The Vacuity of Razzmatazz
The tunnel through the cavern wall lay choked with rock dust as the enslaved ponies trudged through their workday. Painted Ones watched from ledges, their eyes keen to spot any worker who slowed down or stumbled. The workers would not disobey, not without their hearts, but a pony without a soul required a more physical form of motivation. A prod with an enchanted spear here, a kick to the rump there, and a body bereft of equinity would work until it dropped from exhaustion.
Dissero walked between the lesser ponies as he made his way to the end of the tunnel. He reached beneath his cloak with a spindly foreleg and dipped his hoof into a cup of elixir. It came forth as dye, which he used to draw designs into his worn coat. Every spot the paint touched—every pore and follicle and muscle—filled with youthful vigor. Still, the dye faded faster than ever, and the strength waned even quicker. Dissero was dying. He felt it in the feebleness in his bones. He heard it in the pounding of his head and the grumbling of overtaxed internal organs. His time was coming quickly.
But today, if what his underlings said was true, that would change. After two-hundred years of service to his god, his fate would finally change.
He pulled his cloak firmly over his head to hide his shame. He fixed a strong Painted One with a stern glare. “Show me the opening.”
“Dissero,” the earth pony said, “the pegasus girl broke through this morning. A rock fell and wounded her leg, so we have returned her to the cave.”
“It is of no consequence.” Dissero brushed the Painted One aside and came to the opening the underling had spoken of. He peered through and only saw darkness. And yet, it was an open darkness; a direct hole into an antechamber previously unseen. Was it the one they were looking for? It could only be so. They were directly underneath the Everfree Forest. “Leave her be and cause the others to press on.”
The Painted One shifted. The red paint on his torso rippled, while the green paint on his limbs shimmered. “Elder… Ahuzotl’s specific orders were that no harm should come to her. One of our number allowed the rock to fall, and he should pay the price.”
Dissero felt a brief flash of hatred for the order. No harm to the pegasus? She was an example of everything wrong with the world. Privilege and prosperity, given to those born into blessings. One who had seen nothing but gifts poured down upon her since birth. One who flew through the clouds with stars in her eyes, never to feel the mire and silt of hardship and pain. One who had never felt truth stain her pristine hooves.
He breathed in through his nose and out through his mouth. Ahuizotl’s wisdom was infinite. The god was beyond Dissero’s limited knowledge. There was a reason for keeping the pegasus—no—the tool alive. Just as the unicorn’s purpose was to unite the hearts, the pegasus also had a reason for living. And because Ahuizotl’s will had been violated by a careless action…
“Bring him to the pit.”
The Painted One bowed at the neck and left in a rush. Dissero plodded his way back down the tunnel, his purple cape over his mouth to protect his lungs from the residue. The watchers urged the slaves into a frenzy of swinging hammers and clanging chisels. His heart pounded in his chest, desperately trying to keep up with his slow pace. It was barely a hundred meters of travel. A young pony would have no problem jogging up and down the way with impunity.
He came to the pit in a matter of minutes. The others were already waiting beside the seemingly bottomless shaft into darkness. Dissero allowed himself a rising sense of satisfaction. He knew what was down there. He knew the triumph that awaited Ahuizotl and the destruction it heralded for Equestria. It only awaited one thing to be fully activated: Ready and willing hearts.
If only they could dig it out!
Three Painted Ones restrained a fourth pony beside the deadly drop. The disobedient one was just as burly and muscled as the others, though he lacked the signature enchanted dye of the Painted Ones. Dissero stopped before him, eyeing him up and down. Disappointment flooded his chest. This was one of the more promising acolytes. Smart, quick, athletic, unwaveringly devoted. Unwavering, that is, save for his inexcusable error.
“Who is your god, Painted One?” Dissero said.
“It is Ahuizotl!” The disobedient said. “It is only ever Ahuizotl!”
“Ahuizotl will not reside in the presence of disobedience.” Dissero tilted his head. “In allowing harm to come to the orange pegasus, you have brought shame upon the almighty.”
“I did not!” The pony’s eyes widened in sheer animal terror. He had seen this ceremony before. He knew what awaited. “I wasn’t even nearby when the rock fell! How could I have known?”
“You were her taskmaster. Her care was your responsibility.” Dissero narrowed his eyes. “In failing to protect her, you have denied the wisdom of the word of Ahuizotl and rejected his sovereignty. Had you trust in your god, you would not have failed.”
“Please!” The pony leapt and bucked, but the others would not release him. “I just need another chance! I will never fail Ahuizotl again!”
“That—” Dissero allowed himself a tight smile. “—is very true.”
Another Painted One walked up to the edge, pushing a tub of red liquid. A large concentration of dye, created from a brew of special plants and crushed crystals, oozing with magical power. Dissero’s skin tingled from his very proximity to it. Far more than necessary to power twenty Painted Ones, let alone one.
The Painted Ones shoved the disobedient one up to the edge of the pit, nearly knocking him in. He teetered on the edge, but clung to life as desperately as he could. He was met with enchanted spears that held him in place with a hum of energy.
