When the Everfree Burns

by SpiritDutch

Chapter 3: Blackhorn

The next day stole over the land. Back to work.

“...One hundred and one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, one hundred and eleven, twelve...”
Twilight Sparkle took measured steps along a street of Ponyville, her mumbled counting briefly drawing the eyes of the villagers. Beside her, Spike carried a scroll with the distances she had determined so far.

Reaching an intersection, Twilight stopped. “One hundred and twenty-one hooves.” She declared. Spike dutifully added this number to the list. Twilight moved to the center of the intersection and aligned herself.

“Good morning Mis Lady Twilight!” From behind Spike, Pinkie Pie burst into Twilight's path.

“Oh hello. I remember you from last night. Pinkie was it?” Twilight said without looking up. She resumed her canter. “One, two, three...”

“Yeah, that's me alright! And you're Twilight! Heya Twilight!” Pinkie's smile threatened to tear her face in twain. "Did you get all settled in the Oak? I meant to see you this morning to make sure everything was okay but got distracted and you know how it is, one distraction leading to another!"

“...seven, eight, nine. So did you need anything? Fourteen, fifteen, sixteen...” Twilight asked, her focus on her precisely standardized steps.

Pinkie was bouncing along, staying beside Spike as Twilight proceeded. “Nope!” She replied cheerfully.

“...twenty-five, twenty-six, twenty-seven. Alright then, just don't distract me. Thirty-three, thirty-four, thirty-five...” Twilight mumbled.

Spike smiled apologetically to Pinkie Pie. "Hi, mis. Is your nose better?"

"Yup'see doodle! I'm a super fast healer, which, let me tell ya, comes in handy." Pinkie winked.

Twilight snorted in irritation back at them. "Spike save the talk for when you punch out. If you make me lose count-" She froze in place. "Was I on forty or forty-one?"

"Forty-one." Pinkie said with confidence.

"Oh... thanks." Twilight resumed her measured paces. "Forty-two, forty-three..."

Spike giggled. "We're taking measurement of street lengths and stuff, to make a map!" He told Pinkie. "Can you beleive there wasn't a single map of Ponyville in the library or town hall?"

“...fifty-nine, sixty. I would have pulled one from CANTERLOT if I'd known. Sixty-five, sixty-six, sixty-seven...” Twilight growled.

Pinkie nodded excitedly. “Thats so cool! I don't know if I've ever seen a map of Ponyville. Rarity know where one is but maybe not..." Se trailed off, and apparently deciding to honor Twilight's demand for focus, just followed along silently.

At the end of the street, Twilight paused again. “That street was one hundred and sixty hooves long. So triangulating quickly in my head, that puts this street at a fifty degree angle with the other one. No don't write that down Spike. I'll do it out to three decimals when we get back to the tree.”
As Spike wrote this Twilight contemplated the breadth of the task before her again. “Okay, we've seen most of the hamlet now and I'm not impressed. There is roughly the same amount of paved and unpaved streets. No sidewalks. The market square is completely unpaved. Roads from town are unpaved." She sighed. "If a Summer Sun Fair were held here, the visitors would choke on dust. Coaches would get bogged down instantly."

"Huh?" Pinkie Pie blinked.

Twilight had not decided how she should treat the Ponyvillians. In Canterlot she spent most of her time to herself. She had professional acquaintances, and even a few who she was friendly with. She also had a few university friends who she studied with occasionally. But Twilight never tolerated somepony who was just a distraction or didn't pull their weight.
Maybe being friendly with the Ponyvillians would be useful. Maybe.

"I was officially assigned to Ponyville to arrange a Summer Sun Fair." Twilight said. She left out the part where she had serious doubts about actually putting in the work. "From rough estimates, this is growing to be prohibitively expensive.”

“What's going to be probibibibly expensive?” Pinkie bounced up and down in curiosity.

Twilight faced her. “When the other Free Cities like Baltimare or Manehattan host a Summer Sun Fair it attracts thousands of ponies and can last for a week. There are tournaments, races, mass sermons, and sometimes even a visit from the Princess herself. To be able to handle anything on that scale, Ponyville would have to be torn down and rebuilt."

"I see what you mean. I've been to a big Canterlot Party before." Pinkie agreed. "But what if you planned for a party within Ponyville's means?"

Twilight blanched. "What an utter humiliation that would be! Princess Celestia sends me to put on a fair worthy of the empire, and I arrange something on the level of a busy market day? I would be demoted on the spot."

"I don't know mis lady, wouldn't she send you to a bigger city if she expected a bigger party?" Pinkie asked.

Twilight shook her head. "No offense but you don't know how these things work."

"I guess not." Pinkie shrugged. "But I sure know how parties work."

"I'll be certain to consult you about that. The locals can contribute anything they can, and I will import any extra talent I need." Twilight said. "I could probably import a whole town if I wanted. I speak for the princess after all."

"I'd recommend you don't do anything the princess wouldn't." Spike remarked.

Twilight snorted. "Then I'd never leave the oak tree."

Pinkie Pie bobbed her head from side to side as a thought struck her. "Mis Ladyship, you're acting like you're in charge of the whole town now."

"Oh, was that ambiguous? Did you see the letter form the princess?" Twilight dramatically scanned the street. "Your 'Free City' has no elected officials or noble-born citizens. There's nopony to tell me what I can't do. So while it's a bit indelicate to say, yes, I'm in charge."

"Yeah I guess so but you're not even a citizen here." Pinkie Pie said.

"If I manage to dig up the ancient charter that granted this village Free City status I'd probably discover most ponies here don't qualify as citizens for various petty reasons." Twilight said. "What's important is leadership. And look at me doing leader-like things, such as measuring the streets for renovation. That's called 'good governance'."

Pinkie shrugged. "Somepony will probably make a big deal out of it. Just saying."

"If you care about it that much I'll declare myself a citizen by royal prerogative." Twilight said.

"I don't care, but someponies might." Pinkie said.

"Like one of the mares we met yesterday? Applejack or Rarity?" Spike asked.

Twilight had forgotten about them. "Oh right! Applejack, that farm pony. And Rarity the..."

"She's a tailor!" Pinkie Pie supplied.

"That makes sense for some reason. Though wasn't her mark some gems or something?" Twilight asked. "Well nevermind that. I'll talk to them later, on my own time, when I seek them out." It was an unsubtle hint to Pinkie to go away until she was needed.

Pinkie Pie pursed her lips. “Rarity's in the clinic right now.”

"My memory is fairly hazy. Did she party too hard or something?" Twilight rolled her eyes. She turned away from Pinkie. "Maybe I'll visit her when I measure the distence to said clinic. Meanwhile stop distracting me."

Pinkie pantomimed zipping her mouth shut.

"Ready when you are." Spike rolled the quill in his talons.

Great. This is the east-west street, two blocks from the river. Mark it number eight for now." Twilight started her even paces again. "One, two, three..."

...Four, five, six, seven. The door opened, eight seconds after she knocked. Lyra was face to face with a cheerful monk, who let her pass into the monastery.

“What can I do for you madam?” He asked, bowing his head respectfully.

“Good morning and gods bless." Lyra said. "I have heard that Canterlot's city records had been sent here from Canterlot Castle. I sent a letter yesterday afternoon inquiring but got no response."

"Oh my. You climbed up the Mountain rather than wait? We aren't that quick about sorting mail." The monk admitted. He closed the door to keep the wind out. "Yes, the city records are here now. Um, some of them. I don't work in the library so I don't know the details."

Lyra nodded. "That's fine. If it's not any trouble, could you lead me there?"

Lyra had only been to the Solar Monastery once before in her youth. It was a very functional building, short for the most part, unintimidating. From a distance it seemed to grow from out from the rock surrounding it. It was exactly as large as it needed to be to house its small fraternity of sun-charting monks.
What was it like to be a monk, cloistered away from the excitements of the world below? Lyra imagined she would rapidly grow bored of it and start to cause trouble. She had heard of criminals and political dissidents being exiled to monasteries. Did they need to be forcibly kept there? In that case how ironic that the monks, whose life was supposed to be dedicated to the higher mysteries, served their princess instead as gaolers and guards for worldly purposes.

They arrived at the library, and the monk guiding her wandered off. It was a respectably sized repository, with much taller ceilings than the hall she had come down. Reading tables bisected the room and the bookshelves.
Another monk was hunched over a large tome at one of the study desks. He heard Lyra's approach and looked up.

“Oh, a visitor. My my, two visitors in three days." The monk closed his book and stood up. "I am Brother Manered. What would you need of us, mis?"

“I'm searching for Canterlot's city records on the noble houses. They used to be at the castle but they were moved.” Lyra responded.

“Moved here, yes. They ran out of space down there. Not often is it that the Canterlot folk push their garbage UP the Mountain, hmm?" Manered chuckled to himself. "This way. I put them in a spare reading room." He rose trotted to a side room.

Lyra followed him. When she looked inside, she was astonished to see the modest space was overflowing with scrolls and enormous books, each presumably containing a linage. So much knowledge in one place had Lyra overwhelmed. To think, each word on these pages represented a pony who had once been as real and alive as herself; The monks, the gaoler of their legacies.

“Have a house in mind, or just browsing.” Manered asked jokingly.

“Uh... yes, yes.” Lyra recollected herself. “House Twilight.”

Manered stared at her, incredulous. After a moment, he exited the room and closed the door, making his way back to the study table.

“Pardon, is something the matter?” Lyra was confused and indignant.

Manered stood by his seat, and heaved the book he had been reading. Lyra, still baffled, approached. On the book's cover where the words 'Maison de Crépuscule'.

“Serendipity! I already had the book out and was reading it-" He hesitated. "but not, I must admit, for pure curiosity. I would be more embarrassed if a different particular visitor caught me." He cleared his throat. "For you see, this old record was pulled aside because it was requested." He placed his hoof on it. "Requested by her highness the princess! Well, imagine my shock reading that letter, but as the new steward of the city records I suppose I would face royal attention again at some point. I thought I could get away with taking a peak . We rarely get a peak into the desires or thoughts of the princess's court."

"Quite the story."
Lyra wasn't very good in Prench, but she knew that the book's title translated to "house of 'Crépuscule". What a crepuscule was, Lyra could not begin to guess. It sounded like a confectionary, but then again so did most of the Prench language. Considering the circumstance it must have related to the House Twilight. But why was it in Prench, and why did the crown want it?
"Did the court attach any instructions about keeping the book from other readers?"

Manered shook his head. "I would not have dared if it were so. However..." He cleared his throat. "I am just wise enough to ask your purposes with it mis, lest I am asked and found wanting for answers."

"At present I serve an officer of the court. He is trusted and serves admirably, and I strive to do so as well. I have no intention to stymie the crown." Lyra said. "His lordship asks that I research this house."

"It is not a stretch to imagine your lord wants to know what the princess is looking into." Manered said. "The politics of it are none of my buisness though. When a mare in a fetching coat comes to my library, I assist them to the best of my ability."

Lyra noded. “Thank you very much Manered.”

“Brother Manered, m'lady.” Manered bowed.

Lyra almost scoffed. She was no lady, but the joke was well taken, so she returned the bow nonetheless. “Lyra Heartstings.”

Manered set the book onto the study table and pulled up two chairs. “If you'll allow me, I can translate anything you don't understand. Prench dialects are very confusing to layponies. Though the cover is in old court Prench, these first entries are penned in cosmoponytan Prench, probably from the north.”

The north of Prance, Lyra guessed he meant. So the Twilights where a foreign house, across the eastern seas from Equestria. "You could begin with the title."

Manered snorted. "At first I was certain it translated to 'The House of Darkness'. Terrifyingly ominous! Alas I checked my dictionary, to find it less alarmingly means 'The House of Twilight'. I find it fairly interesting how the concept of twilight was translated as part of the name across languages. That usually doesn't happen. But I suppose Crepuscule Sparkle doesn't roll off the tongue."

"Indeed, nor Crepuscule Velvet." Lyra said to herself. But what a missed opportunity that it had not been translated such that she was now squared against Darkness Velvet.

Manered flipped past the first few pages. Like many other old books Lyra had seen over the years, it was hoof-writen and colorfully illuminated. The patterns scrolling around the edges of every page were fascinating in their intricacy. She could pick out strange and grotesque faces, animals in various states of fear, and interwoven lines and spheres. It was pretty, but rather horrifying.
“We may begin here. This is the first matriarch circa 800 SS. Crépuscule Naissance, or Twilight Advent of Chevreville. I don't know where Chevreville is, but based on the next few entries, it's near Chateau d'Os, one of the old capitals of Prance.” Manered pointed to the a paragraph, and the illustration of a pony's marks beside them. The mark was a dozen stars arranged in a circle, obviously the mark of a magically talented mare.

"No description of the lives of these ponies?" Lyra asked.

"These kinds of dynastic records, especially one so detailed and therefore expensive, would have absolutely had pages with the feats and skills of the ancestors. Unicorn dynasties from Prance doubly especially." Manered shrugged. "And yet, these descriptions are criminally short, barely more than listing spouse and children. There are no missing pages. Whoever commissioned this record, years ago, wished only that the names and marks be remembered."

"Could that other stuff be recorded somewhere else?" Lyra asked.

"Perhaps, but either it was not submitted to the city records alongside this piece, or it was lost at some point." Manered said.

"Fine." Lyra sighed. She would have little to report to Fancy Pants.

As they flipped through the further pages, Lyra could see two trends emerge. The Twilights were a family of matriarchs. In every single generation, a daughter was born first, who went on to become the leader of the house. The second trend was that every one of these matriarchs had a star themed cutie mark, and had a first name of some variation of 'Crépusculaire', Twilight.

"Is any of this unusual?" Lyra asked.

"That is a broad question you must admit." Manered said. "One thing is that the family name is used in adjective form for the personal name. So that would mean nowadays if the tradition continued, Twilight, as part of the name, is in an adjective form describing the given name, rather than in a noun form. I find that rather interesting."

