"Looks like Equestria isn't big enough for another princess, is it?" Queen Chrysalis snarled to the green pod hanging from the ceiling of her dark throne room. The flickering of green flaming torches lining the walls were reflected on the Pod's crystallized surface that the Changling Queen gazed into, trying with all her might to keep herself from unharnessing her powers to steal every bit of love form her prisoner. But it was so strong, so sweet...she could smell the very essence of it flooding through her victim's veins...
"Well, looks like Equestria is just big enough for a Queen," Chrysalis laughed, saliva strung across her fangs as she hungrily licked her lips, dreaming of the victorious moment that would soon be-
"Your Highness?"
Tealove almost jumped out of her coat when a Changling entered the room, interrupting the shared thought between her and the Queen.
"Huh? I-What?!" Queen Chrysalis snapped, but the Changling just blinked its reflection less eyes, glancing at the hanging pod.
"You do know that prisoner is unconscious, right, you Majesty?"
"Of course I know!" Chrysalis roared, "Now LEAVE!"
Tealove felt the ground shake form the Queen's sudden outburst and cowered on the filthy stone floor, wondering why the two didn't acknowledge the mare standing in between their argument.
"Um..of course, your Grace, but I've come to report..we failed to captor Swe-"
"Tealove, snap out of it!!"
Then, with a stiff jerk that lurched behind her skull, Tealove thumped back on the ground of the train station, hot, dizzy and ready to puke.
"Come on, we've got to get out of here before they return with backup," Bon-Bon was saying as the blonde stallion shoved the unconscious Changlings into a nearby hollow tree that appeared to have been opened by a door in its trunk.
"What..who is-"
"For now, call us Bon-Bon and Big Mac," the mare quickly replied as she helped Tealove to her hooves, gesturing to the stallion called Big Mac to join them, "The train will be too slow. I'll just transport is to Canterlot."
Tealove wearily glanced to Bon-Bon's forehead, "But you're not a uni-"
"Hold on tight!"
And before Tealove could blink, there was a blinding flash of yellow-white light, then the air totally shifted and the three ponies were sucked into a whirlwind of illumination, twisting and turning, spinning and tumbling until everything went dark and the group landed on the tile floor of Celestia's throne room. Tealove scrambled to her hooves (again) , her mane mussed form the trip, then her mind went blank (and it never does that).
Before he stood Princess Celestia, (so you're the one I owe all the thanks to) mighty and graceful, but intimidating. The Princess looked down at Tealove with a smile, gentle, compassionate and that quickly soothed the mare's nerves.
"Tealove," the Princess nickered, "I'm happy to see you made it here safely, but I'm sure you need your rest. Bon-Bon, would you please show her to the-"
"I'm not tired," (a.k.a I'm dying of sleep deprivation) Tealove quickly said, "I'd like..explanations."
Celestia was surprised at first, but then regained her smile, "Of course. Sweetie, Max, you're dismissed for the night."
"Thank you, Princess," Bon-Bon bobbed her head gratefully while Big Mac nodded, "Yup," then the two left the room. (Wish I was Big Mac's partner..)
"Now then," Princess Celestia led Tealove to one of the many stained glass window scenes across the walls, "Your story begins here. With the Sky."
The Princess lightly tapped the colored glass Sun and Moon then a tingle of magic flowed, spiraling form her horn onto the window's surface, then the scene came to life.
"One day every year," Celestia narrated as the two lights in the glass sky separated and began rising above the mountains of Equestria, "Luna and I have no power over the Sun and Moon and one night, the two rise as if they were tied together."
The window lit up a silvery blue and yellow as the Princess continued, "When they reach their highest peak, their beams of light combine to form-"
A small filly morphed into the scene, growing as it slowly landed on the wind swept grass, the Sun and Moon once again combined, the now-mare sparkling with magic, then the window returned to stillness.
"You are one of the Children of the Sky, born with the name Sweet Pea and the powers of both Sun and Moon, the powers beyond that of any alicorn's, designed to save Equestria and us all in times of need. You were cared for by Princess Luna and I, sent into the world with a family enchanted to think you as their filly until now because your powers have grown strong enough that it is time to harness them properly by accepting your birthright position in Equestria's secret organization, Celestia's Clandestine, as my newest Covert Agent Sweet Pea. And now I ask..do you accept?"
