14: A Plan Doomed to Fail
The prisoner crumbled to the floor like a discarded ragdoll once Luna undid his shackles. Hitting the cold stone floor knocked the wind clean out of him. Slowly, he planted a foreleg on the ground in a bid to lift himself up. His leg shook and trembled as he strained himself, but found he couldn’t muster the strength. Spending such a long time chained to that wall left the ground feeling alien.
A dull pain pulsated in all of his joints. The red bands wrapped around his hooves signified where the chains chafed and bloodied his skin. Moving a single inch only sent a jolt of pain coursing throughout his entire body.
Fighting against his body’s protests, he tried getting up again. Through teary eyes, he planted all four of his hooves on the ground. Slowly, agonizingly, and with trembling legs, he forced himself to stand. He didn’t get very far before his legs gave in, and he fell to the ground once more. He had nothing left. Just the mere act of moving seemed nigh impossible.
Then he looked up.
Luna. The dark alicorn. The ruler of the night. She towered above him, staring down with cold, condescending eyes. Seeing her there, mere feet between them, made his heart pound. His veins filled with a burst of adrenaline. His face twisted and curled into a scowl as a guttural growl left his muzzle. He couldn’t even begin to describe the rage he felt.
That was when he realized something. He was free. Unrestrained. He was free to do anything he wished. Anything.
Ignoring his body’s crying protests, he darted towards Luna, his undying rage the only thing keeping his body moving. The distance between the two closed quickly and immediately. However, he didn’t get very far before he came to an abrupt halt, his body bobbing gently up and down in the air.
He strained himself as he tried to move, but it became very clear, very quickly that he couldn’t. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t move a single inch. Then he noticed the dark blue aura wrapped around his body. Floating in the air, he could do little more than glare into Luna’s unflinching eyes.
Inches. He was away by mere inches. If he could just break free, then maybe he could do something. Anything. He didn’t even know what he would do; he just wanted to do it.
All the while, Luna simply stood there, unmoved and unthreatened by the pegasus’ seething glare. Her eyes scanned over his body, widening ever so slightly at the sight of the numerous cuts, bruises, and dirt splotches covering his body. She could do little more than sigh. “I certainly hope that this is not how you react to all forms of assistance.”
The pegasus made another attempt to break free of Luna’s magic, and just like last time, failed.
“I am unsure if you heard me before,” Luna continued. “I offered you a proposal. A deal, if you will. However, you seemed to have ignored that in favor of attacking me. May I ask why?”
The pegasus only snorted in response, his glare not lightening in the slightest.
Luna cocked her head to the side. “Has a cat made off with your tongue or are you mentally ill? Why do you not speak?” Again, she received little more than a glare. She quietly sighed to herself. “Very well. You need not speak, only listen. I understand that my sister has not treated you with the best of intentions, and I honestly cannot blame her. You did, after all, attempt to steal one of the most powerful artifacts in Equestrian history.
“However, I am willing to look past that. I firmly believe that all of us deserve a second chance, no matter how heinous our initial crimes.” For a small moment, Luna looked away, her mouth curling into a solemn frown. “I can certainly attest to that.” Her eyes snapped back to the prisoner. “Therefore, I am willing to offer you a chance at freedom, but only if you cooperate. I cannot, however, guarantee your safety if you choose to attack me again. ”
Slowly, Luna lowered the pegasus back down towards the floor. He made no more signs of resistance or violence. He struggled no longer. Whether it was due to his own self-restraint or the fact that he simply didn’t have the energy to do so, Luna didn’t know, but she was willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. It wasn’t like he could do much in his condition.
Once the pegasus’ hooves touched the ground, Luna released her grip. As soon as she took away that support, the prisoner fell down on his haunches, his head hung low and drooping.
Luna sighed yet again. Her eyes drifted down over to the tray of food she placed aside. In all of the drama, she nearly forgot about it.
The prisoner finally took note of the food as well. His eyes, weak and glazed, scanned over the various soups, breads, and teas. The aroma, though smothered by the dungeon’s own musky stench, made his mouth water and his nostrils burn. He licked his dry, cracked lips as the smell grew even more distinct. Slowly, almost subconsciously, he leaned in towards the food tray. Unfortunately, his body wasn’t strong enough for such strenuous action; the moment he put an inkling of weight on his forelegs, they buckled underneath him, and he fell onto his stomach.
Luna took another step towards him before sitting down. “I can tell that you have not eaten in quite some time,” she said. Without another word, she wrapped a bowl of soup in her magical aura and brought it over to herself. She lifted the spoon from the bowl and held it in front of the prisoner. “Here. Try this.”
The second the pegasus looked back at her, his tired, glossy eyes immediately ignited with a new dose of fury. His body, however, was not up to par to match his burning spirit. Keeping his eyes latched onto Luna’s, he forced himself back up to his hooves. On trembly legs, he started towards Luna, not at the full-blown gallop he wanted, but at a slow, unstable gait.
The sight left Luna little more than speechless. She just cocked her head to the side as the pegasus inched closer and closer. Despite the seething glare he gave her, Luna didn’t waver for a single instant.
Once the pegasus finally closed the distance, he made a slow, pitiful attempt at a punch. Luna simply took a single step back. The pegasus’ hoof flew clear of her face, and the momentum sent him falling to the floor yet again. Despite his less than threatening tumble, the prisoner, instead of wallowing in his own embarrassment, still tried to get up even though simple movement was far beyond his body’s limitations.
Luna simply shook her head before picking the pegasus back up with her magic, where she held him in front of her yet again. “I fail to understand this,” she said. “Your condition is absolutely pitiful, yet you insist on attacking me. You attempted to steal an artifact that could doom all of Equestria if it were to fall in the wrong hooves. I must ask. Why? What made you want to do this? Do you honestly hold such animosity for my sister and me? Have we done something to offend you in the past? If so, what?”
The prisoner refused to answer. He just used what little strength he had left to stare Luna in the eyes yet again.
Luna opened her mouth, but whatever she was about to say got caught in her throat as she noticed something. “Wait a moment.” She leaned in closer, looking over the prisoner as if he were an intricate puzzle.
It was his eyes. They just didn’t look right. At first, Luna thought that they were simply yellow. As she looked closer, however, she realized that his eyes had a slight glow about them. An unnatural glow. A glow that sent a chill down Luna’s spine.
“Oh, no. You poor, poor soul.”