Dissero dipped his hoof into the dye and reached out. With the disobedient one pinned, he was free to draw a large “X” shape across his chest. “The heart produces magic…”
The Painted Ones around him recited: “The Painted Ones bleed magic.”
Dissero covered the pony’s eyes next. “The fairy strings channel magic.”
“The Painted Ones gush with magic.”
Each limb received a stripe. Beneath the pony’s skin, Dissero saw his muscles tightening and convulsing as they received far more magic at once than they could handle. “The body released magic.”
“The Painted Ones hoard magic.”
The dye glowed like a hot iron. The unfortunate pony bit his tongue in an effort to hold back his pain. He jolted, and his foreleg brushed against the blade of a spear.
Dissero picked up the bowl of red paint. “Let the world know that magic belongs to the earth, and earth to the Painted Ones.”
The Painted Ones slammed the butts of their spears against the ground. “Let the earth tremble!”
Dissero doused the disobedient one in the dye. The paint coated his entire body. Magic rushed through his veins on a collision course with his heart. If Dissero looked closely, he could see the fairy strings glowing a faint gold beneath the fiery blaze of untamed magic.
The pony fell backwards into the pit. A moment of silence came, followed by a single ear-splitting snap as the magic within him combusted.
“The will of Ahuizotl is infallible,” Dissero said, “and failure is inexcusable.”
Pain shot up his leg as the dye soaked in. He stumbled, and was caught by the Painted One beside him. The acolyte brought their mouth to his ear. “Dissero, Ahuizotl has called you to the audience chamber.”
Dissero nodded and regained his balance. No doubt Ahuizotl wished to speak of the literal breakthrough in the tunnel. That, combined with the treasures found in the pit, would seal their victory and bring to fruition the complete will of Ahuizotl. Dissero was sure of it.
At long last. At long, long last.
He made his ponderous way to the audience chamber. They had named it so due to the stone throne and smooth altar that lay in the center of the circular room. It seemed officious enough, at the least. Officious enough that the previous owners of the caverns may have used it similarly.
Ahuizotl waited for him astride the throne, which remained a few sizes too small for him. Also in attendance was the unworthy Caballeron, who slouched in his usual skulking manner, his hat low over his eyes. He and Dissero sent fiery glares at each other.
Dissero waited his turn to speak, intensely aware of Ahuizotl’s dislike for being interrupted. Intensely, intimately aware.
“Dissero,” Ahuizotl breathed. “You bring me good news.”
Dissero breathed a small sigh of relief that the news was indeed good, as Ahuizotl would little appreciate any other sort. “The breakthrough had been made. We found the antechamber.”
“Excellent!” Ahuizotl snapped the fingers on his tail. “Just where Dr. Caballeron said it would be! You have served me well, Doctor.”
Dissero puckered his lips in an aged, practiced sneer. Praise for the unworthy. Honor for the unbeliever. Wretched as he was.
“Which leaves the one last thing we need.” Ahuizotl leaned forward in his throne, his paws grasping the armrests tight. “Did you see it? Did you catch a glimmer of the Sun Device?”
“There is nothing to see until we widen the hole and allow light to enter the chamber.” Dissero bowed his head, partially to avoid the intensity of Ahuizotl’s eyes. “This will require more time.”
Ahuizotl’s tone was as hot as his breath. “How long?”
“A couple days, at least,” Caballeron said. “Or longer, since you insist on using workers unable to think for themselves.”
“Oh, they think well enough.” Ahuizotl danced his claws before Caballeron’s face. The grizzled earth pony moved back a step to avoid the razor-sharp edges. “But to care enough, they may need more…” He turned his eyes to Dissero atop a wide grin. “Persuasion.”
“It shall be so, Almighty Ahuizotl.” Dissero would have said more, but he stopped short. Something in his chest sparked. Something in his limbs gave way to weakness. A dizzy spell. Occurring with alarming frequency. Difficult to deal with. Hard to ignore.
The looming presence of Ahuizotl cast a shadow over Dissero’s aching body. The brilliant yellow eyes shone bright in the torchlight. “Dissero. You seem distressed.”
Caballeron rushed to Dissero and pressed a shoulder against his side to prop him up. He looked into one of Dissero’s eyes and pressed a hoof against his neck. “I think he’s having a heart attack.”
“Ahuizotl…” Dissero’s voice was distant in his own ears. “You promised me… eternity…”
Ahuizotl narrowed his eyes. He leaned close enough that the rotted scent of flesh could be smelt on his breath. “I always keep my promises, Dissero. Especially to those who serve me faithfully.”
“Then please—” The world swam before Dissero’s vision, which clouded at the edges. Darkness crept ever closer as he proceeded on his way to oblivion. “—please be my salvation…”
Ahuizotl’s snaking tail slithered to his back, where he drew the Spade of Hearts. Caballeron turned wide eyes upon its curved bronzed blade and stag-antler hilt. “What do you think you’re doing? It’s a heart-attack!”
