Imperial Revision

by The Sound of Loneliness

Imperial Mail Service

Shadow Crest saw her objective long before she saw the City. The spire of the Crystal Palace stretched several hundred meters in the sky, allowing it to act as a beacon to everyone stranded in the frozen north.
Shadow gave the Palace another no-nonsense look, estimating the amount of work she had to do. Must be vertical in structure, with narrow corridors and staircases: easily defendable.
Guarded by a separate Imperial Guard regiment, loyalty is uncertain. This much is true for the autonomy’s population as well.

Well, time to get started. Shadow straightened her uniform, checked her disguise with the ID and began trotting down the street. She noted the different atmosphere than in Canterlot. Almost no tension lingered in the air, even with the Empress arriving in just a few hours.
No Guards stationed on the streets. Shadow wondered how Her Highness policed the whole city with this little presence.

Maybe this is what Her Majesty wants her own city to be like? Perhaps this city will teach Shadow how to aid her. Shadow internally thanked her Mistress for this assignment.

Shadow could simply show her pass to the Guards and enter, but decided not to give away her presence just yet. There were more places she could explore this way. Sneaking behind the half-asleep Guards was simple.

Shadow climbed the steep staircase and, avoiding as many Guards as possible, began mapping the hallways. Guards were scarce inside too. Curious, if there is a whole regiment, where were they?

Eventually, Shadow stumbled upon what she presumed was Her Highness’ study. Shadow checked the door and, to her surprise, it was unlocked. A golden opportunity! Shadow checked the hallway both sides and swiftly slipped inside.
Princess Cadance must have only left moments ago, the lamp was still on. Shadow did not waste time and went straight for the desk to check on what Princess was working on.

Luck was not on her side anymore, these were some financial reports. Nothing incriminating.
Hoofsteps sounded behind the door. Shadow sharply looked around, not finding any cover. Well, there was still one more way, now hope the Princess was busy enough so not to notice.

Princess Cadance opened the door and walked back to her desk, casually humming; stopping right next to Shadow, hiding under the desk as a critter.

“Hmm...” the Princess gave away a musing hem. “Are you sure?” she addressed a… changeling?! The changeling who now looked straight down under the table, dammit...

“...I saw her entering, Princess,” the changeling looked away. “I tried following her through the Palace, but she moves too quick. I lost her almost immediately.”

“Hmm...” Cadance hemmed again. “Well, seems fine here. Nothing was stolen. Let’s ask the Guards, they may have seen her.”
Cadance left her papers alone again and moved back into the corridor, locking the door behind her. Shadow breathed out. He didn’t give her away, curious. Well, back to work.

Shadow continued looking through documents, but the Princess was careful enough. The only suspicious thing she found was the Guard reporting a sighting of an anomalous black smoke moving on its own through the city.
Shadow decided to investigate later. Shadow left the letter she was supposed to deliver on the desk and turned to the window. There was a convenient balcony she could jump down to without shedding her cover. By her estimate it should be the upper guest room. This was better than giving the Guards a target in the sky, no telling what exactly this changeling reported.

Shadow hung herself down from the window and lightly released her grip, landing on the balcony with as little noise as possible.

“Hello,” someone hailed her. “I hoped I could catch you here.” The changeling stood straight in the middle of the room, not trying to hide.
With no other means of escape, Shadow turned towards the railing, readying to use her wings.
“Please, don’t go! I didn’t tell anyone else. I didn’t tell the Princess you were up there either,” Shadow curiously looked back at him. The changeling wore no uniform.

“Who are you?” she asked.

“Name’s Thorax. I… imagine you heard of me?” Thorax shuffled his hooves.

“The Queen said to shoot you on sight,” Shadow reminded, advancing at him. “What are you doing here? You serve Her Highness now?”

“Eh...well, I am trying to help.” Thorax found himself backed against the wall.

“What are you doing here?” Shadow continued her interrogation.

“I... live here?” Thorax took a deep breath, “Look, there’s really no need for this. Let’s start again. I am Thorax, what’s your name?” He tried to smile.

“Shadow Crest,” she reluctantly stepped back.

“Huh, that’s a weird name.” Thorax wistfully propped his head, “Our Queen doesn’t name us like this.”

“Haven’t you heard? She is no Queen to us now.”

“Oh, yes... It’s easy to forget, it’s always the same here.” Thorax curiously leaned forward, “Can I ask you something? Did you fight? In the war, I mean.”

“...I did,” Shadow cautiously answered.

“What is it like? I mean, when shells explode around you and bullets fly. Pharynx always told me it’s glorious.”

