Chapter 9
“Do you remember me?”
The mare stared, bound up and hanging from cords hidden in the darkness that surrounded her, at the decomposing face of a stallion she’d once feared.
A stallion long dead.
“Yes...I’m sure you do, you filthy little breeder”
“No...” Fleur de Lis whimpered, powerless, held immobile in the grip of the ropes, She could only stare and feel her heart beating hard against her chest as she hung helplessly “It’s not you...you...you’re dead...”
“So...Are...You” The stallion’s hideous, hateful face honed into view.
The late Lord Magistrate Nitpick.
He looked different to when she’d last seen him. He was a stallion long dead and indeed looked the part. His eyes were a pair of murky vacant off-white pools in black, sunken sockets. His teeth were jutting out of grey, swollen gums. His mane had fallen off in scraps as had most of his skin, revealing fetid exposed flesh housing nests of maggots. The sight of him and the stench of his festering form, was overpowering. More than anything, she hated how he looked at her. Malicious, vindictive...hungry.
He looked so different yet nothing about him had changed.
And he was coming closer.
Fleur struggled in the grip of the cords for a moment. Then the cords were pulled closer to the undead noble.
They weren’t cords at all. They were tentacles.
Tentacles that made up most of Nitpick’s new body.
Tentacles that were swarming all over Fleur.
“No! No, please!” Every struggle she gave just caused the pulsing tendrils to grip her tighter.
“Does the sight of me...offend you?” Nitpick growled, a demented sneer twisting his cold, colourless lips apart “You could’ve stayed quiet...You could have simply satisfied me and walked away...but you...you had to make things...unpleasant...”
“WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?!” the mare screamed, anger in her eyes and voice “YOU TRIED TO RAPE ME, YOU MONSTER! YOU TRIED TO KILL US BOTH AND TAKE OVER CANTERLOT! STOP PRETENDING IT WAS MY FAULT!” Tears of anger and despair poured from her eyes “YOU’RE AN EVIL, SELFISH, MURDERING WORM AND I’M GLAD YOU’RE DEAD!”
The undead stallion was quiet for a moment.
“You shouldn’t be...It won’t protect you”
A tentacle shot forward.
In the darkness, the sound of Fleur de Lis screaming as the tendril impaled her eye socket could be heard far and wide. The mare’s body was hoisted into the air, trashing wildly as the tentacle in her eye delved deeper into her body.
“A shame...My previous offer would have brought you far less pain”
“Get it out! Get it out!” Fleur screamed, jolting as her body was literally encroached “Please, stop!”
“Do you feel it...Fleur de Lis...the sensation of discipline!”
“I HATE YOU!” The mare screamed “I HATE YOU! I HATE YOU! I HATE YOU!”
“Now, now...less of that...What’s this?”
Fleur gasped as she felt the constrictors grabbing something deep inside her. Her normally meagre stomach tensed and rippled. She doubled up, gasping, her mouth agape and her eyes wide with horror.
“No...Please...” she whimpered, her torrential rage and indignation giving way to pure terror “Not...Not my baby...”
The creature with Nitpick’s face gave a callous cackle and craned his neck over to the side, twisting Fleur’s head to get to do the same.
“Watch...Closely...Fancy Pants!”
Fancy Pants was indeed watching closely.
At least, as closely as he could manage with a nail through his left eye that pinned his monocle to his face as his remaining eye stared, unable to close, as the writhing tentacles of his long-dead arch nemesis invaded his wife’s body by every available means, tearing holes in her flesh from the inside and out to make space for more.
All the while Fleur screamed.
But not as loudly as the screams of his parents.
On either side of him, the blood-red phantoms of Pantaloon and Petticoat hollered in his ears.
“What are you doing?!” his father bellowed “Celestia’s breath, Fancy, are you just going to sit here and watch?!”
“Darling, please! Please help her!” his mother pleaded “You have to! She’s in pain, crying for help, can’t you see?!”
Every sight, every word, every breath of anguish, Fancy saw, heard and felt it all.
Yet he could not move a muscle in his body.
He was imprisoned in a wheelchair, heavy metal manacles holding every part of him in place.
He would have given anything to move, just to be able to try and stop what was happening.
What this monster was doing to his wife.
And to his foal?
Did he even have a foal?
If he did, he certainly seemed to be losing it.
He could barely think, let alone speak.
He could only watch as the creature ripped Fleur apart, her screams drowned out as the tentacles poured in and out of her mouth, nostrils, eyes, ears, every part of her became a container for the mass of flesh and horror, splashing and spattering every variety of filth and gore.
