The Mayor
Chapter 16
After they'd made sure where everyone would be, the group of seven split up in different directions from the inn, each with their own mission for the day in mind. Rarity insisted on going to the health center to get some pampering and was quick to talk her usual spa-buddy, Fluttershy, into being her second for the day. Hearing about Rarity's plans for grooming, a session in the sauna, some massages and hooficures, Discord opted out of joining them, much to Rarity's relief. Pinkie Pie's offer of going to buy a bunch of cakes and other sugar frosted pastries seemed much more interesting to him and they ended up trotting off together before any of the others could ask if they were gonna stick together for the buddy system. With Fluttershy's assurance that Discord was in fact listening, the three remaining ponies wandered into town to try and find somewhere to eat that served more than cake.
It didn't look like restaurants were that high on the town's priority list, but after a short search and asking around, they came across a small place which doubled as an antique store. It seemed the antique part of it was closed for the moment though. The food was basic, but filling and Twilight, Applejack and Rainbow Dash ate their fill, happy for whatever warm meal they could get after foraging in the wild. Afterwards, the trio took a walk around town. Twilight was quick to find a general store and got a more detailed map of the area. Idle chit chat, window shopping, and asking about the local wilderness took up most of their time. Eventually, they found themselves trotting back in the direction of the inn.
“Turns out it's not such a bad place, huh?” Rainbow Dash hovered lower to grin at her friends.
“I gotta admit, it is a little more normal than I was expecting,” Twilight nodded with seriousness.
“'Cept o' course for the unicorn thing,” Applejack added. She turned to give Twilight a sideways glance. “I was lookin' around and as much as I hate ta admit it, Discord was right. I haven't seen hide nor hair of one this whole day.”
“I wasn't looking,” Rainbow Dash brushed it off with a shrug. “Besides, Twilight was right. So what if there aren't any around? It doesn't really change anything for us.”
Twilight hummed to herself thoughtfully at this with a light frown.
“You did say it was nothing to worry about, right?” Rainbow added at seeing this.
There was a short pause as they walked, or in Rainbow's case flew. Eventually, Twilight gave an exasperated sigh. “Well he is right. I don't think there are unicorns here and...” She gave a small, irritated puff of a breath, “and that is kinda weird.”
“That's not what you said earlier,” Applejack cocked an eyebrow at her. “Ya seemed pretty sure of yourself when it was brought up.”
“You're probably just second guessing yourself because of what Discord said,” Rainbow said with a nod. “You shouldn't take what he says seriously, Twilight. He's just trying to mess with your head and get you feeling all screwed up. You know that's like his favourite thing to do ever!”
“But... it is true,” Twilight sighed again, coming to a stop. The other two did the same, turning to blink at her. Rainbow Dash landed beside Applejack as Twilight gave them a serious frown. “Look, I know I said it wasn't really anything important when Discord brought it up, but I gotta admit, it is kinda weird. I'm not sure if it really means anything, but it does make this place feel... a little bit odd.”
“Bit of a change o' tune than ya had at the inn,” Applejack said, her expression staying the same.
Twilight shot her a frown, “Applejack, if you've got something to say then just say it.”
Applejack gave a sigh herself but set her friend with a serious look, “It's just, ever since we had that run in with the monster in the hive, ya've been really set on hatin' everything Discord has ta say or do this entire trip.”
Rainbow made a noise and rolled her eyes, “So what? The guy doesn't have the best track record, Applejack! And reformed or not, you don't just turn around and become a completely different person just because somepony told you to! Remember, we were talking about this in Ponyville a while ago? All the guy does is warp the truth so that it kinda sorta still sounds true, but he says it in a way to make you feel all confused and unsure of yourself. Heck, I don't think he even knows how to talk to ponies without doing that! I know I've never gotten a normal conversation out of him!”
“I agree with ya,” Applejack nodded, her frown staying where it was, “And I'm not sayin' we don't remember who he is or how he acts. But Twilight,” she turned back to her other friend, “It's gotten ta sound more than just bein' wary of him. You're startin' ta sound... kinda bitter.”
Twilight's ears flattened at this and she scratched at the ground irritably. “Only because he's being such a pain! Instead of actually helping us like Princess Celestia said he should, he either just drives us insane with his usual nonsense, or he says something about our current situation that only gets everypony worked up and nervous!” She shook her head with a grumble. “So far whatever small little details he's had to say about where we are or what we should do haven't been anything we couldn't have figured out ourselves! So he's not really helping in that category! And besides that, the only other things he's had to say are either infuriating or just mean!”
“Not much different than usual then,” Rainbow pulled a face.
“Don't mean ya gotta be so spiteful. That ain't really like ya, Twilight.” Applejack carried on, her frown becoming one of concern. “I mean... yeah I'm totally with ya on the annoying thing and I'll be the first ta admit I don't like him much myself, but doesn't it feel kinda like...” She gave Rainbow Dash a nervous glance before turning back to Twilight, “..Like you're kinda pushin' it too far?”
Twilight frowned back at her before sinking with a sigh, starting her walk again. “I dunno Applejack. He just gets to me. I'm honestly doing my best to try and keep quiet, but every time I think I've got a grip on it, he says something that just makes me so mad!”
