Chapter 34 - Game Over
Tonya galloped out of the cell block where she had been told Jenny was being held. She confronted a human guard and demanded, "Where is Miss Tanner?" She thrust a fore-hoof back the way she had come. "I was told she was being held there."
"I don't know, Ms. Jarris," the guard replied. "I recall seeing her in the hallway a short time ago being escorted by Mr. Kenworth and another crystal pony."
"Was the other pony a mare or a stallion?"
"A mare, I believe."
"Thank you."
Tonya cantered towards the cell block which contained Eileen, Wildy, and Fire, where she found Danner standing guard. "Mr. Danner!"
Danner spun around to face her. "Yes, ma'am?"
"What are you doing here? You should be guarding Miss Tanner."
"Mr. Kenworth told me to come here and relieve Sanders so he could get some dinner."
"And what of Miss Tanner?"
"She was taken for questioning, ma'am."
"Questioning my ass!" Eileen blurted from her cell in a shaky voice.
Tonya looked at her. The woman's eyes were bloodshot, and her face glistened as if she had been crying.
"You know as well as I do what Fuller wants to do with her!" Eileen cried, both anger and desperation in her voice. "He wants to use that bastard Ryan on her!"
Danner glanced from Eileen back to Tonya. "Ma'am, I don't understand. What's she talking about?"
"There's more going on here than you realize," Tonya said. "Do you know specifically where Miss Tanner was taken?"
"No, ma'am, I'm sorry."
"How long ago was it?"
"Not more than two minutes."
Tonya frowned. "Then maybe he hasn't started in on her yet. I'm certainly not picking up on any mind magic."
Danner's pupils shrank slightly. "Ma'am, did you say mind magic?"
"Yes, mind magic," said Tonya. "And if you catch even the slightest bit of it, you notify me at once. And only me, is that understood?"
Danner hesitated. "Um ..."
"Is there a problem, Mr. Danner?"
"Begging your pardon, ma'am, but Mr. Kenworth was clear that anything regarding any magic use by the prisoners was to be reported to him directly."
"Am I or am I not still head of security at MIDROC?" Tonya said.
"You are, ma'am," said Danner.
"Then I can override his orders, and I'm doing so now. You report to me directly anything you sense."
Danner nodded once. "Yes, ma'am."
"Stop pretending to be on our side," Wildy muttered from her cell.
Tonya looked at her. "I won't go into details about why I did what I did, as I suspect they'll be lost on you. Believe what you want, but all I care about is justice being done."
Danner glanced at Wildy before giving Tonya a confused look. "Ma'am, what's going on? I feel like I'm a bit lost at the moment."
"I don't have time to explain," said Tonya as she headed for the door. "I have to find out where they took Miss Tanner, and I have a feeling only one person will have the answer to that."
She marched to Edward's office, but frowned when she saw that it was empty. She turned to the first guard she could find, a crystal pony. "Do you know where Mr. Kenworth went?"
"Not exactly, ma'am," said the mare. "Only that he said he was going to investigate those persistent magic blooms."
Tonya ground her teeth. "I told that pompous idiot I was taking care of that!"
The mare recoiled, her ears drawing back.
"If you see him, tell him I'm looking for him, and he's to report to me at once."
"Um, yes, ma'am."
Tonya whirled around and headed towards the elevator. The nearest of the gems that Twilight had placed was on the first floor. Once she was inside the elevator cab, she brought up her cell phone and called Twilight's number.
"Yes?" came the Princess' voice barely a ring later.
"Heads up," said Tonya. "Your ruse with the privacy shields is about to be neutralized."
"Can you put a stop to it?"
"Trying now. Vacate the first floor conference room if you're there."
Tonya concluded her call just as the doors opened. She took off at full gallop as soon as they had slid aside enough to allow her to slip through.
She detoured down another hallway despite the magic bloom being almost directly ahead. She stopped by the security center, where her two confidantes were being briefed by some of the human security staff. "Sun, Verdant, with me, on the double."
Tonya continued onward without waiting for a response. Hooves cantered behind her in a bid to catch up as she saw the entrance to the conference room at the end of the hall. The door stood open, and she heard hoof-steps inside. Just outside stood one of the crystal ponies under Edward's command.
Tonya arrived just as Edward stepped out of the room and approached the other pony as he said, "You're to stand guard inside the room and keep the shielded area under constant surveillance. Report any activity to me."
The pony nodded and stepped into the room.
"What the hell is going on here?" Tonya demanded.
Edward turned to her. "I am merely following Mr. Fuller's orders."
"What orders?"
"To have these magic blooms investigated, and you'll be glad to know I've uncovered a potentially serious security breach at the facility."
"Kenworth, this is not your area of responsibility!" Tonya declared. "You're in charge of the prisoners, not facility security. You'll cease this--"
"With all due respect, ma'am, Fuller's orders override yours," Edward said in an imperious tone. "And to be quite blunt, perhaps that is for the best, as I see you made no note of what I just found on only a cursory examination." Edward pointed a fore-hoof towards the conference room. "That so-called privacy shield is over-engineered. That tells me it was meant to hide something other than mere conversation. I suspect teleportation, which means we have people moving about the facility unobserved."
"Then why have you not dismantled the spell?"
"Because by leaving it intact, there's a chance I can catch whoever is using them."
Tonya had no way to refute the stallion's logic. It was even something she might do in a similar situation. Yet she had to delay Edward as much as possible.
"Is there anything else you require of me, ma'am?" Edward asked. "I need to investigate the remaining blooms. Perhaps I can catch the perpetrators in the midst of--"
"I need to talk to you about one of the prisoners," Tonya said. "That's still your primary responsibility, is it not?"
Edward hesitated but nodded once.
"I understand Miss Tanner was taken for questioning," Tonya said. "I had specifically ordered that any requests to interrogate the prisoners go through my office."
"Ma'am, it was made clear to me -- and you agreed -- that I would be in nominal charge of the prisoners. I saw no need to distract you from your security duties."
"And yet you saw fit to do that now!"
"As I said, I merely followed--"
"Did Mr. Fuller give you a direct order to conduct this investigation?"
Edward paused. "Not as such. I volunteered, and he--"
"I don't want to hear any more." Tonya turned towards her cohorts. "Sun, Verdant, we're to examine each of the remaining blooms. If they are unattended, I will be posting you at those locations to watch for who may come to use or claim them."
"With all due respect, Ms. Jarris--" Edward began.
"Every time you begin a sentence with that, you just annoy me even more." Tonya turned to face him. "Now explain to me why you're here and not guarding Miss Tanner."
Edward gave her a surprised look. "I beg your pardon?"
"You've stated that this is your specialty. If Miss Tanner is not in her cell, she requires additional guarding. Why are you here instead of there?"
Edward frowned. "My underlings are perfectly capable of--"
"It took the combined efforts of myself and these two crystal ponies to quell Miss Tanner. You need every pony you can get. Go and do your job."
"N-now see here, I--!"
"That's an order, Mr. Kenworth."
Edward snorted and narrowed his eyes. "Very well, Ms. Jarris. But make no mistake, I will inform Mr. Fuller of this."
"Do whatever you damn well please, as long as it involves you taking every precaution possible to prevent Miss Tanner from using her magic again." She turned towards Sun and Verdant. "Let's go."
Edward was still glaring at Tonya. Sun gave him an uneasy look before saying, "Um, of course, ma'am."
When Edward finally turned and headed down another corridor, Verdant glanced back behind them and said, "Ma'am, just what was all that about?"
"No time to explain," Tonya said in a soft voice. She waited until they were in the elevator. "I want you to listen to me very carefully. I'm going to do as I told Kenworth and put one of you at each of the two remaining blooms."
"Of course, ma'am," said Sun. "And I assume we're to report only to you what we see."
"You're to completely ignore what you see."
Sun blinked and exchanged a look with Verdant. "Ma'am?"
"Exactly what I said," said Tonya. "If you can't do that, tell me now."
Sun and Verdant were silent for a moment before Sun said, "I'll do as you wish, ma'am, so long as what I see is not a risk to the life or safety of myself or the facility."
"I agree, ma'am," said Verdant.
Tonya nodded as the doors opened. "Good."
They continued on to the next conference room. Tonya glanced in either direction before opening the door. "Sun, take guard here."
Sun started past the threshold. "Of course, ma--"
He stopped dead when his eyes fell upon the room. Inside the shimmering sphere of magic stood Twilight Sparkle, Starlight Glimmer, a human male, and a midnight-blue alicorn. Their utterly silent conversation suddenly stopped as they turned and stared back. Verdant peeked into the room and gasped.
"Is there a problem, Sun?" Tonya asked.
Sun pointed towards the alicorn. "Ma'am, i-is that Princess L--?"
Tonya leaned in and whispered, "Everything, Sun. Ignore everything." She drew back and resumed her normal voice. "Now, what was it you were about to say?"
Sun swallowed. "Nothing. Everything clear. Totally empty room."
"I agree," Verdant chimed in. "Nothing to see here, ma'am."
"Good." Tonya gestured towards the ones in the shield. She turned her fore-hoof towards them and jabbed it once straight up, the pony version of a human's thumb's up. "Carry on, Sun."
"Yes, ma'am."
Jenny stared blankly at the man seated across the table, her raw emotional state failing at first to recall the name. When she did remember, her stomach twisted, and she tried to bolt out of the chair. Only the pain when the metal of the handcuffs bit into her skin did she realize that running was impossible.
Nevertheless, she would have dragged the chair with her in her bid to escape, until her fear became so paralyzing that she fell back into her seat, her heart hammering so hard that her chest hurt. Her body trembled with the desperate need to flee, her muscles aching from the strain of being held in place against her instincts.
