Chapter 1: In Tenebris, Nihil

Pain, shock, failure…Anger.

It didn’t know these concepts, but it was quickly learning. It had spent a long time waiting, wanting, seething, it was a thing, a soft and weak thing. This it knew well, it had been…robbed? Something had been taken from it.

In a place far from the eyes of ponies, dragons and other creatures that still live in the traditional sense, a cry echoed. This was not a cry of anguish, it lacked the sympathetic tones of sadness; it was not anger, nor was it the rancorous tones of victory. This was pain; the pain of being born again, the pain of cheating death and failing to succeed.

It pulled itself from the pitch black pool of dark magic, bones half covered in bloody viscera, a heart squelching blood struggling to finish its own construction as flesh covered in a dark grey coat rushed across the form; trying desperately to cloth its inner self.

The cry echoed again; small creatures fled who heard it, those who did not suddenly found themselves part of an ancient spell, cast before the trees and hovels they called home existed; it wasn’t an unpleasant death, but it was death. Their bodies simply stopped; life energies drawn to the cry, as a moth to flame.

It tried again, it pull itself from the dark pool; shadowy tendrils emerged, struggled to hold it back, to drown it in the foul arcana given form. It now had a shape, legs, a well-muscled body, grey coat and a wild black mane. It screamed as a dark, red and twisted horn erupted from its brow. A Flash of magic, more instinct than spellweave; forced the tendrils into submission as it finally pulled itself out of the pool to stand shaking on a cool black crystal floor.

It was alive…again, it had died…again, it…He had failed to reclaim his kingdom. He stood up, regal in bearing and opened his eyes; two red dots of pure power looked out over one of his many sanctuaries; green and purple magics rippled over his body staining the whites of his eyes as they pulled silver armor from the Aether to shield his once again mortal form.

He began to walk, scoffing at the pool of magic that had birthed him. Its tendrils reached, pleadingly for him; it was alive in the sense, and in a sense it was dying.

“You have served your purpose.” His voice rumbled, it was deep, rich and carried authority. The declaration mad to the pool was emotionless, stated as a fact. He pointed his fore leg at the pool and focused, pulling its power back into himself. Enjoying the sensation of the somewhat-living-things death, anguish, sadness, confusion…Fear. Ah, Fear how long he had missed it and the distinctive order it brought to the world.

Braziers burst to life, banishing the darkness with light and giving birth to shadow; Like all of his sanctuaries, this one had been built in the event that he would have been killed. He had no doubt that some had been lost to the ravages of time, others looted, destroyed or otherwise rendered inoperable. But his foresight had seen them each equipped with certain necessities. A smile pulled his muzzle back, revealing rows of immaculate white teeth possessed of sharp canines that had no place on an equine; he would need to feed soon, his new body was already hungry.

It was an amusing thought, after all he had cheated death, now he wanted food. He chuckled, a sound more akin to a avalanche, while he walked the black crystal hall stopping at a single door. Turning the latch on the door he stepped in, light filled the library; not as comprehensive as the one he had possessed in his kingdom before those two had sealed him away, before his most recent death.

He fell to his knees, unable to move; pain wracked his body. A sensation of falling, unable to move. Cold, so cold, so dark; no light, no shadow…Fear, Failure, Anger. He was a king! Not by birth or divine intervention, no he was a king by right. Every shred of power he possessed was his, taken, earned, created, but never borrowed. Forcing himself to stand he fell forward, slamming into a shelf, scattering books across the crystal floor.

Light, from it shadow, His Empire; protected by one of their kin no doubt; it didn't matter the Crystal Heart was hidden…a Dragon? He shook his head the memories disjointed as always after death. He had to focus, his new eyes caught sight of his reflection in the floor. He was a king; though that wasn't always the case; He looked past the reflection, a small sickly grey colt; barely old enough to hold a sword. The colts horn was small, deformed incapable of all but the most basic of magics.

He did not shy away from the image, it was him; to deny that he had come from such a pathetic creature was to invite cowardice. Such was not befitting a king, nor was confusion.

“Show me” He breathed, calling upon dark powers beyond control of many. “Show me everything”

He drew the power into himself until it burned, tearing at his mortal frame with eldritch fire. He held it there; his bones ached, his heart raced and his eyes bulged. Cracks raced along the dark crystal of his sanctuary as its master suffered. He did not cry, he did not scream. Rather he let the magic fade; and with it the pain.

He knew now what happened, he had been destroyed by the Crystal Heart. A usurper stood on his throne, and twins still lived. Time had passed, yes, since his imprisonment, since his death. But how much?

Now that you know the question, you can find the answer.

He stood again on legs far more steady, regaining his composure while musing at the deceptively simple words of his old teacher. “Always teaching aren’t you Starswirl?”

He plucked a ledger from one of the shelves; unmarked and sharing appearance with dozens of others. It was the correct one, he knew, now that his memory was his again. The ledger, was enchanted; a spell created by the Princess of the Sun in fact. A lesser pony would have scoffed at using her magic, a lesser creature would have thrown a tantrum at the mention of her name. He was a King, he was not a lesser pony; if the tool worked, its genesis was irrelevant.

The spell in question affected records. When bound to a place or resource the leger would automatically keep track of changes, expired goods and for his case, dates. Flipping to the last recorded page he noted the loss of his resurrection pool and looked at the date.

“One thousand and five years” saying it out loud didn’t help the reality of it, he sank back into a newly formed crystal chair he had reflexively conjured. He rubbed his temples and thought, the Lunar princess, she had used a power he was very familiar with on him; turning him to pure shadow. Such a transmutation was part of his own portfolio; and not without difficulty. Had it been done from the outside, without preparation; the loss of corporeal form would have been disorienting, confusing…maddening.

He stroked his chin; a King was a judged by his strength. Strength was not always measured in force, but often, in mental alacrity. Being stripped of his corporeal form, then sealed in ice no doubt had left lasting damage on his last body’s ability to contain his consciousness and soul. That was the only way to explain the obvious mistakes he had made in trying to reclaim his empire. His mistakes, he nodded slowly going over the events in his mind once more. He was not the kind of pony that buried his mistakes and failures. After all, his teacher had always said that one learns more from failure than success. He himself coined the saying that a setback only lead to failure if one did not continue.

But….one thousand and five years. The last of his willing lieutenants and his descendants would have likely died long ago, his empire was stolen. He would need allies…and an army. He stood sharply, purpose in mind. A wild grin on his face as dark purple energy flowed over him tearing enchanted tomes from shelves, flipping them open, each enchanted to mimic copies that still existed all over Equestria and beyond. He would find allies, he would have his army; he would reclaim what was his and take what should never have been…theirs.

He would bring fear to the world, order to the chaos; never again would a colt or filly be crippled by the rampage of a incarnate force bent on spreading chaos, never would a youth go hungry and alone because of abusive parents, no creature, pony or otherwise would wage war upon each other again. Order would reign, and it would reign from the throne of fear.

But first he would need to prepare, to study, His prodigious intellect was already fast at work building the plan in his mind, mentally checking of boxes on a list of tasks as if they had been written on a scroll. A small, very small part of him relished in his library and this research. After all, his most cherished memories had been spent endlessly studying and caring for such things.

The Black King Sombra, Crystal Tyrant; once librarian banished the nostalgia. This king needed to focus on the present and the thousand years prior to it.

***

“Mommmmmmmmmmmy!” A shrill voice echoed out of the crystal halls of the palace. Both masking the direction of the cry, and amplifying it’s effect. The Princess Twilight Sparkle shot strait up in her bed, which as a unicorn had never presented much of a problem other than perhaps throwing out her back for a day or two, but as an Alicorn the motion carried forth to her wings and sent her flying strait into the vaulted ceiling of her bedchamber.

“Ow, Ow, Ow” she clutched her head with both forelimbs and gently lowered herself to the ground. Her gossamer night gown, a gift from Rarity; clung tightly to her now sweat covered form, highlighting the gentle curves her body.

“Mah—aaaaaaaaaaaaahm!” The second call could only be barely convinced to that of her adoptive daughter was speaking any real language. The door to her chambers opened revealing the armored figure of one of her guards.

“Princess, your daughter is…”

Twilight strode past him, hooves clicking on the hard floor, into the illuminated hallway ignoring the stinging effects of the lights on her eyes. “I can hear, thank you.”

The Guard nodded and resumed his post outside her bed chambers; she didn't mean to be that terse, it was late or early depending on how you looked at it. She decided that she would apologize later; right now she had to comfort her daughter. It was still strange to think of the young Pegasus like that; but welcome as it brought warmth to her heart. Her daughter’s room was close by, technically next to her own but given the tree like structure of her new home and the superfluous scale that seemed to accompany anything called a palace it was a good brisk walk to see what Scootaloo was crying about. Truth be told, she had an idea and truly hoped she was wrong as she pushed the large double doors open spilling light into the filly’s sleep area.

“Mommy!” Scootaloo shot out of the bed like a tear drenched arrow into Twilight’s open forelimbs, burying her face into the lavender mare’s chest and almost instantly soaking her coat with her crying.

“Scootaloo, it’s all right, your safe, what’s wrong?” she spoke in calm even tones lowering herself into a sitting position to cradle the upset filly in her lap. She was at least keeping her voice even; took a great deal of effort given her normal method of dealing with the unexpected which was as Rainbow Dash loved to phrase it the mother of all freak outs. She gently stroked Scootaloo’s mane as the filly’s sobs became less ragged; thankfully evening out ever so slightly. “Scootaloo?” she cradled her daughter’s chin ever so slightly forcing her to look up.

Scootaloo’s pale violet eyes were bloodshot and large there was the lingering evidence of fear. “I..I’m sorry mom, I had…the….” She gulped and was about to break out crying again when Twilight pulled her close and nuzzled her head.

“Hush now sweet angel, let me take you away.
“Far from the dark and the shadow,
“Hush now sweet angel, there is nothing to fear,
“Trust in the ones who hold you so dear,
“Hush now sweet angel, behold the day
“Safe and so ready for play, so free of fear,
“All is right now, sweet angel, this I say,
“Hush now sweet angel, let me take you away…

Twilight’s singing voice echoed through the palace, to those few guards she had allowed Princess Celestia to station in her home it was a sound that made them stop and look to the spires of the castle; to those ponies away in the village below it coaxed forth tears. Twilight, in honesty didn’t care about them at this moment, all she cared about was the small life in her arms and how the song with its dulcet tones had calmed her, “You had the nightmare again didn’t you?”

Scootaloo nodded as Twilight picked her up to carry her out of the bedroom and into the bright hall. “I’m sorry mom, I…just…I don’t”
Twilight smiled at the lite orange filly in her arms; it was a warm smile or so she hoped. It did have the effect of calming Scootaloo down, who now clung to her tightly, her sobs having since faded. Like she did every night this happened, she would take Scootaloo down to the kitchen and they would talk over coffee and Trottingham Biscuits.

“Sweetheart, you never need to apologize for being afraid.” She sat her daughter down at smaller, far more practical wooden table in the kitchen proper. Not that she didn’t like the giant one in the dining hall; other than she had to shout to be heard. “Coffee? Biscuits?”

Scootaloo nodded silently and rubbed her eyes, she would start talking soon. It gave time for Twilight to wake herself up over the rising aroma of her favorite Zebrethopian blend, after all this was still all so new to her despite how natural it felt. The past year had been so much, too much for most ponies; she looked out the window at night-soon-to-be-predawn sky and sighed. This year she became a princess, changed species, began a relationship with Rainbow Dash who was off in Canterlot to take her oath as a member of the Royal Guard, adopted Scootaloo from a life on the streets, been the keeper of all Alicorn magic in Equestira, fought a demigod, lost her magic, found new ancient magic, sent said demi-god back to Tartarus and then was given a castle, in the middle of Ponyville…well not exactly the middle; more like to the east by half a block and slightly north.

She shook her head free of her normal obsession with details, the whistle of the coffee pot helped. For all that she had been through, Scootaloo’s well-being was first on her mind and it always would.

“Thanks” Scootaloo looked into the ceramic cup as Twilight filled it with the dark brown mixture. The filly reached over and pulled the brown sugar towards her waiting for the chance to scoop heaps of into the normally bitter beverage. Twilight took her seat across from her daughter, Scootaloo was stirring her drink, she’d start any time now. The talking was helping, or so she thought; Evidence pointed to the fact that it was working. Scootaloo as far as Twilight could glean had always had nightmares. But since she had begun to live with the Alicorn Princess of Friendship and Magic, they had begun to fade. Until Tirek, how many sad conversations had started with those two words, until Tirek.

“It was kinda the same…”

Twilight blinked and immediately took a drink from her coffee; she needed to focus as her daughter spoke.

“The same way, I’m coming home from school…Applebloom and Sweetie Belle are talking; I have no idea what they are saying or if I’m even supposed to. Then the Sky goes all.” Scootaloo waved her forelegs in circles over her head rapidly.

“Next thing I know, I can’t move my wings and I see the library on fire… All I see is fire; I try to run, I see you in the fire and…and…” Scootaloo’s eyes welled up preparing to cry again only to find her mother’s forelimb draped across her own.

“It’s ok Scootaloo; I’m safe, your safe.” Twilight cooed gently as her daughter inhaled sharply to fight back the tears.

“I wish it would end there; but it never does it always spills into the old nightmare.” Scootaloo continued looking down into her coffee, shame playing across her face.

“Scootaloo.” Twilight at that time got up and moved behind her daughter, wrapping her in a warm embrace while nuzzling small head. “That nightmare, is because you’ve lost so much and stayed so strong. I’ll tell you as many times as you want, and even more than after that. I will never leave you, I will never send you away, I will never hurt you and I most certainly will never trade you for something as worthless as alcohol.”

***

Scootaloo’s breathing finally evened out as she closed her eyes and leaned into her mother’s warmth. Twilight was her mother; ever since she nearly froze to death in the winter. Twilight had been there for her, at first setting her up in orphanage; and when that didn’t work taking her into her own home.

She had shared so much with a filly who had nothing. She shared a love of knowledge that had become infectious; she had shared with her marefriend, Rainbow Dash who every moment she could worked with Scootaloo to learn to fly. She shared her parents; now Scootaloo’s grandparents. Night Light, a Grandfather who endlessly spoiled her at every chance and tortured the family as a whole with his terrible sense of humor. Twilight Velvet, a Grand Mother who was the most nurturing and supporting mare she had ever met.

That wasn’t all, Scootaloo smiled nuzzling her mother’s soft coat. She had gained a totally awesome, well almost as awesome as Rainbow Dash, Uncle in Shining Armor. He was busy a lot, being the prince con-something of her Aunt, Lord High Marshal of the Equestrian Military and a soon-to-be father himself; but he still, no always, always found time to teach her how to use a sword. She couldn't think of him without thinking of her Aunt either; Aunt Candance as far as Scootaloo was concerned was endless, unconditional love given exceptionally frilly pink form. Not that she didn't enjoy the endless make overs, fitting sessions and spa visits with her aunt. She just wouldn't admit it.

All of them were there for her; she knew that. She wanted to believe that this would never end; but her life taught her otherwise; good things only lasted in dreams. She snuggled up to her mother, not noticing they had slipped to the floor as she slipped into sleep hoping that this dream would never end.

Author's Notes:

Well, that is chapter 1 of my first PonyFic; hopefully you all enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. Hopefully, I'll have the next chapter up by mid to late next week and then I'll see about establishing a regular update schedule. I hope to be able to pop out between 3,000 to 6,000 words a chapter maybe more; it all depends really on the treatment.

Some info on the chapter, it's latin loosely translated as: "In Darkness, Nothing" I've also in my drug addled state put together a brief past that borrows aspects from many talent authors here on the site. (Mentioned in the story description),

I've always enjoyed the comic book concept of Hypertime, that all pasts are correct; in that concept, time is like a river, sometimes branching away before reconnecting later on. So I'm keeping that in mind with concepts and ideas moving forward.

As always, I don't have an editor and my treatment keeps me medicated, please feel free to dig up every grammatical error or give constructive criticism. I'd love to hear from you!

Chapter 2: Mon travail ingrate

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Chapter 2: Mon travail ingrate

Seven ponies and one buffalo, five of them had halberds, sword and armor. The golden glint of their half plate betrayed them as pegasai before Sombra could even see their wings. Another was a unicorn; heavy full plate sagging on a lanky frame. A smile crept across his fearsome countenance; unicorns of this time still took issue with physical training it seemed. The seventh, that should be the lieutenant; unless the force organization of the military had changed drastically since he had helped draft their modus operandi millennia ago; albeit with the aide of that insufferable wench that was once attached to the lunar princess seemingly at the hip. What genuinely surprised him, in itself a small shock that he was still capable of being surprised after absorbing over a millennium of history in the span of a week; was the lieutenant was an earth pony.

Sombra watched from beneath a large tree; to anyone with powerful magic, that is the few who could rival his own. He was standing out in the open, making no effort to hide. A second, more detail oriented look would see that he was in fact, stand in the shadow; however faint it maybe, of the tree. It was a simple spell, anypony looking at the shadow would simply skip over it, their minds not even registering the compulsion. He may have been mildly concerned had the lieutenant been a unicorn; still he would not make the mistake underestimate the green coated earth pony.

She was a lieutenant and was certainly not old enough to have reached the rank by seniority. The Buffalo was another issue; large, strong and fast. Not to mention skilled with those horns. The buffalo had only been encountered one or two times around the time of his second life; he chided himself for not knowing more at the same time he reveled at the chance to learn something new after all this time.

The pegasai, save two where grounded, patrolling the ground, while the buffalo was kneeling gently moving his foreleg over the ground with the unicorn and earth pony at his side. Ah, a Tracker; this was fortuitous, he was indeed on the right track.

“Anything Longwalker?” the earth pony finally spoke, interesting she was from Trottingham. He noted this; as well as the buffalos slightly exaggerated eye roll, either patience wasn’t a virtue this tracker possessed. Unlikely given his obvious profession, or; far more likely it was not one for the lieutenant.

“You cannot force the land to speak any faster than you can force the river to slow” the Buffalo’s rich baritone hid any irritation well, but Sombra could see it in the large creatures body language as it stood back up audibly loosening a stiff neck. “The skin changers did come this way, no more than a day, no less than a night.”