“Though the body may fail, the soul yet carries on.” Ahuizotl ran a claw over the edge of the blade. The air sung with the sound of metal against bone. “In one form or another.”
Dissero’s eyes closed for the final time. “Ahuizotl…”
Ahuizotl plunged the dagger into Dissero’s chest. Magic flashed and ignited the air with purple and green fire. Ahuizotl reached in and easily retrieved a glistening heart-shaped crystal. Dissero slumped to the ground with nary a peep left within him.
The world was empty and cold. His limbs failed completely. Light was meaningless and touch a distant memory. All that was left was himself, floating in an endless void yet fully chained to the crystal in Ahuizotl’s palm. The heart pulsated, crying for help, speaking without words. The god of the Painted Ones smiled, holding the trinket aloft.
“Now shedding your feeble, aged hide
Every divot and wrinkle denied
To reveal what is truly inside
As your master becomes deified!”
He kicked Dissero’s body into the watery pathway, where it sank soundlessly, lifelessly to the depths. He leaped onto the altar and raised the Spade in a display of power and victory.
“That!
Is the price!
Of a god!”
At the edge of Dissero’s awareness, he sensed the unworthy earth pony speaking. “What are you going to do with him?”
Ahuizotl flicked a paw at him. “See to it that the workers proceed at the swiftest possible pace. I know you have a great deal of expertise in excavation, if only by the holes you dig yourself into.” He prowled to the pool as he slid his dagger into its sheath. “I shall be in the pit, choosing a suitable vessel to carry the soul of Dissero.”
Ahuizotl pointed with his tail’s index finger. “And Doctor: Don’t keep me waiting.”
He dove into the water, and the rest was darkness.
***
Button Mash tapped a hoof as he waited beside the door to A.K. Yearling’s guest room. He craned his neck back to take in the sights of the castle. Tapestries taller than any building back home. Stained glass windows designed to capture the light of the sun and the moon. Gold rimmed, marble pillars to carry the weight of the roof and upper floors. Smooth tiles he could see himself perfectly in. It was brilliantly beautiful in a way wholly removed, yet just as regal, as Twilight Sparkle’s castle.
He hadn’t seen the inside of that one much, come to think of it. But the outside was gorgeous.
“Y’all gonna catch flies with your mouth open like that.”
He was pulled from his reverie by the melodically jesting voice of Apple Bloom. He gave her a shrug and a half-smile. “Can’t help it. I’ve never been inside the castle before.”
“Have so!” Apple Bloom pulled her foreleg away from Spike, who was dozing a few steps down the hall. “Cheerilee took the third grade on a field trip that one time. Just before Discord returned and stuff.”
With that, the memory clicked in Button’s head. “Oh. Yeah, guess you’re right. That was—what?—ten years ago?”
“More’n that. It was before Spike’s brother got hitched.” Apple Bloom took a moment to admire the craftsmanship in the castle, giving a particular banister an approving nod. “I guess they’ve done renovations in light of the attack. Prettied the place up a bit.”
Button Mash glanced the other way down the hall. Rumble stood watch for Dr. Yearling, his ears perked and twisted backward to listen to the conversation. He’d chip in if he had a worthwhile thought. He always did. Care Carrot was nowhere to be seen, as she’d been for the last hour.
“Dunno if I’d recognize the difference between then and now,” Button said. “They’re both pretty breathtaking.”
“That’s a fair thing to say.” Apple Bloom almost said something else, but the words caught in her throat. She let out a tiny “ahem” before she continued, her eyes anywhere but on Button. “Sooooo… I heard you an’ Sweetie went on a date.”
“I’m pretty sure everybody’s heard that by now,” Button said, his voice low so as not to carry. “Heck, I’ll bet Princess Celestia’s had the heralds bring the news to Tartarus.”
“Funny. But seriously, though.” Apple Bloom leaned forward, her eyebrows level. “Didja guys have a good time? Any tearful declarations of love, or inopportune proposals, or confrontations with old rivals? Or do those things just happen to Scootaloo?”
“I resemble that remark!” Rumble said.
“Whatever. I just—” Apple Bloom held her hooves up before Button could speak. “You know what? I’m sorry. It’s none of my business. I just wanna…” She let her hooves drop and sighed. “Just wanna see my friends happy, you know?”
Button Mash smiled. He shook his head, holding empty hooves outward. “I can only tell you what she told me. She said she had a great time and wanted to do it again. So I guess I didn’t screw it up too bad.”
“Good.” Apple Bloom bobbed her head, casting a glance at Spike as the dragon snored. “Good. I’m glad she had fun. And you deserve some happiness, too. You’re a pretty neat guy; what with your songs and puppet shows and such.”
Button Mash unbuttoned his suit jacket, wishing for all the world to be rid of the formal wear. “Eh. I don’t always feel neat.”
“You’re too down on yourself, colt!” Apple Bloom slapped a mighty hoof against the shiny floor, leaving behind a scuff mark. “Look at where you are, who you’re with, an’ what you’re about to do. Go on and try to tell me you’re anything less than awesome!”
