Rise of the Elements Epidode 0: Silent over Time

by Dream Volt

Bees, apples, and injured griffins

"I'm really terribly sorry."

Bee then bucked him in the head. It was the sixth of the burly griffin guards to go down, and the fifth kick. Taking out an opponent with the body of another was always impressive, but far from reliable. There were just too many variables. Bee still tried it often enough. She was very fond of efficient fighting, using as few motions as possible to render your opponent unconscious. She was also fond of cleanliness. There wasn't a single drop of blood on the shinny floor of the grand entryway. Bee was of course still smiling. I used to try to convince her to keep her helmet on but now I rarely bothered. Blueblood had of course taken several steps back in terror. Luna leaned toward me.

"We are confused, is she actually enjoying the fight?"

"No. She simply believes a pony should always be positive and polite."

"As sweet as honey." Added Bee, turning around

"Y-y-y-you brute."

Bee rolled her eyes. "Hardly. I warned you quite clearly that I didn't like your guards posture and you should all step away from Luna. Oddly you had the good sense to do so. Really wasn't expecting that."

"Auntie how dare you let this commoner…"

Luna held up a hoof and Blueblood stopped. "Even if that somehow mattered that is not accurate. Lady Bumblesweet while not equal to your position is a noble."

"Who likely will never explain herself fully about that."

"Of course." Added Bee

"Ah, I see." Blueblood shook his head. "That still doesn't give her the right to…"

"Yes it does." I said

"What?"

"We can defend Luna any way we deem fit. In fact while minimal force is encouraged, regulations allow extreme measures if we decide it necessary."

Luna nodded. "Yes, in the old days overzealous guards could indeed kill especially suspicious ponies. We never approved of such, but it was within their rights."

Blueblood gulped, then looked down. "I'm sorry auntie, but I just have to talk to somepony and your sister refuses to see me and…"

"Very well. Speak."

"Somepony is out to get me. There have been countless incidents. So far they have been content with defacing or destroying my property, but with each act they grow bolder."

"Continue."

"I am not even sure when it started exactly. Taken separately they seem like just accidents, but there is a clear pattern. The first time I was sure was last hearth's warming when somehow all my gifts were donated to orphans."

"You can't forget the living room filled with coal."

I glared at Bee. Then turned back to Blueblood ready to explain. Except he hadn't reacted. He didn't notice?

"Yes, yes. Quite right. Stained the rug horribly. Then there was that horrible matter with the syrup. So sticky."

"Yes, did it perhaps remind you of anything you might of done to a certain duchess?"

"Oh no." I uttered. "Bumblesweet…"

"Ugh, and then there were those ghastly orphans."

"Gee I wonder if knocking down that orphanage a few days before had anything to do with that somehow."

"Why does everypony keep saying that?" Blueblood was smiling.

"Wait a moment." Said Luna

I sighed. It was too late now. I might as well just let Bee have her fun. I have figured a few things out about Blueblood over time, but a few stood out. One was that terrifyingly he meant well. He was so clueless at times it could be hard to tell, but he did. Like the orphanage was knocked down was so he could build one ten times as nice and three times as big. He simply couldn’t really comprehend the idea of having nowhere to live even if he understood the definition of homeless perfectly. Second while this made him a far better pony than he at first seemed this didn't make it any more tolerable to actually be in his presence. Third combining his particular sort of cluelessness with the kind common to most stallions and all his negative traits made him one of the worst dates in existence.

"Oh and then that was that oddity with the garbage smell that I just couldn't get rid of for weeks and weeks."

"Almost is if you called the wrong pony, refuse not worthy of your time." Added Bee

"And there was this time my entire estate was underwater."

"We never did figure that one out, but you probably deserved that too." Bee then laughed "It was really tricky to pull that off."

"Now we are sure that…"

"It's too late now Luna." I said

Blueblood shuddered. "Ugh, and then there was that horrid cake."

Bee frowned slightly. "I szzwore you were going to eat it once you weren't in public but Firecracker was right, you really refused it even when you were trapped in a room of it."

"There are other examples but the most obvious has been recently my house was attacked. It would almost seem to be foals, as eggs, paper rolls, and stink bombs are weapons of choice on nightmare night. But…"

"Is this the end of your list nephew?"

"Well yes but…"

"Then drop thy pretense. We shall not have it."

Bee cringed. Despite her education and upbringing Bumblesweet wasn't really terribly bright. She was no means idiotic, just slow to realize things that could be very obvious to others. The final thing I learned about Blueblood is that while it was at times well hidden, most likely by intent, Blueblood was dangerously intelligent. He dropped his cowering act, and stood there with a big smirk on his face.

"Very well auntie. I have more than I need anyway. I have plenty of evidence for their involvement Nightmare Night, but lacked anything concrete for the rest."

"I made a major error, didn't I?" said Bee

"We have only one question more." Luna stalked forward, Blueblood cringing and backing up a bit. "What do you really want?"

Blueblood looked down. "Nothing major. As Sky well knows I've never made an attempt to contact the ponies of ill repute they use as middle mares."

"That is correct." I added

"So, does thou aim to blackmail my loyal soldiers, or myself directly?" Luna raised an eyebrow, and glared at him.

"I.." he shook his head. "That is to say. I have a small request. Information. Nothing more. I shall talk to you later Auntie."

I was in front of him before he made five steps. He shrieked like a little filly. While he did have his virtues the single date I had gone on with him was still one of my greatest regrets. I had lots of regrets. I looked him right in the eyes.

"You do understand what you've just done correct. You've threatened the entirety of Equestrian national security. As you should know we do far more than fulfil the ridiculous requests of spiteful nobles."

Blueblood closed his eyes. "It is really a simple request. Full family trees on various ponies, mostly nobles and the elements of harmony plus one or two others."