The lieutenant grinned looking up at the tracker, waved her forelimb at the unicorn earnestly. “Splendid! Simply splendid! Mistra! Prepare a magical missive to the Crystal Empire, we must inform the Lord High Marshal.”

The Unicorn saluted, then removed both scroll and quill from her satchel; quickly scratching away at the vellum. The Pegasai had descended to join in their leader’s enthusiasm. Foals, Sombra didn’t even bother stepping from his shadow. To anyone with powerful magic, the same who could have seen through his simple glamor, what came next would have horrified them. In truth, it had once horrified the king himself, until he had understood the necessity of it all. It wasn’t an easy spell, not even for him, but it was quick, quiet and effective.

The soldiers, their tracker, commander and caster simple fell to the ground…dead. Sombra exhaled, having been holding his breath as he stepped forward to inspect his hoofwork. Where there was light, there was shadow; and only the smallest bit of light penetrated a pony’s body. Mostly through the eyes, on lighter coated individuals a small bit just beneath the skin. Taxing as it was, no one would be able to identify that these ponies had died due to each shadow in their body suddenly turning to poison then back again. Sombra knelt down before rummaging through their satchels; not that they would need it anymore.

“Your King thanks you for your generosity” he growled in amusement pulling out rations, a canteen, map and more importantly the Unicorn’s log book that no doubt contained details to his quarry. Yes, this would do nicely. He returned to the shade of the tree and sat pulling open one of the meals the soldiers had carried. He was ravenous; his new body as yet had sustained itself on whatever he could find in the wild surrounding his sanctuary and the journey to his now closer quarry. Neither option was a meal fit for a king, but a king didn’t complain no, a king dealt with what he had and made the best of it.

Now; onto the map, Sombra crossed off another box in his mental checklist. He was far from his Empire; not that anypony was looking for him. The distance was both bitter and a welcome asset; he was far closer to the Dragonlands than he expected, but then again when you were running for years from the equestrian military who had found a way to strip you of your natural defense…one could not be so choosy in whose backyard you approached. Yes, this was indeed fortuitous. Greedily he tore open the log book, devouring mentally their travels their leads and their losses. Excellent; those foolish sisters and their new High Lord Marshal had reduced the number of hunting parties over the years. No doubt long periods of silence had become expected. Sombra shook his head, he would have killed such a threat when it presented itself rather than let it roam across Equestria doing who knows what to whom.

Those ponies where close; very close. Now he was closing in on their prey and the first step to his return. It wouldn’t take long to find them now. Sombra laughed, elation filled his week old heart as the terrible sound of cracking thunder broke from his lips. Soon he would have the service of a powerful ally; and her army of abominations. He stood, packing up the gifted supplies before turning his head north; confident that he would find what, rather who, he was looking for nearby.

“A queen is nothing without her king.” A grin played across his handsome features. “Indeed nothing without her king.”

***

“Is the Squirt ok?” as always, when her she was worried, excited, sad or anything than her normal energetic self, Rainbow Dash’s voice cracked away from its normal not-quite-rasp atop one of the royal palace’s many balcony’s.

“I’m not sure, I think so the nightmares have been getting worse this past week...” Twilight’s voice was full of pain; that much was clear even though the audible distortion of the communication spell. Rainbow Dash was never the most sensitive of ponies or the most observant; but she could tell this was weighing heavily on Twilight. She wanted to reach out and comfort her companion, something that she knew was currently impossible. The communication spell created an ethereal image of the lavender princess, but ultimately lacked any substance.

“How about you? Have you been sleeping at all?” She was pretty sure she knew the answer; but it felt right to ask. Twilight put things off when a problem hit close to heart. Sleeping was normally first, eating came next…sanity would be close behind.

“A little, before and after her episodes. Spike set up a second bed in our room. Not that she uses it, she’s been sleeping with me in our bed.” Twilight smiled, highlighting the lines under her eyes. “Still room in the bed for some awesome.”
Rainbow Dash smiled back, Twilight was doing her best not to make her worry. “I miss you too Twi, I’ll fly back to Ponyville today as soon as I can.”

Twilight shook her head; eyes opening wide. “I completely forgot to ask! How did the ceremony go this morning?”

Dash ran her forelimb through her multicolored mane; currently styled, smoothed and held back with a gold band. The Ceremony had been boring, long speeches, reading of oaths; there was a Wonderbolts fly over at the end, that had be totally awesome.

“Laaame, and waaaay too early for me.” She pulled her mane free and shook her head, letting it fall back into its normal if slightly less ruffled form in one smooth motion.

“The Wonderbolts did a fly over at the end! Now that was awesome! Captain Spitfire and Soarin lead two formations in a double performance! You should have seen it! Spitfire’s formation preformed an inverted spiral, while Soarin and his…” Rainbow stopped, Twilight was barely managing a meek smile, her eyes loosing focus as she struggled to follow her marefriends words. “Hey Twi, didn't you say these communication spells take a lot out of you?”

Twilight nodded, an act that almost toppled her over. “It’s ok Dash, I want to hear all about it.” The purple alicorn righted herself, though her eyes where half shut at this point.

Dash’s heart broke; Twilight was hurting herself just to hear her fawn over a bunch of pegasai in unitards; awesome pegasai in awesome unitards. “Twi, get some rest. We’ll talk this evening.”

Twilight didn’t need to hear more apparently; the ethereal projection smiled, closed its eyes and begun to fall forward. Dash moved to catch it on instinct only to be covered in a burst of iridescent powder as the magic faded. Duh, Dash, projection not real. Still, best. Spell. Ever! So much better than waiting for letters even those sent by Spike.

“Captain Crash!” ...Huh?

Her eyes narrowed and she spun around wings erect; to see the smug face of Soarin trotting towards her pulling his flight goggles off. “Nice duds, Dash.”

“Soarin, if it was anypony else I would have clocked you!” her disposition softened as she leaned back against the palace railing.
“Good to know, I’ll have to see how far I can push that.” He poked her in the ribs with his forelimb through her red captain’s shirt; chuckling as she suppressed a reaction from what had clearly been one of her ticklish points.

“Ponyfeathers…Did you come down here to torment me Soarin? I thought that was Spitfire’s job, or has she given you some slack on that leash.” The blue mare grinned back at her fellow Pegasus.

“Ouch RD, Ouch.” Soarin pressed his chest as if he had been wounded. “I think I felt that one.” Both pegasai descended into a fit of laughter. “I overheard the tail end of your conversation, the princess ok?” his demeanor was still cheerful; hints of concern managed to worm their way into his voice as he posed the question.

Rainbow tossed her head back, looking strait up into the clear blue sky. Eyes gently sealing shut she took a deep breath of the clear mountain air. “Twilight? She’s fine, just running on fumes I guess. Our daughter’s been having nightmares.”

“Nightmares? All foals have nightmares now and then.” His tone betrayed the fact he clearly didn’t understand. She couldn’t fault him for that. Like all of the Wonderbolts, she knew all about his past from the fan magazines, interviews and biographies. Soarin was a third generation Wonderbolt; single and a notorious marekiller; no way he could wrap his mind around what had happened to Scootaloo.

“She’s been having them non-stop for about a month.” The statement was so deadpan Dash wasn’t convinced that it was her who uttered it. Truth was she wasn't sure she knew how wrap her mind around all the misfortune that had befallen Scootaloo in her short life. Abusive Parents, callous siblings, someone was talking to her? Then being sold out by said parents for booze no less…Dash shook her head, no she could wrap her mind around it.

She just didn't want to.

“Yo, Dash, you in there?” Soarin was waving his foreleg in front of her. She snapped her eyes open and out of her thoughts.
“What?” she spat with a bit more venom than she intended.

“Whoa Dash, I’d like to keep my head attached! I didn't mean to offend. I was just saying you know now that I have my own squad I get to pick where we are based out of.” Soarin winked as he replaced his flight goggles.

“Wha?” she wasn't following, still caught between her unintended barb, the dark place her daughter was still in, and the state of her mare friend.

“Well, Ponyville’s getting an air field, shame for it to go to waste.” He grinned before shooting off into the sky.

An airfield?! In Ponyville? Awesome! A Wonderbolt’s flight in her adopted hometown? Double Awesome! She was still worried about her daughter, Twilight too; but the good news sent her over the edge; Captain Rainbow Dash of Princess Twilight’s Royal Guard, Reservist Wonderbolt, bolted into the air giggling madly. It felt good, very good; she had it all! And why shouldn't she? She was Rainbow Dash, the most awesome of all awesome pony’s to live!

She righted herself in the air facing Ponyville. She was right? The elation of the news faded almost as quickly as it came. If she was so awesome why was she only a reservist Wonderbolt. Dummy, it’s because your also the captain of Twilight’s guard now…she frowned at her own thoughts. You can’t do both full time. Sure I can! I’m Rainbow Dash! She chided herself forcing a smile against the air as she sped home. I’m Rainbow Dash; she continued to think. I can’t help my daughter sleep, I can’t take the worry away from Twilight…her air speed fell as did her spirits.

I can’t be a Wonderbolt full time without leaving Twilight’s side, I can’t be her Guard Captain if I’m not around her all the time. She shook her head, no, nope, nadda, no way; not going down that path. She squinted her eyes as she forced her wings to push her back to her normal cruising speed. I’m Rainbow Dash, I’m the most super awesomest pony to fly, walk, talk and do a whole lot of other things better than the best in all of Equestria! Heck! Maybe even the whole world! Yeah! That’s who I am! She pushed herself harder and her thoughts out of her head; focusing on speeding home and her new family.

To any that could catch a glimpse of the multicolored blur that streaked across the skies. They would have caught her trademark cocky grin plastered across her face; completely oblivious to the fact that Rainbow Dash, Element of Loyalty was running blind towards her future and away from her own doubts.

***

Rarity stood, fidgeting at the Ponyville Train station; recently repaired to the point that lighter passenger trains could finally come and go, but still woefully behind schedule in regards to freight. A capability the town needed desperately needed, for food if nothing else. The situation was absolutely dreadful! Truly! Why, she was re-using fabric from last season! Granted she was able to make it work, with her normally amount of flair.

She continued to fidget, aware how terribly unladylike it was yet equally oblivious to the ringing of the bell foretelling the arrival of the train from Manehatten, the nip of cold in the air that penetrated deep in defiance of both her scarf and black turtleneck, or even the rapid sky bound approach of a rainbow hued blur from the direction of Canterlot. The fidgeting continued as did her lack of attention.

Unfortunately she couldn't just “make it work” with everything as she could with fashion; as fabulous as she was when it came to creation, design and improvement her talents ended somewhat spectacularly.

“Spectacular Darling! Simply spectacular!” She muttered, she had used those exact words to describe her vision for a new Ponyville to the princesses and all gathered when they very publicly asked her to lead the reconstruction. And in truth, it was just that. Idea after idea had come crashing into Rarity’s head then to paper and the hard working hooves of the construction ponies. A Gust of wind blasted across the station, dragging with it debris, and seemingly the rising night as Celestia began the process of lowering the sun for the evening. Rarity, rather than responded by shivering or casting the leaves from her mane, continued to fidget. She didn’t need to turn to see her handiwork on the town behind her. It was as clear as day within her minds eye; burnt straw roof tops had been replaced with ceramic tile of red and gold. Alabaster walls once crushed replaced with both embellished stucco between carved wooden braces that in a few words, where simply divine.

She cringed as her mind too her to the next part of her task that she had failed so amazingly, willing back tears that just wouldn’t do for a lady like herself; much less the mess it would make of her makeup. Between the new homes, businesses, civic structures laid a mess of piping, cement bags, rebar and other uncouth objects she didn’t even know the name of. Designing the aesthetics, converting old buildings as part of the repair had been easy; barely taking two weeks only delayed by the delivery rate of supplies. The other side of her task however, designing and replacing the infrastructure? That had proven to be beyond her talents; resulting in a rather embarrassing and frankly unsanitary…eruption a day prior. She continued to fidget, biting her lower lip just shy of drawing blood unaware of the train screeching to a halt before her.

She needed help; not that she would admit it; not after her boasts before the townsponies and the princesses. Not to mention Applejack and Rainbow Dash, those two would never let her hear the end of it. Stiff upper lip Rarity, she nudged herself mentally taking the moment to wrap her forelegs around herself finally acknowledging the terribly persistent cold that nightfall brought. She was a lady; and ladies where reasonable, when fashionable to do so at least. She had been less than such when the mayor had informed her she had requested assistance in the reconstruction, she reminded herself that she didn't make a scene at the temporary town hall, she silently thanked herself for that modicum of self-control, from where it came Rarity had no idea. No she had waited until she was back behind the rebuilt Carousel Boutique to fall upon her crying sofa and begin her theatrics for both her own mental well-being and the disinterest of Opalescence.

The mayor had requested a Civil Engineer be dispatched to assist in the reconstruction, but to a pony like Rarity; whose mind was practically bound to Canterlot in attitude had received the information as replace or take over. She released her lower lip, feeling the pressure build, still beyond the sounds of ponies exiting the evening express. She would have come around to the realization herself, it’s not like she was twilight who lost her sense of composure a revelation of a difficult problem!
She blushed at the thought, embarrassed. Now Rarity! You should be ashamed! Thinking of Twilight Sparkle in such a way! She shook her head; once again fighting back tears. She would not break down here, dramatics; as cathartic as they were had lost some their luster this past month as her friends had become engrossed in the minutiae of the recovery. Sweet Celestia what she would give to hear Applejack’s drawl mocking her for being too emotional or some nonsensical babble from Pinkie Pie to put her troubled mind on hold.

“Miss Rarity?” she ignored the voice speaking her name.

It was partially her fault, perhaps a tad more than partially. She had no real excuse not to see Twilight in her new home, the Alicorn was taking the time to unpack the dozens of books being shipped in from all over to fill her new library that in defiance of all that was aesthetically acceptable made up the bottom three floors of her palace. Pinkie was also beyond excuse for not having the time. The confectioner had decided to finally move out from the Cake’s spare room giving it over to one of the now growing twins. She had decided to pursue her party planning full time, purchasing a home of her own from which to operate out of; and yes, while it did keep her busy, after all whom didn't want a celebratory We avoided the apocalypse party organized by none on than the element of laughter. She would have had time for Rarity had she stopped by.

“Miss Rarity? Excuse me.” What was that ghastly noise! Never she mind; she had wallowing to do and for once she knew exactly what to wallow in.

Applejack, well she was truly busy. She would have made time for Rarity even though she could hardly spare it given the circumstances at Sweet Apple Acres. That left Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy; the pegasai could be excluded from her emotional self-flagellation. They were both in Canterlot one for an honor and one for…A lady didn’t even think such words. Fluttershy could do as she pleased, even if Discord didn't deserve it.

“Miss Rarity!” She snapped her eyes open, when had she closed them? Before stood a pegasus; well, a rather handsome, toned and sharply dressed pegasus stallion to be exact.

“Oh my, you will do nicely.” She absently muttered a coy smile playing across her features.

“Excuse me?” he asked, she cringed. While this pony certainly was strapping a uniform steel grey coat that was one shade too light for winter and two shades too dark for summer creating an amazing shade to conflict with his sandy brown mane possessed of a rebellious blonde streak. His voice had all the melodious harmony of a dragon gargling gemstones; deep in its…his perfectly broad chest that possessed just the right amount of muscle that his perfectly fitted travel suit did nothing to hide. Simply to die for! If not for that voice.

“Nothing Darling, Nothing at all! Are you S.B. Worth?” This time her smile was genuine and response hopefully not as embarrassing as her last.

“You caught me Miss Rarity, I am sorry to knock you out of your standing nap.” The grey pony’s gravelly voice did little to hide his apparent amusement at his own joke or the observation he had caught her in.

“Oh pish posh; Think nothing of it! And please, call me Rarity.” The trains horn chose that exact moment to blast, nearly startling her right out of her perfectly moisturized skin.

“Rarity it is then, please call me S.B.” he took a look over her shoulder as the last beams of sunlight touched Ponyville, and for a moment grew distant. She knew that look herself, she had seen it in the mirror many times over the years. He was creating in his mind, building off what he saw.

“Divine isn’t it? A thing of beauty!” Rarity, beaming with pride turned to allow him a better view, well as best as anypony could get at this hour of her Ponyville.

“It is certainly a thing.” He grated in full deadpan eyes still unfocused, but casting downwards.

Rarity stared at the Pegasus, mouth agape. Did he? How dare! Why I never!

She fumed calling upon what hidden reserves of self-control not give him a piece of her mind right then and there! The nerve! Arriving late in the evening! Interrupting her wallowing! Unforgivable! Being a practical dreamboat of a stallion with those amazing muscles! Well, maybe slightly forgivable.

He turned to face her directly; catching impossibly the last sunlight of the day as it reflected off his emerald green eyes, prompting a blush from the white mare and the thought; completely forgivable.

“Rarity? Hello?” That voice; ugh, why did the handsome ones either have to be stupid or whatever this pony was.

“Yes, Darling sorry! I was caught in the moment” She chuckled and started down the ramp towards town.

“Ah well, far be it for me to interrupt a moment, especially given how rare they are in any given day.” He trotted next to her as they moved out of the station, his spirits where certainly high as was her eyebrow, blood pressure and when she caught a glance at him, heart rate.

Sweet Celestia, why did he have to be so handsome!

Author's Notes:

Here is chapter two!

This time, the title is terrible french for "My Work, Thankless"

As always I have no editor and write a lot of this while medicated from the cancer treatment. So please, please feel free to point out errors of any kind!

This is also the chapter where I introduce the first of three OC's to the story; don't worry he's not going to be shipped with Rarity; Oil and Water.

The Next chapter will follow the same format I think, Sombra, then back to the mane six or someone close to them. I'm using these opening chapters to try and build a world from multiple perspectives rather than let one viewpoint tell it all; which while fun can be challenging especially when writing from Dash's perspective.

Anywho please comment! critique! or criticize! I love discussion and hearing what people think!

Chapter 3: What's yours is mine

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Chapter 3: What’s yours is mine.

