The Hierarchy
Chapter 4: The Hierarchy
“This is unacceptable!” Filthy Rich slammed a forehoof down on his desk in the throne room as he glared across the room at Twilight Sparkle, who stood proudly behind her desk, unmoving. “How can we dispatch guardsponies to these towns when we need them here to protect the capital? There is just not enough stallions for the job!”
“Representative Rich...” Twilight closed her eyes calmly and fiddled with her ponytail that hung over her shoulder, as her mane was much longer. Her longer tail swished around annoyedly as she responded to the Earth pony representative. “We certainly do have the stallion-power for an expedition like this. It’s the only way to figure out why these towns are disappearing!”
“I told you the only possible reason!” Filthy Rich shouted. “All the towns we have been losing contact from have been near the border to the desert...” He looked around the room at the other hierarchy members. “The border to the zebra nation...”
“Here we go...” Fancy Pants, who was next to Filthy, sighed and rolled his eyes.
“You don’t know what you say, old man!” Filthy turned towards the Unicorn and narrowed his eyes. “It’s the only reasonable explanation!”
Celestia and Luna sat on their thrones at the edge on the room. They exchanged worried glances at each other before Celestia narrowed her eyes and lifted a forehoof. “Representative Rich, enough of your conspiracies.” Celestia said flatly. “We can’t know unless we send somepony out to see what’s going on...”
"We already tried that...” Carrot Top said from her side of the room. “The guards we dispatched to Whinnypeg did not return.” She shook her head. “We must face the fact that Equestria is under attack and on the brink of war...”
“And we don’t even know who we are fighting...” Hoops said from the other side of Filthy Rich.
“Well, regardless...” Twilight Sparkle turned back towards the Princesses. “My petition still stands. We should send a larger detachment to patrol the remaining cities along the border...”
“Fool!” Filthy Rich pointed at Twilight. “They’ll be wiped out!”
“Then we’ll send the Red Hooves!” Fancy Pants retorted at Filthy.
“They are Celestia’s personal guard and are to remain in their respective cities...” Filthy growled. “Besides, what good are they if the Red Hooves in Whinnypeg failed to repel whatever attacked them!?”
“They are our protectors!” Twilight was starting to raise her voice.
“Their sense of honor is a nuisance!!” Filthy barked. “They refuse to test out my more advanced muskets!”
Twilight twitched. “I’m sorry, Filthy...do you WANT Appleloosa and Dodge Junction to be destroyed, too? They are our primary source of food and transportation!”
“We have plenty of other food providers!”
“Who will transport your filthy sticks of death, Filthy?!” Twilight was screaming now.
Before Celestia could speak up and end the fight, the sounds of the throne room doors slamming opened caused all the heads in the room to turn.
“Who dares!?” Filthy whirled his head around to tear the intruder a new one for interrupting their meeting, but instead, his pupils shrank and his mouth hung open. “I-Impossible...”
Everypony else in the room stared at the newcomer with similar expressions of shock as he flew forward, dragging with him and unconscious guard. A small group of guards with muskets gathered at the door behind the newcomer and pointed their muskets at the Pegasus’s back.
“Put the guard down!” The leader barked, closing one eye and taking aim.
“Sorry boys...” Dan looked behind him, his golden eyes glinting. “This was the only way you’d let me in...”
Celestia stood up and stared ahead, narrowing her eyes. Luna still sat, her expression undaunted, but a small smile touching her lips.
Dan eventually stopped flying and landed, kneeling before the Princesses, still holding onto the guard. “Celestia...Luna...I’m glad to once again be in your presence...” He looked up and his eyes caught the stained glass window of him. “I like what you’ve done with the place...” He smiled slightly and let out a small chuckle.
Celestia stared at Dan for a moment before she herself smiled and, to everypony’s shock, wrapped her forehooves and wings lovingly around the mysterious blue colt. “Welcome back, Ace...”
“WHAT!?” Everypony except Twilight, Luna, and Celestia shouted out in unison.
“Y-Your majesty!” The lead guard stuttered, lowering his musket. “Y-You can’t honestly believe that this...this fraud is the hero of legend!?”
