Lost Reflections

by Purple Patch

Chapter 10

Pipsqueak had finished packing.

His O&O set required a separate box. He was used to carrying it.

Nancy had still insisted on giving him a hoof with it to the station.

“Now remember, Pipsqueak. If ever you want to come home, just get in touch with me or Blue” she fussed as they waited for the train “There’ll be a telegram office somewhere in Ponyville, I’m sure”

Pip nodded. Not many Trottingham families could afford orbs, transceivers or even phones so most communication was handled by the telegram office.

“It’s alright, mummy. Don’t worry. Sparkler always takes good care of us” He reached up and kissed his mother on the cheek “We’re going to have a Lord of the Horseshoe marathon with the Crusaders. I just hope Sparkler doesn’t spend the day pointing out the CGI. It gets annoying really fast”

“Alright, darling. I’m sure you’ll enjoy it” She gently placed her hooves on her sons shoulders “I’m so sorry to keep sending you away like this. When I’ve got my work done, I promise, I’ll leave plenty of time for you”

“Hello, Pip!” They found Tungsten and Blue Murder following up behind. Tungsten showed them the movies before putting them back in his bag.

“Just make sure you don’t forget them, eh?” Blue Murder chuckled.

“I know, mum, don’t worry” Tungsten groaned while betraying a smile. As the thundering steam train to Ponyville arrived, both mothers kissed their sons on the cheeks as they bid them farewell.

“Okay, Pip. I need to go over the new rulebook with you” Tungsten said as they boarded “That Pirates Expansion Campaign you suggested could well work. Now Dobyn Dawnblade’s father was a pirate, Robard Redbeard. What I’ve got so far is that Robard sailed as Captain of the Bonny Founder in the fleet of his uncle, Pirate King Jolly Rodger. After Jolly Rodger went missing, his first mate, Silvertongue, took command. Now Robard and Dobyn always suspected Silvertongue had something to do with...”

They continued talking about subjects their mothers knew and understood little of but paused to wave them goodbye from the window as it drove off.

“Off they go again...” Nancy sighed.

“They’ll be fine, Nancy, why wouldn’t they be?” Blue chuckled.

“Well...Let’s face it, Ponyville hasn’t the greatest track record for safety”

“Maybe but they always pull through with nopony hurt” the portly unicorn shrugged “Besides, he’s with his friends”

Nancy gave a dismal snort.

“Those friends are half the reason Ponyville gets a bad name. The rest of the reason is because of the ponies meant to protect it! I don’t want Pipsqueak growing up with mad-mares like them as role models! I heard those Cutie Mark Crusaders or whatever they call themselves actually crashed a funeral once!”

“Uh...yeah, I checked with a Miss Heartstrings. It wasn’t that serious. There was no actual funeral, they were just putting on a play” Blue Murder gave a chuckle “Still a bit annoying to be interrupted though and Mr Waddle didn’t appreciate being called ‘too old’”

“I can imagine. No respect...”

“No, no, you don’t understand” Blue gave her an awkward glance “He’s thirty-one years old”

Nancy’s eyes widened.

“Honestly?!”

“Yep. Drinking has ruined his life, according to him”

The earth mare gave another sigh.

“To be honest, it’s not them I’m most worried about”

“Now Nancy, it’s nothing to get you fretted. Tungsten once had a crush when he was Pip’s age. Filly he liked, couldn’t bear to be away from her. Then two years later, he barely remembers her name. Foals are like that”

“Are they, though?” She looked worried “Is that all it is? I mean...I knew my old stallion when we were foals...stupid little filly that I was...didn’t realise that he’d always remained a foal...that’s when he was a pony at all and not a...a beast”

She looked close to crying. Blue gave her a hug with one fore-hoof.

“Nancy...This is important...Pip is not Dodger. You’ve raised that colt right. And if anypony, Dodger, that mail-mare, her filly, anypony want to take advantage of that, they’ll have us to answer to”

Nancy gave a third sigh.

“I wouldn’t mind so much but...the day they met, Pip almost died!”

Blue glanced at her.

“You’ve never told me this before”

“No, I...I was advised to keep it under my hat, as it were” Nancy rubbed one foreleg awkwardly “But...you are his god-mother...”

Blue Murder gestured toward a bench and smiled.

“The train to the outskirts isn’t for another hour...Why don’t you tell me about it?”

*

Quimper did not say a word as he marched Twilight and Rarity to the HQ. He was met by a light-green guard who actually had the gall to point his rifle at the two.

Quimper raised a hoof and growled.

“Arms down, Sergeant Etric. They’re here on the...acting-Senator’s orders”

The guard, Etric, scowled at the two mares and opened the door to HQ.

A dark room with a light in the centre of the ceiling above a great circular table scattered with maps, documents and records.