"Sure." Lyra doubted that was of any importance. "Are there any noteworthy figures in here?"

“Relatively. Look here. 921 SS, was a big year for the house. Crépuscule Voyageur became family matriarch. And see how her name is in Equestrian as well! She must have moved the house to Equestria. Down at the bottom of the page," Manred pointed to a seemingly random set of patterns below the illumination Crépuscule Voyageur's mark. "You see these in other Prench realm records. It shows the number of keeps and lances under the clan, three and eleven respectively. Not bad for local landholders in such a troubled time in Prance's history."
Manered flipped the page. "All that appears to have been left behind. The next generation in their new Equestrian home had naught but the family name, translated of course, to Twilight."

"Less a century ago, barely four generations." Lyra noted. It was with some petty satisfaction that Lyra knew her own family's history in Equestria could be traced back farther.
She flipped forward a few pages, glancing quickly over the names that meant nothing to her, to the last few entries. "I think it would be worth looking at those still alive. It stands to reason those are who the princess is interest in."

“Yes that brings us to the most recent generation. The last entry is for Twilight Velvet, another only child it seems." Manered paused for a while, before sheepishly lifting the book to reveal a small pile of letters that had been hidden underneath. They were recent, announcement letters, news pamphlets, and newspapers. "Lady Velvet is something of a society girl. Or, was. As I understand it came as a shock when she married Night Light of House Bright. Quite the step up for the much-humbled house."

"That would be public knowledge my employer would knows already. It would seem this book has no other secrets." Lyra said, dissapointed. She glanced back at the annex with the other city records. "Is there any chance the House Twilight had previous relationships with House Bright?"

"Unlikely. Besides the House Bright records are in their dynastic seat in Foal, not here." Manered shrugged. “The Brights were once a major power player in Equestria, with great influence in both their power base in the Foal Mountains, and in Canterlot. If anything the marriage with Twilight Velvet signified a waining of Bright power, as their line had been dying off quite rapidly. Why, of a generation of twelve, only two adults remain now. The next generation, not counting house Twilight-Bright, only contains three ponies, one of which is a bastard.”

Lyra was impressed. “Intriguing that a monk should know so much about worldly things.”

"We weren't always monks." Manered said, flashing a thin smile.

Perhaps Manered was the kind of prisoner Lyra had been pondering before. "I would hope so."
She stared at Twilight Velvet's mark for a while: A trio of purple stars. Yes, another mark of somepony with magical skill, just like the other mares of the family. Then it struck her how odd it was that there were NO stallions listed in the dynastic record. "Presumably there were sons in the family. Yet they are excluded."

"Huh? Oh." Manered turned back to the book. "Well, of course. It even says so for some of the matriarchs." It clicked for him too. "The odds of generations after generation having a firstborn daughter, especially back in the days of disease and danger in Prance, is very low. We would expect at least one son to inherit the house leadership. Hmm..." He sat back in his chair. "There must be some manipulation. Magical, perhaps. I don't know if it was illegal in Prance at the time to altar a fetus with magic."

"It would be rude to speculate." Lyra said curtly.

Manered nodded. "Too right."
He stood up. "Mis, you live in Canterlot, right?"

"Yes." Lyra nodded, worrying she was about to be asked to do a favor.

"You must have a better idea to why the crown requested this book. If it involves court politics, then I wonder if the House Twilight, or one in particular," He motioned to Twilight Velvet's page. "is going to face some scrutiny."

"That is sound logic." Lyra agreed.

"Then I would ask that you would do something to help them. I know it is wrong to interfere in imperial matters, but we are fairly powerless up here to protect ponykind, or our friends." Manered said morosely. "We chart the Sun and predict its patterns, but rarely is it for more than our own satisfaction or a brief report to the court."

"I understand your feelings." Lyra said.

Manered sighed. "I know you said you work for somepony near to the court. Just... If it comes to it, I should only hope you keep in mind that a soul on the mountain cares about this house."

Lyra stood up too. "Brother I doubt you have much to worry about. I do not think this was requested with any harmful intentions."

"I appreciate it." Manered said. "Mis, is there more you wish to read?"

Lyra shook her head. "No brother, I think that will be all. Thank you for your time and help."

"My pleasure mis." Manered bowed.

Lyra gave her thanks several more times before leaving the library and monastery. Everything she had read was mentally logged, but she would commit it to her notes as soon as she got home.

It was a very interesting case with the possibilities for all kinds of spins. Perhaps more interesting was the one character both Lyra and Manered had danced around: Twilight Sparkle. Neither was fully willing to admit that Sparkle was the focus of the princess's intentions, and probably Fancy Pants's too.
Lyra had gained some valuable intel, and minor additions to things she already knew. The House Twilight had been powerful in its native land, but was now an Equestrian house. Until recently it was of little note: But with Twilight Velvet and Twilight Sparkle, they now had close connections to the powerful House Bright and the empress. Something was potentially amiss about their rapid rise.
Lyra hoped she had what Fancy Pants was looking for.

But she still needed to bring on another agent. So she started down the path down to Canterlot.

Twilight Sparkle continued the monotonous task of measuring the length of the Ponyville streets. It took until noon to do them all, then another few minutes to do the trigonometry to derive the angles of the streets. Pinkie had shadowed Twilight the whole time, remaining mercifully silent as the unicorn continued her task.
It was the kind of work that let Twilight think of other things. She was slightly surprised at herself. The day before she had anticipated at least a week of moping and feeling sorry for herself. Obviously that had just been the nausea talking. Waking up refreshed, feeling like a keen edge and ready to act.
It also let Twilight ponder what in heaven's name she was going to do about the Nightmare Pretender problem. She would have to learn more, but in Ponyville she was isolated from Canterlot's records and observatories which she would need to analyze the past or the Moon. Perhaps she would send a letter, but she would have to be careful about what she said incase Celestia's agents would intercept her mail.

Faced with such daunting thoughts, the task at hoof was almost a welcome distraction. "Okay, that's enough for now. Nothing else we can do with this until we return to the oak library and start making a map." Twilight said.

"About time. I was getting tired of writing." Spike flexed his claws with a wince.

"Hey, are you still going to see Rarity?" Pinkie Pie chirped, her first words in an hour.

“Sure, why not. Mis Pinkie, show me to the clinic.” Twilight said. They were on the edge of town where the last street had taken them.

“Okey dokey, but I think Rarity's gone home now.” Pinkie answered smiling. She did everything while smiling.

“And how would you know that?” Twilight asked curiously.

“Eh, I have a feeling. Come on it's this way!” Pinkie led the way back into town.

Despite the previous night's activity and drama, the Ponyvillians generally continued to be completely apathetic to Twilight's presence. Twilight thought that was preferable to them clamoring around her or, as she had feared before, attacking her for grievances against Canterlot. Hopefully they would begin to respect her in time for her to need them for some purpose or another.

Pinkie led them across the village to the north-eastern corner of the town near-ish the riverfront. They stood before a fanciful dress shop, that looked for all the world like a wood and plaster tent. Pinkie entered without knocking, and Twilight and Spike followed close behind.

The interior was lined with mirrors and racks of dresses. There was not much room to walk. Twilight sympathized somewhat, for that it seemed the dressmaker's creative drive seemed to outstrip the village's demand.

“Welcome to the Carousel Boutique.” Came a voice from an adjacent room. Rarity rushed in to greet the new customers, but stopped between rooms when she saw who it was. The white unicorn had a partially healed bruise on the side of her head that she had been careful to cover with her mane.

“Hi Rarity!” Said Pinkie Pie.

Rarity pushed past her Pinkie friend.
“Lady Sparkle, marvelous to see you again!” Rarity smiled a bit too earnestly. “My goodness, I have been dying to speak with you since the party. Ha ha ha ha.” Rarity's laugh was oddly predatory.

Twilight frowned ever so slightly, but remained silent. Pinkie giggled to herself for whatever reason. “The party last night?” Twilight asked.

Rarity pulled away from Twilight. “Yes, the party last night, my lady.” She paused for a moment. "How did you sleep last night?"

"Good, I guess. The satisfying kind of sleep you get after an exhausting day." Twilight said.

"Ah so no dreams I suppose. Well I am glad to hear it." Rarity said, her tone nearly as chipper as Pinkie Pie.

"Riiight." Twilight was off put slightly. The glanced over to Spike, who was staring at Rarity rather adoringly. "I remember your dress, kinda. You made it yourself?"

"Oh yes. I am a tailor after all. That dress is for sale if you are interested- Tailored to you, naturally." Rarity had begun to inspect her racks of dresses while she talked. “What can I do for you today?”

Twilight flipped over her notes and make a quick sketch of the street layout with some numbers. “Mis Pie here said you have an eye for the ornamental.” She held it in front of Rarity. "So I would like your first thoughts on this."

"Is this a test?" Rarity asked, slightly worried. She glanced over the numbers. “Do you need a hundred hoof long dress?”

Pinkie Pie exploded into laughter. “That's not a pony's measurements, but it would be pretty funny. Hey Twilight! Would Princempress Celestia fit in a hundred hoof long dress?”

Twilight rolled her eyes, resisting the urge to say something juvenile. “By my estimation Ponyville needs a renovation. I need consultants. The village can keep the same layout, but needs all the facilities to handle many more ponies.” Like impenetrable walls and a moat, she was tempted to add.

Rarity looked concerned. “You are talking about rebuilding the entire town?"

“Not the entire town, no.” Twilight shook her head.

Rarity's eyes darted around. "My word. Is this what you were sent to Ponyville for?"

“Look, Ponyville is inadequate. It's crap. My purpose here is to prepare for a Summer Sun Fair, and that is what I intend to do." Twilight said, probably more hostilely than was necessary. Her adversaries were in Canterlot, not there. "So for as long as I'm here, I need some ponies who can be trusted with work. Ponies I can delegate to. You two are shopkeepers so you have some respectability."

"You two?" Pinkie Pie and Rarity said in unison, then turned to each other.

Pinkie Pie laughed.

"I will not denigrate Mis Pie's ability as a baker but I would recommend hesitance to have her help you rebuild our fair village." Rarity said quickly.

"Think I'm gunna paint the town pink, Rarity?" Pinkie Pie stuck her tongue out.

Rarity sniffed but declined to retort.

"Oh good grief. It's not like there's any other form of leadership in this place." Twilight grunted. "You two know the community, right? You have clients and suppliers? I can't put on a bloody fair by myself!"

"You would not like the kind of fair you get from Pinkie Pie." Rarity shook her head.

"You said basically the same thing about Applejack last night. Do you give anypony credit, Rarity?" Pinkie Pie teased playfully, but there was a hint of annoyance under her bubbly tone. "Yeah Rarity's got friends alright."

"STOP. I conceed the point." Rarity blurted out, glancing between Pinkie and Twilight. "Lady Sparkle seems to know better than us. I may have reservations about being mixed up in Imperial politics but I see it as my duty to aide the First Student."

Twilight shifted on her hooves. "I haven't said anything about imperial politics."

"Oh? Forgive my assumption then. With the mix-up from yesterday, and now hearing you were sent without support form the capital..." Rarity fell silent for a while, picking her words. "I will not be so coy as to deny I am tempted by the opportunity for advancement this project of yours presents, Lady Sparkle."

"Yeah, a round of knighthoods for everypony." Twilight said dryly, throwing Spike a sly glance. "Listen, please, and don't take this the wrong way. I don't care about your motivations, or your reservations, as long as you help me. I can make promises, and I can't be sure they'll be empty promises or not. I had to scramble around town for a letter that proved I was even supposed to be here, so yes, there's some politics involved, but that's my buisness not yours."

"As long as you're working with us in good faith! It's the thought that counts." Pinkie Pie said.

"Untrue, but I am not in a position to act otherwise." Rarity half-shrugged. "I have nothing better to do with my time."

"Excellent! Then I can consider you both on board, right? Great." Twilight nodded, shaking Rarity's hoof, then Pinkie's. "This isn't going to be so hard after all. This is the chance to prove we're mares worth listing to. You're more than a name or a title. You're a face, voice, and body who represents an accomplishment." Twilight said passionately. "This town and our path through life can be improved. You agree, right."

Rarity remained silent, while Pinkie laughed again.

Twilight took that as a sign of agreement. “It comes as a great relief knowing there's at least two ponies I can rely on in this town. I feel better about the future already." She cleared her throat. "Maybe, if we find out we work well together, we can expand our cooperation to other projects. We'll see what's in the cards."

Felling as though her explanation was sufficient, Twilight turned and trotted out of the boutique.

Spike hesitated before following her. “It was nice seeing you.” He called to Rarity with a smile and a wave.

Pinkie Pie stayed behind for a moment. “Are you ok?” She asked Rarity.

Rarity had fallen into a silent stupor. She stared straight forward, mouth slightly prissed, consumed by her own thoughts. Having revived no response, Pinkie shrugged and bounced out after Twilight.

It took several minutes for Rarity to resolve her furious internal dialogue, and shake off her trance. "Pinkie!" She shouted out the door.

"Hmm?" Pinkie peered back inside.

Rarity trotted forward and met her at the door. "We have had sore spots, but at the end of the day you need fabric and I need bread. We can have a truce, for the sake of working with Lady Sparkle. We do not necessarily need to be in each other's buisness."

Pinkie giggled. "Sure you don't gain more from that than me, Rarity?"

"What if I do? Aren't you tired from keeping tabs on me and my friends?" Rarity fluttered her lashes. "As I told Lady Sparkle I have nothing better to do than help her."

Pinkie shrugged with a smile. "Try to be nicer to Applejack too, and I'll try my hardest to block her hooves, hee hee. Keep safe Rarity!" She bounded after Twilight and Spike.

Twilight paused in the middle of the street. “What's next on today's checklist?” She asked Spike.

