Episode 5: Between Battlefields
Trixie backpedalled until her back hit the cold wall of the hospital room, waving one hoof in front of her rapidly to ward off the impending doom storming towards her.
“I didn’t mean for any of this to happen! Calm down, Bon Bon!”
In front of Trixie the creme colored confectionist was advancing upon Trixie with what could only be described as ‘furious murder’ in her eyes. Every step of Bon Bon’s hooves was punctuated by a snort of steam from her nostrils and a further grinding of her teeth as she glared utter death at the Night Court Representative. Bon-Bon’s voice was a barely controlled growl.
“Lyra... My Lyra... you nearly got her killed!”
Before Bon Bon could get another step towards Trixie, Raindrops and Carrot Top interposed themselves between the two, the former stiff and ready to hold Bon Bon down, the later holding a hoof up and trying to put on a disarming look.
“Its not Trixie’s fault, Bon Bon,” said Carrot Top, “We all chose to go out there, even though we knew it’d be dangerous. You can’t blame Trixie for that!”
“I can, and I am!” said Bon Bon fiercely, tears brimming in her glaring eyes, “Because none of you will even tell me how it happened! How!? How did Lyra get hurt!? Why is she hospitalized with a pierced lung!?”
Raindrops sighed, giving Trixie a helpless and questioning, and Trixie felt a vice of guilt grip her. They’d gotten to the hospital well behind Sungleam, whose raw speed had managed to get Lyra to the medical help she desperately needed faster than anypony else could have. However, that meant that in the time it’d taken Trixie and the others to gallop back into Ponyville from Fluttershy’s cottage word had gotten to Bon-Bon about Lyra’s condition.
The confectionist had met them in the hospital lobby, apparently having just spoken with the doctors about Lyra’s condition, and understandable was... less than thrilled. Part of the problem was that nopony had really given her a clear explanation for how Lyra had been injured, as Trixie and the others had agreed not to reveal any details unless absolutely necessary. The last thing Trixie wanted was more ponies getting mixed up in the Grail War, and until she spoke with Princess Luna directly, she felt a need to keep as much of this under wraps as possible.
That was somewhat difficult already, given just about everypony in Ponyville saw the magical event that’d started this series of events, the initial skirmish between Sungleam, Lancer, and Berserker, and the fact that the large, dangerous looking griffin had been staying outside Ditzy’s home above the post office for most of the morning. By this point it wasn’t much of a secret that Trixie and the other Element bearers were involved in whatever was going on, so many Ponyvillians were watching them curiously as they ran back into Ponyville, with Fluttershy in tow, and Trixie had needed to deflect questions from mayor Ivory Scroll as they’d run to the hospital.
Now Bon Bon looked like she wasn’t going to stop trying to turn Trixie’s head into a wall decoration until she got answers, and Trixie, honestly, couldn’t blame the mare. Trixie never had a marefriend, or any kind of real relationship, but she could easily enough imagine what Bon-Bon had to be feeling. Mostly because Bon Bon was openly furious.
Trixie swallowed, taking a deep breath, and slowly stepped away from the wall, meeting Bon Bon’s stare with some difficulty, and giving a nod to Raindrops and Carrot Top, “Its alright you two, I think... at least we can try to explain to Bon Bon what’s happening. Um, Sungleam, you can come out now.”
Sungleam appeared from thin air, her form materializing in a wash of glittering motes of light until the stark white unicorn knight was standing beside Bon Bon, her gold armor and blue surcoat forming upon her an instant after her body did. Bon Bon jumped at the sudden, magical appearance of this strange, armored mare. Sungleam merely bowed her head to Bon Bon.
“Before anything else is said,” Sungleam said solemnly, eyes locked on Bon Bon, “Please accept my most sincere regrets and apologies for the state your beloved has fallen to. Though I have slain the one responsible already, the fact remains that I had crossed blades with the cur earlier, and had I managed to stop him then, none of this would have befallen.”
“W...wha...?” Bon Bon just seemed bewildered. Trixie couldn’t really blame her, it wasn’t like one saw ponies pop out of thin air every day, even in Ponyville. Sungleam had been hiding in a dematerialized state, to preserve mana, and to keep Berserker from getting more agitated. Ditzy had taken the griffin back to their home to keep him calm, but Sungleam’s presence made that difficult. If she dematerialized, it seemed to take the edge off the griffin, though Trixie wasn’t happy with Ditzy being alone with him. So she’d sent Cheerilee to keep an eye on Ditzy, while they checked up on Lyra.
Sungleam sighed, eyes downcast as she knelt before Bon-Bon, “Your anger should be directed upon me, not my master.”
“Trixie,” Bon Bon stepped back from Sungleam, anger somewhat forgotten under the unusual circumstances, “Who is this?”
Trixie took a deep breath, “Okay, here’s the abridged version...”
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Trixie returned to her home feeling dead tired, both inside and out. Raindrops was running interference with the mayor, trying to assuage concern over the day’s events. Carrot Top had taken Fluttershy to her farm, the pegasus mare in need of a place to rest until her own cottage was a little less flooded. Cheerilee was still with Ditzy at the post office, and would let Trixie knew if there were any new developments with Berserker. Lyra was in stable condition, though was still unconscious and bedridden at the hospital, with Bon Bon staying by her side, unsurprisingly. Bon Bon had listened to Trixie’s explanation of events, and afterward had rather numbly accepted it all with the look of a mare who had been told the sun and moon had exchanged places. Trixie had seen looks like that on ponies after Corona’s return, and understood it. Even in a world like this, and a town as prone to unusual happenings as Ponyville, there were still limits on what a pony could take without getting a little shell shocked from it.
Regardless of that, for the moment, at least, there was no immediate crisis. Aside from the distinct possibility of being attacked by another Servant at any moment. While Assassin was defeated, and Berserker seemed to be under control for the time being, that still left four rival Servants out there that could crop up at any time. Sungleam had assured Trixie that Commander Hurricane would not be a problem for the immediate future; that they’d agreed to a duel in several days. Trixie hadn’t been all that happy to hear that.
“If he was weakened from fighting with Berserker you should have just finished him off,” Trixie muttered to her Servant as she flopped down on her couch, too tired to even think of ascending the stairs to her bed, and not really planning on going to sleep anyway. She still had to write to Luna, to get some idea of what her Princess knew of all this, and what could be done about it. Trixie had a fantasy in her head of another Servant appearing to challenge her, only to get swarmed by a few hundred (or thousand) Night Guard. Unlikely, and Trixie belatedly had to admit to herself it’d be too dangerous for the Night Guard to actually fight a Servant, but it was a nice fantasy.
Sungleam nickered lightly as she trotted to the side of the couch, looking down at Trixie, “Master, I must abide by some standards of chivalry, no matter your disapproval of such things. I swore oaths when I accepted my knighthood, and I live by them. Did live by them. Even in death, my oaths must still hold, otherwise what good were they to begin with? Lancer... it would not have been proper to slay him there, so weakened. It would have flown in the face of all honor. Had he pressed his attack, I would have responded in kind, but as it happened, he was willing to retreat.”
“Of course he was,” Trixie huffed, all but throwing her hat at Sungleam, the hat flopping to the floor as she threw it there in frustration, “He took advantage of your stupid honor, so he could get out of there and heal up! Now he’ll be even tougher to beat because he’ll have time to plan out a strategy to beat us!”
“We, too, shall have time to plan, master,” said Sungleam, voice tense and tight with anger, her eyes flashing with fumigating rage, “And do not insult my honor. My master you may be, but there are limits to the insults I will bear. Now, there is something else we must discuss before we enter battle again.”
“Oh, what’s that? I’m exhausted, can this wait?”
“No,” said Sungleam firmly, “I must say this now, and you must listen.”
“Ugh, fine. What is it?” Trixie turned onto her back, trying to get comfortable on the couch, and looking up at Sungleam with her hooves crossed over her chest and her hindlegs crossed, partially out of modestly, partially so she could tap one on the arm of the couch in impatience.
“From now on, it is my highest recommendation that you do not involve your friends in future battles,” said Sungleam bluntly.
Trixie frowned, a stab of guilt shooting through her as she thought of Lyra, “You do realize I don’t command them, right? I can’t stop them if they decide to get involved.”
Sungleam matched Trixie’s frown with one of her own, “That is not true in the least. You are a Representative of this... Night Court of Luna,” the way Sungleam said it suggested she thought very little of the idea of a ‘Night Court’ at all, “You could request a decree from Luna for them to stay out of this affair.”
“Even if I did, I doubt that’d stop them. My friends can be pretty persistent,” Trixie pointed out, though she couldn’t deny that Sungleam had a solid point. She could ask Luna to intervene. It might even work.
“Master, did you not see what happened with Assassin? The six of you were utterly outmatched!” Sungleam said with a firm stamp of her hoof, golden tail flicking behind her irritably.
Trixie found herself tightening her hooves around herself in frustration, “We... held out, until I had to call you.”
Sungleam shook her head, “Had Assassin been fighting even remotely seriously against you, at the very least Lyra Heartstrings would be dead now, instead of just in the hospital.”
“You don’t know th-”
Sungleam stamped her hoof once more and this time the floorboards beneath it shattered like glass, and Trixie was knocked off the couch by the rolling impact that shook the entire Residency. Dumped on the floor, with many more cracked floorboards and more than a few tipped shelves, Trixie turned over to glare up at Sungleam, but the mare’s form was glowing gold with magical energy and spoke before Trixie could with a voice of assured command that resonated off the walls.
“Mortals are no match for Servants. Not without a great deal of magical power of their own to even the odds. Assassin’s abilities would have allowed him to strike any of you dead with ease at any point during that ‘battle’. The only reason I can think of that any of you still draw breath after confronting him is that he, for reasons I cannot guess at, was holding back against you. He pierced Lyra’s lung, instead of her heart, or brain, or any other vital organ that would have killed her instantly. He struck with weak attacks, meant to wound, rather than kill. He tried to intimidate you into submission, rather than destroy you outright, even when he had you in the grip of his Noble Phantasm! The fact remains that all six of you should be dead right now.”
Trixie had to control her breathing to keep from sounding like a bellows as she climbed to her hooves, eyes fixed on Sungleam, “You think I don’t know that!? Do you believe I wanted my friends to be in that kind of danger!? That I want to be in that kind of danger!? What do you want me to do about it?”
“It’s simple, master. You forbid them from joining us in battle, and you allow me to do as a Servant is meant to; fight these fights for you. You are the master, I the Servant. You are to give the orders, I am to wield the blade. I am your Saber! Use me thusly! Others are not needed for this fight, and if they continue to interfere, I assure you that your friends will die. We cannot count on the other Servants to have Assassin’s... hang ups, whatever they were.”
Trixie, still breathing hard as her tightly bottled emotions started to leak out, sat back on her haunches, hanging her head, “What about Ditzy? Even if I somehow convinced the others to stay out of this, which I’m not at all certain I could, I doubt I’d be able to do the same with her.”