Carcassonne was there beside three other Boulettans.

Rochelle, a middle-aged orange, cyan-dotted unicorn mare with a blue mane cut to shoulder length; Belfort, an ancient balding, purple-coated unicorn stallion with a paunch, a curly white moustache and spectacles; and Lyon a tall sandy-yellow male earth pony with a great dark mahogany mane that flowed down his neck and shoulders like that of a lion.

All four of them were speaking to an officer of the Canterlot Royal Guard, a colonel from the look of his intricate armour. A mighty pegasus stallion with a speckled navy back and face and a cream-yellow chin and belly and a light brown ponytail of a mane. His steely ebony eyes were fixed on reports before him.

“I thought we made our position quite clear, Colonel Peregrine” Rochelle said sharply “A curfew is out of the question. The ponies of Boulette have suffered enough without becoming prisoners in their own city”

“I explained to you, Senator, that I don’t like it anymore than any of you but with the threat level as high as it is and growing higher, either a curfew is put into affect or more Royal Guard battalions will have to be sent over to protect Boulette. Captain-General Shining Armour has already been requested to take charge”

“Do you doubt Boulette’s own prowess in defending its home, Colonel?” Lyon asked, his voice deep and booming.

“Well, Commissioner, I’m afraid to say that brings me to my next point of concern. As I explained when we arrived, Lieutenants Lolli Beats and Blizzard Wind are investigating the allegations of corruption in the...former Senator’s cabinet...the Senator himself falls under heavy suspicion as well as your other respective predecessors, Civil Administrator Book Cooker and Commissioner Brutalight”

“Both were killed in the attack on the Crossfort” Belfort said in a level tone.

“True but there are numerous members of the municipal government, still alive and living in this city, that have fallen under suspicion. With this in mind, relying on Boulette’s own military, a branch heavily involved with the former Senator’s affairs, would not be...”

“That’s enough!” Quimper barked as he strode in and begrudgingly made way for Twilight Sparkle and Rarity.

“Ah, sirs and madams, two of the six Bearers of the Elements of Harmony” Carcassonne said, slightly breathless, “Princess Twilight Sparkle, Bearer of Magic, and Lady Rarity, Bearer of Generosity”

“Your highnesses, we thank you for aiding us in these troubling times” Rochelle said calmly as she and her two associates bowed their heads in respect.

“You don’t have to call us ‘highnesses’, Senator. We don’t wait on ceremony in Ponyville”

“Ponyville?” Belfort raised one wispy eyebrow “I thought the Bearers were called over from Canterlot?”

“Uh, yeah...long story” Twilight was puzzled that they weren’t aware of what went between Canterlot and Ponyville.

Then again, from Manehattan to Fillydelphia, the cities outside of the capital seemed rather nonchalant. Perhaps their modesty preceded them. She couldn’t say it wasn’t what she wanted.

“Alright, we’ve had our introductions, now let’s be serious here” Quimper strode forward, practically pushing aside everypony without even touching them “I’ve been speaking with my fellow officers, proper, experienced, military-minded officers...” He gave a derisive sneer towards Peregrine who raised one eyebrow in response “And we believe the time has come to send these terrorists a message the same way they did for us!” He placed his hooves upon the table and grinded his teeth.

“Very assertive but we hit a small snag there, Colonel, as we have no clue as to where they came from or where they currently reside” Rarity pointed out with a hint of smugness.

Quimper scoffed.

“Unlike some, my lady...” he said the words with poison “Boulette’s military branches have not been idle” He found documents with the shots of the four mercenaries “Gringore we could not trace. No record of where she came from. But as to the others...” He smiled “Tybalt, born to parents from Horn Kong. Miura, a resident of Hofu in Hakuba, Neighpon. And Lambasar, a native of the Haytay State, Haissan. I and two other officers intend to lead shock troops into these three territories and make them pay for what they did to our city. Do as they did for us. See how well they deal with it”

There was a pause.

“Are you insane?!” Twilight squawked “Words cannot describe how many problems that would cause!”

“Don’t lecture me on the problems of warfare, ‘princess!’” Quimper snarled “The ponies of these cities have committed a war crime, a crime we, the Boulettan Armed Forces, intend to punish”

“Colonel, the four mercenaries who attacked the Crossfort are fugitives wanted across the Known World. They’re just as feared and hated in the cities they came from as they are here!”

“Then they should have kept a better eye on them. We’ll teach them what happens to those who neglect to keep their mad beasts under control”

“Colonel...no” the Bearer of Magic’s tone was frank and firm, as if reprimanding a stubborn child “It would be as thoughtless and destructive as attacking them without a reason at all. The ponies of Horn Kong, Hofu and Haytay are not responsible for what took place here thanks to a trio of ponies who happened to have once lived there. Princess Celestia will not allow it, is that understood?”

