//------------------------------// // 59 - Control of the Castle // Story: A Dangerous Sparkle // by David Silver //------------------------------// "And that's how we defeated Sombra," explained Twilight, droning on and on about everything she knew, including her exploits in life. Aria nudged at Adagio with a snort of disgust, "Are you sure she's worth keeping around?" Adagio shook out her fin crest, "I'm sure, she's just resisting. She was always a stubborn brat, being a pony doesn't change that." She spun in place to face Twilight and grasped Twilight's face between her hooves, "Alright, enough of that. The half breed. We only care about her. Where is she?" Twilight smiled, "Not here. They left when I didn't come back," Her eyes half lid at Adagio, "I couldn't tell you where she is, because I don't know." Aria swam up to the right of Twilight, nudging her on the side of her barrel, "Well where is she normally? You know that much at least." "Ever--" Twilight's words were cut short at a withering look from Adagio. Her ears fell back as her will crumbled, "With the Seekers most likely." "Was that so hard?" asked Adagio, petting Twilight across her mane as it swayed in the water, "Now you stay here and be a good girl, we have business to tend to." She looked at Aria, "Where is Sonata?" Aria shrugged, "I haven't seen her in a few minutes. She's probably chasing a butterfly or something." Spike and Swift moved to the pond to see one of the sirens had already emerged. Out of the water she assumed a shape much like a sea pony, looking aquatic but having four hooves. Swift directed at her with a flick of his beak, "Is that one of them? Looks like a normal sea pony to me." Spike scratched behind his head, "Uh, right color for one of them, but no, that's not what she looked like before." The sea pony looked towards Spike's voice, "Spike? I'm glad to see you." She trotted over to them in a spritely fashion, "You have to help me." "Sonata," said Spike with a frown, "Why should we help you?" She rolled her eyes, "Because my sisters are impossible. Besides, we're in a world of magic, I don't need to stick at their side, and they're jerks anyway." Swift held up a talon, a short sword already held in it, "Come no closer, little mare." Sonata paused in her approach, looking over the griffon, "Uh, hi? I'm Sonata." Spike nodded, "Yea, she's one of them. Where's Twilight, Sonata?" Sonata lifted her shoulders, "Why should I tell you? I want a promise first." She smiled brightly, "It's a fair deal, honest." The surface of the pond rippled as Adagio peeked out her head and looked around. "Sonata! Betrayer!" She sank down in a hurry, leaving nothing but the ripples of her passing. Sonata's cheerful expression fell to worry, "Oh, uh. I was hoping to make a deal first, but hey." She rocked on her hooves nervously, "I just want to live here. It seems like a nice place." Spike raised a brow skeptically, "How did you three even get here? Why should we believe you at all?" Swift raised the short sword into easy striking position, "Do you want me to make sushi out of her?" Sonata's ears drooped a little as she shrunk, "What? No! I was just following Adagio. It was her idea to follow the grey mare. She made all the deals! I didn't promise anything. I don't want to be sent back to that world again, please." She threw herself forward and to the ground, looking up at Spike hopefully. Spike let out a slow sigh, "I think she's telling the truth. Are you going to cause trouble for the ponies here afterwards?" Sonata shook her head quickly. Swift lifted his shoulders, "Very well, one less enemy to face. Sonata is your name? Can you counter the magic of your sisters?" She climbed back to her hooves, nodding, "But there's only one of me, and two of them." Spike gestured over Sonata, "You don't mind fighting your sisters?" "We're not even really sisters," said Sonata, "We just stuck together, and they don't respect me anyway." Swift nudged Spike, "This is why harmony among allies is important. Let's take advantage of their lack. Sonata, stay back and be ready to counter any tricks they have, that is all we ask of you." Sonata seemed happy enough to stay back as the two approached the pond, but before they took more than a handful of steps, a soft singing began to come from it. Sonata went pale, "Ah shoot! They're calling all the toys." "Toys?" asked Spike, visions of little toy soldiers dancing in his mind, "That doesn't sound scary." The water burst upwards as Twilight clambered onto the shore, dripping wet. She coughed up some water before looking at Spike and Swift. "I'm sorry." she said before her horn began to glow and flame erupted over Spike, forcing him back. "You have to go, now, or I will fight you." The castle was rapidly becoming a hive of activity as other soldiers began quickly galloping down the path towards the pond. Swift saw the odds were rapidly turning against him and nudged Spike, "Time to go." He was off without hesitation, wings carrying him over the city. Spike was not as swift to flee, backing away from the somehow both saddened and furious