Sweet Pea's-(I'll stick with the name Tealove, thanks)- Tealove's head was throbbing. What had just happened? Lies. A mistake, surely. How could the Princess tell such a lie. Such a planned out, factly lie with its own window.... Tealove stared into Celestia's eyes. (That sure doesn't look like a lying face...but that's what they want you to think.)
"I know it's a lot to take in," Princess Celestia comforted, (no dur!) "but it's true, and we need you here. Your powers have been almost a legend in the Clandestine while you've been gone, the Sun and Moon being the brightest I've ever seen when you were born... The others will be very pleased to meet you if you choose to accept. But..you see," Celestia began walking with Tealove down the halls of the palace, "Princess Luna has gone missing and I believe we've located her within the walls of the rebel society seeking to overthrow Equestria. They call themselves the Brokes. The Broke Equestrians and we've already executed three that have attempted to kill me as I slept."
At the very mention of killing and death, Tealove's blood curdled as the two trotted up the stairs.
"The situation is dire, but it is your choice if you'd like to join. If you choose not to though, I'm sorry that I must drain you of your non-earthpony magic..to keep things low key. (Well, now I'm definitely not going to join) But you may tell me your decision tomorrow morning."
Tealove was led into a large bedroom where Celestia first brushed her mane then tucked her in bed (which was only a little weird, but I didn't say anything because I guess, when she was caring for me as a filly, it was normal) and before she closed the door, the Princess whispered, looking worn out and relieved at the same time, "It's great to have you back, Sweet Pea," then Tealove was alone. In the dark. Trying to focus on the decision before her instead of falling asleep (well, after all that, how could I say no? Thanks again, Celestia).
As Tealove lied there, her thoughts wondered to Ponyville, to her parents' house (ugh, how could I have left Madam stink there alone?), to her apparent birth place (the sky. right), then to her real name. (Sweet Pea. I don't even like peas.) She ran the name through her mind, then she began whispering it to herself over and over again. (Sweet Pea...it's not the worst name ever.) Then she decided. She would do it. She'd join the Clandestine. For her mom. For her dad. She'd save Equestria. She'd save all the little fillies that were at the edge of loosing their loved ones. She'd save them from her misery...but for now, she was going to sleep until three in the afternoon and not even Princess Celestia would stop her.
*********************
"The name's Beach Mark," the sun tanned, unshaven, broad stallion said, flashing a movie star smile as he trotted around Tealove, taking in her every detail, "but you can call me Baye."
Tealove scowled at the stallion who wore a ruffled, collar-up shirt under a black vest with a tape measure lying across his neck. (Who is this guy, a seamstress?)
"How about I call you Mark," Tealove suggested through gritted teeth.
Beach Mark shrugged, looking at his reflection in his polished hooves, "Whatever you like, Sweet."
That morning, Tealove had been woken up early by a wide awake Bon-Bon and after a relaxing but rushed bath in the palace'e gigantic tub, Tealove had been ushered to a quick bran biscuit breakfast then handed over to Mark for some 'business' before her welcoming in to the Celestia's Clandestine.
"Nice flank," Mark observed as he measured every inch of Tealove while recording his findings on a notepad (which, even though he wasn't a unicorn, was floating in a yellow glow), "Where'd you get it?"
(If this guy keeps staring at my flank..) Tealove gritted her teeth and stiffly replied, "I got my cutie mark from owning a Tea Room back in Ponyville...and stop calling me 'Sweet'!"
Mark gave Tealove a little shove in the flank to get her moving and onto the raised metal podium across the spacious, but mechanism crowded chamber, "Eh, it's not my fault your name is Sweet Pea, my Sweet."
(Oh. Right. How could I forget?)
"Now stand still, Sweets!"
And before Tealove could protest or even yell at Mark for calling her 'my Sweet', six robotic arms flew from on top of the podium she stood on, wrapped themselves around her legs to keep her from struggling, (but that didn't stop me form screaming bloody murder at Mark) then a giant, cylinder shaped object came down from the ceiling and locked itself around Tealove.
"Cool it, girl," Mark's voice projected inside of the small space that looked like the inside was made form solar panels, "It'll just be a minute."
