Lunaverse Story: Raindrops and Lyra travel to the far-off Griffon Kingdoms to stop an agent of Corona from recruiting Equestria's neighbors as allies for the Tyrant Sun.
A story set in RainbowDoubleDash's Lunaverse:
For decades the Equestrian Embassy to the Griffon Kingdoms has been a dumping ground for those who lost the great games of Equestrian politics. But now, the political graveyard finds itself on the front lines of the brewing war against the Tyrant Sun as a charismatic agent of Corona calling themselves The Voice of the Sun seeks to turn Equestria's neighbors against it. As part of a plan to both counter the influence of the the Voice and potentially turn the tables on the mad Alicorn, Raindrops and Lyra are sent to the Griffon Kingdoms as official representatives of Princess Luna and Knights of Equestria.
Now cut off from their friends in a strange land with only the rejects and victims of the Night Court to support them, the two Elements find themselves fighting a far different battle than they had been expecting as they try to protect their homeland from a burning tide of treacherous heresy...
“See you all tomorrow!” Raindrops shouted behind her as she finished her shift at the weather station, briskly trotting out the door before any unexpected work could catch her. It had been a good day, with no sudden emergencies or huge workloads dropped on her back, and the looming sense that another shoe had yet to drop spurred her out of the building at brisk enough pace that she almost missed the teal unicorn waving her down.
“Hey, Raindrops, wait up!” The jasmine pegasus came to a stop at the sound of her friend’s voice and waited for her to catch up.
“Oh, hey Lyra,” said Raindrops as the musician trotted up to her. “What’s up?”
“Trixie came by to see me earlier while I was playing in the park,” explained Lyra. “She said that we all need to meet her at her house and asked me to find you after you got off work. Oh, and also to bring snacks,” she added with nod at her saddlebags.
“Well, at least if you’re bringing the food it’ll be edible,” said Raindrops with a shrug. “Any idea what she wants to talk about?”
“No clue,” said Lyra, “But she seemed pretty frazzled about something, so it must be important…or unimportant, you know her.”
“Well, it’s a good thing she decided to have a panic attack on a day when Rainbow Dash actually decided to do her job,” muttered Raindrops.
“Thank Luna for small blessings,” said Lyra cheerily.
“Yeah, I guess, but at least this explains why I’ve been feeling anxious all day.”
“What do you mean?”
“Meh, it’s probably nothing,” admitted Raindrops with a dismissive wave of her hoof as the two approached the Residency. “Just figured that today was going so well that something had to go wrong eventually.”
“Aw, don’t be like that,” chuckled Lyra playfully as she started to open the door. “It’s just Trixie being Trixie, what’s the worst that could happen?” The two mares had barely enough time to step inside before the door slammed shut behind them, and a stallion wearing a purple uniform trimmed with gold stepped forward.
“Dame Heartstrings, Dame Raindrops,” announced the strange unicorn, his horn glowing with magic as the lock behind them clicked closed. “By order of Princess Luna Equestris, you are to be sent to the Griffon Kingdoms.”
My little pony, My little pony Ahh ahh ahh ahhh... My little pony Friendship never meant that much to me My little pony But you're all here and now I can see Stormy weather; Lots to share A musical bond; With love and care Teaching laughter; It's an easy feat, And magic makes it all complete! You have my little ponies How'd I ever make so many true friends?
“Wait...what?!” shouted Raindrops in surprise. “But...but...Who's going to cover my shift at work?!”
“Can Bonbon come?” asked Lyra curiously. “Because, honestly, she could use a vacation, plus there are some really neat ruins that I'd love to play some pieces in, and, well, a romantic serenade in an ancient palace while watching the sun set...Though I guess having Raindrops there would make it a bit awkward, but hey, the more the merrier.” The other unicorn glared at them from behind golden goggles.
“I suggest you take this assignment more seriously,” he said with a trace of anger.
“Then maybe you should explain the situation more fully before issuing orders, Agent Haymaker,” said another unicorn that neither Raindrops nor Lyra had expected to see.
“Twilight?” said Raindrops as the lavender mare stepped forward. “What are you doing here?”
“She's here to help with the...whatever it is that Haymaker is here to get us to help with,” Trixie explained with a wave of her hoof. “And that’s about all that I know at the moment; Luna sent me a letter earlier this morning telling me to get us all together and to expect a visitor, but it didn't say anything about him being a Shadowbolt, and this is the first I've heard about anyone being sent to the Griffon Kingdoms.”
“Well, now that everypony’s arrived, hopefully our guest can begin to explain exactly why we’re all here,” suggested Cheerilee.
“Very well,” said Haymaker, his voice steady and businesslike. “But first: are you sure that adequate anti-surveillance wards are in place, Representa—I mean, Dame?”
“Of course,” said Trixie. “Silencing spells are just another one of the Great and Powerful Trixie's many specialties, and I made sure to boost the building's soundproofing spells for the meeting."
"Wait, your house has soundproofing spells?" asked Lyra, intrigued.
"Well, usually just the standard one for all official government buildings in case sensitive material needs to be discussed, with a little bit of my own personal tweaks added in, but it's still enough to muffle a small train exploding."
"Wow...Also, I don't know if you're planning on being out of town anytime soon, but if you ever need someone to watch your place while you're gone, Bonbon and I would be more than happy to--a"
"No,” said Trixie flatly. “So, Agent Haymaker, if you would?” The Shadowbolt nodded, then turned to the seven assembled mares.
“Corona’s agents are starting to make their move,” he said simply, and the rest stared at him with varying degrees of shock.
“What?” asked Carrot Top, surprised. “You mean Zecora and Spike?”
“Actually, Spike’s no longer with—”
“Don’t forget that big dragon and the phoenix,” added Cheerilee before Twilight could finish.
“Among others,” agreed Haymaker. “Corona has attracted more than just monsters to her banner.”
“Wait, seriously?” asked Lyra incredulously. “What kind of pony would be crazy enough to follow Corona?”
“Mostly the crazy ones,” said Haymaker in a flat, serious voice. “There have been small Sun Cults in Equestria’s major cities for decades, mostly rebellious youth and ponies with far too much free time trying to act edgy, though thankfully the Longest Day scared most of those nutjobs straight. Unfortunately, it seems that a few of them are actually insane enough to believe that having Corona return would be a good thing, and they’ve been slowly spreading their message and gaining recruits ever since.”
“I still find that hard to believe,” said Raindrops with a scowl. “I mean, aside from the solartics, what kind of idiot would buy into that sort of thing?”
“You’d be surprised,” Haymaker said with a slight shrug. “Ponies who’ve been wronged by the Night Court and want revenge; the overly-ambitious who see this as a way to rise to get in early with a new Queen; mercenaries who’d do anything for a sack of bits; the disillusioned who feel like Luna has abandoned them; and the desperate, who feel like they’ve got nothing to lose. It’s not a lot, at worst a couple thousand, but Corona has drawn them in like moths to a flame.”
“A couple thousand?!” shouted Carrot Top worriedly. “And there wasn’t anything you could do to stop it?”
“It took us a while to realize the full extent of what was actually happening,” explained Haymaker. “Since then, we’ve started to crack down on the more visible members, but there’s no telling how many have fallen through the cracks. We’ve been able to identify their leader, a pegasus calling himself the Voice of the Sun, but he fled the country before we could make an arrest.”
“Okay…well, that’s terrible and all, but what does this have to do with us?” asked Lyra.
“I’m getting there,” said Haymaker. “Now that anyone in Equestria who was likely to join Corona has been recruited, the Voice has focused his attentions outside of our borders. We’ve gotten reports that he’s been sending envoys to our neighbors, trying to convince them to side with Corona in a war against Equestria.”
“But that’s insane!” exclaimed Carrot Top. “I mean, sure, we’ve always had our differences, but no sane country would side with the Tyrant Sun!”
“You forget that outside Equestria, Corona isn’t nearly as feared or even remembered,” said Cheerilee with a sad shake of her head. “To some of them, it might not seem all that different from supporting one side over another in a fight for succession. Granted, one side in this case is completely, obviously insane, but wars have started over crazier things.”
“But still, shouldn’t that be a diplomatic issue?” asked Cheerilee. “Why are the Shadowbolts getting involved?”
“Unfortunately, our usual ambassadors are finding themselves…overshadowed,” said Haymaker with a grimace. “To the point where these envoys are posing a threat to national security, however…”
“You can’t move against them directly, because the other nations technically see them as official emissaries from a foreign ruler,” explained Trixie, her voice grave. “And arresting them could spark an international incident.”
“Which would play right into Corona’s hooves with sparking a war in her favor,” nodded Haymaker in agreement. “Which is why the Shadowbolts have crafted an alternative plan: send a pair of the Elements of Harmony to the Griffon Kingdoms, where we have confirmed the presence of the Voice of the Sun, attempt to convince the Griffons to not only reject Corona’s offers, but to stand united with Equestria in the fight against the Tyrant Sun.” A long pause followed Haymaker’s statement, with all six mares staring at the Shadowbolt in stunned silence.
“What?!” they all finally screamed in unison.
“Wait, so let me get this straight,” said Raindrops as she raised a hoof. “Corona is probably going to attack sometime soon, and your brilliant plan is to split up the Elements, the only thing that can stop her?”
“Yes,” said Haymaker simply.
“And not only that, but you want to send to a place where Corona already has minions who have been somewhat successful in swaying the locals to her side?” added Cheerilee. “And you want us to confront said minions?”
“That’s the plan.”
“Have you gone to the sun?!” screamed Trixie. “I’m starting to think that you’re one of Corona’s followers to come up with a plan as suicidal as that!”
“I assure you, my office has thought it through, and we have determined that this is the best course of action for Equestria,” answered Haymaker calmly.
“And if Corona decides to just forget about diplomacy and take the opportunity to attack the pair while they're separated from the rest of us?” asked Cheerilee.
“A very good question,” said Haymaker as he glanced at Twilight with a confident smirk. “Miss Sparkle, if you would?”
“Then she'd be flying straight into a trap,” said Twilight with academic calmness. “While the two of them are making themselves visibly vulnerable to Corona, the other four elements and myself will wait at one of my family's estates in Latigo near the border, which is connected by telegraph to the Equestrain embassy in the Griffon Kingdoms. At the first sign of Corona's appearance, or any other serious trouble, I'll be able to teleport the rest of the Elements to the embassy so that you six can group up and take out Corona.”
“You can teleport five ponies that far?” asked Lyra, impressed.
“With a pair of arcane beacons serving as spatial anchors between the embassy and my family's estate, then yes,” explained Twilight proudly. “And don't worry, we've already thoroughly tested them in conditions far in excess of what the plan requires; I've been working on it with the Shadowbolts for a while now as part of my parole.
“Okay, so that's what we'll do if she attacks us there, but...what if she attacks Equestria while we’re gone?” asked Carrot Top.
“Then she'll be attacking us when we are most prepared to handle her,” explained Haymaker. “Both Princess Luna and Princess Cadence have been fully briefed on the plan, and will be waiting to respond at a moment’s notice as soon as a threat from Corona is detected. The Tyrant Sun will face not one, but two other Alicorns, as well as the full backing of all the might that Equestria’s military can bring to bear. Those are the best terms of battle we could hope for, and even if Corona proved to be stronger still, then the Princesses should at least be able to delay her long enough for you six to regroup and join the battle as well, using the Elements of Harmony against her once more.”
“What if the two are attacked by just Corona's minions, or taken hostage?” asked Ditzy worriedly.
“We’ve taken every possible precaution,” Haymaker assured them. “In addition to the garrison of guards regularly stations at each embassy, we will also be sending each of you with a squad of Shadowbolts as an escort. In all honesty, you’ll be safer out there, under our direct watch, than in the middle of a small farming town.”
“But you're still treating us like some kind of evil mare bait,” scoffed Raindrops. “What if Corona sees through your clever little trap, huh? Have you thought of that? Because she's crazy, not stupid.”
“Even if Corona doesn’t make her move, this is still an important diplomatic mission,” said Haymaker calmly. “As the Bearers of the Elements of Harmony, as well as Knights of Equestria, your presence in taking a stand against Corona’s followers should go a long way towards convincing our neighbors to side against the Tyrant Sun. As the mares who actually defeated her the last time, you are a reminder that Equestria and Harmony will prevail against even the powers of a mad alicorn.”
“Then why not send us all to the same place one at a time?” asked Raindrops. “Why risk splitting us up?”
“Because sending the full Elements of Harmony, the only magic powerful enough to defeat the Tyrant Sun, would be a show of force no better than any of Corona’s threats,” said Trixie with a sigh, not liking the statement even as she said it.
“Precisely,” agreed Haymaker. “Send too many, and it’s an act of aggression against a potential ally. Again, I assure you that my department has thought this through as thoroughly as possible.”
“But…who’s going to take care of Golden Harvest while I'm in Latigo?” asked Carrot Top
“As Knights of Equestria and official emissaries of Princess Luna Equestris, you will each be granted a stipend to cover any expenses incurred by serving your duty to your country. This will include hiring field hands to look after your farm, as well as childcare services for Miss Dinky Doo.”
“Okay...so maybe you have thought of everything,” relented Raindrops reluctantly. “Or, at least mostly everything. But still, why are you sending me? Why not, I don't know, Trixie and Cheerilee? They're a lot better at this diplomacy and spy stuff.”
“Yes, but you have apparently already gained a reputation amongst the Griffons for your strength as well as friendly relations with one already, which we are hoping to capitalize on in our negotiations.”
“You mean Gilda?” asked Raindrops, remembering his last experience with one of the half-eagle, half-lions. “I wouldn't exactly call getting into a fight 'friendly relations'...”
“Then apparently you haven't spent much time with Griffons,” said Haymaker dryly. “And as for Dame Heartstrings, we feel that her talent as a musician, as well her training in court culture and etiquette, may prove useful when interacting with the Griffon clans.”
“Um…but isn’t that kinda what Trixie’s job is supposed to be?” asked Carrot Top sheepishly. “The court stuff, I mean. Her singing is terrible.”
“Hey!”
“True, but Dame Lulamoon doesn’t have the most…flattering reputation amongst the clans,” started Haymaker before turning to the Representative.
“But he smelled like a moldy old rug! How was I supposed to know that they hated water that much!?”
“Well then, what about Cheerilee?” asked Lyra. “I’m sure she knows way more about Griffons than I do.”
“Let me guess,” offered Cheerilee. “Outstanding warrant?”
“Basically,” said Haymaker with a shrug. “We’ve been trying to get it cleaned up quietly, but it takes time to make those things go away discreetly, though an attack by a mad alicorn would definatly be the perfect opportunity for certain documents to go ‘missing’.”
“Meh, works for me,” said Cheerilee as she playfully bumped Lyra on the shoulder. “Looks like this is your rodeo.
“So I was the third choice?” said Lyra sarcastically. “Gee, thanks…”
“You’re not exactly painting the most confident picture here, bub,” said Raindrops, unamused.
“If you're not willing to accept the mission, then we could always send somepony else in your place,” said Haymaker with a shrug. “I heard that Gilda had another friend in Ponyville, a pegasus named Rainbow Dash, I believe? Maybe she'd be more willing to go on such an important, sensitive diplomatic--”
“Really?” said Raindrops flatly. “That trick? Listen, I never said I wouldn't go; I just wanted to make sure that you're not sending us on some poorly planned, idiotic suicide mission. If Equestria needs me and Luna thinks I should go, then I'll go. Just don't try to guilt trip me into it, got it?” Haymaker stared at her for a moment, expressionless behind his golden goggles, then chuckled.
“Element of Honesty indeed,” he said with an approving nod. “Glad to have you on board, Dame Raindrops. And what about you, Dame Heartstrings? Are you willing to participate?”
“As third string?” said Lyra with a smile and a shrug. “Sure, why not? It actually sounds pretty fun. Plus, someone is going to have to watch Raindrop's back.”
“Splendid,” said Haymaker before turning to the other mares. “And I take it the rest of you are up for your role in the plan?”
“Free vacation to Latigo to stay in a viceroy's mansion? Of course we're in!” exclaimed Trixie, and her friends nodded in agreement.
“Yay!” shouted Twilight, jumping up and down and clapping her hooves. “Oh, we're going to have so much fun! I better make sure to find some books on stake-outs and slumber parties. Oh, and some board games!”
“Miss Sparkle, need I remind you that this will be part of your parole?” asked Haymaker firmly, and the lavender unicorn quickly came back to earth.
“Oh, yeah, right, hehe,” she said sheepishly. “But this will still give me a chance to study friendship.” Haymaker glared at her. “Academically, of course. In the name of national security.”
“Right...” said the Shadowbolt, unconvinced. “Anyway, now that you've all been briefed on the basics, you'd best prepare for departure. Dame Heartstrings, Dame Raindrops, be ready to depart tomorrow morning. As for the rest of you, I need you to quickly gather whatever you will need for an extended field duty assignment and meet me at the train station in one hour. Dismissed.”
“Okay, but,” said Lyra as she held up her saddle bags filled with treats. “What did I need to bring snacks for?”
“For the train ride, of course,” said Trixie as she wrapped the bag in a blue aura and carried it with her up the stairs while shouting “Rooooooooadtriiiiiiip!!!!”
“Well,” said Carrot Top with a sigh. “This is going to be...interesting...”
The next morning, Raindrops said good-bye to her parents and brother and headed for the train station. On the way, she ran into Lyra again, this time with saddle bags packed with sundries instead of snacks, and the two greeted each other with wearily waves.
“You look tired,” said Raindrops with as much tact as her mind could muster, and Lyra shrugged.
“Didn't get much sleep last night,” said Lyra with a yawn.
“Me neither,” said Raindrops. “Kept on thinking about this mission...thing.”
“Was less thinking and more Bonbon on my end,” explained Lyra with a wry grin. “She wasn't exactly pleased with the idea of not seeing me for Luna knows how long, so she decided to...well, get some alone time in advanced.”
“Oh,” mouthed Raindrops with a blush as Lyra chuckled, and the two walked together in awkward silence for a few minutes before Raindrops spoke again. “Haymaker wasn't kidding about making sure things here are taken care of while we're gone. Somepony hired enough weather ponies to cover for three of me until next Winter Wrap-up. And not just those freelance scrubs like Trixie tried bringing in for the Longest Night, either; these ponies are actual professionals from Canterlot.”
“Oh, wow,” whistled Lyra. “That must've been fun explaining to everypony else.”
“Yeah, well, I mostly just shrugged and got out of there as fast as I could,” admitted Raindrops as she patted her saddlebags. “Still, if they're throwing around enough bits to cover for us that much, I figured it'd be smarter to pack for a long stay, just in case.”
“Same,” said Lyra. “They even sent somepony to help Bonbon with the store, too.”
“Really?”
“Well, I think so,” said Lyra. “Cause when I got home, there was this stallion named Joe at the store talking about studying candy making under Bonbon for the season. He said that he owned a donut shop in Canterlot and was looking to branch out into other desserts and wanted to learn from the best, but I think he's some sort of secret agent or something.”
“And they say I read too many cheesy novels,” muttered Raindrops under her breath before asking aloud, “What did Bonbon think about it?”
“She was okay with it after I filled her in on what was happening, though she made me promise that I'd come back to her, of course,” said Lyra with a sleepy grin. “Honestly, she could run the store without me easily, but knowing that there's someone there making sure she's okay will make me feel a lot better. Don't want to get too distracted when fighting legions of evil sun-worshippers and griffons, right?” They both shared a laugh as they turned a corner and the train station came into sight, though they saw something else there that made them briefly pause.
“Is that what I...” Raindrops tried to ask before her voice trailed off.
“Yep,” confirmed Raindrops, their eyes both wide in wonder as they stared at the royal sky-coach parked by the train station, a quartet of fully armored Night Guards watching them and waiting patiently.
“But that's...”
“Luna's personal chariot,” said Lyra with mounting excitement. “That only the Princess herself, or her hand-picked representatives are allowed to ride in. Not even the viceroys can use it without asking her permission first. In writing.”
“Pinch me.”
“With what?”
“Dames,” said one of the Night Guards as she walked forwards and bowed. “We have orders to escort you to the Griffon Kingdoms as official envoys of Princess Luna Equestris, and are ready to depart as soon as you're aboard. If you'd please follow me.” The two mares nodded in stunned silence, walking forwards as though in a trace as they gazed at the elegant vehicle.
“This is so cool,” said Raindrops as she stepped inside, taking a seat on one of the plush cushions.
“I know,” said Lyra as she glanced around the cabin as though making measurements. “Hey, do you think that, once this is all over, if we do a good enough job and ask really nicely, Luna would let us borrow this, cause I'm getting the inspiration for this perfect song that—”
“Before we get underway,” interjected the Night Guard as her squadmates strapped themselves into flight harnesses, “Our embassy has prepared a quick brief of information pertinent to the current mission underneath your seats. The trip will take a good portion of the day, so please use that time to go over the materials before we land.”
“Oh, right, gottcha,” said Raindrops, coming back down to earth as she reached under her cushion and drew out a stack of papers that was thicker and heavier than most bricks.
“Um...” said Lyra as she stared dubiously at her own copy. “Do we have to read the whole thing?”
“Yes,” said the Night Guard as she finished lashing herself to the chariot. “Better make yourselves comfortable; we're in for a long flight.”
“Yeah,” grunted Raindrops as she flipped through the first few pages, each packed with enough small writing to turn the pages black with ink. “Tell me about it...”
“I always hated homework...”
* * *
“We’re approaching our destination now,” shouted one of the Night Guards over the rushing wind as the sky chariot started to descend beneath the clouds.
“Horsefeathers,” cursed Raindrops wearily as she flipped another page in the seemingly endless stack of papers. “I’m not even close to halfway through this thing and I can barely remember any of it! I swear, I think some of this isn’t even in Equestrian!”
“Actually, most of it is in Griffon,” explained Lyra with a tired sigh.
“Wow…well, that explains a lot,” said Raindrops with a hint of relief. “So…can you read Griffon?”
“Meh, I know enough to understand that I’ll never be able to speak it,” admitted Lyra with a chuckle. “But I’ve been able to recognize a few stories and songs that I know the translations for, but I really don’t see how that’s going to help us much.”
“Gah,” groaned Raindrops as she leaned her head over the edge of the chariot and stared at the vast expanse of harsh, jagged mountains that were slowly rising up to meet them. “I don’t think I can read another page of that stupid thing. I’m tempted to just jump out and fly the rest of the way myself just to get away from the thing.”
“How bout I see how much sense I can make out of this and just tell you about it later?” offered Lyra.
“Sounds like a plan.”
“Target in sight,” said the lead guard, and the two mares both turned to catch their first glimpse of the Griffon Kingdoms. The view was that of a harsh, cold and vertical landscape, the grey stone faces of mountains flecked with the white of snow and errant clouds dominating the scene. As they drew closer, they could begin to see the facades of buildings pressed flat again the mountainside, as though someone had taken a house and embedded it in the stone. Griffons flew through the frigid air all around them, watching the chariot with intense curiosity while still giving the royal Equestrian vehicle a visible bubble of clear air.
Lyra watched as a group of them, most likely a family judging by the pair of young foals—or hatchlings? Cubs?—flew up to one of the scores of ornate entryways that dotted every face, and hovered just outside the large, heavy slab of wood that covered the entryway. One of the griffons, a large male, barked something in their native tongue, and the large door began to swing downwards, lowered by strong, thick ropes until it rested perpendicular to the cliff’s face. The griffons landed gracefully on the wooden ledge, folding up their wings as they walked into the cavernous hall carved from living stone, the door drawing shut behind them with the squeal of squeaky pulleys before slamming shut with a loud thud.
“Wow,” said Lyra as she took in the scene. “Door and landing pad all in one. Do they have those in Cloudsdale, too?”
“Not really,” said Raindrops. “No point. Clouds don’t make for very sturdy doors. I remember the first time I locked myself in my room in Ponyville, Dad tried to buck down the door and nearly sprained his ankle…”
As they talked, the sky coach swung around to the west, heading for a smaller peak near the outskirts of the range that made up the alpine city. There, the top of the mountain had been shorn off, and a large, wood and stone building in the Equestrian style had been built on top of it, with a small strip of cleared area in front in front of the main entrance. A small group of ponies were gathered outside, presumably waiting for their arrival, and the team of Night Guards brought them in for a gentle landing that signaled the end of their flight.
“Dame Raindrops, Dame Heartstrings,” greeted a stallion wearing a fine suit and a wide smile as the mares disembarked. “I trust you had a pleasant trip.”
“Depends on your definition of pleasant,” said Raindrops with a groan as she stretched her cramped muscles. “The chariot was nice, but I think I would’ve preferred flying at least part of the way.”
“Speak for yourself,” said Lyra with a chuckle as she began to levitate out her bags, only to have two ponies dressed as pages take them from her.
“Please, don’t bother yourself with the luggage,” said the well-dressed stallion. “We have ponies for that.”
“Oh, uh, okay…” said Raindrops as another pair of servants busied themselves with her things. “You sure that’s necessary? I can do it myself, really, no big deal.”
“How refreshingly quaint,” said the stallion with a chuckle. “I had heard that you are used to living well below the standard that Knights of your status would typically enjoy, but while here it is important to keep up your appearance as high-ranking diplomats and representatives of the Princess. So, in the interests of national security, please refrain from acting like commoners during your stay.” He tried to smile at them reassuringly, but was rewarded with one of Raindrop’s mild glares.
“And you are?” asked Raindrops, a trace of irritation in her voice.
“I am Ambassador Quizzing, at your service, Dames,” he said with a sweeping bow. “And may I be the first to say to you both: Welcome to the Griffon Kingdoms.”
“Thank you, Ambassador,” said Lyra, dropping into the mindset she used for formal functions. “I’m sure that it will be a—”
“Quizzing what?” asked Raindrops, who rarely found herself at formal functions.
“It’s…Quizzing,” said the Ambassador, thinly masking his irritation behind a grit-toothed smile. “Just Quizzing.”
“That’s a wei—ow!” grunted Raindrops as Lyra elbowed her barrel. “Um, I mean, that’s a very distinguished name, gentle sir.”
“Please forgive my friend,” said Lyra diplomatically. “It was a rather long trip.”
“Yes, of course, you must both be quite exhausted,” said Quizzing as he motioned towards the embassy. “Please, come in out of the cold, and I’ll have your room prepared for you at once.”
“That is most appreciated,” said Lyra as they followed him towards the large building.
“Let me introduce you to the two members of my staff who I assure you will be most helpful in your mission,” said Quizzing, gesturing at one of his companions, a plump, stuffy-looking mare with a rather thick book as a cutie mark. “First off, Vast Volumes here was the one who prepared your briefing materials for you.”
“You mean that ones that were mostly in Griffon?” asked Raindrops sourly, and Vast Volumes bristled at her.
“That was to preserve their original meaning so as to convey a deeper understanding of the material, Dame,” she explained while adjusting her thin glasses with her hoof.
“Yeah, but not being able to read something kinda cuts back on how much of it I can understand,” said Raindrops flatly. “But I put my guide to easy translations in the back!” Vast Volumes protested. “You could have easily learned how to read the rest if you would’ve just read that first!”
“Then why did you put it in the back?!” asked Raindrops angrily.
“Hey, wait a second, don’t I know you?” asked Lyra curiously.
“If you’d ever spent time in Canterlot academic circles then you most certainly would,” said the scholar proudly. “Why, I used to be one of the head linguistics translator for the Royal Canterlot Library.”
“Did you ever work on a Zebrica spellbook?”
“Um, yes, actually,” she said sheepishly. “Of course, it wasn’t my best work, and may be why I was sent here…but…um…oh,” she muttered, her eyes going wide as recognition finally dawned on her. “Why, hello there miss. I must say, you do look much more fetching and less vicious with a full coat.”
“I bet,” said Lyra with an angry glare, and the linguist started to visibly sweat.
“Yes, well, I, um, have some very important research that I need to attend to. Best of luck on your mission, Dames!” she said while frantically backpedaling out of the room.
“And this,” continued the Ambassador, either completely unfazed or simply ignoring the linguist half-galloping away, “is our head of security, Captain Lightning.”
“Dames,” said the captain with a respectful nod, which the two mares returned. “I think I can take them from here, Quizzing. I’m sure you have some important thing or another to take care of.”
“Quite right,” said Quizzing, flashing a smile. “I leave them in your capable hooves, then, Captain. Dame Heartstrings, Dame Raindrops, I hope that your stay here is pleasant and, once again, welcome to the Griffon Kingdoms.” He bowed deeply once more before excusing himself.
“Incompetent, two-faced moron,” Lightning spat as soon as the diplomat’s hoofbeats had faded.
“Excuse me?” asked Lyra.
“Wouldn’t be surprised if this whole blasted thing was his idea of a way to make himself look important again,” muttered Lightning grumpily.
“But, uh, I thought that the Shadowbolts came up with the plan?” said Raindrops with a hint of worry.
“They did, but I can’t help but believe that some blood-sucking politician fed them woefully inaccurate information in order to get this thing approved,” said Lightning angrily before taking a deep breath to calm himself. “My apologies, Dames. It’s just that I’ve been tasked with guarding two of the ponies most vital to Equestria’s defense in the middle of possibly hostile territory, with nothing but a bunch of dregs who got sent here for either incompetence or, if I’m lucky, blind political stupidity.”
“Well, that makes me feel a whole lot better,” muttered Raindrops.
“Sorry,” said Lightning with a heavy sigh. “I don’t mean to imply that your presence here isn’t needed, or that the mission is impossible. I’m merely trying to convey to you both my own frustration at our lack of support as well as emphasize to you both the necessity of self-reliance that will be required of both of you if this whole business flies right up the sun’s plot.”
“Duly noted,” said Lyra with a sloppy salute that earned a small grimace from Lightning. “We’ll try to keep that in mind while battling our way through hordes of Griffons and cultists.”
“And don’t think that the Princess would leave you on your own, either.” The three turned to see the Night Guard who had lead the chariot team walked towards them, stopping to salute the Captain. “Agent Roundhouse of the Shadowbolts, sir. My team has been assigned to provide extra protection to the Elements during the mission, though it would be best to keep our assistance discrete. If we can convince the Voice of the Sun that the Dames’ security is woefully lax, then we might be able to trick him into making a move that works to our advantage.”
“I’ll take that into consideration, Agent,” said Lighting. “However, I still insist on assigning my best soldier to be their personal escort just in case. Anything less might arouse suspicion from the enemy.”
“Agreed,” said Roundhouse. “I’d like to brief them first, if that’s possible, make sure they understand the mission.”
“Of course. He should be in the barracks now, first floor in the left wing, just ask for the sergeant. And send him up to meet us when you’re done”
“Roger. I’ll leave the Elements in your care for now,” said Roundhouse with another salute, which Lightning returned. “Make sure to listen to the Captain, Dames. He’s got a better head on his shoulders than the rest of the herd in this shack put together.”
“That’s not saying much,” grunted Lightning as the Shadowbolt trotted away. “Well then, Dames, if you’d follow me, I’ll take you to the communications room and show you that arcane doohickey that Night Light’s kid set up. Gotta make sure it’s working properly, otherwise we should all just save Corona the trouble and set our tails on fire ourselves.”
“So…” started Lyra as they followed him down the hall and up a few flights of stairs. “If you don’t mind me asking, sir, how did you get sent here? I mean, I’ve heard what they say about ‘being sent to the Griffon Kingdoms’ back in Canterlot, and what you said about incompetence, but if Agent Roundhouse vouched for you then…”
“We’d just like to know what you did to buck up so badly you wound up here.”
“Raindrops!”
“Perfectly valid question,” said Lightning. “I’m actually relieved that you’d ask that sort of thing. Good habit to have, might save your hides sometime soon. As for how I wound up here…you ever heard of a Duke named Greengrass?”
“We’ve had a few…experiences with him,” said Lyra, remembering all the trouble the stallion had caused her and her friends the previous year.
“Filthy little snake was looking to get some measure passed in Court, but needed to flip a few votes to do it,” explained Lightning humorlessly. “At the time I was serving in a command on the front lines of the Northern border and had the ear of Archduchess Nobility, whose vote he needed in order to win. Long story short, he tricked me like a newborn foal, and the Archduchess had me shipped up here as punishment for making her lose so much face in the Court. Worst part is that I couldn’t find any way to trace anything back to Greengrass directly, so the worm got away with it scot-free. Or at least that’s what I thought, until I heard about the Gala,” he added with a grin. “Good to know that karma comes with teeth, if you know what I mean.”
“More than you know,” said Lyra with a grin of her own. “So, why haven’t you tried to get your original post back now that Luna cracked down on all those Night Court shenanigans?”
“Really?” asked Lightning as he raised an eyebrow at the mare. “Is that how you think things work? Hate to break it to you, Dame, but my career is more dead and buried the Sombra. Luna might have put a halt to anymore ‘shenanigans,’ but she can’t fix every little life that got ruined before she put her hoof down, and, quite frankly, she’s got more important things to do with her time and resources anyways, what with a mad alicorn on the loose and everything. Way I figure it, the best thing I can do for myself and Equestria is to do my best where fate and politics has landed me. Truth be told, I’m rather glad I’m here instead of some witless hack, otherwise you both’d be up a cloud without wings, if you know what I mean.”
“That still doesn’t seem fair,” said Raindrops as they came to a stop in front of a door on the top floor of the embassy.
“Discord rolls the dice, kid, best get used to it,” scoffed Lightning as he opened the door and stepped inside. The room was a small one, with one wall covered in metal and multi-colored wires behind a wide desk covered in weird instruments and thick rolls of paper. The room had one occupant, and mousy looking mare with a pair of castanets as a cutie mark who visibly jumped in surprise as the trio entered the room. “Clicker, status report.”
“Nothing to report, s-s-sir,” stammered the mare as she slipped a bulky set of headphones down to her neck.
“Did Miss Sparkle check in from Latigo yet?”
“Yes, sir, a few hours ago, actually,” confirmed Clicker.
“Then that would be something to report, now wouldn’t it?” growled Lightning, and Clicker cowered.
“Yes, sir. Sorry, sir.”
“Anything else?” asked Lightning again. “Maybe Canterlot told us about a Corona attack, hmm?”
“No, sir, haven’t heard any reports besides the one from Latigo, sir.”
“Good. So, now that I’ve been properly briefed, how about sending a message to Miss Sparkle to test out the teleport beacon to make sure it’s functioning properly. Or is that not important either?”
“No, sir, I mean, yes, sir, that’s very important, I’ll get right on it,” said Clicker panickingly as she started pulling wires in and out of various sockets in the wall and frantically tapping on some of the instruments.
“Don’t you think that was a little harsh?” asked Lyra, which earned her another raised eyebrow from the Captain.
“Not really,” said Lightning. “Private Clicker here, like most of my command, has a severe lack of discipline, and was sent here for tying up a military line for personal conversations.”
“So?” said Raindrops. “That doesn’t mean you have to be a hardplot when you talk to h—”
“Personal conversations that involved rather lewd correspondence,” continued Lightning. “Um, okay, so maybe that’s—” “With a stallion from Zaldia. Who happened to have a fetish that required information on Cavallian troop placement.” “He said he liked military positions, okay!” Clicker shouted in her own defense. “How was I supposed to know it wasn’t a metaphor?”
“Less talking, more clicking!” barked Lightning. “Be that as it may, at least she knows how to use the blasted telegraph machine. The last communications officer they send me almost strangled himself with the cables.”
“I’m suddenly not feeling all that confident about our chances for success,” admitted Lyra with a grimace.
“Hey, come on,” said Raindrops as she nudged her friend in the shoulder. “Something is seriously wrong here if I’ve got a more positive attitude about this than you do. Just look on the bright side: if this is the worst that we’ve got to deal with, then we should still be able to handle this. Have a little faith.”
“Captain,” said a guard, coming to attention as he entered the room. “Reporting for duty, sir! What are my order…Hey, I remember you, sweet flanks. Oaton, right? Your succulent little blue friend wouldn’t be here too, would she? Wouldn’t mind seeing that hot pink marefriend of yours, either. Not much eyecandy up here unless you’ve got a thing for beaks and claws, am I right?”
“Oh Luna why?” said Raindrops, her spirit deflating.
Even though she had been expecting a certain level of wealth and grandeur for the mansion of a Viceroy, Trixie still couldn’t help but admire the many pieces of fine art that dotted the halls of House Starlight as she levitated her suitcase up to her appointed guestroom. After unpacking her own things and making sure that her friends were similarly settled, she decided to treat herself to a self-guided tour of the estate’s collection. She was in the middle of gawking at a particularly well-crafted jeweled diadem from the Crystal Empire when a frantically galloping Twilight Sparkle rounded a corner too quickly and crashed into the other unicorn.
“Ow,” groaned Trixie, rubbing her head as she picked herself up off the floor. “Will you please watch where you’re going, Sparkle?”
“Sorry,” said Twilight in a rapidly apologetic tone. “It’s just that I was in a really big hurry. I set a spell on the house’s telegraph machine to make my bracelet start glowing if it gets a signal, and it just started so I panicked even though they probably just want to do another test on the beacon to make sure it’s ready and I’m really sorry for bumping into you like that…”
“It’s fine…I think,” said Trixie as she tried to digest the blurred sentence. “So you’re going to go test the teleportation beacon, right?”
“Yes,” said Twilight as she started down the hallway again at a much safer pace.
“Mind if I tag along?” asked Trixie.
“Um…I don’t see why not, but it’s not really going to be very interesting. Just a quick jump there, make sure that the foci are still anchored and properly calibrated, that Raindrops and Lyra got there safely, and then jump right back here.”
“True, but if I go with you, then we can make an entrance!” shouted Trixie as she threw up her hooves. “Besides, what’s the worst that could happen?”
* * *
“Wait, so you two know each other?” asked Lyra.
“Unfortunately…” groaned Raindrops.
“Oh, hey, you brought another hot friend,” said the guard as he turned his smile on Lyra. “The name’s Bootheel, beautiful. What’s yours?”
“I’m Lyra, and hate to burst your bubble, killer, but I’m into mares.”
“What a coincidence! So am I! We have so much in common!” said Bootheel happily. “We should get to know each other later, see what else we both love to do, if you know what I mean. Should bring your marefriend along, too, make it a real party.”
“This is your best guard?” asked Raindrops incredulously, and Captain Lightning shrugged.
“Seeing as how he’s one of the few who didn’t get sent here for screwing up their job, then yeah, I’d have to say he is.”
“Um…so what did he do to get sent here, then?” asked Lyra.
“Meh, not much, just hit on a dutchess,” said Bootheel with a grin.
“That’s all?”
“And her daughter,” he added a bit more sheepishly. “And her granddaughter…”
“Wow…” said Raindrops flatly. “Again, this is your best?”
“Welcome to the Griffon Kingdoms,” said Lightning. “He might be a horn dog, but he’s also a good guard dog. He’ll make sure that you’re safe while you’re here, or else I’ll have him gelded. Is that understood, Sergeant?”
“Understood, sir,” said Bootheel with a crisp salute. “Just leave these delicate flowers to my soft, gentle yet firm hooves, and I promise you won’t need to—” He was interrupted by a soft pop, followed by a blast of smoke and fireworks that filled the small room.
“ATTENTION DENIZENS OF THE GRIFFON KINGDOMS!” shouted Trixie at the top of her lungs. “THE GREAT AND POWERFUL TRIXIE HAS ARRIVED!”
“Sorry, Captain,” said Twilight as she waved illusionary smoke away from her face. “She insisted on coming along.”
“That’s quite alright, Miss Sparkle,” said Lightning with a sigh. “Sadly I’ve become far more…accustomed to lax discipline during my time here. Status report?”
“Telegraph communications are functioning properly, teleportation foci are still—”
“I’ll tell you what our status is,” said Bootheel with a feral grin. “We’ve just been elevated from Hotti-con two to four, code luscious blue.”
“Actually, an elevation of threat level would make the number go lower, for instance from two to one, and I’m not sure that that’s a real—”
“YOU!” shrieked Trixie.
“Hey there, sweet flank. How bout teleporting us into my bunk, then we can make some real smoke and fireworks.”
“Um…that’s actually not why we’re here. We’re supposed to be making sure that the beacon is properly—”
“TAKE US BACK, SPARKLE!” shouted Trixie, desperately grabbing Twilight’s shoulders and shaking her.
“Huh? But, wha, Trixie?!” stuttered Twilight. “I still need to finish my report to Captain Lightning.”
“I MEAN NOW, SPARKLE! GET ME OUT OF HERE!”
“Is everything functional for the mission, Miss Sparkle?” asked Lightning.
“Yes, sir, as far as I can tell, but I’d still like to take some measurements and—”
“I’ve got something you can measure,” said Bootheel as he waggled his eyebrows.
“WHY ARE WE STILL HERE?!”
“Don’t worry about it, Miss Sparkle,” said Lightning. “You’re dismissed.”
“Um…okay, then…” said Twilight as her horn started to glow. “See you later, then. And good luck, you two!”
“LESS TALKY MORE FLASHY!”
“Thanks,” said Lyra and Raindrops as the two unicorns disappeared in a purple flash.
“Well,” said Lightning flatly. “Now that we’re done with…whatever that was, I think I’ll look into the rest of the preparations while you both get some rest. Bootheel, if you’d please show the Dames to the guest suites.”
“Roger, Captain,” said Bootheel, saluting with one hoof while holding the door open with another. “Come right this way, ladies, and I’ll escort you to your chambers.”
“Great…” groaned Raindrops as her and Lyra started down the hall, with Bootheel falling into place behind them.
“Um…” said Lyra. “What are you doing?”
“Just admiring the view,” said Bootheel happily. “Your marefriend has a pretty well-toned flank, but you probably already knew that.”
“I am not her marefriend,” said Raindrops as she turned and glared at the soldier.
“And shouldn’t you be in front?” asked Lyra. “So you can, you know, lead us?”
“Oh,” said Bootheel as he trotted in front of them. “Good point. Sides, don’t want to hog all the view for myself, right? Wanna let the mares know what’s on the menu, too, am I right?”
“Think he’ll take a hint if I break one of his legs?” grumbled Raindrops as they followed the guard, who was doing his best to make his hips sway seductively.
“I’d suggest going for the neck instead, but I doubt that’d do anything to his brain functions,” muttered Lyra.
After a few minutes Bootheel came to a stop in front of a door, pulling it open and bowing with a flourish. “My Dames,” he said with what he imagined to be a regal accent. “Your chambers await.”
“Yay,” said Raindrops flatly as she and Lyra trotted in, only to slam the door shut behind them before Bootheel could follow them in.
“Ow…” said Bootheel as he rubbed his sore muzzle.
“You can stand guard out there, stud,” said Lyra cheerily as she turned the lock.
“Um…Lyra?” said Raindrops as she looked around the small room, which was nearly bare save for a small dresser, a lone bed, and their bags, which had been dumped unceremoniously in a pile in the corner. “How are we going to do this? There’s only one bed…”
“Nah, this is fine, plenty of room,” said Lyra. “Long as you don’t try hogging all the covers we should be good, but I warn you, I’m a cuddler.”
“Are you sure that I can’t come in?” asked Bootheel hopefully from behind the door. “I mean, how am I supposed to watch you two from out here?”
“Use your imagination,” suggested Lyra.
* * *
Raindrops awoke to the gentle sound of Lyra snoring next to her and momentarily panicked. Remembering where she was calmed her down at first, but the realization of what her mission entailed filled her with another kind of anxiety altogether. Even worse, her muscles and wings still felt stiff from the previous day of near inactivity. She carefully dragged herself out of bed while doing her best not to wake her still slumbering friend, and found herself drawn towards the door, her body aching for her usual morning routine, but she paused just before opening it at the sound of Bootheel's obnoxiously loud snorts from the hallway outside.
"Great..." Raindrops muttered to herself as she backed away from the door and the stallion behind it, unwilling to deal with his lechery so early in the morning. Instead, she turned towards the window, where the first hints of faint morning light were just starting to illuminate the dour grey skies. As quietly as she could, she lifted the window open and jumped outside, hovering at the embassy's third story only long enough to quickly close the panel behind her.
She lingered for a moment, enjoying the briskly chill morning air lightly scented with snow and stone before flying up into the clouds hovering just ahead, hoping that nopony had seen her or would notice her gone before her return. She emerged a few minutes later underneath an ocean of stars, the burgeoning light of the rising dawn below hidden by a vast sea of wispy grey that stretched as far as her eyes could see. She circled the near-featureless face of the mountain until she found a relatively wide, flat patch of stone on the eastern slope.
Raindrops landed on the small, naturally formed platform, thoroughly checking it for potentially dangerous loose stones and protrusions she could potentially hurt herself by tripping over. Satisfied with her location, she began putting herself through the paces of her usual exercise regimen, but between the limited space and thinner air she decided to switch from laps to stretches earlier than usual, and had almost finished warming up when she noticed that she wasn't alone on the mountaintop.
"Well, well," said a red coated pegasus as he gracefully alighted upon the rock. "This is a pleasant surprise, is it not?" Raindrops just stared at him for a few seconds before she realized that one of her hind legs was currently over her shoulder, and the resulting panicked shuffle ended with her in a heap on her back and her face burning bright red.
"Um..." said Raindrops quickly as she tried to regain her composure and dignity. “I'm, uh, yeah, sorry, is this your rock? I mean, I was just, uh, looking for a place for my morning exercises, but if you need me to leave I'd be more than happy to..."
"Nonsense," said the stallion with a chuckle as he walked a little bit closer before sitting down near the edge of the cliff. "This vista hardly belongs to me, I assure you. I merely came up here hoping to see a second beautiful sight this morning." He gestured at the bright rays of the sun just beginning to rise above the ocean of grey clouds, and Raindrops found herself gazing at the scene as much for the spectacle as to avoid making eye contact with the stranger. "I did not think I'd have the luck to see a third," he added, and suddenly her face felt like it was glowing even brighter than the sunrise.
"Um..." stammer Raindrops eloquently. “Thanks...”
"You are most welcome, my lady," said the stallion, his eyes never leaving the horizon even though Raindrops felt his gazed heavy upon her. They sat in silence for a few minutes as they watched the sun slowly rise above the clouds, turning the dank grey into a silvery mist with its light, but she couldn't help but steal glances of him out of the corner of her eye. His coast was a bright red, with a short, well-groomed orange mane that danced in the mountain breeze. Even though she was only willing to risk the briefest of looks at his flank, she was able to see that his tail was long and sleek, while his cutie make was some swirling pattern of orange and yellow sparks that was too abstract for her to guess the meaning of, especially in her current state of mind.
"So..." said Raindrops after what seemed like an eternity, her wingtips shuffling in nervous agitation. “What brings you to the Griffon Kingdoms?"
"The same thing that brings any pony here," said the stallion, finally turning to look at her with the full force of his smile, and Raindrops couldn't fought to keep her fluttering wings and heart both under control.
"Totally sending things to the Sun?" blurted Raindrops before realizing what was passing through her lips, and she had the momentary urge to jump off the mountain before the stallion chuckled warmly.
"I was going to say 'duty,' but I suppose that the expression fits, in a way. And how about yourself? I must admit that I am quite curious as to what a lady with such stature is doing alone on a mountain at the top of the world...besides her daily calisthenics, of course."
"Um..." muttered Raindrops yet again as she desperately tried to buck her brain into working. “Same reason as you, I guess. I mean, yeah, duty, mostly... though I'm really not sure I can do what they need me to do, or even what they need me to do, because oh Luna I'm rambling..."
"No need to worry," he said with another flash of a smile. "Your words have a certain quality, an air of honestly that permeates your speech, and I believe that I understand the meaning behind them quite clearly. And besides, I should not expect you to be composed after I so rudely interrupted your morning routine. In fact, it has been even more rude of me to continue to detain your from your activities, and for that I apologize," he said as he rose to his hooves and spread his wings, and Raindrops fought violently to keep the thought of how his well-preened feathers caught the light just enough that they seemed to sparkle from dominating her mind. "Good morning, my lady. I shall leave you to your quite solitude." He made as if to take off, and the warm fog clouding Raindrop's mind was replaced with panic.
"Wait!" she shouted abruptly as he was about to leap off into the sunrise.
"Yes, my lady?"
"Um...uh...what's your name?" asked Raindrops, blushing lightly.
"Kindling Wind," he said with a warm smile. "Though, if we ever have the fortune of meeting again, I would be honored if you called me ‘Kindle.’”
"Cool," said Raindrops simply. "I mean, good morning to you, too, Kindle." He shot her one last dazzling smile before jumping into the air, catching the cool morning breeze beneath his wings and diving into the silvery mists. Raindrop’s eyes lingered on the cloudbank, waiting until she was sure Kindle was well out of earshot before falling onto her back and giggling loudly.
“Ohmygoshohmygoshohmygoshohmygosohmygosh…”
* * *
The morning had begun in earnest by the time Raindrops glided back to the Equestrian embassy. She banked low over the landing strip just as the chariot had the day before before touching down near the front gate. She spotted an earth pony guard who was keeping watch and, in an act testament to her good mood, waved at him.
“Good morning,” she said cheerily, only to realize that the guard was, in fact, fast asleep and leaning on his spear to keep him upright. Raindrops’ smile turned into a frown as she glared at the shirking pony with mild displeasure. She then walked up to him until her mouth was right besides his ear and shouted as loudly as she could. “Good morning!”
“Wah?!” the guard spasmed as he abruptly woke up, took one look at the angry pegagus and started to panic. “We’re under attack!” he yelled as he galloped towards the main building while leaving his spear behind, its tip firmly planted in the ground.
“Luna, this place is annoying,” sighed Raindrops as loud shouts began ringing inside the embassy, and a few moments later, Captain Lightning emerged from the building along with four guards who were only wearing half their uniforms. The captain had a look of grim determination as he charged forwards, a sword firmly gripped in his teeth, only to slow to a trot and stare at Raindrops in surprised confusion when he saw her standing there alone.
“What in Luna’s name do you think you’re doing?!” asked Lighting after spitting out his sword.
“Hey, look I was just trying to stay ‘good morning’, and then the guard just kinda…ran off,” explained Raindrops.
“No, I mean how did you get out here in the first place?! Didn’t any of the guards even try to stop you?”
“Um…I actually didn’t see any when I left this morning…”
“Well...you should have...” said Lightning, losing the wind from his sails.
“Yeah, not really the most crack squad you’ve got here, is it?” asked Raindrops as she prodded the wooden pole with a hoof.
“Welcome to the Griffon Kingdoms,” said Bootheeel as he and Lyra emerged from the embassy. “Population: Two amazingly attractive mares, one dashingly handsome sergeant, and a bunch of ponies who barely know their heads from their tails. Gotta love it.”
“Dang it, those lazy...” Lightning muttered angrily to himself.
“Oh, and griffons. Lots of griffons.”
“If you'd excuse me ladies,” grumbled Lighting. “I have a few punishments to dole out that will add about as much military discipline to this outfit as a diamond dog poker game…”
“So…what did he mean by that?” asked Lyra as the Captain stomped away, already shouting at the group of half-dressed guards.
“Meh, doesn’t involve me, mares, or me and mares, so who cares?” said Bootheel with a shrug.
“And don’t think I’ve forgotten about you letting her get out of her room unguarded in the first place!” bellowed Lightning as he turned back towards Bootheel. “Dames, I’m going to have to borrow the sergeant to use as an example.”
“But, Captain,” protested Bootheel weakly. “If I’m with you, then who will watch—”
“They’re back in friendly territory with a whole security force between them and the solartics,” retorted Lightning. “Worst case scenario, the warm bodies will make enough noise and slow them down until we get there. In the meantime, Dames, the Ambassador has requested your presence in the dressing rooms. Second floor, north wing; just follow the smell of hairspray and hot air and you should find him.”
“Well, I guess I’ll catch you ladies later,” said Bootheel. “Maybe tonight we can spend some quality time getting to know each other more—”
“Get to galloping, Sergeant!” barked Lightning, and Bootheel took off after him with one last eyebrow waggle farewell.
“So, where were you, anyways?” asked Lyra curiously, and Raindrops tried her best to suddenly find a random cloud just over her friend’s shoulder very interesting.
“Oh, nothing, just, you know, things,” she said.
“Yeah right, something happened,” said Lyra teasingly. “Let me guess: you met a handsome stallion who swept you off your hooves, and as you watched the sunrise together on a desolate mountaintop, you could almost feel the dawning of a new love in his eye—?”
“What?” gasped Raindrops as she waved a hoof unconvincingly. “No, pfft, that’s, that’s just ridiculous.” Lyra stared at her in blank shock.
“By. Luna’s. Horn. You’re blushing!” gasped Lyra in surprise. “I was just foaling around! Did that really happen? Come on, filly, dish!”
“Well, um…kinda…” said Raindrops, trying to hide her quickly growing blush by staring at the ground and pawing at a rock. “It was like something out of a romance novel. I mean, he even talked like he was in a book…”
“Oh, wow,” said Lyra with a whistle. “Sometimes I forget how into those things you are.”
“What? I…No!” insisted Raindrops frantically.
“Relax,” said Lyra calmingly. “Your guilty little pleasure helped me with Bonbon last Hearts and Hooves Day, remember?”
“Gah,” grunted Raindrops as she turned and started stomping towards the embassy. “Can we just go find the Ambassador?”
“Whatever you say, loverfoal,” said Lyra teasingly.
“I am going to buck you so hard in your sleep tonight,” grumbled Raindrops
“Don’t let Bootheel hear you, might give him ideas.”
“Ah, Dames, just in time,” said Ambassador Quizzing as Raindrops and Lyra stepped into the dressing room. It was a small, nearly cramped place, filled with long racks of suits, dresses and other outfits arranged seemingly at random. A well-groomed yet frazzled-looking mare emerged from one such wall of clothes as though stepping out of a cornfield, two large stacks of cloth and accessories balanced on her back.
“Here,” she said, unceremoniously bucking the bundles towards the two dames. “I have your outfits for tonight all ready to go. Throw them on quick so I can start make-up.”
“I hope that won’t take too long,” frowned Quizzing. “The feast is in an hour, and it would be terribly rude of us to be late at their first appearance.”
“Meh, then they should be good without the make-up,” said the mare with a shrug. “Not like griffons know anything about pony beauty anyways…”
“Wait, what feast?” asked Lyra curiously.
“The leaders of the local clan are holding a large social gathering at just past noon today, a rather extravagant luncheon so to speak, and I felt that it would be the best venue for you both to make your grand entrance onto the local political scene,” explained Quizzing. “And for that I need you both to look the part.”
“And you want me to wear this?” asked Raindrops as she picked what looked like a white bed sheet. “You can’t be serious.”
“Of course not,” said the stylist. “That’s for Dame Heartstrings. Yours is the brown one.” Lyra snatched the white sheet from her friend’s hoof with a grin as Raindrops grimaced at the other outfit.
“But this one is even worse!” she protested, and the stylist shot her a hot glare.
“Look, Miss Dame, I’ve had to deal with more snooty nobles than you can count, which includes that plot-head Blueblood, so if you think I’m going to take any attitude from some hick cloud-kicker just because she’s the bearer of some expensive museum piece, then you’ve got another thing coming. Ambassador Quizzing told me the impression he needed you both to make tonight, and these are, in my professional opinion, which you cannot also have because you are not professionals, are the best outfits we have on hand to achieve that goal.”