Trixie gulped, not wanting to break down in front of Sungleam, but it was hard to keep her composure now that the full weight of the day’s events could sink in, ”I could have lost any of them today. I don’t know what I’d do if Lyra had...”
She trailed off, embarrassed. Trixie wasn’t used to her emotions getting the better of her composure. The last time she remembered breaking down at all had been in front of Luna after the whole mess with the ice palace. Trixie took a deep breath, slowly shaking her head, and then taking another slow breath, until she felt able to look Sungleam in the eye again. She expected to see the knightly mare glaring at her with more anger and challenge, but instead Sungleam’s blue eyes had softened, and she even looked a little embarrassed herself, looking away from Trixie, turning her head to look at the wall.
“I apologize. I was not trying to suggest you did not care for your friend’s well being. Will your friends truly not listen to reason? At all?”
Trixie bit her lip, wondering herself. She felt certain that her friends would want to keep helping her, even with the danger, even if Trixie asked them to stay out of it. That was just the way they were. Despite the danger, and her fears, Trixie wasn’t certain she wanted them to stay away. For all her fears, Trixie understood how much stronger she was with her friends. Far more than the magic of the Elements Trixie valued the more essential strength that simply being beside her friends gave her. Could she even do this, without them? Could she afford to do this with them? An image of Lyra popped intro Trixie’s mind, of a black branch stabbing into that mint coat, and red blood pooling in the snow beneath Lyra’s fallen form. Trixie gulped, shaking her head.
No, as strong as she was beside her friends, Sungleam had the right of it. She couldn’t risk them in the fights to come.
“I don’t know if they will, but I’ll try,” Trixie said, her stance growing more resolute by the second as she trotted over towards her office, “Maybe you’re right, and Luna can convince them if I can’t. As for Ditzy, I don’t know how she’d react if we tried to take out Berserker, but I can’t let that griffin’s bond with her drain her dry or drive her crazy! Our best bet is to end this war fast by keeping to teaming up with her and Berserker to wipe out the other Servants. That means finding them as soon as we can.”
Sungleam followed Trixie into her office, where Trixie went to her desk and got out a scroll and quill pen. With fast levitation she dipped the pen in an ink well, which had fallen over from Sungleam’s hoof stamp, and had stained part of the desk. Trixie ignored the mess and got writing. Sungleam’s ears twitched as she looked at the state of the room, with stacks of scrolls toppled and the ink staining the desk.
“I must apologize again, I didn’t mean to actually cause such a mess of your house, master. I shall work on cleaning it immediately, if you wish.”
“That’s fine,” Trixie said, focused on the scroll before her, “This house goes through a disaster at least once or twice a week. I know ponies in town who are experts at fixing things up, from windows to floors. I’ll have them come in tomorrow to get this place sorted. We’re going to be busy.”
Sungleam came up beside Trixie, glancing at the scroll, “What are you writing?”
“This is a letter to the Princess,” Trixie said, her pace of writing increasing, the quill pen dancing over the page, “It might be the middle of the day but I don’t doubt she’s awake. Surprised she hasn’t gotten in touch with me, given the big magic light show that heralded you Servants showing up, but maybe she’s got her hooves full. Regardless, this will get her attention; given I’m informing her of what’s happened here in Ponyville. I’m going to ask her to house my friends and I in Canterlot for now, it’ll be safer there I think, and to bring me up to date on anything she knows about the Grail War.”
Trixie paused, frowning.
“At least I hope Canterlot will be safer...”
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Princess Luna felt the beginnings of a severe headache. She was used to dealing with high pressure situations; it was impossible not to be after the length of time she’d lived. That still didn’t make her immune to the stress at all, and after the sixth time she’d had to explain to her assembled Night Court that the present emergency was not some ploy by Corona and that Canterlot wasn’t actually under attack she was starting to feel the effects of lack of sleep combined with a hefty helping of frustration.
Her little ponies were scared and she couldn’t blame them. What had happened in that park... Luna shook her head. It’d been a very lucky thing nopony had been in the park at the time, but there had been more than enough idle passers by that the battle between Servants had been witnessed. Now rumor was filling the streets, and before long there would be panic unless matters were taken in hoof. That was what she’d been stuck discussing with the Night Court, organizing efforts to keep the populace calm.
In the meantime the Night Guard had been redoubling their efforts to search the city, through Luna doubted they’d turn up anything. Shining Armor had brought her up to speed on events. She felt a surge of sympathy for the stallion. He’d been an exemplary example of his profession, despite his sister being a fugitive and his family under such duress over it. He’d found her, but hardly in a proper reunion.
Luna suppressed a sad sigh. Shining Armor’s emotional state aside Luna was interested in the fact that Twilight Sparkle’s Servant was none other than Starswirl the Bearded himself. Luna’s memories of the prodigious wizard were fond ones. A soft, simmering anger built in her and her steps became a touch harder as she entered her small, cozy meeting room.
The Grail, the thrice-damned Grail. Creating that thing had been just another mistake in a long list, and Luna knew she shouldn’t beat herself up over it, that doing so would accomplish little. Still, it was hard not to feel a growing rage that a mistake made literally so long ago she could barely remember it was now threatening the lives of the ponies she’d dedicated her life to safeguard and guide.
Sister, does this penetrate your madness? Does the severity of the calamity our past error has brought on our little ponies ignite your anger the same as it does mine?
A pointless thought, she supposed. Corona, undoubtable aware of events, was as drained of her power as Luna was. It was strange, feeling so... normal. She suspected that at the moment she was no stronger than an above average unicorn in terms of magic, and while she still had some physical superiority it was nowhere near the strength she had prior to the Grail’s stirring.
Moving across her sparsely decorated meeting room, which doubled as a study when she wanted somewhere quiet to get some rare paperwork done or perhaps some reading, Luna took a seat behind her desk and floated out a quill and scroll. She floated up a pair of red rimmed glasses and perched them eloquently upon her snout as she readied the quill in her magic. The glasses were not a necessity, but rather a small, personal affection. A long ago lover had once told her, when she’d tried the pair on during an impulse, that they looked good on her. She’d kept the pair of glasses for the many centuries since, and wore them when she read or wrote alone, just as a fond reminder of the past. Before she could even dip the quill in the ink pot there was a blue puff of smoke by her desk, in a special drawer reserved for a specific purpose.
“Well, that’s convenient,” she said aloud, smiling slightly as she set aside the quill and opened up the drawer. Inside was a letter, freshly written, and there was only one pony it could be from.
Luna had been just about to write her apprentice to bring Trixie Lulamoon up to speed on evens. She’d intended to assure Trixie and her friends that the magical energies seen that morning were not some new attack by Corona, and that they should remain calm and stay in Ponyville for the time being. Luna had no intention of calling on the Element Bearers to try and confront any Servants or their Masters. For all of Trixie and her friend’s resourcefulness they were not trained to deal with the likes of Servants. Not that anypony in Equestria really was.
All thoughts of what she was going to write to Trixie fled Luna’s mind, however, as she read the letter from her apprentice. With every line read Luna felt her heart sink and an uneasiness grip her.
Curse the Grail, for dragging them into this, she thought, eyes re-reading the elegantly scrawled words once more, just to confirm them, Two of the Bearers, Masters. At least they’ve survived, though to think they’ve already beaten one of Servants.
Despite a sick, sad feeling at the thought of Trixie and the other Element Bearers being forced into such a deadly battle without any warning, after all they’d already gone through for Equestria, Luna was impressed they’d come through that first battle not only victorious, but mostly unscathed. Except for Lyra. Luna frowned, reading the description of the musician's injury. The hospital in Ponyville was quite good, given the size of the small town, but Luna more than understood Trixie’s desire to have her friend moved to the Royal Palace. Between the Royal physicians and Luna’s own skill in healing magic, Lyra would stand a much better chance of recovery. Even drained as she was Luna felt confident she could do much for Lyra’s condition.
Having Trixie and Ditzy both in Canterlot could prove the best course, despite potential dangers. It meant, in essence, that Luna would have three Masters and their respective Servants under one roof, but generally loyal to her. Shining Armor, Trixie, and Ditzy could coordinate efforts locate and defeat the other Servants, and once that was done, have a simple, formalized battle between their own Servants to determine a final victor. After that...
After that what? Luna asked herself sourly, teeth bared at some unseen foe, The Grail set this up when my sister and I sealed it, created this scenario where it could revive itself. What will happen when the last Servant falls, and the Grail manifests in this world once again? Will it truly grant the victor any wish they desire? Possiblly... it was powerful enough to alter the world around it. But its malice. It’s hatred. The Grail should never be allowed to exist in our world again.
Luna shook her head, But how I can stop it?
She was distracted from her thoughts by a knock on her door. Quirking an eyebrow, not expecting a visitor, Luna tensed and said, “Enter.”
She relaxed when she saw the familiar face of Shining Armor enter her room with a respectful bow, but clear agitation brimming in every inch of the young, muscular guard captain’s frame. Behind him strode Princess Platinum, as graceful and regal in her movements as ever Luna had seen her, through Luna noted a hint of annoyance in the mare’s otherwise composed visage.
“Princess,” Shining Armor said with another bow as he reached her desk, “I apologize for disturbing you but I didn’t think this could wait.”
“It could have,” said Platinum off-hoofedly, taking in the sight of Luna’s meeting room with a discerning eye, finally resting on Luna, “Cozy. Oh, I like the glasses. They suit you.”
Luna suppressed a huff, taking the glasses off and pointedly setting them on her desk before folding her hooves on the desk in front of her, “What is it, Shining Armor, that you feel could not wait?”
He glanced nervously at Princess Platinum, who didn’t do more than just close her eyes and give him a slight nod, to which he then used his magic to levitate out a note that had been tucked behind his armor’s breastplate and floated it over to Luna. Luna took the note and scanned it quickly. It was a brief note:
BBBFF-
I’m at the Castle of the Two Sisters. Come with just yourself and your Servant, at sunrise tomorrow. If anypony else is with you I will vanish, and you’ll not see me again until this is all over. I’m sorry this is how we had to see each other again. Waiting for you.
-Your LSBFF
Luna did sigh then, setting the note down and looking at Shining Armor with sympathy, “She means to fight you.”
Shining Armor, doing a remarkable job keeping his own composure, nodded once, “Yes.”
“And you intend to walk into this obvious trap?” Luna queried, already knowing the answer, but needing to hear him say it just the same.
“I wouldn’t call it a trap,” he said defensively, “Twily is making this an open challenge. Like our flash test contests as kids,” at Luna’s questioning look he added, “We quizzed each other when we were younger. Twily isn’t making this a trap or ambush; its going to be an open contest.”
“Are you certain of this?” Luna asked, “She’s been on the run for months now. Why would she put that at risk by fighting the Captain of my Royal Guard in open battle without stacking the deck against him?”
“I don’t doubt she’s chosen her location to suit her and her Servant,” said Shining Armor, some heat crawling into his voice as he met Luna’s gaze, “But Twily, I trust she’s on the level here. She wants to put an end to this as much as I do. So I intend to go there and do exactly that!”