“Then what? Do we simply wait around until they resurface?”

“What we do is beat them at their own game. Follow their patterns, trace them and intercept them. You seemingly have the means to find out where they were born and what they’ve been doing with their lives. Use that information. Find out all we can or we’ll be going into battle blind”

Seven pairs of eyes were fixed on young Princess Twilight Sparkle.

Rarity and Peregrine had a great amount of pride and admiration.

Carcassonne, Rochelle, Belfort and Lyon showed varying levels of impressed.

And Quimper, under a prominent scowl, betrayed some amount of anxiety.

“I think the Princess has the right idea, everypony” Peregrine said calmly “Gather any Intel available but striking carelessly will only cause chaos. With enemies who’ve already demonstrated such levels of brutality, it is important not to drag any innocents into this” He stood before Twilight and saluted “The guard will be at your command for the duration of your stay, Twilight Sparkle”

Quimper scowled and stormed out of the HQ.

“I apologise for the Colonel’s rashness, Miss Sparkle” Rochelle said gravely “He’s always been...ah...he’s something of a...” She was pausing for the right word.

“He’s nuts” Carcassonne finished. Rochelle gave her look, reluctantly nodded in agreement and departed, taking Belfort and Lyon with her.

“This curd right here” the Representative said to the two Bearers “This is what I have to deal with every day! You can see why I’m so grouchy most of the time”

“Indeed. The fellow seems completely unreasonable. We haven’t been at threat level for more than a week and already he wants to start a world war!” Rarity clucked.

“I don’t trust him one bit” Twilight said “We’ll have to keep an eye on him”

“Perhaps I could be of assistance?” the Bearer of Generosity gave her eyes a flutter then lightly scowled at the two unconvinced looks upon her “I can be subtle when called to be, thank you very much”

“Well, alright” Twilight sighed “But if anything gets dicey, use our communicators”

“Yes, yes...I’m not sure all this political chatter is my sort of thing anyway. I’d much rather stretch my legs a little. Toodle-oo”

She trotted out, leaving Twilight Sparkle with Carcassonne and Peregrine.

She knew Peregrine from seeing her brother on patrols or in training. Peregrine was a very dedicated and capable officer. He’d taught Shining Armour a lot and vice versa. While Peregrine’s fierce discipline and cautious and calculating tactics served well in most events, sometimes a little daring was called for.

Shining Armour had once saved his life from a cave dragon ambush. But only by disobeying direct orders. What could have gotten him court-martialled served to raise his position higher in the guard and at Peregrine’s own insistence. Nonetheless, the Colonel had warned young Shining that if he ever acted in such a way that brought misfortunate upon himself and his fellows, his punishment would not be light. Peregrine was among the highest-ranking military officers in Equestria and held one of the highest positions in Canterlot with Shining Armour in the Crystal Empire.

He brought Twilight the necessary records that detailed the attack on the Crossfort, those responsible, other sightings of them and any clear patterns that had been noticed.

“Well, we can agree on one thing” Twilight said dismally as she surveyed the documents “They certainly don’t care about who they hurt in the process. So many casualties...”

“80% of Boulette’s military forces were swept off the map with little to no effort” Carcassonne added, grimness in her voice “Anything they had available they used, yet with so little resources wasted. It’s like they were showing off”

“It’s not showing off, Miss Carcassonne. It’s something far worse. It’s ruthlessness. Though, I reckon they’d call it ‘efficiency’” The Bearer of Magic threw the documents down on the table “This served as a message to all of Equestria. Not only are the mercenaries capable of such an act but they’ll commit it anywhere at any time at any opportunity. Scare tactics”

“Tactics of a coward” Peregrine growled “But it’s worked here at any rate. Relations between Equestria and Boulette are hanging by a thread. Quimper and his ilk have looking for any excuse to 'relive the glory days' when they trampled over others with impunity”

“That didn’t end so well last time” Carcassonne groaned “The former Senator was already stirring up trouble with the populace, agitating them against all non-Boulettans, inciting violence and xenophobia. I was close to uncovering quite a bit more but most of the information was scrambled in the attack”

“I guess the mercenaries didn’t want it discovered. We can only assume it led to them”

“Mercenaries are a dangerous brood, your highness” Peregrine declared “There are no stupid or careless mercenaries, at least not for very long. A pony whose job is to kill will do so without fuss, without passion. I would never be one to pass off the achievements of you and the Bearers but know that this a foe quite unlike those you’ve faced. They are cunning, swift and utterly without mercy. Be very, very careful, Princess Twilight”

“I will, Colonel Peregrine, I promise” She gave a small bow “When my brother gets here, make sure he’s kept informed”

“Captain-General Shining Armour is being sent the full briefing as we speak, ma’am”

“Thank you, Colonel. I believe I shall be heading to the remains of the Crossfort”

“Will you require an escort?”

