• Published 12th Oct 2014
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DayBreak - MyHobby



After an attempt is made on Celestia's life, Twilight Sparkle must assemble a team to track down the assassin and bring her to justice. Danger awaits as they delve into the origins of both the attacker and alicorns.

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Grimoire

The clock on Dulcimer’s wall struck three. The pink-coated unicorn opened his eyes in the midst of the darkest night he’d ever seen. No moon had risen to replace the sun in the sky. Few stars could pierce the veil of the clouds. The chill that so often heralded the dying of autumn and the birth of winter came fast and bitter.

In the days since Hurricane had returned from her second attempt on the princess’ life, the nights had seen sparse care. During the mornings, the sun lurched into the air, as if jerked from its resting place by an uncaring hoof. Sunset was a similarly unceremonious affair.

All in all, Dulcimer thought to himself, events were proceeding far better than expected.

He rose from the bed, letting the covers flop to the floor in a tangled heap. The clock ticked away, never halting its constant beat.

Tick, tock, tick, tock…

Dulcimer smirked. “Stop.”

Tick, tock, ti—

The second hand slowed mid-tick. The tock echoed loud in Dulcimer’s ears as his horn glowed. Dust motes in the air froze in place. His settling quilt leaned over in an unnatural angle, completely unsupported. He brought his hoof before his face, noting the odd pink afterimage it left behind each time he moved. He took a deep breath in, let it flow out his mouth, and released the spell.

—ck, tock, tick, tock…

His small smile soured. His face twisted as he growled at the clock. “You can slow the progress of time, or even stop it, however briefly… but you cannot turn it back.”

A spark from his horn rang the bell on his bedside table. As always, Scuttlebutt was at his door immediately. “Sir? You need something?”

“Don’t you ever sleep?” Dulcimer asked. “Honestly, it’s three in the morning.”

“I’m always on duty.” A hint of the little pony’s cheese-eating grin showed through strands of his thin brown mane. “Always am I at the beck and call of my master.”

“You flatter me.” Dulcimer rubbed his purple goatee. “I think I’d like to do a little heavy reading. Something to make me sleep better at night.”

Dulcimer saw the tightened skin around Scuttlebutt’s eyes, but chose to ignore it. “Something difficult to find, I would imagine,” the aide said.

“Something one-of-a-kind.” Dulcimer brought his eyes back to the mounted clock. It was an intricately-carved piece, covered with tiny figurines of ponies frolicking through cornfields. At the top was a small, purple and pink colt sitting beside a wizened mare. The hammer in her grip tapped away at a small stringed instrument on her lap every hour.

Scuttlebutt coughed into his hoof. “Might I have a little more to go on, sir?”

“The library,” Dulcimer blurted. He shook his head and tore his eyes from the clock. “It’s at the library. The Royal Cantertlot Archives.”

He blinked a few times to get the odd sting out of his eyes. He finally drew himself up, his face composed. “It’s sealed, sadly enough. That’s why I need you, specifically, to get it for me. You know how to get in tight spaces.”

Scuttlebutt chuckled, cold and dry. “There are those who would call me a rat.”

Dulcimer laughed. “Rat or no, you’ve got the right tools for the job. I expect you’ll have it back by tonight.” He tilted his head toward the door. “Naturally, you have your pick of the security detail if you need it.”

“Quite possibly.” Scuttlebutt rolled his skinny neck. “The name of the book?”

The mounted, wood-carved clock caught Dulcimer’s eyes once more. His ears twitched with every tick. “The Grimoire Alicorn. You’ll find it on the most secure level, I assume.”

Scuttlebutt shifted his weight from left to right. “That… sounds as though it’s a bit much for a bedtime story, sir.”

Dulcimer lowered his ears over his head. He waved a hoof without sparing his aide a second glance. “It can’t hurt at this point. You know what to do. You know what to look for. I expect your usual level of success.”

“Mm, yes.” Scuttlebutt tossed his limp mane. “Speaking of success, what do you hope to accomplish with this little endeavor?”

Dulcimer grinned. “It’s like I said: Something to help me sleep better at night.”