(A minute until death! Let me out of here this instant, you undeservingly handsome jerk!!)
So with one loud beep, the wall that blocked all of Tealove's view lit up with green grid lines that blinked until another beep sounded, then Tealove found herself covered in glowing lines and when she tried to jerk away, the robotic arms tightened their grips.
"Let me out!!" Tealove shrieked.
"Now, Sweet, do you really think Celestia would send you here to die?" Mark's voice echoed into the black cylinder, "It's just a simple scan, so hold still before you ruin another one."
She didn't have much of a choice really. The wall that wrapped around her was way too tall to jump out of and there was no way she was tearing away from those arms. (They'd tear off my legs before I'd even try to jump. Thanks again, Celestia.) So Tealove did what she was told and held still as a series of beeps reverberated through the scanning space, the grid lines projected onto her body making close up angles of Tealove enlarge themselves on the black cylinder wall. (Do I really look like that from the top? Sweet Celestia, I need to fix my mane! Okay, seriously? Was the cutie mark and blank flank really necessary to document?)
As each minute went by, more and more pictures were brought up (thankfully Mark's voice stayed quiet..at least that), then the images turned to diagrams of Tealove's dimensions, then they turned to pictures of her insides (EW! Was that necessary too?!) then to charts and graphs of her sugar levels, attention span, muscle percentage vs fat, how long she could run a speed of ten miles per hour (that and the fact that I had more muscle than fat in me was the only thing I was sort of proud to see) and a million other pieces of information that Tealove never thought were possible to figure out with just one simple scan. Even moments that stuck out most in Tealove's memory appeared on the wall, playing over and over, and Tealove watched them fondly, looking at each as if they were her best treasures until they were covered by a chart of her heart rate, determination and ability to stay conscious when bleeding (seriously, all this would have been nice to know quite a while ago).
Then all the images, charts, graphs, memories and more abruptly disappeared. Just like that, Tealove was in the dark, the colors and light of it all still etched into her eyes, then the grid lines returned to their original positions on the cylinder wall and the whole scanner lifted itself back into the ceiling. The robotic arms finally let go, the podium lowered itself level with the floor, then Tealove stepped off to face Mark, who was holding (or rather, making float by some unknown force) a small chip labeled 'Sweet Pea'.
Mark shot Tealove another movie star grin then began trotting to different corner of the room, "Now we can get to work," and for some reason, (probably because of the jungle of machinery he was leading me into) Tealove's stomach churned at the end of his smug tone.
For the next ten or so hours, Beach Mark ran tests, simulations and experiments with Tealove as his only focus. Tealove went through hundreds (thousands, more like) of courses beginning with a gun chase through 'Manehatten' (I'd say I did pretty good for having never been taught how to use a gun) while wearing goggles that morphed the space around her into Marks' choice of life threatening experiences. (That one took up most of the time and would've been fun if I almost hadn't dyed like a million times.)
Then the two continued with obstacle courses, gymnastics, aerobics, aquatics, cardio, aerial and zero gravity work outs (that last one seemed unnecessary but was the only fun one), then the simulations shifted. Tealove then went through countless tests on her hours of studies, brain exercises, decoding messages and speed learning three different languages, then next was centered around magic and even through all the inner core, inner mind, central focus, magic surfacing exercises, the conclusion was made that Tealove had no sign at all of having any special powers that exceeded that of an earth pony's. (Funny because according to the scanner chart, I'm 103% magic.)
"Well, Sweets," Mark sighed, reviewing his records on the day's work, "I've got a lot to report to Celestia! You can return to your quarters now."
Tealove, sweating, shaking, brain throbbing and scarred for life, was on the verge of (dying) collapsing, but when she was told she was free, the energy to gallop out of the room at lightning speed suddenly bubbled to the surface and she was out of there quicker than you could say 'Sweet Pea'.
As Tealove was plowing through the corridors, (only the thought of a nice long vanilla cupcake scented bubble bath motivating me to move my sore-beyond-aching body), she rounded a corner to find herself crashing and tumbling into another pony. (Ow, my..everything.)
"Sorry," Tealove mumbled, her voice cracking (because of how many times I'd screamed while being chased by magic hoarding serial killers that day), but the the pony she'd stumbled into stood and agreed, "Yup,", It was him.