Luna took a step back, her eyes never leaving the pegasus. Despite the things he did, despite the things he wanted to do, she looked at him in a completely different light. He wasn’t a cold, cruel, aggressive tyrant with dreams of destruction. No, he was an innocent pony who ended up at the worst possible place at the worst possible time. He wasn’t the source of the problem; merely a pawn used by the true mastermind.
Gently, Luna placed the prisoner back on the ground. The instant he was set free, he fell down at her hooves. “You should not be here,” she said. “You became involved in something far larger than yourself and for that, you have my condolences.” A dull, dark blue glow wrapped around Luna’s horn yet again.
Slowly, she lowered her horn towards the prisoner’s forehead. The most he could do were simple, pitiful squirms of resistance, and even those were taxing on his body. He could do nothing as Luna’s horn grew closer, illuminating his face, as well as the rest of the dungeon, with an ominous, blue glow.
“You have no reason to be afraid,” Luna assured, her horn inching closer by the second. “This is not your fault. I hold nothing against you. In fact, I am going to save you, and this will all seem like a bad dream. Just hold still.”
Luna’s horn lightly tapped the prisoner’s forehead. The second it did, it flashed in a magnificent burst of magic, engulfing the entire dungeon in a blinding, white light.
Once it died away, all initially looked untouched. The prisoner still lay at Luna’s hooves, the alicorn herself towering above him. As Luna backed away, the pegasus picked himself back up. He shook away the dizziness before cracking open his dull, orange eyes.
A smile found its way onto Luna’s face as a wave of relief washed through her. Unfortunately, the prisoner did not share similar feelings.
When he laid eyes on Luna once again, those eyes that were once filled with unbridled rage widened in shock and terror. “P-Princess Luna!” He tried to scramble up to his feet, only to fall to the ground again when his legs buckled under his weight.
“Please, calm yourself,” Luna said. “You have nothing to fear.”
“Wh-where am I?” he asked, his voice shaky with fear.
“A place where you should not be. Tell me, how do you feel?”
The question seemed to fly right over the stallion’s head. He darted his eyes all around the dungeon, his breathing becoming more and more sporadic as he realized where he was. Sweat trickled down his face. His heart pounded against his chest like a drum with every beat. If it weren’t for his weak body, he’d have tried to run out of there in a frenzied panic.
“I-I don’t understand,” he said, his voice no calmer than before. Again, he tried to force himself up off the ground. “Where am I? How’d I get here? Wha-what did I—”
“Do not try to move,” Luna cut in, “In your condition, you are lucky to even be awake.” The pegasus wisely chose to listen. Luna picked up the bowl of soup in her magic once again and held it in front of the pegasus. “Here. Drink this. It will make you feel better.”
The moment the bowl was hovering in front of his face, the pegasus’ nose wrinkled and twitched from the aromatic food. However, despite the princess’ insistence and the noticeably loud rumbling in his stomach, he still didn’t sip the soup. Instead, he made a quick glance up at Luna, fearful that it was some kind of test. When he saw Luna nod in approval, he finally decided that some food would do him some good.
His first few sips were small. The soup definitely had a spicy punch to it, sprinkled with various exotic herbs and spices that he never even knew existed. It was definitely a step above the bland daisy sandwiches he grew so used to.
His small sips soon grew to entire gulps until he downed the whole bowl, much to Luna’s joy. However, even though the soup was delicious, it wasn’t necessarily filling, if his still-growling stomach was any indicator. Luna, thankfully, was more than willing to offer more.
Four more bowls of soup, three sandwiches, and a cup of tea later, the pegasus finally felt stuffed and energized.
“How do you feel now?” Luna asked.
The pegasus, after feeling like he could never move again, finally had the strength to stand up again, though his legs still shook due to fatigue. “I feel… better. Thank you, Princess Luna.”
“It was my pleasure. Nopony deserves to be treated the way that you have been, and for that, you have my condolences.”
While he did appreciate the kind words, the pegasus couldn’t help but let a confused frown creep its way onto his face. “What do you mean? What happened to me?”
“There will be time to explain later. For now, it would be best for you to leave this place. Can you walk?”
The stallion looked down at his legs. “Yes. I think so.”
“Good. Head home, then. Put all of this behind you. It is for your own sake.” The stallion seemed like he was about to say something, but chose to keep his mouth shut. “I will tell the guards that you are free to go. Again, I am sorry that this happened to you.” Before the pegasus could say anything else, Luna turned and started towards the dungeon steps.
“Celestia,” she mumbled, shaking her head, “what are you doing?”
----
Celestia’s carriage shook and rocked as it flew, full speed, towards Hoofington. All was silent, save for the occasional awkward cough. Nopony, not Twilight, her friends, or even Celestia herself uttered a single word. They just sat there in the silence. However, out of all of them, only one truly appreciated the silence, and it was Rainbow Dash.
The silence allowed her to think. To ponder. To dwell on things. Though she really didn’t want to, her mind kept drifting back to the things she saw. The things Shadow Streak saw. The more she thought about, the more she realized just how different Equestria was a thousand years ago.
Whereas murder was practically unheard of in Rainbow’s time, it seemed commonplace in Shadow’s. The same went for poverty and disease. The worse Rainbow ever had to deal with was running short on bits, or getting a minor case of the flu. In Shadow’s time, such things were responsible for the deaths of what must’ve been thousands. It was scary to imagine Equestria in such a state of dismay and misery, and even scarier to know that, for a time, it was. The very thought sent a chill down Rainbow’s spine.
However, that was when she realized something else. Yes, Equestria was a dark, dreary pit of misery in the past, but that was exactly what it was: the past. If Rainbow never experienced things from Shadow’s perspective, she would have never suspected Equestria of being any different than it was today, save for a few unpleasant skirmishes. Rainbow, and everypony else around her, had the luxury of living in a land of peace and harmony, and who did she have to thank for that?
Rainbow looked over to the alicorn sitting across from her. Princess Celestia. If it weren’t for her and Luna, Equestria could’ve remained as the violent and chaotic world it was all those years ago.
A small smile crept onto Rainbow’s face. She already had a great deal of respect for the two alicorns, but after seeing the things she saw, and knowing how much the princesses had to go through, that respect only increased. Equestria really couldn’t have asked for a better pair of rulers.
Unfortunately, Celestia did not share the same sentiments.
The sun princess sat near the carriage window, staring out into the passing countryside below. She scanned over everything with cold, sad eyes. She didn’t see serene, green fields, or lush forests. For brief moments, she only saw what used to be miles of battle-scarred terrain.