Scuttlebutt bowed and slunk off through the hallways of Blueblood Manor.

Tick, tock, tick, tock…

Viscount Dulcimer levitated a brush from his personal vanity. He studied himself in the mirror as he cared for his shoulder-length mane. “All the time in the world, and still not nearly enough.”

***

In Canterlot Castle, an altercation was taking place. Daring Do was speaking with a portly stallion in tones a little louder than necessary, while Care, Time, and Blank did their best to pretend they didn’t know her.

Daring Do stomped her hooves. She towered over the stallion before her, doing her best to intimidate him into giving her an answer she liked. “Whadda yah mean she’s unavailable?”

Natter fought to keep his face neutral. He spread his forelegs wide to block access to a staircase leading to the Dream’s Keep. “I mean that the princess is otherwise engaged, and does not wish to see anypony at this time.”

“Otherwise engaged.” Daring pulled her face into a disbelieving scowl. She shot Care a glance, but the guard was too busy trying to hold back a blush to respond. “Otherwise engaged, huh? Well, is there anything you can do to otherwise disengage her?”

“I’m afraid not.” Natter shook his head so hard that his monocle fell from his eye. “The castle staff are under express orders not to go up there during the dreamwalking state. Any disruptions could have untold effects on both the dreamer and the princess.”

“Untold effects.” Daring grinned and patted him on the shoulder. “What sort of effects?”

“Ah… the untold sort.” Natter squinted. “Well how am I supposed to know? I’m a scheduling advisor, not a wizard.”

Daring Do rolled a hoof. “Will the real wizard please stand up?”

Blankety cleared his throat. “Um… d-disorientation for both the dreamer and the dream walker… Migraines. An inability to use magic for a period of time…”

Time glanced at Blankety Blank’s hornless forehead. “Are you a wizard?”

“No.” Blank ducked his head. “No, just w-well-read.”

“This is easy enough to fix,” Care said. She stepped forward and tipped her horn. “When do you expect Princess Luna to be finished?”

“That… is a good question,” Natter said.

Care blinked. She rubbed her left temple with an orange hoof. “And what’s the answer?”

Natter cleaned his monocle and replaced it over his eye. “Well, that is, I’m not sure.”

“Not sure?” Daring Do nudged Time Turner in the ribs. “Get a load of this guy.”

“It’s just… just…” Natter’s ears fell. “She’s been in there for three days. She only wakes for sunrise and sunset.”

Daring Do’s wings slumped to the ground. Time Turner dropped the gear he’d been fiddling. Blankety Blank’s mouth slipped open.

Care took a full step forward. “Let me up there.”

“I told you, I ca—”

“Let me up there right now!” Care put her hooves on his shoulders. “She’s never dreamed this deep before! She could be lost, or in danger, or any number of things. Has she even eaten?

“I don’t know.” Natter brushed her hooves away. “All I know is that she decreed that she is to be left alone for as long as she stays up there.”

Care winced. “And you just let her—?”

“She is the High Princess!” Natter said. “She is acting Sovereign of the Sun and the Moon! It’s my job to do as she says!”

“No, it’s your job to make sure she’s where she needs to be!” Care’s prod to his foreleg knocked him back. Her chest rose as she sucked in a deep breath and turned away.

Time Turner ran his foreleg over his spiky mane. He touched Care’s shoulder. “Take a breather, Captain. We’ll figure out something.”

Care flicked her ponytail over her shoulder. “That’s what I’m afraid of,” she said with a gesture to Daring.

Daring smirked. “That’s fair.”

Time twitched an ear downward. “Mister Natter? Isn’t there anything you can do?”

“I’m afraid not.” The advisor held his hooves out. “When reason fails, what more do I have left?”

Time pressed his lips together. He shrugged lightly, his eyes turned down. “Your courage, hopefully.”

Natter rubbed his uncovered eye. “Well, if you adventuring folks have an excess, the rest of us could do with a taste.”

Time chuffed. He furrowed his brow. “You haven’t left this spot for three days, either. Have you?”

“Well… well, that is, I…” Natter coughed into his hoof and straightened his tailcoat. “I have my duty.”

