//------------------------------// // Chapter 25: Converge // Story: When the Everfree Burns // by SpiritDutch //------------------------------// “Thats right! Move it!” The city guards wasted no time in stripping everypony at the party of their weapons, or anything that could be used as one. Even more guards arrived, until there was a gun and two spears pointed at every guest, and twice that for every Wonderbolt. Night Light held back several ponies as they tried to slip out of the garden, until the guardsponies pulled them away. The entire population of the gala, minus Blueblood and Aurthora, was shoved into a line where all the gunners could see them. “Where’s Duke Flux?” Night Light scanned the quivering detainees for his cousin. Blueblood bit his lip. “I don’t see him. Did he get away?” Night Light annoyed glare could have shattered the mountain if it hadn’t been absorbed by Blueblood's density. “I spend a month in the dungeon, and spring this in a day. How can you loose track of a pony in less than thirty seconds?" "You're more talkative than usual my lord." Blueblood noticed. "Blueblood." Night Light frowned. "Please find Duke Flux, or you're going in the line." Taking the hint, Blueblood quickly backed away. “Uh, Lady Airy, we should see if we could find the duke.” He scuttled off, the towering Aurthora and a hooffull of guards following. Night Light sighed. "It not that the line is a bad place to be." He explained halfheartedly to the terrified ponies in said line. "It's just that you're easier to keep track of this way. The more egotistical of the bunch were less than thrilled. Rain Gnash was flipping between trying to melt Night Light’s brain will her stare and hyperventilating, her teeth grinding loud enough to make all the adjacent ponies tremble. Seacrest was staring into space vacantly. Hausseway was the most vocal. “Who let you out of the dungeon, Night Light? I’ll hang him! When I say somepony’s going to rot down there for all eternity I mean it!” Night Light eyed the other party guests. He didn't really want make a scene with Hauseway but there wasn't anything better to do until Sel Lech arrived. "I'm not sure how closely you've been paying attention to the regiment who it is your primary responsibility to lead, but the Household guard abandoned Canterlot Castle over eight hours ago. They let me out." “Incompetents! I- I’ll have every one of them courtmartialed!” Hausseway foamed. Night Light was amused. Was he the first pony telling Hauseway about the IHG leaving? One would have thought a detail like that would be important for the ruling regime. “Courtmartialed... I think it’s far more likely that we’ll all be shot and dumped off the Mountain.” Spitfire shrugged. Her misjudgment of Velvet's intentions were eating her. Dirty politics were one thing, but a straight up coup had not even crossed her mind. She felt stupid, but then again many of the ponies in the line were likely feeling the same. "Please don't spread panic Captain Spitfire. This is a legal action. Nopony will come to harm." Night Light said. “Then what is this? Is it for our safety? Buck off!” Hausseway roared to nopony in particular, but he fixed his attention on city guardsponies surrounding him. “Come on you pissants! Just shoot me already! Get it buckin over with!” "Don't shoot him please." Night Light said calmly. The sound of more armored hoofsteps came from the path into the clearing. Sel Lech Sabornord a few guards approached, leading a gagged and blindfolded earth pony in brown monk's robes. “Lord Night Light! It's good to see you!" Sel Lech grinned. "I was terrified the dungeon was going to age you unrecognisablely." "It was not too unpleasant, but still not an experience I would like to repeat. It was very boring." Night Light bowed. "Who is that with you? "Hmm?" Sel turned to the blindfolded earth pony. "Oh. This is the monk that was working with Princes Cadenza for a while, Manered. He was found in the Musician's Guild under-catacombs." "Hmm." Night Light rubbed his chin. Manered shifted nervously, hearing what was said but unable to see for the blindfold.. Murmurs rippled down the line of detainees as they took the scene in. "That's the monk that was trying to get into the castle." Soarin whispered to Spitfire. "What could he have been doing in the layer of that Phyte creature?" "There's so much we're missing it's not even funny." Spitfire grunted. "No I understand completely! More traitors for the noose!” Hausseway, finding a single target for his fury, yelled hoarsely. "Sabornord you dog, you swore to protect the city and the Empire! You'll burn for this!" Sel grimaced. "The heart of that oath was to protect ponykind. That's what I'm doing." He nodded to all the Speakers. "Please understand, this is a chaotic time in our nation's history. We'd never do anything that history would look back on poorly. We're here to keep order and protect us." Hauseway sneered. "Told ya they'd say this is for our safety." "But it is." Sel Lech said solemnly. He pulled the gag out of Manred's mouth. "Brother, why were you under the Musician's Guild?" Manered hesitated, still blindfolded, shivering and unsure. "I- I was looking for Lady Phyte, or a dragonfire cage, or something to try to get any kind of message to Cadenza or Celestia." "Okay, message to Celestia." Sel extracted the essence of what the brother said for the crowd. "Y- Yes, yes! She has to know what's happening. O- Or anypony who can act. I- It's..." Manered ran his tongue over his teeth nervously. "It's getting worse all the time! The Moon’s path will eclipse the Sun right as the Summer Sun occurs!” Everypony in the garden gasped, save for Sel Lech and the stoic Spitfire. “And this is happening…” Sel Lech led. “Tommorow! Imminently! There's no telling. Everything is so unstable!” Manered wobbled blindly trying to adress the crowd he heard. “Please, we have to take precautiouns! Even the monks can't predict w-” His sentence turned into muffled emphatic utterances as Sel Lech refitted the gag. He pushed the monk back, who fell over into the grass. "So you have to understand that there can be ZERO delay." Sel Lech turned back to the Speakers. "There must be a decisive vote to give executive powers to a regent, immediately. The current vizier and IHG captain are not up to the task. “Then this is a coup.” Hausseway said. “Am I right hot-shot? You’re young and think you can do anything, right? The most powerful ponies left in Canterlot, and you just waltz in with guns and plant the flag, eh? You slimy bastard! Canterlot won't forget this!” "I'm just huring things along, my fellow captain." Sel said, almost like he regretted having to do it. "It would be unfitting if Canterlot fell to anarchy while the Estates were still here drinking." “Two faced, double crossing MMrph!” Hausseway ran forward but was grabbed by the city guards. Sel Lech picked up a dinner napkin and made another gag out of it. The irate Hauseway continued to yell into the cloth, as he was shoved back into the line. "You're bothering the Speakers, Captain Hauseway. It's extremely important they use every moment to dwell on who they will empower.This is not a coup. This is legislative expedience." “Of course you’re not going to kill us.” Rain Gnash, now that Hauseway was mostly silent, picked up the slack. She spoke confidently, bordering on her usual arrogance, but was clearly very wary of the guns. “Without hostages, you’ll have no negotiating power when Celestia and Duke Lightdowser return with an army.” "An army to brought against who? Me? As soon as this is over the guard and I are returning to protecting the city." Sel frowned. "Besides I doubt that anything short of putting a leper on her throne could stir Her Highness Celestia to any kind of denouncement. If Lord Lightdowser wants to march on Canterlot with an army, he will be the traitor not us. “This is bucking ridiculous.” Rain Gnash hissed. "Has our princess become nothing more than a figurehead?!" The absurdity of the question lingered in the air. A couple ponies laughed. “Our princess needs a regent in this desperate hour.” Sel Lech said, pointing into the nighttime sky. “Did this monk not just say that our heavenly guides are rampant?” Manered tried to interrupt, his cloth gag preventing him. "With our princess so unfit to lead... Perhaps it is time to have a pony to fill that decisive position that Princess Celestia should be.Thus the need for a regent, without delay!" There was more clamor from the crowd. The Speakers mumbled and whispered, reflecting on the bold truth Sel Lech was proposing. Sel Lech waited for them to fall silent. “So you see, this is so important I can not let Estates remain out of session any longer. Please understand, Equestria's fate is in your hooves now.” The Speakers in the group each witnessed a slight change in their expression. An inexplicable buzz at the back of their mind, tempting them with the possibility of immense power. Once upon a time when Celestia had been active in politics, the Estates had been little more than a formality. When Celestia had taken ill, the Estates had seemed like it would have been about exploiting as much as possible in the time until Celestia returned. If Celestia was gone from the picture, the possibilities were endless. Rain Gnash, Spitfire, and Hauseway saw this happening and cringed. The Speakers were taken in my Sel Lech's selfless urgings. “This is all so unexpected, yet so interesting.” Jet Set hummed. “Please tell us Captain, could we be electing a new Empress, or perhaps even an Emperor?” The other speakers eagerly inquired