“What sort of coward are you?!” His father raged, turning away “Very well then, watch if that’s all you’re good for...You’re no son of mine!”
“Fancy...why...how could you do this?” His mother began crying as she stepped back into the shadow “My son...my little colt...what have you become...without us?”
There was one last scream he heard, louder and longer than any. Not a cry of pain or fear but total surrender to despair.
It was his own.
“Sssshhhh...Don’t worry”
He felt the chill of metal caress his neck as his head was tilted upwards.
He found himself staring, once again, into that horrible gas-mask with its blood-red eyes. Only this time, they were actually weeping blood. And the slits on the mouthpiece were also bleeding and twisting upwards in a horrific grin.
The murderer of his parents placed a knife upon his outstretched throat as his voice came through the mask quiet and calm.
“It’s all over now”
A short but sudden scream ripped through the main bedroom of Briefly Manor.
The distinguished butler, Tombola, gave a startled gasp, winced and turned to the equally startled old housekeeper.
“Mrs Pot? I believe we have another one”
In Fancy Pants’ bedroom, the stallion sat bolt upright, sucking in great gasps of air, struggling to put what he’d seen out of his head. Stumbling out the bed, he rushed to the ensuite bathroom, grabbed groggily at the basin and retched violently, depositing several of yesterday’s meal down the sink.
Turning the tap to wash away the sickening substance, he shook his head and took several grateful gulps of the cold tap water, protocol be damned. Washing out the taste of vomit and nightmares, he gave his head another shake and recovered his senses.
Stumbling on the way, he re-entered the room and noticed he was the only pony there.
The memories of the dream returned as quickly as they had been banished.
“F-F-Fleur?” he whimpered like a foal, crawling back onto the bed and assuming a foetal position before his pillow “F-f-f-fleur?”
“Fancy”
His head snapped to the side where his wife stood in the doorway, a pink, sheer-silk dressing-gown trailing over one shoulder, looking down him with wide eyes of concern.
His breathing slowed and he managed to remove himself from his awkward position as Fleur spoke, pityingly.
“Another one?”
The normally immaculate gentlecolt slowly nodded as his beloved wife steadily made her way towards him, sitting down beside him and placing one foreleg over his shoulder to nuzzle him.
“I’m right here, Fancy...” she said softly, stroking his neck with her hoof “I’m alright...I’m not going to let anything hurt us”
“There was...something different...this time” His shaking hoof reached out.
Fleur thought he was reaching for her own hoof.
Instead, he’d placed it gently on her belly.
“You...you had a foal...in you...right here” he whimpered “You had our foal...and he was killing it...before you”
Fleur tried very hard to remain strong with the thought.
This was definitely the worst nightmare her husband had suffered yet and all the span of two weeks. They were almost consecutive now.
“Fancy...” she whispered “Nothing is going to happen to me or...you” She’d faltered but her husband didn’t seem to notice “He’s gone, Fancy, he can’t hurt us...he won’t hurt us”
“I’m sorry, Fleur...” his tone had settled. Now, he simply sounded tired “I’ve caused you so much hassle this week”
“Fancy, please don’t talk like that” She kissed him below the horn “You know I’m always here to help you”
She prayed she’d locked her cabinet in the dressing-room (What had formerly been the smoking room) as she remembered the primly hoof-written words on that letter.
‘Fleur de Lis.
It is time’
*
Diamond Tiara was in her parent’s expansive garden, playing with several of her various toys.
Her expression was one a foal possessed when they were trying to take their mind of things.
Her mother was still out of town and her father was often too busy to keep her company. And now Silver Spoon was preoccupied.
She remembered how the conversation had gone and wondered if it could have gone better.
“What do you mean you’re busy? You’re never busy” Diamond didn’t sound angrier than usual but it always made Silver flinch slightly.
“Well...I am today” the little grey bespectacled filly mumbled “I’m going on a walk...”
“Is that it?”
“Um...no...” She twiddled her hoof nervously “I’m going on a walk...with Featherweight”
“What, that weird, skinny colt with the camera?”
“That’s him”
There was a pause.
“Sounds boring” Diamond Tiara had snorted.
“Um...maybe...but I think it’ll be nice”
“Whatever. You enjoy it”
And that had been that.
Looking back, should she have put up more of a protest?
Or should she have wished her friend luck?
The little pink filly shook her head.
So her whiny little friend was hanging out with a skinny little weirdo, that’s all. How did it concern her? What did she care?
The thought made her pause.
What did she care?
“Diamond Tiara!”
The filly jerked her head up. The volume and tone was reminiscent to her mother but the accent belonged to only one group of ponies.
