//------------------------------// // Chapter 12 - Instability // Story: Equestria Exiled // by AndrewRogue //------------------------------// Doctor Hooves trotted through Eons Square, basking in the flashing neon lights that illuminated the tier. Massive screens built into the sides of the buildings allowed ENN to silently entertain the ponies who still found themselves out at these hours, and, of course, encourage them to stay out just a bit later and keep spending their Bits. It would be nice if things were so easy for everypony in the Empire. Hooves allowed the thought to linger as he sat against a railing, rubbing his eyes tiredly. It had already been a long day , and he still had quite a bit to do before it could end. Like making sure Lyra was still in good health. He was sure her request for help had been related to the same plot that Octavia had gotten tangled in. Unfortunately, she had completely ignored his replies to her request, which, combined with rumors of unicorns brawling in the upper tier, concerned him. But too much speculation was a waste of time. The best thing he could do is make sure she had been back to her apartment recently. If she had, he could force a direct meeting to figure out what had been happening, and if she hadn’t… Well, there were other ponies he would have to talk to. Then he could decide what to do. Stifling a yawn and adjusting his cap, he got up and continued across the plaza. This new maintenance uniform was stuffy and meant for a smaller stallion, but the discomfort more than paid for the relative invisibility the outfit provided. Why bother with the danger of getting caught sneaking around when the right outfit and a hacked BitCard could get him almost anywhere? Like most of the apartment complexes in the upper tier, Lyra’s featured was a service entrance hidden behind the greenery of the tiny gardens they insisted on maintaining. He’d planned on getting in that way, but hesitated as he trotted past a pair of unicorns sitting on a bench, chatting loudly. It was the slightest thing, but he was sure that, for just a moment, their conversation had hitched as they watched him. That didn’t make sense. A pair of stallions chatting hoofball late at night shouldn’t have cared about an earth pony laborer coming by to fix some thing or another. He couldn’t be sure, of course, but experience tended to refine instinct. Hooves whistled cheerfully as he pushed the trellis aside to reveal the door, fishing a ring of key fobs out his pocket at the same time, only to drop them on the grass. He sighed heavily as he bent down to retrieve them, using the movement to glance at the building’s darkly mirrored surface. Despite the continued sound of conversation behind him, the two ponies were indeed watching him with interest. He groaned as he stood back up, waving the ring dramatically at the door. One of the many devices on it was a magitech skeleton key, but he ignored the gentle click of the lock disengaging, instead waving the ring in front of the lock a few more times. Finally, he hit the door with his hoof. “Celestia damn it! Is this stupid thing busted too?” he growled, turning quickly. It really cheered him when the two unicorns snapped back to facing each other at record speed. “Hey, ‘scuse me gents. So sorry to bother you, but this is the Nebulae Building, right?” Hooves asked, adding a little bass to his voice. “What?” one of the stallions asked, taken aback at the sudden address. The other sighed and shook his head. “No. This is Equestria Gardens. You’re on the wrong side of the station. Stupid groundling.” He barely put any effort into lowering his voice for the last part, garnering a laugh from his friend. “Seriously? Damn. Thanks, gents!” Hooves said, smiling tiredly and giving the pair a polite little bow before he trotted off. He should have known better than to let his guard down where Sombra was concerned. Lyra had gotten involved, so it shouldn’t have come as a surprise that she’d be put under watch. And now that he knew to look for it, it was patently obvious that a number of the ponies around the building were plainclothes guards. They might not have been the best or brightest Manehattan had to offer, but they had him at a severe disadvantage. Getting inside would be no trouble, but he doubted he’d be able to get near Lyra’s unit without incident. Plan B, then. If he couldn’t talk to Lyra about the current situation, then he would just ask somepony else. On the off-chance that somepony had taken the initiative to follow him, he wasted an hour doubling back and hopping a few trains, before finally taking the long way around to the backside of the Heights. The emergency lift was hidden down an alley and behind a false wall, but easy to access as long as you knew it was there. The real difficulty would be if too many of the passcodes he knew had been purged. He let out his breath as the console accepted his third entry and started to move. Thank Celestia for the