similarly, seeming to forget how each one of them had a loaded weapon pointed at their head. Sel Lech nodded agreeably. “It’s up to you modest mares and stallions of the Estates to decide. Power has devolved to you.” Prosser chose this time to speak up. “This is all excellent, but would it be too much to ask that the guns get put up, now that we all agree? Not to make a big deal of it, but the implied threat of death is uncomfortable." Sel Laughed. Not in amusement or mirth, but a rather flat laugh that lasted just a little too long. Everypony not lost in a power fantasy daydream noticed, and read the uncomfortable look that flash on Sel Lech’s face. Then they looked around Sel, to the determined and angry expressions marring the city guardsponies. They were not letting their aim drop, despite how tiring keeping the guns up must have been. No, they were not even letting them waver. Each guardspony but all their ferocious drive into keeping that gun level with a Speaker's head. To the collective horror of Hausseway’s and Gnash’s groups, it became unspokenly apparent that Sel Lech had less control over his soldiers than he should like to admit. "Maybe we really are going to die." Soarin squeaked. Spitfire saw that Night Light retained his look of cool observation. The old stallion was calm. "Let's wait and see." "Let's not do anything rash." Rain Gnash agreed. Sel Lech smiled unevenly. The tension was entirely lost on the speakers. “The guns don't matter as long as we can get on with important business. All haste! Let’s gallop to the castle!” Jet Set took a step forward, but was pushed back in line by one of the guardponies. He stumbled, confused. “Uh, Captain Sabornord, if you could please...” “Sergeant, please escort the speakers to the throne room. The Estates will meet in body there as is traditional.” Sel Lech ordered. “I’ll be following shortly after I’ve had a word with our Cloudsdale friends.” “Yeah, we'll be getting down to buisness in the throne room then.” The guard sergeant nodded to his squad, and the speakers were pushed out of the line. "It's been cleared for the occasion." "I'm glad to hear it. Just... keep a lid on things until the right time." Seacrest bit his lip. "Can I rely on the city guard, in its new role is vanguard of Canterlot's defense?" "Aye!" The guardsponies chorussed. They roughly shepherded the Speakers out of the garden clearing in the direction of Canterlot Castle. The garden’s population was reduced to Hausseway, Rain Gnash and her dozen Wonderbolts, Seacrest and Molar beside him, and Prosser, and opposite them were Sel Lech, Night Light, and the bound and gagged Manered. A hooffull of guards remained behind too, watching the entrances to the garden. "That's a pot about to blow." Sel whispered to Night Light. "We've been feeding the City Guard anti-Speaker rhetoric to get them to accept this move." "It won't do any good if the guard murder the Speakers." Night Light sucked in a breath. "Has Velvet told you what the contingency if we loose control of them?" "I can guess." Sel grimaced. he cleared his throat and turned back to Gnash, Hauseway, and the rest. "Sorry to keep you waiting." “Hold up. I'd prefer to be on the other side.” Prosser jumped to his hooves. He trotted around to stand beside Night Light guardspony’s side. “Ok, you can shoot them now.” "Nopony is getting shot." Night Light promised. “I hope you're not going to keep us here all night. Kill us, or whatever, but don't keep us waiting.” Spitfire said. “We assure you, this night will end with your freedom.” Sel said. “With a qualification.” Night Light continued. “You Wonderbolts decided to intervene instead of going back to your airship as I suggested. While your intentions were noble, you have still involved yourself in this, and things will have to unwind themselves naturally." "Yeah, sure. Probably the only reason we're not in a dungeon getting shackled to a wall is that Velvet has a use for us.” Rain Gnash hissed. “Astute.” Night Light smiled. "We somehow came this far without my wife being invoked." "In all fairness, Velvet has been known to chain ponies to a dungeon wall even if they are of use." Prosser pointed out. "Hush now, Councilor. Her ladyship has been very busy checking the plans against the changing situation. I actually here in her stead." Sel Lech said. "I bet she's not too busy to be there when the Estates vote, so she receives the executive powers." Rain Gnash growled. "Lady Velvet is already in the throne room, so she could hardly miss it. You'' be there too, representing the Pegasi Clique, right Admiral Gnash?" Sel Lech turned to Hauseway and Seacrest. "Do not be too disappointed that your clumsy grasp at power isn't amounting to anything. We'd really like for you to attend too." Hauseway glared, while Seacrest still did not rouse from his blank stare. "You gotten me so exited, Sabonord." Gnash deadpanned. "But you've got a ways to go before you can talk like your idol Velvet." "Uhh..." Seacrest blinked. "Joking." Gnash grunted. "Let's get trotting already! If there one think I like less than the idea of having Velvet gloat over me, its standing around any longer in this god damn dress." “Patience, admiral.” Night Light consoled her. “If I know Velvet, our transportation arrangement is soon to come for us.” “I have a feeling I’m not going to like this part.” Spitfire whistled. The grass of the garden began radiating purple light. Sel Lech, Night Light, and the guardsponies took a moment to plant themselves squarely on the ground. “I hope nopony ate too many hors d’oeuvres.” Sel Lech said. And the purple was diluted by swirling green magic. Flame propelled out of the ground like a sprinkler, submerging everypony in the garden in intense green. The ones who hadn’t braced themselves screamed in more panic than anguish. To their senses, it was as though they were being swallowed up by the mouth of hell. It was a very dark night in Canterlot's outer city, where the townhouses and packed buildings gave way to stately manors and gardens. The moon had so far only barely risen above the horizon, and the only illumination on the path out from the inner city to the outer were the infrequent torches. There were no ponies on the street, save Flash Sentry. He enjoyed the clatter of his hooves on the cobblestone avenue in isolation. "Sure is quiet." He said to himself. He passed without drama to the sparse edge of the plateau, to the darkened shadow of the outer wall. Up ahead he saw the blocky shape of the Chateau la Garde and the city gatehouse. There were enshadowed figures hoving around the road. They spotted Flash immediately and galloped up to him. “Stop right there! Don’t go any farther!” A gruff stallion demanded. Not that they were closer, Flash Sentry could identify them as Imperial Household Guardsponies. “Hey hey hey, it’s me!” Flash posed nonthreatening. “Is that Sentry?” The younger of the guards asked the other. “Yeah it’s me!” Flash approached. “I heard you guys flew the coop, but I got left behind. Seriously I got caught up in a battle, and been looking all over." He took a steadying breath. "So what's up? What's going on?" “Why do you want to know. Are you here to stop us?” Another guard emerged from the shadow on Flash’s left, his sword drawn. “No, geeze. I'm just trying to join up with you guys, get a bit of information, you know.” Flash said. “Should I be trying to stop you, by myself?” The two guardsponies considered this briefly before they closed in on Flash. “Captain Hauseway didn't send you?" "The captain hasn't bothered to check on me in months, same as you guy." Flash protested. "Why am I getting grilled on this? Am I not in with the rest of you just because I carry messages instead of guarding statues? I sensing some real hostility here." The other knights stared at him. "Okay, yeah, I'm a little awkward." Flash fidgeted. "I never bought into the cult of personality around Sir Shining Armor that you guys have." "Sir Armor is a great leader."One of the knights scowled. The other agreed. "His honor is above reproach." It always had seemed to Flash that Shining Armor liked galavanting around in politics and investigations, like some kind of inquisitor, more than he did the martial discipline of an Imperial Knight. Still, with Hauseway totally negligent, Sir Armor's leadership had been more than adequate. "Sure. Um, where is he? Can I talk to him?" “He’s in the Chateau." Flash took another look at the looming Chateau la Garde. it was lit from inside, and shadows moved through the light behind every curtained window. The entire IHG was in there. "Okay, so can I see him please?" The other knights were cautious, but relented to the request. "Please follow us.” “Great.” Flash surrendered his swords and let them lead him up to the gatehouse door. As they got closer, he noticed that IGH ponies were stationed out along the wall and on the lawn. They weren't going to let anypony sneak up on them. "We're expecting trouble, huh." “We’re not part of the royal guard anymore. Not sure what we’re going to become, but whatever it is we want Shining Armor as our captain.” His lead escort said. “Or our grandmaster should we decide to form some pseudo-religious knightly order or something like that.” The other contributed. “Or chieftain if we abscond to the woods and go tribal.” “I get the idea. Clearly we're in an uncertain mind about our future.” Flash said. The large entrance hall to Chateau la Garde had been converted into something akin to a refugee camp. The IHG with families had camped out here and there, with others gathering and packaging food and