“As do we all.” Time Turner threw him a casual salute. “I pray the rest of the day finds you in a better place, Mister Natter.”

The four of them walked away, leaving the tower and its guardian behind. Care whispered into Blank’s ear. “Earn your keep. What kinda emotions were you picking up?”

“Just fear,” he muttered back. “The p-poor guy’s terrified.”

Care groaned. She increased her pace and pulled alongside Daring. “So, since we couldn’t get the princess’ permission, what’s your grand scheme for breaking into the sealed archives?”

“‘Breaking in’ is such an ugly phrase.” A smile spread its way to every corner of Daring Do’s face. “All we need to do is walk up to the desk and pretend we’re supposed to be there.”

Care gave her a double-take. “Supposed to be in the most secure archive in the kingdom?”

“Right!” Daring patted Turner’s back with a wing. “Why wouldn’t a couple of professors and their aides be allowed in?”

Time Turner scrunched his muzzle. “Let me count the ways.”

“Whatever, all we gotta do is make the librarian feel like their job is in jeopardy.” Daring Do closed her eyes and lifted her head. “Relax. I bluffed my way into a diamond dog mine once. This is gonna be a piece of cake.”

***

Luna and Celestia stood on the outskirts of the capitol city. Sombra’s castle loomed in the distance, dark clouds swirling overhead as they were drawn to its magic. Luna peered over an abandoned cart at a chain-gang being led to their mine. Crystal Guards flanked them, spears trained on their sides.

Celestia’s shallow breath came from her left. “Would that we could merely run in and free the lot of them.”

“We can do a great deal better than that,” Luna said, remembering the words she had said that day. She followed her memory like a script, line for line, word for word. “With Sombra cast down, ’twill be a joyous day in the Empire.”

“I fear my heart does not feel the same way.” Celestia lowered her helmet over her head. “It feels like such a waste. Sombra seemed a decent fellow.”

“He seemed that way. More than a year ago.” Luna clasped her own helmet. “Ponies change for good and ill. They are hardly the example of strong principles.” She fought the need to bite her tongue and stop up the following words. “They are just as likely to abandon you as to adore you.”

Every lie holds a shred of truth.

Luna shook her head. She focused on the chain gang as they disappeared around a corner. “There. An opening. I suggest we take it post haste.”

“Verily.” Celestia spread her wings and leaped across the street in a flash. Luna copied her arc, maintaining a deep cloak of shadows in the early morning twilight. They bobbed and weaved among the ruined city, bypassing guards and juking patrols. Tense moments passed when a single stray shout would bring Sombra’s entire army down on their heads.

At last, they came to the base of the tower. Cold that had little to do with the north’s eternal winter chilled them to their very bones. The alcove where the Crystal Heart was meant to sit lay empty and exposed. Icicles hung from the roof, sure to fall if disturbed in any way. The door leading into the tower lay open. Open, and suspiciously inviting.

“That is far too convenient to be healthy,” Celestia said.

“Dost thou think he expects something like this?” Luna kept her ears on a swivel. “Are we walking into a trap?”

“Most likely.” Celestia ground her teeth. She lit her horn with a brilliant sunlit glow. “But thou heard Hurricane. This is do or die, now or ne’er. Without us, the Empire will perish utterly.”

Dawn peered over the Crystal Mountains. A shout went up from the edge of the city. It grew in power and volume, and was soon joined by the clang of armor and the clash of spears.

Before the sun could rise completely out of the depths of night, it was obscured by a wall of clouds. Colored wings flapped in their midst, forming and directing with pegasus magic. The clouds swirled gradually as rain began to fall.

“We must make haste,” Luna said, “before the commander’s hurricane levels the city.”

Lightning flashed and the wind played with Celestia’s mane. “She will hold back. She always does.”

Luna hurried indoors. “I would rather not find this out to be the sole moment where she allows herself and her Elites to let loose.”

The Crystal Palace, once a bright nucleus of love and truth, lay dim in the glow of unnatural purple torchlight. Rain beat against stained-crystal windows, darkened by an atmosphere of gloom. Luna pulled her wings tight against her sides for warmth and comfort.

