//------------------------------// // Poison, Blackout, and Dancing // Story: Her Knight in Faded Armor // by Doccular42 //------------------------------// “Shit!” Agent Amethyst Breeze froze as Captain Flair’s expletive cut through the air. Director Blueblood fell to the floor with a sickeningly hollow thud as the monster who had impaled him removed his spear from the body. The glowing blue figure spun and hissed at Captain Flair. Breeze felt herself instinctively raise the nearby crossbow and aim it at the murderer. Her magic surrounded the triggering mechanism, and— —then the crossbow was knocked out of her grasp as a second ethereal figure leapt out of the shadows. The new foe batted the crossbow away as it fired, and the bolt bounced harmlessly off one of the metal walls. Flair leapt at the first creature with a roar. She’d pulled a knife out of her tactical vest, and she had the blade raised at the enemy. She batted his spear away and slashed at him. Breeze brushed away the shock of the attack on the director and leapt out of her chair. She bared her teeth at the enormous spectral horse and gathered her magic. Her horn flared with power and a blue beam shot out at the beast. It dodged nimbly out of the way and gave Breeze a slow smile. A chill ran down her back and she prepared another spell. “C’mere, you bastard!” Flair snarled as she slashed at the first creature. Breeze heard a grunt of pain and saw Flair’s enemy jump off to the side. He knocked over the table and took a swing at Breeze as he rushed past her. His spear raked her side, and she cried out in pain. A moment later, Flair flew through the air, her knife raised. Breeze could see the rage in her eyes as she closed on the creature. The enemies stood back to back, their spines arched and spears raised. The air became frigid around them, and ice swirled through the air. Breeze reacted instantly and summoned a massive ball of flame up above the foes. They looked up and snarled at the fire, and their magic moved up further into the air. It engulfed Breeze’s spell and extinguished it. The first looked back at Breeze and raised his weapon just in time to— —be stabbed in the side of the neck by Flair’s combat knife. He squealed as the blade ripped through his flesh. The ethereal appearance was marred by thick black blood that flowed from the wound that had broken through an artery. He clutched at his neck desperately as the copious blood rushed out of his body. The second one gasped, but he was cut off by a blow to his back from a powerful earth pony. Button Mash snarled as he bucked the other creature with all of his might. The horse flew across the room and crashed into the wall. He crumpled into a heap. Breeze grabbed the first horse’s spear and threw it toward the prone form. She saw the monster’s eyes widen as the weapon moved closer and closer, and he let out a snarl as it ran him through. Flair knelt down and screamed as she ripped her knife out of her enemy’s flesh and then lowered it to his throat. He gurgled as she ripped his neck open. More blood spilled onto the floor, and the creature disappeared into a blue and black mist. The captain stood over and moved to the other creature with an unnaturally calm gait. She knelt down once more, and the other monster vanished as she gave him the same treatment. Breeze gasped and felt herself collapse into her chair once more. Blood pooled all over the room from the different wounds, and her side burned from where the spear had struck her. She felt light headed, and gasped for air. “Shit…” Flair muttered. She trotted over to Breeze and grabbed her. “Ammy? Can you hear me?” Breeze couldn’t speak. her head rolled to the side and her eyelids fluttered. “I think those spears were poisoned…” Flair’s voice sounded as if it were miles away. Breeze saw a bright light above her, and the world blurred. She thought that she heard a voice talking, but she couldn’t quite make it out. She felt herself slip down to lay upon the clouds beneath her as the ocean waves crashed all around. She smiled as her father threw her a hoofball, and she tasted a sweet mixture of blood and watermelon. The clouds shifted, and she suddenly floated among a field of butterflies. A voice called out again, and she felt cold. The voice kept calling… “Breeze…” She sighed and sniffed the evening air. The smell of a symphony filled her eyes, and the voice called out a familiar word… “Breeze!” Lights fell from the floor and clanged against the mountains. Changelings flew through the air upon their minotaur steeds, smiling as the parade washed through the grass. A softly yelling voice calmly screamed her name from across the poker table... “Ammy!” Breeze gasped as her eyes opened. Flair’s voice filled the room, cold air rushing into her lungs. She saw Button Mash standing over her. The earth pony held a vial of blue liquid above Breeze’s head, and she could feel something cold and wet dribbling out of her mouth. “Captain! It worked! She’s awake again!” Agent Breeze groaned and stood up. She held a hoof against her head. “What the buck