supplies at the opposite corner. "But it just strikes me as an, umm, overreaction, you know. Sure things suck, but you're actually going to abandon Canterlot because of it? That's on the level of a colt who runs away from home because he didn't get his way. "The situation is more complicated than you understand, Sir Sentry. The drama in the castle is the tip of the iceberg. You'll understand one you speak to Captain Armor." The lead knight said. “You can see how serious we are. It has been stressful, yes, contemplating and actually gearing up to leave." The other knight admitted. "But that's all we can do." “Sure. I'll keep an open mind when I'm talking to 'Captain' Armor." Flash counted over a hundred ponies in the great hall, most families and children, organizing and packing the belonging they'd brought. It was one big staging ground for an exodus. Passing up the stiars into the living quarters, he spied dozens more knights appropriating various things from the rooms. “But personally I think it’s poor form to be looting.” Neither of the knights said anything to that. "Like, isn't this Lady Twilight Sparkle's castle? As in, Sir Armor's sister? Somehow I don’t think she’ll thank you.” Shining Armor’s younger sister was pretty well known to most of the Household Guard, though around the time Flash had joined she stopped attending royal events with Princess Celestia. Still, Twilight Jr’s appointment to Élève Premier had caused some stir in the IHG barracks for a few days. Last Flash heard she was in the south on royal business. "Come on, talk to me. What's going on. We could have been there to prevent the fighting at the castle. Now we're ransaking, and... I just don't get it." "Captain Armor will explain." The lead knight said. The three pony convoy climbed the stiars to chateau’s top floor. Between the stair's landing and the door into the library and study, a burley knight stood guard. "Got one to see Armor." The lead knight explained. The knight on guard pushed the door open to let them through. There were three ponies in the library. Shining Armor was at the big desk at the room's center, engrossed in whatever he was reading. A unicorn in a concealing robe sat in the corner shuffling through papers. A dainty maid observed them silently. “Captain, Sir Sentry tried to breach or perimeter.” The lead knight announced. “We apprehended him for questioning.” “I was just trying to find you guys.” Flash protested. Shining Armor looked up from what he was reading. “Leave him here, I’ll get to him in a moment.” Then he looked back to the page. The two escorts bowed and retreated from the library, closing the door behind them. It was silent except for the sound of paper being shuffled. The firefly lamps provided an even weaker light than the candles in the rest of the castle, and Flash could barely see the full volume of the records stored there. It was stuffy and smelled of parchment and paper. "Hi, um, hello. Sir Armor I don't think I was even under your command since I was a messenger, but we've met plenty of times at the barracks." Flash said nervously. "I came to see what's up." Shining seemed not to notice he'd said anything. "Err, sir?" Flash fidgeted. "Am I in trouble?" “Not beyond any of the rest of us.” Shining said, glancing up at Flash while he pulled out another pile of parchments. “I fought to protect this city. I really did. If I had known what I was up against, I don't think I would have bothered. This chaos we're hurtling towards, it's fate. There couldn't have been any other result." Flash blinked. "Imagine a grandmaster chess player. They can run a dozen matches at the same time and one every singe one. We are that outclassed here. The forced brought to bear on us are immense to the point of inevitability." Shining continued. "It's tiring to even consider. It makes me feel... empty inside. There was never any hope." The concealed unicorn in the corner snorted. "Stop abusing the point and show the boy some evidence, Armor." By his voice he was a middle-aged stallion. It was familiar to Flash, and he thought he might have heard it around the castle. "This absurd archive, for one. Some of it are gate records, but an overwhelming amount were written one pony in the span of two months." Shining waved around the room, and Flash's eyes followed. There had to be at least a ten-thousand scrolls and books, stacked and piled above head heigh on every wall. Even if a pony wrote non-stop for a year they could not have accomplished that much. "Seems impossible, right? Seems like I'm telling you a lie, right?" He grimaced. "Such is the reality defying power of my dear mother, Twilight Velvet." "A veritable force of nature." The robed unicorn concurred. Shining held out two pages, identical except for the hoofwriting style. “Some of it is mundane, just transcriptions and copying. Hundreds of pages of entry and exit lists, transcribed word for word. A completely pointless job, with no use so far as we can tell.” He opened one of the desk’s drawers and retrieved a folder. “And this. Biographies of almost a thousand ponies, commoners mostly, filled with all the boring details of their uninteresting lives. Did you know, for example…” Shining picked a random sheet. “That mis Crown Daisy ‘On the 14th, attended her weekly worship at the uptown temple, but was thirteen minutes later than usual?’ It's... I can't even grasp it. it's omnipotence, in all it's banality, put to paper.” Shining tossed the folder in frustration. It fell to the floor and spilled out it’s contents. “Just one pony’s worth of this stuff would be obsessive. I wouldn’t know how to feel about that, but my mother’s always been an eccentric kind of pony. But a thousand’s worth? It’s mind boggling, impossible! Some of these were started before I was born, and filled out up to last week. A couple folders were started before she was born! Some aren’t even in Equestrian, and my mother only speaks Equestrian!” Shining threw up his hooves in surrender. “When you deal with mythic supernaturalities I guess you have to expect the inexplicable.” "A power to rival the alicorns." The unicorn in the corner mused. "How were we mere mortals meant to compete? Never should have bothered. Then I would still be alive." "Umm..." Flash Sentry gnawed his lip nervously. "I really wouldn't know anything about this stuff. I was just trying to link up." "And now you're here." Shining nodded. "So what are you, umm, I mean we, doing?" Flash asked. "Is this a revolt?" Shining laughed. “Revolt? You make it sound so daring and dangerous. What we’re doing is running away, like playground foals who realize the swing-set being hoarded by university delinquents.” "I made the foal comparison too." Flash laughed half-heartedly. "I don't get it. We're the Imperial Household Guard. A little bit of unrest shouldn't be able to move us." "As I've shown, we're not just facing unrest." Shining said gravely. "If we were to stay, a foe akin to god herself would come crashing dow on us." "That's got to be overdramatizing it." Flash snorted. "Maybe. God stays in heaven. My mother did not." Shining leaned back in his chair. "Are you going to stay in Canterlot, Sir Sentry." Flash's expression conteorted into one of confusion, uncertainty, and fear. "I’ve lived in Canterlot my whole life. It's my home. Sure, she's never completely accepted me for being a pegasus, but I love her gardens, beautiful architecture, and kind ponies. I- I don't want to have to abandon my home because of the action of a rotten few." He sighed. "I've been telling myself that for years, against all kinds of racism and bigotry. Pegasi are the whipping boy of the big-wig nobles. They don't care that I came from a knightly house, or that I served my princess in the Imperial Army loyally. I'll always be a sneaky, suspicious pegasus." "Good news for you, Twilight Velvet's world probably won't have many distinctions for class or tribe in it." Shining smirked. "Bad news, we're not likely to survive to see it if we stay. The future she wants requires sacrifice." "Yours does too, captain." Flash noted. "I passed a lot of ponies on the way up here who were dropping their lives to follow you. What did you say to them, to get them to do that?" Shining looked uncertain. "Loyalty." "To Princess Celestia?" “To the idea of Celestia. The reality is flawed.” Shining sighed. “We took oaths, but the princess we swore ourselves to is gone. Not just from Canterlot, but from our world. Our princess abandoned us to this cruel fate, to the monsters she knew were here. So now I’m not sure what to be loyal to." Shining grabbed the next book on the desk and started leafing through it. "For better or for worse, the other knights have felt their loyalty breaking as well. We gave our lives in service, for nothing. For some reason, they value my opinion above their own fidelity." He chuckled. "Together we will run away. At best I’d say we’re being pragmatists, fleeing the killer and letting her work her knife into Equestria’s heart. At worst, we're craven for not destroying ourselves trying to stop my mother. I've seen what the monsters under Canterlot look like though, and I know that we couldn't even dent her or her plans..” Flash shivered. "You're in charge sir. When all other duties are moot... It's my duty to follow you." "Be glad to have you." Shining smiled. The concealed unicorn stood up and trotted to the desk. “If you're free, Captain Armor, I’ve found something quite interesting.” He pushed back his cowl, revealing a white unicorn head stitched to the body of a blue pegasus. “Wh- Wh- What? Vizier Fancy Pants?! You died!” Flash recoiled. “Yes, very painfully.” Fancy Pants replied dryly. He dropped a scroll on Shining’s desk. "Don't worry about it." Shining said. He quickly unrolled the scroll, his eyes flashing across the lines of text. “So what have you brought me... Another gatehouse record, dated six months ago… Seacrest Sabonord and company?” Fancy Pants nodded. “That’s right. Seacrest arrived four months before he introduced himself to your mother.” Shining read on. “Members of Party: Scratchy- Bard, unicorn, mare. Beach Strider- Theatrical actor, unicorn pony, stallion. Bluster- Stage manager, pegasus, mare. Seacrest Sabonord- Singer, earth pony, stallion.” Shining Armor looked up from the scroll, perplexed. “What?” “Just a little bit further.” Fancy Pants encouraged. Shining complied. “ ‘When questioned about their business in Canterlot, the group said that they had been traveling together for convenience. Skratchy and Bluster claimed personal reasons, while Seacrest Sabonord and Beach Strider claimed that they were visiting the Musician’s Guild for lessons.’ … I don’t think this is the same Seacrest at all.” “Somepony’s been very clever.” Fancy Pants said. “I haven’t figured out who yet.” Canterlot Castle’s throne room felt very lonely with only one pony in it. Velvet lounged on the steps up to the throne, imagining how things were going in the Royal Garden. At the very edge of her magical senses she could feel the auras of those assembled ponies milling around, their assorted passions roiling amongst each other. "Here I am, all by myself. It feels strange." She looked over her shoulder at the simple gold throne. In the meager light of the firefly lanterns, it cast a long shadow on the wall behind it, embellished with banners and gold flourishing. "When was the last time the sun princess sat in court here? Two months? How would those in attendance have reacted if they knew it was the last time?" She stood up and strode to one of the enormous stained glass windows. By the backlight of the moonlight, it depicted a scene from one of the Celestianist dogmatic texts, a scene of the princess reigning over some ceremony or something. "When was the last time I talk to her highness? Goodness, it must have been... hmm... Eight years ago, at least." Velvet ruminated. "It was at an imperial function, if I recall. She was not very happy to be there." It was time to bring things together. She faced the hall and summoned her magic to her horn. Purple light filled every corner of the room. As she poured her energy and concentration into the spell, Velvet's magic it tool on a greenish pallor. A point of light popped into existance in the center of the hall. It lingered for a moment, then expanded to a gushing portal of rainbow magic. A dozen ponies were flung from the fire before it vanished. Gnash and Hauseway's companies were looking nauseated and disoriented. Night Light, Molar, and Sel Lech shook it off more easily, having expected it. Velvet was left slightly breathless from the magical. "Hello." "Hello." Night Light gave her a peck on the cheek. "How have things been?" "There were twists and turns along the way but we have worked them out." Velvet smiled back. "How was the dungeon?" "Comfortable enough. Very booring though." Night Light shrugged. "Foaly went missing. Blueblood and Aurthora are looking for him." "Amazing." Velvet rolled her eyes. "It's going to be a miserable time if we can't find Foaly and have to use you or me." "Let's hope it doesn't come to that." Night Light agreed. Mostly recovered from the disorientation, Spitfire stood up. "That was the same kind of magic that Phyte used." "Magical dragonfire. I assure you its a feat of spellcrafting to replicate its effects with pure magic alone." Twilight Velvet confirmed. Spitfire helped the other Wonderbolts up. "Then Shining Armor is still alive, huh?" "Indeed. I should say he is far safer than you are." Velvet laughed. "Ahem. Welcome, everypony! I'm so glad you agreed to join us here, at the end of weakness." "Oh buck off!" Gnash staggered to her hooves. "You don't have to sugarcoat your power grab. I'm not offended. I'm really not." "I already had the power. I didn't need to grab it from anypony. All of this is just pulling back the veil from what I already had. It for your benefit." Velvet said. "Our benefit, huh? I bet." Gnash snorted. "You could have teleported us straight into a dungeon, yet here we are. For some reason I don't believe you. This doesn't have the air of a fait accompli, or you'd be on that throne instead of in front of it." "My my, Admiral Gnash, leave some guesses for everypony else." Velvet admonished. "Yes, there is some work left to do. Canterlot Castle and the city below are effectively in my hooves. The princess has departed, the Imperial Council is unlikely to ever reconvene, and the Estates can easily enough to prodded into doing what I want. Only, what I want is not something that can be done with pony consensus." "Are you going to kill us?" Hauseway demanded. "Oh no. As the admiral realized, I need all of your cooperation. Nor would I really like to kill any of you. Truely, you are all ponies who have the grit and determination to chase after your dreams, even if they are rather infantile at times." Velvet chuckled. "Except you, Prosser. You have grit equal to a muddy hole in the road." "You do know how to flatter, my lady." Prosser bowed. "Maybe throw a little this way, ehh Lady Velvet?" Gnash arched a brow. "Because I'm wondering what the hell you want, and how the hell you plan on getting it from us." "Yeah! And there's like-" Hauseway did a quick recount of the number of ponies in the room. "A dozen of us, and only three of you! Four counting Prosser." "Last time you tried attacking me, it ended with your snout getting broken." Velvet said. "But otherwise I welcome you to try. Any of you, actually. Come." She waved Night Light and Sel Lech to step away. "Nopony to get between us. Come at me, and kill me." Everypony looked around nervously. "What, nopony here is going to call out my empty boasting? What are you afraid of? I'm just an old mare." Velvet grinned. "You ponies have lived all your lives under the rule of alicorn princess Celestia. You should know how a superior being looks and smells, their bearing, their eyes and smile. Am I any of those things?" Spitfire and Soarin exchanged glances. "You're not, umm, a creature like Phyte or Iillor?" Spitfire asked "As pony as the day I was born. What you see before you is what a mortal can achieve on their own. Is it intimidating? Perhaps you find yourself lacking." Velvet said. "I am evidence of the grandeur of a pony who wields the power of their dreams. This is a power I can extend to you, and indeed all of ponykind. "That has to be the most motivational speech thing I have ever heard." Gnash snorted "We don't need your heretic magic." Hauseway denounced. "The greatness of Equestria has always been the unity the ponies to Celestia's will." "That's rich coming from an amoral bullshitter!" Gnash guffawed. "I earned this position!" Hauseway shouted back. Gnash snickered. "You don't really think you're some kind of pony of merit, do you Hauseway? Oh ho ho, get a load of this joker!" "I'm a real knight, not what passes for a knight among you pegasi." Hauseway pointed accusingly. "I was made IHG captain in a clear rejection of pegasus infiltration of Canterlot. I stand by that rejection." Hauseway turned to Velvet. "Whatever regime you make, you have to keep her kind out!" "My kind?!" Gnash hissed through her teeth. "How about you look at me and say that again." "Maybe I will!" Hauseway reached for his sword but realized he had been relieved of it at the garden party. Spitfire leaned over and whispered in Gnash's ear. "We'll back you up if he starts fighting dirty." "Thanks for the offer." Gnash ripped her dress off. "But I'm not gunna need it!" She launched herself at Hauseway. "EEP!" Hauseway tried to dodge away but took her charge in the side, sending him skating across the smooth marble floor. "Velvet stop this rampaging animal!" "You're a devious snot, but you're nothing without your friends!" Gnash chased after him. Fortunately for him, she tired out quickly, and came to a stop just short of breathing hard. "Eh. You're not even worth it." "I can only imagine the fun you must have been having when Duke Lightdowser was still here." Night Light commented. "The Duke was professional, actually. If he were here we would have been saved a lot of stress. He would have understood the importance of our work." Velvet said. "But he left to chase Celestia. I do wonder if he really believed in her, and what she represents. Not like us reprobates, he truly wanted to be vizier for the sake of the princess's ideals." "The princess's ideals have been long absent from Equestria." Night Light watched Gnash and Hauseway continue to hurt abuse at each other. "Bringing them back would require a miracle beyond what we are capable of." "So we do the easier thing, and take control for ourselves." Velvet smiled. The last few days were being replayed in the throne room right in front of her: Gnash and Hauseway arguing. Seacrest looking dazed and confused, the Wonderbolts not really sure what to do, Prosser looking smug but being otherwise useless in the corner, Velvet and company watching. She cleared her throat. "Admiral, don't abuse the poor captain. Isn't it really me you're angry at?" Gnash looked over her shoulder. "I already said I'm not offended." "You aren't the kind of mare to get offended. You get mad, and use that anger to push yourself. Only, it