“I didn’t fight like that.”

“Oh! I get it! You are a spy! You sneak through the enemy lines and gather intelligence! Judging by how good you are, you must have been on the most dangerous missions! Oh! Maybe even to the palace! Did you steal documents from the Empress?” Thorax practically jumped to her.

“Eh...no…” Shadow recoiled. “Thorax, thank you for not giving me away, but I need to go.”

“Are you on a mission?” Shadow seriously nodded. “I understand...” Thorax stepped back. Suddenly he perked up, remembering something, “Oh! But if the Queen is defeated… who do you spy for? And why on Princess Cadance? She has nothing to hide.”

“I spy for Her Majesty,” Shadow blurted out. She immediately regretted doing that though…

“Oh! You serve the Empress! Oh, this is so amazing! Tell me, what’s she like? How does she rule? Is she better than the Queen? Does she have many changelings?” Shadow facehoofed herself, letting out a heavy sigh. Well, too late to back down,
“Thorax, too many questions,” Shadow surrendered.

“Oh, sorry. What she's like?” Thorax unwittingly hit Shadow’s bullseye, revitalising her.

“She is incredible!” Shadow reverently breathed out. “Imagine the most beautiful and wise pony you have ever seen with even sun and moon obeying her!
"Her coat is like perfectly polished onyx, her eyes are the deep pools and her mane has stars woven into it.
"She is kind to all her subjects, even to those who would seek to harm her. She even made peace with Princess Celestia after Princess Twilight and her friends delivered her back from the moon!
"I am so honored she would trust me enough to expose secrets for her!”

“Whoa...” Thorax breathed out. “She really sounds amazing. But if she is so nice, why would her subjects want to harm her? That isn’t nice.”

“...Sometimes ponies don’t know what’s best for them. They fear my Mistress, despite everything she does for them. It troubles her greatly.” Shadow sighed, deeply saddened.

“Are you ok?” Thorax carefully stepped closer. “You can tell me, I swear I’ll tell nopony.”

“Thorax, I wish I could help her, but…I think I failed her,” Shadow bowed her head in penance.

“...Why? You did your best, didn’t you?” Thorax stepped closer again.

“I did…but I wasn’t good enough. I always complete her mission, but I think she needed something else of me. Princess Twilight says she needs a friend.” Shadow rolled the unfamiliar word on her tongue.

“You seem nice enough to me,” Thorax tried to encourage. Shadow shook her head.

“No, it’s not that. I don't know what I did wrong. I don’t understand what I am supposed to do. I don’t even understand completely what’s happening to her. Pony ways are so weird.”

“I understand. They boggle me too, they do. Maybe Princess Cadance can help?”

“She must not learn Her Majesty sent me. This might harm Her interests,” Shadow immediately brushed the idea off. It went directly against Her Majesty's orders.

“Then… maybe I can help? Two heads are always better than one!” Thorax encouragingly smiled at his cousin. “What’s wrong with her, Shadow?”

“She...ugh...She is not like...like she used to be. Something happened and she became detached from everything. She is always deep in her thoughts.”

“Was she ever like this before?”

“No, nothing alike. She used to be energetic, always wearing a smile, ready for anything. It was inspiring, haunting even. Whenever I was tired, or hungry, I saw her image before my eyes and it helped me to keep up. Now she is just sad all the time. Sometimes she looks like she is in pain.
"Thorax, I don’t understand. Things are better than ever in the Empire. She worked to erase any trace of conflict, ponies can have everything they want. Why is no one happy?”

“Oh…this really isn't easy,” Thorax admitted. “I think we really should ask Princess-”

Shadow gasped from sudden realisation, eyes widening. “Thorax! I think she is dying!”

“What? H-how? Are you sure?” Shadow somberly nodded.

“This is the only thing that makes sense! I remember this happening to the wounded soldiers living their final moments. It hurts, then it gets hard to move, then they stop keeping focus and then they die. Thorax, she has all of the symptoms!” Shadow exclaimed.

“...Let’s not be rash. She comes to visit tonight, doesn’t she? When does she arrive?” Shadow tried to remember the time.

“She… should be here by now.” Shadow turned on her heels and galloped back to the balcony peering off the railing down on the train station. The Imperial train was indeed there.
A door has opened, allowing a Guard in the silver helmet out. The Guard stepped aside and announced the arrival. The Empress, closely followed by Princess Celestia stepped outside.
Cadance broke the protocol and rushed to Celestia, embracing her. Nightmare Moon sharply wavered, as if receiving a hit.

“Oh, dear...” Thorax sensed it too.