The brisk chill of the desert morning just before the sunrise was the only time Shade found the temperature a little too low for his liking. As the morning sunbeams crept over the horizon, the dawning light reflected dimly off the gold-varnished letters set firmly in the stone blocks of the bank. Unfortunately, even the finest gold plating couldn’t prevent the inevitable decay by the passage of time. The covered passages and plazas offered protection from the rain, wind, and sand, but not time. Frowning at the slivers of stone showing between the cracks, Shade reminded himself to get the sign redone.
The massive double doors parted for Shade and he strode into his bank—his kingdom. Nodding to the security ponies stationed at either side, he made his way quickly across the polished marble floor to his office in the upper rear of the bank. The numerous ponies making deposits and withdrawals paid little attention to him as his hooves clacked across the cold floor.
Passing another set of doors, a pair of guards, his secretary, and finally a flight of stairs, he settled into his office. He furnished himself with a few sugar-coated, dried fruits for breakfast from a tray and sunk into his red velvet chair. A flick of his horn added a few logs to the already crackling fire in the fireplace to fight off the morning chill. Comfortable, he rang the little bell at his desk and waited for his scheduled appointments.
Business as usual. At least to the casual eye.
A few moments later, a grey unicorn pony with an unkempt mane and a white lab coat stumbled into his office. Shade looked up from his plate and placed the half-eaten pear down upon it. Chewing purposefully, he swallowed and indicated to a chair waiting on the other side of his desk. Clearing his throat, he smiled, which earned him a gulp from the pony across from him.
“Doctor Fermi, how good of you to join me this morning. I trust my guards didn’t give you any trouble?” He started with a little pep in his voice, but as the question ended, his voice deepened to a threatening tone.
Stuttering unintelligible words, the doctor nodded rapidly and wrung his hooves together.
Satisfied with the wordless response, Shade continued. “As you should be aware, I offered you a loan of two-thousand bits to conduct research and development on a new restraining system for unruly prisoners.” Shade looked away and levitated a bottle of sparkling water to his desk. Pouring himself a glass, he continued. “It’s most unfortunate. It seems ponies are growing more discontent with each passing day, and the bank will do its part to keep them in line.”
“Oh...yes...of course,” Fermi muttered and scratched at his mane. His eyes darted around the room as if expecting an attack at any moment.
Shade ignored the doctor’s antics and took a sip of his water. “Part of our mutual agreement included the demonstration of a prototype. In short, the bank—that is, I—am here to collect.”
“Ah, yes... well...” Fermi shifted in his seat and bit his lower lip. “It’s...it’s not exactly a prototype. It’s more of a proof-of-concept still...I thought I had more time, you see.” The pony swallowed hard and smiled.
Shade smiled back and fought the urge to roll his eyes. Pitiful. He leaned back in his chair and rested his rear-hooves upon the fine oaken desk separating him from the doctor. Sighing wearily, he cracked his shoulders and gestured to his desk with a forehoof. “Well, show me what you have. Depending on how it performs, I may chose to be lenient with your breach of contract.”
Nodding wordlessly, Fermi shakily reached into his lab coat and dropped a thick metal cone onto Shade’s desk. The object thudded against the wood and left an uncomfortable echo in the room which seemed to only increase the jumpiness of the doctor.
Shade narrowed his eyes at the object and flicked it with his rear hoof as he righted himself in his chair. The cone toppled over and rolled to one side, resting against his plate of caramelized fruits. Straightening up, he crossed his hooves across the table and stared at the doctor. “It looks exactly like the current model.”
“Of course!” Fermi exclaimed as if it was some sort of foregone conclusion. “It’s what it does that makes it different.” Gingerly, he levitated the cone up into the air and presented the interior to Shade. “Please, have a look.” He beckoned and moved it closer.
Shade raised an eyebrow but obliged. He was more surprised by the sudden loss of nervousness, but decided it probably had something to do with a certain level of “mad-scientist” pride. The interior of the cone looked identical to the last. The only difference was the inclusion of grooves curling from the base up to the tip, a change from the previously smooth interior.