“I wouldn't wanna live with him, that's for sure,” Rainbow nodded in support.
“But ya know he says what he does because he knows it'll get ya riled up,” Applejack argued. “Why give him the satisfaction? Ya'd get a lot more over him if ya just ignore whatever he says and watch him pout 'cause ya don't wanna play his game.” Applejack broke into a grin. “He likes attention. If ya just ignore him it'll get under his skin a lot more than snappin' at him does.”
“She does have a point,” Rainbow nodded again. “I sure would love to see a little less smugness from him! Besides,” She flapped into the air again, “Like you said, he does just talk crazy talk and nonsense.”
Twilight however, didn't seem comforted by this. She stared thoughtfully at the cobblestones as they walked.
“Just... don't give him the satisfaction of turnin' you inta the bad guy here, alright Twi?” Applejack concluded with another smile.
“I suppose you're right,” She gave a sheepish smile in return. “But I dunno if I can really promise anything. He just... he just has a way of knowing exactly what to say to get me going. And we all know he's only here for his own selfish reasons.”
“Or he's worried Ponyville will lynch him without Fluttershy around,” Rainbow laughed.
“Just try not ta pay any attention to him, sugarcube,” Applejack added, the inn coming into view as they rounded a corner. “Like ya said, it's not like he says much that's worth anythin' anyway.”
Twilight just nodded, keeping her smile where it was.
Upon entering the inn, they were greeted with the sight of Pinkie and Discord sitting in the main room at one of the small, round tables which was currently completely covered with every desert known to ponykind. From the powdered sugar and icing all over the two of them, it was pretty clear they'd been sitting there eating for a while, and yet the large collection of sweets didn't look like it'd suffered much damage.
“Oh, and look who it is,” Discord said pleasantly, picking a cherry off something white and fluffy and waving it at them as he spoke, “Did our Princess and her loyal subjects enjoy their royal inspection of the town?”
Twilight immediately felt her cheeks flush as she grit her teeth. Just as she was about to snap something back, she felt the soft nudge of an elbow in her side, followed by Applejack giving her a levelled stare. Twilight huffed and sank in place, glaring at Discord angrily as he flicked the cherry into his mouth, apparently not concerned with getting a response.
“Did you guys bring back any desert?” Pinkie popped into sight with a wide, sugar-loaded smile.
“We didn't really think of it,” Rainbow gave her a nervous smile at this, wondering just how much sugar she was intending to eat during their stay. “Sorry, Pinkie.”
Pinkie gave a heartfelt whine, sinking in place. Discord reached down and attempted to pet her hair, only to have the sugar on his paw get stuck to her. “There there, I am sure my friend Fluttershy will be a little more conscientious and considerate to our needs.”
“They're not back yet, then?” Rainbow said, trotting closer to the pile of food and selecting a cupcake, taking a large bite out of it.
“Rarity ain't had her mane done in a while,” Applejack said, coming over as well, “She's probably goin' all out ta compensate.”
She reached out to take a brownie but Discord leaned forward sharply and flapped a claw at her to shoo them away. “Hey now! I don't believe anyone said this was an open buffet!”
“Aw, they won't eat that much,” Pinkie grinned at him, offering him a brownie she'd plucked from somewhere else. “We're a team here! We gotta share, ya know?”
Discord shot her a look but sat back, crossing his arms with a sulk. “They could very easily get their own.”
“Yeah, but since there's this pile of the stuff right here anyway...” Rainbow argued, giving Applejack another cupcake.
Discord scowled at her, raised an eyebrow at Pinkie, then snatched the offered brownie from her and chewed on it as if it was a household chore. He glared at the other two ponies currently tucking into his hoard.
“Ah! you're back as well!” Came a voice from a door. Hop Shot wandered in carrying a cleaning cloth across his back. He was addressing Twilight, although he turned to give the others a passing smile as he trotted towards her.
“Yeah, we were sightseeing,” Twilight said, giving him a smile as he came to stand in front of her. “Did you wanna talk to us or something?”
“Not exactly,” Hop shot explained, his pleasant smile never faltering. “I was running some errands in town when I ran into Broken Arrow, one of the town guards. Anyway, he mentioned seeing some tourists in town, one of which looked like an alicorn to him. I explained to him who you were and it seems he must've mentioned it to somepony, because later I was visited by Beam Rider and he told me to tell you that the mayor wants to see you.”
Hop Shot beamed at her, apparently expecting her to be impressed.
“O..oh! I see,” Twilight nodded, giving an uncertain smile. “I er... I'll be happy to meet the mayor if he's anxious to see me. Although I don't really know why he'd want to.”
“Well see, I was kinda curious about that myself,” the innkeeper went on, his tone of voice in full 'small-town-gossip' mode. “So when I asked Beam Rider about it he said he didn't know the details, but that the mayor asked to see the alicorn staying here in private to 'discuss important matters' with her.”
“In private? Why in private?” Applejack interrupted with a frown, a cupcake halfway to her mouth.
