The sun sank into the west horizon. The Nymphian army watched as the Elevens walked away. Among the group, Sirocco looked back at Prince Xirex's base, confusion clear as day in her aquamarine eyes. She wasn't the only one confused; one vesper was confused and indignant.
Crescent asked hotly, "Why the buck are we letting the Elevens go? What about the poison gas they've stolen?"
"But it's by order of Prince Xirex."
"What about Acadis? Get the general staff on the line." He commanded.
"They're not at their posts, sir."
Crescent exclaimed, "Are you telling me Prince Xirex is alone on the con?!"
Stryker cast an anti-magic barrier as he lifted his forehoof to reveal a hoof-strap gun. He pointed it at Xirex's head.
Confused yet scared for his life, Xirex said in a cheery manner, "I'm overjoyed, Stryker. They said you died when Japone was brought into the fold. What a blessing to have you back. We should depart for the homeland immediately."
Stryker narrowed his rage-filled eyes. He gagged at the overly joyful front his cousin was trying to convey, even through his emotions. Gritting his teeth, he asked acidly, "So you can use me as a tool of diplomacy? It seems you've forgotten why we were used as tools in the first place."
Xirex flinched. Stryker said contemptly, "That's right. It was because my father was killed. Father held the title of knight of honor but was a commoner by birth. No doubt the other imperial royals held him in contempt. Even though you made it look like the work of terrorists, I'm no fool." Stryker felt his rage boil. "You damned royals killed my father, your own family!"
He began to pull the trigger, but Xirex pleaded, "It wasn't me. I swear to you it wasn't!"
Stryker relaxed his grip on the trigger a little, but he didn't drop his hoof. "Then tell me everything you know. The truth cannot be hidden from me any longer."
As his left eye took on his new power's form, he asked Xirex in a calm voice, "By whose hoof was he slain?!"
Xirex answered as red tinged his yellow reflection-less eyes, "My adopted sister, second princess Eclipse, and your sister, third princess Chrysalis, they can tell you."
"They were at the heart of this?" Stryker asked in disbelief. 'Eclipse I can see somewhat, but Chrysalis as well...?' Xirex opened his muzzle but promptly shut it. Stryker sighed. "That's all that you know, isn't it?"
The red disappeared from both their eyes. Xirex blinked and remembered again that a gun was pointed at him. "I swear it wasn't me! I had nothing to do with it!"
Stryker began to lower his forehoof. "I believe you."
Xirex nearly breathed a sigh of relief before Stryker raised it again. "However-"
"Please, you can't! We may have our differences, but you and I are still blood! Didn't you just accuse me of murdering your father?!" Xirex chittered fearfully.
Stryker narrowed his eyes. "-You can't change the world without getting your hooves dirty."
He pulled the trigger.
"Wake up Stryker! I know you were sleeping. Your hooves stopped moving, and your magic fizzed out!" Raincloud hit Stryker's head with a wing with every word.
Stryker rubbed his head. "Well, you don't have to beat me up over it, do you?"
Fallout laughed. "Ha, serves you right for ditching me like that."
Amber piped in. "That's right. What was up with you yesterday? And what'd you do to pop your wing out of place like that?" She raised an eyebrow at Stryker.
Stryker's mind drew a blank. "Um, uh well..."
"That's enough, you guys. Let's not get side tracked here. If we don't come up with a fix for the club activities budget, there won't be money left for anything at all." Raincloud directed the conversation away.
Stryker visibly relaxed. 'Thanks Prez.' He did admonish himself though. 'What type of changeling are you if you can't come up with a good excuse?! Good thing you had your emotion guard up, or anyling could've sensed your nervousness!'
Another council member, a young changeling queen with a seaweed green mane and ocean-blue eyes, commented, "And if it comes to that point..."
Fallout continued, "The track club will be pissed. We don't want 'em stampeding in here."
Raincloud facehooved. "Fallout, can't you be a more serious student council member?"
Amber pointed out, "You know, it would have been nice of you if you would have reminded us about this mess a day ago."
