//------------------------------// // Strangers and Secrets // Story: The Elements of Unity // by Gremlin Grenade //------------------------------// [We all carry with us our secrets. Embarrassments, regrets, hidden hatreds and loves; not one of us is truly who we appear to be. To all others, we wear a mask of lies and deceit, playing the role of friendly strangers rather than honest friends. Sometimes, though, our secrets leave our control, and the ugly truth comes billowing out like blood from a wound, exposing our weak, tender selves beneath.] The hum of insects and chirping of birds was the first sound to greet Zecora as she slowly opened her eyes, trying to assess her last memories. Her eyes widened and she scrambled to her hooves as she remembered Kataro, a shadow of her past, here to hunt her for abandoning her people. He had bested her in combat, prepared a killing stroke and… let her live? Perhaps it was some fluke of fate; some outside factor caused him to flee? No, it was more likely he let her live on purpose, perhaps to instill a message. Did he really believe his words would make her betray the citizens of Ponyville, after all they did for her? Zecora turned to the ceremonial spear next to her, planted into the ground next to where her head had rested. She pulled the weapon from the dirt, readying it to protect her on her journey home, though her thoughts were awash with confusion and uncertainty. What was she to do now? Should she warn the ponies nearby? It was likely Kataro prepared for such an incident, and that it would not end well if she tried anything rash. Besides, she didn’t know what kind of allies he had brought with him; perhaps the ponies he spoke of earlier were an entire army, occupying her hometown. It was unlikely that such a force would arrive in Ponyville without her knowing, but she supposed it was entirely possible. Regardless, the first thing she needed to do was recuperate, as her body was covered in cuts and bruises. She trotted nervously back towards her hut, to tend to the wounds she received. ================================================================================ By the time Master Plan awoke, Twilight and Spike were already downstairs eating breakfast. He rose to his hooves lazily before stumbling down the stairs. It was the first time in almost a year he had gotten a good night’s sleep, and he wasn’t about to just shake it off. As he faced Twilight’s beaming smile, memories of the prior night flooded his mind. Almost immediately, he straightened his posture, as though he had been exposing some personal secret. “Come join us!” Twilight waved over towards her roommate, “Spike made some extra breakfast, so there’s plenty left over!” As Master Plan approached the table, the scent of over-easy eggs and steamed daffodils entered his nostrils; Spike’s cooking skills were surprisingly impressive. There was another thing Plan had missed; most of his journeys involved eating either makeshift or hastily-prepared food, the most delicate meal he had in a while was a coffee on the train. While the party had its fair share of proper food the previous day, most of the snacks were simply baked goods, and while Plan enjoyed a carefully-prepared dessert, he was the type to prefer a savory breakfast over Pinkie’s cupcakes any day. As he sat at the table, Master Plan levitated a fork and began to dig in at the plate Spike had presented him with. “What should we do today?” Twilight asked as he ate. She momentarily looked away, her ears turning down abashedly, “I suppose you would like to get something done about that dragon problem.” As she spoke, Plan also remembered about what he had told them at the party earlier, and exactly how much they now know. “I have a lot of pull with the princess, I could see what she might do about it herself.” “No, thank you,” Master Plan replied as he gulped down a bite. “I appreciate it but I’d rather speak to her myself. Besides,” he continued, “Princess Celestia isn’t the only one who I came here to see.” “She isn’t?” Twilight’s ears perked up with her curiosity. “You may not be aware of it, but your raw abilities are something that’s talked about for quite a distance,” Twilight blushed as he spoke. “I have some business that I think you can help me with, being the element of magic and all.” “Thank you, but I’m sure there’s somepony more qualified than me if you want magic,” Twilight embarrassedly waved a hoof in Plan’s direction, “I’m not even part of Canterlot academy anymore.” “Don’t sell yourself short, Twilight. You may not believe you’re the most skilled spell caster in Equestria but I don’t know anypony with the raw ability you have.” Twilight blushed harder with each word he spoke. “Yeah, Twilight,” Spike chimed in, “you should show him your stuff! I’ve always said you’re the most powerful unicorn in Equestria!” Twilight had already learned her lesson about showing some pride, but she still felt Spike’s boast was a little exaggerated. “Spike!” she whined, though it was apparent she was flattered by both their words. “I’ll give you time to think it over, Twilight. These are some pretty monumental spells I’m proposing, I don’t want you to worry