The ground was scorched black from raging fires. The thick clouds above blocked out the sun’s glorious rays, leaving everything below in a dull, grey light. Spears, swords, and other weaponry jetted from the ground, some broken, most slick with blood. The corpses of ponies long forgotten littered the ground, their mangled bodies lying in thick, red puddles.
That was what Celestia saw when she looked out the window. That was what awaited Equestria if she failed to save it.
It took her and Luna so long to bring Equestria up from that point. It took so long to bring true peace and harmony to the land. Now, it felt like it was slipping between her hooves. If she failed, all of that progress would be undone. All of her work would have been for nothing. And worst of all, he would be proven right.
You cannot prevent change, no matter how hard you try.
Celestia flinched as the voice rung in her head. “Yes, I can,” she muttered.
“Princess Celestia?”
Celestia was torn away from her thoughts when she felt a light prod on her side. With a small jolt, she looked down. Twilight and the others were looking up at her, worry in their eyes.
“Are you alright?” Twilight asked.
With a sigh, Celestia leaned back in her seat. “Yes, I’m fine,” she calmly answered, a smile on her face. “Simply thinking.”
“About what?”
Celestia looked back out the window. The peaceful scenery speeding by acted as the only thing keeping her calm. “Quite a few things, actually, some more than others.” She looked back at Twilight. The unicorn awkwardly shifted in her seat, taking the occasional glance back up at the princess. It didn’t take long before Celestia sighed again. “I apologize if I’m less talkative than usual. I have a lot on my mind.”
“Oh, it’s quite alright,” Rarity said. “We understand. Right, girls?” The six of them nodded in agreement.
Celestia’s mouth curled up into a smile of her own. She looked back out the window. “You know, Luna and I had a dream when we were fillies.”
“When y’all were fillies?” Applejack asked. “Hoo, boy. That must go a ways back, huh?”
Celestia nodded. “It does. Over a thousand years ago, we were fillies just like everypony else, and just like everypony else, we had dreams.”
“Dreams?”
Celestia’s eyes drifted towards the floor. Slowly, she closed them. “It should come as no surprise that Equestria was very different a thousand years ago. However, unless you’ve seen it for yourself, you simply could not understand how terrible things truly were. The ponies then were nothing like the ponies today. They fought each other, robbed each other, enslaved each other, killed each other. It was absolute misery.” Her voice grew louder, more forceful, more passionate, with each word.
Twilight and the others just sat there, listening. None of them dared to say a thing until they were positive Celestia was done speaking.
“Luna and I decided that enough was enough. That was our dream. We wanted the violence to end. We wanted the death to end. We wanted to bring peace and harmony to this otherwise chaotic land. We wanted change, no matter the cost.”
“Well, it sure looks like y’all did a bang-up job with that,” Applejack said.
“Indeed we have. However, if this plot, whatever it may be, is to succeed, everything we’ve done will have been for nothing. Equestria will sink back into the doomed state we’ve worked so hard to rescue it from.”
“Don’t worry, Princess,” Twilight assured. “Whatever’s going on, you can count on us to help you stop it.”
Celestia smiled yet again. Such undying optimism was a rare thing back in her day. It was one of the few things that gave her hope. Perhaps things weren’t as bleak as she had thought.
“Hey! Looks like we’re here,” Applejack said.
Celestia’s attention switched back to the carriage window. Applejack was right. The vast city of Hoofington was finally in view. Twilight and her friends stared in awe as they flew over the city. Its large buildings stood tall and proud, easily towering over anything Ponyville had to offer. It was often referred to as ‘The Antique City’, and for good reason.
The city, along with its more modern architecture, was sprinkled with archaic structures that must’ve gone untouched since their conception. Temples devoted to the sun and moon lay at the city’s corners, while numerous bell towers jetted out of the ground like eternal sentries.
However, while everypony else was simply amazed by the city, Rainbow was practically entranced by it. Hypnotized, even. She knew that she shouldn’t have been so mesmerized by a simple city, but she just couldn’t tear her eyes away.
The rest of her friends noticed her strange behavior. “Hey, Rainbow,” Applejack called, prodding the pegasus. “You okay?”
Rainbow didn’t budge in the slightest. She didn’t even hear her friends’ voices. She only had eyes for that city. Her eyes scanned over every single building like they were priceless gems. She couldn’t think of a single word to describe the way she felt, and the longer she stared at that city, the more intense those feelings became. It felt nostalgic, in a way, despite Rainbow never even seeing Hoofington before.
In an instant, Rainbow’s head burst with another explosion of pain as voices rang throughout her mind.
Ha! Try to keep up, father!
Don’t get too arrogant now, child. I’m merely getting warmed up!
Rainbow lurched, clutching her pounding head, falling out of her seat in the process. Through the pain, she couldn’t tell if her eyes were shut or if her vision was blackening out. Either way, it felt like she was in an endless void of suffering, and it wasn’t going to stop anytime soon.
You two! This area is off-limits. You are both placed under arrest for—Stop! Come back here!
Every sentence, every word, every syllable, only sent another pulse of agony surging through her skull.
I care not how you vent your frustrations, dear. Just don’t lash out at me because your foalhood was a bit rough. That’s nothing special.
Rainbow felt her consciousness slipping right then and there. Her head pulsated a sadistically rhythmic rate. It felt like it was ready to burst like a balloon filled to the breaking point. However, through the onslaught of agony and voices, one voice stood out amongst the rest. The loudest of the bunch. The most painful.
Shadow, snap out of it!
Rainbow’s eyes snapped open. She found herself lying on the carriage floor, her coat, mane, and feathers all ruffled and damp with sweat. She was looking up, but instead of seeing the carriage ceiling, she saw an orange mare staring down at her.
“Rainbow, Ah said snap out of it!” Applejack shouted.
Rainbow shook her head in a vain attempt to get rid of the lingering pain. Slowly, she forced herself back up. It was easier said than done, though. Everything felt like it was spinning around her. The floor itself felt alien, and the turbulence wasn’t doing anything to help. She needed Applejack’s help to just to get back into her seat.
“Oh, my goodness! Rainbow, are you okay?” Twilight asked, sliding closer to the pegasus.
Once she regained enough of her senses to see straight, Rainbow rubbed her head with a hoof. Not long after that, she brought the same hoof down with a hard, angry stomp. “I’m getting sick of these stupid headaches!”