Ryan simply lay his hands calmly on the table as he regarded her like a stalking predator. Jenny became only all the more mired in inaction, as if she were face to face with a mountain lion, that even the slightest movement in any direction would mean instant death.
"Pure, undirected fear," Ryan said simply.
Jenny simply stared, her breathing a hard pant, eyes wide and terrified.
"You don't want to feel that, do you?"
Jenny swallowed hard, still staring.
"What is it you really fear, Jenny? What is it that keeps you up at night?"
Thoughts exploded across Jenny's mind despite not having willed them into being herself. Her brain was too saturated with fear to do anything but comply.
Ryan nodded. "Yes, that makes sense. The Dreamwardens are indeed an unbending lot."
Jenny's lips parted in shock.
"You might as well have written it down for me, with as easily as I can see it," said Ryan.
Jenny bit her lip to suppress a whimper as her mind filled with thoughts of being put on trial in the dream realm as powerful and faceless entities decided her fate.
"But that's not really your true fear, is it? That's just the immediate one, one you can touch, one that can let you mask what truly terrifies you."
Jenny closed her eyes tightly and sought to sift through the frightening thoughts racing through her mind. "Get out of my head."
"I'm not truly in your head, Jenny," said Ryan. "I don't need to be. Your emotions and thoughts are as easy to read as a book."
"Why are you doing this to me?!" Jenny yelled.
"Because I can help."
Jenny stared. "Help?"
"I can help you deal with your fears. I can help them work for you instead of against you."
Jenny shook her head violently. "You're just manipulating me."
Ryan paused as if listening to a distant sound. "I see it now. Of course."
"You don't see anything!"
"I see your fear of failure."
Jenny clenched her teeth, but it did little to stop her eyes from tearing.
"It makes perfect sense," said Ryan. "You failed your friends and your loved ones."
Jenny sniffled and wiped her eyes as she cringed.
"It's natural to fear you will do it again."
Jenny tried to reach out to the Narrative. It could stop this. It could help her conjure a Scene in which the hero rode in to save her at the last minute. Yet when she tried to touch it, she shivered in fright and whimpered.
"And it's making you afraid to use your ability again," Ryan said smoothly. "You don't want to fail again. And you won't, so long as you never use it."
Jenny pulled at the handcuffs until a trickle of blood ran over her wrist.
"But there are those who can make it so you don't fail again. You don't have to feel this way forever."
Jenny let out a ragged breath as some of the crippling fear eased.
"Let your power go for now," said Ryan. "There's something else to fear more than that at the moment."
Jenny stared at him in growing horror.
Ryan nodded. "Yes, you already understand. Your greatest fear right now is what can happen to you if you resist, or if you try to escape, or help others escape."
Jenny started to shiver again.
Ryan leaned forward slightly. "Do you feel it now?"
Jenny closed her eyes, but it did nothing to help. If anything, it only gave clarity to the thoughts he was shaping in her head. Even knowing he was actively manipulating her did nothing to stop it. The emotions felt as if they were her own, as if they had simply been waiting to be drawn out.
"Of course you do. It's only natural."
It wasn't natural, but no amount of telling herself that would work. Every other fear she had in the past week seemed insignificant.
Ryan nodded. "You're beginning to understand now."
There had to be other things more scary. The Dreamwardens. Failure. The FBI. The government. All of them were clear threats.
Ryan tilted his head. "And you would rather be tortured by a myriad of fears that really mean nothing right now? Wouldn't it be more prudent to recognize the real threat?"
Jenny turned her head away. She tried to conjure up the one fear that had never left her: what else had Sunset Shimmer done to her that she had yet to discover. It was the fear from which all others stemmed. It had become easier to deal with the other fears than that one.
The fear of resistance indeed paled compared to that.
"Interesting."
Jenny flinched. How much time had passed? She had almost forgotten someone was in the room with her. She only noticed then that her blouse was drenched in sweat, and she shivered at the chill from the touch of air blown by the ceiling fan.
Ryan steepled his fingers and regarded her with a mix of wonder and determination. "Well, you do seem to have a much more deeply seated fear I'm only now sensing. You are quite the complex person, Jennifer Tanner."
Jenny felt dazed. She had held off someone trying to get into her mind, but it had taken all her strength. She doubted she had any left.
Ryan leaned forward. "Let's see how this deeply-seated fear of yours works ..."
"I'm out, Heller."
Anthony sighed as he held Twilight's phone to his ear. "Why, Kelsey?"
"Mr. Fuller has relieved me of duty," said Kelsey. "I also tried to visit the privacy shield on the first floor, and it's guarded by one of Mr. Kenworth's crystal ponies."
"The other two are guarded by crystal ponies under Tonya's command, and she assured us in a phone call not moments ago that they'll ignore whatever they see."
"Nevertheless, I'm likely under surveillance. I'm taking a huge risk just making this call."
Anthony considered. "I guess there's nothing that can be done about this."
"I've given you everything you could possibly need."
"Other than a guarantee of safety for--"
"Twilight!" Luna suddenly bellowed. "I can sense him! He is using his ability now!"
"Kelsey, stand by," Anthony said before muting the call and turning to Luna. She had flared her wings, one of the tips almost brushing the privacy shield. "What's going on?"
Luna turned to him. "I can sense Ryan using his ability right this moment, Mr. Heller. Since we know Jenny has been taken for interrogation, we do not need to guess as to his target. I intend to put a stop to it now."
"Luna, wait!" Twilight cried.
"I have told you this before, Twilight," said Luna as she turned towards the door. "I cannot let this happen. I can pinpoint exactly where he is."
"You can't just go walking through the facility!"
"And who exactly will stop me?" Luna thundered. "Who can stop me?"
"We have to do something!" Sunny cried. "We can't let him hurt my little sister."
"I agree, Twilight," said Starlight. "From what Anthony discovered in those records he got from Kelsey, Ryan is likely using his ability one-on-one. That's a much more concentrated use of his magic, and I don't know what sort of long term mental damage that can do."
"I know, but there's got to be a way to do this without making it so obvious," Twilight said.
Anthony understood Twilight's dilemma, and he shared it as well. Having Luna appear in full view of security would not only be a blatant violation of the treaty, but it would give Matthew further means to defend himself against whatever charges are leveled at him. Not to mention that in the time that Luna took to get to Ryan, Fuller would be alerted and have a chance to take both Ryan and Jenny from their reach.
At the same time, there was no way he could allow this girl to be hurt if he could somehow stop it. "Princess, exactly where are you sensing Ryan?"
"He is below ground level," said Luna. "Southeast corner."
"Can you teleport to him?"
"Not without a visual reference of his surroundings. Can you obtain that for me, Mr. Heller?"
"Stand by, Princess." Anthony unmuted his call. "Kelsey, Miss Tanner is being interrogated now, and we suspect Ryan is being used on her."
"That would make sense," said Kelsey.
"Princess Luna is here and can sense him. Basement, southeast corner. Ring a bell?"
"Yes, I think I know where that is. Why?"
"We need a visual," said Anthony. "Can you get me anything like that? There have to be surveillance cameras down there."
"We have one interrogation room that has had the cameras removed," said Kelsey. "She's most likely there."
"Outside hallway, then."
"I don't have access to that right now, Heller, but Ms. Jarris likely does," said Kelsey. "I'm assuming she's on your side by now."
"Give me the location."
"Basement level, corridor five."
"Thank you." Anthony terminated the call and dialed Tonya.
"Hang on," said Tonya when she answered. He heard quick hoof-steps before she spoke again. "Had to get to the privacy shield. What's up?"
"We need a visual of basement level corridor five from the security cameras," said Anthony.
"Why? That hallway leads to a decommissioned interrogation room."
"Apparently, that's the room Miss Tanner is in right now, and Princess Luna believes Ryan is working her over."
"Dammit. All right, let me see what I can do."
"Time is of the essence."
"Got it. Will advise when I get access."
Anthony concluded his call and turned to Luna. "Tonya is going to attempt to get that visual you need via security camera."
"But won't Luna appear on the camera when she teleports there?" Twilight asked.
"Twilight, we cannot mask my presence forever!" Luna said. "And does it matter when an innocent life is at stake? Despite the controversy it caused at the time, most people were grateful when I stopped the potential riot at Village Center. We have to trust the same situation will prevail here."
"Wait, I have an idea!" Sunny said. "Is there any way I can be sent first?"
"For what purpose?" Luna asked.
"I have the ability to make weather indoors."
Luna arched an eyebrow. "Indeed?"
"If I set off just one of the sprinklers, I'll have the moisture I need to create enough fog to hide you from the cameras."
"There are likely crystal ponies guarding that room," said Anthony. "They could drain your magic enough to prevent you from carrying out your idea."
"Not to mention risking your life if there's an armed guard present!" Twilight cried.
Sunny whirled around to face her. "I don't care! I'll do anything to protect my little sister!"
"Can you create this fog from further down the hall and direct it towards the room?" Luna asked.
"Yes, I can," said Sunny.
"Then you can use your ability a sufficient distance away without being stopped by the crystal ponies. This is a splendid idea."
"No, it's dangerous idea!" Twilight said. "Couldn't we ask Tonya to head over there instead and stop Ryan from using his magic?"
"She will need to do it from outside the interrogation room, and this will alert Ryan and allow him chance to escape," said Luna.
"Then he escapes! I'm more worried about Jenny."
"Twilight, remember what Mr. Heller has said, that it may take days for Fuller to be removed from his position."
"But there's every chance his alternate idea will work."
"And that has yet to come through," said Luna. "No, Twilight, we cannot give up this chance to identify him and stop him once and for all. Otherwise, we risk Fuller gaining the upper hand and spiriting him away, potentially taking Jenny with him."
"But if he sees you coming, he'll bolt anyway," Twilight said.