"And that's all?"

"No, but I don't even remember what the other things are without my notes. I was just going to go get them. Truly this is all I ask."

"We think that seems reasonable."

"As my leige wishes."

"But you szzzhold remember something."

Blueblood turned to face a swarm of bees. Bumblesweet's bees had been studied by an interested entomology professor and his students. They wrote a lengthy paper on the abnormalities of her bees but as far as I'm concerned only three things really mattered. First they were much smarter than normal bees, and seemed to be able to understand pony speech. Second they were incredibly well organized, even for bees. Third and most importantly they not only didn't die with one sting, but relatively rapidly regrew their stingers. This meant that Bee could order them to sting a pony without losing any of her, precious darlings, as she called them.

"Uh, and what is that exactly." Blueblood was shaking slightly now

"That the only reason we are contemplating giving in right now at all is because it's eazzzier than the alternative."

"And if that changes, we may do something more permanent." I added

"Yes, you play a dangerous game nephew. In truth we are impressed. We did not think thee capable."

"C-c-can I go?"

Luna nodded and he vanished with a flash. I blinked. Teleportation was tricky. While all unicorns could learn it just as with telekinesis, it was anything but easy. I guess Blueblood has more than a few secrets. The bees then re-entered their master's hair. Firecracker had been the first one to make a joke about bee doing it wrong, but since then plenty of jokes about Bee's hair being a literal hive had proliferated. She smiled for a moment, then looked down.

"I'm sorry I…"

"It is no matter." Said Luna. "We were not exaggerating. Our nephew…"

"Wait." Bee looked up, then back down. "I mean if I'm not in trouble can I ask why you call him that?"

"Because he is our nephew of course. Technically our countless times great nephew, but sister is right that trying to use the proper term is somewhat excessive."

"But isn't Celestia…"

"My only sister?" Luna laughed. "Hardly. As one might expect mine father is the oldest of the old school." She turned to me "That is correct, right?"

"I believe you are using it correctly yes."

"Thus he did things the old way. And…"

"Any proper stallion should spread his seed to more than just one mare." I said

Luna nodded. "Exactly. Thus our family is large enough with one generation, but it's been thousands of years for additional descendants to breed."

"Like Princess Cadence?" I asked

Luna nodded. "Yes though…" She giggled "Empress, as she now calls her self, despite the obvious issue is our half sister."

"Oh, should we do something about…" Bee then pointed at the Griffins

"We see no reason to bother. They are unconscious but otherwise in good health. They can surely make their own way out of the palace, and settle matters with their employer at their leisure. If they try anything, there are other guards."

I nodded and then had to break into a gallop to catch up with Luna as she trotted off. Bee was paying a little more attention and was already next to Luna when I caught up with them. I can't help but wonder what Blueblood is planning.

---

Bee nodded. She ended up spending a good deal of time at AJ's farm with Azy, and not just running the drills I promised the farm mare. Bee then laughed. Clearly I was making a face. We were both standing in the orchard in near full armor. I suppose I'd never been fond of the helmet anyway, and the silver plate Firecracker's girls had whipped up for me was very impressive but they finally pinned down the exploding issue when they made my helmet.

Each set of armor is linked, so until they make a whole new set they couldn’t get it to change my fur and mane color if they tried. Though based on the way Firecracker is grinning when she talks about it Luna has decided on a change and ordered her to make up some excuse. Really it was fairly standard Hurricane style armor. The dark purple shield on the front with a silver moon on it was really the only slightly unusual thing about it other than the night guard usually didn't wear anything so shinny. I turned around to see Applejack trot up to us. She looked down at our armor and shook her head.

"Still don't git how either o you can go around in that heavy armor. Must be hot as all get out in there."

Bee laughed. "Don't beee silly. I would be far hotter without it."

"All our armor is enchanted. All Equestrian military armor is. The specific enchantments vary from service to service, and often rank to rank."

"Plus you can acquire some special enchantments if you pay for a set of armor yourself."

"Wow, so she's not kidding when she says she's cooler in that get up? I wonder if I could get Twi to enchant my hat with something like that?"

"Often it's easier to make a new object, and it's always smarter, because such enchantment can cause damage. Unless Fluttershy is wrong about how much you value that hat?"

"Oh. Well you think I could get her to do a scarf maybe?"

"I don't see why not." I said

"Oh, you are seeking help from the wrong unicorn. Rarity has become quite interested in enchantment recently."

"And I'm not sure if miss Sparkle has any interest in such a thing. It's a somewhat different discipline. Also Rarity has been studying my armor."

"Oh, well that settles that I reckon. So Bee you ready to get back to work?"

"Yes, but captain is there a reason you're here?"

"Believe it or not, boredom." I laughed. "Blossom is dealing with library, I finished all my paper work, and Luna is still in full research mode, so Dream Volt, Song, and Trixie are more than enough."

Applejack's eyes narrowed. "So that no good varmit really did join the military?"

"Yes, upon Celestia's request." I sighed. "It comforts me slightly that even with her delusional ego she at least realizes to obey Celestia."

"Why the hay would the princess do that."

"I often ask myself the same question. I still don't have a satisfactory answer to that. She has proven herself far more competent than I believed, yet still far less than she believes herself to be."

"Well just find a tree and get bucking. This is the last crop were gonna get for a while I think. Even we apples can't manage to keep them going all year."

I nodded as Applejack walked off. Honestly I was a little amazed so many of the leaves were still intact with the running of the leaves only a few days away. I know the trees in Canterlot would start looking at least a little patchy with all the ponies tromping about. Also a lot of the trees were even still green. Applejack and Bumblesweet both trotted off, getting back to work. I flew up looking for a group of trees to buck.