Twilight backed away from the raging pegasus. “Rainbow, I know it’s not looking good, but there’s not much we can do except wait it out.” She mustered up the will to put on a wavering smile. “Besides, at least it’s over, right?”
Rainbow snorted. “Yeah, yeah. It’s all fine and dandy until the next one shows up. You know, I can’t even take a nap anymore because those stupid things keeping waking me up! I’m telling you, I’ve had it!”
“Will you please stop shouting?” Rarity demanded.
“Or what?” Rainbow tauntingly asked, purposefully raising her voice. “I don’t see you getting these headaches every five, feather-flocking minutes! Get on my level, then tell me to keep quiet!”
“Girls!”
All went quiet in the carriage. The six mares set their eyes on Celestia. The princess looked down at all of them, her brow furrowed in a stern, almost ominous expression.
“This is not the time for bickering. Things may be difficult, yes, but we cannot crack under pressure. Lives are at stake. We must remain focused.”
The ponies kept quiet as they switched their attention over to Rainbow Dash. The pegasus sat with her head hung low, struggling to look her friends in the eye. “Yeah. Sorry about that. I just… I don’t know how I’m gonna deal with it if it keeps going like this.”
“I understand,” Celestia said. “But remember, you have all of us to help you through it all.”
Rainbow looked up at the rest of her friends. Every single one of them gave her some of the most-heartwarming smiles she had ever seen. It was times like this when Rainbow realized just how lucky she was to have friends like them. Yes, they butted heads every now and again, but when the time came when one of them needed support, none of them would hesitate for a single second to offer comfort. With them at her side, Rainbow would be able to persevere through anything life had to throw at her.
The carriage suddenly jerked back and forth as it came to a rough landing outside of Hoofington. They’ve finally arrived. There was no turning back.
----
If Star Light were to ever compile a list of words that best described her, ‘annoyingly persistent’ would be right up at the top, and for very good reason. She was the type of pony who’d bash her head against a wall until it crumbled down if it was standing between her and her goal, even though others would have simply walked around it.
Case in point, even though she lost Rainbow’s trail, it didn’t mean she couldn’t find her again. She just needed a bit of indirect assistance from other ponies. After all, if there was one thing that she learned throughout her life, it was that ponies loved two things: they loved hearing about gossip, and they loved talking about gossip.
Ponies these days had a rather interesting habit of hearing even more interesting things, and when it came to talking about them, there was a single place that was a gossip hotspot. Luckily for Star Light, that place was not only in Canterlot, but also not very difficult to find. She just needed to follow the wubs.
Club Wub—a name that made Star sigh every time she so much as thought about it—wasn’t just a club blasting music she couldn’t stand for the limited amusement of emotionally dead ponies. Yes, that was what it was most known for, but it was something more. It was a giant, dark, wub-filled goldmine of information that proved to be invaluable on countless occasions. The ponies there foolishly thought that nopony else could hear their conversations over the deafening music, but those ponies were sorely mistaken, as Star was always happy to prove.
As she grew closer, the music only grew louder. The bass grew more and more forceful until each beat nearly shook Star to her core. Even the weather began to change; as Star Light continued on, the sky darkened until the initially blue, midday sky became a deep, black night. It was probably just an illusionary spell used to give the nightclub more of that ‘nightclub feel’, but that was hardly anything worth worrying about. Star Light finally found it.
The club was tall, proud, and most of all, loud. The obnoxiously large and bright neon ‘Club Wub’ sign hung over a pair of glass doors. Save for the flickering glow of the strobe lights inside, the doors led into pitch-black darkness.
Pushing them open, Star stepped inside. She still wasn’t in the actual club, but rather, a narrow corridor lined with red velvet carpeting. The music, loud but muffled, was coming from behind another set of double doors directly in front of her. She took in a deep breath. She wasn’t going to like it; in fact, she was probably going to hate it, but her comfort wasn’t exactly top priority in her current situation. With a single push, Star shoved open to the doors to the nightclub.
The music slammed into her ears like a brick wall, the bass shaking her entire body with each beat. The flashing lights nearly blinded her, and the thick smell of sweat, perfume, and expensive cocktails in the air made her want to gag. Unfortunately, the dance floor only served to make things worse. It was a large, darkened square in the center of the room complete with strobe lights, flashing tiles, and a pack of mindless ponies flailing their limbs about in what could barely be classified as dancing.
Up on stage, sitting behind a set of turntables, was the face of the club, if not the face of clubbing itself, Vinyl Scratch. The white unicorn bobbed her head to the beat, her electric blue mane whipping back and forth. Star had to admit, she admired the DJ’s enthusiasm. It was the sort of thing that rubbed off on even the most hardened of ponies, making even their most hated of activities seem fun in some way. But then Star glanced back down at the pit of flailing idiots and remembered that being the face of this was about as dignified as being the face of idiocy.
No, Star Light was not a party pony by any stretch of the imagination. She just wanted to get in, find her intel, and get out as quickly as possible. The sooner she returned to her blissful silence—preferably with a nice book to read—the better. Thankfully, the pony she was searching for wasn’t that hard to find. Not so thankfully, the pony in question wasn’t a much better alternative to the music.
A bartender lackadaisically leaned against the bar he worked at, using his magic to wipe the grimy counter. His dark blue coat nearly made him invisible in the already dark bluish environment, but his bright orange mane made him easy to spot from a mile away. Making sure to stay far away from the dance floor, Star trotted over to the bored stallion.
He heard her approaching, but didn’t bother to look up. “And what’s your favorite poison?” he asked.
Star just stared blankly at him. “You know I don’t drink, Record Scratch.”
Record Scratch stopped wiping the bar. He brought his eyes up to meet Star’s. An annoyed grumble left his muzzle as he sat straight up. “Oh, hello, Star Light,” he said, the contempt thick in his voice. “To what do I owe the displeasure of this little visit?”
Star Light took a seat in front of him. “I simply stopped by to see if you’ve gotten any closer to removing the branch from your flank. From the looks of things, you haven’t.”
That little quip earned her little more than an eye roll from her agitated companion. “Yes, you’re a natural comedian.” He lifted a mug from underneath the bar and began cleaning it out with his rag. “But as much as I would love to indulge your childish behavior, I have more important things to attend to.”
Then it was Star’s turn to roll her eyes. “Yes, because surely all of your time and attention needs to go towards cleaning a mug that was never dirty to begin with.”