yourself if you don’t think you’re capable.” Plan’s words stung Twilight slightly, but also enticed her sense of curiosity. “Trust me when I say this will take a good amount of research, not to mention raw power. But if anypony can do it, it’s you, Twilight.” Twilight’s eyes flickered about as she considered Plan’s proposition, as well as try to decipher exactly what he wanted from her. Surely there was somepony more appropriate for the role, somepony more well-read. On the other hand, however, if this was as monumental as he said, success would mean she would be remembered forever as a mare of unparalleled skill and knowledge! She finally looked back to him, and grinned sheepishly, “I’ll think about it.” Plan grimaced slightly, though in truth he hadn’t expected much more. As the three of them finished their breakfast, Twilight suddenly turned to the door. “Oh, I was supposed to meet Rarity today!” she hastily turned back to Master Plan, “Why don’t you come with me? We can talk about this spell of yours,” she stopped for a moment, blushing, “and, I’d like to ask you some questions about the ‘old country,’ if that’s okay.” “Certainly,” Plan put on a convincing smile. While this stagnation was starting to feel a little uneasy again, this stage of the plan required he bide his time more than to take action. He needed to earn Twilight’s trust, not to mention Rainbow Dash, and his message he sent through Cleric had yet to garner a response he could gauge. ================================================================================ Applejack stared, dumbfounded, at the vast plowed fields of Sweet Apple Acres. She rubbed her eyes and blinked again, before pulling a full breath of air. “MACINTOSH!” she bellowed across the breadth of the farm. In a few short moments, her husky older brother came galloping towards the farmhouse where she stood, huffing in exhaustion. “What is the meanin’ of this?” Despite being out of breath, Macintosh still managed to make his confusion clear to see. Applejack noticed his expression and began to elaborate, “How is it that you got the entire field plowed before ah even woke up this mornin’? Is there something you’re hidin’ on me?” Despite being a stallion of few words, there was rarely a time when Big Macintosh was at a loss for words. “Well… ah… you see…” he stammered as he tried to present the most feasible explanation he could. As it turned out, it wasn’t necessary; as Steel Hoof approached with a smug grin spread across his face, Applejack managed to decipher the rest. “What are the two of you doin’ in the plum middle of the night plowin’ fields? It’s not good for ya’!” Both of the larger stallions shrunk away from her cold gaze. “Y’all think this little rivalry of yours is so important? Big Mac, what if you threw out your back, over-exertin’ yourself like that?” Her train of thought was broken, however, as she caught Steel’s nervous gaze turned towards the end of the farm. As she turned to see what he was looking for, she saw a familiar figure approaching from the distance. ================================================================================ As Twilight Sparkle and Master Plan reached Rarity’s boutique, Plan couldn’t help but let out a sigh; he had a feeling this was going to be quite the experience. As soon as Twilight entered the door, a voice could be heard from the other room, “Just a minute!” Rarity entered after a moment, magically carrying an ornate dress in several pieces. She beamed happily as she saw Twilight, “Oh, just the pony I was looking for!” If there was any truth to her statement, Plan felt she hadn’t looked very hard. Twilight returned the smile “You told me yesterday that you needed me here for something?” “Oh, yes! I need you to model this dress for me, if you would be so kind. It’s for the Mayor’s Birthday, and I just need to make sure the flow is right,” Rarity gestured towards her array of mirrors, toward which Twilight happily trotted over. As Rarity toyed with the various tapes and fabrics, Plan leaned against a wall patiently. The sound of laughter headed in his direction as Royal Valor and Sweetie Bell entered the Boutique. The pair stopped as they caught sight of Rarity’s guests, and Royal gave Master Plan her most elegant courtesy. “Good day,” she said somewhat playfully. Rarity turned in the direction of the noise to see her houseguest and sister enter, and called out to Master Plan, “Plan, have you met my sister, Sweetie Bell?” “I haven’t,” he responded, his attention more fixed on his associate than Rarity. Royal did her best not to notice it. “Young Sweetie Bell here has been an absolute pleasure,” she called to Rarity. “Indeed, a pleasure,” Sweetie Bell repeated, doing her best to impersonate Royal’s Trottingham accent. When Royal Valor turned back to face Master Plan, she was met with a chilling glare. He knew some down time was for the best, but he wasn’t pleased with how easily Royal had taken to the notion. “Are you from Trottingham too?” Sweetie Bell asked, unknowingly breaking the tension. Plan gave the filly a weak smile, “Actually, I’m from Unicornia.” Sweetie Bell cocked her head, “Like the Hearth’s Warming Eve pageant?” Master