“What exactly am I looking for here?” he hissed and pushed the object away from his eye with a hoof.
“The feedback system!”
“Feedback?”
“Yes! That’s what makes it so amazing!” the doctor exclaimed, leaping up from his chair.
Shade coughed. “Doctor, do you mind? This is a place of business. I don’t need your outbursts.”
“Apologies, Mr. Regent,” the doctor mumbled.
Nodding, Shade ripped the cone from the doctor’s magical grasp and inspected it closer. “I don’t see how it works. Perhaps a demonstration is in order.”
“Fantastic! Let me just get my assist—”
“No. I think this will work just fine.” Shade dropped the cone squarely upon the doctor’s horn and locked it in place with his magic. He noted the locking mechanism was the same as previous models.
“M-mr. Regent?” The doctor stumbled upon his words as grasped at the cone locked upon his horn with his hooves. “I need my horn to work. How will I pay you back if I can’t finish my work?”
Shade smiled and got up from his seat. He crossed the gap between him and the doctor and admired the metal cone locked firmly upon the gray horn. “I will remove it when you demonstrate exactly how it works. I don’t want a demonstration with an assistant where you have the chance to alter its behavior with magic.” He trailed his forehoof against the metal and found it warm to the touch. “No, it has to be you, my good doctor. Do you understand?”
Fermi mumbled and lowered his head.
“Good.” Shade smiled and ruffled the doctor’s mane with his hoof. “Now, get on with it. I’m a busy pony, and I don’t have time for your antics.”
Catching the obvious implications, Fermi sighed and glanced around the room. Spotting a book, he pointed at it with his hoof. “Normally, lifting an object such as a book takes very little effort.” Taking a deep breath, he focused his magic. The tell-tale sparkling of magical energy being concentrated in the air echoed in the room, but the book didn’t move. After a few seconds, he collapsed into the chair, wincing in pain.
“Just like that,” he gasped. “No magic.”
“You’re going to have to do better than that, my dear doctor. I’m already well aware of what the current suppression cones do. I’m hardly impressed. How about something more applicable? Try to blast that potted plant.” Shade swung his forehoof out and pointed at a perfectly innocent potted plant in the corner.
“Please, Mr. Regent! The feedback system isn’t designed to allow any sort of offensive magic. Just concenating that much power alone—”
The smacking sound of hoof upon flesh filled the room. Shade growled and leaned down close to the doctor. “Listen here, my good doctor,” Shade sneered, “I didn’t invest in your little venture so you can stop foals from lifting the cookie jar off the high shelf. I want to see it in an actual combat situation. And if you aren’t willing to demonstrate, I’m happy to impound your lab, your equipment, your home, and figure it out for myself.”
Reeling from the strike, Fermi covered his face and cowered behind the chair. His voice cracked and wavered. “I-I haven’t tested how the device responds in a combat situation. I’m still in the proof-of-concept stage.”
“I see.” Shade lifted a file up from a nearby cabinet and floated it in front of the doctor. “I do say it’s time to advance to the next stage of development. Whether it’s going to be a team led by Doctor Fermi or Shade Regent is up to you.”
Glowering, Fermi raised his head and pointed his horn at the potted plant. “Don’t threaten my life’s work.”
“Don’t give me a reason to,” Shade responded curtly. “Proceed.”
Sputtering with wordless rage, Fermi focused his magic toward the potted plant in the corner. As the magic reached a condensed mass, he fired. The cone caught the energy as expected and clattered off his horn with a loud bang. He crumpled to the floor in pain, his eyes spinning.
Shade smirked and kicked the hot metal cone into Fermi’s chest. “Looks like it does work—at least, for one time. Fix it. You have a week.”
“A week...” Fermi stuttered as he squinted through his blurred vision at his reddened hooves.
* * *
Everything was perfect.
Celestia flapped her wings and soared over the beautiful Equestrian plains. Even if the briefest haze at the corners of her vision tempted to remind her of her dream-state, she ignored it. She specifically requested Luna ply her magic and calm her dreams. The guilt weighed upon her mind and her heart. A guilt easy to suppress with work in her waking hours, but difficult to hide from when her mind rested.