Again, Record Scratch stopped ‘cleaning’ and looked up at the pink mare. “If annoying me is the only reason why you’re here, then you can leave right now.
“You make it sound as though that it isn’t reason enough,” Star responded, a smirk crawling onto her face.
If Record’s glare grew any hotter, he’d risk setting fire to the entire club. “Star Light…”
Star raised a hoof in a bid to calm her irate friend. “Now, now. There’s no need to get your mane in a twist. Do you honestly think I’d come to a place like this—” Star Light cringed as the already deafening music went up a few decibels, suddenly becoming more like a rhythmic series of explosions going off in her ear lobes. “—without a good reason?”
Record shrugged as he continued wiping the already clean mug. “You’ve done less sensible things before. Need I bring up the incident with the ball?”
Star Light’s eyes shot wide open, a cold sweat forming on her brow as a pang of shock shot through her like an arrow. That shock quickly gave way to anger as she shot out of her seat and planted both forelegs firmly on the bar. It was her turn to shoot her partner a red-hot glare. “You say a word of that and I’ll gut you like a trout,” she hissed.
With an amused chuckle, Record set the mug back down on the bar. “So, you’re here. What is it you want to know?”
With a deep sigh, Star Light sat back down. “I need information.”
“Well, what kind? I hear a lot of things. For example, that gentlecolt in the suit is wearing mare’s underwear right now. That stallion over there plans on streaking through Canterlot, though I don’t see the point since we’re naked anyway. The mare over there used to be a stallion, and I’m pretty sure her friend likes to take it up the—”
“Record!”
“What? You said you wanted information. Maybe you should be a bit more specific, my dear.”
Star Light looked the stallion dead in the eye, all hint of play vanishing in a flash. Her voice was loud, clear, and deliberate. “I need information on Rainbow Dash.” She saw Record Scratch immediately tense up, virtually every muscle in his body stiffening, at the mere mention of the name.
“Rainbow Dash,” he repeated, his voice low and somber, as if saying it was taboo. Quickly, he darted his eyes from left to right. “This is not a place we want to be right now. Follow me.”
Star Light stepped behind the bar and followed Record through one of the club’s back doors. This one in particular led out into the back alley, surprisingly enough.
Despite being hit with smells arguably worse than the club’s own odor, Star couldn’t help but feel an immense relief for finally being outside again, though the muffled wubs did ruin the mood a bit. Before she could become too engrossed, though, she turned her attention back on Record, who leaned against the alley wall.
“Rainbow Dash,” he said again, louder this time. “There’s a name I haven’t heard in quite a while. So, what is it you want to know about her?”
“Master wants me to keep an eye on her. Celestia knows of her connection with Shadow Streak, and it’s my duty to ensure that she receives as little harm as possible. I found her in Ponyville and followed her here, but…”
Record leaned in, ears perked up. “But?”
Star sighed, the shame already setting in. “But I lost her due to intervention from her friends. I need to know where they are right now. Time is wasting.”
Unfortunately, Record didn’t share the same sense of urgency, if the smug smirk on his face was any indicator. “So, the high and mighty Star Light has made a mistake. Truly, history has been made today.”
Star Light’s pink cheeks quickly became a deep crimson, both of anger and embarrassment. “Record, I will yell at you for this later. I need to find Rainbow Dash now. Do you know anything that may be able to help me?”
Record took a moment to ponder on that, rubbing a hoof on his chin.
“Record Scratch!”
“I’m thinking!” Record snapped back. “Goodness gracious. And you say I’m no fun to toy with. Well, since you’re in such a hurry, I’ll give you the short version.” He loudly cleared his throat. “There was a scuffle at the local post office. Celestia went to investigate. Celestia called for the Elements of Harmony, Rainbow included, obviously. They presumably found something worth finding, and Celestia sent for a chariot to… Hoofington, I believe. Of course, this is all just what I’ve heard, and could very well be about as useful as a soggy biscuit.”
Record’s ending comments flew right over Star’s head. As soon as she heard ‘Hoofington’, she felt an odd feeling in her stomach. That cold sweat came back in full. She found it harder to maintain controlled breaths. Her heart rate ramped up, beating in near perfect sync to the rapid, muffled beats of the club. It took her a moment to realize what that feeling was. It was the unmistakable sense of panic.
“Hoofington?” she repeated to herself. Her eyes shot back up to Record Scratch. “When did they leave?”
“Well, if I remember correctly, Celestia sent for a carriage about… forty-five minutes ago, give or take. Given the urgency of the situation, I’d say it took them ten minutes at the most to get a carriage ready and at the post office. Add in the time it took to get everypony in the carriage, and I’d say they have about a thirty-minute head start.” When he heard Star Light mumble something under her breath, something that could’ve only been a swear, he chuckled. “Is something troubling you?”
“Hoofington is miles away. How am I supposed to get there in time?”
“You have four working legs. I suggest you put them to good use.”
Star’s face twisted into a scowl. She would’ve given Record a piece of her mind, but she already had no more time to waste. Without another word, she turned to leave.
“Star Light!” Record called.
With an annoyed sigh, the pink unicorn stopped and turned around. “What is it now?”
“As much as I’d love to see you run into battle ill-equipped, I think you’re forgetting something,” he said, pointing at his own foreleg.
Star looked down at her own and immediately saw the problem. Her forelegs were completely bare. No bracer. No hidden blade. No weapon. Though the chances of her even needing one were slim, she wasn’t in the mood to risk it. “Alright. Give me yours.”
“Beg your pardon?”
Star walked up to the stallion. “I need a weapon, and I’m not going all the way back home to get mine. So, give me yours.” Of course, she didn’t expect him to immediately comply. In fact, the blank, unamused stare he gave her was more than enough of an answer. “Very well. I’ll just take it then.”
That, apparently, was enough to convince him. With a quick scoff and roll of the eyes, he kicked open the club’s back door. He reached inside with his magic, wrapping it around the bracer hidden underneath the bar. Once he brought it out, he tossed it over to Star.
She took a moment to stare it over, taking in the sight of the gleaming, silver bracer she knew all too well.
“I swear, impulsive violence must run in your family,” Record said.
“It’s yet to let me down.” she shot another smirk at her partner as she slipped the bracer comfortably over her right hoof. It was a perfect fit.
Record started back towards the door. “Goodness. Next I bet you’ll be asking for my robes.” Before he stepped back inside, he risked another glance over to Star, a decision he immediately regretted.
Star was still standing there, giving him a sly, impish grin. She didn’t even need to say anything.