"Bi..Big Mac," Tealove blushed furiously, staring t the ground as the stallion gave her a hoof and helped her up, "Um..thank y-" then it happened again. Tealove was swept from the evening chill of the palace, away form Big Mac's deep green eyes, and dropped into (Ah! Oh wait..) Celestia's sleeping quarters. (Hm, that's new.) And to the mare's surprise, the Princess was asleep. (Well, no, duh, but if she's asleep, the why am I-?) Then the balcony window slowly drifted open.
Tealove jumped, but there was nothing there. The muffled noise of shuffling hooves and clanging golden armor was coming form the other side of the door-the guards were keeping watch. (Should I alert them? No. A loose window hinge isn't very-) Then a black figure silently flew into the room and pressed itself flat against the wall. (Okay, freak out time.) Tealove was about to make a run for the door, but the the black cloak came flying straight at her. She didn't have time to move, the impact was coming, (will he kill me if I'm found?!) she braced herself and then......nothing happened.
Tealove opened her eyes. The pony had passed right by her-no, through her. (Am I dead? Half-ghost?) But before she could ponder more on that, she spotted the shadowed intruder looming above the Celestia. Then a knife was produced form the cloak. The Princess slept on. Tealove's eyes grew wide. The blade was being raised (do something, Tealove!!). The moonlight was reflecting off the knife's shining surface, piercing Tealove's eyes, the the pony reared onto its hind legs, ready for victory, and then-
"AHHH!" Tealove's eyes flew open. She was laying in her bed, a wet rag on her forehead, two ponies above her, her stomach a clenched fist, tugging upward, nauseating her past the need to puke, making life itself feel sickening.
"Thank goodness," Bon-Bon sighed, "What happened to you?"
"Celestia! Tealove gasped, sweating cold and shaking uncontrollably, "She-her room-pony!"
"What?" Big Mac asked, instantly causing Tealove to blush under his gaze. It only took her a moment though to gather the courage to say,
"Come on!" the she jumped form the bed, staggering only a moment then was caught by Big Mac before she could collapse. (Please kill me now. Or stop time. I wouldn't mind either.)
"You need to rest," Bon-Bon said matter-of-factly, "Besides, we can't just go barging in on the Princess because you had a dream about her."
"Yup," Big Mac agreed, which mad it harder for Tealove to disagree.
She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to erase the horrible 'dream' she'd just had, but it wouldn't budge.
"Well...," Tealove ended up saying, "I'm going," and with that, she galloped out of the room, only bumping against the corridor walls a few times and tripping on the stairs twice until Celestia's room came into view, the door guarded by six stallion soldiers.
"Halt!" one bellowed, "Nopony disturbs the Princess while she slumbers!" (Then maybe you should stop screaming.)
"But you have to look n!" Tealove dried desperately, "I saw her! Somepony's in there! They came through the window and-"
"And how did you see into the Princess's quarters?" a guard demanded suspiciously.
"Uh...a dream?" Tealove struggled to explain, "More like a vision...I don't know, but you have to look because now before Celestia is dead!!"
The soldiers exchanged glances then their leader said, "And how do we know you're not the pony who-", but before he could finish with his suspicions, Tealove bulldozed past them and shoved open the door to reveal-
"Princess Celestia!!!" the guards shouted.
There in her bed was the Princess, gashes and stabs staining her sleek, blood rolled coat, the red liquid spilling onto the sheet, dripping to the floor where a knife lay. The knife.
"Quickly!!" the lead guard commanded, "Search the room!! You three, take the Princess to the Infirmary immediately!! NOW!!"
The rest of the stallions swiftly carried out with their orders and soon Tealove was galloping along side a stretcher carrying an unconscious and ominously pale-gray Celestia.
"I she going to be alright?" she managed to desperately ask, barely being able to hear over her hammering heart and wanting to cry and puke at the same .
The guards didn't reply.
When they reached the Infirmary, every royal nurse and doctor was woke to give their full attention to the Princess.
"First Princess Luna goes missing, now this!" one of the mare doctors sobbed, "What are we going to do?"