stupid, the lazy, and the overconfident. He’d have have had the passcodes purged weekly. Or, at the least, installed cameras. Hooves strolled confidently down the nearly deserted roadways. Councilor Shimmer’s home was only a few buildings away from the lift, but he made a point of stopping to inspect a few circuit boards along the way. The chances of running into anypony – let alone a guard – up here this late was slim, but it wouldn’t hurt to look like he was here for a reason. An ounce of prevention was worth a pound of cure, after all. His hoof pressed the intercom at the gate to Shimmer’s home. “What is it?” she growled after a moment. “Excuse me, Councilor Shimmer. I’m sorry to bother you this late, but I was running some routine checks and noticed that the the flow of magic to your home seems to be low. Were you having any problems?” The speaker crackled for a moment. “Is that you, Hooves?” “If you are having any trouble, I’d be happy to come in and see what I could do to fix it.” The intercom went silent for a moment before the door unlocked. He found the councilor sitting at a table in her main room. She reminded him a little of the other ponies he had met recently, looking ragged, worn, and like the station was imploding around her. “Good evening, Councilor Shimmer.” “Why in Tartarus are you here, Hooves?” she snarled. “I thought you were done once you delivered the groundling to us.” “Miss Heartstrings asked—” He cringed as her hooves slammed into the table, adding to the scratches and scuffs that already adorned it, but he continued, undeterred by her glare, “She asked me for a little help. Unfortunately, I’ve had trouble getting in contact with her and, when I went to visit her, I found that the entire building was being watched. I was hoping you might be able to tell me what was happening.” For a moment it looked like she might throw him out, but she deflated, her annoyance giving way to tired resignation. “Fine. What’s the worst that could happen at this point?” The story she told him was a little hard to believe, but it had the general shape of the truth. At the very least, it matched with the sequence of events as he’d seen them and the logic all followed. Sombra had never seemed like the pony to waste effort chasing something he wasn’t sure of, and, while Trixie was little more than a hammer he could easily swing in the direction of anything that annoyed him, using her just to disturb the peace and hunt down a random earth pony didn’t seem like something he would do, even as a distraction. “You really believe that stone was one of the Elements of Harmony?” Shimmer shrugged. “I don’t know, but Sombra seems to believe so, and that’s enough for me. I really can’t imagine this is all some clever ruse. The only thing it’d achieve is getting rid of me or Fancy or anypony else we could convince that were the better bet, and he has much more efficient ways of doing that. He has to believe in the stones.” Something between a sigh and a growl escaped her. “Besides, he’s apparently recruited Lyra to his side now, and, as of right this second, she probably knows more about the damn things than anypony in the Empire.” Hooves nodded. His understanding of the current council situation supported that as well. Of the thirteen councilors, at least eight were decidedly aligned with Sombra. Which left two against him in the form of Shimmer and Fancy Pants, and three unaccounted for. Any real opposition wouldn’t be too hard for him to silence and, eventually, remove. “It sounds like you’ve gotten yourself into quite an awkward situation.” With her horn flaring, Shimmer glared. “If you are not going to be helpful, then you can get out of my home, Hooves.” Even under the heat of her anger, his expression remained serene. “I didn’t say I wouldn’t help. I am just trying to assess the situation. Are you sure she’s joined him? I heard he’d asked to meet with her, but—” “No, I’m not. But she’s not answering any of my calls or messages either. Either she’s really upset with me or she’s not getting them.” “Given her building is under surveillance, I wouldn’t be shocked if her network connection was being filtered too. She hasn’t answered any of my messages either.” “Makes sense,” Shimmer said, snorting bitterly. “Everything’s going perfectly for that bastard right now. I’m losing Lyra, Fancy’s second-guessing himself, and I doubt that groundling’ll last long without Flash watching out for her.” Hooves frowned. “What happened to Flash?” “Oh, right. I didn’t mention that part, did I? Trixie jumped them on their way to the docks. Flash took the worst of it straight on.” She shook her head. “She blasted him through a railing and off a tier. He got lucky and managed to stabilize well enough to hit the next ramp down. Two broken legs, some fractured ribs, a concussion, and a shattered wing, but, hey, he’s alive. And completely out of commission.” “Did you report it?” “Of course not!” she snapped. “What am I supposed to say? He attacked