With something between an exasperated sigh and a shout, Record slammed his face into the doorframe. “I’ll be right back,” he muttered, and stomped back into the club.
----
Celestia and the others stood next to their carriage as they stared into Hoofington. All eyes were on the princess as she scanned the city, looking over every building and pony with scrutinizing focus.
“Are you sure that these ponies are here?” Twilight asked.
Celestia broke out of her concentration and looked down at the six ponies. “Whether or not the ponies behind all of this, I don’t know. However, I know for certain that Hoofington houses their base of operation. Finding that is our top priority.”
“Well, what’re we waiting for?” Rainbow asked as she took to the sky. “Let’s go!” However, just as she darted towards the city, she was stopped as she felt a tug against her tail. Looking back, she saw that Celestia had a magical grip on her tail.
“Wait,” the princess ordered, releasing Rainbow.
“What is it now?” the annoyed pegasus asked, turning back towards her friends. “I thought time was a pretty big deal here.”
Celestia gently eased Rainbow back down to the ground with her foreleg. “It is important, yes, but we can’t afford to be careless. They’re likely expecting us. Me, to be more precise. We would be walking right into a trap if we don’t take proper precautions.”
The mares took a moment to look amongst each other. “What have ya got in mind?” Applejack asked.
“Hmm. They won’t be expecting any of you, but as for me… Just give me a moment.” Celestia took a few steps away from the group before focusing her magic into her horn. In only a few short seconds, a burst of light completely engulfed the princess, leaving Twilight and the others momentarily blinded.
Once the light diminished and they could see again, the six mares dropped their jaws in perfect sync. Standing before them was not the majestic princess of the sun, but a simple brown, pink-maned pegasus. She wasn’t even the same size as Celestia. She was the same size as any other full-grown mare. Even the wings were authentic. It wasn’t just a simple illusionary spell or trick of the light. The spell changed Celestia’s entire body structure.
The pegasus turned back towards the six, smiling. “What do you girls think?” she asked, her voice unmistakably that of Celestia’s.
“Ohh! Neat trick, Princess!” Pinkie chirped, appearing at the disguised princess’ side in an instant. “Do me next! Me next!”
Celestia only chuckled at the eager request. “That won’t be necessary. As I’ve said, they won’t be expecting any of you.”
“Wow, Princess,” Twilight said, eyes still wide with awe. “That’s incredible! I don’t even recognize you.”
“I appreciate the kind words, Twilight. Perhaps I’ll teach this to you someday. Such a spell would surely be useful.”
Twilight could feel her heart flutter at the promise of a new spell taught by Celestia herself. “Wow, I… Tha-thank you. It would be an honor.”
But while Twilight had another one of her moment’s with the princess, Rainbow Dash sat back on her haunches, forelegs impatiently crossed as she waited for something that didn’t seem to be showing up. “Okay, so I’ve got a question.”
All eyes immediately switched over to the pegasus. “Yes, Rainbow Dash? What is it?” Celestia asked.
“Why are we wasting so much time being all quiet and careful? Why can’t you just take all of your guards and have ‘em knock down the guy’s front door?”
All eyes were then on Celestia. She took a deep, calm breath as she gathered her thoughts. “I’ve considered that,” she began, “but soon decided that it would not be the best course of action.”
“Why not?” Rainbow demanded. “It doesn’t matter how strong these guys are. They can’t stop an entire army!”
“And that is where you are wrong,” Celestia calmly said. “You must remember the situation we’re in. These ponies, whoever they are, possess a Piece of Equestria. Any one of those items is capable of downing entire armies. If we were to just rush in, we would be placing more lives in danger. If we’re to do anything, we must do it without the enemy ever knowing, and strike when they least expect it.”
As the mares shared worried glances amongst themselves, Celestia turned her attention towards Rainbow. “You, of all ponies, should be familiar with this style of action, Rainbow Dash.”
Rainbow’s eyes widened ever so slightly as she looked up at the princess. “I… What’s that supposed to mean?” she demanded, her eyes suddenly brimming with anger.
Celestia didn’t back away or flinch in the slightest, but tilted her head, surprised by Rainbow’s explosive reaction. “Hmm? I thought… Nevermind. Forget what I said.”
Despite her request, Rainbow wasn’t quite ready to let that go. “‘Cause it sounded like you were saying I was like those Assassin freaks!”
“Rainbow, calm down!” Twilight pleaded, but her words fell on deaf ears. The raging pegasus only had eyes on the princess.
“I don’t care how many of my ancestors were Assassins, I don’t care how much time I spend with that Shadow pony, I’m nothing like them and I’m never gonna be like them!” Despite the absolute anger she displayed, Celestia only stared back at her with a calm, stoic expression.
Whatever else Rainbow had to say, was cut short when she felt a hoof rest on her shoulder. She looked back to see Twilight looking back at her, concern in her eyes. The rest of her friends hung back, but their eyes said it all.
“Rainbow, please. I know you’ve been through a lot, but we need you to calm down,” Twilight said.
Rainbow kept looking back and forth between her friends and Celestia. Whether or not she’d calm herself down, they didn’t know, nor would they find out. Taking advantage of her indecision, Celestia stepped in.
“Listen to your friends, Rainbow,” she said. “I promise to answer whatever questions you have later, but we must deal with this situation first. Surely, you understand that.”
Anypony with a working brain and a pair of eyes would’ve been able to tell, at a single glance, that Rainbow wasn’t ready to back down. Unfortunately, the odds weren’t exactly in her favor, and she’d rather avoid getting on Celestia’s bad side.
She backed away from the group, shut her eyes, and sighed, finally calming down. “Okay. Okay!” she said, caving in. “Let’s just take care of these guys and get this over with.” She didn’t even bother waiting for a response before trotting into the city proper while her friends lingered behind.
Twilight walked up to the princess, who had her eyes on Rainbow. “She’s going to be okay, right?”
Celestia smiled at her young student in a bid to calm her nerves. “She simply needs time. It’s as you said, she’s been through a lot in a short period of time. Some time out and about will do her some good. I promise.”
Twilight’s eyes drifted back over to Rainbow, who was already well amongst the city’s citizens. “Yes, I suppose that’s right.”
Celestia started towards the city herself. “Let’s go, girls. Time is essential.”
----
There was far too much going through Rainbow’s head for her to focus on one single thing. Between Shadow Streak’s memories, the whole thing with the ‘Apple’, Celestia’s insistence on dodging her questions, and the skull-splitting headaches she’s been having almost hourly, she didn’t even know where to begin. It was driving her nuts.