“He is...” Celestia stood up and stared at the guards. “I can tell by looking into his mind.” She looked down at Dan, who smiled, dropped the guard, and flew bi-pedal style next to Celestia, folding his forehooves and glaring at the guards. Celestia looked back at the guards before continuing. “Now, how about all of you go back to your duties and not mention this to anypony...” She smirked. “Unless one of you wants a one-way trip to the moon...”
Luna chuckled behind them as the guards scrambled to pick up their KO’d compatriot and scatter out of the throne room, the door slamming in place behind them.
“This is an outrage!” Filthy Rich pointed a hoof forward at Dan. “To even think that this stallion is Ace, the hero of legend, is preposterous!”
Dan looked past Celestia at Filthy Rich with an indifferent expression. “Excuse me?” He narrowed his eyes. “The outrage is that you, a stuck-up politician, thinks that you’re right. You’re not. I am me, and you can’t decide otherwise.”
“Like Tartarus, I can’t!” Filthy growled. “Ace disappeared fifteen years ago and was never seen again.”
There was muttering amongst the hierarchy members, except Twilight, who cintually stared at Dan.
“He left behind his delinquent son and that dike of a marefriend! He abandoned them! Frankly, I don’t see why we even have him on one of our windows and-”
Filthy Rich was interrupted by Dan suddenly leaping into the air and rocketing towards him. Upon reaching Filthy, he roared and swung his hoof at the hierarchy member’s head. In the process of the swing, a glimmering golden scimitar appeared in his forehoof. He pressed it up against Filthy’s throat as he flew in front of him, glaring angrily at the Earth pony.
“You say one more word, just one, about Dash or my son...” Dan growled. “And I’ll tear out your intestines through your muzzle...”
Filthy was scared into submission. His eyes were wide and his pupils were dilated in fear, gulping nervously as the 7th Element blade pressed up against his throat.
Dan slowly lowered the sword and it disappeared in a glimmer of light and he turned back towards Celestia. “I...apologize...”
Celestia’s eyes were wide as well, but she managed a small smile. “You are pardoned, Ace...just...don’t kill him...”
Dan looked at Filthy Rich, who was scowling, then back to Celestia indifferently. “I make zero promises.”
Luna chuckled behind the proceedings as she sat and observed. Celestia shot her sister a glare before turning back to the blue Pegasus. “What brings you here, Ace?”
Dan was shocked. “How could the Princess not know!?” He rose an eyebrow. “Well, I was actually kind of hoping you could tell m-OOF!”
“Ace!” Twilight Sparkle could not contain herself anymore. She leaped out from behind her desk and essentially tackled the human-turned-Pegasus to the ground. “You’re back! You’re back! Back! BACK!”
“Ack! Yes, Twi...” Dan choked out as her forehooves wrapped tightly around his throat. “Air! Air! Oxygen!!”
“Oops! Sorry...” Twilight slowly realized she was making a fool of herself, then stepped off of Dan, who instantly stood up and breathed heavily in and out for a few moments for regain his composure. “So, Princess...” Dan looked at her indifferently. “Can we talk?”
“Of course. Hierarchy, you are excused.” Celestia stated simply before she turned and started trotting towards her throne.
“This is madness!” Filthy Rich barked. “You expect us to leave while you alone talk to this...this...” Filthy gestured at Ace. “Fake!?”
“Nope.” Luna smiled. “Twilight gets to stay, too.”
Before Filthy could say anything else, Hoops and Lightning bolt grabbed the flustered Earth pony and dragged him out of the throne room before he could yell anymore and possibly blow a window.
“What a gentlecolt...” Ace muttered, causing a chuckled from Twilight who had walked up next to him. “Twi...” Dan hugged his old friend. “Sorry...I just didn’t know whether or not it was okay to tell them what I really am...”
“It’s a good thing you didn’t, Daniel...” Twilight hugged him back briefly. “They didn’t know the truth...”
“Huzzah...” Dan remarked dryly, his mood still in tatters from his conversation with Rainbow Dash. “Now, why am I here, Princess?”
“Well hold on, Dan...” Celestia cocked an eye at him, looking into his mind. Her eyes widened. “I...I see...” Her eyes took on a look of sadness before she looked down. “I’m...so sorry...”
“I...” Dan sighed. “I don’t blame her...”