“Well I'm sure I couldn't tell you,” Hop Shot said, with obvious intent to tell them anyway, “but as I understand it, the mayor believes that since you, Miss, are an alicorn, you must be here for an important reason. Why else come to Falabell? We're a small town and can't offer anything that the larger places outside the border can't. She probably wants to talk about why you're here. That's the only thing that makes sense to me.”
“So much for being surreptitious,” Discord said, focusing more on the continued destruction of his food than the conversation. “Small towns are always so remarkably quick on the latest news.”
Twilight ignored him, frowning lightly at Hop Shot. “I still don't see why it has to be in private.”
He shrugged, turning to trot to one of the round tables as he pulled the cleaning cloth from his back. “Like I said, I can't really say what reason she might have. But I wouldn't keep her waiting. The mayor doesn't really talk to anypony unless she has a good reason.”
“Yeah,” Twilight nodded thoughtfully, although it wasn't clear if she was nodding in reply to the innkeeper or not. She looked up at the rest of the group who were waiting to hear what she though about this. Twilight gave a small glance at Hop Shot before turning to the stairs. “Guys, mind if we have a quick word before I go see her?”
“Sure thing,” Applejack nodded, a frown still on her face. Rainbow Dash rounded up Discord and Pinkie, ushering them up the stairs to their rooms and away from the pile of dessert. However, they both still managed to fill their arms before running after the others.
“I don't like it,” Applejack said almost immediately when Rainbow Dash closed the door to Twilight's room. “I dunno if we should trust this 'Beam Rider' or whoever it was about this. How do we know this ain't some trick ta get ya away from the rest of us?”
The group settled down in the room as Applejack spoke her mind, Discord stretching himself across one of the beds to continue with his snacking. Pinkie clambered up after him, sitting down on his back and chewing on a donut happily as she got comfortable.
“I'm with Applejack on this,” Rainbow nodded earnestly, sitting down beside the occupied bed. “I mean yeah, if it was just a meeting with the mayor that'd be fine, but to specifically ask Twilight to come see her alone? That sounds fishy to me.”
“Alright, let's just think this over first,” Twilight nodded, sitting down on her own bed. “I agree, asking to be seen alone doesn't sound like the best idea, but it could just be that the mayor really wants to discuss something she doesn't want anypony else to know about. If she's in charge of this place, she probably knows a few town secrets that need to be kept, well, secret.”
“Like why there aren't any unicorns for example?” Rainbow scrunched her muzzle.
“Ah, so you were listening,” Discord broke into a toothy grin at this, immediately showing more interest in the discussion.
“Not to mention the mayor might be able to give us some more insight on these cultists,” Twilight went on.
“Didn't you say we should lay low about that?” Rainbow said.
“Yes I did, but the mayor's a different story,” Twilight said with certainty. “If anypony knows anything about those creeps she probably does. If they come into town to buy supplies there's no way the mayor wouldn't know about it. Look how fast she found out we were here. If nothing else, maybe she can let us know if there's been any sort of change with them in the past couple of weeks.”
“That still don't mean you should go see her alone, mayor or no mayor.” Applejack said definitely.
“That, I have to agree with,” Twilight nodded. “If she's asked to see me in private, I don't think we could walk up to her door as a group, but I don't have any intention of going all by myself either.”
“So what're you suggesting?” Rainbow asked impatiently.
“Well, I think not going to see the mayor would be a bad idea,” Twilight tapped her chin lightly as she thought it through. “If she doesn't know anything useful then that's fine, but we don't want her to think we're here to cause trouble for the town. We don't want to make enemies of anypony. So I have to go see her. We can't go as a large group, but I'm sure I can ask for at least one of you guys to come with me as a backup.”
“Ooh!” Pinkie's foreleg shot into the air as she waved it around energetically. “Me! Pick me! I'm super good at backing up!” She hopped off of Discord and proceeded to shuffle around the room backwards enthusiastically. “See? If there was a Ponyville backing up champion I'd definitely be the super best champion of back up!”
“Thanks Pinkie, but that's not really the kind of backing up I had in mind,” Twilight said, turning, “Applejack, you're pretty good at knowing when somepony's being honest, and let' face it, you're probably the strongest pony here. If anything goes wrong I know you can help get us out of there. And if nothing's wrong and it really is just a simple meeting, you can help and hear if anything the mayor has to say sounds suspicious to you.”
“What about me?” Rainbow got up, puffing her chest out in hurt pride, “I'm almost just as strong as Applejack and I'm way faster than she is!”
Applejack made a scoffing noise, “As far as I remember ya weren't exactly beatin' me at the last runnin' of the leaves. And who exactly is it that can buck an entire apple orchard in just a couple o' days?”
“I may not have the kick you have, but I've got a meant right hook! And if I was allowed to use my wings during the running of the leaves race you know I could cream you! I haven't exactly seen any sonic rainboom's from you.”
“Even if that's true,” Twilight diffused the growing argument quickly, “I want to ask you to do something else.” She waited until she was sure Rainbow was paying proper attention before she went on. “I need you to fly over to the health center and tell Rarity and Fluttershy where Applejack and I are going. If they're finished with their grooming they should come back here to the inn and wait for us. Same goes for you.”