“Darkness treads these halls,” Celestia whispered. “Do not let your guard down.”

Luna cringed as a rapid click sounded from above. “Would that we did,” she muttered.

A drop of saliva plopped between them. They spun around, ready to cast a spell if needed. Their eyes went upward, followed by the rest of their heads. Their jaws fell open.

The thing crawling on the ceiling was almost a pony. It had the general body shape, head size, and four legs. What it lacked was hooves, replaced instead by claws. Rather than rows of squared teeth, it had sharp fangs. Rather than bright, expressive eyes, it had dark soulless pits.

It hung by its right foreleg, revealing an exposed ribcage and a red, glowing heart.

As it leaped down to pounce on a screeching Celestia, Luna stuck her tongue out. “That wight is far uglier than I remember.”

***

Daring Do buttoned her tan shirt up to her neck as she marched. In a few swift motions, she had twisted her mane into a tight bun. She slipped small spectacles out of her saddlebags and slid them over her eyes. She grinned and spread her wings in a quick salute. “Ta da!”

Care glanced over, her green mane in a loose braid. Her eyes ran up and down the “disguise.” Her mouth settled into a half-hearted smile. “Congratulations, you look like you’re in your early forties. Nopony will suspect you’re secretly an adventurer.”

Blank covered up a laugh with a harsh cough.

Daring stuck her tongue out. “I’ll have you know this is merely one of many disguises I have in my repertoire. You should see my ‘crotchety old stallion’ impression.”

“You mean we haven’t already?” Time Turner said. His saddlebags clanked at his side as his two metal gauntlets rattled within. “I thought that was your default expression.”

Daring glared severely over her lenses. “Keep a lid on it, professor, or I’ll take the ruler to you.”

Care let loose a deep sigh. “You two are adorable when you flirt, but can we please get going before we get arrested?”

Time reared up, his throat tight. “W-w-well, of course we should—”

Daring patted his shoulder. “She’s got a point hidden under that exasperation. Let’s get a move on.”

The library sat before them, it massive doors open to the public. Students from every walk of life flitted about, trying to meet deadlines, researching obscure topics, or merely passing the time with a good book. Nopony paid the four of them any mind as they walked between the towering shelves. Row upon row of bookcases dwarfed them, featuring everything from ancient tomes to last week’s periodicals. In the center of the library—the heart of the operation—was the main desk. A ring of counters surrounded cabinets filled with the name and number of every book in the building.

The librarian looked up from a list and pulled a smile onto her face. She folded her hooves over the desk and spoke quietly. “May I help you?”

“We’re here on a hefty research assignment from the mares upstairs.” Daring winked at the mare. “If you know what I mean.”

The mare shifted in her seat. Her eyes jumped away from Daring to each of the others. “What subject will you be researching?”

Daring placed a small, smug smile on her mouth. “We just need access to the lower Starswirl Wing.”

The mare’s smile vanished as though it had never been there. She glanced to the left and right, her eyes wide, a cold sweat breaking out on her forehead. “Oh dear. Oh my. You’ll be the… the ones wanting access to the sealed archives?”

Daring Do opened her mouth, but came up short. “Ahuh?”

Care and Time Turner exchanged a confused glance. Blankety Blank’s face was unreadable stone.

The librarian wiped her forehead as she trotted out from behind the desk. “You’d best follow me. You’ll need to work quickly and hope nopony notices.”

“What the heck is this?” Care whispered into Time’s ear. “Did Natter contact the library saying we were coming?”

Time spoke out of the side of his mouth. “Did we tell Natter we wanted to go to the library?”

Care blinked. She bit down hard on her lip. “I don’t remember. This is fishy like you wouldn’t believe.”

The librarian led them out a small side door, one that would have only been used as a fire exit if the alarm hadn’t been disconnected. Manicured lawns lay between them and an outer building, one hosting a regular guard of armored soldiers. It was known as the Starswirl Wing as a convenience to librarians, since he had written most of the scrolls and books held in it.

Most, but not all.

Another side door was opened by the jittery librarian. She ushered them inside, being careful not to enter the building herself. “It’s the locked door at the end of this hallway. You’ll have thirty minutes.”