Plan was surprised at how quickly the little filly caught on. “Exactly,” he responded as his smile grew more sincere. She turned to Royal, confusion in her eyes, “I thought all that stuff was made up!” “Evidently not,” Royal Valor replied in her softest tone. Satisfied, the filly galloped away, grinning as she went. As Rarity put together the finishing touches of her dress, she smiled at Twilight, “Thank you, darling, for helping me with this!” “That’s what friends are for, right?” Twilight returned the smile. Seeing that the process had drawn to a close, Master Plan began to head out the door, when Rarity called out to him. “Wait! I have something special for you!” Master Plan felt a pang of frustration as he turned around to face her. “You remember how I said I would provide you with a complimentary wardrobe?” Plan uneasily nodded his head, “Well, I’m a mare of my word, and I won’t take no for an answer!” Plan suddenly felt Royal’s head pressed against his flank as she shoved him across the room, directly in front of Rarity. From this proximity he was instantly aware of the copious amounts of perfumes and products she adorned herself with each morning. “So, what color would you like?” “Black,” Plan replied dryly. Rarity’s head jerked back as she gave him a weak smile, “But… your current wardrobe is… black,” she said as she craned her head sideways to get a better look at his hole-adorned coat. “Wouldn’t you like a different color?” “I like black.” Master Plan was not usually the type to get so worked up over something so trivial, but he had grown attached to the professional appearance his black attire had given him (in addition to whatever other justifications he had cooked up for maintaining such a unusual fashion). Rarity scanned the details of his clothing before giving him one last pleading look. He finally gave in, “… gray, then.” It wasn’t much better, but it at least gave her a palette to work with. Suddenly, her eyebrows raised as an idea struck her, “I could improve you current wardrobe!” She got to work immediately on retrieving the clothes he wore. While Twilight was uncomfortable watching him remove his clothes, being Ponyville’s premiere seamstress made Rarity much more comfortable with the subject. That is, until she what laid underneath. Despite Plan’s struggles, Rarity managed to remove his hat and coat to quickly for him to cover his secrets. His hat and coat dropped to the floor as everypony’s mouth fell agape, baffled by the collection of scars that adorned his body, most notably the one on his head. Of the three, Royal Valor was the most surprised, having officially thrown her lot in with this rebel just to find he was still hiding secrets like this. In truth, it was mostly an oversight on his part, while he had a chance to show both Steel Hoof and Kataro this large aspect of his motivation, Royal had joined him with such haste it hadn’t crossed his mind. Despite their surprise, nopony said a word, until finally Rarity spoke, “Perhaps I’ll just replicate what you have there and work up from there,” her voice was weak and uneasy. “Yes, I think that’s probably for the best,” Master Plan replied as he threw his coat over his shoulders, “It would probably be easier to simply fix up a new coat than patch up this one anyways.” “Yes, perhaps,” Rarity grimaced, bothered by his assumptive nature, considering how little he knew about fashion. “However, I do need your hat,” she grabbed his hat before he had a chance to, “I simply don’t have anything like this.” She levitated a fedora from off the racks over to his head, and Plan raised his eyebrows in approval. “Oh!” Twilight suddenly burst out, “I forgot! I was supposed to meet Fluttershy for lunch!” With that, she quickly galloped out the door, Master Plan in tow. ================================================================================ Kataro sat outside quietly, reflecting on recent events as Fluttershy’s animals played about. Her cottage was one of the most comfortable abodes he had the opportunity to rest in, but staying with the mare was an incredibly awkward situation nonetheless. When they turned in for the night, Fluttershy was not initially aware he intended to stay with her, and quickly became incredibly nervous. Even once Kataro explained himself, however, she was still very uneasy, and, though it was obvious she was uncomfortable with his staying there, she wouldn’t allow him not to. He was certainly not used to the behaviors of these ponies, that was for sure. His mind also drifted to his confrontation with Zecora. He only hoped it was the right thing to let her live, though, were he in her position, he would sooner take his own life than betray his people again. He knew she would initially reject his proposal, though it would eventually she would have no choice than to accept their conquest as fate and fight by their side. As Kataro closed his eyes, he could almost hear their laughter as the two of them played in the fields as foals. He longed for such a time to return, a time when he could feel safe, and not at war with the world. Kataro’s thoughts were interrupted as he felt a soft pressing against his leg. A squirrel looked back