Spike shrugged. “I left it at the Oak library.”

Twilight grunted in frustration. “Ok, looks like we'll be heading back there then. There's so much to do and so little time to do it.”

As they passed through Ponyville's small market square on the way back to the library, a pony called to them from a nearby stall. “Oh hey! Twilight!” Applejack said as they passed.

Twilight froze in place, and after judging that she had the time to spare, trotted over to the mare. “It's Lady Sparkle in public, if you don't mind. Otherwise good day to you Mis."

Applejack nodded. “Sure thang. Heya Pinkie.”

“Wait, are you still following me?” Twilight turned to Pinkie. “Thank you but I don't think I'll have further need of you today.”

“Ok!” Pinkie smiled, not moving.

Twilight shook her head in confusion, then back to Applejack. “So, was there something you needed?”

“I came looking for ya at the Golden Oak this morning. I was wonderin' if you where feeling any better.” Applejack said, stepping out from behind her cart.

“Well, as you can see, I'm doing just fine. Your concern is appreciated.” Twilight said. “I'm sorry you missed me this morning, I was around town."

"Whew. Y'all ain't wastin' any time." Applejack nodded in appreciation. "That all you been doin?"

"No. I was just at that unicorn's boutique.” She turned to Spike.

“Rarity's boutique.” Spike said.

“Yes, Rarity.” Twilight agreed. “Her boutique.”

Applejack grit her teeth imperceptibly at the mention of Rarity. “Ya don't say. Discuss anything important?” She asked, tilting her head slightly to Pinkie Pie.

"Yes. I would prefer to be discrete about it unless you and I reach the same ground, uh, vis-a-vis certain projects." Twilight said. "Mis Rarity and Mis Pie here have agreed to help me with something. I was considering asking you too."

"Considering asking me." Applejack repeated. Now she fully turned to Pinkie. "The heck is this? You in Rarity's orbit now?"

Twilight saw her flimsy play of secrecy could only cause trouble or misunderstandings. "Mis, you should be focussed on what I require, not them. I intend to spruce up Ponyville for the Summer Sun. Indeed it is my mission. That is all."

Applejack spat. “Oh that's all." She repeated again. "Canterlot sent a unicorn lady to fulfill Rarity's dream? Guess I gotta eat my words from last night. Well now, fine ‘n dandy if you wanna turn Ponyville into a refuge for pretentious snooty stilts!" She addressed this more to Pinkie than Twilight. "Ya shouldn't trust her."

"Uh, who are you talking about?" Twilight asked. "Or to?"

Pinkie Pie smiled apologetically. "Trust but verify?"

"We still haven't had that talk." Applejack growled.

Twilight put her hoof on Applejack's shoulder. “My desire, and indeed the necessities of the fair, is to hybridize Canterlot composure and grandeur and Ponyville... Whatever it is you have going on here.”

“Parties!” Pinkie supplied. “We have parties!”

“And apples.” Applejack urged.

“And lots of nature and animals.” A soft voice came from nearby.

“Huh?” Twilight turned to see who had spoken. A butter yellow pegasus mare with pink mane and tail looked positively mortified at having been noticed.

“I- I- I-" The mare stuttered, averting her eyes. "I'm very sorry. I didn't mean to eavesdrop I just-" She was nearly shaking in embarrassment.

Twilight was feeling secondhand embarrassment at first, but as the mare dragged out her apology she was almost tempted to laugh, then to cringe. "Uh, thats ok. It's not a bad idea, really. You ponies do have lots of nature around you.” She pointed to grass and dirt roads and errant trees sprouting about the village. “I mean, I'm staying in a tree. Very nature-like.”

“Really?” The pegasus mare looked up from the ground. “You like my idea?”

“Why not.” Twilight shrugged. Maybe she would have left the conversation at that, but she was inwardly thrilled that another Ponyvillian was engaging with her rather than pretending she didn't exist like most of them were. Maybe the yellow pegasus would be useful too, even if at first meeting she seemed just as strange as the other 'helpful' mares. “I'm Viscountess Twilight Sparkle. Pleased to meet you...”

“Um, Fluttershy.” The mare named Fluttershy said.

“Fluttershy, marvelous. Really a multi-tribe village here isn't it." Twilight nodded. In idle glance around the market square confirmed that indeed there were about equal numbers of pegasi, earth ponies, and unicorns. True to their usual talents, earth ponies were overrepresented among the produce sellers.
Twilight turned back to Fluttershy. "Not to typecast, but does nature relate to your talent in some way?"

"Um, yes...” Fluttershy said.

"Excellent. I am really liking the shape of this well-rounded team I am putting together. I have been known to enjoy a tree-lined street and all that." Twilight said. She was somewhat satisfied with herself for pulling the conversation away from Applejack and Pinkie Pie's arguing, but at glance the two earth ponies seemed cautious towards Fluttershy the same way they had towards Rarity. "This is the kind of small village that everypony knows each other in. You know Mis Applejack and Mis Pinkie Pie, right?"

Fluttershy stared into the ground again. "We've met."
Applejack made a dismissive snorting noise, while Pinkie Pie giggled a little.

"And the tailor mare?” Twilight looked to Spike once more.

“Rarity.” Spike said.

“Rarity. Yes, do you know Rarity?” Twilight nodded.

Fluttershy began to speak, but was interrupted.

“Ah, of course you know Rarity too. It's actually pretty charming. In a place like Canterlot you have so many ponies around you, you basically only begin to understand them all as categories of interests and all that. In the provinces you are actually a pony." Twilight rambled. She didn't really believe what she was saying, rather mimicking something she sometimes heard disaffected university students say. It sounded vaguely flattering to the country ponies though. "It would hardly be fitting to hold a Summer Sun Fair here without highlighting your advanced relationship to nature."

"The heck? We're around nature all the time. Hardly special." Applejack muttered.

“I'm not so sure either...” Fluttershy started to respond weakly.

Twilight would not tolerate naysaying. “Well then Applejack, since you're a farmer you could give good suggestions on agrarian architecture and composition. The new infrastructure should complement the aesthetic renewal.” Twilight pressed Applejack.

“With Rarity? How bout no times no.” Applejack scoffed.

Twilight scowled, arranging a rebuttal. “It's as if you don't want Ponyville to be a better place, to be worthy. WORTHY OF CELESTIA! Don't you want to be worthy? Of course you do. We all beg for it. That's our mortal condition.” Her voice and ire grew. “I thought you wanted to save your town from certain doom.”

Applejack was incredulous now. "Doom?"

Twilight blinked. “I meant embarrassment.”

"Still, nope. Drop Rarity and we'll talk.” Applejack said.

Twilight shook her head in disappointment. “I think you are mistaken to try to impose restrictions on me, Mis Applejack. I have authority here. I was going to privilege you with it too, you know. You are very helpful yesterday and I was very pleased by that. Now, I dare to admit that Mis Pinkie Pie here has earned my pleasure."

“Hey, that's my joke!” Spike crossed his arms angrily. "You don't pull off the court snot-nose bit at all, Twilight."

"That could be misunderstood, Spike, considering I'm not joking at all. This is viscountly and royal perogative I'm invoking here. Hardly snot-nosed." Twilight huffed, and turned back to Pinkie Pie. "I mean, the power of my station is why all you mares are being helpful, right? You're the ones that actually recognize the utility on being on my good side." She said, almost mockingly. "Yes, Mis Pie, you are on my good side. You have been very helpful today and been a very good girl."

Pinkie winced, her smile failing her for a moment. “Sure you're not joking?"

"Are you tryin' to prove a point because I don't get it." Applejack shook her head.

Twilight grabbed Pinkie by the shoulder. “Look, Applejack. Look at how good and subdued she's being. And look at how much attention she's getting. ” Twilight rubbed her hoof in Pinkie's face, all the while staring intensely at Applejack. “This hoof has touched the princess. This hoof has been given royal prerogative. Don't you wish it was you instead of Pinkie Pie?”

“I ain't gunna say it again. I'll never, ever, ever work with Rarity. Even for whatever big thing you've got going on." Applejack said with finality. She took a step back towards her cart, and flippantly glanced away. The message, chose between one of us.

Twilight released Pinkie, letting out a deep sigh. “But... I'm a viscountess. I'm literally a landed noble, and here I am coming to YOU. Am I supposed to beg? I..."
Twilight wasn't being coy, but seemed genuinely confused. In Canterlot the landed nobles had ponies tripping over themselves to please them, hoping for a chance to be an established courtier in the noble's court. Being the dogsbody of a 'snot-nosed' count could be the door to higher and higher attainment in noble circles. A pony could go from serving a count, to a duke, and perhaps make it all the way to the court of Princess Celestia, if they made the right connections at each stage.
But the Ponyvillians didn't seem aware of any of that, and Twilight was having to adjust the idea of her rank in her head. The best she would get from these ponies was begrudging respect.
"Maybe the problem is me. I'm not selling my message well. Shoot. This Fair stuff doesn't match my skill set."

"You're doing fine Twilight." Spike said.

"Easy for you to say. Meanwhile I don't even have my checklist." Twilight ground her teeth. "Enough of this then. Don't think I'm giving up though, mis Applejack." Twilight said, pointing at the mare with a hoof. "I just need my checklist and then we'll resume this duel."
She promptly turned tail and trotted out of the market in the direction of the library. Spike mouthed some embarrassed apologies before running after her.

Applejack, and Pinkie looked at each other for a moment. “I didn't mean to take your place as her favorite.” Pinkie wavered on the edge of tears.

Applejack sighed. “Did she just challenge me to a duel? I don't get what's going on besides she wants to hire me for something." She cast an eye towards Fluttershy. "Or, hire us for something. "

“I'm just a bit confused too.” Fluttershy put on a weak smile. "Um, hello, by the way."

“On tha one hoof, I can appreciate a take charge mare who knows what's important.” Applejack said. “On the other, the ladyship seems a speck erratic.”

“Maybe she needs more than helpers. She needs help.” Pinkie Pie giggled.

Applejack rolled her eyes. “It ain't kind to call a pony crazy Pinky. You of all ponies should know that.”

Pinkie giggled, then became relatively serious. “No, I mean like, support. Everypony deserves support! But she's, like, tons of miles from where her friends are, right? I know from experience I'd be freaking out too, ha ha! Plus she doesn't seem good with ponies."

Pinkie Pie and Applejack looked at Fluttershy. Despite the obvious coolness between them, they silently invited her into the conversation. "Rarity told me she was organizing a party for yesterday. It was for that mare? A viscountess?" Fluttershy asked. “She did come off as a bit, uh, erratic, like you said Applejack.”

"She told me some of her deal. Being honest, I don't know how a girl like that gets close to the princess, but maybe we'll see what she's got going on." Applejack shrugged. "Did you see her mark under her dress? Some kind of magic talent I think."

"Still going to refuse to help her though?" Pinkie asked.

"As long as she cavorts with Rarity." Applejack confirmed, glancing at Fluttershy. "No offense."

Fluttershy stayed silent.

The minutes passed as they waited for Twilight to return. Pinkie drew faces in the dirt. Fluttershy watched the birds as they flew overhead.
Applejack leaned against her cart and began to idly snack on her stock of apples, looking contemplative. After her third apple, she stood up, and glanced towards the Oak and at the two other ponies.

“We're friends, ain't we?” She said, a calculating look coming over her.

“I don't know Applejack, I thought you didn't like me.” Fluttershy prodded the ground nervously.

“Yes!” Pinkie Pie had no reservations in her answer.

“Well I've been thinkin' for a while.” Applejack pulled the two ponies closer, smiling conspiratorially. “Any way you cut this apple, this here situation with Twilight can be worked out in a number of ways.”

“Worked out?” Fluttershy squeaked.

“We could benefit mightily by her plans, if we're in the right place at the right time.” Applejack continued. “Rarity ain't dumb, and knows that if Lady Sparkle starts throwin' imperial money around, some might go her way."

"Twilight, like, outright implied it but you weren't listening." Pinkie said. "Too busy being angry, hee hee."

"Look, the point is that I can still screw over Rarity even if I'm technically on the same side by helping Twilight Sparkle." Applejack said. "How? By benefiting myself more than Rarity does herself, or cuttin' Rarity out altogether."

"You're in completely different industries. You don't compete at all." Fluttershy pointed out softly.

Applejack chortled. "But ain't we now? Supposin', speculatively, that a little pagoda or something gets put on my farmland as part of the fair. A few hoof-fulls of bits might go for general renovations around the whole property."

Realization shone in Pinkie's eyes. “And with so many ponies coming for the party, we will need tons more food. The bakery will have to be expanded for sure! I could even hire somepony!"

Applejack nodded aggressively. "Hire a couple ponies, start gettin' back on track in our lives and become right proper buisnessponies. Primitive accumulation, they call it back in Manehattan. All on Twilight Sparkle's dime."

Fluttershy hesitated. “Uh, I still don't see how that puts you in competition with Rarity." She paused. "Are you comfortable with taking advantage of another pony like that? I'm, uhh, not.”

Applejack rebuffed. “It ain't like that. We're just gunna be Twilight's friends, helping her bridge them social gaps with Ponyville, and she'll gift it to us.”

“By misappropriating funds for the Fair?”

Applejack pulled away, scowling. “Misappropriating?! Why I ought'a...” She took a deep breath. “Yer makin' this more difficult than it needs to be, but I understand if you don't like me. Y'all always did side with Rarity after all.”

Fluttershy cowered, whimpering in fear. Pinkie turned on Applejack with comical anger. “You can't do that to your partner in crime, it's against our code.”

Applejack was at once in Pinkie's face. “Y'all are on about crime, and I ain't gonna take it! 'Sides, she's the enemy now, siding with Rarity!”