just happened?” “You were poisoned,” Flair grunted. “I thought we’d lost you… I kept calling your name, but you wouldn’t answer…” Breeze glanced over to see Flair kneeling beside Director Blueblood. Her front hooves were on his chest, pumping up and down rhythmically. Flair huffed as she performed the compressions. Her hair had come out of her ponytail, and sweat dripped down her face. The director still wasn’t breathing. His shirt had been ripped open, presumably by Flair. His wound hadn’t been bandaged yet, and Breeze could still see the flesh oozing blood. “Mash, what antidote had worked?” Flair said curtly. She stopped her compressions and put her mouth over Blueblood’s. She exhaled twice and then resumed attempting to restart his heart. “Uh, it was the blue one labelled…” Mash checked the vial before continuing. “It says zeta bravo eight seven.” “And you said blue?” Flair huffed as she pumped over and over. “Yes,” Mash replied. Breeze rushed over to Flair’s side. “Is he dead?” “Not if I can help it…” Flair muttered. “The spear missed any vital organs, barely. A centimeter over, and he would have lost his heart. But he’s not breathing. It’s poison, the same kind that took you out.” She placed her mouth over Blueblood’s again and gave another two breaths. “They hit you both with the same spear.” “So why did you give me the antidote and not him?” Breeze asked. “Triage.” Flair didn’t look up. “You weren’t bleeding out. You had a better chance. I can’t help Blueblood until I get him breathing…” Compression after compression. “Breeze, do you know any first aid spells?” “Uh,” Breeze’s mind raced. “That’s pretty advanced magic. I’m no healer.” “Anything can help…” Flair looked up. Her eyes were bloodshot. “Anything.” Mash banged against the door. He shoved with all of his might and shook his head. “It still won’t budge…” Breeze nodded slowly. “I can cauterize… but I’m not experienced with it…” “Do it!” Flair ordered. “Stop the bleeding. Mash! Get your flank over here! Finish prepping another antidote!” Breeze concentrated and focused all of her power on the wound. She grimaced as she looked at the gaping hole in his chest, and bile rose up in her throat. She called upon her magic, channeling it into a small stream of fire. Heat filled the room as the flame lit up Blueblood’s chest. The smell of burnt flesh filled the air, and she quickly extinguished the spell. Breeze looked back at the results and nodded. The bleeding had stopped, sealed off by charred tissue. “I… What do I mix the powder with, again?” Mash asked. “One part saltwater, two parts ground crystallized magical ambience residue,” Flair muttered. She gave the director two more breaths. She gasped as she lifted her lips off of his. “Quickly!” Breeze ripped Blueblood’s suit and made a bandage out of it. She lifted him up slightly with her magic and wrapped it around him. “Do you have your first aid kit, Ember?” she asked. “In my saddlebag. Red kit. Right next to the black antidote box.” “Okay, I’ve got it mixed!” Mash called. He rushed over to the ponies and shoved the vial into Flair’s outstretched hoof. The pegasus grabbed it quickly and poured it into the director’s mouth. She followed it up with two more breaths. “Oh, you are not doing this to me right now…” Flair muttered. “You still owe me a drink, you jerk…” Her compressions continued, and Breeze took a step back. Blueblood’s normally perfect mane spilled out over the floor, and his eyes were half closed. Flair hunched over him, her own mane spilling over his white coat. Blood pooled all around them, soaking into both of their coats and Flair’s combat vest. “That’s a lot of blood…” Mash muttered to Breeze. She nodded solemnly. “Wake… up… wake… up… wake… up…” Flair grunted as she pressed, and pressed, and pressed, and— Blueblood gasped for air, and his chest heaved. His eyes fluttered, and quickly closed. He coughed once, and then was silent once more. His chest rose and fell in a slow pattern. Flair gasped and fell backward. She put her hooves over her face, shaking violently. “Oh, thank Celestia…” Breeze nodded and smiled. “You did it.” Mash sighed and sat down wearily. He wiped sweat from his brow. “I can’t believe that it worked…” Flair sniffed and wiped her eyes. “Okay, we need to get him comfortable. Mash, grab my jacket and put it under his head. Breeze, check the door. What can you hear out there?” Breeze nodded and walked toward the door. She glanced over the table, where the spear that had stabbed her lay next to a small plate. The blood from the spear had been mixed with some kind of purple liquid, and a chart lay right next to them both. She grimaced. “How long was I out?” “About six minutes…” Mash replied. “Flair was trying to keep him breathing, and she had me test the spear for poisons. She had her kit in her bag, and she walked me through the testing.” “She carries that everywhere,” Breeze muttered. “I told her that she didn’t need it… Celestia, we got lucky here.” She pulled at the door, and it still would not open. Shaking her head, she pressed an ear against the cold metal. She