My Little Teelo: Masquerade

by Ardwolf

The Power Of Persuasion

In which a much disparaged art shows its true potential.

Earth, Monday morning, May 29, 2013 9:06 AM

Teagan settled into the worn swivel chair with a sigh, cupping the tea in her hands and feeling the soothing earthy fragrance surround her. She sipped carefully, still wary of Matt’s calming drink of choice even having drunk it before.

“Catnip tea,” She said with a wan smile. “I still can’t believe you drink this stuff. Are you part cat?”

“I could ask you the same question, Squirt. You’re as nervous as one,” Matt said, placing another cup of the odd beverage on his desk. “It’s very calming but won’t put you to sleep. So, what did you need to talk about?”

Teagan took a deep breath and let it out noisily. “I had to fight a troll, Matt.”

“Go on,” Matt said, leaning back.

“I—won. Permanently, you might say.” She closed her eyes and deliberately took another sip.

“When you say permanently, I take it this troll won’t be fighting anyone else?” Matt asked gently. She nodded.

“I killed him, Matt. Worse, I went into that fight intending to kill him.” She refused to meet his eyes. He didn’t say anything, waiting for her to continue. The silence yawned like a pit at her feet, forcing her to fill it even though she didn’t want to.

“He was an outcast, a rogue,” she said quickly. “He abducted Sweetie Belle, you know, Rarity’s little sister? He used his claws, Matt. Applejack said he knocked her off her hooves and six feet through the air.”

“Is she all right?” Matt asked when it was clear Teagan wasn’t going to say anything else.

“We found her just in time. Apparently they wanted her alive because somebody had cast a healing spell on her after the attack. She was unconscious all the time she was in that awful place. Thank God.”

Teagan raised her eyes. “Have you ever seen a person after they’ve been skinned, Matt?”

“Yes,” He said quietly. There was no anger on his face, only a somber stillness.

“Those monsters skinned two ponies,” She said woodenly, staring at the wall. “Cerise, well, they were barely alive when she found them. She—put them out of their misery. I don’t know if I could have made that decision. Thank God I didn’t have to. Heavy Hoof said if it had been him strapped to that table, he’d have thanked her.”

“The troll was responsible?” Matt asked quietly. Teagan shook her head.

“No, it was a unicorn named Rimor that did it—we think. He escaped before we finished breaking into their hideout. The troll was his bodyguard and enforcer. He boasted he was going to eat Sweetie Belle alive once he killed me.”

She forced herself to look at him.

“It was ugly, Matt. I had to use Crush to break his arms and legs to get in close enough to kill him. I was so angry. I’ve never felt cold like that before, like it didn’t matter that he was going to die. I didn’t hesitate at all. Is Crush starting to corrupt me?”

Matt thought for a moment.

“I don’t know, Teelo. But that icy fury, you’re not the only one who’s ever felt it.”

“It happened to you?” she asked.

He shook his head. “No. But I saw it happen to somebody else. Remember Bone?”

“Yes. You said I didn’t want to know how he got his name,” Teelo replied.

“Yeah, well you need to know. That village I mentioned? The one the Taliban hit? When we found that, Bone went all cold. He was totally calm, almost serene. He stayed that way right up until we found the ones that did it.”

“What happened?” Teelo asked.

“After the firefight we managed to capture three of them alive. Bone ordered everyone else to return to camp while he stayed behind with the prisoners. We’d gone maybe half a mile when the screams started. By the time we got back all three prisoners were dead. Bone had an axe in one hand and a jagged bloody thighbone in the other. The three didn’t have eyes anymore—or throats. One didn’t have a leg.”

Teelo was horrified, but the urge to throw up wasn’t there, for which she was grateful.

“What happened to Bone?” She asked in morbid fascination.

“Nothing,” Matt said, watching her calmly. “We buried those three in shallow graves so wolves would dig them up and scatter the bones. Then we finished our patrol. Bone never freaked out again during the rest of our tour.”