Twilight gasped. “Oh, no! Dash and Fyre Bolt! Omigosh, Dan...I’m-”
“I SAID I DON’T BLAME HER...” Dan retorted sternly. “I...I don’t...I was gone for fifteen years...” He sniffed. “After...all...” he shook his head, then looked up at Celestia with dim eyes. “So why did you summon me back, Celestia?”
“Dan...” Celestia sighed, contemplated trying to make him feel better, but then decided if she wanted his help, she’d better not. “I summoned you back through the space-time rift you created during your first visit here. There was no damage done to the continuum this time because...well...” Celestia blinked nervously. “I cheated, Dan...”
Luna sat up slightly upon hearing this, and Twilight cocked her head to one side, confused. Dan looked surprised. “Cheated?”
“I cheated to bring you back, yes.” Celestia quickly changed the subject. “But our need is dire. Several small towns on the border between Equestria and the desert nation of Zebrica have been disappearing. We’ve lost all contact and we have no idea what’s going on out there...”
Dan narrowed his eyes, “The Zebra Nation has a name now, huh? Interesting.” Dan paused and thought for a moment. “Do you think they’re mad about...Anansi?” Dan shuddered as he recalled the evil zebra’s cackle and evil smile as Rainbow Dash died in his hooves.
“Rainbow Dash...” Dan sighed, but quickly shook his head. “NO, Dan! Stay on topic!”
Celestia nodded, “It’s a possibility, but a far-fetched one...”
“Plus, why wait fifteen years to plot your revenge for killing one diplomat?” Luna chimed in sarcastically.
“Luna is right.” Twilight nodded. “It must be something else.”
“Have you sent out your armies?” Dan asked.
“Yes, small brigades.” Celestia sighed and shook her head. “We’ve lost contact from them as well. And I can’t get the hierarchy to approve sending more troops... ”
“Figures...” Dan scoffed. “So...” Dan shuffled about nervously. “You want me to go see what’s taking out the towns?”
Celestia simply nodded. “I can think of nopony better...”
Dan took a moment to think. True, he was rusty and hadn’t been a pony, let alone fight something for real in fifteen years. But upon seeing celestia’s expression, he knew these ponies needed him again, no matter how much he wanted to go home and forget all about..her.
“No problem, Princess...” Dan gave a small smile. “It shouldn’t be a problem. I mean...at least I still have power over my weapons, right?” He swung his forehoof and the scimitar appeared in it again.
“Good. Dodge Junction is where we suspect the next attack will occur, following the pattern of the disappearances....” Celestia said. “Twilight, get Dan a zeppelin ticket to Dodge Junction and get him set up with some garments that will keep him from being recognized as well...” Celestia nodded. “Regardless if everypony so far has seen him to be a fake, I don’t want somepony to recognize him for real and start a fit of controversy.”
“Yes, Princess...” Twilight said, walking up beside Dan. “Let’s go, Dan...”
“Thanks for everything, Celestia.” Dan said before turning and leaving with Twilight. He stopped short of the door and turned around. “Hold on...” He rose a forehoof. “How exactly did you ‘cheat’ to get me here?”
Celestia sighed and exchanged a look with Luna, who nodded slowly. “I...I didn’t stop time on Earth this time...”
“WHA-!?” The throne room doors slammed shut before befuddled pegasus could object.
Luna rose an eyebrow at her older sister. “You didn’t stop time on Earth? Or you couldn’t?”
Celestia looked dryly at her sister before turning her gaze to the throne room doors that Dan and Twilight exited from. “He has enough on his shoulders right now for me to tell him the full truth...”
Meanwhile, back on Earth...
A patrol of three police squad cars arrived at the base of the apartment building that housed Dan’s penthouse, their lights on and police radio chatter abound. Civilians had gathered around, but were not let past the yellow crime tape.
Up in the penthouse, several policemen were searching for evidence of a forced break-in or a kidnapping while a detective in a brown windbreaker jacket that bore a badge on it was questioning Dan’s personal AI Core, Wheatley.
“So, you just....reactivated yourself and he was gone?” The detective brushed aside his unkempt blonde hair has he scribbled down a few notes on his notepad. “His car was still here and everything?”
“That’s right, sir!” The AI shook it’s head. “It’s like he vanished into thin air! Oh, poor Dan! He was probably kidnapped by gargoyles! Or ghosts!”
“Wheatley...” The detective strangely called the robot by it’s name, rolling his eyes.