gasped as she heard… “What is it?” Mash asked. He and Flair gingerly placed Blueblood’s head onto the jacket and strode over to her. “Sounds like screaming…” Breeze murmured. The three ponies stood side by side, pressed up against the door. They listened, and the cries of death filled their ears. Flair backed up and huffed. “These weren’t the only monsters…” “Windigos,” Mash said quietly. “What?” Breeze asked. He sighed. “These are windigos… Or, at least, they are similar. They don’t match the description accurately.” Flair growled. “Great. Changelings, griffons, assassins, spies, and now nightmares from out of the history books. Can this get any more complicated?” “What is different about these, Mash?” Breeze asked. “Well, they’re using weapons. Windigos don’t do that, or at least we’ve never documented it. They aren’t corporeal either… but these ones died when we attacked them.” Button shook his head. “But everything else matches up.” “I don’t care what they are. They attacked our house and tried to kill our director. They can bleed. I can kill them.” Flair smiled rabidly. “Breeze, blow the hinges off the door.” She walked over and picked her crossbow up again. She wiped the blood off her face and took to the air. “We don’t know what’s going on out there, Ember,” Breeze muttered. “We only have one crossbow.” “That’s why I’m going out alone,” Flair said slowly. She hovered over to the door and reloaded a new bolt from the quiver on her tactical vest. “What? You can’t go alone!” Mash said. “It took all of us to handle these!” The captain shook her head. “I need you two to stay with the director. Use the spears. Keep him safe.” “But—” Breeze began. “I don’t pull rank often. But you will stay here.” Flair’s eyes narrowed. “Now. I’ll say it again. Blow this door off its damned hinges. Then, put a shield spell over the doorway after I walk through.” “I—” “Do it!” Flair shouted. “Okay…” Breeze said. She concentrated her power on the door and let the magic flow into the metal parts. She channeled the energy, and there was a small spark as the bolts holding the door that had been locked from the outside disappeared in a puff of smoke. The door fell, and Breeze caught it. She placed it up against the wall. The sounds of battle were far louder now. Flair nodded. She fluttered outside and glanced back at Breeze and Mash. Nodding, she narrowed her eyes. “Use the shield. Keep them safe.” “I will,” Breeze whispered. “Good luck.” The captain flashed a lopsided smile. “Oh, I’m always lucky…” With that, she flapped away down the corridor. Breeze concentrated, and a purple shield covered the doorway. She turned to face Mash… And they waited. ~~~ Captain Flair inhaled deeply as a shield sprung into place behind her. She raised her crossbow’s stock into place and looked down the sight. She turned to the left and slowly flew forward. The dark hallway around her was lined by doorways that Flair knew led to other interrogation rooms and observation areas. She opened the door to the room that was connected to their own interrogation area. She slowly slid the door open and— “Graaaaaaa— Urgph!” The windigo within the room charged at her, but was quickly silenced as a bolt pierced its eye. It disintegrated, and Flair nodded. She reloaded swiftly and flew into the room. She turned on the light within the room and sighed. The bodies of the two agents who were supposed to be watching the interrogation were slumped against the window. They both had spears still impaled in the back of their heads. Flair glanced inside and saw Breeze and Mash covering Director Blueblood with another of the jackets that had been in the box beneath the table. Flair gently moved the corpses of the two agents back into their chairs and respectfully closed their eyelids. She sighed once more and shook her head. As the mare stepped back out into the hallway, the sound of battle again reached her ears. She turned left once more and slowly flew forward. Her crossbow was at the ready as she moved past each doorway, prepared to fire once more. Slowly making her way toward the end of the corridor, she eventually reached the doorway that led to the stairs. Flair opened them carefully and gazed up the stairway. The screams were louder here, and she steeled herself. Captain Flair flew up the staircase until she reached the top. She opened the door and immediately fired a bolt into a windigo that rushed at her. Bodies littered the floor of Section Eleven’s main room. Dozens of agents lay on the floor, their bodies strewn about all over the room, from the front to the back. Countless spears lay around, and more windigos chased ponies about. A few analysts hid behind one of the enormous computer screens as four guards in suits fought against several of the creatures that were trying to kill them. Some of the analysts had picked up spears and were fighting back, but others were trying to give first aid to their fallen comrades. Windigo after windigo fell, but more appeared from the shadows to replenish their ranks. Flair grunted and fired her weapon again and again. The