Queen Chrysalis stirred from her rest, at first it was just a twitch of her ear; followed by the agitated chittering of her brood. Something was wrong. She forced herself up on long black legs catching her reflection in the trio of ceiling height mirrors that surrounded her makeshift throne-turned-sleeping area. She didn’t like what she saw, technically, she never liked what she saw in those reflections. But today's self-loathing was focused her waif-like waist, dark even for her rings under her eyes and the extra lusterless state of her mane; they had been running for years; her children sustaining themselves on what little love and kindness they could dare steal from passing ponies.

Even that had become dangerous in recent times, Shining Armor so full of love; now so full of hate, had never once let up the search for her kind since his freedom from her spell. Chrysalis levitated her crown onto her head, the thin black iron ornament had never felt so heavy. Something was wrong. Her children where…afraid? The connection wasn’t as close as it could have been, centuries ago she had assumed direct control over each and every changeling in the hive; she had later seen the value of limited individuality…no something had found the hive!

The Royal Guard? No, too soon, the scouts said they would have at least another three days before the guards found their hive at best! The changeling queen turned and looked out over the subterranean hovel that comprised her “throne room” trying desperately to focus her attention through the eyes of her children without robbing them of their senses of self. Her children where active, all of them; once a great swarm reduced to; Hunger. It hit her like a train, so much pain so much hunger they were starving, they needed to feed! She pushed past the discomfort, she knew they hungered, she felt it herself.

Beyond that feeling came fear, confusion, distress an impression of shadows? Her kind lived in the shadows, they had nothing to fear from them. Chrysalis took a tentative step from her throne onto the steps leading up to it causing several of her guards to stir around her.

“Go, Find out what is bothering your brothers and sisters” Her voice was authoritative, but betrayed her weakened state. Perhaps it was the Lunar Guard, joined in the hunt; if that was such this would be a dire battle. The Thestrals, bat like cousins to the Pegasai where just as fearsome and unhindered by darkness; her hive would need to run rather than fight. She continued her laborious march down she drew upon her last few reserves of power; she wouldn't be able to muster this magic again without feeding, they had been chased to the very literal edge of Equestria by their hunters. She felt the magic wash over her giving strength to her steps as well as clarity to her thoughts. They lay close to the Dragonlands now a days flight at best; Changelings in the past had fed on the Dragons, though mostly among their very young or so their most ancient of stories told.

Perhaps she could risk heading south to the badlands? She didn't know what lived past that inhospitable desert of wild magic, but perhaps something that loved or cared surely must call home to anyplace that lay beyond. Yes, they would find new food, then return to Equestira in force! As Legion! They would enslave the ponies, treat them like so much cattle. Yes, a new golden age for her children was beyond this suffering!

Renewed and standing strait she looked up at her guards, who by this point had reached the large chitinous door to her private chamber; she once more tried to reach out to her children to see what they were so afraid of. Darkness, such darkness lay beyond the door and it was coming for her!

“Don’t!”

Her panicked words came a moment too late, the door shattered forth launching her guards back, save for one unlucky child who now lay at her feet; green ichor leaking from its torso. Chrysalis felt her child’s pain as clearly as if it was her own at this proximity, falling to her knees she cradled the smaller creature.

“Run…my queen, I…I will protect you.” The Changelings last words where strained, no more than its futile efforts to right itself that ultimately robbed it of a precious few more moments of life. Tears stirred in the corners of the Queen’s eyes; like any ruler she was prepared for the loss of her subjects, her children. But like any mother to experience their death after so long suffering was nearly enough to break her already heavy heart.

Black, ink like smoke flowed from the doorway to her chambers, pooling and pouring like blood down the shorter stairway that mirrored the one leading to her throne. Struggling to look beyond it into the depths of her hive Chrysalis could see only darkness, sense only fear. Then stepping from the wall of shadow two blazing eyes, green and purple alight with black magic gave birth to an armored unicorn stallion crowned cruelly with a blazing, curved red horn.

“Attack! Bleed the pony dry!” She cried her voice cracking to match the same fissures that appeared in the walls as more guards burrowed their way to the monarch’s side. Anger swelled within her chest; how dare this…food kill her guard! He was fit only to be fed upon; he would make a poor meal, but perhaps enough to cover the next leg of their run.

The swarm collected above her, a swirling mass of chittering fangs, talons with the occasional salvaged equestrian weapon; before launching enmass at the intruder. The unicorn, either out of almost admirably bravery or more likely abject stupidity didn’t move save for a single brow raised in; annoyance?

A flash of light, not light darkness, so much that her mind had created light when there was none as an act of rejection of such anathematic blackness; her vision swam. Had she used her stomach lately, no doubt its contents would have spilled forth upon the ground.

“This army, pathetic as it is; will do. Make them ready to march immediately.”

A baritone cut through her confusion, when had she fallen to the ground? More importantly who dared give her orders? She struggled to right herself as her vision returned; instantly regretting being able to see. All of her children who had come to her defense lay on the ground, shaking, their legs curled in death throws, black carapaces slowly turning a desiccated white. Then their pain hit her, the death of one child at close range had been brutal; but the dying sensation of so many forced her legs to buckle beneath her once again.

“Surely you looted books and scrolls? I passed rooms of clothing, armor and novelties where are the books?” the baritone belonged to the armored intruder. He was slowly approaching her looking from side to side with a mix of disgust and disinterest.

“You…you dare!” The indignation sounded so much more threatening in her head as she struggled to right herself again. No, she couldn’t fail her children again, she needed to, and forced herself to stand.

“You will pay for what you have done to my children! You shall feel a Queen’s Wrath!” She roared; at least she hoped that is how it sounded as she broke into a gallop horn lowered, glowing with green energy, aimed strait at the intruders heart. She wasn't at her peak, not even close. She was still queen, she was still a talented combatant and spell weaver even without her blood given abilities; in short, even to one such as this, a threat. Not that the armored pony acknowledged this; he turned his head almost lazily expression at first that same mix of disinterest and disgust, but then came anger, rage followed suit by hatred, so much hate.

The emotions struck her as if she had attempted to ram a brick wall; she staggered a fell clutching her chest with her forelimbs, struggling to breath. Changelings thrived on love, kindness, serenity, generosity and laughter brought by happiness; to them it was sweet as any nectar. Equally and inversely, hatred, cruelty, rage, selfishness and sadness was poison to them, draining them of the very energy they so often drained from others. It was too late that she realized this; once again her vision blurred, her stomach if able she swore was doing back-flips. Was this how it ended? Had she lead her people, her very species to extinction?

Pain broke her out of her lament; giving unwelcome clarity to her vision. She was being lifted off the ground, limbs impaled below the shoulder by black crystals seemingly spawned from the shadow like fog that now covered the ground drowning her children in darkness during their final moments. She struggled without strength against the black barbs that hoisted her aloft, crying out, tears streaming down her face with each movement; her own body beginning to crack and turn white as the intruder’s poisonous emotions continued to assault her.

“Cry Woe, The end of your meaningless ambition.” The unicorn was speaking again, calmly as if discussing the weather. He was moving towards her, up towards her, born aloft on a pillar of the shadow.

“Destruction; your pathetic excuse for a hive.” He was now face to face with her, she had nothing left, she couldn’t as much as she tried reign in her own fear and regret; gone was the mighty Queen of the Changelings, in her place a mewling, terrified mother forced into the worst possible fate.

“Ruin; your entire species snuffed out.” He lashed out with his forelimb, brutally slapping her across the face drawing the coppery taste of blood into her mouth as her crown was flying.

“And Decay; your children lay dying.” He leaned in close, his eyes a tempest of dark magic his very being poisonous.

“These are the gifts I bring to you Chrysalis, so called Queen of the Changelings.” There was no mistaking the disgust in his voice as he leaned in closer still; her vision fraying at the edges, consumed by pain and illness.

“The worst is death; pray thankful, that I do not seek yours this day.” Was the last thing she heard before her entire world, mercifully, went black.

***

“AJ! AJ!”

Applejack slowly cracked her eyes open, sadistically exposing her awaking awareness to the full brilliance of Celestia’s noon day sun. The act of opening her eyes alone in itself was akin to hauling full share of apples to market with each eyelid.

“ungh….” She groaned in combination towards her waking state and the cyan Pegasus currently hovering over her, just not between her in the sun. “Ra…Rainbowdash? When did ya’ll get back? Dag nabbit! How long have I been ah’sleep?” Applejack righted herself a little too rapidly, a sudden light headiness, plus her momentum was all it took to send her falling forward rather than back where she had previously been; along with a large portion of her dignity. Rainbow Dash decided this would be the perfect moment to burst into laughter rolling in mid-air riotously.

“Oh Sweet Celestia AJ! That was amazing. Best.Fall. Ever!” the Pegasus barely managed to get out between laughs.

“Yeah, yeah, get yer yucks Rainbow Dash; Ah’m sure it was plum hilarious.” The orange earth pony pushed herself up, only now aware that at some point during her mid-day nap, her hair bands had fallen loose giving the illusion that she was rising from a pool of molten gold.

“Wow, Apple Jack! I never knew your mane was that long!” Twilight’s voice thankfully prompted the cyan Pegasus to muffle, but not stop her laughter. “It’s so beautiful! Have you ever let Rarity style it?”

Applejack eyed the purple alicon who was just now landing, from behind her luminous mane with one stern emerald orb, the other lost within her golden tresses, as if she had somehow at that very moment chosen to suggest that Applejack replace her entire harvest with rutabagas. “Ah had, once…Then Ah became sane ‘gain.” She growled.

Twilight pulled back, Applejack sighed, she hadn’t meant for that much anger to slip into her voice; especially since these two had clearly flown from Ponyville to see her. “Ah’m sorry sugarcube; things here on the farm have been rough; with us feeding the entire town an’all” She explained pulling her locks into more manageable fold behind her head while tracking down her hat as well as her extra hair bands, which had momentarily proven to be more elusive than an opossum in the hay barn.

“Ah’m also a might disappointed in mahself, that ain’t help’n mah attitude one bit. No what brings you two out here?” There was her hat, right where she had fallen earlier. Applejack let out a protracted sigh, and pressed down between her eyes. Her hat, was right where she had fallen earlier, next to twelve bushels of freshly bucked apples waiting to be sent to town, and that currently where sitting in a cart ready for her deliver; hours ago.

“Oh there is a royal agent in town; but that can wait Applejack… Are you ok? If you need more help I’m sure I can request some help from Princess Celestia in Canterlot.” Twlight’s voice hit that edge that both always worried and comforted Applejack. It was the tone straining to fully convey a mix of caring for her friends and genuine concern; if it had been anyone other than Twilight Sparkle, she might not even bothered to turn and bucked them all the way to Trottingham. Instead she smiled as she pulled extra hairbands from her hat to secure her hair once and for all.

“Twilight that’d be mighty kind of ya; ah’d be lie’n if ah didn’t tell ya the whole idea of having help didn’t sit right with me.” She pulled her hat on tight; then stuck her tongue out while she straitened it.

“Ah’d be lie’n if ah said Granny and Big Mac would be ok with the whole idea.” Perfect, just like pop used to wear it. Now that she felt proper again, she turned to face her friends fully allowing them to see her face fully for the first time; inwardly cringing at the gasps. She knew it wasn’t anything disfiguring or such, just bags under her eyes the size closer to those of pig feed; dark too from long nights apple bucking. She found herself wishing Rarity was here, the look on her face would have been worth the forced spa trip.

"Truth of the matter is we need the help; Ah’m sure as not sleep’n enough. Big Mac ain’t either…T’ain’t fair to Applebloom neither, work before then after school; no time for her studies. And Granny Smith…” Applejack paused. “She’s granny.” With that last statement it felt like a weight had been lifted off Applejack’s chest; then promply placed on her haunches as her back legs first wobbled, then in an act of defiance gave out beneath her.

“Applejack!” Twilight and Rainbow did sound might adorable when they shouted in unison. They rushed to her side; she felt her both of them embrace her; this was might embarrassing.

“Ah’m fine gals. Ah’m fine. Jus’ beat.” She tried to muster a smile to her friends, then gave up when she realized it was smile or keep her eyes open. “Ah reckon same reason ah’m cross with myself too.”

“Twilight will get Celestia to help! You’ll see AJ!” Rainbow’s enthusiasm and energy was normally infectious, normally.

“Ah appreciate it.” Why in the Sam Hill where their two of everypony now?

“Is there anything Rainbow can do for you in the mean time?” Twilight sounded like she was a mile away.

“Wha? Oh, yeah…ah’d be much obliged if ya’ll could take these here apples to market.” AJ wasn’t exactly sure she sounded coherent as she pointed, a least she hoped she was pointing, at the cart.

“No problem AJ!” Rainbow sounded so quiet as she strapped herself into the cart; Twilight’s forelimbs felt so soft.

“Thank….” And she was out; Twilight struggled to hold her up, but in the end the larger earth pony went down, unaware that her apples would be deliver just a little later. As the whole scene had sent the Pegasus into another fit of laughter..

***

She felt her consciousness return regrettably, she fought against it begging to allowed to rest; fully aware of what awaited her in the waking world. Then the pain returned, followed by the sickness, though diminished followed unforgivingly by the tragedy of her dying, some already dead children. Their number had increased, clearly when she fell more had poured in from other parts of the hive, only to meet the same fate. Her throat felt horse and dry, her mouth was stained with the taste of her own blood. With great effort she looked down, she was still suspended from the crystals, her body was a sickly white; chitin fragmented, draining her greenish blood that wasn’t dried into a pool on the floor. The shadow like smoke had vanished; she struggled to look up trying to find the intruder, perhaps he had left them to die in relative after all.

Her vain hope for escape where shattered by the resounding snap of a book being closed sharply. She struggled to raise her eyes towards the entrance to what she assumed to be her peoples mass grave. There was the Intruder sitting; a pile of books, she recognized them from one of the store rooms, he placed one down on the other.

“Such a poor Library; no head for organization among you insects.” His deep voice was twinged with anger? Or was it disappointment? She was too tired to tell, maybe she would die before he noticed she was awake.

“About time you woke up.”

…Horseapples.

He stood stretching, then cracked his neck as he approached her at a leisurely pace. His horn glowed slighting, and her crown floated from where it had fallen to hover before him as he approached. The Crystals embedded in her body shook, sending a shock of pain through her broken form and a cry of agony from her lips. They were lowering her to the ground.

“Let me make something clear, you are no queen, not anymore.” The smallest mote of his power escaped his horn crumpling her crown to scrap. He continued as his approach and her decent matched in speed.

“I have need of an army, this army, my army.” He stopped looming over her as the crystals deposited into a sticky pool of her own fluids. The Crystals tore themselves from her body, she let out a pathetic squeak as tears fell freely again.

“Your children, will serve me; when I say marc, they will march. When I say die, they will die. Your agreement, is not required. But is preferred for the sake of expedience.” His eyes held no pity, no remorse only darkness as she looked, broken, up into them.

“Mercy…mercy whoever you are…” she rasped.

His eyes flared with power, before she registered movement he had picked her up and slammed her painfully against a crystal pillar that had manifested behind her. She whimpered, tears now pouring in earnest down her pale white face unable to even manage another cry as fragments of her carapace went flying and what felt as a dozen wounds reopened.

“Mercy is a weakness born of pathetic, cowardly wretches like yourself who lack the courage to die facing their betters.” His rage was radiating like a furnace, behind him she saw two of her children wither to dust because of their proximity. Then as quickly as it manifested; it vanished, back behind the wall of his control as he released her to slump to the ground.

“But; at times, mercy can be a useful tool. One that I choose to put to work now.” He loomed over her, like some primordial destroyer, a nightmare given flesh to torment her in the worst possible ways.

“My name is Sombra, but you may call me Lord; for I am now and forever will be your king.” He gestured to her children. “I would be their king as well, should they live. Would you have me save them?”

She blinked, then nodded with painful vigor. “Please…” her voice was but a whisper as he glowered down at her. His horn flashed as a shard of crystal impaled her back forcing her to cry out with far more energy than she thought possible. "Please…my lord…save them.” She couldn’t look up, if she was lucky she would die right now.

The crystal shard pulled itself free of her back with wet pop.

“Very well; watch.” His response was devoid of all emotion, other than; pride? She couldn’t be sure in her current state. King Sombra, closed his eyes and exhaled; the dark aura that had followed him into her hive shrunk rapidly. Her breathing though still laborious, did become easier and her children began to stir.

“Kindness, Love, Laugher what your kind finds succulent are the products of a weak and chaotic word.” She felt the magic of the intruder shift drastically as he spoke.

“They have no place in my heart; but to my proven, loyal servants I can be generous.” He smiled down at her; it wasn’t a warm smile. It was a baring of fangs, a predator standing over prey ready to feed. This was it then, he was just toying with her. One last humiliation before the end; then she felt it, feint, but present. A spark of generosity directed, controlled and flowing out from the intruder over her and her children. She drank it in, greedily; like a desert wanderer upon an oasis. She felt her wounds heal and life return to her limbs, more importantly she saw those of her children who still lived stir as color returned to their forms.

They would live!

She rose, on unsteady legs until she matched King Sombra in height, her power returning; then it stopped catching her off guard. She collapsing painfully once again. He was making a sound; something like laughter, whatever it was it chilled her blood.

“Now that my army lives; what to do about you.” His voice if possible took on an even more foreboding tone.

“Wuh…where you lead…. I will follow, my king.” Her throat no longer scratched, but it still took great effort to speak has her new King fixed her in a murderous glare.

“Of that, I never had any doubt.” King Sombra’s eyes flared as tendrils of dark magic to engulf her neck and forelimbs coalescing into ornate bindings that far resembled jewelry than the trappings of a prisoner.

“These will allow you to feed your children, when I choose to feed you; among other functions.” He raise an eyebrow as the changelings looked to him and then their queen unsure of what action to take.

“Th…thank you.” She whispered, struggling to remain upright, before a chill ran down her spine as she was fixed by his murderous glare. “Muh…my lord!” too late, she was too late.

“Clearly, I wasn’t clear about how I operate. I said I can be generous, not that I am.” His horn glowed again, she struggled to move away to call out to her children; the bindings glowed thus she found herself unable to do either.

“Such an insult cannot go without…correction. Clearly I must teach you a lesson.” Power leapt from his horn to hers. She tried to scream; her body wouldn’t listen it felt so far away. She felt Sombra enter her mind, her heart, her memories…it was a violation of the highest caliber. She had been subjected to mind reading before, but never like this. This was rough, done without concern for her safety. Memories pulled to surface then cast about like so much refuse.