"I would have to say a day later. Then we would've given up." Fallout said as he leaned back in his chair.
Stryker grinned. "Good idea. We can still do that."
"GUTS!" Raincloud yelled. Everyone winced at her volume.
Fallout cleared his ears and blinked. "Are you trying that guts 'spell' again, Prez?"
"Yeah, I want you ponies and changelings to start putting your all into this."
Stryker deadpanned. "I really don't think that your 'magic' is gonna do a whole lot."
"Actually it's got me going, Madam President." Amber played along.
Raincloud nodded. "Supple and willing, that's what I like."
"I train hard in the gymnastics club!" Amber boasted, assuming that was what she meant.
"Sure, let's go with that." Raincloud giggled.
Amber tilted her head. "Huh?"
"Ohh... Eww, our president's just plain dirty sometimes. And she says Fallout should be a more serious council member! Sullying the meeting with her filthy jokes." Amber gagged as she walked into homeroom.
Stryker chuckled. "You finally found out what she meant?"
Amber stuck her tongue out. "Some of us don't have emotion sensing abilities, Mister Gambler. How could I know that she was making a dirty joke at that time? Right, Shadow?"
Shadow Aura, the only other changeling at the council, smiled a little. "Yeah well, that's Raincloud for you. Makes demands for us to follow, but easily goes back on them herself."
Fallout commented, "Look on the bright side. We got the budget balanced, didn't we?"
"They used poison gas?"
"Dang, that's freaky."
"Shineighku's only thirty minutes from here."
"Oh my god! I saw smoke rising over in Shineighku, it must have been the gas!"
"Are they saying anything else about it?"
Everyling and pony crowded around the computer at the news. The council members hung back.
"Shineighku?" Amber questioned as she looked at the others.
"I heard about it in real time from a friend. That's why I called you yesterday." Stryker said.
"Hey, check out the footage of those dead Elevens."
"Oh! Don't look at that!"
Stryker looked at the news as it broadcasted the report. 'This is strange. Why would they cover it up?'
Then he thought of Xirex. He quickly grew nauseous and covered his mouth with a hoof. The same hoof that he'd killed Xirex with, he realized.
Stryker turned off the faucet. Feeling less nauseous, he pondered over the circumstance, 'Are they hiding Xirex's death to fend off anarchy? But if that's the case, when they finally do announce it...' He smiled to himself as he stared at his reflection. 'Hmph, I guess that I'm not as tough as I thought I was.'
Elsewhere...
"That ex-civil servant is such a fool." Crescent scoffed as the carriage went through the gate.
The mare who's Knight-Mare was taken by Stryker sat next to him in the carriage. She raised an eyebrow. "So, are you referring to Acadis?"
"The killer has breached our heaviest security twice already, Ember. This perfunctory inspection is a farce." He said disdainfully.
"Margrave Crescent, now that Prince Xirex is out of the way, we purebloods can-"
Crescent lifted a hoof to interrupt her. "Let me make that call. We still need to woo everyone over. After all-" He shot a toothy grin at her. "we don't need an assassin going after us now, right?"
Stryker walked back into class to find many of the mares and nymphs in a group. He realized that they'd crowded themselves around another mare.
One with a black and light-blue mane and a dark-gray coat.
"Sirocco! It's been ages!"
"Are you all right? Silen's been worried sick all this time."
"You're okay though, right?"
The mare answered in a subdued tone, "Yeah, I just have to go easy for a little while."
'Of course. That's why she's so familiar.' Stryker realized as he thought back to Shineighku. He sat down at his seat and continued to stare at Sirocco with narrowed eyes.
"Anyway, if I stay home any longer I'll never catch up." Sirocco said to her friends.
Fallout popped up next to Stryker with a smile. "What's up, buddy? See something you like? You've got a thing for her, don't ya'?!"
His comment didn't reach Sirocco's ears, but Amber glanced in Stryker's direction briefly.
The comment didn't have its desired reaction. Stryker simply shrugged and answered coolly, "Just thinking this a rare event. She hasn't been here at school since this whole term started."