other soldiers around the room did the same, but the tide continued to come rolling in. The captain snarled and flew to the side as a windigo charged her. She held her crossbow in one hoof and drew her knife with the other. She stabbed it in the back of the head and fired a bolt into the face of another. More. More. More. Foe after foe charged, and each fell to her blade or bolt. Sweat blurred her vision, but nothing could touch her. Shoot. Reload. Move. Slash. Block. Shoot. Move. Reload. Stab. Mo— “Captain Flair!” A familiar voice broke her focus. She pulled her knife out of the last corpse before it disintegrated. Quickly, she glanced about the room, crossbow raised, but there were no more targets remaining. She carefully lowered the weapon as she saw an analyst trotting over to her. His coat was stained with blood that wasn’t his own, and he was panting heavily. “Thank the Princesses, you’re still alive…” Flair glanced around the room. The last windigo had fallen, and silence reigned. “Fortune, what the buck happened?” The mint colored stallion sniffed loudly. “They came out of nowhere. It was like they knew exactly how we ran things. One of them hit the central system. We lost coms, alarms, everything. Another hit the backup. They hit our highest ranked agents first. They knew who had the highest ranks.” He shook his head. “They killed them all, Captain.” “What?” Flair asked. “What do you mean?” “General Atom. Colonel Blaze. Commander Nautilus. Everypony. They killed them all, at the same damned time.” Fortune shook, his eyes closed. “Oh, Luna…” Captain Flair muttered. She glanced around the room to see all of the remaining ponies walking toward her. Some stayed beside their fallen comrades, trying to tend to wounds that Flair knew would be lethal. She cleared her throat before addressing them. “Do we have any officers left?” Silence reigned. Two lieutenants from the Royal Guard raised their hooves, as did a few ensigns. Flair closed her eyes and sighed. “Shit. Shit, shit, shit…” “I… I think you’re the ranking officer, Captain,” Fortune said slowly. “Shit.” The ponies looked at her, their faces contorted by the blood, death, and agony that lingered into expressions that spoke of dread.. “What happened to the director?” Fortune asked quietly. Flair sighed. “He’s alive. Barely. We need to get medical attention for him and everypony else, now.” She turned to look at the other ponies. “Can anyone here repair the central systems? We need coms now.” “I can do it, ma’am.” A unicorn mare rushed off to one of the side rooms. Two armed guards followed closely behind her. “Good. I need a medically trained pony to get downstairs. There are two ponies with the director in interrogation room six. One is an analyst, and the other is an asset that the director had just recruited. The asset knows about these windigos.” Flair nodded. “These… these were windigos?” Fortune asked. “As far as we know, yes. I don’t have the specifics, but our asset knows something about them. Get them up here, and I’ll have him brief us.” Flair finally put her knife into its sheath. She slung her crossbow over her back and landed. “We need to contact the rest of the castle. Find out what the tartarus is happening elsewhere.” Her eyes narrowed. “They just wiped out our chain of command. The griffons are here. This isn’t a coincidence. Those mother-bucking carrion eaters betrayed us. They just declared war on Section Eleven and all of Equestria,” she growled. Ponies nodded and immediately split off to complete the tasks as ordered. They stepped over the dead bodies of their comrades. Section Eleven may have been crippled, but these ponies were the best. Grim determination filled them all, and the final cries of the dead rang in their ears. “Griffons controlling windigos? Do you think they can do that?” Fortune asked quietly as he strode over to her. “At this point, it’s either that, or the windigos are coming back to try to take Equestria again. I don’t know which is worse,” Flair replied. She trotted over to the main console and tried to turn it on. The computer powered up, but an error appeared on screen. An earth pony technician slid past her and plugged a tablet into the console to start a debug log. “Captain Flair!” A pegasus trotted over to her. “We had a medic run a test on the spears. They were poisoned, and it’s—” “A Zebran variation of the Moonkiller poison?” Flair interrupted. The pegasus was startled and nodded quickly. “Yes! How did you know?” “I had the asset run tests on it back in the interrogation room. We had to treat the director.” The pegasus nodded vigorously. “The poison stops the heart, but we can treat it easily. We’ve got antidote kits all over the place ever since the terrorist threats last year.” “Do you think we can save any?” Flair asked. “Maybe. Some of the fallen only had small wounds. If we can get to them quickly…” “We can save them. That’s your priority, Chief.” Flair nodded to him as his quickly trotted away. “We have the central back up!” a mare shouted from inside the room that housed the main server. “They