“Yeeesssss.” King Sombra mused with sadistic elation. “There it is, so long buried.”

Black crystals enveloped the once Queen Chrysalis as tears flowed freely from her eyes once more; as the darkness took her, King Sombra released her. That was it? Imprisonment? It could have been…this time her body let her scream. She was changing, and not of her will! Would the torment never end? The violation, the oppression, the suffering. She rebelled against the shape her body was twisting itself into, fought it futilely with every fiber of her being. What was he turning her into? Then she saw it, rising from memories long forgotten, no, no. not again, anything but that, not her greatest failure!

“Now this, is unexpected.” Sombra chuckled as he turned and marched towards the stairs leading out.

Her screaming eventually shattered the crystal, and Chrysalis fell forward onto the hard ground, breathing heavily. Her children gasped collectively at what they saw; she cringed at the sound. Then forced a small spell, conjuring a mirror before her; she shared her children’s reaction. The once queen’s black shell had been replaced by a slightly lighter black coat, long slender limbs no longer ended in hole ridden stumps; green lusterless mane had been replaced with vibrant viridian tresses that cascaded down her back to rest between a pair of matching off black feathered wings that while folded certainly hid a cutie mark. Her crooked horn, once cracked stood whole, elegantly twisted upon her brow strait once more.

She was as she once was; well, not entirely she took notice. Her eyes still remained familiar as they had for as long as she could willingly remember, as did her fangs. Still, she never thought she’d see that face, her face looking back at her. She touched it, it was real; not just the nigh authentic glamor of her kind. No this was her flesh now, as it once had been; somehow Sombra had torn it out of her and forced it upon her normally protean biology.

Sombra was standing half turned on the stair case. “An Alicorn.” He laughed an act in itself seemed to darken the room. “I have to admit, I am genuinely surprised. I always assumed you scum where discord’s doing.”

Chrysalis tried to change shape as a method to escape the image before her; her magic didn’t listen, her body didn’t listen. She looked at Sombra in horror at what his dark magic at wrought only to be met by his malefic grin.

“You are my thrall now Chrysalis; your children my tools. Both to do with as I command; I have stripped you of much.” He paused before turn his back to her. “Let it be an example to what else I may take; come my army must march.”

What had she done, where had this all gone so wrong? She had no choice now for her children's sake. “My king!” her voice waivered, a surprise to her it’s normal resonance gone.

Sombra stopped, but did not turn. “My King… where will my ar…your army march?” she asked, expecting retribution.

“Why, the Dragonlands of course” he growled continuing towards the exit as his new army, led by their broken queen followed suite.

Chapter 4: Should have seen it coming

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Chapter 4: Should have seen it coming.

Three days had passed since she had ceased to be queen, three day since she was now forced to stare at a face she hoped never to see again when she looked at her own reflection. Three days since her own children looked at her with a dread mix of fear, confusion and worst of yet; Hunger. She shivered and drew her winter gown close around her; at least her coat served better in this environment than her chitin would have. Turning from the shallow pool of water she looked at her surroundings; The Dragonlands.
She honestly didn’t know much about this place, there may have been a time once when that was different; but when Sombra, she swallowed quickly remembering the bindings she now bore, when King Sombra had violated her mind he to tear this form, her original form from the depths of her memory he had not exactly been gentle about it. What was before her didn’t engender any feelings of deja vue or nostalgia. Cold, snow bound and overly grey from volcanic ash that somehow remained airborne even as the volcanos that surrounded them lay dormant; or maybe she was just too tired to tell; they had been marching for three days. Her King didn’t seem to tire, he rarely stopped for food or water and other than the barked order once and awhile he hadn’t spoken to her since they had left the hive.

She broke into a trot, having fallen behind the main group they had been headed down hill for the past six hours now that she was actually curious, she could see objects poking from the ash and snow shrouded valley that as she got closer; became what was clearly their destination dilapidated spires of elegant and jagged design. A City? Did the Dragons even live in cities? She felt like she may have once known this; whatever King Sombra had damaged on his mental rampage prevented her from pulling the answer. Instead she was greeted with an image of Princess Celestia, smiling at her? Chrysalis shook her head causing viridian locks to whip about and agitating a few of her children as she past them. She hated Celestia, didn’t she? Yes, anger at her and Shining Armor the Captain of her guard, no, wait. That wasn’t right…Twilight Sparkle? No that was the Earth Pony that catered the wedding. Was it? Wedding? Was she married? No! Maybe?

Tears stung at her eyes as she desperately tried to will her memories back into order, her trot became a full gallop as if she could escape the chaos in her own head. She didn’t notice that King Sombra had stopped, she didn’t notice the large rock next to him, until she barreled head first into it only to fall back on her haunches stunned. When her senses returned to her, she saw King Sombra staring at her, a look of displeasure on his face; she cringed memories of his violation still very clear. He was going to do it again! He turned towards the valley; looking into the murk for what she didn’t know. Perhaps she should ask? Surely he wouldn’t slight her for being curious, would he?

She cringed as power surged from him, eyes ablaze with dark magic parting the grey as if it was the sea. Airborne detritus pulled away she gasped; it was like nothing she had seen, not that in her current state had she seen it before could she remember. Massive towers pulled up from a cooled lava bead; homes, shops and other structures of stone and brass sat in various states of disrepair on a scale far larger than anypony could ever hope to use. She focused, trying to search for something that she may have once known; all that she could muster was the image of a large winged reptile, snake like, a large mouth with far too many teeth, beaded eyes four limbs ending in sharp claws. Was that a Dragon? Couldn’t be, wasn’t large enough to live in this…Then again, from the looks of things, nothing had lived in this for a very long time.

King Sombra returned to his trek down, the parted mist revealing what appeared to be more or less pony sized stairs. Well, it was now or never; never was a really good idea.

“My King, what is this place?” her voice quivered in dread anticipation of the punishment to come.

“Its name was lost before my first birth; all I know is that it was the capital of the dragons.” He growled, not at her at least; she did take note that his features softened ever so slightly as he began what she could only call a lecture. “Before I was king, I read a great deal about it, long before Discord, before the three tribes even knew much of each other; the Dragons ruled this world.” He stopped to test a portion of the stairs that seemed ready to collapse; assured that it would not. “My world.” he continued.

“By my first time, they were already a race at the end of a long decline; unaware of their own greatness of their power or once home. Even of their own origins.” He stopped to look over the ancient metropolis. “And in time, they even fell from themselves.” His mood darkened again, prompting her to continue the rest of the descent in silence. What did he mean they fell from themselves? Maybe they had memory issues too; if only Luna was here, she would understand. Wait, what? Princess Luna? Why would she want her here? She hesitated, stopping in place for a moment. Why wouldn't she want her here?

Her confusion was quickly becoming far more terrifying than her King’s wrath. It was one thing to be stripped of a title, another to be robbed of ones brood; but still far worse to be stripped of ones very identity. Lost in thought she hadn’t noticed they had reached the bottom of the stairs that had emptied out into a large circular court of etched bronze. King Sombra moved to the center, brushing away centuries of cover.

“Bow!” he shouted, the force of his words caused her bindings to glow; her children did as he instructed they bowed. She however, did not. She knew she was playing with fire, she wasn’t sure why she was doing it; but it felt right. He would have to ask twice! Not that he would, why was she doing this again?

He hadn’t noticed, he was focusing his power for something, she could see that clearly. She slowly inched towards him, he was still focusing. But for what? A dead city? Something inscribed in the brass court?

“I call you out! Ancient Six, Of Fire, of Ice, Of Sky and Stone! I call you Of Day and of Night! I call you here and now, I call you before me by ancient pacts and promises set in oldest stone and youngest tree! I call you before me Lords of Three above and Three below! Parlay I seek! Parlay you shall grant, for the soul before you stands strong! Not weak!”

She was knocked back by the force of his words, magically enhanced words at that. His baritone had become as thunder blowing many of her children away from their prone positions while blasting away the covering of the court revealing a massive mural of six giant creatures; not that her attention was on that at the moment, the king now stood still, ear cocked listening. For what? The city was dead and had been for a long time as he had implied. She was about to speak when the world shook. Earthquake? No, Thunderstorm? No lighting. Two pairs of giant glowing eyes coming from the darkness of the city streets, each alone the size of a small mountain, well yes that is what was approaching. Wait, what? She went rigid.

Sure enough, from the ashen shadows of the city streets, north and west came two pairs of great glowing eyes. The eyes where attached to two creatures, two very large creatures. Two truly titanic creatures; more feline in gait than serpentine. The first to emerge from the shadows as of crimson scale; though time had left many of them cracked and muted, something about how it walked told her that it was female. Dark horns swept back from the crown of its beaked head as it lumbered forth on four limbs, each ending in claw that could have held dozens of her children with room to spare. The second, broader of build, most likely male; but none the less ancient was a similar creature of silver scale. It also had horns, of a gentler curve but no beak, what appeared to be lips twisted into an amused smile graced the creatures head, as a massive fine ran along it’ back to the end of its tail. Both creatures had wings, both creatures where much bigger than what her ragged memory told her a dragon was.

They chose that moment to speak; the forcing her to muster all her strength to keep standing as the world trembled at their words.
“Such pretense in our mausoleum; it has been some time since we have been shown such respect.” The silver one sounded as if it was about to burst in to laughter.

“It is what we deserve; but not enough for your life…” The red ones tone started lyrical before promptly dropping to a threat, causing the silver one to roll his eyes.

“What could they possibly offer us Kalistastradikalament? A new cheese from Canterlot? Or do you require new drapes from Neighpon?” The snark from the silver one was practically a physical force, the red one, Kalistastradikalament; flinched in anger as if she had been struck.

“You maybe content in our nadir Silrandoramubandostrom; but I am not. We are owed a gift of memory, visions from beyond our kingdom.” The red one, even thinking her name put Chrysalis’s mind in a loop; she turned to look at King Sombra expecting him to use a show of force any moment only to find him waiting nonplussed, patiently for the two giant being to once again acknowledge him.

What was he getting at; she wanted to know as fear crept back into her heart. She wasn’t stupid, but once again she was all too aware of the state of her memory; what good was mental capability without reliable memory? She must have known something of these at some point in her long life…Has she lived long? Yes she was sure of that; she had to have she remembered, remembering much; too much. Lost in her own thoughts she remained oblivious to the ground shaking dialogue between the two dragons and the armored pony who summoned them.

“Agreed then.” Sombra’s deep growl cut the frigid air and her concentration like a knife. “I doubt I could offer jewel or coin of interest; but perhaps you would enjoy experiences of the lands beyond.” The two dragons gave Sombra a look as one would give a slow child; unexpectedly not gaining a glare or retaliation for the slight from him other than an annoyed exhalation.

“I offer you the memory of the one thing you can never experience.” She wasn't sure what he meant by that; or exactly how to read the bizarre contortion on the scaled faces before them; shock, maybe?

“And what experience, pray tell; little pony could you possibly offer us; who were old when the world was young; who once drove the heavens with our claws; who built cities when those whom would become your kind did yet crawl from the seas with Gaia’s blessing.” The Silver one was surely going to burst into laughter at any moment.

“Change. True change; change only possible by joy felt with guilt and failure made possible by success.” Sombra was grinning now, something was wrong; well more wrong than normal Chrysalis decided given recent events.

Whatever he was getting at, he had their attention now as they looked from him to her. What was wrong? oh…no… her eyes grew wide as she prepared to flee only to find that Sombra’s bindings held her in place. No, No, No, not again, her heart was trying to escape he chest as panic seized. Sombra’s power blossomed forth; dark tendrils of black magic gathered around the monarch without a kingdom. A smirk; not even a full smile played across the unicorns face.

Her blood froze as she once again felt his mind slip into hers unwelcome and once again, felt her body refuse to scream, her legs go stiff as she fought with every shred of her being to hold onto what little coherent memory as her perception fell into pain and chaos managing, impossibly a single word, a single plea.

“Help…”

No answer came

***

Appejack arched her back until she felt and heard a relaxing pop; then froze, eyes darting around to see if anpony in the ritzy ballroom that stood elevated off the ground on the south side of the Ponyville Palace had noticed; not that she really cared, but even after three days of what she called rest she still wasn’t up to dealing with Rarity’s dramatics if she caught wind of it. Thankfully, the ponies around her hadn’t noticed; which meant no talking too from the prissy pony. Small Favors she smirked, making her way towards the open bar stiffly thanks to the dress she had been talked into wearing shortly after collapsing from exhaustion days earlier. Trotting up past a trio of gossiping Unicorns, from Canterlot no doubt from their accent and too caught up in there chatter to notice anything short of Discord. She tapped a hoof on bar to get the attention of the barpony doing her best to sound like she was having a good time. “Howdy; what’s on tap?”

If the barpony took exception to how she sounded or her tone he hid it well smiling at her as he placed used glasses in a wooden cart. “Nothing on tap at this bar Lady Applejack; but we do have spirits and beverage from all over in bottles.”

She sighed at the title as he brought over a drink menu. “Thank you kindly, but ah’d appreciate it if you’d drop that lady nonsense, I ain’t anypony special.” The barpony looked confused, he was young; maybe five or so years older than Applebloom. Then it clicked, first job. “ah’ll have some of the Dodge Junction Cherrywine.” He nodded and dropped behind the bar to fetch her order while she turned to look over the party celebrating the arrival of some royal whose-whats-it.

It wasn’t a bad party as far as they went, Pinkie Pie had outdone herself; upbeat music filled the hall from the local big band performers with Pinkie herself providing the vocals. Streamers of silk and glitter sprinkled balloons bobbed lazily from every table. Ponies from Manehatten, Canterlot, Fillidelpia, Los Pegasus and half a dozen other places mingled with those from Ponyville. The party was swanky, but had that Pinkie Pie flair; Applejack was right proud of the eccentric mare. “Your drink, Lady App..Uh, Miss Applejack.” The barpony slid her a crystal glass with a smile. “Anything else?”

She leaned into the bar before balancing the glass on her hoof. “Nope, Much obliged though!” She dropped a few bits into his tip jar from one of the pockets Rarity had reluctantly sewn into her old grand galloping galla dress.

“Thank you Ma’am; I’ll leave the bottle for you.” The Barpony vanished again behind the bar itself.

Applejack’s tired smirk grew into blank smile as she took a sip from her drink. If somepony had told her years ago that she would be standing in a crystal tree, as a celebrity, in a dress she’d have called them plum crazy. She looked back over the party; rightly, it was in full swing after all Celestia had just lowered the sun. Rarity was in the corner entertaining the attentions of half a dozen ponies with her dress and no doubt being might entertained by their attention herself. Fluttershy was sitting at a table; not alone as one would normally expect to find the timid veterinarian, but rather chatting with Juris Prudence, Ponyville’s only judge. Juris was a fine old pony, his thick glasses always amused Applejack; waxing nostalgic how he had seemed old when he first came to Ponyville on the same train that brought her back from Manehatten. Good Girl Fluttershy; she may not agree with Fluttershy defending Discord before the high magistrates in Canterlot, but she respected her for sticking to her guns and seeking advice. Juris would be good for that, he had been a major player in Manehatten courts for decades before his quasi-retirement.

Twilight Sparkle and Rainbow Dash where easy to spot at the far end of the dining hall, standing with Princess Luna greeting various ponies of supposed importance. Applejack quickly took a gulp of her drink, this was really good wine, She had to keep from laughing. Rainbow Dash looked bored out of her mind in the fancy dress uniform that Rarity had at some point found time to make while helping the reconstruction. Twilight looked right gorgeous herself, clearly enjoying chatting with another bookish pony. No doubt over something in a dusty book somewhere. Twilight deserved a night of enjoyment; though she knew her friend would have preferred a book and cup of coffee. As a princess she had saved Equestria, Had a loving marefriend, two amazing adopted children; her son Spike who had recently shot up a foot and a half, naturally thankfully her mind floating back to the odd greed inspired growth spurt. Her Daughter, Scootaloo who was zipping around the legs of the larger attendees with her own sister and Sweetie Belle was happy; which was good for both ponies.

“Can you believe it? First Princess Mi Amore Candenza gets married to the Lord High Marshal and now Princess Twilight Sparkle is involved with her own Captain!” Applejack’s ears twitched at the sound of a trio of the unicorns that had been by the bar the whole time; Gossip, ugh, that shot her smile down to a frown. Rarity should really practice her teleportation magic so she could take Applejacks place by the bar. This was really good wine.

“He wasn’t the Lord High Marshal when she married him, only the captain of the Canterlot Royal Guard.” Another remarked, there was some venom in it. Sweet Celestia, couldn’t the pony have left out the attitude?

“Oh yes, only the captain of the Canterlot Royal Guard; just like Princess Twilight Sparkle is only involved with her captain and one of the elements of harmony.” The pony put too much emphasis on “only” and sounded might proud of herself for stating the obvious. Applejack couldn’t take much more; maybe she could pull Rainbow Dash away from Twilight for a bit to chat…after another glass of wine; she eyed the bottle.

“Speaking of the elements did you see the dresses designed by Rarity?” that elicited a pair of enthusiastic “mm-hmms” Applejack really head to get away from the bar.

“Oh my yes, anypony would find themselves hard pressed to believe she was still just a commoner; but there can be diamonds in the rough I suppose.” Applejack gritted her teeth, forcing down another gulp of her wine. Who did these ponies think they were? And why wasn’t she leaving the bar to escape the pettiness they generated? Oh yeah, the wine. Another glass emptied down the orange ponies throat.

“Oh I do so agree; it’s not as obvious with Rarity and Fluttershy, at least they minor celebrities in fashion circles. But the other three? Please; no amount of fame or royal favor can uplift them. I have no idea why Princess Twilight tolerates them.” Tolerates? Really? Applejack went to take another drink, empty; good thing the bottle was still present for her to refill the glass. She may have done something might stupid if it wasn’t.

“Oh yes the fat pink one; well she does throw excellent parties at least when she’s acting her age; and she does fill out that dress incredibly well.” Applejack took another gulp, Pinkie Pie wasn’t fat by any stretch; sure she carried a few pounds but what can you expect from someone who spent years working as a confectioner? Another gulp, and her age? Sure, Pinkie was a handful at times; but that was just uncalled for.