“What she’s saying, Button,” Rumble said, “is that you need some horseapples-encrusted self-awareness.”
“Language,” Spike muttered.
Rumble leaned his head back, but didn’t turn away from the hall. “Love you, too, bro.”
Button tried and failed to hold back his grin. He jumped when Apple Bloom chucked him in the shoulder.
“Buck up,” she said. She returned to Spike’s side with a quick trot, her head held high. “‘We’re going on a dive through danger,’ remember? I figure you’ve gotta be more than razzmatazz an’ hooey.”
Button Mash settled his back against the door, crossing his forelegs over his chest. “Razzmatazz carries my plays.”
Apple Bloom settled down, smoothing out the edge of her dress. “It don’t carry them alone.”
Rumble shifted his stance, his ears facing forward. “I hear them. Meeting’s about to start.”
Button Mash leaned forward to see around the corner. A.K. Yearling walked slowly down the hall, whispering to Lord Mayor Applejack. He could just make out that they were talking about Rainbow Dash, but had no way of knowing the details. Applejack doffed her hat and cantered away, leaving the doctor to make the last few steps to her waiting audience.
A.K. Yearling didn’t quite fit the mental picture Button made for her. Honestly, she didn’t even fit the picture of a little old lady found in the inside cover of her books. She looked a great deal younger without the oversized spectacles and ridiculous flower hat. Stronger, too, having muscle bulk that rivaled Applejack. The wings still seemed tiny, but he figured on that being an optical illusion.
Definitely not the scrawny, bookish author she masqueraded as.
She cast lidded eyes upon them, and allowed her frown to deepen. “So you’re the guys Carrot invited, huh?”
Rumble snapped to attention and threw a sharp salute. “Pony-at-arms Rumble, at your service, ma’am!”
Spike blinked himself awake and sat up. “Hi, Aunt Yearling. Good to see you.”
Yearling’s frown vanished like smoke on the wind. She gave the young dragon a warm smile and beckoned him closer. “Come here and give old Aunty Yearling a hug.”
Spike’s embrace was light, yet sincere. Yearling held nothing back, squeezing him with all the considerable strength in her forelegs. “Geeze, Spike!” she said. “I think you about doubled in size since I last saw you! B’fore you know it, you’re gonna be a full-scale volcano lizard!”
“I’ve only grown twenty-five millimeters,” he said, his cheeks glowing pink. He backed away and held a hand out for Apple Bloom. “Aunt Yearling, I’d very much like to introduce you to my girlfriend: Apple Bloom. Apple Bloom, this is my mom’s best friend: Amber Kestrel Yearling.”
Apple Bloom smiled as she and Yearling shared a hoofbump. “Pleasure’s all mine, Dr. Yearling. Can I just say how much I love your books?”
“Haven’t gotten tired of hearing it yet.” Yearling dropped the smile like a ton of bricks as she stared straight into Apple Bloom’s eyes. “You break his heart, I break your nose.”
Spike choked on his own spit, but Apple Bloom sent him a wink. “I recall Big Mac tellin’ you the same thing. I think we’re even.”
“Big Mac never said that.”
“I’m sure he was thinkin’ it.”
Yearling ran a hoof through her grayscale mane. “Sorry to keep you waiting, but I was helping Rarity and Applejack track down Rainbow. She figured out about Scootaloo, and… yeah. So they’re gonna talk with her.”
Spike nodded, his hand finding Apple Bloom’s hoof. “I figured something like that would happen.”
His ear twitched and he shuffled sideways to indicate Button Mash, who had gotten to his feet. “This is my buddy Button Mash. He’s had firefighter training, so he’s volunteered to help with any medical we might need.”
Yearling looked Button up and down, her eyes narrow and scrutinizing. She tapped his chest, right atop a long, white mark. “Scar looks fresh. When’d you get it?”
“Uh.” Button Mash pressed his lips together. “Earlier this week. When Caballeron kidnapped Sweetie and Scootaloo.”
“Yeah, checks out. Looks like his spurs.” Yearling wrinkled her nose. “You’re on your feet awful quick.”
“Ambrosia’s pretty awesome.”
“’Kay.” She spun in a tight circle and nodded to each pony in turn. “Alright, I trust Carrot not to be an idiot about this kinda thing, so welcome aboard. She and Blankety are on their way, and Marty’s not gonna be far behind.”
Button Mash’s cheeks heated up as he moved aside to allow her access to the door. He tapped a hoof to blow off some nervous energy. His mind went blank. He had wanted to say something, right? Say something to the most popular author in the world? “I, uh, I also like your books.”
“I like your taste.” She swept the door open and indicated the room with a hoof. “Step right this-a-way to the hall of miracles. Tickets: Fifty bits. You must me this tall to ride.”
“Wait up!”
Button’s ears caught the voice before he saw the source. Captain Care Carrot and a white-coated, white-maned stallion hustled down the hall. Rainbow’s griffon friend hovered overhead in the airways outlined throughout the castle’s hallways.
The eight of them scrambled into the room, and the door closed firmly behind them.