just pulled a few plugs.” “Perfect…” Flair muttered as the computer screens flashed to life. She tapped her hoof impatiently as the loading bar appeared underneath Section Eleven’s logo. “Ember!” Captain Flair turned around to see Breeze and Mash trotting swiftly toward her. Two medics pushed a stretcher holding Director Blueblood. They rolled the director into a side room, and the other ponies ran over to her. Flair smiled grimly. “I knew this was going to be a bad Discord-damned day when I got up this morning, but I wasn’t expecting this level of idiocy.” “Yeah…” Breeze muttered. “What the buck happened? How did we miss this?” “I have no idea,” Flair growled. “We just need to go with it. I’m trying to get us up to—” “Captain! Coms are back up! The rest of the castle is under attack too! The windigos are everywhere!” Flair froze as she processed the shouted words. She slammed a hoof against the desk in front of her. “Buck! Okay, everypony! Change of plans! Medics, save who you can. Everypony else get your crossbows back out.” She bared her teeth in a dark smile. “We’re not done yet…” She leapt into the air and flew across the room to where the medics had taken Director Blueblood. She burst through the door and flew over to him. “Captain Flair! What do you n—” the lead medic began. “I need his card, Ensign,” Flair interrupted. She reached into Blueblood’s torn suit and retrieved a keycard that he kept in an inside pocket. Immediately, she flew back out of the room and raced over to the director’s office. “Ma’am! What are you doing?” Fortune called. He ran toward her. “This is a blackout scenario, Fortune,” Captain Flair said grimly. “I’m opening the lockbox.” “Are you sure?” Fortune asked. “You know the protoc—” “You know what, Lieutenant? Buck the protocol. They’re after the princesses. There is no containment here. It’s time.” Flair burst through the door and darted to the bookshelf on the far wall. She pulled a red book titled Mark’s Manifesto, and the bookcase slowly slid away to reveal an electronically sealed safe. The outside had a keypad, two retinal scanners, and a reader for a keycard. “I’ll need you here, Fortune.” Flair said. The stallion nodded and trotted over to her. Both of them leaned down and allowed the reader to scan their eyes. Flair then scanned the director’s card and punched her Section Eleven code into the keypad. She took a deep breath and opened it up. The safe hissed as it opened. Captain Flare reached inside and gently pulled out rather bulky box. Behind it was an elongated case, and she grabbed that too. Fortune helped her carry both items over to the nearby table. He exhaled slowly. “You know, the griffons are going to see this…” “Yes, I know.” “There’s no going back…” Flair glared at the wall. “There wasn’t ever any going back. The griffons, or the changelings, or the windigos… Shit, whoever it was, they crossed the line. They started this…” Her eyes narrowed. “But I’m going to finish it.” She opened the large box first and removed the tight black suit housed within. Having tossed her vest aside, Flair pulled the new outfit over her head. Her hoof slid toward a button embedded into the ensemble, and a determined push prodded the suit into emitting a low hum. Silver magic flashed as the suit’s shields activated, and the captain promptly pulled a visor-equipped headpiece from the box. She placed it on her head, and a heads-up display immediately appeared on the orange glasses. The headpiece synced up to the suit, and her shield status appeared in the lower right-hoof corner of the right lens. Next, she opened up the elongated container. The latches clicked and smoke hissed as it was released from the case. Captain Flair reached inside and pulled out what looked like a long barrelled rifle… that was glowing with magical energy. The pitch black rifle whirred as it powered up. It too synced up to her armor, and her ammunition capacity popped into place above the shield readout. As she aimed the rifle around the room, a dot appeared on her HUD, illuminating the exact location of wherever the weapon was pointed. She reached inside the container once more and stuffed all of the extra magazines into the suit’s oversized cargo pockets. After, she lifted a latch with the case and pulled out a second smaller weapon. She stuffed the handgun into the holster on the suit. Finally, she grabbed the last piece of equipment. Captain Flair examined the long bladed knife. She pressed a button on the hilt, and the same silver magic that powered her shields extended over the knife, increasing its length by a foot, making it the length of a shortsword. The magic hissed, but she promptly turned it off. It went into its own sheath. “So, how do I look?” she asked Fortune. “Like somepony wearing a suit of top secret prototype equipment,” Fortune said in a monotone voice. “The griffons are going to know what we’re capable of after this. There’s no getting around that.” “Oh, really?” Captain Flair smirked. “They won’t know about it if they don’t see it…” “You’re going to be shooting windigos with