“I don’t care about whatever crazy plan you’ve cocked up,” insisted Raindrops. “I’m not wearing this getup in public! I’d look ridiculous!”
* * *
“I look ridiculous…” grumbled Raindrops as she huddled in a corner of the sky chariot, hopefully out of sight of any stray onlookers that they passed.
“So, who is going to be at this feast…luncheon…thing?” asked Lyra curiously while gazing out the window as the mountains slowly rose around them.
“Every important player in our little game,” explained Quizzing with a confident smirk. “The most important being the Chief of the Gilded Wing clan, who are our current hosts, as well as his family, visiting members of the other griffons clans, and hopefully the Voice of the Sun as well.”
“Wait, you mean Corona’s goons are going to be there?” asked Raindrops. “I can’t believe I’m saying this, but shouldn’t we have brought Bootheel, then?”
“Not necessarily,” said Quizzing. “You see, this is a delicate diplomatic event, and, as I’m sure you’re both well aware, the young sergeant is a rather…uncouth stallion. I’d rather not risk certain behaviors of his starting an incident.”
“So then what’s to stop the Voice from causing an ‘incident’ when we show up without a guard?” asked Raindrops before adding, “Not that I’m saying he would have done much to help, but still…”
“I’m sure that a quartet of distinguished Night Guards will be enough to dissuade any attempts at violence from our adversaries,” said Quizzing with a nod to the pegasi pulling the chariot. “And as a bonus, they also lend us an extra air of offciality for the proceedings.”
“I’m…not sure that’s a word,” said Lyra, but Quizzing ignored her as he peered through the misty horizon ahead of them.
“Ah, I do believe we’re almost there,” said the Ambassador with a smile as the coach burst clear of the cloud cover. Raindrops risked a peak out of the window and was surprised to see the valley below them filled with small, green shrubberies growing in the gap between two high mountains like grass through a crack in the sidewalk. A river ran through the stretch of green, its waters alternately crystal clear and frothy white as it ran through rapids. The coach flew in low as it followed the water’s coarse upstream and over a small waterfall.
“Whoa! Those fish are flying!” gasped Lyra as she pointed a hoof at a over a dozen red and silver fish that were leaping up the falling water.
“Actually they’re just spawning,” clarified Quizzing dully. “Those are just salmon. You’ll get to see a lot more of them during dinner.”
They passed two more falls filled with spawning salmon before finally arriving at a large wooden lodge at the head of the valley. Other groups of guests were slowly trickling in from elsewhere in the mountains, and the Night Guards had to circle around twice before a finding a suitably clear patch of grass to land the chariot.
“Here we are, Dames,” said Roundhouse as she and her team uncoupled themselves from the coach. “I hope you’re both ready; this is where the real mission begins.”
“I think I’d feel a lot more ready if we didn’t have to wear this stupid costumes,” grumbled Raindrops as she adjusted her helmet.
“Aww, don’t say that,” said Lyra teasingly. “I think we look the part.”
“Easy for you to say,” said Raindrops as she glared at Lyra’s white toga and golden lauren crown. “This hat makes me look like Iron Will!”
“Actually, those helmets were originally worn by griffons as trophies to show that they had bested a minotaur in battle,” explained Quizzing as he adjusted his suit and tie. “Only the bravest, most powerful of warriors would wear them to show off their skill in battle.”
“What?” balked Raindrops. “You mean I’m wearing some minotaur’s head as a hat? That’s disgusting!”
“Of course not,” said Quizzing. “They’re only imitation. We don’t have the budget for real minotaur horn.”
“Are you sure?” asked Lyra as she peered at the rest of Raindrop’s outfit. “Cause this leather and fur looks pretty real to me…”
“Don’t you dare even joke about that,” said Raindrops with a glower. “Let’s just get in there, get this over with, and head back.”
“As you wish,” said Quizzing with a small bow. “This way, dames.” The group made their way towards the grand building, the ponies drawing looks from the other guests as well as the several guards standing watch. As Quizzing neared the door, two of the armored griffons crossed their halberds in front of the entryway, barring his path.
“Invitation?” demanded one as his partner continued to glare sternly.
“Ah, yes, of course, my good sirs,” said Quizzing as he took a folded piece of paper out of his coat pocket. “Here we go, nice and official.” The griffon snatched it from his hoof with a claw and read it quickly.
“Says only three here,” muttered the guard. “Who’re the other ones?”
“Ah, they would be our official escort,” explained Quizzing as he waved at hoof at the Night Guards. “These Dames are official Knights of Equestria and emissaries of the Princess herself, and as such warrant a particular level of protection, so you see.”
“The Gilded Wing ensures the safety of all of its guests, or do you doubt our honor?” asked the guard as his partner growled menacingly, the feathers on the back of his head standing on end.
“Of course not,” cut in Roundhouse as she stepped forwards. “Your clan has always dealt with us fairly and with the utmost honor. It is some of your…other guests that give us worry.”
“Do you think that we cannot keep a few ponies under control?”
“In my professional opinion? Of course,” said Roundhouse diplomatically. “But my duty requires me to take more than just your word, as I’m sure you understand.” The griffon stared her down for a few moments, sizing her up, before nodding firmly.
“Very well,” he said. “I’ll take you and your squad to our captain so he can assure you of the safety of your charges. As for the rest of you, welcome to the Griffon Kingdoms.”
“You should be safe,” Roundhouse whispered to Raindrops as the griffon guards raised their halberds, allowing them entry into the lodge. “But just in case, be careful. No telling what those solartics might have planned.”
“Gottcha,” said Raindrops as she followed Quizzing and Lyra inside while one of the griffons took the Night Guards around the side of the building. “Well, looks like we’re on our own.”
“I know, isn’t this exciting?” said Lyra as they walked through the short hallway.
“Thrilling,” said Raindrops just before they emerged onto a small balcony had all of her senses assaulted.
The first sensations that hit her were the sounds; shouts and jeers, shrieks and laughter, and the clanging of what must have been a thousand plates and mugs punched her in the ears like some sort of fat, drunken orchestra. The next were the smells, the heavy smoke from the burning braziers that lined the wall mixing with the heady aromas of dozens of types of strange foods, all spiced with a faint tinge of pine and feather dander. Sight was, surprisingly, the last thing to come into focus, her eyes blinking frantically to try and play catch-up as her ears and nose reeled. Even then she was barely able to make out any details, the roiling mass of bodies and tables covered in food and drink all dancing together into one big blur beneath the flickering firelight.
“Wow,” said Lyra, taking it all in, and Raindrops nodded in silent agreement.
“Names?” asked a voice somewhat closer than the rest of the ruckus, and Raindrops tried not to jump when she noticed the well dressed griffon peering down his sharp, hooked beak at her.
“Ah, yes,” said Quizzing, the ambassador completely unphased by their surroundings as he dug another piece of paper out of his jacket. “Here are our introductions. If you would, good sir.”
“But of course,” said the griffon politely as he took the offered parchment, cleared his throat with a loud cough, and began reading in a booming baritone that somehow drowned out the cacophony of the entire room.
“Announcing Dame Lyra Heartstrings, Acclaimed Poet and Bearer of the Element of Loyalty, and her escort Dame Raindrops of Clan Drops, Bearer of the Element of Honestly, Slayer of Dragons, who…” The herald squinted at the card, then glanced skeptically at Quizzing, who nodded with a grin. “Who Personally Bucked Corona in the Face.”
“What?!” Raindrops shouted in a hushed tone. “Are you insane?! Why did you have him say that?”
“To assert our dominance, of course,” said Quizzing proudly. “This is politics, after all.”
“But none of it is true!” she whispered frantically. “I’ve never killed anything, let alone a dragon! And the worst we were able to do was laugh at her, which would’ve gotten us burnt to a crisp if the elements hadn’t saved us!”
“Well, you did buck a dragon, so both statements are sorta half right,” mused Lyra playfully.
“Don’t you dare encourage him!”
“If you would take your seats, please?” asked the herald impatiently, while another group of delegates behind them coughed loudly.
“Oh yes, right, of course,” said Quizzing quickly as he trotted over to the rail-less edge of the balcony. “Um, Dame Heartstrings, I don’t suppose you would know how to teleport short distances, would you?”
“Um…not really,” said Lyra with a curious tilt of her head.
“Ah well, was afraid not,” said Quizzing as he glanced over the edge down to the dining hall below. “Always hate this part…oh well, alleyup!”
“Oh you have got to be kidding me,” groaned Raindrops as the Equestrian Ambassador to the Griffon Kingdoms leapt off the edge of the balcony and landed with a small crash on the table below, sending bits of food and tableware flying into the air.
“Um…could I get a lift?” asked Lyra sheepishly.
“Yeah, that seems a bit sane,” said Raindrops as she grabbed her friend around her barrel and hauled her into the air, her strong wings easily carrying them down to the dining room floor in perfect safety.
“Oh, right, well done, Dames,” said Quizzing as he hobbled over to them, leaving a trail of dripping soup and angry glares behind him as he scrapped bits of cheese from his jacket. “Best to preserve our dignity here, as official emissaries of the Princess.”
“Dignity, right,” said Raindrops flatly.
“So, where are our seats?” asked Lyra excitedly as she glanced around the hall.
“Of course, over here, just follow me,” said Quizzing as he led them on a snaking path through the tables, occasionally stopping to smile and warmly greet a griffon that would return the gesture with silence and a curt nod.
“I don’t think they like him much,” Lyra whispered to her friend as one particularly ornery looking griffon replied to the ambassador with a hurled piece of bread and what was hopefully a butter knife.
“Ya think?”
“Ah, here we are,” said Quizzing at last as they reached an empty table near the back of the hall. “Our official seating.” He gestured for the mares to sit on the long bench facing the rest of the room, while he sat down on the other side and wasted no time removing one of the large silver lids covering the various platters of food adorning the table. A growling in her stomach reminded Raindrops that she had barely eaten at all today as she took her seat, Lyra eagerly plopping down on her haunches next to her.
They quickly uncovered the rest of the meal, revealing different loaves of bread, some baked potatoes, a bowl filled with some sort of dark, black soup, and a long slice of something pink that neither had seen before. Her mouth watering, Raindrops had only just started filling her plate when something heavy landed on the bench next to her and clapped her on the shoulder.
“Dropsy! What’s up? I didn’t know you were in town!”
“Gilda?!” Raindrops nearly shouted in surprised. “What are you doing here?”
“Uh, maybe because I live here, duh,” snarked Gilda.
“Oh…” said Raindrops sheepishly as the griffon started to help herself to the table’s fare.
“Anyways, that was quite the entrance there, Miss Dame,” said Gilda as she filled a bowl of black soup. “I mean, I knew you were tough, but dragon slayer? Alicorn bucker? You must’ve been holding back on me back in Ponyville. Heck, I almost feel insulted.”
“She is also, might I remind you, a Knight and representative of Luna Equestris,” added Quizzing sternly, which earned a few chuckles out of the griffon.
“Well duh she’d be after all that. You ponies may be soft, but you’re not stupid. Should’ve given Dropsy her own province after something as cool as that.”
“Yeah, totally,” said Raindrops with a forced chuckle as she tried to focus on the food. She poked at the strange slab of pink with a knife, and to her surprise a chuck of it easily flaked off. “Um…if you don’t mind me asking, what is this? I’ve never had griffon food before.”
“Oh, that’s my favorite!” said Gilda as she scooped a piece of it into her beak. “Mhmm, salmon.”
“Salmon?” said Raindrops curiously before the bottom fell out of her stomach. “Wait… salmon?!?! You mean those fish we saw in the river on our way here?!”
“Indeed,” said Quizzing as he ate a forkful of the pink fish.
“But that’s meat!”
Gilda laughed at the pegasus’s distress and ate another piece. “Welcome to the Griffon Kingdoms, Dropsy,” she said while licking her talons.
“Um, Raindrops, you do know that griffons eat meat, right?” said Lyra calmly as she slathered jam onto a thick slice of bread. “Didn’t you notice the skewered field mice and roasted stoat at the other tables on the way here?”
“Well…not really,” said Raindrops as she glanced around the room, noticing for the first time the numerous small animals that sat as the centerpieces of most of the tables. “But still, none of that is on our table, so why salmon?”
“Because I happen to enjoy it,” said Quizzing as he took another bite.
“But you’re a pony! We don’t eat meat!”
“We don’t?” said Quizzing, stopping with a forkful of salmon halfway to his mouth before shrugging. “Oh well, when in Roam.”
“But…but…” stuttered Raindrops, but Gilda just rolled her eyes.
“Chill out, Dropsy. You didn’t hear me complaining about ponies eating nothing but cake, flowers and frosting, did you? Just pinion up and enjoy your food while you can,” said Gilda as she tilted the bowl of black soup into her beak, pouring its entire contents down her gullet.
“Gah, fine,” said Raindrops as her stomach rumbled, reminding her that there was a whole plate of non-flesh food in front of her. She took a large bite out of a loaf of bread just as Gilda slammed her empty bowl down on the table and let out a large belch.
“That’s some good stuff,” said the griffon with a grin. “So, I guess you guys are here about Terry’s group, right?”
“Terry?” asked Lyra. “Who’s Terry?”
“Meh, he’s the Chief’s runt of a son,” said Gilda with a shrug. “Third in line to inherit the seat, but was such a scrawny wimp that I bet Gavril would’ve put a diamond dog on the seat first. Or, at least until he started running with those weird sun-lovers, that is.”
“One of the Chief’s son’s joined the solartics?” asked Lyra worriedly.
“Which underscores the urgency of our mission,” added Quizzing, gagging slightly as he tried to swallow a spoonful of soup.
“Wait, ‘was a scrawny wimp?’” said Raindrops curiously. “What do you mean by that?”
“You mean you haven’t heard what Celestia did to—” Gilda was interrupted as loud trumpets blared throughout the hall. “Well, speak of the dragon. Looks like you’ll get to see for yourselves.”
“Announcing The Voice of the Sun, Divine Representative of Queen Celestia of Equestria, and Terrorwing, her Chosen Champion!” Raindrops and Lyra both turned to look at the balcony, and couldn’t help but stare in shock at the creature entering the room. He had the basic shape of a griffon, though larger than even the burly guards that had been stationed outside, and easily a head taller than Gilda. His beak and talons were like golden daggers, and he swept the room with a piercing gaze sharper than any knife, and Lyra felt a slight chill run down her spine as he fixed his eyes on their table.
“That’s Terrorwing?” asked Raindrops, and Gilda nodded.
“Yep, that’s the runt,” said Gilda with a chuckle.
“He looks like Philomena,” gasped Lyra as she stared at his red and golden feathers that danced like living flames.
“Who?”
“Corona’s pet phoenix,” explained Raindrops as Terrorwing turned and nodded to the rest of his party before taking to the air.
“You’re telling me that that…thing used to be a scrawny griffon?” asked Lyra incredulously as she watched each beat of his fiery wings scatter small clouds of cinders into the air. “What in Equestria did Corona do to him?”
“I don’t know,” said Gilda with a shrug as she pointed back to the balcony. “Maybe you should ask him.”
In some ways, the pony that followed Terrorwing was even more disturbing. What could be seen of his coat was a deep red, with plates of golden armor covering his head and back that almost reminded Raindrops of the Cavalian guard. But while Princess Cadence’s troops wore ceremonial manes on their helmets, this stallion’s mane and tail were billowing streams of flames, and his eyes glowed with a blank white light.
“So,” said Raindrops as the pegasus spread his wings and followed Terrorwing across the room, a small entourage of young griffons trailing behind him. “That’s Corona’s flunkie? That’s The Voice of the Sun?”
“Indeed,” said Quizzing direly. “That is our opponent.”
“Wow,” said Lyra with a small whistle. “I knew that anypony that was a solartic was going to be crazy creepy, but I don’t think I was expecting that.”
“But how could anypony—heck, anyone be crazy enough to follow him?” asked Raindrops. To her surprise, Gilda chuckled.
“You saw little Terry, right?” she said with a shrug as the group of solartics landed on a raised platform clear of tables on the other side of the hall. “Besides, wait until you hear this.”
“THE VOICE OF THE SUN DEMANDS YOUR ATTENTION!” Terrorwing roared, his voice reverberating across the hall like an explosion, a deep trembling more felt than heard. A hush began to spread as the red pegasus stepped forwards, his sun-white eyes gazing out across the room with an aloft patience.
“Wait a minute…Oh ho-ho, so he gets to make a speech, eh?” said Quizzing angrily as he stood from his seat. “Well, we’ll see who gets the laugh quip at this luncheon. Mares, if you’d excuse me, I have some feathers to twist” As the ambassador walked off, The Voice cleared his throat, and the room fell into some semblance of silence as he began to speak.
“Esteemed hosts,” said the fiery pegasus, his voice ringing through the hall with a warmth and clarity that surprised Lyra and Raindrops. “I would like to take this moment to thank you for your hospitality. And, in return for your generosity, I would like to share with you a gift. Not the boon of Corona, which we are still eager to bring to any of those among you who wish to add your strength to the cause of restoring our Queen to her throne. No. What I would instead like to give you is something that this gathering of wise souls knows is worth more than any gold or gems: knowledge.
“Long ago,” continued the Voice of the Sun as he swept his warm smile across the audience. “When the first pony cities were forming in ancient Hippopotamia, those first seedlings of civilization faced an issue: with so many ponies all gathered in one place, arguments and quarrels arose near constantly, and they needed a way to settle them so as to restore harmony to their burgeoning society. To do this they chose one pony, one whom the community deemed as wise and sound in judgment, to settle disputes and ensure that laws were created and enforced fairly. They called this position a tyranny, and the appointed pony a tyrant, and they ruled not for their own benefit, but for the good of all.
“But some ponies, the wealthy and the powerful, resented this fairness. To these aristocrats, the very thought of being treated as equals with those who had less chaffed at their pride. And so, using their influence, money and power, they sowed the seeds of misinformation amongst their fellow citizens. They told those who benefited from fair and sound laws that they were being held back by overbearing restraints. And through deceit and subterfuge, they convinced everypony that those who had worked tirelessly for the good of all were an evil that needed to be cast down, subverting the very language itself towards their own ends. Tyrants, who had ruled for the good of all, became oppressors. The aristocrats named themselves nobles, even though they cared only for themselves. And equality became a lie.
“And under this shadow, history marched on. The Wendingo’s Winter, Hearts Warming Eve, the founding of Equestria. And then,” said the Voice as he paused, smiling to himself warmly as though remembering a fond moment from his foalhood. “The Princesses came, and, once more, ponykind had a good and just ruler…until she was taken from us.” His glowing eyes narrowed in hatred, and his voice dropped to a low, dark rumble of barely contained anger that seethed through his billowing mane. “And her sister, the Usurper, took the power of the laws and gave them back to the so-called nobility, to ensure that fairness and equality would be kept from the common citizen like water from a mare dying of thirst.
“This is the gift I give to you: the knowledge that for a thousand years, my kind has known only treachery and lies. That we have been bereft of our rightful ruler, left to wallow in corruption and darkness. What you do with this knowledge is up to you, and I leave it to your honor, and your reason, and your pride as warriors to do the right thing. Help us overthrow the Usurper. Help us restore our true Queen. Help us lift the sun back into its rightful place in the sky, so that not only Equestria, but the world can see the light of a new dawn, and end this false night that has plagued both our nations for far too long.
“Thank you, my good hosts. Enjoy your meal.” He bowed deeply before The Voice and his group left the stage, and made their way to a table far from the other Equestrians.
“Was that true?” asked Raindrops curiously as the murmurs of conversation slowly began to refill the room in the wake of the speech.
“I’m…not sure,” said Lyra uncertainly. “I mean, I’m pretty sure that the stuff about Hippopotamia being one of the first civilizations and inventing the word ‘tryant’ are true, but… well, history can be subjective.”
“So he’s probably just making it all up,” growled Raindrops angrily.
“Could be, but I don’t know enough facts to be able to say for sure,” admitted Lyra. “Cheerilee could probably say some things, but I mostly just know a lot of the old myths and legends, which aren’t necessarily facts.”
“Neither is anything that he says,” added Raindrops.
“Still, the buck has a way with words,” said Gilda. “And there’s more than a few featherbrains who’ll gladly do what he says if it means Celestia will do to them what she did to Terry.” Raindrops was just beginning to say something else when Quizzing ran up to their table and grabbed Lyra’s front leg.
“Okay, Dame Heartstrings, you’re up!” said the Ambassador frantically as he started to tug Lyra away from the table.
“Wait, hold on! Up for what?” she asked as she stumbled out of her seat.
“I arranged to have you give an impromptu performance on stage, hopefully fix some of the damage that Kindle caused with his speech,” explained Quizzing.
“Damage? What damage?” asked Raindrops incredulously. “It was just a speech, how much damage could it have caused?” To her surprise, Quizzing rounded on her, poking a hoof in her chest and glaring daggers at her.
“Political battles are won and lost in the heart and mind, young filly,” said Quizzing sternly. “For all we know, if we don’t respond to this immediately, this could be the deciding point in this whole war. Now, Dame Heartstrings, we have to find you a song and instrument to play it on before his heretical words are seared into the minds of every griffon here.”
“Um, actually I’m good on instruments,” said Lyra as she summoned her lyre in a burst of golden light. “But I’m not sure what song I’m supposed to play to counteract an overly theatrical history lesson…”
“Oh, wow, a lyre,” said Gilda with surprise. “Didn’t know you could play that with hooves. Do you know ‘Between Grass and Cloud’? “
“Not the original, but I think I can do the Equestria cover by Massive Sky,” said Lyra as she stroked a few cords tentatively.
“Do that one, then,” suggested Gilda. “The old windbags should eat it up, and every griffon loves the classics.”
“Alright then, lead the way, Ambassador,” said Lyra as she and Quizzing headed for the now vacant stage.
“That stallion has got to be insane,” muttered Raindrops as soon as the two other ponies were out of earshot. “Just a bunch of empty words and pretty lies couldn’t actually make that much of a difference, right?”
“Don’t look at me; I’m a fighter, not a thinker,” said Gilda as she refilled her plate. “Sides, I spent enough time with ponies to realize just how big of a deal his supposed queen is. Takes a lot of bad stuff to make a whole country so afraid of the sun that they hide in their houses at noon.”
“You have no idea,” said Raindrops.
Across the hall, Quizzing gave Lyra a boost to help her climb onto the stage. “Why don’t they have any stairs?” asked Lyra as she pulled herself onto the platform.
“I ask myself that almost every day,” grunted Quizzing. “Now, break a leg!”
“Right…” sighed Lyra as she stood up on her hind legs, holding her lyre in her front hooves. “Here goes nothing.” She strummed the strings with her hoof, and the noisy chattering of a hundred conversations slowly quieted as the notes danced through the hall.
It took a few moments for the crowd to quiet enough for Raindrops to hear from the back of the hall, but when she did, the calm, soothing melody made her smile. It was, to her ears at least, beautiful. Other ponies might have been able to describe the sound more fully, or compliment an arrangement of chords or Luna knew what else, but that one simple word was all that Raindrops needed. For a moment, she forgot all about where she was, or why she was there. Raindrops took a deep breath and blew it out softly, letting go of that day’s pent up stress as she returned to memories of the early morning that seemed so long ago. She felt the cold stone beneath her hooves as she watched the sun rise and a stallion smile, and she lost herself so completely in the feelings of the music that she didn’t notice the mare who walked up next to her.
“Excuse me, Dame Raindrops of Clan Drops?” said a voice that nearly started Raindrops out of her seat. She turned to see a unicorn the color of soot staring at her with a detached expression as a few more notes of Lyra’s song played through the awkward silence.
“Um…yeah, that’s me,” said Raindrops sheepishly, and the grey mare nodded.
“I have an invitation for you, and for Dame Heartstrings,” she said, her horn glowing as she removed a golden envelope from her saddlebags and placed it on the table in front of Raindrops. “The Voice of the Sun wishes to extend to you both to dine with him tonight under a banner of truce in the name of Equestrian unity.”
“What?” shouted Raindrops, and a few of the griffons a table over turned and shushed her angrily. “Uh…I mean, what? You can’t seriously think we’d fall for that, would you?”
“You have been assured the utmost hospitality while you are his guests,” the unicorn assured her. “He swears by the name of Queen Celestial, Sol Invicta, that no harm will come to you while you are under his roof.”
“Okay…” said Raindrops hesitantly as she picked up the envelope. “But…um…why?”
“Because you both share a common goal: harmony, and a better future for all of Equestria,” explained the ashen mare. “He hopes that you will consider his offer, and that he will see you later this evening, when the glory of the sun has just begun to set. Good day, Dame Raindrops.” She finished with a bow and turned to leave, disappearing amidst the crowd just as Lyra’s piece finished.
As the room filled with applause for her friend’s performance, Raindrops stared down at the golden invitation, sealed with red wax in the shape of a spiraling sun.
“Well now…” mused Captain Lightning as he read the invitation. “You don’t need to be Daring Do to see that this is a trap…”
“Oh, ew, I hate traps,” grimaced Bootheel. “You think you see a pretty little filly and then suddenly—”
“Not now, Sergeant,” barked Lightning.
“Or ever, preferably,” muttered Raindrops.
“Well, I think it’s a marvelous opportunity for some good old-fashioned diplomacy,” said Quizzing with a smile.
“So you want to send them into the dragon’s den?” blurted Lightning. “Do you have any idea what those solartics would do to them?”
“Well, I know what they’ve promised not to do,” said Quizzing as he tapped the invitation. “They have sworn by the name of their mad queen that neither of the Dames will come to harm while in their company.”
“They could swear to Corona, Luna, or Tirek’s left horn for all I care!” shouted Lightning. “They’re solartics! They’re delusional!”
“But it is a consistent delusion, and one based on a sense of misguided righteousness and legitimacy,” explained Quizzing as if he were lecturing a young foal. “And even if they were tempted to break their pledge and take advantage of the situation, it would ruin their image in the eyes of the international community. If they were to show themselves, and by extension their queen, as oathbreakers, then that would be all the evidence we’d need to sway every nation on the continent to our cause, which is, might I remind you, our ultimate goal: a coalition of free nations against the Tyrant Sun.”
“So you would sacrifice two of the Elements of Harmony, the very guardians of Equestria, all in the name of some political rouse that will get blown to ashes by the first solar flare?” asked Lightning angrily. “Over my. Dead. Body.”
“Captain, please,” said Quizzing with a sigh. “If you would just—”
“The safety of the Bearers is my responsibility, Ambassador! I am not going to send them to the sun just so that you can play your little games. I am sick and tired of you sniveling politicians using the lives of good ponies as pawns, and if you think that I’m just going to let you—”
“Actually, I think we should go.” Every head in the room turned to Lyra.
“What?” blurted a shocked Lightning.
“Why?” asked Raindrops.
“Well, that’s…kinda what we’re here for, isn’t it?” said Lyra nonchalantly. “I mean, we’re supposed to try and show everypony that Corona is evil to get them on our side, so… why not start with the ones that are following her first?”
“Aside from the fact that they’ll burn you alive as a sacrifice to their insane queen?” snapped Lightning.
“You know, you keep saying that, but I don’t believe that these ponies are as crazy as you think,” explained Lyra. “Sure, worshipping Corona is a bit nuts, but remember what he said in his speech? About how the Night Court was corrupt and evil?”
“Yeah, so?” asked Raindrops. “Not really news to anypony.”
“Exactly!” exclaimed Lyra. “And it’s something that some of the better members of the court have already started to fix, but they probably just don’t know that yet. But if we went there and told them how the court is doing its best to fix it and get rid of all the corruption and generally bad stuff. Tell them of the new bills they’ve put through, the courtiers who have resigned. Then maybe some of them will see how things really aren’t that bad.”
“Just one problem,” said Lightning. “You’re assuming they’re reasonable.”
“I’m assuming that they’re ponies,” corrected Lyra. “I don’t want to have to fight another pony over something like this, and if anypony can show them the truth and convince them to return to Luna, it’s the Element of Honesty,” she said, grinning at Raindrops. “Right?”
“Splendid!” exclaimed Quizzing. “I’ll make the necessary preparations. Oh, and send up some dresses for the dames, of course.”
“Can we not play dress up this time?” asked Raindrops. “Or can we at least wear something practical. Like, I don’t know, actual armor?”
“Of course not,” huffed Quizzing as he trotted out the door. “A formal occasion such as this demands formal attire. Now I’ll be right back.”
“Besides,” said Bootheel with a sly grin. “I’m all the armor you’ll need, baby.”
“And what makes you think you’re coming with us?” deadpanned Raindrops.
“Because I’m not letting you go in alone,” said Lightning firmly. “You’re taking an escort this time, and not just the Shadowbolts. They can stay outside to cover the perimeter, but Bootheel and I are going in with you.”
“Well… I guess that’ll make things slightly less suicidal, then,” grumbled Raindrops. “So, where is the solartics’ base, anyways?” * * *
Night was coming early to the northern mountains as strong, icy winds shook the chariot like a foal’s toy. Roundhouse and her squad were straining against their harnesses to pull their passengers towards the lowered door that jutted out of the cold, grey mountainside. The pegasi landed on the wooden platform and hurried to pull their load inside as a team of griffons worked a set of pulleys, raising the door behind them and blocking out the frigid night air.
“Alright, everypony, keep your wits about you,” warned Lightning as he warily eyed the team of griffons dressed in red and gold livery.
"I’m just going to say this one more time, for the record, that I think this is an incredibly stupid idea," said Raindrops, trying not to stumble on the hem of her gown as Captain Lightning led the group off the chariot
"What, you mean the dresses?" asked Lyra. "I think we look nice. Could do with being a bit warmer though." She shivered underneath the thin fabric.
“I’m not cold,” commented Raindrops, glancing around the foreboding cliffs above them.
“Yeah, well you’re a pegasus, you’ve got that temperature resistance thing. It’s not something I inherited from mom.”
"I don’t mind sharing body heat if you need it," said Bootheel with a sly grin as he brought up the rear, and Lyra shot him a withering look.
"I didn't mean the dresses," clarified Raindrops as they approached the Gilded Wing clan hall. "I mean just going into the enemy's base by ourselves without anything to protect us but some sense of honor from a bunch of solartics."
"Hey, what about me?" asked Bootheel incredulously. "I can protect you better than any armor, and I'll feel much better against your skin, too."
"We'll just have to trust the ambassador on this," said Lyra. "It's his job to keep us safe, and I'm sure he knows what he's doing."
"If he knew what he was doing, then he wouldn't have been sent to the Griffon Kingdoms," hissed Raindrops as the group moved closer to the watching eyes and ears of the Gilded Wing guards flanking the entryway.
"Hey, I knew exactly what I was doing when I got sent here," said Bootheel.
"And that just makes you the worst of the lot," groused Raindrops as two armored griffons approach them from across the cavernous entrance.
“That must be the welcoming committee,” said Lightning through clenched teeth, barely hiding his distaste. The two towering catbirds came to a halt a few feet away and glared at the visitors for the moment.
“Greetings,” came a voice from somewhere between the two guardians. The party lowered their gaze to see a small grey unicorn mare push her way between her lumbering guards.
“I recognize that mare,” whispered Raindrops. “She’s the one who gave me the invitation.”
“Dame Heartstrings. Dame Raindrops,” said the unicorn with a small bow as the two groups finally met. “It is an honor to meet you both. I am Smoke, assistant to Celestia’s Herald.” She said in a reverential tone of voice, making the position sound like an unbelievable honour. “I would like to formally welcome you to the Equestrian Embassy.”
“You don’t say…” muttered Lightning quietly.
“The Voice of the Sun is overjoyed that you decided to dine with him tonight,” continued Smoke. “And he would once again like to assure you all of your safety during this visit. While we might have our disagreements, we are all fellow Equestrians, and as your hosts we would like to firmly demonstrate our desire for a peaceful meeting tonight.”
Smoke nodded to her guards, who began to unfasten their golden armor and tossed it aside. The four visiting ponies watched in surprise as plates, chainmail and sheathed weapons clanged loudly against the stone floors.
“The gesture is… appreciated,” said Raindrops, gritting her teeth against telling the mare what she actually thought. She eyed the powerful builds and sharp claws of the now naked griffons; they almost looked like they were flexing to show off their muscles. “Though, I hope you don’t mind if we would rather not…”
“Do not worry, we will not ask for you to disarm in kind,” said Smoke. “The blessings of Celestia are enough to give us peace of mind. We merely wished to share this sense of ease with you whilst you stayed in her sanctuary.”
“Alright… thanks, then, I guess…” said Raindrops, and she almost winced when Smoke and her guards bowed again.
“It is our pleasure to spread the Light of the Sun,” said the solartic. “Now, if you would please follow me, I will show you to the dining room.” The dames and their escort followed Smoke and the griffons deeper into the cave, which quickly began to narrow the further away they got from the entrance. Soon the rough, natural walls gave way to hewn stone and wooden struts.
“I can’t tell if this is a mineshaft or a hallway…” murmured Lyra as they passed one of several doors embedded in the rock.
“It’s a bit of both, actually,” explained Smoke politely. “Many of the older holds were originally gemstone mines that were converted into dwellings after they ran dry. They would later prove to be well suited as defensive strongholds, and the practice eventually spread to expanding naturally occurring caves into dwellings as well.”
“Seems like a lot of work just to make a house,” observed Lyra.
“When it comes to the safety of your family and loved ones, no labor is too great,” said one of the griffons firmly. “So sayeth the Voice of the Sun.”
Smoke gave a wide smile as they stopped in front of a finely polished door. “And here we are,” she said as she held the door open and gestured for her guests to enter. “If you’d like to make yourselves comfortable, the Voice of the Sun will be with you momentarily.”
“Thank you,” said Lightning gruffly as he went inside first, quickly scoping out the room. “All clear,” he said as he signaled for the dames to enter, and Lyra and Raindrops hesitantly stepped into grandeur.
The room wouldn’t have looked out of place in a Canterlot mansion, except for the gold. Most of the walls, ceiling and floor had been covered in rich hardwood save for a few sections of living stone which had been carved to look like classical columns. A chandelier hung above a white marble table, the light from its enchanted crystals dancing off the sparkling dinnerware like fireflies. There were enough paintings, sculptures and other grandiose works of art lining the walls and floor that the room could have qualified as a small museum. And nearly everything, from the picture frames to the silverware, was either made of or covered in shining, shimmering gold.
“Wow,” said Raindrops flatly. “Gotta be honest: I was not expecting this in a cave.”
“Yeah,” said Bootheel with a whistle. “Haven’t seen anything this high class since the time somepony bought me a courtesan and—”
“Do us a favor and watch the door, sergeant,” ordered Lightning.
“Aw, but Captain, you didn’t let me tell them about the part where—”
“Quietly,” added Lightning.
With a sigh the soldier slouched away as ordered.
“So… what now?” asked Raindrops as she tried not to touch anything that looked too fragile, which meant almost everything, including the floor’s mirror finish.
The grey mare carefully folded herself into a seat off to one side of the table. She was dwarfed by the splendor around her, almost seeming to fade away from notice compared to the grandeur.
“So we just sit, and we wait,” said Lyra as she plopped her plot down on the far end of the table and started fiddling with a fine silk napkin. With a sign of resignation, Raindrops sat down next to her friend.
“Hopefully we don’t have to wait too long,” said Raindrops. No sooner had she finished speaking that the door opened, and their host calmly stepped into the room.
The red stallion was dressed the same as the last time they had seen him, like a knight from the sun. His armor was comprised of golden plates that made the rest of the room’s gilt leaf look drab and dull in comparison, and both his mane and tail blazed with hot light which caused all of the polished objects around him to shine like mirrors. Even so, Raindrops felt herself drawn to the stallion’s eyes, twin orbs of featureless yellow light as stark and harrowing as Corona’s blinding gaze. As he stepped further into the room, the Voice noticed Raindrops sitting at the far end of the table, and his eyes fixed on her.
“Greetings, fair Raindrops, dame Heartstrings” said the Voice, his mouth curving into a smile as he bowed to the Equestrian delegation. Raindrops’ brow furrowed at the compliment. “I have been waiting to talk to you again all day.”
“Again?” asked Lyra
“Ah, I meant for the first time. I have heard so much about the element bearers it is as if I have met you before.”
The two dames looked back and forth between each other in confusion. “Now then, I imagine you are both rather hungry. Griffin Cuisine can often be rather harsh to the Equestrian palate.” The Voice clapped his hooves together and the door opened as the two griffon guards who had greeted them earlier came in pushing a cart laden with food. As one began placing the meal on the table, the other uncorked a bottle with his talon, filling The Voice’s glass with a deep red wine.
“That’s one way to put it,” said Raindrops as the guards filled the table with plates of food. Real food, she was relieved to see, none of which looked like they had at one point been living, breathing creatures. Still she hesitated, staring at the food with intent mistrust as she tried to avoid meeting their host’s gaze. Lyra, however, held no such reservations as she piled her plate high with breads, fruits and cheeses and began to wolf it down. After a moment Raindrops shrugged, she figured it made no sense to poison them when they were already at their host’s mercy, and started to pick at her food. Only Captain Lightning refused the food, instead choosing to glare at their host. All the while the Voice waited patiently, gently swirling his own drink as he smiled warmly at the two mares and pointedly ignored the other stallion present.
“We appreciate your generosity,” said Lyra diplomatically as she held out her glass and one of the griffons dutifully filled it with wine. “Voice of the Sun. I don’t mean to be rude but is that your real name? I’ve known some ponies with, well, odd names but I don’t know many parents who would call their child that.”
If he was insulted the Voice did not show it, instead he laughed smoothly. “Of course not. It is a title bestowed upon me by my Queen. It is only right that I use it while hosting you in an official capacity. I display my Queen’s full blessing for the same reason.” He gestured at the flaming mane which laid upon his back.
“That isn’t real?” asked Lyra.
“It is real,” corrected Voice, “But it is not the mane I was born with, I would have set fire to far more mane-brushes over the years if that were true,” he smiled. “No, it is a boon granted by the Queen as a reward for my loyalty. Eventually, once we can become friends it would be suitable for you to see me in my normal colours.” He glanced at Raindrops.
“I have to admit, this isn’t what we were expecting,” said Lyra, levitating a bunch of grapes onto her plate.
“Can say that again,” muttered Raindrops as she held a hoof over her own glass, shaking her head at the server, who bowed and retreated with his bottle.
“I don’t often indulge myself like this,” said the Voice with a smile as he sniffed at the wine. “But seeing as how this is an important occasion, I thought it only natural to put our best hoof forwards, don’t you think? This wine and all the food,” he spread his forelegs wide, “are a gift from my Queen. Without her power the grapes would not ripen, nothing would grow. So please, enjoy it to your heart’s content.”
“I shall try,” said Lyra with a coy smile. She glanced over at the grey mare sitting next to their host. It seemed she only had eyes for the flamboyant stallion, her plate was almost untouched. However it seemed the Voice wasn’t paying her the slightest attention. It was easy to forget the mare was there compared to her literally glowing leader. Turning back to the Voice, Lyra swirled the wine under her nose, as she’d seen other ponies do at the formal dinners she’d occasionally attended while at the Princess's school. “Well, it has a nice body and a decent bouquet, but it’s not really enough to impress me if that’s what you were trying to do.” To her surprise, the Voice laughed. “Ha! I daresay, Dame Heartstrings, that I would be quite daft if I attempted to impress you with some simple Two-Bit Buck. No, this is actually the wine that I would bring whenever I’d pay a visit to my… more unfortunate friends. Those without even a roof over their heads.”
“You brought homeless ponies alcohol?” gasped Raindrops as she finally met the Voice’s glowing eyes with a glare. “Why would you enable them like that?”
“Because it was the best way to help them,” said the Voice with a shrug. “I was not the one who had left them at such dire straights; that was the result of the Equestria Luna has created. I only did what I could to provide them succour. Trust me, I tried other approaches at first. But if I tried to give them money, they merely spent it on booze, and when I only brought food, then none of them really opened up to me. But if I brought a bit of wine, I found that I could also get them to eat more of my bread, and they would be far more willing to talk with me and listen to what I had to say. Giving ponies in their situation more alcohol might not have been the best thing to do for them, but it was a small sin that I was willing to commit in order to achieve a greater good, and I assure you that they were all the better for it.”
“And who do you think you are to make that sort of decision for them?” growled Raindrops angrily.
“I made no decision, ultimately they chose for themselves whether to drink or not, just as they choose which princess they would prefer to rule them. As to who I am? Why, I am merely a humble servant, a lowly spark searching for tinder so that it may set free the fires of faith.”
“That is horseapples, and you know it! There were other ways you could have helped them!” she shouted as she slammed a hoof on the table, jostling the golden dinnerware. To her surprise the Voice did not seem angered; he actually smiled, seemingly pleased by her reaction. Smoke on the other hand glared at her and stood, seemingly ready to respond to Raindrops’ outburst before she was stopped by a single gesture from the Voice’s wing.
“Raindrops, please,” said Lyra soothingly as she held her friend’s hoof. “Try to calm down. This isn’t the place for this.” Raindrops shot her a glare, then glanced at the griffons still standing watch in the corner of the room. They hadn’t moved since they had finished serving the table, but she could see that their feathers were slightly rustled as their talons flexed with agitation. Even Lightning was giving her a silent glare with a hint of warning in his eyes.
Raindrops took a deep breath as she started to calm herself. “Sorry,” she said with bad grace as she sat back down in her seat. “I did not mean to spoil such a lovely dinner.”
“Guards,” said the Voice firmly. “If you would leave us, please?”
“Sir?” said one, turning to him with a surprised look.
“I said leave us.”
“But sir, I don’t think that it would be very wise to—”. The Voice cut him off with a glare. “I do not need protection from the mares whom destiny has chosen to safeguard Equestria." The eyes of the guards flickered to Captain Lightning. “Likewise I am sure as honourable a stallion as the good captain would not strike down one he had just shared bread and salt with. Now leave,” he repeated, his voice stern and full of authority, a change from his previous relaxed tone. “Immediately.” The soldier shifted uncomfortably in his seat but did not argue.
After a further moment's hesitation the two Griffin turned as one and stomped with somewhat bad grace towards the door.
“I am detecting a certain level of… hostility in the air,” said the Voice once the five of them were alone. “Tell me, dames, have I given you some discourtesy? Please, tell me what I have done to offend you such and I’ll do whatever I can do to rectify it.”
“You support Corona!” shouted Raindrops, barely constraining herself to her seat. “That’s bad enough!”
“And I could say the same thing about your support for Luna, my good dame knight,” said the Voice without raising his voice. “But that was something about you that I knew before engaging in this conversation, and I dare hope that my loyalties were something that you were aware of as well. Which side of the current struggle we have each found ourselves on should come as no surprise to either of us, and while your current position saddens me, it is not sufficient reason for me to show you any undue animosity. You are merely doing what you believe to be right based upon your own understanding of the situation using your own best judgment, which, seeing as how the Elements chose you as Bearers, I must acknowledge as at least somewhat sound. No, the only grievance I bear against you is that of complacency; of living the life you have had, growing up in the shadow of Luna’s influence, never knowing the true light of the Sun and believing that the Night promises you a brighter future, when it merely promises a cold, dark fate of squalor and corruption. That is where I choose to direct my hostility; not at you, but at Luna.
“Luna has failed to protect her subjects,” insisted the Voice as he swirled his wineglass. “Instead of keeping the monsters at bay, she has granted them titles. I believe in laws. In just laws that protect peaceful, law abiding citizens. But the laws of Equestria are the laws of the Night Court, built for oppression and exploitation, to be abused at their leisure. Their corruption has sunk into the very foundation of our society, and it needs to be purged by flame. Corona will do what is necessary to save us all. After all, Captain,” continued the Voice turning to the other stallion in the room. Lightning flinched at suddenly being addressed, “you know what can happen to those who get caught up in the machinations of the court. A once promising career now sidelined due to some noble’s idea of fun, of a game!”
The captain's face turned dark. “How do you know about that?” he demanded.
“My queen has loyal servants everywhere, even in the halls of the Night Court. Last year she was gracious enough to offer amnesty to any willing to swear loyalty to her. Unfortunately none were willing to face Luna’s displeasure and do so openly, but a not insignificant number pledged to my queen in secret.”
The three loyalist ponies glanced nervously back and forth between themselves.
“You had not heard of that?” asked the Voice with a smile. “I guess Luna decided that keeping the truth from her ponies was in their best interests. When my Queen once again sits on her true throne the corruption in the court will be burnt out and the wrongs done against those loyal to the state will be made right, captain.”
Lyra glanced over towards the soldier and was worried to see a conflicted look on his face. Could he be tempted by the solartic’s offer? What had happened to lead to him being assigned to the Griffin embassy?
“I would rather burn than join you!” Lightning eventually growled through gritted teeth although he didn’t seem able to meet their host’s gaze.
“Peace, Captain,” said the Voice holding out his hooves in a conciliatory gesture, “I sincerely hope it would not come to that. My Queen has need of those loyal to Equestria.”
“But turning to Corona makes as much sense as shoving a foal in an oven to protect her!” shouted Raindrops angrily.
“Tell me, Dame Raindrops, have you ever had to spend a night out on the streets?” asked the Voice coldly. “Alone in an alley, not even a roof over your head, and only the discarded refuse of others to keep you warm? I daresay that spending a few nights trying to sleep in the pouring rain would make you appreciate the warmth and security that my queen can provide.”
“I happen to enjoy the rain,” said Raindrops with a scowl.
“I’m sure you do,” said the Voice with a smile. “There is a certain strength to somepony willing to face up against the elements. Personally, I’ve always preferred a more rarified environment, though I shouldn’t be surprised that others would choose differently if given the choice.”
“See, that’s the key word,” Lyra interjected. “‘Choice.’ And Corona doesn’t allow for that. She just wants everypony to do what she says, and to the sun with anyone who disagrees.”
“An interesting point,” conceded Kindle, running his hoof around his glass. “The alicorns are so much older and wiser than other ponies, in some way they could be considered to be like mothers to us all. I doubt either of you have foals yet, but you might have younger siblings? Cousins maybe?” Raindrops’ face twitched slightly as her thoughts turned to her brother, and the Voice’s eyes fixed on her. “Doesn’t an adult have a responsibility to ensure the safety of a foal? Foals tend to be capricious things, left to their own devices they can find themselves in so much trouble, danger even. So shouldn’t an adult make sure they are guided down the right path, such as by telling them not to run with scissors? Or would you consider that an infringement of the foal’s right to make its own choices? Isn’t it the same for my Queen? She only wants the best for her little ponies, and even though some of her rules may seem harsh, are they not ultimately for the best?”
Raindrops paused for a moment considering Snails when his aura had just started to come in, he had had a tendency to grab things and carry them around even though they were sharp or heavy and might have injured him. Her parents were forced to put their hoof down eventually, but this was different, wasn’t it? They were talking about adult ponies, not foals.
“But by your example,” said Lyra, “Doesn’t Princess Luna have just as much right to tell Equestria what to do? She’s as old as her sister.”
“Almost,” clarified the Voice, “But she has decided to neglect her duty instead, allowing her country, and her court, to run wild. A negligent parent, so to speak. Equestria needs a stronger hoof to lead it. One who would not tolerate corruption within her government.”
“You might not have heard, but the Night Court has been working against corruption for over a year now,” exclaimed Raindrops, “The Princess told them she wouldn’t accept it any more!”
The Voice once again smiled the smile that made Raindrops want to bury her hoof in his muzzle. “Actually, I was aware of that, but ask yourself: why did the Princess choose this time to put through such changes? Equestria has been slowly sinking for decades, longer maybe, why would she choose the very year that my Queen returned to put on a show of cleaning up her court? Could she be scared that her ponies might see her corrupt government for what it actually is, now that they have a choice of rulers again?” For the first time the stallion raised his voice and he stood, holding a hoof aloft. “Equestria is dying a slow death; not the violent, sudden strike of any foreign army, but a death from a thousand cuts from the daggers of its current rulers. The Night Court is bleeding this great nation dry bit by bit, and all that Luna has done, all that she has ever done, is bandage the wound and slow the bleeding, remaining in at best willfully blind ignorance of the true source of the suffering. And that is at best, with far more benefit of the doubt than I should rightfully give an immortal alicorn with thousands of years of wisdom at her disposal.” His blazing eyes swept over the three ponies at the opposite side of the table daring them to speak against him. Next to him Smoke stared up at him, her eyes starry.
Raindrops found her voice first. “It’s not like that,” she said, standing and stamping on the floor. “The court is trying to do what it can! The princess just wants to give them a chance to be better ponies. There are bad apples out there but others are trying to be better!” Maybe she and the other bearers had been partially responsible for forcing the princess’s hoof in dealing with the court but surely she would have acted soon anyway, wouldn’t she?
“I admire your passion even if it is misguided. I have heard of Vicereine Wallflower’s and Duchess Posey’s reformation plan, and although I applaud the sentiment, it is too little, too late. It is mostly designed to let the worse offenders of the court off the hook for their previous wrongdoings while giving them a false veneer of righteousness. Once the true sun rises again there will be a reckoning there...” he was interrupted as a griffin rushed into the room. “I said I was not to be disturbed,” he snapped. The new arrival bowed low before stepping forwards and whispering a message. A look of annoyance passed over the Voice’s face for a moment before he controlled himself again and turned back to his guests. “My apologies ladies, gentlestallion. I am afraid I must call this evening to a premature conclusion. Another matter requires my attention.”
“Nothing serious, I hope?” asked Lyra looking up at the burning stallion.
“No, a small matter with my allies needs smoothing over. I apologize for the interruption and hope that we can continue this meeting at a later date. At least think over what I have said, you know change is needed.” With a bow he turned and marched towards the back exit of the room with Smoke and the Griffin messenger in tow.
“Everything you said was lies!” cried Captain Lightning at the Voice’s retreating form, earning a glare from Smoke, although the soldier’s words seemed weak and lacking sincerity.
“Wow!” exclaimed Lyra, “He wasn’t how I expected him to be.”
“He was a solartic,” grumbled Raindrops.
“Well, yeah, but I expected a bit more ranting and raving, more ‘You will all burn when my mistress rules!’ He actually made a few good points.”
Raindrops grimaced. “We better get out of here, maybe his madness is catching.” She stomped towards the main doors and threw them open to reveal Bootheel chatting with two of the griffon guards.
“So then,” said the sergeant with a proud grin, “I stuck my head out from under the bed and I said, ‘Why don’t you three girls carry on as you were and I’ll join in when I see a hole’.” The other guards burst out in raucous laughter.
“I love this horse!” said one as he patted Bootheel on the back.
“Bootheel,” said Raindrops icily, and the soldier instantly came to attention.
“Yes, ma’am?”
“We’re leaving.” * * *
The journey back to the embassy took place mostly in silence as each member of the party wanted to order their own thoughts. Only Bootheel tried to make conversation and he was quickly shouted down. It was only once they were back in what was officially Equestrian soil that the Ambassador and Haymaker tried to debrief them.
“So how did the meeting go?” asked Quizzing, “Did he make any attempt to attack you?”
“No, and you don’t have to seem so happy about the possibility,” snapped Raindrops.
“Well, it would be the simplest end to this situation, if Corona’s servants attack you then we can summon the rest of your fellow Element bearers and take actions against them.”
“The Voice of the Sun, or whatever his real name is, seemed too level headed for that. Not what I’d expect from a cultist,” said Lyra.
“Well I guess it takes all sorts, everypony must have their own reasons for joining the Solatics. Some might be truly insane, others bribed, some have nothing to lose, even more may think that they will come out on top in the event of a war between the alicorns.”
Lyra nodded. “I guess so. He wined and dined us and we didn’t even have to put out afterwards.” She grinned, although none of the others around the table seemed amused.
“He even boasted of the good he’d done for Equestria, that he’d helped homeless ponies,” said Raindrops. Haymaker’s eye’s narrowed. “Did he mention what city that was? Or anything else about it? We might be able to track down what his real identity is.”
“Know your enemy and all that,” said Quizzing with a nod.
“I don’t think he was specific. He just said he’d helped them by getting them booze,” said Lyra.
“Well I’ll get Clicker to send what we’ve got back home, maybe they’ll figure something out. Was there anything else?”
“He mostly talked about the Night Court being corrupt and Luna not doing enough about it.”
“Made a lot of sense to me,” grumbled Captain Lightning. “Not that I’d have anything to do with the Tyrant Sun, but he made some good points about the court being self serving. Even the faction trying to turn things around are only doing it to save their own necks,” he growled. “They should all be cleared away, every one of them!” He slammed a heavy hoof into the table.
“Captain!” exclaimed Quizzing.
“Sorry,” he grumbled. “It’s been a long day.” He rubbed a hoof at his head.
“Understandable, and you are not the only member of this diplomatic mission to have suffered due to the machinations of the night court,” said the ambassador pointedly. “Anyway, was there anything else?”
“He said that there were traitors in the Night Court passing information to Corona, said she made some sort of offer to them when the court was opened,” said Lyra. “I don’t know if I believe him though.”
“Ah, well that at least is true,” said Quizzing. The other ponies around the table- except for Haymaker - gaped at him. “I wasn’t there in person you understand, but other members of the diplomatic corps were and I heard about it through the grapevine.”
“There was a decision made to keep things quiet,” explained Haymaker, “so as not to spread panic. Corona sent a message via some sort of illusion.”
“As I was told it she was booed off the stage as it were,” said Quizzing, “and the Princess dispelled the image after a short while.”
“Something like that, although she did make an offer to the courtiers to join her.”
“Why wasn’t I aware of this?” demanded Lightning.
“Need to know, your superiors didn’t feel you needed to.” Lyra and Raindrops shared a look, they hadn’t been aware of Corona’s actions either.
“I think this Voice pony was probably lying,” said Quizzing, “there’s been no evidence that any of the court have turned to Corona.”
“Actually, that’s not entirely true,” said Haymaker. “The baronetess of Oatlick has been arrested for selling weapons to suspected Corona cultists. I doubt the veracity of the allegations but they have been made.” He looked up at the astonished faces of those around him.
“I hadn’t heard of that!” exclaimed Lightning.
“The investigations are still ongoing. Despite my organization's best efforts there’s been no real evidence anypony else has signed on with the tyrant sun. Even if somepony did I doubt it would be anypony but the most junior members of court. Still it will be useful to pass on what was said, he didn’t happen to let slip any of the traitors’ identities did he?” All the other ponies shook their heads.
“He got cut off a bit early,” said Lyra. “Something apparently came up. I think it was something to do with the Griffins.”
“Well now, that is interesting. Any friction between the Griffins and Corona’s people makes our mission easier. I’ve not heard of anything myself but I’ll put out a few feelers, see if I can figure out what happened,” said Quizzing.
A wide yawn split Lyra’s face. “Sorry,” she said.
“Of course it has been a long day for all of us, maybe we should call it a night?” suggested Quizzing. “We can meet up again tomorrow and it’ll give me some time to see if I can find anything else about the alliance with the Griffins.” Raindrops grunted a positive response and Lyra nodded. Lightning stood from the table. “I’ll check on embassy security before I turn in, most of the guard will just stand around unless I give them a kick in the plot.”
“I’ll check with my ponies as well,” agreed Haymaker.
“Good, so until tomorrow then,” said Quizzing with a short bow to the dames.
“I am so beat!” exclaimed Lyra as she and Raindrops entered their room. Raindrops nodded her agreement as she made her way to the bed. She just wanted to slump into it and drift away into oblivion for a few hours. “I still think it’s a stupid idea that we came here in the first place. We’re just setting ourselves up for trouble.”