“I don’t think so. Might see if Spike’s available though”

*

Mustaleski made her way through the Restricted Zone, the Poatsulan area where long-haired winter ponies and the occasional reindeer peddled their wares and tilled their trade.

Swathed in cloth and walking briskly through the streets with a heavy rucksack, she went largely ignored.

At last she found the right basket merchant, nodded to a contact, slipped behind the curtain and clambered into one of the baskets.

It took her through an open trapdoor down into a drainage system, thankfully no longer used, that took her into an abandoned side of the ghetto, a condemned area of the city virtually untouched but for criminals.

And worse.

She met with those she would have command over. A small contingent of around four seasoned mercenaries like herself and six recruits. All gathered from around the world, all expert in the field of mercenary work and all armed.

They were engaged in general chatter amongst each other.

“Gotta’ say, I’m looking forward to seeing Threadbare in action”

“Clearly it’s your first time seeing it. That one’s a complete loon, worse than Gringore, I reckon!”

“I don’t buy that for a minute! Nopony’s crazier than her!”

“Oh really? I tell ya, Threadbare’s bad news!”

“He’s just a mumbling curd in a mask. He doesn’t scare me”

“That’s ‘cause you’re either too new or too stupid, maybe both! He scares me!”

“Oh really? Why’s that then?”

“Cause that ain’t a mask!”

There was a pause.

“You mean...”

“Yeah...”

“That’s his face?”

“Yeah...”

“How?”

“He did it himself”

“You what?”

“Yep. Initiation exercise”

“...You meet some real weirdoes in this job”

“You’re telling me! He’s a Piggsicornist, remember? From the cult! They’re all bat-curd crazy! Every last one of ‘em! At least Gringore still has her face!”

Mustaleski entered. They saluted her on sight. For that she was satisfied. Her reputation preceded her.

She was a devious and merciless assassin feared across the Winterlands. A tall, lean but muscular earth pony with a jet-black coat, a grey mane streaked with red, a pair of piercing silver eyes, and a bright orange stripe running down her back and decorating her rump with a flash of colour. A crack-shot sharpshooter and a world-class athlete, her strikes came hard and fast whenever they were called for. She was young but experienced far beyond many of her compatriots. A foal-soldier in the war-torn Dead Snow Valley, she’d fought off the Raptor Griffins, the Stalliongrad Troopers, the Caribou Raiders and even a zombie onslaught before her twentieth birthday. It was said she had once slowly crushed a minotaur’s neck between her thighs. It was one of the few moments she had ever shown pleasure.

She liked killing and it helped that her career was also her hobby.

Striding by her contingent, she found the Master Assassin of the Echo Squad she was tasked with assisting.

Agravain sat patiently on the roof of a decrepit warehouse, gazing out across the city.

From where they were, an abandoned, condemned ghost street, it was like hiding upon a scab on the city’s face.

But the placing was perfect. Here they would go unnoticed yet have easy access to the rooftops and alleyways from where they could enter and exit without being trailed.

It was also a perfect area to test out Agravain’s technique.

She turned to the silent assassin and cleared her throat, speaking in a sultry Stirropean accent.

“Bearers are scattered. Take out communicators and they remain separated. Key to victory”

Agravain nodded and pressed his fore-hooves together. His horn glowed bright silver and emitted a small repeating pulse that gradually grew larger. He then closed his eyes, raised his head to the sky and began a bizarre holler, making sounds one didn’t a tongue to speak, his lips twisting into bizarre shapes over his jaw as he practiced a technique largely unknown and forbidden across Equestria.

Magic Crystal Disability.

Sound magic was a very powerful field, especially for crystal ponies. With the right, pitch, frequency and magical magnitude, the magic contained within imperial crystals could be temporarily or even permanently disabled.

Perfect for ensuring the Bearers couldn’t call for help.

*

Pinkie Pie, as she always did, happily bounced along the streets of Boulette. Locals gave her unpleasant looks but she paid them no mind.

Fluttershy meanwhile trotted after her, distressed at how the Boulettans eyed them with disdain, positively hiding behind her mane. She didn’t like it here, she didn’t like it here at all.

It was a far cry from Canterlot, a daunting place for her at the best of times. The looks they gave her were so unfriendly.

So unkind.

“Okay, Flutters! Let’s start searching! Special Detective Pinkie Pielock Hooves and her trusty sidekick, Dr Flutterson, are on the case!”

She pulled a magnifying glass and a Sherlock Hooves hat out from...somewhere...and began searching, leaning her head toward the sidewalk and eventually sniffing along the ground like a dog.

