>><< The entire Lunar Tower was under full military lockdown. As I approached the area, trying to act as if I was supposed to be there, I found every hall adjoining the tower staircase blocked by several high-ranking royal guard, plus a few Knights and Archmages. I frowned as my self-imposed mission went downhill very fast. There was no way I was getting in there with anything lower than a Captain’s rank, let alone Sergeant. Maybe if I act natural… I hoped to myself, making my way down the corridor toward the blockade. They already saw me, so there was no turning back now. Keep it cool, Sure Hoof, keep it cool… walk with purpose, like you belong… like you’re definitely not abandoning your post for curiosity’s-- “Halt!” BUCKIMSODEAD. I froze where I stood and straightened in attention as soon as the Solar Knight barked his order, trying not to appear nervous. Hopefully the mental conditioning would kick in and my poker face would keep. “State your designation and intent, Guard,” the Knight, Breaker Blade I think his name was, ordered cooly with a hard stare as he approached me. His intricately forged golden armor looked heavy on his off-white body, but the earth pony moved as though it didn’t exist. “Royal Guard Sergeant Sure Hoof,” I replied, with a barest shake in my voice. “Here on personal inquiry regarding the presence of the blockade, so I may better perform my duty to protect my Princesses and my nation.” Faust almighty, was that the best I could come up with? It sounded like a cheesy line from a war epic. “Solar Knight-Captain Breaker Blade, the ‘Breaker,’” he replied. I barely held my straight face when I realized his nickname was as cheesy as my speech. “You do not have the proper clearance to be privy to any details at this time, Sergeant. Return to your post, before I have you detained for-” “Sir Breaker.” To my surprise, Breaker Blade stood at attention in response to a raspy bark from behind him. Another earth pony stallion, who was darker gray and equipped with a midnight-blue version of Breaker Blade’s armor, approached the two of us. The Lunar Knight looked a little old to be on active duty, if the wrinkles on his face were any indication. “Knight-Commander Deeprun, sir!” Breaker barked. Deeprun rolled his eyes. “At ease, Breaker. Now tell me what all this commotion is.” “This Sergeant was attempting to pass, sir.” What? No I wasn’t! I just want to know what happened! “His clearance is insufficient for--” “Shame on you, Breaker,” the older stallion interrupted the Solar Knight for the second time. “Don’t you recognize this Guard? Sure Hoof is Princeling Freescript’s favored escort, as well as his personal friend.” “Yes sir, but-” “Don’t you think he deserves to know what happened to his friend?” What? Something happened to Skyblaze? My face broke from its hardness to stare at Deeprun in surprise. What in Tartarus would be so bad a blockade would be needed? “...I understand, sir,” Breaker said with no small amount of contempt and marched back to the blockade. Deeprun watched him leave. “You’ll have to excuse Breaker. He’s young and strong, but hard in the head,” he told me with a tone that seemed too informal for a Knight-Commander to use when addressing his subordinates. “I’ll talk to him later.” I wasn’t sure how to speak to him. He was far above me in the ranks; almost at the top. But he spoke in a way that expressed empathy that a Guard would only use off-duty at a pub. Gathering my will, I opened my mouth. “Sir… you said something happened to Skyblaze?” The Lunar Knight nodded somberly. “I’m not going to sugar-coat it for you, Sarge. Here’s the bottom line…” he took a pause to allow me to steel myself. “Skyblaze and Princess Luna are missing.” >><<>><< Elsewhere Nearby… Beneath Canterlot lie labyrinthine network of caverns, rumored to extend from the top the mountain, weave through a portion of Canterlot, then continue far past the base of the mountain. Some even speculate that the deepest of these caves brush or even breach the roof of Tartarus, the Underworld of Equis. However, since the caverns were only recently discovered, these speculations continue to be speculation. Few since the changeling invasion of Canterlot have attempted to explore the caves, and those that did made very little progress. Since its abandonment in times forgotten, the walls of the caverns had, to the puzzlement of several geologists, become extremely reflective crystalline forms. The crystal walls, aside from the fact possessing no practical use or appealing jeweling aspects, also caused some ponies to become very anxious. Being nearly reflective as mirrors, any kind of movement or