magic-powered laser-infused kinetic rounds that make their guns look like toys. You think they’ll miss that?” Fortune shook his head. “This is going to start a war…” “No. We’re going to end a war.” Flair held her rifle across her chest as she flew out of the room. The ponies outside stopped to stare as she reentered the main room. Guards lowered their weapons, medics looked up from their work, and Mash’s eyes widened in absolute surprise. “Attention, everypony,” Captain Flair called. She pressed a button on the suit’s control panel that was on her front left foreleg. The suit’s speakers activated, amplifying her voice slightly. “I’m not a General or a Princess. I don’t usually do speeches, but I think we need one now.” She glanced around the room. “You all know what happened. You know the price. You know who the enemy is. We know it all. We’re Section Eleven, aren’t we?” she spat bitterly. “But we weren’t enough. We missed it. We bucked up, ponies. They got through, and they tore us a new one. We lost friends, co-workers, comrades.” The crowd stirred, and Flair saw ponies glancing down at the dead who had been respectfully moved to line one wall of the room. “We may have been beaten, but we are not broken.” Captain Flair held her head high. “They may have won the first round, but we will take the second. And the third. And every single thrice-damned round that follows. You know why?” She raised her rifle. “We are Section Eleven. And, in the end, we always win. Always. We’ll take the fight to them. For the fallen. For the survivors.” A wolfish grin split her face. “We’ll reach up these bastards’ asses and rip out their entrails and stain the ground with their blood. You know why? Because they started it, and we’re here to finish them. Not just for the fallen. Not just for the survivors. But for history. For us.” Her smile broadened. “And for the princesses. Are you with me?” The crowd nodded, anger flushing their faces. “I asked, are you with me?” Flair demanded. “We’re with you!” they shouted. “For Equestria! For Director Blueblood! For the Princesses!” she shouted. “For the Princesses!” Section Eleven cried out as one. Flair settled to the ground. She flushed with pride. “Section Eleven! Go!” The crowd pulled out their crossbows. Unicorns carried them with magic, pegasi hovered with the weapons in their hooves, and earth ponies placed their crossbows into the specially crafted saddles on their backs. They gripped the firing mechanism with their grimly smiling mouths. Section Eleven marched to the doors and went out into the rest of the castle. Captain Flair took to the air once again as she watched them go. After the last one exitted, she took a deep breath. “This is it…” she muttered. She looked down and pressed a button on her command pad. The air around her shimmered as the prototype cloaking field activated. “Now, let’s end this.” ~~~ Earlier that evening… ~~~ Luna wrinkled her nose as Chaput led her out onto the dance floor. The musicians had changed over to a traditional Equestrian waltz, and the ponies around her gracefully flowed back and forth in time with the elegant music. “Such amazing music. It has been far too long since I have heard its rival.” Chaput bowed to her and reached his wing out. “They are quite skilled,” Luna replied as she accepted his offer with her own wing. The two began their graceful dance. They gently moved back and forth, careful not to run into any of the other dancers. Chaput smiled at Luna, and she forced herself to reciprocate. “You know, Princess, I get the distinct impression that you would rather not be out here with me,” Chaput said with a smile. “It almost hurts my feelings!” “What? Why would you say that?” Luna asked. They slowly turned, their hooves and claws rising and falling in tandem. The general swayed as the music gradually crescendoed. “Well, your body language is closed. You avoid pointing yourself directly at me, even though we are dancing together. You try to smile, but you glance away every few moments. Also, you purse your lips whenever we get close together. Subtle, yes, but it is there.” “I…” Luna replied, taken aback. “I apologize if you feel that way, General. I do not seek to offend.” “Oh, of course not! I suspect no ill intentions.” Chaput led the way into a long, slow spin. “In fact, I understand completely. A general from a nation that is, by all accounts, a force of rampaging monsters asks for your wing in a dance. I would probably not be entirely comfortable myself!” “Your nation does not faze me, General,” Luna spoke carefully. She spun into the turn, allowing him to continue with the lead. After the spin, they took the traditional stance. He put one wing on her shoulder, and she draped one wing over his neck. Their other wings grasped each other, their feathers mixing in an interesting design of white and midnight blue. “Really?” Chaput asked. “Well, you are the ‘Warrior Princess’ after all. I am most likely not the first enemy with whom you have danced… although I wonder how many of those were dances of steel instead of waltzes…” She