“Wait...” Pinkie paused, dropping her rage contorted expression for one of exagerated confusion. “Rarity is our enemy? I thought Twilight was the target of our nefarious conspiracy. Say, how many ponies do you need for a conspiracy anyway. Probably more than two.”
Pinkie turned to Fluttershy, but found she had crawled away during the exchange. “Aww, where will find a third pony for our plot, so it can be a conspiracy?”
A sudden powerful jab to her side silenced her. Pinkie wilted around Applejack's hoof. "oww" She wheezed breathlessly.

“Enough with tha conspiracy nonsense!” Applejack stood over Pinkie as the latter sunk to her knees in pain. “I ain't doin nothin wrong!”

Applejack heard a light hissing.
“Now assaulting ponies in broad daylight? Unsurprising.” Applejack looked up to find Rarity watching the scene, holding a bag of art supplies and bearing a thin smirk. “Something must have gone sour for you, acting out your violent compulsions so readily. You have grown into your roll of village ruffian, truly."

"Believe what ya want. You thinkin' I'm strugglin's nothin' ta me." Applejack tugged the brim of her hat down. Her accent was getting more pronounced and harder to understand again. "So trot off."

"Well I'm struggling. Somepony, a little help here.” Pinkie coughed in the dirt.

"Blocking Applejack's hoof already and our little detente has hardly begun. Bravo Pinkie Pie." Rarity was reveling in Applejack's discomfort. "But caution... let us count the days before the mare spirals so out of control it demands community justice."

“I ain't in the mood fer this, Rarity.” Applejack growled.

“Clearly you haven’t expended all your innate anger on your friend yet, so I'd do well to stay clear. I wouldn't want a repeat of last night.” Rarity jeered.

“I'm warning you.” Applejack took a step forward, and Rarity took a corresponding step back.

“Harumph!” Rarity turned away and disappeared between the market stalls. It was then that Applejack realized she was being watched by several dozen ponies, who had seen her hit Pinkie and threaten Rarity.

She sighed, turned back to her stall. “I'm closing up for the day. Gotta go home and think about things.” She grabbed her basket of apples and briskly trotted out of the square.

Twilight Sparkle returned to the scene. She only found Pinkie Pie on the ground holding her stomach. “Wow, what happened here?” She looked around at the other ponies in the market. “I'm very confused."

Pinkie rolled onto her side and sat up. "They don't want to get on Applejack's bad side I guess. Ouchie... still stings a bit."

"What? Did you get into an argument with Applejack?" Twilight could already see the redness forming on Pinkie's barrel. "Or, apparently, into an altercation. Oh my. This is not your week. Sorry again about your nose.

"I've taken worse sucker-punches." Pinkie shrugged. "Applejack is a hard mare to work with, but that's okay. She has good intentions."

"It must be one of those things where I have to get past the tough exterior to get to the vulnerable mare underneath. Like an apple." Twilight rolled her eyes. "But I don't have the time of energy to invest in her, not matter how much it could help. I need quick, compliant allies like Rarity, Fluttershy, and you."

"Uh huh. Applejack said she'd help. That's kinda why she punched me; over you." Pinkie Pie giggled but stopped when it made her wound hurt.

Twilight stared at Pinkie for a few seconds. "I'm not available. I prefer astronomers."

"Hee hee, you know what I meant." Pinkie stuck out her tongue.

"Perhaps. I'm still putting my thoughts in order." Twilight sighed and shook her head. "I went and got my checklist and everything, only to have my allies attack each other, EVEN AFTER AGREEING TO COOPERATE." She fell into a sitting position. "There is something I'm not getting." She closed her eyes and began to brainstorm solutions.

Spike arrived on the scene carrying a scroll and another quill. "Everything okay? Where did they go?"

"Hold it Spike, I'm on the verge of a great idea. A great, terrible idea." Twilight silenced him. " Truly, this idea has a huge risk of going badly, but I am just desperate enough to try it."

"I love GOOD ideas." Pinkie said excitedly.

"Yes. If you ponies won't cooperate because of incomprehensible bumpkin grudges, I'll just have to force a reconciliation. I will provide justice and make all parties happy." Twilight pronounced. "I will hold a court as is my right, and indeed duty, as a vassal of the princess."

"Twilight you hated studying law." Spike pointed out.

"But I stuck through it and passed. And I'm going to stick through this too." Twilight said emphatically. "Mis Pinkie Pie, bring the feuding parties to my court on the morrow, for a judgement."

“Court? You mean the Golden Oak?” Pinkie ventured. "I can get Applejack to come, maybe, when I tell her there's no hard feelings over the punch. But Rarity super doesn't trust me, even if we're allies."

“Whatever. I'll figure Rarity out then." Twilight said. "Snag that yellow pegasus too, bring her over. That way the work on my project can begin immediately after the judgement."

"I feel like you're setting yourself up for big failures." Spike ventured, but retracted the point with a nervous laugh when Twilight shot him an angry look.

"I can bring Applejack over when I'm done with bakery stuff. Fluttershy's house is, like, on the opposite bank of the river, but I'll bring her if I see her."

"Great. You're going to be a valuable agent, I can tell." Twilight said. "You go heal up, I'm heading home. Try not to get hurt again."
Twilight got up and trotted out of the market.

“Don't you think you're being a bit insensitive? More than usual?" Spike followed Twilight out of the market towards the town hall.

"How so?"

Spike had a lot to say but decided it would be better to be concise. "You're being bossy."

"These ponies have nothing that could be a tenth as important as what I need from them. Besides, I'm a landed noble now." Twilight frowned. "If Princess Celestia didn't want me being bossy, being commanding, being one who is above the commoners, then why the hell did she put all this on me?"

Spike was far from convinced. "Should you be blaming the princess for your own behavior?"

"Don't get sassy with me Spike. I'm still a bit raw from it all." Twilight show him an angry glare. "Let's not forget that I'm the aggrieved party here."

"She gave you a castle." Spike said.

"I don't want a damn castle! I want her to listen to me!" Twilight pinched her nose. "Oh whatever. Yes, I'll confess I'm letting my frustration spill out. But how else am I supposed to feel? I'm allegedly the princess's will in Ponyville, and I'm getting no respect whatsoever."

"Uh, everypony seemed nice to me." Spike shrugged.

"No pony would refuse the princess telling them to suck it up and work together.” Twilight responded sourly. “I need to learn to dictate to ponies like she would. Yeah... I need more practice being firm. I need to be able to stand up for myself!"

“Twilight, do you think that maybe you’re taking this thing with Princess Celestia a bit too personally?” Spike offered. “You’re not her protege anymore. You haven't been for years. They call it 'First Student', but it’s really more about doing all her difficult magic jobs.”

Twilight was being told things she already knew and it annoyed her, but blowing up on Spike would be even less productive than venting on the Ponyvillians. "I can do difficult magic jobs. Putting on a fair isn't a magic job." Maybe preventing the return of the Nightmare Pretender would be a magic job. "But I'm adaptable. It is not like I pride myself on being bad at social stuff. So, I'll get better at it."

Spike rolled his eyes. "Not so you can get back at the princess?"

"If she listens to me for once because I communicate better, what's wrong with that?" Twilight said with a barely contained grimace.

Spike sighed. "You're hiding something but I can't make you tell me so... I hope it's worth it."

Twilight didn't protest. "I'm glad I have you here Spike. I'd be way more freaked out about this without you here."

"Sure sure." Spike said. “Then where are you leading us now, oh fair lady?"

"We're going to borrow the town records to help us make our plan of the city." Twilight glanced over her checklist. "Plus, there might be some information that helps ameliorate this Applejack-Rarity feud. It seems like a recent-ish thing, not a generations long rivalry."

"You're actually going to try to hammer it out between them? It feels like a bad idea to me." Spike hesitated.

"Uh, that's what we were just walking about. I did a pretty good job convincing Rarity to help, and I have to believe I can do it again." Twilight said, leading them to the back offices.

Spike chortled. "But that was just you ranting at her. You got lucky."

"Shush Spike."

The two of them set about ransacking the forsaken offices and gathering and listing the deeds stored there. As they worked, Twilight expanded on her thoughts. "You know, back in the pre-unification, the nobility really weren't anything more dignified than the ponies with the most capacity to do violence: Warlords. Either you were personally strong and could crack open mountains with your magic, or you were charismatic and could command huge armies, maybe a combination of both."

"Ever tried to crack open the Mountain, Twilight?" Spike asked sarcastically.

Twilight made a dismissive motion. "All I'm saying is, if all else fails, I could resort to the old ways: A display of power and savagery.”

Spike cringed. "Yeesh. That doesn't sound very diplomatic."

Twilight pondered the big picture. Resisting against the Nightmare Pretender was not going to be a genteel, diplomatic affair either. Twilight would have to be strong, not just for her own sake, but all of Equestria! Nopony else was going to step up and do what needed to be done. "When push comes to shove, what we call civilization is held up by coercion. Do you think commoners would respect noble privilege if they didn't have to? I mean, why does anyone follow a law that they don't want to? Punishment, coercive violence. Like Mis Pinkie Pie said, this village is like an anarchic commune. They have apparently forgotten the strict hierarchy of this empire. Maybe they need to be reminded that not all social intercourse is voluntary."

Spike grew more horrified at every sentence. "Twilight that's awful!"

Twilight could see he was genuinely distraught. "Hey relax, I'm only joking." She laughed.

Maybe she was, maybe she wasn't. "I... Okay Twilight, If you say so." Spike sighed. Sometimes it was hard to tell. Yes, she was probably only playing out a power fantasy in her head, but there was always that risk, because Twilight Sparkle had a history of going too far with her power.

The fear of many was being realized, as Twilight Sparkle was not the only Twilight working out devious plans.
The uppermost floor of the Chateau la Garde was one large room, without natural light or ventilation save several small arrow slits, long since converted from defensive purpose to administrative. The room had bee filled with tables and bookshelves and converted into a storeroom for records.
Twilight Velvet had discovered the records after innocently following one of the gatehouse guards from their posting at the city gate built into the chateau, up through the central stair, to the storeroom where the guard left the list of the previous days entrants. It had dawned on Velvet that the innumerable scrolls laying haphazardly around the room, mostly untouched and collecting dust, were the records of every single pony to enter or leave Canterlot through the main gate going back centuries.
Contemplating this Twilight Velvet decided that the records could be even more valuable than the stone and masonry of the chateau itself. That was, if it were properly utilized.

Perhaps at a later date she could go through the centuries-old records, perhaps to find historical characters for trivia knowledge. For the rest of the morning though, Velvet concerned herself with the recent records, going backwards a day at a time, reading down the list of names of total strangers.

When Velvet found the first noble in the entry list, some obscure baron from the Canter, Velvet set the scroll down for a moment. "Practically nopony knows these records exist, or do not care. To use the information clumsily would reveal its existence." She looked around but did not have any blank writing paper on hoof. "Regularity, pattern of visit, who they accompany..." She wasn't sure what she would find out yet, but something inside her was certain there was value buried there.

The elder Twilight continued reading, mentally taking note of the bigger names, dukes or magnates and the like. She categorized them by wealth, influence, rebelliousness, distance from Canterlot, and cross referenced the frequency of their visits. The minds and activities of these ponies revealed themselves to her, many of whom she had never even met.

"I feel myself awakening... awakening to new ways and means of existance." Twilight Velvet grinned. She was no stranger to creeping around archives looking for information. Things were different now. She had a castle under her hooves and a library full of secret information. It made her feel giddy. It made her feel like a god. "So much to read over, cross reference with my other notes, judge for merit... why do I crave domination over these names?" She laughed quietly to herself. Would she find Deeper Frie Fellowship's name among them? There were rumors the portly bachelor was comatose, not expected to survive. She had desired it, and it had become so! She was tempted to scratch out a name at random- would they die too?

Velvet read on; Many of the ponies who passed through the gate came for major celebrations and gatherings only, or at regular intervals. These ponies she ignored for the moment.

Some of the nobles ponies came with irregular entourage sizes, or even alone, times they wanted a lowered profile. Some entered and exited the city many times over the course of a visit, showing they had meetings or dealings outside but near Canterlot. One or two entered the city multiple times, but never left, either the result of secret exits or clever ruses.

It would take great effort to see cross-check if certain ponies visited only when other ponies were absent, or onlyat the same time. But the strings of intrigue practically drew themselves in Velvet's mind, and she decided to set aside the time for the effort. She craved the complete picture, to know the ponies' minds even better than they knew themselves.
Then, she had options: Cooperate with Fancy Pants's traitor-hunting obsession, or going another path.

An interruption.
“M'lady. Somepony, a foreigner, is asking to see you." The maid pulled Velvet out of her analytic trance.

Velvet blinked and pushed aside the scrolls. The candles had burned low; she had spent hours reading. "A foreigner?"

"To Canterlot, certainly. He acts bizarrely, though the name is Equestrian." The maid clarified. "He calls himself 'Lord Seacrest Blackhorn' and demands to see the mistress of the chateau."

"Seacrest Blackhorn. Preposterous." Velvet stood up. "We are being played for a joke. Were they a real Blackhorn they would avoid Canterlot, let alone the house of the princess's First Student." Everyone agreed the Blackhorn dynasty was dead, first because it confirmed Celestia's control of Canterlot, and second because it was true.

"Should I deal with them, m'lady?" The maid asked.

But what if it were a real Blackhorn? That would certainly be interesting. "Not immediately. Show him to the great hall please.” Velevet told the maid.

The maid gave a small shrug. “His lordship insisted on waiting there already.”

Velvet followed the maid down to the greathall. One supposed that the outsized greathall, with high ceilings room for some hundred ponies, could be used to host visiting parties without needing them to enter the rest of the city. Overall it was too large to properly furnish or heat on Velvet's limited resources. There were only a few tables set around the big open room.

At one of those tables, back hooves kicked up in repose, was a cyan unicorn stallion with sulfur yellow mane. Velvet felt the immediate compulsion to gut the impudent stallion, but decided to see what he wanted.