“You didn’t report him?” Teelo asked curiously.

“No,” Matt said. “And unless I miss my guess, you know exactly why we didn’t. If you’re looking for absolution, Teelo, I’m the wrong man to give it to you. What Bone did—well I would just have shot them instead. But I can say I would never ruin Bone’s life for the sake of those three. They got what they deserved and I hope they’re burning in Hell right now.”

“Is that why you retired?” She asked gently.

“Nope,” He gave her his crazy grin. “I can’t tell you that story, little girl. I have to leave some of your illusions about our glorious country intact. Let’s just say I’m good at horse trading and leave it at that.”

In the silence that followed Matt calmly sipped his tea.

“So am I a murderer, Matt?” She asked in a small voice. “Have I lost the right to call myself human?”

“No and no,” Matt said, turning serious. “You killed a monster, Teelo. You saved more than just one little girl, too. Sounds like that troll would have kept right on killing. I can’t offer you forgiveness, because my hands are bloodier than yours. You made a choice and you’ll have to live with it. But if it’s any consolation I’d have made exactly the same one.”

“So killing is okay then?” She asked, perversely clinging to her sense of guilt.

“Sometimes,” Matt finally replied. “I’ll tell you the same thing I told Pinkie Pie. Sometimes, there’s simply no choice. But make damn sure killing isn’t your first choice. This troll and his gang sound like they needed killing. But then again I was a soldier for twenty years. I had to be ready to kill enemies every time I went out on patrol. Let me ask you this, did you enjoy killing that troll?”

“No!” Teagan recoiled. “It was horrible! But the things he was going to do—well, I swore I was going to kill him. I made an oath as the troll queen. I was angry, yes. But I didn’t get a thrill out of it.”

“Good,” Matt said, nodding. “Don’t ever forget the horror of it. It’ll keep you from being too quick to do it again. Thing is, you may have to do it again. Knowing the difference between having to and wanting to, well, that’s the difference between a man and a monster, Teelo.”

Teagan shook her head ruefully. “And here I thought talking to you would make me feel better.”

He stood up. “That’s the tea’s job. Mine is to make sure you know how to stay alive—body and soul.”

“Mission accomplished then,” she said, taking a gulp of the cooling tea and standing. “If you hadn’t trained me I wouldn’t have stood a chance against Jern. Thank you.”

She bowed to him.

“Don’t bow to me, Squirt. I teach Krav Maga, not that eastern crap.” He said, laughing.

ooOoo

“Your Highness, the prisoner demands to speak with you,” The unicorn mare said distastefully as she attended the alicorn in her study. The pale green unicorn’s aqua mane was tied back into a severe bun. “She refuses to cooperate with her interrogators.”

“That’s not unexpected, Wind Shimmer,” Celestia said mildly. “What is your assessment?”

“The severity of her crimes prompted us to petition you for revocation of her citizen rights, Your Highness—which you did, as you recall. As a result we were able to conduct a number of clandestine scans while she was in her cell without her knowledge or consent. She is, of course, wearing a magical suppression ring, but that did nothing to inhibit our scans.”

“And?” Celestia inquired patiently. Subtle Dancer’s second in command winced.

“Sorry, Your Highness, but it’s a sensitive issue,” Wind Shimmer said apologetically. “The sheer vileness of what the prisoner was involved in is simply unparalleled in Equestrian jurisprudence. I’m trying to make sure every possible precaution is being followed for all our sakes.”

“I understand, Wind Shimmer. It does you credit, believe me. Now, what were the results of your tests?”

“She’s not a unicorn, Princess Celestia.” Wind Shimmer said flatly. “If I had to guess I’d say she was a changeling, but there are several—anomalies that we can’t account for. She doesn’t display many of the characteristics of transformed drones. Changelings can’t duplicate the internal organs of their victim. Her internal organs are mostly pony, but her heart and lungs are changeling. Even stranger, there are a couple of organs we don’t recognize at all, they aren’t pony or changeling. Further, she has folding fangs equipped with venom sacks, just like a snake. But the venom is magical—extremely so, and likely deadly, although we can’t be absolutely sure without obtaining a sample to analyze.”