Luna nodded, looking over at Princess Platinum, “And you mean to just take your Servant with you. You’re asking that I neither interfere nor send anypony else to assist you.”
“Please,” he said, uncharacteristically emotional as he swallowed and bowed his head once again, “Please let me settle this matter with my sister myself, Princess. I promise you I and Platinum will emerge victorious, and I’ll bring Twily home.”
He didn’t notice Princess Platinum rolling her eyes slightly, but Luna did not.
“Do you have a differing opinion on this matter, Princess Platinum?” Luna asked.
Shining Armor stiffened slightly, glancing at his Servant, who didn’t wilt under the look of the guard captain or Luna. Instead she held her head high and spoke with firm confidence flowing from her words.
“I believe engaging in a fight upon ground of our foe’s choosing is the height of foalish behavior. Here in Canterlot we hold the advantage of home territory. Further, we know for certain there is at least one more active Servant and Master still in the city. If we depart to participate in this battle with my Master’s sibling we’ll only be giving up our home court advantage and exposing ourselves to an attack by the other Master and Servant.”
She gave Shining Armor an imperious look, through one that was not without some small, soft fondness, “Your eagerness is understandable, and a good quality for a stallion to have, but now is not the time to go chasing after your sister. It is not to our advantage.”
Shining Armor pressed his lips together in a tight frown, voice strained as he said, “And what advantage to do we just sitting around here? I fail to see this ‘home court’ advantage you’re talking about! If anything we should be looking to take this battles outside the city! The ponies of Canterlot are in danger the longer we stay here.”
“Not at all,” Princess Platinum shot back, “The fight in the park was unfortunate, but under most circumstances we can easily control where a battle takes place. I’m not speaking of the city itself when I talk about advantage of home territory. I speak of the mountain. I know the mountains around here intimately, as they were my favorite place to take my pets for walks.”
Shining Armor could only imagine what kind of ‘pets’ Princess Platinum was talking about. After seeing the Thunderbird Eclair in action he was curious at what other beasts his Rider-class Servant might have hidden in her Menagerie. He was also seeing what she meant and had to admit that she had some small point.
“What you’re saying is that if we fight a Servant in the mountain peaks around Canterlot,” he said, “You know all the right places to set up ambushes, or mislead an opponent, and we can put anypony we fight at a disadvantage as a result.”
She nodded, “Exactly. All we need do is wait for any fool Master to challenge us again, and simply lead them on a merry chase around the mountains, dispatching them at our leisure. This includes your sister. She can’t wait in the forest forever. If she wishes to win the Grail War she’ll have to come to us.”
“Or attack another Master,” Shining Armor said, and frowned, “Or another Master will attack her.”
His head shook, fear for Twilight overriding any other thoughts, “No, Platinum, no. I’m not waiting. Twily is in over her head! I have to take her out of the running now before somepony else finds her! We have no idea who the other Masters are and any of them might attack her and... and...”
He shuddered, the thought of his sister’s life in danger making him want to buck something through the face. He couldn’t get the image of his sister’s burned, lifeless body out of his mind. If he and Platinum had not arrived to stop that fight in the park, could that other Servant had killed his sister? No! He wouldn’t let that happen. He would defeat Twilight himself, and return her to Canterlot, to her family, no matter what it took!
A comforting hoof landed on his shoulder and Shining Armor looked up to see Luna had come around to him, putting a hoof around his withers, an understanding wisp of a smile on her face.
“It will be alright, Shining Armor, I have faith that you can bring your sister safely home. Also, to allay some of your fears, I now know who most of the remaining Masters are.”
She quickly explained what was in Trixie’s letter. Shining Armor’s expression went from surprised to thoughtful as he furrowed his brow and said, “Its great that they defeated one of the Servants, but your apprentice didn’t mention anything about this Assassin’s Master. Could they still be a threat?”
Princess Platinum was quick to answer, “Unlikely, but possible. Without a Servant the Master loses their most potent weapon, but that isn’t to say they can’t still become a Master again. If another Servant loses their Master they can still remain in the physical world briefly, and in that time that Servant might be able to make a Pact with another Master, such as the one that was in control of Assassin.”
Shining Armor grunted, “Great, so while we’re down one Servant, its still possible the Master that got away could still be a problem. Aside from that, are you going to allow the Element Bearers to come to Canterlot, Princess?”
Luna nodded, “I believe Trixie is right that it would be for the best.”
“Then what about this other Master native to Ponyville? Rainbow Dash?”
“My hope was that, as a loyal citizen of Equestria, I could convince her to come to Canterlot as well,” said Luna, “I was hesitant to task the Night Guard with tracking her down to request her and her Servant come to Canterlot, but also thought it might be better if I approached her myself. She’s already engaged in battle with other Masters, suggesting to me she knows what the prize of the Grail War is, but perhaps she doesn’t know how serious the situation is and is just going along with the flow. I admit I know nothing of her, and Trixie doesn’t seem to know her well either, as she only stated in her letter that Rainbow Dash seemed to just be reacting to things and getting pulled along with her Servant.”
“That’s not unexpected,” said Platinum with a small smirk, “Commander Hurricane has a rather forceful personality. It wouldn’t be entirely out of the question to assume that he is the one truly in charge of that pair, depending on just how good this Rainbow Dash is. You can’t assume, Princess Luna, if you approach them that it will be Rainbow Dash you’ll need to convince to cooperate.”
“Getting them all here,” Shining Armor said, still looking thoughtful, “What will be the next step after that?”
Luna shook her head, “We can worry about that once that is done. My hope is to resolve this conflict as calmly and bloodlessly as possible. I have... things I must look into, concerning the Grail. I fear that it may be the last thing we want; the Masters and Servants fighting this out to the end.”
At Shining Armor’s questioning look, a look Princess Platinum shared as she gave Luna a quizzical cock of her head, and Luna just returned their looks with a reassuring smile, “Do not concern yourselves with it, at least not yet. Concentrate instead on your coming confrontation. The castle I shared with...” she paused, a flash of pain drifting across her eyes, “my sister, is not the most stable place; hardly a location safe for battle. Perhaps that is part of Twilight Sparkle’s plan. Regardless, be careful, and alert, but trust that I have every confidence you will succeed.”
----------
Rainbow Dash awoke to find that she couldn’t move her legs or wings. Immediately a sense of panic hit her at the sensation of being restrained and without thinking she shook her whole body around in an attempt to free herself before she even took stock of her surroundings.
When she felt herself tilt over and hit soft, wet ground pain exploded in her fore hooves, and she cried out. This prompted the sound of a door opening and Rainbow Dash blinked as light flooded into the previously darkened area, revealing that she was inside what looked like a hospital room. She’d just, in her struggles, forced the bed to fall over while she was still strapped to it. A orange coated pony, a unicorn stallion, had come in at the noise, wearing a doctor’s coat and stethoscope. He looked at her with alarm, quickly trotting over.
“Miss Dash! You must not move in your condition!”
“W-where am I!?” Rainbow asked, trying to take calming breaths to slow her heart and also work past the pain shooting through her limbs.
“Cloudsdale Memorial Hospital,” the doctor pony replied, voice kind as he approached and knelt by her, his horn lighting up lime green as he looked her over, “Hmm, well it doesn’t seem like you’ve made things worse. With your permission I’ll lift you back onto the bed.”
Rainbow cringed a bit at the thought of moving around more. Her fore legs were completely covered in casts, her wings and hind legs also bandaged and binded to the bed she’d tried to flop out of. A headache pounded at her and she felt like her muscles had decided to check out entirely.
“Yeah, its cool,” she said, gradually recalling recent events as the doctor’s magic gently lifted her and the bed, righting the bed and laying her back in it. At a slight grunt of pain from her the doctor’s magic shifted slightly and she felt a cool wash of relief pass over her body, like suddenly getting dipped in a pleasantly cool stream.
“Panacea’s Pain Popping Dweomer,” the doctor explained at her confused look, “It’ll last long enough for you to get back to sleep. You need rest to properly recover from your ordeal.”
“Not sleepy,” Rainbow said curtly, looking around. The hospital room was small, with just her bed in it, a health monitor nearby beeping away irritatingly, and a single window with the curtains drawn, blocking the sun, “How did I get here?”
“Your big brother brought you in,” the doctor replied, “Flew you in about eight hours ago, after your flight training accident. Do you remember anything about that?”
Rainbow Dash had to work hard to keep her face from twisting up in confusion and just look pondering. Big brother? Flight training accident? Rainbow gradually connected the dots in her head as the doctor watched her expectantly. She threw on a forced smile.
“Ooooooh, my big brother! Of course, he’s such a nice guy! Totally always there for me, yup. And man o’ man, talk about a rough landing. But, y’know, gotta train hard if I’m ever going to be a Wonderbolt. A few tough spills are nothing big!” she said, not certain if she was laying it on too thick or not but the doctor seemed to accept her words with a nod.
“Um, where is my big bro?” she asked.
“Right here, my dearest of dear little sisters!” came Commander Hurricane’s voice as he marched through the doorway. Rainbow blinked at him. He wasn’t wearing his leather armor or helmet, but instead had on a bright pink and yellow shirt with the words “BBBFF’ stitched across the breast, sunglasses, and a ball cap with the Cloudsdale Tempests hoofball team logo on it.
He went right up to the side of her bed, grinning and giving her head a hearty pat, “Feeling any better yet, my impressively durable sister? Why I bet you’re practically ready to jump out of that bed already!”
Well, that was partially true. Rainbow Dash had zero interest in staying in bed, but even she had to admit that she wasn’t feeling like flying a marathon race, or even walking down the street for that matter. Before she could voice her opinion on the matter, however, the doctor interjected, face frowning with professional politeness.
“I’m afraid that would be out of the question. Miss Dash has suffered severe fractures in both of her forelimbs, pulled and torn muscles nearly all over her body, not to mention has a minor concussion. She won’t be leaving this hospital for at least a week.”
“Yes, of course,” said Hurricane with a nod of agreement, “No doubt under your careful ministrations she’ll make a full recovery in record time! Truly you are a credit to your profession, Doctor Weathervane. Have you considered military service? The Grand Army could’ve used more dedicated field medics, especially during the long siege of Amethyst Keep. Many a noble pegasus soldier was lost over that long, arduous campaign.”
At the doctor’s tilted head and utterly baffled look Rainbow Dash quickly said, “Heheh, oh bro, don’t joke around with the doc. Man, my brother, he’s a real egghead when it comes military history,” she gave Hurricane a meaningful glare.
He blinked at her, then glanced at Doctor Weathervane, “Yes, military history... because it happened in the past. And I wasn’t there. At all.”
The doctor stared at them for a few seconds before shaking his head and saying, “At any rate, if you two would like to visit then that is perfectly fine, just do not allow Miss Dash to strain herself physically.”
He gave Hurricane a hard look, “Doctor’s orders, do I make myself clear?”