appears that you are angry and pursuing retribution against the wrong pony." Velvet said. "Why did you discount me as a threat, Admiral?" Gnash twisted her mouth around, as she debated internally about what to say. Velvet turned her attention to the Wonderbolts. "Who ordered you to attack the Musician's Guild?" "I gave that order, obviously." Gnash cut in, irritated that Velvet would try to address the Wonderbolts without her. "Who ordered you?" Velvet asked. "What?" "Had you even heard the name of Phyte before Lightdowser told you about her operation?" Velvet asked prettily. "And do you think he had ever heard of it, before I alerted him?" Gnash's eyes bulged. "Don't blame him. He thought he was doing the right thing. You thought the same. In fact, that is the core of conflict, isn't it? Two ponies at cross purposes, both thinking they are doing the right thing." Velvet grinned. "The thesis of Equestria is to steal ponies' ability to make that conflict real. My thesis is to steal the ability of ponykind to have those dissenting thoughts." "You're looney." Gnash muttered. "I am the least deluded pony here. All of you are under the impression that things can continue the way they were without Celestia. That is false. It would start out fine, but soon you'd discover that there was no reason to keep your unruly ambitions in check when the big girl up top isn't an immensely powerful alicorn. Indeed, that would be difficult even for me. So you see, for order to be maintained, everypony must be on the same page. There will be no conflict between ponies, because there will be no conflict between their dreams." "Your way to academic for me, Velvet." Gnash scowled, but her anger and confusion were not convincing. "The unicorns might go for ideology, but we pegasi are more practical." "How is this for practice: Institutional tribalism erased, forever." Velvet searched Gnash for a reaction. "The pegasi will be able to work on equal footing in the bureaucracy and army." "The unicorn supremacist movement was a joke before you organized it!" Hauseway accused. "That is very true. That sure shook things up, didn't it." Velvet chuckled. "I won't make excuses for that. I pulled a lot of this city's dirty, hateful underbelly into the limelight.I gave them a voice and legitimacy." "What are we going to do to fix our mistake?" Night Light wondered aloud. "Stop the opportunists who latched onto the movement I suppose." Velvet said. "Indeed that is one of the efforts I would like everypony here to cooperate on me with. You all have your specialities, your peculiarities, and your unique perspectives. There's no reason to fight against one another." "Because you want us all to be fighting for you." Spitfire frowned. "That's the gist of it." Velvet confirmed. "For you consideration, the perfection of our society on my terms." Nopony spoke for a while. Gnash shuffled over to Spitfire. "You spent the most time with her. Can she be trusted?" Gnash whispered. "She's not honest by any stretch, but she probably won't betray you." Spitfire whispered back. "She, uhh, operates more with witty words and double-meaning." "Would she give Cloudsdale and the pegasi protection and representation?" Gnash clarified the question. "If she has a reasonable expectation we'd be helping her goals, yes. If not, she'd probably divide and conquer until she moulds a faction she could use." Spitfire said. "Look at Sel Lech Sabonord over there. See how he glances in her direction every few seconds? That's the kind of loyalty she's interested in." "Like a puppy waiting for its master to give it orders." Gnash mumbled. "That'll be tough." "Admiral, are you seriously considering this?" Soarin asked. "Let Lady Velvet have somepony else to be her puppy." Fleetfoot agreed. "Don't denigrate yourself for this Admiral." Who would take my place? You?" Gnash scowled. "What kind of pegasus would I be if I let my followers suffer on my behalf. This is my responsibility." "We could turn Velvet down." Spitfire said. "She not going let us go. At best she would keep us under house arrest while she negotiates with Cloudsdale. No, I have to accept, while she is offering partnership." Gnash resolved. Meanwhile Hauseway had recovered his nerve and trotted over to Seacrest. Seacrest continued to stare at an indeterminate point infinitely far away. "Lord Blackhorn, are you alright?" Seacrest blinked. "I'm not sure, captain." "Well make up you mind quick. You need to talk to Twilight Velvet and get us a favorable withdrawal form this situation." Hauseway urged. "She was you advisor for a while. She'll listen to you." "Captain Hauseway, we should make a deal. I won't be able to convince her." Seacrest apologized. "You're not even going to try?" "She listened to me before because I was saying exactly what she wanted to hear. There is no chance of that right now." Seacrest hung his head. "Please accept this." Hauseway balked "Accept Velvet's uncontested domination? No chance!I care about the ponies of Canterlot and I will not betray them like that." "I may not have been here as long as you, but in these few months I've grown to care about Canterlot too. I have friends now." Seacrest mewled. "You can't keep them safe by letting Lady Velvet crust you. Please, Hauseway." Hauseway scowled. "I don't like it. I really don't like it. You're the vizier, Seacrest, and I'm the IHG captain. We're supposed to be the ones in charge here, not her. It's not right." Seacrest was looking more and more desperate. "Please. You don't understand what we're facing." "And I don't care. This is on principle." Hauseway drew in a long breath. "Lord Seacrest, do what you must, and I will stand behind you." "That's..."Seacrest looked to be on the verge of crying. "At least pretend to accept her. For your own sake!" "No." Hauseway said firmly. "Then you're purring the burdon of keeping you safe on me, and that's not fair." "I'll say it again. I don't care." Hauseway spoke loudly enough for Velvet to hear him. "I'm a knight, and I don't bend for thugs like you, Velvet." "You unicorns fetishize the idea of a knight more than you know what being a knight is actually about." Rain Gnash broke off from the Wonderbolt crowd and trotted to the edge of the stairs. "it's not the letter of some code of conduct or honor. It's the spirit of duty and sacrifice for the sake of your fellow pony." She bowed her head. "I will cooperate with you, Lady Velvet." "I'm glad to hear that." Velvet bowed back. She turned to the recalcitrant unicorns. "This is your chance to have your agenda represented in my work, Captain Hauseway. Are you sure you want to turn me down." Hauseway turned up his nose. "Lord Seacrest's decision is my decision." Reluctantly, Seacrest stepped away from Hauseway and aproached the dais. "Lady Velvet, a word please." "Certainly." Velvet descended the stairs to his level. Every eye was on them. "So, here we are." "This has gone far longer and farther than I expected. It's frightening, actually. The last weeks, sitting as a vizier, I could smile and laugh on the outside, but I was just petrified on the inside. It felt wrong. None of this belonged to me." He smiled weakly. "I'm... glad for it to end." "In another life, maybe you wouldn't have chosen an act that would end this way for you. You had an amazing run of it." Velvet smiled back. "So, going to stay in character for the last, climactic scenes?" "Not sure if I could break it if I tried." Seacrest cleared his throat. "Seacrest Blackhorn, affable dunce, who bumbles his way through life with a little help from friends. Along the way he joins racist mobs, political committees, and even leads the government for a little while. It makes a great story." He bit his lip. "Only..." He cast a mournful glance to Molar, sitting off to the side. The mute earth pony noticed him and stared back. "His name deserves better than this. I... I really bucked it all up." "Don't worry about that now. It's too late for you to do anything but accept the end of Seacrest's story." Velvet took a step back. "And that means accepting what you have to do for me, and for ponykind." "That's a vizier's duty. Whatever you need from us." Seacrest bowed. "Amazing. We're all friends now." Gnash snorted. "At ta ta, not so fast. Like all agreements of merit, we must seal this with something stronger than words." Velvet climbed the stairs again, to her commanding position above the crowd. "Before I can welcome you all to my world, I need you to hear what I have to say about the true nature of this world. For you see, I have learned of a way for ponykind to escape its own beastly nature..." Shining Armor and Fancy Pants were still in Chateau la Garde mulling over things when another imperial guardspony poked her head into the library. “Captain, we caught another pony at the perimeter.” She said. "He wants to see you." “He?” Shining sighed. "Yeah, sure. Show him up." The knight ducked out to fetch the visitor. Shining sunk back in his chair, sullen. "Expecting her to come see you?" Fancy Pants querried "Not sure which 'her' you mean, sir." Shining grunted. "The little mare you told me about. Iillor." "Oh, her." Shining frowned. "Maybe. Not really. She got what she wanted from me, so like most mares she let me drop." "You sound upset." "No I'm not upset. In fact I pretty much had her figured out, if you'll believe it. There was just something about her..." Shining shrugged. "I don't know. I learned a while ago that I should be wary of mares actively seeking out my company." "That's cynical." Flux said. "It's not because of the drama between your sister