“Um. Thank you,” Daring said. She unclipped the top button of her shirt to give herself room to breathe. “We really appreciate the he—”

“You tell the ‘mares upstairs’ that this is the end for me, do you understand?” the librarian said hastily and breathlessly. “I’m done. Don’t come to me anymore. I’ve had enough, do you understand?” All four of her knees quivered as the blood rushed to her face. “I-I can’t take it anymore!”

The librarian slammed the door shut without waiting for a response. Daring Do kept the smile plastered to her face as she regarded her coconspirators. “Well. That’s just a little ominous.”

“Still, looking a gift in the mouth does us little good.” Time nodded at the distant door. “We must hurry, but also keep an eye out. We’re obviously not the ponies she was expecting and I don’t want to be here when they show up.”

“I do.” Daring pounded her hooves together. “Anypony who’d make a mare as terrified as that needs a good walloping.”

“Time’s wasting,” Care said. She shoved Blank before her, causing him to stumble each step forward. “We’ll worry about the library blackmail conspiracy after we’ve dealt with our ancient assassin conspiracy.”

“Fine.” Daring pointed at the white earth pony. “I know what kinda stuff we’re looking for, so Blank, you’re gonna search with me. Care, you and Time get to keep a lookout.”

“Sounds fair.” Care’s pink eyes gave Blank a once-over. “Don’t let him out of your sight.”

A gemstone over the door revealed that it was usually locked with an enchantment, though that particular spell had been rendered dormant. A staircase led down into a dim, torch-lit murk. The air was dust more than oxygen, particles from ancient books and decaying artifacts.

Daring Do took a deep breath. “Ah. This brings back memories. A tomb here, a monstrous cave there…”

“And books.” Care took up position beside the stairs, her horn lit with a mild pink glow. “Get looking.”

Time Turner sneezed as he pulled on his metal gauntlets. “I have memories of hay fever all flooding back at once.”

“Come on, Blank.” Daring wrapped a wing around Blankety’s shoulders. “Look for anything that was written by somepony named Hurricane.”

Blank cringed as he looked over the haphazardly placed artifacts around the room. Little rhyme or reason was prevalent. “Doesn’t seem like there’s much of a filing system.”

“You gotta use your nose in this kinda situation,” Daring said, pulling out a book at random. She tossed it back on the pile. “You know, take a good wiff and let ’er rip.”

Blank closed his eyes. He furrowed his brow in concentrations. His nostrils twitched as a faint sensation hit them. “Alright. I might have something.”

Daring rolled her eyes. “I don’t mean sniff it out literally. I just meant use your intuit—”

Blank trotted between the bookcases, following the scent of emotions. Daring Do blew the dust from her nostrils before walking after him.

***

The grotesque creature wrapped its lanky limbs around Celestia’s throat and tightened its hold. The elder alicorn reared up and flapped her wings, the scream cut off in her throat. Luna followed the script of her memories, grasping the wight with telekinesis and trying to pull it from her sister.

The creature’s body stretched like elastic as it was yanked. It turned it s head completely around to growl at Luna with long, sharp fangs. It molded its arms and legs like putty to first grasp Celestia’s wings, then tangle itself up in her legs. The mare fell on her side, her breath nothing but a hoarse cough.

Luna charged and plunged her horn right into its exposed heart.

Rasping laughter came just before several sharp pricks stabbed her shoulder. The creature bit down, drawing trickles of blood. Its heart stretched and warped around Luna’s horn, leaving the monster completely undamaged. She kicked with all her might, but the wight’s body merely bent under the impact and sprung back into shape.

The wight stared into Luna’s eyes with sinister, dark pits.

The beast released its hold on Luna with a scream. It reeled back with a crack in its false joints. Cold touched the tips of Luna’s blue coat and drew spiraling patterns on her armor. She looked past the monster, past her sister, past the hallway to see that they were no longer alone.

A little unicorn mare walked down the hallway, her horn aglow and two magenta eyes shining out from beneath a heavy hood. Nothing else could be seen of her under her cloak, save for the tips of her green hooves and the end of her long, reddish braid. Frost touched the ground wherever she walked, crackling and swirling in a chilled mist.

