Friends in High Places

by Wheller


Chapter 7

Chapter 7

“What you propose is not only insanity, it is treason!” Prince Zephyr called out.

Surprise was taken aback by her master; she had never before seen him become emotional like this.

“I can’t believe I’m saying this...” Prince Maelstrom said, stumbling over his words. “I am... in agreement with my brother. What you propose will bring such undue chaos to this land! Chaos without restraint, without guidance, kills the weak and the strong alike! That is what you would bring to this land!”

“Sister! I am appalled by you! How could you possibly have such a terrible idea!?” Princess Luna called out, rising from her seat next to Princess Celestia and walking to the door. “Assassinate our own mother? I think this meeting is over.”

Surprise couldn’t believe what she had heard. Princess Celestia, the eldest daughter of Queen Gaia wanted to dispose of her mother and take her place! Queen Gaia had reigned for the last four thousand years; she was loved by all her subjects as a fair and just ruler.

“And nuclear weapons won’t, Maelstrom? That’s where we’re headed! This technology will be the death of us, and our mother not only allows it! She encourages it! Allowed to continue upon this course, Mother will be the death of all out subjects! We cannot sit idly by and allow it!” Princess Celestia shouted back at her siblings.

“I think the motion has clearly been voted on, sister,” Prince Zephyr spat back. “You cannot challenge our mother without support, and none of us will give ours.”

Prince Zephyr motioned to Surprise, and they followed Princess Luna out the door, Prince Maelstrom followed shortly afterwards.

“This is madness!” Princess Luna cried out in frustration as they exited the watch tower. “I always knew Tia did not like the current path of technological development, but to go so far as to dispose mother to get rid of it?”

Prince Zephyr nodded. “A most unfortunate development... but Tia will not make an attempt on mother without support; she is far too frightened of her to go it alone.”

“Needless to say, I think a fair bit of discretion is due on our parts, father especially would not take kindly to any threats made on mother. Let us give Tia a few days to cool off, and she will have let it pass.”

Princess Luna looked back up at the Watchtower of Heemstead; she was clearly worried about her sister. “I do not think so, she has been planning something for a very long time, and I do not think that she will let this go. I am going to go back up there and try and talk her out of it.”

“If you think it wise, go ahead,” Maelstrom said simply. “I have other matters to attend to, and I am sure you do as well, don’t you brother?”

“It is none of your concern,” Zephyr said coldly.

Luna looked back at them and snorted loudly. “Will the two of you stop with this childish rivalry? Zephyr, you cannot stay angry at him forever!”

“Watch me,” Zephyr said, turning away from his siblings, Surprise, having been forgotten about followed without a word.

“Ta ta brother!” Maelstrom called out before reforming himself into the black smoke and racing away.

Ticka-ticka-ticka-ticka-ticka-ticka!

“Humph!” Princess Luna said loud enough to be heard. “No better than children!” She opened the door to the watch tower and slammed it shut behind her. Zephyr ignored her and continued walking, Surprise in tow, towards the South.

Thirty minutes into the walk, she could have sworn that she heard a distant scream coming from behind them, Zephyr either didn’t notice, or didn’t care, she knew not which.

After several hours of walking, Prince Zephyr allowed to stop and rest. Surprise was exhausted. She lied down on the soft ground and upon shutting her eyes, fell right to sleep.

...

Ticka-ticka-ticka-ticka-ticka-ticka!

“Brother!” The voice of Prince Maelstrom rang out. Causing Surprise’s eyes to jolt open and send the filly to her hooves, within a second, she had the chain-knife in her teeth.

Zephyr too had risen, and promptly flung a fireball at his ordinarily hostile brother.

“Hold!” Maelstrom called, leaping out of the way, “I come not to fight you today.”

The magical aura around Zephyr’s horn dimmed, and he composed himself and cocked his head slightly. “Speak.”

“I bring word from the east. Celestia and Luna have assassinated mother with the Elements of Harmony and the Bonds of Eternity!” Maelstrom called out.