"Sirocco Eventide. They say she's sick or somethin', and she barely showed up at school last year either. Still, her grades are at the top of the class. And she's a member of the Flash family, which means she's well-bred and rolling in money. Dang, you sure know how to pick 'em."
Stryker shook his head. "It's not like that."
"Ah, you don't have to hide it. A touch too sheltered though, if you ask me." Fallout said as he patted Stryker's shoulder with a hoof.
Sirocco was having lunch with her friends. Staying quiet, she mostly listened to their idle gossip. Then, they started to freak out over a bee.
"Aaaaah! There's a bee! A bee!"
As it flew around Siroco, one of the mares exclaimed, "Oh my God. Sirocco, run!"
"Hurry up and run!" All the girls ran off, leaving Sirocco alone.
Sirocco started to back away towards a bush. The bee still followed her though. She frowned.
'I don't get it, why is a bee after me? Hmm... I wonder if there's a hive nearby...'
As it flew around her head, she grew frustrated and used a wing to swat it. The bee fell to the ground dead. "God, I hate this! I'm sick of acting like a freakin' invalid!" She took a bite out of the sandwich she was still holding.
Then, she realized that Stryker standing not far away and staring at her. 'Crap, he saw me...'
He narrowed his eyes. 'There's no question, it's her.'
"Can I help you or something?" She asked cautiously.
Stryker blinked, and when his eyes opened, his left one was red. "I want answers."
Sirocco grew stiff, and her eyes developed a red tinge. "Of course."
"Were you the one piloting the Glasgow in Shineighku?"
"Yes." She nodded.
"Why terrorism?" Stryker asked, confused on that part.
"Because I'm Japonese. Though technically I'm half Nymphian." She answered.
"Half blood? ...But why go so far?" He asked.
While their exchange was taking place, Amber was walking down the hall on the second floor. She stopped outside the window when she saw Sirocco and Stryker talking. "Huh?"
"Um, did you want something?" Sirocco asked as the red faded from her eyes.
Stryker turned and began to walk away. "No. I got what I wanted here." He stopped and turned back as he remembered. "Oh, wait. Just to be sure." He activated the power again. "Don't tell anyone about Shineighku."
Sirocco frowned. "What do you mean, about Shineighku? Why would you say that?"
His eyes widened in confusion. He tried to use it again. "Go back to class."
"As soon as I get an answer to my question, I will." Sirocco retorted. Stryker could feel her suspicion.
'It's not working? What's going on here?'
Sirocco narrowed her eyes at him as he tried to back away.
Luckily, Amber decided to call them in at that point. "Hey, Ry-Ry! Sirocco!" The both of them looked up at her. "You know it's time to head over to the chem lab! You'd better get a move on!"
Stryker saw his chance to go. "Oh crap, it's my turn to set up for class!"
He galloped towards the school doors quickly. 'It didn't work? But...'
That evening...
"Well, what shall we do? He may be late again this evening." A denim-blue colored unicorn with cerulean-blue eyes and a black mane and tail asked the changeling across from her as she used her magic to make origami.
The changeling, a young amethyst-maned nymph who's eyes remained closed, shifted her two back bionic legs. "I'll wait. He said that we'd have dinner together tonight."
The unicorn finished folding the paper and held out a crane to the young nymph. "There now. This one's finished."
The nymph used her hooves to feel around the paper crane. "Ah, a bird?"
The unicorn smiled. "Yes, it's a crane."
"Amazing! The Equestrians are so skillful..."
The nymph's ears perked up, and she turned her head towards the door.
"Lady Moth?" The unicorn asked. The door then opened as Stryker walked in.
"I'm sorry I'm so late." He said.
"Hi, Stryker! Welcome home." Moth chirped to her brother with a cute fanged smile on her face.
The unicorn dipped her head. "Yes, welcome home, my lord."
Stryker smiled. "No place like it, Raven Feather. Right, Moth?"
General Acadis walked into a room of researchers. Everyone looked up at him.