the commander of the Council Guard to stop her from arresting some groundling? I barely have any support left in the council as is! I can’t afford to lose any more of it.” He watched the magic gathering around her horn carefully. “Easy, Shimmer.” “How am I supposed to take it easy, Hooves? The one pony I could count on in this damned station is hospitalized, the pony who knows the most about the Elements is schmoozing with Sombra, and the groundling I stupidly entrusted that Celestia-forsaken rock to is now on the far edges of the Empire without anypony watching her.” Magic continued to gather around her horn as she raged, her hoof slamming into the floor with a thunderous crack. Hooves edged back slightly. While he doubted she’d lash out magically because she was angry, the gap between “doubt” and “certainty” was large enough to warrant caution. “This isn’t like you, Shimmer.” “Of course it isn’t like me, you insufferable ass. I’m not having a very good time right now.” The magic around her horn faded into the air as she breathed out. “I underestimated Sombra, every bucking step of the way. I never should have supported his rise to the council.” “There are a lot of things you shouldn’t have done, Shimmer. Sombra may be a conniving snake, but you must admit, he is a lot better at making friends than you.” “Thank you for that,” Shimmer growled with narrowed eyes. “Are you done, Hooves? Or did you want to see how far you could push me before I report that you’re still on the station, contrary to the terms of your dismissal?” “I would like to help if I’m able.” “I thought the reason you left the guard was because you were sick of doing the Council’s dirty work.” “This is not for the Council. This is about protecting the Empire and helping the unfortunate ponies who’ve gotten tangled in your games.” He finally took his cap off, setting it on the table. “You should stop acting like you’re in this alone. Miss Melody seems to be quite an admirable pony. She refused to abandon her companion, she faced your challenge down without flinching, and she even accepted the burden of the Element knowing what it meant. That ‘groundling’ might be the strongest ally you have right now, Shimmer.” She opened her mouth to respond, but shut it quickly. “Maybe you’re right. It’s not like I can count on anypony else right now.” With her anger diminished, exhaustion seemed to finally be catching up with her. Rubbing her eyes, she continued, “Will you work with me too then, Hooves? I realize I’m only a marginal improvement over Sombra, but let’s agree I am at least that, and, moreover, that without help, Octavia is done.” “I think you’re underestimating her, Shimmer, but I do suppose there’s something to be said for a single pony facing everything the Council has to offer alone.” “That it’s a terrible idea? Yeah. And things are going to get really bad if Lyra talks. She knows where Octavia is right now, and I doubt she told me everything she knew about the Elements. We’re pretty much adrift if she sells us out.” Hooves nodded. “Let’s figure out what we can do, then. I’ll make coffee?” ~~~~~ Lyra sat uncomfortably in the corner of the room, a half-full glass of wine levitating in front of her mouth, watching as ponies grouped around the hall, chatting, eating, and drinking. A few society ponies, a few celebrities, and the majority of the council were all here for Councilor Crumble’s daughter’s recital-slash-cuteceañera. Sighing, she downed the rest of the glass. At least the wine was good. “Are you doing okay, Lyra?” Sombra asked, collecting his own glass from the bartender before taking a seat next to her. “More or less.” His little laugh captured his doubt, but he didn’t question her. “I appreciate you accepting my invitation. I have very little interest in affairs like this, but sometimes we must make sacrifices for the greater good, and when those times come, it is best to share the burden,” he said, flashing a smile at her before he took a deep drink. “I suppose that’s true.” She sighed and let the glass settle on the table. “Still, it’s so strange to see them again and have them...” she trailed off, unsure of how to finish the sentence. “Act like nothing happened?” “Yeah.” “That, Lyra, is the nature of politics in the Empire. One moment you have a boon companion, the next a traitor stabbing you in the back, and then, finally, somepony who has never met you and would gladly step over you on the way to their next payday. ” He drained the last of his glass, before he continued quietly, “A bunch of self-serving hypocrites who flaunt their power and position while doing nothing with it. The council in a nutshell.” Lyra stared at him as he shook his head, as if just realizing what he said. “I think, perhaps, I’ve had a little too much wine this evening,” he said with a slight smile, setting the glass on the table. “I trust you can keep that little breach of etiquette between us?” “Of course. Though I definitely think I agree with that