“Applebloom?” she asked as the three fillies poked their heads over the white garden fence “Sweetie Belle? Scootaloo? What are you doing here?!”
“We need to talk to you”
Raising one eyebrow in suspicion, the little rich filly tottered over.
“What about?”
“Diamond, somepony’s been writing bad things about Derpy” Sweetie Belle began.
The filly before them paused a moment. Her eyes seemed to twitch.
“Okay...so?”
The CMC all narrowed their eyes in unison.
“Dinky’s really upset” Sweetie added “And Derpy spent yesterday crying when she found out”
“I see...well...that's a shame, I guess...” Diamond Tiara’s tone sounded like she was waiting for approval “I hope they get better”
“Well?” Scootaloo asked sharply.
“Well what?” Diamond Tiara asked defensively.
“Don’t play games with us, Diamond! Do you have anything to do with it or not?!”
“Wha...I...you...” Diamond Tiara stammered, any number of insults she could have offered trapped in her mouth by sheer shock. Eventually, she simply turned her back and began storming off.
“I don’t have to take this from you! I’m telling Randolph! You’d better be gone by the time he gets here! Go run back to your lame clubhouse or goof around with Pipsqueak and his weird friend’s club for geeks!”
“Now listen here, Diamond! Wha’s happenin’ to Derpy and Dinky is not only mighty mean, it's also illegal!” Applebloom barked, causing Diamond Tiara to stop dead in her tracks “This is somethin’ ya’ ain’t gonna’ be able to talk yer way out of. An’ yer’ daddy won’t help ya either! This is serious! Now, you can go call yer butler if ya really want to hide that much but if you leave without answerin’ we’re goin’ straight to the police! Now for the last time, did you write those letters?!”
“NO!!!” Diamond Tiara spun back round to face them. There, before them, was something they really hadn’t ever seen before or expected to see ever.
Diamond Tiara was crying.
“Girls, please...” There wasn’t any hint of anger or indignation or arrogance they’d grown so used to in the long years they’d known the spoiled little filly. She seemed almost pleading.
“Look...” she began, sniffing “I know I’ve been mean to you...And...And nothing’s gonna’ change that. And I’ve been mean to Dinky too, calling her a blank-flank and...saying she can’t do magic and...stealing her muffins and...picking on her and Pipsqueak but...” She wiped her streaming eyes with the back of her shaking hoof.
“Diamond?” Sweetie Belle stared as the faces of the CMC steadily mellowed “Wh...What’s the matter?”
“You don’t understand, I...” Diamond Tiara swallowed hard and struggled with her words “I’d never...ever pick on her mother, okay?! That’s just...too much for me. I...” She took a deep breath “I like Derpy, okay?! She’s such a nice pony and she cares so much about Dinky, no matter what happens, no matter how much time or money she has, no matter what her eyes do to her, she always looks after her daughter and...And she can’t help being weird and...and...I...”
She broke down at last, falling to her knees and openly sobbing.
The Cutie Mark Crusaders glanced at each other momentarily. Then with a shrug, Applebloom clambered over the fence, approached Diamond Tiara and gave her a gentle hug.
It didn’t take long for Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo to do the same.
“I promise, that’s the truth” the little pink filly sniffled “I didn’t write those letters, I’ve never picked on Derpy, ever. Please believe me”
“It’s alright, Diamond...we believe ya” Applebloom said soothingly “Ah’m sorry we snapped at ya”
“No, no, it’s...” Diamond gave another sniff. Sweetie Belle offered a tissue but she made a face.
“Ew...”
“I haven’t used it, Diamond” Sweetie sighed, rolling her eyes. Eying it a moment, Diamond Tiara took it, wiped her eyes and blew her nose. Applebloom gave her a small pat on the head the way her big sister always did.
“Okay...” the pink filly continued “Look, I know I’ve been a bully before to...almost every foal around...but I never make fun of Derpy. I really like her. I owe her big time”
“Really?” Scootaloo’s ears piqued “How? When?”
“Uh...” she thought back “It must have been...two, maybe three years ago. It was my birthday...I was getting lots of presents from my dad, all of it from the big city and costing a fortune, same as usual...except...something went wrong” Her voice stopped sounding aggrieved and strangulated, steadily growing calmer “There was a strike or something...at the post office? Anyway, something went wrong that meant I wasn’t getting any presents or cake or balloons on my birthday, maybe not till next month. Well...I wasn’t happy” She sighed “I was all set to throw a tantrum all day and that would mean dad would yell at mom and mom would yell at dad and...You get the idea, it looked to be a really lousy birthday...but then...something incredible happened” She smiled, sniffing as another tear rolled down her cheek.