He grimaced and sighed, "As you know full well, the project was a complete failure. Therefore this research division is being gutted."
One member called, "Wha...? Yes, but-!"
Acadis didn't let them finish. "I've set up a place in Nareina for you. Move everything out there. ...While we may have no memory of it, the fact is the other staff officers and I left Prince Xirex on his own. I'm gonna be called out for this back in the homeland. When that happens, if His Majesty learns this experiment's got on without his knowledge, I..."
He stopped there, not willing to go further. The changeling researchers all felt the fear of the general and of everyone around them. It was like a cloud of dread had descended upon them.
One member confirmed, "Understood, sir. We'll start prepping immediately."
At the dinner table, Moth chattered away. "Miss Raven was just teaching me about the art of origami. Fold a piece of paper the correct way, and you can make birds, frogs, almost anything."
She talked so much that her soup began slipping down her chin.
Stryker noticed and used his magic to wipe the soup away. "Easy there. You don't have to tell me everything all at once, you know? It's not like I'm going anywhere."
"Yeah, you're right. Thank you."
"You're very welcome."
"I'm so happy, 'cause last night you scared me a little."
Stryker's eyes widened slightly. 'I should know better than to let my emotions run rampant when around Moth, especially after yesterday.'
"Did I? Sorry. I just have a lot on my mind, that's all." He said, his thoughts going back to the day before. He snapped back to the present as he heard his sister's voice though.
"Hey, they say if you fold a thousand of these cranes, your wish'll come true. So if there's anything at all that you've been wishing for...?"
Stryker shook his head, knowing his sister couldn't see him do so. "No, not really. What about you? Do you wish for anything?"
"Well... I wish the world was a gentler place..." She said wistfully, her smile fading a little.
"When the day finally comes that you can see again, I'm sure that it will be." Stryker assured.
"Really?" Moth asked, her cute fanged smile coming back.
"I promise." Stryker placed a hoof on his sister's.
Stryker thought to himself, 'After all, there are very few paths our future can take. The Tempus family is sheltering us for now, but for how long can that last? If our identity is exposed, even Fallout, Amber, and the others will abandon us. We'll end up political tools, or casualty of royal ambition. I have to build a world where Moth can at least find happiness.'
"Huh?" Stryker exclaimed as Moth's magic began to move his hoof in an odd movement. He noticed she was doing the same movement with her own hoof.
"Raven taught me this the other day. It's called a Pinkie promise. Cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye- Oops!" She released her magic when Stryker's hoof met his eye, and he yelped. Sensing his irritation, she smiled cheekily. "Hehe... For if you lie."
Stryker let his irritation dissipate and chuckled. "Well that's scary. I may have to stick a sugary cupcake in my eye someday."
"That's right. And Raven told me there was also a second drawback if you go back on it; she wasn't really specific about it though. ...So I'd better not catch you telling lies, okay?"
"Don't you worry. I'll never lie, I swear."
'Not to you anyway.' He added silently.
Elsewhere, a certain pink pony suddenly yelled out, "Foreevveerrr!"
The white unicorn beside her stopped and looked at her weirdly. The pink earth pony shrugged. "Someone just made a Pinkie promise."
Then, she felt her entire body shake uncontrollably. "Woah... Huh? Wonder what the doozy is this time? Woahhh..."
Stryker stared into the school fountain at his reflection. He activated his power and looked at it in the rippling water. 'This is the only weapon I have that'll prove effective. And I don't even know how to use it.' His left eye returned to normal.
"Stryker! Class will be starting in a minute, you know." A passing teacher called out to him.
"Oh, yes sir." He activated his power as their eyes met. "Um, sir? What are the topics going to be for the essays on your next exam?"
The teacher stopped and answered, "The humiliation of Reindinborough, the transfer of the capital, and north and south war topics."
'So, I haven't lost the power, then.' He thought as his eye turned back to blue. The teacher snapped out of his stupor as well.
"Sir?" The teacher locked his gaze on Stryker. He reactivated the power. "What exactly are the topics going to be for the essays on your next exam?"