assessment.” She smiled at him, before changing the subject. “Cookie’s daughter has a very lovely voice, doesn’t she? She already has so much stage presence and vocal control. She’ll probably be quite the starlet in a couple years.” The councilor snorted. “One would certainly hope. Cookie has done nothing at recent meetings but brag about the amount of money she’s been spending on coaches and instructors for her daughter. That filly is no doubt spoiled rotten.” “Yeah. You’d think she would have gotten it out of her system with her first foal.” Sombra tilted his head at her. “Cookie had a foal before Sweetie Belle?” “Yes...?” Lyra said, the statement becoming a question as Sombra’s questioning gaze penetrated her. “I… she did, right? Sweetie was her second. Her first was… Her name was…” The name had been on the tip of her tongue, but now it was gone, and, with it, the very last of her confidence. “No. No, that’s wrong. She only had one.” “Are you quite all right?” Lyra forced a laugh and a smile. “Yes. I must have just been mixing ponies up in my head. I think you aren’t the only one who’s had a little too much to drink.” That had to be it. She did feel a little lightheaded, after all, and Sombra had been insisting on having her glass refilled whenever it emptied. The look Sombra offered said that he didn’t believe her, but there was no chance for him to follow-up as one of Cookie’s guests interrupted. “Sombra, my friend! Oh, and is that Lyra Heartstrings as well?” Blueblood said, smiling that infuriatingly insincere smile of his. “What a wonderful surprise! I don’t think I ever expected to see you at an event like this again!” “I invited her to join me,” Sombra said before she could speak. “Ah,” the stallion mumbled, offering a tiny bow as his smile faltered. “Well, it is good to see you again, Lyra.” “You too, Blueblood,” she said without much grace. His curt nod and subtle shift towards Sombra indicated she was no longer part of the conversation. “Could we talk? Privately?” “Blueblood. Lyra is my guest and a former member of the Council. I’m sure we can trust her to exercise some discretion, yes?” “Don’t worry,” she said, smiling at Blueblood’s discomfort, “you can trust me.” Rolling his eyes, the stallion dropped his voice, “I believe I might finally be winning Fancy Pants over. He’ll still need a little convincing, but I think as long as we’re willing to work with him on a few fine points, we should be able to count on his support soon enough.” “I didn’t expect him to change his mind so quickly,” Sombra said. “I mean, I’m glad to hear that he’s starting to come around, but has something happened?” The prince shook his head. “I’m sure he’s just starting to understand that…” He hesitated, his eyes flicking over to Lyra for a moment before he continued, “That there are some ponies who are quite difficult to work with.” Sombra sighed. “You mean that he’s realizing that Shimmer is a self-absorbed and conniving mare who’s more interested in securing her own position in the Empire than ensuring its safety? I’m sure Lyra would appreciate it if you didn’t treat her like she was an idiot, Blueblood.” “Indeed. It isn’t like I’m completely unaware of what’s going on in the Empire,” she said, choosing to ignore the fact that, until the start of this week, she had been. Some combination of alcohol and bravado goaded her into continuing, “In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if I know a lot more than you think, Prince Blueblood.” Both stallions stared silently at her for a long moment, slowly cutting through her swell of confidence. Had she gone too far? The prince started to say something, but Sombra cut him off, “If you would excuse us, Blueblood? Please let Fancy Pants know that my door is always open for him.” Without another word, he nudged Lyra towards the door, speaking quietly, “Are you sure you’re all right?” Lyra frowned. “Yes. Why?” “Prince Blueblood?” “Yes? He might annoy me, but I can’t very well ignore the fact that he’s still Princess Celestia’s nephew, isn’t…” she trailed off slowly, her mouth going dry as she realized what she had been saying. He couldn’t be Princess Celestia’s nephew. Princess Celestia, had she even existed, had vanished thousands of years ago. She had met Blueblood’s family on several occasions. They were most definitely not Alicorns, or royalty, or anything of the sort, but, for just a moment, she was sure about what she’d said. Her breathing quickened as she became aware of the pounding of her heart in her chest. Maybe the memories – the visions, the hallucinations, the whatever they were – hadn’t stopped. Maybe she’d just stopped noticing them. She felt faint, like the world was quickly pulling away from her. How many times had her own thoughts betrayed her? “I… I think I need to go home.” Sombra nodded. “Come then, let me walk you back.” She shook her head violently and tried to step away, but a restraining hoof stopped her. “I insist, Lyra. It would be quite