The Toll of Clockwork Tower

by Faindragon

Chapter 11 - The Gala

“I doubt Celestia will make an appearance at the Gala this year,” Shining said, looking down at the crudely-drawn map of Canterlot castle he and Quillon had made. It was made from memory, and most likely not very accurate, but it was better than nothing. “Every night since the shard was stolen, she’s been pushing herself to keep the sun up so that the shard can’t be charged. My sister told me that Celestia has been pushing herself to exhaustion, more than one night as far as to drop unconscious. If someone asks her, she’s just waved them away; the only one she seems to talk with is Falk. On his recommendation, without a doubt.” He snorted. “Twily is, of course, thinking that she’s the one who’s done something wrong.”

I sighed and rubbed my temples. We had been at this for what felt like hours. Luckily for me, both of them had been assigned to guard duty during the Gala. Shining would even be inside the castle. On the table before me laid, in addition to the map, the envelope, Rainflower blade and three golden tickets. The Gala tickets Spot had stolen from Filthy during the night. With a ghost of a smile I looked up at the white unicorn. “So, let me guess. She’s going to stay in her chambers, surrounded by guards?”

He slowly nodded and looked up at me. He could barely meet my gaze for a moment before he winced and looked away. “She will be surrounded by guards all right. Hoofpicked by Falk every one of them, and without a doubt loyal to the death. If what Twily’s said is true, she’ll be staying in her chambers where she can overlook both the city and the setting sun. That’s where she’s been staying for the last weeks, and I doubt that something like the Gala will stop her from keeping the sun up. Or... at least try.”

“Guarded by the sect she so desperately tries to keep at bay,” Lyra mused. “Without a doubt ready to... stop her, should she try to interfere.” She leaned forward with a grim smile, tapping the metallic endings of the paw in the table. “Tell me, how large a part of the guards attending the Gala are of the sect?”

“The guards on duty inside the castle during the Gala are mostly new recruits; there to be shown more than to actually act. Rarely anything happens during the Gala, and since the captain has to be there himself, he can take control over the situation personally if something was to happen. Instead, most of the normal guards are appointed to the city, centered around the nobles’ area that’s mostly empty during this night,” Quillon said, before she shook her head. “Of course, we never get enough recruits to fill out the lines in the castle itself. That’s why ponies like me and Shining are appointed to the boundaries of the castle,; so we can keep an eye on both the Gala and other things. Maybe one fifth of the guards at the Gala will be non-recruits.” She shrugged. “A few of the recruits, especially the ones who haven’t been in the guards for more than a week or two, are bound to be from the sect, but I doubt everyone of them are.”

“But as long as we can’t prove that Falk is a part of the sect, even those who are true guards will work against us,” Shining pointed out. “Which leads me to the next problem. How are we going to prove it to them?”

Silence fell over the room. It wasn’t the first time that question had been asked. Thanks to the tickets, and Honey’s reassurance that she would be able to get her hooves on something that would both fit me and hide my appearance, getting into the Gala was an obstacle that we had overcome. But when it came to uncover the members of the sect... that’s where it got tricky. It wasn’t like we could just go up on stage and shout it out. That would lead to their words against ours, and that would only end in disaster.

“Maybe we could trick them into saying their plans out loud?” Spot suggested, breaking the silence.

“That might work in stories and legends, Spot, but not out here,” Quillon snorted. She shook her head and leaned forward, tapping her hoof against the map. “No, Falk and Filth won’t fall for something that easy.”

“If we get a hold of the shard, then we can get it to Celestia,” I said, holding up my hoof to silence her as she opened her mouth. “Pendulum wanted the shard to get to her hoof. She’ll know what to do with it.”

“And how about the guards that will be around her? If there are any guards that we can be certain are from the cult, it’ll be them. You just plan on walking straight past them?” She pushed down her hoof onto the map where the chambers were located. “There are five honor guards tonight, four of them waiting outside her study and the last one never leaving her side. And don’t think that just because they’re recruits, they won’t be able to handle their arms.” She made a grimace. “I’ve personally been overlooking their training, and only the five best of the recruits are standing as her guards.”

“And even if you get past those guards, how do you plan on getting out of there again?” Shining asked, looking up from the map. “I doubt she’ll just let you leave once you’ve given her the shard, and once words reaches Falk’s ears... it will be your words against his again.” He hesitated. “You... don’t plan on killing him, do you? I mean, I understand that he was involved with the murder of your master, but... I doubt that Celestia will listen to you if you decide to.”

I looked back at him until he looked away again. “I’ll do whatever it takes to fulfill Pendulum’s wish and avenge him,” I said slowly. “If that means prying it from his cold, dead hooves, then so be it.”

“Clockwork’s right,” Lyra said, placing a metal paw on my shoulder. “But for the wrong reasons. Right now, the important thing is not to get out of there alive. It’s to stop it from happening at all. That shard have to get to Celestia, and since Spot doesn’t seem to know where it’s stored, and I doubt that Celestia would listen to anyone of us, our best shot is to get a hold over it at the Gala.” Without any warning, the grip she had around my shoulder tightened and she locked my jaw in place with the other, forcefully making me stand and turn my head to her. “And you’re not going to jeopardize it all by trying to get your revenge, understood?” She growled over Honey’s surprised scream. I glared into her eyes and she glared back, her golden eyes reflecting the light. “They’ll pay for what they’ve done before this is all over. If not by your hoof then on the gallows.” She laughed grimly as she lightened the grip, not leaving my eyes for a moment. As I looked away, gaping a couple of times to get the feeling away from my jaws, she continued, “Maybe they won’t hang alone, but hang they will.”

