The Storm's Challenge

by OneLonelyPickle

35 - Brothers

Chapter 35

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Brothers

Twilight Sparkle put her ear against a wooden door. There was no sound from the other side.

This one’s no good either.

She pulled away and resumed her trek through the corridors of Clopstantinople’s royal palace. Twilight closed her eyes and forced a glow from her horn. She made a quiet, focused hum. She’d mapped out the entire palace in her head, or at least what she thought was the entire palace — and with her magic, she kept it in a safe corner of her mind so she could apply the information to a magic scroll once she returned to Canterlot.

The day had proven less-than-fruitful than Twilight had hoped, if she was being honest. While there was a lot of valuable information gathered about the palace’s layout, and eavesdropping had enlightened her on some aspects of Clopstantinople society, she hadn’t found anything that could damn Prince Tsunami. She bit her lip as she approached a wide hallway that veered off to her left.

And I only have maybe another hour before I have to leave. The guard shifts will change, and once they learn I’m not there…

Twilight glanced briefly down the wide hallway to her left and had to do a double take.

A huge pony, wearing yellow gem armor (Twilight figured it was citrine) was glaring down at a palace guard wearing the usual emerald armor. The huge pony’s helmet had an obnoxiously large crest of brown bristles that stuck up and outward on both sides, so that it looked like an angular leaf. Twilight quickly picked up the pace as she headed for the other side of the door frame.

Don’t want whoever that is to see me. Could be trouble.

“HEY YOU! COME BACK HERE AT ONCE!”

It was the sound of a gravelly-pitched mare shouting. Twilight froze in place. She had just passed the hallway, too. Sweat poured out from under her helmet.

S-should I just assume that wasn’t for me and move on?

The voice called out again.

“TO THE GUARD WHO JUST PASSED THE HALLWAY, I AM TALKING TO YOU. IF YOU DON’T COME HERE THIS INSTANT, I WILL MAKE YOUR LIFE A LIVING NIGHTMARE! DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME?”

Twilight gulped. Her breathing picked up. True, she was disguised, but just the sound of that mare sent shivers down Twilight’s spine. She didn’t even know mares could grow that large. She was like two Bulk Biceps stacked on top of each other.

Twilight reluctantly turned around and entered the wide hallway. There was a massive set of worn, brown wooden double doors at the far end, where the huge mare and the guard stood. The guard’s face looked like how Twilight imagined hers looked — utter fear that at any moment, one might be ground into a paste.

The huge mare had a set of beady, wild eyes and a brazen, unflinching crescent of a white smile. She seemed tightly wound up, an unsteady breath escaping her lips. Twilight shook as she stepped closer and closer, until she figured she was close enough and stopped. She gave an uneasy salute.

“S-sir?” she asked. The mare screamed, flecks of spit showering Twilight.

“SIR? DID YOU JUST CALL ME SIR?”

The huge mare stomped forward, and Twilight was sure it was the end. The emerald-armored guard scuttled all the way back to the door and tensed his body. The huge mare glared down at Twilight as if she were an unfortunate ant and the huge mare was a rowdy schoolcolt with a magnifying glass.

“I AM A MA’AM, AND YOU SHOULD KNOW THAT! I’LL FORGIVE YOU BECAUSE YOU’RE PROBABLY NEW HERE AND YOU LOOK LIKE ONE OF THE NORMAL GUARDS, SO LISTEN UP, NEWBIE!”

The huge mare barked back at the guard.

“PUNY STALLION, GET UP HERE AND TELL THIS NEWBIE WHO I AM!”

The guard flew forward, reaching the side of the huge mare at a speed that made Twilight’s head spin. The guard quickly recited a practiced speech.

“This is the awesome and powerful MARE, Big Bertha! Commander of the Mare Corps of Clopstantinople! Nopony, especially stallions, can withstand her strength or beauty!”

Big Bertha lifted one of her great big hooves, wrapped it around the guard, and gave him a noogie. She roared with laughter.

“THAT’S RIGHT, LITTLE FELLA! DON’T FORGET IT! NOW,” Big Bertha shouted, looking back to Twilight. She flicked the guard away with her hoof like he was a bug. “THAT PUNY STALLION JUST TOLD ME THE OTHER GUARD THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO STAND GUARD IN THE SECRET ROOM DIDN’T SHOW FOR HIS SHIFT. I NEED YOU TO GO IN THERE AND SHOW THESE MEN HOW A MARE DOES A JOB RIGHT. UNDERSTOOD?”