and Princess Cadenza, is it?" "A little, yeah." Shining admitted. The library door creaked open. Foaly Flux trotted in. "Heyo. Wow, this place is cluttered." Shining jumped out from behind the desk, tripping over books and sliding on scrolls as he galloped over to him. “Uncle Flux?! What are you doing here?” He asked, bewildered. “Social call.” Flux shrugged. “I do hope I'm not imposing, but I just thought I’d pop in before I confront your mother, in what will certainly be my death.” “Uh what?” Shining’s brow rippled. “It’ll be fitting in a way, eh?” Flux’s eyes unfocused, as he looked off to a poetic horizon. “Me, and the mare responsible for the death of my family and house, at the end of it all. My story will be fini, but a new one will open. They always do. Death begets the opportunity for more life.” “The death of your house? Uncle, what are you talking about?” Shining asked. “Hmm?” Flux fell out of his reverie. “Oh, nothing. Just the ramblings of an old stallion.” “Uncle you’re barely fifty, and nopony’s going to kill you. Especially not my mother, she's mad, but she loves you.” Shining insisted. “My dear Shiny, I die so you and Nightie can be safe. I know I'm not the trustable type, but in this instance, maybe you'll make an exception.” Flux spoke casually, almost cordially. “And you might want this. I sure won't be needing it.” He pulled a little notebook from a create in his suite. Shining took the notebook in his magic. Flipping it around, he read the cover. Notes, IV “Thanks for having us Shiny. Ta ta!” Flux turned to make for the exit. “Wait, wait!” Shining jumped in front of him. “I have no idea what’s going on, but I know for certain you don’t have to do this. I’m leaving Canterlot, maybe forever, and so could you. You have your lands in the Foal Mountains. Run away.” Flux put a hoof on Shining’s shoulder. “That would be a great plan, if I were unwilling to make the sacrifice. Only, there has to be a unicorn canidate. Twilight Velvet will have her way. So umm... This is my way of protecting you, Shiney. It's not very glorious, but it's what I have to do." Flux gently pushed Shining aside. "I don't know what the future is going to be like, but I have a feeling there's going to be opportunities for scummy, dishonorable sorts. I go, knowing you'll be there to stop them. Give my best to Twilie. Hugs and kisses forever. Bye bye, bye bye.” Moments later, he was gone. “What a sick game.” Shining sighed, too exhausted to cry. "You could stop him, order the knights to restrain him." Fancy Pants pointed out. "No I..." Shining put Flux's journal aside. "I won't impose my will on him like that. He's his own stallion, and I'm my own." "So you let him go to die." Fancy Pants shook his head. "These are tough decisions. I feel as though I don't have the mental fortitude to make them anymore. Who would I be deciding for? Not the princess, or her ponies. Just myself." "Would you sacrifice yourself for another pony's life?" Shining asked. "it would certainly be noble of me to say something to the effect of yes, citing how I am not truly alive, but..." Pants trotted back into the corner and picked up another book. "There is a part of me that wants to tell you that I have died enough, and I'm unwilling to do it again. Ponykind can be left to its suffering." "I don't judge." Shining said. "I'm starting to feel the same way." “By the end of tonight, we will have complete political control over Canterlot. The way to accomplish that is through the nobles, and the way to the nobles is through the Estates and Speakers." Velvet explained. She had descended to the bottom stair up to the throne dais, so she was a mere head above everypony else. Her audiance, Hauseway, Seacrest, Gnash, and the Wonderbolts, were paying varying amounts of attention to her stern orders. "They will be here very soon. One-hundred-thirty-seven nobles, all of them suffering from a collective delusion of importance. Some of them might actually want to do the right things and keep Equestria safe. Most of them are power-hungry. Tonight is when we will ever so gently remind them that their delusions are just that, and they will never control our nation. When the speakers arrive, they will be curious about what we spoke about. You don't have to tell them much. Tell them you are demurring to the calls for a vote for a new, decisive head of state. I’ll give them a brief summary of the weight their actions will have. After all, they will be choosing the equivalent of a new empress. A once in a millennium event, truly. This night is a convergence of events, like stars aligning, that only heightens its importance." "Question." Prosser held up a hoof. "Is it actually important?" "You're soon to find out." Velvet smiled mischeviously. "Like our friend Manered said..." She waved to the still-gagged and blindfolded monk, laying silent in a dark corner of the throne room. "Heaven, like our princess, has abandoned its familiar patterns. We're in the deep end now. We have to learn how to swim quickly." "That hardly answered his question." Gnash pointed out. "I'll say this much: The divine world above, a universe very distinct from ours to the point of incomparableness, has ways and patterns that predict events here. We can reject divine rulership, while still acknowledging its power." Velvet said. "In fact it will be impossible to achieve our goals without that recognition. It will be a very, very dark night tonight. So dark that Ponies will not help but believe that Celestia is really dead. For just a moment, they will let their imaginations cary them into heretical territory." "You don't have much faith in ponykind." Spitfire observed. "That is, unfortunately, the prompts to all of this. One-hundred-thirty-seven ponies, pursuing one-hundred-thirty-seven different dreams, will lead to unsalvageable consequences." Night Light said. "Consequences like what?" Spitfire asked. "Pray the night does come and go without you knowing." Velvet said. Spitfire pursed her lips. "It just sounds melodramatic to me." Ignoring her, Velvet continued. "You see that throne behind me? I'm warning you now, don't get any ideas. When the Estates vote to decide the new head of state, all of you must adamantly refuse to be in the running. If pressed, you should only say that you and I are forming an action committee to make the transition painless, and being a part of the election would be a conflict of interest." "Hold up. You're not going to manipulate the Estates into electing you?" Gnash arched a brow. "Correct." Velvet nodded. The audience wasn't sure what to make of it. The Wonderbolts whispered amongst one another, while Hauseway and Seacrest exchanged upset and confused looks. "Admiral, something is going on here beyond a power grab." Spitfire insisted. "We really have no idea what we saw under the Musician's Guild, but I think this is connected." "So you have no idea. Okay, thanks captain." Gnash retorted. "Velvet might have some clever idea of her plans but I'm pretty sure letting another pony swipe her opportunity for untouchable authority is a damn stupid move." "I have given this plan far more thought and meditation than you, Admiral Gnash. You will trust me, and what is more you will obey me in this. That is what you agreed to when you subordinated yourself to my dream." Velvet said patronizingly. "You're a millitary officer. You understand the concept of obedience, don't you?" "Do you?" Gnash shot back. "Greatly. I have known what it feels like to obey unquestioningly in the face of a power greater than I understand. It's like a warm light on your face. When you serve a good cause, it makes you feel good." Velvet said. "That's how I imagine the first followers of Celestia and her sister felt. Equestria is one singular act of obedience, expression by millions of ponies. It really is sad that she no longer has a dream worth feeling good about, or one worth obeying. It would have made the neutering of our dreams, if not completely worth it, at least tolerable. Alas no." "You keep saying neutering. Neutering dreams." Hauseway said, visibly disgusted. "Dreams give birth to powerful and terrible acts, don't them." Velvet laughed. "The neutered dream can not truly create. it can only express itself it superficial, petty ways, before eventually withering." "You talk a lot of crap, Lady Velvet." Rain Gnash shook her head. "I hope you get that we don't go for your esoteric ramblings, and neither will the landed nobles. If you can't stop going off on weird philosophical tangents every two seconds, your planning won't count for shit. Get me?" Velvet surprisingly looked perturbed by what Gnash said. "You aren't getting anything from my explanations?" "Yeah, your explanations quote-unquote are too thick for me. I said it before, you're too academic for me." Gnash grunted. "Which, if I recall, that is actually your background isn't it. You were a language professor. It shows. You communicate well I'll give you that." "Glad to see you've done your research. Why you chose to reveal that now is unclear." Velvet regained her composure. "Deride me though you might, I studied the relationship between audience and speaker to perfection. I know when and how to speak." "More empty academics." "You're clever, Rain Gnash, but you have no discretion. Haven't my academics already won this battle? You are wasting your breath and making yourself look silly in front of your soldiers. In fact, why are you even letting me speak? You should be interrupting me, shouting me down. Your insubordination is half-hearted at best." "I- Insubordination?!" Gnash puffed her