“What do you get out of this, Lyra?” Quillon asked, looking at the unicorn with curious eyes. “You seems very eager over it all.”

“Nightmare Moon came to me with promises about a world where she would still be alive. That wouldn’t be a dream come true, that would be a nightmare. What I did to her... How would I be able to meet her eyes? How would I be able to embrace her? No, even if that wicked mare’s words were true and she could make it all undone, how would I be able to live with myself?” She smiled grimly as she looked away from me and met Quillon’s eyes. “And before this is all over, even I will pay for what I’ve done.”

“Why did you do it?” Quillon asked, her eyes tearing up some. “I’ve heard how you were before, and... I just can’t grasp it.”

Lyra smiled gently, as if she had expected the question. “What I did I did for love. I can never truly justify the events leading up to it, neither what I did.” She sighed and looked away. “Some things are better left buried, never to see the light of day again.”

“Am I the only one not understanding what they’re talking about?” Spot said suddenly, causing everyone to look at him. He winced back under the eyes. “Did I say that out aloud?”

“Right now, it doesn’t matter.” Shining was the first one to look away from Spot. “If we don’t succeed with this, we’ll all hang as traitors. That’s if we’re lucky. If the sect are successful...” He didn’t finish the sentence, and for a moment we sat in silence again.

“Shining is right,” Quillon finally said. “We have a lot to do before the Gala, and time is short. I’m going to see if I can pull some strings to get myself closer to the Gala, but… I doubt it. So… be careful.” She looked at Lyra. “Especially you. There’s not a guard in the city who hasn’t heard about you and the biggest failure in modern Equestrian history. They will recognize you as soon as they see you.”

“I doubt they will,” Lyra said with a smile. “You don’t think that I’ve been down here every day for the last decade, do you? I’ve walked the streets on a regular basis since that night, and the only thing that will be different this time is that I won’t remove the hands.”

She nodded before she turned to me again. “Good luck, Clockwork. If something goes wrong... Don’t let anything go wrong. I’ll be patrolling the main street in the nobles’ district tonight. Come there before you get to the Gala, and I’ll let you know if I’ve heard anything new. If I’m not there... then I might have managed to get inside the castle walls instead, in which case I’ll make sure to find you as soon as I can.”

Shining nodded as well before he rose. “I’m going to try to get a word with my sister. I don’t want to drag her into it, but if there’s anyone who Celestia would listen to beside Falk, it would be her.” He sighed. “If nothing else, maybe I can persuade her to stay away from the Gala tonight. For now, I wish you luck. Hopefully, we’ll all be able to meet once all this is over.”

“I’ll seek you out, Quillon,” I said as I rose myself. “Thank you.”

Sharing a thin, sad smile, the two guards left the room, softly closing the door after themselves.

“You’re really doing it, then?” Honey whispered. I looked at her, blinking once. “I won’t let you leave me behind this time!” Quickly she snatched one of the tickets from the table, waving it towards me. “I’m going with you. I won’t lose you again!”

I blinked again. “There’s only three tickets, and—”

“I’m coming with you!” she shouted, tears forming in her eyes. “I-I can help you! I’m not going to be left behind again!” She pointed at me with a trembling hoof, blinking the tears out of her eyes.

“No one’s going to leave you behind, Honey,” Lyra said softly before anyone else could react. Slowly she walked up to her, placing a metal paw on her hoof. “You three take the main entrance. I’ll find another way in.”

“You sure?” Spot said quickly. “Otherwise I can stay behind. I mean, Falk and Filthy... heck any other sect member, will recognize me as soon as they lay their eyes on me. And—”

“Clockwork will need both of you there,” she interrupted him without taking her eyes away from Honey. “I’ll find another way in. Cloaca Canterlot hides many secrets, some of them I doubt even Celestia herself remembers.” She leaned forward and whispered something to Honey, what I couldn’t hear, before she looked at me. “This is it, then? This is what you want to do? Gallop into the hornets’ nest, without any real knowledge of what awaits you?”

“Are you trying to convince me not to go, all of a sudden?” I snorted, leaning forward. “I’ve already told you, this is what Pendulum would’ve wanted. He died trying to stop them, and only because I didn’t open that envelope earlier they got the shard again! I can’t let his death be all for nothing!”

“No, I’m not trying to make you change your mind. I’m simply trying to make you understand what’s at stake here,” she snarled. “Pendulum died because he was too much of a coward to go with it to Celestia, and I won’t allow you dying just because you think that you can give him revenge by killing those who you can blame!”

“You’ve no ri—”

Before I could react, she locked my jaws tight with her paws, glaring into my eyes. “I’ve every right.” She spoke in a dangerously low tone. “You’re not going to be alone tonight, Clockwork. You’ve three others with you, two of them ponies you’ve known for years, and everyone have we put our trust into your hooves. One misstep tonight, and you might not be the only one going to the gallows.” She laughed grimly. “I don’t think that I’ll be able to avoid it myself, not after what I did, but are you really going to put those two through it?” Her eyes softened some as she loosened the grip around my jaw slightly. “I know that you want to get your revenge on them, and trust me when I say that so do I. They used an Asphodelus blade in ways it should never be used; they defiled the very existence of them! But I know that they’ll get what’s coming for them if we just succeed tonight.” She released the grip but didn’t look away. “And that means you’ll have to control yourself as well. Pendulum entrusted you to get that shard to Celestia. You don’t want to fail him just because you let your feelings get the better of you, do you?”

“You’re right,” I growled, taking a step back and bending my knees slightly, leashing out towards the knife on the table with my magic. “Pendulum entrust the shard to me. I failed, and now it’s once again in their hooves. I won’t fail again, and I will avenge him!”