She looked to her right, and Twilight was there, carried aloft by magic, safe within her reach. Ever the doting and diligent student. Celestia casually added brief historical facts about the wide tracts of land beneath them, and she could almost see her dream-like Twilight jotting down mental notes for later. She couldn’t be happier.
As they neared Canterlot, Celestia felt a tug at her wings. She resisted it with her mind, but there was little she could do. In an instant, she was back on her throne in Canterlot. An overwhelming sense of dread slowly filled her mind, and she rushed to the window. Even if it was technically impossible to see the distance, her mind made it possible. And the nightmare happened again.
The explosion, the purple speck sailing through the air like a helpless doll, and the subsequent blast of rainbow color. Celestia turned her head away as the tears trickled down her cheeks.
The world shook and crumbled around her. And in an instant, she was awake.
The room slowly took form, and she found herself being gently rocked by Luna. She brought a hoof up to her eyes and found them moist with tears. She looked up at Luna from her position tangled within her blankets and pillows.
Luna returned Celestia’s gaze and shook her head slowly. “I’m sorry, dearest sister. In my concentration to lower the moon for the coming day, my focus slipped on the link to your dream.”
Celestia wiped her eyes and drew her sister into a hug. “I don’t fault you, Luna. My mind is old, honed, and difficult to contain. Thank you for trying tonight.”
Luna smiled and wrapped her hooves around Celestia, applying just enough pressure to feel her sister’s muscles relax within her grasp. “I understand, but I still wish there was more I could do to help you. I promise Twilight is well looked after. She has her friends, Soarin’, Spitfire, and Rainbow Dash watching over her.”
“But—” Celestia stammered.
“No buts,” Luna teased. “You worry more than some foals about their cutie marks. You must trust in your student and your ponies.” Luna swallowed and smiled. “Our ponies.”
“Maybe I could visit her, at least. She’s in Las Pegasus, I’m due for a royal inspection anyway, and—”
“No. Between our investigations and the testimonial from Silverhoof, I am fairly certain there is something rotten in Las Pegasus. A royal visit would only unsettle those responsible. It could be the trigger which turns danger into real actual harm.”
“Luna, please. I can be discrete. And I’m certain you could handle the day-to-day operations of the court. I just need to see her, talk to her.” Celestia pulled away and grasped Luna’s forehooves in her own. “She’s special to me. I can’t help it. I’ve watched her grow up. My heart cannot help to worry.”
“Twilight Sparkle will be fine. She’s the most tenacious of ponies. Trust her.”
“I do.” Celestia sighed and pulled away from Luna. Clambering out of bed, she crossed the room to the balcony and into the pre-dawn sky. The cold chill of the mountains did nothing to soothe her aching heart. She longed for warmth. In a smooth practiced motion, the sun slowly crept to the horizon and streaked color across the sky.
Luna nodded in satisfaction. “Goodnight, Celestia. I shall see you again at the yawning of the sun.”
Celestia turned and smiled at Luna. “Yes, goodnight Luna. I shall see you again.”
She waited in silence, watching the sun slowly rise above the horizon. Standing there, absorbing that solar warmth, she felt purified. Ready for court, she turned her back to the sun and found herself looking down the long shadow she cast from the balcony to the bedroom door. A shadow she couldn’t escape.
Striding across her bedroom, she plucked a sheet of stationery from her writing desk and a quill. One quick message later and a stamped royal seal, Celestia returned to her balcony. Taking a deep breath of the cold morning air, she exhaled slowly.
“Forgive me, Luna.”
She turned her back to the morning sun, spread her wings, and disappeared in a flash of magic.
* * *
Twilight sipped from an oversized cup of coffee as she set up a number of posters around Rarity’s office. Each of the pages were covered with boxes, triangles, circles, and arrows pointing to one another.
Rainbow squinted at the headings on each of the plan. She couldn’t make much sense of them at all. Looking to Pinkie, she only got a grin and a doughnut shoved her way. Rarity provided no help either and merely shrugged.
Finishing off the doughnut, Rainbow brushed the crumbs off her muzzle onto the carpet much to Rarity’s dismay. “Uh, Twilight, what is all of this?”