“Well it would be nice if we could catch Corona or some of her minions, but I agree that I don’t really see how that’s going to work right now.” The unicorn lit her horn and started to strip out of her dress, folding the long gown up and placing it next to the bed--presumably they’d have to return their costumes sooner or later. “I guess if we’re annoying enough we might make them do something rash eventually.”
Raindrops shook her head again. “The Voice is crazy but he doesn’t seem that kind of crazy. I don’t think he’s going to just attack us in the street, and I don’t think Corona herself is going to pop up and paint a target on her huge white flanks.”
“Maybe not them, but maybe that Griffin, Terry something wasn’t it?”
“Terror Wing. Maybe, but do we really need a sun-blinded giant griffin on our tails?”
“No, but I think you might be underestimating how annoying I can be,” said Lyra with a smile. “Bon Bon’s parents were certainly ready to do me damage after I spent three days playing at her window after we broke up that time.” She picked up her lyre and began to play. “I’m Clover the Clever I am, I am,” she sang out badly out of tune, “I’m, ooof!.” She was interrupted as a pillow thrown by Raindrops impacted on her barrel flipping her over onto the bed. She picked herself up with a grin. “Of course, you know this means war!” The pillows on the bed were encased in a golden shimmering aura as they threw themselves across the room towards Raindrops who dodged aside with a squeal. The following pillow fight was short but intense and ended with the two exhausted combatants leaning against the bed, panting.
“You know, I think Bootheel would have paid to see us do that!” exclaimed Lyra with a sigh, picking up the sadly defeathered remains of her pillow.
“You’re probably right,” said Raindrops with a scowl. “Slimy creep! That reminds me: I should probably check our room for spy holes. The bathroom too.”
“You really think he’d do something like that?” asked Lyra looking around the room warily.
“I wouldn’t put it past him,” said Raindrops with a sigh as she picked herself up. “What are we doing here? Shouldn’t we be at home with our families rather than all the way out here surrounded by Griffins, hunting down solartics and ‘protected’ by a halfwit pervert?”
Lyra shrugged. “It comes with being knights of the realm I guess. It certainly makes our lives interesting.”
“Interesting? I don’t know, I kind of like boring. I had my life planned out. Work weather for a few years, maybe go to college and get a weather management position. Get swept off my hooves by my special somepony, settle down, have foals, grow old together, things like that.” She smiled wistfully. “But savior of Equestria? Knight of the realm? If you’d told me that a few years ago I wouldn’t have believed you. It’s heavy, you know. Really heavy.” She slumped down in front of the bed.
Lyra hopped over and leaned against her friend. “You’re the strongest pony I know, if anyone can deal with heavy then it’s you. I know things might seem all up in the air at the moment, but we’re being looked after by Shadowbolts, right? And our friends and even the princess herself are only a call away. You’ll look back at this when you’re old. When you're sitting with your special somepony surrounded by your foals and you’ll tell them these were the fun times.”
“Thanks Lyra,” said Raindrops with a weak smile.
“Come on, let's get some sleep. Things will look better in the morning.”
“I guess you’re right,” said Raindrops craning her neck around to start working on the catches on the back of her dress. It was alright for unicorns but it was a major pain for other tribes to get the things on and off. She was about to ask Lyra for a hoof when suddenly there came a knocking from the window which startled her. She spun around but Lyra was already there, staring out into the night beyond.
“Raindrops,” she asked in a puzzled tone of voice, “Did you order a stallion?”
“What?” asked Raindrops. Then Lyra moved aside to reveal, through the rather dirty window, the red coated stallion that she’d seen that morning--although now it seemed more like weeks ago. She blinked; her throat suddenly seemed very dry and her cheeks seemed to be burning. “What’s he...”
“Do you know him?” asked Lyra. “Wait a minute! Is that the guy you mentioned this morning? Your mysterious lovercolt?” She waggled her eyebrows suggestively.
“Stop it,” muttered Raindrops, her cheeks burning even brighter. She tried to pull the dress she had been taking off back over herself again; it was suddenly very important she look her best. “What do we do?” she whispered.
“Well we could ask him in? Or at least find out what he wants? If you don’t want to talk to him I could get rid of him, or get the guards, or something?”
“No, no! How do I look?” asked Raindrops running a hoof through her mane.
“Wow, you really do have a thing for him don’t you?” Lyra grinned, “Sometimes I forget how young you are.”
“You’re only a few years older than me,” grumbled Raindrops smoothing down her dress and picking off one of the feathers left by the death of her pillow.
“You know what they say: it’s not the years, it's the mileage. And I’ve been around the block a few more times than you.” She reached towards the latch to the window.
Raindrops was suddenly struck by a terror deep in her belly and at the same time a wave of excitement. “No don’t!” she cried instinctively. Then she got a grip on herself. “No, go on!”
With another smile Lyra flipped the catch on the window and cautiously opened it, revealing the figure of the pegasus on the other side. He was just as well groomed and handsome as Raindrops remembered from the morning. Lyra’s eyes narrowed for a moment as the stallion was revealed but then she shrugged and smiled sweetly. “Hello,” she said, “What brings you here to our window?”
“Lady Heartstrings!” said the visitor in surprise, “I wasn’t expecting to see you here.”
“Oh you know us element bearers, we share everything, including beds.” She cocked her head. “You know me?”
“Only by reputation and image, you and the rest of the bearers are heroes of Equestria.”
“Are you sure we haven't met before?”
“I do not think so, I am sure I would remember you my lady.”
“You sound sort of familiar...”
He cleared his throat. “I was hoping to speak with the Lady Raindrops.”
“Of course you were. You know most visitors would use the door rather than the window, and would choose more sociable hours.”
“My apologies but I thought this entrance would be more... appropriate for my task. I had meant to come earlier but an issue arose with the locals which meant I had to calm some ruffled fathers, literally.”
“You’re very theatrical,” noted Lyra, “I like that, and I think Raindrops does too. Just a moment.” She trotted away from the window and towards where Raindrops stood frozen in place.
“He wants to talk to you,” she said.
“What do I say?” asked Raindrops.
“Well, do you want to talk to him or not?”
“Of course I do!” she said desperately, “I think... I don’t know.”
“Raindrops, if you never try then you’re never going to know what might happen.”
“But what do I say to him?!” she whispered, glancing around Lyra towards the window.
“You could ask him what he wants. Who is he anyway?”
Raindrops shuffled her hooves. “I think he works in the Embassy somewhere.” Her eyes flicked away from the window where the stallion was waiting patiently and locked on to Lyra’s. “What does he want with me anyway?”
“Your autograph? He seems like a fan of the Element bearers?” Lyra rolled her eyes. “What does any stallion want of a pretty mare, you silly filly?” she teased.
“You really think, he... with me... now?” she squeaked.
“Well I don’t expect him to bend you over the bed right this instant, but I think he’d like to get to know you.”
Reality tried to reassert itself over Raindrops as the heat in her cheeks flared again. “But now, here, in the middle of a mission to Griffin Territory?” She liked Kindle, from the little she’d seen of him, but there was a time and a place for things like this and now was really not it. Although it reminded her of some of her books, where a stallion and a mare met in a stressful dangerous situation and passion flared. But surely real life wasn’t like that... was it?
“These things aren't exactly planned,” said Lyra with a shrug. “Come on, at least talk to him.” She turned back towards the window and pulled an unresisting Raindrops behind her. “Here she is!” she exclaimed. Raindrops awkwardly raised a hoof and waved at the stallion as he hovered only a few feet away.
“Lady Raindrops,” he said giving a bow. “May I come in?”
For a horrible moment Raindrops thought she’d forgotten how to talk. “Of course,” she managed at last.
“Thank you,” said the stallion agiley twisting his way through the open window and into the room. He glanced around for a moment before fixing his gaze on Raindrops. “Lady Raindrops. I was hoping to meet with you again. I would like to talk.”
“About what?” Raindrops managed after a moment. Then she mentally kicked herself; that had sounded almost accusing.
“I enjoyed your company this morning, as brief as it was. I hope it is not too forward of me but I would like to get to know you a little better.” The way he said it seemed less like a possibility and more like a certainty--his voice dripped with confidence. Under some circumstances Raindrops might have found that annoying but at the moment it seemed very, very attractive.
“That sounds nice um, Kindle, wasn’t it,” she said, trying to take some control over the situation and herself.
“Yes, Lady Raindrops,” he replied with a deep bow, his long silky wings spread wide.
“Just Raindrops will do,” she said, blushing again.
“Yes, my Lad... I mean Raindrops,” he corrected.
“Where should we talk?” she asked glancing over to Lyra who had planted herself on the bed and was grinning at the awkward conversation.
“Maybe we could return to the place we met at? Even at night the view is magnificent.”
“That sounds nice,” said Raindrops with a smile.
Kindle bowed again and gestured towards the window. “This might be easier to use than the main entrance at this hour.”
“Now hold on a minute young stallion,” interjected Lyra from the bed. “I expect you to treat my... my Raindrops with the utmost respect, no funny business,” she said with mock severity, “And I want her back by no later than ten, my lad.” She waved a warning hoof.
“I believe dame Heartstrings, that it is already past ten. Unless you mean ten in the morning.” He smiled. “And I am older than you.”
“Don’t you sass me, colt,” cried Lyra with a grin then hopped off the bed towards Kindle. “Sorry, I’ve always wanted to play the part of the disapproving parent. Plus,” she continued more quietly, “If you’re older than me then you’re much older than her. I don’t want to see her hurt, remember Princess Luna herself owes us. Put a hoof out of place and you might end up being sent to the sun!”
“Of course, dame,” said Kindle, not looking all that intimidated. “But are you not worried to leave her alone with me? We are in Griffin territory.”
“The embassy has guards and I trust Raindrops to look after herself. If you do anything with your hooves she doesn’t approve of she could snap them off, as well as anything else she felt like,” she said with a sweet smile.
“Lyra,” hissed Raindrops, still glowing red. “He just wants to talk. I’m sure we won’t be all that long.”
“Maybe, maybe not,” said Lyra returning to the bed. “Just have a good time.” Kindle stepped aside from the window and gestured for Raindrops to make her way through it first. “Watch where you’re looking,” teased Lyra as the stallion followed Raindrops. “Don’t do anything I wouldn’t!” she added after their retreating forms before settling down into the bed to await their return.
* * *
“I’m sorry about Lyra, she has something of an odd sense of humour,” explained Raindrops as the two pegasi settled down on the outcrop of rock she had been exercising on less than a day ago. As much as Raindrops had been embarrassed by her friend’s presence she suddenly found she really wanted her around. Lyra would know what to say in this situation.
“It is understandable that she would be worried for your safety, she does not know me and my intentions might not be entirely honorable,” Kindle said, staring into Raindrops’ eyes in a way which made chills race up and down her back. Being dishonorable didn’t seem all that bad a thing right now. She couldn’t believe that she was in this situation, alone with a handsome stallion who actually seemed to be interested in her. Of course he didn’t know her yet. Once he found out about her past, about her temper, then he’d be gone, a dark part of her mind whispered. She broke Kindle’s gaze and looked up into the skies. The moon hovered there almost entirely full, its gaze partially blocked by layers of glittering clouds. The weather worker in her complained about the disorganisation of the scene, but she had to admit it was beautiful.
“Glorious is it not?” asked Kindle reading Raindrops’ mind. “Although I prefer the day to the night, I can’t fault the beauty of the night sky. However, I do find that beauty somewhat cold compared to the glory of a summer's day.”
The two of them sat together for a moment looking up at the sky separated by only a hoof or two of open space. After a moment Raindrops found herself starting to lean towards the stallion next to her. She was surprised at how warmth seemed to radiate off of him. Reluctantly Raindrop straightened up again. “You wanted to talk?” she asked.
“Yes, since our last meeting. You were not quite what I was expecting.”
“How?” she asked with a scowl. Here it was, he wouldn’t like how angry she could be or that she wasn’t a pretty mare like Lyra, or something.
“Well, I have heard the stories that you attacked a dragon and defied the sun herself. I must admit I expected a battered veteran of the guard or similar.”
Raindrops scowled and hugged her wings around herself. “That’s me alright, the angry one, the brawler!” she said bitterly. “Cheerilee is the smart one, Ditzy’s the nice one, Lyra’s the talented one, Carrot’s the cute one and Trixie’s, well she’s Trixie, and I’m the angry one, the one no one wants anything to go with.”
“I wouldn’t say that,” said Kindle with a grin, “I’d say you were the brave one, or the strong one, or the beautiful one.”
Raindrops turned back towards the stallion, her heart beating a little harder. “You... you’re laying it on a bit thick don’t you think,” she said trying to stop herself from squealing.
“I am sorry if I spoke out of line, but I speak the truth when it is self evident. You fought a dragon to protect your friends, you did what you thought was right to protect Equestria. That is not anger, that is bravery, and you had the strength of body, mind and purpose to carry out those acts. As for beauty, well... I would compare you favorably to this view.” He trailed off, gazing into her eyes.
“Yeah, well,” she replied, her voice a little breathy, “It’s quite a nice dress the embassy managed to find.” She played with the hem of the garment.
“Indeed, although I was not talking about your clothes. It is certainly better than the one you wore to the Griffin court. As a species they do respect strength, maybe rather too much, and that outfit did make you look rather impressive. But your physical strength is only one part of your character, not the whole.” He leaned towards her, reducing still further the distance between them and making Raindrops feel light headed.
“Yeah, I was horny,” she admitted, then flushed, “I mean I had horns, my hat, my hat had horns, it was horny, not me!” She buried her head in her hooves in embarrassment.
Kindle laughed at her distress. “Indeed, your hat did have horns and it did not suit you. I prefer your mane to be unfettered by anything covering it, horny or not.”
“So, what about yourself Kindle, you seem to know about me. Who are you?” she stammered.
“Me?” his brow furrowed for a moment as if deciding what to say. “Oh, my life has been far less eventful than your own, my lady. I am but a humble cog in the Equestrian government. My talents can be important in some ways,” he waggled a hoof in the air, “I can be a rather skilled persuader when I want to.” Raindrops certainly agreed, she’d known him for less than an hour and already she felt captivated. He was like a figure from her books come to life in front of her, larger than life and even more handsome, and unbelievably he seemed to like her. It felt unreal. “But we all need to do our part for the betterment of all Equestria,” he continued.
“I’m sure you’re much more important that I am,” said Raindrop, “I just push around clouds for a living. I got lucky that I happened to be chosen by the Element of Honesty. If that hadn’t happened I wouldn’t even be a note in the history books.”
“But,” he stood and turned towards her, “You were chosen by the Elements! That is your destiny. You have been chosen for some reason, everything has a reason, a purpose!” He began to pace backwards and forwards on the small ledge as Raindrops watched him, eyes wide. “I have always felt that I had a destiny as well! That someday all my effort and sacrifices would be rewarded and now with the great changes which have occurred I have reached my current position. The invisible currents of the universe brought me here to you!” He cried reaching up into the sky. He turned back to Raindrops who sat there mouth open in astonishment. “My apologies my lady,” he said quickly. “I was an actor before I came to my current position, I can sometimes get rather,” he coughed, “dramatic. Please forgive my outburst.” He sat down again a short distance from Raindrops. She shied back for a moment--his outburst had shocked her a little--but he still seemed so focused, so intent, so passionate that she found herself drawn to him again. “As I said my life is not all that important or interesting. Maybe you could tell me more about your home? Your family?”
“There’s not that much to say really,” said Raindrops. “I live in Ponyville with my mother, father and brother. It's a bit of a squeeze for the four of us, but we manage.”
“Surely Princess Luna supplied you with a sizable stipend when she knighted you?” said Kindle with a frown. “It would only be right that you would be rewarded for your efforts?”
“Yeah, well it didn’t work out quite like that. Being a knight doesn’t pay all that well, though at least the princess is making sure our jobs get covered while we’re out here. There was a reward for beating Corona but it wasn’t all that much. I tried to give it to mom, maybe help us move somewhere a little bigger, but she made me put it into a college fund,” explained Raindrops.
“A very wise mare your mother. I hope to meet her one day,” Kindle said with a smile which made Raindrops blush a little. “But that seems a paltry reward for risking the wrath of the sun, you were lucky she showed the mercy not to destroy you on sight.”
“Yeah well it didn’t seem much like mercy at the time, but I guess you might be right, it doesn’t seem like we got all that much for the danger we were put in.” She scowled.
“My apologies for souring your mood, my lady,” he reached over and took her hoof in his own while staring into her eyes. “I am sure that Luna understands your true worth. However, let us talk of happier topics. It sounds like you are close to your family, both physically and emotionally.”
“Yeah, I don’t know what I’d do without them really. Sure my little brother Snails can be annoying sometimes and his pets get everywhere, but I wouldn’t give him up for anything. I just love the big happy smile he gets on his face when he finds a new creature, and he can go on for hours about how they live and what they do.” She smiled at the recollection.
“I am an only child myself,” said Kindle, “my parents were attentive enough I suppose, but they worked long hours. I was left to entertain myself, to look for ways to fill my life. I used to read for hours and act out the scenes from the books. Without leaving my own house I must have visited every one of the thousand isles, traveled to the distant past as well as other lands. Then as soon as I could I took my talents to the stage. Of course I was terrible at first, I remember my first visit to the theatre...” he held out a hoof as if to set the stage and Raindrops felt a wing gently creep around her shoulders. For a moment she tensed and felt the limb stop its journey, but then she relaxed into his grasp and allowed herself to be engulfed. She might have been a little taller than most mares and he of about average height for a stallion, but she found her head fitted very neatly onto his neck. She tentatively sniffed-- his coat smelt of jasmine and masculinity--before she returned her attention to his tale.
* * *
“...and there was Trixie, all four hooves tied together hanging upside down from the chandelier with, of all things, a block of cheese stuck on her horn! The look on her face when she saw us! Then she had the nerve to tell us it was all just part of a trick and if we’d just give her another minute she’d have managed to get herself untied!” said Raindrops with a giggle. She closed her eyes and luxuriated at the feeling of Kindle’s chest vibrating as he chuckled at the story. It was surprisingly hard to open them again; it must have been later than she thought. Her sleepy eyes flicked towards the east where to her surprise she could make out a sliver of light starting to make its way above the horizon. “It’s morning?” she gasped.
“Already?” gasped Kindle. “Surely not?” He thrust a hoof to his cheek. “Wilt thou be gone?” he proclaimed grandly, “It is not yet near day. It was the nightingale, and not the lark, that pierced the fearful hollow of thine ear; Nightly she sings on yon pomegranate-tree: Believe me, love, it was the nightingale.”
“Huh?” said Raindrop confused by the strange outburst.
“It is from Rhomeo and Fillyet. The two lovers have spent their only night together but he must leave come the morning or face death at the hooves of her vengeful family. But they cannot bear to part so they pretend that it is not yet morning.” He shrugged. “Sadly we cannot claim the same ignorance. That is clearly the sun in all of its glory heralding a new day for Equestria and all other lands.” He gestured towards the rising, burning orb, dislodging Raindrops from her resting place as he did.
“Did we really spend all night talking?” she murmured.
“Yes, do you regret it?” he turned back to her.
“No, no of course not! But Lyra must be worried sick! I’m surprised she didn’t send guards out after us.” Kindle tensed for a moment and glanced around. “I hope she did not take our absence to mean anything untoward had occurred between us.”
“Well probably,” said Raindrops glancing down and doodling with her hoof. She couldn’t help but imagine what something untoward might have felt like.
“I, I am afraid I must go,” said Kindle turning to face Raindrops so that he was haloed by the rising sun. “I have duties to perform, I didn’t mean to be away this long. But I would like to meet you again, maybe for a meal?”
“A meal? You mean...” she paused for a moment, her heart leaping in her chest, “like a date?” she held her breath waiting for his reply.
“Why yes, very much like a date. In fact exactly like one,” he said with a smile.
“I’ve never... nopony has ever asked me out before... not like this...” her ears started to droop thinking back to her school days and several dashed hopes.
“Then Ponyville must be filled with fools, I would have expected suitors to be lining up at the door of one so fair.”
“Um.. well, not many stallions think of me that way,” she stuttered.
“Then they also are fools, let us meet tomorrow,” he paused. “Actually I suppose it is today now, at noon,” he glanced around and pointed with a wing towards a large gnarled tree clinging to a nearby hill. “There, beneath yonder tree!”
“Noon? Surely we should...”
“Come now, surely one such as you are not afraid of an old mare’s tale? That by being outside at noon you risk the Sun’s wrath?”
“I suppose you’re right, I... I...” she was suddenly unsure. She really wanted to do this, to spend more time with Kindle despite talking with him all night, but everything seemed unreal. This sort of thing didn’t happen in real life, did it? Certainly not to mares like her! There had to be some catch. Kindle seemed so much larger than life, so intense, he made her feel like they were the only two ponies in existence. He made her feel special. Maybe things were unreal, but dare she risk the chance that this was reality? “Ok!” she finally cried nodding her head. “I’ll see you there at noon!” She felt like she was floating despite her wings being tucked in tightly to her sides.
“Thank you, my lady,” he gently took her hoof and pressed his lips against it. In response she impulsively pushed forwards and kissed him on the cheek. She shuddered at the feel of each hair of his coat brushing past her lips.
He gently rubbed the area that she had touched with a hoof. “Until noon,” he cried and he lept from the perch, falling until the wind caught his outstretched wings and boosted him into the sky and away. Raindrops couldn’t help but notice the bunching of the muscles in his chest and flanks as he flew and she continued to stare into the distance even after he disappeared around a rocky outcrop. She felt like squealing, like jumping into the air and screaming out her happiness. All night! They’d spent all night together talking under the moon sharing each others’ lives, and now she had a date. A date! She almost wanted to pinch herself, but didn’t in case this did end up being a dream. It was just like a scene from one of the books she kept stashed under her bed at home! She had to tell Lyra-
Lyra! Why hadn’t her friend sent somepony to get her after so many hours? What could have happened to her? Her stomach churning, Raindrops made her way back to the window to their room as quickly as she could and gently pushed it open. It hadn’t been secured since she left. There on the bed twisted in an uncomfortable looking position lay the mint unicorn quite soundly asleep and quietly whinnying. Raindrops made her way through the window carefully to avoid tearing her dress.
“Lyra!” she said gently shaking the sleeping unicorn. “Lyra!”
“Huh, wha...? Bonnie, I’m still tired, can you turn down the sun?” she mumbled, then blinked. “Raindrops? Sorry, I must have nodded off. That didn’t take long, did lovercolt not have much to say?”
“Lyra it’s morning!” she exclaimed happily.
“Morning already? Were you out with him all night?” she asked in surprise, then her features twisted into a more lascivious form. “You were out with him all night!”
“He was a perfect gentlestallion!” exclaimed Raindrops a little quickly. “Nothing happened. We spent all night just talking. He was... I don’t know, I felt such a connection with him... I’ve never felt anything like that before,” she gushed.
Lyra patted a hoof against the bed next to her. “Tell auntie Lyra all about it,” she said with a smile.
“... and then he asked me on a date, a real date! Me! and I said yes! Then I actually kissed him on the cheek!” exclaimed Raindrops bouncing on the bed in excitement. Lyra couldn’t help but smile at that. Raindrops was one of those ponies who gave the impression she was born middle aged. It was hard to remember that she was actually the youngest of her group of friends by several years, and that not too long ago she’d still been a filly. “Oh Lyra! It was just magical!” she sighed as she threw herself back on the bed giggling.
“Ok, who are you and what did you do with Raindrops?” asked Lyra with mock seriousness. “The Raindrops I know doesn’t giggle. You’re some sort of spy right?”
“Lyra!” exclaimed Raindrops. “I’m happy. Can’t I just be happy?” A little pleading started to edge into her voice.
“Of course you can, and I’m happy that you’re happy, but don’t you think this is all a bit quick?” she said gently. Although it wasn’t in her nature, she felt she had to be the voice of reason. “It’s not like you bumped into him at Berry’s place on a Friday night. We’re in an embassy in the middle of Griffin territory, it’s not a normal place for you to pick up a date. What do you actually know about him?” Raindrops grimaced for a moment and Lyra felt a little bad for bringing her back to earth. “I know he works in the embassy, I know he used to be an actor, I know he smells of jasmine, I know he likes me,” exclaimed Raindrops. “What about you and Bon Bon, didn’t you just know you were perfect together?”
“I knew Bonnie for a long time before we started to date and we didn’t just get together like that,” she sparked her horn for a fraction of a second. “It’s taken a long time and a lot of work before we got to where we are at the moment.” And we still have our rocky times, she silently added.
“But sometimes you just meet somepony and you just know, right? You just know you’re meant to be together, that happens right?”
Lyra looked into Raindrops’ expectant face and tried to hide a sigh. First love was always difficult, you always thought it was going to last forever, that everything was perfect, because you didn’t know anything else. She didn’t want to break Raindrops’ heart, this Kindle might really like her, or he might just be looking for a way to get under her tail. She’d certainly known stallions, and mares, like that. She’d been a mare like that once or twice. It was fine as long as both of the ponies were on the same page. “Maybe,” she admitted, “But not often outside of books. Real relationships in the real world, well, they’re complicated. Things can be messy, things can go wrong.”
“Oh,” said Raindrops, her ears starting to droop.
Lyra looked away, she didn’t want to see her friend this way. “I’m not going to say this is going to be one of those times, but if you do like this Kindle then maybe you should take things a little slower and get to know him a little. Maybe once this is all over?”
“But once this is over we’ll be sent back to Ponyville and he’ll still be here or reassigned somewhere else, I might not see him again!”
“You’d have to think about that anyway.”
“We could write, and visit, as a knight I can travel for free, maybe he’ll get a posting near Ponyville? You and Bon Bon had to get used to a long distance relationship, when you were in Canterlot, right?”
“Yeah,” Lyra rubbed the back of her neck nervously, “and that didn’t exactly work out.”
“Please! Maybe this won’t work out, but maybe it will! Don’t I deserve a chance to find out? Don’t I get a chance to be happy like you and Bon Bon?”
There was no way Lyra could say no to that. She might not be quite as romantic as Raindrops but she had to admit the younger mare did deserve a chance of a special somepony like she had. “Ok, ok, it’s your decision anyway. I’ll just tell you again, be careful and don’t let him pressure you into anything you don’t want to do!” Inside she winced, she sounded like her fathers! Maybe their advice hadn’t been quite as bad as she’d thought back then. “When is this date supposed to be anyway?”
“Oh, um, noon. Noon today,” said Raindrops.
“Noon?” she glanced out of the window, the sun was fully risen above the horizon. “He doesn’t waste time does he?” That set off another few alarm bells in Lyra’s mind, she wanted to ignore them but she wanted to make sure her friend was safe. If she got the chance she’d try and find out what she could about this Kindle pony. “That’s only a few hours away now, what if Quizzing has something for us to do today?”
“What could he have us do? Wander into the lion’s den again? Even if the Voice wants another chat what more are we going to find out? Corona’s certainly not skulking around the place, and it’s not like me or you is going to change the Griffins mind’s about her, that should be Quizzing’s job.”
“Yeah, I guess you’re right,” admitted Lyra. “Ok I’ll cover for you if I can, give you some time with lovercolt.” Raindrops nodded eagerly, but then her face was broken by a wide yawn and her eyes dipped. “Maybe give you a few hours to catch up on your sleep as well. This romance is really taking it out of you.”
“Thanks,” nodded Raindrops yawning again. “You’re a good friend.”
“I’ll remember that next time I need some romantic weather for a night out with Bonnie. Come on, let's get ready, breakfast should be ready by now and I’m starving.” Raindrops nodded and skipped off the bed, heading towards the tiny en-suite bathroom. “Oh, and Raindrops,” the younger mare looked back at her, “that looks good on you.”
“What does?” asked Raindrops glancing down at her dress.
“Being in love, you should try it more often, even if this thing with Kindle doesn’t work out.”
* * *
The embassy canteen was packed by the time the two of them got to it. Lyra kept her eyes open for any sign of Kindle. She didn’t see the stallion, maybe he’d already eaten, or was sleeping. Still it was a bit odd she hadn’t seen him around before. She and Raindrops filled their trays with what was rather optimistically being considered breakfast and sat down at an empty table to eat. Raindrops was definitely flagging by now, just about managing to hold her head above her food as she chomped mechanically, eyes almost closed.
“Ah, dames?” called Quizzing as he, Lightning and Haymaker approached to join them. “We have some news.” Raindrops scowled at their arrival while Lyra looked up with interest.
“What’s up?” she asked.
“My local contacts have managed to find out what caused the Voice to have to leave you last night,” explained the ambassador. “It appears that Terror Wing was causing trouble, he apparently roughed up his brother-in-law and accused him of dishonouring his clan by cheating on his wife. It caused something of a kerfuffle. The Voice had to step in to calm things down a bit, it’s still simmering and apparently the king has ordered Terror Wing to appear in front of him at court today.”
“Sounds like a family matter to me, what’s it got to do with us?” asked Raindrops.
“It’s the perfect situation to discredit the Solartics in the eyes of the locals of course,” said Quizzing. “There will almost certainly be a duel of some sort and if Terror Wing loses then it will be the perfect time to speak against his patron.”
“A duel?” asked Lyra in a wavering voice.
“They’re quite common in griffin culture, they use them to settle many of their disagreements.” He noted Lyra’s uncomfortableness. “Don’t worry they’re rarely fatal, normally only to first blood or submission. Quite a fascinating ritual really.”
“It’s a shame we don’t do the same in Equestria,” growled Lightning. “Might solve a few problems.”
“When is this supposed to happen?” asked Raindrops.
“The court will start officially at about ten although it pays to get there early. Any dueling probably won’t be before noon, there’s a surprising amount of ceremony to get through first, all very formalised,” explained Quizzing.
“You seriously think it’s safe to bring the element bearers into a situation where several griffin will be brawling?!” shouted Lightning, banging a hoof on the table.
“It’s perfectly safe for the spectators, if anyone were to try anything at the chief's court itself it would be complete diplomatic suicide, no griffin would ever trust the Corona’s ponies again. Outside of the duels themselves the situation is completely sacrosanct!”
“I’m confident that my people will be able to provide protection for the element bearers in this situation,” added Haymaker.
Raindrops let her head fall against the table for a moment before looking up. “Do we have to go? Isn’t this something you’d be better at ambassador? You seem to know about it all.” Lyra flashed a glare at her friend.
“Under normal circumstances maybe, but now that we’ve introduced you to the clan it would be an insult if you didn’t at least make an appearance.”
Lyra glanced at Raindrops who was looking at her pleadingly and sighed. “Does it definately have to be both of us?” she asked. “Raindrops doesn’t want to mention it but something she ate at the feast didn’t agree with her, she was up and down to the bathroom all night, didn’t get a wink of sleep, poor thing.”
“You’ve been ill?” asked Lightning looking at Raindrops more closely.
“It’s not that bad,” mumbled Raindrops looking a little embarrassed by Lyra’s lie.
“I’m afraid we don’t have a doctor here,” said Quizzing worriedly, “We could send a message back to your friends and they could send somepony over I suppose.” He didn’t sound enthusiastic.
“My people have some medical training,” noted Haymaker, “one of them should look at you.”
“That’s really not needed, it’s, um, worked its way out now. I just need to catch up on my sleep,” said Raindrops trying not to blush.
“So would it be all that great an offence if only I went to the court?” asked Lyra.
“Well I suppose not,” said Quizzing stroking his mustache, “We can explain the issue to them, make our apologies...”
“Good, that’s agreed then,” said Lyra standing up, “I’ll go to the court today, I’m sure it’ll be an interesting cultural experience, and Raindrops can catch up on her sleep. We can meet again this afternoon and see where we go from there.”
“Sounds acceptable to me,” said Quizzing, and the rest of the ponies around the table nodded their agreement. Lyra mouthed ‘you owe me’ to Raindrops who nodded slowly.
“Now I just need to make sure you’re kept safe while we’re gone,” said Lightning to Raindrops. “I’ll leave my best pony to look after you.”
“You really don’t have too,” argued Raindrops, “I’ll just be in my room...”
“Bootheel!” called Captain Lighting across the dining hall. The pony in question stood from where he was eating and started to trot over towards his commanding officer. On the way he took the opportunity to give Vast Volumes’ rather expansive flanks a slap, causing the older mare to give out a not entirely unappreciative squeal.
“Yes Captain?” he said, giving a rather sloppy salute.
“Miss Raindrops has been feeling rather unwell and will be taking to her bed for the rest of the day. Kindly make sure that she is not disturbed.”
“Of course captain, I’ll tuck her in myself.” He turned to Raindrops and gave a theatrical wink. Raindrops scowled in return.
“So, this court thing,” said Lyra giving a brittle smile, “do I need to dress up?”
* * *
Lyra picked at the hem of the toga. It was a nice enough outfit, although she had to concentrate on her ears to stop them knocking the laurel off every time she emoted. Still it would be nice if she could wear something else instead. She and the rest of the diplomatic party had once again made their way to the Griffin settlement via air chariot. She grinned as she enjoyed the feel of the air in her mane and the spectacular view all around, she could get used to this particular luxury. The court was being held in a different part of the city to those they had previously visited. It was in a large open area easily the size of a hoofball stadium positioned on a flat piece of land away from most of the homes. Around the edges of the area were great statues of what Lyra assumed were famous Griffins, all looking down judgmentally into the area below. Above those a few Griffin were moving around clearing the sky, it was odd to think of them doing the same job as weather pegasi even though she knew griffin had similar magic.
This time the team from the embassy had a distinctly martial feel. The five shadowbolt members were wearing their full uniforms including armour, and had weapons held at the ready as did Captain Lightning. She had to admit that he looked decidedly competent with a long sword strapped to his side. It made her feel decidedly underdressed, not that she knew anything about armour or weapons. Quizzing didn’t seem to share her feelings and he continued to trot around in a simple white suit as if he didn’t have a care in the world. Lyra currently felt like she had quite a few cares as the majority of the settlement’s population seemed to be likewise armed and armoured for war. Everywhere she looked there were great muscular masses of fur and feathers crammed into plate or chain armour with swords or axes or spears strapped to their sides. It seemed to Lyra that every one of them was glaring with suspicion at the ponies amongst them.
“Are you sure we’re safe?” she whispered to the captain standing next to her.
“Not for a moment miss Heartstrings,” he replied, “But stay near me and the Shadowbolts. If anything does happen, we’ll protect you.”
Not feeling at all reassured Lyra turned to the ambassador. “So what’s actually happening?” she asked. “Some sort of trial?” Lyra looked around, it certainly didn’t match an Equestrian courtroom.
“In a way,” said Quzzing chewing his lip, “You see, by questioning his brother-in-law’s honour he also insulted the whole family, his own family, the king’s family. His father can’t let that stand so Terror Wing has to appear here to explain his behaviour.”
“So he brings any evidence he has?”
“Evidence doesn’t really matter I’m afraid; this isn’t like an Equestrian trial. No, the chief will demand that Terror Wing recants his claims which he won’t--it would be social suicide for Corona’s faction. So the accused will be called on to defend his honour, although from what I’ve been told he was quite badly wounded last night so likely his wife will claim that the slander impinged her honour as well and try to take his place.”
“And they’ll fight? Brother and sister?” asked Lyra in astonishment, it seemed so alien to her, she couldn’t imagine say Cheerilee and Berry fighting in the street over a few words, or anything even, and those sisters weren't even the closest she knew.
“Unless Terror Wing’s accusation is true of course, then she may just allow the fight to take place between her husband and brother.”
“What do they do to each other?” Lyra swallowed painfully, watching two griffins beat each other bloody wasn’t her idea of a good time. Quizzing rested a leg on Lyra’s back for a moment. “Most duels are to first blood, more a test of skill than pure strength really. Still, for more serious issues it’s to submission which given how stubborn most griffin are can get rather... messy.”
Lyra was glad her coat was already green; it hid how sick she was feeling. It was alright reading and singing about great battles and duels but the real thing was something she felt she didn’t need to see. “So what happens if Terror Wing wins?”
“It’ll be a disaster. Not only will it wreck Giorgio and Gabriella’s marriage, but if she took the challenge it’ll prove she’s weaker than her brother so Terror Wing can likely lobby for himself to be named second in line of succession. Plus it’ll get a lot of the locals interested in whatever Corona did to him to make him like that.”
“So bad for us then?”
“Very.”
“And if she wins?” it didn’t seem likely given what she’d seen of the augmented griffin.
“Probably the best outcome for us, Terror Wing would be considered a liar and would have dishonoured his family twice over, so no one would want to associate with him and Corona’s stock in these parts would plummet. The perfect time for us to put our case to have her people removed.” Lyra’s ears perked up; that sounded pretty good, if unlikely. “That’s the spirit Dame Heartstrings,” continued the ambassador straightening his suit, “now we have to present ourselves to king Gavril.”
The Equestrian delegation formed up into a tight huddle as it pushed through the milling crowds towards the king's throne, which was set on a block of stone to one side of the arena. Captain Lightning and the Shadowbolts came to a stop about half a dozen pony lengths from the ruler while Quizzing and Lyra slowly advanced closer. After a moment the chief turned his gaze on them, and the ambassador bowed while Lyra did her best curtsy. “I request your permission to join your court for today's events you highness,” intoned Quizzing.
The chief grunted his agreement, apparently having more on his plate than a few visiting ponies before waving a dismissive claw at them. Lyra let out the breath she didn’t think she’d been holding and started to turn away, it looked like Raindrops hadn’t been missed at all. “Wait,” intoned the king just as she thought she was safely below his notice, “You’re the element bearer aren't you? The bard?”
“I… I try to your majesty.” She gave a nervous giggle.
“Well, bard. Today you see a king presiding over strife within his own people, within his own house,” he snorted bitterly, “and all due to pony influence. I’m sure you know many a song for this situation, it’s hardly the first time it’s happened.”
“Your son’s actions have nothing to do with Equest--” began Quizzing.
“We both know that he would never have taken things this far if your queen hadn’t ensourced him!” exclaimed the chieftain.
“Corona isn’t our queen,” exclaimed Lyra, “um, your lordship,” she backpedaled as he turned his gaze on her. “She was banished and stripped of her position!”
“I don’t think it matters what you think on the matter, it’s more important what Corona herself thinks. Whenever trouble brews in Equestria it always seems to be the other nations that suffer, most often ours, or do you think the sun not setting only affected your country?”
“Well no of course not...”
“And now my people are forced to choose sides in a conflict that is nothing to do with them and risk being washed away by the river of history if they choose wrongly.”
“I’m sure the Princess wouldn’t do anything to hurt you, even if you sided with Corona, as long as you didn’t attack Equestria,” said Lyra.
The king threw back his head and laughed loudly. “I think you know your ruler less than you think you do little pony.” His voice hardened. “You may stay and watch but do not intervene.” He gestured away dismissively before turning back to the nobles around him. Quizzing grabbed Lyra and pulled her aside.
“What did he mean about not knowing the princess?” she asked.
“There’s been quite a history of friction between Equestria and the Griffin Kingdoms,” explained Quizzing and the party took up their places not that far from the chief’s throne.
“I know that, I’ve read most of the histories and tales.”
“Yes, well the truth is often a little more political than the stories say. Things didn’t always work out quite as cleanly. The king himself has-”
“Waz’up,” came a raspy voice from behind them. Lyra turned to see a large brown shape drop down from the sky, she started to cry out but two of the Shadowbolts were already there spears raised, forcing Gilda to flap desperately to avoid being impaled. “Hey, watch what you’re doing with those pig splitters!” she cried.
“Don’t hurt her,” said Lyra, “She’s a friend.” Well, sort of, she thought. At least she was one of the few griffins she knew around here, which was more or less the same thing. The two armed ponies stood aside smoothly and the griffin landed gently.
“Dropsy still not about?” asked Gilda, her head twisting around.
“She’s not feeling well,” said Lyra remembering her friend’s alibi. Gilda frowned. “I though it’d take more than a bit of undercooked rabbit to take her down.”
Lyra just shrugged. “So, you’re here to watch the duel as well?” she asked.
“Everygriffin who’s anygriffin is here,” said Gilda, “I’ve had some dealings with the chief’s kids before, so I thought I’d come and lend my support.”
“Are they here already?” said Lyra looking around.
“That’s them over there in front of their dad.” She pointed a talon towards a small group standing to attention in front of the throne. “That’s commander Gabriella,” she indicated a tall griffiness with a yellow coat. She looked like she’d been in the wars; the white plumage that could be seen through her armour was marked with dozens of bald patches caused by scars. Her appearance made Lyra recalculate the odds of Terror Wing winning if she was to take the field against him. “And that’s her husband Giorgio.” The griffin in question was a head and shoulder shorter than his wife, his plumage, coat and extremely impressive mustache near black. He was thin, well preened, and was wearing some sort of padded jacket. His only visible wounds were apparently fresh: a thick bandage was wrapped around his head and one of his forelegs was strapped up.
“Rather odd couple aren't they?” said Quizzing. Lyra shrugged. After all look at her and Bon Bon, one a fantastically talented, hugely attractive, loving mare and the other was her! Looking at it from the outside she’d have never thought they’d be together, from the inside they were perfect for each other. “He’s the second son of some inner Kingdom lord from what I hear, a political marriage to secure a trade deal.” Gilda nodded. “Seems to be working out well for all involved. I suppose he’s sort of hot in an inner kingdom fop sort of way.” She shrugged. “She certainly seems to like him.” As if to highlight the statement Gabriella leaned down and nuzzled against her wounded husband. “It looks like the rest of the family are here to support her,” she pointed to another griffin, a male similar to Gabriella but a touch taller, more lithe and somewhat less battered. “That hunk of gorgeousness is the chief’s eldest son Gwion, the current heir to the throne.” Lyra blinked. Certainly he seemed large and somewhat handsome but didn’t seem all that to her. Then again she wasn’t a griffin, maybe their tastes were different in stallions.
Lyra opened her mouth to ask a question but she was interrupted by Quizzing. “Ah, here comes Corona’s delegation now,” he said looking up and shading his face from the sun.
Lyra supposed it made symbolic sense that Corona’s forces would arrive from out of the sun but the practical side of it made the moment a little less dramatic. It was almost impossible to actually look at them without being blinded so all that happened was that the visitors seemed to appear once they reached the ground. Terror Wing was in the lead and his appearance made Lyra’s hopes that his sister might be able to beat him crumble. Possibly her recollection from last night was faulty or maybe he’d actually grown but he truly was a giant, massing half again as much as the next biggest griffin present. He made most of the crowd look as small as foals, hardly coming up to his wings. His honour guard, although still burly specimens of their species, seemed entirely unnecessary--surely no other here could challenge him? She managed to drag her eyes from the spectacle for a moment to notice the small mare from the dinner last night hop off the back of one of the other griffin. Lyra gazed around and to her surprise there was no sign of the Voice of the Sun, surely he would attend such an important event? The fact he wasn’t here worried her, where else could he be? And what else could he be doing? The mare scampered forwards and levitated something to Terror Wing, apparently some sort of scroll as he unrolled it with some difficulty, his great talons tearing into the paper. He studied it for a moment before tossing it aside contemptuously and striding forwards across the field towards the chief's seat, his red plumage seeming to flow like flame as he went. His entourage followed behind him, the little mare having to gallop to keep up. As he approached the rest of his family formed up in front of his father.
“FATHER!” Terror Wing bellowed when he finally came to a halt a few feet in front of the throne. He bowed low, his beak almost touching the ground. “YOU HAVE SUMMONED ME AND I HAVE COME!”
“Son,” rumbled the chief in a quieter but more commanding voice easily understandable by all those present. “You have accused your sister’s husband of betraying her and have attacked him outside of a challenge.” He leaned forwards. “What is the meaning of this dishonourable behaviour?”
“I AM DISHONORABLE?!” cried Terror Wing, “HE,” he pointed to Giorgio who flinched slightly, “HE HAS DISHONOURED US ALL, WHAT HE HAS DONE, HE AND HIS WH-”
“SHUT UP!” came a cry. It took a moment for Lyra to realise it had not been the chief who had responded, but Gabriella who had stomped forwards and was glaring head to chest at her ‘little’ brother. “Don’t you dare say another word! My husband has done nothing but honour me!” she snarled. “Everything he has done has been for me, not himself,”
“HE IS WEAK!” spat Terror Wing contemptuously. “I beat him easily, he hardly fought back. I’m stronger than him, I’m stronger than all of you! Thanks to the blessings of the sun I--”
Smoke stepped forwards and tried to speak up, her voice hesitant and hardly audible above Terror Wing’s cries. “What your son means to say, oh king, is that he was so overcome by the shame that his brother in law had caused to his family that he was unable to stop himself.” Her eyes flicked to the remains of the scroll held in her aura. “He is truly ashamed of his behaviour and begs your forgiveness in this matter but...”
“Is my son so weak that he needs a pony to talk for him?” snarled the chief.
“NO!” cried Terror Wing, his wing sweeping out and knocking Smoke away. “I AM STRONG, FATHER!” he insisted. “Let me prove it, please,” he continued, his voice for the first time reduced to something approaching a normal volume.
“Will you recant your lies about your sister's husband?”
“NEVER! I DO NOT LIE!”
“Very well, then I call upon Giorgio of my house to defend his honour, do you agree to a duel?”
The slighter griffin limped forwards, his wife’s eyes following him as he went. After a moment she moved forwards and opened her mouth but Giorgio shook his head. “I accept the challenge of Terror Wing, I will fight him until he surrenders to prove that I am true to my wife.” Lyra raised her hoof to her mouth, the size difference between the two griffin was almost comical. Terror Wing looked like he could pick up his opponent with one talon and crush him and that was without considering that the smaller griffin was already injured. “However, as his words have insulted my whole family I ask that they be allowed to defend our honour as well! I request a triad duel be allowed.” Terror Wing cocked his head to one side in confusion. A rumble of confused voices could be heard around the area, every griffin seemed to be talking at once.
“So be it,” commanded the chief, raising his voice as he nodding his head, “let the other two challengers name themselves.”
“I will stand with my husband!” said Gabriella, stepping up to stand next to Giorgio.
“I will stand with my sister’s husband,” announced Gwion, causing another round of whispers. “It appears I need to teach my little brother another lesson.”
Terror Wing looked startled and maybe even a little scared for a moment, then a confident smile spread across his face and he flexed his talons. “I will enjoy putting you in your place for once brother,” he crowed before gesturing to two of his followers.
“These two will stand with me, not that I will need them!” he announced.
“What weapons will you use?” asked the chief.
“I need nothing but my own talons to deal with these father, TO DO YOU PROUD!” announced Terror Wing flexing his claws. The rest of his family nodded.
“Very well. The combat will begin when the sun is at its highest,” said Gavril pointing into the sky.
“AND IT IS THE SUN THAT WILL GRANT ME THE STRENGTH TO CLEAR MY FAMILY'S HONOUR,” bellowed Terror Wing happily. He bowed to his father again and the rest of the family followed suit before beginning to strip off their armour and weapons. The rest of the Herald of the Sun’s forces took their places in the circle around the arena not that far from where Lyra stood.
“That was odd,” mumbled Quizzing.
“It was horrible!” said Lyra.
“Well, yes, but the chief could have minimised the damage by declaring the fight to be to first blood, less honour lost and gained all round that way. If Terror Wing does manage to beat both his siblings in a submission duel Gavril will also certainly be forced to declare him his heir. Does he really want to hand his lands off to Corona?” he mused.
“Terry’s airing his family's dirty laundry,” whispered Gilda to Lyra. Quizzing seemed to be distracted watching the events.
“What do you mean?” replied Lyra.
Gilda cocked her head to the side for a moment seeming to consider the issue, then shrugged. “It’s an open secret anyway. Part of Gabriella and Giorgio’s wedding agreement was that she produce an heir within five years. Well not that long after the wedding she took a manticore stinger to the belly.” The Griffoness winced, running a talon across her abdomen. “Put an end to any producing from her. Wasn’t clear if she was going to pull through for a while, Giorgio waited at her bedside for weeks, reading to her if the tales are true. Bit surprising really, most of the marriage deals end up with the ‘happy couple’ at each other's throats, I guess sometimes fairytales come true.” She shrugged again. “Anyway Gabriella and Giorgio have been looking for another griffoness to take up her duties. Once the cubs are out and about they’ll claim they’re hers and everygriff’s happy. Even his family probably suspects what’s going on, but the alliance’s working out well for them so they’re happy to ignore it as long as it's kept quiet. Of course Terry isn’t quiet and the chief can’t let him openly spill the beans so they have to shut him down if they can. If the fight was to first blood then even if he lost there’d be some who’d whisper that he was right about Giorgio, but a submission duel will make them all shut up. Even if it does give Terry a chance to show off this flashy new magic body of his. I think he’s probably bitten off more than he can chew though, Gabriella and Gwion, they’ll put him down no matter what your sun pony did to him.”
Lyra certainly hoped so. “How do you know all that?” she asked.
“Well I just happen to be a young, fertile, staggeringly sexy griffoness from a not half bad blood line.” She rested her talons under her beak. “I wonder how I might have found out?” She winked. “I might have taken up the offer of a roll in the clouds with the royal couple if getting knocked up hadn’t been part of the deal. Well, maybe if they'd added a chance with Gwion in to sweeten the deal. Oh, and no way is Gabriella being forced into this, she was one hundred and ten percent behind the surrogacy idea, raring to help out anyway she could, and I do mean any way. Well, maybe that was just for me, I have that effect on some griffonesses,” she grinned. ”Probably means Giorgio wasn’t propositioning anygriff when Terry jumped him or the missus would have been there as well.”
Lyra nodded, that made her feel even more sympathy for the griffin couple. She was the result of a similar surrogacy agreement after all, although things were less under the table in Equestria. It did make her wonder what dad had been doing while pops and Skyla were... she quickly cut off her thoughts. She wasn’t a prude but she really didn’t want to think too closely about the exact events of her conception. While she was thinking, the two groups of soon to be combatants had finished stripping and were standing to attention in front of the throne. “I don’t know much about fighting,” hissed Lyra, “but wouldn’t it be better if they were wearing armour?”
“Armour’s for war,” explained Gilda as if it were obvious, “when you want to win regardless of everything else. A duel’s more for show. You want to look your best, really show off the scars.”
“That’s important?”
“Of course. Scars show others how awesome you are; you can tell a griffin’s whole history from their scars. This one,” she pointed at a thin patch of bare skin on her brow, ”my first duel, didn’t duck quite low enough and Garry almost scalped me, course I made him eat dirt a few seconds later. This bad boy,” she raised a wing to show an angry red scar across her side, “kobold booby trap, caused an avalanche, took me most of an hour to dig my way out, but I survived. You got any minty?”
“Oh, um, one or two,” mumbled Lyra. she ran a forehoof down an almost invisible seam on her hind leg, “bone golem claw,” she explained.
Gilda leaned forwards to get a better look. “Not bad,” she said with a whistle, “you ponies are full of surprises.”
Lyra looked away, feeling a little sick at how calmly the griffin was taking the times she’d almost died. By the throne the chief was indicating for his son in law and his supporters to move to the far side of the area while Terror Wing remained near him.
“That’s not a good sign,” said Quzzing. “The fighter who remains closest to the lord has his favour. It looks more and more likely that he may decide to join Corona. That would certainly change the balance of things.” He looked thoughtful.
On the field the combatants had apparently gotten themselves ready. At some unseen signal the chief rose from his seat. “My children, do you still need to duel over this issue? Will you not recant?” he asked, sounding old and sad for a moment. None of the griffins on the field moved. “Very well,” he continued resolutely, “Start the duel! May the strongest griffin win!” Rather than start by charging into each other, as Lyra thought they might have, the two sides slowly padded towards each other, apparently taking the measure of their opponents. They postured apparently trying to psych each other out. Terror Wing fluffed out his fur and feathers making him look even larger, eclipsing the other fighters. Looking closely Lyra could make out several bald patches here and there from previous injuries.
“Yep, it’s not Terry’s first dance here,” said Gilda glancing down at Lyra, “his brother never let up any chance to challenge him in the past. Terry never won any of them of course, but he kept accepting. Persistent, probably the only good thing about him, or maybe it was just stupidity. Actually I think it was probably a daddy thing, he’s always looking for his dad’s approval. Never got it though.” Lyra shook her head. Things never seemed to be simple over here, and she actually felt a little pity for Terror Wing now, bullied by his brother. Gavril didn’t seem much of a father to him either. Was it any surprise he’d turned to Corona for revenge?
Gabriella reared up giving a loud roar as she clawed at the air, revealing the long scar on her belly that was apparently the indirect cause of the duel. Several griffin shouted their support. Georgio hovered above his allies keeping any weight off of his injured leg, his eyes locked on Terror Wing.
Gwion strutted forwards alongside his sister, eyes narrowed, a smug grin on his face as he nodded to the crowd. There was a piercing whistle from next to Lyra and she was startled to see Gilda with two talons stuck in her beak. “Shake it sexy!” she yelled before whistling again. Seeming to hear her Gwion stretched out his wings and arched his back posing for the crowd. “Come on, brother,” he yelled towards Terror Wing, “let's give the crowd what they want, I won’t hurt you too badly this time--runt!” Across the field from them the three Corona aligned griffins had spread out, with Terror Wing taking the centre and his two guards staying back. At his brother’s taunt Terror Wing clawed the ground and snorted, his eyes literally glowing as his red plumage seemed to sparkle in the noon light. “STRONGER THAN YOU!” he roared.
Almost faster than Lyra could follow, Terror Wing shot across the field towards his opponents. She wasn’t sure if he was running or flying but he ate up the space between the two teams in a matter of seconds. Lyra saw Gwion’s eyes widen in surprise and for a moment his body started to twist aside but he halted the move and flexed his hind legs pushing himself forwards towards his charging brother instead. Lyra thought there should have been an explosion or flash of light as the two bodies smashed into each other with such force. Instead there was a crunch and Gwion was tossed back skidding across the ground, his claws cutting great furrows in the dirt as he struggled to stay upright. He finally came to a stop and blinked at where his brother now stood apparently unharmed in front of him.
“You don’t understand do you brother?” growled Terror Wing joyously, “I’m not the runt you used to pick on as a cub anymore! CORONA HAS MADE ME TERROR WING! I’M FASTER!” he leapt forwards shouldering his brother aside before he could recover, “BETTER!” he slammed a closed claw into his brother's head forcing him to the ground, “STRONGER!” he locked his claws with his brother’s and tightened his grip, starting to cut into the backs of Gwion’s feet. With a growl the older Griffin started to rally. Forcing his hind legs to lock underneath him he pushed forward, forcing Terror Wing back and up, his talons slicing into his brother’s causing dark blood to drip onto the ground.
The crowd, until now stunned by the speed of battle started to yell their support to one side or the other. “Come on Gwion!” yelled Gilda, “Show him who’s boss!”