Hurricane nodded and saluted, hoof to chest, “Of course. A doctor in his hospital is akin to a captain aboard his ship. I understand perfectly.”
With a final strange look at the two ‘siblings’ Doctor Weathervane left to give them their privacy. Rainbow Dash visibly relaxed once he was gone, but wasn’t able to enjoy the soft feeling of the bed for long as Commander Hurricane turned and gave her a hearty clap on her shoulder that made her eyes shoot wide with pain.
“Well then Private Dash, I must congratulate you. While I might give a few pointers here and there I’d say our first battle together was quite successful!”
Rainbow Dash ignored his compliment, her face going deadly serious, “I don’t care about that, is Fluttershy okay? Did you see what happened to her?”
“I did manage to do a brief recon after I got you situated here,” Commander Hurricane said, “The house of a one Miss Fluttershy suffered some structural damage, but nothing serious. The mare in question was not present at her home, but after a brief flyby of Ponyville’s outskirts I confirmed her location, presently staying at a carrot farm near the edge of town.”
“Carrot farm... must be CT, looking after Fluttershy,” Rainbow Dash said to herself, nodding slowly. She’d always been extremely protective of Fluttershy, and wanted to immediately go check on her friend, but she figured she could at least trust Carrot Top to take good care of Fluttershy for now. The friendship between the earth pony farmer and sky pegasus was new and shaky, but Rainbow Dash was just glad somepony else was there to look out for Fluttershy in a pinch.
Even if Carrot Top couldn’t pull off a Sonic Rainboom, Rainbow Dash figured she was alright, as far as earth ponies went.
Her eyes snapped even wider as she recalled what had happened, and nearly leapt from the bed again, only held back by the pain swimming through her body. But she didn’t care. She did it!
“The Sonic Rainboom! Aw yeah! I pulled it off! Hah! Take that all you doubting nags in flight school! You’re awesome neighborhood Rainbow Dash has made the impossible possible!”
She twitched in pain as her little impromptu dance in bed pulled at a few of her aforementioned torn muscles and she sighed.
“...Ow...”
Hurricane laughed, taking his sunglasses off and setting them aside, “You’ve certainly put your body through the wringer soldier! Take pride in your battered body, Private! Its proof of your dedication and strength!”
“Yeah... I guess, ugh, wish I could heal up faster through. I got no intention of sitting in this bed for a whole week. Screw that! Anyway, what’s the score? We get the griffin, or what?”
A grim look came over Commander Hurricane’s features as he paced around to the front of her bed, “Unfortunately interference from Saber kept me from finishing off Berserker. However the battle wasn’t all for naught. It seems Assassin has fallen during that engagement.”
Rainbow Dash’s face screwed up in thought, “Assassin? Uh... did we meet that guy? I don’t remember anypony like that.”
“No, and we’re both better off for it I think,” said Hurricane, his nose crinkling, “I have little stomach for the type. They have their purpose in politics but not in warfare. Pfah! The entire Grail War is better for not having to deal with the likes of an Assassin anymore. One less enemy we need concern ourselves with when we do battle with Saber and her master.”
“Saber?” Rainbow Dash’s brow wrinkled in thought as she rubbed at her head, “I’m getting confused, which one’s that again?”
“The magnificent knightly white mare in gold armor who was doing battle with Berserker when we first arrived in Ponyville,” Hurricane said, licking his lips, “Yes, I can hardly contain my eagerness to throw my full strength against a worthy opponent like her. The clash will be one for the historians to pen in epic tomes for uncounted generations henceforth to read!”
“Uhhh... sure, whatever you say, big guy,” Rainbow Dash said, carefully and slowly testing her limbs and wings, frowning, “Sooooo, we getting out of here or what?”
Commander Hurricane chuckled heartily at her, “What about the doctor’s orders?”
Rainbow Dash gave him a deadpan look, snorted, and proceeded to pull herself out of the hospital bed. She winced, visibly in pain, but grit her teeth and looked at Commander Hurricane with challenge flaring in her magenta eyes, “I’ll heal as we walk, but I ain’t staying in here! First stop, my house! We need to get a few things. Second stop; food. I’m starving.”
“Getting comfortable giving orders to your superior officer aren’t you?” Hurricane said, but was smiling in satisfaction as he said it, “I’ll ignore the insubordinate attitude for now. Can you fly?”
Rainbow Dash tested her wings again, biting her lip past the pain, “Maybe?”
“No need to push it, Private,” Hurricane said as he strode over to the room’s window and pushed it open, spreading his wings, “Climb on. I’ll carry you until your better rested.”
Rainbow Dash sighed, slowly hobbling over to him, “Rather fly myself. Hey, next time I plan to do ram into something at faster than the speed of sound could you remind me to put on some protective gear first? I mean, that was reckless, even by my own standards.”
“Ah, but that recklessness is special in this age,” Commander Hurricane said as she climbed onto his back and he flew out through the window, quickly taking them away from the Cloudsdale hospital. He took them on a fast, winding path between several of Cloudsdale’s larger cloud built buildings in what was the active commercial center of the city. There were plenty of other pegasi flying about, but few that gave them more than a passing glance as Hurricane and Rainbow Dash flew by.
“Look at it all,” Commander Hurricane’s voice edged with bitterness, “This whole city.”
Rainbow Dash glanced about, unsure just what was ruffling his feathers. She saw nothing out of the ordinary. Some families eating at a outdoor fast food joint, the usual pack of foal flying around playing tag while parents yelled at them to be careful. Across the way a small strip mall was packed with shoppers. The streets, all made of shaped cloud just like the buildings, were pretty packed with pegasi, the after work traffic rush.
All in all just another normal afternoon in Cloudsdale. Rainbow Dash had seen a hundred like it growing up here before moving to Ponyville. She really didn’t see what had Hurricane’s tail in a bunch.
“Yeah, its a city. Like Manehattan, but in the sky. What about it?”
Commander Hurricane sighed, flying on, “It’s painful to witness what’s become of the daughters and sons of Pegasopolis. I doubt a one of these pegasi could hold the right end of a spear if their lives were being threatened! Its so peaceful and quiet here I can’t imagine anypony here has so much as had a single day of mandatory military training!”
“Yeah, its almost like there hasn’t been any real serious wars in a thousand years or so,” muttered Rainbow Dash, wishing she could just fly on her own right now. She hated having to rely on others for simple things, even more so when that thing was something she was good at and enjoyed. Part of her mind was working out just how to perform the Sonic Rainboom again, but in a way that wouldn’t screw up her body like this. She was pretty sure if she timed it right she could hit her enemy with the shockwave alone, without having to ram anything with her body.
“A shame,” Hurricane was saying, “A little war is healthy for a nation. No conflict simply breeds complacency, to the point that when a war does occur its citizens are unprepared for what must be done to protect their way of life.”
“Alright, that’s it!” Rainbow Dash grunted as she rolled off Hurricane’s back and spread her injured wings, groaning in pain as she painfully flapped to the cloud street and started hobbling along on her own. They’d reached one of the boardwalks that circled the edge of Cloudsdale itself, the vast sky open on Rainbow Dashes left, and the city on her right as she found a bench to sit down on.
Commander Hurricane landed next to her, his brow furrowed, “What’s wrong Private Dash?”
“Nothing!” she said irritably, “I’m just tired of listening to you bellyache about the way things are! Like war is such a great thing. It’s all you ever talk about!”
“Of course,” Hurricane said, standing upright and thrusting his chest out, “I was born and raised in the greatest military this world has ever seen! I was taught to love my regiment more than my blood family, and to care for my armor and spear more than any lover I might take to my bed! I killed my first enemy on the battlefield before I earned my cutie mark, and saw my first friend die on that very same battlefield. By the time I was the age you are now I was commanding my own regiment, winning victories for the glory of Pegasoplolis against every enemy that dared challenge us! I saw, through battle after battle, the pegasi soar higher and higher, until we were the undisputed greatest race upon the face of the world!”
“Uh-huh, until a case of bad weather kicks all of you down a few dozen pegs and got you working together with the unicorns and earth ponies, kind of making the whole wars for glory kind of pointless,” Rainbow Dash said dryly, starting to massage the soreness in her wings.
At Commander Hurricane’s silence Rainbow Dash glanced up, seeing him staring into the city interior, jaw clenched tightly. Rainbow raised an eyebrow, but decided to let him simmer while she continued to check herself and evaluate her injuries. She had to grudgingly admit that doctor Weathervane was probably right, without the help of magic or something else it’d be at least a week before she was back to a hundred percent. However, like she discovered of most of the medical profession, he was also just playing it on the safe side. After moving around for a bit and being able to feel out her wounds she was confident she could get about alright. She’d bounce back, Rainbow Dash was sure of it.
Glancing up she said, “Hey, you gonna be spacin’ out there all day, big guy? C’mon, I wasn’t trying to get you all mopy!”
Commander Hurricane blinked, turning his head towards her as if surprised she was there, “Huh? Hmph, I am not ‘spaced’ out’ Private Dash! A commander must at times dig deep into his consciousness to contemplate the nuances of intense strategy! I don’t have the mental energy to waste moping! And what would I be moping about?”
“Fine, have it your way,” Rainbow Dash said with a small shrug, slowly flapping her wings and getting a bit of lift out of them, “I just don’t want to hear any more complaints about the pegasi, or war, or anything to do with Pegasopolis. I’m enforcing a strict ‘no complaining’ policy in this team!”
Commander Hurricane huffed out a small laugh and flew up, quickly getting Rainbow Dash under him and onto his back before she could do more than go “Uwah!” and hold on. She glared at him as he flew off back towards Ponyville and her house, but held onto him and let him carry her, not really eager to strain her wings yet anyway. Hurricane grinned back at her and winked.
“No complaining, understood ma’am! I suppose you’ve earned a little respect after all you’ve done so far. I’ll follow your orders for now, as you’re so far the only pegasus I’ve met in this age who reminds me of the ambition and fire that drove the souls of the pegasi from my era.”
Rainbow Dash blew out a sigh, “Guess that’s the best I’m gonna get out of you, isn’t it? Hey, what’s our next move anyway? Who we going after next?”
“Ha, your blood is getting heated up isn’t it? Battered and busted and you’re already thinking about our next fight. I’ve already decided our next opponent and the battlefield we’ll face her upon,” Commander Hurricane declared, vibrant eagerness in his voice, his wings beating all the faster in his clear excitement, “Three days from now we shall do battle with Saber and her master in the Valley of Dreams!”
A faint look of surprise crossed Rainbow Dash’s face, not so much at the choice of opponent as Hurricane seemed to have some kind of fixation on this Saber, but more at the choice of location. Rainbow Dash was was familiar with the Valley of Dreams. It had a certain special memory for her. Just thinking about the place brought the familiar chant to her mind.
Junior Speedsters are our lives, skybound soars and daring dives...