“Could she be the offspring of a pony and a changeling?” Celestia asked pensively.

Wind Shimmer shook her head.

“Drones can’t have children, Your Highness and male changelings are only fertile with their queen.”

“What about Chrysalis herself?” Celestia asked lightly.

Wind Shimmer shuddered even as she considered the idea.

“No, I don’t think so,” Wind Shimmer finally said. “Given she considers ponies simple prey I can’t imagine her doing that. There are also the physiological differences between our species. A magical intervention is always possible, but I can’t imagine any reason Chrysalis would want to do that.”

“Then perhaps I should ask the prisoner about her parents,” Celestia said with a smile. “After all, she would know.”

“No! What if she manages to bite you? What if her venom is strong enough to affect you like Tišina’s did?” Wind Shimmer blurted, forgetting who she was addressing. “Please! You mustn’t put yourself at risk!”

Celestia smiled down at her subject as the latter realized what she’d just said and to whom.

“Thank you for your concern, my little pony. I do truly appreciate it, and the spirit in which it was offered. But give your Princess a little credit.” Her smile faded. “I am not as stupid as my enemies would like to think.”

ooOoo

Glitter looked up at the sound of hoof beats. A cruel smirk covered her muzzle as she watched the white alicorn approach her cell, escorted by a full wing of armored pegasi as well as the Horn’s second in command.

“You wished to see me, Glitter?” Celestia asked gently, her voice even. Only her eyes betrayed the sadness she was feeling.

“Why Princess, how good of you to come,” Glitter said warmly. “I really didn’t expect to see you so quickly. Won’t you come in? I would open the door, but, well,” she gestured with a foreleg, the chain anchoring it to the wall chiming almost musically. “I’m sure one of your numerous and oh so muscular stallions will be a gentlecolt and open the door for you. But alas, I fear I have no tea to offer you.”

“You insufferable monster!” Wind Shimmer snarled. “How dare you show such disrespect? Her Highness, out of the boundless kindness of her heart, has actually deigned to waste her time on you, scum! The least you can do is not insult her with this disturbing display!”

“You must forgive Wind Shimmer,” Princess Celestia said, shaking her head sadly. “She’s very upset with you. If the allegations I’ve heard are true I can see why.”

“I don’t know what you’ve heard, but it’s probably all true,” Glitter said with a disarming smile. “I am a monster, you know, utterly steeped in darkness and evil. Why, I haven’t got a single drop of decency in my entire body. But of course that’s no reason to be rude, now is it? Come in, sit down and let’s have a civilized conversation. It’s not like you have anything to fear from me, your subjects have seen to that.” The brown unicorn lifted her leg again, shaking the chain to emphasize her point. “I can’t move and I can’t cast magic. I’m harmless now.”

“Don’t trust a word out of this lying abomination’s mouth, Your Highness!” Wind Shimmer protested. “I don’t know what she’s planning but let us deal with her. You know what she did!”

“What I did?” Glitter laughed. “Just what exactly did I do, hmm? But enough of this talking through bars! If you want to talk to me, Princess, you’ll need to do it face to face. Unless you’re afraid of me, of course. I can see how the most powerful being in the world would be afraid to be in the same cell with a unicorn chained to the wall by all four hooves and a magic inhibitor ring on her horn. For I am truly fearsome, am I not, Sheppard of the Sun?”

“She has a point,” Celestia said mildly, a small smile appearing on her muzzle for just a moment. “Quick Haze, open the cell if you would. Everyone, please wait out here.”

Silently one of the guards inserted the key held in his teeth and twisted his head. The click was quite loud in the shocked silence.

Glitter looked on and laughed happily.

“You are brave after all,” The unicorn noted as Celestia stepped into the cell. The door remained open.