“Then there is that brute of a farm pony.” The stuck up pony chuckled. “One is hard pressed to recognize that the rube is in fact a mare I mean, she’s got the assets and figure beneath all that all that unsightly muscle.” Heh, they thought she had a nice figure. She had to admit, that was funny. Applejack poured more wine into her glass.

“Then there is that idiot Rainbow Dash; she is an athlete. oh yes, but I heard that she never finished any formal education! It truly does speak to the undesirable aspects of Princess Twilight’s personality that she obviously chose a consort just to make herself feel smarter.” Right then, something might stupid it was then.

Applejack slammed one hoof down on the bar, with a touch too much strength; sending a crack down the center of the polished wood and the party into silence. “Now ya’ll listen hear; Ah, Don’t care much for what yer saying about my friends.”

She picked up the bottle and waved the neck at the three Unicorns, uncaring that the entire ballroom was staring. The unicorns seemed to be caught between fear and shock. Applejack didn’t notice, she was too focused on the mares before her. She didn’t care about the insults lumped on her or for their petty games of status. But by all the princesses in Equestria she was tired; and maybe even tipsy. But even if she wasn’t she wouldn’t have left any insult go onto her friends unchallenged.

“Ah’n who the hay do ya’ll think you are? Pinkie Pie ain’t fat, it’s called be’in ah-live, unlike you cahdavers strut’n round these parts with ya’lls bones pop’n out five ways tah Sunday.” She just normally wasn’t this showy about standing up.

“Ah’n you!” she jabbed the bottle at the center of the three unicorns. “Rarity an’ Fluttershy have more class in what they do in ah’n outhouse than ya’ll got in yer entire skinny plot!” She heard Rairty faint at the comparison. That was pretty darn funny, she’d laugh later. It was still time for more things might stupid despite every voice in hear head telling her to buck the Tartarus up.

“An’ don’tcha’ll dare speak ill of Twilight or Rainbow Dash. They’ got each other; they got children an’ they got their friends.” She narrowed her eyes snorting steam down, towering over three who had earned her wrath.

“That last’un is something I reck’on ya’ll don’t know hide nor hair about!” Now they looked positively terrified, their legs trembled; Applejack stopped, not for the first time in her life she felt revulsion at herself both physically and for her behavior. She looked down at the bar, the crack was bad, she had only used a hoof and ruined something that most likely cost more than half of the farm house. She looked at the shallow mares before her, or rather down at them. She was a full head taller than them, and could in all likelihood weigh in more than all of them combined. She then looked at the stunned party goes; somewhere dealing with Rarity, but most stood at her mouths agape.

“Ah’m sorry everypony, if ya’ll pardon me…” She grabbed the bottle of Cherrywine and moved swiftly to the closest door; ponies parting to give her a wide birth. Might stupid indeed.

“Did you see that?”

“So violent, so unlady like”

“Why didn’t the guards throw her out?”

“Was that a mare?”

“See just like I said a brute.”

Applejack passed through the doors into the cool night air; letting them shut behind her, glad at least they would hide the forming tears in her eyes from her unfortunate audience. The music, muffled resumed from beyond the closed barrier. Consarn it; she looked at the bottle in her hoof; fighting, unsuccessfully back the tears. She didn’t care, she didn’t care what they thought of her, and she didn’t care how she looked. She had her Family, her friends, her farm…She caught her reflection in the bottle, she was a mare; the insults had managed to hit home. Sure life on the farm had taken a pudgy little filly and turned her into one of the strongest ponies she knew, but at what cost? Was she really that brutish?

No, damn it, not her thoughts, she didn’t care, she didn’t want to care. The hurled the bottle off the balcony in anger. Who was she fooling; she knew they were right. She was right too. She didn’t care; most of the time, but every mare liked to be told they looked all pretty once in a while, right?

“Now that looked expensive.” An amused voice that she could describe as rusty barn door broke her out of her momentary trap of self-loathing.

***

For the first time since her performance, she looked up and around. The door she had apparently chosen was to a balcony; an unfortunately occupied balconey. Occupied by a single steel grey pegasus stallion; who was looking at her with what she could only describe as a “kick me in the face” grin.

“Horseapples.” She muttered.

“I was going to go with Ponyfeathers myself, especially if the bottle had hit me.” He turned away from her and threw his fore legs over the edge of the balcony looking out over Ponyville.

“Ah’ll just be go’in now; didn’t want to be trouble’n anypony.” Applejack hung her head; unmoved by the clear amusement of the stallion.

“Oh no trouble at all, I thought you were coming out here to drag me back in.” the sound of glass on crystal grating perked her ears as the pegasus pushed a decanter of what she instantly recognized as hard apple cider into view.

“Want a sip? I don’t think you really want to be going back through the party, unless you have wings under that dress.” The stallion wasn’t mocking her; but it still got under her coat.

“Ah’n why wouldn’t ah want to head back in? Did you see the mess ah made? Gonna give me yer two bits?” She bit her lower lip before marching, as well as she could in the dress up to the grey pegasus, noting his cutie mark a book in front of what looked like a hammer and wrench. She snorted ready, she was angry; she wanted nothing more than to buck someone right now. He turned emerald eyes looking straight into her own; he was tall, not as tall as Big Mac but enough to look her in the eye.

“Nope, been out here all night. I just guessed you wouldn’t want to go back in with teary eyes. Then again if you’re a performer it might be part of your act.” He smirked turning back to the town, apparently amused at his own sarcastic quip.

Applejack blushed. “Sorry ‘bout that. Ah don’t do well at these things.” She took his offer, downing a small amount of the cider, the familiar taste while not as luxurious as the Cherrywine soothed her.

“So was that bottle expensive?” The stallion asked not tearing his eyes from the town below; streets torn up to make ready for piping, some buildings covered in scaffolding hiding their still worked upon facades like a brides veil before a wedding.

“Ah reck’n it was.” She muttered suddenly even more self-conscious about her outburst.

“Well, this isn’t, but I’d appreciate it if you didn’t throw it. I’m not blitzed yet.” He chuckled, a sound only slightly less harsh than his normal speaking voice.

“heh” she couldn’t help but smile.

“Oh you can smile? Good I was starting to worry I was some kind of crazy pony.” He took the decanter from her and took a sip himself as she broke into a meek laugh herself.

“That’s still up in the air Ah imagine.” She nudged him, playfully; in the ribs, her tears drying with his humor.

He raised his hooves in the air. “Oh well then! My insane plan to remain unseen for the night has clearly been exposed!” he mockingly put a hoof on his pectoral. “Oh whatever will I do!” He was cracking up at his own faux theatrics.

“Pass the cider.” She deadpanned; shaking her head, then she softened. “Thank you.” As he passed the decanter back over along with his handkerchief.

“Not a problem. The balcony of solitude can fit one more pony I think.” He made an exaggerated motion of looking around the empty sitting area. “Yeah, maybe just one more.” He was clearly an expert at amusing himself.

“Well, Ah thank you again.” She smiled. “So what are you do’in out here in the first place?”

He turned back to look at the town. “I don’t do well at these parties, to many ponies with their noses too far stuck up their own nethers.” He pointed out her distant farm. “That’s more my style.”

“Ah do declare.” She nearly spit up the cider. “Ah Pegasus who likes farms? Ah thought ya’ll had your heads in the clouds.” She froze, had her mouth gotten ahead of her?

“Well, Cloud farms are certainly a thing.” He was smiling; that was good she relaxed and put the decanter down waiting for him to take a drink.

“Ah suppose they are, ain’t ever seen one though. Ah do know how you feel; Ah ain’t cut for these shindigs. Ah mean this whole mess was thrown for some whose-whats-it stallion from Manehatten who jus’ happens to be a royal agent or some such non-sense.” She tapped her hooves in frustration on the crystal railing.

“yeah! What kind of pony has a party thrown for them just for arriving that demands visitors from all over equestira?” he took his drink passing the almost empty vessel back.

“Darn toot’n!” she downed the last of the cider. “Ah hear he’s some big shot engineer or some such, Ah haven’t had the chance to make his acquaintance yet. Ah reckon he’s here to speed things up and generally give Rarity a headache.” She couldn’t help but laugh at the thought of the priss dealing a boring academic with no sense of style. Her head shot strait up nearly sending her hat flying. “Oh mah stars, Ah beg yer pardon Ah didn’t even introduce mahself!”

The pegasus turned to her made a face that wouldn’t be out of place on Ditzy Doo. “I’m going to go out on a limb here; and I could be wrong. After all, I don’t live under a rock and I’ve heard of an amazing invention, called the newspaper! I think that you just might Applejack, Element of Honesty, Owner of Sweet Apple Acres and as of tonight bane of wine bottles.” He broke into laughter; this pony was his own entertainment and audience apparently. That in itself was entertaining, at least to her.

“Hardy, har har. Ah suppose ah walked into that. Ahll right, who are you then?” She adjusted her dresses matching hat, not wanting to lose it, after all then she’d have to sacrifice another work hat for Rarity to turn into a dress hat.

The pegasus extended his wings stiffly, feigning seriousness; then took a bow. “Oh me? I’m just big shot engineer…or some such. But you can call me whose-whats-it.” That was it, he collapsed from the bow into righteous laughter, maybe he was a mad pony after all. Applejack on the other hand was beat red under her coat having apparently humiliated herself twice in the same evening.

“Oh Horseapples.”

Author's Notes:

Chapter 4 is up! The Plot, well the stories plot moves forward!

Sorry about the delay this week, I had nasty reaction to the radiation this time around.

I still don't have an editor, so please, please if you find issues point them out. Also please comment! I like to hear what people think :)

I had a lot of fun writing this chapter, once again because of the villains. Sombra is interesting to write because he's a blank slate; and because of what he's doing to Chrysalis I'm able to take her personality in new directions while holding on to that "queen-ness" is that a word? it is now, just like Quizibuck. I don't intend to redeem Sombra in this story; but I do plan to explore his motivations in greater detail. After all the best villains are the ones you agree with; as for Chrysallis I have thoughts for her in the outline.

S.B. Worth, my character; makes his second appearance; I've never written fan fiction before so I'm looking forward to the challenge of making him an interesting addition to the story without having him outshine the mane six. After all they are the stars! He's hard to write for, mostly because I feel the need to describe his voice at every appearance, and he's a snarky ass (Snass?). I always end up re-writing his dialog because I'm trying to make sure his jokes aren't funny, but the fact that he's amused by them are.

OH! and I've made my choice, no anthro tag for this story. I think I can manage it. So once again, thanks for reading, if you find errors please point them out! and enjoy!

Chapter 5: Magnum Expositio

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Chapter 5: Magnum Expositio

The first thing that she noticed as she floated back to awareness was that she had been placed on something very soft and covered with something very warm; the second thing she noticed was that she couldn’t sense her children. She have children? No, that was part of her failure, Rose Hearth had no children. Who was Rose Hearth? Confusion and panic gripped her heart as memories came flooding back at the edges of perception; Celestia, Luna, an Earth Pony in armor, a village on the coast, her body warping, loss, children, a change, younglings…changing younglings, Changelings. Her eyes bolted open wide unseeing as she shot up throwing away at least three layers of blankets; welcoming a biting chill that served to guide her back to reality from the chaos of her own mind.

She was lying in a bed, it was one size too large for her, nest like in shape and while comfortable it was clearly not made for equines. Then the pain in her head came; a searing fire of disjointed and coherent events from the past several days all at once. The invasion of the temporary hive, the violation, the pain, the individual; Sombra. She forced herself on rubber legs to stand, struggling over to the edge of the nest like bed only to have her apparently less than stable legs give out half way over the edge— depositing her unceremoniously in a pile on the stone floor below.

“Your awake.” She had a nauseating sense of deja vue at the rich bass that vocalized the obvious; she felt her bindings glow. She was bound? Was she a prisoner? Yes, yes she was, she knew this. Her head swam as the painfully clear memories she had held moments before threatened to vanish beneath a rising tide of images; a Unicorn in a dress uniform, holding his head in pain, a purple unicorn…waving her hind quarters at Chrysalis? No, a small purple dragon, holding wedding rings, was she married? Celestia’s image returned followed by that earth pony before she was able to beat the memories down clawing at the present.

“There is food and drink on the table next to you, eat. Now.” The command came from the corner of the room near a window that showed a blizzard raging against a ruined dragopolis beyond. They must be in one of the buildings, she surveyed her surroundings; sure enough there a table at eye level on it was a one size to big silver tray. The tray complete with a trio one size too big plates holding a collection of lichens, tomatoes and carrots along with the vegetable fair, a small gilded bowl with caramel drenched apples next to a clear glass filled with some form of cold tea. Next to the table was a wooden door, taller than would be expected for a pony. Opposite of which was a bookshelf, filled to the brim with volumes, several clearly missing, whose exterior titles had been lost to times unending, well; mostly unending advance.

“If you will not eat the food I conjured for you willingly, I will force it down your throat.” The threat came without anger or malice; stated as a fact from the armored pony in the corner, he was seated at a desk one size to large and had before him a note book and several of what was clearly the missing books from the shelf. The sight would have been comical if not for who he was. She shuddered, pausing before the food as her body was wracked with tremors, she was back in the hive, her children dying; no a castle? Not the castle of the Royal Pony Sisters, not enough stone. Their where other ponies here, some kind of insects had them prisoner! She knew the purple one, Twlight Dash? Her friends, Appleshy? Rainbow Pie? Where those even names? She shook her head no, no that wasn’t right. She plucked one of the tomatoes off the plate and began to eat while she set to work on her memories; lest she earn the wrath of Sombra once again. She froze, seeing if he reacted to her forgetting his title even within her own mind. No change, he continued to flip pages and make notes.

She paced herself as she ate; something was different about her. She wasn’t healing from the violations inflicted upon her, but she also wasn’t as terrified of the Unicorn King as she once had been. The thought of what he was capable of however, while lacking terror did make her stomach threaten to rebel despite the food she was eating…food she was eating. I don’t eat food, do I? No I’m a changeling, I feed off…She shook her head before grabbing a carrot off the tray. Clearly not anymore, the food she was eating was sating her hunger; perhaps this along with the changes wracked by King Sombra. She pushed the revelation from her mind; after all she always did enjoy meal time, since when? No, Focus Rose. Who’s Rose? Chrysalis, you are Chrysalis. She slaked her a growing thirst with the tea, it was bittersweet; a flavor she apparently liked because she greedily from the glass once she discovered the taste.

The Unicorn in uniform was Shining Armor, yes that sounded correct. He was the captain of Celestia’s guard? That rank didn’t sit well with her; but she felt it was close. Bulwark Tower would have died centuries ago, so this Shining Armor could be the captain; who was Bulwark Tower? Why did she feel so sad when the name came to mind? She chewed the lichen, it was tasteless but its texture provided an opportune distraction from her tumultuous emotions. She had tried to take over Equestria, she was about to question herself why; when her vision momentarily swam with the sight of her children laying on the ground, desiccated and dying. Clearly, she had failed. She finished off the last of the vegetables and eyed the caramel coated apples. That failure had in some way, landed her in her current predicament; the details where lost to her; what was found, however was that she apparently had a sweet tooth as she practically attacked the Caramel Apples finishing the entire bowl in moments.

“I will be sending three of your children back to the Crystal Empire. Pick the three most expendable, I do not expect all three to return.” Her blood froze, the sweet treat in her mouth lost its allure at King Sombra’s declaration.

“My King?” her voice cracked, and sounded softer; was she still changing? He didn’t bother turning to her, if any reaction to her question was made, it was lost in the scratching of a quill on the open notebook.

“I know full well your hearing has been unaffected by my spells, Do as I say or I will kill a handful of the changelings to inspire volunteers.” The neutral tone he took as he nonchalantly told her of his intent to murder her children flushed her cheeks in anger.

“Do you take perverse pleasure in torturing me? Is my suffering not enough? Now you must torment my children who are dependent on you for sustenance?” The scratching of his quill stopped, his shoulders previously relaxed went strait. “My King.” She added quickly; seemingly defusing his anger as he gently closed the books and turned to face her.

“Pleasure in tormenting you? None.” He stated; for the first time since she had been conscripted she found herself looking at an expression other than his previous go too three of wrath, arrogant laughter, and his default scowl. Exhaustion, King Sombra was tired. “Do I take pleasure in succeeding? What pony doesn’t?” he continued.

“I have lived a very long time; I have died twice, and lived again. I take pleasure in very little Chrysallis. Your suffering, the suffering of your children, means nothing to me as it is a tool to reach my goals.” He levitated the quill between them. “Every time I laugh, every expression I make, every breath I allow you to take; serves my purposes. Do not mistake my candor for camaraderie; like you, like fear, like this quill, like suffering, it is a tool. A means to my end.” He returned the quill to the desk and approached her. She did her best to put on a brave front, her legs shook and ears laid flat in defiance of her wishes. He wasn’t yelling, condemning or threatening her; but somehow this calm, neutral King Sombra was worse than the sadist who had enslaved her.

He stopped before her. “If my goal requires me to kill a filly, the youth will die quickly. If my goal requires the child to die painfully, oh, will they suffer? Oh yes. You see Chyrsallis, One Life, one thousand lives are meaningless to me.” He leaned in close, she could smell his breath; a black mix of mint and brimstone. “Do my means justify my ends? Most certainly not, even to a heart as black as mine. But they are necessary, they are needed; and that is why I am King.” The mention of his titled caused a flare of black magic to play between his eyes and horn.

“Now go. Choose three changelings.” He turned to take his place back at the desk. “You will instruct them to preform two tasks.” He opened the books he had been so engrossed in. “The first; I will need them to create the illusion of an imminent threat. Second I need them to make the threat ambiguous as possible, they must convince the populace that everything from a gryphon invasion to even my return is possibly occurring; while giving the military just enough evidence to deploy to that region.”

Chrysalis nodded slowly turning to the massive door which interestingly enough swung open easily with her magic; but paused before leaving. “One question if I may, My King.” She looked back over her shoulders at the scholarly tyrant.

“Yes?” he didn’t even bother looking at her.
“My Lord, Why warm bed? Why the lavish meal?” Her voice cracked again, she resigned herself to the fact that her voice as a particular facet of her dignity maybe lost forever.