"I propose that Tonya station herself such that Ryan can be intercepted in that case," said Luna.
"I don't want to put any more people in harm's way than we have to." Twilight looked at Sunny and sighed. "But I'm not Sunny's parent or guardian, so I can't decide for her what she does and doesn't do."
Anthony stepped over to Sunny. "Normally, I would never allow something like this, since you're technically a minor, but at the moment we're all rather desperate. Are you absolutely sure you want to do this?"
"Yes, I'm sure," said Sunny.
"In that case, I need to ask: would you get sufficient moisture from a running faucet in a bathroom?"
"I think so. It'll just take a little longer. Why?"
"It would be less obvious than a sprinkler, which in turn might set off some fire alarm system."
"If I may ask," said Goldy. "Just how would we get Sunny into the basement level in the first place? If prisoners are being kept there, it is likely a secure area."
"I have an idea," said Anthony. "Assuming Danton was serious about being on our side."
Tonya stepped into the security center, maintaining as businesslike an air as possible. A human on his way out nodded respectively towards her as he passed. She glanced towards where other humans sat at banks of security monitors.
She stepped towards them. As she grew closer, she could see some of the screens. At one station, two monitors cycled through images of the third floor hallway. At another, three screens had fixed viewpoints of the approaches to the arsenal on the second floor.
"Afternoon, Ms. Jarris," said one of the security personnel without taking his eyes from the monitors.
A few others chorused greetings as well. Tonya nodded and responded in kind. She spotted a spare unoccupied station, its monitors on but displaying a standby image.
"Anything I can help you with, ma'am?" asked the human in the adjoining station.
"I haven't done this sort of duty for some time," said Tonya as she hopped into the seat of the unoccupied station. "Had a short break coming to me and decided I'd take a look at the setup here."
"Sure, let me activate the station for you," said the human.
Tonya slipped her cell phone out and placed it on the desk. She retrieved its stylus and snapped it into her pony strap as the monitors flickered through the equipment's startup sequence.
"Looking for anything in particular?"
"Not as such," said Tonya as she experimented with the controls. "I just wanted to check the coverage and see if I can make any recommendations for improvements."
"Of course, ma'am. Let me know what you find, if anything."
"Will do."
She chose the monitor that was turned away from the others to find the corridor in question. After a few tries, she had it displayed clearly on the screen. Edward was there along with two other crystal ponies and a human guard.
Anthony had not had time to tell her why they wanted the visual reference, but she could guess. She wondered exactly who was going to teleport in and how much of an interportal incident this was going to cause.
She found the function for taking a still image of the monitor. The image would go into secure, encrypted storage, but she had to assume Anthony's credentials would give him access. She noted the filename, glanced to the side to see if anyone was observing her, then typed the filename into a text on her phone.
A few moments later, she received a response: Find back corridor leading to interrogation room. Prepare to intercept Ryan if he tries to leave. Don't shut him down even if tempted.
Tonya thought that was a tall order. She would rather just turn off Ryan's magic and protect Jenny from him. They obviously had some sort of larger plan that they had yet to share with her.
She put her cell phone away and hopped off the chair. "I've been called away to my other duties. You can secure this station when you have the chance."
"Of course, ma'am."
Tonya cantered out of the room. She had an idea where she could go, so long as she could do it without alerting Edward.
"Security center here, sir. You wanted to be alerted of any unusual activity."
Matthew leaned back in his seat as he spoke over the phone. "What do you have?"
"Ms. Jarris just left. She spent some time at one of the security monitor stations."
Matthew considered. "It is her prerogative to examine any camera footage herself."
"Yes, sir, but she's never manned a station herself before," said the security agent. "She also left after a short while citing other duties."
"Do you have a log of what she was doing?"
"One moment, sir, and I'll check."
Matthew rubbed his face with his hand. He had hoped to count on Tonya simply doing her normal duties for just one more day. By tomorrow, he would have everything under control and could deal with her at his leisure.
"Sir, she focused on locations in the basement level."
Matthew's eyebrows rose.
"The last thing she looked at was basement level corridor five."
Matthew frowned. "Is there anything else?"
"Checking." A pause, then, "She took a still image of that location."
His mind raced. He recalled what Edward had relayed to him earlier, that he suspected the privacy shielding to be over-engineered, and what he had theorized it had been designed to mask: teleportation.
"Deploy a security team to that location at once," Matthew said.
"Yes, sir."
Matthew concluded the call and started another.
"Kenworth, here," came Edward's voice.
"Where are you now, Mr. Kenworth?"
"I am outside the interrogation room where Miss Tanner is being questioned, as ordered by Ms. Jarris," Edward said in a sour voice. "I was about to call you about her, sir. I find her--"
"Never mind that now," said Matthew. "I've received word there may be an internal security breach in progress."
"I'll do whatever is necessary, sir. Shall I conclude the interrogation and return Miss Tanner to her cell so she can be better monitored?"
"No, I need Ryan to finish working on her so she's more tractable. The moment he's done, however, prepare to move her to the location we discussed earlier."
Edward paused. "This soon? Didn't you want to perform some experiments at MIDROC first before moving her out of the facility?"
"The situation has changed," said Matthew. "I need to prioritize securing the acquisitions in case this facility is compromised."
"What of Ms. Kelton, then?"
"Begin preparations to move her now."
"At once, sir."
Matthew hung up the phone and took a deep breath, letting it go as a slow sigh. Whatever Twilight and Heller were planning, he would at least make sure that the assets he had spent so much time and effort to secure would remain his. He was sure he could weather whatever legal storm Heller attempted to conjure against him.
Sunny's heart hammered as the doors of the elevator opened on the basement level. Her wings would not stop twitching inside the binders that had been locked around them, and the clink of the chains from the restraints around her forelegs sounded loud to her ears.
"Move along," Danton said in a stiff voice from behind her.
Sunny wanted to protest she could only go so fast with as short as the chain was, but she had to keep up appearances.
"The first bathroom is just down this hall off to the left," Danton said in a low voice.
Sunny craned her neck as she recalled the diagram she had been shown of this level. The corridor she wanted intersected perpendicular to this one. She would have to maneuver the fog both a fair distance down the hall and around the corner. "Can we get one a little closer?"
"We can try, so long as we're not questioned too closely."
Sunny's ears pricked at the sound of hoof-steps from the intersecting corridor. A crystal pony stallion emerged and turned in their direction, frowning. "What is this?"
"Miss Storm, stop," Danton ordered. "I'm sorry, I don't think we've been introduced. Agent Frank Danton."
"Edward Kenworth," said Edward as he approached. "Head of prisoner security." He looked at Sunny. "Is this Sunrise Storm?"
"Yes."
"What is she doing down here?"
"I thought that would be obvious," said Danton. "She's been arrested for participating in the ongoing security breach."
Edward arched an eyebrow. "I was not informed of this."
"I only just concluded the arrest," said Danton. "I didn't think I needed your permission to do my job."
"That's not what I meant." Edward stepped up to Sunny. "I must admit, I thought it only a matter of time before you decided to go rogue."
Sunny frowned but said nothing.
"I can take charge of her now," said Edward. "Fortunately we have a spare cell."
"She has requested use of the bathroom first."
Edward nodded. "Let me request a female escort for her."
"It's not needed," said Danton.
"I'll not have her trying to use her magic while she's unsupervised."
"All her magic is channeled via her wings," said Danton. "I'll be leaving those restraints on. She indicated her need is very urgent. Unless you want a puddle of pony piss to clean up, I suggest you let her use the facilities now."
Edward frowned. "Very well."
Danton reached down and undid the restraints around Sunny's forelegs. She stretched them a bit before trotting into the ladies' room.
As soon as she was inside, she uttered a ragged sigh. She had not expected a crystal pony to be standing right outside. If he sensed what she was doing, how soon could he shut her down?
Once the door had closed behind her, she shook her head until she heard a tinkle of metal as a key fell from her curly mane. She picked up the key in her teeth and stretched her neck, trying not to panic when she had trouble lining up the key with the lock. Finally one of the binders was off, and soon the second one fell to the floor.
She stretched her wings a few times before rising to a hover. She approached one of the sinks, only to frown when she saw it was one activated by placing a hand or hoof under it.
Sunny grabbed some towels from the dispenser and used it to block the sensors, giving her two faucets running water into the sinks. She sighed when she saw it clearly was not going to be enough.
She looked overhead. A sprinkler sat right in the middle of the ceiling, but Anthony had warned it could set off the fire alarm. Yet it gave her an idea.
Sunny hovered in the middle of the room. She had to act fast. As soon as the noise was heard out in the hall, someone was going to raise the alarm. She had to do this on the first shot.
Sunny positioned herself at one of the sinks. She was not worried about having enough strength. Perhaps earth ponies were indeed some of the strongest ponies around, but most pegasi had very strong hindquarters just from pure muscle strength. Yet bucking a cloud presented a much larger target than a small faucet.
Nevertheless, when she flexed her legs, her aim was true. The faucet tore off at once and clanged off the tile behind it, water shooting up in a geyser and splashing wide when it struck the ceiling. She bucked the second faucet and sent another torrent of water to join it.
Her ears pricked at running feet in the hallway even over the roar of the water. Had they managed to call for more security that soon, or had they already been on their way? She had to act fast just to protect herself.
The cold of the water and the warmth of the forced air heating caused a thermal gradient. Her pegasus magic latched onto it, allowing her to create and amplify a pressure differential. In seconds, she had conjured up a whirlwind, and when security guards tried to advance into the room, she blew them back with a burst of hurricane-force wind.
She collected the moisture that continued to pour from the broken faucets and conjured a cloud around herself, masking her from view. She bucked her rear legs, and electricity crackled around it, sending several sharp bolts of blue-white lightning against the walls, ceiling, and floor.