cheeks out. "You would make as miserable a politician as you would an IHG captain, for as you've delighted in pointing out we unicorns care less about the decorum of honor. Our understanding of authority is so much less legalistic, and really boils down to this rule: Whoever has the guts to say they are important, are. Then all the important ponies get together and dish it out." Velvet gestured around the room. "Welcome to a unicorn conclave. You lost. In the old days of warlordism, that meant I'd eat your soul. Now, I just point out what a fool you are. Do a bit of studying on the art of controlling ponies, Rain Gnash, and perhaps you would be less trivially easy to manipulate." Gnash winced from the caustic abuse. "Bitch." She muttered to herself. "Warriors don't read books." Velvet sneered in triumph. "Read this, Rain Gnash. Send your Wonderbolts away. From hereon, it will be just you." "W-What?!" Gnash cringed. "This was never part of the deal!" "No, the Wonderbolts have been here long enough to serve their purpose. You've all heard what I have to say. You know my message to Equestria. You're going to take it out of here." Velvet's gaze roamed from Wonderbolt to Wonderbolt, lingering particularly on Spitfire. "So even if this grant experiment failed, there will be a memory of the truth out there, for another intrepid dreamer to discover." Spitfire felt a chill run up her spine. Something told her Velvet wouldn't fail. "You're letting us go, so we can go back to Canterlot and denounce you? You're putting a lot of weight on the Admiral's value of a hostage." "Way to crush me, captain." Gnash mumbled. "I couldn't care less what you say. I just care about what's in your head. Do you think you'll ever be able to forget this?" Velvet laughed. "You won't have to have been here to know. You've seen and heard enough to piece it together." "You really are nuts." Spitfire shifted her gaze to Night Light. "is this what you intended for us?" "I told you to go back to your airship. I can't protect you from the memories now." Night Light said. "Good luck Captain Spitfire. Do not blame yourself. You did what you thought was right." "I..." Spitfire averted her eyes. "Bolts don't take a hit sitting down." A couple of the Wonderbolts came back with an unenthusiastic "That's right". "And we've been known to charge into a suicidal situation or two. But..." She tried to wet her dry throat. "But we're still pegasi, still ponies, and sometimes even we get scared." Velvet stomped in approval of the little speech. "Moving. If you don't want to leave, my invitation to fight is still open." Spitfire shook her head. "Only if my admiral orders me." Gnash emitted a little whine of despair. "Oh buck off Spitfire. Always kicking me from below." She closed her eyes. "Get out of here. I've had enough of you." "Thank you, Admiral." Spitifire saluted stiffly. "See you back in Cloudsdale." She turned her back and marched for the opposite end of the throne room, pulling Soarin along behind her. "If I see you hesitating I'll punch you." She whispered to him. "Please, if I even look back, knock me out." Soarin shivered. The other wonderbolts looked from her to Rain Gnash, who after a moment, nodded. The rest of the wonderbolts filed out, save one. "I’m staying with the Admiral.” Fleetfoot declared. “Get out of here, you brown-nosing dolt.” Rain Gnash growled. “I’m already dead, but I’ll give them a hell of a headache. Leave knowing that.” Fleetfoot solidified her salute. “It’s my duty to give them a headache with you.” Rain Gnash covered her face with a hoof. Her reply was weak. “You’re giving me a headache already. See, it’s started on my eyes. Stupid eyes, watering with every bit of pain.” “Touching.” Velvet said flatly. "But as we're getting closer to the climax, I have to show out everypony who doesn't belong. Be warned miss, that you're taking on an immense burden by staying." "I sacrifice for Cloudsdale." Fleetfoot said. "Grand. Hope you dont' regret it. Not excuse me..." Velvet hopped down to the ground level and pushed past everypony else. She wrapped her telekinetic grasp around Manered’s, tail and dragged him behind her towards the throne room's enerance. The blinfolded monk squaled as he desperately tried to find purchase on the smooth marble floor. "I have to show the other unneeded guest out, before we begin in earnest. It will only be a moment." Once in the connecting hallway, she pushed Manred against the wall and magically sliced through his bindings. She let him pull his own blindfold off. “Well well brother, Manered isn’t it? I will admit I had you marked for death for your association with Phyte, but I forgave you on account of your acquaintance with my children.” “If you know so much, you must know Phyte and I were only just acquainted, and never politically or professionally.” Manered whimpered. "Really? She told me you were one of her son's closest friends, before he was exiled." Velvet said innocently. "I... Yes. Yes, I was a close friend of LP before he was exiled. Vinyl too, though I'd already been forced into the monastery by the time she disappeared." Manered said dourly. "So yes, I knew Phyte pretty well. I know she's not enterally a pony." "A Star, one of the elder siblings of mortalkind. Yes, she was very much not entirely pony." Velvet nodded. "And you were okay with that." "What was I supposed to do, try to stop her more evil acts? What could any one pony do against her?" Manered sighed. "If anypony will have thought out methods of getting one over such a powerful mare, it would be you, Lady Velvet." "I did, and I executed the plan. Her nest is abandoned isn't it?" Velvet snickered. "And another monster that prays of ponykind's dreams is gone, for now." "You talk so much about dreams. Dreams are inherently Dark you know. It is not for us to pretend upon destiny and fate." Manered sagged. “You dress it up, but what you sold the ponies in there is heresy. You forsake the sun that has guided us for a millennium." "Do I?" Velvet cleared her throat. "OH CELESTIAAA, COME OUT AND PLAAAYYYYYY!!!" She bellowed down the hallway, doubtlessly spooking the retreating Wonderbolt company and any staff still hanging around. Velvet perked her ears up. "And what's that? Is that the response coming now?" She waited for a minute. "Nothing. The sun's castle is enpty of its sovereign. She abandoned us." "This is a test of faith an-" "Oh shut up." Velvet rolled her eyes. She pulled Manered to his hooves. "Don't lecture me about theology. I've talked to more gods than you could count. I bask in the presence of god and her love. Nopony loves god more than me. I love her more than I love myself. I just don't want her making decisions for me." "Then you're faithless. Faith is submission to the divine." Manred intoned. "I have plenty of faith in myself. Does that means I submit to myself?" Velvet pondered. "Oh, whatever. Get out of here. Get out of Canterlot. You can't do any good here." "Yes... I won't be able to find the sun I'm searching for here anymore." “You’ll find my son at the gatehouse. Send him my regards.” “Sir Armor?” Manered stretched his sore limbs. “Why would you send me to him?” “Because you plus him equals two thirds of the sanity left in this city. The last third will follow you as soon as I let her. Now, GO!” Manered smoothed out the creases in his robe and went quickly on his way down the hall, trying to ignore Velvet's stare eating into him from behind. Velvet was already considering the other aura nearby, from a pony that should have known better. "You want to speak to me, Captain Spitfire?" Spitfire dropped down from her enshadowed perch over a tapestry hook. "You have everything planned out exactly, plotting each and every pony’s course for them.” She said. “I don’t know what I should do, but whatever it is I’d like it to be something that breaks the path you’ve laid out for me. I won't be your tool. You've fooled and used me enough.” “Captain, have you ever laid in bed with too much energy to fall asleep? Your mind keeps torturing you with the desire to get up and do something, anything to alleviate a profound sense of uselessness when you're not active? No, just me?" Velvet laughed quietly to herself. “Whole months I spent doing nothing but pushing little game tokens around, thinking about conversations and all the possible outcomes of every possible string of words. As my dream has come alight inside me, I've become less of a pony and more of a tabulation machine, running the odds, finding optimal paths, metaphorically of course. My body and mind has adapted to become what it needs to be. That is the result of an unbreakable desire to see the dream fulfilled. So trust me Mis Spitfire, I’ve calculated the possibilities, and there’s nothing you can do to surprise me. You're an apostle for my message." "There's lots of things I could do to thwart you." Spitifre glared. "I won't be your messenger if I kill myself." "Oh my. You die. Joke is on me then isn't it." Velvet rolled her eyes. "Now who is being melodramatic? You ponies resist me and for what? So you can throw yourself into the inevitable chaos that will come in Celestia's absence? Besides, Spitfire, is killing yourself really the way to reclaiming lost honor?" The mention of honor froze Spitfire, and she stared into Velvet’s certain face with an equal amount of uncertainty. Velvet laughed heartily, and stared into Spitfire right back. "What do you want out of life, Spitfire? Do you see this being your last hurrah?" "I want what any girl wants. Some fame in the Bolts, a few scars to remember my here time by, and