Twilight stopped in her tracks and spun around quickly to face Rainbow. “Oh. Well, after you went to sleep last night, I had a ton of inspiration.”
“Twilight, how much sleep did you get?”
“Sleep? I didn’t sleep! I was too busy planning. Look at all these I’ve come up with. Here’s the data gathering plan. We’re going to use that to gather evidence against Shade. Those are contingency plans A, B, and C in case he tries to run. I have letters drafted to both Celestia and Luna in case we need them to help in plans D and E. And if he’s infested by some crazy anti-friendship monster, I have letters for Applejack and Fluttershy.”
“To blast him with friendship power?” Rainbow smirked.
“Something like that, yes!” Twilight exclaimed, perhaps a touch too loudly since Rarity promptly winced.
“Darling, please.” Rarity levitated a glass of water over to Twilight. “Have some water. When I said you could borrow my office for some research, I didn’t mean to work yourself into...well, a...”
“Tizzy!” Pinkie exclaimed.
“Yes, quite...a tizzy,” Rarity repeated slowly. “You have to understand. Shade’s well established in this city. He’s avoided anything which could tie him to a criminal offense. Even if we have Highwind’s testimony, I’m not sure a little digging is going to turn up enough evidence, if any, to really incriminate him.”
“But we have to do something!” Rainbow exclaimed, spreading her forehooves for emphasis. “Who knows what manner of evil things he could be plotting this very moment!”
“And that is exactly why we shouldn’t get involved,” Rarity responded. “I’ve been in business long enough to know exactly when I’m in over my head, and this situation is about as overwhelming as it can get. Shade holds all the power here. Our best option is to inform an outside party and hope they address the matter.”
“That’s the easy way out!” Rainbow interjected. She leaned forward toward Rarity, muscles tensed and wings spread. “How can you just back down like this when our friends could be in danger?”
“Because acting brashly is only going to cause them more trouble!” Rarity turned to Twilight. “Surely, Princess Celestia asked you to be cautious here?”
Twilight looked to Rarity and then back to Rainbow. Deflating a little, she sunk down onto the floor, yawning. “Yeah, she did. But why did she send me here, then? Just to take weather readings? Any pony could have done that for her.”
“Because you’re, like, her favoritest pony.” Pinkie set aside her emptied cup of coffee and grinned at Twilight. “And you’re the smartest pony she knows. If any pony could do something, it’s you. But she also doesn’t wanna get you involved because you’re her favoritest.”
Frowning, Twilight rubbed her head. “Ugh, then what am I supposed to do? I made all these plans, but now I’m not so sure. Rarity makes a good point. There’s risk in all of my plans, even the ones that involve just sitting and waiting.”
“Isn’t it obvious?” Pinkie passed a cup of coffee to Twilight with a smile. “We have a party and stop the bad ponies! I know Rarity said this stuff is all super-duper dangerous or something, but maybe we can combine plan C here—” Pinkie pointed at one of the diagrams. “—with Plan F, accounting for Plan G-dash-three.”
Twilight looked up at the charts, her eyes followed the words and the diagrams, but she couldn’t quite piece together exactly what Pinkie meant. Slowly, the steps fell into place and a smile grew on her face.
“Excuse me, I don’t think I’m following,” Rarity interjected.
“Yeah, I’m kinda lost here too,” Rainbow added, her eyes dubiously looking over the diagrams.
Twilight giggled and nodded. “It is a little convoluted, but I think it might work. Pinkie, since you came up with it, would you like to explain?”
“Sure! It all starts here, with Plan C.” Pinkie pointed a hoof at the diagram. “Rarity and I are going to hold a super-duper-P3 blowout party! Everypony who is anypony is gonna get invited. Meanwhile...” Pinkie’s hoof drifted to Plan F. “Here, Twilight continues her agreement to work with Shade. This will give her a reason to be present at his research facility. And finally...” Pinkie jabbed at plan G-3. “We’ll use Twilight’s MechaMagiWings invention to bait Shade into action while keeping a close eye on Twilight with Highwind’s help in his airship. Rainbow will be there to pull Twilight out of danger if anything happens, and then we can contact the Princesses!” Pinkie gasped in a large breath of air, having repeated the whole plan in one single breath.