She laughed and shook her head, taking a step back as well. “I doubt that you would manage to stand up against them, Clockwork,” she said mockingly. “This will all be better if we just—”

With a snarl I leaped towards her, the knife flying from the table straight for her. I saw how she smiled and, quicker than I could react, took a step forward, three knives suddenly in the air. As the knives collided and scattered in different directions, none of them coming close to either of us, she got down on her knees. Desperately I tried to change my direction mid air, but just as I was above her she got up again, her paws taking a grip around my throat and abdomen, punching the air out of my lunges. With a twist of her body, she rammed me into the table, placing one hoof over my chest, looming over me. I could hear the sound of the knives hit the floor behind her over the ringing in my ears.

“This is what I talk about,” she said calmly as I gasped for air. “The torture you were exposed to changed you. When I offered to make the blade for you, you were calm. You thought over the situation and didn’t just act. This is what happens when you let your feelings take over!” Her voice got higher for every word, the last words nearly a scream. I could see traces of tears in her eyes as she glared down at me. Suddenly, her horn glowed bright and I could feel cold metal against my throat. “You see how easy it is? Just like that, they could kill you, only because you allowed your feelings to take over!” She blinked away the tears and removed the knife again, her voice turning softer. “All it takes is a single incision at the wrong place, and all can be undone. I doubt that’s what Pendulum would’ve wanted; for you to die trying to get a petty revenge.”

“Then what do you want me to do?!” My voice came short between breaths. “Just sit still while they fulfill what Pendulum died trying to prevent?”

She blinked at me, before she smiled. “No, Clockwork. I don’t want you to just sit still.” She removed her hoof from my chest and stepped away from me, at the same time levitating the rest of her knives back into their sheaths. “But I want you to promise me that you won’t act without thinking. As you said yourself, Pendulum died trying to prevent this. One safe way to make sure his death was wasted would be to die yourself.”

I didn’t make any attempt to get up. My breathing slowly returned to normal as I just lay there, staring up at the ceiling. She’s right. I gritted my teeth. I’m too weak to take them on directly. Maybe if...

“Clockwork, are you okay?” Honey said softly, nearly in a whisper.

Looking up at her, I nodded once before I rolled over and got up on my hooves. “I’m fine.” I turned my gaze to Lyra, who had stepped up to the door. “I can’t promise you that I won’t act without thinking, Lyra.” She stopped mid step at the sound of my voice, turning her head around to look at me. Before she could say anything, I continued. “What I can promise you, however, is that I’ll think now. I know a way to make this work, but I’ll need your help with it.”

For a moment, she just looked at me, a thin smile playing on her lips. “What do you need of me?”

I returned her smile with a small one myself. “How many can you get through Cloaca Canterlot?”

⌚

“I look ridiculous!” Spot whined for what had to be the fifteenth time. Although the beak-like mask made it impossible for me to see his face, I could picture him grimacing towards the chipped mirror and his reflection there within. “Why do I have to be the flamingo? I don’t even understand why I’ve got to go with you in the first place! Why can’t I go with the others?”

“I thought it would fit you,” Honey said with a smile. With a gentle flick of her hoof, she corrected some of the pink feathers around the brim of the mask. “And I was right, it really does. Besides, we were lucky they had anything left.” She shrugged as she turned her attention to me. “You look great, by the way.”

I only listened to them with half an ear, irritated trying to fixate my own mask so that it wouldn’t fall down over my eyes. Once again it slided down as soon as I released my magic from it, and this time I barely caught it before it hit the ground. “This is impossible!” I growled, barely catching myself from hurling the mask into the wall. “How am I supposed to get it to stay?!”

“Why does he gets to be the wolf?” Spot asked. “He’s too small for that outfit anyway! I know, how about he goes as the flamingo?”

Honey laughed gently as she stepped up to me. “You fit as the flamingo, Spot. It’s like you were born for it.” With a tug she took the mask with her mouth and walked up to the table, placing it among the debris there. With quick hoof movements she started picking out pieces of cloth and putting them inside the mask. “Besides, he needs to be completely concealed under the costume and the flamingo one... isn’t that discreet.” She snorted. “It’s like it’s created for some kind of pink pony that’s way too... easy on her hoof, so to speak.”

“Yeah, and that you give to me.” He turned towards the mirror again. “It looks like I’ve molted or something!”

“I told you it fit you,” she said softly as she picked up the mask again, eyeing it carefully. “That’s why I got some of the pink cloth, to fill up the missing spot.” She motioned towards the mask. “There, try it.”

“Then why can’t he have it?” Spot whined as I levitated over the mask to myself. “You could’ve covered it up for him as well!”

“You want to help him, right?”

“Yes, but—”

“Then you go as the flamingo,” she said, her voice getting an edge of steel. “You’ve caused enough trouble for him already. Honestly, I don’t even know why he’s bringing you with him this time.”

Spot took a step back and looked into the floor. “I-I didn’t... I never,” he stuttered. For a moment, he went silent, before he added with a whisper, “I helped you get him out of there.”

“I want you both by my side,” I said and looked into the mask, eyeing the inside. With a shrug, I levitated the strap over my head and placed it firmly on my muzzle. With the added cloth, it nearly fitted like a glove. “I can not do this alone. Not without the ones I call friends by my side.” I sighed. “Somepony have to have to stop me if I let my feelings take over.”

In the silence that followed I turned my attention to the mirror. The mask, created to look like aged wood, was frozen in a grimful grin, polished wood gleaming like fangs in the light. The rest of the costume was quite heavy, like the mask created to look like aged wood with small branches sticking out here and there. Under one of the logs, concealed so that you could only see it by looking straight at it, was the Rainflower sheath hidden. Two leaves, placed to resemble the eyebrows the fable-creature were said to have, were placed above the cold eyes glaring back at me.