The wight screamed louder as its entire body was slowly encased in ice.

Clover the Clever stood before the frozen statue, preparing another spell. “Evil wight of undead fright, you have haunted your last night.”

A single kinetic blast struck the wight in the center of its chest. Cracks raced across its body before it finally shattered into a million pieces.

Luna slumped to her haunches. “I shall have to remember that trick.”

Celestia choked as she fought air into her lungs. Her horn sparkled, drawing her pike close to her side. “Why aren’t you at the front?”

Clover’s glowing eyes looked down. “There is greater need of me here. Hurricane and Pansy have Sombra’s forces occupied…”

Luna staunched her shoulder wound with her wing. She gritted her teeth rather than screech in pain. “Why were we not informed?”

Clover the Clever shrunk down on herself. The little bit of muzzle that was visible past her cowl twitched. “I did not tell you. I did not tell anypony.”

Celestia and Luna shared a glance; Celestia’s surprised, and Luna’s angry.

“There are things of darkness which should never see the light,” Clover said in a rush. “I sought to destroy them in the shadows before they could contaminate the world. Before Sombra could contaminate Equestria.”

“What sort of things?” Celestia asked.

“You know, as well as most, that Sombra is a stallion of sorcery and science both. A dangerous combination.” Clover gestured to the shattered remains of the wight. She shook her head. “But it is now known that he also dabbles in witchcraft.”

“Witchcraft?” Celestia tilted her head to the side. “What is witchcraft?”

“It is to draw power from worlds beyond. It is the use of an outside influence to bend others to your will. It is to raise the dead from their sleep.” Clover trotted down the grand hall with the sisters close behind. “It is to correspond with demons and dark principalities: The Unseelie.”

“And you felt it wise to keep such things secret?” Luna snapped. “Teacher, had we known, we would—”

“Have assaulted the Crystal Palace in greater force? Thrown life after life away seeking to penetrate its black heart?” Clover’s soft voice broke into a sigh. “No, my faithful student. It is better that I demolish this atrocity alone while you two deal with Sombra himself. I would not have even shown myself had you not been in dire need.”

“It sounds as though you are the one in dire need, Clover.” Celestia was careful to watch the ceiling for any more surprise attacks. “If what you say is true, Sombra will not leave his relics unguarded.”

Clover laughed lightly. “I am no foal. I do not go in unprepared.” She pointed her horn to the double doors at the end of the corridor. “Go. Your fates lie in the throne room.”

She turned down a side path, leaving the alicorn sisters alone in the palace once more.

Luna glanced at her shoulder to see that it had scabbed up. She gave Celestia a swift nod and sprinted at the doors. “Come, while there still remains a chance to surprise him!”

“Luna—!” Celestia cursed under her breath and charged behind the blue alicorn. She lowered the tip of her pike, aiming it at whatever lay behind the purple crystal blocking their way. Their horns glowed as each grabbed one door in their telekinesis.

The doors slammed open, and Celestia threw her pike like a spear. The weapon stopped in midair as Celestia halted it.

The throne room had been corrupted. Where once was a sparkling hall of crystal and fabric, there only lay darkness and shadows. The flowing tapestries had been replaced by axes. The symbols of the Crystal Houses had been transformed into Sombra’s visage. The red carpet was a mere hole in the floor, topping a staircase that led into the depths of the palace.

The throne, a regal seat befitting the ruler of an empire, had been twisted into a series of dark spikes with red tips. Fire burned within the crystal and heated the entire room. Murk rose from the enchanted torches and collected along the domed ceiling.

A small unicorn colt with a white coat and a blond mane sat on the throne. He was wrapped in a heavy, fur-lined robe, which he used to dry his constant tears.

Luna felt a jolt of pain in her heart. She fought against her desire to rush over to the child and wrap him in her wings. Instead, she spoke in a harsh voice. “Who art thou? What art thou doing here?”

“I—I am Prince Periwinkle,” he gasped. “P-please help. My mother…”

“Perry, it’s us.” Celestia removed her helmet, revealing her flowing rainbow of a mane. “Don’t you remember your Auntie Celestia?”