While the two male griffins were wresting at the centre of the field, Terror Wing’s seconds were fending off the rest of his family. One had taken to the air and was buzzing Giorgio, keeping the injured griffin off balance without attacking him. The second was attempting to ward Gabriella off with a series of talon swipes and wing buffets, but the scarred fighter was having none of it. She barged past the guard and leapt toward where her brothers were fighting. Intent on each other, Terror Wing and Gwion didn’t see her coming. She crashed into Terror Wing’s side, knocking him over and throwing his opponent aside. Picking himself up Gwion winced at the damage done to his talons, but ignoring the pain jumped forwards to aid his sister who was now slashing at the prone Terror Wing. A cheer went up from the crowd as the siblings teamed up on their younger brother. Although sickened by the violence Lyra was heartened, surely the fight would be over soon. Terror Wing couldn’t hold out against both his siblings could he? Her question was quickly answered as after a few seconds Gabriella was hurled aside with a yell. Terror Wing dragged himself to his feet, panting and bleeding from a number of small cuts but still defiant. He slammed out with a talon, catching his brother on the right of his face and snapping his head to the side. Then he followed up with a blow to the left and then another right throwing the older Griffin about like a rag doll. “DO YOU... DO YOU SURRENDER YET BROTHER?!” cried Terror Wing, grabbing Gwion by the back of his bloodied head. The older sibling’s only response was a slurred growl, with a yell Terror Wing smashed his brother’s face into the ground with a crack, his body tensed then lay still.
“He killed him!” squeaked Lyra.
“Nah,” grumbled Gilda unhappily, ”He’s just knocked out, counts as a submission, just not as embarrassing. Damn, I thought Gwion would take him, maybe there is something in this Corona thing after all...” Lyra looked up in panic, “just kidding,” she added with a grin.
Lyra had no idea how her ally could joke at a time like this and turned back to the fight. Terror Wing reared up in triumph as the crowd roared their appreciation. It looked like his actions had won him a lot of support. While he was soaking in the adoration his sister took the opportunity to close again and swiped at him with her talons but much of the force was absorbed by his thick mane and he quickly turned to her. “Surrender, if you don’t want to end up like our brother,” he roared with a smile looming over the smaller Griffiness.
Not bothering to waste any words Gabriella continued to swipe at her brother who easily batted away her blows. He pushed forwards and brought his head down against hers with a resounding crack, the force of the blow knocked her to the ground where she weakly shook her head, apparently trying to clear it. “IT’S OVER,” crowed Terror Wing, his own head shaking a little. Then he let out a cry as the angry form of Giorgio landed on his back and struck out with all three functioning limbs, drawing blood.
Lyra glanced around the area and to her surprise she noticed that one of Terror Wing’s companions was slinking towards the edge of the arena with one wing hanging loose. It looked like one of Corona’s team had been defeated, presumably by Giorgio.
With a pained growl Terror Wing shook himself from side to side trying to dislodge his attacker who pecked at his neck. Finally he rolled over trying to crush his brother in law. Giorgio managed to scramble away and leapt into the air. With a howl Terror Wing spread his own wings and joined him with a single powerful beat. He dived forwards talons outstretched trying to reach the smaller griffin but Giorgio nimbly rolled aside before flattening his body out as much as he could and flying straight up into the sky. After a moment Terror Wing followed at a slower pace snarling to frustration. “STOP RUNNING COWARD!” he cried.
Almost reaching cloud height Giorgio stopped and hovered for a moment, watching Terror Wing approach before flipping over and streaking back towards his opponent. Caught by surprise, Terror Wing tried to twist in the air, but his greater bulk got in the way. As he shot past his opponent Giorgio’s functioning foreleg flashed out and tore a great chunk of flight feathers form Terror Wing’s wing. With a screech the larger griffin started to fall towards the ground, wings floundering around as he tried to regain control. He almost managed to level out before he reached the ground but Gabriella turned aside from the remaining Solartic griffin, who she had been trading blows with since her husband had taken to the air, and leapt into the sky. She barged into her brother’s falling form, knocking him off balance and making him slam into the ground in a cloud of dust. She and her husband dropped to the ground near Terror Wing’s twitching form, both gasping for air as they leant against each other.
The victorious couple were about to turn on their last opponent, when suddenly Terror Wing’s body began to glow, a shaft of fire burst up from the ground around the red plumed griffin and his form seemed to be consumed by the inferno. Blinking, Lyra was forced to cover her eyes for a moment, What magic was that? she thought. When she could see again she was horrified to see Terror Wing standing in pristine condition in the same place that just a few moments ago his battered form had been slumped. “BY FIRE I AM REBORN,” he bellowed, stretching his now fully repaired wings wide. For a moment Terror Wing blinked seemingly as surprised as everyone else present by what had happened. Giorgio was the first to react and tried to take to the wing, however he wasn’t quick enough and Terror Wings’ talons closed around one of his hind legs. Seemingly without effort Terror Wing dragged the smaller griffin from the air and smashed him against the ground before tossing his insensate body towards his wife. In a panic she moved to cushion the impact but was knocked from her feet by the force of her husband's form. Triumphantly Terror Wing padded over towards his sister as she tried to push her husband’s body off of herself. Terror Wing loomed over her as one of his talons closed around the unconscious griffin’s neck. “Care to surrender sister?” he asked almost gently as he tightened his grip.
A look of panic shot over Gabriella’s face as her eyes shot back and forth between her brother and her husband. “I... I yield,” she declared her head dropping, much to the derision of the crowd.
“FATHER,” cried Terror Wing turning towards the chief on his throne. “I HAVE WON!”
Around the area the crowd roared their support. Lyra watched in horror. The griffins respected strength and with all of Terror Wing’s siblings now laid out battered and broken while he looked fresher than he had when the fight had started, his plumage bright and his coat smooth and unmarked, he looked like a hero. There was no way the king wouldn’t side with Corona after he’d seen this, even if he didn’t want to, his people would demand it. Then she thought of something. “Unscarred,” she gasped then she lit her horn amplifying her voice. “UNSCARRED!” she yelled, “WHERE ARE HIS SCARS!” next to her Gilda’s eyes widened and she took up the chant.
Seemingly in surprise Terror Wing glanced down at his own titanic form. His rebirth had returned him to an almost perfect state removing any marks of previous fighting. The cuts in his talons, on his back and sides were all gone as where the older wounds, his skin was as clear as a cub’s.
“No scars, no honour!” cried Gilda.
“Where’s the honour in a fight you can’t lose!” called Lyra starting to get into it. Terror Wing swung his burning gaze on her and she shrunk away from the sheer rage on his face.
There was an excited mumbling around the arena as the crowd started to take in this development. Some started to boo, others to yell at each other. The chief gestured for silence but nothing happened, he gestured again and again before the hubbub started to die down. “My son,” he proclaimed, “the duel is over, but,” he paused, “the crowd is right. How can there be honour in this matter without any risk, without any scars... I have much to think about... you are dismissed for the moment.” Lyra felt her spirits rise, maybe the griffins could see the cost of Corona’s magic.
“BUT I WON! I BEAT THEM BOTH!” argued Terror Wing.
“And I have much to consider!” replied Gavril, his voice cracking like a whip. In front of him, Terror Wing winced. “You are dismissed, we will discuss this matter later, go!”
For a moment it looked like Terror Wing was going to keep arguing, but then he turned and started towards the rest of his delegation. On the way he stopped and turned to glare at Lyra, murder in his eyes.
“We should get you out of here, dame,” said Captain Lightning, pulling her back from the crowd.
“Actually, here is the safest place for her,” said Quizzing.
“With that monster out to get her! He could challenge her at any point! I’ll have no more of your horse apples!”
“This is one of the few places that can’t happen Captain,” snapped Quizzing.
“The talking horse there is right,” said Gilda. “You can’t challenge anyone for anything that happens at the arena, stops fights going round and round.”
“And if he tries to trump up a reason to fight, well there are dozens of witnesses here,” agreed the ambassador.
“We can’t keep her here for ever!” exclaimed Lightning.
“No but we can keep the dame here until the court is finished; the rest of my team can prepare for a quick extraction once the area is clearer,” said Haymaker, nodding to the other Shadowbolts.
“Hey, don’t I get a say in this?” asked Lyra.
“Not when it comes to your safety,” said Lightning, he paused for a moment scowling as Lyra glared at him. “Fine,” he said lowering his gaze after a moment. “But I will keep an eye on the situation and we will evac the moment I say so.”
Haymaker nodded. “Good.”
Lyra sighed, she guessed she wasn’t going anywhere for a while.
* * *
It was surprising how quickly you could get used to fighting, thought Lyra as she watched what must be the dozenth duel of the day. Of course most of them were rather less epic than the first fight, usually they were to first blood. Those actually looked more like dances than combat, with the two griffins twirling around each other trying to find an opening. She turned to Quizzing to ask him how many more matches there were to be and was surprised to find him missing. Then she remembered he’d said he was going to talk with some of the griffin nobles to try and get a feel of the support for Corona after Terror Wing’s actions. He had been gone a while; she hoped nothing had happened to him although he did have Haymaker to look after him.
“We’ll leave now,” said Lightning.
“Huh, what?” said Lyra in confusion.
“The crowds are starting to disperse,” he explained, “if we wait much longer we risk being caught alone.”
“What about the ambassador?”
“He can make his own way back for all I care. I’m in charge of your safety, not his!”
“Look he can’t have gone far, just give me a few minutes to look for him, there’s no sign of Terror Wing anyway.” Lightning opened his mouth to veto the suggestion but Lyra was already trotting away. “That mare is going to be the death of me,” he mumbled before following her, the four Shadowbolts in tow, their eyes flicking around the room. Lyra’s horn glowed for a second, she shut her eyes and flinched for a moment. “This way!” she announced pointing towards the cliffs to one side of the arena.
“How do you know?”
“I can make out his voice.”
“From this distance?” he asked in surprise.
“Magic, it lets me detect any voice I’m familiar with even in a crowd.”
“Useful.”
“Not all that great, I can’t make out what they’re saying, just that they’re talking. Plus I have a friend who can do better without magic,” she glanced ahead, her eyes narrowing as she picked out the figure of the ambassador and Haymaker in a small alcove in the cliff, what surprised her was the third pony with them.
“Smoke!” snarled Lightning, “What is the ambassador doing with that traitor? I knew I shouldn’t have trusted him” He galloped towards the small group, Lyra and the Shadowbolts in tow. “What are you doing here?” he roared.
Quizzing jumped in surprise and swung around to face his accuser. “Captain!” he exclaimed, “Me and Haymaker were just making our way back to you when Smoke here asked to talk to us,” he said smoothly. The shadowbolt nodded his agreement.
Lightning’s eyes narrowed. “What do you have to talk about?”
“Quite a bit, we are all Equestrians after all, despite ending up on opposite sides.”
“Indeed,” said Smoke, “I was just explaining to the ambassador that our griffin associates mean no harm to yourself or any of the embassy’s staff. The herald’s issues are with his own people alone.” She sounded a little embarrassed. “He may be hot blooded but he would not act without his queen's authority. If his father does indeed choose to side with the true Equestrian government then you and your staff may be asked to leave but we do not wish any harm upon you.”
“Isn’t this the sort of thing that the Voice would be normally be telling us?” asked Lyra. “Where is he?”
“I am afraid the Voice of the Sun is indisposed at the moment,” said Smoke, “but do not worry, everything he is doing is in the service of Equestria,” her tail thrashed around, she didn’t seem all that happy, thought Lyra.
“Look, you seem a nice enough mare,” said Lyra trying to start up a conversation. “How did you end up working with a load of solartics?”
“We, we all have our own reasons for wanting to serve the Queen.”
“And yours were?”
“Personal,” she said, her voice somewhat icy. “But they were for the best, they have given me opportunities that I might not have ever received on my own. I get to work alongside one of the greatest stallions in all Equestria.” She sighed. “I have received instruction from the alicorn of the sun herself. I... I am happy with my role.” Once again she didn’t seem all that convinced. Lyra considered, this mare might be the weak point in Corona’s forces here. Unlike the Voice she didn’t seem all that devoted to her cause. Maybe with some effort they might get her to spill their opponent’s secrets.
Seeming to realise her own weakness, Smoke quickly started to trot back towards the arena pushing past the ambassador and his bodyguard as she went. “Now if you would excuse me I have further duties to carry out.” With that she quickly faded from view. For a moment Lyra thought she might have teleported but the disappearance had been too slow for that, it was more likely an invisibility spell like Trixie used. She swivelled her ears for a moment seeing if she could hear the mare’s progress. Then to her suprise Captain Lightning leapt at Quizzing.
“What did she give you!” he yelled, his hooves running over the ambassador’s body.
“Excuse me!” squawked the ambassador pushing back at the larger stallion. “What are you doing? Have you lost your mind?”
“She passed you a scroll! I saw it traitor! What did you do with it!”
“Get your hooves off me!” cried Quizzing, “What are you talking about?”
“Stop! both of you!” cried Haymaker pushing between the fighting stallions.
“He’s a traitor! He’s on their side! Bloody noble!” yelled Lightning.
“Captain! Restrain your paranoid delusions!” cried Quizzing. “I am not a solartic.”
“I saw her pass a scroll to you as she left! If you’ve got nothing to fear let me search you!”
“And let you plant evidence on me!” spat the ambassador. “I think not! Captain, I have entertained your delusions and general surliness so far, but this is the last straw!”
“I will search you,” said Haymaker.
“What? You can’t believe him!” cried Quizzing pointing at Lightning.
“It’s not my job to believe anyone, but an allegation has been made and we will all feel safer if we can be sure.” he stared at the ambassador. “Unless you have something to hide?”
Quizzing sighed. “Very well, do what you must.” Haymaker nodded and stepped forwards, his hooves quickly and methodically making their way over Quizzing’s clothes and coat. “He’s clean,” he confirmed over a few minutes.
“Are you sure?” exclaimed Lightning, “I was sure I saw...”
“I’m sure, he’s got nothing on him, I can do an internal search if you want.”
The ambassador paled.
“No,” said Lightning, his head drooping, “I don’t think that will be necessary.”
“Good,” said Haymaker, “You can search him yourself if you really want.”
“No... no, I am sorry ambassador,” said Lightning not looking all that sorry, his eyes were still narrowed.
“Yes, well I guess we should work this all out once we get back to the embassy, but I will expect a full apology when we get there. I do not appreciate my honour being questioned in this way.” With that he held his muzzle in the air and started to trot in the direction of the chariot.
“Captain,” said Haymaker icely, “your behaviour will not be forgotten, I will be having words with your superiors when I get back to Equestria!”.
With a sigh Lyra moved to follow. This wasn’t good, it looked like their side was falling apart without the Solartics having to do anything, and with the griffins looking increasingly likely to switch sides... there didn’t seem to be anything they could do to stop them. She hoped Raindrops was having a better time on her date that she was here.
Raindrops slumped into the bed she shared with Lyra with a long sigh as she tried to relax. It had taken far too long to get Bootheel to understand that all he needed to do was guard the door to stop her being disturbed, she didn’t need his idea of tender loving care. She yawned as she let herself sink into the mattress. She was tired but she doubted she’d get much sleep, she was too excited and she certainly couldn’t risk oversleeping and missing her date. It wasn’t like she had an alarm or could ask anyone in the embassy to wake her up for her noon liaison with Kindle. Just the thought made her want to squeal, her first date! She’d always dreamed how it would be; the two of them galloping through a field of flowers, or trotting together along a beach of golden sand, or drinking fine wine under a full moon, or so many other scenarios. She let herself savour the possibilities and allowed her imagination to float through a series of balls, cruises and meals. Eventually she forced her mind to pull itself back to earth, as romantic as the possibilities were most of them weren't all that realistic. They were in the mountains of the Griffin Kingdoms, not Canterlot or Manehatten. They were just going to meet and probably talk some more, maybe see the scenery or eat something, but unfortunately nothing more than that. It occurred to her that she should ask around the embassy. She might find someone who knew Kindle and find out what sort of thing he’d like to do. It wouldn’t be right that everything be about her, she should make sure he had a good time as well.
She was brought back from her pondering by a sharp knock on her door.
“Wha..?” she mumbled, feeling more groggy than she’d expected. “What? Bootheel, aren't you supposed to be letting me rest, not wake me up every few minutes?” she yelled, feeling her temper fray.
“Sorry!” came an answering cry, “I wondered if you were feeling any better,” he actually sounded a little sorry for her, “would you like some elevenses?”
“Elevenses? I’ve only just had...” Raindrop’s eyes moved to the window, only a few moments ago the sunlight had stretched across most of the room but now only the space nearest the window was illuminated. Heart racing, she stumbled from the bed, rushed to the window and looked up. To her relief the sun wasn’t directly overhead, but it was high in the sky. She must have nodded off!
“If you don’t want anything do you mind if I get a bite or two?”
“Yes, yes whatever,” cried Raindrops rushing around the room in a panic, she had to get ready! Then she paused, she’d thought that her and Kindle might share a meal but was that what he expected? Did he think she was going to bring food to their date? “Wait Bootheel!” she ran to the door and yanked it open to see the surprised guard standing at the far end looking back at her, eyes wide. “Actually I am hungry, famished, I could eat for two! Could you grab something from the kitchens and bring it back? Quickly!”
“Yeah, I guess so; what would you--”
“Anything!” she yelled, her nerves frayed, “Something nice and lots of it!”
“Er, ok, yeah.”
“Good, thanks, I owe you one,” she called starting to close the door.
“Are you sure you’re not really eating for two? You know vomiting, mood swings, feeling hungry. It would add up.”
“GO!” she yelled, causing the guard to jump and bolt down the passageway. “But bring the food,” she added before closing the door behind her and slumping to the floor. She looked at the window again, so little time! The thought occurred to her that maybe she should be a little late. When Rarity had been fitting her for her gala dress the fashionista had been gossiping about her hopes for the ball. She’d mentioned that she always made her dates wait as a way to build up their anticipation, a little teasing could apparently result in a much better outcome. But what if she waited too long and Kindle thought she wasn’t coming? What if he left! Maybe she should make sure she got there early. Should she leave right now to make sure? She started towards the window again, then stopped. No, no, she was getting too worked up about this, panicking, she needed to calm down. Why did she always find it so hard to keep her emotions under control, what was wrong with her? She grit her teeth before forcing herself to exhale. She closed her eyes and carefully started to move around the room, her limbs flowing rhythmically as she ran through a few Iron Hoof katas to center herself.
She opened her eyes again feeling more in control of herself. She needed to think, to plan. She had a date, she had to get ready. Food was on its way, hopefully; Bootheel might have gotten distracted, or she might have scared him off like she scared everypony off, like she’d scare Kindle off eventually. She twisted her mind away from that line of thought. She really wished Lyra was here, or Cheerilee, either would know what she should do right now. She nervously ran a hoof through her mane and winced as she caught a knot. She’d freshened up a little this morning but a few hours in bed had undone most of that. She definitely needed to wash and probably preen a little as well. The ensuite bathroom at least had running water, but if she wanted a hot bath she’d need to find someone in the kitchens to heat the water. A cold shower might be better anyway, it would help calm her down a little.
Her eyes fell upon the dress she had discarded earlier, should she wear something to the date? The embassy's seamstress might be able to provide her something quickly, but then she’d have to explain why she needed it. She trotted over and picked up the garment, she’d worn it all night and it was rather crumpled. She sniffed it. No, not the impression she wanted to make. Her ‘horny’ outfit from the Griffin banquet was definitely out as well. She caught sight of Lyra’s dress hung up carefully by the bed, she picked it up and held it out before shaking her head. There was no way she’d fit her blocky form into it. She sighed, she’d kill to be as tall and willowy as her friend. It looked like she’d have to go naked, at least Kindle hadn’t been wearing anything in their previous encounters, unless he was now and he was expecting her to and she messed everything up and he never wanted to see her again and--
There was a knock on the door and she spun around, tossing the dress aside. “Yes!” she cried trying to get her heart beat and train of thought back under control.
“Got your food!” called Bootheel, “I needed to sweet talk the cook a bit, but I’ve always been good with my tongue.” She could imagine him waggling his eyebrows behind the door.
“Thanks,” she said opening the door, grabbing the tray on the guard’s back and shutting it again in one smooth move.
“Right, so I’ll just wait here then, by myself, feeling hungry!” the muffled voice continued.
Raindrops felt a little tinge of pity for a moment, he’d actually managed to get quite a spread: fruits, pastries, sandwiches, even an earthen jar of water. She’d have to make it up to him somehow when she wasn’t quite so busy. Glancing at the sun again she quickly made her way to the bathroom and started to run the water. She ruffled through the small bag of toiletries she’d found in her luggage thanks to Carrot Top. Inside was a small bottle of the farmer’s famous shampoo. It was guaranteed to make even Raindrops’ rats’ nest of a mane feel sleek and silky. As she turned on the water she swore to herself that once she got back to Ponyville the farmer would be the first to get access to each newly delivered batch of clouds from now on.
* * *
Making a final attempt to smooth down her freshly washed coat Raindrops took a deep breath and stepped towards the window, then she froze. Was this really a good idea? She liked Kindle, really liked him, he was handsome and articulate and interesting. Even more astonishingly he seemed to like her for some reason too, but was it worth risking trying to take things further? She knew she’d mess things up, handsome talented ponies like him didn’t end up with messes like her, she’d do something, get angry about something and drive him away, wasn’t it better to not even try rather than hurt him? She started to turn back into the room.
No! she stamped a hoof on the ground.
No! she wasn’t going to give up now! She deserved at least a chance. Wasn’t it better to have loved and lost than to never have loved at all? If she didn’t at least go and meet him she’d spend the rest of her life wondering how things might have turned up if she had. She couldn’t live with herself if she did that. Steeling herself she opened the window, letting the breeze blow in and ruffle her still slightly damp mane. The weather looked wonderful, a few clouds were floating aimlessly in the warm summer breeze. The golden sun sat high in the sky, which she hoped wasn’t a bad omen. It might be just a little too high, she was probably a bit late. She lept from the window and let her wings catch the air. She bobbed along for a moment, in the distance she could make out a few small figures, probably locals but no one seemed to be nearby. She circled trying to pick out the tree she had agreed to meet at, her heart leaping when she saw a small red coated figure waiting nearby. A wide grin covering her face, she dove forwards trying to cover the distance as quickly as possible.
Once she was closer and could make out Kindle clearly Raindrops reduced her speed. Although her wings wanted to push her forwards, maybe it would be best to follow Rarity’s suggestion and not seem overly keen. Fighting against her instincts she slowed even further and gently started to glide in towards the waiting stallion. She saw him catch sight of her and wave a hoof, she signalled back and couldn’t help but spread her wings as wide as they would go, signalling her strength in a primal way. She had to admit that her wings were one of her best features, larger than most mares’; she knew that some stallions liked that, hopefully Kindle was one of them. She tried to restrain herself but couldn’t stop herself showing off a little, she wasn’t a natural flyer like Dash but she did pull off a few loops before finally coming to a graceful (she hoped) landing not that far from Kindle. She couldn’t help but blush as he gave a short stomp of appreciation at the show.
“Greetings, Lady Raindrops,” she said with a bow. He was as well groomed as always. “I was beginning to worry you might not make it,” he said with a grin as he started to trot towards her. Her heart jumped a little, had she waited too long? “I am glad you considered me worth putting such an effort in your appearance.”
He only thinks you’re pretty thanks to makeup, came a dark voice from within her.
He leaned forwards and planted his lips gently on her cheek before leaning forwards to nuzzle her, silencing the voice. She felt some of the tension drain out of her as she leant into him. “Although really there is little you can do to improve such perfection.”
He’s flirting with me! Her joyful thoughts cheered. “Thank you, you look good too,” she replied. And I’m flirting back! Sort of.
“Come!” he said, resting a wing on her back and gently steering her back towards the tree he had been standing under. “I brought us a picnic!”
“Oh, I brought food as well,” she said, indicating her saddlebags.
“The more the merrier then,” he said cheerfully, “I did skip breakfast.”
“I didn’t mean to keep you up so late.”
“Think nothing of it, I enjoyed our time together. Unfortunately I had some important work to do this morning or I would have stayed later.”
“I hope I’m not keeping you from anything.” She sat down on the red and white checkered blanket he had laid out on the ground.
“Nothing that can’t wait. Sadly I won’t be able to spend all afternoon with you, my lady. I will have to return in a few hours.” He sighed. “I left notes with some of my colleagues, they hopefully shouldn’t have any trouble following my instructions. Well one of them anyway, the other... he can get a little over enthusiastic sometimes. We’re working for the same goals, hopefully, but he tends towards a rather brute force methodology.”
“I think I can understand that,” said Raindrops as Kindle joined her on the ground. She glanced over at the picnic hamper nearby as she carefully opened her own bags. She hoped her offering was good enough. “Dash, my boss back in Ponyville, can be a bit blunt as well. Sure she can clear a sky in ten seconds flat but she hasn’t really got the patience when you need a gentler touch, she’s more likely to turn a field into a marsh rather than water a crop properly.”
“I certainly know the type,” said Kindle opening the basket and starting to spread out the food. There was a pie still steaming slightly and a bottle of wine as well as more fruit and cheeses. “If my associate was involved in weather control I’m sure he’d be causing quite a few floods. Enthusiastic maybe, but not subtle, and he keeps yelling all the time! I try to tell him that it’s the quality of the words you use and not how loud you shout them, but he doesn’t listen. Still, I guess the important thing is that we’re all working together for the right goal, don’t you think?”
“I guess so, we’re all one weather team at home, when push comes to shove we all have to work together to get the job done. I guess you all work for the princess here, in your own ways.” Kindle winced a little as Raindrops started to unwrap the pastries Bootheel had managed to obtain for her.
“Try these?” he suggested holding out a bunch of grapes in his hoof. Feeling self conscious she leant forwards and took a bite from his grip.
“They’re good!” she said swallowing.
“Thank you,” he said. “Now let’s see what else is good to eat.”
* * *
She wasn’t entirely sure how she ended up in the position but Raindrops soon found herself laying back against Kindle’s stomach as the stallion fed her titbits by hoof. She probably felt more relaxed that she could ever recall being, the ever burning flame of annoyance in her heart for once almost extinguished. She savored the taste of the fruit in her mouth while her tail lazily warded away flies. With a sigh she felt her eyes start to slip closed as she luxuriated in the sunshine and the feeling of the stallion behind her. This really was a wonderful way to spend the afternoon.
“The weather is perfect isn’t it?” whispered Kindle from behind her, his breath making her ear twitch.
She hummed a response and cracked her eyes open peering up into the sky. They were shaded from the direct sun by the tree and a few clouds but the air was still warm and languid, sapping the little of her strength that remained. “Yes,” she agreed, everything felt just perfect right now.
“Isn’t it foolish to fear the noon?” he added directly into her ear, “To hide away when there is such beauty to be seen? Even our meal has been a gift from the sun.”
“I suppose so, it is pretty,” she said.It took a few moments for the thoughts to make their way through her tired brain. “Not as pretty as you,” she added without fully thinking.
“Why thank you my lady,” he said with a grin, resting his head on hers. The contact made the blood rush to her cheeks. “You are very attractive as well.”
“Not that attractive,” she snorted, trying to concentrate. Sleep sounded very nice right now, but not as nice as staying awake with Kindle. “When they made a play about the element bearers, they had a stallion play me!”
“You are very clearly not a stallion,” he retorted, his eyes running up and down her form making tingles run along her coat. “I heard of that play, it was clearly the work of a hack and had a second rate cast at best, if I do say so myself!”
She giggled a little as his indignation. “I never thought I’d find myself with a stallion like you,” she said, “I didn’t think things like this happened to mares like me, it’s like a scene from a book, or a dream.”
“If this is a dream you never have to worry about waking up,” he whispered, making her blush. She struggled to get herself a bit more under control and not just melt into a squealing puddle at his honeyed words.
She yawned “That meal is trying its best to send me to dreamland,” she noted rubbing her belly.
“You certainly managed to put on quite a spread here,” he said reaching for an apple, “I wasn’t expecting you to bring anything.” He polished the fruit against his flank before offering it to her.
“I guess I have to thank the embassy’s kitchens for all this,” she frowned for a moment before accepting the apple and taking a bite from it. “Where did you get yours from?” It didn’t seem to be the same fare despite coming from the same source.
“Oh, a friend of mine made most of it, she’s quite a talented cook really. She was with me back on the stage you know. She always made sure I had enough to eat after rehearsals, looked after me,” he sighed, “She does much the same for me now I suppose.” He took a bite from his own fruit and chewed.
Raindrops’ eyes narrowed for a moment. “Should I be jealous?” she asked. Kindle certainly seemed close to this unnamed mare.
“Of my friend? No, she’s like a sister to me, I do care for her, but not in the same way I feel for you,” he reached out a hoof to touch her cheek, her face glowed red as she looked away from his gaze, her heart pounding in her chest like it wanted to get out.
“That’s good to hear,” she mumbled.
“Although I do have to tell you I’m married,” he said casually.
“That’s alright the... WHAT!” she screeched, spitting out the apple as she jumped to her hooves.
He let out a laugh. “Not in that way. You could say I am married to my job. I want to be honest with you, I care for you but there will always be another in my heart. I will put Equestria and its ruler ahead of everything else.”
“Oh,” said Raindrops, her head spinning slightly from the shock. What was he really saying? Did he think this was just a fling, was he letting her down gently implying that they could not be together because his job required him to be here? She supposed that was sort of fair; would it be right of her to expect him to give up everything to come back to Ponyville with her? “I... I think I understand.”
“Good, I want to do the best for you but if it comes to choosing between you and my position, I am afraid Equestria comes first. I don’t mean to create a dour mood, but I felt I should make my position clear.”
“Um, right, I appreciate it,” she frowned, she guessed it made sense but it was a bit of an odd way to put it. Cautiously she knelt down again, keeping a little distance between herself and Kindle this time.
Leaning over, he grasped a bottle of wine in his wing and removed the cork with his teeth, pouring himself a glass and holding the bottle towards her. “Drink?” he offered.
“No, I don’t,” she said, holding a hoof over her glass. She sniffed; the aroma seemed familiar, although she didn’t know all that much about wine. “I prefer to keep a clear head.” She was dangerous enough at the best of times, she didn’t need anything else to make her worse.
“So,” said Kindle taking a sip of his drink, “How about you, is there any other pony in your life? Any stallion or mare I’ll have to challenge for your hoof?”
She blushed and looked aside. “No, there’s none. I’ve,” she winced, “I’ve never even been on a date before.”
“Never?” he asked straightening up and putting aside his drink. “I find it hard to believe, are all the stallions in Ponyville blind?” He smiled.
“Well I suppose there was one other time,” she said bashfully.
“Ah ha! Who is this rival for your affections?”
She giggled at his theatricality. “It’s not quite like that, his name was Snips, he’s my brother’s best friend, just a colt.”
“Well he has good taste for somepony so young.”
“It was so embarrassing,” she shuddered, “he bought me flowers and everything. He was so shy, he looked like he was going to throw up. I just didn’t know what to do. I think I just laughed and flew away!”
“That was cruel of you, my lady,” said Kindle seriously.
“I know! I came back eventually and apologised to him. I tried to let him down easy but I don’t think he understood. I think he might think I’ll change my mind one day.”
“Ah, the hearts of the young are fickle things, I’m sure he’ll find somepony of his own age eventually.”
“I hope so, it’s awkward whenever he comes to visit. I try to keep away.”
“And that is it? I can’t believe no others have come to court you!”
“You mean what’s wrong with me?” she said, her face falling. This was it, this was when he’d find out how broken she was. She’d hoped they could have had more time together first. “You’d find out sooner or later, probably when I hurt you,” she sighed, “I have a temper, it scares off most ponies.” She lowered her head.
“A temper? I doubt that will calm my ardour.”
She shook her head, not looking at him. “When some ponies say they have a temper they mean they stomp their hoof when somepony else gets the last cherry at the market, or they swear if they trip. When I get angry ponies get hurt! Really hurt!” she blinked back the mist in her eyes as she remembered the look on Hoops’ face as she’d attacked him, how good it had felt at the time. “And I’m always angry, it's like a flame in me always burning, it just keeps going,” she stamped on the ground, “getting brighter and brighter until... I have to let it out.”
“What do you do?” asked Kindle, his face drawing closer to hers, his eyes seeming to glitter. “What do you do with the flame?”
“Rain, rain makes me feel better. When it’s raining everything seems to make sense. Sometimes I think I’m only happy when it’s raining, but it’s never enough. Sometimes I just get so angry I... well I break things, rocks usually. It helps... a little,” she admitted.
“Rocks?”
“Yeah, big rocks.”
“Could you show me?” he asked, looking intrigued.
“I don’t know, I don’t like showing other ponies...” she didn’t want him to know just how dangerous she could be.
“Please, for me?” he asked almost desperately.
Her brow furrowed. “Ok, I guess,” she looked around for a suitable target, there were a few boulders around, not quite as large as the ones she was used to at home but probably good enough. She stood slowly and trotted over to them. She rested a hoof on one for a moment, just getting a feel, then pulled back her hoof and with a cry punched forwards. With a cracking sound a shard of stone flew off. She glanced back at Kindle who was looking a little disappointed.
“You’re holding back,” he said.
“Well, yeah, I... look can we do something else? I’m not used to having an audience.”
“Please, I want to see what you can do. I want to see your true self.”
“I don’t know...” she started. She didn’t want him to see the real her, her true self hurt ponies, her true self meant others were scared of her, her true self would make Kindle hate her. Why couldn’t he just be happy with the her that just wanted him to like her.
He stood and trotted over. “Please, show me. I want to see who you really are, you won’t drive me away.”
Why wouldn’t he just leave her alone! She bit back a snarl, this was just the sort of thing she didn’t want him to see. Shehe turned away. “Please don’t ask me to do this, can’t we just go back to lying in the sun?” she pleaded, stepping away. “No,” his voice gained a little strength. “I want to see who you are, who you hide from others.”
“No, you don’t,” she growled through gritted teeth, “Nopony wants to see who I really am.”
“I do!”
“No you don’t,” she tried to turn away but he grabbed her hoof. She had to bite back a snarl as her instincts told her to strike out at him.
“I do!” he repeated apparently unafraid.
“No! You! Don’t!” she cried, bringing a hoof down on a nearby boulder and knocking a large chunk from it. “Nopony,” she kicked back at another boulder sending it rolling away, “wants to see,” she slammed her forelegs into the first boulder again, a one-two blow which formed a deep crack in it. “Who I really am!” A third blow knocked a head sized chunk off of her nearby target. “I’m bad!” she screamed driving a hoof into the crack in the rock forcing the gap wider. “I hurt ponies!” she finished slamming both forelegs at the boulder smashing it in twain and making its remains fly back to ricochet off other rocks. “I’m bad!” she panted, her head drooping.
Then Kindle was there holding her head in his hooves and kissing her on the lips, his tongue eagerly teasing her gates. She blinked in surprise, almost pulling back as she raised a hoof to push him away. Then she relaxed, the hoof dropping onto his neck, her lips parted allowing him entry. Her own tongue was initially caught by surprise but quickly rallied, driving the invader back; she leant forwards raising her hoof to his mane, feeling him give ground against her own greater strength. After a long moment she relented and released him.
“I-I am sorry,” he gasped, “I... that was amazing! Your strength... Your power...”
“You, you liked that!” she asked in astonishment, in the back of her mind part of her was trying to attract her attention to the fact that he’d kissed her and that it had been awsome! But she tried to ignore it. “I could have hurt you!”
“But you didn’t! Raindrops, you don’t need to lock your real self away all the time, you can let loose. I certainly appreciate a strong mare,” he leaned forwards to kiss her again, “Very much. Nopony should ever have to pretend to be anything they aren't. There was a time in my life when I couldn’t be true to myself, when I had to hide who I was. It’s only recently that I can truly be free. I don’t want you to have to suffer in the same way.”
“But I can’t just let myself go, can I?” she asked, she’d always been so scared of what others would think of her.
“Why not? It is society which is telling you that you can’t be what you truly are Storm Cloud!”
“Storm Cloud?” she asked, her brow furrowing at the thought.
“Like a storm, you are powerful, and beautiful, magnificent. You don’t have to be Raindrops the pony that others are afraid of, who has to hide her true face to blend in. You can be Storm Cloud and show the world who you really are,” he kissed her again gently, “Who can let her passions out.” She shuddered at both the feeling of his lips and her thoughts.
“I don’t know, what if I hurt somepony?”
“You didn’t hurt me. You are a good pony, better than you think.”
“You hardly know me, you don’t know what I did as a foal...”
“I know you well enough, you are no longer a foal,” he rested a hoof on her face, “you are a mare now. You can use your talents for the betterment of all Equestria, and I can show you how.”
“I... I don’t know,” she said looking down. It sounded wonderful not to have to be herself, not to have to be scared, to be free to do what she wanted, without having to second guess herself, but what if she lost control? Hurt somepony? She needed to be be careful. Kindle glanced up at the sun and frowned. “I am afraid I will have to go now, I have duties to perform. Think on what I have said, you know it makes sense. I only want what’s best for you.”
“I will, I... When can we meet again?” she asked, her heart pounding in her chest.
“The next few days will be hectic I’m afraid, I have much to plan. I will contact you when I am free.” He leaned forwards and their lips locked again. She held him close, never wanting him to go, but eventually he pulled away. “We will meet again soon my Storm Cloud.” With a flap of his outstretched wings he lifted into the air and began to fly towards the embassy. Raindrops felt her wings twitch wanting to follow him but she forced herself to stay in place, only raising a hoof to wave a goodbye.
She watched until he had disappeared then looked down again, her head was spinning. That had been intense. She hadn’t expected things to happen so fast, she needed to think, to try and calm down. She giggled, she didn’t feel like she’d ever be calm again. She skipped over towards the boulders landing a glancing blow against one which threw off chips. She sighed, letting loose did sound very nice.
* * *
“Hi Honey ~ I’m home!” sang Lyra as she threw open the door to the room she shared with Raindrops.
“Huh, what...” exclaimed Raindrops from the bed, she looked around blearily before rubbing her eyes. “What time is it? Did I fall asleep again?”
Lyra pranced over to the bed and leapt onto it, bouncing a few times and almost knocking the pegasus onto the floor. “So how did your date go? Is there some reason you’re so worn out?” she teased.
Raindrops flushed and sat up in the bed stretching a little. “It’s just that I was out all last night,” she smiled. “My date with Kindle was,” she looked aside, “It was really nice, we had a picnic and we talked, it was nice.”
“You don’t sound all that enthused,” said Lyra, “Did anything happen? Or not happen?” She leaned towards her friend. It was hard to remember that Raindrops wasn’t as experienced as she sometimes acted. There were a whole lot of things most adult ponies had gone through that she hadn’t yet. A bad date might be one of them.
“No, I was really nervous at first, but he’s such a nice stallion.” She sighed happily. “He just seems to understand me. We kissed, you know, properly,” he voice trailed off, “with tongues!” she squeaked.
Lyra grinned at her friend’s naivety. “And how’d that work out?”
“I well, I really liked it, I sort of want to do it again.”
“Well if you’d like to practice, I’m always here,” she puckered her lips, “I’m sure Bonnie with understand if it’s for educational purposes.”
“So when are you going to see him again, got your second date all planned out? Do griffins do theatre? The two of you can have a lot of fun in the back row. You know, for educational purposes,” she wiggled her eyebrows.
“No, he said he’d be busy for a few days, that he’d get in touch.”
That worried Lyra a little, Raindrops didn’t seem upset by it but it might have been a lie to try and let her down. She really hoped for Kindle’s sake that it wasn’t the case and that the stallion would be brave enough to properly break things off if he felt that way. “Is that why you seem a little glum?” she asked
“No, we talked about some things, they got me thinking. Do you think I keep my emotions locked up too much? Should I just let myself go more?”
Lyra frowned. “Is this about your temper?”
“Maybe, I told him about it, about what I could do, what I have done, I thought... I thought it might scare him off, but it didn’t. It actually seemed to make him like me more,” she smiled and hugged a nearby pillow.
Lyra thought over the issue for a moment, in some way it seemed like Kindle was perfect for Raindrops, but maybe a little too perfect. There were a lot of kinks out there, was anger one of them? “Well I’m glad he seems to accept you for who you are,” she said cautiously.
“Yeah, he thinks I shouldn’t hold myself back as much, that I should let my feelings out more. Just be me regardless of the consequences.”
“That sounds good, but maybe you need to think it over a bit more,” she understood the appeal of the idea, she certainly wasn’t one to second guess herself. She also knew that Raindrops’ issues meant that such a decision, as seductive as it might seem, could lead to trouble. “Make sure what he’s suggesting is for your benefit and not his, he might just want you to be more, well, uninhibited around him,” she suggested.
“He hasn’t been anything but a gentle stallion,” said Raindrops sharply, “He’s not said anything about us,” she gestured vaguely with her hooves, “you know, being uninhibited or anything. Am I doing things wrong? Should I be...” her tail writhed around in indecision. Lyra rested a hoof on her friend’s barrel. “You shouldn’t be doing anything that you don’t want to do. It’s good he didn’t push you to do anything, you’ve only known him what, two days now? But you should probably think through this letting it all hang out thing, you wouldn’t want anypony to get hurt would you?”
“No,” she scowled, “I wish I was normal so I didn’t have to worry about hurting other ponies.”
“Raindrops, you are normal!”
“We both know I’m not. None of us are any more, things just seem to be so complicated. Being an element bearer, being a dame, just being here in the griffin lands. It all seems to make my life so difficult sometimes. Without all that I’d just be a filly talking to her friend about the hot stallion she met.”
Lyra smiled and nodded, sometimes she felt that way as well but they had agreed to take up their titles when the princess had offered and well, it was fun to be able to show off sometimes. The thoughts of her duty brought her back to the events of earlier today. “I know what you mean but unfortunately duty calls. While you were out canoodling with Kindle I had an interesting afternoon.” She quickly went over her afternoon at the griffin court, of Terror Wings’ duel with his family, the outcome, and of her outburst after the fight.
“Great, so a sun loving super griffin now hates you even more,” said Raindrops summing up the story.
“I guess so but that fight just wasn’t fair, he can’t get hurt, well not for long thanks to what Corona did to him. How can that be right? I just hope the rest of the griffin agree with me, most of them seemed pretty impressed with what he could do,” she sighed, “I really don’t get the culture over here.”
“But you didn’t have any problems getting back here?”
“We had to wait a while until it was safe but the Shadowbolts and Captain Lightning guarded me. But,” she glanced around the chamber as if there might be somepony hiding in the corner. “We caught Quizzing talking with one Corona’s people, that grey mare, what was her name Shadow... no, Smoke. They were talking about something, Haymaker was there as well.”
“What did she have to say to them?” asked Raindrops.
“I don’t know. Captain Lighting, well he wasn’t pleased, called Quizzing a traitor and said that Smoke had passed something on to him. Haymaker searched him and didn’t find anything. I don’t know, it did seem odd to me...”
“Maybe, I don’t really trust the ambassador all that much, he seems far too calm about the situation but I don’t know if Lightning’s any better. He’s certainly got some sort of chip in his shoulder about being sent out here. He might just be being paranoid, but he’s probably got a good reason now you’ve got Terror Wing on your case.”
“You might be right but I don’t know, maybe Lightning’s a traitor and just trying to frame the ambassador? To be honest it’s the Voice of the Sun, whoever he really is, that worries me more. There was no sign of him today, no telling what he was doing or who he was talking to.”
“It’s not like you could miss a pony with a flaming mane. So what do you think we should do?”
“I don’t know, maybe check on Lightning and Quizzing? If this was a story we’d find something incriminating in one of their rooms, a big amulet with Corona’s picture on it or something.”
Raindrops snorted. “I don’t think that’s going to happen.”
“Well you never know...” started Lyra only to be interrupted by a knocking on the door.
“Dames,” came a sharp call from Captain Lightning.
“Maybe his ears were burning,” suggested Lyra as Raindrops looked at her in surprise. “What is it Captain?” she called.
“Haymaker, the ambassador,” he said acidly, “and myself are meeting in the ambassador’s office to discuss this afternoon’s events. Your presence is requested, if you feel up to it?”
Lyra’s brow furrowed for a moment then she remembered the alibi they had been using for Raindrops’ absence. “Raindrops is feeling better now, we’ll both be out in a minute.”
“Very well, although I suggest that you pack your bags, I doubt you will be staying here much longer.”
* * *
The two element bearers exited their room a few minutes later to be greeted by the captain and a small group of guards. Raindrops was actually a little surprised that Bootheel wasn’t still outside the door but instead they passed a different guard, she guessed that the brown earth pony was off duty or something. Without saying much more Lightning lead them through the embassy to the ambassador's office where they found Quizzing and Haymaker sitting around a small table.
As they entered the ambassador took a piece of paper from Clicker. “Our regular update from home,” he explained, “it seems that your friends are all still enjoying themselves in the viceroy's mansion. There’s a message forwarded on for you dame Heartstrings from a BB. Missing you Sweetie, stop, the new toy arrived and I want to play, stop.” He raised an eyebrow.
A wide grin spread across Lyra’s face. “Can I send something back?” she asked.
“Of course.”
“Good, um... Be back soon Bonnie. This time you can wear the bridle, um, stop.”
Quizzing nodded to a rather intrigued looking Clicker who gave a sloppy salute and quickly scurried off. “Now, I hope we can--”
“Ambassador,” said Lightning glaring at Quizzing, “sir,” he nodded to Haymaker. “Given the events of earlier today I no longer consider this situation to be stable or this facility to be secure and I will be immediately evacuating the element bearers back to Equestria and safety.” He quickly turned on his heels and began to usher the mares back through the door they had only just entered.
Both of the other stallions gawked for a moment before jumping to their hooves.
“Now see here captain!” squawked the ambassador, “You have no right to do this!”
“I have every right, I was put in charge of the element bearers’ safety and I take my duty very seriously. As you have proven yourself to be compromised I have no option but to immediately contact home and request that they are teleported to safety.”
“I protest! Compromised! I--”
“I am in charge of this operation!” declared Haymaker cutting off Quizzing’s angry tirade. It was the first time Raindrops had heard him raise his voice, and it was certainly impressive. He didn’t shout, but the slightest increase in volume had the same effect as if he’d screamed at the top of his lungs. “And you, captain, will take no further action until this matter is discussed! Do you understand?”
Lightning quivered in place for a moment, clearly wanting to speak out against the Shadowbolt but unable to overcome his military training. Raindrops wasn’t sure of the exact relationship between the Shadowbolts and the military but Lightning seemed to consider Haymaker his superior. “Yes, sir,” he finally managed.
“Good, now we will all sit down and sort this issue out.” Face still like thunder, Lightning took a place at the table. Glancing at each other worriedly Lyra and Raindrops joined him. “Once again you have claimed the ambassador is in league with Corona, do you have any evidence of this?”
“I saw him receive a letter from one of the tyrant’s servants!”
“And I searched the ambassador at your request and found nothing, unless you believe that I am involved in any conspiracy?”
Lightning’s eyes narrowed for a moment then he shook his head. “No.”
“So what other evidence do you have against the ambassador?” Lightning's eyes flashed back and forth around the room as if he’d see something incriminating lying around the place.
“Nothing concrete,” he finally admitted, “but he’s too damned calm about everything!”
“If acting professionally is a crime now then I’m not surprised that you’re free to roam around captain,” sniffed Quizzing.
Lightning started to get angrily to his hooves only to be stopped by Haymaker who shook his head. “Now we will discuss the events of today and the effect they will have on this mission calmly and we will as a group decide the best action to take.” He looked around the table. “Do we all understand?”
“Oh, we get to talk now do we?” asked Raindrops snidely, “Because I thought we were just here for you to argue over.”
“My apologies dame,” said Lightning, “but I have to put your safety first, even if you do not yourself.”
Haymaker cleared his throat. “We are all aware of what happened at the griffin court today?” he turned to Raindrops.
“I talked to her about it,” said Lyra, “Terror Wing challenged most of his family to a duel over their honour and beat them while the rest of the clan was watching.”
The ambassador nodded. “Given the respect that most griffins show to strength that would normally be enough for the court to push for an alliance with Corona.”
“Except,” piped up Lyra, “I managed to take the wind out of his sails.”
“Indeed, your rather inspired piece of criticism does seem to have upset Terror Wing’s plans. His father used the distraction to avoid having to declare him the official victor, an act which would almost certainly require him to make Terror Wing his heir apparent given he’s proved himself to be stronger than his elder siblings.”
“But that distraction can’t last that long!” said Lightning, “sooner or later Gavril will have to throw his support behind one side or the other, and it seems almost certain that he will choose the tyrant. Her position seems stronger! She certainly seemed to know how to deal with the griffin even if our own courtiers don't!” Raindrops turned to the captain, her eyes narrowing. Was that admiration for Corona? “Once the griffins turn there is no way the troops I have on hoof will be able to defend this building, evacuation is the only option!”
Quizzing snorted. “You obviously don’t understand the situation! Even if the griffins supported Corona, they would never attack this building. There is a difference between supporting our enemies and actually attacking what is considered Equestrian soil! It would be a declaration of war! And I can assure you things would not come to that!” He stood snorting.
“Of course you would say that!” bellowed Lightning, standing as well and turning to the ambassador, their heads almost touching. “You probably want Corona to have the bearers!”
“Gentlestallions!” cried Haymaker, “Sit. Down. Now! Before I make you.”
“Of course,” said Quizzing straightening his jacket. “My apologies.”
Lightning only glared before retaking his seat. “Regardless,” he said a little more calmly, “of the situation I don’t think it’s likely that Corona will make an appearance so I don’t see what we can hope to gain by keeping the element bearers here.”
Haymaker shook his head. “I disagree, if the chief does decide to keep supporting Equestria then the only way Corona’s forces have to raise the stakes is for their queen to make an appearance. If we can just keep the pressure up I am sure this mission can come to a successful end. With the teleport booster on hoof we can evacuate at a moment's notice if we choose, the bearers are not in danger,” he nodded to Lyra and Raindrops. “What are your opinions?” he asked.
“Oh, well I don’t really know,” said Lyra, “I heard what the ambassador said about the griffins not attacking the embassy, but I saw how angry Terror Wing was in the arena. I’m not sure he’d think about that sort of thing.” Lightning nodded. “And I don’t think Corona is all that likely to just turn up for tea and cakes. I think it might be a bit of a risk for us to hang around...”
Raindrops nodded along with her friend. It made sense to her, there really wasn’t any reason for them to be here, she’d never really wanted to come in the first place. They could just let Lightning evacuate them back to Latigo, she wondered what Kindle would think of Twilight’s manor there... wait a minute, her eyes widened, there was no reason to think that Kindle would actually come with them, or that she’d ever get a chance to see him again. “Actually,” she said sounding a little shrill as she cut off Lyra. “I agree with the ambassador, I think we’re safe here for the moment. If we pull out now then we’ve just wasted all the time we’ve spent here, we can’t just give up the chance of dealing with Corona once and for all. It’s our duty as knights.” Lyra’s brow furrowed. “Some of us might have good reasons to stay here,” she nodded to her friend, hoping the unicorn would pick up on her thoughts. “Maybe we could at least give it another day or two?” That should give her the time to try and find Kindle and do something, she wasn’t sure what, at least give him her address. “Maybe the political situation will have changed by then?”
“I guess so,” said Lyra still looking unsure, “but are you sure you’re looking at this sensibly?”
“I think so, we are knights after all, we have to look out for the good of Equestria!”
“Instead of just what we want to do?” added Lyra pointedly, making Raindrops feel a little guilty.
“I think that is a reasonable compromise,” said Haymaker looking around the town. “We can revisit the situation tomorrow. In the meantime, ambassador, you should do what you can with the local authorities. Meanwhile, captain, you should increase security levels just in case. I will instruct the Shadowbolts to ensure the teleport booster is secure and ready to use if we need it. Are we agreed?” Raindrops nodded eagerly as did Quizzing, Lyra looked less sure but eventually agreed, Lightning stared at the Shadowbolt for a long moment before finally grunting his approval. “Good.” They all stood and started to head towards the doors.
“What was that about?” asked Lyra angrily once she and Raindrops had returned to their room.
“What?” said Raindrops, not meeting her gaze.
“It’s our duty as knights” she parroted, “you just want to stay here because you might get a booty call from Kindle!”
“It’s not like that!” exclaimed Raindrops angrily. “It’s just... well... ok, I want to make sure we can stay in touch. I don’t want to lose him! He’s special!”
“More special than our safety? Maybe Quizzing is right and the griffin won't come here but I don’t know if we can take that risk. It’s not like us being here is actually doing much about the situation.”
“You managed to turn that crowd against Terror Wing! And only half an hour ago you were talking about us staying here!”
“Yeah but that was before...”
“Before what?”
“...Before I got that message from Bonnie,” said Lyra looking down at the ground.
“What, and now you want to have happy sexy times with her?” she snorted.
“No! Well yes, but it reminded me that I miss her, and she’d miss me if anything happened to us...” Lyra trailed off.
“Oh,” said Raindrops deflating a little, “look I’m sure things are going to be fine. I know you really care about Bon Bon but the way you feel about her, that’s the way I feel about Kindle! I don’t want to lose him just by accident.”
Despite herself Lyra gave a snort. “Like me and Bonnie? You’ve only known this guy for what, two days now!”
“But it seems like an eternity! I’m sure he’s the one!” sighed Raindrops.
“He’s the one,” parroted Lyra, “Do you know how much like a teenager you sound right now?”
“Lyra, I am a teenager,” growled Raindrops. “And I’m sorry if my age means that my feelings don’t count.” She rolled over on the bed turning away from her friend.
“Raindrops, I’m sorry I--” began Lyra guiltily reaching out for the pegasus.
“No, I’m sure all your extra experience means you really know how these things are. There’s no possible way I could lo... like Kindle. Is there!” said Raindrops bitterly shrugging off her friend’s hoof.
Lyra sighed, she’d really messed up here. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean--”
“Of course you didn’t, I’m just stupid angry Raindrops. I don’t get to have emotions because I might hurt ponies. I should just keep everything inside all the time, go and smash some rocks or something.”
“Please Raindrops, I really am sorry, I’m sure what you have with Kindle feels very real but maybe you should take a few steps back. What do you actually know about him?”
“Enough. I know that he likes me for who I am! That he cares how I feel.”
“I do too,” said Lyra reaching out a hoof again, this time Raindrops didn’t push it aside. “I really do want you to be happy, to have a special somepony. I know how good it feels, but you shouldn’t put yourself in danger just for that. If it’s meant to be you’ll find a way.”
“Yeah, I guess so,” mumbled Raindrops.
“Look, I think we should check up on the Ambassador,” said Lyra trying to distract her friend. “Lightning made some good points about him. He might be really dodgy.”
“You don’t need me for that,” said Raindrops turning towards her friend with a wan smile. “I’m not all that sneaky, I’m more of the break down the door type. You’re probably better off by yourself without me to get in the way.”
“Raindrops, don’t be like that,” said Lyra hopping off the bed, “I’m sorry about what I said.”
“I know, I... I just need some time to myself to think things over, you know.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yeah, just be careful, if you do find anything strange come straight back here, and even if there’s nothing wrong, we probably should get going tomorrow.” She sighed, “Like you said it’s not safe. Just be careful. I can probably leave a message for Kindle when we have to leave, I’m sure he’ll get it.”
“You’re sure?”
“Yeah, I wouldn’t want to keep you away from Bon Bon,” she said with a weak smile.
“Thank you,” said Lyra as she headed to the door.