“Y-you’re still... calling me a friend?” Spot asked in a whisper. In the mirror I could see how he looked up at me, blinking. “E-even after what I did?”

I looked at him in the mirror. He didn’t even seem to notice as he looked up at me, seemingly insecure and... I blinked. Hopeful? For a moment longer I just stood there, looking at him as he started fidgeting with his hooves, still not looking away from me. Looking up even the slightest, I could see Honey look between us. Disgusted, angry or pitiful I couldn’t tell.

As I looked at Spot again, now looking dejectedly down into the floor, I didn’t know what to feel. A part of me whispered that I should just leave him, that he would only betray me again. That the companionship we had shared as friends apparently didn’t mean anything to him anymore.

Another part of my mind pushed the first part away to the darkest corner of my consciousness, locking it tightly. He got me out of there again. If what he said is true, I’ve him to thank that I’m even alive. And even if he put me there in the first place... I sighed and looked back at myself. Does that companionship means nothing to me? “I can’t forget what you did, Spot,” I said slowly, not looking away from my own reflection. “You put me through hell.” My voice heated as I for a brief second could feel pain flash through my body from the branding. I lost my breath, tears forming in my eyes. Then, as quickly as it had come it disappeared. With a deep breath, I shook my head and looked at them through the mirror; neither of them seemed to have noticed anything. “Even if you claim that you never meant to. But even then, you came back for me. Both of you.” I sighed and shook my head, turning around to face him. “Yes, you’ve made a mistake. A big one. But I made a mistake when I never tried to talk with you after that night five years ago. I put you through pain. Another kind of pain, but pain nonetheless, but still you were—”

I was suddenly silenced by the bigger earth pony jumping to his hooves and embracing me. “I’m sorry, Clockwork. I... I really am,” he cried. I could hear how the costume protested as he pressed me closer to him. “I... I didn’t mean to put you through it, I never thought they would—”

“That’s enough!” Honey suddenly snapped, forcing herself between us and pushing Spot from me. “Think about the costumes! Don’t ruin them!”

I just sat there, staring at Spot as he looked down at the floor, fidgeting with his hooves and mumbling a “sorry”. Before I could say something, Honey spun around and started walk small, quick circles around me, looking over the costume. Every now and then she stopped and corrected something, mumbling to herself while doing so. When she seemed satisfied, she turned around to Spot, going over him in the same way.

Then, with a small nod to herself, she stepped away from him. “At least you didn’t destroy them. But be careful next time. We won’t be able to get any more costumes.”

He smiled sheepishly as he looked away from me, rubbing the back of his head with a hoof. “I know, it was just—”

She silenced him with a hoof, nodding and whispering something I couldn’t hear.

“Aren’t you going to try yours?” I asked her as I rose, shaking my head. “I mean, we don’t have that much time before we’ve to go.”

Spot looked at her, blinking once. “Yeah, I’ve not even seen your costume yet!” He folded his arms around his chest, the smile on his muzzle taking away all the seriousness he might have tried to bring forth. “You’ve been all worked up on that we should get ours on and that they fit, but you haven’t tried your own one!” He laughed at the grimace she did. “Whatever it is, it can’t be worse than the flamingo!”

“It is,” she said with a laugh, still grimacing. “They didn’t have any other and...” She sighed and turned around, carefully picking up a small crate from the floor and placing it on the table. With another, worse grimace, she removed the lid of it and picked up a glaring yellow and black costume, spitting it out on the table. “I’m going as a bloody bumble-bee.”

Spot laughed even harder. “It... It has wings!” He pointed at the small, nearly transparent things on the costume's back. “And antennae!”

“I know, Spot,” Honey deadpanned, running a hoof over the cloth as a grim smile spread over her lips. “And watch out so I don’t make you wear it instead.” Spot snapped silent, still smiling amusingly, and she shook her head. “I could’ve gone with the flamingo, but no... I wanted to be nice, even after everything somepony did...”

“I’m... sure you will be a great bumble bee?” he said slowly. He blinked, a worried expression spreading over his muzzle. “Please don’t make me go as it. I’ll be nice and not complain about the flamingo!”

“You better not,” she mused, before she sighed. “Would you two be so dear and help me get this on?”

Spot hurried to his hooves. Without even pausing to remove his mask he started dragging the costume over her head, the beak on the mask getting in the way more than once.

“Spot, take the mask off before you poke my eyes out.” Honey’s growl were muffled by the cloth around her. She flailed with her legs as she tried to back away from Spot. “And stop that! It’s not meant to be pulled over my head!” Falling down on her haunches, she pushed him away and finally got the costume over her head. For a moment, she just sat there and blinked, shaking her head. Then she glared at Spot, her voice turning dangerously low. “Take off that mask and help me after my instructions, okay?”

He nodded quickly, mumbling a “sorry”. Without looking away from her, he removed the mask and placed it at the table, revealing the sheepish smile he wore. With a sigh Honey rose again, carefully placing the costume on the floor and stepping into it. “Just pull it up and tie it together on my back,” she instructed before she looked up from the costume again. “And take it easy! I don’t want to see you destroy it!”

I walked up to her, removing my own mask, and stopped on the opposite side from where Spot stood. Together, we slowly pulled the costume up, stopping more than once when Honey shifted slightly to let it get into place. When it finally got over her back, I quickly buttoned it while Spot held it down. Once that was done, we took a step back and looked at her.

“These are meant to be hoofsewn for the pony wearing them,” she mumbled for herself as she looked into the mirror. “Not... urgh... It’ll have to do.”

“Cheer up!” Spot said quickly, nudging her shoulder. “You look great.”

