CH16: Afterparty
Lyra put a flyer down on Moon Dancer’s desk. It was an invitation from the school’s Model Summit Society to observe a real summit, happening soon at the castle.
“This’ll get us in,” said Lyra.
Normally, Moon Dancer would have asked what she meant by that. Normally, she wasn’t trying to rationalize a friend being an Element and/or somehow tied to a risen-from-the-dead Princess.
“They probably won’t just let us wander around,” said Moon Dancer.
“Well, who knows? Either way, it gets us in, and we can figure it out from there.”
“We don’t have to.” Moon Dancer set a heavy book on her desk. “The castle blueprints are a state secret, but Prince Blueblood’s diary is exhaustive enough in detail that we may be able to piece together an idea of the layout.”
“Where did you get his diary?”
“He sells it.”
“Yeah, he does seem like that kind of guy.”
After the battle in the village, and once Starlight’s magic had faded, the cutie marks stored up in the mountain cave came streaming back to their owners, leaving trails of magic in the sky. The townsponies all seemed to have immediate changes in attitude. The stallion Twilight had met earlier, Party Favor, was in fact pretty good at parties now that he had his mark back. Pinkie seemed to resent not being the one to throw the liberation celebration, but she was nursing a concussion and some cracked ribs, so she conceded.
The Elements didn’t really have time to stick around. They took possession of Starlight’s body and loaded up on the airship. Chrysalis came to see them off.
The changelings had stayed out of the way during the battle. Relations were slightly prickly with the other residents of the town, but it was clear that both parties had been victims of Starlight.
“I believe in you now,” Chrysalis said to Twilight.
“Thank you. Keep in touch.”
“Maybe I will.”
Twilight gave her a look that carried considerably more weight than it should have, coming from a purple schoolfilly. “That’s an order, not a friendly offer. You’re lucky I’m letting you go.”
She boarded the airship and Tempest set a course for Canterlot. On the way, Twilight plodded around in a circle on the airship’s deck, marking out runes and charging the spell to maintain itself without input. She was exhausted after the battle, and didn’t want to keep expending her own magic. It was a spell to block heat, keeping the wooden deck fireproof for what was to come next.
They laid out Starlight’s body and Spike lit it on fire. The Commander had shown they were willing to use the undead, so this was a prudent precaution.
Twilight lamented that Starlight might have been able to tell them quite a bit, if she’d lived. Granted, that was Twilight's fault, but she hadn't been willing to take chances at the time. At least they still had one prisoner.
Night Glider was not the mare they remembered. Whether it was the effects of brainwashing or a genuine animosity to the Elements from the perception they’d left her for dead, she had to be restrained. With a little tinkering, they’d managed to figure out how Tempest’s Element-cancelling armor worked. Instead of Grubber, this time Spike powered it, and they bound Night Glider inside the armor.
She wouldn’t stop screaming curses until Fluttershy sedated her.
The question about what had happened to Night Glider kept Twilight up, even as tired as she was. She went to find Rainbow, and eventually located her on the forward deck, staring into the last glow of the setting sun as the airship sailed west.
Twilight stepped up beside her, adopting a similar posture of leaning on the rail because she was too sore to stand up straight. “When was the last time you saw Night Glider?”
Rainbow considered it. “Everfree. We were both flying recon. It was dark. There was one of those giant shadow eagle things. I saw her get hit and go down in the trees. After that, I was fighting for my life. I didn’t try to find her. An injured pony alone was as good as dead in the Everfree then, and I had to get back and tell everypony else that I’d found the castle.”
Rainbow didn’t seem to be done. Twilight gave her a moment.
“I feel like I need to confess,” Rainbow said.
“It doesn’t sound like you do. Anyway, I’m not your counselor.”
“Yeah, but who else do I have?” Rainbow glanced around pointedly. “I put too much of my worry on Fluttershy. Applejack is just a ball of sunshine. Rarity won’t give me the time of day. Pinkie doesn’t take anything seriously.”
Twilight shifted uncomfortably. Somehow this responsibility seemed even more taxing than being appointed leader of the task force.
“Plus, Tempest basically rolled over and gave you the end of her leash. I may not be any good at living up to my Element of Loyalty, but I recognize it when I see it. You know, I was actually kind of jealous.”
“Of who?”
“The relationship. I’m around Spitfire and Soarin’ all the time, but it’s just business. Even the sex is just business.”
“The what?”
“It gets boring on the road, and we’ve all got urges. We’d do it all the time, sometimes all together. But it was just so...utilitarian” Rainbow shook her head. “I never thought I’d grow up to realize sex wasn’t all that.”
“It isn’t.”
“Not that you’d know. But that’s not the point. I think I’m missing something. It’s weird that Tempest giving herself to you was what made me realize it.”
“She didn’t...well, not like that.”
“I bet you she would if you asked her.”
“I wouldn’t!”
“I would if you asked me.”
Twilight stared at her. “I’m in high school! Actually, no, that isn’t even the main issue here. I have way more important things to be doing.” Seeing Rainbow’s grin, Twilight amended, “More important things to accomplish.”
She started to turn away, but then pointed at Starlight’s body and said, “Also, asking me in front of a burning corpse? Maybe this is why you don’t have any romance in your life.”
Rainbow was still grinning. “Maybe being picky is why you’re going to die a virgin.”
“Well, we all have problems.” Twilight sighed. “Okay, I guess I’m flattered by your offer. But that’s not what I’m looking for. Sorry.”
Rainbow shrugged. “Well, at least this conversation distracted me for a little while from my other problems. I don’t know what I’m going to say to Night Glider.”
“Just tell her how you feel, platonically.”
Rainbow chuckled. “Thanks, Twi.”
Cadance had heard what happened, relayed from Spike via Celestia of course. The girls all seemed to be in one piece, though, so she put worry out of her mind for the moment and focused instead on surveying the castle.
She was secretly pleased with the outcome of the battle. Either the Elements had already been in position to strike when the order came down to return, or Twilight was more of a cowpony than she let on. They would find out when the report was published, but Cadance was still proud of her.
Making another circuit through the event hall, Cadance did her best to mentally wargame potential attacks against the castle, or even just accidents. There would be plenty of Royal Guard and foreign security, but with the Elements joining in, it would be best to position them where they could be inconspicuous yet respond quickly.
She’d already decided to pose Rarity as a castle secretary in the midst of the summit. Applejack and Rainbow, along with Spitfire and Soarin’, would put on formal Guard armor and disguise themselves in plain sight. Pinkie would be in the kitchen, doing her thing there, but ready to respond to anything on the lower levels. Fluttershy was going to the castle infirmary to be prepared for any casualties. Twilight was assigned to the upper levels, to include Princess Celestia’s tower.
Of course, she was going to run all of this by Twilight. Cadance felt another pang of regret at the thought, remembering the argument they’d had on whose right it was to make decisions. She needed to make up with Twilight, formally. The two of them needed to have a long talk.
She might even get her chance quicker than expected. Cadance glanced outside as she passed a window, spotting an airship inbound. Reversing her course, she went to meet it.
“Spike, do you think you could handle being shot out of a cannon?” Twilight asked. She was almost finished with her report on the battle at Starlight’s village and had turned to a few thoughts she’d been working on. It was a development group, after all.
“Um, maybe?” Spike replied. “I guess if you needed me to go somewhere really fast. But if that was the case, wouldn’t it be easier to just teleport me?”
“Good point. See, that’s why I asked first.” Twilight paused, reluctant to ask the next question, but it really was important. “Speaking of questions, I wanted to ask you about Night Glider.”
“I think I know what you’re going to ask.” He sighed. “You know how the connection works: she could hear everything I was sharing, and I could have heard her if she chose to share. After she was gone, I could have broken the connection. I should have. But we all thought she was dead. I guess I had hope for a while, but after a while I forgot. I wanted to forget. With some of the others...you don’t know what it’s like being connected to somepony’s senses while they die.”
Twilight didn’t, but didn’t appreciate the sentiment that she didn’t know what it felt like to be close to somepony as they breathed their last. Spike hadn’t meant it that way, though, and she had another question to ask. “Do you think she’s been listening this whole time, feeding information to the Commander?”
Spike swallowed hard. “...maybe.”
“It would explain a lot,” Twilight said. “And that’s why I’m going to need you to consciously shut down everything, save for the Elements on this airship, and Princess Celestia.”
Spike nodded. “Done.” He added, “I should have been more careful. I shouldn’t have left that kind of vulnerability. Maybe things would have turned out differently with Night Glider. I’m really sorry.”
“I think we all are,” said Twilight.
They would have to save answering some questions for the interrogation of Night Glider, but Twilight could speculate on a few answers now. Perhaps Night Glider was how Starlight Glimmer had become an Element and where the Commander kept getting their information.
Twilight hoped Night Glider could be helped, rehabilitated. She hoped Night Glider was only under some kind of spell or brainwashing. She didn’t want to think about what would happen otherwise.
She finished up the report as Canterlot came into view. She had a copy ready to go as they came in for a landing. Cadance was waiting.
“I heard what happened,” Cadance said as Twilight walked down the gangplank to meet her.
Twilight gave her the report. “It was a lot.”
Cadance paused, and asked in a quieter voice, “Night Glider?”
Twilight nodded and looked away. “Yeah.” She turned back to Cadance, intent on changing the subject. “So, a summit?”
“Right,” Cadance said. “Let me show you around.”
“Just a sec.” Twilight turned to survey unloading the airship. Tempest came down the ramp with Night Glider, still restrained.
“The dungeon?” Tempest guessed.
“It’s where we keep all our guests,” said Twilight dryly. “By the way, I’m pretty sure I could get the Princess to give you a room somewhere else.”
“I like it; it’s quiet. Don’t worry about me.” Tempest nodded to her and went on.
Twilight turned to find Cadance giving her an odd look - or thought she did. The expression was gone off Cadance’s face quickly enough that she wasn’t sure she had actually seen it.
Cadance took her on a tour to point out how the summit would be set up. Twilight agreed with most of her points. Since Tempest seemed to prefer the dungeon, she could handle security there. Though, Twilight of all ponies was cognizant of the dangers of too much introversion.
Pinkie’s offer of a party was starting to sound good, which was how Twilight knew she’d been working too hard lately. Manehattan and then the village, two fights in two days. Plus, getting some sleep was a perfect excuse to leave the party whenever she wanted.
Twilight brought it up when Cadance ended the security survey at Celestia’s office. After discussing the new mission and dropping her report off with the Princess, Twilight said, “Do you mind if we use the royal lounge tonight? You know how Pinkie is, and she might vibrate apart if we don’t let her throw a party once in a while. I feel like we’ve earned it.”
“The royal lounge?” said Celestia.
“It’s pretty small, right? We don’t need that much room. Both of you are invited, of course. Sunset, too.”
“I could say no, but I suspect Pinkie is probably already at work,” said Celestia. “Very well.”
Twilight started to turn, but Celestia called her back. “Speaking of Sunset, she wanted me to talk to you about something.”
Twilight looked around pointedly. “She can talk to me herself.”
“It’s about the other universe, and the Elements.”
“I’ve already told her no on allowing the Elements over there,” said Twilight. “And frankly, I’m a little annoyed that she wanted you to try and convince me.”
Celestia nodded. “Sunset wanted me to ask you, and so I did. You’ve again made your stance very clear, and I told her that would probably be the case.”
“I just don’t know why she is so set on it,” said Twilight. She shook her head. “Anyway, I’ll see you both later.”
Twilight went to spread the word about the party, and then stopped by her room to have a shower. The airship did have a bathroom, but there was nothing like the experience of a castle bathing facility.
Freshened up, she headed for the royal lounge. It was tucked at the base of Celestia’s tower, close to the kitchens and her office, but behind an unmarked door that few noticed and fewer knew.
Twilight had read about it in Prince Blueblood’s diary and divined the location from context clues. She’d never been inside, though.
When the group showed up at the appointed hour, the door was open. Twilight walked in with the others, stepping from the stone of the castle into a room that was half polished wood and half velvet. The lighting was soft and quiet music played from somewhere.
Celestia stood behind the bar and greeted them as they came in. “Wow,” said Twilight, “I didn’t know what I was asking.”
Celestia smiled in amusement. “Well, I don’t get very many chances to host. What would you like?” She swept her foreleg over the selection behind the bar and winked. “Choose carefully, most of these bottles are older than you.”
“Oh, um, that’s the problem, isn’t it? I’m not old enough.”
“I forget sometimes. But no matter. I’m the Princess, I make the laws.”
“Still,” Twilight demurred. “I guess just some juice.”
Despite not knowing what she was getting into, the lounge turned out to be an excellent place to relax after what Twilight had gone through in the last few days. Everypony else also seemed to be enjoying themselves, particularly at the expense of Celestia’s private stock.
“How are things?” Cadance asked, coming over to where Twilight had settled herself into an armchair that practically swallowed her.
“Hmm?” Twilight looked at her. “You read my report.”
“That’s not what I meant. Maybe I should have asked: how are you?”
Twilight considered it. “Well, I’m surviving.” She hesitated, but then went on. “I know we’re doing good work, but I feel a little bit like a blunt object. Ironic, given that I’m the leader of a lightweight, fast-moving surgical strike team and my magical object is a sword. And that’s another thing, they say the pen is mightier than the sword, but my pen is a sword.” Twilight covered her eyes and groaned. “Why is my life a joke?”
She had to mentally make sure she was in fact drinking juice. Maybe it was just the relaxing setting and the company. She had opened up more than she expected.
“I don’t think you’re a joke,” said Cadance. She touched Twilight’s shoulder.
“Then you should see what the trackers are writing. When the press release about Starlight comes out tomorrow, I’ll be surprised if they don’t publish a bracket of all the waifus I’ve killed so far.” Twilight sighed deeply. “Maybe I should have been drinking after all.”
Despite her mood, she followed up with a yawn so deep that Cadance might as well have been her dentist. “I should probably get to bed. Sounds like a big day tomorrow.”
“I’ll walk with you,” said Cadance. “I’m going that way.”
The two of them said goodnight to the others. Twilight was surprised Celestia was still awake, given her daily responsibilities, but hosting an intimate party must have been as rare as she said.
Out in the hall, they turned for the bedrooms. Twilight glanced at Cadance, who appeared deep in thought, frowning to herself. “Is there something on your mind?”
“You said you were just surviving.” Cadance was silent for a few moments as they walked. “I feel...rather, I am responsible. You’re not even old enough to drink and we put you on the front lines of saving Equestria again.”
“I mean...I’m still not really cool with it, but I understand why you did what you did. Maybe I was selfish.”
“That doesn’t excuse what I did.”
Twilight looked at her. “Tell me I was selfish, Cadance. I’ll tell you that you were underhanded. Let’s just let it be water under the bridge.”
Cadance lowered her eyes. “Thank you. You know, I missed just being us.”
Twilight smiled. “I know that feeling. The nursery rhymes you taught me. The fun we had together.”
Cadance also smiled at the memories. “I missed you. I didn’t like the feeling that we couldn’t even talk to each other because we’d gone our separate ways. Our bond was supposed to be stronger than that, stronger than war.”
Twilight hesitated, but then committed. “It is. We just didn’t see it. I’m glad I do now.”
“Me too.”
They came to the corner where each would split off to go their separate ways. Cadance stopped and Twilight turned to face her.
“I did miss us,” said Cadance. She smiled.
“Yeah,” Twilight agreed. “You know...I’m glad it was you. I wouldn’t have come back for anypony else. I just should have remembered who you were earlier.”
She paused, but then threw herself into Cadance’s hooves. The two of them stood there for several long seconds, just embracing. Cadance rested her chin on Twilight’s head. The moment could have lasted forever.
They slowly began to separate on unspoken cue. Twilight looked into Cadance’s eyes, still remembering the moments they’d had together and what it meant to her. It could have been anypony, but this was who she had for a sister in law, and it couldn’t have been anypony better.
Cadance leaned forward and kissed her lips.
“Wh-wha…?” Twilight pushed away, eyes wide.
“I’m so sorry!” Cadance gasped. “That was wrong! I...I mistook closeness for romance and…” She shook her head, putting her hoof to her face. “It was creepy, and I’m sorry. I’m not good at love anymore.” She sighed. “I’m a long way from who I used to be.”
Twilight composed herself, wiping the taste of Cadance’s drink away. She looked at the floor. “Well, I agree with you, that was creepy. But also, I think we’re all a long way from who we used to be.”
“Sorry.”
Twilight lifted her eyes to look at Cadance again. “You know...I bet if Shining were here he would have thought it was hilarious.”
Cadance’s mouth twitched, but after a moment she couldn’t hold herself back and burst out laughing. Twilight couldn’t help but join her.
The way things used to be. No, not quite. But close. If anything, this latest incident just reinforced the need to forgive and remember what they had.
They both stood there for a moment longer. Twilight opened her mouth to say goodnight, but paused. “If you’re just looking for casual sex, though, Rainbow propositioned me earlier today.”
Cadance’s face changed instantly. “She what!?” I’m going to kill her!”
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oh my please ship cadence and twilight together, but for some reason I think once Candace get love back she get her wings back
This feels like a bad idea.
Nice.
The what?
Maybe.
Maybe!
Tactically speaking, a ballistically delivered dragon probably has a different impact then one delivered by teleport. Different need, different delivery system.
I was wondering what direction that scene at the end was going to go, and it turns out Cadence and Twilight were also not on the same page.