What?” Zephyr asked in surprise. “That bitch! She must have forced Luna into assisting her.”

Maelstrom nodded. “It is... not the worst part. You must see it for yourself; I cannot put it into words that even come close.”

“Very well,” Zephyr said. “We shall set aside our conflict with each other... until this is resolved.”

“I am... glad that we are in agreement,” Maelstrom said, looking incredibly nervous about the situation. This was not what they had hoped for.

Zephyr nodded. “Surprise! We make for Canterlot! Try and keep up!”

Surprise spread her wings and leapt into the air, the royal unicorns reformed into clouds of smoke, one black, one grey, and departed at top speed.

...

The road between Fillydelphia and... Wherever it was going to take Zecora, was a long one. She didn’t know where it was taking her, and she really didn’t care. She just wanted to put Fillydelphia, and the memories of hurt behind her.

She soon realised that she was not on the long road alone. She heard voices behind her, Zecora turned to discover that there was a large caravan group walking the same road. Four ponies in total, two of them pulling carts with fill equipment of some kind.

“Come on O! You need to lighten up!” called a mare’s voice.

“Vinyl Scratch! You will not tell me to lighten up! We are going to be late for the next show in Canterlot! It’s bad enough you drag me along on this nightmare!” the other mare said.

“Chill! We’ll get there when we get there! Them cats will wait for a chance to see me, and they’ll be happy to do it!” the “Vinyl Scratch” voice said.

The “O” voice merely sighed loudly.

Zecora turned to continue on her way, this had no concern to her.

“Whoa! Far out! I’m not even that drunk yet and I’m already seein’ things!” the “Vinyl Scratch” voice said again.

Zecora stopped dead in her tracks, she was talking about her.

“Vinyl! Be polite!” the “O” voice said, giving the mare beside her a light smack with her hoof.

Zecora turned back around, the caravan had caught up with her significantly. She offered a scowl at the ponies behind her, she was not amused.

The muted grey earth pony walked up to her. “I’m sorry about that... my friend has been drinking.”

“Drinking?” Zecora asked.

“Alcohol! Specifically some of that vodka stuff imported from the Cossack Confederacy!” Vinyl Scratch said. Zecora had a face to go with the obnoxious voice she had been hearing. Meaning that the earth pony who had apologised to her was “O.” Zecora expected it was a nickname.

Vinyl Scratch trotted up to the Zebra wearing a huge grin on her face. “How ya doin? Name’s Vinyl Scratch! This is Octavia, I call her O though. Want some Vodka?”

“Vinyl!” Octavia hissed at her.

“What? I’m being friendly!” Vinyl Scratch snapped back.

“No, thank you,” Zecora said, and began to continue on her way.

Vinyl Scratch continued to walk beside her, grinning widely at the Zebra, Octavia walked behind her with the caravan ponies following close behind.

“So... Where ya goin?” Vinyl asked.

“I have decided not, so onward I continue to trot,” Zecora said.

“You talk weird!” Vinyl said.

“To you, one could say the same, while influenced by the liquors bane,” Zecora said with annoyance in her voice.

“Ha! I like you! You’re funny!” Vinyl said grinning like a madmare.

Octavia held her head low, embarrassed by her friends actions. Vinyl either didn’t notice, or didn’t care, and levitated the bottle of vodka out of her saddlebag and took a swig of it.

“I bet... you’re going to Canterlot!” Vinyl proclaimed loudly in Zecora’s ear. “No other places to go really, ‘cept for a few little towns here and there. Or maybe you are bound for one of them small towns! Or maybe neither! Imagine, gruff zebra, wanders alone in the wilderness! Far from her native lands, her reasons, all her own! And then she meets a wacky band of travellers and they go on a bunch of adventures together! Octavia write this down! This is literary gold!” Vinyl Scratch said taking another swig of vodka.

“Please, tell me this road ends in a cliff, where she might be cast adrift?” Zecora asked Octavia in annoyance.

“I wish,” Octavia said with a sigh. “I’d help you push her.”