“Yeah, right.” She snorted as she brought up a hoof to connect one of the antennas. “I look nearly as ridiculous as you do.” After a last look over, she looked at me with a wink. “You won’t feel too embarrassed going with the two of us, Clocky?”

“It’s not a pleasure trip,” I said as I levitated up the timberwolf mask again, looking at it. Then, with a slight smile, I put the mask on. “But I’m glad I’ve you with me.”

⌚

“Relax,” Honey whispered in my ear as we slowly passed the guards patrolling the streets. “We don’t want to bring attention to ourselves.”

“I’m relaxed,” I pressed out through clenched teeth, not leaving the guards with my eyes for a second. One of the guards met my gaze, but quickly looked away again and continued on.

“No, you’re not,” she said, tapping me lightly on the side of my head. “And if you continue it like this we won’t even get to the Gala.” Her voice softened some as I looked at her. “Don’t worry. They won’t recognize you unless they remove that mask. So lets make sure they won’t get a reason to, huh?”

“Where is she anyway?” Spot asked from my other side. “Every guard looks the same, and—”

“She’s here somewhere, we just have to keep looking,” I interrupted him and started walking again. Levitating up my pocket-watch and checking the time, I frowned. “But we got to hurry. Who knows how much time we have before it’s too late.”

“Not long, I reckon.”

I spun around at the sudden voice, nearly dropping the clock on the ground as I drew my blade. Before me, looking down at the sword tip placed against his nose, stood one of the guards who had just passed us. Or... at least I thought it was one of the guards who had just passed us. They all looked the same. She looked up from the blade with a gentle smile, shaking her head. “No need for a weapon, Clockwork. It’s me.”

“Quillon?” I asked, not lowering the sword. “How did you know it was us?”

She chuckled softly as she levitated the helmet of her head. Slowly she started to transform, gaining some height as her features turned more feminine and her coat changed from the snow-white guard coat to a more silvery tone. Quillon winked at us as she placed the helmet on the ground at her hooves. “Three ponies walking the streets towards the Gala, judging on their outfits”—she looked us over—“mismatching outfits at that, most likely gotten in a hurry. Not only that, but they’re not really walking the fastest route. This although they are most likely late already. One of them seemingly tense and most import—”

“Okay, okay,” I interrupted her, sheathing the blade again. “I get it.”

“—antly, I talked with Honey after she bought the costumes,” she finished without caring about my interruption. With a slight frown, she looked at me. “But you really shouldn't be that quick with drawing your sword, Clockwork. If the guards at the Gala sees it...”

“I know, I know,” I muttered before I continued to the point we were here for. “So, got anything new on the Gala?”

“Falk called in five more guards this morning. Real guards who’re going to replace a few recruits he moved from the central event to...” She shook her head. “I don’t know. I don’t doubt that they’re still in the castle, but none of the assigned guards could or would answer that question.”

“And they’re part of the sect?”

“I want to say no, but I don’t think that we can be certain either way. Three of them have been in the force as long as I’ve but... Falk has as well, and I didn’t think that he would be part of the sect. As of now, we don’t have any way to tell... so I guess that you have to be extra careful in there.”

“...No way to see...” I blinked slowly and looked past her, the cogs in my mind turning. Then it dawned on me. “No, we don’t have any way to see. But I know someone who do. Quillon, I need you to get Gust out and to the Gala. He might be able to perceive who’s part of the sect and—”

“And as soon as he get’s seen by any guard he will be caught again, just like you,” Quillon interrupted me. “I doubt you have any spare costume you can magically put forth. Besides, what does it matter right now if he can tell who’s a sect member and who’s not? It’s not like anyone will trust your claims.”

“There have been a change in the plan,” I said quickly. “The numbers have turned into our favour and the guards will be... well, disarmed. I doubt that every sect member would be a guard, and if we can figure out who’s not a sect member...”

“Then we can gather all the sect members in one place.” Quillon’s smiled grimly. “I’ll get Gust out of his cell and to the Gala as quickly as possible.”

I nodded. “Once you do, find Shining. The leader of the gang, Pocket Slip, will be close to him.”

She blinked, her smile faltering. “...Pocket Slip and his gang? What... what did you say to get them into this?”

“The truth.” I shrugged. “That the Gala would be mainly unguarded and that we could give them a way in that would give them the element of surprise.”

“You trust him?” she asked with a raised eyebrow. “I mean, what’s saying that he doesn’t have members of the sect with him and we only bring more of them there?”

“I don’t trust anyone but a few,” I snorted, glancing towards Honey and Spot. “But even then, he should be able to create enough confusion to—”

“Does that really matter right now?” Spot interrupted me. He shrank back some as I looked at him, stuttering, “I mean, Pocket and Lyra is already on their way to the Gala through the sewers, and if we don’t get there to warn Shining...” He didn’t finish the sentence.

Shaking my head, I turned to Quillon again. “Spot’s right. Shining have to be prepared. Get Gust out and come to us as soon as possible, we’ll need him.”

“I will,” she said with a nod. She levitated up her helmet and put it on, slowly transforming back into the normal guard. “Good luck and sun’s speed.”

With a nod of my own, I started walking again. I didn’t need to look back to know that Spot and Honey was close behind me, and together we walked towards the Gala with quick steps.

⌚

“It’s beautiful,” Honey whispered breathlessly. Even through the mask, I could see how her eyes darted from side to side as she tried to look at everything at once.

I only nodded as I continued walking on the pavement that winded towards the drawbridge that would lead to the actual castle. Getting into the castle grounds had gone without any difficulties; the guards at the gate to the castle grounds had barely glanced at the tickets before they allowed us to pass.