“And what do I do?” Pinkie asked, popping into existence beside Twilight, causing her to jump slightly.
“I need you to stay here,” Twilight said, taking a second to calm her heart. “I don't think we should be split up until Applejack and I get back. If this is a trap, getting split up will only make it easier for us to get in trouble. You and Discord wait here for Rarity, Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash. Make sure our stuff is packed just in case we need to make a get away, but don't tell the innkeeper. If gossip spreads this fast we don't want him blabbing that we're getting ready to go to the wrong pony.
“I don't suppose you have any clever plans for me, then?” Discord asked, a grin still all over his face.
She gave him a sharp glance, “Stay here with Pinkie. We're still doing the buddy system.” She turned back to Rainbow. “I suggest you get to the health center and back here as fast as you can. It may be a bit overkill, but stay in the air while you're by yourself.” Twilight broke into a smile. “I know nopony can catch you while you're flying.”
“You know it!” Rainbow broke into a wide grin at the praise, satisfied.
Twilight nodded. “Alright, then we all know what we gotta do. Stay sharp everypony, and let's hope this really is just a simple meeting to find out why we're here.” The others all gave her a definite nod.
Discord watched the group, fiddling with an eclair in his claws.
With the plan set, Twilight and Applejack left the inn and started in the direction of the town's main building. The sun had disappeared behind the mountains. There were still a few hours of daylight left, but with the sunlight hidden, the air was already starting to cool. Above the two ponies, the streak that was Rainbow Dash sped off in the direction of the health center. Some of the pegasi wandering around town stopped to watch her go, looking impressed.
The main building was a couple of minutes away. Twilight took the time to get another look around to see if anything had changed in the town since the afternoon. She wasn't entirely sure what exactly she was expecting to be different, but the sudden call from the mayor was making her uneasy. The town looked normal, for all intents and purposes, but she made sure to not let herself forget just how close they were to the threat of the fort. The town however, seemed to be exactly the same as it had been earlier. Earth ponies and Pegasi trotted down the streets, finishing their daily tasks before heading home for the night. Some were carrying bags with their day's shopping in it, some were coming in from tending the fields.
“Kinda seems like a lonely place, doncha think?” Applejack mentioned as they walked.
Twilight turned to her, confused. “Why d'you say that?”
Applejack gave a shrug. “Just thinkin' out loud. Don't see many couples walkin' around. Most ponies seem ta be keepin' to themselves.”
Twilight nodded. “Maybe they're just not the kind of ponies to hang out outside of their homes.” Her face became a little grim. “It's not like they've got nothing to worry about, being so close to crazy headquarters and all.”
“Can't argue with that,” Applejack agreed.
They approached the stone building just as the sky above them was turning a darker shade of blue. At the main door they were stopped by one of the sturdy police-looking ponies they'd seen earlier in the day. He seemed much more 'on the job' than he had when they wandered past that morning. His lazy conversations with his partner obviously long forgotten.
“I was told the mayor wanted to see me,” Twilight explained, giving what she hoped was a disarming smile. “I brought my friend Applejack with me. I hope that's alright. Sometimes I forget to ask or say things. She's a lot better at remembering these things than I am.”
Applejack gave the guard an innocent smile. He gave her a once over, as if trying to judge what kind of threat the earth pony could pose. After a moment he gave a nod, leading them inside.
The large doors of the town hall lead to a room with two staircases on the left and right side, and a sturdy desk near the entrance. It seemed to mainly be for show, as no pony was currently seated at it and it was clear of papers, pens or any other office equipment. Faded paintings of the surrounding mountains took up most of the wall space. They were old fashioned and dusty, hinting at the building's age. The guard led them between a second pair of doors set between the stairs. This lead to a large central hall which took up two storeys of the building's height. Multiple doors lead off on each of the walls save the one they faced as they walked in. This was covered in a large tapestry faded with time and possible neglect, behind it the faint outline of large windows could be seen, although they were all shut tight save for one which let in the evening air. In front of this, on a slightly raised section of the stone floor, stretched a dark wooden table surrounded by matching chairs. It was adorned with goblets and metal dishes that were clearly displayed more as a decoration than anything to actually use. The rest of the hall was empty, the only other decorations being the large, maroon carpet under their hooves and the various paintings and tapestries against the walls. Four stone pillars stood in each corner of the room, reaching up into the high ceiling where heavy wooden rafters crossed above them. The place felt more museum-like than anywhere any actual town business would be handled. Twilight wondered if the hall was ever even used any more, or if they'd been lead there simply for the mayor to show off. As if compensating for something.
The guard told them to wait while he informed the mayor of their arrival. He turned and walked through one of the side-doors, leaving them alone in the oversized room. With nothing to do and feeling uncomfortable in the open space, Applejack and Twilight inspected the decorations while they waited.
“Seems kinda stuffy here, don't it?” Applejack commented, running her hoof along one of the picture frames and blowing the dust off of it. “They don't seem ta clean all that much.”
“Yeah,” Twilight nodded, looking the room over once more. “Guess they weren't expecting anypony to use this room.”