The valley was a beautiful place, and was the location of the flight camp Rainbow Dash had attended as a filly. The flight camp had been set up there specifically because the natural terrain there was more than just one simple valley, but rather a complex maze of steep foothills, with river canyons and waterfalls interspersed with dense forests and sudden sharp cliffs. The combination of mists from the waterfalls and twisting hilly topography made the place a natural obstacle course for fliers learning how to properly maneuver and navigate, and learn the most important basic rule of flying; keeping aware of your surroundings.
“I don’t get it,” she said, “Why fight there? And why three days? Why not tomorrow?”
“There are a large number of reasons, but they can all be condensed down to one, single point, Private Dash,” Commander Hurricane said, “In battle, seek every advantage. Saber wants a ‘fair fight’ between us, and so I shall give her such. However, by choosing the battlefield I have, the deck becomes stacked in our favor. No trickery to it, really, she must know I’d choose a place to fight that suits me.”
“But again, why that valley? I mean, it’s a pain to fly around in there, that’s the whole point of putting a flight camp there! I got lost, like a hundred times trying to navigate that place!”
“Ah, but that was when you were still learning,” Commander Hurricane said with a sly twist of his lips, “As it happens, even in my time that valley was used to train young fliers. Including myself. I imagine we both know the ins and outs of the Valley of Dreams like the feathers of our own wings now.”
The lights turned on in Rainbow Dash’s head, “Oh, I get it! For us, the place is gonna feel like home, but for anypony trying to fight us in there...”
Commander Hurricane grinned widely, “It shall be like fighting in the pit of Tartarus itself.”
----------
Duke Greengrass had to do a double take behind him as he exited the central meeting chamber of the Night Court after rather unproductive and mind numbingly drool conference concerning the current state of confusion in the city of Canterlot. There were still quite a lot of ponies inquiring into the “attack” in the park, sightings of the giant bird flying around the city, and rumors further afield of similar unusual events happening in Ponyville.
Ponyville... Greengrass couldn’t imagine why he found that so surprising.
Less so now, as double taking, eyes wide, he saw Trixie Lulamoon trotting by alongside Princess Luna, with another pony in tow that he didn’t recognize. A white mare, with a mane of golden hair woven in a tight bun reminiscent of Notary’s practical manestyle. Or greater note was the ornate golden armor the mare wore and elegant knightly surcoat of deep blue, with a scabbarded sword resting at her side that didn’t at all look ornamental.
Nopony wears gold. Not to that extent, and certainly not in this day and age. Greengrass’s mind turned, rapidly putting puzzle pieces together. The biggest piece was the sight of the unnatural red runic symbols etched onto Trixie Lulamoon’s right hoof, the mirror opposite of the runes on his left, which he’d been keeping hidden by developing a sudden taste in wearing knee-high black leather boots.
Trixie paused, noticing his stare, and for a second the azure unicorn halted to stare back at him. Princess Luna paused as well, as did the white, golden clad mare with the sword. Greengrass quickly composed himself and smiled politely, nodding his head as he approached.
“Good day your majesty,” he said with a bow, “And to you, Representative Lulamoon. A pleasure to see one of the Element Bearers visiting our humble capital. And... I don’t believe I’d had the pleasure of meeting your lovely companion?”
He bowed to the white mare as well, who was giving him a strange look. He recalled seeing that look on the face of several of the Night Guard when they’d had occasion to speak with him. As if they could sense something off about him. The way a dog senses a scent they don’t like but can’t pinpoint the source of. Greengrass always associated that look with ponies that took themselves far too seriously and were too honest for their own good, or the good of others.
He also got the impression this mare had pride so strong that she’d try to move the moon if you told her you thought she couldn’t.
“Duke Greengrass,” Princess Luna said with a slight incline of her head, “My apprentice and I have important matters to attend to, so you’ll please forgive if we must be informal here. This mare is a special associate of mine whom I’ve asked to assist me on a matter of some importance. However introductions must wait until our business is concluded, I’m certain you’ll understand.”
“Of course, of course, and I apologize for holding you up, I just couldn’t help but say hello,” Greengrass said, eyeing Trixie and her gold clad companion, “I really couldn’t. After all, Trixie, you’ve done so much for Equestria, how could I not at least thank you for your efforts?”
Efforts he was certain had nothing to do with any talent or ability on Trixie Lulamoon’s part. The mare was as incompetent as they came. It was a borderline disaster that this mare had access to Equestria’s single line of defense against the threat of Corona, and Greengrass from his limited experience with her and her reputation thought she was nothing more than an obstacle he needed to remove as soon as possible.
And now she was a master in the Grail War. That couldn’t have pleased Greengrass more. His smile was actually rather genuine, if not for the reasons of being glad to see Trixie. No, he was instead happy because with Trixie being a master, he had a perfect scenario in which he could feel free to crush this impudent waste of a mare. More to the point, knowing her general incompetence meant she’d likely not pose a significant threat to his own victory. Other masters could be a threat either by being potentially skilled, like with Shining Armor or Twilight Sparkle, or by remaining unknown factors like the remaining masters he didn’t know the identity of yet. With Trixie, however, he knew what to expect... and was unconcerned.
Her Servant on the other hoof, might prove a dangerous unknown element. Viola had already proven to him quite clearly that Servants were not at all the same as their masters. Trixie might have been a useless waste of space, but he couldn’t count on the same being true of her Servant. Looking at the mare, however, he sensed that the same crippling pride was there that held Trixie back from whatever minimal capability she might’ve otherwise possessed.
Defeating these two should not be difficult. The only problem is with them being so close to the Princess I may not be able to make a move against them quickly. I don’t doubt running to the side of her beloved, overprotective mentor was Lulamoon’s first instinct. No doubt she’s in over her head and for once knows it, so is going to hide behind the Princess for this whole affair. Fine by me. I’ll deal with the rest of the competition, then finish her off once she’s the only one left.
As he was thinking Trixie had giving him the barest of polite nods, a far cry from the deep bow of respect a Representative should give a Duke of the Night Court, and said, “Thank you, your grace. My friends and I have only done what any loyal citizen of Equestria would have done in our place. But it is good to know the Night Court appreciates what we do and is willing to let us do it without... interference.”
Greengrass smiled through clenched teeth. He was not a violent pony, but Trixie Lulamoon brought out something in him that made him want to choke her.
“Of course, and we can only hope you’ll continue to perform as competently as you always have.”
That got a satisfying eyebrow twitch from her, at least. Princess Luna sighed. It was the kind of sigh a pony doesn’t want to hear from an eons old alicorn Princess. Duke Greengrass bowed politely again, “By your leave, your majesty.”
He almost phrased it as a question. Princess Luna nodded and waved a hoof in dismissal, and Greengass beat a hasty retreat down the hall, only glancing once over his shoulder to watch Princess Luna, Trixie, and the white mare vanish down one of the many corridors leading to the throne room.
He sighed, shaking his head and composing his thoughts. He’d concern himself with the aggravating Lulamoon later. Right now he had a pair of Sparkles to deal with. Both the captain of the Royal Guard and his errant fugitive sister would be at the Castle of the Two Sisters at the dawn of the next day. He had to ensure he was prepared with a plan to take down both of them, as he doubted such an opportunity would present itself again.
Leaving the grand hallways of the central palace he made his way across the open courtyard, passing a line of hastily marking Royal Guard returning through the main gates from the city proper. He noted the nervous gait to the guards, not quite as composed as the Night Guard stationed inside the palace. He imagined it was because these ponies weren’t used to being on high alert, and there was a strong fear of the possibility of a strike by Corona in the near future.
That same nervous fear had been filling the Night Court itself, and the recent meetings had been little more than nobles fearfully complaining about the situation and proposing useless motions to consolidate their own holdings and increase protection in their own provinces. Fisher was particularly aggressive in his assertions that if the capital itself was under threat then certainly there was no harm in increasing security measures all across the nation. Nevermind that doing so would likely only induce unrest at best, panic at worst. Everypony was already on edge about the situation with Luna’s mad sister being loose from her sunny prison, what would ponies start to think if large numbers of Royal Guard started to mobilize in every major city?
Greengrass shook his head at the foalish notion. A bunch of alarmists and greed driven old codgers, that was what the Night Court was! Trampling all over his garden! His Equestria. Well, not his yet, but someday. Sooner, perhaps, rather than later. Hopefully before it could be ruined by the Night Court’s inability to run a nation without dragging it through the dirt, or Princess Luna’s general apathy allowed that travesty to occur. Or before Corona got her strength back from her previous run in with the Elements of Harmony and burned the nation to a cinder.
His hope had been to get the Elements under his hoof and the Night Court similarly in line sometime before the year was out, but with the advent of the current situation with this Grail, well, ambitions had certainly shifted. If he had the Grail’s power at his disposal he wouldn’t need the Elements. Or the Night Court. Or Luna.
The Grail could grant any wish? Perhaps, then, it was time for there to be another alicorn to take the stage in Equestria, one stronger than either Princess Luna, or the mad Corona?
Well, no reason to get ahead of myself with dreams of grandeur. I haven’t won this yet, and even if I do, I’m not sure horns and wings suit me. Perhaps the power of the Grail is being exaggerated by my Servant. It must have limits on what it can do, otherwise it wouldn’t need to go through this silly war ritual to manifest itself in the first place. Ah, but it would be amusing, to see the look on Princess Luna’s face if I strode into her throne room freshly ascended to alicorn status. Ha, it’d certainly change the tune of the likes of Puissance! Always hard to sound smug when talking to living, breathing, deity... hmm, but it would make the game a little boring if all the cards were in my hoof like that.
Putting those notions of the future aside he arrived at his manor estate. His was at the very border between the castle grounds and the noble district, conveniently situated as to have a brief, pleasant walk between the palace and home. It was a sign of power and influence to own one of the closest manors to the palace gates, and he had a certain pride in the fact he’d outbid the competition for it. Granted, part of that was because he’d also bribed the auctioneer to hold the auction a day earlier than announced, as to avoid competing against the wealthier nobles, but a win was a win no matter how it was achieved.
The majority of his servant staff was currently on “vacation” as per his “request”. He didn’t really want too many extra eyes around his manor while Viola was around. She was more or less obedient but was certainly a volatile and unpredictable sort. Greengrass grimaced in irritation and a little bit of proper regret as he thought about one of his maids; a competent and effective cleaning mare who he considered an able housekeeper. Viola had blinded the poor mare when the maid had supposedly “oggled” Greengrass. A silly notion, and irrelevant even if the maid had looked at Greengrass in such a way. He had no interest in such things, but wouldn’t have taken it personally if one or two of his servants did. Viola, however, had acted rashly. Created a mess Greengrass had needed to act swiftly to clean up.
The maid was alive, thank the moon. Viola had only taken one eye, cut right out with her wing, of all things. Greengrass had personally seen to the maid’s medical care via his most trusted and skilled physician he had on call. He paid both the doctor and the maid a significant pile of bits to keep quiet about the event and was even having a specialist in regenerative magics brought in all the way from Baltimare to see to the maid’s recovery.