Spike and Apple Bloom monopolized a small settee beneath the window to the courtyard, but skootched over to let Captain Carrot sit beside Spike. The white stallion curled up at the foot of Yearling’s bed. Rumble plopped himself into a chair from the kitchenette’s two-seater table. Button Mash took the other chair, and found himself beside the brooding griffon. He shivered as he looked at the creature, from his sharp claws, to his dangerous beak, to his threatening size. Of anybody in the room, only Apple Bloom could look him in the eye.
“So…” Button pointed. “You’re Hershel, right?”
The griffon clicked his beak. “Martial.”
“Sorry. Sorry.” Button leaned back in his chair. It creaked, bringing all eyes in the room to him. He resigned himself to not moving for the rest of the meeting.
A.K. Yearling paced around the center of the room, yanking her shawl off of her shoulders. “Okay, first thing’s first. You’ve all earned need-to-know privileges.” She closed her eyes and placed a hoof on her chest, a tiny smile peeking through. “My real name is Daring Do.”
Rumble sniggered, bringing all the attention in the room down upon him. Button’s mouth scrunched up. Half of him wanted to join in the laugh, and the other half was deathly afraid of making a fool of himself.
Daring stuffed a hoof against Rumble’s mouth, and Button thanked the Creator for wisdom. “Yeah, cute isn’t it?” she said. “Now shaddap and let’s get the ball moving. I don’t have time to explain, so just go with it, Pony-at-arms.”
She pulled a notebook out of a satchel hanging from her bedpost. She flipped through her pages, her mouth moving as she read, until she found what she was looking for. “Way I hear it, Caballeron kidnapped two mares from Ponyville Wednesday night, and they’ve not been heard from since. The only real lead we have is something we found in Dodge Junction in one of Caballeron’s warehouses.”
She showed them a picture, showcasing a large glass with intricate carving and gemwork. “The Griffon’s Goblet, previously in the possession of Ahuizotl.”
Button Mash blinked. He shook his head to clear out the cobwebs. “What?”
“Try to keep up, Mash.” Daring Do gave Martial a cocked eyebrow. “Long story short, the hunt for Ahuizotl is back on.”
“Good.” Martial hunched over, covering himself with his wings. He held his sword by the hilt and used it to prop up his chin. “That’s good.”
Button Mash and Rumble shared a glance. Rumble’s face was a perfect mirror to the confusion jumbling Button’s thoughts. “Ahuizotl is real?”
“Like I said, try to keep up.” She tossed the notebook across the room and missed the satchel completely. Blankety Blank reached over and tucked it safely away. “So in order to track him down, we’ve got to move one step ahead of him. The guy’s been looking up changeling memorabilia for a few years, now, hunting down the ancient changeling cities. He found the one in the Northern Equestrian Wastes right before we did. We’re gonna find the others and set a trap.”
Spike raised a hand. “What if he goes to a different one? Or he’s already there? We could miss him by miles.”
“Aha!” Daring Do grinned and stuffed her head in the satchel to root around. She pulled a map out of the depths and showed it to the gathering. “Simple answer: He doesn’t have a whole lot of places to go!”
Button Mash squinted at the map. One edge looked like the coast of Equestria, a little bit. Three dots sat on the map, several hundred miles from each other. “There’s three ancient cities?”
“Precisely. Only three.” Daring held the map in the side of her mouth and pointed to the top. “He’s already cleared out the north city. We’ll head to the south city and see if we can’t snuff him out there.”
Button’s ears lay down on his head. “What if he goes to the east city?”
“He can’t,” Martial Paw said, sending a cold snap down Button’s spine. “It’s in the heart of Felaccia. There’s no way he’d be able to take his cult on a raft across the ocean. Let alone find what he was looking for before being utterly destroyed by the griffon armies.”
Apple Bloom leaned in her seat, nearly sending the settee toppling. She sent an apologetic grin to Spike and Care. “Sorry. I’m just curious. What’s Ahuizotl want with the changeling cities? And with Sweetie and Scoots?”
Daring was about to speak, but Blankety cut her off. He rubbed his foreleg as he stood. “Th-the changeling cities hold devices. Mechanical ones. He could use them to build an army strong enough to fight against Equestria. Th—there’s that and…” He swallowed hard. “Long ag-go, changelings ruled the world. They u-used a special machine to raise the sun and moon. Ahuizotl wants control of that.”
“What? Whoa.” Rumble’s wings snapped out as his jaw dropped. “Can he actually do that?”
“He will if we don’t stop him.” Daring Do hopped onto her bed and kicked a pith helmet laying in the center. It tumbled through the air until it landed perfectly on her head. “We’re headed back to the palace of the Royal Pony Sisters tomorrow morning. We’re gonna triangulate the location of the second city or my name isn’t Daring Do.”
Button Mash’s eyes drifted over to the map Blankety was putting away in her satchel. “Is that where you got the map? Inside the princess’ old library?”
“More or less.” Daring Do stretched out her left wing with a wince. It moved with tiny, painful movements, like a hinge without oil. She swore under her breath and brought it back against her side. “You’re all welcome to stay here, unless you’ve got guest rooms around the castle. I think you’ve got one, Spike, if you and Apple Bloom wanna shuffle off.”