“Tobacco...window cleaner...bird poop...grit...mustard...hmm, nothing concrete. Literally, this stuff's asphalt” She rose up and spoke in an exaggerated Trottingham accent “What do you make of this, Flutterson, old chap?”

“Um...I think...they’d probably be clues at the Crossfort...”

“Good thinking, Flutters! C’mon, my number one sidekick! We’re off searching!” She bounced along merrily, Fluttershy struggling to keep up.

“Pinkie, I don’t like it here...” she whimpered “Everypony looks so angry with us...I’m worried they might...”

“Aw, don’t worry, Fluttershy, Auntie Pinkie’s not gonna’ let anything happen to you!” She gave the nervous little mare a friendly nuzzle on the cheek as she continued on.

They came to a street where two Equestrian officers seemed to be in a heated argument with a Boulettan citizen, a dirty fellow in a stained vest.

They recognised Blizzard Wind from before, a far shade angrier than they’d last seen him.

The other was a curious individual. Fluttershy had, at first, assumed she was a pegasus but upon closer inspection, her wings were made up of skin rather than feathers, barbed and bat-like. Her coat was dark-pink and her mane was a mahogany brown streaked with scarlet. Her feline eyes were primrose pink and fixed with no small amount of disdain at the dirty Boulettan before them.

“I trust I’ve been clear, sir” Blizzard Wind barked “Any more defamatory slogans on the Restricted Zone wall and you’re being sent down for hate crimes”

“This kind of Questie curd never happened when Flush was in charge!” the Boulettan growled.

“I can believe that” the batpony said aside.

“And furthermore...” Blizzard continued, his tone harsh and fierce “I hear you call Lieutenant Lolli Beats a ‘blood-sucking freak’ again...and you’re a dead pony. No ifs, no buts, call her that again and you’re bucking history! Got that?”

“Fine” the Boulettan grumbled and disappeared down an alley.

“Seriously, Blizz, I can take of it” the batpony said shrugging.

“It just makes me sick”

“How do you think I feel? C’mon, we’re needed back at the base”

As both the Bearers got a clear look at them, Pinkie Pie jumped a clear several feet in the air and cheered, zipping over to the batpony and hugging her tight.

“LOLLI!” she cried happily “I’m so happy to see you! I haven’t seen you for months and that makes me so sad ‘cause I love seeing you!”

“Hey, Pinkie!” the batpony named Lolli chuckled, rubbing Pinkie’s mass of fluffy pink mane “Great to see you too! I’ve missed you so much! Boulette sure could do with another friendly face. Are any of your absolutely mega-awesome friends around?”

“You betcha’! Fluttershy, over here!” she beckoned over her shy little friend, who appeared from around the corner, tenderly pacing towards them “This is one of my super-duper best friends, Lolli Beats! We see each other in Ponyville for Vinyl Scratch’s karaoke parties! She’s great on the mic! Lolli, this is Fluttershy, Bearer of Kindness and best animal-keeper in Equestria...although I don’t know for sure, I mean there could be somepony who’s even better than her at keeping animals but that would be super-hard! But she’s still the best animal-keeper in Ponyville, hooves-down!”

“Um...hello...” Fluttershy said “It’s very nice to meet you...Miss Beats...”

“Aw, c’mon, call me Lolli, everypony does”

“Oh...okay...” She gave her a smile “Um...it’s interesting though...I never thought I’d see another batpony. I was turned into one once”

At this, Lolli gave her an awkward look and Blizzard cleared his throat.

“Oh, sorry, Lolli, she doesn’t know. Please don’t be mad” Pinkie said with a hint of guilt before whispering to the little pegasus out the side of her mouth “Flutters, you don’t call her that!”

“Oh...oh, I’m so sorry!” Fluttershy squeaked “I’m very, very sorry, I didn’t mean to be rude...please don’t be upset...I’m very sorry”

“Aw, its okay, girl, don’t sweat it” Lolli patted her on the head “I know you didn’t mean it and I can’t stay mad at somepony so cute. But seriously though, this mare right here?” She pointed to herself “Genuine 100% Thestral”

“Oh my...I heard of those but...I wasn’t told what exactly that meant”

“S’alright, not that many ponies know. But there’s a difference between a batpony and a thestral. A thestral like me was born this way to thestral parents as far as several generations, long-lived and awake and alive day and night. Batponies are this way through a contrivance such as being bitten by a gene-carrier, eating or drinking a variety of ingredients that can trigger the transformation or can occasionally be born with recessive thestral genes. They're also less able to control their thirsts and must spend their first few years moving only by night, it takes them a while to get used to the day. In general, more bat-like. I guess that's why the 'Bat' comes before the 'pony. Thestrals, on the other hoof, are the best of both worlds”

“The More You Know!” Pinkie declared, holding up a peculiar slogan with a shooting star with red and green trails.