He still had not decided upon a proper punishment for Viola’s outburst, but thus far had spent the day away from her, ordering her to patrol the city perimeter and to not speak with him until he gave her permission to speak. He wasn’t certain how far he could press the unstable mare, but he had to establish what would and would not be tolerated, and injuring members of his valued staff for inconsequential reasons was crossing a line he would never accept from anypony.
This was the reason Viola was silent as the manor itself as she manifested from thin air by his side as he crossed his well maintained front lawn to his front doors. Her elegant form was drooped like a dejected foal and her ears flat against the side of her head. Her lips were pursed impudently, as if she still couldn’t believe he wasn’t speaking to her or allow her to speak to him. She had a way of slightly stamping her hooves as she walked, giving little scuffs to the paved walkway.
As he entered the manor she followed, cheeks puffed slightly as if she could barely contains herself from speaking. He just glanced at her briefly, eyes hard, and then proceeded towards his personal study, where he’d told Notary to meet him once the night began.
Inside his study, which was really more like a sizeable library, with two stories worth of shelves packed tightly with numerous tomes and texts of a wide range of subjects, he saw Notary right where he expected her to be. The white earth pony mare was by the large circular dark oak table that dominated the center of the study, several large books laid out on the table before her along with a wide vellum parchment several hooflengths wide spread out and held in place by a few lit candlestands.
“Notary, has your search gone well?” he asked as he approached.
Notary, sparing only a brief glance at the seemingly ready to explode Viola, nodded her head, “Yes, quite fruitful I should say.”
She indicated he take a look at the parchment with her hoof, and he did so, walking up to the table and letting his eyes gaze over what was on the old, worn vellum. It was a map, showing the interiors of a large, sprawling building. A castle.
“The Castle of the Two Sisters,” Notary said, “It was difficult to find a complete map of the location, but the old archives are quite thorough. Even Luna’s attempts to remove all traces of her time with her sister did not quite reach every corner of the Canterlot Archives formidable stores and I was able to secure this copy. It is, I must tell you sir, unlikely this map represents the current state of the castle.”
“Of course, of course,” Greengrass said, waving a hoof dismissively, “I wouldn’t have expected that. A thousand years of disrepair will do that. Still, this should help us in getting a general idea of what to expect when we get there, and plan accordingly. Twilight Sparkle has already had time to familiarize herself with the battlefield she’s chosen. At least now we have the opportunity to do the same.”
“With the sun setting it won’t be long before Shining Armor and his Servant depart,” Notary said, “Our window of opportunity is going to be a small one, sir.”
“True, but I can glean what I need quickly from this,” Greengrass said, already working to memorize aspects of the map before him and finding some very useful things, “Hmm... oooh? Oh ho! Ha! Princess Luna, you really are a foal at heart, aren’t you?”
“Sir?” Notary asked, curious. Greengrass smiled, pointing out several sections of the map that had some oddly placed corridors and notations.
“It seems our Princess of the Night had a fondness for pranks,” Greengrass said in a satisfied tone, “This castle is positively covered in little hidey holes, secret passages, and trap doors. Even if the castle is crumbled and damaged I am willing to bet many of these may still be intact. More importantly, I doubt Twilight Sparkle has found many, if any, of these secret passages.”
Notary took a closer look at the map, her eyes roving over the lines. Greengrass knew he was good at memorizing things, but his was a foal’s skill compared to Notary’s incredible capacity for recalling information. It was one of her many talents that he prized in her, his most trusted and capable employee. He really had lost count of the number of times her skills had served him well. If it had been Notary that had been injured, rather than a maid a few months on the job... well Greengrass wasn’t entirely certain what he would have done.
It was an odd sense of vulnerability, actually. He found he was actually worried that Viola might hurt Notary. He pushed the notion aside, perhaps with more vehemence than was needed. He’d never allow Notary to come to harm in such a manner. She was too valuable. Too... indispensable. Not irreplaceable of course. Nopony was irreplaceable. But Notary deserved a level of consideration above and beyond any of his other servants, given the amount of aid she rendered to him. Only a complete fool wouldn’t seek to protect such a valuable asset.
That was the only reason, he was sure, for the unusual and downright uncomfortable feeling of worry that took root in his gut when he saw the way Viola was silently glaring at Notary as he spoke with her, and not with Viola.
Perhaps it was time he lifted his ban on speaking to her, before she got more volatile.
“Viola,” he said sharply, drawing a startled look from her, “From what distance can you make effective use of your powers?”
Viola’s look of simmering rage from moments ago was instantly replaced by bubbling playfulness as she licked her lips and grinned openly at him, “Oh Greeny pumpkin, I’m an Archer. Distance is inconsequential to me! I could hit the teensy little eye of a flying sparrow from a mile away if I wanted to. Why, are you planning something deliciously nasty for that crusty old fart and his little purple whorse? It better be something good, I don’t want them to go quickly. after humiliating me they deserved to hurt.”
Greengrass held back his urge to groan and kept a level tone, though he caught the way Notary rolled her eyes and had a poorly concealed look of disgust on her face.
“My plan is still forming, Viola, but knowing your range of accuracy will help it take shape. Ideally we can take care of both Sparkles and their Servants without them ever getting a chance to counterattack. I doubt sniping from long range will work, the Everfree is too dense a forest and they will likely be fighting inside the ruins of the castle itself. You won’t get a clear shot. However other opportunities can be created, if we’re clever and creative. If we’re lucky, they’ll defeat each other without us having to do anything ourselves.”
Viola huffed, her impressive wingspan flaring, and she tossed her head, whipping her blonde mane about as she stamped a hoof, “I don’t want them to take each other out! I want to do it myself! I want to make that stiff, impotent old geezer pay for insulting me! I want to rip the insipid smile off of that arrogate nag who calls herself a Princess! It won’t be any fun if it’s not me that does them in! They need to know I beat them! That I win! ME!”
“This isn’t a game,” Notary snapped, “You will not endanger lord Greengrass with any foolish actions. You will do as he says, when he says it.”
Viola’s eyes locked onto Notary like those of a hawk’s about to swoop in on a particular bold and quite foolhardy mouse, and even got so far as to take a menacing step towards the other mare, but Greengrass was between them in an instant. Through Viola was easily taller than the brown earth pony stallion, he managed to stretch up on his legs and get a commanding glare into her face.
“Viola, you have already disappointed me once with behavior unbecoming of my Servant. Do not. Disappoint me. Again.”
While his words were coldly resolute, he punctuated them by raising a hoof to Viola’s cheek and forcing her to look at his eyes. He understood that touch was one of this mare’s weaknesses. She responded more to physical actions than words. If he was going to keep her in control he needed to do more than just threaten her verbally. As awkward as it was, he had to take a different approach with this dangerous Servant of his.
“If you perform well, and behave yourself, I shall be more than willing to deliver rewards fitting a loyal and obedient Servant,” he said, running his hoof down her cheek and underneath her chin, eliciting a soft sigh from her. Her wings stayed outstretched, but rather than fully out and threatening, they fell to a more relaxed state. She wasn’t even glancing Notary’s way now, which was partially the intent on Greengrass’ part. He wasn’t all that interested in “rewarding” Viola just to get her to cooperate, but he had to bring the mare to heel somehow, and this seemed to work. Distasteful as it was. Mostly. She was rather soft. Psychotic, though, which did ruin some of the appeal.
“Oooh, Greeny, my kuddly wuddly little bed bear, keep that up and I’ll happily listen to whatever you have to say. But I do want to play with the old sorcerer and his pet master. I get bored if I have to sit and watch.”
She’d leaned into his touch, and he, reluctantly, continued to stroke her chin and neck to keep her pacificed. He glanced at Notary, who was giving him a look of carefully schooled neutrality. Anypony looking at her would think she was a white marble statue. Greengrass knew Notary well enough to understand she wasn’t comfortable with the situation. He gave her a small nod of dismissal; saying without words that she was free to go until he called upon her again.
Before she left she mouthed the words, ‘watch your back’, and she turned and left without saying a thing. Once again he was struck by how grateful he was to have somepony like her in his employ, and wished he had a better way to compensate her for her efforts rather than the slim protection of running interference between her and Viola.
“Do not worry, Viola,” he said to his Servant, “It seems we both enjoy participating in the game personally. I sincerely doubt that before this matter is finished you won’t have your chance to play in your own, unique way.”
He took his hoof away and fixed her with a hard look, “If you do as I say.”
----------
Canterlot was now bathed in the light of Luna’s moon, the city sounding remarkable quiet and subdued to Trixie, who was used to the city coming to life in the night in a way few cities did. It was like the ponies of Canterlot were all holding their breaths to see what might happen next, what manner of threat had arrived in their fair capital.
After some discussion with her friends Trixie hadn’t had too much trouble convincing them to at least come with her to Canterlot. Obligations like jobs could be put on hold temporarily, and nopony could argue Lyra would recover better under the care of Canterlot’s best doctors and with the attention of the Princess herself. Luna had personally seen to transporting Lyra safely to Canterlot, using her magic to make the trip as safe and comfortable for the wounded mare as possible, and bringing Bon Bon along for the teleport. Trixie and the others had proceeded to Canterlot via train after wrapping up loose ends in Ponyville. Fluttershy would stay at Carrot Top’s farm, with the intent to return to her cottage the next morning, Carrot Top herself staying with the pegasus until then and she would join Trixie and the others at Canterlot later. So Trixie, Raindrops, Ditzy, and Cheerilee had ridden the train, with the addition of Dinky, whom Ditzy refused to leave behind for obvious reasons, and Berserker... who Ditzy seemed to have control of for now, but had certainly caused some stir until Ditzy convinced the griffin to dematerialize the same way Sungleam could, entering a spirit form to stay hidden. The griffin hadn’t liked it from the rumbling growl he’d given but Ditzy’s firm insistence had won through.
Once arriving in Canterlot they were met with a small escort of Royal Guard and Night Guard both, who showed the mares to the palace. Trixie had watched her friends get situated in guest quarters first before joining Luna in the throne room. Bon Bon would be staying with Lyra at the Royal Canterlot Hospital, where a squad of Night Guard also stood careful watch over the fallen Element of Loyalty. Ditzy let Berserker rematerialize once they were safe inside their guest quarters, and last Trixie had seen of the giant griffin he’d been curled up at the foot of Dinky Doo’s bed like Cerberus himself at the gates of Tartarus. Trixie hoped Ditzy could keep the griffin under control. A rampage through the castle was not something she wanted to deal with right now.
Through the day’s events had left her with a wavering appetite Trixie had eaten her fill quickly, sharing a meal with the Princess in the throne room itself. The day had been grueling to say the least and it’d felt good to finally be able to relax a bit. More than that, it was good just to be in Luna’s presence. Even the most outrageous of situations seemed less daunting when one was sharing space with a alicorn who’d lived for thousands of years and controlled the movements of the sun and moon.
Still, the Grail War was pretty outrageous, as events went, and Trixie was less than thrilled to learn Luna’s part in it all.