when he opened his eyes, playfully gesturing for him to follow. He nodded as he stood, and was led to the front gates where Fluttershy patiently awaited Twilight Sparkle’s arrival, seated at a small white table with a hot cup of tea before her. She turned to face him as he approached as if the sound of hoofsteps startled her, but a soft smile spilled out of her lips as she saw the cheerful squirrel perched on his shoulder. “It looks like you’ve already made a friend,” she remarked cheerfully. “In my home, nature thrives; we must befriend it to survive,” he replied. Though the likes of Rainbow Dash or Applejack may not have the patience for zebra dialect, Fluttershy always enjoyed the melodic nature to their speech. She walked over to Kataro to open the gate, before pointing a hoof towards the table. “You can sit down, if you want,” her speech was hesitant as always, “or, uh, whatever you’d like.” “Thank you, but if it’s all the same, standing here I will remain,” Kataro answered as he closed the gate behind him. There was a long pause as the two looked out into the distance. While Fluttershy was unsure on what to converse about, Kataro was simply lost in thought. Finally Fluttershy broke the silence, “So, um, what’s it like? Where you grew up, I mean.” Kataro smiled warmly at the sheepish pony, indulging her interest, “There are trees as far as the eye can see, it is much like here, in Everfree.” Fluttershy put a hoof to cover her mouth, concerned, “Oh, no! I mean, I love animals, but there are so many scary monsters in the Everfree forest! I don’t think I could live there,” she trailed off as a thought crossed her mind. Although, she realized, I suppose Zecora does and she seems just fine. “That’s why I’ve come to this place, to see if Celestia will save my race,” Kataro’s expression became more serious. Their conversation was cut short, however, as they saw Twilight Sparkle in the distance, Master Plan following close behind. “Hey, Fluttershy!” she called down the road, waving a forehoof wildly. Fluttershy mimicked the motion, though less enthusiastically. Twilight panted for a moment as she arrived, a look of concern on her face. “Sorry, I got so caught up in helping Rarity I forgot about our lunch!” Fluttershy simply responded with a warm smile, “It’s okay, Twilight, I know it was important.” She turned to give Kataro a grin, “Besides, I got have a nice chat with Kataro here while I waited.” Kataro returned the smile, before giving his attention to Master Plan and Twilight. Twilight levitated some sandwiches from her saddlebag and placed them squarely on the plates in front of Fluttershy. Her eyes turned to panic as she saw the extra plates though, “Omigosh, I forgot about you two!” she turned to Kataro and Master Plan pleadingly. The stallions gave her an uncomfortable smile, “It’s okay, I’m really not hungry.” Kataro nodded in agreement. “Are you sure? I can always go back and make more,” Twilight continued, desperate to rectify the situation. “You can have my sandwich, if you want,” Fluttershy added in. The two stallions continued to shake their heads politely, however, and soon Twilight’s expression settled. As the mares conversed over lunch, Master Plan saw a burly red figure approaching from the distance. He signaled for Kataro to follow, as he headed towards Steel Hoof’s position. “We may have problem,” the workpony declared simply. “There is other zebra in Ponyville, one who may know of us.” Though his attention was still focused on Steel Hoof, Kotaro could feel his spine chill by the intensity of Master Plan’s gaze. “A zebra,” he repeated coldly, “who knows of our plan… Would you care to explain what that means?” “To you, my friend, I will not lie; Zecora could be a great ally,” Kataro tried to keep his composure. “You know of this zebra?” Steel cocked his head in confusion. “Of course he does,” Plan replied furiously, trying his hardest to keep quiet, “where do you think he headed off to so suddenly the other night?” “Zecora was one I had to find, she is a traitor to my kind.” “And you decided to continue the pattern?” “I’m afraid you misunderstand, she could help in our plan.” “Or she could cause it to crash down around our ears!” Plan struggled to keep his cool, “Communication, my friend! Communication is key!” Kataro chose not to reply. This pony would not understand his means or customs, he wouldn’t understand the value of confronting a traitor with honor, perhaps even if he was a zebra. Plan’s eyes darted about the ground as he pieced together a plan from this mess. When his head rose , he was facing Steel Hoof, “Who else knows of our presence?” “When I left, she had told no one. However, she arrived on orange one’s farm.” Master Plan worked out the next steps in his head for a moment before speaking. “Alright, the situation is still salvageable,” he turned back to Steel Hoof, “Steel, keep the Apple family under tabs for now. No need to act rashly until the situation demands it,” he turned his attention to Kataro, “and Kataro, if this ‘Zecora’ speaks against us, I expect you to clean up her mess.” “If Zecora speaks against our cause, she will feel the sting of my claws,” he replied affirmatively. “Hey