“There’s a knock on the door, right before everything goes to hay...and there she is. Derpy Doo, the muddle-headed mailmare...smiling with those goofy eyes...and behind her is a cart full of packages, all of them wrapped up in brightly-coloured paper and with a letter saying ‘To Diamond Tiara, Happy Birthday’. She...” She beamed, almost giggling with joy “She didn’t care about the strike. She’d gotten everything my mom and dad needed to make me a happy birthday and...And she’d made me a basket of my favourite cotton-candy muffins. She’d made them the instant she found out it was my birthday because...‘sniff’...because that’s the sort of pony she is...And ever since then, I promised myself I’d never, ever try to hurt her...” Her smile faded “I know I did though...when I started picking on Dinky...I never meant to hurt her though. I didn’t know she was Derpy’s daughter until much later, I just...I try not to now...I mean, okay, I tease her a bit but...that’s it, you know, I’m not making her cry or anything...I never mean to...hurt her”
“Shh...It’s okay now, Diamond” Applebloom said “Let’s put all that behind ya’. Listen, why don’t we stay with ya ‘til yer feelin’ better and we’ll learn what we can later”
“We could use your help” Sweetie added.
“I...I dunno...really?” Diamond mumbled “Well...listen...I know what happened seven years ago...with Derpy and her family...when Dinky was born and Doctor Whatshisname showed up”
“Really?” Scootaloo asked “How? Rainbow Dash only told me a little about it”
“Yeah, I don’t know much but...It must have been a few years ago, a bit before I actually met Derpy but I found out about it later” the rich filly cleared her throat and wracked her memory.
“I was at the Gala, you see. I saw Derpy in a dress and her aunt hit her for it and dragged her out. At first, my parents thought she's stolen the dress and crashed the place but we found out later she'd been a VIP and she was there to tell the Princess she was being abused. For years and years! So a week later I came down one afternoon to find my parents arguing...with another group of ponies. Lawyers from Canterlot, I found out. They were representing the Glass family. I found out the Rich family was...er...severing all financial ties? I think that’s what my dad told me. Anyway, they weren’t dealing with the Glasses anymore. Not when they found out what their mean old Countess, had been doing to Derpy. The lawyers just kept making my dad bigger and bigger offers but he didn’t want to hear about it”
“Wow! Awesome, Diamond!” Scootaloo exclaimed, patting her on the shoulder “Your dad and your mom?”
“Oh yeah, she wasn't putting up with it either!” Diamond’s eyes twinkled with pride “She said what the Countess had done to one of their own family for so long and for no reason was unforgivable and the Riches would never stoop so low. She ended up hitting one of them in the face and Randolph had to restrain her” She was almost giggling “They’re pretty cool sometimes...my parents”
“You’re alright, Diamond Tiara” Scootaloo chuckled “So...watcha’ playing?”
“Er...nothing”
“Hang on...” the little pegasus inspected where she’d been “Is that an Ogres and Oubliettes figure?”
“Scootaloo!” Diamond glared daggers at her “If you tell anypony...”
From the kitchen, polishing the last of the dishes, Randolph the old butler gave a chuckle as he gazed out the window.
“Learning from them at last...Mr Filthy is going to be most pleased”
*
Boulette was larger than it had seemed at the station.
Right now, Twilight and Rarity were approaching the government square.
And they did not like what the mercenaries had done to the place one bit.
The local forces had blockaded several streets were the turrets had fallen down and were still rooting through the carnage finding and identifying bodies.
“Oh...these poor ponies” Rarity groaned, shaking her head.
“I apologise, Miss Twilight, Miss Rarity” Lafayette said flatly “You may have to get used to this. This is the case in...most of the area”
“I’m so sorry, Captain” Twilight replied “I promise, we will bring this city, and its ponies, the justice they deserve”
“I hope so, Miss Twilight...” The captain gave them an uneasy look “I’d rather you than...Let’s just keep walking, we’re not far”
It didn’t take a genius to notice something off about his topic switching. Twilight and Rarity gave each other a glance.
They reached the main military bunker at last, something that was being used, temporarily as a government building while the Crossfort was compromised.
The bunker’s name was imprinted on the wall itself in bold white spray-paint.
Fort Clovis.
Saluting the guard and placing a badge upon a lock pad, Lafayette opened the door for them.
The building was flawlessly clean but didn’t seem friendly. Hardy-looking Boulettan officers gave them and their Equestrian co-workers resentful looks as they passed.