Sunny dearly hoped the display would be taken as intended, as a warning to keep back rather than as a means to actually hurt anyone. While it obscured her from their view, it meant she was moving blindly as well. She tried to extend her perceptions beyond her miniature thunderstorm by sensing the air currents, but as soon as she entered the hallway, those senses faltered.
Sunny clenched her teeth as it felt as if her magic was being drained away as fast as she could pour it in. She was able to sense where her magic was going, but her concentration was momentarily shaken when she heard a crack just above her head.
Someone had fired a gun into the cloud.
Sunny struggled to rise towards the ceiling, feeling as if lead weights had been tied to her legs. She had to stop her magic from being drained or she wouldn't be able to maintain this for much longer.
She blew another wind back the way the shot had come, though this taxed her so much that her wings faltered. She gritted her teeth and extended her cloud towards where she guessed the crystal pony stood, then willed the moisture to crystallize and propel itself. She heard a loud yelp, and her magic returned all at once like a rubber band snapping back.
She had no idea how long it would last. Someone had turned off the water main, so she had all the moisture she would ever have. She summoned all her strength, seized the remaining moisture, and propelled it as a thick fog bank to flood the hallways ahead of her.
Edward stumbled back out of the cloud, shivering hard, his fur and hair encrusted with ice. His sides and flanks hurt where the sleet had struck him like thousands of tiny, freezing needles. Water ran off his mane and tail as the ice melted, but not fast enough to warm him up.
He looked around and saw he had only two human security personnel with him, the others having been cut off on the other side of the cloud. He had heard one take a shot at Sunrise, but there had been a howl of wind, shouts of surprise, thuds, and now nothing.
"What do we do?" one of the humans asked.
"S-stop her," Edward croaked, stammering from the cold.
"I thought you were supposed to do that!"
"I-idiot, just t-take a shot i-into the c-cloud! She's in there s-some--"
And at once, his world became gray and wet.
"What the fuck?!" shouted one of the humans.
"I can't see a damn thing!" said the other.
"I can't even see the walls!"
"Ouch! You stepped on my foot!"
"Sorry! I don't even know what direction to shoot in!"
"Enough!" Edward cried. Despite the damp making him shiver, he had to focus. He could sense exactly where Sunny was. He wouldn't be taken off guard like that again. He had pulled his punch before, but now Sunrise Storm represented a much more serious threat than he had anticipated. She had to be brought down, even if it meant sending her into a coma.
Yet as he was about to reach out and seize Sunny's magic, a far, far larger bloom of magic suddenly appeared behind him, right outside the interrogation room.
Edward narrowed his eyes, This had all been a setup, a distraction. The real threat had now materialized. He turned and ran towards it, using his magical senses to guide him. He turned the corner and saw vague shapes in the fog ahead.
Edward advanced, his senses tingling as he readied his absorption ability. The fog was so thick, he wouldn't clearly see them until he was almost right in front of them. He tried to reach out with his ability, and blinked in shock when it was rebuffed. He had to see exactly who this adversary was and understand what he was dealing with.
He advanced further, and a unicorn mare came into view, one with pale pink fur and a tri-color blue and purple mane. He recognized her at once, but it mattered not. She was an intruder who needed to be brought down. He simply needed to be more forceful to overcome her strong magic.
Yet as he was about to wrap his ability around Starlight, a larger figure loomed out of the mist, and Edward's heart skipped a beat as his senses touched magic far older and far more powerful than anything he had ever encountered. Before he could attempt to wrap himself around it, the figure stepped forward, and Edward's pupils shrank to pinpricks.
"Do. Not. Even. Try," said Princess Luna.
Edward's ears flattened, and he cringed. "I won't," he squeaked.
"Very good," said Luna. "Starlight, if you would?"
Starlight's horn flashed, and the spell washed over him before he could react. He suddenly felt very sleepy.
"Now be a good little pony, and take a nap," said Luna.
Edward thought that sounded like a very good idea. He curled up on the floor and closed his eyes.
"And this will all seem like a dream."
As he drifted off, he wondered what a strange dream he just had. Perhaps once he was asleep again, he could chase it down and see what happened next.
"What is there yet for me to find?" the now horrified teen said in a pleading voice. "What else has she done to me? What if I still haven't recalled everything she did? There could be something else even worse lurking in my head or my magic that I don't have any idea about!"
Ryan let out a slow breath and steepled his fingers in a bid to concentrate. Jenny had been a tough nut to crack, but he felt he was close. Yet he could hear trouble brewing in the distance. He had heard faint shouts and what sounded like a gunshot.
He had to persist. He had to assume whatever was going on would be brought under control. Perhaps it was simply an incident with one of the other prisoners. Most of them had magic, after all, and the crystal ponies were not infallible.
"Indeed, there could very well be," said Ryan in the same soothing voice he had been using for the past few minutes. "Would you like to find out what they are?"
Jenny shivered, the handcuff around her wrist rattling against the hand rest of the chair. "I-I don't, but ... but maybe I have to. I have to know what I'm dealing with, right?"
"Absolutely. Do you realize that this very location is designed with people like you in mind?"
Jenny glanced around. "It is?"
"Yes. You could be safe here."
Jenny stared at him as if to beg for that protection, but she shook her head violently. "No place is safe. Not from the Dreamwardens. They'll come after me."
Ryan was indeed concerned that the Wardens might punish her for what she had already done. He had no control there, but Jenny would not necessarily know that. He could use this fear as leverage. "No fate is ever sealed, even when it involves the Dreamwardens."
Jenny gasped. "What, you mean ... I can be protected from them?"
"Indeed, yes."
"I wanted to abide by their rules!" Jenny cried. "I tried! I really tried!"
Ryan nodded. "I am sure you did, but that matters not to them. Their justice is cruel and arbitrary. They--"
Ryan stopped, his heart pounding. He let out a ragged breath and stared at the door behind Jenny.
"What is it?" Jenny said. "What were you going to say?"
Ryan swallowed hard.
"Can you really help me? Can you help protect me from the Dreamwardens?"
Ryan stood. "I ... I have to go."
"Go? Wait! You can help me!"
Ryan looked down at Jenny. He actually felt sorry for her. He didn't want to leave her in this raw state, but he had little choice. He had to get out, now.
He turned on his heel and rushed out the back door even as Jenny shouted her pitiful pleas in his wake. He stepped out into the narrow hall behind the interrogation room and ran for the intersection with the longer hall that would lead to a back exit from the facility.
The moment he stepped into the other hall, he stopped short when his eyes fell on an obsidian-furred crystal pony mare.
The mare stepped forward. "Going somewhere?"
Ryan took a deep breath and let it go through his nose. "Tonya Jarris, I presume."
"I'm flattered," Tonya deadpanned. "Fair warning: you direct even the slightest bit of magic my way, and you're going down."
"I have no quarrel with you. Now, if you'll excuse me."
Ryan tried to move down the other hallway, but Tonya stepped in his way. "You're not going anywhere."
"You have no authority over me."
"I'm head of security, and you're an intruder, as I have no official record of who you are or what your authorization is at this facility," said Tonya.
Ryan narrowed his eyes. "Then perhaps you should also be concerned about the other intruders."
"If there are any, I'm sure the rest of the security staff can handle them. In the meantime, you'll just cool your heels right here until they're freed up."
Ryan's heart raced. "If you are so adamant about incarcerating me, then just do it! In fact, I insist on it!"
"Oh?" said Tonya. "You sound almost like you're scared."
Ryan felt the presence again, getting closer. "I need protection," he said in a quavering voice.
"Really? Protection from what?"
Ryan heard slow hoof steps behind him. He flinched when he caught flicker of light out of the corner of his eye. He turned his head in time to see a burst of magic take out the security camera. "Just take me to someplace where I can be kept under constant observation by--!"
He stopped when an astonished female voice behind him said, "Night Song?"
Ryan's stomach twisted. He turned, and his heart lurched as he looked at Luna.
Luna stepped forward, staring, a shocked look on her face. "I ... I never would have thought ... Night Song, how did--"
"Don't call me that," Ryan said in a low voice through clenched teeth. "That's not my name anymore. It never should have been my name."
"It was a beautiful name," Luna said in a somber voice. "For a pony with such a beautiful voice."
"Stop it," Ryan grunted.
"A voice that had been so terribly silenced by the misguided actions of Midnight Star."
Ryan clenched his hands into fists.
"A voice I had hoped to bring back." Luna paused. "I thought I had."
"And then you took it away again!" Ryan screamed.
Luna looked taken aback. "I beg your pardon?"
Ryan stepped up to her. "You did this. You made me what I am now."
Luna frowned. "I did nothing of the sort. I tried to help you. I consoled you."
"Which meant nothing."
"I do not understand. How is it you feel this is my fault?"
"Because you were the one who chose those abominable Dreamwardens."
Luna glanced at Tonya. "This is not something that should be discussed in--"
"I don't give a fuck about your secrecy," Ryan growled. "I'm not compelled to silence like all their night pony slaves."
Luna narrowed her eyes. Without taking her burning gaze from Ryan, she said, "Ms. Jarris, kindly keep in confidence for now what you might hear on the subject of Dreamwardens."
"Um, sure," said Tonya in a confused voice.
"I assume your experiences with the Dreamwardens have not been easy," said Luna.
"I was murdered fifteen times," Ryan said. "Fifteen before I said those goddamn Oaths to that bitch's liking."
"Yes, I know of whom you speak."
"You, Princess," said Ryan. "You were responsible for selecting her. You were responsible for giving her that power. It's all on you."
"I regret if what you suffered had a lasting impression on you," said Luna. "Such things in the dream realm are usually forgotten with time."
"You don't get it. It has nothing to do with the pain. It had nothing to do with the terror. It had to do with humiliation."