Blizzard Wind blinked.

“Oh...that’s...really quite interesting...” Fluttershy’s tongue was tied “I became a batpony when I was bitten...I caused a bit of trouble in Applejack’s farm...” She twiddled her hoof regretfully.

“Yeah, funny story” Pinkie said “Personally, I think it could have been avoided if we’d all used our noggins but hey, Flutters looked great as a batpony! Led to some pretty kinky fan-art, let me tell ya!”

“You don’t say” Lolli chuckled “Listen, Pinkie, I’m glad you’re around ‘cause me and Blizz were working on a ah...private project...we might your help with”

“Whoa, you two trying to put a bun in the oven?”

“Er...no...”

“Then are you trying to get pregnant?”

“What the bu...No!” Blizzard exclaimed “Guard business. Colonel Peregrine has us working an important job” He leaned in to whisper “The former Senator and his crew were in deep with some shifty fellas long before the attack. Whatever they were doing, it wasn’t legal”

“Ooh, sneaky-sneaky! I like it!” Pinkie grinned “How can I help?”

“We need somepony with your technical expertise. If you’d help out, we’d owe you one”

“Okie-Dokie-Lokie! C’mon, Shy!”

“Oh, um...I’m not sure that’s really my kind of thing...I’m not very good with technical things...” she mumbled “If it’s okay, I’d much rather just find some food for Angel and go back to the apartment”

“Sure thing, don’t worry about it” Lolli reassured her “Just make sure to give up a call with the communication clip if anything crops up”

“Okay...thank you”

*

Applejack made her way through the city uneasily.

She had been wrong. It wasn’t like Manehattan. It was worse.

At least there, nopony seemed to pay attention to you.

Here it was different and not for the better. The looks they gave her, one would think she’d hurt them or those they loved.

Pure resentment. Pure hatred.

She’d never seen anywhere like it.

Passing by a street, she glanced a large poster. The sight of it was enough to make her grind her teeth.

It was a gaudily coloured poster of Senator Royal Flush in golden armour and a great axe with light shining off him and noticeably thinner and buffer that he was in real life.

Kneeling before him was Celestia, sans crown and horseshoes, her face drawn in an exaggerated, satirical weeping expression.

In the top-left hoof corner was a slogan.

‘Royal Flush Brings A New Age.

Support The Autonomy Movement

A Free Boulette.

A Strong Boulette.

A Feared Boulette’

Why, in their right mind, anypony would want to be ‘feared’, Applejack could not fathom.

The values at hoof were completely contrary to what she held dear.

Keeping her head to the ground, she plodded along. Her ears pricked as she heard a scream.

“Please! Please leave me alone! I don’t want trouble!”

“Well, that’s too bad, ‘cause we do!”

Steeling herself, Applejack raced into the alley from where the sound came.

Two shaven stallions had cornered a small mare in the alley, a young silver Chineighse pony with two blue ponytails for a mane, a fluffy, pink coat and glasses. She was cowering in the corner, her coat dirty and her glasses broken from a strike to the face as the two stallions loomed over her.

“You’re in a lot of trouble, nag!” One of the thugs snarled “You foreigners should’ve stayed in the Restricted Zone. Them’s the rules, see”

“No, you don’t understand! My father’s from the Bayjing Embassy! We’re allowed outside the zones! I have my licence!”

“We don’t want your licence! We don’t want your kind in this city at all, ya got that!?” He drew a knife as the mare gave a whimper “Here, this’ll help ya remember!”

As he raised it, he found his hoof grabbed by another and slammed into the wall, not quite breaking it but definitely leaving him unable to hold the knife as well as before.

Clutching his hoof with a pained snarl, he and his partner looked up to see a bright orange farm-mare giving them a deathly glare.

“Alright. Let’s get this straight. Ah don’t wanna’ hurt ya right now but that might change if you even think about picking up that there knife again. Ah won’t tell ya to change, nor will I ask why you won’t, ‘cause it’s quite clear talkin’ ethics to scum like y’all won’t amount to nothin’. So ah’m givin’ ya a moment to run. Please don’t make me hurt ya and please, please...don’t make me want to”

The two stallions paused, glanced at each other, back at the farmpony, to each other again and took off.

“There ya go, little missy. Them varmints won’t hurt ya no more. Up ya get now” She gave the young mare a helping hoof “Y’alright?”