“How many personnel do you have, Captain?” Twilight asked.
“Well, after the mercenary attack, we numbered just under one thousand. Few enough to declare a state of emergency. We decided to recall personnel from our local territories and outposts. Slovenly, for instance, where my regiment used to be located. Fort Alaric, our main weapons depot, with as many munitions and artillery as we’d hopefully need. Unfortunately, that was compromised seven years ago in a raid we’re currently linking to our recent attack. Similar patterns. So we also took personnel from Fort Wamba, Fort Hidilco and Fort Gondomar, a grand total of six thousand armed soldiers and engineers”
“So...enough to repel another attack?”
Lafayette gave a gulp and another uneasy look.
“I hope so, Miss Twilight. With respect, I don’t much fancy joining the last poor four thousand sons of nags who were here last”
“While I take issue with the profanity, Captain, I am confident we can succeed” Rarity piped up.
Lafayette nodded and took them to a closed door which he opened with his badge.
Standing before them was a lean but muscular, bearded unicorn with a blue coat and a white mane cropped short. He was wearing a bright scarlet and bronze jacket with several medals and gleaming, brass shoulder-pads. His hard grey eyes were fixed on the trio in front of him with an expression that went beyond simple grimness or cynicism.
This stallion was not happy to see them.
“Ah...Colonel Quimper...” Lafayette said nervously “This is...”
“A bucking outrage is what it is, Captain!” the officer before them barked “Why wasn’t I informed?”
“I assumed you were, Colonel” the young captain straightened up uncomfortably “As per the wishes of Princess Celestia...”
The Colonel threw him a threatening glare.
“The whole point of Boulette’s municipal guard was to avoid this kind of bureaucratic curd!” he bellowed.
“Well, the city is in a state of emergency, Colonel” Lafayette pointed out “Princess Celestia wishes for the Bearers to seek out the perpetrators and learn all they can. All of Equestria’s threatened and-”
“Lafayette, get out of here and wash your face” Quimper snarled “You’re an officer of Boulette, not a damn pay-ride! And then somepony get these mares out of here before security’s compromised”
“Colonel, I’m not sure you fully understand the situation!” Twilight interjected, spreading her wings slightly to capture attention “Boulette has been subject to a catastrophic terrorist attack which left the local government and military practically crippled and your Senator abducted. Now we hear the ones responsible are still in the city and could strike at any moment. Colonel, I’m sorry to say this, but you need all the help you can get. We’re here to help you. That’s not something we’ll be able to do well if we aren’t kept informed”
There was a pause as the Colonel turned his vicious gaze to Princess Twilight Sparkle.
“She’s right, Colonel” Lafayette added calmly “If these terrorists are still in our city, we need to be prepared. And we aren’t prepared because if we were, they wouldn’t be here in the first place”
Quimper continued to glare daggers at the three ponies in front of him. His sneer twitched slightly and he turned to Lafayette.
“Get out of my sight...” he growled “I...will take the Bearers to HQ”
Lafayette saluted with a smile.
“Very good, Colonel. My ladies”
“Thank you kindly, Captain Lafayette” Rarity cooed “A pleasure to meet such a socially acceptable stallion such as yourself” She gave him a wink and turned back to the seething Quimper.
“As you were, Colonel. Shall we, Twilight?”
*
Rainbow Dash did not like the way the Boulettan troops glared at her as they passed.
Finding a place that wanted to service her was turning out to be difficult too.
“Yo’, ‘scuse me? Hello?” she jumped in front of the guard at a street corner “I’m looking for a bar or anywhere I can get a cider. Can you help me”
The guard gave her look and turned away.
“Hey!” she snapped, angry now “I’m talking to you!”
The guard made no effort to acknowledge her.
“Are even listening to me?”
“Just like those ‘Questie’ nags. Always coming over here and telling us to do things their way”
Rainbow’s head spun round to where the voice had come from.
A couple of stallions with dark jackets and close-shaven manes who where smoking on the sidewalk, glaring at her with disdain.
The guard near her gave a chuckle.
“What did you say?!” Rainbow Dash barked “What the hay’s your problem”
“Listen, nag! Boulette bars are Boulette business. That means we do business with Boulettans and nothing else. You wanna’ bar, go find one back home where you belong, ya Questie dyke!”
Rainbow Dash was quiet a moment, odd for her after being insulted.
She paced over to the two, the one who’d insulted her throwing down his cigarette and rising to his full height. He was several feet taller than her but, to Rainbow Dash, that didn’t matter.