The way Big Bertha glared down at Twilight, her beady eyes and giant smile never fading for a second, made it clear it was no suggestion. Twilight nodded her head exactly twenty times in the span of a second.

“Y-yes si — MA’AM! Ma’am… I said ma’am!”

Big Bertha stomped out of the hallway.

“HAH, GOOD! IF YOU GET BORED OF THE NORMAL GUARD LIFE, COME APPLY FOR THE MARE CORPS! NO PESKY STALLIONS TO BOTHER YOU! HA! HAHAHAHAHAHA!”

The entire scenario left Twilight speechless. She shook her head and the confusion away.

Well, whatever THAT was, this might be what I was hoping for, strangely enough. She did say ‘secret’ room.

Twilight looked at the double doors. The guard, still picking up the pieces of his shattered manhood, cracked one of the doors open with his hoof.

“C-come on already, let’s get in there before Prince Tsunami arrives,” he said to Twilight. Her heart jumped for joy.

Prince Tsunami! What luck!

Twilight marched through the ajar double doors, which were quickly closed behind her. She was hesitant once inside, not sure where to go, but the other guard took position to the right of the double doors, so she figured she’d stand on the left side.

The room was surrounded by glowing magenta brick walls like any other place in the palace, with a few open windows at the very top of the walls letting in some moonlight to illuminate the otherwise dark area. The only thing inside was a large crystal ball atop a stepped platform. Twilight rose a single eyebrow as she studied it.

What is this thing? The guard said Prince Tsunami is coming. I suppose if I wait, I’ll find out.

Moments passed. Twilight shot the odd glance over at the guard, to see if he might be looking back and reveal more of what was going on to Twilight, though he only ever just stared forward, emotionless. Twilight tried to find some kind of purpose in the crystal ball, though it was dull and empty. A mere hunk of spherical turquoise inset by an intricate, metal pedestal. Twilight narrowed her eyes.

Something’s about to happen…

Just then, the double doors creaked open slightly. Hoofstep sounds bounced around the walls as a few new ponies walked in. Twilight tightened the muscles around her snout into a snarl as she watched the first figure move towards the crystal ball.

Tsunami!

Prince Tsunami was joined by two other guards who quickly left once they checked and saw that the room was being guarded by Twilight and her fellow victim of Big Bertha.

“You’re new.”

Twilight broke free from her angry trance and looked at Tsunami, who had just addressed her. His hard, emerald eyes burned their way into her skull. It was if his glare was piling pound after pound on top of her as each moment ticked by, to the point where she felt like falling to her knees for lack of an answer. He spoke again.

“I haven’t seen you before. Quickly, tell me who your commanding officer at the training academy was, and who commands you now.”

Twilight bit her lip. Tsunami’s emerald eyes did not relent their assault. The sheen in Prince Tsunami’s electric blue, mountain-esque mane caught the moonlight from the windows and twinkled. His silver crown was just as reflective, as was the silver, emerald-encrusted armor on his four hooves. Twilight opened her mouth to speak, her mind bereft of a response but the moment calling for one.

Suddenly, the crystal ball burst into a turquoise light with a whir. Both Twilight and Prince Tsunami had their gazes drawn away by the explosion of light and sound.

“Tsunami… Tsunami! Are you there?”

A gruff voice called out from the crystal ball. It’s previously lifeless form, Twilight noted, was swirling and swirling and turning into… something. A figure was forming on its surface. It was like Twilight was looking at a moving picture come to life. Tsunami responded happily to the voice inside the crystal ball, as if the exchange between himself and Twilight hadn’t occurred.

“Yes! Yes, I am here, dear brother. What news from Canterlot?”

Every nerve in Twilight’s body throbbed at once. Her ears flickered involuntarily, and her pupils shrunk. She watched the swirls in the crystal ball very clearly form into the image of a stout, red pegasus. His eyes were the same as Prince Tsunami’s.

“Nothing unusual to report,” the red pegasus replied through the crystal ball, “This scouting mission is going exactly as planned. Exactly as I have reported every night now for a week.” Twilight watched as the red pegasus cocked his head and sneered. “Surely you believe me, brother?”

Prince Tsunami shook his head.

“No, no, it’s nothing like that, Maelstrom — don’t be foolish. I’m just being as cautious as the situation demands.” Prince Tsunami raised his gauntlet-clad hoof incredulously and laughed. “You’ve never been one to hide your emotions very well, even if you think it to be otherwise!”