“Yes, yes...thank you...thank you so much!” The mare was crying but seemed a lot less afraid “My parents, they’ll make sure you’re very well rewarded”

“No reward needed, miss. Ah’m one of the Bearers. All in a day’s work for us. Though, ah gotta’ say, ah think this must be the first time ah’ve ever had to save ponies from ponies before. Never thought ah’d have to” She tipped her hat “Ah’d better tell the others, they’ll need to hear about what’s goin’ on in this city”

She fidgeted with the communicator clip. Her face fell with concern as it failed to light up.

“Now what is tarnation’s wrong with this thing?” She looked up at the young mare “D’ya think ya can get back to the embassy on yer own?”

“I think so, yes”

“Right, then tell them to have the guards outside and alert. An’ put a search on those two stallions who attacked ya...Something mighty suspicious is goin’ on”

*

There came an knock on the door to the Doo family household followed the sound of the door unlocking.

“Derpy?” the Doctor called “I’m back. You alright, love?”

The time-traveller found his favourite partner sitting at the kitchen table, crying into her hooves.

There were papers scattered across the table, all which had become crumpled from the mail-mare’s grip and stained with tears.

“D-D-Doctor...” the grey pegasus whimpered “L-l-look what they said about Dinky...”

He paled. Sparkler had told him what had happened on the way home but it was worse than he feared.

There were more pictures of Dinky than there were of Derpy. The ones of his partner had such tasteless slogans as ‘Is this the face of a dangerous pony?’, ‘Wrecker of town hall remains at large’, ‘Would you leave your foals with this mare?’ and so on.

The ones with Dinky in them were far less pleasant. Pictures of her had been edited through some means or another to make her look injured with bruises and cuts all over her face and body. The one photo that was genuine had been when Dinky had tripped on her dressing gown and fallen down the stairs, bumping her head on the banister and twisting a fetlock.

To Dinky it was a sharp but brief moment of pain which her parents swiftly helped ease but Derpy almost fell apart, blaming herself for allowing such a thing to happen and believing her own daughter wasn’t safe with her, flying out the door in tears and hiding on a cloud. It had taken a full day of the Doctor, Dinky, Sparkler, Rainbow Dash, Carrot Top, Cloud Kicker and Lyra Heartstrings to convince her that Dinky’s injury was no fault of hers.

Yet here it was again with such hateful words.

‘What’s She Hiding? What’s Her Mother Hiding?

Every day, little Dinky Doo goes into town with another suspicious injury and a funny story behind it.

There might well be another story at work that’s not so funny.

Her mother is not safe. And while she remains in her ‘care’, neither is poor Dinky.

Send help quick’

But the worst of all was a Missing Pony poster with a photo of Dinky’s face from around three years ago.

‘Have You Seen This Filly?

Taken from a loving family four years ago.

Anonymous witnesses report her to be in the company of a mentally unstable mare and bearing numerous injuries.

If found, please inform local authorities’

Each of these papers were signed by somepony under the name ‘A Concerned Citizen’.

The Doctor couldn’t remember the last time he’d felt so angry.

But the fury of a time turner was not something he ever wanted Derpy Doo to experience.

He leaned over and hugged her tenderly.

“Derpy...you shouldn’t let this get to you...whoever wrote this doesn’t know you, nor do they know Dinky” He stroked the back of her messy blonde mane “It’s just some stupid old bully who wants to hurt you for no good reason...but that’s why you have us to stop it hurting...okay? Remember, Derpy? We’re always here for you”

Slowly, Derpy looked up, her face soaked with tears. The Doctor produced a tissue to dry her eyes and nose and smiled warmly.

“We’re never going to believe this garbage and neither is anypony else who know you. A pony only has to get to know you to realise you’re not mad, you’re not dangerous...you’re one of the best mothers I know”

“B-b-but...I...that time...when she fell and hit her head...” she whimpered.

“Oh come on, love. It was over in a flash. We made her feel better and made sure it didn’t get worse. Because that’s what parents do. Every parent in the world makes mistakes with their children but we don’t let it stop us, okay?”

Sniffing, Derpy managed a slight smile.

“Hey, Derpy” The door opened again as Sparkler arrived, Tootsie Flute and Dinky in tow. She beheld the papers on the table “Ah geez, more of this garbage?! Seriously Derpy, I wouldn’t let it get to you. Most of this wouldn’t even get the Flower Trio worried! It’s likelihood of convincing anypony in town is literally less than nothing!”

“You...you sure?” Derpy mumbled.

“Absolutely. Listen...back when we were growing up, Tootsie always got into accidents and got hurt” her head bowed as she relived painful memories “I wasn’t a parent, I was a big sister. Being a parent was a lot of responsibility and I barely did it right. But nopony ever said this about me. You’re ten times the parent I could ever be. Hay, you’re ten times the parent anypony I know could ever be. Don’t let it get to you. That’s exactly what they want”

She paused as her godmother hugged her tight.