“That’s it?” Rainbow looked over the plans again. “What about arresting Shade? We knocked that Fixer guy down a peg or two, so why not Shade?”
Twilight trotted over to Rainbow, nuzzling her gently. “Dashie, I know how much you want justice for Highwind, but we need to take this slowly. We got lucky with Fixer. If you hadn’t been there, and if he hadn’t made a mistake of leaving correspondence lying around, we wouldn’t have gotten him.”
Sighing, Rainbow nodded and sank down onto her haunches. “Okay, Twi, I trust you. Just promise me you aren’t going to let him get away.”
“I promise, Dashie.”
Twilight blushed as Rainbow nuzzled her back. “Thanks, Twi.”
“Ahem,” Rarity cleared her throat. “As much as I’m glad you two have worked out your differences, I still think this is a bad idea. We could leave all of this to the proper authorities.”
“Aww, but Rarity, he’s a bad pony, and you know it!” Pinkie dashed across the room and grabbed Rarity’s forehooves with her own. Eyes pleading, Pinkie looked up at Rarity. “He’s the kind of pony that smiles to you when he lies. He’s the kind of pony that hogs the fun all to himself. He’s a big party pooper!”
“Be that as it may—” Rarity began.
Pinkie’s lip quivered and her eyes grew larger.
“I cannot—”
Pinkie’s ears folded back.
“Oh, alright! One party. I guess we could use the business. But I want the three of you to promise no shenanigans! And not tonight! Twilight is clearly tired. And I need to go over the books to budget how much we can spend on this party.”
“When, then?” Rainbow asked, her hoof tapping the floor impatiently.
“I think a week is sufficient.”
“A week! That’s, like, forever!”
“Rainbow, I assure you, a week is not very long. Twilight will need time to settle into her position working with Shade, and Pinkie and I need to make preparations. You’ll just have to wait.”
Harumphing, Rainbow crossed her hooves. “Fine.”
“Great! We’ll do it all according to plan!” Twilight clopped her hooves together cheerfully before toppling over onto Rainbow, exhausted.
* * *
Twilight felt safe.
She stretched her hooves out away from her body and yawned. Rubbing her eyes with her forehooves, she slowly worked the sleep out of her system and snuggled back against the warm embrace around her. An unseen touch tickled at her ear. Fussing, she rubbed at her ear with a hoof and settled back against the warm pillow, her brief discomfort forgotten as a downy blanket draped closer over her body. Oblivious to the world, she chose to doze on, ignoring the signals muddling their way through to her brain.
Her stomach suddenly growled loudly and a jolt of pain hit her abdomen. She groaned and curled up tighter, trying to ignore the empty sensation. Grumbling, she opened up her eyes and rolled onto her back. Clutching at her stomach, she looked up through the field of blue. Utterly confused, she wiggled in bed some more until the blue parted to reveal the white paint of the ceiling above.
“Awake finally?”
Turning her head slowly, Twilight blinked the sleep from her eyes. As her vision cleared, she saw Rainbow, tucked up next to her. Rainbow’s wing extended over her body, and between her curled forehooves rested a book. From the looks of it, Rainbow was mostly through with the book, with most of the pages being turned to the left already.
“You know, I’ve taken some pretty long naps, but you might’ve broken my record.” Rainbow grinned and extended a forehoof. It rested upon Twilight’s head and ruffled the already bed-mussed mane.
Twilight pushed against the hoof with her own. Still caught in her own sleepy daze, she looked around the room and out the window. “What time is it?”
Rainbow glanced outside to the window and shrugged. “No idea. You’ve been out for quite a while. It’s a good thing Rarity had some books laying around. I got bored napping next to you after the first hour.”
Nodding, Twilight looked around some more, and shifted her priorities to the next most important thing. “What are you reading?”
Chuckling, Rainbow turned the book cover face up so Twilight could see. “I’m surprised you wanted to know. Judging by the way your stomach’s growling, I’d figured you’d want dinner first.”