The teacher walked past him. "Right, very funny. Maybe you should try studying, huh? Just apply yourself, you'll do fine."
"Yes, sir!" Stryker called out. He grimaced. 'As I suspected, I can only use it on a creature once.'
Sirocco stood on the school's roof, leaned against the railing with her phone latched on her ear. She heard Rough Boulder's voice through it.
"So, how's campus life treating you?"
"Stifling." She answered. "I was stuck in history class yesterday. Look, maybe I should just head back."
"The army's on a high alert right now. Stay there, and let things cool off."
Sirocco said uncertainly, "I don't know. What about the voice on the radio?"
"Can't go looking for a voice. Besides, Aurora would be happy to see you back in school. Forget about Shineighku for now. I'll be in touch." He hung up.
'Shineighku...I guess he's right, but...'
'"Don't tell anyone about Shineighku."' Her eyes widened as she remembered Stryker telling her that. 'No, it couldn't have been his voice.'
Sirocco kept an eye on Stryker as they went through classes.
Stryker stood from his chair to deliver his report. "The aristocracy was highly educated, with such an emphasis on edification and training, they produced a superior breed of ruler. And secondly, they possessed heightened efficiency, since only a small number of the very best were carefully chosen from their ranks..."
She debated with herself. 'It could be... no, I can't remember well enough to be sure.'
When Stryker sat down, he glanced back at Sirocco, who looked down in time. It didn't matter, for any changeling could sense the suspicion that emanated from her, though they wouldn't know who it was directed at. Stryker narrowed his eyes. 'All I did was simply mention Shineighku, but...'
'If he knows who I really am, then...'
'At the first opportunity...'
'I need to take care of him.' Sirocco narrowed her eyes.
General Acadis sat by Prince Xirex's coffin as it was transported. He talked with a researcher through the hivemind. "And the research center?"
"Transferred to Nareina last night."
"Right then." He cut off the communication link.
"I pray you forgive me, Your Highness." He said with a sigh, his eyes closed.
"Hey Ry-Ry, you coming along?" Amber asked as Stryker packed his bags.
"Sorry, maybe some other time." He said before making his way over to Sirocco.
"Yeah, I thought so."
"You've gotta go straight home then, huh?"
"What do you have, a curfew?"
The girls all looked up as Stryker walked over. "What's up?" One of them asked. Stryker locked eyes with Sirocco.
"You think that you could spare a minute? I need to talk to you." All the girls blinked in confusion and looked between the two. Even Amber looked towards Stryker in confusion.
"Sure." She said curtly. "I was wondering when you were gonna ask."
The nymphs of the group were confused at the tension between the two, but on the opposite spectrum, the mares thought there was something between the two. As such, they giggled amongst themselves.
"I hope you can see how determined we are now." A voice said through an intercom.
Acadis's eyes widened as the transport was surrounded by Knight-Mares. "But I've already told you!"
The top was ripped off by the lead Sutherland, and the hatch opened to reveal Crescent Blade. He glared at Acadis. "That you don't remember? Still cling to that ridiculous excuse?"
"Just ask the others! They'll testify that-"
Crescent growled, "Ducking the blame? You're pathetic! You shan't remain at His Royal Highness's side another minute!"
"I didn't even know this room existed." Sirocco said as she and Stryker stopped.
"It's the clubhouse for the student council. They built it as a ballroom for various special occasions."
She narrowed her eyes at him. "And we won't be disturbed inside here?"
"Yes, that's correct." He inclined his head slightly.
"Here it is! I found it! Look! This is it, right?" Both of them turned towards the staircase where Amber had popped up over the railing, holding a chip in her mouth.
Shadow Aura appeared as well, taking the chip in her green aura. "What a relief you found our lab data."
Fallout exclaimed, "Good. My ass is killing me from stooping that low."
The doors opened, and Raincloud walked in with a cart full of food.
"Were you able to find it? I finished up on my end. Shall we dig in?" She asked.
"Wow!" Fallout exclaimed, drooling a little.
"Way to go, Raincloud!" Amber clapped her hooves together midair.