The stallion tracked Velvet's approach with his eyes. He sat up as she drew closer. "Twilight Velvet, yes? A pleasure to meet you."
Velvet bristled at the neglect of her honorific but let it slide. The stallion had a thick (bordering on stereotypical) Prancian accent, with a slight northern intonation. He leaned forward with each word, which was slightly mesmerizing, but reminded Velvet of a snail.
“I am Lord Seacrest Blackhorn.”

“Oh my, pleasure to meet you too. Though what, exactly, are you lord of?” Velvet said innocently.

“I am Lord of Canterlot. Here to claim my birth right.” Seacrest said with simple certainty.

This unicorn, just arrived today apparently, had just set claim to the imperial capital. Preposterous indeed! Twilight resisted the urge to laugh, but still could not hide the amusement in her voice.
“A Blackhorn here to take back Canterlot? Where have you ponies been hiding all this time?”

The Blackhorns, ancient Princes of Canterlot in the times before the unification of Equestria. When the main dynastic line had been all but eradicated by war and circumstance, Celestia the First had been invited to the throne, since her own Everfree principality had been rendered defunct.
Adventurous children from cadet families, branch lines, and fake scions of the house Blackhorn had tried to take back Canterlot before, with disastrous results. Celestia did not tolerate challenges to her control of the capital.

“I'm the trueborn son of Cascade Capter of Blackhorn, son of Muer Blackhorn. I lived my life in secrecy, as Seacrest Sobonord, under the ward of my cousin Countess Glori. When I learned of my true heritage I at once set out for this, my own Canterlot.” The pony calling themselves Seacrest Blackhorn declared.

Velvet herself had a flair for the dramatic, and the clown-like way this contumelious colt claimed to corner the crown of Canterlot and it’s county had her nearly cracking her calm countenance, not for choler, but in crowing cackles. Imperial politics was all about maneuvering and alliances, so one lonely pony with an alleged birthright was about as much of a power player as a quadriplegic, syphilitic, leper peasant. Velvet chided herself for that more colorful of metaphors before giving the situation a more serious appraisal.

Maybe, just maybe, if somehow this stallion was a Blackhorn, or enough ponies believed him to be, the Princess could have a major rallying point against her. During the previous Blackhorn revolts, the central government and Celestia's authority had been strong, and the nobility had been apathetic. But with Celestia withdrawing from the court, the central government was weak, and the landed nobility were pulling away, and if Fancy Pants were to be believed, plotting treason. If a usurper was looking for allies in Canterlot, it was the right time.
But Velvet was getting ahead of herself. She first needed to gauge the resources and ability of this Blackhorn brat. "Countess Glori Sabonord, a vassal of the princess, was harboring a pretender? My lord, should you be saying such things?"

"I have nothing to hide. I do not worry as you do." Seacrest Sabonord said.

Bold, confident in himself, and more than a little stupid. Velvet felt opportunity drop into her lap for a second time.
This Seacrest was smiling arrogantly, finely dressed, so caught up in his delusion of grandeur he was unable to understand that realistic challenges to his claim might exist. It was as if he expected all of Canterlot to immediately bend over for him. If any pony could take such a deluded stallion, and turn him into a political weapon, it was Twilight Velvet.
"Have you just entered the city? And stopped at my chateau for an introduction?"

"Could I do any other? My city deserves to know of my return, from highest to the humblest." Seacrest nodded.

Velvet saw her maid make a motion to get her attention but ignored it for the moment. "Indeed it is so. You grace me with your presence, my lord.” Velvet gave a shallow bow. Time to commit some light treason and associate with enemies of the princess.

“Yes, well, your guards refused to take my name as Blackhorn, so I came to resolve that.” Seacrest gestured while he talked. “I expect you to discipline them for that.”

There was more more aggressive gesturing from the maid. Velvet continued to ignore it. “Of course.” Velvet really didn't have any authority over the city guards who manned the gate, but decided not to mention this. “Would your lordship do me the honor of patronizing my residence for as long as you are in Canterlot?”

Seacrest shrugged. “Oh? You wish for me to stay here? It is not very convenient to the center of the city. However... we are very close to the road down into the Canter, and it could make for some lovely walks. All in all I see no harm. That is, until I can arrange to move into Canterlot Castle.”

Velvet waved her maid forward. “Move Lord Blackhorn's belongings to the guest quarters.”

“That wont be necessary, I bring only myself.” Seacrest interrupted.

“Well thats all you need.” Velvet said cheerfully, then turning to her maid again. “Arrange for a new assistent, one who will attend to his lordship."

Seacrest was beaming. “Oh, Twilight Velvet, you are too kind to me. I will see to it you are rewarded when everything has run it's course.”

Velvet laughed. “Oh your lordship, it is a pleasant change to profit from a relationship. You will tempt me to exploit your generosity.”

A great clang could be heard from within the keep, and then Night Light's voice resonated through the stone walls. “Honey, I'm home!”

“This is a perfect opportunity to introduce my husband.” Velvet said to Seacrest's annoyance.

“Oh... You needn't. I think I shall retire for the day.” Seacrest said. He kicked off his seat and followed the maid up to the quarters.

Night Light entered greathall just as the other stallion exited. “Who is that?” He asked his wife, who was grinning amusement.

“I am not sure. Possibly a new project. If it remains a side project, I will handle it alone." Velvet said.

Night Light was unamused. “Don't toy with me Velvet. I've been out all day on your errands. Foaly Flux says hi, by the way." He wiped the side of his face with the back of a hoof. "Goodness, we already have so many plates in the air, and you bring on a new project? At least be forthright, Velvet.”

Velvet gave an exaggerated pout. “Don't you trust me?”

Night Light trotted around her and pushed the chair Seacrest had occupied back into its proper position at the table. “I trust you to do the best thing for you, maybe even the best thing for Shining Armor and Twilie, but not for me and not for everypony else.”

Velvet gave this thought, and decided to concede. “A new 'Blackhorn' is in town.”

“Blackhorn…” Night Light processed the implications. “No, Velvet, that is too complicated."

Velvet shrugged. "Why not? You saw him just there."

"Velvet, nopony is going to believe a real Blackhorn is here." Night Light scoffed in polite disbelief. "I hope you did not pay them yet."

“You misunderstand. Apparently he was hiding out in the boonies of the Sabonord, sipping wine and eating croissants.” Velvet said.

“So... You are completely serious. A real Blackhorn prince." Night Light gave a small sigh. "Velvet, we already had our plans disrupted by this new castle. Yes it was a good disruption, but we are still on unsteady ground. We can not leap headlong into this Blackhorn buisness. It is a mad gamble we are completely unprepared for. Gods' sake, we are not fully moved in yet."

Velvet had to be honest. "We would be revealing ourselves to immense danger, and openly pitting ourselves against Fancy Pants. That grubby vizier will attack us immediately, seeing us as the manifestation of the traitors he is so paranoid of." She shook her head. "If there are spies watching the house, Fancy Pants may already know of the Blackhorn's arrival."

"Damnation, Velvet, you are truly testing the boundaries of my patience. This does not help our goals. You should have consulted me." Night Light hung his his head. "I could tell by the first sentence that you wish to pimp this Blackhorn prince! Surely you have considered other, safer, alternatives."

Velvet leaned forward. "If you are really that afraid of leveraging this new opportunity, then kill him. He is up in one of the guest rooms now. Few ponies saw him enter. Fancy Pants would lavish us if we snuff out a problematic little pretender on our own initiative."

Night Light hesitated. "It would be the safer option."

Twilight Velvet fluttered her lashes. "But?"

Night Light could always pick up on his wife energy. She was constantly vigorous, confident, and ruthless even towards him. He could tell Velvet was more invigorated than he could remember her ever being- She didn't want to have the Blackhorn be a side project, but the main focus of their attention going forward.
Night Light sifted another sigh. "Velvet... If we leverage this Blackhorn, it has a change of massively accelerating our plans. I will admit that. Ten years of expanding our reach could be achieved in a month if we use him to hook into the right ponies."

"This faster, greater. We can cause a lot of trouble with this, Night Light." Velvet chuckled. "Are you afraid it is a trap?"

Night Light nodded. "I am afraid of Celestia but I suppose it could be a trap as well."

"I encourage you not to be too concerned. If somepony dressed up a fake Blackhorn to dupe us, they would run a far greater risk. We will always have the connection to Twilie and the princess. Besides, is creating a fake Blackhorn not a greater treason than being hospitable to one?"

That made sense to Night Light. "What if it is a trap by Fancy Pants, or that crafty Prosser fellow?"

Velvet laughed. "Fancy Pants would feel the full wrath of the princess if he tried an entrapment scheme on us, and he knows it. Prosser, on the other hoof, would be the one dressing up as the Blackhorn."

"How do you know its not Prosser in the guest bedroom?" Night Light prodded, now half-joking. He was starting to feel better about the idea.

"It was a unicorn." Velvet said.

"Hmm, yes, the Blackhorns were a unicorn dynasty." Night Light tapped his chin. "This is going to take effort to pull off. It is still risky, and convincing me does not make it any less so. We are tempting fate with this one."

"Then we must be especially diligent!" Velvet stomped her hooves on the stone floor of the hall. "The Blackhorn claims he was a ward of the court of Countess Glori Sabonord, in northeast Equestria."

"That region is Prancian country, tall trees, isolated wood castles, barely any ponies." Night Light said. "It would be a perfect place to hide from the princess's agents."

"The Blackhorns must have been up there for generations. There may just be a whole clan of dumbass Blackhorn brats up in the hill country." Velvet laughed. "But first we should attempt to verify his story, and get as close as possible to confirming his identity as a Blackhorn. We must prod at the inconsistencies and see if he breaks down."

Night Light tapped his hoof. "Velvet, do you remember, there is a Sabonord here in Canterlot as well."

"Oh yes, you are right!" Velvet's eyes lit up. "He hangs around Foaly Flux's court too! If the Blackhorn is lying about Glori, his local cousin could call it out." She paused. "If the Blackhorn keeps his story straight, and attracts enough attention in Canterlot, then we start making moves ASAP."

"If he breaks down under pressure, we bury it." Night Light said solemnly.

It was agreed. Seacrest Blackhorn was about to take Canterlot by storm, goaded on by his new friends.

The maid returned to the greathall, waiting patiently to the side for Velvet to finish with Night Light.

"I will ask around Castle Magoria, and see if that local Sabonord boy is there." Night Light said.

"You go, and I will catch up." Velvet nodded.

Night Light trotted out of the greathall.

The maid stepped forward. "Ma'am."

"What was so urgent you tried to interrupt my conversation with our new guest Lord Seacrest?" Velvet asked coldly.

"Lord Seacrest did not come from the gate directly. I do not believe he entered the city today at all." The maid said. "Rather, he was already in the city."

"And how do you know that, hmm? Did you ask the guards at the gate?" Velvet demanded.

"He smells of the Old Town, my lady, and not at all of the flowers that grow on the path up the Mountain." The maid said.

Velvet pondered this. Perhaps Seacrest Blackhorn had attempted to find a patron among the Old Town noble societies before coming to her. Or, he had simply passed through Old Town after entering from the Skydock gate. There were plenty of explanations- But if the maid was right, the most likely explanation was that he was a fake.
It would still come down to how easily his story crumbled under pressure.

"Keep an eye on him, give him what he asks for." Velvet order her maid. "If he tries to leave, beg him to stay, if he insists incapacitate him." Velvet trotted to the entry foyer after Night Light. "We will be back soon from Castle Magoria."

"Yes my lady." The maid bowed. "Good luck my lady."

Perhaps if Lyra had been doing her job, she would have been surveilling Chateau la Garde, and would have seen Seacrest Blackhorn. Alas she was not.
Against her better instincts, Lyra had decided to pursue Octavia for Fancy Pants's work. When Octavia was missing from the Musician's Guild, and missing from her house, Lyra was starting to have second thoughts. She was lost until one of the guild ponies reluctantly gave her a clue to Octavia's whereabouts.

Lyra negotiated the narrow streets of the Canterlot Inner City, attracting a little attention for her strange choice of pennycoat but nothing dangerous. Her objective rose above the roofs of the rowhouses like a polestar.
It was the ugliest, most decrepit tenement tower in Canterlot. The colossal creaking of the wooden tenement would have been noticeable if not for the even louder ponies in the streets underneath. They yelled and screamed, loving and hating one another, dirty pauper children played in the mud and stolid stallions hung by the alleys. The wretched housing tower leered over them- Of all the reckless building projects, none had been built cheeper, more negligently, more recklessly, or abandoned more quickly.

The front door was locked. Lyra decided the polite things to do would be to knock before she barged in, so she knocked. And waited. And waited.

There was a sound from behind the door, then it opened.
Octavia peered out. "Oh, it's you." She stepped back and let Lyra into the building.

"I have been searching all afternoon for you." Lyra wiped her dirty hooves on the decaying welcome mat. "I was at your apartment easier. This is a step down for you, Mis Octavia."

"The rent is cheeper here." Octavia joked, leading Lyra further in.

Lyra glanced around the small foyer piled with rotten furniture, then up the nearby rubish-strewn stairwell. The tenement was completely silent.

“We used to have a hideout here when the tower was still new and in use. It's been condemned for years and now even the homeless avoid it.” Octavia answered Lyra next question before it came.

Lyra could see why ponies would avoid it. Every wall was bowing and discolored. The air stank of mould. The whole tower was ready to collapse, but if the tales were true it had been in the same state barely days after completion. "We? Do you mean the guild or..."

"My friend group, back in the day. Vinyl, me, a few others." Octavia said.

Octavia started up the stairwell, followed closely by Lyra. They climbed all the way to the top floor, to the only apartment which still had a door on its hinges. Lyra stepped inside.
The room was sparsely furnished, sporting only a writing desk with a tiny wire birdcage atop it, and a mattress in the corner. Draped across this mattress was Pon-3.