“Just so you know?” Wind Shimmer said in a low dangerous voice from the door. “You try anything and I’ll make sure your stay here is a short one. Are we clear?”

“As a mirror, my sweet warden.” Glitter said. “Although why would I want to leave such a darling little cell? You clearly worked hard to get just the right ambiance. I particularly like the sheen on the bars. Very retro-chic, that rusty patina.”

“I’m glad you value the classics,” Celestia said, her smile reappearing. “There’s so little call for dungeons these days that we actually had to consult the archives to create it. I’m glad the effort was appreciated.”

“She jokes,” Glitter said, grinning. “You have no idea how refreshing it is to talk with someone with a sense of humor. My former associates were all such sticks-in-the-mud I just wanted to scream, sometimes.”

“Ah. About those associates, I don’t suppose you’d care to tell me why you foalnapped Sweetie Belle and those other mares?” Celestia asked with a calm expression.

“I might do that,” Glitter nodded. “Of course in return I’d appreciate a few minor comforts to, you know, complete my cell. Some tea, perhaps. Or a perhaps a pillow that doesn’t have rocks in it.”

Celestia blinked, and then turned to regard Wind Shimmer. “You put rocks in her pillow?” She asked in disbelief.

“Only a few small ones, Your Highness.” Wind Shimmer said dismissively. “And almost none of them had rough edges. Why, two of them were skinned, to make her feel right at home. Wait, I mean sanded down. Silly me. I don’t even know what I’m saying. It’s like I’m in a coma, or something.”

“I’m surprised at you, Wind Shimmer,” Celestia said with a disapproving frown. “Please bring her a new pillow immediately! Without any rocks in it, if you please. Oh, and bring us tea—and some cookies, as well.”

“At once, Your Highness.” Wind Shimmer bowed and motioned to one of the guards, who turned and trotted away.

Glitter looked at Wind Shimmer and then at Celestia, eyebrows raised in disbelief. “Really?”

“Why are you so surprised?” Celestia asked politely. “We aren’t the monsters, here, Glitter.”

“Ah. It’s just I never expected you to care,” Glitter replied, still trying to reconcile soft pillows and being chained to the wall by all four legs.

“You know, you don’t actually have to remain a monster if you don’t want to,” Celestia said casually. “There are spells that can reform you. They aren’t even unpleasant, and won’t harm you at all.”

“Except to make me another Miss Goody Four-Shoes, like the rest of your subjects?” Glitter asked with one raised eyebrow.

Celestia shrugged. “Of course, although I’m sure we could find you a career that would appeal to your—baser—instincts. The reform spell simply guides you to a more harmonious future, Glitter. It doesn’t actually remove anything.”

“You’d do that for a monster like me?” Glitter scoffed. “I was born at night, Princess, but it wasn’t last night.”

“The offer is genuine,” Celestia said. “You won’t be made to submit to it, of course, but if you don’t you’ll force us to keep you caged for the rest of your life. That serves no one’s interests.”

“Say I was willing to have this spell cast on me,” Glitter cocked her head. “What makes you think it would work?”

“The magic is well understood, my little pony,” Celestia said confidently. “It has an extremely high success rate.”

“And if it didn’t work?” Glitter asked. Her teeth were visible in what was almost a smile.

“Then, unfortunately, there’s nothing we could do. The alternative spells are—not as desirable.”

“Oh? Why?”

“They tend to carve off the less attractive parts of the personality instead of just molding them,” Celestia admitted reluctantly. “The problem being those parts are what give a pony their drive and ambition when correctly harnessed.”

“Meaning?” Glitter prodded.

“Meaning the pony subjected to those spells can never achieve their special talent,” Celestia said with a sigh. “In foals it means they’ll never gain their cutie mark. In adults the cutie mark might fade, or vanish entirely. Or they simply grow too lazy to function in society.”