change in lighting caused a myriad of shifting shapes, disorienting those who saw them. Experts advised any and all who attempted to venture into the caverns that prolonged stays could cause severe mental trauma. “Look at the walls too long,” they said, “and one could lose their mind.” But what were the caverns to one who had already lost their sanity? Rising Dark looked upon these same walls, reflected in the light of the many torches of the Aliyess encampment in the caverns, with wonder. It was the reflective property that scared off any who would dare try to venture too deep into the tunnels, and more importantly, allow the watchponies set up in the surrounding tunnels to spot the reflections of intruders. The dark unicorn mare chuckled to herself at how lucky they were to discover this area of the cave system. Deep enough that nopony would stumble upon them, but close enough to tunnels that adjoined to sewer tunnels and outlets on the ground, and big enough to hold the several scores of cultists within. These caverns were the key piece in the hit-and-run attacks on the palace; a group of Aliyess could emerge undetected from any part of the city and move off quickly to strike. Supplies and fresh troops came via the hidden entrances at the base of the mountain, keeping the staging area well-stocked for these frequent attacks. Foalproof... Rising Dark thought to herself, turning away from the wall and making her way back to the center of the encampment; a large open area specifically dedicated to morning exercises and, at that particular moment, worship. Three concentric circles of gray-dyed, black-cloaked ponies of all three races surrounded a circular wooden stage. Each pony had their head tilted back and their eyes closed, silently meditating and praying to the True Power they worshipped, and the Darkness they served. Rising Dark weaved through the circles and hopped onto the stage, regarding the congregation before her. Glorious, she thought. Truly, a force worthy of the Darkness’ guidance and the True Power’s praise. “Brothers and sisters of the Aliyess, disciples of the True Power, hear me now,” she spoke, her voice magically intensified. “We hear and heed, High Priest,” the gathering chanted in perfect unison. A shiver went down the unicorn’s spine. She loved hearing the united voices of her followers. “The Darkness has spoken to me through the Aether, whispering to me the final phase of our victory!” There was no cheer, but many of the cultists broke out in grins. Rising Dark allowed herself a brief hesitation, gathering her thoughts. “As you are aware, the tyrants still sit upon the throne, slandering the True Power and denying its rightful place! Tonight, my brothers and sisters, we shall have justice! In my meditation many moons past, the Darkness has aided me in devising the downfall of the blasphemous filth in Canterlot above, and the time has come that I reveal to you the fruits of our efforts.” A stirring passed through the crowd. Rising Dark had expected this reaction; over three dozen of their comrades had already been captured or killed by the Royal Guard, much to their dismay. “Fret not for those lost,” she consoled them. “Their sacrifice had not been in vain. Their part has been played most excellently.” A few confused looks dotted the crowd. “According to our spies in the castle, the Royal Guard believe that we are few in number, and do not possess the strength to mount an assault on the palace. This night, the night of their Hearth’s Warming, we shall show them exactly how wrong they are.” A quiet gasp of realization carried throughout the Aliyess. “Yes, my brothers and sisters!” Rising Dark cackled. “Tonight, we exact our revenge!” “...High Priest Rising Dark?” “Tonight, we emerge from the caves and engage in glorious battle!” “...Sister Dark?” “Glory and bloodshed await you! The Darkness shall be at your side, fighting alongside you, giving you strength and--” “Rising Dark!” “WHAT!?” the unicorn spat at the offending pony, a small pegasus stallion that couldn’t have been more than sixteen. Rising Dark seethed for a few seconds before she realized that the terrified stallion had a scroll tied around his neck, and that the stallion was the runner she picked to carry messages to and from the spies inside the castle. “I told you to wait until I was finished! How dare you interrupt this sacred rite!?” “Yes, High Priest, my sincerest apologies,” the messenger replied meekly. “But you-know-who insisted it was of the highest priority that this be delivered to you as fast possible, no matter the circumstance. To be specific, they-” “Give me that!” Rising Dark