Tealove was only a bit grateful when she was ushered out of the Infirmary (I wasn't sure how much longer I could control myself while staring at the Princess's marred body), but now she could do nothing but worry. (Who's to rule Equestria if both Princesses are dead?!)
"What...did we miss? We were looking everywhere..for you!" a panting Bon-Bon asked when Tealove ran into her and Big Mac when zombie trotting down the stairs, deep in thought.
"Ye..p," Big Mac said in between breathes.
It took a while, but as the ponies trotted towards the bed chamber level, Tealove managed to explain everything she'd seen, starting with the 'dream' and ending with the Infirmary. The other ponies were left in silence. The Bon-Bon glanced at Big Mac (which made me wish it was just me and him in the hall) who nodded, "Yup," then she cleared her throat.
"Due to...recent event," the mare explained, "I think it'd be safer for all of us to sleep in the Common Room tonight. You coming?"
Tealove sighed. (I'm not sleeping in a room alone for at least a month, so..) "Yah," she replied, so the three trotted to the bed chamber's cozy Common Room filled with squishy furniture and plates of desserts that Celestia had turned down so her guests could enjoy. Tealove assisted Bon-Bon in creating a makeshift bed (made of two couches we pushed together and threw blankets over) while Big Mac gathered some treats to snack on. But by the time we meet together again, Big Mac had eaten almost all of the apple fritters.)
Tealove stared up at the ceiling dotted with tiny glowing stars, heart fluttering and making her feel light headed and giddy as she lied in between Big Mac and Bon-Bon. (Was this what friendship felt like or was it because Big Mac just gave me his last apple fritter? It was probably that last one.)
"So where are all the other Clandestine members?" Tealove whispered as the three nibbled (well, Big Mac scarfed) on their dessert.
"They're everywhere really," Bon-Bon replied, "stationed in different parts of Equestria to keep an eye out for trouble."
"And," Tealove asked nervously, "What will the Clandestine do without Celestia?"
Bon-Bon didn't answer, so Tealove bit her lip and quickly tried to fill the silence by turning to Big Mac and thoughtlessly saying, "I think the apple treats are the best. I make them at my Tea Room back in Ponyville!" (I've actually only eaten an apple about five times in my whole life.)
"Yup!" Big Mac nodded, happily stuffing his mouth with apple danishes. Tealove sunk deeper into her cover and smiled sheepishly, giving him the apple tart she was about to eat.
As she rolled over to find a comfortable position for the night though, she felt something digging into her ear.
"Ow!" Tealove quickly got up, her hoof automatically flying to her ear. The she remembered.
"You okay?" Bon-Bon asked.
"Yah, it's just...I was told to put this pearl in my ear and I don't know what it's for."
"Oh, right!" the mare laughed, "I forgot to explain. It's how we Clandestine ponies communicate. Just imagine Discord tap dancing and you'll be able to talk into it. Everypony else in the Clandestine will be able to hear you so don't say anything private. Believe me," Bon-Bon's expression contorted, "I was the laughing stalk of the Clandestine for weeks...but when you're done talking, think of Celestia slapping Discord across the face, then it will deactivate. Got it?"
Tealove stifled a grin, "Um..yah, but...Discord?"
Big Mac laughed, "Yep!"
"Hey, don't ask us," Bon-Bon giggled, "Celestia was the one to make it up. You can ask her, but the last time somepony did that...,"
This time Tealove let herself laugh with the others.
"I'm going to bed now," Bon-Bon declared after all the chocolate treats were gone, "See you in the morning,"
"Good night," Tealove whispered then bravely rolled on her side to say the same to Big Mac.
He replied, "Yup," then rolled on his side and instantly fell asleep.
Tealove's heart soared, but she had a harder time relaxing. Images of Celestia's teared, blood stained body kept flashing through her mind, imaginations of cloaked ponies shooting towards her with a knife stopped her from drifting off, but after a few hours of trying to slow her heartbeat to match Big Mac's breathing, the day's work caught up to her and she fell asleep. It was a shallow rest though. (I just kept pleading that I wouldn't be swept off into another 'dream'-vision thing. Why did I keep having those anyways? And how?)
With these thoughts and more, Tealove drifted off, fearing that with Princess Celestia and Luna powerless, Equestria would bee doomed.
That night was another New Moon.