“Probably don't have much cause,” Applejack added, joining Twilight to inspect an orange tapestry that may have been red at some stage. “Don't look too bad though. Probably just gave the maid the week off or somethin'.”
“Doesn't it feel kinda... I dunno... deserted to you?” Twilight asked carefully, lifting the piece of cloth to look behind it.
“It does kinda feel empty now that ya mention it,” Applejack nodded, shifting her weight. “Dunno what ta make of it though.”
“Me neither,” Twilight nodded back, turning to her. “But I don't think I like it. I say we don't stick around longer than we have to.”
“Ya sure you're not just getting' paranoid?” Applejack asked. The question seemed to have been asked honestly, and not meant as an accusation.
“I dunno,” Twilight said again. “Do you think I'm being paranoid?”
“No more than what's common sense, considerin'.” Applejack said.
“Well, I think I was right not to come alone, at least,” Twilight said, giving Applejack a grateful smile. “I'm glad I have you with me.”
“And what about me? Don't I count for anything?” A third voice spoke up.
The two ponies spun around to see Discord sitting on the large wooden table, a goblet raised to his face as he peered into it, as if expecting to find something to drink if he looked hard enough.
“Discord!” They cried out in unison, sounding equally annoyed and alarmed.
“What are you doing here?!” Twilight demanded, stomping towards him furiously.
“Well see, After the two of you left I started wondering some things to myself,” Discord said, sitting up straighter and tossing the goblet over a shoulder, “I was thinking; wasn't the entire reason I was sent along this little trip to make sure no hideous beasties of the wilds ambushed and attacked Celestia's little fellowship? So then I thought, 'well, if there was ever a time when I should fulfill these duties it would probably be this one when our fearless leader and her dear, loyal friend went to meet some strange pony in a strange town who asked to see them under suspicious circumstances.' And after I had this thought, I just couldn't bare waiting for you to return and I just had to make sure you were all safe and sound. So here I am.”
He finished with a wide, toothy grin, beaming at them.
“Oh please!” Twilight rolled her eyes with a disgusted noise, “As if you have a protective bone in your body!”
“Ya do have bones, right?” Applejack raised an eyebrow at him curiously.
“How did you even get in here?!” Twilight interrupted before he could answer. “I'll eat my crown if the guards let you in! And... wait... did you leave Pinkie Pie back at the inn alone?!”
“Of course not! Twilight, you insult me.” He put both paw and claw to his chest, batting his eyes at them. “I waited for Rainbow Dash to come back before I slipped out. Not that there's any reason for you to get your tail in a twist. It's frightfully boring back at the inn. Fluttershy and Rarity need to finish up before they can go back and we'd run out of pastries. Really, it's a waste of my talents to hang around some place with nothing to do but twiddle my thumbs.”
“So you came here.” Twilight said, grinding her teeth. “I ask again; why?!”
“Is it really so hard to believe I was worried about you two?” He gave them what he judged was his most innocent expression.
“Yes!” They both replied without missing a beat.
Discord sunk in place with a huff. “Well alright, maybe I had some ulterior motives.” he slithered off the table and stood himself between the two of them, hooking an arm around each of their shoulders. “To be honest, I have some questions for this mayor pony myself. It completely slipped my mind to let you know what they were of course. So I just had to come over and make sure we don't miss anything. We do want to learn as much as we can about this nasty cult business don't we? And, I admit, I am bursting with curiosity as to what this mayor might be like.”
“Yeah I bet it just 'slipped your mind'.” Twilight grunted, dipping her head to free herself from his arm. “You realise you being here might scare this mayor to death, right?! What if she takes one look at you, decides we're in cahoots with these crazy ponies, and sends the guards after us?! Did you even bother to think about something like that?!”
“First of all, I must compliment you on using 'cahoots'. Haven't heard that word in a while. Secondly, if she knows about the big important alicorn princess wandering around town, I'm pretty sure she's aware of my dashing self accompanying you.”
“Hate ta agree but, I think he's got ya there, sugarcube,” Applejack said with a serious expression.
Twilight made an infuriated noise and rubbed her temples. “Alright! Whatever! But I still don't see why you thought it was a good idea to-”
She was interrupted when one of the heavy wooden side-doors leading into the hall was pushed open and two pegasi guards walked inside. They were dressed in a similar uniform to the ones outside. However, unlike the outside guards, there was a slightly more serious air about them. They were larger for one, and they had the hard, cautious expressions of guards that had seen more than just the odd fight break out at the local inns in town. They looked more like the kind of ponies you'd see in the Canterlot Palace.
They walked with a distinct purpose, their eyes turned to watch the trio standing in the center of the room. Behind them entered a third pegasus stallion, and walking close by his side, an earth pony mare. She had no armor and carried herself with the distinct air of authority that left little doubt as to who was in charge. Her coat was powder blue, her mane and tail white and cut short, the former hanging in a rough bob around her face. Her pegasus companion was just as muscular and broad shouldered as the two guards. His eyes were sharp and suspicious. His coat was an ash grey, his mane and tail a few shades darker.