“Uh—” Spike’s tongue appeared to tangle itself among his teeth.
“I think I’ll be sticking to this room, thanks,” Apple Bloom said. She kissed Spike’s cheek. “Ponies cast enough aspirations as it is.”
Button’s eyes caught on Care Carrot, who stared at Apple Bloom with lowered eyebrows. She shuffled stiffly aside, leaving a small gap between her hip and Spike’s.
Spike stood up, and the tension vanished. “I’ll take the dudes to my room. There’s plenty of places to bunk. You coming with, Mr. Martial? Blankety?”
“I h-have my own room, actually,” Blankety Blank said. “I lived at the p-palace for several years, and they never gave my room away.”
Martial blew a breath through his nostrils. He pushed down on his sword’s scabbard to help him to his paws. “I haven’t anywhere else to be.”
Daring stopped him with a hoof. “You wanna talk about it?”
“No.” He moved past her and lashed his scabbard to his belt. He paused at the door and shook his head. “Thank you, but no.”
“Hold on.” Blankety Blank spoke before Martial could turn the handle. “Since you all have need-to-know access, I’m a changeling.”
At the deafening silence from Apple Bloom, Rumble, and Button, he continued, “A good changeling.”
Rumble let out a low, stuttering giggle. He waved a wing at Martial. “Hey Marty, you got any earth-shattering revelations?”
Martial glanced between Daring and Blank, then smiled a grim, predatory smile. “I’m King Andean Usagryph’s estranged nephew.”
Spike hopped to four legs and skittered across the floor. “Come on, Rumble. Button. We’ve gotta hit the hay and get enough sleep to wake up for Sunday Sunrise Service.”
Button Mash cast one last look around the room of Daring Do, then followed the soldier, the dragon, the griffon, and the changeling out. What could he make of all that? Ahuizotl? He thought Caballeron was far-fetched, let alone everything else he’d heard. Changeling cities? Sun devices? What the hay had he gotten himself into?
Spike touched his shoulder. He jumped, letting out a little yip of thought-train derailment. He grinned as best as he was able, but stopped when he realized it wasn’t the least bit joyful. “What’s up, Spike?”
“You’ll be fine,” Spike said. “You’ll do great. Just give things a bit to settle in.”
Rumble slowed his pace enough to pull alongside the both of them. “Settle in? You can’t throw names around like ‘Daring Do’ and ‘Ahuizotl’ and tell us we’ll settle in. We demand explanations! Revelations!”
“Aunt Yearling’s novels are almost autobiographical. Almost.” Spike brought their heads closer together, walking on his hind legs to maintain his grip. “Just figure that everything you read really happened, besides the stuff she edits out for the sake of national security.”
After a moment’s thought, he added, “And keeping a family-friendly rating.”
Button watched Martial Paw lazily drift along through the airways. Blankety had vanished down another hall a few steps ago. “I wasn’t expecting that we’d have to go up against a literal world-ending threat, Spike.”
“You won’t.” Spike hugged them around the necks. “We’re gonna rescue Sweetie and Scootaloo. We’ll leave the villain-destroying to the experts. Trust me; this is gonna be a great character-building moment for you guys.”
Button felt the corner of his mouth tilt up. For real this time. “Said the invincible dragon to his squishy pony friends.”
“Come on, we’ll get you some riot armor.” Spike chuckled and released them. “That stuff doesn’t take any training to use. It’s just a deflector shield that covers your body. You’ll be fine. Stops swords, arrows, medium-to-moderate spells, and generally puts a pep in your step.”
“Oh gee,” Rumble said, his voice flat. “Can’t imagine why he was ever worried.”
Button’s smile grew a bit. He shoved Rumble’s shoulder, but never so much as budged the stallion himself. “Says the guy decked out in full combat armor, complete with a Royal Guard-issued spear. I’m hiding behind you when we run face-first into Ahuizotl.”
He looked up to the gray-flecked wings of the griffon. “Hay, Martial! Have you ever fought Ahuizotl?”
Martial Paw dipped lower, his eyes dark and red around the edges. He nodded to each of them, one after the other. “Oh yes. I’ve seen him several times. And each time, it was when we were running away from him as fast as we could.”
“Yep, there it is.” Rumble licked his lips as Martial returned to the air. “That’s what I was looking for.”
“What?” Button asked.
“The other horseshoe dropped.”
***
Apple Bloom tied her mane in a tight bundle and slipped into her sleeping bag. Daring Do was already snoring up a storm in her bed, while Care was still finishing up in the bathroom. The sound of a toothbrush rasping back and forth tickled the edges of Bloom’s ears. She laid them against the top of her head to muffle the little annoyance.
Captain Carrot was gorgeous, and Apple Bloom had no other word to describe it. The mare walked out of the bathroom with smooth, even motions. Her curves trailed gracefully with ever step. Her wavy green locks seemed to dance on command.