nodded. “I have participated in many forms of dancing in the past, General. Some were slightly more deadly than others.” “Ha, and I suppose the verbal dance is one of those?” The general led them back across the room once more. He wore a wide smile and his eyes sparkled. “A few times. However, it is my sister who rules that battlefield,” Luna said. “Tsk, tsk.” Chaput shook his head. “My dear, you mixed your metaphors! We had already segued from our talk about battle to the subject of dancing!” Luna scoffed. “I hadn’t realized that we were following a script. I thought that we were just talking.” “But nothing is ever ‘just talking,’ Highness. There is always an undercurrent; a hidden meaning. Words are merely words if you only see the surface. Underneath, they have power. To bring life, or to kill.” The princess’ eyebrow rose. “And what power do your words have, General?” “My, such an astute question!” he said happily. “Allow me to respond with a question of my own. What power do you think that my words carry, Highness?” Luna swayed in time with the song, as did Chaput. She considered his words for a moment before replying, “I think that your words bear the power that you want them to.” “‘Want them to bear.’ Or, ‘to carry,’” Chaput responded quickly. Afterward, he sighed. “I apologize, Princess. I forget myself.” “Oh, it’s fine,” Luna said with a smirk. “You know, my sister can be the same way at times.” “Really?” Chaput asked, and this time it was his eyebrow that rose. “Very interesting…” “But yes. I don’t think that I could ever discern your meaning from your words alone, General. There is layer after layer of deception.” She shook her head. “Do you even know what everything that you say means?” “Of course!” Chaput exclaimed. “Everything is intentional, everything is planned. Do you not do the same?” “Do I deceive with every breath? I think not,” Luna murmured. Chaput smiled once more. “Ah. So we reach the crux of the issue that began the conversation. Do you view me as a compulsive liar, Princess? Is that the source of your distaste?” “Perhaps not compulsive, General,” Luna said as the dance continued. “But your propensity for deception is undeniable.” “But, my dear! That is the very nature of the game!” Chaput spun her around once more. “Diplomacy is a game of moves and countermoves. Lies and replies. And really, if I were to be completely honest, would you actually believe me?” “‘A lie is a lie, and the truth is the truth, but a half truth is more deadly than either,’” Luna quoted. Chaput didn’t even miss a step, but his eyes betrayed his surprise. “Ah. So, did I miss a bug in the room when I spoke with your sister, or did she give you a memorized transcript?” “Actually, I read some of your work. You wrote that in an article published in Prance after you graduated from school. ‘On the Nature of Truth, by Dr. Jacques Chaput,’” she said quietly. “Which makes the fact that you told my sister that you learned that quote from a Zebran ambassador very interesting, General.” Luna smiled. “How odd that you would lie right after you said that you would only tell the truth… Tell me, did the ambassador actually exist, or was he just a clever tool to downplay your own intelligence? It is one thing to quote another, but to quote yourself? You would look pretentious, and that would not do. Of course, you did quote yourself, which does make you pretentious. You just didn’t want to appear that way.” Her dance partner did not respond, so Luna continued. “You claim to extend a talon in friendship, yet you hold a knife behind your back. How could I believe what you say? Could I ever trust you? So, yes, I am uncomfortable dancing with you. But life is not about comfort, and we do what we must.” Chaput inhaled deeply. “Indeed. We always do what we must. Princess, my deception was never intended for nefarious purposes. It is merely what must be done. I’m sure that you are no stranger to lies yourself.” The music rose once more, and Luna continued to follow Chaput’s lead. “I am not unfamiliar, but I do not live and breathe them.” “Really?” Chaput asked. The music rose to its final crescendo and the dancers gave one last turn. The audience applauded, and the musicians took a bow. Chaput released Luna’s wing and leaned forward stiffly. He brought Luna’s front left hoof to his beak and gave it a polite kiss. Afterward, he looked up, a sly smile on his face. “I find that statement interesting when it comes from you… Miss Starry Skies…” Luna froze. “Oh, yes. You call me a liar, but you can’t even allow that poor stallion, Button Mash, I believe is his name, to know who you really are… Tell me, Princess, how does it make you feel to know that we are not so different?” Chaput whispered. “It… I—” “May we speak privately, Princess?” Chaput interrupted softly. “There are too many prying ears here on the floor, and our discussion may be considered sensitive if it goes in the direction that I predict.” Luna considered the question for a moment before nodding slightly. “Yes. Privately would be better.” “Excellent! Maybe one of the rooms