snapped at the anxious pegasus, taking the scroll in her magic grip and ripping it from his neck. She unfurled it, still fuming about the interruption, wondering just what in the nine levels of Tartarus could possibly be more urgent than this vital ritual of inspiration. If she could help it, that spy wouldn’t last until their next… ...what? Her eye twitched involuntarily. “The princeling and the Princess are missing…” In the back of the crowd of cultists, one mare whispered to the other. “Now that just makes us look bad.” >><<>><< Celestia was having a wonderful evening. At noon, she had finished the surprisingly little amount of paperwork in her office far ahead of schedule, so she had a light lunch with a few griffon dignitaries that were visiting Canterlot on their way to Zebrica, which made a good impression for her on a few lesser griffon clans. Well fed and with a light heart, Celestia made a visit to her School for Gifted Unicorns to look in on one of the younger age groups, much to the students’ joy and the instructor’s surprise. As her sun dipped lower in the sky, preparing itself for the final push she needed to apply for it to set, Celestia found herself in the castle gardens. The gardens were a place that were special to her, and she often walked its paths whenever she felt stressed or unrestful. Sometimes, like this time, she needed no reason. It was, to her, a sanctum created by the twisting vines and branches of the plants and the gentle calls of the fauna that flourished within. Yet, though the tranquillity and natural peace of the gardens was part of her reason for the frequent visits, there was a deeper meaning to them for Celestia. After the final battle of the War of Sun and Moon lay ruin to the once-grand Everfree Citadel, the gardens had been burned to the ground. Unbeknownst to the builders of the replacement capital, Canterlot, one of the many design inputs Celestia had requested was an exact replica of the gardens in the Citadel. While that fact faded out of most living memory, the Sun Goddess still found a feeling of nostalgia when she was among the hedges that exactly resembled the grounds in which she played and learned with her sister as young fillies. By the time a very panicked Solar Guard found her, she had been alone in the gardens for two hours, her eyes closed in reflective meditation. “Your Highness! Thank Elysium we found you!” the pegasus stallion exclaimed, scrambling to find his footing and stand at attention. “Found me?” Celestia chuckled. “I was here the whole time.” “My sincerest apologies, Princess,” the guard continued, unabated by her humor. “Rest assured all actions have been taken and all protocols have been followed, Your Majesty.” “Protocols? Actions?” Celestia looked at the pegasus with confusion. “What on Equestria has happened? Was somepony hurt?” The guard shook his head. Celestia heard the clinking of armor as more guards positioned themselves around her, remaining unseen to surprise potential attackers. “As far as we’re aware, there have been no casualties,” he reported. “My condolences, Your Highness. We assert that we are doing everything in our power to find and recover Princess Luna and Princeling Freescript.” The Princess stared at the pegasus. Her expression was impossible to read, holding her ever-present pokerface. When she was silent for several seconds, the guard’s mind began racing. Had he done something wrong? Was the Princess angry? Frightened? Decisively thinking about her next orders? What if he had upset her? What would happen then? Sweet sanity, would he be executed? No! He couldn’t be beheaded! He had a wife and two kids and another on the way! He was too young to die! Oh, what tragedy had become of-- His thoughts were quickly silenced by the sound of soft laughter. The guard was extremely confused as to what the source was for a few moments before realizing, to his surprise, it was the Princess’ laughter. “Princess?” he asked, unsure if he had just traumatized her beyond normal mental function. “Your Highness, are you okay?” “Is that what all the commotion is about?” she giggled, wiping a stray tear from her eye. “Dear me… I shall have a long talk with the commanders on security protocols and communication later on.” The Princess regarded the guard, who was trying not to look anxious. “Sound the all-clear; this has all been an extraordinary misunderstanding.” “But… but I…” he stammered. “But… what happened to Princess Luna and Lord Skyblaze?” “I believe the dictionary term is ‘eloping,’” Celestia answered. “Now, please relax, my good soldier. Tell me about your family. Another foal on the way, am I correct?”