“Sounds like loads of fun,” Glitter rolled her eyes. “I’ll definitely get back to you on that sometime.”

The guard returned with a pillow in his teeth and a tray balanced on his raised wings. Without a word he slung the pillow to land on her existing one, and then slid the tray onto the floor so smoothly the two cups of tea didn’t even tremble.

“Impressive,” Glitter said with a smile. “I’ve never understood how pegasi can do that. Magic is so much easier.”

“Not all ponies have horns, Glitter.” Celestia said mildly. “Each tribe possesses their own blessings as well as challenges. But now that we have our refreshments, perhaps we can return to the subject of your former associates?” She used a hoof to push the tray within Glitter’s limited reach.

“Sure, what do you want to know?” Glitter grinned.

“How many of you were there?” Celestia asked, sipping her tea. She noted how clumsily the unicorn held the cup, clearly unused to using her forelegs.

“Hmm? Oh, you mean at the lab? Let’s see, not counting those stupid diamond dogs there were four of us—well, five if you count the dragon but he was just a mercenary. Of course if you mean our organization, well, that’s a cast of thousands.”

The unicorn’s eyes glittered with malicious amusement.

“And what’s the name of your organization?” Celestia asked in curiosity.

“Duisternis,” Glitter replied easily. “If you want to be formal, it’s actually Onsterflike Einde Van Die Duisternis Ewige, but who has time to say that all the time? So everybody who isn’t completely pretentious calls it Duisternis.”

“I don’t recognize the language,” Celestia said, cocking her head in puzzlement.

“I’m not surprised,” Glitter replied. “I don’t think many of the original speakers are still with us. Ironic, really, considering.” She chuckled.

“And are you one of those original speakers?” Celestia asked, leaning forward.

“Who me? No. Do I look a million years old?” Glitter scoffed. “The original speakers predate Tišina’s arrival. The rumor is they were the ones who invited her here in the first place. Not the brightest thing they ever did, I must say.” Glitter laughed. “Of course there are always whispers that a few of them survived the end of the world.”

“What are you talking about? The world hasn’t ended,” Celestia said, confused. “Lady Teelo averted the prophecy. Tišina was defeated.”

Glitter glanced at their audience and lowered her voice conspiratorially. Celestia leaned closer to catch the quiet whisper.

“Well, yeah, this time. But unfortunately for the Precursors your bald pet monkey hadn’t been born yet. See, when she first got here, Tišina didn’t like how messy the place was. Too much life, you see, and very little of it sitting still. Tišina’s thing was all about stillness. All that frantic jumping around, well it just got on her very last nerve. So she moved the world somewhere else, blew out the sun, and brought the world back. Or so the Scroll of the End says.”

“What is the goal of your organization?” Celestia asked after absorbing the astounding news.

“Oh, you know. The whole conquer the world, live forever, blah-blah-blah,” Glitter said grinning. “It’s too bad for you that we don’t actually need the Sun to do that.”

She lunged unexpectedly, catching the alicorn by surprise, sinking her venomous fangs into Celestia’s carotid artery, emptying her poison sacks in an instant.

Celestia staggered back, shocked, lurching backward out of the cell as pandemonium erupted. The door clanged shut, accompanied by Glitter’s shrieks of mirth.

Celestia collapsed, hitting the floor with a thud that shook the hallway. Before the vibrations had faded Wind Shimmer’s horn lit up and the two of them vanished.

Comments

[Verequus]

“The magic is well understood, my little pony,” Celestia said confidently. “It has an extremely high success rate.”

Oh my, Celestia has once authorized this kind of research? I wonder how the subjects fared in the initial days...

Also, Celestia caught off-guard? And that after she told Wind Shimmer that she isn't stupid enough to fall for tricks? Either that is Break The Haughty (although Celestia is certainly nicer than the examples there) or Faking the Dead.

[themanesix]

interesting, but consider Celestia was expecting something of the sort...I am not too concerned just yet.....the scene with Teelo and her mentor was great