From the corner of my eye I could see a few guards slowly patrolling the garden in groups of two, only briefly eyeing us before returning to keeping an eye out for ponies that shouldn’t be there. I couldn’t help but ask myself if they were sect members, just waiting for the time to come, or if they were genuine guards. Another part of me wondered if they would even notice anything.

“Clockwork, is something wrong?” Spot asked lowly.

I looked away from the guards, and for the first time I realized that I had stopped walking. Spot looked back at me with a worried frown. Behind him I could see how Honey continued walking down the pavement, unable to look away from the sun-lit castle. With a shrug, I continued walking. “No, I’m fine. Just...”

“Wondering how this will all end?” He fell in next to me. “If we will survive?”

“Along those lines.” I looked up at the castle, with its spires and towers reaching for the bright blue sky. Before midnight, this would all be over. For the better or for the worst.

“What if Lyra have already arrived? What then?”

“Then we would’ve noticed something by now,” I said as my eyes moved towards the entrance beyond the drawbridge Honey had already reached. “I doubt it would be this peaceful if fighting broke out in the castle during the Gala.”

Walking over the wooden bridge, the laughter and music from the inside of the castle slowly started drowning out the sound of the birds and crickets in the garden. Honey had stopped just before the end of the bridge, looking wistfully towards the entrance. As we caught up with her, the sound of the festivities nearly completely drowned out every other sound.

She looked between us, a wide smile on her muzzle. “We’re at the Gala, guys! This is so exciting!”

“Yeah, exciting,” Spot mumbled, glancing towards me. “Walking to our possible death, trying to foil the plans of a sect with some of the most powerful ponies in Equestria leading it.”

Her smile faltered some. Turning away, she muttered loud enough for us to hear, “I’m just trying to lighten the mood some, but no...”

With a sigh, I continued walking. “I’m sure we can entertain ourselves afterwards... If we don’t ruin the party completely, that is.”

“Like I would want to party with these snobs,” Spot muttered behind me.

I could hear how Honey whispered something to him, and although I couldn’t hear the words her poisonous tone told me exactly what it was about, leaving him stuttering. Rolling my eyes, I continued walking towards the, surprisingly enough, unguarded doorway that the sound of festivity came from.

Two iron-fitted oaken doors, each of them at least five times as big as anyone of us, stood wide open. The Canterlot Castle Gate. Pendulum had said that only the smaller door, fitted in the right of the bigger doors, would normally be opened for guests. Of course, he had said that with a smile and a laugh, adding that “maybe he wasn’t worth the big doors, since it was only the matter of the clock tower being built”.

But as I stood before those gigantic doors myself, I doubted they would be opened like this on more than special occasions. For a moment I felt incredible small, looking up at this monstrous architecture of ponies from the past, but it disappeared as I stepped past the doors.

The garden inside the gate wasn’t as oversized as the gate, but it left me equally breathless. It was divided into two smaller parts: one inner grounds, surrounded by a bigger one. The only thing dividing them being a small, decorated wall barely reaching the top of my knees.

In each corner of the inner part grew a great tree, shielding the garden from the sun with its foliage. Each of the trees were decorated with small, unlit lanterns; decorations for the Gala, I assumed. In the middle of the trees stood a fountain of white marble, the soothing sound of the clear water just audible over the sound of the festivities around us.

The pavement, bordered by flowerbeds that contained aromatic flowers and plants, connected the inner area with the rest of the garden. It also connected the garden itself with the rest of the castle.

Ponies, both guests and guards, sat or moved around in the calm garden. The guests, every one of them clad in a costume of an animal, were nearly exclusively in groups of two. Each little group were accompanied by a bottle of wine, and I could see a servant hurry towards one of the groups with another bottle.

The guards, on the other hoof, were mostly alone, keeping a lazy eye on the guests as they slowly moved around the garden. Every now and then they stopped to talk with another guard or, if a guest asked them something, answer a question.

“What way should we take?” Spot muttered behind his mask, eyeing one of the three pavements leading to different parts of the castle. “Split up, or...”

I shook my head. “We won’t be able to tell him from the rest of the guards.” I eyed a pair of guards, one unicorn and one pegasus standing and conversing on the other end of the garden. “Or, rather, the rest of the unicorn guards,” I corrected myself, flicking a hoof towards the two guards.

He nodded. “Right, then we just have to ask every unicorn guard...” He paused and quickly looked around the garden. “We’ve three in here and the sun knows how many inside the festivities. How are we supposed to—”

“Got any better ideas?” I growled lowly, snapping my head to him. “Take one entrance each. Count the unicorn guards and get back here as quickly as you can without drawing any attention to yourself.”

“Be careful,” Honey whispered. She tore her eyes away from the scenery and placed a hoof on my shoulder. “Don’t do anything stupid now when we’re not close.”

“No promises.” I shrugged her hoof off me and, without another word, started to walk towards the central entrance. I could feel both Spot and her eyes at me following me until I had gone underneath the gateway leading me into one of the festivity rooms.

It was a big room, close to completely open. At the far opposite end of the room, two marble staircases went like a T up towards the upper parts of the castle. From the map I had seen earlier, I guessed that the right stairs would lead towards the throne room and, beyond that, to the princess’s private chambers and study, while the left one would be one of the ways towards the main event room. With the guards standing before the right staircase, I guessed that the throne rooms and the rooms beyond that were off-limit for guests tonight.

The room was more or less empty; only a few ponies, most of them servants, walked here. Nearly all of them seemed to move between the other two rooms, not dwelling in here for longer than casting a quick glance towards the top of the stairs.