Luna arched an eyebrow.
"You care nothing about dignity," Ryan said. "And by extension, your insufferable Dreamwardens do not, either."
"And what would you know of it?" Luna countered. "How many minds have you warped with your ability? Did you give their dignity a single thought?"
"I am fighting against a cancer that has infected this world."
"And is it common practice among humans to treat the illness by destroying the body?"
"Even in cancer therapy, some healthy tissue must suffer so that the sickness can be eliminated."
"You can make all the metaphors you wish, Night Song," said Luna. "It cannot begin to justify what you have done. At least one human and one pony has died because of you. You are accessory to murder."
Ryan was about to reply when he heard approaching footsteps and hoof-steps from behind Luna. He jerked his head towards it in time to see Agent Anthony Heller step into view, flanked by two crystal ponies.
"Ryan Halter?" Anthony said.
Ryan said nothing and simply stared.
"I have a warrant for your arrest," Anthony continued. "Identity theft. Conspiracy to commit fraud. Illicit use of magic. Failure to register post-rehumanization magical ability. Use of magic with intent for mental control or impairment. Accessory to manslaughter. Resisting arrest."
"I strongly advise you to go peacefully into custody," said Luna.
"You have no control over me, Princess," Ryan said in a low voice.
"Perhaps not," said Luna. "But there are those who do."
Ryan narrowed his eyes at her even as he trembled.
"If you do not face justice here, in the waking world, then there will certainly be a place where you will be judged. You will not escape justice, no matter what you do."
"I am no longer a part of the dream realm," said Ryan.
"As of yet," Luna said in a cool voice. "That will change."
"Can anyone tell me how Jenny is doing?" Tonya asked.
"Starlight is with her now," said Anthony. "She's got Jenny calmed down and is assessing her mental state." He turned to Luna. "Princess, have you determined his identity?"
"His pony identity, yes," said Luna. "Not his human identity, but that will come in time. Either he will reveal it to you, or ..." She gave Ryan a cold look. "... or others will do it for him."
Ryan looked at Anthony. "Do you seriously think Fuller will let you arrest me?"
"He's a little busy right now dealing with other matters," said Anthony. "He can't protect you anymore. Your best bet is to cooperate with us."
Ryan laughed. "Heller, that's the last thing I'll ever do. I'd prefer to be executed than do anything that will remotely help ponies."
"That's your decision," said Anthony. He nodded to the crystal ponies, who stepped forward and flanked Ryan on either side. "You have the right to remain silent--"
Ryan let out a single long sigh as Anthony read him his rights. He felt like he had come full circle. He had started with nothing and now had nothing left. It would have been far better if the ponies had never come, and he had continued to have nothing, and not the false promises that the transformation had brought.
"Mr. Fuller, we're flying blind down here!" came the cry from the security center over the phone. "We have zero visibility on the basement level. We know Sunrise Storm is in there somewhere, but we can't locate her."
"We have crystal ponies, dammit!" Matthew cried. "Send them in to take her down!"
"We've tried, but the moment they start working on her, she managed to pelt them with sleet, or hail, or hurricane-force winds."
"What about Kenworth? He's experienced enough to bring her down."
"We can't locate him, sir. He was one of the first responders to Miss Storm's activity, but we haven't seen him since Miss Storm emerged from the bathroom."
Matthew's mind raced. "Where's Heller?"
"Unknown, sir."
"Why is that unknown?"
"He was last reported seen entering the obscured area in the basement level. He vanished into that cloud or fog."
Matthew drummed his fingers on the hand rest.
"Sir, what you do want us to do?" the security center asked.
"I'm authorizing lethal force. Take Sunrise Storm down whatever the means."
"Yes, sir."
Matthew hung up. He let out a long sigh before picking up the phone again and punching up one of his contacts.
"Department of Rehumanization, Wendy Rock's office," came a male voice. "How may I direct your call?"
"Matthew Fuller, MIDROC. I need to talk to Wendy at once. Top priority."
"I'm sorry, sir, but she's in conference with--"
"I don't care, pull her out!"
A pause. "Sir, she's been called to the White House to meet with the President on an urgent matter. I'll relay your request to her when she returns."
"Yes, see that you do!" Matthew snapped before hanging up.
He stood and paced. He shouldn't be in this position. He wouldn't be, had everyone remained loyal to him. That had to be the only reason why his plans were in jeopardy.
He stopped and let out a slow sigh. No, his plans had failed. It was time he accepted that. He had to assume that Ryan was interrupted in his processing of Miss Tanner. Already the few crystal ponies who were still loyal to him were reporting a powerful magical presence in the facility. Yet other than their senses, he was left in the maddening situation of having no solid proof.
It had to be Princess Luna. Twilight was accounted for in her room. Cadance was confirmed to be in New York at the UN. Celestia never set hoof on Earth as far as anyone could tell.
And Luna had a vested interest in being there.
He realized now he had to do damage control. Sunrise Storm was his ace in the hole as he had always suspected she would be, though he had not thought it would be her dead body that would be more use to him. Once she was taken down, he could clearly demonstrate how the Pony Council had come here under false pretenses with the intent to sabotage the facility.
Matthew slowly smiled. Perhaps he would lose this battle, but he would continue on to win the war.
Jenny felt her stomach twist as her surroundings abruptly shifted from the drab inside of the interrogation room to the brightly lit conference room inside a shimmering field of energy. She tried to keep her stomach tamed and failed. A split second before her vomit could hit the floor, a wastepaper basket had been levitated under it.
"Yeah, I had a feeling you might react badly to that," she heard Starlight's voice. "I'm really sorry, but I had to get you out of there."
Jenny briefly fell to her hands and knees until her stomach stopped heaving. She gasped for breath and staggered back into a seated position on the floor.
"Jenny, I am so very sorry this had to happen to you!" came another female voice.
Jenny looked up and almost did a double-take when she found herself staring into the concerned face of Twilight Sparkle. She tried to talk, but coughed instead, bile making her throat burn.
"Just take it easy for now," Starlight said. "You're safe here."
Jenny shuddered and wrapped her arms around herself. "I don't feel safe."
"It's the lingering affect of what Ryan was doing to you."
"Just how much did he do?" Twilight asked in a worried voice.
"Fortunately, not a lot," said Starlight. "Once the immediate effects of Ryan's ability have faded, I can remove whatever lingering magic is still in her head. I don't think she'll have any permanent impairment."
"Except what he made me see in my own head," Jenny muttered.
"I'm going to strongly recommend counseling after this is over."
Jenny wasn't sure any amount of counseling would help. Ryan had not really planted anything in her head that she didn't already have. All the fears he made her experience were real, she was just made more keenly aware of them.
"I hope we can get this wrapped up soon," said Twilight. "So Jenny can get some rest."
Jenny shuddered hard. "I don't want any rest! I don't want to go to sleep! That will just ..." She trailed off and glanced at Starlight. "Never mind."
Starlight gave her a confused look.
"She's worried about the Dreamwardens," Twilight said.
"Oh, right," said Starlight.
Jenny stared. "You know about them?"
"Yes, I do."
"Jenny, please, don't worry about them." Twilight said. "If I have anything to say about it, they won't punish you for what you did earlier."
"But you don't have anything to say about it," Jenny said. "They specifically told me that they're not ruled by anyone."
"There are special circumstances here! And it's what I said before, they always allow for advocates to speak for you."
Starlight frowned. "Could they at least leave her alone until she's recovered from what Ryan has done?"
"I'm sure they will," said Twilight. "The one who first contacted Jenny was Psychic Calm, and he was a psychiatrist prior to ETS. If anyone would understand the circumstances, it would be him."
Jenny closed her eyes and shivered. The demons that Ryan had stirred up in her still vied for her attention. They all swirled around Sunset Shimmer, someone she had refused to visualize in her head as anything more than just a name. Now she could not get Sunset out of her head, no matter how hard she tried. She felt almost like the real Sunset was in the room with her, looming over her like she was her test subject.
"Starlight?" Jenny said.
"Yes, Jenny?"
"Can you make me forget all about Sunset Shimmer?"
Starlight blinked. "I'm sorry?"
"Can you make me forget that I ever met her?" Jenny asked in a quavering voice. "That she ever interfered with my life? Can you just make her some generic villain like she is to everyone else?"
"Uhhhh ..."
Jenny sighed and covered her eyes with her hand. "Never mind, it was a stupid question."
"No, I understand," said Starlight. "I couldn't completely remove a deeply ingrained memory like that without risking damaging other memories. What I can do is help dampen it some."
"Dampen it?"
Starlight nodded. "I can make it so it doesn't affect you as much. But you'll have to be fully recovered first."
Jenny nodded slowly, though she felt frustrated. By that time, the fear associated with it would just bury itself again.
Jenny closed her eyes and suppressed the urge to cry. Between Ryan, the Dreamwardens, and the Narrative, she didn't know her own head anymore.
Her introspection was interrupted when the door to the conference room opened, and Anthony Heller entered. He stepped into the shielded area and said, "Ryan is in custody, but the water to the basement was cut off. Sunny will start running out of moisture soon."
Jenny's eyes widened.
"Is everything in place in Washington?" Twilight asked.
"Should be. I got the cue when I heard about Wendy Rock."
Twilight turned towards him. "Then let's go to Fuller's office and end this right now."
"Wait, what was that about my sister?" Jenny cried. "Where is she?"
"I'll be candid with you, Jenny," said Twilight. "She's doing something rather dangerous, and the sooner we can get this over with, the better. Hopefully we can reunite you two later."
Jenny nodded and even managed a small smile. For the first time in a long while, she looked forward to seeing her sister.
"Sir, it's the security center," came the voice over the intercom of Joselyn, Kelsey's replacement.