Periwinkle burst out of his robe and ran to Celestia. He hugged her legs as tight as he could. “Auntie! You came! S-Sombra said you would be too late, but I knew you’d come!”

“F-forgive me,” Luna whispered. “You have grown since last I saw you. I did not recognize you.”

Periwinkle tugged on Celestia’s wing with his mouth, dragging her out of the throne room. “Come! You have to hurry! You have to stop my brother!”

“Do you know where he is?” Celestia followed Periwinkle’s lead, her horn letting loose sparks. “We must hurry, or Hurricane will not be able to—”

“He is in his laboratory.” Periwinkle scampered down the same corridor that Clover took. The torches became sparse, the walls became dim, and the shadows became deep. “It was once the old dungeons, but… He’s doing something awful, Auntie. He’s hurting mother. He took her away and won’t let me see her.”

Celestia levitated the colt onto her back and resealed her helmet. She increased her pace to a swift canter. “Time is of the essence, Perry. What is Sombra doing down here? Where does he get his power?”

“I don’t know.” Periwinkle buried his face in Celestia’s armored neck. “But he keeps talking about how he wants to make an alicorn.”

Celestia’s and Luna’s tails thrashed as they plunged deeper into the Crystal Palace.

***

“Bingo!” Daring Do swiped a book off the shelves. The grey cover held a black stamp of six crescents, connected at the points and arranged like spiraling flower petals. “Hurricane’s signature and family crest. Now, let’s see if my Early Modern Equish holds up.”

Blank walked among the dusty shelves, his nose twitching. More importantly, however, his antennae picked up traces of emotion from days gone by. A stack of letters held the mixed sweetness of love and hollow sourness of despair. A tome of magic crackled with savory compassion and spicy anger.

“What’s all this?” Daring flipped page after page. Maps, diagrams, and sketches flashed before her eyes. She slammed a hoof down on a nearby pony-sized book, raising a cloud of flaked pages. She coughed until the dust settled. “This is all technical stuff. Troop movements, armor, strategies, formations. Nothing I’d seal away.” She turned it over to look at the blank rear cover. “Heck, I think I’ve even read a modern edition of this thing.”

“It p-probably got lumped in w-with everything else,” Blankety muttered. He hovered his hoof over the book spines facing him, looking for some spark of Hurricane’s presence. “Wouldn’t b-be the first time the b-baby got thrown out w-with the bath water.”

“I hate that saying.” Daring grinned when she pulled another book bearing Hurricane’s seal out of the pile. Her face fell when it revealed similar information to the previous. “Who’d be dumb enough to toss their own kid out like that?”

“I’ll just m-m-mention that the turn of phrase came from somewhere.” Blank rested his hoof on the shelf and turned to face the mare. “Different t-times produce different ponies.”

“Yeah, that’s for sure.” Daring found a tiny, wallet-sized booklet. She opened it to the middle and eagerly read through the script. “Nice! A day planner. This has all of her appointments for about a year.”

Blank slid his hoof over the books without looking. “What year?”

“Um…” Daring jumped to the inside cover. “Five AU. After Unification.”

“I kn-know what AU stands for.”

“Fine.” Daring stuck her tongue out the side of her mouth. “Might be some good stuff. We’ll take it.”

“T-take it?” Blankety reared up. “B-but it’s a reference boo—”

“Oh hush, we’re already being illegal.” Daring stuffed the rare, ancient book into her saddlebags. “Who’s gonna miss it? Besides, we’ve only got about fifteen minutes until the guards come by. I ain’t gonna be able to cross-reference anything in fifteen minutes.”

Blanketly Blank grumbled as he returned to his task. “Hmph. You c-could at least pretend we’re doing the right th—”

A sensation like hot iron shot through his hoof, trailed up his leg, and exploded in his head. He collapsed into a heap, clutching the limb to his chest. The heat vanished in an instant, as if it had never been there in the first place.

Daring jumped up, her wings spread. “What happened? You okay?”