Twilight looked to the ground, deep in thought. She was feeling as hot as ever underneath her armor.

Maelstrom… Maelstrom… I KNOW I’ve heard that name before…

The two ponies conversing through the crystal ball did not stop their conversation so Twilight could delve into her mind. The one known as Maelstrom continued.

“Bah — whatever. Anyway, as I promised those many moons ago, I have once again contacted you through the Orb, and have nothing interesting to report. So, make it worth my while with some interesting news of your own!” Maelstrom chuckled. “Tell me what you have done with that stray princess you caught! Surely the Mare Corps have had their way with her by now? Or perhaps the court mage played a ‘trick’ on her?”

Twilight shot her head back up and stared at the crystal ball. Though the image of Maelstrom was not clear through the crystal ball, what he called “the Orb”, Twilight could tell he was smiling wide and smugly. Prince Tsunami shook his head.

“Not yet. Honestly, I don’t know what to do with Twilight Sparkle. Celestia and that little sister of hers know that she is here — they were definitely the mares that sent her here! If Twilight Sparkle doesn’t return at some point…” Prince Tsunami paused, and Twilight could hear a very prominent gulp come from his throat. He continued, “It might be best to send her back. We can’t risk things ending so soon, not before the preparations are ready. Not before Clopstantine the Great can return properly and set things right!”

Maelstrom roared from the other side of the crystal ball and Twilight cringed from the surprisingly loud shout.

“BUT SHE TRIED TO MIND CONTROL YOU, TSUNAMI! HAVE YOU NO PRIDE?”

The echo of Maelstrom’s shouts reverberated around the room a few times before he calmed down with a series of pants and resumed with a calmer disposition.

“There were two dozen guards in the Sky Chamber when she tried to cast that spell on you. Don’t you think they will start to question your leadership if nothing is done?”

Prince Tsunami snapped back almost immediately.

“My leadership? You forget yourself, brother, having been away from home so long. This country is led by and BELONGS to Clopstantine the Great! I care not how they view me.”

The room went silent. The image of Maelstrom was quiet and calm. Prince Tsunami spoke once more.

“Now, your little galivanting adventure of the last few decades has gone on long enough. Have you not mapped out every nook and cranny of Equestria at this point? Come back home, brother. The Pegasus Corps needs you at its head once more. Enough with the sporadic visits every few years! My son won’t return unless you do, and you know how important it is for the line to continue.”

Twilight was desperately trying to process everything she was hearing. She closed her eyes.

Maelstrom… Equestria… scouting mission…

She mulled over everything inside her brain. Then, a stray memory bombarded its way into her consciousness. Twilight’s eyelids flew open.

The races!

Twilight had remembered where she heard the name Maelstrom from: some young colt on the airship ride to Clopstantinople. She remembered how he ranted and raved about Maelstrom and the Equestria Flyers League “putting on the greatest series of races ever” in Canterlot soon. That was a few days ago.

Twilight gritted her teeth and glared at the image of Maelstrom.

So, it was all a ruse to dig up dirt on Equestria! Something IS going on up here with Prince Tsunami, and that Orb thing is the key! I need to get all this information back to Celestia!

When she had finally realized that she had spaced out, Twilight noticed the glow of the crystal ball fade. Maelstrom’s voice resounded one more time before dissipating for good.

“The Elements of Harmony will be no issue to me from now on. They have no lead anymore. I must go…”

Prince Tsunami spoke to himself as the room became dark once more.

“Well of course they are no trouble to you, foolish brother — I have the Element of Magic safely contained in my cell.”

He paused before continuing.

“But why would you fear the Elements if you are on a mere scouting mission, hmm? That Maelstrom…”

The guard across from Twilight saluted as Prince Tsunami took his leave, his gemmed grieves pounding on the stone floor with a vicious clang as he walked. Twilight also saluted. Then, when the prince had left, the door closed behind him. Twilight said a silent prayer towards the sky that he had forgotten about his suspicions of her. A moment later, the guard moved and opened the double doors.

“Good job, newbie,” he said to Twilight before leaving, “Now just remember not to tell a soul about what you heard.”

Twilight nodded.

“R-right!”

Once back into the wide hallway, Twilight walked at a fast pace. There was little time to spare.

I need to make it to the other side of the palace to leave from that exit I discovered a few days ago. But once I’m outside, it’s smooth sailing!

A confident smile broke out onto Twilight’s face.

And to think I was starting to doubt Celestia and Luna.