Applejack pushed herself free from Discord and moved to stand beside Twilight, watching the entrance with a frown, trying to decide what to make of the newcomers. Twilight frowned as well. Somewhere in the back of her head, a memory was trying to get her attention.
The mare stood herself a few paces in front of them, her gaze shifting briefly from Discord, then to Applejack, then back to Twilight. “Greetings to you, Miss alicorn. Although I thought I asked the innkeeper tell you I wished to speak with you alone.”
“I brought my friend Applejack with me in case I forgot to ask or mention anything,” Twilight answered, a little annoyed at being addressed by her breed. “As for Discord... well... he kinda just decided to tag along.”
Discord offered the mayor a smile and a slight wave. She stared at him, a mixture of confusion and slight annoyance on her face. Twilight looked her over a second time while her attention was elsewhere. Something about her was sending warning bells off in Twilight'd head. She just knew there was something about this pony that was screaming at her to be cautious. It was on the very tip of her mind, if only she could focus in on it.
The mayor turned her gaze back to Twilight, dismissing the presence of the other two guests for the moment. “I suppose there's no helping it now. If they are here then there's little I can do about it. We might as well carry on with why I asked you to see me.”
Twilight's gaze drifted to the mare's flank, trying to catch a better view of her cutie mark. It was hard to see from this angle, but she thought she could see enough to get the rough idea. It seemed to be a bluebell, and at first that looked to be all. But when the mayor turned back to her and shifted her weight, Twilight caught sight of the rest of it. The bluebell symbol was sprouting from a rock split down the middle, the plant apparently having grown straight out of the stone. The memory clicked into place as Twilight felt her breath catch in her chest. She immediately turned to look for the grey pegasus' cutie mark. It showed a picture of a castle or more accurately, a garrison made out of clouds.
Twilight felt herself pale, shifting from one hoof to another as she looked back and forth between the two ponies in front of her, then to the intimidating guards standing on either side of them.
The mayor tilted her head, frowning at this. “What's the matter? You look ill.”
Twilight snapped her attention back to the mare, her face settling into a hard frown as she regained her composure. Applejack as frowning at Twilight, turning to give the mayor a confused glance as well. Discord merely raised an eyebrow, looking bemused but curious.
“I know who you are!” Twilight said accusingly. “I was warned about you! You're one of those ponies from the Defectors! You're Stoneflower, aren't you?”
Applejack and Discord both snapped their heads to gape at Twilight, taken aback. They turned back to the mayor, staring at her. The mare blinked wide-eyed at Twilight herself, obviously shocked by the statement. Her face then twisted into a venomous scowl, glaring daggers at them.
“It seems this whole little play-act was pointless then, doesn't it?” Stoneflower hissed, furious at having her cover blown. The air in the hall changed, guard ponies tensing themselves and their impassive stares becoming focused and hard, wings unfolding.
“Why are you here?!” Twilight demanded, opening her own wings threateningly. “What have you done with the real mayor?!”
“I am this town's mayor now!” Stoneflower declared with conviction, her voice dropping whatever shred of politeness she'd been forcing. She raised her head high, staring down her muzzle at the trio with clear abhorrence. “What happened to the pony in charge before me is irrelevant! Now, since you seem to know who I am, I demand you to tell me why you and your group have come to Falabell!”
“Yeah, like we'd happily explain it knowin' who ya are now!” Applejack said, flaring her nostrils as she scratched a hoof at the ground.
Stoneflower made a noise in the back of her throat, giving Applejack the briefest of glances before focusing her full attention back on Twilight. “If you're so aware of who I am, then I am sure I can take a good guess who you are. Or at least who's holding your leash!”
“I think I rather take offence to that!” Discord said with a hint of annoyance far understating the situation.
“Regardless, it seems I still have the upperhoof,” Stoneflower added, her eyes narrowing. “Whatever plan you and your troupe had, We've out manoeuvred you. Blue Jay should've known better than to send such obvious agents to come and destroy what's left of us!”
The trio froze at this, the wind taken out of their sails. They looked back and forth between each other, exchanging puzzled expressions before glaring back at Stoneflower.
“Who?!” Twilight snapped.
“There's no need to try and save face!” Stoneflower snapped back. “You've played your hoof too early, alicorn! Had you pretended not to know who I was you may have been able to draw out my suspicion a little longer. But there's no doubt in my mind now! It certainly explains that being with you!”
Stoneflower spat poison with the word as she indicated towards Discord with a nod of her head. The pegasus at her side unfolded his wings, turning his strong wrists towards them aggressively.
“Now that, I do take offence to,” Discord said, his voice instantly dropping its lighthearted tone as he uncrossed his arms, a dark frown settling on his face.
“You expect me to believe anypony other but Blue Jay could reign in the bearer of the Seventh Element to do his work for him?! His insults to us know no bounds! Did you honestly think I wouldn't question that being in my town?! Did Blue Jay think I'd suspect some other pony to be behind its appearance here?! Does he think we did not realise immediately he was the one who stole the Stone of Null and murdered Black Lavender?! Does his arrogance really blind him that much?!”
Stoneflower's temper flared up as she spoke. She started pacing in front of them, her eyes never leaving Twilight's as her voice boomed around the cavernous hall.