Matthew yanked the receiver. "What is it?"
"Sir, we're about to move against Sunrise Storm, but we noticed that the fog is starting to thin," said the security center. "We think cutting off the water helped. We recommend waiting a little while longer and going with a non-lethal--"
"Negative. Proceed as planned."
A pause. "Sir, in situations like this, we're required to try non-lethal methods of--"
"We already did! It was ineffective."
"But sir--"
"Do as I have ordered!"
"Yes, sir," came the reluctant reply.
Matthew slammed the receiver down. He considered and picked it up again, calling his associate in Washington once more.
"Department of Rehumanization. How may I direct your call?"
"Has Wendy returned from the White House yet?"
The receptionist hesitated. "Um, sir, about Ms. Rock--"
"Is she or isn't she available?"
"Sir, Ms. Rock is no longer with his office."
Matthew sat up straight. "I beg your pardon?"
"She turned in her resignation. I thought you would have known already."
"And why would I know that?"
"It's all over the news, sir."
Matthew's eyes widened. He slammed down the receiver and turned to his TV. He called up CNN and unmuted it.
"--unprecedented shakeup in Washington for reasons that have not yet been made clear," the reporter was saying. "In addition to the stunning and unexpected resignation of Ms. Wendy Rock of the Department of Rehumanization not ten minutes ago, we have now learned that two more cabinet members have been placed on administrative leave, and the Chief of Staff of the Army has stepped down from his position on the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He has admitted himself to a psychiatric hospital for evaluation, again for reasons unknown."
Matthew clenched his jaw.
"We also have a further update on the school shooting in Greenwood Village, Colorado," the reporter continued. "We have learned that the perpetrators were two FBI agents, who only that morning were part of a covert operation in Denver that is now being actively investigated by the FBI Director's office for potential violations of procedure and public safety. We have also confirmed the existence of a video clearly showing two FBI agents pursuing and firing upon another agent's car. At least one of the agents shown on the video was allegedly identified as the gunman who died in a firefight with police--"
Matthew muted the TV when he heard a commotion in the reception area.
"Mr. Fuller is very busy right now!" came Joselyn's voice.
"He'll make time for us," came Heller's voice.
"We're not taking 'no' for an answer," came Twilight's voice.
Matthew frowned and stood.
"If you don't leave this instant, I will call sec -- hey!" A few seconds later came the sound of someone falling heavily into a chair.
"Sorry about that," said Twilight. Seconds later, Matthew's door glowed with magic and flew open. She and Anthony stepped inside.
"To what do I owe this pleasure?" Matthew said in a calm voice.
Joselyn rushed in behind them, her clothing disheveled, her glasses askew. "I tried to stop them, Mr. Fuller, but the Princess simply grabbed me in her magic and--"
Matthew held up a hand. "It's fine. See that we're not disturbed."
Joselyn nodded and adjusted her glasses before leaving, closing the door behind her.
"Now, what is this about?"
"An investigation has been launched into the Denver operation," said Anthony. "That investigation will involve MIDROC and you as well."
"And your point?" said Matthew.
Twilight stepped forward. "The point is, it's over, Fuller!"
Matthew chuckled. "It's over? Please, Princess, perhaps that's something you would say to some mustache-twirling evil-doer in Equestria, but--"
"But she's effectively correct," said Anthony. "You're not going to be able to keep running this facility for much longer."
"And do you intend to depose me yourself? You don't have that authority. Only the Director's office has that power."
"Fuller, let's put our cards on the table," said Anthony. "You and I both know you have acted above and against the law."
"Oh? Care to prove that statement?"
"I'm in the process of doing just that now. At the same time, I've requested a full investigation by the Director's office into your activities."
Matthew smiled. "I always said you like to play hardball, Heller." He sat down and laced his fingers together on the desk. "And in both cases, such things will take a few days, if not weeks to play out. In the meantime, I have a facility to run."
"Not for long if we have anything to say about it," said Twilight.
"Is that a threat of direct Equestrian interference, Princess?" Matthew leaned back in his seat. "Is that the reason Princess Luna has been running about the place?"
"Quite irrelevant to the discussion at hand," said Anthony.
"Then just what is this discussion about, Heller?" Matthew said with rising irritation. "Frankly, unless you intend to arrest me right now, we have little to--"
The door burst open. "Sir! There's a call for you."
Matthew frowned. "Joselyn, what did I say about not being disturbed?"
"I know, sir, but--"
"No, buts! Take a page from Kelsey's book and--"
"Sir, it's the President!"
Matthew's blood ran cold. He glanced at the blinking light on his phone.
"Sir?"
"Yes, I heard you," said Matthew in a neutral voice. "I'll take it now."
Joselyn nodded and retreated back into her office.
Matthew let his breath go as a slow sigh through his nose before he picked up the phone. "Yes, Mr. President?"
"I'm going to say this only once," came the terse voice of the President. "I want your resignation. Immediately."
Matthew gripped the receiver tighter. "Sir, is this not an unusual step? Shouldn't you be working through the Director?"
"That would take too long," said the President. "I want you out of that office. Now."
Matthew gazed at his adversaries. Anthony stood sedately with his hands folded in front of him. Twilight was actually smiling.
"May I ask why, sir?" Matthew said.
"I suspect there are two people standing in your office right now who have given more than enough reason."
"May I remind you that it is little more than hearsay until proven in a court of law."
"I fully intend to see that the courts have that chance to prove it. In the meantime, I am choosing to minimize any further damage to both the Bureau and to sapient lives."
Matthew frowned. "You have no direct authority to force my resignation, sir."
"No, I don't. But if you don't resign, I will report your refusal to the media. Now, do you want that kind of attention hounding you, or do you want the time to properly prepare for your defense?"
Matthew looked back at the TV. The volume was muted, but the text crawl listed the names of all the people in Washington who had either been placed on leave or chose to admit themselves for psychiatric evaluation. Every last name was someone whom Ryan had affected. He doubted that they could have discovered some means to mass-scan everyone in Washington for mind magic effects, therefore he had to conclude that they had his secret files.
Which meant the President was right; Matthew needed all the time he could get to prepare for his defense, not just in a court of law, but in the court of public opinion.
"Very well," said Matthew. "You'll have it."
"Thank you," said the President. "Please hand the phone over to Agent Heller, if you would."
Matthew stood, frowning as he held out the receiver to Anthony. "He wants to talk to you."
Anthony appeared surprised, but took the receiver anyway. "Yes, Mr. President? ... Yes, good to hear from you again as well, sir ... Yes, I agree ... oh?" He paused a long moment. "Realize, sir, I specifically took a demotion to be out in the field ... But, yes, I see your point ... Very well, I accept. Good night." He handed the receiver back to Matthew.
"What was that about, if I may ask?" Twilight said.
Anthony gave her a wan smile. "For better or for worse, the President has appointed me as temporary head of MIDROC."
Twilight gasped. "That's wonderful!"
"It will have to be cleared through the Director's office, so I'm more a Regional Director pro-tem, but they're already working to get my clearance increased. I won't be able to give any direct commands until then."
"That won't be necessary," said Matthew.
"I beg your pardon?"
Matthew hit his intercom. "Joselyn, in my office." As soon as she stepped into the room, Matthew said, "Joselyn, there's been a change in the leadership of this facility as directed by Washington."
"Sir?"
"I am no longer the regional director," said Matthew. "Anthony Heller is now."
Joselyn glanced between the two men. "I'm not sure I understand."
"It's a bit complicated. Suffice it to say, the political winds have blown ill for me. Please draft a formal letter of my resignation and send it to my quarters." Matthew turned to Anthony. "The facility is yours."
Anthony nodded and turned to Joselyn. "Have security stand down on the basement level until I have a chance to get there."
Joselyn nodded. "Yes, sir. Is that all?"
"For now, yes."
Joselyn nodded and headed out.
Twilight stepped up to Matthew. "So why did you do that? I expected more of a fight from you."
"There is little for me to do in this capacity, Princess," said Matthew. "I must instead plan for my next battle. For this is a war, you just refuse to see it as such. Good night."
He strolled out of his office without a backwards glance.
Perhaps he would continue the war, but he had just lost a battle at great cost. He had lost two acquisitions he was unlikely ever to have again, and he had lost Ryan as well. He had one more resource, one more potential ally or acquisition, one that could potentially be worth more to him than the others combined.
Yet now that one would be lost to him. All he could do was gather as much data from him as possible and ensure that the ponies could never take advantage of his knowledge or potential abilities.
He drew out his cell phone and called.
"FBI, West Colorado Springs office."
"Fuller here."
"Yes, sir?"
"Execute Operation Dead Hand."
A pause. "Repeat, sir."
"Operation Dead Hand."
"Please give the authorization code, sir."
Matthew recited a series of digits he had long since committed to memory.
"Authorization confirmed. We'll carry out the order at once."
Matthew put away his phone. A large battle lost, but another one was about to be won.
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Oh boy, What can it be?
See ya hope you enjoy prison
I hope Matthew’s plan fails and when they string him up it is done publicly.
Of course he has a scorched Earth contingency plan... I wonder what it is?
Things are spiraling out of control now.
God damn it Heller
Can't even imagine what Fuller's final plan is. I really am at a loss, and short of him staging a full fledged military coup against the United States I can't think of anything he can effectively do.
And there's going to be reprecussions when Luna goes to the Dreamwardens with word of what happened with Ryan/Night Song to unhinge him the way he was.
Of.
9579193
Problem is, currently Dreamwardens don´t give a crap about Luna´s opinion or anyone else for that matter. And good luck trying to rein in them
... Ah, crap. He's going to try and kill Bob, isn't he?