She knew that she shouldn’t have been getting worked up over that kind of stuff, but she couldn’t help it. She hated being left in the dark about anything, especially if it involved her.
Rainbow Dash became so caught up in her thoughts, she had no idea just how quickly she was walking down the street. Hoofington’s citizens didn’t realize either, and Rainbow wasn’t exactly paying attention to where she was going. One unfortunate stallion discovered that the hard way when he stepped into Rainbow’s path.
By the time she was aware of his presence, she already bumped into him and knocked him to the ground. The impact was enough to knock her out of her small stupor, but only served to knock the stallion into a small daze.
“Oh, uh, sorry about that,” Rainbow quickly apologized as she helped the stallion up to his hooves. “That was totally my fault. Wasn’t paying attention. You’re okay, right?”
Despite having a few splotches of dirt covering his coat, the stallion didn’t bother brushing it off. He didn’t even seem to acknowledge it. Instead, he looked up at Rainbow, sporting a very large, very friendly, and very creepy smile.
“Hello there!” he said. “Welcome to Hoofington!”
Despite the clear hospitality, Rainbow couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow at his behavior. “Okay? I guess that means you’re fine.” No sooner did she finish that sentence did the stallion thrust out a foreleg, expecting a friendly shake.
For a moment, Rainbow only looked down at the hoof before looking back up at the stallion, whose friendly, wide-eyed gaze didn’t waver for a second.
“Uh, right.” Rainbow slowly reached out and shook hooves with the stallion. As soon as she did, his hoof snapped back onto the floor.
“Enjoy your stay!” he said, finally walking away.
As far as welcomes went, it definitely left Rainbow far more confused than it should’ve. “Must’ve hit his head harder than I thought,” Rainbow muttered. She started down the street again, making it a point to go away from the stallion.
“Hey, Rainbow Dash!”
Rainbow didn’t get very far before she heard Twilight call her name. Turning around, Rainbow saw her and the others running towards her. She wondered who the brown pegasus with them was before remembering that it was Celestia in disguise. That was going to take some getting used to.
“Rainbow, are you okay?” Twilight asked.
“It looked like you had a pretty nasty tumble with that fella,” Applejack added.
“Yeah, yeah. I’m fine. Just a little out of it, I guess. Don’t know about the other guy, though.”
“Whatever do you mean?” Rarity asked.
Rainbow just shrugged. “Dunno. He just seemed… weird.”
“A few apples short of a bushel?” Applejack asked, trying to clarify.
“I guess. It’s just weird how he didn’t even say anything about me bumping into him.”
“Maybe he didn’t want to be a bother,” Fluttershy guessed. All eyes shifted to the brown pegasus.
Celestia rubbed a hoof to her chin. “That is certainly odd. However, we can’t allow that to distract us from the task at hoof.”
“Right, right.” Rainbow took a quick glance around the city. Put simply, its size was absolutely overwhelming. The buildings were large, extravagant, and numerous, making the city streets more like a maze than anything else. The fact that ponies had the streets packed to the near brim did nothing to help, either.
“So, where are we gonna start?” Rainbow finally asked.
Celestia took a look around the city herself, but not to take in the sights. No, she took a larger interest in the ponies themselves. Her scrutinizing gaze scanned over every single pony within her vision. No stallion, mare, or foal was spared from her gaze, but none of them seemed to provoke a reaction larger than a simple head shake.
After several minutes of observing the surrounding crowd, Celestia sighed. “We may have to extend our search. None of the ponies here are guilty.”
“How do you know?” Rainbow asked.
“It’s their body language,” Celestia answered. “The way they move and act don’t hint at any suspicion. No matter how discreet these ponies may be, they wouldn’t be able to mask their body’s natural language, not without looking even more suspicious.”
“Um, alright,” Twilight said. “How should we do this then?”
“If we were to split up, we would be able to cover more ground in a shorter period of time. We still have the benefit of being incognito, so we shouldn’t draw too much attention. Do any of you object so far?”
The six mares looked amongst themselves, trying to see if any of them had a problem with the plan so far. When none of them objected, Celestia continued.
“Very well. Rainbow and I will search from above. The rest of you will cover the city from down here.”
The mares shared another bout of worried glances. “Are you sure about this?” Twilight asked.
Celestia nodded. “I understand your hesitation. As I’ve said, this is very dangerous, meaning we must be extremely careful. Keep an eye out for anything even remotely suspicious, but do not approach anypony. You will report anything directly to me, understood?”
There was a short moment of silence as the air left the mares’ lungs. Despite her position as princess, Celestia rarely ever ordered anypony to do anything. Everything, from tightening security to something as simple as bringing her a cup of tea, was always a request, and she was never angered or annoyed if somepony said no. To hear her give an order, all of them knew right then and there not to even consider going against her.
Once they all nodded, Celestia smiled. “Thank you. Mere words cannot express my gratitude.”
“Oh, no. It’s the least we can do.,” Fluttershy said.
“Yeah!” Applejack chimed in. “We ain’t gonna sit back while Equestria’s in danger. No way!”
Celestia’s smile grew even wider as she stared at the six most loyal ponies she ever had the pleasure of knowing. She switched her gaze over to Rainbow Dash. “Are you ready?” The pegasus immediately nodded in response. Celestia looked back at the rest. “Be careful, all of you.”
“You can count on us, Princess!” Twilight assured. Celestia gave them one last smile before taking off to the sky, Rainbow following right behind her.
With them gone, Twilight and the rest continued down the street by themselves, keeping their eyes peeled. Unfortunately, they failed to notice the pair of hooded ponies observing them from the darkness of a nearby building.
Once the oblivious mares turned a corner, the two ponies stepped away from the window and focused their attention on the circle of hooded ponies at the center of the room. A single lantern, lazily dangling from the ceiling, left a single cone of light in the otherwise pitch black room, leaving the ponies concealed in shadow.
“Has she finally arrived?” one asked.
“Yes. Her and six others.”
“The rainbow one is our target, yes?”
“Correct.”
“We’re encountering her earlier than intended.”
“Then we adapt accordingly.”
“Very well. And what of her friends?”
There was a small pause before another spoke. “You remember what Master said. He has special plans for them. Capture them.”
After sharing a mutual nod, the ponies dispersed, their soft hoofbeats breaking the room’s silence. Once the last pony left the room, the lantern blew out, plummeting the room back into darkness.