eventually a colt I can kick around." Spitfire said soberly. "All pretty selfish stuff. I don't get off on high-minded philosophy." "Get off? You're confused. All of this, it's not something I enjoy. I am sacrificing as much as everyone else." Velvet said. "I had to let my husband linger in a dungeon for a month. Now, I have to drive my son away. All through this I've estranged my friends and let this city that I love suffer through my plans. It hasn't always been easy to stomach." "You could just... not." Spitfire said. Velvet shook her head. "Not really an option for me." “Heyoo. Sorry I'm late!” A stallion's voice echoed from the other side of the hall. Foaly Flux, resplendent in a full set of black lacquered armor, held a mighty black steel sword before him. A few city guardsponies were following at a safe distance, but halted once they saw Velvet. “Foaly! So good to see you! I thought maybe you missed my invitation, and ” Velvet trotted towards her well-armed friend. "I see you brought the Blackhorn Armor. That saves me some effort going and getting it." Foaly dropped his sword point. “You sent an invitation?” He smiled jovially. “Aw Velvet, here I thought you left me off the mailing list on purpose!” Spitfire eyed the guardsponies and wondered if her opportunity to go free had passed. “Do you even know what you're getting in to?" Flux bobbed his head from side to side. “I do. We are going to try make this world a better place." "We are, not just try." Velvet corrected. "I won't pull my punches. You are a little bit egotistical." Flux grunted. Velvet out a hoof over Flux's shoulder and led him towards the throne room. "Part and parcel of being the best." “Absolutely! Centuries of neglect in the trophy vault did nothing to improve the smell of this old Blackhorn armor. And I think it’s be better on some other pony anyway.” As Velvet passed, she whispered into Spitfire’s ear. “In case you hadn't noticed, none of the city guards have their arquebuses loaded. They don't know how to.” Velvet slammed the heavy throne room doors behind her. What further things she and her company needed to discuss before the Speakers arrived, it was no longer intended for her ears. "Well then..." Spitfire sighed. "I guess Fleet and the admiral will have to make their own luck now." Spitfire turned ever so slowly towards the guardsponies at the other end of the hall. She could, she supposed, catch up with the Wonderbolts and lead them back to intercept the Speakers before they arrived in the throne room. If their guns really weren't loaded, the city guardsponies leading them would be no problem. Only... Spitfire really didn't care. “I don't want trouble.” "You featherheads ruined the Musician's Guild. We owe you one for that." One of the guardsponies barked. "Since Lady Velvet is done with you, your gunna pay!" They leveled their guns at her. They sure were acting confident for ponies without working weapons. Maybe they thought they could intimidate Spitfire into begging for her life. Unfortunately for them the Wonderbolt captain was pissed, and wouldn't have cared if they were loaded or not. "I don't need my sword to fight you, ya hornhead gobs." She charged them. It has been somewhere around one month since I came to Canterlot. The passage of time is unclear in Phyte's catacombs. I don't know the date. I will soon though. I’m going to have an owner tomorrow, a noble lady named Twilight Velvet. Lady Phyte tells me she resides in the gatehouse of the city. Interesting. There was nopony living in that castle those months ago when I first passed through. Thinking about it, I did not have a chance to look around and really enjoy the city. I regret that. Unfortunately with my new body there are many things I will never be able to enjoy. Anyway, my release from Phyte's care signifies a kind of graduation, and hereafter I will be a proper agent of the Musician's Guild. That was what I always wanted, wasn't it? But I don't have a beautiful voice anymore. When I try to speak unnatural magical flame jets out of my nostrils. Yet Phyte tells me I am more useful, and more perfect this way. I will never have the applause at a recital to look forward to, and that is a shame. I can only hope I can find some kind of furfillment doing what I can for Phyte and this Lady Velvet character. And finally that brings me to you, my new notebook. Lady Phyte gave you to me. Unfortunately I don’t think she’ll let me have my old belongings back, not even the scraps I had in the first days as a thing. All my old journals, and the scraps I used in my cage, are lost to me. I’ll mourn them when Phyte can’t see me. If she suspects I’m thinking about my past, she may well start cutting at me again, rearranging to pattern of skin on my hide. Maybe that’s not such a bad thing. I’m not very happy with the current configuration of my left shoulder. ~ How should I address you, diary? I will not call you dear, as we are not that well acquainted yet, but all the same you are the receptacle of what is left of my heart. I will call you friend, then. Formalities aside there was astonishing happenings today. To preface, Phyte released me so could see Lady Twilight Velvet. On my way out I saw one of the mares I traveled with, Scratchy, being led to Phyte by two other mares. I remember how she told me that she wished to her studies as a bard independently of the Musician's Guild, but clearly the guild took issue. She tried to talk to me, as if I were a stranger. Fair, since I am not the same pony as I was a month ago. Then the second jolt came when I arrived at Lady Twilight Velvet's little castle. Another traveling companion, Beach Strider, was in her hall, looking and standing tall and proud. I was struck dumber than usual. I wondered, how was a farmer’s son allowed in the home of a powerful noble? Then I heard what Lady Velvet called him. Seacrest. It took me a moment before I understood. Beach Strider had taken my name, my station place, and even used all the stories I told him about my childhood to create a persona. He was arrogant and rude, which was such a strange look for a kind pony like him. It seems he underwent some manner of change as well. At first I thought it could have been a game from Phyte, but no, Beach Strider has become me. He is the new Seacrest Blackhorn. Bizarre isn't it? Here in my new room in the castle, writing this, I have trouble believing it. Of course Strider didn't recognize me. I do not know how much Phyte told Lady Velvet about my past, but her ladyship thought it appropriate to give me over to 'Seacrest'. I did not come with a name, so he dubbed me Molar. Very fortunate then I told him about Molar: That old dog was always my favorite friend in the lonely times at my cousin’s keep. It's oddly appropriate. I'm a dog. A persona in the shape of my old self is to be my master. What is more, Beach Strider was not at all coy about the Sabonord-Blackhorn connection. I always went by Sabonord to keep attention away, because whenever a Blackhorn like me returns to Canterlot it inevitably ends with somepony's death, usually the Blackhorn. That stallion has gall beyond anything I could comprehend. He really does not understand what he is getting himself in to. So in essence, I am a like a nanny to this sniveling jerk pretending to be me. Out of all the possible tasks I could have been assigned, I find this the least objectionable. Still Lady Velvet said she would inform me of the full scope of my duties tomorrow. I think she knows about Strider, but it shouldn’t be possible for her to know about me. Lady Phyte said that nopony knew about me, and while she likes to dance around the truth I know she believed that. ~ I talked to Velvet. She knows about me, and much else besides. I do not think she has good intentions. As a traveling speaker I learned a lot of stories. I learned a new one today. Velvet told me about old gods, about the sun and moon, and creatures of entropy or thievery or war or conquest. She told me about the ancient alicorns that came to our planet eons ago, and how those incomprehensible gods became a part of our world. She told me about two of the greatest ancient alicorns: Wintertide and Astral Nacre. More pertinent to her interests, Lady Velvet told me about the fall of the alicorns, how their hubris destroyed their entire continent. Those most powerful of gods, destroyed so utterly to be less even than a pony. She called it ironic, but I do not understand how exactly. It was not easy for me to express my confusion articulately. Lady Velvet is very perceptive and saw that I was lost as to her intentions of telling me all of that. She assured me that I would have a role, as glorious as it will be fitting. I have never heard words so ominous. Diary, my friend, I think death is waiting for me at the end of this. ~ I also got to spend more time with 'Seacrest'. Is it sad to think that he plays the part of noble scion better than I? I may yet wither, but he acts and creates a history of my name. Lady Velvet is capitalizing hard on the Blackhorn name, to assert herself over a band of unicorn supremacists. Oh how those racists would cringe to know that Seacrest was born an earth pony, son of a pegasus. They give me such acidic looks. I hope I do not get too embarrassed with what he and Lady Velvet do with my name. Velvet introduced me to a distant cousin, Sel Lech Sabonord. Unlike Countess Glori and all the Sabornords I grew up with he actually seems well adjusted if lacking in self-esteem. Sel Lech does not know who I was yet, so for now I am a curiosity. Eventually, hopefully, we could be friends.