9579193
What repercussions could she hope to achieve? The Dreamwardens are fully autonomous, and noted to be more powerful than Luna in the dream realm now that they're fully linked to it. There's really not a lot Luna can do.
The best she can do is scold them for using torture leaving psychological scars (in which case, thank you captain obvious) but they don't need to do diddly to change or actually listen to her.
9579270
They do care about whether they may have inadvertently created the very thing they are sworn to stop and nothing matters to them more than that. It's a wake up call that they need to reassess their methods-- most of all Sha'am's, but all of them to some extent.
9579282
No one has to do anything to them they just need to see they're making their own jobs harder. They made a monster, now they need to figure out what needs to change to make sure they don't make more.
I am so glad to see the horrific actions of that demon have real world unintended consequences. If she can’t be dealt justice in one way, the results of her senseless tortures and knowing she did this (and it was a matter of time with infinite test subjects to work on) is the best we are going to get.
I said it before, I will say it again: I hate them. So badly would I hate them, I would arrange to sterilise every fertile sapient being in an attempt to get rid of them. Once every sufficiently intelligent lifeform on Earth has had their tubes tied or been vasectomised, keep tabs on it. Every offspring created is another potential prey.
Unfortunately, even if everyone were okay with this, and no one opposed having this harmless operation done on them once explained why I am doing this, and recruited others, (and there’s too many religions opposing this in every corner of the world), the universe is all but explicitly stated to be sentient, aware and intelligent, and would never allow for all sapient life to be wiped out or die off from old age and sub-replacement. And it actively calls for their job to never be made obsolete, and sees to it someone always gets recruited for this whether they like it or not. And it is always making more prey for the energy and soul sucking machines, not allowing for them to run out of purpose, which it by all rights should.
It’s too bad no one slit that horrible woman’s throat before she got contaminated. I hope no statement was made about her being Indian. The Chinese one may seem like this at first, but she ultimately turned out to be one of the nicer ones. At worst, she’d only frighten you the way an actor or amusement/carnival staff would do so. She’s a showgirl, a theatre chick, She takes her duties seriously, but she’s not afraid to have fun while she’s at it. And be a friend to those she meets when she can. That awful Indian by contrast is a slave to her duties, and a rigid limb with no flexibility. Most of them are pleasant and will only hold you in place till you do as they say and need you to do indefinitely. One of them, who happens to be one of the males in their group is only mildly unpleasant for his own reasons. She is pure evil. She even went as far as to outright state she supports the population explosion measures and chews out those who attempt suicide, even when they have legit good reason for it.
I cannot help but get behind Ryan. He was nice and gave only good impressions when first we met him. And as he went along, his extreme “Bigotry” was always implied to be a result of a dark past and mistreatment by Them. And what with it being all but confirmed, he has only my sympathy, not scorn. He’s no less a victim than the ones he was made to victimise. Is it any wonder he sees artificially created beings who insist they are natural as a nightmare and a disease? I’d be afraid too. And reject whatever name they try to force me to take when I have a perfectly good one as is. And tie my tubes or vasectomise myself.
I am not sure why Fuller didn't use the Dreamwardens as propaganda this may have caused an unparalleled paranoia against batponies to escalate the conflict and fracture pony society.
(He may still do it or Ryan himself)
And who says they can't do the same to humans too when human magic is still evolving.
The thing is the wardens are justifying their actions by saying luna was just as bad but the big difference is the night ponies themselves.
I hate how the ponies are not admiting that the dream wardens are pretty much monsters released by and equestrian princess on the humans.
we need a more mild version of fuller because the ponies are running all over them.
The dreamwardens admitt that they gained things from luna.
Well, I was GOING to say how glad I am that Fuller and Ryan are busted, but then that cliffhanger...
FFFFFFFFFFFFUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU-
9579350
The problem with this "but he's just a product of his environment" excuse is that in order not to be a hypocrite, you have to apply it to everyone. In which case Sha'am deserves just as much pity, as she too only became the way she was because of the horrible things life threw at her.
So I don't excuse Ryan. Nothing he went through excuses targeting innocent, unrelated people with his abilities to get what he wants or even -in his own words- just to see what he could do. To excuse those acts with "but other people were cruel to me too!" is a refuge he should not be allowed to take. Nobody forced him to torture the people in his apartment. He himself chose to align with Fuller, and destroy the minds of anyone Fuller put in front of him. Those acts were on him.
9579193
Fuller's last order? Aside from purging as much data/evidence against himself, I'd wager he has a way to turn his opponent's victory to the Pyrrhic variety.
Sunny my dear girl, please stay safe, too many good souls have already been lost to the machinations of those on false thrones.
9579495
At what point have I defended his crimes? He needs to go to prison and spend the rest of his days in a cell, make no mistake about that.
I hate the implication that she isn’t infinitely worse. Are you actually defending her? She’s a literal demon, as she does not have a physical form. And she gets on another’s case for trying to escape from this world by suicide and gave a completely unjustified disproportionate retribution chewing out. And made a statement that she has a passionate hatred for any and all to do that while the others look down upon her for this extreme bitterness. She has no sense of humour whatsoever. And last but not least, she is directly and primarily responsible for this beast that ought to be locked up for the rest of his life. This is to say nothing of the fact she can’t die as she is nothing but a soul.
He wasn’t a needless extremist to begin with, but she sure was. They both needed a psychological evaluation, and the whole wide world suffers tremendously because
1. They didn’t get one.
and 2. They both are tainted psychologically and physically (While she’s got a body), one worse than the other.
I guess I should retract part of my statement: most of them are good people and not such sticklers for regulations to the point of being hindered by them, but guess who is? And she’s made it perfectly clear she’s not changing her tune. She seems like no less of a psychopath than this dude she undoubtedly wants to erase from existence. The others at best are able to outvote her so she doesn’t take any drastic measures that will do more harm than good. This is coming from one who likes to obey the law and does not break any of them if s/he can help it.
9579270
So they really are Roeck faction no matter how many times people try to say they aren’t they remind me a lot of sector 31 from Star Trek they aren’t afraid to get their hooves dirty and the most despicable ways in for the “greater good ”
9579394
Ryan is an interesting case because he cut himself from the Dream Realm by humanizing. Maybe by studying his case scientists/wizards could figure out how to prevent Dream Wardens from entering human minds.
9579589
No, I don't believe she is infinitely worse. We know that Sha'am, for all her cruelty, can at least be a reasonable towards the young and the honest. Ryan doesn't even have that going for him, as he went after everyone, regardless of age or disposition. Worse, for all his talk about how awful the Dreamwardens, and even for all how right he is, Ryan ignores that he is doing the exact same thing as them. He too tortures people for his own goals. He too humiliates them. He too takes away their dignity. He too believes he is doing it for some greater good. There is absolutely no difference between the actions of Ryan and the Dreamwardens at this point.
9579729
She’s a being without a solid form, or she soon will be. He’s not; he is mortal. That’s a significant difference. And he didn’t make more monsters unlike her. She is a demon who has surely made more enemies than him. I wouldn’t be surprised if any other NPs that aren’t past the point of no return, few as they are, take the cure for the same reason.
The difference is scope. And the implication she was always utterly dedicated to whatever cause without question. He by contrast has layers.
9579746
How is one's level of corporeal form in any way related to the morality of one's actions?
And if we judge by scope, there is no difference, really. Ryan's actions were intended to reshape the world just as much as Sha'am's.
"I'm sorry someone I installed brutally murdered you fifteen times for not reading a script to her satisfaction. You weren't supposed to remember."
What the actual lemon-scented fuck, Luna. Somepony clearly needs another space timeout.
9579757
What gets me is she did this 15 times. At what point does this b**** give up and just do what any of the other dreamwardens would do and just lock him out of the dream realm? Is she that unwilling to just say "fine, you don't want to agree to the rules for being here then I am kicking you out."? I mean really, that's all she has to do. The closest comparison I can think of in this situation is if an immigrant was coming to a country and the authorities said "hey, you want to be here, you have to agree to abide by our laws." and if the immigrant refuses they send them packing out of the country-- you don't torture them relentlessly until they agree to obey the laws.
9579780
I can kind of understand not wanting to lock someone out of the dream realm. In Pandemicverse, that is to night ponies what cutting off a unicorn's magic or permanently disabling a pegasus's wings would be.
What gets me is this whole "forgetting" it. That's not how punishment discipline works. Punishment discipline relies on the punished remembering what happened to them, which means that either A: this kind of punishment will not be remembered, making it ineffective and thereby pointless, B: it is remembered, which raises the continent-sized truckload of moral and mental issues that come with it.
Given Ryan, we're clearly looking at B here, which brings us back to "am I talking to Luna here? Or Nightmare Moon? Because advocating brutal torture as an okay way to control a populace sure sounds like Nightmare Moon."
9579729
With all the other Dreamwardens I can see what Luna was thinking when choosing them, because they seem like legitimately nice ponies that actually care about others. WIth Sha'am I have to side with Ryan on this one. Sha'am is a monster, the rest might not be, but Sha'am is a complete sociopath and I have to wonder WTF Luna was smoking when she picked Sha'am. The other Dreamwardens don't even seem to like her, and I imagine if they are wondering WTF Luna was smoking too. I have to feel a little bit sorry for them, because while everyone else can grow old and die the other five Dreamwardens are stuck with Sha'am forever. No wonder they don't want to listen to Luna.
currently Dreamwardens don´t give a crap about any thing that they can't get power over.
the Dreamwardens need some one standing over them with a big stick to beat them soundly 10 or 15 times a day.
power corrupts absolute power corrupts absolutely
history of the quote.
9579339
Or they'll want more stringent measures of control of their subjects. Measures that could control them and keep them from rehumanizing. Sha'am is genuinely one of the worst characters introduced of the Night Ponies for certain, and for all the moments that were an attempt to make one emphasize with her.. It just makes her seem all the crueler.