The only thing standing out as part of the festivity was three ponies standing with instruments between two statues near the entrance. Two of them played slowly on stringed instruments, spreading a soft tune that echoed in the nearly empty room, while the last one lazily leaned against one of the statues, yawning widely.

A lone stallion, looking at the spot where the staircase divided into two separated staircases, stood in the middle of the room. He didn’t wear any costume like the guests did, nor did he wear the servants outfit. Instead he stood there in normal clothes. The ponies in the room seemed to ignore him, simply walking around him without looking at him. As if he felt my eyes on him, he looked back at me with a smile, before he returned to look at the stairs.

Blinking, I walked up to him. Before I could even say anything, he started talking with a soft voice that seemingly followed the tunes of the music. “She used to stand there. Every year she would stand there, personally greeting the guests with a smile and a few words. It didn’t matter who they were or if they were noble or not — this night they were all her little ponies.” He sounded sad. Regretful, even. “She looked past every flaw and defection, took out the purest in the ponies around her. Too her, everypony was beautiful in their own way.” With a chuckle, he glanced at me. “I’m sure she will love meeting you, Clockwork.”

I just stared at him. How did he... “Do I know you?” I shook my head. “I... How do you know who I am?”

He chuckled softly as he looked back at the stairs. “I know a lot of things, Clockwork. I know who you are. What you’ve gone through and what you’re doing here tonight.” His smile wavered, and for a moment I thought I could see tears in his eyes. If they were there he quickly blinked them away. “The guard you seek is in the room to your right. He’s waiting for you. Once you’ve done what you came for”—he sighed and shook his head—“the shard is with Falk. Find him and you will regain the shard. You must hurry. The shard need not to be exposed to the moon for long before it’s too late.”

I looked towards the right entrance. “Where can I find Fa—” The words died in my mouth as I looked back again. Whoever the pony had been, he wasn’t there anymore. I looked around the room, but he was nowhere to be seen. It was as if he had vanished from thin air. What... who was he...

I shook my head once more before I looked towards the right entrance again. If Shining is in there... then maybe he’ll know where Falk is. Hurrying up my steps, I started walking towards the entrance. Behind me, I duly heard how the music picked up again where it had left off.

And if I find Falk, I’ll find the shard. Then I can—

Then you can do what? I nearly tripped over my hooves as the mocking voice filled my mind. You don’t honestly think that you can do anything against the Captain of the Royal Guards, do you?

Who are you?! Get out! I snarled mentally, trying to push the voice away.

It just chuckled as it pressed on. I’ve seen you fight. It might be enough to win over that wife killer or a guard, but him? You won’t even get the chance to parry before he strikes you down like a hawk strikes down a rabbit. Do yourself a favour and just run, Clockwork. Leave this behind, flee and save yourself. You can’t stop it, so why even bother trying?

The answer came without me having to think. Pendulum entrusted me with it, I lashed out. He gave me the shard to take to Celestia and I promised to avenge him... I’m not going to fail him again!

Oh, yes... Pendulum, the voice cooed softly. Do you know why he became a part of the sect? Do you know how I... induced him to my side?

Her words... The tone... the realization hit me like a hammer to the head. Nightmare Moon... how... no... I leaned against the closest wall, closed my eyes and tried to push the voice away. Get out of my head!

You weren’t his first apprentice, she continued, completely ignoring my attempts to get her out. Did he ever tell you about her? No? I could hear the smile in her voice. Silver Bell was her name. A sweet thing. Her voice was timid as the winter snow. A swan wouldn’t be able to challenge the gracefulness she carried in her every step. It was inevitable that Pendulum would develop the deep feelings he did for his new apprentice. What was surprising was that she would develop the same feelings for him.

I shook my head. I... I don’t care. Get out. Get out!

The masters of the guild didn’t agree with the relationship that blossomed between them. Not only was the very thought of a master being unable to control his feelings for an apprentice, at least openly, unacceptable. But with the age difference between them? She was barely a full grown mare, and he had already been a master clockmaker for nearly twenty years. They threatened to throw him out from the guild. She paused for a moment, chuckling darkly. But one does strange things when one’s in love. For him, it was giving up his craft for her. She sighed mockingly. Two years after he had lashed out at the master of the guild and left it ‘never to return’, the tragedy happened. Her voice was too gleeful for one who thought of it as a tragedy. She got sick. A common cold that never left her body. On Hearth's Warming Eve, one of her lungs collapsed. Three days later, she was dead.

Get out... I begged. The cloth inside of the mask absorbed my tears. Please... get out.

Oh, Pendulum was absolutely devastated. He didn’t leave his room before the funeral. He was unable to go up to the coffin without help from the guild master. With a gentle kiss on her dead, cold forehead, he said her last farewell. After that, he was an easy target for me. He had lost his only light in life and would go through anything to get her back. It didn’t even take me a week before I made him my obedient little pony. Oh, the things he’s done in my name.

“Leave me alone!” I growled, my voice thick. “I don’t care! I don’t want to hear more!”

Oh, but you do care, Clockwork. I can feel it. Even if you don’t want to admit it, you know that what I say is true. You always wondered over it. Why was he there that night, five years ago? His home wasn’t close to the alley where he found you. He wouldn’t take that way home from work or from that pub he used to love so much down at the docks. So how come that he was there to find you? For a moment it felt like a hoof slid down my neck, causing a cold shiver to spread through my body. One could call it fate. He had spent the day, and long into the night, at his wife's grave. Just as he had done every major celebration since the day she died. The only thing saving your life that night—I felt the hoof moving to my chin, lifting my head up like she wanted to look into my closed eyes—Was that he had lost her so long ago.