The cover showed a tannish pegasus bearing a very distinctive hat and shirt. “I didn’t know Rarity had any Daring Dos.”
“Heh, well...” Rainbow rubbed the back of her head with a forehoof. “I might have given her this one as a gift. I totally forgot about it until she dropped by with it. I’m surprised she kept it.”
Something triggered in Twilight’s mind, and she smiled up at Rainbow. “Sort of like how I kept your old training goggles for you all those years?”
Rainbow’s guilty smile shifted to a softer, gentler one. “Yeah, I guess so.” She leaned down and pressed her muzzle to Twilight’s forehead. “I’m a lucky pony, aren’t I?”
Twilight nuzzled upward at Rainbow. “I think I am too.”
The conversation lulled. Twilight wrapped a forehoof around Rainbow’s neck, pulling the pegasus closer. Rainbow willingly allowed herself to be pulled down. Nestling her muzzle just below Twilight’s chin.
But Twilight’s body persisted and issued forth another loud growl from her stomach. Shifting herself, she gently eased Rainbow off her and sat up onto her haunches on the bed. “Would you like to join me for dinner, Dashie?”
Rainbow nodded vigorously. “You don’t have to ask me twice. I’m starved.”
They left the room together and proceeded down the elevator to the floor with the kitchen. Stepping off the elevator, Twilight glanced back to Rainbow at her side. “Do you think Rarity will mind if we have some of her food?”
“Rarity? Mind?” Rainbow guffawed. “I doubt it! In fact, she’d be positively horrified that we’re this starved while under care.” She brought her hoof up daintily in a very poor impression of Rarity. “Darlings, what sort of host would I be if my guests went hungry?”
Twilight giggled and prodded Rainbow in the shoulder with a hoof. “Stop that. Rarity doesn’t sound anything like that.”
“Fine,” Rainbow huffed. “But you can’t deny Pinkie definitely wouldn’t let any pony go hungry either.”
“You’re right! I wouldn’t!” Pinkie poked her head out from the kitchen door, her mouth stuffed with a half-eaten carrot.
“Argh! Pinkie!” Rainbow scrambled back on her hooves. “Do you have to always pop out of nowhere?”
“Nowhere? Silly, this is somewhere. The kitchen, in fact!”
Twilight shook her head, smiling. “Dashie, Pinkie does this all the time.”
“Yeah, but that doesn’t stop her from catching me by surprise every time! Usually it ends painfully for me. Like my face in a cliff or something.” Rainbow scuffed her hoof across the the floor. “I might be built tough, but it still hurts.”
“Aww, Dashie.” Pinkie trotted over to Rainbow and gave her a hug. “Cheer up, silly filly, and have a cupcake! Catching surprises is the best thing to catch! Surprise!” Pinkie shoved a cupcake into Rainbow’s mouth.
Rainbow muffled a complaint, but the sparkle in her eyes betrayed her appreciation of the cupcake.
“Would you like one, Twilight? Rarity says I shouldn’t have too many, since I got all sad over frosting and made her sad. And I don’t like when Rarity gets sad.”
Twilight nodded but held Pinkie back with her magic as the pink pony lunged forward, likely with a cupcake assault. “Without shoving it in my mouth, please?”
“Aww, but it’s supposed to be a surprise cupcake!”
“How would it be a surprise, if you offered it to me?”
“Because it’s actually two cupcakes!” Pinkie pulled two cupcakes out from behind her back and grinned. “One for you, and one for Dashie, because I know how much she likes cupcakes.”
Twilight laughed and accepted the cupcake. As she ate it, Pinkie continued to tell bad puns, obvious jokes, and naturally, shared all manner of delicious baked goods. It wasn’t long before Rarity, disturbed by the noise, came down to the kitchen to investigate, only to be included in the festivities.
Right there, Pinkie threw them an impromptu party, just for the heck of it. Which, given Pinkie, made perfect sense. Surrounded by her friends, Twilight relaxed and suddenly the world felt so much lighter. Things were going to be okay. Her friends were with her. Dashie was with her. They had a plan.
Everything was going to be okay.