“You’ve been a great sister, Sparkler” Derpy whispered “And I know you’ll make a great parent one day”

“Group-Hug!”

The two mares were bombarded by Dinky and Tootsie Flute hugging their sides.

“Mummy?” Dinky said, looking up into Derpy’s mismatched eyes “I don’t care what those papers say. I don’t care what anything says about you. I think you’re the best mommy ever and I’ll never stop thinking that...and I’ll never stop loving you...please don’t cry”

From how she heard her shudder, Derpy knew her daughter was close to crying herself.

That was something she never wanted.

“It’s okay, little muffin” she replied “I don’t want to cry anymore...not when I’m around you”

Dinky gave a small giggle as she looked up again.

“I know what’ll cheer you up!”

“Uh-oh” the Doctor took a step back as the periwinkle unicorn filly pounced on her mother’s front with a joyous cry of...

“Tickle-Tummy!”

As Dinky began mercilessly ticking Derpy’s belly with her little fore-hooves, mother and daughter erupted into a bout of wild giggles, rolling on the kitchen floor as either one tried to gain a foot-hold.

The father shook his head, laughing.

He liked family-life.

He liked it a lot.

Beside him, Sparkler and Tootsie Flute smiled warmly at the spectacle in turn.

After a good two minutes on non-stop laughter, Derpy and Dinky slumped to the floor breathlessly.

“Thanks, little muffin” Derpy panted, beaming at her daughter “Much better now”

“Great. Just to say, the O&O Club have invited the Doo family for their Lord of the Horseshoes Marathon at my place” Sparkler chuckled “I know the CMC would love to see you there. Catch you guys later. C’mon Toots”

As the pink unicorn and her little blue sister made their way home, Tootsie Flute gazed up at her sister and guardian.

“Sparkie?” she asked “Did anypony ever give you a hard time when we were growing up?”

Sparkler titled her head.

“Well, it took quite a bit of time before I was allowed to look after you...but when the Doos got involved...Look, Toots, some ponies are just like that. They’ll say anything just to get a reaction out of somepony, however mean or unneeded. The important thing is to ignore them and not give them that satisfaction. It’ll be okay, Tootsie. Trust me”

“Okay, Sparkie”

Sparkler felt the need to change the subject.

“So, you been having fun at O&O Club?”

“Absolutely! It’s really cool and it means me and Truffle are spending way more time together. If he gets a set for his birthday next month, I’ll be able to play with him whenever”

“Aw, you and Truffle Shuffle are hanging out, that’s great!” Sparkler gave her little sister’s mane a friendly ruffle “What about Twist?”

“Oh, it’s okay. She’s spending a lot of time with Babs Seed from out of town”

“Really?” She raised one eyebrow “Oh well, might be a good influence on the little bruiser”

“I’m sure she will” As Tootsie Flute trotted on down the path home, Sparkler gave one look back at the Doo family household and sniffed, stifling a flow of tears much like her aunt.

‘You don’t deserve this, Derpy...You don’t deserve any of it...’

Author's Note:

Hey guys.
Managed to complete this one at last.
Next chapter will be what happened in Ponyville that involved the Doctor, Dinky, Pip and Marephistallion. Mostly flashbacks.
I felt it necessary to soften the funeral crashing in Hearts and Hooves Day. A little cheap, I admit, but seriously, that needs to be altered slightly.
The MLP writers need more sleep.
And here's the second Follower OC Guest Star. Thank you Nova Arc! I hope I've done Lolli Beats sufficient justice.
Thanks for reading and please let me know what you think.

Comments

[Bronycommander]

Dinky and Derpy dangerous?! Most stupist thing i ever heard! But I love how Dinky and Flute play together

[AmorphousFurrySnakeThing]

Quimper is insane. There is so much wrong with his plan that even incompetence or arrogance couldn't cover it. Good job Twilight was able to shut him down, but things are already tense, and having to override him like that isn't going to help things. My sympathies are with Carcassone, having to deal with him and ponies like him on a regular basis.

That's a pretty epic smear campaign, although it seems a lot of effort for relatively little gain, especially as the worst of the charges can be relatively quickly disproved. Or maybe I'm just assuming too much of the average person again. Or the main point of it was the psychological harm to Derpy, rather than to her reputation.

[Purple Patch]

7948266 Well, find out how it progresses. There's more to it than you think.
Yeah, Quimper is definitely taking a place on my 'Truly Vile Villains' List.

[AmorphousFurrySnakeThing]

7948278 I shall look forwards to finding out.

[Tunefulsubset72]

[Nova Arc]

Nice. Great job with Loli, btw. You got her pretty on point.

[Purple Patch]

7954137 Great to hear it.
Glad you approve!