You-you’re lying, I thought, falling down on my haunches. Is... is it true? Am I only alive because... I could feel the tears dripping down my cheeks, slowly getting absorbed by the clothing of the mask. I could vaguely feel a hoof on my shoulder, and someone asking if I was okay, but I ignored it. Because his last apprentice died?

Really, Clockwork? she cooed disappointed. That’s it? I mention a part of your master’s past, and you just break down? I thought you would be tougher and at least a tiny little bit fun to break after that torture. Not... this. She laughed coldly. To think that Pendulum would entrust the shard of my armor to something so pathetic!

“I might be pathetic,” I growled lowly. Shrugging of the hoof from my shoulder, I rose slowly, before I opened my eyes. “But I’m going to make him proud!”

“Clockwork? Are you okay?” Spot asked, taking a step back. “Making who... do you want to get out? Get some air?”

I blinked as the room came rushing back. Both Honey and Spot stood next to me, the former with a hoof still in the air. The soft tunes of the music still echoed in the room. Above me, the guards returned to not caring a bit about the ponies below as I looked up at them.

Relief washed over me as I realized that the voice of Nightmare Moon had left me. “No.” I shook my head, my voice thick. “I don’t need to get air. Not now. I can’t waste that time.” I took the last couple of steps towards the room. “Shining Armor is in this room.”

“You... you’re sure about that?” Spot asked, hurrying after me. “If that’s the case, we’re in luck. I only saw one unicorn guard in there.”

“How do you know that?” Honey suddenly stood before me, stopping my way. “That Shining Armor is in there?”

“I...” I hesitated. I was told by a pony, who then disappeared as I looked away... I shook my head and moved past her. “Just... trust me with this, okay?”

She sighed and followed after me, muttering something under her breath. I could hear how Spot whispered something to her, too low for me to hear, but I ignored it as I stepped through the open doors.

On the other side, a large dining room opened up. Three long tables rested like a big T against the wall on my left. They were filled to the brim with all kind of food and sweets imaginable, and filled the room with a heavy aroma of food. From the ceiling hung a single road of chandeliers; their lit candles barely adding anything to the light that flowed in from the windows facing the garden.

At the far end of the room, three musicians stood on a small elevated platform. The soft tunes of their instruments were barely audible over the chattering of the guests. Servants moved in and out the room through two doors, one at each end of the tables. Some of them moved to serve the guests, standing in small pools around the room, refreshments, while others made sure that none of the food plates were empty.

As I walked into the spacious room, I realized that I recognized some of the guests. A few of those who had removed their masks, either to eat, drink or just for comfort, had been customers at the shop. It feels like a lifetime ago, I thought bitterly, looking away from a thin unicorn who had just put away a pocket watch I personally had delivered to his doorstep not three months ago. Will I ever be able to go back? Can I go back?

I snorted to myself. Of course I will. Pendulum made me a journeystallion; I’ve every right to continue on. Looking over the room, trying to find the unicorn guard, I pushed the thoughts of my mind. But right now, I must stay focused on this.

There wasn’t more than seven guards in the room. Three earth ponies, three pegasi and, as Spot had said, only one unicorn, standing spread out and seemingly keeping an eye on everything at once. As the unicorn saw me, he smiled and motioned towards a door behind himself.

“Are you sure about this?” Honey whispered as I started walking towards the door the unicorn disappeared behind. “What if it’s—”

“It’s not a trap, Honey,” I said, rolling my eyes. “Stop being so suspicious about everything.”

“I-I just...” She sighed. “You wanted us to stop you if you did something without thinking, and I think this is a time like that. How do you even know that that guard is Shining Armor and not someone from the sect?”

“I said that, didn’t I?” I paused in my steps. They will think that I’m mad if I tell them. If I don’t... then what was the meaning to have them with me? I took a quick look around to make sure that no one was listening to our conversation. Since everyone seemed to be deep in their own ones, I continued. “There was a stallion in the other room telling me that the guard I was seeking would be in this room.”

“How... who was he?”

I shrugged and started walking again. “I don’t know. When I looked away, he just disappeared.”

“Wait, wait, wait.” Honey hurried up her steps and stopped to block my way. “You’re going to talk with this guards just for something a mysterious stallion told you before he disappeared into thin air?”

“Yes,” I said simply.

She moved her muzzle closer to me, hissing in my ear with a sharp tone. “Are you out of your mind? What if he’s a pony from the sect?”

“Do you have any better lead?” I hissed back. “Who knows how many unicorn guards there is here. And I don’t know about you, but I don’t have any idea how to check them all to find Shining.”

For a moment she looked down at me, before she stepped aside with a sigh. “I still don’t think this is a good idea.”

I shrugged as I continued walking to the door. “It’s the best one we have.”

Most of the guests and servants didn’t even seem to notice us when we walked past them, enclosed in their own small chat-bubbles as they were. Those who did notice us looked away after a quick glance.

Reaching the door, I pushed it open and quickly walked in. The room on the other side was, unsurprisingly, a lot smaller than the dining room. A few candles placed in lamps on the walls spread a flickering light over the room, far from enough to scare the shadows away. The room was empty except for the guard standing in the middle of it, his sun armor weakly reflecting the light.

“I wondered when you would show up, Clockwork,” he said with a grin. With a slow motion he removed the helmet from his head. A ripple spread through his body, causing his coat to shift slightly towards grey. “Arrest the others, he’s mine.”

Before I could react, the door slammed shut behind us and four guards emerged from the shadows, quickly tackling both Honey and Spot to the floor.

“You didn’t think it would be that easy, did you, Clockwork?” Foible threw away his helmet and levitated up his sword.

I could feel the hatred flare up in my body, spreading through my veins like fire. In one motion I tore the mask away and brought out my Rainflower Blade.

“En garde, Clockwork.”