“Say that again” she hissed “I dare you”
“Whassa’ matter?” he growled, rising a hoof “Gonna’ go crying to yer pay-ride princess, huh?! Questie?!”
He threw a punch and found it caught in Rainbow’s own hoof.
Next moment, he was bowled head over hooves by the Bearer of Loyalty’s uppercut as his partner was floored by a side-kick before he could draw a flick-knife.
“Buddy, if you think I need the Princess’s help to kick your flanks...”
“You! Get down on the ground!”
Dash spun round behind her where the Boulettan guard was yelling at her and pointing a rifle at her.
“Wha...Are you crazy?” she spluttered.
“Get down on the ground right now or I’m gonna’ shoot you in the face” the guard barked.
“Dude, do you even know you’re doing?!”
“I will pull this trigger!” the guard’s hooves were shaking “Get on the ground! This is your last warning!”
“Enough!”
‘What now?!’ Rainbow thought, exasperated. Thankfully, she saw Equestrian Royal Guard approaching. The officer was a huge bright orange-coated earth pony stallion, possessed of a cyan mane with cream-yellow streaks behind both ears. His size and shape reminded her of Big Mac. He’d drawn a mace from his belt and had hit the rifle away from the guard and was glaring at him while three of his subordinates, two Equestrians and a Boulettan, surrounded Rainbow and the two thugs.
“What is this, Sergeant Angrius?!” the officer thundered “You’ve been warned before. No firearms are to be drawn on unarmed perpetrators. Are you trying to cause another scene?”
“...no, sir” the Boulettan growled.
“I should hope not. Get down to HQ. I’m putting you on fatigues. And you two...” He turned to the two shaven stallions.
“Hey, she attacked us!” one of them protested.
“You think we’re blind?” the officer snapped “We saw you try to land the first punch. You’re damn lucky I’m not sending you down for assaulting an Equestrian State Official. Now get out of here!”
The two stallions needed no second warning as the three guards around Rainbow Dash slammed their staves to the ground and saluted.
“Apologies, my lady” the Lieutenant said “I am Lieutenant Jupiter. My division guards this sector”
“It’s cool” Rainbow Dash sighed “Geez, ponies in this city are jerks!”
“Ah...” the Boulettan guard cleared his throat “I’m sorry about Sergeant Angrius and those two punks. You must understand, Miss Dash. A lot of Boulettans aren’t fond of Equestrians at the best of times and the attack has made everypony really rather jumpy”
“I guess...” the cyan pegasus shrugged “Still, can’t they see we’re here to help? The least they could do is give us a little credit”
“That’s unlikely in a city where help is considered a worse insult than invasion” Jupiter grumbled, turning to the Boulettan “Captain Volvic, could you take Angrius’ place for a while? I expect civil conduct from you”
“Of course, sir” The Boulettan, Volvic, saluted and took his post on the street corner “Ma’am, if you’re looking a bar, I know several. Unfortunately, I’m not sure they’ll service you. You might need to head to the Restricted Zone”
“Huh?”
“I’ll take you” Jupiter said “Continue patrol, I'll join you shortly” The guards dispersed as Rainbow Dash followed Jupiter to the ‘Restricted Zone’.
“So what makes it restricted?” she asked “Is there a sorta’ plague or something?”
“No, no, nothing like that” the Lieutenant sighed “It’s where the non-Boulettans are restricted to”
The way to the Restricted Zone was signalled by how much litter and graffiti spread the cityscape. The Restricted Zone itself was walled up but for an open archway guarded by Boulettan sentries in heavy brass armour.
The walls and arch were covered in slurs, slander and threats.
‘Foreigners Out’
‘Boulette For Boulettans’
‘Questies Can’t Protect You’
‘Celestia Is A Foal-Fooling...’
Rainbow chose not to finish that sentence for fear of lashing out. It wasn’t fair. Though she wasn’t nearly as obsessed with the Princess as Twilight, she still liked her and owed her a lot and Rainbow Dash hated seeing her besmirched in this way by the very ponies she was trying to help.
As the guards let her pass, she turned to the Lieutenant.
“Thanks, Jupe. I’ll take it from here”
“Very good, my lady. Remember to use the communicators if anything happens”
“Yeah, yeah, don’t sweat it, seriously. You’re looking at a mare who’s faced down every threat Canterlot’s faced since Nightmare Moon”
“Indeed, ma’am” he smiled before turning back to the city square “Good luck”
The Restricted Zone was kept quite hospitable by the ponies living in it but it was unbelievably cramped.