where the servants had stored these magnificent tables? Do you think they would be isolated enough?” She nodded again. “I’ll make sure of it.” “Good… good…” The princess and the general strode off the floor as the next piece began. Luna nodded at Celestia who sat at a large table, nibbling on a piece of cake. The other princess returned the gesture and smiled. Luna moved nimbly through the crowd and walked out into the hallway. She led the griffon away from the music and toward a cordoned off doorway. Levitating the thick red rope out of the way, she opened the door and beckoned for Chaput to enter. The general smiled smoothly and followed her direction. After she stepped inside, Luna flipped on a light switch and shut the door. Her face became a stony mask as she met the general’s eyes. The room was small, just large enough to be used for storage. The paint simple light yellow walls was peeling, but the air smelled of flowers and well-washed cloth. There were a few extra tables lining the far wall, flanked by a few stacks of chairs. A slight cool draft came from somewhere in the room. Chaput’s smile widened, and he pulled out a small electronic device. It beeped after he pressed a red button, and he nodded. “We may now speak freely.” “Yes…” Luna began. “So, you are now spying on history teachers and their friends?” “Oh, that would be unreasonable. I am spying on you, my dear. Spying on your coltfriend is just an extension of our surveillance.” Luna flushed slightly. “He’s not my—” “Spare me the denials, Princess,” Chaput said dryly. “We’ve watched you long enough to know what you feel. Whether you acknowledge it or not is inconsequential. What matters is that you are also a deceiver… and that means that you can understand.” He paced toward the far wall. “Not all lies are intended for nefarious purposes, Princess. Sometimes, the best of intentions dictate actions that others would consider unsavory. Such as your relationship with the young Button Mash. How would he react if he knew who you really are? Your position? Your power?” His eyes narrowed. “Your age?” Luna remained silent and tapped a hoof. “You do not intend to harm him, of course. You deceive merely for the sake of the greater good. Allow him to ‘fall in love,’ as they say, with the real you, not some romanticized view of a princess. Is that wrong? Of course not. It is perfectly reasonable, and I respect your foresight in this matter. But I must tell you, I am only doing the same.” He stopped pacing and continued his speech emphatically. “I do not want a war. I am not here to betray you. However, I cannot tell you the complete truth.” “Why not?” Luna demanded. She stamped her hoof to the ground. “If you really wish to be our ally, prove it!” She brushed a strand of her mane out of her face as a cold breeze blew across her face. The hair on her back rose, as if something wrong had just happened... Chaput growled his reply. “I told you, I cannot. There are greater things in motion than your nation or mine, Princess. Darkness stirs, and we must hold our cards close to our chests.” He walked forward until his face was very close to her own. “You never know who may be listening…” Luna inhaled sharply. She shivered again as more cold air blew over her body. The princess felt a sudden itch on her shoulder. She almost turned, but quickly stopped herself. Luna looked closely at Chaput, and his eyes were wide. “Do you feel that too?” she whispered. “There’s something here…” he growled, his gaze darting about the room. “I’m going to count to three,” Luna said ever-so-very softly. “Be prepared.” Chaput nodded curtly. “One…” The breeze continued. “Two…” Something hissed quietly. “Three!” Luna’s horn flared, and a burst of white magic shot off in every direction. It passed through the walls of the small room, and Luna’s eyes glowed with ethereal power. She gasped as she saw glowing forms through the walls. They floated in rooms all around them. The ballroom’s ceiling was filled, the hallways were packed, and— —three of them were hovering right above her. Luna shouted and quickly cast another spell as she leapt for the door. A wave of purple energy pushed the creatures away, shoving them into a corner. The princess looked back to see that Chaput had followed her and dropped into a combat stance right beside her. He hissed, and his talons and claws extended to their lethal length. His wings flared, and his white head-crest stood up as he prepared for combat. Luna sent more energy into her detection spell and grunted in exertion as she forced the spell to deactivate whatever method that her foes had been using to hide themselves. Another wave of white energy expanded outward, and she gazed upon her enemies. “Windigos!” Chaput shouted. Luna gasped as the fearsome creatures looked toward her. They raised their spears, letting loose a terrifying battle cry. The princess readied herself for an attack. As the windigos leapt forward, Luna prepared a shield spell, and rushed toward them just in time to— —completely miss her enemies as they charged not at her, but Chaput.