* * *
Raindrops growled to herself in frustration as her friend slipped away. Lyra probably meant well, thought that she was protecting her younger friend, but she wasn’t a child! She knew her own mind and that her feelings for Kindle were real. It wasn’t just some hormonal infatuation. Certainly he was attractive, very much so with his silky mane and his long pinions just right to wrap around her body keeping her warm and protected. She idly wondered if it was true what they said about stallions with big wings, then she cut off that line of thinking. As intriguing as it was, it wasn’t helping her argument.
She sighed and rolled off the bed before starting to pace up and down the room. Maybe Lyra was right, maybe she was taking things too quickly, but she hated the thought of possibly never seeing Kindle again. Ok, maybe that was unlikely, even if she had to return to Equestria tomorrow she could leave a letter or something. They could keep in touch, but how would she feel if their situations were reversed? If Kindle just vanished suddenly and only left a letter. She didn’t want to ruin things that way. If only she could talk to him one more time! Explain why things had to be the way they were, to tell him that it wasn’t safe for her to stay, to say that she’d be back and that she wanted them to be together.
There was a knock at the window and Raindrops spun around in surprise. There, just outside, hovered Kindle, a bouquet of flowers held in the crook of his arm. Raindrops felt her jaw drop, was she dreaming? Had her thoughts in some way summoned him?
“My lady,” called Kindle. “My Storm Cloud, may I come in?”
“Oh, right um, yes, of course,” she tried to gather her wits while at the same time running a hoof through her mane trying to get the errant strands to stay down. Finally deciding that she looked as good as she could in the few moments available to her she trotted over to the window and opened it. Kindle carefully climbed in and presented her with the flowers and a glowing smile. Raindrops found herself grinning in kind and accepted the gift. She hugged the flowers to herself and nibbled gently at one of them, they tasted fresh. “Thank you! They’re great,” feeling that maybe she should reward him for the present she leaned forwards and kissed him on the lips, there was no reason she couldn’t reward herself at the same time. “I wasn’t expecting to see you again so soon!”
“Yes, well,” the stallion looked bashfully down at the floor, “I hadn’t planned to, but I found I could not get you out of my mind my Storm Cloud. My work is important but,” he looked her straight in the eyes. “I’ve found that you, and what you represent, is far more dear to me than my previous plans.”
Raindrops felt her legs weaken and her tail rise under his gaze. She shyly turned away blushing, she’d never thought that a stallion would make her feel like this. Kindle seemed to always know just what to say to light a fire in her, to make her want to abandon her inhibitions. His was a dangerous, heady presence.
“You were all that I could think about these last few hours. I have prepared a surprise for you, I think you will enjoy it.”
“You really didn’t need to,” said Raindrops trying to get her body back under control. Her mind swam at the idea of what surprise he could have for her given they were alone together in her bedroom. “You’ve done so much for me over the last few days. I should treat you in some way.” She found her bush re-intensifying at the imagined implications of her words.
“Your presence is reward enough for me. Now if it pleases you, come with me,” he gestured to the window.
“Where are we going?” she asked, taking his hoof in her own.
“It is a surprise, but not all that far.”
A nagging thought tugged at her mind. “Wait, I-I really shouldn’t, Lyra will be expecting me to be here.” Maybe she should tell Kindle of her friend’s suspicions about the ambassador, he worked here, so maybe he knew more, but it really wasn’t the sort of thing she wanted to discuss right now. Besides, what were the odds that her friend would need her help in the next few hours? Lyra’s little spy game probably wouldn’t turn up anything, and while she was with Kindle she could tell him about her having to go... the thought drove a spear of ice into her heart, she’d have to tell him, but maybe not right now. She could wait until he’d shown her his surprise, she didn’t want to ruin their evening. That sounded like a reasonable excuse, she meant plan, a reasonable plan.
“My lady?” asked Kindle.
“Sorry,” Raindrops shook herself out of her thoughts. “I’ll leave a note in case she gets back and wonders where I am.” She reluctantly pulled away from him and quickly took a pad and pencil from a bedside table before scribbling a few words about being out with her stallion and throwing the paper back on the table. “Right, I’m ready!” she exclaimed. He grinned and held out a hoof for her and the two of them climbed out of the window together.
Unseen, the breeze caused by their exit caught the discarded note by the bed and sent it floating. It swooped around for a moment before it was dragged out of the window and into the sky beyond, leaving no trace.
* * *
“Our transport awaits!” announced Kindle holding out his hoof towards the sky. Raindrops smiled at the sight of a small platform made of cloud positioned near to the embassy. It would be a little snug for the two of them, but she imagined that neither of them would be all that worried about that. With a flap of her wings she carefully positioned herself on one side of the cloud and watched with a little amusement as Kindle tried to push her seat away from the embassy. It was clear that he didn’t have all that much experience working with clouds.
“Do you need a hoof?” she asked after watching his hooves slip for the fourth time.
“I can manage this, my lady,” he said with a grunt of frustration.
She couldn’t help but grin at his mumbled swearing before he finally managed to get the cloud moving at a fair clip. She decided to reward him with one of the flowers he’d gotten her and he chewed thoughtfully as he climbed onto the platform with her. As she’d thought, he was forced to sit pressed against her side by the size of the platform. She shivered despite the heat of his body as she felt their wings folding around each other.
“So,” she said, giving him a kiss as a further reward for his work on their transport, “where are we going?”
“As I said that is a surprise, but I think you will enjoy it.”
Reluctantly looking away from Kindle’s face Raindrops looked around. The sun was hovering not far above the horizon and it was casting its fading light over the scenery around them. She noticed a thick cloud bank a few miles ahead of them sitting over a lightly wooded patch of rocky ground. It was certainly picturesque but nothing out of the ordinary. In a way she didn’t want to get to wherever they were going, the sooner they got there the sooner things would be over, the sooner she’d have to tell him she was leaving.
“Storm Cloud,” whispered Kindle in her ear, “you seem distracted my lady.”
“Sorry,” she said shaking herself, “I’m thinking.” She took a breath, maybe it would be fairer to tell him now. “I’m probably going to have to return to Equestria tomorrow, Captain Lightning thinks it’s too dangerous for me and Lyra to stay here.”
Kindle’s brow furrowed. “Already? I hoped you would stay longer, that the ambassador could persuade you.”
“I want to stay, really I do. These last few days with you have been magical but Lightning’s right, I don’t think we can do much more here. It looks like Corona might get the Griffins on her side.”
Kindle nodded. “I hadn’t heard about that, it’s an... interesting development, but I can see why you’d be thinking of leaving. I might have to change some of my plans, but I’m sure things can work out properly.”
Raindrops sighed, it didn’t look like her announcement had shocked him that much, which in a way was worrying, wasn’t he upset she was leaving? “I’ll give you my address in Ponyville. We even have telegraph now, we can keep in touch.”
“I understand my lady, separating would be torture for me, but maybe it will not be for that long. I may be able to work something out, maybe you will not have to leave after all.”
It doesn't seem that likely, thought Raindrops, but maybe things would change, maybe the griffin king would come to his senses about the tyrant sun. “Maybe... You know, sometimes I hate being an element bearer, being a dame. If none of that had ever happened I wouldn’t be a target for Corona. I wouldn’t have to leave!”
“We all have our destinies, my lady. If you had not become an element bearer you would never have had a reason to come here, we would never have met, and we would both be poorer for it.”
“I guess so, but couldn’t we have met as just two ponies,” she ran a hoof down his face, “none of the danger or worry, just a mare and a stallion.”
He leaned forwards and rested his lips on hers. “We are just a mare and a stallion, regardless of what else we might be, tonight we are just us, together.” She opened her lips to allow him entry as her hoof ran down his back.
She wasn’t sure how long it was before they separated but it seemed far too short a time. “This is a very pleasant way to pass our time,” mumbled Kindle panting a little. “But look,” he gestured with his hoof, “we are here!”
Raindrops tore her gaze from his and looked around. The sky was full of dark, heavily laden clouds blotting out both the rapidly sinking sun and the moon as it struggled to rise. Here and there large feathered shapes could be seen pushing the last of the storm into place.
“What! This... how did you?” she blinked in surprise.
“I have a few allies among the locals,” he explained. “I managed to pull a few strings and get the help of the Griffin equivalent of a weather team.” He lowered his voice. “I doubt they’re a scratch on a proper Equestrian team but they try their best. You mentioned you enjoyed the rain, Little Storm Cloud, so I thought you’d like it if I gave you some.” He waved towards the griffins who saluted and began to fly away. “Plus a little privacy, the two of us should be the only ones for a few miles around. No need to play any role but yourself, not an element bearer, not a representative of Equestria, just Raindrops.”
“I’m... You didn’t... wow!” exclaimed Raindrops once she could speak again, staring out into the banks of rolling clouds. “Thank you! You didn’t have to do this, nopony has ever...”
“Then that is their fault, I think you deserve all the clouds in the sky.” He stood and held out a hoof. “Shall we?” he asked. Raindrops stood and impulsively leant forwards and kissed Kindle on the cheek before her excitement overcame her and she leapt from the cloud spreading her wings and swooping over towards the edge of the storm.
“So what do you think?” asked Kindle as he followed her.
Raindrops wanted to squeal out in excitement, a whole storm all of her own! Put together just for her! A small dark part of her wondered why anypony would ever do this for her, what was Kindle expecting from her for all of this? She forced back that crawling thought, she deserved good things to happen to her now and then, she deserved it. She deserved somepony to care for her, and she suspected she would enjoy paying any price he intended to name. She forced down all her emotions and tried to look professional. “Well, it’s not perfect,” she said running a hoof through the cloudbank. “A bit rough, they’ve mixed up some cloud types here, in Equestria you’d be using better product.”
“I’m sorry if I’ve got it wrong,” came Kindle’s mournful voice from behind her. “I don’t have much experience with weather work. I’m sorry, I’ll try harder next time.”
“No, no, I was joking, this is really nice, I’m sorry,” Raindrops spun around in a panic, she couldn’t mess this up now! She was greeted by Kindle’s smiling face.
“I was joking!” he said with a laugh. Raindrops scowled and gently thumped him on the shoulder but she couldn’t help but giggle as well. “Although maybe we could try this again in Equestria, during better times, when things are back to how they should be. Anyway, would you like to kick things off?”
“Can I?” asked Raindrops looking back at the blanket of pregnant clouds. Her trained eye told her they were positioned so that minimal effort would start off the entire storm. It was a tribute to the skills of the weather griffin, regardless of the shoddiness of their materials. “It was made for you, go on,” urged Kindle. Tentatively, Raindrops reached out a hoof towards the mass of cloud as if she thought it might prove to be an illusion. “Not like that,” said Kindle, “be youself Storm Cloud, let it out!” She let her hoof drop and floated still in the air for a moment before spinning and lashing out with a loud yell at the cloud bank with her hind legs. She flipped in the air, spinning and flailing out with her limbs, each blow punctuated with another cry. Waves of force rushed through the clouds spreading out in wider and wider patterns as Raindrops exerted her magic on them. She stopped, panting from the effort, and for a moment all was silent, then...
*plink*
A single drop of water condensed from the dark mass and plummeted towards the ground far below.
*plink*
Then another, and another, and another until a gentle drizzle filled the air below, growing stronger and stronger as the moments went by. Raindrops hovered there entranced by the sight until, with a single flap of her wings, she dove through the cloudbank and into the rain. She stopped and raised her head to the sky, stretching all six limbs wide to catch as much of the life giving liquid on her body as possible. The water dribbled down her face plastering her mane to her head. Slowly all the tension flowed from her body washed away in the downpour, her neck relaxed letting her head flop against her chest as a wide smile of contentment grew across her face. She breathed out long and loud, letting the last of the stress bleed from her.
From above and outside the storm Kindle watched as the mare enjoyed the rain flowing over her. After a brief hesitation he swooped forwards to join her. After only a moment his coat and mane were sodden, but he forced his way through the rain and hovered just a little above Raindrops. His eyes ran appreciatively up and down her wet coat as she twisted and cavorted in the rain giggling gently, then he opened his mouth and began to sing: -
I can give you this storm, he began, his velvet tones filling the empty air around the two of them. Raindrops’ eyes flicked open and she stared up at the stallion hovering above her.
Drizzling, glittering, pouring. He flew down and ran a hoof gently across Raindrops’ face, flattening a trail down her coat.
Tell me Raindrops, now when did you last let your heart decide? He broke away again, gaining height and slowly drifting towards the clouds.
I can open your eyes
Bring you into the sunshine He tore open the cloud bank above, letting the last few rays of the sun shine through and surrounding him with a burning aura for a moment. He held out a hoof to Raindrops.
Free yourself and be equine
As we fly on through the skies She paused for a moment, then with a flap of her wings she powered up towards her stallion. The two of them flashed through the cloud bank and broke clear of the storm for a moment, twisting around each other as they went. They hovered in the sky just as the sun sunk away and the moon rose, sharing the sky in balance for a moment.
A whole new world! They cried together.
Just see things from my point of view continued Kindle
Please Storm Cloud don’t say no
Just let us go
And we can stop pretending
The two hovered there above the clouds for a moment. Eyes locked on each other, Raindrops drew her wings tight into her sides and slowly let herself drop through the cloudbank and back into the torrent. A wake of water flowed off her as she shot forwards through the rain, her tail held high. With a smile Kindle twisted in the air and chased behind her.
A whole new world, she cried
A freedom from just being me
But from the heart of this storm
This seems the norm
And now I can share a whole new world with you! Kindle drew up alongside Raindrops and held out a hoof, without hesitation she reached out and took it. As one they spread their wings and swooped down towards the mountains below them.
Now we’re in a whole new world together!
Unbelievable sights, gasped Raindrops, the ground blurred past as they jinxed from side to side avoiding the jagged teeth of rock sticking up from the earth.
Indescribable feelings
Soaring, tumbling, freewheeling, she wasn’t sure if she was talking about her flight or her heart.
Through an peaceful raining sky
A whole new world! They chorused as they split apart to avoid a tower of rock, Kindle began to pull ahead with Raindrops a tail length behind him.
I will lead you to the sun rise he called back
I want to stay like this forever
Follow me -- it gets better!
I'm like the rising moon,
This ends too soon she added mournfully, noting that the sky above was clearer and the rain was starting to die down. I don’t want to go back to being me!
A whole new world! Cried Kindle as the two of them danced in the air, their forms twisting around each other and wings blurring.
I don’t want the sun to rise admitted Raindrops
With new horizons to pursue
Can this last for forever?
Despite pushing her wings to the limit Kindle started to pull ahead of her, the ground flashing by below them. She desperately reached out a leg towards him wanting to feel his touch. Glancing back he noticed the gap growing between them and pulled up, swooping around in a large loop coming up behind her. Raindrops flipped upside down and their forelegs locked together holding each other belly to belly. Their wings synchronized, pushing them onwards faster than either of them could singularly through the thinning rain.
We’re perfect together
Pegasus of a feather, they cried clutching each other close, Raindrops could feel Kindle’s heart pounding in his chest so fast, it mirrored her own. The heat of his body seemed to seep into her own to drive away the chill of the water they were drenched in.
Let me share this whole
New world with you
A whole new world
Together we'll be
They powered up through the few remaining clouds and hovered there silhouetted against the full moon, their limbs still entwined and muzzles only inches from each other.
A burning flame, he breathed.
No longer a dame, she sighed.
Just you and me!, they froze in place staring into each other under the moonlight then, as if on a shared signal, they dove forwards, their lips meeting and tongues struggling against each other as the last of the rain poured around them.
After an eternity which ended far too soon they broke apart and still keeping in contact with each other flew towards the last perch left in the sky, the cloud that had originally brought them here. Raindrops thought she could no less not feel his coat against hers than she could cut off her own wings. They touched down gently and looked up at the now clear sky. Millions of stars glittered, their light overshadowed only by the huge full moon staring down at them.
Raindrops settled herself against her stallion, her head seeming to fit naturally alongside his. She closed her eyes, savoring the feeling of the pure adrenaline still flashing through her veins like liquid lightning and the warmth of his body which seemed to be evaporating the remaining water in her coat. Just the two of them together under the stars, on a cloud, it was like a scene from one of her books. A scene she realised she wanted to continue to its climax.
“What do you want to do now?” rumbled Kindle after a moment, the sound seeming to travel through Raindrops’ whole body rather than entering via her ears.
She shook her mane, droplets of water flying in all directions. “I want to sing, I want to cry, I want to shout, I want... I want... I want you!” she looked aside shyly for a moment.
“Now Raindrops, don’t you think we should...”
“I don’t want to think, I don’t want to be Raindrops,” she cried passionately, “I don’t want to be an element bearer, or the angry one, or a dutiful daughter.” She pushed forwards nuzzling against his chest. “I just want to be your Storm Cloud,” she whispered.
He faltered for a moment, the first time she hadn’t seen him anything but certain about anything. A shock of panic made her shiver, was she doing this wrong? Did he think of her as nothing but a filly? Second thoughts started to bubble up through her mind, this was a big step... her first time... did she really want to... what would her family say... but she didn’t listen to them. She wanted this, she wanted to be spontaneous, she wanted to live.
“There is something I need to talk to you about first, I didn’t mean for...”
“I don’t want to talk, I want to do!” She dove forwards again, pressing her lips to his hard enough to bruise. He struggled for a moment then relaxed and returned her ferocity as their hooves started to move over each other’s bodies.
“Very well my Storm Cloud,” he panted with a lustful smile when they finally broke apart. “It’ll keep for later.”
Then there was no more talking as she drove him down into the fluffy mass of cloud beneath them and the rest of the world melted away, leaving only the two of them alone in a sky shared only with the moon which glared down upon them like a disapproving eye.
Lyra tried to suppress a sigh as she made her way out of the room. That hadn’t gone well. She understood that Raindrops cared a lot for her new coltfriend but maybe just a little too much, she clearly wasn’t thinking all that straight right now. Of course she couldn’t entirely disagree with that, her own thinking was hardly clear when it came to Bon Bon, but she’d known Bonnie for years, not just a few days. Although were things really all that different? There’d been times when she’d done some pretty stupid things for her love, was that any different from how Raindrops was acting now? The younger mare seemed to be caught up in some sort of fantasy of a perfect romance. With her greater experience Lyra knew that things were rarely that simple, you didn’t just bump into somepony and live happily ever after, you had to work at relationships. Still, maybe Raindrops deserved the right to make the same mistakes as everypony else when it came to her love life, after all things might even work out. If anyone deserved to find someone to care about it was Raindrops, the poor filly normally seemed so depressed, she deserved a chance of happiness.
Lyra’s train of thought was derailed when she realised she wasn’t alone, in front of her was one of the embassy guards staring at her with a gormless look on his face. He was a young stallion, barely more than a colt, and didn’t seem to know what to do. This and Raindrop’s behaviour made her suddenly feel rather old, despite hardly being into her twenties herself. “Hi,” she volunteered, “I’m just, um, going for a quick trot. I’m getting a bit stiff spending all my time cooped up in my room. Maybe I’ll get a snack?” The guard looked confused for a moment, leaning on his spear and biting his lip before he slowly nodded. “Right, um, ok, right,” he finally managed.
“Good, I’ll be back soon then. Carry on guarding. Good job!” she said with a smile as she pushed past him and received something approximating a salute. The embassy’s staff really did seem to be the bottom of the barrel. She wondered how things had ended up quite so bad out here, maybe it wasn’t the most glamourous post but she’d expected a little better than this. Pushing the thoughts aside she decided what to do. She wanted to get a chance to search Quizzing’s office and she couldn’t do that until he left for the night. She wasn’t entirely sure of his schedule but it would probably be best to wait a bit. Maybe her suggestion to the guard hadn’t been that far off the mark, she could go for a bit of a trot, get to know the embassy a little, maybe see if the canteen was open. Nodding to herself, Lyra set off on her quest.
* * *
Her hunger temporarily satisfied Lyra turned herself towards Quizzing’s office. She had hoped to get a chance to question some of the staff about him over her meal, but few of the embassy's occupants had been present and those who were hadn’t been all that talkative. The staff did seem rather insular almost on the verge of being rude. Maybe it was just a side effect of being stuck out here without much contact with Equestria, although she’d expect they like somepony new to talk to.
Shrugging, she tried to concentrate a little more on keeping out of sight as she approached the ambassador's office. Luckily much of the building seemed deserted. Really, she wasn’t sure if she actually wanted to spy on Quizzing; his behaviour with Smoke earlier had been suspicious but Corona’s emissary might just have approached him to talk rather than for any untoward purpose, and Haymaker had been there as well. It could be that Lightning was just being paranoid. To be honest this trip was as much her wanting to give Raindrops some time alone to cool off as it was for their protection. Still, it didn’t hurt to be cautious. She was just turning the corner to the ambassador's office when she noticed the door opening. Eyes widening, she dodged back the way she had come from to avoid being seen. Giving herself a second for her heart to slow down she poked her head back around the corner to see Quizzing locking the door behind him before turning to something flashing with a white light in his hoof. He looked at it for a moment before mumbling something to himself and setting off at a brisk pace away from her hiding place.
Lyra was torn, should she follow the ambassador or search his room while he was away? The latter certainly seemed easier now that she knew its occupant wasn’t present, but her sense of curiosity urged her to the former. Where was Quizzing heading in such a hurry, and what was that glowing thing? Steeling herself, she trotted forwards as quietly as she could, straining her ears to try and follow the ambassador’s hoofsteps without being seen.
“Dame?” came a low voice from nearby.
Leaping into the air in surprise Lyra spun around, her horn glowing as she tried to remember the spell to summon her lyre. “Whaaa-!” she cried as a hoof slammed down on her mouth.
“Quiet!” commanded the voice. Lyra struggled against her attacker’s grip for a moment before she recognised her assailant as captain Lightning. The soldier was dressed in a rather more practically simple suit of armour than earlier, although his sword was still strapped to his side. “Don’t panic,” he continued, loosening his grip. She nodded and tried to slow her galloping heart before it forced its way out of her chest. “What are you doing here?” he asked finally removing his hoof.
“I-I wanted to investigate the ambassador,” she explained taking a step back. Her earlier fears that the Captain might be the traitor returned to her, what if she was investigating the wrong pony. “I was trying to see where he was going.”
“Good. I knew you would see things my way,” whispered Lightning, “I’m sure Quizzing is a traitor! I just need to get some evidence,” he nervously glanced down the corridor the way the ambassador had recently gone. “I need to get after him, but you shouldn’t be here, you need to return to your room where it’s safe!”
“If the ambassador is a solartic then nowhere in the embassy is safe,” she reasoned.
“You might be right,” he admitted, “I don’t know how deep the rot goes. Like I said at the meeting, we should evacuate. I just need some evidence to prove to Haymaker that Quizzing’s corrupt.” He paused for a moment, clearly torn between following the ambassador and looking after Lyra. “I can’t let him get away, can you keep quiet?” he asked.
“This isn’t the first time I’ve had to follow somepony you know,” mumbled Lyra, although the example that immediately sprung to mind had been underwater.
“Good,” nodded Lightning as he started down the corridor after the ambassador, Lyra followed.
Their journey led them through the corridors of the embassy in the direction of the kitchens and Lyra worried that they might just have been following Quizzing to his supper. Still, there was definitely something up with the ambassador. He seemed distracted, often checking what seemed to be a anklet which would glow with a white light every so often. Finally he came to a halt at a small door not far from the dining room. He glanced around nervously, forcing Lyra and Lightning to duck back around a corner, before taking a key out of his pocket, opening the door and darting inside.
Cautiously, the two pursuing unicorns trotted up to the door. Lyra gave it a gentle shove but it didn’t move. It looked like Quizzing had locked it behind him. “Now what?” she mouthed to Lightning. Snorting in frustration, the stallion glared at the door as if that might make it open of its own accord.
“Stand back!” he ordered after a moment's consideration before turning and preparing to give the door a kick.
“Wait!” cried Lyra, “Maybe we can do things a little more subtly, we don’t have any evidence the ambassador’s up to anything yet. We shouldn’t go around smashing things.” She gestured for the stallion to step back and once again positioned herself just in front of the lock. With a moment's thought she summoned her lyre and strummed the instrument, using it to focus her magic. Closing her eyes she felt the waves of sound spread out and bounce off of the interior of the lock. Luckily the structure was fairly simple. Opening her eyes again she used her magic to tug at its workings; after a moment there was a click and the door opened slightly. “See? I’m not just a pretty face,” she said glancing up at Lightning’s surprised face.
Steeling herself for a moment Lyra gently pushed the door open and peered inside. There, lit by a glowing crystal, was a wide stairway leading down into the rock the embassy was built on. Ahead she could hear the sound of the ambassador’s hoofsteps disappearing into the distance. Not waiting, Lightning roughly shoved past her and began to descend. For a moment Lyra considered going to get Raindrops before she disappeared into the depths, but for all his faults she didn’t want to leave Lightning alone so she followed.
The path lead into what seemed to be a long disused storage cellar. At one time it must have been lit by a number of magic crystals but over the years most had been removed or failed. Only one now remained glowing with a pale greenish light, making the area even more spooky than it otherwise would have. Lightning had concealed himself behind one of the crates which littered the room and Lyra quickly joined him. Quizzing was animatedly striding back and forth in the center of the chamber. “Where are you?” he snorted, “I know you’re here somewhere!”
Lyra froze for a moment, did he know they were present? She glanced over to Lightning who was slowly drawing his sword from its scabbard, the blade making a slight hissing sound as it went. To Lyra’s stress heightened senses it sounded almost like a roar. She was sure it would give their presence away.
“I’m here,” came a breathless feminine voice from the darkness, causing everypony present, Quizzing included, to jump. Lyra’s eyes bored into the shadow and just about picked out a roughly equine shape. The figure stepped forwards and slowly resolved itself into a short unicon clad head to tail in black cloth, only her horn and eyes were uncovered.
“Smoke?” asked Quizzing, “I was expecting the Voice. What’s going on that’s so important that you had to summon me now? Things weren't supposed to kick off for another day or two-”
“He’s missing!” exclaimed Smoke, her voice quavering with emotion.
“What! What happened?” demanded Quizzing.
“He’s been so distracted recently! He left earlier and didn’t tell me where he went! Now no-one can find him! I’m sure it’s them, the element bearers! They’ve captured him, they could be doing anything to him, hurting him! I can almost hear his screams,” the words flew out of her in a panicked stream. “We’ve got to save him!”
Lightning glanced over at Lyra who shrugged, she hadn’t seen the Voice since yesterday.
“The Voice is captured!” exclaimed Quizzing looking nervously around the room. “Are you sure? I didn’t think the dames had even left their rooms, but if they have him they could be onto us!”
“What else could have happened to him!” cried Smoke. “We have to act now! Right now!” Her horn began to spark.
“Calm down,” said the ambassador stepping back, “we can’t act rashly, we’re not prepared yet.”
“We can’t wait! What more do you need to do?”
“I have most of the guards and a number of the staff on our side. We’ve all been discarded by Luna or her court in some way or another so it wasn’t to hard to persuade them to put their faith in Corona, but there are still some loyalists. We can probably overcome them quickly enough with the element of surprise. I’d like a chance to talk to Sergeant Bootheel, he’s one of the best fighters here but Lightning’s been keeping him busy. I doubt the captain will turn so he’ll have to be dealt with. The Shadowbolts are a threat of course-”
“I’ve already contacted our ally to deal with them,” interrupted Smoke.
“You’ve already set things in motion?” sighed Quizzing in exasperation, “I really don’t have an option then do I? I’ll send out word to my ponies.”
Lyra glanced back over to her companion. Lightning had his sword drawn and gripped in his aura. His form was curled, ready to leap from cover. Her eyes widened at his intention and she shook her head wildly, surely it was better to try and escape than fight? Although, on the other hoof, Smoke wasn’t the largest of mares and Quizzing hardly seemed a fighter, maybe they could deal with them? Lyra’s magic wasn’t entirely suited to fighting but she knew enough tricks to get by and Lightning seemed competent, but then again.... Ignorant of Lyra’s internal discussion, captain Lightning started to silently mouth a countdown. Three. Two...
“We need to get to the element bearers as quickly as possible,” insisted Smoke, “We need to rescue-”
Lightning sprung forwards so fast he seemed to not even pass through the intervening space, one moment he was crouched behind the crates and the next he was across the room, his sword at Quizzing’s throat and his horn burning bright. “Silence, traitors!” he roared, sweat suddenly dripping from his flanks.
It look a few moments for Lyra to get over the shock and realise she should be backing up the captain. She hopped out of cover, her lyre clutched close.
“Wait!” hissed Quizzing trying to talk without moving. Lightning's sword was pressed tightly against his throat. “Listen to me!”
“I said quiet!” snarled Lightning, “I don’t want to hear another word from you! I’m going to drag you and every other solartic in this princess forsaken place back to Canterlot! I’ll show the princess my quality!”
“What did you do with him!” cried Smoke seemingly unaffected by the commotion as she took a step towards Lyra, her hooves stamping at the ground. “If you’ve hurt one hair on his mane...” she threatened as her horn lit.
“I think we should all just calm down,” suggested Lyra nervously. “I don’t want anypony to get hurt. Just give up and can talk things out, you can’t honestly think that Corona will...”
“I don’t care about Corona! I just want Kindle back!” cried Smoke.
Kindle? Thought Lyra, her eyes widening, but she didn’t have a chance to complete the thought before she saw something in the edge of her vision. She spun around to see two bulky griffin stepping out of the shadows behind them, their claws gleaming in the little light present. Thinking fast, Lyra yanked her hoof across her instrument using her magic to amplify and focus the discordant note towards the attackers. The griffins didn’t even flinch. How! She thought, griffin didn’t look like they had ears but they had to have something to hear with, they should at least have been deafened if not knocked out! Next to her Lightning shoved Quizzing aside and turned to face the approaching threats, trying to put himself between them and Lyra.
“Wrong!” cried Smoke from behind them and Lyra’s eyes widened. She turned to see the dark shape of the small mare outlined in an aura of fire seeming grown to fill the entire cellar. “I am the student of the sun!” she announced, her voice echoing as if from a distance. “You will return him to me or you will all burn!” Lyra found herself frozen to the spot by the scene, so similar to Corona’s appearance in Ponyville less than a year ago when the tyrant had arrived and swept up her Bonnie and... suddenly something grabbed her and shook her like a giant hoof. When her eyes could focus again she found herself at the top of the stairs to the cellar, feeling bruised all over. Lightning was leaning heavily against her, gasping for breath. “How?” she managed after a few seconds. “Can you teleport?”
“No...” he panted, heat seeming to radiate off him, “My mark...” he pointed at the lightning bolt on his flank with a shaking hoof. “Speed... it takes a lot out of me... we have to... get out of here... the arcane beacon... before the solartics organise...”
Lyra nodded, if Quizzing had been telling the truth and most of the embassy staff were against them there was no way they could stay, they had to get out of here, her, Lightning and... “Raindrops! We have to get her!”
“My lady there is no... time!” managed Lightning. The sound of hooves could already be heard on the stairs behind them. “We have to make it to the beacon, get away, we can come back with reinforcements!”
“No, we don’t know what they could do to her in that time!” Smoke had said something about Kindle! If he was a follower of Corona! And Raindrops... she... she might be looking for him! “It’s your job to protect us, both of us! She’s a good fighter as well, if we can get to her we might be able to deal with any others that get in our way!”
Lightning looked like he was going to argue for a moment then nodded. “Very... well, this way,” he said straightening up and heading off in a stumbling gallop. Lyra followed.
* * *
“Raindrops!” cried Lyra as she rushed into their room, “Raindrops!” Her eyes quickly took into the contents of the room, there didn’t seem to be anything out of place. “Raindrops!” she shouted again rushing to the bathroom, it also taunted her with its emptiness.
“She’s not here,” said Lightning, glancing back through the door for any pursuers. It had taken them several minutes to get here even at a gallop. Time during which their enemies could prepare.
Lyra rushed back into the bedroom and once more cast her gaze around. The window was open. Could Raindrops have left that way? Had she somehow found out what was going to happen and have gotten away? Or had she been lured away by Kindle again? If her fear about the stallion was correct, why hadn’t she seen it earlier? Raindrops was infatuated with him but she was young, Lyra should have realised what he was, have seen the trouble, should have done something, should have...
“Lyra, We have to move,” said Lightning, “there is nothing we can do for dame Raindrops now. We need to think about ourselves, they could be on to us any moment.”
“Right! Right,” Lyra tried to put aside her fears about Raindrops’ safety; the filly was strong, she could look after herself. She hoped. “So, to the arcane beacon?”
“It may be too late for that. It is an obvious target so they will be guarding it. Of course the other exits are hard to use unless you can fly, and they’re probably guarded as well.” He considered for a moment. “We should go to Haymaker and the other Shadowbolts and warn them, our enemies may have already moved on them, but they are our only allies.”
Lyra nodded, she’d certainly feel safer if she had the rest of her bodyguards with her.
* * *
The trip to the Shadowbolts rooms had been hoofbiting. The corridors seemed to be eerily quiet, but Lyra couldn’t help but expect a horde of crazed sun loving ponies to leap out from around every corner. She wasn’t sure what she’d do if they did, she’d had to fight a few times in the past but now she had no way of telling friend from enemy until they were attacked. Lightning Bolt seemed oddly happier now that he was in action than when he had to deal with political matters. Although still tense, he actually seemed to be enjoying rushing through the corridors, his sword gripped tightly in his aura ready to deal with any enemy they might encounter. However, he didn’t get a chance as they didn’t bump into anypony on their journey.
Lyra let out a tense sigh as they reached the door leading to the suite the Shadowbolts had been assigned. There was no sign that the traitorous guards had reached it before them. Lyra was about to knock when Lightning held up his hoof to indicate she should stop. He gently pushed her aside and took up position in front of the door, his sword held ready. “Haymaker!” he called, his voice seeming to echo down the corridor causing Lyra’s ears to lower. “Alpha. Lilly. Green.”
There was silence for a moment then Haymakers’s voice replied. “Gamma. Tulip. Lilac.” Lightning relaxed slightly and half turned to keep an eye on the corridor behind them. The door quickly swung open to reveal Haymaker clad in his normal uniform with a knife hovering nearby in his aura. He quickly grabbed Lyra and pulled her into the room before pausing to allow Lightning to follow. Once the captain was safely in the room Haymaker closed the door and barred it. “What’s the situation?” he asked smoothly.
“Sir, the ambassador is an agent of Corona, and I have reason to believe that much of the guard presence has been subverted. We need to evacuate dame Heartstrings as quickly as possible before the enemy can make their move,” reported Lightning. Haymaker’s eyes narrowed. “This better not be paranoia captain.”
“It’s true,” exclaimed Lyra, “we saw Quizzing talking with Smoke in the cellar.”
“Very well,” Haymaker glanced around, “where is dame Raindrops?”
“She’s missing sir. We checked her room but it’s empty, the window was open, we,” he glanced over to Lyra, “think she may still be at liberty.”
“We don’t have any further time to waste looking for her now,” Haymaker pointed a hoof towards an internal door, “the rest of my ponies are in there. I’ll finish securing this room, we can plan our next move in a minute. Looks like you were right Captain, I should have listened to you earlier.”
“Sir!” said Lighting with a salute. Then he started to herd Lyra into the other room. It appeared to be some sort of recreation or training room. Against one side a number of battered ponyquins stood. Next to them was a case of neatly stacked weapons. Nearby there was a small round table around which were sat the four Shadowbolts. For a moment Lyra finally felt safe. Surely given the Shadowbolts’ reputation they shouldn’t have a problem getting to safety now, they might even be able to find Raindrops. Then she tensed again as she noticed that they were slumped over the table, agent Roundhouse’s muzzle was buried in a still steaming bowl of some sort of stew. She rushed over to see if she could do anything to help. They seemed to be alive but sleeping, she shook one but she did not awake. “It looks like they’ve been-” she began as Lightning joined her.
“Poisoned?” added Haymaker as he appeared in the doorway leaning casually against the frame, his knife now joined by almost a dozen others orbiting him and glistening in the light. A small bottle was held in one hoof. “Just a few drops of this in their meal and they won’t be doing much for a day or so.”
“What’s going on?” exclaimed Lyra, “Why did you-”
“Traitor!” cried Lightning turning back to the Shadowbolt, his sword held at the ready.
“I’d lower that blade if I were you, unless you want a rather terminal lesson on how much better Shadowbolt training is than the regular armed forces,” said Haymaker straightening up and rolling his neck.
Lightning snarled but didn’t move any closer.
“What did Corona offer you to turn to her?” asked Lyra, her eyes flicking around the room for any way out. There were no windows and the only door was the one Haymaker was blocking.
“Turn? You misunderstand, I have always worked for the queen’s interests, all my life. Like my parents before me and their parents before them, and so on, for a thousand years,” said Haymaker with a proud grin.
“What are you talking about?” demanded Lightning.
“Why it’s literally in your name captain, my ancestors were Lightning Bolts. That probably doesn’t mean anything to you, but I know it does to her,” he pointed a knife at Lyra.
“The Lightning Bolts were Corona’s secret police, they enforced her rule and hunted down anypony who disagreed with her,” said Lyra wracking her brains for what stories she could remember.
Haymaker grimaced. “That’s the lies that have made their way through the centuries. The Lightning Bolts were created to bring the sun’s light into the darkness and any who choose to live there. Of course, when Luna banished her sister the Lightning Bolts certainly weren't popular. Those who survived the purges fled and hid, some moved to other countries, a few turned traitor on their brethren for their own lives, but others, like my ancestors, decided to blend in with the common ponies and await their monarch’s return. There aren't may of us any more, a few here and there helping each other out, keeping an eye on sun cults for those worthy to carry on their line. I was watching the Voice long before our Queen returned. Dont!” he warned as Lightning took a step forwards, “my friends will be here soon to take you into captivity. I don’t want to hurt you, not that I won’t if I have to, but the Queen would prefer you healthy. She’s more merciful that you’ve probably been told.”
“How did you ever disguise yourself as a Shadowbolt,” asked Lyra trying to distract their captors.
“Disguise?” Haymaker frowned, “This is no disguise, I joined up and worked my way through the ranks like anypony else, almost thirty years now. As much as you might like to think otherwise there’s not much difference between the work the Shadowbolts and Lightning Bolts do, we just serve different mistresses. What other role would give me more opportunities to find sun cults and like minded individuals? And what other role would have given me the opportunity to get two of the element bearers to walk straight into such an obvious trap?” he grinned. “I spent a year stacking this place with those sympathetic to my goals and then I just needed the right excuse to get one or more of the element bearers to come here.”
“The princess must have figured out what’s going on here, she’d be prepared!” cried Lightning.
“Ah, ever the loyal captain, eh Lightning. If you’d actually done more than worship her from afar you’d have realised that Luna is quite fallible. She has limits you know, she can’t be everywhere or know everything, she relies on assistants and when they are fed the right information by their trusted subordinates, such as myself, well almost anything can be achieved.”
“But what is all of this for?” asked Lyra, “If you just wanted to get me and Raindrops couldn’t you have grabbed us in Ponyville or something?”
“Oh it’s not just about you dame Heartstrings, there are a few other factors in play here...” he paused, “But I don’t think I need to tell you about them right now, the Lightning Bolts haven’t remained hidden for a millennia without learning to keep a few secrets--” the Shadowbolt’s eyes swiveled as there was a click from the other room. “Good,” he called, “I’ve got them in--” he started turning away from his captives for a moment.
Taking advantage of the distraction, Captain Lightning’s horn burst into action. Maybe he was more tired than before or maybe the fear running through her made her reactions quicker, but this time Lyra managed to keep track of the soldier as he activated his special power. One of his hooves flashed out and grabbed her, dragging her behind him as he shot towards the door. Haymaker’s eyes widened seemingly in slow motion as the two of them shot forwards towards the fake Shadowbolt. Lightning’s sword lashed out, but despite all its speed and weight Haymaker managed to deflect it with several of his daggers while the rest of the blades shot forwards in a wave. One struck Lightning a glancing blow on the flank as he barged their owner aside to get into the outer room. The captain grunted in pain but they were through the doorway before Lyra could figure out exactly what had happened. Their route further into the embassy was blocked by Quizzing and half a dozen guards. Lyra’s eyes were drawn to their armour which had been hastily covered in blotches of yellow paint apparently trying to pretend to be solar symbols. Before she could think any further about them Lightning was already charging, his sword flailing wildly and forcing the unlucky guards to jump aside to avoid it. Then suddenly their path was clear and they fled further down the deserted corridors.
Lightning dragged Lyra along a seemingly random path. She could tell that each step he took was costing him more and more, sweat streamed from his sides only to quickly evaporate. Hoof by hoof he slowed, moving from a gallop to a trot as his hooves began to drag. He wasn’t moving at much more than a walk when his grip on Lyra finally slipped. Unbalanced, the captain staggered to the floor and struggled to stand again. “G-gi-give me a-a... moment,” he gasped weakly.
Lyra nodded; she was also panting, being dragged along by the captain and trying to prevent herself from falling had been exhausting although she was clearly in a better state than her protector. She glanced nervously around, they weren't in a part of the embassy she recognised but there didn’t seem to be anypony around for the moment. She didn’t know how long it would take the traitors to catch up with them, but they probably shouldn’t hang around. She turned back to Lightning; he didn’t look like he could go much further, his breath was still coming in ragged pants and his eyes were glazed. Her eyes widened as she noticed a long cut down his barrel from which a trickle of blood was leaking.
“You’re bleeding!” she cried. Using her aura she tore a tapestry from the wall and started to pad at the wound.
“D-don’t fuss, it-it’s just a sc-scratch,” he protested, “Hay-haymaker tagged me. I’ll be-be fine!”
Lyra wasn’t so sure. The Shadowbolt had used poison to deal with his companions, what if his blade had been treated in the same way? There did seem to be a clear liquid around the wound. She did her best to mop it up with the cloth before throwing it away.
“You don’t have to be so heroic all the time you know,” she said leaning back to try and lift the stallion back to his hooves.
“It’s my jo-job to protect you,” he exclaimed, struggling weakly against her help for a moment.
“Well I think you’ve probably been working overtime for last few days.”
“I was put in charge of your safety, I have to prove myself to my superiors, to the princess.” He straightened and took a cautious step forwards, wincing as he went.
“Well I’ll certainly put in a good word for you next time I see her. I’m sorry I didn’t believe what you said about the ambassador earlier.”
“Yes, well,” Lightning staggered for a moment and Lyra moved to let him lean against her, this time he didn’t protest. “I might have sounded a little, paranoid, but I knew there was some reason I didn’t like him. I should have realised Haymaker was with him as well, I should have gotten you and dame Raindrops to safety.”
“You couldn’t have known,” said Lyra peering around a corner to see if the guards had caught up with them.
“I should have!” he snarled. “After last time I swore I’d never be fooled again!” He let out a gasp of pain as one of his legs folded under him and Lyra struggled to take his full weight. She glanced worriedly at his wound, it had stopped bleeding but she didn’t know how much of the poison had gotten into his system, and what it was doing to him.
“What did happen?” she asked trying to distract him.
“Greengrass!” he hissed.
“What did he do?”
“You know of him?”
“He’s crossed paths with me and the girls.”
“He tricked me into voting for the wrong side at court, he humiliated me in my patron’s eyes and I ended up here. Banished in all but name!” He shook his head as if something was bothering him.
“Well once we get home I’m sure you’ll be back on top after all you’ve done,” said Lyra lightly trying to raise Lightning’s spirits. “So what got you into this soldiering thing anyway?”
He sighed. “All the wrong reasons, dame Heartstrings.”
“Call me Lyra, now you’ve saved my life we can probably be on first name basis,” she smiled.
“I got into the military for all the wrong reasons, Lyra,” he said glancing down at the floor, “I did it for a colt, Lancelot of Trot, archduchess Nobility’s son. When I was young I had a crush on him. I saw him at a party once, didn’t get to even talk to him, my family are far too minor nobility for that, but he was one of the most handsome stallions I’d ever seen. Rising through the ranks was one of the only ways somepony like me could have a chance with somepony like him. So I joined up and worked hard, saw a little action here and there. I actually got the attention of the archduchess and finally I actually got to meet him.” He sighed again. “And I found out he’s got all the personality of a bookcase, plus of course he’s engaged to one of Viscount Puscience’s granddaughters. Somethings are better to dream about than to experience in person. Since then, well I threw myself into my work, got tricked, got exiled, which leads me to here. I doubt this little debacle will look all that good on my record.”
“You’ve saved my life,” said Lyra.
“And didn’t notice much of my command here were traitors. That sort of thing doesn’t look very good does it? Anyway, now I’ve had a bit of a rest,” she staggered back to his hooves and stood wobbling for a moment, “We should be off!” He took a step forwards and stumbled. Lyra steadied him and tried not to let him see her worried expression. Lightning seemed to be deteriorating and she didn’t know how much longer she’d be able to help him. The solartics had to be on their tails by now. The embassy wasn’t that big so they’d probably be here in a few minutes. They needed help. There had to be somepony who they knew hadn’t been turned. Her eyes widened as she saw a door open nearby and she quickly ducked back around the corner, dragging Lightning with her.
She peered back to see Vast Volumes furtively peer out; her mane was disheveled and her makeup smudged. Seeing the area was clear she turned and relaxed a little. To Lyra’s astonishment Bootheel emerged from the door behind her. He leaned forwards and kissed the older mare on the lips. Vast reciprocated quite passionately. Lyra looked away blushing for a moment.
“See you again next time you need that itch scratched Volumes,” cried Bootheel with a wink and a proud grin. He slapped a hoof against the researcher’s plot, causing her to emit a not entirely unappreciative squeak and rush away. As she passed Lyra’s hiding place their eyes locked for a moment, causing the older mare’s cheeks to light up before her embarrassed gaze dropped to the floor and she carried on her trot of shame towards the end of the corridor.
Lyra blinked, hadn’t Quizzing said something about Bootheel not having been invited to join? Could he be the help the needed? He was an unlikely saviour, if that's what he was. “Stay here,” she hissed at Lightning before slipping around the corner.
“Was’up dame,” said Bootheel grinning very much like the cat that had gotten the cream. His eyes flicked towards Volumes as she disappeared from sight. “~I like big plots and I cannot lie~” he hummed, his grin still wide. “So what can I do for you?”
Blinking, Lyra tried to get her mind away from the relationship between the two and back onto the possibility she was trapped in the embassy and surrounded by solartics. “We need to talk,” she finally managed.
“Ohhh! Talk,” he winked, “Sure, you come to my room this late to just talk. Well I’m a little worn out at the moment but I’m sure I can fit you in in a few hours, as long as you can fit-”
“I really mean talk,” she yelled grabbing his leg and dragging him back into his room, “Now just stay here!” She rushed back out to where Captain Lightning was still leaning heavily against a wall. She helped him as quickly and gently as she could back to the sergeant's room.
“Both of you!” exclaimed Bootheel, “Well, I’m flexible if needs be.”
“Shut up Bootheel!” mumbled Lightning tiredly, taking the words out of Lyra’s mouth. Now that she had a moment to think she took in the contents of the room. It was smaller, and surprisingly tidier than she’d expected. There wasn’t much in the way of furniture, just a crumpled bed, an armour stand, a desk, and a large chest to store things in.
“We need your help,” she explained looking back at the earth pony.
“The embassy has been infiltrated by Corona’s forces, sergeant,” said Lightning stiffly, he tried to stand up straight but stumbled. Lyra moved to his side again letting him lean on her. She looked around for a place he could sit but the only option seemed to be the bed, which she wouldn’t touch with a ten foot pole. “The ambassador, Shadowbolt Haymaker and many of your fellow guards have been turned. The other Shadowbolt and likely any other troops who remain loyal have been neutralised. We have to assume that we are the only loyal forces remaining in the embassy.”
There was a pause and Lyra took the chance to scrutinise Bootheel. Despite what Quizzing had said, she didn’t entirely trust the sergeant; maybe the ambassador had known they were there and the whole thing had been a trap. At any moment enemy forces could come pouring into the room from secret passages! She took a breath, now she was getting paranoid, not that that was unreasonable when most of the local ponies had turned out to be traitors.
Bootheel seemed to take the rather shocking news in stride. “I’m ready to serve Equestria to the fullest of my skills Captain,” he announced saluting.
Lightning frowned but returned the salute. “Good, now our duty is to get word back to Equestria of what’s happened and to ensure the safety of dame Heartstrings. Other matters, including our safety are secondary, do you understand?”
“Of course, sir.”
“Good,” Lightning closed his eyes for a moment, his head drooping, then he shook himself.
“Wait a moment!” exclaimed Lyra, “What do you mean your safety is secondary?”
“Dame, you are an element bearer, your survival is a matter of national security. We are only soldiers, if it comes to it we must be prepared to sacrifice ourselves.”
Lyra swallowed painfully. She sort of understood the situation but she’d never had it laid out quite so plainly before. She knew she was important, that potentially only the elements could defeat Corona, but the thought that other ponies would give up their lives for her... well, it just seemed wrong. For a moment she thought back to Raindrops’ words about her life being so complicated now, and wanting to give up being an element bearer or a dame. Why couldn’t she just be back in Ponyville with Bon Bon, rather than half a world away being hunted by Solartics? She shook her head, regardless of what she wanted she still had a duty to Equestria, as did those around her. She wasn’t going to let them down if she could help it.
“Right,” continued Lightning, apparently not noticing Lyra apprehension. “Unfortunately none of us are pegasus so we only have two chances of escaping, the main gate and the teleport chamber.”
“The gate’s no good; there’s only a narrow path off to the griffin city, any pegasus will see us from miles away, and if we did get to the Griffins what could we do? The trek back to Equestria would take weeks!” said Bootheel.
Lightning nodded. “The teleport chamber then, but of course they’ll know that and probably have it guarded. It’s also near the telegraph, if we can’t get away then at least we can tell home what has happened, maybe they can send reinforcements. Our only chance is speed and surprise, they may not be in position yet and there may even still be friendly troops active.”
“Right you are sir,” said Bootheel. Lyra nodded, it didn’t sound easy but maybe they could get away, it seemed like their only hope.
“We’ll set off right away,” said Lightning. He turned towards the door, but as he did so he staggered and one of his hind legs gave out under him, forcing Lyra to rush over to stop him falling.
“Are you alright sir?” asked Bootheel.
“Haymaker tagged me earlier,” said the captain nodding his head to his wound. “I think there was something on the blade. My legs are going numb and I’m having some difficulty keeping my eyes open,” he blinked, “we need to hurry.”
“Wait! This is real!?” exclaimed Bootheel, eyes wide as he stared at his superior officer’s wound. “I thought this was some sort of drill! The other guards really are solatrics? What about Guisarme? and Spear Tip, and Clicker? I just played cards with them last night!” He staggered a little.
“We don’t know but we have to assume anypony could be a traitor,” said Lightning with some sympathy.
“What about Vast Volumes? She and me... well you know. I’d know if she was a Corona cultist, right?” Bootheel’s brow furrowed.
“Quizzing said that most of the civilians were still loyal to Luna,” said Lyra calmingly, surely if Vast had been a traitor Bootheel would know, you couldn’t be that close to somepony and not know them? Or maybe their relationship was very casual?
“They wouldn’t hurt her would they?” he asked, seeming genuinely worried.
“He said they’d just lock them up.”
“Right... right...” said Bootheel a little distantly. “They seemed a bit well weird around here, but I just thought that was because they’d been posted to the middle of nowhere for a while... but Solartics? All of them... It doesn’t...”
“Sergeant!” exclaimed Lightning, “We have a job to do, now can I rely on you?” He glared at his subordinate.
“Sir, yes sir,” said Bootheel jumping to attention. “Just let me get my armour on, sir.” He rushed over to the armour stand and started to quickly and efficiently strap it onto him. Lyra moved to help but stopped when she reasised she didn’t have a clue how it all fit. It was really strange to see the normally slovenly trooper act professionally, it brought home to her how dangerous their situation really was. It only took Bootheel a minute or so to finish armouring himself and to take up his spear. “I’m ready sir.”
“Good,” said Lightning blinking again. “There’s probably a commendation in here for us if we make it out alive,” he said with a smile.
“Fillies always like a chest full of medals, sir,” said Bootheel almost sounding normal again.
“That they do.” Lightning turned towards the door only to stumble over his own hooves, it took both Lyra and Bootheel to steady him. The two of them looked nervously at each other.
* * *
The trip towards the teleport beacon was even more nerve wracking than her last few trips through the embassy. This time rather than the corridors being deserted there was an active feeling of being hunted. Several times the group had to stop and quickly search for a hiding place as a number of guards rushed past. Once they came across a group of staff being herded back to their quarters by a pair of guards in their newly repainted armour. Lyra was glad that the solartics didn’t seem to be hurting their ex-colleagues, just locking them away for the moment. Bootheel had suggested they try to rescue the still loyal embassy staff but after a moment's thought Lightning overruled him; they couldn’t risk it.
The captain’s condition was steadily worsening as whatever had been on Haymaker’s blade continued to do its work on him. He could move at little more than a trot at best and he seemed half asleep much of the time. Lyra wasn’t sure how much longer he could keep going. “Almost there,” said Bootheel glancing around a corner and quickly pulling his head back. “Telegraph room’s through there and the teleport booster should be down that way, but,” he sighed, “both are guarded.”
“How... many?” asked Lightning blinking slowly, sweat dripping from his forehead.
“Two in front of the door to the telegraph, four the other way.”
“What if they moved the teleport booster?” asked Lyra.
“It’s heavier than... it looks,” said Lightning, “and you can’t use magic to move it while it’s active and it’s hard to shut down without the proper sequence... I’m the only one with that.” He gave a thin smile. “Without that it’ll take even an expert a day or two to move it. Actually, hold still...” he leant forwards and locked his horn on Lyra’s, making her jump at the unexpected contact. “This is the... code to allow it to be moved,” he panted as his horn glowed. Lyra closed her eyes and concentrated on the magic he was working. He repeated the spell again and she nodded.
“I’ve got it,” she said.
“Good... and this one will activate it...,” he ran through a second code, “if Lady Sparkle is ready she should be able to teleport in once you’ve done that. When we get to... the room use those, in case I-I can’t for some reason.”
Lyra looked at the obviously faltering stallion and nodded.
“So what do we do?” asked Bootheel, “I’m good, but six of them, maybe I’m not that good.”
“You’re not alone sergeant..., maybe between the two of us we can... draw them away, give the dame a chance to run...”
“There are three of us here actually,” said Lyra.
“Lyra, we can’t... put you... in danger,” panted Lightning.
“I can help. This isn’t the only time I’ve been in a dangerous situation you know. There’s been Corona, a lich, a giant sea monster.” she insisted before inching towards the corner and quickly glancing around it. The situation was as Bootheel had described it, at the far end of the corridor was the door to the telegraph room, to each side stood a trooper standing as motionless as the statues which dotted the path. The door to the teleport room was about halfway along the passage, four more guards stood there looking a little more relaxed than their companions.
A plan started to ferment in Lyra’s mind. “Right,” she hissed pulling her head back around the corner. “I’m going to create a distraction, then we run for the door to the teleport chamber, the moment we get in there we call Twilight and we get out of here, right.”
“The quick in and out, I’m used to that,” agreed Bootheel.
“Of course... Lyra, but what...” began Lightning.