“So let me get this straight,” she said, finishing off a scone and washing it down with a huge gulp of mulberry wine, “You and Corona, being whacky wild teenage alicorns, decided to rub horns and just pump all of your power into one sun-damned cup, and didn’t even start to think something was wrong with it until it started eating ponies souls!?”
Luna took in a deep breath, sipping some spiced tea, before saying, “That is an entirely abbreviated way of putting it, but... yes, basically. The Grail at first granted wishes, and made ponies happy. We thought we’d made something wonderful. We didn’t realize the problem until the Grail was already corrupted beyond fixing.”
“Yeah, yeah I get that, but how?” Trixie waved her hooves about over her head frantically, “How did it get all messed up? And why am I now stuck in a historical figures battle royale!? I came here hoping you’d have answers that’d clear things up, not make it all sound more convoluted and weird!”
“The short answer is; I don’t know,” Luna said levelly, setting her tea down and giving Trixie a sympathetic smile, “‘Tia and I never figured out just what corrupted the Grail. Perhaps it started corrupt to begin with and was just able to hide its nature from us until it’d already consumed many victims. As for the reason behind the Grail War, well, that’s more the Pact Magic Celestia and I used to seal the Grail away, I would think.”
“Uh-huh, okay, great, so what’s Pact Magic?” Trixie asked, propping her chin on a hoof and taking another long pull of win, using her magic to refill the glass, much to a disapproving look from Luna.
Screw your disapproval, Trixie thought, You owe me half the booze in Equestria for getting me and my friends mixed up in your old dirty laundry. After the day I had, you’re lucky I’m only taking one bottle.
“Pact Magic is... how do I put this? It is one of the fundamental magics of the world,” Luna said, eyes going distant, almost glassy. Trixie had seen the look before on her ancient mentor. It was a look that said Luna’s mind was going back to years so long gone that Trixie’s mind would have difficulty fathoming how one could even have the barest glimmer of memory. Many ponies thought Luna was just a few thousand years old. Trixie knew, or at least seriously suspected, Luna’s age could be measured in five or six digits instead of four.
“There was a time when magic was more powerful in the world than it is today, if you can imagine that, Trixie,” Luna said solemnly, “A time when magic could shape continents. Where ideas and form were one and the same. When dreams walked as reality. Trixie, you possess a primal connection to the Element of Magic, and you’ve felt what that kind of power is like, if only in passing as the Element used you as a conduit. Imagine, for a moment, that the magic of the Elements was just one expression of power from an age that was rife with hundreds of such powers. Pact Magic is such a power, such a magic.”
“Wait wait wait, you’re saying its a form of magic on par with the Elements of Harmony?” Trixie asked incredulously.
“On par is the wrong phrase, the wrong way, to think about it. It is magic from the same... nature, as the Elements of Harmony. Rather than magic that manipulates the laws of the world, it is magic that created the laws of a world. Specifically Pact Magic is the fundamental magic of forming a contract. You might even consider it the manifestation of the concept of contracts, of binding agreements.”
Trixie took a second to wrap her head around that, and wasn’t entirely sure she did, opting instead to drink more wine, enjoying the warm buzz. “How did you and Corona get your hooves on this Pact Magic, and if you knew how to use it back then, why don’t you use it now? Corona could’ve used it against my friends and me during the Longest Night Celebration, right?.”
Luna shook her head, “You assume we had anything close to a full understanding and command of Pact Magic. We didn’t. Trixie, it is a very long story you’re asking me to abridge for you. ‘Tia and I didn’t discover Pact Magic in a day, when the Grail abruptly and suddenly turned evil. This was a series of events that spanned several centuries. The Grail gradually became corrupt and dark, slowly started to consume the good hearts of the ponies that worshiped it as a holy artifact. ‘Tia and I fought a war against the Grail and its corrupted servants, and it was from that war that the technique of summoning Servants was created. When we discovered we couldn’t destroy the Grail with our own power we had to seek other options. It took over a hundred years of research and delving to glean the barest concepts of what Pact Magic was and how we might use it to bind the Grail. Another century just to piece together one spell of binding to use against the Grail. Pact Magic is very specific, Trixie. One spell only applies to one circumstance or situation, with specific and set limits on what manner of contract is formed.”
Luna stood and slowly walked towards one of the stained glass windows of the throne room, one that depicted an image of the sun and moon both under the control of a caricature of the dusky blue alicorn.
“The casting of that spell took all that my sister and I had, and left us drained and weak for decades afterward. Even then, the spell we managed required, by its nature, certain stipulations. It’s a contract after all, it requires stipulations and conditions. The Grail would be sealed in a void beyond our world, but only for a set span of time. Then, it would be allowed one opportunity to return.”
Trixie groaned, rubbing her head, “Right, right, and that’s this stupid Grail War. Why do we have to fight it, again?”
“Because, regardless of what the result of the Grail’s return is,” said Sungleam, who’d been silently standing like a sentinel by the throne, watching Luna and Trixie dine and talk until now, “We Servants will be compelled to fight. Berserker is merely the most extreme example, but all of us will feel the need to battle one another. Even if you ordered me not to do battle indefinitely, master, it wouldn’t matter. The compulsion will only get worse the longer time goes on.”
Trixie pursed her lips, almost pouting, “So, what? We just play this out until one of us, and I use the term loosely, “win” the Grail War. Then this horribly evil and powerful artifact shows up and resumes its soul eating buffet. I’m not seeing the incentive here to keep fighting. Even if it does grant a wish it doesn’t sound like the results going to be all that beneficial when coming from a source of incomprehensible evil.”
“The Grail still grants wishes, that much is true,” Luna said, “It never ceased doing so, even when it turned ponies into... things best left undescribed as a result. The reason it had so many followers even in its evil was that it was so free in granting others power, even at terrible price.”
“The wish the Grail grants is genuine,” Sungleam said, “That much I know. The rules of the Pact placed upon the Grail forces it to do so for the victor of the Grail War. Afterward, the Grail will be free to do as it pleases, but before that, it must grant the victorious master and Servant whatever their heart desires. Regardless, I would still fight in this war. The Grail will manifest itself, no matter which of us win. But if the right pony wins, we will be in the best position to destroy the Grail, which is my true aim in this.”
“Destroy it?” Trixie asked, pointing at Luna, “Luna just said she and Celestia combined couldn’t pull that off. What exactly would we do to it?”
Sungleam held her head higher, smiling confidently, “Does my master not recall she is part of a power older and stronger than the Grail?”
Luna nodded, sharing the knight’s smile, “Indeed, your Servant has hit upon the idea I intended to put to you, Trixie, regardless of who wins the Grail War, the Grail will appear in this world, and attempt to use its power to resume harming the people of this world. Back then Celestia and I lacked the power to stop it, not until we resorted to a primal power like Pact Magic. But now we have the Elements of Harmony. They, I’m certain, can destroy the Grail.”
Trixie hung her head, running a hoof over her mane, “Great plan, except right now my friends and I can’t use the Elements. Ditzy, remember?”
“I do,” Luna said with a solemn nod, “We can only seek a way to restore the Element of Kindness to her proper state of mind before the Grail War ends. If you defeat her Berserker Servant that alone may do the trick.”
“I agree,” said Sungleam, eagerly stepping forward, “Allow me to battle Berserker! In defeating her Servant, young Miss Ditzy Doo will be free from the maddening influence of her connection to him.”
Trixie was hesitant. While the logic of that plan was sound, she didn’t think Ditzy would take it very well. So far she’d shown nothing but sympathy for the hulking griffin. Trixie was sure Ditzy would fight back, hard, perhaps as bad as she had when those foolish gangsters had foalnapped Dinky. A fight with Berserker and Ditzy would be... ugly. Trixie knew it. And wanted to put it off as long as possible.
She felt a soft nuzzle on her cheek and blinked, looking up at Luna as the alicorn drapped a wing over her, and spoke in a gentle whisper, “It shall be alright, Trixie. I shall see to assisting Ditzy Doo in other ways first. Friends should not be forced to battle like this any more than family should. For now, you can put these heavy thoughts aside. Here in Canterlot you are as safe as I can make you, and your friend’s needs shall be attended.”
“I know,” Trixie said with a grateful sigh, “I know. Just... been a day. Been one, really, long, eventful day.”
“Then sleep, my little pony,” Luna said, pushing Trixie along with a wing, “Sleep, and I promise you this night will be a good, restful slumber.”
Trixie nodded, “Don’t have to tell me twice to hit the hay. How about you Sungleam? Do Servants even sleep?”
Sungleam smiled slightly, through Trixie could tell the knight was still tense from the way her ears stayed sto still and perked, like a watchdog listening for intruders, “We can go a long time without sleep, but our bodies do benefit from rest. I shall join you soon, master, but with your permission, and with the leave of her majesty, I would like to stay and speak with you Princess Luna, if only briefly?”
Luna gave Sungleam a curious glance but smiled warmly, “I do not mind at all. Trixie?”
Trixie waved a hoof, “I think I can make it to my room alive. Knock yourself out Sungleam. Just don’t keep the Princess up all night. Poor mare needs her beauty sleep too. You’d never know it by looking at her but she can’t maintain that complexion and luminous mane if she misses too much shut eye. You ever seen an alicorn with bed-head? Not a pretty sight-hey!”
She nimbly dodged the seat cushion of the throne which Luna had flung her way, the alicorn imperiously snorting as she said, “Oh begone already you slanderous mare! I’ll have you know I maintain this beauty naturally, and I do not get ‘bed-head’!”
“Sure, sure, good night Princess Bed-Head.”
“I can inject nightmares into your brain.”
“Point taken. Good night.”
“Good night, Trixie.”
More than anything the incredulous look of utter bemusement on Sungleam’s face was totally worth it in Trixie’s mind as she chuckled, striding out of the throne room.
----------
Sungleam took a calming breath once her master was out of sight. She could still feel Trixie’s presence through their bond, and her senses remained alert to that sensation. The moment she felt any kind of distress from Trixie she’d immediately move to assist, and she didn’t really like letting her master walk alone anywhere, but she couldn’t ignore an opportunity to speak to Luna personally. Alone. Trixie wouldn’t understand.
“So, Dame Sungleam, what did you wish to speak to me about?” Princess Luna asked, adopting a more formal tone and manner, far more guarded than the openness and affection displayed towards Trixie just a minute earlier. Sungleam steadied herself, doing her best to meet the Princess of the Night’s gaze.
“Princess Luna, I apologize if this is being too forward, but I can seek answers from no other on this matter,” Sungleam said in a tone that almost wavered as anxiousness threatened to creep out into her voice, “I must ask... Princess Celestia... is she truly as gone from the grace she once possessed as the legends of this era claim?”
At Luna’s long, painfully drawn out silence Sungleam pressed on, “I only ask because I feel I must, if I can, help my Princess! I am sworn to her, Princess Luna! She is my... everything. If there is anything I might do to bring Princess Celestia back from the brink of whatever darkness clouds her, I will do it! So tell me, please, I beseech thee, is Princess Celestia beyond the grasp of those who’d seek to help her?”