“I am no fool Chrysalis. You are tool, a slave for me to do with as I please; but it is a poor craftsmen who does not maintain his tools.” He stated it as if was obvious with only the slightest hint of annoyance creeping into his neutral voice.

“I…I understand my King.” She really didn’t, but she needed to get away from him even for only a little while; and though it pained her to do so, the task of choosing three of her brood to die far from their brothers and sisters was the only thing that would achieve said distance.

Now if only she knew if they'd listen.

***

Spike didn’t have many complaints; if he had to think of three at any time they normally came to be the same three. One; there was never enough coffee in the morning. Two; Rarity was somehow, amazingly to resist his charms. And three; Twilight’s penchant for record keeping was clearly giving him a case of carpel claw. Right now, he was strongly considering adding a fourth; boredom. He sighed and shifted the scroll to a blank portion, half listening to the discussion of the three ponies before him yet capturing everything they said in written Equish with a flawless attention gained only from years of being Twilight Sparkle’s faithful, number one assistant. He’d rather be outside with Rainbow Dash who while a permanent resident of the castle excused herself from all duties unless needed, hence being outside; Applejack who had stayed the night after the incident the night before, and Scootaloo his pegasus sister. They were apparently trying to help the filly learn to fly.

Key word, Spike thought; apparently.

“Now Listen hear you…you…churlish buzzard! My reorganization of Ponyville’s remaining streets is nothing short of fabulous! To think you would dare insinuate that it is anything but; is…is. Hrmph!” Rarity was clearly upset, Spike didn’t blame her even as he raised a scaled brow and faithfully recorded the entire tirade.

“Fabulous, that’s a word, not one I would use here, but a word, your street design doesn’t leave enough space for street lamps, you those dreadful things that give every pony light at night?” Spike gritted his teeth, partly for how their “guest” was talking to Rarity and second the just awful sound that passed for the grey Pegasus’s voice; it was like two uncut gemstones grinding together.

“Why I never, the nerve! Next I suppose you’ll want to tear up the streets we just finished paving! For some, some thing!.” The white unicorn let out the smallest huff before turning her nose skyward. Spike made note of that too, then looked out the window again while Rarity made her various noises of displeasure. Rainbow Dash had Applejack running below her as she help Scootaloo airborne; they had a secured a rope around her and if Spike had to guess it looked like they were getting ready to pull the filly along like a kite.

“Well yes, from what I can tell you didn’t replace any of the fresh water pipes; half of the ponies need to make trips to the water well in the park. I suppose that is a small price to pay for your lovely plan?” S.B. Worth tapped his hoof down on the city diagram and mess of blueprints that lay before them. “And don’t get me started, you pulled down half of what few power lines Ponyville had; without those lines we can’t resume reconstruction south of the main square because the buildings are simply too far apart to string Arcanelectrical lines across for power.”

Spike’s claw had resumed writing before he pulled his head way from what was going on outside; whatever it was he wasn’t sure he wanted to know…Where they using his adopted Sister as a kite? If that’s how you learned to fly he was glad he didn’t have his wings yet. “Those ugly things? Surely there is a better way to provide power to the citizens of Ponyville. After all they are such a por shade of black that clashes with the new tiles on the roof.” Rarity was looking at S.B, Worth as if he was some kind of monster then shifting to Twilight who had and still was been sitting silently looking over the plans brought by S.B. and the sketches drawn by one of her best friends over the course of the morning.

“Twilight you can’t be serious about letting this, this ruffian spider web our fair home with those garish cables!” her voice wavered as if she was about to collapse at the concept.

“Well Rarity, Mr. Worth has a point.” Twilight levitated a diagram off the table. Spike made note mentally, that S.B. had smug written all over his face when his adoptive mother first spoke, one that he was glad to say went away with what she said next. “But, Rarity was put in charge of the reconstruction for a reason.” The princess turned to the pegasus her voice taking on a the I’m the princess this is how it will be tone she had manifested time and again since the Everfree Forest had invaded a year ago.

“Princess your not suggesting that we forgo civil utilities?” S.B.’s eyes grew wide, possibly in regards to both Twilight’s apparent siding with Rarity or the fact that he had so incredulously. The latter Spike may have added to the record for his own amusement; not to mention a jab at S.B. for how he had been talking to Rarity since the discussion went south midmorning.

“Not at all Mr. Worth, what I am saying is find a way to reconcile Ponyville’s civic needs with Rariy’s aesthetic design. I wouldn’t have agreed to have you in town if it wasn’t for your known reputation to the other princesses and your track record. Now…” Spike’s higher attention wandered again, he resumed looking out the window. Applejack and Rainbow Dash had seemingly abandoned their Scootaloo a Kite plan and had taken to resting on the grass with the bright orange filly who had the largest smile on her face that he had seen in sometime, His face contorted to into a grin of his own; she had every reason to be happy given the drastic changes between her life before and what it was now. Scootaloo had spent her formative years with abusive parents, followed by them attempting to pawn her off as labor for strong drink, he shuddered at the thought of parents so callous. Luckily she had escaped, and in time made her way to Ponyville where she had lived as a squatter in various empty homes while attending school. He remembered that cold winter night, when thanks to Bulk Biceps, temporarily skipping town to compete in the Equestria’s Strongest Pony Competition, Ponyville had been hit by a particularly intense blizzard. Now, normally that wouldn’t have been much cause for concern. Truthfully for the town itself it wasn’t; but what Bulk could not have known, what anyone couldn’t have known is that this was one night when Scootaloo couldn’t find a vacant home to break into.

She had been found, half frozen, half dead; by all rights by Rainbow Dash shortly after she and Twilight had figured out that they wanted to be more than friends, something he had picked up on much earlier thank you very much, he almost laughed again at that very factual realization and made yet another mental note to tease Twilight about it at earliest presented opportunity. Turning to gaze at Twilight, the closest thing to a mother he had ever known; he couldn’t resist his smile changing from innocent nostalgia to something more mischievous. Maybe next time those two got lovey dovey; oh yeah, he could see it now, Twilight would get flustered at his jab and Rainbow Dash would start to stammer into incoherency until he eventually lost control and broke into an open chuckle.

“Something funny Spike?” Twilight’s voice broke him abruptly out of his fantasy sending the quill streaking to the side of the parchment he was writing on.

“Gah.” A quick response and an equally quick lick of the thumb by his leathery tongue followed by a vigorously abrasive rub on the sheet corrected the blunder. “N-Nothing Twilight! Just day dreaming!” The Alicorn eyed him for a few agonizingly long seconds, had she developed mind reading powers? Could Alicorn’s do that? Scratch that, could Twilight do that? Spike stared blankly back at his mother, then his eyes darted around the room desperate for something else to think about in the off chance she could read his mind. Door? No. AJ and Rainbow? Gone inside with Scootaloo. Chandelier? Hungry now, great. Rarity’s hindquarters? Now that had possibilities…

“Spike!” his head snapped back to face Twilight as she called his name, cheeks burning at the possibility of being caught for either distraction, well maybe one more than the other. “Please pay attention, good record keeping is important, ok?” he nodded giving a relived smile. Thank Celestia, she can’t read minds. “And we’re going to have a talk later about these day dreams.” She tilted her head towards Rarity who was busy shuffling through her saddlebags unaware of the gesture. She can read minds!

“Now, back to the issues at hand; Rarity what are you looking for in there?” Twilight’s voice was starting to get a frayed edge; something that either meant a panic attack or that she was getting annoyed. Most likely annoyed given how Rarity and the new comer had been bickering; Spike still reeling from what he believed was a major discovery resumed is notation of the discussion.
“Hmm? Oh just a compact Darling.” The glamorous mare glared daggers at the grey pegasus seated across from her. “Some ponies can bring the worst expressions out in others.” Or what parts of it could be considered a discussion still the dragon sighed.

If S.B. had been insulted by the barb, he didn’t show it. “Now; as you can both see my design for the city square allows plenty of space for gatherings and moves town hall to the north side of the square! The open space will make a marvelous park!” Rarity began to gush over a sketch of the park to be that was held aloft by the tell-tale glow of light blue magic.

“Except for the giant hole in the center where the town archives are currently stored; but what park doesn’t have an exposed basement these days.” S.B. was rubbing his temples with both hooves. “Not to mention the only lot available that is big enough to accommodate Town Hall is this burnt out inn.” He tapped at a table bound diagram. “And that inn; for Celestia knows why was built over the town’s water distribution center. So putting Town Hall their, which will have to be a much larger structure would require filling in the recess.” S.B. reached down with one of his wings, displaying remarkable dexterity, plucked a smaller roll of paper from a saddlebag at the foot of his chair before rolling it out on the table. “Unless you want to magic the water into everyponies home that just won’t work. I think we should move city hall adjacent to Princess Twilight’s place, specifically over the site of the old library.”

Twilight’s ears twitched, Spike froze, the library was still a touchy subject. Partly due to the loss of her long time home and a few treasured belongings; but mostly because Owliscious had yet to return. “Now you listen hear! You can’t just go moving building across town! It will throw off the entire appearance from the sky!” Thank you Rarity, Spike relaxed; while angry her voice had a tendency to become shrill. A perfect distraction from whatever Twilight was thinking.

“Isn’t that exactly what you are suggesting with Town Hall? And from the air really? Rarity; I’m sure your design is fantastic, lovely, fashionable and half a dozen other pretentious adjectives. But at the end of the day, it’s not practical. I’ve been doing this for years; this isn’t like fashion, Rule number 22: Form cannot exist in a vaccum independent of function.” Both mares cocked their heads at the end of his statement.

“Rule 22? Rule 22 of what?” Twilight’s voice had lost its annoyance and entered into what could be a far more dangerous territory for her mood. One that involved Spike fetching books, then spending hours picking them for reshelving. Curiosity. “I’ve read up on civil engineering and infrastructure, I don’t remember a list of rules.”

The Engineer let out a long sigh, seeming to deflate; then turned to Twilight Sparkle. “You won’t find them in any book short of my personal notebook.” He flipped a small leather bound journal from beneath his wing. “I have 331 of them, governing every part of life, my labor, and hobbies as well three plans to help implement them. Now back to the issue of infrastructure…”

“Three Plans?” Twilight cut him off; Spike felt a mix of pleasure at seeing the stallion put on the spot for how he had talked to Rarity and a twinge of sympathy knowing that he was now surely trapped in what was sure to be an endless waterfall of questions. The grey pegasus stared at her for a moment, clearly unsure if she was serious. Then deciding that she was continued.

“Plan A, be honest and work hard. Plan B, find a distraction and fix it fast. Plan C: Panic.” S.B. replaced the journal under his wing before flashing a weak grin. “Rule 71, If you want to know more, let’s get back to business; Rule 145, I’ll tell you more later.” Oh this pony was good, Spike couldn’t help his admiration. If there was one thing Twilight Sparkle couldn’t resist was following rules or instructions laid out in a book, especially if that book was being kept tantalizingly out of her reach.

“I…but…the rules! They sound just like statements! What happens if you break them?” Twilight was leaning over the table as if she could will, well she could if she really wanted, The book back into the open.

“Nope, Rule 71 and 145” S.B. wouldn’t relent apparently; brave pony, or stupid. Spike wasn’t sure. The princess stared for a long moment, then snorted softly.

“Alright, Mr. Worth; you win.” She fell back into her chair crossing her forelimbs. “Since we are returning to the task at hand. I want to point out that I agree with Rarity’s vision for the town.”

S.B.’s mouth dropped open.

“Hah!” Everypony turned to look at Rarity who had unleashed the most unladylike of sounds. “Um, I mean…Excellent choice Twilight, thank you.” The redness in her cheeks was poorly hidden by her pale coat or the wide grin across her immaculate features.

“Princess, as I said earli...” S.B.’s complaint was cut off by Twilight raising a hoof.

“But; you are right, the new Ponyville needs to function. That is why I am tasking not with improving or changing Rarity’s design nor am I tasking Rarity to bend her vision to utilitarian needs of infrastructure; rather I should say I am not tasking either you with anything.” It was Twilight’s turn to smile as both Rarity and S.B. stared at her in confusion. “I am challenging you Mr. Worth to make Rarity’s vision functional. Just as I am challenging Rarity to realize when her vision needs expanding upon to allow it to become real.” The Princess stood up from the table and nodded towards Spike; he was speechless.

He looked at his mother as she approached the door to the meeting room leaving the table behind her; he knew Twilight had it in her to be a great leader, a great princess; but there where still times when she amazed him. In response to the nod he dated the transcription of the entire meeting, well organized bickering, then rolled it for filing. Rarity was beaming, she relished challenges such as this when presented properly; maybe since she’s in such good spirits I can take her to lunch; Spike was grinning again, and thinking about her hindquarters; completely forgetting about his belief in Twilight’s mind reading abilities.

“Princess?” S.B.’s voice sounded drained, to match his appearance. Where Rarity had been energized by the challenge S.B. seemed resigned to it.

“Yes Mr. Worth?” Twilight turned back to face him, noting his demeanor she kept her tone and body language warm. He didn’t respond instantly, eyes staring into space.

“I can do this for you, but I need to ask a favor. If I’m going to make function follow form; I need to look at Ponyville with fresh eyes every day. I can’t stay in the guest suites; I need fresh perspective.”

Twilight and Rarity looked at each other, then to Spike. “I’m sorry Mr.Worth I don’t know where you could stay; the vacant houses are almost all accounted for and I don’t feel comfortable asking one of the townsponies to board you. Not that would help the situation given your request.

” The Princess shifted uncomfortably, just as oblivious as the others in the room to the door opening behind her and a certain farmpony stepping in; seeing the dejected look on the grey pony’s face.

“Ah might be able to do a thing or too ‘bout that.”

***

“Such strange little things wouldn’t you say Silrandoramubandostrom?” Kalistastradikalament in defiance of her great size moved silently amongst the ruins of Toalbroazandodaon; the throne city. Silrandoramubandostrom didn’t bother turning his head to acknowledge his sister; it wasn’t a slight nor would she take it as one. It was merely unnecessary after ten eons of familiar and another six of animosity prior.

“Little as in size or as in importance Kalistastradikalament? We both know intimately how six times, several such fragile creatures changed the world.” Unlike his sister Silrandoramubandostrom didn’t feign much emotion theses millennia; his rumbling voice carried nothing but passing disinterest.

“True; the caged one who controls the insects has some weight to her; as does this King Sombra, though not as much.” Moved next to him on his perch high above the broken towers of their once great home; the smear in her voice when she spoke the magic using ponies name grated on his ears. How fascinating, he was annoyed, when was the last time that happened? Two three aeons ago? Silrandoramubandostrom stretched his awareness back as far as he could without disconnecting his mind from the present, Ah yes; an upstart Drake had dared to attempt to claim his horde and had amassed an army of lesser to help. At the time Silrandoramubandostrom was trying to take a nap; the who distraction had taken only the briefest of centuries but had served to only foul his mood for the next three millennium their after.

“Kalistastradikalament, I thought we decided to ignore each other this epoch?” he deadpanned watching the caged one approach a mass of her children shivering in the cold.

“Was that a joke Silrandoramubandostrom?” She smiled or the close a creature with a beak that could bite the top off a mountain could smile; he indulged her and returned the smile. “I for one welcome this diversion, brief as it maybe it is far superior to waiting for the great hunter to finally catch up to us.”

Kalistastradikalament folded her forelimbs and laid down next to him, resting her head over the edge of the perch watching the caged one move from group of insect to group of insect; they seemed to fear her, at least Silrandoramubandostrom assumed it was fear. If he was honest with himself he didn’t remember fear nor care too. He had known it once of course; not fear of death or destruction, but a far worse fear. That of watching his proud race dwindle…a fear that had been realized. “Time will catch us someday; it caught Talkucarandorika, Azureablecoronas in the heat of battle.”

Kalistastradikalament rolled her eyes as she shook her mighty head; how was it that she still found the energy to express such emotion. “Yes, yes and Solarinvitctianica and Lunarsakcaredthar died to ensure the survival of the world itself by divesting their power at the creators request.” She gave him a coy look. “Do you give time credit for that successful hunt as well?”

“I give time credit for every hunt, even when the prey is as mighty as our children.” Silrandoramubandostrom cocked his head as the caged one managed to get at least one group of the insects to listen to her; he wasn’t an expert on ponies by the scope of his species, but when your attention span was measured in millennium being a novice likely entailed greater knowledge then the sum of entire civilizations. This one was afraid and sad, far from the memories that had been shared by unicorn against her will. Interesting; what was it like to feel two emotions? He found his curiosity generally piqued, a fact that in itself he found stimulating. Was she afraid for her life? Was she sad because she was caged? Oh to feel again.

“Oh brother you used to be so more poetic about everything.” Kalistastradikalament shifted her entire body causing a few rocks to fall from the perch into the city below.

“And you used to be insane.” He mumbled watching the caged one move to yet another group with a single insect in tow.

“Oh come now, it was only for seventy millennia. You should try it, madness is quite liberating.” She nudged his ribs with her wing flanges.

“It was seventy five millennia give or take; and I’ll keep my mind thank you. I don’t mind watching the hunter stalk me.” He commented spreading his wings to release bent up energy and prevent a cramp.

“Oh ouch, ouch brother for a moment I thought you were Azureabelecoronas with a barb like that.” She curved her back unleashing small pops that would have blown the ear drums from lesser creatures; then she cocked her head as well, the caged one had singled out three insects and was talking to them. “What do you think of the unicorns offer?” she asked bluntly.

Silrandoramubandostrom released the smallest flickers of frozen flame from between his teeth in what passed for a sigh. “what I think of all the offers lessers have brought us over the millennia. Pointless in the long run, fruitless in reward and bloody in the interim.”

“But?” Kalistastradikalament’s playful tone prodded him, he fixed a mirthless eye upon her.

“But; one thing stood out in the memories of the caged one.” He reached into his own memory once more, this was so recent, such a small facet it would have been easy to overlook next to so many others; when he found it, a small purple dragon dressed in some garments of little importance holding equally worthless baubles while ponies around him seemed caught in something equally worthless. Holding onto the image, he pulled it gently at first from his mind; then rapidly until within himself he held an echo of the image. Effortlessly, he passed it to his sister who inhaled sharply as she gazed upon it with her minds eye.