inappropriate for me to abandon my guest, particularly in such a state of distress. Let’s go.” ~~~~~ Octavia cringed as she opened her eyes, the dim light cutting through them and straight into her brain. “What happened?” she mumbled, struggling to get her hooves under her as her eyes adjusted and the pain faded. Just moving her half-numb legs proved difficult, but she still managed to stand and even take a tentative step forward. Aside from the pain in her head and a not insignificant bit of queasiness, she seemed to be in one piece. The air still smelled like rain, but the station itself had vanished, replaced by dirt, grass, and trees that eventually disappeared into a thick, dark mist. Between the trees she thought she could see pony-like shapes trotting from tree to tree, but they were faint and ephemeral, barely more than ripples in the air. After a moment of staring, she was convinced she must have simply imagined them. She was alone. A wave of nausea overtook her, the world spinning violently around her. She clenched her eyes shut, holding back bile that threatened to rise as everything around her twisted and turned. The sensation passed after a moment, leaving her standing in exactly the same place she had been when it started. She took a few deep breaths to calm herself before she shouted, “Vinyl? Are you here?” Her words died away without so much as an echo. Unsurprising, but unfortunate. Dropping to her haunches, she took another deep breath as she tried to think. What had happened? Where was she right now? This place reminded her of— An idea struck her. “Rainbow Dash?” A gale tore through the world around Octavia, the trees nearly bending double as the winds passed through her, blowing wildly in every direction. Somehow, despite its intensity, the wind seemed to simply course around her, barely even disturbing her mane and tail. The grey clouds above broke apart, a shimmering ring of rainbow light tearing through, bathing Octavia in a brilliant light that burned away the worst of the queasiness and disorientation that had threatened to overwhelm her just a moment ago. It may not have been her friend, but the azure blur that landed heavily beside her was still a welcome sight. “Well, it ain’t Ponyville,” Rainbow Dash said as the windstorm died away, “but it’s something!” Stretching her wings, she grinned. “What’d ya think? Do I know how to make an entrance or what?” “I had already been in Ponyville,” Octavia said, annoyance managing to overtake relief. Dreams had been one thing, but she did not appreciate being dragged here – wherever here was – while she was awake. “Where am I now?” “Sweet Apple Acres! Sorta. The orchard at least.” She sighed as she stared out into the misty distance, shadows passing over her as the clouds filled the hole her entrance had left. “Looks like we’re still pretty stuck, though.” “What are you talking about?” “Ever since whatever happened, I’ve been stuck up in that patch of sky. This is the first time I’ve been able to leave and I dunno if it’s just wishful thinking or some weird element thing, but I’m sure AJ’s somewhere nearby.” Octavia’s eyes flicked to the side as she was sure something had moved, but there was still nothing there except for the trees and the distant mist. “And what does all that mean?” “I dunno. But she’s the Element of Honesty, so maybe it means that’s somewhere near you?” Octavia stood up, wavering slightly. She hadn’t noticed it before, but her ears were ringing. “Well, thank you very much for the update. It is nice to know we may not have wasted our time coming all the way out here. Could you send me back now? I really do not think I was sleeping this time.” “Huh? I don’t bring you here, Octy.” Octavia frowned. “What?” Rainbow Dash shrugged. “You just show up and leave on your own. I thought, like, Luna was helping you get here or something.” “Luna? As in… no, nevermind. That is not what is important right now.” She started walking across the orchard, hoping movement would help her think. “I need to find a way to leave.” Rainbow Dash trotted alongside her. “What’s wrong?” “Aside from the fact that I might be facedown and unconscious in a freezing puddle somewhere right now? This is different than the other times I spoke with you. I feel sick, and I keep thinking I see other ponies out there in the trees.” “I doubt it,” she said, glancing out at the trees. “I haven’t seen another pony in… forever.” Octavia gritted her teeth as she increased her pace. The nausea was already coming back, and the ringing in her ears was not helping her head feel better. “You said this isn’t Ponyville, but that it was something. Does that mean Ponyville is somewhere near here?” “Yeah! You’re walking right towards it right now.” She actually took to the air to keep up with Octavia. “But we’re going to get stuck before we can actually reach it, you know? That fog? Impossible to get through. Same bull that kept me stuck up in the clouds.” “We will see when we get there.”