The zone was a maze of streets, avenues and roads with barely any free space and the only city square in the zone was dominated by stalls and filled with the cries and calls of ponies and non-ponies across the Known World. The denizens were largely separated into different ethnic communities but didn’t seem hostile.
She found the Prench district. Kept very traditional, almost enough to be stereotypical, the site was filled with baguette stalls and foul-smelling cheese booths and accordion players.
At last, she found a bar where they sold cider. Though the greying barpony was fervent in his insistence that is was 'cidre' not cider.
Whatever. It certainly did her quite a bit of good.
“Is ze cidre to your liking, Madame Rainbow Dash?” the barpony asked.
“Yep. I think I’ll have another. And one of those little pastries with the walnuts”
“Certainly. You will be kept most comfortable here, Madame. Zere are many ponies here who respect you and your colleagues well...” He craned his head forward as he brought forth the order “We hope you can improve things here, oui?”
“Yeah, I...” she sighed “We can’t just make them, you understand, much as I’d like to...But we’ll try our best. We always do”
“I am sure. I will prepare your request”
As he left, Rainbow was all set to finish off her cider in private when a familiar voice sounded behind her.
“Dash?! Fancy meeting you here!”
A clawed hand slapped her on the back, thankfully not injuring her, as a white-headed female griffon pulled up a chair before her.
Rainbow Dash smiled wide.
“Oh my gosh, Gilda!” She gave her a hug “It’s awesome to see you! I didn’t know you were living in Boulette now”
“Are you kidding?! On any other day, I wouldn’t come here if they paid me! This city clucking sucks! It’s worse that Griffonstone! You know around here, if a griffon’s found wandering outside the zone at night, the guards’ll shoot them dead on sight! Total egg-holes, the lot of ‘em!”
“Tell me about it” Rainbow Dash grumbled “So why are you here in the first place?”
Gilda rolled her eyes.
“I’m taking part in a funeral flight over Boulette conducted by the Aviators Council”
“The wha?”
“New rulers of Griffonia. Every so often, when things get bad, the local towns and tribes put aside their differences and get together in a great alliance. Course, not much gets done seeing as they’re all too busy hating each other and when the troubles are over, everygriffon goes back to being isolated. It’s dumb but that’s politics for ya’. Cheers”
She tapped her cidre bottle against Dash’s and drank.
“So they’re planning a funeral flight?”
“Yeah, for the attack on Boulette. A way of paying respects as well as demonstrating our new strength. The Aviators love that squit, pompous punks. The flight’s led by several members of the noble Griffonian families. Most of them Raptors, of course. My uncle usually participates in these sorts of things but he’s in Trotsylvania trying to fulfil some kinda’ blood oath so I’m filling in for him”
“Well...It’s nice to see ya’. I suppose you know what we’re doing here”
“If I know you well, you’re trying to find the punk-flank mothercluckers who stormed the Crossfort and blew up those turrets, aren’t ya” Gilda chuckled “Wish I had a job as awesome as yours”
“Hey, we could use your help” Rainbow said, holding up her hooves “I mean...I don't like to admit it but from what little we know, we may already be in way over our heads here. The guys we’re after are some seriously messed-up ponies who aren’t going down without a fight.”
The griffon measured Dash’s words, finished her cidre and smiled.
“I’m listening”
From the roof of an adjacent building, hidden from above by a camouflage blanket, the mercenary, Bloodhound spied the Bearer of Loyalty and her griffon friend through the bar window with a pair of infra-red binoculars.
His lips twisted in loathing as his hoof instinctively pawed at his horrific facial scar.
“Griffons” he hissed “I bucking hate griffons”
*
“So we have contingents waiting in the city?”
Shadowplay scanned the data logs again.
“Yes, Mr Cascadius. They’ve all checked in. Blue Murder works alone, as you know, but Almogavar’s covering Corax, Mustaleski for Agravain, Hed’Kika for Bloodhound...oh and the Cult insisted that one of their hunters, a pony named Threadbare, assist them”
Cascadius nodded, munching on a carrot.
“Threadbare’s very capable” he said “Najiva vouches for him. Thank you, Shadow. Go get yourself some lunch”
“Very well sir” The batpony bowed and left, leaving Cascadius and his guest eating lunch at the table in his meeting room.
“How is the meal, Sister?”
Before him, a tall griffin with a beige face speckled and streaked with dark brown and blood-red tattoos over her eyes smiled as her hooked, black-tipped beak picked the last of her lamb chops clean.