“A babe? A babe who has not yet devolved to a drake?” Kalistastradikalament was on her feet now facing Silrandoramubandostrom, her wings twitching in excitement. “How is this possible?”

Silrandoramubandostrom shrugged, then cracking his neck he witnessed the three isolated insects fly off into the blizzard leaving the caged one alone. “What do you thin of the unicorn’s offer?” he mimed.

His sister stopped her pacing, then scratched her head with the tips of her wing flanges; as If she was considering her answer. By the oldest stone that was annoying, which made this all the more amazing, they both had made up their minds when they first sensed the interlopers in their territory. “I will help the Unicorn; I think it will be entertaining.” The glee in her voice was genuine, interesting. “After all he’s not asking for much; just the lost army of the Necromanus and the skill of the Deepwalkers.”

“Then I think I will oppose you; keep things interesting at least for a spell. It will also provide me an opportunity to seek out this child and see if I can save him from becoming a drake.” Silrandoramubandostrom took to the air with a mighty beat of his wings, not bothering to wait for a response or farewell. It wasn’t meant as an insult; once again it was out of familiarity that only multiple eternities could grow. He rose higher and higher, each beat of his wings caused mighty storms to kick up in the valley below battering the ancient throne city until he breached the upper layer of clouds exposing himself to the midday sun that was all but hidden by the grey weather below.

Silrandoramubandostrom for the first time, in a long time felt…things. He identified the first one as gas, he hadn’t moved this much for at least the past five millennium; the next one, was hunger; he could most likely find a herd of something to eat on the way to his destination. The final one was the most interesting of all, the most stimulating: Hope.

A small purple scaled source of hope.

Author's Notes:

Chapter 5 is up as and back to butchering the Latin Language! fittingly this chapter is titled Grand Exposition.

Not as engaging as the last four chapters I'll admit but I had lots of fun writing Chrysalis's interior struggles against Sombra's methodology.

Possibly what I found the hardest, was to write a spat between Rarity and S.B. without making her seem insufferable and him seem like a jerk. But what I have to say was the most fun was writing dialog between Kalistastradikalament & Silrandoramubandostrom as they watch Chrysalis gather the three changelings she's sending back. It was a challenge to write for creatures so unfathomably ancient; I ultimately ended up choosing to take two routes with it. Apathy (Sil's route) who's been there seen that and well, checked out of existence more or less and then their's Kali, who's still very much trying to live. Both Dragons have their own agenda now but are not above using what's coming as a form of entertainment.

In case you are curious what they look like, these images are close as I could find:

Silrandoramubandostrom: http://zarick84.galeon.com/SilverDragon.jpg

Kalistastradikalament: http://th00.deviantart.net/fs71/PRE/i/2013/192/7/1/ancient_red_dragon_ragorath_by_luffie-d5scaxp.jpg

As always I have no editor so please, please! if you find any errors let me know! I'm always open to feedback and questions!

I don't bite!

Chapter 6: Driest Rede

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Chapter 6: Driest Rede

King Sombra did not like to be kept waiting.

It wasn’t that he was opposed to waiting mind you. Patience was one of the many tools a King could, No; needed to leverage. He did not like to be kept waiting. Yet here he was, waiting, pacing back and forth, in the long abandoned room of what was likely a long dead or since departed to parts unknown dragon child, waiting to be summoned like a common work pony by Kalistastradikalament. He stopped his pacing to look over the re-shelved books that adorned the far wall, he had rearranged them several times after Kalistastradikalament had granted the room for his uses. The books, which had originally been in disorder had irked a part of Sombra he rarely got to indulge in…No, now was not the time nor did he have the patience to wax poetic about what once was.

Sombra stormed out of the chambers startling the Changelings he had ordered stationed outside in case he had need of something. These creatures had been asleep, they dare? King Sombra turned to face them, a mass of armored muscle and fury. Normally cruelty was a tool to be applied until a group was broken, loyal, and afraid; of which he was certain these changelings where. Had this been any other time, any other place, had he not need of them; he would have executed the two on the spot.
He would have to have a word with Chrysalis about such lax behavior.

“Insects! Where is your mistress?” he growled allowing only the smallest mote of his power to manifest as a glow behind his eyes.

“She is in the halls below! With the red lizard! My King” They cowered from him their voices thick with fear. Good; the message had been received. Sombra bared his teeth at the creatures one last time before resuming his march from the chambers, he did not like the fact that Chrysalis was with Kalistastradikalament unsupervised. Not that if the dragoness wished to spend time with his servant he could do much about it. Kalistastradikalament was one of the few beings in the world who could demand not only he wait, but demand that he come when beckoned. He continued his mental tirade oblivious to the wondrous architecture surrounding him of stone and bronze. The great windows of immaculately blown glass that gave an unfortunately poor view of the ash and snow swept city as he set to work descending flights of stairs.

Kalistastradikalament had been helpful yes, to some; less aware ponies it would she would have been too helpful. She had granted them the use of this tower, that had from what he understood been set aside for the education of juvenile dragons, she had sent her own magical messages to beings he had only read about in legends clouded with the language of myth and the half-truths wrought by time. Yes, she had been quite helpful; and she was doing it for the sole purpose of being entertained. A purpose that for the time being aligned with his own, he mused with the slightest bit of disgust, as if he were a common jester.

The irritation of his train of thought proved to be more than minor as the magic he used to throw open the two dragon sized iron doors that lay at the end of his half remembered trek from the bed chambers. Before him lay a massive hall; floor tiled with silver filigreed bronze, walls suspended by marble columns every inch etched with heroic imagery no doubt from the once glorious past reached to a ceiling of solid gold inlaid with enough gems to purchase a petty kingdom one thousand times.

All of this, was lost on the narrowed eyes of King Sombra; so focused was he on the two figures in the center of the chamber. Kalistastradikalament of course, given her bulk dominated the chamber even as she lay upon her belly before a low set table of unknown metal. Her right foreclaw was curled into a fist save for a single talon whose tip rested upon Chrysalis’s brow; the changeling eyes closed was wrapped in a warm almost kindly aura of magic.

“What exactly are you doing to my thrall, dragon?” he made no effort to hide the venom in his voice at the scene before him as he made his way to the table; taking a seat opposite of ancient female.

Kalistastradikalament gingerly pulled a massive talon back from where it had previously been resting on Chrysalis’s forehead. Allowing the aura of magic to fade, if the dragoness was clearly amused at his demand; he had not expected much else from the creature. Chrysalis on the other hand, ears splayed and eyes down cast as soon as they had fluttered was clearly intimidated by his reaction. Something was off about her, yes, something had changed. Her focus was clear; her eyes that since his first…exploration had always lacked clarity, that had made it all the more easier to control her. There was more; King Sombra looked her over, making sure his gaze was both perceptible and uncomfortable as possible. She was trembling; good she still feared him, whatever dragoness had been doing was affecting her mind, but compromising his control. Interestingly enough her coat was beginning change; it was growing lighter, brown in color if he had to guess; the change was far from uniform giving her a marbled look in the right light. He also noted, for the first time that Chrysalis possessed a cutie mark; her wing tip obscured most of it; but he could tell it possessed at least one rose.

“What exactly where you doing?” he modified the demand focusing it at Chrysalis as he allowed his tone to adopt a more neutral sound.

“I…I was having trouble thinking. She offered to...help” her eyes still downcast widened “My King” she quickly added, recoiling in expectation of his wrath.

“Oh do forgive the Alicorn, King Sombra; she was indulging an old mother in her habits.” Kalistastradikalament’s voice was sickeningly sweet while remaining flighty indicating she was indeed amused by the situation.

Sombra sighed, placing a hoof below his horn. “Thank you for your generosity Kalistastradikalament; I do not know the extent of what you did to her, but I humbly ask you in the future, please do consult me before….” He thought carefully before continuing. “Manipulating my belongings.” The red dragoness simply smiled and looked towards the east wall, lined with windows just beyond the column work as a third voice answered his demand for her with a question of its own.

“Did…you…ask…before…manipulating…her?” the voice took long pauses between each word; as if everyone was some great struggle. The tone of the voice was pained; the sound of bone on bone rather than fleshy cords vibrating over air. His righteous anger at the indignation of the question to fade when he observed the origin; replaced by cool logic evaluating the source.
Stepping forth from behind a column near one of the windows was a creature, more aptly; what was once a creature. It was tall; standing on two legs and possessed of two arms that ended in hands similar to those of a minotaur; but that is where the similarities ended. This creature wasn't as bulky as a minotaur; it clearly lacked horns, nor was it as top heavy. Rather it’s upper and lower body appeared to be in proportion or at least they had been; was it not clearly dead, as given by the fact that it’s short, round skull sat atop an equally bare neck bone. It was bedecked in ancient plate armor once stained black with the ravages of age. Arrows, broken weapons of various designs and origins; many that he did not recognize lay embedded in the armor and perhaps at one time the flesh that had long since rotted away beneath.

“Trouble…Thinking?” it asked with that same bone on bone rasp; its jaw unmoving as it approached the table with slow deliberate movements. Its skull was missing a large section of its upper left hemisphere, no stranger to combat he recognized the wound as the result of a mace or telekinetic strike of great force from above. The front of the skull was still intact, for the most part; empty eye sockets staring at the assembled party a run of unknown origin faintly pulsing with a sickly green light in the center of what was left of the things brow.

“No, merely evaluating. You are?” King Sombra asked eyes locked the unknown party; though he had his suspicions.
The creature shook, its armor clanking in the cold a popping, the abysmal sound rang forth from somewhere deep within the armor. “Merely…are.” It stated clearly in answer. King Sombra’s eyes narrowed at the mimic; it was laughing, at what? At him?

Kalistastradikalament took this moment to moment to chime in, unable to contain her amusement. “King Sombra, may I introduce you to Gabriel; The Death of Kings. That which may speak for the Necromanus.” She brought a claw up to rest her massive head on, eyes loosing focus as if she was now bored with the situation and desired to be elsewhere. “I have summoned him here with pacts long made between his people and my own.” So his suspicion was correct; he had expected something dying or draped in death based on the name of the species, but he had not expected the Necromanus to be dead themselves. He watched without reaction as the dead thing effected what must have passed for a bow among its kind, before taking its seat at the table. He had not expected this at all; nor had he expected them to have an annoying method of communication.

“I see; thank you for working so fast to bring this meeting together my lady.” He nodded at Gabriel locking his eyes on the two empty sockets, unsure if they were looking back at him or through him.

“Thank…you...for…this…meeting…King…Sombra….I …speak…for…the…Necromanus.” It was clearly intelligent; but its mimicry would provide a challenge for communication. King Sombra would need to choose any responses carefully as to provide Gabriel with the components to coherently answer.

“Far to the south east of this city, lies a land known as Equestria. It is the current hub of the world, home to two celestial avatars and allied with dozens of other nations across the globe. It is also the root of so much suffering in recent history thanks to the incompetence of its rulers” Sombra waited for the dead thing to respond; when none came he continued watching as it moved a gauntlet to what had once been its chin, rubbing a finger back and forth over the bone creating a slight, uncomfortable sound of metal grinding on bone. “ I have no love for its people, it’s lands nor alliances; my goals are to bring order to the chaos that it’s rulers have engendered during their long reign.”

“Equestria…is…known” Gabriel spoke after respectfully waiting for him to finish. “Its….rulers…are…known” It’s hand once scrapping along the jaw bone seemingly gravitated absently to the cavity carved from its skull. “Order…to chaos…much…suffering…” Gabriel nodded at his, well, Sombra’s words. Then made a looping gesture with one of his arms, beckoning the Unicorn to continue.

Sombra was unsure if Gabriel wanted him to continue so that it could keep speaking or if it was interested in more he had to say. “Yes, I will bring more suffering to its people before my task is done. But as I am a pony far out of time, I have need of allies whose goals align to my own.” Come, take the bait dead thing, he mused.

“My…goals…align…” Gabriel creaked, bringing both hands together in a steeple before its skull; where Sombra could only guess its nose had once been. “But…I…have...needs…of…my…own.” Excellent, now we are getting somewhere; come now dead thing tell me of your needs.

“Of course, whatever needs the dead may have, I shall entertain in earnest. No matter what you wish, gems, gold, land or power. Once I sit upon the throne of Equestria; you need but only ask for.” Sombra chided himself, he had gotten excited at such events moving so quickly; his heart sank briefly as he noticed that Chrysalis had witnessed his temporary loss of control. “Gabriel, Death of Kings, that which speaks for the Necromanus. I shall not lie, my goal is nothing short of the world underhoof; this I ask of you now: will you march with me? Or stand against me?” he allowed the final part of his statement to come across a growl, unsure if he could truly instill fear in the dead.

For several painful moments there was only science; the dead thing, Gabriel said nothing. Simply remaining motionless under the eyes of a Dragon, an Alicorn and Sombra himself.

Then the clanking noise returned, Gabriel was laughing...again “I…ask…not…for…power…for…land…for…gems…or gold…I…ask…for…the…dead…for…this...the…Necromanus…will…march.”

Sombra’s features twisted into a grin; as Gabriel continued to clank; his own voice broke into laughter hardly harmonizing with the sound coming from the dead thing.

“Then the dead you shall have.”

***

Twilight’s eyes creaked open slowly exposing themselves to the stabbing pain presented by the noon-day sun stabbing through the tall windows of her castle. She was seated on her throne, book laying pages down on the floor and a small orange filly dozing in her lap, purple tail curled over her nose. The sight was adorable, the reason for it came back as she managed to fully drag herself awake. Scootaloo had wanted to show her what she had learned in school, A frown formed at the realization and further examination of the recent memories leading up to this sight entailed.

Scootaloo wanted to impress her mother.

Even after all these months; after the constant assurances, supportive talks and late nights. The once orphan was still terrified of losing her new family; Twilight gently, tenderly began to stroke Scootaloo’s back eliciting a twitch from her daughters undersized wings. Ever since her ascension, her realization of her purpose; she had been blessed with many gifts, earned many rewards. But nothing, absolutely nothing meant more to her at this moment than the happiness of her daughter and her marefriend.

A low snore shattered the entire sweet reverie, startling the Alicorn and causing her to apply just too much pressure to her daughters back causing her to begin to stir.

Her Marefriend, Rainbow Dash was sitting on her throne, snoring. No, Twilight had to do her best to suppress a laugh as she stared at the cyan Pegasus. Rainbow Dash, her ever vigilant captain of the guard was not sitting on her throne snoring; she was laying, upside down and backwards down its length unleashing a whinny that could topple mountains.

“Mom, how do you sleep next to her?” Scootaloo wearily rubbed her eyes with her fore hooves sitting on her haunches in twilight’s lap. Well, it’s simple really; for two reasons when a Pony’s mind reaches a certain level of exhaustion, a safety mechanism kicks in that isolates the waking mind from external stimuli, secondly… Are you really lecturing yourself right now? Eyes widening at the abrasiveness of the self-accusation; she turned to her daughter who was now staring head cocked at her other mother figure, who still lay, draped, deposited? In the seemingly impossible position.

“When you love somepony very much…”Twilight smiled, then burst out in tandem giggles with her daughter as a bubble of mucus erupted out of Rainbow Dash’s nose. Oh Celestia, it was memories like this she treasured with her new family. “You’d be surprised what you can live with.”

She patted her daughter on the head coaxing an even broader smile from the filly. “So Scootaloo; what’s on the agenda for this afternoon for Equestira’s number one stunt pegasus?” Rainbow Dash thrashed once, half snarling in her sleep as if she in her unconscious state had heard the misappropriation of one of her many titles.

“Well, Applebloom finally has free time again since you and Aunt Cadence arranged those workers to come down and help Applejack, plus even that pony with the blender voice.”

“S.B Worth” Twilight corrected; earning her a irreverent look from her daughter.

“Blender voice" Scootaloo repeated. "Is helping out around the farm. Buuuuhhht even with all that; Applebloom does nothing but sleep!” Rainbow Dash snorted in agreement bursting the bubble that had grown from her nostril.

Twlight made a face at her marefriend, the scene had gone from adorably quaint to a little disgusting; at least to her it was. Scootaloo thought it was hilarious given that she had fallen into a fit of giggles. “I’m sure Applebloom is just catching up on lost sleep, you know how hard the Apples are working to feed Ponyville at the moment.” Twilight nuzzled her daughter as Scootaloo vainly, playfully tried to push the affectionate princess away.

“Yeah, yeah enough with the mushy stuff mom! Aaaaaannyway.” Scootaloo hopped down off of the throne as Twilight resettled herself leaning on one of the arm rests with her foreleg; watching her daughter collect the book and place it gingerly back in her saddlebag. “Sweetie Belle and I are going to spend some time in Bon Bon’s shop! She’s going to teach us how to make candies!”

Bon Bon’s shop was open again? I could have sworn Lyra was still in the hospital after the shock of Tirek’s magic drain had hit her so hard. Twilight’s brow was furrowed as she momentarily got lost in thought oblivious to her daughters now splayed ears, large eyes locked on her lavender face. “D…did I say something wrong?” Scootaloo’s voice cracked breaking Twilight out of her internal review.

“Oh no, no not at all sweetheart.” Twilight smiled and placed a hoof under Scootaloo’s chin. Way to go mother of the year, she drilled internally. “Cutie Mark Crusaders Chocolatiers Go?” She relaxed as the purple maned filly perked up.

“Well technically it’s only two of us, but we want to make something for Applebloo…” Scootaloo was cut off by a mighty percussive knock on the throne room door. What in the name of her fellow princesses was that? Rainbow Dash gurgled in her sleep, sliding off her own throne.

Thanks Rainbow, brilliant assumption.

A second knock came jarring her teeth and sending Scootaloo running, then leaping onto Rainbow Dash; jarring Twilight’s love from the sweet, oblivious embrace of sleep into the gasping awareness of a pegasus filly clutching her barrel.

“Wuh, wha? Squirt? What’s the big…” The third knock succeeded in drawing Rainbow Dash completely into the waking world. “Guards!” Rainbow’s rasp cracked as she called for assistance; effortlessly flipping airward with her powerful wings and cradling Scootaloo to her barrel with a forehoof. Twilight stepped down from her seat to stand in the center of the room; part of her, the part that had come to ponyville all those years ago, was panicking. Was this another attack? Another monster? Sunset Shimmer reverting to her old ways, leading a teenaged army of transmuted bipeds armed with snappy fashion and snarky letters on small beepy things?