“I suspected as much.” Lyra stood over the sleeping white unicorn.

“You don't know what you're talking about.” Octavia blushed. "We reached a compromise."

Lyra trotted over the the room's tiny window and looked out over the Inner City. “Between dead and not dead?”

"This harlot has experienced plenty of states between dead and not dead.” Octavia snorted. Lyra didn't even know what that meant.

The conversion above her roused Pon-3. “Ehhh... Whaw we whats goin on.” She rubbed her eyes sleepily. Lyra was again confronted with the mare's strange eyes, but they had seemingly changed color, from bright red to grey. There was something strange with 'Vinyl', but Lyra would wait until later to bring it up.

"Did you spend last night here?" Lyra nudged Octavia.

Octavia affected a shrug. "I may have, well, walked her out of the Guild under false pretenses. There is nothing wrong with catching up with old friends, even if they are a twit."

Pon-3 yawned and sat up. "What's your name again, blue? Pyra? Pyran? Starts with a P."

“Lyra.” Corrected Lyra.

Octavia tapped Lyra on the shoulder. "If you were searching for me all afternoon-"

Lyra raised a hoof. “Did you forget about the job I offered yesterday? Imperial work?”

“Nah I didn't forget, but I've done some deep thinking, and I've decided to stick to the list I got.” Pon-3 interrupted.

Octavia glared. “She was not asking you.”

Pon-3 lay back down on the bed. “Whatever.”

Octavia shook her head and turned back to Lyra. “I have been considering it. Imperial work may be safer, but I'm still holding out for a suitable guild job to come along.”

“Collecting brownie points with the Mistress eh? Or should I say brown-noser points.” Pon-3 teased.

Octavia continued, ignoring the unicorn. “I don't want to be busy with whatever Sir Pants has to offer should I be called. Conflicts of interest and all that.”

“I'll conflict your interests.” Pon-3 said lewdly.

Octavia wheeled around on the prone unicorn. “Shut the buck up!”

Pon-3 sputtered in laughter. “You're so cute when you get mad.”

Octavia hissed and reached for the weapons on her belt. "Infantile fool, I will drive you into that bed with such strength-"

Lyra sighed. “That's a no from the both of you, I see.” Obviously Octavia had more she wasn't saying, but prodding about it would only discourage the earth pony further.

Suddenly, a metallic rattle filled the air. Lyra's eyes were drawn to the small wire birdcage on the writing desk, which had begun to vibrate rapidly. After several seconds, it stopped.

“What was that all about?” Pon-3 asked, staring with concern at the little cage.

Lyra eyed Pon-3. "It's in your room and you don't know?"

The birdcage flashed with sickly green light, hissing around the bars of the little wire construction, then just as suddenly burnt out. The dispelling fire revealed small tightly wound scroll had appeared inside the cage.

“It's what I've been waiting for! Oh my stars finally!” Octavia hopped over to the cage. "I brought it from home, in case this happened."

Pon-3 rolled out of the bed and trotted over to the cage as well. "Seriously, what the hell is this thing? Did you bring a bomb into my hideout?" Pon-3 insisted, poking it.

Lyra kept her distance from the birdcage. "A Musician's Guild secret, deployed after I left." She glanced towards the door. "Octavia, I have seen how volatile dragonfire is, and-"

"It's perfectly safe Mis Lyra. You can even send birds through it." Octavia promised as she snatched the scroll out of the cage.

"Ohh, so it's one of those kinds of things." Pon-3 nodded knowingly. "Did the old girl create it herself? Always messing around with magic she shouldn't, and I'd know."

Lyra frowned. "I might not be a guild mare anymore, but you should watch the way you talk about the Mistress."

"Pshh, another silly little girl that messed up her life by being a guild mare. I'm surprised they let you out out of the guild, but let you stay in the city. You can see what the humorless goons have been doing to me." Pon-3 nodded in understanding. "Kid, take it from me. Get out of this whole buisness. You never see any guild mares older than thirty for a reason."
Pon-3 noticed Octavia was staring at her. "Something wrong O?"

Octavia, stone-faced, passed Pon-3 the letter. "You could say that, Vinyl."

Pon-3 squinted to read the tiny lettering. "Is this direct from Phyte? I'm not comfor- OOF!” She was silenced by a vicious blow to the side of her head. Pon-3 fell on her face, unconscious once more.

“Octavia! What the hay?!” Lyra gasped.

Octavia pulled the scroll out from under Pon-3's limp form. "You heard her. It was directly from Mistress Phyte. Take a guess what it said."

Lyra was silent for a moment. "You have been staying close to her while you waited for the Mistress's orders." Lyra sighed. "You could have come up with a better lie than telling me you were just 'waiting for a guild job'."

"But I was. This is that job. " Octavia pulled Pon-3 up, then onto her back. "It would have been impossible to keep Vinyl in the guild without the Mistress's help."

"So you plan to heave her all the way back to the guild. Good grief, surely you could have just gotten her to walk it. With how many times you kicked her yesterday and today she must have brain damage." Lyra lamented. It seemed like such a shame, but if the guild Mistress had a plan for Pon-3, there was no avoiding it. "Octavia, I hate to be brash but..."

"Depending on what the Mistress says, I may be available for your imperial work." Octavia said. "Coming with me to the guild?"

Lyra had already been there searching for Octavia earlier and did not want to overstay the patience of the suspicious guild ponies. "I don't know..."

"If not me, I'll beg the Mistress to give you a capable guild pony." Octavia promised.

Lyra relented. "Fine, but I will not help you knock her out if she rouses again."

"Fair.” Octavia carried Pon-3 out the door. “Now getting her down the stairs will be a chore...”

Lyra stayed in the room for a few moments, trotting over to the writing desk. Octavia had left the birdcage, apparently not needing it anymore.
However Lyra was drawn to Pon-3's articles, piled on one side of the desk. There were some vials of powder, some ropes and straps, and some letters attached by a string.

Lyra picked up the letters. A long list of names was the only thing written on them in neat cursive- The top name, Deeper Frie Fellowship, was crossed out.
"Who would want to kill a fool like him?" Lyra wondered. She looked further down the list. They were all nobodies, noble suck-ups and show-offs, a real who's-who of classless dipshits. That was, until Lyra saw the name at the bottom: Fancy Pants.

"Lyra! I said I needed help with the stairs!" Octavia shouted from the hallway.

"Okay!" Lyra stuffed the list into her bag and hurried out the apartment.

Twilight Velvet and Night Light jogged beside the arc of Canterlot's City Wall, until they arrived at the gate at the outer wall ring of Castle Magoria.

"We heard you have a 'chateau' now. Didn't come with a carriage I guess." One of the guards at the gate observed.

"Or trumpets or such-like, eh?" The other guard joked. "The lord 'n ladies can't get enough trumpet."

Velvet cleared her throat. "We are looking for a courtier of his lordship."

"Sabonord." Night Light added.

The guards glanced at each other. One of them snickered. "I don't know why he bothers coming 'round. Lord Flux hardly notices 'im."

"Some days I'm glad I'm not a noble, too good for honest work." The other guard agreed. "If my only employ was doing rounds of the mansions, kissing ass, I'd kill myself!"

"Be careful you don't insinuate you're too good for my company, boys." Velvet said. "Is the Sabonord boy around?"

The first guard shrugged. "Probably."

"Thank you." Night Light and Velvet entered the castle grounds.

Work on Castle Magoria's new bastion towers was continuing apace. Workers had taken over a corner of the green, chatting and drinking on their break. Above on the bastion, scaffolds were being erected while pallets of brick were laid out.

"Not to get sidetracked, but what was the reason for you and Foaly arguing over the number of towers." Night Light asked.

Velvet glanced at him. "Hmm? Oh, the argument during the party? It's not important, and won't be for a while."

Night Light would have to accept that, even if it bothered him.

Velvet continued, passing through the second wall into the castle gardens. Surrounded by the central keep and Canterlot's massive outer wall on one side, and the walls of Castle Magoria on the other, the garden was in the shade nearly all day. The grass was yellow despite the spring season, and the trees had been dead for years.

Attended by several courtiers and guard in the middle of the shade garden was Foaly Flux, juggling several conversations simultaneously. As the ponies of Twilight-Bright drew near, he pushed away the others and ran to meet them.

“Nighty! Lady Velvet! How good to see you! Did you get my ‘hi’ from earlier?” He gave them both big hugs, as if it hadn't been only the day before that he'd last seen them. “What brings you to my pitifully shabby abode?”

Velvet gave a teeth smile. “Gossip.”

“Oh my.” Flux held a hoof to his mouth. “It must be, might I say, juicy, if you ran all this way to tell me.”

“That’s understating it.” Said Night Light, glancing towards his wife.

Flux looked over his shoulder to see if the courtiers were sufficiently distanced. Satisfied he said, “Do tell, then.”

“You must be descreet with this Foaly.” Velvet purred. “I have heard tell there is a Blackhorn in Canterlot.”

“Who we hope to corner before anypony else.” Night Light added.

Flux pursed his lips and cocked his head. “That’s rather interesting. Yes, I thank you for sharing that with me.” He nodded, then turned away. “If you'll excuse me, I have to change my undergarments.”

As the lord of the castle galloped away, the couriers left in the garden eyed Velvet and Night Light.
Velvet scanned the small crowd, her eyes settling on a pale-violent unicorn stallion with a grey and white mane. "Our target." She motioned to the colt.

"Do we draw him away from the group?" Night Light whispered back. “How do we run this?”

Velvet laughed to herself. "We just ask. I don't care what any of the courtiers think anymore. Fate has elevated us and left them in the dirt."

"We were in their position just a week ago. But I suppose there is no reminissing on bad times." Night Light agreed.

So, when Twilight Velvet and Night Light aproached the crowd of courtiers, the ponies rushed to greet them.

“M'lady, it's so good to see you again.” Said a pony Velvet had never see before.
“Fancy seeing you here m'lady. I was just thinking about inviting you to my next lunch.” Said a grotesquely fat merchant pony.
"Since you were in the money now, I was wondering if you had any work?" A courtier asked.
"Are you in need of help at your new chateau?"
"How's your daughter doing? A viscountess, no? Tell us your secrets, my lady!"
"Remember that time I did you a favor..." It went on.

Night Light backed up from the claustrophobic press of ponies. Velvet seemed comfortable laughing and distracting the pack.
One pony, hanging back from Velvet despite clearly seeming tempted to speak, was the Sabonord boy. He was nervously glancing back towards the keep, checking if Duke Flux would be retuning.

"Hey." Night Light waved to the young stallion.

"Huh?" The Sabonord boy turned to him. "Y- Yes?"

Night Light tried to think of something to say, but instead decided to be direct. He grabbed the kid's collar and lead him towards the other end of the garden. "Need to talk."

"Y- Yes sir." The Sabonord boy squeaked.

Farther away from the crowd now, Night Light released the lad and let him stand up straight. "You're Sabonord, right?"

The young stallion was slightly intimidated by being handled so, but after another glance toward the keep he nodded."Yes, you can call me Sel though, or Sel Lech, Lord Night Light. O- or should I say Viscount Light?” Sel Lech Sabonord has a soft voice that lacked the Prancian accent of his northern cousins; He had lived in Canterlot his whole life.

“It's my daughter's castle. My wife and I are regent, that is all.” Night Light said.

“Wow, regent? All the work and none of the glory, they say.” Sel joked nervously. "I have met your lady daughter a few times. She is a very kind mare and I am very glad to see her receive the recognition she deserves."

"We should all hope to get what we deserve. Though, does the idea unnerve you?" Night Light asked. "You won't look me in the eyes."

"Well you pulled me aside, so, respectfully I would like to get to what you wanted from me." Sel Lech looked away and mumbled.

“Then enough pleasantry. Velvet will lay it out better than I.” Night Light said, glancing back at the crowd.

On cue, Velvet abruptly pushed away all the courtiers, thanking them politely but firmly, and trotted to her husband.
Exchanging a curt nod with Night Light, she turned to the younger stallion. "Salut, Sir Sabonord."

Sel Lech Sabonord seemed much more comfortable addressing Velvet. “Oh m'lady, you will embarrass me gravely. I'm Sel Lech to all who know me.”

“You have more than most.” Velvet replied. “Some ponies in this nation lack even a name. ”

Sel's face drooped. “Oh... This is about my family, isn't it?”

Velvet mock gasped and tapped her hooves. “Oh you are a clever lad.”

Night Light rolled his eyes. “Twilight, don't patronize the lad. Only last week we were just as humble. Nopony wanted to talk to us except for influence peddling with Foaly.”

Velvet bristled at the use of her first name orphaned of the second. She gave her husband a violent sidelong look. "And what Fate has done to us." She turned back to Sel Lech. "This is a buisness visit, and to be blunt, it hardly concerns you. But as a courtier you are no stranger to being a tool."

"Rather, a go-between, of sorts." Night Light said, trying to soften Velvet's language.

Sel Lech sighed. "Yeah, well, you'd have better luck looking in Baltimare or Filly Delphia for some other Sabonord. The clan doesn't like me, never visits me, never sends letters. You would never think I'm related to a countess, but most of the time neither do I since I can't remember a single sentence Glori ever directed towards me that wasn't half profanity." He said spitefully. "I'd be of no use to you."

“That could change.” Night Light said slyly.

Sel half-laughed half-scoffed. “Ha! Could you make me a landed lord? Those northern Sabonords seem only to care about power.”

“Call me trite, sir, but there is more to power than having land.” Velvet said. “It is my, our, ambition to achieve great influence in Canterlot. You could be a part of that, and indeed would aide us very greatly, Sel Lech."

Sel shook his head. “Now you're just making fun. I can't even curry favor with Lord Flux. I'm a wreck.”

Velvet pulled Sel close. “What are you willing to do?”