guys, what’s going on?” Twilight’s voice broke the huddle the three were engaged in as they turned to face her. “Sorry, it seems Kataro had something he needed to tell us,” Master Plan straightened his posture, trying to reassemble his disheveled state. “Anyway, I think I’ll be heading back to the library.” “Okay, I’ll meet up with you soon. Fluttershy and I are just finishing up.” She waved to her friends as the three stallions dispersed, each heading to their respective residences. Fluttershy waited to speak until it was just her and Twilight, “You really seem to like him,” she said cheerily. Twilight’s ears perked up as she turned back to her friend. “What?! You think I…” “Oh, no, I just mean you’re really nice to him, even though they just got here.” Twilight eased off a bit, “Yeah… it’s just after what he said yesterday, I feel so bad. These don’t seem like normal ponies, you know? They act like they’ve… seen things.” Fluttershy hid behind her thick locks of hair. “I know, I feel awful just thinking we’re responsible for what he said. That pony kind of scares me, that’s all.” “Scares you? Don’t be silly!” Twilight threw a hoof in front of her mouth as she let out a chuckle. “His clothes are a little but weird, sure, but I’m sure that’s normal in the old kingdom!” Fluttershy sighed nervously. Perhaps Twilight was right, there wasn’t any evidence that these ponies meant any harm. Still, she saw the unsettling glint in his eye, and Fluttershy spent enough time around wild creatures to know a feral animal when she saw one… ================================================================================ Zecora took another sip of cider as Applejack mulled about, trying to make her guest comfortable. The drink wasn’t what Zecora was used to, but she didn’t want to insult her friend’s hospitality. “So what brings ya’ here in such a hurry?” Applejack asked plainly. Zecora opened her mouth to speak, but stopped for a moment, ruminating on what exactly she would say. She knew why she came here; to warn her friends, to keep the citizens of Ponyville safe, but she needed to handle the situation carefully. If she told them everything, they would be able to properly prepare, but she didn’t want to instigate anything herself. She knew that some of her friends, especially the likes of Applejack, would be tempted to take the situation into their own hooves, which could make things worse. In addition, she wasn’t sure what she was dealing with in the first place, though if these rebels were anything like Kataro she could be sure they would be completely capable of carrying out their plans. Applejack caught on to her friend’s deliberation, “Somethin’ the matter, Zecora?” Zecora looked up and tried to give a reassuring smile. She thought for a moment before speaking. “I have some questions, if you will; have visitors come to Ponyville?” As soon as she deciphered Zecora’s question, Applejack’s ears perked up. “Well, sure! A whole group of ponies from way off just showed up!” she pronounced, blissfully unaware of Zecora’s uneasiness. “A friend of mine has come to town, one who may have issues with the crown,” Zecora replied, trying not to be too blunt. “With the crown… ya’ mean Princess Celestia? Well that Plan fella… ah know we messed up real bad, but you don’t think he’d blame the princess?” Zecora simply tilted her head in confusion. Applejack paced the floor, trying to assess the situation. She turned back to Zecora, her eyes pleading, “Zecora, what would you do if… if your home was covered in a hundred years of darkness?” As Zecora pieced the information she had together, her eyes widened at the direness of the situation. Her mind raced as she realized how real her fears were, and the potential dangers that lied ahead. Without saying a word, Zecora stood out of her chair, heading for the exit. She needed to find the mastermind behind this revolution, to keep the citizens of Ponyville safe. “Now where ya’ going in such a hurry?” Applejack tried to remain assertive, but the concern in her voice was easy to hear. Zecora stopped a moment in front of the door before turning back to Applejack. “One of these visitors was once my friend, but now I fear some wounds won’t mend.” With that, she exited the farm, moving at a hurried pace but trying not to run. Applejack simply watched as the zebra trailed off, ruminating over her last words. ============================================================================== When Twilight returned to the library, she found Spike, scrambling around the bookshelves, and Master Plan, sitting in the middle of the study, surrounded by a variety of books. “What are you guys doing?” Twilight asked, trying not to sound too invasive. Master Plan’s head turned towards her as he heard her voice. “Oh, sorry. I was just doing a little research, if that’s alright with you.” “Sure, I mean, it is a library after all. What are you looking for?” Spike jumped in on the conversation, “He’s looking up the Elements of Harmony!” he replied excitedly. “Indeed, more specifically their origins. You see Twilight, I believe I’ve made a startling discovery. As you know, the Elements of Harmony are based around six