Contrast that with Bloom’s yarn-like mop of a mane, her broad shoulders, and her chipped hooves…
Apple Bloom buried her nose in the pillow and grumbled. Just like an Apple to get jealous. Just like an Apple to get stubborn about it, too. Maybe she needed to clear the air a bit.
“You like Spike, don’tcha?” she said, and instantly regretted it. Less an icebreaker than a sledgehammer, wasn’t it?
Care snapped her head towards Bloom, a look of slight panic in her eyes. After a moment, the panic cooled off and left behind a sincere smile. “Yeah. I like him a lot. I’d… I’d say he was one of my first real friends.”
She laughed and placed her toothbrush in her suitcase, off to one side to keep it away from the body brush. “I kinda figured it was fate when I found out his Power Ponies Comic collection rivaled mine.”
Apple Bloom rolled onto her back and let her legs dangle in the air. “You two really nerd it up, huh?”
“Not the words I’d use.” Care shrugged on a fuzzy pair of pajamas and lay down on a folding cot. “And there’s more than that, really. I owe him—well, I owe him my life.”
Apple Bloom raised her head and lowered her eyebrows. “Really?”
“When the castle was attacked by Hurricane’s goons.” Care lay on her right side to face Apple Bloom. “I was fighting a losing battle against a real bruiser. The guy had a volleygun to my chest and was ready to fire.” She grasped the side of the cot and pulled it away from her muzzle. “Spike jumped out of nowhere and took the bullet for me. Took care of the thug pretty fast, too. I’m never gonna forget what Spike did.”
Apple Bloom furrowed her brow. Took a bullet? And he’d never talked about it? “I guess that—”
She was about to say “explains the scar on his chest,” but didn’t want to reveal she didn’t know about the event. Like, at all. “—that would be pretty unforgettable.”
Care played with the edge of the cot, pinching the elastic with her hooves. “Look… I gotta admit, I’m kinda jealous of how close you two are. I hadn’t seen Spike for a year before all this happened.”
Apple Bloom skewed her mouth to the side. “That tends to happen when you’re boyfriend and girlfriend.”
“Touché.” Care rubbed the back of her neck. “You gotta be a pretty awesome person yourself. I mean, Spike’s girlfriend and Applejack’s little sister? There’s a killer combo if I ever saw one. What do you do?”
“I do handiwork around town,” Apple Bloom said quietly. “I’m an apprentice potionmaker, too.”
“Working with Zecora?”
“You know her?”
“Only by reputation.” Care was quiet for a dozen or so heartbeats. She leaned a little over the side and grinned. “I kinda gotta laugh when I see how cuckoo you two are for each other. Spike literally fell over himself when you showed up at the train station.”
“Yeah.” Apple Bloom closed her eyes and could almost feel Spike’s warm hands holding her hooves. “Head over heels. Reach for the stars over the fence. Smile lights up the whole room. That kinda thing.”
“Cool.” Care lay back and stared at the ceiling. “I always kinda wanted a boyfriend. Never found anybody worth the trouble. My dreams of getting married before I’m thirty sorta drift further away every day.”
Apple Bloom snorted and covered her eyes with a foreleg. “The way things are going, I’m lucky to get married before I’m ninety.”
She heard Care shift her weight on the cot and realized she’d probably said the wrong thing. “I kinda figured on Spike being the committing type,” she said.
“He is and I’d say yes in a heartbeat, but—” Apple Bloom stopped her rush of words before they could jumble the air further and make the conversation even more awkward. Then the next words did so regardless. “It’s just that dragons and ponies aren’t, you know, biologically compatible, and… and…”
Friggin’ motor mouth.
The silence was so thick Apple Bloom could have bucked the apples right off of it. She was about to say something just to break the spell, but Care filled the gap. “I’m sorry,” she said.
“I’m sorry for spillin’ it on yah.” Apple Bloom rolled over to face the starry sky in the window. “Ain’t your burden to bear.”
“Maybe you’re tired of bearing it on your own?”
Apple Bloom didn’t know what to say to that. She pulled the sleeping bag up to her neck.
The cot squeaked as Care got comfortable. “When I was a teen, I complained to my dad about how much I disliked farming. He told me I should learn to be happy with where I’m at. Bloom where I’m planted.” There was a hum of magic as Care laid a blanket over her body. “He said if I do that, eventually my roots will be deep enough to reach everything I really need.”
Apple Bloom sighed. “How’d that turn out?”
Care snorted. “A couple years later, I left to join the Royal Guard.”
“Oh.”
“I was kinda a little brat about it, but I don’t regret joining.” Care yawned wide, muttering to herself as she checked the clock. “I’ve mellowed out a lot, and my family’s proud of me. I’ve learned a lot about family from Spike, and Velvet, and Princess Celestia…”
Apple Bloom flicked an ear. “And saved Equestria once or twice, to boot.”
“Once,” Care said. “Just once. I had help.”
She shuffled once more, dimmed the lights, and yawned again for good measure. “Long story short, keep holding on. Don’t give up just yet.”
Apple Bloom shut her eyes tight. “I won’t.”