“We're tellin' ya, we have no idea who this-” Applejack started.
“Wait a second!” Twilight interrupted, her eyes wide. “What do you mean 'stole the stone'?!” She paled. “Blue Jay? You... Isn't... He's the second in command of the Defectors isn't he? Are you saying he stole the Stone of Null and... and left?!”
“Enough!” Stoneflower raised her front hooves and slammed them hard against the stone ground. “I see I was right to suspect him!” She snarled at the trio. “Well, he misjudged me! He may control the stone, but we still remain the Defectors! Even without it, we will not be turned away from our ideals! Not as he obviously has.” Her eyes narrowed as she started to calm down again, straightening once more. “To send an alicorn and the spirit of chaos, two of the most magically infused creatures in existence. He has made it clear he has no loyalty to our goals. But we. We will not stray from our beliefs. We will be the ones to liberate all magic. Every last drop. Every fibre that still rests in alicorn and unicorn blood. It will be us who will free it from that prison. We will not let a heretic like him be the one to change the course of magic!” She scoffed, but there was no hint of a smile as she did. “But how could we ever suspect him to understand? He carries a unicorn horn of his own. He must've known what fate lay ahead for him and been unable to accept it.”
“Alright, alright! We get it! You're crazy!” Applejack yelled. “But ya can spout as much crazy talk as ya want, we don't know this Blue Jay pony! And if the stone of whatsit ain't here then we got no reason ta stick around! So unless ya want your head knocked in by an Apple family buckin', ya better open those doors and let us leave!”
“I suggest you take that advice,” Discord added, a strange chill creeping into his voice. He lowered himself to all fours, raising his head above the ponies surrounding him as he kept his eyes locked on the mare standing in front of him. “Unless you'd like to try your chances with me.”
A cold smile crept on Stoneflower's face as she finally turned her attention away from Twilight and to Discord. “I have no intention of letting the three of you leave and report back to your master. No. As the leader of the Defectors, I cannot let two beings carrying so much magic trapped in you leave this town.”
She clopped her hoof against the stone floor and, on cue, five pegasi made their appearance above them, having been hidden on the large wooden rafters. Raising forelegs, they each showed the telltale arc and metallic glint of crossbows, all pointed at the trio in the center of the hall.
“Not good...” Twilight mumbled, turning to growl up at one of them, pressing her back against Applejack who turned to stare down another to the left.
Discord however, merely rolled his eyes. “Such crude methods. I was under the impression your little club had a large membership to call upon.” he broke into a sneer. “And here I was wondering if I should be worried.”
He unfolded his wings, his chest lowering as he widened his stance, his tail stretching out to counter balance.
“I wouldn't try anything if I was in your position,” Stoneflower said, her expression stoney and unfeeling once more.
Discord gave a mirthless laugh “What? You think you could hit me with those? You have, well let's see,” he turned to gaze at the poised archers, “One, two, three, four... five crossbows. My my. Well, I might be remembering this wrong but if I'm not mistaken, those don't have the best reloading time, do they? Unless of course there's been some breakout research I am unaware of.” He turned his gaze back to Stoneflower. “So, you think you can hit me within five shots before your little surprise party needs to reload?” His grin widened. “Sounds fun. Should we bet on it?”
“It doesn't matter if they can hit you, chaos spirit. But are you so confident your friends over there are as quick on their hooves as you are?” She turned to Twilight and Applejack.
Twilight clenched her teeth, trying with every ounce of her being to flare some magic into her horn, but it refused to so much as spark. Behind her, she could feel Applejack's tense breathing as her friend's heart thundered against her back. Her gaze darted around the collection of archers as they kept their arrows aimed directly at the two ponies, the threatening strain of cord echoing somewhere in the room. Twilight risked a sideways glance at Discord, her legs tensed and her wings open, ready to throw herself forward the second he made his move.
He stood rooted to the spot, facing Stoneflower but with his eyes turned to stare back at Twilight, a deep frown frozen on his face. She could see him protract and retract the claws on his paw, a slight twitch running through his tail.
He turned his focus back on Stoneflower, his expression darkening. He shifted and relaxed his stance, a low, menacing rumble in his throat. “Touché.”
Stoneflower gave her archers a sharp nod. They responded by taking wing and circling the trio, arrows at the ready in case any of them moved too suddenly. Stoneflower turned to the grey pegasus at her side as she started heading for the door.
“Keep them locked up.” She stopped for a moment, shooting Discord another cold, hard stare. “We will see magic free of every creature holding it captive. And we will see if you bleed without it.”
Discord showed no reaction, merely staring her down, unblinking. There was a flutter to her expression for a second, before she turned and exited the room, leaving the three of them to be escorted away at arrow-point.
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Your princess is in another castle! All we've been doing is ethnically cleansing the unicorn race.
*Ponyville
I think it's: that you bleed without it. Not 100% sure.
Also, AHA! Discord still has some power in him. I KNEEEEW IT! *cough cough* Excuse me.