Raincloud smirked. "You adore me, I know."
Stryker finally found his voice as he asked, "Um, what is all of this?"
"Stryker, don't you know? I thought that's why you brought her. We're inducting Sirocco into the student council. It was my grandfather's idea, actually." Raincloud stated as the others rushed down.
Stryker blinked. "The principal's?"
"He thought it best, with her poor health she'd have a harder time with regular club activities." She explained. She turned to Sirocco. "Oh, I'm Raincloud Tempus, the president of the council. Nice to meet you!"
"Oh, thank you, the pleasure's all mine." Shock still had its grip on her apparently.
"I'm Fallout Shieldhunter, the secretary. If there's anything you need to help with, I'm your stallion!"
"Hi, I'm Amber Breeze. And I'm a member of the swim club. Welcome."
"Hi there, my name's Shadow Aura, but you can call me Shadow for short."
"It's nice to meet all of you." Sirocco said. Then, the door opened again, and this time, Moth wobbled in, a tray of cookies in her magical grasp. Sirocco stared curiously at Moth and her bionic hindlegs.
"Amber, I'm sorry but, do you think you could set these on the table for me?" Moth asked before bumping into a table. She fell back onto her rump and rubbed her muzzle. "Ow." Luckily, her magic didn't falter.
"Oh, are you okay?" Amber asked, rushing over to help Moth up before Stryker could take a step.
"Yeah, I'm good, could you still take these?" She levitated the cookie tray over to Amber as she stood.
"Sure, thanks, Moth."
"Moth, what're you doing here?" Stryker asked.
Seeing the confusion on Sirocco's face, Raincloud explained. "This is Stryker's sister, Moth Surveil."
"I'm still in the middle school group, so I can't be on the council yet." Moth said.
"That's alright. You're an honorary member in our book." Fallout said.
Moth smiled. "Hello there, it's a pleasure to meet you, Sirocco."
Smiling back, Sirocco answered, "Thank you. You as well."
"Right. Shall we kick this off with a toast?" Fallout asked, raising a bottle onto the table.
"Champagne?" Amber said uncertainly.
"Yeah, but we're on the student council, we really shouldn't..." Shadow Aura said.
Fallout waved it off with a hoof and tried to unscrew the cork. "Oh, come on! Loosen up, you guys! It's just sparkling cider anyway."
Amber tried grabbing the bottle. "You swear? Let me see that bottle." Fallout moved it out of her grasp just as she tried to take it. "We're gonna get in trouble otherwise!"
Moth tilted her head. "What's going on?"
Raincloud gave Moth a glass of apple juice. "Here, Moth."
As Amber tried in vain to get the bottle, Fallout tossed it. "Stryker! Heads up!"
Stryker caught it in his hooves. Amber turned to him and started to grab for the bottle.
"Ah, you aren't getting away with it either, Ry-Ry... Let me see that bottle!"
As she made a swing for the bottle, she knocked herself and Stryker down, causing the bottle's cork to pop out towards Sirocco. Sirocco deflected the cork with a quick wing, but the cider rained down on her head. Stryker and Amber looked at Sirocco, then the bottle, as they processed what just happened. "Uhh..."
Tilting her head, Moth asked, "What just happened?"
Raincloud asked, "We have a uniform for her, right? Any at all?"
"Raven's on it." Amber replied.
Sirocco washed her mane out in the shower. "This is why I hate Nymphians." She muttered. Her ears perked up as they heard a knock on the door.
"It's Stryker. I've brought you a temporary uniform."
"You can come in." She said.
Walking in with a uniform in his aura, Stryker chuckled. "Sorry about all this. I know they can be a little over the top."
"That's okay. Nothing wrong with cutting loose every once in a while, you know?"
Stryker placed the clothes down. "This is one of my uniforms. Hope that's okay."
"It's cool. Don't worry about it. ...That was fast. You went all the way to the boys' dorm?" She asked curiously.
"Actually, I live here." Sirocco paused at that. "It'd be pretty hard for my sister to live off in the dorms. The principal of the school lets us stay here as a favor."