The door popped open slightly, two earth Pony Guards shuffling in with Spike between them.

Or it could be Spike.

Just Spike.

“Spike! That was you?” she shouted twisting her head to the side, eyes narrowing in exasperation. Well at least was not the small beepy things; she had hated the small beepy things. Not the time! She shook her head at the small dragon. “You nearly gave me a heart attack!”

Spike looked back through the cracked door. “Um, Twilight?”

“You scared Scootaloo! Nearly had Dash sic the guards on you!” her rant continued oblivious to now both doors to the throne room gently swinging open.

“Twilight, we ha...” She cut him off.

“Do you have any idea what the guards could have done!?” her mane was starting to frizzle in places as her voice picked up, her mind racing.

“Um, Twilight?” This time it was Rainbow Dash, now by her side was draping a wing over the lavender mares back.

“What?” Twilight snorted, gaining no reaction from the athlete next to her; but heart wrenchingly a small squeak from her daughter who was hiding behind the Pegasus’s foreleg now that all four of said legs were planted on the floor.

Mother of the bucking year Twilight, oh and good job on acting all princessy, princessish? Princess-Like? Royal, go with that you royal a…

“We have a visitor Twi.” She would have continued to chastise herself had Rainbow not spoken while pointing a forehoof at the now the open door. At first She thought her marefriend was pointing at Spike who was sporting, at least in Twilight’s opinion, one of the most deserved I tried to tell you faces the dragon could muster with his scaly features; but her gaze followed the love of her life’s direction to what was standing behind her number one assistant.

A Minotaur.

Twilight blinked, color rushing from her face as she looked upon the creature; like most Minotaur’s he was twice the height of anypony in Equestria. His coat was greyed with age though still showed some signs of rich black striping that was clearly at one point his main color. He strode forward, stepping over Spike, clearly aware that he had been noticed; One eyed, just off of freshly scared face held into a neutral expression. Color rushed back to Twilght’s face in embarrassment as she recognized thee flowing white toga draped around his once muscled frame and the ceremonial brass breastplate he wore that peeked out over the chest drape.

This minotaur was Akadios, Twilight’s face felt like it would burst into flames, Akadios, the ambassador from the Minoan Republic to Equestria since before Twilight had been born. Akadios, close personal friend of Princess Celestia. Akadios, whom she had been told had been honored by both Luna and Celestia for attempting to halt Tirek’s invasion of the castle by himself, armed with nothing but his age and a ceremonial gladius; the vain act that had left the elder creature with both a lasting limp and his current cyclopean disposition.

“A... Ambassador!” Good job Twilight, only a full minute of awkward silence as you stare at one of the most respected beings on all of Equus. “Ambassador Akadios, this…this is such a surprise, I must have missed the letter informing me of your arrival. If you just give me a…um, a moment! Yes! I can have the town party planner alerted to arrange a proper greeting.” She was now rambling, she knew it, great; not only had she made a complete foal of herself in front of Akadios she had failed to prepare a proper welcome for the dear friend of her beloved mentor!

Breath Twilight, Breath!

No! No breathing! Panic now! Critical life functions later!

Akadios knelt down, with some difficulty, less than a pony length from them. His features remained neutral as the moment he had stepped into the throne room. Twilight felt like she was turning blue! Look! Her foreleg it was blue! Wait, no, that was Rainbow Dash’s foreleg, wrapped around her own in support.

Breath now? Maybe.

Akadios’s face broke into a smile as he extended one arm strait to his side, dangling the pure white drape of his toga in respect. “Princess Twilight Sparkle, please forgive an old bull and his eccentricities. There was no herald to my arrival.” His voice was warm, genuinely warm, something she had always enjoyed listening too when she had watched him in Canterlot addressing the royal court in her younger days. It reminded her of what she imagined a grandfather’s voice would sound like had she known hers.

Definitely ok to breath; Panic in…three minutes, let’s see what he has to say.

“Oh, I, um…well…Welcome to Ponyville?” She smiled sheepishly, unconsciously leaning into Rainbow Dash, interpreted her need for support as a need for protection scowled at the Ambassador.

“What can be we do for you?” Her rasp was level; not threatening, not accusing; it never ceased to amaze Twilight how Rainbow Dash could commit herself to anything so thoroughly, even given that she was the element of loyalty of which commitment was an aspect. In this moment Rainbow Dash was more than just her marefriend, she was her protector, her pegasus in shining armor…And thinking the term from which her brothers name snapped her out of her thoughts mid-swoon; good job Twilight, messing up romantic even in your head.

Akadios was still genuinely smiling, had he noticed what had just occurred in the moment between the statements; he kept it to himself. “Akadios wished to see a palace that grew overnight!” he boomed.
Looks like somepony, rather some minotaur can enjoy the acoustics favoring them; and my palace didn’t grow overnight, it took a minute, maybe a minute in a half at the most

“When Princess Luna told me about it, Akadios accused her of jest! Of trying to pull one over on my last eye!” He continued talking through a small chuckle, before recoiling his outstretched arm. “but my eye does not deceive me.” He turned back to look at the mares before him. “You must be Captain Dash; Akadios is honored. In Canterlot we have heard much about you.” He bowed his horned head to the multicolored mare, coaxing a confused look from her and dispelling any wariness at once. Twilight couldn’t help but giggle, if only for a moment; Rainbow Dash’s ego was the best way to get on her good side. Clearly Akadios was well on his way to that side already.

“Ah, well, geez, I know I’m pretty awesome; but, I guess it’s an honor to meet you too Amabadassador Oggle-day-Ohs.”

“Ambassador Akadios” Twilight corrected her marefriend, now far more relaxed herself; pulling herself free of Rainbow’s partial embrace; to approach the diplomat.

“Akadios is not against her interpretation of my title; though I’m sure it would offend more than a few nobles in Canterlot.” He shifted his weight from the knee he was currently resting it on; to extend a hand to shake Twilight’s extended forehoof. “Thank you for your welcome.”

Twilight nodded and she pulled back from the greeting. “I’m so sorry about my earlier behavior Ambassador; but I have to admit, you’re one of the last individuals I’d expect in Ponyville; did you really come all this way just to look at the palace?” Now that she was in possession of both her hooves, she’d take the opportunity to rub them together nervously as she waited for the Ambassador’s answer.

That wouldn’t come because he was currently riveted; looking at a certain small, orange filly who had recently been brave enough to poke her head out from behind Rainbow Dash. Mother of the bucking year Twilight! Ok; maybe she was getting a bit repetitive with mental self-flagellation, but how could she have forgotten the presence of her own daughter!

“Scootaloo, sweetheart, come here.” Twlight turned her back on Akadios, “I want you to meet a friend of Princess Celestia’s.”

The small filly, pulled back behind Rainbow Dash for a moment, before the cyan mare prodded her forth. “Sometimes, being awesome means doing something that scares you; Squirt.” The filly’s eyes doubled in size as she looked up at her idol and second mother figure. “After all, who’s the most awesome daughter in all of Equestria?”

Scootaloo’s small barrel puffed up as she received the compliment, sparing one more pleading look at Rainbow Dash, she moved slowly at first; but then at her normal pace to Twilight’s side, craning her head, back, Twilight was a little amused by her daughter trying to look the massive creature in the eye, and back her head went again, and still back a little bit more... then back flipping! Scootaloo squeaked. She tumbled backwards, small, ineffective wings fluttering rapidly, legs kicking forward trying to regain her balance.

Twilight quickly moved to place a wing under her daughter before she hit the ground; but the impact never came. Akadios has caught her daughter by an extended forelimb, he held her gently bent backwards with one massive hand.
Then slowly placed her back on all fours.

Akadios smiled; “See there little one? You have nothing to fear from Akadios.”

Scootaloo grinned back, color rushing to her cheeks in embarrassment under Akadios genuine grin. Twilight finally allowed herself to relax fully. Of course a good friend of Celestia’s would be a kind individual, just look at that genuine warm smile! It hasn’t changed since my time in Canterlot, so warm, so honest, so slowly turning mischievous like Celesita’s would at times....wait…. what is he going…

“After all, Akadios has already eaten his weight in Filly’s today!”

***

S.B. Worth was tired, annoyed and hungry; but mostly the second one. Rule 122; never work tired, annoyed and hungry. The source of his annoyance was a certain white unicorn; so in accordance with Plan A, he had honestly excused himself from their biweekly meeting and returned to Sweet Apple Acres where he was currently staying to help with some farm work. That had worked well, the physical labor had tired him out; a bit earlier than he would have liked given his childhood. It had also cleared his head of various mental acts of violence he wished to befall a expertly quaffed purple mane with no real harm to its owner; which is why he had retired to and was currently content on his haunches at this as of yet isolated part of the farm, a rolling hill overlooking what could only be described as a pristine lake. To think, clearly.

His stomach rumbled. So much for thinking clearly.

Hungry, right. He dropped his saddlebags searching for a granola bar he knew was certainly within; S.B. Worth was not a pony of addiction, but he did spend an unreasonable amount of bits of Granola bars for them to simply be passed as a favorite food. He pulled a small notebook out of the bag; one of many he owned, each filled to the brim with ideas, sketches of designs and of pony’s doing things that…really S.B? Going to think of that now? On a farm? What are you? Twelve? He smirked, returning to his search, sticking his tongue out as he sought his quarry within the seemingly cavernous expanse of his saddlebags.

“Ah ha!” Victory! He pulled the bar from its plastic tomb at the bottom of the bag falling backwards into the soft grass as he took the first bite.

His stomach rumbled again. Hush, working on it.

Biting another chuck away seemed to quiet his gut for the time being; he stretched legs and neck popping, wings splaying out over the ground, feathers tickled ever so slightly by the grass. His eyes drifted skyward, the weather teams in a town like Ponyville always had the right idea, not to many clouds, not too few; perfect for just thinking. He had a lot to think about, rule 97; don’t think about thinking just think; unless you have an excellent drink. He grinned and checked his saddlebags once more, horseapples; he had left his flask back in the guest room in the farmhouse. What he did find however; was a pleasant, but not equally pleasant surprise. A small model airship; he flopped back down on his back winding its clockwork engine. The model had been a gift from Princess Luna; nothing special mind you, everypony who had worked on the H.M.A. Selene had received one. It was special for him, it was the first time he’d lead a project; raising a hoof he let the little craft sputter to life, forming a lazy circle around him. If only the launch of the real one had gone so smoothly; memories came flooding back; he absently fished for his notebook with his right wing.

Rule 13, Never leave home without a notebook; Rule 14, never leave home without a pencil.

He drifted back to the large meeting hall in the east wing of the palace in Canterlot, dozens of older ponies with decades of experience on him going back and forth, arguing about what style to build, what drive system to employ, to use the newest and most advanced or fall back on older more archaic designs for the princesses sake.

S.B. shook the pencil from its hiding space in the spine, right into waiting grip of his left wings primaries.
The Princess had been present as well, sitting at the head of the table looking over all the various designs with a great amount of confusion on her face; It had taken him a moment to realize that given her exile, she most likely had never ridden upon, or considered an airship. In fact, if he remembered anything of his history lessons; most likely not, and given the age of the mare in the moon myth—the last bit of technological prowess she had seen would have been the cotton gin.

The scratching of his pencil on the now open book was the only outside sign of a portrait forming within of Princess Luna.

He had during a lull in the yelling, made what he believed to be a stupid suggestion. “Everything is new the Princess, why not make everything about her vessel new?”

Boom, Pop, Swing! Just like that, well more with the booming royal Canterlot voice and the gasps of all the other ponies present; Luna had placed him in charge, why? No idea, was he ready? Not at all, did it turn out well? Princess Luna seemed to think so, and the Selene was still airworthy…most of the time.

He flipped the page, leaving the portrait half finished; returning to the designs he had doodled earlier while having another shouting match, verbal joust as his fellow combatant Rarity would have called it on the soon to be cleared grounds of Ponyville’s soon to be central park.

S.B. was forced to admit, the mare had an eye for design; now only if it was practical design.

The park as Rarity had presented it would not have been out of place in any city; but had been adapted to the scale of Ponyville; their was still the matter of the Town Archives built into a recess underground. They had gone back and forth on that for most of the morning; which other than topic, arcanelectric power lines, plumbing, water pipes…

Sweet Luna at night that mare had no idea how things worked.

He refocused his thoughts taking another bite of the Granola bar still held in his teeth. They had finally agreed that rather than a fully open plaza in the center of the park, there would be a statue; of what, he shuddered, Rarity was designing and would present sketches at the end of the week. He moved his gaze down the page, taking the ketch The Statue’s pedestal would serve as an entry way and cap for the town Applejack.

What?

His sketch had ended unceremoniously with a detailed cross hatch of Applejack in partial profile. She must have been in the room talking with Twilight about the farm hands from the Crystal Empire, she had after all followed him into town in the morning. Smiling he remembered regaling her with stories about his childhood, also spent on a farm. He swallowed the last of the granola bar; they had not made it half way to town before she had asked what kind of farm, as if that detail wasn't important. He couldn't help but chuckle at the look on her face when he told her:

“Rule 61: Leave details out, for good conversation later!”

She had made the most adorable huff, then turned the conversation back to the work being done on Sweet Apple Acres; She was a practical pony, not one to rock the boat unless she had too. He liked that, he liked being back on a farm as well. When Applejack had offered for him to get away from it all on her families farm; he was relieved, that had been four days ago. The Farm pony’s family had welcomed him warmly; her brother Big Mac despite a lack of higher education proved to be in possession of a brilliant mathematical mind making for excellent discourse when the quiet stallion could be coaxed into it.

His pencil was scratching again.

Granny Smith, he hadn’t seen much of her; she spent most of the day sleeping in her rocker or cooking, kind enough mare, set in her ways from what he could tell. Then Applebloom, the youngest; the filly was certainly a handful from the stories shared around the dinner table; but they all had high hopes for her. Like her brother she had a brilliant mind; and like her sister she was more than willing to go to any lengths to get a job done.

He had drawn another picture of Applejack, this one laying across a sofa, napping as he had caught her doing once after a long days haul in the orchards. I wonder what she’d look like with her mane down, or her tail band off…A few alterations to the picture; and now Applejack was half submerged in a pool of her own golden, well grey, it was pencil, locks draped suggestively over what had become a Prench sofa. Eyes half open, giving a look that wasn’t meant outside of a bedroom.

“Mah hips are wider than that Ah reck’on” S.B. Froze.

“Ah’n Ah think ya’ll has a funny idea ‘bout how how my mane behaves when Ah let it down.”

Oh no. He craned his neck, looking into the highly amused emerald eyes of Applejack.

Horseapples.

The grey pegasus righted himself a little too quickly, knocking the buzzing model from its circular path. “Applejack! Uh, I..hmm…” The orange mare gave an relaxed chuckled and trotted past S.B. slowly, giving him a prolonged look at her, indeed wider hips.

“Lemme guess, ya’ll got nothing?” She flicked her hat on the ground next to his saddlebags.

“Yes, Ma’am” he responded; unsure of what was going on as she pulled her maneband loose letting her hair down.

“Yer Staring S.B.” Yes, oh yes he was; he was also convinced he was doing his best impression of an apple now given how warm his cheeks felt.

“Yes, Ma’am” he repeated as Applejack let loose her tail band, giving it a quick flick to scatter it about.

“Yer wings are stand’n strait up S.B.” It was her turn to blush, she stood less than a winglenth from him, hair down, partially obscuring one side of her face; sun glinting off each adamant strand as if it had been cast from the most valued metal in the land as a work of art. Those luminous locks flowed, as if molten down her back, her side; hugging every curve that was in exactly the right place, in exactly the right way while tracing the lines of what he was sure was every muscle she owned.

Brain is on vacation, please try again later. was all that could go through his mind at this moment.

“Yes, Ma’am” was all that came out of his mouth for the third time; pulling an incredibly girlish giggle from Applejack.

“Everything ahl’right sugurcube?” she batted her eyelashes at him.

Plan C! Plan C! Plan C!

“Ah’ve been thinking ‘bout how nice ya’ll where back at yer party.” Applejack’s blush intensified and she played with her hair between her forehooves taking a seat on her haunches. She looked away from S.B.’s gaze.

“Ah’ve been try’n to think of how to thank ya. I saw yer drawin’ of me and ah thought ya’ll would want to sketch the real thing.?” Her voice quivered, wait was she nervous? After all that?

Ok, maybe not Plan C.

“Ah, Ah don’t want ya’ll getting the wrong idea ‘bout me neither. Ah’ ain’t normally the kind to do things like this.” She was nervous; and most likely embarrassed. “I hope ya’ll don’t think less of me or some’thun right ‘bout now. Ah know this was might foolish.”

“I…I don’t…” he managed to stammer out. Smooth S.B., Smooth. She looked at him with those big emerald eyes; filled with worry? fear? confusion?

“I…don’t think…I can think anything right now.”

Brilliant.

Author's Notes:

Here it is! Chapter 6! if my Terrible German is correct it's either Brave Words or Fat Conversation!

This has been a really rough week, two radiation sessions and a re-write. Also, a slight course change. Originally Akadios was going to be an uppity noble who had come to garner favor with Twilight and eventually snap at Scootaloo; but the dialog didn't feel right and Akadios came to be. mainly because I wanted to start dangling some hooks for side stories. I have one roughed up for him, a short one shot.

The third part also got re-done; originally it was going to be Applebloom who found S.B; but I think this version was a bit more humorous and touching. Applejack is an awesome pony, and I think we don't get to see enough of her softer side in the show. But that's just my opinion :P

Anywho, as I said rough week, two times the normal radiation and I'm still not the incredible hulk! I am really concerned about the formating/grammer/everything about this chapter so please, please! let loose! fire! brimstone! pitchforks!

Let me know what you think! if you have any issues! questions! Sass!

Catalyst

by That Colt

Chapter 1: In Tenebris, Nihil

Chapter 2: Mon travail ingrate

Chapter 3: What's yours is mine

Chapter 4: Should have seen it coming

Chapter 5: Magnum Expositio

Chapter 6: Driest Rede