“In general not much, I'm afraid. I'm a coward.” The poor boy was now addressing Velvet more like a therapist than anything else.

Velvet prodded. “Can you lie?”

“Yes m'lady, I mean, sometimes.” Sel shrugged. Lying was well understood to be an integral part of noble society.

“Can you steal?” Velvet asked.

“Thats..." Sel's expression hardened into a glare, put his anger seemed self-directed. "That's all I seem to do around here.”

"Oh my, you will begin to sound like my daughter's dreadful coffeehouse friends if you carry on like that." Velvet grinned devilishly. “Tell me Sel, can you kill?”

Sel was shocked into silence. He finally said. “I don't know. M'lady, what are you saying? What's going on?”

Night Light was picking up on how Velvet was going to draw Sel in. “We would like your assistance to control a pony.” He said.

“Your help, Lord Sel Lech Sobonord, we need you and your help.” Velvet cooed. A fretful, nervous boy like Sel, oh how his heart surely leapt at the idea of being needed by someone, of being important to a cause. "The reward for controlling this certain pony: Greater fulfillment than you can imagine."

"When we succeed more ponies will know your name than that of your ungrateful cousin." Night Light chorussed.

Sel glanced between Velvet and Night Light, then down at his hooves. “Lie, cheat, steal, and kill. I don't know. Can I do it?” He looked up, fear in his eyes. “I can try, can't I?”

“That's all we ask.” Velvet soothed. “Sir you I can sense rare potential in you, and with any luck it will be compatible to our own. Come by Chateau la Garde tomorrow morn for the details.”

Sel gave a little nod, and wandered away into the garden. The young stallion still seemed uncomfortable being around the other courtiers, so he just left to think things over by himself, heading out through the front gate.

Velvet gave Nigh Light a devious grin which betrayed her satisfaction.

"Too poetic by the end there." Night Light critiqued. "I was worried you were going to tell him he was a prophesied savior or some such."

"He will need to feel needed, but not too important to be independent. We must manage his dependance on us." Velvet said. "He was more intimidated by you than I. Interesting."

Night Light shrugged. "I have rarely spoken to him so it is my direct relation to Flux, I should guess, which intimidates him. Some younger stallions and mares also know me by my fencing reputation."

“Corrupting little Sel Lech, are we?” Foaly Flux barged between them, wearing a new pair of pantaloons.

“Slowly bringing him in on the joke.” Velvet responded. "The new Blackhorn is a relative of his. Do be discrete and not mention it around to him."

“Indeed. Furthermore my dearest cousin Foaly, do you think you could, perhaps, withhold from sharing our joke until tomorrow afternoon?” Night Light asked.

“Why, dearest cousin Nighty, I don't know if I can! A joke of that magnitude is liable to tear me apart!” Foaly Flux punctuated his exclamation with audible flatulance. “Oh, my! It's started!”

Velvet snorted and Night Light brought a hoof to his face in painful embarrassment. “Just try, please.”

Flux bowed deeply. “I shall die for your joke, m'lord! You have...” He farted again. “my word.”

Velvet began giggling and Night Light, despite his grimacing expression, found it mildly amusing. "Just... the lowest form of humor."

"Oh you don't appreciate me. You think I'm just hot air, ehh?" Foaly Flux clucked his tongue in mock indignation. "Be off with you then, alak! You have better things to do than joke with me."

"No, sir, few things are more important." Velvet bowed. "Except, perhaps, making the whole town laugh."

"See you soon Foaly." Night Light led his wife back out of the castle grounds.

Somewhere in between Octavia's tenement and the Musician’s Guild, Pon-3 had awakened. She did not struggle against the earth pony holding her, but listened as her captors bantered about little things.

They passed into the Musician's Guild building, the low sun casting long shadows on the pillared halls. Directly to the stairs, then down. Three flights, out of the waning sunlight and into candle light. Into cramped hallways cut from the stone, which necessitated they walk single file.
The dark passageway extended far past the footprint of the Musician's Guild building; They were in a catacomb-like undercity now, other passages and tiny rooms branching off in other directions, a spider's web chiseled from bedrock. It was cold, damp, and completely silent save for the clop of hooves against the worn stone... and slight rumblings from even deeper below them.

"Damn it." Pon-3 felt her heart race as the inevitable grew closer.

“Octavia, she's awake.” Lyra pointed out.

“I have been for a while.” Pon-3 growled. "I could break free you know. I just didn't want to hurt our friendship." She wiggled a bit. "... Learned your lesson and used infused robe, I see."

“Only to make sure you stay a well behaved girl, Vinyl.” Octavia said. It sounded like she was trying to be mocking but could not be entirely vicious considering the mare's real plight ahead. "The guild mistress might even give you a treat for being so good."

They must have walked the length of the guild hall thrice over, in one direction in the fleeting light. Pon-3 knew where they were going. The center of the guild web. The lair of the Mistress.

"I don't deserve this. My provocations were-" Pon-3 tested the rope again. "Very minimal!"

Octavia shook her head. "I'm not the pony you need to convince of that."

Lyra shrugged. "Hey, I've just been trying to hire an agent."

Pon-3 apparently found that insulting. "Whatever soothes your conscience, you teal trollop. Only one of this has been literally roped into this." She tried to lift her head against gravity to look Lyra in the eye. "You should know better than get back into this den of backstabbers. Put me down and run for it girl."

"Kindly stuff it already Vinyl." Octavia cut in. "Conscience shall never ever come into this line of work and you know it."

"Hark!" An echoing voice rolled through the passage from a pony heading the opposite direction.

"Hello. We are heading to the Mistress." Octavia replied.

Pon-3, craned her neck to try to see who was talking. "Oi, can you spot me a bit of help mate? I'm been nabbed."

"Here's your help." Octavia, with Lyra's assistance, slid Pon-3 off her back. The corridor was so narrow Pon-3 fell into a sitting position, back against the wall and hooves against the other wall. "It's getting too tight and we can only pass these ponies single file."

Pon-3 watched Lyra undo her bonds. With her hooves free, Pon-3 considered trying to resist and run like she had the day before. "Never too tight for me." She stood up and rolled her shoulders. "You saw I could hold my own, Mis Pyra. Sure you want to stand that close?"

Lyra shrugged.

"Eyes forward. You're keeping these ponies waiting." Octavia barked at Pon-3.

Indeed there were two ponies there who had been coming from the other direction. The lead was dressed very simply and had a violin case on his back; A typical guild pony. He was the one who had called out.
But the trailing pony was fully concealed in a dark robe, only the tip of his nose poking out. Pon-3 felt a chill.

"Sorry for the hold up." Octavia said as she hugged the wall to let the ponies pass.

Pon-3, however stood in his way.
"Coming from the mistress? Got an order, aye?" She leaned in.

The lead pony demurred. "Can get past please? I'm just making a delivery."

"Oh for sure mate." Pon-3 pressed herself against the wall, but stepped in the way of the robed pony again, much to Octavia's aggravation. "It's you I was asking anyhow."

Even up close, the robed pony was impossible to sex or identify in any way, for it was too dark. It tilted its head, then drew a hoof across its throat and let out an airy gasp.

Pon-3 nodded. “Aw, you're mute. My condolences. What instrument do you play?”

Again, the pony let out an airy gasp.

“Singer ay? Wow, I'm really sorry for you mate.” Pon-3 stepped aside and let him pass, as did Lyra.

Octavia glared at Pon-3 with unbridled anger. “Can't give it up, can you.”

“What! Is being curious a crime?” Pon-3 defended herself. She looked back at the hooded pony receding into the darkness, and felt a chill again. "You know what that was, right?"

Octavia hooked Pony-3 shoulder. "Stop delaying or-"

“It's not that big of a deal Octavia.” Lyra mollified.

Octavia took a deep breath as she wrestled with her internal dialogue. “Yes, you are right. She'll be delivered soon and, gods willing, DEAD thereafter. No worries then, only regret.” She turned away and continued down the tunnel. Lyra prodded Pon-3, and they followed.

Several minutes of walking later they emerged into a small antechamber. This time it was all three of them who felt a chill.
The chamber was filled with scrolls stacked high to the ceiling. There was no clear sense of organization, and no two scrolls alike- Fine letters or scrabbles, expensive parchment or repurposed, aged or crisp. To read any of those innumerable scrolls was to pear back into the thoughts of somepony somewhere who had made the monumental decision to order another's death. A contract for murder, the solicitation of a guild mare... That candle-lit antechamber was the true center of the Musician's Guild.
And opposite the entry passage was a dainty desk, neatly arranged, where a pony was hunched over writing a letter of her own.

The Mistress was a unicorn, very tall and trim. In the light of the candles her coat and mane looked red. Her eyes were always concealed by her silken mane, longer than her body, which pooled on the cold ground at her hooves. Her cutie mark was a glass harp.

She did not turn to look at her waiting visitors. She continued to write for several moments, then rolled up her work and shoved it into a birdcage on the desk. With a flick of her horn, the cage glowed with bright green fire, and the scroll vanished.

Slowly, deliberately, the tall unicorn turned her eyes to the three mares.
“So, the prodigal daughter returns.” The guild mistress rose from the desk and glided over to the trio. Her voice was melodic, but devoid of any emotion. Her face was unreadable in the shadow of her mane.

“I've been waiting for that joke since I got back.” Pon-3 said. “Good to see you Phyte.”

“Unearned familiarity. I can not stop you filthying my name in your head but I can stop you from speaking it, Vinyl Scratch." The guild mistress stepped closer, putting her height to use to leer over her visitors. "If I must force you, I will. It is the Mistress that you shall call me.”

“Yeah, and it's Pon-3 to you.” Pon-3 stared back defiantly.

Octavia and Lyra gave each other concerned looks. The reunion was always going to be tense. Perhaps they should have kept Pon-3 tied up.

“You could not keep away. Even for one, small, eternity.” Phyte said. “It is just as well.”

That drew an offended snort from Pon-3. “Oh you know I missed all the cute Canterlot fillies. You least of all!”

Phyte shook her head, making her long mane ripple down its length. "Facts prove otherwise." She motioned to Octavia. "You knew she would bring you in eventually. If you had been steadfast you would have killed on sight, instead of these playfights you have been having with my mares."

"I'm not afraid. I came back to Canterlot because even the sun princess's decrees don't intimidate me anymore. I didn't flee the city when your goons had me the first time because I trust in myself." Pon-3 sneered. "I can stand on my own. No princess or Star can tell me what to do."

Phyte hummed in amusement. "Yet here you are, before me, against your will."

"I'll leave when I'm done giving you a piece of my mind. Then I get back to work, get my money, and buy my security forever." Pon-3 said, increasingly agitated. "I bet you think you know it all. You think you're protecting me, hiding me from while you plot to send me even further away this time. Well I think you're a real bitch!"

Phyte circled slowly. “What meritless spouting. Only... 'Back to work', you say... A job. A killing job. A pony is dead on their floor already and you are not a week returned to Canterlot. Keen as ever! Applaudable, truly."

Pon-3 threw a haughty smirk. “You're jealous.”

Pyte's expression remained unreadable. “No. I am indulgent. I need no proof of how well I raised you.”

“Oh sure, take the credit for the hard years abroad too, the school of hard knocks that you enrolled me in at the Griffany campus." Pon-3 expression returned to barely controlled rage. "You hate what you can't control. Yeah, I poisoned that fatass, and all the glory is mine. I found the job, I planned it, I executed it. Watch me do it again! If every guild mare realized they don't need your useless middle-manning you're out of a job, Phyte."

"So naive. You still misunderstand Guild work. We are more dignified than death whores, girl." Phyte snapped back, her tone not yet rising to match Pon-3's. "No pony who thinks as you do deserves to murder."

Octavia interrupted the back and forth. “Pardon, Mistress? Are we needed?”

Phyte's first sign of emotion came, as mild surprise. “Oh, hello Octavia. I did not see you there. And you Lyra.” She leaned closer. "Always so timely, Lyra. Gone from the hand, but still in the deck."

“Ma'am. It has been a good dozen months.” Lyra gave a nod.

"Yes yes." Phyte stepped back. "As for your necessity- Oh, we shall not dwell on one's necessity." Phyte said with a tinge of amusement. "This girl has gone years and years persuing a punishment she desires, rather than the one she deserves. I am in an unenviable position."

"I don't know about unenviable but you're definitely unlikeable and unlovable." Pon-3 nettled.

“I thought she was exiled. That's not the case?" Lyra looked between Phyte and Pon-3. She hoped her idle curiosity didn't test the Mistress's patience.

"Don't believe a word this monster says!" Pon-3 said.

"As if you have been the honest one. You are a duplicitous little child and will be punished as such." Phyte turned back to her victim.

"Will you destroy her, Mistress?" Octavia asked, apparently now feeling reservation about the thought.

"I am nothing if not judicious. Forthrightly, I have considered that question for days and still not arrived at the answer to your question, Octavia." Phyte said. She strode back to her desk, drawing the smaller ponies further into the chamber. "What do you think you deserve, dear Vinyl?"

"Go to hell. I'm not telling you anything." Pon-3 snapped.

"Tell me what? Does that contract you found for yourself weigh on you? I will alleviate the burden if you insist." Phyte said with a tinge of humor before falling back into her smooth monotone. "You will be staying with me here until I decide what to do with you."

Pon-3 shook her head. "Like hell I will."

Phyte picked up her quill to start a new letter. "You will do so willingly or unwillingly, in whatever condition is necessary to do so. Do not blame me when I have to put you in your crate. You have grown a bit though, so I may have to lop your limbs off again to get you to fit. Would you like that Vinyl? You want to make your poor Mistress dig up your crate from when you were a filly?"

Pon-3 stared back defiantly.

"Goodness me. Did I buy a ticket to the debauched torture show, instead of the murder show?" Lyra joked, laughing awkwardly at her own joke. "Mistress Phyte, should I come back later?"