“Hush, I need to concentrate,” said Lyra lighting her horn. She was going to try an illusion, more or less. If Trixie was here the magician would probably have put together something visual, audio and maybe even tactile. Of course if Trixie was here she could make them all invisible, but Lyra wasn’t anywhere as good at that sort of thing as her friend. Still, she could probably make an audio illusion. There was a loud bang from around the corner and a voice called out.
“F-f-fire in the telegraph room, help!” Lyra hoped she’d managed to imitate Clicker’s voice properly, she’d only heard her speak a few times. “T-t-the cogs have overheated! Help!” Telegraphs had cogs, right? She glanced back around the corner, either they did or nopony else knew they didn’t, as the whole group of guards had started to rush towards the door leaving the teleport chamber unguarded. Giving an internal squeal of joy Lyra leapt around the corner and started to gallop towards the door, Bootheel only a length of so behind. Lightning tried to follow but tripped, falling to the ground with a cry of pain. Lyra’s eyes widened at the last of the guards turning in surprise. She froze for a moment, caught between helping Lightning and getting to the exit.
Bootheel didn’t share Lyra’s paralysis and rushed past the door to the teleport chamber, carrying on down the corridor to the telegraph. His head connected solidly with the chest of the guard who was now starting to turn back towards them. The force of the blow threw her back through the door and into her companions. Bootheel staggered for a moment, shaking his head before regaining his bearings, slamming the door shut and resting his weight against it. “Do something!” he yelled at Lyra, shaking her out of her shock.
“Right, right!” she said rushing over to help him. Turning to one of the nearby statues she strummed her lyre, causing the plinth it rested on to crumble. A few solid kicks were enough to cause it to fall and block the doorway.
“That won’t hold them for long,” yelled Bootheel over the sound of pounding from the other side of the door.
“Long enough,” said Lyra turning to see that Lightning had struggled back to his hooves and was almost at the door to the teleport chamber. They were going to make it!
The three of them rushed into the room, hooves echoing around the large chamber. Lyra’s eyes flicked towards the short jeweled pillar of the teleport booster and at the figure of Smoke who stood in front of it, her aura playing up and down the device. Hearing their approach the short mare spun around. “You!” she cried.
“Step... aside...” panted Lightning, limping towards the black clad mare. Lyra raised her instrument, hooves at the ready, in case Smoke tried to cast at them.
“What did you do with Kindle!” cried Smoke seemingly unintimidated by being outnumbered. “If you’ve hurt him I’ll-” she snarled.
“We haven’t done anything to anypony, we just want to get away,” said Lyra. “Step aside and nopony need get hurt. There’s three of us and one of you!”
Lightning raised his sword in his flickering aura and Bootheel brought his spear to bear.
Suddenly there was a blast of fire from one end of the chamber forcing Lyra to cover her eyes or risk being blinded. When she had blinked away the stars she saw the Voice standing here flanked by two griffins. “You will not lay a hoof on my beloved!” he announced swooping over to put himself between them and Smoke. His armour gleamed just as brightly as the last time she had seem him and if anything he seemed taller, more handsome, his muscles more defined and his coat glowing with an internal light. He held out a mighty pinion towards the black clad mare and smiled at her beatifically. Smoke beamed back in adoration, the glow of her horn making her eyes sparkle. Surprised by the Voice’s sudden appearance Lightning and Bootheel fell back before his presence. There was a crash from behind them as a squad of troops rushed into the chamber, quickly forming a rough circle around the fugitives with their weapons held at the ready. The guard's eyes flicked over towards Smoke who seemed to be absorbed in the Voice’s presence. She blinked and shook herself. “Surrender!” she announced, “Or we'll be forced to hurt you.”
“Never!” spat Lightning, wobbling on his hooves, his eyes unfocused. “We’ll... fight... to the last!” Lyra prepared her lyre, she’d heard stories of many doomed last stands but never thought she’d be part of one. “Ready... sergeant? Our deaths... will be remembered... in song...” croaked Lightning staggering towards the ring of opponents around them, sword held high.
“Actually, about that,” said Bootheel, the shaft of his spear connecting with the back of the captain's head. A look of confusion slowly spread over the white stallion’s face before his eyes rolled back into his head and he collapsed to the ground like a felled tree. Spinning, Bootheel rested the point of his spear against Lyra’s throat. “I think I’d rather be famed for dying in bed, aged a hundred and something, with someone else's twenty something wife. Going out with a bang as it were. I think they’ll sing that song in a few more taverns, don’t you agree Lyra?”
There was silence around the room for a moment as everyone was stunned by this turn of events.
“So,” said Bootheel looking at the circle of ponies around him, “Heil Corona? Or whatever it is you lot say.”
“You’re claiming to hold loyalty to our queen?” said Smoke after a moment's silence.
“Yep,” said the guard with a grin. Lyra glared at him murderously but was unable to speak for fear of slitting her own throat on the spear tip.
“And you really think we will trust your sudden turn of heart? Why should we think you will be loyal to Queen Celestia?”
“~I like big plots, and I cannot lie?~ You’ve got to admit your boss has quite the impressive one on her,” suggested Bootheel giving a shrug. Smoke looked disgusted. “Look,” he continued, “I can see which way things are going and I’d like to be on the winning team. Given how things are going Corona-”
“Celestia!” said one of the other guards sharply.
“Sorry, Celestia, looks like she’s going to come out on top and I’d like a piece of that.”
“You’re a mercenary?” asked Smoke as if the word tasted bad.
“Been there, done that,” he agreed.
“And you think we’ll just accept you into our numbers like that?” She turned to the other guards, “take him to his quarters and lock him in, we’ll investigate his loyalty later. Take these two to the cells,” she indicated Lyra and the still form of Lightning, “make sure their horns are bound.” Next to her the Voice, who had stood frozen in place for several moments, vanished along with his attendant griffins. Lyra’s eyes widened, an illusion, and she’d been fooled!
“Sounds fair enough to me,” said Bootheel as two guards started to lead him off, “I’ve got plenty of magazines to read, well not exactly read you know, but the pictures sure are something.” He turned his head back to Lyra.” Sorry, but I’ve got to look after number one here. See you soon!” he called as the bard was dragged away by her captors.
Consciousness slowly returned to Raindrops one sense at a time. For a seeming eternity she was only aware of the warmth of the body next to her, of the feeling of intertwined limbs, and for that time that was all she needed. Then she became aware of the sound of birds welcoming the dawning of a new day, it must be morning. A deep breath made her aware of the smell of jasmine, and of sweat, and other fluids. Finally, her flickering eyes adjusted to the light of day and she gazed at the still slumbering stallion lying next to her, his handsome face relaxed in sleep.
It had really happened! It hadn’t all been some sort of dream or fantasy! A gentle ache between her hind legs reminded her that this morning, for the first time in her life, she was truly a mare. Looking back she couldn’t believe that she had been so bold, so uninhibited. Just for once she had just let herself go, had been spontaneous and hadn’t hurt anypony, quite the opposite. It was just as well that Kindle had been at least somewhat prepared, had ensured they had used protection, the risk of pregnancy had been far from her mind at the time. She wasn’t in heat, she just felt like it when Kindle was about, she thought with a smile. Still, unprotected there would have been a chance the two of them could have produced a foal, even if only a slight chance. Not that she had thought of that at the time.
She tried to brush over the thoughts creeping into the edge of her mind like the rising sun, that for that and other reasons, last night might have been a mistake. That she should have waited. With a slight shake of her head she tried to drive those fears away, the decision had been made, and now the two of them would live with it.
The act itself, well her books hadn’t done it justice. True things had been rather more awkward and messy than she had been led to believe. But beyond that, words couldn’t describe it. The feeling of togetherness, of peace, of passion as they had moved as one and finally the calm once they had finished, the fire of anger that constantly burned in her heart finally quietened by the afterglow. She loved it, she wanted to do it all again, soon.
For the moment however she just wanted to lie there and just bask in the remains of the fantasy, but she knew sooner or later she’d have to return to reality. Once again Lyra would be worried about what had happened to her, she hadn’t said she’d be gone all night. Still, the unicorn could probably guess rather accurately why she hadn’t come back. She doubted Lyra’s little spy mission had discovered anything, but returning to the embassy would mean that it would be time to call it quits and go back to Equestria. Time to leave the griffin situation to the professionals. Her talk with Kindle last night had calmed her fears that she might lose him if she left, but still she didn’t want to go! Her wings instinctively contacted, pulling her stallion closer to her. The action caused his eyes to flicker as he awoke.
“My lady?” he said, his voice groggy. He yawned and glanced into her eyes, a smile blessing his face. “This is a very nice way to awaken on a morning,” he mused before stretching. Raindrops luxuriated at the feel of his muscles moving under her grasp. He winced somewhat as one of his wings twitched.
“Sorry,” she apologised, panic starting to rise in her voice. “I might have overdone it a bit, I hope you don’t have too much of a bruise from where I...”
He rested a hoof on her lips and once again she let the tension flow from her. “You are a strong mare and you shouldn’t have to restrain yourself. As I said you should be yourself more. I will survive a few bumps and bites.” He sighed. “We have to talk, I meant to tell you last night but you were rather persuasive,” she blushed a little, then cringed. She didn’t want to talk, talk meant harsh reality crashing back down on them, talk meant she had to be Raindrops rather than Storm Cloud. She didn’t want to talk; she just wanted to lie here, with him, on this cloud, forever. Her recently expanded perspectives gave her the perfect idea to delay having to return to reality.
“And your mouth was rather busy most of the time,” she said huskily, leaning forwards to plant a quick kiss on his lips. “It’s still early, maybe we can get in some more exercise before we talk?” She ran a hoof down his barrel towards his hind legs.
“No!” he said, stopping the wandering hoof with his own. She was shocked by the strength of his response. A shard of ice seemed to form in her guts, cutting up towards her heart. Why was this happening! Could she be wrong about Kindle? had he just wanted... just wanted her once? He must have seen the fear in her eyes as he repeated his objection more quietly. “No. It is not that I do not want us to be together. No, I would happily spend the whole day with you, my Storm Cloud, and the next and next.” He hugged her close. “I should have told you this earlier, I should have been stronger, but you are just so very beautiful.” He kissed her on the forehead then gently pushed away from her and stood. “There is something about me that I haven't told you. When we first met you would not have understood, but now I know you and you know me, and I know you can deal with it. That you can make the right decision and step into the light together with me!”
The cold feeling of dread once again started to wash over Raindrops and she to got to her hooves. What could it be that he wanted to say? Was he married? Was he going to move far far away?
“Behold!” Kindle proclaimed, “See the glory that has been granted to me by Celestia herself, that I wish to share with you my dearest Raindrops!” There was a flash and Raindrops was forced to avert her gaze as the figure of her lover was enveloped in gold. She blinked and gaped as his form was covered by a horribly familiar suit of armour. For a moment Kindle, her Kindle, stood there glowing like the sun then his mane burst into flame and his beautiful golden eyes were replaced by a harsh white glow.
“The Voice of the Sun!” she gasped, her senses spinning.
“Yes,” he exclaimed, “That is the title I gladly bear, and in that role I ask you on behalf of my mistress.” He knelt in front of her his golden eyes looking up into hers. “Will you join me as a member of Queen Celestia’s Court?” He held out a hoof to her.
The solid cloud beneath Raindrop’s hooves seemed to twist, her legs didn’t seem to be able to hold her any more. She couldn’t catch her breath, the whole world seemed to be spinning. “Kindle,” she managed to gasp, “what did you do with Kindle!” she tried to force her body forwards but it seemed frozen in place. She had to fight, had to do something, had to get her lover back, rescue him from wherever this monster had taken him. Something had to be done to make the world make sense again.
“Do with Kindle?” asked the Voice in confusion. “My lady, I am still here.” He reached up and removed his helmet. The glow of his eyes faded and the fire in his mane burnt out. “I will always be here.” He gently reached out to help the fallen mare in front of him. “I am sorry if I have...”
“Don’t touch me!” she screamed, pulling back her leg as fast as she could. “Get away from me!”
“Please, Storm Cloud, calm down. I know this must be a shock but just think about things rationally! You need to...” his voice seemed to fade away into a buzz. His lips still moved but nothing making any sense made its way into Raindrops’ shocked ears.
“No, no, no, no, no!” she cried. This couldn’t be happening, this must be a dream, a nightmare, she was still asleep, still lying safely in Kindle’s arms. The cloud seemed to shift again as she tried to stagger to the side. She needed to get away, to get away from the monster that was wearing her beloved’s face. Lyra, she should get back to Lyra, or Cheerilee, or her mother, or anypony who would know what to do to make the world make sense again. She staggered back and her hooves lost purchase as she flopped over the side of the cloud and fell towards the ground below.
“Raindrops!” cried the Voice as he reached out for her, spreading his wings and leaping after her. Almost without her conscious control Raindrops’ own wings spread and she soared back up into the sky. Without a thought she turned her body towards the embassy. “Wait, where are you...” began the Voice from somewhere behind her until it was silenced by a wild blow from her hind legs. The buck slammed into his left wing near the joint where it met his body. Much of the force was absorbed by the golden armour that covered his form, but the remainder was still enough to make him cry out and fall spinning towards the ground. But that didn’t matter to Raindrops, the only thing that mattered was getting home, to get the world to make sense again.
* * *
It seemed like only a few moments later that Raindrops stood in the room she and Lyra had shared in the Embassy. She had a vague recollection of having smashed her way in through the window, the glass in her coat bearing witness to that, but before that was just a lot of time that she didn’t want to think about, couldn’t think about. For the moment all she needed to do was to find Lyra, Lyra would fix things. But there was no sign of her there, she’d thrown aside the bed and the few furnishings in the room but that hadn’t made Lyra appear. Raindrops’ still badly shocked mind eventually decided that her friend must be somewhere else in the building and almost tore the door from its hinges to try and get to her.
“Lyra!” she cried, tears leaking from her eyes. “Lyra, where are you!”
There was the clattering of hooves from one side and she turned to see a trio of rather frightened looking guards. For some reason their armour seemed to have been hastily repainted a splotchy yellow colour. Their eyes bulged as they saw her and they brought their weapons to bear.
“It’s her!” one of them exclaimed.
“Didn’t she fight a dragon or something?” whispered another.
“Forget the dragon, look what she did to the bucking door!” the third gasped. Raindrops looked at the shards of wood that remained in the frame, had she done that? It didn’t matter, only finding Lyra did.
“We should arrest her, take her to the ambassador, Haymaker or that Smoke mare,” suggested the second, not taking her frightened eyes off of Raindrops as she wiped sweat from her brow.
“Go on then!” said the first.
Looking pained, the second stepped cautiously closer as Raindrops stood there in the doorway, her mouth hanging open. “I arr... arrest you in the name of Queen Coron... I mean Queen Celestia,” stammered the guard.
Raindrops stared at the guard in astonishment and did the only thing she could think of. She dropped to the ground and burst into tears for a world gone totally mad.
* * *
All things considered, thought Lyra, this isn’t a bad dungeon.
It was quite spacious, at least ten body lengths in each direction, easily enough to do some really dramatic pacing. It was clean as well, although she was glad she hadn’t needed to use the chamber pot provided yet. There weren't any windows in the stone walls, the cell was probably carved from the rock the embassy sat on, but one whole wall was made out of bars letting her see across to a similar cell opposite where Captain Lightning and the Shadowbolts were held. Whatever poison Haymaker had used on his blades seemed to be long lasting. The stallion didn’t seem to be dying, but he’d only awoken a few times in the hours they’d been held and when he had he hadn’t made all that much sense. The Shadowbolts were even worse, there hadn’t been a peep out of them as long as she’d been here. Still, overall not a bad prison, seven, maybe eight out of ten shackles, wouldn’t mind being incarcerated again. She signed, it was rather depressing that she’d been locked up enough to start actually rating her cells. She didn’t even know why the embassy came with a dungeon.
She wasn’t sure how long she’d been locked up for, she had fallen asleep for some of the time. She guessed it was probably morning by now, she was starting to feel hungry. After she’d been captured Smoke had spent a bit of time interrogating her. That had mostly consisted of threatening her and yelling at her to tell the smaller mare what she’d done with Kindle, she’d even started to plead for his return by the end. Lyra thought that she’d finally got it through to her fellow unicorn that she didn’t know where Kindle was and she’d left. The whole thing had left Lyra with a clawing dread as to whom Raindrop’s paramour actually was.
Maybe she should be trying to find some way to escape but there didn’t seem to be anything she could do. There was a heavy duty inhibitor on her horn stopping her from using her magic and nothing around she could use to pick the lock. There weren't even any guards in sight to try and trick. She was flexible, but the bars were positioned close enough that there was only just enough space to fit a hoof between them. It seemed hopeless, at least Raindrops was still free, even if she didn’t know where she was right now. Lyra was broken out of her revelry by a crash as the door to the prison area was swung open. Lyra’s heart surged as she saw Raindrop enter, but then dropped as she saw a group of guards following her, spears held out in front of them. Her spirit further lowered as she saw her friend was moving like a zompony, the fur around her eyes matted from tears, what had they done to her! She leapt up and reached through the bars towards her friend. “Raindrops!” she cried.
“Lyra?” mumbled the pegasus. She blinked and some life started to return to her eyes, then she gave out a sob and fresh tears fell. “Lyra!” she sniffed.
The guards swung open the door and Raindrops rushed into the cell clutching hold of Lyra like she was a life raft in a storm. The weight of the distraught pegasus pulled both of them to the ground. Lyra reached up a hoof and ran it through her friend’s mane, trying to comfort her. It was shocking to see her like this, Raindrops was one of the strongest ponies she knew and normally so reserved, what ever could have been done to her to make her act like this? To make her break down? “What did you do to her!?” she snarled at the guards, her grip tightened protectively against her friend.
“We didn’t do anything, dame,” said one of the guards looking nervously down at her hooves.
“She was like this when we found her,” said another.
“We don’t know what happened to her,” continued the first.
“We shouldn't be talking to the prisoners,” hissed the third guard grabbing her colleagues and dragging them out of the cell before locking it again. “We need to report this to somepony.”
“Raindrops,” said Lyra gently as the guards left. “What happened? What’s wrong?” She tried to put on a calm facade but inside she was in turmoil. She’d been pinning her hopes that Raindrops could rescue her, would know what to do, but now to see her friend like this...
“He,” sobbed the younger mare, “he-he seemed so nice and then he, we, it was perfect,” she broke down into another torrent of tears, “he was somepony else,” she finally managed, “he wasn’t who he said he was. I was just so stupid, just a stupid, silly little filly.” She finally managed, a spark of her old anger returning.
“It wasn’t your fault,” cooed Lyra, she was beginning to get a fairly good idea what had happened. From what Smoke had said Kindle was actually working for Corona and presumably had tried to seduce Raindrops to her side. Raindrops must have found out about the deception, leaving the poor filly heartbroken.
“I lo-really liked him,” she sobbed, “What sort of pony does that? I’ve always known I, I was messed up inside, how I’m always angry, but how sick must I be to not have seen who he really was?”
“No! None of that,” said Lyra sharply, “This is not your fault, you’re not sick, or messed up, you’re you, you’re kind and loving. He tricked you, you did nothing wrong.” She met Raindrops’ reddened eyes for a long moment and she thought she saw the mare nod before bursting into further flows of tears. “It’s ok,” she said gently running her hoof through Raindrops’ mane. “I’m here for you and I’m not going anywhere.”
Slowly Raindrops started to relax, her sobs becoming less frequent and her body uncurling. This was the most upset Lyra had ever seen her friend. A flame ignited in the unicorn’s heart; she hoped she’d get a chance to see Kindle, she’d do... well, something to him, something unpleasant. “It’s all going to be ok.” She hated to lie to Raindrops but the poor filly needed the support right now and she was going to be there for her.
* * *
The two of them sat together for a while and gradually Raindrops felt her tears dry, the ground under her hooves seeming to stabilize a little. Finally she could bring her mind to follow a rational train of thoughts again. She was glad that Lyra didn’t try to push her to tell her what had happened. She’d been so very stupid! Why couldn’t she have seen what Kindle had been? Was she really so desperate for a stallion to want her that she’d just overlook the fact that he worked for the Tyrant Sun? When she thought back to what he’d said, what he’d done, it seemed so obvious but she had ignored it all just because a handsome stallion had smiled at her, she was pathetic!
Why had she believed all of his sweet sweet lies? Her eyes started to water again and she pushed her muzzle deeper into Lyra’s comforting mane, feeling the mare hug her back. Now she’d given away something she could never get back, something she should have saved for her true love. Maybe love wasn’t even a real thing, if she could be so easily fooled maybe she didn’t deserve to have a special somepony.
While she raged at her own stupidity she half listened to Lyra’s own story. About what the unicorn had found out about Quizzing and Haymaker and her attempt to flee from the embassy and her eventual capture. If only Raindrops hadn’t been so stupid she might have been able to help, have gotten both of them and captain Lightning to safety, this whole thing was her fault. If she hadn’t been so obsessed with Kindle she might have even noticed Quizzing’s behaviour in time to get them away from this madhouse days ago.
“So what are we going to do?” asked Raindrops pulling back from Lyra and rubbing her reddened eyes with a hoof.
“I don’t know,” her friend admitted, “maybe we can escape, the guards don’t seem all that competent really.”
Raindrops stood and walked over to the bars giving them a shake. There didn’t seem to be any give in them. She yanked at them with more force, they bent slightly but not by enough for either of them to get out. It didn’t seem like they could escape that way. “Even if we did get out, where could we go? They’ll be guarding the teleport room and if we get away from the embassy we’re still in griffin territory. We don’t have any friends here.”
“There’s Gilda, she seems to be on our side. Maybe some of the other griffins would help us?”
“I don’t know if we can rely on her,” it wasn’t like they knew the griffiness that well. Gilda had terrorised Ponyville until Raindrops had beaten her but then seemed to consider her a friend. Who knew what was going on in the griffin’s head. They couldn’t really trust anyone here.
“Maybe the girls will realise that something's up and come to save us?” said Lyra hopefully.
“I’m sure Quizzing will keep sending them telegraphs to tell them that everything's fine here.”
“They’re smart, they’ll see through that.”
“Maybe, but it might take a while,” Raindrops sighed. “I wish Cheerilee was here, or Trixie, they’d know what to do.” Her friends wouldn’t have been tricked by Kindle, they weren't silly foals pretending to be an adult. She sniffed again feeling her eyes start to water.
Suddenly the door to the prison swung open with a screech and a horribly familiar voice could be heard. “I’m fine Smoke, you don’t have to act like a mother hen,” said Kindle, “it’s just a few bruises, she probably didn’t know what she was doing. You shouldn’t have locked her up,” he continued, his voice sharper, “you know how I feel about her.”
Raindrops caught a glimpse of the smaller mare’s crushed expression as the burning figure of the Voice entered and she found her attention drawn fully to him. Now that she knew his true nature she was surprised that she hadn’t realised that Kindle and the Voice of the Sun were the same pony. Despite all the illusions they had the same certainty of body language, the same voice. The were the same pony that she’d thought she might have a future with. She felt her eyes prickle and her legs start to shake again. No! She cried internally, No! She wasn’t going to let him see how upset she was, she wasn’t going to let him see her cry.
“Storm Cloud!” he cried as he turned towards her, a smile on his face, “You’re alright!”
“My name is Raindrops!” she growled setting her face, trying to keep the emotion from her voice. Behind her Lyra stood and stepped forwards.
“She doesn’t walk to talk to you,” said Lyra.
“Dame Heartstrings, this is between me and Sto-Raindrops,” said the Voice sharply, “please be quiet.”
“You don’t-” began Lyra furiously.
“Lyra,” said Raindrops, her voice wavering a little, “it’s all right, I think I need to talk to him.”
The Voice nodded eagerly and turned back to Raindrops. “I am sorry you have been imprisoned like a common criminal, I’ll get you out as soon as possible.”
Raindrops blinked, what was he saying, could he still think... No, this must be some sort of trick. “I don’t want anything from you,” she said, stepping back from the bars.
“Raindrops,” he stepped closer, his voice gentle, “I’m sorry about earlier, I should have been less abrupt, my sudden change must have shocked you. I’m so sorry I scared you but you must recognise that I’m the same stallion that you know, the same stallion you made love to.” Behind her Raindrops heard Lyra’s gasp of shock, she closed her eyes tightly trying to stop a further burst of tears, what must her friend think of her now that she knew?
“Shut up,” she snarled, “you’re not the stallion I knew, I lo- I liked Kindle, not the Voice of the Sun.”
“My lady,” said the Voice reaching up and lifting his helmet from his head. Instantly his mane returned to its physical form and his eyes to the piercing yellow colour she used to think she could get lost in. “I am Kindle, and I am the Voice of the Sun. We are the same stallion, the stallion who admires you, who cares so much for you,” he reached out a hoof and gently ran it down her cheek. She pulled back violently as if his touch burnt her.
“No! No! It was all lies, you just wanted to confuse me, to try and get me to turn to Corona. You never felt anything for me. All lies!” she snorted, her voice and body trembling with emotion.
“Raindrops,” said Kindle gently. “No.” He sighed. “Truly my first meeting with you was happenstance. I had left a meeting with the ambassador and paused to admire my queen’s sunrise when I met you. I was curious, I had heard much about you so I did practice deception and let you believe that I worked in the embassy. Then when you met me in my role as the Voice of the Sun, although your beliefs were wrong you still spoke with such passion. I was further intrigued. I felt myself drawn to talk to you again, so I came to your window. I had intended to try and persuade you to turn to Equestria’s true ruler but I found your company delightful.” He smiled. “The night just seemed to fly past. When I asked you on a date it was spur of the moment, I had not planned it, I swear by the sun. As for yesterday, truly I found myself just wanting to spend time with you. As I said I found myself distracted from my work by thoughts of you. And last night, last night was no deceit, everything I said, everything I did I meant. My only regret is that my deceit lasted so long. I should have told you of my true nature earlier. I did not enjoy fooling you.”
Raindrops felt her head spinning. His words sounded so much like Kindle, like she wanted him to be, but he worked for Corona. Things couldn’t be that way, this had to be some sort of trick. “Everything you said about liking me despite how I can be, was that all true too?”
“Yes, of course. Your strength, your skills, they shouldn’t be hidden, think of everything you could do for my queen. How useful you could be to her, if you submit to her you could stand at her left hoof as I stand at her right. We could stay together forever then, bound to her service!” His eyes, despite remaining unenchanted, seemed to take on a glow. “She would forgive all your sins against her if you only bowed down to her, you have been tricked by her sister into thinking Celestia is evil but I know deep down you understand her glory, as I do. If you were to join me in the light of truth then it would be a sign to the whole of Equestria that anypony, even one of the element bearers, can throw off Luna’s shackles!”
Raindrops swallowed hard, trying to keep down the taste of vomit. Why didn’t she see this side of Kindle before, see this madness. How could her feelings have blinded her so much to reality? “You’re crazy,” she said quietly.
“No! No, you don’t truly believe that, do you,” he said, “you’ve seen me, seen my heart and I know you liked it. You know the truth, just submit to the queen and everything will be fine. We don’t have to fight, we can be together, please, Storm Cloud. Can’t we stay together?” He looked at her pleadingly. “~A whole new world~” He sang.
Despite herself Raindrops found the words coming unbidden to her lips. “~A whole new world~” she echoed. She couldn’t bring herself to meet his gaze, she had felt so strongly for him just a few hours ago. How could things have changed so quickly? “Maybe we can... just... If you really want me, give up on Corona. You must see that she’s wrong, that she’s sick!”
Kindle flinched back as if he had been struck. “Raindrops,” he said, his voice hardening, “I told you if it came to a choice between you and my work, you and my queen, there could be no choice. She is my very life, I care for you but she must come first! I choose the divine over the profane.”
“Then we can’t be together,” she said, turning away so he didn’t see the tear streaking down her cheek.
Kindle paused then nodded. “Truly we are like Rhomeo and Fillyet, out houses forever at war.” He gave a wan smile.
“They killed themselves Kindle,” she said turning back her face hard, “that’s not romance. Romance is just a bunch of silly stories.” She spat. “We didn’t have a romance, we just had lies.”
“Oh, Raindrops, don’t say that. I have seen your heart, seen the real you. I know that this-this shell you put around yourself isn’t you, you are warm and caring and free. Don’t let Luna’s lies, her society, force you to hide who you really are,” he rested his hooves against the bars. “You don’t have to be locked away like this. Just say you will follow me, will follow Celestia and I can free you...” His voice hardened. “This is your last chance.”
Raindrops looked down at the floor, a whole spectrum of emotions and thoughts running through her. She didn’t know what to think, what to feel. She had cared for this stallion, had given him her body, and he had lied to her, had hidden so much of himself. But still he was offering himself to her, she knew she could never join Corona but was there some way she could keep Kindle? Not The Voice, not this zealot that now stood in front of her but Kindle, the stallion she had cared about, that she had lain with. She looked up again, slowly glaring at her he returned his helmet to his head and locked it into position. His mane burnt and his eyes took on their unnatural glow. For a moment she didn’t know which of his two personas she was talking to any more. Did Kindle put on an enchantment to become The Voice? Or did The Voice sometimes wear a pony skin to pretend to be Kindle?
“Just submit to my queen’s glory, her majesty, accept her dominion over all things and the world can return to what it should be!” cried The Voice beseeching. “Let her give shape and propose to your life as she did to me. Let her raise you out of the darkness into the light of her glorious day!”
Raindrops saw it then, that there was no Kindle, maybe there never had been. That even before Corona had returned from her exile he had always been the Voice. She had just been too stupid, too love blind to see it, but never again! She hardened her resolve, trying to silence the final stirrings of the heart which sang that said she could change him, make him into the stallion she thought he could be. She used the flame of anger always burning in her breast to weld a steel plate over the rest of her emotions. “Oh, Kindle,” she cried, “Of course I’ll join you!” She leant forwards, pushing her muzzle between the bars and puckered her lips.
“Oh, my lady!” exclaimed Kindle with a smile, seeming blind to her mocking tone. “You don’t know how happy this-” he moved forwards to meet her but before the kiss could connect she wrapped her hooves behind his head and slammed it forwards into the bars with stunning force.
“I hate you!” she screamed. “You! And your queen! Can go! And burn! For all I care!” she cried, punctuating her words by bouncing the stallion's head off the bars again and again.
“Stop!” came a voice from somewhere near Raindrops’ head. “Please don’t, he’s not worth it,” said Lyra struggling to holding her friend back.
Feeling the anger within her ebb, Raindrops released her grip and let the stallion drop to the ground, blood pumping from his muzzle. She looked dumbly at her still shaking hooves for a moment as if they belonged to somepony else. In front of her the Voice staggered back to his hooves swaying in place, a look of anger on his face. “If you-” he wiped the blood from his face, “If you will deny me, deny my queen, then you can rot here forever!” he bellowed, no longer the urbane stallion he had previously seemed, now a ranting madpony. “I have time, all the time I need, sooner or later, one way or another, you will see the light!” Giving one last hateful stare at Raindrops he turned and stomped from the prison.
* * *
Raindrops slumped back against the bars, the anger in her dispersing and leaving her feeling leaden and cold. She curled her legs and wings around herself seeking to disappear from the world. To her surprise she felt another body against her own and a leg resting across her back and pulling her closer.
“Well, that was a thing,” said Lyra awkwardly.
“I’m sorry, I’m really really sorry,” mumbled Raindrops, “I should have seen who he was, what he was. I was so stupid!” she thumped one hoof against the ground.
“Hey, come on, none of that,” warned Lyra, “I don’t think there’s a pony alive who hasn’t been won over by a pretty face now and again. And, well he’s no Bon Bon, but he is handsome, you’ve got good taste on that front. Well maybe not quite so pretty now that you smushed him up a bit.”
Ranidrops couldn’t help but let out something approximating a giggle at that.
“That’s better,” said Lyra, “You’re hardly the first mare to end up liking the wrong stallion, or mare for that matter. I could tell you a few stories you know, I was all over Lucky Clover for a while back when I was a filly.”
“Did he turn out to be a solartic who was trying to seduce you into the worship of the tyrant sun as well?” asked Raindrops dryly.
“No, but it did turn out he wasn’t really going to become a professional hoofballer like he told me!” Raindrops found the side of her mouth inching up of their own accord at that. “See? that’s better,” said Lyra hugging her friend a little tighter. “Once this is all over I’m going to buy you a huge tub of ice cream and we can both talk for hours about how all stallions are lying bastards and we’re better off without them.”
“I... I think I’d like that,” said Raindrops.
“So... what he said about the two of you...” said Lyra awkwardly.
Raindrops cringed. “Its... it’s true, we were... together last night, he, he was my first,” shame dripped from the words. “It seemed so good, so nice and then...” she trailed off.
Lyra ran a hoof gently through Raindrops’ mane. “Did he... did he force you?”
“No,” she shook her head gently, “no I just wanted... I wanted to have some fun, to just be with somepony... It seemed the right thing to do. I was just so blind and stupid,” she growled, “I know what you must think of me.” She turned away from her friend.
“I think you’re a mare who made a bad decision, who was tricked. You’re only equine like the rest of us.”
“What will the other girls think of me?”
“They’re your friends, none of them will think any less of you for it.”
“Please don’t tell them!” panic sounded in Raindrops’ voice. “I don’t want them to think... I don’t want their pity.”
Lyra sighed. “I won’t tell them if you don’t want me to, but you should talk to them. None of them will pity you, they’ll understand.”
“Thanks Lyra,” Raindrops slumped further onto the other mare feeling some of the stress bleed out of her. “I don’t know what I’ve done to deserve a friend like you.”
“You’ve been a really good friend as well,” said Lyra nuzzling against the pegasus.
“Now kiss!” came a muffled voice from nearby.
Both mares’ heads shot up, their ears swiveling in shock as they tried to work out where the sound had come from. Confusedly, Lyra stretched out her hoof through the bars to where the noise seemed to have emanated from and knocked on the floor, there was a hollow thud. With a grinding sound the stone lifted and was pushed aside. Bootheel’s head popped out of a hole just large enough to fit a pony. “‘ello!” he said cheerfully.
Raindrops blinked in surprise. “What are you..? How..?” she muttered.
“There are secret passages all around this place you know. Don’t know who built them,” he shrugged, “I found one in my room when I was first stationed here and I’ve been mapping them out since.”
“Who puts a secret passage in a prison!” she asked in confusion.
“Somepony who thinks they might get locked up?” said Bootheel. “I don’t think this place was always a jail, those bars look new.”
“You betrayed us!” exclaimed Lyra, finally finding her voice. “You got us captured! You said you wanted to join Corona!”
Raindrops tensed, looking back and forth between the stallion and her friend. She’d forgotten that part of Lyra’s story, she’d never entirely trusted the stallion. True, he had been helpful in Oaton, but she could easily see him betraying them to save his own coat.
“You believed all that!” said Bootheel eyes wide. “Look I might be a lot of things-”
“Loser, pervert,” muttered Raindrops with a scowl.
“That’s fair,” said Bootheel nodding happily, “but I’m no sun lover.”
“You attacked captain Lightning,” said Lyra.
“That idiot was about to get himself and probably the rest of us killed, do you really think we had a chance against all those guards?”
Despite herself Lyra found her head nodding at that.
“I made sure I’d get confined to quarters for a bit,” continued Bootheel, “Once I was sure they didn’t think I was going to escape I nipped into the tunnels and had a bit of a look around, tried to figure out what they were doing.”
“And?” asked Raindrops.
“I overheard that Smoke mare talking to Haymaker about moving the teleport thingy. They’re planning to take it to one of Corona’s bases, then send out a message to your friends and ambush them when they come through. They capture all the element bearers and there’s nopony left to beat Corona when she decides to try and take over.”
“Trixie or Cheerilee would see through that wouldn’t they?” asked Raindrops. “They’d know it wasn’t us.” Hopefully the princess would be able to deal with her sister as well.
“I don’t know,” said Lyra slowly, “They could probably send out some convincing story or another to get them to come.”
“Yeah, well apparently they can’t move them without that code thing Lightning gave you. They hoped to get it from the captain but,” he nodded towards the soldier’s insensate form, “whatever Haymaker stuck him with apparently won’t wear off for a day or two.” With a grunt Bootheel heaved himself out of the tunnel he had emerged from. “Right, I better get you out.”
“Wait a minute, how long were you down there?” asked Raindrops. Fear gripped her heart that the stallion might have heard about what she and Kindle had done, she didn’t want to be the butt of barrack’s room gossip.
“Not long,” said Bootheel looking a little shifty, “I arrived just in time for your heartwarming moment. Well not just my heart you know, it touched a few other bits of me.”
“Bits which I’m sure nopony else ever wants to touch,” growled Raindrops.
Ignoring her, Bootheel examined the lock, his tongue sticking out in concentration.
“Can you pick it?” asked Lyra.
“Nope, I think I might have to take a more direct approach. I’ll be right back.” With that he headed towards the door from the cells.
“I don’t trust him,” hissed Raindrops once Bootheel was out of sight.
“I’m not sure, he’s right that if Lightning had fought the guards he would have gotten hurt. Him pretending to switch sides probably saved us,” said Lyra
“‘Pretending’” mocked Raindrops, “He’d probably do anything to save his own skin, it’s not like most stallions find it hard to lie! I bet he’ll tell us we need to get to the teleport thing and unlock it now.”
“But that would make sense, wouldn’t it?” asked Lyra. “We need to get away from here.”
Raindrops started to pace back and forth around the cell like a caged cat. “I don’t know, maybe, maybe not. They might just want us to unlock the thing so they can use it to fool the rest of our friends. I don’t know, I just don’t trust him!”
There was the sound of a muffled conversation from nearby and Lyra strained her ears to try and figure out what was being said. Then there was a crash and a thud. A moment later Bootheel returned dragging an unconscious mare in a guard uniform behind him.
“What did you do to her!” exclaimed Raindrops rattling the bars.
“I’d sort of hoped to persuade her to just give me the key,” he shrugged, “but she didn’t fall for it. Don’t worry she’ll be fine, and I got the keys. This as well.” He held up the device used to affix and remove the horn locks. Lyra gave a sigh of relief as the nullification device was removed and she could power her horn again.
Raindrops muttered something about Bootheel probably enjoying hurting mares but still helped him lay the stunned mare out in the cell before locking the door behind them.
“Right, now the three of us better make ourselves scarce. There’s a passage which leads to the chariot bay, I checked and it’s not guarded any more. There’s a friend waiting for us down there. We can probably steal the air carriage and get away before anypony realises we’re gone.”
“What friend?” asked Raindrop’s suspiciously.
“I bumped into one of the locals when I was leaving, she said she knew you.”
“One of the locals?” said Lyra, her brow furrowing.
“Gilda?” asked Raindrops.
“That’s her name,” said Bootheel nodding, “She wanted to come storming in here to help you, but I told her to wait.”
“What did you mean when you said you met her when you were leaving?” said Raindrops advancing on Bootheel. “Were you going to run without us?”
The stallion looked down and shuffled his hooves. “Well I thought I might be able to get help, it seemed a waste if we all got caught. I was looking for a way out when I bumped into Gilda.”
Raindrops’ eyes blazed and she grabbed Bootheel and shoved him against the nearest set of bars. “You were going to leave us to rot, you coward!” she yelled.
“Hey! What's the point of me getting captured as well? Then nopony could have gotten help,” said Bootheel struggling in her grasp. “I came back for you didn’t I!”
“Raindrops,” said Lyra resting a hoof on her friend's shoulder. “We shouldn’t be fighting, we need to work together against Kindle and Haymaker.”
With an annoyed grunt Raindrops let the guard drop to the ground. “I did try to save Va-save some of the staff,” he protested, “but they weren't near any passages near them.”
“I don’t trust him,” Raindrops muttered.
“I know you’re upset,” whispered Lyra as Bootheel picked himself up glaring at Raindrops, “but you can’t take it out on him. I know who you’re really angry with.”
“Fine,” growled Raindrops as she tried to get herself under control. She took a deep breath. “We better go then.”
“We need to get Lightning out first,” said Lyra.
“The Captain?” asked Bootheel looking at the insensate form in the other cell, “he’ll just slow us down.”
“We can’t just leave him here, he knows how to unlock the teleporter.”
“He doesn’t look like he’s going to be talking any time soon,” said the guard leaning down to check the officer.
“We’re not leaving him,” said Lyra stamping her hoof before stepping forwards to unlock the lock on the captain's horn.
Bootheel looked back and forth between the two resolute mares. “Fine,” he sighed unlocking the door, “but I’m not going to carry him.”
“I will,” said Raindrops hefting the captain’s form onto her back without much difficulty. He squirmed for a moment but gave no other sign of waking.
“What about the rest of them?” asked Bootheel, pointing at the four Shadowbolts.
Lyra rocked back and forth in uncertainty for a moment; she wanted to help them but there was no way they could move all of them. They were safe here, right? Nopony had hurt them so far, they didn’t have any secrets the solartics wanted, did they? “We’ll have to leave them,” she said eventually, hoping she wasn’t wrong.
“If you want,” said Bootheel with a shrug. “Down here then,” he started to clamber down the hole he had emerged from. A few moments later Lyra started after him, her hooves struggling to hold onto the ladder embedded in the wall. Raindrops noted her friend had her tail firmly held between her legs to prevent the guard beneath her getting a show. Hefting the dead weight of the captain onto her neck she moved to follow. The feeling of the stallion on her back made her uncomfortable but she gritted her teeth and tried to ignore it.
The passage at the bottom of the ladder was cramped and stuffy. The party was forced to travel single file with Bootheel leading the way. The only source of light was the occasional beam showing through cracks and spy holes in the walls. Lyra had offered to light the way with her horn but her golden light spilling out into other rooms would give away their presence. Raindrops was very grateful that she didn’t suffer from claustrophobia like many of her tribe, still the conditions were wearing on her already frayed nerves. She kept her ears and eyes pricked for the ambush she was sure Bootheel was leading them into.
After a short time they came across a section of the tunnel which seemed to have been made into a sort of den. A large cushion had been positioned in the passage to make it more comfortable. Confused, Raindrops peered out through a nearby spy hole. She heard water dripping and the room beyond seemed to be covered in tiles. It took her a few moments to realise where they were and she recoiled in disgust. “The mare’s shower room!” she spat, “You sick pervert!” She glared over at Bootheel who grinned unrepentantly.
“It’s only when Vast wants me to, she likes the idea that somepony might be watching her while she’s being a naughty, naughty, mare,” his eyes unfocused for a moment and a smile spread over his face, making both Lyra and Raindrops shudder for a moment, possibly for different reasons. “Besides,” he continued after a moment, “I didn’t build these tunnels, I just found them. Right, the path to the chariot bay is this way,” he gestured down one side of a t-junction.
“Can we get to the teleport room from here?” asked Lyra, causing Raindrops to make a double take.
“Well, it’s not all that far down the other way,” said Bootheel, “But why would we go there? It’s got to be crawling with guards.”
“Maybe, they might not be guarding it that much now that they think we’re all under lock and key. We can’t leave the booster with them, they might figure out how to use it and catch the rest of the element bearers.”
Raindrops frowned, this was what she’d warned Lyra against! If Bootheel was really a traitor it was the sort of thing he’d suggest. Except he hadn’t suggested it, he’d tried to lead them away. Could it be some sort of reverse psychology trick her friend had fallen into? Trying to think about it made her head hurt.
Apparently noticing her friend’s confusion, Lyra turned and gave a reassuring. “Trust me.”
Raindrops paused for a moment then nodded before hefting Captain Lightning into a more comfortable position. “Let's get going then,” she said.
Bootheel looked like he was going to argue for a moment then he shrugged. “Crazy mares,” he mumbled underneath his breath before turning down the path towards the teleport room.
* * *
The journey wasn’t far and Bootheel soon opened a secret door out of the tunnels which lead into a small office off of the room the teleport booster had been set up in. Lyra trotted across the office as quietly as she could and carefully pushed the door open, it let out a slight creak which set her teeth on edge. She glanced around the larger room but there was no sign of anypony else being present. It seemed almost too easy, and she gave the room a second closer inspection. She knew that Smoke was a talented illusionist, Lyra couldn’t see any distortion in the air which might suggest that magic was being used to hide anypony, but if she was anything like Trixie’s caliber she could be standing right in front of them and she’d never know. She gestured to her friends and started to creep across the room; each hoofstep felt like it was loud enough to wake the dead against the silence of the hall and sweat started to form on her flanks.
Finally she made her way to the teleport booster and held her horn next to it ready to unlock its power.
“Come on!” hissed Bootheel. “Get a move on, somepony could turn up at any moment!”
Lyra glanced over at him noting that Raindrops had positioned herself behind the guard and looked ready to jump him if he turned traitor. Carefully, she touched the top of the jeweled tower with her horn and quickly ran through the code Captain Lightning had given her to activate it. If things went right and Twilight was on the ball they could be back on Equestrian soil in less than a minute.
Nothing happened.
She tried again, slower this time, making sure she used the right pattern. The artifact still didn’t react.
“What’s wrong?” whispered Bootheel, “Why isn’t it working?”
“I don’t know!” hissed Lyra trying to keep panic from her voice. She ran her horn over the device for a moment trying to get a feel of its workings. Had she remembered the code wrongly? Then she realised. “They’ve drained it!”
“What?” asked Raindrops.
“They’ve drained it of most of its magic, probably trying to get it mobile or to stop anypony else trying to escape. It’ll be hours before it charges up again!”
“Well that’s just great!” grumbled Bootheel. “I said we should go to the chariot park, but you dragged us down here, we could be discovered at any moment!”
Raindrops gave Bootheel a glare but didn’t disagree with him. “What now?” she asked.
Lyra dithered between the booster and the door they had used to enter for a moment. Should they run or risk waiting for the device to recharge? She hated being the one in charge; she really just wanted somepony to tell her what to do, but there wasn’t anypony else. “We’re going to take the booster with us,” she announced.
“What!” exclaimed Bootheel.
“We take it with us, we take it to a chariot and get out of here. Hopefully Gilda knows somewhere we can hide out for a while. Once it’s recharged we can activate it and get help.” Before anypony could argue she took the device in her aura and tugged. It didn’t budge. Frowning, she tried to increase her force, causing her horn to spark and her teeth to grit but all to no avail.
“Problems?” asked Bootheel.
“It’s stuck!” said Lyra trying to yank at the booster again. “Ooh!” she exclaimed, her cheeks colouring. She remembered Lightning telling her about it being locked in place, she’d assumed the power drain would have stopped that but the last of its energy must be powering that function. She held her horn against the pillar again and tried to replicate the code the captain had shown her. She gave the booster an experimental tug and this time found it was movable, although it was still heavy. She glanced at her companions, Raindrops could probably carry it but she already had Lightning to lug about. “Bootheel, give me a hoof,” she said.
“Sure, ask the earth pony to carry things,” he grumbled, starting to lever the device onto his back.
“Well you know how us mares enjoy getting to see all those hard muscles,” she said resting a hoof on the soldier’s flank. He grinned and flexed his legs a little as he positioned the booster.
“Well I’ve got something else hard to show you,” he boasted. Behind him Raindrops looked like she was going to be sick.
“Maybe later,” said Lyra. “Now we better get moving before someone notices that we, or that thing,” she pointed at the booster, “are missing.”
* * *
The journey to the chariot bay went almost too easily, thought Raindrops. Although Bootheel didn’t seem to have done anything to betray them yet, she still trusted the stallion far less than she could throw him. Given Lyra had unlocked the booster and given it to him he was in the perfect position to run off to Corona with it, but instead he had once again led them through the secret tunnels to their destination in apparent safety. See peered through one of the eye slits hidden in the wall to get a better idea of what they were getting themselves into.
The room was large and half full with the various vehicles and supplies that the embassy used. One wall was mostly filled by a large gate leading out onto a rather unsafe looking path which snaked around the embassy and headed out through the mountains towards the Griffin city. Positioned right at the centre of the space, and looking rather out of place was the majestic sky chariot they had been using to get back and forth between the embassy. Several other plainer vehicles were positioned around the walls. They ranged in size from a small one person cart which looked about right for somepony to carry their shopping around in, to a full sized wagon which probably needed eight or more ponies to pull it. None of them looked like they could fly so there was no way they could be used to escape at any speed.
“Things can’t be this easy,” she whispered to Lyra as they opened the hidden door, “There’s no way they wouldn’t guard this place.”
“Maybe they did!” came a cry from above and Raindrops spun around in time to see a brown and white mass dropping onto her from above. She saw claws, and her instincts and hours of iron hoof training took over. She stepped smoothly aside and swung a hoof at the attacker who veered to avoid the blow. She followed up the first attack by leaping forwards despite the ungainly weight on her back and ramming into her now off balance opponent who was sent bouncing away across the floor while Raindrops stepped back trying to rebalance her cargo.
“Nice to see you havn’t slowed up Dropsy,” said the griffin with a grin on her beak as she spun back onto her feet.
“Gilda!” exclaimed Raindrops. Oddly, she actually felt buoyed by the griffin’s presence despite their fight back in Ponyville and their rather confusing relationship since; she at least knew the griffin could fight.
“The one and only. Good to see you again.” The griffin approached and bumped heavily into her shoulder in what Raindrops hoped was a greeting. “What took you so long to get here? I was just about ready to come and get you.”
“Heartstrings wanted to get this thing,” said Bootheel gesturing to the booster on his back.
“Huh, shiney,” said the griffin admiringly.
“It’ll let us get back to Equestria,” explained Lyra.
“What are you doing here?” asked Raindrops.
“After the duel I thought it would be best to keep an eye on Terry for a while, make sure he didn’t do anything stupider than normal. He and a few of his minions headed this way, I followed them to find out what was going on. They met up with Smoke and a few other ponies just outside. I snuck inside, you really need better guards,” she pointed a talon at two rather battered looking armoured ponies tied up behind a nearby crate. “I was going to see what had happened to you two when I caught that one,” she nodded at Bootheel, “trying to sneak away.”
“I was trying to get help!” said the stallion sounding offended.
“Sure you were! Anyway, I figured he’d blend in a bit better than me so I sent him in to get you. Looks like things worked out.”
“Thanks,” said Lyra trotting over to the sky chariot, “We better get moving before a guard spots us.”
“Yeah, someone’ll miss those chumps over there sooner or later,” said Gilda.
Joining Lyra at the chariot Raindrops unloaded captain Lightning off her back as gently as she could in the passenger section. The stallion seemed to be recovering slowly and let out a groan. His limbs feebly tried to lift himself into a standing position and he glanced around with glazed eyes for a moment before slumping back down again. Raindrops hoped he didn’t fall off the chariot while they were escaping. She moved around to the front of the vehicle and glanced at the harness with a sinking heart. The chariot was designed to be pulled by four trained chauffeurs. She didn’t doubt she could get it moving by herself but the effort would probably reduce her already abysmal airspeed to a crawl. “Gilda, can you give me a hoo... um, claw here,” she asked.
“What is it?” asked the griffin strutting around to the front of the chariot as Lyra and Bootheel struggled to get the teleport booster loaded.
Raindrops was doing her best to strap on the front harness, she didn’t pull vehicles often and she’d never powered a sky chariot before. She knew that some of the enchantments depended on drawing power from the chauffeurs, hopefully it was all instinctive or this would be a very short trip. “I need you to help me pull this thing.” Hopefully griffin magic wasn’t different enough from pegasus to be incompatible with the chariot.
Gilda glared at one of the empty harnesses like it was going to eat her. For a moment Raindrops thought she was going to argue but the griffiness nodded and started to strap herself in with, if anything, less skill than Raindrops.
Suddenly there came a cry from behind them. “Come on, grub’s up!” Raindrops tried to turn as best she could in the straps to see a guard standing near the entrance, a large plate of sandwiches resting on his back and a look of shock on his face.
“We’ve got to get moving!” yelled Lyra seemingly in Raindrops ear. She nodded and gritted her teeth as she started to pull forwards, hoping that she was firmly attached to the vehicle and that its enchantments were working properly. Gilda gave a surprisingly cute squeak as the straps around her suddenly tightened and the bulk of the chariot started to grind across the floor. The Griffin was forced to hobble forwards on three legs as she struggled to get in position.
Behind them the guard had shaken off his initial surprise and had thrown aside his cargo of food to draw and load his crossbow. There was a thud from somewhere behind Raindrops’ head as the bolt buried itself in the wood. “Hurry up!” cried Bootheel. The guard had spread himself over Lyra and Lightning using his body to give them cover.
The surprisingly heroic act drove Raindrops on and she started to accelerate to a trot, her muscles straining to force one hoof in front of the other. Suddenly and with a slight hum the bulk of the chariot lifted into the air and Raindrops almost staggered at the reduction in friction. She could feel the device drawing on her innate magic, it was a strange and slightly uncomfortable feeling.
“The door!” cried Gilda, now managing to use all four legs to help drag the vehicle along. Raindrops lifted her head to see the very solid looking obstruction getting closer and closer as they rushed across the room.
“Got it!” cried Lyra, her horn glowing as she yanked at the lever. A weight was released and the door began to drop open, almost blinding Raindrops as a shaft of morning sunlight hit her in the face. Suddenly there was a scream of pain from behind and for a moment Raindrops’ stomach dropped, had Lyra been hit? The cry was followed by a barrage of extremely inventive and obscene swearing, and she realised it was Bootheel, then she felt bad again for caring less about him than her friend. Lowering her ears she tried to ignore the noise around her and pushed forwards even harder, flapping her wings with all her might. She managed to lift herself and the chariot lifted about a length into the air before gravity dragged her back to the ground.
“Are you alright?” cried Lyra in a panic from the back of the chariot.
“I’ve got a bloody bolt sticking out of my leg!” yelled Bootheel, “Of course I’m not alright! This really hurts!”
With a burst of energy Raindrops once again managed to lift off and this time maintained altitude as the ground below them dropped away down the mountain. She looked over to Gilda, the griffin was panting hard but managed to grin back at her. Glancing back she saw the guard standing in the entrance to the embassy, his third bolt shot out towards them but fell short.
They were safe, for the moment.
* * *
“How is he?” asked Raindrops craning her neck to try and get a view of the back of the chariot. She and Gilda had managed to synchronize their wing beats to keep the vehicle moving at a speed at least approaching a fast trot, still it would take an hour or more to get to the Griffin city at this rate. There wasn’t much they could do for the injured Bootheel until then.
The bolt that had hit him was sticking out of the guard’s upper thigh on his rear left leg, it wasn’t bleeding much but it had to be painful. Lyra’s aura encased the wounded area. As far as Raindrops knew the unicorn didn’t know any healing magic, so she was probably just keeping pressure on the wound or feeling out how bad the injury was.
“We should get him to a healer as soon as possible,” said Lyra, a touch of panic in her voice.
“I’ll be fine,” growled Bootheel through clenched teeth, sweat matting his coat to his flanks. “I’ve had worse than this before.” He struggled to move to the front of the chariot, giving a hiss as he accidentally tried to put weight on his injured leg. “I’ll just lie here and enjoy the scenery.”
Raindrops nodded before realising that the stallion had positioned himself so that he was facing directly towards her and Gilda’s flexing plots as they drove the chariot forwards. With a snort she clamped her tail tightly down. Seemingly amused rather than disgusted by the stallion’s antics Gilda’s tail thrashed around a few times before smacking Bootheel on the forehead.
“At least he’s got good taste,” she whispered to Raindrops.