Also Twi is a... ******** ** ***** ****** ****** ********* ****
4804250 Seemed like the logical next step to take
4794198 Thank you so much!
Really, nice feedback like this does a lot to help keep my pitiful whining to a minimum and tricks me into thinking I might not suck all that much! 
So thank you for taking the time to comment! (and don't worry, I hear you on the whole 'real life' thing. Trust me.)
4804371
No, they mean two different things. "We will see if you bleed without it" means "We will see if, without your magic, you are just an ordinary mortal being." "We will see that you bleed without it" means "We will hurt you now that we have taken your magic". Both are threats but the second is much more blunt.
Maybe, maybe not. He's three times the size of a pony, half his body is draconic (so covered with mostly impermeable scales), and he's covered in natural weaponry. He's also extremely flexible, and even without magic it's been demonstrated that he's really fast. He can also still fly. So even without any of his actual powers, five pegasi with crossbows might not be able to hit him.
4804532 He definitely has some power left, and is hiding that fact:
4804950
No, remember the zillion pastries he and Pinkie bought? I assumed the eclair was a perfectly mundane eclair that he and Pinkie got from the bakery.
I wouldn't rule out Discord having some magic; the fact that pegasi can still fly means magic hasn't disappeared completely, and he's so much more powerful than the ponies, it seems likely that if there's enough magic to support pegasus flight, there's enough that he still has some juice left. But I'm not sure we've seen enough evidence to support it one way or another.
4804963 But... eclair is fancy for lightning! :C
After some googling, that's actually a cake. Looks like things work differently here in Nowhere Country.
Also, to try to not sound like a dumb ass: didn't you know they taste... like magic?
4805023
They do, in fact. Pinkie would agree with us!
Discord probably thinks they need more mustard.
4804532 I think it's some sort of ritual with preparations and specific time (sunset/midnight/etc).
I guess now these 3
have to save them somehow
This is one of my favorite fics on this website. You know this, yes? This is just so brilliant. So well thought-out. So well-characterized with all of the ponies and Discord. And your OC's are so interesting and well fleshed-out that I actually try to picture them and care about who they are and what they're doing. And the action in this one!!! So good! It's really starting to turn to the climax now, and I find myself on the edge of my seat waiting for the next installment. And all of these characters are going through such wonderful development! Twilight is struggling as the leader and trying to deal with Discord, but she needs to learn to deal with his truths. Discord is learning that perhaps he cares more than he lets on--and therefore won't risk Twilight and Applejack. He could have other motives but I think from his reaction to Stoneflower that it's not just to protect himself from turning to stone or being run out by them. And oh man, I was dying to know of the others who weren't at the Mayor's, and so that's even more of a cliffhanger for me. I love it when you write Brave and Cocky Discord too. I would have loved a scene where he dodged the arrows, but I can see that he couldn't do that in the story to make sense or keep the others safe. And the plot twist now has me wondering what's going to happen--I thought we'd go straight to the cult, until the mayor showed up. I had a suspicion the mayor was a part of the cult, but I just thought the mayor would try to take Twilight and be either taken down by Discord and AJ or Twilight be foalnapped and therefore leaving the rest to save her, but ultimately stay on the same course towards the cult holding. Now I have no idea. Excellent! I always get so excited for an update!!!!! But take your time with it, of course. And also, I'm glad you didn't break this one up. I don't think it was too long at all, because it read so well. I kept hoping it would go on, really. But breaking it up would have been more unnatural, I think. Now you have a clearer place to start for the next one.
*CLAP CLAP CLAP CLAP CLAP*
4805079 Oh he definitely wants more mustard on his eclaire. Maybe some crushed leaves and dirt too, with a hint of lemon zest.
4806244 Don't forget about
oh crap what a cliff hanger O_O
and why do i get the feeling the next chapter will be slightly more darker than the rest of them. i mean this one confirmed my children of the corn theory already ._.
oh god im scared for Discord D:
*Steals your art and uses it as underwear, wearing nothing else.*
You want it back?
No!!! I've caught up with you!
I prefer to read completed stories, but sometimes I see a story this good and I can't help myself.
I need the next chapter!
Upvoted and favorited it!
4828970 Hey there!
heheh, thank you so much! No need to worry though, I'm writing quite actively on this fic at the moment. I try and update once a week if I can, so if things keep going well you won't have to wait too long between updates. thanks for reading! 
4806912 Oh thank you so very much for all the nice compliments ;w; It really really made my day! I hope you'll enjoy the way the story will go and where the plot goes next. I'm trying very hard to write things in a way that actually makes logical sense and doesn't feel like things are happening because 'the plot says so'.
Thank you so very much for all your comments and feedback guys. It makes me so happy I can't even describe it
I hope I can continue writing a story you all will enjoy reading! 
Wow, those are some uptight nutjobs. They haven't even given any reasons for wanting to "liberate the magic". What can they possibly do without magic or the Stone of Null? I suppose they could kill all the ponies. I wonder if it's ever occurred to them that cutie marks might have something to do with magic and that earth ponies and pegasi probably hold magic too. I guess they should drain themselves if they haven't already, huh?
I thought the ponies who had the null stone were called the Defectors, not the Sepeatists. Unless this group changed their name when they split up.