“Or ghostly gargoyles!”
“Wheatley, please!” The detective rushed forward and grabbed the AI’s side, forcing it to look at him. “My brother is missing, Wheatley! It’s hard enough on me, but it’s even harder on our mother! She can’t stand to lose another family member after Dad!”
Wheatley stared intently at the detective for a moment before sighing and shaking free of the cop’s grip. “Right...sorry, John...”
“C’mon, Wheatley...” John pleaded, putting away his notebook. “Is there anything you can remember about his disappearance!?”
“I’m...I’m...” Wheatley sighed. “There’s nothing else...you can rip out my motherboard and look through everything, you will not find a single lie in this system...”
The detective known as John was silent for a moment before sighing and looking at the floor stain where the glass of Mountain Dew with an evidence sign next to it. “It’s okay, Wheatley...I believe you...” He chuckled slightly. “I guess Dan wouldn’t let you get away with lying, eh?”
“When he got me, he detatched me and threatened to throw me off the balcony every time I even slighty misbehaved...” Wheatley retracted into the ceiling. “Drink, detective John?”
“Y-Yes, please, Wheatley...” John sighed, walking over to the balcony. “Dr. Pepper, please...”
“Coming right up...”
John slowly walked out onto the balcony and rested his arms on the rails, leaning over the edge and gazing at the skyline of Los Angeles. “Where are you, bro?”
A/N: Le gasp! Celestia knows, but didn't tell the whole truth? Dan has a brother? Ghostly gargoyles exist!?
Find the answers to all these questions and more next time on Dragonb-
Excuse me.
The Return of the 7th Element!
Note: OC requests are open. Go to my FiMFiction page for details. (I will not accept if you don't do everything exactly, so go there and read the module entitled "OC Request Status".)
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er....First?
dl.dropbox.com/u/31471793/FiMFiction/Vinyl_Scratch_lolface.png Yay! New chapter!
In the words of one of the most awsome male pegasi to ever live
Snowflake - YEEEAAAHHH!!!
Hahaha, about time! I've been waiting for this!
Nice to see Dan put Filthy in his place. I was getting sick of him.
Also nice to see that people actally care that Dan's gone back on Earth. Maybe they'll come to Equestria?
I thoroughly enjoyed this chapter, as usual. A couple of grammer errors here and there detracted from the experience, however...
Looking forward to more!
yea as happy as I am to see shit go down it's been far too long
O
M
G
i2.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/original/000/296/322/c6f.gif
1152397
I wrote a blog a while ago explaining a few things, including why she cheated and how it will impact the story as a whole...
Sorry if you missed it...
YES MAN!!!
love your series dude, can't wait for the next chapter 
I Don't know waht to say... I liked it though.
no............... they can't exist.... they CANT!
1157930
Եվ ալտ! Ես առաջին մարդը մեկը մյուսին շարունակելով ծհաջորդաբար երգել է հայերեն. : P
Hey, can you have every of Dan and John Sessions' friends appear in Equestria? I am thinking.
does john get sent to Equestria??? to help dan maybe???
Good heavens! We already have more twists in this story than a spaghetti junction! And poor Dan's already gone through shit in the first few chapters already.
Oh well, now it's a guessing game of what happens next.
This is getting extremely interesting
I guess... When I finish the first story (Why the fuzzles is the first on so long! It took me 3 hours to work my way to 26...)
Let's see how this goes....
You better update soon! Flutters is about to die of suspense!
"was was rusty"
1158225 Me too Bro, me too. I also cried manly tears while reading a few of these chapters.
Finally got around to catching up with this. I'd just like to say: Called it. I knew Ghostly Gargoyles existed.
great, great story. when will the next chapters be posted?
epic coolios
Absolutely love your story!! :D
I like the story so far i hope Rainbow Dash and Ace get back with each other and i liked this chapter where he scared Filthy Rich and Luna laughed it was funny keep up the good work.
Man, I can't stop cheering. And laughing. And crying. And... Ahh screw it. THE FEELS, MAN. THE FEELS.
Also...
UNACCEPTABLE!!!!!
Lol dat dragonball z reference
I don't see a problem with this so-called 'cheating'. This time he gets something he wanted as well, but the cost this time might be a bit harder to bear
I'm guessing more than just dan are going to be in equestria.