The pegasus grumbled to herself and concentrated on getting the chariot to move as quickly as she could. The guard back at the embassy had to have raised the alarm by now, how long would it take for his fellows to organise a pursuit? How many pegasus were there that had turned to Corona? Would Kindle himself lead them? She glanced around, there was a fair cloud bank above the city itself but nothing nearby so they stood out like a sore hoof in the sky, it wouldn’t be hard for any pursuers to find them. Even if they did get to the Griffin city, they might not be welcomed with open arms.
Trying to ignore her worries Raindrops fell into a sort of fugue state, only concentrating on the rhythm of her wings. She almost missed it when Lyra finally broke the silence.
“What?” she asked.
“I said, we’ve got company!” repeated the bard.
“Where?” asked Raindrops trying to turn her head without affecting her flying. Out of the corner of her eye she could just about make out a few dots in the distance, she blinked and they appeared worryingly larger in only a few seconds. “How many?”
“I don’t know, four? Five?” said Lyra shading her eyes with her hoof. Gilda turned her head towards their pursuers. “Nine pegasus, in guard armour, carrying crossbows. The leader has a bracelet on her left foreleg.” Raindrops gawped at her in awe. Gilda pointed a pair of talons at her face. “Eagle eyes,” she said, “Although I was joking about the bracelet.”
“Did you see the Voice of the Sun with them, or Terror Wing?” she asked. She certainly didn’t want to fight the giant; as for Kindle, well she didn’t know what to think, or feel about him at the moment.
Gilda shook her head. “No griffin, and I think I’d notice a guy with his head on fire.” The griffin paused to a moment before continuing more quietly. “They’re going to be in range in a few minutes Dropsy. What are we going to do?”
Raindrops looked out at the city in front of them; it was getting closer with each passing minute, but still too far away. “We get as close as we can, then we land and let the others off. They can hide and we can try to take on the guards.”
Gilda looked down at the ground below. “Not much cover down there, and two of them can’t move, they’ll get picked off for sure.” She flexed her talons eagerly. “I can cut down their numbers a bit.”
“No! No killing!” exclaimed Raindrops. Behind them, Lyra looked up in alarm. Maybe these guards had sworn allegiance to Corona but they were still ponies. She wouldn’t see them hurt more than was necessary. For a moment it looked like Gilda was going to argue but Raindrops glared at her and slowly the Griffin’s eyes dropped.
“Fine, but you’re taking all the fun out of this.” There was a whistle as a bolt fell out of the sky nearby. “Looks like they don’t feel the same way.”
“Fly harder!” yelled Raindrops, “maybe we can outdistance them for a bit longer.” She gritted her teeth and pushed her wings as hard as she could.
“Then we just die tired,” said Gilda, “time to take the fight to them.” She slashed out with her claws cutting easily through the straps that held her to the chariot. For a moment she hovered in place next to Raindrops and gave out a salute with one claw, grinning as she did so “See you on the other side Dropsy!” Then she was gone, rocketing off towards the approaching guards, now close enough for even pony eyes to make out their features.
A stream of bolts shot towards the approaching griffin but she jinxed from side to side to avoid them before plunging into the flock, claws slashing this way and that. The formation shattered as the soldiers split to avoid their attacker. Tearing her eyes away from the fight, Raindrops struggled against the mass of the chariot now that she was forced to pull it by herself. Gilda’s departure had left the harness unbalanced and she had to fight to prevent the vehicle corkscrewing.
“I’m sure she’ll be all right,” called Lyra from the back, “she’s tough. Maybe she’d appreciate it if I wrote a song about this.” She continued with forced bravado.
“She is, but nine against one...” began Raindrops.
“Not nine against one,” cried Bootheel. Raindrops’ heart leapt, had Gilda managed to deal with one of the attackers already? Then she heard the thud of a bolt impacting onto the chariot. She snapped her head around. About half of the soldiers had managed to avoid Gilda and were keeping position not that far above them, their hind legs peddling to wind the cranks reloading their weapons.
“Get down!” called Lyra trying to keep the teleport booster between herself and the attackers.
“There’s no cover!” cried Bootheel trying to cover Lightning’s prone form with his own as another bolt flashed past his face. “I wish I had my own bow.”
Raindrops desperately tried to maneuver the chariot to avoid the attacks but the huge thing flew like a rock. There wasn’t anything she could do! She was going to get them all killed!
“Flip the chariot!” cried Lyra, her horn flashing.
“What?!” exclaimed Raindrops, the ground was hundreds of feet away, if they fell her friends would plummet to their deaths.
“Do it!” cried the unicorn, forcing a foreleg through the carrying loop at the top of the booster.
“Are you crazy!!” cried Bootheel.
“Just grab hold of something!”
“What?” called the soldier looking around the inside of the chariot, empty but for his fellow passengers and the booster Lyra was curled around.
Trusting her friend had a plan, however suicidal things looked, Raindrops threw herself sideways against the harness causing the vehicle to tip. It teetered on the edge for a moment then started to swing back as whatever magic powered it worked to keep it level. Swinging with the recoil Raindrops added her strength to the pendulum like motion and this time the vehicle tipped all the way over its thick wooden base acting as a shield against the bolts fired by the pegasus hovering above. Behind her, Raindrops heard a scream from Lyra, her head snapping around where she expected to see her friend plunging away. Instead she saw the unicorn clutching herself to the teleport beacon which, against the laws of gravity, remained firmly affixed to the floor of the chariot. Her horn was glowing white hot as her aura encased captain Lightning’s limp form up keeping him in the chariot.
“My tail!” screamed Lyra, gritting her teeth. Bootheel had apparently decided that it was the only thing to hold onto and now hung from the strip of mint hair by his teeth. Raindrops winced in sympathy then returned to her own problems. Trying to fly upside down while strapped to a lump of wood was not easy. She was surprised they weren’t all plummeting to the ground right now. She struggled in the straps trying to get a better position, there was something strange about how the vehicle was handling...
“That should give us some cover!” gasped Lyra trying to ignore the pain of a fully grown stallion hanging onto her tail. “They can’t get us down here.”
“Lyra,” said Raindrops, “they’re pegasus, they can fly.” The first of the guards appeared dropping under the lip of the chariot and pointing her weapon.
“Oh.”
With a burst of adrenaline Raindrops managed to tear herself away from the harness and shot out towards the soldier. The mare seemed to react in slow motion, her eyes widening and her hooves slowing bringing her weapon to bear as Raindrops swung her hoof at her. The limb made contact and suddenly things seemed to be running at normal speed again as the mare shot back at least two lengths from the blow, her weapon knocked from her legs. Raindrops moved to follow up on her attack then realised the chariot was unsupported. She flipped over and began to dive before she realised that the vehicle, rather than falling to the ground, was actually hovering more or less in place, only slowly sinking downwards like a leaf on the breeze. She hovered in puzzlement for a moment before she reaslised the vehicle must have some sort of safety feature which protected the occupants from accidents. Unfortunately her opponent took advantage of her distraction to leap onto her back and tried to immobilize her wings and legs using some sort of hold. However, the soldier was in no way prepared for her opponent's strength and Raindrops sent her sprawling with a shrug, a following up kick sent her falling away from the fight.
A second soldier followed up after the first cautiously dropping under the cover of the chariot to get a look at the unlikely collection of ponies clinging there. He frowned for a moment then moved forwards, sword drawn to attack Lyra as she clung to the booster for dear life. The unicorn took a deep breath and let out a shriek into her attacker's face. The sound of her voice boosted by her magic caused the guard to drop his weapon and clamp his hooves to his ears, his eyes screwed up tight against the pain. Opening her mouth even further Lyra cried even louder, the force of her magic throwing the pegasus spinning away from them. Panting, she returned her aura to holding Lightning into the chariot, he had fallen several feet during the few moments she had been distracted.
A third, fourth and fifth pegasus flashed under the chariot, one taking up a position below the vehicle while the other two circled around it. Raindrops flew back to the chariot ready to protect her friends, her eyes trying to keep all three opponents in sight at the same time. The lower pegasus, a dark gray mare with a black mane sighted along her crossbow, ready to fire at the targets above her. Glancing down at her Bootheel grinned.
“Geronimo!” he yelled releasing his grip on Lyra’s tail. The mare beneath his eyes widened as she saw his body dropping towards her. She fired but the bolt went wide. She tried to turn and get away, only for him to land solidly on her back. With a grunt of pain he wrapped his legs around her waist to keep himself in place, the tip of the bolt stuck through his leg pressing against her side.
“Now let's go for a little ride shall we,” he cried through the wind. The pegasus flailed desperately trying to throw off her passenger, but then let out a scream as Bootheel grabbed her wings for a moment, stopping her flying and causing the two of them to start to plummet towards the ground. “Stop it,” he hissed into her ear, releasing his grip. The mare flapped wildly for a moment to arrest their fall then hovered in place as he gripped her wings again as a warning. “Good, I think that makes me in charge for the moment.” She nodded desperately. “Now you look like a speedy model, so here’s what we’re going to do...”
* * *
Raindrops spun around trying to see what had happened to Bootheel; she had noticed him falling to the ground and hitting one of their attackers. The impact had sent both of them spiraling away into one of the nearby cloud banks which were getting more frequent as they got closer to the city. She glanced up at the chariot and noticed the other attackers starting to reform around it. She dithered for a moment, should she try and find Bootheel or help Lyra? She had no idea where the soldier was, and Lyra could be overcome any second; she hoped she didn’t live to regret her choice as she flew back up towards the chariot.
Lyra let out another enhanced shriek keeping a swooping pegasus away from them and then let out a pitiful cough. Her horn was sparking dangerously as she split her effort between keeping Lightning safe and warding off her attackers. Out of the corner of her eye she could see Raindrops flying up to help her, but she knew that even both of them together couldn’t hold off all of their attackers. There had been no sign of Gilda since she had flown off to engage the other guards, if felt like hours ago but was probably less than ten minutes.
Suddenly one of the soldiers took advantage of her momentary distraction to swoop in. She turned to try and cast at him but before she could react he already had a leg around her neck. “Quiet!” he yelled at her. “You,” he gestured to Raindrops who had frozen in place. “Get this thing back on the ground. There’s a few ponies back at the embassy who’d like to have a word with you lot.”
Grimacing, Raindrops reached up and grabbed the side of the chariot and began to pull it down towards the ground.
“Turn it back up,” called the stallion, and with a grunt the rest of the soldiers put their backs into righting the craft. Lyra gave a sigh as she turned off her horn, no longer needing to use her power to keep Lightning in the craft. She glanced over at the captain and noticed his eyes were open but still a little glazed. One of his legs twitched and his head raised slightly, pointing towards her attacker. Trying not to give the game away Lyra locked her eyes on her attacker.
“You don’t need to do this, you know. I’m sure if you just fly away now princess Luna would forgive you,” she pleaded.
“Luna! She just threw us away, exiled us to the middle of nowhere. And for what? Sleeping through a few drills? I’d been on guard duty all night!” There were nods of agreement from most of the troops although one mare looked rather hesitant. “No, Celestia is going to make us rich, give us power, titles. She’s the way to g-arghh!” He cried out as he was struck in the back by a bolt of electricity from Lightning’s horn. The soldier’s feathers stood on end and he started to drop limply towards the ground, his fall slowed by his magic despite being unconscious.
“Traitor!” grunted Lightning as he staggered to his hooves, his horn still sparking.
The other guards seemed shocked for a moment but quickly recovered and started to approach their new opponent from multiple sides. Lyra moved to cover Lightning's back, her horn glowing. The two groups slowly circled for a few moments then unexpectedly the chariot shifted under Lyra’s hooves, she struggled to stand while Lightning was sent tumbling.
With a snarl Raindrops shoved against the bulk of the chariot swinging it through the air like a huge bat. The first pegasus in its path gave a surprised squawk and dived out of the way, the next wasn’t so lucky and was swatted by its mass, sent flying into the sky. Then with a grunt Raindrops swung the vehicle in the opposite direction, striking the third attacker in the back and catching the wing of the pegasus who had avoided her first blow.
With all of the attackers at least temporarily disabled Raindrops shifted her position and rested her hooves on the back of the chariot, pushing with all of her might and getting the vehicle moving again towards the now clearly visible bulk of the city. She squeezed her eyes closed with concentration as she tried to milk every drop of speed she could from her wings. Behind her she could hear the sound of wings getting closer and closer, there was an odd sort of echo to them as if they were coming from all around but she ignored that, her ears were probably playing tricks on her. With one last push she threw the chariot as far in front of her as she could and spun around. Maybe she could delay her pursuers long enough for Lyra and Lightning to get to safety.
Raindrops turned and snarled at the four soldiers pursuing her, to her surprise she could see Gilda approaching from above pursued by a further trio of troops, she looked a little battered and one wing was missing a few feathers but generally whole. Good, the two of them could delay the guards for even longer. Buoyed, Raindrops set her wings and swooped towards her attackers, hooves held ready to strike. To her surprise the lead mare’s eyes widened as she approached and the guard spun in the air struggling to get out of Raindrops’ path as quickly as possible. Raindrops blinked as the next pegasus in line did the same, turning tail and heading for the embassy as fast as his wings would carry him. She looked around, all the guards were fleeing, what was... suddenly she was buffeted as a large armoured griffin streaked past, talons outstretched, then another, and another. Raindrops hovered in the air, brow furrowed. What was going on? She turned to see the carriage surrounded by a dozen griffin warriors.
“I’m back,” said Bootheel, clutched in the talons of one of the warriors, “and I bought some friends.”
“Chief Garvil would like a word with all of you,” growled the Griffin leader.
The rest of the journey to the griffin city was carried out in near silence. None of the griffins escorting them seemed to be very keen on talking. Even Bootheel wasn’t his normal chatty self, the bolt still protruding from his leg probably wasn’t helping. He only told then that he’d managed to force one of their attackers to take him to the griffin city where he’d managed to persuade the king to send help.
Lyra spent most of the trip checking the teleport booster, her activation of its immobility function had prevented them from falling to their dooms but had drained more of its power. She switched it off and left it for the actual teleport effect to charge up again. She thought it would probably be at least an hour before she could use it to contact Twilight, maybe longer, such devices were hardly her forte.
Upon arriving at the city they were quickly brought to a reception chamber outside the king’s hall. Lyra had insisted the booster be brought with them and nogriffin seemed to want to argue so Raindrops had carried it around. Once there, their wounds had been tended by a local healer. Lyra, Gilda and Raindrops had come out of the fight without too much damage and therefore didn’t need much treatment. There wasn’t much the griffins could do for captain Lightning, although the stallion did seem to be recovering by himself. He still had a tendency to nod off every few minutes but was now mostly lucid when conscious. Bootheel, however, required more serious treatment. First the healer, an elderly griffiness missing a wing, had washed his wound with something which smelt to Lyra like it was about 200 percent proof, a suspicion that was only heightened when Bootheel was given a few mouthfuls of the stuff before the bolt was removed. To Lyra’s surprise the soldier actually took the surgery rather stoically, with only his flattened ears showing the pain he must be in. Lyra couldn’t bring herself to watch as the bolt was pushed all the way though his leg in order to remove it safely. Once the bolt was removed the medic packed the wound with herbs to staunch the bleeding and then bandaged it. Lyra was a little surprised how professional the surgeon was, her treatment was probably as good as any Bootheel would have received in Equestria. Maybe all their fighting meant griffins had to develop their medicine as well?
Once the treatment had been concluded they were left to wait for a few minutes before the guards returned and ordered them to appear before the king.
“Let me do the talking,” hissed Gilda as they entered the chief’s hall, “I think I can get you out of this.”
Garvill sat on a stone throne at the far end of the hall. The room was much changed from when it had been used for the feast only a few days ago now. The tables had been moved aside to leave a long open path towards the king. Along the sides of the room various griffin nobles sat, their eyes following the visitors as they made their way to the king. The battered members of the royal family, sans Terror Wing, stood some distance away from their father presumably in disgrace. Garvill himself remained motionless as the party approached, neither his face or body giving away any clues as to his feelings.
They came to a halt several lengths from the throne and to everyponies’ surprise Gilda bowed low, wings spread wide as her head almost touched the ground in supplication. “Your majesty,” she announced formally, not sounding at all like the griffin who had come to Ponyville last year. Recovering from her surprise Lyra quickly moved to copy Gilda’s bow followed by Raindrops, Lightning and finally Bootheel, although the latter had difficulty given the state of his leg. “I ask you to offer sanctuary to these ponies,” she gestured to her companions.
“Gräfin,” proclaimed Garvill causing Lyra’s ears to twitch. That was a griffin noble rank wasn’t it? “You forget yourself, you are in no position to request anything!”
“My apologies, but I fear for my companions’ safety if they are not protected.”
“Really, and who do they need protection from? This one,” he pointed at Bootheel, “told us they were under attack, but when my soldiers arrived they found them pursued by their own countryponies. Why should I risk Equestria’s wrath for their safety? If their own people want them why shouldn’t I just hand them over, like a good ally,” he scoffed, “many, including yourself, have counselled that we support the ponies.”
“The embassy has been taken over by those sworn to Corona, these are loyal to Luna,” said Gilda meeting the king’s gaze. “Your own son was involved!” A hubbub of whispering broke out from the members of the court. Lyra wasn’t sure if they were supporting or condemning the actions, possibly both.
Garvill’s eyes narrowed dangerously. “This is a grave allegation Gilda, you saw Terror Wing attack any of the embassy staff, or enter the building uninvited?”
“Well... no,” admitted Gilda after a moment, “he and his followers met with some of Corona’s ponies outside.”
“Good! because as you know the embassy is considered Equestrian territory. Any invasion of it would be an act of war, as would, say, a griffin of my court brawling with the embassy guards!” Gilda’s eyes dropped to the ground, she mumbled something which didn’t seem very apologetic. “This is an internal matter for the Equestrians to deal with,” he proclaimed, “once they are well enough to travel they are to be returned to their own people!”
“Wait a minute!” cried Raindrops, “they aren't real Equestrians, they follow Corona. They might pretend to be good ponies, but they’re liars!” she said fiercely.
The king's gaze turned to the pegasus. “In my experience all Equestrians lie to get what they want, be they ‘good’ or ‘evil’. Whether your Luna or Corona win their little family feud I have no doubt the real losers will be the other species of this world. Your princesses tend to look after their own to the detriment of others. My father trusted ponies and where did it get him?”
Lyra’s brow furrowed, there was apparently some history between the king and ponies but she hadn’t been told what it was. “Please,” she said, “I’m sure the princess with reward you if you just keep us safe for a bit longer, then we can go and be out of your mane-um feathers.” The king didn’t look convinced.
“Right, that’s it,” said Gilda, sounding like herself for the first time since they entered the room. “Who do I need to challenge to get them sanctuary? Who are you going to put up as a champion, her?” she pointed to a nearby armoured griffin, “Or do I go straight to the top?” she glared at the king.
A collective gasp rang out over the chamber followed by a moment's silence. Then, to Lyra’s surprise, the king started to quake on his throne and give out a series of staccato caws, her eyes widening as she reaised that he was laughing. “Oh Gilda,” he said, wiping a tear from his eye. “What ever have they done for you to protect them with such fierceness?”
“Well,” Gilda looked down at the ground, her claw tracing a pattern on the stone, “Dropsy’s sort of cool, she can really fight and Dash is a friend as well, you know, not all ponies are that bad, some of them are almost awesome... almost...”
“Awsome?” said Garvill with a raised eyebrow. “Sometimes I feel you spent too much time in that country.”
“My lord, it makes sense to continue to support princess Luna,” continued Gilda starting to rally. “She does still hold the land and she is a major trading partner. Corona’s people may have offered more but they took the embassy using deceit rather than open combat. If they’ll do this can their leader be trusted to keep her word?”
Garvill seemed to consider for a moment, tapping a talon on his beak as he thought. “Very well, I have no wish to see you kill yourself in a duel over such a trifle,” Gilda bristled a bit at that. “I will grant them membership of my court, any attack on them outside of a legal challenge will be considered an attack on the crown! They are to be protected until they are ready to leave.” He turned to the pony delegation. “Just keep out of my sight, or I might change my mind.”
* * *
Taking the king’s words literally, the ponies and Gilda quickly returned to the room they had been given earlier.
“How much longer till that thing’s ready?” asked Raindrops halting her pacing to turn to Lyra.
The unicorn had spent most of the time since they’d returned from the king’s chamber leaning back against the teleport booster in a very uncomfortable looking position and strumming her lyre. Raindrops didn’t know if this was supposed to do something to speed up the booster’s charging or if it was just to pass the time. “It’s just about done,” said Lyra, her aura running over the jewelled pillar, “another few minutes I think.”
Raindrops sighed and felt a tiny trickle of tension leave her. Just another few minutes and they could be gone from this place, away from the Griffins, and the solartics, and Kindle. She didn’t know what was going to be done here, would the princess send troops to clear out the embassy? Or abandon it entirely? But it wouldn’t be her problem any more, she could just return to her normal life and forget everything that had happened here... if only it was that easy. What had happened here, what she had found out about herself, well she couldn’t just forget that, as much as she might want to. She sighed again, just a good night’s sleep in her own bed, in her own tiny bedroom, in her family's cozy little house would be nice. Although that was probably still a few days off, the trip from Twilight’s estate to Ponyville would be that long at least.
“I think it’s ready,” announced Lyra rousing Raindrops from her thoughts.
“So Dropsy, this is it then?” asked Gilda.
“Yeah, well look... thanks for all your help,” said Raindrops awkwardly, she still wasn’t sure why the griffin had helped them.
“It was nothin’. It was worth it just to tweak Terry’s beak.”
“There won’t be any problems with him will there?” Raindrops didn’t like the idea of Gilda having to fight the giant.
“Probably not, it doesn’t look like his dad’s all that keen on throwing his lot in with Corona so Terry’ll probably get in a huff, but it’s mostly hot air. Worst comes to the worst maybe I’ll come visit you and Dash in Equestria again?”
“Yeah, I think I’d like that,” said Raindrops, things hadn’t gone all that well during her last visit but Gilda seemed calmer now.
“Right, let's get this show on the road,” said Lyra resting her horn on the booster. Her aura flashed for a moment and the gems on the column glowed with a faint blue light.
“Now what?” asked Raindrops.
“Well they were probably expecting a telegraph message first but I’ve just sent out an emergency signal. If Twilight’s on the ball we shouldn’t have all that long to wait.” She stepped away from the booster.
“When they get here,” said Raindrops quietly, “can you not tell them about me and Kindle, please?”
“Like I said I’m sure they’ll understand...” she looked into Raindrops’ eyes, “but if you don’t want me to, I won't. But you should talk to them about it. You’ll feel better.”
Raindrops tried to smile but she never wanted her friends to find out how stupid she’d been, the mistakes she’d made.
Any further conversation was cut off by a high pitched whine from the booster and in a flash the figures of nine ponies bust into existence. At the edge of the group four of princess Luna’s royal guard stepped smoothly forwards their spears held at the ready, heads scanning back and forth looking for any danger. Behind them stood the four missing element bearers. Each wore the necklace or tiara containing their element and looked ready to use them. Finally in the middle of the formation stood Twilight Sparkle, her horn sparked for a moment then shut off as she staggered forwards. Quickly, Ditzy Doo and Trixie moved to catch her before she could fall.
“Told you I could do it!” gasped the purple unicorn.
“Sure you could Sparkle,” said Trixie looking around the room. “This isn’t the embassy, what happened?”
Carrot Top and Cheerilee had already advanced from their original positions to give Lyra and Raindrops a muzzle. “We missed you,” said Carrot Top with a grin.
“Yeah,” added Cheerilee, “Staying in a huge mansion with hundreds of servants on call was starting to get..,” she was cut off as Raindrops leaned heavily into the older mare and wrapped her wings around her in a hug. “Hey, are you alright?” she said hugging back.
“It’s, it’s been a hard few days,” mumbled Raindrops trying to hold back her tears.
“‘Ello gorgeous,” called Bootheel from where he was lying causing Trixie to cower away, her horn glowing.
“Dame Heartstrings,” said one of the guards to Lyra, “are we secure here?” Two of her fellow guards had already moved to examine Bootheel and captain Lightning while the fourth was splitting his attention between Gilda and the door.
“This is the Griffin city of Felshimmel, we’re safe here for the moment,” explained Lyra.
“What happened?” asked Trixie again. “Your telegrams didn’t say anything about moving to the city? Was the embassy attacked or something? Where’s the ambassador?”
“It’s a bit complex,” said Lyra plucking at her instrument’s strings as the rest of the mares gathered around.
“Wait a minute, are you going to sing or something?”
“Just a bit Trixie, it helps me get my thoughts straight,” explained the bard. “Now where to begin...”
Lyra did indeed sing at least part of the story of their time here. She told the new arrivals about Terror Wing and Smoke and the Voice. About the fight between the sun crazed griffin and his siblings and about Haymaker and Quizzing’s treachery. To Raindrops’ relief Lyra brushed over her part in the events, only stating that the pegasus had been captured later without explaining why that had been. Ditzy glanced over at Raindrops during that part of the story but if she suspected something she didn’t say anything.
“And King Garvill in his wisdom
did offer us the protection of his Kingdom
And grant us this space in which to find reprieve
Until such time as we could leave,” sang Lyra.
“Not bad,” said Trixie tapping her hoof on her chin, “But I’m not sure if wisdom and kingdom truly rhyme.”
“It’s a first draft!” exclaimed Lyra in exasperation.
“Are you sure we're safe here?” asked Carrot Top looking around nervously and trying not to stare at Gilda.
“Unless Terry or the Voice can convince the king to turn to Corona,” replied the griffin. “Not likely, but you lot should probably get going.”
“We can’t do that yet,” said Twilight from over near the teleport booster. It was the first thing the unicorn had said since her arrival.
“What’s up, Sparkle?” asked Trixie. “You said you could make another teleport after getting us here.” She looked a little worried.
“I can. It's a strain but I could take all of us back home, if the booster was working properly. This one's been almost entirely drained by our arrival. It should be good for three, maybe even four jumps but someone must have shut it down. We can’t leave for a few hours at least.”
Trixie let out a breath. “Ok, so we hunker down here for a bit and hope nothing happens. If the griffins do turn we can probably handle things for a bit, right?”
The leader of the guards nodded. “There’s only one entrance and Lady Twilight can probably teleport us away if we start to be overrun.”
“Probably,” said Twilight, “but it’s not just that. If the ambassador has turned then Corona’s gotten access to all of his papers, code books, files, reports; we can’t let that sort of thing fall into her hooves! If she does decide to attack she’d know just where to hit us, or she could turn it over to other nations to try and get them to ally with her. It could be a disaster!”
“If he’s on their side won’t he have already passed all that stuff onto them?” asked Ditzy.
“The ambassador wouldn’t have it all memorized, there’s far too much of it. It’ll take a while to move it all.”
“His office seemed quite full when we were last there,” chimed in Lyra, “I don’t think he’d started clearing it out then.”
“So we need to get a message back to Equestria and tell them to send us some help?” said Raindrops.
“We can’t contact our reinforcements without a telegraph,” pointed out the night guard leader, “and the only one nearby is in the embassy.”
“We can use the booster when it’s recharged,” noted Twilight.
“True,” nodded the guard, “but it’ll take most of a day before we can get get enough troops here, and that’s if the griffins are willing to allow them into their territory. Most other nations aren't that keen on letting large numbers of enemy soldiers into their lands.”
“What about the princess?” suggested Lyra, “she could probably clear the embassy by herself.”
“There was a sighting of Corona in the south of Equestria yesterday, she had to leave,” explained the guard.
“Thinking about it now it was probably a diversion,” added Cheerilee, “we thought we checked with you by telegraph at the time but I guess it was just Quizzing sending the all clear.”
“Plus, if the griffins don’t want us to bring in troops then I’m sure they’d be fine with the princess blowing up chunks of their land,” added Trixie sarcastically.
“You could ask us.” All heads snapped around to look at Gilda. “From what I’ve seen of the guards at the embassy they're not exactly top notch, no offence,” she grinned at the royal guard. “A few dozen of the king's troops should be enough to clear them out.”
“Should we really have another country attack one of our embassies when we’re trying to save confidential documents?” asked Carrot Top timidly.
“Beggars can’t be choosers,” said Gilda with a shrug. “I can’t guarantee any of your stuff won’t go missing, but it might be better we have it rather than Corona.”
“The king didn’t seem all that keen on ponies,” said Lyra. “Do you really think he’d help us now?”
“Maybe, he’s got history there. He spent some time in Equestria when he was a cub, after his dad got overthrown. Things didn’t work out all that well,” she grimaced.
“I remember my mother telling me about that,” said Twilight resting a hoof on her chin in thought, “He might actually owe my family a favour.”
“I don’t think he thinks so,” grumbled Raindrops.
“Well has anypony else got any ideas?” asked Trixie looking around the group. “Anypony? No? Well looks like we might be paying the king a visit then.”
* * *
“The king will see you now,” grunted the guard as he pushed open the door to the throne room. The chamber seemed little changed over the last few hours, even the courtiers were still present.
“Approach,” the king growled, he didn’t sound any happier than last time. “I recall telling you that you should stay out of my sight.” He glanced around at the larger party. Not only were the element bearers present but so were Bootheel and the night guard. Even captain Lightning had managed the trip although he was swaying slightly on his hooves. “And now there are more of you. I thought you were going to leave, not bring more of your kind here.”
“My apologies your majesty,” said Trixie doffing her hat and bowing low. “I am dame Trixie,” she paused for a moment, “Lulamoon and these are dame Carrot Toppington, dame Black Cherry Lee and dame Ditzy Doo. With us are an honour guard of her royal highness Princess Luna’s personal guard and our, associate, Twilight Sparkle.” Twilight looked like she was going to say something for a moment but she kept quiet and gave, if anything, an even more polished bow than the rest of the company.
Raindrops was rather impressed Trixie actually seemed to know what she was doing. “We are here at the request of Princess Luna herself, she sends thanks that you have taken such good care of our associates. The Princess would however like to ask a favour of your majesty.”
Raindrops tried not to look to shocked, the princesses didn’t know anything of what had actually happened. Sure she’d probably agree if she did know but Trixie was really stretching the truth here, if not outright lying to the king.
“Greetings, dames,” said the king after a moment, “and what request does Princess Luna ask of me?”
“The equestrian embassy held on your land has been taken over by forces loyal to the Princess's sister,” began Trixie, looking up at the king’s unreadable face. “Princess Luna asks that those ponies be apprehended, with, um, the minimum amount of force and returned to her lands as soon as possible.”
There was silence for a moment then the king stood, wings outstretched. “You want me to attack the Equestrian embassy? To arrest its personnel?” He didn’t sound too happy at the idea.
“Well yes I suppose so, I wouldn’t put it quite so bluntly, they’re not exactly Equestrian you see, well they are but they follow Corona, so I don’t know,” Trixie began to babble in the face of the king's wrath.
“And of course you have papers to confirm your princess’s wishes? A document with her seal? Deeds abolishing the sovereign territory the embassy represents?”
“Well, no, not really but the Princess would really appreciate it if...”
“I am sure the Princess would very much appreciate it if I attacked her ponies on their own land. Would very much appreciate that such an act of war would make it very much easier to justify her own forces attacking me! So much easier than if I chose to favour her sister and she was forced to punish me without such a casus belli!” he roared bearing his talons. The group in front of him cowed back at his wrath, even Gilda looked unnerved. “Why exactly should I trust ponies in this way given how they have treated me in the past?” he demanded.
“I.. well... you see, Corona...” began Trixie.
“Your Highness,” came a clear voice. All eyes turned to Twilight as she stepped forwards. “You should do it because of the promise you and your father made to my Grandmare.”
“Who-who are you?” demanded the king.
“I am Viscountess Twilight Sparkle, Lady of the Northern Reaches, Lady Protector of Poniszawa. Baronett of Lankswalla, Stabledawn and Drum-mark. Daugher of Vicereine Twilight Velvet, granddaughter of Vicereine Sparkling Sky.”
Everypony and Everygriffin sat in stunned silence for a moment as they processed this information. Twilight shifted uncomfortably under their gazes. “Some families give their foals oranges in their hearthswarming stockings, my mother gave out titles,” she mumbled.
“I remember your grandmother,” said Garvill thoughtfully, “and how she betrayed my father!”
“No-no treachery was meant, your highness,” said Twilight, her composure starting to crumble a little.
“My father's rule was overthrown by his own brother and my family was forced to flee to Equestria.”
“My grandmother gave you sanctuary within her own home. Your father promised her future aid...”
“And she promised to help my father reclaim his throne!” he cried. “But then Equestria turned around and made peace with my uncle!” His talons tightened on the arm of the throne as if preparing to cut into flesh. “His rule was considered to better support Equestrian interests!”
“She argued against the treaty at court...” began Twilight.
“She talked, and talked and talked about how things should be, but did nothing!” he slammed a taloned foot down, the boom reverberating around the chamber.
“Even a Vicereine is bound by the word of the Princess, your majesty. She did what she could, your family eventually retook its lands.”
“After many long years in exile. My father did not live to sit upon the throne again!”
“I’m sorry, I really am but my family did what we could. We make mistakes sometimes, big mistakes, all I can do is admit we’re wrong and say... say sorry. Sorry,” she looked up at the, king her eyes wet.
Slowly, the griffin slumped back into his throne and let out a long sigh. “What is past... is past,” he said eventually. “Your grandmother did provide us with aid at our time of greatest need. I... I accept your apology on behalf of your family Countess Sparkle. If my father had had his throne handed to him by a pony then I do not think my people would have respected him, or me as much. The years have shown me that politics sometimes stop us doing what we wish... I will accept your request to attack the embassy. But consider my debt paid!” he added.
“Thank you your highness,” said Twilight bowing again as she stepped back.
There was a crash from the back of the hall causing Raindrops and her companions to spin around. The gates, and their guards, had been thrown aside. There in the doorway, striding towards them, was a gigantic flaming shape. “FATHER STOP!” cried Terror Wing, his spread wings seeming to almost fill the entire hall. To his left stood a smaller but similarly coloured shape. Raindrops’ heart skipped a beat and her body tensed preparing for a fight as she recognised Kindle fully garbed as The Voice of the Sun. His burning gaze locked onto her for a moment and she felt a confusing mixture of rage, fear and shame run through her. Smoke was following the party staying just behind the Voice, the smaller mare had to almost gallop to keep up with her larger companions. Behind them followed a dozen or more of Terror Wing’s griffin followers and a few embassy guards looking rather nervous being around so many griffin. “THESE PONIES ARE TRICKING YOU!” continued Terror Wing approaching the throne. Raindrops looked back and forth feeling trapped between the approaching forces of Corona and the king on his throne. However the giant griffin only had eyes for his father and ignored the ponies present. “They want you to be their creature, to work for them like a vassal! And for what?”
Garvill looked down at his son. “For peace,” he said quietly. “Sometimes that is the best we can hope for.”
“PEACE! CELESTIA OFFERS US GLORY AND POWER!” he looked around the room wings spread wide. “LOOK AT ME!” There was a few cheers from about the chamber. Garvill’s eyes wearily tracked his son’s supporters.
“I am my son, and I no longer recognise you. I see power and strength but no honour, what is the point of life if things are given so easily? You wanted strength and Celestia gave it to you, you did not have to work for it, you did not earn scars, instead you lost them. There is no honour there.”
“NO HONOUR! WOULD YOU RATHER CRAWL ON YOUR BELLY TO LUNA AND HAVE NOTHING TO SHOW FOR IT!” cried Terror Wing in disbelief.
“You overstep yourself!” growled the king, silencing Terror Wing for a moment.
The Voice of the Sun stepped forwards to fill the gap. “These,” he pointed at the element bearers, “have no authority to ask you to attack Equestrian property. Lacking a higher authority the ambassador speaks on behalf of Equestria and he asks that you turn these over to him.”
“And where is ambassador Quizzing?” asked Garvill.
“He has... other duties to attend to,” said the Voice. Probably trying to clear anything important out of the embassy, thought Raindrops. “But he has given me authority-” the Voice held up a scroll.
“Enough!” declared Garvill, “Lady Sparkle’s family has done more for me that the ambassador ever did, my decision rema-”
“NO!” cried Terror Wing, “I CHALLENGE THEM! ONE OR ALL OF THEM! I WILL FIGHT THEM FOR THE OWNERSHIP OF THE EMBASSY!”
The king blinked in surprise at his son. Around him the mumbling of the crowd began to pick up, one or two griffins cheered, others hissed. Several of Terror Wing’s supporters began to chant. “Challenge, Challenge!” Raindrops glanced around nervously, trying to position herself between her friends and harm. It looked like open fighting could break out at any point.
“Stop! Stop!” cried the king, it took several moments for the ruckus to die down and even then the murmuring did not entirely stop. “You cannot challenge them, they are not griffin!”
“She is,” said the Voice pointing at Gilda, “she can stand for them.”
If she was intimidated Gilda did not show it. “Bring it, Terry!” she said stepping forwards so her chest almost touched the larger griffin.
“I’ll stand with her!” said somepony. It took Raindrops a few seconds to recognise the voice as her own. She had stepped forwards so her wing almost touched Gilda’s.
“You are not a griffin,” growled Garvill grinding his beak.
“You did accept her as a member of your court,” said a nearby griffin earning himself a death glare from the king, “so they can take part in... challenges...” he finally noticed the danger and his voice trailed away.
“I will stand with you too!” declared Lightning tottering forwards.
“The Great and Powerful Trixie will aid you as well,” said Trixie stepping forwards. Raindrops noticed a slight tremor in her step.
“I’m up for a fight,” noted Cheerilee with a grin. Suddenly it seemed all of the ponies present, guard and civilian, were shouting their support, even Ditzy and Carrot Top. Terror Wing and his supporters were squaring off against them looking like they were ready to start a fight right there in the throne room. Smoke’s horn glowed and the shadows behind them seemed to darken as if they were living creatures pushing forwards to the attack.
Trixie stuck up her muzzle and sniffed in distaste, behind the ponies the lights seemed to brighten haloing her friends in a golden aura. “The Great and Powerful Trixie’s subtle and awe inspiring illusions can easily overcome the minor conjurations of a meer special effects artist,” said Trixie flipping her cloak out behind her and sneering pompously.
“Meer!” exclaimed Smoke. The normally quiet mare stamped forwards putting herself between the Voice and Trixie. “I worked on Bridleway! La Commedia Della Luna! The Royal Theatre! Where have you ever performed? At a foal’s party!”
“There’s nothing wrong with playing foal’s parties! They really appreciate my work!” yelled Trixie glaring at the smaller mare, their heads almost touching.
“That’s because it’s-”
“SILENCE!” bellowed Garvill, his voice seeming almost to shake the hall. He glanced around the hall where several nobles glared back rebelliously. “I will allow the challenge, but there will be order! Not a brawl! Each side may pick three champions from among those accepted into my court! And no more!”
“But-” began Trixie looking at the king.
“No more!” he growled stopping the unicorn in her tracks.
“I WILL STAND!” cried Terror Wing automatically. “As will my allies!” He swung out a mighty wing to indicate the Voice and Smoke next to him. The pegasus looked like he was going to argue for a moment but then nodded.
“I wouldn’t miss this,” said Gilda with a grin. Raindrops nodded as well, of her friends she was probably the best fighter, apart from maybe Cheerilee, and it looked like Gilda would need all the help she could get.
“And I will-” said Lightning.
“Captain,” interrupted Lyra, “You can hardly stand!”
“I can still fight,” he said stubbornly.
“You don’t have anything to prove,” she insisted.
“It is my duty, I cannot let anypony else get hurt in my place. It is my job to protect you.”
“You’re a brave stallion,” said Lyra, her horn starting to glow and a soothing humming seeming to appear from nowhere. “But aren't you tired?”
“Tired?” he asked blinking a few times.
“Yes, being brave is so very tiring. You’re so very brave, it must be so hard to keep your eyes open,” Lyra continued, her horn flashing into the dazed stallion's eyes.
“Brave... tired... no you’re...” Lightning started to sway on his hooves. His eyes widened for a moment then crept closed again. “Cheater...” he breathed before collapsing into Ditzy’s grasp. The mare slowly laid him out on the ground.
“I wasn’t going to volunteer by the way,” said Bootheel cheerfully.
Lyra rolled her eyes and stepped forwards. “I’m the third,” she announced.
“Very well. A duel to submission,” Terror Wing looked like he was going to argue but the look in his father's eyes stopped him. “Will take place in one hour on the ritual field. My decision in this matter will be made on the outcome.”
“So Dropsy, any idea how we’re going to do this?” asked Gilda. The three of them, plus the rest of their allies and most of the court had relocated to the same site that yesterday's challenge had taken place. Despite it only being early afternoon the area was gloomy due to a thick layer of cloud blanketing the field. The space around the combat enclosure was packed with Griffins all ready to throw their support behind whichever group they followed. Glancing over her shoulder Lyra could see her fellow element bearers standing in a group nearby, Cheerilee seemed to be putting on some sort of cheerleading routine. Trixie caught Lyra’s gaze and gave her a faux-cheerful nod.
“What was that?” said Lyra turning back to her fellow fighters.
“I said it’s Terror Wing who’s the real threat,” repeated Raindrops. “We need to deal with him as quickly as possible.”
Gilda nodded. “I think I’ve got his number, he’s strong but not fast or maneuverable in the air. We keep him in the sky we’ve got the advantage.” Raindrop’s nodded.
“That doesn’t help me much,” said Lyra, “No wings.” She indicated her back.
“Yeah, well I think I can be annoying enough to keep his attention on me,” said Gilda with a grin.
“Really?” muttered Raindrops under her breath. “Is there any limit to our altitude? I wouldn’t want to fly out of bounds.”
“Not really, you should stay in sight,” Gilda tapped her head, “and Griffins have good eyes. A few thousand feet maybe.”
Raindrops nodded. “What about the others?” she glanced over at their opponents who were conferring at the opposite end of the field.
“Once we’ve dealt with Terry they won’t be much of a threat, that little one looks like she’d break if I stared at her hard.”
Lyra thought back to her time in the embassy. Sure, she hadn’t directly fought Smoke but the mare’s magic wasn’t anything to sniff at. “I don’t think we should underestimate her, she’s really good at illusions.”
“I don’t know much about magic,” said Gilda with a shrug, “can you do anything about that?”
“Maybe, I’ll see. Just don’t trust everything you see while she’s around.”
Gilda nodded. “What about burning mane there?” she pointed towards Kindle.
Lyra noticed Raindrops flinch. She didn’t know what the pegasus felt about her ex-lover. She’d tried to cave his head in in the cells but it couldn’t be easy for her to be around him so soon after what had happened to her. “I don’t know,” said Raindrops eventually, “I’ve not seen him fight, he’s-he’s a good flyer, fast and he’s got that armour, it might do more than glamour him.”
“Yeah, the coward,” growled Gilda distastefully. Although Terror Wing had stripped off his raiments, Kindle still wore his golden plate and Smoke was wrapped in her black covering. Gilda had refused any armour. Personally, Lyra would have prefered some sort of protection, but there didn’t seem to be any around that would fit her. Raindrops said she’d prefer to fight unencumbered. Likewise both teams had refused any weapons, preferring to use horn and hoof, talon and beak.
“Ok,” said Raindrops, “So we’ll try to take out Terror Wing quickly in the air between us. Lyra will try to counter anything Smoke tries to pull and we keep an eye out for whatever Kind - the Voice of the Sun tries to pull?” The other two nodded. “Good, I’ll keep an eye on you Lyra in case anything happens.”
“Hey, don’t worry about me,” said Lyra with somewhat false bravo, “It’s not my first fight remember, I might not be a brawler like you,” she noticed Raindrops’ brow furrow a little at that, “but I think I can hold my own.”
“Right, it’s almost time,” said Gilda turning towards their opponents. “Hey, win or lose, this is going to be epic!” she crowed. Lyra moved a little closer to Raindrops. “Are you going to be alright fighting Kindle?” she asked quietly.
Raindrops’ head drooped a little. “I’ll be fine,” she mumbled, “he’s just another lying stallion. I’ll probably enjoy knocking him about the field, it’ll be very therapeutic.”
“There’s nothing wrong with you if you still feel something for him you know.”
“I’m fine,” said Raindrops turning away, “I don’t have time to feel, I’ve got a fight to win.”
Lyra wanted to say more but they really didn’t have the time. With a moment's concentration she summoned her lyre and spent a few seconds tuning it. There wasn’t anything wrong with it in the first place but the mental exercise helped her centre herself. Taking a deep breath she tried to keep her heart from racing, she was more scared than she was trying to let on. She ran through the spells she knew that might be useful, since Corona’s return she’d picked up a surprising number of potential combat magic. It didn’t really feel right, her talent shouldn’t include hurting others. She was supposed to entertain and inform people, but she couldn’t do that if she got killed. When she’d finished she opened her eyes again, around the stadium the griffin were cheering and shouting. It was almost like being in a concert, although classical recitals rarely got this rowdy. Shaking her head at the thought she trotted over to where the rest of her team were standing.
“My people!” called the King seated nearby, it was something of a relief that Lyra’s team had been positioned near him indicating he supported them, for all the good it would do. “Strife has recently split my kingdom between those who support our ancient alliance with Princess Luna and those who would have us aid her sister in her attempt to retake her throne. Today, champions from both sides will fight. Let this duel show us their strength and honour so that we may decide which side to support.” No pressure, though Lyra. “Does either side have anything to say before the duel begins?”
“THE SUN MAKES US STRONG!” roared Terror Wing. “THEY WILL ALL BURN!”
“Know that queen Celestia supports the griffin nations and will reward you well for aiding her, but also see how she treats those who would stand against her,” said Kindle more eloquently than his larger ally.
“Losers!” crowded Gilda making some, presumably insulting, gestures with her talons. “I’ll show you I don’t need any fancy Corona magic to whup your sorry asses!”
Lyra felt she should be giving some speech about how much Luna would help the griffins and how disastrous an alliance with Corona would be, but she found her mouth was too dry to speak. Now that a fight was just a few moments away she found her legs shaking and her mind blank. Next to her Raindrops reached out with a wing and gave her a quick hug. “Brave heart,” she murmured.
“Very well,” said Garvill running his gaze over the contestants and onlookers. “Start the duel! May the strongest grif- strongest side win!”
“I WILL CRUSH YOU!” called Terror Wing using his talons to cut deep grooves in the ground.
“Bring it!” taunted Gilda taking to the air with a single flap of her wings.
“We have the power of the sun on our side, and our cause is righteous,” pronounced the Voice. “There is no need for conflict, submit and you will not be hurt. Stand against us...” he paused for a moment, “and you will fall!”
Not waiting for a reply, Terror Wing started to thunder forwards towards his opponents with his head lowered. He quickly accelerated until he seemed to be a red blur charging into the heart of his enemies. From above Gilda cried out various insults but he ignored her, instead barrelling towards Lyra who started to gallop away while still trying to keep an eye on her other opponents. So much of their plan, though Lyra, it looked like they’d pegged her as the weakest link and decided to deal with her first, and they probably weren't wrong. Gritting her teeth she tried to force her legs to move faster.
Smoke and Kindle seemed happy enough to stay back and let Terror Wing do the fighting at the moment. Smoke’s horn was glowing and she had her eyes closed as if she was concentrating on a spell while Kindle hovered nearby seemingly to protect her. From around the arena the crowd roared its approval. Glancing back, Lyra saw that the fighting has begun as Raindrops had started to attack Terror Wing. Probably to protect me, thought Lyra. The giant griffin was laying into her with blow after blow from his talons. The smaller mare was deflecting each of his attacks, her face a mask of concentration.
The distraction gave Gilda the chance to move up behind Terror Wing and sink her own claws into his back. He gave out a roar and his body convulsed throwing Gilda off of him and far into the sky. At the sight of her friend being knocked back Raindrops went onto the offensive, catching Terror Wing a stunning blow which rocked his head back. She tried to follow up but her opponent managed to catch her hoof in his talons. For a moment the two of them were locked in place, muscles straining against each other as they attempted to gain the advantage. Slowly, and to Terror Wing’s evident surprise, he was pushed back, first a pace, then another as Raindrops, snarling, forced him back.
With a grunt, Terror Wing twisted his body aside and Raindrops’ momentum carried her on past him. She stumbled and went skidding over the ground away from him. Turning, Lyra galloped towards the fight ready to help her friends, maybe between them they could subdue the big griffin before his allies even started to fight. Then she felt her horn tingle as a wave of magic spread out from Smoke. Wherever the power touched it turned the air to a strange white mist. Lyra’s eyes widened and she quickly caught her breath fearing the stuff was some sort of poison, but she couldn’t help taking a lung full of the material. After a fearful moment she realised it didn’t seem to have a harmful effect. However it did block her from seeing where any of her friends, or enemies, were. She could hardly see her own hoof in front of her face, and worse, the cloud seemed to writhe and twist of its own violation making it seem like there was movement all around her. She ducked to avoid an imagined blow, this stuff was setting her nerves on edge. Judging by the cries from the crowd they didn’t appreciate their view of the fight being blocked.
“Raindrops!” cried Lyra spinning around in panic, “Can you hear me?”
There was no reply.
Lyra could just about make out grunts nearby but wasn’t sure who was fighting. She was even having difficulty working out what direction the fight was, the smokescreen was messing with her sense of direction. She was afraid that if she ran she might leave the boundaries of the arena by accident. Maybe that was part of Smoke’s plan.
“Raindrops!” she cried again, closing her eyes to try and concentrate her hearing.
“She’s busy right now,” came a calm voice nearby. Lyra’s eyes shot open again and she spun to see Smoke standing not too far away.
“This-this is very impressive,” said Lyra trying to keep her voice level. Her brain was running a mile a minute trying to figure out exactly what spell Smoke had cast and what she could do about it. It was presumably some sort of illusion rather than a conjuration, did it cover the entire arena, or just a short distance around her? She couldn’t tell. Trixie would probably have a better idea but Lyra’s knowledge of illusion magic was only average at best. That was the annoying thing about magic in a fight, it could do almost anything depending on the skills of your opponent. Trixie could see through her own illusions, could Smoke? Could her allies? If only Smoke could, was there some way she could communicate with Kindle and Terror Wing? There were so many variables.
“Thank you,” said Smoke politely, breaking Lyra away from her thoughts. “We don’t need to fight, I don’t want to see anypony get hurt.”
“Me neither, if you just want to surrender that’s fine by me,” replied Lyra slowly stepping towards the other mare.
Smoke gave a thin smile. “Sorry, not me, you. Is this grubby little kingdom really worth this much to you?” She stepped back and was seemingly swallowed up in the mists.
“My friends are!” called Lyra, cautiously walking towards where she had last seen Smoke.
“So it's going to be like that then?” came Smoke’s voice from behind her. Lyra twisted around, there was no way the mare could have gotten there in only a few seconds, unless she could teleport. Had the original Smoke been an illusion? Lyra’s eyes widened, or this one was! She tried to turn back the way she’d come but couldn’t move in time. Before she could react Smoke was already on her, the mare grabbed one of Lyra’s hind legs and twisted. A second later Lyra found herself sprawled out on the ground, her leg throbbing in pain. She was sure that if not for her unusual flexibility it would be dislocated, if not broken. She tried to flail out at Smoke with her remaining legs but her opponent stepped back smoothly.
“Where did you learn to fight?” Lyra said through gritted teeth.
“A mare in the big city has to be able to look after herself,” said Smoke smugly. “Also I have taken lessons from the Queen, mostly magic, but some other things.”
“Why do you follow her?” asked Lyra getting back on her hooves, she winced as she put weight on the damaged one. “You don’t seem the type. You seem like a nice mare, did you just fall into a bad crowd?”
“Coro-Celestia is, difficult, but not as unreasonable as you would think,” said Smoke circling around Lyra.
“Back in the cellar it sounded like you’re more into Kindle than Corona.” The smaller mare’s face told Lyra she was on the right track. “You wouldn’t be the first mare to do something stupid for a colt. But I don’t see how you can stand by him after what he did to Raindrops.” While she was talking Lyra started to feed power into her horn, preparing to attack. Smoke’s face hardened and she stepped back into the mists and disappeared. Quickly, Lyra threw a burst of sound at the space where she had stood but nothing gave any indication she’d hit anything. She slowly circled, her ears and eyes flashing from side to side trying to catch a glimpse of her attacker.
There!
Lyra saw a black blur moving at the edge of the cloud, instead of focusing her attack on what might be a decoy she created a whole bubble of sound stretching out from her. She heard a cry from her opposite side and turned in time to see Smoke stumbling away clutching her ears. Lyra allowed herself a satisfied grin for a moment, but this wasn’t a winning strategy. Spreading out her attack robbed it of its power, she could disorientate but not incapacitate and repeated area attacks would use her strength up too fast. Smoke could probably wait her out, she needed a clear target. Octavia had been able to hear Trixie even when she was invisible. Lyra wasn’t anywhere near her skill level, but still she might just be good enough.
Taking a breath, Lyra slumped to the ground trying to tune out the sound of the crowd, of fighting, of her own racing heart. Beneath it all she could just about make out the sound of hoofsteps cautiously approaching from her left. Without opening her eyes she turned her head and with a thought sent a concentrated beam of sound towards where she now knew Smoke to be standing.
The grey unicorn screamed as she was pounded by the blast. It picked her off her hooves and tossed her aside. “Maybe I’m not Octavia, but she’s not Trixie,” muttered Lyra as she lurched to her hooves, her injury still troubling her. She galloped towards where Smoke had fallen hoping to finish the fight before the smaller mare could recover, but by the time she got there her opponent was on her hooves and running. Closing her eyes again Lyra could just about make out the sound of retreating hooves, she fired another blast in their general direction but this time her opponent was too far away. With a sigh she took off in pursuit.
* * *
Rolling to her hooves Raindrops quickly spun to make sure she didn’t take her eyes off of Terror Wing for a moment. His last move had been quicker than she’d expected, she didn’t want to underestimate him again. Then suddenly it was like she had flown into a cloud bank as a wispy whiteness blocked her vision. It took her a moment to realise that her hooves were still on the ground. What was happening? Somewhere off in the distance she heard Lyra call her name but she couldn’t tell where the unicorn was.
She turned back and forth, the swirling cloud setting her nerves on end. Enemies could be all around her, or they could be the other side of the arena dealing with her friends, she had no way of knowing. Spreading her wings, Raindrops tried to use her pegasus magic to clear the smoke around her but it had no effect, whatever this was it wasn’t true cloud. This had to be some sort of trick by Corona’s followers, Smoke probably, so some sort of illusion, she’d never seen anything like it before.
With a flap of her wings Raindrops lifted off heading straight up, or what her senses were telling her was up, given the illusion around her she might not be able to trust them. Up and up she went. With her senses deprived time seemed to stretch out, she might have been climbing for seconds or minutes. She had almost given up hope when finally she broke out of the top of the illusion, it felt like a weight had been lifted off of her. Above her true clouds sat, Stratus she noted, maybe only a few hundred meters at the base, was someone planning light rain? or just blocking out the noon sun? If so they were shabbily placed. She shook her head, now wasn’t the time to think like a weather pony! Looking down she noted that the blanket of illusionary smoke covered the area of the arena perfectly and reached up to maybe a hundred feet or so, she had no idea what was going on down there.