“Y-yeah.” Blank pulled himself up. His hoof was as immaculate as it ever got, polished smooth with just a hint of length to the hair on his fetlocks. Just as it was every transformation. “J-just got surprised is all.”

Daring trotted over, another book held beneath her mustard-tan wing. She squinted at the books, finding nothing out of place. “You’re not scared of spiders, are you?”

“N-no, just—” He put his hoof on the shelves, his senses braced for assault.

Most of the emotions that went into writing dulled over time. Love letters held a sweet flavor only so long before they paled. Comedies smelt of bananas for only so long before the humor within was outpaced by the laughter it generated. Recipes swirled with choice ingredients for a time, then faded into an aftertaste.

The hot rage behind the book he held in his hooves was as fierce as the day it was written.

The cover was black leather, crafted from cowhide. Silvery metal lined the edges, eventually forming the lock that held the volume closed. A lock that had been shattered long ago. The book fell open to a sketch of a pegasus mare. The anatomy was spot-on, depicting the path magic took throughout her body. The lines ran from her heart to every limb, especially concentrated in her wings.

Hurricane’s cutie mark was drawn in the lower corner of the page, alongside her crest.

The next page showcased a similar drawing, this time featuring Clover the Clever’s four-leaf cutie mark. Another held Smart Cookie’s chocolate chip-based design. Further on, all the members of the Founders had their own chance to shine.

Halfway through the book, the body of an alicorn was drawn with loving detail. Magic pathways were plotted, notes called out suspected size-increases, wingspan and horn height were theorized.

A crest lay in the bottom corner. It was a unicorn head in profile, with a long, curved horn. Fangs, rather than squared teeth, were readily visible in its open mouth.

“Horseapples,” Daring hissed. “What in the flying feather is this thing?”

Blankety Blank slammed the book shut. Glossy letters—only visible in a certain light—stood out from the cover. He angled it so that Daring Do could see. “Y-you tell me.”

Daring Do squinted, mouthing out the words before saying the title aloud. “The Grimoire Alicorn? Never heard of it, but…” She opened the flap of her saddlebags with a tense flick of her wing. “It’s got Hurricane in it, so it’s got to go.”

Blankety deposited the book. He waved his hoof, trying to lose the burn that still stung his body. “What the hay is a gri-moar?”

“Grimoire. It’s an old-timey word for a magical textbook.” Daring rubbed her throat to coax the sudden lump downward. “But this looks more like—er—like a blueprint.”

She checked the time on a small pocket watch. “Dang. We got like, five minutes before we need to start scooting. Get it into overdrive, Blank.”

Blank’s rear hoof bumped a ragged book titled The Art of Manipulation, by Chrysalis. He sucked in a deep, shuddering breath. “M-makes me wonder what sort of other s-secrets they have buried down here.”

***

“Miss Decimal, a word, please.”

The librarian shuddered at the sound of the oily voice. She frowned severely and turned to the little earth pony on the far side of the desk. “Mister Scuttlebutt, I’ve already shown your people into the archive. My debt has been paid and I am done working for—”

“My people?” Scuttlebutt’s cheese-eating smile soured. He gestured to the five strong stallions milling around the library. “These are my people, Deci. I told you I was coming myself. Whoever you showed into the archives was not with me.”

Decimal’s heart raced as sweat streaked down her back and sides. “Oh no.”

Scuttlebutt sighed. He brought his front hooves onto the countertop and leaned closer to the mare. “I understand. You’re under a lot of stress. You aren’t cut out for all this cloak and dagger nonsense.” He reached out to stroke her mane. “Believe me, your mistake is totally understandable.”

He shut his eyes, moving his head from side to side. “But not forgivable.”

A high-pitched squeal lodged in her chest as he caressed her cheek. He leaned closer than should have been possible with his short stature. He whispered in her ear, sharp fangs appearing in his mouth.

“If I don’t get what I set out for, Miss Decimal, I will suck you dry.”

Author's Note:

This chapter ran longer than I thought, so...

The encounter with Sombra will happen next chapter.

As will the scuffle with Scuttlebutt.

And so will the meeting with Starswirl.

So, yeah, all the cool parts of the chapter got pushed back. Sorry about that. :twilightblush: