Equestria: The Afterlife

by Timzocker201

Ch56.5: Tactics and Strategies

With the wedding-crisis averted and the culprits identified, Celestia, Luna and Markus met up in his room to discuss their further steps. Though… actually it was Markus telling them his plan more than an actual discussion.

“So… you accept the title of prince?” Celestia asked. She had already expected him to agree. After all, both in the case that he wanted to harm and benefit Equestria, a position of power was only beneficial to his cause.

“Indeed. And I would like to place the date of the coronation on the 2^nd of February, if you don’t mind.” Markus told her, while scratching his chin. True to his nature as a strategist, he was already planning far ahead, way farther than one would normally do.

“No, I don’t mind… Though I am curious, why exactly that day?”

“Because it’s my birthday.”

Both, Celestia and Luna, blinked at that statement. “Your birthday?” Luna asked slightly stupified. “Huh, I thought you weren’t one to really celebrate birthdays.”

“Quite a correct assessment.”

“Then… why did you choose your birthday for the coronation?” Celestia pressed.

“Because of Pinkie Pie.” He replied shortly. However, when it became obvious that this answer wasn`t enough, Markus went to elaborate. “Pinkie somehow has the ability to sense uncelebrated birthdays. I don’t know if that ability is bound to any factors that may limit it, but what I do know is that Rainbow, Twilight and Pinkie know my birthday and that they could get suspicious.”

Luna and Celestia gave a long nod of understanding, before deciding to switch topics.

“Alright, but what about the cult? You said that you were going to actively fight the cult, but how were you planning to do that while you are still acting as governor of the Gryphon Republic?” Luna asked.

“Well, I could just revoke his position and assign a new governor, so that wouldn’t be a problem.” Celestia said.

“Actually, there’s no need for that.” Markus said back. “I am capable of travelling between Equestria and the Republic in merely a few minutes and the position of governor there actually still holds a bit of importance to me. Truth be told, I have found a cell of the Bloodmoon within the Gryphon capitol, so I’d like to watch them a little longer, maybe even comb through their nobility…”

He suddenly stood up and moved to the middle of the room, where there was sufficient space to all sides.

“And there is also something else that needs to be addressed…”

Black mist swirled around him, covering him completely and when it finally dissipated, where Markus stood before now stood a being of similar height, but its shoulders were a good bit smaller. It was clad in a black long coat with fitting black boots and pants. On his head, he wore a black, wide-brimmed hat and in his face, there sat a white bird mask, with two reptilian eyes looking through from behind it.

Markus looked himself over, before turning back to the two alicorns.

“How do I look?” He asked, to which Luna just flatly replied:

“Like you’re wearing an elaborate Nightmare Night costume.”

“Oh, har har. Well, it’s not meant to be attractive or anything of that sort. I just want to be able to fight bipedal without risking being found out immediately.”

“So basically another game of hiding on your side.” Luna pointed out.

“Not necessarily, no. After all, I am going to show myself, just not as Markus. Like I already said, I am going to wait another year until I reveal myself and I intend on holding true to that.”

“Alright, if you say so… but I will personally enforce that promise, just so you know it!” She told him with a smirk, to which he just gave a short laugh and turned away.

“Setting your promise aside, is there anything you would want us to do in the meantime?” Celestia asked.

“Actually yes, there is something: I actually wanted to ask you to look into the impostor. Maybe you can find something that might be useful. Known connections to criminal organizations and the likes.” Markus told her.

“I will see what I can do.” Celestia said and after Markus gave some final instructions to Luna, the meeting was concluded and the two Princesses left the room, leaving Markus alone.

“Alright.” He thought to himself. “Time to slay some cultists… again.”

Author's Note:

Yep, short one. Not because of a lack of time though, but simply because there really wasn't much more planned for the chapter and I didn't want to bore you out with this stuff for too long...

Comments

[DoctorWhoooves]

Time to put on his Cultist slaying shoes

[Fireeaters]

Nice plague doctor cosplay

[Kitsune_Kenshi]

If you can, for the future chapters, do some timeskips, a year is a long time