"I see..."
Stryker began to turn around. "Anyway..."
"Hey, wait!" Stryker stopped. Sirocco pointed with a hoof from behind the curtain. "Can you hand me that pouch over there?"
"Sure." He tried to pick it up in his magic. When it failed, he asked, "Anti-magic protection?"
"Yeah, after all, wouldn't want just anyone to walk off with it." She said.
"True." Stryker said, picking it up instead with a hoof. As he passed it to Sirocco, she grabbed his hoof, making the pouch drop.
"...You really are a live-wire, aren't you?" He asked as she used her other hoof to pick up the pouch.
"Were you the one in Shineighku?" She asked him.
"What do you mean?"
"Don't play dumb. You brought up Shineighku the other day... Why?"
"Why do you ask? Is there something wrong with Shineighku?"
"Don't answer my question with a question! Yes or no, that's all I wanna hear out of you." A blade slid out from the side of the pouch.
The phone rang in that moment. The both of them froze.
"If I don't answer it, someone will come. That okay?" Satisfied with the silent response, he used his magic to pick up the phone.
"Hello? Tempus Academy Student Council. ...No, this is- Oh, it's for you." He said, passing it to Sirocco, who gazed at it in bewilderment. "He says he knows you."
Sirocco reluctantly put down the pouch to hold the phone. "Hello?"
"Glad you're still alive, Q1." A voice said from the other end. Sirocco's eyes widened. She looked at Stryker from behind the curtain.
'Was I wrong?'
"16:00, the day after tomorrow. The observation deck at Trotyo Tower. Come alone."
Sirocco yelled into the phone, "Who are you? How did you arrange that cease-fire order?" The line went dead. "Hey, don't hang up!"
"Did you say cease-fire? Sounds like you keep dangerous company." She froze as Stryker commented.
"Oh, um, that was..." She fumbled.
"Let me guess... You're talking about a game? Something online or perhaps a board game?" Stryker asked.
Relieved, she said, "Yeah, you got me. 'Cause, you know, I've been shut up in my house for so long..." She let Stryker's hoof go.
He brushed off water droplets from his sleeve. "That's what I was warning you about, when I told you not to bring up Shineighku before. Seriously, some guys will try to show you footage of what happened that day and it's pretty damn grim." He began to walk away. "Well, later."
Sirocco sighed. 'I was wrong...'
Stryker held up a recorder to Raven. "Glad you're still alive, Q1."
He walked out as Raven came to. "Huh?"
As they walked down the hall, Stryker explained to Sirocco what it was like in the student council. "The council doesn't require much actual work, I guess. Beyond the occasional paperwork, we'll sometimes plan school events."
"So you mean like the cultural festival?" Sirocco asked.
"Yep, like that, along with the cross-dressers' ball, the absolute silence party and medival day." He said with a chuckle.
"What's up with that?" Sirocco asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Blame our president. You'll be spending a lot of time with her. Hope you're ready." He said as they walked into the student council clubhouse.
"Stryker, it's awful." Moth exclaimed.
"What is?" He asked.
"Prince Xirex has been found dead." Raincloud said.
"They're saying he was killed." Fallout added.
Stryker turned his attention to the TV, where Margrave Crescent Blade was proclaiming a speech.
"Prince Xirex has been taken from us. He fought for peace and justice against all of the Elevens. He died a martyr. We must all bury our sorrow, and carry on his will."
The TV suddenly switched over to a scene of many armed Knight-Mares and soldiers walking a prisoner away from a truck. "We interrupt this broadcast with breaking news. The pony suspected as the murderer has been captured. According to this report, the suspect is an honorary Nymphian." The camera zoomed in to see the face of the pony. Stryker's eyes widened. "Private Greymane, a former Eleven and honorary Nymphian. I repeat, Greymane arrested for murder."
He gritted his teeth. 'Shouldn't I be happy at this news? Greymane's still alive. But why is he being arrested in my place? I have to save him, even I if I have to step up my plans.'