“I have to say, Mr Cascadius, this lamb is tremendous” she clacked happily “Your cook has outdone himself”
“Mr Corax will be happy to know that when he comes back, Sister Slashtalon. He saved it especially for you. I’m sure he’ll be happy to cook for you again, he so rarely gets the pleasure of cooking for fellow carnivores”
Sister Shrike Slashtalon, former Aviator turned war-criminal, threw the bare bone down on her plate and licked her talons.
“Mmm...Well, if he’s as good a killer as he is a cook, Boulette and the Bearers are doomed”
“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves” Cascadius took a sip of lemonade “These Bearers aren’t to be taken lightly. Brute force will be criminally insufficient. We must wait for the right moment. We have the animosity of Boulette’s citizens toward foreign intervention and, thanks to your good self, the Griffonian funeral flight. All we need is a spark”
He got to his hooves and gazed out the window.
“The Bearers say Friendship Is Magic. But magic is a dangerous thing in the wrong hooves. We need to teach them that. Using the enemy’s strength against them is a difficult task but always efficient. ‘Kill With A Borrowed Sword’...third of Master Sun Zoo’s Thirty Six Stratagems”
“Indeed. I look forward to the results” Shrike Slashtalon chuckled as the door was knocked and opened.
The quivering figure of Royal Flush stood in the doorway.
“You...wanted to see me?” he mumbled.
“Yes, Senator, I did. Are you hungry?”
“Uh...no...” He never had any appetite around Cascadius and even less so when accompanied by a flesh-eating griffon “Ahem...sir?”
“Spit it out” Cascadius eyed him like one would a simpleton.
“Can you...can you tell me how Trilby is?”
There was a pause.
“She cries all the time, barely remembers her own name and wishes for death” Cascadius said bluntly, as if reciting a shopping list “Now onto more important matters. Please sit down”
There wasn’t a seat at the table. The pale-faced Senator sat on the floor without much argument as Cascadius, as always, smiled calmly.
“I have a job for you”
This was a bit rushed but I might be occupied for a bit.
Art project needs to be worked on. Referencing's fast becoming a pain in the arse.
If that nightmare at the beginning doesn't get on my Nightmare Fuel Page, I need to up my game. 
Fancy and Fleur are back and will become fairly significant later. Let's not forget they too have a grudge against Cascadius.
And we find out Diamond Tiara does not make fun of Derpy...which makes her unique as far as most adaptations go, I have to say.
She has standards. And so, it seems, does her mother. Whether it was to save their reputation, to curry favour with the Princess and Fancy or that she simply finds the Countess deplorable like the rest, you decide. But let it stand. When Spoiled Rich is calling you out, you know you're royally screwed!
Here's a better look at the more 'traditionalist' Boulettans. Not pleasant ponies by all accounts.
Police with guns, I suppose, is a lot more shocking in the UK than the US but I think it's safe to say using them as a first resort against unarmed perps is pushing it.
And introducing Gilda. I kind of like Gilda, she's come a long way. First we hated her, now we love her.
And good grief, Cass is heartless when it comes to poor Trilby. That's the thing. Countess Glass takes a perverse pleasure in inflicting pain upon those she doesn't like and we hate her for it but Cascadius is just so unfazed and nonchalant. You just know this is nothing new to him. He does this all the time without a shred of pity or guilt.
That's one of the things that, in my opinion, makes him so much more frightening than my previous villains.
Thanks for reading and let me know what you think.
Next chapter has Pinkie meeting an old friend, who's an OC Guest Star from Nova Arc. Thanks Nova, I won't let you down.
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10/10
Good chapter
7930749 Thanks Ender Knight.
Your Blizzard Wind and Nova Arc's Loli Beats are gonna' feature later.
They're doing a spot of hacking.
You'll notice Threadbare was mentioned.
He's...unsettling.
7930756
media.giphy.com/media/12ZchYr6KpjWso/giphy.gif
Poor Trilby. She doesn't deserve this.
7930799 Indeed not.
When Cascadius wants to make a point, nopony is safe.
Another good Chapter. I like how you showed diamond playing and how she has Standards as bully. Was that a indiana Jones reference with the "griffons. I hate griffons."
7931405 Thanks, Commander.
Actually, it was a game of thrones reference. There's a group of wildlings (barbarians) called Thenns who are cannibals and all the other wildlings hate them for it. Whenever they appear someone will always say "Thenns...I f**king hate Thenns"
But you can guess why Bloodhound hates them when he touches his scar.
7931903 you're welcome. About your comment, when i wrote my fics, that was the most realistic reaction my brain could came up with, wrote that and the storys before a long time ago. Still, I Hope you enjoy it.
7931914 I'm sure I will.
7931922 l'm look forward of your comments