Luna’s eyes were unblinking blue pools, like a still lake, and Sungleam started to fear she’d gone to far as to ask this of the Princess, but at last Luna closed her eyes with a pained tightness around the edges of her features. When she spoke it was with a voice of calm, trembling with a hint of pain both old and new.
“The Elements of Harmony themselves could not cure my sister of her madness. My words have not reached her. I do not know, Knight of the Sun, what might reach my sister. If indeed, she even is my sister any longer. There are traces of Celestia hidden beneath the wrathful flames of Corona... but what, if any, chance there is of her recovering who she was in the past, I cannot say.”
“Surely there must be something that can be done?” Sungleam said.
“If there is, I do not know what it may be,” Luna said, shaking her head, looking at Sungleam with a sympathetic gaze, “The Princess you swore yourself to may never be as she was, and I cannot risk the well being of the ponies both Celestia and I swore our own lives to protect on the small chance she could be saved. When the time comes for me to face Corona again, the Elements of Harmony as well, it will come once more to banishment, I fear.”
“There must be another option,” Sungleam insisted, “Perhaps the Grail-”
“No. Not the Grail. Even if it is compelled by the Pact to grant a wish, I would not trust it to cure my sister of her madness,” Luna said with stone firmness, “Put that notion from your mind, Dame Sungleam.”
Sungleam stiffened her posture, “The Grail may be evil, but its power is unquestionable. It could work.”
“You will not use the Grail’s power,” Luna said, taking a single step forward that held the threat and command of all the ancient alicorn’s royal authority could produce, the single echo of her hoof striking the throne room floor sounding louder than a dragon’s roar, “If you and Trixie win, the Grail’s wish should not be used. Our sole purpose should be to use the Elements of Harmony on the manifested Grail and destroying it. Do you understand me?”
Sungleam’s response was not immediate, but she did, slowly, bow her head, though her expression was locked in a steely grimace, “As you command. I am sworn to Princess Celestia, but as a Knight of Equestria I must recognize your command, Princess.”
The words were said stiffly, as if each one had needed to be dragged from Sungleam’s lips. Princess Luna nodded once, curtly.
“That is settled then. Was there anything else you wished to ask me, Dame Sungleam?”
“No. You answered what I wished. I shall take my leave, and see to guarding my master for the night.”
“Do so,” Luna said with her expression softening, “Sungleam, I do thank you, for all you’ve done for Trixie thus far. Please, continue to protect her and her friends. She shall need all the strength you can grant her in the battles to come. She is not a pony suited to the battlefield, and I cannot stress enough to you to be watchful of her. Trixie is... important to me.”
Sungleam’s own stiff postured relaxed, and with the issue of Celestia put on the shelf for now she could at least give Luna a more genuine smile as she said, “You need not fear on that count, your majesty. I shall serve my master with the devotion of a knight, and see her through this storm until the end. I give you my solemn oath.”
“An oath I know I can trust. I remember you, Sungleam, from those days you served my sister. She spoke of you...” Luna paused, looking away, “She always spoke of you fondly. Your death pained her greatly.”
Sungleam felt her mouth dry, and a quaver pass through her, as she suddenly found the floor very interesting, “Is that so? I had wished to tell her how sorry I was, for... for disobeying her that day. For not heeding her counsel. I felt it right, but I did not want to cause her such pain.”
“You did what you felt you must. I do not think Celestia was truly angry at you for what you did, but more that she was angry at herself for not being able to protect her little ponies. Or you.”
Sungleam shook her head, “She should not place that burden of protecting others solely upon her own shoulders. The purpose of a knight is to share the weight of protecting the realm with the ruler. It is an ideal worth the risk to our lives. I paid a price I was well aware that I might one day pay when I swore my knightly oaths. I do not regret that.”
“But Celestia did,” Luna said, “She regretted the death of every pony under her rule, but I know yours was particularly hard for her. She had high hopes for the life you would live, and to see you fall, while still so young...”
Sungleam took that with a somber silence, giving Luna a final, grateful bow before she departed the throne room, dematerializing and entering her spirit form, her physical form vanishing in a mist of gold motes of light. Sungleam noticed Luna was still watching her, even in her insubstantial form, the alicorn’s senses attuned to magic in ways few other beings were. Sungleam quickly departed the throne room, going through the walls and ceiling, using her insubstantial state to quickly catch up to where she sensed Trixie to be.
----------
The guest rooms of the castle were as luxurious as some of the most expensive hotels in Equestria, and Trixie certainly enjoyed the notion of wrapping herself up in the fluffy, giant bed that awaited her. Her friends were sharing what was basically one massive apartment, with multiple bedrooms connection to a central lounge.
Trixie found that Cheerilee and Raindrops were both still awake in the lounge when she arrived, the former reclining on the soft rug before a massive fireplace where a toasty fire was currently burning, and the later pacing back and forth between a pair of couches.
“Hey there,” Cheerilee said, perking up at Trixie’s entry, “Things go well with Luna?”
“Where’s your Servant?” Raindrops asked, wings twitching.
“Talking with Luna went about as well as I expected. We’re going to sit on things for a bit, before planning our next move. Right now Captain Shining Armor has an issue with his sister to deal with, and Luna doesn’t want us doing anything until that’s resolved. Can’t say I disagree, as I’m dead tired. Now, Sungleam, I don’t know, she wanted to talk with Luna alone.”
Raindrops frowned, “Not safe walking around with her near you Trixie. You need to be more careful.”
“Relax Raindrops, we’re as safe as we can be here in the palace. Luna herself is here, and the place is crawling with Night Guard. Besides, Ditzy’s got her Servant. Doubt he’d let anything sneak up on us,” Trixie said, falling into one of the couches, as willing to sleep there as anywhere else.
Cheerilee coughed, “Yeah, uh, about that, Raindrops, you want to tell her or should I?”
Trixie groaned, rolling over on the cough and throwing her hooves out, “Tell me what!? No! Don’t wanna hear it! Trixie is going to bed! All disasters can wait until morning!”
“Its not a disaster,” Raindrops said, “Ditzy just took her griffin for a walk.”
“A walk?” Trixie asked slowly, looking at the jasmine pegasus mare with an exasperated rise in her voice.
“Apparently the Incredible Griff caught a whiff of something he didn’t like, and Ditzy decided to take for a flight around the block,” Cheerilee said with a shrug, “That was about twenty minutes ago and they’re not back yet.”
Trixie closed her eyes and rubbed her forehead, suddenly wishing she’d brought along another bottle of mulberry wine, or perhaps something stronger, “Well, that’s not necessarily bad. The Night Guard and Royal Guard know to give Berserker his space, and Ditzy’s about as safe as she can be with him next to her. I’m sure they’ll be back soon.”
She paused, frowning, looking around. Raindrops gave her a curious look.
“What?”
“Nothing, just... the way I said that I kind of expected there to be an ominous explosion or scream in the distance to punctuated it. Just the way my luck’s been today.”
“I think you’ve used up your bad luck for the day,” said Cheerilee, and moved her tail to reveal a bottle of wine she had concealed under it, “Anyway, snagged this from the kitchen earlier. Want to share it, and then proceed to crash?”
Trixie smiled, “Cheerilee, you are a goddess among mares.”
“I try. Raindrops?”
“You two have fun with the drinks, I think I’m just going to go back to impotently pacing.”
Trixie looked at Raindrops, waving a hoof towards one of the bedrooms, “You ought to rest too.”
“I will. Just can’t while I’m this tightly wound. Was thinking of exercising some to let off steam but...” she trailed off, looking embarrassed, “Kind of feels weird to do that in a room this nice.”
“Pfft, who cares? Move some furniture and go to town,” said Cheerilee, “Nopony’s going to judge you for scuffing the floor up a bit.”
Raindrops paused, looking thoughtful, then with a small shrug she moved over to start pulling one of the couches up against a wall to make some space while Cheerilee and Trixie poured drinks for themselves. As Raindrops started to do some wing-ups, Trixie let herself sink back into the couch, feeling relaxed.
For once, it seemed like nothing was going to go wrong.
She almost fell asleep by the time she heard the distant but distinct sound of an explosion, and the windows of the apartment rattled a second later. Trixie, who had put a pillow over her face to block out the light from the fire, groaned and threw the pillow as she rose.
“C’est vraiment des conneries!” she spat, “Now what!?”
Cheerilee was already at the window, with Raindrops nearby, standing tense and at the ready as if expecting a threat to appear right then and there in their room.
“Can’t see very well,” said Cheerilee, “But it looks like a fire among the noble estates just outside the castle grounds. Can’t make anything else out.”
“Master!” Sungleam appeared, manifesting in a shimmer of gold light next to Trixie.
“Sungleam, do you know what’s happening,” Trixie asked as she staggered off the couch.
“Not precisely,” Sungleam said, looking towards the window, “I sense Berserker’s mana, but that’s only because his is so strong. He must be fighting another Servant, however, as nothing else would set him off.”
Trixie ignored the sudden headache stabbing into her head, “Alright, Cheerilee, Raindrops, stay here and keep an eye on Dinky. Sungleam, let’s get going.”
“Wait!” Raindrops said, stepping in front of Trixie, “One of us should go with you.”
“Sorry Raindrops, but not this time,” Trixie said, brushing past the pegasus, “I can’t risk any of you out there.”
“Trixie,” said Cheerilee, “Maybe you should bring Raindrops at least...”
“Its not a debate,” said Raindrops, “I’m coming with you.”
Trixie halted, Raindrops still between her and the door. From one of the rooms she heard Dinky Doo suddenly speak.
“What’s going on? Where's momma? Where’s Mister Yuri?”
All the mares in the room turned to look at Dinky standing in the open doorway to her room, looking sleepy and confused. Trixie looked back at Raindrops, her face flushed.
“Raindrops, please, stay here with Dinky. I’ll go take care of things.”
Raindrops frowned deeply, and Trixie could hear muscles tightening in the pegasus all through her body, “Trixie... I... can’t let you go alone.”
Trixie slowly hung her head, then turned her eyes to Sungleam, communicating her intent with a simple look. “Sungleam, be gentle with her.”
“As you command, my master,” Sungleam said, and just as Raindrops was tilting her head in confusion, Sungleam shot forward, slamming a hoof into Raindrop’s chest with just enough force to knock the air out of the pegasus mare and stun her without doing any real harm.
Raindrops fell to her knees, gasping for breath, and Dinky let out a frightened squeak that made Trixie wince. Cheerilee just stared at her and Trixie fixed the schoolteacher with a look, “Cheerilee, please, watch over them. I’ll be back soon with Ditzy. I promise.”
With that Trixie strode out of the room with Sungleam at her side, wishing for all the world she could apologize to Raindrops, but knowing that she couldn’t have allowed the pegasus to follow her. As much as she hated it, in the battles of the Grail War, Trixie was starting to understand she had to fight them without those she cared about most by her side.
Even if, somewhere deep inside her, she felt like there was something horribly wrong with that thought.