"No need. I have said all that needs be said to this wayward filly." Phyte shook her head. "Correct, my dear 'Pon-E?' You will behave."

There was a long stretch of silence, Pon-3 neither defying nor submitting to the larger mare's condescending demands.

Octavia, unlike her erstwhile friend, was quivering with emotion. "Mistress, please don't delay this any longer. Do not let this issue dwell on my mind any longer!"

"Do not presume to dictate to me, Octavia, I am talking with Mis Lyra now." Phyte said gently.

"I..." Lyra hesitated, throwing a sympathetic glance to Octavia. "I passed a letter to one of your officers. I am looking for a few guild mares to-"

Pon-3 suddenly moved, stepping around to the side of Phyte's small desk and sitting down. "I'll play nice, big girl, on the condition that I get to keep doing my work."

Phyte set her pen down. "You do understand that you are due punishment because of your cavalier attitude towards our mission, right? Why would I let you keep at your murderous work?"

"Because otherwise you're gunna have to cut my legs off like you threatened, but you don't really want to do that." Pon-3 said. "You want me to behave. That's all you've ever wanted."

Phyte leaned on her desk, gesturing, so that for a brief moment her mane was brushed away from her eyes- And for that moment Lyra was transfixed by their brilliant red glow, before they were obscured again. "What good is the prison if the prisoner may check themselves out at any time? All the same, I am judicious."
Phyte sat back up. "Any time you are not at your work, which I chose the time for, you will be here to submit to my observation. Do not forget that your real punishment has yet to be decided on."

"Mistress, please! I don't understand what you're doing." Octavia cried out.

"Perhaps it is not your role to understand. I compliment you on many things, Octavia, your sense of duty to our work prime among them. Do not let that make you arrogant." Phyte commanded. "You have all the misplaced pride as Vinyl here. It is no wonder you two get along so famously."

Octavia paled, shaking like she had been struck. "Mistress..."

"You need to step back from the Guild and gain some much needed perspective. Then you may again understand what our fate and duty is, here under Canterlot." Phyte had switched all her attention to lambasting her new target Octavia. "Have you been practicing your instrument, girl? Or do you think you have Vinyl's initiative to find non-guild work."

Octavia was stone-still, trying to hold back her emotions.

Phyte has finished talking though, and faced Lyra again. "You were saying?" She asked sternly.

"The lord vizier of Canterlot..." Lyra felt a tightness in her throat that made it hard to speak. Phyte was very intimidating in her restrained potency, a painterly beast. "I only ask for, you know, an agent or two for his work."

"Then take Octavia with you. Perhaps I will give you Vinyl later as well." Phyte shrugged, and returned to her letter. "It is still a shame we lost you, Lyra. You were a good musician. It would be best if you came back later, as you said. I have much to do."

"Yes my lady." Lyra nodded, and slowly backed away from the desk. When she was at the far side of the antechamber she turned and quickly trotted back to the claustrophobic stone corridor to the guild hall. Thoughts were swirling through her head, mostly confused ones.

The clip of hooves behind Lyra signaled Octavia galloping to catch up with her.

Lyra paused and glanced back at Octavia. "I'm sorry, the Mistress was just... she was only flattering me to make you feel bad. It would have been any other pony there if-"

"Shut up already." Octavia snapped, then let out a long sigh. "I am signed onto your imperial work. I probably would have done so anyway, but now I can only feel angry about it."

"Octavia you don't have to help me if you don't want to." Lyra consoled her.

Octavia shook her head. “Whatever. Just get me out of here.”

Lyra wanted to smile but couldn't. She felt bad, being satisfied about getting what she wanted, even though both Octavia and Pon-3 were now trapped in Phyte's designs. It could not be helped.

In silence they continued down the hallway, up the stair, and out of the Musician’s Guild. The sun was setting and the street was lit by firefly lanterns.
"Should I come by your house tomorrow? I would like to report to vizier as soon as possible." Lyra said.

Octavia looked off into the darkening eastern skies. "No. I will be at Vinyl's hideaway." She paused. "I guess I should be happy she's not going to be hurt."

Lyra nodded. "Yet."

"Yet." Octavia agreed morosely. "Send a letter tomorrow before and we can arrange something."

Octavia trotted towards the inner city, and Lyra towards the outer.

It was almost already dark in Ponyville. Twilight watched from the downstairs window of the Golden Oak as the villagers snuffed their lanterns and closed their curtains.
She thought she was a tall pony-like shadow near one of the houses, but a flicker of the light and Twilight saw it was simply a big cat which darted across the street. She chastised herself for her paranoid imagination: She had nothing to fear from the Ponyvillians.

"Back to buisness." Twilight Sparkle said to herself.
She felt guilty that she had wasted her first night in Ponyville, so decided she would work with extra vigor. She had already gotten started, and several stacks of books had already been spread over the floor of the library room.

A quick survey of the Golden Oak's stock of books had impressed Twilight but left her slightly concerned. Most libraries in rural communities, few and far between as they were, would logically be stocked with knowledge useful to whatever agriculturists and small craftworkers could read- Almanacs, farming guides, weather guides, simple tool instructions.
The Golden Oak did have those expected things, but also much more. While not as thorough as anything in Canterlot, it had a wide variety of books, from architecture to magic, and also varied wildly in the complexity within each subjects. There were even copies of tomes Twilight had been intending to read for a long time. Almost all of the books were on the old side, transcribed rather than from a printing press, with a few catching Twilight's as being especially old codex-style books.

If the Golden Oak was a communal space, how had the strange assortment of books gotten there. Had they been bestowed from a local's private collection? Had Celestia surreptitiously moved them there ahead of sending Twilight?

Twilight wasn't going to complain, but she would keep an eye out for answers.

Spike was enraptured in a story book that he had pulled off the shelf. Twilight would usually bother Spike into studying or helping her with with something before he got leisure time, but she had been relaxing her control on him lately. Spike was setting his own time for chores and studying, and Twilight was very proud of him for it- She was not much older than him but there was no denying her responsibility for him was equal to her control over him.

Contemplating Ponyville, contemplating Spike, her position in the world... There was a lot dwelling on Twilight's mind.
Should she take a moment and focus on herself? Would it help unwind the anxious knot she felt caught in the middle of?
Twilight did not like introspection. She realized that habit had gotten her in trouble before, when her lack of self-awareness led her into avoidable blunders. Twilight was adamant that she didn't want to 'obsess' over herself, but bold pride was one of those things which led her astray, and which introspection could have soothed! Yes, Twilight realized her faults on some level, but she told herself those kinds of thoughts were just distractions from more important things.

As Twilight settled into her space for herself, she wondered about her place in history. She had read the biographies of other students of Princess Celestia, when they happened to be magicians or scholars she was already interested in for their arcane work. She was the latest in the innumerable series of ponies, usually unicorns, usually nobility, in the role of First Student.
"Some of those ponies had already invented whole new fields of magic at my age. Some of them were generals and explorers..." Twilight stared at the wall. "I'm good with magic but..." It was only now, surrounded by all the old books she'd pulled from the gnarled shelves, that Twilight felt the enormity of history crushing down on her.
"I will be remembered as the pony who failed to stop the Nightmare Pretender from returning." Twilight whispered to herself.

Socially awkward, emotionally stunted, nearly friendless, personally caustic.... History would not have to stretch the truth far to slander Twilight as it sought to explain her defeat against the Nightmare. Her magical talent would melt away in the narrative, as she became synonymous with disappointment and failure.

"Then I have to win. I just have to. There's no other choice. I have to surpass Celestia's role for me and stop the prophecy." Twilight promised herself grimly. She shook away the lingering thoughts, for if she did win, it would be the flaws which would melt away, and her talent remembered forever. "And I will never die. I am going to live forever, and to do it I just have to sort through these rubes."

"Twilight you have to speak up. You keep facing away from me while you're talking." Spike said, looking up from his book.

Twilight laughed to herself. "Sorry Spike. It was nothing important, only grumbling."

"I can sympathize." Spike eyed her stacks of books.

Thinking on it, Twilight had grown up with a diverse group of ponies, in Celestia's court, in the University at Canterlot, and in her parent's social circle, and just in Canterlot generally. The court was the center of the most powerful nobles, merchants, generals, the absolute upper slice of society, and they all regarded Twilight as Celestia's intolerable pet. Meanwhile Twilight's parents were constantly introducing her to petty nobles, local merchants, guild masters, and broadly ponies of middling prospect, the milieu of strivers. The university had every social strata and background, noble and commoner, where outside status echoed somewhat but talent was most rewarded. But fair Canterlot's streets, packed with masses of ponies in their multitudinous personalities and social forms, reminded Twilight that the previous three groups were still only a tiny slice of the nation- The humble commoner was the denominator of the nation, and it was who Twilight had the least experience dealing with.

Strict restrictions for how commoner and noble associated with each other, once tightly enforced in the name of social stability, had withered away from lack of enforcement. In many cities and towns the poorest nobles were indistinguishable or even worse off than the richest traders and merchants. However, economic distinctions were still upheld, and very few noble families would disgrace themselves by engaging in commerce or industry: Harking back to the warlord era, the noble's prerogative was the maintenance of the land, learned culture, faith, governance, and knightly arms.

"I guess I fall under the governance category now, more than 'learnedness'." Twilight noted with bitter amusement. "Or maybe faith, hmm hmm."

So how was she supposed to learn how to govern, to wield Ponyville for her purposes in the name of the princess? The obvious answer would be force... If she actually had any troops. At the end of the day hierarchy was enforced by coercion! Minus coercion, Twilight stood shoulder-to-shoulder with the Ponyvillians, not above them.
What a harrowing thought, prideful Twilight thought.

"Will I have to treat the ponies here with the same decorum and respect as the lords and ladies of Celestia's court? Heaven help me." Twilight sighed. "After a full day of talking to them I don't know if I understand how these country ponies think at all." She idly tapped her hoof. "But they do respect Princess Celestia. And I stand in for the princess here."

The unwelcome thought of the alicorn princess standing over her, literally speaking through Twilight like a pony possessed, made Twilight shiver. What right did she had to invoke Celestia when her thoughts turned sour so easily? Closing her eyes, Twilight saw Celestia's scowl from their last encounter atop the watchtower.
Celestia had wronged her. Celestia had wronged her. Twilight repeated that to herself in her head, working up a silent fury and frustration. The alicorn was too clever not to realize that her student was impious and rebellious! For had not Twilight already spurned Celestia's guidance and chosen the University instead?

So Twilight decided not to think about Celestia, and shut away her aching heart as firmly as she had pushed away her doubts.

To the task at hoof, for real. Twilight picked up the nearest book, an abridged history of the Dneighper River valley and its ponies. Hopefully it would shed some light on the culture of her new neighbors. Indeed she was soon enraptured by the florid prose, describing the early migrations ancestors of the Dneighper ponies.

"I'm going to bed." Spike set down his own book and stood up.

Twilight nodded. "Good idea. We had an easy day today, though tomorrow might turn out stressful. Not that I'm expecting trouble." She glanced away.

"You can stay up and read Twilight. I know it makes you happy, and you might feel better if you know more about this place." Spike gestured toward the darkened window and the village beyond. "It'll be fine, Twilight."

"I know it will be fine." Twilight lied. "But there is a lot depending on us-"

"The Summer Sun Fair." Spike agreed, her own apprehension bleeding into his tone. "It's the biggest thing we've ever planned."

"Planned, coordinated, organized, and all that. Math, magic, and science is easy compared to herding ponies. Science has predictable laws: Once you know how things work it's almost easy to do what you want. Same with magic: Just know the right pattern, apply the right amount of energy, harness the right flow, and the magic sorts itself out!" Twilight said. "But ponies are different. Each of their brains is a billion-billion equations that are always changing and solving themselves with respect to each other. Dealing with ponies is difficult and I'm not sure if I'm the pony for it anyway."

"Come on Twilight, you're being way too hard on yourself." Spike comforted her. "Scaring yourself with weird comparisons can't help either. You've gotta be confident, right? That's what you tell me!"

Spike was probably right but Twilight didn't want to admit it, or agree with him too eagerly. "There is no rush either way. You can go get your sleep, as long as you commit to finishing your slate of study tomorrow or the day after."

"Yeah yeah." Spike grunted, trudging up to the bedroom, but stopping short. "Twilight, did you graduate?"

The question struck Twilight. "What?" She blinked.

"I know you've gotten degrees and stuff, but since you're doing the princess's work now, do you think you're done with the University forever?" Spike clarified.

"I... I hope not. The University is my second, err, third home." Twilight said, having to confront her sequestered doubts again. "If I can't go back and learn more I don't know what I'd do with myself."

Spike shook his head. "But you're a 'First Student' now, and-"

"And the first thing I get with that title is a lonely posting in an intellectually deprived hamlet. No professors or mentors in sight. What kind of student does that make me." Twilight said grumpily.

Spike shrugged. "Hooves-on student?"

What Spike was trying to say, but had not well expressed, now fell into place for Twilight. She really had graduated in a certain sense. "You're right Spike. I think I will be learning this way for the foreseeable future too."
That thought filled her with an even more terrible anxiety than before! Gone was the structure of the university, the constraints of its walls, its schedules, its campus borders. She was in the wide world now: If the whim struck her she could run in any direction. Perhaps she could even run from history. What awesome, terrifying freedom. She remained a student, but Equestria was her new campus.
Spike was still staring at her when Twilight recovered from her dizzying revelation. "I will come up in a moment. Keep the lamp on for me."

Spike nodded. "Thanks Twilight. You're doing great."

Twilight lingered in bottom floor of the Oak for a few more minutes. She had barely gotten through the first pages of the first book. She did not feel prepared to face the Ponyvillians again the next day. Choosing a few of the books at random she grabbed them in her telekinesis to read in bed.

But motions continued in the night elsewhere...