***
Button Mash lay on the floor, with his sleeping bag flap draped over his head. Rumble had passed out in the armchair, and Spike occupied the rounded bed he called a “nest.” Martial was perched on the balcony, behind the closed windows, looking out over the city of Canterlot with a quiet vigil.
Button Mash tilted the magical control strapped to his hoof. His earth pony magic thrummed from his heart to his hooves through his fairy strings. The magic entered the controller, and from there, leapt to the marionette that danced a half-meter away. The puppet of River moved with carefully-choreographed motions, waltzing without a partner, the glimmering Element of Magic flashing purple atop her head. The first Bearer of the Elements of Harmony gave him a bow, then curled up beside his bag.
He unclasped the controller and laid it beside the facsimile pony. He regarded River with quiet respect. The mare had been tossed in over her head almost immediately. The Unseelie Court destroyed her town. Captured her family. Turned her world upside down.
But the instant she had the chance to take action, she did so with gusto.
“I’m about to embark on a journey of life and death,” he whispered. “Not only mine, but a lot of other peoples’, too. I’m trying to follow your example, but I’m still so scared.”
He saw Martial in the window, but he looked past the glowering griffon. He saw the stars peer out from behind the clouds. A touch of warmth entered his heart. Just a touch. “Give me the courage of River. Please, just this once. Let me help them. Let me be a blessing to them, not a burden.”
He pulled the covers over his head and closed his eyes. “Let me be the stallion you created me to be.”
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Did you think that Button's issues could get worse? Than meeting a group of heroes and learning they're who he was traveling with, making himself feel even less qualified than before?
...
It's gonna keep getting worse, though, isn't it?
I can't wait.
This is an unusual amount and/or style of magical control for an Earth pony, isn't it?
8817688
"There there, my Queen, ignore the words of foolish traitors to the glorious Queen Chrysalis............... the second!
I can think of 2 totally gawrock examples to the contrary!
I didn't, and I am impressed. I think you do a better job of planning out your series than the show does.
Chryssie and Blankety could use more changling pride, and the old Queen could use a lot less.
Ok, the highlight of this chapter for me was definitely Dissero and his Painted Ones. Their cool magic, the motivation for their evil beliefs, their harsh and ironic punishments. I love the fact that the Painted Ones, this group of magically strong, fanatically devoted servants of Ahuizotl, don't think to just do the digging themselves, because nobody joins the dark side to do grunt work when there are slaves around to do it for them! And Ahuizotl passes the smart villain test by actually keeping his word and rewarding his faithful servant instead of betraying him. ( I bet Dissero is going to regret killing that acolyte of his with the strong body now!)
Nice to see the whole team assembled as one. They've got a group, they have a location, now it's time to whoop flank!
I am a bit surprised that everyone was intimidated by Martial Paw. I mean, Spike has to be at least as big as Martial at this point, right?
8818139
Ah, self-doubt and it idiosyncrasies. We can only dig so deep before we hit rock bottom. Unless somebody throws him a shovel, in which case...
It's a relatively rare use of earth pony magic, since earth ponies aren't well known for being skilled puppeteers. You need a fine degree of control, and the devices Button has are pretty expensive. You gotta have a lot of dedication, a lot of training, and a lot of time.
Most puppeteers are unicorns, as seen in the show, as they can practically run the whole stage without much need for setup or special-effects trickery.
Luckily for Button, he and Dinky Doo have been working together on his puppets and controls for years. He does the carving, she does the enchanting. She cut him a nice deal on a pair of controls she found at some trade show or another.
8823441
Fun fact, Bugly gets his name from a Transformer. He comes from a line of toys known as... the Pretenders!
You have't seen Corona and Stella get angry. YET! Muhuhahahahahaahahahaha!
It's kinda that, and it's also kinda by accident. A lot of this story was set up in Scootaloo Will Fly!, because SWF! was supposed to be the story before this one. Then I decided the plot I had would be better as my own original work, and I started thinking out a new way for this to play out.
Then I wrote DayBreak, and Lightning Struck Home, and In the Absence of Sunset Shimmer, and the world just sorta grew out of its flowerpot. And here we are today, finally experiencing the Chekhov's guns going off one by one!
I mean, gosh, why do we even have slaves if they don't work, am I right?
--Caballeron's undergrads
Sadly, I realized early on that Ahuizotl would never be as outright scary as Hurricane, but I can at least keep him intimidating. Part of this includes taking part in deals which may or may not be monkey's paws...
Yes! Except not quite yet! Because who needs action in their adventurous action story! We need more build up! More! MORE!
Spike, as noted in Lightning Struck Home and The Worst Kept Secret, is slightly shorter than Apple Bloom, coming up to her chin. She is just about the same size as Big Mac. Gilda, a female griffon, is nearly the same size as Mac as well. Martial, a male griffon, is a bit bigger than that.
Plus, he's got a huge wingspan, sharpened talons and beak, and carries a sword at all times.
Plus, he's brooding. One does not look happy, friendly, and approachable when they are brooding.