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Huzzah! A new chapter has been released with a cliffhanger!
I swear Celestia must have Haytham's hat stashed in a closet somewhere...
Yeah, good luck with that.
So, I'm guessing that the hooded ponies are the Assassins and Celestia is like the head of the Templars. It makes the most sense in my opinion. Celestia said that she and her sister created what is now modern day Equestria. But, I started thinking and I came to this problem. Did Celestia and Luna force this peace on their subjects or did they give them a choice? An answer to that would be greatly appreciated. My answer is it was forced.
Oh snap, things are picking up!
-Mis
2443198
I'm feeling more of an 'Al'Mualim' vibe from Celly right now.
-Mis
2443276
Have you read the whole story?
damn I love the assassins creed but this is awesome
Yay update and it was great! Only one small thing, this
is supposed to be listen?
2443403 Yes but it can get confusing to me. Celestia keeps switching back and forth between a good pony with good intention and a total bitch who just wants everything to go her way.
2443198
fc02.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2013/005/4/0/haytham_kenway__by_johnnytlad-d5qkeph.jpg
"I kinda admire the guy for how smart and tactical he was."
"He is a goddamn troll mate, how can you admire him!?"
2443335 The moment Celestia sends Rainbow Dash to kill off 9 targets I'll be convinced she has an Al Mualim master-robe set next to that hat in her Abstergo Industries closet.
2443511 i.chzbgr.com/maxW500/6787860224/h63BFC2CD/
He was the classiest of Templar Society. Not even future Vidic and his stick-armed Templar army could outclass him in being a sophisticated troll.
2443624
"And don't forget the loveable son he has.
i.chzbgr.com/maxW500/7080044544/h9A1F05C3/
"Ezio Auditore for the win mate!
th08.deviantart.net/fs71/200H/f/2011/166/0/f/ezio_revelations_poster_by_royxriza123191-d3izlah.jpg
I predict... Corruption
Excellent story, but if any of the Mane Six get killed off...
[youtube=www.youtube.com/watch?v=mmLRTVYgEq4]
Yeah, Celestia's a Templar. Can't exactly blame the Assassins for having to take out her most loyal subjects. Though, if they hope to have her help them, attacking her friends probably isn't the way to go about it. That also raises the question of whether or not Star Light's mission and theirs are mutually exclusive.
just remember Rainbow. Nothing is true
Vittoria Agli Assassini!
I.....need.....more!!!
2444751 every thing is permitted
Soo. My guess is that Celestia is a " templar"
Well this is going well
I fear for Twi and the others they have no training for what is about to happen 
I hope Rainbow can cover for them she is the only one with a slight bit of training in these situations. 
I WANT MOAR NOW 
If that is alright. 
fuck! light damned cliff hangers! and light damn you too celestia!
2445202>>2444751
we fight in the dark, to serve in the light, we are assassins
What? Twilight would never need a spell designed to disguise Alicorns!
2443276
Don't you play your mind games with me!!!!!!11one
2447771 What mind games? I'm simply confused and asking a question.
I sense contrived coincidence incoming, thoroughly lampshaded by the presence of a living goddess among their number. This reeks of deus ex machina. More literally than usual.
I will wait and see, for anything is possible.
100% synchronized
Sorry to say, but in my opinion the coolest thing about this story is the cover picture. The actual story itself just isn't getting to me...there's a kinda weird mish-mash in the atmosphere of the story. Inevitable really when yo try to mix MLP with a setting where dealing death is easy and lives are cheap.
Wonder if the ponies ever came up with a hidden gun or crossbow. Be useful to a pegasus, aerial assassinations.
2443276 I thought it was obvious. Yes, it seems that Celestia is the Templars. On choice VS force, I'd say it'd have to be forced.
2452141 And we all know what happens when you force something on someone. The Assassins step in.
You know what is going on. They have a Piece of Equestria. Celestia wants that piece. She has the other 3, so guess what, it's time to kill an immortal.
WELL FUCK.
As soon as I pick this up again, it starts getting good, and now I have to wait for the amazingly epic combat scenes from Rainbow!
I'm gonna throw my two cents in now:
1. Celestia is neither templar nor assassin, just ruler
(Think Sala Hadim)
2. Dash's parents are assassins
3. Those hooded peeps in the alley are the templars
Guess that's more like 3 cents, but not a penny more; just waiting for the inevitable plot twist to shake you all up
this is just as good as this crossover
I don't think Celly is the bad guy here. She is just a ruler wanting the best for her people , doing everything to attain that goal. As Machiavel once said " For the well being of his country , a ruler must do good things if he can , and bad things if he must."
I think the hooded figures are templars unsatisfied by the current order.
Well , my support goes to Luna anyways...
Oh sure! Just kill the Elements of Harmony! The ponies that have saved Equestria only every time it was threatened!
Real smart move there.
they are going to have a real problem trying to kill pinkie pie with her pinkie sense... umm is it possible that one of pinkies ancestors may have also been an assasin?
My opinion, for what it's worth, is that neither Celestia nor this "Master" and his flunkies are to be trusted. Hell, at this point, the only person of the Mane 6 (aside from Rainbow) that I trust is Fluttershy. If I had to pick a side to be on, I'd pick Luna's. But right now, I can only think that Rainbow is surrounded by enemies and/or ponies that see her as a tool to get what they want.
2423795 Took ya time to reply , eh ?
2464877
You forget about Bluueblood: HERO OF EQUESTRIA!!
I stand on the side that 'Tia is a ruler who wants the best for her ponies, while Luna is Grand Master of the Assassins ('Tia doesn't know)
hope you make more cause I respect the code of the assassins
2662593
Luna is totally best assassin!
2463410
Ah, but the question is, is their a line that we must not step over? Was their a point when Celestia went too far and becomes a Tyrant in her actions? Is a Tyrant based on what one does, or how others sees them? I find Celstia, cannon or otherwise, as a Tyrant, but this story is so well written, you could logically root for one side or the other and not be "rooting for the bad guy" After all, it would be stupid to say "this master is EVIL because he mind controles ponies!!!" As we see that Tia has done that and much worse to take equestria from its original ponies and bring it into an age of "Peace" KEEP GOING! I'M LOVING IT! (BADABABABAAA
Have a BIG MAC)
There's a curve. Ocean's an Assassin, and Celestia seems to be the Templar in this equation. With Luna as the Assassin.