To her right she heard a cry and turned to see Gilda and Terror Wing dueling. The giant griffin was grunting in frustration as he swung out at his smaller and more agile target. His coat was spotted with blood from numerous small wounds but they didn’t seem to be slowing him down. Gilda was flashing around him almost too fast to keep track of, it looked like she might have learnt a thing or two from Dash. Still, Raindrops didn’t think she could keep up that pace for long, not without help. As if to highlight that fact, Gilda’s last dodge was a fraction of a second too slow and Terror Wing caught her a glancing blow, tossing the griffiness away. Raindrops’ heart caught in her throat for a moment, fearing her friend had been seriously hurt, but with a shake of her head Gilda recovered. She locked her gaze with Raindrops for a moment and a smile spread across her beak before she shot back towards Terror Wing. “That all you got?” she cried, “I’ve seen cubs hit harder than that!” She started to dart back and forth in front of her larger opponent’s face, apparently not even trying to hit him any more.
Raindrops frowned, what was her friend playing at? Then she realised that Terror Wing’s back was being kept to her, he probably wasn’t aware of her existence. Trying to glide as quietly as she could Raindrops flew forward, body tense and ready to react if her opponent spotted her but he continued to cry out his frustration as he swatted at Gilda. It was only when she was a few feet from his back that Terror Wing finally noticed her approach and tried to turn, but by then it was too late, far too late. Gritting her teeth Raindrops threw a leg around his neck, cutting off his airway, and gripped as tightly as she could. Terror Wing struggled, his back undulating as he tried to throw her off and his talons clawed back at her, she felt one of them glance off the side of her face and she tasted blood, but gritting her teeth she kept up the pressure. She tried to turn her leg into the right position to restrict the blood flow to his brain, a true sleeper hold, but she didn’t know how Griffin physiology worked, an attack which would floor a pony in a few seconds might not have any effect on them. Whatever the situation was it did seem like her attack was having some effect, his attempted blows were becoming slower and wilder. His wings had ceased to pump and she was forced to hold both of their weights up. A few more seconds and he’d be out of the duel and she and Gilda could look for Lyra. Just as the huge griffin started to sag in her grasp Raindrops felt a heat starting to rise against her belly. She looked down in horror as Terror Wing’s red plumage burst into flame. With a cry she released her grip and flipped backwards, desperately beating at her smoldering pelt. In front of her Terror Wing seemed to explode, flame shooting out in all directions searing her eyes and forcing her to look away. “BY FIRE REBORN” cried the griffin.
By the time Raindrops’ vision had cleared Terror Wing’s renewed form was swooping towards her. He didn’t even seem winded, she noted, as she tried to twist aside. She was too slow and she cried out as she felt his talons grasp her barrell and start to squeeze. She desperately struck out with her front hooves punching him in the face once, twice, three times. The final blow knocked him back, forcing him to release his grip but leaving gouges in her sides. Gilda swooped down and attacked Terror Wing before he could recover but the larger Griffin kept fighting. As Raindrops moved in to help her friend Terror Wing struck out with his hind legs catching her in the gut and forcing all the air from her lungs. Gasping, she dropped towards the ground.
The illusionary smoke came up to meet her as her battered body tried to remember how to breathe and how to fly. Her pegasus magic automatically worked to reduce her speed but she still hit the ground with bone numbing force, she bounced once then came to a halt. Panting, she desperately ordered her body to stand, to return to the fight, but it didn’t respond.
“Storm Cloud,” came an achingly familiar voice from nearby.
“K-Kindle,” she managed, rolling her eyes towards the figure as it strode out of the smoke.
“No, I am the Voice of the Sun,” he said coldly, standing over here. “You hurt me,” he intoned.
“Yeah,” muttered Raindrops trying again to stand, her body felt like it was made of stone, “sorry about your muzzle.”
“My physical injuries do not matter,” as she struggled to stand he rested a hoof on the back of her head holding her to the ground. He leaned forwards to hiss into her ear. “You rejected my Queen. I offered you everything, a position at her side, power, belonging, and you rejected me! Rejected her! The first I might be able to forgive but not the second.” The force on her head reduced for a moment. “You have one last chance for forgiveness, surrender now. Come with me to Corona and swear yourself to her service, and she may forget the injustices you have done to her!”
Kindle’s head was close enough to Raindrops that she could feel the heat of his burning mane and feel his glowing eyes burrowing into her. Her body ached, she just wanted to lie there and rest. She wanted to just be able to forget everything that had happened in the last few days. If this had been a story in one of her books she could have put it aside and never open it again, but it wasn’t. This was real life and she had to live with her actions and decisions. She braced her legs against the ground and with a grunt lifted herself up, knocking the surprised stallion aside with ease.
“No,” said said quietly, “No, Kindle. I won’t.”
“You don’t understand her power! Her glory!” he cried dropping into a clumsy fighting stance.
“Kindle, you’re sick, you need help. I should have seen it earlier, I’m sorry.” She actually found that she meant it. She still felt a swirl of emotions at the back of her mind, there was the ever present anger, she had many reasons to hate him, but there was also sadness and maybe a touch of desire still. However, at the moment the main thing she felt was pity, he seemed so broken, so obsessed by Corona he could hardly function. Maybe another pony would have manipulated her maliciously, or just for his own enjoyment, but Kindle, Kindle just couldn’t see what he had done was wrong, he couldn’t see beyond his own madness. Maybe he shared much with his queen on that front.
“You’re sorry!” he cried, “Sorry! You love me! I know you do, I saw the real you!”
“Maybe,” she admitted, sometimes being the element of honesty really sucked, “But I think I was more in love with the idea of being in love.” She let out a deep sigh. “I so wanted somepony special, somepony to like me and there you were, so perfect that I didn’t look deeper. Maybe you saw the real me, but I didn’t see the real you.”
With a cry Kindle rushed forwards kicking and biting at her. For a moment Raindrops was taken by surprise by his viciousness and she was forced to give ground, but he had no technique, no training, most of his moves were more about looking impressive rather than being effective. Stage fighting she realised, and she began to easily block his attacks. Her return blow knocked him to the ground, his injured muzzle bleeding again.
“We don’t need to fight,” she said as he staggered back to his hooves.
“If you will not join my queen, you are my enemy!” he hollered back. She looked at his ranting face and couldn’t see any sign of the elegant stallion she’d known earlier.
“Please Kindle, despite it all, despite you lying to me, it doesn’t have to be like this.”
“No!” he cried, moving forwards again hooves flying. Again, Raindrops held him off easily. “I know you feel for me, I know how you feel about the time we spent together. Join with Corona and we can stay together!”
Raindrops sadly shook her head, there was obviously no arguing with the stallion in front of her. Above her Gilda would still be fighting Terror Wing, Lyra and Smoke must be about somewhere as well. She needed to help them, there was nothing she could do here. “I don’t want my life to be defined by my anger, and I don’t want it to be defined by the time I spent with you,” she lowered her head and turned away, wings spread ready to fly. “Goodbye,” she said over her shoulder.
“Don’t turn your back on me,” he cried leaping forwards hooves outstretched. Raindrops saw the attack coming and twisted, his blow flew past her and she lashed out herself, one hoof caught him on the side of the head knocking him to the ground, the second contacted between his hind legs. She was big enough to admit that the resulting squeal felt very satisfying. She trotted over to where he lay in the dirt and raised a hoof ready to knock him out, but something stopped her. Even now, his features twisted in anger and pain, she recognised the stallion she’d cared for, that she had considered a future with, and she couldn’t bring herself to land the blow. “Go away,” she said after a moment, “just go, I don’t want to see you again. If I do... well I don’t know what I’ll do, but you probably won't enjoy it.”
With that she spread her wings and took to the air, slowly rising through the smokescreen. Behind her Kindle staggered to his hooves and cried out a name she had once considered hers, but she didn’t look back.
* * *
Rising back above the magical cloud felt to Raindrops like letting out a deep breath. Kindle and all the emotions that were tied to him were behind her now. She closed her eyes for a moment to try and centre herself before she realised where she was and snapped them open again. Terror Wing could be anywhere! Being stupid could get her killed.
“Can’t catch me runt!” came Gilda’s cry from up above, despite her bravado the griffin sounded winded. Raindrops craned her neck to see where her friend was and saw the Griffiness weaving amongst the grey clouds above closely followed by Terror Wing’s larger form. The giant looked furious, smoke was literally spewing from him nostrils as he chased his more nimble opponent. With a mighty flap of her wings Raindrops set course for them and flew on as fast as she could. The space between them closed faster and faster as she gained momentum.
Terror Wing noticed the pegasus flashing towards him from below and tried to roll to the side, but his bulk was too slow and Raindrops smashed into him belly hooves first. With a sound like a hurricane the blow forced the wind from his lungs and he started to drop towards the ground, wings flailing wildly as he tried to regain control.
“Are you alright?” asked Raindrops as she caught up with Gilda.
“Never... better...,” gasped Gilda, her lungs puffing like a steam train. “Where’d you... go? I thought I’d... lost you...”
“No such luck,” said Raindrops trying to cheer up the exhausted griffin. “I ran into Kindle ground side.”
“Wondered what had... happened to him. You take him out...”
“No he... he got away, I don’t think he’ll be a problem though.”
“Good, guess we better see if the fall did for... Terry.”
Raindrops peered down into the smoke below. There was no sight of Terror Wing or anyone else at the moment. She glanced over towards the crowd and her friends, they looked worried but Cheerilee and Ditzy were waving at her so she returned the gesture.
Swooping lower Raindrops examined the fog closer for any sign of their opponent, Gilda following her. Suddenly there was a boom from somewhere below and part of the field glowed with fire. Raindrops almost stopped flapping in surprise. “REBORN IN FLAMES!” came Terror Wing’s cry.
“Oh for buck’s sake,” growled Raindrops, “Not this again!” Could the scarlet griffin just keep coming back again and again? Could nothing stop him? She glanced around nervously for a few moments but there was no sign that Terror Wing was coming up to meet them this time. Maybe he was being more cautious now, hiding in the smoke rather than coming to get them? She flexed her wings and started to increase her altitude, there was no point hanging just above the mist waiting for him to get them. Then to her horror Raindrops caught sight of a familiar minty shape through a gap in the cloud closely followed by a huge shadow. As the cloud closed up again she saw the smaller figure being tossed aside like a rag doll.
“Lyra!” cried Raindrops, pulling her wings and plummeting towards the ground. “I’m coming!” Behind her she heard Gilda shout something but her whole attention was taken up by the sight below her. The smoke quickly swallowed her up. Unable to tell where the ground was she landed harder than she had planned. She looked around, her ears swiveling, trying to make out anything through the magical cloud around her. “Lyra!” she called again.
“He doesn’t love you, you know,” came a voice dripping with venom somewhere behind her. Raindrops spun ready for an attack but there wasn’t anything there. She recognized the voice as being Smoke. Did that mean what she had seen was an illusion? Could she be sure?
“He can’t, his mission is everything to him. The only thing he loves is his queen, and she is above such mortal emotions.” The voice seemed to circle around her and Raindrops followed it as best she could, hoping to catch a glimpse of something she could actually fight.
“But he’s a stallion, and he has needs. You’re not the first, and you won't be the last. Just another little whorse ready to lift her tail so he can relieve some stress, it didn’t mean anything. You’re nothing to him!” continued the voice bitterly. Raindrops tried to ignore it, only a few minutes ago she’d thought she’d managed to put her feelings for Kindle to rest, had managed to find some peace but now this other mare was keen to tear the wounds open again. She hadn’t seen much of Smoke so far, but it was clear that she held a torch for Kindle. Did he know what his small ally thought about him? Did he know how much of a betrayal his time with her must have seemed to Smoke? She tried to put the thoughts aside just as she tried to block out Smoke’s taunts while still keeping track of where they were coming from. For a moment she thought she could make out a black clad figure in the smoke and she tensed ready to pounce, but then the shape dispersed. It was just another illusion.
“You’re nothing, you don’t even deserve his attention. He might have acted like he felt something for you, but all he felt was disgust! He never would have looked at you if he didn’t want to turn you to the queen,” continued the voice, repeating words that Raindrops had already belated herself with. “What did you ever do to deserve him? What do you have, long wings? A toned flank? A pretty face?” Suddenly the smoke cleared and a black clad figure rushed forwards, her horn aflame. “You won’t be so pretty in a minute!” Raindrops reared back as the smaller unicorn slashed at her face with her horn. It passed close enough that she could feel the heat, a few locks of her mane landed on the burning spike and caught alight. Raindrops staggered back, patting at her hair to put it out. Smoke dived forwards again to try to take advantage of the distraction but Raindrops sidestepped and spun around hooves flying. The small mare tried to twist away from the punch but could only cushion the blow, not avoid it. The force sent her flying away into the smoke again, squealing. Raindrops tried to follow up before Smoke could recover but once again the mare had disappeared into the cloud.
Raindrops circled cautiously, trying to watch for any hint of her opponent. She couldn’t let Smoke keep fighting a hit and run battle for ever, that was what the illusionist wanted. Raindrops couldn’t afford to be pinned down, Gilda and Lyra might need her help, she had to draw out her opponent.
“At least I have a pretty face,” she called, “I bet no stallion ever gave you a second glance, certainly not the stallion you wanted anyway.” Raindrops scanned the mist around her, it didn’t look like her opponent was taking the bait. She tried again. “Maybe he did feel disgust when he was with me, but at least he felt something, does he even notice you exist most of the time?” Raindrops almost felt sorry for the smaller mare, clearly she loved Kindle, but couldn’t see what he really was. “Maybe he was just relieving stress with me,” she struggled against her own revulsion, she didn’t want to think about what had happened right now, “but it still felt pretty good. If I turned to your side do you think he’d give me another ride... maybe he’d even let you watch? Maybe not, you being there would probably be a mood killer for him.”
“Shut up!” came a scream from her left side, the cloud there almost seemed to be boiling. A column of fire was forming highlighting the small mare, tears were dripping from her eyes as she channeled more and more power into her spell. Taking wing, Raindrops leapt forwards towards her. “Shut up! Shut up!” cried Smoke again as she released her spell and a spear of flame blasted towards her rival. However her emotions were affecting her aim and Raindrops easily avoided the blast, then she was on the smaller mare pinning her to the ground. Smoke went wild, biting and kicking out at her attacker. A hoof caught Raindrops on the side of her head but with a grunt she ignored the blow, she saw Smoke’s horn start to glow again and slammed her head down into the unicorn’s forehead, stunning her.
“Come on, surrender,” cried Raindrops as the fight went out of her target. “Let us help you, we can take you back to Equestria, away from Kindle. He’s bad for you!”
“Never, never, never!” cried Smoke, her voice almost a babble, “Want him, need him, love him!” Sighing, Raindrops pulled back a hoof to knock out the smaller mare then she caught sight of two Griffins dueling in the air above her. In Smoke’s distracted state her magically created mist was starting to clear. As Raindrops watched in horror Terror Wing grabbed Gilda in his talons and shook her roughly, in return the griffiness pecked forwards with her beak catching Terror Wing on his cheek, drawing blood. With a snarl the giant tossed her towards the ground, wings flailing. Quickly choosing between the enemy beneath her and her friend, Raindrops leapt into the air and towards the falling griffin.
Gritting her teeth against the wind Raindrops put all her strength into closing the distance between her and Gilda’s plummeting body, she cursed her wings for not being faster as her friend’s flailing form got closer and closer to the ground. Reaching out a hoof she desperately tried to grab at Gilda. The griffiness was struggling to regain control but the momentum of her fall seemed to be too much for her to pull out of. As the two of them entered the smoke screen Raindrops just managed to wrap a foreleg around one of Gilda’s paws and without hesitation swung her around and threw her back into the sky. Having absorbed the momentum of both of them Raindrops couldn’t pull out of her own dive and only just managed to get her own hooves underneath herself before she hit the ground, skipping across the arena like a stone on a lake. With a groan she eventually came to a halt near the edge of the field.
Every part of her ached, Raindrops didn’t want to look but she was sure she’d worn her hooves to nubs on that landing. Fighting against the urge to just lie there she instead struggled to stand. She cried out as she tried to put weight on her front right hoof. Risking a glance she was glad to see that she had a hoof but there was a deep crack in it. Wincing, she held out the injured leg. Neither herself or Gilda could keep up this pace forever, whereas Terror Wing seemed unbeatable due to Corona’s power, this just wasn’t fair. There had to be some way to beat him, some way to put out his flame. She growled to herself and she forced her wings to lift her up above the smoke screen again. What hope did she have to figure this out? She wasn’t some great tactician or genius, she was just a weathermare in a backwater town. Above her Gilda had apparently recovered and was once again trying to fend off Terror Wing. The Griffin looked about as bad as Raindrops felt: she was hardly fighting any more, just trying to avoid her opponent by weaving in and out of the cloud bank at the top of the arena... Raindrop’s eyes widened, it couldn’t be as easy as that could it? There had to be something wrong with her idea, but she couldn’t think of anything else they could try.
Gritting her teeth she once again ascended into the sky towards the fight above her. “Keep him busy!” she cried as she passed Gilda.
“What does it look like I’m doing?” Gilda cried in response, ducking under a claw swipe that looked like it would have taken her head off if it had connected.
Trying to put the danger that Gilda was into the back of her head, Raindrops examined the cloud she had to work with. It was far from perfect, she had hoped that all she would need to do was to set it off but that would hardly produce a light drizzle. She needed a torrential downpour for what she had in mind, and to do that she’d need to concentrate the cloud. Ideally this would be the work of a whole team for a few hours but she only had herself and, she glanced back at Terror Wing and Gilda, a few minutes at most.
Taking a deep breath she stretched out her wings to their limits and pushed against the body of the cloud, feeling her magic grip it and forcing the wispy material away from her. If she was doing this properly she’d have another pegasus at the other side of the cloudbank pushing as well allowing their magic to work against each other, but that wasn’t a luxury she had at the moment. So she was forced to set up a series of waves in the cloud as she moved around its edge. Within a minute she had reached the opposite side of the cloud and could feel the waves she had created earlier crashing against her. So far they weren't doing much more than thinning the cloud even more, but now when she pushed against them she could just about feel the cloud being compressed by the forces she was unleashing. With a feeling of satisfaction she continued to circle the cloudbank, seeing it getting smaller and more compact as she went. The effort of not only flying as quickly as she could but also constantly pushing against the cloud was taking its toll. Sweat was dripping off her flanks and her heart felt like it was trying to hammer its way out of her ribs, but as she was going it was getting easier and easier. The cloud was shrinking so she didn’t have as far to fly and her previous waves were still rebounding back and forth compacting the material into a darker and more water laden form, just another few minutes and it would be...
There was a squawk from below and Raindrops looked down to see Gilda grasped in a bear hug by Terror Wing. The griffiness was trying to claw at her attacker with her talons and paws but all her limbs were firmly pinned. With a grin, Terror Wing increased the pressure causing Gilda’s eyes to bulge, Raindrops thought she could hear the creaking of bone as Gilda’s ribs were compressed. She didn’t have any more time. Hoping her cloud was good enough and that the process she had started would at least carry on by itself for a while she shot downwards towards the fight.
This time Terror Wing was ready for Raindrops’ attack. As she approached he released Gilda, leaving her gasping for breath, and turned to face his new attacker. Raindrops tried to maneuver around behind the big griffin but either he was getting quicker or exhaustion was slowing her down and he easily matched her speed, lashing out with a talon as she got close catching her flank and lightly cutting into it. She winced and instinctively struck back. Her leg seemed to explode into fire as her cracked hoof impacted against Terror Wing’s skull, with a yelp she cradled her injury while Terror Wing grinned back, apparently not fazed at all.
“Pathetic!” he crowed. Raindrops spun and kicked out with both hind legs catching her opponent on the chest. He grunted and shot back through the air but quickly came to a halt seemingly unharmed. “You can’t beat me! Thanks to the queen I am the strongest Griffin there is. Once I crush you my father will understand, everygriff will understand! Me and my brothers will reach out and crush Canterlot!” His eyes burning bright he swooped forwards again, claws outstretched, but Raindrops wasn’t there anymore, she was climbing back towards the clouds above.
Even during the few seconds she had been fighting Terror Wing the clouds above had contracted even further, the fluffy mass which had once covered the whole sky above the arena now covered a space not much bigger than her home. No longer a light grey, it was almost black, a fully mature storm cloud; she only hoped it was enough. Moving as fast as her exhausted body would allow she punched through the cloud and out into the sunlight beyond. Screeching to a halt she slammed all four hooves down on the top of the cloud triggering it. Not far below Terror Wing saw what was happening and braced himself for any incoming lightning, but instead an almost solid wall of water gushed from the cloud. Within a second his coat and feathers were drenched, the weight starting to drag him down, but with a snarl he flapped harder forcing himself higher through pure strength. Blinded by the rain, he didn’t notice Raindrops until she was less than a body length away from him, powering straight down into his face.
The two of them collided with bone shattering force twisting and flailing, as together they plummeted down towards the ground far below. Terror Wing slashed and pecked at Raindrops as she continued to push him down but she ignored the wounds he inflicted and grabbed him tighter. Her face was a mask of determination.
Below them the top of magical smoke screen drew closer and closer. They had just entered its limits when Terror Wing finally managed to throw Raindrops aside, but it was too late for either of them to stop the impact. Raindrops’ wings beat with as much force as her battered body could manage, finally managing to catch the air just above the ground. She couldn’t stop her crash but she just managed to reduce her speed from fatal to merely stunningly painful. She lay there in the newly formed mud puddle for long moments, her mind trying to retreat into unconsciousness with only her stubbornness keeping her aware. Even in her current condition a part of her luxuriated in the feel of the rain on her coat soothing away her mental and physical pains. Her mind dragged her back to the last storm she had been part of with Kindle and how she had felt then. She shoved the memory aside and buried it deep, she would not let Kindle poison rain for her, storms would remain her own special time and hers alone.
Forcing her eyes open Raindrops only saw the mist Smoke had generated. There was no sight of a bust of fire and she hadn’t heard Terror Wing’s shout of triumph, had her idea worked? Then the cloud parted and her heart dropped as a figure emerged. “I am... THE STRONGEST!” gasped Terror Wing as he approached. He was clearly in almost as bad a shape as her, one of his hind legs was dragging along the ground and one eye was swollen shut, still he was standing. Looking down at Raindrops’ battered form he stopped as she rose groaning onto shaking hooves.
“You’ve fought well,” he said in a surprisingly gentle tone, “but it’s over, I can’t be beaten!”
“It’s not over while I’m still fighting,” growled Raindrops flipping her sodden mane aside.
To her surprise a smile actually grew on Terror Wing’s face and he raised his wings in a Griffin salute. “Never surrender,” he mumbled before nodding. “Let’s finish this.” He took a breath and let out a mighty roar before tearing into the ground with his talons and starting to gallop across the short distance between them. Matching him, Raindrops lowered her head and charged forwards as well.
At the last moment before they collided they both reared up and struck out at each other. Raindrops screamed as her injured hoof smashed into Terror Wing’s face, a shattered chunk of hoof being torn off. At the same moment Terror Wing’s balled talons struck Raindrops in the chest, lifting her off her hooves and throwing her back head over heels.
Terror Wing remained frozen in his victory pose for a moment then his eyes rolled up and he slumped bonelessly to the ground. Raindrops’ fall was somewhat cushioned by the mud but was still enough to daze her. She lay there staring at the griffin’s collapsed form, after a moment to her horror it started to spark. Tiny motes of fire started to run over his form but the soaked plumage refused to catch and the flames were quickly extinguished by the now slowing rain.
With a grateful sigh Raindrops let herself sink back into the mud.
* * *
Lyra growled in frustration while still trying to concentrate on the soundscape around her. She’d been trying to track Smoke for what felt like hours now but probably wasn’t more than ten or fifteen minutes. On top of trying to follow the unicorn she had repeatedly been distracted by other sounds, the thud of bodies hitting the ground, cries of anger or pain from above, a far off conversation. She had no idea what was happening to her friends, if they were winning or... not. She’d never more regretted not being born a pegasus, her friends could be getting hurt or even... really hurt in the sky above her and there was nothing she could do. All she could do was try and track down Smoke and beat the smaller unicorn, get her to remove the annoying mist which made her eyes useless. The other unicorn certainly knew she was being tracked and seemed to be very adept at avoiding Lyra’s senses. Once or twice Smoke had tried to ambush Lyra, suddenly leaping out of cover her horn blazing, the memory made the burnt patch of skin on Lyra’s flank throb. Or, more frequently, her opponent sent illusions or herself or her allies to try and scare her off. Still, Lyra had managed to avoid most of Smoke’s tricks so far and even once tried an ambush of her own, although her target had ended up being a decoy.
However, Lyra felt that she was slowly getting the measure of her opponent. Keeping up an illusion this large for so long, despite its relative simplicity, had to be draining and although Smoke must have impressive reserves she must be tired, if not exhausted, by now and that was making her careless.
Careless enough that Lyra was fairly sure her prey wasn’t that far away, she could just about make out the sound of panting up ahead, interspaced with what sounded like sobbing. She tried to put aside thoughts of what might have caused the other unicorn to cry when suddenly she made out another sound. That of a large body moving through the air not far above her.
Eyes widening Lyra threw herself aside as a griffin flashed through the air diving down towards the space she had been standing in only a few moments ago. Lyra turned to face the new arrival, her horn glowing ready to defend herself. “Gilda!” she exclaimed recognising the Griffiness. Her ally looked terrible, her body was battered and covered in multiple cuts. If her people considered scars badges of honour then Gilda would be really really honourable after this fight.
“Minty?” asked Gilda, slowly lowering the talon she had been about to use to disembowel Lyra.
“Where’s Raindrops?” asked Lyra quickly.
“I lost track of her and Terry,” said Gilda actually sounding worried. “Last I saw they were going down somewhere over there.” She pointed out vaguely into the mist, as she was doing so there was a pair of thuds like two heavy objects hitting the ground.
Without even thinking Lyra started to gallop in the direction the sound had come from, Gilda following just behind her. To her surprise the cloud in front of her opened up to reveal another two equine figures running in roughly the same direction as them. Both groups came to a halt and stared stupidly at each other for a moment. Neither of her opponents looked at their best. Smoke was clearly exhausted, her flanks wet with foam and her horn flickering dangerously. Kindle’s armour was scuffed and his muzzle was red with crusted blood, one wing draped somewhat protectively over his smaller companion. Just looking at the flame maned stallion and thinking about the hurt he’d done to Raindrops made Lyra’s blood boil. “He’s mine!” she exclaimed pointing at the stallion.
Gilda looked like she might argue for a second then shrugged. “Hello little rabbit!” she called to Smoke, an evil grin spreading over her face. The small unicorn gave a frightened squeak as the griffin started to barrel towards her and she turned, almost tripping over herself in an effort to escape. Lungs working hard, Smoke rushed off into the mists quickly followed by Gilda.
Turning away from the retreating pair Lyra turned towards Kindle, the pegasus’s wings were slightly spread ready to take off at a moment's notice. “Dame Heartstrings,” he began. “There is no need for us to fight. You must know you will lose.” Despite his calm tone his body was twitching, something must have really rattled him during the duel.
“Really? ‘Cause I don’t see Smoke being able to beat Gilda and you don’t look all that tough to me,” replied Lyra with a little false bravo, she knew she could hold her own in a fight but she had no idea what powers Corona might have granted Kindle.
“True, I am not a fighter, but even if I and Smoke fall my queen’s blessing has made the Herald unbeatable. You would do better to surrender to me rather than suffer his wrath.”
His smugly certain tone made Lyra grit her teeth. “Raindrops will beat him,” she insisted.
Kindle gave a chuckle which made Lyra want to punch him in the face. “Raindrops really is remarkable, but she has her limits.”
“Maybe you don’t know her all that well,” said Lyra taking a step towards her opponent.
“Given what we did together I think I know her rather better than you, dame Heartstrings.”
Lyra growled, she didn’t even know she could make that noise. “You really shouldn’t have said that,” she warned. How dare this stallion treat the hurt, the betrayal he’d done to Raindrops so lightly.
Ignoring her threat Kindle lifted off the ground with a flap of his wings, his eyes remaining locked on Lyra’s. “And even if we do all fall, you still will not win. Luna’s days are numbered, the sun will rise and you and your little band of idiots will fall!” he sneered.
With a smile Lyra released the spell she’d been concentrating on.
“THE SUN WILL RISE!” came a voice like a clap of thunder but pitched like a petulant foal. Kindle gave a squawk of surprise and fell face first to the ground.
“Wha…” he managed before being flattened by a further wave of sound.
“YOU WILL SEE THE LIGHT!” the voice was recognisably his own but twisted into an unflattering imitation.
“You’re good with words aren't you,” said Lyra, her horn glowing as she walked over to where Kindle lay. “You think you can talk anypony into anything?” In front of her Kindle started to try and crawl to his hooves again.
“GLORIOUS DAY!” boomed the voice. Kindle cried out as he tried to jam his hooves into his ears, causing him to collapse back into the mud.
“So I thought irony and all that, I’d defeat you with your own words.”
“THE WORLD CAN RETURN TO WHAT IT SHOULD BE!” mocked the voice again, causing Kindle to whimper.
“And you don’t know anything about Raindrops. She is a good filly! She knows what she could do, could be and she does everything she can to stop that. She lives in fear of what she might do if she lets herself go. She deserved a special special somepony,” she snarled, not even noticing that the smoke surrounding her was quickly fading away.
“LET HER RAISE YOU OUT OF THE DARKNESS INTO THE LIGHT OF HER GLORIOUS DAY!”
Kindle hunched up on the ground trying to curl his body against the sound.
“Somepony who would accept her and show her she doesn’t have to be scared anymore. Instead she got you. A liar! A user!” Lyra added her own voice to the tumult her magic was creating. “And no matter what she ever does you’ll always have been her first. The first one she really trusted, the first one she cared for, and no matter what happens nopony can take that away.” She bared her teeth.
“OUR CAUSE IS RIGHTEOUS!”
“I...I surrender,” groaned Kindle, his voice hardly audible above the racket.
“I never want to see you anywhere near her again,” continued Lyra as if she hadn’t heard him.
“I surrender,” gasped Kindle with more force.
“THE SUN WILL RISE! / YOU WILL SEE THE LIGHT!” continued the voices, pounding down on the fallen pegasus, “GLORIOUS DAY! / OUR CAUSE IS RIGHTEOUS / YOU WILL FALL!” Lyra straightened up looking down on the suffering stallion, her face blank.
“Lyra,” Lyra felt a hoof on her shoulder, she turned to see Raindrops standing there looking horribly battered, drenched in mud. “It’s over, he’s had enough.”
“Raindrops!” she cried clutching her friend tight. “Are you alright?”
The pegasus winced. “Nothing about a week's sleep and a hooficure won’t fix. Plus I’m bruised all over.”
“Sorry!” said Lyra releasing her grip. Over to her other side she noticed Gila carrying the terrified Smoke under one arm. “Where’s Terror Wing?”
“He’s sleeping it off over there,” said Raindrops pointing at a sodden pile of feathers across the arena.
Becoming aware of their situation Lyra heard the roar of the crowd and looked up to see cheering Griffins all around. Ditzy had taken off from her seat and was swooping down towards them, followed closely by the rest of the girls.
The embassy looked so much smaller than it had when she’d last been here, thought Lyra. It almost looked like a foal’s toy from her current position, its Equestrian stylings standing out from the bare rock around it, the rather amateurish banners hanging from the windows proclaiming the building’s occupants loyalty to Corona didn’t help it look any more realistic. Maybe it was all that she’d gone through since she’d first arrived that had changed her perspective. She glanced back at her companions, or maybe it was because she was leading an army of griffin to attack it... yes that was probably more likely.
Garvill had kept his word and had sent his troops to retake the embassy as soon as the duel had finished. Despite their protests Raindrops and Gilda had been too injured to be allowed to take part in the assault and had been forced to rest. The rest of the Equestrian delegation were present though, even Bootheel and captain Lightning. The latter finally seemed to have mostly recovered from being poisoned. The spell she’d used to put him to sleep seemed to have actually cleared his mind.
Despite protests, the king had refused to imprison the losing team in the duel. Kindle, Terror Wing and Smoke had quickly left before he changed his mind. It was noticeable that they had fled away from the embassy. Corona’s lieutenants obviously saw which way the wind was blowing and knew that the building was doomed. Lyra just hoped that its inhabitants thought the same way; they were outnumbered, but if they decided to make a fight of it... well Lyra didn’t want to see anypony get hurt, but she doubted the griffin army felt the same way.
Their force came to a halt just outside bow range of the embassy. Most of the Griffins hovered in a rough circle around the building to prevent any escape while Lyra and the few other land based members of the force were deposited on the road leading up to the front gates.
After a few moments captain Lightning stepped forwards and nodded towards Lyra, who quickly cast a spell to amplify his voice so it should be heard inside the building. There had been a short argument on the way as to whom should speak for the pony and griffon forces. None of the griffons seemed all that keen to demand a surrender when they could just storm the building, but the Equestrians thought there should at least be an ultimatum before attacking. Trixie had originally wanted to do the speaking but the captain had pointed out that as the highest ranking member of the military present it was his duty to present terms. Given what Lyra had recently learnt about Twilight she thought the purple mare probably had as good as, if not a better, argument as to being in charge, but the mage didn’t seem interested in leading. Eventually Trixie had agreed with rather bad grace that the captain had a point and had withdrawn her claim.
“Attention occupiers of the Equestrian Embassy,” began captain Lightning, his voice booming out over the building. “In the name of her royal majesty Princess Luna Equestris I demand your immediate surrender. Put down your weapons, exit the building and you will not be harmed. Continue to occupy the princess’ territory and our allies will be forced to attack.” He nodded to Lyra to cut the spell.
“Do you think that’ll work?” asked Trixie.
“I do hope so dame Trixie,” said Lightning. “However, in my experience solartics are not the more reasonable of individuals. We may well have to fight.” He levitated a sword to his side.
Slowly, a minute passed with no response, then another and then, finally, Lightning turned to one of the griffin officers nearby. He was about to speak when there was a commotion from the embassy. A small group of ponies emerged onto the balcony just above the main gate. Lyra could make out Haymaker and Quizzing in the lead followed by half a dozen guards and agent Roundhouse. The Shadowbolt was tied up and was struggling weakly against her bonds. The ambassador was dressed as always in a suit, although a sword was strapped to his flank, whereas Haymaker had abandoned his Shadowbolts uniform for another much gaudier looking outfit. The general pattern was the same as his former outfit but instead of the dark blues that Luna’s forces wore it was made of reds, yellows and golds. A large lightning bolt covered the chest. A whole swarm of knives orbited him floating in his aura. Lightning stepped forwards and Lyra once again boosted his voice. “You have come to surrender?” he asked.
“No captain,” said Haymaker, his voice likewise amplified. “You see, as a traitor to Luna’s regime all I have to look forward to in Equestria is a short fall with a quick stop at the end. Instead I have a counter proposal for you,” he grabbed Roundhouse and dragged her close, holding a knife to her throat. “I have four Shadowbolts and dozens of embassy staff who unfortunately were foolish enough not to renounce Luna. Unless you call off the griffins and let us go I’m going to execute one of them every five minutes. If you choose to attack, then we’ll paint this place red before you get within ten lengths.”
Lyra tried to stifle her gasp, next to her Ditzy looked like she was going to be sick. Lightning’s jaw tightened. What choice did they have? thought Lyra, they couldn’t let Corona’s people kill all those innocent ponies, could they? They had to let them go regardless of what information they might take with them. She looked back at the captain who was still standing stock still. “Lightning,” she said, “We have to let them go!”
“They’re bluffing,” said the captain, “They have to be!”
“Captain! You can’t!” cried Bootheel, “All those ponies! Vast’s in there!”
“They’re bluffing,” repeated Lightning, his teeth gritted.
Lyra glanced over at Haymaker, he didn’t look like he was bluffing. He almost seemed eager as he held his knife to his former colleague’s throat. The rest of the solartic group didn’t seem quite so composed. The guards were looking back and forth nervously and Quizzing looked thoughtful.
“Captain,” came Quizzing’s voice from the embassy, he must know the amplification spell as well. “Would preventing such a grisly end to this confrontation be enough to buy my and my colleagues’ lives?” he asked quickly. A look of astonishment passed over Haymaker’s face.
“Yes!” cried Lightning quickly, “Yes sun damnit!”
“Traitor!” cried Haymaker having overcome his initial surprise. “The queen will burn you for this!” He threw aside Roundhouse and advanced on the ambassador, a blade shot out towards him.
“Maybe, but at least I’m not a butcher!” called Quizzing, drawing his sword and swatting aside the approaching knife. “The princess may despise me but I am still pony enough to see that this is wrong!” he barked backing away. Haymaker lunged forwards but was grabbed by three of the guards around him and forced to the ground. A blow to his horn caused his weapons to drop from the air.
“Open the gates!” cried Quizzing rushing back into the embassy.
“Advance! Now!” ordered Lightning to the Griffins around him. “Do not harm anypony who surrenders!”
As one, the army started to swoop down towards the building.
* * *
“It was all over fairly quickly after that,” explained Lyra. She was sitting by Raindrops’ bed and reporting on the day's events. “Most of the guards surrendered apart from a few diehard solartics, and they were overwhelmed fairly quickly. We found the staff locked up but not harmed.”
“So nopony was killed?” asked Raindrops, she shifted uncomfortably in her bed, it was made for Griffins and either that, or her injuries, meant that she wasn’t finding it all that easy to relax.
“No, there were a few nasty injuries but nothing that they won’t recover from eventually.”
“It just doesn’t seem right that Quizzing just got away with it all! He’s a traitor to both sides now!”
“He hasn’t,” said Lyra, “Lightning’s asked the griffin to lock him up. Once Twilight gets back with more troops or the princess he and the guards who switched sides will be taken home to stand trial. It’s just that the captain has promised they won't face the death penalty and that he’ll speak in their favour at the trial. They’ll probably be looking at a long sentence, but they’ll live.”
Raindrops nodded, she guessed that was fair. “What about Haymaker?”
“Much the same, only I think his cell is deeper and darker.”
“That’s not exactly what I meant,” said Raindrops gently.
Lyra looked down. “I don’t know, that's up to a judge I guess.”
“So...” she continued after a few minutes silence, “looks like we'll be heading home soon, once you’re fixed up.”
“It’ll will be very, very good to be home again,” mumbled Raindrops sinking into the bed.
“It’ll be great to see Bonnie again, and well, there’s that ice cream I said I’d share with you...”
Raindrops sighed, she didn’t want to talk about things now, she didn’t think she’d ever want to talk about them, she’d be happy to just try and forget it all. To try to go back to how things had been and never have to consider how messed up her emotions were right now. “I know, but I think I’ll take a rain check on that for the moment.”
“Right, right, fine... but if you do ever want to talk about things, talk about anything really, you know I’ll be there for you right? No matter what, I’ll be here to help. Any of the girls would be.” She rested a hoof on Raindrops’ shoulder. “You don’t need to go through anything alone.”
Raindrops turned to look into Lyra’s golden eyes filled with understanding and tried to stop her own from filling up with tears. “I know,” she sniffed, “I just don’t want to talk about things now, I’m still trying to sort everything out in my head. But thanks for the offer,” she gave a watery smile.
“Ok, when you’re ready. I know you don’t want me to tell anypony, but like I said, no pony is going to hold what happened against you.”
“I slept with the leader of Corona’s forces!” cried Raindrops suddenly angry, “How can any of them trust me!”
Lyra didn’t flinch at the outburst. “You slept with what seemed to be a nice stallion who you liked and who seemed to like you. There was no way you could know who Kindle was. Our friends will understand that, if you trust them.”
“Yeah, well I guess,” Raindrops sighed again, “Fine I’ll talk to them, eventually. It might be a while.” She added.
Lyra nodded. “When you’re ready.” She stood up. “I better be off, Twilight’s due back soon and she wanted me to brief the guards she’s bringing on what happened.”
Raindrops started to lever herself off the bed. “I can help!” She felt something holding her back, looking down she noticed a yellow glow around her body.
“You don’t need to do anything but stay here and get better!”
“Fine,” mumbled Raindrops picking at the bandage around her injured hoof.
Lyra turned towards the door, but then turned back. “Try not to let Kindle and everything that happened put you off of dating and stuff,” she said. “You seemed so happy and you should get to be like that again. I’m sure somewhere out there there’s somepony for you, like me and Bonnie.”
Raindrops looked away. There wasn’t anything she felt less like than going through the same pain again. Of course Lyra wouldn’t see things that way, she had Bon Bon, she had it all perfect; but Raindrops wasn’t ever going to be that lucky, couldn’t be that lucky. She wasn’t going to have a special somepony. She grunted uncommitted, she didn’t want to argue with Lyra now.
Lyra gently patted her friend’s leg. “Give it time,” she said, “you’ll see.”
“Maybe,” muttered Raindrops.
* * *
After Lyra left Raindrops let herself slump back on the bed and closed her eyes. She knew she should be resting up, letting her body heal, but she was bored and sleep was eluding her. Her mind kept running around the last few days’ events when she didn’t want it to. Giving a grunt of frustration she considered getting out of bed. There had to be something she could do, but her whole collection of cuts and bruises argued against the idea.
There was a knock at the door. Maybe it was Lyra again? Or another one of the girls? “Come in,” she called.
The door opened and to her surprise it was Bootheel who stood there. “Hi,” he said rather awkwardly. He seemed quite nervous, not his normal self assured self. “Can I come in?”
“Fine,” said Raindrops with a scowl and the earth pony hobbled forwards, his injured leg still tied up. The stallion had shown his quality in rescuing them and protecting Lyra in the trip from the embassy, but Raindrops still didn’t feel comfortable around him.
“One of your friends, um Cheerilee, asked me to bring you this,” he tossed a small paperback book to her. She caught it. It was entitled Blooming Passions, the cover depicted a slim unicorn mare draped over a ruggedly muscular earth pony stallion. Raindrops blushed. She had been waiting quite a while to get a copy, but, well she really wasn’t in the mood for romance right now, not given how false she now knew it to be in the real world.
“Thanks,” she mumbled, placing the book by the bed.
“Yeah, it’s good,” he mumbled.
“You’ve read it?” she asked. it didn’t entirely seem to the guard’s tastes, although he probably just skipped to the ‘good’ bits.
“Yeah, the scene when Silver Glow first dances with Passion Fruit and knows that she wants to spend the rest of her life with him rather than her betrothed... well you know,” Raindrops could swear she saw a blush on the soldier’s cheeks, but that had to be her imagination right? “It’s a good scene,” he looked down bashfully.
“Ok, well thanks for this,” she said awkwardly.
“That's ok, if you finish it I’ve got a few others like it back in my room in the embassy.”
“I don’t feel much like reading at the moment,” she said bluntly.
“Yeah, right I get that, after what happened between you and Kindle.”
Raindrops widened in shock. “You said you didn’t hear about that!” A cold sliver of fear was forced into her guts. Bootheel could humiliate her with the knowledge.
“Yeah, well I might have heard a bit more than I said. Don’t worry I won’t tell anypony about it,” he said holding up a hoof. “It’s just, what he did was wrong but you can’t let him get to you. I had this, you know, friend back in the guard. He grew up in a little village in the middle of nowhere, just rocks and a few trees and stuff. There was this mare, she, well she was the only pretty thing in the whole village, she had a long pink mane, the brightest blue eyes you ever did see and a huge plot that just made you want to,” he indicated the size of the body part with his hooves. Raindrops glared at him. “Well she was really pretty and my friend he thought she was the mare for him, right. He wasn’t the most handsome of stallions, you know, or the biggest or the smartest but one day he finally worked up the nerve to ask her out and she actually said yes and it felt.” His eyes shone for a moment. “I mean my friend said it felt amazing, they were together for a few weeks and it was just perfect...” he looked down at the floor. “Then he found her with his best friend, like, you know, together, like ‘together’ together.” He squeezed his eyes tight and let out a sigh. “Anyway he, you know my friend, left the village that night and never looked back. That’s how he joined the military you know, to forget. Well that was a long time ago and since then he’s been with a lot of mares, you know really a lot, loads and loads.”
“I get it,” said Raindrops gently. The subtext of the story had already gone beyond being text at this point.
“Yeah, well you know that was sort of fun for him and he was really good at it, you know like really really, knock your socks off, blacking out-”
“I get it,” repeated Raindrops with more force.
“Yeah, well he was with a lot of mares but well, none of them meant anything to him you know, not like that first filly. Anyway years later he hooked up with this mare he was working with and it was fun, really fun she was into all this really freaky stuff, like...” he paused, “anyway, once they’d finished he found he actually wanted her to stay around for a change, and you know talk and stuff and um, snuggle and maybe even get to know each other outside of the bedroom. Anyway, that’s what my friend said.” He was definitely blushing now, it made him look a lot younger, almost coltish. “So, um anyway, what I’m trying to say is that there’s somepony for everypony out there and never to, well, you know, stop looking and that the looking can be quite fun as well.”
He lapsed into an awkward silence. Raindrops blinked in surprise at the revelation.
“Anyway, I guess I better get going, I hope you enjoy the book,” he shuffled hurriedly towards the door.
“Bootheel,” called Raindrops before he disappeared. “Thanks, your, um your friend’s story was very sweet. I hope things go well with...” her brain couldn’t quite manage to compute the idea of Bootheel and Vast Volumes being a couple, “with his special somepony.”
“Yeah, right, um, thanks.” He took a deep breath. “Look, not all stallions are lying bastards you know, and you shouldn’t let one bad experience put you off.” He blerted out. “I might not be the best example, but there are a lot of really great guys out there who’d be lucky to have you, you know.” With that he fled from the room.
Raindrops lay motionless in bed for a moment, her brain mulling over what both Bootheel and Lyra had said to her. Then eventually she reached out a hoof and picked up the book, looking it over for a moment before opening it at the first page and starting to read.
Maybe romance was a real thing after all.
* * *
Lyra trotted down the corridor to where the arcane beacon had been set up and almost bumped into captain Lightning’s galloping form as he turned the corner into the same passageway. “Sorry dame Heartstrings!” he called as he slowed.
“Lyra remember, Lightning,” she chided as they both entered the chamber.
“Sorry, Lyra.” He drew himself up to his full height and brushed something off his dress uniform.
“You’re looking rather smart just for another batch of guards,” she noted.
“Guards? You didn’t get the message?”
“What message?”
“The princess returned from the wild goose chase Corona led her on, she should be teleporting in within the next few minutes.”
Lyra glanced around the chamber, it did seem rather more crowded than before. Troops, both pony and griffin, stood at attention. Carrot Top and Cheerilee were already present and as she watched Trixie and Ditzy entered the room chatting to each other. The former waved a hoof in greeting before going back to the conversation.
“You know,” continued Lightning, “I haven't actually met the princess in person before. I’ve been in the same room or parading in front of her, but it’s not exactly the same. I guess that’s something I can say I’ve done before I leave the service.”
“What? Why are you quitting?” asked Lyra her eyes wide.
“As I said, not noticing most of your command were loyal to the tyrant sun is hardly the most positive mark on my record,” he sighed.
“But you figured out that Quizzing was a traitor! You did what you could to protect me!”
“Which doesn’t excuse my basic incompetence, I could have stopped all of this happening if I’d paid more attention to my command.”
“I can speak for you! I can ask the princess for help!”
“With respect, it is not directly up to the princess, my superiors will make up their own minds. Although given the situation I think I can expect an honorable rather than dishonorable discharge. Even if they do not fire me, well I think I’ve spent enough time in the military. As I told you I didn’t exactly join for the best of reasons.”
“Oh,” said Lyra lowering her head. “What will you do?”
“I don’t know for certain. Maybe I’ll find a good stallion to settle down with, adopt some foals? The Voice of the Sun may have been mad, but he was right about the corruption in the court. Maybe I’ll see about going into politics, I might be able to do something to help Equestria in that way. Who knows?”
Lyra nodded, he seemed at peace with his decision. “I think you’ll be good at that.”
The gems on the teleport booster started to glow and after nodding to captain Lightning Lyra trotted over to her fellow element bearers. A moment later there was a flash and a group of ponies popped into existence. At the fore were several Night Guard in full uniform and towering over them was the princess herself. The bearers bowed low to their ruler while the troops present stood to attention.
“Dames,” said Luna inclining her head towards the element bearers. “My apologies for the events that you have found yourselves involved in. Particularly you dame Hartstrings and...” she frowned, “where is dame Raindrops?”
“She’s still injured,” said Lyra, “she’s resting.”
Luna nodded. “I will visit her shortly. I am sorry that she had to go through such an ordeal.” For a moment Lyra wondered if Luna in some way knew what Raindrops had really gone through, but then she realised that she must just be talking about the physical injuries.
“It wasn’t your fault princess,” said Trixie, “you couldn’t have known that Haymaker and Quizzing worked for your sister.”
“No, the fault was mine. I should have paid more attention to the situation before sending you into danger. With hindsight the whole mission was foolhardy, the embassy had too long been used as a punishment detail and the locals had little reason to trust Equestria. I listened to Haymaker’s advice without consideration. I will have much to do over the coming months, it seems it is not only my court which needs to be investigated.”
A griffin dressed in gleaming armour stepped into the chamber and bowed low to the princess. “Your highness,” he began, “king Garvill requests the pleasure of your company as soon as is convenient.”
“Thank you,” said the princess, “tell the king I will stand before him in a few minutes.”
The griffin bowed again and turned and quickly left.
“Walk with me,” said Luna to the element bearers as she trotted from the room flanked by her guards. “Dame Heartstrings, can you tell me what you have thought of your time with the griffins?”
“Oh, well,” Lyra began to sweat a little feeling as if the spotlight was on her. “It was interesting to get to see their culture. I, well, I thought I knew about them but there was so much that I hadn’t heard of. The king’s history with Equestria for example and how their duels work. If I’d known that when Gilda came to Ponyville things might have gone differently, I think she was trying to get somepony to challenge her so she could see how honorable we were. Raindrops took her up on that, sort of...”
Luna nodded. “Yes, few of my ponies take the effort to learn about other cultures and in turn other nations rarely truly understand Equestria. I hope that your time here has resulted in a closer link between our nations?”
“Well I suppose so,” said Lyra. It didn’t seem like the locals were considering turning to Corona now that Terror Wing had been beaten in public, so maybe things had changed.
“It certainly seems that my sister is turning her eye to other countries. It may be necessary to take steps to show those nations the best Equestria has to offer.” Luna cocked her head to one side. “Maybe you bearers should be part of that effort? How would you feel about visiting other countries as part of a goodwill tour?”
“I think I could do with a holiday,” noted Cheerilee with a grin. Most of the other bearers likewise seemed keen, although Carrot Top seemed a bit less enthused.
“I will keep the issue in mind, the details can be worked out later,” said Luna as they approached the door to the throne room. The doors were opened by the guards and the party entered the hall.
“Princess Luna,” noted Garvill graciously with a nod of his head. The old griffin was standing in front of his throne.
“King Garvill,” replied Luna in the same tone lowering her head slightly. “I thank you for the support you have provided my ponies. Long may peace reign between our two peoples.”
“Thank you, your majesty. I hope that the recent unfortunate incident with your embassy does not cause any tension between our nations.”
“Of course not, the embassy will be ponied again within the week and a new ambassador appointed. However, there will of course be a few matters than still need to be worked out. Maybe while our entourage mingle we could discuss them in private?”
“Of course,” the king pointed a wing towards a nearby door, “We can use my chambers.”
Nodding to her guard the princess followed the king out of the hall.
* * *
“The view from here is impressive,” said Luna standing on the small balcony attached to Garvill’s room.
“Yes,” said the Griffin joining her, “I often spend the morning here looking out on the many griffin I am responsible for. I find it helps me to make the right decisions.”
Luna nodded. “I find my tower’s view of Canterlot focuses my mind as well.”
“Ah, yes. Although your city is rather larger than mine, still us mere mortals must be happy with what we have.”
Luna ignored the barb and continued to stare out across the city below. “I have to thank you again for the protection you extended to the dames.”
“It was the right thing to do,” said Garvill graciously.
“And of course removed an oath which might have required you to help Equestria in its time of need.”
“My dear princess, the thought never crossed my mind. Still, now that you mention it...”
“And Gräfin Gilda, it was fortunate that she was present in the city during this incident, she was very helpful to my ponies.”
“My cousin's daughter has always been interested in pony culture, she did spend much of her early years in your kingdom. Now that she is grown it is only right that she spend more time at court, in fact I have encouraged it recently.”
“I couldn’t help but notice,” observed Luna turning to the griffon chief for the first time, “That while you’ve decided to help us, one of your potential heirs has sided with my sister and has not been publically disowned. I wonder what would happen, then, if little Terry actually helped her get back the throne.”
“Hmm,” said the griffon leader as he tapped a his chin thoughtfully. “It’s almost as if my clan wins either way, isn’t it? Well, now that’s a refreshing change of pace; usually whenever alicorns are involved, we griffons always lose.”
“Touché,” said Luna dryly.
* * *
“So your plan to capture the element bearers failed?” said Corona from atop her throne. Despite the surrounding lakes of magma her tone was distinctly icy.
“My apologies my queen,” said Kindle bowing low. His head twitched, his ears were still ringing from the torture the element of loyalty had inflicted upon him. The words she had used against him still seemed to echo in his head. “We fought our hardest but we were unable to overcome them. I am sorry, we were not worthy of your blessings.” He looked up at his burning queen far above. “Please your highness, have mercy, we are only mortal and thus fallible.”
“And Commander Haymaker was taken?”
“Yes, he was betrayed by those who had falsely sworn to you. However, I am sure he will not break regardless of what your sister may inflict on him. Even if he does he knows little of your other stratagems.”
Corona narrowed her eyes for a moment and then nodded. “Good. Still, his loss is a blow to our forces, the information he has passed to us on my sister's plans has been most useful.”
“Our plans can still carry on, Naqah, Zaldia, the contest of champions...”
“I know. This debacle has at least shown the strengths, and weaknesses, of my enchantments. Our herald served well,” she nodded to Terror Wing.
“Please your majesty, let me prove my worth again,” begged Terror Wing, his voice almost swallowed up by the vast chamber they were in. “Just give me the word and Ponyville will burn! I could destroy your enemies for you!”
“No! No innocents will be harmed!” cried Corona silencing the griffin as her mane blazed higher. “It is unfortunate that the element bearers do not follow me but they have still been chosen by Harmony for a reason!” Calming herself a little she turned back to Kindle. “My Voice, it has been brought to my attention that your attempt to turn the bearer of honesty to our side may have gone beyond what is proper.” Kindle’s eyes flicked aside to Smoke who was still prostrating herself in front of the queen. “That you became obsessed with her to the detriment of your other duties?”
“My Queen?” he cocked his head to one side. “I will admit I found Raindrops to be an attractive mare and saw the great benefits she could bring to your forces if she could be made to see the truth. I felt that her youth and the element she represented would make her most likely to turn to us. However, it was unfortunate that she was too indoctrinated into your sister's way of thinking. Still, I feel that if we could–”
“No, no further action is to be taken against the element bearers without my permission.”
“But my queen, if we could just–”
“I said no!” bellowed Corona glaring down at Kindle. “Are your feelings on this matter clear, my Voice?”
“They-they are your majesty,” said Kindle bowing lower and avoiding his queen's gaze. “Raindrops is my enemy, I feel nothing for her but contempt.”