9580158
Meant to make her more understandable in glimpses, not really emphasize in terms of making her seem a nice pony or one anyone should agree with. She's a cruel pony that lived a harsh and tragic life. Does that life excuse her actions? No, no more than Ryan's actions can be excused because of what Sha'am did, but it can help you understand her just like what she did to him helps you understand him.
As for Luna's reason for choosing Sha'am, that's eventually going to be addressed. Was it a mistake for Luna to choose Sha'am? Yes, but hindsight is 20-20. Does Luna realize she made a mistake in choosing Sha'am? Hard to say at this point, but if she doesn't yet it should be clear to her soon. There's also the matter it isn't something that Luna can rectify. There's no getting rid of her short of Sha'am getting rid of herself of her own volition-- which at this point Sha'am is not inclined to do.
As for the rest. I'm pretty sure I can better guess the other Dreamwardens reactions to this better than most. Sha'am is not going to be having a good day with them when word reaches them about Ryan being pushed over the edge due to Sha'am's torments. They put up with a lot out of her (far far more than anyone should) because they don't want to make bad blood with someone they have to spend eternity with, but they won't tolerate her making the problems they are here to prevent. She's pissed each and every one of them off independently in the past for one thing or another so it just needed one big unifying thing they could all be pissed about to get a supermajority vote passed without hesitation ordering her to cease and desist. She won't listen to Luna, but she will listen to the other five ganging up on her (because she too has to spend eternity with them, even if she doesn't really agree with them).
9579755
1) They can do more harm, and cannot be harmed. That is a significant difference.
2)Her direct influence spans all of eternity. His is only within his lifetime. Only indirect things will happen later.
3) He is not guilty of creating more monsters, unlike she. Whatever he does touch, self destructs, limiting the damage that’ll happen when he’s taken out. She has created many monsters, not at all unlike Sunset Shimmer. The damage is permanent, non-self destroying.
4) Finally, Ryan had an amicability to him when first encountered. He had a sense of humour, the legitimate kind. From the first moment we saw her, she had none whatever, and she’s still shown no indication of it. Thoroughly unapproachable. Nightmare Remedy etc all show an exuberance and overall friendliness that is sorely lacking with this bitch. He may have had a nicer side that faded. I doubt anything was ever nice with her.
9579729
I think that is the problem. Luna and the dream wardens created the monster that is ryan. My biggest issue with them is that they are unaccountable and beholden to no one with absolute power. Sure there is their own oaths, but we see it doesn't stop them from being hellish and monstrous. Death is terrible but you can see even in our own history that there are worse things than death that can be inflicted on others.
9580652
Makes me wish we had some story between this one and Monsters We Make. Because it does look like some sort of massive paradigm shift has happened with them in the later story but there isn't any real explanation about how it came about. Feels like a big gap and a story that needs to be told given how much debate they raise. Maybe it gets addressed here by the end of this story, don't know.
WOW. I mean, WOW. I knew Fuller was an asshole before, but that's just cold.
9579350
You need to be edgier.
Damn! That was a very intense chapter!
😲 Can't wait to see what this Operation Dead Hand leads to! Scary!!
9580628
1: 'can do' has nothing to do with the inherent morality of the actions themselves.
2: Which might make her worse if she continues down the path, but the future is not set in stone and we are judging the here and now. And in the here and now, Ryan and Sha'am are both trying to reshape the world to suit their vision while caring little for how much pain they inflict to do so.
3: Ryan is very much guilty of creating more monsters. At least one person he altered and one pony ended up dead because of what he created.
4: Having a sense of humour is not an excuse for one's actions. Ryan's actions aren't better than Sha'am's just because he can crack a smile every now and then.
9580652
My own biggest problem with the Dreamwardens is not so much that they exist, but that they were created in secret without so much as a hint of informing anyone else, human or pony on either earth or Equestria, about her plans or their necessity. Luna didn't so much drop the ball there as toss it into the deepest, darkest pit she could find.
9580628
Sure he's instrumental in a country wide scheme to start a war between humans and ponies with his magic, ultimately turning his targets into walking bombs to destroy themselves and others..... but he smiled, and Sha'am didn't.
Ryan stopped being a victim the moment he started abusing his powers on others. Unless he accidentally convinced himself through his developing magic that he had to do it and he's just as unstable as the others, he knew the full ramifications of what he was doing and doesn't deserve sympathy at this point.
9581021
Anything you say.
I previously said, “Make no mistake, he belongs in a prison cell for the rest of his life.” I wouldn’t ever release him, but some ponies much worse with no clear means to bring to justice are no less guilty, and probably worse, especially when that one is directly responsible for creating this beast.
Is stripping away anyone’s subconscious really such a horrible thing to do to anyone? I’d personally do that rather than something objectively more harmful.
9580932
1 & 2 And I am looking a both pictures, not just one.
3 And who do you think has to live with this guilt, albeit misguided guilt, not at all unlike another with wavy brilliant red hair with slight orange streaks, or another cerulean one with silver shoes and a crescent moon symbol, neither of which can do jack about their own huge missteps, yet both have shown they have a conscience, one that doesn’t guide them well. Possibly one of them thought being shot through the heart was a better alternative to having to live with it. Sha’am has no such desire to resign or retire, which would be the only way, yet this batch is different from all previous ones. This bunch cannot do this as they have been magically bound by vows that don’t even allow them to do that unlike all previous ones who tired of their positions. They stepped into something they cannot step back out of. She made him, lest we forget. Given how miserable this mare is, it’s a shame some ponies did not put her down well before she contracted this thing, put an end to her suffering forever. Now it’s too late.
4 No, but it does create the implication he was a better person, and he is dead and gone. He is past the point of no return, and his brain will inevitably turn to mush, as will anyone’s who’ve been directly exposed. The most horrible don’t deserve that, but nothing can be done about it now. Even were these not the case, a nice prison cell awaits him where he’ll spend the rest of his life. It won’t be necessary to to clean him out, as he’s doing a fine job himself.
9579919
You know it also kinda interested me that when Ryan meets with Luna, Luna constantly calls him by his pony name. She constantly ignores his request to not calling him by his pony name when Ryan was very adamant that he doesn't want anything to do with that side that was forced onto him. It is as if she's focusing entirely on his pony side, and not caring at all that he seems to hate it when he feels it doesn't apply to him nor wants it ever to.
9581112
1 & 2: And looking at both pictures has both of them doing the same thing, with Ryan being the one with the more selfish motives and inclination to get innocents involved.
3: Yeah, see, that implies Ryan feels guilty about what he did. Which so far... he hasn't shown to do.
4: Not sure why Ryan's brain will turn to mush without direct interference from the Dreamwardens, whom will probably have to reconsider their stance after seeing what they caused, but 'he was once a better person' is again something that can be applied to him and Sha'am both. Nobody is born evil and all.
9581290
To be somewhat fair, Ryan isn't his real name either. I wouldn't refer to a criminal by his cover name either. Calling him by his pony name strips one of the names he's been hiding under, allowing the truth to come to light.
9581112
If by any chance everything I say is personally offensive to whoever reads my posts, please explain them.
9581340
I think you replied to the wrong person.
And his ability has been stated to do just that. Abusing his abilities does this to those exposed, and overusuing them likely has this effect on him by using them excessively. In other words, this ability is toxic to the wielder as it is to the intended victims. Like setting a wildfire.
9581340
I.. Don't know what that first part refers to, but I feel like you meant it for someone else? I know I haven't talked about someones brain turning to mush.
As for the second, his pony name has no bearing on anything unless he was a criminal as one as well. As it is it's effectively twisting the knife in a showing of ponies only caring about pony selves at least on Luna's part
As it is, she's effectively just deadnaming him in a manner to ignore his human self and self determination that he does not want to be a pony in any way, shape, or form.
9581416
Whoops, misquote. I fiex.
Anyway, Night Song's pony name is a link to his actual identity. Ryan is a stolen identity that goes to a pegasus still alive and well. It is a name that isn't his, and at best is a dead end, at worst using it carries a lot of risks for the actual holder of the name. I know I wouldn't want to be linked to brainwashing, murder, coup d'etat and arguably an attempt to start a war just because someone else stole my identity. Night Song, however, is a name they can track to find out Night Song's actual human identity.
Night Song isn't Ryan. Ryan was someone else's name that Ryan stole (with the help of Wendy, but stole nonetheless). To stop calling him Ryan means stripping away that shield of anonymity. It's not so much denying him his human identity as it is denying him his fake identity. If he doesn't want to be called Night Song, then, well, all he has to do is give his real human name.
9581352
That's quite an assumption to make. His ability has been stated to have that affect on his targets, and even then only because he used his abilities clumsily because is by and large still new to his abilities. It has never been noted to have a feedback effect on himself.
9581416
9581457
I'm going to say it was inappropriate to use the name once he said to cease using the name. The name Night Song can and should be documented as an AKA or previous known as for purposes of trying to track down information about his legal identity, but it isn't needed to address him as Night Song because of that. If he wants to be identified as Ryan Halter he can be identified as the suspect who identifies as Ryan Halter until what his official legal identity is can be confirmed.
9581497
Eh, I disagree on that one. Ryan Halter is a stolen identity. Not a name he made up, but a stolen identity. He has no right to that name. If someone were to steal my identity and commit crimes under my name, then the moment we find out at least one of his real names I would rather strongly insist he no longer be referred to under my name. I'd already be in enough trouble with a criminal having stolen my identity and use it for crimes as it is, I'd rather not also have to deal with the criminal claiming he identifies as me.
Though I agree that if Night Song wants to stop people calling him Night Song, then that's his right to ask. All he has to do to change that is offer up his real human name instead.