different virtues of a harmonious individual.” “Right; honesty, kindness, generosity, loyalty, laughter, and magic,” Twilight chimed in on his explanation. “Correct. And as you know, the Elements can only be wielded by exemplars of those virtues.” “I’m sorry, plan, I don’t see what is so startling about this,” Twilight replied as politely as she could manage. “What is so interesting is, although the Elements themselves were created using a great deal of magical energy, what really makes them so powerful is the ponies wielding them.” “So… what does that mean?” “What it means is that their power can be replicated, assuming one can find suitable exemplars of whatever elements you’re trying to create. It certainly wouldn’t be easy, but it’s not impossible.” “Why would you want to create a second set of the Elements of Harmony?” Twilight chuckled softly as she spoke. “Not just harmony, Twilight, but other aspects of the pony spirit can be formed into elements as well. Some of these texts indicate that ancient cults tried to create elements of discord, though their reliability is somewhat questionable.” Now Twilight became slightly worried. “You want to create a powerful force of disharmony?” “No, certainly not. What I want to see in these lands is unity.” He started to pace towards Twilight, his voice growing in excitement as he spoke. “The land of Equestria is beautiful, doubtless, but it is struggling to stay unified. While you, the Elements of Harmony, are model exemplars of how to be a virtuous individual, I believe we need to demonstrate to the world how to be a competent leader, and a unified nation.” “Princess Celestia takes care of that, and now Princess Luna does as well. I think you would agree, Plan, if you met them yourself.” Twilight’s worry started to increase as Master Plan’s words stung her heart. “The Princesses are powerful, but that does not necessarily make them model leaders.” “The Princess is a goddess, Plan,” Twilight replied curtly. “The Princess is an alicorn. She may be powerful, maybe even immortal, but she is not omnipotent.” Twilight transitioned from worry to anger as her friend berated her lifetime mentor. “You’re not even from this country! Just because we made a mistake doesn’t make it Celestia’s fault!” “The border provinces are dying, Twilight. They lack some of the most basic needs while cities like Canterlot enjoy prosperity!” Plan walked over to speak to Twilight face-to-face. “Twilight, you may not be the princess, but you are powerful. You can do this, you can lead this country to unity!” Twilight dropped her head, her previous fervor missing. “I think you should go,” she levitated a small bag over toward the two of them, “here are some bits for the motel. I think it’s best if you stay there tonight.” As she walked away, Spike quickly held open the door, protective of his best friend’s feelings. Master Plan looked about the library before heading out the door. He appeared slighted, but he did not seem to share Twilight’s sorrow, instead a fire brewed in his heart as he left. As Spike closed the door behind him, he heard Twilight’s weak voice behind him. “I’m not wrong, am I, Spike?” when he turned to face her, her head was bowed so that her hair covered her eyes, “the Princess… I mean, I…” Spike placed a comforting claw on Twilight’s shoulder, “I don’t know about politics,” he said quietly, his head more on-the-level than usual, “but the Princess loves you like her own daughter. You did the right thing in protecting her.” She gave Spike a wounded smile before heading upstairs. Despite the early hour, Twilight plopped in her bed, pulling a pillow under her face. Happy days from her youth flooded her mind, times of laughter and learning. Her life was so perfect, and her friends lives were so perfect, was it possible that their happiness was at somepony else’s expense? Could she afford to be a little less happy, to know that it meant somepony would not have to worry about living another day? Below her, her pillow began to moisten, as she fought to believe in what she was taught for so many years. ================================================================================ As Master Plan passed the ledger back, receiving his customary apathetic glance from Well Rested, he continued to dwell on his confrontation with Twilight Sparkle. He was frustrated with her unwillingness to cooperate, but there was… something else. He felt hurt, not at Twilight’s resistance but at himself. It pained him to see her fight so desperately against him, against the truth, and part of him wanted for her to be right, wanted to end this crusade and settle down here in Ponyville. Her naive devotion reminded him of his own foalhood, and of her. He remembered his own coltish devotion, how she made him feel, how the world felt so safe. And he remembered how she wounded him, how she betrayed his trust and shattered his heart. His forehead stung as he hung up his hat, his own reflection appearing as some sort of monstrous stranger as he drowned in the nostalgia. As he rested himself on the motel bed, he silently resolved to himself to never let anypony enrapture his heart the way she did. Never again. End Chapter 8