Twilight. "Come on, Twilight, fight it!" "I'm trying to," said Twilight even as bolts of pure magic erupted from her, slamming into Spike's form in a series of rapid magic punches, "I'm trying. Please go... I don't want to hurt you." Spike ignored the pain even as the magic battered him. His new form and training had left him toughened and he didn't want to give up on Twilight. "Go!" she screamed as a pit opened beneath him, lined with spikes. Spike yelped with alarm and quickly took flight mid leap. He grabbed the retreating Sonata in his hands and lifted her. She didn't resist him and soon they were away, watching the shrinking form of Twilight. Twilight's head sunk low as other soldiers came to surround her and stare balefully at the retreating attackers. "I'm sorry," said Sonata quietly as they fled. "I need more than words, Sonata. We're getting Twilight back," said Spike through a soft growl. Lilac held court for the first time in a while. Swift and Spike stood in the center along with Sonata. Spike's friends were off to the left, and several high ranking members of the Seekers were at the front, with Lilac. "We are convened today because we are very likely to get a visit from the royal guard, and we need to be clear what we tell them and what cooperation we give," explained Lilac. "Any questions before we proceed?" A purrsian raised a paw, "Why don't we just surrender them? They broke the laws." A mare beside the cat slammed down a hoof, "Out of the question. They were fighting for good, and liberty. The castle is overrun by enchanters." Lilac gave a slow nod, "They have still broken the law of the land, and that is what we are here to discuss. Swift Strike, you are the highest ranking of the accused, please give your testimony of the events as you know them." Swift Strike stepped forward. He had none of his usual weapons, but he was a griffon. No griffon was ever truly disarmed. "My fellow Seekers. I was approached by Spike, a student of mine, in need of assistance. His friend and fellow Seeker had fallen victim to foul mind magic. I subdued the guards that would interfere with our battle. They will all recover, no enduring damage was visited on them. After securing the area, we approached the headquarters of the enemy, a small pond by the side of the trail leading to the castle, where we discovered one of their numbers." He raised a talon to point at Sonata, "She was willing to defect, in return for a clean chance to live in Everglow. She is an extraplanar traveler, like Spike, Twilight, and the pink one." "Pinkie," corrected Pinkie. "As I said. She expressed willingness to assist us in the battle to come. The other enchanters called their thralls, which included a bewitched Twilight Sparkle. Against uncertain odds and feeling unable to keep from hurting a pony in the fight, I called retreat. When I arrived at the guild house, Spike was short behind with the defector," explained Swift with a mild frown, his voice powerful and demanding of respect. The purrsian from before gave the rail before him a slap, "As it was stated, they broke the laws. We shouldn't let the Seekers suffer as a whole for their impulsiveness." Lilac raised a hoof, "If the castle has fallen under foreign power, that is a threat to everyone here, even those not of the Seekers. If we do surrender them, what action would be taken next to ensure Viljatown is still standing as we know it in the coming year?" The stallion who had spoken up before directed a hoof at Sonata, "I move we hear from the defector. She would know what the others want." "Agreed," said Lilac, "The court addresses 'Sonata Dusk'. Miss Dusk, please tell us of the events as you know them." Sonata shuffled a moment before nodding, "Alright, well. We were living off what we could back in that other world. It was pretty rough, not having any magic. This grey haired woman appeared. She promised us freedom from the world, if we would do an easy favor for her, and we'd get a chance to get back at Twilight along the way. Adagio agreed quickly and promised our help, uh, Aria and me. Snap, crack, we were brought here to, er, Everglow?" Lilac nodded. "Everglow, and we took over that pond like the grey haired mare, she was a mare after we got here, told us to. She said to use our gift on anyone that went past, while telling the guards to not allow any adventurers in. And..." She sat on her haunches, looking more nervous as she spoke, "She said to keep an eye out for a half breed, a pony human. We were gonna enthrall her, then we could do whatever we wanted." A new voice raised up as a pointing hoof directed at Soft Mane, "Well that makes it simple. Give them the half blood and they'll go away!" The court erupted into accusations and loud murmuring as the idea was bounced back and forth. "You can't give her up!" shouted Spike, with Pinkie nodding firmly in support. Lilac brought a gavel down with smart strikes against wood until silence returned. She released the tool from her teeth and sighed, "Let us finish gathering the facts before we decide to throw one of our own to the fire for our safety."